the same and those in whom Christ is by his Spirit are made and fitted by his Spirit to be his Instruments of the goodness of obeying submitting and serving willingly and joyfully as unto Christ his Government Order Law guiding and teaching having goodness it is Christs although by or with the instrument of man Therefore the Apostle saith Be obedient as unto Christ as the servants Eph. 4 6 7 of Christ and again Serving the Lord and not men Certainly man of himself cannot rule well neither can man of himself obey well nor do any good thing This David a King and Prophet a man after Gods own heart sheweth There is none saith he that doth good no not onâ— Psal 14. 3 And the Apostle of Christ also saith I find no means to perform that which is good It is certainly true that which the Spirit writeth to the Rom. 7. 18 Angel or Minister of the Church of Laodicea of all men Thou art wretched miserable poor blind and naked meaning in respect of good Rev. 3. 17 and righteousness before God Good ruling and governing is Christs ruling and governing and good obeying is Christs obeying they are the good works of Christ wrought by his Spirit in man and brought forth of his Spirit by or with the fitted Instrument of man and no doubt but they that have the Spirit of Christ their conscience will tell them that unto good ruling governing teaching ordering and commanding it pleaseth Christ well that there be good obeying and submitting by or through whatsoever means and Instruments Christ holds forth the same as he pleaseth If Independents and those with them acknowledg that Christ hath power to good only and doth all good in man only by his holy Spirit sent to man of ruling and obeying and whatsoever else and that man himself of himself can do no good and that the good ruling governing Lawgiving judging ordering and teaching done of Christ by and with his Instruments fitted of him by his Spirit given them for the good comfort and society of his people in the way of their pilgrimage is the Rule and Government of Christ himself though with the Instrument of man and of his pleasure and grace accounted mans by him as he doth all manner of his righteous and good works love joy peace c. done of him by his Spirit in them which he pleaseth of his grace to make his Instruments of the same and of his grace as appeareth in the word of grace nameth and calleth them theirs Then there will be no question of Christs Government of his Church nor of the obedience submission and service due to his Government without which the question is not nor will be satisfied with answer and in truth it is the same of righteousness only that giveth light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide their feet in the way of peace The Legalists strive much about this undecided question of Christs Government of his Church against the Independents Anabaptists and Brownists much of the same way but being misled by the Spirit of Antichrist they prevail little for all their Arguments are but mans as Antiquities Customs humane Reasons conveniences and inconveniences the letter of the Scripture of Laws and Ordinances but they draw not so deep as out of Jacobs Well the fountain of Grace They say Though Christ hath power over all and hath Almighty power yet man hath power of his own unto good as unto evil and that man hath power of his own to get to himself habitual vertues by studying laboring practising and endeavoring the same And they say and hold forth That although Christ be King of Kings and Lord of Lords that is supream King supream Prince and Lord c. yet there are Kings Princes and Lords upon Earth and that Kings Princes and Lords upon Earth are Kings Princes and Lords of themselves and their Titles are their own of their own right property and interest and that they by their own power rule govern command and order their people under them and of their own right and that by their own power and right they do and may command the whole Church and people under them and all ought to obey and do service to them and submit to their power and command as their Kings Princes and Lords absolute and that through this their power ruling governing Lawgiving judging and the rest the people have their peace safety society and communion and that they have right to honor for the same But these and such attributions to man favour too much of the spirit that dis-throneth Christ and exalteth man into the Throne of Christ There is no man that is a King Priest or Prophet of himself Christ only is so of himself by the eternal Unction man is nothing of good himself Therefore the Apostle saith If any man think himself to be somewhat when as he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination Gal. 6. 3. And there is no man whatsoever he be that hath any power to Mans power rotten and corrupted See Iam. 4 13. 14 15 Rom. 13. 1 get or procure to himself an habit of holy vertue or vertues or any goodness before God by his own labor industry study practice or endevor or that hath any power of his own to any good All power saith the Apostle is of God it is Gods power not mans own neither can any man do any thing that is good of himself although he hath the Spirit of Christ for so David who had the Spirit of Christ acknowledged of himself and all others There is none that doth Psal 14. 3 good saith he no not one And Paul which had received the Spirit of Christ acknowledged the same of himself saying I find no means Rom. 3. 10 11 12 Rom. 7. 18 Isai 64 6 to perform that which is good It is Christ only by his Spirit that hath power and that doth the good work by or with his fitted instrument of man of his grace and accounteth the work done by his Spirit of his grace the work of man his instruments only thereof made and fitted by his Spirit whereby and wherewith Christ doth the work And so as the good works of Kings and Rulers and Governors are not theirs but Christs or theirs only by account and of grace as they are the instruments of Christ So their Titles of Kings Rulers Governors Lawgivers Judges Teachers and the rest are not mans Titles by any merit interest or property they have to them or in any of them but only of grace and account as Paul called an Apostle acknowledged he had no property or interest to that Title of Apostle but by account and grace By the grace of God saith he I am that I am I am an Apostle but by the grace of God it is that I 1 Cor. 15 10 am so not of my self my property or interest thereto Man is
not of any property King or Lord over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3 It is Christ alone that is of property due right merit and interest King Priest and Prophet Lord Ruler Governor Lawgiver Judg Teacher and men only by account and grace so called and honored of Christ and they all to cast their crowns down to the ground before him and to give and ascribe all honor glory power might and Rev. 4. 10 majesty unto him which is all in all And thus the discovery of the Errors of Independents Anabaptists and Brownists touching Christs Government of his Church is made by the Spirit of grace and truth And also of the Error of the Legalists touching the same and their Reconciliation to the Truth by the grace and power of him that is able to open the eyes of the blind and bring him home that wandereth and goeth astray And certainly if Independents Legalists and all Dependants will acknowledg the undoubtable truth That Christ did ever give doth and will ever give his holy Spirit of Adoption to all of his Elect people to all of his Church catholique as the Apostle saith undoubtedly of all those We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And again He dwelleth in you and shal be in Rom. 8. 15 John 14. 1 Rom. 8. 9 2 Cor. 13. 5 you meaning by his Spirit And further If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And yet further Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And also if they will acknowledg That man hath no power nor wisdom to do any good thing of himself That all power unto good Psa 62. 11 Mat. 6. 13 belongeth unto good onely That his is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever as Christ himself taught And if they will acknowledg That Christ by his Spirit given to his Church disposed as he pleaseth doth worketh and bringeth forth all good things for publique and private for the whole Church and particular as well of ruling governing lawgiving ordering commanding judging teaching and guiding as also of obeying submitting and serving for his own honor and glory and for the good comfort and society of his people by or with such his instruments of men fitted by his Spirit as he pleaseth Then they must needs conclude That this is Christs Government of his Church which is made done and wrought by his Spirit by or with such fitted instruments of men as are held forth in the word of Grace and Testimonies and guided by his Spirit as he pleaseth having evidence of the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering righteousness gentleness goodness faith meekness and temperance always accompanying the same Gal. 5. 22 And as Christ governeth his Church upon Earth by divers his fitted instruments of his Spirit called by him with his own names and titles Kings Princes Lords Rulers Governors Lawgivers Judges Bishops or Overseers Presbyters or Elders Pastors Teachers Deacons Ministers Helpers or whatsoever other names mentioned in the Word of Grace in such place and office of his as he pleaseth to make them fit for by his Spirit of Grace to be his instruments in his compleat Government of his Church and Republique thereof So Christ being the Head of his Church and being the Head of the whole body of his Church in all things upon Earth thus governed by him as the Apostle saith He hath undoubtedly his instruments of Eph. 4. 26 his Headship of his Church severed into many National Churches to which his Government belongeth And certainly to that instrument of Christ upon Earth which he hath fitted and placed for the first and principal of his Government in his ordination and subordination Christ is well pleased to account to him his honor and title of Head of that National Political and Parochial Church So Samuel the Prophet of God accounted the same to Saul being made King When 1 Sam. 11 17 thou wast little in thine own sight saith Samuel wast thou not made Head over the Tribes of Israel for the Lord anointed thee to be King over Israel And David the King praised the Lord saying Thou hast preserved me to be Head over Nations a Sam. 22 44 Now to Christ the Head saith the Apostle the whole body is coupled and knit together in every joynt for the increase of the body Eph. 4. 16 unto the edifying of itself in love So the whole body of the Church is coupled and knit to Christs instrumental Head for the good and benefit thereof in all things of goodness to be directed by the Head for the edifying of the whole in love Every body hath his head otherwise it were a monster The Body of Christ upon Earth cannot be without an Head of Christs upon Earth in which have rested all disquietness and questions of the Church from the beginning As in Moses Joshuah the Judges David Solomon and the rest of the good Kings in the Apostles of Christ and other the Heads of the Church ever sithence and from the beginning Non bona tam sequitur quà m bona prima fuit When the Son of man shall come shall he finde Faith upon the Luk. 18. 8 Earth JOHN 15. 5. Without me you can do nothing The right meaning and understanding of these words of Christ giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises which must needs be included in one of these six Expressions following First That Christ is the Helper of man in the good work Or secondly That Christ is a co-operator with man in the work Or thirdly That Christ is the Instrument of man in the work Or fourthly That man is the Helper of Christ in the work Or fifthly That man is the co-operator with Christ in the work Or sixthly That man is the Instrument only of Christ in the work Solut. If Christ be the Helper of man in the work then is man the beginner and master of the work the principal worker or workman of the work and man is exalted above Christ If Christ be a co-operator with man then Christ is only a partner with man in the work and so Christ hath only his share with man of the work Christ is disthroned If Christ be the Instrument of man in the work then Christ is not the doer of the work but man is the doer the work is wholly mans for the Instrument is only fitted guided and acted by the workman and so is Christ only fitted guided and acted by man if Christ be his Instrument man is exalted above Christ If man be the Helper of Christ in the good work then Christ is not able and strong enough or not sufficient to do and perform the good deed but hath need of mans Help so man is exalted which 2 Cor. 12 11 Gal. 6. 3 is nothing as the Apostle saith If man be a co-operator with Christ in the good work then man may of right claim a share in the work and of the work that is righteous and so man hath something to boast of contrary to the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 16 and man is exalted If man be only by grace a fitted Instrument of Christ in his good and righteous work as he pleaseth then Christ is the only doer and workman of the work and the work is wholy Christs the honor wholy belongeth to him and man is so made graciously his Instrument also of the praise and glory of his grace especially for Christs accounting and imputing his own work and the righteousness thereof to man as Paul saith David said Blessed is the man to whom-the Lord imputeth righteousness without works of his own Ro. 4. 6 7 To this agreeth that of the Apostle Give or yield your members instruments of righteousness unto God And again Yet it was not Rom. 6 13 1 Cor. 15. 10 Mat. 10. 20 I that labored but the grace of God with me meaning in his instrument So Christ told his Disciples It is not you that speak but the Spirit of the Father in you you are but the instruments So David said My tongue is the pen of a ready writer that is the Psal 45 1 instrument of the Spirit of God as the pen is of the writer The pen writeth not without the writer no more can man do the good thing without Christ the doer as Christ saith in the Text Without me you can do nothing no not being the branches of the Vine the Elect of God The branch cannot bear and hold forth the fruit without the Vine and spirits thereof This way Christ indeed is exalted as God exalted him and any the other ways not so but dis-throned FINIS
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
the Rev. 24 Almighty and holy God as Creator of man Lawgiver and Commander of all of infinite holines and righteousnes requireth purity and perfection in the performance of the duty of both the great Commandements which therefore he was pleased his Christ should undertake for his Elect and Christ was pleased to undertake and hath performed to the full satisfaction of God for all righteousnes before God for them required of him in mans performance Heb. 10. 7 8 9 10. of the whole Law of God even of both the great Commandements thereof of duty towards God and duty towards man so farre and so much as concerned God himselfe therein and to the discharge to his Elect of the whole penalty thereto pretaining But for that duty of the Law which concerne man himself to man so far and so much as it only concerneth man for duty of both Commandements of the whole Law before men in the sight and estimation of men good and righteous to be performed according to the corrupt knowledge reason and power left to man Christ by his undertakings and performance for believers is not the end of the Law so far and so much but this part and purpose of the Law remaineth still for righteousnes before men in the sight and estion of men and the onely temporall proportionable reward and penalties thereof to believers for the reward and penalty of Christs Law given in grace to his Church redeemed cannot bee eternall to them And that must needs be so For otherwise in the Church of Christ upon Earth visible to men which is the whole company of men professing themselves to be believers whereof no doubt but there are abundance of Hypocrites I say otherwise without Law for the righteousnes before men There would be nor could be Religion or Worship nor Safety Society or Comfort amongst men one with another considering the many Wolves among the Sheepe the many unknowne Hypocrites among the true Believers Isa 9. 6. Eph. 5. 23 Againe all bearing the name of Christians acknowledge Christs government of his Church upon Earth Christ to be the governour and head of his Church as the Prophet saith The Government is upon his shoulders And the Apostle saith Christ is the head of his Church Now no government can be without a Law no governour governeth without a Law no doubt but Christ hath a Law whereby he governeth his Church for worship to God safety society and comfort thereof before men And no doubt but this is that Law given in grace God being satisfied by Christ for righteousnesse before himselfe touching his Elect Believers which the Apostle saith was ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour and which God had delivered up unto his Christ which had satisfied Gal â—3 19 him the Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus That hee thereby might govern his Church upon Earth in righteousnesse 1 Tim. 2. 5 before men By this remainder of the Law for righteousnes before men hath Christ ever fithence his Church was upon Earth governed his Church Instruments upon Earth such as hee pleased to fit for it and assigne to his kingly priesty and propheticall Offices But Christs most glorious gracious government of his Church upon Earth First remarked for a patterne to all his Churches in the holy Scriptures by his instruments is in his Church of Israel which we may see held forth in the Bookes called Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy c. There we may see Christ 〈◊〉 himself to his Church in the government thereof by his 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 by his spirit had fitted and was pleased and most gloriously and graciously first settled when his Church Exod. 19. 3 〈◊〉 grown into a great visibility upon Earth For effecting of which First he called Moses his principall prepared instrument unto him in Mount Sinai appointing him to tell and deliver unto the people the Law in his hand as hee was the Mediator which did so saying to them God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the House of bondage c. And who can do that this God and Christ the Mediator in whose hand now the remainder of the Law was Gal. 3. 19. as the Apostle speaketh The undertaker for the Elect people of God and the performance of all what God did ever deliver the Elect of God out of any misery or bring them out of spirituall or bodily bondage but Jesus Christ which was before Abraham Joh. 8. 58 was yea before the Foundations of the World before God although not in manifestation of the Law to the creatures before the fullnesse of time Christ had delivered them the Elect people of God out of the spirituall bondage which they were in before God the bondage of Sinne the Devill Death Hell And out of the bodily bondage that they were in Egypt And therefore Moses said to them that this Christ of God the Lord the God which had delivered them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of all bondage both spirituall and bodily was their Lord their God that spake these words to them which they were to heare to obey and do before men conscionably in their hearts in the corrupt weake and fraile power of reason and understanding they had as before in this Law of Christ Mercy Repentance and Forgivenes have place in the other And to this accordeth that of the Apostle Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with feare Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8 and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with Eye-service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will serving the Lord and not men And know yee that whatsoever good thing a man doth the same hee shall receive of the Lord whether he be Bond or Free All dissembling and hypocrisie in service before men by the Law of Christ in the government of his Church is cast out as worthy of penalty and the service from the heart of good will hath Rom 13. 2 3. the reward of Christ proportionable to the service And to this agreeth that of the same Apostle to the Church of Christ at Rome Let every Soule be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God that is Christ and the powers that be are ordained of God that is Christ as Jesus himselfe said All power is given unto mee in Heaven and in Earth And who should ordaine the powers on Earth but hee to whom the power was given of all in the earth And further saith the Apostle hee therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God that is of Christ and reapeth to himselfe judgement meaning before the power for saith he Princes are not to be feared for good workes but for evill Wilt thou then
be without feare of the power doe well then So thou shalt have praise of the same that is not judgement of penalty but reward For he is the Minister or Instrument of Christ for thy wealth but if thou dost evill feare the penalty For hee beareth not the Sword for naught For hee is the Minister of God that is Christ that ordained him to take vengeance on him that doth evill Wherefore yee must bee subject not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For for this cause yee pay tribute for they are Gods that is Christs Ministers applying themselves for the same thing So that wee may see this Law given in grace in the hand of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus the bringer of his people out of all bondage manifested to his Church of Believers the Israelites with Thunder and Lightning Smoake and Fire and the sound of the Trumpet to incite the people to heare obey and doe the same in singlenesse of Heart And which was by Christ himselfe written in Tables of stone to shew the continuance thereof to men And was delived to Moses by Christ himselfe as his principall chosen and fitted Minister and instrument that hee as Christ the Mediator did indite and guide him might as the pen of Christ draw the branches of the whole body of the Law into such particulars and so many as were behovable and usefull for cleernesse and easinesse of understanding and doing thereof to weake and corrupted man And that Moses should call Aaron and his Sons and the seaventy of the chosen Believers of Israel to joyn and bee assistants to him in the Ministry thereof in the severall branches thereof for worship to God for Safety Society and Comfort of the people among themselves That is the Law Gal. 6. 2. Rom 3. 27 called the Law of Christ The Law of Faith The new Commandement love of one another Joh. 13. 34. This Law manifested then to this people by Christ to bee Ministred in his Church of Israel by such instruments as hee 1 Joh. 3. 8. 2 Joh 5. then particularly named was after held on in the Ministration thereof by and in the time of Joshua the believing Judges Kings Priests Prophets Yea and by and in the time of the Apostles of Christ still to be ministred heard and obeyed before men in singlenesse of heart and conscious eyes as before Christ himselfe of the whole Church of Christ upon Earth upon proportionable temporall praise and reward to bee certainly had of the conscionable observers And upon proportionall temporall penalty to bee certainly inflicted unlesse there be true Repentance upon the failing therein before men by the successive ordained powers instruments and Ministers of Christ for prayse and vengeance according And this Law to believers the Apostle Paul most cleerly holdeth forth for continuance thereof in his Epistle to the Church of Christ at Rome from the beginning of the twelfth Chapter to the end of his Epistle both for the duties therein and Ministry thereof but most cleerly in thirteenth Chapter It was onely the Church of Christ upon Earth that Paul had respect unto and a care of and not of those which were without the Church Neither did Christ intend and give his Law in grace but onely to those and in respect to those which the Father had chosen in him and given to him to redeem not to the least children of wrath Quest Hath repentance of the Elect place and power in the Law given in grace by the hand of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus to quit the transgressors thereof before men from the temporall penalty of that Law Ans Repentance which is true and Faithfull Repentance hath place in this Law and also power to quit the Believers which are transgression thereof before men as their transgression was transgression before men This is plaine and evident by the expressions of Moses in many branches of this Law indited by Christ himselfe where Restitutions Satisfactions and the like are admitted to quit the offender against the Law and respect thereof before men And the Prophets especially in the Prophet Ezechiel his 18. Chapter And John Baptist Mat. 3. 2. and Christ himselfe Mark 1. 15. and the Apostles all shew that Repentance hath place in this Law of Christ and power to quit offending believers from the transgression and the penalty of their transgression before men But this true and faithfull Repentance must alwayes have these foure a juncts godly sorrow for the Fault confessing amendment of Life and restitution with satisfaction to men before men Therefore the Apostle saith godly sorrow causeth-Repentance unto salvation or safety and the Apostle saith confesse 2 Cor. 10. Mat. 3. 8 your faults one to another And John Baptist preaching Repentance saith amend your lives And the Law of Christ was Luke 3. at large for restitution to the acquitting of the Theefe or like offenders Exod. 22. 3. 5 6. 12. And Zacheus when hee believed in Christ presently tendered restitution to all hee had taken any thing from wrongfully And who can thinke there can be true repentance without sorrow Luke 19. 8. and griefe for the offence whether it bee be in word or deed fore men who will thinke that hee repente th that goeth on still in his sinne and amendeth not at all and if Repentance would quit Theeves Deceivers and Robbers c. without Satisfaction and Restitution proud greedy Enemies and corrupt man would thinke Robbing Theeving Deceiveing yea Treason Murther Slandering and the like a good Trade But the good and gracious Law of Christ is cleer that although hee graciously admitteth of Repentance of sinnes in Believers to quit them of their sinnes before men yet it must be not onely with godly Sorrow Confession and amendement of Life but also with proportionable restitution and satisfaction to men to the uttermost of their abilities And to this purpose Augustine a renowned Father â—in Christs Church said non dimititur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum That is sinnes not forgiven unlesse restitution be made And againe without satisfaction there is no salvation which is true thus If Christ hath not satisfied God for thy sinne Thou canst not have salvation before God And if thou doest not satisfie men their Trespasse Debt and Due to thy power Thou canst have no salvation or safety before men Thy repentance otherwise is not good but thou art liable to the proportion able penalty still And as it was a great Love and Grace of God to his Elect to admit of and to be pleased with his Christs performance and satisfaction for their acquittance of sinne and for their righteousnesse before God which they could no way have made or done and where Repentance had no place The Law being doe this and Live doe it not and Die Eternally So was it a great Love and grace yea great Mercy of Christ to his Elect Believers to make a way for and to admit
in grace and in his wisdom and goodness thereby to govern his Church and people upon Earth for his own worship honor and their good peace comfort society and safety the which whosoever doth neglect omit and despise doth manifest himself to be none of Gods chosen people none of the chosen of Christ Whosoever professeth himself to be a subject to an earthly King or Governor and despiseth to submit in performance to his wholesom Laws and Ordinances dissembleth and is in truth no Subject to the King or Governor So it is with him that professeth himself to be a Christian if he refuseth and despiseth to submit in performance to the most wholesom Laws of Jesus Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth before men he is no Christian but an Hypocrite Q. We finde it clear in the holy Scripture that God anointed called and sent before himself his Son Jesus Christ to three Offices for the government of his Church upon Earth of a King a Priest and a Prophet and he did execute the same Offices by himself in manifestation being upon Earth in his Church and hath ever and will execute the same by his instruments upon Earth for the government Isai 9. 6 is ever upon his shoulders He is a Priest for ever And we find in his visible Church he called and sent Moses his Minister and Instrument Exod. 24. 1 9 before men and appointed him to call and send Aaron and his sons and others before men and he called and sent Samuel and he appointed Samuel to call and send Saul and David Elijah to call Elisha in his room and so as it pleased the Lord it appeared in the rest of the Instrumenâ—s of his Offices And having called and sent his Apostles himself as the Apostle saith He gave this to some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Eph 4. 11 Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ And saith As the Father sent me so send I you As the Father sent me to call Joh. 20 21 you and send you so send I you to call and send others and this was not for a time in these his Offices of continuance but for ever upon Earth so long as his Church is upon Earth So the Apostles called and sent Timothy and Titus and others and advised them to call and 1 Tim 3. 2 c. Tit. 1 5 c. send others not rashly but advisedly And so hath been the continued calling and sending of Pastors and Teachers in the Churches of Christ upon Earth ever sithence Now what is to be thought of those which contemn and despise this Ordinance of God and his Christ which despise his Ordinance of calling and sending his instruments called and sent by such his Ministers and instruments as were so called and sent for the government of his Church upon Earth which despise such Pastors and Ministers so called and sent their Ministry of the Word and Sacraments their long teaching and feeding of Gods people with his Law for government and his Gospel for everlasting comfort by the performance of Jesus Christ for them And which call and send themselves or are called and sent by others which were not called or sent by such as were called and sent according to Christs Ordinance to feed and teach Gods people by his Law and Gospel as they profess A. I take it the sentence of these is plainly held forth and denounced by Christ himself and his Apostles and of Moses long before that and the Prophets The Apostle saith He that despiseth Moses Law dyeth without mercy under two or three witnesses and Heb. 10 28 29 of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy which trampleth under foot the Son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament an unholy thing and doth despite to the Spirit of Grace And to those that call themselves or are called by others not called according to Christs Ordinance Christ saith He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way is a thief and a robber Joh. 10. 1 And Moses telleth us that Korah Dathan and Abiram with great congregations which they had gathered against him and Aaron the called and sent of Christ for his Ministers and Instruments to execute his Offices as he pleased in his Church but especially against Aaron which was called and sent by Moses according to the Lords appointment and ordinance saying that they and all the congregation were holy that the Lord Christ by his Spirit was amongst them all and therefore they took too much upon them to be special and onely Ministers and Instruments of Christ in those his Offices That they and the rest had holiness and calling by the Spirit of Christ to execute especially the Office of Aaron as well and fully as he upon whom â—oon after this judgment fell The Earth opened and swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram with all their families and all Numb 16 32 the men that were with Korah and all their goods No man saith the Apostle taketh this honor upon him but he Heb. 5. 4 that is called as Aaron was And again How shall they preach except they be sent Certain the Apostle meaneth sent according to Roâ— 10 15 the Ordinance of Christ And the Prophet speaking of them that held forth themselves to speak great things by the Revelation of the Spirit and of the people that did adhere unto such adviseth to go to the Law and the Testimony Isai 8. 16 19. 2â— for tryal of such If â—saith he they speak not according to this Word it is because they have no light in them If they speak without such calling as is according to this word of th Law and Testimonies approved and if they speak not as is approved in the Law and Testimony it is because there is no light in them they are false Prophets Obj. I hear some say Bishops and Presbyters which were called called many lewd persons ungifted to be Teachers and Ministers A. Jesus Christ called â—udas to be an Apostle a Teacher and Minister which was as evil as any man therefore it is possible that those which are called may call lewd and unâ—ifred persons this doth not take away the Ordinance of Christs calling neiâ—her did Q. Doth that Law of Christ first manifested and exbounded by Moses as Christ appointed to Gods chosen people the visible Church of Israel continue in force to all the visible Churches of Christ in the World for the Government of Christs Universal Church in every particular Nation A. In Moses exposition of that Law by Christs appointment to that Church there were many Sacrifices Ceremonies and Figures constituted which had relation unto Christ to come in the flesh and to perform the work of his coming before men and thereupon many Judgments to that Nation peculiar which as they had