a Manuduction unto Christ Observe it then that all this while there was no other way of life given either in whole or in part beside the Covenant of Grace And therefore there was no inconstancy either in God's Will or in his Acts only such was his Mercy that he subordinated the Covenant of Works and made it subservient to the Covenant of Grace and so to tend to Evangelical Perfection And he that truly understands and considers what the Covenant of Works requires and how unable he is to perform it it being though ordained for righteousness and life an occasion of sin and death must needs see just cause to flie from Mount Sinai unto Mount Sion or from the Covenant of Works made with Adam to the Covenant of Grace made with Christ and to admire the unspeakable Wisdom and Mercy of God in suffering the Law to enter in Rom. 5.20 21. that the offence might abound that where Sin aboundeth Grace might much more abound That as sin hath raigned unto death even so might Grace raign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Law then which was good was not made Death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good Rom. 7.13 that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Is the Law then against the Promises of God God forbid For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3.22 c. that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus The obscurity of this Great Point of Theology which I am forced to be so long upon new Notions arising continually is chiefly occasioned as Origen imagineth by the indistinct Aequivocation of the Word Law in the Epistle to the Romans let that place be viewed where it is said The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 6.2 3. The Aequivocal Word Law for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit May we not modestly say that the Word Law ascribed to the Concupiscence of the Flesh is not properly but abusively given As it is also in another Place Rom. 7.21 23. where he saith I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the Law of God after the Inward Man But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members For if Lust be a Law and do bind it hath no Right so to do because Lust is not of force by God's Prime Institution from whence Law hath its virtue but by the occasion of his Justice in punishing the Fall of our first Parents thereby And hence is this Original way of sinning from our Lusts which we are led away with and deceived by though in themselves they are not naturally sinful but became exorbitant against reason and peccant upon forbidden objects by our own consent of Will and God's just Punishment therefore But when the Law of the Spirit of life is clearly meant to be the Gospel preached and alone having the Promise of the Spirit The Law that is weak because of the Flesh that is condemned by the flesh of Christ must needs be understood to be a carnal Law from whence Salvation can never be hoped But that Law by which Justification is had by them which walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh is Spiritual whether it be the same for the Law of Nature perfected by Christ for the Covenant of Grace or diverse as commanded by Moses for the Covenant of Works When these things are rightly distinguished the difficulty whereof St. Peter as well as Origen complains is taken off for when the Apostle saith Rom. 2.14 That the Gentiles which have not a Law are a Law unto themselves doing by Nature the things contained in the Law shew the Work of the Law written in their hearts It is manifest that although we usurp the Appellation of the Law of Nature indifferently St. Paul doth abstain from giving the Name of a Law to that Light that is in us when he says the Gentiles had no Law but were a Law to themselves because the usurping of the Name Law belongs to the solemn Imposition of that name in the Law of Moses and to the Law of Nature and of sin but by Trope and Figure The Law of Moses is carnal in all men the Covenant of Works The Law of Christ is Spiritual in the Faithful before under and after the Law the Covenant of Grace Therefore the Institutions of Nature in Moses's Law are Scriptures and the Word of God no less than the Gospel but not binding as delivered by Moses but by Christ by whom they were made perfect Neither doth a Believer receive the Moral Law at the hands of Moses but altogether at the hands of Christ Though it be the same Law for Matter and Substance yet in the lowest grounds that was delivered by Moses yet Believers are not to receive it as the Law of Moses but of Christ in the highest perfections thereof For when Christ the Son of God comes and speaks himself Moses the Servant of God must hold his peace as Moses himself foretold A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me Act. 3.22 Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And therefore in the Mount Tabor when Moses and Elias were departed and had given place the voice from Heaven came and said Math. 17.5 This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye Him And though heretofore God hath spoken divers wayes and in sundry fashions to the World by his Servants the Prophets Heb. 1.2 yet now in these last dayes he hath spoken to us by his Son and this is he that we must trust to And they that believed in Moses must believe in Christ and they that believed before Moses did believe in Christ and they that believe after Moses must believe in Christ and so to the World's end For there never was nor will be
Words Berith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew and Greek are sometimes used for a Covenant to which as to Laws a Sanction doth belong but Testamentum in the Latin never but only for a Last Will. And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament ought to be interpreted a Testament and it is to be admired that it is so frequently translated Covenant Sanction It is vulgarly asserted That the Word Covenant is most proper in the Gospel sense Because as in Laws that Part is called a Sanction which consecrates the Blood of the Offender to the Law for his Transgression so in Covenants especially Publick as Leagues and Truces between Nation and Nation The Establishment of old was by the slaying of some beast which is called a Sanction from Sanguis or Blood and Foedus a League â ferendo and foedus percutere to strike a League because they used to strike a Hog or other beast to death at the time of the making of the League with a solemn asseveration of both Parties Confederate That if either of them should offer to violate the Articles of the Peace or War agreed upon between them then Jupiter should so or more destroy those Covenant-breakers as they did then and there destroy that beast and more also The old Form runs thus Si prior defecit Tu illum Jupiter sic ferito ut Ego hunc Porcum nunc feriam tantóque magis quantò magis potes pollesque Not much unlike the Hebrew Form God do so to me and more also Asseveration 1 Sam. 25 22. As David threatned Nabal for denying relief to his men saying God do so and more also unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the Wall As Abner threatned Ishbosheth the Son of Saul So do God to Abner and more also except 2 Sam. 3.9 as the Lord hath sworn to David even so I do to him to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David c. As Ruth Covenanted with Naomi Ruth 1.17 The Lord do so to me and more if ought but Death part thee and me As Cushi answered David concerning Absolom 2 Sam. 18.32 The enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is As David promised Amasa God do so to me and more also 2 Sam. 19.13 if thou be not Captain of the Host before me continually in the room of Joab 1 Sam. 20.13 As Jonathan Covenanted with David saying If there be good toward David and I then send not unto thee and shew it thee The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.16 and let the Lord even require it at the hand of David 's Enemies The like Imprecation is in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So for the confirmation of the Old Testament Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Exod. 24.8 Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Hence that severe threatning on those that count the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing Heb. 10 29. So that of the Prophet alludes to this As for thee also by the Blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners c. Zech. 9.11 So in the Covenant between God and Abraham Gen. 15.10 the Beasts and the Birds were divided in the midst c. So that these Words Berith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are so large that they denote a Law Covenant and Testament but principally a Testament These three Significations agreeing well together in this great Disposition of God in the Gospel which is his Testament Law and Covenant because every Testament absolute is a Law but this Testament of Gods is conditional which makes it a Covenant as well as a Law Therefore the Word Testament is and hath Title of the Scriptures ever been the Common Title of the Scriptures of the Law and Gospel and the ancient Christians chose rather to call the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.2 Jac. 2.8 Jac. 1.25 Ro. 3.27 though it be the New and Royal Law of Jesus Christ and the Law of liberty and the Law of Faith Because Christ himself hath given it that Name this is my Blood of the New Testament and the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews doth most accurately describe the Nature of it saying Heb. 9.15 He is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by the means of Death for the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance for where a a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth c. The Apostles also observing the true Idiome of this Word call themselves accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3 6. God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Neither can there be any just Exceptions made against this Title of the Old and New Testament for who dares call the Gospel by any other Name than Christ hath given it at his solemn Supper and than the Apostles have given and all the antient Christians both Greek and Latine There were many other Testaments or Covenants of God in Scriptures Other Covenants Jer. 33.20 Gen. 6.18 so called or rather Ordinances Laws and Decrees as the Covenant made with Adam for the Revolution of the day and of the night and the Covenant with Noah in the Ark for his coming into the Ark with his Sons his Wife and his Sons Wives with him and also Gen. 9.9 That the Earth should never be destroyed with a flood any more there is besides Acts 7.8 the Covenant of Circumcision and the Covenant of the Sabbath Exod. 16.19 Exod. 31.16 And besides these Promises many and Covenants many But the main Covenant Old Covenant which for the Promises thereof was made to Abraham and for the Precepts thereof to Moses in Mount Sinai and began to be executed when the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt and was fully performed when Joshua in Moses stead put the people in actual Possession of the Land of Canaan I say this main Covenant swallowed up all other Covenants and took in Sabbath and Circumcision and carried away the Name of the Covenant of God from all the rest New Covenant But when the Gospel came which was the New Covenant or Testament made by God to Christ this being the last and most perfect that ever God did make it carries away
the Name from the Law it self and all others and is truly and really the everlasting Testament and Covenant of God Of this New Testament the Scriptures of the Old Testament do frequently prophesie Jer. 31.32 Behold the days come saith the Lord That I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was a Husband unto them saith the Lord. And in divers other places hereafter to be noted And these are the two distinct Testaments set forth by the Allegory of Abrahams two Sons the one by a Bond-woman and the other by a Free-woman For these are the Two Testaments Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendreth to Bondage Gal. 4.24 which is Agar the other from Mount Sion in Jerusalem which is Free-born which is the Mother of us all And therefore we that are under the second Covenant are not Children of the Bond-woman but of the Free-woman Proofs for the title of Testament But the prime places in the Gospel and writings of the Apostles do most fully demonstrate this Notion of a Testament as in the first place those dying words of the Mediatour himself This is my Blood of the New Testament Matt. 26.28 which is shed for many for the remission of sins Where no man dares translate it Covenant or by any other word than Testament which makes the Opposers sweat to make good the rendring of the same word in other places a Covenant as in the eight of the Hebrews they do Heb 9.16 17. whereas in the next Chapter they cannot do it For this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by the means of death for the redemption of the Transgressours that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testatour for a Testament is of force when men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testatour liveth Wherefore neither the first Testament was dedicated without Blood c. So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 relate to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. If a Son then an Heir of God through Christ and v. 30. The Son of the Bond-woman shall not be Heir with the Son of the Free-woman Gal. 3.15 As also Gal. 3.15 though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be there translated Covenant yet it strongly soundeth a Testament because if it be confirmed first by death no man can disannul it No man can disannul his own Testament because he is dead and hath no will whereas we see daily that Covenants though never so much confirmed by hands and Seals c. are broken every day at the wills and pleasures of them that made them So 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament and v. 14. The Old Testament is done away in Christ And in many other places But more particularly let us take a view of Gal. 3.17 Gal. 3.17 This I say that the Covenant which was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul that it should make the Promise of none effect The Argument of the Apostle in the Paragraph v. 15 16 17. is thus Though it be but a Mans Covenant yet if it be once confirmed no such Testatour can disannul it or superadd thereunto by any after-Act much less will the most holy and righteous God of heaven disannul his own Testament when once it is confirmed But I say that Gods Testament was confirmed before the giving of the Law and therefore the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after the Institution of the Testament could not disannul or defeat the Promise therein conteined There are two Acts of a Testament Acts of a Testament Institution or Faction when a Testator declares this to be his last Will and Testament by Word or Writing or both Confirmation or Establishing when he silently declareth it to be unalterable and irrevocable by dying or taking his death upon it These two are different Acts done at different times and by different means the one in Life the other in death Now the Old Testament of God for the Promisory Part of it was first instituted or ordained when Abraham lived in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran for there the Lord had said unto him Gen. 12.2 I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a Blessing c. This Institution was again declared to Abraham when he lived at Sichem for there the Lord appeared unto him and said Gen. 13.4 Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever The Sum of this Institution was yet again renewed unto Abraham when he dwelt in the Plain of Mamre which is Hebron where the Lord said unto him Gen. 15.7 I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee this Land to inherit it Thus Gods Ordination Institution or Faction of his Testament was sufficiently declared to Abraham immediately after this last Intimation the same Testament was confirmed by God For when Abraham desired some farther Assurance whereby he might know that he should inherit the Land promised Gen. 15.18 God thereupon confirmed or established his Testament by doing a solemn Act which added such Authority and force unto his Testament that by vertue of that Act God deprived himself as a dead man of all power of recalling it Therefore by Gods appointment certain Beasts were slain and divided into half and the pieces laid severally one against another and the Lord as a Burning Lamp passed between those dead pieces and by that passage his Testament was confirmed Gen. 15.18 In that same day Gen. 15.18 the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham In the Hebrew the Lord cut or dispatched his Testament or Promise to Abraham In the Greek he disposed his Disposition to Abraham i. e. he assured it to him saying to thy Seed have I given this Land c. Neither can the Hebrew Word Berith here signifie a Covenant for two Reasons 1. Because the Hebrew Text saith he made a Deed Constitution or Reason 1 Disposition unto Abraham not a Condition or Covenant with Abraham And so the LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Because as to the Act of God Abraham was not the Counterparty Reason 2 with whom it was done but the Beneficiary unto whom it was done God
and saving Faith as shall be shewn hereafter Contrary unto this is our Covenanting with the Devil and the World To give our Souls to the Devil and the Flesh in giving away our Souls and Bodies for propriety and our Faculties and Estates for usufruct to these Enemies of God and our selves to our destruction and this is Infidelity and renouncing all Covenant or Communion with God So I give me and mine to God and God receives what I give and I am his So God gives Himself to me and I receive what he gives and He is mine And this is a perfect Covenant betwixt God and me and holds all the while I keep my Faith and true Allegiance unto him During the continuance of which Faith that maintains this League and Covenant betwixt God and my Soul Claim by Covenant I may claim all Gods Promises as my due with a holy boldness and he may challenge all mine and that we may first make and afterwards maintain and keep this our Covenant with God unto the end we have alwaies free access unto the Throne of his Grace for Grace sufficient to help us in the time of all our needs The CONTENTS First Covenant with Adam Second Covenant with Adam Resemblance of Covenants First Covenant inculcated from the Creation Second Covenant inculcated from the Creation Law written Spirit more plentiful in the Gospel Predestination of Rewards in Christ Men would be Gods to themselves Natural to have a God Natural to be in Covenant with God TITLE III. Of the distinction of Covenants Of the distinction of Covenants TO speak clearly and properly according to the Analogy of Faith concerning Gods two most eminent Covenants with Mankind Thus First Covenant with Adam I. The first Covenant that God made was with the first Man Adam in which was one Negative Commandment The Condition was to abstain from tasting of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil The Promise was to eat of the Tree of Life in the earthly Paradise and by the help thereof to live for ever The Threatning was if he did break this Law he should pass his time in labour and sorrow be shut out of Paradise and at last die the death This is not the same Covenant with that of Moses Law 1. Because the Condition was diverse To obey all the Commandments which God then gave Ten whereof he wrote with his own Finger the rest he dictated to Moses and commanded him to write them in a Book 2. Because the Promises were diverse To enjoy long life honour Friends plenty peace and victory in the Land of Canaan 3. Because the Threatning was diverse Stoning scourging hanging c. Second Covenant with Adam II. The second Covenant that God made was with the first Man Adam The Condition was Love to the Seed of the Woman Enmity to the Seed of the Serpent The Promise was That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Thou shalt break his head The Threatning was That the seed of the Serpent should bruise the Womans heel And he shall bruise thy heel This may not be the same Covenant with that of God in Christ 1. Because the Condition was diverse viz. Faith and Love 2. Because the Promise was diverse viz. Eternal life and in order thereunto Remission of sins the Holy Spirit Resurrection and Ascension 3. Because the Threatning was diverse viz. Eternal death The first Covenant Resemblance of Covenants may in part resemble the Covenant of Works by the Law of Moses because of a prohibition from one thing and a permission of all the rest because of a promise of one Earthly Paradise because of the threatning of a Bodily Death The second Covenant may in part resemble the Covenant of Grace by the Gospel of Christ Because of the condition of Love to the true Seed of the Woman which is Christ and of Hatred to the true seed of the Serpent which is the Devil because of the true breaking of the true Serpents head which is the Devil by the true promised Seed of the Woman which is Christ And because of the true bruising of the true seed of the Woman by the true seed of the Serpent But though there were Promises many and Covenants many yet in the Scriptures it is evident that there are but two Covenants of God eminently and properly so called which are I. The Law of Moses which is the Old Covenant of Works The Condition was Obedience to the whole Law The Promise was the Land of Canaan and Rest therein The Threatning was Temporal punishments and Death without mercy The Mediatour was Moses The Duration was till Christ should come in the flesh II. The Gospel of Christ which is the New Covenant of Grace The Condition was Faith The Promise was Life eternal in Heaven The Threatning was Death eternal in Hell The Mediatour was Christ The Duration was till Christs second coming in Glory Yet no body can deny First Covenant inculcated from the Creation but that the first Covenant of the Old Testament was hinted from the Creation for the Precepts in the Law of Nature written in the heart and for the Promises and Rewards due to the obedience of a happy life on Earth never to have end and for the Threatnings of Calamities and Death never to end And so also the second Covenant of the New Testament was hinted from the Creation in the revelation in part of a Spiritual Law Second Covenant inculcated from the Creation to those that did obey the Law of Nature and in the obscure revelation of spiritual and eternal Promises to those that embraced the carnal and temporal ones But still there was no Law written in Tables till Moses and still there was no full Revelation of the spiritual Law and of spiritual and eternal Promises till Christ came and wrote them perfectly by his Spirit in the heart Law written Therefore when the writing of the Law of Nature upon the heart was almost quite worn out by habits and practices of unnatural Evils and the universal Examples of Wicked men turning from God to Idols and walking after the imaginations of their own hearts continually God made a Covenant with the Children of Abraham by Moses for the performance of Carnal duties and fruition of Carnal rewards to lead them on farther and prepare them to the practice of spiritual Services and enjoyment of eternal Rewards which to them as to Children were represented and shadowed out by several Rites and Ceremonies and temporal Prosperities These lesser and weaker Commands and Promises God gave unto them for that time of their Minority and reserved the manifestation of his higher and stronger Commands and Promises till the fullness of time when all things should be made perfect Spirit more plentiful in the Gospel Therefore God sprinckled a lesser portion of his Spirit upon some before and under the Law according to their present capacities But afterward when
Christ came and brought Life and Immortality to light he poured out a most plentiful portion of his Spirit upon all flesh and gave more Grace under the Gospel according to their present Receptibilities Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Thus by degrees Mankind arrived to the highest Revelations and Dispensations of Gods love by Jesus Christ Predestination of Rewards in Christ Therefore God from all Eternity intended and predestinated the Promises of his last Will and Covenant of Grace to be confirmed and executed by his Son Jesus Christ in the fullness of time which he had appointed by virtue whereof all that feared or do fear or shall fear God shall be rewarded of God in and through Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof under all the former inferiour and imperfect adumbrations and Dispensations and under the present sublime and perfect substance and Oeconomy of the Gospel And so this everlasting great and true Covenant of Grace expressed in Gods last Will and Testament revealed by his Son Jesus Christ hath and doth and shall take full force and effect to all intents and purposes respectively to every faithful Soul all the World over for Grace and Salvation as they are able to receive it according to the measure of the dispensation of his mercy at all times God still accounting the will for the deed after the riches of his Grace according to what a man hath not according to what a man hath not and rejecting none that come unto him as well as they are able making them more able For in all Nations Act. 10.35 those that fear him and work righteousness are accepted of him And all this in Christ who is the Beloved with whom God is well-pleased and in whom and through whom God is and will be well-pleased with all men because by him he reconciled the World unto himself and so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into the same that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have life everlasting Thus it is demonstrated that there are two eminent distinct Covenants or Testaments the one of the Law and the other of the Gospel The Law is one Husband the Gospel another The Law is a School-master of Rudiments and Elements the Gospel a Doctour of Sciences and Perfections Repentance is not fully in the Law but in the Gospel yet often inculcated by the Prophets Adam Abraham and the Patriarchs had no better things promised expressly than Earth yet by faith they looked for better things which God by his Spirit though not in words had revealed yet obscurely and afar off Thus the Law given by Moses is stiled in Scripture the first Covenant the Gospel given by Christ is stiled the second Covenant 1. Thus it appears Corollaries That God gave a particular Command to Adam to try his obedience upon a promise of Life 2. That God made a Covenant with Adam and a promise of Christ so to the Patriarchs so to Abraham and so the Inheritance came by Promise not by Works 3. That God made a Covenant of Works to Moses in the Law called the first Testament formally made 4. That the Promise of Christ was made to Adam Abraham and the Fathers but it was not framed into a Testament till Christs death 5. That the Law of Nature was made to Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Moses confirmed it by the blood of Beasts 6. That thus the Law of Grace was to the second Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Christ confirmed it by his own blood 7. That many Covenants there were then of God but no Testaments save only the Old and the New 8. That before the Law the Promises of the Gospel were in part darkly revealed but never clearly and fully till Christ came 9. That the Precepts of the Old Testament were in express words but for external obedience in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Internal obedience 10. That the Promises of the Old Testament were in express words but for Temporal blessings in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Eternal Blessings 11. That both Precepts and Promises were spiritual and eternal by Christ 12. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Works is Moses Law 13. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Grace is Christs Law 14. That every Covenant is by Faith and mutual Promises of both Parties for Works to be done and Rewards to be had 15. That the Covenant of the Gospel is meer Faith in God promising and Man accepting and Re-promising not for Works to obtain Righteousness but for Faith alone 16. That Faith is not a credence or belief of story or trust but a Promise Covenant Affiance and Alliance He is a faithful Subject not that believes the Commands of his Prince to be true but that keeps his faith and Allegiance with his Prince 17. That there is a Reformation there is Shadow and Substance there are two Mediators two Laws two Priesthoods and two Services Two Temples two Altars two Sacrifices two Tabernacles An Expiation of Carnal and Spiritual Sins a Purification of Body and Soul a Carnal and a Spiritual Worship A general Correction and Amendment of all things in the most excellent State and Condition that can be imagined 18. That the First Tabernacle is fallen the old Priesthood turned from the Altar And into the Second and True Tabernacle of Heaven Christ the great High-Priest is entred 19. That all along the first Testament for the Promises made to Abraham and confirmed by the Death of Beasts and Birds for the Land of Canaan was in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 20. That the first Testament for the Precepts made to Moses was confirmed by the Death of Beasts for the Land of Canaan in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 21. That the Second Testament for the Promises and Precepts made to Christ was confirmed by the Death of Christ for Heaven 22. That the Gospel was not contained and comprehended in the Law as blended both together in one but is a distinct Thing from the Law subsisting by its self as Carnal and Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Life and Death Heaven and Earth are distinct Things 23. That the Law of Nature was before Moses's Law not loaded with so many Positive Precepts but that they were brought in afterwards upon the Promise of the Land of Canaan God then instructing them by a more familiar Conversation as occasion did offer 24. That Judaism is younger and different from Christianity Moses from Christ 25. That Salvation was by Christ who was to come before and under the Law and by Christ already come under the Gospel 26. That by the Publishing of the Gospel the original Law of God is not abrogated continuing still the Rule of all mens Actions but rather
no Comparison A man's Heir is himself in all Successions and with himself still represented goes along the Possession of all his Honours and Goods for ever A man's Wife is part of himself and carrieth part of his Estate and Honour with her as a Wife should do But his Heir hath all himself and his Estate and Honour too as an Heir should have SECTION IX Acquisition of Goods Other ways of acquiring Goods there are but only in part as first Ocupation Invention Accretion Donation c. But this is in full to go away with all by right of Testamental Inheritance Let every comfortable and benefical Relation therefore be taken in especially that of a Father which is Christ's own Relation by Nature and ours by Grace and Adoption in Christ the principal Son of God and Heir of all things this hinders not but includes the Love-respects of Wife Spouse Sister Brother Friend or Allies Love of God All Love in God is great towards all his Creatures but chiefly to Mankind and more especially to his Church Love of Souls This Love of God to the Soul passeth all knowledge to express the height and length and depth and breadth thereof And again the Love of the Soul to God is unexpressible Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of Love It is the Soul's ravishment and admiration to an Extasie to see it self thus beloved of God and not know how nor why and to feel what she is not able to conceive or express The blessed Cherubims and Seraphims burn with this Love But for the description of God's Love that kindles all other Love we must draw a Curtain Silence best expresses what we are not able to understand The Communion and fellowship with God Communion proceeding from the mutual love between God and the Soul and the influences of the Spirit is the great mystery of Christ and his Church Behold what manner of Love this is Adoption that we should be called the Sons of God! And we know that we are now the Sons of God but we know not hereafter what we shall be but this we know that when he appeareth we shall appear with him in glory and of Carnal be made Spiritual of Corruptible Incorruptible of Mortal Immortal A man may have many Friends very near and dear unto him Heir the most Beloved and which may bestow upon him many and great gifts and to whom he may give many and great gifts also but the Son and Heir of his Body lawfully begotten or the Son and Heir of his Love lawfully adopted receives most favour and profit by him because he is himself represented and his Off-spring forever So Christ is the beloved Son and Heir of God in whom he is well pleased and in whom we are the beloved Sons and Heirs and Coheirs with Christ The rest go away with their several gifts and honours from him and set up several houses and families of their own but the Son and Heir is full and continual Successor to his Father in all his Honour and Estate as Lord Earl or King with all the Lands and Revenues for ever entailed upon him by his Father who thus never dies But a Wife after her Husband's departure is a Widow free for another man loses a great part of her Lustre and Priviledges and enjoys only her Dowry which she had before from her Father or her Joynture which she received from her Husband so that her Widowhood by her Husbands death is a diminution to her head But it is the augmentation of an Heir by his Father's decease And thus God would have it be in the manner of the conveyance of his Estate to us by way of Testament that we should be his Heirs Thus Love is contained in God's Promises Laws Constitutions Decrees and Testaments at large wherein is the Royal Charter of God's great Donation to his Church and faithful People instituted to be his Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ in toto solido every one of them without any diminution of happiness though there be degrees thereof And under this Grant they claim their Right by their Faith or Promise or Covenant with God to accept of his Love and to obey his Laws An high honour to be the Friends and Allies of God but a far higher to be his Sons and Heirs in all Honours and Inheritances entailed and never to be cut off by God but only by their own Refusal or Apostacy else the Promise of God standeth sure and they remain spiritual Prophets Priests and Kings for evermore This is the only difference between earthly and heavenly Heirs that the Earthly succeed in Flesh and Blood Honour and Estate and in all things but only Vertues and great Parts but the Heirs of God succeed not only to the Inheritance of Glory but to the Vertues Gifts and Graces and Likeness of God To conclude in a word there are many and great acts of Grace in the World but none of them nor all together are so gracious as that of a Testament And such is the Gospel the New Testament of God's Grace SECTION X. Definition of the Gospel This is a Definition of the Gospel so large in extent that we can reach nothing beyond it to prove it by Not because it is no true Definition but because it is so highly true that there is no cause or reason above it wherewith to prove it A prime Verity an Axiom a Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa Postulatum ut Triangulum est rectilinium Trilaterum A Demonstration so of reason so true that no body in his right wits can deny A Nominal or Grammatical Cause may be given for the words Gospel Testament or Covenant but no Rational or Real Cause because it is a Definition Nevertheless though it cannot so properly be proved because granted and a Principle yet it may well be illustrated or declared more to the understanding thereof Definition of a Testament And so a Testament is a just Decree of things to be had or done after the Testators death according to that of Justinian Testamentum est voluntatis justa Sententia de eo quod quis post mortem suam fieri velit Called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Disposition or Decree of the Will and by the Latins Testamentum or solemn Testation of witnessing of the Testator's mind declared to fit persons And in this the Wisdom and Goodness of God to us appears in condescending to our shallow Capacities by setling the Inheritance of Eternal life upon mortal Men by an Immutable Testament after the manner of Men more impossible after the Death of Christ to be revoked than all the Laws by the Medes and Persians that by this way and means all Believers might be assured that they are Instituted the Sons and Heirs of God by Jesus Christ in his last Will and Testament because it is so ratified by the Death
born of the flesh is flesh but afterwards they are made Spirit For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. And except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven which is the first Resurrection And again Christians must first die as all Flesh must do and afterwards must live as all Spirits must do And as the Soul is alwaies Spirit but not fully sanctified nor fully glorified till after the Bodie 's Resurrection so the Flesh is alwaies Flesh but yet made spiritual by Regeneration but not fully Spiritual till the full Regeneration of Glory after death which is the second Resurrection For thiis Mortal must put on Immortality and this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Earth must put on Heaven and this Flesh must put on Spirit and this Terrestrial must be made Coelestial for as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly There are Natural Bodies and there are Spiritual Bodies but first that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual So without Death Temporal we cannot be prepared for Life Eternal For except we fall we cannot rise and except we rise from the Earth we cannot ascend into Heaven and except we ascend into Heaven we cannot enter into the Inheritance of Glory SECTION I. Christ's Ascension Christ therefore after his death and burial ascended in his own Person far above all Heavens that he might as a King Priest and Prophet fully execute the Will of his Father and our Father which is in Heaven Now he that ascended Eph. 4.9 what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth And he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things or more truly that he might fulfil all things that is by a Plenary Administration and discharging all the Gifts and Legacies devised by God For when he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And for the preparation of his Church Militant that they may be Triumphant He from thence gave some to be Apostles Spirit 's Mission Eph 4.11 12. and some to be Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now to do these things is to execute and fulfil the Will of God Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise i. e. the Promised Possession of Eternal Inheritance This Doctrine was taught by Christ himself Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And after his death he said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24.46 And that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Christ died for the Testification Coroll Confirmation and Execution of the New Testament and consequently for the Remission of sins Mortification Justification Sanctification Resurrection and Glorification of all the Scripti haeredes whose Names are written in the Book of Life The CONTENTS Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations TITLE VII Of the Testaments compared THis last and greatest and best Disposition of God's Grace to all the World called the New Testament that we may yet the better understand let us compare it with the former and lower way of God's Disposition to the Jews only called the Old Testament as it was established by the Law given upon Mount Sinai in these two points The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever SECTION I. Spiritual I. The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever 1. Spiritual 1. Because it is perfect agreeing to the Spirit of God which the other was not being imperfect and Carnal 2. Because it conveyeth Spiritual gifts and graces plentifully which the other did not 3. Because it was written by the Spirit in the Tables of the heart whereas the other was only in Tables of Stone Lively 2. Lively 1. Because it creates the life of Grace and Glory In force for ever 3. In force for ever Because it is God's last Will and ratified by the Death of Christ and therefore unalterable SECTION II. Literal II. The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever 1. Literal Because Carnal rigorous weak rude and beggarly as Rudiments and the lowest principles of Morality and Ritual worship 2. Deadly Deadly Because working nothing but wrath and death making sin appear to be exceeding sinful and affording no Remedy against it 3 Abrogated for ever Abrogated for ever Because ordained only for a time as being shadowy and typical of Substances to come The Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the coming in of a better Hope did The Gospel is the only true Service with which God is well pleased For God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth God will now be served in the newness of the Spirit Ro. 7.6 not in the oldness of the Letter Say not in thine heart Ro. 7.6 Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the Deep to bring Christ again from the dead For the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Ro. 10.6 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made
as for the People so also for himself to offer for Sins And no Man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee Christ the Great and True High-Priest Reason Heb. 5.1 Christ therefore is the Great and True High-Priest in all Respects 1. Because he is Man in all things like unto Man Sin only excepted and therefore ordained and separated from other men and most holy that we might be made holy and therefore Compassionate of the Infirmities of Men as of their Ignorances and Errors not only in respect of Fact but of Law also because of weak capacities and slippery memories and weak performances having respect to their Wills which if earnest and honest to do what they can shall be accepted according to what abilities of knowledge and remembrance and doing they have and not according to what they have not As Man also he is compassed with Infirmity The Infirmity of the Legal High-Priest as of all men was Sin and therefore might and did fall into Ignorances and Errors frail Actions like other men But Christ's Infirmity is his Sufferings and not his Sin for he knew not sin He was subject to Afflictions and Trials as other men The Legal High-Priest therefore was fain to offer often for his own Infirmities in falling into Ignorance and Error and frail Actions often as also for the frequent failings of the People much more Lev. 16.6 c. So Christ in the daies of his Flesh Heb. 5.7 which is the subject of his Infirmity and Sufferings offered up for himself Prayers and Supplications unto him that was able to save him from death This Christ in his Agony chiefly requested to have that bitter Cup removed from him And when he was upon the Cross he lamentably complained saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He prayed therefore that because he must die he might be delivered from death and therefore in dying commended his Spirit to God to receive it into his hands and keep it for him and restore it to him who would not leave his Soul in Hell nor suffer his Holy One to see Corruption And these were strong Cries accompanied with many Tears in so great extremities Seeing then that Christ was exercised with the experience of unexpressible Pains he cannot but be moved at the Miseries and Pains of his Servants and must needs readily bow down his ear to hear their doleful Cries and stretch out his hand to save them before the Pit of ruine shut her mouth upon them Thus did Christ offer his Prayers for himself while he was on Earth Christ offered Self that he might save himself from death for when he was restored to life and had so overcome Death as to die no more He then being in heaven offered himself immaculate and immortal as he was not for himself as before when he bore our Sins and carried our Sorrows for he hath no need to offer for himself there Christ therefore offered up his Prayers on Earth for himself but he offered up himself in Heaven for us For himself he offered when he was mortal in the daies of his Flesh for us he offered when he was an immortal and eternal Spirit And in all his Prayers our great High-Priest is heard first for himself on Earth that he might be saved from the Death which he feared that is out of Death unto Eternal life and secondly for us in Heaven that we might be saved from the power of Death and brought to Eternal life as he was In the daies of his Flesh Christ was not yet perfect had not finished his work was not gone to his Father but when he had overcome Death and Ascended into Heaven and sat on the Throne of the Majesty on high he being made perfect through Sufferings became the Author and Minister of Eternal Salvation Then was he fully invested and installed into his Royal Priesthood there he presented himself to God for us in the Temple of God eternal in the Heavens 2. Because CHRIST is the Great and True High-Priest Reason 2 because he is called to that Office by God after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 5.10 Gen. 14.18 Psal 110.4 Who was King of Salem and Priest of the most High God The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec That is a King and a Priest both for so were Kings of old as springing from the Princes of Families who were all Priests who afterwards being called to Rule many Families or a City were the Priests as well as the Princes of that City or Commonwealth Praying and Sacrificing for the People as well as Ruling them The most honourable Person was fittest to minister in the most honourable Service The CONTENTS A Priest A Singular Priest A Perpetual Priest Greater than Abraham Abraham paid Tithes to Melchisedec Melchisedec not of Aaron's Tribe Abraham blessed of Melchisedec Sacerdotal Blessing Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedec Actions of Fathers transmitted to Children Levi Blessed of Melchisedec Melchisedec Immortal TITLE V. Of the Dignity of Melchisedec MELCHISEDEC was a Priest of greatest Dignity 1. Because he Blessed men Sacerdotally as he did Abraham saying Gen. 14.11 Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God Possessour of Heaven and Earth A Priest 2. Because he received Tithes of Abraham i. e. A Tenth part of the Spoils Melchisedec was a Singular Priest A singular Priest 1. Because there were no more Priests of his Order no Predecessor nor Successor in the Priesthood as other Priests had who must be of the Family of Aaron and of the Tribe of Levi to whom the Priesthood was designed A perpetual Priest 2. Because he was a perpetual High-Priest having neither beginning nor end of life remaining a Priest as Christ doth so long as there is need of any Priest And there shall be no need of a Priest when the People of God have their sins throughly expiated and are translated to Heaven SECTION I. Melchisedec was greater than Abraham Greater than Abraham 1. Because Abraham gave him Tithes a Token of subjection as Tribute is from Subjects to Princes 2. Because Abraham was blessed by him a Token of subjection also for the Inferior praies a Blessing of the Superior not of the Equal or Inferior for he is not able to do it 3. Because he was in a manner an Eternal Person so was not Abraham SECTION II. The Dignity therefore of Melchisedec appears in that 1. Even Abraham so great a Patriarch as he was was his Subject and acknowledged himself so to be By paying him a Tenth which was no Vulgar Present Abraham paid Tithes to Melchisedec but a Present for a Priest a solemn and sacred Portion not to be enjoyed but by the Priest alone as God's
for sin Who needeth not daily as those High Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the Peoples for this he did once Heb. 7.17 when he offered up himself For the Law maketh men High-Priests which have infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever more Heb. 9.7.11 But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Christ hath suffered once for our sins 1 Pet. 3.18 the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1. Because of the All-sufficiency of this one Sacrifice in perfecting Reason 1 for ever them that are sanctified so that there needs no Remembrance of Sins any more Christ being the Author and Finisher and the Captain of our Salvation made perfect through his Sufferings 2. Because if Christ had offered more than once he should have broke Reason 2 off his first appearance before God in Heaven and gone out again out of that Sanctuary and then have re-entred or come in again for the same purpose which he shall never do till the Resurrection when he shall come about another business of Judgment belonging to his Mediatorship and to bring those into the Sanctuary for whom he hath once and for ever made way by the offering of his blood in Heaven once shed upon Earth thereby opening the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 3. Because that which being once done is of Eternal Vertue cannot Reason 3 needs not be iterated 4. Because Christ entred into the Sanctuary by his blood and the blood Reason 4 of Life can be shed but once for It is appointed for all men but once to dye and after death the judgment so Christ once entred Heb. 9.27 28. and shall never enter more till he go out at the last day and enter again after his Judgment to give possession of the Kingdom of Heaven saying come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for you from the beginning of the world In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God And Christ being raised from the dead death hath no more Dominion over him Reason 5 5. Because Christ bore our Sins and Punishments once upon Earth therefore not in Heaven for there he offered himself without spot and blameless ie without Sin or Punishment for that is no place for Sins and Sorrows or Infirmities to enter into for flesh and blood and no unclean thing can enter into that Holy place But all sins and all uncleannesses are done away by virtue of this One offering of Christ once and for ever SECTION VI. In Heaven Heb. 9.24 c. Christ offered himself in Heaven It was therefore necessary that the Patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others c. But once hath he appeared in the end of the World to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 8.1 c. We have such an High-Priest as is set at the Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man For every High-Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of Necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on Earth he should not be a Priest for he hath nothing to offer nor was he to enter into the Holy of Holies seeing that there are Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God See thou do all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount Heb. 9.7 c. Into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without Blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Which was a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation But Christ being come an High-Priest of Good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made wich hands that is to say not of this Building Neither by the Blood of Bulls Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God without spot purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Burnt-offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10.5 c. In Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God he taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices which can never take away sins but this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool The High-Priest in the Law stood and offered the Blood he brought with him and stood trembling and sprinkling till he went out But Christ after he had stood offering his own Blood sate down boldly having ended his oblation of Himself and began his Intercession and Advocation for others and his Protection and Rule over all things for
by Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen APPENDIX OR APPLICATION TO THE CLERGY and LAITY The CONTENTS Word Sacraments Gospel-Spirit TITLE I. Of the Clergie's Calling SAint Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Old not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life We must therefore consider our Calling Heb. 7.12 the Priesthood is changed therefore there must of necessity be a change also of the Law The Gospel is the Royal Law the Law of Faith the Law of liberty and of perfection that nulls the servile Law of bondage and works The Word therefore of this New Testament we must preach Word the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter and that in season and out of season and that carefully for wo be unto us if we preach not the Gospel and cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and having put our hands to this plow we must not look back Sacraments 2. The Sacraments of this New Testament we must administer as 1. Baptism which is not by Water only but by Water and Blood for without blood there is no Remission of sins and Baptism is for the remission of sins therefore we are baptized into Christ's death in which is blood that our sins might be buried in Christ's grave and we buried with him in Baptism and rise again with him in newness of Life 2. The Lord's Supper containing 1. The Body of Christ which is given for us Sacrifice and Burnt-offering thou wouldest not have but a body hast thou prepared me This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you This is the New Testament in my Blood and no Testament can be confirmed without Blood And hereby we shew the Lord's death until he come again Gospel-spirit Let us aim therefore at a Gospel-Spirit for behold I shew unto you a more excellent way both in your Doctrine and in your Persons I do not take upon me to be a Magisterial Dictator to the Clergy but as having received some helps from the Lord I hope I may become an humble and modest Adviser and Director The CONTENTS Precepts Promises Conditions TITLE II. Of the Clergie's Doctrine I. IN Your Doctrine therefore consider what high Preceps and what high Promises you are to publish to the world For surely we are no Old-Testament-Divines but Ministers of a better Testament than that was and established upon far better Promises Precepts The Precepts you are to teach are very pure no less than Spiritual and perfect Holiness which is the condition for the obtaining of God's Promises For Godliness hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come and without Holiness no man shall ever see the face of God The Promises you are to teach are no less than Spiritual and Eternal Happiness and the graces that tend thereto as Forgiveness of sins Promises Adoption Liberty Protection Priviledges the Earnest and Comfort of the Spirit Resurrection and Life Everlasting Fear not little Flock for it is your Father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom Come ye Blessed children of my Father inherit the kingdom of God prepared for you from the beginning of the world Greater Precepts cannot be enjoyned and greater promises cannot be made and surer cannot be performed For they are the Gifts and Legacies of God devised by him in his last Will and Testament conveyed and administred by Christ the Executor The conditions upon which these high things are given are as noble Conditions so as easie and favourable written upon the Tables of our hearts by the finger of God's Spirit Thy Law is within my heart therefore easie to be known and as easie to be done by the help of the same Spirit which shall lead us into all truth and help all our Infirmities and do our work for us and in us I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me My Grace is sufficient for thee Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light Embrace wisdom for her ways are always pure and pleasant and all her paths are peace Every Wise man will make his Last Will and Testament his best Will and Testament most plain and easie to be understood that the Heir and Legataries may know their several Duties and Dues how to perform them and how to claim by them And every good man will make his last Will and Testament his most favourable and bountiful Will and Testament bestowing the best things and commanding the easiest and less irksome Conditions Much more will the great and wise God who is wisdom and goodness it self make his last will most clear and most gracious For if we that are evil know how to give good gifts to our children how much more will our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to those that ask him Hit therefore this Basilick vein find out the pretious Pearl pour in this Balm of Gilead open this Phoenix Nest this bed of Spices this pretious Box of odoriferous Ointments Let your Speech be seasoned with Salt and let such gracious words proceed out of your mouths as may administer Grace unto the Hearers Be not sons of Thunder as if you came from Mount Sinai but rather sons of consolation as coming from Mount Sion Be sure ye utter no Principles against the Justice and Mercy of God nor Dogmata Reipublicae noxia nor Doctrines hurtful or disgraceful to Princes or Common-Wealths Remember that Religion is first pure and then peaceable not reflecting upon the Dishonour of God nor injurious to any man Be not as the Seditious Zealots among the Jews before and at the destruction of Jerusalem nor like the factious and rebellious Philosophers Orators and Poets among the Gentiles especially in Greece and Rome Beware of all Judaizing or Heathenizing by Cabbalistical Sophistical vain Philosophy insinuating deceivable Rhetorick Flourishes Gingles and Querks of Flashy Wit Preach the plain good will and mind of God plainly and kindly Hide your Art and that will be your chiefest Art Tell poor Souls what a large Portion they have in God's Will and Testament how their Namss are written in that book of Life Tell them the mark of the price of the high Calling which is laid up for them in Christ Jesus the crown of Righteousness the exceeding great Recompence of the Reward for all such as diligently seek him Freely you have received this treasure into your Earthen Vessels freely give it to them to whom it belongs distribute the favours of your bountiful Lord and Master with a courteous hand let not your eye be evil because God's is good be you willing as God is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the truth be not rigid austere morose sullen saturnine ghostly
about with Powder and Shot to a man of War Farewell THE Second Volume OF THE ESTATE OF GOD Concerning things to be had of God The First BOOK OF RIGHTS The CONTENTS Transition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right TITLE I. Of Things A Testament is a just Disposition of things to be had or done Transition Testament and the things disposed to be done are the conditions of the things disposed to be had And because the conditions or things disposed to be done are contingent for daily experience shews that many of them are not done therefore the Legacies or things disposed to be had are contingent for daily experience shews that they are not had Because where precepts or things devised to be done are not done there Legacies or things devised to be had are not had And this is a just Disposition The object of God's Predestination or purpose to dispose are not Persons only but things also with relation to persons and it is all one in effect to predestinate the person to have or do a thing and to predestinate a thing to be had or done by a person For there is no difference between these two dispositions I purpose such a Mannour for my Son John and I purpose my Son John to have such a Mannour SECT III. Things All Entities or Beings are Things Rights Persons and Actions that is things to be had or done or actually had or done i. e. Corporeal or Incorporeal things by all Persons The best Disposition that can be made by God or Man is of an Inheritance because an Inheritance is an universal right to the whole Estate of the Testator And such is the Inheritance of the Estate of God by Jesus Christ For the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord in whom we are heirs and co-heirs for all things are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and if God hath given us Christ How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Now because by the works of the Law which is the first Disposition by way of Testament no flesh living can be justified to the Inheritance of Eternal Life which was by promise therefore Justification is without the works of the Law by faith in the promises of the Gospel which is the second Disposition by way of Testament So then Legal Righteousness by works is altogether insufficient as to give us any Right or Titles to the Kingdom of Heaven and Evangelical Righteousness of Faith is the only means to obtain the Inheritance of Promise SECT IV. Method The Nature therefore and Differences of the Old and New Testament being understood a way is fairly laid open to the true understanding of the great and so much controverted point of Justification which is very easie in it self but hath been made obscure and grievous by the perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and reprobate as concerning the right apprehension of true and saving Faith First therefore to treat of Rights and then of justification to the best of Rights in the best Testament of God to the best Inheritance will be the natural method herein to be followed After this order we will now begin speaking first of Things then of Persons then of Rights belonging to them and last of all of the Actions of those Persons for the obtaining of those Rights in those things that belong to those Persons for an Estate consists not only of Material goods of Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable and moveable but of immaterial goods as Rights to Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable or moveable And Actions Pleas Services or Priviledges in all these which are both beneficiary and honorary and burdensome parts of mens Estates of all which they may make a voluntary Disposition SECT V. God is an Eternal Being of all things in himself God's Donation and from him all things have their being and by him they are preserved and governed All things beside God are either Spiritual or Corporeal with or without life have or have no end and they all serve for the glory of their Creatour These things thus framed upheld and ruled by God are the Heavens and the Earth with the Waters and all that belong unto them The use and benefit of them all together with the regiment of some he hath given to the Sons of men Besides all this he hath of his abundant grace and bounty given and granted eternal blessedness to them in his Son the Principal Heir of all things that by him they might be made the Sons of God and Heirs together with him of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven In order to this great donation we must consider the Things to be had by it and the Things to be done for it SECT VI. I. Things to be had The Things to be had by it are 1. Present all Spiritual and Temporal Things 2. Future all Celestial and Eternal Things For Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come and all things are ours whether the world or life or death or things present or things to come and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and God is all in all SECT VII II. Things to be done The Things to be done for it are 1. Natural to understand desire remember put forth and exercise the faculties of Soul and Body in God's Service 2. Spiritual to receive and use higher illustrations affections memorials and aids for the exercising of Soul and Body in Divine Faith Hope and Love Now there is great reason that where there is something to be had there should be something to be done for it But especially in gifts of this nature where all things are to be had it is honourable for the giver and reasonable to the receiver that some small thing should be done which can no ways be commensurable nor proportionable to the liberality of the donor and those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal things bestowed by him yet at least in acknowledgment and gratitude they are justly and honourably expected and required by the benefactor at the hands of the beneficiary Obj. It is objected that all is given by the free-grace of God and nothing to be done by us Answ All things are given indeed freely because Christ is given but not absolutely without any condition for such a gift is not in wisdom and honour to give all and expect no return no not so much as of Love and Obedience As for Recompense and Requital there can be none in the Receiver nor is expected or needed from the Giver But every gift ought to be disposed prudently else it is no true bounty but waste and prodigality And all such gifts are thrown away from which there ariseth no true benefit to the Receiver nor honour to the Giver Now God doth all things most freely and with the greatest love imaginable
to the slaughter like a Lamb dumb before the shearer Acts 8.32 so opened he not his mouth When he was reviled he reviled not again Who will not believe a Holy Person will such a one forge a Will or falsifie a deed or betray his trust or take his death upon an untruth Therefore was he sent that he might bear witness of the truth 4. By his death Christ took his death upon it Mat. 26.63 Joh. 19.7 that his Message was from God For for his saying that he was the Son of God and came to bear witness of the truth he was condemned to death Yet he persisted to the last to call God Father commended his Spirit into his hands and so gave up the Ghost Luc. 23.46 ratifying this truth with his Bloud That saying caused his death and his death caused the faith of that saying Now the greatest proof that can be made is to take ones death upon it Besides the death of Christ was seconded with many Miracles of the Eclipse of the Sun the shaking of the Earth c. which bred the faith of this truth in many and in some of his Executioners Mat. 27.54 and in the Centurion saying Truly this Man was the Son of God 5. By Resurrection This was so strong a proof that it confirmed all the rest not but that the rest were sufficient but this took away the scandal of the Cross being accused to die as a malefactor and for saying Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up again And when he fore-told his Passion he comforted his Disciples with his Resurrection and if Christ's Resurrection had not follow'd then his Doctrine and Miracles had been discredited But his Resurrection declared him to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.4 His Resurrection proved him to be the Judg of the World because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead This giving assurance is making Faith for so is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Italian Translation and the English in the Margin offered Faith The Resurrection was of such force to make faith that the Apostles made it the form of their Ordination and Matthias was ordained to be a witness with the rest of the Apostles of the Resurrection Acts 1.22 They made it the summe of all their preaching proving that Jesus was the Christ because God had raised him from the dead Vid. Acts 2 and 3. and 5. and 13. This is the very life of Faith for if Christ be not raised then our faith is vain and we are yet in our sins and the Apostles would have been found lyars and contrivers of cunningly devised Fables 1 Cor. 15.17 For which they would never have suffered as they did to the death Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Shall we not believe one risen from the dead Dives in Hell supposed Luc. 16.20 that if one should rise from the dead his unbelieving Brethren would believe and repent Can the unbelieving Jew believe other things which he hath not seen as that Abraham was his Father by whom he had all his right to the Land of Canaan and not believe that Jesus is the Christ whom he hath seen by whom he hath right to the Kingdom of Heaven Can he believe that Moses was the Man of God by whom God gave his Law and not that Jesus is the Son of God by whom God gave his Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ Besides the former proofs of his own Christ hath the testimonies of Moses and the Prophets who spake of him since the World began and the very indication of John the Baptist the greatest of them all John 1.45 The Jews boast of Moses and his Writings Joh. 5.46 but Christ saies Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me and therefore he in whom ye trust condemneth you Reason 1. The Reason why Christ thus proves this Last Will of his Father to make faith of it to the World is because he is the Executor or Mediator of it to whom of right it belongeth to prove that Will whereof he is instituted the Heir and by so being the Will receives his very essence and form and without it is null and void Christ therefore came down from Heaven Joh. 6.38 not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day Hebr. 7.22 2. Because Christ is the Surety of God's Testament Every Surety is not an Executor but every Executor is a Surety that stands bound for the Testator to pay all his Debts and Gifts as a Surety is bound to the Creditor for the principal Debtor 3. It is called Faith in Christ because Faith in Christ is the Title or Appellation whereby we are nominated to the Legacies in God's Testament The Executor cannot duly perform the Will of the Testator to pay his Debts and Legacies except the Creditors and Debtors and Legatees be nominated and that they also may know when and how and of whom to claim their just due Now in God's Testament Men are truly and certainly nominated not by their proper names but by appellative and common names as of Faithful Joh. 3.16 and Believers in Christ and Receivers of Christ Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life Verily verily I say unto you Joh. 5.24 He that Heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto Life Acts 16.31 Joh. 6.47 Ro. 3.26 Rom. 10.9 1 Joh. 5.13 Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved thou and thy house He that believeth in me hath everlasting life To declare his Righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus If thou shalt confess with thy mouth and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved I have written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal Life Acts 26.18 He that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned To receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 because he
be perplexed for those sins that are fully and freely pardoned or for those Judgments which are as fully and freely removed by the death of Christ But in this weak Flesh there will be fears and doubts and causeless complaints which will cease by degrees till all be removed when death comes They talk of a Conscience quiet but not good and good but not quiet and good and quiet and neither good nor quiet but such Rimes and Cadences and flashes will give no solid satisfaction to a piercing Spirit Men may run them over with their tongues in hast and they make a jingling noise but in the brain they will keep no time at all In evil Men. 2. In evil Men it is a Disease The customs and habits of sin stop the exercise of the Natural Conscience Pectus inustae Deformant maculae vitiisque inolevit imago This the Casuists not unfitly call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stony heartedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ferity and barbarity in Men that act such things as the Monsters and Savage Creatures use not to do to their kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a callousness contracted by long working in wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blindness of mind as was in the Gentiles who became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Who walked in the vanity of their minds having the Understanding darkned Rom. 1.21 being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling Eph. 4.18 have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all manner of uncleanness with greediness Vitia inolita Vices in bred and increased in them Vitia encaustica Sins burnt in nealed branded stamped stained incorporated in them A stupefaction and dozing of mind a mopish and besotted condition as they that considered not the Miracle of the Loaves For their heart was hardned Make the heart of this People fat and their ears heavy Shut their eyes Mar. 6.52 lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts Is 6.10 and be converted and be healed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benummed Mar. 4.12 as those parts that are forsaken of the Vital Spirits withered and dried up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hard heartedness stiffneckedness Iron-sinews inflexible gainsaying given over to a reprobate mind to every good work reprobate Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Lev. 26.21 c. 1 Thes 5.10 Eph. 4.30 James 2.8 Prov. 1.7 Jer. 5.3 Acts 13.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set your selves with all your might against the motions of the Spirit If ye walk contrary unto me I will walke contrary unto you and punish you seven times c. Quench not the Spirit Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God c. They that observe lying vanity forsake their own mercy despise Knowledg would none of my Counsel Refused to return Judg themselves unworthy of Eternal life Put the good away far from them Turn their faces from Heaven and their backs upon all goodness Will ye also go away Whither should we go for thou hast the words of Eternal Life Their destruction is from themselves In this their day they will not know the things that belong to their peace and therefore they shall be hid from their eyes In seeing they will not see and hearing they will not hear shutting their eyes against the Sun and stopping their ears at the voice of the Charmer though he charme unto them never so often never so wisely they chuse Death rather than Life How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her brood under her wings but ye would not Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and after thy hardness and impenitent heart Rom. 2.4 treasurest unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath When they knew God they glorified him not as God Ro. 1.21.28 they did not like to retain God in all their thoughts wherefore God gave them up to a reprobate mind c. Having their consciences seared with a hot iron Departing from the Faith giving heed to Doctrines of Devils SECT I. 1. How do Mens consciences suffer them to do as they do Qu. To lye and flatter to cheat and cousen to rob and steal to kill and destroy to commit all uncleanness with greediness to swear and forswear to extort and oppress and to do all injustice I answer It is the Will the willful Will Answ the domineering brazen-faced will without all fear or shame As for the Natural Conscience in the most wicked Men it is utterly against such doings with their Mind they would serve the Law of God but with their Flesh the Law of sin They delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but there is another law in their members warring against the Law of their Mind and leading them into captivity to the Law of sin But why so little remorse appears in them that do these horrid things Truly I cannot tell what to say in this case If there be no inward pangs I should wonder it must be a very hard heart that never relents and that 's a most desperate condition both of Sin and misery 2. In good Men. How do their consciences come to be so much troubled I answer Why indeed For I know no just cause There is a just cause of fear for the Body that may fall upon a constant and stout Man when sudden and imminent danger threatens death But for a just cause of fear for the Soul to fall upon a faithful justified and sanctified Man engrafted into Christ and adopted the Son and Heir of God I cannot apprehend Fearful they are and may be but it is their fancy their passion and humour that makes them so not their real Conscience There are that put too many causes of Conscience and make doubts which they can never resolve and tye knots which they can never unloose and raise devils which they are never able to lay again Confessors make a Trade of it and a good one too unlock the closets of Mens Hearts but more of their Purses Poor Souls are oppressed by Cases of Conscience as Mens Estates are by Cases of Law and as Mens Bodies are by Physick There are certain plain Rules that would resolve all doubts to a plain meaning Man better than all their subtil Distinctions A few necessary Doctrines of Faith and a good life will do the work and the Brethren ought to be troubled no farther As for those that pretend every thing to be against their Consciences it is a manifest cheat For it is their lust and that hath the casting voice with them in all that they do and whatsoever is contrary to their lusts is falsly affirm'd to be against their Consciences because they will suffer no rule of Law to come upon them
us and them at the last day 3. We may not think of our selves or others that when we or they have honestly and constantly endeavoured after goodness and come short of what is indeed perfection therefore we shall be all rejected and left under woful disappointments God is not so hard a Master 4. We may not think that every one that in heat of passion despairs or makes away himself is lost for ever or every Mad-man or Fool is damned These have no Will and therefore no sin for the time and therefore cannot suffer justly for such actions but for what they did while they were themselves if ever they were so If never they are sufferers not Sinners no shame to them but for God's Glory 5. We may not think that every one that boasts of his Assurance is sure and of his Perfection is perfect There is cause to suspect such most who least suspect themselves 6. The Cares and Loves of God are not altogether without some fears and jealousies Pietas etiam tuta aliquindo pertimescit Piety though in a safe condition is now and then fearful The liberal Man mistrusteth his Bounty The Believer his Unbelief Lord I believe help thou my unbelief If this be a fault it is a safe one Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Be not high minded but fear Every Man hath not a Mansion in Heaven that pretendeth to it nor is every Man shut out who doubteth of his evidence for Heaven Diffidence is a character of a good Man who would fain be better Though he hath built up his Assurance as strong as he can yet he thinketh himself not sure enough but seeketh farther for Assurance and fortifieth it with his fear and assiduous diligence to make it stand fast for ever The case of every one that uses desperate words is not desperate if they proceed from distempers of Body or ignorance of Mind and not from corrupt consciences We may be bold to say If real despair hath killed her thousands Presumption hath slain her ten thousands Despair is the Daughter of Sin and Darkness but Presumption is the ludibrium of Hope But holy confidence is the Genuine Off-spring of a pure conscience 7. Neglect not the Grace of God nor receive it in vain nor turn it unto wantonness nor sin that Grace may abound But be vigilant and careful and wisely fearful Fortis saepè victus cautus rarissime A strong Man over confident oft falls but a wary Man seldom SECT VI. Proofs For a Close to leave my own Conceptions I will lay most of the Scriptures together concerning this point and let the Reader try what I have said from them or what he himself can gather out of them And they are these Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed unto the day of your Redemption And not only they that is the Creation but our selves Ro. 8.23 which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our Bodies Eph. 1.14 The Spirit which is the earnest of our Inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Ro. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.5 6. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Abba Father Joh. 1.12 As many as have received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 5.16 If any Man sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a sin unto death I do not say ye shall pray for it Ro. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Joh. 16.22 I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no Man taketh from you 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the World 1 Joh. 3.21 Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 1 Joh. 16 17. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 5.15 And if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 2 Pet. 1.10 The rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Ro. 8.33 c. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Being perswaded that he that had promised was able also to perform Ro. 4.21 Ye know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 even to them who are the called according to his purpose We know that we have passed from death unto Life 1 Joh. 3.14 16. because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren Verily verily I say unto you he that knoweth my Word Joh. 5.23 and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Ps 23 1 c. he maketh me to lie down in green pastures c. In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be ashamed c. Ps 31. i. He that
his friends a Rod of Iron for his enemies Christ's most glorious rule is in Heaven therefore after his Resurrection his first work was to send his Ambassadours to preach his Kingdom to every Creature As my Father hath sent me so send I you Whos 's sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And after his Ascension he sent down the Holy Ghost with great power to work wisdom and Miracles When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men In Christs life time upon Earth the Holy Ghost was not given and the reason was because Christ was not yet glorified This Mission of the Spirit being the most glorious administration of his Kingdom when the great Wisdoms and Powers of the World were not able to resist the wisdom and power of his Spirit by which his Disciples spake When the foolishness of God was wiser than the wisdom of men and the weakness of God was stronger than the power of men SECT II. Corol. Thus Christ considered as a Mediator is the Conditional Heir of all things under God And so Christians as Christians are the Conditional Heirs of all things under Christ Thus God Covenanted with Christ to give him a Kingdom but he must get it by Conquest according to the nature of a Feudal kingdom So God Covenants with Christians to give them a kingdom with Christ and under Christ but they must get it by Conquest The kingdom of Heaven must be pressed into and the violent take it by force and no otherwise The good fight of Faith must be fought out before we can lay hold upon the Crown of Righteousness So the Children of Israel had the kingdom of Canaan given them but they must fight for it before they could be put in possession And this is the true nature of getting and of keeping a Feudal Kingdom SECT III. Christs New way of conquest Thus a New way had Christ of conquering by Obedience and Sufferings So do Christians conquer by Self denial Love of enemies Patient suffering for Righteousness sake outward force against force and learning against learning and policy against policy may clash together like rocks of equal force and come off from each other safe and as strong as ever but when Weakness is advanced against Power in the Name of God and Simplicity and Innocence against Learning and deep Policy then is the mighty Power of God discovered Who sees not as man sees nor judges according to outward appearance Whose wayes are not like mans waies but of another fashion Christ is the Heir of all things therefore God covenanted with Christ as the Testator covenants with his Heir to enjoy his Inheritance upon such terms as to convey part of his Estate to such or such Legates or Co-heirs So the Promise was made to Christ that it might be sure to all the Seed for in Christ the Promises of God are Yea and Amen And therefore if God covenanted with Christ he hath also covenanted with his Seed Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Of those whom thou hast given me have I lost none for they are mine and I am thine SECT IV. And this is all that can be made of the Covenant of Grace Covenant of Grace and this is conditional which some make absolute contrary to the nature of a Covenant If a Covenant therefore be conditional with Christ how can it be absolute with Christians Thus they confound and perplex all things A Donative may be absolute a Testament may be absolute a Law or Constitution may be absolute a Promise may be absolute but a Pact or Covenant is upon some condition and the non-performance of the Condition dissolves the Pact and brings in a penalty of forfeiture And such a Condition there is in Gods Testament namely Faith and Repentance which some make the Effect or Means or they know not what If so then the main point of the Scriptures must be quite laid aside or quite expunged Because the whole Tenour of the Scriptures runs along clear contrary If thou believest thou shalt be saved Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand c. This is to have and to hold of God in Fide So God gives his Estate first to Christ to have and to hold of him in Fee Secondly to Christians to have and to hold of Christ in Fee This is free Grace and the more free because of meer grace and upon such noble terms as 1. To have all good of God 2. To hold all good of God 3. To do all good of God and for God As for conceits of Merit in this case they are vain and idle speculations producing aery notions and words without knowledge which darken the counsel of the wisdom of God SECT V. Thus Christ shares all things with Christians Christ shares with Christians 1. Christ shares his Holiness with them For therefore he hath anointed himself that we might be anointed with him and by him of whose fullness we all receive and grace for grace 2. Christ shares his Sufferings with Christians We fill up that which is behind of the Sufferings of Christ for his Body's sake which is the Church Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye In as much as ye did it unto them ye have done it unto me And Christ is crucified in his members 3. Christ shares his Victory with Christians In him and through him we are more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord. We shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet This is our victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith Thus Christ could not have the benefit of Gods Promise on Gods part till he had performed the condition on his part And how then can Christians expect the benefit of the Promise on Gods part except they perform the condition on their part 1. Christs Condition was Obedience and Sufferings 2. Gods Reward was Resurrection Kingdom and Glory 3. Christians Condition is Faith Repentance and Sufferings 4. Gods Reward is Resurrection and Eternal life By Christs death though faith is our Justification 1. From sin to righteousness 2. From bondage to adoption By Christs Resurrection through faith is our Justification 1. From death to life 2. From Jus ad Rem to Jus in Re. 4. Christ shares his kingdom and Priesthood with Christians Christ the principal Heir Christ the chief Priest And Christians are all Kings and Priests with him by him and under him In my Fathers house are many Mansions I go before to prepare a place for you that where I am there ye might also be If I be lifted
as it was at first spoken or written Letter was understood by all as Laws ought to be the Doubts were only in the use and practice and to be resolved by the Priest In this sense the Promises of the Law were terrene as long life health power victory c. V. Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. And such in the Letter were the original Promises made to Abraham viz. Canaan In this sense the Precepts of the Law were terrene proportionable to the Promises sitted also to the rudeness and childishness of the Jews called therefore Rude and beggarly elements of the World Gal. 4 3.9 For the Moralities were the least and lowest Precepts of the Law of Nature or restraints from acts unnatural The two Tables are barrs from Impiety and bridles from Inhumanity not made for righteous but for wicked men The Ceremonies were chargeable and troublesome and numerous A yoke which the Jews were not able to bear 1 Tim. 1.9 as Circumcision a painful mark or brand upon their flesh to distinguish them from other people as Sacrifices Washings c. The works were servile external for eye-service and fear of death under the Spirit of bondage In this sense the Judgments of the Law were terrene as violent death by burning stoning c. and other corporal punishments ordinary and Wars Famines and Plagues extraordinary when the Rulers hand was slack to punish according to Law Spirit II. The Spirit of the Law was not understood generally but by extraordinary Revelation to some of better Spirits but never publickly and perfectly revealed to all till preached by Christ who did away the Veil and brought in life and immortality by the Gospel For Promises 1. The Promises thereof are Heavenly as eternal Holiness Life Rest Glory and Joy with God Saints and Angels Precepts 2. The Precepts are masculine sprightly and most refinedly pure and spiritual as poorness of Spirit pureness of heart mercifulness mourning peaceableness meekness hungring and thirsting after Righteousness patience c. unto all which the general and capital Commandment is Love refined beyond legal and natural love as to love our Enemies and to pray for them that hate us c. to bless and not curse c. Judgments 3. The Judgments are eternal death pain and anguish with the Devil and his Angels Works 4. The Works of the Gospel are Cordial as Circumcision of the heart Sacrifice of the Spirit c. Liberal in the free and noble way of Love answerable in some measure to Gods Love who is a Father to us Sons a giver of an Inheritance to us Heirs They are also perfect for universal and perpetual Obedience full and blameless for the reward of Eternal Salvation by Christ Contract The Law of Moses expresly contracted nothing of Eternal Life yet God meant them more than in words he declared And then under that Law there was a sufficient ground for the perswasion thereof God inviting their Obedience by Temporal Blessings they might well believe he would not rest there for such a reward was not suitable to his Greatness to give nor for his own peculiar people to receive So he promised Abraham that he would be his exceeding great Reward yet in terms he expressed nothing but the Land of Canaan nor had he that in possession nor his posterity after him for many Generations but were Pilgrims and strangers yet these all dyed in Faith waiting for that good Land Heb. 11.16 and looking for a better Country that is an Heavenly for which Cause they were content to endure all sorts of Afflictions God having provided some better thing for them being assured that he would provide a recompence for his Servants Sufferings more than this Earth could afford but how or which way or what they did not could not distinctly know Heb. 11.13 14. but seeing them afar off they were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on earth For they that do such things declare plainly that they seek a Country So the Kingdom of Heaven was mystically intimated but not openly propounded as a Condition of Gods Contract in the Law under which there wanted not a sufficient means to attain unto it but this was not the Works of the Law it self but Faith in the Promises And that the wiser and purer sort of Jews had such thoughts as these is plain by the question of the Rich man to our Saviour Master what shall I do that I may have Eternal life To which the Answer is Matt. 19.21 keep the Commandements to which he replyed that he had kept them from his youth up But this would not do being an outward Observation without the inward Love of the heart to God above all things so as to part with them all to gain the Treasure in Heaven The Souls Immortality and the Reward of good or bad after death was revealed though darkly before the Law And accordingly their Conversation was then and under the Law as Strangers not yet arrived to their Country For Adam Enoch Noah Abraham and all those Fathers obtained a good report through Faith not having received here on earth the full Promises of God God having provided some better thing for them Heb. 11.39 40. that they without us should not be made perfect Yea in all their Sufferings their noble Souls were content because they had an eye still to the Recompense of the Reward of the World to come of whom this World was not worthy But that the Law should condition this Eternal Life expresly to be believed there was no need at that time Revelation of Eternal life reserved because it was reserved till the Fulness of time in which the Fulness of all Gods promises and the exactness of all his precepts should be universally proclaimed by his own Son Jesus Christ In the mean time this Law of Moses was tendred as the Civil Law to the Jews and so it was not strange that God should not covenant farther with them than to acknowledg him only to be their God and to serve him as he then should appoint and to depend upon him for their Reward which was the Land of Canaan immediately set before their Eyes for the present to raise them up to outward Obedience at least by that Encouragement but God left them not without witness of higher things giving them to understand by his Prophets that he looked for the inward Obedience of the heart and that they might expect a greater recompense then the Princes of the World were able to bestow These carnal Commandements and Temporal Promises made way Temporals prepare for Eternals as God would have it for the Spiritual Precepts and Eternal Rewards of the Gospel which Moses did not but Christ did covenant for else there had been no need of Christ his coming to make a Covenant which was made before nor of so many and great Miracles when he
but the less it suppresseth it or provideth any Remedy at all against it Rigour The Meer Law as it is the first Covenant of Works contains in it nothing but Rigour and Justice but no Grace nor Mercy at all A Rule it is to declare what is Right and what is Wrong but no means of it self efficacious to the doing of Right or the not doing of Wrong And therefore there is an extraordinary Weakness therein as to the Justification of a Sinner Heb. 7.18 Rom. 8.3 What therefore the Law could not do for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof through the flesh Christ taking the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And that the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus might make us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 7 5 6 For when we were in the flesh the Motions of Sin by the Law did work in our Members to bring forth fruit unto Death But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter So sin taking occasion by the Commandment works in us all manner of Concupiscence For without the Law sin is dead And so we were alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came Sin revived and we died And the Commandment which was ordained to Life proved in effect to be unto Death But sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived us and by that Commandment slew us All this while the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good And that which is so holy and just and good is not directly nor truly the Cause of our Death nor can it be so God forbid by its own Natural operation for out of good nothing but good can proceed but Sin that it might appear sin naturally worketh death by the occasion of that which is good For Sin taketh occasion by the Commandment to become exceeding sinful The CONTENTS Sin deceives Grace un-deceives My defect Fruition High understanding Ignorance True knowledge Means to discern Truth Rules Principles Authority Infallibility Will. My Lust Vnderstanding Physical and Moral Agents Will. Casual Cause of Sin Law TITLE IV. Of the Deceit of the Law THis seems to be a mystery Sin deceives that we should be deceived into sin by the Law of God It will not therefore be a Digression nor altogether unprofitable if it were to shew how a Law and a good Law and the Spiritual Law of God in the Old Testament should be said by St. Paul to be though but an occasion to deceive us into sin and death Strange that that which was so good should be made so much as the occasion of Evil and of the greatest of Evils to death it self and the greatest of deaths to a death in sin How then did Sin take this occasion by the Commandement of God first to deceive us and then to kill us if we can tell And how great then is the Power of Grace O the depth of the Riches of God's mercy that only can make us alive unto God Grace undeceives and be a death unto Sin and to the death of Sin and kill that which would kill us when nothing else can do it That when Sin did so abound by the occasion of Good Grace might so much the more abound by the occasion of Evil For which we must thank God who hath given us this great victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. When therefore Sin urges the strength of the Law against us and advances the Sword of Justice to strike us to death and that by the accusation of the Devil who hath the power of Death then Grace lays her hand upon the Sword of Justice and stops the mouth of Sin and the clamour of the Law and of the Devil that lays the Law against us and saves us from the stroke of Death and giveth us Victory over all those through Jesus Christ our Lord. So we may be deceived after a sort by the Law but we can no waies be deceived by Grace But yet we have not answered this point How the Law or rather Sin by the Law comes to deceive us This I say then Sin deceives me by misinforming my Understanding and by misguiding my Will The Law orders me to life but Sin deceives me in and by the Law unto death It will be sit therefore to consider here these four Points 1. My defect I am deceived that 's for certain 2. The direct efficient Cause of my deception is Lust 3. The casual or accidental Cause of Sin the Law 4. The Innocency of the Law My Defect My Defect I am plainly deceived He is said to be deceived that akes one thing for another this is all one with an errour or mistake in the Understanding and this in the Will declining to follow right Reason an Erratum He is properly decieved who fails of some end which he intended and aimed at Decipitur de quo aliquid capitur he is deceived from whom something is taken away which he should or would enjoy This is Fraud God praeordained every thing to its proper end All Unreasonable Creatures attain their ends but if they should not they cannot be said to be deceived because they understood them not that they might aim at them Reasonable Creatures fail of their Ends because they are deceived in their Judgments and Endeavours God in the Scriptures opens and offers Eternal life and gives me Understanding to apprehend it and a Will to accept it a Law to direct and his Grace to assist my Humane frailties But I am deceived 1. In my Apprehension by infinite Errors mistaking Falshood for Truth Vice for Vertue Pleasure or Profit for true happiness Temporal life and glory for Eternal 2. In my Prosecution by infinite Errata misdoing evil for good Fruition 3. In my Fruition which I fail of in the end and I deceive my self by way of fraud My Understanding I speak not of her privative Ignorance but of her Errors her oblique and depraved knowledge the more I have the more I am deceived High Understanding An elevate transcendent Understanding frames most irregular conclusions A fine Wit hath more refined Errors Learning it self is but a kind of progress in Error Ignorance When I was quite Ignorant I had no error in me but now I have got a little knowledge I have learned some Rules to erre by Learning is a remedy to Nescience but no bar to Error and Truth carrying the same countenance I have no perfect skill to discern them and especially because little Ore amongst a great deal of Dross and a pound of Error to a dram of Truth We are all deceived in one thing or other Truth is hard to come by and there
Ro. 2.19 20. the Law written in their hearts but turned to Idolatry and all unnatural wickedness becoming still more and more vain in their Imaginations Gentiles feared God Yet during the time of all this first wilful Ignorance and then just obduration many of the Gentiles that used their Natural light well and therefore had more given them did truly fear God and were rewarded by him Law written When the Law of Nature was thus obscured partly by wilful neglect of the use of the Rational faculties and partly by heedless following after the multitude of evil Examples of such whose imaginations and deeds were only evil and that continually It pleased God after many Revelations to the ancient Patriarchs and more clearly by Promise to Abraham and to his Seed to write that Law of Nature which they also began to forget as to the first rudiments and elements thereof in Tables of Stone that they might read what they should have read in their own hearts because they were a very dull and carnal People Rites why commanded And to this Law Natural or Moral he added a Law Ceremonial to busie them with the use of such Rites to the Worship of the True God as others used in the worship of false Gods because he knew they were most prone to Idolatry out of fondness wantonness and novelty to be like unto other Nations And to encourage them he promised and performed real Rewards of a Land flowing with Milk and Hony And moreover Civil Law he gave them Civil Laws and Statutes proper for them at that time and in that place the better to keep them in their obedience unto him And engaged them over and above by many miraculous Deliverances And for the same purpose he Ruled them by men of Prophetical and Princely Spirits such as he chose on purpose Rule as Moses and the rest of the Judges to teach them rule them and fight for them till they began to shake off that divine Rule by God their King and to affect the Kingly Government after the manner of other Nations To which humour God also condescended still â—roving them and striving to win them to their duty to him who had done such great and signal things for them and promised to be their God as he had been the God of their Fathers setling them in the Promised Land But notwithstanding all these Endearments as of a tender Father cherishing his Children in his bosom and carrying them as a Nurse in his arms yet still they observed not his Laws Moral Ceremonial or Judicial but went a whoring after their own Inventions and did according to all the Abominations of the Heathens that were round about them And because when they abstained from actual Idolatry Outward Service trusted in they either murmured and snuffed at the Service which God enjoyned them or trusted only in the outward performances thereof though their deeds were never so wicked or if not so yet to the bare external Sacrifices and other Ceremonies enjoyned them thinking thereby to obtain God's favour though in their hearts they continued wicked and would have exprest it in their works if they durst for God shook his Rod over them I say because they thus degenerated from Abraham Isaac and Jacob Prophets sent and at the best trusted to a Carnal Ordinance therefore God was not wanting to send them Prophets rising up early and sending them to call upon them to keep his Laws outwardly and moreover to look to the inward sincerity of their hearts and thereupon to expect more than a Land of Milk and Hony and long Life or any other Temporal Reward Yet still they were dull of hearing and a crooked perverse and stiff-necked Generation At last Christ sent after all these Husbandmen and Servants slighted and abused by them Christ the Son of God comes and puts an end to the Carnal Services and Worship made but for a time and enjoyned them a Spiritual Worship and declared an Eternal Reward to them and to all other Nations upon their Faith and Repentance only The Jews notwithstanding Christ's own Presence Miracles Doctrine Jews Idolaters before Christ's time Death and Resurrection and the Preaching of the Apostles after his Ascension still lingred after Moses his Law and yet increased in all kind of wickedness except that one sin of Idolatry for which they had been so sorely swinged by a never to be forgotten Babylonish seventy years Captivity that they dreaded that Sin ever after and do to this day Jews destroyed And still they deny Christ to be the True Messiah though the Learned'st of them cannot deny but that all the Prophecies concerning him are fulfilled and dream of a Temporal Messiah to deliver them from the power of the Romans and now from all other Powers wherever they are scattered and for this their unbelief they were destroyed from being a Nation and are become Vagabonds unto this day Gentiles called Then did God call in the Gentiles to supply their places who accordingly did come in by the means of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles and their Disciples This is the last and fullest Dispensation that ever God did make by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Old Religion antiquated Thus the Old Religion of the Old Testament was antiquated and abolished and the New Religion of the New Testament established and confirmed among all People for ever The middle wall of Partition that was between the Jews and the Gentiles being broken down of twain making them one Eph. 2.14 having slain the Enmity thereby blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and was contrary unto us Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Such is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so various and wonderful are God's Dispensations and his waies past finding out Thus Christ is the end of the Law continuing till John the last of the old Prophets and the first of the new So Aarons Priesthood is turned from the Altar So Aarons Priestly Law is vanished and gone and a New Priesthood and a New Law appears to endure for ever Here is a manifest and famous change of Law and of Priesthood Because Aarons Priesthood I. In Aaron's Priesthood all things are weak and imperfect As Heb. 7.28 1. A Priest weak a mortal man The Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmity One that was fain to offer for his own sins and stood trembling in the Holy place and sprinkling the Blood upon the Vessels and upon himself for fear the wrath of God should break forth upon him Heb. 9.24 2. A Tabernacle weak made with hands of wood and stone and skins of Beasts c. in which were Cherubins and Candlesticks c. Heb. 9.9 3. Sacrifices weak that could not purifie the Conscience and therefore reiterated Heb. 8.13 4. A Covenant weak old and decaying and ready to vanish away
the World are blessed The CONTENTS What the Old Testament contains What the New Testament contains Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant TITLE III. Of the Gospel a Testament FOR contemplation of this New Estate leaving the Wisdom of the Gentiles take but a short view of the Glories of the Old Testament so far out-shined by the lustre and brightness of the New The Old Testament held forth these things What the Old Testament contains 1. Legacies or Gifts devised thereby which were earthly and temporal as Canaan's Land with plenty peace honour and long life therein 2. Conditions Precepts or Laws such as were the Rites or Moralities therein 3. A Mediator or Executor who was Moses who dying before he had finished his office Joshuah succeeded him and gave the People possession of the Promised Land the People being first subdued by the Sword 4. Legataries Abraham and his Seed the Israelites 5. Publishing by Angels God's Representatives declaring his Will Act. 7.53 Gal. 3.19 6. Proof by Thunderings and Lightnings and the sound of a Trumpet with many Terrours upon the burning smoaking and trembling Mount Sinai to the heart-aking of all the Spectators and Hearers Exod. 19.16 Heb. 12.18 7. Writing of the Moralities of that Testament upon Tables of Stone by God Ex. 32.16 The Ceremonies and Penalties in a Book by Moses Ex. 24.4 8. Confirmation to be of force by the death of Calves and Goats Exod. 24.5 Heb. 9.19 For all Testaments are of force by the death of the Testator or some body for them if men should make such a Law as God did by the substitution of the blood of Beasts for that purpose The New Testament comprehends these things 1. Predestination or Purpose or good Pleasure of Will in God What the New Testament contains before the World to make a just Disposition of things to be or done in time and to be had and enjoyed to all Eternity 2. Declaration or Nuncupation to Jesus Christ the Son of God and Heir apparent of all things and sole Executor to his Father This Will I say was first Nuncupative or by Word of mouth declaring the full mind of the Testatour as a Will Parol made to Christ the Word and Wisdom of God that came from the bosom of the Father and revealed him Afterwards it was written by some of Christ's Apostles and other Divine Persons to whom he taught it on earth and from heaven as he had received it and they also preached what was revealed unto them to all the World 3. Legacy or Inheritance which is Blessedness and in order thereunto Forgiveness of sins the Gift of the Spirit and the Resurrection of the Body Which said Blessedness is a firm Estate in Heaven free from all Evil and full of all Good incorruptible reserved for us in the Heavens 4. Condition Resipiscence or Holiness possible and accepted though not perfect yet made perfect through Christ I say possible so made by God or else if the Condition had been impossible the Disposition had been void and unjust as all Impossible Conditions are and therefore such Testaments are null and void 5. Executor Jesus Christ who is a Mediatour between God and Man For every Executor mediates between the Testatour and the Legataries because the Legacies came from the Testatour first to the Heir or Executor as we now speak and by the means of the Executor they are conveyed to the Legataries who may not take them of their own accord with their own hands but must demand or sue for them from the hands of the Executor or otherwise they have no power no right to receive or enjoy them 6. Legataries instituted of God are All Believers In all Testaments for Pious causes the Legataries are instituted by appellative or common and not by their proper Names for then no Testament was able to contain them As when a Benefactour bequeaths such or such gifts to all the honest and laborious Poor in such a Town all that are honest and laborious Poor in that place may challenge their Legacies by virtue of that Devise neither can any of them so qualified be excluded or denied their dues It is therefore to be noted that this VVill of God is such a Will and that therein there is no Dereliction or Praeterition at all but that it is like an Universal Pardon proclaimed to all that will come in and accept thereof upon the Condition expressed Math. 12.18 Gal. 3.15 7. Proof by a Voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear ye him Besides many and great Miracles 8. Confirmation by the Death of Christ substituted to take Flesh and die for God who could not die This is my Blood of the New Testament Math. 26.8 v. Heb. 9.15 All which Dispensations afford just matter of wonder adoration and praise of the manifold Wisdom and Grace of God Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant The Gospel therefore appears to be a Testament to all intents and purposes much rather than a Covenant or any other Deed as may be demonstrated by these Testimonies and Reasons The very words used by Christ himself are a sufficient proof if there were no more which he uttered a little before his death Math. 26 28. This is my Blood of the New Testament which was shed for many for the Remission of sins And the repetition of the sense of them by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood David in the Spirit Then said I Loe I come In the volume of the Book it is written of me that I should fulfil thy will O God I am content to do it Sacrifice and Burnt offering thou wouldest not have but a Body hast thou prepared me Then said I Loe I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.5 7 c. he taketh away the First Covenant that he may establish the second v. 29. That great Shepheard of the sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used all along and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never in the Old or New Testament These are the two Covenants the one from the Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage Gal. 44. c. This is the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law c. In that he saith a New Covenant Heb. 8.10 c. he hath made the first Old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away By so much was Jesus made Surety of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 established upon better Promises Heb. 9.15 The Mediatour of the New Testament that by the means of Death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testatour For a Testament
of him that was substituted as Man to die for God who could not die And thus we are made by the best of Testators God himself by the best of Testaments the Gospel the best of Heirs next unto Christ to the best of Inheritances Everlasting Life by the best of Mediators Jesus Christ to whom the Inheritance is first given and in whom it is sure to all the Seed Therefore Believers are stiled God's Beloved as Christ is God's Beloved and with them God is well pleased as with Christ he is well pleased and they are partakers of the same priviledges with Christ for likeness and trueness though not for degree and greatness Testator Amongst men a Testator is bound to institute his lawful children to be his Heirs or to shew just Cause why he doth it not and they must also be instituted or disinherited in his written Testament by Name SECTION XI Appellative 〈◊〉 of Beâ—â—â—â— So doth God institute his Elect Children by the Appellative Name of Believers which is sufficient in such kind of Wills as God's is and in good Men's Wills that are ad pias causas and disinherits the Reprobate by the common Name of Unbelievers shewing the just Cause of their being disinherited because of their Unbelief Thus all the Children of Israel were by the Will of God ordained to enter into the Rest of the Land of Canaan by the common name of God's obedient People but were disinherited and fell in the Wilderness and could not enter into that Rest because of their Disobedience or Unbelief Amongst men Children that are instituted Heirs Consent must adire Hereditatem animo voluntate i. e. enter upon the Inheritance willingly So God's Children must consent and embrace the Promises or else they can have no Right or Title to them and so by refusing they make themselves uncapable and disinherit themselves And such a Testament is God's Testamentum Patris inter Liberos A Testament of Father to Children A Testament of a Father to his Children A Testament for pious Causes Testamentum ad pias causas not inofficious or unkind in giving the Children's part unto strangers without shewing a just Cause For can a Father forget his Child Yes he may No Preterition but God cannot forget his own to make any disinheriting or Preterition of such who of Right were capable to be his Heirs if they did not refuse it for in so doing they made themselves utterly uncapable So that there is no Cause to find fault with God's Will No inofficious Testament as unjust or unnatural as is often amongst men Querela inofficiosi Testamenti a Complaint of an inofficious Testament made unto the Praetor or Chancellor to relieve them with a Child's part from which the Father had excluded them without shewing a just Cause or any Cause at all No no it is not so with God O Israel thy destruction is from thy self but in me is thy help God would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth God's waies are alwaies equal but our waies are unequal for the Judge of the World must needs do right God's Will was rightly made as a Father's Will should be and rightly confirmed by the Death of Christ in whom all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen so that the foundation of the Lord standeth sure more sure than Heaven and Earth which shall pass away but not the least title of God's Will shall ever fail His Mercies are sure in him there is no change nor shadow of turning he hath done all that a Father should do And to shew that the immutability of his Purpose according to Election must stand he confirmed his Will by Death in the nature of a Testament whereby he hath given us to understand after the manner of men that he hath left himself no more power or possibility than a Dead man hath to disannul or revoke his own last Will and Testament The CONTENTS Definition of Grace Nature Free-Grace Right Nature Law Throne of Grace Wrath. Works Free Grace Rich Grace Assurance Jews loth to leave the Law TITLE V. Of the Grace of the New Testament THE Gospel is the best of Testaments as those are amongst Men which are made by Fathers to their Children or by Benefactors to miserable Persons by Free Grace without any Petition Mediation or Merit from themselves or others A Testament of Grace Definition of Grace Grace therefore is the act of God's Will spontaneously or mero motu making us his Sons and Heirs in Christ Jesus Here is nothing of Nature or Merit or Mediation in the case here is the mere Motion of the Adopter and unto this to make it complete here is nothing required but the full and free consent of the Adopted to make them as perfect Sons and Heirs by Grace of Adoption as if they had been made so by Nature or Generation Nature 'T is Nature makes us Men and Heirs of Earth but 't is Grace makes us Christians and Heirs of Heaven 'T is Nature makes us the Sons of Men but 't is Grace makes us the Sons of God Free Grace Every Testament is an act of Grace but this is the greatest Grace that ever was even Grace for Grace purely without any motive from the Object to whom it is directed or from any other for him It hath its rise wholly from the Will of the Donor and not at all from the Will of the Receiver So God gave Abraham the Land of Canaan and the Kingdom of Israel to Saul and David It is an independent and unlimited Grace solely issuing from his mere bounty without all bounds of Law Right This with God and Man creates Jus pingue the best Right A Paternal Grace to his Children the Grace of a Patron to his Beneficiary Such a Grace was fittest for God's Grace and Glory fittest for God to give and for his Children to receive Nature stands at a great distance and in a very low sphere from Grace for it makes us no more but barely the Sons of Men that which is born of the Flesh is but flesh but it is Grace only that makes us the Sons of God for that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 1. Hence Grace is opposed to Nature whereby we are made Men Nature to have an Earthly Inheritance and Dominion after the Image and likeness of God in our Creation but Grace is that whereby we are made Christians to an Heavenly Inheritance and Dominion after the Image and likeness of Christ who was the Natural Son of God born to that Inheritance whereto we after his likeness are called by the Grace of Adoption 2. So God's Grace is opposed to Law not in extremes Law Law gives just that good which is due and no more Grace gives more good than is due yea Grace gives good where none at all is due yea Grace gives good where evil is
7.21 by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever This Oath proves the Matter sworn to be great and immutable as very good and acceptable to God so that the thing must not be altered or undone both in regard of the Oath and of the goodness of it The Priests of Aaron's Order were many and changeable Heb. 7.23 24. but Christ's Priesthood is of one Himself unchangeable For he is in a Divine and blessed Estate in Heaven God blessed for evermore Christ is a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec Heb. 7.1 Because Christ is a Royal Priest and a Singular and Eternal Priest Christ a Royal Priest as Melchisedec was and a Prophet and I dare not say Melchisedec was not so Christ offered up himself in his own Person Christ Priest and Sacrifice Heb. 8.1 being both the Priest and the Sacrifice and by this oblation of Himself once offered he expiated or purged away our sins and the guilt and punishment of them The slaughter of this Sacrifice was made on Earth upon the Cross but the offering of the Sacrifice was made in Heaven at his appearance in the presence of God for us As the Levitical Priest after the Sacrifice was slain without entered into the Sanctuary to offer the blood of it The Levitical Priest when he went into the Oracle where God was said to dwell and sit between the Cherubims did not sit down with God between the Cherubims but stood as a Minister or Waiter with great reverence of the Divine Majesty offering and sprinkling that blood wherewith he entred But Christ ascending up on high and entring into Heaven did not stand before the Throne of God as a Minister or Suppliant but sat himself down at the Right-hand of God's Majesty not as by way of an Assistant to God as Nobles and Counsellers do to Earthly Princes but as a Co-regnant to reign with him having an absolute Kingship over all things 2. Because Christ ministers in the true heavenly Sanctuary Christ ministers in Heaven where God himself doth really and truly dwell There doth Christ minister by executing God's Decrees by ordering heavenly things and whatsoever pertains to God's heavenly worship and service commanded in the New Covenant If Christ were on earth he should not be a Priest at all Heb. 8.4 for there he could not finish his offering because out of his proper Sanctuary which is Heaven For on Earth there are Priests allready which Terrene Priests do offer according to the Law there the shadows of Heavenly things the pattern or sample of them which was shewed to Moses in the Mount SECTION II. The Tabernacle under the first Covenant was imperfect Tabernacle Imperfect 1. Because the Sanctuary where these services were acted Sanctuary a Worldly Manufacture was a worldly Manufacture and the Vessels therein were Handy-works as the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread in the first Vail and in the second or Holiest of all was the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant and the Golden-pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant and the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-Seat Ordinances Arbitrary 2. Because the Ordinances or Institutions of Divine Service therein were Arbitrary and Positive depending on the sole will and pleasure of the Law-maker in themselves indifferent and might be done any other way but all Services must be performed not after the Servant's pleasure but after the Lord's good-will and liking to whom the Services are done The Priests therefore went into this first Tabernacle to accomplish the daily Service as to burn Incense on the Golden Censer to order the Shew-bread and light up and mend the Lamps c. But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year at the solemn Fast of Expiation Lev. 16. Not without blood yea with blood only So that the offering was in the Holy of Holies as Christ his offering was in Heaven This offering he made for his own and the Peoples Errors which must needs be many in such variety of Ceremonies and multitudes of other Laws Way to Holiest not made In that no Man might enter into the Most holy place but the High-Priest and he but once a year we may observe hereby the Imperfection of this Old Covenant and the Infelicity of those Times For the Holy Ghost by whose instinct all these things were ordered did hereby signifie That the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing but when this Tabernacle was taken down then the Way to the heavenly Tabernacle lay open and all men rush into it and the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Hence at Christ's Death the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom to shew that now no man might be kept out from entring into the Holy place Christ first enters the Holy place But first Christ our High-Priest must enter in and hath entred in and thereby opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Faithful enter at the Last day Into this Heavenly Sanctuary none are actually entred but Christ but all the Faithful have a Right to enter in when they have first put off the rags of their Mortal nature and waited in the Receptacles of Rest appointed for their Souls and Bodies till the Mediator and High Priest call them forth at the Day of Judgment to take possession of that Inheritance which he hath purchased for them saying Come ye Blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you SECTION III. Services Imperfect Heb. 9.9 And that these Services were imperfect appears in that they could not make them that did the Services perfect as pertaining to their Consciences to purge away their Sins which polluted their hearts and made them guilty of temporal and eternal Death but served only to purge away those Sins which defiled the Flesh and made the party unclean and liable to Death temporal There wanted therefore a Reformation when all things concerning the true Worship and Service of God should be revealed for the clearing of all Sins and Punishments in this World and that which is to come When this Time came then Christ shewed himself an High-Priest of good things to come i. e. a perfect expiation of all Sins and eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats Heb. 9.13 and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God And all this was done in Heaven where he offered by his Eternal Spirit and power of and Endless life living for ever to make Intercession for his People For the purging
him Melchisedec a Type of Christ 1. Because he blessed so Great a Man as Abraham was the Prince of God the Father of the Faithful one to whom the Promises were made 2. Because he tithed Abraham and Levi himself that tithed others paid Tithes to Melchisedec in Abraham's Loyns 3. Because he was a Singular Priest neither was there any more of that Order nor shall be for ever 4. Because he was a perpetual High-priest 5. Because he was of the Tribe of Judah Heb. 7.14 of which Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood 6. Because he was made by an Oath Heb. 7.20 And inasmuch as not without an Oath he was made Priest For those Priests were made without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 7. Because he is a Royal Priest as was Melchisedec King of Salem Heb. 7.1 and having offered his Blood as a Priest he sits at the Right hand of God as King ruling over his Church 1 Cor. 15.24 till he have put all his Enemies under his feet and shall deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power SECTION V. Christ offereth Himself he offered himself without spot to God Of the Offering of Christ Heb. 9.14 Heb. 7.27 Heb. 9.26 1 Tim. 2.6 Gal. 1.4 Gal. 2.20 for this he did once when he offered up himself he hath appeared to put away Sins by the Sacrifice of himself he gave himself a Ransom for all who gave himself for our Sins who loved me and gave himself for me 1. Because he only was worthy to give and to be given to God Reason 1 2. Because in him only God was well-pleased for so God testified Reason 2 from Heaven This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Christ offered through the Spirit Through the Spirit Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 3.18 Ro. 1.3 4. who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself unto God being put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit Who was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the Resurrection from the dead The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Heb. 10.20 Heb. 7.15 16. By a New and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh After the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life Christ therefore is a Living Sacrifice and so are they that are Christ's that present their Bodies a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable to God which is their reasonable Sacrifice So Christ is the Living bread which came down from heaven Joh. 6 51. Heb. 7.8 25. and went up to heaven here men that die receive Tithes but here he receiveth them of whom it is testified that he liveth Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Reason 1 1. Because the Flesh was weak and died and no dead thing can offer it self or any thing else Reason 2 2. Because the Spirit is strong and liveth to offer the Flesh quickned thereby and to be offered in the Person of God and Man to be a Living Sacrifice Such a Sacrifice was Christ first slain and then quickned by the Spirit and offered by the Spirit unto God the Father of the Spirits Without Spot Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 1.19 Christ offered without Spot he offered himself to God without Spot i. e. of all sin or infirmity when immortal redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot so we are found in him without spot and blameless so is the Spouse of Christ cleansed and adorned 2 Pet. 3.14 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and blameless Reason 1 1. Because Christ was so conceived by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary therefore that Holy Thing which was born of her was called the Son of God Thou art the Holy One of God Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption Reason 2 2. Because he purged away all our Sins that were laid upon him which though they were as Scarlet yet shall be as white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson Is 1.18 yet they shall be as Wool Once Heb. 9.25 c. Christ offered Once only Not that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others for then he must often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto all men once to die ond after death cometh Judgment So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without spot unto Salvation Heb. 10.1 2 c. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the Things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the Comers thereunto perfect for then would they not have ceased to be offered i. e. they would have ceased to be offered because that the Worshipers once purged should have had no more Conscience of sin But in those Sacrifices there is a Remembrance again made of sins every year For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sins Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offering and Burnt-offering and Offering for Sin thou wouldst not but a Body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for Sins thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering the same Sacrifices which can never take away Sins But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness This is the Covenant that I will make with them in those days I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their Sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Now where Remission of these is there is no more offering
this Death was all Extremity Rarity 1. For the Rarity of it As it is an happiness to receive such an honour as never was the like so it is a Misery to suffer such a punishment as never was the like That death was peerless had no President among God's people v. Heb. 11.37 c. and in all the Law of God no Cross there Never no Israelite died the like death before Behold all ye that pass by and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 1.12 wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the the day of his fierce Wrath. Pain 2. For the Pain of it Pain is worse than death for death is senseless and hath no feeling Death is the wish of Anger and the worst anger doth but wish a man dead but pain is the desire of Malice Feri ut sentiat mori Strike him not to death at once by a dead blow but strike him so that he may die lingring and feel himself die Stoning Sawing Sword c. make quick dispatch they aim only at the Head Heart and Brain when the party wounded presently dies but the Cross causes a long and lingring Death when the extreme parts Hands and Feet are nailed which being tender beget pain and being remote from the heart prolong it The Pains of Hell gat hold upon me Psal 116.3 and the Sorrows of Death compassed me round about Shame 3. For the Shame of it As Pain is worse than Death so Shame is worse than Pain For Pain is but Personal resting in the Party pained and dying upon his Death but Shame is imparted from us to our Friends and after our Death lives to us and in our Posterity And surely our Reputation is dearer than our Life Such was the Cross of Christ full of Shame to him that suffered it so that the Spectators pitied him not at all but scorned a Cursed Wretch upon the Cross Stoning and the Sword are Deaths ordained by God but the Cross ordained by Men for Rogues and Dogs Christ hung between two Rogues naked covered only with shame and confusion His Glory was made to cease Psal 89.44 Psal 22.6 7. and his Throne was cast down to the ground A Worm and no Man a Reproach of Men and despised of the People 4. For the Curse of it The Curse is worst of all Curse most opposed to Blessing which is the best of Happiness For that is ever worst which is most opposed to the best Death Pain Shame are but the Malice of Men but Cursing is the Wrath of God and the utmost of it It is the last and worst that the Damned hear from God Go ye Cursed c. O what a sting is in a Curse more than in ten thousand Pains or Deaths Deut. 21.22 23. he that is hanged is accursed of God Christ was made a Curse because made Sin not a Sinner Gal. 3.13 Is 53.6 not this or that Sin but the Sin of Man For all the Sins of all Men were laid upon him And this made his Father forsake him and this made him cry out with such a bitter Cry O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27.46 For God that is all Blessedness and Righteousness cannot be present with one that is all Cursedness and Sin And is it come to this our Saviour dead Call me to Mourning now at the Remembrance of this Black deed When Beasts are slain 't is sad when Men are slain much more but when such a Man as Christ who was also God most of all No wonder if the Jews smote their breasts if the Rocks rent the Sun was darkned the Earth shook and the Graves opened well might the hearts quake of them that beheld this dismal sight A sad Tragedy A Man of Sorrows naked pierced with Nails Thorns and Spears sore with Lashes Bones disjoynted unpitied by Jews who stood staring and looking upon him and jeering and wagging their heads saying Come down from the Cross if thou be the Son of God He saved others himself he cannot save Lord what a sight is here and it grows dark too That he hung thus dead and mangled this may be represented by Pictures and Pageants as well as Words to move compassion and tears and I will behold the Cross the Grave c. in my Imagination and with mine Eyes and weep over them Call me therefore again and again to the house of Mourning upon this occasion for I will go But I look to be called off shortly to Joy and Rejoycing for it is not good to dwell altogether upon Sorrow Call me not Naomi but call me Marah for a while because the Lord hath afflicted me but rejoyce not over me O mine Enemy for though I be cast down yet I shall rise again And then call me not Marah any longer but call me Naomi by mine own name again I must mourn with those that mourn but I must rejoyce too with them that rejoyce It will be Easter very shortly When the Lord is Risen I must put off my Mourning-weeds and deck my self with the garments of Joy and Gladness I must not lye any longer in Sackcloth and Ashes in this dirty pickle for I am a Christian and the Spouse of Christ and I must trim my self and put on the Wedding-garment and follow the Bridegroom into his Chamber and feast with him But I cannot forget his Sufferings therefore call me back again once more for I must not only sorrow but suffer with him If I must suffer with and for others much more with and for Christ If I must be like unto good men much more unto Christ If I must fight before I can overcome for an Earthly Crown much more for an Heavenly Call me to die with Christ I 'le go and die with him and for him Come along with me you that are Christ's and let us die together Let me be crucified with him let me go into the Grave and be buried with him Stop me not for I will go all the World shall not hold me from following my Lord where he liveth I will live and where he dieth I will die and there will I be buried Take heed say and hold trust not to thine own strength as he did that said Though I die with thee yet will I not deny thee and so said they all and yet the most resolute denied him shamefully with Cursing and Swearing and the rest when it came to the trial all forsook him and fled But O my Soul trust thou in God and strengthen thy self in the Lord. SECTION III. The Reasons of Christ's Obedience But still this will not out of my mind What 's this Here lies a Bleeding Sacrifice Whose is it It is the Son of God By whom slain By the Jews What means this Blood so Innocent Why should it be so basely spilt For great Reasons of great state best known to God Some revealed to us As To
proceeds only from Righteousness Wisd 1.15 for Righteousness is immortal Sin is mortal and mortalizeth the Body Righteousness is immortal and immortalizeth the Body Where sin rules death rules where sin is conquered death is conquered SECTION VI. The Reasons for Victory over Death are these 1. Because Sin is conquered which is the Sting and Curse of Death Sin conquered that else would hold us in everlasting Death For as long as sin is in death unpardoned by dying in sin there can be no recovery from Eternal death for sin As long as the Debt is not paid there can be no recovery out of Prison 2. Because the Law is conquered which stirred up sin Law conquered and accused sin unto death Christ hath fulfilled the Law and abolished the Types and Curses thereof 3. The Devil is conquered that lays the Law against us Devil conquered he came upon us as a strong man to bind us in death but Christ came upon him and bound him that had the Power of Death and cast him and Death both out of doors and brought life and immortality to light O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction Death is swallowed up in victory and Christ hath destroyed the works of the Devil and we shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet 4. Because Christ hath entred into the Holy of Holies in Heaven Christ entred into the Holy of Holies and is gone before to prepare a place for us therefore where he is there we shall also be Having hitherto shewed what are the great things which we have purchased for us by Christ and how we are to endeavour after them by the aids of his Spirit promised to be given to us for that purpose namely the Inward and Real Victory over sin and the Curse for sin that so we may obtain a victory over Death and Hell It will be very obvious to observe the Errours of those that pretend to high spirituality of Doctrine and walking with God and yet alledg an utter impossibility of ever conquering of sin in their hearts and therefore never go about the work of mortification or self-denial as there is no reason they should if it were true that all were done to their hands or if not that thing enjoyned were utterly beyond their Power The CONTENTS Nothing for us to do Trust to Outward Mortifications Superstition Natural Complexion for Divine Grace Rhetoricating Consequences of Christ's Death and Resurrection Material Cross Spiritual Cross Material Resurrection Spiritual Resurrection Material Ascension Spiritual Ascension No Oblation pleased God but Christ's Every one that comes to God must offer Christian Religion most Spiritual and Glorious No Mediator but Christ End of Christ's Mediation to bring us to God Cross to be gloried in Cross outward and inward Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by outward Cross Philosophy Christianity Christ the Sacrifice and Priest Christians true Sacrifices and Priests Decrees Christ's doing and suffering our doing and suffering Corollaries Christ a Priest Christ quickned by his Eternal Spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King TITLE IX Of Mistakes of the Effects of Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Nothing for us to do FIrst therefore some confidently believe That all things are already done for us and nothing remains to be done for our selves as if because Christ hath taken up his Cross for us we should not take up our Cross for our selves because he hath suffered we should not suffer with him and fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ the Head as the Members of his Body which is the Church as if there were no Power of his Death nor vertue of his Resurrection nor Fellowship in his Sufferings nor any conformity with Christ wrought inwardly in our Souls by his holy Spirit turning all Righteousness into a bare accounting and being imputed Righteous by the Righteousness which is another's and no inherent Holiness or Sanctification of the Spirit which is our own without which no man shall see the Face of God This is an Idaea of Holiness and the Happiness will be accordingly .. A Shadow and no Substance This is to deny the Real Evil of Sin and the Real Holiness of the Spirit turning really from Darkness unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God Or else this is to make God to be bribed and corrupted by the Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ to indulge men in their own Sins by clothing them and hiding them with his Son's Righteousness though he knows well enough they are inwardly unrighteous and yet by vertue of that Imputed Righteousness they shall be excused from all Sin and the real Punishment of Eternal Death So there shall be an Impunity from God for Sin than which there cannot be a greater Evil nor more against the Mind of God who naturally hates Sin nor more against the mind of the Godly who more abhor the sin than they dread the vengeance So the Kingdom of Sin and Satan should be still unbattered and we partly under Satan and partly under Christ partly sinful that is inwardly and partly righteous that is outwardly by Imputation and being reckoned so to be not so indeed And so serve God and Mammon have fellowship with Christ and with Sin and Devils Overthrow all Reason and Religion of Justice or Mercy in God or Goodness or Vertue in us All the ground these men have for what they affirm is their strong belief that it is so without any Sense or Reason that it should be so or how it can be so that the undefiled Rewards of God should be enjoyed by impure and unregenerate men But the Pretense is that they speak only of Justification without any Condition of Sanctification as being no part of God's Covenant but Faith only But still let the shew of Humility and Modesty be what it will in them and the advancement of the free Grace of God by them it must needs exceedingly deceive men into hypocrisie and carnality which is very pleasing to Flesh and Blood For he that believes himself to be thus absolutely and compleatly justified by the Imputation of a mere External Righteousness through his Faith must needs believe that there lacketh no other Righteousness of his own for all such Holiness is perfectly supplied by the Holiness of another who is Christ And though it be yet pretended that Sanctification will naturally follow imputed Justification by way of Thankfulness yet this very Gratitude will easily be believed as all other Graces are by them supposed to be by the same Imputation reckoned and accounted so to be but not so indeed lest Grace should not be free and Works should prove Meritorious imagining that God makes a Covenant without any Condition or any other party to Covenant with him which is impossible Trust to outward Mortifications 2. Others there are of a contrary Spirit that trust to no Imputations of Righteousness external nor Holiness internal of
of Faith Hope Love c. for the applying those rights to our selves For all actions in Law are for acquiring particular or universal good things or for keeping and encreasing them and if lost to recover them in a judicial way But of these things the Law speaks at large Lastly Actions are considered as 1. Natural in the Body personal 2. Civil in the State or Society humane Social 3. Religious in the Church 1. Private for selves 2. Common in a Body publick The Second BOOK OF TITLES The CONTENTS Transition Vnjust legally Vnjust morally Vnjust jurally Oppressed Blemished Distressed Tainted TITLE I. Of a Sinner Transition WE have hitherto fairly arrived from the consideration of Rights disposed of by God's Testament to the Understanding of Titles that those Persons have to those Rights so bequeathed unto them The Title to justify the Legataries of God to their rights is Faith from whence they are denominated Faithful Righteous or Just and they that want Faith have no title to these Rights and are therefore called unfaithful unrighteous or unjust A Sinner is a person unjust or unrighteous three waies Legally Morally or Jurally SECT I. Unjust legally quoad leges that is a Sinner or transgressor Unjust legally that does not that right which he ought to do by the rules of the Laws and Statutes such a one hath no right Such Sinners were our first Parents who for their transgression of God's Law in Paradise were the first sinners such was David in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah and Jeroboam that made Israel to sin such were all the Israelites that were idolaters and otherwise guilty of all the breaches against the Laws of Moses and such were the Gentiles as guilty of the breach of the unwritten Law of God And these kind of sinners who were transgressors of the Law are opposed to those who were legally righteous by doing that right which the Law required SECT II. Unjust morally quoad mores Unjust morally that is a Sinner or Unrighteous in not doing that right which he might should could or ought to do by the rules of Morality Equity Decency Charity and Mercy The fact that constitutes or makes a Man a sinner or morally unrighteous is not an act of his that is unlawful in respect of any Law but an act that is not honest and equitable in respect of Decency Charity and Mercy Such a sinner was Cham that discover'd and mocked at his Father's nakedness such a sinner was Nabal that was rude unthankful and unkind to deny provision being able to David and his Men that had protected him and his night and day Math. 18.28 such a sinner was the wicked servant who when his Lord had forgiven him a debt of ten thousand Talents would neither forgive nor so much as forbear his fellow-servant a debt of an hundred pence Thus he might do in Law but not in Conscience Morality Equity or Charity Such a sinner was Dives in being vastly profuse upon himself and the Rich and sordidly penurious to the Poor such sinners were the Priest and Levite Luc. 10.31 that neglected the Man stripped and wounded and half deed such sinners are the damned that neither entertained nor clothed nor visited the poor members of Christ that were strangers naked sick and imprisoned Math. 25.42 SECT III. Unjust Jurally quoad Jura that is a sinner or unrighteous Uniust Jurally because calamitous and miserable who either hath no right at all or not that right which he should have or might have had by being debarred or deprived of that right which others had and he might have and should have by Law and is condemned to be and remain in the state of an offender to suffer losse shame or pain which is not properly a punishment for no Man is to be punished for having no right or for quitting it much less for losing it against his will but a misery and affliction This woful and wretched person becomes so not by any act of his own but either by the act of some adversary that chargeth him with that sin whereof he is not guilty or by the act of some Law or curse that burtheneth him for that sin whereof some other person is guilty to suffer affliction for it as if he were guilty of punishment This Man is no reall but a quasi sinner not actively but passively sinfull Rom. 5.19 constituted and made a sinner i. e. imputed or accounted a sinner SECT IV. Of these Jural sinners there are four sorts Oppressed 1. The Oppressed who unjustly against Law and Justice are calumniated criminated and condemned as sinners and transgressors Thus after David's death in case Adoniah had prevailed Bathsheba and Solomon should have been accounted sinners Otherwise it shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders or sinners as in the margin Thus Naboth de facto was made a sinner for really he was none yet by the Letter of Jezabel he was predestinated ordained and appointed to be a blasphemer 1 K. 21.9 For She wrote in the Letters saying Proclaim a Fast and set Naboth on high among the People and set two Men Sons of Belial before him to bear witness against him saying Thou didst blaspheme God and the King and then carry him out and stone him that he may die In dangerous times when the wicked lay wait to intangle the innocent a word may make a Man an offender Is 29.21 All that watch for iniquity are cut off that make a Man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth Thus Christ though he were true God and true Man without all guile yet he was made a sinner and suffered as a transgressor He poured out his Soul unto death Is 53.12 and was numbred with the transgressors For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 SECT V. Blemished 2. The Blemished or tainted who justly according to the Law are disabled and debarred from the Common Rights and Priviledges of Men. As a Bastard who being no real transgressor against the Law is by an Act of the Law made a quasi Transgressor whereby he is debarred from the right of his birth and doomed for a sinner before he is born before he hath or could do good or evill And as soon as he is conceived he is conceived a sinner because his unlawful conception renders his Parents actually sinners or sinners legally for their unlawful copulation and himself a quasi Transgressor a sinner jurally to lose his Birth-right when he is born and by God's
an hereditary bondage to be drudges about the Temple Now therefore ye are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being Bond-Men Jos 9.23 and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God Such sinners are all they who are made heirs to the misery of their Parents those transgressors whose punishment the Law makes hereditary to pass upon themselves and consequently to descend unto their Children As the Sons of Achan Jos 7.24 25. who for their Father's Sacriledg were stoned to death in the Vally of Achan And the seven Sons of Saul who for their Father's cruelty were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord 2 Sam. 21.9 And the Sons of Gehezi 2 Kings 5.25 if he had any who for their Father's bribery were to be heirs of his Leprosy And all Mankind who for the transgression or Legal sin of Adam are made Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to be afflicted with death and mortality For by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 i. e. Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to lose the right of Paradise and Blessedness And this Jural Sinner is opposed to an owner Lastly such sinners as are oppressed by force fraud or colour of Law who are criminated by calumny and suffer death by an unjust Sentence as Bathsheba and Solomon in case Adonijah had prevailed for the Kingdom had been made sinners 1 Kings 1.12 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders Such a sinner is a Man who in dangerous times when terrible ones watch for iniquity is made an offender for a word Is 29.21 And with all Religious reverence be it written such a sinner was Jesus Christ who though he be very true God and true Man the truest and justest Man that ever lived who did no sin nor spake no guile yet he suffered as a sinner For He poured out his Soul unto death Is 53.12 and was numbred with the transgressors He was made a Quasi-transgressor and so handled God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin i. e. he who really was no sinner 2 Cor. 5.20 was made a Quasi sinner and was afflicted as a sinner Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us i. e. he who really was not a curse was made a Quasi-curse and was afflicted as if a cursed person These three several sinners the Legal the Moral and the Jural are not three opposit sorts of sinners so contradistinct that the one is repugnant to the other or that one sense excludeth the rest but they are different degrees of sinners whereof the one may be without the other and yet so consistent that they may all concurre in one and the same person For Christ was a sinner Jurally only but no way Legally nor Morally And Dives was a sinner Morally only not Legally for we read not that he was a transgressor against the Law nor Jurally for he had great Possessions But in the sight of God Men are sinners all three waies Legally Morally and Jurally being transgressors against the Law and offenders against Equity and Aliens Forreigners and Strangers to the rights priviledges and inheritances of the Kingdom of Heaven whereto Man as Man and as the Son of Adam hath no right interest or claim but is born and stands in the state of a Quasi trespasser and Quasi sinner Adam was created upright i. e. not a transgressor Legally nor a trespasser Morally and he was created an owner for upon his creation God gave him a humane right of Dominion over Fish Foul and Beasts But by virtue of his creation he had no Supernatural or Divine right for he had no right to Paradise and the Blessings thereof For when Adam was created Paradise was not yet planted but after the creation of Adam follow'd the plantation of Eden and God by putting Adam into Eden did further justify him for unto that right which was at first given him by Nature God superadded another right by Grace in setling and seating him in Paradise And this right was hereditary to him and his heirs But Adam by his transgression in offending against the Law of Paradise made himself a transgressor and all his heirs Quasi trespassers For the punishment or curse upon him for his transgression was his ejection and mortality which ejection and mortality descended also to all his Posterity For according to God's Contract with Adam and according to the rule of Equity and Reason sueing the Blessing was hereditary to him and his heirs therefore the curse also became hereditary to him and his heirs This affliction of Man or his ejection from Paradise and his mortality that now he is born to no divine inheritance but is born an out-cast from God's Blessing born a mortal Creature that must necessarily die this is the condition that makes Man a Quasi-trespasser and puts him into the state of a Jural sinner and this Quasi-trespasser or Jural sinner is the Man who in the next verse shall be justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ For the Person who is the proper subject of Justification is Man considered as a Jural sinnner not excluding his legal or moral sins from which he is also justified yet they unto his justifying are but accidental for although legally and morally he were never so righteous yet unless he be justified he cannot be saved for he is still a Jural or Quasi sinner 1. Because he is not a sinner actively by committing any act of sin as were the two former sinners who were offenders legally and morally by acting against Law and Equity but he is a sinner passively by suffering that loss or pain which is inflicted on him who is a sinner actively For the Verb Sinning is sometimes put passively for suffering as Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of Beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the loss of it where the Hebrew word is Chata i. e. I sinned for it 2. Because he is not a sinner really in whom sin is inherent but putatively to whom sin is imputed and who being innocent is reputed a delinquent and put into the state of a sinner that he may suffer that affliction which is the usual punishment of a sinner As the Beasts which the Law declared unclean were not in themselves unclean really and inherently but imaginarily and putatively for uncleanness was therefore imputed unto them that they might be forborn as if they had been really unclean 3. Because the fact which constituteth a Man thus a Quasi-sinner to be miserable and wretched is no act of his own but is either the act of some Law which justly imputeth unto him that sin whereof some other is guilty or is the act of some adversary who unjustly imputeth and chargeth upon him that sin whereof he is not guilty
condemned as Children of wrath that is after the Hebrew phrase such as have deserved punishment as Sons of deat hare such as have deserved death Vide 2 Sam. 12.5 John 15.12 2 Thess 2.3 1 Câ—r 11.13 14. So the Apostle disputeth Judg in your selves i. e. according to your natural Reason is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a Man have long hair it is a shame unto him c. That is not plain Nature but Customs far and neer in all Ages observed which are the Laws of Nations which are secondary Laws Rom. 1.18 c. springing from the original Laws of Nature For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shew'd it unto them But they when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their Women did change the natural use into that which is against Nature And likewise also the Men leaving the natural use of the Woman burned in their lusts one toward another Men with Men working that which is unseemly and receiving to themselves that recompense of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things who are not convenient without natural affection Col. 4.8 c. doing service to them which by nature are no Gods Others of the Gentiles which had not the Law writen on Tables did by nature the things contained in the Law these having no Law were a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another SECT XI Thus it appears that Nature teaches good and by her Dictates they that walk contrary to the course of Nature are condemned as guilty of the wrath of God and are therefore called Sons of wrath But to call these unnatural courses of Adult persons by the name of Original Sin Actual in which we are conceiv'd and born and for which we are liable to eternal death is so strange and so heterogeneal a consequence as by no considering unbiast way of reasoning can justly be deduced from such premises That Nature is good and teaches good appears in that all Men naturally desire good enquiring what is good what is Truth and who will shew us any good as 1. To do good to our selves and to others not to hurt our selves nor others 2. To keep our promises to all 3. To give every one their due This is God's Image It is as natural for Man to be good Quintil. as for Birds to flie and Fishes to swim 1. Because the Soul is a Spirit Reason and it is the nature of a Spirit to desire God and Goodness Soul a Spirit I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Spirits delight not in corporeal things the Soul draws near to his proper object God and Goodness The breath of God breathes after God The Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Receptacle of God as mattter is of form As there is a sympathy between the Seed and the Womb to conceive thereby so there is a sympathy between God and the Soul God the Seed the Soul the Matrix Man is a kind of Mortal god Tertul. In homine quid optimum Ratio hâc antecedit animalia Deos sequitur saies Brave Seneca Senec. what is the best thing in Man It is Reason by this he excels all other living creatures here below and follows God himself The Soul hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain formative quality from the kindly aspect and incumbency of God's Grace hovering and brooding over it Ephes 4.24 which makes the New Man which after God is created in Righteousnes and true Holiness SECT XII 2. Because Good is the most common and communicative thing that is Good most common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Hope and Love are the Common Laws and Notions tending to the common salvation God dispenses not Good sparingly he shuts it not up as Gold and Metals in the bowels of the Earth or Pearls and Jewels in the bottom of the Sea Say not therefore who will shew us any good or ascend into Heaven to fetch it down from thence that we may hear it and do it or who will go down to Hell if it were there to fetch it up from thence that we might hear it and do it for it is nigh even in thy heart it is the light that is in us which if it be darkned how great is that darkness The most excellent things of God are the most common and offered to all when other things are rare and present themselves to few God is every Man 's good that will Aquinas his Sister ask'd him how she might be saved he answer'd her If you will The Predestinarian makes a cross consequence from this Object That Salvation depends upon Man's will If the King pardon and the Malefactor sues it out and takes it Answ does the King's Grace therefore depend upon the Malefactor's will should he be forc'd to take it whether he will or not Is this reasonable If Men reject the Grace of God their destruction is from themselves but their Salvation is from God The goods thing of God arrive certainly at the persons that desire them So is it not in the things of this world Every covetous person is not rich though he rise up early and goes to bed late and eats the bread of carefulness yet all will not do Every Ambitious Man is not the highest though he aspire and labour never so much to climbe up to the top of Honour yet he is forc'd to stay below and move in an inferior Orbe Every Student that sits in the Vatican is not a great Clark and there are few good in any one Trade But in Divine things it is far otherwise for every one that asketh hath and every one that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh the gates of Wisdom are opened Every one that hungreth and thirsteth after Righteousness shall be satisfied Fastidiosior est scientia quà m virtus Learning Riches Honours c. are more nice and coy than Virtue is though Virtue be most lovely yet she is not so delicate and scornful as they that have far less beauty and worth in them Paucorum est ut literati seu Divites c. omnium ut Boni Very few can attain to great Learning Honor c. But all may be good and besides Honours Wisdom Power c. when they are gotten are
line upon line here a little and there a little to stir up our poor mind by way of remembrance although we are established in the present Truth and good Government to restrain from vice by penalty of Law These and such like are as I said the subordinate vulgar reasons or arguments ad hominem the causes or rather occasions of the indisposition of the Conscience in bad Men whereby the Conscience is or rather seems to be falsa Lex a false Law a false Gloss a false Instigatrix Notarie Witness and Judg cross to its Creation or rather a false Conscience or no Conscience at all There being an intercision and retardation or adulation instead of Conscience suspending the true exercise of deducting right conclusions from the premises or observing no premises nor conclusions at all But a hurrying after extream and wild passions humours and fancies and a continual course of obstinate rebellion a self-pleasing Perit omne judicium cum res transit in affectum Nothing is done wisely when all is affection or prejudice reason is clouded and Will rules Si possem sanior essem Sed trahit in vitam nova vitiorum Turba Engagements in sin desperate wadings and wallowings in licentiousness Horror and hatred of God and desperate actings against God and all goodness not caring what becomes of us Sic volo sic jubeo stat pro Ratione voluntas Non nisi per scelera ad scelera tutum est iter The CONTENTS Believe Conscience Not believe Conscience Self-Examination Forsake sin Confess sin Collections TITLE V. Of the Restitution of Conscience THe Cure of the strange and wonderful indispositions and distempers of the Soul and Conscience are from God the sole Lord of the Conscience who only understands the errors and deceits that are therein Therefore God hath left some wholesom directions which Spiritual Physicians may prescribe out of his word for the recovery of feeble Souls First therefore as to good Men They advised and required Believe Conscience To believe their own Consciences notwithstanding strong temptations to the contrary and notwithstanding bodily discomposures 1. Because temptations are lyes not Truths the instigations and allurements are in themselves evil and they tend and move to evil therefore they are not in themselves nor in their motions to be trusted I say to believe their Consciences 2. Because they are justified by Faith and sanctified by the Spirit of Truth and therefore have peace with God and are at peace with themselves and do not cannot flatter falsly to a lye because they are of the Truth and the Truth is in them 3. Because diseases and pains in the Body which occasion doubts and fears in the mind are only in the outward Man and the inward Man is not toucht at all But the Soul enjoyes intimate union and communion with God as much when the Body is afflicted more and than at any other time and exercises more Faith and Love and Patience and Hope and hath more trials and experiences of Grace and is more firmly fastned upon the Rock and foundation of Jesus Christ than at any other time The Conscience therefore when observed upon enquiry and search thereinto speaks comfortable Truth which God would have us to believe and we ought to believe it But the passions occasioned by sickness and misery speak nothing but uncomfortable lyes which the Devil would have us to believe but we ought not to believe him nor them 4. Because the natural temper and constitution of many Bodies tend to fears and sorrows in the mind by the vicinity of humours that have a kind of operation upon them Notwithstanding all which passions the Understanding is taught to remember that she hath no reason to doubt of her good condition because these griefs and terrors are no sins of hers but rather her miseries and afflictions indeed of which she hath just cause to complain and ask for a removal but not for pardon which is only proper for sin not misery 5. Because Faith in the Heart is above Sense in the Flesh And we live by Faith and not by Sense and therefore we are to believe Faith and not Sense yea to believe a bove Hope and contrary to Hope which is above Sense and contrary to sense I know not how nor I know not why in the judgment of my Flesh but this I know that he is Faithful which hath promised to give and I have promised to obey and I will trust in him and be obedient unto him though I be sometimes at a stand yet I will not let go my hold but strengthen my self and comfort my self in my God in prosperity and adversity He is my God though I feel not his comforts yet I have them and shall have them and if I want them I shall strive to be content and though I gain nothing desirable from him here yet I shall take God alone to be sufficient for me and to be my exceeding great Reward 6. Because God's Principles breed none but good conclusions Ex veris nil nisi vera sequuntur Though in my error of passion I am not able to make it out yet God shall make it out for me Many an honest Debtor is not able to make out his own dues but a just and merciful Creditor will help him and make it out for him that he shall not be a loser What therefore is wanting in me I believe God will supply and I am sure to be safe in his hands say mine own pretended Conscience and the Devil or Men of devilish Spirits what they will they may vex and perplex me and break my heart with grief but they shall never be able to destroy my Soul and Body in Hell fire For I am fully perswaded that neither height nor depth nor length nor breadth nor Life nor death nor any thing else shall be ever able to separate me from the Love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord and that being justified by Faith I have peace with God and that if God hath justified none shall condemn me no not my own Conscience which is sanctified as is my whole Soul and Body by the Spirit of God which is in me Thus an honest Heart and humble Soule is in a safe condition with God in the midst of fears and terrours occasioned by temptations arising from sickness pains and distempers of a weak Body So am I like a Ship that lives in a storm while the winds drive her and the waves run over her So to the pure all things are pure the Conscience being good all things that come from it are good and all that comes unto it shall be for good Secondly as to wicked Men their remedy is this Not believe Conscience they are advised and required 1. Not to believe their own Consciences notwithstanding strong illusions to the contrary and notwithstanding their bodily good composures and outward peace and prosperity to all things 1. Because flatteries of peace are lyes and not
believeth shall not be ashamed c. The hopes of the Hypocrites shall perish The patient expectation of the meek shall not perish for ever Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves 2 Cor. 13.5 know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world Eph. 1.4 that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned He that hath the Son hath Life he that hath not the Son hath not Life Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness Hebr. 11.33 obtained the promises of whom the world was not worthy all these having obtained a good report through Faith received not the promises God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Vers 16. But now they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God For he hath prepared for them a City Let us therefore fear Heb. 4.1 lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should come short of it Wherefore we receive a Kingdom which cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly Fear Well Because of unbelief they were broke off Ro. 11.20 and thou standest by Faith be not high minded but fear If he call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every Man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 That they may see your chaste conversation coupled with fear 1 Pet. 3.2 Be thou Faithful unto the end and I will give thee a Crown of Life 2 Tim. 4.7 c. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but to them also which love his appearing Phil. 2.11 12. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from sin Eccles 9.1 The Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hand of God No Man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them c. Prov. 28.14 Happy is the Man that feareth alwaies SECT VII For a Close I add some few Cautions Cautions 1. Take heed of falling 2. Neglect not the use of means 3. Be humble and boast not The proud Pharisee was condemned the poor Publican went away justified 4. Be honest and keep Covenant with God by Faith love to God justice to all mercy to the poor 5. Trust not to outward Righteousness in all these but in the inward Righteousness of the heart by Faith in purity of Doctrine and worship of God SECT VIII Obstructions The Obstructions of our Assurance are 1. Living in known sins If our hearts condemn us we can have no confidence If thou dost well thou shall be accepted but if thou dost not well sin lies at the door What peace can there be so long as whoredoms and witchcrafts are so many Wicked Men are like the troubled Sea whose waters cast out mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God unto the wicked 2. Confident groundless Hopes beget Security and profaneness SECT IX Last of all some Rules may be these Rules 1. There are degrees of Assurance more or less at one time or other 2. There is perhaps no absolute Assurance without all doubts or Conditions 3. No infallible assurance of our Assurance by Revelation or Miracle or otherwise Demonstrative to Sense 4. Absolute Assurance not absolutely necessary to Salvation 5. Assurance is for the Being not for the perfectly well-being of a Christian 6. No Absolute Innocence or perfection in this Life Who can say I have made my heart clean I am innocent from all offence Eccles 9.1 7. No trust to Prosperity or Success The Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hands of God and who knoweth either love and hatred by all that is before him Happy is the Man that feareth alwaies More I will not venture to say This Assurance that we have is sufficient We have a Calling and an Election from God for our Salvation All we have to do is to work out this our Salvation with fear and trembling and to make our Calling and Election sure This is the greatest Assurance that can be expected and it is enough But if we depend upon absolute Election from all Eternity and that of so very small and inconsiderable a number Election It is impossible to derive any comfort to our Souls from thence For still we may justly fear we are not of the number of those few and if we be we are sure do what we will but it is very unlikely And if we be not we are utterly lost do what we can and it is very likely And if our fancy run upon it that we are reprobates it cannot be satisfied to the contrary little hopes can be expected where there are so very few In vain they bid us believe that can never believe except we be decreed to believe But if all be called as they are then all may be chosen as they are not because they obey not the call and if all may be chosen then there is hopes for all And God is thereby justified and our destruction is from our selves and every mouth will be stopped If any body can inform me farther upon this point and teach me how to satisfie my self or others about it better I shall be glad to learn I am no Dictator to my self or others but humbly what I have learned from the Scriptures I commend to my self and others to comfort and settle me and them in all conditions especially in the hour of death that we may live and die hopefully in the Mercies of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And through the tender Mercies of our God we may be sure that we shall never miscarry Amen The Sixth BOOK OF TENURES The CONTENTS Transition Estates Allodium Lordship Model from the Goths Etymology Crown Lands Caution Apology TITLE I. Of Allodium Transition THE dispositions of God by Testamentary Covenant do justifie Men to a Divine Estate of Blessedness by Faith Estates Estates are either Allodium or absolute or Feudum or Conditional SECT I. Allodium There is nothing properly Allodial to any person but God He hath all the praise and thanks due to him from all persons for all things All other Estates are Feudal properly Supreme Powers
to death with pains and care in them But the Spiritual Souldier under Christs Banner aims at glorious things and goes on to perfection He looks beyond the gayeties and anxieties of this Life at the mark of the price of the high Calling which is laid up for him in Christ Jesus and having an eye to the recompense of the Reward and a hope of a glorious and blessed immortality he is contented to endure the Crosses and despise the shames of this World and purifies himself and is zealous of good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that he may obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus To the King alone the faithful make all their Prayers not to the Saints their Brethren beneficiaries and fellow Servants under one Master and Benefactor They can merit nothing at their Lord's hands for they are Clients and Beneficiaries depending wholly upon his Grace and Favour They are all of the same Mind and of the same Spirit The Lord loves his Vassal and the Vassal his Lord. Thus all Feudal Rights are retained till there be a Desertio militiae a laying down Arms or unthankfulness and Rebellion in the case Thus Feudataries are all the Children of their Liege Lord not by Nature but by Grace they are all Filii-familias and heirs of his Estate Thus the Feudatary Brethren are all initiated into the Fee of their Lord by a Sacramental Oath and holy Covenant of Baptism Thus they commemorate the bounty of their Lord and Father by the Sacrament of the Holy Supper They eat the same Spiritual Bread and drink the same Spiritual Wine Thus they entertain one another not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness for Souldiers must be temperate in all things but in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in feasts of Love and Charity Thus they as Souldiers are not entangled with the affairs of this Life but use their Benefices as not abusing them being alwaies watchful and standing upon their guard to keep out Satan and to bruise him under every one of their feet Thus Christ hath purchased Blessedness by conquering Sin Law Satan so that all Salvation and Happiness is his who is the only Saviour of Mankind And therefore all that have right and do hold it to Blessedness have it and hold it of him who alone hath purchased it for them by the price of his precious Bloud by the Conquest of his death For there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved but only by the Name of Jesus Who is then the Lord Head of the Church but Christ What are Saints or Angels They have all from Christ as we and are our fellow Servants and Brethren partakers of the same Grace and therefore they have merited nothing for us nor can they help us nor may we seek to them for help but with them go to Christ for the participation of the common Salvation had and held by the same Right and Title of Faith and Love till we come to be perfect and receive the inheritance with them which is laid up for us eternal in the Heavens Though all Feudataries are alike usufructuaries only and have and hold of the same Liege Lord in the same Tenure yet some are Royal and Sacerdotal Dignitaries others inferior Titularies So Kings hold next and immediately under God of Christ their King by whom Kings reign and Princes decree justice And Priests hold from Christ the Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls And Subjects hold under their Kings and Priests who rule them in Temporals and Spiri uals by Jurisdiction received from the Supreme Power of Christ who is the first born of God and higher than the Kings of the Earth and the Great High Priest by whom we are made both Kings and Priests He that is imploy'd in another Man's Estate must be called to an accompt so must we by Christ be called to an accompt at the last day for our Stewardship of the goods of God Conclusion Thus we know in part what God is Thus we know what we are Thus the Servant may not be above his Master Thus we are safe under God's Dominion Thus we shall want for nothing that is good That we may alwaies love serve honour and praise our Benefactor from whom we have our Being on whom we do depend by whom we shall be rewarded with an everlasting Well-Being to whom be all honour and glory World without end ☞ Note that Parables afford not correspondencies in every point the intent and scope of them only is argumentative Parables not on all four we may not strain the similitude to every period which runs not upon all four Object Some may rise up against this Doctrine in fury and say God's waies are not like new waies they are of another Fashion Answ By such general Notions many abuse the Scriptures and the mind of God deceiving themselves as here God's waies and the reasons of his workings are not so well known as Man's waies but yet they are alwaies just so are not Mens waies Yet God's waies may be like unto Mens waies and Mens waies may be like unto God's waies when they are just yet not for the exactness and degree of Justice or Mercy or for the Notoriety of the reasons of them both Justice and Mercy though infinitely more in God than in Man yet they are of the same species Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy more or less whether they be in God or Man and so Reason is Reason and Wisedom is Wisedom whether they be in God or Man And what hinders for all this disproportion but that there may be a form of Government amongst Men resembling though infinitely short the Government of God's Church and Kingdom SECT XVI Tenure of Fealty the best Take one impartial view more of this Tenure of Fealty obliging 1. The Lord to love and protect the Vassal in his Rights that is to be a Father and Patron unto him 2. The Vassal to love honour reverence and obey his Lord with all possible kindness as his Child Pupil Client and Beneficiary that hath all he hath from his goodness I say then that this Tenure of Fealty and love though invented by Heathens came by instinct from God and is the pattern of his Fatherly goodness And the obedience and love so exactly performed by them is the lively character of the obedience and love of the Church and a shame to us Christians that come so far short of Heathens in this particular And though originally by their customs derived to us we hold as they did from one Lord yet we have forgot the allegiance which by the same Laws we are sworn to perform as they did What more excellent way could be thought of than this to keep a Kingdom in peace plenty and love when Subjects shall be all Tenants to one Liege Lord and the inferior Lords as Petty-kings
Fathers Sister Cons Mothers Sister Cons Fathers Brothers Wife Aff. Mothers Brothers Wife Aff. Wives Fathers sister Aff. Wives Mothers Sisters Aff. Downward Neeces Brothers Daughter Cons Sisters Daughter Cons Brothers Sons Wife Aff. Sisters Sons Wife Aff. Wives brothers Daugh. Aff. Wives Sisters Daugh. Aff. A Man may not marry Upwards his Mothers Grandmothers Great Grandmothers In Nature In Law Forwards his Brothers Neeces In Nature In Law Sidewards his Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards his Daughters Grandaughters Great Grandaughters In Nature In Law A Woman may not Marry in the Right Line Upward in the First Degree Fathers Father Cons Stepfather Aff. Husbands Father Aff. Second Deg. Grandfathers Grandfather Cons Grandmothers Husb. Aff. Husbands Grandfather Aff. Downward in the First Degree Sons Son Cons Husbands Son Aff. Daughters Husb. Aff. Second Deg. Grandsons Sons Son Cons Daughters Son Cons Sons Daught. Husb. Aff. Daughters Daug. Husb. Aff. Husbands Sons Son Aff. Husbands Daugh. Son Aff. Side Line Forward Brothers Brother Cons Husbands Brother Aff. Sisters Husband Aff. Upward Uncles Fathers Brother Cons Mothers Brother Cons Fathers Sisters Husb. Aff. Mothers Sisters Husb. Aff. Husb. Fathers Brother Aff. Husb. Mothers Brother Aff. Downward Nephews Brothers Son Cons Sisters Son Cons Brothers Daugh. Husb. Aff. Sisters Daughters Husb. Aff. Husbands Brothers Son Aff. Husbands Sisters Son Aff. A Woman may not marry Upwards her Fathers Grandfathers Great Grandfathers In Nature In Law Forwards her Brothers Nephews In Nature In Law Sidewards her Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards her Sons Grandsons Great Grandsons In Nature In Law Prohibitions to the Third Degree inclusively A Man may not marry his 1. Mothers 2. Sisters 3. Aunts in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law A Woman may not Marry her 1. Fathers 2. Brothers 3. Uncles in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law Permissions of Cousins beyond the Third Degree Briefly A Man may not marry in the Right Line any of his Mothers Grandmothers Daughters Grandaughters Side Line any of her Sisters Aunts Neeces Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. Briefly A Woman may not marry in the Right Line any of her Fathers Grandfathers Sons Grandsons Side Line any of her Brothers Uncles Nephews Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. A Postscript THose that have had the patience hitherto let them favour me a little farther for their satisfaction to read the Testimonies of some Ancient and Modern Divines who have either said the same things with me or else very like them or have given me hints at least to enlarge upon them Authorities I know by custome sound high and prevail much to vulgar perswasion But solid reason is of much more force in it self and prevails much more with intelligent and unbiassed Souls Examine well the scope of all and without prejudice and let the Learned correct qualifie expunge or add as their wisdoms shall prompt them with all Candour Hear therefore next to the Holy Scriptures what these Learned men do say Testimonia Laciniata The CONTENTS Peccatum Originale Lex Fides Duo Testamenta Fides Scripturae Nature Grace Absolute Decree Spirituale Sacrificium Superstitio Promissa Adamo Praedestinatio Meritum Perseverantia Satisfactio Praedestinatio Peccatum Originale Imputatio Labes Originalis Controversies Ceremonies Definitions and Determinations Scoffing and Railing Atheism Gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Covenants Testament New Covenant Correspondence of Covenants Sacrifices Decalogue Baptism Natural Law Law and Gospel Resurrectio Justitia Imputatio Fides Justificatio Remissio Imputatio Justification Imputed Righteousness Justification Original sin Weakness Generousness Elements Nonage of the Church Fanaticks Terrible representations of God Popular errors Fathers not all pure OEconomy of Moses decaying Signs Some jealous conceits of God's indifferency to the World Jewish Nation a Pattern for others Votum pro Pace Christian Religion Immanation of God Emanations of God Appetites of Man's Happiness Recovery Doctrines troubled Vulgar errours Discerning Party Primitive Terms Reformation A Postscript Old Covenant Gen. 2.17 IN that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are in the Law to do them Deot 27.26 If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his Commandments and his statutes then shall all these curses come upon thee and overtake thee Deut. 23. Lev. 26.23 c. And if you will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins New Covenant 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 1 Cor. 10.1 c. I will not have you to be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual Drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that follow'd them and that Rock was Christ Job 8.17 Luc. 10.24 The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ For I tell you many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye have heard and have not heard them Matth. 11 1◠Verily I say unto you Among them that are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Hebr. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 8.6 Now he hath obtain'd a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better Promises Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator c. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from
ought to be exploded and rooted out of minds innocently tender and good and willing to be taught better Discerning Party The honest searching and discerning Clergy and Laity discover them to be pious frauds to get Reputation and Gain and labour wisely and carefully to undeceive and satisfie the world by the few necessary and plain Truths of Christ as he and his Disciples have published them to all Mankind in the four Gospels and the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles And till this course be taken the Church and the World will never be at peace Primitive Times This Course was prosecuted in the first four hundred years with plainness and simplicity of Life and Doctrine by the best of Saints not without some intrusion of Judaism and Gentilism betimes even in the daies of the Apostles with other workings of men of Antichristian spirits But afterwards when Riches and Honour and with them Pride and Worldly Interests came crowding in amongst Church-men out went the old plain way of preaching and living and in came vain Philosophy Oratory Flattery Ambition Persecution Division and what not most unlike to the profession of Christianity and contrary to the power of godliness Many noble Souls had their eyes fixed and their hands exercised in the old way of Truth and grieved for the Deviations which they could not help or reform at all but protested manfully against them like faithful Witnesses and Followers of their Lord and Master and kept the Faith all along which was once delivered to the Saints and some died for it But at last after many overtures of Truth that could not be hid Reformation a greater assault was made than ordinary to shake off her chains bring her out of the Dungeon and rowse her up against Lies and it was done effectually to rare intents and purposes Then were the Ages filled with more learned and unbiassed men than ever since the Apostles daies Then together with Religion Arts and Sciences revived and flourished not without great augmentations of Honour Plenty and Peace that accrued thereunto in the kingdoms of the World which fared the better for the Church Yet envious men were never wanting nor ever will to sow Tares still foggs and vapours arise but the Sun shines and climbs his Meridian The strong man keepeth his house and there is none stronger than he to turn him out The old abominable Heresies though revived and new ones added nevertheless their monstrous heads are and will be cut off by the mighty Giants defenders of the Faith They sneak into corners hang down their heads dare not shew their guilty faces save to the ignorant and rebellious others hiss them out of doors The Ancient paths are now more and more enquired for and glorious Captains lead the way They that do not follow are nevertheless convinced and cannot but approve of the things they refuse to practice Those therefore that aspire to this Evangelical temper are the noblest Souls and tread in the stateliest paths of Vertue and Peace and bring more Souls unto God For which their labour and moderation they feel the odium of the World and the unlucky blows of their Enemies but are commended and defended by God and all good men for their so honourable and gallant undertakings Besides what Errors have been of old there have been since by degrees brought in so many as threaten corruption of the whole Mass of Christian Doctrine As the setting up Infallibility and Supremacy where none should seek to be the greatest the Idol of the Masse the Worship of Daemons the Diana for Gain Purgatory and Pardons the cheat of Auricular Confessions Images Penances Reliques and innumerable Ceremonies repugnant to the simplicity of Gospel worship To these may be added the Chymistry of Rosicrucians Behemists Cabbalists Casuists Summists School-men Postillers and Enthusiasts of all sorts These high and Magisterial dictates imposed upon the pain of Damnation together with the intolerable Pride Avarice and Luxury of Church-men open the mouths of the Adversary to cry down the Clergy for Cheats and Robbers of the Souls Honours and Estates of Mankind cause them to question all Truths and fall into direct Atheism and Profaneness Yet am I not without powerful hopes and do already see and wonder at the wise and gracious Providence of God in stirring up the spirits of Rare men to baffle the Carnal Fallacies and Superstitious Riddles that have bewitched the Age and advance the power of Godliness and pure worship with obedience to Princes 1. God hath abolished the Jewish Service 2. God hath silenced the Heathenish Oracles 3. God hath ceased from Miracles frighting Mortals by Comets Plagues Famines c. into faith and obedience 4. Never purer Wits since the world stood 5. Never braver Clergy since the World stood 6. Never holier Souls since the world stood 7. Never baser Spirits since the world stood As for this Dross of the Age the Ranters and Atheists they will die and be damned like base fellows as they are they will soon be kick't off the stage and drove out of the Hives as useless and hurtful in Church and State the very shame of Mankind a fair riddance in God's good time and Truth which is greatest will prevail Wisdom shall be justified of her Children shame shall be unto Fools and God shall be glorified above all Amen The Clench for good and all The Dispositions of God's Will and Estate by Testament are concerning Things to be had videlicet a present Right to a future Inheritance and concerning Things to be done for the having them or for Justification to them by Faith and for the holding of them by Sanctification or Tenure of Love In Gods last Will and Testament managed and ratified for ever by Christ's death and performed by his Resurrection Ascension Oblation Session and Last Judgment is disposed a present Right to a future estate of Eternal Blessedness The Earnest and Assurance whereof is sealed unto us by the Spirit of God in the means of Faith justifying thereunto The Last stroke God is the Sole Lord of Blessedness to which the Faithful have the true Right by oath of Fealty to their Liege Lord to hold it in Fee by personal homage and service When they have performed their Faith and Allegiance and done their full homage constantly to the end of their Spiritual warfare then are they invested in the full and indefeisable Estate of Blessedness in a quasi Allodium for ever The End of the Second Volume