Publick Faith of the Most High God immortal faithful and Omnipotent and there we may rest secure and no where else Therefore by our Faith we have full Assurance of the hope of a glorious and Blessed immortality by which we may draw near unto God with a holy boldness in the Spirit Faith is taken for a Credence a Trust an Acceptance and a Covenant into and with God Gal. 3.2 Gal. 3.14 Eph. 1.13 Hebr. 11.6 The Spirit is a fruit of Faith which we receive not by works but by the hearing of Faith And the promise of the Spirit is through Faith And after we believed we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise And the works of the Spirit have their acceptance from Faith without which it is impossible to please God which shews the two main differences between the Gospel and the Law 1. Because the nature of Works under the Law is external carnal servile but under the Gospel they are internal spiritual and liberal 2. Because the motives to the Works under the Law are bondage fear and a curse but under the Gospel liberty hope and a Blessing SECT IV. The Spirit The Spirit is the Spirit of the hope of Righteousness i. e. the Reward of Righteousness or the Right of the inheritance to which we are justified and of which we are assured by Faith called Righteousness 1. In respect of it self because the substance of this Blessedness is Moral Righteousness which is the principal thing in the nature of Blessedness whereto the Accessaries are eternity of Life Joy and Glory 2. In respect of us because it is that inheritance whereto we are justified and wherewith we shall be qualified to be really and perfectly righteous in eternal Life Joy and Glory 3. In respect of God because our Justification thereto is not an act of God's Justice proceeding from his Law but an act of his Righteousness or kindness proceeding from his Grace and Gospel whereby he gives us a present Right to future Blessedness and an expectance or Assurance thereof that we should hope and patiently wait for it Called therefore the Hope laid up for us in Heaven Col. 1.5 1 Th. 5.8 Tit. 3.7 1 Pet. 2.3 4. The Hope of Glory and Salvation and Blessedness to which we are made heirs A begetting to a lively Hope to an inheritance incorruptible that fadeth not away of which the Spirit is the Earnest Seal and Witness The Reasons of Hope are 1. Because every Inheritance is an expectance The Institution of an Heir preceding the Induction 2. Because God hath commanded us to wait Now if God had never intented this inheritance for us and promised it unto us by his Son Jesus Christ he would never have bidden us to wait for it nor have given us his Spirit as an earnest thereof before hand 3. Because we have accepted it Now if it were never given nor accepted we would not be such fools as to look for that which either was never offered or refused by us when it was offered But now every Faithful Soul may justly look for that which is their due from God or good Men and they shall be sure to have it if they faint not For God and good Men will be sure never to fail of their promises Heaven and Earth may fail and shall fail but not the least title of the word of God shall ever fail God is faithful in promises and keeping Covenant for ever His word is a more sure word than the Laws of the Medes and Persians which are said not to alter though both their Laws and Kingdoms are long since altered and gone But God liveth ever to perform what he hath promised and sworn who is Truth it self and cannot lie Nothing therefore can hinder Assurance on God's part but breach of Faith on our part None therefore can fail of their hopes but hypocrites because they are unfaithful in not keeping the Covenant made with God therefore their hopes shall perish and their expectation shall be cut off as the spiders web before him They are fallen from Grace and have disinherited and destroy'd themselves but in God was and might have been their help SECT V. Having therefore such a Hope and full Assurance of Faith Waiting it is worth the while to wait for the end of our Faith and hope the Salvation of our Souls It is good to wait upon God and the patient expectation of the meek shall not perish for ever 1. To wait in life all the daies of my appointed time will I wait till my change come 1. In prosperity for higher comforts not to let out the stream of our desires to the ravishment of our Spirits with the enjoyments of carnal things So to be transformed and infatuated by them as to neglect cleaving to nobler objects 2. In adversity for the exceeding great Reward that will more than satisfie for all the sufferings of this life so as not to rage blaspheme or despair because of the sharpness or continuance of any divine scourge But to look beyond them all at the price of the High Calling laid up for us In our patience possessing our Souls that Patience may have its perfect work in us to endure to the end 2. To wait in death for strength of Spirit to bear the agonies and terrors of that dismal encounter and for victory to overcome that Ultimum supplicium that last and worst of woes 3. To wait after death 1. For the recovery of the Body from dishonour and corruption to Glory and Incorruption 2. For the consolation of the Soul in the state of solitude and separation by the society of other blessed Spirits and of Just Men made perfect and of the Visitations of Angels and the irradiations from the most excellent Glory 3. For the Re-union of Soul and Body never to be separated more 4. For fruition of Eternal Blessedness The CONTENTS Matter of Fact Matter of Right Matter of Witness Spirit of Assurance Ability Sealed Earnest TITLE II. Of the Grounds of Assurance 1. THe first Ground that all the Assurance that is possible and convenient to be had in this life concerning our Salvation is in matter of Fact procured for us is SECT I. Matter of Fact 1. That Christ was in this World actually in the Flesh and conversed openly with Men taught them wrought Miracles died among them and rose again and was seen of them after his Resurrection 2. That Christ was a Person sent from God to preach and publish his last Will and Testament to all Mankind and he began with the Jews and sent his Apostles to the Gentiles saying Go preach the Gospel to every Creature That this Christ was exactly fore-told by all the Prophets and was testified to be the Son of God by the voice of God from Heaven saying I am well pleased hear ye him And that he justified himself to be the Son of God and the Author and Finisher of our Salvation who was crucified
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
Son of a Priest or that no Son of a Priest should possess a Living from his Father or any other Basilius Macedo the Emperour when a Stag fastned his horn in his Belt was tossed about and in great danger one of his Guard not knowing how to save his Master any other way upon a sudden cut the Princes Girdle and so saved his life But the poor man was unjustly put to death because by the Law it was a capital Crime for any man to draw his Sword upon the Prince Because the Law intended not to make it death to save the Prince's life Necessity in this case might have been a sufficient excuse if it had been a fault as it was none Leo Isaurus promised to two Astrologers that if he was Emperour he would grant any desire of theirs He came to be Emperour and they asked of him leave to pull down all the Images in his Dominions he gave them leave but when he had done took them and slew them for asking leave to do such a thing as he had no mind should be done So he kept not his Promise for he intended not when he made it to reward them with a mischief but yet he kept his word because he granted them their Request F.T. de R.J. True therefore is the Rule in Law in all such cases Fraudem facit Legi qui verbis Legis inhaerens contrà Legis nititur voluntatem Sententia Legis aequè ac verba est Lex i. e. He deludes the Law who sticking to the bare Letter thereof doth quite forsake the true intent and meaning For the Sentence of the Law not the Words is a Law When God commands outward Service and Worship he meaneth that the inward and spiritual as the chiefest should be performed for that is more to God's glory and our comfort When God commands outward Sacrifices he means that we should kill our Lusts When God commands falling down in body his meaning is Reverence of Soul and Body In the Law of outward action I may be deceived in the Law of inward intention There is a sense beyond the Letter a Command without this the work of the Law is not done Letter and Spirit By the Letter I may be deceived in the Spirit and by the Spirit I may be deceived in the Letter of the Law By Rigour I am deceived in equity not è contra By Legal forfeitures I may take the Mortgage or Re-enter at the day when next day or shortly after I may be satisfied and so my Tenant is undone and so I am a dishonest man For Non omne quod licitum est honestum Summum jus est summa injuria Every thing that is lawful in Rigour is not honest in Equity Extreme Rigour is extreme Injury In the law of Forfeiture I am deceived in the law of Honesty In the law of Justice I may be deceived in the law of Mercy and in the law of Mercy in the law of Justice As in the law of Beggars I am deceived in the law of Charity and in the law of Charity in the law of Beggars By the letter of the Gospel I may deny the Spirit and by the Spirit I may deny the Letter I may be all Letter and no Spirit or all Spirit and no Letter I may be all Grammar and no Allegory or all Allegory and no Grammar Hoc est Corpus meum and Tu es Petrus for their senses have had fiery Trials SECTION IV. 4. By one Law in another 1. By the Law of God in the law of Man IV. By one Law in another Law As 1. By the Law of God I am deceived in the law of Man So the Jews would be governed by no Heathen or Uncircumcised person because God had promised while they were obedient none else should rule over them So Christians because they are bidden to stand fast in the Law of Liberty spurn at all humane lawful Authority do nothing but what is expresly set down in the Letter of God's Word 2. By the Law of Man I am deceived in the Law of God 2. By the Law of Man in the Law of God Because of the Canon Nos Sanctorum I renounce my Allegiance to my natural Prince or Parent by an Act of Parliament against Vagrants and sturdy Rogues I am deceived in the Law of Charity Instances by the Traditions of Men God's Law is made of none effect They teach for Doctrines of God the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.3 6 9. because of Corban or the publick Treasury I am taught to dishonour and rob my Parents 3. By one Moral Law I am deceived in another 3. By one Moral Law in another By the second Commandment Thou shalt not worship any graven Image I am deceived in the third and take the name of the Lord in vain Instances by this third Commandment I am deceived in the sixth Thou shalt do no Murder as because of my Oath I will spill the innocent Blood as Herod did because of the Covenant or Engagement I will rebel or kill the King as the Presbyterians and Independents did by the fourth Commandment I am deceived in all that follow as because I religiously keep the Sabbath as I ought to do therefore I will dishonour my Superiors kill commit Adultery steal lye or covet against all Charity to my Neighbour as I ought not to do This among other deceits seems to be derived from the Pharisees who said of our Saviour Christ this man is not of God Joh. 9.16 because he keepeth not the Sabbath-day that is he kept it not as they would have him to do no good to his Neighbour upon the Sabbath-day by an Act of Parliament I am deceived in an Act of Charity because there is a Statute for each Parish to maintain their own poor therefore I will not give a Penny more to a poor Soul Having a hard heart I will find Law enough to make a Brief a Nullity by a Law of an Indult or Priviledg I will plead Law for a general Prohibition because a Law of Pluralities of Benefices is in some Cases granted to some choice learned Persons every inferior Person aims at it as if it were universally lawful by the Law of Popular Policy I am deceived in the Law of Regal Soveraignty I will appoint the King what Servants he shall have what Bishops he shall make or what Wife he shall chuse for the Prince 4. By the Law of Nature I am deceived in a positive Law 4. By the Law of Nature in a positive Law Because Nature teacheth a Worm if trod upon to turn again therefore I will take up arms against my Soveraign My Sin plays the Tyrant over me and I say 't is the King by Eating and Drinking and Copulation Instances I am deceived in Gluttony and Drunkenness and all promiscuous Procreations of Fornication Adultery Incest by Courage and Self-defence I am deceived in Revenge Murder
were in Egypt the house of Bondage their service was hereditary arbitrary and unprofitable at pleasure of their Task-masters and no wages but a charge to find straw and be beaten for not performing their daily tasks The CONTENTS The Soul Spirit 's free TITLE IX Of the Seat of Slavery THE seat of Slavery is the Spirit The Soul A bondage on the Soul and her faculties The bondage of the Body is a grievous burthen but it is not the true slavery For a man's Body may be moved to and fro and set on work to dig or draw or tug at an Oar or any other beastly works according to the will and command of a Tyrant but the Will all this while is free to act according to the mind and reason of a Man So a vertuous ingenuous Man is spiritually and truly free inwardly in his mind to know and do better things though outwardly in his Body he be a slave at the will of another as if he had no will of his own because he cannot use it to the guidance of his Corporal actions but he hath a will free to the actions of his Soul Thus Joseph was a bodily Bondslave to his Mistress to do her lawful commands but was spiritually free and refused to be subdued to her Lust He was more free than she He only a slave Corporal to her bodily power she a slave spiritual to her own base and filthy desires Joseph endures not so base a bondage chuses rather to lye fast bound in the dungeon and let the Iron enter into his Soul Thus the Israelites were slaves in Egypt under the Iron yoke of Pharaoh but free in the service of God to wait for his Promises So in the Babylonish Captivity they were slaves in body yet free to serve the Lord and would not sing the songs of Sion in a strange Land Give me any slavery but the slavery of the Soul I had rather they should bind me in Chains and load me with bolts and fetters of Iron make me tug at an Oar dig in a Mine or draw in a Wagon than take away the free use of that little Understanding which God hath given me I value the liberty of my Body to go when and whither I please and to do what and how I have a mind to but I value the liberty of my Soul at a far higher rate to judge and resolve according to the best of my skill and understanding As Mammon is the false Riches of Unrighteousness not the true and right riches but Wisdom is the true riches of the Spirit so bondage or Corporeal slavery is the false slavery of Unrighteousness but the true slavery is of the Soul and Spirit If therefore the Spirit be enthralled as it should not be how great is that thraldom and if the Spirit be free as it should be how great is that freedom Reason Because all Spirits are naturally free for they properly do force but are not forced they lead and are not led they bind and are not bound Spirit 's free The Spirit of God is absolutely free The will of his Spirit is supremely free to himself for he doth whatsoever he will The presence of his Spirit who is the Father of Spirits brings freedom to others Spirits 2 Cor. 3.17 For where the Spirit of God is there is liberty The conduct of the Spirit of freedom is the great freedom of the spirit The Leader makes the Follower free As many as are led by the Spirit of God Ro. 8.14 they are the Sons of God Gods Free-men The Will is naturally free by its first creation but now it comes to be supernaturally free by its New creation So the Will draws nearer and nearer to God in Liberty till it comes to the measure of the fulness of the stature of Christ till it comes to will nothing but good and can do no otherwise Thus the Spirits of Just men are made perfectly free Necessary willing of Good without haesitancy from within or coaction from without is the greatest freedom Gods necessary doing of all good and impossibility of doing of any evil is his perfection Necessary willing of Evil without haesitancy from within or coaction from without is the greatest slavery Satans necessity of all evil and impossibility of doing any good is his imperfection Gods Spirit is perfect and absolute Freedom that makes the spirits of Just men and Angels perfectly and absolutely free Satans spirit is perfect and absolute bondage that makes the spirits of Unjust men and Angels perfectly and absolutely slavish For The Spirits of Angels and Men though naturally they be free yet accidentally they may be bound as in divers cases Satan himself and his Crue are all Spirit yet every Wizard pretends to bind them Jud. 6. But God doth indeed bind him and them reserving them in chains of Darkness unto the Judgment of the great day The Spirit of Man is free yet may it be religiously bound by a Vow or Oath Numb 30.2 and is shamefully bound by lust of Flesh the pride of World and the Temptations of the Devil and too often led captive by him according to his will Now the bondage of the Spirit is the true right and perfect slavery because the Spirit is naturally free and the more free a thing is naturally the more slavish is the bondage thereof for therein is the greater violence and the greater violence makes the greater slavery The CONTENTS Restraint from proper End Restraint from proper Guide Restraint from proper Act. Restraint from proper Rule Restraint from proper State Restraint from proper Right Constraint to base Actions TITLE X. Of the Cases of Slavery The Cases of true Slavery TRue Slavery is a thing so large and indefinite as that it cannot well be defined therefore it will be best by shewing the Cases thereof to design it As because Felony and Treason are Crimes indefinite therefore wise Lawyers do not define them but shew the Cases to design them Cases designing true Slavery I. A Restraint of Man from his proper End is slavery Restraint from proper end The proper End of Man is Happiness which consists in the knowledge and fruition of God For this is life eternal to know God c. other Ends are improper alien and forreign as Honour Wealth c. for these are neither his proper end nor yet the proper means to it they are neither happiness nor holiness For a man then to be restrained from true happiness that he cannot or may not be happy that he cannot or may not know or enjoy God this is true slavery For the disability to true happiness to be made uncapable of it is true misery and true misery is true slavery Hence Bastardy is a misery which bars the Child from all Inheritance and makes him uncapable of succession to his natural Father's Estate And Infamy is a misery which bars a man from all Offices and makes him uncapable of all Honour
himself This is his original Right whereby he was not only morally righteous but had a legal right over the Creatures Ergo much more over himself All other rights whereby he enjoys Houses Lands or Goods are improper to Man alien and forreign not natural but positive grounded upon humane Contracts Now for a man to be restrained from his proper Right that he cannot or may not have propriety possession or usufruct of himself but is forced to become the propriety possession and usufruct of another by selling or letting or losing the free-hold of himself this is true slavery Hence the Civil Law describes slavery to be subjection Contra naturam dominio alterius and Servus dicitur nullius Juris Against Nature for a man not to be his own but another's man and to have right to nothing not so much as to himself When Subjects have not the property of their Goods they count themselves slaves If he be rightly stiled a slave that hath not property in any goods much more is he a slave that hath no property of himself Constraint â—o base Actions VII Constraint of a man to vile and base Actions is true slavery For as Restraint from good makes slavery so Constraint to evil makes slavery out of measure slavish Hence the Israelites were slaves in Egypt constrained to make Bricks and Pots of Clay The Prodigal was a slave to the Citizen to feed his Swine and yet not to be sed with them The Possessed in the Gospel were slaves to Satan and forced often by him into the fire and water Put all these three together and they shew the full Nature of slavery that is bondage of Spirit restraining Man from his several properties and constraining him to their several contraries The use of all is to shew thee thy Error Thou complainest of Temporal slavery it is a false and counterfeit slavery the Spiritual slavery is the true slavery To feel the burthen of that and complain of the misery would argue a good increase of God's grace in thee and if God's grace free thee from that slavery then art thou free from all the World which God grant The CONTENTS The Sinner habitual TITLE XI Of the subject of Slavery THE subject of Slavery Who is a true slave the Sinner The Sinner habitual He that committeth sin is the servant of sin To commit sin is not to commit one single act of sin for the godly have their falls and surprizes of sin But habitually the course and practice of sin such an one is termed a sinner The extent of the Sinner is universal whosoever he be though otherwise never so free by Birth State or Tenure yet if he be an habitual sinner he is the servant of Sin The Jews alledged their freedom by Birth as they were the Children of Abraham and never in bondage to any man yet for their sins they were in spiritual bondage saith Christ David hinted this saying Bring my Soul out of Prison that I may praise thy Name Psal 142.7 What Prison could this be but the spiritual prison of Sin Christ hinted this saying The Spirit of the Lord hath sent me to preach deliverance to the poor c. Luc. 4.18 What poor how bound in what Fetters c. even the Sinner fast bound in spiritual bonds St. Paul tells the Romans that they had formerly been slaves voluntary slaves by yielding their Members as instruments of Unrighteousness from sin to sin Ro. 6.20 and were very free from Righteousness that is slaves to sin for freedom from Righteousness is the true slavery Sin is a Captive to Satan who is a Warrener and layes snares for Vermin What snares are Riches but such whereby men fall into divers foolish lusts and drowned in perdition and led captive by the Devil according to his will The CONTENTS Restraint from proper End Restraint from proper Guide Restraint from proper Act. Restraint from proper Rule Restraint from proper State Restraint from proper Right Captivity Constraint to base Actions TITLE XII Of the Reasons of Slavery THE Reasons why the Sinner is a Slave are according to the seven Cases of Slavery Restraint from proper End I. Because the Sinner is restrained from his proper end which is True Happiness For by the Law of God the sinner is deprived and disabled from all those priviledges of Eternal Joy and Glory whereof the Saints are capable For as it is the Glory of the Saints to enjoy the presence of God to see his face and know him as he is So the Misery of a Sinner is to be an Exile or out-cast from God never to see his face nor know him as he is Gal. 5.21 As by Man's Law a Bastard hath no Inheritance in Earthly Kingdoms so the Sinner hath no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven For they that do such things shall not inherit c. But the end of the sinner is Torment his Wages Everlasting Death and Pain Go ye Cursed c. Restraint from proper Guide II. Because restrained from his proper Guide which is a Right Spirit The guide of the sinner is the Flesh he is led by it and a debtor to it he is put on by it upon every beastly service The Pride of the flesh to dishonour Parents Wrath to murther Lust to commit Adultery c. So silly Men and Women are laden with sins and led away with divers lusts The guide to the sinner is Satan he leads his lust as when he possesseth the Body he carries it and moves it so when he Masters the Soul he leadeth it captive as he pleaseth For the great and famous Master-pieces of Villany are acted by men led on by the instigation of the Devil Judas was the guide to them that Crucified Christ but Satan was his guide for he entred into him twice first for his resolution when he bargained and sold his Master secondly the execution of the Treason after the delivery of the sop Ananias sells his estate and keeps back part thereof when Satan had first filled his heart Acts 5.3 The sinner is made blind by Satan that he might go for his God and be his guide 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not III. Because restrained from his proper Act i. e. his Will Restraint from proper Act. The sinner hath a Will yet not a free Will but a Captive Will He hath the faculties of a Natural Will but cannot actuate that faculty to perform the proper acts thereof by choosing the good and refusing the evil But rather he acts quite contrary by choosing the evil and refusing the good which is not Liberty and Will but restraint and want of Will As to take Error for Truth is not Understanding but want of Understanding so to choose evil for good is not will but want of will For because God is the proper object of the Will that heart that cannot choose the
Heirs for ever 2. Arbitrary Pro libitu Domini so is Liberty Pro libitu sui ipsius A man is lord of himself 3. Unprofitable no Reward of slavery but pain all Profits redound to the Lord. Whatsoever Slaves acquire they accrue to their Lord because they themselves and their Wives and Children are their Lord's Goods and Possessions therefore whatsoever they get by their Labours is their Lord's for they have no Rights at all but are dead in Law to all intents and purposes But Liberty redounds to a Man 's own self Thus contrary things have contrary forms as Gluttony is a vice Temperance a vertue II. The second Reason is from the affinity which Liberty hath with Reas 2 Largeness A Prisoner when free is set at large Largeness being before confined to a narrow space Thou hast enlarged me when I was in trouble Psal 4.1 Thou hast set my feet in a large room When a man is free he may walk abroad at large whither he pleaseth Psal 18.19 otherwise he is confined to the Will of another The CONTENTS Soul TITLE IX Of the Seat of Liberty THE Seat of Liberty is the Spirit The Soul and her Faculties That of the Body is a counterfeit and bastard Liberty Soul this of the Soul is Liberty indeed David though a King wanted this liberty while he was under Murther and Adultery therefore he prays that God would bring his Soul out of Prison and stablish him with a free Spirit As Mammon is not the true Riches so the Liberty of the Body is not a true Liberty What greater bondage than that of the Mind when the Judgment is captivated to believe the Magisterial dictates of the Pope or perhaps an ignorant Confessor It is to be wondered that brave men otherwise Wise and of great Perfections should suffer themselves to be such slaves and fools as to be imposed upon in their Judgments and not suffered nor suffer themselves to use their own Reasons nor question any thing but do like fools all manner of absurd and intollerable Commands to the macerating and hurting of their Bodies by Whippings Pilgrimages Sackcloths and other Ridiculous fopperies Reas 1 1. The first Reason is from the Contrariety of slavery Slavery is in the Spirit therefore Liberty is in the Spirit Because things contrary reside in the same seat not concurrently but successively As because the Eye is the seat of Blindness therefore it is also the seat of Seeing The Ear is the seat of Deafness therefore of Hearing So because the Spirit is the seat of Slavery it must needs be the seat of Liberty Reas 2 2. The second Reason is from the Nature of the Spirir which is naturally Free GOD the Father of Spirits is supremely Free therefore Angels and spirits of Men must be free under him The Soul is not properly united to the Body but the Body to the Soul Death is a separation but the Body departs not from the Soul but the Soul from the Body There is no man hath power over the Spirit Eccles 8.8 to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of death The CONTENTS Recess from Evil. Access to Good TITLE X. Of the Terms of Liberty THE Terms of Liberty are Good and Evil. Liberty is a loosness from Evil to Good held by no Evil and withheld from no Good I. Recess from Evil i. e. from the World the Flesh and the Devil Recess from Evil. which three are Evils Remission of sins is true Liberty from the bonds of Death Hell and Satan II. Access to Good Access to Good Good is the proper and principal object of Liberty the end and scope it aims at When we are hindred from no good but capable of all then are we free indeed As when all Egypt lay open to Joseph when all Canaan lay open to the Israelites When the Throne of Grace stands wide open for all that have need to fly thereunto for Grace sufficient to help them in the time of all their need The first is a Vulgar Liberty such as the Poor and Strangers have the second is a Royal Liberty for Children and free Denizens The Reason is from the affinity it hath with Repentance Reason Liberty is a preparative to Repentance Till the Soul be loose from Evil it cannot turn unto God As Repentance is a turning from sin to God so Liberty is a turning from Evil to Good As in Repentance the Right turning is from Evil to Good or else it is Apostacy so in Liberty the Right turning is from Evil to Good or else it is Licentiousness So loosness from the Law is slavery To be free from Righteousness is to be the Servant of sin The CONTENTS Loosness to proper End Loosness to proper Guide Loosness to proper Act. Loosness to proper Rule Loosness to proper State Loosness to proper Right TITLE XI Of the Cases of Liberty The Cases of Liberty Loosness to proper End I. A Loosness of Man to his proper End is Liberty The proper End of Man is Happiness Restraint from that makes slavery or true Misery When we are free from Worldly ends of Honour c. and clearly loose to heaven and heavenly things then are we free indeed As Bastardy bars from a temporal Inheritance As Infamy bars from temporal Honour so Liberty admits to Eternal Felicity As Capacity of Temporal Honours makes a Freeman so much more Capacity to Eternal Honours Loosness to proper Guide II. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Guide is Liberty A Man 's Proper Guide is a Right Spirit As a Restraint from that is slavery so a Loosness to that is Liberty All other Guides as Satan World Passions of flesh are Troublers rather than Leaders but when we are free from all these then are we free indeed Philo. 2 Cor. 3. pen. Revera liber est qui solum Deum sequitur He is free indeed that follows God only Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty Hence that great Question ☞ how Free-will can consist with God's Grace is easily decided for where God's Grace works upon the Will the more it works upon the Will to draw it and the more the Will conforms to God's Grace to follow it the more Free the Will is Grace then doth not destroy nor abolish Liberty but beget and nourish it for the more God's Grace doth loose the Will from evil and lead it on to good the more it frees the Will And as till then the Will is not free so then it is most free III. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Act is Liberty Loosness to proper Act. The Proper Act of Man is his Will And as a Restraint from that is Slavery so a Loosness to that is Liberty The Stoicks say Liber est qui vivit ut vult which thou may'st not construe as a School-boy but as a Christian He is free that can act his own Will i. e. after Resolution
have already passed and had their Being SECTION I. I. When the First Person brought forth the Second the Second Person was God the Son He was of God because he proceeded from God the Father God of God Light of Light very God of very God He was the Son of God because he was begotten of the Father The Brightness of his Glory Heb. 1.2 Col. 1.15 and the Express Image of his Person The Image of the invisible God the first Born of every Creature SECTION II. II. When the whole Trinity brought forth Adam then Man was the Son of God Luk. 3. ult as Adam is called the Son of God Gen. 1.26 Gen. 5.1 1. Because God created him 2. Because he was after God's own likeness SECTION III. III. When Adam brought forth his Sons and they bring forth their Sons to this day and shall to the Worlds end then Man is the Son of Man 1. Because Man begets him Gen. 5.3 2. Because he is after Man 's own Likeness SECTION IV. IV. When the Blessed Virgin Mary brought forth our Blessed Saviour then God was the Son of Man 1. Because conceived and born of a Woman 2. Because he is after her own Likeness Phil. 2.7 He was made in the Likeness of Man God sent his own Son in the Likeness of Sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 In all things like unto Man Sin only excepted The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Thus it pleased God to interchange himself with Man and each to beget the other As the Plant first brings forth the Seed Sim. and then that Seed brings forth the Plant so God first brought forth Man and after Man brought forth God Thus God and Man are each others Father and Son Man the Son and Father of God and God the Father and Son of Man By two of these four Generations our Saviour was a Son viz. by the first and the last When God broughth forth God Christ was the Son of God And When Man brought forth God Christ was the Son of Man So Christ is the First and the Last the First Son of God Rev. 1.17 and the Last Son of Man The First by whom Man had his beginning and the Last in whom he hath his ending I am Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 the Beginning and the Ending But especially of his Church whose Beginning is Election and End Salvation For in him our Election begins and in him our Salvation ends Note that though our Saviour had these two Births and two Fathers yet he is not two Sons no more than he that hath two Sons is two Fathers A Curious Picture being first drawn out in Colours Sim. and after put into Frame hath two works done unto it yet it is but one Picture so the Son of God who was first the Picture of his Father's Image and the brightness of his Glory is after put into a Frame of Flesh hath thereby two Births yet is but one Son The Reason is because these two Births had but one Person to sustain them for the Person of the Godhead supported both The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Therefore these two Births being after several Images Christ must needs have two several Natures The Nature of a God as he was the Son and of God and the Nature of a Man as he was the Son of Man 1. As God he was a Son only Begotten not made 2. As Man he was a Son only Made and not begotten The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory Joh. 1.14 the Glory as of the only Begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth As he was the Son of Man no Man begat him but the Woman conceived him by the Power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her a Virgin yet he was not the Son of the Holy Ghost Lord help me in this deep Mystery and save me from sin all this while Because he was not begotten from the substance of the Holy Ghost Reason as Natural Sons are generated from their Fathers substance but by the Power of the Holy Ghost And being born Man he had not the Image of the Holy Ghost therefore was not his Son seeing every Son must be like his Father in Nature and Essence But he was properly the Son of the Virgin therefore the True Son of Mankind with indifferency to either Sex In the Virgins Womb he was conceived and cherished essentiated with the Parts of a Man Body and Soul perfectly united Had Infirmities natural to all Mankind not Personal of this or that Man nor Poenal for this or that Sin but for all sins And these defects did Man him most A Passive Mortal Man Vir dolorum A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs Man in all things except Man's Sin Is 53.6 yet he bore the Punishment of that For the Lord laid upon him the Iniquity of us all But why the Son of God all this VVhy Christ became the Son of Man rather than the Father or the Holy Ghost A Mediator The Father or the Holy Ghost might either have been the Son of Man had they been so pleased but had either of them been the Son of Man then the name of Son would have belonged to two Persons of the Trinity Therefore it was most convenient for that Person that was the Son to become the Son of Man Reasons 1. In respect of the whole Trinity 2. On the Father's Part. 3. On the Son's Part. 4. On Man's Part. SECTION V. I. In respect of the whole Trinity VVhen things of a different Nature are united they are best combined by a Third Mean Sim. that is of a middle Complexion to them both so the Body and Soul are combined by the Spirits that are of a middle Nature between both VVhen Man and VVife are at odds the best way to reconcile them is their Son Because he is a Middle Party between both the one is his Father the other is his Mother From all Eternity God loved us in his Son He before our Fall was as the Spirits to maintain our Union with God But when we were fallen at odds and God would be reconciled God mediated between Himself and Us by his Son Because he being the Middle Person of the Trinity and being both God and Man was the fitter to make a Mediator between God and Man That having God to his Father and Man to his Mother he might make a full Reconciliation between God and his Spouse as the Son doth between Man and VVife 2 Cor. 5.18 God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath cemmitted unto us the Word of
and purity of an Evangelical spirit We dwell too much upon outward and carnal things which are lawful as of Water in Baptism Bread and Wine in the Communion Fasts and Feasts Rites and Ceremonies Penances Judgments Prosperities and stretch them too far or lay too hard a stress upon them The two Sacraments ordained by Christ and the other decent Orders of the Church for edification and the Dispensations of outward Punishments and Blessings are reverently to be observed and practised but not in the outside and Gaiety only to move humiliation and fear but in the intrinsecal and essential virtue to create spiritual Communion Love Joy and hope of Glory To use Rites is comely and for Edification but to multiply them to distraction is Jewish and Paganish and of it self a dead way without any spirit or life at all Covet therefore after the best of Gifts and behold I shew unto you a more excellent way to make it our meat and drink to do the will of God to fulfil all Righteousness outward but not to rest there but to taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the VVorld to come and to have our Spirits throughly exercised to discern the Truth in all Shadows I will not slight but reverence every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake and for Conscience sake I will read and hear and see the description of Christ in a Book or Sermon or Picture but I will come nearer to Christ and close in my Soul with his Spirit I will be ravished with his Love that died for me and rose again and admire and draw a Curtain and be silent when I cannot describe nor imagine the infiniteness of his Shames and Glories Call me to Joy and Gladness after I have tried all other waies and to a constant walking with God and full Assurance of Heaven 1. Because Christ hath entred into his Temple and opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 2. Because Christ hath offered and presented himself to God for all his Saints 3. Because Christ sits and rules in Heaven and by his Spirit in all Saints and over all his and their Enemies 4. Because Christ as a Prophet teacheth us and leads us into all Truth 5. Because Christ makes Intercession for us 6. Because Christ will come again in great glory to raise from the Dead to Judge and to call to the full possession of Glory And this practice is truly and solidly comfortable unmixt with Carnal VVorship or VVorldly Policy Nothing but honesty and love in all this no scandal of the Cross because of the ample recompence of Reward No true and proper Priest Prophet or King but Christ All Priests and Prophets and Kings in Christ who is all in all God blessed for evermore The Second Use therefore is to conform to his Exaltation and Glory The CONTENTS Victory over Sin Imputation of Righteousness Jural Righteousness Reasons of Victory over Sin Light conquers Darkness Sin no Native Propension in Nature to its proper state Genuine Nature of the Spirit Superior Faculties predominate Active Co-operation Christ's Victory over Law Outward Covenant of Works Inward state of Mind Alive to Sin Dead to Law Carnal Liberty to Sin Legal Perfection Our Victory over Law Grace stronger than Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Man object of God's Love Christ's Pleading undeniable to God Christ's Victory over Death Victory procured meritoriously by Christ's Death Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith Our Victory over Death Sin conquered Law conquered Devil conquered Christ entred into the Holy of Holies TITLE VIII Of Christ's Exaltation CHRIST's Resurrection manifested his Death to be effectual against Sin 1 Cor. 15.57 Law and Death else our Faith had been in vain and we yet in our sins For he was delivered to death for our sins and rose again for our Justification Ro. 4. If Death had held him then neither Sin nor Law nor Death nor Satan that hath the power of Death had been conquered and then Sin and Law and Death and Hell must have held us for ever This therefore is the greatest of all Christ's Miracles for the World to believe him to be a perfect Saviour which without it could never have been believed This takes away all scandal of the Cross for we worship not one was as the Jews call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Crucified or Staked-God But when the Lord was Risen then Faith revived The Disciples thought this had been he which should have restored the Kingdom to Israel but he was dead and buried and therefore all their hopes of that ever coming to pass were dead and buried with him But now he is Risen from the Dead both theirs and ours is risen up again with him who though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God Christ's Resurrection assures us of Life after death of which the World was never assured before 'T is he that hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 Who after he had overcome the sharpness of Death did open the Kingdom of heaven to all Believers The Reasons of Philosophy to prove the Soul's Immortality and the Bodie 's Resurrection though demonstrative enough yet are so thin and subtil that they glide and slip away quickly from Vulgar Apprehensions But Christ his Soul being in Paradise during the Body's abode in the Grave and his Resurrection Appearances and Conversations and Visible Ascension into heaven do put the matter out of question and more strongly affect Vulgar minds By and after Christ's Resurrection he was made Lord and Christ King and Saviour Christ's Oeconomical Kingdom is calculated from the Epocha of his Resurrection and Ascension and sitting at the Right hand of his Father in heaven Let all the house of Israel know assuredly Act 2.36 that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted on his Right hand Act. 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour He humbled himself to the Death Phil. 2.9 even to the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. All Power is given to me both in Heaven and Earth Matth. ult 1 Cor. 15.27 God hath put all things in subjection under Christ's feet the Vicegerent of God a Mediatorious King till he hath put down all Rule and all Authority and Power and hath delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all and in all A great Comfort that one of our Flesh and tempted as we and therefore knows the better how to pity us and succour us when we are tempted A great Comfort that our Flesh is in Heaven already as
with Penances and Reliques and Indulgences and Outward performances never regarding the Inward killing of Lusts nor expecting a Living Law written in the heart This is to forsake our Husband Christ and cleave to the bondage of the Law which is dead to us by Christ's Cross and might be dead in us by his Spirit if we would believe And the ground of all this Error is from a Novel Interpretation of that Paragraph of the latter part of the seventh of the Romans contrary to all Antiquity Sense or Reason SECTION IV. The Reasons for this Victory over the Law are these Because Grace is stronger than the Law Grace stronger than Law Mercy rejoyces and prevails over Justice The absolving power of the Gospel is stronger than the condemning power of the Law The Mercies of God are above all his Works Prerogative is above Law Custome overcomes Law Mercy much more The Sword of Justice is strong and sharp but Mercy keeps off the blow and holds the hand of Justice from striking If the Law calls aloud for Justice Christ's blood calls louder and pleads for pardon If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father and the blood of Christ is the Propitiation for all sins God will have mercy because he will have mercy and what is that to the Law It is the will of God to pardon and pass by Iniquities Transgressions and Sins and to remember them no more When the strong man enters into the house he keeps it and all that is therein but when a stronger than he comes upon him he binds him hand and foot and casts him out So is the Gospel to the Law 2. Because the Spirit of Grace is stronger than the Spirit of the Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law The Spirit of Sin is strong in it self Lust hath a violent impulse and vehement motion The Spirit of Sin is stronger by the Law and rages and takes on much more for being opposed Like a Lion scorns to be kept in but breaks down all barrs and bounds to run abroad at randome But the Spirit of the Law is stronger for though it cannot curb sin from sinning yet it keeps it under the Curse that it cannot escape it But when the Spirit of Grace in Christ comes it preacheth deliverance to the Captives and recovery of sight to the blind and opens the prison doors to them that were fast bound in misery and iron and publishes the acceptable Year of the Lord. The Word of God is mighty in operation throegh the Spirit for the beating down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan As Light is stronger than Darkness to destroy sin so the Blessing of Grace is stronger than the Curse of the Law to take it quite away Though the Spirit of the Law be the Spirit of God's Justice yet the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of God's Mercy which God will have to be more effectual than the other and Blesses whom the Law curses yea and they shall be Blessed 3. God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Because God delights more in shewing Mercy than in executing Vengeance in sparing than in punishing As I live saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live Judgment is his strange work Bowels of mercy tender pity and Compassion are his delightful properties 4. Because Man is made to be the object of God's Love not Wrath Man Object of God's Love his Blessing not a Curse Life not Death Heaven was prepared for Men and Angels till they sinned and then Hell was prepared for them and since that for all Hypocrites like unto them We cannot imagine in any reason that God made his poor Creatures for everlasting Destruction We may observe it in our selves though we be evil yet we are not so unnatural as to beget children to starve them or beat out their brains or leave them to the wide World or send them to the Hangman to be tormented to death And if we that are evil know well enough notwithstanding to give good things to our children not a Scorpion for a Fish nor a Stone for an Egg how much more then shall our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him and how infinitely more pitiful and compassionate is he than we can imagine or express Christs Pleading undeniable to God 5. Because the Pleading of Christ for Mercy purchased by his own Blood is undeniable to God above all the Pleading of the Law or the Devil that lays the Law against the Brethren whose malicious accuser he is God will not cannot deny his own Son and whatsoever we shall ask the Father in his Name he will deny us nothing SECTION V. Victory procured meritoriously by Christs death 1. This Victory is meritoriously procured for us by Christ's Death O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction And his Resurrection was the pledg to assure us thereof 2. This Victory is really effected and performed in us by the Spirit of Christ raising our Souls from the death of sin to the life of righteousness and our Bodies from the Grave to the life of glory If the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you Rom. 8.11 he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you As if he should have said If the Spirit of Christ dwell in you regenerating your Souls to a New Creature which is the first Resurrection from the first death then the very same Spirit shall also immortalize your Bodies which is the second resurrection from the second death that upon them the second death shall have no Power Thus abundantly hath God provided for us by Jesus Christ both in respect of our Souls and of our Bodies Our Souls raised from the death of sin and the curse of the Law Our Bodies raised from the Grave The Natural Body is raised a Spiritual Body the Corruptible puts on Incorruption Dishonour turn'd into Glory Weakness into Power a Change to be as the Angels in Heaven Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 We Groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith 2. But no obtaining this Victory over death purchased for us till by the Spirit of Faith we obtain a Victory over Sin which is also procured for us by Christ who hath received the Promise of the Spirit for all that believe This is that Crown of Life that Christ the first born of God and first begotten from the dead shall set upon the heads of all those that have fought the good fight of faith and have been more than Conquerours For as death proceeds only from Sin for sin is mortal so life
proceeds only from Righteousness Wisd 1.15 for Righteousness is immortal Sin is mortal and mortalizeth the Body Righteousness is immortal and immortalizeth the Body Where sin rules death rules where sin is conquered death is conquered SECTION VI. The Reasons for Victory over Death are these 1. Because Sin is conquered which is the Sting and Curse of Death Sin conquered that else would hold us in everlasting Death For as long as sin is in death unpardoned by dying in sin there can be no recovery from Eternal death for sin As long as the Debt is not paid there can be no recovery out of Prison 2. Because the Law is conquered which stirred up sin Law conquered and accused sin unto death Christ hath fulfilled the Law and abolished the Types and Curses thereof 3. The Devil is conquered that lays the Law against us Devil conquered he came upon us as a strong man to bind us in death but Christ came upon him and bound him that had the Power of Death and cast him and Death both out of doors and brought life and immortality to light O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction Death is swallowed up in victory and Christ hath destroyed the works of the Devil and we shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet 4. Because Christ hath entred into the Holy of Holies in Heaven Christ entred into the Holy of Holies and is gone before to prepare a place for us therefore where he is there we shall also be Having hitherto shewed what are the great things which we have purchased for us by Christ and how we are to endeavour after them by the aids of his Spirit promised to be given to us for that purpose namely the Inward and Real Victory over sin and the Curse for sin that so we may obtain a victory over Death and Hell It will be very obvious to observe the Errours of those that pretend to high spirituality of Doctrine and walking with God and yet alledg an utter impossibility of ever conquering of sin in their hearts and therefore never go about the work of mortification or self-denial as there is no reason they should if it were true that all were done to their hands or if not that thing enjoyned were utterly beyond their Power The CONTENTS Nothing for us to do Trust to Outward Mortifications Superstition Natural Complexion for Divine Grace Rhetoricating Consequences of Christ's Death and Resurrection Material Cross Spiritual Cross Material Resurrection Spiritual Resurrection Material Ascension Spiritual Ascension No Oblation pleased God but Christ's Every one that comes to God must offer Christian Religion most Spiritual and Glorious No Mediator but Christ End of 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 quickned by his Eternal Spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King TITLE IX Of Mistakes of the Effects of Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Nothing for us to do FIrst therefore some confidently believe That all things are already done for us and nothing remains to be done for our selves as if because Christ hath taken up his Cross for us we should not take up our Cross for our selves because he hath suffered we should not suffer with him and fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ the Head as the Members of his Body which is the Church as if there were no Power of his Death nor vertue of his Resurrection nor Fellowship in his Sufferings nor any conformity with Christ wrought inwardly in our Souls by his holy Spirit turning all Righteousness into a bare accounting and being imputed Righteous by the Righteousness which is another's and no inherent Holiness or Sanctification of the Spirit which is our own without which no man shall see the Face of God This is an Idaea of Holiness and the Happiness will be accordingly .. A Shadow and no Substance This is to deny the Real Evil of Sin and the Real Holiness of the Spirit turning really from Darkness unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God Or else this is to make God to be bribed and corrupted by the Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ to indulge men in their own Sins by clothing them and hiding them with his Son's Righteousness though he knows well enough they are inwardly unrighteous and yet by vertue of that Imputed Righteousness they shall be excused from all Sin and the real Punishment of Eternal Death So there shall be an Impunity from God for Sin than which there cannot be a greater Evil nor more against the Mind of God who naturally hates Sin nor more against the mind of the Godly who more abhor the sin than they dread the vengeance So the Kingdom of Sin and Satan should be still unbattered and we partly under Satan and partly under Christ partly sinful that is inwardly and partly righteous that is outwardly by Imputation and being reckoned so to be not so indeed And so serve God and Mammon have fellowship with Christ and with Sin and Devils Overthrow all Reason and Religion of Justice or Mercy in God or Goodness or Vertue in us All the ground these men have for what they affirm is their strong belief that it is so without any Sense or Reason that it should be so or how it can be so that the undefiled Rewards of God should be enjoyed by impure and unregenerate men But the Pretense is that they speak only of Justification without any Condition of Sanctification as being no part of God's Covenant but Faith only But still let the shew of Humility and Modesty be what it will in them and the advancement of the free Grace of God by them it must needs exceedingly deceive men into hypocrisie and carnality which is very pleasing to Flesh and Blood For he that believes himself to be thus absolutely and compleatly justified by the Imputation of a mere External Righteousness through his Faith must needs believe that there lacketh no other Righteousness of his own for all such Holiness is perfectly supplied by the Holiness of another who is Christ And though it be yet pretended that Sanctification will naturally follow imputed Justification by way of Thankfulness yet this very Gratitude will easily be believed as all other Graces are by them supposed to be by the same Imputation reckoned and accounted so to be but not so indeed lest Grace should not be free and Works should prove Meritorious imagining that God makes a Covenant without any Condition or any other party to Covenant with him which is impossible Trust to outward Mortifications 2. Others there are of a contrary Spirit that trust to no Imputations of Righteousness external nor Holiness internal of
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
Actions with hearkening to the unknown Service and the loud Singings and melody of Instruments all which noises and starings conjure up their joys dolours and amazements to the dazling of the understanding and confounding of the Memory and Will of the Inward man during the hurry that is upon the Senses of the Outward man Thus the Heathens made their Religion a Systeme of pitiful Rites sneaking and beggarly Entertainments Hay and Stubble fit enough for such Deities as they served but most nasty and unbecoming and odious to the Most High God Whatever is grave decent and orderly in the Outward Worship of a Christian is not to be rejected but if it be not these it is not to be imposed and when even these become numerous or grievous they are to be removed by the same lawful hand that brought them in Now although the Spirituality of the Gospel excludes all shadows of Ceremonies and all bodily Rites from being of the substance of Religion yet this Spirituality does not exclude the Ministry and Service of the Body For the Worship of the Body may also be Spiritual it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.1 and therefore Spiritual Thus the Body Bowing Kneeling Standing Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven in Prayer and Praise in Hearing and Communicating in bowels of Yerning Compassion and giving of Alms are all acceptable upon the account of the Spirit because the Body serves the Spirit and the Spirit serves God and all is made a Spiritual worship Reason The Virtues of a Christian are acts and habits of a sanctified Soul whose faculties have each a proper organ of the Body that as the Graces and Endowments of the Soul are commencements and dispositions unto glory So the Spiritual Ministeries of the Body may dispose it to its perfect Spirituality in the Resurrection of the Just But then these Ministeries of the Body are then only to be judged Spiritual service when the Soul and the Body make but one entire agent the act of the soul and body being but one and the same product of Religion whereof the soul is the principal agent and from thence the Actions of the Body are denominated spiritual Whatsoever act of the body is an elicite or imperate act of Virtue or the proper and specifick act of Grace in the Soul is a part of Religion otherwise it is the instrument of vice or vanity and not of the Soul As to give all our goods to the Poor to give our bodies to be burned to have all faith to the removal of mountains c. are but the outsides of Religion and good for nothing unless they proceed from Charity a willing and loving spirit a heart true and right to God for then such a faith justifies such giving to the poor is true Alms and such giving the body to be burned is true Martyrdome 2. Perfection of Christianity That there is a greater Perfection in Christianity than in Judaism or Heathenism Because the Old Testament made nothing perfect therefore the New Testament made all things perfect being established upon better Promises 1. Endeared to us by new instances of Infinite Love and 2. We enabled by many more excellent Graces of the Holy Spirit 1. The Christians under the New Instances and the Jews under the Old Covenant do both of us pray but we are commanded to pray more frequently fervently and continually 2. They and we must be both charitable but they were tied only to their friends and neighbours but we to our enemies and strangers We have more brethren and more neighbours and therefore more is our duty than theirs They were to do their brethren and neighbours no hurt but we must do them and our enemies all good They were to forgive upon submission and repentance but we must invite them to repentance and offer pardon if they will not repent They were to give bread to their needy brethren but we are in some cases to give our lives for the brethren 3. They were to love God with all their Souls and with all their strength and though we cannot do more than this yet we can do more than they did For our Strengths are more our understandings are better instructed Eph. 6.10 c. our Wills more raised our helps far greater our shield stronger our breast-plate broader our armour of Righteousness more of proof than theirs was Dares and Entellus did both contend with all their strength but because Entellus had much more strength than Dares therefore he was the better champion of the two A Child and a Giant do both put forth all the strength they have but because the Giant is stronger than the Child therefore he is the more perfect A Scholar and a Master do both teach the best they can but because the Master hath the greater knowledg therefore he must needs teach far better 1. In the internal acts of virtue a Christian is to be more zealous and operative aiming at excellencies and perfections 2. In the external acts of virtue a Christian must out-do a Jew in prudent zeal They adorned their Temple gave gifts loved all of their perswasion laboured to get proselytes but were uncivil to all others They were bound to pay tithes we are commanded to allow an honourable Maintenance not more work but more love In those Graces which are proper to the Gospel literally and plainly exacted of us and but obscurely insinuated or collaterally required of them we are to adorn the Gospel and advance to an higher and brisker duty Because we have a more spritely Law a clearer revelation greater threatnings better promises and mightier aids 1. Every man must observe the new sanctions or new interpretations of the Old super-added by Christ in his Sermon upon the Mount 2. Every man must do in proportion to all the aids of the Spirit ministred in the Gospel all that he can do which will amount to more than the usual rate of Moses's Law 3. Every Christian must be infinitely removed from Jewish sins such as were Idolatry Obstinacy Hypocrisie Oppression of Strangers sensual and low Appetites of Honour Peace Plenty c. 4. Every Christian must do all their works in Faith and Love In faith to make them accepted because without faith 't is impossible to please God though they be imperfect In love to make them as perfect as they can be Reason Because every Christian hath clearer hopes of a glorious and blessed Immortality The State of our Religion is high for 1. The purity of Commandments 2. Gracious Aids and Endearments 3. The great Example of Jesus 1 John 3.2 3. We are the Sons of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and appear with him in Glory And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure That is 1. We are the
hath not believed in the name of the only Son of God Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life Joh. 8.24 but the wrath of God abideth in him If ye believe not that I am he Ro. 8.13 Gal. 5.19 Ephes 5.5 ye shall die in your sins if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die The works of the Flesh are manifest c. They which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God For this we know that no whoremonger nor unclean Person nor covetous Man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God or of Christ When therefore any Man can truly be called a Believer in Christ then the Gifts of God are sure unto him as if he had been nominated in God's Book by his special and single Name So Men are reprobated or disinherited not by their proper Names or Surnames but by the Appellative or common names of Unbelievers Unfaithful Rejecters of Christ Carnal Worldly c. And therefore in God's Last Will there is no preterition of any Man or Men personally by name or number but all Men are either Believers or Unbelievers And seeing all Believers are by that common name instituted and all Unbelievers are by that common name disinherited therefore none are instituted or pretermitted by any proper name The Reasons are SECT VI. 1. Because God's Will is a Testament ad pias causas of meer Grace Testament ad pias causas Love and Pity to miserable Persons And in such Wills the Legacies are so numerous that they cannot be personally nominated for if so no Will would hold them and they are not yet all in being to be capable of them by common names as thus I give and bequeath so much to the Poor of such a Parish Town or City to the Prisoners of such a Goal or to the Diseased in such an Hospital So every Poor in such a Parish Town City every Prisoner in such a Goal and every Diseased in such an Hospital are qualified for such a Legacy and may justly claim by Right and Title of their Poverty Imprisonment Disease or any other condition expressed in the Will and the Executor is bound to perform it And so every Christian hath a Right to Eternal Life by the Title of his Faith 2. Men are thus nominated in common because Christ is the Hypotype by whose right all have right For Christ hath the original right of alliance to be the Son of God The only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1.114 Whom God hath appointed Heir of all things Not an heir of expectance Hebr. 1.1 but actually seized on his Inheritance Eph. 1.20 For God hath set him at his own right hand in Heavenly places from him we have the same right Joh 1.12 To them gave he power to be called the Sons of God even to as many as believed on his Name Behold what manner of love is this 1 Joh. 3.1 that we should be called the Sons of God so then thou art no more a Servant but a Son and if a Son then an Heir of God through Christ That being justified by his Grace Gal. 4.7 we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life If Children Tit. 3.7 Ro. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint heirs with Christ Now Joint-heirs have the same right alike As the Seed of Abraham had all right alike to the Kingdom of Canaan So Believers in Christ Christ and the Children which God hath given him have all right alike to the Kingdom of Heaven The Seed of Abraham by Abraham the Seed of Christ by Christ because the Kingdom of Heaven was originally given to Christ as the Kingdom of Canaan was given to Abraham The Israelite claimed by his Birth the Believer claims by his Faith Gal. 3.26 For ye are all Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus And if ye be Christ 's then are you Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise SECT VII Of Physical Operation This great Instrument of Man's Salvation called Faith is an easie Of Physical Operation gentle and noble thing in it self but hath been represented difficult and obscure and great quarrels have been made about it and little hopes of reconciliation concerning it unless second and third thoughts be framed by unbiassed and considering Men so to undeceive themselves and others For hitherto the World hath been imposed upon and amused to conceive that Faith and other Graces of God are habits infused by God into Mens Souls quickning their dead Faculties which neither know nor feel any thing that is done unto them till they see themselves in a new condition and frame of Spirit which they call the Work of Grace irresistible as is the fashioning of a lump of clay into a new mold or the raising of a Man that is dead and rotten or the turning of a wheel by meer strength and keeping it in motion by the spring and weights that are put upon it Hereupon the poor People lye still and endeavour nothing but believe that if they be elected after the Covenant of Grace to the end they are elected in time to the means whether they will or no and that they have no will at all to any Good not so much as to accept it when offered but rather an aversion from it and a proneness to all evil to draw it to them and hatefully to turn all goodness from them This Physical operation which they dream to be upon their Spirits is the same with earthly bodies which are moved by natural or artificial causes of force or virtue the greater strength violently prevailing over the less as we move logs and stones by the power of horses or Men or curiously turning of vast bodies by Engines and Wheels of Art Operation Moral Whereas in deed and in truth the operations upon the Soul are moral rather than physical with no other violence or force than that which is not properly so but intellectual and rational or persuasive and inviting unless you will call that a physical way of the working of Spirits upon Spirits but still it is free and fair without force or battery but rational by information of the judgment and persuasion of the Will For quicquid operatur operatur ad modum operantis quicquid patitur patitur ad modum patientis Whatsoever acts acts according to the quality of the Agent and whatsoever suffer suffers according to the condition of the patient Here is therefore nothing of a real touch of the Agent upon the Patient to create necessarily a real change and alteration of the Patient thereby from what it was before but a virtual motion of instruction and insinuation upon an understanding and free subject to convince and invite the same faculties and call them off to new objects freely from their former mistakes So the vulgar are made to believe of
Gods turning hardning softning opening or shutting of Mens hearts as Men do of the motion of natural bodies by strength or wit not considering that these things are spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of Men Metaphorically for our apprehension And if wise Men are able by solid reasons to convince Mens judgments and Eloquent Men are able to incline their wills and affections how much more is the Alwise God by his Spirit able to clear our understandings to a full satisfaction and to draw our desires to those divine truths which he hath revealed by Jesus Christ What more there is in the work of God's conversion of Men by his calling Justification and Sanctification of them let any Man satisfie me fairly Saving Faith Et erit mihi magnus Apollo If Saving Faith properly so called be an entring into Covenant with God in assenting to the promises of his Last will and Testament and making reciprocal promises to him again for Justification And if Holiness be a keeping of our Covenant or faithfulness to our promises for Sanctification And if expectation of Glory be a hope of that Blessedness to which we are justified and sanctified Then where is the infusion of any habit or physical change insensibly made in the Soul But rather as in all Covenants is there not 1. A free offer or promise from God 2. A free consent of acceptance from Man 3. A free observation of obedience to God 4. A free expectation of reward from God All things are free in rational Agents and Patients A rational free Agent thus works upon a rational free Patient 1. By propounding his will in Doctrine 2. By intreaties and exhortations in promises This is Divine and Humane working and drawing with the cords of Love So Wisdom enters into the Soule Not as water out of one vessel into another while one vessel knows not what another doth but by illumination of Wisdom precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little This is our forcing and fashioning anew our partaking of the Divine Nature and of the precious promises of God our regeneration our new Creation our Translation from the power of Darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God This is to be in the state of Grace to be Elect to have our Names written in the Book of Life to be in Covenant and Alliance with God to be his Children Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ If Faith comes ordinarily by hearing or otherwise Means of Faith where there is no preaching even by Conversation Contemplation observation of Divine Providences or by other unknown instincts and revelations All these waies and means are informative and persuasive and the more because they come from a Divine Spirit and offer a Divine reward and carry a Divine assistance along with them This is a more God like and Man like way from a free Creator to a free Creature than an insensible irresistible plastick power upon a dead stock or stone It would be mockery to a Soul in that senseless and slavish condition to bid it hear that is deaf or see that is blind or run that is lame Then to what purpose is Reason Will or Memory or are they lost by our fall and where are they if we can answer without blushing God can do all this and more Object God can do nothing but wisely and justly Answ It is not wise to save a Man without or against his Will or to make him willing whether he will or no. Therefore God cannot do it It is not noble to give any thing to one that refuseth or to continue it to him that after acceptation and reception will not use it or improve it As for the notion of a New Heart and a New Spirit A New Heart It is as when a Man is advanced to any Dignity or Rule He is a New Man and hath another Spirit yet the same individual Soul and Body remains How much more when a Man by being in League and Covenant with his God is advanced to the Dignity of a Son and Heir of Heaven hath a Man a New Heart and Spirit yet the same individual Soul and Body remains so doth he live above himself and all the World to what he did before yet he is the same Person though altered in his conditions And God gives this Spirit to this Faith which is the Gift of God 1. To hear his Word outward inward 2. To understand it 3. To love and embrace it 4. To persevere in it 5. To hope for Eternal Life by it So God is all in all not essentially by his Substance in our Hearts working as in a Shop but virtually rationally liberally operating and cooperating by his Spirit with our Spirits teaching moving helping in all our internal and external actions Amen The Fourth BOOK OF SANCTIFICATION The CONTENTS Transition Spirit the first Agent Hidden Man Outward Man Natural Man Supernatural Inspiration Penal and grievous Beneficial and gracious Holy Spirit Spiritual Man TITLE I. Of the Spirit THE Act of the Understanding apprehending the truth of Divine promises and the Act of the Will assenting to them The Transition and covenanting with the Promiser is the act of Faith justifying the Soul to all the Rights of God's Estate and engaging the Soul to all the Commands of God's Will The Act of the Understanding apprehending the Truth of Divine precepts and the act of the Will consenting to them and performing the Covenant is the act of Love sanctifying the Soul till it come to perfect holiness in the fear of God for the obtaining of the Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus Thus the Entrance into Covenant with God is the Exercise of Faith to Justification and the continuance in that Covenant is the practise of Faithfulness or Holiness to Sanctification and Glorification by the Spirit SECT I. There is scarce any word in the whole Scripture that hath more various significations than the word Spirit I shall pass by most of them and shall only lead the understanding to the sense which this word beareth particularly to the point in hand Spirit the first Agent That secret Engine which is the first mover in a Watch which moveth all the wheels but is moved of no wheel and without which no wheel doth or can move as to the going of the Watch is called the Spring of the Watch. And that secret fine substance which is the first Agent in Man which doth act all his Members but is acted of no Member and without which no Member doth or can act as to any humane action is called the Spirit of Man Whereof the knowing faculty which affirmeth or denyeth matter of truth or falshood is called the Mind or Understanding and the moving faculty whereby the Spirit chooseth or refuseth matter of good or evil is called the Will or Affection And the judging faculty which accuseth or excuseth acquitteth
things that they might not do amiss Noli tanti emere poenitere Buy not thy repentance at so dear a rate What profit will it be for a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Choose Life that your Souls may live Choose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Ex hoc momento dependet Aeternitas Upon this moment of time hangs the huge weight of all Eternity SECT VIII 2. In the Action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor reluctat The Heart misgives us In the Action Wilt thou do this Dost thou do it It is theft oppression murder c. Etiam in ipso actu conscientia reclamat Even in the very Action the Conscience cries out against it and flies in the face of the sinner A sudden damp comes upon him he is planet-struck Dost thou not hear the Spirit the Conscience yea thou dost hear wilt thou dost thou do this deed stop hold before it be too late Remember the Command Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not kill c. Wilt thou sin in the open Sun against Heaven and against thine own Soul O Navis referent in Mare te novi Fluctus O quid agis fortiter occupa Portum Yet there is hope stop there go no farther Many that have been thus curbed have let fall the Pistol or Dagger and set down the Cup and come back from the brink of the pit 'T is good to ask our selves questions often and say Where am I now What do I now Is this a fit time a fit place fit Company for me to keep A fit Action for me to do should such a man as I do this I a Magistrate I a Minister c. These voices do speak and are heard but confusedly because of passion or for want of leisure before or in the Action in a hurry and heat But after the Action they are heard distinctly lowdly leisurely pathetically In heat of lust fury pride revenge no counsel will go down all is put by nor God nor Divels nor Man can hinder but we will do what we will do but afterwards they will learn another Lesson SECT IX After the Action 3. After the Action The Conscience cries aloud What have I done My sin is greater than can be forgiven My punishment is greater than I can bear Instances My sin is ever before me Thus David's heart smote him after he had cut off the Hem of Saul's Garment and more after he had numbred the People and most of all after his adultery and murder Luc. 22.62 Thus Peter after his denyal of his Master went out and wept bitterly Mat. 27.5 Thus Judas repented his betraying and selling of his Master and went out and hang'd himself Gen. 42.21 Thus Joseph's Brethren cry'd out about twenty years after they had sold Joseph We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear and therefore is this distress come upon us Gen. 4.14 Cain's countenance fell and he became a vagabond upon the face of the Earth and he feared every one that met him would kill him 2 K. 21.27 Ahab mourned and went softly Acts 2.37 The Jews were pricked in their hearts at Peter's Sermon and cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do 2 Chr. 23.12 Manasseh repented of his heinous crimes 1 Sam. 15.24 Saul relented for his disobedience Jonah 2.2 Jonah cryed out of the Whale's belly Dan. 5.6 Belshazzar trembled and shook all over for his doom threatned in the Writing upon the Wall The Jews at Christ's Passion smote their guilty breasts for anguish and departed Herod's mind ran of John Baptist risen from the dead Gen. 4 24. Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of God Lamech that killed Cain complained that he had slain a Man in his anger and a young Man in his wrath Ammon hated his Sister Tamar after he had defiled her Nero was tormented for killing his Mother Orestes the like Perfecto demum scelere magnitudo ejus intellecta est When the deed is done then comes the remorse and aggravation of it The CONTENTS 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 Gross sins Success Satisfaction Want of a Spiritual Clergy TITLE IV. Of the Indisposition of Conscience THese Offices of the Conscience before in and after the Action Suspension of the Offices of Conscience are often times suspended as if there were no conscience at all for these Reasons 1. In good Men 't is an infirmity In good Men. 1. Because of some strong temptations There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Conscience as well as in other Faculties during the Paroxysm of some temptations 2. Because of some remnants of sin unmortified and not quite forsaken 3. Because of some violent disease of the Body obstructing the exercises of the Soul and hindring the sense of comforts to the outward Man 4. Because of the high quality of Grace not grasped by the weak Spirit but by degrees much less perceived by the adjacent sense 5. Because of the Natural Temper and Complexion of Melancholy whose vapours create fears and sorrows in the sensitive part of the Soul While in the inward and rational part there wants not hope or comfort by its union and communion with Christ in the secret and inexpressible embraces of each other and the sweet influences of a Divine Spirit affording sufficient supportations all the while Comforts must be thrust into such mens bosoms as if they belonged not to them and were unwilling to receive them while they long for them and take them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a willing unwillingness They eye the terrours of God's judgments too much with their imaginations and cast too few glances upon his Saving mercies They conceive too narrowly of the Grace of God and streighten his Favours which they should enlarge They look downwards too long upon their own unworthiness and not upwards to the worthiness of Christ They accuse themselves and say they have no hope yet they would not let go their hold nor loose their hopes and interests in Christ or deny him for ten thousand Worlds 1. Therefore it is possible for a good Conscience to conclude sadly and falsly against it self although it hath good Principles to conclude comfortably and truly by But during the temptation and as it were the eclipse of the sense of God's Favour the perturbation of the lower part of the Soul hinders the discovery of the Grace of God which is in the higher part thereof Nor can I understand how the Conscience which is justified and at peace with God and sanctified to whom nothing can lay any charge or condemn should really and truly charge or condemn it self or
line upon line here a little and there a little to stir up our poor mind by way of remembrance although we are established in the present Truth and good Government to restrain from vice by penalty of Law These and such like are as I said the subordinate vulgar reasons or arguments ad hominem the causes or rather occasions of the indisposition of the Conscience in bad Men whereby the Conscience is or rather seems to be falsa Lex a false Law a false Gloss a false Instigatrix Notarie Witness and Judg cross to its Creation or rather a false Conscience or no Conscience at all There being an intercision and retardation or adulation instead of Conscience suspending the true exercise of deducting right conclusions from the premises or observing no premises nor conclusions at all But a hurrying after extream and wild passions humours and fancies and a continual course of obstinate rebellion a self-pleasing Perit omne judicium cum res transit in affectum Nothing is done wisely when all is affection or prejudice reason is clouded and Will rules Si possem sanior essem Sed trahit in vitam nova vitiorum Turba Engagements in sin desperate wadings and wallowings in licentiousness Horror and hatred of God and desperate actings against God and all goodness not caring what becomes of us Sic volo sic jubeo stat pro Ratione voluntas Non nisi per scelera ad scelera tutum est iter The CONTENTS Believe Conscience Not believe Conscience Self-Examination Forsake sin Confess sin Collections TITLE V. Of the Restitution of Conscience THe Cure of the strange and wonderful indispositions and distempers of the Soul and Conscience are from God the sole Lord of the Conscience who only understands the errors and deceits that are therein Therefore God hath left some wholesom directions which Spiritual Physicians may prescribe out of his word for the recovery of feeble Souls First therefore as to good Men They advised and required Believe Conscience To believe their own Consciences notwithstanding strong temptations to the contrary and notwithstanding bodily discomposures 1. Because temptations are lyes not Truths the instigations and allurements are in themselves evil and they tend and move to evil therefore they are not in themselves nor in their motions to be trusted I say to believe their Consciences 2. Because they are justified by Faith and sanctified by the Spirit of Truth and therefore have peace with God and are at peace with themselves and do not cannot flatter falsly to a lye because they are of the Truth and the Truth is in them 3. Because diseases and pains in the Body which occasion doubts and fears in the mind are only in the outward Man and the inward Man is not toucht at all But the Soul enjoyes intimate union and communion with God as much when the Body is afflicted more and than at any other time and exercises more Faith and Love and Patience and Hope and hath more trials and experiences of Grace and is more firmly fastned upon the Rock and foundation of Jesus Christ than at any other time The Conscience therefore when observed upon enquiry and search thereinto speaks comfortable Truth which God would have us to believe and we ought to believe it But the passions occasioned by sickness and misery speak nothing but uncomfortable lyes which the Devil would have us to believe but we ought not to believe him nor them 4. Because the natural temper and constitution of many Bodies tend to fears and sorrows in the mind by the vicinity of humours that have a kind of operation upon them Notwithstanding all which passions the Understanding is taught to remember that she hath no reason to doubt of her good condition because these griefs and terrors are no sins of hers but rather her miseries and afflictions indeed of which she hath just cause to complain and ask for a removal but not for pardon which is only proper for sin not misery 5. Because Faith in the Heart is above Sense in the Flesh And we live by Faith and not by Sense and therefore we are to believe Faith and not Sense yea to believe a bove Hope and contrary to Hope which is above Sense and contrary to sense I know not how nor I know not why in the judgment of my Flesh but this I know that he is Faithful which hath promised to give and I have promised to obey and I will trust in him and be obedient unto him though I be sometimes at a stand yet I will not let go my hold but strengthen my self and comfort my self in my God in prosperity and adversity He is my God though I feel not his comforts yet I have them and shall have them and if I want them I shall strive to be content and though I gain nothing desirable from him here yet I shall take God alone to be sufficient for me and to be my exceeding great Reward 6. Because God's Principles breed none but good conclusions Ex veris nil nisi vera sequuntur Though in my error of passion I am not able to make it out yet God shall make it out for me Many an honest Debtor is not able to make out his own dues but a just and merciful Creditor will help him and make it out for him that he shall not be a loser What therefore is wanting in me I believe God will supply and I am sure to be safe in his hands say mine own pretended Conscience and the Devil or Men of devilish Spirits what they will they may vex and perplex me and break my heart with grief but they shall never be able to destroy my Soul and Body in Hell fire For I am fully perswaded that neither height nor depth nor length nor breadth nor Life nor death nor any thing else shall be ever able to separate me from the Love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord and that being justified by Faith I have peace with God and that if God hath justified none shall condemn me no not my own Conscience which is sanctified as is my whole Soul and Body by the Spirit of God which is in me Thus an honest Heart and humble Soule is in a safe condition with God in the midst of fears and terrours occasioned by temptations arising from sickness pains and distempers of a weak Body So am I like a Ship that lives in a storm while the winds drive her and the waves run over her So to the pure all things are pure the Conscience being good all things that come from it are good and all that comes unto it shall be for good Secondly as to wicked Men their remedy is this Not believe Conscience they are advised and required 1. Not to believe their own Consciences notwithstanding strong illusions to the contrary and notwithstanding their bodily good composures and outward peace and prosperity to all things 1. Because flatteries of peace are lyes and not
thereunto that is temporal 10. The rewards of a Spiritual Life are adequate and homogeneal thereunto that is Eternal SECT I. Thus there are two Minds or Understandings Transition Mind and Will of Flesh and Spirit that I may so speak and two Wills or Appetites in Man The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind of the Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Will of the Flesh the other is the Mind of the Spirit and the Will of the Spirit Or which is all one there is in every Man Sense and Reason and the Sensitive and Rational appetite a part Terrestrial and a part Celestial a Brute and an Angel According to these Principles and essential parts constituting the Persons of Men so they do and must live both the Life of sense and of reason But if the sensitive powers are predominate then the Rational faculties lye still and the life is just like the life of a Beast and no more purely sensual But if the Rational faculties prevail then the sensitive powers are kept in compass and the life is the true life of a Man and no more purely Rational But if the Spirit of Faith come upon the Soul it advanceth the Judgment and directs the Will to the greater mortification of the Flesh and suppression of the unjust desires thereof and the life is the true exact life of a Christian purely Spiritual So there is a threefold life in Man of sense of Reason and of Faith Life in Man threefold Natural Animal Spiritual 1. The Life of Sense is unregenerate for that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and no more as it came from its principles So the Flesh acteth and satisfies it self in Hearing Seeing Tasting Feeling and Smelling as do the Brutes 2. The Life of Reason is the Embryo tending to Regeneration and almost Christian for that which is the off spring of Reason is Reason and no more as it came from its principles So the Soul acteth and satisfies it self in understanding willing and choosing and reflecting as do Angels and Men with themselves and with one another 3. The Life of the Spirit by Faith is the consummation of Regeneration and a new Creation and altogether Christian for that which is the off-spring of the Spirit is Spirit and all true Sense and Reason as it flow'd from its principles So the Soul acteth and satisfies it self in more sublime Judgment Love and Choice and rare Recognitions and Contemplations as do Saints and Blessed Spirits with God and their own Souls So there is the Life of Natural Sense the Life of Natural Reason the Life of Supernatural Faith and Reason 1. The Life of Nature is good quà Nature or Sense till it exceed the bounds of Natural Reason and positive Law for sin is only a transgression of Law 2. The Life of Reason is better till it opposes unreasonably the Reason of Grace and Faith 3. The Life of Grace is best of all which regulates the Sense and Reason and perfects both SECT II. The Soul hath her Spiritual Senses of Seing Hearing Tasting c. as well as the Body Spiritual Senses and Passions The Soul hath her Spiritual Food and Raiment as well as the Body meat and drink indeed and clothing indeed which the Body knows not of nourishing and cherishing and adorning her unto everlasting Life The Soul hath her Passions of Love Joy Hope c. which reason and Faith and the Spirit of God moderate and refine into perfect Holiness and Sanctification till it arrives unto Glory The Soul hath joy indeed when she rejoyces in the Lord and is ravished and sick of love labouring to know and feel the height and the length and the bredth and depth of the Love of God which passeth all knowledg to enjoy the Peace of God and a good Conscience which passeth all understanding to have fellowship and communion with God to relish Heaven and to taste of the powers of the World to come There are Riches for the Soul as well as for the Body which are the true Riches the treasure layd up in Heaven where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal There are Honours for the Soul as well as for the Body to be the Servant and Friend of God the Spouse of Christ the Son and Heir of God and Co-heir with Christ There is the Wisedom of the Soul as well as of the Body to be wise to Salvation to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent The fear of the Lord is true wisedom all other wisedom is but foolishness Scientia contristans scientia sine capite A sorrowful and imperfect knowledg and altogether unsatisfactory See a most lively description of a Carnal Life in the second chapter of Wisedom Life of Faith You have seen the Life of Sense and Reason but oh the life of Faith how sublime and lofty is the state thereof above them both 1. It is above all Prosperity whatsoever it knows how to use this World as though it used it not is treads the Moon under her feet and counts all things but loss and dung to gain Christ it is not ravished nor transported by letting out the stream of affections upon the World even the stupidity and madness but looks higher and hath an eye to the recompense of the Reward and to the price of the High Calling is the more humble and thankful and fruitful in good works in an advanced Estate abounding therein in all piety and love 2. It is above all Adversity whatsoever it knows how to want as well as to abound in the midst of apparent dangers it stands still to see the Salvation of God not knowing when nor how Believes above hope and contrary unto hope retains her integrity when tempted to curse God and die Though he kill that Soul yet will she put her trust in him though she stick fast in the deep mire and clay though she be gone down to the sides of the works and to the roots of the everlasting Mountains and the weeds of despair be wrapped about the dying head in the Judgment of weak Flesh and Bloud yet will she look up once more toward the Holy Temple of God and never leave hoping and trusting in him who she knows will never leave nor forsake her This Ship can tell how to live in all storms amongst all rocks and quick-sands this House can stand all the blustering winds and roaring waves because it is built upon a Rock In a word the Life that the Soul lives she lives by the Faith of the Son of God and her life is hid with Christ in God who is all in all unto her abundantly above all that she is ever able to ask or think and she can do and suffer any thing through Christ that strengtheneth her SECT III. 1. Thus the Life of the Flesh is a poor obscure Corollaries low and inconsiderable Life 2. The Life of
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
Judgment and moderation and meekness withal to use it it will cheat him unreasonably For he will as Narcissus dote upon himself and be puffed up with his vast knowledg and memory and will think he hath all Judgment and count himself an Oracle to foretel all Contingencies and resolve all Difficulties when a plain honest man of good understanding shall see farther into a Milstone than he But if withal this full-fraught person can brave it out with the fine come off and twang of a golden Tongue Eloquence he shall catch the Vulgar by the ears All he saies or does shall be Gospel the simple Rout shall hang upon his lips and he will hug himself with the Excellencies that are in him and drain the purses of the Rich of poor apprehension And now he is come up to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understands all Necessaries and searches no farther for satisfaction in any thing The Common Truths are enough for him and indeed for his capacity and they that go farther he says will speed worse and things dear bought and far fetcht are good for Ladies and such are counted fools for their pains or worse that trouble themselves to understand more than their Neighbours In a word a smooth Tongue and well hung to let flie at any thing shall jangle and descant upon any tune but a judicious ear finds out the jars and discords therein A man may colour over a rotten Post rant it highly in the Pulpit and carry all afore him but when all comes to be scan'd by a judicious and discerning Soul it cannot possibly hold water With all this their Learning they are not wise and how can these men be honest all this while I 'de very fain know that preach what they know cannot be justified but for gain and applause they hold it out and rail at honest and judicious men that speak home and plainly as they should do though they get not the wealth and glory which they have And such are our systematical Methodmongers blundering in their Dichotomies after the way of Ramus or Keckerman And such are our more aery and subtil Schoolmen vapouring in the way of Aristotle and such are our fluent long winded Orators expatiating in the way of Cicero and such are our sublime intoxicated Enthusiastick Behemists and Rostcrucians and such are our whining Devotionists floating in their blind and zealous Formalities I bear them record they are good and well-meaning Souls and if they would but use their own Judgments might prove excellent Doctors Demonstration In Arts and Sciences why should I rest upon meer probabilities and topical turnable Arguments Why should there not be as high Demonstrations in the Reasons of things as there are of numbers or lines or figures or experiments There wants a deeper search into things to satisfie the Judgment as well as to tickle the fancy or imagination I would not be a fool in my knowledge but especially in my practice Law-makers of all men had need be wise by whom others must live though they like not the Rule they live by In Faith and Religion I yield my Reason to the Scriptures which is but reason but to Superstions and Will-worship I yield not As for Confutations as they are used they are odious Confutations reproachful and uncharitable Let every Error be fairly answered without dirt cast upon the person or sect of any Let both causes be heard once and let them say all they can say on both sides with candour but no Duplications Triplications Quadruplications c. in infinitum tossing the Ball of contention everlastingly and let the world judge I hate no man for differing from me for I differ as much from him and put this to that But if the error be a Blasphemy or hurt the Will to make it dishonest or disturb the peace I stand aloof from that Monster This is all I mean I am not willing to swallow every gudgeon nor to draw in every Notion that goes off roundly but not soundly in an embroidered discourse I would gladly be satisfied with less gawdy words and more solid sense Of all Sects Papists the Papists have most imposed upon the world by Judaism and Paganism which they so abound with that the power of Godliness is little discerned How do they most shamefully deny marriage to some men contrary to the Laws of Nature and Nations What a Masse of Ceremonies do they load the People withal and to what purpose and who hath required these things at their hands How do they lay all the stress of Baptism the Eucharist Confession c. upon the Priest who if never so little failing in order intention or execution all is a nullity as if Faith were not all in all to make us all Priests or all that we do or is done to us to be effectual through Christ What a stress do they lay upon Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages Reliques Confessions Indulgences Dirges Masses Avemaries Agnus Dei's Rosaries and such Trumperies How like are they to the Heathens in their Images and Purgatories What a stress do they lay upon Infallibility Supremacy Succession c. The truth is all is policy ambition and covetousness God forgive their Leaders The poor people are greatly to be pitied for their Ignorance because the most part being bred to trades and worldly business either have no capacities or no leisure to examine the fooleries of their Religion but if they do they dare not speak and so fear and custome and gain and pomps lull them asleep Offences But what should I more say for the time would fail me to speak of all the vulgar Errors and Fallacies of the Sons of men I conclude with our Saviours words Wo be unto the World because of offences but wo to them by whom the offences come and except they repent they had better never have been born or been like the untimely fruit of a woman which never saw the Sun Two Testaments To conclude at last having been a little too far transported The reason of my undertaking this present Work is because I observe our vulgar systematick Divines that take all upon trust do generally blend the two Testaments both together making them but one in effect as if First and Second Old and New Bondage and Freedom Law and Gospel Works and Grace Justice and Mercy Letter and Spirit Time and Eternity Shadow and Substance Earth and Heaven Body and Soul Curse and Blessing Merit and Gift Death and Life Hell and Heaven were not two distinct things I need premise no more the Reader may easily observe all along throughout the whole discourse this vein runs of distinguishing the Law from the Gospel A point I humbly conceive which as it much conduces to the true understanding of the Scriptures in dividing the word of God aright in which appears the wonderful and manifold Wisdom of the Most High So is the Interest and Peace of the Church much to be
them seeing that by this craft they get their living Let it not be grievous therefore for these high Lytae and stately Regents to stoop down to this inferiour Science as they deem it because it is more profitable for them than all their sublime Arts and Sciences can be without it and because it precedes all other wisdom even the sacred Scriptures themselves Quoad nos This strong Foundation well laid will bear up stoutly all that shall be fairly built upon it This plain Rule will try the truth of every Proposition There will be no tottering Hypotheses nor crooked Conclusions if the analogy and proportion of Natural truths be faithfully inspected and followed We may all agree in all main things if we would all look this way and fairly comply in these Principles Amphibologies Equivocations Distinctions Fallacies Tropes and Figures will be found as so many vizards and fucus's to cast a mist before the eye of the Mind and darken the clear light of the Understanding and so in time will be abandoned by all wise men This is the Light under God by which together with the Supernatural light thereupon I have wrote these things not without many failings God knows and by the same Lights they are to be examined and understood or not at all For I have had no other meaning than what is contained in natural and supernatural Revelations whatsoever is more than these is Error By these 't is safe to abide and as safe to be tried And so every man may judge and satisfie himself in his own and others Notions as well as he can and be content And this is all that can be done when all is done Do but bring all things to the common Test touchstone and standard of this Light of natural and supernatural Law and we shall all quickly meet agree kindly and pardon one anothers mistakes and be in a fairer way of mending all that is amiss every day more and more This is the way to truth and peace But alas Proud men strongly interested for honour favour and riches Ignorant men Self-conceited men Opiniators Flatterers and Lazy men that resolve to stick to their education and practice and the sentiments of their Ancestors with the Examples and Doctrines of their admired Masters will never go this way to work while the World stands There is therefore no remedy for these things but Patience The World it is to be hoped will grow older and wiser but still there must be errors and sects for the trial of steady and unbiassed Souls and the Truth at last will be no loser thereby Magna est veritas praevalebit THE CONTENTS OF THE First Volume of the Will of God To the Reader RIghts Laws Jural sense of Scriptures Title of Scriptures Distinction of old and new Testament Legists Hugo Grotius c. Will of God Superstition Fathers Schoolmen Rosicrucians Promises preached Pacification Means to understand Scriptures Mercurial spirits Principles Christianity unmixt Aspire to perfection Valn Sciences Right reasoning Sound Judgment Eloquence Demonstrations Confutations Papists Offences Two Testaments Quotations True Eloquence Prolegomena Title 1. Of Principles 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 p. 1 Title 2. Of God Soul imperfect Soul under a Law Soul hath vast desires Works of God magnificent Works of God beautiful Works of God harmonious Idolatry p. 12 Title 3. Of Religion Natural Religion Supernatural Religion Revelation p. 17 Title 4. Of Scriptures Of Scriptures Writings Traditions Inspiration Testament Ethnick Theology p. 19 The First Book Of a Testament Title 1. Of Ownership Owners Proprietaries Power Gods absolute Propriety Gods disposition p. 23 Title 2. Of a Testament Testament Berith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant Sanction Asseveration Title of Scriptures Other Covenants Old Covenant New Covenant Proofs for the title of a Testament Acts of a Testament Confirmation of a Testament Instrument Inheritance Dispositions Oath Testament to Christ. Law no disannulling of Testament Law given 430 years after Promise p. 25 The Second Book Of a Covenant Title 1. Of the Nature of a Covenant Definition Precept Penalty Promises Free grace All hope from Covenant God our God by Covenant Covenant advances the Creature above Nature p. 34 Title 2. Of a Covenant with God To give ones self to God To give our Souls to the Devil Claim by Covenant p. 36 Title 3. Of the distinction of Covenants First Covenant with Adam Second Covenant with Adam Resemblance of Covenants First Covenant inculcated from the Creation Second Covenant inculcated from the Creation Law written Spirit more plentiful in the Gospel Predestination of Rewards in Christ Men would be Gods to themselves Natural to have a God Natural to be in covenant with God p 38 The Third Book Of the Law or Old Testament Title 1. Of the Nature of the Law Definition of Law p. 53 Title 2. Of Moses Law Letter Spirit Promises Precepts Judgments Works Contract Revelation of Eternal life reserved Temporals prepare for Eternals Outward obedience Sufficient means under law Love of God Love of Neighbour Life Christ expounded the law p. 55 Title 3. Of the Weakness of the law Eternal life Rites troublesome and chargeable Permission Things not originally good Sacrifices Sacrifices first from men Imperfection Rigour p. 59 Title 4. Of the Deceit of the law Sin deceives Grace undeceives My Defect Fruition High understanding Ignorance True knowledge Means to discern Truth Rules Principles Authority Infallibility Will. My lust Vnderstanding Physical and Moral Agents Will. Casual Cause of sin Law p. 63 Title 5. Of Deceit without a law Law of Nature Law Positive p. 67 Title 6 Of Deceit with a Law By all good Law Lust a Law Law a Restraint Law an equivocal word Law of mind Law of Flesh Law of God Law of sin Grace a sole Remedy By all bad Law By one Law in the same law Words and sense of Law Letter and Spirit By one Law in another By the Law of God in the law of Man By the law of Man in the Law of God By one Moral law in another By the law of Nature in a Positive law By a pretended Law of God in a certain law of Man By a Private law in a Publick law By the Moral law in the Ceremonial law By the Ceremonial law in the Moral law By one Law in all other laws p. 69 Title 7. Of the Reasons of Deceit Deliberation by halves Judgment by likelyhood Ampliations and limitations of Law Weighing my action by one Law Suspense between two Laws Sin hath the casting voice Reason of Law p. 78 Title 8. Of slavery under the Law Transition Nature of slavery Tye of slavery p. 80 Title 9. Of the Seat of slavery The Soul Spirit 's free p. 81 Title 10. Of the Cases of slavery Restraint from proper end Restraint from proper guide Restraint from proper act Restraint from
Publicum privato praeferendum 3. Quod Tibi fieri non vis id alteri nè feceris 4. Aequalitas in omnibus servanda ad aequalitatem omnia sunt dirigenda 5. Homo sibi debet prudenter castè sobriè tranquillè vivere secundum virtutem 6. Homo de rebus debitâ diligentiâ apprehensis vi intellectus recte Judicare potest 7. Maritus amare regere tueri uxorem debet uxor Maritum amare obedire juvare debet 8. Parentes amare regere nutrire docere liberos debent Liberi Parentes amare honorare iisque obedire debent 9. Tutores quasi Parentes Pupilli quasi Liberi eadem officia ac Parentes Liberi mutuò praestare tenentur 10. Domini Servi justè imperare servire debent 11. Lex Naturae est dictamen Rationis 12. Quaerenda Pax in omnibus licitis honestis 13. Standum Promissis Justis 14. Justitia in omnibus servanda 15. Misericordia erga miserabiles personas exercenda 16. Obedientia Principibus praestanda The CONTENTS Soul imperfect Soul under a Law Soul hath vast desires Works of God magnificent Works of God beautiful Works of God harmonious Idolatry TITLE II. Of GOD. Heb. 11.6 HE that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all those that diligently seek him Were there no supernatural Revelation in the World there is enough both within us and without us to convince us of the Being of a Deity 1. From within us Rom. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them The Notion of God is inbred and the Soul furnished with such a natural sagacity that upon the exerting of her Rational faculties she is infallibly led to the acknowledgment of a Deity As Soul imperfect I. The Soul is Imperfect therefore not self existent for if so she would have made her self 1. Perfect to know all things as God 2. To enjoy and be satisfied with all things as God and 3. She would have made her house the Body free from ruines of Diseases and death and immortal as God Soul under a Law II. The Soul is under a Law imprinted in her self not by her self implying a Legislator above her self for though the can dictate to her self and judge her self by reflection upon her self so as to acquit or condemn her self yet she knows very well that she cannot dictate all things to her self for she is ignorant of most things neither can she judge all things in her self by reflection upon her self nor acquit or condemn her self for all things And therefore there must be a superiour Power which knows all things and can judge of all things and accordingly comfort or discomfort reward or punish more than she her self can do So that at the best her Conscience which hath this power in her Understanding and Will is but a Vicegerent or petty-God which argues her subjection to the most high God that made her And if this were not so why should she trouble her self at all for any thing that is evil or be pleased with any thing that is good but rather be at her own disposal to guess at random in her own thoughts and glut her self at a venture in her own lusts and never fear to be contradicted or called to account as now she doth III. The Soul hath vast desires and appetites Soul hath vast desires unsatisfiable in this World Therefore nothing can be commensurate or adequate to fill her but God who though a full content unto her yet cannot be comprehended by her If a longing be in Nature to be good and happy and nothing of goodness or happiness sufficient for her a slur is put upon her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist All men incline to some highest Good which can be none but God Cor meum factum est à Te inquietum est donec perveniat ad Te The Soul is made by God Aug. and can rest satisfied only in God who is Optimus Maximus Causa prima ens Entium the best and the greatest the first Cause according to the Prayer of the good Heathen O thou Being of Beings be merciful unto me A Being essentially all things in himself independently all things from himself Eternally necessarily without Origination or Contingency unconceivable unexpressible God blessed for evermore 2. From without us For the invisible things of him Ro. 1.20 21 c. from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and God-head so that they are without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves wise they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man c. Wherefore God gave them up c. Nothing can be Cause of it self for that which is not cannot act and nothing can be before it is therefore every thing must have its Being from something that is only what it is in its self by its self and from its self from everlasting before in and after all time that is GOD. The contemplation of this World without us declares the Works thereof to be I. Magnificent Works of God Magnificent and stately signatures and impresses of infinite Power and Wisdom in the Maker A casual concourse of Particles from an infinite extramundane Sphere could not come together thus from all sorts of Angles and Globes jumbling together to a solid concatenation in such forms and dimensions in such postures and places as now they are nor hold together thus after such dexterous meeting nor move and act as now they do without a higher Power first to create their essence and matter then to give them existence and subsistence by such forms as now they have 1. Because Matter is intrinsecally dead and unactive Reasons and therefore there must be an intrinsecal Mover and Life to move it 2. Because Matter is intrinsecally stupid and unreasonable and therefore there must be an extrinsecal Spirit and Reason to guide it 3. Because a wise and setled Contrivance cannot proceed from a blind chance or a fortuitous concurrence of things 4. Because if so those infinite supposed Atoms in such infinite supposed Mansions might have disposed themselves by such mixt dances into infinite Worlds II. Beautiful and comely Works of rare symmetry and proportion Works of God Beautiful Plato therefore said as much as the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God as an exact Mathematician did all things in number weight and measure Things might have been otherwise and yet are best as they are and could not have been better Nothing is wanting nothing could be spared God beheld all that he had made and behold it was very good
Nothing can be altered Eccles 1.15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred Consider the waies of God for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked Eccles 7.13 Let no man say Wherefore is this or wherefore is that For all things are fitted with their due shapes and qualities and though some things ugly in comparison of others yet all things make up the compleat beauty and loveliness of the Universe Reas A fortuitous convolation of blind Atoms could not do this Because all Beautiful composures require Labour and Art which is only in Spirit and Intellect not in Matter or Deadness Works of God harmonious III. Harmonious Works Agreement amongst disagreeing qualities and unlike quantities Reas 1. Because Chance links not one thing into another in contrived harmony 2. Because established Order amongst things void of understanding must be the work of an Infinite understanding that knows their natures and uses 3. Because not only Brutes but Inanimate Creatures sagaciously operate for ends which they understand not As the Regular course of a Ship argues a wise Pilot at the Helm so the Regular course of the World argues a wise Creatour Upon these Notions mankind acknowledged a Deity and because they could not see it chose to worship any thing for a God which they could see rather than to be without one which they could not see And when they found any benefit by any thing they made it a God as by Ceres Bacchus c. the good Corn and Wine that gladded their hearts Is not this a God And because they could not see the Deity being a Spirit they adored Idols and other Creatures which were material because they could see them Obj. Some have denied a Deity Sol. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bely Nature In some Individuals Nature and Reason may be perverted by Education and Customes Institutions and Examples destroying natural Notions but this cannot invalidate Universal perswasions and the consent of all Nations The Will in some particulars doth often change as often as the Will changes which is very changable but the true Notion is fixt from the understanding natural which never changeth This must come either 1. From the Oracle of God or 2. From the Tradition of Parents If from God it must be true If from Parents it cannot be false Ob. Soul is invisible and all Spirits Ergo there are none Ergo no God Sol. Air invisible and Wind Ergo none Ob. We cannot comprehend God Ergo no God Sol. Inferiours cannot comprehend Superiours Beasts cannot comprehend Men nor their Actions Art or Government As Man is above Beasts so God is above Man There are higher than the highest and there are higher than they Arist Top. 6. That is universally known not which every one acknowledgeth but that which every one who doth not debauch his Faculties doth or may discern for it is enough evident that Gods Being lies eaven to all Understandings The Atheist eradicates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—para To deny God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Profaness of this Age has tinctured it with Atheisme Men sunk into Sensualities their Reason complies with their Carnal appetite contrary to its self and fain would they have none to see them or call them to an account Quod valdè volumus facilè credimus And so what they earnestly desire they do readily believe Therefore 1. Let the Soul know its own Imperfection and acknowledge all Perfection to be in God 2. Let the Soul know that Right and Wrong Good and Evil imply a Law which is Gods Ergo to be guided thereby 3. Let the Soul know she is a Judge of her own Actions but God is a Judge above her 4. Let the Soul know that her vast unsatiated desires may be satiated in God 5. Let the Soul know that she can frame no other Idea of God but that he is the first and best and therefore Independent and Munificent Being Therefore 1. Look on the Magnificent works of the VVorld Were they eternal in Atoms VVho made them 1. How could Dead matter move it self without Life and Spirit 2. How could Unreasonable matter produce Reason which it hath not Nihil dat quod non habet 3. How could blind Chance fall into such a World as it is and into no other and to no more what wit had it 4. How could various Atoms hang so handsomely together as they do and not flie unhappily asunder what Power had they 2. Look on the Beautiful works of the World How could ugly lumpish Matter make it self so fair as Nothing can be more 3. Look upon the Harmonious works of the World How can a curious Instrument be tuned without a skilful hand Why do not Contraries fall together by the ears sight and destroy all Who curbs them and keeps the Peace Who sets bounds to the proud Waves and keeps the Ocean with the bounds of the Sands 1. And now Who can look within himself into his own Soul and Body but he must see a God In his Understanding which because Imperfect must be derived from what is most Perfect which is God which in part sees good and evil Ergo God much more Which reflects upon and Judges good and evil Ergo God much more Which hath vast inexplicable desires Ergo God only can satisfie them 2. Who can look round about him upon the Creatures but he must see a God 1. In the Magnificence of his Works 2. In the Beauty of his Works 3. In the Harmony of his Works in which all agree And when we do see a God both from within us and from without us Who can choose but love obey trust and hope in him How then this Profaness this Cruelty this Hypocrisie c. Stay therefore and consider your own Souls your Bodies how wonderful they are how came you by them You made not your selves the Creatures made not themselves All must be judged Ergo there is a God Upon these Notions Mankind acknowledged a Deity And because they could not see Idolatry nor hear nor feel him being a Spirit and because they would not take so much pains as to elevate their Spirits to the contemplation of the Father of Spirits that they might worship him in Spirit they chose to acknowledge and worship any thing which they saw and felt any good from instead of the Most high God rather than be without one So when they found any extraordinary benefit from any thing they made it a God to them especially the Sun Moon and Stars whose kind influences they perceived to enrich the lower World with life and growth of all good things which did refresh their hearts with food and gladness And even those Men that had ruled them and saved them from their Enemies or taught them to sow Corn or plant Vineyards after their death they adored them for Petty-Gods as Mars and Ceres and Bacchus
more Persons which are but two Parties for something to be had or done For when one Person or Party frames his or their will or wills to the will or wills of another person or party such a mutual agreement of Wills is a Covenant So by the agreement of the Peoples will unto Gods will at Mount Sinai the Precepts Penalties and Promises of the Decalogue are framed into a Covenant severally and joyntly between God and the People Gods Will is for the Precepts that the People should observe them Precept framing their wills to his will and so the Precept becomes a Covenant Gods Will is for the Penalties Penalty that the People should endure them in case they should transgress the Precepts To this Will of God the People agree and so the Penalties become a Covenant Gods Will is for the Promises that the People should enjoy them Promises in case they observe the Precepts To this VVill of God the People agree by accepting the Promises and so the Promise becomes a Covenant v. Ex. 19.5 8. Ex. 34.10 Deut. 4.1 13 23. Deut. 5.2 3. Some Covenants are Personal and some pass into Succession as this of Gods Covenanting in both his Testaments to us and to our Seed or rather to Christ and to his Seed It is a great grace and favour to make a Testament Free Grace and therein a bequest of temporal and eternal Inheritances to such as had no hopes nor used any means by themselves or others for the procuring of the said grace which therefore was absolutely free But besides this original Grace here is a farther condescension in God that gives it to make a Covenant with them to whom he gives it So God Covenants with his Creatures as a King with his Subjects and a Father with his Children or a Lord with his Vassals to do them good Thus God is every way good and gracious in both his Testaments and Covenants as a Testatour and Donor in his Promises and as an Ally and Confederate in his Propositions and Conditions From both which Promises and Commands of God giving to All Hope from Gods Covenant and Covenanting with Mankind Mankind doth derive all their Comforts and Assurances especially for eternal blessedness And without these by their Creation or otherwise they could have no right title nor claim to the Inheritance of eternal life which only comes by promise and gift upon condition or covenant Thus God is and must be our God by Creation whether we will or no God our God by Covenant but he cannot be our God by grace and favour without our consent to his Covenant This lifts the Creature up to nearer Relation to its Creatour for life eternal which nature could not do Covenant advances the Creatures above Nature because a Creature is of its own nature frail and finite therefore cannot be eternal which is impregnable and infinite and also because let the Creature serve God all it can it cannot merit eternal life because it is Gods Creature and owns a duty to its Creatour and does no more than it ought to do But when Grace comes and proffers Blessedness to which the Party to whom it is proffered Mankind may have a right if they will accept of the Promise and keep that Right so had and obtained by obeying the Covenant or Condition or Command annexed to the Promise Then is the poor Creature nearly allyed to his God as his Son by Adoption and Heir also of the gift of the Inheritance and as his Friend in intimate communion and society with him by Covenant or Agreement of will to accept of what he hath given him and do what he hath commanded him The CONTENTS To give ones self to God To give our Souls to the Devil Claim by Covenant TITLE II. Of a Covenant with God Of a Covenant with God NOw to be in Covenant with God is this To give a mans self Soul and Body to God to be his propriety We are Gods Propriety already passively but being reasonable Creatures we may by act of our own from Gods grace so enabling us give our selves to God again for his propriety As he hath given us to our selves To give ones self to God and for his own so we give our selves again to him to be his own by our own consents A Captive is his who hath redeemed him whether he will or no but if he give himself freely to him this is a more special interest between both Parties and proceeds from the love of the Redeemed to him that did redeem him who therefore first loved him that he might love him again and be in League with him as his Friend as well as Servant yea as his Son and Heir To give all the powers and faculties of our selves i. e. of our Souls and Bodies for the usufruct and service of God To give all our Honours and Estates for Gods glory This must of necessity follow from a deed or gift of Propriety to him with whom we are also in League that this Gift of our selves should be for the use and behoof of him to whom we give our selves and all that we are or have or shall have As Slaves that are bought with mony are their Lords goods for Propriety and Dominion so also for Interest and Profit their wit their strength and labour and all the products and issues of them all internal or external accrue to their Lord that is their Ingenuities plots and contrivances their Off-spring of their Bodies the works of their hands they being not their own themselves all that they have contrive or do acquire by most just right is claimed by their Lord and Owner They were Lords of their own wills before and free in Soul though not in Body But if they shall farther surrender up as they have their Persons by act of their own so also their Wits and Wills and all their strengths to their Lord and Master who was so before and make him their Lord and Master again by their own Love yea even their King and Father this creates a special Right more excellent than the former to all intents and purposes of love and kindness and profit too to the Inferiour especially who is the Beneficiary the Superiour being the Benefactour and Patron Thus by Covenant we give our Persons our Wits our Children or Labours and Possessions unto God who hath so graciously given himself also for our Propriety to be our God besides his Creation by an act of Grace of his own superadded as also to our usufruct in all his actings and operations and also in all his estate and blessedness All which are Himself made ours altogether to our benefit and nothing at all accrues from us to his advantage as is usual to Temporal Lords Friends and Allies This it is to be in Covenant with God when God gives himself to us and we give our selves again unto God And this is the nature of true
Christ came and brought Life and Immortality to light he poured out a most plentiful portion of his Spirit upon all flesh and gave more Grace under the Gospel according to their present Receptibilities Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Thus by degrees Mankind arrived to the highest Revelations and Dispensations of Gods love by Jesus Christ Predestination of Rewards in Christ Therefore God from all Eternity intended and predestinated the Promises of his last Will and Covenant of Grace to be confirmed and executed by his Son Jesus Christ in the fullness of time which he had appointed by virtue whereof all that feared or do fear or shall fear God shall be rewarded of God in and through Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof under all the former inferiour and imperfect adumbrations and Dispensations and under the present sublime and perfect substance and Oeconomy of the Gospel And so this everlasting great and true Covenant of Grace expressed in Gods last Will and Testament revealed by his Son Jesus Christ hath and doth and shall take full force and effect to all intents and purposes respectively to every faithful Soul all the World over for Grace and Salvation as they are able to receive it according to the measure of the dispensation of his mercy at all times God still accounting the will for the deed after the riches of his Grace according to what a man hath not according to what a man hath not and rejecting none that come unto him as well as they are able making them more able For in all Nations Act. 10.35 those that fear him and work righteousness are accepted of him And all this in Christ who is the Beloved with whom God is well-pleased and in whom and through whom God is and will be well-pleased with all men because by him he reconciled the World unto himself and so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into the same that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have life everlasting Thus it is demonstrated that there are two eminent distinct Covenants or Testaments the one of the Law and the other of the Gospel The Law is one Husband the Gospel another The Law is a School-master of Rudiments and Elements the Gospel a Doctour of Sciences and Perfections Repentance is not fully in the Law but in the Gospel yet often inculcated by the Prophets Adam Abraham and the Patriarchs had no better things promised expressly than Earth yet by faith they looked for better things which God by his Spirit though not in words had revealed yet obscurely and afar off Thus the Law given by Moses is stiled in Scripture the first Covenant the Gospel given by Christ is stiled the second Covenant 1. Thus it appears Corollaries That God gave a particular Command to Adam to try his obedience upon a promise of Life 2. That God made a Covenant with Adam and a promise of Christ so to the Patriarchs so to Abraham and so the Inheritance came by Promise not by Works 3. That God made a Covenant of Works to Moses in the Law called the first Testament formally made 4. That the Promise of Christ was made to Adam Abraham and the Fathers but it was not framed into a Testament till Christs death 5. That the Law of Nature was made to Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Moses confirmed it by the blood of Beasts 6. That thus the Law of Grace was to the second Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Christ confirmed it by his own blood 7. That many Covenants there were then of God but no Testaments save only the Old and the New 8. That before the Law the Promises of the Gospel were in part darkly revealed but never clearly and fully till Christ came 9. That the Precepts of the Old Testament were in express words but for external obedience in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Internal obedience 10. That the Promises of the Old Testament were in express words but for Temporal blessings in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Eternal Blessings 11. That both Precepts and Promises were spiritual and eternal by Christ 12. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Works is Moses Law 13. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Grace is Christs Law 14. That every Covenant is by Faith and mutual Promises of both Parties for Works to be done and Rewards to be had 15. That the Covenant of the Gospel is meer Faith in God promising and Man accepting and Re-promising not for Works to obtain Righteousness but for Faith alone 16. That Faith is not a credence or belief of story or trust but a Promise Covenant Affiance and Alliance He is a faithful Subject not that believes the Commands of his Prince to be true but that keeps his faith and Allegiance with his Prince 17. That there is a Reformation there is Shadow and Substance there are two Mediators two Laws two Priesthoods and two Services Two Temples two Altars two Sacrifices two Tabernacles An Expiation of Carnal and Spiritual Sins a Purification of Body and Soul a Carnal and a Spiritual Worship A general Correction and Amendment of all things in the most excellent State and Condition that can be imagined 18. That the First Tabernacle is fallen the old Priesthood turned from the Altar And into the Second and True Tabernacle of Heaven Christ the great High-Priest is entred 19. That all along the first Testament for the Promises made to Abraham and confirmed by the Death of Beasts and Birds for the Land of Canaan was in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 20. That the first Testament for the Precepts made to Moses was confirmed by the Death of Beasts for the Land of Canaan in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 21. That the Second Testament for the Promises and Precepts made to Christ was confirmed by the Death of Christ for Heaven 22. That the Gospel was not contained and comprehended in the Law as blended both together in one but is a distinct Thing from the Law subsisting by its self as Carnal and Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Life and Death Heaven and Earth are distinct Things 23. That the Law of Nature was before Moses's Law not loaded with so many Positive Precepts but that they were brought in afterwards upon the Promise of the Land of Canaan God then instructing them by a more familiar Conversation as occasion did offer 24. That Judaism is younger and different from Christianity Moses from Christ 25. That Salvation was by Christ who was to come before and under the Law and by Christ already come under the Gospel 26. That by the Publishing of the Gospel the original Law of God is not abrogated continuing still the Rule of all mens Actions but rather
Evangelio permittuntur regna Coelorum quae vetus Testamentum omninò non nominat In illo Testamento quod vetus dicitur datum est in Monte Sinai Eternal Life non invenitur opertissime permitti nisi Terrena foelicitas In the Gospel the kingdom of Heaven is promised to us which the Old Testament doth not so much as name In the Old Testament which was made on Mount Sinai there is nothing openly promised but Earthly felicity Therefore it is truly said Legens Legem legens Prophetas nunquam invenitur regnum Coelorum In all the reading of the Law and of the Prophets there is no mention made of the kingdom of Heaven Instance 3 Rites troublesom and chargable The Rites of the Law were troublesome chargeable shadowy unable to wash away sin fitted for the weakness of the capacity of that People exceeded in practice by the lives of the Patriarchs that were before it and by Moses David and the Prophets and others that were under it and by many Gentiles that were not comprehended by it And as the Heathen Law-giver being asked if he had given his Citizens the best Laws that could be given he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave them not altogether the best Laws but the best that he could fit for them in that condition So did God with the Israelites for reasons best known to himself Instance 4 God permitted some things in which he had no pleasure nay which he hated Permission for God hated putting away yet he suffered them to put away their Wives for the hardness of their hearts Instance 5 Moses Law consisted of some things which were not naturally and originally good Things not originally good but only as relating to persons time and place And therefore it was a Law without which many Ages of the World did live Not obligatory to other Nations And when it was made it obliged only the Jews to whom it was given Adam Abel Enoch Noah c. knew nothing of it the Prophets never reproved the Heathen for disobeying of it because if it had consisted of natural and essential Rectitudes it had been alwaies and every where of force and practice As Sacrifices which God never of old commanded nor when he did Sacrifices delighted in them Sacrifice and Burnt offerings thou didst not desire Psal 40.6 but mine Ears hast thou opened Burnt offerings and Sin-offerings hast thou not required For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in Burnt-offerings The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit Psal 51.16 17 a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings to have them continually before me I will take no Bullock out of thine house Psal 50.8 c. nor He-goat out of thy Fold c. Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High c. To what purpose is the Multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord Jer. 1.11 c. I am full of the Burnt-offerings of Rams and the fat of Beasts and I delight not in the Blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He goats When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands c. Jer. 7.22 I spake not unto your Fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning Burnt-offerings or Sacrifices But this thing I commanded them saying Obey my Voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my People I hate and despise your feast days Am. 5.21 and will not smell your solemn Assemblies Things you offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the Peace-offerings of your fat of Beasts But let Judgment run down like water Hos 6.6 and Righteousness as a mighty stream c. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledg of God more than Burnt-offerings Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God Shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams with ten thousands of Rivers of Oil Shall I give my First-born for my Transgressions the fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God These and many more places plainly shew Sacrifices at first from Men. that God afforded many blessings to his people before ever he commanded any Law for Sacrifices And therefore Sacrifices were not Necessary in themselves and that while the Children of Israel did sacrifice fourty years in the Wilderness they perished all of them for their sins and that originally Sacrifices were brought in by the Invention of Men and not by express Command of God till God thought fit to busie that Carnal People of the Jews that were so apt in Egypt and afterwards to follow the Customs of other Nations with those Sacrifices to the True God which others offered to false Gods the better to keep them from Idolatry but no ways in their own nature necessary The Law could not make the comers thereunto perfect nor purge them Instance 6 in their Consciences it being in it self imperfect Imperfection serving only to discover and convince and punish sin but nothing at all to reform the sinner nor affording any Pardon at all Col. 2.16 Nor taking away any sin as pertaining to the Conscience Therefore the Ceremonial part is wholly void and the Judicial also so far forth as it belonged wholly to the Polity of the Jews only the Moral part as published and perfected by Christ remains Eternal And now by all that hath been said it is plain to perceive that there needed a Reformation To Disanull that Commandment which made nothing perfect and to bring in a better hope which did and drew us nearer to God Heb. 7.18 The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way unto the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Which was a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make them that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time if Reformation But all this while to come upon a Review it is to be noted That notwithstanding all this weakness there was a Spirit and Life in the Law yet not so strong as to be able to advance the comers thereunto unto Salvation Yea the more spiritual and lively it is the more deadly and fatal it proves to our Carnal mindes the more it searcheth and findeth out sin the more it condemns it
Rebellion by providing for my Family I am deceived in Covetousness Extortion because I am a Gentleman I must not starve therefore I will take a Purse upon the High-way because I have a Wife and many Children and poor Kinred to maintain therefore I will gripe and grind the faces of the Poor and take all the unjust courses I can by a Community I am deceived in levelling and denying all Propriety and Superiority 5. By a pretended Law of God in a certain Law of Man Instances 5. By a pretended Law of God I am deceived in a certain Law of Man As by the Jewish Ceremonial and Judicial Laws now abolished which were once established by God I would have Adultery to be death and Theft punished only by Restitution a Tooth for a Tooth c. By Dominion pretended to be founded upon Grace I would deny all legal Propriety and none but the Babes of Grace should have right to any of the Creatures By imagination of Christ's reigning a Thousand years upon Earth I would destroy all the wicked in the World by Community of all things I deny the Propriety in any thing by God's seeing no sin in his Children I affirm they sin not at all or most of all and yet shall never be punished by the work of Grace irresistibly and absolute Assurances of salvation I presume to run on in wickedness till God call me and to be free from all doubts and fears 6. By a private Law in a publick Law Instances 6. By a private Law I am deceived in a publick Law I will be true to my Neighbour but false to the State I will sell cheaper than others on purpose to engross all the trade to my self and cheat so much the more those that I employ to work under me I will tithe Mint and Cummin and devour Kings Priests Widows and Orphans houses I will be quiet at home and factious and tumultuous in the Church and State an Angel in the Church and a Devil in my House I will use private Prayers by the Spirit and Fast and Preach in close Conventicles and despise publick Set-forms of Prayer and Fastings and Sermons in the open Church 7. By the Moral Law in the Ceremonial Law Instance 7. By the Moral Law I am deceived in the Ceremonial Law Because of Spiritual worship I will endure no Bodily worship because I may worship God in every place I will not worship him in a Set-place commanded because I must serve God every day I will observe no Holydaies 8. By the Ceremonial Law in the Moral Law Instance 8. By the Ceremonial Law I am deceived in the Moral Law Because I worship God in External forms I will not be careful of the sincere worship of my heart If I am baptized and receive the Sacrament and pray and fast and give Alms I will trust to the opus operatum the work done I will draw near to God with my lips when my heart is after my Covetousness SECTION V. 5. By one Law in all other Laws Instances V. By one Law in all other Laws By the Law of Zeal I would be quite lawless I would be as Elias Phinehas the Maccabees the Jewish Zealots the Stoicks the Roman Tribunes the Lacedemonian Ephori like Tully Demosthenes the factious Oratours and Poets the Oracles and Soothsayers kill steal lie flatter or do any thing as if by divine impulse break through all Laws for the glory of God and the good of the Commonwealth I would as Jehu drive furiously kill and slay and rob a Kingdom and say Come see my zeal for the Lord. I would like Brutus Cassius Cateline Sylla Marius Mauritius Phocas Ravilliac Massenello Cromwell Bradshaw c. banish proscribe murder massacre assassinate Kings Nobles Priests or People for God's Cause or my Countrie 's good I would preach Christ and persecute his Members I would propagate Religion by the Sword as the Turks do and say the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon and write upon my Sword Holiness to the Lord and cry cursed is he that witholdeth his hand from blood and doth the Work of the Lord negligently And curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly those that come not to the help of the Lord against the Mighty This is the Zeal that sets the World on fire these are the daring men that have their Fates written in their Foreheads that are canonized for Saints and dye the Martyrs of Jesus or Mahomet and are called of God to be his Executioners to destroy all the wicked of the World to ride up to the Horse bridles in blood to carry all clear before them possess and rule all the Earth and after all mount up to rights into Celestial Mansions Cavete Principes Sacerdotes Nobiles c. My Zeal to Rome makes me cross the Law Temporal my Zeal to Geneva the Law Ecclesiastical and make them Ropes of Sand. This is the Hercules that clears the Augaean stable the St. George and Amadis de Gall that rids the World of Monsters and relieves all distressed Souls These sight the Lords Battels these are the Favourites and Darlings of Heaven and the Jewels of the Earth these are taught of God by the Impulse of the Spirit seeking God and finding Kingdoms these have signal Victoies and are as signally destroyed as ever that Egyptian Theudos the Gaulonite Moses Barchochebas David George John of Leyden Knipperdolling and Cromwell were By this Law I will outlaw the Law maintain and make the King a Subject My care of the Clergy and consistory would subordinate the Prince to the Priest and my love to the Lay-Presbytery would make Princes truckle under the People Iterum atque iterum cavetè Principes By this Law I walk alone in the pride and loftiness of my spirit By virtue of my zeal for the Lord of Hosts I am above all Laws I tread upon the necks of Kings and trample Lions under my feet Nay I sore aloft in the Clouds and disdain the poor Ants crawling upon this Mole-hill and fly swifter than the Wind upon the wings of the Spirit Alas poor vile Souls I have some pity in my holy anger I could tell them of higher and statelier conducts but they are not able to bear the ravishments and raptures of the Spirit Thus much inspired Learning makes me mad and Madmen will be subject to no Laws So with and without a Law I am deceived and will be deceived any way I care not God help me The CONTENTS Deliberation by halves Judgment by likelyhood Ampliations and limitations of Law Weighing my action by one Law Suspense between two Laws Sin hath the casting voice Reason of Law TITLE VII Of the Reasons of Deceit THE Reasons in general why one Law deceives me in another may be these Deliberation by halves I. To resolve upon my Action I deliberate to halves I grant the conclusion upon demi-Principles I lay an Action in the balance stript from those
and Power in the Republick For Portae dignitatum non patent infamibus Personis The Gates of Honour are shut close against all Varlets and Sons of Belial These and the like Disabilities rendring men incapable of Benefices or diminutions or degradations of Promotions are but civil kinds of Slavery because they finally restrain or deprive the Parties from those humane Ends which worldly men esteem happiness Restraint from proper Guide II. Restraint of Man from his proper Guide is true slavery The proper Guide of Man that leads him to his proper End and moves him to all actions mediating thereunto is right Reason or as the Scripture terms it a right Spirit whether natural from himself or supernatural from God For right Reason enlightned and quickned by Grace becomes a right Spirit And even that Holy Spirit which moves in the Saints is but right Reason sublimated above Nature and exalted into Grace This right Spirit should be the proper spring or plummet of Man to move the strings and wheels of the Soul in her elicit or imperate acts All other guides as the passions of Love Fear and Anger are improper unto him for they are rather troublers than leaders hangers on than furtherers hence they are called Perturbations disturbing and discomposing the fair Soul as sickness and lameness the Body Now for a man to be restrained from his proper guide that he cannot or may not follow a right Spirit but must be forced after a forreign Leader after that Spirit which Satan suggests or those Lusts that the Flesh prescribes to be at a beck to every Passion and serve his own Servants this is slavery Hence when Subjects are governed by their own proper Prince that hath a true right and title to the Crown they account themselves Freemen but when forced under an Usurper that hath no true right or title to the Crown they reckon themselves to be no less than slaves Much more doth he make a slave of himself that is led away by his own lust and admits of a guide that hath no right to govern him at all Restraint from proper Act. III. A Restraint of Man from his proper Act is true slavery The proper Act of Man whereby he negotiates and performs the deeds of a man is his Will To chuse or refuse of his own will to consent or dissent to the will of another and afterwards to execute and perform his choice and consent Hence the acts of the Will are called by Divines Actus humani the proper Acts of man whereby he stands in the rank of Man All other Acts as Appetites that flow not from the Will or Errors and Mistakes that fall besides the Will or Constraints that run against the Will are improper and alien to Man and common to him with Beasts Thus for a man to be restrained from his proper Act that he cannot or may not chuse or refuse that he cannot or may not consent or dissent or that he can will or nill but not execute at all but is forced from his own will to act the will of another this is true slavery Of this St. Paul complains that he had a Will of his own but could not act it but the contrary To will is present with me but how to perform I find not for the good that I would I do not Ro. 7.18 but the evil which I would not that I do c. By the Civil Law the Slave can make no Will Servo nulla Testamenti factio The Slave also can be no Party to a Will neither a Testatour Executor or so much as a Witness Naturally he may write or speak his own mind or testifie the mind of another but legally he cannot do it he is dead in Law IV. A Restraint of Man from his proper Rule is true slavery Restraint from proper Rule The proper Rule of a man to frame and steer his Actions by is the Law as the Law of God which is alwaies just or of Man which is then alwaies just when no Law of God declares it unlawful The Law not Conscience is the Soveraign rule of Man For the Conscience must have a Law for the rule of it or else it will be unruly for where there is no Law there can be no Conscience seeing Conscience is but the dictate of the law of Equity a law prescribing to the law of Justice and overruling it And Conscience pretended is but blindness of mind or hardness of heart unless it can see or feel it self in some Law All other Rules as Favour and Fear Humour Fancy and Pleasure are improper unto man alien and forreign for they are leaden and crooked Rules that cause us to wander in crooked waies So for a man to be restrained from his proper Rule so that he cannot or may not live by the Law but is forced to live contrary to Law only at the will and pleasure of another this is true slavery Hence when Subjects are ruled by their own Municipal and National Laws that are genuine and proper to them they account themselves free men but when ruled by forreign and strange Laws or by the pleasure of the Prince in an arbitrary uncertain way such subjection is called Slavery V. A Restraint of Man from his proper State is true slavery Restraint from proper State The proper State of Man whereby he is ranked distinct and superiour to all other sublunary Creatures is to be a person living in the condition of a Reasonable Soul All other Estates whether they proceed from Titles Degrees or Offices are improper unto Man alien and forreign to him for none of these advance him to the rank of Man Now for a man to be restrained from his proper State that he cannot or may not live in the person of Man but is forced to a state below Man in the condition of a Beast or is yet farther forced to a state below a Beast and to live in the condition of the Dead alive in Nature but dead in Law this is true slavery Hence Slaves by the Civil Law are made equivalent to Beasts F.L. Aquila such as we call Cattel Horses or Oxen yea and to dead men Servitus morti assimilatur L. Intercidit F. de Conditionibus And by the Common Law of England Monks and Friers were under a Civil slavery as men dead in Law and entring into their Order were to make their Wills as men on their Death-beds else they were held to die intestate and the Ordinary thereupon was to grant away the Administration of their Goods as if already dead Vide 2d Book of Littleton Inst chap. Villenage Restraint from proper Right VI. Restraint of a man from his proper Right is true slavery The proper Right of Man whereby he claims any thing to be his own is the right and claim of himself over himself to have the propriety possession and government as to be Master of himself and have the use and fruit of
sin and look out for a farther remedy than the Law could afford That he might renounce and disclaim all beside God and take him only for his helper by flying from the Throne of his Law and Justice to the seat of his Grace and Mercy admiring and praising the superexcellency of his Grace above all his Works and for ever after deny any hope or comfort in any thing save in the free Grace of God 2. God put Man under the administration of the Gospel of Grace to convince him of God's love and favour unsought for and undeserved That he might see that there was help in the Creatour alone that he might adore and praise his Redeemer and rejoyce in his Love and enjoy his Rewards in full satisfaction to his Soul for ever O the riches of the glory of God's Grace that hath done more than his Law or Justice could do We should never have been undeceived nor unpunished without Grace but had been for ever sinful and miserable without it but now if we will we may be for ever holy and happy with it There was a spirit of Rule and Direction in the Law there is a spirit of Help and Assistance in the Gospel There was a spirit of Anger and Wrath in the Law there is a spirit of Love and Favour in the Gospel There was a spirit of Punishment and Death in the Law there is a spirit of Pardon and Life in the Gospel So God attains to his ends and designs by Grace His end and design is to save and in order thereto to relinquish the rigour of his Justice and draw them out of the fire that run into it by the offer of his Grace To throw out a cord of Love to them that will catch hold of it after they have plunged themselves into a gulf of wickedness So much God delights in his best and greatest Works And now after all this if we will not be saved but sin wilfully or trust to our own Righteousness we can have no excuse Before men might say something though not sufficient that they had no strength to avoid sin though they had sufficient from that dispensation of Grace that then was and that the Law made them know and desire sin more though not properly this last to make them desire it but because forbidden therefore their Lust made them the more desire it But now what can they say They are sinful and therefore miserable Here is Grace to make them holy and happy What shall they do to be saved They must accept this Grace and they shall be saved by it Will they accept or will they not If they will they may nothing hinders them They are not under the Law but under Grace The Lust in their Members strives to hinder them but cannot without their consent The World and the Devil tempt them by their Lust to hinder them but cannot without their consent This is the last and great Remedy of Sin and Misery this will do if men will take it else nothing can do How can a sick man be cured that will not take his Medicine How can any thing do any man good against his will Salvation it self cannot save those that will not be saved Now every mouth must be stopped God can nor will do no more than he hath done What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done c. He hath given the World to understand his two great dispensations of the Law and Gospel 1. How the Law was a Rule to direct and reward those that kept it and punish them that broke it but Lust by it deceived us into sin and misery 2. How the Gospel is a Help as well as a Rule to save those that embrace it and Lust cannot deceive us by it into sin or misery but obstinacy and refusal may and will dam up all hope God therefore hath left off his Threats and Poenal dispensations to all faithful Souls Though he do inflict some Judgments as he did before yet not in that manner nor for that end as formerly The Unbelieving are justly punished but the Faithful are fatherly corrected This is a dispensation of mercy even in Afflictions to them 1. The assistances of the Spirit and the comforts thereof do abundantly recompense and moderate the pains of the flesh 2. The hope of Rewards engages them against hope to believe in hope Still God draws by the cords of Love by Perswasions and Entreaties not by Threats or Compulsions Understand therefore O Man the work of God's grace toward thee Whereas by Law and the Righteousness thereof thou art deceived in trusting to thy self breaking the Law by Lust By Grace and the Righteousness of God thou art not deceived in trusting to Christ fulfilling the Law by love A Covenant of Works by Law could not save thee for they are external only A Covenant of Faith by Grace can save thee by internal Righteousness So no Salvation by Law or Covenant of Works for outward Righteousness But by the Gospel or Covenant of Grace by inward Righteousness This is Faith this is the Righteousness of Faith The CONTENTS Mystical Precepts Mystical Providences TITLE XV. Of the mystery of the Law Of the mystery of the Law GOD gave a Civil Law by Moses to the Jews for their own Government and an Ecclesiastical Law for his own Worship 1. That they might live by no other Laws than God's 2. That they might not worship any other God in any other manner than God had prescribed Upon performance of their obedience to this Law was the Land of Canaan given them a figure at the same time of Heaven This Law had a double sense of Precepts Literal or Carnal and Spiritual or Mystical This Law had a double sense of Promises Literal or Carnal and Spiritual or Mystical Mystical Precepts The Spiritual and Mystical Precepts and Promises for eternal Salvation were ordained before the Law and under the Law not by the Law and after the Law most fully by the Gospel The Sons of men before the Flood departed from these Precepts but the Sons of God kept them and therefore God made a special application to those of them that were of Abraham's stock espousing them to himself and separating them by his peculiar Promises and Commands from all the rest of the Sons of men that followed Idolatry This separation from God began betimes one of Adam's Sons followed the true Worship the other departed from God with his Posterity after their own Will Gen. 4. ult Then did Lamech first violate that Law of Monogamie which was given to Mankind in the state of Integrity from whose Family the old Doctours of the Jews affirm that Idolatry first sprang As Ferity in eating live flesh with the blood thereof and Barbarism from those Mighty hunters who would live for themselves not for the common good of Mankind These Sons of men lived by their own Wills by Force Heb. 11. not
come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn Meetings your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary of them When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Wash ye make ye clean c. For I spake not unto your Fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning Burnt offerings or Sacrifices Jer. 7.22 but this thing I commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my People and walk ye in all the waies that I have commanded you that it may be well with you Wherewith shall I come before the Lord Mich. 6.6 c. and bow my self before the High God Shall I come before him with Burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl shall I give the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease Dan. 9.27 and for the overspreading abominations he shall make it desolate even until the consummation Christ saith the Law and the Prophets were till John and no longer and since that time the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and every man rusheth into it and the violent take it by force We are not under the Law but under Grace Ro. 6.14 We are dead to the Law and the Law is dead unto us by the Body of Christ and free from the former Husband that we should be married to another Ro. 7.4 even unto him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Gal. 3.19 The Law was added because of Transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made When we were Children we were under the Elements of the World Gal. 4.4 5. but when the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Because the Gospel was a Covenant of Faith 2. Reas Gospel a Covenant of Faith quite contrary to the Covenant of Works as the Law was For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Christ is now made our King and Lawgiver and we are his Subjects till the day of Judgment when he shall give up the Kingdom to God the Father No wonder if this change be made 3. Reas God may change the Law For God is the Supreme Law-giver and therefore hath power over his own Law as being Creatour he hath power over his own Creatures God is immutable in himself but his Works are changeable every day He that commanded not to kill might command Abraham to kill his Son And after he had to the Jews given a Law by Moses he gave another Law to the World by Christ For finding fault with the first he established the second Heb. 8. which was a better Covenant and established upon better Promises The former grew old and was ready to vanish away and gave place to the Law of Faith Jam. 2.8 12. Ro. 8.12 the Royal law of Liberty The law of the Spirit of life to make us free from the law of sin and death And as mens Wills are ambulatory till their last Will which is established by death so was God's Will till the Gospel was given as his last Will established by the death of Christ Because Christ advanced the Law and Worship of God from Carnal to Spiritual from childish and imperfect usages to such as were natural 4. Reas Law advanced to Spirit manly and perfective Christ also advanced the Rewards of God from Canaan to Heaven from life Temporal to life Eternal by bringing Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel A consideration of this Change and of Christ that made it 5. Reas Types was in respect of the Types and Figures of the Law and of the Transactions and Dispensations of affairs in the Commonwealth of the Jews under the Law Vide 1 Cor. 10.1 Heb. 11.26 and 13.8 1 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 1.20 1 Cor. 15.22 Ro. 5.12 to 19. Heb. 9.15 Act. 13.29 Rev. 13.8 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 9.25 28. SECTION I. All did not know then how Christ was their Saviour as we do Secret of Christ understood by degrees Heb. 11. but they understood it darkly and afar off and longed to see that day and waited for the Consolation of Israel This they learned as they were able of their Superiours the Prophets and Judges and Fathers of old who being acquainted with this Secret were to acquaint the People with it sparingly and by degrees as they themselves were but able to do for though great and knowing men in their several times yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater and more knowing than they Of which Salvation the Prophets enquired and searched diligently 1 Pet. 1.10 who prophesied of the Grace that should come searching what and in what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things the Angels desire to look into Divine Dispensations By all which passages it appears how admirable the divine Dispensations have been in all Ages Creation God made Man upright and made a Covenant with him of Obedience for Life Fall which he brake by Disobedience to the heavenly Command and had the wages of Death Promise Then God propounded and promised another Covenant to be confirmed by the promised Seed And man repenting of his Disobedience and believing was restored and saved thereby Faithful After that the Sons of God that were faithful and kept the worship of the true God taught their Children what was revealed unto them of God and delivered to them of their Fore-fathers Unfaithful The Sons of men that were unfaithful were so far from walking after what was taught them that they did not so much as follow the light of Nature
A Commandment carnal and temporal Heb. 7.16 Christ's Priesthood II. In Christ's Priesthood all things were strong and perfect As 1. A Priest strong An immortal God free from sin without succession Gen. 24.19 20. without Father without Mother having the power of the eternal Spirit and of an endless life 2. A Tabernacle strong made without hands eternal in the heavens for all the Elements shall melt with fervent heat but the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens higher than the highest are Eternal 3. Sacrifices strong that did purifie the Conscience and take away sin and were never iterated 4. Aaron stood in the midst of his Sacrifices of Lambs and Bulls and Calves c. before an Altar of Stone or Wood but Christ is the Sacrifice himself and the Priest and Altar Heb. 9.12 20. Not with the blood of Bulls c. but by his own Blood he entred into the Holy place Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God without spot Heb. 9.14 purging our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God One for all 1. No other hands could offer Christ's Blood but his own they were too profane No Priest in the Masse can or ought to offer up Christ he is only worthy to offer up himself 2. No Marble or Golden Altar pure or rich enough to offer Christ upon He offers up himself upon the Altar of his eternal Spirit Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God 3. No Temple stately enough to offer Christ in The whole World is God's Temple The lower World is the outward Court and the higher is the Holy of Holies Christ is the Minister there Heb. 8.2 that sacrifices in that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man and offers himself the True Sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld He offered up himself once by his own Blood he entred through the Veil that is to say his Flesh into the true Holy place Heb. 7.27 the Throne and Mercy-Seat of God there to appear in the presence of God for us for ever 4. A Covenant strong and everlasting made upon better Promises I. Typical Redemption from Typical Sins Aaron's Order tends to a Legal Typical Redemption from Legal and Typical Sins as To touch a dead Body to eat Flesh unclean to touch a Leper c. Touch not taste not handle not c. These were no Real sins because these Touchings and Tasting c. did not defile the Soul Not that which goeth into the mouth doth defile the man but that which goeth out of the mouth c. Whether we eat or drink we are not the better or if we eat not we are not the worse The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drinks Call nothing Common or Unclean To the Pure all things are pure in their own nature These uncleannesses were in the Flesh only not there really but because of the Prohibition Now the Blood of Bulls and of Goats was sufficient to wash away such sins But as for Real sins in their own nature sinful that defile the Soul such as Murther Adultery Theft Rebellion c. There were no Sacrifices for these at all they were not pardoned the punishment was Death Temporal without Mercy or Restitution or VVhipping c. Now a VVeak Priest was sufficient to offer for such Typical Sins And a weak Tabernacle of Skins or a Temple of Stones was good enough for such Sacrifices as never pleased God in themselves and for such sins as never offended God in themselves but only as forbidden for a time to preserve the greater reverence in an irreverent People and to keep them from Idolatry which they were so prone unto Real Redemption from Real Sins II. Melchisedec's order it works a Real and Eternal Redemption from Real and Eternal Sins and Punishments Sins of thought word and deed that pollute the Conscience as Carelessness VVilfulness Presumption Rebellion Infidelity Malice c. Punishments of a blind mind a hard heart a seared Conscience For these there is provided 1. A Priest of Infinite Dignity 2. A Sacrifice of Infinite Value 3. A Tabernacle of Infinite Holiness 4. A Law of Infinite Perfection 5. An Oath of the Most high God to consecrate an Eternal King Priest and Prophet and to settle Eternity upon that Salvation which was for all men Salvation for all Men. 1. For all men I say whosoever will offer and give themselves up to this Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls that gave himself up for all 2. For all that will partake of this Sacrifice and Altar by eating the Flesh of Christ and by drinking his Blood For they that offer the Sacrifices are partakers of the Sacrifices 3. For all that wait for the coming forth of this great High Priest out of his Tabernacle the Holy of Holies at the last day For without the People waited for the High Priest while he prayed for them within So we look for Christ's coming out again to bring us into that Holy place which he is gone before into to prepare a place for us Now this offering up of our Selves in and through Christ unto Christ is really by mortifying and crucifying our Corruptions and Lusts This is to be crucified with Christ to die with him to be baptized with him to be buried and rise again with him And this is the great Reformation that Christ made Old things are done away and all things are become New I. Old things are 1. Imperfect Light of Nature Carnal Righteousness 2. Sin 3. Punishment 4. Sacrifices 5. Old Testament 6. Vain Philosophy 7. Temporal Promises 8. Old Man Old Creation Old Birth Flesh 9. Carnal VVorship VVorks c. II. New things are 1. Perfect Light of Grace Spiritual Righteousness 2. Justification 3. Reward 4. Christ's Sacrifice 5. New Testament 6. Christian VVisdom 7. Eternal Salvation 8. New Man New Creature New Birth Spirit 9. Spiritual VVorship Grace SECTION II. From henceforth no New Changes to be made No more Changes 1. In Doctrines as to return to Judaism or Heathenism again 2. In Worships as to return to Sacrifices or set up a systeme of Ceremonies in defiance after God hath pulled down his own Rites From henceforth new Laws call for new Manners Greater obedience due from Christians than from Jews or Heathens and greater thankfulness to God for his wonderful wisdom and mercy in bringing us into this state of Grace and Salvation and for the assistance of his Spirit in all these dispensations of Grace unto glory But stay before we leave speaking of this wonderful Reformation let us consider this great and eternal Change a little better What is all gone say you and nothing at all left no not a hoof of all the Sacrifices and Services that were before No Priest no Law no Sacrifice no Temple no Altar Yes CHRIST is the Priest Sacrifice Temple Altar and his Gospel is the
a Testament is the most Noble of all Deeds or Conveyances And that Because it is most Solemn Nuncupative 1. For Nuncupation if by word of mouth Declarative 2. For Declaration if it be written Witnesses 3. For Witnesses seven of old amongst the Romans at least and those all rightly qualified Citizens honest and of good report Plainness 4. For clear expression of mind For if at any time a Wise man will declare his meaning more than ordinary it must be in his last Will before his death because after that he can never interpret if he have left any doubts or flaws therein Heir 5. For Institution of an Heir to succeed the Testatour in all his Rights and to fulfil all his Will as if he himself were alive to do it Finishing by Hand and Seal 6. For exact finishing signing and sealing of his Will at the time of the Declaration thereof to be his true last Will and Testament Death 7. For Death sadly ensuing upon it to ratifie all that was Willed Testament most Gracious Because it is most Gracious In giving all 1. In giving all universitatem bonorum For the Heir succeeds into all the Rights and Priviledges of the Testator all is the Heirs originally as it was the Testator's though some Legacies be taken out of the Inheritance and sprinkled upon the Legataries by the hand of the heir as the Testator might have done while he was alive This is delibatio Hereditatis but a Taste of the Inheritance the main body is the Heirs In dying 2. In leaving all by dying Goods and Life together greater Love than this can no Man shew than to lay down his life to give all to his Heir And there can be no Person more dear than he whom a Man doth make his sole Heir and Successor to live as it were in his stead and to enjoy use and act for him to all intents and purposes as if he were still alive The Form of old expressed this Love quando ego ex rebus humanis excessero tunc tu charissime Haeres meus esto Loe here I dye and leave thee my most beloved Heir to represent my person still and to possess immediately after my decease my Honour and Estate and to do every thing therein which I would or should have done and especially what I have enjoyned to be done according to my quality and degree as if I were alive my self to do it And moreover in particular it is the most noble and gracious Deed above a Covenant SECTION V. Because a Covenant is not so solemn an Act as a Testament is Reason 1 Testament most solemn For Covenants may be made and are made in Mirth and Jollity at a Market or a Tavern without any sad Consideration of Death ensuing But a Testament is alwaies upon most serious Consideration either in a Closet or on a Man's Death-bed or upon any dangerous Adventure or Travel or in acie or when a man is at the point to dye and then is no dallying when Death is before our face Thus Christ a little before his Death declares his last Will to his Disciples and took the solemn Symbols of Bread and Wine that by them they might remember the last Will of their dying Saviour viz. What gifts he gave unto them My Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you c. And what Duty he required at their hands to do or suffer for the Gospel's sake saying Take eat this is my Body which was given for you do this in remembrance of me and this is my Blood of the new Testament which was shed for you drink you all of this and by this they were to shew the Lords Death until his second coming for the full Performance of the Will of God which then he dyed to confirm when he shall give actual possession of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers SECTION VI. Because a Covenant is not so liberal as a Testament is Reason 2 Most Liberal it is more penurious strict and covetous tying men up oftentimes to hard Conditions and is without pure Love the Parties covenanting not daring to trust one another without Bonds and Securities double and treble and desperate Forfeitures and Penalties But a Testament is a bountiful Donation of all to the Heir in whom he puts full trust and confidence and whom he most dearly loves above all the World besides And if he do require Conditions they are sutable to the Love of him that dyes to give him all and to the condition of him to whom all is given that he would no more hurt or dishonour him by these Conditions than he would hurt or dishonour himself if he were to live to perform them SECTION VII I know Marriage there are other Contracts and Covenants of great excellency and vertue as between Man and Wife Friend and Friend of rare Endearments to each other but nothing like this of a Testament In Marriages there are gifts mutual the Wife brings her Dowry to her Husband and he gives his gifts ad sustinenda onera Matrimonii and settles a Joynture upon her there is one for the other yea there is a Communion of all things divine and humane between them yea they give their own Bodies to each other for life and when the Husband dies he leaves her part of his honour and third Part of the Estate and by the Imperial Law she goes away with her Dowry that she brought him SECTION VIII A near Union It is a very near and intimate Union I do confess both in Law making but one Person and by Copulation but one Flesh and a Man and Woman must forsake Father and Mother and they two must cohabit and become one Flesh And besides the resignation of Bodies to each other so that they are not their own but have power over each other they may and ought to give their minds and affections mutually and thereby they are not only one Flesh which may be with Harlots but one Spirit also All which things agree most rarely well with the spiritual Mariage which is between Christ and his Church But this Notion is not shut out of the Testament of God but comes in very well under it For we that are by Faith the Sons and Heirs of God are also his Allies and Friends yea his Spouse and Wife and all the intimate Relations that can be imagined Matrimonial Love is of great concernment as to Procreation being the Fountain of all Societies and the enlargement of Mankind but still it makes but one Flesh as it may be with Harlots but the main thing is a harmony of Humours and Conditions and this makes them more one Soul and one Spirit as friends are and they may not be Conjugal Benefits are great to Wives for Honour and Estate but Paternal Benefits are greater to Sons and Heirs for Honour and Estate And for Law
no Comparison A man's Heir is himself in all Successions and with himself still represented goes along the Possession of all his Honours and Goods for ever A man's Wife is part of himself and carrieth part of his Estate and Honour with her as a Wife should do But his Heir hath all himself and his Estate and Honour too as an Heir should have SECTION IX Acquisition of Goods Other ways of acquiring Goods there are but only in part as first Ocupation Invention Accretion Donation c. But this is in full to go away with all by right of Testamental Inheritance Let every comfortable and benefical Relation therefore be taken in especially that of a Father which is Christ's own Relation by Nature and ours by Grace and Adoption in Christ the principal Son of God and Heir of all things this hinders not but includes the Love-respects of Wife Spouse Sister Brother Friend or Allies Love of God All Love in God is great towards all his Creatures but chiefly to Mankind and more especially to his Church Love of Souls This Love of God to the Soul passeth all knowledge to express the height and length and depth and breadth thereof And again the Love of the Soul to God is unexpressible Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of Love It is the Soul's ravishment and admiration to an Extasie to see it self thus beloved of God and not know how nor why and to feel what she is not able to conceive or express The blessed Cherubims and Seraphims burn with this Love But for the description of God's Love that kindles all other Love we must draw a Curtain Silence best expresses what we are not able to understand The Communion and fellowship with God Communion proceeding from the mutual love between God and the Soul and the influences of the Spirit is the great mystery of Christ and his Church Behold what manner of Love this is Adoption that we should be called the Sons of God! And we know that we are now the Sons of God but we know not hereafter what we shall be but this we know that when he appeareth we shall appear with him in glory and of Carnal be made Spiritual of Corruptible Incorruptible of Mortal Immortal A man may have many Friends very near and dear unto him Heir the most Beloved and which may bestow upon him many and great gifts and to whom he may give many and great gifts also but the Son and Heir of his Body lawfully begotten or the Son and Heir of his Love lawfully adopted receives most favour and profit by him because he is himself represented and his Off-spring forever So Christ is the beloved Son and Heir of God in whom he is well pleased and in whom we are the beloved Sons and Heirs and Coheirs with Christ The rest go away with their several gifts and honours from him and set up several houses and families of their own but the Son and Heir is full and continual Successor to his Father in all his Honour and Estate as Lord Earl or King with all the Lands and Revenues for ever entailed upon him by his Father who thus never dies But a Wife after her Husband's departure is a Widow free for another man loses a great part of her Lustre and Priviledges and enjoys only her Dowry which she had before from her Father or her Joynture which she received from her Husband so that her Widowhood by her Husbands death is a diminution to her head But it is the augmentation of an Heir by his Father's decease And thus God would have it be in the manner of the conveyance of his Estate to us by way of Testament that we should be his Heirs Thus Love is contained in God's Promises Laws Constitutions Decrees and Testaments at large wherein is the Royal Charter of God's great Donation to his Church and faithful People instituted to be his Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ in toto solido every one of them without any diminution of happiness though there be degrees thereof And under this Grant they claim their Right by their Faith or Promise or Covenant with God to accept of his Love and to obey his Laws An high honour to be the Friends and Allies of God but a far higher to be his Sons and Heirs in all Honours and Inheritances entailed and never to be cut off by God but only by their own Refusal or Apostacy else the Promise of God standeth sure and they remain spiritual Prophets Priests and Kings for evermore This is the only difference between earthly and heavenly Heirs that the Earthly succeed in Flesh and Blood Honour and Estate and in all things but only Vertues and great Parts but the Heirs of God succeed not only to the Inheritance of Glory but to the Vertues Gifts and Graces and Likeness of God To conclude in a word there are many and great acts of Grace in the World but none of them nor all together are so gracious as that of a Testament And such is the Gospel the New Testament of God's Grace SECTION X. Definition of the Gospel This is a Definition of the Gospel so large in extent that we can reach nothing beyond it to prove it by Not because it is no true Definition but because it is so highly true that there is no cause or reason above it wherewith to prove it A prime Verity an Axiom a Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa Postulatum ut Triangulum est rectilinium Trilaterum A Demonstration so of reason so true that no body in his right wits can deny A Nominal or Grammatical Cause may be given for the words Gospel Testament or Covenant but no Rational or Real Cause because it is a Definition Nevertheless though it cannot so properly be proved because granted and a Principle yet it may well be illustrated or declared more to the understanding thereof Definition of a Testament And so a Testament is a just Decree of things to be had or done after the Testators death according to that of Justinian Testamentum est voluntatis justa Sententia de eo quod quis post mortem suam fieri velit Called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Disposition or Decree of the Will and by the Latins Testamentum or solemn Testation of witnessing of the Testator's mind declared to fit persons And in this the Wisdom and Goodness of God to us appears in condescending to our shallow Capacities by setling the Inheritance of Eternal life upon mortal Men by an Immutable Testament after the manner of Men more impossible after the Death of Christ to be revoked than all the Laws by the Medes and Persians that by this way and means all Believers might be assured that they are Instituted the Sons and Heirs of God by Jesus Christ in his last Will and Testament because it is so ratified by the Death
due yea Grace gives much good when much evil is due The Law is inexorable and spares none but Grace is easie to be entreated and spares all For Grace is a priviledge above Law rather than extremely contrary to Law An act of Super-justice rather than contrary to Justice For Mercy rejoyceth and triumpheth over Justice as being the special and highest work of God in which he most delighteh This is the Trone of Grace this is the Mercy-Seat Throne of Grace the great Court of Requests and of Chancery Ubi Jus fit Jus datur where Rights are made and where Rights are bestowed whereas in other Courts of Law Rights are only declared Such Courts are much inferior Ubi Jus dicitur where Rights are declared upon Justice to those higher ones where they are created and granted upon Mercy and Bounty and God's Mercies are above all his Works 3. So God's Grace is opposed to Wrath in extremes Wrath. As Grace gives more good than is due by Law so Wrath gives more evil than is due by Law And this Wrath God executes by taking the Sword into his own hands and punishing our sins himself beyond the ordinary way of the Law as Kings by their Prerogatives may do by Wrath to execute Vengeance more than the bare Law calls for upon some extraordinary offences on some extraordinary occasions which they themselves can best judge of especially when the Inferior Judge is negligent of his duty in not inflicting the Punishment which the Law required and when sins have been done with a high hand in open defiance of Rule and Law to the endamagement of the Commonwealth Unto this Wrath God's Grace is extremely opposed For when Law and Anger were heavily against an obstinate Sinner and the Sword of both threatens to devour in an extraordinary way then steps in Mercy and stops the Flood-gate of Anger and saves the dying Soul from the Pit of Ruine which was ready to swallow him up because God sees remorse in him though he have been notoriously wicked yet it is the good will and pleasure of God for the Glory of his Grace to spare as a Father spareth his Son that serveth him to blot out iniquities transgressions and sins and to remember them no more but that they shall be as though they had never been and now that Soul shall live he shall not die SECTION I. Works 4. So God's Grace is opposed to Works which are the Merit of the Creature but this is the Grace of the Creatour Works deserve wages but Eternal life is the gift of God Grace dignifies a Person that deserves it not No man can deserve to be born of his Father or after he is born he cannot deserve to be made the Son and Heir of another man But the only cause of a Son is Love either by Nature or by Adoption and therefore the only cause to be made the Son of God is the Grace of God not the Works of Man Free Grace Such love of God is the Grace of God whereby the Receiver is honoured and profited and yet he never deserved it This is free Justification by Grace Ro. 3.24 of Faith and therefore not of Works that it might be by Grace only otherwise Grace were no more Grace and Works were no more Works This is the Riches of God's Grace whereby we are accepted in the Beloved The gift by Grace the kindness and good will of God This Grace of God is without Cause it is it self the supreme and high cause having no other Cause above or beyond it to actuate and move it Nor can any Works so much as concur with Grace because Grace is the sole Cause For if Salvation were of Works it should be of Debt and then it could not be of Grace They are inconsistent and contrary the one to the other Ro. 4.4 Now to him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of Grace but of Debt But if it be of Grace it is of Gift and then it cannot be of Works Ro. 11.6 And if of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done Tit. 35. but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost By this Grace I a poor miserable Sinner attainted in the attainder of Adam's sin and born to temporal and eternal Miseries am looked upon with the eye of Mercy to be justified from all my Sin and Misery and to be invested with Holiness and Happiness And the farther Love and Grace of God to me is that all this should be done in a Testamentary way whereby I should be the more sure of it For such an Instrument as a Testament is requires all the favourable construction that can be imagined that it may take effect according to the best meaning of the Testator Rich Grace And still the Exceeding riches of his Grace appears that he did settle this his Testament by the Death of Christ who was his own and only Son whom he substituted to die in his stead For God could have setled his Testament by means less chargeable than was the precious Blood of his own Son but he could not to shew the abundance of his Love who so loved the World as that he sent his only begotten Son into the same and gave him over unto death that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And lastly all this is Grace for Grace that is freely and out of mere Grace and only for the Thanks of the Receiver SECTION II. I have enough then to uphold my Soul withal till I die Assurance and when I die to lie down with my Body in hope of a glorious Resurrection And after my death my Soul shall wait for it and at last it will come at which time my Saviour will come again and call me from the Regions and Receptacles of Rest to put my Soul and Body both into the full possession of the Inheritance to which I have a present Right by Faith in the New Testament of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Against this New Testament established by Jesus Christ the Jews did mightily stickle Jews loth to leave the Law Because the Old Testament was God's Testament written and God had made a solemn Testimony thereof on Mount Sinai where with terrible Lightning and Thunder and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and by the Fire and Smoak and the quaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Angel who represented God it was testified in the sight and hearing of all the People And also because this Law and Testament had a long prescription of fifteen hundred years together and in such cases men do use to struggle very hard and are loth to part with their so ancient Laws Customes and Priviledges especially concerning their Religion and Worship and a Change is commonly very
born of the flesh is flesh but afterwards they are made Spirit For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. And except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven which is the first Resurrection And again Christians must first die as all Flesh must do and afterwards must live as all Spirits must do And as the Soul is alwaies Spirit but not fully sanctified nor fully glorified till after the Bodie 's Resurrection so the Flesh is alwaies Flesh but yet made spiritual by Regeneration but not fully Spiritual till the full Regeneration of Glory after death which is the second Resurrection For thiis Mortal must put on Immortality and this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Earth must put on Heaven and this Flesh must put on Spirit and this Terrestrial must be made Coelestial for as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly There are Natural Bodies and there are Spiritual Bodies but first that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual So without Death Temporal we cannot be prepared for Life Eternal For except we fall we cannot rise and except we rise from the Earth we cannot ascend into Heaven and except we ascend into Heaven we cannot enter into the Inheritance of Glory SECTION I. Christ's Ascension Christ therefore after his death and burial ascended in his own Person far above all Heavens that he might as a King Priest and Prophet fully execute the Will of his Father and our Father which is in Heaven Now he that ascended Eph. 4.9 what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth And he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things or more truly that he might fulfil all things that is by a Plenary Administration and discharging all the Gifts and Legacies devised by God For when he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And for the preparation of his Church Militant that they may be Triumphant He from thence gave some to be Apostles Spirit 's Mission Eph 4.11 12. and some to be Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now to do these things is to execute and fulfil the Will of God Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise i. e. the Promised Possession of Eternal Inheritance This Doctrine was taught by Christ himself Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And after his death he said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24.46 And that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Christ died for the Testification Coroll Confirmation and Execution of the New Testament and consequently for the Remission of sins Mortification Justification Sanctification Resurrection and Glorification of all the Scripti haeredes whose Names are written in the Book of Life The CONTENTS Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations TITLE VII Of the Testaments compared THis last and greatest and best Disposition of God's Grace to all the World called the New Testament that we may yet the better understand let us compare it with the former and lower way of God's Disposition to the Jews only called the Old Testament as it was established by the Law given upon Mount Sinai in these two points The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever SECTION I. Spiritual I. The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever 1. Spiritual 1. Because it is perfect agreeing to the Spirit of God which the other was not being imperfect and Carnal 2. Because it conveyeth Spiritual gifts and graces plentifully which the other did not 3. Because it was written by the Spirit in the Tables of the heart whereas the other was only in Tables of Stone Lively 2. Lively 1. Because it creates the life of Grace and Glory In force for ever 3. In force for ever Because it is God's last Will and ratified by the Death of Christ and therefore unalterable SECTION II. Literal II. The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever 1. Literal Because Carnal rigorous weak rude and beggarly as Rudiments and the lowest principles of Morality and Ritual worship 2. Deadly Deadly Because working nothing but wrath and death making sin appear to be exceeding sinful and affording no Remedy against it 3 Abrogated for ever Abrogated for ever Because ordained only for a time as being shadowy and typical of Substances to come The Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the coming in of a better Hope did The Gospel is the only true Service with which God is well pleased For God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth God will now be served in the newness of the Spirit Ro. 7.6 not in the oldness of the Letter Say not in thine heart Ro. 7.6 Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the Deep to bring Christ again from the dead For the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Ro. 10.6 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made
me free from the Law of Sin and Death Ro. 8.1 2. Ro. 8.5 6. And they that are in Christ walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit The Gospel times therefore were prophesied to be searching times Consequences Mal. 3.1 2 c. The Lord shall suddenly come into his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiner's fire and like Fuller's sope And he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness Then shall the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old and as in former years Thus the thoughts of many hearts will be discovered and it shall be known who will follow the World and who will follow Christ who will live after the Flesh and who will live after the Spirit Who will enter into Covenant with God and who with the Devil Thus the Letter of the Law killeth 1. Because it only discovers sin 2. Because it only condemneth sin 3. Because it stirreth up sin the more 4. Because it punisheth sin without mercy Thus the Spirit giveth life 1. Because it offereth Life freely 2. Because it justifieth them that accept it 3. Because it saves them from Sin Death and Hell 4. Because it giveth them Eternal Life and Glory SECTION III. Digression Cautions Mistake not these words Take heed well what you hear and read He that hath ears to hear let him hear and he that hath a heart to understand let him understand 1. Some will not read the Scriptures nor hear them read or preached by any study or pains by any Art or Eloquence 2. Some will not pray by any forms at sett times or places nor submit to any Discipline nor preach by Meditation or helps of any Comments or Writing nor hearken to any Counsels Exhortations or Conferences nor be ruled by any Laws or Orders of men These trust they say to the Light that is in them and to the motions of the Spirit in their own Consciences which is rather their humor fancy and obstinacy These are above all Ordinances in the letter of the Law of God or Man and walk aloft by the revelations of the Spirit which if it were the true Spirit would never be contrary to the true sense and Spirit of the Gospel written and preached The Spirit teacheth us to pray preach and live Spiritually by the Means of the Word of God and wholesom Discipline of Men. Therefore what is written in the Book and preached by the Voice and commanded by lawful Power is the same with that which is the Mind of God first predestinated and secret then revealed and published to and by the Fathers at last to and by Christ and his Apostles and written in the heart by the Holy Ghost Therefore deceive not your selves 1. With vain Fancies and new Revelations for the Truth is old 2. With feigned Words and canting Expressions for the Truth is plain 3. With framing a Law to your selves as if infallible contrary to Nature's Law to the Laws of Nations and to Christ his Law This must needs be a Spiritual cheat tending to all mischief and confusion Take heed therefore 1. Of Law-Preachers of Curses Hell and Damnation 2. Of Spirit-Preachers of Evidences and Rapture walking without and against all Law and Rule These sort of men are Rigid Surly Morose Self-conceited Opiniators Malicious Proud Scoffers Straitners of God's love to Mankind therefore not of God and having not the Spirit SECTION IV. Leave of vain Disputes and learn 1. To hold all necessary and confessed Truths Instructionâ— and contend only for the Faith and a good Conscience 2. To submit to all Orders and Decencies and to fulfil all Righteousness which is the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 3. To reverence and adore the Manifold Wisdom of God admiring and praising but not prying and searching into the Reasons of his Workings whose waies are alwaies Just but often hid from our eyes because his paths are in the great Waters and his foot-steps past our finding out 4. To embrace the Promises of Forgiveness of sins Adoption Heaven and Happiness This will engage the Soul to live by the Spirit of the Gospel and not merely by the Letter much less by the Law or by Sense This will sublimate the Soul to the spiritual acts of Faith Hope Love Prayer Self-denial against the Carnal acts of Sense Lust Drunkenness c. Forbear ignorant and proud boasting of the Spirit to be above Ordinances and contrary to what is Revealed it is most dangerous Let us not be Fools or Cross 1. In being too superstitiously Formal and trusting to Outward worship 2. In being too Profane and Licentious in neglecting all Conscience and Inward worship 3. In being too superstitiously precise in Inward worship only without any regard to Decency and Order calling it Jewish Heathenish and Popish 4. In being actually Rebellious thereupon by separation from publick Assemblies and rising up in Arms openly and destroying the Powers of the Church and State There is a right way if we could hit upon it as we may without prejudice against any man's Person to take in all the Truths held by them though we like not other things which they are mistaken in The way of Charity is excellent To suffer long and to be kind not to envy or vaunt not to be puffed up not to behave our selves unseemly 1 Cor. 13.4 c. nor to seek our own not to be easily provoked to think no evil not to rejoyce in iniquity but to rejoyce in the Truth to learn all things to believe all things hope all things endure all things There are that hold the Truth in Unrighteousness which ceaseth not to be the Truth because they hold it with other Errors There are that hold the Foundation of Gold Silver and Precious stones though they unhappily build Wood Hay and Stubble and such unworthy matter thereupon There are that sit in Moses's Chair and teach according to the Law and their Disciples are bound to believe and do according as they say though they say and do not There are that preach Christ out of Envy and for Gain and yet Christ is preached and thereat they may rejoyce and should rejoyce If I find a Jewel upon a Dung-hill I will stoop to take it up I will reverence Wisdom in the poor or blind or lame or otherwise
Christ the Mediator of the second Testament For finding fault with them he saith Behold the daies come saith the Lord Heb. 8.8 when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old Heb. 13.7 now that which decayeth and waxeth Old is ready to vanish away for if the first Covenant had been faultless there should have been no place sought for the second The first Testament therefore being made void by the death of Christ Moses is no longer a Mediator of that which is not but the New and and last Testament succeeding in the room of the first Christ is become the Mediator thereof And this is the True Testament and this is the True Mediator whereof the Law and Moses were but the Figures and Types Moses but a Man though a Man of God and Christ both God and Man The CONTENTS Two Natures Vnion Incarnation TITLE II. Of the Person of Christ IN the first place therefore being come to so great a Mediator of so great a Covenant let us describe with all reverence who this Mediator is by whom all these great and everlasting Blessings are dispensed Two Natures There are in Christ Two Natures 1. A Divine Nature Quis ille qui venit quis novus Hercules A strange Person Who can declare his Generation whose goings forth were before all Eternity The Son of God God of God Light of Light very God of very God being of the substance of the Father by whom all things were made Joh. 1. 2. A Humane Nature The Son of Man The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homo de Matre. We have seen him with our eyes 1 Joh. 1.1 we have heard him and our hands have handled of the Word of Life Thus we may safely speak what the Scriptures speak De Deo vel seriò loqui piriculosum nè fortè Deo indigna loquamur It is dangerous to speak of God though we endeavour to speak as seriously as we can lest peradventure we should speak unworthily of him Christians I fear have been too bold to speak so much more and so far different from what is written He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and a Worm and no Man rejected of men and they hid as it were their faces from him because there was no beauty in him for which they should desire him Heb. 4.15 In the form of a Servant Like unto us in all things Sin only excepted Never yet any Heretick blasted him with Sin Union 3. A Union of two Natures Nestorius denying communication of Idioms divided Christ Homo Christus nascitur Deus Christ is born God and Man Mary was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Psal 40.16 Corpus aptasti mihi A Body hast thou prepared me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like unto Man in all things Flesh of our Flesh and Bone of our Bone Perfect God and Perfect Man of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting no Confusion of Substance but Unity of Person As the Sun and Light are one as the Graff and the Plant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil A fiery Sword two Natures fire and steel two Acts cut and burn to cut burning and burn cutting Sic liceat magnis componere parva Alas we do but stammer In all our expressions there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some likeness and some disproportion The whole Mystery is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above our understanding above our expression above the apprehension of a Created Nature A dark glimmering we have of it a spark 1 Pet. 1.12 The Angels stoop down to look into this Abyss but cannot fathom it Great Wits have been too bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrius was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too subtil a Disputant Naz. Nestorius had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tongue too well hung The manner of these things is unconceiveable Tu disputa ego credam Let whoso will dispute it is safest to believe Just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the best Foundation It is to be believed that God and Man are mutually each others Sons and of this great Subject with reverence I thus as a weak man declare my sentiments without School-Terms begging pardon for all failings When our Work is wrought out of us in nature it is our own Incarnation because it is our nature and like our selves as a Son is wrought out of his Father in nature he is his Fathers because he is his Nature and like his Father When our Work is wrought out of us in our Fancy or Judgment it is our own because it is our fancy and like our minds as a volume or structure is the Idaea of our Imagination and is our Imagination and the Child of our Imagination because it is like its Father Now as it is with Man so after the model of our apprehension it is with God When God's Actions are like himself then the genuine Effects are his Sons As Adam God's Creature was the Son of God and Christ the Emanation of himself the Brightness of his Glory and the Express Image of his Person is the Son of God There are but four Relations I humbly conceive of Sonship between God and Man As thus 1. Either God is the Son of God 2. Or Man is the Son of God 3. Or Man is the Son of Man 4. Or God is the Son of Man 1. Because when God bringeth forth a Son Reason that Son is either God or Man And when Man bringeth forth a Son that Son is either Man or God For besides God or Man no other Thing can have Sons Angels and Beasts have none The Reason is To produce a Son these two Properties are required 1. In the Parent a faculty of Reason 2. A power to Generate Now none but God and Man can have these two Properties concurring Angels and Beasts have but each of them one and want the other Angels have Reason but not Generation and Beasts have Generation but not Reason Therefore 1. When God bringeth forth God according to God's Image then God is the Son of God 2. When God bringeth forth Man according to God's Image then Man is the Son of God 3. When Man bringeth forth Man according to Man's Image then Man is the Son of Man 4. When Man bringeth forth God according to Man's Image then God is the Son of Man Though in all these Relations Man as Man is not the Son of God nor God as God is the Son of Man Pardon O thou Great GOD the faint conceptions and expressions of a Worm and help the understanding and utterance of thy poor Creature and teach me to believe what I am not able to express All these four Generations of Fathers and subordinate Productions of Sons
a Pledge of our following after him Christ after his Resurrection receiving this Power sits not on his Royal Pavilion as an idle Spectator of his Subjects from heaven but gave at first a sensible demonstration of his invisible Power by sending down the Holy Ghost in the likeness of Fiery tongues upon the Apostles inspiring them with Tongues and revealing to them the Mysteries of God's Kingdom This JESUS hath God raised up Act. 2.32 and being by the Right hand of God exalted he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Else at first if it had only been an invisible Kingdom above it might have seemed a dream to them which were yet but Novices But since he hath continued and will continue to send down his Holy Spirit into the hearts of all his Servants not miraculously with Signs and Wonders as before but ordinarily and yet sufficiently for the good of their Souls and the edification of his Church till we all come in the Unity of the same Spirit to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ And this he will do according to his Promise Lo I am with you alwaies even unto the end of the World SECTION I. Now the chief Effects of the Holy Ghost the Promise of the Father sent from Christ are Victory over Sin Victory over the Law and Victory over Death by Christ's Victory over all these Victory over Sin Victory over Sin was 1. Not External only by Christ on the Cross for the Remission of Sins and for Exemption from Punishments Col. 2.15 Where he spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly and where he Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a Curse for us Then did Christ put a Period to all ineffectual Sacrifices and demonstrate his displeasure against Sin afterwards publish free Pardon through his Blood which was effectually obtained by the offering of himself to God for all that repent and believe the Gospel 2. Not external by moral Righteousness of outward Works by our own natural Power according to the Letter of the Law nor yet ceremonial or ritual Observations conducing nothing to the subduing of corruptions and Lusts This is that Pharisaical Righteousness by which St. Paul professeth that he could not be thereby justified Phil. 3.6 9. although he walked according to the Law blameless and wisheth to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ 1 Cor. 4.4 the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Yea more though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified Exiguum est quiddam ad legem esse bonum Seneca It is no great matter to be good according to the Rule of the Law called the Law of Works and the Righteousness of Works The Sin of the heart was by the corrupt Gloss of the Scribes and Pharisees called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Sin that came not within the Scope and Compass of the Law Because the Law enjoyned no punishment for it And if thoughts and desires were Sins they fancied that the Sacrifices would do them all away St. Paul searched into the Law as far as another man and yet he could not discern Lust to be a Sin by the ordinary Precepts till he found one more large than the rest that told him he should not lust Thereupon Tryphon the Jew noting the extraordinary high Commandements of the Gospel reaching even unto poorness of Spirit pureness of Heart mourning hungring and thirsting after Righteousness Peace-making Love of Enemies Adultery of the heart murder in heart c. wondred and declared that it was impossible to perform them Joseph Josephus therefore blames the famous Historian Polibius for ascribing the death of Antiochus to be a just Vengeance of God upon him for his thoughts of Sacriledg which he never acted saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides the Scribes and Pharisees set up their own Traditions above the Law of God and were errant Hypocrites For which cause Christ declareth so many woes against them and that the very Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them and that not every one that said Lord Lord should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that did the Will of his Father which was in Heaven and that their long Prayers and Fasting was to devour Widow's Houses Matth. 5.20 And that except the Righteousness of the Jews did exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3.3 And that except a man be born again he shall never see the Kingdom of God 3. Imputation of Righteousness Not External Imputation of an external or internal Righteousness of another as is fancied of the Righteousness of Christ and the Righteousness of the Saints both ex abundanti works of Supererogation serving over and above their own turns to the necessities of others to all intents and purposes as if they were their own A Cloathing up another Man's back to keep me warm upon a mere Imagination reckoned to be mine though I have not a Rag to cover my nakedness A kind of Dream of a Shadow in a shew of Modesty and Humility to colour inward Hypocrisy and Carnality A Title of the Holiness of another man to justifie me to the Estate of happiness without any of my own as much as if I had it really and indeed Jam. 2.14 As if a sick man could be cured by anothers health and a Blackmore cleansed by another's whiteness as if a naked or hungry Soul could be clothed or fed with words without giving them any raiment or sustenance An uncouth Notion irreconcilable with many Scriptures That God will nor justifie the ungodly but reward every one according to his works making Sin and Righteousness both phantastical without any real Evil or Good at all Of these it may be most truly said as Tully said of the Epicureans opinione tantum justi opinione tantum beati they are holy in opinion and happy in opinion only But what say the Scriptures He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 Joh 3.7 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar 1 Joh 2.4 and the Truth is not in him If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the Truth But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Ye have overcome the wicked one and the world by Faith He that overcometh shall eat of the tree of Life and he shall not be hurt of the Second Death He shall have the hidden Manna and a white stone and a new Name that none knoweth but he that hath it Apoc. 2.7 That I may know him and the
power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Phil. 3.10 If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus This is the New man put on and the old man put off and the renewing of the Spirit the New Birth and the new Creature Christ formed in us our crucifying dying rising with Christ This is the internal real inherent Righteousness of Poorness of Spirit Mourning Pureness of heart Meekness Patience Love to Enemies c. According to the Precepts of Christ far exceeding the negative Righteousness of Moses to be no Adulterers no Swearers no Murtherers c. And farther Act. 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities 1 Cor. 7.18 The Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish Foolishness but unto them which are saved it is the wisdom and power of God beating down the strong holds of Sin and Satan Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquities and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good Works ye were not redeemed with corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation c. The Gentiles that followed not after Righteousness have attained to Righteousness Ro. 9.30 c. even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness have not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Ro. 10.3 They being ignorant of the Righteousness of God and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Act. 26.18 I have sent thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me I have searched all I can to make out this Imputed Righteousness but cannot for my heart find it I should be glad to be better informed But the true Inherent Righteousness by Faith is plentifully discovered in the Scriptures to be the True Gospel Righteousness which Christ came to set up in the heart And this is the wish of every true Christian to have an inward healing and not an outward hiding of his inbred Corruptions The Principle of a new Life the Seed of God the Spirit of Christ inclining our Spirits to the love of God and of all Righteousness And this is a thing correspondent to our true Nature which is desirous to act freely and ingenuously in the waies of God out of the Principle of a Living Law written in the heart and to eschew Sin as contrary to a Vital Principle This was somewhat hinted at by the Philosophers of Old who judged Vertue not to be merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing taught by outward Rules and Examples like an Art or Trade and Aristotle is bold to affirm that Men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good by a divine Inspiration Whether or no this be not that Evangelical Perfection which St. Paul called the Resurrection from the Dead Phil. 3.12 towards which he so much pressed I leave it to others to judge And doubtless they that by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern Spiritual things and understand the wisdom of Perfection and hunger and thirst after it notwithstanding the Irregularities of sensual Motions and violent assaults of Passions and daily incursions and obreptions of Infirmities through Ignorance or Inadvertency shall be accepted of God in the honesty and meekness of their Souls through the worthiness of Jesus Christ 4. There is a Jural Righteousness Jural Righteousness For our Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness or which is all one we are justified by Faith as will be proved hereafter But this is not the Moral or Legal Righteousness of another made ours but our Faith gives us a Right and Title to be the Righteous Sons and Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Jesus Christ who maketh us partakers of his Rights not individual his Personal Rights but specifical procuring for us the Right of Adoption and Sonship after his likeness by Grace who is the Son of God by Nature and by the Means and application of Faith made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Thus I have endeavoured to prove by the Scriptures That by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ God hath given us through Faith a Spiritual Resurrection from sin and a Victory over Sin inwardly by the inherent Righteousness of the Spirit SECTION II. I shall farther labour to prove the same comfortable Truth by these Reasons Victory over Sin We have a real Victory over Sin and a real Righteousness of heart by the Spirit of Christ 1. Because it is the property of Light to conquer Darkness Light conquers Darkness Truth is the Light in us This Truth is of God who hath made it innate and cognate with the Soul Falshood and Lies are Darkness This Falshood is of the Devil who hath made it adnate and allied accidentally to the Soul When the Natural Light which was created in the Soul is used by Faith in the Promises it is enlightned farther with the supernatural light of Grace and so the unnatural Darkness of Sin is dispelled by the Beams of a Heavenly Illumination 2. Because Sin is no Native Sin no Native but a Stranger and Intruder into the Mind which is the Lord's inheritance therefore Sin may be conquered and beaten out and shall be beaten out when a stronger than she is come upon her An adventitious and extraneous thing is expellible by the Original The true and ancient Nature of the Soul suffers violence by these Strangers Sin is the Praeternatural state of Rational Beings Men are born free and ingenuous Servitude is unnatural Therefore as Sin was not Primary or Connatural with the Soul so we have no reason to think that it should be perpetually adherent or unalterable there-from A jarring Instrument may be set in tune A dyscrasy of Body may be rectified A discomposed ruffled Passion may be laid The Soul was harmonious as God first made it till Lust disordered the strings and faculties thereof And God the great Harmostes is able easily to put it in perfect Concord again The Soul was perfectly sound and Righteousness was the health thereof till Sin made the dyscrasy And God the great Physitian of Souls is able to bring it to the right and
perfect temper again Propension in Nature to its proper state 3. Because there is a great propension in Nature to return to its proper estate by casting of what is heterogeneal thereunto So Medicaments are subservient to Nature by removing obstructions but Nature it self and the inward Archeus being released and set at liberty works the Cure The whole Creation groaneth and longeth to be delivered Ro. 8.21 Bodies bent out of their natural place and violently forced from their proper position of their parts have a spring of their own and an inward strong tendency to return to their posture again This is Motus Restitutionis as if the Air be driven into a narrow compass it hath a spring or Conatus to come back to its proper state So a stone thrown upwards hastens to fall to its Center Sin is a violent and preternatural Estate Returning to God and Righteousness is Motus Restitutionis Liberationis a motion of Restitution and Liberation The Elater and spring in the Soul being quickned and enlivened by God's Grace hath a natural Conatus to return to its proper Estate I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my Members Ro. 7.21 warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my Members This is called Spirit the Mind of the Spirit Inward Man Law of Mind an Innate propension of the Soul awakened to return to its genuine condition as it is intellectual and free to its ancient Nature When the Spirit of God promised to Believers acts from the Spirit or Soul of the Faithful there is 1. An Assent to yield unto God 2. An Acceptation to receive his Promises 3. A Concurrence to work with him Here is no external force or violence offered to the Soul to free it from a state which it would alwaies continue under but a sweet and gentle Call to return to its proper state which the Soul it self longs for Where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty The Freedom of the Spirit is the Soul 's acting from an inward principle and spring of its own Intellectual Nature Longing to be restored and endeavouring with God's Grace to return So that there is not a mere outward Impulse of the Spirit of God but an inward Concurrence of the Spirit of Man The Soul is not like a Boat tugged or driven by Oars or Winds but it goes on Secundo flumine according to the genuine Current of its own intellectual Nature with the help of the gentle gale of the Divine Spirit Genuine nature of the Spirit 4. Because it is the genuine Nature of the Spirit to do that which is agreeable to the Spirit and pleasing to God of whose Nature the Spirit doth partake Vertue and Honesty are homogeneous Vice and Wickedness are heterogeneous There is in the Spirit Cognatio quaedam cum Deo A certain kindred with God 5. Because it is natural to the superior Faculties to be predominate Superior Faculties predominate They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Lordly nature and made to rule and the inferior Faculties are of a Servile disposition and made to obey It is then but Jus Postliminii for Equity Light and Reason to be re-inthroned in my Soul there to command and suppress the Exorbitant affections that rise up against it This is the design of God in the Gospel to restore us to the rectitude and perfection of our own Beings Wherefore he calls us off from the perishing vanities of this World so infinitely below us not to debase or pollute our Spirits by them not to gratifie our lower Faculties the Brute that is in us but the sublimer Angel above The outward objects are but Baits to the outward relishes and sensations of the Body The outward World is like an enchanted Palace seemingly ravishing but a mere Spectrum or shadow that which pleases is the Vital energies of our own Spirits to Vertue and Goodness 6. Because we are not merely Passive Active Cooperation but an active Co-operation is required in us The Spirit of God in Nature that Spiritus intus alens produceth Vegetables and Minerals beyond Art and Industry yet it doth not work absolutely unconditionally omnipotently and irresistibly but requireth certain preparations and dispositions of Plowing Sowing c So the Spirit of God requireth some preparations and dispositions in our Spirits forasmuch as it may be stirred up or excited in us or resisted and quenched by us Unless the Husbandman stirrs up and plows the ground the Spirit of God in Nature will not give any increase So we are bidden to plow up the Fallow-ground of our hearts that is to do our earnest endeavours to work out our own salvation to fight the good fight of Faith to run the Race and to enter in at the strait-Gate Be not therefore merely Passive but move and co-operate with God Fac quod in te est do what is in thy power to do and God that gave thee that power if thou use it will give thee more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do but breath a desire and long to come to God and God will meet thy desires and draw thee after him with the Cords of his Grace and Love It is a never-failing Rule He that hath shall have more full measure pressing down and running over shall God give into his bosom But he that hath not from him shall be taken away that which he seemeth to have For all Motions unto Sin and from God are unnatural retrograde excentrick unkindly forced cross unprofitable dishonourable SECTION III. Of Christ's Victory over Law Hitherto I have spoken of the Inward Victory over Sin by the Resurrection and Spirit of Christ Now in the second place of the Victory attainable by the same Power over the Law by Christ his Victory over the Law Where Sin is there is alwaies a Law and where there is no Law there is no Transgression The Law is considered two waies Outward Covenant of Works 1. As an outward Covenant of Works by which Death is to all that break it in Morals or Ceremonials And all men are naturally under the Law and are convinced thereby of Sin and Death and are therefore in bondage and fear of death all their life long without mercy This outward Letter or Covenant of Works is conquered by Christ's Death on the outward Cross Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith That we might be free from the Obligation to the Commandements which were not good Exod. 20.25 Christ having broke down the middle-wall of Partition Eph. 2.14 15. that was between the Jew
5. Some mens Religion is nothing but a Faculty of Rhetoricating in Preaching and Praying by Inspiration as they call it of the Spirit whereas in truth it is a mere Natural Faculty often helped by Art and Learning in persons grosly hypocritical and debauched There is a mere Natural Enthusiasm of Poetry and Oratory Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus ipso Sedibus Aetheriis Spiritus ille venit And when such Eloquent and fiery men are imployed in Religious Exercises they are fluent to admiration and become extremely popular to lead Multitudes like Pitchers by the Ears into Fanatick Distempers against Church and State in Peace or Warr especially if they be bred in the Schools of Learning or set in Publick Imployments It is farr from my meaning to undervalue or declare against the sincere and ardent affections of Devout Souls naturally and freely breathing out their earnest Ejaculations to God in private But to caution the Simple well-meaning People from mistaking the Natural and Enthusiastick fervour of mens Spirits and the ebulliency of their Fancies and Expressions for a supernatural Inspiration especially if they meddle with Religion or Polity for which they have no warrant from God or Man Let the World know what wise men judge That the Evidence and Demonstration of God's Spirit consisteth not in words and talk as if God were to be heard for their much speaking or glorified by their loud noises and long harangues For that is chiefly to be discerned in Life and Action though the words be few And therefore when some Corinthians were puffed up by reason of a rich Fancy they had expressed by the sweetness of Attick Eloquence in which they were bred so that the Unlearned had their Persons in great Veneration above St. Paul who had not that strain nor could use the entising words of man's wisdom in the business of the Gospel he tells these deceived Souls having the Word of God in respect of persons and their boasting Teachers the Gnosticks That he would come amongst them for he had the Spirit of Discerning and know not the speech of them that were puffed up but the power For the Kingdom of God saith he consisteth not in Word but in Power and Life Wherefore laying aside all these deceitful Fancies let us really set our selves to mortifie all our Lusts and Affections That being Born Crucified Dead Buried and Risen with Christ here we may live Eternally with him in Glory hereafter Amen SECTION I. From all these Premises we derive these Corollaries or Conclusions Of the Consequences of Christ's Death and Resurrection Material Cross 1. There is a Material Cross of Wood. There are Whips Nails a Crown of Thorns Agony and Death at Jerusalem outward visible matter of Fact a History 2. There is a Spirttual Cross The spirit virtue of Death Spiritual Cross Fellowship of Sufferings Death of Sin in the Heart inward invisible matter of Right a Mystery 3. Material Resurrection There is a Material Resurrection from Death and Grave at Jerusalem outward matter of Fact History 4. There is a Spiritual Resurrection virtue Spiritual Resurrection power of Resurrection from Death in Sin to the Life of Righteousness in the heart inward matter of Right Mystery The Historical Faith is only of matter of Fact for Knowledge only as the Devils and Turks c. believe The Justifying Faith is for matter of Right for Merit Virtue Power Comfort of Christ's Death and Resurrection by the Spirit of Christ So are all the Promises of God accepted by us and sealed confirmed to us So we promise and covenant to and with God So we partake of all the Benefits of his Death and Resurrection 5. Material Ascension There is a Material Ascension of Christ into the holy place of Heaven offering up his Blood to consecrate that place for us sitting at the Right Hand of God and making intercession There he rules over all things from thence he sends down his holy Spirit Matter of Fact History 6. There is a Spiritual Ascension Entring into the Hearts Spiritual Ascension Ruling in our Souls by his Spirit Crying Abba Father Matter of Right Mystery So in Christ's Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension there is a History and a Mystery a Letter and a Spirit 1. Christ is born in our Flesh Christ is born in our Spirit We are born in the Flesh we are born again in the Spirit Christ is formed in the Womb of his Mother We are formed in the Womb of Christ We are born in Christ and with Christ and Christ is born in us and with us 2. Christ died in the Flesh we are dead in the Flesh we are dead to the Flesh We are dead in the World we are dead to the World We are dead with Christ and buried with Christ 3. Christ rose in the Flesh Christ riseth in the Spirit We shall rise in the Flesh we shall rise in the Spirit Thus there is a Birth in Sin there is a Birth to and from Sin and there is a Birth for Sin Thus there is a Birth in Sin there is a Birth from Sin and there is a Birth to Sin Thus there is a Life in Sin there is a Life from Sin and there is a Life for Sin So Christ's Death conquers our Sins for us And Christ's Spirit conquers our Sins in us So Christ's Resurrection raiseth us from Sin unto Righteousness Christ's Resurrection justifies his Death to be true and Christ's Resurrection justifies the pardon of our Sins and his Spirit doth actually assure the pardon to our Souls So Christ is in us and with us and we are in Christ and with Christ So Christ lives in us and with us and we live in Christ and with Christ So Christ is crucified in us and with us so we are crucified in Christ and with Christ So Christ dies in us and with us and we die in Christ and with Christ So Christ rises in us and with us so we rise in Christ and with Christ So Christ is glorified in us and with us and we are glorified in Christ and with Christ This is to eat Christ's Flesh and drink his Blood spiritually This is to put off the Old Man and to put on the New Man This is our Regeneration and a New Creature This is our Communion with Christ and Christ's Communion with us This is to dwell in Christ and Christ in us This is to be one with Christ and Christ with us I am my Well-beloved's and my Well-beloved is mine This is to believe all and do all in the Spirit in the Lord and for the Lord. All is our Faith all is his Spirit The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life If ye fast or weep for Christ's Death if ye feast or rejoyce for Christ's Resurrection do all in the Spirit Pray Praise Hear Read Sing Meditate Communicate Live in the Spirit Obj. The Language is hard and high Sol. It is
the Language of the Scripture and the Sense thereof and therefore may be understood and they that give their minds to it are found able to express themselves in it very well to the great comfort of themselves and others Obj. But how shall I partake of Christ and the Benefits of his Death Passion and Resurrection Sol. By the easie and only way of Credence Acceptation Covenanting and keeping Faith with God agreeable to the mind of the Spirit and renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil Care must be taken for the Soul more than for the Body If God had asked some great thing must thou not have done it How much more when he saith Believe only and thou shalt be saved Ask and you shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you If there be first a willing mind it is accepted of God according to what a man hath and not according to what a man hath not If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature And God giveth his holy Spirit to those that ask him So Christ by his Death and Resurrection hath externally conquered Sin Law and Death for all men So Christ by his Spirit doth internally conquer Sin Law and Death in every believing Soul and creates inherent holiness therein So by Faith the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us to be the Righteous Sons and Heirs of God by Grace and Adoption as Christ is by Nature and Generation So by the Spirit of Faith we are inherently sanctified in Love and Good Works which maintains and upholds our Justification by Faith So Imputed Righteousness by Faith is our external Righteousness of the Spirit of Righteousness or Justification to Eternal Life So our Inherent Righteousness by Works is the inward Sanctification of the Spirit of Holiness In all this Book I have laboured to demonstrate Christ's Mediation between God and us especially as he is an High Priest I. In the outward Temple on Earth preparing himself for a Sacrifice by the sufferings and death of his Flesh II. In the inward Temple of Heaven by finishing the Sacrifice in the oblation of his blood to God He entred into the out ward Temple by his Birth and there he suffered and died He went out of the outward Temple by his Resurrection He entred into the Inward Temple by his Ascension and there he ministers as a Priest 1. By offering or presenting himself unto God by his Eternal Spirit 2 By Intercession at the Right hand of God 3. By Teaching and instructing of his Church 4. By Protecting and ruling by his Spirit He shall come out of the Inward Temple at the last day 1. To Judg of all that are capable of the Inheritance devised by God in his last Will. 2. To Admit and give Possession as an Executor of God's Testament 3. To give up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all in all The Head being thus entred into Heaven gives assurance for the Members to follow after In the mean time 1. They have a Right to enter 2. They do enter by Faith 3. They wait by Hope for a full entrance The Soul waits after death in Paradise Abraham's Bosome The Body waits in Corruption No Oblation ever pleased God but this of Christ No Oblation pleased God but Christ's Because Pure and Holy High and Heavenly and prepared by God himself For 1. The Person is heavenly that offers 2. The Sacrifice is heavenly that is offered 3. The Spirit is heavenly by which it is offered 4. God is heavenly to whom it is offered 5. The Place is heavenly wherein it is offered 6. The Blessings are heavenly for which it is offered Dead Sacrifices were fit for the Dead Law Living Sacrifices fit for the Living Law Earthly Sacrifices were fit for the Earthly Law Heavenly Sacrifices fit for the Heavenly Gospel No True Priest Altar Sacrifice or Temple but Christ We are Priests have Altars Sacrifices and Temples but all in Christ and in his stead do all offer all in his Name All was Earthly Typical and Carnal under the Law All is Heavenly Mystical and Spiritual under the Gospel 1. Baptism is the sprinkling of the Soul with the blood of Christ and the washing of the Holy Ghost 2. Communion is the Spiritual eating of the Flesh and drinking of the blood of Christ by Faith 3. Prayer is the Act of the Soul towards God 4. Conversation is in Heaven 5. The Kingdom of God is within us ruling and subduing our Lusts 6. The Kingdom of God is above us Triumphing 7. The Temple of God is within us in our Souls and Bodies offered a Living Sacrifice to God 8. Temple of God is above us in Heaven with Christ Every one that comes to God must offer Every one that comes to God must offer 1. Christ comes to God and offers Himself 2. Christians come to God and offer Themselves Religion is an Offering to God of our selves our Goods and Actions Atheism makes no acknowledgment by offering to God either our Selves our Goods or Actions Atheists live and die to themselves without God in the World All that offer in Christ are accepted of God for Christ's sake All that offer to God and all that is offered to God must be pure as God is pure Offering is an Acknowledgment of Subjection of Thankfulness of Liberality To God to Princes to Priests that are in God's stead Christian Religion most Spiritual and Glorious The Christian Religion is most spiritual and glorious 1. Christ the Author of it is God and Man Humbled in Sufferings and Death Exalted in Resurrection Ascention and Session at the Right Hand of God 2. The Gospel of Christ is the full Revelation of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and the most perfect Rule of Holiness 3. Christ's kingdom is over all inwardly in our hearts outwardly over our bodies and over all creatures 4. By Christ a new Creation new Heavens and a new Earth and new creatures 5. Christians are sons and heirs of God abstracted from Jewish and Heathenish Rites and from all carnal and profane conversation pilgrims strangers on earth wise to salvation pious to God righteous to men perfect as God is perfect Christianity is quite another thing than the World takes it to be 1. No carnal worship therein Altars Masses Idols Pilgrimages Reliques Sackcloth Ashes Whippings Crosses c. Exotick Paganish 2. No worldly Policy therein Infallibility Supremacy Miracles Pomps c. Cheats Spirituality Innocency Heavenly-mindedness Simplicity Obedience Love Quietness Chastity Temperance Patience Prudence Meekness Faith Hope c. are the Laws and Customs of the Church The scandal and shame of the Cross offends the World but was endured and despised by Christ and is endured and despised by Christians having an eye as Christ had to the recompense of the Reward and to the price of the High Calling
concernments is much pleased with them that after a little pain and patience there may be the greater indulgence unto carnal things for which they quickly hope for expiation by carnal sufferings A great cheat in carnal Religion Thus the outward man is much pleased 1. With the History of the Cross of Christ 2. With the pictures of the Cross of Christ and sheds many a melting tear at the actings of this Tragedy 3. With Whippings Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages c. Col. 2.18.23 A voluntary humility a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility in neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh 2. The Inward Cross is the power and virtue of Christ's death the spirit of Mortification and Self-denial the Spirit the Inward Man is much delighted with these exercises of the Spirit the Mystery of Christ's Cross the Memory and Love of Christ crucified the Joy and patience of suffering for Christ 2. The Effect of the Cross Crucifixion Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by Outward Cross which is 1. Procured and merited for us by the outward Cross and Passion Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ for us By these is Salvation from the victory of Sin Death and Hell all conquered by Christ Propitiation and Attonement made Security from the barr of Justice that Scopulus Reorum and Curse of Law Solus calcavit Torcular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ trod the Wine press of God's wrath alone no Angel nor Man to help him He left nothing undone that he might be the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings 2. Wrought and effected to us and in us by the Inward Cross and Passion of Christ sacrificed and offered in us This is the spirit and power of his death the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Philosophy 1. Philosophy did combate much with sin Vertue kills Vice Reason destroys Passion Brave Seneca cries out like a Christian O when shall I see the day when all my Passions shall be subdued and that I shall say Vici I have overcome them Christianity 2. Christianity much more more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ Thanks be to God which hath given us Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only be valiant and of a good courage Flie from sin as from a serpent resist the Devil and he will flie from you stand still and see the salvation of God This power of the Cross will do our work for us and in us this death destroys death this is to conquer by suffering Depressu Resurgo the more kept down the more we rise A Divine virtue in Christ's sufferings a great conquest made by the Son of God in his own person for us in our persons for our selves under him and by him From hence we have power to conquer Sin Law Satan Death I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Hence we overcome the world are dead unto it using the world as if we used it not this is our victory even our Faith this is Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion with Christ Regeneration a New Creature Thus Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified to himself a people zealous of Good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that they might obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus It is not therefore good to glory in Carnal things such as Eloquence Wit Beauty Health Honour Riches c. It is not good to glory in Carnal Religion such as are 1. Ceremonies Judaical or Heathenish 2. Ordinances Opus operatum Prayers Fastings Hearings c. It is good to glory in Spiritual things such as are Faith Love Hope Patience Joy Peace Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce But this is counted no Joy but Melancholy or Religious Madness in Sequestrations from worldly Policies and Glories and Conversation wit God and our own Souls The gaieties of this world affect the senses and they are counted little better than stark Fools that prefer undiscerned contentations of the spirit before them When Paulinus a Young Noble Man and Senatour of Rome renounced the World and became a Christian the whole City wondred at it and all the Wits jear'd at his retirement from the splendour of the Court What a Gallant so young ex illâ formâ ex illâ prosapiâ illâ indole so beautiful of such a family and of such ingenuity and leave all his companions and pleasures Such men are counted mad men and weary of their lives scorning the delights of Nature Paula and Melania two Noble Ladies left their honours and estates for the Cross This was presently Table-talk for all Rome St. Paul so noble so learned so honour'd as he was counted all but Loss and Dung to gain Christ was as a man crucified and dead unto the world the world had no favour for him nor he for the world so is a Christian not of this world dead to it looks to higher things As the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans so Christians have not their conversation with the world As a man Proscribed is pursued from place to place hiding his head so is a Christian As a Woman divorced from the Bed and Board of her Husband lives still in the family walks up and down like a shadow hath food and clothing only upon courtesie but no countenance from her Husband nor respect from her children nor command over her servants So are those that take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Cast therefore your eye once more upon this great Mediator in all his Transactions Here 's a Conception Birth Life Cross Death Here 's a Resurrection Ascention Entrance and Oblation in the Holy Place Session and Intercession And what a coming to Judgment will that be at the Last Day How is all this apprehended Why was all this Action and Passion Shame and Glory Was not a Deity offended and thereby appeased How Affected what Joy what Sorrow what Hope what Faith what Obedience what Thankfulness what Love what Oblation of all that we are and have and all nothing to what is due from us but is all accepted of God More would a Soul inflamed with divine love do or suffer She cannot do what she would but she will do what she can and throw her self into the arms of her dear Lord praying him to accept her as she is and make her such as he would have her for to be for his own great Mercies sake I. Christ the true Sacrifi◠and Priest Christ therefore is the Absolute and true Sacrificer and Sacrifice in se per se in himself and by himself 1. Because he only perfectly pleased God This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He only was without sin he only fulfilled the Will of his Father 2. Because he only is the cause of all our
Sacrifices and Services that are acceptable unto God He is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 3. Because he qualifies all our Sacrifices and Services through his Perfection all our Imperfections are hid and covered 4. Because he only made an Attonement for the sins of the Whole World Christians true Sacrificers and Priests II. Christians are True Sacrificers and Sacrifices in their Bodies and Souls offered as living Sacrifices which is their reasonable service not of themselves nor by themselves but in Christ and by Christ 1. Because Christ is the Head of the Church 2. Because Christians are the Body All are offered by Christ the Priest and Christians Priests all suffering together Christ for us and we under him for our selves to fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ for his Bodie 's sake which is the Church Decrees III. We are told of a Decree and of Decrees 1. Of Absolute Election from all Eternity Christ's Doing and Suffering 2. Of Christ's doing and suffering all that is to be done or suffered for our sins to pacifie God's Wrath and Merit Happiness Our Doing and Suffering 3. Of our doing nothing and suffering nothing what think we Is Faith nothing are Hope and Love and Good Works and Tribulations all nothing and just nothing True we and all our Faith and Love and Good Works and Afflictions are all nothing and worse than nothing in themselves and out of Christ considered but in Christ and for his sake Christ hath made them something yea and all acceptable to God too and rewardable too by God for his sake Reasons 1. Because they are Spiritual Acts and Spiritual Acts are pleasing to the Father of Spirits as 1. Killing of Lusts and corrupt Affections 2. Consuming them 3. Offering up holy desires to God 2. Because they keep the Covenant of Faith with God 3. Because they flow from an habit of Holiness to justifie true Faith in God 4. Because they do good to Men. 5. Because they obtain Reconciliation with God I do not say they procure or purchase or merit it at God's hands but that they obtain or receive it at the hands of God for the Worthiness of Christ 6. Because they are the weightier Duties of the Law Tithes of Mint and Cummin Sacrifices Offerings and other Rites were the weighty duties of the Law of Moses But Justice and Judgment and Mercy are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done but not to leave the rest undone So Prayer Alms Fasting Hearing Preaching Praising Communicating Baptizing c. are the weighty duties of the Law of Christ but Mortification Crucifying Self-denying Regeneration New Creation c. are the far weightier services of the two these must and ought to be done and not to leave the other undone And these must first and last be done leave all the rest undone till this be done Leave thy gift at the Altar and go and first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come again and offer what thou hast to offer Wash your hands ye Sinners and purifie your hearts ye Double-minded and then come and offer a spiritual offering Offer to God Thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the Most High and this is better than a Bullock that hath horns and hoofs Obedience is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Lambs Go learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice 1. So then there is a God that is offended Corollaries 2. So then there must be a coming before this God to answer for those offences 3. Outward Sacrifices of Bulls and Goats of old and other services of Circumcision Sabbaths c. when brought before him could not do the deed 4. Outward Sacrifices among us Christians as of Prayer Sacraments c. when brought before him cannot do the deed 5. But Christ's Sacrifice of himself once offered to God through his Eternal Spirit in Heaven hath done the deed by his merit 6. And Christians Sacrifices of themselves often offered to God through Christ's Spirit in Earth do the deed by our duty I. See then what true Religion and the power of Godliness is Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this for a man to visit the fatherless and widow in their distress and to keep himself unspotted from the world The rest are but the forms and outsides of Religion 1. As among the Jews Sacrifices and Oblations Tithes Fasts Feasts Sabbaths Circumcision Passover Washings c. 2. As among Christians Prayers Praises Preaching Sacraments Fasts Feasts Offerings Penances Burnings Prostrations c. The Substance is Spiritual Prayer Communicating Fasting Feasting Justice Equity Mercy Humility c. II. The Christian Law requires more than any Positive Law Justice is the most that any Positive Law besides requires but Mercy to our very Enemies and purity of heart and poorness of Spirit c. no Law but this doth urge Called the Law of Love and Grace a Law above all other Laws III. 'T is good but Law living according to the Law of bare Nature as 1. To defend ones self 2. To nourish young 3. To do no wrong Natural Justice and Love IV. 'T is good but Law living according to the Positive Law of Nations as 1. Suum cuique tribuere to give every one his own 2. Neminem laedere to hurt no body 3. Honestè vivere to live honestly Positive Law These are good steps to farther Justice of Equity Grace and Mercy And yet but a small matter V. 'T is good and high living according to the Law of Christ in the Gospel as 1. To love our Enemies 2. To offer Life and all for Truth 3. To do Equity and Mercy c. This is that that God requires of all The Christian Law This is Perfection Covet after the best Gifts But behold I shew unto you a more excellent way This is above all Law Super-Justice VI. A Rebuke 1. To all Rigor and Extremity of Law 2. To all carelesness of others sufferings and wrongs Who cares what becomes of all Miserable persons Let them starve or hang or damn they care not A merciless Spirit worse than an unjust spirit No bowels nor yernings nor pity that 's a hard case VII A Rebuke to all formal Religion as 1. In outward Ceremonies 2. In outward acts of Justice Honesty and Love Opus operatum trusting in the Work done 3. In sinful compliances and worldly correspondencies for friends gain honour and favour fair shews complements no real honesty or love Worldly policy VIII Rebuke of Pride as 1. For Honour and Greatness 2. For Riches and Estate 3. For Power and Prowess 4. For Beauty 5. For Learning and Wisdom 6. For Wit and Cunning. Worldly Pride We are all fellow creatures we are all partakers of the same Grace without merit or desert we have nothing but what we have received there is no respect of persons with God IX Many a habit
of God have been thoughts of love and kindness in him all along from the beginning of the world but especially in the days of the Gospel And that God's love was always to mankind though not so clearly demonstrated as it is now by Christ How therefore this frowning face of terrors and amazements in his dealings here giving mortals no rest for the little space he hath afforded them to stay in this world and plunging them into eternal torments in the world to come can consist with the gentleness and justice of his nature I can in no wise be satisfied I am not able to conceive of a good Prince but that he will be always careful to preserve the lives and fortunes of his good Subjects and use all possible means to reduce the rebellions and still to be sparing of the blood of his People even where his Justice calls for it Nay every petty King of a Town or Family will do the same within the circuit of his power How much more then shall the Great and Gracious not only Potentate but Creator and Redeemer of the World hover over his poor creatures and servants for good and be infinitely and therefore inexpressibly tender of their Temporal and Eternal Wellfare But I am told that God reprobates the far greatest part of the world to shew the Glory of his Justice and absolute Soveraignty over his creatures And here I must cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depth and if I be one of these Cast-aways must be as the rest contented and for ever silent 'T is true I must if so and there can be no help for it nor must Mortals complain for who art thou O Man that thou shouldest dispute against God But how these men more than others of equal judgments should come to this pitch of Knowledg to determine this thing thus I cannot imagine nor whence they had this revelation And how this agrees with God's declaration of himself to be willing that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth and not to delight in the death of any Sinner will put them to a stand Well however it is I am sure that God is good and if God hath given men reason to understand what is Justice and Mercy how the wisdom of God though infinitely above should be as infinitely contrary to this our humane understanding will be very hard to conceive Still Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy in God or Man though in vast differences of degrees We shall never know how but we may always know that God is Just and can and will do us no wrong I take the safest side therefore I hope if I interpret humbly all his dispensations though seemingly never so harsh to be cum favore that if he do as certainly he does severely punish yet he will as graciously reward those that fear him for all their miseries in this life And if God inflicts as he doth the same Calamnities now under the Gospel as he did before under the Law yet it is in a different manner in the Church's Majority from what it was in her Minority And that though the former Dispensation was in wrath yet now it is in Grace and was always just Well let the Inhabitants of the earth work righteousness as well as they can and trust God for his Mercies and through the tender mercies of God they shall be sure never to miscarry I am certain Grace is Grace and above Wrath though I suffer never so much And that God does not dodgenor lie upon the catch with mankind to destroy them but rather waits for their conversion to save them I will trust in God therefore though I am never able to understand the reasons of his workings From henceforth I will never go about to measure the depths of God's Providences by the shallowness of my comprehensions I will be meditating and doing good and leave all to God But it is high time to leave this dreadful Subject of mis-representing God in his Counsels so fatal to mankind Gospel-Dispensations Let us see what other mis-understandings there are of God's Dispensations God was pleased suitably to the non-age of the Church to address himself very much to the lower faculties of the Soul and the outward senses that were nearest to them and did most affect them Therefore he ordained splendid Types solemn services and many miracles as the pillar of a Cloud and of Fire the walls of water in the Red Sea the burning Mount Sinai the tabernacle and rays of Glory visible therein the Temple c. But they which look for any such apparent Expressions of Divinity now mistake the Genius of a Gospel-Dispensation to a Church Adult and capable of higher Administrations All things since Christ's coming are managed in a sedate smooth and serene temper The mysteries of the Gospel came forth in plain and intelligible forms of Speech from Mount Sion without drawing the Soul into Raptures and Extasies of amazements God doth not fright men into heaven by visible Terrours God expects now a reasonable Service a Judicious Religion acted by the Spirit of Love and of a sound mind under the Graces Truths and Glories of a Gospel-state for ever to endure This Spirit of the Gospel arriving to our Spirits in this aimable and winning manner creates a generous Spirit above the Evils or Goods in this world resolved to go through them and overcome them and settle upon absolute Eternal Goodness When men's hopes and fortunes are most embarqued in the Ship of this World without Faith They are in continual fears of Shipwrack because then all is lost that is before their sense But when men's hopes and fortunes are all embarqued in one bottom of Divine Faith they are in continual Hopes and Assurances of arrival in the Haven of Glory because then all is found that was before their Spirit in the Eye of Faith This Hope so full of glorious and blessed Immortality hath supported the spirits of such as live by their Faith better than all the Fatality of the Stoicks or the Jollity of the Epicureans These can look Sin and Death in the face by the Spirit and not be daunted by the Flesh The high Religion of the Gospel teacheth higher things than ever that of Moses or the Law of Nature or Nations or Philosophy could do Reformation This great Reformation of Religion in the World Christ declared plainly to the woman of Samaria requiring of him as a Prophet to tell her the place of worship whether it was not to be upon Mount Gerizim in Samaria where the Fathers had worshiped and not in Jerusalem as the Jews believed Upon this occasion he told her that neither she nor the Samaritans her Country-men nor the Jews nor yet the Gentiles of the World should from that time ever trouble themselves about the place or manner of Divine worship For it should be neither confined to Samaria nor Judea but should
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
'T is very hard But Noble Spirits cannot brook it their Tongues and Pens and their whole Bodies may be captivated against their Wills but in their Souls they will be free Is there any greater Idleness Idleness than to stay and rest on that which men have formerly done said or written to attribute all to the Ancients without leaving any thing to be mended by those that come after them Surely all the Mysteries of God and Nature are not yet discovered the greatest things are difficult and long in coming and Truth is the Daughter of Time Many things which were hidden are come to light and more will come to light and our Successors will wonder that we were ignorant of them We do not build now adaies after the fashion of Vitruvius Improvements nor Till the ground or plant according to Varro or Columella we use not food or physick after the rules of Galen or Hypocrates we judg not exactly after the Civil Law of the Romans or the Feudal Customs of the Lombards neither plead we as Demosthenes and Cicero nor govern as Solon or Lycurgus did we war not fail not sing not c. as did the Ancients but much better And therefore the World is beholding to those brave Souls that have adventured by long Study care charges and bodily Labours to excel their Predecessors in finding out such rare secrets as serve more for the benefit of Mankind The Antipodes the Sailing by the Compass the Circulation of the Blood the Chymistry of Plants and Minerals Guns Printing c. were strange things to be believed before the truth of them was seen by Experience The Wisest men may not scorn better helps though offered by far meaner hands It must be pride that rejects teaching though from an Ant or Sow And let them be choaked that refuse to be drawn out of a Dungeon by Ropes and rotten Clouts Let the infection of Leprosie stick close to their Skin that scorn to wash it off in a narrow or shallow Stream Knowledg does very ill to puff up so as to scorn Ignorance much more to despise greater knowledg A Sickness a Disease of the Mind in men of high parts is hard to be cured but if their Bodies be in danger they will not disdain Album Graecum or the Receipt of a poor Beggar While they ail little or nothing they will resolve to die by the Book but if all the Great Doctors give not ease to the Gout or Stone Strangury or Flaming Feaver an Emperick a Quack an Old Woman any body that can be gotten for God's sake at any rate and thank you too a thousand times Obj. It is not safe to leave the old Road. Sol. What if it be rugged What if it be about c. What is he that will read in no bodies book but his own or that shuts his good book is wise enough and will read no further that begins to build and leaves off in the first story that goes half his journey and then comes back If Columbus had not discovered another World and Americus Vespucius conquered the same it had been no world still to us We must have wanted our Plantations of Virginia New-England c. and the King of Spain his Gold and Silver Mines Is there no progress to be made Must we stand at a stay Look into all Mechanick Trades Mysteries and Professions they grow more ingenious every day to their great Commendation Observe Lawyers Philosophers and Physicians Oratours Poets c. improving daily God's Blessing on their hearts for so doing Obj. But Divines must not stir a foot others may Sol. No Why so Stay let us consider more of this matter It is for certain that no other Foundation can be laid than what is already laid of Gold and Silver and pretious Stones But we may build upon this foundation suitable matter which will endure the Fire Christ Jesus delivered the full perfection of all truth the most pure precepts and highest promises in the Gospel The Apostles but it was a long time first understood it and preached it to the world The chiefest things which Christ did suffered and spake are written in the Gospels as also the Sermons Miracles and Acts of the Apostles in the Epistles also are occasionally taught the pure Doctrine of Christ unmixed with Moses and Vain Philosophy The Apostles by Inspiration understood the whole Will of God and preached infallibly and from their Light we all receive Light But Inspiration and Infallibility dying with them the Disciples of the Apostles and their Disciples were good men and kept the Faith which was delivered to them and so it hath been kept and would have been kept by constant tradition of Preaching if so much had not been written as is written In a word the Will of God was plainly revealed Corruption and as plainly understood but some after the Apostles days grievous Wolves entred into the Flock of Christ even Jewish and Gentile Christians who wrested the Scriptures both Old and New to their own destruction and too much trusting to art and subtilty corrupted the simplicity of the Gospel Then as mens Pride with their wealth and worldly polities encreased came in the Doctrines of Infallibility Supremacy Transubstantiation Purgatory Masses worshipping of Saints and Angels innumerable Superstitions of Will-worship and carnal services And though in all these ages good men saw the clearness of Gospel truths through these mists of vulgar errors yet could not swim against the Stream and the common sort relying upon men of mighty names grew careless to search any further believing all that was told them by their Leaders The rest contented themselves and sate still under those Tyrannies wishing for Reformation but they were poor and weak and the violence of the Powers and Multitudes was too strong against them Such was the humour of those dark and ignorant ages when the modest Disciple would not presume to know more than his admired Master though he were fit to be a Master himself to others And so the world lay in a trance for a long time and fetcht a sound sleep and was almost dead especially in and about the Eleventh Century that unhappy age overspread with Ignorance and Barbarity Reformation Till by degrees some more Heroick Spirits appeared and boldly told the world those glorious truths which they had discovered as Luther Melancthon Cassander Calvin c. who weeded out many Tares that the Enemy had sown while good men were fast asleep And since that greater men than these have more and more illustrated the Spiritual Dispensation of the Gospel to all mankind far different from that which was before the Law and under the Law And still we go on to perfection not for a new Faith or Religion but for the understanding of the old way of God more perfectly The Reformation grows higher and higher every day and the Faithful grow more and more spiritual and fitted for glory walking more sublimely and
as fully every way as upon those vulgar or scholastick notions that they have been used to and spent their oratory upon in the Geneva knack of sermonizing Now whether Preaching have not been extremely abused let the sober judg When the plain simplicity and purity of the Gospel is left and sentences of Fathers and Councils or School-subtilties or Casuistical Mootings but especially Rhetorical flourishings mingled with Poetical flashings and ginglings are all hudled together in a Pulpit to amaze the Hearers that the Preacher may be admired for a deep Scholar and a precious man of God All the Learning that hath been in esteem for the most part was the learning of the Antients and of the latter Schools and to stuff our Books with their Sayings was our greatest glory but give me the men that can invent of their own and add better to the former labours of learned men Lord what great care and psins is there taken and what vast expences made to search in forrain Parts for old ends of Gold and Silver Brass Wood and Stone in Coins Mettals Plates Marbles Statues Tables Pictures Banners Escucheons and Manuscripts to print them in stately Volumes to know the customes and habits of Idolatrous Heathens or superstitious orders of ignorant Monks and Friers and to what purpose How do some men stretch their memories for there is nothing of judgment in the case to understand the Oriental Tongues consuming the precious time and strength of rare Wits in Criticisms upon words and Idioms of strange tongues by Lexicons only which might be far better imployed in the understanding of things profitable to the Church and State I deal freely and ingenuously with my Reader I care not to pump and plod for other mens notions less proper for my purpose and so lose my own If I meet with any better I shall not stick to use them and so to make them mine in my own composition without plagiary He is no fool that saith Potest homo sine Magistri ductu Claubergius Invention suo remigio è solâ mentis suae Tabulà mundi vasto volumine studere imò pluris in rebus naturali lumini subjectis facienda est una veritas proprio Marte reperta quà m decem ab aliis acceptae dantur exempla eorum qui è semetipsis mundi libro studentes magni viri evaserunt Every man may without the conduct of a Master guide himself by his own steerage and study in the Book of his mind and in the large volume of Nature and one truth so found out by a man 's own ingenuity in those things which are evident by the light of nature is of more worth than ten that are conveyed to us from the wits of other men And there are not wanting examples of many that being students of themselves and of the world have attained to be very great and learned men The Mind is sensible of the Distemper of the Body but the Body is not sensible of the discomposure of the Soul Most men not using their rational faculties lead more an animal than an intellectual life Our reason began to be disturbed as soon as ever we began to speak and that corruption corrupted our speech afterwards and most men go clear away with false reasons or flashes of wit for sense And by custome for want of observation this cheat is established and none but discerning and honest unbiassed men do seriously mark it An Oratour or a Buffoon makes us merry and gets applause when a sober plain wise man cannot be heard and especially when mens interests come in to get favour or gain any thing is swallowed and the cunning man will not own it that he cheats another or is cheated himself If therefore we use the common way of speaking we shall speak truly but if we use the common way of reasoning we shall not reason truly For right reason is a very hard thing to come by and few have it and yet every man pretends to enjoy it Fearfulness For my own part I am distrustful of my self and this is the only satisfaction that I can give my own Soul that I am sensible of nothing more than of mine own weakness I do therefore fearfully commend my Thoughts to the world and because I have few or no succours nor encouragements I am come a begging to every wise man's door for his relief in charity to tell me truly where I am and how I am likely to be accepted and whether all this be worth my labour I confess I may be over-conceited of my own conceptions and dote upon my own homely Brat I would fain know my errors which my own self-favouring spirit may not suffer me to understand Act. 8.26 I seem to aim as Apollos was taught by Aquilla and Prissilla to understand the way of God more perfectly The things I deliver are the same but they have not had the luck to be clothed altogether in the habit And what then have I done And what will become of me How shall I be slash'd for my presumption Some body I hope will take my part for I look to be hated because I single my self from the company of other men Giants to me and whose Books I am not worthy to carry nor be named the same day with them Yet still my little Candle may give a small Light amongst those vast Tapers Tell me some good body my fortune in this case and what I am likely to trust to for I am by nature very fearful Imperial Law If in this great case of God's disposal of rights to his Church and their Justification to them by faith I have made use of the Terms of the Imperial Law of the Romans or the Feudal Law of the Lombards Feudal Law I hope it is not without good grounds And if in any point I have erred I shall be glad to be convinced thereof that I might amend it And if in any thing I have afforded any light towards the right understanding of the Two Testaments and the great cases of Justification and of Christ's Church in order to a fair composure of needless Controversies I shall be mightily satisfied and heartily thankful to God and good men And I hope by this Essay some stately spirits will rouze up their Lion-like strength Essay and carry all before them with an high hand laying all the perverse disturbers of the Church at their conquering Feet and tumble them into their everlasting graves from ever rising up again to perplex the world any more at least in a degree if God so please If any be so scornful as to slight me or so cruel as to smite me with reproaches I shall never reply but lie still and defend my self with my good intentions to be serviceable in the Tabernacle of God though but as a Hewer of Wood or Drawer of Water And why may not a Dwarf carry Arms for a Giant Or a poor Boy run
about with Powder and Shot to a man of War Farewell THE Second Volume OF THE ESTATE OF GOD Concerning things to be had of God The First BOOK OF RIGHTS The CONTENTS Transition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right TITLE I. Of Things A Testament is a just Disposition of things to be had or done Transition Testament and the things disposed to be done are the conditions of the things disposed to be had And because the conditions or things disposed to be done are contingent for daily experience shews that many of them are not done therefore the Legacies or things disposed to be had are contingent for daily experience shews that they are not had Because where precepts or things devised to be done are not done there Legacies or things devised to be had are not had And this is a just Disposition The object of God's Predestination or purpose to dispose are not Persons only but things also with relation to persons and it is all one in effect to predestinate the person to have or do a thing and to predestinate a thing to be had or done by a person For there is no difference between these two dispositions I purpose such a Mannour for my Son John and I purpose my Son John to have such a Mannour SECT III. Things All Entities or Beings are Things Rights Persons and Actions that is things to be had or done or actually had or done i. e. Corporeal or Incorporeal things by all Persons The best Disposition that can be made by God or Man is of an Inheritance because an Inheritance is an universal right to the whole Estate of the Testator And such is the Inheritance of the Estate of God by Jesus Christ For the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord in whom we are heirs and co-heirs for all things are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and if God hath given us Christ How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Now because by the works of the Law which is the first Disposition by way of Testament no flesh living can be justified to the Inheritance of Eternal Life which was by promise therefore Justification is without the works of the Law by faith in the promises of the Gospel which is the second Disposition by way of Testament So then Legal Righteousness by works is altogether insufficient as to give us any Right or Titles to the Kingdom of Heaven and Evangelical Righteousness of Faith is the only means to obtain the Inheritance of Promise SECT IV. Method The Nature therefore and Differences of the Old and New Testament being understood a way is fairly laid open to the true understanding of the great and so much controverted point of Justification which is very easie in it self but hath been made obscure and grievous by the perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and reprobate as concerning the right apprehension of true and saving Faith First therefore to treat of Rights and then of justification to the best of Rights in the best Testament of God to the best Inheritance will be the natural method herein to be followed After this order we will now begin speaking first of Things then of Persons then of Rights belonging to them and last of all of the Actions of those Persons for the obtaining of those Rights in those things that belong to those Persons for an Estate consists not only of Material goods of Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable and moveable but of immaterial goods as Rights to Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable or moveable And Actions Pleas Services or Priviledges in all these which are both beneficiary and honorary and burdensome parts of mens Estates of all which they may make a voluntary Disposition SECT V. God is an Eternal Being of all things in himself God's Donation and from him all things have their being and by him they are preserved and governed All things beside God are either Spiritual or Corporeal with or without life have or have no end and they all serve for the glory of their Creatour These things thus framed upheld and ruled by God are the Heavens and the Earth with the Waters and all that belong unto them The use and benefit of them all together with the regiment of some he hath given to the Sons of men Besides all this he hath of his abundant grace and bounty given and granted eternal blessedness to them in his Son the Principal Heir of all things that by him they might be made the Sons of God and Heirs together with him of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven In order to this great donation we must consider the Things to be had by it and the Things to be done for it SECT VI. I. Things to be had The Things to be had by it are 1. Present all Spiritual and Temporal Things 2. Future all Celestial and Eternal Things For Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come and all things are ours whether the world or life or death or things present or things to come and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and God is all in all SECT VII II. Things to be done The Things to be done for it are 1. Natural to understand desire remember put forth and exercise the faculties of Soul and Body in God's Service 2. Spiritual to receive and use higher illustrations affections memorials and aids for the exercising of Soul and Body in Divine Faith Hope and Love Now there is great reason that where there is something to be had there should be something to be done for it But especially in gifts of this nature where all things are to be had it is honourable for the giver and reasonable to the receiver that some small thing should be done which can no ways be commensurable nor proportionable to the liberality of the donor and those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal things bestowed by him yet at least in acknowledgment and gratitude they are justly and honourably expected and required by the benefactor at the hands of the beneficiary Obj. It is objected that all is given by the free-grace of God and nothing to be done by us Answ All things are given indeed freely because Christ is given but not absolutely without any condition for such a gift is not in wisdom and honour to give all and expect no return no not so much as of Love and Obedience As for Recompense and Requital there can be none in the Receiver nor is expected or needed from the Giver But every gift ought to be disposed prudently else it is no true bounty but waste and prodigality And all such gifts are thrown away from which there ariseth no true benefit to the Receiver nor honour to the Giver Now God doth all things most freely and with the greatest love imaginable
donation of the second and last Testament for the best conveyance and surest settlement of the best rights in the best of things to the best inheritance by the best Mediator by the best title of faith justifying the sons of men by nature to be the sons of God by Grace which is the best assurance to eternal life SECT III. This state and condition these humane persons are put into by God Freedom which must needs be a state of Liberty and great Honour For Slavery is incapable of any Right to any thing Slaves possess not because they are possessed they have no Wills because they are at the Wills of others nor can they act or suffer any thing do no right nor suffer any wrong because they are dead in Law and as dead by them neither Right nor Wrong can be had done or suffered and to them no Right or Wrong can be inflicted This Freedom is of Sons in the Family and Citizens in the Common-wealth of God This gives them capacity and receptibility of Rights if they will consent to receive and enjoy them Being therefore placed by God in this noble estate and way of happiness they may and ought to look out and sue for those pretious promises that God hath made them To the atchievement whereof he requireth nothing but their own faith and acceptation without which it is morally impossible that any gift of good-will should take effect And as men are thus made by God liberal agents freely to accept or freely to reject hold or let go so accordingly they may and do choose or refuse enjoy or lose If they accept they shall have the mercy offered and when they have it if they take care they may hold and keep it and encrease it constantly to the end of the full enjoyment when they are out of all harm 's way above and beyond all frailty or temptation to let go their hold SECT IV. But here they are frail and dangerously enticed in this world Falling and therefore without great care and vigilancy they may come off from those rights and they may not also according as they behave themselves in their love to God and care of their own Souls in keeping themselves from being drowned in the cares pleasures and profits of this life by too much sensuality and neglect of exciting and exercising their spiritual and rational appetites to their due objects which is a great forgetfulness and unthankfulness in a reasonable and free creature so much obliged to his Creatour for so noble a Being and so beyond measure engaged for an everlasting well-being promised unto him and freely laid before him which he cannot but shamefully and freely refuse if he will be so ungracious to so gracious a Saviour And thus if he perish he may thank himself for he is without all excuse SECT V. But while it is time he may recover again Recovery For God does not dodge with him either to take him at the first refusal of his Grace and never offer him more or to take him at the first faileur after acceptation and never suffer him to recover himself again God's ways are not like man's ways neither are his thoughts like man's thoughts but they are of another fashion We are too apt to think of God as if he were such an one as our selves to do as we do and lie upon the catch according to our evil natures but there is mercy with God and therefore he may be feared and hoped and trusted in Men will lie close and take men at advantage seize upon forfeitures re-enter ransack and play the devil and all in rigour and fierceness It is not so with God if it were wo worth to the world it were better for us that we had never been born or that we had been like the untimely fruit of a woman and had never seen the Sun But thanks be to God for his infinite grace but no thanks to the world at all If I fall there I may lie and perish and none careth for it but if I fall here I may repent and rise and recover all and be in as good and better condition than before and continue to the end And all this is the Grace of God and there is no such grace amongst the Sons of Men nor nothing like it For they neither will nor can do after this fashion the tender Mercies of the wicked are cruel God only wounds and heals again he only kills and makes alive he brings to the grave and back again and his Compassions fail not and therefore we see the Sons of Men are not consumed As therefore after Exile all Rights of a free man are lost but when a return is made he is restored into his pristine estate jure Postliminii with a capacity to acquire and retain all other Rights that he is or shall be proper for So after Spiritual bondage and Captivity all Rights are lost because Faith it self the vessel that held them is shipwrackt but when there is a return though by the single plank of Repentance or any other escape which we can make to shift for our selves to get into our own country again we are fairly and fully and freely received and welcomed into all our former Rights and Priviledges and met and embraced by our heavenly Father and joyfully entertained and engaged by heaped up Favours and Oblivions of all former miscarriages never to be so negligent as to suffer our selves to be surprized and taken by the common enemy and kept from God and our own Country any more Persons are considered as Private or Publick 1. Natural in themselves and to themselves 2. Civil in Human Society Politick to and with others 3. Religious in Divine Society to and with others The CONTENTS 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 TITLE III. Of Rights SECT I. HAVING then the fair New Testament of God before us Transition so confirmed and published as it is by Jesus Christ in which Men are the Persons only concerned as in a state of freedom rightly qualified to accept take hold of and use those gracious Rights to such high things as God hath be queathed It must needs be a matter of the highest moment to consider by what means such Interests and Priviledges may be acquired held and enjoyed how lost and how retrieved retained and kept unto
taken or received this is jus habere in them that have power to consent SECT VIII Creation 1. The creating all Rights as of all Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Being and Justice who giveth power unto men subordinately to make Laws and to do acts of Grace in imitation of that absolute Supremacy Legislative power and Prerogative that is in him alone this is Jurisfaction or making of Rights SECT IX Donation 2. The giving of all Rights as of Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Beings and Graces from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed who giveth power unto men to do acts of kindness and good will in imitation of that absolute Bounty and Liberality that is in him alone this is Jurisdation and Mercy SECT X. Declaration 3. The declaring of Rights is absolutely in God the fountain of all Wisdom who giveth power to men to know good and evil Right and Wrong that they might give every one his due in commuting just valuations and distributing proportionable rewards or punishments to vertue or vice in imitation of that infinite wisdom prudence justice and bounty that is in him eminently alone This is Jurisdiction and Justice SECT XI Faction 4. The Doing of Right is absolutely in God for there is none good but God the fountain of all goodness who giveth power unto men to do good and eschew evil by the practice of all vertue and honesty in imitation of that infinite goodness and integrity which is highly in him alone This is Righteousness and goodness SECT XII Reception The Taking of Right is absolutely in God who hath all right properly in and from himself who giveth power unto men to receive and take from him and them to whom he hath given Rights to such things as may be their own by free gift or law in imitation of that infinite possession and profit which is in him transcendently alone This is owning and enjoying Right SECT XIII Amongst all Rights whatsoever Justification the act of Justifying others unto Rights is the best and highest act of Justice or Judgment because it produceth or bringeth forth all original Rights as the parent or stock to the off-spring and branches that spring from the same For if he do right that either deals right or declares right much more doth he do right who creates that Right whereby actual Right is done by a neighbour to his neighbour or by a Judg to his Client When a Tenant pays thee his Rent he doth thee right but when thy Father gave thee thy Estate he did thee more right for he made that right and gave it to thee whereby thy Tenant doth thee right When I was questioned for my Living the Judg justified me by declaring me to have a good right thereunto but when my Patron presented me he justified me much more for he created and gave to me that right which the Judg declared me to have SECT XIV Of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour or benefit of every private person as they are in private capacity and society with themselves 2. Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of all persons as they are considered in publick capacity and communion with the State or Commonwealth which things are farther illustrated in the Civil Law In the Church of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour and profit of every particular person as Faith Justification Sanctification Love Hope Patience Temperance c Adoption Resurrection Ascension Glory SECT XV. 2. Publick Right Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of the whole communion of Saints and Body of Christ as 1. The Rights of Creation Protection Maintenance 2. The Rights of Redemption as Victory over World Flesh Death Devil 1. The Rights of Creation or Nature are common to all men good and bad and to all creatures and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be to the world's end And though the wicked amongst men are unrighteous legally and morally and therefore jurally have no spiritual Rights of the Gospel yet they are not unrighteous naturally to the use of the Creatures for food and raiment or temporal Dominion which are not founded upon Grace but upon natural and Civil Establishments Thus God left not the heathen that worshipped him not as God without Witness Act. 14.17 but gave them rain from heaven filling their hearts with food and gladness 1. The Rights of Redemption or Grace are peculiarly enjoyed by the Faithful only and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be world without end These Rights of Grace by Regeneration and a new Creature which were lost by the Fall of Adam are restored by the Redemption of the Second Adam Christ Jesus And all that have put off the Old man with the corruptions and lusts and have put on the New man which after Christ is renewed in righteousness and holiness are the righteous Heirs of God that have right to themselves and to their own spiritual actions and to the food and clothing of the Soul and all things that conduce to their everlasting welfare Rights are considered as private or publick 1. Natural in all natural Entities 2. Civil in all Corporations Politick 3. Religious in all Civil Communions 1. Singly to each person 2. Jointly in Divine or Humane Society SECT XVI Justice All Rights are Dues and may be claimed and Just and therefore Sacred and therefore not to be violated or profaned Because they are allowed to those to whom they do belong by the Laws of God and Man And therefore God forbid but every man should have his due that is his own Just Rights And this way of Justice and Honesty if it were trod in exactly would bring peace and quietness into the world and for want of it is all strife war and misery SECT XVII Rights to God My chiefest Rights of my Soul and Body Wife and Children Honour and Estate are of and to and from my God whose I am and all mine SECT XVIII Rights to Body and Soul My next Rights of my Soul and Body are to my self for I have Right to my self to be mine own for God hath given me my self my Soul and Body to be mine under him and for him and they are mine as they are his and therefore they are mine because they are his and because he hath given them to me and therefore he hath given them unto me which is his act and deed that I might give them again to him and this is my act and deed and so we have Rights interchangeably to each other And so I am contracted to my God and my God is contracted to me and I am his and he is mine I have interest in him and he
in me I may challenge my Right in him and he may challenge his Right in me These are my greatest Rights to my God and to my self SECT XIX Next to these Rights I have Right to one Person especially from all the world beside Rights to Wife which God hath given me to my self and made my second self that is my Wife who is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and are no longer two but one Flesh and by a higher Law she is Soul of my Soul and Spirit of my Spirit and we are no longer two but one Spirit By her I come to have Right to be a Husband and so a Father and so have Right to her as to a Wife and I have power over her as a Husband and she hath right to me as to a Husband and she hath power over me as a Wife And so I come to have Right to Children by her and she hath Right to Children by me and the Children have Right to us both So we have Right to Rule and they to Obey we have Right to instruct and they to be instructed Therefore next to my Right to God and to my self is my Right to my Second self which is my Wife SECT XX. And next to these is my Right to my Children Rights to Children that they are lawfully begotten of my Body and of my Wives Body and therefore they are mine and they are hers by right of Nature and of Law and none but God and we can claim any interest in them or title to them as Children But as Subjects and Servants to the King and his Ministers both Parents and Children may be claimed and used by their Superiours and all for God who hath given this power over them and made them as Gods unto us SECT XXI After my Right to my God to my self to my wife and children Rights to Estate and Honour I come to have right to my Estate or Office or Degree or what Honour and Benefit accrues to me by them and from them and these are the goods that God hath given me to feed and clothe and protect my self and my wife and children and servants c. With these I am invested and infeudated and they are mine under God of whom I hold and no body may invade my Bed where is the Honour and Estate of my wife and family nor my House or Land Cattel or other goods thereupon which is the Revenue and maintenance of my House or my Patrimony nor my Degree and Quality which is the augmentation of my Head and a badge of my Honour All these the most Rich and Bountiful God hath given me to use them rightly for his glory And he is a Traitor in my family if wife child or servant and a Robber out of my family that shall go about to ravish any of these my Just Rights from me and God that gave them me will defend them to me and cursed be those that shall estraye them from me but if they do by Divine leave I must submit and shall either have Restitutio in integrum in things of the same kind or ex gratia uberiori abundanti things of a better kind even Spiritual and Eternal shall be added to me and I will trust God with my self even with all that I am and all that I can do and with all that I have or possess and though I am not worthy to understand when or why or how yet I believe that God is my sheild and will be my exceeding great Reward and then I rest my self contented with his good will and pleasure Let me therefore look carefully to preserve my own Rights every way and to abstain from invasion or hurting any mans Rights any way SECT XXII Rights not to be violated Let me therefore first be so wise as to understand what Rights are both God's and mine and other mens both private and publick Let me next be so honest and just as to do Right to God and to my self and to all men For they are the wisest men that know best what is right and what is wrong and to whose persons they do belong And they are the honestest men that practice the right and avoid the wrong So shall there be no accusation from God nor regret from our own Consciences nor cries and clamours of men or other creatures spoiled or abused by me All is right and peace to a just and righteous God to a good Conscience in a wicked world I shall stand right in the sight of God I shall have right to Jesus Christ and in him to all things and shall be able to lift up my head at the day of Judgment when my redemption draweth near 1. Let me not violate my right to my God by unfaithfulness nor destroy his right to me of Adoption by my rebellion 2. Let me not violate my right to my self by sinning against my Conscience by sinning against my Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 3. Let me not violate the right I have to my Wife by prostituting her and my self to base lusts 4. Let me not violate my right to my Children by suffering Adultery in her and my self 5. Let me not violate my right to my Honour by base actions and by neglect of their Education 6. Let me not violate my right to my Prince and Country by Rebellion and Murder c. The Rights that accrue to me are these 1. Birth-right or chiefly first Birth-right 2. Purchase-right 3. Labour or Work-right 4. Promise or Gift-right And because all these are sacred in themselves and the more when they are concerning Holy and Spiritual Things therefore it must needs be profane 1. When a man willfully parts with his own rights without just consideration or reason as Esau who is therefore called profane because he sold his Sacred Birth-right or Primogeniture by which he was to be both Prince and Priest so basely and rashly for a Mess of Pottage 2. When another wilfully and covetously ravishes the rights of others to whom they do belong and taketh them by extortion to himself or giveth them to strangers This is a horrid and crying sin causing sad cries and complaints in the ears of God and Man from Orphans Widows Strangers and miserable persons many a bitter curse is darted to Heaven for these things Heavy is the load that presseth down these guilty Souls unto the Nethermost Hell and is an everlasting clog upon their Consciences in the world to come Great are the Destructions and Devastations that are made in this World 1. In single persons 2. In Families 3. In Towns and Cities 4. In Provinces and Kingdoms Hinc illae Ruinae hinc illae Lachrymae Hence are Ruines hence are Complaints one draws another and takes away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him This sets the Gowned and the armed Militia on work and sets the world together by the ears And for this reason 1. Because men do
according to our nature because God is right and good in his nature and to his nature and according to his nature 2. Therefore we are to create and make right and just according to the power that God hath given us because God doth create and make all right and just according to the power that is in himself 3. Therefore we are to bestow and give all Right and Just according to the wisdom and grace that God hath given unto us Because God doth bestow and give all right and just according to the wisdom and grace that is in himself 4. Therefore we are to have and enjoy all right and just in our selves according to the riches and plenty that God hath given us Because God doth enjoy and hold all right and just in himself according to the riches and plenty that is in him 5. Therefore we are to perform and do all right and just to our selves and to all others according to the justice and equity that God hath given us because God doth perform and do all right and just to himself and to all others according to the justice and equity that is in himself 6. Therefore we are to do right to God to our selves and others which is agreeable to our creation and natural because to do wrong to God our selves or others is contrary to our creation and unnatural 7. Therefore to do right to God to our selves and others is agreeable to our redemption and God's Grace and to do wrong to God our selves or others is contrary to our redemption and God's Grace 8. Therefore to do right to God to our selves and others is agreeable to our salvation or glory or God's glory and to do wrong is contrary to our salvation or glory or God's glory and unthankful 9. Therefore to do right to our selves and our Relations and Family is Private Honesty 10. Therefore to do right to our selves and others is Society and State is Publick Honesty 11. Therefore we shall have a reward from God and man for doing right 12. Therefore we shall have a Punishment from God and men for doing wrong 13. Therefore how good a thing is right and just agreeable to God Nature Reason Religion Laws Policy Grace Glory 14. Therefore how base a thing is wrong and unjust contrary to God Nature Reason Religion Laws Policy Grace Glory 15. Therefore all creatures have their rights and dues from God 16. Therefore all creatures should return their rights and dues to God 17. Therefore no creature merits or deserves any thing as his right or due for all gifts are free 18. Therefore all creatures are to give each other their rights and dues Once more I crave leave to handle this same Subject another way Thus. Right and Just is 1. To God 2. To our selves 3. To our neighbours 1. Right to God is to love honour worship and serve him by Prayers Praises Offerings Faith Obedience 2. Right to our selves is 1. To our Bodies Temperance Chastity Labour and not Hurt Bruise Lame Kill our selves 2. To our Souls Art Wisdom Prudence and Virtue 3. To our Estates Keeping Thrift Improvement c. 4. To our Name and Reputations Honesty Love c 3. Right to our Neighbour is 1. To their Bodies to save and defend hurt none by bruising laming killing 2. To their Souls to teach instruct rebuke 3. To their Estates to save and defend not to spoil invade or rob 4. To their Names and Reputations by charity reverence and praise not detract lie abuse SECT XXXI 1. Therefore though to hurt ones self by being Felo de se Collections Rather hurt ones self than others is most unnatural and wrong yet rather would I chuse to hurt my self a little or my Estate or Good name than to do hurt or wrong to another in his Person Estate or Good name And according to the tenderness that is in me I could the better bear my own sufferings and wrongs done by my self or others to my self than the sufferings and wrongs which I have done by my neglect or malice to other men I had much rather complain against my self than give just occasion for others to complain against me If this be not so much wisdom it may be the more mercy and tender compassion I can make a better shift to deal with my self and satisfy my self than to deal with others and satisfy them that perhaps will never be satisfied I had rather crie out against my self and punish my self than that others should justly cry out against me or persecute me And if they clamour or persecute me unjustly I can the better bear it If I be the worse for my self I hope I shall take it patiently and if I be the worse for others I hope I shall take it patiently and if I suffer from God I hope I shall take it most patiently for I have most reason so to do because I am sure I have deserved it God is just and merciful and will lay no more upon me than what is due and what he will make me able to bear and will deliver me in his due time But as for men there is no measure in their Malice and Cruelty Let me therefore rather fall into the hands of God for with him there is mercy but let me not fall into the hands of men for their very tender mercies are cruel But still I say in the mind I am in and I hope I shall ever be of this mind and I am sure it is the mind of Christ whatever becomes of me as to suffering of wrongs from my self or others I will endeavour by the Grace of God that no body shall suffer any wrong directly or indirectly from me that though I be the worse for my self and others yet no body shall be the worse for me in his body soul goods or good name I may possibly do my self as much right as I have done my self wrong but it is for the most part impossible to do others as much right as I have done them wrong to give satisfaction to the full is very hard in many cases Alas others cry bitterly but it is better I should cry than they Of all things I do not desire to have this to answer for that I have wilfully done or intended to do any wrong to any man any manner of way Of all cries let me not have any cries against me from others for mine own Conscience will be sure to cry most of all against me for so doing 1. Let me never have any just occasion O my God to cry out against my self for temporal or spiritual injuries done to my self or mine own flesh that I and they might have been healthy and sound in body or mind if it had not been for my intemperance and wicked counsel infecting my self and them in body and soul That I or they might have been wealthy and rich in Temporal or Spiritual Estate if it had not been for my Prodigality or Injustice or
Law his right of assembly to him and his heirs for ever Deut. 23.2 who stand excommunicated For A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. As an Alien Forreigner or Stranger is disabled and debarred from the rights and priviledges of inheritances freedoms votes and other common benefits of the Laws Municipal which the Natives do enjoy So the Romans Greeks and other Nations inhabiting Judaea were by the Jews accounted and called sinners We are Jews by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2.15 Because they were Strangers and Aliens who had no right equal with the Native Jews and Proselytes that were made free of their Nation As a villain or Bastard-born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a quasi Transgressor being wholly depersonated and degraded from the common Condition of a Man and depressed into the state of a Beast dead in Law having no Will nor Action nor Possession of any thing but is at the will and in the possession of his Lord subjected to all wrongs and excluded from all Rights having no Estate Office nor Suffrage must be no Witness can have no power to make a Testament Such was the state of Servitude a state of death not life Thus by the Law of God the Gibeonites were accursed Now therefore ye are cursed Jos 9.23 and ye shall none of you be freed from being bond-men and hewers of wood and drawers of water SECT VI. 3. The Distressed who justly according to the secret will of God Distressed for reasons best known to himself are afflicted with some notable and lasting misery such as the Blind and the Lame the Deformed the Lepers the Monster the Deaf and Dumb Innocents Fools and Frantick persons the proper objects of pity and compassion that neither sinned they nor their Parents but that the power of God might be seen and his Name glorified These are generally censured for sinners upon whom God hath layd such extraordinary calamities And so are such as suffer loss of Children Friends Honour Estate by storms and tempests by wars famines or any other fatal changes or chances in this world Such a one was Job yet a perfect and upright Man one that feared God and eschew'd evil yet Job's Friends erroneously condemned him for an hypocrite because so fearfully handled in his Person Children and Estate not considering That though sin be the cause of affliction yet it is neither the perpetual nor total nor sole cause thereof but that there are other good causes and considerations that flow from the secret and good will of God though they be hid from our eyes Thus those upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such things Thus those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such grievous things Thus Lazarus a beggar and lying at the Rich Man's gate and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man's Table Luc. 16.20 and was deny'd and the dogs came and licked his sores yet was he carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Thus the Man Blind from his birth and sate and begg'd was judged either for his own sins or for the sins of his Parents to be made so miserable but it was that the work of God might be manifest SECT VII 4. The Tainted or stained in Blood Tainted who justly according to the will of God are made heirs to their Fathers misery either natural by hereditary diseases or ill conditions or legal by Confiscation of Goods Infamy Bastardy Slavery or other attainder or corruption of blood but especially for crimes of Treason or other high mis-demeanors against the Common-Wealth for which the Children of those Parents are debarred from being heirs to their Estate or Dignity Thus the seven Sons of Saul were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord for their Fathers cruelty against the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.9 Thus the Sons of Gehezi were made heirs to their Father's Leprosy which clave unto him and to his Seed for ever 2 Kings 5.27 Thus Eli's Sons were turned from the Altar for their Father's neglect besides their own enormities Thus for Achan's Sacriledg his Sons and his Daughters his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and all his Tent Jos 7.24 and all that he had were stoned with stones and afterward burnt with fire Thus the Children of Corah Dathan and Abiram and all theirs went down alive into the pit for the Rebellion of their Parents Thus the Children of the Ninevites should have been destroy'd whereof six score thousand could not discern their right hand from their left had not their Parents repented at the preaching of Jonah The CONTENTS 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 Laciniana TITLE II. Of Original Sin Rom. 5.12 Explained IN this rank are all the Sons of Adam who for his disobedience are made heirs of his mortality By one Man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all Men for that or in whom all have sinned not actively by transgressing in his transgression but passively by being prejudicated in his judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his doom all Men were condemned to the state of transgressors These words In whom all sinned signify the same thing with those Vers 15. Through the offence of one many be dead and with these Vers 16. The judgment was upon one to condemnation and with these Vers 19. By one Man's disobedience many were made sinners And with these 1 Cor. 15.22 In Adam all die All which sayings amount to no more but this That by the sin of Adam he and all his Children were made mortal As by the sin of the Gibeonites they and their Children were made bound-slaves and by the sin of Gehezi he and all his Children were made lepers By one Adam sinning sin entred upon all Mankind and for that one Man's sin death came upon him and all Mankind by diminution of strength which caused grief diseases and death For though Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. was made a living Soul not a quickning Spirit yet if he had continued to obey God he had ever remained alive in paradise and whether any higher condition was appointed to him is uncertain to us and was not certain to him Some think after a most long life God would have delivered him from the Body without any grief or pain which the Jews do not call death but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Osculum Pacis the Kiss of peace others think he
and improbous as well as originally miserable and calamitous that is oppressed blemished distressed and especially tainted or corrupted from the womb Eccles 25.24 This is the Original sin with which all Men are defiled Rom. 5.12 for which death entred into the world Of the Woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die By one Man sin entred into the world Chrys and death by sin so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd 1.12.16 All the Generations of Men were healthful and there is no poyson in them nor the kingdom of death but ungodly Men by their wicked works and words have called it to them Contractio Causae SECT I. This cause of original sin may be thus contracted into these Corollaries or Aphorisms Accounting Corol. 1. All are made sinners in Adam as all are made righteous in Christ so accounted but both are really sinners and really righteous in their own actions 1. Because Adam had our Nature and we his but his Will was not ours Reason Adam's Will not ours nor ours his We were as to our Bodies in his loyns but not as to our Souls nor actually our Bodies neither but seminally causally and virtually But which way can any Man imagine that our Souls were propagated from him or that our Souls were in his Soul as our Bodies were in his Body Did not he judg for himself and choose for himself and do not we judg for our selves and choose for our selves for his Will was his own and our Wills are our own How can we imagine it otherwise He was deceived not we Reason He eat the forbidden fruit not we He was thrust out of Paradise not we 2. Because as it is just in Men to account the Sons of Traitors sinners Reason and punish them accordingly so it is much more just in God to account the Sons of Adam sinners and to punish them accordingly Adam sinned for himself and was punished for himself so that neither his sin was ours nor his punishment ours really but by imputation We are by Nature the Children of wrath Object Because we are Children of sin and of a sinner Solut. Adam a Representative of all Mankind as a Parliament is of a whole Kingdom If a Parliament err the Kingdom erres if they suffer the Kingdom suffers A Representative Will is a real Will in Law not in Nature Parliament's Wills are our Wills their Decrees oblige us because of our consent given to choose them to act for us How did we make such a Compact with Adam Yet Adam was a Corporation and we in him are included so as to stand or fall by him Adam was obliged to obey not to sin but he was obliged to suffer because he sinned We are obliged to obey not to sin but we are obliged to suffer because we sin And we are obliged to suffer because he sinned but how we are obliged to sin because he sinned I cannot understand SECT II. Object Solut. Levi's paying of Tithes Levi pay'd Tithes in Abraham's loyns A token of subjection in the Father which is derived to the Children If the Head yielded the Members must So they pay'd Tithes virtually in their Father before they were born but they must pay them actually in their own persons and for themselves after they are born As heirs have rights to Honours and Estates in their Father's Honours and Estates and also in their shames and Debts while they live but after their death they enjoy the profits and bear the burdens and shames of their Fathers How were our Persons in Adam Seminally as the plant in the root and seed potentially not actually But where were our Wills even where our Souls were with God that gives us them when he frames us in the womb Yet a Jural will we had in Adam to have a right in him and by him or else a wrong as people have in their Knights and Burgesses who nevertheless have distinct wills for themselves in other things as they have in whose wills for their election only their wills are included So Adam was for us all to stand or fall for us all not to do good or bad for us all and now we must all suffer by him though we did not act actually sin in him but virtually We have the same natural Body and inclinations thereof as Adam had But as his Body and his inclinations were personal to himself so our Bodies and our inclinations are personal to our selves If Adam in nature had been created a Child he could not have sinned because he as a Child could have no use of his will When I am born into the world I cannot sin in the world till I come to the use of my reason and will in the world how then could I sin before I was born or had a being in the world any more than as I was as the fruit is in the winter fast asleep in my causes How then say some we were sinners before we were and how indeed not so as they mean let them prove it if they can Corruption of Bodies is manifest and so Health is by weak or strong Progenitors Diseases and Health are much hereditary in Nature but virtues or vices of Souls I could never apprehend any descent or conveyance of them from Parents to their Children Estates Honours and Shames are convey'd and pass upon posterity but not by the passage of Nature but of Law We are all concluded by Adam's will yet how If he had done good altogether his goodness was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we should be the better for it But being he did evil his evil was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we shall fare the worse for it Adam was obliged to do good so are we Adam was not obliged to sin no more are we We are as free to good or bad as Adam and Eve were How is a Traitor's blood that runs in his veins or his Son's blood tainted the Wise can tell We put a great stress upon many things as upon this of Original sin and upon Hoc est corpus meum and upon Tu es Petrus and of being born in sin and of the power of the Keyes and of the Free-will and of Imputed Righteousness as also of Predestination Election Reprobation and of a Judg in matters of Faith of Infallibility and Universal Supremacy Heresy c. It was the custom then to speak yea think so as they declare in these matters Who can hinder or blame us justly for labouring to understand the meaning of these things and not be abused as our Fathers were We all agree concerning these matters of Original sin Election Reprobation Free-will Imputed righteousness the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist the washing of Baptism but we cannot agree concerning the manner If we would leave
quarrelling and sit still and consider these points we should in time understand them sufficiently by our own experience better than they do that dispute of them daily We are prone to nothing but evil Object Flesh is prone to evil by exceeding the bounds of reason Solut. but Reason it self tends another way With my mind I serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 Rom. 7.22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members Adam's faculties were corrupted so are ours Object Both true in a safe sense and if these safe senses were admitted Solut. all would agree but there is though not acknowledged Pride Interest and uncharitableness in the way that obstructs this universal good that would be both in Church and State But who can help it it must be born only wise Men and honest Men will be no slaves SECT III. We are made mortal in Adam Not actually by dying in his body and with his body Corol. 2. All mortal in Adam for we sprang from his body before dead but causatively by descent from his made mortal body As he sinned for himself so we sin for our selves Reason And as he died for himself so we die for our selves But his sin was not ours and his death was not ours but only the cause of our sin and the cause of our death Mortalis gignit mortalem Immortalis gignit immortalem Servus gignit servos Nobilis gignit Nobiles Fortes creantur fortibus Morbosi creantur à morbosis Infamis non gignit infamem Sed Peccator non gignit peccatorem Doctus non gignit Doctum Innocens non gignit innocentem In true and safe senses some Natural some Jural A Mortal begets a Mortal An Immortal begets an Immortal Cum grano salis Deus de Deo Servants beget servants Free-Men beget Free-Men Nobles beget Nobles Strength begets strength Weakness begets weakness Infamous doth not beget infamous But a sinner begets not a sinner A Learned Man begets not a Learned Man A virtuous Man begets not a virtuous Man SECT IV. Corol. 3. Righteous in Christ We are made righteous in Christ i. e. Accounted Reason 1 Christ's righteousness was not individually ours nor is our righteousness individually his nor can any person's qualities be communicated to another Reason 2 Nature made us in Adam Grace makes us in Christ Bodies were in Adam not Souls Souls are in Christ not Bodies One Man's will is not really in anothers Sin is in Soul not Body Death is in Body not Soul Righteousness is in Soul not Body We are born of the Bodies not of the Souls of our Parents SECT V. Corol. 4. Immortal in Christ Reason We are immortal in Christ by Christ's Body Christ's immortality was not individually ours as our immortality is not individually his But we are made immortal by his immortality 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam we all die so in Christ all are made alive Souls were not in Adam's Soul Souls are not in Christ's Soul Bodies are not in Christ's Body Our persons were not in Adam's person Our persons are not in Christ's person Our bodies seminally in Adam's body i. e. not to act in Adam but fast asleep in him as their cause Our Souls not at all in Adam's Soul but created apart and infused by God So the acts of Adam's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Adam's Soul were not the acts of our Souls So the acts of Christ's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Christ's Soul were not the acts of our Souls SECT VI. Every Individual body naturally acts for it self Every Individual Soul naturally acts for it self Corol. 5. Reason Every Individuum acts for its self Ez. 18. And is rewarded or punished for it self The Soul that sinneth it shall die Fathers eat sowre grapes Children's teeth not set an edge Every mortal individual is mortal for it self Every immortal individual is immortal for it self Every individual is good for it self Every individual is bad for it self So in a right sense 1. We are made Sinners by Adam's sin 2. We are made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness 3. We are made Mortal by Adam's mortality 4. We are made Immortal by Christ's Immortality If any Man can express these things better let him a God's Name I shall be glad to learn One Touch more and then I have done Adam's body the root and seed of our bodies Adam's Soul not the root nor seed of our Souls Adam's body acted for it self Adam's Soul acted for it self Our bodies act for themselves Our Souls act for themselves Ergo Adam's virtues were not ours Adam's vices were not ours Adam's rewards were not ours Adam's punishments were not ours Rules Unusquisque habet judicium pro semetipso Unusquisque habet voluntatem pro semetipso Unusquisque habet passiones pro semetipso Unusquisque habet actiones pro semetipso Every one hath a judgment for himself Every one hath a will for himself Every one hath passions for himself Every one hath actions for himself Individuals communicate not their actions or passions but are distinct as their persons Sin is not Nature Nature is not Sin Righteousness is not Nature Nature is not Righteousness The Close Natural actions of Body and Soul reach not beyond the person that acts them Moral actions extend not beyond the person that acts them Jural actions do extend beyond the persons that act them for punishment or reward by act of Law or Grace c. SECT VI. Once more and use it not I beg leave to review the triple distinction that I made of a Sinner Sinner Legal 1. A Sinner Legally is a transgressor and offender against the rules of the Law in not doing that right whereto the Law binds him and he that doth not right according to the Law he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Such sinners were the sinners of the Gentiles who lived in idolatry such a sinner was the Woman who washed the feet of Christ with her tears Joh. 7.37 and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed them and anoynted them with oyntment for she was an adulteress Such a sinner was the Woman taken in Adultery in the very act and was therefore brought by the Scribes and Pharisees unto Christ to be stoned to death John 8.3 4. And this kind of sinner who is a transgressor of the Law is opposed to the person who is legally righteous by doing that right which the Law requireth SECT VII Sinner Moral 2. A sinner Morally quoad mores is a Trespasser offending against the rules of Good manners of Humanity Equity Charity Mercy and Courtesy not dealing handsomly or kindly not doing that right whereto the rule of
condemned as Children of wrath that is after the Hebrew phrase such as have deserved punishment as Sons of deat hare such as have deserved death Vide 2 Sam. 12.5 John 15.12 2 Thess 2.3 1 Câ—r 11.13 14. So the Apostle disputeth Judg in your selves i. e. according to your natural Reason is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a Man have long hair it is a shame unto him c. That is not plain Nature but Customs far and neer in all Ages observed which are the Laws of Nations which are secondary Laws Rom. 1.18 c. springing from the original Laws of Nature For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shew'd it unto them But they when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their Women did change the natural use into that which is against Nature And likewise also the Men leaving the natural use of the Woman burned in their lusts one toward another Men with Men working that which is unseemly and receiving to themselves that recompense of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things who are not convenient without natural affection Col. 4.8 c. doing service to them which by nature are no Gods Others of the Gentiles which had not the Law writen on Tables did by nature the things contained in the Law these having no Law were a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another SECT XI Thus it appears that Nature teaches good and by her Dictates they that walk contrary to the course of Nature are condemned as guilty of the wrath of God and are therefore called Sons of wrath But to call these unnatural courses of Adult persons by the name of Original Sin Actual in which we are conceiv'd and born and for which we are liable to eternal death is so strange and so heterogeneal a consequence as by no considering unbiast way of reasoning can justly be deduced from such premises That Nature is good and teaches good appears in that all Men naturally desire good enquiring what is good what is Truth and who will shew us any good as 1. To do good to our selves and to others not to hurt our selves nor others 2. To keep our promises to all 3. To give every one their due This is God's Image It is as natural for Man to be good Quintil. as for Birds to flie and Fishes to swim 1. Because the Soul is a Spirit Reason and it is the nature of a Spirit to desire God and Goodness Soul a Spirit I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Spirits delight not in corporeal things the Soul draws near to his proper object God and Goodness The breath of God breathes after God The Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Receptacle of God as mattter is of form As there is a sympathy between the Seed and the Womb to conceive thereby so there is a sympathy between God and the Soul God the Seed the Soul the Matrix Man is a kind of Mortal god Tertul. In homine quid optimum Ratio hâc antecedit animalia Deos sequitur saies Brave Seneca Senec. what is the best thing in Man It is Reason by this he excels all other living creatures here below and follows God himself The Soul hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain formative quality from the kindly aspect and incumbency of God's Grace hovering and brooding over it Ephes 4.24 which makes the New Man which after God is created in Righteousnes and true Holiness SECT XII 2. Because Good is the most common and communicative thing that is Good most common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Hope and Love are the Common Laws and Notions tending to the common salvation God dispenses not Good sparingly he shuts it not up as Gold and Metals in the bowels of the Earth or Pearls and Jewels in the bottom of the Sea Say not therefore who will shew us any good or ascend into Heaven to fetch it down from thence that we may hear it and do it or who will go down to Hell if it were there to fetch it up from thence that we might hear it and do it for it is nigh even in thy heart it is the light that is in us which if it be darkned how great is that darkness The most excellent things of God are the most common and offered to all when other things are rare and present themselves to few God is every Man 's good that will Aquinas his Sister ask'd him how she might be saved he answer'd her If you will The Predestinarian makes a cross consequence from this Object That Salvation depends upon Man's will If the King pardon and the Malefactor sues it out and takes it Answ does the King's Grace therefore depend upon the Malefactor's will should he be forc'd to take it whether he will or not Is this reasonable If Men reject the Grace of God their destruction is from themselves but their Salvation is from God The goods thing of God arrive certainly at the persons that desire them So is it not in the things of this world Every covetous person is not rich though he rise up early and goes to bed late and eats the bread of carefulness yet all will not do Every Ambitious Man is not the highest though he aspire and labour never so much to climbe up to the top of Honour yet he is forc'd to stay below and move in an inferior Orbe Every Student that sits in the Vatican is not a great Clark and there are few good in any one Trade But in Divine things it is far otherwise for every one that asketh hath and every one that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh the gates of Wisdom are opened Every one that hungreth and thirsteth after Righteousness shall be satisfied Fastidiosior est scientia quà m virtus Learning Riches Honours c. are more nice and coy than Virtue is though Virtue be most lovely yet she is not so delicate and scornful as they that have far less beauty and worth in them Paucorum est ut literati seu Divites c. omnium ut Boni Very few can attain to great Learning Honor c. But all may be good and besides Honours Wisdom Power c. when they are gotten are
we shall be saved from wrath c. Do we then make voyd the Law Rom. 8.32 through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law In all the letter and scope of Scriptures upon this point the form of our Justification appears to be the Imputation or Accounting of our Faith for our right or Justification to the rights promised Ro. 5.17 8. There is mention made of Abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness And that by the righteousness of one the free-gift came upon all Men unto justification of life And that by one Man's obedience many were made righteous Phil. 3.9 St. Paul also desires That he may be found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith No Man is justified by the Law in the sight of God for the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And the promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World Ro. 4.13 was not to him or to his Seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith SECT III. But in all those places or any other Christ's Righteousness I cannot find any imputation of Christ's Righteousness The Righteousness of Faith and the Righteousness of God by Faith I find but no other By the Righteousness of Christ must be meant his personal obedience to the moral Law which cannot be made ours or translated to us or accounted to us and reckoned as ours for diverse and weighty reasons First because Christ's obedience was the obedience of a Mediator fitted exactly for such a Person and Office and no other A High Priest harmless undefiled separated from sinners c. Hebr. 7.26 one that makes all Men just and righteous and is made unto them righteousness sanctification and Redemption and is God our Righteousness That hath the Spirit of Righteousness without measure that is anointed above all his Fellows with that fulness from which we all receive Grace for grace whose Glory is the Glory of the only Begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth and much more than the Tongue of Men or Angels can express Now for a Man to be clothed with the Robes of this Righteousness as they speak is to appear before God not in the habit of a righteous and justified Man but of the justifier of the Sons of Men whose righteousness is too excellent and glorious for our condition of a Mediator God and Man We are the better for his active and passive obedience for it is the cause of our Righteousness by Faith The Members partake of the benefit of the Head The Wife is endow'd by Marriage with all her Husband's goods but the virtue of the Head is not appropriated though communicated nor made over to the Members nor is the estate of the Husband past away or made over to his Wife The Endowment of the Wife is no formal cause nor ingredient of Marriage but a fruit or consequent thereof So our justification or our right to the Righteousness of Christ that is to his Rights and Priviledges accrues to us by our Marriage with Christ which is by Faith the formal cause thereof The Estate Wisdom and Righteousness is Christ's but the benefit of them and of all that is Christ's is ours as is the Wealth and Wisdom and Honour of the Husband to the Wife In a word Christ's Righteousness is that for which Faith is accounted to us for Righteousness Ergo the Personal righteousness of Christ himself is not accounted to us Secondly Because Personal moral virtues cannot be past over to others by act of Nature or Law as by Descent Donation Succession Cession Dereliction Degradation Deprivation or any other way or means Because they are inherent habits of the Mind and therefore inseparable from the Mind and if separable altogether inconveyable to the Mind of another by deed of gift Descent of Blood or any other conveyance whatsoever during life or after death But Jural Rights are of that nature as that they may be derived by act of Law not Nature from Parents to their Children from Predecessors to their Successors or Alienated from the Proprietary to any other Person not only to be reckoned but to be really his or theirs to whom the alienation reversion or derivation is made by any act or deed according unto Law to take place in life or after death Also some act of mine may be accounted for a right to my self as my labour for my wages my purchase for my Estate my Faith for my justification Thus Moral Righteousness is inseparable from the Person to which it doth belong and cannot be reckoned to another but Jural Rights are separable and may be accounted to another I may possibly be respected and saved for another's Virtue and Worth but his Virtue and Worth can no waies be made mine Virtue Learning Vice and Ignorance are habits and qualities which are a Man 's own without accounting but Riches and Honours we have as rights accounted unto us or else we cannot have or hold them My Health or Sickness of Body may be propagated to me and from me to another but not the Health or Sickness of my Soul Who can be healthy by another Man's health while he possesseth it Who can be sick by another Man's sickness while he possesseth it Who can be rich by another Man's riches while he enjoyeth them Who can be honourable by another Man's honour while he enjoyes it Who can be disgraced by another Man's disgrace while he suffereth it Who can be poor by another Man's poverty while he endures it Who can be learned by another Man's Learning while he hath it Who can be virtuous by another Man's virtues or vicious by another Man's vice These Virtues or Vices are really his who hath them not really mine whose they are not or how can these things in another be so much as reckoned or accounted to be mine I may be reckoned guilty of another Man's sin and so of his punishment by consenting or helping c. but not for his acting or suffering I cannot be reckoned virtuous by another Man's virtue or sinful by another Man's sin or miserable by another Man's misery If I have many virtues others may have as many virtues or more than I and I have no less than I have but if I have many rights to such or such things others can have no rights to the same things If they be taken away from me in part I have the less if in full I have none at all but others
promise by a solemn oath See Gen. 13.15 and Gen. 15.18 and Gen. 22.16 and Gen. 26.3 and Gen. 28.13 And they had farther an assurance of this right settled upon them by many miracles and tokens 1 Cor. 10.1 c. For they all were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual drink c. Hath any Christian a better right or a greater assurance to the Kingdom of Heaven than the Israelites had to the Kingdom of Canaan yet many of them by reason of their carnal sins of lust idolatry fornication and such like did never enter that inheritance but were overthrown and destroyed in the Wilderness for God in his wrath retracted by oath that promise which before by oath he had confirmed See Num. 14.23 and Psal 95.11 and Ez. 20.15 and Heb. 3.18 2. Now all these Judgments happened to them for our examples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10.11 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall The mischief therefore that regularly follows upon our walking after the Flesh and committing of carnal sins is a Disherison or exclusion of us from the actual entrance and possession of that Heavenly inheritance whereto by Faith we had a right and title For although our good works are not sufficient enough to create us a title to that Inheritance yet our evil works are miscreant enough to defeat us of the title we had by Faith and to draw upon us a forfeiture of our former rights because our evil works argue us to be the Children of disobedience who will not be led and ruled by the Spirit of God they convict us of ungraciousness and unthankfulness for the Grace of God and condemn us to endure the wrath of God For although the Gospel be a Charter of Grace yet this is the Law of it against evil works because thereby we not only despair but we do despite to the Spirit of Grace which is an affront unto God who grants it and so justly we lose the benefit of the Grant through our own default Quod erat demonstrandum The CONTENTS Transition Works James 2.18 explained Works of Love TITLE VI. Of the Tenure of Justification MY state of Election requires a Tenure Transition For because the state of it is thus mutable therefore it requires a Tenure to preserve and hold it And because my state of Justification had a cause to create it so also it requires a cause to conserve it That which I have my Estate by is my Title by Gift or Birth or work or Purchase and that which I hold my Estate by is my Tenure or Homage by serviency Escuage or Soccage i. e. by Court-service War-service or Plough-service And because Estates are in this Life transitory and defeisable to come and go to be had and lost therefore when I have an Estate I must use the means to hold it otherwise I may make no benefit by it And this is necessary in all Estates to have a Title to get and a Tenure to keep or else no Estate would be permanent yea the whole World if it were not upheld by him that made it would eternally fall to ruin The Tenure of my Justification is works Therefore this assertion Works A Man is justified by works and not by Faith is as much the word of God as this assertion A Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and both are equally true 1. Faith is the Title of Right to my Justification 2. Works are the Tenure of this Right and Title till I am to possess the Inheritance which my Faith gave me Right and Title to The Reasons by which St. James proves this Justification by works are these 1. Because works keep Faith alive The act of Faith without them is of no effect though it did justifie to a right because without works following we can have no benefit of our Justification As a Bill or Bond or other specialty of Writing without a Seal or Hand is voi'd cancell'd to all intents and purposes contained in them So c. 2. Because Faith is by works made perfect it being alone a thing imperfect and ineffectual For in justifying it gives a Right and Title of Institution and Expectation claims Interest and Hope of a future inheritance which Right is escheatable and may be destroied but Faith seconded and animated by works 1 Pet. 1.4 finishes and compleats our Right to a fruition of the Inheritance seized upon invested in us and subject to no defeisance An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us Thus Abraham was justified by works when he had offer'd up Isaak his Son upon the Altar And Rahab was justified by works when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way Faith alone without works is like the Devil's faith who tremble without any hope or works And Faith without works is like the Body without the Soul But though my Tenure of Justification be works yet Faith is not excluded Not works alone nor Faith alone but both together do conserve the Title of my Justification which I had by Faith only And herein Faith hath the preeminence Faith without works doth justifie me to have my Right and Title but works without Faith do not justifie me to hold my Right and Title I say not works with Faith but thus Faith with works doth make me hold my Right Faith is the Principal and works are the Accessaries thereunto to animate enable and render Faith effectual to the possession of an Inheritance which that Faith gave right unto but could not bring to a full enjoyment without works And farther it is most certain that works do also justifie declaratively by manifesting that Faith to my self and to the World which did justifie me efficiently James 2.18 explained Shew me thy Faith without thy works and I will shew thee my Faith by my works ☞ Note here also That Paul by his assertion that a Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by Faith only opposeth the Judaizing Christians who were still operaries and rituaries of the Law thinking to be justified by them to the Evangelical Christians who were fiduciaries and spiritualists of the Gospel thinking to be justified by Faith only And that James opposeth the Gentilizing Christians who were still fiduciaries and libertines standing only for Faith and Freedom and neglecting and disgracing all works to them that were truly Evangelical that stood to their Faith and Liberty but admitted and honoured all good works also allowing therefore to the Verb justified these two senses of creating and conserving Justification it will follow That Faith only without works doth create
be perplexed for those sins that are fully and freely pardoned or for those Judgments which are as fully and freely removed by the death of Christ But in this weak Flesh there will be fears and doubts and causeless complaints which will cease by degrees till all be removed when death comes They talk of a Conscience quiet but not good and good but not quiet and good and quiet and neither good nor quiet but such Rimes and Cadences and flashes will give no solid satisfaction to a piercing Spirit Men may run them over with their tongues in hast and they make a jingling noise but in the brain they will keep no time at all In evil Men. 2. In evil Men it is a Disease The customs and habits of sin stop the exercise of the Natural Conscience Pectus inustae Deformant maculae vitiisque inolevit imago This the Casuists not unfitly call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stony heartedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ferity and barbarity in Men that act such things as the Monsters and Savage Creatures use not to do to their kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a callousness contracted by long working in wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blindness of mind as was in the Gentiles who became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Who walked in the vanity of their minds having the Understanding darkned Rom. 1.21 being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling Eph. 4.18 have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all manner of uncleanness with greediness Vitia inolita Vices in bred and increased in them Vitia encaustica Sins burnt in nealed branded stamped stained incorporated in them A stupefaction and dozing of mind a mopish and besotted condition as they that considered not the Miracle of the Loaves For their heart was hardned Make the heart of this People fat and their ears heavy Shut their eyes Mar. 6.52 lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts Is 6.10 and be converted and be healed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benummed Mar. 4.12 as those parts that are forsaken of the Vital Spirits withered and dried up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hard heartedness stiffneckedness Iron-sinews inflexible gainsaying given over to a reprobate mind to every good work reprobate Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Lev. 26.21 c. 1 Thes 5.10 Eph. 4.30 James 2.8 Prov. 1.7 Jer. 5.3 Acts 13.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set your selves with all your might against the motions of the Spirit If ye walk contrary unto me I will walke contrary unto you and punish you seven times c. Quench not the Spirit Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God c. They that observe lying vanity forsake their own mercy despise Knowledg would none of my Counsel Refused to return Judg themselves unworthy of Eternal life Put the good away far from them Turn their faces from Heaven and their backs upon all goodness Will ye also go away Whither should we go for thou hast the words of Eternal Life Their destruction is from themselves In this their day they will not know the things that belong to their peace and therefore they shall be hid from their eyes In seeing they will not see and hearing they will not hear shutting their eyes against the Sun and stopping their ears at the voice of the Charmer though he charme unto them never so often never so wisely they chuse Death rather than Life How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her brood under her wings but ye would not Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and after thy hardness and impenitent heart Rom. 2.4 treasurest unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath When they knew God they glorified him not as God Ro. 1.21.28 they did not like to retain God in all their thoughts wherefore God gave them up to a reprobate mind c. Having their consciences seared with a hot iron Departing from the Faith giving heed to Doctrines of Devils SECT I. 1. How do Mens consciences suffer them to do as they do Qu. To lye and flatter to cheat and cousen to rob and steal to kill and destroy to commit all uncleanness with greediness to swear and forswear to extort and oppress and to do all injustice I answer It is the Will the willful Will Answ the domineering brazen-faced will without all fear or shame As for the Natural Conscience in the most wicked Men it is utterly against such doings with their Mind they would serve the Law of God but with their Flesh the Law of sin They delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but there is another law in their members warring against the Law of their Mind and leading them into captivity to the Law of sin But why so little remorse appears in them that do these horrid things Truly I cannot tell what to say in this case If there be no inward pangs I should wonder it must be a very hard heart that never relents and that 's a most desperate condition both of Sin and misery 2. In good Men. How do their consciences come to be so much troubled I answer Why indeed For I know no just cause There is a just cause of fear for the Body that may fall upon a constant and stout Man when sudden and imminent danger threatens death But for a just cause of fear for the Soul to fall upon a faithful justified and sanctified Man engrafted into Christ and adopted the Son and Heir of God I cannot apprehend Fearful they are and may be but it is their fancy their passion and humour that makes them so not their real Conscience There are that put too many causes of Conscience and make doubts which they can never resolve and tye knots which they can never unloose and raise devils which they are never able to lay again Confessors make a Trade of it and a good one too unlock the closets of Mens Hearts but more of their Purses Poor Souls are oppressed by Cases of Conscience as Mens Estates are by Cases of Law and as Mens Bodies are by Physick There are certain plain Rules that would resolve all doubts to a plain meaning Man better than all their subtil Distinctions A few necessary Doctrines of Faith and a good life will do the work and the Brethren ought to be troubled no farther As for those that pretend every thing to be against their Consciences it is a manifest cheat For it is their lust and that hath the casting voice with them in all that they do and whatsoever is contrary to their lusts is falsly affirm'd to be against their Consciences because they will suffer no rule of Law to come upon them
is no peace We cannot benefit by a Preacher whom we do not love Object A Vulgar Errour Whose fault is it why do ye not love Answ at least for the Words sake If he give cause of disaffection yet you might set that aside and hear the Word which is able to save your Souls without respect of persons not having itching ears or heaping up to your selves teachers or having new persons in admiration This was the excuse of the King of Israel against Michaiah a good Prophet but he hated him because he prophecied not to his mind Object He lives not well Answ That 's something to him and a scandal to his Profession but the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's Chair what therefore they say unto you that do but do not according to their works for they say and do not Therefore this is no just excuse before God Besides there is much of fancy and humour in the case and a luxurious kind of wantonness in the great variety of Preachers and affectation of humane Eloquence not knowing well who will please and never being long pleased with the best of Men. Here is a cheat in this for want of an honest humble heart God's Word is to be regarded though the Preacher be never so mean St. Paul was not liked for his plain though powerful preaching but the flourishing Attick Oratours had all the applause He was counted a babler and Christ himself was despised The good opinion of the People is to be desired if it may be had fairly but when it cannot as who is he that can please all and at all times The Person being approved by authority may do his Office and satisfie himself in his well informed conscience It is well said of Seneca Mala opinio benè parta delectat An evil Name may delight a good Liver Benè facere malè audire Regium est The best of Men have been abused Christ was slandered to do his Miracles by the Prince of Devils to have a Devil in him and to be a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Companions 1. Companions in sin especially the Clergy They strive to make a Priest drunk or otherwise debauched that they may spye his nakedness and glory in his fall and strengthen themselves in their own wickedness and stop the cry of their own Consciences The meanest Sot when rebuked for drunkenness will say Why our Parson is as often drunk as I And surely he knows the way to Heaven Others will scoff and say Surely these Priests know a nearer way to Heaven than other Men. These are blind Guides that lead the Blind and both fall into the ditch But the true rule is Follow not a multitude to do evil lest if we partake of their sins we share also in their judgments We must not live by examples but by Rules The safest way is to be holy God not regarding Gross nns 9. Conceit of God's not regarding Tush God regardeth not is there any knowledg in the Most High We shall scape in a croud 10. Gross sins Peccata conscientiam vastantia Sins that take away the sense of sinning Peccatis magnis etiam jura Naturae intereunt High sins destroy as it were the Law of Nature Success Ps 50.21 11. Success Prosperum scelus virtus vocatur Vice successful is called Virtue These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Joseph's Brethren prospered in peace and plenty in their Father's House for many years after their cruelty to their Brother at last being pinched with want and threatned with death they cryed out Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Because sentence upon an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Children of Men is fully set in them to do evil So will they call evil good and good evil put light for darkness and darkness for light but bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the Man who bringeth wicked devices to pass For evil doers shall be cut off Ps 37.7 9. but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the Earth My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked for there are no bands in their death but their strength is firm They are not in trouble as other Men Ps 73.2 c. neither are they plagued like other Men therefore pride compasseth them about violence covereth them as a Garment their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart could wish Waters of a full cup are running out to them and they say How doth God know and Is there knowledg in the most High Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the World they increase in riches Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every morning When I thought to know this it was too hard for me until I went unto the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee Jer. 12.1 2 c. yet let me talk of thy Judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are they all happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art near in their mouth and far from their reins pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter All things happen alike to all Men and no Man knoweth good or evil by all that is before him 12. Satisfaction A general cheat to Mens Souls when they fancy Satisfaction that after great sins if they pray read hear give alms pay for Masses Indulgences Penances c. they shall expiate their sins and bribe God As the Jews and Heathens thought they did which is a plain mocking of God and a derogation from his Justice and mercy and the full Mediation of Jesus Christ For what are Rivers of oyl and the Cattel upon ten thousand Hills the fruit of our Body for the sin of our Soul 13. Want of a Spiritual Clergy and Magistracy Want of a Spiritual Clergy Jude 2.19 2 Chr. 24.2 14. As the Children of Israel returned and corrupted themselves when the good Judg was dead And as Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the daies of Jehoiada the Priest but afterwards fell off again So great a matter is good teaching by precept upon precept and
truths there is no peace to the wicked and what peace can there be so long as their whoredoms and witchcrafts are so many 2. Because they are not justified by Faith therefore they are not at peace with God nor with their own Souls because they are not of the Truth neither is Truth in them 3. Because health and ease in the Body and outward flourishing and tranquillity may be in the Estate though the Soul have no union or communion with God at all Nor is it any sign of God's favour or disfavour to thrive and prosper or to suffer in this World but all things happen alike to all Men in this World and no Man knoweth what is good or bad by any thing that is before him 4. Because their natural tempers and constitution of bodies may tend to mirth joy and rejoycing in the lower faculties while the higher powers of the Mind and Conscience are defiled and have no hope nor comfort in them 5. Because Sense in the Flesh is below Faith in the Heart and they live by Sense and not by Faith and therefore they believe Sense and not Faith because there is no Faith in them to believe And so they live by Sense which is no life but death For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 1. They have no reason therefore at all to believe their own Consciences falsly so called for the Conscience speaks bitter things unto them and that they may believe and if the Offices of Consciences be suspended in them it is because the habits and customs of sin have taken away the sense thereof and created a hardness darkness stupefaction and numness in them 2. They are to hearken to good counsel without for there is none within or very rare but when it is they are not to neglect it at any hand 3. They are carefully to observe calamities ordinary and extraordinary that happen to themselves or others which are sent of God on purpose to awaken them from their sins 4. They are to cease from the hurry and noise of pleasures and profits of this World and to make a stand sometimes and to retire into their own thoughts and look up to God and remember their later end and put a stop to their nots and excesses and try to shake them off by degrees and strive to enter into a course of honesty sobriety and temperance and see how it may work in them by little and little till they come to their wits again and live like Men by Reason and so farther as Christians by Faith and not meerly as Beasts by Sense And this they may do if they will and recover and come to by breaking off their sins by repentance and their iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor To this end all Men are exhorted Self-Examination 1. To self-examination The Scholar must leave poring alwaies upon his Book and turn over the Book of his own Conscience and learn the state of his own Soul The Statesman and wise politician must leave plodding and contriving publique State affairs and learn to manage the Government of himself The worldly voluptuous and luxurious Persons that mind all things that are without them must learn to come home and dwell with themselves and know the things that are within them by acquainting themselves with themselves more and more and being strangers to others 2. To keep no private sin unforsaken Forsake sin the sin that sticks so close within them the plague of their own heart the Idol of abomination which they have set up in their own Spirit the cursed thing which troubles all things So long as any such thing lurks in the Will the Will is not turned There is a lye in my right hand I hide iniquity under my tongue I mock God and my Soul If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer 3. To confess every sin I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord Confession and so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin I thought on my waies and turned my heart unto thy testimonies To this end the Conscience must be set a work and made to do its offices by discoursing with our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4.4 Sym. Aug. Ventilabam Roman Psalt scopabam vulg To commune with our own hearts in our Chambers and be still to dig and delve into our Spirits to hunt there to winnow the chaff from the Corn to sweep and search diligently in every corner of the heart This is the great neglect of the Sons of Men that they do not exercise their faculties nor use the Reason that is in them that they might know themselves Nemo in sese tentat descendere Nemo The Conscience is the light and face of the Soul there they might see and know themselves if they would bethink themselves and think their thoughts over again considering and setting their heart on their waies This is the dilatation or expansion of the Soul spreading the bloudy colours that are ruffled and furled up together the anatomizing of the smallest fibra's of the heart the reflection of the mind upon it self A word spoken to the heart a reckoning and casting up of our accompt a retiring to our own Soul a putting our sins upon our Soul bringing them back to the place from whence they came a retractation a recognition a scrutiny of all circumstances Quis quid ubi quibus auxiliis Cur quomodo quando Who what where by what means why how when Reminiscentia animi dilatatio Reflexio mentis dictio cum corde Reputatio viarum Reditio ad cor Positio super cor c. SECT I. I shall drive in these wedges to keep this Cause from stirring 1. Conscientia obnubilari potest quia non est Deus extingui non potest Collections quia est à Deo The Conscience may be clouded and obscured because it is not God but it cannot be extinguished because it is from God 2. Conscientia non habet potestatem legislativam sed jurisdictionem tantùm non est Frinceps sed Judex non Jus facit sed dicit The Conscience hath no Supreme legislative power but jurisdiction only because she is not a Prince but a Judg she doth not make Right but declares what Right is 3. Conscientia est in omnibus rationalibus Angelis hominibus The Conscience is in all rational Creatures Angels and Men. 4. Conscientia non extinguitur in damnatis The Conscience is not extinguished in the damned but most of all awakened 5. Nemo semper fuit Atheus No Man hath been an Atheist at all times 6. Peccatum semper ambulat cum capite Sin ever accompanies the person of a Sinner 7. Maxima violatio Conscientiae est maximum peccatum The greatest violation of the Conscience is the greatest sin 8. Maximus angor Conscientiae est maxima poena The greatest torment of the Conscience is the greatest
be loath to lose his Senses and have his eyes put out if he could help it Alwaies remembring the frequent and earnest exhortations of the Holy Ghost to put off the Old Man and put on the New c. Whereas if no act of Man were hereunto required why should or how could the Holy Ghost fairly or honestly or wisely press Men thereunto For though it be a thing ordinary for Men to press Men to absurdities and impossibilities yet it is incredible that the most High and Wise and just God should so do 1. The opposers themselves of this Truth confound the Metaphorical and primitive sense of words 2. Neither do they apprehend that these two actions of God and Man have no Identity to be the same though they have some similitude to be alike 3. Neither do they remember That every Metaphor is but a contracted simily and that every simily is but a lame reason for though it may somewhat illustrate yet it can conclude nothing SECT XII This Doctrine of Sanctification as it is Spiritual so it is obvious to the weakest Understanding of the Spirit to apprehend Faith Repentance Honesty and a New Life And the largest Understanding can comprehend in substance no more for the summe of all Religion is but to fear God and keep his Commandments to love God and our Neighbour And what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justice and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God he that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned To renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pompes and vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful lusts of the Flesh to account all the World but vanity of vanities and vexation of Spirit to fight under Christ's Banner and to continue Christ's faithful Souldier and Servant unto our lives end The Gospel is plain and contained in a little compass The People asked John Baptist saying Luc. 3.10 c. What shall we do and he answering said He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise The Publicans said unto him Master what shall we do And he said Ask no more than that which is appointed you And the Souldiers demanded of him saying And what shall we do And said unto them Do violence to no Man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Let him that stole steal no more but let every one labour truly to get his own living that he may have wherewith to give unto others Be not deceived God is not mocked That Soul that sinneth that Soul shall die As ye mete to others so shall it be meted to you again As a Man soweth so shall he reap c. 1. Let every one therefore use his own Reason and Understanding to learn what he can 2. Let every one use his own Conscience to reflect what he hath learned and done 3. Let every one use his own Will to chuse as well as he is able according to the best of his skill to curb his Senses and restrain his Passions to the best of his power 4. Let every one suffer his Understanding to be taught 5. Let every one suffer his Conscience to be convinced 6. Let every one suffer his Will to be persuaded 7. Let every one understand with God 8. Let every one examine his Conscience with God 9. Let every one exercise his Will with God 10. Let every one increase his Wisedom 11. Let every one keep his Conscience good 12. Let every one increase his Love to perfect Holiness in the fear of the Lord to covet after the best Gifts and still to find out the most excellent waies In a word consider reflect strive Fac quod in te est do what you are able Work with God work with your selves Enter into Covenant with God keep it enter into Covenant with your selves keep it Aspire to perfection what if infirmities are many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do but desire and breath after God God will help and further your desire The assistance of God the Spirit with our holy endeavours doth not take away the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weakness attendant on our Christian practises but the honesty of the heart and the purity of our Love for the worthiness of Christ will hide all our imperfection◠God acts upon us ad modum nostrum according to our capacities and Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis And God accepteth a Man according to what he hath and can do and not according to what he hath not and cannot do Though the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the frailties of natural actions are not removed yet they are excused and pardoned and the bruised Reed he will not break and the smoking flax he will not quench all things are well done that are well meant and God will pardon the infirmities of us all The CONTENTS 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 TITLE VII Of the Flesh and Spirit Transition THe nature of Sanctification or a Spiritual Life will more clearly appear by the contrary i. e. the nature of contamination or a carnal Life Sensual and Spiritual Life 1. The Subject of a carnal Life is the Flesh living after the Flesh for that which proceedeth from the Flesh is Flesh 2. The subject of a Spiritual Life is the Spirit living after the Spirit for that which proceedeth from the Spirit is Spirit 3. The organ or instrument of a carnal Life is the sense that is the mind and will of the Flesh or the sensitive understanding and appetite called I know not why the lower part of the Soul 4. The organ or instrument of a Spiritual Life is the Understanding that is the mind and will of the Spirit or the Rational understanding and appetite called the higher part of the Soul 5. The object of a carnal Life is the World and all that is seen heard smelt felt or tasted therein 6. The object of a Spiritual Life is the World to come or all that is seen heard willed or understood therein 7. The Precepts of a carnal Life are to love our selves to love our Friends to hate our enemies to curse and be revenged of them to love the World to choose pleasures riches and honours to please our selves to flatter and please the World to get what we can how we can and such like 8. The Precepts of a Spiritual Life are To deny our selves to love our enemies to pray for them and do them any good to hate the World to suffer affliction with the People of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season to please God and good Men to be content with our own and to invade no Man's rights and such like 9. The rewards of a carnal Life are adequate and homogeneal
the Flesh is a base fordid and slavish Life 3. The Life of the Flesh is a dull stupid and sottish Life 4. The Life of the Flesh is a vexatious toilsom and uncomfortable Life But on the contrary 1. The Life of the Spirit or of Faith is an high towring and Stately Life 2. The Life of the Spirit is a free generous and noble Life 3. The Life of the Spirit is a clear brisk and most ingenious Life 4. The Life of the Spirit is a pleasant and fully contented Life 5. The Life of the Spirit is an everlasting Life 6. The Mind and Will of Sense and the Mind and Will of Reason were the Gift of God by Creation passing to Mankind by the means of Generation without sin and before sin and Law that made sin to be known 7. The Mind and Will of the Spirit perfecting and sanctifying the Mind and Will of Sense and the Mind and Will of Reason were the Gift of God by Promise or Covenant and Faith of God and Man convey'd to Mankind by the means of Regeneration without sin and after sin and Law that made sin to be known by Grace and Pardon through Jesus Christ 1. Thus the Life of Sense is natural and good till it exceed in its operations the rules and limits of a law put upon it For sin is the transgression of a law and where there is no law there is no transgression but still the sense is unregenerate 2. The Life of Reason is natural and better in a tendency to Regeneration while it acts like it self by rules of right Reason and the Law of Nature till it be debauched by the carnal Mind and Will and drawn down to unreasonable notions and appetites 3. The Life of Faith is Supernatural good and best of all which is the state of Regeneration and a new Creation of a new and perfect Man in Christ Jesus SECT IV. 1. Therefore we are to do all in Faith Corollaries 1. Acts of Sense and Passions of love joy fear c. 2. Acts of Reason Arts Sciences and Mysteries Speculative and Practick So we live above all these 2. Therefore we are to suffer all in Faith 2. Sense pain sickness scorn shame c. 2. Reason ignorance errour and all failings So we live above all these 3. Therefore we keep integrity in all Conditions 1. Peace health honour wealth favour and all prosperity 2. War sickness shame poverty and all adversity 4. Thus we may try and judg of both estates the Old Man and the New the Flesh and the Spirit the Old Creature and the New the unregenerate and the Regenerate the Child of the Devil and the Child of God 1. Consider a Man that leads a Carnal Life He is very busie about what pleaseth his sense and carnal reason he takes care for his health and pleasure he hunts after gain honour and pride he studies for Learning Arts and Sciences Well what will all this do Ask him when he comes to die Where 's his pleasure profit Learning c. all is gone and he is going from all and what comfort have they left behind Now he must die and all 's left behind He enjoy'd his worldly wealth as long as he could and now some body will sing O be joyful and throw it away as fast as he raked it together and faster too 2. Consider a Man that leads a Spiritual Life He is very busie about what pleases his Soul he takes care for his Soul's health he searches for the true gain he studies for the true Wisdom Well what will all this do ask him when he comes to die Where 's his pleasure profit Learning c. all is present with him and go along with him his end is Peace and he enters into Peace He dies a wise and holy Man and he is happy and gone to God and his memory is precious 5. Thus by Faith I am justified to the promise By Faith I enter into the Promise by Faith I receive the Spirit of Promise the Adoption Sanctification Hope Comfort Love and Glory by Faith I labour in the works of Love and work out my Salvation with fear and trembling by Faith I hold out in prosperity from being translated ravished or overcome by peace wealth c. By Faith I hold out in adversity and live in all storms from being overwhelmed by pain grief c. into despair By Faith I resist and overcome the Devil by Faith I live by Faith I die and rest in hope to enjoy the end of my hope Everlasting Life Conclusion Therefore without Holiness there can be no happiness for to be carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace for if we live after the Flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Flesh we shall live Ergo 1. In Feudation is Adoption Justification and engrafting into Christ By Faith 2. Homage is Regeneration Re-creation and Sanctification by works Quod erat demonstrandum The Fifth BOOK OF ASSURANCE The CONTENTS Transition Promises Publick Faith Spirit Waiting TITLE I. Of the Nature of Assurance OUR Justification doth create unto us a present right to the future possession of Heavenly Blessedness Transition The matter whereunto the Right claimeth is the Heavenly Blessedness it self the Title whereby this Right is acquired or had is Faith by the higher Title of Free-Grace the Tenure whereby it is continued or held is Sanctification or Works and the Services of Love and the Assurance whereby it is witnessed or proved is the Spirit by Faith For where a Right is imparted convey'd or settled upon me Reason it is good reason that besides my Title and my Tenure I should have some good Assurance from the Donor or Granter whereby the truth of such conveyance may be witnessed and proved in case the Donor or Granter should fail or deny or recal such conveyance But especially this Assurance is to be made where the Gift or Grant is imperfect as alwaies it is in all Promises For by force of a Promise there is convey'd unto me only a bare right or interest to a thing and not any possession of the thing it self but the actual delivery of it is suspended until some time future And therefore in the mean time some Assurance is most necessary for me that thereby I may know how to witness the Promise formerly passed unto me for my future possession of the thing promised when the time thereto assigned shall be expired 1. In the Old Testament God promised unto Abraham the inheritance of the Land of Canaan and Abraham believing God or accepting the Promise had by virtue of such his Faith a present right thereto But because he had not the present possession of it he requested some Assurance whereby he might know that he should inherit it Gen. 15.8 And he said Lord whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it And God gave him an Assurance by
by the Scriptures and by the Spirit of God in them If there be other Traditions without writing they also for the main agree with the Traditions written but some circumstances may differ and some must needs be lost in both But still the Traditions in Writing must needs be the surest and most lasting wherefore God himself wrote the two Tables with his own hand and commanded Moses to write the rest for a perpetual Record As for Traditions without writing they must needs be more hazardous because of the shortness of mens lives the weakness and varieties of mens apprehensions and memories the Interest of parties c. Nor are Writings impregnable but in the changes of times if they escape the fire and other ruines they cannot escape the ignorance and perversness of Scribes But God hath hitherto among both Jews and Christians secured the main Oracles written and unwritten and will secure them for ever SECT III. As for an exact Representation of the holy Catholick Church it cannot easily be imagined either in the Head thereof which is Christ Representative Church there being no express warrant for such a Representative Head or in the Members for such a Representative Body For who can represent the mind of Christ but the Spirit of Christ which is in him or who can represent the mind of Christians but the Spirit of Christians which is in them For Christ will not needs not come in Person to declare his will because he hath sufficiently done it already and Christians cannot meet all together to declare their will because there are most in Heaven from whence it is impossible for them to come and the rest are in all parts of the World from whence it is little less than impossible they should gather together and if they should they would all agree most certainly in the same Faith and Holiness but in Forms and Circumstances they could not And besides there would be Hypocrites among them do what they can for all that Profess have not faith And moreover men as men have various conceptions apprehensions and reasonings and languages and humors and interests And words are too few for things and are ambiguous and Idioms are diverse and there will be mistakes and there is no help for it and few have the true Arts of right reasoning therefore in these cases they must be contented to bear one with another and keep the peace well enough We may thank God that he hath left us the Scriptures and they are sufficient for salvation and be contented and judge as well as we can So men are fain to do in Civil Laws with some helps of Judges because mens Laws are not so plain as they should be but Gods are and they must rest satisfied with what they know till God shall come in into them by farther discoveries upon their honest search and endeavours after saving truth But still where scruples are some body must determine Some body must determine because of practice and because of peace I mean in matters of Discipline and so people must be contented though not satisfied but in Faith and a good Conscience every one knows sufficiently and every one is satisfied So in a Ship the Pilot must steer as well as he can though he may fail and some body else may know better For every one hath liberty to judge for himself but not altogether to act for himself much less for others That 's left to Governours who are as Gods yet they may erre as men it being Gods Prerogative only to know all good and evil and yet under God we must be guided by them who with reverence and godly fear do determine hard cases as the Turkish Mufti who when consulted to give his Judgment sets it down in writing and subscribes modestly This is my Judgment but God knows better And now what would the World have or what can they have more than they have and why will they not be contented with what they have and God thinks fit for them to have Why call they for a Judg when God is their Judge as the Israelites called for a King when God was their King This is to reject the Judgment and Government of God and trust to the judgment and government of Men and to have greater assurance than God thinks fit to allow them Pride There is an itch of Power in all this in the Clergy that are forbidden by their Master to seek after Greatness and leave the care and government of the Church and Commonwealth to Kings and Princes to whom it is committed to be Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers of Gods People Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Let them give their Advice to Kings humbly and teach their People truly and give them good Examples and they have done their duty God is not will not be wanting to his People for soul or body for this life or for a better But still the noise of an Earthly Judg rings in mine ears and I cannot be quiet for it And the sound thereof takes with the Vulgar and they are too willing to be cheated and some body thereby gets no small advantage O good God when shall we be at peace A Faction a stream of Worldly-mindedness and glory runs high The true Spirit of Christianity is lowly and lovely and quiet and looks up to God in the midst of all distractions What should poor Souls do but trust to their good God and be silent acquaint themselves with him and be at peace Calumnies They tell us we have no Church we are without a Head we have no Shepherd no Guide no Assurance we are utterly lost and out of the bosom of the Church c. Soft and fair Are we not Men have we not our reason and senses about us have we not Faith and a good Conscience within us What should we have more They that have ears to hear let them hear We will speak for our selves once more O ye that call your selves the Darlings of God the only True Church give us leave to own the same God and Faith with you and God will own us we doubt not whether you will own us or no. We are men and Christians still for all you our Senses and Judgments and Wills are our own still for all you There is Grace sufficient for us and you notwithstanding all your Anathema's and Curses against us Though you curse yet we bless All the Evidences cannot be on your side we have something to say for our Religion as well as you Scriptures The Scriptures of God we say under God are our Judges We go to the Law and to the Testament of God These you say are not Evident they are dead letters they cannot speak We say that the mind of God in them is a living letter and the Spirit speaks in them and is to be trusted to when the Spirits of men fail and are not to be trusted We understand
But turbulent minds will raise Sedition upon any occasion whether of errour or truth but most commonly upon occasion of truth and then charge the truth as the cause of the Sedition which themselves caused For was not Sedition raised about and against that truth which Christ and his Apostles preached and yet charged upon him and his Apostles The CONTENTS 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 TITLE VII Of Election CHRIST's Kingdom is an Elective Kingdom Transition Christ is an Elective King chosen of God Christians are Elective Subjects to Christ their King Elective Souldiers to Christ their General chosen by Christ and choosing Christ Listing themselves under him and fighting under his Banner SECT I. I. This is a Christian 's Calling where 1. The Caller is God Calling predestinating and purposing them according to the good pleasure of his will choosing and electing them according to his purpose justifying them and adopting them to be his Children sanctifying them and glorifying them by his Spirit 2. The Called is Man Hearing the Call and therefore so far alive and in his senses given him by God not a stock or a stone or else all Calling had been in vain Able therefore to say Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth Here I am Lord what wouldst thou have me to do I will do any thing What shall I do that I might be saved Understanding the Call of God or else all calling should be in vain and therefore endued from God with wit and memory consenting to his Call which is understood by him and therefore endued with will desire and affection free to choose or to refuse or else all hearing and understanding should be as sounding brass or like a tinkling Cymbal and all calling upon us to hear understand and choose should be all one as to call upon the blind to see the lame and fast bound in iron to run and walk which is to mock us which is to punish us for what we cannot help which is unjust which God forbid So Man is a Subject capable to receive the Heavenly calling which is conveyed into him after the capacity of the Receiver SECT II. Election II. This is a Christians Election where 1. The Elector is God choosing Man a fit subject for God to work upon A rational Agent upon a rational Patient A free Agent upon a free Patient 2. The Elected is Man suffering himself to be chosen of God by consenting to his choice coming from the first free Grace of God acted by which he acts 3. The Elector is Man actively choosing God as God hath chosen him Freely covenanting with God as God hath covenanted with him uniting himself with God as God hath united himself with him One with God as God is one with him having communion with God as God hath communion with him The Soul taketh God as God takes the Soul The Soul and God say mutually one to another as friends I am thine and thou art mine As the Spoused plight their Troths enfolding them one in another each to other saying I am my well-beloved and my well-beloved is mine As those that are in a mutual League together Do fidem accipio fidem Near and dear to one another as friends that are of one Soul So God and Man are of one Spirit So God dwells with us and we with him So we have fellowship with the Father and with the Son So we love God because he loveth us And because we cannot reach to the height of his love we strain till we cry out Stay us with Flagons and comfort us with Apples for we are sick of love and this is without cavilling closing with God and twisting our love in his love as far as the poor Creatures capacity will bear This is our high and precious Calling this is the Covenant and state of Grace and Salvation This Calling and Election of God is sure on God's part and we are to give diligence to make it sure on our part By continuing to hear and bowing down our ear to receive more instruction By frequenting the doors of Wisdom and wearing the threshold of Understanding that we may know more and be wise to salvation By consenting yet more and choosing still that good part that shall never be taken away from us By re-punishing and re-covenanting with God renewing our Vow working together with God and watching over our own hearts and labouring in the work of love so to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 and striving to make our calling and election sure So to fight out the good fight of Faith 2 Tim. 4.7 to finish our course and to lay hold upon the Crown of Righteousness For he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Be thou faithful unto death Rev. 2.10 and I will give thee a Crown of life SECT III. Thus they that have given their Faith to God Faithful are Elect. as God hath given his Faith to them and they that have kept their Faith to God as God hath kept his Faith to them they are the called and chosen of God God is their God and they are Gods People they are faithful in their Promise as God is faithful in his Promise 1. Because the cause of Blessedness is Gods Promise Reason and ex naturâ rei there is not nor can be any other Cor-relative or Cor-respondent to a a Promise but Faith and without Faith a Promise is of no effect The persons therefore Called nominated or elected to Blessedness are all and only the Faithful and the very nature of a Promise so accepted and taken doth nominate and elect them For if the Acception of a Promise be Faith as it is then the Acceptants are the Faithful and thereby must needs be nominated or elected to the thing promised And if they so continue must needs be partakers of the thing promised For this I take for an infallible Principle and Demonstration undeniable That If the things to be done are done then the things to be had are had but if the things to be done are not done then the things to be had are not had So if Faith and Obedience which are the things to be done on our part are done then Grace and Glory which are to be had are had on Gods part but if the things to be done which are Faith and Obedience are not done on our part then the things to be had which are Grace and Glory are not to be had on Gods part Therefore the Faithful and Elect are all one or rather two terms for one and the same subject And consequently no person not faithful of any Nation shall be blessed but all persons that are faithful of all Nations shall be blessed If therefore the Question concerning Universal Grace were fitted to the proper
have these things in my memory and keep them in my paper and do them not in my life and conversation I say therefore in brief He that hath ears to hear for every one hath ears to hear let him hear as well as he can And he that hath eyes to see for every one hath eyes to see let him see as well as he can And he that hath a heart to understand for every one hath a heart to understand let him understand as well as he can And he that hath a memory to remember for every one hath a memory to remember let him remember as well as he can And he that hath a will to choose for every one hath a will to choose let him choose as well as he can And last of all he that hath a hand to act for every one hath a hand to act let him act as well as he can Fac quod in te est Use thy Talent to the best advantage and God shall reward thee with a Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in a little thou shalt be Ruler over much In a word Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2 Pet. 1.5 c. and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was once purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall SECT VII 1. If therefore Election be a Decree then it is no Promise but a Necessity A Promise may be freely made and effected and may not but a Decree must be made and effected by consequence of Justice upon sin A Promise may take effect by the will of the Accepter but a Decree must take effect against the will of the Sufferer 2. If Election be a Promise then it is no Decree but a thing voluntary A Promise is free to be made or not made a meer grace upon consideration of pity and bounty for Reward undeserved But a Decree is a peremptory sentence in judgment of Law upon consideration of guilt of sin for revenge and punishment 3. If Faith be the Approving and Choosing of God that first approved and chosen us This is Election 4. If Infidelity be the Disapproving and Rejecting of God that hath therefore disapproved and rejected us This is Reprobation 5. A Reprobate is rejected for his Wilfulness 6. An Elect is accepted for his Willingness Ergo From these Premises I conclude with all humble submission to better Judgments 1. That Election with God is not as it is with Men A particular Free Grace of a certain picking and culling out of some few and passing by all the rest though as well deserving and standing in as much need and as willing every way to come in if they could with all their hearts and thank them too that should do them that great favour and benefit 2. But Election with God is an Universal Free Grace offered to all men that they might be saved and willingness that none should be damned upon no desert at all but meerly for love in his Son provided only that they be but a willing People which is the least thing that can be desired namely to accept of Gods choice and to choose him again or else they must needs reprobate themselves and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Quod erat Demonstrandum Now what mad work have the Disputes of this World made upon this plain Question I leave to the wiser sort of the World to judge 'T is high time for such men and no shame at all to learn better Religion prudence and manners than to think and speak of God in this point after such a fashion I appeal unto the unconceivable Mercies of God to his poor Creatures and to the universal scope tenour and purport of the whole Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Amen The CONTENTS 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 Christs 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 Luctûs Coelibate Marriage for all Estates and Degrees of men TITLE VIII Of Marriage THE Church is the Spouse and Wife of Christ Transition Contracts are either Real by which men communicate or convey their Estates and Patrimonies one to another or Personal by which their very Persons are as it were communicated and conveyed one to another Of this nature are Feudal Personal Contracts and Leagues Contracts Real and Personal where persons covenant to be true and just and loving one to another as if they were of one Soul both in rule and subjection betwixt King and People and in fellowship and communion of the Head with the Members and of the Members one with another unto which are subordinate real feudal Contracts and Conveyances of giving and receiving of holding and keeping the use and profits of the Lords Allodium and propriety upon a Personal Contract of Faith and Allegiance homage and service to him the said Lord and to his heirs and successors for ever Personal Contracts of this nature are the highest endearments and strictest obligations of love friendship and unity that can be imagined because they are the unions of Souls which must be more than of Bodies or Estates because they are Covenants for pure love not for honours or profits or pleasures of goods Because to give our Estates and Honours is a great grace but to give our selves our Souls and Bodies one to another is the greatest grace that can be given Such are the Covenants and Leagues between friends and their Allies and such is the Contract of Marriage which is for communion of Soul and Body in all temporal and spiritual things such are not the Quasi-personal Contracts of Tutor and Pupil Curator and Minor c. SECT I. Marriage Therefore this Title of Marriage with those that follow relating thereunto are not any ways exotick or disproportional with the design of this present book For as in all Feudal kingdoms the Kings are Fathers to their Subjects so in the Church the Fathers of Families are kings to their Children who as Subjects hold in Fide Amore Honore as much as Subjects do to their Princes Subjects are so by election to their Kings and Children
are so by generation to their Parents The one must be rightly chosen the other rightly begotten The one may be disfranchized and lose their right of Tenure the other may be disinherited and lose their right of succession By Marriage is not only the generation of the World in the kingdoms of Men but the Regeneration of the Church in the kingdom of God By carnal Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of Men. By Spiritual Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of God Devil an Enemy to Marriage For this cause the Devil being a King of the kingdom of Darkness is the greatest promoter of the works of Darkness of which Incestuous and Adulterous lusts are not the least The Devil therefore is and ever hath been and ever will be a very great enemy to Marriage because that tends to a lawful generation towards a holy Seed to increase the kingdom of God but the contrary tends to an unlawful brood towards a prophane Seed to increase the kingdom of the Devil The Devil is the Father of ill begotten Children of Lies God is the Father of right begotten Children of Truth Great Commands under the Law against Uncleanness and promiscuous Conjunctions of the Body much more purity is required under the Gospel both of Soul and Body SECT II. Excellent Civil Laws for Marriage In Civil kingdoms great care hath been taken for the honour and preservation of Marriages and that for many rare ends and mighty reasons of State but more especially amongst the Romans who gave great encouragements thereunto and priviledges to fruitful procreations denying many honours and benefits to haters of or abstainers from lawful marriage To this end they made most excellent Laws in veneration of this honourable state and in detestation of all Incestuous and Spurious broods whereby they counted their noble Roman blood to be defiled and their old Heroick spirits debased That Sacred bond they generally kept inviolable and those that dared to break it by Divorce preventing death were counted infamous in the highest degree as Tully that great man who is upbraided and that deservedly for putting away the Companion of his youth his Wife with whom he had grown old and superinducing another into her place Such an Example of him and one or two more had not been seen in the Commonwealth of Rome for many Ages before or after To the great shame of such as make it a common practice and farther to vilifie the Sacred ordinance and Institution of God himself In order to just Marriage and as a Solemn preparation thereunto Espousals fair Espousals ought to precede which are no more than the mention and serious resolution of future Marriage 1. The original of Marriage in respect of the Institution thereof Originals of Marriage Gen. 2.22 c. Math. 19.5 is Jure divino 2. The original of Marriage in respect of the Instinct of Corporal conjunction is Jure Naturali L. 1. Sect. 3. ff de Inst Jure 3. The original of Marriage in respect of the Consent of Wills is as other Contracts are Ex Jure Civili L. 5. ff eod 4. The original of Marriage in respect of the Solemnities thereof and Prohibitions of degrees are Ex Jure Civili Inst de Nuptiis SECT III. Marriage as the Emperour Justinian defines it Definitions of Marriage Is the conjunction of a Man and a Woman containing an inseparable acquaintance and familiarity of the whole life of them both Sect. 1. Inst 12. Marriage as the Lawyer modestly defines it L. 1. ff de Eitu Nupt. Is the Conjunction of a Male and a Female The Company of the whole life the Communication of Divine and Human Rights In which are many things remarkable As 1. First Marriage is a Conjunction but for the honour of it of minds and affections rather than of Bodies Siquidem Nuptias non concubitus facit sed Consensus For says the Law modestly It is Consent not Copulation that makes Marriages 2. Secondly Marriage is of Male and Female because between more than two at one and the same time it cannot be Gen. 3. Math. 22. 3. Thirdly Marriage is a Consent because the Wife is the Companion of life and for life and Matrimony is the foundation of all Society and by the Civil Law admits no Separation of the Bed undefiled stante Matrimonio while the Marriage is in hope 4. Fourthly Marriage is the Communication of divine and humane Right because God is the Author of Marriage and both the married Couple ought to be of the same religion and devotion to the same God and partakers of the benefits of the same Laws Quia Mariti uxor fortunam Domicilium forum sequitur ejus hominibus decoratur ejus genere nobilitatur privilegiis personalibus gaudet nisi post mariti mortem viro inferioris conditionis nubat Because the Wife follows the fortune family and jurisdiction of her husband is adorned by his Honours ennobled by his Stock rejoyceth in his personal priviledges except after the death of her husband she marries with a husband of inferior quality Effects of Marriage So from just marriages proceed a just Father and Mother to distinguish from a natural Father and Mother So from just marriages proceed just Children to distinguish them from natural Children uncertain and vulgarly derived from the people they know not from whom So Inheritances of honours and estates descend lineally to a direct Issue of true Parents lawfully begotten and to their heirs for ever SECT IV. Who may lawfully marry 1. They that married by the Roman Law must be Citizens and Quirites of Rome not Slaves nor Latins nor Deportati nor Strangers as Cleopatra was to Mark Antony and Titus to Berenice both Egyptians matches very ill resented by the State Nor might the Nobles intermix with the Plebeians by the Law of the twelve Tables 2. They must be ripe of age and fit for Generation 3. They must be free to consent and in their right minds not fools nor mad men and a Matrimony caused by just fear or force was none at all 4. They must not marry without the consent of their Parents first had and obtained as long as they are under their power 5. Amongst Christians they must be promulgated and blessed by the Church 6. Lastly they must be confined within the limits of lawful Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity to prevent incestuous and nefarious mixtures For this purpose the Jews and Romans and other civiliz'd Nations had respect to Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity for the regulation of wandring and the prohibition of too near approaching lusts Members of Christs Church Just generations of men All the Members of Christ's Church and Kingdom are sprung from Adam and Eve that were married by God The Generations of Men have broken and intangled their lives by excursions from lawful beds stopping the never to be interrupted courses of Blood and letting
out the pure Channels that refresh the World into divers muddy streams that sterilize as well as bastardize the race of Mankind Virginity Not disparaging Virginity that sister of Angels and resemblance of the glorified Spirits who neither marry nor are given in marriage nor those that are innocently blemished by unlawful conceptions and births because they could not help it Why Marriage was ordained But still Marriage is what it ever was and ever will be a most honourable estate instituted of God in Paradise in the time of Man's innocency signifying the Mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church Which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first Miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galile and is commended of St. Paul to be honourable among all men and therefore is not to be enterprized or taken in hand unadvisedly lightly or wantonly to satisfie mens carnal lusts and appetites like brute beasts which have no understanding but reverently discreetly advisedly soberly and in the fear of God duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained First it was ordained for the procreation of Children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord. Secondly it was ordained a Remedy against sin and to avoid fornication that such persons as have not the gift of Continency might marry and keep themselves undefiled Members of Christ's Body Thirdly for the mutual Society help and comfort that the one ought to have of the other both in prosperity and adversity This so honourable Estate makes not only Flesh of our Flesh and bone of our bone but Spirit of our Spirit and that two are one Flesh and one Spirit So God and Man Christ and his Church Man and Wife Fathers and Children Fathers and Mothers Sons and Daughters Brothers and Sisters Husbands and Wives and all Relations are mutually each others Christ the King is the Betrothed and Husband as well as Father of his Church and Kingdom And Christ's Church is the Subje ct the Spouse and Wife of Christ her Husband Therefore SECT V. Were it but for a bare civil respect it stands the Kingdom of the World in very great stead carefully to look after the right ordering of Marriages And surely there are weighty reasons for it It keepeth the purity of the Bloud from commixtion of base Seed Benefits of Marriage It gives a right to the true Sons and Daughters to take comfort in them and receive help from them to honour and enrich our own and not anothers Issue It preserves from the greatest usurpation of Natural rights to each Man's Body to each Man's Wife to eat the Fruit of my own Tree and drink the Waters of mine own Cistern not to own and feed anothers Cattel in my proper Ground It prevents the greatest cheat in the World Abuses of Marriage to be cosened in my own Progeny and not be able to distinguish it from anothers What is more entirely mine own than the off-spring of my own loyns and she that is next to me and one Flesh with me It is the greatest dishonour imaginable to be thus chouced it is a wonder it is no more regarded nor stood upon I would gladly eat my own Bread and till my own Land I am nearest and dearest to my self and all the Love Honour and Estate I have I would willingly reserve to me and mine and my virtue wisdom and wit too if it were in my power Bastardy But contrary to Nature all that I have must flow from my genuine Breed to a spurious generation This misconveyes all Inheritances and breaks the bonds of Nature love and descent The Brood may be fair hopeful and wise for their parts of Body and Mind but they are none of mine and yet all that is mine must be theirs This distroies all the great Priviledges of Wills and Testaments so direct a part of the Law and so much useful to Mankind it jumbles together the Bloud of Mankind it befools the Labourers of Mankind Nobility is dasht and quite destroy'd by it Virtue and Honesty Religion and Laws are quite destroy'd by it It infatuates all the labours and studies of Mankind which should do good first to their own private Families and then to the publick state In a word it confounds all rihgts of Persons things and actions It lays all in common and wastes all and no body can express the mischief that redounds to the World by it To engraft wild plants into a natural stock To puddle pure Fountains to poyson wholsom waters to defile every nest and throw dung upon every clean place SECT VI. Rights by Marriage My chiefest right of Soul and Body and all that I have is to my God whose they are the next is to my self the next is to my second self or my Wife the next is to my Children and their Children Friends and Allies and mine for all these God hath given me Now all these are lost by my giving my right to the Devil and to harlots this is my own act and deed But some of these are lost by being torn from me by Extortioners and Adulterers this is their act and deed I must have a Father or else I could not be but he may be such a one as I never knew or never shall and this is not only a loss but a shame and misery to me but no sin because I could not help it I am in the condition of a Slave to possess nothing at all and Slaves usurp possession of all that is mine In Christ's Church and Kingdom there must be Chastity In Christ's Church and Kingdom there must be Fidelity in Families and Kingdoms Christ's Church consists of Families Therefore the solemn Covenant of Marriage must be kept inviolable in all Families because they are altogether married unto Christ their Husband Lord and King and not go a whoring from under their God Laws about Marriage For this purpose the good Laws of Men especially of the Romans are carefully to be observed who have taken a very strict course in every particular for the pure undertaking and performing of this great Business of Life that so much concernes the happy condition of Men in this World and in the World to come It is profitable therefore for Christians to take a survey of all those wholsom Constitutions set down in the Body of the Civil Law concerning Marriage Age of Persons 1. As first for the age of the Persons that are to marry The Law allowes of twelve in Females and fourteen in Males to be ripeness of years to contract for themselves Quality of Persons 2. The Persons condition that are to marry is considered that they be Liberi Cives Romani as hath been spoken of before Infamous 3. The Roman Law greatly abhorred Scenicos Lenones c. i. e. all ludicrous histrionical and mimical Persons that came upon the Stage as commonly most unchast and all pimps
and anon and trouble their Writings Ib. p. 34. Did God generally under the weak and worldly state of the Jewish Church send forth those Prophets whose learning education holy lives great works admirable gifts commanded even prophane men to a reverence of their Persons and Message And doth he now make use of Monsters Comets Meteors or the Apparitions of unclean Spirits as his Praecones Publici Id. ib. p 47. Signa Moralia signs of a Moral nature such as were the gradual lessening of the lustre and glory of the Jewish Polity and Pedagogy Oeconomy of Moses decaying by the ceasing of Prophecy the absence of Heavenly fire the Ark of the Covenant the Schechinah the Oracles by Urim and Thummim From the Second Temple the lapsing of the government from Kings to Dukes from Dukes to the Sanhedrim from them to the Romans there having been no Kings types of Christ after David and Solomon except Hezekiah be admitted a Candidate for that hand this vanishing splendour of the face of Moses that Oeconomy whereof he was the Minister was a sign that the Sun of Righteousness was now arising under whom a state of more Spiritual and Inward glory was shortly to obtain Ib. p. 48. All the Shadows and Rites of the Law were to expire and conclude like the Phoenix in a Nest of Spices in the Graces and Truths and Glories of the Gospel state that the wall of Partition was now to be taken away and all Nations to own themselves Brethren under one Common-Father The Times there intended were times rather present than future Times wherein the Mosaical Oeconomy brought on with mighty Signs and Wonders was to determine Times wherein the Church was to be put under an immutable and excellent form of Administration and therefore the last time in Scripture Signs The Jews were a people so used to Signs that the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 1.22 The Jews require a Sign And it was the vulgar opinion amongst them That as all extraordinary Prophets were to seal their Commission with a Miracle so all events extraordinary were to be foreshewn by a Sign Hence the Jews came to our Saviour with that bold demand What Sign shewest thou unto us Mar. 8.11 seeing thou dost all these things Jo. 2.18 God perhaps gave them Signs to assure them that the evils which befell them arose not out of the dust but came upon them from the fore-appointing Counsels of heaven and to awaken their dull and worldly minds into a lively sense of his Justice and Providence But now in the broad day light of the Gospel 't is expected that we should not need awakening by any such Monitors into a sense and awe of the Divine Majesty We must now believe without a Sign and derive our Repentance not from mighty Earthquakes and Prodigies but an ingenious and understanding sense of sin Id. ib. p. 74. We are to discard all sowr Jealousies concerning God Sowr jealous conceits of God Synesius hath observed that however the Nations were distanced from each other like the lines in the Circumference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by very different opinions and sentiments in reference to God and Religion in other matters yet still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all center'd and met in this great Doctrine both wise and unwise That God was a good bountiful and benign Being The greater wonder to me it is that so many Doctrines among the Heathens and Christians too which I am not here to take notice of should be received with a Non obstante to this native and easie sense of the Divine goodness and Philanthropy lodged in their minds the Leaven of a Sowr conceit which cannot dwell with a belief of Gods goodness Plutarch justly challengeth in Herodotus That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deity is of an envious and troublesom disposition That God is only ingeniosus in malis that his Counsels are especially taken up with the contrivances of new plagues and miseries for the hated World than which did never a more pestilential Air breath from the bottomless pit crazing the very vitals of Religion and corrupting the first and earliest notions rising up in the Soul when conceiving of a God Whereas if men did not measure the Nature of God by that froward and envious Spirit which commands themselves they might easily understand all the Evils sometimes sent down upon the World to be in the language of the Moralist only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Divine Testimony given in against sin and intended but to discipline the mad World into some sober and wise thoughts and they would believe the fairer reports which Scripture makes of God which tells us He doth not willingly grieve the Children of men that fury dwells not with him that Judgment is his strange work Ib. p. 77. A generous indifferency as to the good and evil things of this world Indifferency to the world The more the heart of a man outgrows the joys and fears of this world the more will all things therein appear to him much too little for the solemnity of a Prodigy The more will he think nothing here of value enough to have its fall come with pomp and observation and the less will he concern himself to know the future condition of such a vanity as this world is 'T is only when mens hopes and fortunes are much embarked in this world that they are impressive to any great fears in reference to its future state The Gentiles of old that could never lift up their heavy and drossie minds above the dull flats of things sensible and worldly were the greatest Professors of all the Arts of Divination by all manner of strange and unusual Accidents And the Jews to whom God had promised a heaven on this side thereof in the literal enjoyment of this Worlds blessings were very solicitous about the meaning of strange Prophecies the signs of the times the issue of things And God was pleased by many Oracles Signs and Prophecies to accommodate himself to this low and worldly temper of theirs But since the introduction of a Better hope the Tenders of such Spiritual promises we have scarce any intimations and notices given us of things future unless some very dark Prophecies in the Revelation which some Learned men conceive already accomplish't God hereby supposing our eyes now to be fixt so upon the more clearly revealed felicities of another world as not much to look down to the futurities of this P. 80. Shall we value our Faith at so cheap a rate as to trust it with the oracles of the Father of lies Can the Devil be presumed able to give us true Resolutions to any Questions de Futuro Did God ever make him of his Counsel or deliver times and seasons into his power or willing if able to do it with any fair and single purposes and intentions Have the beams of the Sun of Righteousness put out all the fires on his Altars the glory and power of the Divine Oracles and Miracles
ought to be exploded and rooted out of minds innocently tender and good and willing to be taught better Discerning Party The honest searching and discerning Clergy and Laity discover them to be pious frauds to get Reputation and Gain and labour wisely and carefully to undeceive and satisfie the world by the few necessary and plain Truths of Christ as he and his Disciples have published them to all Mankind in the four Gospels and the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles And till this course be taken the Church and the World will never be at peace Primitive Times This Course was prosecuted in the first four hundred years with plainness and simplicity of Life and Doctrine by the best of Saints not without some intrusion of Judaism and Gentilism betimes even in the daies of the Apostles with other workings of men of Antichristian spirits But afterwards when Riches and Honour and with them Pride and Worldly Interests came crowding in amongst Church-men out went the old plain way of preaching and living and in came vain Philosophy Oratory Flattery Ambition Persecution Division and what not most unlike to the profession of Christianity and contrary to the power of godliness Many noble Souls had their eyes fixed and their hands exercised in the old way of Truth and grieved for the Deviations which they could not help or reform at all but protested manfully against them like faithful Witnesses and Followers of their Lord and Master and kept the Faith all along which was once delivered to the Saints and some died for it But at last after many overtures of Truth that could not be hid Reformation a greater assault was made than ordinary to shake off her chains bring her out of the Dungeon and rowse her up against Lies and it was done effectually to rare intents and purposes Then were the Ages filled with more learned and unbiassed men than ever since the Apostles daies Then together with Religion Arts and Sciences revived and flourished not without great augmentations of Honour Plenty and Peace that accrued thereunto in the kingdoms of the World which fared the better for the Church Yet envious men were never wanting nor ever will to sow Tares still foggs and vapours arise but the Sun shines and climbs his Meridian The strong man keepeth his house and there is none stronger than he to turn him out The old abominable Heresies though revived and new ones added nevertheless their monstrous heads are and will be cut off by the mighty Giants defenders of the Faith They sneak into corners hang down their heads dare not shew their guilty faces save to the ignorant and rebellious others hiss them out of doors The Ancient paths are now more and more enquired for and glorious Captains lead the way They that do not follow are nevertheless convinced and cannot but approve of the things they refuse to practice Those therefore that aspire to this Evangelical temper are the noblest Souls and tread in the stateliest paths of Vertue and Peace and bring more Souls unto God For which their labour and moderation they feel the odium of the World and the unlucky blows of their Enemies but are commended and defended by God and all good men for their so honourable and gallant undertakings Besides what Errors have been of old there have been since by degrees brought in so many as threaten corruption of the whole Mass of Christian Doctrine As the setting up Infallibility and Supremacy where none should seek to be the greatest the Idol of the Masse the Worship of Daemons the Diana for Gain Purgatory and Pardons the cheat of Auricular Confessions Images Penances Reliques and innumerable Ceremonies repugnant to the simplicity of Gospel worship To these may be added the Chymistry of Rosicrucians Behemists Cabbalists Casuists Summists School-men Postillers and Enthusiasts of all sorts These high and Magisterial dictates imposed upon the pain of Damnation together with the intolerable Pride Avarice and Luxury of Church-men open the mouths of the Adversary to cry down the Clergy for Cheats and Robbers of the Souls Honours and Estates of Mankind cause them to question all Truths and fall into direct Atheism and Profaneness Yet am I not without powerful hopes and do already see and wonder at the wise and gracious Providence of God in stirring up the spirits of Rare men to baffle the Carnal Fallacies and Superstitious Riddles that have bewitched the Age and advance the power of Godliness and pure worship with obedience to Princes 1. God hath abolished the Jewish Service 2. God hath silenced the Heathenish Oracles 3. God hath ceased from Miracles frighting Mortals by Comets Plagues Famines c. into faith and obedience 4. Never purer Wits since the world stood 5. Never braver Clergy since the World stood 6. Never holier Souls since the world stood 7. Never baser Spirits since the world stood As for this Dross of the Age the Ranters and Atheists they will die and be damned like base fellows as they are they will soon be kick't off the stage and drove out of the Hives as useless and hurtful in Church and State the very shame of Mankind a fair riddance in God's good time and Truth which is greatest will prevail Wisdom shall be justified of her Children shame shall be unto Fools and God shall be glorified above all Amen The Clench for good and all The Dispositions of God's Will and Estate by Testament are concerning Things to be had videlicet a present Right to a future Inheritance and concerning Things to be done for the having them or for Justification to them by Faith and for the holding of them by Sanctification or Tenure of Love In Gods last Will and Testament managed and ratified for ever by Christ's death and performed by his Resurrection Ascension Oblation Session and Last Judgment is disposed a present Right to a future estate of Eternal Blessedness The Earnest and Assurance whereof is sealed unto us by the Spirit of God in the means of Faith justifying thereunto The Last stroke God is the Sole Lord of Blessedness to which the Faithful have the true Right by oath of Fealty to their Liege Lord to hold it in Fee by personal homage and service When they have performed their Faith and Allegiance and done their full homage constantly to the end of their Spiritual warfare then are they invested in the full and indefeisable Estate of Blessedness in a quasi Allodium for ever The End of the Second Volume