because thou art a sinner fear not thou art free from damâ—ation Christ died for thee Answ. Is a poor drunkard a villaine that never believed in a state of condemnation Rom. 8.1 Paul saith there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ but where are they freed that are out of Christ who are by nature the children of wrath whil'st dead in sin Eph. 2.1 c. much lesse are such to believe because they are such Are not such Ministers therefore that preach this doctrine like the false Prophets Isa. 48. ult and 57. ult that cry peace peace when God saith there is no peace to the wicked and saith not Christ John 3. ult He that believes not the wrath of God abides on him It was upon him before and when he believes not it abides still on him Must the Ministers of the New Testament preach lies and tell drunkards and villains before they reject the Gospel by unbelief that the Lord loves them and there is no condemnation to them Object To judge of Justification by sanctification is a doubtful evidence a carnal and inferior evidence Answ. If to be under the power and dominion of sin be a certain evidence of condemnation so that he that says he knows Christ and yet walks in darkness is a liar 1 John 1.6 and 2.4 then sanctification whereby we are freed from the power of sin is a clear and full evidence of our actual justification 1 â—oh 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments So Act. 3. ult Christ is sent to blesse his people by turning theâ— from their iniquities then they that are turned from them by him may know certainly that they are blessed So 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come therefore sanctification is a clear evidence of Gods love to us sanctification is always an evidence in it self of a justified estate though it be not always evident unto us Now to prove that it s no carnal and inferior but the first evidence and a principal one take thâ—se propositions First the free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved Secondly the receiving of this offer by faith relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse is the first evidence that sheweth why he is beloved and what hath moved God actually to love him Thirdly the work of sanctification which is the fruit of our receiving this offer is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved See Shepheards morality of the Sabbath Object That which revealeth any evidence of assurance that I am Christ and he is mine is the Spirit speaking personally and particularly to my heart with such a voice Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee and this is that broad seale of the Spirit making an immediate impression on my heart without any begged testimony from works of sanctification which is the revealing evidence of my interest in Christ and the receiving evidence is faith believing this Testimony of the spirit only because the spirit saith so not because I have evidences or particular works of sanctification such as are universal obedience sincerity of heart and love of the brethren Answ. The Papist is the black devil taking away all certainty of assurance the Antinomian is the white devil a spirit of hell clothed with all heaven and the notions of Free-grace they say Free-grace in us is a dream sanctification inherent is a fiction Christ is all there is no grace existent in the creature Grace is all in Christ and nothing but imputed righteousnesse But if works of sanctification can give no assurance then First the joy and rejoycing which we have in the Testimony of a good conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 must be but a dream David Job Moses Samuel the Prophets and Apostles their joying in a good conscience must arise from doubtful and conjectural evidences yea then none can say in any assurance I beleeve in Christ In the inward man I delight in the Law of God I am crucified to the world My conversation is in Heaven c. for all these are inherent qualifications in a childe of God but they are doubtful and uncertain How then hath God promised to love the righteous to give the prize to him that runneth c. Secondly the testimony of the Spirit bearing witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 is in this sense an immediate act of the Spirit because the reflex acts of the soul are performed without any other medium or meanes but that whereby the direct acts are performed I know that I know and I know that I believe my sense by the same immediate operation of the Spirit by that which I know God without any other light teacheth me to know that I know God As by light I see colours and my common sense needs not another liâ—ht to make me know that I see colours so when I believe in Christ that habitual instinct of the grace of God actuated and stirred up by the Spirit of God makes me know that I know God and that I believe and so that I am in Christ to my own certain feeling and apprehension but this doth not hinder but the assurance of my interest in Christ is made evident to me by other inferiour evidences as 1 John 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments By keeping Gods Commandments we do not simply know that we know him by certainty of faith but we know that we know God these two wayes 1. We know the instinct of the new man being stirred up to action by the winde which bloweth when and where it lusteth our knowing of God to be sound saving and true we do not so much know our knowing of God by this supernatual sense as we know the supernatural qualification and sincerity of our knowing of God so that we rather know the qualification of the act that the work is done according to God then the act according to its substance though we do also know it in this relation So 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren i. e. our love to the brethren doth evidence to us both that we are translated to the Kingdome of grace and also we know that that translation is real true sincere and effectual by love and all the fruits of the Spirit 2. By these works of sanctification we have evidence that we have interest in Christ not as by formal light suggesting to us that the immediate impression of this great and broad Seal of God and his personal and particular testimony is true for Gods Spirit needeth not another witnesse to adde authority to what he saith but because this Conclusion thou John
Thomas c. hast interest in Christ to thy own feeling must be proved by Scripture except with Enthusiasts we separate the Word and the Spirit therefore these works of Sanctification prove the Conclusion consequently by Scripture and sense and so lead us to the word of Promise thus He that believeth and maketh sure his belief by walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit hath a clear evidence to his own feeling that he hath interest in Christ. But I John Thomas c. do believe and do make sure my belief by walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit therefore I have a clear evidence to my own feeling that I have interest in Christ. The Proposition is Scripture John 3.36 and 5.24 and 11.25 26. Rom. 8.1 2. 1 John 1.4 and 2.3 The Assumption is made sure by sense not at all times but when the Spirit is breathing upon the soul. For though I do believe and walk after the Spirit yet to my own feeling I have only evidence of my interest in Christ when the Spirit stirs up my sense to compare my faith and walking with the Promises of God in Christ. Ob. If this be so then all the certainty that I have of my interest in Christ is ultimately and principally resolved into this weak and rotten foundation of my own good works which being examined by the Law of God will be found so sinful that they must needs involve me under the Curse of God Answ. This will not follow for if our works of Sanctification were the causes of our peace and comfort then it might have some colour of truth but though these works have sin cleaving to them yet because our supernatural sense of the Spirit suggesteth that these works are the fruits of faith and are done in some measure of sincerity and flow not from the Spirit of the Law but from the Spirit of the Gospel therefore they lead us to Christ and drive us upon a clear Gospel-Promise thus First That the adherent sinfulnesse of our works are purged by the blood of Christ. Secondly That our peace and assurance depends not upon our works but upon the Promises of the Gospel in such Scriptures as these 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 1 Cor. 9.24 Rev. 22.14 Only our inherent qualification leads us as a moral motive to look to the Promises of God which is the foundation of our peace Thirdly if works of sanctification be no sure marks of our interest in Christ because sin cleaveth to them which involves us in the curse then neither can faith in Christ be a sure mark of our interest in Christ because it is mixed with sinful doubtings But as faith justifies not because its great and perfect but because its lively and true as a palsie-hand may receive a piece of gold as well as a strong one so also do our inherent works of Sanctification evidence to us that we are in Christ and so lead us to the Promises of the Gospel as signes not causes of our interest in Christ and that under this notion because they are sincerely performed not because they are perfect and without sin Fourthly in exalting Christs righteousnesse one way by making Christ all they make Christ nothing another way by vilifying the glory of sanctifying grace For we are not by good works to make our calling and election sure to our selves and in the evidence of our own consciences if our good works be no signes of our interest in Christ. Fifthly the Spirit which they make the only witnesse must be known to us by Scriptures not to be a deluding Spirit For if this Spirit cannot be known by those things which are called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Love Joy Peace c. as the fruits are evidences of the life of the tree then men are to labour for faith and the raptures impressions and the immediate and personal influence of a Spirit from Heaven without making any conscience of holy ving and so this is the high-way for men void of all sanctification to believe that they are in Christ and they may live after the flesh and yet believe the Testimony of the broad Seal of an immediate working Spirit Mr. Rutherfords Parl. Sermon Ob. But Rom. 4.5 It s said that God justifies the ungodly Answ. First Some answer it thus that these words are not to be understood in sensu composito but diviso and antecedenter He that was ungodly is being justified made godly also though that godlinesse doth not justifie him and so they compare these passages with those of making the blinde to see and the deaf to hear not that they did see whilest they were blinde but those that were blinde do now see which is true and good But Secondly Ungodly here is meant of such who are so considered in their nature having not an absolute righteousnesse so then the subject of Justification is a sinner but withal a believer Now its impossible that a man should be a believer and not have his heart purified Acts 15.9 For whole Christ is the object of his faith who is received not only to justifie but also to sanctifie Ob. But Rom. 5.10 Christ died for us whilest we were enemies Answ. If Christ died for us whilest we were enemies why do they say that if a man be as great an enemy as enmity it self can make him if he be willing to take Christ and to close with him he shall be pardoned which includes a contradiction For how can an enemy to Christ close with Christ But Christ died not only to justifie but to save us now will they hence infer that profane men living and dying so shall be saved and indeed the grand principle that Christ hath purchased and obtained all graces antecedently to us in their sense will as necessarily infer that a drunkard abiding so shall be saved as well as justified Ob. But it s said that Christ died and rose again for sinners Answ. We must know that this is the meritorious cause of our pardon and salvation but besides this cause there are instrumental causes that go to the whole work of Justification therefore some Divines as they speak of a Conversion Passive and Active so also of a Justification Active and Passive and they call that Passive not only when the meritorious cause but the instrument applying it is also present then the person is justified So then to that grand mercy of Justification something is requisite as the efficient viz. the grace of God something as meritorious viz. Christs suffering something as instrumental viz. Faith and one is as necessary as the other Mr. Burges Vindiciae Legis CHAP. XII Questions and Cases of Conscience about Apostasie or Falling away Quest WHat is Apostacy Answ. It 's a leaving or forsaking that good way and course which men had once taken for the obtaining of grace so Gal. 5.4 Ye are fallen from grace Object How many sorts of Apostacy are there Answ. First there is a falling
must we watch over our eyes p. 326. How over our ears ib. How over our pallats ib. How over our sence of touching p. 327. How over our tongues ib. How over our works and actions ib. What must we principally aim at in our Christian watch p. 328. VVhat may move us to this circumspect walking ib. What means may enable us to it p. 329. CHAP. XXXII About the comforts of Gods people Have Gods people alwayes Comfort inwardly p. 331. VVhy doth God sometimes hide his face from them ib. How may we finde comfort in our spirituall distresses p. 332. Why should we seek it ib. Hath God comforts for us in all distresses ib. Whence is the strength of Gods Children ib. What are the comforts of God ib. when doth God most comfort his ib. VVhence is it that Gods Children oft want comfort p. 333. CHAP. XXXIII About comforting others What Rules must we observe in comforting others p. 335. What are the best means whereby we may comfort others p. 336. Why should we be so carefull to comfort others p. 337. How is God the Father the Author of our Comfort ib. How is God the Son the Author of it ib. How is God the Holy Ghost the Author of it ib. CHAP. XXXIV About comforting afflicted Consciences How shall we comfort such as are dejected with a sight of their sins and want of grace p. 341. How may true desires be discerned from false p. 343. How may one that is distressed in minde be comforted p. 345. How must we proceed in applying the promises to such ib. What if we finde him not humbled p. 346. How must comfort be administred ib. VVhat are the false wayes ib. Why are they false ib. VVould not God have all to be saved ib. Did not Christ reconcile the world to himself ib. VVhat is the right way of administring comfort p. 347. VVhat are the grounds ib. How may it be proved ib. Ob. The desire of good is naturall therefore God will not regard it ib. How may godly sorrow be discerned ib. What if a man cannot reach to such a sorrow ib. How may the party distressed be brought within the compass of the promise of salvation ib. That the promise may have good success what Rules must we observe p. 348. What is the speciall distress arising from the Divine Tentations ib. What are the occasions of this Tentation ib. What are the effects of it ib. What remedies must be used to comfort such ib. What if the party be so distrâ—cted that he cannot perform any good duty p. 349. What tokens of grace are we to enquire after in such p. 349. How many distress of minde from outward affliâ—ions be remedied ib. We could bear afflictions from God but ours come from men that hate us p. 350. How is God with us in afflictions ib. What are the fruits and benefits of afflictions ib. How are afflictions good in regard of their quality ib. How may a distressed soule be supported when God deferres deliverance ib. What if our afflictions continue unto death p. 351. How shall we be able comfortably to endure the pangs of death ib. How may we prepare our selves for death ib. How may we discern whether the joyes of the Spirit be in us p. 352. What helps are to be used in the time of death ib. What are the helps in practice ib. How shall we bear with comfort Satanicall molestations p. 353. VVhat if our Houses were molested with evill Spirits ib. What must we doe when we are molested with blasphemous thoughts p. 354. VVhat will cure this grievous malady ib. How shall we know whence they arise ib. What remedies must be applyed ib. How may distresse of minde arising from our own sins be cured p. 355. What if a man after repentance fall into some great sin again ib. What must we doe when troubled for want of grace and obedience p. 356. But my heart is hard my faith mixed with infidelity c. p. 356. Can God accept our works that are so imperfect ib. How doth the body cause trouble of mind p. 357. What are the effects of Melancholly ib. What is the difference between Melancholly and trouble of Conscience ib. How must the Melancholly be cured ib. How do alterations in the body cause trouble of mind ib. VVhat remedies are to be used in these cases p. 358. CHAP. XXXV About self-commendation Is it lawfull for a man to commend himself p. 359. In what cases is it allowed ib. Is it not oft condemned in Scripture p. 360. How then shall we know when its lawfull ib. CHAP. XXXVI About Communion with God What is it to be in Communion with God p. 363. What are the signs of it ib. How may we know it by the Spirit that is given us ib. By what signes may we know that the Spirit is given us ib. How shall we know that we sincerely abide in the truth p. 364. Did not the Divel and Hypocrites confess Christ ib. How shall we know when we fiducially confess Christ ib. How may we know that we dwell in Gods love p. 365. How shall we know that we walk in the light ib. How did Christ walk that we may know whether we walke so ib. How shall wee know whether we keep his Commandements as we ought ib. CHAP. XXXVII About Communicating in other mens sins How many wayes may we Communicate in other mens sins p. 367. How many wayes is sin countenanced ib. Why are Superiours guilty of such sins as they permit p. 368. How may such keep themselves free from other mens sins ib. What may move us to avoid communicating in other mens sins ib. How else may we communicate in other mens sins ib. Are not all guilty some way of the sins of the times p. 369. May we in any case rejoice in another mans sin ib. CHAP. XXXVIII About the Choice and use of Company What Rule must we observe in the choice of our Company p. 371. Why must we make use of good company ib. What reasons may be rendered for it ib. May we keep company with such as are civil p. 372. May we not converse with unregenerate friends kindred c p. 373. What must we doe when in good company p. 374. What in wicked company ib. What is meant by not familiarly conversing with the wicked p. 375. Why may not such be made our companions ib. What if Husband Wife c. are wicked ib. How else can you prove that the wicked are not to be made our companions p. 376. May we then have no dealing with them ib. Why must we carefully watch over our selves in company ib. What Rules must we observe for our carriage in company ib. How may we attain wisdom herein p. 377. How shall we be furnished with matter to edifie one another ib. What if we cannot thus furnish our selves ib. Why must we be so carefull herein ib. What if for all this we cannot bring our hearts to it ib. What if we
and was not this done for our imitation So David and Christ delighted to do Gods Will because it was so written of them Psal. 40.7 8. Paul exhorts children to obedience because it 's the first Commandment with promise Eph. 6.2 Paul preached what was in the Old Testament Acts 22.20 what is it but Popery to make the spirit within to be the supream Judge and superior to the Spirit of God in the written Word without The grace of God appearing in the Gospel will have us to walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing according to the Law Tit. 2.12 13. and to mourn bitterly that we are so unlike the will and image of God revealed in the Law Rom. 7.23 24. Object Paul speaks of a Law written and engraven in stone and therefore of the Moral Law which yet he saith is abolished by Christ in the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 7 11 13. Answ. The meaning of this place as also Gal. 3.25 is that the Apostle speaking of the moral Law by a Synecdoche comprehends the ceremonial Law also both which the false Teachers urged as necessary to salvation and justification at least together with Christ against whom the Apostle here disputes The moral Law therefore is abolished First as thus accompanied with a yoke of ceremonies Secondly as it was formerly dispensed the greater light of the Gospel obscuring that lesser light of the Law as ver 10. Thirdly he may speak of the moral Law as a Covenant of life which the false Teachers urged in which respect he calls it a Ministry of death and a letter which killeth and thus it s abolished by Christ that with open face we may behold the glory of the Lord as the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that doth believe Object The Gospel under which Believers are requires no doing for doing is proper to the Law which promises life and requires conditions But the Gospel promiseth to work the conditions but requires none and therefore a beleever now is fully free from the Law Answ. The Gospel and the Law are taken two wayes 1. Largely the Law is taken for the whole doctrine contained in the Old Testament and the Gospel for the whole doctrine of Christ and the Apostles in the New Testament 2. Strictly the Law pro lege operum for the Law of Works the Gospel pro lege fidei for the Law of faith The Law of Works is strictly taken for that Law which promises Gods favour and life upon condition of doing or of personal obedience the Law of faith is strictly taken for that doctrine which reveals remission of sins and reconciliation with God by Christs righteousnesse only apprehended by faith Now the Gospel in this latter sense excludes all works and requires no doing in point of justification but only believing but take it largely for the whole doctrine of Gods love and free grace and so the Gospel requires doing For as it 's an act of Gods free grace to justifie us without calling for our works so it 's an act of the same free grace to require works of a justified person to serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the days of our lives Tit. 2.14 and to think that the Gospel requires no conditions is a dreame against multitudes of Scriptures which contains conditional yet evangelical promises There are indeed no conditions required of us in the Gospel but what the Lord himself hath or shall work in us but it doth not therefore follow that no conditions are required of us for requiring the condition is the means to work it and the means and end should not be separated As Christs righteousnesse must go before as the matter or moving cause of our justification so faith must go before this righteousness as an instrument or applying cause of it by which we are justified 'T is true God justifies the ungodly But not immediatly without faith but mediately by faith Rom. 4.5 when the Apostle affirms that we are justified by faith without works he doth hereby plainly give that to faith which he denies to Works so then as he denies works to be the antecedent condition of our justification so he affirms the contrary of faith which goes before our justification Believe and live Object There is no sin now but unbelief which is a sin against the Gospâ—l onely therefore there being no sin against any Law Christ having abolished it by his death the Law cannot be our rule Answ. Are drunkenness whoredome theft c. then no sinns to be repented of or watched against but only unbelief will not the Lord judge men not only for unbelief but for all the works done in the body as Rom. 2.16 2 Cor. 5.10 Is not the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse c Rom. 1.18 If there were no sin but unbelief how can all flesh Jews and Gentiles become guilty before God that so they may believe the Gospel as Rom. 3 21 c. if they be all guiltless till unbelief comes in No sin indeed shall condemn a man if he believe but it will not hence follow that there is no sin but unbelief sin is before unbelief comes a sick sinner before an healing Saviour sin kills the soul as it were naturally unbelief morally No sin shall condemn us if we believe but it doth not hence follow that there is no sin before or after faith because there is no condemning sin unlesse we fal by unbelief Object But now to preach the Law savours of an Old Testament spirit which was wont to wound then to heale to humble and then to raise But now we are to be Ministers of the New Testament and no Law is to be heard of Answ. Indeed to preache the Law as the means of our justification and as the matter of our righteousnesse without Christ or together with Christ as they did 2 Cor. 3.6 is a Ministry of the letter not of the Spirit But to preach Christ plainly as the end of the Law to preach the Law as the means to prepare for and advance Christ in our hearts is no Old Testament Ministry neither doth it put a vaile upon mens hearts that they cannot see the end of the Law as 2 Cor. 3.14 but it takes away the vail of all conceit of mans own strength and righteousnesse by seeing his curse that so he may flie to Christ and embrace him for righteousnesse Object Indeed the children of the Old Testament were under the Law as their School-master to lead them to Christ Gal. 3.24 25. But now saith the Apostle we are no longer under this School-master Answ. Be it so that the sons of God are now no longer under the terrour of this School-master is it not therefore a Ministers work to preach the Law unto the slaves of sin Object No but we must say Thou poor drunkard c. here is a God that hath loved thee and a Christ to die for thee here is salvation by him only