be enlarged to all places in the World and that not after this nor that manner of outward and carnal worship but after the only manner of inward and spiritual Service John 4.24 for God was a Spirit and therefore the true worshippers of God should always worship him in Spirit and in Truth From hence therefore the world is given to understand the two great Doctrines First That the true worship of God is onely Spiritual Secondly That there is greater perfection in Christianity than in Judaism or Heathenism Worship Spiritual 1. That the True Worship of God is only Spiritual Religion is a Spiritual service that is Prayers Praisings Eucharists Acts of Love Acts of Faith Acts of Hope Acts of Humility Fasting Alms c. Excepting the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper whose effects are Spiritual Sense mysterious Rites easie and number smallest I dare in meekness and charity challenge all perswasions to shew me if they can in the whole Digest of the Christian Law any other external Rite or Ceremony enjoyned or that is necessary that it should be enjoyned Reason Because as the Christian Religion intends wholly an exclusion of all Mosaick Ceremonies made by God so it will not admit of a Body of new and superinduced Rites made by men for they are or may be as much against the Analogy of the spiritual Worship of Jesus Christ as the body of Rites made by Moses and more because they were made by the Will of God but these meerly by the Wills of men Ceremonies The Ceremonies of the Christian Services may be Practised but must be no part of Religion it self but either the Circumstances thereof or the imperate acts of some moral Virtue As thus The Christian must be in some place when he prays and that place may and it is fit it should be determined by Authority for the publick prayers and thither he must go and yet for his private prayers he may go any where else And so for preaching And because the Religious actions of a Christian are finite therefore they must be done as in a place so at a time and that time may and it is fit it should be determined by Authority and then he must do his Devotions in publick at that time only but for his private devotions he may do them at any time else The Religious Actions of a Christian must be in some posture of his Body and that posture may be appointed and it is fit it should be appointed by Authority for the publick worship as to kneel or stand or bow c. and then he must do it in that posture that he is commanded in that publick place and yet he may use what postures he pleases at any other time or place for his private devotions And when the Christian comes to the publick place at the time appointed for Publick Prayer his prayers though in the Spirit must be of some form or manner of expressions by words and that form and manner of expressions by words may and it is fit it should be ordained by Authority for the whole Congregation openly and yet he may be and is at liberty to use what other form he pleases in his private addresses to God And this is enough to satisfie all those that have the true spirit of Christ who though he had no need of the Circumcision of the Law nor yet of the Baptism of the Gospel because there was no superfluity of evil to him to be cut off nor any stain of sin to be washed away yet he suffered himself to be circumcised and baptized and did obey that Law which he came to abolish and was subject to those Powers that were then over him in the world and quarrelled at nothing but was willing to fulfill all Righteousness And if our Fanaticks had the true spirit of Christ they would do as he did and be obedient to his Laws and to the Laws of the Powers that God hath set over them The Differences betwixt the Mosaick Rites under the Law and the Christian Rites Difference of Mosaick and of Christian Rites besides what Christ himself hath ordained under the Gospel are these 1. The Mosaick Rites were only appointed by God but these Christian Rites are appointed by men 2. They were necessary parts of that Religion that then was so far as it was discerned but these are not 3. The Mosaick Ceremonies did oblige every where but the Christian only in publick 4. They were integral parts of the Jewish Religion but these are but circumstances and investitures of our Religious Actions 5. They were done all of them in the spirit of Bondage and great fear but ours are done in the Spirit of Liberty and great Love They were lasting as long as that Religion was to last but ours are alterable though our Religion be everlasting 7. They were many and burdensome and very costly for they were at greater charges to buy Cattel c. for the Sacrifices and the Priests and Levites were as Butchers and Porters and Cooks to knock down Oxen or cut the throats of Calves c. and slay them c. but ours are few and easie and cheap but neither theirs nor ours did or ever will please God The sum is the Ceremonies of Christians they may be the accidents of their worship they must be no more but a just investiture of Time Place Form Habit and Posture He that would have his body decently vested must not wear five and twenty Cloaks a Stole and a Tunick will suffice some thing for warmth and something for ornament does well But as the tender and delicate Woman that will scarcely vouchsafe to set her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness and thinks no ornaments curious enough for her head and the rest of her body makes it the work of half a day to dress and deck her self is a slave to her fine trinkets and thinks neither her Soul nor Body but her habiliments to be the principal part of her care So they that are superstitious and over much righteous in Will-worship and count no formalities nor bodily exercises enough to set out their Devotions are servants to their Beads and trumperies and think not of the substance of Religion but make the out sides thereof the principal part of their care Church of Rome Thus the Church of Rome whose Ceremonies are described in a great Book in folio Quem mea vix totum Bibliotheca capit and my purse strings will not stretch to buy it And although by such means Religion is made pompous and apâ—â—o allure them that admire their gay nothing yet then it also spends their Religious passions and wonderments in that which effects nothing upon the Soul The Priest must be intent upon his Rubrick that he miss nothing of his Bowings Crosses Anointings Sprinklings Perfumes c. and the people are taken up with staring upon the dumbe Images the Larges and the Priests
The Nature of the Two Testaments OR The Disposition of the WILL and ESTATE Of GOD to Mankind FOR HOLINESS and HAPPINESS BY Jesus Christ Concerning Things to be done by Men AND Concerning Things to be had of God Contained in his two great Testaments The LAW and the GOSPEL DEMONSTRATING The High SPIRIT and STATE of the Gospel above the Law In Two Volumes The First Volume of the WILL OF GOD. The Second Volume of the ESTATE OF GOD. The First Volume Of the WILL OF GOD Concerning Things to be done by Men. By ROBERT DIXON D. D. Prebendary of Rochester LONDON Printed by Tho. Roycroft for the Author MDCLXXVI Imprimatur Ex Aed Lambethanis THO. TOMKYNS TO THE READER THE principal Wisdom in all Learning is the knowledg of Rights made and granted by God or Man Rights and to whom they are made and granted and how why and when and for how long and how they are obtained and kept how lost and how recovered That men might be holy in themselves and righteous to others understanding what is their own and to do well to themselves and to all men that they and others might be happy He that can discern and judge rightly of these things is an Oracle amongst men and fit for all business in Church and State Other knowledge is very good Laws and greatly ornamental and useful in its kind but this Learning of Laws divine and humane excells all the rest as the Sun the Stars for the excellency of Piety Equity and Reason that is in it and for the infinite use and benefit that redounds by it to Soul and Body to Ecclesiastical and Civil Societies for this life and for a better I undervalue no Learning hereby but give every Art its due in its time and place and so I give this sublime Faculty of Laws its due also Hereby I do no more than perswade to choose the best things and to find out the most excellent waies Jural sense of Scriptures In order therefore to the understanding of the Scriptures which are Gods Laws I prefer the Jural sense as most genuine and kindly and make use of Jural Terms borrowed from Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil in their proper style as most homogeneal and sutable to the Divine Law in which God hath condescended to humane capacities by propounding his Will in the nature of Laws by his Servant Moses and by his Son Jesus Christ and this is the most stately eloquence for all business There are in the Scriptures which are the two Laws and Testaments of God published by the two Mediators Moses and Christ certain â—ccessories and Consequences as Histories and Prophecies to the explaining whereof Philosophy and Chronology may be very helpful But for the principal and essential Will Word Law Covenant Testament of God concerning mans salvation by Faith in Jesus Christ let any discerning person judge whether it be not expresly revealed by Christ and his Apostles especially St. Paul that great Divine and Lawyer as that other Testament by Moses and the Prophets in terms of Law Such as Predestination Election Justification Adoption Faith Grace Gift Covenant Will Testament Heir Inheritance Possession Liberty c. as shall be made more largely to appear hereafter So the Laws of God being described in terms of Law after the manner of Men are more aptly interpreted by the Science of Law than of Philosophy or any other Art whatsoever This I lay as a principle and foundation to my ensuing discourse Title of Scripture There is nothing more ordinary in our Discourses and Writings than the Laws and Testaments of God which are the Titles of the Scriptures and yet how few regard the Nature of these so considerable Titles For the Subject of every Book is best apprehended by the full Name and Title that is given to it expressing the Nature of the thing contained in it But because this is a New untrodden path and that I am almost alone in this Manner of speaking therefore unsearching and undistinguishing men that are lazy withal and hang upon others Judgments are shie of this Way and pass it by giving it no good report The terms of Philosophy and Oratory are pleasantly swallowed down by them because usual but the terms of both Laws stick and will not go down as harsh and crabbed Sure this doth mightily betray the Ignorance of these men I do not use any barbarous words as are in some Laws but the pure and elegant expressions of the best of humane Laws far more learned and significant than the froth of Rhetoricians or the Fustian stuff of Schoolmen or the Canting Rosicrucian Enthusiastick nonsense of Fanaticks This is our shame that so many Divines and Lawyers reject that most illustrious Faculty so highly useful to them and to the Nobles and Princes of the World in comparison whereof all other inferiour Arts are pedantick and base I take them to be the best Divines Distinction of Old and New Testament that distinguish best between the Old Testament and the New that preach the New Testament and not the Old the Spirit and not the Letter the power of Godliness and not the form A clear distinction between the two Testaments the Law and the Gospel I take to be the principal excellency of a Divine and a noble vein that should run through every Theological Treatise For which I note the most Illustrious Hugo Grotius Dr. Hammond Dr. Taylor Dr. Lushington Dr. Spencer Mr. Thorndike Mr. Farindon c. to be the most eminent in giving light to this great Point which deserves to be more enquired into For which cause I have offered my poor Endeavours hoping to find acceptance from all searching and free spirited men Such divine Lawyers as these I take to have the soundest Notions and the clearest and fullest Expressions no disparagement the World knows it Legists The Linguists and Disputants and Humanists make much ado with their Criticisms and subtilties and Fineries but 't is the wise Legist that must do the business in Church and State A wise Jurisconsult in my opinion knows more of Religion Equity and Government than the profoundest Platonist Aristotelian or Ciceronian of them all I admire the most Excellent Grotius for his rare knowledge in all things but especially for his wisdom in the Laws both divine and humane which makes him shine among all other Writers H. Grotius Tanquam Luna inter minora sidera And thence spring those incomparable Notions digested by a judicious and moderate spirit his Enemies being Judges Many Currs bawl about him that mighty Giant of whom the World was not worthy and spare not to abuse him now he is in his grave who were not worthy to carry his Books after him These and such as these are the Men that divide the Word of God aright like workmen that need not to be ashamed clearly unfolding the good will of God without taking any side or party wholly aiming at satisfaction to
all Consciences and the peace and reconciliation of all Sects by opening the plain Promises of God in the New and last Testament of Christ Jesus 1. A Humour possesses many that hug themselves for their wisdom and moderation therein That either the Will of God concerning Man's Election to salvation is inexplicable or if not Will of God must be kept secret from the people or at least most tenderly toucht upon as being so harsh and grating that it would drive the hearers into despair Let any Rational man judge that is to be free to use his Judgment whether this be fair dealing or no. Whether it is likely that God's Will is still kept secret now Christ Jesus is come in the flesh or whether if revealed by God it should be kept secret by men or whether it be so hard to be understood as few or none know what to make of it or whether if understood or so much of it as is understood it be so rigid and sharp that no body cares to hear it Will any wise man make a Testament that no body shall be able to understand Will any good man make a Testament that few or none shall be the better for nay much the worse How then shall we dare to think that the most wise and just and gracious God hath done after this fashion or which is worse that he hath indeed made a fair and pleasing Will to all Mankind for salvation inviting them to Holiness in order thereunto but hath reserved a secret Will to himself quite contrary which no body must question but every body must follow his outward Will though by the inward Will they are bound up for the generality by an Eternal decree never to do that Righteousness nor enjoy that Happiness which they are exhorted and intreated to do and to enjoy I say again If this be fair dealing let the world judge They talk of handling the word of God deceitfully I pray what shall we call this way of handling it when they teach that men are decreed to a Number to be good and happy sinful and miserable inevitably i. e. against their wills 2. Another Humour possesseth those of the Church of Rome That whatsoever the Will of God was from all eternity some disputing it to be Absolute others Conditional few or none take care to preach it But all their Guides insist upon the Masse and other Sacraments and urge Austerities and Penances of Whippings Pilgrimages c. And direct them to pray to Saints departed Superstition by ceremonies and offerings to their Shrines Images and Reliques and grant them large Indulgences for mony and Dirges and Masse for releasing their Souls out of Purgatory And in these and all other their Heathenish shews and Pageantries amuse the simple sort with Certainty of salvation upon the implicite Faith of the Church and the Opus operatum injoyned to merit Heaven by And so they go away clearly to heaven to rights without any more ado A man would admire that Learned men should be such knaves to practice and teach such a blind Religion and that the Laity should be such slaves to use no Judgment of their own but to submit to such unreasonable Fopperies But let these and such like look to themselves I shall go another way to work The Fathers Ancient witnesses of the Truth Men of Renown have relished of the Eloquence Philosophy and Superstition of the Heathens amongst whom they were bred as Origen Fathers Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose c. Others retained much of Judaism as well as Paganism after their conversion to the Christian Religion Later men having good wits did ill employ them in making knots Schoolmen in railing and beggarly confutations of adverse parties tossing the Ball to and fro disparaging the labours of deserving men an odious way Others flie aloft and hover in the clouds and lose themselves in Rosicrucian Rosicrucians Metaphysical Idea's and speculations All this while such a dust is raised round about that the plain truth of Faith and honesty is obscured and groped after Whereas if the great kindness and love of God were fairly published to the World without tricks or legerdemain Promises preached God would be glorified Souls would embrace the Promises and be in covenant with their God and inherit everlasting life Then would the free people of God be subject to his laws and not remain in bondage to humane ordinances Touch not Taste not Handle not nor to Will-worship of Saints or Angels then would all unnecessary disputes cease all cases of Consciences be resolved Pacification all Sects and Heresies be united the spiritual worship and power of Godliness advanced all jealousies removed and the world would be at peace and quiet Because the fiery and unquiet spirits of men are tamed and settled by the spirit of the Gospel and the Lion will feed and couch with the Lamb and they shall learn no kind of war any more This were a rare Attempt however it should succeed for God's glory the Worlds good and the honour of the Undertakers though they bring all the proud Disputers of the Schools about their ears For this purpose I would blow the Trumpet fain so to rowse up the spirits of learned and meek men for peace as others have done for war I am sure in this doing I choose the better part which shall never be taken away from me And let God work his will however I and those of my genius will long for it and endeavour after it at least to satisfie and comfort our own Souls and convince the world or rather the wiser sort that such a way and means there is to be used if they would but look after it This way and Means Means to understand Scripture I take to be the right understanding of the last Will and Testament of God by Jesus Christ In order to this way of Pacification I humbly under God apply my self to be a Disciple to the best of men that labour to know and teach what things are to be had or done in Rule and Government in duty and action for Souls how to make them wise and just for Bodies how to make and keep them safe and sound for Estates how to get preserve increase and use them for society of cohabitation and commerce at home and abroad in peace and war for this life and for a better Which do all the businesses of Souls Bodies and Estates in Church and State the rest are but as Cyphers in comparison of them Such are our meer Grammarians Oratours Criticks Poets Musicians Sophisters Linguists c. that serve for Loves Complements Entertainments Recreations Revels Triumphs Births Marriages Instalments Funerals Pomps Dissentions Interests Parties and Factions by their Panegyricks Epithalamiums Elegies Disputes c. while those Sacred Mystae by their braver spirits are raised up to give their attendance at the holy Altars of Religion and Justice performing all the higher more
Christ's Mediation to bring us to God Cross to be gloried in Cross outward and inward Effect of Cross-crucifixion Procured by outward cross Philosophy Christianity Christ the Sacrifice and Priest Christians true Sacrifices and Priests Decrees Christ's doing and suffering our doing and suffering Corollaries Christ a Priest Christ quickened by his eternal spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King p. 224 APPENDIX OR Application to the Clergy and Laity Title 1. Of the Clergie's Calling Word Sacraments Gospel-spirit p. 243 Title 2. Of the Clergie's Doctrine Precepts Promises Conditions p. 244 Title 3. Of the Clergie's Persons p. 246 Title 4. Of the Clergie's Study Law Law-terms p. 247 Title 5. Of the Laitie's Calling p. 251 Title 6. Of the Laitie's Doctrine ibid. Title 5. Of the Laitie's Persons p. 252 Title 8. Of the Genius of the Gospel Joy Fear Decrees Gospel dispensations Worship spiritual Ceremonies Difference of Mosaick and Christian Rites Church of Rome Perfection of Christianity Spiritual perfection Ritual worship abolished No other Rites to be superinduced No Rites ever pleased God Greater perfections in the Christian Religion Prayer and other duties are Relativi Juris p. 254 THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Volume of the Estate of God The First Book Of Rights Title 1. Of Things TRansition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right p. 287 Title 2. Of Persons Personality Forfeiture Freedom Falling Recovery p. 293 Title 3. Of Rights Transition Right Definition Instances Independency Indifferency Liberality Creation Donation Declaration Faction Reception Justification Private right Publick right Justice Rights to God Rights to body and soul Rights to wife Rights to children Rights to estate and honour Rights not to be violated Day of Judgment Shame To be right To make right To bestow right To have right To do right Collections Rather hurt self than others Moral honesty not doubted of Vse Reason Reason of Nature Equity of Conscience Tricks in law Severity of old in the Church Man's judgment Relations Friendship Possibility of law Fates Justice in God and Man Wrong none Truth evident Caution p. 295 Title 4. Of Actions Transition Intention Execution Free-will Imperfection Willingness Implicit faith Social actions Jussion p. 316 The Second Book Of Titles Title 1. Of a Sinner Transition Vnjust legally Vnjust morally Vnjust jurally Oppressed Blemished Distressed Tainted p. 322 Title 2. Of Original sin Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of Tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniata p. 326 Title 3. Of a Just man Just Just legally Just morally Just jurally Right Accounting God righteous 349 The Third Book Of Justification Title 1. Of the Name of Justification The term Justifie Accounting Synonyma Bondage Freedom Burden Corporation Other names p. 357 Title 2. Of the form of Justification Imputation Logick Logistick Christ's Righteousness p. 364 Title 3. Of the Matter of Justification Right Corporation Impunity Liberty Provision Protection Audience Alliance Resurrection Jurisdiction Glory Rights of Christ Expectation Supplication Possession p. 371 Title 4. Of the Title of Justification Free grace Titles Birth Purchase Desert Favour Condemnation Gifts Impunity Election Glory Boasting Will of the Receiver Will of the Donor Free grace begins at God's will Free grace makes the Title stronger Free grace makes for God's grace and glory Justification is the best state of love All Rights are from Grace Donation Election Promise God justifieth Christ justifieth The wrong title Law Allegory of the two Covenants Ishmael and Isaac Hagar and Sarah Law a Covenant of bondage Gospel a Covenant of liberty Jacob and Esau Works p. 380 Title 5. Of the Continuance of Justification Relapse a revolt from God Breach of one Party disobligeth the other Mutability of Justification Kingdom of God Natural man Spiritual man Forfeiture Example of Israelites p. 398 Title 6. Of the Tenure of Justification Transition Works James 2.18 explained Works of love p. 405 Title 7. Faith Notions of Faith Credence Trust Promise given Promise taken Re-promise Courage Hope Covenant Faith in Christ Christ the conveyer of faith Christ the author of faith Declaring God's will Proving God's will Testament ad pias Causas Physical operation Moral operation Saving faith Means of faith A new heart 409 The Fourth Book Of Sanctification Title 1. Of the Spirit Transition Spirit the first Agent Hidden man Outward man Natural man Supernatural inspiration Penal and grievous Beneficial and gracious Holy spirit Spiritual man p. 421 Title 2. Of Conscience Definition Seat Vnderstanding Will Memory Reflection p. 424 Title 3. Of the disposition of Conscience To direct To urge To register To testifie To accuse Before the action In the action After the action p. 425 Title 4. Of the indisposition of Conscience Suspension of the offices of Conscience In good men In evil men Ignorance Learning Riches Poverty Self-love Idleness Prejudice Companions God 's not regarding Cross sins Success Satisfaction Want of a spiritual Clergy p. 431 Title 5. Of the restitution of Conscience Believe Conscience Not believe Conscience Self-examination Forsake sin Confess sin Collections p. 440 Title 6. Of a New Creature Transition Old man Old leaven Natural man Carnal mind New man New lump Spiritual mind New birth First resurrection Old creation Concurrency of God and man p. 444 Title 7. Of the Flesh and Spirit Transition Sensual and Spiritual life Mind and will of Flesh and Spirit Life in man threefold Spiritual senses and passions Life of Faith Corollaries Conclusion p. 450 The Fifth Book Of Assurance Title 1. Of the Nature of Assurance Transition Promises Publick Faith Spirit Waiting p. 455 Title 2. Of the Grounds of Assurance Matter of Fact Matter of Right Matter of Witness Spirit of Assurance Ability Sealed Earnest p. 460 Title 3. Of the Kinds of Assurance Names Species p. 465 Title 4. Of the Abuse of Assurance Doctrine of Masses Of no Salvation without the Pale of the Church Of lying still in sin Imputed Righteousness Collections Cautions Obstructions Rules Election p. 468 The Sixth Book Of Tenures Title 1. Of Allodium Transition Estates Allodium Lordship Model from the Goths Etymology Crown Lands Caution Apology p. 476 Title 2. Of Feudum Name Definition Promise Investiture Felony p. 481 The Seventh Book Of Christ's Church and Kingdom Title 1. Of a Feudal Kingdom Transition Feudal Customes Feudal Kingdoms best Goths and Vandals Goths honest Goths endowed the Church first with Lands and Lordships Jus Feudale Manners of Goths Resemblances of a Feudal Kingdom Blessedness Cursedness Church Militant Church Triumphant Tenure of Heaven conditional Holding of God Absolute dominion Feuds a middle government Christ sole Judge Customes in a Feudal kingdom Excellency of a Feudal government Collections Parables run not on all four Tenure of
Fealty the best Absolute Election and Reprobation p. 485 Title 2. Of Christ's Feudal Kingdom Transition God covenanted with Christ conditionally Christ hath all power Christ's new way of conquest Covenant of Grace Christ shares with Christians Covenant of Grace with all men Parties of a Covenant must be certainly known Appellative names in Covenants Publick stipulation Obligation free Conditions of Covenants must be certainly known All Covenants are conditional Absolute Decree Collections Power Sacred p. 506 Title 3. Of the Laws of Christ's Kingdom Transition Catholick Church Scriptures Collections p. 518 Title 4. Of Merit Transition Foundation of Merit Supererogation Demerit Rewards and Punishments p. 521 Title 5. Of a Judge of Christ's Laws Transition Demonstration Traditions Scriptures Representative Church Somebody must determine Pride Calumnies Scriptures Collections p. 524 Title 6. Of Heresie Transition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heresie Sect. Separation Christian Society Corruptions Sectaries How Hereticks are to be dealt with Rules for Hereticks p. 530 Title 7. Of Election Transition Calling Election Faithful are elect Faith Walking by faith Worthies of old Election need not to be concealed Election an easie point Diligence to make Election sure p. 537 Title 8. Of Marriage Transition Contracts real and personal Marriage Devil an enemy to marriage Excellent laws for marriage Originals of marriage Definitions of marriage Effects of marriage Who may lawfully marry Members of Christ's Church Just generations of Men. Virginity Why marriage was ordained Benefits of marriage Abuse of marriage Bastardy Rights by marriage Laws about marriage Age of persons Quality of persons Infamous Captives Pupils Officers Kinds of marriage Confarreation Co-emption Vse Rights of a Wife Two wives at one time Concubine Annus Luctus Coelibate Marriage for all estates and degrees of men p. 545 Title 9. Of Consanguinity or kindred by Blood Consanguinity Cousins german Levitical law of Cousins german Christian law Publick honesty and good report Instances The Canon law p. 553 Title 10. Of the degrees of Consanguinity or kindred by Blood Computation of degrees Vnjust marriages Stemma Cognationis Right line ascending Right line descending Line transverse equal Line transverse unequal p. 557 Title 11. Of the degrees of Affinity or Alliance by marriage Affinity Instances Stemma Affinitatis Conclusion Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity p. 564 Testimonia Laciniata Peccatum Originale Lex Fides Duo Testamenta Fides Scripturae Nature Grace Absolute Decree Spirituale Sacrificium Superstitio Promissa Adamo Praedestinatio Meritum Perseverantia Satisfactio Praedestinatio Peccatum Originale Imputatio Labes Originalis Controversies Ceremonies Definitions and Determinations Scoffing and Railing Atheism Gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Covenants Testament New Covenant Correspondence of Covenants Sacrifices Decalogue Baptism Natural law Law and Gospel Resurrectio Justitia Imputatio Fides Justificatio Remissio Imputatio Justification Imputed Righteousness Justification Original sin Weakness Generousness Elements Non-age of the Church Fanatick's terrible representations of God Popular Errors Fathers not all pure Oeconomy of Moses decaying Signs Some jealous conceits of God's indifferency to the World Jewish Nation a Pattern for others Votum pro Pace Christian Religion Immanation of God Emanations of God Appetites of Man's happiness Recovery Doctrines troubled Vulgar errors Discerning Party Primitive Terms Reformation p. 572 ERRATA PAg. 13. line 39. read Extrinsecal p. 43. l. 2. r. Land p. 52. l. 28. r. Promiser p. 60. l. 17. r. promittuntur ib. l. 19. r. promitti p. 65. l. 37. r. erre p. 72. l. 16. r. fucus p. 101. l. 16. r. almost p. 102. l. 34. r. Paul p. 141. l. 13. r. honesty p. 157. l. 12. r. free woman ib. l. 14. r. Gospel p. 160. l. 18. r. poorly p. 179. l. 8. r. graciously p. 254. l. 14. r. to fear p. 277. l. 20. r. soon p. 279. l. 23. r. weakness p. 284. l. 18. r. Aquila p 310. l. 22. r. celare p. 402. l. 41. r. Inspiration p. 403. l. 23. r. goodness p. 435. l. 41. r. Cases p. 439. l. 37. r. pure mind p. 440. l. 19. r. are advised p. 440. l. 33. r. and more p. 441. l. 26. r. good principles p. 446. l. 45. r. purity p. 452. l. 43. r. rocks p. 452. l. 44. r. her dying p. 457. l. 46. r. fails p. 458 l. 22. r. in to p. 480. l. 24. r. Case p. 505. l. 29. r. Man's ways p. 501. l. 18. r. is it p. 502. l. 4. del as we ib. l. 39. r. in other p. 517. l. 15. r. Kings p. 524. l. 9. r. Sin p. 533. l. 28. r. expel p. 542. l. 17. r. that p. 549. l. 30. r. labours p. 551. l. 29. r. Lares p. 562. l. 8. r. Nephews Nephews p. 562. l. 14. r. Neece or with p. 564. l. 34. r. own sister p. 570. l. 12. r. keep off The Method of the whole Work First Volume GOD the Author and disposer of all Laws and Estates hath of his free Grace ordained his last Will and Testament in which he hath disposed a perfect Rule of Righteousness to be observed an Eternal estate of Happiness to be enjoyed to all that accept the Promises and upon the Conditions of the Covenant therein contained All which gracious Dispositions are actually conveyed to all that have gotten a right to them by Faith through the meritorious working of the Mediator and Executor Jesus Christ Second Volume GOD hath created all Things and all Persons of Angels and Men to be partakers of all the Rights in and belonging to all things Especially the Best Rights to the Best Things to the Best Persons the Faithful Subjects by the Best Mediator of his Best Kingdom JESVS CHRIST by whom through Faith he Justifies them to the best Inheritance of Heaven To have and to hold by the Title Tenure of Fee in this life and of Allodium in the life to come Det Deus optatum felici Sydere cursum Prolegomena The CONTENTS Theology and Laws Axioms Moral Entities Demonstrations Mathematicians Topicks Principles Aristotle Demonstrations The Authors Apology Compendiums Rules of Civil Law Precepts of the Law of Nature TITLE I. Of Principles IN Theology and Laws Theology and Laws which are the best parts of the best Philosophy called Moral many have made large Volumes and so have I being transported thereunto by the excellency of the Matter contained in them And by the way must needs find out many rare Notions that occur in those most high and stately Faculties though they and I as no man can arrive not to perfections So do Chymists extract most exquisite Salts Elixirs and Spirits by their workings in the way although they never come nor never will to the Philosophers Stone in the end These large Treatises are Axioms or ought to be grounded upon certain Axioms and Principles of Faith and Reason as Postulata from whence they demonstrate Scientifical Conclusions as firmly as from the Axioms and Postulata of Sciences called Mathematical Moral Entities For moral immaterial Entities that
We need say no more against Popery than this It is diametrically opposit to the Institution of the Pure Doctrine and Spiritual Worship of Christ when all shall be taught of God and worship him in Spirit and Truth For If God Almighty therefore hath abolished that Covenant which was established upon weak and Temporal Promises and hath utterly taken away those rude and beggarly Elements of the World which he himself was pleased to set up for a Time and Place and People who then shall dare what man or Society of men can with safety and honour to Christianity frame or set up a system and body of Ceremonies and Rites partly Jewish and partly Paganish more numerous and costly and insignificant yea and Profane O the Patience of God! O Tempora O Mores I may boldly stand upon this Rock and bid defiance to all Superstitious Doctrine and Worship by Authority from Christ and dare the World to tell me what other Rites or Forms Christ hath ordained in his Gospel save only these two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Those which the Wisest Reformation have introduced are but few and very significant and freely to be used for order and decency and for Conscience sake the Church that commands them declaring them not to be of the Essence or Substance of Religion but still shewing unto us a more excellent way And all might end in peace and quietness If 1. Some did dot destroy all Christian Liberty 2. And others did not use their Liberty for a cloak of Maliciousness and Disobedience against all Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws and Interest and Policy and Pride countermine all SECTION VII Administrations of both Testaments That therefore the two Testaments or Covenants are exactly distinguished one from the other besides the Arguments already used may be plainly demonstrated from the vastly different and contrary Administrations of God under each of them the one Carnal and Temporal the other Spiritual and Eternal Adam and Eve after the Creation having received a Law from God began quickly to aspire to be Gods themselvss and hearkned to the perswasion of the Devil in hopes of greater Knowledge and Immortality and they stooped so low that even Sensual pleasures of Sight and Taste drew down their noble Souls contrary to their own Reason and the Commands of God not enduring to be restrained by his Power though it were but to one forbidden Tree when they had the Liberty of the whole World beside But alas they soon saw their Error and repented and were pardoned by the Grace of God through the Seed of the Woman from whence the Transgression first sprung breaking the Serpents head that tempted her thereunto Then did they teach their Children to fear that God whom they had offended and by whom they were so gratiously pardoned But the very First-born Cain rebelled and his Posterity took after him called therefore the Sons of Men but Seth and his Race trod in the steps of their Father and were called the Sons of God SECTION VIII To these God farther revealed himself and they obeyed his Voice Idolatry But the rest because they could not see God who is invisible believed not in him but looked upon the Sun and Moon and Stars and all the pleasant and useful things of the Earth and adored them for their Gods and the Demons by their guiles bewitched them and taught them to serve the Creatures by Superstitious Rites of Sacrifices and Idolatries promising them for so doing the favour of their Gods and the enjoyment of those good things plentifully according to their hearts desire otherwise if they neglected those Services they threatned them with their displeasure and the Punishment of Plagues Famines Slavery Sterility and untimely Death The hopes of the one and the fears of the other made them so diligent in Idolatrous Worship to which the greatest part of the World through their Sensuality and Sottishness were led away SECTION IX To the rooting out of which original Error the Source of all Idolatry Remedy against Idolatry God by his great Servant Moses declared it was in his Power alone to bind the Influences of the Sun Moon and Stars and to make the Heaven as Brass and the Earth as Iron under their feet and that he would so bring it to pass if they forsook not their Idols to turn to the true God that made Heaven and Earth And then if they took God for their King Lev. 26.3 c. he promised them the first and the latter Rain to drop fatness upon them to glad their hearts with Fruitful seasons Health and Long life Progeny Honour and Peace and Victory over all their Enemies This was the way which God took to deal with that stupid and carnal Generation And not only with those profest Idolaters that forsook that God that gave Testimony all that while of his Goodness in giving them Rain from Heaven and Fruitful Seasons Act. 14.17 filling their hearts with Food and Gladness but with the Hebrews his chosen People and profest Worshippers who too much hankered after the Customes of the World and were ever tottering towards their Superstitious vanities Therefore God sent them Angels sometimes in the shapes of Men and sometimes Prophets working Divine miracles Sometimes he afforded them visible Testimonies of his Presence by Clouds and Fire and Thundrings and Lightnings and a Mountain burning and quaking and the sound of a Trumpet and the Voice of God In the Wilderness a Travelling Tabernacle in Canaan a standing Temple with Altars Cherubins and a Mercy-Seat a Fire that came down from heaven constantly burning a Table of Shew-bread the Ark of the Covenant the Oracle of the Urim and Thummim c. Besides his favourable Presence with them he manifested his nearness to punish them by those apparent Judgments of breaking upon particular Offenders upon whole Armies and Nations by Fire from heaven by Plagues and Famines c. and foretelling their dreadful Ruines by prodigious Signs in the Heavens This was all along the manner of God's Dispensations in those daies by Threatnings of Judgments and Promises of Blessings so to lead and drive that gross dull and stiff-necked Generation who would be perswaded by no other Arguments that God was present among them nor be reformed by any other inducements from their corrupt Manners which they had contracted in that Sink of Egypt and even in the Land of Canaan from the Abominations of all the Nations that were round about them But when the Fulness of Time and the Adult age of the Church was come then did Christ the Son of God visit them from heaven long before whose coming they had neither Angel nor Prophet to work any Sign or Wonder or to comfort them at all to teach them the more to long for the Messiah the great Angel of the Covenant and the great Prophet of God who taught them a higher Law and did greater Wonders than Moses and all the Prophets and after he
of sinful Love must be digged up by the roots before we can come to plant the habit of Divine Love Justice Mercy or Humility in our hearts There must be mortification of lusts self-love love of the World pride of life we must go out of our selves renounce the World before in the place of these evil Habits we can get a habit of pure love to God to our selves to our neighbours to our enemies And all this for God's sake for goodness sake if there were no other reward for the glory of God for the good of our selves for the good of the Church for the good of Mankind Contractio Causae 1. All Religion is Love Spiritual 1. Sorrow for Sin and hatred of it 2. Satisfaction to God offended 3. Reformation of life 4. Love of Justice Mercy Humility 5. Love of God 6. Love of Soul 7. Love of Heaven To be spiritually minded is life and peace If ye walk after the Spirit ye shall live The things that are not seen are Eternal We live by Faith We mind heavenly things We set our affections on Heaven 2. All Irreligion is Love Carnal 1. Delight in Sin and love of it 2. Dissatisfaction to and contempt of God offended 3. Continuance and increase in Evil. 4. Love of Injustice Cruelty and Pride 5. Hatred of God 6. Love of Body 7. Love of World To be carnally minded is Death If ye walk after the Flesh ye shall dye The things that are seen are but temporal We live by Sense We mind earthly things We set our affections on Earth Now after all this If to live spiritually be impossible why then doth God command it An impossible command is no command Why do we Preach it God should mock us to bid us do that which he hath not given us power to do We should be found lyars like Aegyptian Task-Masters to exact the number Bricks and not allow materials But if to live Spiritually be possible Why then do we not live so and how shall we answer it to God and Men and to our own consciences our consciences will condemn us and good men will condemn us and God who is greater than our consciences and all the World will condemn us much more The great objection against pure Religion is That the flesh is weak Object original sin is strong temptations are many and vehement The Devil is subtil the World hates and persecutes strongly We profess against all these Answ and if we would strive as much against them we might overcome all these If there were faith and hope of a Resurrection to Glory it would work a victory over Sin World and Devil and with God's help nothing should be impossible unto us This was typified by Pharaoh the Red Sea the Wilderness the Anakims Giants the Towns walled up to Heaven yet all these were overcome These things are written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope We can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us We shall be more than conquerors and bruise Satan under our feet If God be with us who shall be against us Only be valiant and of a good courage and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. But once more before I take off my Pen let me contemplate Christ our Mediator in all his Offices 1. A Priest sacrificing himself on the Altar of his Cross Christ a Priest So is a Christian crucified with Christ dying daily filling up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ We bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus because we are his Members of his Flesh and of his Bones We have put on Christ and Christ is in us and we in him St. Chrysostome is not ashamed to call Christ's sufferings his sufferings Christ himself saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me In as much as ye do it to any of these Little ones ye do it unto me We are baptized with the baptism of Christ and drink of his Cup. His Cross is ours and ours is Christ's we are to look upon all the sufferings of Christ's members as the sufferings of the head for the body is one and all parts suffer together our members are the members of Christ our bodies the Temples of the Holy Ghost we are in Christ and Christ in us he suffered in his Person we suffer in our persons we take up his Cross We men as Priests with him sacrifice our selves with him in him and by him who sacrificed himself for us as God and Man Christ quickened by his Eternal Spirit 2. Christ quickened his Body by his Eternal Spirit and so entred into the holy place to offer up himself by the same Spirit unto God once for all men so Christians have their Bodies quickned by the Spirit of Christ and so enter with him and by him into the holy place to offer up themselves unto God and are accepted by him for Christ his sake So we are in Christ crucifying and killing our selves that is our sins in the bodies of our sinful flesh so we are in Christ offering up our quickned bodies without sin in the Holy place where no unclean thing can ever enter following him who hath made way for us that where he is there we might also be for he being lifted up draws all men after him and where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together Thus are we Priests to sacrifice and offer with Christ both in Heaven and Earth Christ a Prophet 3. Christ a Prophet leading us into all truth and opening unto us the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that we might be Prophets to teach in his Name that men and Angels might know the wonderful dispensations of the Kingdom of Heaven This is the light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World so all the Lord's people are Prophets speaking the wonderful things of God Christ a King 4. Christ a King ruling in our hearts and subduing all our enemies and covering us with everlasting glory so do we rule by his Spirit over all our lusts which else would rule in our mortal bodies and so do we subdue our enemies and bruise Satan under every one of our feet and through him that strengtheneth us are more than conquerors triumphing over the World the Flesh and the Devil and reigning with Christ in his everlasting Kingdom All this is by virtue of our union with Christ espousing his sufferings and glories to us As Man and Wife are one flesh so Christ and his Church are one Spirit bone living dying rising ascending and sitting together in heavenly places as Priests Prophets and Kings for ever such honour have all his Saints Thus hath our Mediator bought us to himself and with himself unto God to be like unto him in his humiliation and exaltation which is the glorious estate of God's Children ordained to them in his last Will and Testament confirmed executed and performed
by Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen APPENDIX OR APPLICATION TO THE CLERGY and LAITY The CONTENTS Word Sacraments Gospel-Spirit TITLE I. Of the Clergie's Calling SAint Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Old not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life We must therefore consider our Calling Heb. 7.12 the Priesthood is changed therefore there must of necessity be a change also of the Law The Gospel is the Royal Law the Law of Faith the Law of liberty and of perfection that nulls the servile Law of bondage and works The Word therefore of this New Testament we must preach Word the newness of the Spirit not the oldness of the Letter and that in season and out of season and that carefully for wo be unto us if we preach not the Gospel and cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and having put our hands to this plow we must not look back Sacraments 2. The Sacraments of this New Testament we must administer as 1. Baptism which is not by Water only but by Water and Blood for without blood there is no Remission of sins and Baptism is for the remission of sins therefore we are baptized into Christ's death in which is blood that our sins might be buried in Christ's grave and we buried with him in Baptism and rise again with him in newness of Life 2. The Lord's Supper containing 1. The Body of Christ which is given for us Sacrifice and Burnt-offering thou wouldest not have but a body hast thou prepared me This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you This is the New Testament in my Blood and no Testament can be confirmed without Blood And hereby we shew the Lord's death until he come again Gospel-spirit Let us aim therefore at a Gospel-Spirit for behold I shew unto you a more excellent way both in your Doctrine and in your Persons I do not take upon me to be a Magisterial Dictator to the Clergy but as having received some helps from the Lord I hope I may become an humble and modest Adviser and Director The CONTENTS Precepts Promises Conditions TITLE II. Of the Clergie's Doctrine I. IN Your Doctrine therefore consider what high Preceps and what high Promises you are to publish to the world For surely we are no Old-Testament-Divines but Ministers of a better Testament than that was and established upon far better Promises Precepts The Precepts you are to teach are very pure no less than Spiritual and perfect Holiness which is the condition for the obtaining of God's Promises For Godliness hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come and without Holiness no man shall ever see the face of God The Promises you are to teach are no less than Spiritual and Eternal Happiness and the graces that tend thereto as Forgiveness of sins Promises Adoption Liberty Protection Priviledges the Earnest and Comfort of the Spirit Resurrection and Life Everlasting Fear not little Flock for it is your Father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom Come ye Blessed children of my Father inherit the kingdom of God prepared for you from the beginning of the world Greater Precepts cannot be enjoyned and greater promises cannot be made and surer cannot be performed For they are the Gifts and Legacies of God devised by him in his last Will and Testament conveyed and administred by Christ the Executor The conditions upon which these high things are given are as noble Conditions so as easie and favourable written upon the Tables of our hearts by the finger of God's Spirit Thy Law is within my heart therefore easie to be known and as easie to be done by the help of the same Spirit which shall lead us into all truth and help all our Infirmities and do our work for us and in us I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me My Grace is sufficient for thee Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light Embrace wisdom for her ways are always pure and pleasant and all her paths are peace Every Wise man will make his Last Will and Testament his best Will and Testament most plain and easie to be understood that the Heir and Legataries may know their several Duties and Dues how to perform them and how to claim by them And every good man will make his last Will and Testament his most favourable and bountiful Will and Testament bestowing the best things and commanding the easiest and less irksome Conditions Much more will the great and wise God who is wisdom and goodness it self make his last will most clear and most gracious For if we that are evil know how to give good gifts to our children how much more will our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to those that ask him Hit therefore this Basilick vein find out the pretious Pearl pour in this Balm of Gilead open this Phoenix Nest this bed of Spices this pretious Box of odoriferous Ointments Let your Speech be seasoned with Salt and let such gracious words proceed out of your mouths as may administer Grace unto the Hearers Be not sons of Thunder as if you came from Mount Sinai but rather sons of consolation as coming from Mount Sion Be sure ye utter no Principles against the Justice and Mercy of God nor Dogmata Reipublicae noxia nor Doctrines hurtful or disgraceful to Princes or Common-Wealths Remember that Religion is first pure and then peaceable not reflecting upon the Dishonour of God nor injurious to any man Be not as the Seditious Zealots among the Jews before and at the destruction of Jerusalem nor like the factious and rebellious Philosophers Orators and Poets among the Gentiles especially in Greece and Rome Beware of all Judaizing or Heathenizing by Cabbalistical Sophistical vain Philosophy insinuating deceivable Rhetorick Flourishes Gingles and Querks of Flashy Wit Preach the plain good will and mind of God plainly and kindly Hide your Art and that will be your chiefest Art Tell poor Souls what a large Portion they have in God's Will and Testament how their Namss are written in that book of Life Tell them the mark of the price of the high Calling which is laid up for them in Christ Jesus the crown of Righteousness the exceeding great Recompence of the Reward for all such as diligently seek him Freely you have received this treasure into your Earthen Vessels freely give it to them to whom it belongs distribute the favours of your bountiful Lord and Master with a courteous hand let not your eye be evil because God's is good be you willing as God is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the truth be not rigid austere morose sullen saturnine ghostly
man's work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward If any man's work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Let the Clergy take heed what they speak and the Laity take heed what they hear Gal. 1.8 and if you or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel than what is already preached let him be accursed Be instant in season and out of season whether the people hear or whether they forbear Look to your selves and to those that hear you shewing both in your lives and in your doctrines uncorruptness gravity and sincerity rightly dividing the word of truth like workmen that need not to be ashamed Let your lips preserve knowledg that the people may enquire the Law at your mouths that ye may be as Scribes throughly furnished for the kingdom of Heaven producing out of your Treasuries things new and old For God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life The CONTENTS Joy Fear Decrees Gospel Dispensations Worship Spiritual Ceremonies Difference of Mosaick and Christian Rites Church of Rome Perfection of Christianity Spiritual Perfection Ritual Worship abolished No other Rites to be superinduced No Rites ever pleased God Greater Perfections in the Christian Religion Prayer and other Duties are Relativi Juris TITLE VIII Of the Genius of the Gospel Joy AND let Clergy and Laity learn to know the Genius of the Gospel better and the providence of God under it Ye have been taught so far inwardly because of your sins and temptations and God's wrath though you repent and believe and live up to the Gospel as near as possibly you can and overmuch Religion hath made you mad Fear Ye have been taught to fear outwardly Plagues Wars Famines Robbings Imprisonments Prodigies of Comets Blazing stars Witchcrafts Thunders Lightnings Storms Tempests fears and fears and nothing but fears all your life long as if there were no Comforter Ye have been taught out of the Old Testament more than the New out of the Fathers and Schoolmen Summists Casuists Postillers Orators Poets Wits and Flashes of Eloquence more than sound Doctrine But you are to learn the peace and tranquillity of the Gospel to eat your bread with joy and singleness of heart not to imagine a sword of Vengeance always hanging over your heads to make your hearts fail within you and your Countenances pale as if God stood over you continually with his sword drawn in his hand that you can never lead a quiet life Is this the Providence of God to fright you in all his Creatures Cur hanc tibi rector Olympi Sollicitis visum Mortalibus addere Curam Noscant venturas ut dira per omina Clades Christian Religion is to preserve men from a constant pedagogy to so many base and servile fears that make men dread to come near it as an Enemy to generousness and universal freedom and comfort of spirit because of such pale and feminine fears and amazements or make men grow weary of it as of a yoke ever galling and pressing down men's spirits and conclude themselves gainers if they can purchase manhood with Atheism and profaneness Fear binds in the powers of the Soul Religion is aimable Decrees till it comes to those horrid representations of God's decreeing of inevitable torments both here and hereafter to his poor creatures before they were or could do good or evil which makes them fear him but they cannot love him nor do any hearty service unto him wishing rather that he had never given them a being than to make them eternally miserable without any cause or fault of them at all only to shew the glory of his power that is how uncontroulably he can tyrannize over them The Devils indeed are in this condition of trembling because they know they are reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day Therefore when they saw Christ they were afraid saying What have we to do with thee thou Jesus the Son of the Most High God art thou come to torment us before the time And surely the Devil would bring men into the same condition by frightning them from the service of God to his Altars as he did the Gentiles Surely other thoughts of God would better become men than the Devils have who nevertheless in this one thing are far better than some men for they know and confess the Justice of God upon them for their Apostasie but these blaspheme God for cruelty and unjustice It being the common principle of Nature in all men both wise and unwise whatsoever other sentiments and different opinions they had that God was Summum Bonum the most bountiful and gracious Being the greater wonder it is to me that so many Doctrines amongst the Heathens and Christians too should be received so contrary to God's goodness and Philanthropy 'T is very strange that the minds of men should be leavened with this sowr conceit and delight to hear of such terrors against themselves and to have God represented to be of that cruel nature to his Creatures which they would be loth to be of to their Children These Jealousies of God cannot stand with a belief of God's goodness for they imagine him to be good to a few of mankind of which number they are a part but for all the rest he looks upon them as dross and cast-aways and therefore he is always contriving new plagues and destructions for this so hated a people that they shall not so much as have the least refreshments of health or peace in this little pitiful span of life and after this painful and short life ended will hurle them into everlasting torments Did ever a more pestilentious vapour breathe from the bottomless Pit to the seizing upon the very vitals of Religion in the Soul's first notions and conceptions of a God to turn off their desires and loves from him whom they were made to love and serve I have often mused with my self about the vulgar conceptions of God's Judgments as if the Divine Goodness studied nothing else like the Heathen Jupiter but to throw his Thunderbolts and Plagues upon every single person for their particular aberrations and upon all Nations for their several corruptions for their conversion or else for their confusion That great and fearful calamities have fallen upon the world especially that of the Flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole Nation of the Jews c. mentioned in Divine Writ is most evident Together with the Aegyptian Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires c. cannot be denied together with many particular examples of wicked men signally suffering the Divine Vengeance But that from hence every idle Fancy should dare to specifie the Reasons of God's workings upon those nations and persons I could never yet understand after that fashion My thoughts
have them more My virtues or vices can no Man have but my self but others may have the like Ergo no Individual Rights can be reckoned to another Person but specifical only The particular right to such a place Dignity or Profit may be taken away from one Man and given to another but if it belong not to a Place but to a Person only then the specifical right of one may be taken away from him and given to another Man No reckoning or accounting any thing to any Man but rights Faith is accounted and Right is accounted Faith for Right and Right for Faith The righteousness of the Law is not imputable or transferrible to another But the Man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3.12 and no other And the unrighteousness of the Law is not imputable or derivable to another but the Man that doth them shall die in them for the Soul that doth well that Soul shall live but the Soul that sins that Soul shall die If it be objected that we are united with Christ and therefore all that is Christ's is ours I answer It is all for us and our union with Christ is our capacity to have a righteousness imputed to us from Christ by our Faith in Christ and therefore was Christ united unto us that we might be united unto him Hence there is a sympathy between Christ and us Saul Acts 9.4 Saul why persecutest thou me Heb. 4.15 In asmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities So if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 He hath raised us up together Eph. 2.9 and made us to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus My Beloved is mine and I am his Christ espoused our Nature Cant. 2.16 and took our sins and sorrows upon him and Christ espoused our Persons and we take his Righteousness and Glories upon us And all things are ours 1 Cor. 3.22 and we are Christ's and Christ is God's As Christ was made sin by imputation not inhesion for us so we are made righteous by imputation but not inhesion by him Is 53.6 The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed God hath made him to be sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And be found in him 2 Cor. 5.21 not having our own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 the Righteousness which is of God by Faith So Christ's righteousness that justifies us is not the righteousness of Christ in us but a righteousness put upon us and imputed unto us by Faith Ro. 4.6 And Blessed is the Man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works Justification is not the discharge of a sinner acquitted from blame and punishment but the collation of a right from the justifier to some farther benefit Not a legal right to the sinner that was illegal but a jural right to the Quasi-sinner that had no jural right by his Faith the means to make him imputed righteous and morally righteous to walk accordingly Which righteousness though it be not exact coming up to the perfection of the Law yet it is accepted for exact in and through the perfection of Christ Here is still no imputation of Christ's Personal righteousness to be found given out and bestowed upon us but an imputation of righteousness by Faith for Christ his righteousness sake not our own We are accounted righteous before God saith our Church * See the 11. Artic. of Religion That is the merits of Christ's righteousness hath so far prevailed with God in our behalf that by and upon our Faith we shall be accounted righteous before God in Christ by our Faith which in it self and by it self justifies not but instrumentally and as the means of justification So God looks not upon a justified Person as if he had done and suffer'd sufficient to justifie him but upon Christ and the justified in Christ who did and suffered sufficiently for him It appears on all hands that there is such a thing as Imputed righteousness but at no hand is there found any agreement what this should be 'T is true that Christ's righteousness is imputed to us but not as they mean who in a popular pleasing phrase tell us That we put of the rags of the Old Adam and put on the rich Robes of the New that we are clothed with garments of our Elder Brother as Jacob was with Esau's that we as he may steal away the Blessing What dint of argument will such weak sayings endure So the Adulterer may say he is chast with Christ's chastity the intemperate sober with Christ's temperance the Rebel obedient with Christ's obedience the malicious loving with Christ's love and every wicked Person righteous with Christ's righteousness May it not as well be said That as we are holy with Christ's holiness so we are redeemers with Christ's redemption for he who is said to be our righteousness is as much said to be our redemption Many strange and dangerous consequences may issue from such imputations as they fancy If any eye can pierce farther into the Letter and find more than Imputation of Faith for Righteousness and not Imputation of sins for Christ's Righteousness sake let him follow it as he pleases so it be not to dishonour Christ and cheat his own Soul by taking no care to be any thing that is good because Christ is all in all unto him not flinging in so much as a mite into the Treasury of Holiness because Christ hath poured in that Vast Talent which at the last day he accounts of his own Head shall be reckoned to him as his own proper goods to all intents and purposes The better to fix the true sense of Imputation in our minds we must know That Imputation is a Genus to these three things Justification Condemnation and Oppression which how different soever and opposite they are among themselves yet they all agree in this one common general that they are an imputation whereby some good or evil is ascribed accounted and imputed to us For Condemnation is an imputation of that punishment to a Man which he hath deserved by Law Oppression is an imputation of that punishment which he hath not deserved by Law And Justification is an imputation of that benefit which he hath deserved by Law or not deserved by grace and favour And besides we have no word whereby to express our owning of any thing that is ours but this of Imputation Hence sin is imputed to us because it is properly our own as we have made it by our evil will and punishment is said to be ours because by our sin it is justly imputed to us And Righteousness is imputed to us because it is made ours by
Fathers Sister Cons Mothers Sister Cons Fathers Brothers Wife Aff. Mothers Brothers Wife Aff. Wives Fathers sister Aff. Wives Mothers Sisters Aff. Downward Neeces Brothers Daughter Cons Sisters Daughter Cons Brothers Sons Wife Aff. Sisters Sons Wife Aff. Wives brothers Daugh. Aff. Wives Sisters Daugh. Aff. A Man may not marry Upwards his Mothers Grandmothers Great Grandmothers In Nature In Law Forwards his Brothers Neeces In Nature In Law Sidewards his Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards his Daughters Grandaughters Great Grandaughters In Nature In Law A Woman may not Marry in the Right Line Upward in the First Degree Fathers Father Cons Stepfather Aff. Husbands Father Aff. Second Deg. Grandfathers Grandfather Cons Grandmothers Husb. Aff. Husbands Grandfather Aff. Downward in the First Degree Sons Son Cons Husbands Son Aff. Daughters Husb. Aff. Second Deg. Grandsons Sons Son Cons Daughters Son Cons Sons Daught. Husb. Aff. Daughters Daug. Husb. Aff. Husbands Sons Son Aff. Husbands Daugh. Son Aff. Side Line Forward Brothers Brother Cons Husbands Brother Aff. Sisters Husband Aff. Upward Uncles Fathers Brother Cons Mothers Brother Cons Fathers Sisters Husb. Aff. Mothers Sisters Husb. Aff. Husb. Fathers Brother Aff. Husb. Mothers Brother Aff. Downward Nephews Brothers Son Cons Sisters Son Cons Brothers Daugh. Husb. Aff. Sisters Daughters Husb. Aff. Husbands Brothers Son Aff. Husbands Sisters Son Aff. A Woman may not marry Upwards her Fathers Grandfathers Great Grandfathers In Nature In Law Forwards her Brothers Nephews In Nature In Law Sidewards her Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards her Sons Grandsons Great Grandsons In Nature In Law Prohibitions to the Third Degree inclusively A Man may not marry his 1. Mothers 2. Sisters 3. Aunts in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law A Woman may not Marry her 1. Fathers 2. Brothers 3. Uncles in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law Permissions of Cousins beyond the Third Degree Briefly A Man may not marry in the Right Line any of his Mothers Grandmothers Daughters Grandaughters Side Line any of her Sisters Aunts Neeces Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. Briefly A Woman may not marry in the Right Line any of her Fathers Grandfathers Sons Grandsons Side Line any of her Brothers Uncles Nephews Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. A Postscript THose that have had the patience hitherto let them favour me a little farther for their satisfaction to read the Testimonies of some Ancient and Modern Divines who have either said the same things with me or else very like them or have given me hints at least to enlarge upon them Authorities I know by custome sound high and prevail much to vulgar perswasion But solid reason is of much more force in it self and prevails much more with intelligent and unbiassed Souls Examine well the scope of all and without prejudice and let the Learned correct qualifie expunge or add as their wisdoms shall prompt them with all Candour Hear therefore next to the Holy Scriptures what these Learned men do say Testimonia Laciniata The CONTENTS Peccatum Originale Lex Fides Duo Testamenta Fides Scripturae Nature Grace Absolute Decree Spirituale Sacrificium Superstitio Promissa Adamo Praedestinatio Meritum Perseverantia Satisfactio Praedestinatio Peccatum Originale Imputatio Labes Originalis Controversies Ceremonies Definitions and Determinations Scoffing and Railing Atheism Gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Covenants Testament New Covenant Correspondence of Covenants Sacrifices Decalogue Baptism Natural Law Law and Gospel Resurrectio Justitia Imputatio Fides Justificatio Remissio Imputatio Justification Imputed Righteousness Justification Original sin Weakness Generousness Elements Nonage of the Church Fanaticks Terrible representations of God Popular errors Fathers not all pure OEconomy of Moses decaying Signs Some jealous conceits of God's indifferency to the World Jewish Nation a Pattern for others Votum pro Pace Christian Religion Immanation of God Emanations of God Appetites of Man's Happiness Recovery Doctrines troubled Vulgar errours Discerning Party Primitive Terms Reformation A Postscript Old Covenant Gen. 2.17 IN that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are in the Law to do them Deot 27.26 If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his Commandments and his statutes then shall all these curses come upon thee and overtake thee Deut. 23. Lev. 26.23 c. And if you will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins New Covenant 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 1 Cor. 10.1 c. I will not have you to be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual Drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that follow'd them and that Rock was Christ Job 8.17 Luc. 10.24 The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ For I tell you many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye have heard and have not heard them Matth. 11 1◠Verily I say unto you Among them that are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Hebr. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 8.6 Now he hath obtain'd a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better Promises Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator c. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from