a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Were all Doing for Life and an Eye to gain by Service such a legal and wicked thing as some represent it sure the blessed Jesus would have admonished his Disciples and not answer them as he doth Mat. 19. 27 28 29. Then answered Peter and said unto him behold we have forsaken all and followed thee What shall we have therefore And Jesus said unto them verily c. Ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel c. 4. The Doctor 's Argument from the Vanity of proposing our own Gain by Labour and Duties because all is fixed and given already is to make the Decree an effectual Means to overthrow the Government of Christ and brand all his Offers to Sinners with Weakness and Falshood Should not poor Sinners pray as they can abstain from Sin consider and apply the Word with an Eye to Conversion Why doth God call them to this Should not they wait and strive to believe and repent with an Eye to Forgiveness and escaping VVrath VVhy else should God encourage them with an Offer of these upon such Terms and tell the Unbelievers that they refuse these Mercies by new Forfeitures But by the Doctor 's Scheme the Elect may be idle and the Non-elect do best when they despair for there 's no Connexion between these Benefits and these Graces or Duties And so the Non-elect are in the same Case with Devils there being no serious Offer to them nay their Case is worse than Devils for these Offers are made to them for no other Design but to increase their Condemnation Nay every Sin of their's is the Sin against the Holy Ghost that is every Sin is alike the Unpardonable Sin and not only that Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost To say no more Christ hath no Rule of distributive Justice but his own eternal Purpose and Men's Regards to his promised Benefits are all forbidden even when our Respect to them is that which subserves his Government and is supposed in all the Methods of it 5. And why should we intend the Glory of God the Service of Christ or the Good of others Are not these as determined as our own Good Hath not God fixed and secured his own Glory Doth Christ need our services more than our selves Shall any other Persons receive more Good than God hath already given and provided for them Why should we intend these in our Duties more than our own Profit the very same Reason excuseth from all and so we ought to intend nothing at all I could shew had I Room that we cannot sincerely aim at our Souls good but we therein aim at God's Glory Nor doth God ever require us to intend his Glory but in a Concurrence with an Eye to our own Salvation TESTIMONIES You have seen in the last Chapter the Assembly's and Congregational Elders Judgment and that we are not the less under Grace for being encouraged to do good by the Promises c. The Case is so plain that I shall only give the Judgment of the greater part of those Reverend Divines whose Names are set in the Front of Dr. Crisp's Works and interpreted by the VVeak to a contrary purpose than what they intended These Divines in the Preface to Mr. Flavel's Book against Antinomianism which they approve of inform us That to say Salvation is not the End of any Good VVork we do or VVe are to act from Life and not for Life were to abandon the Humane Nature it were to teach us to violate the great Precepts of the Gospel it supposeth one bound to do more for the Salvation of others than our own 't were to make all the Threatnings of Eternal Death and Promises of Eternal Life we find in the Gospel of our blessed Lord useless as Motives to shun the one or obtain the other It makes the Scripture-Characters and Commendation of the most Eminent Saints a Fault Had I seen this sooner it might have spared some of my Reasons The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because we ought not to do any thing from Carnal Self-love therefore we ought to do nothing from Rational and Spiritual Self-love Because Christ redeemed us that we may not live to our selves as our own Lords therefore we must not in obeying him regard the Rewards he promiseth us as he is our Lord. Because we must aim at God's Glory above all therefore we must not at all intend our own happiness in the enjoyment of this God Because we must aim at the good of others therefore we must not aim at our own good Because we should obey God from Gratitude and Love therefore we should not obey him from any Hope or filial Fear Because God hath engaged to give Life and Happiness to the Elect when they have finished their warfare and work therefore they must not intend the obtaining that happiness in any part of that work or warfare CHAP. XV. Of the way to attain Assurance TRUTH THe ordinary way whereby a Man attaineth a well-grounded Assurance is not by immediate objective Revelation or an inward Voice saying Thy Sins are forgiven thee But when the Believer is examining his Heart and Life by the Word the holy Spirit enlightens the Mind there to discern Faith and Love and such other Qualifications which the Gospel declareth to be infallible Signs of Regeneration And he adds such power to the Testimony of Conscience for the Truth and In-being of these Graces as begets in the Soul a joyful sense of its reconciled State and some comfortable freedom from those Fears which accompany a doubting Christian and according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak ERROUR Assurance is not attained by the Evidence of Scripture-Marks or Signs of Grace or by the Spirits discovering to us that he hath wrought in our Hearts any holy Qualifications But Assurance comes only by an inward Voice of the Spirit saying Thy Sins are forgiven thee and our believing thereupon that our Sins are forgiven Proved that this is Doctor Crisp's Opinion P. 491. Would you know that the Lord hath laid your Iniquities on Christ you must know it thus 1. Is there a Voice behind thee or within thee saying particularly to thee in thy self Thy Sins are forgiven thee Dost thou see this Voice agree with the Word of Grace that is Dost thou see it held out to most vile and wretched Creatures as thou canst be and upon this Revelation of the Mind of the Lord by his Spirit according to that Word doth the Lord give thee to receive that Testimony of the Spirit to sit down with it as satisfied that upon this thou makest full reckoning thou hast propriety in this particularly to thy self If thou dost receive that Testimony according to that Word here is thy Evidence Thou hast thy Propriety and Portion in this On this Point the Doctor spends much time Serm. 15. is to prove That Love to the
Rom. 9. 6. 1. If it terminate on the natural Jews it 's the strongest Text for the Conversion of that People and describes the Extent of it viz. to all The Manner of it viz. by an immediate Influence for the most part and forgiving their Iniquities refers to their Sin in crucifying Christ for which that Blindness came upon them that is here removed If you take it in this Sence yet here is a Law written in the Heart which includes Faith in order to God's being their God and the Remission of their Sins 2. If true Believers or they that are inwardly Israel be meant as Rom. 2. 9. then it 's plain that there is Faith in all such who are the Parties with whom God makes this Covenant They are the Children of Abraham by Faith Gal. 3. 7. and no Unbelievers are Israel in this Notion If you take it thus the Text imports Perseverance great Sanctification and high Improvements in Holiness and Knowledge great Nearness to and Amity with God c. as the Benefits secured and reserved for the New-Testament-Times and all these to multitudes 2. It cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the new Covenant that as the Doctor would have it God doth not require any Duty as the Condition of the Benefits which he promiseth to give for here 's Gods Law written in the Heart before our Relation to him as his People or the Pardon of Sins and though this Text includes the Effects and Materials of the Covenant yet it doth not describe the whole Form of the Covenant for in other Places God requires the new Heart as a Condition of Life Ezek. 18. 31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will you die O House of Israel But turn and live Jer. 7. 23. c. Yea our Ministry which is the Ministry of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3. 6. is to preach Faith and Repentance for the Remission of Sin We are to promise the Benefits of the Covenant to all that submit to the Terms of it and to declare that all who refuse the Terms shall therefore be excluded from the Benefits as you 'll see Chap. 10 11 12 21. Testimonies You have already seen that the Assembly say the Covenant of Grace is conditional and Faith is a Condition of our Interest in Christ and Salvation and these are offered to Sinners on that Condition The Congregational Elders at the Savoy affirm as much Chap. 7. a. 3. The Lord was pleased to make a second Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Grace wherein he freely offers Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ requiring of them Faith in him that they may be saved You see they think there 's in the Covenant an Offer of Life if Men will believe and God requires Faith that we may obtain this Life The New England Synod confutes Errour 28. which was this To affirm there must be Faith on Man's Part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. This the Synod say is contrary to Mar. 16. 16. Errour 38. was That there can be no closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a Condition expressed The Synod say this is erroneous and contrary to Isa. 55. 1. Mat. 11. 28. Mar. 1. 5. and adds If the Gospel it self be laid down in a conditional Promise if the Apostles and Prophets laid hold on such Promises to help to Union then there may be a true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath Qualfications and Conditions expressed So they brand as Errour 48. That conditional Promises are legal And Errour 81. Where Faith is held forth by the Ministry as the Condition of the Covenant of Grace on Man's Part c. there is not sufficient Bread which the Synod thus confutes This Position seems to deny Faith to be a Condition at all or at all active and so if Condition in this place signifie a Qualification in Man wrought by the Holy Ghost without which the Promises do not belong to Men. This is contrary to Joh. 6. 48. Doctor Owen saith Treat of Justif. P. 264. That Christ undertook that those who were to be taken into this Covenant should receive Grace enabling them to comply with the Terms of it fulfill its Conditions and yield the Obedience which God required therein How frequently doth he assert that our Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant depends on our answering the Terms of the Gospel 270 303 c. 351. He informs us A Covenant doth not operate by meer Sovereignty it becomes not a Covenant without the Consent of them with whom it is made Wherefore saith he no Benefit accrues unto any or Freedom from the old Covenant by this Constitution unless he hath actually complied with it hath chosen it and is interessed in it thereby Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. 172. affirms That the Gospel holds forth Salvation before Faith indefinitely not definitely Generally not Particularly Conditionally to every one not Absolutely to any one Hence this indefinite Proposition Whosoever believeth shall be saved containeth a Command and a singular or particular Conditional Promise c. He often proves Faith to be the First Condition See Turretin Instit. Theol. pars 2. p. 203. where he proves the Covenant of Grace to be Conditional How poor is the number that denies it The Ground of the Doctor 's Mistake He thinks every thing is a Price to buy a Benefit which is a compliance with the way God hath ordained to bestow the Gift whereas there 's a buying without Price which is our Acceptance of Life upon the Terms of God's Offer Isa. 55. 1. He thinks because God hath promised to Christ That the Elect shall believe therefore God cannot make Faith a Condition of any other Blessing which he resolves to bestow in order after Faith He thinks because Christ is given to be a Covenant that is he is appointed as a Surety to see the great Ends of the Covenant accomplished and secured therefore there is nothing required from Men as the way of their Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant though under the influence of Christ. He thinks because Christ is appointed to work Faith in order to Union and other Benefits therefore we must have an actual Interest in Christ and those Benefits before this Faith is wrought He thinks because all Grace after Union comes from Christ as our actual Head therefore Christ by his Spirit can work no Grace in us as our designed Head He thinks because God sovereignly decreed what Benefits he would bestow therefore he hath as our Ruler stated no rectoral Method of bestowing those Benefits Because the Covenant is everlasting as to future therefore he judged there can be no Condition on Man's part not remembring that the Covenant secures our perseverance in performing those Conditions CHAP. IX Of the Nature of Saving Faith TRUTH I Shall express this in the words of the Assembly and Congregational Elders at the Savoy Confes.
of Faith ch 14. a. 2. Declarat ch 14. a. 2. of Saving Faith By this Grace a Christian believeth to be true whatever is revealed in the Word for the Authority of God speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular Passage thereof containeth yielding Obedience to the Commands Trembling at the Threatnings and Embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come But the principal Acts of Saving Faith are Accepting Receiving and Resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life by virtue of the Covenant of Grace Reader weigh this sound Account of Faith Which if it were regarded and no Essential part of it excluded when Faith is considered as a Condition of any Gospel-Benefit How much vain Disputes would be prevented as well as Danger to poor Souls And one would think no Man need prove That it is not Saving Faith when any Essential part of it is wanting And that it must be Saving Faith when we mention Faith as the Condition or Moral Instrument of any Saving Benefit ERROUR Saving Faith is nothing but our Persuasion or absolute Concluding within our selves That our Sins are pardoned and that Christ is ours Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion The Doctor tells us pag. 493. The whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Echo of the Heart answering the foregoing Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace Thy Sins are forgiven thee saith the Spirit and Word of Grace My Sins are forgiven me saith Faith And the Soul that can assume thus from the Spirit and Word of Grace hath the whole Essence of Believing When the Doctor pag. 107. puts a Man on examining his Faith he hath these words How do I know I believe in Christ He Answers Do I rest my Heart upon this Truth Do I receive it as a Truth that I do believe Or do I reject it and will not receive it Then I do not believe But if you sit down and rest upon this Truth and receive it and do in reality believe it then you may absolutely conclude Christ is yours And pag. 296. If the Lord I say again give to any to believe this Truth That it is his Iniquity the Lord hath laid on Christ God himself cannot charge one Sin on that Man And pag. 158. he makes the difference betwixt a strong and weak Believer to consist in the Degree of this Persuasion See more in chap. 10 11. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether Assurance be attainable in this Life as the Effect of Faith 2. Nor whether a Sinner ought to apply yea doth personally apply the general Offers of Christ and Life by his own Compliance with the Terms of the Gospel For upon a true Acceptance of a whole Christ he is mine in virtue of the Gospel Promise which God will perform in giving Christ and Life to all that accept of him as he is proposed for our Acceptance 3. Nor whether a convinced Sinner hath at first a more especial regard to Christ's Priestly Offices and Sufferings as what are more sensibly fitted to his guilty State 4. Nor whether every thing recorded in the Scriptures must not be dwelt on with the same regard concern and assurance as the Essentials of the Covenant of Life 5. Nor whether Faith contain in it a reliance on Christ as the only Saviour and on his Satisfaction and Merits as what alone purchased our Pardon and Acceptance as well as it includes the realizing Assent to the Truth and unfeigned fiducial Consent to and Acceptance of a whole Christ in all his Offices All these I affirm The real Difference 1. Whether the whole Essence of Saving Faith consists in an Inward Persuasion or Assurance that our Sins are pardoned and Christ is ours This the Doctor affirms and I deny yea I deny that it is at all of the Essence of Saving Faith 2. Whether Saving Faith include not in its nature that powerful efficacious Assent to the Word and fiducial consenting Acceptance of Christ as Prophet Priest and King with a Reliance on his Merits and obediential Regards to God as the TRUTH above-mentioned doth express This the Doctor denies and I affirm The Truth confirmed 1. Faith is not an Assurance or Inward Persuasion That Christ is ours and our Sins are pardoned For 1. Men may have this Persuasion who do not savingly believe They in Mat. 7. 22. had this when they cried Lord Lord open to us Neither did the foolish Virgins seem without it Mal. 25. 1 2. Yea it's what the most profligate Sinners grow secure by to their own Destruction and this upon the general Word of Grace 2. Many true Believers have not this Persuasion let common Experience be consulted 3. Such as have had Assurance do by the Doctor 's Opinion fall into the Sin of damning Unbelief whenever they doubt their Interest in Christ and especially if they conclude that they have not this Interest A sad Doom on many pious Souls 4. This Persuasion should suppose an Interest in Christ and doth not give it It 's a false Conclusion That Christ is mine before he is so And must the great term of Life be a Lye We are to examine our selves whether we be in the Faith and so whether Christ be in us before we assure our selves that he is in us 2 Cor. 13. 5. And where hath God made this Proposition My Sins are laid upon Christ to be the Object of Saving Faith This Proposition is not God nor Christ nor any part of the Scripture unless you suppose a General Redemption and that to the actual Pardon of every Sinner And as the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer so the Spirit speaks it to none but to the Believer as a Believer 2. Saving Faith includes the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. This appears 1. Faith can be no less than the Soul's Answer to the Call of God in our effectual Vocation And to this all those things are necessary 2 Pet. 1. 3. 2. The Scriptures describe Saving Faith by all these Acts It 's the Evidence of things not seen and Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. It 's a Receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. which must be as God gives him and that is a Witness a Leader and Commander of the People Isa. 55. 4. Acts 3. 26. to bless us in turning every one of you from his iniquity Rom. 15. 12. In him shall the Gentiles trust Isa. 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord which express consent 3. Christ cannot be received as a Saviour nor as the Way of a Sinner to God if Faith include not these Great things He is not a Saviour if you exclude any of his Offices and as an intire Saviour we must receive him Mat. 1. 21. Can any Man receive
And this is not in order to an Interest but to our Knowing it P. 106. The Dr. saith I must tell you There is no better way to know your Portion in Christ than upon the general tender of the Gospel to conclude absolutely he is yours c. Say to your selves and let not this be contradicted seeing Christ hath reached out himself to Sinners as Sinners My part is as good as any Man's Set down thy rest here question it not but believe it c. Venture thy Soul upon it without seeking for further Security But some will say He doth not belong to me Why not to thee he belongs to Sinners as Sinners and if there be no worse than Sinfulness Rebellion and Enmity in thee he belongs to thee as well as to any in the World A. 2. Not Believing or not Coming to Christ is nothing with the Doctor but not Concluding within one's self that Christ is mine Pag 203. It would be welcome to them to be certainly satisfied that his Blood is their Ransom and that their Sins are blotted out thereby but they dare not yet close with Christ they dare not set up their rest there they dare not sit down with any such Conclusion but still there is something or other that remains that must be removed out of the way before they can make this certain Conclusion Christ is their Christ. Now my Errand is to this sort of People whose hearts tell them If it could clearly appear that without danger to them they may say Christ is their Salvation and sit down with this c. but they dare not something or other is wanting they dare not lay hold on Christ and it's Presumption for them to sit down satisfied that Christ is their Christ. See p. 36 44 432 490. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not Whether there is in Christ a sufficiency of Merit and Grace to save the worst of Sinners 2. Nor Whether Christ is offered to the worst Sinners if they will accept of him on the Terms of the Gospel 3. Nor Whether the worst Sinners are often the Objects of God's Effectual Calling in order to an Interest in Christ 4. Nor Whether there may not be Knowledge Assent Convictions Humblings and feigned Resolves and yet a Soul fail of an Interest in Christ for want of true Conversion though they are hopeful Signs All these I affirm 5. Nor Whether the degrees of Convictions and Humblings be equal in all This I deny 6. Nor Whether Preparatory Qualifications do merit True Grace Yea Or Faith or Repentance do merit an Interest in Christ This I deny and say That their whole Use depends on Christ's Ordination 7. Nor Whether a Soul may neglect to accept of Christ as Prophet Priest and King because they feel not that degree of these Humblings and Convictions which they desire and expect This I deny 8. Nor Whether these Preparatory Qualifications be the Work of the Spirit by Common Grace This I affirm 9. Nor Whether their immediate Influence be to prepare the Soul for a true consenting Acceptance which they are hereby less averse to and more disposed for This I affirm though Dr. Owen adds No Man that wants these is a Subject capable of Justification See Treat of Justif. p. 109. Wherein the real Difference is 1. Wheâ—her Coming to Christ is an Inward Persuasion that Christ is mine This the Doctor affirms and I deny Of which see Chap. IX Of Saving Faith 2. Whether Christ is offered to Sinners with a design that they may conclude they have a Saving Interest in him before they are regenerated by the Spirit and savingly believe This the Doctor affirms and I deny 3. Whether the Soul of a Sinner as to its habitual Disposition and Purpose is under the reigning power of Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness till after it hath a Saving Interest in Christ This the Doctor affirms and I deny affirming this Disposition is altered in our Effectual Vocation and there can be no true Coming to Christ for Pardon and especially for Sanctification without that purpose 4. Whether some degrees of Convictions and Humiliation of Soul be necessary Prerequisites to the Soul 's true Acceptance of Christ for Pardon This the Doctor denies and I affirm The Truth Confirmed The main Question is decided by what I have spoken of Saving Faith For if Coming be not this Persuasion and Saving Faith be necessary to our Interest in Christ there remains little to prove Of this last see ch 11. Of Union and ch 8. Only consider That Christ cannot be offered to be ours on any lower Terms than such as by which he actually becomes ours by the Gospel-Grant It remains then that I briefly prove the Truth as contained in the Third and Fourth Questions 1. The Soul of a Sinner as to its habitual Disposition and Purpose is not under the reigning power of Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness till after it hath a Saving Interest in Christ. You see I speak not of Degrees of Sanctification nor Change of Practice but of a Disposition of Heart and Purpose of Mind This Truth appears 1. Effectual Vocation makes this Change in the Habitual Disposition of the Heart and this Vocation is necessary to our Interest in Christ. The Elders at the Savoy and the Assembly agree Decl. and Conf. ch 10. a. 1. That this Call lies in enlightning their Minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God taking away their Heart of Stone and giving them an Heart of Flesh renewing their Wills and by his Almighty Power determining them to that which is good effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his Grace And a. 2. Until being quickned and renewed by the Holy Spirit he is thereby enabled to answer this Call and embrace the Grace offered and conveyed in it Thou seest what a great Change is made on the Heart and Mind by Effectual Calling and that our Answer to this Call which lies in a Consent answerable to this Change in the Faculties is the Means of our Interest in the offered Grace which is Christ and his Benefits It 's a Call to Life see Joh. 5. 25. The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live It 's a Call to Holiness 1 Thes. 4. 7. Hence called a Holy Calling 2 Tim. 1. 9. A Call to Light 1 Pet. 2. 9. If any doubt whether our Vocation be a Means to our Interest in Christ see 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful by whom you are Called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. How inconsistent with Vocation Regeneration and Conversion are Hearts of such vile Disposition Is this a Heavenly Calling Heb. 3. 1. What would it avail to make such a Calling sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Is this being Born not of the Will of the Flesh but of the Will of God Joh. 1. 13. Doth the new Birth or Circumcision
is their Father though they resolve against being Separate Men can though God saith they cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils 1 Cor. 10. 21. For Union and Communion with Christ be the Heart of the Benefits included in partaking of the Lord's Table Reader Weigh these things and thou canst hardly conceive what Act of God an Union before Faith can be ascribed to It 's not to the Decree for that only resolveth it shall be in future It 's not to God's appointing or Christ's engaging to be a Mediator for thereby he undertook in time to raise a Seed which in the fulness of Time God would gather in one in him Eph. 1. 10. It 's not in Christ's assuming the humane Nature for that admits all Mankind to be united to him as well as the Elect. And what Mr Sterry and others talk of a radical Union with Christ as he is the top Branch or the universal Spirit of the Creation in a Nature distinct from his Divine and Humane it's fordid to such who know of but two Natures in Christ and if granted would not prove the Doctor 's Notion of actual Union TESTIMONIES The Assembly Confess Ca. 26. a. 1. and the Elders at the Savoy Chap. 27. a. 1. affirm That we are united to Jesus Christ by-his Spirit and by Faith A. 5. Only the Elders add We are not thereby made one Person with Christ. The Lesser Catechism hath this Question How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual Calling The New England Synod confute this as Errour 37. We are compleatly united to Christ before or without any Faith wrought in us by the Spirit They sum up their Confutation of this in these VVords If there be no Dwelling of Christ in us no coming to him no receiving him no being married to him before and without Faith But the former is true Errour 16. which Boston Church charged Mr. Hutcheson with was That Union to Christ is not by Faith Errour 38. The Synod Confutes is There can be no true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a Condition expressed Errour 69. Though a Man can prove a gracious VVork in himself and Christ to be the Author of it if thereby he will prove Christ to be his this is but a sandy Foundation He never read Doctor Owen who did not find him as express in this as any Man can be Norton Orthod Evang. P. 291. Union in order of Nature though not of Time followeth Vocation P. 181. Union not without the Act of Faith P. 222. It 's by the Spirit and Faith The Grounds of the Dr's Mistake Because Christ is appointed and given to raise a Body eternally elected thereto therefore he thinks they are this Body before they be raised Because all After-Grace is from Christ as our actual Head therefore he thinks Christ cannot by his Spirit work the first Grace as our designed Head VVhereas the Spirit makes us an Habitation to God Eph. 2. 22. And it 's a strange conceit that Christ can exert no Act of Power on a dead Soul in order to Union but Men must infer that Union prior to it Because the natural Body cannot see without a Head therefore Christ cannot convert a Sinner to bring him into his mystical Body One might better infer the Head cannot see without the Body and the Body sees as much as the Head and the Head sees no better than the Body and so conclude Christ can see nothing till every elect Person be a Member and every Member seeth as well as Christ and the dim Sight of every Member makes the Sight of Christ as blind as his Because Christ received Gifts for the Rebellious that God might dwell among them therefore God dwells among them before those Gifts operate or be communicated to them Whereas the Apostle Eph. 4. 10 11 12. tells us how these Gifts are the Means by which the Elect are converted and made Believers and so come to partake of Union with its peculiar Effects Because from the Parable of the Vine the Gardiner puts the Graff into the Tree before there 's Sap or Fruit therefore he thinks a Man is in Christ before God puts him in Christ by the Spirit and Faith which is the only ingraffing the VVord tells us of besides external Church Privileges Rom. 11. 17 19. I may as well argue a Member of Christ must always do wicked VVorks because the Graff bears always Fruit of its own Kind and not after the Kind of the Stock into which it is ingrafted How sad is it to strain and abuse Parables or Metaphors against the Scope of the Gospel because God condescends to explain some Truths thereby as if all that belongs to the Metaphor teach and prove any Doctrine because that one Point for which the Lord useth it is illustrated thereby VVhat VVork may soon be made by fond People if this be true Because we are chosen in Christ from eternity that is elected to obtain Life by him as Mediator therefore we are one with him before any uniting Bonds Reader I forbear to represent the Nature of this Union as he seems to state it P. 104 105 648 649 615. hoping he meant better than many of his VVords do import but for thy own Good know that upon believing we are made Partakers of Gospel-Benefits we are related to him for all the Advantages which the Metaphors of this Union express He loveth enricheth and honoureth us as a Man doth his Wife He directs rules and quickens us as a Head doth the Members He ministers Grace for Fruit and Exercise as the Root doth to the Branches Yea This Relation he 'll keep undissolved and yet more the very Spirit that his Humane Nature received in Fulness abides in and worketh a Conformity to the Life and Temper of Christ in all his Members which at last he will perfect to the utmost of our Capacity But yet fansie not that we are deified with God or christified with Christ or one natural Person with him as if he had a superangelick Nature which was a sort of a commen Soul or that our distinct Personality shall ever cease with other Notions destructive of God's Government and of all Judgment Beware of confounding God and the Creature or making Christ the Subject of our Graces because he is the Author of them Obj. But you said in the Errour that Men are said to receive Christ against their VVills A. The Doctor tells us Our first receiving of Christ is when Christ comes by the Gift of the Father to a Person while he is in the Stubbornness of his own Heart and the Father doth force open the Spirit of that Person and pours in his Son in spight of the Receiver P. 99. In P. 98. It 's as a Physician poureth Physick down the Patient's Throat and so it works against his Will
5 15 16 17 18 19. It 's the same with Churches see the 2d and 3d. Chap. of the Revelations IV. Men should govern their Expectations and Fears according to the Conformity of their Hearts and Behaviour to the Rule of the Promise It 's Unbelief not to expect the Good promised when we answer the Condition of it It 's obstinate Hardness and Security not to expect the threatned Evil when we are guilty of the Sin or Neglect threatned There 's no grounded Hopes or Fears but this way all else are Enthusiastick The End of God in these Declarations of his Will are not otherwise complied with God often condemns all Hopes as vain that are not thus regulated and by this Rule the Servants of God governed themselves I need not cite Texts for things so plain V. God is better pleased with his People in the exercise of Grace and Holiness than when they neglect these and do the contrary What Notions have Men of God of Grace and Sin that they should need Proof for this Is it not by the Exercise of Grace and Holiness that we approve our selves to God 2 Tim. 2. 15 Is it not With such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. 16. Was it not by his Faith and Divine Walk that Enoch pleased God Heb. 11. 5. What meaneth the Apostle You have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God 1 Thes. 4. 1. The Saint's Charity is called An Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God We are charged to walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing Col. 1. 10. Of the Obedience of Children he saith This is well-pleasing to the Lord. What great things of this Nature are spoken of Prayer Praises and other Good VVorks VVhereas God is fretted grieved vexed provoked to anger and abhorrence by our Sins and Neglects How can we apprehend that God is as well pleased with us when testifying our Enmity as our Love when rejecting his Authority as doing his Will Are the Fruits of the Spirit alike to him as the Fruits of the Flesh And can the Image of the Devil render us as grateful as his own Image and the Life of his Son Obj. It 's for Christ's Incense these are accepted Ans. But Christ's Incense will not be applied to our Sins but to our Graces and Duties and that shews they are more pleasing to God than our Sins be And again They are these Graces and Duties which are accepted for the sake of Christ His Incense will not be denied to them and thereby they are well-pleasing to the Lord and tend to render us so Davenant de Justitia Actuali and Others say much more VI. The Holiness Graces Perseverance Obedience and Good Works of Believers do them much Good and are profitable to them Read over what I have proved at large and canst thou doubt whether they benefit us when they are the VVay to Heaven the Means of Happiness c. A wise Man may be profitable to himself though not to God Job 22. 2. Godliness is profitable to all things having the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. These Things are profitable to Men Tit. 3. 8. Not only to other Men but principally to our selves Though I have all Faith if I have not Charity I am nothing and whatever else I suffer yet without this it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor. 13. 2 3. Circumcision or Uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. Sure that 's something In keeping these there is great Reward Psal. 19. 11. Glory Honour and Peace to every one that doth good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of Persons with God Rom. 2. 10 11. Nehemiah and Hezekiah pleaded a false Plea if it were true there 's nothing to be gotten The Care of Saints to adapt their Actings to the Rule of the Promise is a very needless thing So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. If a Man strive for Masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully 1 Tim. 2. 5. The Galatians must be but little moved when told Ch. 3 4. Are ye so foolish c. Have ye suffered so many things in vain for all is in vain Is Peace of Conscience nothing Is inward Rejoycing nothing Yet how Paul came by these he tells you 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our Rejoycing is this The Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with Fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World His Directions for inward Joy and Peace you have Gal. 6. 4. Let every Man prove his own Work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone I shall not trouble thee with Reasons to prove that Grace Holiness and Obedience are useful to prevent Evil. I leave it to thy Experience if thou art a good Man and referr it to what thou wilt feel hereafter i thou art a bad Man If there were no more these do prevent Sin which in Chap. 17. I hope to prove is not so innocent as to do us no harm Reader To summ up all I appeal to thee 1. Whether God doth require any more of any Sinners for Salvation than that they believe in Christ repent of Sin persevere in true Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works internal and external and if we do so can we perish hath not Christ provided all else and doth not the Promise secure Life upon doing these 2. If any Sinner believe not and repent not hath Christ ever promised to save him Will any decree or the Merits of Christ secure him Again if any penitent Believer shall apostatize prove ungodly and unfruitful hate God or neglect to love God and his Neighbour wholly c. Shall this Man be saved Hath not Christ determined the contrary Will his first Faith save him A Resolution of these two things according to the very Scope of the Word will decide the Main of this Controversie These assert the Rule of Christ's rectoral Distributions and the Decree comes not in opposition to the Methods of his Government by which we are to govern our Hopes and Fears TESTIMONIES The Assembly Confess Chap. 19. a. 6. and the Elders at the Savoy declare Chap. 19. a. 6. The Promises of the Law in like manner shew them God's Approbation of Obedience and what Blessings they may expect upon the Performance thereof although not as due to them by the Law as a Covenant of Works so a Man's doing and refraining from Evil because the Law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other is no Evidence of his being under the Law and not under Grace Both the Assembly and the Elders say Chap. 15. a. 6. The Persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good Works also are accepted in him not as though they were in this Life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in his Sight but
Brethren Universal Obedience Sincerity and Singleness of Heart and all other inherent Qualifications are not Signs by which we should judge our state Serm. 16. he calls the Revealing Evidence of the Spirit and endeavours to prove this Immediate Revelation P. 473. he puts this Objection We will not deny but it is the Voice of the Spirit will satisfie the Case But suppose I hear such a Voice c. Here is the doubt If the Word it self did bear witness to this particular Voice of the Spirit then could I be satisfied this were the Voice of the Spirit of God that speaks but if the Word do not bear witness to this Voice c. I dare not trust it He Answers This Voice is always according to the Word But P. 475. he tells us The Word according to which the Spirit of the Lord speaks when he speaks Peace to his People is the Word of Grace And that Word of Grace is no more but this God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them This is the Word of Grace according to which it speaks reconciling the World to himself even the World when Men are no otherwise but merely Men of the World Reader Thou seest that the Spirit 's Voice according to the Word is no more than according to the general Account That Christ came to save Sinners And so if any Sinner have this inward Voice that Voice is according to the Word whether he be a regenerate Person or no. The Doctor in this Page and Page 476. shews That if this Voice be according to this general Rule we must not try it by any thing else or question it And adds As for Example There is the Voice of the Word of Grace we are justified freely by his Grace and there is this Voice in the Spirit of Man telling him according to this word That his Sins are forgiven him How shall I know saith he that this Voice is the Voice of the Spirit of God For Answer let me ask but this Question Is there any thing in the world of better credit than the Spirit himself And P. 474. Beware that you make not the credit of the Voice of the Spirit to depend upon the Word Obj. But he seems to allow Faith to give Assurance But I Ans. he tells us p. 491. Not as a Revealing Evidence nor as an effecting Evidence but it is a Receiving Evidence or it is an Evidence as it doth receive that Testimony which the Spirit holds out c. Faith doth take possession of that which the Spirit reveals and manifests to a Person c. It clears the Title to us though good in it self before c. And P. 493. Faith is the Echo of the Heart to the Voice of the Spirit The Doctor 's meaning is That Faith doth not evidence our Pardon as it is a Grace wrought in the Soul by the Spirit or as a holy Qualification but only as it doth assent to and rest in this inward Voice Obj. But he seems to own that Sanctification is some Evidence A. He tells us how P. 482. viz. When the Testimony of the Spirit is received by Faith and the Soul sits down satisfied with that Testimony of the Lord then also the gifts of God's Spirit do bear witness together with the Spirit of the Lord and the Faith of a Believer You see there must be Assurance first and then these do witness after not to guide our Hopes but over and above See P. 100. There 's no better way to know your Portion in Christ than on the general tender of the Gospel to conclude absolutely he is yours Wherein the difference is not 1. It is not Whether the Spirit witnesseth by his miraculous Operations to Christ and the Gospel which is a Truth and the meaning of many of the Texts which the Doctor produceth 2. Nor Whether the Spirit as a Worker of Grace in the Heart be an Earnest of Glory and Witness to our State 3. Nor Whether the Spirit witnesseth by and with the Conscience in the Manifestation of our Graces for Assurance 4. Nor Whether the Spirit of God may in some extraordinary Cases give an immediate Testimony by a Voice or some equivalent Impressions But then there is the Truth of Grace in the Heart though it was doubted before and nothing utterly inconsistent with true Grace either is in the Heart nor then appeareth to the Conscience All these I affirm The real Difference 1. Whether none attain Assurance but by the inward Voice of the Spirit pronouncing the actual Forgiveness of their Sins without manifesting their true Grace and Sanctification This the Doctor affirms and I deny 2. Whether the usual way of attaining Assurance is by the Conscience upon trial discerning and concluding through the help of the Spirit that a Man hath those Graces or Signs which describe a Man blessed and pardoned according to the Gospel This I affirm and the Doctor denies The Truth confirmed 1. This is the way which God appoints to attain Assurance 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Here we are to try What 's our great Enquiry to be about Are we in the Faith which may respect Faith inherent or the Doctrine of Faith professed He concludes they must inferr Christ is in them except they had vile Hearts or were Men as to the frame of their Hearts unapproved by God For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure How was this to be done By adding Grace to Grace abounding therein and carefully looking that these things be in you See from ver 5. to 11. 2. This is the way whereby the Scripture-Saints were assured They concluded their Justification by Sanctification and a State of Peace by the Truth of Grace 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Ver. 9. And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him How was this See Ver. 18. Let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth and hereby we know c. Thus David Paul and other Saints concluded the safety of their state 3. Conscience is bound to condemn every Man in whom the contrary to these Graces do appear yea where it 's evident that they are wholly wanting It 's otherwise a seared Conscience 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is not the Candle of the Lord in Man Now there can be no Assurance where the Conscience condemns as the Apostle argueth 1 Joh. 3. 19 20 21. 4. The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 16. It doth not witness before our Spirit doth witness It is not a separate Testimony from our Spirits but it concurs with our Spirit as its Instrument
Our Spirits witness in the light of the Spirit as 1 Cor. 9. 1. My Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost 5. A Testimony of the Spirit giving an Evidence of Pardon without any Evidence of Grace is not according to the Word of Grace for the Word of Grace never declareth any Sinners are pardoned but believing penitent Sinners It is not as mere Sinners the Word pardoneth for it flatly condemneth and leaves Guilt on all impenitent Unbelievers as I have proved chap. 8. 12. Therefore if there should be a Voice a true Voice of God carrying it 's own Evidence saying Thy Sins are forgiven it doth at the same time and by the same Voice witness to the truth of our Grace because he forgives no other according to the Word of the Gospel And if the Spirit should say to an impenitent Soul Thou art pardoned while such it is no Promise in the Gospel nor according to it but a new Promise and not to be tried by the VVord and the Writers thereof having had more of the Spirit than any now can pretend to it 's dangerous to rest on that Voice which will not bear the Tryal by the VVord c. 6. To have the ordinary way of Assurance to be as it 's stated by the opposite Errour hath very dangerous Consequences Most Saints must quit their Hopes and Assurance for they never had this Voice though they have greater stamps of the Spirit than any I ever knew pretend to this It makes all Examination useless and vain It overturneth one of the great Uses God hath assigned to the work of his Grace on the Heart It makes Assurance impossible without this miraculous Voice which can hardly carry its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all It 's a way too far Enthusiastick to be allowed in so stated a Case It gives the Devil a great advantage against Sinners to live in Sin and against honest People if once they find cause to question this Voice Yea it sets up the Spirit against it self if any can boast of Assurance by this Voice when their State is justly challengeable by the Gospel as wanting all sight of Gospel-Marks TESTIMONIES The Assembly in Confes. ch 18. a. 2. say It 's an Infallible Assurance of Faith founded upon the Divine Truth of the Promises of Salvation the inward Evidences of those Graces unto which these Promises are made the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God And a. 3. they tell us A Believer being enabled by the Spirit may without extraordinary Revelation in the right use of ordinary Means attain thereunto And therefore it is the Duty of every one to give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure that thereby his heart may be enlarged in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost c. as say the Cong Elders chap. 18. a. 3. See a. 4. Both shew how Assurance may be revived from the Graces in the Heart The Synod of New-England oft confute the contrary Errour which it seems was one that sadly troubled them Errour 44. No createâ— Work can be a manifest Sign of God's Love Errour 47. The Seal of the Spirit is limited only to the immediate witness of the Spirit nor doth ever witness to any Work of Grace or Conclusion by a Syllogism Errour 67. A Man cannot evidence his Justification by his Sanctification but he must needs build upon his Sanctification and trust to it Errour 72. It 's a Soul-damning Errour to make Sanctification an Evidence of Justification Errour 77. Sanctification is so far from evidencing a good State thâ—â— it darkens it rather and a Man may more clearly see Christ when he seeth no Sanctification than when he doth The darker my Sanctification is the brighter is my Justification The Synod shew at large how each of these are contrary to the Scriptures And one 〈◊〉 the evil Speeches they confute p. 19. I may know I am Christ's Not because I do crucifâ—â— the Lusts of the Flesh but believe in Christ that crucified my Lusts for me See Errour 63 69. The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because the Spirit of God is a Comforter therefore he cannot comfort us by helping us to see the VVork of his Grace in order to Joy in his Blessings Because the Spirit was to convince the World of Christ's Righteousness as what alone could procure Life therefore he tells Men that they have an Interest in it without shewing them any change on their Hearts Because he was to take of Christ's Fulness and shew it to his Disciples therefore he immediately speaks peace to the hearts of such as are or at least appear his resolved Enemies Because by the Spirit of Adoption we cry Abba Father therefore we need not find any love to God to know that we are his Children Because the Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God therefore he witnesseth alone without so much as revealing to our Spirits that we have the temper of Children Whereas there are many great Effects of the Spirit manifest on the Souls of them to whom the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 11 12 14 15 16. And the design of the place is more to express our Dignity and free Access to God under a Gospel-state than mere Assurance of Forgiveness Because a Natural Man cannot perceive the Riches of the Promise and the Spirit enableth a Spiritual Man by his Teachings to perceive the nature of them therefore by an immediate Voice he discovers to the Natural Man his Propriety in them even while he is and appears Natural Because there is Imperfection in the Graces of a Saint therefore he cannot see the Sincerity of them by the help of the Spirit without an immediate Voice CHAP. XVI Of God's seeing Sin in Believers and their Guilt by it c. TRUTH THe Sins of Believers have the Loathsomness of Sin adhering to them which God seeth and accounteth the Committers guilty thereby And they ought to charge themselves therewith so as to stir up themselves to Repentance and renew their Actings of Faith on Christ for Forgiveness Nevertheless they ought not thereby to fear their being out of a Justified State further than their Falls give them just cause of suspecting that Sin hath dominion over them and that their first believing on Christ was not sincere ERROUR God seeth no Sin in Believers though he see the Fact neither doth he charge them with any Sin nor ought they to charge themselves with any Sin nor be at all sad for them nor confess repent or do any thing as a Means of their Pardon no nor in order to assuring themselves of Pardon even when they commit Murther Adultery or the grossest VVickedness Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion Reader Note That the Doctor speaks most of this concerning a Person as Elect though he uses the word Believer sometimes because he alone knows that he is Elect by
loved Rev. 3. 19. Was not that for Sin which you find 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep What meaneth God when he saith he 'll be Sanctified in his offending Children He cannot hide his Face for Sin nor abate his gracious Influences for Sin and not shew Displeasure for Sin against the Offenders whom he so deserts How wickedly have most pious Persons been employed while they have humbly owned their Sins to be the cause of God's Withdraws and Corrections if what I assert be not a Truth And how strange such Texts You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth and therefore I will punish you for your Iniquities Amos 3. 2. Now who dare tell God Lyes to his Face c. TESTIMONIES You have seen the Assembly and Elders in the Savoy positively assert this Truth in my last Chapter which again consult And large Catech. Q How doth Christ execute the Office of a King Ans. among other things I Rewarding their Obedience and Correcting his People for their Sins The Provincial Synod of London p. 16. recite as one of the dangerous Errours of that day That God doth not chastize any of his Children for Sin nor is it for the Sins of God's People the Land is punished The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because God laid on our Sins on Christ to make Atonement for the Forgiveness of the Elect when they repent therefore God cannot be offended with the Elect for them before they repent Because God doth not hate the Believer as an unreconciled God when he sins therefore he is not at all displeased with him because of the grossest Sins Because the Refiner is not angry with his Gold which never could offend him when he casts it into the Fire therefore a holy God is no way angry with rational Offenders when he corrects them for their Reformation Because God will not hate a Believer so as to damn him therefore he cannot be angry with his People so as Fatherly to chastize them Because God afflicts from Sin therefore he doth not also afflict for Sin as if he could not rebuke for what is past if he resolve not against their amendment for time to come It seems also that the Doctor was led into his Opinion by not considering that Anger or Displeasure be not Passions in God but a Will of Correcting and are denominated from the kinds and degrees of Corrections CHAP. XIX Of the Beauty of sincere Holiness TRUTH THough the present sincere Holiness of Believers be not perfect according to the Precepts of the Word nor Valuable by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency nor any Atonement for our Defects and we still need Forgiveness and the Merits of Christ for Acceptance thereof yet as far as it prevails it 's lovely in it self and pleasing to God and is not dung or filth ERROUR The greatest Holiness in Believers though wrought in them by the Holy Ghost is mere Dung Rottenness and Filthiness as in them Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion P. 232. Know that the motions and assistance of the Spirit be pure holy and without scum in the Spring to wit it self yet by that time these Motions and Assistances have passed through the channels of our Hearts and been mixed with our manifold Corruptions in doing even the whole Work becomes polluted and filthy our filthiness alters the property of the pure motions of Christ's Spirit c. As one drop of Poyson injected into the rarest Cordial makes the whole and every drop of the whole Mortal so that except the best of our Works can pass through us without the least touch or mixture of any Defect or Pollution it cannot but be Dung c. And whereas it may seem harsh that even what is the Spirit 's must be involved within that which is a Man 's own under the general Notion of Dung Know that it once being mixed with our filth ceaseth to be the Spirit 's and becomes our own It was the Spirit 's when injected but our Flesh being like the Viper's Stomach turns the wholsomest Food into Poyson or like an ulcerous Tumour that turns the purest Spirits and soundest Flesh into rottenness And some of this ulcerous Flesh remains in the best Saints on Earth and mingles it self in the best service and so turns the whole into its own nature P. 414. All our Righteousness are filthy full of menstruosity the highest kind of filthiness Do not say he meaneth that our gracious Actings are too imperfect to be the Righteousness for which we are Justified No he must intend more for that would not make them Dung or Rottenness and cease to be the Spirit 's it would only argue they are Imperfect c. He hath abundance of such terms to make Holiness vile as before he said much to render Sin innocent to the Elect. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not Whether the Holiness or best Acts of a Saint be such or so perfect as to atone for his Sin or procure a state of Pardon 2. Nor whether our Holiness can make us accepted with God without Christ. 3. Nor whether the holiest Action of the holiest Saint is such as not to need forgiveness 4. Nor whether by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency Sincere Holiness could be accounted Holiness All these I deny and the last because nothing but perfect conformity to the Precept was Holiness whereas the Gospel-Grace makes a great difference between True Holiness though Imperfect and what 's formally Wickedness between sincere Love and Enmity sincere Faith and utter Unbelief The real Difference 1. Whether the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions be really Dung and Rottenness This the Doctor affirms and I deny yet I own we should so esteem it is compared with Christ as meritorious of Justification 2. Whether sincere Holiness as far as it prevails in our Hearts and Actings be truly lovely in it self and pleasing to God according to the Grace of the Gospel and is not Dung. This I affirm and the Doctor denies The Truth confirmed Consider That whatever is spoken of Holiness in any mere Man on Earth since the Fall is spoken of Sincere Holiness for Perfect Holiness none had I have room but to expostulate this Matter Is that Dung which is the effect of Regeneration in the Soul and Actings Is that Dung which is so often honoured with the Name of the Spirit it self and called the Spirit of Love Prayer c. I not that more lovely which is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. How aimable must that be which is the New Man after God's Image Eph. 4. 24. The New Heart Ezek. 18. 31. The Law of God in the Heart and the Grace of God Are those Works Dung to which we are created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 10. and enabled by the Spirit Or is that Filthiness which renders Saints the Excellent of the