from healing too soon that they may make the cure the more admired do accordingly keep such souls with their wounds open and if they powre in any thing it is rather Wine then Oyl rather something of the Law then the Gospel so as they are not onely long in healing and getting peace through Jesus Christ But they carry a scar with them still and are as it were lame in their consciences a long time after like some poor Patients that have had as much of the sound flesh cut a way as the rotten and so have been healed though but to a bodily infirmity all their life time All this is for want of the knowledge of the Spirit of Adoption being in such a soul and the spirits workings in the clear apprehensions of Christ as it is not enough to enlighten the world that there is a Sun but there must be a clear body of Air for this Sun to shine through and of the application of Gospel-promises of perswading to faith and beleeving in Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin which settle and assure and establish a soul more and the light that comes in through such Gospel-applications and power will exceedingly melt a soul and wound a soul But they are the woundings and meltings of love and the Spirit of Adoption not of fear and bondage but of power love and of a sound minds Mary wept and washed Christs feet Peter wept bitterly not in fear but in love witnesse her Box of Oyntment Peters profession Lord thou knowest I love thee The passions which this Gospel-way works in the soul are such as bring inlargements and flowings and powrings out of Spirit But the passions which the Law works bring in a straightning a contraction or gathering up or narrownesse into the Spirit and therefore it is called bondage and fear V. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners I observe They that are wounded for sin and are enlightned to discern it and are so wrought on by the spirit as to feel and be sensible of it being taken into Covenant with God in Christ their stony heart taken out and yet dark in the purer conceivings of the Gospel such are ready rather to put away Gospel-promises then receive them and imagine themselvs rather in fitnesse for judgement then mercy or grace And then if Preachers run to the Law in their dealing with such souls for their thorow humiliation as they say or pretend and not to the Gospel Faith in Jesus Christ they bring fire and not water to quench them and so kindle them the more and setting the everlasting burnings of the Law before their souls put them all into a spiritual flaâ—m and vexation Nathan delt otherwise with David though under the Old Testament where there was more priviledge for the Law 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned saith David The Lord hath put away thy sin saith Nathan This is as Solomon saith To give strong drink to him that is ready to peâ—ish and wine unto those that be of an heavy hâ—art Prov. 13.6 If any one sin saith John we have an Advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the righteous Here is Gospel applyed to the very sin and the Physitian brought home to the sick and Jesus Christ brought to the very gates of a groaning spirit I know the Divinity of some former ages to these present times made up all their receipts for distempered souls of so much Law and so much Gospel and usually but a grane or dram of Gospel to a pound of Law not being then clear enough in judgement to unmingle things which Antichrist had confounded and put together as the two Testaments and two Covenants and not rightly discerning Christs manner or way of preaching and the Apostles both in their holding forth Law and Gospel Now we know that the Apostle saith Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or the preaching of Faith Gal. 3.2 And therefore they that would make the Law the Ministery of life and of the spirit are not of such a spiritual discerning as the Lord hath now revealed and such put a soul upon a legal method of conversion or coming to Christ First they must be kept so long under the Law for humiliation and contrition and confession and then brought to the Gospel as many Books and Teachers do when as the Law is not of any power to infuse such gracious passions into the soul as the Gospel cals for Blessed are they that mourn and they that are poor But this is not the mourning spirit under the Law nor the poor spirit under the curse of the Law for sin But the Gospel-mournings and Gospel-poverty even mournings of love like the groanings of the Turtle Cant. 2.12 If they be onely such as the Law brings forth and presses the soul into they are no better then the contritions of Esau and Judas but if they be such as the Law or Spirit of Jesus Christ or the Law of life works in the soul then they are of a more spiritual and pretious nature but this is from the Gospel and the preaching of Faith What Law did Peter preach to Cornelius or Philip to the Eunuch or Ananias to Paul or Paul to the Jaylor and his houshold but only Jesus Christ nor can you finde the Law I mean the Law in its form or Covenant preached but to those that were under the Law and pretended to stand by the Law and to set up a righteousnesse by the Law as the Pharisees and Jews c. Though in all this I esteem no lesse of the Law then any other as it was a Law for the people of God under Moses and hath something of the Image of God in it But now we are under a better Law a more excellent Law and a more spiritual Commandment Even that Law which was but a few single beams of righteousnesse even ten but a decalogue of righteousnesse yet now in the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is brought forth in more glorious and spiritual Commandments and for ten there are scores and with this righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ is brought forth which makes the condition of Gods people a blessed condition so as they stand righteous now in all their obedience to the righteousnesse of God which is the more pure transcending and excellent Law of the Commandments of the Gospel or the more perfect Rule of the righteousnesse of God in the righteousnesse of Christ so as the New Testament is both the Law and Gospel or the righteousnesse of God and Christ more excellently manifested Do we therefore make voide the Law by the preaching of Faith Yea We establish the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse VI A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel I observe A soul that is not informed by a pure Gospel-light nor apprehends not clearly the
God is said to be in Covenant with a soul A Soul is then properly actually or expresly in Covenant with God when God hath come to it in the promise and then when it feels it self under the power of the promise it begins onely to know it is in Covenant and yet to yeeld and obey as if it were but to enter into that Covenant which God hath made with it in Christ before it could do any thing so as they that beleeve do rather feel themselves in that Covenant which God hath made with them without any thing in themselves either faith or repentance c. X. A justified person is a perfect person A Person justified or in Covenant is as pure in the sight of God as the righteousnesse of Christ can make him though not so in his own eyes that there may be work for faith because God sees His onely in Christ not in themselves and if they were not in such a perfect righteousnesse they could not be loved of him because his eyes are purer then to behold iniquity or to love a sinner as a sinner XI Sin separates not his from God but from Communion with God NO sins can make God who loves for ever unchangeably love us lesse and yet a beleever will grieve for sin because it grieves the Spirit of his God and though he know sin cannot now separate from God yet because it once separated he hates it and because it separates still though not from God yet from Communion with God grieving the holy Spirit of God XII Christ in the flesh CHRIST in the flesh was God himself who that he might reveal his love to us made us partakers of the divine nature by fashioning our nature for his own glory to live in and by being both God and man amongst us and for us and herein is the mystery of reconciliation None but the nature of God could reconcile God and no nature but mans that had sinned could properly suffer for man therefore there is one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus XIII Christs being in our nature CHRIST was love mercy and riches of free-grace manifested in the flesh and in our nature that they might slow out more abundantly upon our nature on the vessels of mercy chosen in this Christ before the foundations of the world XIV Christs love CHRISTS love must needs exceed all the love of the children of men for he was the very love of God clothed in flesh and blood This is he that was red in his apparel as he that treadeth in the wine-presse XV Christ doing and suffering for our sakes CHRIST came into the world that he might do what we could not do to the fulfilling of the Law and suffer what we could not suffer for the breach of the Law XVI Christs Mediatorship CHRIST standing now as a Person betwixt God and the children of men takes in the fulnesse of righteousnesse and sin from both natures righteousnesse from God and sin from men whereby all the sins of his people are fully done away by the infinite glory of that righteousnesse both from himself and us XVII The right general Redemption by the second Adam CHRIST is the second Adam in whom all are made alive as all in the first Adam were dead but not so as if all who were dead in the first Adam were made alive in the second but as the first Adam was the person in whom all that are dead did die so Christ is the second Adam in whom all that are alive do live for Christ is the common nature of the living mankinde who live unto righteousnesse as Adam was the common nature of the dead mankinde who die unto unrighteousnesse For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous God hath concluded all under sin That the promises by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 XVIII Christs love THe love of Christ exceeded in this that he gave himself to die for us when we were enemies to him and crucified him our selves who came to be crucified for us and could neither love him nor pitty him for what he did For while we were as yet sinners Christ died for us and greater love then this hath no man This is the mystery that man could not live in Christ till he had killed Christ first And thus he was wounded in the house of his friends O all ye that passe by the way behold and consider if ever there were mystery like unto this mystery XIX Christs blood THe blood of Christ was not the blood of man onely but the blood of the Son of God and therefore it was a price for sin the very power of the Godhead as it were bleeding for sin by which it is called The Redemption of his blood and the blood of the Son of GOD XX Christs Blood powred out THe Blood of CHRIST powred out wrought greater compassion in GOD towards men I speak as a man then the sufferings of all the men in the world could do because he being begotten of GOD himself and the expresse Image of his person though he could not suffer being so infinite a glory yet because that person suffered which was GOD and man or the Son of GOD in man the Father in an unspeakable way beheld the travel of his soul and was satisfied XXI Christs Vesture dipt in blood CHRISTS Garment which he was described in by the Prophets under the Law is of a colour to set forth love and suffering under the Gospel for this is he that came from Bozra with his garments died red XXII Christs comelinesse THe comelinesse of Christ in the Gospel is a most desireable comelinesse for the sons of men to love it is the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace the â—weetest object for those in misery to delight in This is that beloved which is more then another beloved XXIII Christs beauty CHRIST hath both the form and power of love in him and therefore it is that his Spouse or His behold him as white and ruddy and the fairest amongst ten thousands white in the glory of his Godhead and ruddy in the sufferings of his Manhood and because of his sweet oyntments or powrings out of spirit the Virgins follow him for his hands drop myrrhe upon the soul even spiritual graces upon the handles of the Lock XXIV Christs names CHRIST will be known to His by no other names but names of love and grace a Lover a Bridegroom a Physitian a Saviour an Emmanuel or God with us an onely begotten Son of God the brightnesse of his glory a merciful and faithful high Priest a Sacrifice for sin a Mediator an Advocate for sin a Beloved and he brings a soul to the banquetting house of spiritual things and his banner over it is love XXV Christ and His CHRIST having adorned his in the riches of his
righteousnesse looks on them and loves them in his own glory so as they both love one another Christ and His delight in one another Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one chain of thy neck saith Christ and saith the Spouse My beloved is the fairest amongst ten thousands XXVI Christs love in Heaven to us or Christ exalted THe love of Christ is more now in Heaven towards us by how much more the love of God is gloriously shed abroad within him yet his nature is the same for he is no lesse man nor more God then he was but more excellently God and man even the man Christ Jesus XXVII The Gospel is Christ revealed THe Gospel is Christ himself and love revealed or the Word of God in the Word or the glad tydings of what he hath done and suffered for sinners and over whom he hath conquered being Captain of our salvation having spoiled principalities and powers making a shew of them openly and triumphing over them Col. 1.15 It is the ministery of life and peace and glory or God speaking to men from Heaven and intreating them to beleeve that he was born of the seed of David suffered died and rose again for their justification and that they are sitting together with him in heavenly places XXVIII The Mystery of Christ in the Gospel a Mystery of Love THe whole businesse of Christ as it was begun in love and brought forth in love unto the world and all the actings and workings of it from Gods being in Christ to Christs sitting at the right hand of God are but a Gospel or Story of unspeakable love revealed to the world so the carrying on of all yet is in love man in this Gospel is only to be perswaded of such love in love and sweetly tempted and drawn to love again in the ministery of the Gospel and the Spirit of love and adoption is shed abroad by the Gospel in the souls of men to reconcile them who are otherwise enemies in their mindes by wicked works and to make them love him who never was an enemy to them in Jesus Christ in whom they were chosen though the mystery is revealed to us under a particoloured work of sin and grace XXIX A Beleevers glorious freedom THe Spirit of Christ sets a beleever as frâ—e from Hell the Law and bondage here on Earth as if he were in Heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve that he is so for Satan sin sinful flesh and the Law are all so neer and about him in this life that he cannot so walk by sight or in the clear apprehension of it but the just do live by faith and faith is the evidence of things not seen XXX All the sins of beleevers done away on the Crosse THere is no sin to be committed which Christ did not pay down the price of his Blood for upon the Crosse making peace through the blood of his Crosse and yet a beleever will sin as tenderly as if all his sins were to pay for yet knowing that he is not redeemed to sin but from sin not that he may sin but that sinning he may not suffer for sin Christ is risen for our justification XXXI Christ offered to sinners CHRIST in the Gospel cals out of Heaven to sinners by that very name and tels them he hath salvation for them if they will beleeve him Nor doth he stand upon what sins lesse or more greater or smaller so as none can say they are not called on and proffered salvation be they never so sinful XXXII A Beleever must live in Christ not in himself A Beleever hath a twofold condition yet as a beleever but one in Christ in himself yet he ought ever to consider himself in Christ by faith not in himself in Christ he hath perfectly obeyed the whole Law perfectly suffered and satisfied for all his sins to the Justice of God and in Christ is perfectly just and righteous and therefore it is said that our life is hid with Christ in God and we are raised up with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus even already but in himself there is a body of lust corruption and sin and there is a Law revealing sin accusing and condemning So as if a beleever live onely by sense reason and experience of himself and as he lives to men he lives both under the power and feeling of sin and the Law but if he live by faith in Christ beleeving in the life righteousnesse obedience satisfaction and glory of him he lives out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse And thus a beleever is blessed onely in a righteousnesse without not within and all his assurance confidence comforts are to flow into him through a channel of faith not of works beleeving himself happy for what another even Christ hath done for him not what he hath done or can do for himself XXXIII How Christ and a beleever were one in sin and righteousnesse ALL the ground of a beleevers righteousnesse and salvation and exemption from the Law sin and the curse is from the nature office and transaction or work of Christ and Gods accounting or imputing Christ stood clothed in our nature betwixt God and man and in that with all the sins of beleevers upon him God having laid on him the iniquities of us all In his Office he obeyed suffered satisfied and offered up himself and now sits as a Mediator to perpetuate or make his sacrifice obedience suffering and righteousnesse everlasting and thus bringing in everlasting righteousnesse And God he accounts reckons or imputes all that is done in our nature as done by us calling things that are not as if they were and in his person as in our person And thus he is made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him XXXIV We must come before God as having put on Christ first not as sinners and unrighteous A Beleever in all his dealings with God either by Prayer or other way of drawing neer is to state and consider himself thus in Christ in the first place and to put on the relation of Sonship and Righteousnesse and to look at or consider sins no otherwise in himself then as debts paid and cancelled by the blood of Christ and by this all bondages fears and doubtings are removed and his Spirit is free For the Son hath made him free And now he comes in the spirit of adoption and calls God Father and here begins all faith hope confidence love liberty when as others dare not beleeve themselves in such a condition till upon terms of humiliation sorrow for sin works of righteousnesse they have as they think a reasonable measure price or satisfaction to come with and then begin to beleeve hope and be confident And thus in way of compounding and bargaining with God
we are but dying to sin in that spiritual mortification of our sinful nature in this life And therefore let not any particular acts of sin discourage any considering they are more excellently dead or mortified in Christ nor let such an excellent and glorious way of mortification tempt any to a neglect of mortification of sin in the body no more then the free-grace of God in forgivenesse of sins ought to tempt any to take liberty to sin Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted BUt for all this there are certain Scriptures which have a sound of much terrour in them against back-sliders as in Heb. 6.4 5. For it is impossible for those that were once enlightned c. And in 2 Pet. 2.20 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way and some others of this sort Now these places are much misinterpreted for these concern not true beleevers but such as fall from the common enlightning as in Heb. 6.8 2 Pet. 2.22 and form of Profession which never had the power of God and the spirit in it but so far as to bring them into the number of beleevers or Church of visible Saints of which sort John speaks on They went out from us because they were not of us yet the Apostles write this to the Churches because they should know that a form of Profession meerly cannot secure any unlesse there be the power and these Cautions which do more immediately and directly belong to Apostates and false Professors yet have their use upon true beleevers and Saints too as of quickning and watchfulnesse and close walking with God and of praise that they whom the Lord preserves from such Apostacy may be more awakened to glorifie his free-grace upon themselves that stand as appears in Heb. 6.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. In which places the Apostle raises up their thoughts into the immutability of the Covenant in which they now stand and that they cannot fall away now God having assured it by an Oath Yet if any shall object further But these places shew how fair a Profession one may make and how far one may go in the way of Christ and then fall off And here the soul may doubt and say But O am not I one of this kinde because I am faln back But I answer No soul can make any such application in true a Gospel-sense unlesse it fall or apostate from the Faith of Christ which is here spoken on and meant and not of particular sins or failings committed But against the power of these and all other places which Satan would interpret to the wounding of a spirit we must know the onely remedy is beleeving as Abraham did in hope against hope and that can never fall away that can beleeve and no sin can damn it if it will but beleeve the pardon of that sin which every beleever ought to do This is the Commandment that ye beleeve 1 Joh. 5. Not considering sins singly and by parts but considering himself a righteous person in Christ and justified when Christ rose for our justification For the consideration of the pardon of sin in this sense that our Divines have commonly taught and preached it not minding the spiritual Analogy of the Word concerning the righteousnesse of a beleever breeds all this distraction for some delt out Christs blood as the Pope his pardons for one sin after another never stating a beleever in the righteousnesse of Christ and so in a fully pardoned condition Ephes. 5.27 Revel. 1.5 CHAP. IV. The Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions Quest LEt me know now in order what your doubts are which you think if you were satisfied in your soul could be at peace Answ I question whether I am in Christ Quest What grounds have you to question your being in Christ Answ 1. My falling back into sin 2. I do not finde that change in the whole man 3. I cannot beleeve Quest Doubt 1. This is then your first Doubt That you are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because you fell back again into your sin so as you did Suppose I prove to you that no sin can make one lesse beloved of God or lesse in Christ Answ Then I shall conclude that sin cannot hinder the love of God to my soul Quest I shall prove that no sin can make one lesse beloved of God or lesse in Christ 1. The mercies of God are called sure mercies his love an everlasting love his Covenant an everlasting Covenant I am perswaded saith Paul that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord So then to whom he is once merciful he is ever merciful whom he once loves he ever loves whom he once takes into Covenant he is ever theirs I am the Lord I change not 2. Whom the Father loves he loves in the Son in whom he is well pleased and his Son is alwayes alike beloved of him the same yesterday and to day and for ever and whom he loves in his Son he accounts as his son he is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So as we being not beloved for our own sakes but for the Sons nothing in us can make God love us lesse because he loves us not for our selves nor any thing in our selves but in and through his Son in whom he is well pleased 3. If God should love us lesse or more as we are lesse or more sinful then he should be as man and as the Son of man and if beleevers stood upon these terms with God then how are these Scriptures true He rose again for our justification who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall condemn There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The Foundation of God standeth sure He ever liveth to make intercession for them So as God is ever the same that loves and his love is as himself ever the same and Christ in whom we are beloved ever the same Doubt 2. Your other doubt is this You finde not a change in the whole man What mean you by this change in your own sense Answ I mean not a perfect change but a newnesse in all the powers and parts of soul and body which I suppose to be sanctification Quest Is the end which you propound to your self in finding out this change of the whole man for grounding any assurance on of Gods love and your being in Christ Answ Yea because they that are in Christ are so changed and there is such a work wrought all things are become new and old things are passed away Now I finde not this Quest The scope of your doubt then is that because you feel not your self sanctified you think you are not justified I shall allow you your
of an higher order fell too as well as man so as by this the power of God was made known to the creature and the creatures subjection or dependency upon God to it self This change running through the order of the whole Creation Rom. 8. The creature being thus brought by it self under a change of condition God raises himself advantages and glory from hence to make out himself before the creatures in his power will mercy love c. that the world may know him more and know that there is yet an infinitenesse in him not to be known and all our knowledge is bounded in those things which he hath made out for himself to be known by To the time of sinning then or the first disobedience the Lord revealed himself only in glory and goodnesse his glory was in the creating and commanding his goodnesse in giving any thing a created being or subsistence for obeying and laying out his Image or resemblance upon one creature above all the rest and making man to have dominion under him yet for him over the Creation But man now failing under the power and curse of a law God reveals himself in mercy and in a notion of compassion and pitty and seeks out man who was now a sinner and brings to him the tydings of something in a promise which though it might be dark to him who was now in the region and shadow of death yet God made it something clearer by his dealings and carriage towards him making coats for him and cloathing him and taking care for him and so holding forth something of compassion towards him yet mingling it so with the curse and change in the creation and his condition that he might live as well under the anguish of the curse as the power and comfort of the promise And how much of Christ Adam knew how much the first Adam knew of the second is not revealed not much surely for this time and that under the law was the time of the hiding of this Mystery in promises and sacrifices and the keeping it secret till that which was called the Fulnesse of time was come and Christ was manifest in the flesh II. Gods Free-grace to sinners more discovered WE find the Scriptures set forth God in a notion of Free-grace and therefore we must so order our apprehensions and conceptions of God that we may know him in his Free-grace as well as in his Love and look on him and consider him in this order of working God first and more properly had mercy upon man faln and under the curse and he is called a God shewing mercies and great in mercy and rich in mercy and plenteous in mercy abundant in mercy and father of mercies and the Lord God merciful and gracious So as sinful man who by the power of sin and the curse was under condemnation for death entered by sin yet by a power more infinite then that of sin and the curse was raised up to be the subject of this mercy and that onely thing about which this free-grace or mercy was exercised And thus light was wrought out of darknesse and good out of evil And now a work of redemption more glorious then that of creation is beginning to the world and Gods work of mercy is exceeding the work of his power and yet infinitenesse in both for God himself was to become a creature or the son of man in this second work which he was not in the first And thus we see how this change in the creature makes only way and liberty for the fulnesse of God to work out to the sons of men as well in a work of redemption as creation and saving those that were made as well as making them yet this work of redemption was carried at first in a Mystery rather of mercy then love for there was little but a promise of the womans seed revealed so as here was rather mercy appearing as yet then love and a remedy propounded to man for sin by that time the sin was committed to shew that God was never an enemy though man was And so much of Gods good will onely revealed as man might rather conceive himself not destroyed then saved and rather not damned then redeemed And that in the Prophet sets forth God rather at first in mercy and compassion to us None eye pittied thee to have compassion of thee when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood I said unto thee Live Ezek. 16.6 And the Apostle cals us vessels of mercy that he might make known the riches of his glory on his vessels of mercy Rom. 9.23 So as in this manner of revealing the infinite work of Salvation we may be better satisfied then by going out into the glory of Gods counsels where we may lose our selves rather in the fulnesse of Truth then finde any So as thus God hath drawn out things more to our reason for how can we think God who is infinitely pure whose eyes are purer theâ— to behold iniquity can love a sinner as a sinner All love is from something amiable in the thing loved But what is there in man faln and corrupted for God to love or delight in to make his delight with the sons of men where is the comelinesse Therefore God must from mâ—er grace more properly then love order some righteousnesse or new glory for man in which he may beautifie adorn and love him And this is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ in which we are said to be chosen and predestinated to the adoption of sons Thus God in free-grace had mercy on us and gave Christ for us and in him we are made capable of the love of God and â—ccepted in the beloved Ephes. 1.6 and not as some that man was elected before Christ the body before the head and Christ for man as shall appear more fully in another place III. More of Gods Free-grace and Love of mans sin and redemption discovered THe Scriptures reveal to us a pure God a just God a perfect Law the first man sinning a Law broken a Curse entering mercy working in a promise of life a way of salvation darkly discovered Jesus Christ this way this Jesus Christ given for sinners and yet purchasing sinners all this wrought in time and yet a predestination and election of grace before all time God loving us and giving Christ for us and yet loving us in the same Christ These things are thus brought forth in the Word and the Spirit of God can onely guide us into safe constructions of the mystery thus revealed and how to draw the work of Redemption into such order that sin death by the first man may appear and righteousnesse and life by the second and something of the counsels of God concerning both before either was brought forth to the world and yet but something and not all I finde before sin and righteousnesse did thus appear in the world that God is said to predestinate and
1 Joh. 2.27 And I will put my Law in their mindes Heb. 8.10.11 And the comforter whom I will send he shall teach you Joh. 14.26 1 Thes. 4.9 Acts 2.17 Thus whatever doctrine of holinesse is in the new Testament we are to receive it because it is now the doctrine of him who is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord as well as Jesus Christ and one who commands as well as saves Nor is there any Covenant of works in such kinde of obedience Life is given us to make us obey but not for obeying XXXVIII The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise THe Covenant that is called the new Covenant that God makes with his now under the Gospel is all on his own part without any thing on mans he makes himself ours and makes us his all is of his own doing though a Covenant in the strict legal common sense is upon certain articles of agreement and conditions on both sides to be performed Thus stood the old Covenant there was life promised on condition of obedience and so in covenants and contracts betwixt man and man but now there is a Covenant or rather promise in Jesus Christ who is called the Mediator or Mannager of the Covenant in which God gives himself freely in Christ to be the God of a poor sinner Christ undertaking all both with the father and the soul such a kinde of covenant was established with Noah Gen. 9.11 Behold I establish my covenant c. nothing required on mans part This is called a new Covenant for it is clear against the strain of the old wherein man was to have his life upon condition yet it were good that we did not rest too much in the notion of a covenant nor is it the way of a covenant that the Gospel uses but rather the promise or grace or salvation for the Spirit uses the word Covenant onely by way of allusion and because the soul being under the power of the spirit doth it self contract and covenant with God to obey though God gives no life in such a way of a covenant or obedience And I observe that the usage of this word hath a little corrupted some in their notion of free-grace makes them conceive a little too legally of it And I conceive that the Doctrine of it in Heb. 8.10 c. I will write my law c. And I will take away your stony heart c. And put a new spirit within you Jer. 31.31 Hezek 36.26 doth clear it to be onely promise and grace and free-love to a sinner for if any thing were to be done for life or salvation we should darken the glory of free-grace and make it a promise neither wholly of grace nor wholly of works And if it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Nor is this promise of salvation given to sinners as sinners barely simply and singly nor as qualified or conditioned not to sinners as sinners for God can onely love in Christ nor as qualified and conditioned for so life should be purchased by us rather then for us so as we are onely sinners in our own and others judgements but truely loved in Christ when the promise comes And thus the Scripture cals us ungodly and sinners and children of wrath Not that we are so but seem so or not so in Gods account but the worlds So as here is ground enough for any to offer salvation to the veriest sinners and for the veriest sinners to receive for God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 XXXIX The way of assurance for beleevers THe surest knowledge that any one hath that they have received the promise is the closing of their heart with Christ the real receiving and beleeving the relying and going out of the heart upon Christ The just shall live by faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sight This was the assurance the Father of the faithful had who staggered not at the promise but gave glory to God Yet this assurance is such as the soul cannot be content with onely there is something in man beside faith to be satisfied reason will have more light to see by and therefore the working of the spirit in new obedience and love and repentance and self-denial are such glimmerings as the soul may be refreshed by though not strengthned by and comforted by though not supported by Works though they cannot assure by themselves yet raised up by faith may with it cheer up the soul if we beleeve more of those works then we see or feel and so strengthen them by faith they may be like the tokens and change of raiment by which Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive by these we may be better perswaded that we live and live in Christ Therefore the soul being a reasonable and discoursive spirit is much satisfied in such a way when the Spirit of God helps it to reason and draw conclusions as thus The Word sayes Whosoever beleeves shall not perish But I beleeve saith the Soul and therefore according to this Word shall not perish The Word sayes To beleeve is to receive or put confidence in or trust as in John 1.12 But I receive Jesus Christ for mine I trust in him for salvation therefore I beleeve The Word sayes Repentance love self-denial obedience to the Will of God are all the fruits of the spirit but these are in me I can repent and love and deny my self and obey The Word sayes That we are compleat in Christ and righteous in Christ but when I repent or love or obey I beleeve I am in Christ and therefore my love and repentance and obedience is such as I may beleeve though not in themselves yet in him to be good and spiritual And thus a beleever may beleeve for assurance and yet reason for assurance and some other questions a beleever may put to his own spirit and draw it out into more conclusions for beleeving Am I Christs or my own If I be Christs do I walk with Christ And live to Christ And obey Christ Do I delight in Christ and those that are Christs Or do I live to my self to my lust To my profit or credit To others or the world XL The Gospel-Ministration very glorious THe ministration of the Gospel exceeds in glory for now under the ministery of Jesus Christ himself the heavenly things themselves are brought forth the free-free-love of God in Jesus Christ and the free-love of Jesus Christ himself all the powrings out of spirit and the full discoveries of love were reserved for Christs own day the Kingdom of God the righteousnesse the justification the forgivenesse of sins the spirit of comfort the glorious liberty of peace and joy unspeakable are the glory of Christ come in the flesh the treasures that went with his
Gospel-promises THe promises are but words of Gods ingaging himself to man freely and of grace and as his promises are of grace so his performances are in faithfulnesse And in these promises the love of the Father Son and Spirit are conveyed and the treasures and riches of salvation to sinners And thus in this life all is passed over upon Word to us and for our beleeving this Word and taking in the things of Jesus Christ thus upon Gods bare ingagement he hath bound himself freely to give all hereafter and yet all is of free-gift too things freely given to us And in this time of our waiting and beleeving and relying we have one earnest even a spiritual and glorious earnest given to us here even the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance though some promises speak of conditions as of faith and repentance c. Yet they are onely ours upon this condition that they were Christs before for in him all the promises are Yea and Amen The promises that God makes thus in Christ are free and being made in Christ are more free for Christ is all that to God that we should be unto him and we are in Christ so as Christ takes away all discouragements and excuses in any that dare not beleeve them to be theirs and therefore The spirit and the bride say come and whose-ever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely Revel. 22. XLIV God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers BEfore Jesus Christ came in the flesh and offered up himself God offered him beforehand in Types and Sacrifices of blood c. and the whole Ministery was a Priesthood so as the Priesthood and Sacrifices of the Law did set forth and shadow Christ in way of offering or sacrifice to God the Father and therefore God under that dispensation did appear rather under a condition of reconciliation then reconciled though all were saved then actually in the same Christ who was to suffer But how much of this salvation they knew is a question it is very likely and something clear from the Word That God was very sparing in that time of the discoveries of himself in Christ and they rather saw him in his glory above then below and possessed the inheritance of the Redemption rather then the Ministration or Gospel of it God appearing thus the whole ministery of the Law was taken in as agreeable to this manner or patern and the Law of Commandments revealed on Mount Sinai did help to the form of this ministery and made sin appear and abound more for which such sacrifices were prepared And thus the whole frame of the old Testament was a draught of Gods anger at sin the Law revealing sin and Jesus Christ offering for sin And so God in this time of the Law appeared onely as it were upon terms and conditions of reconciliation and all the worship then and acts of worship then as of prayer fasting repentance c. went all this way and according to God under that appearance and every thing of worship seemed to bring something of peace and atonement in relation to the great atonement to come by Jesus Christ And in this strain runs all the Ministery of the Prophets too in their exhortations to duties worship as if God were to be appeased and entreated and reconciled and his love to be had in the way of purchase by duty and doing and worshipping so as under the Law the efficacy and power was put as it were wholly upon the duty and obedience performed as if God upon the doing of such things was to be brought into terms of peace mercy and forgivenesse so as their course then and the service then was as it were a working for life and reconciliation But now under the new Testament God appears in Christ reconciliation is finished peace is made by the blood of his Crosse and now the Ministery of the new Testament is not a Priesthood of any more offering Christ to God in sacrifice but of offering and tendering the tydings of a fully reconciled God in Christ to man and of a sacrifice already accepted for sin so as now there are no Priests but Ministers or Stewards or Ambassadours for dealing out and dispensing the love of God to man and for publishing the glad tydings of peace so as all worship now and spiritual obedience is to run in the way of this dispensation not for procuring love or peace from God nor for pacifying but for love procured and peace purchased by Jesus Christ If these things thus stated were more fully spiritually opened there would be more Gospel-teaching and obeying for mans obedience towards God is not so notionally nor orderly carried nor so purely as the Gospel calls for but they run in a legal strain and would work God down into his old and former way of revealing himself as under the Law when he seemed to be onely in the way to reconciliation and peace rather then pacified and thus in prayer and fasting and other acts of obedience they deal with God as they did under the old Testament not considering the glorious love revealed in Christ crucified and how all Gospel-Ordinances are onely wayes and means for God to reveal this love and grace by the spirit of adoption not any wayes and means of ours for getting some love from God which Christ himself hath not gotten for us XLV God and His in reconciliation THey that have received the word of reconciliation are in a very pretious and comfortable and peaceable condition they are lovers of God and Christ they are no more such enemies in their mindes by wicked works they oppose not the will of God as they did they resist not the Word of the Gospel they sleight not the communion of the spirit of God they are tender of any thing that is Gods they count not any thing their own for God he shall be welcome to all if he call for their credit he shall have it they know they have a spirit of glory resting on them if he call for their possessions they leave father and mother and brethren and sisters and lands for his Names sake they know these are not to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed and they shall have an hundred fold in this life if he call for their life he shall have it they know he that will lose his life for his sake shall finde it And being thus reconciled to God they are friends with every thing of his every Gospel-Mystery they know they receive and every thing of his they know not they wait till he reveal even this unto them and though they do not receive it because they know it not yet to come from God yet they do not reject it because it comes in the likenesse of his Word lest they be found fighters against God and crucifie the Lord of glory in ignorance like the Jews And
acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 As if he should say doth any of your hearts tell ye you are sinners Let not that be any ground at all to keep you from Christ let not any despaire because of that I my self was thus and thus a blasphemer a persecutor nay as if that were not enough I was the chief of sinners or the sinner in chief the grand and supreme sinner as if there could not well have been a greater and I says he obtained mercy So as here the Spirit hath laid in answers to the objecting or doubting soul If the soul should object If I were not such a sinner as I am I could beleeve the Spirit answers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should say to save even just such as thou art If the soul should object further but there is not such a sinner as I am the Spirit answers yea But here is one greater then thou here is the chief of all sinners the Prince of sinners obtaining mercy of which I am the chief So as none can be such a sinner to whom Christ and the blood of Christ may not be tendered and offered and that upon these grounds 1. From the order of Gods decree he loved us and gave Christ for us when we were sinners God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3. 2. The offering the Gospel and Jesus Christ to a sinner as a sinner is but the bringing out this glorious love of God in time and dispensation it is but the offering that love which God loved them with from everlasting Neither is it any more to offer Christ to a sinner then to manifest God in his first love when he gave Christ for sinners in his own decree 3. It exalteth grace more and sheweth as a gift indeed what can be more of grace then that Jesus Christ should receive a sinner one who hath no money nor price no works nor righteousnesse to bring for him 4. It is the right lifting up Jesus Christ as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse not for the healed to look upon but the stung and wounded 5. It leaves men without all excuse and brings the greater condemnation for when Christ is brought home to the very soul and the blood offered at every ones door for receiving then there can be no objecting Lord had I been thus and thus fit and prepared then I should have received thee but I was a foul sinner at that very time so and so guilty O will the Lord answer I come therefore to pardon thee and to wash thee in my blood because thou wert so foul and that is no excuse 6. It is most agreeable to the Gospel-way of dispensation and Christs own preaching The whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 7. All that ever received Christ in the Gospel received him in a sinful condition the many beleeving Jews in the sin of crucifying Christ all the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Colosse Such were some of you but ye are washed c. And ye were sometimes darknesse but are now light in the Lord Ephes. 5. Ye who were dead in trespasses and sins and were enemies in your mindes by wicked works yet now hath he quickned Coloss. 1. So as to offer Jesus Christ to sinners as sinners is but 1. To offer him in time as God gave him before all time God gave him to us because we were sinners and now he is but offered as he was given 2. There is more of grace in it to offer him to a sinner as a sinner that where sin hath abounded grace may abound much more 3. There is a clearer lifting up Christ as Moses for the wounded to look on as well as the whole 4. Men are left without excuse because when he is held out to sinners as sinners all are in a condition for him sin and a saviour are most suteable 5. It is as Christ himself did who both calls sinners and converses with sinners with Mary Magdalen an harlot and with the Publicans and with the woman of Samaria who lived in uncleannesse when the pure Messiah preached himself to her 6. It is as all that ever received him both in Jerusalem Corinth Ephesus c. who had they not been foul had never been washed had they not been darknesse had never been light in the Lord But you will tell me of conditions in the Gospel of faith and repentance c. and certain legal preparations before Christ should be offered and brought to the soul Yea but that ye may not be puzzled as many are In the Gospel-way or dispensation faith and repentance is to be preached but Jesus Christ still with it Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ And you are not to consider repentance from beleeving nor beleeving from repentance nor either from Jesus Christ nor Jesus Christ without them and yet neither of them as bringing in Christ to the soul but Christ bringing in them and working them more and more in the soul and that upon these grounds 1. Christ is not ours by any act of our own but Gods God imputing and accounting To make Christ ours is an Almighty work not the work of any thing created So as Christ is ours without faith by a power more glorious and infinite but we cannot here know him to be ours but by beleeving nor partake of him as ours but by beleeving 2. If faith should give us our interest in Christ then as our faith increases our interest should increase and we should be more and more justified and forgiven which none allow calling these other acts of faith faith of assurance and acts of manifestation and if faith be thus in its other degrees of working why not in its first It is the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11. 3. If Christ should be ours by faith in this sense then when faith ceases shall we cease to be justified Shall faith begin our interest here and not be able to continue it hereafter 4. Can a sinner be too foul for a Saviour and too wounded for a Physitian to heal and too filthy for a fountain opened to wash 5. He that offers Christ offers all the conditions in him both of faith and repentance For Christ is exalted to give repentance c. And faith is called the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 6. It is no more to offer Jesus Christ then any grace of Christs or gift of Christs to a sinner for a sinner is as unprepared and unfit for the one as the other equally in sin and pollution to both 7. This spiritual work is a new creation and so works of preparation are not so proper in that We
are saith the Apostle his workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.10 And now why shall any servant of Christ refuse to give out that blood of his Masters which runs so freely to sinners And any sinner refuse to receive it because their vessels are not clean enough for it when it is such a blood as makes the vessels clean for it self LII The simplicity of the Gospel-Salvation easie and plain JEsus Christ and forgivenesse of sins in his Name and redemption through his blood is the first and onely thing held forth in the Gospel to sinners the other Mystery of righteousnesse is revealed to beleevers forgivenesse of sins is first taught that they may beleeve and the other glorious Mysteries are taught that they may know what they do beleeve they are first to see Gods love and afterwards his glory Jesus Christ crucified is the best story for sinners and Jesus Christ exalted for Saints and therefore it is that in all the Apostles Sermons the story of blood and redemption was first preached and when they did beleeve that then they wrote Epistles and Revelations of greater things unto them so as they spake of Christ onely to make them beleeve and wrote to them of him when they did beleeve Salvation is not made any puzzeling work in the Gospel it is plainly easily and simply revealed Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners this is salvation we need go no further the work of salvation is past and finished sins are blotted out sinners are justified by him that rose for justification And now if you ask me what you must do to be saved I answer Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved All that is to be done in the work of salvation is to beleeve there is such a work and that Christ died for thee amongst all those other sinners he died for To beleeve now is the onely work of the Gospel This is the work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 This is the Commandment that ye beleeve on his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3.23 That is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins and we are called on to beleeve because they onely that can beleeve are justified By him all that beleeve are justified Act. 13.39 So as salvation is not a businesse of our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father sin and Satan and Hell were all triumphed over by Christ himself openly for us and all our work is no work of salvation but in salvation in the salvation we have by Christ we receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved therefore we work not that we may be saved and yet we are to work as much as if we were to be saved by what we do because we should do as much for what is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves This is short work Beleeve and be saved and yet this is the onely Gospel-work and way Christ tels ye in few words and his Apostle in as few As Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of man be lift up That whosoever beleeves on him should have life Joh. 6. Paul tels you Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend unto Heaven That is to bring Christ from above Or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring up Christ from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart the Word of Faith which we preach If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 c. So as here is but looking up on Jesus Christ and salvation is in thy soul and beleeving with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy self There are yet these grounds why salvation is so soon done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not beleeved on before by thee till now 2. Because it is the Gospel-way of dispensation to assure and passe over salvation in Christ to any that will beleve it 3. There needs no more on our sides to work or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Jesus Christ died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied Now suffering and satisfaction is that great work of salvation 4. Because they and they onely are justified who can beleeve Righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith and all that beleeve are justified Rom. 1.17 Acts 13.39 5. That it may be by grace and not of works Being justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 LIII Christ and every part of Christ to be studied and beleeved in THere is not any thing of Jesus Christ but it should be matter for a Beleevers faith to be exercised in from his divine nature to his incarnation and so to his exaltation that they may be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and bredth of the love of God for God was infinitely influencing into every passage of his birth his growing up his infancy his circumcision his baptism his preaching his praying his temptations his fasting his obedience to the whole Law his sufferings his reproaches his poverty his humiliation his bloody sweating his judgement and Judges his condemnation his crucifying his peircing his nailing his drinking Vinagar and Gall his strong cryes and tears his crown of thorns his blood flowing out from his feet hands and side his giving up the ghost his death burial resurrection ascension exaltation and sitting on the right hand of God his Priesthood Mediation Intercession Dominion There is infinite vertue in all these and the Gospel is made up of these in these are those unsearchable riches of grace love and Redemption These are to be the subjects of every Beleevers meditation and he is to seek into the spiritual extent of these and deepnesse of these Out of these he is to draw strength power love holinesse spiritualnesse regeneration mortification new obedience faith repentance humiliation meeknesse temperance c. Christ and every thing of Christ is to be matter for him and meditation for him These are those ministerial and instrumental means of grace and life to sinners not an historical or tragical use of these but a beleeving use a relying resting comforting spiritualizing use These were all but parcels of the work of redemption but parts of the whole and to all these there is an infinite depth of sin and temptations opposed And therefore the more we are improving our selves in these things of Christ the more spiritual and infinitely provided shall we be against the other It is not enough to look on Jesus Christ in his single person glorified and
FREE-GRACE OR THE FLOWINGS OF CHRISTs Blood free ' to Sinners Being an Experiment oâ—Jesus Christ upon one who hath been in the bondage of a troubled Conscience at times for the space of about twelâ—â— yeers till now upon a clearer discovery of Jesus Christ and the Gospel Wherein divers secrets of the seâ—â—â— of sin and temptations are experimentaâ—â—â—â—â—ed and by way of Observation conâ—â—â—â—ing a natural condition and a mixed conditioâ— of Law and Gospel With a further revealing of the Gospel in its glory liberty freenesse andsimplicity for Salvation By John Saltmarsh Preacher of the Gospel at Brasteed in Kent The second Edition corrected London Printed for Giles Calvert dwelling at the black Stred-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1646. TO My Honorable Friends Sir John Wray Knight and Baronet Sir William Strickland Knight and Baronet Both Members of the Honorable House of Commons HONORABLE IKnow ye both well to have loved the acquaintance of Truth long and in those times when truth was an errour and light darknesse in the account of most therefore I hope the same Lord will not cease to reveal to ye more of himself till ye come to know as ye shall be known The truths if I mistake them not I here present you are of Free-grace such things as if cleared to the World would enlighten us more in the mystery of iniquity then any other There is one thing appears to us in the discovery of this which is love God loving us freely and sending out his Spirit of love into our hearts this should be that onely principle of power in beleevers now under the Gospel love began all the work of salvation in God and love should carry on this work of salvation in men· This is a way of service which none know but those whom the Son hath made free indeed The Lord fill ye with this love that ye may obey as gloriously as ye are commanded in the Gospel and that the experiences of Free-grace may dwell richly in ye that ye may spiritually judge of the siner and more subtile parts of Antichrist All is not in that grosse Idolatry which is seen and felt there is more of mystery then so in it I could not but thus publikely acknowledge ye who are such publike Assertors of that Liberty we of this Kingdom enjoy at this day and because ye have acknowledged me in many favours to my self formerly for which I am Your Servant in the Lord JOH. SALTMARSH AN Occasional Word IT would be matter of much peace amongst beleevers if the names of Antinomian and legal Teacher and the rest might be laid down and no mark or name to know one another by but that of beleevers that hold thus and thus for distinction Surely carnal suspitions and jealousie do much encrease our differences Some hearing the doctrine of Free-grace think presently there will follow nothing but loosenesse and libertinism and the other hearing of holinesse of duties and obedience think there will follow nothing but legalnesse and bondage and self-righteousnesse and upon these jealousies each party over-suspecting the others doctrine bends against one another in expressions something too uncomely for both and there are some unwarrantable notions to be found on all sides But let us consider Can the Free-grace of Jesus Christ tempt any one to sin of it self Can a good Tree bring forth evil fruit And shall we call every one Antinomian that speaks Free-grace or a little more freely then we do If any man sin more freely because of forgivenesse of sins that man may suspect himself to be forgiven for in all Scriptures and Scripture-examples the more forgivenesse the more holinesse Mary loved much because much was forgiven to her and righteous and holinesse blood and water Jesus and Lord and Christ called and justified are still to be found together in the Word There are some too of another sort who make some noise of Free-grace but if all were well observed it is not so free as it seems I have heard of a Gentleman that because he would seem very free to his Neighbours bid fill out Wine freely but he had commanded the servants beforehand to burn it that it should be too hot for any of them to drink I wish the Wine in the Gospel by some be not over-much heated by the Law and conditions and qualifications that poor souls cannot taste of it freely and yet seem to fill it out freely too Free-grace may be there in the notion of it yet not in the truth of it The Arminians boast themselves to be as great Patrons of Free-grace as others And why Because they teach that all that is still given to man is for Christ and in Christ and though by Faith and works yet all that is free-gift So the Papists boast of Free-grace That Christ is given freely from the Father for sinners and it is of Free-grace that we are accepted though of works too So as surely there is some other way of carrying Free-grace then by joyning men so into the work for else it is but a Popish an Arminian Free-grace Jesus Christ hath appeared more of late and his glory hath been more abroad then this Kingdom ever saw before and indeed Antichrist goes never rightly down but when Christ is lifted up and if Jesus Christ had been more in the divinity of these latter times and in their Preachings for Reformation and Moses lesse we had not onely had more of his grace but more of his glory then we yet see Yet I do not see that the power of Christ crucified is so abroad among beleevers as it should be but some several Ordinances are rather the businesse of this age Yet thus it hath been alwayes whenever there were any shadows or carnal Ordinances beleevers went more after them then Christ himself Under the Law it was so and under the Gospel it is so some outward truths of Christ are sought after more then Christ himself and we make more of the beams then the Sun of righteousnesse and rather warm our selves by the sparks then the fire like those Souldiers who cast lots for his Garments but let his Body alone upon the Crosse not but that every thing of Christ is precious yet nothing so precious as himself So as These things ought we to have done and not to leave the other undone I hope by this time Free-grace is no Antinomianism amongst beleevers yet it hath been ever Satans policy and the Lords providence to manage a truth sometimes through a whole age yea and ages too in another name then its own and some other age have seen it for a truth which God would not reveal to those unthankful times Light hath walked abroad in a vail of darknesse and Truth in the likenesse of errour and Christ hath been crucified by those who after knew him for their Lord of glory and were wounded for him whom they had wounded themselves O that the times we live in had not too many
his from God but from Communion with God p. 130. 12. Christ in the flesh Ibid. 13. Christs being in our own nature p. 131. 14. Christs love Ibid. 15. Christ doing and suffering for our sakes p. 132. 16. Christs Mediatorship Ibid. 17. The right general Redemption by the second Adam p. 133. 18. Christs love p. 134. 19. Christs blood Ibid. 20. Christs blood powred out p. 135. 21. Christs Vesture dipt in blood Ibid. 22. Christs comelinesse p. 136. 23. Christs beauty Ibid. 24. Christs names p. 137. 25. Christ and His Ibid. 26. Christs love in Heaven to us or Christ exalted p. 138. 27. The Gospel is Christ revealed Ibid. 28. The mystery of Christ in the Gospel a mystery of love p. 139. 29. A beleevers glorious freedom p. 140. 30. All the sins of beleevers done away on the Crosse Ibid. 31. Christ offered to sinners p. 141. 32. A beleever must live in Christ not in himself Ibid. 33. How Christ and a beleever were one in sin and righteousnesse p. 143. 34. We must come before God as having put on Christ first not as sinners and unrighteous p. 144. 35. The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by p. 146. 36. Legal and Gospel-commands and duties p. 147. 37. The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it p. 150. 38. The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise p. 15â— 39. The way of assurance for beleevers p. 155. 40. The Gospel Ministration very glorious p. 157. 41. In what kinde the Gospel is glorious p. 160. 42. The form of the Gospel or way of dispensation p. 163. 43. Gospel promises p 164. 44. God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers p. 166. 45. God and His in Reconciliation p. 169. 46. The fears of weak beleevers and their remedies p. 171. 47. Remedies to each fear p. 175. 48. Legal conversion p. 177. 49. When the Spirit of adoption works not freely p. 179. 50. Opinions make men legal p 181. 51. Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners p. 184. 52. The simplicity of the Gospel salvation easie and plain p. 190. 53. Christ and every part of Christ to be studied and beleeved in p. 194. The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched p. 197. THe first way of Free-grace free without all conditions of Grace Ibid. A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions p. 198 A third way of Free grace free onely upon condition p. 199. A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in extent Ibid. Some Truths of Free grace sparkling in former Writers and in some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse of Free-grace p. 204. THe Law by the Preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith Ibid. No preparatory works before Christ p. 205. Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace p. 206. Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of Grace Ibid. We have all in Christ p. 207. Christ is every thing to us p. 208. God was never an enemy to his p. 209. That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Ibid. Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance p. 211. The Law as given by Moses no rule to Christians p 212. Faith before Justification is no Grace p. 213. God is never an enemy to his though sinning p. 214. Christ promised to sinners as sinners p. 215. A beleevers Law is Christ and his Spirit p. 216. ERRATA Page 198. lin. 19. and pag. 199. lin. 17. and pag. 202 lin. 21. for intervenings read interfeerings The flowings of Christs Blood freely to Sinners Occasioned by an Experimental Discourse CHAP. I. Of the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Quest WHat manner of life did you lead as you can well remember Answ I continued in a course of some particular sins long Quest Had you no fits of terrour of conscience in your continuance in those sins Answ I had some gripings and accusations in my continuance in those sins but they tarried not with me Quest Had you any reluctancy in sinning or did you it with full consent Answ Yea with full consent to my remembrance Quest Were you much delighted in those sins so as you committed them with greedinesse or were you over-powred partly through the strength of corruption Answ I delighted in them and felt no over-powring of that kinde Quest In this your natural state how far did the light of conscience check you or put you upon any Reformation Answ Upon some duties of Prayer and hearing the Word and checks divers times I had Quest Were not your checks such as put you upon some other religious duties Quest Did you not see any need of Christ Answ Yea but it was I thought rather for my self-ends then for love to Christ One asked me if I could be contented without Christ if it were possible that I had my sins pardoned and peace of conscience and not have Christ I answered I did not know Quest But after all these proceedings and soul-conflicts which I perceive you had and your dealings with many concerning your condition How came you to that assurance of your calling and the spirit as you were once perswaded you had Answ I shall relate unto you my experiences which I had as I was then assured on of my calling First When I was minded to make away my self for my sin the Lord sent into my minde this word I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ah thought I then hath God loved me with such an everlasting love and shall I sin against such a God! Secondly I had many doubts and fears but through the strength of Christ I overcame all These doubts and fears arose from the examination of my self how I could finde the work in my soul agreeable to that testimony for I was much afraid of being deluded Thirdly The promise in Isai. 55.1 did stay my heart and Christ in my partaking of him in his Ordinances did sweetly witnesse and exceedingly that he was my Christ Fourthly I went on for some time full of joy and of comfort upon these promises and another I had Fear not I will be with thee I will never leave thee I will never forsake thee Fifthly I was in fears again that I could not pray but I had a promise I will fulfill the desires of them that fear me These and many more were my grounds and evidences which I thought were right then when I had them Sixthly Sometimes in hearing the Word Christ did witnesse to my soul yet but seldom But O how I did strive against this work as I thought of my being called to put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes very much quickned and stirred up
which exceeds in glory till with open face they behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord Which glory would exceedingly force away the darknesse and clouds of ignorance fears and doubts from the soul which like smoak arises from the fire and kindling of the Law in weak beleevers We know green wood with any fire in it will set all the room on a smoak so beleevers whose spiritual Principles are but green and have any sparks of the Law and the curse for sin kindling in them will be fuller of smoak then light therefore they are called smoaking flax I will not quench the smoaking flax CHAP. III. Of the Parties falling into the same sins in some measure which they had lived in in their unregenerate estate from whence all their late bondage hath been Quest I Pray relate to me how long you continued in your back-sliding till the Lord let you see it to the terrour of your soul as you thought Answ No long time for I saw it shortly after then I had great terrours almost in a despairing way and then I questioned all my assurances and evidences of Gods love I had and promises I had received Then I went to my friend the Preacher full of terrour who desired to know the cause and I told him Then he asked me how it came to be so with me I told him through violence of temptation and natural corruption He told me the sin was not mine but so far as I consented but that could not satisfie me He asked me If God were not able to forgive it I told him I questioned not Gods ability but his will I desired some particular instances of him of any falling into the same sin again I knew the Saints of God had faln into divers great sins but not into the same He then alleadged to me that of the Prophet of back sliding Israel but because he could not clear to me that it was the same sin I was not comforted by it Many and divers promises both he and all the rest applied unto me I was sometimes refreshed yet but for a while They chid me oftentimes and said I lookt for such a measure of grace which I did not but the truth of grace in me and indeed they never told me of any promises but still there was such qualifications in them as I questioned all Quest It seems then this was your case You could not perswade your self of the truth of your light because of your returning to sin nor finde such conditions in your self upon which you could rightly as you thought apply the promises I pray let me know some particular temptations you have had if you think good Answ I was tempted to make away my self lest the longer I lived the more I should dishonour Religion Satan came again to me to eat something with pins in it to choak my self that it might not appear how I died which I did but in mercy I found no harm the Lord prevented it I know not how Many times I have been tempted by divers means to destroy my self but was still prevented by several providences I have been much tempted to keep alone The temptations I had came in alwayes most violently and furiously I could scarce hold I was not my self The Lord once when I thought to have stabbed my self sent in a wicked fellow who brought a Book and read by which I was mercifully prevented I found still in all my temptations I was prevented by some providence and upheld If in the temptation I could but get to consider once then it ended and in this course I have lived and continued most OBSERVATIONS I. The danger of placing assurance most in mortification of sin I Observe That Satan doth tempt our naturall corruption exceedingly to the same sins which have reigned most in us in the times of our unregenerate condition for by that he may the more easily draw us to unbeleef and perswade us against the love of God in Christ and to question our calling because we are naturally apt to take measure of our graces and Gods love to us first by the mortification of sin in us and dying to former lusts and if we finde that otherwise then we would we presently let go our hold upon the promises and slaken our beleeving and perswade our selves that because it is thus and thus with us and corruption quickening again we were deceived in our selves that sure the Spirit was never in us because we finde some goings back and fallings again in the same way we did at first I confesse in natural causes and things the outward working and effects do give the best assurance concerning the truth of their essence or being but that is not the onely way of spiritual assurances they are more by way of word and promise then work and operation Abraham beleeved in hope against hope Rom. 4. II. The danger of drawing our comforts most from the change in the outward man I observe That the soul naturally examines its spiritual state or condition by calling to minde former wayes and times of uncleannesse and by comparing times and seasons the latter with the former and the assurances and comforts of many are raised upon this very foundation of comparison Therefore if Satan can force them or entice them into any part of the former conversation he knows he can exceedingly puzzle and perplex them keep them long under bondage I know the Apostle sets forth the Churches state of Corinth c. by comparing times Such were some of you but ye are washed c. But this is not by way of putting true beleevers upon a method for assurance but in describing and comparing the outward state of the Church-way with what they were before And hence it is that relapsing fallings again into the same sins do bring such anguish and terrour upon such souls even almost to confusion of face nay he makes many souls by this one snare go desperatly forward to sin upon a new score or tally as if it were in vain for them to perswade themselves of Christ or the love of God but rather to sin it out in this life not considering that the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 and that if we sin we have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 but go upon an empty and half despairing beleef for salvation like some bankrupts that having once broken ran desperately into more and more debt and finding themselves unable to discharge some they take no care for any as they who said It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance Mal. 3. III. The spiritual condition in this life more in being justified from sin then cleansed from sin I observe likewise That a soul which is once brought into these entanglements of back-slidings such as have no clear Gospel-light nor understanding to undeceive unwinde themselvs fall under very sad
of this nature without Christ who is a beleevers sanctification as well as righteousnesse But to stop the issuâ— of the soul in these questions and scruples with this Question Quest Can you have any assurance that the change that is in any childe of God in this life or their sanctification is such in any particular act or work as there is no spot of sin in it Is it not mixt of flesh spirit Why then do you feel after it so as you do Since the best and throrowst sanctification in any is not pure enough for the eyes of the Lord why make you it then any bottom for assurance You see all the while you have so done you can finde like Noahs Dove no rest for the soal of your foot for saith Christ When you have done all you can you are but unprofitable servants and all our righteousnesse is but as filthy rags and while you gaze on your work of sanctification you finde a rottennesse in every part of it and call all into question and finde fault both with your repentance mortification and new obedience and all therefore you must take Christ in here for sanctification still to settle and establish your spirit Answ But what use is there then of my sanctification Are not the fruits and effects of the spirit in me such as follow immediately upon my being justified Quest Yea they are the natural flowings and workings of your faith they help to evidence your faith and comfort your faith in their kinde and degree But as I said before they are given to be a light in some measure to your own and others consciences Let your light so shine before men and glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits Shew me thy faith by thy works they are the bracelets of the Spouse they are the beams of Christ the Sun of righteousnesse Now clouds may hinder the beams from enlightning a room but the Sun is still where he was the Tree you know is there where it was when the Apples or Grapes may be blown down so the glory of sanctification may be often darkned and the fruits of it blown down by the winde of temptation spoken on in the Parable Yet then such promises as these are laid in for such a season Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isai. 50.10 And the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry waite for it waite for it because it will surely come and not tarry But the just shall live by faith Habac. 2.3 4. Answ But why do the Apostles presse sanctification and the new man so and love and new obedience c. in all their Epistles Quest I answered this partly before Sanctification is the beginning of the forming of Christ here in this life in one part of him which is Holinesse which shall be perfected in the life to come when we shall be fashioned like unto his glorious Body Sanctification is the witnesse to the Righteousnesse of Christ which being a glory out of sight to the soul and the world is made clearer by faith and holinesse to both So as in sanctification both soul and body flesh and spirit joyn to glorifie the riches of Christ Ye are bought with a price glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits and walk as children of the light and of the day So as the wisdom of the spirit is seen much in the Word in pressing sanctification and praising sanctification both to set forth the nature of the spirit in beleevers and to quicken flesh and blood against an empty formal Profession CHAP. V. The Parties third Doubt concerning Faith or Beleeving which I call the Great The third Doubt is WHether you do beleeve or no The great Gospel-secret concerning Faith or Beleeving FIrst I shall shew you my thoughts concerning the nature of this Doubt It is one thing to beleeve and another thing to know we beleeve I suppose none ought to question whether they do beleeve or no but to beleeve till they be perswaded that they do beleeve more and more of the truth of their faith or beleef righteousnesse being revealed from faith to faith My grounds for this are these 1. Christs command to beleeve and this is his Commandment That we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ Now Commands of this nature are to be obeyed not disputed Good servants do not reason their duty out first with themselves but fall to doing as they are commanded 2. I finde not any in the whole course of Christs preaching or the Disciples when they preached to them to beleeve asking the question Whether they beleeved or no or whether their Faith were true Faith or no I finde one saying Lord I beleeve help my unbeleef But not Lord whether do I beleeve or no And Lord encrease my faith But not Lord whether is this true faith I have or no It would be a strange question in any that were bidden to a Feast to ask the Master of the Feast whether his dainties were real or a delusion would not such a question disparage him for a Sorcerer So in the things of the Spirit to be over-jealous of the Truth of them as many poor tempted souls are doth not be come the faithfulnesse of Jesus Christ The way to be sure of the truth of the good things is to taste and see how good the Lord is Spiritual things are best felt and tasted with feeding upon them Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved 3. For any to doubt whether they do beleeve or no I finde to be a question onely fit and proportionable for Christ himself to satisfie who is called the Author and finisher of our Faith None can prove more properly to a soul it beleeves then he on whom it beleeves Who can more properly shew one that he sees then the light which enlightens him for that very purpose 4. Faith is truely and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christs love and therefore it is called A beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion There may be some things which may strengthen and help which I shall hereafter shew you from the Word which are by way of effects and properties of this faith and beleef but none can simply perswade a soul that it doth beleeve but he on whom it doth beleeve God shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him she loves but himself Can all the love-tokens or testimonial Rings and Bracelets They may concur and help in the manifestation but it is the voice of the beloved My beloved
spake and said unto me rise up my Love my fair one saith the Spouse 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we do beleeve because the more we do beleeve the more we shall be perswaded to beleeve according to that place in the Ephesians In whom also after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise And he that beleeveth hath the witnesse though there is more to be said to this last Scripture The way to be warm is not onely to ask for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands towards it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire there is and to gather heat 6. We ought I suppose no more to question our Faith which is our first and foundation Grace then we ought to question Christ the foundation of our Faith For as all Christian Religion is destroyed by the one so all the salvation in that Religion to any soul in particular by the other Therefore it is said they entered not in because of unbeleef And again The Word did not profit being not mixed with Faith in them that heard it And hence is the Apostles caution Take heed lest there be in any of you an heart of unbeleef 7. It is Satans greatest policy to put a soul upon such a question For by this he sets on the soul for evidence from things which he knows can afford little but a questionable assurance as perswasion most upon marks and signes of our own sanctification or works which cannot hold good without Faith it self to bring down Christ upon them For he puts us clean back if we observe We are proving our faith by our works when as no works can be proved solidly good but by our faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God We know that every piece of coyn or money is valued according to the image and superscription that it bears and if Cesar be not there though it be still silver yet it is not coyn it is not so currant and he that hath it cannot make such use of it and so assure himself to trade with it as otherwise he might do So there is not any thing of sanctification currant and of true practical use comfort to be a beleever unlesse Jesus Christ be there and the Image of Christ which is righteousnesse c. or true holinesse While Satan puzzles us in questioning our faith or beleeving he keeps us off from beleeving knowing that this is the condemnation He that beleeveth not is condemned already We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow c. HEre I cannot but wonder at any that keep souls in acts of preparation and qualification from the act of beleeving as if we could beleeve too suddenly and many a one loses some degrees of faith while they are seeking it thus in the evidence of their works for while faith is kept off from Christ and the soul suspended faith decayes and becomes weaker and weaker when as if it were still exercised upon Christ in the promises it would soon bring a clearer and more undeceivable evidence with it then can any other way be ministred unto it In the Gospel all are immediately called to beleeve to day if ye will hear his voice Sirs saith the Jaylor what must I do to be saved Beleeve say they on the Lord Jesus Christ And this is the work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent saith Christ and saith Philip to the Eunuch If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayst and he answered and said I beleeve So as I shall draw this conclusion for many that are in the dark in this point both Preachers and people That none can beleeve too hastily in Jesus Christ our righteousnesse because righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith and while we beleeve not we live not properly for the just shall live by faith and while we beleeve not we may after a sort be said to be under condemnation for he that beleeveth not is condemned So as we ought not to stay the exercise of our faith either for repentance or humiliation or any other grace but we ought to beleeve that we may have these for faith worketh by love c. And adde to your faith vertue saith the Apostle and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse All these are to be added to faith or work from faith nor are we to stay our beleeving till we be assured by some signes that we do beleeve we must beleeve that we may know that we do beleeve for the witnesse comes by beleeving The spirit bearing witnesse Yet to these I allow you any examination or tryal of your faith which may consist with beleeving Well I shall put some Questions to you after these grounds Quest Is faith alwayes with full assurance Answ Nay Quest Can you conclude you have no faith because you have no full assurance Answ Nay Quest You say well for there are degrees of beleeving one degree is to beleeve another is to be assured you beleeve There are in the Word beleevers of several ages some are called little ones weak ones babes children strong men some are such as have been sound beleevers and are made weak through sin and temptation and ignorance of the Covenant of free-grace and their righteousnesse in Christ and the glorious estate of a beleever under grace as a man that is not perfectly healed of some infirmity For the nature and properties of true saving Faith which I told you on They are better discerned in the Word Christ then in the soul that hath them because they are not in the soul purely but with mixture of corruption which like mud in the water troubles the sight and the spiritual discerning and that makes so many beleevers who can spiritually judge care so little to see themselves in their own righteousnesse but in Christs as Paul and be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse The nature and properties of true saving faith is almost the businesse of the whole new Testament 1. The nature of faith is this It is called the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things that are unseen 2. The properties are everywhere described by repentance and humiliation and love godlinesse and purity and charity meeknesse and all holy conversation and prayer and hearing and obeying the Will of God All these are with true faith and a beleever is one who though he hath all these yet he will not behold them in himself but in Christ and as Paul I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Now the great mistake which I finde in this and ages before is the singling out the properties of a true faith and sending a beleever for his assurance most thither in himself which caused the beleevers of
of one part yet we may know lesse of another like one who pumping water through a narrow pipe fils not his vessel while another that works through a larger filleth his And indeed the not taking in Scripture notions in their spiritual extent and variety but going out into some one notion more then another which agrees better with some principle in us may make us rather opinionated then spiritually wise But in the work of salvation we must consider Jesus Christ as he is revealed without his incarnation before his incarnation in it without it he is revealed to be the Word of God the Wisdom of God God with God c. Before it he is revealed to be the seed of the woman the Promise the Elect the Covenant the Angel of the Covenant c. In the Incarnation he is revealed to be Emmanuel or God with us Jesus Christ the Redeemer the Mediator the Priest the Propitiation the Son and the Son of man c. Now these several notions will direct us order us to a Scripture-revelation of this Mystery for when we read of this Son of God under the names or notions last spoken of as the Son or Jesus or Redeemer Then we are to consider of this work of Redemption in the flesh manifested and amongst us and then consider what part of the work comes under that notion And when we read of his other names we are to consider what part of the mystery fals under those either without incarnation or flesh and so he was one with the father c. or else before incarnation and so he was in the time of the Law of ceremonies and types and from all these we may safely draw this That the Son of God as Jesus and Christ and so manifested in the flesh was sent out and given as it were of God foretold and figured before he was given ever with God being God himself everlastingly present both as God and as God and man in the election of grace being the elect in whom we are chosen and whose body we are These notions of God as the Word and as Jesus Christ and Redeemer and Mediator is but the drawing forth the Mystery of Redemption in its several parts and degrees And all this is true that God loved us and gave Christ and we were chosen in Christ and he was the Lamb slain both before the world in purpose and in the world according to this purpose nor are we to consider Gods love to us without Christ nor Gods love to us before Christ nor ourselves out of Christ in whom we are chosen But rather thus God loved us in Christ and yet gave Christ And all this is true in the way and order of manifestation beyond which we cannot see nor can we in a Scripture-way consider any act of grace from God but in the Son there being no way of Vnion and Communion with God for man but by him who is both God and man V. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions WHereever there is any appearance of God in mercy or grace or love there is Gospel and whereever there is any Gospel there are such expressions and appearances of God As in the old Testament we finde him under these names the Lord thy God the Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long suffering and of much goodnesse A Lord passing by the transgression of his people loving His freely counting them the Apple of his eye the signet upon his hand his Jewels his Vineyard his Children And in the new Testament where God appeared in the fulnesse of love there he is called a father of mercies and his grace free-grace and his love a love manifested and unsearchable And thus the soul is to look on him and consider him in grace not in glory in love not in righteousnesse And this is that which will draw on the soul to have communion with him We have onely to do with him now in the Gospel-appearances and expressions In our first man Adam we had to do with him onely in a way of subjection and righteousnesse But now in our second Adam in a way of sonship or adoption and free-grace VI The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us GOd makes no Covenant properly under the Gospel as he did at first but his Covenant now is rather all of it a Promise Man is not restored in such a way of Covenant and condition as he was lost but more freely and more by grace and mercy and yet God covenants too but it is not with man onely but with him that was God and man even Jesus Christ he is both the Covenant and the Messenger or Mediator of the Covenant God agreed to save man but this agreement was with Christ and all the conditions were on his part He stood for us and articled with God for us and performed the conditions for life and glory and yet because we are so concerned in it it is called A Covenant made with us I will make a new Covenant with them and yet that it may not be thought a Covenant onely with us as the first was it is called a new Covenant and a better Covenant and Christ is called the Mediator of it And lest we should think some conditions were on our parts as in the first it is added I will write my Law in their hearts I will put my spirit within them So as in this new Covenant God is our God of free-grace and righteousnesse on his part not for any conditional righteousnesse on ours yet in Scripture it is called still a Covenant because God is our God still in a way of righteousnesse though of Redemption too and of condition too yet not on ours but on Christs part for us and yet it is a Covenant with us because we are Christs 1 Cor. 3. VII Gods manner of Covenanting GOD takes us into Covenant not upon any condition in us before he brings with him Christ and in him all the conditions and makes us as he would have us not for the Covenant but in it or under it we are not his people before he be our God first I will make a new Covenant with thee I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people I will write my Law in your hearts and put my spirit within you Heb. 8.10 You have not chosen me but I have chosen you VIII They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law WHile we are out of Covenant with God we are in our own judgement and others under the curse for any breach of law or disobedience But when we are once under grace revealed we are ever under grace and no more under the Law The Law can only tell a beleever he sins but not tax him for any We are not under the law but under grace Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall condemn It is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 IX When
being thus reconciled to God they are lovers of all his they love the brethren and if there be a naked disciple they cloath him if an hungry disciple they feed him if an imprisoned disciple they visit him I was naked and ye cloathed me c. And being thus reconciled they behold God reconciled to them too they are now in the way of his love for now God freely communicates with them and meets them in Christ he shines on them in the face of Jesus Christ Now God and the soul thus reconciled are in a full enjoyment of each other as the husband and the spouse the father and the son there is no parting rights and propriety God hath not any thing in Christ in Heaven or Earth but it is theirs all things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods and every thing of theirs is his XLVI The fears of weak beleevers and the remedies WEak beleevers are like melancholy people who think things far otherwise then they truely are right smoaking flax where there is more smoak then light more ignorance then true discerning The fears they are in are of this kinde 1. They cannot be perswaded their sins are pardoned indeed they would and they would not beleeve it they cannot from the spirit that is in them but close with Christ and clasp about him for salvation yet then they are not sure they have him they may be deceived they think in that 2. If Faith carry them on to beleeve a little more or better of their condition yet the pride of some sins will not down with them some of their sins which they have made their darlings more then others and cherished themselves in Oh these they think are either too great or too often committed to be all forgiven and at once The remainders of these sins lie like dregs in the bottom and their conscience cannot be satisfied that God hath fully pardoned 3. They look not upon God in the pure simplicity of his Word and promise but they suspect and are jealous God hath some reckoning still behind because they are sinful and God is purer then to behold iniquity and they cannot beleeve that God can bear with all those corruptions and transgressions in them 4. They think though God may be reconciled with them and love them at sometimes for they poor souls onely reckon the seasons of the spirits comforting and breathing for the times of forgivenesse yet God may be provoked again and angry again for new sins and failings and then they are as much troubled how to come at any peace again as they were before and then it must be onely another Sunshine of the like comfort must warm them into peace and beleeving 5. They cannot perswade themselves how they can sin as they do daily but that they are accountable for all the breaches and so set up new scores of sins in their consciences and keep reckoning for God and disquiet themselves in vain 6. They think every affliction or trouble that befals them is a punishment for some sin they have committed and they look on them as messengers of wrath from God sent upon them in judgement as if God were satisfying himself upon them and powring out some wrath to appease his Justice for such sins 7. They mistake the Gospel in the doctrine of it and every Scripture that threatens for sin they interpret to belong to them because they have committed that sin In a word these are the fears summed up 1. They are and they are not perswaded their sins are pardoned 2. They are perswaded some sins are pardoned but not some others which they have most sinned in 3. They fear still God doth not intend them such grace as he profers and speaks and suspect the Gospel 4. They think if God do pardon them yet they may provoke him again soon after 5. They suppose they cannot sin as they do and not be accountable and they cannot but be sinners in Gods sight as well as their own 6. They think afflictions are sent upon them for their sins and they cannot consider God in them but as angry and so help the afflictions to afflict them 7. They interpret every curse in the Law and new Testament for sin their own if it be against their sin XLVII The remedies to each fear FIrst We are commanded to beleeve forgivenesse of sins in Jesus Christ throughly and not in part Through his Name whosoever beleeves in him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 2. We are to consider that one sin cannot be forgiven but all is forgiven Jesus Christ hath done away all sins For this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God Heb. 10.12 3. We are to beleeve God in the plainnesse and simplicity he speaks in in Gospel-promises and words of grace even to our souls as if he spoke out to us by name from Heaven He that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyer because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son 1 Joh. 5.10 4. We must know God is not as man that he should be angry and pleased as we carry our selves I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8.12 I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people v. 10. 5. We must remember our sins are no more ours but Christs and his righteousnesse is ours God reckons and accounts us as one now so though we sin yet every sin was accounted for in him and now there is no condemnation to them that are in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.1 6. And for afflictions though they come in with sin and for sin and are the wages of sin yet to the righteous and beleevers they are no judgements for sin for every thing of Justice against sin was spent upon Christ so as to us they are onely trials Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Jam. 1.2 They are chastenings of love to prevent sin As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Revel. 3.19 They are in a word a divers way or dispensation of love and grace love working by that which is evil in it self We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 7. We are to consider that though the Scriptures do often set forth the righteousnesse of God against sin and his justice against sin yet that unrighteousnesse being satisfied by Jesus Christ it hath no power against those that are in Christ no more then the pursuer had to do with the murderer in the City of Refuge For sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace XLVIII Legal Conversion THere is much mistake in the businesse of conversion or regeneration For while it is lookt upon meerly as a change in affection or conversation there is much deceitfulnesse there are means
which can work that and yet that shall be no spiritual work neither the pressing things legal and as meer commands from the Word may there is something of the Law in the heart beforehand and by nature to side with the Commandments in the Word and so to work something within as well as without and so there may be an obedience or conformity of the spirit of man and yet no spiritual obedience nor conformity 2. There are Gospel-terrours as well as legal as Hell and Hell-fire and the worm that never dies and condemnation and Jesus Christ Judge of quick and dead c. All these in the Word carry such an Image of wrath as they work fear and passions c. which force on the soul to reform and yet but to a form of godlinesse not to the power 3. There are certain ends nature propounds to it self for conforming as life eternal c. and reputation and men-pleasing there are exhortations perswasions of preackers or friends or acquaintance there is education there is examples of judgement upon sinners godly society c. All these carry in them a power to make men do something and but something in the way of Religion All these being of an operative and working nature may bring forth a thing like conversion which indeed is but a restraint at best or a more purely natural condition Nature is of it self excellent and if not originally corrupted more excellent We see how temperate meek just wise liberal merciful many have been and amongst Papists how self-denying contemplative divinely practical and morally excelling and amongst Formalists in Religion how severe strict professing and practising in Religious duties So as the way for pure conversion and to be spiritually renewed is by Jesus Christ He that hath the Son hath life Faith and not works quicken us XLIX When the spirit of adoption works not freely WHen they put something of satisfaction towards God upon any thing they do upon any performance or obedience as if God were prevailed with by any thing of their own When they take in Christ for a Mediator but by the way not resting wholly on him and in him but as it were to make up all sure with God they look rather on the by upon his intercession When they are in bondage to some outward circumstances of worship as time or place or persons that they cannot pray but at such hours or in such places c. When they do things meerly as commanded from the power of an outward commandment or precept in the Word that brings forth but a legal or at best but a mixt obedience and service of something a finer hypocrisie When they do because of some Vow or Covenant they have made c. it is more properly the service of the old Testament and part of their bondage for wanting the power and fulnesse of the Spirit of adoption to work them to obedience freely from within they were under the power of outward principles to put them on from without When they come to God in any act of worship as prayer c. as to a Creator rather then a Father and as a God rather then a God in Christ they put themselves under such an infinite glory purity and justice as they can neither have accesse with Faith nor boldnesse When they take any outward thing to move them rather then apply to Christ for strength life and spirit for the more any motion or obedience is caused from things without the more forced and unnatural is all such obedience and the lesse from a spiritual power within When they measure their forgivenesse by their sin and sanctification and can beleeve no more then they have peace for and that peace upon something of their own performed and not from beleeving on him who hath performed all God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.8 or of a minde not corrupted with any of these L. Opinions which make men legal THere are certain principles by which some are religious which carry them off much from the Gospel-way of obedience 1. Men naturally think it impossible that they should be accepted of God and justified and do nothing themselves for it and in it Hereupon flesh and blood can hardly be brought off to beleeve forgivenesse of sins nakedly and freely for nothing in themselves But to take a way this consider that forgivenesse of sins is of a meer grace and mercy and gift By grace ye are saved it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and through Jesus Christ through the Redemption of his blood Rom. 3.24 As a Prince raises up a beggar and Pharaoh's daughter brought up Moses so are we raised up freely and in mercy 2. Men think that whatsoever they perform in obedience to God that God cannot but approve it because they themselves approve it for good hereupon men come to look on themselves as doing something for life and salvation But to take off men from any such self-love and opinion in the work os salvation consider there is sin in every thing they do 1 John 1 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves And there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 Neither doth God judge as man judgeth God seeth not as man seeth man looketh on the outward appearance but God beholdeth the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 God hath ballances to weigh thy actions and to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Psal. 62.9 3. Men naturally think it impossible to be damned for good works and serving God in a mans own fashion and surely none are condemned simply for good but as that good is evil in some kinde or degree and hereupon men raise up hopes and comforts to themselves from such a course of life as they live in with God Thus from something they fansie good in their own way and from something they fansie in God of mercy and forgivenesse to sinners upon this they venture themselves But to take away this consider though God be merciful yet he is onely merciful of his own fashion not of ours not in the way we may corruptly think him Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Psal. 50.21 Gods love and grace have wayes and fashions of their own they move in and if we be not in their way we shall not receive of his fulnesse The Jews were very zealous after God yet not in Gods fashion but went about to establish their own righteousnesse The Papist is a follower after God and the legal formal poor ignorant Protestant runs in a course of obedience and serving God yet it is not in Gods way of righteousnesse and so they misse of â—alvation for not seeking it purely in Christ their righteousnesse LI. Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners THe Apostle hath a pretious doctrine and it is this This is a faithful saying and worthy of all
exalted but to study every part and parcel and passage of Jesus Christ And thus to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched FRee-grace is conveyed to us under several notions in these times and I shall in few words gather up the conceptions intending a larger draught of it hereafter The first way of Free-grace free without all condition of Grace THe first and purest conceive of the Mystery thus That God the Father for manifestation of his mercy and love purposed some to glory whom he loved freely and gave his Son to be a way to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and righteousnesse knowing that thâ—â—ould fall under sin and condemnation in the first Adam where he might justly have left them as the rest in their blood and pollution had it not been for that free-grace in himself and therefore that Son is called the second Adam or quickning spirit and this mystery of salvation is free infinitely free the Father loving freely and giving his Son the Son loving freely and giving himself freely and the spirit working from them both freely for the manifestation of this salvation in the souls of his elect and through the ministery of a free Gospel even to sinners as sinners and children of wrath in themselves A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions THe second sort hold which is called the Reformed opinion and is the more general That God did freely decree or purpose some to salvation in Christ through the intervening and instrumental assistance of faith c. And that none are actually justified nor partakers of this free salvation but by faith and the Goâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 ministery of conditions or qualificatio◠〈◊〉 this salvation And this I call a Decrâ—e with Graces A third way of Free-grace free onely upon condition THe third sort hold That God did freely purpose some to salvation and therefore gave Jesus Christ but it was onely to those whom he foresaw through the help of a Gospel-ministery and other spiritual sufficiency would embrace Jesus so given yea given for all if all would have embraced him And this I call a respective Decree for Graces A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in the extent THe fourth sort hold That God purposed some to glory and salvation in Jesus Christ without respect to any thing but the intervenings of faith c. and gave this Jesus Christ to die for all not that all should have saâ—â—â—â—â—on by him but onely the elect who are onely made to beleeve and that the Gospel-ministery reveals such a kinde of general Redemption otherwise the Gospel could not justly be tendred to all nor any be condemned for not beleeving nor unbeleeving be any sin This last I shall onely speak on This is in part the general point and it is answered thus Some do it by a way of interpreting the general Scriptures as these of Gods loving the world c. Interpreting the world in opposition to Jews and by that understanding the Gentiles who were called the world And so of sending Jesus Christ to be a propitiation not for ours but the sins of the whole world c. Rom. 11.11 12. And so where ever the word all is that God will have all saved c. they interpret it with restriction to some of all c. Matth. 3.5 And so for the general tenders of the Gospel they interpret that by way of dispensation for the better gathering up the elect from all sorts and places Matth. 24.31 And so for not beleeving they say men are not damned for not beleeving simply but from the condemnation 〈◊〉 â—re left under though their not beleâ—â—â—â—â— may make their condemnation greater Some answer it by shewing forth the contradiction in this of Christ dying for all and saving some that it is as much as Christ died for all and not for all Some answer by turning it into immortality for all but not salvation for all Some answer by revealing Gods love and Jesus Christ as the effect of this love as it were the instrument and minister of this love and this love of God going out onely to the elect for whom Christ is given This way they conceive takes off general Redemption But we must take heed of making Christ more instrumental and ministerial then the Father hath made him and will stand with the honour of the Son who is the first born of the elect the head of the body And we must be spiritually wary in distinguishing too curiously upon Jesus Christ as Son and Mediator c. but onely in a Scripture-way for Christ is but one and salvation is one Thus far some worthy beleevers go in opposing the general point but we must go a little further in finding out the Mystery of the general point and meet with it there Now I humbly conceive the mystery lies onely in a rational way of justice and Gospel-dispensation That God will not meerly and arbitrarily damn any because he will So as he hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation and they are damned from their own will not from Gods Thus go the deepest and most notional of that way And the other part of the mystery which is lowest and most argued for in these times and by most is onely that the Gospel cannot rationally be tendred but upon some such general ground as Christ dying for all Thus I have opened though weakly the mystery and the opening it may be enough and the whole building of the universal Grations is all upon a rational notion strengthned with some general terms in the Word Now let them see whether meer Reason is a Principle high enough for a spiritual mystery And if bringing salvation down upon such a ground be proportionable to so glorious a work as that of Redemption besides all the intervenings it hath with free-grace and free-justification and election of grace c. Now let the Mystery be lookt on in their way which is this Christ died for all else the Gospel cannot be preached to all And in the other way which is this Christ died onely for his and it is offered to all that his who are amongst this all might beleeve and though he died not for all yet none are excepted and yet none accepted but they that beleeve and none beleeve but they to whom it is given And in this way of salvation there lies more mystery which is more sutable to a divine work Great is the mystery of godlinesse And this ground That none are excepted is as clear and spiritually rational for the Gospel to be preached to all as this ground That he died for all Seeing upon both grounds Some onely are saved and not all and a decree of meer grace and of faith foreseen do equally imply an impossibility of all to be saved and therefore why is it so contended for that all are redeemed Some Truths of Free-grace sparkling in former Writers and in
some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse in part asserted and in these times by others Assertors of FREE-GRACE The Law by the preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith and Grace Dr. Preston in his Serm. on the new Coven Comment. in Galat. 3.5 which he quotes Pag. 347. IF I should onely preach to you the Commandments c. I might preach long enough ere you could keep them Do you receive the Spirit by the preaching of the Law No but by preaching promise of pardon and forgivenesse Page 333. 2. If a man would desire to change his course to be made a new Creature the way is not to consider the Commandments what he ought to do but my beloved the way is to get assurance that thy sins are pardoned to consider the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.14 No preparatory works before Christ Master Rogers in his Book of the right way to be saved c. P. 54. DIvers mistake and look for something to ground on in themselves and so are wofully bewildered and in great perplexity It is as if one should not set a young Tree but let it lie above the ground till they see what it will bear Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace Dr. Sibbs his Book of the excellency of the Gospel above the Law Pag. 241. DO ye wonder why the Free-grace of God hath found such enemies c. The heart of man is in a frame of enmity against God and sets it self most against that God will be most glorified in Let us vindicate nothing so much as grace We must live by grace and die by grace and stand at the day of judgement by grace not in our own righteousnesse Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of grace Master Perkins Commentary on the Galathians P. 157. THe Gospel called by Paul the Promise offers and gives life freely without the condition of any work and requires nothing but the receiving of that which is offered It may be objected that the Gospel promiseth life upon the condition of our Faith Answ. The Gospel hath in it no moral condition of any thing to be done of us Indeed Faith is mentioned after the form and manner of a condition but in truth it is the free gift of God as well as life eternal c. Pag. 184. We have all in Christ Thou must not receive the Promise immediately of God but Christ must do it for thee though thou be unworthy yet there is dignity sufficient and worthinesse enough in him If thou say that thou must at the least receive the promise at the hand of Christ I adde further That he will not quench the smoaking flax c. And ou◠salvationg stands in this not that we know and apprehend him but that he knows and apprehends us first of all Christ is every thing to us Mr. Calvin in his Book of Institutions Book 2. chap. 16. P. 167.8 WE must take heed of drawing any part of Salvation but from Christ If we seek Salvation let it be in the Name of Jesus Christ if the Spirit or any gifts or graces let us seek them in his Unction if strength let us seek it in his power if purity in his conception if mercy in his nature which was touched with our infirmities if redemption in his passion if forgivenesse in his condemnation or being a curse for us if satisfaction in his sacrifice if cleansing in his blood if mortification in his Sepulcher and death if newnesse of life in his Resurrection if immortality in the same if an heavenly inheritance in his entering into Heaven if all good things in his Kingdom and Dominion here All treasures are in him and they who are not content onely with him shall have no rest anywhere although too they may look principally at him Nor can there be any unbelief nor doubtings where his fulnesse is thus known God was never an enemy to his Calvin quoting Augustine in his Book of Institut Tract. in Evangel Johan 110.2 Chap. 16. P. 106.1 INcomprehensible and unchangeable is the love of God not that love which we obtain from reconciliation by the Blood of Christ but wherwith he loved us before the foundations of the world therefore when it is said Christ reconciled us it is not to be understood as if then he begun to love those whom he hated before but he reconciled us even to that love wherwith he loved us Rom. 5.8 therefore in a wonderful manner he loved us when it is said he hated us That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Mr. Gattakers Testimony in a late Treatise Gods eye c. in Epist. to the Reader P. 10. THe matter in controversie between us and these men is not how far forth sin is removed or abolished in Beleevers or how far forth it is by Justification abandoned or in what sense God is said to see or not see sin or to take notice of it in beleevers and justified persons c. As if all these things were granted on both sides Note Men of learning you see and judgement do not cry out Antinomianism on Free-grace or free justification as others do c. But acknowledge a consent in all these c. Why Luther is not quoted here LVther I could quote but he is now lookt on by some as one that is both over-quoted and over-writ Free-grace and bending himself against works which was the Popery and Antichristianism of those times He raised up grace rather in opposition as some think to whom I dare not so fully agree to the excesse of works then to the just advantage of grace and yet they can allow him in other things Thus we can pick and chuse from a Reformer what fits to the standerd of our own Light and Reformation and cast the other by I shall therefore quote some later Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his Book Christ set forth in Epist. to the Reader Pag. 1 2. AN immoderate recourse unto signes though barely considered as such is as unwarrantable when therby we are diverted taken off from a more constant actual exercise of daily thoughts of faith towards Christ immediately as he is set forth to be our righteousnesse c. And yet the mindes of many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts that as the Psalmist sayes of God Christ is scarce in all their thoughts· But let these consider what a dishonour this must needs be unto Christ that his trai◠and favourites our graces should have a fuller court and more frequent attendance from our hearts then himself who is the King of glory and likewise what a shame also it is for beleevers themselves who are his Spouse to look upon their husband no otherwise but by reflections and at second hand through the intervention and assistance of their own graces as mediators between him and them Now