the holy Ghost Thus speaks our Saviour to Peter when he had through faith confessed him to be the Son of God Matth. 16.19 Blessed art thou Bar-Jonah for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven It is the Father that must draw us unto the Son to seek and expect redemption internal and external from him John 6.44 45 46. Christ indeed is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.1 2. That is He is the first Captain and Ring-leader of ouâ— faith for he is gone before us in the same way of trust and confidence to be holpen by the Father in all his distresses and raised up again after he had been obedient to the death And secondly He is the fulfiller of our faith or of that which we by our like faith while we follow him in the same race expect from him according to the promises But whether the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be well translated Author That be is the Author of our Faith except it be understood of his joynt working with the Father and the Holy Ghost we will leave the learned to judge for our selves dissent That also which follows in the same Section must be understood of such a ministry as is called and enabled by the Lord for that work and of prayer made with understanding and affection for the increase of that grace where you say That Faith is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word by which also and by the administration of the Sacraments and prayer it is increased and strengthened for such Ministers as teach vain Doctrine and administer the Sacraments with ignorance and errour beget an answerable faith and perswasion in their hearers who give ear and credit unto them as your Authors and Teachers have done in some of you but this must here also be remembred that the Lord can and often doth when and where he pleaseth beget faith even faith in Jesus Christ by the sole illumination and teaching of the holy Ghost as he did in Job among the Heathen Job 19.25 26. and in Paul among the Jewes Gal. 1.15 16. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.8 9. And for this work sake he is called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 In your 2. Section you confirm what we said before of historical faith that it is an ingredient into true saving faith where you say ' By this a Christian beleeveth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word you mean so far as men are enlightned to the understanding of it otherwise there is more repeated in the word then most men do or can understand while they are in the state of Faith but here you should have added this also to your former words that the servantâ— of God beleeve also whatsoever God is pleased to reveale unto them besides the word which yet is not contrary to the word Thus Paul beleeved that which God had shewed unto him concerning the preservation of himself and those that were with him in the ship Acts 27.25 And St. John gave respect and credit unto all that was shewed unto him in the Revelation where by the way you may observe how God is the Author of Faith to wit by revealing his saving counsel and will unto us which by nature and much more in our corrupt estate we are in a great measure ignorant of And how far faith lies in our own hand and power viz. onely to assent unto that which is so revealed and made known out of grace Thus there is an assenting or dissenting faculty in all men See Acts 9.29 Psalm 106 12. Then beleeved they his word and sang his praise with verse 24. Yea They despised the pleasant Land they beleeved not his Word Acts 17.4 And some of them beleeved and consorted with Paul and Silas verse 5. But the Jewes which beleeved not were moved mith envy c. John 3.32 33. And what be hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony be that receiveth his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true And accordingly as men stand affected to the person reporting or the thing revealed so are they apt to credit or discredit the same Facilè eâ—im credimus quae volumus c. è contrà Hence it was that some persons who were wel inclined to the leaving of sin and the seeking of righteousness and consequently in a good order and posture towards eternal life did easily and joyfully receive the word preached by Paul and Barnabas when others who were more engaged to their sins self-wisdom and false righteousness beleeved not but contradicted and blasphemed Acts 13.44 45 â—6 c. Hence it is also that after Gods grace was made known unto men they were commanded to repent and believe the Gospel Mar. 1.15 And that others are complained of for their unbelief Hebrews 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them being not mixed with faith in them that heard it For the Lord never requires more then either by his preventing or assisting grace men can perform nor yet complaines of them but where they are some wayes deficient in acting their part Secondly What you there speak of faith's different actings in relation to the commands promises and threatnings recorded in the word is true also as to the inhibitions and narrations found there but herein you are defective First in not declaring by what form or vital principle faith becomes so active to wit by love Gallatians 5.6 Without which faith is dead James 2.14 15 16 17. And secondly In passing over the acts and offices of faith in God the Father and of faith in the Holy Ghost both which have an eye to sanctification and eternal life as well as faith in Christ though this last named seeks that which we called justification more especially from Christ But if Gods eternal decree be so absolute as you speak of before what need is there that saith should be moved with threatnings or promises For your third and last Section It may be wholly admitted with this caution That faith at length gets the victory and growes up to a full assurance if men persevere in love and obedience to God and fervently seek that victory and the assurance also from the Lord and his power But both time and the use of all good means are required thereunto and as faith is weak in its first beginning so when it hath gotten some strength yet by neglect of the means aforesaid and by wilful disobedience it may not onely be much weakned but wholy lost as we see in the parable of the Sower Matth. 13. Yea the Aposte tells not onely of women that had forsaken their first faith 1 Tim. 5.12 But of men also who by putting away
THE LATE Assembly of Divines CONFESSION OF FAITH EXAMINED As it was presented by them unto THE PARLIAMENT WHEREIN Many of their excesses and defects of their confusions and disorders of their errors and contradictions are presented both to themselves and others Humanum est errare l abi decipi c. Humanius nihil est quam errantem revocare 2 Thessal 3.2 For all men have not faith LONDON Printed in the yeer 1651. TO THE The Supream Authority THE PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND Right Honorable I Am more then confident you will not be offended that I presume though unworthy to present this Examen of the late Synods Confession of faith to your grave and discerning judgements The Auhors of the said confession did present the same to the Parliament so we that are not satisfied in it do with all humility the like ut vincat veritas which is magis amica quam amicus Plato quam amicus Lutherus quam amicus Calvinus therefore is to be sought out of all that love it which cannot be but as Solomon saith Eccl. 7. In another case by setting one contrary to the other to the end a man finde nothing after him it is an old and true maxime Opposita juxtâ— se posita clariùs Elucescunt as white and black illustrate one another and I faile much in my intellectuals if you finde not all the argumenta dissentanea here as making a vast difference betwixt their confession and this examen thereof for you may observe in some passage the dissentane a diversa betwixt them by which though there might have been a consent in many things yet aliqua logica ratione dissentiunt as by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here you may finde opposita disparata quorum unum multis opponitur Here you may finde opposita contraria quorum unum uni tantum opponitur as contraria relata that though we all confess the same Father yet rara est concordia fratrum in these two Treatises Here are opposita adversa in such things quae inter se velut è regione perpetuo adversantur like as virtus and vitium Here are contraria negantia likewise to be found as contradicentia quorum alterum aiit alterum negat ubique they affirm that which we deny they say sin will and must remaine in the best regenerate men as long as they live here which we according to Scripture do confidently deny And finally here are betwixt them contraria privantia as habitus and privatio which is the greatest opposition in Divinity Truth and error light and darkness each seeking the destroying the possibility of the other yet in all these that which Solomon faith Prov. 18.17 is verified of us both respectivly He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him The late Synod have been first in there own cause as most desire to be and seem just now we their well wishing neighbour to truth take the boldness to come and search them presuming that you most impartiall and judicious Senators will vouchsafe unto us the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this our humble tender as you did to them Surely the Parliament would never with such a publike lifting up of hands to the most high have entered into a Covenant to reform as the ultimate end of it the worship of God in Doctrine and discipline Yea they would never have commanded us inferiours upon pain of their displeasure wherby they have been looked on as irreligious that refused to enter into the said Covenant for reformation Yea they would never I believe have convocated an Assembly of English and Scotish Divines to search out the truth which is according to godliness but that it was there real intention that such a worship of God which is made the chief motive to the Covenant might be found out and established in three Nations whereby Gods people might become one and the name of God in truth one among them Right worthy Heroes when I considered of these particulars I resolved against all impediments humbly to present this unto you and to the publick view because I am obliged unto it by the said Covenant to yeild my indeavors in my place and calling to the said reformation which I cannot I suppose perform in any way like the publishing this examen to undeceive many yea if it be the will of God the deceived Authors of that Confession who have so failed in a Confession of Faith set out to regulate the judgements and practises of three Nations in a good life the sum of all toward God and man Give me leave therefore I beseech you to use in some measure of sincerity the words of Job cap. 36.2.3 Suffer me a little and I will shew you what I have to say on Gods behalf I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker My prayer is likewise that the Authors of the second Directory may recollect themselves to do the like that their second thoughts may be better then their first and I wish they may be so far from envy and displeasure at what is here presented to publicke view as they may say with David Psal 141.15 It shall be an excellent oyle like that which Christ counselled the Church of Laodicea Revela 3.18 to buy and annoint their eyes that they may see the truth which will appear to all that try all things by the touchstone of truth the word of God which the Assembly themselves acknowledge Chap. 1. Sect. 9. of their confession to be the only and infallible rule of inter pretation to which rule we all that have our head and heart concurring to prepare this or the like examinatioÌ„ for the Press referr our selves who would have subscribed our names but that the fear of envy and some other evil consequences press a concealment of some but I have adveured to offer this most honored Patriots to your serious consideration to subscribe my name because I doubted that a Smectâ—mnius covert would not satisfie the Parliaments order the transgression of which in another case though I was not sponte nocens I suffered deeply for which is that some as I am informed must subscribe their name to own if they will avoid offence what is printed therfore I have put my hopes in my hand and adventured the subscribing my name that this may come forth according to order and I fulfill the Proverb The worst must hold the candle that by the light thereof all that do not out of prejudice shut their eyes may see truth from error and mistakes in the foresaid confession the discovery of which I am induced to hold forth because for many yeers I have to some detriment bin under the censure of many supposed great errors against many assertions laid down in the said Confession therefore to vindicate my self I have great reason to promote what verily I am perswaded to be truth
Seventhly If it were for sins what sins did better deserve such a preterition then mens own personal and actual sins yea then their contempt and contumacy against grace offered Eighthly If this preterition was for the praise of God's glorious justice must not his justice first be apparent and conspicuous in this his passing by them But he accounts it neither honorable for him that the Son should die for the sin of the Father Ezek. 10.1 2 3 20. nor yet just for he hath forbidden the self same thing in the Law Deut. 24.16 Lastly Is there no difference betwixt a vessel of dishonor and a vessel of wrath Many vessels are made by the Potter for dishonorable uses yet none of set purpose for destruction Finally Your Caution in the last Section is very good where you say that The Doctrine of the high mystery of Predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care that men attending the will of God revealed in his word and yeelding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual vocation be assured of their eternal election Where you should have added and from their perseverance in that obedience till the death of sin be assured of their spiritual final and everlasting election there being a twofold election from eternity as hath been said But this caution of yours you your selves have not very well observed and kept And whereas you add in conclusion So shall this Doctrine afford matter of praise reverence and admiration of God and of humility diligence and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel We report our selves to your own consciences and to all men whether your Doctrine or ours here set forth is likely to produce the good effects here by you remembred But now we come in the third and last place to answer such objections as seem to lie as so many rocks of offence in your and other mens wayes Object It is written of Hophni and Phineas the sons of Eli 1 Sam. 2.25 That they hearkened not unto their father because God would destroy them Answ It is true God now had a purpose so to do for their abominable wickedness which they had committed but it doth not follow that the Lord had so decreed from eternity unless it was out of prevision of their lewdness and in order thereunto Object 2. It is written Prov. 16.4 That the Lord made all things for himself even the wicked for the day of â—â—il Answ The first part of the text speaks of God's ends the latter part of the event as it is now fallen out through their own default as Hosea speaks in a like expression Chap 9.13 Ephraim as I saw Tyrus is planteâ— in a pleasant place But Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer that is eventually not industriously and so are the wicked created for the day of evil Object 3. It is said of Rehoboam 2 Chron. 10.15 So the King hearkened not unto the people for the cause was of God that the Lord might perform his word which hâ— spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat Answ This Text speaks not of Gods eternal Decree but of his wise and just providence leaving a man sufficiently wicked before to follow his own counsels for a temporal punishment of his own and his Fathers sins Object 4. Jeremiah saith Chap 52.3 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem till he had cast them out from his presence that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon Answ This Scripture imports no more but that wicked Zedekiah for a just punishment of his own and Judah's rebellion against the Lord wat left at length in the hand of his own Counsels to rebel against his Lord and King upon Earth who was able to punish him and did it accordingly Object 5. Mat. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Answ This is to be understood of the second grace withholden from those who refused the former and did shut their eies against the first light and so is that place also Deut. 29.4 Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and cies to see and eares to hear unto this day For God reveales his secrets to wit his further counsels to them that fear him Psal 25.14 see Matth. 13.12 13 14 15 c. For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that which he hath but useth not as wee see in him that hid his talent Mat. 25. â—â— 19. Object 6. Acts 13.48 It is said that when the Gentiles heard that they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Whence it seems to be clear that some persons are not so ordained Answ The original Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is wrested and forced in the translation For it signifies not ordained but prepared or disposed and such onely are they who are good willing to leave their sins and to follow after righteousness according to the requiring of the Gospel Titus 2.11 12. for to such the Angels wish peace and happiness as knowing them onely capable of it Luke 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory be to God on high and in the earth peace to men or in men of good will For so did St. Jerome St. Augustine and many of the Ancients read that Text in their daies and so it is yet found in the best Greek copies Yet we could give another answer if the Text before alledged were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fore-ordained to wit that so many as then and there were out of Gods special fore-knowledge predestinated to life did at that time beleeve which notwithstanding hinders not but that many more yea all there present were appointed to life conditionally as is there partly testified of the unbeleeving Jewes by the Apostle vers 46. Object 7. Rom. 9.6 It is said That they are not all Israel which are of Israel It seems then that all are not elected Answ The Apostle intimates that the carnal Israel or all that are come of Jacob surnamed Israel are not the Israel to whom the promises of salvation are absolutely and finally made Though in the general the conditional promises belong to all Israel as the Apostle shews vers 4. and to the Gentiles also vers 24 25. That we may not be misunderstood know that there are among others seven promises made to the overcomers Revel 2 and 3. Chap. and such as persevere in the Christian race unto the end of it or to the death and burial of sin Now these and the like promises belong unto the Elect that are chosen out of the furnace of affliction
whereof take these few John 1.13 Which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 15. For the natural men perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned But the spiritual man discerneth all things but is discerned of none 1 Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive and verse 45 46 47 48 49. As it is written the first man was made a living soul but the second Adam was made a quickening spirit Hewbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which iâ— spiritual The first man is of the â—â—rth earthy the second mâ—n is the Lord from heaven as is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly and as we have born the image of the earthly so must we bear the image of the heavenly c. More particularly we answer That this one by whom sin entred into the world is not meant our first parent Adam but our own earthy or natural man which is called Adam and Edom from the earth of his foundation For the apostle shews that Adam our progenitor was not the original or first sinner 1 Timothy 2.14 For Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression according then to your Doctrine the apostle should have said By one Woman sin entred into the world But you hear before how Solomon Eccles 7.29 and the Lord himself Hos 14 1. scribe our fall to our selves This is yet clearer out of the 14. verse here where the apostle speaks of some who sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression but makes mention of none that sinned in him where he had fair occasion to speak of it yea if he had been of your belief he had committed a grievous neglect totally to omit it in silence Secondly here by the world into which sin entered we must understand the world of fallen and corrupt men as our Saviour doth Joâ—n 3.16 17. and John 15.17 18. and not all mankinde as you do c. Thirdly by death is not meant the bodily death which doth not presently ensue upon our fall no more then it did upon our first parents but a death unto righteousness or the life of innocencie with the contrary body of sin and so obnoxiousness to eternal death is hear meant Fourthly these words and death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are thus to be rendered in as much or so far forth as all have sinned and as Moses in the 14. verse is not he that was the Lawgiver but the work of the Law drawing us to God so neither is this man the litterall Adam For Paul here saith That death reigned from Adam to Moses which must be understood necessarily thus from the fall of our natural Adam till the work of the Law came For otherwise the extent of the reign of sin should reach from the first man to the last and not to Moses onely Which thing the 13. ver holdeth out more plainly that he meant by Mose the Law For it is there said That until the Law sin was in the world which must be conceived that until the work of the law sin is in the world that is likewise in the faln corrupted men undiscovered which is plain from the latter part of the 13 verse where it is said sin is not reputed nor regarded as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so Coverdel translates it and not imputed when there is no Law for that is false that sin was not imputed when there was no Law extant for it was imputed to Cain Gen. 4. and he was punished So to the old world and they punished Gen. 6 so to Babels builders and they punished Gen. 11.7.8 so it was imputed to Sodom and Gomorrab and they punished Gen. 19. when there was none of Moses law extant but it is a very truth that sin is not reputed not regarded when there is no work of the Law discovering sin unto the man so St. Paul saith of himself Rom. 7.9 that he was alive without the Law and verse v. he saith he had not known lust but by the Law and Rom. 3.20 it is said that by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin Thus you see how death raigned from Adam to Moses yet not from the first individual Adam to Moses the Law-giver but in the 2. part of the 14 ver it is not affirmed that any sinned in the first individual Adam for he saith Some finned not after the similitude of Adams transgression over whom notwithstanding death reigned Now that expression hinteth these two things First Some sinned like Adam not in Adam others sinned not after the similitude of his transgression but some other way as after Esau's transgression Hebr. 18.16 17. or the like according to that Eccles 7.29 Surely if the Apostle had beleeved any such thing as the raigning of death over all men by the first mans sin he would not have omitted that and onely mentioned from Adam to Moses for all may perceive his main designe is from verse 12. to the 15. to set forth the inlet and extent of deaths reigning over sinners therefore he would have used the fullest and plainest expression serving to that purpose but the 19. verse is more plain against universal corruption by the first mans disobedience for there the Apostle useth the word many and saith by one mans disobediene many not all were made sinners Therefore all fell not in the first individual Adam If any yet reply That many in that place is tant ' amount and equivalent to the word all We Answer That then by the same reason the word many in the latter part of the verse must have the same latitude allowed for the Apostle setteth down a full comparison of equals in that verse here the verse must be thus interpreted That as by one mans disobedience all were made sinners so by one mans obedience all are made righteous If any yet reply and say By one mans obedience all that repent and beleeve are made righteous then by the same inter retation By ones mans disobedience all are made sinners that imitate him and sin like him after the similitude of Adam 's transgressions Thus all men may see there is nothing gained by interpreting the word many by a Synecdoche for all are made sinners by one mans disobedience for the latter part of the verse must have the word many so explained which to affirm namely that all are righteous by Christ by an absolute and uniuersal Justification is accounted as detestable an Heresy as it hath been hitherto to deny that
2.3 4 5 6. 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly you are here deficient in setting forth Gods stipulation in this Covenant for you say That God requires faith in Christ that men may be saved but the Lord insists not onely upon faith but upon obedience also to all his commands yea obedience unto the death to wit the death of sin Mark 16.16 Act. 2.38 39. Act. 3.19 Heb. 5.9 Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rom 2.7 8.13 Matth. 24.13 Revel 27.11 17 26. Revel 12.5 Thus of your defects here but whereas you say in the close of that Section That God promiseth to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe it is not true we would gladly have you produce anyone such promise yet dowe grant that the Lord is pleased to enlighten and teach all sinners that are out of the way and capable of instruction in the way to life again so that they may believe repent and turn if they will Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The text to which you refer us Ezek. 36.25 26. is a promise made to the house of Jacob in the latter dayes and that of such a clensing from sin as you will not believe or admit but not of faith though the work of regeneration there promised implyeth a precedent faith and therein both illumination on Gods part and assent or credence to the truth revealed on ours In the fourth Section you say That this Covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament and so is the Covenant upon Mount Sinai likewise Gal. 4.24 for those saith the Apostle are the two Testaments But secondly whereas you add That this name is given to that Covenant onely in reference to the death of Christ the Testator and to the everlasting inheritance with all things belonging unto it therein bequeathed You herein fall short again for the believer who is the other party to the Covenant must in following of Christ dye with him and there must follow the death of this Testator likewise Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 8.13 For if we live after the flesh we shall dye but if we mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit we shall live So 2 Tim. 2.11 12. In your fifth Section you are defective likewise in two things and mistaken in a third For first whereas you say That this Covenant was differently administred in the time of the Law and of the Gospel your saying is true but much too short to express the various administrations of the Covenant for it was administred after one manner before the Law after another under the Law after a third under the prophets and all this before the time of the Gospel before the Law as it was at the first made with Adam and renewed with Noah but more solemnly reinstituted with Abraham for the blessing of all Nations and generations of mankinde so all this time it was administred without outward ceremonies and services more then commemorative sacrifices of Christs inward sufferings That Lambe slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 which yet were intentive likewise to a dying with Christ unto all sin and wickedness but under the Law as you truly speak it was administered by promises prophecies the Paschal Lamb and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of Israel in general and not to the Jews alone as you set forth And it was partly set forth as a Covenant of works if not to mind us of original innocencie yet to be our Schoolemaster to Christ shewing us our inability in our selves to keep the law with our sins and miseries and what manifold need we had of Christ Gal. 3.24 and partly as a Covenant of grace also finally under the prophets it was dispensed principally by promises and predictions Isa 9.6 Isa 11.1 2. Jerem. 31.34 35 36. Jerem. 32.38.39 Ezek. 11.18 19 36 25 26 c. But as you were defective in saying That those types sacrifices and services under the Law did onely figure out Christ to come whereas they did teach the Israelites the whole way to life also in following of Christ so you are in saying that the Covenant of grace in regard of the former dispensations is called the old Testament as you do also in saying That in the Gospel it being under other dispensations is called the new Testament in the sixth Section For according to the Scripture and the minde of God the Old and New Testament are thus to be distinguished The whole word of grace whether administred by Prophets or Apostles is the Old Testament that is a foregoing Testament administred by true Elders but the work of grace in purging out sin renewing us in righteousness writing the Law of God in our hearts and sealing the everlasting forgiveness of sins unto us is the new Testament So that the Old Testament is the Covenant which we should observe and keep or endeavor so to do but the new Testament is the work of grace which God hath promised in and through Christ Thus Christ is called the mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9.15 and his spirit blood the blood of the new Testament Mat. 26.28 Yet we do not deny but that both the Prophets and Apostles were able Ministers of the new Testament as true publishers of this promised grace and not of the letter onely as were the Scribes and Pharisees 2 Corin. 3.6 Not that the writings of Moses and the Prophets comparatively to the writings of the Apostles are or should be called the old Testament as they seem to be termed 2 Cor 3.12 for this we say that the writings of the Apostles may be so called likewise and are no other in relation to the promised work of cleansing and renewing grace which God alone both can and must effect Howbeit we do not condemn the common distinction and distribution of the books written before and since Christs incarnation by the penmen of the Holy Ghost into those of the old Testament or instrument and the other of the new because they set forth the new Testament more plainly In you sixth and last Section besides the mistake before touched we crave leave to rectifie you in these ensuing things First whereas you say That now in the new Testament Christ the substance is exhibited If you conceive that the incarnation of Christ is the substance of all that was foreshewed required or promised in the times of the Law and the Prophets it is a great mistake for not onely his sufferings and resurrection but our conformity in following him with the whole process and work of salvation was thereby set out manifoldly and clearly under the Administrations of those times Secondly whereas you say That now under the Gospel the ordinances under which the Covenant of Grace is or ought to be
Of which as you here make no mention at all so we justly fear you have no fight nor feeling Yet do these ensuing Scriptures with many others give a luculent testimony of the same Rev. 13.8 He is the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world If you here answer That he was so in Gods decree we reply that Gods decree is said to be before the world and before all ages The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 53. speaks throughout of the sufferings of Christ as a thing past and done both in himself and others where the ninth verse cannot be verified of Christs sufferings in the flesh And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death For though Christ was crucified with two theeves yet he was buryed alone in a tombe which Joseph a righteous man had prepared for himself In which place the Holy Ghost holds forth two things the place of Christs inward burial and the cause of his death For Christ is slaine and buryed in two sorts of men first in the openly wicked and secondly in those that are rich in the wisdom and holiness of the flesh sudh as were the Scribes and Pharisees The cause why we let him dye or slay him is for that he will not consent to do any violence nor is deceit found in his mouth See also Gal. 3.1 For the further proof of what we have in hand where the Apostle cryeth out O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you before whom Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified in you and among you Now we all know that Christ in his humanity suffered at Jerusalem Revel 11.8 and not in Galatia So Heb. 6.6 The Apostle tels them who fall away from Christ That they crucifie afresh the Son of God which he could not truely charge upon them if they had not crucified him once afore Finally St. James saith chap. 5.6 you have condemne◠and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words must needs be understod of Christ within us as the following words evict and he resisteth you not for Christ for a time suffers patiently in us and that as a lamb led to the slaughter but if men repent not he will rise up like a Lyon to devour them We here say nothing that the Farmers of the Vineyard which is our heart do not onely evilly entreat the other motions and messengers of God but kill the heir also Matth. 21.38 39. Nor that John hath foretold us that all Nations shall look upon him whom they have pierced and bewail the same in a time of grace to which he saith Amen Revelations 1.7 In your fift Section you comfort your selves and followers with vain words the dreams and devices of men for though it is true which you spake in your last Section that Christ was made under the law and did perfectly fulfil it yet hath he not by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal spirit once offered up to God fully satisfied the justice of God for us in any regard but to take away the curse of the Law which was due unto us Gal. 3.13 Nor is it true that he hath purchased a ful reconciliation for men with God by that his outward obedience nor finally doth it appear out of the Scripture◠that by the same means he hath purchased an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all or any of those whom the Father hath given unto him And though the proof of what you have affirmed on the contrary lyeth on your part yet we will briefly shew you our remonstrative reasons First It is certain that as Christ was a man and so a creature he did owe unto his Father a personal and perfect obedience in fulfilling the Law how then could he perform the same for us also Secondly All men in Adam were created to perform perfect obedience to Gods Law and Will in their own persons neither doth it appear that God hath since released them of that obligation nor did David think that he was or could be discharged there from when he thus confessed and prayed Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements Thirdly The Moral Law requires of us a perfect observation of it not by a deputy or surety but in our own persons In which regard the renewing and assisting grace of Christ is most requisite for us Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be sulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit But his outward active obedience therein helps us no further but as an example to be followed Fourthly There is yet no other way unto life left for the sons of men but by the fulfilling of Gods commandements witness our Saviour's own words Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven and Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that keep the Commandements that they may have right unto the tree of Life and may enter through the gates into the Citie Fifthly Our Saviour saith thus unto us by way of anticipation Mat. 5.17 18 19. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil for verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled And least we should dream that he by fulfilling the Law for us hath exempted us from it or any way abated its requiring he saith at the next verse Whosoever threfore shal break one of these least Commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven But whoso shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven how then can Christ by his outward obedience satisfie Gods Justice for us or in our behalf nor is there any one Scripture which so much as colourably speaks for you but that Rom. 5.19 which yet will bear a better sense For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous for we have proved before and shall now again evidence it further out of the 14 verse that there are more Adams besides our first progenitor and namely one within us by whose disobedience especially if not soly we are made sinners And it it is more clear that there is a Christ within the beleevers as well as without them by whose grace and spiritual obedience many are made holy and righteous For the first of these namely the 14 verse you may observe that there is an Adam from whom death raigns the which say we is our Adam our earthly or natural man Secondly That there is a spiritual Moses or time in us till which death raigns namely the time of Gods drawing grace
the seeking of them Rom. 10.14 15 c. A second let is a depraved judgement Act. 26.9 for I verily thought with my self thâ—t I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus A third impediment is the want of due remembrance and serious consideration of what we know in generall Lam. 1.9 He filthiness is in her skirts she remembred not her latter end A fourth bar is the power of Temptation of which the Apostle complaines 2 Cor. 12.7.8 A filth and a powerful obstacle is habit and custome in sin of which that is verified Qui non est hoâ—iè erà s minùs aptus erat Lastly Gods final desertion one of the heavyest of Judgements is an unremovable obstacle to the willing of good because seconded with Satans power Hence we may take a view how far the faln man can will good convert himself or prepare himself thereunto namely so far forth as men have some light of nature left or new illumination and convincing grace the which of all other is most necessary for the work of a true conversion Jer. 23.24 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Secondly This may be done with the more facility so far as they are chastned by the hand of the Lord and make a good use of it which made the Prophet Jeremy to pray as he doth Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord yet in judgement and not in thine angor lest thou bring me to nothing Howbeit in all this the Lord seems to lay no violent hand upon the will but works upon it by understanding judgement and reason with the use of sense and because he is the Author of the new understanding and judgement which leads and drawes the will he is said to work the will also Phil. 2.13 for Causae causae est etiam causa causaei But the main way whereby the man after illuminating or preventing grace can prepare himself to turn his heart or will is by frequent meditation and deep consideration of what he knows by grace or nature In your two last Sections First according to an ordinary distribution you distinguish the condition of converted sinners into a State of Grace and a State of glory but albeit there be different degrees in their new Metamorphosis or change yet their least estate in regeneration is a State of Glory as on the contrary the highest degree of that change and exaltation is a state of Grace For the proof of the first of these consider what the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are transformed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the spirit of the Lord. 2 Pet. 1.3 Through the knowledge of him who hath called us unto Glory and Vertue And for the evidencing of the latter weigh well what Saint Peter writeth 1 Pet. 1.14 wherefore gird up the loins of your minde be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ See also 1 Pet. 3.7 as heirs together of the Grace of life But more particulary for your fourth Section As in the beginning of it you attribute too much to the first work or degree of our regeneration so you detract too much from the last and highest period of the same in the end of that Section For first you say but not truely That when God converts a sinner and translates him into the State of Grace he presently freeth him from his natural bondage under sin and by his grace alone enables him to will and to do that which is spiritually good Here brethren you go too far for the Apostle in the behalf of the young Babes or converts complains thus Rom. 7.8 9. For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good Lâ—nde not for the good that I would I do not and the evil that I would not that do I. How then are they freed when the Apostle saith ver 23 He findes another Law in his members not only warring against the Law of his minde but bringing him captiue to the Law of sin in his members whereupon he cryes out verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of deaâ—h Is a bondage then against your wils no captivity yea it is the most grievous bondage of all others in our sense and feeling though not so perilous to the soul as a willing subjection unto sin Indeed it is true of the young in Christ which the Apostle writs to them of that age 1 John 2.14 I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the wicked one But the Babe in Christ cannot attain thereunto while he is a chide Now in the close of that Section you flag and fall as much too short saying That this convert at his highest pitch for so you mean by reason of his remaining corruption doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good but willeth that which is evil also The which though it be true of the Infants aforesaid and perhaps may sometimes be verified of the middle ort yet it is not true of the old or aged men in Christ such as the Apostles themselves were as we have proved before In your last Section you do as you are wont wholly transferring the state of Glory in which the will of man is made immutably good out of this world but herein you are some what mistaken if we may give credit to these Scriptures Rev. 3.12 21. C. 1.2.3 4 5 6. CHAP. X. Of effectuall calling ALL those whom God hath predestinated unto life and those onely he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call a Rom 8.30 Rom 11.7 Eph 1.10 11. by his Word and Spirit b 2 Thes 2.13 14. 2 Cor 3.6 out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ c Rom. 8.2 Eph 2.1 2 3 4. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. inlightning their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God d Act 16.18 1 Cor 2.10 12. Eph 1.17 18. taking away their heart of stone and giving unto them an heart of flesh e Ezek 36.26 Eze 11.19 Phil 2.13 Deut. 36.6 Ezek 36.27 renewing their wils and by his Almighty power determing them to that which is good f and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ g Eph 1.19 John 6.44 45. yet so as that they come most freely being made willing by his grace h Cant. 1.4 Psal 110.3 John 6.37 Rom. â— 16 17 18. II. This effectual call is of Gods free and special grace alone not from any thing at all foreseen in man i 1 Tim 1.9 Tit. 3.4 5. Eph 2.4 5 8 9. Rom â— 11. who is
ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Was not new righteousness put into these men And were they not thereby washed sanctified and justified these three words expressing one and the same thing see also Tit. 3.4 5 6. But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour unto man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that so being justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Where you see again that the Apostle makes regeneration in Christ and justification to be the self same thing as we intimated in the foregoing Chapter Yea in the whole dispute about justification by Christ the Apostle Paul useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to justifie either for that part of justification which we commonly call mortification or that other part which we usually term vivification or for both as Rom. 6.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that is dead to wit with Christ is justified freed or purged from sin In this notion doth the Apostle use the word Act. 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified or cleansed from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rev. 22.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is He that is unjust will be so let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is or will be righteous let him be justified or righteous still and that is holy let him be sanctified still Where justification and sanctification are the same thing so Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Where righteousness and strength being joyned together the words must be understood of an internal righteousness through which our sins and corruptions are purged out And therein lies our justification as the next verse imports Yea if mortification be not comprehended under the word justification it is wholly left out in that golden chain so much spoken of and so little understood Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom be did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In this sense Cyprian useth the word frequently and among prophane authors Catullus thus Justificam nobis mentem avertere deorum And so must the word of necessity be meant by the Apostle Rom. 5.8 as appeareth there by the opposition of our state as sinners to our justified estate But God commendeth his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being now iustified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath thruogh him And so must the same word be taken Rom. 3.24 25. Gal 2.17 We grant indeed that the word is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and variously used as for defending our selves or others as just Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men c. for absolving or declaring one just Rom. 8 33 34. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth for predicating or magnifying some person or thing Mat. 11.19 But wisdom is justified of her children But all these are founded upon that moral sense of being just or made just or of being free from unrighteousness which is the Apostles sense in all his discourse of justification by Christ Thirdly you say positively That God justifieth by pardoning of sins but though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used sometimes for the puting away of sins and that by regeneration Luk. 1.77 Eph. 1.7 and elswhere as well as for the pardon of sins Yet justification in Saint Pauls sense lieth not in remission of sins Fourthly you say positively also That God justifies men by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous and you mean he doth so while they are otherwise both in heart and life But God accounts of every man as he is and though he is so gracious as to pardon the guilt of sins forsaken and repented of and ready also in Christ both to cleanse us and renew us because he would not have us dye in our iniquities yet as he speaks to Moses he will by no means clear the guilty or such as continue in evil Exod. 34.7 He is a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Doth not he search the heart and try the reines that he may give to every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.20 See what he saith Micah 6.10 11. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable shall I count them pure with the wicked balances and the bag of deceitful weights God indeed is said to justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 Yet not by accounting him righteous when he is wicked but by cleansing and renewing him and so making him of ungodly a godly and righteous person Fifthly you say God justifies them not for any thing that is wrought in them which is false for it is by something wrought in us that we are justified and sanctified and by something wrought in us also that we are justified that is declared just before God and men in Jesus Christ Sixthly you say That such are justified for Christs sake alone which is true of Christ and his work within us but not of Christ and his obedience without us as you mean it But why do you in these two last passages oppose that which is wrought in us to Christ as if the father and his Christ with the Holy Ghost were not the makers of every good work in the unregenerated Seventhly you say That God in this work imputeth not faith or the act of believing unto us for righteousness contrary to express Scriptures Is it not written Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 Gal 3.6 that Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness that is the Lord accepted his believing whereby he gave him that honor of his truth omnipotency and faithfulness as an acceptable duty at his hand and rewarded it with the promised righteousness as St. James speaks chap. 2.23 Yea doth not the Apostle speak thus expresly Rom. 4.23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but to us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead Eighthly you say That God doth not impute any other Evangelical obedience to men for their righteousness wherein you run full butt against the whole stream of the Scriptures of the Old and New
a good conscience have made shipwrack of their faith as we said before 1 Tim. 1.18 19. How Christ may be said to be the Author and Finisher of our faith we shewed before CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life REPENTANCE unto life is an Evangelical grace a Ezek 12.10 Acts 11.18 the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel as well as that of Faith in Christ b Luke 24.47 Mar 1.15 Acts 20.21 II. By it a sinner out of the sight and sence not onely of the danger but also of the filthyness and odiousnesse of his sins as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God c Ezek 18.30.31 Eze 36.31 Isa 30.22 Psal 51.4 Jer 31.18 19. Joel 2.12 13. Amos 5.15 Psal 119.118 2 Cor 7 11 purposing and indeavouring to walke with him in all the wayes of his commandments d Psal 119.6 50 106. Luke 1.6 2 King 23.25 III. Although Repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin or any cause of the pardon thereof e Ezek 36.31 32 Ezek 16.61 62.63 which is the act of Gods free grace in Christ f Hos 11.24 Rom 3.21 Eph 1.7 yet it is of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it g Luk 13 5. Acts 17.30 31. IV. As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation h Ro 6.23 Rom 5.12 Mat 12.36 so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truely repent i Isa 55 7. Rom 8.1 Iâ— 1.16 18. V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance but it is every mans duty to repent of his particular sins particularly k â—sal 19.13 Luke 19 8. 1 Tim 1.13 15. VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God praying for the pardon thereof l Psal 51.4 5 7.9 14 Psa 32.5 6 upon which and the forsaking of them he shall finde mercy m Pro 28.13 1 John 1.9 So he that scandalizeth his Brother or the Church of Christ ought to be willing by a private or a publick confession and sorrow for his sin to declare his repentance to those that are offended n Jaâ— 5.16 Luk 17.3.4 Josh 7.19 who are thereupon to be reconciled unto him and in love to receive him o 2 Cor 2.8 â— Psal 51 throughout CHAP. XV. Of repentance unto life examined IN this Chapter though you deliver many things not to be repented of yet you first strangely and needlessly multiply â—eads and common places For wherein doth your repentance differ from your conversion or effectual calling Chap. 10. and from sanctification joyned with it Chap. 13. or from adopting grace as it is conditional or from effectual calling jointly with justification in Saint Pauls sense In effect all this is one entire work of grace though calling and sanctification or justication are the parts of it But as you are herein redundant so you are many wayes deficient For first you do not distinguish repentance there being a repentance wrought by the Law and accompanied with the spirit of bondage or fear of wrath Rom. 8.15 and another wrought by the Gospel which again is twofold The one a temporary humiliation and reformation the concomitant and effect of a temporary faith and the other a persevering and through repentance never to be repented of Secondly you set not forth the degrees of repentance in the least measure or degree whereas first there is repentance or conversion wrought by God the Father which follows upon our respective faith in him of which these and many other Scriptures speak Mar. 11.5 Repent ye and believe the Gospel Act. 20 21. Testifying both to Jews and also to the Gentiles repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 6 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead works and of faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ which work is all one with our conversion and lieth mainly in our turning to God Ezek. 14.6 Thus saith the Lord repent and turn you from your Idols Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn you selves Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if be will return and repent Acts 3.19 Repent you there ore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. This first degree of repentance is that sanctification which we obtain and receive from God the Father in the change of our minde will and affections Jude To them that are sanctified by God the Father Besides which there is a further progress in repentance of inward and outward reformation wrought by Jesus Christ when after the conversion aforesaid we are brought to believe on him for the purging away of their sins and corruptions by his blood and spirit which in its latitude containes the totall and final work of mortification of which those texts speak expresly Luk. 24 4â— 47. He said unto them thus it is written and thus it behooveâ— Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins This is that work of Christ of which the Apostles and Saints speak Act 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Thus of your defects in general In your first Section you call this repentance unto life whereof you speak an Evangelical grace as if you thought it to be a single vertue as hope patience meekness or the like But repentance in the latitude is an universal change of the inward man as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies to the putting away of all iniquity in heart and life towards which there are necessarily so many vertues required as there are vices to be put away for each sinne is removed by his contrary Secondly Though in your second Section you concurr with us in making repentance such an universal change of the whole man as that he not only grieves for hates and turnes from all his sins unto God but also both purposeth and indeavors to walk with him in all the wayes of his commandements yet here you faile or mistake in three things First In describing such a repentance only as the least Saint attaines by the work of the Father and leaving out that repentance unto life which lies in mortification See Rom. 8.13 where it is said If yee live after the flesh ye shall dye but if through
It depends upon the seed of God remaining in us but that seed remaines in none unremoveably but those which are born again in Christ after the Spirit or the Saints of the third form and order of whom it is said peculiarly 1 Joh. 3.9 That they cannot sin For all other Saints those of the second form Saints and believers in Christ which are not yet dead and made alive again with him may and do sin as well though not so often as the Saints of the first form or the fathers new begotten ones Lastly you say here That this certainty of perseverance depends upon the nature of the covenant of grace of which there are two parts the one promiseth cleansing grace in and through the blood and Spirit of Christ the other a stedfast and immoveable kingdom to those that are so cleansed See for the first Jerem. 31.32 33 34 c. and for the others Jere. 32.40 but all this is promised conditionally to those that believe Mat. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 16. to such as persevere unto the end Mat. 24.13 and to him that overcometh Reuel 3.12 So that the stedfast estate and kingdom which cannot be shaken depends upon perseverances in mortification and our immoveable estate upon the receiving of that Kingdom Yet do we not deny but that the perseverance of the Saints whereby they continue in the following of Christ unto their death and their infallible estate from which they cannot afterwards possibly fall away hath very great dependance upon all the things by you named but in such manner as we have spoken In your third and last Section you erre first on the one hand and then on the other For first Whereas you ascribe unto all the Saints upon earth promiscuously a possibility of falling into greivous sins by temptations from Satan and the world the prevalency of remaining corruption and neglect of the means of their preservation whereby they may incur Gods displeasure grieve his Spirit suffer some deprivation of their graces and comforts harden their hearts wound their consciences hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgements upon themselves We say That the Saints in the Holy Ghost that are risen again with Christ are past all this 2 Cor. 5.12 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new 1 John 3.9 He that is born of God doth not commit sin but his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God See Revel 2.17 26 27. Revel 3.9 10 11 12. Revel 7.14 15 16 17. Revel 21.3 4 5 6. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any pain to wit spiritual pain for the former things are passed away But on the other hand any other Saint those especially which are in their minority may possibly by the meanes aforesaid not onely faile and suffer after the manner aforesaid but by their wilful and wicked desertion of God fall finally from grace into everlasting perdition and yet no one of those can be plucked out of the Fathers hand by all the enemies of mankind if he will abide with God and his Christ John 10.28.29 But how much safer had it been for you and your hearers if in stead of your thus securing the Saints you had with Saint Paul charged them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling as we said before and with holy David had shewed them what they should do that they might be kept from falling finally Psalm 15.1 2 3 4. and to have set Saint Peters scale before them for the same end likewise 2 Pet. 1.5.10 The high way to that kingdom which cannot be shaken is to get grace into our hearts whereby we may serve God with Reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 CHAP. XVIII Of the assurance of Grace and salvation ALthough hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and state of salvation a Joh 8.13 14. Mich 3.11 Deut 29.19 Jo 8.41 which hope of theirs shall perish b Matt 7.22 23. yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace c Joh 3.14 18.19 21 24. Jo 5.13 and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shal never make them ashamed d Ro 5.2 5 II. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perswasion grounded upon a fallible hope e Heb 6 1â— 19. but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the Divine truth of the promises of salvation f Heb 6 17 18. the inward evidences of those graces unto which these promises are made g 2 Pet 1.4 5 10 11 1 Joh 2.3 1 Joh 3.14 2 Cor 1.12 the testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God h Ro 8.15.16 which spirit is the earnest of our inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption i Eph 3.13.14 Eph 4.30 2 Cor 1 21 22. III. This infallible assurance doth not so infallibly belong to the essence of faith but that a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it k 1 Jo. 5 13. Isa 50.10 Mar 9.14 Psal 88. througho Psal 77. to v. 12. 1 Cor 2.14 1 Joh 4.13 Heb. 6.11 12 Eph 3.17 18 19. yet being inabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of ordinary meanes attain thereunto l 1 Cor 2.12 Jo 4.13 Heb 6.11 12 Eph 3.17 18 19. and therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and Election sure m 2 Pet. 1.10 that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in love and thankfulness to God and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience the proper fruits of the assurance n Ro 5 1 2 5. Rom 14.17 Ro 15.3 Eph 1.3 4. Psa 4.6 7. Psa 119 32. so far is it from inclining men to looseness o 1 Jo 2.12 Ro 6.1 2. Tit 2 11 12 14. 2 Cor 7.1 Rom 8.1 12. 1 Jo 3.1 2. Ps 130.4 1 John 1.6 7. IV. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation diverse wayes shaken diminished and intermitted as by negligence in preserving of it by falling into some speciall sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit by some sudden and vehement Temptation by
Gods withdrawing the light of his countenance and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and have no light p Cant 5.2 3 6. Psal 51.8 12 14. Eph 14.30 31. Psa 77.1 to the 10. Mat 26 69 70 71 72. Psal 31.22 Psal 88. throughout Isaiah 50.10 yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God and life of faith that love of Christ and the brethren that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which by the operation of the spirit this assurance may in due time be revived q 1 John 3.9 Luke 22.32 Job 13.15 Psalm 73.15 Psalm 51.12 Isaiah 50.10 and by the which in the mean time they are supported from utter despaire r Micha 7.7 8 9. Jeremiah 32.40 Isaiah 54.7 8 9. Psalm 22.1 Psalm 88. throughout CHAP. XVIII Of the Assurance of grace and salvation examined IN your title or inscription of this Chapter you have joyned two things together which are not alwayes inseparable For the assurance of Grace for the present may be without certainty of salvation for the future but the infallibility of the last alwayes presupposeth the former Here we cannot but commend your method for the assurance of Salvation hath such close and immediate dependance upon perseverance in obedience and grace that that where the former is but conditional and possible this latter is so likewise but where the other is certain this follows it in infallibility And hence it will necessarily follow that wherein you were mistaken in the former you must unavoidably err in this latter how be it many things which you here set forth have good assurance of truth as those things in your first Section That hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and estate of salvation and that the hope of such shall perish But remember we pray you that as privy hypocrites can have no such hopes so some which take themselves to be no hypocrites because they serve God in outward duty and forms yet are strangers to the wayes of everlasting righteousness will be found in this number of vaine hopes at the last Matthew 7.21 22 23. Luke 13.25 26.27 2 Tim. 3.5 It is true also which you there say in the next place of assurance That such as truly believe in Christ which are onely they that seek sanctification from him to make them new creatures as well as deliverance from hell or an outward happiness in heaven and love him in sincerity endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace yea that such also may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God but where you add in â—he close of the Section That this their hope shall never make them ashamed we cannot close with you unless you put in this proviso which the Apostle speakes of Rom. 5.5 That the love of God be and remaine shed abroad in your hearts which we understand of a constant and active love Thus the Apostle promiseth salvation to the weaker sex also 1 Tim. 2.15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child bearing if they continue in faith love and holiness with sobriety It is to perseverance that the promises are made of finall salvation In your second Section you say That the assurance of hope is founded First upon Gods promises where you might have added his oath also Heb 6.12 13 14 15. Secondly upon the inward evidence of these graces you should have said those conditions unto which the promises are made And thirdly upon the witnessing of the Spirit of Adoption with our spirits that we are the children of God But mark here we pray you first that while the conditions of the promises are but a fulfilling and not fully performed our hopes and assurances are but conditional And 2. that as the spirit of Adoption is given us but conditionally at the first so it beareth witness with our spirit accordingly speaking peace while we carry our selves as children reproving us when we rebel and departing from us when we remain incorrigible Isa 63.8 9 10 For he said surely they are my people children that will not err so he was their Saviour In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeeemed them he hare them and carryed them all the dayes of old But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemie and be fought against them Yea the Apostle in the same place where he speaks of our Adoption and the Spirit of Adoption bearing witness with our spirits declares that at the first it is but a conditionall estate Rom. 8.15 16 17. as we shewed before Chap. 12. The same we likewise spake concerning the earnest of the spirit whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption for as some Deeds are fealed only as skrols to confirm a bargain when conditions are performed so it is with the earnest and first sealing of the spirit but when the conditions are fulfilled in our dying with Christ then the spirit seales men finally and absolutely and becomes the promised comforter which shall abide with the Saints for ever Rom. 8.13 2 Titus 2.11 12. Jo. 7 38 39. Act. 2.38 Jo. 14.17 In your third Section you say truly That this infallible assurance doth not belong to the essence of faith where we will be bold to add that it pertaineth not to faith but is an estate which comes after that saith in Christ hath done its office in purifying our hearts from sin and not before Yet may a conditional hope yea assurance be attained befâ—â—e by the meanes which you there set forth and that without extraordinary revelation yea that conditional assurance may be of excellent use for the ends and intents here by you remembred and how much more that absolute assurance which is the concomitant and fruit of Gods inward kingdome when it comes unto us in power of which the Prophet speaks thus Isa 32.15 16 17. Vntil the spirit be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness be a fruitful field and the fruiâ—â—ul field counted for a forrest Then judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousnesse remain in the fruitfull field And the work of righteousnesse shall he peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever which assurance when it is absolute wil not incline men unto loosness as you there speak but a false perswasion that it is absolute when it is not may make men remiss yea secure and loose also And how much more will your former doctrine which in this behalf we blamed do it by naturall consequences if Gods grace interpose not to the contrary As to your last Section we grant that the inchoated and conditional assurance of believers may be either shaken and diminished or
contradict your selves in other places yet you have here and there your illegalities and mistakes also in this Chapter In your first Section you truly say That God gave to Adam and all his Posterity such a Law and covenant of works as you describe with power and ability to keep it And is he not the same God still in wisdom mercy and justice requiring nothing at any mans hand but what he will enable him to doe by his preventing or assisting grace if hee seek it In your second Section you say and that truly That the Law given to Adam being the same in effect with the Moral Law delivered upon mount Sinai continued to be a perfect rule of Righteousnesse Nor must the Israel of God think to obtrude upon the Lord any other acceptable righteousnesse for ever then is therein required and described Deut. 6.24 25. And the Lord commanded us to doe all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good alwayes that he might preserve us alive as it is this day And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to doe all these Commandments before The Lord our God as he hath commanded us Psalm 119.144 the righteousnesse of his testimonies is everlasting For the performing of which righteousnesse because it was become impossible to the fallen Man Christ is freely bestowed upon us Rom. 8.3 4. And so it is the end and drift of the law to send us unto Christ to seek our power wisdom and righteousnes from him Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.22 23 24. But whereas you say in the end of that Section That the four first Commandments contain our duty toward God and the six last our duty to Man Perhaps it will prove a distribution more common then sound For as the whole Law is spirituall Rom. 7.14 so it seems first to require duty toward God in all the ten Commandments and then to call for Service toward men in the second place For the first four Commandments which St Augustine and some of the Ancients reduce to three only your selves doe not deny it Let us then take a view of the rest Doth not the fifth Commandment enjoyn us first of all to honour our heavenly Father and the Wisdom or Hierusalem from above our spirituall Mother 1 Sam. 2.20 For them that honour me I will honour Mal. 1.6 If I then be a Father where is mine honour Matth. 11.19 But Wisdome is justified of her children so Luke 7.35 Gal. 4.26 But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the Mother of us all Prov. 7.4 Say unto Wisdom thou art my Sister and call understanding thy Kinswoman Doth not the sixth Commandement forbid spiritual murther in the first place to wit the killing of Christ the quenching of the Spirit and the destroying of the inward messengers and motions Jam. 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one and he resisteth you not Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Quench not the Spirit Thus the Apostles complaines of the Apostates that they crucifie afresh the Son of God and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Doth not the seventh Commandement first prohibite spiritual whoredom against God Hos 4.15 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend Jam. 4.4 Yee adulterers and adulteresses c. Doth not the eighth precept first restrain us from theft and robbery against God Malac. 3.8 Will a man rob God but ye have robbed me Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit sacriledge See Act. 12.22 in Herods example Doth not the ninth also first inhibit a false testimony against the Lord Jeremy 5.12 They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he 1 Cor. 15.15 Yea and we are found false witnesses of God c. Yea though the tenth commandement may seem to lay restraint upon us only in the behalf of our neighbor yet who hath so neer vicinity to us as God in whom we live move and have our being so that not only an open these against him in taking that which belongs to him as Achon did but even to assume or once desire that which belongs unto the Lord is impious as we see in Herod who took and consequently affected the glory that was due to God Acts 12.22 23. Nor doth the Lord want a house Isa 56.7 Mat. 21.12 13 14. Nor is he destitute of a wife Ezek. 16.8 And I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine See Re. 2. or of men servants and maid servants Psa 116.16 Truly O Lord I am thy servant and the son of thine handmaid Nor is he without his Oxen and Asses 2 Cor. 9.10 Mat. 21.1 2 3 4 5. which if they be alienated from him in our desires it is a sin of concupiscence-against the last Commandement So that it is most true in this regard which Saint James speaks chap. 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole low and yet offendeth in one point is guilty of all for any one sin against God breaks all the Commandements It is Idolatry witcheraft murther adultery c. 1 Samuel 5.15.23 And as the six last first oppose sin against God so the four first in the second place restrain sins against man Thus we may not impose a false God upon our neighbor nor set up a false worship before him nor swear falsly to his hurt nor by prophaning the Lords Sabbath or everlasting rest before our neighbor insnare his soul And what we speak of the negativepart is true of the affirmative or possitive throughout all the Commandements so that the great duty of love to God and our neighbor seems to run through the veins of every Commandement And as these two are inseperable in the new creature so the whole Law by the Apostles own Testimony is fulfilled in this one Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self Rom. 13.8 Gal. 5.14 which cannot hold true except the Lord be our first neighbor who is to be loved in the first place and surely if we should not offer that wrong to God which we would not admit were we in his stead we should not sin as we do In your third Section you set not forth the whole extent of the Ceremonial Law which was to represent Christs inward death and sufferings as well as his outward He being the Lamb slain in us from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 and to be a document unto us shewing how we must follow him unto eternal life Howbeit you seem to go too far in saying It is wholly abrogated now under the new Testament for though the costly and burthensome yoke thereof is taken from the Gentiles yet some part of it by the words of the Prophets may remaine in use among the Jews after their calling and restauration Isa 66.23 And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before
5.1 Act 15.10 11. and in greater boldness of access to the Throne of Grace h Heb 4.14 16. Heb 10.19 20 21 22. and in fuller communications of the Spirit of God then believers under the Law did ordinarily pertake of i Joh 7.38 39. 2 Cor 3 13 17 19 II. God alone is Lord of the conscience k Jam 4.12 Ro 14.4 and hath left it free from the Doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word or beside it in matters of faith or of worship l Act 4.19 Act 5.29 1 Cor 7.23 Mat 23.8 9 10. 2 Cor 1.24 Mat 15.9 so that to believe such doctrines or to obey such commands out of conscience is to betray our liberty of conscience m Col. 2.20 22 23 Gal 1.10 Gal 2.4 5. Gal 5.1 and the requiring of an implicit faith and an absolute and blinde obedience is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also n Rom 10 17. Ro 14.23 Isa 8.20 Act 17.11 Joh 4.22 Hos 5.11 Rev 13.12 16 17 Jer 8.9 III. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practise any sin or cherish any lust do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty which is that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life o Gal 5.11 1 Pet 2.16 2 Pet 2.19 Joh 8.34 Luk 1.74 75. IV. And because the powers which God hath ordained and the liberty which God hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another they who upon pretence of Christian liberty shall oppose any lawful power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be civil or Ecclesiastical resist the ordinance of God p Mat 11.25 1 Pet. ◠13 14 16. Ro 13.1 to 8. Heb 13.17 and for their publishing of such opinions or maintaining of such practises as they contrary to the light of nature or to the known principles of Christianity whither concerning faith worship or conversation or to the power of godliness or such erroneous opinions or practice as either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in his Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the censures of the Church q Rom 〈◊〉 32 with 〈◊〉 Cor 5.1 5 11 13 2 Jo 10.11 2 Thes 3.14 1 Tim 6.3 4 5. Tit 1.10 11 13. Titus 3.10 with 18 15 16 17. 1 Tim 19 20. Revel 2.2 14 15 20. Revel 3.9 and by the power of the civill Magistrate r Deut 13.6 to 12. Rom 13.3 4. with 2 Jo 10.11 Ezra 7.23 25 26 27 28. Revel 17.12 16 17. Nehem 13.15 17 21 22 25 30. 2 Kings 23.5 6 9 20 21. 2 Chron 34.33 2 Chron 15.12 13 16. Dan 3.29 1 Tim 2.2 Isa 49.23 Zach 13.23 CHAP. XX. Of Christian liberty and liberty of Conscience examined THis head of liberty is not now unseasonable when liberty hath got such head that almost every one affects that freedom which Tully describes Potestas vivendi ut velis but if we may use that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we would both give and take you have too much restrained your Christian freedom in your first Section and liberty of consciences in your second contradicted your selves in your third and perhaps set the Governors too far at liberty in you fourth and last In your first Section you faile in three things first in that your enumeration of Christian liberties and freedoms is to defective secondly in that you reckon them up preposterously and thirdly in that you mistake some of them you name For the first of those you have first left out our freedom from the bondage and bewitchment of carnal wisdom and holiness Gal. 3.1 Who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers See Gal. 5.1 Col. 2.20 21. Secondly The exemption from the great bondage of fear wherein some are held all their life long justly expecting wrath and vengeance is by you omitted Heb. 2.15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Thirdly Freedom for Christian Subjects from the judicial Law as well as from the ceremonial by your own confession in the last chapter especially where other Laws not contrary to the word of God are imposed upon them 1 Pet. 2.12 13 14 15 16. Fourthly A liberty to observe and omit some ceremonial Laws for the edifying of others and our own peace and indempnity of which liberty in Christ the Apostle speaks expresly Gal. 2.3 4. And as he used it himself at Cenchrea Acts 18.18 and in circumcising Timothy there Acts 16.1 2 3. and that he did the like also with the advise of all the Apostles Acts 21.22 23 24. So he chargeth that we should let no man condemn us for such things but either do them or omit them as it is required or expected at our hands by the people with whom we are to converse Col. 2.16 17. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or new moon or the Sabbath which are the shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Fourthly You leave out our freedom from sorrow pain c. Revel 21.4 7 17. Lastly you have omitted the great freedom of the Spirit when he in fulness is poured upon the Saints or when the Jerusalem which is from above descends upon them which yet is not a freedom to sin but an immunity from fin to walke with freedom yea with delight in all the wayes of righteousness Gal. 4 26. But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the mother of us all 2 Cor. 3.7 Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty To which liberties some add two more one is a license to observe any outward thing not forbidden in the word of God which shall be enjoyned by Ecclesiastical or civil powers because the things that are without us defile us not Thus say they Paul became all things to all men that he might win the more To the Jews he became a Jew to them that were under the Law as if he were still under it to them that were without Law as without Law also being always under a Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21. And 2dly a liberty to eat of things that had bin offred to Idols when it offends not others 1 Cor. 10.27 28 29. If any of them that beleeve not bid you to a feast and ye be disposed to goe whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake
speaking our own words thinking our own thoughts and doing our own pleasure as the said Fathers expound the place In your last Section as your Sabboth it self so your sanctification of it is an humane devise any day may be so sanctified But for a conclusion of this Chapter we offer five things to your better consideration First whether Gods will is since changed who at the first created man after his own Image and established him in all righteousness that he might worship him therein Secondly whether he would be worshipped at our hands one day in seven or all the dayes of our lives See Luk. 1 71 75. before cited Rev. 7.15 Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them Thirdly whether the thoughts words and works which are called our own and from which we are commanded to rest that we may sanctifie the Lords Sabbath be those which are necessarily employed about the honest duties of our lawful callings or our sinful thoughts words and actions See Isaiah 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts Isaiah 58.6 7 8. Their works are works of Iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands their feet run to evil and they make hast to shed innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths Jer. 3.5 Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Fourthly whether the Lord would rather have an outward day or time which is one of the most transient and fluxible things of this world or his everlasting light life and rest Christ Jesus honored by us See Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee Gods Mat. 17.5 And behold a voice out of the cloud which said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Joh. 5.23 That all men should honor the Son as they honor the father Isa 58.13 And shall honor him where the Sabboth mentioned in the beginning of the verse is turned into a person the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who by our sinning against him is troden or trampled under foot Heb. 10.29 and therefore it is not without cause that we are here Isa 58. commanded to turn or keep our feet from the Sabboth that is from trampling upon Christ Fifthly whether we shall attain those high things promised Isa 58.14 to wit to be fed with the heritage of Jacob our Father c. by forbearing the works of our lawful callings one day in seven or by abstaining and resting through the help of Christ from our own wicked thoughts words and works all the dayes of our life that so we may keep Gods judgements and commandments which are his lesser Sabboths Isaiah 56.2 and finde all righteousness rest and life in Christ the great Sabboth and Lords Day or Day of the Lord in his spirituall comming Yea we would entreat you to examine your selves impartially in or about those six things ensuing First whether you do not worship God in vain here teaching for doctrines the precepts of men Matthew 15.9 for the Lord hath neither instituted these duties for a set and solemn outward worship which you make the several parts of his outward worship nor hath he appointed any other worship but the serving him in spirit and in truth John 4.23 24. And although the duties you insist upon are appointed by him as helps and furtherances to the attaining of that grace whereby we may so worship God and may in that sense pass for a secondary worship yet are they not limitted by him to any set time but rather are lest to the Churches convenience and care to her piety and prudence Secondly whether you do not with the prodigall feed your selves and others upon huskes while you rely thus upon the outward Sabboths which are shels and shadows Galatians 4 9 10 11. But now after yea 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 dayes and moneths and yeers I am aâ—raid I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine If ye fay that ye keep not the Jewish Sabboth but have turned that into the Lords Day to be Rept after the same manner Then in the third place may it not be said unto you by the Lord as it is Isaiah 1.12 When ye come to appear before me who hath required these things at your bands c. Yea fourthly is it not some kinde of superstition and Idolatry against the second Commandement when God hath removed a ceremonial and figurative worship for you now of your own heads and in his name to set up another solemn and prescript outward worship as if God were a visible and corporeall God or one that took more delight that men should speak and hear discourses concerning his everlasting righteousness then to be worshipped therein See Isaiah 38.1 2 3 4 c. See Isaiah 28.1 2 3. Yea fifthly when God hath abolished one shadow or Image to wit his seventh dayes Sabboth which as was said before was not at the first instituted for a day of worship but a figurative day of rest for you to make another like it and as from God to set it in its stead to be honoured without any warrant or command from him what is this but to set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image like the former and a very Idol of your own brain or at the best with Jeroboam to offer unto the Lord on that day which ye have devised of your own heart 1 Kings 10.33 Not but that this day or any other may be lawfully and profitably spent in such holy duties as you speak of being observed as an ordinance of the Church or the civil Magistrate so it be not imposed upon men as a Commandement of the Lords as you obtrude it For therein you with the Judayzing zealots Acts 15.10 would put a yâ—ke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear And there in so doing how far you tempt God your selves may advisedly confider Lastly Wherein doth your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 5.20 for they not only kept the outward Sabboth of the fourth commandment most severely but made long prayers fasted often preached diligently administred the Sacraments yea compassed Sea and land to make a Proselite or convert to their Religion Matthew 12.1 2 3. Luke 18.10 11 12. Mat. thew 23.1 2 3. CHAP. XXII Of Lawful Oaths and Vows ALawful oath is a part of Religious worship a Deu 10.20 where in upon just occasion the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth and to judge him according to the truth or falshood of what he sweareth b Exod 20.7 Lev 19.12 1 Cor. 1 13. 2 Chr 6.22 23.
of his spiritual ordinances epecially and these are first the commandments of the morall Law and then his other precepâ— subservient thereunto as the Scripture every where cals them Gods ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 18.20 2 Kings 11.37 but not of the preaching of mans doctrine the administring the Sacraments not without ignorance perhaps some superstition and confusion as you often do and which you account to be the main if not the only ordinances of God Thus we fear that will finde you guilty of which the Prophet complaines Isa 24.5 The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws changed the orâ—iâ—ancâ—â— broken the everlasting Covenant c. For what ordinances do you speak of to the people but of your way of preaching and administring the Sacraments c. In your Directory for worship you have omitted the ten Commandements Gods principal ordinances but highly magnified your kinde of preaching which hath more of art then of the spiritual gift of Prophecy in it your keeping of an outward day in every week holy with your self chosen worship and other meer humane â—rdinances Is not this to change the ordinances as Isaiah speakes In your fourth which is your last Section You first set out the respective duties of Subjects to Magistrates well and truly Secondly you rightly affirm That neither difference in religion no nor Infidelity it self do make void the Magistrates just and legal authority nor free the people from their due obedience to him If Infidelity it self cannot do this what other thing can Yet it must be granted that when Magistrates are esective and chosen conditionally the breaking of a fundamental condition may disanull his place and claim Thirdly you say here That Ecclesiastical persons are not exempted from their obedience which is but true in part in regard of civil honor obedience and all needful assistance especially where the Magistrate is no more but civil But in matters of faith salvation and damnation the consciences not only of Ecclesiastical persons as you call them but of laicks themselves are exempted from his tyranny and force therein they are only the subjects of Christ Yea in these things some persons may have authority over the Magistrate himself in the Lord though that Magistrate be a Christian also to wit such persons as are inspired and sent of God to be his mouth as Naâ—han and Gâ—d were to David and John Baptist was to Herod and diverse other Prophets were to their respective Princes and Governors Lastly you justly shut out the Pope and his jurisdiction from us as those which have taken the oath of supremacy but here you are too general in your affirmatives for want of due distinction or limitation for in some parts of Italy which are the Popes inheritance he hath power and authority over his subordinate officers and the people as other Princes have and may justly deprive those that are under him of dominions and lives when they break such capital Laws as deserve death confiscation and disinheriting but he may not do this to forraign Princes and States nor to their people who are not under his lawful jurisdiction whether upon the pretence of heresie or any other like pretext Yet some Papists are confident of this that now you have deprived the Pope of his deprivative authority over Princes you will assume it to your selvs or bestow it upon your friends when and where you think good to serve your own turns CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce MArriage is to be between one man and one woman neither is it lawful for any man to have more then one wife nor for any woman to have more then one husband at the same time a Gen 2.24 Mat 1.19 56. Prov 2.17 II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife b Gen 2.18 for the increase of mankind with a legimiate issue and of the Church with an holy seed c Mal 2.15 and for preventing of uncleanness d 1 Cor 7.2 9. III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their consent e Heb. 13.4 1 Tim 4.3 1 Cor 7.36 37. Ge 24.57 58. yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord f 1 Cor 7.39 and therefore such as profess the true reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked by marrying with such as be notoriously wicked in their life or maintaine damnable heresies g Gen 34 14. Exod 34.16 Deu. 7.3 14. 1 Kin 11.4 Neh 13.25 26 27. Mal 2 11 12. 2 Cor 6.14 IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word h Lev 18 c. 1 Cor 5.2 Am 2.7 nor can such incestuous marriages ever he made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife i Mar 6.28 Levit 18.23 25 26 27 28. The man may not marry any of his wives kindred nearer in blood then he may of his own nor the woman of her husbands kindred â—eerer in blood then of her own k Lev 20.19 20 21. V. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract being detected before marriage giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract l Mat â— 18 19 20. in the case of adultery after marriage it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce m Mat 5.31 32 and after the divorce to marry another as if the offending party was dead n Mat 19.9 Rom 7.2 3 VI. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduely to put asunder those whom God hath joyned together in marriage yet nothing but adultery or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil Magistrate is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage o Mat 19 8 9 1 Cor 7 15 Mat 19 6 wherein a publike and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wils and discretion in their own tase p Deu 14 1 2 3 4 CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce examined IN this tract of marriage and divorce the path is so trite that it is no wonder if you deviate not as you have done hitherto yet are you sufficiently deficient in many things and in some other mistaken here also Your defects are these among others First since those that marry shall have trouble in the flesh as Saint Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 7.28 and marrying brings with it of necessity many avocations lets and distractions from attending upon Gods service and the seeking of his kingdom 1 Cor. 7.32 33 34. you might very seasonably in these calamitous times wherein the people like the generation before the flood are mad upon
wicked world or the great destruction come in Matthew 24.12 13 14. That it was necessary that some extraordinary Prophet or Apostle should be raised up in mercy for that end Revelations 14.6.7 And finally That other holy Scriptures and writings as we said before might in time be profitably added to the books of the New Testament to clear and vindicate them from the errors and mistakes of men brought in by Satan in progress of time as those books were written for the like vindication of Moses and the Prophets among other ends To return then to the business in hand besides many other great mistakes of yours in this argument you plainly and fully discover to the whole world that you understand not the mystery either of the Cup or of the Bread and Wine which are the true body and blood of Christ in this Sacrament nor yet the main end of its institution and so upon the matter you are not less but more grosly deceived then the Jews were John 6.52 c. For our Saviour speaking unto them there of his flesh which he would give for the life of the world verse 51. and of the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood if they would have life verse 53. and of the excellency and usefulness of his flesh and blood verse 53 54 55 56 57 58. The Jews understood the same flesh and blood of Christ which you do here even those of his humanity but herein they exceeded you whereas corporal things can be no ways eaten but corporally they conceived and that rightly that if it were his humane flesh and blood that they must feed of they must Canibal like eat and drink the same but you hold that the same must be eaten by Faith that is by conceit and imagination and no otherwise for bodily things must be eaten and drunk in a bodily manner and with bodily organs but spiritual things may be taken in spiritually by Faith We pray you therefore to read this chapter advisedly and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things Where if the Lord remove the scales from your eyes you may observe these things with us That Christ perceiving this their literal and gross understanding of his doctrine concerning his flesh to be eaten and blood to be drunk doth at the 63. verse explain himself and that first negatively and then positively telling them That the flâ—sh which they understood the flesh and blood of his humanity c. profiteth nothing in the way of feeding and quickening the soul dead in sin It is the spi-that quickeneth and it must be spiritual food that must give life strength and nourishment to the soul the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life which come from the spirit and life tend thither and speak of the same yea they are the flesh that I meant ye should eat That is I spake not of a corporall flesh and blood Here you see that it is not his humane flesh and blood that he gives us to feed upon and that by his own testimony Secondly he saith that unless we eat of his flesh and drink of his blood we neither have nor can have life in us vers 53. but Infants and all those that never heard of Christ in the flesh cannot eat of it in your sense that is by faith or imagination whence it will follow according to your Doctrine and conceiving that they cannot possibly have life Thirdly Our Saviour saith verse 56. He that cateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him which you cannot verifie of all those that eat his flesh and drink his blood in your sense and according to your doctrine and conceiving for we finde many rejected by our Saviour and shut out of his Kingdom who had eaten and drunk in his presence Luke 3 25 26 27. but it is most true of the spiritual flesh and blood eaten and drunken rightly Fourthly Our Saviour saith That his flesh is a bread that came down from Heaven verse 58. But his humane flesh and consequently his blood came not from thence Fifthly Our Saviour implies that this food must be both inward and living in those words verse 57. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me Lastly To eat these is to eat Christ If you demand then What is that flesh of Christ that is broken for us and which blood of Christ is it that is here signified We answer to each distinctly First The flesh of Christ is his Word whereby the invisible Word the Deity is made in some sort visible and edible unto us thus Christ the Eternal Word was made flesh to his Disciples and dwelt among them John 1.14 And they afterward saw his glory as of the onely begotten Son of God when he was spiritually incarnate in and with them Thus he told us before by way of explanation of himself John 6.63 what was the flesh that he would have the Jewes and us to feed upon even his Words which are spirit and life Thus Jeremiah speaks of the eating of this word or flesh chap. 15. verse 16. Thy words were found by me and I did eat them And they word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Thus Origen among the other Ancients saith Christiani omni die carnis agni comedunt c. Christians eat of the flesh of the Lamb every day whilst they feed of the flesh of the Word of God This is that Manna from Heaven which is Angels food Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandements bearkening to the voice of his word of which the Manna in the wilderness was a type Psal 78.24 25. He raigned down Manna upon them and gave them of the Corn of Heaven Thus man did eat Angels food he sent them meat to the full All which is more truly to be understood of the word wherewith God fed both them and the Angels before them then of the outward manna which was but a shadow of it Nor was it unusual in the old or new Testament to express the word of God the food of our souls by bread Deut. 8.3 And he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with Manna which thou knowest not neither did thy Fathers know That he might make thee know that man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live where by the way the spiritual mystery both of Manna and of bread is opened Amos 8.11 Behold the daies come that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord where observe this word is no other but that which comes out of the mouth of the Lord or is spoken by his spirit for otherwise how would it be so scarce and hard