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
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
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
people of Israel to be blessed of God Gods chosen people yet for wages and gain he would have done them any mischief he might The perishing and destruction of Corah was his slighting and gainsaying of the Ordinance of Christ in the Ministry and Ministers thereof called and sent by his Ordinance for the gain of honor and the rest to himself His woe was not against Cain Balaam and Corah but against those and such in the last days that walk in their ways who in pride and covetousness of the riches and honors of this world trample under foot the Son of God his Laws and Ordinances for the government of his Church upon Earth his worship and honor among men c. and for righteousness peace society and safety among men themselves Q. Is not this Law of Christ given to his Church of Gods chosen people Iustification before God and eternal Life to the keepers and doers of that Law and Commandment for or by the keeping and doing thereof before men and condemnation before God and eternal death to the neglecters and breakers thereof before men for neglecting and breaking the same A. No that cannot be so for the holy Scriptures shew plainly the contrary in many places First Paul saith of himself and all Gods chosen people He hath chosen us in Christ before the World to be holy and without blame before him in love which must needs be understood thus God foreseeing and foreknowing before the world all men to become the children of wrath by transgression he of love and free grace was pleased to chuse some of them then before himself to be his adopted children through Christ to be holy and without blame before him in love and being chosen are justified and have eternal life in Christ So the same Paul which saith God hath chosen us in Christ before the world c. saith We were all the children of wrath as well as others before God before that of Gods love and free grace we were chosen in Christ out of the general company of the children of wrath to be the children of God but now being chosen in Christ to be the children of God we are not nor can be the children of wrath again for Christ loseth none chosen in him none taketh them out of his hand that the Father hath given him Now to affirm and hold forth that Justification and eternal Life cometh to man for or by his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ given to Gods people and in Tables of stone written long after Gods Election of them before the world manifested in the Scripture and that condemnation and eternal death cometh to them for the breaking and neglecting thereof before men is to disable dishonor and nullifie the gracious act of Gods Election in Christ of those he pleased before the world to be his loved children and to leave the rest in the condemnation of their own transgression Secondly The Apostle saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth them being chosen of God Rom. 8. 33 they are justified of God none after they are chosen of God shall or can lay any thing to their charge therefore their Justification before God or condemnation eternal life or eternal death doth not depend upon their keeping or breaking the Law of Christ given for the government of his Church upon Earth although indeed it may manifest the same Thirdly The Apostle saith If Iustification before God and eternal life be of the Works of the Law they are not of Grace But the Apostle affirmeth That Gods chosen are justified freely by grace and not by the Works of the Law Fourthly The Apostle citing other Scriptures saith Before Iacob and Esau were born and had done good or evil that the purpose of God might remain according to Election not by works but Rom. 9. 11 13 by him that calleth God loved Iacob and hated Esau It was because God of love and free grace had Elected Iacob in Christ before the world that God continued his love to Iacob and because Esau was left in the wrath of his transgression in Adam that God continued his wrath and hatred to Esau Fifthly If mans Justification before God should depend upon his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ there were no man could be justified and saved for the Apostle saith In many things we offend all and his repentance that is finite and temporal could not satisfie the trespass done before and against the infinite God which it must do in justice if Christs Law were with condition of everlasting life and everlasting death for keeping and breaking of the Commandment Q. Is there no good nor benefit to Gods chosen people by keeping and doing the Law and Commandment of Christ carefully and in singleness of heart nor no damage nor danger to them by breaking and neglecting the same before men A. Yes Gods chosen people have two special benefits by the keeping and doing of the Law and commandment of Christ before men in singleness of heart and carefully First They have the temporal reward in the condition promised and held forth in the holy Scriptures In keeping of them there is Psa 19. 11 58. 11 great reward saith David And again Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous And they have much more then is manifested prepared of Christ for their reward of grace The things which eye hath not seen neither ear hath heard 1 Cor. 2. 9 neither came into mans heart hath Christ our God prepared for them that love him saith the Apostle Secondly They have the evidence of the Spirit of Christs work in their hearts for the carefulness and singleness of heart is the work and fruit of the Spirit which they as branches of the Vine Christ do onely bear and bring forth of grace as instruments wherewith the Spirit doth the work and imputeth it to them of grace as Paul said It was not I but the grace of God with me And the Spirit by 1 Cor. 15. 10 Rom. 8. 16 such evidence received doth witness to their Souls that they are Gods children And the damage and danger to Gods chosen people is great by breaking and neglecting this Law and command of Christ For first they lose the said reward of keeping and doing the same when they break it and neglect it they forsake their own mercies Secondly They are liable to the temporal penalties and are sure thereof without repentance of their offences before men And hereupon it is that Christ our God shaketh his rod of Judgments so often in the Scriptures against the chosen people of God which he knoweth in themselves are frail weak and subject to temptations to keep them from transgression and the danger thereof Q. What is the good and benefit of the Gospel and the preaching thereof unto Gods chosen people Is it beyond and more then the Law and
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
creature in Christ a new man in Christ not in himself therefore he saith Jf any man be in Christ be is a new creature in Christ So the same Apostle saith he is quickned in Christ Eph. 2. 5. not in himself He is holy and without blame before God in Christ that is chosen in Christ Eph 1. 4. not in himselfe his carnall sinfull corrupt soul and body Our life that we live before God is in Christ it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Col. 3. 3. It is not in our selves that we live before God in that J live J live by the faith of the Son of God saith Paul Gal. 2. 20. It is by faith that we live it is by grace of imputation of Christs life holinesse and righteousness that we live are holy and righteous before God not by inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in our corrupt man that is in our selves as the Apostle saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse Arg. 6. They for their inherent holinesse c. alledge the words of Peter the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 18. Jf the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Answ The words are clearly to be understood of hypocrites having inherent holiness and righteousnesse in themselves by their own account and in the estimation of men as the Pharisees and Judas had and others and of such as are manifest Reprobates by their contempt of godlinesse and greedinesse of transgression The Apostle noteth the haâ—dnesse of salvation to the best of these but there is no hardnesse or scarcenesse of salvation to those which are in Christ which God hath chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love that are so Eph 1. 4 5. Act. 13. 48 ordinated to eternall life before the world as Paul and the rest were as he affirmeth and the other Evangelists Arg. 7. Thinking that these words of the Prophet will uphold inherent holiness c. they would have them paraphras'd auferam cor lapideum dabo cor carneum that is I will take away the stony Ezek. 36. 26. heart and give a fleshy heart Answ Man by corruption hath a hard and stony heart in himself although the man be chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before God and is so in Christ although his heart be still hard in himself But when Christ pleaseth to send his Spirit the Spirit of promise to him with his operations of mortification and sanctification thereby Christ fitteth his story heart to be his branch to bear his fruits wrought up by his Spirit as he pleaseth such as are called the fruits of his Spirit inlightning softning love joy peace faith righteousnesse repentance selfe-deniall and all manner of goodness in which respect it is called a fleshy heart by reason of the operations of the Spirit unto it But the operations are not so as no hardness remaineth or returneth or fruits of the same hardness and corruption in the heart or soul Mr. Calles the memorable Martyr sheweth that well in his mournfull song which every best fleshy hearted man proveth Indeed saith he sometime I do repent To God for mercy call but yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Here were in him fruits born and held forth of the fleshy heart but incontinent the fruits of the corrupt and stony heart are held forth in this man no inherent holiness and righteousness proved in man Arg. 8. They alledge for inherent holiness and righteousness c. Act. 10. 35. where it is said He that worketh righteousnesse is accepted with God From whence they conclude that there are some men that work righteousnesse and are accepted of God for working of righteousness Answ I am sorry that you draw such a conclusion from this Scripture contrary to the meaning thereof and contrary to the plain word of other Scriptures Paul saith Rom 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth meaning to have acceptance with God but in God that sheweth mercy And again if it be of mans working of righteousness then it is no more of grace that man is accepted with God Rom 11. 6. If it be of his works then it is of debt that man is accepted with God For to him that worketh the wages is accounted by debt saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 4. The Apostle excludes debt work to make acceptance with God I wish that Gal 5. 4. were well considered ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace He that is accepted of God for working righteousnesse certainly is justified by the Law and thinketh himselfe to be so For by that he is accepted with God he is justified before God God accepteth no unjust person The Apostle saith he that worketh righteousness of whatsoever Nation he be is accepted with God that is just with God but he doth not say that any man of any Nation worketh righteousnesse before God Yet there may be some of every Nation that work righteousness in the estimation of men and some that in Christ which hath undertaken and performed all righteousness for them before God work righteousness and in Christ are accepted with God for the work of his righteousness imputed to them Arg. 9. They alledge Doctor Davenets writing de babituali justitia which saith omnes Theologos concedere inherentem justitiam justificatis c. Answ Doctor Davenets writing understood in the best sense as we say that in Christ those that are justified in him have inherent holiness and righteousness in Christ but not in themselves in their corrupt souls and bodies But understand Doctor Davenet as ye will Doctor Davenets Scripture is not canonicall Scripture The Spring of inherent Holinesse c. INherent holiness and righteousness in part remaining in men after the generall fall and loss in Adam whereby they had still free-will and power to do the commandement unto their salvation Was the heresie of the Palagians confuted and exploded in the Primitive times after the Apostles But soon after the Papists loath to humble themselves to their corrupt condition as Christ speaketh loath to deny themselves because they would not come manifestly in the pride of man with the Palagians and in their confuted errour Therefore acted by the spirit of Antichrist they invented another way whereby they say man hath inherent holiness and righteousness in himself by the sanctification of the Spirit and hereby they are inabled to do the works of holiness and righteousness themselves pleasing to God accepted with God moving and causing God to do them good This is the ground of all their proud Popish Tenents And from this ground the Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Presbyterians and other hold forth many things to the exalting of man and the pulling down of Christ to the great dishonor of Jesus Christs undertakings and performances for poor corrupt unable dead
mankind as thereby every man that will may recover Gods favour and love may pacifie and please God by doing his holy commands taught and preached unto him and remaining in him by nature and so attain God heaven and salvation lost by the first man This was that of Palagius exploded for heresie 4. The fourth sort say that there is a God and Diven and hell and all mankind lost in Adams transgression and notwithstanding the losse and death in Adam there is o Adams indowment left to all men power and free-will to heare the Gospell of Jesus Christ crucified for the redemption of all men being preached unto them and hearing they may believe if they will for faith cometh by hearing yea by hearing Rom 10. 17 power is given them to believe and live c. some say although dead before for the dead shall hear the Ioh. 5. 25. voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live saith Christ The performance of Jesus Christ and Redemption is for all men but life and salvation cannot be to any of mankind that will not and do not hear the Gospell of Jesus Christ crucified preached unto them and believe And this Jesus Christ was indeed foreknowne say they of God the Father before the world to be given to perform for all men unto life and to redeeme all men but was not given till his manifestation in the flesh which did then undertake with God and performed for all men if all men would hear and believe And so their salvation hath beginning and first ground from mans own will and his own work he may thank himself first if he be saved and after thanks are due to Jesus Christ Robbery and idolatry They deny Gods choice of men in Christ of mercy love and fâ—ee grace and ordination of them chosen to eternall life before the world and his manifestation of the same by his Spirit when he pleaseth in 〈◊〉 A despâ—sing of Gods everlasting love goodnesse and free grace in Christ and of his power thereto in his pleasure of choosing dead men to life and specially Gods choosing of them They deny God which saith thy salvation is only Hos 13. 9. of me thy damnation of thy self And Peter the Apostle of Christ that saith there is no salvation in any other Act. 5. 12 thing but in Jesus Christ all this meant freely of grace love and mercy without meanes of man It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in Rom. 9. 16 God that sheweth mercy willing hearing and believeing by the command to naturall men are meanes of man as they take it in his own naturall power If they be wrought up by the spirit in man they are meanes only in the estimation of man unto salvation But the Apostle of Christ tell us they are onely manifestations evidences witnesses and assurances of our salvation wrought up by the Spirit in the Rom. 8. 16 branches of the Vine Jesus Christ and not means Christ hath no meanes but himselfe to save man for man to please God or prevaile with God is to save himselfe by merit for if man can please God he can prevaile with God to save him God will not damne him that pleaseth him so he saveth himself by pleasing of God 5. The fifth sort say there is a God and Divell Heaven and Hell that Adam and all men were lost and dead upon the first transgression that God foreknew all so and of mercy love and free-grace did choose some of mankind in his Christ which he gave before the world to undertake and redeeme them chosen by his death and performances To whom he sendeth his quicking and sanctisying Spirit by his Ordinance of Prayer Preaching and hearing c. whereby they believe and repent and are then first justified before God and by the sanctification of the same Spirit and first grace they have life and inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves as Adam had by Creation whereby they are themselves accepted with God and are inabled to do the works of holinesse and rightnousnesse the works of the holy command themselves before God as agents thereof and thereby please God pacifie God and prevaile with God to do them good and they say it is therefore that they teach and exhort men to pray believe repent and do duties commanded that so they may serve God please pacifie and prevaile with God to doe them good to save them is for man to merit life and salvation God cannot damne him that pleaseth him These go about to establish their owne righteousnesse which they suppose they have by the sanctification of the Spirit for sanctification and other fruits and works of the Spirit wrought up in man the branch to beare and hold forth are not so that man the branch should or can please the Father the husbandman thereby but to manifest evidence and witnesse that man that the Branch abideth in Christ the Vine and that Christ the Vine pleaseth his Father the husbandman not that that which they do in bearing and holding forth the fruit is their righteousnesse to please God but that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to them whose righteousnesse only pleaseth God Note Some of these and some of the former sort say that a man that believeth may fall away from the faith and commit such sinne as he may be damned And they say a man in Christ is a new creature in himselfe the old man with his corruptions and sinne is gone the heart qualities and affections will and understanding all are made righteous and sinne is gone from the man himselfe which is in Christ if corruption and sin remain thou art not in Christ And many of this fifth sort affirm that man in Christ is regenerate onely in part a new creature in part a new man in part c. Thus holding forth the new creature and new man is to be a manifest half or part of a man This sense is carnall and monstrous indeed not consistent with that of the Apostle Old things are past all things are made new 6. The sixth for say that there is a God and Divell Heaven and Hell that Adam and all men were lost upon the first transgression that God foreknew all so and of mercy love and free-grace did choose some of mankind in his Christ which he gave before the world to undertake to do the will of God for and redeeme them chosen by his death and performances which chosen he did then also of free-grace predestinate adopt his children ordaine to eternall lâ—fe irrevocable call justifie and glorifie before himselfe although not in manifestation to the creature till fulnesse of time and that he sendeth his holy spirit to them as he pleaseth to work up the fruits of his spirit in them that they as branches may beare them and hold them forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. to the glory of the Father the husband man before men
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
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
every and Robbery in the highest And is not this Idolatry to set themselves and their performances up in the place of Christ to please God themselves to obtaine of God to be justified through their owne Faith and Performances before God to account goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves and in their own wills workes and performances Is this to deny themselves Is not this to set up the Idoll in their Hearts Haba 1. 16 Deut. 29. 19 Ezek. 14. 7 Is not this to Sacrifice to their own Nets Is not this to blesse a Mans selfe and yet to walke in the imagination of his own heart Is not this to kisse the Calves to kisse the workes of his own hands to make Idols according to their own undertaking Babes keepe your selves from Idols Oh that Gods People might not be hindered to know that Hosee 13. 2 their own weldoing of the command of Christ is nothing unto God as David did That they might deny themselves That they might ever honour praise and be thankfull for the Love Mercy and Free-grace of God the Father to them And the undertaking of Jesus Christ his Sonne and his performance for them to the full satisfaction of the Justice of God for their eternall and temporall good and that all things shall worke together for the best to them that love God And that the performances of the Commandements of Jesus Christ being the Fruits of his Spirit in them whereof as hee pleaseth of grace hee maketh them his Branches to beare and instruments of his Word thereof might witnesse evidence and assure to them all these of God and Christ unto them that they are Gods children as the Apostle saith the spirit witnesseth Object I conceive that you teach that although God did foreknow in his Eternity that mankinde would transgresse fall and become the children of wrath and had power of his grace and mercy to save all fallen in Justice through the redemption and performance of Jesus Christ his Sonne Yet it was his Will and good pleasure to choose onely some of them in Christ of his Love grace and mercy towards them to be his holy ones and blamelesse ones in Christ to be his children adopted through Christ to bee ordained to eternall Life to bee Predestinated Called Justified and Glorified in Gods Sight before the World unchangeably How is it and what is the true meaning that our God saith in his Testament That hee would not the Death of him Ezek. 18. 32 that Dieth that he will that all men shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and in many like places of Scripture and 1 Tim. 2. 4. that our God holdeth forth in the Scripture of his Testament that it lieth and consisteth in the will and the deed of man to have the Salvation of God and all good at Gods hand hee willeth not the death of any man and would have all men be saved if they seeke it labour for it and come unto Christ and doe his Commandement And therefore so Christ saith If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Luke 9. 23. Rev. 22. 17 me Let whosoever will take of the water of life Freely If any man will doe his will hee shall know the truth Will a man rob his God Jos 7. 17 c. Who so will do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same Mat. 12. 50. is my Brother Sister and Mother Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. 21 of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven This do and thou shalt live Luke 10. 28 Aske and you shall have seeke and yee shall finde labour for that which indureth to eternall Life Strive to enter in at the strait Mat. 7. 7. Joh. 6. 27 Luke 13. 24 1 Cor. 9. 24 Gas 6. 9 Gate runne that yee may obteine in due time yee shall reape if yee faint not and many like Scriptures God chooseth none nor refuseth any that will Againe you teach that God did choose in Christ some onely unto Life Eternall some onely to be his children to be justified and glorified before the World before they were borne and that Eph. 14. 5 6 unchangeably And that the Death Redemption and Performance of Christ was onely for those chosen of God in him for Rom 9. 11 satisfaction of the Justice of God which was the undertaking of Christ to doe the Will of God Esa 53. Notwithstanding our God saith in his Testament that he would all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth That Christ died for all Men That Christ died for the ungodly being 1 Tim. 2. 4 yet sinners That Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all Men That Rom. 5. 6. 8 1 Tim 2. 6 God was in Christ and reconcile unto the World to himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation That he is a Reconcileation not for our sinnes onely 2 Cor. 5. 19 but for the sinnes of the whole World And notwithstanding our God 1 Joh. 2. 2 saith in his Testament Hee that walketh in my Statutes and keepeth my Commandements and deale truly he is just and shall surely live And if he hath a Sonne that is a Theife a Murtherer an Oppressor Ez. 18. 5 c. and Adulterer an Idolater c. he shall not live he shall die the death his bloud shall be upon him The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himselfe But if the wicked shall returne from all his sinnes and keepe my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall live and not die all his transgressions that hee hath done shall not be mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and continueth in iniquity hee shall die for the same Againe when a wicked man turneth from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right because hee considereth and turneth hee shall surely live and not die I will justifie every man according to his wayes saith our God therefore returne O house of Israel so iniquity shall not be your destruction I desire not that the wicked should die saith the Lord and the Apostle saith God willeth all to repent Acts 17. 30 Take heed saith the Apostle that no man fall away from the Heb. 12. 15. 17 grace of God as prophane Esau that sold his birthright for a Messe of pottage A man cannot fall away from grace but hee must have grace be under grace therefore a man that hath grace and righteousnesse unto Life may fall away and be in the state of wickednesse and death and may repent and
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
preaching of the Law of Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth unto them A. Yea the Gospel and the preaching thereof by those that are sent is for their everlasting comfort and good That setteth forth unto them the everlasting love mercy and free grace of God in his chusing them in Christ before the world unchangeably their ordination to eternal life their predestination to be the children of God for ever their calling thereto in the Image of his Son â—esus Christ their justification and glorification then before God to be manifested in fulness of time to the creature And clearly sheweth the way and work of all these by Christs undertaking with God to his satisfaction of justice in doing of his Will as the Lamb slain before him from the beginning and taking flesh upon him came into the world and performed the full righteousness of the Law of God in doing and suffering before men whereby they have deliverance from all sin and death by sin before God and are made coheirs annexed with Christ Jesus of all his riches triumph and glory in heavenly places And that Christ hath promised and sent his holy Spirit to them to do the spiritual work of the Law in them as he pleaseth for witness and comfortable assurance to them that they are Gods chosen children and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption because he witnesseth the same Rest to the Souls of Believers GOd hath revealed himself unto man to be one eternal invisible incompr 〈…〉 ible essence in whom is all foreknowledg and will as he pleaseth all love almighty power wisdom justice goodness and mercy and in three persons in this one essence Father Son and Holy Spirit according to which eternal qualities of his eternal Deity he hath in his foreknowledg and foresight purposed predestinated and decreed all things according to his will and according to his Will Purpose and Decree made Heaven Hell Earth and all Gen. 1. Isai 30. 33 things therein And with his purpose to make man he also purposed to make a Covenant of works with man which works if he did he should have the promise and assurance of life for ever But if he did fail in the work and break the Covenant he should dye presently And God foreknowing that man would break the Covenant of his great and meer love of his free grace compassion and mercy to mankind did provide purpose and decree to give to mankind in Christ a Covenant of Grace or promise of grace which was to give his own only Son to be made of a woman by taking mans flesh upon him to be born and brought forth of a woman to take upon him the form of a servant to be of no reputation among men yet as a general person and undertaker for all intended of the Father in acceptance to full satisfaction to do and perform the full righteousness of the Covenant of Works Law and commandment therein and to pay the whole and uttermost debt of and for the transgression made or to be made by those of mankind which he purposed to make choyce of for the glory of his grace to be performed by his Son Christ Jesus and to be preserved by the power of his Spirit until Psa 37. 18 19 1 Thes 5. 17 Eph. 1. 4 they were presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And according to the purpose of the Father he did Elect some of mankinde before the foundations of the world were layd to be his vessels of honor life everlasting and immortal inheritance in and with his Son Jesus Christ which had undertaken in acceptance and to full satisfaction of God leaving the rest to the merit and punishment of their own transgression And having made Heaven and Hell he made also the Earth and all creatures therein in their kind And placing man his creature in Paradise there made and manifested his purposed and decreed Covenant of Works with man with condition of life and death when man was endued with full power and free will to stand or fall And mand did fall and break the Covenant of Works which in duty as the creature he ought to have kept and performed to the Creator having of him power and free-will given to him to hve performed and done same And although God did foreknow that man would fall and break the Covenant yet God did not decree that man should fall and destroy himself by falling neither having given unto him power and free-will to stand or fall had he resisted the Will of God if he had stood but by falling and so destorying himself he resisted the Will of God that would not the death of a sinner For there was Ezek 18 32 one and the same end in the intention of God of both the Covenants purposed towards man which was the life of man yea in his Covenant of Works he intended the life of man This do and thou shalt live saith God to man although he set before him life and Gen. 42. 18 Rom. 7. 10 death in that Covenant of Works And after mans fall and loss of all he was endued with all of God being yet in Paradise God manifested to his Elâ—ct of mankind his purposed Covenant of Grace in his Son Jesus Christ to be performed of him without any condition of any performance by man but in Christ now being without power of believing as appears in the words of the Promise or Covenant of Grace The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents heaâ— The seed of the woman was freely promised to do and perform all that was to be done and performed for mans salvation to the end to break the serpents head and to destroy the works of the Devil as the Apostle speaketh and all this grace to be manifested in time to those in particular which should 1 Joâ— 3. 8 in manifestation receive the Spirit of adoption and bear the fruits of the Spirit the believing in the Son of God Jesus Christ so that in the righteousness of his Son Christs doing the work of the Covenant in himself as an undertaker for and a representative of all his Elect in acceptance to the full satisfaction of God all the Elect might have this righteousness accounted imputed and so made theirs of God as if themselves had done the full work of the Law and Covenant of Works And by his paying of the full debt and price for their transgression they might be assured of the forgiveness of their sins past Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Joh. 1. 7 and to come as if there had been no transgression at all in them of the Law and Covenant of Works And that they thus being justified fully by the obedience and performance of Christ before God and freed by the full payment of the price and debt with Christs precious blood Gods Elect might know themselves to have an absolute discharge from the Law and Covenant of Works before God and
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
THE VINDICATION OF CHRIST AND HIS ORDINANCES FROM The corrupt and false Glosses made thereon by the subtil Deceivers of these TIMES By Christopher Pooly Minister of the Word at great Missingham in Norfolk For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and Wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Mat. 24. 24. The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means c. Jer. 5. 31. LONDON Printed for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley 1652. The Summary Heads Oâ— the ensuing DISCOURSE THe truth of Faith and Believing manifested Pag. 1. A Treatise of Self-Denyal 8 The Love and Free Grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man 26 Positions about the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations 37 Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holiness and Righteousness in Man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered 42 Of the Sanctification of the Spirit 51 Six sorts of men of different ways opinions or judgments touching their estates with God 49 The Errors of Universal Redemption discovered 65 A Catechistical Dialogue useful for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 74 Another Meditation of the Law 94 Snares of Popery discovered 103 104 Of the Law remaining and the Law ended in Christ to the Elect. 110 111 All Times Deeds and Things present in Gods sight from Eternity 126 Another Catechistical Dialogue resolving many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary c. 137 Rest to the Souls of Believers 165 Christs Government of his Church upon Earth 192 193 The right meaning and understanding of these words in Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises 202 203. The truth of Faith AND Believing manifested BEcause the Apostle saith therfore we conclude that man is justified by faith without the works of the Rom. 3. 28 Rom. 5. 1. Law and the like otherwhere Some take it and hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by his faith by believing That he was not before his faith righteous before God it is his faith that doth him that good to make him righteous with God before faith he is an unjust man a wicked and ungodly man and one of the children of wrath before God without mercy and forgivenesse of sin before faith and repentance performed of him There is no justification of man before God before Faith This taking and holding forth of this Scripture although it seem to these to be according to the history yet it is quite contrary to the mystery of faith and of Christ as the Apostle calleth it 1 Tim. 3. 9 For it crosseth all the most clear and comfortable Scriptures of Gods free grace and love in Christ to corrupt weak and sinfull Hos 14. 4. Isa 31. 3. Rom. 9. 11 13. man before the world As also the Scriptures of Gods everlasting love to those he pleased before the world and in continuance And the Scriptures of Gods election of those which he pleased and loved out of the company of the children of wrath before the foundations of the world in Gods sight to be holy and without blame before him for ever in love And the Scriptures of Gods Eph. 1. 4. See Eph. 1 4. 5. 6. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 30. predestination to adoption through Christ and ordination to eternall blisse before the world of those which he elected in Christ before the world And further of his calling justifying and glorifying of those which he predestinated before himself before the world as the Scripture speaks And the Scripture of the Prophet Isa 53. 6. Esay that saith God hath laid the iniquities of us all upon Christ meaning of the Elect not that he will saith the Prophet but hath done it before the world when he loved elected and adopted his Elect c. And it crosseth the Scripture which saith that Christ justifieth Rom. 4. 5. the ungodly which must needs be understood of such as were ungodly the children of wrath by the first general sin who being elected before the world out of the same company to be holy and without blame before God in love ordained to eternal life and adopted Gods children are then justified before God although in themselves and before men they be still ungodly corrupt sinfull and carnall as Paul said he was in his best estate I am carnall Rom. 7. 14 sold under sin Paul could not be loved of God elected in Christ and adopted to be Gods child ordained to eternall life before the world and be the child of wrath and unjustified before God still although he did sin in the flesh before men And it crosseth the Scripture of the same place where it is said A man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law To Believe is a work of the Commandement of the Law as to love fear obey to be humble meek sober and temperate are works of the Commandements of the Law and Faith and Believing done then is the work of the Law as loving fearing obeying humiliation meeknesse sobernesse and temperance and the rest of that sort commanded to man in the law of works as Paul instances are all works of the law so that if a man be justified and made righteous before by his faith and believing commanded he is justified by the works of the law which the Apostle saith no man no flesh wall be justified by And here he saith A man is justified by faith without the works of the law The doers are justified Rom. 2. 13. Certainly no man is justified by any work of his own not because if he did the work commanded righteously the just God would not justifie him therefore but because no man doth or can do the work of the law commanded righteously therefore no man is justified saith the Apostle by the works of the Law But they say faith and repentance are works of the Evangelicall law and the commandements thereof are the commandements of the Evangelicall law to be performed of man Solut. if these take the Evangelicall law to command faith and repâ—ntance to believe and â—â—pent in the â—orm of the law and covenant of works to be performed of man before God then they are the works of the law by which no man can be justified before God But if they take this Evangelicall law as the term holds it forth indeed to be the law and commandement of the covenant of grace whereof Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect of God did undertake to do the whole will of God for them when he said Lo I come to do thy will O God And that Christ hath done doth and ever will do the same of the law commandement Heb. 10. 9. and covenant of grace for the elect of God which are not nor were ever able
to do any part thereof sithence the fall of man and that Christ hath fully performed all to be performed in himself already to the full satisfaction of God for the justification peace and salvation of the elect so that they are justified before God and have peace with God as the Apostle saith being justified by his blood we shall be saved from Rom. 5. 9. his wrath through Christ. And Christ died for our sins and rose a-again for our justification therefore the elect are justified before they believe then when Christ rose again before God and God loved Iacob before he was born or had done good or evill before men therefore Jacob was justified before God before he was born for God could not love him being still the child of wrath wicked and unrighteous before him and God elected Paul and the rest in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him they could not have been holy and without blame before God which God elected them unto if they had not then been justified before God They could not be elected out of the children of wrath and be still 〈◊〉 children of wrath before God they could could not be elected to be holy and without blame before God and be wicked and unjustified before God still And when God predestinated those he pleased to eternall life he then called justified Rom. 8. 29 30. and glorified them before himself saith the Apostle How then can these hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by faith that it is faith that doth him that good that there is no justification to man before faith And if they take it that Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect in the Evangelicall law or covenant of grace hath not only done the will of God and performed all to be performed in himself for the justification of the elect but also hath done doth and will do the will of Mod to the end in the elect in inlightening their dark hearts and souls by his spirit sent unto them and in manifesting and witnessing by his spirit to their hearts and soules that they are the children of God elected in Christ ordained to eternall life and justified before God by Christs performances and the free grace and love of God in Gods sight before the world and in giving understanding knowledge and believing to their dead hearts and souls of their justification and the rest wrought for them by Christ as David said Give me understanding and I shall Psal 119. 24. live that is I shall know that I live in Christ and that Christ liveth in me then they must needs take it that the performances of Christ in the elect are but the witnesses and manifestations of the performances of Christ in himself for the justification of his elect not their justifying Christ saith I am the vine and he saith to his elect you are the branches The fruit of the vine there bred is Iohn 15. 〈◊〉 conveighed by the spirits of the vine to the branches the branches bear the fruits of the vine and hold them forth as instruments prepared and fitted of the vine and spirits thereof The fruits that the branches bear and hold forth are not the fruits of the branches bred of the branches but the fruits of the vine so Christ called them Luke 22. 18. bred of the vine and conveighed by the spirits thereof to the branches to be born and held forth The branches cannot bear nor hold forth any good fruit without the vine and the spirits of the vine And the good fruits do shew and manifest the good vine whereof they are bred and that the branches that did bear them did abide in the vine So the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace faith c. are bred Gal. 5. 22. of Christ and conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the elect branches of the vine Christ and the elect as Christ pleaseth to do the will of God in them as his branches do bear and hold them forth But the fruits of the spirit are not bred of the elect but of Christ by his spirit conveighed to them and therefore called the fruits of the spirit to be born and held forth by them as fitted branches and instruments of Christ the vine and his spirit and the elect cannot beare them of themselves without Christ and his spirit breed them and conveigh them and therefore Christ faith VVithout me you can do nothing that is you cannot bear the fruits nor hold them forth without me and the fruits of the spirit born and held forth in man do witnesse and evidence Christ in him that bare them and do also witnesse that that man is elected in Christ and abideth in Christ the vine as the Apostle saith his spirit witnesses and faith is the evidence of things not seen Rom. 8. 16 Hâ—b 11. 1. All that which Christ doth of the will of God in the elect doth not justifie them or make them the children of God but onely doth witness and manifest to them that they are justified and made the children of God by the performances done in himself and that of grace by the imputation of his Righteousness and the Righteousness of his performances in himself to them they are made Righteous the children of God and saved As it is said Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness It could not be Abraham's believing according to the Commandment of the law of Works that was imputed to him for Righteousness for Abraham no doubt was a corrupt sinful man as all the Elect are in themselves and and his believing was corrupt and sinful as himself was and God that did never call evil good did never impute sin for Righteoulness and if Abrahams Righteousness had been of his believing according to the Commandement then it had been of his works that he was justified contrary to the Scripture The faith and believing the fruit of the spirit of Christ that Abraham did bear as a branch of the Vine Christ did onely witness and manifest to him that he was justified by Christ and his performances they did not justifie him But Abraham being one of Gods Elect in Christ for whom Christ had undertaken and in himself performed all Righteousness before God it that is the Righteousness of Christs performances was imputed to him for Righteousness by grace The Elect in Christ the Adopted through Christ those who See Rom. 4. 5 6. are ordained to eternal life whose sins were laid upon Christ from the beginning which Christ hath performed all for in himself to the full satisfaction of God are justified before God before Faith before they believe of grace by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them Their work of Faith cannot justifie them the grace of Faith wrought in them by the spirit of Christ doth not justifie them but witness andâ— manifest that they are justified by the Righteousness
much if it be fervent Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousnesse Moses prayed and Gen. 15. 6 Rom. 4. 3. Israel overcame the Amalekites Elijah prayed and God sent rain God promiseth to do good to them that love him and perform the duties of love and hath shewed love and requited much good to them which have performed the duties of love unto him Therefore say they the Scriptures hold forth that the love of the Elect to God and their performance of the duties of love to God in this world do cause move and incite God to love them and do them much good c. Answ These seem to know the Scriptures in the history But they know them not yet in the mystery of God and Christ and in the mystery of faith and godlinesse as the Apostle speaketh Colossians 2. 2. Eph. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 9. I find the continual practise of Antichrist is by his instruments alledging the history of the Scriptures to advance the honour of man and to abate the honour of God and his Christ And this is the certain note and mark of this deceiving Spirit as the Apostle expresseth to the Thessalonians and elsewhere This is a great advancement of mans honour to teach that being 1 Thess 1. 2. 4. the Elect of God he hath power to do that which shall cause move and incite God to love him and do him good and others yea and doth so by his believing praying and the rest of his performances of his love and service to God Were it not a great honour to that poor subject which for his fidelity love and performances to a great Potent and rich King should have the assurance of love assistance and good he would request and desire of the King and that he by his performances to the King could cause the King to do such things for him when he would Surely any man that were not envious would praise and honour the happinesse of this subject So they which teach that the love of men to God by their love do cause and make God to love them and by their Faith do cause God to justifie them and by their asking and praying do cause move and incite God to grant and give them that they desire and by their repentance do cause God to forgive them and by their other performances to God do cause God to do them good do much advance and honour men and their performances Whenas the very Elect although they be elected in Christ c. yet as the Apostle saith in themselves are nothing unto Epâ— 44. good before Godâ— If any man saith he esteemeth himself to be somewhat when as he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination Gal. 6. 3. No they can perform nothing that is good before God so Paul said of himself I find no means to perform that which is good Rom 7. 8 26 21. when I would do good saith he evil is present with me and the evil which I would not do that I do So that it is clear from hence that the faith or believing the praying and repentance and all the performances of the very Elect in themselves to God are evil and sin which is a mystery indeed unto such as the Gospel is hid And therefore they cannot cause move and incite God to love them justifie them give to them assist them or forgive them by their love faith prayer repentance or any other performances to God which are evil in themselves and the advancing and honouring of man for such his performances to God as shall and can so prevail with God as to cause him to do men good for the same is the work of the deceiving spirit to the greatest abasement of the power of Christ or a share of that which is onely Christs which as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12. 6. Phil. 2. 13. Hâ—b 12 2. worketh all in all yea which worketh in us the will and deed of his own good pleasure The work of all is the work of the Work-man which is Christ Christ is the Author and finisher of our faith and the rest the honour of all is his due it is Christ and his performances that onely causeth moveth and inciteth God to love to give to the Elect to assist and forgive not any performance of their own and it is Christ that covereth the sin of their performances and therefore to Christ the whole prayes and honour of procuring the love and the goodness of God to man is due and it is extream sacriledge to rob our God Christ of his honour and to give it to another and these of God and his Christ are great mysteries unto those which are lost to whom the gospel is hid the thing wrought doth witnesse the work-man but not that it self was the workman Object But they say God hath promised to love them and to shew mercy on them that love him and to justifie and save them that believe and to give to them and assist them that pray to him and ask him and to do them good that do obedience to his commandements Therefore God hath bound himself by his promise to be a debtor to those that love him believe pray and obey his commandements As promise is a debt if the condition be performed And therefore the love of man to God the Faith Prayer and Obedience of man to God must needs cause move and incite the just God in his promises to love them save justifie assist and do them good the work being done is enough to cause move and incite every just man to pay the work-man his promised wages much more doth the same the great God Answ This Objection is spread with the deceit of of the deceiving spirit for the promise was to Christ as Gal. 3. 16. Not to the seeds as speaking of many but to thy seed as of one which is Christ saith the Apostle The promise was not to the Elect as they are the corrupt man in themselves but to Christ and to them onely as they are elected in Christ It was and is Christ onely that is able to perform the condition and not man corrupted whereas it is said the promises were such made to Abraham the Apostle meaneth they were repeated and clearly manifested to Abraham which we made before to Christ who was before Abraham although of Abrahams seed is manifestation according to the flesh If the promise had been made to corrupt man as Abrahams also was it had been in vain for there was never any man that was able to have performed the condition nor hath done but in Christ which performed it for him If a great Emperor should bind himself by promise to a poor Begger to give him a Kingdome if he did pay twenty hundred thousand pounds which was not able to pay him one pound were not this a vain promise and bond or could this Begger look for this Kingdome
and for manifestation evidence and witnesse to themselves that they are elected in Christ adopted through Christ called justified and shall be glorified in their own sight among the Saints in glory when the time of glory before the creature shal come And they say that the Law now in the hand of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus was given of him to his people for the government of his Church and safety of his Elect that they may know transgression and sin that they may see what Christ hath 2 Tim. 1. 9 done for them before God in performing the righteousnesse and fulfilling that holy Law impossible to them before God That the outward possible righteousnesse of the Law and command may be performed before men to the good and profit of men as the Apostle speaketh be carefull of the good works of the Law for they are good and profitable to men which although as David saith they extend not to to God the goodnesse yet Psa 16 3. they extend to men upon the earth in goodnesse But these being blind and ignorant of the mystery of Christ and the Gospell take all carnally when as the truth is that the man in Christ is a new creature a Eph. 2. 25. new man wholly in Christ which is the new man in himself as the Apostle saith and this man in Christ is a new man by the grace of election imputation and mysticall union with Christ c. The error of Universall Redemption discovered BEcause the Apostle saith that Christ gave himselfe a ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. for all men And againe that Christ is the reconciliation for our Sinnes and 1 Joh. 2. 2. not for ours onely but also for the Sinnes of the whole World and because they find some other like Scriptures Some collect and hold forth That Christ dyed for all men Elect and Reprobate That he shed his blood for all men That he Eph. 1. 4. paid the price unvaluable of his blood to the great God for the satisfaction of the transgression of all men for the ransome of all men for the redemption of all men for the reconciliation and peace with God of the whole world But I take it although these think they doe honour God and his Christ in stretching out of such his and his Christs love grace bounty goodnesse and performance to all men to the whole world of men to the vessels of honour and dishonour to Reprobate and Elect. Yet I say I take it that these doe greatly erre and dishonour God and his Christ with holding the truth in unrighteousnesse covering Rom. 1. 18. the truth with falshood against whom wrath is revealed For first they mistake and misconstrue these Scriptures which they alledge for the ground holding forth the same to intend that Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all men elect and reprobate When as the meaning is that he gave himselfe a ransome for all men elected in Christ and that Christ is the reconciliation not for our sins onely which are of his elect now extant in the world believing in him but also for the sins of all the elect that ever were in the world and that ever shall be in the whole world Not a ransome and reconciliation for the sins of the forsaken ones of the Reprobate of the lost children of wrath but for the sins of the chosen and elected ones out of the company of the children of wrath which all Mankind was before the Creature upon the manifested generall fact by their owne fault and before God to whom all things are present even ab Eterno before the foundations of the world And not for the sins of those which were worthily Eph. 1. 45. hated of God before they are borne for the first transgression or have done good or evill before men as Esau was But Christ Rom 9. 11. 13. is a reconciliation for the sins of the beloved ones of God elected of God in Christ to be holy without blame before God in love Eph. 1. 4. as Jacob was loved and elected of God before he was borne or had done good or evill before men Rom. 9. 11. 13. The Scriptures doe not hold forth that God gave his onely begotten Sonne to dye and shâ—d his most pretious blood to Ransome Redeeme and be a Reconciliation for those of the Children of wrath by the generall fall which God refuses to Elect in Christ to be adopted his Children through Christ which God would not shew mercy upon but leave them in their owne hardnesse to the merited everlasting destruction For then God would not have Elected some in his Christ out of the generall Company of the Children of wrath to be adopted his Children through Christ to be Holy and without blame before God in love And have left forsaken and reprobated the rest still to be the Children of his hatred and wrath if God had intended the gift of his Sonne to undertake to shed his Blood to Ransome Redeeme and be a Reconciliation to him for the Reprobate for all one and other Neither doth the Scripture hold forth that the Christ of God did undertake to dye and shed his most pretious Blood Ransome Redeeme and was a Reconciliation to God for the sins of any of the left Children of Gods hatred and wrath but onely of those which were Elected in Christ before the Foundation of the World to be Holy without blame with God in love as Paul saith he and Eph. 1 4. all the Elect of God in Christ were Indeed for all men in the whole and Universall world which now are being Elected in Christ which ever have beene and shall be in the whole world Elected of God in his Christ Christ did undertake for shed his Blood Ransomed Redeemed performed all Righteousnesse for paid all Debts for made full satisfaction for to God and before God that before God there is nothing to be laid to the charge of Rom. 8. 33. Gods chosen it is God that Justifieth Being chosen of God in Christ they are justified of God through Christ undertaking and performance before God And is it not a high dishonour to the great wise and just God to tell him that he gave his onely Sonne to death for to pay the inestimable price of his Blood to Redeeme and Ransome from death to life those which he himselfe refused to save which he himselfe hated to live before him which he himselfe had judged to everlasting death unrecoverable which he himselfe knew before were left in such their owne hardnesse that they would not receive the benefit yea would reject the benefit of any Ransome paid for them Sure no man will give his beloved Sonne to death or pay ten thousand pound of money for to gaine that to him which he refuseth to have or which he knew will not be gained And it had been a presumptuous disobedience in Christ to his Father and prodigality in Christ of
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
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
Psal 16. 3 or weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord or is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Ps 16 2 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Christ Jesus is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 and Sanctification and Redemption And some object nothing of mans own his own faith and prayers in his own prayse please God nor is acceptable to God Then wherefore should or do men pray to God or give thanks to God all in vaine Ans 1. That that hath authority hath commanded that is enough Christ though all be not worth Gods looking on which is done 2. The Heathens and Publicans the Scribes Pharises yea the Devils did the same upon slavish feare and other respects If thou do not thou shewest thy self worse then those 3. For morality and example to men Though my goodnesse extendeth Psal 16. 23. not to thee O Lord saith David yet it doth extend to the Saints upon Earth 4. Because Christ the Vine maketh the Elect of God is known to beare such grapes The instruments of his Spirit to hold forth such fruits as are pleasing and acceptable to God though man cannot of himself please God with such of his own The Apostle saith The promise was made not to the seede as of man but to the seed as of one which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. agreeing to that word of promise The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. And Christ did believe the promise From hence I take it followeth that the Covenant of grace and promise was made onely to Christ in whom all the Elect of God were as all mankinde was in Adam by naturall Creation And the promise was to the Elect as they are in Christ one with Christ Members of Christ Therefore the Elect in Christ are not to challenge the promise of grace made to themselves but from Christ made to Christ and only made to them as they are in Christ in that I live saith the Apostle I live by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. It is Christs faith that Paul lived by It is a common publique confession Our best occasions are great abominations and I take it this is intended of our Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting and the like If these be great abominations to God they cannot pacifie nor please God neither sanctifie us to God Yet Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting being of the spirit of Christ The fruits of the spirit are acceptable of God God is well pleased in his Rom 8. 27 Son Christ and in him only pleased Christ maketh request for his saints according to the will of God Some say Faith is a condition of mans part to be performed of man in Gods Covenant of grace for the obteining and injoying the promise and grace And before man hath performed the condition of Faith and believing he hath neither interest in the promise nor grace nor can have for the promise of grace is upon mans performance of Faith as they say But I take it if this were so then Faith is or was neither a grace of God to man nor of grace nor the gift of God to man of grace but of nature which is contrary to the Scripture It is not of our selves saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is given by the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. I say if of gift then of grace if of grace and the spirit to manâ— then grace and that spirit is to the man before Faith the gift the Heb. 12. 1 Fruit the Tree is alwayes before the Fruit. Iesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have Jesus must keepe us to worke the Faith before the Faith Wrought in us Sol. The gift of Faith which is of grace given is the hinderance and manifestation of the grace of Christ and Faith is the first light of salvation by the spirit is manifested Some say as when Lazarus was quickned to his naturall Life againe by Jesus and raised out of his grave hee walked So when a man is quickened and raised up spiritually by Christ he is made able to walk in the wayes and commandements of God to do the works of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse But I take it the similitude holdeth only thus Lazarus was dead naturally before men and was quickned and raised up miraculously by Christ before men So the Elect before they were loved and elected in Christ out of the company of the children of wrath before God were dead in trespasses and sins before God and after they were elected in Christ of God to be holy and without blame before him in love They were quickned together and raised up together in Christ Jesus before God as Ephes 2. 1. 5 6. And they walked in Christ in all godlinesse righteousnes and holinesse before God But herein the similitude holdeth not that as Lazarus was quickned and raised up by Christ to naturall Life and naturall action and seated in himselfe by the power of nature left to man though weakned by the transgression So Christ quickneth and raiseth up his Elect to spirituall Life and the power and action of spirituall Life inherent and seated in themselves in the naturall man either in soule or body as Life of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse were inherent and seated in Adam before his innocency or as naturall Life Powers and Actions though corrupt and weake are still inherent and seated naturally in man and other creatures For though the Elect of God be quickned and raised up to Life yet this is onely in Christ as Eph. 2. 5. 6. God hath quickned us together in Christ Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus So the Apostle yet it is not Gal. 2. 20 I that us now live but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God and so againe saith the Apostle yee are dead and your Life is hid with Christ Col. 3. 3. The Elect are still dead in themselves onely alive in Christ hidden in Christ till corruptible hath put on incorruptible and mortall hath put on immortality then is brought forth the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory In Christ wee live wee move and have our being meaning of spirituall Life Acts 14. 28. our spirituall Life Power Motion Action or being is inherent and seated onely in Christ not in our selves and is ours onely by gift imputation and of grace by our union with Christ The Scriptures saith that God did elect Paul in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4 Foundations of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love Therefore Christ was with God before the World and Paul was with God before the World And so
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
9. 18 leaveth him in his owne hardnesse And all those doe shew that Iacob Esau Paul and the rest were in being before God in Gods Sight before the World although not in the sight of Men in being Whom God manifesteth in time to bee in Christ Loved Elected Aadopted Redeemed Called Justified and Glorified Those were all before the Foundations of the World before God and in Gods Sight Loved Elected Adopted Ordained to Eeternall Life Called Redeemed Justified and Glorified through Christ The Lambe staine from the beginning Rev. 13. 8. of the World unchangably Certainly those which God pleased to Love and Elect to bee adopted his children out of the company of the children of wrath before the World were of the company of the children of wrath in Gods Sight before the World God elected them then that hee pleased out of that company as Eph. 1. 4. Therefore that company of the children of wrath was then in Gods Sight The Scripture doth no where say that God would after Elect in the time of the World but saith hee did then Elect in Christ Paul and the rest before the World to be holy and without blame before him in Love to bee adopted Eph. 1. 4. through Christ And all this before the Foundations of the World although not yet to the Creature manifested Hence appeare the blinde Errours and false arguments of those which hold forth that there is no justification before God of or to any Man before Faith which is onely Gods gracious Evidence and manifestation to Man of his Election in Christ and justification and through Christ and his glorious performances imputed to his Elect and certainly acted in Gods Sight and account before the Foundations of the World as the Apostle defineth Faith Faith saith hee is the ground of things hoped for And the evidence or Heb 11. 1. manifestation of things that are not seene Againe Job saith God provideth for the Ravens and Christ Job 38. 41. saith Two Sparrowes are not sold for a Farthing and not one of them fall to the ground without the Father that is the Fathers providence yea the haires of your Head are numbred and Luke saith They are not forgotten of God Luke 12. 6 7. All these and many more Scriptures shew not onely all distinguished times by Men but also all deeds and things from the greatest to the least done and being in time diverse and different before Men in Gods Sight and to God were all present ab eterno and known certainly And that the Decrees of God unchangeable of all were his acts together of all before the World I know the holding forth and medling with Gods Foreknowledge Eternall Will and Decree his Predestination Ordination Election and the like have been and still is of many reputed and said to bee dangerous and uselesse to men And therefore some have said those of God and such like are that Face or Fore parts of God unto which God held his hand towards Moses that hee should not see the same Exod. 33. 2â— but said that Moses should see onely his back parts or hinder parts But I take it If God had held the same dangerous or uselesse to men to bee preached and held forth Hee would not have inserted them in the holy Scriptures inspired from above by the holy Ghost and commanded them the Foundation 2 Pet. 1. 21. of the Gospell to bee preached to all Nations as hee did Mark 16. 15. For are not Gods Foreknowledge Love Election in Christ Predestination Ordination to Eternall Life Adoption through Christ justification by Grace his good Pleasure Eternall Will Decree and Acts with and before himselfe unchangeable the Foundation of the Gospell of Jesus Christ. How should any Man bee built up in Jesus Christ that knoweth not the Foundation whereon hee is built And these are those back-parts or hinder parts of God which are revealed of God to Man in holy Scriptures that God said to Moses hee should see And the Secrets of God are the Face and foreparts of God not revealed of God which Moses might not see nor any man pry into God said by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. And Christ said this is eternall Life that they might know thee to be the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast Joh. 17. 3. sent And God said my people are gone into captivity or perish for want of knowledge Isa 5. 13. The Knowledge of God and his Christ is the evidence of justification and Eternall Life to Men. And the want of the same knowledge is the evidence of reprobation and destruction in the holy Scriptures account Who then may safely stop the Fountaine of these lively Waters The Philistians were blamed for stopping Jacobs VVell much more are these Gen. 26. 15. 18. stoppers blameable they know not God and his Christ that knew him not in all his Revelations Quest How was Paul Elected in Christ and Adopted through Christ before the World when as Paul had then no being Answ Paul was then in being before God in Gods Sight unto whom all things even being in the World and in eternity were present then although Paul was not then in being in the sight of Men. A Catechistical Dialogue Resolving Many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary for the deceiving of Gods Elect to the Propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Quest WHat is God Answ God is a most pure Spirit Invisible Almighty Eternal Incomprehensible without Beginning in Himself yet the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending of all things and names except sin Q. How is God further manifested in the holy Scripture A. To be one in substance three in person Father Son and Holy Ghost or Spirit Q. How is the one God Father Son and Holy Spirit A. He is Father as Beginner Son as Worker Holy Ghost or Spirit as Finisher and Perfecter of all Q. Are the Knowledg of God his will his Purposes Decrees Predestination Election Ordination and Acts eternal with himself in his own respect A. Yes they are eternal with himself in his own respect for all that is in God and of God is inseparable from God God ever knew that he knoweth willed that he willeth purposed that he purposeth decreed that he decreeth predestinated that he predestinateth ordained that he ordaineth acted and did that he acteth and doth with Psa 135 6 and before himself howsoever and whensoever the same things be manifested to the Creature otherwise God could not call himself I am and again I am Alpha and Omega And again it could not be said in the Testament That God calleth things that are not meaning in manifestation as if they were in manifestation And that it Rom. 4 17 is said of the Son Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever Q. Did God in his own Purpose and Decree make Man before the Heb. 13 8
World and was Man made actually in Gods sight before Man was made in manifestation to the Creatures A. Yes that must needs be so for otherwise the acts which are of God should not be eternal with himself in Gods respect but separable from God his Will and Decree should not be his act and it would not have been said that God calleth things that are not as if they were otherwise all things and times should not be present with God to whom there is nothing past nor future as is to man Q. Did God make his Covenant of Works with Man before the world A. Yea Gods Will Purpose and Decree is his act with himself in his own sight Q. How could Man close and consent to the Covenant of Works with God b fore the World when as Man was not created and made in manifestation to any creature A. It was just and righteous that Adam did close with God in the Covenant of Works after his creation and making in manifestation And the wisdom and righteousness whereby and wherein he did close with God then in the Covenant was the same wisdom and righteousness of God which were eternal with God Therefore wherein Adam did close with God after his Creation in the Covenant of Works so he being actually in Gods sight before the world did close with God before the world in the decree and act of this Covenant made in Gods sight with man before the world Q. Did God give Adam power and free-will in his own sight before the world as he had when he was made in manifestation to keep the Covenant for himself and his posterity and live ever or to break the same if he would and dye eternally as the children of wrath A. Yes Gods Will Decrees and Acts are eternal with himself unalterable and so the same power and free-will which Adam had in manifestation given him he had before the world in the sight of God Q. Was Adam and all Mankind in him dead before the World and become the children of wrath for breaking the Covenant in Gods sight before the world A. Yes that must needs be so in Gods sight for Paul saith of himself and the rest of Gods Elect God hath chosen us in Christ Eph. 1 4 before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love c. God could not have chosen Paul and the rest of his Elect in Christ before the world to be his holy and blameless children adopted through Christ but they must be then chosen out of the general company of the children of wrath in Gods sight then before the world which indeed all Mankinde was then in Gods sight before his mercy love and free grace in choosing in his Christ whom he pleased as they were after the Creation and Fall in appearance to the creature And from hence it is that the Apostle saith We were all the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2. 3 Q. Was Christ the Redeemer of Mankinde in Gods sight before the breach and fall of Man in manifestation and before the world A. Yes that he was otherwise Paul would not have said God hath chosen us in Christ before the world Q. Why did God chuse those he pleased in Christ before the world A. Because it was his mercy love goodness wisdom and counsel for them he pleased of the dead children of wrath that the Christ should undertake to perform all the Will of God to the satisfaction of Justice for those chosen of God in Christ fully in present before God and in future for manifestation to the creature That so the Elect in Christ should have restored in Christ all lost in Adams transgression that God endowed Mankinde withall before himself or in manifestation to the creature as life eternal in Christ holiness and righteousness in Christ power and honor in Christ c. For as the first Adam had all these in him for all mankinde in him to have been manifested to them and in them in the fulness of time if the first Adam had stood in his integrity So Christ the last Adam hath all in himself for all the chosen of God in him Eternal life holiness righteousness power honor and glory c. to be manifested to them and in them in the fulness of time And from hence the Apostle saith God hath Elected us in Christ Ephe. 1. 4 and 2. 5 Act. 17 28 2 Tim. 3. 12 Eph. 2. 6 before the World to be holy and without blame before him in love And we are quckenod in Christ And we live in Christ and we are raised up and sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Q. Are those which are chosen of God in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love ever after they were so chosen holy and without blame before God in love A. Yes that must needs be so otherwise they should not be that which God did chuse them unto in Christ otherwise Christ should fail in his undertaking to do the Will of God for the Elect in him otherwise some things might be layd to the charge of Gods chosen which the Apostle saith shall not be Rom. 8. 33 Object Paul being chosen of God in Christ before the world was a persecuter of the Church of Christ after he was chosen Was Paul holy and without balme before God then when he was a persecuter of the Church of Christ A. It was the flesh and corruption in Paul not Paul as he was Elected in Christ he did it in ignorance as he said It was not I saith Acts 3. 17 1 Tim. 1. 13 he that did it but sin that dwelleth in me This is the state of the best of Gods chosen ones They sin continually in themselves they are holy and without blame and righteous before God in Christ evermore Rom. 7. 14 15 18 19 Q. If the Elect in Christ sin continually in themselves in their own performances then they cannot please God in any thing they do none of their own performances can be good and righteous in the sight of God A. No they cannot please God by their own performances they are not good and righteous before God for the Prophet Isaiah saith of himself and the best men We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousness is as filthy rags And the Apostle Paul alledging David for a witness saith There is none righteous no not one there is none that doth good no not one And again They that are in the Rom. 3. 10 11 12 Rom. 8. 8 flesh cannot please God that is they which are in the state of corruption and death as all the chosen of God are yet until that which is corruptible hath put on incorruption and that which is mortal hath put on immortality Then indeed shall be brought to pass the saying 1 Cor. 15 53. 54 55 that is written Death is swallowed up into victory saith the
to be no more under the Covenant of Works but only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace And hereupon it is said by the Apostle of Christ touching the Elect Ye are no more under the Law but Rom 6. 14 Gal. 5. 1. Rom. 10. 4 3. 24 under Grace The Son of God hath made you free Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to those which believe We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus And this was not only the end of the Promise or Covenant of grace to justifie freely the Elect and to free them from the Covenant of Works before God and set them only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ but also that the same Christ should Psa 121. 8 Joh. 17. 11 1 Thes 5. 23 1 Cor. 1 8 rule them preserve them and keep them by the power of his Spirit and present them blameless at his coming to Judgment For this cause is Christ said to have three offices of a King a Priest and a Prophet A King to rule govern and order his Elect as the Scripture saith The Government is upon his shoulders A Priest to pray and Isai 9. 6 Rom. 8 26 make request for them as it is said The Spirit maketh request for us A Prophet to teach them powerfully and effectually not as the Scribes and Pharisees as is said which taught but had no power upon their hearers further to their good as it is said They shall be all taught of God even to the forming of Jesus Christ in them as â—oâ— 6 45 Gal. 4. 19 the Apostle speaketh And Christ doth not execute his Offices only in the universal Church of his Elect but also in the particular and every member thereof So that every of his Elect when how and where he pleaseth hath a better Governor in him then himself a better Orator a better Teacher and Directer then himself So that although as the Idolatrous Canaanite remained still in the Land when the Israelite had Ioshua 17. rule the flesh remaineth still in the Elect whil'st Christ hath the rule at his pleasure and although the flesh bringeth forth many transgressions yet Christ by his Spirit having the rule doth though not without resistance curb the flesh and bring it in subjection at his Gal. 5. 17 pleasure and maketh the corrupt members instruments of his service and therefore the Apostle saith Sin shall have no more dominion over you for you are no more under the Law but under grace meaning the Spirit of Christ that ruleth swayeth and doth all things Rom. 6. 14 in the Elect unto good where his Grace and Spirit is present fiting and making by his powerful and sanctifying Spirit all and any of 1 Cor. 15 his regenerate Electones to yield their members both of soul and body instruments of righteousness unto God that is instruments of the works of his righteous Spirit in them which he of his grace imputeth Rom 6 13 to them and calleth them their works although they be his only in truth as is manifested in the holy Scripture Christ told his Disciples that he sent forth to preach the Gospel That it was not they that did speak but the Spirit of the Father that did speak in them although it was spoken by the instruments of their mouth Mat. 10. 20 tongue and lips And Paul when he said that he had labored in the Ministry of the Gospel more then all the rest recalleth himself saying 1 Cor. 15. 10 Yet it was not I that labored so but the grace of God with me His instrument my self being only by the grace of God Jesus Christ fitted and made an instrument of that labor and work and of his grace only accounted my labor and work which is his work Thus we may see the end of the promise or Covenant of grace made of God to man in Christ to be that of the unsearchable love of God to the Elect through his grace in Jesus Christ his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the World was layd being of those which were faln into the misery and danger of everlasting death by their own transgression of the mutual Covenant of Works agreed upon and made betwixt God and mankind in the first Parents all of them then being and to be in the posterity of mankind to the end of the world after their Election are freed from the Covenant of Works the Law and commandment thereof before God and the penalty of the transgression of the Law and commandment thereof through the performance made of Jesus Christ their undertaker and to be preserved kept and ordered by the performance to be made in Psa 121. 5 Ioh. 17 11 15 1 Thes 5. 23 them by the Spirit of Christ until they be presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And as the Covenant of Works was manifested in Paradise in the time of mans innocency when man had full power and freedom of will to have performed all required and the same broken by man there being in his full power unto the tainture and corruption of all mankind then in Adams loyns So was the Promise called the Covenant of grace touching the Elect of God first manifested in Paradise unto man soon after the general Transgression Fall and corruption when God said The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head which seed was Jesus Christ born of the blessed Virgin Mary Mat. 2. 25 And as afterwards the Covenant of works in grace was manifested to many by the providence of God repeated and revealed in holy Scriptures to set forth the equity of Gods Justice in the death and misery of the reprobate still under the Law and curse of the first transgression of the Covenant of Works and the succeeding transgression thereof first especially commented opened and interpreted by Moses then by the Prophets and after by the Evangelists and the Apostles of Jesus Christ the penmen of the Holy Ghost and also that by the thunderings threatenings and terror of the penalties of the transgressions of the said Law the current and violence of the corruption of reprobate and carnal men might be hindered abated and bridled through fear to the more safety of Gods beloved ones which are amongst the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ himself said of his chosen ones I send you forth as sheep among wolves Mat. 10. 16 So the Promise or Covenant of Grace was after opened and manifested to many by the providence of God and specified and repeated in holy Scriptures by Gods penmen of the same to set forth the love compassion mercy and grace of God toward his Elect and the praise and glory of his grace for the same always to be published by those whose blinde eyes are opened to behold the misery bands and dâ—ath from which they are delivered and freed by the love of God in the