he had in his acceptance by Christs undertaking so soon as Christ had undertaken If now there are many that hold so th the history of the Scriptures to affirm and prove the temporal afflictions of the Elect to be ordered unto them for their sins against God and men for their sins before God and before men But the mystery of our God and Christ of faith and godliness doth hold forth that afflictions are not ordered of Christ to the Elect for their sins either against God or men as the payment of the debt thereof or as in revenge of wrath which are never under wrath but under love but are alwaies ordered to the elect of God in the love wisdome and goodnesse of one God Christ either to take them away in love from sin and the misery of sin as the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth Isa 57. 1. that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come or are Zach. 2. 5 Hos 2. 5. ordered to them to keep and preserve them from sin as by a wall of fire and a hedge of thornes as the Prophets speak upon which if their corrupt nature presse drive and force them they are by this means of Christ constrained to return to Christ as the Prophet Hosea at large sheweth in the second chapter of his Prophesie v. 5 6 7 c. A loving father will not chastise his child for the offence done if he knoweth that he will offend no more but will passe by the fault and if he doth chastise him it is that he might not offend afterward to keep him from offending And Psa 119. 71. upon this David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble for thereby I have learned to keep thy Statutes Davids troubles were Gods goodness to him although he was punished every day Daily have I been punished saith he The goodness of his troubles Psa 73. 14 and afflictions drive him back to Christ as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 3. 14. But still there are some that it may be in earnest object if the elect do know they can do nothing of the holy commandement and if they know that Christ hath undertaken to do all and will do all for them commanded to be done before God Then they may live without care fear or regard of godlinesse to walk uprightly before God so that they live warily before men and give content and satisfaction to men This objection is not made from the spirit of Christ but from the spirit of Antichrist not from the sense of an elect believer but from the sense of reprobates such as God hath delivered up into a reprobate mind as the Apostle speaketh and are reprobate Rom. 1. 28 2 Tim. 3. 8 concerning the faith as he faith For although the elect believers denie themselves and see nothing in themselves but 〈◊〉 crying alwayes Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and know that themselves can do nothing of the holy commandement and know that Christ of free grace doth all for them of the same by his holy Spirit sent to them as he pleaseth yet they know also that because God careth 1 Pet. 5. 17. Psa 91. 12 Psa 25. 1â— for them he will keep them in all their wayes that he will teach them the way that they shall choose that he will mortifie the deeds of the flesh by his spirit sent unto them That the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost sent to Rom. 8. 13 them will act in their souls and hearts the love to God and man Yea they know that Christ hath promised to put such a fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from him and hath made Jer. 22. 40 41. such a covenant that he will never turn away from them but will delight in them to do them good So their knowledge of Christs grace to them doth not make them worse but better in themselves Christ saith naturall Heathens or Publicans love them that they know love them and shall not the love of God to the elect Mat. 5. 46 47. Rom. 14. 14. unto whom it is manifested constrain them although they be still carnall as Paul said he was to love God and man Ob. 2. But the deceiving spirit doth further object If our believing praying praising thanksgiving to God do not cause move and incite God to love us and do us good then wherefore should or do the elect pray and praise God all is in vain they do Answ Indeed all that they do to cause move and incite God to love them and do them good is in vain for it is Christ only that doth and can do that the doing of the elect cannot do it which is sinfull and corrupt Yet because Christ the undertaker for the elect which hath authority to command commandeth in the government of his Church to love pray praise give forgive and the rest The elect do the same not in vain but of duty because Christ their undertaker hath commanded although they do not nor can do the same according to the holy command A Scholler which is commanded of his favourable Schoolmaster to write his copie given him and which he knoweth can write never a letter right yet ought to write the same because he is commanded but it were folly in the Scholler to look to be praised of his Master for his bad writing And if any man shall ask why â—hrist commandeth the elect which he knoweth can do nothing of the command the answer may be First for his good pleasure and will and their humiliation Secondly â—â—â—ist would have his people exercised and not idle although weak Thirdly because although the goodnesse of their doing the holy command is nothing or extendeth not unto God is no goodnesse before God yet before men in mens estimation it is goodnesse as David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints which are upon the earth It is good and profitable Psal 16. 2 3. Tit. 3. 8. as the Apostle saith to men Fourthly for example to and another and edification of one another Fifthly for their knowledge of their transgressions of omission and commission as Paul said I had not known sin but by the law If Christ had not a commandement to bid â—nd forbid the elect had not known Rom. 7. 7. their sins and transgressions The Scholler which writeth never a letter well of his copie knoweth by his copie if he regard it and perule it well his fault in every word and letter although he cannot mend it So by the holy and righteous command of Christ the Elect may see and know their errour if they mind it and look upon it well although they cannot amend their errour themselves Sixtly Christ commandeth them to
cause of the sending and giving of the Holy Spirit to Gods chosen people to act the same in them and thereby to evidence and witness to them that they are Gods chosen in Christ and his adopted children through Christ and that Christs performances in himself and in them are all imputed to them and made theirs by his grace of imputation therefore Austin said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Q. Doth not mans performance of this Law as it is outward in righteousness before men please God and justisie the performers thereof before God A. No for then they that shew unto men that they do perform the duties of this Law as that they beleeve love pray give thanks repent shew mercy and forgive c. should all please God and be justified before God then the Scribes and Pharisees and other like hypocrites should have pleased God and been justified before God and Judas himself should be justified before God for although Judas did wickedly yet it is written that Judas repented himself before men to give satisfaction to men for his repentance therefore it is written he Mat. 27. 3 repented but this outward performance did not justifie any of these before God nor please God Q. Doth not the performance of this Law as it is inward and spiritual made by the Spirit of Christ in man called therefore spiritual gifts spiritual faith spiritual love spiritual repentance c. 1 Cor. 14. 1 12. justifie Gods chosen people before God A. No that cannot be for although the performance of the Spirit it self be righteous in the sight of God yet this performance being made with the instrument of corrupt man his corrupt heart soul or members the same cannot be pure as coming through corrupt man in the sight of God as pure water coming from a pure fountain through a defiled conduit or channel cannot be pure although serviceable someway in the end To this the Apostle saith By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified He doth not say by mans own works of the Law or by the outward works of the Law but by the works of the Law whatsoever they be outward or inward for indeed this Law was not given to justifie men before God by the performance thereof but for the government of Christs Church upon Earth and by the spiritual performance thereof to evidence and witness to Gods chosen people that they are the children of God for if they find in themselves the faithful performance thereof in singleness of heart they may thereby know that they have received the Spirit of Adoption and the same Spirit doth witness with their souls that they are the children of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 16 Q. We see that Christ in this his Law commandeth his people to perform the Law as it is spiritual to do the inward and spiritual work of his Law he requireth truth in the inward parts obedience and service in singleness of heart love without dissimulation prayer according to the will of God repentance from the bottom of the heart which man himself being carnal sold under sin and transgression as Paul was in his best estate although chosen of God cannot perform Why doth Christ command the chosen of God to do the same that he knoweth they cannot do and for the performance of which in them he promiseth sendeth and giveth his holy Spirit to them as he pleaseth A. Christs giving this his Command is like his sending of John Baptist John Baptist was sent to prepare the way of Christ not to do the work of Christ So the Commandment is given to prepare the way of the Spirit not to do the work of the Spirit John Baptist was sent for the bringing down of every mountain hill Luk. 3 4 5 for humbling of the proud carnal man of Gods people and this Command was given of Christ to them to humble the flesh which is contrary to the Spirit and in itself resisteth always that so the Gal. 5. 17 corrupt heart and members may be prepared and fitted instruments of the Spirit to the spiritual work And to this purpose is the word of the Apostle Give or yield your members weapons or instruments Rom. 6. 13 19. of righteousness unto God unto Gods holy Spirit that the Spirit may do the spiritual work in you Q. Hath the Command of Christ power to humble fit and prepare the carnal man of Gods chosen to the way and instrumental service of the Spirit in the spiritual work A. Yea that it hath for his Word is mighty in operation as the Heb. 4 12 Psa 148. 5 Apostle saith He commanded and all things were created said David The power of Christs Command is not shortened where it intendeth Q. Then the preaching and hearing of the whole Law of Christ is useful to Gods chosen people A. Yea that it is if it be preached and heard lawfully for the Apostle saith The Law is good if we use it lawfully The preaching 1 Tim. 1. 8 and hearing of the Law as it is outward and spiritual iâ— good if the preaching and hearing thereof be to the preparing of the way to the Spirit to do the spiritual work of the Command of Christ the Undertaker that Christ may have all the honor praise and glory of the work But for man to preach and hold forth the Law and Command of Christ that man himself can and must do the spiritual work which Christ only can do to please God to be in acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness as to beleeve and by his beleeving to be justified by his obedience and endeavoring to do duties to please God and to be accepted with God by and for his repentance to have mercy and forgiveness and recovery of life and all lost by sin this is Robbery and Idolatry It is Robbery because they take away that which is only Christs to themselves to do the spiritual work to please God to make acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness by their performance and mercy and forgiveness by their repentance And it is Idolatry because they they praise set up and esteem highly of their own work their beleeving or faith their prayers their doing of duties and the like who although they thank God for it as the Pharisee did yet they listen after their own praise and reputation for the same despising others He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way then by me Iohn 10. 2 is a Thief and a Robber saith Christ He that sacrificeth to his own nets is an Idolater Hab. 1. 16 Q. Was this Law of Christ written in tables of stone and given in grace to his Church of Israel the chosen people of God for the Government of that his Church given before that to his Church he had upon Earth the chosen people of God as to his Church in Adams family in Noahs family Abrahams Lots and the
man or his doing to the same Mans believing is no efficient or cause thereof but God only Salvation is of the Lord saith the Prophet Our God is the Salvation of Israel There is no Salvation Jonah 2 9 Jer. 3. 23 Act 4. 12 1 Tim 4. 10 Eph. 2. 5. 6 in any other saith the Apostle speaking of Christ and his performances Christ is the Saviour of all men that is which are or shall be saved By grace ye are saved We know that all things work together for the best to them which love God even to them which are called of his purpose For those which he knew before he also predestinated to be made like to the Image of his Son And whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified God predestinated called justified and glorified before himself those he pleased before the World What need more testimonies of Scripture for mans salvation only to be by God his love grace decree purpose and his Christs undertakings and performances to be perfected certainly to those which God did love to be elected and predestinated to be called justified and glorified by his Christ and his performances for them undertaken and all faithfully and effectually performed by him before men in his obedience suffering cross death and resurrection But yet further the Apostle saith He dyed for our sins and rose again for our justification where the Apostle holdeth forth plainly Rom. 4. 25 that Christ justified those which he dyed for that he payd his blood for And the same Apostle saith that being justified by his blood we Rom. 5. 9 are saved from wrath Then it must needs follow if Christ redeemed all universally in paying his blood and justified all universally that he payd his blood for and saveth all from wrath that he justified by his blood None shall be damned which must needs be the Conclusion of Universal Redemption which is denyed in the whole Scripture And whereas they pretend mans believing to be the efficient cause that only maketh Christs Redemption effectual to man it is certain by the Scriptures that man hath of himself or in himself as of himself no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption as he ought to believe no more then he hath to pray as he ought to pray Now the Apostle saith no man knoweth or hath power to pray as he ought We know not to pray as we ought but the Spirit maketh Rom. 8. 26 request for us c. Yea the Apostle saith that in him dwelleth no good thing then no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption Rom. 7. 18 Yea further he saith that he found no means to perform that which is good Therefore not to believe in Christ or his Redemption And further he saith We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good if not to think to believe in Christ much less to 2 Cor. 3. 5 believe in Christ to believe his Redemption And David saith There is none that doth good no not one if no good then not to believe Psa 14. 3 in Christ for that is a great good thing It is the Spirit sent by Christ to man that hath the power to do the good work of praying and believing for man The Spirit it self that is alone maketh request for us saith the Apostle not man himself Indeed the Spirit fitteth the Soul or heart of man to be his Instrument in the work of believing as the pen is the instrument of the writer in his writing but the believing is no more mans Believing then the Writing is the Pens Writing The Spirit openeth the blinde eyes of mans soul as the Prophet Psa 146. 8 Isai 29. 18 35 5 42. 7 saith and holdeth forth Jesus Christ and his Redemption by his precious blood payd his justification and salvation by the same and other his performances and by the power of the enlightening acting and guiding of the Spirit the blinde eyes of the Soul opened are the instruments of the Spirit fitted to behold see and apprehend Jesus Christ his Redemption made by the price of his blood payd his Justification and Salvation wrought out So that the believing of Gods Elect is none of their own work but the work of the Spirit every way it is onely the manifestation and evidence of Christ c. made by the opening the blind eyes of the reason and understanding to let in Christ and to be instruments for apprehending and applying the same to the soul And so the Apostle describeth or defineth faith Faith saith he is the evidence of things that are not seen Faith is Heb. 11. 1. the fruit of the spirit saith the Apostle not of man or the flesh but of the spirit yet not before redemption and justification effected Gal. 5 22 and perfected but only brought forth and manifested after redemption justification and salvation made sure which notwithstanding are first made manifest and known to the elected believer when by grace he is made a believer These premises plainly conclude that saith is not the cause efficient or maker of the Redemption of Christ effectual to man the believer nor the antecedent to justification and assurance to salvation but only the subsequent consequent or fruit following the manifestation and evidence of the same to the elect Believer where it pleaseth God to bestow this grace upon his Elect. And charity will not suffer us to doubt but that many which die before faith is manifest in them are of Gods Elect For no doubt but that the just God giveth his Christ all those he paid for with his precious blood And that neither the Devil Hell unbelief nor any sin can take them out of Christs hands nor hinder him of those he Ioh. 17. 12. v. 28. paid for Obj. The Apostle saith We conclude that a man is justified by Faith Therefore faith is the cause of justification Answ Faith is there meant of the manifestation of justification as Rom. 8. 28 if the Apostle had said we conclude that the justification of a man which first manifested and made known to him by believing or in Heb. 11. 1. believing then a man hath the first evidence thereof faith is the evidence of things that are not seen Obj. Christ saith he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. he that believeth not shall be damned therefore none shall be saved but those which believe none that are prevented by death which did not believe shall be saved Answ It is to be understood of those which slight despise and contemn the faith and believing in Jesus Christ the manifestation and knowing of Redemption justification and â—â—ivation only by Christ Obj. The Apostle saith as many as were ordained to eternal life or salvation believed therefore all that are ordained to eternal life Acts 18 48. do believe
would think himself bound to be thankful to that friend and to love him as long as he lives otherwise he were an unworthy man Every man is bound to perform this building which is the doing of the command of God but his transgression is so much which is his debt to pay that he is not able to do any thing of the command Jesus Christ put forth himself a friend to all Believers in him he builds the house for them he hath paid all the debt of their transgression with the price of his passion blood and death and they have the whole benefit and the reward thereof Is not this a comfort to every believer will not this make them thankful and ever to love the Lord Jesus Christ Surely that man is no believer that sheweth not comfort therein yea their fulnes and love to the Lord Jesus Christ for this This made David to call out O that men would therefore praise Psal 107. 8. the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men And What shall I give unto the Lord for all that he hath done unto mee I will take the cup of salvation and give Psal 116. 13. 1 Cor. 16. 22. thanks unto the Lord. And this made Paul to say Cursed is he that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ. But now the words of many are stout against Christ his undertakings and performances which notwithstanding say like Hypocrites Wherein have we spoken against thee Of whom the Prophet Mal. 3. 13. fore told never so many of these as now are standing up to set up man and pull down Christ yea instead of denying themselves as Christ commandeth deny Christ in the matter I know there are many that will say O that I had assurance of Christ and his performances for me and the benefits thereof of the forgivenesse of my sins and all my debts paid to God and of life everlasting by Christ Quest But how shall I know this Answ If thou seest and findest the fruits of Christs spirit wrought up in thee mentioned and intended by the Apostle love Gal. 5. 22. joy peace faith goodnesse c. and especially this self-denyal wrought up in thee as Christ in the Text commandeth to deny thy self this is a witnesse and an assurance to thee of all thou desirest to know and to have of Christ The fruit of the Vine witness and assure that the branches that beare them do abide in the Vine and have all of the Vine behoovable for them even so where the good and true fruits of the spirit of Christ appear are born and held forth in truth and simplicity it is a certain evidence witnesse and assurance to that man that he is a living branch abiding in Christ and hath all of Christ that he hath undertaken and performed for Gods chosen ones that he hath forgivenesse of all his sins and everlasting life For these things wrought up in him are the witness and assurance to him of the Spirit of adoption received and the same spirit saith Rom. 8. 16. the Apostle witnesseth that is assureth that we are the children of God and coheirs with Christ The love and free grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man THe Apostle saith We love God because he loved us first And again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the 1 Iob. 4. 19. Rom. 5 5. 1 Pâ—â— 4. 8. Rom. 13. 8 Act. 7. 28. Holy Ghost which is given unto us Love covereth a multitude of sinnes And again Love is the fulfilling of the law From hence I gather that it is the love and free grace of God in Christ to the Elect that is the root the cause and worker of all good to them and of all good called theirs as the gift of Christ to them So God loved the world that he gave his onely Son c Their Election in Christ Ioh. 3. 16. their holinesse justification righteousnes or unblameablenes before God as Paul said We were elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love Their Predestination Eph. 1. 4. and Ordination to eternal life their adoption through Christ their quickning in Christ their raising in Christ their love to God and men their believing and Faith their obedience repentance Eph. 2. 5 6. prayer and thanksgiving the Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them as the Text saith The love of God to us causeth us to love God if we love him And I take it the love and free grace of God in his Christ to the Elect is the fulfiller and the fulfilling of the will of God his Law and commandement of all these and the rest for them as the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the law But I take it the love of the Elect to God and all the performances Rom. 13. 8. of the Elect never have been are or shall be any cause or motive of Gods love and free grace to them or of any of the performances thereof or therein to them As neither of the gift of his Son Christ nor of their election in Christ their sanctification and justification before him their Predestination and Ordination to eternal life their Adoption and Glorification their Quickning or Raising up in Christ their love to God or man their Believing and Faith their Obedience Repentance Prayers and Thanksgiving Nor of the true Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them And although I finde not many that say the love and performance of the Elect to God was the cause of Gods love to them before the world and of Gods performances for them and to them before the world Object Yet I finde many that say that the love of the Elect to God now in the world and their performances of the duties of love to God in the world do not cause God move and incite God to love them to do them and others good as their faith their obedience their repentance prayer and supplications their praise and thanksgiving and the like For say they God hath promised good to them that love God and do the duties of love to God and men as to shew mercy to thousands in them that love him and keep his commandements and saith To them that fear my Name the sun of Righteousnesse Exod. 20. shall arise and health shall be under his wings And He that Mal. 4. 3. believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Repent and cause others to repent and return from all your transgression so iniquity shall not be Mark 16. 16. Ezek. 18. 16. Iam. 5 16. your destruction Ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a Righteous man availeth
not all men chosen and not chosen But if these men had not forgotten the Grammer rules they woould not have misconstrued the Scripture for the Grammer rule tels them The first person whether Singular or Plurall speaketh of himselfe yea the first person plurall although it speaketh of himselfe and others yet it speaketh of himselfe in particular with other particulars So Paul in the word Us sheweth that God elected him in Christ in particular in his particular notion before the world and the rest in his particular notion and discernment before the world For it was in Gods power to know particulars of the generalls as it was to know the generalls and is And the Apostle saith Rufus was chosen in the Lord speaking of Rom. 16. 12 him in particular as Paul intended to shew that God had chosen himselfe in particular and the rest in particular in his particular notion I wish all would consider this that uphold Universall Redemption and answer if they can modestly Is there any wise man that will give his whole Estate or the price thereof to purchase that inheritance which he knoweth he neither shall nor can ever gaine and have And is there any wise man that having laid out his whole estate to purchase an inheritance that will lose his purchased inheritance if he can keepe it and hold it Yet you say God the Father gave his onely begotten Sonne all that he had and the Sonne gave himselfe the inestimable price to purchase ransome and redeeme all of mankind for inheritance which he knew he neither should nor could gaine injoy and have for I think you will say God foreknew all And you say the Father gave all he had and the Son in obedience laid downe all and paid the purchase for all the inheritance and had power to have and enjoy all to keep and hold all and yet suffered the Adversarie to get the greatest part of his inheritance from him which he had paid so deare for to the utter ruine thereof and his own everlasting losse what dishonour what injury what folly what blasphemy what Robbery is this offered to the Father and the Son everliving just Almighty mercifull and most wise God The Apostle saith Christ gave himselfe to Redeem us from all iniquity Iam. 4. 8. Doubtlesse the Apostle intended this of all that he redeemed That he redeemed all that he redeemed from all iniquity for why should his grace pay the price of his redemption for one given him to redeeme and did redeeme more or to more benefit for one then for another all being redeemed from all iniquitie all shall be saved the iniquity of unbelief can hinder none Will to believe or believing cannot further the worke of Christs redemption For the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Will to believe and believing wrought up in the Heart of Man by the Spirit of Christ doth onely witnesse the Redemption of Christ and the benefits thereof wrought by Christ of Mercy and Free-grace They do not perfect and finish the worke of Christs Redemption which hee himselfe hath perfected and finished and is onely able without the work and help of man A Catechisticall Dialogue usefull for the Propagation of the Gospell of JESUS CHRIST Question were not you in Adam the first Man that God Created Ans Yes I my selfe and all Mankinde were in Adam the first Man Quest Did not you and all Mankinde die and were dead in the first Adam by his transgressions Ans Yes I my selfe died and all Mankinde were dead in Adams transgression and became the Children of wrath So the Apostle saith in Adam all die by the offence of one death reigned Rom. 5. 17 18. through one And by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemation And againe by Nature wee were all the children of Wrath as well as others Quest Are you and all Mankinde dead still in Adams transgressions as Adam and all were dead Ans For the Apostle saith as in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive that is as all which were in Adam died 1 Cor. 15. 22. So all that are the chosen of God in Christ shall be made alive and saith Christ So God loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternall Life Quest How do you know that you are chosen of God in Christ to be made alive in Christ Ans Because I believe in Christ for Christ saith Whosoever believeth in me shall not perish but have Eternall Life Hee shall be Joh. 3. 16. made alive saith the Apostle And Luke saith As many as were ordained to eternall Life that is chosen of God in Christ to eternall Acts 13. 48 Life Believed Quest How do you know that you believe in Christ as Christ intendeth Ans First I know that I believe in Christ as Christ intendeth Acts 15. 7 because I believe the whole Gospell of Jesus Christ which is the Gospell of Salvation through Jesus Christ Secondly the Spirit of Christ doth witnesse with my Soule and Rom. 8. 16. Heart unto me that I believe as Christ intendeth Quest Can you not know that you believe in Christ except the Spirit of Christ witnesse the same unto you Answ No For Faith is the fruit of the Spirit of Christ as the Rom 8. 9. Apostle saith Gal. 5. 22. And the same Apostle saith If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his nor consequently Rom. 8. 16. hath the witnesses that hee believeth as Christ intendeth for the Apostle saith It is the spirit that witnesseth Quest How do you know that you have the Spirit of Christ Answ By the fruits of the spirit which I have as Love Joy Gal. 5. 22. Peace Patience Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Righteousnesse Meekenesse and Temperance For as the good Tree doth witnesse the good fruit So Christ saith the good fruit doth witnesse the Mat. 12. 33 good Tree The Tree saith he is known by his Fruits Quest Can you not know that you have the Spirit of Christ by that one fruit of Faith except there be the rest of the fruits of the spirit withall Answ No for the Apostle saith Faith without workes is ae dead Faith that is if there be not with Faith the rest of the works and Fruits of the spirit my Faith doth not witnesse the Spirit of James 2. 17 Christ in mee nor that I believe as Christ intendeth to witnesse eternall Life in me Quest You say that you were dead in Adam and that you are made alive in Christ yea That in Christ you have that eternall Life which you lost in Adam Doe you believe and feele that you are quite free from that death which you had in Adams transgression that nothing thereof remaine yet to you in your selfe and that you
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
Gospels sake as the Apostle of Christ saith which in that maner did both Christ saith this Apostle hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And yet he saith That he 1 Cor. 9. 13 20 21 22 23 medled with the Law as one under the Law and became all things to all men that he might win some and that he did for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof with them Touching the manner of preaching the Law The Minister of the Spirit considereth two sorts of men the one unbelievers yet all in the same like condition of Reprobates though some of them many be of the Elect ones and heirs of the promise not yet known to themselves nor regarded To these being under the Law even in their own apprehensions 1. He preacheth the Law as belonging and most proper unto them yet useful to all for Government before men 2. The goodness holiness and justness of the same Law 3. The commands duties and performances thereof justly required of God yet also withall their own weakness and want of power to perform before God by their own fault lost in the first transgression 4. He sheweth them also their continued transgression 5. He sheweth their death by their first transgression and their increase of pain by their succeeding transgression But he no way preacheth that life grace or peace with God cometh or shall or may come to them by their doing or performing the duties of the commandment now which though ordained first unto life in mans innocency and power yet sithence it was broken by man is found to be unto all men unto death as the Apostle saith for so to preach were to dissemble But because some of unbelievers yet may be of the elect ones as Paul was I did it in unbelief saith Paul when he persecuted therefore the Minister of the spirit may and doth hold forth amongst these 1 Tim. 1. 13. Joh. 1. 17. unbelievers That life grace and peace cometh only to believers in Christ by Jesus Christ his performing as the Apostle saith the Law came by Moses but grace truth and peace by Jesus Christ And the knowing and manifestation of this cometh to believers by the grace of believing given to them being the fruit of Christs spirit in them that believe whose hearts and soules Christ hath made the instruments of his grace of faith and believing Unto the true believers in Jesus Christ which the Apostle saith are not under the Law but under grace which believe their election in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid which believe that God hath laid their sins upon Christ and that Christ hath born them in his body upon the tree And that Christ hath redeemed them and bought them by paying the inestimable price of his blood And that they are freely justified by his grace fulfilling of the Law and his performances for them And that he is still a King a Priest and a Prophet to rule keep preserve and do all things for them and in them making their members his instruments of the righteous works of his spirit in them until he shall present them blameless at his coming to judgment which desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified as the Apostle of Christ 1 Co. 2. 2. saith he did To such believers the pure Gospel of Jesus belongeth to be preached and the Law in grace for government before men for such are not under the Law but under grace That the means of the Rom. 6. 10 manifestation and witness of the spirit which is Christ speaking of the word of grace by the mouth of his Ministers for it is not the Ministers that speak but the spirit that speaketh in them as Christ said to his Disciples that he sent to preach the Gospel may be as sincere Mat. 10. 20. Ephes 4. 15. Tit. 1. 13. Iam. 2 5. milk unto infants that they may grow thereby and that so they may grow up in all things into him which is the head that is Christ That they may be sound in faith That they may be rich in faith That they being led by the spirit may so walk in Christ as they have received the Lord Jesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as they have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaketh for even as the Child when it is first born though then it is a true and perfect man yet it is but little weak and hath need of nourishment for growth strength and increasment So the fruit and bringing forth of the spirit in man is at first but little small and weak and have need of the means of the spirit the sincere milk of the word of grace for the growth strength and increasment of beauty to the fulness thereof yet let these be rather held manifestations of the spirit then means And thereupon the Apostle saith Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the work of the Ministry meaning the Ministry of the Gospel of Grace as the same Apostle saith Christ hath made us able Ministers of the new Testamen not of the letter but of the spirit not of the letter that is the Law the Commandments duties and performances thereof before God for that were to go about to be witch believers to inâ—anglâ— them and to bring them into the yoak of bondage again as the Apostle saith the false Apostles did the Galathians which had received the faith and to make them believe that Christs performances and grace were not enough for their peace with God without their own doing something of the Law Commandment duties and performances thereof for their peace with God and that were to exalt man above that which he is and to make men believe that themselves are something which they are not and to have a power and strength which they have not as the Apostle adviseth and giveth a caveat of If any man think himself that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself in Gal. 6. 3 his own imagination He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself Luk 9. 23 meaning that man certainly that cometh after me and is my Disciple doth deny that he hath any power any strength any verâ—ue any wisdom any goodness any performance in himself for his peace with God yea that were to undervalue Christ and to derogate from Christ and his grace which hath said My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through 2 Cor. 12. 9 weakness very gladly therefore saith the Apostle will I rejoyce rather in mine infirmities that is that I my self have no power that the power of Christ may dwell in me and only have the praise v. 10. and glory Yea further
they discern not the spiritual man discerneth all things theâ—e are taught of God Secondly they erre not knowing Mat. 22. 29 Mat. 12. 24 the Scriptures as Christ said for which the Apostle Paul laboureth much in his Epistlâ—s as to the Romans in the first to the Corinthians to the Galathians Philippians c. to the Hebrews in the Epistle of John as knowing that then the spirit of Antichrist was busie and afterwards would be busie to puff men up with a conceit of themselves which corrupt man is prone unto that they are something and can do something of the Commandement before God yea some conceive they can do all as the ruler said to Christ all these have I kept Luke 18. 21. from my youth Yea some say they can do all by the help of God by the grace of Christ and by the power that God hath given them As the Pharisee I thank God I am not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers or as this Publican I fast often I pray I give tithe Luke 18. 11. of all I possess mark the Pharisee thanketh God for all these he did boast of surely he acknowledged he had power or grace or help from God in these performances and yet was less justified then he that confest he had done nothing or failed and sinned in all these And some thinking to modefie the injury to Christ say that though they do not the work of the Commandement alone yet they cooperate with Christ having a share in the work of the Commandement done which they ground much upon a saying of a Father in the Church which is God hath made thee without thy self but he hath not redeemed thee without thy self which saying is true thus man was not with God in the making of man but man was with God in his redeeming of man it was Emanuel that redeemed man For God did assume flesh Christ was made of a woman that the promise might be fulfilled The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head But this doth not prove that man doth cooperate with Christ in his Redemption and performances to his peace with God to the remission of his sin justification and salvation O Israel saith God thy damationn Hos 13. 9. is of thy flesh thy salvation only of me The work of mans Redemption reconciliation to God and of Gods reconciliation to man of forgivness of sins his justification sanctification and glorification is all Christs wholly in himself no part there of is mans And whosoever denieth this denieth Christ to become in the flesh for to deny him in part of his work and performance is to deny him in all his work and performances To deny part of Christ is to deny whole Christ For Christ will have no partner 1 Cor. 1. 13 Collos 3. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 6 in his work Christ is all and in all and he walketh all in all saith the Apostle Quest How can all good performances to God and man approved in the holy Testament as faith love thankfulness joy humbleness reverence peace meekness all goodness as righteousness mercy gentleness patience temperance c. be wrought and made in man by the spirit that is the Holy Ghost in him when as these performances many of them are made to God alone How can the spirit pray to the spirit give thanks to the spirit beleeve in the spirit be humble to the spirit and the rest This holdeth forth absurdity that the same should perform to the same That a man should pray and request himself be humble to himself is absurd to affirm So to say the spirit maketh request to himself is thankful to himself is absurd Answ This is absurd indeed to them that consider of the spirit in the unity of the God-head But the spirit is to be considered as the third person of the God-head proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sent to Gods Elect by the Father and his Son Jesus Christ God and man from which Father the same spirit descending by a mighty voice from Heaven said This is my beloved Sonne being then a Mark 1. 1â— Messenger or Representative of the Father This spirit I say is also the Messenger or Representative of the Sonne Jesus Christ sent to the Elect for the comfort and behoof by the Father and the Sonne yet specially in the behalf and for the performing the gracious Offices of the Sonne So it plainly appeareth by the words of Christ I will pray saith Christ to the Father and he shall give you another comforter Iohn 14. 16 17. v. 26. even the spirit of Truth that he may abide with you for ever be in you and dwell with you The comforter the Holy Ghost which the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things c. And again It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Iohâ— 16. 7 8 Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you and he shall reprove the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment Now this spirit sent of the Father and the Sonne to the Elect to be a Representative of Jesus Christ after his going out of the earth from them for to do and perform for them that which they are not able to do and perform in their state of nothing to good as the Apostle saith of all If any man saith he is somewhat when as he is nothing Gal. 6. 3. he deceiveth himself Therefore as Jesus Christ had undertaken to do all for the Elect to the Father fore-past and to come and did all undertaken then to be done of him during his being upon earth as amongst the rest To pray to the Father for them to give thanks for them to believe for them to rejoyce for them to be humble and obedient to the Father for them So this was the gracious care of Jesus Christ to provide after his departure a Representative of himself for their comfort even his holy spirit to do all things for them and in them to the pleasure of the Father in his name and behalf making and fitting them in their several Members of soul and body to be instruments of such his performances As David said his tongue was made Psal 45. 1. the pen of a ready Writer we know the Pen is but the instrument of the writer no more was the tongue of David but the instrument of the Oracle that spake the spirit was the speaker And so when he said before his heart was inditing of a good matter he doth not say the inditer but inditing he mean th that his heart was the instrument of the spirit which was the inditer of the good matter his heart it self not the inditer of the good matter no more then his tongue was the writer thereof which was but only the instrument of the writer The of a good matter may ascribe and account the
to do any part thereof sithence the fall of man and that Christ hath fully performed all to be performed in himself already to the full satisfaction of God for the justification peace and salvation of the elect so that they are justified before God and have peace with God as the Apostle saith being justified by his blood we shall be saved from Rom. 5. 9. his wrath through Christ. And Christ died for our sins and rose a-again for our justification therefore the elect are justified before they believe then when Christ rose again before God and God loved Iacob before he was born or had done good or evill before men therefore Jacob was justified before God before he was born for God could not love him being still the child of wrath wicked and unrighteous before him and God elected Paul and the rest in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him they could not have been holy and without blame before God which God elected them unto if they had not then been justified before God They could not be elected out of the children of wrath and be still 〈◊〉 children of wrath before God they could could not be elected to be holy and without blame before God and be wicked and unjustified before God still And when God predestinated those he pleased to eternall life he then called justified Rom. 8. 29 30. and glorified them before himself saith the Apostle How then can these hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by faith that it is faith that doth him that good that there is no justification to man before faith And if they take it that Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect in the Evangelicall law or covenant of grace hath not only done the will of God and performed all to be performed in himself for the justification of the elect but also hath done doth and will do the will of Mod to the end in the elect in inlightening their dark hearts and souls by his spirit sent unto them and in manifesting and witnessing by his spirit to their hearts and soules that they are the children of God elected in Christ ordained to eternall life and justified before God by Christs performances and the free grace and love of God in Gods sight before the world and in giving understanding knowledge and believing to their dead hearts and souls of their justification and the rest wrought for them by Christ as David said Give me understanding and I shall Psal 119. 24. live that is I shall know that I live in Christ and that Christ liveth in me then they must needs take it that the performances of Christ in the elect are but the witnesses and manifestations of the performances of Christ in himself for the justification of his elect not their justifying Christ saith I am the vine and he saith to his elect you are the branches The fruit of the vine there bred is Iohn 15. 〈◊〉 conveighed by the spirits of the vine to the branches the branches bear the fruits of the vine and hold them forth as instruments prepared and fitted of the vine and spirits thereof The fruits that the branches bear and hold forth are not the fruits of the branches bred of the branches but the fruits of the vine so Christ called them Luke 22. 18. bred of the vine and conveighed by the spirits thereof to the branches to be born and held forth The branches cannot bear nor hold forth any good fruit without the vine and the spirits of the vine And the good fruits do shew and manifest the good vine whereof they are bred and that the branches that did bear them did abide in the vine So the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace faith c. are bred Gal. 5. 22. of Christ and conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the elect branches of the vine Christ and the elect as Christ pleaseth to do the will of God in them as his branches do bear and hold them forth But the fruits of the spirit are not bred of the elect but of Christ by his spirit conveighed to them and therefore called the fruits of the spirit to be born and held forth by them as fitted branches and instruments of Christ the vine and his spirit and the elect cannot beare them of themselves without Christ and his spirit breed them and conveigh them and therefore Christ faith VVithout me you can do nothing that is you cannot bear the fruits nor hold them forth without me and the fruits of the spirit born and held forth in man do witnesse and evidence Christ in him that bare them and do also witnesse that that man is elected in Christ and abideth in Christ the vine as the Apostle saith his spirit witnesses and faith is the evidence of things not seen Rom. 8. 16 Hâ—b 11. 1. All that which Christ doth of the will of God in the elect doth not justifie them or make them the children of God but onely doth witness and manifest to them that they are justified and made the children of God by the performances done in himself and that of grace by the imputation of his Righteousness and the Righteousness of his performances in himself to them they are made Righteous the children of God and saved As it is said Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness It could not be Abraham's believing according to the Commandment of the law of Works that was imputed to him for Righteousness for Abraham no doubt was a corrupt sinful man as all the Elect are in themselves and and his believing was corrupt and sinful as himself was and God that did never call evil good did never impute sin for Righteoulness and if Abrahams Righteousness had been of his believing according to the Commandement then it had been of his works that he was justified contrary to the Scripture The faith and believing the fruit of the spirit of Christ that Abraham did bear as a branch of the Vine Christ did onely witness and manifest to him that he was justified by Christ and his performances they did not justifie him But Abraham being one of Gods Elect in Christ for whom Christ had undertaken and in himself performed all Righteousness before God it that is the Righteousness of Christs performances was imputed to him for Righteousness by grace The Elect in Christ the Adopted through Christ those who See Rom. 4. 5 6. are ordained to eternal life whose sins were laid upon Christ from the beginning which Christ hath performed all for in himself to the full satisfaction of God are justified before God before Faith before they believe of grace by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them Their work of Faith cannot justifie them the grace of Faith wrought in them by the spirit of Christ doth not justifie them but witness andâ— manifest that they are justified by the Righteousness
of the same being stung with sin the sting whereof is death they are sure to die Must thou needs make an Idol of thy prayers and duties or else thou wilt not nor must not pray Thou shalt find it true If thou dost not deny thy self to be good to have goodness as here Christ commandeth thou makest an idol of thy self and if thou dost hold thy prayer to have any vertue or power to please God to move God to do thee good thou makest an idol of thy prayer giving that honour to it which is onely Christs to whom all power is given Quest But some will ask if prayer move not and prevail not with God by the strength it hath to the forgiveness of sin and to the healing diseases in men why doth the Apostle say If any man be sick among you let him send for the Elders of the church and let them pray for him c. and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and of he have committed sin it shall be forgiven him and further The prayer of a Righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Answ The Gospel is a mistery Faith is a mistery and Christ is a mistery as the Apostle saith which mystery is hid to those which are lost be they never so wise and learned otherwise And in these words is this mystery as in many other of holy Scripture The Apostle doth not say that the Elders or the prayers of the Elders shall save the sick and raise them up or procure forgiveness of sins or avail much with God but he saith the prayer of Faith shall save the sick the Lord shall raise him up the sin committed shall be forgiven him it is the prayer of Faith that availeth there is the mystery Now we are to observe that both Prayer and Faith are fruits of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit are wrought up into the branches from Christ the Vine as the fruits of the vine are wrought up to the branches that bear them by the spirits of the vine The Representation is Christ where he saith I am the Vine ye are the branches Ioh. 15. 5. The fruits of the vine wrought up by the spirits of the vine to the branches which bear them are not to do any thing to or for the branches but to shew and manifest that those branches that bear them are abiding alive in the vine that they are living branches of the vine and those branches have those fruits and all conveighed to them from the vine by the spirits thereof that they are all of the vine So then Faith and Prayer being fruits of the Vine Christ conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the Elders of the church the branches of Christ do not nor can do any thing to them or for them that bear them but onely manifest evidence and witness to them that they are in Christ that they have all good for them from Christ his undertaking and performance that they are all from Christ as his instruments it is none of the Elders power vertue or godliness whereby the sick is healed saved sin is forgiven as Peter said It is not of our power or godliness that this lame Act. 3. 12. man is healed Neither must these say so except they will make themselves Gods for there is none that can forgive sinnes but Mar. 2. 7. God onely none heal and save but Christ onely there is no salvation in any other saith Luke Act. 4 12. It is meant then that prayer doth onely manifest and witness the saving healing and forgiveness of sin from Christ and his performances not that Prayer Faith or any godliness of man doth it The Brazen Serpent did shew and witnesse their healing from Christ represented by it but it did not heal them by any vertue or strength in it The Image or stamp of Caesars coyn made it go for payment it was not the metal or matter it self that made it payment So it is the spirit of Christ in Prayer that makes it Prayer and not mans prayer it self Vse 5. In that Christ holdeth forth this command to men that follow him to deny themselves as also other commands which he knoweth no man can do before God and man himself knoweth it as Adam knew himself naked and made himself aprons of Gen. 3. 7. Fig-leaves to cover because he would not see his own nakednesse but could not remedy it And for that as hath been said Christ holdeth forth his commands that poor naked man which would cover his nakedness with Fig-leaves of his own holiness and righteousness might see it more clearly Vse Humiliation Hence all Believers are ledto humiliation when they hear the Law and commandement preached to look well upon their wants weakness blindness misery and poverty held forth therein to hang down their heads smite their breasts crying Lord be merciful to me a sinner as the publican did in the Temple where the Law was preached yea the holding forth of the Luk. 18. 1â— Law the justice and judgements of God in the Law will make a stout heart to tremble Felix was a great and stout man yet when he heard Paul dispute of justice and judgement to come he Act. 24. 26. trembled Vse 6. For that the holding forth of the Law and commandement sheweth to Believers what Christ hath done for them in himself in performing of the righteousness thereof and in their deliverance from the curse and penalty thereof to the full satisfaction of God And that the performances of Jesus Christ in them by his Spirit sent unto them in the fruits thereof borne and held forth of them as branches of the Vine Jesus Christ do manifest evidence and witness the same to their souls fully done of Christ in himself for their justification and salvation Vse Comfort Thanks and Love From hence ariseth the first unspeakable comfort to Believers to see the righteousness of so good just and holy a Law and commandement performed for them whereunto they were bound upon inevitable pain and which they themselves were not able to do in the least and themselves to have all the good and benefit thereof and to see the curses dangers miseries and penalties they are delivered and freed from all closed in the commandement and before them opened and the same witnessed and sealed unto them by the spirit in the fruits there of wrought up in them Suppose a man hath taken a great house to build and is bound straitly for the performance thereof and is assuredly to have a thousand pound if he build it to be paid when it is finished But this man is by his failings grown so much indebted that he is not able to do any thing of the building his Creditors come so fast upon him If a friend shall build this house for him and pay all his debts also would not this be a great comfort to him Yea sure he
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
do although he know they can do nothing of the holy command before God because he would have them know and consider of his grace and goodness to them in undertaking and performing those things of the holy commandement for them first and last unto their salvation and everlasting happiness which themselves were not able to do in the least and to take up the song of David the sweet singer of Israel continually before men praising the Lord for his goodness and to declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men so that their labour is not in vain in the Lord. Seventhly Because when it pleaseth the L. Jesus Christ to send his holy spirit to them 1 Cor 5. 1. 5. 8. to act in them these things of his holy commandement and to make them his branches to bear and bring forth such fruits in singlenesse of heart in sincerity and godlinesse as fruits of the spirit in truth then these are true evidences testimonies and witnesses of the spirit received as the Tree is known by the fruits in the rule of Christ And the spirit received doth witnesse that they are the children of God We have received the spirit saith the Apostle and the same spirit doth witness that we are the children of Rom. 8 15. 16. God Object Further the deceiving spirit objecteth to teach that mans love to God his prayer praise his giving forgiving repentance and the rest like commanded do not cause move and incite God to love give and forgive his servants and do them good is the flaking and quenching of all devotion and religious service to God Answ This Doctrine indeed may by the power of Christ quench the devotion and supposed service to God of Hypocrites that there by dishonour Christ for what greater dishonour to Christ can be done then to uphold or think that poore corrupt man by his love believing praying praising giving forgiving repenting and the rest can procure God to love justifie give and forgive which is onely the work that Christ hath undertaken for poor unable man saying Lo I come to do thy will O God which only Heb. 10. 7. procureth the love justification forgiveness and all goodness of God to man freely without any work or labour of mans I will love them freely saith God We are iustified freely by grace Hos 14. 4. Take of the water of life freely And of this work of causing moving inciting and procuring God to love man to justifie forgive Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. 2 Thes 2. 3. 4. and do good to man the honour and praise belongeth onely to our Christ that sitteth upon the throne and it is the Antichrist the man of sin which the Apostle speaketh of that taketh this honour or any part of it to himself and robbeth Christ of this honour onely due to him But in those which are true believers their doctrine doth not quench but kindle devotion and religious worship and service to God and his Christ For can there be greater incitement to devotion and Religion then for a man to be taught of God and to be assured by the spirit of Christ in him that Christ hath undertaken to do all for him to his justification and salvation before God that Christ with the will and good pleasure of God hath done doth and will do all for him to God paid his debt made his peace and made his reconciliation with God for his sins obtained the imputation of his righteousness to him in and by his fulfilling of the holy Law of God for him making him to be holy and without blame before God in love causing moving and inciting God to love him give to him forgive him and do him all good when as himself in himself is still a sinner corrupt and abominable and hath no good thing in him as Paul said he had not Rom. 7. 18. dwelling in himself and was not nor is able to do the least with God to procure the least love and goodness of God to himself Surely if this teaching will not kindle devotion in man he is no true Believer yea he is worse then the Heathens and Publicanes that Christ spake of which he said would love them that loved them that would do good to them that did good to them The Heatheâ—s and Publicanes saith Christ will do the same Mat. 5. 46 47. This did kindle exceeding devotion in David as we read it made him sing it made him praise worship fall down and kneel before the Lord his Maker and Redeemer and to call others O come saith he let us worship fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psa 93. 6. These Positions following are the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations following The first Position is THat God fore-saw and fore-knew all things to be in the world before the world A Sparrow falls not to the ground Gal. 3. 8. Act. 2. 23 1. Pet. 1. 2 Mat. 10. 29 30. Ps 148. 6. without his providence That God willed and decreed all things before the world unchangable to be in eternity That Gods eternal will and decree was his present and unchangeable act of all he willed and decreed with and before himself Ps 13. 5. 6. before the world before whom all things are present and not future although in manifestation and appearance to the creature they be in future and appointed fulness of time That God fore-saw and fore-knew all mankind to become the children of wrath by the transgression of the first man notwithstanding Eph. 2. 3. Rom. 5. 18 he had power given him and free-will also to keep the covenant and do the commandement .. That it was Gods eternal act according to his eternal will and decree of love mercy and free grace to elect in Christ some of Eph. 1. 4. Rom. 8. 29 30. Act. 13. 48. Eph. 1. 5. the children of wrath out of the generall company of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before him in love to be predestinated and ordained to eternal life and to be adopted the children of God through Christ according to the good pleasure of his will That those which according to the good pleasure of his will God so knew before and he so elected in Christ were holy and 1 Cor. 1. 2 3. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 29 30. 1 Cor. 1. 8. Rom. 8. 33 without blame before God after they were elected out of the children of wrath no more to be the children of wrath but of God and were predestinated and ordained to eternal life were adopted the children of God through Christ called justified and glorified before God and were so before the foundations of the world was laid in Gods sight although these be not in appearance and manifestation to the creature till in future and fulness of time appointed That Christ undertook and performed all in acceptance willed Positi 2. Heb. 10. 9. Rev. 13. 8. and
decreed of God before God for the justification and salvation of the elect before the world That man himself doth not nor can do the work of the holy Law and commandement of God that is good before God and Positi 3. acceptable to God as it is mans work That Christ doth in man all that is done good and righteous before God by his holy Spirit sent to man of grace making his Elect fitted instrements thereof as he pleaseth There are Antipositions made to these namely to the form as followeth First although all times things and acts were present with God before the world yet they were not alike present God seeth things as they are difference of time and circumstance adhering he seeth election before time justification in time and remission of sin after it is commited He seeth not these ab aeterno Answ I take it if all times things and acts were present with God before the world there is neither past nor future time no difference of time and circumstance before God although to man there seemeth difference of time and circumstance as past present and future God seeth and knoweth al things as present to him election justification remission of sin whensoever committed although those and other things are not in mans sight estimation until they are manifested and then as they are manifested Gods will and his acts before himself are together unchangeable The gifts Rom. 11. â—9 and calling of God are without repentance And the gifts which God giveth to the creatures were not unknown and undecreed of God to the creature untill such time as they did appeare manifested to the creature neither is the creature uncalled of God before him until his calling be manifested to man the Apostle Paul maketh it clear to be before God before the world Those saith he which God knew before those also he predestinated to Rom. 8. 19 30. be made like to the image of his Son And whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified The Apostle doth not say that those which God knew before the world he would afterward predestinate he would afterward call afterward justifie afterward glorifie But he saith those which he knew before the world he predestinated called justified and glorified them before himself unchangable although these do not appear and are manifested to the creature till fulnesse of time The second Antiposition is That man not having the Spirit may and can do Morall works yea good Morall works before God and that man having the Spirit can do Morall good works much more yea and spirituall also by the instrumentall assistance of the Spirit Answ I take it the Scribes and Pharisees did Morall good works before men as fair in mans sight as any other then or sithence but I do not find them said to be as good and righteous be orâ— God And I take it if the Spirit be only an instrumentall assistance to them which have the Spirit so Christ is at the will and disposition of man as the instrument is at the disposition of the workman and to be procured by mans art and power to be his instrumentall assistant a great dishonor to Christ Paul called himself Rom. 1. 1. a servant and instrument of Jesus Christ but he never called Christ his instrument or servant The third Antiposition is That man having the Spirit hath inherent sanctification and holinesse in himself and may bring forth and do the works of holinesse as the Agent thereof righteous in the sight of God And this Position they say the words of Christ uphold which say Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phraisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5. 20. This exceeding righteousnesse to be had to enter into the Kingdome say they is the inherent holinesse and righteousnesse which they have which have the Spirit by the sanctification of the Spirit Answ But I take it the exceeding righteousnesse to be had of those which enter into the Kingdome of heaven spoken of by Christ is the righteousnesse of Christ by imputation to his Elect Believers not the inherent supposed righteousnesse in themselves which they have by the sanctification of the Spirit whereby they say they are inabled to do the works of holinesse and righteousnesse as the Agent thereof before God For the Apostle saith alledging David for a witnesse That man is the blessed man that is to enter into the Kingdom of heaven unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works And that further to uphold inherent righteousnesse and holinesse in man by the sanctification of the Spirit do further alledge the Apostle which saith to the believing Corinthians neither unrighteous men nor fornicators idolaters adulterers wantons buggerers thieves covetous drunkards railers nor extortioners shall enter Cor. 6. 9. 10 11. into the Kingdome of heaven and such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God He saith they were now washed sanctified and justified by the Spirit Answ But I take it this doth not prove although these believing Corinthians were washed now sanctified and justified now in their own knowledge and light in the name of Jesus and in the Spirit of our God when God gave the light to them that they were not washed sanctified and justified before this in the sight of God by Jesus Christ the Lamb slain from the beginning Nor doth it prove that they had now inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves to do the works of holinesse and righteousnesse before God at that time I take it Believers have still inherent corruption and sin in themselves which corruption is in every part and parcell of soul and body as the Apostle of Christ saith A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 6 If they had inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves in every part of soul and body the same would expell them from corruption and so there should be no corruption and sin in Believers for two contraries are not in one subject together at the same time if it be light it is not dark if it be cold there is not heat inherent When a stronger then the strong man cometh saith Christ he taketh away the strong mans armor dispossesseth him and divideth the spoils Luke 11. 21 22. But of the operation of the Spirit in Believers and of the mortification and sanctification of the Spirit it is said more afterward We find it recorded in Scripture that Moses Lot Reuben and the rest of the Patriarches Iob Moses Aaron David Peter c. after they had the Spirit had corruption which brought forth sin mentioned and no doubt but other sin not mentioned in them And I take it Doctrine of inherent holinesse and righteousness in man by the sanctification
of the Spirit is of Antichrist and to make men proud Pharisees to trust in themselves and despise others to make them think they are not as other men are nor as this or that sinner But I know the Doctrine of Christs Spirit is to make men humble Publicans to smite their breasts saying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and wholly to deny themselves This Doctrine of inherent holinesse and righteousnesse as is aforesaid is confuted by the Prophets by Christ himself and by his Apostles The Prophet Esay speaking of himself and others having the Spirit saith We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousness is as filthy rags and after Paul says there is nonerighteous that doth good no not one Christ saith to the same purpose Thou hypocrite Rom 3 10. why seest thou the mote that is in thy Brothers eye and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye c. And again judge not that ye be not judged and when ye have done what ye can say we are unprofitable servants And the Apostle Paul saith after he had the Spirit known to himself In me that is in my flesh the corrupt man dwelleth no good things I find no means to perform that which is good Where was Pauls inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in himself when there dwelt no good thing in him and when he found no means to perform that which was good in himself where was his inablement in himselfe by the instrumentall assistance of the Spirit to do the works of holinesse and righteousness in the sight of God And whereas they say Paul meant by performance to do perfectly and that he might do that which was good and righteous in the sight of God although he did not the same perfectly it is but a sophisticall cavill For there is nothing good and righteous in the sight of God which is not perfectly good and righteous his Sacrifice is Levit. 3. 1. Numb 28. Deut. 13. 21. without spot or blemish Certainly these Positions are from the root of Antichrist and there is no essentiall point of Popery as I may have ground and sustentation from them as mans holy and righteous works before God Justification by mans works before God Debt and merit of God by mans works Supâ—rerogations Popes Holinesse That the Pope cannot erre Canonizing of men for Saints in themselves Sanctifyings and Consecrations of persons and things by men in the estimation of God Making holy Bread and holy Water in the estimation of Gods free-will What Saint in himself deserves not to be canonized What holy and righteous works that are holy and righteous in themselves in the estimation of God deserve not to be crowned of God as meritorious works It is just with men to recompence good works of men done to their honor and benefit with a proportionable price So no doubt it is just with God to recompence the good works of men in his estimation good works wrought of men themselves to his honor and the benefit of his with a price proportionable To him that worketh saith the Apostle the wages is not accounted of grace or favour but of debt Rom. 4. 4. I take it if man holdeth forth his own works good and righteous before God he challengeth a debt of God and forsaketh grace his own mercies They which were called Protestants were so called because they did protest against such points of Popery Further Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse in man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered as followeth Arg. 1. THey say although Inherent Holinesse be taught of Papists and they teach so yet it is not Popish Doctrine That is Popish which Papists teach and maintaine against the Doctrine of the reformed Churches Answ Those Churches are reformed where Christ is perfectly formed in them Paul said to the Church of Galatia I travell in birth again till Christ be formed in you he did not mean Gal. 4. 19. formed in part but throughly and perfectly formed The Papists teach and maintain Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse contrary to the form of Jesus Christ otherwise they should have no ground for their other Popish Doctrines against the true form of Jesus Christ in his Church I take it they which maintaine the same with them close with Popery Arg. 2. The Pharisees taught such righteousnesse as is neither imputed to them nor inherent in them it is Iustitia quam docebant non quam praestabant Answ The Pharisees taught such righteousnesse as they accounted they had in themselves such as your Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse is in you by your account and they accounted they had it from God also they thanked God for it as I suppose you do I thank God saith the Pharisee I am not as other Luk. 18. 11. men are unjust c. He thought himself to have holinesse and righteousnesse in himself so do you Arg. 3. You abolish the Morall Law in Mat. 5. held up Answ We do not abolish the Morall Law further then the Apostle of Christ which saith For Christ is the end of the Law for Rom. 10 4. righteousnesse before God to every one that believes We say the Morall Law is still the manifestation of Gods Justice to the forsaken and Reprobate ones it is also the manifestation of sin to the Elect Believers and as an hedge of thorns to keep them from transgressing not to be held forth for eternall life or dâ—ath to believers but to shew them what Christ hath done for them in fulfilling of the righteousnesse thereof in delivering them from the curse thereof by his sufferings in himself and to shew them what Christ doth of the same in them as he pleaseth for their comfort by his spirit sent unto them in their unablenesse for a Rom. 8. 15. 16. witness and assurance to them of their adoption through Christ Arg. 4. You say contraries do not expell contraries necessarily they may be in the same subject in degrees as light and darknesse cold and heat so may knowledge and ignorance be in the believing man so may inherent holinesse and inherent corruption be in the man that believeth And yet you say in your exposition of 1 Pet. 4. 18. The grace of Sanctification doth drive away ignorance and darkness of mind and what is this but to affirm no ignorance in Believers inherent knowledge hath driven away inherent ignorance and that inherent holinesse hath driven inherent corruption quite away Answ So you deny and affirm the same thing and need no further answer Arg. 5. For to uphold inherent holinesse in man they alledge 2 Cor. 5. 17. where it is said If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And also Ephes 4. 24. where it is said Put on the new man c. Answ In these places the Apostle sheweth the great grace of God to those which are elected in Christ and adopted through Christ that that man is a new
creature in Christ a new man in Christ not in himself therefore he saith Jf any man be in Christ be is a new creature in Christ So the same Apostle saith he is quickned in Christ Eph. 2. 5. not in himself He is holy and without blame before God in Christ that is chosen in Christ Eph 1. 4. not in himselfe his carnall sinfull corrupt soul and body Our life that we live before God is in Christ it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Col. 3. 3. It is not in our selves that we live before God in that J live J live by the faith of the Son of God saith Paul Gal. 2. 20. It is by faith that we live it is by grace of imputation of Christs life holinesse and righteousness that we live are holy and righteous before God not by inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in our corrupt man that is in our selves as the Apostle saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse Arg. 6. They for their inherent holinesse c. alledge the words of Peter the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 18. Jf the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Answ The words are clearly to be understood of hypocrites having inherent holiness and righteousnesse in themselves by their own account and in the estimation of men as the Pharisees and Judas had and others and of such as are manifest Reprobates by their contempt of godlinesse and greedinesse of transgression The Apostle noteth the haâ—dnesse of salvation to the best of these but there is no hardnesse or scarcenesse of salvation to those which are in Christ which God hath chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love that are so Eph 1. 4 5. Act. 13. 48 ordinated to eternall life before the world as Paul and the rest were as he affirmeth and the other Evangelists Arg. 7. Thinking that these words of the Prophet will uphold inherent holiness c. they would have them paraphras'd auferam cor lapideum dabo cor carneum that is I will take away the stony Ezek. 36. 26. heart and give a fleshy heart Answ Man by corruption hath a hard and stony heart in himself although the man be chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before God and is so in Christ although his heart be still hard in himself But when Christ pleaseth to send his Spirit the Spirit of promise to him with his operations of mortification and sanctification thereby Christ fitteth his story heart to be his branch to bear his fruits wrought up by his Spirit as he pleaseth such as are called the fruits of his Spirit inlightning softning love joy peace faith righteousnesse repentance selfe-deniall and all manner of goodness in which respect it is called a fleshy heart by reason of the operations of the Spirit unto it But the operations are not so as no hardness remaineth or returneth or fruits of the same hardness and corruption in the heart or soul Mr. Calles the memorable Martyr sheweth that well in his mournfull song which every best fleshy hearted man proveth Indeed saith he sometime I do repent To God for mercy call but yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Here were in him fruits born and held forth of the fleshy heart but incontinent the fruits of the corrupt and stony heart are held forth in this man no inherent holiness and righteousness proved in man Arg. 8. They alledge for inherent holiness and righteousness c. Act. 10. 35. where it is said He that worketh righteousnesse is accepted with God From whence they conclude that there are some men that work righteousnesse and are accepted of God for working of righteousness Answ I am sorry that you draw such a conclusion from this Scripture contrary to the meaning thereof and contrary to the plain word of other Scriptures Paul saith Rom 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth meaning to have acceptance with God but in God that sheweth mercy And again if it be of mans working of righteousness then it is no more of grace that man is accepted with God Rom 11. 6. If it be of his works then it is of debt that man is accepted with God For to him that worketh the wages is accounted by debt saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 4. The Apostle excludes debt work to make acceptance with God I wish that Gal 5. 4. were well considered ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace He that is accepted of God for working righteousnesse certainly is justified by the Law and thinketh himselfe to be so For by that he is accepted with God he is justified before God God accepteth no unjust person The Apostle saith he that worketh righteousness of whatsoever Nation he be is accepted with God that is just with God but he doth not say that any man of any Nation worketh righteousnesse before God Yet there may be some of every Nation that work righteousness in the estimation of men and some that in Christ which hath undertaken and performed all righteousness for them before God work righteousness and in Christ are accepted with God for the work of his righteousness imputed to them Arg. 9. They alledge Doctor Davenets writing de babituali justitia which saith omnes Theologos concedere inherentem justitiam justificatis c. Answ Doctor Davenets writing understood in the best sense as we say that in Christ those that are justified in him have inherent holiness and righteousness in Christ but not in themselves in their corrupt souls and bodies But understand Doctor Davenet as ye will Doctor Davenets Scripture is not canonicall Scripture The Spring of inherent Holinesse c. INherent holiness and righteousness in part remaining in men after the generall fall and loss in Adam whereby they had still free-will and power to do the commandement unto their salvation Was the heresie of the Palagians confuted and exploded in the Primitive times after the Apostles But soon after the Papists loath to humble themselves to their corrupt condition as Christ speaketh loath to deny themselves because they would not come manifestly in the pride of man with the Palagians and in their confuted errour Therefore acted by the spirit of Antichrist they invented another way whereby they say man hath inherent holiness and righteousness in himself by the sanctification of the Spirit and hereby they are inabled to do the works of holiness and righteousness themselves pleasing to God accepted with God moving and causing God to do them good This is the ground of all their proud Popish Tenents And from this ground the Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Presbyterians and other hold forth many things to the exalting of man and the pulling down of Christ to the great dishonor of Jesus Christs undertakings and performances for poor corrupt unable dead
immortality then shall be brought to passe the 1 Cor. 15. 14. saying that is written death is swollowed up into victory death remaineth in themselves by their sin and their life in Christ by Christs righteousnesse If Believers had inherent power of righteous action to bring forth of themselves and from their inherent power actions of righteousness as Adam had the power to do them then the Prophet I say would not have said of himself and the best men We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. and David would not have said There is none that doth good no not one and Paul would not have said in Psa 14. 〈◊〉 ◠Rom. 7. 18. me that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing and again I find no means to perform that which is good Were not that Antichristian pride in any man now to say of himselfe I have power by my inherent holinesse to do that which is good and righteous in the sight and estimation of God the proudest Pharisee said to deny our selves is to deny our holinesse and goodnesse in our selves Quest Is there no operation of the Spirit of Christ in Believers upon the corrupted man soul and body is there no mortification of sin and corruption and no sanctification of the man by the Spirit or to the man in soule or body Answ Yes that must needs be so There are foure excellent creatures manifest in this world which all in the Scriptures are held forth to resemble Christ and the holy Spirit in their operations upon the bodies neere and object to them which foure creatures are the Sun Fire Water and sweet odours The Sun of this world is held forth in the Scripture to resemble the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ in his operations and actions to Believers Unto you that feare my Malach. 4. 2. name the Sonne of righteousnesse shall arise and health shall be under his wings He saith the Prophecy alluding to the rising of the Sun of the world upon the earth and the body therein in mens appearance and apprehension to the comfort and refreshing of them for being as the Sun of the world to Jesus Christ ariseth and manifesteth himselfe to Believers when and as he pleaseth in their apprehensions to the comfort and refreshing of the whole man And as the Sun of the world arising doth heat the colds object bodies so that the heat thereof heateth the cold bodies neere them by reflection yea and melteth some hard bodies by the heat thereof and yet the naturall coldnesse of those bodies and the hardnesse remaine still in them naturally as appear in the stay of the heat to those bodies So the Sonne of righteousnesse arising in Believers doe heat the neere corrupted man in soule and in body with his holy heat which heat also sometimes reflecteth to others neer yea and melteth the hard corrupt heart and yet the coldnesse and hardnesse of corruption naturally remaine still and returneth in sense and appearance in the stay of the heat of the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ by his Spirit And farther as the Sun of the world arising doth in season and time quicken some bodies dead in themselves such as have life in their root which in their time appeare also to have life in themselves So the Sonne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ arising in Believers though the corrupted man the body be dead because of sin as the Apostle speaketh though they be dead in themselves as Colos 3. 3. yet because their life is hid with and in Christ their root because they are rooted in Christ as Colos 2. In the appointed due time Colos 3. 3 of God their hidden life in Christ will be manifest in themselves which shall be to the soule when the corruptible hath put on incorruption and to the body when the mortall hath put on immortality and death be swallowed up in victory as the Apostle speaketh And so the Prophet David said God is a Sun and a shield alluding to Jesus Christ which is the only shield Psa 84. 11 and defence of Believers And so is Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers in the Scripture resembled to the fire of this world in respect of the operation thereof upon the bodies neere The Lord wil be as a wall of fire about Jerusalem saith the Prophet A wall of fire will defend and keep safe any City from hurt of adversary and enemies So Jesus Christ is a wall of fire to save his Elect Believers from the divell hell sinne the law and death that they shall not hurt them The gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Mat. 16. 18 saith Christ that they may say with Paul O death where is thy sting O grave or hell where is thy victory The sting 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ which hath beene a wall of fire unto us from these our adversarie And further Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit in Believers is in the Scriptures resembled to fire in the operations thereof because as fire melteth purifieth things so Jesus Christ by his Spirit and the word of his Spirit melteth the hearts of the Believers as Iosias heart melted at the hearing of Gods word 2 Kings 22. 19. and also purifieth their corrupt hearts as Peter saith God gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles which purified their hearts by faith or believing And for this it is said Christ will Act. 15. 9 baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire and Gods word is as fire Ierem. 23. 29. Yet it is to be observed that although gold or other metall be melted by the fire the hardnesse thereof returneth and remaineth naturally in and to the same as is seen in the stay of the heat of the fire So though Christ by his Spirit and spiritual word melteth the corrupt hard heart of believers yet the corrupt hardnesse remaineth still naturally and returneth in the stay of the operation of the Spirit And as although the fire purifieth the gold yet the gold must be after melted and purified by the sire as the Prophet saith seven times that is oftentimes before it be pure gold Psa 12. 6. and is not pure gold so long as any drosse remains in it in any part thereof but still drossie gold So although Jesus Christ by his Spirit often melteth and purifieth the corrupt heart of believers yet so long as corruption remaineth which remaining remaineth in every part of soul and body so that no part is pure and holy before God in man himself whatsoever it be in mans estimation but still corrupt in the whole and so shall be till corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortall hath put on immortality And Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers are in the Scriptures resembled to water for
the operations thereof as washing cleansing slaking quenching and refreshing So Christ resembled himself to the water of the Well unto the woman If thou hadst asked of me I would have given Ioh. 4. 10. thee of the water of life meaning himselfe and his holy Spirit And againe Take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17 For as water washeth and cleanseth foul bodies and refresheth weary bodies and softneth dry and hard bodies as Clay and the like and quencheth and slaketh excessive heat in earthy bodies so Jesus Christ by his Spirit hath all these operations upon Believers in the corrupted man The Apostle writeth of the believing Corinthians which had been great sinners that now they were washed sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God in manifestation to themselves Christ telleth some of his Disciples that had heard him preach the Word Now you are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Job said the Lord had softned his heart God Joh. 23. 16 saith he will take the stony heart away from his people and give them a heart of flesh a soft heart David said that his Shepheard the living Lord would lead him into green pastures and waters of comfort refreshing waters The Spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh saith the Apostle Eph. 6. 16. The faith of Jesus Christ quencheth the fiery darts of the wicked saith the Apostle And yet as although water washeth and cleanseth foule bodies softneth hard refresheth faint and weary quencheth and slaketh heat If this foulnesse hardnesse faintnesse and heat be naturall to those bodies the same will return and remaine to them in the stay of the operation of the water So although Jesus Christ by his spirit washeth and cleanseth the foulnesse softneth the hardnesse refresheth the faintnesse mortifieth quencheth and slaketh the heat of corruption in the corrupt man yet because corruption is inherent in believers and naturall all will remain and return till that which is corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortall hath put on immorrality And to goe through the resemblances of Christ by his Spirit to believers as is in the Scripture So Christ and his Spirit are resembled to sweet odours The Apostle calleth Christ the sweet odour to God Eph. 5. 2. And the Spouse in the Canticles resembleth Christ to myrrhe spices and Cant. 2. 3. 14. Cant. 5. 5. 13. sweet flowers saying his fruit is sweet his voice is sweet and his lips and mouth most sweet and as earthly sweet odours sweeten things neer them to the sweeting of other things neer them so Jesus Christ by his Spirit sweetneth the corrupt soul and body where it dwelleth in believers even to the sweetning of others Yet as notwithstanding the sweeting of odours to earthlythings which are naturally ill-savoured their ill-savour will return and remain in the stay of the sweet odours to them So in the stay of their sweeting of Jesus Christ and his Spirit to the corrupt man naturally corrupted unsavoury corruption returneth and remaineth till the corruptible hath put on incorruption and the mortall hath put on immortality and this was that which made the Apostle Paul cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And the same made the Martyr of Jesus Christ Mr. Careles to sing that mournfull song Indeed sometimes I do repent to God for mercy call But yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Thus we may see much operation of the Spirit of Christ in Believers upon the corrupted man soul and body that there is much mortification of sin and corruption and sanctification to the corrupt man in soul and body by the Spirit Although sanctification and holinesse be not inherent in the corrupt man as corruption and sin is inherent in every part of soul and body for so two contraries being in one subject together at the same time the one would utterly expell the other and there would be nothing but holinesse no sin and corruption in Believers which is apparent to be and the Apostle saith there is yet there is sanctification unto Believers by the Spirit as the Apostle saith Christ Jesus 1 Ioh. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The Apostle doth not say that Jesus Christ maketh or worketh in us in our souls or bodies inherent righteousness sanctification and redemption but Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption He saith Christ is made unto us not into us by the imputation of his holiness and righteousness unto us And yet God is not pleased that man should be carelesse and idle for Christ the Vine hath undertaken for those given him of the Father to make them his branches to beare Ioh. â—5 5. his fruit wrought up in them by his Spirit and to make them his instruments of the Spirit in them in the doing of every good work commanded of God called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. as he pleaseth to order direct and govern fit inable and strengthen them thereto to manifest evidence and witnesse to them that they are branches abiding in Christ the Vine have all of Christ that Christ is all to them as the Apostle saith We have received the Spirit and the same Spirit doth witnesse unto our souls that we are the children of Rom. 8. 15 16. God The works of the holy command called the fruits of the Spirit are not wrought up in man the branch fitted to bear them c. that man should rob Christ of his honor which only pleaseth God with that done in himself and of himself but they are wrought up to be born of man for a witnesse and assurance to him of his adoption and grace both through Christ I Find six sorts of men of different wayes and opinions or judgements touching their estates with God 1. The first saying in their hearts that there is neither God nor Divell Heaven nor Hell Of these David Psa 14. 1. spake The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Such are evident Atheists 2. The second that there is a God and Heaven but no divell nor hell so they question not their estates with God Of these both I suppose these of Calvin might be principally spoken of heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur velut infernum fabula vana foret Alas men live as though no death did follow and as if hell were an old wives tale so they think all well with them if they can shift punishments of men 3. The third sort do acknowledge a God and Divell Heaven and Hell and that the first man Adam lost both God and Heaven by his transgression and also much of his indowments in himself by Creation But that there was so much of his indowments in himself by Creation left unto him and his posterity of
his precious Blood to have shed it for a Ransome and Redemption of those which his Father had not Elected in him and given him to Ransome and Redeeme and which he knew his Father hated to be Elected and Redeemed And which he knew would not receive but reject the benefit of his Bloud Who is it that knew the Scriptures that will not acknowledge that mankinde â—n generall upon the generall fall of Adam were judged and condemned of God to be the Children of Gods wrath and everlasting death And that God of love free grace and mercy was pleased to Elect some of those in Christ which were the Children of wrath as well as the other out of whole Eph. 2. 3. company of the Children of wrath to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ that is by his performing the righteousnesse of the Law of workes for them and by giving of himselfe unto death for them and shedding of his precious bloud for them for a full satisfaction to God in his justice for the Ransome Redemption Justification eternall life and glorification And this for them onely and not for the least ones in their hardnesse and refused ones of God Surely to say hold forth that Christ gave himself for a Ransom of these to shed his blood to redeeme these is to lay upon God and his Christ inconstancy indiscretion prodigality and folly to the great dishonour of God and his Christ and to say that Christ did Ransome and Redeeme them with his death and bloud is unrighteousnesse and salsehood We finde and read in the Scripture that Christ redeemed the Elected of God in Christ as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Elected of Christ God hath Elected us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. world and Christ hath redeemed us from the curse But we finde no Gal. 3. 13. where in the Scripture to be said expresly that Christ redeemed reprobate ones which were not Elected in Christ The greatest power of their assertion is in the word all or all men which word they stretch forth to Elect and Reprobate good and bad as we say But it is cleare that where this word all in such manner and matter importeth onely all the Elect. So Paul to the Romans As by the offence of one the fault came on Rom. 5. 18. all men to Condemnation So by the justifying of one the benefit abounded to all men to justification of life meaning all the Elect beleevers I thinke these men will not say that justification of life is to all men Elect and Reprobate in generall by Christs justifying them So Paul to the Corinthians saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive meaning as all mankinde being then in 1 Cor. 15. 22. Adam when he transgressed and dyed then dyed so all being Elected in Christ shall be made alive I hope these will not say that all men Elect and Reprobate in generall shall be made alive in Christ then none must be damned and if these will have these to be confined in the Scriptures to that why may not they admit of those also to be likewise confined to the Elect they being in the like expresse of the same matter But they say by Preaching that Christ hath given himselfe for all men in generall Elect and Reprobate that he hath shed his blood for the peace of all men with God they procure great honour and the hardest harted men will be moved to relent when they heare that Christ hath had such pitty and mercy on them as to give himselfe to death for their life to shed his most pretious blood to make their peace with God This will move the worst of men to imbrace Christ to thirst after Christ and to beleeve and close with Jesus Christ Yet I wish these to consider that the Apostle of Christ saith We may not doe evill that good may come thereof whose damnation is just We may not preach falsehood that Christ may have honour Rom. 3. 8. thereby This was the great sinne of Saul that brought upon him his woefull destruction He spared the best and fattest Beasts of Amilech contrary to the command of God to offer up in Sacrifice to the honour of God but Samuel told him he had done wickedly to obey was better then Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 19. It is to be well observed which the Apostle saith That in that excellent Sermon which Paul preached at Antioch As many as Act. 13. 48. were ordeined to eternall life believed No doubt but there were many which heard that Sermon did not believe for the Apostle saith that onely so many as were ordeined to Eternall life believed And what was the reason that the rest of the hearers did not believe Certainly by the part of the Apostles words it was because they were not ordeined to eternall life they were not elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame Eph 1. 4. 5. before God in love nor predestinate to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will as the Apostle saith but were the reprobate and the left of God in their owne hardnesse God being bound to none but to have Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will and whom he will to harden That is to leave them in their owne hardnesse as the Apostle saith for God leaving them they grow into more hardnesse Man hath no power in himself to close with Christ or to believe as he ought nor more then to pray as he ought but the Apostle saith of himselfe and other the Elect We know not what Rom. 8. 26. we pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is doth it for us and maketh request for us c. It is God our Christ Phil. 2. 13. that worketh in us the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure The praying believing and the rest of that sort are the works of our God Christ Jesus by his spirit in us they are none of mans works Christ Jesus is the Priest and the Sacrifice which said Lo I come to doe thy will O God See 1 Chron. 29. 14. The Apostle saith they were ordeined to eternall life before Eph. 10. 9. they believed They had their ordination to life that is their election in Christ and the life also which is Christ for Christ is our life saith the Apostle Christ is the way the truth and the life before they believed a dead man can doe nothing and Joh. 14. 6. Christ saith without me you can doe nothing Faith followeth after election ordination and life Faith is Joh. 15. 5. onely the manifestation of election ordination and Christ to those which God hath elected in his Christ when and as he pleaseth to worke the same in them to his glory and their comfort Heb. 11. 1. Reprobate men which have not
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
Psal 16. 3 or weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord or is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Ps 16 2 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Christ Jesus is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 and Sanctification and Redemption And some object nothing of mans own his own faith and prayers in his own prayse please God nor is acceptable to God Then wherefore should or do men pray to God or give thanks to God all in vaine Ans 1. That that hath authority hath commanded that is enough Christ though all be not worth Gods looking on which is done 2. The Heathens and Publicans the Scribes Pharises yea the Devils did the same upon slavish feare and other respects If thou do not thou shewest thy self worse then those 3. For morality and example to men Though my goodnesse extendeth Psal 16. 23. not to thee O Lord saith David yet it doth extend to the Saints upon Earth 4. Because Christ the Vine maketh the Elect of God is known to beare such grapes The instruments of his Spirit to hold forth such fruits as are pleasing and acceptable to God though man cannot of himself please God with such of his own The Apostle saith The promise was made not to the seede as of man but to the seed as of one which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. agreeing to that word of promise The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. And Christ did believe the promise From hence I take it followeth that the Covenant of grace and promise was made onely to Christ in whom all the Elect of God were as all mankinde was in Adam by naturall Creation And the promise was to the Elect as they are in Christ one with Christ Members of Christ Therefore the Elect in Christ are not to challenge the promise of grace made to themselves but from Christ made to Christ and only made to them as they are in Christ in that I live saith the Apostle I live by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. It is Christs faith that Paul lived by It is a common publique confession Our best occasions are great abominations and I take it this is intended of our Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting and the like If these be great abominations to God they cannot pacifie nor please God neither sanctifie us to God Yet Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting being of the spirit of Christ The fruits of the spirit are acceptable of God God is well pleased in his Rom 8. 27 Son Christ and in him only pleased Christ maketh request for his saints according to the will of God Some say Faith is a condition of mans part to be performed of man in Gods Covenant of grace for the obteining and injoying the promise and grace And before man hath performed the condition of Faith and believing he hath neither interest in the promise nor grace nor can have for the promise of grace is upon mans performance of Faith as they say But I take it if this were so then Faith is or was neither a grace of God to man nor of grace nor the gift of God to man of grace but of nature which is contrary to the Scripture It is not of our selves saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is given by the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. I say if of gift then of grace if of grace and the spirit to manâ— then grace and that spirit is to the man before Faith the gift the Heb. 12. 1 Fruit the Tree is alwayes before the Fruit. Iesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have Jesus must keepe us to worke the Faith before the Faith Wrought in us Sol. The gift of Faith which is of grace given is the hinderance and manifestation of the grace of Christ and Faith is the first light of salvation by the spirit is manifested Some say as when Lazarus was quickned to his naturall Life againe by Jesus and raised out of his grave hee walked So when a man is quickened and raised up spiritually by Christ he is made able to walk in the wayes and commandements of God to do the works of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse But I take it the similitude holdeth only thus Lazarus was dead naturally before men and was quickned and raised up miraculously by Christ before men So the Elect before they were loved and elected in Christ out of the company of the children of wrath before God were dead in trespasses and sins before God and after they were elected in Christ of God to be holy and without blame before him in love They were quickned together and raised up together in Christ Jesus before God as Ephes 2. 1. 5 6. And they walked in Christ in all godlinesse righteousnes and holinesse before God But herein the similitude holdeth not that as Lazarus was quickned and raised up by Christ to naturall Life and naturall action and seated in himselfe by the power of nature left to man though weakned by the transgression So Christ quickneth and raiseth up his Elect to spirituall Life and the power and action of spirituall Life inherent and seated in themselves in the naturall man either in soule or body as Life of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse were inherent and seated in Adam before his innocency or as naturall Life Powers and Actions though corrupt and weake are still inherent and seated naturally in man and other creatures For though the Elect of God be quickned and raised up to Life yet this is onely in Christ as Eph. 2. 5. 6. God hath quickned us together in Christ Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus So the Apostle yet it is not Gal. 2. 20 I that us now live but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God and so againe saith the Apostle yee are dead and your Life is hid with Christ Col. 3. 3. The Elect are still dead in themselves onely alive in Christ hidden in Christ till corruptible hath put on incorruptible and mortall hath put on immortality then is brought forth the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory In Christ wee live wee move and have our being meaning of spirituall Life Acts 14. 28. our spirituall Life Power Motion Action or being is inherent and seated onely in Christ not in our selves and is ours onely by gift imputation and of grace by our union with Christ The Scriptures saith that God did elect Paul in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4 Foundations of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love Therefore Christ was with God before the World and Paul was with God before the World And so
of their Repentance for the quitting of their sinne and for their righteousnesse thereby before the Mediator the Man Jesus Christ and before all men And upon this great grace considered It was that the same Father in the Church of Christ saith Our righteousnesse is more in Repentance and Forgivenesse of Sinne then in righteousnesse of deeds and performances Although our worke of the Law and Command bee no righteousnesse before God yet our Worke of the command and our Repentance of the fayling our mercy and forgivenesse is righteousnesse before Men This is Christs Law to Men for the order and Government of his Church upon Earth And this is worke enough for Gods people for righteousnesse before Men to the good and profit of men although they presume not to build up unto Heaven unto God in Heaven which is onely Christs Worke as David said my Goodnesse and Wel-doing Psal 16. 2 3 extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Quest How are repenting Believers upon their repentancy unto satisfaction before Men acquitted from their sinne and transgression of the Law and the penalty thereof before Men when as Sorrow Confession Amendment and Proportionable satisfaction for the Transgression is as much as the Law requireth in the penalty Answ As Repentance before men hath place in the Law of Christ So saith Forgivenesse and Mercy before Men place in the Law of Christ If thy Brother Trespasse against thee and if hee repent forgive him and though hee sinne against thee seaven times in a Day and seaven times in a Day Mat. 17. 3 4. turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgive him And so saith the Law of Christ Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy And to whom belongeth Prov. 28. 13. this Forgivenesse and Mercy certainely to the penitent Believers as Christ saith If hee repent forgive him hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy yea and CHRIST saith further Forgive and it shall bee forgiven you Luke 6. 37. If you doe forgive Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you And if you forgive not Men no more Mat. 6. 14 15. will your Heavenly Father forgive you And againe Judgement Jam 3. 13. mercilesse shall bee to him that sheweth no Mercy and Mercy rejoyceth against Judgement And if hee that sorroweth godly for his Sinne before Men confesseth ingenuously amendeth righteously and bee willing to satisfie before Men for the Trespasse before Men hath Mercy and Forgivenesse before Men of his Transgression before Men Is not this a sufficient acquittance unto the repenting Believer of his sinne and the penalty thereof before men And againe the Law of Christ bindeth as much to Mercy and Forgivenesse to the penitent before Men As it doth to the penalty of Transgressors thereof and to Repentance before Men. Againe the true penitent Offender is acquitted from the Transgression before Men and the penalty thereof by his true Repentance although hee by hard-hearted and mercilesse Men bee holden to the extreame penalty of the Law for his Transgression contrary to Christs Law of Mercy and Forgivenesse For that hee suffereth hee suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his Tribulation as the Apostle speaketh now hee that suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his sufferiâ—g by the comforts of the holy Spirit in him hath not the paine of him that Suffereth unwillingly and forced to suffer for the comforts and joy that hee hath of the Spirit of Christ doth slake quench and take away the Sting of the paine That hee may say O Death where is thy Sting as the Apostle saith of such through which comforts and joy of the Holy Ghost many that have suffered Death in the Lord have dyed rejoycing in the Lord and in appearance to Men without paine Whereby they have manifested themselves acquitted of their transgression and the penalty of the Law in the paine And the Repentance of Believers wrought up in them by Christ doth not onely acquit them of the Sinne and the penalty of the Law before Men But it also testifieth to their owne Soules and to other Men also that they are living Branches in the Vine Christ Jesus For saith Christ The Branch cannot beare Fruit of it selfe except it abide in Joh. 15. 4 the Vine No more can yee except yee abide in Mee No Man can repent except hee be a living Branch abiding in Christ and Christ in him Hypocrites may counterfet Repentance and not repent truly And hee that liveth in Christ and Christ in him by his Spirit hath the witnesse of his Adoption that hee is one of Gods children through Christ and so quitted of all Sinne not onely before Men but also by the performance of Jesus Christ of all Sinne before God So the Apostle saith Wee Joh. 8. 15. 16. have received the Spirit of Adoption And the same Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that wee are children of God So that although Repentance acquitteth not of sinne before God as it doth before Men yet it by the Spirit of Christ whereby it is wrought up in Believers witnesseth acquitance before God to the Soules of the penitent yea and holdeth forth great hope and manifestation to others that the same penitent Man is the child of God and is quitted of his sinne before God And even so it is of Obedience Mercy and Forgivenesse wrought up by the Spirit of Christ they also witnesse evidence and testifie the same Quest The Apostle saith of Believers The Body is dead Rom. 8. 10 because of Sinne And Paul saith of himselfe I am carnall sold under Sinne I finde no meanes to performe that which is Rom. 7. 14. Verse 18 Psal 14. Isa 64. 6 good And David saith There is none that doth good no not one And the Prophet I say said of himselfe and other like himselfe All our righteousnes is filthinesse I will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Can therefore Believers doe the Commandements of the Law of Christ in singlenesse of Heart before Men and before Christ the Governour of his Church which knoweth all as Râ—penting Forgiving Loving Obeying Praying Praysing Thanksgiving and the rest how it is faithfully done Answ By the same power they did and doe believe in singlenesse of Heart They can and may Repent Forgive Love Obey Pray Praise and give Thankes and the rest in singlenesse of Heart But indeed corrupt and carnall dead Men in Sinne cannot doe these or any of these or the like in singlenesse of Heart whose Heart is corrupt carnall and dead in Sinne sold under Sinne as Paul was as hee saith in his best Estate Indeed Man can Believe Repent Obey Love Pray Praise and give Thankes Carnally and Fainedly by the power of corrupt nature As the
Scribes and the Pharises did and as Christ saith the Heathens and Publicanes doe the same but not in singlenesse of heart without dissimulation Therefore note the command of Christ to Reprobates is as he is God and commander his command to the Elect Believers is as hee is Undertaker to performe all righteousnesse impossible to them by his Spirit in them promised and sent to them to performe all The Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus our Saviour Undertaker and God that worketh in us Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 the Will and the Deede of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh doth all in us which the same Apostle saith worketh all in all It is hee that worketh in Believers Believing Loving Repenting Forgiving Mercy Obeying Praying Praising and Thanksgiving and the 1 Cor. 12. 6. rest In singlenesse of Heart and sincerity farre otherwise how and wherefore should hee bee said to worke in Believers the Will and the Deede and to worke all in all if it were not that hee worketh these and such like things of his owne good pleasure in them which their owne corrupt power they have cannot worke and doe in singlenesse of Heart unfainedly and without dissimulation The Deed is Christs Deede of these things according to his owne good pleasure in Believers Therefore Christ himselfe tells his Disciples That hee is the Vine and they are the Branches and that they without him can doe nothing The Grapes and Fruit that are borne of the Branches are not usually nor properly called the Grapes of the Branches the Fruit of the Branches but the Grapes Joh. 15. 5. of the Vine and the Fruit of the Vine which Grape and Fruit of the Vine are by the Spirits and power of the Vine wrought up in the Branches which are onely the instruments of the Vine fitted to beare them as Christ saith Every Luke 22 18. Branch that beareth not Fruit in Mee speaking to his Disciples of professing Believers Believers onely are the Branches and the Instruments of Christ whith hee hath fitted to beare the Fruits of True Joh. 15. 2. and Good Believing Obeying Repenting Praying Praising Thanksgiving and Loving c. Which Fruit which Worke and Deed is Christs by his holy Spirit wrought up in their Hearts And of grace by Christ being made and fitted the Branches and Instruments to beare the same Fruits of grace also hee imputeth to them and accounteth to them the sinne and therefore calleth them his Elect ones Believers Obeyers Repenters Prayers Thanksgivers and Lovers c. And calleth the Fruits theirs which are but the Branches as if they were the Vine whose the Fruits are in Truth The Apostle saith speaking of himselfe and all Believers Wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh Rom. 8. 26. request for us Corrupt Man knew not to pray as hee ought nor to Believe Repent Obey Praise or Love as hee ought but the Spirit sent to him of Christ doth all for him And this was the cause and reason why CHRIST did ever sithence his Church was upon Earth give his Spirit to the Elect of God for whom hee had undertaken of Grace and Love to doe such things of the Holy and Good Law for the Government of his Church as is commanded therein to bee done before men which hee knew themselves not able to doe as hee pleased And therefore the true Faith Peace Obedience Repentance Praise and Love are called Spirituall gifts Spirituall things Spirituall Sacrifices and 1 Cor. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 5. why so certainly because they are the Deeds of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as so the Apostle calls them Gal. 5. 22. And upon this same ground That renowned Father in Christs Church said Fac Domini quod jubes jube quod vis O Lord doe thou that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And let no man marvell that Christ should bee the Law-giver and the Law Keeper for his Elect. The commander and the doer of the Commandement for them whereas the Scriptures hold forth his Grace to bee the Judge and the Advocate The Priest and Sacrifice Hebrewes 2. 17. 5 6. 7. 3. Eph. 5. 2. 9. 26. And thus much of the Error of those which hold forth no Law remaining to the 1 Joh. 2. 42. Elect. And I take it the Errour of those which hold forth that Christ is not the End of the Morall Law and all Law for Righteousnesse before God to Believers but onely of the penalty and condemnation of the breaches thereof is much dishonourable to Jesus Christ and unrighteous to his undertakings and performances and to the Apostle of Christ called to set forth the truth of his Performances and Merit and most of all to the Great Just and good God the Covenant-maker of Workes upon Life and Dâ—ath with Mankinde in generall and on remembrance of Mercy The Covenant-maker of Grace and promise to his Christ for all his Elect. For where all Mankinde having transgressed against the Covenant of Workes before God were in the state of eternall Death the God of Love Mercy and Free-grace having elected some of them in his Christ with a covenant and Promise of Grace that upon his Christs fulfilling of the Law of Workes And the paying of the whole Transgression of the Law by his Death Passion and Bloudshedding for them his Elect to satisfaction Those his Elect should have eternall Life the condition and promise of the covenant of Workes as if themselves had performed the same to the full and should bee also freed from the penalty of Eternall Death into which all Mankinde was fallen And Christ hath done and fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and paid the full Debt of the Transgression thereof to God by his Passion Death and Bloud-shedding for the Elect even to the full so much as the Law and covenant of Workes required in Justice either for righteousnesse before God or for payment of the Trangression to full satisfaction of God for those Elections for ever for past and to come Now then why should the Law and covenant of Workes remaine still binding the Elect Believers to righteousnesse of Workes before God which they cannot in the least doe and for that in respect of their utter unablenesse CHRIT undertooke and performed all for them And if CHRIST God being so pleased have fulfilled the whole Law both for performing the righteousnesse thereof before GOD and payment of the transgression thereof Why should not Christ bee the end of all Law Morall and the rest for righteousnesse before God to Believers as they say hee is the end of and for the penalty and condemnation for the transgression thereof to them Seeing the full is performed of the righteousnesse required as the full of the Debt of transgression is paid Will these lay such cruelty upon God and charge God with such oppression and wrong as to
Apostle Obj. The Apostle saith to the Elect Believers You are not in the flesh but in the spirit therefore you may and do please God although Rom. 8. 9 they which are in the flesh cannot please God A. Those which the Apostle saith there to be in the Spirit of Christ are the same which are said to be the chosen of God in Christ Eph. 1. 4 2 Thess 2. 13 before the world to be holy and without blame before God in Christ not in themselves their corrupt soul and body and in their own performances So indeed they please God in Christ and in his performances imputed to them of grace not in their own performances which are sinful always Enoch was said to please God it was in Christ not in himself but by the imputation of Christs righteous performances Heb 1. 11 Q. Do not the chosen people of God displease God anger God and stir up Gods wrath against them for their sin and transgression A. No for then it could not be that after they are chosen of God in Christ they are holy and without blame before God for ever in love God cannot be displeased angry and in wrath with those that are ever holy and without blame before him in love that he ever loves Love saith the Apostle covereth the multitude of sins Q. How cometh that to pass when as all sin is lothsom to God and death unto men The wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6 23 A. It cometh to pass by Christs gracious undertaking with God for them in the Covenant of grace made between God and his Christ in their behalf wherein Christ did undertake to perform the Justice of the whole Will and Covenant of God made with man and broken by man before God for those chosen of God in him for the recovery of all lost to them And Christ therefore said Lo I come Heb. 10. 9 to do thy Will O God and did in present perform all undertaken in Gods sight before the world to Gods satisfaction and therefore is Isai 53 11. Heb. 13 8 said The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world And he hath performed all upon the Cross in and for manifestation to the creature He took all the infirmities of the chosen of God upon him He bare the sins of many saith the Prophet And again God layd the iniquity of us all upon him and he appeared to take away sin Isa 53. 4 6 1 Joh. 3 5 and the blood of Jesus Christ purgeth all sin saith the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that Rom 8. 33 justifieth saith the other Apostle and hereupon it is said God seeth none iniquity in Jacob nor seeth transgression in Israel being Numb 23. 25 Gods chosen God looketh upon his chosen ones only in Christ not in themselves So the sin and transgression of Gods chosen doth not displease and anger God or stir up Gods wrath against them nor can do injustice because Christ hath undertaken Gods satisfaction of all for them and hath payd and satisfied God for all their sin in Gods sight and hath endured and undergone the anger and wrath of God for all And a debt being payd fully cannot in justice be required again to be payd Q. Was not the Covenant of Grace made of God with man as the Covenant of Works was made of God with man A. No for the Covenant of Works was made with man when man had full power and free will to perform all therein but the Covenant of grace needed not nor had place till man had lost all the integrity of power and free-will and having neither power nor free will good nor to goodness he was in far worse case to perform the righteous condition on mans part then when he had power and yet failed It was Christ the gracious undertaker with God that had power and was onely able to perform the condition to the satisfaction of Justice he received the promise for Gods chosen and performed the condition for Gods chosen in himself and in them by his Spirit senâ— unto them for their comfort witness and evidence Obj. The Apostle saith The Promise was made to Ab aham and to his seed therefore the promise was made to man Gal. 3. 16 A. The meaning is It was repeated opened and manifested to Abraham as it was to Adam and the rest but the Promise was made to Christ which as he said was before Abraham was And the same Apostle saith It was made to the seed speaking of one that Ibid. is Christ Abraham was a corrupt man as other of the Elect are carnal sâ—ld under sin as Paul in his best estate said he was therefore not able to perform the righteous condition Rom. 7. 14 Obj. If Christ hath so undertaken with God and performed to God that God is not displeased and angry with the sin of Gods chosen why then doth God and is God said to correct chastise afflict and punish them for their sin if he were not displeased with them for their sin A. God doth not correct chastise afflict or punish sin in the Elect as an angry revenger of the fact not as one that is displeased and in wrath for the Apostle saith He loveth every one of them that he correcteth It is in love therefore not in wrath not for sin done Heb. 12 6 7 but either to keep them from sinning or to take them away from sin which in it self is base and naught even in the sight of the creature Obj. If the chosen of God in Christ do sin and yet never displease and anger God by their sinning if God be not displeased by their sin they may sin without fear A. No that cannot be so for ChrisT hath undertaken in the Covenant of Grace That he will be their God and that they shall be his people That he will never turn away from them to do them Jer. 32. 38 40 good and that he will put such a fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from him Christ hath promised to put his fear into their hearts that they shall not sin without fear but have his fear in their hearts in sinning and of sinning and whil'st they have his fear in their hearts they never depart from Christ into Gods displeasure Q. It seemeth then that the Elect of God themselves can do nothing that pleaseth God nor do any thing that displeaseth God Is this so A. It is certain God is onely pleased in Christs doings and performances for man and in man not in mans doings and performances which are always corrupt and leavened with sin and Christs undergoing the wrath of God for their sin hath already satisfied God and stopped Gods displeasure and wrath to their sins Indeed in his Justice without Christ God is said in the Scriptures to be angry and displeased with sin but if God be
angry and displeased still where Christ hath satisfied and appeased who shall satisfie and appease If God be angry still when Christ hath finished his satisfaction who shall satisfie afterward Obj. The Apostle saith That the Ethnicks which have no evidence but of the children of wrath do know the law or righteousness Rom. 1. 31 of God how that they which commit such things as are contrary are worthy of death and their thoughts or consciences are accusing or excusing one another and this they have by the corrupt light of Rom. 2. 14 15 Nature left them Therefore the Ethnicks know when their conscience accuseth them that they displease God in their performances and when their conscience excuse them that they please God in their performances A. It is certain the Ethnicks and all natural men know the Law of God yea that which is to be known of God as the Apostle saith enough to charge their consciences with good and evil with life and death in their performances And although their accusing conscience do manifest to them that they displease God and are worthy of death for committing such things yet their excusing conscience cannot assure them that they please God by any of their performances For the Apostle saith Although I know nothing by my self 1 Cor 4. 4. yet I am not there by justified I have no assurance that thereby I please God although my conscience excuse me Q. Was not the Law written in Tables of stone by Christ and given after by Moses to the Church of Israel the chosen people of God then in visibility the same Law that was given of God to man when man had power to perform the same before his Fall Ans It was the same partly in matter and wholly in form of holiness and righteousness but not the same in condition and circumstance For first The Law given to Adam was by God as the Creator when man had power in himself to have performed the full righteousness of the same before God and man but Moses Law so called was given by God the Undertaker and Redeemer of Gods chosen to them when they had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before God nor of that Law Secondly That Law was That man should do it and live evermore and should dye eternally if he did it not but this Law is That man Gen. 3. 3. Luk. 10. 18 shall have temporal reward long life upon earth and the like if he doth it and shall have temporal death and punishment if he doth it not or doth the contrary to it so held forth in the whole discourse of this Law written Thirdly In that Law Justice had only place If thou dost this thou shalt live If thou dost not this thou shalt dye but in this Law of Moses faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance have place and upon faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance mercy and forgiveness have place but neither faith in Christ self-denyal prayer repentance mercy nor forgiveness have place in that Law only of Justice made and given of God to man in power and if prayer repentance mercy and forgiveness had had place in that Law no doubt but the good God would of Justice have had patience for Adams repentance for Adam in time might have repented had mercy and forgiveness and lived eternally and his posterity and so there should have been no need of a Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of man Fourthly The Preface to the Decalogue where it is said God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage c. do shew plainly the giver of this Law was our God and Christ the Undertaker Redeemer Saviour and Deliverer of Gods chosen people in grace and that the same was given in grace for the Government of his Church and people for worship to God before men for righteousness society and safety among themselves Fifthly That Law was given to Adam requiring performance of the righteousness thereof before God and before men but this Law was given requiring performance of the righteousness thereof only before men for if this Christs Law were for performing of righteousness before God as Adams Law was with condition of everlasting death for breaking of the same then sin would have the dominion then all the chosen of God should be under the Law of death and not under the grace of life because no man can keep this Law in righteousness before God in the least Q. Have Gods Elect power to perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men A. This Law of Christ is outward in appearance to men and man seeth but according to the outward appearance and this Law is inward 1 Sam. 16. 7 Rom. 7. 14 and spiritual as the Apostle saith the Law is spiritual Now as this Law is outward in appearance to man man hath power to perform the righteousness thereof before men for although the power of man be so corrupted that he can perform no righteousness before God yet he may perform the righteousness of the Law in appearance before men So Christ said the Pharisees did perform the outward righteousness of this Law before men and Herod did many things in the righteousness of this Law as he was taught of Iohn Baptist and Paul called his performance of the righteousness of this Law his own righteousness Phi. 3. 8 9 which he desired he might not be found in but counted the same loss and dung in comparison of the righteousness which is of Christ David said I will run the way of thy Commandments and Ps 119. 32 Zachary and Elizabeth are said to have walked in the Commandments of the Lord without reproof of men So we see that men may Luke 1. 6. perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men in appearance to men yea hypocrites as the Pharisees and Herod much rather the chosen people of God which have the work of the Spirit thereto in their souls and hearts If man had had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before men it had not been love nor justice in Christ to have charged Gods chosen people to perform this Law upon pain There is no just and charitable man that will lay a burden upon his beast that he knoweth he cannot bear Q. But can the Elect of God perform this Law of Christ as it is spiritual A. No that cannot be for Paul said The Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin and transgression meaning of the Law as it is spiritual Q. How is this Law of Christ given to Gods chosen performed of them which cannot perform the same themselves as it is spiritual A. Christ their Undertaker and Giver of this Law as it is spiritual doth perform the same in them by his Spirit promised and sent unto them and this is the special
rest noted in the Scriptures to be Gods chosen people A. Yes it was given of Christ to his Church upon Earth in all generations although not so gloriously as when it was written of him to them in tables of stone but it was written in their hearts by Christ or otherwise as he pleased for the Government of his Church was ever upon his shoulders and he as a King governed not without a Law And this his Law and Government among Isal 9. 6. them appeareth plainly in that they brought offerings to the Lord as Abel the best of his flock and for that it is said Noah and Lot preached righteousness repentance mercy and forgiveness upon repentance in that it is said Abraham taught his family Q. Had not the Gentiles which were not Gods chosen people this Law of Christ written in their hearts which he writ in tables of stone to his Church of Israel for the Apostle saith Although they had not the Law written in tables of stone yet they did by nature the things contained therein before men although not all things so shewing the effect of the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. A. The Law and righteousness of the Law of Works made of God to man in power is corruptly remaining in the hearts of the Gentiles being not Gods chosen which is partly in this Law of Christ given to his Church of Gods chosen in grace but as it is the Law of Christ in grace it is not written in the hearts of the Gentiles Therefore David said Neither have the Heathen knowledg of his Ps â—47 â—0 Laws His Law or Commandment of Faith in Christ of Self-denyal of Repentance unto mercy and forgiveness and of mercy and forgiveness one to another upon Repentance was not written in their hearts Q. Do all the chosen people of God having corrupt reason understanding and will left them of doing the Law of Christ as it is outward in appearance to men perform the same in righteousness before men in the power that they have left A. No For first we see recorded in holy Scripture One to have gone beyond another therein Secondly We see recorded in holy Scripture The best in appearance of Gods chosen ones to have transgressed and committed the contrary to that holy Law before men much more we must think omitted the performance thereof in righteousness before men Sometimes we read of Noahs drunkenness of Lots drunkenness and incest of Abrahams teaching his wife Sarah to dissemble to call her self his sister not his wife of Jacobs dissembling with his blinde father Isaac saying that he was Esau the Patriarchs transgression Aarons and Moses and Davids transgression Solomons closing with Idolaters Ezechia's Josia's Manasses transgression yea Peters lying swearing and forswearing all contrary to the Law of Christ in appearance before men and what can we think of our own and the rest the incumbrances ignorance blindness and frailties of the flesh The tempters and temptations to the chosen of God are such and so many that the performance of this holy Law of Christ as it is outward in appearance before men hath been and is in all not without transgression as the Apostle saith in many things we offend all James 3. 2 Q. What is the danger of this transgression of Gods chosen people A. Temporal proportionable punishment before men an eye for an eye tooth for tooth breach for breach measure for measure These David call'd troubles and punishments these the Apostles call'd afflictions corrections and chastisements Q. Is there no way provided of Christ for Gods chosen people having so transgressed this his Law to escape the proportionable punishment A. Yes in great grace he hath provided and granted Repentance to be their refuge for mercy and forgiveness before him their Head King and Magistrate or Governor and before one another And therefore he saith At what time soever a sinner repent from the bottom of his heart he will put all his wickedness out of his remembrance Ezek. 18 And again If thy brother sin against thee seven times yea seventy times seven times and saith It repenteth me forgive him Mat. 18 21 22 Q. Is there no difference of the outward performance of this Law of Christ in Gods chosen people and in Hypocrites in appearance to men A. Yes there is much difference in appearance to men For first the chosen of God have the work of the Spirit in their souls and hearts when it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ sanctifying and sweetening the outward performance with humbleness meekness and otherwise in appearance to men Secondly They do it simply in submission and obedience to the command accounting the same good and fit to be â—one before men without the command pressed Thirdly They do not think that the doing of the work of this Command of Christ before men reacheth unto God to please God to move and pacifie God as David said My well-doing extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints upon the earth for their good and profit that they seeing the same may glorifie their Father in Heaven Psal 16. 3 before men Fourthly They do it not for their own profit glory and reputation among men as a merit of their worl in their own esteem but they wait and rest upon the promise of the reward in his Law made to the conscionable performers thereof in the gracious judgment of Jesus Christ before men giving Christ the Commander and Law-giver King and Governor of his Church the honor of all their performance But the performance of hypocrites first have not the face of the sanctifying and sweetening Spirit in humbleness and meekness self-denyal and otherwise for although the Pharisee went up into the Temple to pray yet his performance had the face of pride and self-conceit not of true humbleness and self-denyal Secondly They do it but not simply in submission to the Command as good and worthy to be done without the former Command but they do it being commanded for company formality and avoyding of penalty and other danger Thirdly Hypocrites do the work of the Command often zealously herein thinking in their hearts that their performances thereof reach unto God to please God to pacifie and move God thereby to do them and others good which is onely the work of Christ to Gods chosen ones wherein they would convey the honor of Christ to their performances Fourthly Hypocrites are strict and precise in this as it is outward none going beyond theâ—â— therein not for the honor of Christ the Lawgiver but for their own honor and reputation among men for their own ends for their own gain profit and advantages seeking the same often unjustly to the damage of one for the benefit of another to their own praise and glory among men Q. May not Gods chosen people neglect and omit the outward performance of this Law of Christ before men A. No for Christ hath given it to them
people of Israel to be blessed of God Gods chosen people yet for wages and gain he would have done them any mischief he might The perishing and destruction of Corah was his slighting and gainsaying of the Ordinance of Christ in the Ministry and Ministers thereof called and sent by his Ordinance for the gain of honor and the rest to himself His woe was not against Cain Balaam and Corah but against those and such in the last days that walk in their ways who in pride and covetousness of the riches and honors of this world trample under foot the Son of God his Laws and Ordinances for the government of his Church upon Earth his worship and honor among men c. and for righteousness peace society and safety among men themselves Q. Is not this Law of Christ given to his Church of Gods chosen people Iustification before God and eternal Life to the keepers and doers of that Law and Commandment for or by the keeping and doing thereof before men and condemnation before God and eternal death to the neglecters and breakers thereof before men for neglecting and breaking the same A. No that cannot be so for the holy Scriptures shew plainly the contrary in many places First Paul saith of himself and all Gods chosen people He hath chosen us in Christ before the World to be holy and without blame before him in love which must needs be understood thus God foreseeing and foreknowing before the world all men to become the children of wrath by transgression he of love and free grace was pleased to chuse some of them then before himself to be his adopted children through Christ to be holy and without blame before him in love and being chosen are justified and have eternal life in Christ So the same Paul which saith God hath chosen us in Christ before the world c. saith We were all the children of wrath as well as others before God before that of Gods love and free grace we were chosen in Christ out of the general company of the children of wrath to be the children of God but now being chosen in Christ to be the children of God we are not nor can be the children of wrath again for Christ loseth none chosen in him none taketh them out of his hand that the Father hath given him Now to affirm and hold forth that Justification and eternal Life cometh to man for or by his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ given to Gods people and in Tables of stone written long after Gods Election of them before the world manifested in the Scripture and that condemnation and eternal death cometh to them for the breaking and neglecting thereof before men is to disable dishonor and nullifie the gracious act of Gods Election in Christ of those he pleased before the world to be his loved children and to leave the rest in the condemnation of their own transgression Secondly The Apostle saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth them being chosen of God Rom. 8. 33 they are justified of God none after they are chosen of God shall or can lay any thing to their charge therefore their Justification before God or condemnation eternal life or eternal death doth not depend upon their keeping or breaking the Law of Christ given for the government of his Church upon Earth although indeed it may manifest the same Thirdly The Apostle saith If Iustification before God and eternal life be of the Works of the Law they are not of Grace But the Apostle affirmeth That Gods chosen are justified freely by grace and not by the Works of the Law Fourthly The Apostle citing other Scriptures saith Before Iacob and Esau were born and had done good or evil that the purpose of God might remain according to Election not by works but Rom. 9. 11 13 by him that calleth God loved Iacob and hated Esau It was because God of love and free grace had Elected Iacob in Christ before the world that God continued his love to Iacob and because Esau was left in the wrath of his transgression in Adam that God continued his wrath and hatred to Esau Fifthly If mans Justification before God should depend upon his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ there were no man could be justified and saved for the Apostle saith In many things we offend all and his repentance that is finite and temporal could not satisfie the trespass done before and against the infinite God which it must do in justice if Christs Law were with condition of everlasting life and everlasting death for keeping and breaking of the Commandment Q. Is there no good nor benefit to Gods chosen people by keeping and doing the Law and Commandment of Christ carefully and in singleness of heart nor no damage nor danger to them by breaking and neglecting the same before men A. Yes Gods chosen people have two special benefits by the keeping and doing of the Law and commandment of Christ before men in singleness of heart and carefully First They have the temporal reward in the condition promised and held forth in the holy Scriptures In keeping of them there is Psa 19. 11 58. 11 great reward saith David And again Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous And they have much more then is manifested prepared of Christ for their reward of grace The things which eye hath not seen neither ear hath heard 1 Cor. 2. 9 neither came into mans heart hath Christ our God prepared for them that love him saith the Apostle Secondly They have the evidence of the Spirit of Christs work in their hearts for the carefulness and singleness of heart is the work and fruit of the Spirit which they as branches of the Vine Christ do onely bear and bring forth of grace as instruments wherewith the Spirit doth the work and imputeth it to them of grace as Paul said It was not I but the grace of God with me And the Spirit by 1 Cor. 15. 10 Rom. 8. 16 such evidence received doth witness to their Souls that they are Gods children And the damage and danger to Gods chosen people is great by breaking and neglecting this Law and command of Christ For first they lose the said reward of keeping and doing the same when they break it and neglect it they forsake their own mercies Secondly They are liable to the temporal penalties and are sure thereof without repentance of their offences before men And hereupon it is that Christ our God shaketh his rod of Judgments so often in the Scriptures against the chosen people of God which he knoweth in themselves are frail weak and subject to temptations to keep them from transgression and the danger thereof Q. What is the good and benefit of the Gospel and the preaching thereof unto Gods chosen people Is it beyond and more then the Law and
preaching of the Law of Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth unto them A. Yea the Gospel and the preaching thereof by those that are sent is for their everlasting comfort and good That setteth forth unto them the everlasting love mercy and free grace of God in his chusing them in Christ before the world unchangeably their ordination to eternal life their predestination to be the children of God for ever their calling thereto in the Image of his Son â—esus Christ their justification and glorification then before God to be manifested in fulness of time to the creature And clearly sheweth the way and work of all these by Christs undertaking with God to his satisfaction of justice in doing of his Will as the Lamb slain before him from the beginning and taking flesh upon him came into the world and performed the full righteousness of the Law of God in doing and suffering before men whereby they have deliverance from all sin and death by sin before God and are made coheirs annexed with Christ Jesus of all his riches triumph and glory in heavenly places And that Christ hath promised and sent his holy Spirit to them to do the spiritual work of the Law in them as he pleaseth for witness and comfortable assurance to them that they are Gods chosen children and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption because he witnesseth the same Rest to the Souls of Believers GOd hath revealed himself unto man to be one eternal invisible incompr 〈…〉 ible essence in whom is all foreknowledg and will as he pleaseth all love almighty power wisdom justice goodness and mercy and in three persons in this one essence Father Son and Holy Spirit according to which eternal qualities of his eternal Deity he hath in his foreknowledg and foresight purposed predestinated and decreed all things according to his will and according to his Will Purpose and Decree made Heaven Hell Earth and all Gen. 1. Isai 30. 33 things therein And with his purpose to make man he also purposed to make a Covenant of works with man which works if he did he should have the promise and assurance of life for ever But if he did fail in the work and break the Covenant he should dye presently And God foreknowing that man would break the Covenant of his great and meer love of his free grace compassion and mercy to mankind did provide purpose and decree to give to mankind in Christ a Covenant of Grace or promise of grace which was to give his own only Son to be made of a woman by taking mans flesh upon him to be born and brought forth of a woman to take upon him the form of a servant to be of no reputation among men yet as a general person and undertaker for all intended of the Father in acceptance to full satisfaction to do and perform the full righteousness of the Covenant of Works Law and commandment therein and to pay the whole and uttermost debt of and for the transgression made or to be made by those of mankind which he purposed to make choyce of for the glory of his grace to be performed by his Son Christ Jesus and to be preserved by the power of his Spirit until Psa 37. 18 19 1 Thes 5. 17 Eph. 1. 4 they were presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And according to the purpose of the Father he did Elect some of mankinde before the foundations of the world were layd to be his vessels of honor life everlasting and immortal inheritance in and with his Son Jesus Christ which had undertaken in acceptance and to full satisfaction of God leaving the rest to the merit and punishment of their own transgression And having made Heaven and Hell he made also the Earth and all creatures therein in their kind And placing man his creature in Paradise there made and manifested his purposed and decreed Covenant of Works with man with condition of life and death when man was endued with full power and free will to stand or fall And mand did fall and break the Covenant of Works which in duty as the creature he ought to have kept and performed to the Creator having of him power and free-will given to him to hve performed and done same And although God did foreknow that man would fall and break the Covenant yet God did not decree that man should fall and destroy himself by falling neither having given unto him power and free-will to stand or fall had he resisted the Will of God if he had stood but by falling and so destorying himself he resisted the Will of God that would not the death of a sinner For there was Ezek 18 32 one and the same end in the intention of God of both the Covenants purposed towards man which was the life of man yea in his Covenant of Works he intended the life of man This do and thou shalt live saith God to man although he set before him life and Gen. 42. 18 Rom. 7. 10 death in that Covenant of Works And after mans fall and loss of all he was endued with all of God being yet in Paradise God manifested to his Elâ—ct of mankind his purposed Covenant of Grace in his Son Jesus Christ to be performed of him without any condition of any performance by man but in Christ now being without power of believing as appears in the words of the Promise or Covenant of Grace The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents heaâ— The seed of the woman was freely promised to do and perform all that was to be done and performed for mans salvation to the end to break the serpents head and to destroy the works of the Devil as the Apostle speaketh and all this grace to be manifested in time to those in particular which should 1 Joâ— 3. 8 in manifestation receive the Spirit of adoption and bear the fruits of the Spirit the believing in the Son of God Jesus Christ so that in the righteousness of his Son Christs doing the work of the Covenant in himself as an undertaker for and a representative of all his Elect in acceptance to the full satisfaction of God all the Elect might have this righteousness accounted imputed and so made theirs of God as if themselves had done the full work of the Law and Covenant of Works And by his paying of the full debt and price for their transgression they might be assured of the forgiveness of their sins past Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Joh. 1. 7 and to come as if there had been no transgression at all in them of the Law and Covenant of Works And that they thus being justified fully by the obedience and performance of Christ before God and freed by the full payment of the price and debt with Christs precious blood Gods Elect might know themselves to have an absolute discharge from the Law and Covenant of Works before God and
to be no more under the Covenant of Works but only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace And hereupon it is said by the Apostle of Christ touching the Elect Ye are no more under the Law but Rom 6. 14 Gal. 5. 1. Rom. 10. 4 3. 24 under Grace The Son of God hath made you free Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to those which believe We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus And this was not only the end of the Promise or Covenant of grace to justifie freely the Elect and to free them from the Covenant of Works before God and set them only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ but also that the same Christ should Psa 121. 8 Joh. 17. 11 1 Thes 5. 23 1 Cor. 1 8 rule them preserve them and keep them by the power of his Spirit and present them blameless at his coming to Judgment For this cause is Christ said to have three offices of a King a Priest and a Prophet A King to rule govern and order his Elect as the Scripture saith The Government is upon his shoulders A Priest to pray and Isai 9. 6 Rom. 8 26 make request for them as it is said The Spirit maketh request for us A Prophet to teach them powerfully and effectually not as the Scribes and Pharisees as is said which taught but had no power upon their hearers further to their good as it is said They shall be all taught of God even to the forming of Jesus Christ in them as â—oâ— 6 45 Gal. 4. 19 the Apostle speaketh And Christ doth not execute his Offices only in the universal Church of his Elect but also in the particular and every member thereof So that every of his Elect when how and where he pleaseth hath a better Governor in him then himself a better Orator a better Teacher and Directer then himself So that although as the Idolatrous Canaanite remained still in the Land when the Israelite had Ioshua 17. rule the flesh remaineth still in the Elect whil'st Christ hath the rule at his pleasure and although the flesh bringeth forth many transgressions yet Christ by his Spirit having the rule doth though not without resistance curb the flesh and bring it in subjection at his Gal. 5. 17 pleasure and maketh the corrupt members instruments of his service and therefore the Apostle saith Sin shall have no more dominion over you for you are no more under the Law but under grace meaning the Spirit of Christ that ruleth swayeth and doth all things Rom. 6. 14 in the Elect unto good where his Grace and Spirit is present fiting and making by his powerful and sanctifying Spirit all and any of 1 Cor. 15 his regenerate Electones to yield their members both of soul and body instruments of righteousness unto God that is instruments of the works of his righteous Spirit in them which he of his grace imputeth Rom 6 13 to them and calleth them their works although they be his only in truth as is manifested in the holy Scripture Christ told his Disciples that he sent forth to preach the Gospel That it was not they that did speak but the Spirit of the Father that did speak in them although it was spoken by the instruments of their mouth Mat. 10. 20 tongue and lips And Paul when he said that he had labored in the Ministry of the Gospel more then all the rest recalleth himself saying 1 Cor. 15. 10 Yet it was not I that labored so but the grace of God with me His instrument my self being only by the grace of God Jesus Christ fitted and made an instrument of that labor and work and of his grace only accounted my labor and work which is his work Thus we may see the end of the promise or Covenant of grace made of God to man in Christ to be that of the unsearchable love of God to the Elect through his grace in Jesus Christ his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the World was layd being of those which were faln into the misery and danger of everlasting death by their own transgression of the mutual Covenant of Works agreed upon and made betwixt God and mankind in the first Parents all of them then being and to be in the posterity of mankind to the end of the world after their Election are freed from the Covenant of Works the Law and commandment thereof before God and the penalty of the transgression of the Law and commandment thereof through the performance made of Jesus Christ their undertaker and to be preserved kept and ordered by the performance to be made in Psa 121. 5 Ioh. 17 11 15 1 Thes 5. 23 them by the Spirit of Christ until they be presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And as the Covenant of Works was manifested in Paradise in the time of mans innocency when man had full power and freedom of will to have performed all required and the same broken by man there being in his full power unto the tainture and corruption of all mankind then in Adams loyns So was the Promise called the Covenant of grace touching the Elect of God first manifested in Paradise unto man soon after the general Transgression Fall and corruption when God said The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head which seed was Jesus Christ born of the blessed Virgin Mary Mat. 2. 25 And as afterwards the Covenant of works in grace was manifested to many by the providence of God repeated and revealed in holy Scriptures to set forth the equity of Gods Justice in the death and misery of the reprobate still under the Law and curse of the first transgression of the Covenant of Works and the succeeding transgression thereof first especially commented opened and interpreted by Moses then by the Prophets and after by the Evangelists and the Apostles of Jesus Christ the penmen of the Holy Ghost and also that by the thunderings threatenings and terror of the penalties of the transgressions of the said Law the current and violence of the corruption of reprobate and carnal men might be hindered abated and bridled through fear to the more safety of Gods beloved ones which are amongst the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ himself said of his chosen ones I send you forth as sheep among wolves Mat. 10. 16 So the Promise or Covenant of Grace was after opened and manifested to many by the providence of God and specified and repeated in holy Scriptures by Gods penmen of the same to set forth the love compassion mercy and grace of God toward his Elect and the praise and glory of his grace for the same always to be published by those whose blinde eyes are opened to behold the misery bands and dâ—ath from which they are delivered and freed by the love of God in the
that were to abolish Christ and grace and to nullifie Christ and his grace so the Apostle of Christ holdeth forth If it be of works it is no more of grace else were work no more works meaning if it be in any part of works and mans performances to have peace Rom. 11 6. with God then grace is quite shut out And if it be of grace that man hath his peace with God in any part then saith she it is no more of works then are works quite shut out else were grace no more grace The meaning of the Apostle is that mans works and performances and grace and Christs performances cannot go and stand together in mans justification in pleasing pacifying or making mans peace with God To this purpose the Apostle of Christ saith also I say unto Gal. 5. 2. you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law v. 4. ye are fallen from grace that is if any man think or account himself holy good just and righteous or more holy more righteous or better then he was or better more holy more righteously then other men by his performances and doing duties of the Law as in his praying fasting giving of Alms building of Churches Hospitalls or giving of every man his due as he thinketh by doing pennance for his faults by making restitutions though as Zacheus did c. which all are commandments of the Law the Apostle saith plainly Christ shall profit him nothing he is abolished from Christ Obj. If a man may not think and account himself to be more holy Gal. 5. 2 4 more righteous and better then himself was before in Gods sight or more holy more righteous and better then other men which are without doing the works of the holy Commandment By his doing the works of the holy and righteous Commandment as praying fasting building Churches Hospitals paying dues making restitution and the rest This Doctrine will quench all devotion goodness just dealing and duties to God and man for wherefore should a man do these and the like if he may not think himself the better more holy more righteous in Gods sight by doing nor be more holy more righteous and better by doing then other men that do nothing Answ This Doctrine doth not quench or abate true devotion or any thing of goodness to God in truth but maketh way to the shining of the true light to man whereby he may be better indeed in respect with God through Christ according to true spiritual manifestaon For manifestation of the true light herein first is to be considered that whatsoever devotions or prayers man hath or doth perform of himself in his own wisdom and power or whatsoever works he doth or deviseth to do according to the rule of the Law and holy Commandment of works either towards God or man for his own betterness for his own estimation of more holiness and righteousness in himself before God he deceiveth himself to man there may be estimation by such devotions and performances but not to God for God knoweth that man in his meer natural estate for his estimation with mâ—n may be so acted by the spirit of Antichrist that he may shew and do all these things and all other outward things of the holy Law and Commandement outwardly as fully as may be seen of man to be done which for proof thereof we may clearly see in the Pharisees Herod and Judas especially of the Pharisees whom no man now living in devotions and outward performances of the holy Law can be seen to go beyond and they were never the better thereby but the worse thereby as appears by the woe that Christ pronounced against them for their hypocrisie in such their devotions and Mar. 23. 14. performance of the Law to be seen of men to get estimation among men Again God knoweth that man himself hath no power at all nor will unto good that he lost these in the first transgression And that man himself can do and perform nothing that is good before God for Paul a principle example one that had then received of Christ as much as any man had or have acknowledged that he in himself found no Rom 7. 18. Ps 14 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. means to perform that which is good And David a man after Gods own heart and Paul saith There is no man that doth good no not one Then how can any man think that he is the better the more righteous in the sight of God in Gods estimation by his own devotions prayers all his own outward performances of the holy Law of God done in the greatest wisdom of man no they are no better in the estimation of God then the devotions of the Jews and their performances which the Prophet Isaiah mentioneth were such as God was weary of were abomination to him and he hated Man cannot make himself better to Isa 1 12. 13. God it is Christ that maketh him better it is Christs performance that maketh man better to God more holy more righteous in the eyes of God then he was before Yet so it is That Christ by whom God hath given all to his elect ones of his great grace maketh them as he pleaseth his instruments in the way of their Pilgrimage of the performances of the holy Law and Commandement as devotions prayer preaching hearing meditation love just dealing c. through his holy spirit in them where by they shine as many lights amongst men to the praise of the glory of his grace yea though they be mightily wrought upon by the spirit of Christ in them to mortification of sin in their earthly Members to sanctification and the purifying of their hearts by Faith yet they think not themselves better by any thing in them of their own for they acknowledg that in themselves dwelleth no good thing as Paul did they acknowledg the flesh and corruption still remaining in them as in others and they give the praise and glory of all good to Jesus Christ And herein is the chief discernment of those which are the instruments of the spirit of Antichrist which are wrought up many times to as great performances as the instruments of the spirit of Christ are and those which are Antichrists boast of these as their own to their own praise among men But those which are Christs put off all praise of whatsoever from themselves giving all to the praise and glory of Act. 3. 12. 16. Act. 14 15 Rev. 22 9. God as Peter did healing the lame man as Paul and Barnabas did when they would have sacrificed to them oh say they we are men subject to like passions as ye be and as the Angel did where John would have worshipped him saying I am thy fellow Servant worship God They that uphold this objection want two things first the spirit of 1 Cor. 2. Christ whereby
writing writer thereof to the pen. And may say my pen writ this thing but the common reason of man knoweth that the writer himself did sharp and fit the pen yea and lead and guide the pen every way otherwise the pen could have done nothing in writing the pen would have laid still Even so Jesus Christ which by his spirit his representative is the inditer of all the writer of all the doer and performer of every good matter in man of his love and grace to man his creature and instrument may and doth ascribe impute and account all to be mans and his members instrumen's fitted by him lead guided and inabled by the spirit to bear and hold forth the same which otherwise could do nothing of the good thing but would lie still thereunto as Paul was when he said I find no means to perform that which is good yea saith he there when I would do good evil is present with me and the Rom 7. 18 good which I would do that I do not but the evil which I would not do that I do wherein the Apostle sheweth that when Jesus Christ by his spirit had framed and fitted his will to good that was not enough for him to do it But Jesus Christ by his spirit must go on with the instrument of his will which he had fitted to the instrument of the deed and performance in fitting his other Members also for instruments of the deed to be performed by his holy spirit otherwise though there was will ready yet the deed would be wanting Therefore the same Apostle saith It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed of his own good pleasure In which words the Phil. 2. 13. Apostle sheweth that it is our God that worketh the will to good and the good deed also therefore the will is Gods and the deed is Gods not mans except by asscription and imputation and man is not nor can be the instrument of the good unless first fitted by the spirit of Christ to be the instrument of the good deed no more then the 1 Cor. 15. 10. pen can be the instrument of writing well without sharping and fitting it And these words also hold forth that when Christ hath wrought up the will his working of the deed may be wanting yet at his pleasure yea but the Apostle saith evil was then present with him he was ready to do evil when the spirit had fitted his will unto good and the evil which he would not do that be did even as a captive and bond-man to act sin of himself and nothing but sin can a man do of himself or doth which notwithstanding is abated and stayed by the spirit of Christ as it pleaseth so that at all times the flesh cannot do what it would as the Apostle saith The spirit is contrary and against the flesh that it cannot do what it would no more then the Gal. 5 17 will framed by the spirit can bring to pass what it would through the hinderance of the flesh for saith the Apostle they are contrary one to another that ye cannot do what ye would So that to conclude all good performances in man are Jesus Christs performances by his representative the Holy Ghost brought forth and done of him by or with the instrument of the members of man together or severally framed and fitted for the work Even as the body and his members are the instruments of the Soul and therefore is called the Organ of the Soul and can do nothing at all without the Soul So the Soul and body both are the Instruments of Christs Spirit without which they neither of them can do any thing that is good before God and are in the doing only the instruments of the Spirit of Christ and yet by grace in the word of grace those doings and works of the Spirit are called and accounted mans and so accepted through Christ of God the Father And all the sin and evil done is mans own act even of the flesh and corruption of such as are Believers In me that is in my flesh saith the Apostle dwelleth no good thing yet this sin done of the Elect in Rom. 7. 18 the flesh though yet unbelievers is taken away by Christ presently as it is done yea was virtually taken away by the Fathers Dâ—cree and acceptance in Christ before it was done in appearance and layd upon Christ In which relation I conceive the Apostles words are most clear saying He that is born of God sinneth not neither can sin because his sin is taken away by Christ before from the beginning and 1 Ioh. 3. 9 by the Fathers pleasure and in his acceptance layd upon Christ and this the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah sheweth plainly God saith he hath layd upon Him the iniquities of us all meaning the Elect And Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Ioh. 1. 7 the Apostle saith He bare our sins in his body upon the tree And again The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin And this is the great grace of God manifested to Believers that they are cleansed from all their sins though subject in the flesh to frequent sins dayly and yet are so governed and kept by Christ their King that they do Rom. 6. 1 not sin the more because they know this exceeding grace that their sin is taken away and cleansed in present This ministreth no occasion Gal. 5. 13 to the flesh which the Apostle adviseth to take heed of but this grace known to Believers doth stay and hinder the act of sin in the reasonable Soul of Believers though the same reasonable Soul be corrupted and fleshly For the common reason of men will advise to do less hurt to that man that hath saved his life or done him most good Sin is a great grief and hurt to God as the Believer knoweth for sinful man is warned Grieve not the good Spirit of God whereby ye are Eph. 4. 30 Ioh. 19. 34 sealed to the day of Redemption and again They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Believers know that the nature of sin is to grieve and pierce their God that hath saved their life and hath only done them good of love and free grace without any desire of their own Therefore this known grace of Believers must needs be a great stay and stop to them of doing that which they know is sin against God Gods great grief hurt and piercing Q. Are there not some Hypocrites of such as profess themselves to be stedfast Believers in Jesus Christ A. Yea there are four sorts of men that profess themselves constant Believers in Jesus Christ that are Hypocrites The first are such which notwithstanding they will say they believe in Christ to be saved by him yet they hold themselves under the moral Law the Law of Commandments the Law of Works before God as man was before he fell and is after not being in
with his own Names and Titles of his Offices as King Lord Prince Ruler Governor Law giver and the rest to be honoured with the same Titles as the Instruments of Christ our God And are not the Ruling Governing ordering Law-giving commanding teaching of Christ by his spirit in those his Instruments of his ruling governing commanding judging and the rest wrought done and brought forth by his spirit in them as the fruits of his spirit by or with them his Instruments and of his grace imputed accounted and called by Christ himself there ruling governing judging Law-giving ordering commanding and teaching though they be Christs to be accounted and called of men their ruling governing and therest though they be but instruments thereof when as Christ our God himself so accounteth and calleth them there providing always that they do acknowledg as Peter did It Act 3. 12. 16. Rev. 22. 9. is not through our own power or godliness that we have done this but the name and power of Jesus hath done it And as the Angel did to John I am thy fellow-Servant worship God that is that men do not take Christs honour to themselves not give Christs honour to men Then do not those manifest themselves not to have the spirit of Christ whose fruit is all manner of goodness as well the goodness of obeying submitting and serving as the goodness of ruling governing ordering Lawgiving commanding and teaching c. and so to be none of Christs for the Apostle saith he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Yea rather do those not bewray themselves to have the spirit of Antichrist that deny and withstand to obey humble submit and do service to such Christs ruling governing ordering Law-giving commanding teaching and judging as is wrought done and performed of Christ by or with his instruments of men or that deny to account and call such Christs instruments Kings Lords Governors Law-givers and the rest as Christ himself so calleth of his grace or that deny to call that Christs Government of his Church which is done of him by and with his fitted instruments of men for 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 5. 6. chap. 6. 20. 7. 3. Christ is a King Priest and Prophet still he shall raign till all his enemies be subdued under his feet he is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck yea certainly Christ is not a titular King but doth execute his Offices of King Priest and Prophet still amongst men for the good comfort and society of those which are his in his power wisdom and grace by and with his instruments of men in the ruling governing ordering Law-giving judging commanding teaching c. and in obeying submitting and serving And to make this clear and plain unto men the Apostle of Christ himself being the instrument of Christs spirit advertiseth much to Christians and Christian-churches of ruling preaching or prophecying teaching waiting on the office men have exhorting doing service giving honor And of submitting to powers paying tribute resisting See Rom. 12. Rom 13. 1 Tim. 2 of powers praying for Kings and all that are in authority that under them we may lead a godly and peaceable life and many more touching ruling governing and obeying And wherefore should the Apostle of Christ hold forth these things belonging to the Church and republique of Christ but to shew that these good things being Christs performances in his Church and republique which hath only power to do that which is good by his spirit in his Elect with them his instruments for man himself of himself can do none of these good things as hath been shewed That those are and in those is Christs Government of his Church as by and with his fitted instruments Neither touching Gods Elect people is the Government of his Church taken for inward spiritual Government Christs Government only and Republique Government taken for outward and bodily Government mans Government left to mans corrupt wisdom reason and power for then Christ should not do all good to and for his Elect people then the Government of the Republique of Gods people must needs be evil wholy for man of himself cannot do and bring forth with all his wisdom reason and power any thing that is good either spiritual or bodily inward or outward before God I Rom. 7. 18 find no means to perform that which is good saith Paul But he that is the Keeper of Israel keepeth spiritually and bodily inwardly and outwardly doth govern his people Israel his chosen ones spiritually and bodily doth all good to them by his Spirit in them with such fited means as he knoweth best and pleaseth for their good for the Apostle saith to Gods people The Lord careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. And why should men question where Christs Government of his Church is or what the Government of Christs Church is when they see Christ hath always had hath now and undoubtedly will always have his Instruments of his goodness the fruits of his Spirit both in ruling governing and the rest of that kind and also of obeying submitting and serving for the comfort and society of his Church and people in the way of their pilgrimage and for his own glory As he had Abraham his Instrument and his most publique Instrument then of his Church to govern and teach by him the Church in his house Gen. 18. and those that belonged to him And Moses and Aaron and Joshua his Instruments to govern teach and take such other offices of his as he pleased to make them his fitted Instruments in his Church the people of Israel And after Joshua the Judges David the King Solomon and others to judg and govern being his Instruments And afterward his Apostles Bishops or Overseers Presbyters Christian Emperors Kings and by whatsoever names or titles they were called many other his Instruments of his goodness of ordering governing and teaching his Church And whilest goodness appeared or appeareth in the ruling governing ordering Lawgiving judging teaching and Isai 8 20. Act. 20. 32 guiding of the Church according to Christs Law given in Grace and the Testimonies is not this Christs governing of his Church For it is sure there is no true goodness nor righteousness but that which is Christs but that which is the fruit of Christs Spirit which is always accompanied with the rest of the fruits of Christs Spirit Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness meekness righteousness faith temperance Gal. 5. 22. and all manner of goodness as the Apostle speaketh Certainly that was the Government that was layd upon Christs shoulders Isai 9. 6. and is still his Government ordering teaching and guiding which hath true goodness righteousness meekness love and peace known to be Christs by holding forth the fruits of the Spirit and agreeing to Christs Isai 8. 20. Acts 14. 3. Act. 20. 32 Law given in Grace and the Testimonies whomsoever he pleaseth to make his Instruments of