saved yet the Lambe of God taketh away the sinnes of the world So Esai 6.7 Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sinne purged this is no halfe pardon such as Esaiah had before the Lord touched his lips 1 Joh. 3.5 And yee know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes Iohn speaketh of the taking away of the sinnes of us Iohn and the Saints who were loved Vers. 1. with a wonderfull love to bee called the Sonnes of God us whom the World knoweth not vers 2. us who shall be like Christ when he appeareth Arminians are obliged to give us parallel places where the redemption of all and every man and Christs naked power and desire to be friends with all men and to make any covenant of grace or works as he pleaseth is called the taking away the sinnes of the world and yet the whole world may possibly dye in their sinnes and not a man be saved the taking away of the worlds sinnes to us is the compleat pardoning of them Remission of sinnes in his bloud Ephes. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Blotting out of transgressions Esai 4â— 25 as a thicke cloud Esai 44.23 a not remembring of sinnes Isai 43.25 Ier. 31. â—4 Such a taking away of sinnes as is promised in the covenant of grace to the house of Iudah to the Church under the Messiah that heareth the Gospel Ier. 31.34 Hebr. 8.8 9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.26 27. Esai 59.20 This is the taking away of the sinnes of the world a new world in whose inner parts the Lord writeth his Law and with whom the Lord maketh an everlasting covenant never to turne away from them Jer. 31.33 34 5 36 37. in whom the Lord putteth his Spirit and in whose mouth he puteth his Word and in the mouth of their seed and their seeds seede Esai 59.20 21. The Arminian taking away of sins is of all and every one of Adams seed of such as never heard of a Covenant of a Word of a Spirit of a Seed a holy Seed of a new heart Finally the taking away of the sinnes of the world is the removing of them as farre from us as the East is from the West Psal. 103.12 bestowed on these that feare the Lord vers 11. and are pitied of the Lord as the Father pitieth the Sonne and the subduing of our iniquities and the casting of our sinnes in the depths of the Sea Mich. 7.19 â—0 a mercy bestowed only on the remnant of the Lords inheritance The Arminian taking away of sins is a broad pardon of sins to all the world let them shew Scripture for theirs as we doe for ours and cary it with them Object 15. Though Reconciliation bee purchased to all and every one yet it is not necessary that it bee preached to all and every one but onely it is required that God bee willing it bee preached to all now it is free to God before he be willing to make offer of the purchased reconciliation to all to require afore hand such acts of obedience and dueties which being performed hee may publish the Gospel to them or being not performed hee may bee unwilling to publish the Gospel to them Yea though reconciliation be purchased to all yet its free to God to communicate the benefits of his death upon what termes hee thinketh good And Christ died saith Master Moore to obtaine a lordship over all and a power to save beleevers and destroy such as will not have him to raigne over them as wee heard before Answ. 1. We have in this Doctrin that Argument yeelded God commanded to preach to all and every one Ergo Christ died for all and every one For 1. The consequence is true absolutely by the Arminians doctrine Christ absolutely died for all and every one without prescribing any condition to those for whom he dies he saith not my sonne dieth to purchase reconciliation to all upon condition all beleeve or perform some other dutie but beleeve they or beleeve they not the 〈◊〉 is payed and salvation purchased for all without exception but the antecedent is not true but upon condition God is not willing the Gospel bee preached to all but to such as perform such conditions 2. If they perform not the condition Christ should have said preach not the Gospel to all nations nor to every creature but onely to such as yee finde fit hearers of the Gospel and have performed such acts of obedience as I require for conditionall threatnings are set downe in the Gospel as well as conditionall promises he that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall bee damned But in Old or New Testament Arminians never shew us where the preaching of the word of Grace is referred to our free will Doe this O Ammonits O Indians and the glad tyding shall come to you if yee doe not this ye shall never heare the Gospel Arminians say God sendeth his Grace and Gospel both genti minus dignae indigniori negat to the unworthy Nation and denyeth both to the worthier 3. Arminians say in Script Synod Dordr pag. 6. Lex non lata aut non intellecta cum intelligi non possit non obligat a law not made or not understood when it cannot be understood doth not oblige then God cannot deny a salvation and the benefit of a preached Gospel to Indians though both were purchased in Christ if they never heard as hundreths of Nations could by no rumor heare or dreame of Christ and the Gospel of Christ. 4. How can God with the same naturall and half-will equally will that all bee saved when hee absolutly without merit or condition willeth the meanes of salvation to some and denyeth the meanes of salvation to the farre largest part of mankinde for want of a condition unpossible because it neither was nor could be known to them 5. By the Arminian way sinne originall is no sin it bringeth wrath and condemnation on no man God beginneth upon a new score and the reckoning of the covenant of Grace to count with all men and God is so reconciled to all mortall men and transacteth with them in such a way of free grace that hee will punish no man for any new breach except committed actually by such as are come to age as have the use of reason and are obliged to beleeve in Christ. pag. 285 286 287. Dordr scrip Synod Yet hath God decreed never to reveale any such gracious transactions to millions of men that better deserve to heare these secrets of grace then thousands to whom they are proclaimed in their ears ere they can discerne the right hand by the left This Arminians say was Gods dispensation Matth. 11. with Capernaum and Tyrus and Sidon But it will bee found that Arminians deny the prescience and foreknowledge of God 6. Most abominable and comfortlesse must the doctrine of the death of our Lord Iesus be if Christ died onely to bee a Lord and such a Lord as hee might have power without
righteousnesse and life then other strangers to Christ and Gentiles Rom. 9.30 31 32 33. Rom. 10.1.2 3 4. Rom. 11.1.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 c. rejected and there should be others as good as these by nature that the Lord should have mercy on now in both these first God is free in his grace secondly just in his judgements though he neither call nor chuse accoâ—ding to works thirdly the damned creature most guilty and fourthly the Lord both jâ—stly sâ—vere and graciously meâ—cifull fifthly none have cause to complaine or quarrell with God and yet God might have carried the matter a farre other way sixthly the head cause of this various administration with Nations and persons is the deep high soveraign innocent holy independent will of the great Potter and Former of all things who has mercy on whom he will hardneth whom he wil and this is the depth without a bottom no creature Angel or Men can so behave them selves to their fellow-creatures yet be free just holy wise c. but sure one creature can deal with his fellow creature according to the rules and road-way of an antecedent consequent will so may the King deal with his people the Governour with those he governes the Father with his children the Commander with his souldiers the Lord of a Vine-yard with his hired servants all these may order their goodnesse mercy rewards punishments in a way levill with the use industry improvement of free-will or the rebeâ—lion unjustice wickednesse and slothfulnesse of their underlings but no Master nor Lord can call Labourers to his Vine-yard and exhort obâ—est beseech them all to labour and promise them hire and yet keep from the greatest part of them the power of â—â—â—rring armes or legs of free consenting to labour and suspend his so acting on the greatest part of them as they shall willingly be caâ—â—ied on to wilfull disobedience and to be the passive objects of his revenging justice according to the determinate counsell of the Lord of this Vine-yard because so he willed out of his absolute soveraignty to deal with some and deale a just contrary way with the least part of the labourers because hee pâ—â—posed to declare the glory of his grace on them either there is here an unsearchable depth or Paul knew nothing and this calmes my minde and answereth all that reason can say for universall atonement and the 1. Vse I aym at is that no Doctrine so endeareth Christ to a soule as this of particular redemption and free-grace separating one from another Psal. 147 1â— Prayse the Lord O Ierusalem and amongst manâ— groundâ— here is one vers 19. he sheweth his word unto Iacob his Statutes and his judgements to Israel ver 20. he hath not dealt so with any Nation and he speaketh not of the measure as if God had revealed the same grace in nature but in an inferiour degree to other Nations for hee saith as for his judgements they have not known them and thâ—n being full of God for this separating mercy he addeâ—h prayse yee the Lord Christ esteems this the floure of grace the grace of grace and blesseth his Father for it Matth. 11.25 I blesse thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes now because Arminians say the pride of the self-wise and the humility of babes are the causes separating the one from the other and so free-will is to share with the Father in the praise of the reveiled glory of the Gospel and the discovered excellency of Christ to babes rather then to wise men a literall revelation no doubt was common to all babes and prudent the swelled Pharisees and humbled sinners Christ praiâ—eth the eminency the blossom of grace the bloom of free-love in that the free-wil of the humble and the proud made not the separation but the good pleasure of God ver 27. No man knowes the Son but the Father and he to whom the Son will reveale him 2. That which is common to all shall never leave an impression of wonder and thankfull admiration I and we are swelled lofty and proud things and the Spirit of God commends grace highly in that it falls upon pronowns and persons and not on others 1 Cor. 15.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the least of of the Apostlâ—s vers 10. By the grace of God I am that I am and his grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then they all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not I but the grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in me Tit. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we our selves also were sometime out of our wits disobedient c. ver 4. but when the kindnesse and man-love of God our Saviour appeared ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saved us 1 Tim. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the chief of sinners ver 16. but for this cause I obtained mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ but I live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet not I but Christ lives in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who has lovâ—d me and given himself for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and you who were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned ver 4. for his great love wherewith he loved us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickened us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together with Christ ver 13. But now in Christ Iesus yee who somtimes were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ the passing by my Father and mother and brother and sister neighbour and friend and taking me is a most indearing favour 3. Of all in Scotland and England all in Europe all Adams seed that ever were masters of a living soule in the womb or out of it the Lord passed by so many thousands and millions and the lot of free-grace fell upon me precisely by name and upon us and not upon thousands besides no lesse eligible then I was what thoughts will you have of the fâ—â—e lot of love that fell upon you ever since God was God when Christ shall lay such a load of love such a high weight and masse of love on you ye shall then think O how came I hither to sit in heavenly places with Christ that body that is trimmed cloathed and doubly embroydered with pure and unmixed glory is just made of the same lump of earth with the body of Judas or Cain that are now flaming and sinking to the bottom of the black and sad river of brimstone the Lord saith Ezek. 18.4 behold all souls are mine and
heaven 2. There should have been no Gospel no actuall redemption on earth no Gospel-song of Ransomed ones in heaven Worthy is the Lambe c. Had sinne never been there had never been one whisper nor voyce in heaven of a Lambe sacrificed and slaine for sinners there had been no Gospel-tune of the now-eternall song of free grace in heaven there had been silence in that blessed Assembly of the first borne of any Psalme but of Law-musicke men obeyed a Law without being in debt to the grace of a Mediator and therefore they live eternally 3. Grace free grace should never have come out on the stage as visible to the eye of Men and Angels 4. If sinne had never broken in on the world the Guests of free grace that now are before the throne and once were foule and uggly sinners on earth Mary Magdalene with her seven Devils Paul with his hands once hot and smoaking with the bloud of the Saints and his heart sicke with malice and blasphemy against Christ and his followers and the rest of the now-whit and washen ones whose robes are made faire in the bloud of the Lambe and all the numerous millions which none can number whose heads now are warmed in that best of lands with a free crowne and are but bits of free grace should not have been in heaven at all as the free-holders and tenants of the exalted Redeemer the man Jesus Christ there had not beene one tenent of pardoning mercy in heaven But O what depth of unsearchable wisdome to contrive that lovely plot of free grace and that that River and Sea of boundlesse love should runne through and within the banks of so muddy Inkie and polluted a channell as the transgressions and sinnes of the Sonnes of Adam and then that on the sides and borders of that deepe River should grow green budding and blooming for evermore such Roses and Paradice-Lilies smelling out heaven to Men and Angels as pardoning mercy to sinners free and rich grace to traitors to the crowne of heaven the God-love of Christ Jesus to man Come warme your hearts all intellectuall capacities at this fire O come ye all created faculties and smell the precious ointments of Christ O come sit down under his shaddow tast and eat the apples of life O that Angels would come and generations of men and wonder admire adore fall down before the unsearchable wisdom of this Gospel-art of the unsearchable riches of Christ. 13. If then love and so deep Gospel-love be despised broken men sleighting surety-love and marriage-love and then dying in such a debt as trampled on Covenant-love bloud-love must be areasted with the saddest charge of Gospel-vengeance I would have saved you and yee would not be saved comming from the mouth of Christ must be a seale to all the curses of the Law and a vengeance of eternall fire beyond them But we either in these sad times will have the grace of Christ a Cypher and yet to doe all things which is the Antinomians wanton licentiousnesse or free will to doe all things and grace to doe nothing but that nature should be the umpire and Soveraigne and grace the servant and vassell which is the Arminians pride for feare they be beholden to Jesus Christ and hold heaven on a writing of too free grace sure the Gospel goeth a middle way and the difference of Devils white or black should not delude us for both are black and tend to the blacknesse of darkenesse and shift the soule of Christ and break up a new North-west way to heaven that our guid to glory may not be the Captaine of our salvation who brings many children to glory but either loose licence without Law or lordly pride without Gospel-grace Now the very God of peace establish us in his truth and in such a thorny wood of false Christs and false Teachers give us the morning-star and his conduct to glory who knows the way and is the way the truth and the life Yours in the Lord Iesus S. R. A TABLE OF THE Contents of the Treatise OPening of the Words Pag. 1. It is good in our minde to act our sufferings ere they come Pag. 2.3 Parts of the Text. Pag. 3. Five particulars touching Christs soule-trouble 3. How pure and heavenly Christs affections are 3.4 Our affection are muddy 4.5.6 The perfection of Christs affections 4.5 What peace Christ had with his soule-trouble 6. A troubled soule consisted with the personall union and how this must be and how it can be 7.8 God exacted not satisfaction for sinnes by necessity of nature 8. The way of grace how lovely 9. Christ in soule-trouble and yet the union not dissolved 9. Familists teach that Christ is incarnate in beleevers 10. Christ suffered in his soule kindly and not by concomitancie only 11. Christs precious soule lyable to suffering 11. We are to beare death patiently seeing Christ dyed 12. No wonder all things bee lyable to change since Christ was in soule-trouble 12.13 What love in Christs undertaking for us 13. Christ cast up his accounts and saw what hee was to give out and what to get in in his suffering for us 14 Loves way of saving man 14 Our softnesse and selfe-wisdome in suffering 15.16 Our mis-judging of God under the crosse 16 Our coldnesse of love to Christ. 17 Evangelick love is more then Law-love 18 Sinnes against love are wounding 18 What a soule troubled for sinne is 19 Christs being over-clowded incomparably the greatest soule-trouble that ever was 19 Christ was to bleed for sinne as sinne 21 According to the fulnesse of the presence of the God-head so heavie was Christs love 21 Antinomians errours touching the nature of sinne 23 Antinomian errours touching doubtings sorrow for sinne confession c. 23.24 D. Crisps Libertinisme that Paul Rom. 7. personateth the person of a scrupulous man and had no reall cause to sorrow for feare or confesse sinne 24.25 M. Archer in the like errour 25.26 Trouble of unbeliefe for sinne is sinnefull 26 Some fits of the ague of the Spirit of bondage may recurre and trouble a beleever 26.27 Loves-Jelousies and doubting argue faith 27 Doubting may consist with faith 27 Dangerous and unsound positions of Antinomians touching trouble for sinne in the justified 28 Doubtings proveth not a soule to be under a covenant of works 29 The Jewes under the Old Testament justified might be troubled in soule for sinne as we they and we justified by the same grace 29 Trouble for sinne is and ought to be in those who are delivered from obligation to eternall wrath 30.31 No Law-wakening in us by nature 32 How the Saints need joy after sin rather then after affliction 33 Sinne is pardoned otherwise then in removall of obligation to eternall wrath 34 The double dealing of Antinomian Preachers in confession of sinnes in publick their confession being onely in regard of unbeleevers mixed with beleevers 34 A two fold pardon of sinne 1. A relaxation from eternall 2. From
and wrinkles Psal. 102.26 Then let man make for his long home let Time it selfe waxe old and gray-hair'd Why should I desire to stay here when Christ could not but passe away And if this spotlesse soule that never sinned was troubled what wonder then many troubles be to the sinner Our Saviour who promiseth soule-rest to others cannot have soule-rest himselfe his soule is now on a wheele sore tossed and all the creatures are upon a wheele and in motion there is not a creature since Adam sinned sleepeth sound Wearinesse and motion is laid on Moon and Sunne and all creatures on this side of the Moon Seas ebbe and flow and that 's trouble winds blow rivers move heavens and stars these five thousand yeares except one time have not had sixe minutes rest living creatures walk apace toward death Kingdomes Cities are on the wheele of changes up and downe Man-kind runne and the disease of body-trouble and soule-trouble on them they are motion-sick going on their feet and Kings cannot have beds to rest in The six dayes Creation hath been travelling and shouting for paine and the Child is not born yet Rom. 8.22 This poore woman hath been groning under the bondage of vanity and shall not be brought to bed while Jesus come the second time to be Mid-wife to the birth The great All of heaven and earth since God laid the first stone of this wide Hall hath been groning and weeping for the liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 The figure of the passing-away world 1 Cor. 7.31 is like an old mans face full of wrinkles and foule with weeping we are waiting when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven and shall come and wipe the old mans face Every creature here is on its feet none of them can sit or lie Christs soule now is above trouble and rests sweetly in the bosome of God Troubled Soules Rejoyce in hope Soft and childish Saints take it not well that they are not every day feasted with Christs love that they lie not all the night between the Redeemer's brests and are not dandled on his knee but when the daintiest piece of the Man Jesus his precious soule was thus sick of soule-trouble and the noble and celebrious head-Heire of all the first of his Kingly house was put to deep grones that pierced skies and heaven and rent the rocks why but sinners should be submissive when Christ is pleased to set children down to walke on foot and hide himselfe from them But they forget the difference between the Innes of clay and the Home of glory Our fields here are sowne with teares griefe growes in every furrow of this low-land You shall lay soule and head down in the bosome and between the brests of Jesus Christ that bed must be soft and delicious its perfumed with uncreated glory The thoughts of all your now soule-troubles shall be as shadowes that passed away ten thousand yeares agoe when Christ shall circle his glorious arme about your head and you rest in an infinite compasse of surpassing glory or when glory or ripened grace shall be within you and without you above and below when feet of clay shall walk upon pure surpassing glory The street of the City was pure gold There is no gold there but glory onely gold is but a shadow to all that is there It were possibly no lesse edifying to speake a little of tho Fourth What love and tender mercy it was in Christ to be so troubled in soule for us 1. Pos. Selfe is precious when free of sinne and withall selfe-happy Christ was both free of sin and selfe-happy what then could have made him stirre his foot out of heaven so excellent a Land and come under the pain of a troubled soule except free strong and vehement love that was a bottomlesse river unpatient of banks Infinite goodnesse maketh Love to swell without it selfe Joh. 15.13 Goodnesse is much moved with righteousnesse and innocency but wee had a bad cause because sinners But goodnesse for every man that hath a good cause is not a good man is moved with goodnesse we were neither righteous nor good yet Christ though neither righteousnesse was in us nor goodnesse would dare to dye for us Rom. 5.7 8. Goodnesse and grace which is goodnesse for no deserving is bold daring and venturous Love which could not flow within its owne channell but that Christs love might be out of measure love and out of measure loving would out-run wickednesse in man 2. Pos. Had Christ seen when hee was to ingage his soule in the paines of the second death that the expence in giving out should be great and the in-come small and no more then hee had before wee might value his love more But Christ had leasure from eternity and wisdome enough to cast up his counts and knew what hee was to give out and what to receive in so hee might have repented and given up the bargaine Hee knew that his bloud and his one noble soule that dwelt in a personall union with God was a greater summe incomparably then all his redeemed ones Hee should have in little he should but gaine lost sinners hee should empty out in a manner a faire God-head and kill the Lord of glory and get in a black bride But there 's no lack in love the love of Christ was not private nor mercenary Christ the buyer commended the wares ere hee bargained Cant. 4.7 Thou art all faire my love there 's not a spot in thee Christ judged hee had gotten a noble prize and made an heavens market when hee got his Wife that hee served for in his armes Esay 53.11 Hee saw the travell of his soule and was satisfied Hee was filled with delight as a full Banquetter If that ransome hee gave had been little hee would have given more 3. Pos. It is much that nothing without Christ moved him to this engagement There was a sad and bloudy warre between divine Justice and sinners Love Love pressed Christ to the warre to come and serve the great King and the State of lost Mankind and to doe it freely This maketh it two favours It s a conquering notion to think that the sinners heaven bred first in Christs heart from eternity and that Love freest Love was the blossome and the seed and the onely contriver of our eternall glory that free Grace drove on from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting the saving plot and sweet designe of redemption of soules This innocent and soule-rejoycing policy of Christs taking on him the seed of Abraham not of Angels and to come downe in the shape of a servant to the land of his enemies without a Passe in regard of his sufferings speaketh and cryeth the deep wisdome of infinite Love Was not this the wit of free Grace to find out such a mysterious and profound dispensation as that God and man personally should both doe and suffer so as Justice should
why there is not among troubles any so grievous as the want of the presence of God to a soule fattened and feasted with the continuall marrow and fatnesse of the Lords house No such complaints read you so bitter so patheticke and comming from deeper sense then the want of the sense of Christs love It 's broken bones and a dryed up body to David it 's bitter weeping and crying like the chattering of a Crane to Ezechiah it 's more then strangling and brings Job to pray he had been buried in the wombe of his mother or that he had never been borne or his mother had beene alwaies great with him it is swoning and the soules departure out of the body sicknesse and death to the Spouse Cant. 5. vers 6.8 it 's Hell and distraction to Heman Psal. 88.15 It is to Jeremiah the cursing of the Messenger that brought tidings to his Father that a man-child was borne and a wishing that hee never had being nor life it 's death to part the lover from the beloved and the stronger love bee the death is the more death But in all that we yet have said Christs greatest Soule trouble as a Sonne for that he was essentially was in that his holy soule was sadded and made hâ—avie even to death for sinne as sinne and as contrary to his Fathers love The Elect sinned against the Lord not looking to him as either Lord or Father but Christ payed full deare for sinne eying God as Lord as Father Wee looke neither to Lord to Law nor to Love when we sinne Christ looked to all three when hee satisfied for sinne Christ did more then pay our debts it was a summe above price that he gave for us it is a great question yea out of all question if all mankind redeemed came neere to the worth to the goodly price given for us So according to the sense of any happinesse so must the Soule-trouble for the losse of that happinesse be in due proportion First as we love so is sorrow for the losse of what we love Jaakob would not have mourned so for the losse of a servant as of his Sonne Joseph Now no man enioying God could have a more quicke and vigorous sense of the enjoyed God-head then Christ so his apprehension and vision of God must have been strong 2. Because the union with the Godhead and communion of fulnesse of Grace from the wombe must adde to his naturall faculties a great edge of sense his soule and the faculties thereof were never blunted with sinne and the larger the vessell be the fulnesse must be the greater What or who of the highest Seraphims or Dominions or Principalities among Angels had so large and capacious a a spirit to containe the fulnesse of God as Christ had When Salomons heart was larger theâ— the sand in the Sea-shore and he was but a shaddow of such a soule as was to divell personally with the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily O how capacious and wide must the heart of the true Salomon be it being to containe many Seas and Rivers of Wisdome Love Joy Goodnesse Mercy above millions of Sandes in millions of Sea-shoares What bowels of compassion and love of mâ—â—â—â—nesse gentlenes of free grace must be in him Since all thousands of Elected soules sate in these bowels and were in his heart to die and live with him and withall since in his heart was the love of God in the highest Love must make a strong impression in the heart of Christ and the stronger purer and more vigorous that Christs intellectuals are the deeper his holy thoughts and pure apprehensions were and more steeled with fulnesse of Grace his fruition sense joy and love of God must be the more elevated above what Angels and Mâ—n are capable off Hence it must follow that Christ was plunged in an uncouth and new world of extreame sorrow even to the death when this strong love was Ecclipsed Imagine that for one Spring and Summer season that all the light heat motion vigour influence of life should retire into the body of the Sunne and remaine there what darkeness deadness whithering should be upon flowres herbs trees mountaines valleys beasts birds and all things living and moving on the earth Then what wonder that Christs Soule was extreamly troubled his blessed Sunne was now downe his Spring and Summer gone his Father a forsaking God was a new World to him and I shall not beleeve that his complaint came from any error of judgement or mistakes or ungrounded jealousies of the love of God As his Father could not at any time hate him so neither could he at this time actu secundo let out the sweet fruits of his love the cause of the former is the nature of God â—s the ground of the latter is a dispensation above the capacitie of the reason of Men or Angels We may then conclude that Jesus Christs Soule-trouble as it was rationall and extreamely penall so also it was sinneless and innocent seldome have we Soule-trouble sinneless but it iâ— by accident of the way For our passions can hardly rise in thâ—ir extremity except when God is their onely object but they goe over score yet Soule-trouble intrinsecally is not a sinne Then to be troubled for sin though the person be fully perswaded of pardon is neither sin noâ— inconsistent with the state of a justified person nor is it any act of unbeleefe as Antinomians falsely suppose For 1. To be in soule-trouble for sin which cannot to the perfect knowledge of the person troubled eternally condemne was in Jesus Christ in whom there was no spot of sin And Antinomians say Sin remaining sin essentially must have a condemnatory power so as its unpossible to separate the condemnatory power of the Law from the mandatory and commanding power of the Law 2. Because as to abstaine from sin as it offendeth against the love of God shâ—wing mercy rather then the Law of God inflicting wrath is spirituall obedience so also to be troubled in soule for sin committed by a justified person against so many sweet bonds of free love and grace is a sanctified and gracious sorrow and trouble of soule 3. To be troubled for sin as offensive to our heavenly Father and against the sweetnesse of free Grace and tender love includeth no act of unbeleef nor that the justified and pardoned sinner thus troubled is not pardoned or that hee feareth eternall wrath as Antinomians imagine no more then a sons griefe of mind for offending a tender-hearted father can inferre that this griefe doth conclude this son under a condition of doubting of his state of son-ship or filiation or a fearing hee be dis-inherited Wee may feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hos. 3.5 as well as wee feare his eternall displeasure 4. Sanctified soule-trouble is a sonlie commotion and agonie of spirit for trampling under feet tender love spurning and kicking against the lovely warmnesse of the flowings of the
breath Natures weake leggs in walking up the Mount are good for the adding wind and tyde and high sailes to the praysing of Christ and free Grace Vtile est peccavisse nocâ—t pâ—ccare It is profitable that we have sinned that Grace may be extolled it is ill to sinne Even to the nature of man its good that hee hath dyed and hath beene in the grave yet it s not good but contrary to nature to die and to ly in the grave 6. It s our forgetfulnesse that wee see not the dearest to Christ hath beene kept lowest and most empty in their owne eyes hidden grace extolleth Christ. 2. That often the Saints are kept in a condition of sayling with as much wind as blows with praying and beleeving 3. That yet prayer and the sweating of Faith cannot earne nor promerit the renewed sense of Christ so as Christ returneth to eate his honey-combe and his wine and milke and banquet with the soule rather at the presence of these acts then for them as some have said thouâ—h with no strength of reason that fire burneth not the Sunne enlighteneth not the â—arth doth not send forth floures and herbes but God at the naked presence of these causes doth produce all effects yet in this case it hath a truth that the sweating of all supernaturall industry cannot redeeme the least halfe glimpse of Gods presence in the sense of eternall love when God is pleased for trialâ— to hide himselfe 7 Our great fault heere is merit that we tye the flowings and inundations of Christs love to the becke of our desires whereas we may know 1. That the Sunne doth not shine nor the raine water the earth in order to merit 2. Wee should know that grace and all the acts of grace are almes not debt and that a rich Saviour giveth grace to us as beggars and payeth it not to hirelings as the due or as wages wee can crave for our worke but wee love peny-worth's better then free-gifts But for this cause came I to this houre Christs worke of redemption was a most rationall worke and was full of causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this saith that to redeeme losed sinners was not a rash and reasonlesse worke 1. There was no cause compelling Love cannot be forced John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Grace worketh more from an intrinsecall cause and more spontaneously then nature For Nature often is provoked by contraries for selfe-defence to worke as fire worketh on water as on a contrary the wolfe and the dogge pursue one another as enemies But Grace because grace hath abundance of causality and power in it selfe but hath no cause without it 2. Any necessitie of working from Goodnesse in the Agent as from such a principle is strong 1 Tim. 1.15 It s a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners If the thing be worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all receipt and embracing then it must bee good an Agent working from a Principle of goodnesse doth in his kind worke necessarily though he may also worke from another principle freely John 10.11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheepe Luke 19.10 For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost 3. God will seeke reasons or occasions without himselfe to be gracious to sinners When no reason or cause moveth a Physitian to cure but onely sicknesse and extreame misery wee know grace and compassion is the onely cause Ezech. 36.23 I will sanctifie my great name Why Which was prophaned among the heathen and which ye have prophaned in the midst of them then the true cause must bee expressed Vers. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake 4. The Lord taketh a cause from the end of his comming Math. 20.28 The Sonne of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many Joh. 18.37 To this end was I borne and for this cause came into the world that I should beare witnesse to the truth Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and have it in aboundance 5. Some thing yea very much of God is in the creation much of God in his common providence but most of all yea whole God in the redemption of man God manifested in the flesh is the matter and subject of it Grace the moving cause most of all his attributes working for the manifestation of the Glory of pardoning mercy revenging justice exact faithfulnesse and truth freest grace omnipotency over hell devils sinne the World patience longanimity to man cooperate as the formall and finall causes it is a peece so rationall and full of causes that as he is happy Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas who can know the causes of things so Angels delight to be Schollers to read and study this mysterious art of free Grace Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Works without reasons and causes are foolish The cause why we doe not submit to God is because we lye under blind and fatherlesse crosses its true Affliction springs not out of the dust and crosses considered without God are twise crosses Three materiall circumstances in crosses are very considerable Quis quare quomodo 1. Who for what cause and how doth God afflict us Who afflicts is worthy to be known Esai 42.24 Who gave Jaakob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers The highest cause of causes did it Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good to him 2. For what end God the Lord did this is a circumstance of comfort Why led the Lord Israel through a great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery Scorpions and Serpents and drought Deut. 8.16 That he might prove thee to doe thee good at thy latter end 3. And how the Lord correcteth is worthy to be known He correcteth Jaakob in measure Jer. 6.28 Mercy wrapped about the rod and a cup of gall and wormewood honeyed and oyled with free love and a piece of Christs heart and his stirred bowels mixed in with the cup is a mercifull little hell Psal. 6.1 Jer. 31.18 19 20. The Law saith A Bastard hath no father because his father is not knowne The Philistimes are plagued with Emerods but whether that ill was from the Lord or from Chance they know not The crosse to many is a bastard We suffer from Prelats because wee suffered Prelats to persecute the Saints Papists shed our bloud why Our fore-fathers burnt the witnesses of Christ and we never repented Christ and Anti-christ are at bloudy blowes in the camp Anti-christ hath killed many thousands in the three kingdomes for Religion that is the quarrell and
Christs love is stronger then hell Our affections often take fire from difficulties as absence of the Beloved kindles a new fire Stollen bread because stollen is sweeter and not our nature onely but longing after Christ nititur in vetitum inclineth to that which is forbidden What if Christ be longed for and loved more when absent then present 2. The other Character is That when the end is obtained all operation for or about the meanes ceaseth and the soule hath a complacency in the fruition of the end When the wretches chests are full hee hath an heart-quietnesse in gold Luk. 12. Soule take thine ease but if the soule have an akeing and a disquieting motion after gold is obtained it is not because gold was not his end but because hee hath not obtained it in such a large measure as hee would or because it s but a sick and lame end and cannot satiate but rather sharpen soule-thirst after such corruptible things When Christ is obtained the soule hath sweet peace Hee that drinketh of the water of life thirsts no more appetitu desiderii as longing with anxiety for this as wee doe for earthly things which we want though hee have appetitum complacâ—ntiae a desire of complacency and a sweet self-quietnesse that his heritage pleaseth him well and his lines are fallen in pleasant parts and rests on his portion and would not change it with ten thousand worlds Men by this who are fishing and hunting after some other thing then Christ may know what is their end when Christ and Reformation come to their doores they will have neither but cast out their lines for another prey Men now fish and angle for gaine in lieu of godlinesse Vers. 28. Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voyce from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Here is the last Article of Christs prayer Father glorifie thy Name 2. The Returne of Christs prayer by an audible answer from heaven This Prayer Glorifie thy Name Father is of an higher straine Father I am willing to die so thou be glorified in giving to me strength to suffer and thou redeeme lost man by me and by so doing glorifie thy Name Christ never in his hardest suffering would be wanting to glorifie God Now how farre the glory of God in doing and suffering should be intended and desired by us in these considerations I propose 1. Wee are to preferre the Lords glory to our owne life and salvation no point of self-denyall and renouncing of self-pleasing can reach higher then this when Christ is willing to be the passive object of the glory of God Put me Father to shame and suffering so thou maist be glorified Paul and Moses are not farre out but they are farre out of themselves when the one for the glory of the Lord in savinâ— the people of God willeth his name may be razed out of the book of life and the other to be separated from Christ for the salvation of his kinsmen Gods chosen people When Abraham is willing that Glory to the Lord should be written with the ink of his sonne Isaac's bloud and the Martyrs that their paine may praise God they then levell at the right end for that must be the most perfect intention that comes nearest to the most perfect This is nearest to Gods intention for hee created and still worketh all for this end that hee may be glorified Pro. 16.4 Revel 4.11 Rom. 11.37 Now if Christ put all to sea and hazard all hee hath to guard the Lords Name from dishonour and made his soule his life his heaven his glory a bridge to keep dry and safe the Glory of God that it sink not and if God would rather his deare Son should be crowned with the Crosse and his bloud squeezed out with his precious life then that any shame should come to his Name then are wee to interpose our selves even to sufferings and shame for the glory of God Suppose a Saint were divided in foure and every member with life in it and torment of paine fixed in the foure corners of the heaven East and West and South and North and the soule in the convexity of heaven under the paine of the torment of the gnawing worme that can never die these five were oblieged to cry with a loud voyce in the hearing of heaven of earth of hell of Men and Angels and all creatures Glory glory be to the spotlesse and pure justice of the Lord for this our paine and when the damned are noted to speake against their sentence of condemnation When saw we thee hungry and fed thee not c. Mat. 25. it is cleare they are oblieged to acquiesce to this that they are made clay-vessels passively to be filled to the brim with the glory of revenging justice and ought in hell to praise the glory of revenging wrath as the Saints in heaven are bottles and vessels of mercy from bottom to brim filled with the glory of mercy to praise his grace in heaven who redeemed them the one Psalme is as due and just as the other What the damned doe not or doe in the contrary is their sinne One prayed his death paine torment sad afflictions that may out-runne him ere hee escape into the grave yea that his hell might with his owne good will be a printed booke on which Angels and Men may read the glory of inviolable justice 2. Wee love that the holinesses and grace of others were ours that we might glorifie God but we glorifie him not with that which he hath given us yea we have a sort of wicked emulation and envy if others glorifie God not we Moses acquiesced to Gods dispensation that the Lord might be glorified in the peoples possessing of the holy Land though hee himselfe should not bee their leader but not at the first There is a cumbersome piece called I ego selfe that hath an itching soule for glory due to another 3. O how unwilling are wee that the Lords glory over-weigh our ease and humour Master forbid Eldad and Medad to Prophecie saith Joshua No Moses will have God glorified be the instruments who will 4. There is a two fold glory here due to God 1. Active the glory of duties to be performed by us 2. Passive the glory of events that results from the Lords government of the world wee are to care for both but wee doe it not orderly We are more carefull of Gods passive glory which belongs to himselfe then we ought to be Hence say we what confusions be there in the world Nation breakes covenant with Nation Heresies and blasphemies prevaile Antichrist is yet on his throne the Churches over Sea oppressed the people of God led to the Shambles as slaughter-sheep and destroyed and killed Hundreds of Thousands killed in Ireland many thousands in England and very many thousands about the space of one year taken away in Scotland with the Sword and the
hands of Satan hee found Satan under old treason committed against God for before this hee kept mankind captive and found him under a sentence for it and cast downe to hell and because Christ was God and the same God equall with the Father therefore hee made good his Fathers deed and putteth his seale and Amen to that sentence and for new treason against God in man his Image whom God had made lord and little king of the earth Christ gave out a new sentence against Satan Gen. 3.25 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Consid. 2. All punishment on Satan is now inflicted by the Mediator Christ for since Satan came in the Play to appeare a Satan and Adversary to man hee set up another kingdome of darknesse opposite to the kingdome of the Son of God Col. 1.13 Joh. 14.30 hee persecuteth the woman that brought forth the Man-child Revel 12.13 hee goeth forth in his Instruments to gather the kings of the earth and the whole world to the great battell of that great day of God almighty Revel 16.14 and maketh warre with the Lamb. Revel 17.13 14. Hee is the accuser of the brethren Revel 12.10 The king of the bottomlesse pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon Revel 9.11 Hee is the Arch-destroyer and destroyeth all in relation to the Man Christ and his Church therefore is Christ raised up a Redeemer a Saviour to revenge the cause of his brethren and came in the flesh to destroy Satan his kingdome and works to enter in Satans house to bind the strong man and spoyle him of his goods Heb. 2.14 1 Joh. 3.8 Joh. 14.30 Mat. 12.29 30. Gen. 3.16 Col. 2.15 16. And when Christ by reconciling all things in heaven and earth to God Col. 1.20 became the head of Angels and Men Col. 2.9 Col. 1.18 Col. 2.10 hee was stated in an headship over all the tribes of men and Angels to confirm the good Angels that they should not fall and to redeeme falne Men and when all State-solemnities at the Coronation of Jesus Christ are performed and the Father had said Psal. 2.6 Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Sion Act. 5.31 hee must by his office and Royall place reigne over the Rebells that are mixed with the willing Subjects and bruise them with a rod of iron whether they will or no And as when there is fewd and warres betweene two Houses and bloud on either side there is an hâ—ire borne of one of the Houses to make peace between them and take order with and subdue the rebellious who refuse peace and to revenge the injuries so were there warres between the Soveraigne Majesty of the Lord our God and both Angel-nature and Mankind Angels and Men had highly injured the Lord and wounded his honour Christ Jesus a borne Heire of the seed of David and of the Royall line of heaven God equall with the Father comes to the Crowne and makes peace between the Lord and Men and so farre reconcileth the good Angels that they cannot fall out with God but stand by the grace of the new Heire and Christ revengeth upon the Devils and the world the wrongs done to God and subdueth both under God Consid. 3. It is considerable what wisdome and counsell is here in warre Satan foiled man and subdued him as his vassall and slave to the condemnation hee himselfe was under and Man must be king lord and Judge over Devils Angels who envied Mans happinesse and destroyed mankind must appeare personally be arraigned sentenced and condemned before the Man Christ. Man was shut out of Paradise by the envie of Angels now hath the Man Christ the keyes of Paradise of heaven and hell and death and the grave Christs garments are wet and stained not with Edoms bloud Esai 62. but to borrow the expression hee goeth to heaven in triumph and his apparell red with Angel-bloud and so leadeth captivity it self captive Other Warriours take away the life of the living but he taketh away the life of death it selfe Others subdue captives never one save the Man Christ subdued captivity Consid. 4. Victory over Devils by the man Christ is more glorious then if God had interposed absolute Soveraignity and Power because mercie grace truth justice are the sweet ingredients going out with the bloud of God in it and omnipotencie is much seene in that one little despised man of clay totally routâ—th and destroyeth Satan and many legions so that though Devils keepe the fields and dayly sight yet thâ—y can never make head againe against Christ nor win one battle or pull one captive out of Christs hand Consid. 5. Heaven is not conquered againe nor Hell and Devils subdued by a sudden surprise or a stratageme but in faire warres and in an open set battell Coloss. 2.15 Hee on the Crosse made a shew openly and triumphed over Devils Vse 1. If God onely know the heart and its secrets and Men and Angels cannot we should aime and studie sinceritie one witnesse of integritie here is more then millions of witnessâ—s this one witnesse the Searcher of hearts will cast a man though he had a jury of Angels to absolve him and all the men on earth were on the Inquest and Assise to carry him up above the skies and the heaven of heavens as more innocent then all the Angels and if Angels all Angels and men were on you jury to condemne you to be as foule and guiltie as the Prince of Devils yet Rom. 8. If yee be in Christ. Vers. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Vers. 34. Who is he that condemneth Rest upon the Testimony of no man there bee thousands faire and and spotlesse standing before the Throne whom the World condemned to hell as foule and black wee may instance in Jesus Christ his Apostles and the Martyrs of Christ and thousands the blind world have written in heaven amongst the stars and Gods above the clowds in the Quire of Angels as Augustus Caesar and thousands of these whom Jesus Christ did never owne but as enemies O what is the worth and price of a conscience sprinkled in the bloud of the Lambe And what a precious voice is the testimony of the Spirit And what a valide Passe and a Magna Charta a noble testificate is that in heaven and eternity if Jesus Christ say Behold a true Jsraelite indeed in whom is no guile Vse 2. What is light and knowledge though you had as much as the Devils have who are torches and lamps of hell for knowledge if all your wisdome be against Christ It s a black commendation Jer. 4.22 My people are foolish they have not knowne me they are sottish children and they have no understanding Yet
destroyed and made to cease Yea saith the Bright Starre cap. â— pag. 20. The naked influence of God annihilates all the acts of the soule Cap. 4. pag. 28. Boyling desires after Christ savours too much of action hindereth the soule to be perfectly illuminated and to arise to the rosie kisses and chaste embraces of her Bridegrome See Theolog. German cap. 5. pag. 9 10. and In place of them the Holy Ghost works And this Author saith The Spirit of adoption works not freely when men are in bondage to some outward circumstances of worship as time place or persons that thâ—y cannot pray but at such houres or in such places c. Protestant Divines teach no such thing But his aime is to set on foot the Familists Doctrine That wee are not bound to keep a constant course of prayer in our Families or privately unlesse the Spirit stirre us up thereunto Saltmarsh saith hee thought hee could have spent a whole night in prayer but 1. whether hee did so or no hee expresseth not lest hee should contradict his Brethren the Familists of New-England who teach That to take delight in the service of God is to goe a whoring from God 2. It would be asked Whether this sit was on him before or after his conversion To say before would seeme a delusion or a preparation of eminency if after conversion it s to no purpose except to be a mark of a converted man And Antinomians have no stomack to Marks nor belongs it to the way of his conversion which hee relates It is true wee cannot tye the Spirit to our houres but then all the Lords-day-worship all set houres at morn or at night in private or in families set times and houres for the Churches praying preaching heating conference reading were unlawfull for wee cannot stint the Spirit to a set time nor are wee tyed to time except to the Christian Sabbath Some may say It s no charity to impute Familists errors of New-England to Antinomians here Answ. Seeing Saltmarsh and others here doe openly owne Antinomian Doctrine as the way of Free grace they are to be charged with all those till they cleare themselves or refute those blasphemies which they have never done to this day Object 9. I seldome desired pardon of sin till I were fitted for mercies but now I see wee are pardoned freely O rest not in your owne duties Answ. To desire pardon of sin before we be sitted for pardon by no Divinity is contrary to free pardon though such desires be fruitlesse as coming from no gracious principles Asser. 8. To beleeve and take Christ because I am a needy sinner is one thing and to beleeve because I am fitted for mercy and humbled is another thing This latter wee disclaime Preparations are no righteousnesse of ours nor is it our Doctrine to desire any to rest on preparations or to make them causes foundations or formalia media formall meanes of faith they hold forth the meere order and method of graces working not to desire pardon but in Gods way of fore-going humiliation is nothing contrary but sweetly subordinate to free pardon And to cure too suddenly wounds and to honey secure and proud sinners and sweeten and oyle a Pharisee and to reach the Mediators bloud to an unhumbled soule is but to turne the Gospel into a charme and when by Magick you have drawne all the bloud out of the sick mans veines then to mixe his bloud with sweet poyson and cause him drinke and swell and say you have made him healthie and fat Now Peter Act. 2. poured vinâ—ger and wine at first on the wounds of his hearers when hee said Yee murthered the Lord of glory and they were pricked in their heart This is the Law 's work Rom. 3. to condemne and stop the sinners mouth And you cannot say that Peter failed in curing too suddenly because hee preached first the Law to wound and prick them for that they crucified the Lord of glory before hee preached the Gospel of beleefe and Baptisme And the Lord rebuking Saul from heaven convincing him of persecution casting him downe to the ground striking him blind while hee trembled And the Lords dealing with the Jayler was fourer work then proposing and pouring the Gospel oyle and honey of freâ—ly imputed righteousnesse in their wounds at the first and a close unbottoming them of their own righteousnesse And the Lords way of justifying Jews and Gentiles is a Law-way as touching the order Rom. 3. Having proved all to be under sin Vers. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. hee saith Vers. 19. Now wee know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God Indeed if they be convinced of sin by the Spirit and so converted and yet under trouble of mind a pound of the Gospel for one ounce weight of the Law is fit for them But Antinomians erre not knowing the Scriptures in dreaming that converted soules are so from under the Law that they have no more to doe with the Law no more then Angels and glorified Saints so as the letter of the Gospel doth not lead them but some immediate acting of the Spirit And that 2. there is no commandement under the Gospel but to beleeve onely That 3. mortification and new obedience as M. Town and others say is but faith in Christ and not abstinence from worldly lusts that warre against the soule 4. That the Gospâ—l commandeth nothing but perswadeth rather that we may be Libertines and serve the flesh and beleeve and be saved 5. That God hath made no covenant with us under the Gospel the Gospel is all promise that wee shall be carried as meere patients to heaven in a chariot of love 6. That the way is not strait and narrow but Christ hath done all to our hands 7. That its Legall not Gospel-conversion to keep the soule so long under the Law for humiliation contrition and confession and then bring them to the Gospel whereas wee teach that the Law purely and unmixed without all Gospel is not to be used as a dyet-potion onely to purge never to let the unconverted heare one Gospel-promise It is true Peter preached not Law to Cornelius nor Philip to the Eunuch nor Ananias to Paul but these were all converted afore-hand Wee think the unconverted man knowes neither contrition nor confession aright But I was more confirmed that the way of Antinomians is for the flesh not for the Gospel when I read that M. Crispe expounding Confession 1. Joh. 1. maketh it no humble acknowledging that the sinner in person hath sinned and so is under wrath eternall if God should judge him but hee maketh it a part of faith by which a sinner beleeveth and confesseth that Christ payed for his sin and hee is pardoned in him Sure Confession in Scripture is no such thing
Churches can be no rule to us 3. If there be any marke of Scripturall sanctification that doth not agree to Scripture the rule of righteousnesse though found in a person not mentioned in Scripture it s a delusion 4. It s all the reason in the world that a sinner be drawn to Christ. For Christ is the most rationall object that is he being the wisdome of God And man is led and taken with reason Christ is a convincing thing and invincibly bindeth reason so the forlorne Sonne before he returne to his Father argueth Luke 15.17 My Father hath bread he giveth it to servants and I am a starving Son therefore I 'le returne to my Father and the wise Merchant must discourse Matth. 13.45 46. Christ is a precious pearle all that I have in the world are but common stones and clay to him therefore I cast my account thus to sell all and to buy him So Matth. 9.21 the diseased Woman hath heart-Logick within her self if a touch of the border of his garment may heale me then I le goe to Christ and the unjust Steward cast Syllogismâ—s thus I cannot worke and a lodging in heaven I must have and there is but one way to come by it to make mee a friend in heaven Yea a fooles paradise a wedge of gold is a strong reason Prov. 7.21 The Whore forced the young man with guilded words and the out-side of reason Faith is the deepest and soundest understanding the gold the floure of reason Christ can make me a King therefore I le be drawne to him Poore Adam out-witted himselfe turned distracted he studied an aple so while hee studied all his postrity out of their wits and now wee are borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mad fooles T it 3.3 What is the Gospel but a masse a Sea a world of faire and precious truthes that sayes come borne-Idiots to wisdome and be made eternall Kings this is good reason For the other way of drawing we shall speake of it here-after Asser. 3. In words and oratory there is no power to make the blinde see and the dead live Will yee preach heaven and Christ seven times and let Angels preach above a dead mans grave Yee doe just nothing But Christs word is more then a word Joh. 4.10 Jesus said if thou knewest that gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and hee would have given thee living water Psalm 119.33 Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end Psalm 9.10 Those that know thy name will put their trust in thee Christ said but Follow me to Mathew And I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live Ezech. 16.6 One word live is with child of omnipotencie Majesty and heaven and glory lie in the wombe of one world when Christ speaks as Christ he speaks pounds and talent-weights Luk. 24.32 The Disciples going to Emans say one to another did not our hearts burne within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures There bee coâ—es of fire and fire-brands in Christs words Christ is quick of understanding to know what word is the fittest key to shoote the yron barre that keepes thâ— heart closed he opens sealâ—s on the heart with authority violence may break up sealed letters but it may be unjustly done but authority can open Kings seales justly Christ not onely teacheth how to love or modum rei but hee teacheth Love it selfe he draweth a lump of love out of his owne heart and casts it in the sinners heart the Spirit perswadeth God Gal. 1.10 then hee must perswade Christ and perswade heaven this is more then to speake perswasive words of God and Christ it is to cast Christ in at the eare and in the bottome of the heart with words Men open things that they may be plaine to the understanding Christ opens the faculty it selfe to understand The Sunne gives light but cannot create eyes to see Christ can whole the broken optick nerves He creates both the Sunne and tyes a knot upon the broken eye-strings that the blind man sees bravely Asser. 4. One generall is unseparable from Christs drawing that for the manner of drawing he doth it out of meere free Love The principle of drawing on Christs part is great love Ephes. 2.4 God rich in mercy for his great love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sinne quickned us in Christ. Tit. 3.4 But when the bâ—unty and man-love or rather the man-kindnesse of God our Saviour appeared he saved us Thankes to the birth of love and of felt love Col. 1.12 13. Giving thanks to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath delivered who hath snatched us with haste and violence from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us to the kingdome of the Sonne of his love â— This love hath in regard of his fervour much haste and loseth no time but comes and drawes and pulls the sinner out of hell before he be past recovery and cold dead as a Father seeing his child fall in the water and wrestling with the proud floods he runnes ere he be dead out of hand to pull him out Luk. 15.10 The Father ranne and fell on his neck and kissed him The Fathers running saith that the love of Christ hath need of haste to prevent a sinner and that hee is eager and hot in his love when Christ runnes to save hee would gladly save he drawes with good will when he runnes and sweats to come in the nick of due time to save So Cant. 2.8 when he commeth to save his Church or comfort her in her faintings loves pace is swift like the running of a Roe or a young Hart. Behold he commeth leaping upon the mountaines skipping on the hills And it is an expression of the extreme desire that Christ hath of an union with us and how faine hee would have the company of sinners So wee difference between inviting or calling yea or leading and drawing in calling and leading Christ leaveth more to our will whether we will come or refuse but in drawing there is more of violence lesse of will 3. In drawing there is love-sicknesse and lovely paine 〈◊〉 in Christs ravishings 1. When Christ cannot obtaine and winne the consent and good-liking of the sinner to his love he ravisheth and with strong hand drawes the sinner to himselfe when invitations doe not the businesse and he knocks and we will not open then a more powerfull work must follow Cant. 5.4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the doore and my bowels were moved for him Christ drives such as will not be led 2. And these who will not be invited he must draw them rather then want them he drawes with compassion as being overcommed with love for his bowels are moved
complaining would be examined Seldome or never is it seen that a reprobate man can be in sad earnest heavie in heart touching his deadnesse of heart and fruitlesse hearing of the word of God thirty or fourty yeares and withall if there be a dram of sincerity the least graine of Christ as if the soule doe but look afarre-off with halfe an eye yet greedily after the Lord Jesus it s a sweet beginning It s true a talent weight of iron or sand is as weighty as a talent weight of gold but in a Saint an ounce weight of grace hath more weight then a pound of corruption It is no Gospel-truth that Antinomians teach That God loves no man lesse for sin or no man more for inherent holinesse It s true of the love of election and reconciliation in the work of justification but most false of the love of divine manifestation in the work of sanctification as is cleare Joh. 14.21 23. Nor are men by this taught to seek righteousnesse in themselves because they are commanded to try and examine themselves as 1 Cor. 11.28 2 Cor. 13.5 4. Such soules would upon any termes be brought to reason and debate the question with Christ that as the Law may stop their mouth before God so mercy may stop the mouth of the Law and sin and it may convincingly be cleared that though scarlet or crimson can by no art be made white yet Christ who is above art can make them white Isai. 1.18 as wooll and snow And therefore such would be brought in an high esteeme and deep judgement of Christs fairnesse beauty excellency incompatable and transcendent worth and though a soule have a too high esteeme of his sins yet say that hee dies with an high esteeme of Jesus Chriâ—t hee is in no danger for faith is but a swelled an high and broad opinion and thought of the incomparable excellency and sweetnesse of Jesus Christ. Vse 8. This powerfull drawing teacheth humble thankefulnesse 1. The most harmelesse and innocent sinner must bee in Christs book for the debt of ten thousand Talents 2. The sense of drawing grace is mighty ingaging every act of thankfull obedience should come out of this wombe as the birth and child of the felt love of God Christ did bid such a man battell 2. He was Christs enemy when he took him 3. It cost Christ blood he died to conquer an enemie Rom. 5.10 4. He kept the taken enemy alive he might have killed him he gave him more then quarters he made a captive a King Rev. 1.6 Suppose we Christ should in his own person come locally down to hell and look upon so many thousands scorching and flaming in that unsufferable lake of fire and brimstone if he should cull out by the head and name so many thousands of them even while they were spitting on Christ blaspheming his name and scratching his face and should loose off the fetters of everlasting vengeance and draw them from amongst millions of damned Spirits lay them in his bosome carry them to heaven set them on Thrones of glory crown them as Kings to raigne with him for evermore Would they not be shamed and overcome with this love kisse and adore so free a Redeemer and thus really hath Christ dealt with sinners look on your debts written in Christs grace-book would not such a redeemed one praise his Ransomer and say O if every finger every inch of a bone every lith every drop of blood of my body every hair of my head were in an Angels perfection to praise Iesus Christ O the weight of the debt of love O the gold Mynes and the depths of Christs free love 3. Consider what expressions vessels of grace have used of free grace how far below grace Paul sets himself lo here Eph. 3.8 To me who am 1. Lesse then a Saint 2. Not that only but lesse then the least 3. Lesse then the least of Saints But 4. yet a little lower lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Gospell riches is grace and mercy but there is a great abundance of it it s a speech from quick-sented hounds who have neither footstep nor trace nor sent left them of the game they pursue Christ defies men and Angels to trace him in the wayes of grace So Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an injurious person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I was be-mercied as if dipt in a river in a Sea of mercy Vers. 14. And the grace of the Lord Jesus to me was abundant No that is to low a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grace was more or over-abundant one Paul obtained as much grace even so whole and compleat a ransome without diminishing as would have saved a world Rom. 5.15 If through the offence of one many bee dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is exceedingly to abound and borrowed from fountaines and rivers which have flowed with waters since the creation but there is a higher word Vers. 12. Where sinne abounded grace farre more or exceedingly over-abounded or more then over-abounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Vers. 21. Sin reigned unto death that grace might reigne unto life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christs grace might play the King The saving knowledge of God under the Kingdome of the Messiah Esai 11.9 fills the earth as the Sea is covered with waters A Sea of Faith and a Earthfull of the grace of saving light and a Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Esai 30.26 hold forth to us a large measure of grace and righteousnessâ— and peace like a river and the waves of the sea Esai 48.18 All these say Christ is no niggard of grace And 4. can they not weare and out-spend their harps who fall downe before the Lambe Revel 14. and Revel 5.8 Who with a loude voice praise the grace of God Vers. 12. For ever and ever Consider if it must not be a loud voice when ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand thousands all joyne in one song to extoll grace if we be not in word and deed obliged to expresse the vertues and praises of him who hath called us from darkenesse to his marveilous light Vers. 32. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to me Article II. The next thing we consider is the person that drawes I sayes Christ I will draw all men to me There is a peculiar aptitude in Jesus Christ to drawe sinners to himselfe 1. As concerning his person he is fit for neither is the Father nor the Holy Ghost in person Lord Redeemer but Christ as in the deep of Gods wisdome the Sonne was thought fittest to make Sonnes Galat. 4.4 the heire to communicate the right of heire-ship
which are for us and the soule injoying Christ possesseth Christ and not it selfe loveth Christ not it selfe liveth in Christ not in it selfe injoyeth Christ not it selfe solaceth it selfe in Christ not in it selfe beholdeth Christ and his beauty not it selfe nor his owne beauty so that mind will love desire hope joy sight wondring delighting are all over in Christ not in it selfe And all this further confirmeth the point in hand that Christ crucified and laid hold on by faith is a desirable and a drawing lover PART III. All men I will draw all men The parties drawne to Christ is the third Article in the doctrine of Christs drawing and they are here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men It is a great question betweene us and such as are for universall attonement and grace universall as many Anabaptists in England now are what is meant by All men in which these are to be observed 1. The state of the question 2. The mind of the Adversaries 3. Our minde 4. The clearing of places alledged by the Adversaries 5. The answering of that principall doubt what faith is required of all within the visible Church 6. The uses of the Doctrine Of all these shortly The state of the Question The Question toucheth 1. Gods intention and purpose to save man 2. In chusing some to salvation not others 3. Gods purpose in sending Christ to dye for some not for others The first Article is called universall grace the second conditionall or which to me is all one vniversall election to glory and so no Election The third is the question touching the universalitie of Christs death or a fancied universall attonment made by Christ for all I cannot particularly handle all the three For the first God ingageth all men as Christs debters thus far that it is mercy that they live or have any opportunity of seeking God what ever be the means naturall or super-naturall whereas for the sin of Adam God might by a like justice have destroyed the world and all mankinde vanity is penally inflicted on all the servants for treason of the Master against the King of Heaven and earth but in Christ there be two mitigations 1. One is that the servants are not destroid for the sin of the Master 2. That as the fore-fated Lord is restored so the sick servants groaning under vanity shall bee delivered from that bondage they come under for the sinne of man Rom. 8.20 21 22. Hence it is though we be out-laws by nature that now by a priviledge of grace from the Mediator the Tenents receive and lodge the Master because Christ hath taken off the Statute and Act of forfeiture 2. No man living on earth but he is beholding to Christ though many know him not for common helps of providence and experiences do teach him some more of God by nature 3. The sound of Christ God revealed in the Gospel in the Apostles ministery is declared and is gone to the ends of the earth and to the Nations Psal. 19.4 Rom. 10.18 But some say these words Have they not heard have relation to v. 14. the hearing of the Gospel or the publishing of the glad tidings of the Gospel to all and every one of mankind and must be meant of that same hearing Ans. It relates to hearing of God revealing himselfe in the meanes of salvation say the Adversaries But then the question is Whether these meanes be the preaching of the Gospel or of the same God revealed as Creator by the Sun Moon and Stars who is revealed in the Gospel and salvation by him Now the Sun and Stars and heaven declare the glory of God and sound forth his praises and salvation through Christ by this sense to all and every Nation and to every single person without exception not onely when Paul wrote this to the Romans but when David penned the 19. Psalme what difference then between the Iewes to whom God revealed his Testimonies and the Gentiles to whom God made no such revelation Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 4.33 34 c. Deut. 5.25 26. Psal. 78.1 2 c. Psal. 81 4 5. and this sound if it be the Gospel preached to as many as see the Sun and ever when they see the Sun then at that time and to this day the Sun and Moone must be sent Apostles and Preachers by whose words and Ministery all and every man that seeth the Sun then and now and to Christs second comming are obliged to pray to God in Christ and to beleeve and Faith comes by hearing the Sun Stars night and day preach Christ for sure the same hearing of the Gospel v. 18. must be understood which is spoken v. 14.15 for if the one be an hearing of the Gospel by the Apostles which produceth faith and salvation and the other a hearing of Sun and Stars in the book of the Creation This produceth not faith and salvation by the confession of the Adversaries 2. The Apostle shall not answer his own Objection Ver. 18. If all both Jew and Gentile have not heard the Gospel its unpossible they can beleeve for faith cometh by hearing the Gospel from their mouth who are sent of God and if they hear not they must be excused because they beleeve not in Christ of whom they never heard The Apostle must answer yea but they have heard the Gospel Why they heard the Sun and the Stars preach Christ and salvation by him to the farthest ends of the earth for sure David in the literall and native sense of that 19. Psalme speaketh of such dumbe Preachers Now this is no answer at all for Sun and Stars are not sent of God to preach salvation by Christ. 2. Faith comes not by hearing the creatures preach Christ. 3. The Prophets and Apostles not the dumbe and livelesse creatures have pleasant feet on the Mountains to preach peace as it is verse 14 15 16. cited from Isai. 52.7 Nah. 1.15 But the native sense of the words v. 18. is but a meer allusion in Scripture phrase to Davids words Psal. 19. It is neither citation nor exposition of them but an using of Scripture language in comparing the Gospel to the Sun the sound of the Gospel preached to the sound of the glory of the Creator in the works of heaven and earth to show how ample the preaching of the Gospel under the New Testament is to wit that it is not preached to one Nation of the Jewes only as of old but to all nations to the Jewes and to the foolish people by whom the Lord provokes the Jewes to jealousie as is clear v. 19 20. and that voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their voice is gone to the ends of the earth is the voice of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe who preached the Gospel to Nations of all kinds to Iewes and Gentiles it s not the voice of the creatures the heaven and earth but a meer allusion to that voice Psal. 19. for the words have no sense
when your soule shall be loaden with glory and thousands of souls blowing and spitting out blasphemies on the Majesty of God out of the sense of the torment of the gnawing worm that never dies and yee consider the soule of Iudas might have been in my soules stead and my soule in the same place of torment that his is now in what wonder then Iohn cry out behold what love 4. How much love for extention and intention for one man and every one in covenant Psal 106.45 multitudes of mercies and Ps. 130.7 plentious redemption one David must have multitude of tender mercies Psal. 51.1 Psal. 69.13.16 It s not one love but loves many loves Ezech. 16.8 Cant. 1.2 He gives many salvations to one as if one heaven and one crown of glory were not enough Ephes. 2.4 he is rich in mercy and he quickned us when we were dead in sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For his multiplyed love every man has a particular act of love a particular act of atonement bestowed on him can ye multiply figures with a pen and write from the east to the west and then begin again and make the heaven of heavens all circular lines of figures it should wearie the arm of Angels to write the multiplyed loves of Christ. Christs love desires to engage many how many millions be there of elect Angels and men every one of them for his own part must have a heaven of love and Christ thinks it little enough that the first-bornes love be on them all and that they all be first-borne Col. 1.20 It pleased the Father by Christ to reconcile all things in heaven and in earth to himself All the Angels are Christs vassals and he is their head Col. 2.10 then Christ must have two eyes you seven eyes to see for every one and two legs for every Angel to walk withall Christ must have a huge hoast and numerous troups in his familie 2 Who then can number the sums of all the debts of free grace that Angels and me now Christ and when they shall be paid though sinnes shall be acquitted yet debts of undeserved love shall stand for ever and ever O how unsearchable is the riches of Christs grace Know yâ— O Angels O gloryfied Spirits where is the Brim or where is the bottom of free grace Yet not one sinner can have lesse grace then hee has hee has need of all he has no oyl to spare to lend to his neighbourâ— Matth. 25. Our deep diseases and festered wounds could have no lesse to cure them then infinite love and free grace passing all knowledge It was a broad wound that required a plaister as long and broad as infinite â—esus Christ. Paul bows his knee to the Master of the families of heaven and earth for this act of grace to weigh the love of Christ Ephes. 3.18 I pray saith he that ye may comprehend or overtake the love of God 2. How many are set on work to compasse that love as if one man could not be able to do it Yet I pray that ye with all the Saints may comprehend what is the bredth it s broader then the Sea or the earth and what is the length of it its longer then between East and West though ye could measure between the extremity of the higest ciâ—cle of the heaven of heavens and then it hath depth and heigth more then from the center of the earth to the circle of the Moon and up through all the orbes of the sâ—ven Planets and to the orbe of Sâ—atrreâ— and highest heavens who can comprehend either the diameter or circumâ—â—rence of so great a love Love is an Element that all the Elect Men and Angels swim in the the banks of the river swell above the circle of the Sunne to the highest of the highest heavens Christs love in the Gospel takes all alive as a mighty Conqueror his seed for multitude is like the drops of dew that come out of the womb of the morning Psal. 110. and they are the dew of the youth of Christ for Christ as a strong and vigorous young man full of strength who never fails through old age brings in the forces of the Gentiles like the flocks of Kedar Esai â—0 5 6. 5 Christs love outworks Hell and Devils Can yee seale up the Sunne that it cannot rise or can ye hinder the flowing of the Sea or lay a Law upon the Windes that they blow not farre lesse can ye hinder Christs wildernesse to blossom as a Rose or his grace to blow to flow over banks oâ—â—o flee with Eagles wings O how strong an agent iâ— Christs love that beares the sinnes of the world â—oh 1.29 It woâ—ks as fire doth by nature rather then by will and none can bind up Christs heart or restraine his bowels but he must work all to heaven that he has loved Vse 2. We are hence taught to acknowledge no love to be in God which is not effectuall in doing good to the creaâ—ure there is no lip-love no raw wel-wishing to the creature which God doth not make good we know but three sorts of love that God has to the creature all the three are like the fruitfull womb there is no miscarrying no barrennesse in the womb of divine love he loves all that he has made so farre as to give them a being to conserve them in being as long as he pleaseth hee had a desire to have Sunne Moone Starres Earth Heaven Sea Clouds Ayr hee created them out of the womb of love and out of goodnesse and keeps them in being hee can hate nothing that hee made now according to Arminians he wishâ—d a being to many things in then seed and causes as he wished the earth to be more fruitfull before the fall then now it is so that against Gods will and his good will to the creatures he comes short of that naturall antecedent love that he beareth to creatures he could have wished death never to be noâ— sicknesse nor old age say Arminians nor barrennesse of the earth nor corruption Nay but though these have causes by rule of justice in the sins of men yet we have no cause to say God falls short of his love and wished and desired such and such a good to the creature but things mscarried in his hand his love was like a mother that conceiveth with many children but they die in the womb so God willed and loved the being of many things but they could not be the love of God was like the miscarrying womb that parts with the dead child we cannot acknowledge any such love in God 2. There is a second love and mercy in God by which he loves all Men and Angels yea even his enemies makes the Sun to shine on the unjust man as well as the just and cauâ—eth dew and raine to fall on the orchard and fields of the bloody and deceitfull man whom the Lord abhors as Christ teacheth us Matth.
in all things that concerne salvation nor doth the Lord work in us to will and to doe if we will not doe without any prior dependence on the â—nfluence of the grace of God we as much work in our selves willing and doing as the Lord doth and the Lord in his grace shall follow and not lead our will 3. Grace doth not conferre any help on the will to â—ctuate it and to strengthen it in doing good in believing â—epenting loving God hoping as Grevinchovius saith but will and grace doe both joyntly meet in one and the same effect in which 4 Free-will divideth the spoyl with Christ and what need we say worthy is the Lamb who has redeemed us if free-will in the application of redemption share equally with the Grace of Christ 3. The third way is that free-will is said to believe repent love God by a meer extrinsecall denominationâ— because it carieth that graceâ— which formally and only doth perform all these supernaturall actions so Grace doth all and free-will is a meer patient that conferreth no vitall subordinate and active influence in these acts as we say the Apothecaries glasse healeth the wound because the oyl in the glasse worketh the cure when the glasse doth actively contribute nothing to the cure or the Asse maketh rich when it carieth the gold that enricheth only this sense Antinomians hold forth and make us meer patients and blocks in the way to heaven and this sense Jesuites especially Martinez de Ripaldâ— falsly chargeth upon Luther and Calvin and the Councell of Trent inspired with the same lying Spirit saith the same 4. The fourth sense is that Grace and free-will doth work so as Grace is the principall first inspiring and fountane cause 1. It being a new supernaturall disposition and habite in the soule Joh. 14.23 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Ioh. 3.9 Ioh. 4.14 Esai 44.3.4 Ezech. 36.26.27 Deut. 30.6 A good treasure or stock of grace Matth. 12.35 Luk. 6.45 And also actually it determineth sweetly enclineth and stirreth the will to these acts yet so as free-will moveth actively freely and confeâ—reth a radicall vitall subordinate influence is not a meer patient in all these as Antinomians dream Psal. 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shall enlarge my heart Ioh. 14.12 he that believeth in me the works that I doe he shall doe and greater then these Matth. 12.50 He that doth the will of my heavenly Father the same is my brother c. 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that ye may obtaine Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour 1 Thess. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of Hope 1. We are not dead in supernaturall works and meer blocks Rom. 6.11 Wee are alive unto God in Iesus Christ Ephes. 2.1 He hath quickned us Revel 2.3 For my names sake thou hast laboured and had not fainted 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye steadfast unmoveable alwayes aboundant in the work of the Lord there is activity in the Spirit to lust against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15 Nor is the blessednesse of the Saints only passive in receiving though to be justâ—fied and receive Christs righteousnesse be the fountain blessednesse Psal. 32.1 Rom. 4.6.7 Gal. 3.13 But the Scripture speaketh of a true and solide blessednesse in action Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way Esai 56.2 Blessed is the man that doth this Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Psal. 119.2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgement Revel 22.14 Blessed are they that doe his Commandements Math. 5. Blessed are they that mourn that hunger and thirst Then there must be a part of blessednesse in sanctification as in justification though the one be the cause the other the effect Asser. 6. The Lords working in us the condition of the Covenant of Grace such as faith is by his efficacious grace doth not free us from sinne when we believe not nor involve God in the fault when he worketh not in us to believe as Crispe imagineth Here let me by the way remove the arguments of Dr Crispe by the which he imagineth that there is no condition at all in the covenant of grace Argum. 1. The Covenant should not be everlasting if it depended on a condition of faith to be performed by us for wee faile in our performances daily and the Covenant is anulled and broken so soone as the condition is broken Ans. â— We speak not so that the Covenant of grace depends on a condition in us dependency includes a causality in that of which the thing has deâ—endency we know nothing in us either faith or any other thing that is the cause of the covenant of grace or of the fulfilling of it a cause is one thing a condition caused by grace is an other thing for the peâ—pâ—â—uity of the covenant there is not requiâ—ed a condition always in act 1. If at the elevenâ—h or at the twelf houre you come to Chriâ—t the nature of this covenant promiseth you welcâ—me 2. Particular failings and acts of unbeleif doe well consist with the habite and stock of faith that remaineth in him that iâ— borne 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 is the act so tyed to a time But 3. There is by â—enuure of â—he Covenant a Priviledge twofold here 1. If by the Law a man step a haire-breath wide off the way the doore of Paradise is bolted on him and in againe can he never enter hee must seek another entery the man has done with heaven that way the law knoweth not such a thing as repentance but the Covenant of grace being made with a sinner a slip an act of unbeliefe doth not forfeit the mercy of this covenant But Christ saith if you fall there is place to rise againe if you sin there is an Advocate there is a blood of an eternall covenant the covenant stands still to make up roome for repeated grace for a thred and continued tract of free-grace and mercy all along that your foot never go out of the traces of renewed pardon while you be in heaven though the child of God ought not to sinne yet can he not out-sin the eternity of the new covenant nor can he sin an eternall priest out of heaven 2. The Law requireth a stinted measure of obedience even to the superlative with all the soule and the whole strength any lesse is the forfeiting of salvation But the covenant of grace stinteth no weak soule Christ racketh not nor doth he as it were play the extortioner and say either the strongest faith or none at all he maketh not Abrahams foot a measure to every poor sinner many smoaking flaxes and broken reeds on earth are now up before the throne mighty Cedars high tall green planted on the banks of the river of life if Adam bee the first in Heaven what though I be the last that enter in though I