Not in the Gospel of which the Apostle speaks not but in the Person of Christ To which purpose Bishop Wren hath an excellent passage Quid non sunt praestituri fideles atque summâ fide elaboraturi ut divelli se nunquam patiantur ab illius in quo seipsos quoque Divinitatis repletos esse intelligunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 10. spirituali mysticâ Vnione Observe he owns that Believers are united to Christ by a mystical Union and in him complete and according to the Creature-model filled with the Divinity As for that in the Author That the Fulness of the Godhead ultimately resolves it self into the Gospel If the meaning be only this the Fulness of the Godhead is in Christ therefore the Gospel is Divine I own it but if the meaning be the Fulness of the Godhead is in Christ and by him transfused into the Gospel I utterly deny that transfusion Mr. Sherlock In other places the Fulness of Christ signifies the Church Eph. 1.22 23. the Church is called his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all the Church makes him as it were complete and perfect for he cannot be a perfect Head without a Body Hence the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Beza tells us That this is the reason of that Phrase which so frequently occurrs in the New Testament of being in Christ that is being Members of the Christian Church Now the Church is called Christ's fulness with respect to its extent and universality that it is not confined to any particular Nation as the Jewish Church was but takes in Jews and Gentiles bond and free This I take to be the meaning of Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Beza observes that some Expositors by his fulness understand the Church for ver 18. the Apostle tells us That he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Where fulness must be expeunded of the Church that it pleased God to unite his Church unto Christ for the Apostle assigns this as the Reason of Christ's being the Head of the Church And if you would know why the Church is called fulness and all fulness said to dwell in Christ the Reason follows in 20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross to reconcile all things by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven and you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled This is that fulness that dwells in Christ that he is made the Head of the Vniversal Church both in heaven and earth that Jews and Gentiles are now united in one Body that Christ is the universal Shepherd and Bishop of Souls by him to reconcile all things to himself And this is the meaning of that phrase The fulness of him who filleth all in all the Church is his fulness because he filleth all in all that is doth not consine his care and providence and the influences of his Grace to any one Nation but extends it to the whole World Thus the fulness of Christ signifies in Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which is the explication of to a perfect man that is to that perfection of Faith and Knowledge which becomes the Christian Church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the age and growth and stature of a Man the fulness of Christ cannot so properly be understood of any thing as of the Christian Church This is all I can find in Scripture concerning the Fulness of Christ which either signifies the Perfection of his Gospel or the Vniversality of his Church which is a plain Demonstration of those mens skill in expounding Scripture who make this Fulness a Personal Grace in Christ Eph. 1.22 23. Answer The Church is called Christ's body the fulness of him that filleth all in all But this is not the Church Visible which is made up of Believers and Unbelievers these latter being dead and putrid Members do not as Bishop Davenant hath observed complere Corpus Christi sed corrumpere deformare but it is the Church Catholick which is made up only of Saints these make up the Mystical Body of Christ and without them Christ as Head accounts not himself complete The Church is Christ's Fulness but is there not a personal fontal Fulness in Christ No doubt there is the Text tells us That he filleth all in all and that he is head to the Church and so must dispense vital Influences of Grace to all his Members Hence the whole Body is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supplied with all the Furniture of Grace from him as Head Col. 2.19 and all the Members of that Body are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled with all graces in him Col. 2.10 Without this fontal Fulness in Christ what would become of the Church In a moment the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Body would turn into Corruption and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fulness would vanish into Confusion but because it is mystically united to him as a living Head hence it is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 The phrase being in Christ signifies the Mystical Union with him Hence Beza on that place There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Rom. 8.1 saith Quia sumus per fidem facti unum cum Christo That place Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell speaks not of the Church as Christ's Fulness but of the fontal personal Fulness in Christ the Church is called Christ's Fulness but never the All-fulness of him the All-fulness is not the Church's Fulness but Christ's such as made him fit to be Head of the Church and the Origen of all Graces in the Church The All-fulness is an antecedent Reason why Christ was Head of the Church the Church's being Christs Fulness is a consequent and result from thence But saith the Author The Church is called fulness because ver 20 21. Christ reconciled all things in heaven and earth he is Head of the Church Vniversal in heaven and earth Jews and Gentiles are now united in one body To which I answer Christ is indeed the Head of the Church Universal but the All-fulness made him meet to be such an Head else he could not have reconciled all things Christ saith the Author filleth all in all that is he extends the influences of his Grace to the whole world This I suppose is somewhat hard to be maintained in the Pagan World it is difficult to believe that there are Influences There they are without God in the world the
a part or share of it and as the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.7 Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. We may then conclude that the Fulness is in Christ's Person and say of him Hom. of Man's Misery as our Church doth He is the alone Mediator between God and Man which paid our Ransom he is the Physician which healeth all our diseases he is the Saviour which saveth us from our sins he is that flowing and most plenteous Fountain out of whose Fulness all we have received But saith the Author We may learn what this Fulness is by ver 14. We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth so that this Fulness is a Fulness of Grace and Truth and if we consult ver 17. we shall find that this Grace and Truth is opposed to the Law of Moses so that Grace and Truth signifies the Gospel To which I answer In the 14. ver we have only a description of the Person of Christ whose Glory is there set forth by being full of Grace and Truth not a tittle in it of the Gospel In the 17. vers we have not the word fulness but we have Grace and Truth opposed to the Law of Moses but how not as if under the Law taken in the whole Complex and Administration of it there were no Evangelical Truths or Graces this is evident for in the Second Commandment we have mercy for thousands Upon the renewing of the Tables we have God proclaiming himself in those stately Titles of Love The Lord gracious merciful longsuffering abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin In Deut. 30.6 we have the circumcision of the heart in the 37. Psal 31. we have the Law of God in the heart as the Character of a righteous man We have the holy Spirit in the Saints hence David siducially prayes Take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 We have Job looking to his living Redeemer Job 19.25 Abraham rejoicing to see Christ's day Joh. 8.56 Abraham Isaac and Jacob embracing the Promises and looking to an heavenly countrey Heb. 11. and and to say no more all the Types and Shadows in the Ceremonial Law were a kind of veiled Gospel and pointed at Christ the great Center of both Testaments And hence it appears that in case the Law be never called Grace yet Evangelical Truths and Graces were not wanting under it But in that 17. vers two things are pointed out to us the one is this That the Evangelical Truths and Graces after the coming of Christ in the flesh though in Substance but the same were gradually far more excellent than before those Truths which under the Law were in Shadows and dark Resemblances after the coming of Christ appeared in Splendour and evidential Glory those Graces which under the Law were but as Drops and in lesser measures after his coming were as Showers and in greater plenty The other is this That Christ is in a transcendent manner supereminent above Moses though there were Grace under the Law yet Moses could not communicate it he could declare the Law or Doctrine but being but a Man a Minister he could go no further Just as John could baptize with water but then he was at his utmost Moses could no more communicate Grace then John could baptize with the holy Ghost and Fire but Christ dispenses more than meer Doctrine he communicates Grace it self Hence it appears that in that 17. vers there is more than bare Doctrine opposed to the Law and attributed to Christ I confess the Gospel to be the Charter and Medium of Grace but it is in the Royal hand of Christ to communicate it and that from his own Person He is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins Act. 5.31 Moreover if all Grace and the fulness of it be only in the Gospel in the outward Doctrine and Declaration of Gods Will as the Author seems to hint what becomes of the influences of Grace What are the supplies of the Spirit of Christ Phil. 1.19 What the inward drawings and teachings John 6.44.45 What the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.7 What the effectual working in every part which is from the Head Christ Eph. 4.16 All internal operations of Grace all vital influences from Christ must utterly cease the condemned Pelagius may come in and set up the very first and rudest draught of his Heresie which placed all Grace in Free Will and external Doctrine and the Orthodox Fathers which with might and main opposed him therein may be justly censured for doing so To the same purpose the Apostle discourses in Coloss 9.10 Mr. Sherlock For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are complete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled in him who is the head of all Principalities and Powers The expression is allusive and Metaphorical For God who is a Spirit cannot in a proper sence dwell bodily in any thing The Apostle's design in this Chapter is to perswade the Colossians to adhere to the Gospel not to be seduced by Jews or Gnosticks who talk'd very much in their canting phrase of the Pleromata to corrupt the Religion of Christ with Jewish Ceremonies or Pagan Superstitions and the principal argument he urges to this purpose is the perfection of the Gospel-revelation that in Christ that is the Gospel are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not in whom are hid but in whom are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge that is who hath now revealed to us all those treasures which in former ages were hidden from the world upon this he exhorts them to be firm to the Gospel Vers 6.7 To beware lest any man spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditious of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ and then adds For in him that is in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily So this must refer to the complete and perfect revelation of the Gospel which needs not be supplied by the Philosophy or Traditions of men To understand the reason of this phrase and the force of Argument we must consider that this is an allusion to Gods dwelling in the Temple at Jerusalem by Types and Figures which were the Symbols of his presence The Temple was Gods house the Mercy-Seat and Cherubims c. were the emblems of Gods presence he dwelt among them by Types and Figures and therefore instituted a typical and figurative Religion and this was an imperfect declaration of himself to the world But now God hath sent his son to tabernacle among us Joh. 1.14 The Deity it self dwells in the Temple of Christ's Body not by Types and Figures but by a real and immediate Presence and Vnion and therefore those revelations which are made by Christ are
the Mystical Union let Bishop Davenant say Exp. in Col. Quicquid de obtentâ Gratiâ sanctificatione de obtinendâ vitâ aeternâ homines sperant merum ludibrium insomnium est si non sint in Christo Christus in illis jam verò Christus in nobis nos in illo sumus cùm vinculo Spiritûs Fidei per Spiritum impressae in cordibus nostris unimur huic capiti nostro What in denying Imputed Righteousness the Church of England tells at large in the Homily touching the Salvation of Man I shall quote but one passage Christ is now the Righteousness of all them that truly believe in him he for them paid the Ransom by his Death he for them fulfilled the Law in his Life so that now in him and by him every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the Law forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacked Christ's Justice hath supplied Which plainly implies a necessity of Imputed Righteousness What in bringing in internal Holiness into Justification the reverend Hooker saith The Church of Rome in teaching Justification by inherent Grace doth pervert the Truth of Christ There are other things but I leave them to the Reader 's observation in the After-discourse All Religion is founded on a belief of God's Goodness Mr. Sherlock Natural Religion was founded on those natural Evidences of the divine Bounty and Goodness in making and governing the World The Mosaick Religion on those miraculous Deliverances God wrought for Israel and that particular Providence which watched over them The Christian Religion on the Incarnation death and Resurrection of the Son of God The Christian Religion is founded so but dated much sooner than the Incarnation Answer it was in Essence though not in Name under the old Testament all along there hath been but one Faith one Mediator one Name under Heaven one Foundation of Salvation The Gospel was preached to us as well as unto them Heb. 4.2 Through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they Act. 15.11 They all drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rook was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 He is that Petra vnde omnes credentes salutem hauriunt as one glosses on those words Salvation streams from him yesterday to day and for ever he that will seek any other Fountain of Life must be saved Platonicè or Catonicè which to say is to depreciate the Christian Religion and render it as cheap as any other He is our Saviour in no other sence than as he is our Mediator Mr. Sherlock and he mediates for us as our Priest that is in vertue of that Covenant which he sealed with his blood He sealed the Covenant with his Blood Answer but did not turn over his Mediatory Office to it he mediates in vertue of his Blood and Merits being not as Socinus would have it a meer Internuncial Mediator but a Redeeming atoning and Reconciling one He ratified the Covenant by his Blood but so that we have redemption through his blood Eph. 1.7 peace through his blood Col. 1.20 and cleansing from sin in his blood 1 Joh. 1.7 Hence as the learned Lubbertus hath observed the Blood of Christ differs from other in a way of transcendent excellency other blood hath been used in confirming Covenants but Christ's confirms the Covenant and besides expiates and purges away sin There is one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.5 and how he mediates the next Verse tells us Who gave himself a ransom for all The blood of Christ purges the Conscience saith the Apostle Heb. 9.14 and then adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that he might purge away our sins What the Author afterwards subjoyns These men trust in the person of Christ without any Promise nay in contradiction to it they quit his Promise and rely and roll upon his Person is utterly denied till proof be made of it The good men opposed are far from believing that they shall have any thing without a Promise neither do they quit his Promise when they rely upon his Person and Blood And yet that Reliance is as I have before shewed a Faith far higher than that dogmatical one which believes the Gospel and is distinct from Obedience When the Author summs up the Terms of the Gospel only in believing and obeying he falls short in omitting that Faith of Recumbency required therein under the Command of Faith which is more than a dogmatical Faith and distinct from Obedience which is the fruit but no part thereof CHAP. III. Sect. 1. WHen God chose Abraham 's Posterity Mr. Sherlock to be his peculiar People he did not design to exclude the rest of the World from his care and Providence and all possible means of Salvation as the Apostle argues in Rom. 3.29 Is he the God of the Jews only is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Which Argument if it have any force in it must prove Gods respect to the Gentiles before the preaching of the Gospel as well as since because it is founded on that Natural Relation God owns to all Mankind as their merciful Creator and Governour which gives the Gentiles as well as Jews an Interest in his Care and Providence This plainly evinces that all those particular favours which God bestowed on Israel were not owing to any partial fondness and respect to that People but the Design of all was to encourage the whole World to worship the God of Israel What the Author means by all possible Means of Salvation Answer I know not Surely God could have given as great Means to all other Nations as he did to Israel who was exalted above them all in Laws Revelations Miracles Protections Symbols of the Divine Presence in so signal a manner that the Jews doubt not to say That the seventy Souls that went down with Jacob into Egypt were worth as much as the seventy Nations of the World As for that of the Apostle Rom. 3.29 Is he the God of the Jews only Is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also The Apostle in the precedent Verse concludes that the only way of Justification is Faith in this he shews that the one way of Justification was open to Gentiles as well as Jews in the next Verse he infers that it is one God who justifies both of them in a way of Faith He speaks not of being the Gentiles God in respect of Care and common Providence but in respect of extending this way of Justification to them upon their coming in to Christ who was that blessed Seed of Abraham in whom all Nations were to be blessed However till the Gospel came to them they sate in darkness and in the shadow of death aliens from Israel strangers from the Covenant without God without Christ without hope seeing no
glorious Revelations of the Gospel which contain a faithful account of God's Nature and Will He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Answer that is saith the Author in plain terms The Will of God was fully declared by Christ Thus the Racovian Catechist understands the words de cognitione eorum quae dixit fecit Jesus but if we consider our Author's interpretation there being God's Will and Christ's Declaration both in the Gospel the result of the words is this He that hath seen the Gospel hath seen the Gospel The plain sence of the words is That he that hath seen Christ the perfect Image of God hath seen the Father That Heb. 1. The brightness of his glory and express image of his person imports as I take it that he was according to the eternal Generation Lumen de Lumine as the Nicene Creed hath it and in his Incarnation instar Speculi as a Glass representing the Majesty and Philanthropy of God unto us In those words 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them that of Christ's being God's Image comes in as a Reason why the Gospel is so glorious viz. Because it shews forth Christ who is the substantial Image of God and in his Incarnation a rare Mirrour of the Divine Perfections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome on the place through him that is through Christ thou seest the Father Whereas God formerly was known by the Light of Nature Mr. Sherlock and Works of Creation and Providence and partial and occasional Revelations of his Will made to the World now the only true Medium of knowing God is the knowledge of Christ Answer Ever since that Protevangelium or first Charter of Salvation The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head which pointed out Christ and was understood so to do there hath been a knowledge of Christ in the Church though not in that Meridian splendor which broke out after his Incarnation He was Abraham's Seed Jacob's Shiloh Job's Redeemer Moses's Prophet and David's Messiah Among the Jews almost every thing looked at Christ the Tabernacle Laver Altars Shew-bread Veil Ark Propitiatory Manna Passover Priests Washings Anointing Sacrifices shadowed forth him who is the Substance and Compleature of them all And no doubt but Believers under the Old Testament looked beyond those outward Veils and Covers and saw him lying and wrapt up therein Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal Mr. Sherlock that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent that is The only way to eternal Life is to know the Nature and Will of God and the only certain way to attain the knowledge of God is by knowing Christ whom God sent into the world to publish the everlasting Gospel And a little after he saith When we speak of the knowledge of Christ we must consider him as our Prophet and so to know Christ signifies to know his Gospel In that Text Answer Joh. 17. God and Christ are the express Object of Knowledge the Gospel not there mentioned is the outward Medium thereunto the Knowledge there spoken of is as I take it not a mere Notional knowledge but such a Practical one as is which is more than a Way Eternal Life it self in the first fruits of it Heaven it self dawning in that inward divine Light which is the First-born of the New Creature as the outward Light was of the old Christ as a Prophet is the great Origin of all our knowledge of him but whole Christ or Christ in his Royal and Priestly Offices as well as in his Prophetical is the object of our knowledge Truly to know Christ as a Prophet is to know him to be such not only in the Gospel or external Revelation but in internal Illumination also He opens the eyes Psal 119.18 or if the Author laugh at this Psal as he doth at that other quoted pag. 105. he doth as St. Luke tells us open the understanding to understand the Scriptures Luk. 24.45 He doth not only dispense the Scripture or Gospel but the holy Vnction or teaching Anointing which St. John mentions 1 Joh. 2.20 and 27. or that Spirit of wisdom and revelation which St. Paul prays for for the Ephesians Eph. 1.17 To what the Author adds afterwards as if some did clamour that Christ were not preached unless named in every sentence I shall only say Those whom the Author opposes do not worship Letters or Syllables no not those which make up the sweet Name Jesus But where-ever there is aliquid Christi they own and honour it seeing his Scepter in every Command his Charter in every Promise his Spirit in every Grace his Purchase in every Glimpse of Eternal Life and where such a divine Sense is they must own him though unnamed SECT 2. AFter this account of the knowledge of Christ Mr. Sherlock it will be necessary to examine another Notion of the knowledge of Christ which conteins a greater Secret than at first one would imagine and that is an acqaintance with the Person of Christ which if we will believe some men is the only Fountain of saving knowledge Christ the only Fountain of saving knowledge Answer Yes doubtless he is so and of all saving Graces too or else he could be no Head at least not a vital one to his Church It is infinitly below him to be a Caput mortuum affording no influences of Grace to his people Acquaintance with Christ is a sacred pretious thing no more to be sought among meer Notions than the living are to be sought among the dead It imports no less than a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communion with Christ a having all Grace from him Take away this and all the New Creatures in the World must die in a moment being no more able to subsist without him than a Ray can be without a Sun or a Stream without a Fountain Take away this and immediately we sink into the Dregs and foul Error of Pelagius who besides that Liberum Arbitrium which however adored is but meer Nature placed all Grace in External Revelation This is evident because if Graces come not down from him and his Spirit nothing remains but External Revelation De grat Christi contr Pel. Cel. cap. 24 Upon which Error St. Austin passes this Censure Legant intelligant intueantur atque fateantur non Lege atque Doctrina insonante forinsecùs sed internâ atque occultâ mirabili ac ineffabili potestate operari Deum in cordibus hominum non solùm veras revelationes sed etiam bonas voluntates Desinat igitur Pelagius seipsum alios fallere contra Dei Gratiam disputando And here Christ I fear may be again at odds with his Gospel if contrary to its primitive Institution which was to be an Organ or Ordinance under the free-breathing Spirit of Christ if it assume
Glory in Heaven though it cannot but be more estimable than all the Providences in Nature must be a meer Pendant on the fickle Will of Man But the Author urges upon the Doctor That it is impossible for us according to his Principles to do any thing that is good that is I suppose without Faith in Christ without which our Church in her Homily of good Works declares that no good work can be done I take it for a very Truth That from the first good Thought to the last Act of an holy Life all that is truly good must come from Grace But saith the Author This turns us into meer Machins and pag. 379. he glosses upon one of his Opposites as if Christ were to make us willing against our will Unto which I answer The very same was cast into St. Austin's dish by the Pelagians Sub nomine inquiunt Ad Bonisacdib 2. cap. 5. Gratiae it a satum asserunt ut dicant quia nisi Deus invito reluct anti homini inspir averit boni ipsius imperfecti cupiditatem nec à malo declinare nec bonum posset arripere To which as a meer Calumny St. Austin returns That a man may as well call St. Paul fati assertorem for saying It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Indeed it is a very strange charge doth Grace destroy Nature or may we be willing against our Will It is impossible That of the Schoolman may reconcile the matter Voluntas humana induci potest ab agente creato mutari ab agente increato Bonaâ—â—â—â— in 〈◊〉 2.25 cogi à nullo The Will without ceasing to be it self cannot be compelled but Grace changes it without Coaction breaks off its Chains without destroying its Liberty and per suavissimam omnipotentiam makes the unwilling Will willing But still there is a more glorious Discovery behind that is Mr. Sherlock The glorious end whereunto Sin is appointed and ordained I suppose the Dr. means by God is discovered in Christ viz. for the demonstration of God's Vindictive Justice in measuring out to it a just recompense of reward and for the praise of Gods glorious Grace in the pardon and forgiveness of it that is It could not be known how just and severe God is but by punishing sin nor how good and gracious God is but by pardoning it And therefore lest his Justice and Mercy should never be known to the World he appoints and ordains Sin to this edd that is Decrees that men shall sin that he may make some vessels of wrath and others vessels of mercy This is a Discovery which Nature and Revelation could not make for Nature would teach us that so infinitely a glorious Being as God is needs not sin and misery to recommend his Glory and Perfections and that so holy a God who so perfectly hates every thing that is wicked would not truckle with Sin and the Devil for his glory and that so good a God had much rather be glorious in the happiness and perfection and obedience of his Creatures than in their sin and misery And Revelation tells us the same thing That God delights not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should return and live that is He had rather there were no occasion for punishing than be made glorious by such acts of vengeance Vindictive Justice and pardoning Mercy are but secondary Attributes of the Divine Nature and therefore God cannot primarily design the glorifying of them for that cannot be without designing the sin and misery of his Creatures which would be inconsistent with the goodness and holiness of his Nature And afterwards pag. 57. He appointed sin for the glory of his Justice and Grace and since nothing can withstand the Decrees of God it pleased God that Man should sin but when he hath sinned he is extremely displeased with it and now his Justice must be satisfied This falls hard on those miserable Wretches whose ill fortune it was without any fault of theirs to be left out of the Roll of Election and who have no way to satisfie divine Justice but by their eternal torments It is I suppose agreed by all that God did willingly permit the entry of sin upon the World of Angels and Men he could have kept all the Angels up in their primitive Station and then there would have been no Tempter to Man or had their been one he could have sent the holy Angels to warn him from the late downcast of their fellows against his own and to tell him that the poyson would come from the Serpent or if not that he could have sent him such strong auxiliaries of Grace as should have out wrestled the temptation he could no doubt as easily as he confirms the Saints and Angels in Heaven he could for ever have barred out sin but he would not he freely suffered it to come in only the question is How he did it Whether there be only a nude Permission such as leaves the event pendulous and uncertain till Man's Will hath determined or whether there be a Preordination of the Event so that it falls out infallibly Deo permittente and Creatura liberè agente Two things constrain me to believe the latter The one is this That without a Preordination the Event of sinful Actions must be casual and what then shall become of Providence The Moments which hang upon those Events are great and weighty Multitudes of Angels Courtiers of Heaven turn Apostates out of their Fall comes a Tempter who at one blow draws Man and all his Posterity into sin that entring into the world makes way for a glorious Redemption by Christ The Four first Monarchies rowl about upon the Lusts and Ambitions of Men The poor Church like the Ark floats upon the waters and now and then a storm of persecution comes dashing down upon it Errors and Heresies successively break forth as so many Torrents ready to carry away every Article of our Creed and what mighty Concerns are these Admirable are the Methods and Mysteries of Providence in and about such Events Joseph's Brethren sell him into Egypt and the Church is provided for in the famine Absolon goes in to his Fathers Concubines and David is visited for his Adultery Judah and Tamar commit Incest and this way came the holy One into the flesh The wicked Jews crucifie the Son of God and out comes the great Work of Redemption Persecutors scatter the Church and God by this means scatters the Gospel Act. 8. In such Actions as these the Light shines out of Darkness God's Mercy Justice Wisdom Holiness Power break forth out of Man's Cruelty Injustice Folly Filthiness and Weakness In every Ataxy God hath a secret Order either an Order of Penalty Sin punishing Sin or an Order of Conducibility Good coming out of Evil. Nullum est malum in mundo saith profound Bradwardine quod non est propter aliquod magnum
separate from him He is the Saviour of the body his merits and righteousness cover only those that are in him the effectual working of the Divine Spirit is only in those that are parts of him and united to him as their head a man can no more continue in the Divine life and walk in holiness without this union than the old Dionysius as the fable runs could walk a great way with his head off The opinion against this mystical union if practical would in a moment murder all the new creatures in the world and make a more bloody day with the Church than that of the Parisian Massacre This at one blow beheads the Church Catholick and cuts off that neck of Faith through which all Graces and Divine influences are derived from Christ unto believers But now let us hear the Author Those Metaphors which describe the relation and union between Christ and Christians Mr. Sherlock do primarily refer to the Christian Church not to every individual Christian Christ is the head but of his body which no particular Christian is Christ is an husband but the whole Church is his Spouse as St. Paul tells the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ Christ is a Shepherd and that concerns the whole flock Christ is a Rock a corner stone and the Church an holy Temple All these Metaphors in their first and most proper use refer to the whole Society of Christians the union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church the Church is the body of Christ and every Christian by being united to this body becomes a member of Christ As the Apostle tells us Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12.27 The Church is the Temple of God and every Christian a lively stone in it the Church is Christs Spouse and every Christian a member of that Society but every Christian is not Christs Spouse he is an enemy to Polygamy and hath but one Spouse as he hath but one body and one Church which quite spoils the prettiness and fantastical wit of a late exhortation to young women to take Christ for their husband which would have sounded much better in a Popish Nunnery than among such pretenders to reformation and to give every one their due the Papists are the most generous sort of sutors for Christ for they perswade them to forsake all other husbands for Christ which is more honourable and meritorious These Metaphors refer to the whole Church or body of Christ very well Answer but are not particular Christians united to Christ as their head espoused to him under him as Sheep under a Shepherd built on him as on a Rock Yes surely The Church of Corinth which is the Authors instance was in proper speech no more the whole body of Christ than a particular Christian is and yet it was espoused as a chast Virgin to Christ if a particular Christian because not the whole body of Christ cannot be espoused to him then neither can a particular Church because not such be so espoused And so the grave words of S. Paul about the Corinthian Church as well as the phantastical wit of the late Exhorter must spoil together But if a particular Christian may be espoused to Christ why should Ministers who are Sutors on that behalf be checked with a Popish Nunnery as if those Espousals smelt of a superstitious Vow The Author himself tells us pag. 180. Every devout Soul is Gods Temple an inlightned mind is his Debir or Oracle a pure heart is his Altar devout Prayers are spiritual Incense and sweet Perfumes the body it self is a consecrated place and called Gods Temple All which is excellently spoken and I think by the same reason a particular believer may be called Christs Spouse but saith the Author The union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church that is to the whole Catholick Church the whole body of Christ which is made up only of Believers and Saints being as Ignatius calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Tral This is the Church the Author here means by the whole Church or body of Christ that body hath none but Believers and Saints in it Now if particular believers are united to Christ by their union to this Church how was the first believer united to Christ Or afterwards how was the Church Catholick united to him Surely not by another Church but immediately and then to me it is unimaginable that the whole Church should be immediately united to him and never a part so united or that all believers should be so united to him and never an one of them so united Besides the Church Catholick is part militant on earth and part triumphant in Heaven Those in Heaven are no part of the visible Church afterwards mentioned by the Author and withal they are at so great a distance from us that we may as easily imagine an immediate union to Christ as to them Those on earth are not all the body of Christ and so not properly within the Authors discourse however if we consider the business those vincula unionis the holy Spirit and Faith which unite them all immediately to Christ are resident in particular Believers and therefore it is a wonder to me that those particular Believers in whom the Divine Bonds reside should not be immediately united to Christ It is apparent that in case those Bonds in particular believers should be dissolved the whole Catholick Church on earth would be dissolved also and how then can particular persons be less than immediately united to Christ Add hereunto that none are in the Church Catholick but reall Believers and in the very instant of believing they are united to Christ and therefore it is not at all supposeable that they should first be united to the Church and by that means to Christ That place in the Corinthians quoted by the Author Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular proves it not The Church of Corinth was not the whole body of Christ neither is there any syllable in it to prove that first we are united to the Church and then to Christ Christ speaking of himself Mr. Sherlock saith I am the true Vine John 15. The meaning is that Church which is founded on the belief of my Gospel is the true Vine I signifies Christ together with his Church which is his body upon which account the Church is elsewhere called Christ The Author is a little various here for he saith Answer I signifies Christ together with his Church but a little after I and in me cannot be meant of his own person So there it is the Church alone and not together with Christ neither doth the Author agree upon the Church First he speaks of the body of Christ which is
near conjunction between Christ and the Church and the mutual fellowship of Christians Hence the Apostle calls the Cup the Communion of Christ's Blood and the Bread the Communion of his Body For we being many are one bread and one Body one Body represented by this one Bread for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 Sacraments are Symbols of our Union with Christ Answer and why not of an immediate Union the Elements are immediately applied to individuals and why may not the signified Union be immediate else how doth it correspond to the Sign But to clear this point first for Baptism Unbaptized Believers are really united to Christ even before their Baptism how else should the Thief on the Cross ever arrive at Paradise Or which way should the unbaptized Martyrs get thither Baptism admits men into the Church Visible but if Believers they are in the Church Catholick that one Body of Christ before nay Baptism supposes them to be so because it is a Seal of the Covenant If thou believest with all thine heart saith Philip to the Eunuch thou mayest be baptized Act. 8.37 and after the holy Ghost poured down on the Gentiles water could not be forbid them Act. 10 47. And on the other hand baptized persons may yet not be really united to Christ they may be admitted into the visible Church and yet not in that one body of Christ which is made up of Believers Simon Magus was baptized Acts 8. but for all that in the bond of iniquity many are partakers of baptismal water in whom appears not a Scintilla Spiritûs Sancti In like manner for the Lords Supper men may be nay should be in union with Christ before their receiving of it and yet many outwardly receive it who are not in union with him receiving only Panem Domini and not Panem Dominum as S. Austin speaks and eating only forès non intùs in Sacramento tantùm non usque ad Spiritûs participationem To conclude Sacraments and visible Churches must not be disparaged yet truth must be owned a reall union to Christ may be before the use of Sacraments nay before entrance into the Church visible and therefore it must be immediate or else it could in no case be before them The intention of our Lord and Saviour Mr. Sherlock in what he did and suffered for us was not meerly to reform and save some single persons but to erect a Church and combine all his Disciples into a publick Society to unite them by holy mysteries and to engage them to a mutual discharge of all Christian Offices whereby the whole body may edifie it self in Love and therefore our Saviour doth not own any relation to particular men as such but as they are members of his body for he is the Saviour of the body and redeemed his Church with his own Blood Hence St. John tells 1 Epist That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ First That ye may have fellowship with us become members of the Church by which means you have fellowship with God and Christ. Christ intended to erect a Church How so Answer Common Philanthropy which does alike for all men doth no such singular thing as to cull and call a Church a select company out of the rest of mankind No it is impossible because the Love is common and the work singular no less than special love must do it such as God sets upon his chosen ones Christ intended to set up a Church very true and he hath pitched upon the individual persons which shall make it up he hath set down their names in the Book of Life or else his providence which is so accurate in the little Flies and Gnats as to set down every wing and little part which makes up those minute animals should be very lame and imperfect in that great design of a Church a Church only being designed and not the persons of which it should consist Christ intended to set up a Church Yes and he resolved to give such Grace as should infallibly effect it Providence such is its wisdom and accurate perfection never fails or falls short of its intent no not in a design of Justice and that to come to pass through the hardest medium can be used by it we need not scale Heaven for this but have a Scheme let down from thence to assure us of it 2 Chron. 18. God intended that Ahab should go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead and though the manner of it were by a lying spirit yet it infallibly came to pass how much more must providence be unfailable in such a design of Grace as that of a Church It s true suasory resistible Grace cannot secure it because it leaves the issue of all upon the will of man irresistible Grace must come in or else we may lay by the design of a Church and confess with Corvinus Finis mortis Christi constaret etiamsi nemo credidisset As for that place of St. John That ye may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ By us is meant S. John or the Apostles not the Church or body of Christ But were that Church meant it hinders not but that they in the use of the Evangelical Truths and Ordinances might come to an immediate Communion with God and Christ as the Apostles had thus the Learned Grotius on the place Vt vos ipsi non minùs quà m nos frucium inde percipiatis societatem cum Deo cum Christo Those publick censures Mr. Sherlock whereby rotten or dead members are cut off from the body of Christ consist in casting such persons out of the Christian Society in debarring them from the Communion of Prayers and Sacraments and all religious Offices which is a plain demonstration that our union to Christ is not an union to his person but consists in a sincere and spiritual communion with the Christian Church otherwise this external communion with the Church could be no visible signification of our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him The Author argues thus Answer If union to Christ be immediate then our external communion with the Church cannot signifie our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him To which I answer just before our Author saith Our union to Christ is not an union to his Person but consists in communion with the Church that is the visible Church as he afterwards calls it and therefore our communion with the Church doth not signifie our union to Christ but is it and our excision from the Church doth not signifie our separation from Christ but is it according to our Author which cannot possibly stand Because our union to the
their spiritual Guides and Rulers and in concord and unity among themselves For if our union to Christ consist in our subjection to him as our Lord and this authority is not immediately exercised by Christ but by Bishops and Pastors it follows that we cannot be united to Christ till we unite our selves to the publick societies of Christians and submit to the publick instructions Authority and Discipline of the Church Christ hath left the visible and external conduct of his Church to Bishops and Pastors Very well Answer But the internal Scepter and Rule over hearts is in his own hand only and therefore the Papists who make the Bishop of Rome Head of the Church secundum exteriorem gubernationem are yet so modest as to leave Christ to be the only Head secundum interiorem insluxum Our union to Christ is an internal spiritual one made by the Spirit and Faith such as cannot consist in any thing external such as subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours who have the visible conduct is Hence the Reverend Vsher tells us Without that quickning Spirit Serm. before the Commons 1620. no external communion with Christ or his Church can make a man a true member of his mystical body this being a most sure principle that he which hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 A wicked man may be subject to Ecclesiastical Government yet while such is not cannot be a member of Christ or his mystical body Bellarmine himself was so struck with the evidence of this truth that he confessed That wicked men are but membra mortua arida quae solum adhaerent reliquis externâ conjunctione non de Eeclesiâ nisi secundum apparentiam exteriorem putativè non verè that is they are no members at all which makes it clear that our union to Christ stands not in subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours and what for such a thing is possible if the Ecclesiastical Governour be a wicked man himself Is it imaginable that the union of one wicked man to another should produce an union to Christ Or what if such a case should fall out as once did when under the Emperour Basiliscus Evag. Hist L. 3. no less than five hundred Bishops condemned the Council of Chalcedon It would be very hard in such a dismal lapse to say that all the Christians under them had without any default in themselves lost their union with Christ and yet we must say so unless we allow that union to be made and supported by the internal bonds of the Spirit and Faith Schismaticks are in the Church Mr. Sherlock just as Rebels are in a Kingdom not as parts of it but enemies The Apostle tells us wherein the unity of the Church consists In Eph. 4.16 Christ is the Head from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part making increase of the body to the edifying it self in love That is The supreme power is invested in Christ as Head to whom the Church is obedient and subject but to make this union firm and lasting there must be a regular subordination of the several members and a mutual discharge of Christian offices which advances their growth in Grace and especially in love this supposes a visible society of Christians professing the Faith and living in communion with each other if there be no such visible Society as in persecution or degeneracy of the Church Our union to Christ consists in an acknowledgment of his Authority and Subjection to his Laws which makes us members of the universal Church but when there is a visible Church we are under an obligation of communion because herein our Subjection to the Authority of Christ and our Vnion to him consists Schism is the concern of visible Churches Answer but that place Eph. 4. speaks not of visible Churches which are made up of believers and unbelievers but of the Church Catholick made up of Believers and Saints only This is plain the Church Catholick is that whole body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joined together all being Saints in it but in the visible Church there are believers and unbelievers who can no more stand in harmony than light and darkness Christ and Belial the Temple of God and Idols In the Church Catholick there is an effectual working in every part but in the Church visible there is no such energy in the wicked And so in that parallel place Eph. 2.20 The Church Catholick is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That whole Building fitly framed together which groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord But in the Church visible the wicked grow not into a Temple nay there is not a stone of the spiritual Building laid in them And Eph. 1.23 The Church Catholick is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the body but fulness of Christ Every member of it helps as it were to fill up the mystical body but in the Church visible the wicked do not complete the body but corrupt it they do not adorn but deform it I have before shewed that our union to Christ stands not in communion with a visible Church or its Rulers It is made by internal and spiritual ligatures and is invariably one and the same whether there be a Church visible or not But saith the Author We are under an obligation of Communion with a Church visible when there is one But it is one thing what our Duty is and another what constitutes our union with Christ it is our duty to be subject to civil Magistrates but I suppose our union to Christ consists not in it it is our duty to hear the Ministers of Christ Luke 10.16 But our union to Christ doth not consist in it indeed it is a sacred Ordinance which God is pleased to use to bring us to Christ but the only proper immediate bands of that union are the Spirit and Faith If any particular Church apostatize from the Faith of Christ Mr. Sherlock we are then under the same necessity of deserting their communion as we are of obeying the Laws and submitting to the Authority of our Lord and Master We must indeed desert an apostate Church Answer but if as our Author holds our union to Christ consists in communion with a visible Church then upon our departure from it though never so just our union to Christ must fail Which yet I think can never be the lot of a true believer he is part of that Church built on the Rock against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail Matth. 16.18 Part of that building which is an holy Temple an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.21.22 and that Spirit makes and maintains that union This Political Vnion betwixt Christ and his Church Mr. Sherlock may be either only external and visible and so hypocritical Professors may be said to be
Nature of it consists in the Vnion of things which in Rational Beings consists in mutual Relations and common Interests and the Foundation of it is a likeness of Nature and Harmony of Wills And therefore the Apostle explains our fellowship with God by our being the Temple of God and that God dwells in us and walks in us ver 17.18 As for that place 1 Joh. 1.3 Answer I have answered before As for the other 1 Cor. 1.9 Ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ it is to be considered that in the Epistles written to Visible Churches some things are common to all some proper only to Believers Those Churches are made up of Believers and Unbelievers and all things do not quadrate to all Thus in the quoted Chapter that touching schisms and divisions is an Item to all ver 10. but that fellowship of Christ ver 9. is proper to Believers such as shall be confirmed unto the end ver 8. This place evinces not that our Fellowship with Christ is founded on our Fellowship with the Visible Church all that are in it have not Communion with Christ those therefore who walk in darkness have it not and if they say that they have it the Apostle gives them the lye in plain terms 1 Joh. 1.6 Where by the way it appears that the fellowship with Christ mentioned ver 3. consists not in Fellowship with a Visible Church on the other hand all that are out of it want not Communion with Christ The unbaptized and unjustly excommunicate if Believers have it and yet are not in a Visible Church But saith the Author the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 argues from the nature of their Faith in Christ to the obligations of Peace and Vnity To which I answer that the Apostle argues from the precedent Commendations that the Grace of God was given to them ver 4. that in every thing they were inriched ver 5. that they came behind in no gift ver 7. that they had fellowship with Christ ver 9. which were only proper to the Believers among them and from thence exhorts all to Unity ver 10. Because the Believers among them were really such and the rest would seem to be such Afterwards the Author tells us That the Foundation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communion is a likeness of Nature and harmony of Wills Now if we speak of Communion with a Visible Church made up of Believers and Unbelievers these have not a likeness of Nature the one having a divine Nature in them the other only an humane and that corrupt nor an harmony of wills the Will of the one being sanctified of the other carnal and vitious which shews that a Visible Church in the whole Complex of it hath only external Ligaments to tye the Members of it together If we speak of Communion with Christ which is proper to believers they are mystically united to Christ by the Spirit and Faith and withal have an heavenly Nature and Will suting to his Now because the Lord's Supper is the only Act which the Scripture mentions Mr. Sherlock whereby our Fellowship with God and Christ is expressed hence it is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communion 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup is the Communion of Christ's blood the bread of his body And he calls it the Communion 1. Because it signifies the Communion of Christians with each other that they are all Members of Christs body ver 17.2 Because it signifies our fellowship with God ver 18. Behold Israel after the flesh are not they that eat of the sacrifice partakers of the Altar The sacrifice on the Altar was reckoned as God's meat as the Temple was his House therefore those who eat of the Sacrifice were entertained at God's Table which was a signification of their Fellowship with him Thus the Lords Supper is a Feast upon a Sacrifice even that great stupendious one of the Body of Christ which was offered on the Cross Therfore to eat the Bread and drink the Wine which are Figures of his Body and Blood is to eat of that Sacrifice that spiritual food God hath provided for us Thus God entertains us at his Table as his own Children who are of his Family as Members of Christ who have a right to all the Blessings of the New Covenant which was sealed with his Blood This is the only Act of Religion which in Scripture signifies Communion with God But Prayer Meditation and such like Acts of Devotion are no where called Communion with God though a prevailing custom hath in our days almost wholly appropriated that name to them Fellowship with God doth not consist in transient acts but is a state of life that relation we stand in to God and Christ and no act of religion properly signifies this fellowship with God but only eating at his table You will not say that a poor man enjoyes communion with his Prince when he puts up his petition to pray to God is an act of homage which we owe him a Duty which results from our fellowship with God but it is not in its own nature an act of communion The Lords Supper is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer or Communion but Prayer Meditation and such like acts of Devotion are no where called so thus the Author But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned 2 Cor. 13.12 cannot be spared out of Divine Ordinances unless we would strip them of their Divine excellency and write upon them that Ichabod which is proper to their departure And what if there were no such word as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture No more was the Nicene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor the Ephesine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing it self being there will suffice all men but Chimers who only follow the sound of words True Believers as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Partakers of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 moulded and formed into the Resemblance and beautiful Image of God so they have Communion with God in all holy Ordinances there God meets them and dispenses out spiritual Blessings to them there is a divine Converse and Entercourse between God and believing Souls the drawings of God are answered with the Soul 's running Cant. 1.4 God saith Seek ye my face and the Antiphon in the Soul is Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 In Prayer the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 lifts over against us to help up our devotions and the Great God above makes such sweet returns of Grace and Mercy as if he were present and vocally said Here I am Isai 58.9 While we are devoutly musing the holy Fire will perhaps drop down from Heaven and set the Heart as a spiritual Altar burning and aspiring upwards towards the great Origen of all Goodness and Perfections In the Dispensations of the Word oh what divine Influences and Spirations are there on Gods part What Compliances and Responses on the Believer's Justice
united in respect of the Oneness between them This is plain saith the Author they are one by their Oneness I fear the Reader may think we are at Tittle-tattle How should they be one without Oneness or who would deny or cavil at it But the Doctor should have understood the Vnion first before he had come to the Bonds And hath not the Dr. in his Book set down the Properties of this Union Or what can better shew the Nature of it than the Bonds thereof But the Dr. in his design to prove an Vnion of Persons is bewildred and the Author will help him out Bewildred Not by any Arguments as yet however it is kindly meant for one who hath interlaced his Discourse with so many exceptions to very little purpose But Christ and Believers are not united by a natural Adhesion No who ever said so Doth not the Dr. make the Union and the Bonds of it both spiritual But the Author apprehends some strange Mystery in the business which now must be heard Dr. Owen tells us Mr. Sherlock That by the Graces of Christ's Person he doth not mean the glorious Excellencies of his Deity considered in it self abstracting from the Office which for us as God and Man he undertook nor the outward appearance of his Humane Nature neither when he converst here on earth nor yet now as exalted in Glory but the Graces of Christ's Person as he is vested with the Office of Mediation his spiritual Eminency Comeliness Beauty as anointed and appointed by the Father unto that great work of bringing home all his Elect into his bosom Now unless the Person of Christ as Mediator be distinct from his Person as God-man all this is idle talk for what personal Graces are there in Christ as Mediator which do not belong to him either as God or Man The peculiar Duties of that Office of Mediator are not personal Graces his Personal Graces fitted him for his Office but he hath no Personal Graces as Mediator which he hath not either as God or Man The Dr. tells us That Christ is white in his Deity and ruddy in his Humanity but these belong to his Divine and Humane Nature and that without regard to his Mediatory Office Again the Dr. tells us That Christ is excellent in his Deity and desirable in his Humanity This looks like a contradiction to what he said before but he hath a Salvo which delivers him both from contradiction and from sence that he doth not consider these Excellencies of his Deity or Humanity as abstracted from his Office of Mediator though he might if he pleased for these Excellencies would have belonged to him as God and Man whether he had been Mediator or not But what becomes of his distinction of the Graces of Christ's Person as Mediator from the Graces of his Person as God and Man When there are no personal Graces in Christ but what belong to his Deity or Humanity an then you can find no other Person to be the Subject of these personal Excellencies unless his Office of Mediation must go for a distinct Person which is a new kind of Heresie It was the saying of Nazianzen Answer That there is one Consideration of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Owen being to speak of the Grace of Christ the Mediator did not consider the Excellencies of his Deity in it self or apart nor the Excellencies of his Humanity singly and by it self but the Excellencies of both Natures met in conjunction in the Person of the Glorious Mediator Jesus Christ This must be a distinct Consideration from the other or else what is the Hypostatical Union What the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Immanuel or Word incarnate What is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communication of Properties celebrated by Divines How did God purchase his Church with his own blood Act. 20.28 Or lay down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 which way was the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the ancient Council hath it What is the Grace of Unction or all those full Treasures of habitual Grace in the Humane Nature of Christ And what are the opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or operations of God-man the Great Mediatour who hath the Excellencies of both Natures in himself This Consideration being therefore a distinct one the Dr. shews that Christ was white in his Deity and ruddy in his Humanity which needed no more have been slighted than such allusions common in the ancient Fathers but the humour of exposing to scorn provokes to such things The Doctor doth not and I am sure will not own any such thing as that the Person of Christ as Mediator is distinct from his Person as God-man or that the Graces of Christ's Person as Mediator are dististinct from his Person as God-man But saith the Author What personal Graces are there in Christ as Mediator which do not belong to him either as God or Man To which I answer The Grace of Union was not peculiar to either Nature in Christ but common to both the Humane Nature in him was only assumed but the Divine and Humane were both united but saith the Author Those excellencies would have belonged to him as God and man whether he had been Mediator or not To which I shall only say That Christ should be God and man and yet not Mediator is such an extrascriptural conceit as I suppose never entred into the Doctors mind But what ever becomes of the distinction Mr. Sherlock there is a very deep fetch in it the observing of which will discover the whole mystery of the Person of Christ and our Vnion to him For these men consider that Christ saves as Mediator and not meerly considered as God or man they imagine that we receive Grace and Salvation from Christ's Person just as we do water from a Conduit or a Largess from a Prince that it flows to us from our Vnion to his Person and therefore they dress up the Person of the Mediator with all those personal Graces and Excellencies which may make him a fit Saviour that those who are united to his Person need not fear missing of Salvation hence they ransack all the boundless perfections of the Deity and what ever they can fancy as comfort to Sinners this is a personal Grace of the Mediator they consider the effects of his Mediation and what ever great things are spoken of his Gospel or Religion or Intercession these serve as personal Graces too that all our hopes may be built not on the Gospel-Covenant but on the Person of Christ so that the dispute now lies between the Person of Christ and his Gospel which must be the foundation of our hope which is the way to life and happiness To what purpose all this is I see not Answer Is not Christ God-man our Mediator Do we not receive Grace and Salvation from Christ's person And if we do is he
mercy enough in him and in very deed this is a comfort for sinners too high and sacred to be entertained with any other laugh than that of the joy of Faith But what now if the Divine Nature it self have not such an endless Mr. Sherlock boundless bottomless Grace At other times the Dr. tells us of the Naturalness of Vindictive Justice Though God be rich in Mercy he never told us yet that his Mercy was so boundless and bottomless He hath given a great many demonstrations of the severity of his Anger against sinners who could not be much worse than the greatest oldest stubbornest Transgressors But supposing the Divine Nature were such a bottomless Fountain of Grace how comes this to be a personal Grace of the Mediator For a Mediator as Mediator ought not to be considered as the Fountain but as the Minister of Grace God the Father ought to come in for a share at least in being the Fountain of Grace though the Dr. is pleased to take no notice of him But how excellent is the Grace of Christs Person above the Grace of the Gospel for that is a bounded limited thing it is a strait gate and narrow way that leadeth unto life there is no such boundless Mercy as all the sins in the world cannot equal its dimensions as will save the greatest oldest stubbornest Transgressors Smalcius denies God's Mercy to be infinite and immense Answer and the Author seems to hint some such thing But Christ is God and in his Divine Nature there can be no finite Attribute and what if Divine Justice be natural and infinite too Infinite Justice and Infinite Mercy may stand very well together or what if Divine Justice break out against sinners yet is Divine Mercy infinite for all that nay what if Divine Mercy had shewed it self in gracious Effects to no one man in the World yet still would it have been infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the divine Essence And what if the Author will not call this a personal Grace in the Mediator It is doubtless a Grace in the Person of the Mediator and what if Christ as Mediator be God's Servant yet is he really God and a Fountain of Grace and that without the least exclusion of his Father being such The Son made and upholds all things and yet I hope the Father did and doth the same and what if in the Gospel the Gate be strait and Way narrow yet the Grace is never the less infinite because it is dispensed in a way decorous to the Holiness of God infinite Grace stands open to the greatest Sinners and yet none shall partake of it but upon the holy Terms of the Gospel Thus the Love of Christ is an Eternal Love Mr. Sherlock because his Divine Nature is Eternal an unchangeable Love because his Nature is so a fruitful Love producing all things which he willeth to his beloved he loves Life Grace Holiness into us he loves us into Covenant loves us into Heaven This is an excellent Love indeed which doth all for us and leaves nothing for us to do we owe this discovery to an Acquvintance with Christ's Person or rather with his Divine Nature for the Gospel is very silent in this matter all that the Gospel tells us is that Christ loved Sinners so as to die for them and that he loves good men who believe and obey his Gospel so as to save them and that he continues to love them while they continue to be good but hates them when they return to their old Vices And therefore sinners have reason to fetch their comforts not from the Gospel but from the Person of Christ which as far excels the Gospel as the Gospel excels the Law The Dr. discourses of the Love of Christ as he is God Answer There is in God Amor Complacentiae a Love of Complacence whereby he delights in good men but is there not Amor Benevolentiae too a gracious purpose of bestowing good things on us All the good things Temporal in the World and Spiritual in the Church know no other Spring or Origen than this our Repentance Faith Grace Holiness unless we will blaspheme the great Donor and deny them to be Gifts are so many pregnant proofs of it Hence the Apostle tells us That God worketh in us to will and to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 And is not this Love or gracious Purpose an Eternal one It can be no other all the divine Decrees are so His Works are in Time but his Decrees in the same Eternity with himself as being no other than Deus Volens Should his Decrees be made in time the Divine Will though it ever had an infinite Reason and Wisdom standing by it must yet hang in suspence and float in uncertainties touching things to come till its own Creature Time came forth into Being and then upon passing those Decrees a new Generation of Futures must start up which were never before and withal a new Prescience in God to look upon those novel Objects both which are impossible But this is a Love which doth all for us and leaves nothing for us to do Thus the Author Vsser de Cottesch The Semipelagians to blast the Doctrine of St. Austin touching God's Free Grace formed out of their own Brain a Story of the Praedestinatiani an odious Sect which as was pretended held such a Notion as rendred an holy Life altogether unnecessary But why the Author should charge the Dr. with any such thing I know not he never said or thought any such thing nay he hath again and again urged the Necessity of Obedience Neither do I see how there can be a more unnatural Consequence framed than this Christ loved us and therefore we need do nothing our selves Our Love to Christ is an excellent Principle of Obedience to him and to set it a working his Love to us is a divine Inflammative to ours But saith the Author All that the Gospel tells us is That Christ loved Sinners so as to die for them and that he loves good men who believe and obey the Gospel But sure this is not all Christ in his Love doth something to the Quickning and Conversion of men and something to the sanctifying and establishing of them This Last I suppose the Author allows not for he tells us That he loves them while they continue good and hates them when they return to their old vices But this is much after the rate of the Remonstrants who tell us That as soon as men believe there is a kind of incomplete Election such as rises and falls with their Faith and when they arrive at the full point of Perseverance it becomes complete and peremptory The Divine Will according to them must be successive and make its progress from an incomplete Election to a complete one and in its passage to that Completure it must all the way vary and turn about to every point
Commandements shall be the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven if taken in rigore juris were enough to shut all men out of heaven it imports therefore that sincere Obedience is necessary to those who will go thither Again the Evangelicall Light brake out as it pleased the Father of Lights gradually and successively In Math. 16. Peter makes that famous Confession Thou art Christ and was by Christ called Blessed for it and a little after Peter as ignorant of Christ's Passion would have diverted him from it and for that was called Satan Christ's Passion was sure a most necessary thing vet he knew it not Further our Saviour tells the Apostles that It was expedient for them that he should go away why so Then the spirit should come which should guide them into all truth which should glorifie Christ which should take of Christs and should shew it unto them Joh. 16.7 13 14 15. Observe the Spirit was to open and display the things of Christ amongst others his blood and righteousness in their glory and true use to be made ours and now it is no wonder at all if imputed Righteousness be more fully laid down in the Epistles than in the Sermons of our Saviour Christ himself the wisdom of heaven reserved that fuller light till the descent of the holy Ghost Moreover we must distinguish between the necessity of Christs imputed righteousness in it self and the necessity of the knowledge of it Imputed Righteousness since the fall hath ever been necessary in it self no man was ever justisied without Christ's blood applyed to him and that application is made upon believing by way of imputation but the knowledge of it hath been more or less necessary as the Evangelical light hath more or less reveiled it St. Peter at that time of his confession was no doubt justified by Christ's blood and yet he then had not the knowledge of his passion Lastly it appears plainly that our Saviour warned his hearers not to trust in their own Righteousness Thus the Pharisee and the Publican are in the Parable set forth to those that trusted in themselves that they were righteous Luk. 18.19 The Pharisee boasts of his Justice Purity Sanctity The Publican cries out of his sins and begs for mercy and as our Saviour tells us went away jestified rather than the other So true is that of Prosper Melior est in malis factis humilis confessio quà m in bonis superbagloriatio To conclude I hope by these things it appears that neither our Saviour was unfaithful in his prophetical Office nor the Evangelists in giving us an account of our Saviours Doctrine It is worth the observing Mr. Sherlock that in all the New Testament there is no such expression as the Righteousness of Christ or the imputation of Christ's Righteousness we there only find 〈◊〉 righteousness of God and the righteousness of Faith and the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ which is 〈◊〉 strange Did the whole Mystery of the Gospel consist in the imputation of Christ's Righteousness that neither Christ nor his Apostles should once tell us so in express terms This is Bellarmine's own Argument Answer Hactenùs nullum omninò locum invenire potuerunt De just l. 2. cap. 7. ubi legeretur Christi justitiam nobis imputari ad justitiam But I hope our Author will not follow the sound and tinkling of words what if it be not in Scripture syllabically and literally May it not suffice to be there in Sence just Consequence Ratio divina non in superficie est sed in medullà The Author saith That there is no such Expression as the Righteousness of Christ but St. Peter tells us of the righteousness of God our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 11 1 Again he saith That there is no such Expression as the Imputation of Christs Righteousness But St. Paul tells us That we are made righteous by Christs obedience Rom. 5.19 But I will say no more to this Objection because I have before proved Imputed Righteousness by Scripture That phrase Mr. Sherlock the Righteousness of God sometimes signifies his Justice Veracity or Goodness Rom. 3.5 but most commonly in the new Testament it signifies that Righteousness which God approves commands and which he will accept for the Justification of a sinner which is contained in the Terms of the Gospel Rom 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God reveiled Thus it is called the Righteousness of God Math. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness which is the same with the righteousness of his Kingdome Now the Kingdom of God signifies the State of the Gospel and the Righteousness of God or of his Kingdom that Righteousness which the Gospel prescribes which is conteined in the Sermons and Parables of Christ and consists in a sincere and universal Obedience to the Commands of God Answer The Righteousness of God is indeed that which he approves and accepts of in Justification but not that which he commands us to do no then we should not be justified by Christs blood Rom. 5.9 nor made righteous by his obedience Rom. 5.19 then the Apostle would not tell us of a righteousness imputed without works Rom. 4.6 Neither would he as he doth in that place exclude the Works of converted Abraham from Justification I say of converted Abraham for those words Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 were spoken of Abraham divers years after his Conversion as Dr. Ward hath observed Our Obedience is an Evidence of our Justification 〈◊〉 22. but till it can expiate sin and reach the top and apex of the pure Law it cannot be the Matter of our Righteousness before God Our Church places good Works after Justification and most exellently states Justification in three things Vpon Gods part his great mercy and grace 〈◊〉 of Salvation upon Christs part Justice that is the satisfaction of Gods Justice or the price of our Redemption by the offering of his Body shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly thoroughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the Merits of Jesus Christ which is not ours but by God's working in us Thus our Church leaving no room at all for Obedience In the point of Justification The Righteousness of God that which he commands and rewards is the Righteousness of Faith Mr. Sherlock or Righteousness by the Faith of Christ Now Faith in Christ is often ujed objectively for the Gospel of Christ which is the Object of our Faith and so the Righteousness of Faith or by the Faith of Christ is that Righteousness which the Gospel commands Thus Acts. 24. Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith of Christ that is concerning righteousness temperance and the judgment to come vers 25. which are the principal Matters of the Gospel Thus obedience to the Faith is obedience to
blameless ver 5 6. But then after all he casts away all this Jewish and Pharisaical glory What things were gain to me those I have counted loss for Christ ver 7. he would not be justified by any of those things but doth he go no further Doth he only exclude his external Pharisaical Righteousness No surely his discourse goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Particles of amplification as if the Apostle had said Nay more than that even now do I count all things loss In the 7. Verse he casts off his Jewish and Pharisaical gains but in the 8. he puts by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things his inherent Graces not being admitted to be the Matter of our Justification In the 7. Vers we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tempore praeterito I have counted but in the 8. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praesenti now I do count all things loss Hence the excellent Beza saith Notandum praesens tempus sic enim crescit oratio ut jam Apostolus quod ad justificationem coram Deo attinet omnia opera excludat tum praecedentia tum etiam consequentia fidem Exam. ' de Justif pag. 135. And Learned Chemnicius saith Paulum non tantùm uti praeterito tempore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de operibus praecedentibus conversionem sed praesenti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ostendai quòd operibus suis etiam post renovationem fact is non tribuat Justificationem coram Deo Even our inherent Graces how precious soever they be in Sanctification must not assume the Royal seat of Christ and his Righteousness they must not be our very Righteousness in Justification Bellarmine indeed here cries out Quanta quaeso blasphemia est How great is this blasphemy to call good works done out of the Faith and Grace of Christ no better than dung But Paraeus answers him very well That they are not so called absolutely in themselves but comparatively to the Righteousness of Christ nefas enim ducit in ullis operibus fiduciam Justificationis ponere coram Deo In the Matter of Justification the whole Church calls her Righteousness a filthy Rag St. Paul will not there own his own inherent Graces no more than holy Job would know his own Soul But this is yet more clear ver 9. The Apostle would be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law he excludes his own Righteousness that is his inherent Graces in the point of Justification I say his inherent Graces for he had before shut out his external Pharisaical Righteousness ver 7. and his after-speech being not a Battology or vain repetition but progressive or expressive of more than went before he doth in the 9. Verse put by his inherent Graces under the name of his own Righteousness and which further confirms this Sence inherent Graces are in Scripture said to be our own Hence we find my faith and thy faith Jam. 2.18 and our Saviour saith Except your righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 See here a Righteousness and that exceeding a Pharisaical one called theirs The Apostle excludes the righteousness which is of the Law In the 7. Verse he had shut out the Righteousness of the Law taken in the Pharisaical sence but in the 9. Verse he goes on and puts by the Righteousness of the Law taken in its own spiritual Nature the Righteousness which the Law in its holy Commands prescribes and surely the Law calls for internal Holiness as well as external Conformity In another place the Apostle tells us That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 No flesh not the holiest Saint on earth whose Righteousness is as much above the Pharisees as Life is above pictures and shadows shall be justified by his own Righteousness or conformity to the Law But if the Apostle would not have his own Righteousness which is of the Law in Justification what would he have He would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith He doth not say a Righteousness which is Faith or other Graces but a righteousness which is through the faith of Christ a righteousness which is of God by faith Now inherent Graces are never in Scripture called the Righteousness of God The righteousness of God is upon those that believe Rom. 3.22 not in them as inherent Graces are The righteousness of God is in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 not in our selves as our Graces are The righteousness of God is one and the same with the righteousness of Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 not the same with our Graces The Apostle therefore would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that is the perfect Righteousness of Christ which Faith receives and God accepts on our behalf By these things it appears that the Apostle in this place doth not only exclude external Pharisaical Righteousness but even inherent Graces in the matter of Justification There is a double Antithesis in the words Mr. Sherlock the righteousness of the Law is opposed to the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ and my own righteousness to the righteousness of God Now the surest way to understand the meaning of this is to consider how these phrases are used in Scripture The righteousness of the Law as you have already heard is an external Righteousness which consists in washings and purifications and sacrifices or an external conformity to the Moral Law The righteousness which is by the faith of Christ is an internal Righteousness which consists in the renovation of our Minds and Spirits in the government of our thoughts and passions which is therefore called being born again becoming new creatures rising with Christ putting off the old man and putting on the new which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness That Righteousness which God requires of us under the Gospel must be an inward Principle of Love and Obedience which transforms us into the image of God as if we were born again or made new creatures The reason why Godsent Christ into the world to die as a Sacrifice for our sins and to confirm and seal the new Covenant with his Blood was that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome expounds it that which the Law was designed to work in them but was found too weak to effect it by reason of the greater power of sin that is the inward holiness and purity of mind which was represented and signified by
the power of sin and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Thus the Author to which I answer God sent his Son indeed into the world that we might be sanctified by his Spirit but that was not all he sent him that we might be justified by his Blood and Righteousness to which purpose it will be worth while to consider that place Rom. 8. The Apostle in the first verse sets forth believers men in Christ by two excellent things first by Justification There is no condemnation to them no though there be reliques of corruption in them as is imported in the seventh Chapter there is none and then by Sanctification which is in conjunction with the other they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And in the other verses he confirms both but inverso ordine first he confirms their Sanctification from the great Origen of it the holy Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death vers 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath subdued the power of sin and then he confirms their Justification from the sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction 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 vers 3. Their sins were condemned in the flesh of Christ there was an atonement made for them which certainly must relate to Justification from these sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience must be taken in conjunction the Apostle inferrs That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us vers 4. The Law was not able to justifie us for want of a perfect obedience in us but God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us Christ bore the wrath of God for us and these things being imputed unto us the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us But then the Apostle returns again to Sanctification and subjoyns Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit assuring us that those who are justified by the imputed Righteousness of Christ are also Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit This I take to be the meaning of the place But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures r. Hom. of Salvation St. Paul saith Rom. 3. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ And Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth And Rom. 8. That which was impossible by the Law in as much as it was weak by the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh by sin damned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these places the Apostle toucheth three things which must go together in our Justification upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christ's parts justice that is the satisfaction of God's justice or the price of our redemption by the offering of his body and shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ which yet is not ours but by Gods working in us So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace but also his Justice which the Apostle calleth the Justice of God and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law And so the Grace of God doth not shut out the Justice of God in our Justification but only shutteth out the justice of man that is to say the justice of our works as to be merits of deserving our justification And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true lively Faith which nevertheless is the gift of God and not man's only work without God and yet that Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so that although they be all present in him that is justified yet they justifie not all together These are the excellent words of our Church worthy without flattery be it spoken to be written in Letters of Gold but much more in the hearts of all true Christians We see here that there is in justification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only no internal Holiness Repentance Hope Love Fear of God are in the justified but shut out from the office of justifying God's Grace and Christ's Righteousness are the great causes of justification But saith the Author Is there here any mention of Christ's Righteousness or the imputation thereof I answer Our Church surely thought so and we have his passive Righteousness expressed vers 3. and where that is expressed the active is implied This is clear when the Scripture saith That we are made righteous by Christ's obedience Rom. 5.19 It doth include his blood also and when he saith That we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 It doth include his active obedience also so that the Scripture because it expresses justification by both and because it must be consistent with it self in expressing the one includes the other When therefore Rom. 8.3 his sufferings are expressed his active obedience is also included both therefore are intended and withall an imputation without which they cannot be profitable to us But saith the Author The Law could not do it that is the Law could not deliver from the power of sin I answer The Law could not do it of it self and without the Spirit of Christ but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand and write it in the heart I suppose there will be a New Creature But the Author saith That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. How can imputation come in here What pretty sence will this make of the Apostles argument I answer The sence is very clear the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by Christ's Righteousness imputed to us and withall we to whom that is imputed walk after the Spirit the one is our Justification the other our Sanctification Both the Apostle proves to be in Believers and both consist very well together as appears from the first verse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The No condemnation appertains to Justification and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification and both stand very well together As to what the Author saith afterwards That there was no reason to abrogate Moses ' s
are By our Marriage to Christ his personal excellencies cannot be ours though his person were In Marriages there are private contracts and the truth is Christ hath not made such an absolute settlement of himself upon us as these men dream he hath for the Gospel contains the Articles of this Marriage and there we must learn to what purposes and upon what conditions Christ gives himself to us and must challenge no more from Christ by vertue of our Marriage to him than what the Gospel the Marriage Covenant promises and we find nothing there of his personal Righteousness to be made ours And for what they tell us That a woman under covert is not liable to an arrest at Law but all must fall upon her Husband It is true as to matters of debt but does not extend to crimes if a woman kill or rob her being under covert secures her not from the Gallows How secure soever any man may fancy himself of his Marriage to Christ I would nâ—t advise him to venture too much upon it for if he be guilty of any gross wilful sin there is some danger that the Law or Gospel may condemn him unless he timely repent and reform When the Scriptures calls Christ our Husband and the Church his Spouse it means no more but that Christ is our Head and Governour who rules his Church with as great kindness tenderness and compassion as an Husband exerciseth towards his Wife and that we are to pay the same Love Duty and Obedience to Christ that Wives owe to their Husbands And here we must have done with the Metaphor unless we will turn Religion into a Romance Christ being our Husband his Righteousness is ours Answer the Law cannot take hold of us our Husband must be responsable for our faults But this is a very hard Law saith the Author and the Husband in a very ill case In truth our Husband though the eternal Son of God was made under the Law wounded bruised cast into a bloody sweat made a curse and as the Septuagint hath it Isai 55.3 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man set in the stroke of Gods wrath But all this he was not by chance or fortune but out of choice and unparallelled Love to his Spouse The essentials of Marriage lie in a narrow room a consent per verba de praesenti does it but the just necessary consequents of it are as the Civilians tells us Consortium omnis vitae divini humani juris communicatio the Wife participates of his sacred and civil good things neither can it be otherwise where there is as there is in Marriage such an intimate union of minds and bodies there must needs be a communio bonorum nature and reason tells us that the Wife in so near an union must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alimentum indumentum food and raiment out of the Husbands estate Nay and all things in a decorum thereunto and can we think that Christ should do less for his Spouse when her necessities exceed all those in nature Will he who infinitely transcends all humane Relations leave his Spouse to the rags of her own Righteousness or suffer her to perish in an eternal prison for debt and that when he hath fulfilled the Righteousness and bore the curse of the Law on purpose to cloth her and satisfie for her The whole Book of Canticles is a divine Ditty which under the parable of Marriage streams all along as a full torrent of Spiritual Love interchangeably passing between Christ and his Church Well might the Doctor bring his proof from thence Christ calls his Spouse all fair and without spot Cant. 4.7 She was not so naturally but by Marriage neither is she so in this life by inherent Graces but by the Righteousness of Christ put upon her by a gracious imputation Christ calls her from Lebanon from the top of Amana Shenir and Hermon from the lyons dens from the mountains of the Leopards vers 8. That is from the brutish lusts and idolatries of the World and he calls her thus Come with me with me my Spouse as if he had said that he would provide for her as a Spouse and therefore she should come away with him But saith the Author Personal virtues in the Husband were never settled on the Wife for a Joynture by our Marriage to Christ his personal excellencies cannot be made over to us To which I answer the Righteousness of Christ cannot be made ours so as to inhere in us But it may be made ours by imputation or if not neither can his blood be imputed to us and by consequence there can be no such thing as satisfaction or redemption through his Blood But for the truth of imputed Righteousness these men desire to appeal no further than the Articles or Marriage Covenant contained in the Gospel beyond this they desire to claim nothing from Christ their Husband and Saviour But saith the Author A woman under covert is not liable to debts but she is to crimes I answer Our debts are crimes and that above Felonies they are High-treasons against the God of Heaven and if these fall not on our Husband Christ they must fall upon us and then who where is the man that can stand before the Divine Tribunal What room can there be for the least drop of mercy or forgiveness Remarkable is the form that in Anselms time was used in the Visitation of the sick the weak man is there directed thus Si Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi objicio inter me tuum judicium alitèr tecum non condendo si tibi dixerit quia peccator es dic Domine mortem Domini nostri Jesu Christi pono inter me mea peccata He was not to contend with God but to put the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between himself and God's Tribunal and to put it between himself and his sins unless our Husband had undertaken to discharge our debts we could never have had any possibility of Salvation Christ and Believers are legally united Mr. Sherlock Dr. Jacomb tells us That Christ is the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Surety he struck hands with God as the words imports put himself into their stead took their debt upon himself and bound himself upon this account to make satisfaction to God Now in the Law the debtor and surety are but one person the Law looks on them as one and makes no difference between them and therefore both are equally liable to the debt and if the one pay it is as much in the eye of the Law as if the other had paid it Thus it is with Christ and us he is our Surety he took our debt upon himself engaged to pay what we owed upon this Christ and we are but one person before God and accordingly he deals with us for he makes over our sins to Christ and
The plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 Take him in sacred or Devotional affairs His Sacrifice is an abomination Prov. 15.8 And so is his Prayer too Prov. 28.9 Whatever his outward work or posture be To the unbelieving there is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 The very mind and conscience is defiled and will be so till it be purified by Faith Mr. Shephard places Justification before Sanctification and what doth the Church of England do It tells us in the 12. Article That good works are the fruits of Faith and follow after Justification that they spring necessarily of a true and lively Faith And in the 13. Article That works done before the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ Nay in the close of that Article our Church saith of such works We doubt not but they have the nature of sin As for Mr. Shephards speech for Christ come in a sense that they have in some measure resisted his Spirit refused his Grace and wearied him with their iniquities the inviting of such is no more than that of our Saviour which calls the weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest in which all are concerned except such as can without Christ earn a sanctity or holyness at the fingers ends of Nature and take a nap at home in a presumption of their own worthiness and self made righteousness But let us consider Mr. Sherlock the whole progress of the Soul to a closure with Christ the several steps to this are Conviction Compunction Humiliation and Faith which is the uniting Grace Now if there be nothing of forjaking of sin included in all this then Men must be united to Christ before they forsake their sins Now Conviction is a great sense of the evil of sin and the evil after it of its abominable accursed Nature and the Judgments which follow it and this is as it ought to be Men must be awakened to see these evils before they will reform their lives Reform nay you are out this is not the end of Conviction to reform sin that is a legal way but Compunction is the end of it well then what is this Compunction Why Compunction is first a great fear of being damned he sees death wrath eternity near to him next to this succeeds a great sorrow and mourning for sin and that which perfects this Compunction is a separation from sin this is something like but by a separation from sin you must not understand a leaving sin but such a separation as consists with living in it For it is nothing but a being willing or rather not unwilling that the Lord should take it away the Lord doth not wound the heart that the Soul should first heal it self but that it may desire the Physician the Lord Jesus to come and heal it So that all he means by separation from sin is to be content that Christ by an irresistible power should take away our sins By this Separation the Soul is cut off from the will to sin not from all no nor from any sin in the will for that must be mortified by a Spirit of holyness after the Soul is implanted into Christ Now this is down right non-sense for he must be a subtil Man who can distinguish between a will to sin and sin in the will and all that can be made of it is this that this separation is a willingness or rather not unwillingness that Christ should take away our sins against our wills and therefore he tells us That this Separation is no part of our Sanctification The whole design of this Compunction is to work humiliation in us which is the work of the Spirit whereby the Soul broken off from self-conceit and confidence submitteth and lieth under God to be disposed as he pleaseth this self-confidence is any hope of pleasing God by Reformation or Repentance or any thing he can do When Men feel this Compunction the great danger is lest they should seck ease by Repentance and Reformation if they can repent and reform they have some hopes as well they may if they do so that this will heal their wounds and pacify the Lord towards them when they see no peace in a sinful course they will try a good one But this is a dangerous mistake for while it is thus with the Soul he is uncapable of Christ For he that trusts to other things to save him or makes himself his own Saviour or rests in his duties without a Saviour that is according to this Author all those who repent and reform he can never have Christ to save him So that true Humiliation is this when the Soul feels its own inability and unworthiness that it may lye under God to be disposed of that is contented to be saved or damned as shall please God and when the Soul is at this pass it is vas capax a vessel capable of Grace And now they are made thus hollow and empty by Humiliation they are capable of receiving Christ as an hollow vessel is of receiving any thing This is a new notion of our union to Christ that it is a receiving Christ into us as an hollow vessel receives any liquor poured into it This is a Philosophical account of the nature of Humiliation that a man must have such a sense of his inability to please God that he shall never dare to be so prophane as to attempt it but must leave repentance and reformation to carnal christless men and that he may be so sensible of his unworthiness that he shall contentedly submit to God to be damned or saved as he pleases And now the Soul being thus hollow is fit to receive Christ and being grown careless of its Salvation and indifferent whether it be saved or damned for it is impossible thus to submit without being indifferent in some measure which God shall chuse it is a fit object for mercy certainly it is a very hard thing to bring any man in his wits to this and I find by this Author that God is very hard put to it to humhle the Soul thus For he is forced to irritate and stir up original corruption to stir the dunghil a very unfit office for an Holy Being that so men finding themselves sensibly grow worse and worse may despair of growing better and leave off such vain attempts and sit down humble under God Nay the Lord loads and tires and wearies the Soul by its own endeavours till it can stir no more That is when the Soul labours to repent and reform the Spirit of God which should assist such pious endeavours withdraws it self because it knows the Soul would rest therein without Christ Now I know not who suffers most by this The sinner who is thus humbled or God who thus humbles him for it must needs be as contrary to the holy merciful nature of God to use such
Spirit of God which no Man can possibly tell whether it be or not it is not of the right stamp and will avail us nothing so that the Sinner hath nothing to do but to sit still and patiently expect till God will do all for him The method is Conviction Compunction Answer Humiliation and Faith but a Man is passive in all this How passive what is he to sit still and do nothing at all No surely he may abstain from outward Acts of sin he may do Acts of Sobriety Justice Charity he may hear pray but internal Grace is Gods work Some have taken those words Let us make Man as if God hath spoke to the four Elements and said Vos date Corpus ego dabo Animam Do you give the Body I 'll give the Soul If I may allude to this Gloss thus it is Man may frame a Body of outward Piety but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward life of Grace is from God only it is he Who quickneth the dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 Believers are not born of the will of Man but of God Joh. 1.13 But saith the Author It is a vain thing to give such rules and directions as no Man can follow To which I answer Rules are not therefore vain because Man cannot follow them by his own power God gave not the Moral Law in vain yet the spotless sanctity of it was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer impossible thing to any fallen Man in the World God bid them not in vain to make a new heart Ezek. 18.31 and yet claims it as his prerogative and as an act of special Grace to make such an heart Ezek. 36.26 Christ did not in vain call Men to come to him and yet withal tells them That no Man could come to him except the Father drew him Joh. 6.44 Moses was but to lift up the Rod but it was God only who could divide the Sea we are to use the means but it is God only who can work the great work of Grace These Rules though we cannot follow them of our selves may yet shew us our duty and if we reflect upon our selves they may point out our impotency to us and withal they minister under that Spirit which in the use of means infuses the life of Grace into Men. Polychronius in the 6. Council of Constantinople offered by a Paper containing in it the Doctrine of the Monothelites to raise a dead Man to life again Mr. Shephard never thought that his rules though containing excellent truths in them could raise the Spiritually dead but this they do they minister under that Divine Spirit which breathes regenerating Graces into the Soul St. Paul would have Timothy instruct the Opposers not as if they had a power of themselves to repent but if God peradventure would give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 All Rules and Instructions do but minister under the Holy Spirit who gives Faith and Repentance as it pleaseth But saith the Author These tell us not what we must do but what we must suffer in order to our union to Christ To which I answer we are to use the means and thus far we must be doers but I suppose we must suffer the Holy Spirit to have the glory of our Regeneration we must not presume to be such doers as if we could work Regeneration our selves or by our works procure it Pelagius would have been a doer in this kind alledging that Gratiam darisecundum merita that is in the Phrase of the Ancients in those dayes secundum opera that Grace was given according to works But unless he had recanted he had in the Palestine Council been by the Church turned into a Sufferer by a just Excommunication neither is our Church for any such doers for it tells us in the 13. Article That works done before Grace do not make Men meet to receive Grace or deserve Grace of congruity yea rather they have the nature of sin The Inspiration of the Spirit which that Article mentions must work the great work of Grace in us which when we see in our selves we must needs acknowledge the insuperable power that was in it Suppose a Man have this Conviction Mr Sherlock Compunction Humiliation is this a sufficient reason to lay hold upon Christ by Faith by no means The end of Conviction is Compunction the end of Compunction Humiliation and all this carries us no nearer to Christ than quietly to lye down before God that he may do what he will with us he may save or damn us So that all this contributes nothing to our union to Christ but brings us to such a temper of mind as to be content to have Christ or go without him as God shall please this is all Men get by Humiliation that if the Lord intend to do them good this is the way in which he will do it but though they be humbled they cannot be sure whether God intend to do them good or not therefore we are told we are as much bound to submit to God whether he will save or damn us as we are to submit to the disposal of God as to any common mercy though you must pray for mercy it must be with submission to Gods good will saying the Lords will is good whether it be to save or damn but mine is evil though it be to be saved and have Jesus Christ Nay we are much more bound to submit to God whether he will save or damn us than we are to submit in the lesser concernments of this life if it be pride to murmur in case the Lord deny you smaller matters the off-alls of this life is it not greater pride to quarrel with him if he deny the greater the things of another life Is he bound to give thee greater who doth not owe thee the least The Lord gives you life but you ask for treasures of Grace and Mercy now God hath given you life you would live for ever an unpardonable fault this thousands of pounds Christ and all he is worth and the Lord seems to deny you and now you sink and grow sullen may not the Lord say Was there ever such pride insolence as to be unwilling to be damned for ever though I dare say this is not the pride which cast the Angels out of Heaven so that though Humiliation be the way to Christ yet it brings us never the nearer him when all is done we are where we were Before Humiliation it was at Gods pleasure whether we should have Christ or not and so it is still The humbled Soul may Answer without doubt lay hold upon Christ but we must remember that we cannot do it by the power of Nature but must do it by the Grace of God Faith is a great receiver it receives Christ and all blessings in and with him but this Faith this very receiving must be received from Grace Nothing is plainer in Scripture than that Faith is the
gift of God hence it is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and Faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 It is not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And such a gift it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is freely gratuitously given Phil. 1.29 Seing then it is thus should we not submit to God for every crumb of bread drop of drink and moments patience because they are his gifts and must we not submit to him for Faith because it is such Had not God given a Jesus a Saviour to Men they could not have made a just complaint against him and now there being one that he is not known all the World over the Pagans may not open their lips against God and in the Church where Christ is known that all Men have no Faith no Man may question God about it Gifts are free and must be submitted for The Apostle asserts Gods Soveraignty clearly He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 And if any dare repy or find fault the Apostle takes him up Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest against God If thou hadst but any sentiments of thy own nothingness or rayes of the Divine Majesty thou wouldest never dare to question or to implead thy Maker before whom thou art but a Worm a piece of Clay to be disposed of at his pleasures It is certain that God owes us nothing Though we are in the use of means earnestly to seek Christ Faith and not in a careless indifferent manner as without cause the Author would hint Mr. Shephards mind to be yet we must still adore Gods Soveraignty and lye at his feet for all his Gifts and particularly for Faith It was horrible insolence and presumption in him who prayed Redde mihi vitam aeternam quam debes And it would be no less for any one to pray Redde mihi fidem vivam quam debes Verbum debet venenum habet as Peter Lumbard hath it These things considered Mr. Shephards words need no more but only a candid Interpretation What then is to be done Mr Sherlock in order to our closing with Christ by Faith for hitherto there is no foundation for our Faith Why you must not catch at Christ but stay till God give him to you till God take you into his Arms that you may lean upon your Beloved you must stay till God give you a particular call to come to Christ and whether that will be ever or never no Man can tell Many a wounded Sinner will be scrambling from some general reports of him such as his Gospel makes before the day and hour of Gods glorious call Now for any Man to receive Christ before he is called is presumption I unpardonable presumption too to attempt impossibilities for no Body can come till he is called no man should come unless first called and therefore no crime to stay away as it is in calling to an Office so it is in our calling to special Grace No Man takes this honour but he that is called of God Heb. 5.4 It is a great presumption to usurp the Office of a Priest Prophet or King without a designation and so it is to be a good Man or Christian without a particular call For what hath any Man to do with Christ to make himself a Son of God and Heir of glory to take care to please God and to make himself happy but he that is called of God Well Sinner wait with patience till thou art called and so thy work is at an end for this time The Author laughs at Mr. Shephards particular call Answer let us therefore consider it there is a double call a general external call reaching to all in the Church and a particular internal call vouchsafed to some The first is a command a sufficient warrant to come to Christ The second is a special Act of Grace which infallibly produces Farth in those to whom it is given This distinction is clearly founded in Scripture all in the Church are called but all are not drawn of the Father all do not hear and learn of the Father Joh. 6.44 45. For these taught and drawn ones do all of them come to Christ which all Men in the Church do not all in the Church are called but all are not called according to purpose Rom. 8.28 for then all would love God as those called ones do and by consequence all would have that Faith which works by love We preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.23 24. All of them had an external general call those to whom Christ was a stumbling block and foolishness had such a call for an unknown an unreveiled Christ could not be a stumbling block or foolishness But besides this call there is another an internal effectual call such as makes Christ the power and wisdom of God to Men such as works Faith and other Graces in Men Hence the Apostle saith That they are the called called with a more internal and efficacious call than other Men are These things laid down all things in Mr. Shephard are very easie all Men in the Church have an external call and so a sufficient warrant to believe in Christ it will be no presumption at all in them to do so The Object Jesus Christ is evidently set forth before their eyes but that they may believe in him indeed they must wait for a particular internal call for that Grace which works Faith in the heart if not the work of Faith must be their own they must believe of themselves And this I fear though the Object Christ be free for them would be presumption because the Scripture assures us that Faith is the gift of God All Men in the Church should come to Christ for the Evangelical command makes it their duty yet if we believe our Saviour there must be internal teachings and tractions from the Father to make us truly come to him All in the Church are by the Gospel called to be Believers so to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Royal dignity to be Sons of God Joh. 1.12 to the Divine Offices to be Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.6 But this believing is produced by that internal efficacious call which calleth things that are not as though they were I mean which calleth Faith into being where it was not before But then saith Mr. Sherlock The Sinner must only wait till he is called and so his work is at an end for this time To which I answer His work is not at an end because he is still to wait if the Scripture which makes Faith the free-gift of God be true there is no nearer passage to Heaven then by waiting upon God for Faith in the use of means The Saints
and miss of Heaven And yet when he was in a more gentle humour he told the poor doubting soul that desire nay that a desire only to desire at two or three removes was enough But I am zealous so was Jehu and Paul while a Pharisee in persecuting the Church and therefore an universal religious well-governed zeal for God can be no sign of Grace But I am constant and persevere in godly courses so did the young man all these have I kept from my youth only he left Christ for the sake of his riches and so did not persevere But I do all with a good heart for God so thou mayst think of thy self and be deceived And if this be an objection let a man have what marks he will the objection will still be good and so all evidences signifie nothing for after all a man may be deceived in it and think he hath those marks when he hath them not There is a way that seemeth right to man but the end thereof is death thou mayst live so as to deceive thy self and others and yet prove an hypocrite as if because some men may think themselves good who are in a bad estate no man could ever be sure that he is in the right And thus farewel all evidences There is reason to administer comfort to wounded Souls from the lowest measures of Grace Answer and no less to pluck down the proud Plumes of Hypocrites from the inward and pure spirituality of Religion Our Saviour doth both he gave out gracious Promises to mourners and to the poor in spirit and he poured out woes upon the Pharisees and upon all the pomp of their external righteousness But saith the Author they do so magnifie the attainments of Hypocrites that a sanctified man can do no more than an Hypocrite and so all the evidences of Sanctification are spoiled But how so do they paint the Hypocrite fairer than he is Do they attribute to him a jot or tittle more than what is true No surely an Hypocrite may be no Drunkkard or Swearer he may escape the pollutions of the World that is gross sins and though he be not entangled therein again and so a Swine in his outward converses yet he may be such inwardly his inward parts may be wickedness and uncleanness He may live a blameless innocent honest smooth life and yet be foul within He may fast pray hear read the Scriptures and yet his heart not right in the sight of God He may have some kind of sorrow or repentance some kind of love to good men and yet like the foolish Virgins have no Oyl in his Lamp no true Grace with his profession He may have a notional knowledge and yet not be Sanctified by the Truth He may keep a Sabbath in the outward decorum of it and yet want the Spirit and Life of it a delight in the Almighty He may have some kind of zeal and some desires after Heaven and yet not of the right stamp He may presume that he hath a good heart and a godly course and be deceived in both all this is true Now one Truth cannot oppose another The truth which concerns the attainments of Hypocrites cannot oppose that which concerns the evidences of Sanctification The outward reformation is an evidence not meerly as it is outward but as it flows from Faith and a pure heart Fasting prayer hearing reading are evidences not meerly in opere operato in the work done but in the doing of them in a Spiritual manner Faith and Hope and holy Love being actuated therein Keeping the Sabbath is an evidence not meerly in the outward observation of it But when it is filled up with Duties spiritually performed Knowledge Zeal Repentance Love to good Men are Graces when of the right stamp but meer notion which swims in the brain is not that sanctifying Knowledge which influences Holiness into the Heart and Life Every heat upon a Religious account is not true Zeal but that celestial Fire which rightly inflames the heart for the glory of God Every sorrow or pressure from the Law is not true repentance but that which melts the heart into tears for the sinfulness of sin Every respect to good men is not the right love but that which flows out of love to God and points to the Divine Image in them Desires after Heaven may be a mark of a good Estate but then they must be such as are vertually Grace and issue out of poverty of spirit A man may think he hath a good heart and a godly course and be deceived therein yet it follows not that we must bid farewel to evidences an holy life issuing out of a pure heart will still be an evidence to him who hath it But after all this Mr. Sherlock it would be worth while to know how to distingush a regenerate from an unregenerate man and that he tells us may be done thus An unregenerate man let him go never so far do never so much yet he lives in some one sin or other This now is very strange What go never so far and do never so much and yet live in some one sin or other what live a blameless innocent honest smooth life and yet live in some one sin or other Yet suppose he did a regenerate man may be in captivity to the Law of sin And pray what 's the difference But then an ungenerate man cannot be poor in spirit and so carried out of all Duties to Christ That is if an unregenerate man do good he is conscious to himself that he doth it If he have a good heart he feels a good heart in himself and in all he doth and therefore feels not a want of all good which is true poverty of spirit So that according to this discourse the surest mark of a regenerate man is either to have no good in himself or if he have any to be mistaken and think he hath none either of which I think is a very odd sign of Grace But then an unregenerate man comes to Christ but he never gets into Christ never takes up his eternal rest and lodging in Jesus Christ only I thought coming had been believing and that believing would have done the business And if so God forbid that any man should be damned for want of that other Metaphor of taking up his eternal rest and lodging in Christ Men in distress of conscience that 〈◊〉 unregenerate men under such distress If they have comfort from Christ they are contented If Salvation from Hell by Christ they are contented and I think they have some reason then to be contented But Christ himself that is without Comfort and without Salvation contents them not Now to be contented with Christ without comfort and salvation is so far from being the mark of an unregenerate man that I am not yet satisfied that it is the mark of an unreasonable man An unregenerate man Answer let him go never so far do
other qualifications than that he is such an individual person that is the excellency of Christs love consiss in this that he loves for no reason Now I confess this is a wonderful love but wherein the excellency of it consists I cannot see I am sure we account that Man a Fool who loves at this rate we who are reasonable Creatures think that we are bound to govern all our actions and the passions of our mind too by reason and we accouut it a reproach to a Man to act either against reason or without it to do any thing of which he cannot give a reasonable account And how that should come to be the perfection of the Love of God which is a reproach to Men is above my apprehension Indeed were this true it would undermine the very foundations of Religion For the great end of Religion is to please God and to procure his love and favour but if God and Christ love for no reason then it is a vain thing for us to think of pleasing God or procuring his love by any thing we can do Whether we obey him or disobey him it is all one in this case for if he please to love us without any reason our sins cannot hinder it and if it does not please him to love us our Holyness and Obedience cannot alter him When our Acceptation with God depends wholly upon a soveraign and unaccountable will nothing we can do can hinder or promote it and therefore all Religion is in vain The foundation of this mistake is a Philosophical nicety that God must act wholly from himself and therefore must not be moved by any external cause whereas should he love us because we are holy or hate us because we are wicked his love or hatred would depend upon an external cause viz. The holyness or wickedness of Creatures which unbecomes an independent Being to depend upon any thing else The sum of which reasoning is this that because God is the first cause of all things on whom all things depend and he on nothing therefore he must love or hate his Creature without any reason but his own unaccountable will For this is all the inconvenience they can Object that when God loves or hates rewards or punishes his Creatures the reason of this difference he makes between his Creatures must be fetched from the persons themselves whom he thus loves or hates and so it must of necessity be if he have any reason at all for the reason of love or hatred ought to be in the Object not in the Person who loves or hates and yet in propriety of speech God cannot be said to depend on his Creatures or any thing without himself for the reason of his love or hatred but his own Nature is the reason of it He is infinitely Holy and therefore loves holyness and hates sin and his natural love to holyness is the reason why he loves holy Men and his natural hatred to sin is the reason why he hates wicked Men his own holyness is the reason why he loves holy Men but the holyness of the Creature is the reason why he determines his love to any particular person And if they will call this a depending on creatures we must acknowledge that God does thus depend on his Creatures in the administration of his Providence in distributions of rewards and punishments and he should not be wise holy and just good if he did not that is if he did not put such a difference between things persons as their Natures require It is a strange notion of an independent Being that he must have no other reason for what he does but his own Arbitrary will which is so far from being a perfection that it destroys all the other perfections of the Divine Nature There is a double love in God Answer A love of complacence whereby he delights in his own Holy Image in the Creature where ever he finds it And a love of Benevolence whereby he designs to bestow good things on his Creatures The first points at goodness in the Creature the other is the great origen of all good things in the Creature The first Issues out of the perfect sanctity of his Nature The other proceeds according to his Soveraign will and pleasure But then saith the Author God loves for no reason or without reason To which I answer Gods love of Benevolence is no Caecus impetus there is summa ratio in it it is irradiated with infinite wisdom but the reason of it is not in the Creature but in himself only God would redeem fallen Men not Angels but surely the reason was not in the Creature for then all the Grace Mercy and Freedom of God in that work vanishes The whole of it must proceed from the Nature of God as it respects something in the Creature and by consequence it could not fall out otherwise because God cannot deny his Nature After the Fall it is strange how God did sever and pick out some to himself out of the rest of Mankind De Pâ—pâ—â—â— Hebr. 〈◊〉 Ex Adami liberis tantùm Sethus ex hujus stirpe Noachus ex Nochi Filiis Semus ex illius posteritate Abramus ac postremò ex numerosâ Abrami sobole unus Isacus placuit electusque est Cujus Familia Ecclesiae nomen at que dignitatem ineffabili ratione velut per successionem sibi vindicaret caeterae gentes tanquam prophanae spretaeque à numine sunt So the learned Cunaeus And it will be an hard thing to find a reason in the Creature for such a strange separation God chose and set his love upon his Children of Israel above all People in the Earth he severed them from all other Nations unto himself and was the reason in the Creature No surely they must not so much as say or mutter in their heart That they had the Land for their righteousness Deut. 9.4 No God tells them that they were a stiff-necked People vers 6. but he chose and loved them because he loved them Deut. 7.7 and 8. What he did was meerly out of his good pleasure and without any reason on their part God gives the Gospel to some Nations not to others and is the reason in the Creature No the Apostle tells us That God calls us not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 Christ was manifested to a Thief and not to a Socrates or Plato Impenitent Corazin and Bethsaida had a visible Deity before them in Christs Miracles when poor Tyre and Sidon much nearer to Repentance had it not Matth. 11.21 Here the reason cannot be in the Creature unless we will say with Pelagius Gratiam dari secundum merita That Grace is given according to works But to come to the Church there God gives Faith and Repentance to one Man not to another and is the reason in the Creature Faith and Repentance are the very first Graces in Men
such men can be supposed to relapse into a sinful state God will cease to love them therefore they found the immutability of Gods Love to them on their perseverance in doing good God loves all good men but if they cease to be good he also must cease to love Herein the immutability of Gods Love consists not that he always loves the same person but that he always loves for the same reason For it is no perfection to be so fixt in our kindness that where we love once we will always love whatever reason there may be to alter our affections for by this means we may love undeserving Objects which is the greatest degeneracy of Love but the perfection of Love consists in loving deserving Objects and in loving upon honourable reasons and the immutability of Love consists in loving always for the same reasons which is the only foundation of a virtuous immutability The reason of Christs Love to any person is Holiness and Obedience If any love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him Joh. 14.23 The unchangeableness of his Love is seen in this that he will continue to love while we continue to obey him If ye shall keep my Commandments that is continue to do so Ye shall abide in my Love I will continue to love you As I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his Love Joh. 15.20 This is the immutability of the Divine Nature that God always acts upon steddy constant Principles that whatever changes there are in the World which may occasion very different administrations in his providence yet he is the same still and never changes Whereas should God always love the same person however he changed and altered God must change and alter too because though he still loves the same person yet he must love for different or contrary reasons or for none at all and that is the much greater change of the two to alter the reason than the Object of Love If God love a good man because he is good and continue to love him when he is wicked his love is a mutable thing which can love goodness or wickedness which can love for none or for contrary reasons But if God always loves true goodness and good men and never loves any other whatever change there be in Creatures God is the same still and unchangeable in his Love The Author admits an immutable Love in God towards goodness Answer but the Scripture asserts an immutable Love in God towards persons He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 Electing Love is eternal and therefore immutable Non enim est vera aeternitas ubi orttur nova voluntas nec est immortalis voluntas quae alia et alia est An eternal choice must be ever the same and after one there cannot rise another The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Election which is the foundation is sure and Gods fore-knowledge which includes invariable Love in it is the seal of it The Book of Life hath all the names of the Elect written in it and Gods Love is the Seal that confirms it whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 This Golden Chain of Grace comprises in it certain individual persons as the words whom and them which fasten every link of it doth evidently import and that which holds all the links of it together is immutable Love Nay besides Scripture evidence reason will evince this immutable Love of the Elect without this there can be no design of a Church and without the design of a Church Christs blood must needs be shed irrationally or upon a meer peradventure I say without this there can be no design of a Church for the design of a Church must comprise in it those individual persons which shall make up a Church and undertake that they shall infallibly believe and persevere till they come to Heaven it must first comprise in it those individual persons which shall make up a Church or else it is lame and imperfect unworthy of the Divine Wisdom and Perfection running much after this rate as if God should say I design a Church but I care not of whom it consists which is much one as if God should design an Heaven and not what Stars should be in it or an Earth and not what Plants should be there All the members in mans body are written in Gods book Psal 139.16 And can any man imagine that those who should make up the Mystical Body of Christ as so many Members thereof are not certainly designed God calleth them by name Joh. 10.3 Your names are all down in the Book of Life Phil. 4.3 To design a Church and not who is too weak a thing for the all-wise Deity Again the design of a Church must undertake that those individual persons shall believe and persevere unless this be granted the design of a Church must be framed thus God gives a Saviour and a Gospel in common and over and above a power to men to believe and persevere and so though the issue hang upon mans will hopes for a Church But in Truth this is not to design a Church but the possibility of one there may be one as it may happen and there may be none And is this like that Divine Providence which is perfect in all things and especially in the great design of a Church Nay is it probable upon these terms that any should believe and persevere Innocent Adam and yet alas how soon was that Star shot was more likely to stand in his integrity than any man since upon those terms hath been to believe and persevere The disparity clears it The Divine principles in Adam sweetly inclined him to obedience But the power of believing in men doth not incline but only put the will in aequilibrio The Divine Principles in Adam were pure and without mixture But the power of believing hath in the same heart where it dwells an inmate of corruption which continually counter-works it In innocency the temptation stood without a courting the senses But after the Fall it makes nearer approaches as having a party within ready to open and betray every faculty These things considered methinks every one who with humble eyes looks on that glass of Creature defectibility which was made out of the broken pieces of fallen Adam should conclude it very improbable that any one in all the World upon those terms should believe and persevere it being no less than a proud thought for any to imagine that upon such great disparities he could act his part better than Adam did And is it reasonable that God should found the design of a Church upon such improbabilities The first Covenant in which the stock of Grace