are afflicted on every side yet are we not in distresse in poverty but not overcome of poverty we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but perish not we beare about in our body the dying of the 2 Cor. 4. 8 6 10 11. Lord Jesus Christ that the Life of Christ might also be made manifest in us For wee which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the Life of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body The Porter carrieth gladly a burthen that hee feeleth heavy for the time it is upon him in hope of reward The Merchant and Mariner abideth many a bitter storme in hope of a good Market The Souldier fighteth without feare although in perill of Death in hope of the victory The Champion wrestleth in hope of the Price The Reward the good Market the Victory and Price is sure to the chosen of God for the heavy Burthen for the bitter Storme for their Fighting and Wrastling Their labour is not in 1 Cor. 15 vaine in the Lord saith the Apostle So the Scriptures shew that the trouble misery miserable Life and Death it selfe is a blessing good and a benefit to Gods chosen People Quest You said that your believing in Christ doth witnesse you that you of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children may there not be some that are chosen of God in Christ which have not Faith and believing in Christ in manifestation to themselves to witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be his children Answ Yes the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome and Power of God and charity to Mankinde doth move mee to say that there may be some the chosen of God in Christ ordained to eternall Life which have not Faith and believing in Christ in appearance to themselves to witnesse the same to them For although the Lord Christ have beene pleased to bestow the grace and gift of Faith this great Work and Fruit of his Spirit upon mee and whom hee pleaseth that God hath chosen in him Yet I do not finde that hee is bound to bestow and give the same to all Gods chosen ones ordained to eternall Life For I know that I my selfe crucified Demas for his offences and Paul a persecutor of Christians were chosen of God in Christ to be his children before wee believed as the same Paul â—st fieth that he and the rest were chosen of God in Christ before the World as also that Jacob was loved of God before Eph. 14 Rom. 9. 11 12 13. he was borne and before he had done good or evill before Men It was not my believing and Faith that made me or any of us to be chosen of God to be Gods children and ordained to eternall Life But the Mercy Love Purpose and Free grace of God before the World according with the undertaking of his Son Christ to do the Will of the Father to his full satisfaction for us and performed the same in present before God to whom all things are present and before the creatures manifestly in fulnesse of time And the Apostle saith Christ died for the ungodly when they Rom. 3. 6. 8. 10 were sinners when they were enemies not when they loved and believed but before The first and the last of God and his Christ So Ez. 16. 6 to the salvation of man is of Mercy and Free-grace only The Father did chose us all in Christ being the children of wrath of Mercy Love and Free-grace The Son died for all of us being ungodly sinners and enemies of Love Mercy and Free grace without any foregoing of love believing or Merit in us to either or of any of us But this dying of the Son must be understood before God from the beginning not of his dying in manifestation before men For so his dying before men should not have reached been appliable and beneficiall to those which died before his Death upon the Crosse in manifestation before men for they could not be ungodly sinners and enemies to God when Christ died before men which were dead and gone long before hee so died no doubt but Christ died for them the chosen of God in Gods sight and account as also for us before his Death in manifestation upon the Crosse as the Apostle saith he was the Lambe Rev. 13. 8 staine from the beginning hee died before God for us all when we were all the children of wrath as well as others The Apostle writing to the Gentiles saith of the Jewes As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election Rom. 11. 21 they are beloved for the Fathers sake The Jewes shut up in unbeliefe and enemies concerning the Gospell are yet beloved touching Election And poore Infants dying in their Infancy and Ideots have no manifestation of Faith and believing in themselves to Rom. 9. 18 witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be Gods children And yet it were uncharitable in men to hold and say that none of such are chosen of God in Christ which hath mercy on whom he will who Rom. 11. 34 saith the Apostle hath knowne the Minde of the Lord or beene his counceller the Lord knoweth who is his Therefore there may be some that are chosen of God in Christ which have not Faith and believing in Christ in manifestation to themselves to witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be his children Object Jesus Christ saith Hee that believeth not shall be damned Answ This is meant of him that hath not the Righteousnesse of Christs Work of believing the promise imputed unto him and of him that wilfully neglecteth despiseth and contemneth the faith and believing in Jesus Christ Object 〈◊〉 The Apostle saith So many as were ordained to eternall Life believed Answ This is meant of so many as were there at the Apostles Sermon and heard it which were ordained to eternall Life not of those that heard not the same Object This Doctrine is a Doctrine of security a means to make men carelesse of Christs Commandement which commandeth to believe and also to be carelesse of using the meanes to come to believing as to heare to pray for Faith and the like commanded Answ This Doctrine is no Doctrine of security or any means to make any carelesse of Christs Commandement or using the means to come to beleeving as Christ hath commanded but to such as the Lord hath shut up in unbeliefe for the Apostle saith all men have not Faith or which are proud like the Pharise that trusted 2 Thess 3. 2. Luâ—e 18. 9. in himself he was that righteous and despised others Or which are reprobate concerning the Faith Ans Indeed this Doctrine may be so to them which no Doctrine 2
would think himself bound to be thankful to that friend and to love him as long as he lives otherwise he were an unworthy man Every man is bound to perform this building which is the doing of the command of God but his transgression is so much which is his debt to pay that he is not able to do any thing of the command Jesus Christ put forth himself a friend to all Believers in him he builds the house for them he hath paid all the debt of their transgression with the price of his passion blood and death and they have the whole benefit and the reward thereof Is not this a comfort to every believer will not this make them thankful and ever to love the Lord Jesus Christ Surely that man is no believer that sheweth not comfort therein yea their fulnes and love to the Lord Jesus Christ for this This made David to call out O that men would therefore praise Psal 107. 8. the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men And What shall I give unto the Lord for all that he hath done unto mee I will take the cup of salvation and give Psal 116. 13. 1 Cor. 16. 22. thanks unto the Lord. And this made Paul to say Cursed is he that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ. But now the words of many are stout against Christ his undertakings and performances which notwithstanding say like Hypocrites Wherein have we spoken against thee Of whom the Prophet Mal. 3. 13. fore told never so many of these as now are standing up to set up man and pull down Christ yea instead of denying themselves as Christ commandeth deny Christ in the matter I know there are many that will say O that I had assurance of Christ and his performances for me and the benefits thereof of the forgivenesse of my sins and all my debts paid to God and of life everlasting by Christ Quest But how shall I know this Answ If thou seest and findest the fruits of Christs spirit wrought up in thee mentioned and intended by the Apostle love Gal. 5. 22. joy peace faith goodnesse c. and especially this self-denyal wrought up in thee as Christ in the Text commandeth to deny thy self this is a witnesse and an assurance to thee of all thou desirest to know and to have of Christ The fruit of the Vine witness and assure that the branches that beare them do abide in the Vine and have all of the Vine behoovable for them even so where the good and true fruits of the spirit of Christ appear are born and held forth in truth and simplicity it is a certain evidence witnesse and assurance to that man that he is a living branch abiding in Christ and hath all of Christ that he hath undertaken and performed for Gods chosen ones that he hath forgivenesse of all his sins and everlasting life For these things wrought up in him are the witness and assurance to him of the Spirit of adoption received and the same spirit saith Rom. 8. 16. the Apostle witnesseth that is assureth that we are the children of God and coheirs with Christ The love and free grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man THe Apostle saith We love God because he loved us first And again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the 1 Iob. 4. 19. Rom. 5 5. 1 Pâ—â— 4. 8. Rom. 13. 8 Act. 7. 28. Holy Ghost which is given unto us Love covereth a multitude of sinnes And again Love is the fulfilling of the law From hence I gather that it is the love and free grace of God in Christ to the Elect that is the root the cause and worker of all good to them and of all good called theirs as the gift of Christ to them So God loved the world that he gave his onely Son c Their Election in Christ Ioh. 3. 16. their holinesse justification righteousnes or unblameablenes before God as Paul said We were elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love Their Predestination Eph. 1. 4. and Ordination to eternal life their adoption through Christ their quickning in Christ their raising in Christ their love to God and men their believing and Faith their obedience repentance Eph. 2. 5 6. prayer and thanksgiving the Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them as the Text saith The love of God to us causeth us to love God if we love him And I take it the love and free grace of God in his Christ to the Elect is the fulfiller and the fulfilling of the will of God his Law and commandement of all these and the rest for them as the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the law But I take it the love of the Elect to God and all the performances Rom. 13. 8. of the Elect never have been are or shall be any cause or motive of Gods love and free grace to them or of any of the performances thereof or therein to them As neither of the gift of his Son Christ nor of their election in Christ their sanctification and justification before him their Predestination and Ordination to eternal life their Adoption and Glorification their Quickning or Raising up in Christ their love to God or man their Believing and Faith their Obedience Repentance Prayers and Thanksgiving Nor of the true Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them And although I finde not many that say the love and performance of the Elect to God was the cause of Gods love to them before the world and of Gods performances for them and to them before the world Object Yet I finde many that say that the love of the Elect to God now in the world and their performances of the duties of love to God in the world do not cause God move and incite God to love them to do them and others good as their faith their obedience their repentance prayer and supplications their praise and thanksgiving and the like For say they God hath promised good to them that love God and do the duties of love to God and men as to shew mercy to thousands in them that love him and keep his commandements and saith To them that fear my Name the sun of Righteousnesse Exod. 20. shall arise and health shall be under his wings And He that Mal. 4. 3. believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Repent and cause others to repent and return from all your transgression so iniquity shall not be Mark 16. 16. Ezek. 18. 16. Iam. 5 16. your destruction Ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a Righteous man availeth
have now full possession of that Life purchased and procured by Christs love and performance in your self Ans I believe that I have full possession of that eternall Life in Christ which I lost in Adams transgression purchased and procured by Christs performance And therefore I do believe that I am quite freed and discharged from that Eternall Death which I had in Adams transgression through Christs performance But I finde and feele a resemblance and shadow of that corruption and death in my selfe which came by Adams and mine as one in Adam and the more because I finde not that my eternall Life in my selfe which is hid from me in Christ as the Apostle speaketh to the believing Colossians you are dead but your life Coloff 3. 3 is hid with Christ in God And it is to be observed that Christ saith who so believeth in Joh 6. 16 me shall not perish but shall have eternall Life He saith not doth not perish or die in present and hath in present eternall life but saith shall not perish and shall have eternall life For when this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortality Then indeed saith the Apostle Death shall be swallowed up into victory And when Christ which is our Life shall appeare 1 Cot. 25 then shall yee appeare with him in glory then shall eternall Life appeare in your selves saith the Apostle Neither doth Coloff 3 4 the Apostle say as in Adam all die so in Christ are all made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22 But saith all shall be made alive when the appointed and fulnesse of time is come then shall all the chosen of God in Christ whose Life have been hid with Christ be made alive in themselves in manifestation As all died not in themselves in manifestation which were in Adam by nature untill the appointed time of their so being in manifestation So all live not in themselves in manifestation which are by Mercy and Grace chosen of God in Christ untill their appointed time so to live in themselves in manifestation Object All men in the World are said and seeme to live here in themselves and to die in themselves The same condition saith the Preacher falleth to all to the just and wicked to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an Oath Quest Is that Life which all men live here any part of that Life Eccleâ— 9. 2 3 which Christ purchased to the chosen of God in him which is as the Apostle saith yet hid with Christ in God to be manifest in themselves in the appointed and fulnesse of time Ans No that Life which all men are said and do seem now to live here in themselves is not any part of that eternall Life which Christ purchased by his performance and merit for the chosen of God in him For the children of wrath reprobate and forsaken ones of God are partakers of this Life And Christ was not given of God to purchase and merit any part of eternall Life nor any of the losse in Adam for them But onely for the chosen ones of God ordained to eternall Life before the World Quest From whence is this Life of Mankinde in generall when as all died in Adam Answ All died in Adam touching eternall Life and touching the good of temporall Life all this was lost in Adams transgression But temporall uncertaine Life to man at Gods Will by his sufferance and patience naked and void of all good accompanied with corruption and misery the shadow of Death remained still to Adam and all Mankinde in generall Adam being dead according to Gods Word when thou shalt eate thou shalt die had naked temporall Life Hee having sinned in present saw himselfe naked and was ashamed So that this Life of Mankinde is Adams naked Gen. 3. 7 Life in Death a dying Life Quest Did not Christ by his undertaking and performance take away from you and discharge you and all the chosen of God from the whole curse of the Law and sinne Is there remaining any part thereof yet to them in this their miserable corruption and Dying Life Answ Yes Christ by his undertaking and performance hath taken away and discharged me and all Gods chosen People from the curse of the Law and sinne So the Prophet affirmeth God Esay 53. 6 hath layed the iniquities of us all upon Him and the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth being chosen of God wee are justified of God nothing can be laid to our charge Yet it is the Pleasure of God and his Will That this miserable corruption and dying Life in themselves before men should remaine to all Gods chosen People for a time as to the children of wrath to these to shew his wrath and make his power to be known and to the others to declare the riches of his glory prepared for them And no man ought to question Gods Will herein as the Apostle adviseth what saith Rom. 9. hee If God would to shew his wrath and make his power known Rom. 9. 22 suffer with long patience the Vessells of wrath prepared to destruction And that hee might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessells of mercy which hee hath prepared unto glory All this is done of God in wrath to the Vessels of wrath to shew his wrath and power and to the Vessels of mercy to declare his glory prepared forthem Quest Is not the corruption misery miserable and dying Life which remaine to Gods chosen People a part of the curse of Adams transgression not yet taken away of Christ Answ No it is no part of the curse for the Apostle saith Christ hath redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us dying Gal. 3. 12 Life and Death it selfe is no part of the curse to Gods chosen People now being chosen of God but a blessing a good and a benefit to them we know saith the Apostle that all things work together for the best unto them that love God It is good for mee that I have Rom. 8. 28 Psal 119. been in trouble saith David The Apostle saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of Glory Although the affections of the chosen 2 Cor. 4. 17 of God be heavy and grievous for the present as the Apostle saith yet they bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse unto them that are thereby exercised and the Apostle Iohn saith Blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Death to them is advantagious And againe David saith of himselfe as one of Gods chosen yet in this miserable Life Thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me in the midest of my troubles thy comforts have refreshed Rev. 14. 13 my Soule and the Apostle saith of himselfe and the rest We
return and be in the state of grace and life again and so often Is not that then which you teach robbery even to rob out God of his almighty power and liberty of his will to his grace and goodnesse to all mankinde Is not this Rabshekahs blasphemy which said that God could not nor would not deliver his People Answ I hope my answer to this charge will be sufficient resolution Isa 26. 14 to those which are Gods People and all said onely to the honour of God Wee know the Apostle saith Antichrist is an adversary that exalteth himselfe above all chat is called God and doth sit in the Temple of God or place of God shewing himself that hee is God But Antichrist doth not these things by his instruments 2 Thess 2. 4 but by pretending and alledging of Scriptures mistaken nor can doe so And doe not you alleadge these mistaken Scriptures for the exalting of corrupt man the man of sinne that can Rom. 7. 14. 15. 16 17 18 19. doe nothing but sinne yea for the setting him up in the Temple or place of God that is only good and can onely doe that which is good in his sight yea further that hee exalteth corrupt man the man of sinne that can doe nothing but sinne his will deeds and performances above all that is called God and his grace decrees performances when as all those pretences of yours are that notwithstanding all the will decrees and acts as the Father in love mercy and grace to Mankinde as having foreknown of God to fall for their life justification and salvation through his dear Sonne Jesus Christ in redemption and performances for satisfaction of justice before the world Yet you say all these are nothing to the life and justification of man without mans own will and deed without mans own performance without man will apprehend and apply the same Plaister made hath no power to heare without mans power will and Deed So that the will decrees and acts eternall with himselfe the love and grace of God the Father and the death and performance of Jesus Christ the Sonne before the Father for the Life justification and salvation of man do all rest upon corrupt mans power will deed and performance do all submit to corrupt and sinfull mans power will deed and performance And thereupon resteth his own life justification and salvation Is not this the exaltion of Antichrist to set up corrupt man the man of sinne sinfull man in the place of God and above God and his Christ that the same must with all their love grace and performance for the life peace justâ—fication and salvation of man submit to the power will deeds and performances of corrupt sinfull man And can the instruments of Antichrist set up the man of sinne in the place of God and exalt him above God and of his God Christ without pretending of zeale though not according to knowledge and alledging of Scriptures But herein they bewray Rom. 10 2 3 themselves saith the Apostle of Christ Because they going about to establish their own righteousnesse submit not to the righteousnesse of God but will have the righteousnesse which is of God submit to their own righteousnesse which they establish and set up Object I know they will confesse and say that they their own power will and deeds are weake but Christ doth helpe them and inable them with his grace and as the Apostle saith I am Phil. 4. 13 able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ that strengtheneth mee Answ Is not this Argument still to uphold mans corrupt will and worth in present by the helpe and inablement of grace in present to be above all that God and his Christ hath done to mans life justification and salvation before the world that which they have done must submit to mans own power and righteousnesse of his own will and doth in present helping by grace But tell mee is there any man that will put a Weapon into any Theeves hand to rob him Is this wisdome And will our God and his Christ put the power and strength of his grace into the hand of corrupt sinfull man the man of sinne to robbe him of his honour praise and glory that corrupt sinfull man may glory and boast himselfe of the spoiles of Gods honour For corrupt man to say I could not have had life justification and salvation but by mine own power will and deed assisted by the grace of God wherein the grace love decrees and Acts of the Father and the performances of the Sonne of God were able to doe nothing without mee my will and worke Is not this more horrible blasphemy than that of Rabshakahs You say God is Almighty so say I But Gods almighty power is alwayes accompanied with his will and good pleasure and his Almighty power is alwayes regulated by his will what he will doe hee can doe and doth but what hee will not doe hee cannot doe nor doth God will not give his honour to any other nor can God will justifie freely by grace without mans will or worke and otherwise hee cannot justifie God had power to choose in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath fore-knowne those hee pleases and willed to choose to bee his children hee could not choose any other then those hee willed and pleased to bee his children Christ the Sonne of God could die for redeeme shed his bloud pay the ransome for and make the reconciliation for those which God had chosen in him before the world and pray for them which the Father had given him to die for to redeeme shed his Bloud pay the ransome make reconciliation and pray for which hee undertooke to doe his Fathers Will for therein saying Loe I come to doe thy Will O Heb 10. 9. God but Christ could not Die Redeeme Shed his Bloud pay the Ransome make Reconciliation and pray for those which God had not choosen in him and had not given him to performe the same for And therefore hee saith I pray for those that thou hast given Joh. 17. 9 me I pray not for the World of those thou hast refused of the children of wrath which thou hast not chosen in me which thou hast not given mee to pray for and to doe the rest for of thy Will and good Pleasure Yet you further alledge Scriptures mistaking the same That Christ died for all men one and other that are saved and that perish everlastingly That hee redeemed shee l his Bloud paid the ransome and made the reconciliation to God for the whole World of mankinde when the word all men and the word worke in the Scriptures import diversly Sometimes all and all men are taken as you take them for all men in the most generall one and other that are saved and that Acts 1. 24 perish as the Lord knoweth the heart of all men and death went Rom. 5. 12 over all men For
Scribes and the Pharises did and as Christ saith the Heathens and Publicanes doe the same but not in singlenesse of heart without dissimulation Therefore note the command of Christ to Reprobates is as he is God and commander his command to the Elect Believers is as hee is Undertaker to performe all righteousnesse impossible to them by his Spirit in them promised and sent to them to performe all The Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus our Saviour Undertaker and God that worketh in us Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 the Will and the Deede of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh doth all in us which the same Apostle saith worketh all in all It is hee that worketh in Believers Believing Loving Repenting Forgiving Mercy Obeying Praying Praising and Thanksgiving and the 1 Cor. 12. 6. rest In singlenesse of Heart and sincerity farre otherwise how and wherefore should hee bee said to worke in Believers the Will and the Deede and to worke all in all if it were not that hee worketh these and such like things of his owne good pleasure in them which their owne corrupt power they have cannot worke and doe in singlenesse of Heart unfainedly and without dissimulation The Deed is Christs Deede of these things according to his owne good pleasure in Believers Therefore Christ himselfe tells his Disciples That hee is the Vine and they are the Branches and that they without him can doe nothing The Grapes and Fruit that are borne of the Branches are not usually nor properly called the Grapes of the Branches the Fruit of the Branches but the Grapes Joh. 15. 5. of the Vine and the Fruit of the Vine which Grape and Fruit of the Vine are by the Spirits and power of the Vine wrought up in the Branches which are onely the instruments of the Vine fitted to beare them as Christ saith Every Luke 22 18. Branch that beareth not Fruit in Mee speaking to his Disciples of professing Believers Believers onely are the Branches and the Instruments of Christ whith hee hath fitted to beare the Fruits of True Joh. 15. 2. and Good Believing Obeying Repenting Praying Praising Thanksgiving and Loving c. Which Fruit which Worke and Deed is Christs by his holy Spirit wrought up in their Hearts And of grace by Christ being made and fitted the Branches and Instruments to beare the same Fruits of grace also hee imputeth to them and accounteth to them the sinne and therefore calleth them his Elect ones Believers Obeyers Repenters Prayers Thanksgivers and Lovers c. And calleth the Fruits theirs which are but the Branches as if they were the Vine whose the Fruits are in Truth The Apostle saith speaking of himselfe and all Believers Wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh Rom. 8. 26. request for us Corrupt Man knew not to pray as hee ought nor to Believe Repent Obey Praise or Love as hee ought but the Spirit sent to him of Christ doth all for him And this was the cause and reason why CHRIST did ever sithence his Church was upon Earth give his Spirit to the Elect of God for whom hee had undertaken of Grace and Love to doe such things of the Holy and Good Law for the Government of his Church as is commanded therein to bee done before men which hee knew themselves not able to doe as hee pleased And therefore the true Faith Peace Obedience Repentance Praise and Love are called Spirituall gifts Spirituall things Spirituall Sacrifices and 1 Cor. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 5. why so certainly because they are the Deeds of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as so the Apostle calls them Gal. 5. 22. And upon this same ground That renowned Father in Christs Church said Fac Domini quod jubes jube quod vis O Lord doe thou that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And let no man marvell that Christ should bee the Law-giver and the Law Keeper for his Elect. The commander and the doer of the Commandement for them whereas the Scriptures hold forth his Grace to bee the Judge and the Advocate The Priest and Sacrifice Hebrewes 2. 17. 5 6. 7. 3. Eph. 5. 2. 9. 26. And thus much of the Error of those which hold forth no Law remaining to the 1 Joh. 2. 42. Elect. And I take it the Errour of those which hold forth that Christ is not the End of the Morall Law and all Law for Righteousnesse before God to Believers but onely of the penalty and condemnation of the breaches thereof is much dishonourable to Jesus Christ and unrighteous to his undertakings and performances and to the Apostle of Christ called to set forth the truth of his Performances and Merit and most of all to the Great Just and good God the Covenant-maker of Workes upon Life and Dâ—ath with Mankinde in generall and on remembrance of Mercy The Covenant-maker of Grace and promise to his Christ for all his Elect. For where all Mankinde having transgressed against the Covenant of Workes before God were in the state of eternall Death the God of Love Mercy and Free-grace having elected some of them in his Christ with a covenant and Promise of Grace that upon his Christs fulfilling of the Law of Workes And the paying of the whole Transgression of the Law by his Death Passion and Bloudshedding for them his Elect to satisfaction Those his Elect should have eternall Life the condition and promise of the covenant of Workes as if themselves had performed the same to the full and should bee also freed from the penalty of Eternall Death into which all Mankinde was fallen And Christ hath done and fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and paid the full Debt of the Transgression thereof to God by his Passion Death and Bloud-shedding for the Elect even to the full so much as the Law and covenant of Workes required in Justice either for righteousnesse before God or for payment of the Trangression to full satisfaction of God for those Elections for ever for past and to come Now then why should the Law and covenant of Workes remaine still binding the Elect Believers to righteousnesse of Workes before God which they cannot in the least doe and for that in respect of their utter unablenesse CHRIT undertooke and performed all for them And if CHRIST God being so pleased have fulfilled the whole Law both for performing the righteousnesse thereof before GOD and payment of the transgression thereof Why should not Christ bee the end of all Law Morall and the rest for righteousnesse before God to Believers as they say hee is the end of and for the penalty and condemnation for the transgression thereof to them Seeing the full is performed of the righteousnesse required as the full of the Debt of transgression is paid Will these lay such cruelty upon God and charge God with such oppression and wrong as to
performance of Jesus Christ and preserved through his performance and grace in them until they be by him presented 1 Thes 5. 23 blameless at his coming Q. Doth not God require good performances of his Elect to further their Salvation A. God knoweth that his Elect as themselves are able to perform nothing that is good not to will or think any thing that is good Rom. 7. 18 Phil. 2. 13 2 Cor. 3. 5 So saith his Apostle Paul I find no means to perform that which is good It is God that worketh in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good Therefore God will not require of his beloved Elect ones that which he knoweth they cannot dâ— No man will require him which he loveth to do and perform that which he knoweth he cannot do No man will lay a burthen upon his beast which he knoweth he cannot bear God did never require of his Elect performance of his Law and Commands before himself after the had lost the power of performing but of his love and grace provided a power to perform for them a Christ and Redeemer which undertook to do hath done and doth all and those great things in them and for them by his wisdom and strength as how and when it pleaseth him making them and their members of soul and body instruments of his righteous works which of his great grace he calleth their works and performances For which reason Paul which said he found no means meaning in himself to perform any thing that is good or to will or Phil. 4. 13 think any good of himself saith also I am able to do all things through the help of Christ which strengtheneth me that is through Christs power his members were Christs able Instruments of doing all things righteous as he pleaseth of Christs grace accounted his righteous doings as Paul saith David declareth the blessedness of man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works that Rom. 4 6 is when God imputeth Christs righteous works unto man whereby he is onely satisfied and pleased with man without mans own works Q. Hath Christ undertaken to perform and doth Christ perform all things for the Elect before God that they have liberty of idleness to do nothing to live licentiously A. The Elect of God are least idle having in manifestation received the Spirit of adoption they are no less idle then the Spirit can be idle in them which in them is as the tree of Life yielding forth fruit continually The fruit of the Spirit is faith love joy peace Apoc. 22. 2 Gal. 5. 22 meekness goodness righteousness c. The Spirit which as a King ruleth in them maketh their members instruments as it pleaseth of all such righteous works and performances so that the righteousness of Christ will shine in them Q. Why doth Christ in the Evangelists and the Apostles of Christ in their Epistles and writings give so many precepts and exhortations to the people and Churches of the faithful for performances to be made by them as to believe to love to deny themselves to pray to obey to do justly and forbidding them to do the contrary yea and further upon penalty for not doing the precept and doing the contrary that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall be cast into utter darkness which is Hell A. All such Precepts and Exhortations of Christ and his Apostles are not to charge the Elect with performances of duties before God by those precepts which they are in no part able to perform sithence man lost his power of performing but to shew and set forth to the Elect and Reprobate the power that Adam and all mankinde then in Adam had to perform all those Precepts and Exhortations before is Fall in the sight of God and to shew the authority justice and righteousness of the Command in commanding those holy and good duties and the justness of God in the fearful and miserable penalty of the transgression to be certainly executed upon the reprobate such as are without Christ the Redeemer and Performer of those precepts for them having by their own fault when they had power lost their power of performing And to shew that as the transgression of the reprobate encrease and multiply so the penalty and misery encreaseth and multiplyeth dayly and that by such terrors continually proclaimed by the Ministers of God the reprobate may be abated of their envious and mischievous transgression to the greater safety of Gods Elect. And yet further these precepts were written that the Elect of God finding in themselves no more power left to perform them then the very reprobate have which is only before men may behold their blind eyes being opened by Christ the unspeakable love mercy and grace of God towards them in their Election in the promised seed to them and for them in the performances of Jesus Christ the promised seed of those holy precepts first and last for them which themselves neither had nor have any power to perform sithence the general fall and loss Further yet Christ in his Evangelists and Apostles writings doth hold forth these precepts to the Churches that the faithful hearing and seeing these Precepts and Commandments which were ordained to life but are now unto death as the Apostle saith The same Commandment which was ordained unto life was found to be unto me unto Rom. 7. 10 death might in their infirmities and transgressions by Christ and his love be gathered together as chickens under the cover of his wings as Christ himself speaketh How often would I have gathered you together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings Mat. 23 37 that so their eyes being opened by Christ to see the goodness and love of Christ the love of Christ might constrain them to yield their hearts and members instruments of his love to God and man before men as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 5. 14 Q. If it be so that the Commandment sithence it was broken by man be now unto the death of man and no way unto life which was first ordained unto life and was by ordination unto life to all men before it was broken by man in power to have kept it and done it and if man now have lost all power of doing the Commandment before God for ever by the first breaking thereof whether is it in the Office of the Ministers and Preachers amongst us now to read and preach the Law and Commandment to the people for they cannot hold forthlife or comfort to them from the Commandment or if it be in their Office how to preach the Commandment and to whom A. It is the proper Office of the Ministers of Christ as the fitted instruments of Christs Spirit to preach the Gospel of salvation and life and only occasionally to preach the Law and Commandment for the
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
his precious Blood to have shed it for a Ransome and Redemption of those which his Father had not Elected in him and given him to Ransome and Redeeme and which he knew his Father hated to be Elected and Redeemed And which he knew would not receive but reject the benefit of his Bloud Who is it that knew the Scriptures that will not acknowledge that mankinde â—n generall upon the generall fall of Adam were judged and condemned of God to be the Children of Gods wrath and everlasting death And that God of love free grace and mercy was pleased to Elect some of those in Christ which were the Children of wrath as well as the other out of whole Eph. 2. 3. company of the Children of wrath to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ that is by his performing the righteousnesse of the Law of workes for them and by giving of himselfe unto death for them and shedding of his precious bloud for them for a full satisfaction to God in his justice for the Ransome Redemption Justification eternall life and glorification And this for them onely and not for the least ones in their hardnesse and refused ones of God Surely to say hold forth that Christ gave himself for a Ransom of these to shed his blood to redeeme these is to lay upon God and his Christ inconstancy indiscretion prodigality and folly to the great dishonour of God and his Christ and to say that Christ did Ransome and Redeeme them with his death and bloud is unrighteousnesse and salsehood We finde and read in the Scripture that Christ redeemed the Elected of God in Christ as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Elected of Christ God hath Elected us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. world and Christ hath redeemed us from the curse But we finde no Gal. 3. 13. where in the Scripture to be said expresly that Christ redeemed reprobate ones which were not Elected in Christ The greatest power of their assertion is in the word all or all men which word they stretch forth to Elect and Reprobate good and bad as we say But it is cleare that where this word all in such manner and matter importeth onely all the Elect. So Paul to the Romans As by the offence of one the fault came on Rom. 5. 18. all men to Condemnation So by the justifying of one the benefit abounded to all men to justification of life meaning all the Elect beleevers I thinke these men will not say that justification of life is to all men Elect and Reprobate in generall by Christs justifying them So Paul to the Corinthians saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive meaning as all mankinde being then in 1 Cor. 15. 22. Adam when he transgressed and dyed then dyed so all being Elected in Christ shall be made alive I hope these will not say that all men Elect and Reprobate in generall shall be made alive in Christ then none must be damned and if these will have these to be confined in the Scriptures to that why may not they admit of those also to be likewise confined to the Elect they being in the like expresse of the same matter But they say by Preaching that Christ hath given himselfe for all men in generall Elect and Reprobate that he hath shed his blood for the peace of all men with God they procure great honour and the hardest harted men will be moved to relent when they heare that Christ hath had such pitty and mercy on them as to give himselfe to death for their life to shed his most pretious blood to make their peace with God This will move the worst of men to imbrace Christ to thirst after Christ and to beleeve and close with Jesus Christ Yet I wish these to consider that the Apostle of Christ saith We may not doe evill that good may come thereof whose damnation is just We may not preach falsehood that Christ may have honour Rom. 3. 8. thereby This was the great sinne of Saul that brought upon him his woefull destruction He spared the best and fattest Beasts of Amilech contrary to the command of God to offer up in Sacrifice to the honour of God but Samuel told him he had done wickedly to obey was better then Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 19. It is to be well observed which the Apostle saith That in that excellent Sermon which Paul preached at Antioch As many as Act. 13. 48. were ordeined to eternall life believed No doubt but there were many which heard that Sermon did not believe for the Apostle saith that onely so many as were ordeined to Eternall life believed And what was the reason that the rest of the hearers did not believe Certainly by the part of the Apostles words it was because they were not ordeined to eternall life they were not elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame Eph 1. 4. 5. before God in love nor predestinate to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will as the Apostle saith but were the reprobate and the left of God in their owne hardnesse God being bound to none but to have Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will and whom he will to harden That is to leave them in their owne hardnesse as the Apostle saith for God leaving them they grow into more hardnesse Man hath no power in himself to close with Christ or to believe as he ought nor more then to pray as he ought but the Apostle saith of himselfe and other the Elect We know not what Rom. 8. 26. we pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is doth it for us and maketh request for us c. It is God our Christ Phil. 2. 13. that worketh in us the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure The praying believing and the rest of that sort are the works of our God Christ Jesus by his spirit in us they are none of mans works Christ Jesus is the Priest and the Sacrifice which said Lo I come to doe thy will O God See 1 Chron. 29. 14. The Apostle saith they were ordeined to eternall life before Eph. 10. 9. they believed They had their ordination to life that is their election in Christ and the life also which is Christ for Christ is our life saith the Apostle Christ is the way the truth and the life before they believed a dead man can doe nothing and Joh. 14. 6. Christ saith without me you can doe nothing Faith followeth after election ordination and life Faith is Joh. 15. 5. onely the manifestation of election ordination and Christ to those which God hath elected in his Christ when and as he pleaseth to worke the same in them to his glory and their comfort Heb. 11. 1. Reprobate men which have not
not all men chosen and not chosen But if these men had not forgotten the Grammer rules they woould not have misconstrued the Scripture for the Grammer rule tels them The first person whether Singular or Plurall speaketh of himselfe yea the first person plurall although it speaketh of himselfe and others yet it speaketh of himselfe in particular with other particulars So Paul in the word Us sheweth that God elected him in Christ in particular in his particular notion before the world and the rest in his particular notion and discernment before the world For it was in Gods power to know particulars of the generalls as it was to know the generalls and is And the Apostle saith Rufus was chosen in the Lord speaking of Rom. 16. 12 him in particular as Paul intended to shew that God had chosen himselfe in particular and the rest in particular in his particular notion I wish all would consider this that uphold Universall Redemption and answer if they can modestly Is there any wise man that will give his whole Estate or the price thereof to purchase that inheritance which he knoweth he neither shall nor can ever gaine and have And is there any wise man that having laid out his whole estate to purchase an inheritance that will lose his purchased inheritance if he can keepe it and hold it Yet you say God the Father gave his onely begotten Sonne all that he had and the Sonne gave himselfe the inestimable price to purchase ransome and redeeme all of mankind for inheritance which he knew he neither should nor could gaine injoy and have for I think you will say God foreknew all And you say the Father gave all he had and the Son in obedience laid downe all and paid the purchase for all the inheritance and had power to have and enjoy all to keep and hold all and yet suffered the Adversarie to get the greatest part of his inheritance from him which he had paid so deare for to the utter ruine thereof and his own everlasting losse what dishonour what injury what folly what blasphemy what Robbery is this offered to the Father and the Son everliving just Almighty mercifull and most wise God The Apostle saith Christ gave himselfe to Redeem us from all iniquity Iam. 4. 8. Doubtlesse the Apostle intended this of all that he redeemed That he redeemed all that he redeemed from all iniquity for why should his grace pay the price of his redemption for one given him to redeeme and did redeeme more or to more benefit for one then for another all being redeemed from all iniquitie all shall be saved the iniquity of unbelief can hinder none Will to believe or believing cannot further the worke of Christs redemption For the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Will to believe and believing wrought up in the Heart of Man by the Spirit of Christ doth onely witnesse the Redemption of Christ and the benefits thereof wrought by Christ of Mercy and Free-grace They do not perfect and finish the worke of Christs Redemption which hee himselfe hath perfected and finished and is onely able without the work and help of man A Catechisticall Dialogue usefull for the Propagation of the Gospell of JESUS CHRIST Question were not you in Adam the first Man that God Created Ans Yes I my selfe and all Mankinde were in Adam the first Man Quest Did not you and all Mankinde die and were dead in the first Adam by his transgressions Ans Yes I my selfe died and all Mankinde were dead in Adams transgression and became the Children of wrath So the Apostle saith in Adam all die by the offence of one death reigned Rom. 5. 17 18. through one And by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemation And againe by Nature wee were all the children of Wrath as well as others Quest Are you and all Mankinde dead still in Adams transgressions as Adam and all were dead Ans For the Apostle saith as in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive that is as all which were in Adam died 1 Cor. 15. 22. So all that are the chosen of God in Christ shall be made alive and saith Christ So God loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternall Life Quest How do you know that you are chosen of God in Christ to be made alive in Christ Ans Because I believe in Christ for Christ saith Whosoever believeth in me shall not perish but have Eternall Life Hee shall be Joh. 3. 16. made alive saith the Apostle And Luke saith As many as were ordained to eternall Life that is chosen of God in Christ to eternall Acts 13. 48 Life Believed Quest How do you know that you believe in Christ as Christ intendeth Ans First I know that I believe in Christ as Christ intendeth Acts 15. 7 because I believe the whole Gospell of Jesus Christ which is the Gospell of Salvation through Jesus Christ Secondly the Spirit of Christ doth witnesse with my Soule and Rom. 8. 16. Heart unto me that I believe as Christ intendeth Quest Can you not know that you believe in Christ except the Spirit of Christ witnesse the same unto you Answ No For Faith is the fruit of the Spirit of Christ as the Rom 8. 9. Apostle saith Gal. 5. 22. And the same Apostle saith If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his nor consequently Rom. 8. 16. hath the witnesses that hee believeth as Christ intendeth for the Apostle saith It is the spirit that witnesseth Quest How do you know that you have the Spirit of Christ Answ By the fruits of the spirit which I have as Love Joy Gal. 5. 22. Peace Patience Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Righteousnesse Meekenesse and Temperance For as the good Tree doth witnesse the good fruit So Christ saith the good fruit doth witnesse the Mat. 12. 33 good Tree The Tree saith he is known by his Fruits Quest Can you not know that you have the Spirit of Christ by that one fruit of Faith except there be the rest of the fruits of the spirit withall Answ No for the Apostle saith Faith without workes is ae dead Faith that is if there be not with Faith the rest of the works and Fruits of the spirit my Faith doth not witnesse the Spirit of James 2. 17 Christ in mee nor that I believe as Christ intendeth to witnesse eternall Life in me Quest You say that you were dead in Adam and that you are made alive in Christ yea That in Christ you have that eternall Life which you lost in Adam Doe you believe and feele that you are quite free from that death which you had in Adams transgression that nothing thereof remaine yet to you in your selfe and that you
or not to will and desire they may choose if they will and desire they may heare if they will they may believe and receive the Plaister of Christs Bloud and Death and if they will they may apply the same to their wounds and be healed For it hath all sufficient vertues and in tendered to them And they teach that the Justification and Salvation of men whatsoever the Father or the Sonne hath done in Mercy Love and Grace consist and rest in themselves their own will and worke for the Procuring Setling Having and Injoying of the same Whereby I have thought that they thinke better of themselves then they are and that they are some what when as the Apostle saith they are nothing and deceive themselves in their own imagination Gal. 〈◊〉 3. For how can a man being still the child of Gods wrath in the curse death and losse of Adams sinne and his own without his deliverance yet made which losse was the losse of all good before God given of God unto man in his Creation have so great a good as Free-will unto so great a good Work and Deed before God as to heare and believe unto eternall Life lost unto justification and salvation and to have so great a good still before God as power to do the same being yet in the Death Losse and Want of all good before God This is as I thought to rob our God to inrich our selves For the Apostle saith It is God that worketh Phil. 2. 13. in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure It is not mans own will and his own deed And I thinke it much contrary to the Scriptures of the Gospell that Life and Justâ—fication should come to man by his own will or worke any way but onely by grace and mercy as the Apostle saith we are justified by Grace It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Rom. 3. 24. mercy If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else grace were no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace Rom. 9. 16. or else work were no more worke But saith the Apostle election Rom. 11. 6. hath obtained it and the rest have been hardned atlthough Israel hath not obtained that sought it viz. by his own will and worke They would strip God of his Election in Christ before the world being the first Act of his grace to man Quest What may be thought of these in your Christian Judgement and of their teaching I desire to understand Answ I take it the condition of these is farre more out of hope then of Infants and Idâ—ots for these desperately discover Mat. 5. 19. their own nakednesse and shame These break the Commandement and teach men to do so There are as you said Theeves and Robbers 1 Tim. 3. 7. and teach others the same They are fallen into and holden in the snare of the Devill The Devill spake many truths alwayes leaving something Mat. 4 3. 6 out that he may deceive in the end they are like a cunning Fowler that layes scraps of wheat to catch the Birds So these tell men a part of Gods Love Mercy and Free-grace that they may catch them in the snare and pride of their own will and words of robbery and Idolatry Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jewes a Master in Israel yet understood not that which Christ said Except a man be born againe he Joh. 3. 3 cannot see the Kingdome of God unto whom Christ said Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things These may be Rulers Masters and Teachers and yet be ignorant of these things And I conceive these are ignorant of Gods eternall Almighty Power Wisdome Fore-knowledge Foresight Will Purpose Decree and Acts with and before himself and of the rest of God and his Christ which if they were not they would not deny that God might and did choose in Christ whom hee pleased of the children of wrath to be his children so called and justified through Christ before himself even before the World of Mercy and Free-grace without any will or work of their own Eph. 〈◊〉 3 4 5 6 unchangeable Indeed they alledge and cite many places of Scriptures supposed to their purpose of Christs commanding to will to do to heare to believe to aske to seeke to knock to labour to speak to run to come to take to receive to give and the like And the condition that is annexed of reward and penalty unto these commanded to be eternall And therefore they conclude it is in every mans will and power to will and doe these things commanded unto eternall Life otherwise it were oppression and not Love and Justice of Christ our God and Law-giver to command his Subjects to doe that which it not in themselves to doe which they cannot do upon such penalty eternall But alas they do not consider that this Law of Christ to his Church as it includeth the Law of God given to mankinde in generall in Justice absolute is written in the hearts of Heathens as also of such as have the name of Christians which Law of God is therefore knowne though weakly and corruptly to the Heathens and all Mankinde as the Apostle saith of the Heathens Rom. 1. 31 They know the Law of God their consciences accuse and excuse one another And the Heathens have made many Lawes from this Rom. 2. 15. Law of God written in their hearts of Justice and righteousnesse before men in mens estimation good which with the will and power of men have beene obeyed For as Adam and all mankinde had Soul and Body and the faculties thereof temporall Life at Gods will for a time all weakened and corrupted by sinne and the curse left to them so they had Free-will Reason and power in naturall humane and temporall things left all weake and corrupted to choose and refuse to will and to nill to doe things good and righteous before men in the estimation of men although they had lost and had no power left them to will choose desire or doe any thing at all good righteous acceptable and availeable before God unto eternall Life lost to justification before God to their peace with God or to any good in Gods sight good And that the Lord Jesus upon whose shoulders the Government Isa 9. 6. of his Church lay was pleased in great grace as a most gracious Law-giver to manifest in written Tables to his people the chosen of God in him which hee had redeemed and performed all for unto Life Justification Salvation and Glorification before God all to appeare in appointed and fulnesse of time this his gracious Law of greater grace then the first given unto mankinde in generall that it might be established and remaine for ever to his people already redeemed before God for the government of his Church upon earth in worship to God
workd to their everlasting Peace and eternall Life and to the honour and glory of his grace in the mercy and love of the Father and the undertaking and performing of his fullnesse only But hee commandeth not to goe and teach all Nations to rob the Father of Mercy Love and Free grace of his eternall power Almightinesse Liberty Will and Pleasure and of his Honour Praise and Glory of all the same and of his honour and glory of his Purposes Decrees and Acts eternall with himselfe evidently manifested in his Testament to be his Purpose Decrees and Acts of his power Almighty Liberty Will and Pleasure As they do which teach all they can teach That 1. Although God did fore-know that mankinde would transgresse and become the children of wrath yet hee did not give his Sonne Christ before the World to redeeme them by his Death all or any of those of Mankinde which hee fore knew would transgresse and become the children of wrath notwithstanding Rev. 13. 8 that the Scriptures saith Hee was the Lambe slaine from the begining before God and that Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25 that is is now in being and hath already performed my Redemption before God and that David said The Lord was his Psal 19. 14 strength and his redeemer long before Christ was slaine and died before men upon the Crosse And the Prophet saith long before his Death before men upon the Crosse God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all meaning the chosen of God and yet all this was Isa 53. 6. done of the Father in Mercy Love and grace and all undertaken saying Loe I come to doe thy Will O God and so performed of Heb. 10. 9 the Sonne Christ in Mercy Love and Free-grace before the World to the satisfaction of God for the transgression of those Isa 53. he pleased for Election Is not this teaching all Nations the robbing and the teaching all Nations to rob the Father of Men and his Sonne Christ of the honour of his almighty Power Liberty in Gods Pleasure graces and gracious Decrees and Acts plainly expressed and manifested in the testiment of our God Secondly in that they teach all Nations that God neither could nor did choose in Christ any of these hee fore knew and fore-see to become the children of wrath before the World to be his children to be holy and without blame before him in love None of them to be ordained to eternall Life before the world None of them to be predestinate to be made like to the Image of his Sonne to be called his Children and Saints to be justified and glorified before himselfe in his own sight and acceptance before the world although these not so yet but in appointed and fulnesse of time to be manifested to the created Notwithstanding our God saith in the Scripture by the Apostle of his Testament Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessing in Heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love and thâ—t those which he knew before he also predestinate to be Gods children through Christ to be made like to the image of his Sonne to be ordained to eternall Life that he might be the first borne among many Brethren And whom hee predestinated them also he called his children Eph. 1. 3. 4 and Saints by calling And whom hee called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified and although hee saith nothing shall be laid to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth them And although hee saith God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were borne or had done good or evill that the purpose of God might remaine according to Election not by Workes but by him that calleth and in many other places the like Is not this Robbery and the teaching of all Nations to rob the Father and his Sonne Christ of the honour of their allmighty Power Liberty Will Mercies Free grace Purposes Dâ—â—crâ—es and Acts eternall within and all unchangeable as the Apostle saith the gifts and calling of God are without repentance which is Rom. 11. 29 so of his eternall spirituall Gifts and callings not of temporall as the calling of Judas was and the gifts that Iob spake of where hee said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Job 3. 21 Name of the Lord. Thirdly in that they teach all they can teach that it is in their own will power and deed to please God to pacifie the wrath of God the Father of mercies for their sinnes and offences to obtaine forgivenesse of their sinnes by Repentance Prayers Devotions and to obtaine good things deliverance from the evill that they have deserved at the Hand of God the Father by their performances and humiliations by their willingnesse and endeavouring to heare the Gospell preached to get Faith And by and for their Faith and believing to be justified before God and to have Life before God in themselves yea to be Saints in themselves and righteous in themselves by these their performances before God That they are not as other men are Extortioners unjust Drunkards Adulterers or as the Publican that looketh upon See Luke 18. 10 11. nothing but Mercy and Forgivenesse of his sinnes and the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ imputed unto him for his peace with God for his justification eternall Life and Salvation Notwithstanding the Testament of our God written by his Pen-men commanded to be taught is contrary The Prophet of God David saith my weldoing extendeth or Psal 16. 2 is nothing to thee O Lord nothing to please thee to obtaine any thing of thee to justifie one before thee And hee saith Blessed is the Man whose iniquity is forgiven and Psal 32. 1 whose sin is covered And the Prophet Esay saith we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy ragges nothing in our selves or of our Isa 64. 6 selves to please God to obtaine any good of God justifie us before God And the Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul saith It is not in him Rom. 9. 16 that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy And againe blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes And Christ himselfe saith when yee have done what yee can say we are unprofitable servants Christ saith He Luke 17. 10 that climeth up any other way to the Father to the Sheepfold then by him is a Theife and a Robber These would please the Father Joh. 10. 1 obtaine of the Father to bee justified of the Father and get to Heaven by their own Prayers Devotions Humiliations by their own Faith and performances and teach others to doe so Is not this to teach Thee
so do without his holding and keeping you cast more folly and blasphemy upon Christ And you further teach all Nations that men that God hath had mercy on that Christ hath redeemed and bought that God hath given his grace unto and so he in the state of salvation may by their wilfull sinne fall away from grace mercy and the Love Heb. 12. 15 Rev. 2. 4 of God by forsaking their first Love and so become the children of wrath and destruction And by repentance may returne to God have mercy grace and love of God againe and be the children Ezech. 18 of God againe and may often rise and fall into these conditions which is not the teaching commanded of Christ It is Psa 12 1. 5 uncomfortable untrue and against the Scriptures of the Testament For there Christ is said to be the Keeper of his Israel which Joh. 18. 9 he bought and redeemed That hee loseth not one That none shall Joh. 13. 1 take them out of his hand That those that hee loveth hee loveth to the end and many like places 2 Tim. 2. 19 Heb. 6. Jer. 32. Indeed a man may fall away from grace and forsake his first Love that Christ hath redeemed before men in the sight of men and in the estimation of men c. but not before God in Gods Sight and estimation Gods Love is an everlasting Love to the end The foundation of God is sure the Lord knoweth who are his and Jesus Christ is the yesterday and to day And I will be their God and they shall be my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their Hearts that they shall never depart from mee Jerem. 32. 40. Another Meditation of the Law THe Law is good and holy and the use of the Law and Commandement appointed of God to be manifested and published to mee in the holy Scriptures is so evident both to the Reprobate 1 Tim. 1. 8 and to the Elect as the Apostle saith The Law is good to man if a man use it lawfully The reprobate and the Elect in their corrupted estate the one as the other hath remaining corrupted reason wisdome and knowledge of God in the corrupted nature of man whereby they have some corrupted sight of the righteousnesse of God in the common Law and the penalty of breaking thereof So the Apostle saith of the Church That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto Rom. 9. 19 them For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and God head are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in his Workes to the intent that they should be withâ—â—t excuse which men though they know the Law of God how Vers 31. that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also know them that doe them This righteous Law and command of God remaining in the corrupt Reason Wisdome Knowledge and Nature of men is called of the Ethnick Philosophers the Law of nature of the Lawyers the Law of Nations And of this Law the Law of Moses which temperate meeknesse was a plaine Exposition and manifestation of Yet this Law and righteousnesse of God remaining unto the corrupted nature of man was that which by Gods providence forced the Philosophers so called of the Ethincks to write many bookes of Ethicks to the people wherein wee see many notable Rules and directions for mans safety and society And likewise in the Lawes of Nations for civilizng and moralizing of men And no Nations of people that wee have heard of read of there are or have been but there have beene Rules and Lawes amongst themselves for some civility and morality according to their corrupt reason and understanding of God and God not to sanctâ—fie or justifie men before God for that is onely Christs Worke but to civilize and moralize them before men for the more safety of Gods Elect. And this was the use of the more cleare Exposition and manifestation of this Law of God remaining to man in his corrupt nature by a speciall providence of God written by Moses to the People of Israel and so remaining written to all people to whom it commeth as unto us to moralize and civilize men or as it may be said to sanctifie and justifie men before men in the sight of men in the estimation of men And that upon the proportionable temporall penalties to the breakers and like reward to the Keepers thereof for the good and society of men without which mans life would be miserable But not to justifie or sanctifie men before God by the worke thereof That being onely the work of Christ and onely in the power of Christ and his performance And the Acts 13. 39 Rom. 3. 20 Scriptures largely and plainly manifesteth that from all things which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him that is Christ every one that believeth is justified By the worke Rom. 10. 6. of the Law shall no man be justified in his that is Gods sight saith Rom. 3. 24 the Apostle If it be of works it is no more of grace wee are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The Law saith the Apostle came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17 If any Law and the marke of any Law of Moses might sanctifie or justifie before God then the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Law and the workes thereof might have done that as the Offerings Sacrifices shedding of Bloud Purifyings Clensing and Washing Sprinklings and the like which all figured Christ and his performances But the Apostle saith that all these were nothing to purifie and sanctifie men before God but onely outwardly touching the flesh in the sight and estimation of men as Heb. 9. 13. for saith the Apostle It is impossible the Bloud oâ— Bulls and Goats should take away sinne and againe in burnt Offerings sin Offerings thou hadst no pleasure therein said I that is Christ Loâ— I come to Heb. 10. 4 do thy will O God Man is not justified sanctified or purified before God by any of mans workes of the Law of Moses no God Heb. 10. 6 7 hath no pleasure in them but onely in his Christ and his workes And yet God was pleafed his Law and Commandements should remaine to corrupt man even that that Moses Law the more cleare exposition of the Law of nature should be added because of transgression as the Apostle saith to shew sinne more cleerly to Gal. 3. 19 man and the righteousnesse of God in condemning The transgressions of his Law first and last and to abate and shake the current of corruption in the reprobate to the more safety of his Elect among them as Wolves to them and for the mortifying
unto death and there is sin unto death and so forth That both the sin not unto death and the sin unto death are 1 Joh. 9. 16. 17 the sins of the Elect Believers They utterly mistake the meaning of the Apostle for all sin which is sin before God is manifested in the Scriptures to be sin unto death The soule that sinneth shall die saith the Prophet The reward of sin is death saith the Apostle But Ezech. 18. â— Rom. 6. 23 it is made cleer before that the elect after they were elected in Christ the holy and without blame before God in love which they cannot be if God seeth sin in them if they had the fulnes of sin in them 〈◊〉 God still which is alwayes loathsome blamefull and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God The sin that iâ— not unto death is the sin of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression of the Law before men in the estâ—â—ation of men whose sin before God Christ hath taken away And the sin uâ—â—o death is the sin of reprobates and unbelievers whose sin is all unto death and alwayes sin before God Of the Law THe Law of God to man was for mans performance of righteousnes upon eternall penalty before God The failing wherof soreknown Christ undertooke to performe the Law of Christ to man is for performance of righteousnesse before men upon temporall penalty Of the Law remaining and the Law 〈◊〉 in Christ to the Elect. Because the Apostle of Christ saith Christ is the end of the Law Rom. 10 4 for righteousnes unto every man that believeth and that he againe saith couching Believers yee are no more under the Law but under grace Rom 6. 1â— Some collect from thence that the Law of God called the Law of nature and of workes given manifested to Adam in Paradice in the time of his innocency and power and the same Law expounded and manifested by Moses to the Church or people of God the Israelites in Mount Sinay called the Morall Law and also the Leviticall and ceremoniall Law And all Law of God for righteousnesse is ended in Christ to believers no Law for righteousnesse requiring performance by the Elect hath any thing to do with them nor they with the Law And some say that these words of the Apostle do not hold forth That Christ is the end of the Morall Law for righteousnes before God to Believers Believers are still under the command power and obligation oâ— the Morall Law for righteousnes before God that is to do the workes of righteousnes before God that onely the penalty and condemnation of the Morall Law for omission of doing the righteous workes of the Law and for their doings of unrighteousnes and sin against and contrary to the Morall Law is ended and taken away by Christ And that the ceremoniall Law the Levâ—câ—ll Rom. 6. Law and the Judiciall given or manifested by Moses 〈◊〉 people oâ— Church of the Israelites which â—â—d the Figure and relation to Christ to come in the flesh and his performances in the flesh and to that notion of people 〈◊〉 were only ended in Christ to believers unto which the words of the Apostle Christ iâ— the end of the Law for righteousnes to all Believers have the reference only say they Sol. But I take it both these have defection and error The former holding forth that all Law of God given to man for righteousnes is ended in Christ to all Believers which is only truth thus That all Law of God given to man for righteousnes before God in Gods sight righteousnesse is ended and fulfilled in Christ for the Elect For that was the matter of Christs undertaking for his Elect Believers I came saith Christ not to destroy the Law but to Mat. 5. 1â— fulfill it 〈◊〉 â—e said to Iohn Baptist wherâ— he refused mo 〈…〉 Mat. 3. 1â— to Baptize him as if hee should have said I have undertaken to fulfull all righteousnes of the Law before God for the Elect of God it behoveth mee so to do hinder not me therefore to Mal. 3. 1. do it in the lest let me be Baptised of thee Thou art the messenger I have sent And to that purpose the Apostle saith As by one mans Gal. 2. 2â— disobedience many were made sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous we are made righteous by Christ saith the Apostle Christ is our righteousnes all which is meant before God So that though there was a Law of God made to man that charged all men upon paine to do their workes in righteousnesse before God which they had power also given them to doe but by their own fault had lost it utterly yet the Christ of God having undertaken to pay the transgression of the same Law and to performe the full righteousnesse thereof before God for the Elect Believers God delivered up that Law binding the Elect to righteousnesse before God which now had no power to do the same and which his Christ had undertaken to do and had performed For the Elect Believers before God being therewith satisfied Isa 53. 12 as the Prophet speaketh yea God delivered that binging Law touching the Elect of God into the hand power disposition of his Christ the Mediator And therefore the Apostle saith Christ is the end of the Gal. 〈◊〉 19. Law for righteousnes to all believers And that Believers are not under the Law but under grace For there is no reason that when the Son hath paid the full debt the bond shall lie still against the principall Yet I take it that the Apostle did not intend in his words where he said Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to all Believers That is the end of the Law for rightâ—ousnsse before God and also before men to all Believers God did not intend in his first giving of Law to men his own honour service and duty to himselfe only but also the mutuall service duty and good of men one to another as Christ plainly sheweth in his answer to the man that asked him which was the great Commandement in the Law Jesus said to him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and the great Commandement And the second is like unto this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Mat. 22. 37 38 39. On these two Commandements dependeth the whole Law and the Prophet And therfore Christ saith Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5. 16. Wee see God intended in his Law not onely duty to himselfe but also to men And that unto both upon penalty answerable and proportionable to the breach and offence of both as the Law speaketh Breach for breach Eye for Eye and Tooth for Tooth And although man in his now corrupt nature can doe neither of the duties of these great Commandements of the Law righteously before God in Gods sight and estimation Because
not of any property King or Lord over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3 It is Christ alone that is of property due right merit and interest King Priest and Prophet Lord Ruler Governor Lawgiver Judg Teacher and men only by account and grace so called and honored of Christ and they all to cast their crowns down to the ground before him and to give and ascribe all honor glory power might and Rev. 4. 10 majesty unto him which is all in all And thus the discovery of the Errors of Independents Anabaptists and Brownists touching Christs Government of his Church is made by the Spirit of grace and truth And also of the Error of the Legalists touching the same and their Reconciliation to the Truth by the grace and power of him that is able to open the eyes of the blind and bring him home that wandereth and goeth astray And certainly if Independents Legalists and all Dependants will acknowledg the undoubtable truth That Christ did ever give doth and will ever give his holy Spirit of Adoption to all of his Elect people to all of his Church catholique as the Apostle saith undoubtedly of all those We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And again He dwelleth in you and shal be in Rom. 8. 15 John 14. 1 Rom. 8. 9 2 Cor. 13. 5 you meaning by his Spirit And further If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And yet further Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And also if they will acknowledg That man hath no power nor wisdom to do any good thing of himself That all power unto good Psa 62. 11 Mat. 6. 13 belongeth unto good onely That his is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever as Christ himself taught And if they will acknowledg That Christ by his Spirit given to his Church disposed as he pleaseth doth worketh and bringeth forth all good things for publique and private for the whole Church and particular as well of ruling governing lawgiving ordering commanding judging teaching and guiding as also of obeying submitting and serving for his own honor and glory and for the good comfort and society of his people by or with such his instruments of men fitted by his Spirit as he pleaseth Then they must needs conclude That this is Christs Government of his Church which is made done and wrought by his Spirit by or with such fitted instruments of men as are held forth in the word of Grace and Testimonies and guided by his Spirit as he pleaseth having evidence of the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering righteousness gentleness goodness faith meekness and temperance always accompanying the same Gal. 5. 22 And as Christ governeth his Church upon Earth by divers his fitted instruments of his Spirit called by him with his own names and titles Kings Princes Lords Rulers Governors Lawgivers Judges Bishops or Overseers Presbyters or Elders Pastors Teachers Deacons Ministers Helpers or whatsoever other names mentioned in the Word of Grace in such place and office of his as he pleaseth to make them fit for by his Spirit of Grace to be his instruments in his compleat Government of his Church and Republique thereof So Christ being the Head of his Church and being the Head of the whole body of his Church in all things upon Earth thus governed by him as the Apostle saith He hath undoubtedly his instruments of Eph. 4. 26 his Headship of his Church severed into many National Churches to which his Government belongeth And certainly to that instrument of Christ upon Earth which he hath fitted and placed for the first and principal of his Government in his ordination and subordination Christ is well pleased to account to him his honor and title of Head of that National Political and Parochial Church So Samuel the Prophet of God accounted the same to Saul being made King When 1 Sam. 11 17 thou wast little in thine own sight saith Samuel wast thou not made Head over the Tribes of Israel for the Lord anointed thee to be King over Israel And David the King praised the Lord saying Thou hast preserved me to be Head over Nations a Sam. 22 44 Now to Christ the Head saith the Apostle the whole body is coupled and knit together in every joynt for the increase of the body Eph. 4. 16 unto the edifying of itself in love So the whole body of the Church is coupled and knit to Christs instrumental Head for the good and benefit thereof in all things of goodness to be directed by the Head for the edifying of the whole in love Every body hath his head otherwise it were a monster The Body of Christ upon Earth cannot be without an Head of Christs upon Earth in which have rested all disquietness and questions of the Church from the beginning As in Moses Joshuah the Judges David Solomon and the rest of the good Kings in the Apostles of Christ and other the Heads of the Church ever sithence and from the beginning Non bona tam sequitur quà m bona prima fuit When the Son of man shall come shall he finde Faith upon the Luk. 18. 8 Earth JOHN 15. 5. Without me you can do nothing The right meaning and understanding of these words of Christ giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises which must needs be included in one of these six Expressions following First That Christ is the Helper of man in the good work Or secondly That Christ is a co-operator with man in the work Or thirdly That Christ is the Instrument of man in the work Or fourthly That man is the Helper of Christ in the work Or fifthly That man is the co-operator with Christ in the work Or sixthly That man is the Instrument only of Christ in the work Solut. If Christ be the Helper of man in the work then is man the beginner and master of the work the principal worker or workman of the work and man is exalted above Christ If Christ be a co-operator with man then Christ is only a partner with man in the work and so Christ hath only his share with man of the work Christ is disthroned If Christ be the Instrument of man in the work then Christ is not the doer of the work but man is the doer the work is wholly mans for the Instrument is only fitted guided and acted by the workman and so is Christ only fitted guided and acted by man if Christ be his Instrument man is exalted above Christ If man be the Helper of Christ in the good work then Christ is not able and strong enough or not sufficient to do and perform the good deed but hath need of mans Help so man is exalted which 2 Cor. 12 11 Gal. 6. 3 is nothing as the Apostle saith If man be a co-operator with Christ in the good work then man may of right claim a share in the work and of the work that is righteous and so man hath something to boast of contrary to the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 16 and man is exalted If man be only by grace a fitted Instrument of Christ in his good and righteous work as he pleaseth then Christ is the only doer and workman of the work and the work is wholy Christs the honor wholy belongeth to him and man is so made graciously his Instrument also of the praise and glory of his grace especially for Christs accounting and imputing his own work and the righteousness thereof to man as Paul saith David said Blessed is the man to whom-the Lord imputeth righteousness without works of his own Ro. 4. 6 7 To this agreeth that of the Apostle Give or yield your members instruments of righteousness unto God And again Yet it was not Rom. 6 13 1 Cor. 15. 10 Mat. 10. 20 I that labored but the grace of God with me meaning in his instrument So Christ told his Disciples It is not you that speak but the Spirit of the Father in you you are but the instruments So David said My tongue is the pen of a ready writer that is the Psal 45 1 instrument of the Spirit of God as the pen is of the writer The pen writeth not without the writer no more can man do the good thing without Christ the doer as Christ saith in the Text Without me you can do nothing no not being the branches of the Vine the Elect of God The branch cannot bear and hold forth the fruit without the Vine and spirits thereof This way Christ indeed is exalted as God exalted him and any the other ways not so but dis-throned FINIS