Christ's Mediation to bring us to God Cross to be gloried in Cross outward and inward Effect of Cross-crucifixion Procured by outward cross Philosophy Christianity Christ the Sacrifice and Priest Christians true Sacrifices and Priests Decrees Christ's doing and suffering our doing and suffering Corollaries Christ a Priest Christ quickened by his eternal spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King p. 224 APPENDIX OR Application to the Clergy and Laity Title 1. Of the Clergie's Calling Word Sacraments Gospel-spirit p. 243 Title 2. Of the Clergie's Doctrine Precepts Promises Conditions p. 244 Title 3. Of the Clergie's Persons p. 246 Title 4. Of the Clergie's Study Law Law-terms p. 247 Title 5. Of the Laitie's Calling p. 251 Title 6. Of the Laitie's Doctrine ibid. Title 5. Of the Laitie's Persons p. 252 Title 8. Of the Genius of the Gospel Joy Fear Decrees Gospel dispensations Worship spiritual Ceremonies Difference of Mosaick and Christian Rites Church of Rome Perfection of Christianity Spiritual perfection Ritual worship abolished No other Rites to be superinduced No Rites ever pleased God Greater perfections in the Christian Religion Prayer and other duties are Relativi Juris p. 254 THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Volume of the Estate of God The First Book Of Rights Title 1. Of Things TRansition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right p. 287 Title 2. Of Persons Personality Forfeiture Freedom Falling Recovery p. 293 Title 3. Of Rights Transition Right Definition Instances Independency Indifferency Liberality Creation Donation Declaration Faction Reception Justification Private right Publick right Justice Rights to God Rights to body and soul Rights to wife Rights to children Rights to estate and honour Rights not to be violated Day of Judgment Shame To be right To make right To bestow right To have right To do right Collections Rather hurt self than others Moral honesty not doubted of Vse Reason Reason of Nature Equity of Conscience Tricks in law Severity of old in the Church Man's judgment Relations Friendship Possibility of law Fates Justice in God and Man Wrong none Truth evident Caution p. 295 Title 4. Of Actions Transition Intention Execution Free-will Imperfection Willingness Implicit faith Social actions Jussion p. 316 The Second Book Of Titles Title 1. Of a Sinner Transition Vnjust legally Vnjust morally Vnjust jurally Oppressed Blemished Distressed Tainted p. 322 Title 2. Of Original sin Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of Tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniata p. 326 Title 3. Of a Just man Just Just legally Just morally Just jurally Right Accounting God righteous 349 The Third Book Of Justification Title 1. Of the Name of Justification The term Justifie Accounting Synonyma Bondage Freedom Burden Corporation Other names p. 357 Title 2. Of the form of Justification Imputation Logick Logistick Christ's Righteousness p. 364 Title 3. Of the Matter of Justification Right Corporation Impunity Liberty Provision Protection Audience Alliance Resurrection Jurisdiction Glory Rights of Christ Expectation Supplication Possession p. 371 Title 4. Of the Title of Justification Free grace Titles Birth Purchase Desert Favour Condemnation Gifts Impunity Election Glory Boasting Will of the Receiver Will of the Donor Free grace begins at God's will Free grace makes the Title stronger Free grace makes for God's grace and glory Justification is the best state of love All Rights are from Grace Donation Election Promise God justifieth Christ justifieth The wrong title Law Allegory of the two Covenants Ishmael and Isaac Hagar and Sarah Law a Covenant of bondage Gospel a Covenant of liberty Jacob and Esau Works p. 380 Title 5. Of the Continuance of Justification Relapse a revolt from God Breach of one Party disobligeth the other Mutability of Justification Kingdom of God Natural man Spiritual man Forfeiture Example of Israelites p. 398 Title 6. Of the Tenure of Justification Transition Works James 2.18 explained Works of love p. 405 Title 7. Faith Notions of Faith Credence Trust Promise given Promise taken Re-promise Courage Hope Covenant Faith in Christ Christ the conveyer of faith Christ the author of faith Declaring God's will Proving God's will Testament ad pias Causas Physical operation Moral operation Saving faith Means of faith A new heart 409 The Fourth Book Of Sanctification Title 1. Of the Spirit Transition Spirit the first Agent Hidden man Outward man Natural man Supernatural inspiration Penal and grievous Beneficial and gracious Holy spirit Spiritual man p. 421 Title 2. Of Conscience Definition Seat Vnderstanding Will Memory Reflection p. 424 Title 3. Of the disposition of Conscience To direct To urge To register To testifie To accuse Before the action In the action After the action p. 425 Title 4. Of the indisposition of Conscience Suspension of the offices of Conscience In good men In evil men Ignorance Learning Riches Poverty Self-love Idleness Prejudice Companions God 's not regarding Cross sins Success Satisfaction Want of a spiritual Clergy p. 431 Title 5. Of the restitution of Conscience Believe Conscience Not believe Conscience Self-examination Forsake sin Confess sin Collections p. 440 Title 6. Of a New Creature Transition Old man Old leaven Natural man Carnal mind New man New lump Spiritual mind New birth First resurrection Old creation Concurrency of God and man p. 444 Title 7. Of the Flesh and Spirit Transition Sensual and Spiritual life Mind and will of Flesh and Spirit Life in man threefold Spiritual senses and passions Life of Faith Corollaries Conclusion p. 450 The Fifth Book Of Assurance Title 1. Of the Nature of Assurance Transition Promises Publick Faith Spirit Waiting p. 455 Title 2. Of the Grounds of Assurance Matter of Fact Matter of Right Matter of Witness Spirit of Assurance Ability Sealed Earnest p. 460 Title 3. Of the Kinds of Assurance Names Species p. 465 Title 4. Of the Abuse of Assurance Doctrine of Masses Of no Salvation without the Pale of the Church Of lying still in sin Imputed Righteousness Collections Cautions Obstructions Rules Election p. 468 The Sixth Book Of Tenures Title 1. Of Allodium Transition Estates Allodium Lordship Model from the Goths Etymology Crown Lands Caution Apology p. 476 Title 2. Of Feudum Name Definition Promise Investiture Felony p. 481 The Seventh Book Of Christ's Church and Kingdom Title 1. Of a Feudal Kingdom Transition Feudal Customes Feudal Kingdoms best Goths and Vandals Goths honest Goths endowed the Church first with Lands and Lordships Jus Feudale Manners of Goths Resemblances of a Feudal Kingdom Blessedness Cursedness Church Militant Church Triumphant Tenure of Heaven conditional Holding of God Absolute dominion Feuds a middle government Christ sole Judge Customes in a Feudal kingdom Excellency of a Feudal government Collections Parables run not on all four Tenure of
all these So the Church hath her Pupillage and Tutorage and also her Majority and full Age. However God revealed himself at sundry times and after divers manners by his Servants to the infant Church in former Ages Heb. 1.2 yet in these last and riper daies he hath more fully revealed himself by his Son Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 10 11 12. ready to be revealed in the last time of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angels desire to look into And these all having obtained a good report through Faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect SECTION II. Jews a childish People The Jews are reckoned a childish People who though they had perpetual Oracles Miracles and Prophets among them as evidences of God's Presence and Protection yet they fell of shamefully to Idolatry A Prodigy GOD being daily in their eye and as it were handled by them in Egypt at the Red-Sea by a Pillar of Fire by night and of Cloud by day in the Wilderness giving them the Law and Manna from heaven c. in the Tabernacle and in the Temple when they came into the Land of Canaan That all along they should distrust his Goodness and Rebel against him But after seventy years Captivity that sore and lasting Calamity for all their Idolatries they began to come to their Wits arriving at some degree of maturity and growth The Temple so destroyed and now so proudly re-edified and their Enemies still increasing upon them and God withdrawing his visible presence from them by little and little and no Angel nor Prophet appearing to comfort them they were taught that there was some higher Worship and more Spiritual happiness intended for them than the Law did promse And they began by degrees to elevate their minds to seek him in his proper dwelling place of Heaven and to rely upon Coelestial and Eternal Promises as appeared by the constancy of their Sufferings under Antiochus even to Martyrdom in the Hope that their Fathers the best of them had That they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 Thus their Affections were weaned by degrees towards the dawning of the Gospel and the Day-spring from on high which was shortly to visit them All hopes of Temporal happiness failing them being put under the Roman-yoke also which they so much abhorred the Wisest among them did look up higher than this World and waited for the greater Consolation of Israel who was to be the Hopes of all the ends of the Earth The Glory of the Scepter being at last departed from Judah first ravished from them by one of the Limbs of the Macedonian Lion and afterwards grasped by the Talons of the Roman Eagle after this deadly gripe the Royal Stock was quite extinct and the Office of Aaron perplexed and all things in Church and State so blended contrary to their Original Institution that they were at their wits end as to any Temporal recovery which made the Understanding Party look up higher but the Generality were sorely abused by their Leaders and Teachers Then came John the Baptist the Preacher of Repentance to the Poor people and to the Scribes and Pharisees that generation of Vipers warning them to flee from the Wrath and to embrace the Mercy that was to come and to bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance and not to say any more in their hearts That they had Abraham to their Father for God was able out of the Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham not to trust in the Temple for not a stone shall be left upon a stone and the Axe was laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire Also Christ was to come with his Fann in his hand who would throughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with unquenchable fire And except men were born again and except their Righteousness did exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should never enter into the Kingdom of heaven but must be baptized not with VVater but with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Many mighty Miracles were done by Jesus Christ and his Disciples in all the Regions round about so as it was never heard of or seen before since the VVorld stood At this hearing and seeing of these VVonders the People were amazed and all sorts began to enquire saying What shall we do The Law and the Prophets were until John Luk. 10.16 since that time the Kingdom of heaven is taken by violence and every man presseth into it Thus was the way of the Lord prepared and his paths made streight Every Valley was exalted and every Mountain and Hill brought low Luk. 3.5 c. and the crooked paths made streight and the rough waies made smooth and all flesh was to see the Salvation of God And the Axe laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire So the Jewish Church was in its Minority under the Law as under a School master which taught them Elements and gave them Corrections i. e. Elements of civil Conversation with others and sobriety in their own persons Principles of Morality as forbidding of Murther Adultery Theft c. sitting them thereby for the prohibition of Anger Malice Lust c. in the New Law of Christ who saith Math. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart And he that hateth his Brother is a Murtherer And from Usury he teacheth to lend freely looking for nothing again and from Oaths not to swear at all but let their Yea be Yea and their Nay Nay and from Shadows and Ceremonies to bring them to Substantial and Spiritual worship and from Circumcision with hands in the Flesh to Circumcision without hands in the Spirit Coll 2.11 in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ All this Service was Servile as 1. To be subject to positive Laws against the Laws of Nature and forced to Punishments for breaking of them An ignorance or neglect of a Statute was expiated by a Sacrifice or Sin offering but a wilful breach by Presumption was
confirm Testament 1. To confirm a Deed of Testament made by the Eternal God 2. To expiate all Sin and Misery But it must be offered first I and so it will very shortly it must not lie long here you may be sure This Blood must quickly be carried to Heaven never to be spilt more but offered up for an Attonement before the Mercy-Seat of God for ever 'T will be but three daies and this Flesh and Blood shall live again and after fourty daies it will ascend into the Temple of God This Blood will consecrate and dedicate that place for our flesh and blood to enter into This Blood will be a new and living way to the Mercy-Seat of God for us to have free recourse unto at all times in this life for Grace sufficient to help us in the time of all our need This Blood will cry aloud for Mercy and speak better things than the Blood of Abel which was for Revenge But it must be offered first and it will be accepted No Sacrifice can be complete till it be offered First slain then laid on the Altar then offered up in part or in whole so was Christ first slain then offered up to God Well then I will be as good as my word I will mourn and fast and pray a while but I must not think that this will do my business Sackcloth Ashes Hard lodging and fare Whippings Pilgrimages Reliques Watching Fasting Alms and Oblations c. make a great shew and pomp of Devotion and some of them are good as they may be used But I must have a settled eye upon the Power of Godliness and not upon the Form only I must take heed what I do in the Service of my God lest I offer the Sacrifice of Fools In a word I must look to my heart in all my outward actions It will not serve my turn to read hear or see the history of my Saviour's Passion or Resurrection written preached and acted or represented in Books Sermons and Scenes and for me thereupon to hang down my head like a Bull-rush and grow sad upon it for a day or two I must think of an every daies duty of dying daily and of mortifying and crucifying my self all my life long not by Whipping c. but by Self-denial and cutting off my Right hand or my Right eye or whatsoever is near or dear unto me Self-examination Reformation Zeal Faith Love Hope and such Spiritual duties must be my work all the daies of my life For Bodily exercise profiteth little or nothing but Godliness and a New Creature What a fool was Simon Stylites that lived so long standing between two Walls and Dominius Loricatus that gave himself 540000 stripes in one Lent I look upon my Saviour's Crucifixion as do the Literalists and formal Devotionists but Sursum corda is a good hint to me I must look higher The History I believe but the Mystery and Power of his Death I look after It satisfies not me at all if I had been born and laid in a Manger and crucified and slain with Christ if I had been his Brother and suckt the breasts of his Mother it would not have profited me at all except I did believe the Word of God and keep it for then I should be his Brother Sister and Mother indeed If I had been so happy as to have known him in and after the flesh so as to eat and drink with him and see his Miracles and hear his Doctrine and cast out Devils and heal Diseases as he did in his Name yet from henceforth I will know him no more after that but after a better fashion His Sufferings and Death are past and gone from hence now I know him as he liveth in the power of an endless life All the scandal of the Cross is taken away though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God Break my heart no more with grief and hardships of the outward Cross but let me love and love again and delight my self in the inward Cross whereby the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World Then stay me with Flagons comfort me with Apples when I am sick of Love I look upon the Love of God in making and confirming his Promises to me in Christ I make my Covenant with my God to forsake the World the Flesh and the Devil This is the state of Grace this is to be in Christ and a New Creature I have looked down to Christ's Sufferings on Earth but now I will look up more to his glorious Actings in Heaven viz. His Sacerdotal entrance his solemn oblation of Himself his Session at the Right hand of God his Intercession his Kingdom over all in protecting his Church and bringing all his Enemies under his feet his spiritual Scepter and Kingdom in our Hearts beating down all the strong holds of Sin and Satan No need therefore of Crosses Pictures Whips Thorns Nails Reliques c. These may work for a while being in sight upon the outward Man to move admiration and sorrow but no constant Faith and fixed Hope and Love as do the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings which is the true Power of Godliness that brings comfort to the end and in the end and to all Eternity The Flesh I bear it record takes a kind of pleasure in grieving pitying and beholding the shadows of these things but the Spirit of Faith goes higher and rejoyceth in the evidence and demonstrations of the Substances themselves The Letter and Form alone profiteth little it is the Spirit and Faith that must give the true Life Christ saith Except we eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Son of God we have no Life abiding in us because his Flesh is meat indeed and his Blood is drink indeed but withal he tells us That these words which he speaketh are Spirit and Life Call we therefore in the last place and hold there to the True work of a Christian To crucifie a Lust to kill a Sin to die to sin to rise from Sin and live to Righteousness I whine not at the Passion I weep not for him but I weep for my self and mortifie my Members which are upon the Earth I remember Christ's death and take the Sacrament upon it as the only Memorial that Christ hath ordained I believe and bear in mind the history of the Passion but my main care is to conform thereunto The Mystery is more to me than the History the Spirit than the Letter The Letter is low the Spirit is high Carnal Devotion is in Images and Reliques but Spiritual Devotion is in Mortification and Self-denial The one is the form the other is the power of Godliness We preach and live too low in the bare History in verbal Masses in superstitious Rites These are some of them very good when contained within their own spheres but alwaies very low and mean and never come up to the height
a Pledge of our following after him Christ after his Resurrection receiving this Power sits not on his Royal Pavilion as an idle Spectator of his Subjects from heaven but gave at first a sensible demonstration of his invisible Power by sending down the Holy Ghost in the likeness of Fiery tongues upon the Apostles inspiring them with Tongues and revealing to them the Mysteries of God's Kingdom This JESUS hath God raised up Act. 2.32 and being by the Right hand of God exalted he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Else at first if it had only been an invisible Kingdom above it might have seemed a dream to them which were yet but Novices But since he hath continued and will continue to send down his Holy Spirit into the hearts of all his Servants not miraculously with Signs and Wonders as before but ordinarily and yet sufficiently for the good of their Souls and the edification of his Church till we all come in the Unity of the same Spirit to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ And this he will do according to his Promise Lo I am with you alwaies even unto the end of the World SECTION I. Now the chief Effects of the Holy Ghost the Promise of the Father sent from Christ are Victory over Sin Victory over the Law and Victory over Death by Christ's Victory over all these Victory over Sin Victory over Sin was 1. Not External only by Christ on the Cross for the Remission of Sins and for Exemption from Punishments Col. 2.15 Where he spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly and where he Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a Curse for us Then did Christ put a Period to all ineffectual Sacrifices and demonstrate his displeasure against Sin afterwards publish free Pardon through his Blood which was effectually obtained by the offering of himself to God for all that repent and believe the Gospel 2. Not external by moral Righteousness of outward Works by our own natural Power according to the Letter of the Law nor yet ceremonial or ritual Observations conducing nothing to the subduing of corruptions and Lusts This is that Pharisaical Righteousness by which St. Paul professeth that he could not be thereby justified Phil. 3.6 9. although he walked according to the Law blameless and wisheth to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ 1 Cor. 4.4 the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Yea more though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified Exiguum est quiddam ad legem esse bonum Seneca It is no great matter to be good according to the Rule of the Law called the Law of Works and the Righteousness of Works The Sin of the heart was by the corrupt Gloss of the Scribes and Pharisees called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Sin that came not within the Scope and Compass of the Law Because the Law enjoyned no punishment for it And if thoughts and desires were Sins they fancied that the Sacrifices would do them all away St. Paul searched into the Law as far as another man and yet he could not discern Lust to be a Sin by the ordinary Precepts till he found one more large than the rest that told him he should not lust Thereupon Tryphon the Jew noting the extraordinary high Commandements of the Gospel reaching even unto poorness of Spirit pureness of Heart mourning hungring and thirsting after Righteousness Peace-making Love of Enemies Adultery of the heart murder in heart c. wondred and declared that it was impossible to perform them Joseph Josephus therefore blames the famous Historian Polibius for ascribing the death of Antiochus to be a just Vengeance of God upon him for his thoughts of Sacriledg which he never acted saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides the Scribes and Pharisees set up their own Traditions above the Law of God and were errant Hypocrites For which cause Christ declareth so many woes against them and that the very Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them and that not every one that said Lord Lord should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that did the Will of his Father which was in Heaven and that their long Prayers and Fasting was to devour Widow's Houses Matth. 5.20 And that except the Righteousness of the Jews did exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3.3 And that except a man be born again he shall never see the Kingdom of God 3. Imputation of Righteousness Not External Imputation of an external or internal Righteousness of another as is fancied of the Righteousness of Christ and the Righteousness of the Saints both ex abundanti works of Supererogation serving over and above their own turns to the necessities of others to all intents and purposes as if they were their own A Cloathing up another Man's back to keep me warm upon a mere Imagination reckoned to be mine though I have not a Rag to cover my nakedness A kind of Dream of a Shadow in a shew of Modesty and Humility to colour inward Hypocrisy and Carnality A Title of the Holiness of another man to justifie me to the Estate of happiness without any of my own as much as if I had it really and indeed Jam. 2.14 As if a sick man could be cured by anothers health and a Blackmore cleansed by another's whiteness as if a naked or hungry Soul could be clothed or fed with words without giving them any raiment or sustenance An uncouth Notion irreconcilable with many Scriptures That God will nor justifie the ungodly but reward every one according to his works making Sin and Righteousness both phantastical without any real Evil or Good at all Of these it may be most truly said as Tully said of the Epicureans opinione tantum justi opinione tantum beati they are holy in opinion and happy in opinion only But what say the Scriptures He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 Joh 3.7 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar 1 Joh 2.4 and the Truth is not in him If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the Truth But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Ye have overcome the wicked one and the world by Faith He that overcometh shall eat of the tree of Life and he shall not be hurt of the Second Death He shall have the hidden Manna and a white stone and a new Name that none knoweth but he that hath it Apoc. 2.7 That I may know him and the
Correction Work Payment Church Elders Bishops Priests Deacons High Priest Altar Sacrifice Tithes Oblations First fruits Dedication Consecration Expiation Propitiation Excommunication Idol Faith Vow Covenant Contract Promise Oath Stipulation Sacrament Seal Intercession Hand-writing Mediator Obligation Assurance Evidence Conveyance Alliance Affinity Consanguinity Tribe Stock Familie Degrees Line Birthright Succession Dominion Lordship These and other learned Titles of the Law with the profound judgments of renowned Antecessors upon each of them serve more to the enrichment of the treasury of wisdom for the furnishing of apt Interpretations and Glosses upon the Laws divine than all the Arts or Learning of the World Besides the aptitude of resolving cases and doing business with prudence honesty and gallantry is created by them after the rellish of those equitable and brave Souls that made them The CONTENTS Of the Laitie's Calling AND as to the Laity I say consider your Calling we may not speak the mind of God in learned and unknown Tongues to the high ones only that Pearch on the Towers but in Vulgar language to the meanest that sit on the wall Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus tractari debet That which concerns all ought to be understood by all We will not hoodwink you to make your Ignorance the Mother of your as blind devotion we will not captivate your minds by Magisterial dictates of us men and hide from you the Royal Commandments of your God TITLE VI. Of the Laitie's Doctrine I. I Say then boldly Consider your Calling For Doctrine 1. From beyond the lowest Law of Nature 2. From beyond any Laws written upon Tables 1. To the Law of the Spirit and of Grace 2. To the Law written upon the Heart To the best of Precepts of Evangelical perfection taught by Christ in his famous Sermon upon the Mount and other occasional Discourses and by the Apostles and other holy Men of God that had the same treasure in earthen vessels To the best of Promises Viz. Forgiveness of sins Liberty Adoption Spirit Resurrection eternal life These are the Laws that are so high and yet so easie few favourable and pleasant for the wayes of Wisdom are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace I exhort them therefore to a high belief and full assurance of Heaven by the seal and earnest of the Spirit to be partakers of the holy Unction of Wisdom and Perfection to be a Royal Priesthood and a peculiar people by vertue of the promises that belong to you and to your Children of high exemptions and priviledges of great honour and estate TITLE VII Of the Laitie's Persons II. FOR your Persons Look therefore to your selves that ye walk worthy of so great Salvation and having such an hope in you so full of a glorious and blessed Immortality see that ye purifie your selves even as God is pure and become a people altogether zealous of good Works perfecting Holiness in the fear of the Lord that at last you may obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus Fear not therefore little Flock for it is your Father's good Will and pleasure to give you a kingdom Your hope is laid up for you in heaven And neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath laid up for those that fear him When Christ the favourable Mediatour and Executor of God's Testament shall put the Faithful into actual possession of Eternal Glory saying Come ye Blessed Children of my Father receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World Aim therefore at a Gospel-Spirit 1. Care not for unnecessary Disputes God's Testament is a plain Testament of Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ As Men's Testaments are to be seen and read by all that are concerned so is God's Will to be seen and read by all Col. 2.6 c. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ 2 Tim. 2.23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strifes also Genealogies and contentions and strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vain 1 Tim. 1.4 Neither give heed to Fables and endless Genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in Faith If any man teach otherwise 1 Tim 6.3 c. and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doating about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness Jude 27 c. from such turn away Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly Lusts these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit But ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal Life and of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garments spotted by the flesh Let the Clergy exhort and teach these things and whatsoever else belongeth unto sound doctrine with all long suffering and patience as the stout Soldiers of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.20 And let them be sure to keep that which is committed to their Trust avoiding profane and vain bablings and oppositions of Sciences falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the Faith Tit. 1.14 Let them not give heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth nor yet to endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edification 1 Cor. 2.4 Let not your speech nor your preaching be with the entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power Speak Wisdom among them that are perfect the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our Glory For other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid 1 Cor. 3.11 c which is Jesus Christ Now if any man build upon this foundation Gold Silver Pretious stones Wood Hay Stubble every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall trie every man's work whatsoever it is If any
let us go on to perfection not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of Hands and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment and this we will do if God permit Gal. 3.23 Before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master For ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 4.1 c. Now I say that the Heir as long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of all but is under Tutours and Governours until the time appointed of the Father Even so we when we were Children were in bondage under the Elements of the world But when the Fulness of the Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son and if a Son then an Heir of God through Christ Howbeit then when ye knew not God ye did service unto them which by Nature are no Gods But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage Ye observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the Flesh Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of Bondage As free 1 Pet. 2 1â— and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God Honour all men Love the brethren Fear God Honour the King Be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and for Conscience sake For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby ye crie Abba Father All things are lawful 1 Cor. 2.6 12. but I will not be brought under the power of any Time was when there was no greater light of Knowledg to be given than was given nor hearts of apprehension greater than to receive such knowledg But now there are greater lights and greater capacity of Minds and greater helps of the Spirit to comprehend greater wisdom and if they do not comprehend them it must needs be their own fault The Prophets had a glimmering of this Light but especially he that was called the Prophet of the Highest Luk. 1.78 c. that went before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the Day-spring from on high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of Peace This Great man stood and peeped in at the door of the Gospel and saw more of this light than any that went before him but less than any that came after him For since that God hath poured out of his spirit upon all Flesh and their Sons and Daughters have prophecied their old men have dreamed dreams and the young men have seen visions and the people are all taught of God the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence and all men rush into it The Standard of the Gospel is set up upon the top of Mount Sion displayed and seen of all and all Nations are invited to flow into it 4. Besides all this teaching we have the learning of our own Experience what the world is and how we have found it to our selves which in our greatest Necessities hath ever left us in the lurch and is allways flux and wavering and we may presume it ever will be so and therefore if we will still leave the wisdom of God and cleave to the wisdom of the world trusting to that which was never to be trusted it is our own fault and we must take that that comes of it Obj. Who can be perfectly spiritual Ans We may aspire to perfection and be spiritual though not perfectly spiritual Eph. 4.11 c. Wherefore God hath given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the Measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ We may be spiritual at the first though not perfectly spiritual till the last Phil. 3.12 c. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule 1 Cor. 4.4 let us mind the same things For I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby justified Be ye therefore perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Obj. Outward Service at this rate will be slighted 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ans No we are taught that our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in us which we have of God and we are not our own for we are bought with a price therefore we must glorifie God in our Body and in our Spirit which are the Lord 's I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 2. which is your reasonable Service And be ye not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God And therefore we are taught to yield freely to a few harmless easie significant Bodily Rites for order and decency and for uniformity and peace sake and for Conscience sake of our duty which we owe to
which all our Justification tends Now all Pardons are by Grace and the pardoned to his pardon hath no other Title than the Grace and Favour of the Prince For Pardon is above Law the Law hath no power to pardon but is altogether against it and where the party is condemned the Law is all for speedy execution but Pardon is of Grace and that Grace is not against the Law but above it for God's Pardon comes from God's Prerogative SECT X. Reason 4 Because these Rights come by Election All the Righteous are elected and chosen to the Rights they are justified unto Election For the Kingdom of God is an Elective Kingdom not for the Kings part only but for all the Subjects for the Subjects of that Kingdom are not Natives nor born so but all Electives comming in by Election Hence the Righteous are called the Elect for all they and they only are Elected And Justification is but an effect of Election as Filiation is of Adoption And hence our Election so often mentioned is not grounded upon any works of ours but only on the pleasure of God that elects us which is the election of his Grace For all Elections are by Grace Rom. 9.11 and the Elected hath no other Title to his Right by Election than the grace and favour of the Elector hence St. Paul calls it the Election of Grace SECT XI That all the Glory might be to God Titles by Law bring some Glory Reason 5 to the Titulary hence Men are so prone to strive in Suits of Law Glory because the Eviction of their Right by Law is some glory to them The title by Birth is a glory hence all Inheritance and Nobility is grounded For Nobility properly is Honour by Birth the Title by Purchase is more glorious to the Purchaser than to the Seller For every sale of an Estate is a blemish to the Seller The Title by works is a glory to the Work-man but Titles by Grace are altogether glorious to the Donor As in Adoption all the glory is to the Adopter in a Presentation all the glory to the Patron For seeing the Receiver hath all the profit there is great reason the Donor should have all the honour and glory seeing he hath nothing else for the grace he bestows God then justifies thee by Grace that all the glory might be to him God hath predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Eph. 1.5 6. to himself according to the good pleasure of his will To the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved SECT XII That no boasting might be left to Man Titles by Law are subject to Reason 6 boasting for commonly Men boast of their Birth Boasting and for that purpose they set up their Arms. So the Jews boasted We have Abraham to our Father we are the Seed of Abraham And they boast of their purchases as in the Parable did two of the guests that refused to come Math. 22. I have bought a piece of Ground saith one and I have bought five Yoke of Oxen saith another This they say partly by way of excuse and partly by way of boasting And Men boast of their Works so did the Pharisee who instead of praying fell to boasting I am no extortioner no adulterer c. But Titles by Grace bear no boasting to the receiver because boasting seekes for Glory and as was shew'd before all the glory goes to the Donor In Adoption the adopted can boast of nothing unless it be of his Father's goodness and that is to his Father's glory In a Presentation the Clerk can boast of nothing unless it be of his Patron 's bounty and that is to the Patron 's glory God then justifies thee by Grace to exclude all boasting Ro. 3.27 that no boasting might be left to thee This reason follows the Text God is just and the justifier of the Faithful and the Title whereby he justifies them is Grace Rom. 8.26 Why so To exclude boasting that it might not be by the Law of Works but of Faith i. e. by no Law at all but only by Grace therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace SECT XIII ☞ Hence it appears that the Grace which makes us this Title is not a moral term that signifies any virtue residing in us For if our Justification were the work of such a Grace then should it be of works But this Grace is a jural term opposed to Law and signifies a work flowing from God from a virtue residing in him which the Scripture calls his Love his Kindness and his Mercy Whereby when God creates a right unto us above Law and above our deserts such an affection in God is called Grace Rom. 4.16 and the effect of that affection upon us is called Grace also As for the Freedom of this Grace it is a work of Gradation for Grace hath two degrees SECT XIV Will of the Receiver 1. When it begins at the will of the Receiver and comes upon the occasion of his motion or else it had not came at all This is but a low and servile Grace such as the Master grants to the Servant and one stranger to another So Christ healed the Centurion's Servant and the Daughter of the Cananitish Woman upon the request of the Master and Mother SECT XV. Will of the Donor 2. When it begins at the will of the Donor and comes upon the occasion of his kindness only or else it had never come This is a high and Filial Grace As when the Father makes the Son his heir whether born or unborn before he have done good or evil or whether he be a Stranger made and adopted to be a Son There is no Law for this Free-Grace for Law is binding but Grace is free God or Man may choose whether they will be gracious or to whom or when or how at their pleasure So God gave the Kingdom to Saul when he was seeking for his Father's Asses To David when he was following the Ewes great with young Thus Paul was called from Heaven in the height and heat of his persecution The Gentiles that sate in darkness saw a great light which they neither sought for nor so much as thought of God's Grace prevents our works our words and thoughts SECT XVI Reason 1 Because God's Free-Grace begins at his own will his will his first and leading Free-Grace begins at God's will ours is secondary and following His will is not against our will but above it and before it not violently forcing it but gently perswading a free rational agent to yield to his most gracious will Thus we are born again Joh. 1.12 16. Not by the will of the Flesh nor by the will of Man but by the will of God Justification is so far from being our own will that it is a Mystery to our Understanding and so could never come
signifies Fraud Deceit or Imposture When the Servant deceives his Lord and breaks his Oath by doing those things which he ought not to do and leaving undone those things which he ought to have done Unless a just fear shall intervene and then he is to be excused This causes a Forfeiture and is called Refutatio Feudi Many sorts of Felonies may be committed 1. Against the Life of his Lord. 2. Against his Fame and Honour 3. Against his Wife or Children or Kindred 4. By denying Service 5. By deteriorating his Fee c. 2. Apertura Feudi i. e. by default of Issue of him to whom the first Fee was given escheating to the Lord. Customs prevail in Fees Maximè dominatur in Feudalibus consuetudo Customs introduced by long continued use among men may be taken away by long continued desuetude or disuse or contrary use The Feudal Customs sprang from the Northern Goths and Vandals into the Southern Kingdoms invaded by them who settled most in Lombardy where now for want of a King the Law labours hard for execution more than in France or England c. where it is very copious ingenious and profitable The Seventh BOOK OF CHRIST'S Church and Kingdom The CONTENTS Transition Feudal Customes Feudal Kingdoms best Goths and Vandals Goths honest Goths endowed the Church first with Lands and Lordships Jus Feudale Manners of Goths Resemblances of a Feudal Kingdom Blessedness Cursedness Church Militant Church Triumphant Tenure of Heaven conditional Holding of God Absolute Dominion Feuds a middle Government Christ sole Judge Customes in a Feudal Kingdom Excellency of a Feudal Government Collections Parables run not on all four Tenure of Fealty the best Absolute Election and Reprobation TITLE I. Of a Feudal Kingdom AND now I would learn of any man that is wise and free to judge Transition if any Government under heaven did ever more resemble the Government of God and of Christ and his Church and Kingdom than this Feudal Government does In which SECT I. 1. The King hath all the Lands in his own dominion Feudal Customes 2. Some he keeps in his proper Demain as his Crown-Lands to maintain his state and greatness and the charge of his rule and governance and all other Lands hold of him and his Crown 3. Some he gives to the Church as the Lombards first did when they became Christians and so the Clergy first became Lords and by them were constituted one of the three Estates which was more than ever Constantine did or any other Christians 4. Some he gives to his Marquesses Dukes Earls Barons c. 5. The King hath all the Legislative Power in himself incommunicable 6. The King hath all the Jurisdiction which he communicates to his Magistrates Lords and Judges Valvasones Valvasini of several degrees All these are Feudataries 7. Those that had no Fees called Censiti were the old Natives living in Villages confined to till the ground The Feudataries were called Tenants the rest Residents or Resients as our Law calls them No Tenure makes more for the honour and safety of the Prince or for the liberty and security of the Subject than this does No Subject can say I am of my self I thank no man for my Lands I am beholding to no man for all must thank the King The Subject holds by the grace of the King and the King only by the grace of God Princes and Subjects of old Jure Romano were obliged to each other for the Common good but not in so strict a tye as this is which they learned by the Examples of the Longobardian Kings the first creatours of Dependance by Law in granting out their Lands to their Subjects in Fee The old Romans and Greeks had something like unto this way but not the same as Alexander and Caesar who let the marches of their conquered Kingdoms Capitaneis Ducibus calling those Lands Limotrophi given to them only at first afterward to them and their heirs upon this account of policy Dicentes illos attentiùs militaturos si etiam sua jura defenderent Souldiers would fight with more courage in the defence of their own Rights I know not by what instinct for I cannot tell how the Lombards in the latter times of the World should meerly stumble upon it this Tenure came into the World but I am sure when it did come it did much good therein and was entertained by those Nations that counted themselves far more wise and learned and pious than they SECT II. Feudal Kingdom the best It may be without wrong to any other Institution the Longobardick Rule was the best that ever was or will be in the World 1. One King and Lord of all 2. One Faith and Obedience in all 3. The King the Common Father 4. The Subjects all his adopted Children 5. The Estate all the Fathers for propriety all the Childrens for profit 6. For Order very comely all the Members depending all alike upon the same Head 7. For Strength they fortifie one another and all are strengthned by their Head and their Head by them 8. For Peace they cannot fight one against another nor all of them against their King nor their King against them The Subjects lose all if they stir in the least to make any disturbance They cannot invade each other for each hath his lot 9. For Love they must love their Lord and their Lord them and they one another or they are all nothing 10. For Plenty they all labour to enrich themselves and so the whole No Taxes or odious burthens they enrich not their Lord at all for all is his already yet they have their benefits to themselves but the honour only and dominion is his 11. For Dependence they cannot be without their Lord nor their Lord without them They subsist by him he by them 12. For Obedience they come and go at the Princes beck they do all he commands them 13. For Covenant the King is in Covenant with his Subjects and his Subjects with him 14. For Honour the King honours the Subjects and the Subjects him 15. For Justice no robbery or oppression of the King or Subject in all this Kingdom Every one enjoys his own Fee the same things to be had of the King the same duties to be done by the Subjects 16. For War Omnia Feuda ad Militiae subventionem expeditionem inventa sunt All Fees are invented for help and expedition of Warfare SECT II. This rare Invention and form of Government deserves thanks and praise and hath it from understanding men Goths and Vandals Witness the reception of their Customes and adding others in imitation of them by the wisest Nations of the World and amongst them our own is not a little beholding to them whose fundamental frame of Monarchy was contrived from those that had it derived unto them from the Goths and Vandals for such were the Normans and Saxons from whom we and our Feudal Laws do spring though the fountain
descends to an Heir by Nature and Law An inheritance of Feudum falls to an Heir as to his Ancestors by Grace and Faith SECT V. Church Militant 1. The state of the Church Militant is the state of a Feudal Kingdom Where Christ is the Liege Lord and the Faithful are his Subjects 1 Cor. 15.25 Christ must Rule till he hath put all his enemies under his feet and when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him and deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all in all In the mean while the Faithful hold their Right by fighting against the World the Flesh and the Devil A Tenure devisable temporal on Earth The Kingdom of Grace is Feudum SECT VI. Church Triumphant 2. The state of the Church Triumphant is the state of an Allodial Kingdom where all are Kings A Tenure indefeasible eternal in heaven No longer faith but fruition Subjects all Kings Fear not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom A kingdom of Saints O thou King of Saints A kingdom of Priests The kingdom of Glory is Allodium God hath made Christ both Lord and King over all his Church and all power is given unto him both in Heaven and Earth At his Name every knee must bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Let all the Angels of God worship him Let the Kings of the earth kiss the Son and fall down at his feet Christs Kingdom is in Fee from his Father The Church holds in Fee under Christ All things are theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods and God is all in all SECT VII Tenure of heaven Conditional The Tenures of the Church much resembles the Tenures of the World which are conditional 1. Upon Investiture of Homage by oath 2. Upon Tenure by faith and love 3. Upon payment of the Canon or Reserve of Rent for acknowledgment of the Lords propriety 4. Upon Melioration or Jure Emphyteuseos 5. Upon service in Peace or War as the Lord shall require 6 Upon Renovation or renewing the right of Succession All which exactly correspond with 1. Baptism an investiture of Homage vowed and promised 2. Faith or Covenant with God performed 3. Obedience or Rent of acknowledgment of our Selves and our Estates to Gods service and the Poors good 4. Improvement of our Talent by trade and employment in bettering our Spiritual estate 5. Constant service to our great Lord in all conditions whensoever he shall require 6. Renewing our Oath Homage Faith and Allegiance in the holy Eucharist There is a Knights Tenure when the Lord requires the presence of his Tenant to serve him in warfare and battel abroad There is a Soccage Tenure when the Lord commandeth the presence of his Tenant to attend at the plough and other husbandry at home There is a Rent of Mony and a rent of Works and a rent of Love SECT VIII The best Tenures are those that hold immediately of God Holding of God As 1. The Crown Lands that hold of God for the service of Rule 2. The Church Lands which hold of God for the service of Worship So both Crown and Altar hold of God So no man hath any direct Estate in and from himself but as Sons of God we have an Inheritance in Gavel kind after the custom of the old Germans that made all Children alike So we all inherit together only mans Children have but each a part of the inheritance but Gods have the whole to every one Res Domanii as they speak uniuntur Dominio alienari non possunt The Lords own proper Estate which he hath reserved to himself is united to the Lordship it self and cannot be alienated from it because none are absolute Lords but he So Gods properties of Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence Honour Worship c. cannot be given to another besides Christ who is not another but one with his Father and his Father with him The nature of Man aspires to be as God sole and absolute in their persons and estates as Kings Gods to themselves They that maintain their own Righteousness and Blessedness to be due to them by their own merits to depend upon none but their own worth would be such This was the old temptation Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil But the Tenure of Feuds teaches us humility to depend upon God for all to be nothing in our selves and to have nothing but what we have received of Grace altogether not of Debt therefore no Allodium no boasting in the case The littleness and nothingness of the Creature advances the greatness and allness of the Creatour It is our honour to honour God our righteousness to acknowledge Gods righteousness our riches to acknowledge Gods riches our wisdom to acknowledge Gods wisdom and so God and Christ are made unto us all our righteousness riches and wisdom a Tenure of Grace I judge it the greatest badge of Soveraignty and Principality for the supream Monarch to be the sole Lord and Proprietary of all the Land and People therein as well as the sole Commander of all And surely this Absolute Dominion is most like unto God Absolute Dominion and though those men which we call Barbarians brought this form of Rule and Right into the world yet we are not to despise it but look upon it as from God and the greatest resemblance of Gods Power and Love and the subjection of his Creatures that ever was SECT IX A middle Government it was between the tyranny of the East Feuds a middle Government and the popularity of the West and better than both In this the Prince is most like unto God and his Subjects to the Saints for if Subjects should have Land in Allodium and owe no service for it they should be no longer Subjects but quasi Princes But now they are Subjects and Beneficiaries and their service is freedom and honourable only let Kings look to their Power that they be no Tyrants as God is not but Fathers as God is and let Subjects look to their service that they be no Rebels as the Saints are not but Children as the Saints are This is the constitution of Christs Church and Kingdom 1. They are all Souldiers so they must not be idle nor fearful but all must watch and be ready upon all occasions to fight against the World the Flesh and the Devil 2. They must all love their Lord Captain and King and be at his call 3. They must all love one another and help one another as they fight together and are partakers of the same grace together and aim at the same glory SECT X. Christ sole Judge Of this Church and Kingdom Christ is the Head and Judge As all things so all power and all judgment are Christs Christ is the Judge of the faith and
unwritten unrevealed to private Souls The hearts of such great ones are in the hands of God and he teaches them Worldly Policy Self-pleasing Self-interest Pride Revenge c. must have no place here O that they that wear Crowns and Miters were wise that they would consider their vast Charge and remember their later end that they might not do amiss SECT XVI And what shall we poor Subjects do but stand aloof off and admire and obey Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm Violate not the Persons nor the Rights nor the Estates of Princes or Priests God is in them he feels the hurts and revenges them The Powers that be are ordained of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Procul ô procul ite prophani Swell not O Rulers for God in Sacred or Civil matters Illustrious is your calling Mutuato splendetis lumine but your Glory borrow'd Ye are gods but ye must die like Men. Use both Swords as equally as gently as 't is possible O! how blessed shall ye be of God and Men for Justice Equity Mercy Piety to the Souls Bodies and Estates of the Dear Saints and Subjects of the King of Heaven and Earth And as on Earth so in Heaven your glory shall outshine all others SECT XVII 1. Thus Christ only as Mediator King Priest and Prophet Corollaries hath and holds his Office and Power of God immediately 2. The Church is a Corporation and Kingdom that hath and holds only of Christ their only Head and King and Prophet and High-Priest in Fee 3. The Keyes and Supreme Powers of the World have and hold immediately under Christ in Fee 4. The Priests and Ministers of Christ have and hold immediately from Christ in Fee 5. The Clergy and Laity owe subjection immediately to Kings and Supreme Powers under Christ 5. Ergo Kings only are Christ's Vicegerents and Vicars upon Earth to whom all Clergy and Laity are bound to be subject for Christ's sake and for Conscience sake and for the peace and welfare both of Church and State That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty My Kingdom saith Christ is not of this World And there was a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest Luc. 22.25 c. and he said unto them The Kings of the Gentiles Exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so but he that is the greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is Chief as he that doth serve Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority upon them But it shall not be so among you Matth. 20.25 c. but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister And whosoever will be the chief among you let him be your servant Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his Life a Ransom for many Ergo The true right justifying to the Estate of Blessedness of God in Christ is Faith and the true Tenure to hold this Blessed Estate of God in Christ is Holiness Feudum is Grace Ergo Allodium is Glory Quod erat demonstrandum The CONTENTS Transition Catholick Church Scriptures Collections TITLE III. Of the Laws of Christ's Kingdom Transition CHRIST hath the sole power of Legislation and Jurisdiction in his Church and Kingdom the Ministers of Christ are Ambassadors under him to declare his will and pleasure not to exercise Lordship over God's Inheritance Est in universis servientibus non dominium sed ministerium He that is greatest amongst you sayes Christ let him be the least and servant unto all A Judicatory power is granted unto Regal Vassals as Lords in fee over their inferior Vassals to exercise not for themselves but for their Supreme Lords in peace or war For otherwise they are all Vassals and par in parem non habet imperium Still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Legislative power is reserved to Kings They may have a kind of delegated power to make By-Laws consonant to the High Law of Christ and some laudable Customs in the Church are Quasi-Laws or By-Laws as in other Societies but they must be significant charitable easie and few SECT I. Catholick Church The Catholick Church is a faithful witness of the Truth committed to her charge and a record of all those necessary Truths but properly makes no Laws that is a prerogative reserved to the King Besides the Spiritual Laws of Christ I know not what Laws of Faith can be added And besides the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper I know not what Rites can be added for Worship only for decency and order and those few ambulatory pro re nata tempore loco populo according to the occasion time place and People with great Wisedom Charity Moderation and Christian Liberty They talk highly of the Laws of the Church the Laws of Christ given to his Church I know other Laws I do not know properly so called Let me know what Church must be the Catholick and how can the Catholick Church meet and if they could what power to make Laws Hath not Christ made sufficient Laws already In a Feudal Kingdom there are Principum placita the Rescripts of Princes but not Senatusconsulta nor Plebiscita nor Responsa Prudentum All are Pragmatical Sanctions The Prince rules all neither hath Christ any Deputy or Vice-gerent Man or Men upon Earth to rule with him or for him in his Church whereof he is the only Head But Princes under him are bound to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church to defend the Faith they are to be wise and learn this knowledg to kiss the Son lest he be angry and so they perish if his wrath be kindled yea but a little And he hath sent his Ambassadors and Ministers under him to serve in his Gospel by the power of his own Spirit to be subject to Princes SECT II. The Scriptures only are God's Will and his Laws Scriptures in them are his Precepts and Promises and the rule of his Worship which are the true intrinsecal and acceptable Service of God If any thing else be commanded it is extrinsecal and only for decent order and so to be esteem'd and used cum favore The Laws of a Spiritual and Military Kingdom as Christs is are Spiritual The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but Spiritual and mighty for the casting down of the Spiritual and strong holds of Principalities and Powers and Spiritual wickedness in high places And all Christians or Souldiers take the Sacrament or Military Oath in Baptism to be true to their General to fight under the Banner of Christ against the World the Flesh and the Devil to their lives end This is the good
and Piety and ought to be tolerated till they may be amended 5. Who separate for corruptions not directly impious contrary to the express word of God but only by way of consequence which consequence the party defendant doth not acknowledg but if they could perceive it would be ready to forsake them 6. Who separate for matters in themselves indifferent and no waies determined by any word or Law of God either for the affirmative or negative but either are orders instituted by the Church or Customs insinuated by tacit consent 7. Who in a Synod super-determine Doctrines of Faith by a major part and expel the minor for dissenting for though matters of Manners Order and Policy may and ought to be determined by a major part yet matters of Doctrine seem to require an universal concurrence and joint-consent of the whole Synod or else with more safety are left undetermined Now if they seem hereticks or Sectaries who desert or expect those whose opinions and manners are but somewhat corrupt much more they are so who desert or expel those who in their Tenets and manners are the sounder party for these of all sorts of Hereticks are the most carnal and sinful It may appear therefore from what been said upon Heresy and the Name and Thing That no error in fundamentals is or can be meant thereby but only a separation for some Grand corruptions real or pretended in Doctrine or Manners The Name of Heretick is now become odious and a Nick-name to all that differ in opinions styl'd fundamentals which whether they be so or no is yet undetermined and God knows but that they shall ever so remain And those that hold these contrary opinions each party being alike confident of the Truth on their side do persecute one another not only to Excommunication but to confiscation imprisonment banishment and death But what course ought to be taken indeed with such Men SECT IV. Concerning those turbulent Persons that were amongst the Galatians How Hereticks are to be dealt with Gal. 5.12 who would subvert their state of Christian Liberty The wish of St. Paul was that they might be cut off i. e. not castrated for that is barbarous nor excommunicated for then he might have commanded it but destroy'd by the immediate hand of God Yet in this wish of the Apostle this must necessarily be supposed that he wished not positively the execution of it unless those persons continued incorrigible For who can possibly doubt but that S. Paul's velle went with a malle to have them rather reform'd than destroy'd And again if they would not be reform'd who sees not but that St. Paul might lawfully wish that some few turbulent deceivers should rather be cut off by the hand of God than that by them the whole Church of the Galatians should be seduced and their state of Christian Liberty subverted This fact of St. Paul in wishing the death of these impostors must not by us be drawn into example as if to us it were therefore lawful to wish a curse upon those whom we account Hereticks and troublers of the Church For 1. Christ hath given us a precept to the contrary That we should bless and not curse yea bless them that curse us and pray for them that persecute us Matth. 5.44 And our Rule is to practise by precept and not by any example from Men or an Angel from heaven Unless the precept admit exceptions and the cases of those exceptions be as manifest to us as to those Divine Persons who made use of them against the generality of the Precept 2. Where among us shall we find the Man in whom there resides that measure of wisdom which was in Paul who by help of the Spirit wherewith he abounded was a true discerner of Spirits and could exactly know who was a spreader of Error who a troubler of the Church who was refractory herein and whose repentance was either to be expected or to be despair'd 3. Where among us is the Man whose Soul is qualified with the affection of Paul to be led to the like wish with the like mind For without all doubt all the motive Paul had was a sincere zeal to God's glory and a true love to Man's Salvation But we in the like case what ever words we may pretend can hardly say We have purged our Souls from the leven of malice and hatred 4. Paul as we have seen wished not their death simply and absolutely but with a potiority of their repentance that they might rather be reclaimed and therefore he referres the issue wholly to the pleasure of God leaving his wish to depend on God's will If it be therefore unlawful it be to wish the death of one whom we call Heretick in that meaning we put upon it much less is it lawful to put him to death Nay this latter is unlawful though the former were supposed lawful For he that wisheth another Man's death doth commit the act ot the will of God as it shall stand with the pleasure of God that he live or die but he that attempts another's death by Mans hand hath already determined what is to be done without any farther discuss of the matter And it is lawful to wish many a thing were done which notwithstanding to do we have no lawful Power Although then to Paul it were lawful to wish the death of Hereticks yet it follows not therefore that it is lawful for the Magistrate to put them to death For hath God granted to the Magistrate power over the conscience or given him the Sword with such a large commission that thereby he must needs be armed not only against offending Hereticks but also against all true and innocent Christians which equally lye open to the stroke of his sword seeing the less Christian any Man is the more prone he is to condemn another for an heretick and the more carnal he is the more violent he grows to maintain an humane tradition against a Divine Verity because this latter suiteth less with his carnal waies and many Men in Authority do not embrace the sincerity of Religion but use it rather as an instrument for their worldly policy Or hath God given to the Magistrate the Judgment of the conscience or the discerning of Spirits to determine truly between the true and the false Seeing Men of Rule and power whose entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is a thing of great difficulty and who are commonly imploy'd in other affairs than the care of Religion are not alwaies competent Judges in these cases especially seeing many such Persons are not studied in the cases of Heresy neither are their cases laid out by any Law either of God or Man How then can the Magistrate judge of that wherein by his calling he hath no judgment And for him to commit a matter of that moment to the arbitrement of another is hard adventure seeing he can with no safety execute the sentence but alwaies with danger of
Rebellion by providing for my Family I am deceived in Covetousness Extortion because I am a Gentleman I must not starve therefore I will take a Purse upon the High-way because I have a Wife and many Children and poor Kinred to maintain therefore I will gripe and grind the faces of the Poor and take all the unjust courses I can by a Community I am deceived in levelling and denying all Propriety and Superiority 5. By a pretended Law of God in a certain Law of Man Instances 5. By a pretended Law of God I am deceived in a certain Law of Man As by the Jewish Ceremonial and Judicial Laws now abolished which were once established by God I would have Adultery to be death and Theft punished only by Restitution a Tooth for a Tooth c. By Dominion pretended to be founded upon Grace I would deny all legal Propriety and none but the Babes of Grace should have right to any of the Creatures By imagination of Christ's reigning a Thousand years upon Earth I would destroy all the wicked in the World by Community of all things I deny the Propriety in any thing by God's seeing no sin in his Children I affirm they sin not at all or most of all and yet shall never be punished by the work of Grace irresistibly and absolute Assurances of salvation I presume to run on in wickedness till God call me and to be free from all doubts and fears 6. By a private Law in a publick Law Instances 6. By a private Law I am deceived in a publick Law I will be true to my Neighbour but false to the State I will sell cheaper than others on purpose to engross all the trade to my self and cheat so much the more those that I employ to work under me I will tithe Mint and Cummin and devour Kings Priests Widows and Orphans houses I will be quiet at home and factious and tumultuous in the Church and State an Angel in the Church and a Devil in my House I will use private Prayers by the Spirit and Fast and Preach in close Conventicles and despise publick Set-forms of Prayer and Fastings and Sermons in the open Church 7. By the Moral Law in the Ceremonial Law Instance 7. By the Moral Law I am deceived in the Ceremonial Law Because of Spiritual worship I will endure no Bodily worship because I may worship God in every place I will not worship him in a Set-place commanded because I must serve God every day I will observe no Holydaies 8. By the Ceremonial Law in the Moral Law Instance 8. By the Ceremonial Law I am deceived in the Moral Law Because I worship God in External forms I will not be careful of the sincere worship of my heart If I am baptized and receive the Sacrament and pray and fast and give Alms I will trust to the opus operatum the work done I will draw near to God with my lips when my heart is after my Covetousness SECTION V. 5. By one Law in all other Laws Instances V. By one Law in all other Laws By the Law of Zeal I would be quite lawless I would be as Elias Phinehas the Maccabees the Jewish Zealots the Stoicks the Roman Tribunes the Lacedemonian Ephori like Tully Demosthenes the factious Oratours and Poets the Oracles and Soothsayers kill steal lie flatter or do any thing as if by divine impulse break through all Laws for the glory of God and the good of the Commonwealth I would as Jehu drive furiously kill and slay and rob a Kingdom and say Come see my zeal for the Lord. I would like Brutus Cassius Cateline Sylla Marius Mauritius Phocas Ravilliac Massenello Cromwell Bradshaw c. banish proscribe murder massacre assassinate Kings Nobles Priests or People for God's Cause or my Countrie 's good I would preach Christ and persecute his Members I would propagate Religion by the Sword as the Turks do and say the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon and write upon my Sword Holiness to the Lord and cry cursed is he that witholdeth his hand from blood and doth the Work of the Lord negligently And curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly those that come not to the help of the Lord against the Mighty This is the Zeal that sets the World on fire these are the daring men that have their Fates written in their Foreheads that are canonized for Saints and dye the Martyrs of Jesus or Mahomet and are called of God to be his Executioners to destroy all the wicked of the World to ride up to the Horse bridles in blood to carry all clear before them possess and rule all the Earth and after all mount up to rights into Celestial Mansions Cavete Principes Sacerdotes Nobiles c. My Zeal to Rome makes me cross the Law Temporal my Zeal to Geneva the Law Ecclesiastical and make them Ropes of Sand. This is the Hercules that clears the Augaean stable the St. George and Amadis de Gall that rids the World of Monsters and relieves all distressed Souls These sight the Lords Battels these are the Favourites and Darlings of Heaven and the Jewels of the Earth these are taught of God by the Impulse of the Spirit seeking God and finding Kingdoms these have signal Victoies and are as signally destroyed as ever that Egyptian Theudos the Gaulonite Moses Barchochebas David George John of Leyden Knipperdolling and Cromwell were By this Law I will outlaw the Law maintain and make the King a Subject My care of the Clergy and consistory would subordinate the Prince to the Priest and my love to the Lay-Presbytery would make Princes truckle under the People Iterum atque iterum cavetè Principes By this Law I walk alone in the pride and loftiness of my spirit By virtue of my zeal for the Lord of Hosts I am above all Laws I tread upon the necks of Kings and trample Lions under my feet Nay I sore aloft in the Clouds and disdain the poor Ants crawling upon this Mole-hill and fly swifter than the Wind upon the wings of the Spirit Alas poor vile Souls I have some pity in my holy anger I could tell them of higher and statelier conducts but they are not able to bear the ravishments and raptures of the Spirit Thus much inspired Learning makes me mad and Madmen will be subject to no Laws So with and without a Law I am deceived and will be deceived any way I care not God help me The CONTENTS Deliberation by halves Judgment by likelyhood Ampliations and limitations of Law Weighing my action by one Law Suspense between two Laws Sin hath the casting voice Reason of Law TITLE VII Of the Reasons of Deceit THE Reasons in general why one Law deceives me in another may be these Deliberation by halves I. To resolve upon my Action I deliberate to halves I grant the conclusion upon demi-Principles I lay an Action in the balance stript from those
Law for ever It is a Change for the better Carnal things for Spiritual Temporal things for Eternal A New Covenant established upon better Promises 1. And indeed here is the continuance of the same Priesthood that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood 2. And here is the continuance of the same spiritual Temple Altar and Sacrifice that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood 3. And here is the continuance of the same spiritual Law that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood Christ is a Priest without beginning or end of daies The Law of Nature began with nature and God's worship therewith The Carnal Priesthood Worship and Law were Intermedial Temporal and Typical and by their intervention there was no interruption of the spiritual Priesthood Worship or Law which was the same for substance not perfection before under and after all the Mosaical Dispensation O the depths of the manifold wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his waies Melchisedec was greater than Abraham Moses Aaron and all the Prophets but behold a greater than Melchisedec is here 1. The King and Prince of Righteousness and Peace indeed 2. The Priest that truly blesseth and titheth all men even the Blessers and Tithers themselves and to him they offer their spiritual Offerings and Tithes in token of Subjection and Thankfulness Now is the Truth of all things even the full Will of God revealed by this Great Prophet Look for no more Kings Priests nor Prophets for CHRIST is all these Heb. 10.19 c. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated through the Vail that is to say his Flesh and having an High Priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to Good works for if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses 's Law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God The CONTENTS Few Disciples in Christ's time Resipiscence True Wisdom TITLE II. Of the Nature of the Gospel THE New Testament contains the compleat Will of God in toto in solido for Duties to be done and Trespasses to be left undone and for Rewards to be had and Punishments to be avoided And this Religion admits of no Intermixtures but must be pure and free from all compliances with any other especially from the two extreams of Judaism and Gentilism While Christ was alive and preached this New Religion Few Disciples in Christs time he gained but few Disciples who dared to confess him openly for fear of the Jews Joh. 9.21 and 12.42 But after his death multitudes of all Ages Sexes Sects and Nations believed and confessed him though with the Cross So true was that saying of Christ If I ascend up to Heaven I will draw all men after me Joh. 12.32 Then Joseph Nicodemus the Centurion and many of the Priests and Jews that crucified him made open Confession of him But ten days after his Ascension Three thousand were converted by one Sermon of St. Peter's The Reason was Act. 2.41 Reason because the Resurrection of Christ after all his Miracles made ample Demonstration to the World that he was the Son of God and the Saviour of the World This Doctrine Conversation Miracles Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and the Mission of the Holy Ghost opened a wide door of Hope to all Sinners by Repentance to be saved from all Sins and Miseries and admitted to all happiness from which they could not be delivered and unto which they could not be received by any other means or mediation whatsoever This Resipiscence or after-wisdom of blinded Souls Resipiscence disclaiming their own seeming Excellencies and relying upon the Grace of God is divine and coming from above opposed to the earthly Wisdom which is natural sensual and carnal This is the true Conversion and Transforming from the World unto God from Darkness unto his marvellous Light the Regeneration and new Creation the putting off of the old Man with the Corruptions and Lusts and the putting on of the New man which after Christ is renewed in Righteousness and true Holiness This is Justification Sanctification Separating Cleansing Mortification Self-denyal Circumcision of the Spirit Crucifixion taking up the Cross Death unto sin Life unto Righteousness Planting into the likeness of Christ's Death Burial with him in Baptism the Power of his Death the Fellowship of his Sufferings and Vertue of his Resurrection All these and such like precious things are comprehended under the Notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Repentance of the Gospel for the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 Luc. 24.47 True Wisdom This is the Foundation of all Christian Comforts No Jew by the Law written nor Gentile without the Law attained unto this Wisdom All the Wisdom of the World was Foolishness unto it the Gospel only effected this saving Reformation and all other things were but Loss and Dross and Dung in comparison of the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg This was the Day-spring from an High that visited them that sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death that made the Jew amazed at the insufficiency of all his Service and the Gentiles confounded at their vain Philosophy and Worship This confounds the Wisdom of the wise and brings to nought all the imaginations of Mankind This makes the proud and stubborn veil their high Conceits and stoop to the Contrivances of the Great God By this they see themselves outwitted and their Freedom purchased by a way they could never have invented Thus they are brought from their own Darkness into the marvellous Light of God and translated from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God Here they perfectly see and feel that Holiness and Blessedness which before they groped after but by no means could attain unto till Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life made demonstration of it to the World in whom all the Nations of
thou or Who hath resisted his Will God is Loose from doing or suffering any Evil. As by his Omnipotency he cannot die nor deny himself so by his Liberty he cannot do nor suffer Evil. These Impossibilities do perfect his Omnipotency and Liberty And God is Loose to do all Good and to have all good for all Good is from him and to him i. e. from his Grace and to his Glory and God enjoys all Happiness because he enjoys himself for he is all Happiness both to himself and others Seeing then God is naturally Loose Ergo he is naturally Free How stands God's Liberty with his Necessity or Obj. how can a Necessary Agent be Free Necessity is contrary to Contingency not to Liberty Sol. Necessity neither opposes nor diminishes Liberty but consists with it continues and advanceth it The Necessity that doth modifie God's Essence and his Attributes makes God the more excellent for God's Being is the greater and better by being necessary Our Liberty is contingent and therefore mutable we heretofore might have been or hereafter may be not free But God's Liberty is necessary ergo immutable he never could be nor shall be otherwise than free God is a necessary Agent in respect of our Actions because we cannot act without him but in respect of his own Actions he is though a necessary yet a most free Agent because both before and in and after his Action he is most loose from all restraint or constraint to enforce or invalid him or any thing he does but that still though loose yet he must and can do nothing but what is good everlastingly and because he is necessarily loose therefore he is necessarily free and so his freedom must be a necessary and everlasting Liberty the Liberty of a God properly and not of a Man Seeing then God's necessity doth advance all his Attributes to the full Perfection of God ergo his Liberty is also necessary according to the necessity of God to speak after the manner of men with reverence and fear of the most High God SECTION II. Christ II. Christ is the Son of Liberty The Church is the Kingdom of God and Christ is a King of that Kingdom the King of a free Kingdom is free If Subject be free much more the King who hath Supremacy in all things and therefore in freedom If therefore the faithful be free Christ is free much more The Church is the Family or House of God Christ is the Head or Lord of that House this Lord is free Moses was a Servant Christ is a Master in God's House and he built it ergo more free than Moses or the Church If he that buildeth the house hath more honour than the house then Christ that built the Church hath more Liberty than the Church The Reasons are 1. From the Office of Christ because Christ is the general Mediator of all Liberty which God vouchsafes to Man God is the Fountain and Christ the Conduit God the Granter and Christ the Preacher and Herald of it God hath sent him to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind Luk. 4.18 to set at Liberty them that are bruised to open the Prison doors to them that are fast bound in misery and Iron and to preach the acceptable year of Jubilee of the Lord. Christ is the Liberator the Patron and Donor of Liberty that hath the State of it in himself and power to grant it to others 2. From the nature of Liberty 1. Because Christ was loose from all Evil impeccant and impeccable our High Priest ergo holy and harmless our High-Sacrifice ergo pure and spotless loose from all misery though he suffered much yet he suffered it freely he dyed but freely He laid down his life it was in his own power to take it up Joh. 10.18 and to lay it down No man gave it to him nor took it from him and he laid it down but for three days and then took it again 2. Because Christ was loose unto all good loose to his proper end Eternal Happiness Christ was not viator but comprehensor no Expectant but in Possession no Candidate for but actually installed in the Throne of Glory Christ was personally united unto God and the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Christ is naturally free not made free but makes others free free by Nature born not by Grace given 3. Because Christ is the Son of God The immediate property of a Son is freedom Liberi signifie Children and Free-men Sons are Heirs and all Heirs are Free though Slaves before Christ is Heir to his Father Ergo to all his Father's Rights Ergo to Liberty If therefore Liberty be the Right of God the Father then God the Son stands in succession to the same Right SECTION III. III. The Faithful are the Members of Liberty Faithful The Faithful are all Free As the Unfaithful are slaves so the Faithful are free Whosoever committeth sin in the state of Infidelity is a servant of Sin under the Power of darkness and led captive by the Devil according to his will But whosoever doth Righteousness in the state of Faith is a servant of Righteousness and under the Power of light and translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God and the glorious Liberty of all his Children The Church is the free Kingdom and City of God Saints and Angels are fellow Citizens all partakers of the same Coelestial freedom As Isaac was the Son of the Promise which was free and the Son of the Free-woman so the Faithful are Children of the Promise which was free in Christ the Promised Seed and Children of the Free-woman and of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is free and the Mother of us all This Liberty of the Faithful is a most excellent Estate worth the standing for Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Liberty is the Natural work of God Man's natural Birth-right a branch of Man's original Right a Copy of Divine Liberty to have Dominion under God over all inferiour Creatures Libertas est Res inestimabilis a Divine Favour a Condition supremely good much to be contended for SECTION IV. The Term of Recess from whence we are free is the state of Bondage to the Law i. e. to all the positive and statute Laws of God Term of Recess Bondage Gal. 2.16 21. called Ordinances ordained for matter of Policy or Ceremony To this state of Liberty from these follow two Rights 1. Of Immunity from the Precepts Services and burthens of those Laws as of Circumcision Sabbatisms Purifications Sacrifices Meats c. 2. Of Impunity from the Judgments Punishments and Curses of those Laws in case of Transgressions For where the obligation to the Precept ceaseth there ceaseth also all obligation to the Judgment of the Law because where there is no Law to be broken there is no sin to be imputed as saith the Apostle
him Melchisedec a Type of Christ 1. Because he blessed so Great a Man as Abraham was the Prince of God the Father of the Faithful one to whom the Promises were made 2. Because he tithed Abraham and Levi himself that tithed others paid Tithes to Melchisedec in Abraham's Loyns 3. Because he was a Singular Priest neither was there any more of that Order nor shall be for ever 4. Because he was a perpetual High-priest 5. Because he was of the Tribe of Judah Heb. 7.14 of which Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood 6. Because he was made by an Oath Heb. 7.20 And inasmuch as not without an Oath he was made Priest For those Priests were made without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 7. Because he is a Royal Priest as was Melchisedec King of Salem Heb. 7.1 and having offered his Blood as a Priest he sits at the Right hand of God as King ruling over his Church 1 Cor. 15.24 till he have put all his Enemies under his feet and shall deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power SECTION V. Christ offereth Himself he offered himself without spot to God Of the Offering of Christ Heb. 9.14 Heb. 7.27 Heb. 9.26 1 Tim. 2.6 Gal. 1.4 Gal. 2.20 for this he did once when he offered up himself he hath appeared to put away Sins by the Sacrifice of himself he gave himself a Ransom for all who gave himself for our Sins who loved me and gave himself for me 1. Because he only was worthy to give and to be given to God Reason 1 2. Because in him only God was well-pleased for so God testified Reason 2 from Heaven This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Christ offered through the Spirit Through the Spirit Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 3.18 Ro. 1.3 4. who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself unto God being put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit Who was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the Resurrection from the dead The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Heb. 10.20 Heb. 7.15 16. By a New and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh After the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life Christ therefore is a Living Sacrifice and so are they that are Christ's that present their Bodies a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable to God which is their reasonable Sacrifice So Christ is the Living bread which came down from heaven Joh. 6 51. Heb. 7.8 25. and went up to heaven here men that die receive Tithes but here he receiveth them of whom it is testified that he liveth Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Reason 1 1. Because the Flesh was weak and died and no dead thing can offer it self or any thing else Reason 2 2. Because the Spirit is strong and liveth to offer the Flesh quickned thereby and to be offered in the Person of God and Man to be a Living Sacrifice Such a Sacrifice was Christ first slain and then quickned by the Spirit and offered by the Spirit unto God the Father of the Spirits Without Spot Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 1.19 Christ offered without Spot he offered himself to God without Spot i. e. of all sin or infirmity when immortal redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot so we are found in him without spot and blameless so is the Spouse of Christ cleansed and adorned 2 Pet. 3.14 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and blameless Reason 1 1. Because Christ was so conceived by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary therefore that Holy Thing which was born of her was called the Son of God Thou art the Holy One of God Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption Reason 2 2. Because he purged away all our Sins that were laid upon him which though they were as Scarlet yet shall be as white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson Is 1.18 yet they shall be as Wool Once Heb. 9.25 c. Christ offered Once only Not that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others for then he must often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto all men once to die ond after death cometh Judgment So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without spot unto Salvation Heb. 10.1 2 c. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the Things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the Comers thereunto perfect for then would they not have ceased to be offered i. e. they would have ceased to be offered because that the Worshipers once purged should have had no more Conscience of sin But in those Sacrifices there is a Remembrance again made of sins every year For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sins Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offering and Burnt-offering and Offering for Sin thou wouldst not but a Body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for Sins thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering the same Sacrifices which can never take away Sins But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness This is the Covenant that I will make with them in those days I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their Sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more Now where Remission of these is there is no more offering
Atheism being a canker in my Estate and theirs and a poyson to me and their Souls that I have not fed my self or mine at all or as I ought or provided for my self or them at all or as I ought that I have not taught my self or them at all or as I ought But especially let not an army of strangers and of miserable persons made so by me come in against me to rail and curse me or go to God with strong cries and tears to help them from the wrongs that I have done them or call for vengeance from Heaven upon me for the same O these are lowd and bitter cries O they rent the very heavens O they come up to the ears of God day and night O what should I do or whether should I go if these Fatherless Widows Strangers should come in against me which God forbid or if the very brutes and inanimate creatures should find mouths to clamour to men to God and to the world against me And all this while which is worse I should cry lowdest against my self in a wounded Conscience which who is able to bear Therefore what ever I do what ever I suffer let me not eat the bread that should nourish others and for want of which they curse and starve Let me not be cloathed with the fleece that should keep others warm and for want of which their nakedness is discovered and they die for cold Let me not shelter my self under the roof of another which should be his castle to save himself nor let me possess the goods or lands of others which they of right should use or enjoy In a word Let none be hurt lamed killed deformed oppressed robbed spoiled or undone by me let no such stain be upon my honour in this world nor no such clog upon my soul to press it down in the world to come But rather let me truly say to my comfort and credit Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded I am innocent from the blood of all men I have endeavoured to get and keep a good Conscience in all things void of offence to God or Man which will bring me peace to my latter end and to all eternity O Adam Adam What inevitable wrongs are done by thee by the miseries and deaths brought upon all thy Race if not the sins by thy example at least the imputation for thy sake What inevitable damnation hast thou brought upon thy self and all men had not the second Adam procured salvation for thee and all men O sinful and cruel men What sins and miseries have you brought upon your selves your families and countries by making them to sin by making them to suffer in peace and war in plenty and want in health and sickness O all ye Oppressours Ranters Rebels and Tyrants How much is the world the worse for you How much is the Church the worse for you What waste and havock and spoil have beastly prodigal and barbarous men made upon the good creatures of God ransacked rifled and preyed upon by your pride and wantonness The first Adam lost all right The second Adam recovered all right God created all right and truth and the Devil created all wrong and falsehood These are the two principles of right and wrong good and evil SECT XXXII Collect. Moral Honesty not doubted of 2 Therefore though many revealed truths of faith are called into question and many natural causes are doubted of yet we cannot if we be in our wits make any just scruple of moral honesty no body can deny it he must put out the light of nature if he do which cannot be A spade must be a spade and honesty is honesty when all is done whether we will or no and goes through the world A true man is the only man when all is done that hath honour and conscience in him his enemies themselves being Judges So there can be no difference about honesty that there is and ought to be such a thing But what that thing is and where to find it what is Right and Truth and Wrong and False we cannot we will not agree but call Right Wrong Lyes Truth Evill Good Darkness Light and é contra Every Man will be in the right a common sin to flatter our selves in sin to preach of it praise it pray for it inveigh against evill commend good but act against it Every Man is as his phancy and passion guides him as his party and interest lyes so he judges so he acts so do States and Kingdoms so do Churches too What shall we do in this case how shall we know Right from Wrong that we may do right I answer 1. God hath shew'd it unto us in the light of Nature if we will open our eyes to see it there it is in the common principles thereof very plain 2. Princes from God have shew'd it unto us in their Laws taken from the Law of Nature for our temporal good 3. Priests from God have shew'd it unto us in God's Laws revealed by the Apostles and Prophets for our spiritual good For the Priest's lips preserve knowledg and God's Law is to be enquired of from their mouthes for the good of the Soul 4. Physicians from God have shew'd it unto us in their skill what is for the Body 5. Lawyers from God shew it unto us in their wisdom what is good good for our Estates But in all we are deceiv'd and lose the Right while it is before us holding the Truth in unrighteousness SECT XXXIII Therefore every Man must see with his own eyes Collect. 3. Use Reason and hear with his own ears and understand with his own heart as well as he can and God will help him Let the world know that to assert Infallibility is a cheat and to set up Supremacy is a cheat and to impose Antiquity in all things is a cheat But right Reason humble and unbiassed not excluding frailties is no cheat He that seeketh findeth he that asketh shall have and he that knocketh at Wisdom's gate shall enter in SECT XXXIV Two Guides God hath given to all Men. Reason of Nature 1. Reason of Nature in common principles Quaedam Jura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora saith Cicero There are some Laws which are not written but they are more certain than all the written Laws in the world This is the fountain of Right and it cannot at the same time send forth sweet waters and bitter This is the Treasure which God hath committed to the charge of every one to keep and improve SECT XXXV 2. Equity of conscience Equity of Conscience in common Conclusions drawn from the pure Truths These must guide us when positive Laws fail us Nec omne quod honestum est legibus praecipitur For not every thing that is honest is commanded by the Laws The reason is because Law-givers are not Diviners and Prophets to fore-see every contingent
Equity and Charity obligeth him but is churlish uncharitable unmerciful and unkind And he that doth not right according to the rules of Equity and Good manners he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Gen. 9.22 Such a sinner was Cham who seeing his Father's nakedness told his two Brethren without This fact was a sin for it was punished with a heavy curse of perpetual slavery to him and his heirs yet this was no legal sin for there was no Statute Law in being which forbad that fact but it was a moral sin against the rule of Good manners for the Son to tell of his Father's infirmity 1 Sam. 10.27 Such sinners were they who despised Saul and brought him no presents This fact was a sin for the Trespassers are thereupon called the Children of Belial yet this was no Legal sin against any Law of Moses but a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners and Common custom for Subjects to despise their King and bring him no presents 1 Sam. 25.10 Such a sinner was Nabal who churlishly answer'd David and deny'd him relief and his Servants for which he is censured such a Son of Belial that a Man cannot speak to him yet this was no Legal sin against any Law but a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners that a Man of a great Estate should be so unthankful as to deny a little provision to such persons as had not only done him no hurt but much good in securing him and all that he had Such a sinner was the wicked Servant who when his Lord had forgiven him ten thousand Talents Math. 18.28 would neither forgive nor forbear his fellow-servant who owed him but an hundred pence but arrested him and imprisoned him for it This fact was a sin for the Lord was wroth and revoking his former pardon delivered him to the Tormenters till he should pay all that was due unto him yet this was no Legal sin against any Law for the Law allows every Creditor to sue for his debt but was a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners for him to whom his Master had forgiven a debt of a thousand Talents to exact from his fellow-servant a debt of an hundred pence And such sinners were the Priest and the Levite who seeing a Man lye in the way stripped wounded and half dead passed by on the other side This fact of theirs was no Legal sin against any Law but a Moral sin against the rules of Equity Humanity Mercy and Courtesie And this Moral sinner who is a trespasser against the rules of Equity and Good manners is opposed to the person who is Morally righteous by doing that right which Equity Humanity and Charity require Such sinners will the Damned be found at the day of Judgment when they shall be convicted and sentenced for not giving food to the hungry nor drink to the thirsty nor clothes to the naked c. which are not Legal sins but Moral against Equity Charity and Mercy SECT VIII 3. A Sinner Jurally quoad Jura is one who is a Quasi-Trespasser i. e. a miserable or piteous person who hath no right or not that right which he had or might or should have had but is debarred or deprived of that right which by Law Equity or favour is commonly allow'd to others and is doom'd or condemned to suffer those pains and losses which are commonly inflicted upon transgressors commonly used in like cases He that hath no right may be called unrighteous and he that is unrighteous is a sinner Yet a Quasi sinner is not a sinner actually as the two former were as if he had done any act of a sinner or had sin inherent in him but he is a sinner passively being put into the state of a sinner to whom sin is imputed and being made obnoxious to be offended and afflicted as if he were really an offender and a sinner For it is not any act of his own that makes him a transgressor or puts him into the state of a sinner but either the act of the Law which justly imputes unto him the sin whereof some other is guilty or the act of some adversary who unjustly imputes unto him that sin whereof neither he nor any other is guilty but calumniates and criminates him falsly vide Gen. 4 11. Gen. 19.15 Exod. 34.7 Num. 14.18 Such a sinner is a Bastard who being no transgressor against the Law is by the Law made a Quasi-Trespasser and deprived of his Birth-right and debarred from that inheritance which by the common course of custom belongs unto him For the poor Bastard is condemned for a sinner before he is born before he hath done any good or evil before he hath stirr'd in his Mother's womb because his conception being unlawful and sinful doth by an act of the Law render his Parents sinners Legally and himself a Quasi-transgressor or a sinner Jurally And by the Law of God the Bastard lost not only his Birth-right but also his right of Assembly to him and his heirs for ten Generations during which time they stood as persons excommunicate Deut. 23.2 debarred from entrance into the Congregation of the Lord. Such a sinner is an Alien Forreigner or Stranger inhabiting a Countrey where he is disabled and debarred from the priviledges of inheritances Assemblies and Societies and other common Benefits of the Law which the People of the Land enjoy and consequently he lives in a state or condition which is usually inflicted on sinners for some sin So the Romans Greeks and other Nations living in Judaea the Jews accounted and called sinners because they were Aliens and Strangers who had no right to the Lands and inheritances in the Kingdom of Israel nor to the Assemblies Congregations and Ceremonies of Moses which were by the Law appropriated and entailed to the Nation of the Jews for in this Jural sense the word Sinner is taken frequently in the Gospel especially where it stands adjoined with Publicans See Math. 9 10. Math. 11.19 Mar. 2.15 16. Luc. 5.30 Luc. 15.1 And by the Law of God the Ammonites and Moabites were cast into the condition and state of sinners for ever Deut. 23.6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy daies for ever i. e. They shall be for ever unto thee Quasi-trespassers Such a sinner is a Bond-Man a Slave though he be a villain or slave born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a Quasi-trespasser being wholly decapitated and depersonated from the common condition of a humane person to be an odious cursed and detestable Creature living as it were in the state of a Beast wholly disabled from having any right at all no right of Assembly to consult no right of Testimony to bear witness no right of a Testament to make a Will no right of inheritance to enjoy any Estate And by the Law of God the Gibeonites were cursed into
the act of his Faith in accepting of God's promise For as the promise was a meer act of Grace on God's part so the acceptance was a meer act of Faith on Abraham's part And as it was between God and Abraham so is the nature of all Promises Therefore I conclude that the Title to Justification is by the Free-grace of God This Point requires no more handling because so manifest in it self and things that are manifest in themselves need no farther proofs SECT XXIV This Work of Grace is done by God and Christ and God by Christ God justifieth God justifieth To declare his righteousness that he might be just Ro. 3.26 30. and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and Uncircumcision through Faith Gal. 3.8 The Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth 1. Because the promises come from God who is the Author and Maker of them Tit. 1.2 God that cannot lye promised unto us Eternal Life before the World began For all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 unto the Glory of God by us Eph. 2.7 That he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ The Covenant containing these promises is God's will and Testament we are made the Sons of God by God's will not by Man's will Joh. 1.13 Christ came from Heaven not to do his own will Joh. 6.38 but his Father's will that sent him SECT XXV Christ justifieth Christ justifieth Is 53.11 Acts 13.39 Ro. 5.9 19. Rom. 3.24 Joh. 3.36 1 Joh. 5.12 My righteous Servant shall justifie many By him all that believe are justified from all things c. being justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath c. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life We are justified to a present Right here to have the possession hereafter He that hath the Son hath life As many as believed in him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God SECT XXVI God justifieth by Christ God justifieth by Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Rom. 6.23 There is one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God hath not appointed us to wrath 1 Thes 5.9 but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ No whoremonger Ephes 5.5 c. hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Math. 20.28 God is the principal Person and Christ his Minister The Son of Man came not to be ministred unto Ro. 15.8 but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many Joh. 7.16 He was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God His Doctrine was not his but God's By confirming the Promises Ro. 15.8 A Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers Dan. 9.27 and he shall confirm the Covenant with many Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Bloud of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one c. Mat. 26.28 This is my Bloud of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins By assuring them to us Not by works of righteousness which he hath done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.6 which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life He hath given us his Spirit the earnest of our inheritance By calling us to them 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all Grace hath called us into his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus By performing them for us All the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen Who died for our sins and rose again for our justification i. e. to perform the promises in taking possession himself for us by his ascension into Heaven As Christ was delivered to death to confirm the promises so he was raised again to perform them Mat. 25.34 Come ye Blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdom of God prepared for you 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls Heb. 12.2 Joh. 6.40 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 11.15 I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me yea though he were dead 1 Cor. 15.22 Phil. 3.61 yet shall he live As in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive Who shall change our vile Body that it may be like unto his Glorious Body Several Expressions 1. Words that constitute or create a Right as Grace Gift Good will Testament Covenant Promise 2. Words that confirm or assure Rights created as Seal Earnest Witness 3. Words that specifie Rights constituted and confirmed as Freedom Liberty Communion Fellowship Inheritance 4. Words contrary to Right as Injury Wrong Condemnation Oppression 5. Words of Appellation to such as have Right as Sons Heirs Co-Heirs Citizens Free-Men This word Freedom is a word so jural that it is the original and fundamental Right of all Interests and Priviledges because no Right can subsist in any Person unless it have Freedom for its basis and ground for a Bondman is capable of no Right SECT XXVII The true Title to Justification by Faith being Grace Wrong Law Transition the wrong Title must needs be Law Because Freedom which is the Estate of Justification cometh only by Grace through Faith and Servitude which is quite contrary to a justified condition is wholly from the Law Gal. 4.23 This the Apostle illustrates by the Allegory of Abraham's two Sons and their two Mothers which are the two Covenants of Bondage and Freedom SECT XXVIII 1. Ishmael the Elder by a Bondmaid his Natural Son not Legitimate Allegory of the two Covenants Hagar by Nation an Egyptian by State and Condition Sarah's Bond-maid by use and service her waiting Woman or hand-maid Ishmael and Isaak Gen. 16.3 Hagar and Sarah bought by Sarah in Egypt and by an act of priviledg given by her to be Abraham's Concubine or Wife quasily and usually For she had neither
promise by a solemn oath See Gen. 13.15 and Gen. 15.18 and Gen. 22.16 and Gen. 26.3 and Gen. 28.13 And they had farther an assurance of this right settled upon them by many miracles and tokens 1 Cor. 10.1 c. For they all were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual drink c. Hath any Christian a better right or a greater assurance to the Kingdom of Heaven than the Israelites had to the Kingdom of Canaan yet many of them by reason of their carnal sins of lust idolatry fornication and such like did never enter that inheritance but were overthrown and destroyed in the Wilderness for God in his wrath retracted by oath that promise which before by oath he had confirmed See Num. 14.23 and Psal 95.11 and Ez. 20.15 and Heb. 3.18 2. Now all these Judgments happened to them for our examples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10.11 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall The mischief therefore that regularly follows upon our walking after the Flesh and committing of carnal sins is a Disherison or exclusion of us from the actual entrance and possession of that Heavenly inheritance whereto by Faith we had a right and title For although our good works are not sufficient enough to create us a title to that Inheritance yet our evil works are miscreant enough to defeat us of the title we had by Faith and to draw upon us a forfeiture of our former rights because our evil works argue us to be the Children of disobedience who will not be led and ruled by the Spirit of God they convict us of ungraciousness and unthankfulness for the Grace of God and condemn us to endure the wrath of God For although the Gospel be a Charter of Grace yet this is the Law of it against evil works because thereby we not only despair but we do despite to the Spirit of Grace which is an affront unto God who grants it and so justly we lose the benefit of the Grant through our own default Quod erat demonstrandum The CONTENTS Transition Works James 2.18 explained Works of Love TITLE VI. Of the Tenure of Justification MY state of Election requires a Tenure Transition For because the state of it is thus mutable therefore it requires a Tenure to preserve and hold it And because my state of Justification had a cause to create it so also it requires a cause to conserve it That which I have my Estate by is my Title by Gift or Birth or work or Purchase and that which I hold my Estate by is my Tenure or Homage by serviency Escuage or Soccage i. e. by Court-service War-service or Plough-service And because Estates are in this Life transitory and defeisable to come and go to be had and lost therefore when I have an Estate I must use the means to hold it otherwise I may make no benefit by it And this is necessary in all Estates to have a Title to get and a Tenure to keep or else no Estate would be permanent yea the whole World if it were not upheld by him that made it would eternally fall to ruin The Tenure of my Justification is works Therefore this assertion Works A Man is justified by works and not by Faith is as much the word of God as this assertion A Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and both are equally true 1. Faith is the Title of Right to my Justification 2. Works are the Tenure of this Right and Title till I am to possess the Inheritance which my Faith gave me Right and Title to The Reasons by which St. James proves this Justification by works are these 1. Because works keep Faith alive The act of Faith without them is of no effect though it did justifie to a right because without works following we can have no benefit of our Justification As a Bill or Bond or other specialty of Writing without a Seal or Hand is voi'd cancell'd to all intents and purposes contained in them So c. 2. Because Faith is by works made perfect it being alone a thing imperfect and ineffectual For in justifying it gives a Right and Title of Institution and Expectation claims Interest and Hope of a future inheritance which Right is escheatable and may be destroied but Faith seconded and animated by works 1 Pet. 1.4 finishes and compleats our Right to a fruition of the Inheritance seized upon invested in us and subject to no defeisance An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us Thus Abraham was justified by works when he had offer'd up Isaak his Son upon the Altar And Rahab was justified by works when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way Faith alone without works is like the Devil's faith who tremble without any hope or works And Faith without works is like the Body without the Soul But though my Tenure of Justification be works yet Faith is not excluded Not works alone nor Faith alone but both together do conserve the Title of my Justification which I had by Faith only And herein Faith hath the preeminence Faith without works doth justifie me to have my Right and Title but works without Faith do not justifie me to hold my Right and Title I say not works with Faith but thus Faith with works doth make me hold my Right Faith is the Principal and works are the Accessaries thereunto to animate enable and render Faith effectual to the possession of an Inheritance which that Faith gave right unto but could not bring to a full enjoyment without works And farther it is most certain that works do also justifie declaratively by manifesting that Faith to my self and to the World which did justifie me efficiently James 2.18 explained Shew me thy Faith without thy works and I will shew thee my Faith by my works ☞ Note here also That Paul by his assertion that a Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by Faith only opposeth the Judaizing Christians who were still operaries and rituaries of the Law thinking to be justified by them to the Evangelical Christians who were fiduciaries and spiritualists of the Gospel thinking to be justified by Faith only And that James opposeth the Gentilizing Christians who were still fiduciaries and libertines standing only for Faith and Freedom and neglecting and disgracing all works to them that were truly Evangelical that stood to their Faith and Liberty but admitted and honoured all good works also allowing therefore to the Verb justified these two senses of creating and conserving Justification it will follow That Faith only without works doth create
through weakness but lived by the power of God And after he had died for our sins rose again for our justification 3. That Christ as a Law-giver propounded the purest Rules of Holiness and the highest Rewards of happiness introduced the most Spiritual worship that ever was manifested unto Mankind that he put an everlasting period to Moses's Rites and confounded the Wisdom of the World by the foolishness and weakness of God which is wiser and stronger than the Wisdom and strength of the World That he brake the Devil's power and malice silenced the lying Oracles and lay'd flat the strong holds of Sin and Satan to the ground And set up his Kingdom against all Principalities and powers and Spiritual wickednesses in high places and the gates of Hell shall never be able to to prevail against it 4. That Christ's Apostles saw and heard all that he did spake and suffered and the Glory of his Resurrection and Ascension and testified to the World all these things which they had seen and heard without all hope of Reward in this Life against all discouragements of persecutions and deaths And that the Spirit of God was so powerful in these illiterate and obscure Men as to indue them with Wisedom and Understanding from on High and with courage and resolution to preach the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and the enduring of the Cross by mortification and self-denyal and renunciation of the World in order thereunto Things hard to be believed done or suffered by Flesh and Blood but mightily assured of performed and endured by themselves and their Disciples out-witting the Learning of Athens and Rome out-pleading the Orators and over-coming the powerful oppositions of both and of all others translated by their Gospel from the power of Darkness of Satan into the glorious Kingdom of the dear Son of God Thus the Ground of our Assurance sufficeth as to credence for matter of Fact SECT II. 2. The second Ground of all the Assurance Matter of Right that is possible and convenient to be had in this Life concerning our Salvation is in matter of Right to the Promises of that Salvation so procured for us is 1. Our consenting to the Promises delivered unto us 2. Our accepting and free embracing them as to our selves drawing the right of those Promises unto us 3. Our obedience or observation of them accordingly preserving those Rights unto us All which is our Faith whereby we are justified to all the Rights procured purchased and published by our Saviour Jesus Christ Thus living and dying and rising again and sending of his Spirit and ascending into Heaven and offering himself to God as a Priest and Sacrifice and sitting at the Right Hand of his Father to rule over all for us Men and for our Salvation That where he is thither he might bring us who is thus gone before us to prepare a place for us This is great Assurance and there can be no evidence nor conveyance or settlement greater or more secure than this The Word of God standing sure and our reliance thereupon We know we are the Sons of God What saith Christ Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word Joh. 5.13 and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto Life And I will raise him up at the last day He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Joh. 12.44 that is right unto it and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him We know that we have passed from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death 1 Joh. 3.14 Eph. 2.5 c. Even when we were dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ by Grace ye are all saved and hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in Heavenly places in Jesus Christ That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God The method of this our Assurance is 1. Hearing the Son 2. Believing in him and the Father that sent him 3. Justification 1. From Damnation and Death to Salvation and Life 2. From Sin to Grace 3. From Death in Sin to Life in Righteousness 4. From Death for Sin to Life for Grace 5. From Darkness to Light 6. From Bondage to Liberty SECT III. Matter of Witness 3. The third Ground for all the Assurance that is possible and convenient to be had in this Life concerning our Salvation is in matter of Witness or Earnest thereof which is the Spirit of God When Christ departed from his Disciples by leaving the World he bid them not be troubled at his corporal absence for he would send his Holy Spirit the Comforter to abide with them and so would be spiritually present with them all all that should succeed them in the Faith unto the end of the World Therefore accordingly when they were troubled exceedingly after his death and doubted that he was not the Messiah because he was dead and buried And after his Resurrection they were not fully satisfied but strange thoughts arose in their hearts He shew'd them his hands and his feet Luc. 24.38 c. that they might know that it was he himself and bid them handle him and feel him and look well upon him for a Spirit cannot be seen nor hath Flesh and Bones as he had And while they yet were not fully assured doubting for joy and wonder for their farther satisfaction he took meat and did eat before them And moreover for the greater Assurance he by his Spirit opened their Understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and gave them a Commission to preach the Gospel Joh. 20.22 And farther yet He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted and whosoevers sins ye retain they are retained And last of all for the greatest assurance of all he said Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you Luc. 24.49 c. Vid. Act. 1.4 c. But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be endued with power from on High And he lift up his hands and blessed them and in their sight and of above five hundred Brethren together he was carried up to Heaven And then they were satisfied and worshipped and returned to Jerusalem as Christ had commanded them with great joy and waited there for the performance of the Promise Act. 2.1 c. Act. 1. which was performed upon the day of Pentecost by the Mission of the Holy Ghost upon them so as never was before When therefore all the Assurances and Confirmations that could be given to Christ's Disciples were given for their
in a thing he is reckon'd to have an entire Dominion placed beyond the bounds of all Service by Seisure or other way of getting power into our Hands Allodium à Laudemiis dictum Etymology Qui hoc possident laudare neminem Auctorem tenentur Dominum soli nec patronum i. e. nullius in fide sunt sed alii sunt in fide eorum Ergo Allodium dicitur Infeudatum That is Allodium is so called from Alode or sine laude And they that possess such Lands are not obliged to thank any Man for them as being their Benefactor Lord or Patron of them That is to say They are in obligation of Faith to no Man but others that hold under them are bound in Faith to them And therefore that Allodium Land is said to be infeudated or given in fee. This Allodium is an hereditary Estate which as my own I may sell give away or otherwise convey as I shall please without the Licence of any Man whatsoever So things are had and held either by our own proper and entire right as Allodium or by the right of Benefice of another as a Feudum or by the right of Libel or Copy when a thing is past away for a certain summe but not for ever as a pure sale but for a certain time reserving every Year a Pension or Canon which Term or time may be renew'd upon such conditions for ever All things are in their own Nature allodial and might be acquired and kept justly by any Man but now by customs introduced into Kingdoms some Lands are held in fee upon courtesie and favour The Persons and things that Soveraign Princes do hold Crown Lands they hold in absolute Allodium or Right in themselves depending upon none Quasi Alode or sine laude cui nec gratia nec merces nec opera debetur No thanks reward nor service is due for what they have to any Man All the Lands in their Kingdoms are their own but not in their own hands These that are in their own hands they call Crown Lands though the rest are so because they are reserved by them for their own honour and maintenance the rest in the hands of Subjects own service as the Subjects themselves to the King of whom all hold and he holds of none The Allodium of the Prince is Life the Sea as all Waters flow from the Sea so they return to the Sea again So do Feuds come from the Prince and return to him again In summo gradu positus habens Allodium dat Feudum He that is in the highest degree having Allodium bestows Fees The Emperour is the highest Lord of the Estates of Lands Rights and Persons Under him are Lords Intermedial SECT III. To avoid all Ambiguities and Amphibologies in Terms I declare Caution That the Habent is one thing and the Tenent another in some sense and in some sense also they are both one The habent is an Absolute owner and possessor of goods and the same person is also the tenent of the same goods but in ordinary acception the habent is taken for the Lord and the tenent for the Holder under him the one in his own Right and the other in another Mans The one the habent and tenent of his own goods the other the usuary and occupier of another Man's goods Whereas therefore I speake of Tenures I mean by an absolute Allodium a Tenure in and from a Man 's own self without acknowledgment of Right or Duty to any Man And by a Conditional Feudum I mean a Tenure from another Man with acknowledgment of Right and subjection in and to another Man And so by this distinction the Discourse may pass clear without any interfering at all which I propound as my true meaning in all that I have said or shall say upon this subject in this Book and in this whole Volume And so by the Favour of the Learned and candid Reader I go on after I have cast in but one corn of Salt to season this large Allegory of Allodium and Feudum as they are apply'd to the Estate of God and of his Church and Kingdom If all Estates were independent what Society If all Persons were independent what rule could there be What is God but independent What 's a King but independent from all but God What are Subjects but such whose Persons and Estates depend upon God and the King They that would be independent would have their Persons Actions and their Estates to be their own so as none to be Lords over them But the cause is otherwise and God be thank'd we are not our own and our Persons actions and Estates are not our own but all for the glory of God and the King and for the good of the Church and all Mankind It is certainly the best condition for us to stand in Relation and Dependency to God and the King But the proud hearts of the Sons of Men would have it otherwise if they could and this Spirit raises up all the rebellions in the World Because we would be gods to our selves and kings to our selves and priests to our selves and so destroy our selves if we had our wills Let God therefore as he is be the Absolute Liege Lord of the World his allodial Estate Let Kings as they are be the Quasi-Absolute Liege Lords of the World their Quasi-allodial Estate Let Subjects be as they are the Vassals and Tenants of their Liege Lords their true Feudal Estate Apology The application of these Feudal Tenures how close it may lye to the Tenure of Christ's Church and Kingdom and how aptly it may describe the Nature of them both I leave it only to the Learned to judg especially the Lawyers craving pardon for my boldness in first proclaiming this maiden-fancy hereby prescribing it to none nor offering it at all for vulgar use it being wholly beyond their reach But the substance and moral of the Parable in plain words I commend as useful to all which is the chief of my intentions in this matter if you will believe me The CONTENTS Name Definition Promise Investiture Felony TITLE II. Of Feudum FEUDUM Fedum vel Feodum vel Fideum à Fed vel Fide The name vel Foedere est Beneficium seu Foedus unde Beneficiarius vel Feudatarius dictus est Fidelis A Fee is a Benefice or League granted or made upon Fidelity or Faith from whence the Beneficiary or Feudatary is called Faithful or Loyal La Fede Italicè Germanicè Feyd Faid Longobardicè and Fief Gallicè Fee Anglicè SECT I. Feudum est Beneficium ita datum ut Proprietas penes dantem remaneat Definition ususfructus ad Recipientem transeat haeredes suos fidem praestantes that is A Fee is a Benefice so granted that the propriety remains with the giver the Usufruct with the Receiver and from him to his Heirs upon the condition of the same Faith and Allegiance This
allegiance of all that hold of him and accordingly shall approve or condemn the Elect or Reprobate admit or reject to or from the Inheritance and that with all favour imaginable at the last day as all good Judges do There is much talk of an infallible Head and Judge upon Earth How can that be 1. Who proposeth the Articles of Faith and Allegiance to the Tenants but their Lord 2. Who judgeth whether these Articles be broken or kept by the Tenants but their Lord 3. Who punisheth the breach of them or rewardeth the keeping of them but their Lord 4. Who adds or takes away indulges or dispenses with them but their Lord Are not all Vassals in an equal condition in respect of Fee For though some are in dignity more or less yet all are alike dependent upon their Lord and the Lord is alike Superintendent over all The representation of Christs Church and Kingdom may farther be described by these shadows of a Feudal kingdom SECT XI Customes in a Feudal Kingdom 1. In a Feudal kingdom the King maintains every man in all other kingdoms all Subjects are proprietaries to maintain themselves 2. In a Feudal kingdom every mans Estate is the Kings in other kingdoms every mans Estate is his own 3. In a Feudal kingdom every Subject must love and serve his Prince in other Kingdoms every Subject may be forced to serve and fear but not to love his Prince 4. In a Feudal kingdom every Subject must love his Prince or he cannot live but in other kingdoms the Subjects may hate their Prince and yet live 5. In other kingdoms the Subjects may eat as good meat and drink as good drink and wear as good clothes as their Prince and not care for him nor give him no thanks at all because they live by him and under him but not of him but in a Feudal kingdom they have their portion allotted them and they must thank their Lord for all because they live by him and under him and of him 6. In other kingdoms Kings are glad to beg of their Subjects in their necessities for their Subjects good but in this kingdom Subjects must beg of their Kings for their Kings honour and their own good 7. In other kingdoms Kings cannot live without their Subjects in this Subjects cannot live without their Kings 8. In other kingdoms Kings make their Subjects fear them and serve them whether they will or no but here Kings make their Subjects love them and serve them freely with a good will 9. In other kingdoms Subjects con their Kings no thanks for what they have they care as little for their Prince as their Prince careth for them but in this they must be thankful and regardful or else they must pack and be gone A bold Benjamite dare blow a Trumpet and proclaim to his fellow Subjects We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Jesse Every man to his tents O Israel but the constitution of this Kingdom teacheth better manners 10. In other kingdoms every malepert Urchin may boast and say Virtute majorum meorum dives sum satis No thanks to my Prince but to my Ancestors But here all is by the Grace of God and the King What hast thou which thou hast not received and if thou hast received why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received it What is the King to me say other Subjects If he be a King I am a Lord or so and so Let him give me my due respect and I will give him his there 's one for the other They dare contest and be upon terms with him they care no more for him than he cares for them They see no reason but that every Lord may write himself I N. N. by the grace of God Lord of such a Mannor as well as the King God bless him I N. N. by the grace of God King of such a Kingdom 11. In other Kingdoms Subjects can easily rebel and be too hard for him as the Sons of Zerviah and Absalom were too hard for David But here Subjects cannot so easily rebel for if they do they immediately forfeit all 12. In other kingdoms Subjects will thrust in to make Laws but here the Prince makes all the Laws 13. In some kingdoms the People elect their King but in this the King elects his People 14. In some kingdoms the King stipulates pitifully and below himself with his Subjects but in this the Subjects capitulate honourably with their King 15. In other kingdoms the King cannot subsist without his People but in this the People cannot subsist without the King 15. In some kingdoms Kings rob and spoil their Subjects but in this Subjects are enriched by their Prince 17. In other kingdoms the King is defended by his Subjects but in this the Subjects are wholly defended by their King 18. In other kingdoms Subjects are half in half but in this the King is all in all 19. In other kingdoms the People are said to be greater than the King but in this the King is greater than the People 20. In other kingdoms Kings impart their Soveraignty to their Deputies but in this the King imparts no Soveraignty but keeps all to himself God is a jealous God and will not give his honour to another No Vicar General no Vicegerent in this kind in the Church or Kingdom of Christ and of God 21. In other kingdoms Kings are vastly cheated every day by their houshold Servants Publicans and all sorts of Officers but here God cannot be cheated he is not a man that he should be deluded 22. In other kingdoms Kings must be counselled by their Subjects but here the Subjects are wholly advised by their Prince and who hath been Gods Counsellor at any time who doth all things according to the Counsel of his own will 23. In other kingdoms Subjects will dare to call their Kings to an account but here the King will be sure to call all his Subjects to an account 24. In other kingdoms Subjects give gifts to their Kings but here the King gives gifts to his Subjects 25. In all other kingdoms Kings never make their Subjects Kings but here the King makes all his Subjects Kings to reign under him and together with him 26. In all other Inheritances there can be but one Heir in toto in solido but here all are Heirs in toto in solido The Inheritance ex Asse being multiplied to all without diminution to any 27. In other kingdoms Kings may give to those that love them not but hate them but this King gives to none but those that love him The Sons of men are rebellious the Sons of God are all obedient every one of them 28. In other kingdoms Subjects are all but Nominal but in a Feudal kingdom as Christs is all along here meant Subjects are all real 29. In other kingdoms Subjects do what they list and what is right in their own eyes but in this
to death with pains and care in them But the Spiritual Souldier under Christs Banner aims at glorious things and goes on to perfection He looks beyond the gayeties and anxieties of this Life at the mark of the price of the high Calling which is laid up for him in Christ Jesus and having an eye to the recompense of the Reward and a hope of a glorious and blessed immortality he is contented to endure the Crosses and despise the shames of this World and purifies himself and is zealous of good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that he may obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus To the King alone the faithful make all their Prayers not to the Saints their Brethren beneficiaries and fellow Servants under one Master and Benefactor They can merit nothing at their Lord's hands for they are Clients and Beneficiaries depending wholly upon his Grace and Favour They are all of the same Mind and of the same Spirit The Lord loves his Vassal and the Vassal his Lord. Thus all Feudal Rights are retained till there be a Desertio militiae a laying down Arms or unthankfulness and Rebellion in the case Thus Feudataries are all the Children of their Liege Lord not by Nature but by Grace they are all Filii-familias and heirs of his Estate Thus the Feudatary Brethren are all initiated into the Fee of their Lord by a Sacramental Oath and holy Covenant of Baptism Thus they commemorate the bounty of their Lord and Father by the Sacrament of the Holy Supper They eat the same Spiritual Bread and drink the same Spiritual Wine Thus they entertain one another not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness for Souldiers must be temperate in all things but in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in feasts of Love and Charity Thus they as Souldiers are not entangled with the affairs of this Life but use their Benefices as not abusing them being alwaies watchful and standing upon their guard to keep out Satan and to bruise him under every one of their feet Thus Christ hath purchased Blessedness by conquering Sin Law Satan so that all Salvation and Happiness is his who is the only Saviour of Mankind And therefore all that have right and do hold it to Blessedness have it and hold it of him who alone hath purchased it for them by the price of his precious Bloud by the Conquest of his death For there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved but only by the Name of Jesus Who is then the Lord Head of the Church but Christ What are Saints or Angels They have all from Christ as we and are our fellow Servants and Brethren partakers of the same Grace and therefore they have merited nothing for us nor can they help us nor may we seek to them for help but with them go to Christ for the participation of the common Salvation had and held by the same Right and Title of Faith and Love till we come to be perfect and receive the inheritance with them which is laid up for us eternal in the Heavens Though all Feudataries are alike usufructuaries only and have and hold of the same Liege Lord in the same Tenure yet some are Royal and Sacerdotal Dignitaries others inferior Titularies So Kings hold next and immediately under God of Christ their King by whom Kings reign and Princes decree justice And Priests hold from Christ the Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls And Subjects hold under their Kings and Priests who rule them in Temporals and Spiri uals by Jurisdiction received from the Supreme Power of Christ who is the first born of God and higher than the Kings of the Earth and the Great High Priest by whom we are made both Kings and Priests He that is imploy'd in another Man's Estate must be called to an accompt so must we by Christ be called to an accompt at the last day for our Stewardship of the goods of God Conclusion Thus we know in part what God is Thus we know what we are Thus the Servant may not be above his Master Thus we are safe under God's Dominion Thus we shall want for nothing that is good That we may alwaies love serve honour and praise our Benefactor from whom we have our Being on whom we do depend by whom we shall be rewarded with an everlasting Well-Being to whom be all honour and glory World without end ☞ Note that Parables afford not correspondencies in every point the intent and scope of them only is argumentative Parables not on all four we may not strain the similitude to every period which runs not upon all four Object Some may rise up against this Doctrine in fury and say God's waies are not like new waies they are of another Fashion Answ By such general Notions many abuse the Scriptures and the mind of God deceiving themselves as here God's waies and the reasons of his workings are not so well known as Man's waies but yet they are alwaies just so are not Mens waies Yet God's waies may be like unto Mens waies and Mens waies may be like unto God's waies when they are just yet not for the exactness and degree of Justice or Mercy or for the Notoriety of the reasons of them both Justice and Mercy though infinitely more in God than in Man yet they are of the same species Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy more or less whether they be in God or Man and so Reason is Reason and Wisedom is Wisedom whether they be in God or Man And what hinders for all this disproportion but that there may be a form of Government amongst Men resembling though infinitely short the Government of God's Church and Kingdom SECT XVI Tenure of Fealty the best Take one impartial view more of this Tenure of Fealty obliging 1. The Lord to love and protect the Vassal in his Rights that is to be a Father and Patron unto him 2. The Vassal to love honour reverence and obey his Lord with all possible kindness as his Child Pupil Client and Beneficiary that hath all he hath from his goodness I say then that this Tenure of Fealty and love though invented by Heathens came by instinct from God and is the pattern of his Fatherly goodness And the obedience and love so exactly performed by them is the lively character of the obedience and love of the Church and a shame to us Christians that come so far short of Heathens in this particular And though originally by their customs derived to us we hold as they did from one Lord yet we have forgot the allegiance which by the same Laws we are sworn to perform as they did What more excellent way could be thought of than this to keep a Kingdom in peace plenty and love when Subjects shall be all Tenants to one Liege Lord and the inferior Lords as Petty-kings
his friends a Rod of Iron for his enemies Christ's most glorious rule is in Heaven therefore after his Resurrection his first work was to send his Ambassadours to preach his Kingdom to every Creature As my Father hath sent me so send I you Whos 's sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And after his Ascension he sent down the Holy Ghost with great power to work wisdom and Miracles When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men In Christs life time upon Earth the Holy Ghost was not given and the reason was because Christ was not yet glorified This Mission of the Spirit being the most glorious administration of his Kingdom when the great Wisdoms and Powers of the World were not able to resist the wisdom and power of his Spirit by which his Disciples spake When the foolishness of God was wiser than the wisdom of men and the weakness of God was stronger than the power of men SECT II. Corol. Thus Christ considered as a Mediator is the Conditional Heir of all things under God And so Christians as Christians are the Conditional Heirs of all things under Christ Thus God Covenanted with Christ to give him a Kingdom but he must get it by Conquest according to the nature of a Feudal kingdom So God Covenants with Christians to give them a kingdom with Christ and under Christ but they must get it by Conquest The kingdom of Heaven must be pressed into and the violent take it by force and no otherwise The good fight of Faith must be fought out before we can lay hold upon the Crown of Righteousness So the Children of Israel had the kingdom of Canaan given them but they must fight for it before they could be put in possession And this is the true nature of getting and of keeping a Feudal Kingdom SECT III. Christs New way of conquest Thus a New way had Christ of conquering by Obedience and Sufferings So do Christians conquer by Self denial Love of enemies Patient suffering for Righteousness sake outward force against force and learning against learning and policy against policy may clash together like rocks of equal force and come off from each other safe and as strong as ever but when Weakness is advanced against Power in the Name of God and Simplicity and Innocence against Learning and deep Policy then is the mighty Power of God discovered Who sees not as man sees nor judges according to outward appearance Whose wayes are not like mans waies but of another fashion Christ is the Heir of all things therefore God covenanted with Christ as the Testator covenants with his Heir to enjoy his Inheritance upon such terms as to convey part of his Estate to such or such Legates or Co-heirs So the Promise was made to Christ that it might be sure to all the Seed for in Christ the Promises of God are Yea and Amen And therefore if God covenanted with Christ he hath also covenanted with his Seed Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Of those whom thou hast given me have I lost none for they are mine and I am thine SECT IV. And this is all that can be made of the Covenant of Grace Covenant of Grace and this is conditional which some make absolute contrary to the nature of a Covenant If a Covenant therefore be conditional with Christ how can it be absolute with Christians Thus they confound and perplex all things A Donative may be absolute a Testament may be absolute a Law or Constitution may be absolute a Promise may be absolute but a Pact or Covenant is upon some condition and the non-performance of the Condition dissolves the Pact and brings in a penalty of forfeiture And such a Condition there is in Gods Testament namely Faith and Repentance which some make the Effect or Means or they know not what If so then the main point of the Scriptures must be quite laid aside or quite expunged Because the whole Tenour of the Scriptures runs along clear contrary If thou believest thou shalt be saved Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand c. This is to have and to hold of God in Fide So God gives his Estate first to Christ to have and to hold of him in Fee Secondly to Christians to have and to hold of Christ in Fee This is free Grace and the more free because of meer grace and upon such noble terms as 1. To have all good of God 2. To hold all good of God 3. To do all good of God and for God As for conceits of Merit in this case they are vain and idle speculations producing aery notions and words without knowledge which darken the counsel of the wisdom of God SECT V. Thus Christ shares all things with Christians Christ shares with Christians 1. Christ shares his Holiness with them For therefore he hath anointed himself that we might be anointed with him and by him of whose fullness we all receive and grace for grace 2. Christ shares his Sufferings with Christians We fill up that which is behind of the Sufferings of Christ for his Body's sake which is the Church Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye In as much as ye did it unto them ye have done it unto me And Christ is crucified in his members 3. Christ shares his Victory with Christians In him and through him we are more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord. We shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet This is our victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith Thus Christ could not have the benefit of Gods Promise on Gods part till he had performed the condition on his part And how then can Christians expect the benefit of the Promise on Gods part except they perform the condition on their part 1. Christs Condition was Obedience and Sufferings 2. Gods Reward was Resurrection Kingdom and Glory 3. Christians Condition is Faith Repentance and Sufferings 4. Gods Reward is Resurrection and Eternal life By Christs death though faith is our Justification 1. From sin to righteousness 2. From bondage to adoption By Christs Resurrection through faith is our Justification 1. From death to life 2. From Jus ad Rem to Jus in Re. 4. Christ shares his kingdom and Priesthood with Christians Christ the principal Heir Christ the chief Priest And Christians are all Kings and Priests with him by him and under him In my Fathers house are many Mansions I go before to prepare a place for you that where I am there ye might also be If I be lifted
matters of Fact to be evident to all that have their senses rightly disposed and exercised upon them and are really infallible as to sense We understand matters of Right to be open to all Understandings that are rightly disposed and exercised upon them and are really infallible as to Reason We understand matters of Positive Law concerning Rights grounded upon Nature's Law to be clear to all Judgments that are rightly disposed and exercised upon them and are jurally infallible as to Justice The Judg judges of these Rights or Wrongs according to the sense of the Law as it stands before him and according to the Scope Analogy and Proportion of the whole Law as it is apprehended and digested by him and this is adjudged to be Law by wise Respondents Thus he does Jus dicere declares what is right according to Law as well as he can which it may be is not right in it self but it must be taken for right till it appear to be wrong lest we should run in infinitum and never determine at all For Praetor Jus dicit etiamsi iniquum dixerit And if the Supreme Power confirms it there is no appeal but to God we must rest satisfied And this is all that can be done by Men when all is done And this Subjects must stand to as to their practise not as to their judgments altogether so long as they are not plainly and diametrically against Faith and a good Life concerning which the Scriptures give us the best account Now though Men may presume to judg of the mind of the Laws of Men because they make them themselves and so do know their own meanings Yet what Man or Society of Men dare presume to judg of the mind of the Laws of God who is his own Law-maker and so does know his own meaning But God will reveal his Mind and Will to those that humbly seek to him for it and so they shall judg for themselves according to the judgments which God hath given them in Nature and upon their right using of the same according to what he shall further illuminate them by Grace But who shall presume uncontrollably to judg for others by imposing his Sentiments upon them though they may in the mean time command his outward Man yet I cannot tell how they can command his inward Mind and Will for that it must be best at last to leave every Man to God and his own Conscience still keeping obedience and peace both in Church and State SECT IV. 1. So there is no Absolute Supreme Power and Law-maker but God Collections He is the Judg of all the Earth and so he doth whatsoever pleases him and the Judg of the World must needs do right 2. Thus God hath left us a Law written not only without us but within us which is the Word of God and that is it that we must judg our selves by and shall be judg'd of God by at the last day and in this Word by his Grace we will trust Unusquisque cui veritas est cordi qui salutis suae est avidus ex Scripturis tantum haurire potest quantum ad ipsum in vitae aeternae viâ dirigendum sufficit The Ball of contention if both sides give way may be tost up and down to and fro for ever and we never the wiser Disputes are endless but we have no such custom neither the Churches of God We will labour to understand as well as we can and do as well we can and use all the good helpes we can and pray for pardon in all our failings and judg no body but our selves and this we hope will be our safety and peace And this is all we can or will say for this is our judgment but God knows better And for ought I can learn from all the Controversies about this Point when all is done every one must judg for himself as well as he can and God for us all The CONTENTS Transition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heresy Sect. Separation Christian Society Corruptions Sectaries How Hereticks are to be dealt with Rules for Hereticks TITLE VI. Of Heresy Transition THIS Title to enrich this Volume I thought fit to add concerning Heresy so long and so lowdly cry'd out upon and cursed in the Church and Kingdom of Christ For which reason it will not be amiss to venture to say something in description of this ugly Monster like the Giants feign'd of old to disturb the World and boldly threaten to pull Jupiter out of his Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Sect as it is for the most part rendred in our last English Translation and in that published Ann. 1570 as also in Tindals and Coverdals Translation and also in the Italian and French in the Text or Margin Heresy Heresy is vulgarly taken for an obstinate error repugnant to some fundamental Article of the Christian Faith But the word Heresy mentioned in the Scripture is never taken in that sense to signifie such an error in the Judgment which can never have a will or appetite to erre But since the time of the Apostles it is that this odious sense hath been imposed upon the word Heresy by means whereof that sense which the word constantly bears in Scripture is perverted and generally mistaken For wheresoever the word Sect is mentioned in our last English Translation Sect. there the word of the Holy Ghost in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e Heresy See Acts 3.17 and Acts 15.5 and Acts 24.5 and Acts 26.5 and Acts 28.22 And wheresoever the word Heresy is mentioned in the said Translation there the thing to be understood according to the true and right sense of the Scripture is Sect. See Acts 24.14 Wherefore after the way which they call Heresy it should be translated after the way which they call a Sect for the words are an answer of St. Paul to the Charge of Tertulius the Orator who had inform'd against him That he was a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens in the former part of that Chapter ver 5. and in both verses the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in both verses it is rendred Sect by the Italian and French Translations See 1 Cor. 11.19 Wherefore there must be also heresies amongst you it should be translated There must be also Sects amongst you And there in our last English Translation Sects is put in the Margin and that with good reason For the words are a reason why S. Paul did partly believe that there were Schisms or Divisions among the Corinthians namely because of the conditional necessity of such Divisions or Sects for the manifestation of them that are approv'd and this is yet farther manifest from their separations which they made in the Church where being assembled for the Communion every one took before his own Supper apart ver 21. which supping apart argued them Sectaries And
are so by generation to their Parents The one must be rightly chosen the other rightly begotten The one may be disfranchized and lose their right of Tenure the other may be disinherited and lose their right of succession By Marriage is not only the generation of the World in the kingdoms of Men but the Regeneration of the Church in the kingdom of God By carnal Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of Men. By Spiritual Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of God Devil an Enemy to Marriage For this cause the Devil being a King of the kingdom of Darkness is the greatest promoter of the works of Darkness of which Incestuous and Adulterous lusts are not the least The Devil therefore is and ever hath been and ever will be a very great enemy to Marriage because that tends to a lawful generation towards a holy Seed to increase the kingdom of God but the contrary tends to an unlawful brood towards a prophane Seed to increase the kingdom of the Devil The Devil is the Father of ill begotten Children of Lies God is the Father of right begotten Children of Truth Great Commands under the Law against Uncleanness and promiscuous Conjunctions of the Body much more purity is required under the Gospel both of Soul and Body SECT II. Excellent Civil Laws for Marriage In Civil kingdoms great care hath been taken for the honour and preservation of Marriages and that for many rare ends and mighty reasons of State but more especially amongst the Romans who gave great encouragements thereunto and priviledges to fruitful procreations denying many honours and benefits to haters of or abstainers from lawful marriage To this end they made most excellent Laws in veneration of this honourable state and in detestation of all Incestuous and Spurious broods whereby they counted their noble Roman blood to be defiled and their old Heroick spirits debased That Sacred bond they generally kept inviolable and those that dared to break it by Divorce preventing death were counted infamous in the highest degree as Tully that great man who is upbraided and that deservedly for putting away the Companion of his youth his Wife with whom he had grown old and superinducing another into her place Such an Example of him and one or two more had not been seen in the Commonwealth of Rome for many Ages before or after To the great shame of such as make it a common practice and farther to vilifie the Sacred ordinance and Institution of God himself In order to just Marriage and as a Solemn preparation thereunto Espousals fair Espousals ought to precede which are no more than the mention and serious resolution of future Marriage 1. The original of Marriage in respect of the Institution thereof Originals of Marriage Gen. 2.22 c. Math. 19.5 is Jure divino 2. The original of Marriage in respect of the Instinct of Corporal conjunction is Jure Naturali L. 1. Sect. 3. ff de Inst Jure 3. The original of Marriage in respect of the Consent of Wills is as other Contracts are Ex Jure Civili L. 5. ff eod 4. The original of Marriage in respect of the Solemnities thereof and Prohibitions of degrees are Ex Jure Civili Inst de Nuptiis SECT III. Marriage as the Emperour Justinian defines it Definitions of Marriage Is the conjunction of a Man and a Woman containing an inseparable acquaintance and familiarity of the whole life of them both Sect. 1. Inst 12. Marriage as the Lawyer modestly defines it L. 1. ff de Eitu Nupt. Is the Conjunction of a Male and a Female The Company of the whole life the Communication of Divine and Human Rights In which are many things remarkable As 1. First Marriage is a Conjunction but for the honour of it of minds and affections rather than of Bodies Siquidem Nuptias non concubitus facit sed Consensus For says the Law modestly It is Consent not Copulation that makes Marriages 2. Secondly Marriage is of Male and Female because between more than two at one and the same time it cannot be Gen. 3. Math. 22. 3. Thirdly Marriage is a Consent because the Wife is the Companion of life and for life and Matrimony is the foundation of all Society and by the Civil Law admits no Separation of the Bed undefiled stante Matrimonio while the Marriage is in hope 4. Fourthly Marriage is the Communication of divine and humane Right because God is the Author of Marriage and both the married Couple ought to be of the same religion and devotion to the same God and partakers of the benefits of the same Laws Quia Mariti uxor fortunam Domicilium forum sequitur ejus hominibus decoratur ejus genere nobilitatur privilegiis personalibus gaudet nisi post mariti mortem viro inferioris conditionis nubat Because the Wife follows the fortune family and jurisdiction of her husband is adorned by his Honours ennobled by his Stock rejoyceth in his personal priviledges except after the death of her husband she marries with a husband of inferior quality Effects of Marriage So from just marriages proceed a just Father and Mother to distinguish from a natural Father and Mother So from just marriages proceed just Children to distinguish them from natural Children uncertain and vulgarly derived from the people they know not from whom So Inheritances of honours and estates descend lineally to a direct Issue of true Parents lawfully begotten and to their heirs for ever SECT IV. Who may lawfully marry 1. They that married by the Roman Law must be Citizens and Quirites of Rome not Slaves nor Latins nor Deportati nor Strangers as Cleopatra was to Mark Antony and Titus to Berenice both Egyptians matches very ill resented by the State Nor might the Nobles intermix with the Plebeians by the Law of the twelve Tables 2. They must be ripe of age and fit for Generation 3. They must be free to consent and in their right minds not fools nor mad men and a Matrimony caused by just fear or force was none at all 4. They must not marry without the consent of their Parents first had and obtained as long as they are under their power 5. Amongst Christians they must be promulgated and blessed by the Church 6. Lastly they must be confined within the limits of lawful Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity to prevent incestuous and nefarious mixtures For this purpose the Jews and Romans and other civiliz'd Nations had respect to Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity for the regulation of wandring and the prohibition of too near approaching lusts Members of Christs Church Just generations of men All the Members of Christ's Church and Kingdom are sprung from Adam and Eve that were married by God The Generations of Men have broken and intangled their lives by excursions from lawful beds stopping the never to be interrupted courses of Blood and letting
out the pure Channels that refresh the World into divers muddy streams that sterilize as well as bastardize the race of Mankind Virginity Not disparaging Virginity that sister of Angels and resemblance of the glorified Spirits who neither marry nor are given in marriage nor those that are innocently blemished by unlawful conceptions and births because they could not help it Why Marriage was ordained But still Marriage is what it ever was and ever will be a most honourable estate instituted of God in Paradise in the time of Man's innocency signifying the Mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church Which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first Miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galile and is commended of St. Paul to be honourable among all men and therefore is not to be enterprized or taken in hand unadvisedly lightly or wantonly to satisfie mens carnal lusts and appetites like brute beasts which have no understanding but reverently discreetly advisedly soberly and in the fear of God duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained First it was ordained for the procreation of Children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord. Secondly it was ordained a Remedy against sin and to avoid fornication that such persons as have not the gift of Continency might marry and keep themselves undefiled Members of Christ's Body Thirdly for the mutual Society help and comfort that the one ought to have of the other both in prosperity and adversity This so honourable Estate makes not only Flesh of our Flesh and bone of our bone but Spirit of our Spirit and that two are one Flesh and one Spirit So God and Man Christ and his Church Man and Wife Fathers and Children Fathers and Mothers Sons and Daughters Brothers and Sisters Husbands and Wives and all Relations are mutually each others Christ the King is the Betrothed and Husband as well as Father of his Church and Kingdom And Christ's Church is the Subje ct the Spouse and Wife of Christ her Husband Therefore SECT V. Were it but for a bare civil respect it stands the Kingdom of the World in very great stead carefully to look after the right ordering of Marriages And surely there are weighty reasons for it It keepeth the purity of the Bloud from commixtion of base Seed Benefits of Marriage It gives a right to the true Sons and Daughters to take comfort in them and receive help from them to honour and enrich our own and not anothers Issue It preserves from the greatest usurpation of Natural rights to each Man's Body to each Man's Wife to eat the Fruit of my own Tree and drink the Waters of mine own Cistern not to own and feed anothers Cattel in my proper Ground It prevents the greatest cheat in the World Abuses of Marriage to be cosened in my own Progeny and not be able to distinguish it from anothers What is more entirely mine own than the off-spring of my own loyns and she that is next to me and one Flesh with me It is the greatest dishonour imaginable to be thus chouced it is a wonder it is no more regarded nor stood upon I would gladly eat my own Bread and till my own Land I am nearest and dearest to my self and all the Love Honour and Estate I have I would willingly reserve to me and mine and my virtue wisdom and wit too if it were in my power Bastardy But contrary to Nature all that I have must flow from my genuine Breed to a spurious generation This misconveyes all Inheritances and breaks the bonds of Nature love and descent The Brood may be fair hopeful and wise for their parts of Body and Mind but they are none of mine and yet all that is mine must be theirs This distroies all the great Priviledges of Wills and Testaments so direct a part of the Law and so much useful to Mankind it jumbles together the Bloud of Mankind it befools the Labourers of Mankind Nobility is dasht and quite destroy'd by it Virtue and Honesty Religion and Laws are quite destroy'd by it It infatuates all the labours and studies of Mankind which should do good first to their own private Families and then to the publick state In a word it confounds all rihgts of Persons things and actions It lays all in common and wastes all and no body can express the mischief that redounds to the World by it To engraft wild plants into a natural stock To puddle pure Fountains to poyson wholsom waters to defile every nest and throw dung upon every clean place SECT VI. Rights by Marriage My chiefest right of Soul and Body and all that I have is to my God whose they are the next is to my self the next is to my second self or my Wife the next is to my Children and their Children Friends and Allies and mine for all these God hath given me Now all these are lost by my giving my right to the Devil and to harlots this is my own act and deed But some of these are lost by being torn from me by Extortioners and Adulterers this is their act and deed I must have a Father or else I could not be but he may be such a one as I never knew or never shall and this is not only a loss but a shame and misery to me but no sin because I could not help it I am in the condition of a Slave to possess nothing at all and Slaves usurp possession of all that is mine In Christ's Church and Kingdom there must be Chastity In Christ's Church and Kingdom there must be Fidelity in Families and Kingdoms Christ's Church consists of Families Therefore the solemn Covenant of Marriage must be kept inviolable in all Families because they are altogether married unto Christ their Husband Lord and King and not go a whoring from under their God Laws about Marriage For this purpose the good Laws of Men especially of the Romans are carefully to be observed who have taken a very strict course in every particular for the pure undertaking and performing of this great Business of Life that so much concernes the happy condition of Men in this World and in the World to come It is profitable therefore for Christians to take a survey of all those wholsom Constitutions set down in the Body of the Civil Law concerning Marriage Age of Persons 1. As first for the age of the Persons that are to marry The Law allowes of twelve in Females and fourteen in Males to be ripeness of years to contract for themselves Quality of Persons 2. The Persons condition that are to marry is considered that they be Liberi Cives Romani as hath been spoken of before Infamous 3. The Roman Law greatly abhorred Scenicos Lenones c. i. e. all ludicrous histrionical and mimical Persons that came upon the Stage as commonly most unchast and all pimps
Sisters husband Laevir 3. The Husbands brother Pro-frater 4. The Wives brother Glos. 5. The Husbands sister Pro-soror 6. The Wives sister In the degrees of Uncles and Aunts by the Fathers or Mothers side no Latin names of Affinity are extant therefore they are thus expressed Patrui vel Avunculi uxor Amitae vel Materterae Maritus The wife of the Fathers brother or of the Mothers brother The husband of the Fathers sister or of the Mothers sister Idem de Patruis Pro-avunculis Pro-amitis Pro-materteris coeterisque Superioribus intelligendum est SECT IV. The Church of England in case of Marriage forbids no more Degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity than are forbidden in the Civil Law Yet she numbers and computes the Degrees somewhat otherwise following therein the account of the Canon Law For she accounts Brothers and Sisters to be in the first degree of the side-line whereas the Civil Law accounts them in the second degree of the side-line and makes no first degree in that line at all But the matter comes all to one pass as some Players at Gleek reckon their games differently and yet accord well enough in the sum of the account For if we consider the Side-line alone by it self as there are several persons in it then some of those persons must needs make the First degree of the side-line in respect of the persons following therein But if we look upon the standard of the Pedigree or the person whose Consanguinity is required and from whom the degrees thereof are measured and numbred upward downward and sideward then the persons of the first degree in the side-line must needs make the second degree of Consanguinity in respect of the standard or person supposed whose Consanguinity is required and from whom the Degrees are to be measured according to the course whereby the blood is derived which doth constitute Consanguinity as before hath been intimated The Levitical Laws for Marriage do now bind us of the Church of England yet this truth is to be understood with some caution For albeit these Laws do bind us yet they bind us not by divine Authority because their obligation by divine Authority ceased expired and died at the death of Christ And thereupon all Christian Churches were left to their several liberties to follow such rules orders measures and degrees as by right Reason and Christian prudence should be established For the determination whereof the Church of England conceived it the most prudent course to make the Levitical Law her President and pattern and at last assumed them and adopted them into her own Canons and Statutes reviving unto them an obligation not of Divine authority as once they had from God but of Humane authority by the Secular and Ecclesiastical power of our Princes and Clergy after the Reformation Thus these very Levitical Laws for Marriage whose obligation by Divine authority was expired long since were afterwards revived unto a New obligation upon us by Humane authority In like manner divers of the Civil Laws do now oblige us here in England yet not by their original Constitution nor by the Imperial authority either of Justinian or any other Emperour but by the authority of our own State which hath assumed and confirmed them into Laws obligatory here in England as they were in the Roman Empire SECT V. Thus the Children of the Fee are to be lawful and pure Conclusion as genuine Sons of their heavenly Father and loving Brethren to each other to make up a holy Seed the true Church and kingdom of Christ Not to exclude Bastards from being the true Sons of God by Faith and Regeneration though they are not the true Sons of men by birth and lawful generation because God is no respecter of persons and they are innocent and shall not suffer for their Parents crimes Thus Whoremongers and Adulterers and all incestuous persons that defile the Marriage bed and all Fornicators Sodomites and unclean Persons cannot enter into the kingdom of God They never were admitted to the Fee and Homage of that kingdom or if they were admitted by Faith in Baptism they fell from it in not performing the Homage sworn to be performed by them As these men defile their own bodies and the bodies of others so they cannot be the Temples of the Holy Ghost As they pollute the World and the generations of Mankind so they pollute the Church and the generations of the Children of God As they confound and destroy the Successions and Inheritances of Temporal estates So they overthrew the estate of Heaven and cannot hold of Christ in God for the Heavenly Inheritance of eternal life They that will not be faithful in a little cannot be intrusted with much They that will not be faithful to their own wives and to their own house how shall they be faithful to their God and to the Church of God They that are unfaithful in the unrighteous Mammon who shall commit unto them the true Riches In a word without Faith it is impossible to please God and into the kingdom of heaven no unclean thing shall ever enter SECT VI. Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bar to keep of from Parents are Uncles and Aunts by Gods Law The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bar to keep of from Brothers and Sisters are Nephews and Neeces or Cousin germans by Mans Law not General but Particular at some times to some Nations forbidden to restrain them from breaking in upon nearer Relations where they were more prone than other civil People were The Jews say Fac Legi Tuae Sepem Ascending Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Grandfathers Great Grandmothers 3 Degree Grandfathers Grandmothers Fathers Mothers Quasi Parents Great Uncles Great Aunts Uncles Aunts Right Line 1 Degree Side-Line equal 2 Degree Brothers Sisters Side-Line unequal Descending Children Sons Daughters Grandson Grandaughters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 Degree Great Grandson Great Grandaughters Quasi Children Nephews Neeces Grand Nephews Grand Neeces The first second and third Degrees 1. Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters Uncles and Aunts are propinquous or near and are forbidden to marry by Divine Law The fourth Degree and so forward Nephews and Neeces or Cousin Germans of the first Degree and so to the second third c. are all remote and are permitted to marry by Divine and Humane Law The Table of Consanguinity and Affinity A Man may not marry in the Right Line Upward in the First Degree Mothers Mother Cons Stepmother Aff. Wives Mother Aff. Second Deg. Grandmothers Grandmother Cons Grandfathers Wife Aff. Wives Grandmother Aff. Downward in the First Degree Daughters Daughters Cons Wives Daughter Aff. Sons Wife Aff. Second Deg. Grand-daughters Sons Daughter Cons Daughters Daugh. Cons Sons Sons Wife Aff. Daughters Sons Wife Aff. Wives Sons Daugh. Aff. Wives Daughters D. Aff. Side Line Forward in the Sisters Sister Cons Wives Sister Aff. Brothers Wife Aff. Upward Aunts
Heavenly Father notwithstanding his great Grace and though I would be glad of his Inheritance yet am unwilling to do him service for it but wilfully choose to serve my own lusts and follow the World and am led captive by the Devil according to his will then I deserve to be rejected and shall be rejected unless I repent For those that honour God God will honour but those that dishonour him shall be lightly esteem'd God's Grace is so far from being a licence for me to sin that it is a restraint from it to make me fear to offend The more kind a Father is the more should the Son fear to offend him because the greater is his trespass if he do offend him who hath been so loving to him And as a kind Father is grieved to disinherit his incorrigible Son so when my transgressions become presumptuous malicious and incorrigible my Heavenly Father is grieved to reprobate me and cast me off and decrees it not but in his wrath when there is no help for it As he did with the Israelites Ps 95.10 Fourty years long was I grieved with this Generation and said It is a People that do erre in their hearts and they have not known my waies unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my Rest SECT IV. Kingdom of God 1. The Kingdom of God is the Estate of final Blessedness which God will impart to the Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven For the Kingdom of Heaven as by Matthew only it is called and the Kingdom of God are all one and the same thing though diversly denominated for both signifie that Blessedness whereof God is the cause and Heaven the place where it is enjoy'd Yet in diverse places of the Scripture the Kingdom of God is put for the means whereby we are convey'd to that State Natural Man The Natural Man neither hath nor ever had any right at all to this Inheritance of Blessedness because this right comes by God's promise which he for want of Faith accepts not and therefore is not in Covenant with God for it Spiritual Man But the Spiritual Man hath a right unto it for his Faith whereby he accepts the promise of it gives him a Title to it and the Spirit which by reason of his Faith is infused into his heart makes him an assurance of it for the Spirit is the Seal the Witness and the Earnest of that Heavenly Inheritance yea farther the Spirit is his Guide and Comforter for light and strength to enlighten lead and enable him to the performance of those Offices and Services which make up the Tenure whereby he holds that right and perseveres in it For as Faith doth infiliate and make him jurally the Son of God by way of Adoption to have a right in the Estate of God so the Spirit doth in a degree farther super-infiliate him by making him jurally the Son of God by way of sanctification to be Holy as God is Holy Because as Faith so also Holiness is a mean unto the state of Blessedness whereto he shall certainly attain who follows and perseveres in that Holiness whereto the Spirit leads and enables him For by his Title of Faith and by his assurance from the Spirit he hath a present right to the future possession of it as every Heir hath to his Father's Estate But if the Spiritual Man whose regeneration is in fieri Forfeiture will not follow and walk after the Spirit whom God hath given him for his leader but upon the conflict between the Spirit and the Flesh will side with the Flesh to walk after the Flesh and do the works of the Flesh he cannot hold his right to Blessedness but must needs forfeit it because he performs not the Services and Works which are his tenure whereby he should hold it and at last enjoy it but doth work so contrary to his tenure that they extinguish and destroy his right of entrance whereby he should enjoy his future possession For what Father will not disinherit that Heir who grows disobedient and rebellious unto him by committing acts contrary to the duty of a Son Seeing that our Filiation or Christian liberty whereby we are the Sons of God is not a state of licentiousness which leaves us loose from Holiness unto sinfulness but contrarily makes us loose from sinfulness unto Holiness and consequently unto Blessedness And seeing the Grace of the Gospel which grants us that Blessedness grants us not the least indulgence to the Flesh or releaseth the bonds of Holiness and virtue or promiseth any pardon to him that sins in hope of pardon yet it is very indulgent and merciful to the sins of infirmity and human frailty and leaveth God to the prerogative of his mercy for a sin of presumption in case it be timely washed by a subsequent humiliation and repentance in forsaking that sin and returning to the course of Holiness And the inheritance of Blessedness in the Kingdom of God is reserved for those Sons of God who through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body and are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.13 14. For such are genuinely and properly the Sons of God because both jurally they have a right and also morally are righteous to persevere in that righteousness whereby they hold their right and whereby they are regenerated reformed and sanctified after the Image or likeness of their Heavenly Father which Image he that practiseth the works of the Flesh doth deface in himself and thereby defeats himself of his Heavenly Inheritance For although the righteous have a right yet if he forsake that righteousness whereby he should hold the right he hath and commit wickedness all his right that he had and all his righteousness that he hath done shall neither be mentioned nor remembred but in his trespass that he hath trespassed he shall die See Ezec. 18.24 and Ezec. 33.23 God hath bestow'd upon us the Sacred Gift of his Spirit to dwell in us and to quicken our mortal Bodies and we for this Gift are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh For if we live after the Flesh Ro. 8.11 c. we shall die c. If in Christianity we know any thing we must needs know this That no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous Man which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience St. Paul tells the Ephesians that they knew this Ephes 5.5 6. and therefore chargeth them that no Man should deceive them with vain words Example of Israelites And hereof we have both a notable example and a figure in the Israelites who during their pilgrimage through the Wilderness had a right and title to inherit the Kingdom of Canaan for God had made a solemn promise for their inheritance of it and had confirmed his
born but been like the untimely fruit of a Woman that never saw the Sun How shall God provoke us to Reason with him upon this point Whether his waies be not equal and our waies inequal We have reason from God though his Reason be infinitely above ours We may not reply against God but we may modestly plead for God We may not dispute with God but we may think honourably of him And though we cannot understand the Reasons of his workings yet we can understand That as his waies are often secret so they are alwaies just and that the Judg of the World must needs do right Well I have done upon this Point I may have leave to think still though I have promised to speak no more Yet I have not promised to forbear speaking reverently of God that he is infinitely gracious just and holy above all that I or all the World are ever able to imagine or express And let fierce Men say what they please I and all the World may safely trust to the Mercy of God which will never fail them if they do not abuse it and through the tender compassions of the Most High they shall be sure never to miscarry Let such miserable Comforters go whither they will O my Soul I charge thee never to enter into their secrets in this Thing and into their counsels let not mine Honour be united The CONTENTS Transition God covenanted with Christ conditionally Christ hath all Power Christ's new way of Conquest Covenant of Grace Christ shares with Christians Covenant of Grace with all men Parties of a Covenant must be certainly known Appellative Names in Covenants Publick stipulation Obligation free Conditions of Covenants must be certainly known All Covenants are conditional Absolute Decree Collections Power Sacred TITLE II. Of Christ's Feudal Kingdom Transition GOD the Father in the Scriptures is declared to be the absolute Lord of the kingdom of the whole World by right of Creation Christ the Son of God in the Scriptures is declared to be the conditional Lord of the kingdom of his Church and by right of Redemption SECT I. God covenanted with Christ conditionally God covenanted with Christ as Mediator of the New Testament that he should be the Heir of all things 1. The Condition on Christs part was his Humiliation by suffering of shame sorrow a Curse and death For so it was written of him in the Volume of the book that he should fulfil the will of God and Lo saith he I am content to do it So when the bitter Cup was given him to drink after a dispute he concludes nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Again his Condition was to glorifie God as Gods was to glorifie him Father glorifie thou me as I have glorified thee It behoved Christ to have suffered and so to enter into his glory For though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered He saith elsewhere wist you not that I must go about my Fathers business I come not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me It is my meat and drink to do my Fathers will Thus Christ in the daies of his flesh was in the condition of a Servant and had not where to lay his head though he was Heir of all things yet could not be seized on the Inheritance till the Condition was performed on his part 2. The Condition on Gods part was his Exaltation Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 c. even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth This is the mighty power which he wrought in Christ Eph. 1.10 c. when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places c. When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they Heb. 1.3 c. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son And again When he bringeth in the First begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy kingdom Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Ro. 14.9 c. therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows For to this end Christ both died and rose again that he might be Lord both of quick and dead The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Math. 28. All Power is given unto me both in heaven and earth Go ye therefore c. Before his Resurrection Christ had no authority to execute no not in Israel where he was born King of the Jews he was despised and rejected there but after his Resurrection God gave him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession Before when they sought to make him a King he refused and hid himself When requested but to divide an Inheritance he refused saying Who made me a Judge or a Divider among you Then was he subject to the Powers of the Earth now a King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose kingdom ruleth over all And although most Kings do not submit their Powers unto him Christ hath all Power yet he hath power over them and will make them submit whether they will or no when he shall have brought down all Rule and all Authority and Power and shall put all things in subjection under his feet And this they shall know and feel in that day when they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and shall call to the Hills to cover them and to the Mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the wrath of him that sitteth upon the Throne And when he shall say Where are those mine enemies that would not that I should rule over them bring them hither and slay them before me Then shall he bruise them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be ye learned ye that are Judges of the earth kiss the Son lest he be angry yea but a little but blessed are all they that put their trust in him Thus Christ by his Sufferings hath purchased Rule over all the World but more especially over his Church A Scepter of Righteousness he useth for