SIR, My neighbour Neophytus and I, having lately had some conference with this our friend and acquaintance Antinomista, about some points of Religi • n, wherein he differing from us both, at last • id he would be contented to be judged by • ou our Minister: therefore have we made bold to come unto you, all three of us, to pray you to heare us, and judge of our differences.

You are all of you very welcome to me, and if you please to let me heare what your differences are, I will tell you what I think.

The truth is, Sir, he and I differ in very many things, but more especially about the Law: for I say the Law ought to be a rule of life to a believer, and he saith it ought not.

And surely, Sir, the greatest difference betwixt him and I, is this: He would perswade me to believe in Christ, and bids me rejoyce in the Lord, and live merrily, though I feel never so many corruptions in my heart, yea though I be never so sinfull in my life; the which I cannot do, nor I think ought not to do, but rather to feare, and sorrow, and lament for my sins.

The truth is, Sir, the greatest difference is betwixt my feiend Nomista and I, about the Law, and therefore that is the greatest matter we come unto you about.

Tit. 3.9I remember, the Apostle Paul willeth Titus to avoyd contentions and strivings about the Law, because they are unprofitable and vain: and so I feare me yours have been.

I pray you, neighbour Nomista, be not so hot, neither let us have such unchristianlike expressions amongst us, and let us reason together in love,1 Cor. 4.21. and with the spirit of meeknesse, as Christians ought to do. I confesse with the Apostle,Gal. 4.18. it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing: But yet as the same Apostle said of the Jews, so I feare me I may say of some Christians, that they are zealous of the Law, Act. 21.20 yea some would be Doctors of the Law, and yet neither understand what they say, 1 Tim. 1.17. nor whereof they affirm.

Sir, I make no doubt but that I both know what I say, and whereof I affirm, when I say and affirm, that the holy Law of God ought to be a rule of life to a believer; For I dare pawn my soule of the • ruth of it.

But what Law do you mean?

Why Sir, what Law do you think I mean? Is there any more Lawes then one▪

Yea, in the New Testament the • is mention made of a three-fold Law, 〈◊〉 wit,Rom. 3.27 Gal. 6.2. the law of works, the law of faith, an • the law of Christ: and therefore I pray yo • tell me, when you say the Law ought to b • a rule of life to a believer, which of their three Lawes you mean?

Sir, I know not the difference betwixt them; but this I know, that the Law of the Ten Commandements, commonly called the Morall Law, ought to be a rule of life to a believer.

But the Law of the Ten Commandements, or Morall Law, may be either said to be the matter of the law of works or the matter of the law of Christ; and therefore I pray you tell me in whether o • these senses you conceive it ought to be • rule of life to a believer?

Sir, I must confesse I do not know what you mean by this distinction; but thi • I know, that God requires that every Christian should frame and lead his life according to the rule of the Ten Commandements, the which if he do, then may he expect the blessing of God both upon his soule and body, and if he do not, then can he expect nothing else but his wrath and curse upon them both.

Why, I mean the Law of the Ten Commandements.

But whether do you mean that Law, as it is the matter of the law of works, or as it is the matter of the Law of Christ?

Surely, Sir, I do conceive that the Ten Commandements are no way to be a rule of life to a believer, for Christ hath delivered him from them.

But the truth is, the law of the Ten Commandements, as it is the matter of the law of Christ, ought to be a rule of life to a believer; and therefore you having affirmed the contrary, have therein also er • ed from the truth.

The truth is, Sir, I must confesse, 〈◊〉 never took any notice of this three-fold • aw, which it seems is mentioned in the New Testament.

Well, give me leave to tell you, that so far forth as any man comes short of the true knowledge of this threefold Law, so far forth he comes short both of the true knowledge of God, and of himself; And therefore I wish you both to consider of it.

Sir, if it be so, you may do well to be a means to inform us, and help us to the true knowledge of this threefold Law; and therefore I pray you first tell us what is meant by the law of works?

The law of works, opposed to the law of faith, Bal on the Cov. of grace, p. 9. Com. pla. eng. p. 118. Rom. 3.27. holds forth as much as the covenant of works: for it is manifest, saith Musculus, that the word which signifieth covenant or bargain, is put for law; so that you see the Law of works, is as much to say as the Covenant of works, the which Covenant the Lord made with all mankinde in Adam before his fall, the summe whereof was,Lev. 18.5. Gen. 2.17. Ames. med. Eng. p. 48. Do this, and thou shalt live; And, If thou do it not, thou shalt die the death. In which Covenant there was first contained 〈◊〉 precept, Do this; Secondly, a promise joyned unto it, If thou do it, thou shalt live ▪ Thirdly, a like threatning, If thou do it not, thou shalt die the death. Imagine, saith Musculus, that God had said to Adam, Lo, to the intent that thou maist live, Com. pla. p. 31. I have given thee liberty to eat, and have given thee abundantly to eat: let all the fruits of Paradise be in thy power, one tree except, which see thou touch not, for that I keep it to mine own authority: the same is the tree of knowledge of good and evill, If thou touch it, the meat thereof shall not be life, but death.

But Sir, you said that the Law of the Ten Commandements, or Morall Law, may be said to be the matter of the Law of works: and you have also said, that the Law of works is as much to say as the Covenant of works: whereby it seems to me you hold that the Law of the Ten Commandements was the matter of the Covenant of works which God made with all mankind in Adam before his fall.

That's a truth agreed upon by all Authors and Interpreters that I know: Downham▪ on Just. p. 443.465. And indeed, the Law of works (as a learned Author saith) signifies the Morall law; and the Morall law strictly and properly taken, signifies the Covenant of works.

But Sir, what is the reason you call it but the matter of the covenant of works?

The reason why I rather chuse to call the Law of the Ten Commandements the matter of the Covenant of works, then the Covenant it self, is because I conceive that the matter of it cannot properly be called the covenant of works, except the form be put upon it, that is to say, except the Lord require, and man undertake to yield perfect obedience thereunto, upon condition of eternall life and death: And therefore till then it was not a covenant of works betwixt God and all mankinde in

As for example, you know, that although a servant have an ability to do a masters work, and though a master have wages to bestow upon him for it, yet is there not a covenant betwixt them till they have thereupon agreed. Even so, though man at the first had power to yield perfect and perpetuall obedience to all the Ten Commandements, and God had an eternall life to bestow upon him, yet was there not a covenant betwixt them till they were thereupon agreed.

But Sir, you know there is no mention made in the book of Genesis, of this covenant of works, which you say was made with man at first.

Bal on the Covenant p. 6.Though we read not the word Covenant betwixt God and man, yet have we there recorded what may amount to as much; for God provided and promised to Adam eternall happinesse, and called for perfect obedience, which appears from Gods threatning, Gen. 2.17. For if man must die if he disobeyed, it implies strongly, that Gods covenant was with him for life, if he obeyed.

But Sir, you know the word Covenant signifies a mutuall promise, Walker on the Covenant, p. 39. bargain, and obligation betwixt two parties. Now though it is implied, that God promised man to give him life if he obeyed, yet we read not that man promised to be obedient.

I pray take notice, that God doth not alwayes tie man to verball expressions, Bal on the Covenant p. 5. but doth often contract the Covenant in reall impressions in the heart and frame of the creature: And this was the manner of covenanting with man at the first, for God had furnished his soule with an understanding mind, Calv instit. fol. eng. p. 8. Eccl. 7.27 whereby he might discern good from evill, and right from wrong, and not only so, but also in his will was most great uprightnesse, and his instrumentall parts were orderly framed to obedience: the truth is, God did ingrave in mans soule, wisdom, and knowledge of his will, and works, and integrity in the whole soule, and such a fitnesse in all the powers thereof, that neither the mind did conceive, nor the heart desire, Basting, cat. p. 9. nor the body put in execution any thing but that which was acceptable to God: so that man endowed with these qualities, was able to serve God perfectly.

But Sir, how could the Law of the Ten Commandements be the matter of this Covenant of works, when they were not written, as you know, till the time of Moses.

Though they were not written in tables of stone untill the time of Moses, yet were they written in the tables of mans heart in the time of Adam; for we read, that man was created in the image or likenesse of God, Vrsin. cat. p. 517. Calv inst. p. 190. Col. 3.10. Eph. 4.34. Gen. 1.27. And the ten Commandements are a doctrine agreeing with the eternall wisdome and justice that is in God, wherein he hath so painted out his own nature, that it doth in a manner expresse the very image of God. And doth not the Apostle say, that the image of God consists in knowledge, righteousnesse, and true holinesse, and is not knowledge, righteousnes, & true holines the perfections of both the tables of the law.Treat. of effectuall Cal. p. 20. or thereabouts. And indeed, saith M. Rollock, it could not wel stand with the justice of God to make a Covenant with man under the condition of holy & good works, & perfect obedience to his Law, except he had first created man holy & pure, and ingraven his law in his hart whence those good works should proceed.

But yet I cannot but marvell that God, in making the covenant with man, did make mention of no other commandement then that of the forbidden fruit.

Do not marvell at it, Hugo Gr •• . defens. fid. p. 71. for by that one species of sin, the whole genus or kind is shewn, as the same Law being more clearly unfolded, Deut. 27.26. Gal. 3.10. doth expresse: And indeed, in that one Commandement the whole worship of God did consist, as, obedience, honour, love, confidence, and religious feare, together with the outward abstinence from sin, and reverent respect to the voice of God. Yea, herein also consisted his love, and so his whole duty to his neighbour: Lightfoot miscela. p. 282. so that as a learned writer saith, Adam heard as much in the garden, as Israel did at Sinai, but only in fewer words, and without thunder.

But sir, ought not man to have yielded perfect obedience to God, though this Covenant had not been made betwixt them?

Yea indeed, perfect and perpetuall obedience was due from man unto God, though God had made no promise to man; for when God created man at first, he put forth an excellencie from himself into him, and therefore it was the bond and tie that lay upon man to return that again unto God, so that man being Gods creature by the law of creation, Reynolds on Ps. •• p. 403. he owed all obedience and subjection to God his creator.

Reynolds on Psal. 110. p. 405For answer hereunto, in the first place I pray you understand, that man was a reasonable creature, and so out of judgement, discretion and election, able to make choice of his way, and therefore it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him, that he might according to Gods appointment serve him after a reasonable manner. Secondly, it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him, • ibbens on Gen. p. 77. to shew that he was not such a Prince on earth, but that he had a Soveraigne Lord; therefore God set a punishment upon the breach of his commandement, Bal on the Cov. p. 11. that man might know his inferiority, and that things betwixt him and God, were not as betwixt equals. Thirdly, it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him, to shew that he had nothing by personall, Reyn. on Psal. 110. • . 406. immediate, and underived right, but all by gift and gentlenesse: so that you see it was an equall covenant, which God out of his prerogative royall made with mankind in Adam before his fall.

Well, Sir, I do perceive that Adam and all mankind in him were created most holy.

But it seemeth that Adam did not continue in that holy and happy estate.

No indeed,M. Slat. on the 2 • Cov. for he disobeyed Gods expresse command, in eating the forbidden fruit, and so became guilty of the breach of the Covenant.

But Sir, how could Adam, who had his understanding so sound, and his will so free to choose good, be so disobedient to Gods expresse command?

Though he and his will were both good, yet were they mutably good, Deut, Pathw. p. 304. so that he might either stand or fall at his own election or choice.

But why then did not the Lord create him immutable? or why did he not so over-rule him in that action, that he might not have eaten the forbidden fruit?

Reynolds on Psal. 110. pag. 406.The reason why the Lord did not create him immutable, was because hee would be obeyed out of judgement, and free choice, and not by fatall necessity, and absolute determination; and withall let me tell you, it was not reasonable to restraine God to this point, to make man such a one as would not, C • l. Instit. p. 81. or could not sin at all, for it was at his choice to create him how he pleased, but why he did not uphold him with strength of stedfast continuance, that resteth hidden in Gods secret Counsell: howbeit this we may certainly conclude, that Adams state was such, as served to take away from him all excuse, for he received so much, that of his own will he wrought his own destruction, because that act of his was a wilfull transgression of a Law, Reynolds on Ps. 110 p. 406. under the precepts whereof he was most justly created, and unto the malediction whereof hee was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed; for as by being Gods creature he was to be subject to his will, so by being Gods prisoner, he was as justly subject to his wrath, and that so much the more, by how much the precept was most just, the obedience more easie, the transgression more unreasonable, and the punishment more certaine.

And was Adams sinne and punishment imputed unto his whole offspring?

Yea indeed, for saith the Apostle, Death passed upon all men, Rom. 5.12 for that all have sinned, or, in whom all have sinned, that is, in Adam; the very truth is, Cal. Iustit. p. 106, 107 Adam by his fall threw down our whole nature headlong into the same destruction, and drowned his whole off-spring in the same gulfe of misery: and the reason is, because by Gods appointment he was not to stand or fall, as a single person only, Goodwin Trium. Faith. p. 85 but as a common publike person, representing all mankind to come of him, therefore as all that happinesse, all those gifts and endowments which were bestowed upon him, were not bestowed upon him alone, but also upon the whole nature of man, and as that Covenant which was made with him, was made with whole mankinde; even so he by breaking Covenant lost all, Pemble vind fid. p. 99. as well for us, as for himselfe, as he received all for himselfe and us, so he lost all both for himselfe and us.

Then Sir it seemeth that by Adams breach of Covenant, all man-kinde was brought into a miserable condition.

All mankind by the fall of Adam received a twofold damage; first a deprivation of all originall goodnesse: Secondly an habituall naturall pronenesse to all kind of wickednesse; Seven gold. cand. p. 3. for the image of God, after which they were created, Basting Cat. p. 10. was forthwith blotted out, and in place of wisdome, righteousnesse and true holinesse, came blindnesse, uncleanesse, falshood and injustice: the very truth is, our whole nature was thereby corrupted, defiled, deformed, depraved, Vrban. Reg. in ch. ser. to Ema • s. p. 12. infected, made infirme, fraile, malignant, full of venome, contrary to God, yea enemies and rebels unto him; so that, saith Luther, this is the title we have received from Adam, Chos. Ser. p. 9. in this one thing we may glory, and in nothing else at all, namely, that every Infant that is born into this world, is wholly in the power of sinne, death, Sathan, hell, and everlasting damnation: nay, saith Musculus, the whirlpoole of mans sinne in paradise, Com. pla. p. 14. is bottomlesse and unsearchable.

But Sir, me thinks it is a strange thing, that so small an offence as the eating of the forbidden fruit seemes to be, should plunge whole mankind into such a gulfe of misery.

Though at the first glance it seem to be a small offence; yet if you look more wishly upon the matter, Reynolds on Ps. 110 p. 407. it will appeare to be an exceeding great offence, for thereby intolerable injury was done unto God: as first, his dominion and authority in his holy command was violated; Secondly, his justice, truth and power, in his most righteous threatnings, were despised; Thirdly, his most pure and perfect image, wherein man was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, was utterly defaced; Fourthly, his glory, which by an active service the creature should have brought to him, was lost and despoiled: nay, Lightfoot miscela. p. 183. how could there be a greater sin committed, then that, when Adam at • hat one clap brake all the ten Commandements.

Did he break all the ten Comman • ements, say you, Sir, I beseech you shew • e wherein?

1. He chose himself another God, Ibid. when he followed the Devil.

2. He idolized and defiled his own belly, • s the Apostles phrase is, He made his belly • is god.

3. He took the name of God in vain, when • e believed him not.

4. He kept not the rest and estate where •• God had set him.

5. He dishonoured his Father which was heaven, and therefore his dayes were not prolonged in that land which the Lord his God had given him.

6. He massacred himselfe, and all his posterity.

7. From Eve he was a virgin, but in eyes and minde he committed spirituall fornication.

8. He stole (like Achan) that which God had set aside not to be medled with, and this his stealth is that which troubles all Israel, the whole world.

9. He bare witnesse against God, when he believed the witnesse of the Devill above him.

10. He coveted an evill covetousnesse like Amnon, which cost him his life, and al • his progeny. Now whosoever consider • what a nest of evils here were committed a • one blow, Com. pla. p. 13. must needs, with Musculus, se • our case to be such, that we be compelled every way to commend the justice of God and to condemn the sin of our first parents saying concerning all mankinde, as the Prophet Hosea doth concerning Israel, O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self. Hos. 13.9.

But Sir, had it not been possibl • for Adam both to have holpen himself and his posterity out of this misery, by renewing the same covenant with God, and keeping it for afterwards?

Why was he unable to pay the debt of satisfaction for his sin committed in time past?

Because his sin in eating the forbidden fruit, (for that is the sin I mean) was committed against an infinite and eternall good, Vrsin. cat. p. 112. and therefore merited an infinite satisfaction, which was to be either some temporall punishment equivalent to eternall damnation, or eternall damnation it self. Now Adam was a finite creature, therefore between finite and infinite there could be no proportion, so that it was impossible for Adam to have made satisfaction by any temporall punishment, and if he had undertaken to have satisfied by an eternall punishment, he should alwayes have been satisfying, and never have satisfied, as is the 〈◊〉 of the damned in hell.

And why was he unable to pay the debt of perfect and perpetuall obedience for the time to come?

Vrsin. cat. p. 112.Because his precedent power 〈◊〉 obey, was by his fall utterly impaired, fo • thereby his understanding was both feeble • and drowned in darknesse, and his will was made perverse, and utterly deprived of all power to will well, and his affections were quite set out of order, Cal. Instit. p. 117. and all things belonging to the blessed life of the soule were extinguished both in him and us, so that he wa • become impotent, Bolton, true boun. p. 133. yea dead, and therefor • not able to stand in the lowest terms to per • form the meanest condition: the very truth is, our father Adam falling from God, di • by his fall so dash himself and us in peeces that there was no whole part left either 〈◊〉 him, or us, fit to ground such a Covenan • upon. And this the Apostle witnesseth, both when he saith,Rom. 5.6. Rom. 8.2. We are of no strength; And, The Law was made weak, because of th • flesh.

But Sir, might not the Lord have pardoned Adams sinne, without satisfaction?

And is it also impossible for 〈◊〉 of his posterity to keep the Law per •• ctly?

Yea indeed, it is impossible for any • eer man, in the time of this life, to keep it • erfectly, yea though he be a regenerate • an; for the Law requireth of man, that he •• ve the Lord with all his heart, soule and •• ight; and there is not the holiest man that 〈◊〉 , but he is flesh as wel as spirit, in all parts • nd faculties of his soule, and therefore can • ot love the Lord perfectly: yea, and the • aw forbiddeth all habituall concupiscence, • ot only saying, thou shalt not consent to lust, • ut thou shalt not lust. It doth not only • ommand the binding of lust, but forbids •• so the beeing of lust: And who in this case • an say, my heart is clean?

Then friend Nomista, take notice I pray, that as it was altogether impossible for Adam to return unto that holy and happy estate wherein he was created, by the same way he went from it, so is it for any of his posterity; and therefore I remember one saith very wittily, Lightfoot miscela. p. 282. the Law was Adams lease when God made him tenant of Eden, the conditions of which bond when he kept not, he forfeited himself and all us. God read a lecture of the Law to him before he fell, to be a hedge to him to keep him in Paradise: but when Adam would not keep within compasse, this Law is now become as the flaming sword at Eden gate, to keep him and his posterity out.

But Sir, you know that when a Covenant is broken, the parties that were bound, are freed and released from their ingagements, and therefore me thinks both Adam and his posterity should have been released from the covenant of works, when it was broken, especially considering they have no strength to perform the condition of it.

Indeed it is true in every Covenant, if either party fail in his duty, and perform not his condition, the other party i • thereby freed from his part, but the party failing is not freed ti • l the other release him▪ and therefore though the Lord be freed from performing his condition, that is, from giving to man eternall life; yet so is not man from his part: no, though strength to obey be lost, yet man having lost it by his own default, the obligation to obedience remains still, so that Adam and his off-spring are no more discharged of their duties, because they have no strength to do them, than a debtor is quitted of his bond, because he wants money to pay it. And thus, neighbour Nomista, I have according to your desire, endeavoured to help you to the true knowledge of the Law of Works.

I beseech you, Sir, proceed to help us to the true knowledge of the Law of Faith.

The Law of faith is as much to say as the Covenant of grace, or the Gospel, which signifieth good, merry, glad, Tindal, path. to holy scrip. p. 378. 2 Tim. 1.9▪ Eph. 3 11. Rom. 1.2. Gal. 4.4. and joyfull tidings, that is to say, that God, to whose eternall knowledge all things are present, and nothing past, or to come, foreseeing mans fall before all time purposed, and in time promised, and in the fulnesse of time performed, the sending of his sonne Jesus Christ into the world, to help and deliver fallen mankind.

I beseech you, Sir, let us heare more of these things, and first of all shew how we are to conceive of Gods eternall purpose in sending of Jesus Christ.

I beseech you, Sir, proceed also to the second thing, and first tell us, when the Lord began to make a promise to help and de • ver fallen mankind?

Even the same day that he sinned, w • hich was the very same day he was created; for Adam by his sin being become the child of wrath, and both in body and in soule subject to the curse, and seeing nothing due to him but the wrath and vengeance of God, he was afraid, Gen. 3.1 • ▪ and sought to hide himself from the presence of God; whereupon the Lord promised Christ unto him, saying to the serpent,vers. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He, that is to say the seed of the woman (for so is the Hebrew text) shall break thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. This promise of Christ the womans seed, Vrban Reg. on Christs sermon to Ema •• . was the Gospel, and the only comfort of Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, and the rest of the godly Fathers, untill the time of Abraham.

I pray you, Sir, what ground have you to think that Adam fell the same day he was created?

My ground for this opinion, is Psal. 94.12. which text in the Hebrew is thus read: Adam being in honour, Ainsworth. did not lodge a night in it.

But Sir, do you think that Adam and those others did understand that promised seed to be meant of Christ?

Who can make any doubt but that the Lord had acquainted Adam with Christ, betwixt the time of his sinning & the time of his sacrificing, though both on a day.

But did Adam offer sacrifice?

But how doth it appeare, that this his sacrificing was the very same day that he sinned?

It is said, Ioh. 7.13. concerning Christ, • hat they sought to take him, yet no man laid hands on him, Mar. 14.42. because his houre was not yet come But after that, when the time of his sufferings was at hand, he himself said, The houre is come: Mar. 15.34, 32. which day is expresly set down by the Evangelist Mark to be the sixth day, and ninth houre of that day, when Christ, through the eternall Spirit, Heb. 9.14. offered up himself without spot to God. Now if you compare this with Exod. 12.6. you shall find, that the Paschall Lamb, a most lively type of Christ, was offered the very same day and houre, even the 6. day, Ainsworth on the text. and 9. houre of the day, which was at 3 of the clock in the afternoon: and the Scripture testifieth that Adam was created the very same sixth day, and gives us ground to think that he sinned the same day. And do not the fore-alleaged Scriptures afford us warrant to believe that it was the very same houre of that day when Christ entred mystically and typically upon the work of redemption,Gen. 1.26 in being offered as a sacrifice for Adams sin? And surely we may suppose that the covenant (as you heard) being broken between God and Adam, Justice would not have admitted of one houres respite before it had proceeded to execution, to the destruction both of Adam and the whole Creation, had not Christ in the very nick of time stood as the Ram (or rather the Lamb) in the bush, and stepped in to perform the work of the covenant. And hence I conceive it is, that St. Iohn cals him the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world;Rev. 13.8. Walker on the Cov. p. 42. For as the first state of creation was confirmed by the covenant which God made with man, and all creatures were to be upheld by meanes of observing the law and condition of that Covenant, so that Covenant being broken by man, the world should have come to ruine, had it not been as it were created anew and upheld by the covenant of grace in Christ.

Then, Sir, you think that Adam was saved.

Ainsworth on Gen. Gibbens on Gen.The Hebrew Doctors hold, that Adam was a repentant sinner, and say, that he was by wisdome (that is to say by faith in Christ) brought out of his fall, yea and the Church of God doth hold, and that for necessary causes, that he was saved by the death of Christ: yea, saith Mr. Vaughan, it is certain he believed the promise concerning Christ, in whose commemoration he offered continuall sacrifice, and in the assurance thereof he named his wife Heva, that is to say, life; and he called his son Seth, setled, or perswaded in Christ.

Well, now I am perswaded that Adam did understand this seed of the woman to be meant of Christ.

Assure your self, that not only Adam, V • b. Reg. on Christs serm. to Emaus. but all the rest of the godly fathers did so understand it, as is manifest, in that the Thargum or Chalde bible, which is the ancient translation of Ierusalem, hath it thus: Between thy son, and her son. Duples. trunesse of Chr. relig. p. 226. Adding fur • her by way of comment, So long, O serpent, • s the womans children keep the Law, they • ill thee; and when they cease to do so, thou • tingest them in the heele, and hast power to • urt them much: but whereas for their harm • here is a sure remedy, for thee there is none, for in the last dayes they shall crush thee all to • eeces by means of Christ their king. And • his was it which did support and uphold their faith untill the time of Abraham.

What followed then?

Why then the promise was turned into a covenant with Abraham and his seed, and oftentimes repeated,Gen. 12.13. Gen. 18.18. Gen. 20.12. that in his seed all nations should be blessed. Which promise and covenant was the very voice it self of the Gospel, it being a true testimony of Jesus Christ,Gal. 3. • . as the Apostle Paul beareth witnesse, saying, The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And the better to confirme Abrahams faith in this promise of Christ, it is said Gen. 14.19. that Melchisedec came forth and met him, and blessed him. Now, saith the Apostle, this Melchisedec was a Priest of the most high God, Heb. 7.12. and king of righteousnesse, and king of peace, without father, Heb. 6.20. Jer. 23 6. Isa. 9 6. and without mother, and so like unto the son of God, who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, and both king of righteousnesse, and king of peace, yea and without father as touching his manhood, and without mother as touching his Godhead. Whereby we are given to understand, that it was the purpose of God that Melchisedec should in these particulars resemble the person and office of Jesus Christ the son of God, Dixon on the H • b. and so by Gods own appointment be a type of him to Abraham, to ratifie and confirm the promise made to him and his seed, in respect of the eternall covenant, to wit, That he and his believing seed should be so blessed in Christ, as Melchisedec had blessed him. Nay, let me tell you more, some have thought it most probable, yea and have said, If we search out this truth without partiality, Williams, 7 gold. can. p. 330, 331 we shall find that this Melchisedec which appeared unto Abraham, was none other then the son of God, manifest by a speciall dispensation and priviledge unto Abraham, in the flesh, who is therefore said to have seen his day, and rejoiced, Joh. 8.56. Moreover in Gen. 15. we read, that the Lord did again confirm this covenant with Abraham; for when Abraham had divided the beasts, God came between the parts like a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp, Bal on the cov. p. 49. which as some have thought, did primarily typifie the torment and rending of Christ, and the furnace and fiery lamp did typifie the wrath of God running between, and yet did not consume the rent and torne nature; and the blood of circumcision did typifie the blood of Christ, And the resolved sacrificing of Isaac on mount Moria by Gods appointment, Walker on the cov. p. 63. did prefigure and foreshew, that by the offering up of Christ the promised seed, in the very same place, all Nations should be saved. Now this Covenant thus made and confirmed with Abraham, was renued with Isaac, Gen. 26.4. and made known unto Jacob by Jesus Christ himself;Gen. 32.28.30. Seven gold. cand. p. 322 for that man which wrestled with Jacob, was none other but the man Christ Jesus; for himself said, that Jacob should be called Israel, a wrestler and prevailer with God; and Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, because he had seen God face to face; And Iacob left it by his last will unto his children, in these words, The scepter shall not depart from Iudah, nor a law giver from between his feet, Gen. 49.10. B. Babing. on the text. till Shilo come. That is to say▪ Of Judah shall Kings come one after another, and many in number, till at last the Lord Jesus come, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Or as the Thargum of Jerusalem, and the Onkelos do translate it, until Christ the ano • nted come.

But Sir, are you sure that this promised seed was meant of Christ?

The Apostle puts that out of doubt, Gal. 3.16. saying, Now unto Abraham and to his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one; and to thy seed, which is Christ: and so no doubt but these godly Patriarks did understand it.

But Sir, the great promise that was made unto them, as I conceive, and which they seemed to have most regard unto, was the land of Canaan.

There is no doubt but that these godly Patriarks did see their heavenly inheritance (by Christ) through the promise of the land of Canaan, as the Apostle testifieth of Abraham, Heb. 11. saying, He sojourned in a strange country, and looked for a city having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. Whereby it is evident, saith Calvin, Institut. p. 204. that the height and eminency of Abrahams faith, was, the looking for an everlasting life in heaven. The like testimony he gives of Sarah,Heb. 11.10. Isaac, and Jacob, saying, All these dyed in the faith. Implying, that they did not expect to receive the fruit of the promise till after death: And therefore in all their travels they had before their eyes the blessednesse of the life to come; which caused old Jacob to say at his death, Lord, Gen. 49.18. I have waited for thy salvation. The which speech the Chaldee paraphrases expound thus: Our father Jacob said not, Ainsworth on the text. I expect the salvation of Gideon son of Joash, which is a temporall salvation, nor the salvation of Sampson son of Manoah, which is a transitory salvation, but the salvation of Christ the son of David, who shall come and bring unto himself the sons of Israel, whose salvation my soule desireth. And so you see that this Covenant made with Abraham in Christ, was the comfort and support of these and the rest of the godly fathers, untill their departure out of Egypt.

And what followed then?

Why then Christ Jesus was most clearly manifested unto them in the Passeover lamb; for as that lamb was to be without spot or blemish, Exod. 12.5. even so was Christ, 1 Pet. 1.19. And as that lamb was taken up the tenth day of the first new moon, in March; even so on the very same day of the same moneth came Christ to Jerusalem to suffer his passion. Tindal in his works, p. 430. Ainsw. on Exod. And as that lamb was killed on the fourteenth day at even, just then on the same day, and at the same houre, did Christ give up the ghost.Mar. 15.33, 34, 35. And as the blood of that lambe was to be sprinkled on the Israelites doores, Exod. 12.7. Even so is the blood of Christ sprinkled on believers hearts by faith, 1 Pet. 1.2. And their deliverance out of Egypt was a figure of their redemption by Christ: their passing through the Red sea,1 Cor. 10.2, 3, 4. was a type of Baptisme, when Christ should come in the flesh; And their manna in the wildernesse, and water out of the rock, did resemble the sacrament of the Lords supper; and hence it is that the Apostle saith, they did all eat the same spirituall meat, and did all drink the same spirituall drink, for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. And when they were come to mount Sinai, the Lord delivered the Ten Commandements unto them.

And were the Ten Commandements, as they were delivered to them on mount Sinai, the Covenant of works?

Yea indeed were they.

But by your favour, Sir, you know that these people were the posterity of Abraham, and therefore under that covenant of grace which God made with their father: And therefore I do not think that they were delivered to them as the covenant of works, For (Sir) you know the Lord never delivers the covenant of works to any that are under the covenant of grace.

But Sir, you know, in the preface to the Commandements, the Lord cals himself by the name of their God in generall, and therefore it should seem that they were all of them the people of God.

That is nothing to the purpose, Bal on the cov. p. 213 for many wicked and ungodly men being in the visible Church, and under the externall Covenant, are called the chosen of God, and the people of God. But though they had been all of them believers, yet as the Lord delivered it to them, it would have done them no more hurt than it did them that were.

But Sir, was the same covenant of works made with them, that was made with Adam?

For the generall substance of the duty, the Law delivered on mount Sinai, Ibid. p. 113 Lightfoot miscela. p. 186. and formerly engraven in mans heart, was one and the same, so that at mount Sinai the Lord delivered no new thing, only it came more gently to Adam before his fall, but after his fall came thunder with it.

I, but Sir, as your self said, the ten Commandements, as they were written in Adams heart, were but the matter of the covenant of works, and not the covenant it self, till the form was annexed to them, that is to say, till God and man were thereupon agreed: now we do not find that God, and these people did agree upon any such terms at mount Sinai.

No, say you so, do you not remember that the people consented, Exod. 19.8. saying, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And do you not remember that the Lord consented, Levit. 18.5. saying, Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements, which if a man do he shall live in them. And in Deut. 27.26. saying, Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And doth not the Apostle Paul give evidenee than these words were the form of the covenant of works, when he saith Rom. 10.5. Moses describeth the righteousnesse which is of the law, that the man that doth these things shall live in them: & when he saith, Gal. 3.10. For it is writen, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. And in Deut. 4.13. Moses doth in expresse tearmes call it a Covenant, saying, And he declared unto you his Covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten Commandamennts, and hee wrote them upon tables of stone. Now this was not the Covenant of grace; for Moses afterwards, Deut. 5.3. speaking of this Covenant, saith, God made not this Covenant with your Fathers, but with you: And by Fathers, all the Patriarkes unto Adam may be meant, saith Mr. Aynsworth, who had the promise of the Covenant of Christ: therefore if it had been the Covenant of grace, he would have said, God did make this covenant with them, rather then that he did not.

And do any of our godly and moderne witers, agree with you in this point?

Yea indeed, Polanus saith, Subst. of Relig. octav. eng. p. 184, 185 the Covenant of workes, is that in which God promiseth everlasting life unto a man, that in all respects performeth perfect obedience to the Law of workes, adding thereunto threatnings of eternall death, if hee shall not performe perfect obedience thereunto. God made this Covenant in the beginning with the first man Adam, whilst hee was in the first estate of integrity; the same Covenant God did repeat and make againe by Moses, with the people of Israel. And Dr. Preston saith,New Cov. p. 317. the Covenant of workes runs in these termes, Do this and thou shalt live, and I will be thy God. This was the Covenant which was made with Adam, and the Covenant that is expressed by M • ses in the Morall law. And Mr. Walker saith, that the first part of the covenant which God made with Israel at Horeb,O • cov. p. 128. was nothing else but a renewing of the old covenant of works which God made with Adam in paradise. Bolton, true boun. p. 23. And it is generally laid down by our Divines, that we are by Christ delivered from the Law, as it is a Covenant.

But Sir, were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works, than either Adam, or any of the old Patriarks, that God renewed it now with them, rather then before?

No indeed, God did not renew it with them now, and not before, because they were better able to keep it, but because they had more need to be made acquainted what the covenant of works is, then those before: for though 'tis true, the Ten Commandements which were at first perfectly written in Adams heart, were much obliterated by his fall, yet some impressions and reliques thereof still remained, and Adam himself was very sensible of his fall,Rom. 2.15 and the rest of the fathers were holpen by traditions,In M. Bolton, p. 371. And (saith Cameron) God did speak to the Patriarchs from heaven, yea and he spake unto them by his Angels. But now by this time sin had almost obliterated and defaced the impressions of the Law written in their hearts, Bullinger, com. plac. and by their being so long in Egypt, they were so corrupted, that the instructions and ordinances of their fathers were almost all worne out of mind, and their fall in Adam was almost forgotten, as the Apostle testifieth, saying,Rom. 5.1 • Before the time of the Law sin was in the world, yet did they not impute it to themselves, because there was no Law. Nay in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses, men had forgotten what was sin; so that although God had made a promise of blessing to Abraham, and to all his seed that would plead interest in it, yet these people at this time were proud, and secure, and heedlesse of their estate; and though sin was in them, and death raigned over them, yet they being without a law to evidence this sin and death unto their consciences, they did not impute it unto themselves, they would not own it nor charge themselves with it, and so by consequence found no need of pleading the promise made to Abraham; Therefore the Law entred, that Adams offence,Rom. 5.2 • and their own actuall transgression might abound. So that now the Lord saw it needfull that there should be a new edition and publication of the covenant of works, the sooner to compell the elect unbeleevers to come to Christ the promised seed, that the grace of God in Christ to the elect beleevers might appeare the more exceeding gracious; so that you see the Lords intention therein was, that they by looking upon this Covenant, might be put in mind what was their dutie of old, when they were in Adams loines, Pembl. • ind. fid. p. 155. yea, and what was their dutie still, if they would stand to that covenant, and so go the old and naturall way to work: yea, and hereby they were also to see what was their present infirmitie in not doing their duty, that so they seeing an impossibilitie of obtaining life by that way of workes, first appointed in Paradise, they might be humbled, and more heedfully minde the promise made to their father Abraham, and hasten to lay hold on the Messiah or promised seed.

Then, Sir, it seemeth that the Lord did not renew the Covenant of workes with them, to the intent that they should obtaine eternall life by their yeelding obedience to it.

Bolton, 〈◊〉 bound. • .132, 158.No indeed, God never made the Covenant of workes with any man since the fall, Reinolds on the use of the Law, either with expectation that he should fulfill it, or to give him life by it, for God never appoints any thing to an end, to the which it is utterly unsuitable and improper. Now the Law, as it is the covenant of works, is become weak and unprofitable to the purpose of salvation, and therefore God never appointed it to man since the fall to that end. And besides, it is manifest that the purpose of God in the covenant made with Abraham, was, to give life and salvation by grace and promise; and therefore his purpose in renewing the covenant of works, was not, neither could be to give life and salvation by working, for then there would have been contradictions in the covenants, and instability in him that made them.D. Willet on Exo. 10 Wherefore let no man imagine that God published the covenant of works on mount Sinai, as though he had been mutable, and so changed his determination in that covenant made with Abraham, neither yet let any man suppose that God now in processe of time had found out a better way for mans salvation, then he knew before; for as the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham, had been needlesse, if the Covenant of Works made with Adam would have given him and his believing seed life; Pembl. vind. fid. p. 154. so after the covenant of grace was once made, it was needlesse to renue the covenant of works, to the end that righteousnesse and life should be had by the observation of it; the which will yet more evidently appeare, if we consider that the Apostle speaking of the covenant of works, as it was given on mount Sinai, saith, It was added because of transgression. It was not set up as a solid rule of righteousnesse, as it was given to Adam in paradise,Gal. 3.19. Reynolds on the use of the law but was added or put to: It was not set up as a thing in grosse by it self.

Then, Sir, it should seem that the covenant of works was added to the covenant of grace, to make it more compleat.

Ibid. O no, you are not so to understand the Apostle, as though it were added by way of ingrediency, Marshal, Infants-baptisme. as a part of the covenant of grace, as if that covenant had been incompleat without the covenant of works, for then the same covenant should have consisted of contradictory materials, and so it should have overthrown it self; for, saith the Apostle, If it be by grace, then is it no more of works, Rom. 11.6 otherwise grace is no more grace; But if it be of works, then is it no more of grace, otherwise work is no more work. But it was added by way of subserviencie and attendance, the better so advance and make effectuall the covenant of grace; so that although the same covenant that was made with Adam, was renewed on mount Sinai, yet I say still it was not for the same purpose; for this was it God aimed in making the covenant of works with man in innocencie, Bolton, true boun. p. 157. to have that which was his due from man. But God made it with the Israelites for no other end, than that man being thereby convinced of his weaknesse, might flie to Christ; so that it was renued only to help forward and introduce another, and a better covenant, and so to be a manuduction unto Christ, viz. to discover sin, to waken the conscience, and convince them of their own impotencie, and so to drive them out of themselves to Christ. Know it then, I beseech you, that all this while there was no other way of life given either in whole, or in part, then the covenant of grace: all this while God did but pursue the designe of his own grace, And therefore was there no inconstancie either in Gods will, or acts; only such was his mercy, that he subordinated the covenant of works, Reynolds on the use of the law. and made it subservient to the covenant of grace and so to tend to evangelicall purposes.

But yet, Sir, me thinks it is somewhat strange, that the Lord should put them upon doing the Law, and also promise them life for doing, and yet never intend it.

And, Sir, did the Law produce this effect in them?

Yea indeed did it, as it will appear. If you consider that although before the publishing of this Covenant, they were exceeding proud and confident of their owne strength to doe all that the Lord would have them doe; yet when the Lord came to deale with them, as men under the Covenant of works, Dixon. on the Hebr. in shewing himselfe a terrible Judge, sitting on the throne of Justice, like a mountaine burning with fire, summoning them to come before him by the sound of a trumpet, yet not to touch the mountaine without a mediatour;Heb. 12.19, 20. they were not able to endure the voice of words, nor yet to abide that which was commanded, B. Babing. on Gen. 20. insomuch as Moses himselfe did feare and quake, and they did all of them so feare and fright, shake and shiver, that their peacock feathers were now pulled downe. This terrible shew, wherein God gave his Law on mount Sinai, did represent the use of the Law; there was in the people of Israel that came out of Egypt a singular holinsse, Luther O • Gal. p. 153. they gloried and said, We are the people of God, wee will doe all that the Lord commandeth. Moreover Moses sanctified them, and bad them wash their garments, refraine from their wives, and prepare themselves against the third day, there was not one of them but he was full of holinesse; The third day Moses bringeth the p • ople out of their tents to the mountain, in the sight of the Lord, that they might heare his voice: what followed then? Why, when they beheld the horrible sight of the Mount, smoaking and burning, the blacke clouds and the lightnings flashing up and downe in this horrible darknesse, and heard the sound of the trumpet blowing long, and waxing louder and louder, they were afraid, and standing afar off, they said not to Moses as before, All that the Lord commandeth wee will doe; but talke thou with us, and we will heare, but let not God talk with us lest wee die: so that now they saw they were sinners, and had offended God, and therefore stood in need of a Mediatour to negotiate peace, and intreat for reconciliation betweene God and them, and the Lord highly approved of their words, as you may see, Deut. 5. where Moses repeating what they had said, adds further; The Lord heard the voyce of your words when yee spake to mee, and the Lord said unto mee, I have heard the voyce of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee, they have well said all that they have spoken, Walker on the Covenant, p. 70 to wit, in desiring a Mediatour: Where I pray you take notice, that they were not commended for saying, All that the Lord commandeth we will doe, (No saith a godly Writer) they were not praised for any other thing,The Author of the benefit of Christs death. Aynsworth, on Deut then for desiring a Mediatour: Whereupon, the Lord promised Christ unto them, even as Moses testifieth, saying, The Lord thy God shall raise up unto thee a Prophet like unto me from among you, even of your brethren, Deut. 18.15, 16, 17 18. unto him shall you hearken, according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the Assembly, when thou saidest, Let mee heare the voice of the Lord my God no more, nor see this great fire any more that I die not: and the Lord said unto mee, They have well spoken, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth, and hee shall speake unto them all that I command him. And to assure us that Christ was the Prophet here spoken of, hee himselfe saith unto the Jews, If yee had believed Moses,Ioh. 3.25. ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. And that this was it which hee wrote of him, the Apostle Peter witnesseth, Acts 3.22. and so doth the Martyr Stephen, Acts 7.37. Thus you see, when the Lord had by meanes of the covenant of works made with Adam, humbled them, and made them sigh for Christ the promised seed, he renued the promise with them, yea, and the covenant of grace made with Abraham.

I pray, Sir, how doth it appear that the Lord renued th • t Covenant with them?

It doth plainly appeare, in that the Lord gave them by Moses the Leviticall Laws, and ordained the Tabernacle, the Ark, and the Mercy-Seat, which were all Types of Christ: Moreover, The Lord called unto Moses,Levit. 1.1. and spake unto him out of the Tabernacle, and commanded him to write the Leviticall Laws, and the Tabernacle Ordinances, telling him withall, That after the tenour of those words he had made a Covenant with him, and with Israel:Exod. 34.27. Exo. 24.4. so Moses wrote these Laws, not in Tables of stone, but in an authenticall booke, saith Ainsworth, called the booke of the Covenant,On the text. which book Moses read in the audience of the people, Exod. 24.7. And the people consented unto it: then Moses having before sent young men of the children of Israel, who were first born, and therefore Priests untill the time of the Levites, Ainsworth. to offer sacrifice of burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings unto the Lord; He tooke the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, behold the blood of the Covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning these things; whereby they were taught, that by vertue of blood, this Covenant betwixt God and them was confirmed, Dixon on the Heb. and that Christ by his bloodshed should satisfie for their sins, for indeed the Covenant of grace was before the comming of Christ, Walker on the Cov. pag. 13. sealed by his blood in Types and Figures.

But Sir, was this every way the same Covenant that was made with Abraham?

Surely I do believe that Reverend Bullinger spake very truly, when he said, Com. places English that God gave unto these people no other Religion, in nature, substance, and matter it selfe, differing from the Laws of their Fathers, though for some respects hee added thereunto many Ceremonies, and certain Ordinances, the which he did to keep their mindes in expectation of the comming of Christ, whom he had promised unto them; and to confirm them in looking for him, Calvins Institut. lib. 2. lest they should wax faint; And as the Lord did thus by the Ceremonies, as it were lead them by the hand to Christ, so did he make them a promise of the Land of Canaan, Cal. Inst. p. 157. and outward prosperity in it, as a type of heaven, and eternall happinesse, so that the Lord dealt with them as children in their infancy, and under age, leading them on by the help of earthly things, to heavenly and spirituall, Bolton, true bounds, p. 2 • 9. because they were but young and tender, and had not that measure and abundance of spirit which he hath bestowed upon his people now under the Gospel.

And Sir, do you think that these Israelites at this time did see Christ, and salvation by him, in these types and shadows?

Yea, there is no doubt but Moses and the rest of the believers amongst the Jews did see Christ in them, for faith godly Tindall, In his preface to Levit. though all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies had a Star-light of Christ, yet some of them had the light of the broad day a little before the Sun rising, and did expresse him with the circumstances and vertue of his death, so plainly, as if his passion had been acted upon a Scaffold, in so much, saith he, that I am fully perswaded, and cannot but believe, that God had shewed Moses the secrets of Christ, and the very manner of his death aforehand, and therefore no doubt but that they offered their sacrifices by faith in the Messiah (as the Apostle testifieth of Abel) I say there is no question but every spirituall believing Jew,Heb. 11.4. when he brought his Sacrifice to be offeroffered, and according to the Lords command laid his hands upon it:Levit. 1.4. whilst it was yet alive, B Babing. on the text. he did from his heart acknowledge, that he himselfe had deserved to • ie, but by the mercy of God he was saved, and his desert laid upon the beast, and as that beast was to die, and bee off red in sacrifice for him, so did hee believe that the Messiah should come and die for him, upon whom hee put his hands, that is, laid all his iniquities by the hand of faith. So that as Beza saith, the Sacrifices were to them holy mysteries,On Iob 1. in which, as in certain • glasses, they did both see themselves to their own condemnation before God, and also beheld the mercy of God in the promised Messiah, in time to bee exhibited; And therefore, saith Calvin, the sacrifices, and satisfactory offerings were called Ashemoth, Institut. p. 239. which word properly signifieth sinne it selfe, to shew, that Jesus Christ was to come and performe a perfect expiation, by giving his owne soule to bee an Asham, that is, a satisfactory oblation.

Ibid. 152.Wherefore you may assure your selfe, that as Christ was alwayes set before the fathers in the Old Testament, to whom they might direct their faith, and as God never put them in hope of any grace or mercy, nor never shewed himselfe good unto them without Christ; even so the godly, in the Old Testament, knew Christ, by whom they did enjoy these promises of God, and were joyned to him. And indeed, the promise of salvation never stood firm till it came to Christ: and there was their comfort in all their troubles and distresses,Heb. 11.26, 27. according as it is said of Moses, He endured, as seeing him who is invisible, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompence of reward.

And so (as Ignatius saith) the Prophets were Christs servants,Alleadged by Dr. V • b. Reg. who foreseeing him in spirit, both waited for him as their Master, and looked for him as their Lord and Saviour, saying, He shall come and save us.

And so, saith Calvin, so oft as the Prophets speak of the blessednesse of the faithfull, Cal. Inst. p. 207. the perfect image that they have painted thereof, was such, as might ravish mens minds out of the earth, and of necessity raise them up to the consideration of the felicity of the life to come, so that we may assuredly conclude with Luther, that all the Fathers, On Gal. I am sure. Prophets, and holy Kings were righteous, and saved by faith in Christ to come; and so indeed, Inst. p. 198. as Calvin saith, were partakers of all one salvation with us.

But Sir, the Scripture seemes to hold forth, as though they were saved one way, and we another way, for you know the Prophet Jeremie mak • s mention of a twofold Covenant, therefore it is somewhat strange to me, that they should be partakers of one way of salvation with us

Indeed it is true, the Lord did bequeath unto the Fathers Righteousnesse, Life, and eternall Salvation in and through Christ the Mediator, being not yet come in the flesh, but promised: And unto us in the New Testament, Walker on the Cov. he gives and bequeaths them to us in and through Christ, being already come, and having actually purchased them for us; and the Covenant of grace was before the comming of Christ, sealed by his blood, in types h • d figures, and at his death in his fl • sh it was fully sealed and ratified, by his very blood, actually and in very deed shed for our sins: And the old Covenant in respect of the outward forme, and manner of sealing, was temporary, and changeable, and therefore the types ceased, and only the substance remaines firme, but the seals of the new are unchangeable, being commemorative, and shall shew the Lords death untill his comming againe: And their Covenant did first and chiefly promise earthly blessings, and in and under these it did signifie and promise all spirituall blessings and salvation, but our Covenant promiseth Christ and his blessings in the first place, and after them earhly blessings.

These and some other circumstantiall differences in regard of administration, there was betwixt their way of salvation, or covenant of grace, and ours, which moved the Author to the Hebrews, Heb. 8.8. to call theirs old, and ours new; but in regard of substance they were all one, and the very same, for in all Covenants, this is a certain rule, Vrsin. cat. p. 129. if the subject matter, the fruit, and the conditions be the same, then is the Covenant the same: but in these Covenants Jesus Christ is the subject matter of both, salvation the fruit of both, and faith the condition of both, therefore I say, though they be called two, yet are they but one; the which is confirmed by two faithfull witnesses: The one is the Apostle Peter, who saith, Acts 15.11. We believe through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we shall be saved, even as they did, meaning the Fathers in the old Testament, as is evident in the verse next before. The other is the Apostle Paul, Gal. 3.6, 7 who saith, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse, know yee therefore that they which are of the faith, the same are the children of Abraham; by which testimonie saith Luther, On Gal pag. 116. wee may see that the faith of our Fathers in the old Testament, and ours in the new • s all one in substance.

But could they that lived so long before Christ, apprehend his righteousnesse by faith for their Justification, and salvation?

On Iusti. page 90.Yea indeed, for as Master Forbes truely saith, It is as e • sie for faith to apprehend righteousnesse to come, as it is to apprehend righteousnesse that is past: wherefore as Christs birth, obedience, and death were in the old Testament as effectuall to save sinners, Walker on the Conant, page 122. as now they are; so all the faithfull forefathers from the beginning did partake of the same grace with us, by believing in the same Iesus Christ, and so were justified by his righteousnesse, and saved eternally by faith in him: it was by vertue of the death of Christ, that Enoch was translated that he should not see death,Page 29. and Elias was taken up into heaven, by vertue of Christs Resurrection and Ascension: so that from the worlds beginning, to the end thereof, the salvation of sinners is onely by Jesus Christ, as it is written, Jesus Christ yesterday and to day,Heb. 13. • . and the same for ever.

Why then, Sir, it seemes that those who were saved amongst the Jewes, were not saved by the workes of the Law.

No indeed, they were neither justified nor saved, either by the workes of the Morall Law, or the Ceremoniall Law; for as you heard before, the Morall Law being delivered unto them, with great terrour, and under most dreadfull penalties, they did finde in themselves an impossibilitie of keeping it, and so were driven to seeke helpe of a Mediatour, even Iesus Christ, Marshall of infants Baptisme. of whom Moses was to them a Typicall Mediatour; so that the Morall Law did drive them to the Cerimoniall Law, which was their Gospel, and their Christ in a figure, for that the Cerimonies did prefigure Christ, Ball on the covenant▪ page 119. direct unto him, and require faith in him, is a thing acknowledged and confessed by all men.

It is very true indeed, the law of the tenne Commandements was a rule for their obedience, yet not as it was the Law of workes or Covenant of workes, but as it was the Law of Christ, as it will appeare if you consider, that after the Lord had the second time written them in tables of stone, with his owne finger, he delivered them to Moses, Deut. 9.10. Deu. • 0.5. commanding him to provide an Arke to put them into, which was not onely for the safe ke • ping of them, but also to cover the forme of the Covenant of works that was formerly upon them, that beleevers might not perceive it; Reinolds on Psal. 110. p. 35. for the Arke was a notable type of Christ, and therefore the p • tting of them therein did shew, that they were perfectly fulfilled in him, Christ being the end of the Law, for righteousnes, to every one that beleeveth,Rom. 10.4 the which was yet more clearly manifest, in that the booke of the Law was placed betweene the Cherubims, Bolton, true bound. p. 52. and upon the Mercy-seat, to assure beleevers, that the Law now came to them from the Mercy-seat, for there the Lord promised to meet Moses, and to commune with him of all things which he would give him in commandment to them.Exod. 25.22.

Oh no, you are not so to understand it: for the forme of the Covenant of works as well as the matter, (on Gods part) came immediatly from God himself, and so consequently is eternall like himselfe, whence it is that our Saviour saith, Mat. 5.18. Till heaven and earth passe, one jot, or one title shall in no wise passe from the law till all be fulfilled: so that either man himselfe, or some other for him must performe or fulfill the condition of the Law, as it is the Covenant of works, or els he remaines still under it in a damnable condition: but now Christ hath fulfilled it for all believers, and therefore I said the forme of the Covenant of works was covered or taken away as touching the believing Jewes, but yet was it neither taken away in it selfe, nor yet as touching the unbelieving Jewes.

Was the Law then still of use to them, as it was the Covenant of works.

Yea indeed.

I pray you, Sir, shew of what use it was to them?

I remember Luther saith there be two sorts of unrighteous persons,On Gala. pa. 171. or unbeleevers, the one to be justified, and the other not to be justified; even so was there amongst the Jews. Now to them that were to bee justified, as you have heard, it was still of use to bring them to Christ, as the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.24. The Law was our Schoolmaster untill Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith, that is to say, the Morall Law did teach and shew them what they should doe, and so what they did not, and this made them go to the Ceremonial Law, and by that they were taught that Christ had done it for them, the which they beleeving were made righteous by faith in him. And to the second sort it was of use, to shew them what was good, and what was evill, and to be as a bridle to them to restraine them from evill, and as a motive to move them to good, for fear of punishment, or hope of reward in this life; which though it was but a forced and constrained obedience, Calv. iust. p. 167. yet was it necessarie for the publike common-wealth, the quiet thereof being thereby the better maintained; and though thereby they could neither escape death, nor yet obtaine eternall life, for want of perfect obedience; yet the more obedience they yeelded thereunto, the more they were freed from temporall calamities, and possessed with temporall blessings according as the Lord promised and threatned, Deut. 28.

Do you not remember how I told you before, that the Lord did manifest so much love to the body of that nation, that the whole posterity of Abraham were brought under a State-Covenant, or Nationall Church, so that for the believers sakes he infolded the unbelievers in the compact, whereupon the Lord was pleased to call them all by the name of his people, as well unbelievers as believers, and to be called their God. And though the Lord did there speak according to the tenor of the covenant of works, yet I see no reason why he might not direct and intend his speech to believers also, and yet they remain only under the covenant of grace.

Why, Sir, you said that the Lord did speak to them out of the tabernacle, and from the mercy-seat; and that doubtlesse was according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, and not according to the tenor of the covenant of works.

But, Sir, was not the matter of that Covenant, and this, all one?

Yea indeed, the Ten Commandements were the matter of both Covenants, only they differed in the forms.

T •• n Sir, it seems that the promises and threatnings contained in the old Testament, were but temporary and terrestiall, only concerning the good and evill things of this life.

This we are to know, that like as the Lord by his Prophets gave the people in the old Testament many exhortations to be obedient to his Commandements, and many dehortations from disobedience thereunto, even so did he back them with many promises and threatnings concerning things temporall, as these and the like Scrip • u •• s do witnesse. Isa. 1.10. Heare the word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, give eare unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah: Verse 19.20. I • ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good things of the land; Verse 9. but if ye refuse and rebell, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And Jer. 7 3 Amend your wayes and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place: But ye steal▪ murder, commit adultery, and sweare falsly by my name; therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold mine anger and my fury shall be powred out upon this place. Verse 20. And surely there be two reasons why the Lord did so: First, because as all men are born under the covenant of work • , they are naturally prone to conceive, that the favour of God, and all good things, do depend and follow upon their obedience to the Law; and that the wrath of God, and all evill things, do depend upon, and follow their disobedience to it, And that mans chief happinesse is to be had and found in terrestriall paradise, even in the good things of this life. So the people of the Old Testament being neerest to Adams Covenant and Paradise, were most prone to such conceits. And secondly, because the Covenant of Grace, and Celestiall paradise, were but little mentioned in the Old Testament, they, for the most part, had but a glimmering knowledge of them, and so could not yield obedience freely, as sonnes: therefore the Lord saw it meet to move them to yield obedience to his lawes, by their own motives, and as servants or children under age.

And were both believers and unbelievers, that is, such as were under the Covenant of Grace, and such as were under the Covenant of Works, equally and alike subj • ct, as well to have the calamities of this life inflicted upon them for their disobedience, as the blessings of this life conferred upon them for their obedience?

Surely the words of the Preacher do take place here, when he saith,Eccles. 9.2 All things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked. Num. • 0.12. Were not Moses and Aaron, for their disobedience, hindered from entring into the land of Canaan, as well as others?2 Chron. 35.21, 22. And was not Josiah, for his disobedience to Gods command, sl • in in the valley of Megiddo? Therefore assure your selfe,Num. 16.46. that when believers, in the Old Testament, did transgresse Gods commandements, Gods temporall wrath went out against them, and was manifest in temporall calamities that befell them as well as others, only here was the difference, The believers temporall calamities had no eternall calamities included in them, nor following of them, and their temporall blessings had eternall blessings included in them, and following of them; And the unbelievers temporall blessings had no eternall blessings included in them, nor following of them, and their temporall calamities had eternall calamities included in them, and following of them.

Surely the Sc • ip • ure seemes to hol • forth, that there were three several sorts of people who endeavoured to keep the law of God, and they did all of them differ in their ends.

The first sort of them were true believers, who according to the measure of their faith, did believe the resurrection of their bodies after death, and eternall life in glory, and that it was to be obtained, not by th • • orkes of the Law, but by faith in the M • ssi • h o • promised seed: And answerably as they believed this, answerably they yielded obedience to the Law freely, without fear of punishment, or hope of reward; but alas, the spirit of faith was very weak in the most of them, and the spirit of bondage very strong, and therefore they stood in need to be induced and constrained to obedience, for feare of punishment, and hope of reward.

The second sort of them were the Sadduces and their Sect, and these did not believe that there was any Resurrection, nor any life but the life of this world,Matth. 22 23. and yet they endeavoured to keep the Law, that God might blesse them here, Boltons true bounds. pag. 259. and that it might go well with them in this present life.

The third sort, and indeed the greatest number of them in the future ages after Moses, were the Scribes and Pharisees, and their Sects, and they held and maintained that there was a Resurrection to be looked for, and an eternall life after death, and therefore they endeavoured to keep the Law, not onely to obtaine temporall happinesse, but eternall also; for though it had pleased the Lord to make known unto his people by the ministrie of Moses, Ball on the Cov • n. pag. 114. that the Law was given not to retaine men in the confidence of their own workes, but to drive them out of themselves, and lead them to Christ the promised seed, yet after that time the Priests and the Levites, who were the expounders of the Law, and whom the Scribes and Pharisees did succeed, Perkins on Christs Ser. on the mount. did so conceive and teach of Gods intention in giving the Law, as though it had been, that they by their obedience to it, should obtaine righteousnesse and eternall life, and this opinion was so confidently maintained, and so generally imbraced amongst them, that in their book Mechilta, they say and affirme that there is no other Covenant but the Law, Musculus ▪ Com. pla. pag. 118. and so in very deed they conceived that there was no other way to Eternall life then the Covenant of workes.

Surely then it seemes they did not understand and consider, that the Law as it is the Covenant of workes, doth not onely binde the outward man, but also the inward man, even the soule and spirit, and requires all holy thoughts, motions, and dispositions of the heart and soule.

Oh no, they neither taught it, nor understood it, so spiritually, neither could they be perswaded, that the Law doth require so much at mans hands; for they first laid this downe for a certaine truth, that God gave the Law for man to be Justified and saved by his obedience to it, and that therefore there must needs be a power in man to doe all that it requireth, or else God would never have required it, and therefore whereas they should first have considered, what a straight rule the Law of God is, and then have brought mans heart, and have laid it to it, they contrariwise first considered what a crooked rule mans heart is, and then sought to make the Law like unto it, and so indeed they expounded the Law literally, teaching and holding, that the righteousnesse which the Law required, was but an externall righteousnesse, consisting in the outward observation of the Law, as you may see by the testimony of our Saviour, Matth. 5. Gray, in his Serm. of the perfect. of a Christ. So that according to their exposition, it was possible for a man to fulfill the Law perfectly, and so to be justified and saved by his obedience to it.

But, sir, doe you think the Scribes and Pharisees, and their seed, did yield perfect obedience to the Law, according to their own exposition?

No indeed, I think very few of them, if any at all.

Why, what hopes could they then have to be justified and saved, when they transgressed any of the Commandements?

Peter Martyr tels us, that when they chanced to transgresse any of the Ten Commandements,In his preface to the Rom. exp. they had their sacrifices to make satisfaction (as they conceived) for they looked upon their sacrifices without their significations, Tindal on Ma • . and so had a false faith in them, thinking that the bare work was a sacrifice acceptable to God: in a word, they conceived that the blood of Buls and Goates would take away sinne, And so what they wanted of fulfilling the Morall law, Bolton, true bounds. pag. 161. they thought to make make up in the Ceremoniall law: And thus they separated Christ from their sacrifices, thinking they had discharged their duty very well when they had sacrificed and offered their offerings▪ not considering that the imperfection of the Typicall law, which (as the Apostle saith) made nothing perfect,Heb. 7 9. should have led them to find perfection in Christ: but they generally rested in the work done, in the Ceremoniall law, even as they had done in the Morall law, though they themselves were unable to do the one, and the other was as unsufficient to help them. And thus, Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse, did not attain to the law of righteousnesse, because they sought it not by faith, Rom. 9.31.32. but as it were by the works of the Law, for they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God, and going about to stablish their own righteousnesse, Rom. 10.3 did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God.

Then Sir, it seemeth that their ignorance was the cause of their error.

Yea indeed was it, for this vaile of ignorance that was over their hearts,2 Cor. 3.14. or this vaile of blindnesse which was over their minds, made their sight so weak and dim, that they were no more able to behold the glorious beauty of the Lords holy and pure nature manifested in the Law, as it was the covenant of works, than the weak eye of man is able to behold the bright sun when it shineth in full strength: And therefore we read, that when Moses came down from the mount, with the two tables,Exod. 34.28, 29. wherein were wri • ten the words of the covenant of works, the Ten Commandements, his face did sh • ne so bright, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold it,2 Cor. 3.7. for the glory of his countenance: and therefore Moses was glad to put the cloudy vaile of shadowing Ceremonies over it,Exod. 34.35. that so they might bee the better able to behold it.

But yet, Si • , it seemeth that the vaile of Ceremonies did not help their vaile of Ignorance.

No indeed; for the generality of them were so addicted to the letter of the Law, that they used it not as a pedagogie to Christ, but 〈◊〉 justification by it, and opposed Christ: they terminated their eyesight in th • shadow and did not see through it to th • subst • nce, to wit, to the end of the Law, which is Christ. Some indeed there were which did otherwise, but alas, the number of them were very few, especially in the future ages after Moses, for their blind guides had so levened the people with their corrupt doctrine, that at the time of our Saviours comming in the flesh, we re • d • but of two, to wit, Simeon and Anna, that desired him or looked for him: for although all of them had in their mouths the Messiah, Calvins Harm. p. 87. and the blessed estate of the kingdome of David, yet they dreamed that this Messiah should be some great Monarch, that should come in outward pompe and power, and save and deliver them from the Romans, of whose bondage they were very sensible and weary: but as for their spirituall bondage under the law and sinne, they were not sensible of it, and so indeed saw no need of deliverance from it, and all because their false teachers had turned the whole Law into a Covenant of Works, to be done for Justification and Salvation, yea, such a Covenant as they were able to keep and fulfill, if no • by doing, yet by making satisfaction with their sacrifices. And though Jesus Christ himself, for the removing of this vaile, did (in the fifth of Matthew) take occasion truly to expound the Law, as it is the Covenant of Works, shewing, that it did not only require externall righteousnesse, but internall also, of them that would bee justified by the works thereof; and so removing that false glosse which the Scribes and Pharisees had put upon it. Yea, and though both he himselfe, and his Apostles, by their preaching and teaching did endeavour to let them understand, that all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies did but point at him, and so were of no further use.

Yea, and though at the death of Christ, the vaile of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottome, Matth. 27.51. Tindal, alleadged by Marbeck in com. pla. p. 112. to shew, that the shadowes of Moses Law should vanish away at the flourishing light of the Gospel, and that the mysteries of Christ which were formerly hid, were now laid open. Yet notwithstanding, after that, when the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians,2 Cor. 3.5 he saith concerning the Jewes, Even to this day, when Moses is read, the vaile is over their hearts.

And though for the removing of this vaile, the same Apostle (as it is probobably thought) did write to them that Divine and Spirituall Epistle, called the Epistle to the Hebrewes, wherein he plainly and fully declareth, that all the Sacrifices, Ceremonies, and Tabernacle ordinances in the old Testament were but types of Christ, and given to them that they might see Christ through them, who being now exhibited, and come in the fl • sh▪ all types and shadows were to va •• sh away and give place, yet notwithstanding, we may say of them at this day as the Apostle did to the Corinthians,2 Cor. 3.14. untill this • ay remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old Testament, the Lord be mercifull unto them, and remove it in his due time.

Sir, as I conceive you have now spoken sufficiently, both of Gods purpose and promise, concerning the helping and delivering fallen mankind, wherefore I beseech you let us now heare of his performance of it.,

Touching this point the Scripture testifieth, that God according to his purpose before time, and his promise in time, Did in the fulnesse of time, send forth his Sonne, made of a woman, Gal. 4.4. Hooker Souls Justifica pag. 173. made under the Law, to redeeme them that were under the Law, &c. That is to say, looke how mankinde by nature are under the Law, as it is the Covenant of works; so was Christ as mans suretie contented to bee so, that now according to that Eternall and mutuall agreement that was betwixt God the Father and him, he put himself in the roome and place of all the Faithfull, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. Isai. 53.6.

Then came the Law as it is the Covenant of Workes, and said, Luther on Gal. pag. 137. I finde him a sinner, yea such a one as hath taken upon him the sinnes of all men, therefore, let him die upon the Crosse. Then said Christ, Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not, Heb. 10.5, 6, 7. but a bodie hast thou prepared mee. In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, loe I come, to doe thy will O God. And so the law proceeding in full scope, against him, set upon him, and killed him: and by this meanes was the justice of God fully satisfied, his wrath appeased, and all true beleevers acquitted from all their sinnes both past, present, and to come, so that the Law as it is the Covenant of workes, hath not any thing to say to any true beleever: for indeed they are dead to it, and it is dead to them.

But Sir, How could the sufferings of Christ; which in respect of time were but finite, make full satisfaction to the Justice of God which is infinite,

Though the sufferings of Christ in respect of time were but finite, yet in respect of the person that suffered, his sufferings came to be of infinite value; for Christ was God and Man in one person, and therefore his sufferings were a sufficient and full ransome for mans soule, being of more value then the death and destruction of all creatures.

But Sir, you know that the Covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience, or punishment, when it saith, Hee that doth these things shall live in them, and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them, how then could beleevers be acquitted from their sins by the death of Christ?

For answer hereunto, I pray you consider, that though the covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience or punishment, yet it no where disalloweth or excludeth that which is done or suffered by another in his behalfe, Visin. cat. neither is it repugnant to the Justice of God; for so there bee a satisfaction performed by man through a sufficient punishment, for the disobedience of man, the Law is satisfied, and the justice of God permitteth that the offending partie be received into favour,Pemble vindict. fid. and acknowledge God after such satisfaction made as a just man and no transgressor, of the Law, and though the satisfaction be made by a surety, yet when it is done, the principall is by the Law acquitted, But yet for the further proofe and confirmation of this poynt, wee are to consider that as JESUS CHRIST the second Adam, entered into the same Covenant that the first Adam did, so by him was done whatsoever the first Adam had undone: so then, the case stands thus, that like as whatsoever the first Adam did or befell him, was reckoned as done by all mankinde, and to have befallen them, even so, whatsoever CHRIST did or befell him, is to bee reckoned as to have been done by all believers, and to have befallen them, so that as sinne commeth from Adam alone to all mankinde as he in whom all have sinned, so from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse, unto all that are in him, Forles on justification, p. 89. as hee in whom they all have satisfied the justice of God, for as by being in Adam and one with him, all did in him and with him, transgresse the Commandement of God, even so in respect of faith, whereby believers are ingrafted into Christ, and spiritually made one with him, they did all in him and with him, satisfie the justice of God in his death and sufferings, and whosoever reckons thus, reckons according to Scripture, for in Rom. 5.12. all are sayd to have sinned in Adams sinne, In whom all have sinned, sayth the Text, namely in Adam, as in a publike person, all mens acts were included in his, because their persons were included in his, so likewise in the same Chapter it is sayd that death passed upon all men, Goodwins Christ set forth, pag. 87. Rom. 6.10, 11. namely for this, that Adams sinne was reckoned as theirs, even so, Rom. 6. the Apostle speaking of Christ, sayth, In that he dyed, he dyed unto sinne once, but in that hee liveth, hee liveth unto God, so likewise sayth he in the next verse, Reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sinne, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so as touching the resurrection of Christ, the Apostle argues, that all believers must and shall arise, because Christ is risen, 1 Cor. 15.20. and is become the first fruit • of them that sleepe. CHRIST, as the first fruits ariseth, and that in the name and stead of all believers, and so they rise in him and with him, Smith on the Creed. for CHRIST did not rise as a private person, but hee arose as the publike head of his Church, so that in his arising all believers did virtually arise and as CHRIST at his resurrection was justified and acquitted from all the sinnes of all believers by God his Father, as having now fully satisfied for them, wherefore the obedience of Christ, being imputed unto believers, by God for their righteousnesse it doth put them into the same estate and case touching righteousnesse unto life before God, wherein they should have been, if they had perfectly performed the perfect obedience of the covenant of works, Doe this, and thou shalt live.

But, Sir, are all believers dead to the Law, and the Law dead to them.

Believe it man, as the Law is the Covenant of works, all true believers are dead unto it, and it is dead to them, for they being incorporated into Christ, what the Law or Covenant of works did to him, it did the same to them, so that when CHRIST hanged on the Crosse believers, after a sort, hanged there with him, and therefore the Apostle Paul having sayd, I through the Law, am dead to the Law, addes in the next verse, I am crucified with CHRIST, which words the Apostle brings as an argument to prove that hee was dead to the Law, for the Law had crucified him with CHRIST, upon which Text Luther sayth,On Gal. p. 81. I likewise am crucified and dead to the Law: Forasmuch as I am crucified and dead with CHRIST: and, againe, I believing in CHRIST, am also crucified with CHRIST. In like manner the Apostle sayth, to the believing Romanes, So yee my brethren are dead also to the Law by the body of CHRIST, Rom. 7.4. Now by the body of CHRIST is ment the passion of CHRIST upon the Crosse,

Doctor Willet on the Text. Elton on the Text.

On the Text.

But I pray you, Sir, how doe you prove that the Law is dead to a believer?

Why, as I conceive the Apostle affirmes it, Romams 7.1, 6.

Surely, Sir, you doe mistake, for I remember the words of the first verse, are, how that tbe Law hath dominion over a man as long as hee liveth, and the words of the sixth verse are, But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein wee were holden, &c.

I know right well that in our last Translation the words are so rendred, but godly and learned Tindall renders it thus, Remember yee not brethren, that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as it endureth, and B. Hall, paraphraseth upon it thus, Know yee not brethren that the Mosaicall Law hath dominion over a man that is subject unto it, so long as the said Law is in force: So likewise, Origen, Ambrose, and Erasmus doe all agree,Alledged by Doctor Willet on Rom. that by these words, while (Hee) or it liveth, wee are to understand, as long as the Law remayneth: And Peter Martyr is of opinion, that these wordes, while (Hee) or it liveth, or indifferently referred eyther to the law are to the man, for sayth hee▪ The man is said to bee dead, Verse the fourth, and the law is said to bee dead Verse the sixth, even so because the word (He) or (it) mentioned,See Doctour Willet again. Verse the first, doth signifie both sexes in the Greek, Chrysostome thinketh that the death both of the law and the man is insinuated: And Theophylact, Erasmus, Bucer, and Calvin, doe all understand the sixth Verse of the law being dead: And as the death of a believer to the law was accomplished by the death of Christ, even so also was the laws death to him. Even as M. Fox in his Sermon of Christ crucified, testifieth, saying; Here have wee upon one Crosse two Crucifixes, two the most excellent Potentates that ever were, Fox that wrote the Book of Martyrs. the Sonne of God, and the Law of God, wrastling together about mans salvation, both cast downe, and both slaine upon one Crosse, howbeit not after a like sort: first, the Sonne of God was cast downe and took the fall, not for any weaknesse in himselfe but was content to take it for our victory, by this fall the law of God in casting him downe was caught in his one trip, and so was fast nayled hand and foot to the Crosse, according as we read in S. Pauls words, 1 Col. 2.14. And so Luther speaking to the same point sayth,On Gal. p. 184. this was a wonderfull combate, where the law being a creature, giveth such an assault to his Creatour, in practizing his whole tyranny upon the Sonne of God: now therefore, because the law did so horribly and cursedly sinne against his God, it is cursed and arraigned, and as a thiefe and cursed murderer of the Son of God, looseth all his right and deserveth to be condemned, the law therefore is bound, dead and crucified to mee, Pag. 185. it is not only overcome, condemned and slaine unto Christ, but also to mee believing in him, unto whom hee hath freely given this victory, now then, although, according to the Apostles intimation, Romans the seventh at the beginning, though the Covenant of workes, and man by nature bee mutually engaged each to other, so long as they both live: yet if when the wife bee dead, the husband bee free, then much more when he is dead also.

But, I pray, Sir, what are wee to understand by this double death, or wherein doth this freedome from the law consist?

Death is nothing else but a dissolution, or an untying of a compound, or a separation between matter and forme; and therefore, when the soule and body of man is separated, wee say hee is dead, so that by this double death, wee are to understand nothing else, but that the bargaine or covenant which was made betweene GOD and man at first is dissolved, or untyed, or that the matter and forme of the Covenant of works is separated to a believer, so that the Law of the ten Commandements, doth neyther promise eternall life, nor threaten eternall death to a believer, upon condition of his obedience, or disobedience to it: neyther doth a believer as hee is a believer, eyther hope for eternall life., or feare eternall death upon any such termes, no, wee may assure our selves, Rom. 3.19. that whatsoever the Law sayth on any such tearmes, it sayth, to them who are under the Law: Rom. 6.14. But believers are not under the Law, but under Grace: and so have escaped eternall death, and obtained eternall life., onely by faith in Jesus Christ;Acts 13.39. For by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. For God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son, Iohn 3.16. that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And this is that Covenant of Grace, which as I told you, was made with the Fathers by way of promise, and so but darkly, but now the fulnesse of time being come, it was more fully opened and promulgated.

Well, Sir, now I doe perceive, there was little difference betwixt the Jews Covenant of Grace and ours.

Truly the opposition betwixt the Jews Covenant of Grace and ours, was chiefly of their owne making, they should have been driven to Christ by the Law, Boultons true bounds, p. 160. but they expected life in obedience to it, and this was their great errour and mistake.

And truly, Sir, it is no great marvell, though they in this point did so much erre and mistake, who had the Covenant of Grace made known to them so darkly, when many amongst us who have it more cleerly manifest, do the like.

And truly, it is no marvell, though all men naturally do so for man naturally doth apprehend God to be the great master of heaven, and himselfe to be his servant, and that therefore he must do his work before hee can have his wages, and the more work he doth, the better wages he shall have. And hence it it was, that when Aristotle came to speak of blessednes, & to pitch upon the next means to that end▪ he said it was operation & working, with whom also agreeth Pythagoras, Trunesse of Christian Religion. when he saith, It is mans felicity to be like unto God, (as how) by becoming righteous and holy, and let us not marvell that these men did so erre who never heard of Christ, nor of the Covenant of grace, when those to whom it was made known by the Apostles of Christ did the like, witnesse those to whom the Apostle Paul wrote his Epistles, and especially the Galathians, for although hee had by his preaching when he was present with them, made known unto them the doctrine of the Covenant of grace, yet after his departure, through the seducement of false teachers, they were soon turned to the Covenant of works, and sought to be justified either in whole or in part by it, as you may see if you doe seriously consider that Epistle, (nay, what sayth Luther) it is, sayth he, the generall opinion of mans reason throughout the whole world, That righteousnesse is gotten by the works of the Law, and the reason is, because the Covenant of works was ingendred in the mindes of men in the very creation, so that man, naturally can judge no otherwise of the law then as of a Covenant of works, which was given to make righteous, and to give life and salvation, this pernitious opinion of the Law, that it justifieth and maketh righteous before God (sayth Luther again) is so deeply rooted in mans reason,On Gal. p. 133. and all mankinde are so wrapped in it, that they can hardly get out, yea, I my selfe, sayth hee, have now preached the Gospell almost twenty years, Chos. Sermon, pag. 108. and have been exercised in the same daily, by reading and writing, so that I may well seeme to bee rid of this wicked opinion, yet notwithstanding I now and then feele this old filth cleave to my heart, whereby it commeth to passe, that I would willingly so have to doe with God, that I would bring somthing with my selfe, because of which hee should give me his grace, nay, it is to bee feared that (as you sayd) many amongst us, who have more means of light ordinarily then ever Luther or any before him had, who yet notwithstanding doe either wholy or partly expect justification, and acceptation by the works of the Law.

Sir, I am verily perswaded that there be very many in this City of London, that are carryed with a blinde preposterous zeale after their own good works and well doings, secretly seeking to become holy, just, and righteous before God, by their diligent keeping, and carefull walking in all Gods Commandements, and yet no man can perswade them that they doe so, and truly, Sir, I am verily perswaded that this our neighbour and friend Nomista is one of them?

Alas! there is a thousand in the world that make a Christ of their works, and here is their undoing, Boultons true bounds, p. 97. &c. They looke for righteousnesse and acceptation more in the precept then in the promise, in the law then in the Gospel, in working then in believing and miscarry many poor ignorant souls amongst us, when we bid them obey and doe duties, they can thinke of nothing but working themselves to life, Pag. 162. when they are troubled they must lick thēselves whole, when wounded they must run to the salve of duties, and stream of performances, and neglect Christ. Nay, it is to be feared, that there bee divers who in words are able to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel, and in their judgements hold and maintain that man is justified by faith, without the works of the Law, and yet in effect and practise, that is to say, in heart and conscience doe otherwise, & rhere is some touch of this in us all, otherwise we should not be so up and down in our comforts, Boultons true bounds, p. 97, 98. and believing as we are still, and cast down with every weaknesse as we are. But what say you neighbour Nomista, are you guilty of these things thinke you?

Truly, Sir, I must needs confesse I begin to be somwhat jealous of my selfe that I am so, and because I desire your judgement touching my condition, I would intreat you to give me leave to relate it unto you.

With a very good will.

Sir, I having bin born & brought up in a Countrey where there was very little preaching, the Lord he knoweth, I lived a great while in ignorance and blindnesse, and yet because I did often repeat the Lords Prayer, the Apostles Creed, and the ten Commandements, and in that I came sometimes to Divine Service (as they call it) and at Easter receive the Communion, I thought my condition to bee good, but, at last, by means of hearing a zealous and godly Minister in this City, not long after my comming hither, I was convinced that my present condition was not good, and therefore I went to the same Minister and told him what I thought of my selfe, So hee told mee that I must frequent the hearing of Sermons, and keepe the Sabbath very strictly, and leave off swearing by my faith and troth, and such like oaths, and beware of lying and all idle words and communication, yea, and sayd hee, you must get good books to read on, as Master Dod on the Commandements, M. Boultons directions for comfortable walking with God, Mast •• Brinsleys true Watch, and such like, and many such like exhortations and directions he gave me, the which I liked very well of, and therefore endeavoured my selfe to follow them, so I fell to the hearing of the most godly, zealous, and powerfull Preachers that were in this City, and wrote their Sermons after them, and when God gave mee a Family I did pray with them, and instructed them; and repeated Sermons to them, and spent the Lords day in publique and private exercises: and left off my swearing and lying, and idle talking, according to his exhortation in few wordes: I did so reforme my selfe and my life, that whereas before I had been onely carefull to performe the duties of the second Table of the Law, and that to the end I might gain favour and respect from civill honest men, and to avoid the penalty of mans law, or temporall punishment, now I was also carefull to performe the duties required in the first Table of the Law, and that to gaine favour and respect from religious honest men, and to avoid the penalty of Gods Law, even eternall torments in hell. Now when professors of Religion observe this change in me, they ca •• to my house and gave unto mee the right hand of fellowship, & counted me one of that number. And then I invited godly Ministers to my table, and made much of them, & then with that same Mica mentioned in the book of Judges, Iudg. 9.18, 19. I was perswaded the Lord would be mercifull unto me because I had gotten a Levite to be my Priest, in a word, I did now yield such an outward obedience and conformity to both Tables of the Law, that all godly Ministers, and religious honest men that knew me, did thinke very well of mee, counting me to be a very honest man, and a good Christian, and indeed I thought so of my selfe, especially because I had their approbation, and thus I went on bravely a great while, even untill I read in Master Boultons works, that the outward righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees was famous in those times,Discourse of true happines, pag. 64. for besides their forbearing and protesting against grosse sins, as murther, theft, adultery, idolatry, and the like, they were frequent and constant in prayer, fasting and almes deeds, so that without question, many of them were perswaded, that their doings would purchase heaven and happinesse, whereupon I concluded, that I had as yet done no more then they, and withall I considered that our Saviour sayth,Matth. 5.20. Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God, yea, and I also considered, that the Apostle sayth, Hee is not a Jew, that is one outward, but he that is one within, whose praise is not of men but of God, Then did I conclude that I was not yet a true Christian, for sayd I in my heart, I have contented my selfe with the praise of men, and so have lost all my labour and pains in performing duties, for they have been no better then outside performances, and therefore they must all fall down in a moment. I have not served God with all my heart, and therefore I see I must either goe farther, or else I shall never be happie, whereupon I set about the keeping of the Law in good earnest, and laboured to performe duties, not onely outwardly, but also inwardly from my heart, I heard, and read, and praid, and laboured to bring my heart, and force my soule to every duty, I called upon the Lord in good earnest, and told him that whatsoever hee would have mee to doe, I would doe it with all my heart, if hee would but save my soule, and then I also tooke notice of the inward corruptions of my heart, the which I had not formerly done, and was carefull to govern my thoughts, to modeate my passions, and to suppresse the motions and risings of lusts, to banish privie pride and speculative, wantonnesse, and all vain and sinfull desires of my heart, and then I thought my selfe not onely an out-side Christian, but also an in-side Christian, and therefore a true Christian indeed, and so I went on comfortably a good while, till I considered that the Law of God requires passive obedience as well as active, and therefore I must bee a sufferer as well as a doer, or else I could not bee a Christian indeed, whereupon I began to bee troubled at my impatience under Gods correcting hand, and at those inward murmurings and discontents which I found in my spirit in time of any outward calamity that befell mee, and then I laboured to bridle my passions and to submit my selfe quietly to the will of God in every condition, and then did I also, as it were, begin to take penance upon my selfe, by abstinence, fasting, and afflicting my soule, and made pittifull lamentations in my prayers, which were somtimes also accompanied with tears, the which I was perswaded the Lord did take notice of and would reward me for it, and then I was perswaded that I did keepe the Law in yielding obedience both actively and passively, and then was I confident I was a true Christian, untill I considered tha • those Jewes of whom the LORD complaynes, Esay 58. did as much as I, and that caused mee to feare that all was not right with mee as yet: whereupon I went to another Minister, and told him, that though I had done thus and thus, and suffered thus and thus; yet I was perswaded that I was in no better a condition then those Jewes: ô yes, sayd hee! you are in a better condition then they▪ for they were Hypocrites, and served not GOD with all their hearts as you doe. Then I went home contentedly, and so went on in my wonted course of doing and suffering, and thought all was well with mee untill I bethought my selfe that before the time of my conversion, I had beene a transgressour from the wombe, yea, in the wombe in that I was guilty of Adams transgression: so then I considered, that although I kept even with GOD for the time present and to come yet that would not free m • from the guiltinesse of that which wa • done before, whereupon I was much troubled and disquieted in my minde, then I went to a third Minister of Gods holy word, and told him how the case stood with mee: and what I thought of my state and condition, he cheered me up, bidding mee be of good comfort, for howsoever my obedience since my Conversion, would not satisfie for my former sinnes, yet in as much as at my Conversion I had confessed▪ lamented, deplored, bewayled and forsaken them: God according to his rich mercy and gracious promise had mercifully pardoned and forgiving them. Then I returned home to my house againe, and went to God by earnest Prayer and supplication, and besought him to give mee assurance of the pardon and forgivenesse of my guiltinesse of Adams sinne, and all my actuall transgressions before my Conversion: and as I had endeavoured my self to be a good servant before, so I would still continue in doing my duty most exactly: and so being assured that the Lord had granted this my request, I fell to my businesse, according to my promise; I heard, I read, I prayed, I fasted, I mourned, I sighed and groned, and watched over my heart, my tongue, and wayes, in all my doings, actions, and dealings both with God and man: But after a while I growing better acquainted with the spiritualnesse of the Law, and with inward corruptions of mine owne heart, I perceived that I had deceived my selfe in thinking that I had kept the Law perfectly, for doe what I could I found many imperfections in my obedience; for I had been and was still subject to sleepinesse, drousinesse, and heavinesse in prayer and hearing, and so in other duties, I failed in the manner of performance of them, and in the end why I performed them, seeking my selfe in every thing I did, and my conscience told me I failed in my duty to God in this, and in my duty to my neighbour in that, and then I was much troubled again, for I considered that the Law of God requireth, and is not satisfied without an exact and perfect obedience, and then I went to the same Minister again, and told him how I had purposed, promised, striven and endeavoured, as much as possibly I could to keepe the Law of Ged perfectly, and yet by wofull experience I had found, that I had and did still transgresse it many ways, and therefore I feared hell and damation.

O! but sayd hee, doe not feare, for the best Christians have their failings, and no man keepeth the Law of God perfectly, and therefore goe on and doe as you have done in striving to keepe the Law perfectly, in what you cannot doe God will accept the will for the deed, and wherein you come short, Christ will help you out, and this satisfied and contented mee very much, so I returned home againe and fell to prayer, and told the Lord that now I saw I could not yield a perfect obedience to his Law, and yet I would not despaire, because I did believe, that what I could not doe Christ would doe for mee, and then I did certainly conclude, that I was a Christian indeede, and not before, and so have I beene perswaded ever since, And thus, Sir, you see I have dcclared unto you, both how it hath been wieh mee formerly, and how it is with me for the present, wherefore I would intreat you to tell me plainly and truly what you think of my condition.

Why truly I must tell you it appears to me by your relation▪ that you have gone as far in the way of the Covenant of works as the Apostle Paul did before his conversion, but yet for ought I see you have not gone the right way to the truth of the Gospell, and therefore I question whether you be as yet come truly to Christ.

Good, Sir, give me leave to speak a few words. By the hearing of your discourse concerning the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace, I was moved to feare that I was out of the right way, but now having heard my neighbour Nomista make such an excellent relation, and yet you to question whether hee bee come truly to CHRIST or no, makes me to conclude absolutely that I am far from Christ, surely if he upon whom the Lord hath bestowed such excellent gifts and graces, and who hath lived such a godly life, as I am sure he hath done, be not right, then woe be unto me.

Truly for ought I know, you may be in Christ before him.

But I pray you, Sir, consider, that though I am now throughly convinced, that till of late I went on in the way of the Covenant of works, yet seeing that at last I came to see my need of Christ, and have verily believed that in what I come short of fulfilling the Law, hee will help mee out, me thinks, I should be come truly to Christ.

But stay, Sir, I pray, you are mistaken in me, for though I hold that God doth accept of my doing my best to fulfill the Law, yet doe I not hold with the Papists that my doings are meritorious, for I believe that God accepts not of what I doe, either for the work or workers sake, but onely for Christs sake.

But believe me, Sir, I would advise him to bring Christs and wholy renounce his own, as, I thank the Lord, I have done.

You say very well, for indeed the Covenant of Grace terminates it selfe onely on Christ and his righteousnesse, God will have none to have a hand in the justification and salvation of a sinner but Christ onely, and to say as the thing is, neighbour Nomista, Christ Jesus will either be a whole Saviour, or no Saviour; hee will either save you alone, or not save you at all,Acts 4.12. for among men there is given no other name under heaven, whereby we must be saved, sayth the Apostle Peter: and Jesus Christ himselfe sayth, I am the way, Iohn 14.6. the truth, and the life, and no man commeth to the father but by mee, On Gal. p. 17. Doctor Vrban Regis, in his exposition of Christs Sermon going to Emaus. so that as Luther truly sayth, besides this way Christ, there is no way but wandering, no verity but hypocrisie, no life but eternall death, and verily sayth another godly writer, We can neither come to God the Father, bee reconciled unto him, nor have any thing to doe with him, by any other way or means, but onely by Jesus Christ, for we shall not any where finde the favour of God, true innocency, righteousnesse, satisfaction for sin, help, comfort, life or salvation, any where but onely in Jesus Christ, he is the summe and centre of all divine and evangelicall truths, and therefore as there is no knowledge or wisdome so excellent, necessary or heavenly as the knowledge of Christ; (which made the Apostle tell the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 2.2. that he determined to know nothing amongst them, but onely Jesus Christ and him crucified) so is there nothing to be preached unto men as an object of their faith, or necessary element of their salvation, Reynolds on Psal. 110. p. 1. which doth not some way or other either meet in Christ or refer unto Christ.

O, Sir, you doe please me wonderous well in thus attributing all to Christ, and surely, Sir, though of late you have not been so evangelical in your teaching as some others in this City (which hath caused me to leave off hearing you to hear them) yet have I formerly perceived, and do now also perceive, that you have more knowledge of the doctrine of free grace then many other Ministers in this City have, and to tell you the truth, Sir, it was by your means that I was first brought to renounce mine owne righteousnesse, and to cleave onely to the righteoasnesse of JESUS CHRIST, and thus it was. After that I had been a good. while a legall professour, just like my friend Nomista, and heard none but your legall Preachers, who built me up in works and doings, as they did him, and as their manner is: At last a familiar acquaintance of mine who had some knowledge of the doctrine of free grace, did commend you for an excellent Preacher, & at last prevailed with me to goe with him to hear you, and your text that day, I wel remember was, Tit. 3.5. Not by the works of righteousnesse that we had done, but according to his own mercie he saved us, whence you observed and plainly proved, that mans own righteousnesse had no hand in his justification and salvation, whereupon you dehorted us from putting any confidence in our own works and doings, and exhorted us, by faith to lay hold upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely, at the hearing whereof, it pleased the Lord so to work upon mee, that I plainly perceived that there was no need at all of my works and doings, nor nothing else, but only to believe in Jesus Christ, & indeed my heart did assent unto it immediately, so that I went home with abundance of peace and joy in believing, and gave thanks to the Lord, for that he had set my soule at liberty, from such a sore bondage as I had been under, and I told all my acquaintance what a slavish life I had lived in being under the Law, for if I did commit any sin, I was presently troubled & disquieted in my cōscience, & could have no peace til I had made humble confession thereof unto God, craved pardon and forgivenes, & promised amendment but now I told them that whatsoever sins I did commit, I was no whit troubled at them, nor indeed am not to this day, for I do verily believe, that God for Christs sake hath freely and fully pardoned all my sins, both past, present, and to come; so that I am confident that what sin or sins soever I commit, they shall never be layd to my charge, being very well assured that I am so perfectly clothed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse, that God can see no sin in me at all: And therefore, now I can rejoyce evermore in Christ, as the Apostle exhorts mee, and live merrily though I be never so vile or sinfull a creature, and indeed, I pitty them, that are in the same slavish condition that I was in, and would have them to believe, as I have done, that so they may rejoyce with mee in Christ: And thus, Sir, you see I have declared unto you my condition; and therefore I would intreat you to tell me what you think of me.

There is in this City, at this day, much talk about Antinomiaus; and though I hope there be but few that doe justly deserve that title, (yet I pray) give me leave to tell you, that I feare mee I may say unto you in this case, as it was once said unto Peter in another case;Matth. 26.73. Surely thou art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. And therefore to tell you truly, I make some question whether you have truly believed in Christ, for all your confidence: And indeed I am the rather moved to question it, by calling to minde that as I have heard your conversation is not such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ: Phil. 1.27.

Why, Sir, do you think it is possible for a man to have such peace and joy in Christ as I have had, and I thanke the Lord have still, and not to have truly believed in Christ?

Yea, indeed, I think it is possible, for doth not our Saviour tell us, that those hearers whom hee resembles to the stony ground, Mark 4.15. immediatly received the word with joy, and yet had no root in themselves, and so indeed were not true believers. And doth not the Apostle give us to understand, that as there is a forme of godlines without the power of godlinesse: 2 Tim. 3.5. so there is a forme of faith without the power of faith. And therefore he prayes that God would grant unto the Thessalonians the worke of faith with power. 2 Thess: 1.11. And as the same Apostle gives us to understand, there is a faith that is not fained, 1 Tim. 1.5. so doubtlesse, there is a faith that is fained: And surely, when our Saviour sayth; Marke 4.26, 27, 28. The kingdome of God is as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and sheuld sleepe and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow hee knoweth not how, first the blade, then the eare, after that the full corn in the eare, he giveth us to understand that true faith is produced by the secret power of God by little and little, Diodat on the Text. so that somtimes a true believer himselfe, neither knows the time when, nor the manner how it was wrought, so that we may perceive that true faith is not ordinarily begun, increased and finished all in a moment, as, it seems, yours was, but groweth by degrees according to that of the Apostle Rom. 1.17. The righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith, Wilson on the Romans, p. 17. that is, from one degree of faith to another, from a weake faith to a stro • g faith, from faith beginning to faith increasing towards perfection, or from faith of adherence, to faith of assurance, but so was not yours, and again, true faith according to the measure of it, produceth holinesse of life, but it seems yours doth not so, and therefore though, you have had, and have still much peace and joy, yet that is no infallible signe that your faith is true,Doctor Preston of Faith, pag. 86. for a man may have great raptures, yea, he may have great joy, as if he were lift up into the third heaven, and have a great and strong perswasion that his estate is good, and yet be but an hypocrite for all that, and therefore I beseech you in the words of the Apostle, Examine your selfe whether you be in the faith, 2 Cor. 13.5. prove your own selfe, know you not your own selfe how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be a reprobate: And if Christ bee in you, the body is dead because of sin, Rom. 8.10. but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse.

But, Sir, if my friend Nomista went wrong in seeking to be justified by the works of the Law, then, me thinks, I should have gone right in seeking to be justified by faith, and yet you speake as if wee had both gone wrong.

I remember Luther sayth, that in his time, if they taught in a Sermon that salvation consisted not in our works or life, Chos. Sermon, Pag. 65. but in the gift of God, some men took occasion thence to be slow to good works, and to live a dishonest life, and if they preached of a godly and honest life, others did by and by furiously attempt to build ladders to heaven: And moreover, hee sayth, that in the year, 1525, there were some fantasticall spirits that stirred up the rusticall people to sedition, saying, that the freedome of the Gospel giveth liberty to all men from all manner of Laws, Luther on Gal. pag. 170. and there were others that did attribute the force of justification to the Law. Now, sayth he, both these sorts offend against the Law, the one on the right hand, who would be justified by the Law, and the other on the left hand, who would be clean delivered from the Law: Now I suppose this saying of Luthers, may bee fitly applyed to you two, for it appears to me, friend Antinomista that you have offended on the left hand, in not walking according to the matter of the Law, and it is evident to mee neighbour Nomista, that you have offended on the right hand, in seeking to be justified by your obedience to it.

But, Sir, if seeking of justification by the works of the Law be an error▪ yet it seemeth, that by Luthers own confession, it is but an error on the right hand.

But yet I tell you it is such an error, that by the Apostle Pauls own confession, so far forth as any man is guilty of it, He makes his services his Saviours, and rejects the grace of God, and makes the death of Christ of none effect, Gal. 5.4. Gal. 3.19. Gal. 1.7. Gal. 3.10. Gal. 4.25. Gal. 5.7. Gal. 3.11. ond perverteth the Lords intention, both in giving the Law, and in giving the Gospel, and keeps himselfe under the curse of the Law, and maketh himself the sonne of a bond-woman, a servant, yea, and a slave, and hinders himselfe in the course of well doing, and in short, he goeth about an impossible thing, and so loseth all his labour.

The Apostle sayth; that without faith it is impossible to please God, that is, sayth Calvin, Whatsoever a man, thinketh,Heb. 11.6. Instit. pag. 370. purposeth, or doeth, before hee be reconciled to God by faith in Christ is accursed, and not onely of no value to righteousnesse, but of certain deserving to damnation; so that sayth Luther, On Gal. 〈…〉 . Whosoever goeth about to please God with works, going before faith, goeth about to please God with sin, which is nothing else but to heap sin upon sin, to mock God and to provoke him to wrath: nay, sayth the same Luther, in another place, If thou beest without Christ thy wisdome is double foolishnesse,On Gal. p. • 5. thy righteousnesse is double sin and iniquity, and therefore though you have walked very strictly according to the Law, and led an honest life, yet if you have rested and put confidence therein, and so come short of Christ, then hath it indeed rather done you hurt then good. Ball on the Covenant, pag. 338. For sayth a godly writer, vertuous life, according to the light of nature, turneth a man farther off from God, if he add not thereto the effectuall working of his Spirit, and sayth Luther, they which have respect onely to an honest life, Chos. Sermon, Pag. 65. it were better for them to be adulterers, and adulteresses, and to wallow in the mire: And surely for this cause it is that our Saviour tels the strict Scribes and Pharisees,Matth. 21.31. who sought justification by works, and rejected Christ, that Publicans and harlots should enter into the Kingdome of God before them. And for this cause it was that I sayd, for ought I know my neighbour Neophytus might bee in Christ before you.

But how can that be? when as you know he hath confessed that he is ignorant and full of corruption, and comes far short of me in gifts and graces.

Because as the Pharisee had more to doe before he could come at Christ then the Publican had; so, I conceive, you have more to doe then he hath.

Why, Sir, I pray you, what have I to doe, or what would you advise me to doe, for truly I would be contented to bee ruled by you?

Why that which you have to doe before you can come at Christ, is to undoe all that ever you have done already, that is to say, whereas you have endeavoured to travail towards heaven by the way of the Covenant of works, and so have gone a wrong way, you must goe quite back again all the way you have gone, before you can tread one step in the right way. And whereas you have attempted to build up the ruines of old Adam, and that upon your selfe, and so like a foolish builder to build a tottering house upon the sands, you must throw down and utterly demolish all that building, and not leave a stone upon a stone, before you can begin to build anew, and whereas you have conceived that there is a sufficiencie in your selfe to justifie and save your selfe, you must conclude that in that case, there is not onely in you an insufficiencie, but also a non-sufficiencie, yea, and that sufficiencie that seemed to be in you, to bee your losse, in plain termes, you must deny your selfe, as our Saviour sayth, Matthew 16.24. That is, You must utterly renounce all that ever you are, and all that ever you have done, All your knowledge and gifts, all your hearing, reading, praying, fasting, weeping and mourning, all your wandring in the way of works, and strict walking must fall to the ground in a moment, briefly, whatsoever you have counted gain to you in the case of Justification, you must now with the Apostle Paul, count losse for CHRIST, Philip. 3.7, 8, 9. and judge it to be dung, that you may win CHRIST, and bee found in Him, not having your own righteousnesse which is of the Law. but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith.

O, but, Sir, What would you advise me to doe?

Why man? what ayleth you?

Why, Sir, as you have been pleased to heare them two to declare their condition unto you, so I beseech you, to give me leave to doe the same, and then you will perceive how it is with me. Sir, not long since, it pleased the Lord to visit mee with a great fit of sicknesse, so that indeed, both in mine own judgement, and in the judgement of all that came to visite mee, I was sick unto death, whereupon I began to consider, whither my soule was to goe, after its departure out of my body, and I thought with my selfe that there was but two places, heaven and hell, and therefore it must needs goe to one of them, then my wicked and sinfull life, which indeed, I had lived came into my minde, which caused me to conclude, that hell was the place provided for it, which caused me to bee very fearfull, and to bee very sorry that I had so lived, and desired of the Lord to let me live a little longer, and I would not faile to reforme my life, and amend my ways, and the Lord was pleased to grant mee my desire; since which time, though indeed tis true, I have not lived so wickedly as formerly I had done, yet alas, I have come far short of that godly and religious life which I see other men live, and especially this my neighbour Nomista, and yet you seem to conceive that he is not in a good condition, and therefore surely I must needs be in a miserable condition, alas, Sir, what doe you thinke will become of me?

I doe perceive that although wee have by the Lords assistance our comming together, opened and cleered the new and living way to eternall life, yet the Lord hath not been pleased to open your eyes to see it, so that you would still be going thither the old and naturall way, and therefore as a further means to discover it to you, I pray you consider that although in the making of the covenant of works at the first, God was one party and man another, yet in making it the second time, God was on both sides. God simply considered in his essence, is the party opposite to man, and GOD the second Person having taken upon him to bee incarnate • nd to worke mans redemption, was on mans side, and takes part, with man that hee may reconcile him to God by bearing mans sins, and satisfying Gods justice for them, and Christ payed God till hee sayd,Matth. 3.17. Hee had enough, Hee was fully satisfied, fully contented.

Whereupon all Christs people were given to him in their election. Ephes. 1.4. Thine they were (fayth Christ) and thou gavest them mee. John 17.6. Hee, sayth the Father, loveth the Sonne, and hath given all things into his hands, John 8.35. that is, hee hath intrusted him with the oeconomie and actuall administration of that power in the Church, Reynolds on Psal. 110. p. 7. which originally belonged to himselfe, and hence it is that Christ also sayth, the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to his Sonne, John 5.22. so that the Covenant for life and salvation, since the fall, is not that Covenant of works, that was betwixt God and Christ, for none of Christs are to have to doe with that but Christ onely, but the Covenant of life and salvation is that Covenant of grace▪ that is betwixt Christ and his, and in tha • Covenant there is not any condition or law to bee performed on mans part, by himselfe, no, there is no more for him to doe, but onely to know and believe, that Christ hath done all for him, wherefore my dear neighbour Neophytus, I beseech you bee perswaded, that here you are to worke nothing, here you are to doe nothing, here you are to render nothing unto God, but onely receive the treasure which is Jesus Christ, and apprehend him in your heart by faith, Luther on Gal. p. 69, 194. although you be never so great a sinner, and so shall you obtain forgivenesse of sinnes, righteousnesse and eternall happinesse, not as an agent, but as a patient, not by doing but by receiving, nothing here commeth betwixt but faith onely, apprehending Christ in the promise; this then is perfect righteousnesse, to heare nothing, to know nothing, to doe nothing of the Law or works but onely to know and believe that Jesus Christ is now gon to the Father, and sitteth at his right hand, not as a Judge, But is made unto you of God, wisdome, righteousnesse, Acts 16.31. sanctification and redemption, wherefore, sayth the Apostle, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

I beseech you consider, that God the Father as he is in his Sonne Jesus Christ, Culverwell of Faith, pag. 15. moved with nothing but with his free love, to mankinde lost, hath made a deed of gift and grant unto them all, that whosoever of them all shall believe in this his Sonne, shall not perish,Iohn 3.16. but have eternall life, and hence, it was that Jesus Christ himselfe sayd unto his Disciples, Mat. 16.15. Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven, that is,Doctor Preston of Faith, pag. 8. goe and tell every man, without exception, that here is good news for him, Christ is dead for him, and if he will take him and accept of his righteousnesse hee shall have him.In a little book called the benefit of Christs death. Therefore sayth a godly writer, for as much as the holy Scripture speaketh to all in generall, none of us ought to distrust himselfe, but believe that it doth belong particularly to himselfe, and to the end that this poynt wherein lyeth and consisteth the whole mystery of our holy faith, may be understood the better, let us pur the case, that some good and holy King should cause a proclamation to bee made through his whole Kingdome by the sound of a Trumpet, that all rebels and banished men, shall safely return home to their houses, because that at the suit and desart of some dear friend of theirs, it hath pleased the King to pardon them, certainly none of these rebels ought to doubt but that he shall obtain true pardon for his rebellion, and so return home and live under the shadow of that gracious King: even so our good King the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath for the obedience and desart of our good brother Jesus Christ, pardoned us all our sinnes, and made a Proclamation throughout the whole world, that every one of us may safely returne to God in Jesus Christ, wherefore, I beseech you,Heb. 10.22. make no doubt of it, but draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

O! but, Sir, in this similitude the case is not alike, for when an earthly King sendeth forth such a Proclamation, it may be thought that he doth indeed intend to pardon all, but it cannot bee thought that the King of heaven doth so, for doth not the Scripture say,Iude verse 4. that some men are ordained before to condemnation, and doth not Christ himselfe say, that many are called, Matth. 22.14. but few are chosen, and therefore it may be I am one of them that are ordained to condemnation, and therefore, though I be called, I shall never be chosen, and so shall not be saved.

But may such a vile and sinfull wretch as I am be perswaded that God commands me to believe, and that hee hath made a promise to me?

Why doe you make a question where there is none to be made, Goe, sayth Christ, and preach the Gospel to every creature under Heaven, that is, go tell every man, without exception, whatsoever his sins be,Doctor Preston of love, pag. 146. whatsoever his rebellions be, goe and tell him these glad tydings, that if hee will come in, I will accept of him, his sins shall bee forgiven him, and hee shall bee saved, if hee will come in and take mee, and receive mee, I will be his loving husband, and hee shall bee mine owne deare Spouse: let mee therefore say unto you in the words of the Apostle, Now then, I as an Ambassadour for Christ, 2 Cor. 5.20, 21. as though GOD did beseech you by mee, I pray you in Christs stead, be yee reconciled unto God, for hee hath made him to be sin for you, who knew no sin, that you might be made the righteousnesse of God in him.

But doe you say, Sir, that if I believe, I shall bee espoused unto Christ?

Yea, indeed, shall you, for faith coupleth the soul with Christ, even as the Spouse with her husband, Rouse mystica • Mariage, p. 1 • Christian Liberty, p. 21. by which means Christ and the soule are made one: for as in corporall marriage man and wife are made one flesh, even so in this spirituall and mysticall marrriage Christ and his Spouse are made one spirit, and this marriage of all others is most perfect and absolutely accomplished betweene them for the marriage between man and wife, is but a slender figure of this union, wherefore, I beseech you, to believe it, and then you shall be sure to enjoy it.

Surely, Sir, if David sayd, seemeth it to you a light thing to be an earthly Kings son-in-law ▪ 1 Sam. 1 • .25. seeing that I am a poore man, and lightly esteemed: then surely I have much more cause to say, seemeth it to you a light thing to bee a heavenly Kings daughter-in-law, seeing that I am such a poor sinfull wretch: surely, Sir, I cannot be perswaded to believe it.

Alas, man, how much are you mistaken, for you look upon God and upon your self, with the eye of reason, and so standing in relation to each other, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Works, whereas you being now in the case of Justification and Reconciliation, you are to looke both upon God and upon your selfe with the eye of faith, and so standing in relation to each other, according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace: for sayth the Apostle, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himselfe, 2 Cor. 5.19. not imputing their sinnes unto them, as if hee had sayd, because as God stands in relation to man according to the tenour of the Covenant of works, and so out of Christ, hee could not without prejudice to his justice be reconciled unto them, nor have any thing to doe with them, otherwise then in wrath and indignation; therefore, to the intent, that justice and mercy might meet together, and righteousnesse and peace might embrace each other, and so God stand in relation to man, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace, hee put himselfe into his Son Jesus Christ, and shrowded himself there, that so hee might speake peace to his people. Chos. Sermon, pag. 299. Sweetly sayth Luther, because the nature of God was otherwise higher then that wee are able to attayne unto it; therefore hath hee humbled himselfe to us and taken our nature upon him, and so put himselfe into Christ, here hee looketh for us, here he will receive us, and hee that seeketh him here shall finde him: This, sayth God the Father, is my well beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, Mat. 3.17. whereupon the same Luther sayth in another place, We must not thinke and perswade our selves that this voice came from heaven for Christs own sake, but for our sakes, Chos. Sermon, pag. 31, 32, 33. even as Christ himselfe sayth, John 12.30. This voyce came not because of mee, but for your sakes, the truth is, Christ had no need that it should be sayd unto him, this is my well beloved sonne, he knew that from all eternity, and that he should still so remain though these words had not beene spoken from heaven, therefore by these words, God the Father in Christ his Sonne, cheereth the hearts of poore sinners, and greatly delighteth them with singular comfort and heavenly sweetnesse, assuring them, that whosoever is marryed unto Christ, and so in him by faith, hee is as acceptable to God the Father, as Christ himselfe, according to that of the Apostle,Ephes. 1.6. Hee hath made us acceptable in his beloved, wherefore, if you would bee acceptable to God, and bee made his deare childe, then by faith cleave unto his beloved Sonne Christ, and hang about his neck, yea, and creepe into his bosome, and so shall the love and favour of God be as deeply insinuated into you, as it is into Christ himselfe, and so shall God the Father, together with his beloved Sonne, wholy possesse you, and be possessed of you, and so God, and Christ, and you shall become one entire thing, according to Christs prayer,Iohn 11.21. That they may bee one in us, as thou and I are one, and by this means may you have sufficient ground and warrant to say (in the matter of reconciliation with God at any time, whensoever you are disputing with your selfe, how God is to be found that justifieth and saveth sinners) I know no other God, Luther on Gal. pag. 17. neither will I know any other God besides this God that came dow from heaven, and clothed himselfe with my flesh, unto whom all power is given, both in heaven and in earth, Who is my Judge,Iohn 5.22. For the father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne, so that Christ may doe with mee whatsoever him liketh, and determine of mee aecording to his own minde, and I am sure hee hath sayd,Iohn 12.17. Hee came not to judge the World, but to save the World, and therefore I doe believe that hee will save mee.

Alas, man, in thus saying▪ you doe seem to contradict and gainsay, both the Apostle Paul, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and that against your owne soule. For, whereas the Apostle Paul saith,1 Tim. 1.15. Rom. 4.5. That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and doth justifie the ungodly: Why, you seem to hold, & do in effect say, that Christ Jesus, came into the world to save the righteous, & to justifie the godly: and wheras our Saviour sayth, The whole need not the Physitian, but the sick, Matth. 9.12. and that hee came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Why you seem to hold, and do in effect say, That the sick need not the Physitian but the whole, and that he came not to call sinners, but the righteous to repentance. And, indeed, in so saying, you seem to conceive that Christs Spouse must be purified, washed and clensed from all her filthines, & adorned with a rich robe of righteousnesse before he wil accept of her, whereas hee himselfe saith unto her, As for thy nativity in the day that thou wast born, Ezek. 16.4, 5, 8. thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed with water to supple thee, thou wast not swadled at all, nor salted at all, no eye pitied thee to doe any of these things unto thee: but when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was a time of love, and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakednesse: yea, and I sware unto thee, and entred into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. And I will marry thee unto me for ever, yea, I will marry thee unto me in righteousnes and in judgment, Hos. 2.19. and in mercy and compassion: Wherefore, I beseech you, revoke this your erroneous opinion, and contradict the word of truth no longer, but conclude for a certainty, that it is not the righteous and godly man, but the sinfull and ungodly man that Christ came to call, justifie and save, so that if you were a righteous and godly man, you were neyther capable of Calling, Justification, or Salvation by Christ, but being a sinfull and ungodly man, I will say unto you, as the people sayd unto blinde Bartime, Be of good comfort, Mark 10.49. arise, he calleth you, and will justifie and save you; goe then unto him, I beseech you, and if he come and meet you by the way (as his manner is) then do not you unadvisedly say with Peter, Depart from me, for I am a sinfull man; Luke 5.8. O Lord! but say in plain terms, O come unto me, for I am a sinfull man, O Lord! yea, go on further with your speech, and say as Luther bids you, Most gracious Jesu, and sweet Christ, Chos. Ser. p. •• . I am a miserable poor sinner, and therefore do judge my self unworthy of thy grace; but yet I having learned from thy word, that thy salvation belongeth to such a one, therefore do I come unto thee to claime that right which through thy gracious promise belongeth unto me, assure your selfe that Jesus Christ requires no portion with his spouse, no verily he requires nothing with her but meere poverty, the rich he sends empty away: Luke 1.57. but the poore are by him enriched, and indeed, sayth Luther, The more miserable, sinfull and distressed a man doth feele himself, and judge himself to be, the more willing will Christ be to receive him, and relieve him, so that, Chos. Ser. p. 85 sayth he, In judging thy self unworthy, thou doest theredy become truly worthy: and so indeed hast gotten a greater occasion of coming unto him: Wherefore in the words of the Apostle, I do exhort you and beseech you to come boldly unto the throne of grace, Heb. 4.6. that you may obtain mercie and finde grace to help in time of need.

But truly Sir, my heart doth as it were even tremble within mee to thinke of comming unto Christ after such a manner, and surely, Sir, if I should come so boldly to Christ, and speake after such a manner it, would be but pride and presumption in mee.

Indeed, if you should be incouraged to come to Christ, and speak thus unto him, because of any godlinesse, righteousnesse, or worthinesse that you conceive to be in you, that were proud presumption indeed; but for you to come to Christ by believing that hee will accept of you, justifie and save you freely by his grace, according to his own gracious promise: this is no proud presumption at all, for Christ having tendred it and offered it unto you freely, believe it man, Hookers poore doubt. Christ. pag. 108. it is neyther pride nor presumption, but true humility of heart to take what Christ offereth you.

But by your favour, Sir, I pray you give mee leave to speake a word by the way, I know my Neighbour Neophytus, it may be better then you do, yet do I not intend to charge him with any sin, otherways then by way of supposition as thus: Suppose hee hath been guilty of the committing of grosse and grievous sins, will Christ accept of him, and justifie and save him for all that?

Yea, indeed, for there is no limitation of Gods grace in Jesus Christ, except the sin against the holy Ghost; Christ stands at the doore and knocks, Revel. 3.20. and if any cruell murdering Manasses, or any persecuting and blaspheming Saul, 1 Tim, 1.13. or any adulterous Magdalen will open unto him, he will come in and bring comfort with him, and will sup with him, seeke from one end of the Heavens to the other (sayth Evangelicall Hooker) turne all the Bible over,Poore doubt. Christ. p. 132. and see if the words of Christ be not true,Iohn 6.37. him that commeth unto me, I will in no wise cast out.

Why then, Sir, it seems you hold that the vilest sinner in the world ought not to be discouraged from believing in Christ, because of his sins.

Surely if Christ came into the world to seek, and call, and save sinners, and to justifie the ungodly, as you have heard, and if the more sinfull, miserable and distressed a man doth judge himself to be, the more willing Christ is to receive him, and relieve him: then I see no reason why the vilest sinner should be discouraged from believing on the name of Christ because of his sins, nay, let me say more, the greater any mans sins are eyther in number or nature: the more hast hee should make to come unto Christ, and to say with David, for thy name sake, Psal. 25.11. ô Lord! pardon mine iniquitie for it is great.

Surely, Sir, if my friend Neophytus did rightly consider these things, and were assuredly perswaded of the truth of them, me thinks, hee should not be so backward from comming unto Christ by believing on his name, as he is, for if the greatnesse of his sins should be so far from hindring his coming to Christ, that they should further it, then I know not what should hinder him.

You speak very truly indeed, and therefore, I beseech you, Neighbour Neophytus, consider seriously of it, and let neither Satan the accuser of the brethren, nor your own accusing conscience joyning with him, hinder you any longer from Christ: for, what though they should accuse you of pride, infidelity, coveteousnesse, lust, anger, envie and hypocrisie; yea, what though they should accuse you of whoredome, theft and drunkennesse, and many the like, yet doe what they can, they can make no worse a man of you then a sinner, or the chiefe of sinners, or an ungodly person, and so consequently such a one as Christ came to justifie and save, so that in very deed, if you rightly consider it, they doe you more good then hurt hereby, and therefore I beseech you, in all such cases, or conflicts, take the counsell of Luther, who saith, when thy conscience is throughly affraid with the remembrance of thy sins past, and the Devill assayleth thee with great violence, going about to overwhelme thee, with heaps, floods, and whole seas of sins, to terrifie thee and to draw thee from Christ, then arme thy selfe with such sentences as these,On Gal. p. 20, 21. Christ the Sonne of God was given, not for the holy, righteous, worthy, and such as were his friends, but for the wicked sinners, for the unworthy, and for his enemies, wherefore if the Devill say thou art a sinner, and therefore must be damned, then answer you and say, because thou saist I am a sinner, therefore will I be righteous and saved, and if he say, nay, sinners must be damned, then answer you and say, no, for I flie to Christ, who hath given himselfe for my sins, and therefore in that thou saist I am a sinner, thou givest me armour and weapon against thy selfe, that with thy own sword I may cut thy throat, and tread thee under my feet, and thus you see it is the judgement of Luther, that your sins should rather drive you to Christ then keep you from him,

But, Sir, suppose he hath not as yet either humbled himselfe, or repented for his great and many sins, hath he any warrant to come to Christ till he hath done so.

I see you have not yet quite thrown down your tottering building, you still conceive that man himselfe must doe somthing in the case of justification, you thinke he must bring some money in his hand to buy his salvation, but I beseech you consider, that as I have often told you, Gods Covenant in Christ is a Covenant of Grace, and so every way a free Covenant, and therefore he makes a generall proclamation saying, Ho, every one that thirsteth, Isai. 55.1. come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye buy, and eat, yea, come buy wine and milke without money, and without price. This you see is the condition, (buy wine and milke) that is grace and salvation,

Hookers poor doubting Christian. pag. 151.

Cornw • ll, on Gospel repentance. p. 6.

But, Sir, Though I conceive that we are to bring this money of humiliation and repentance to Christ, yet doe I not conceive it is to tender unto him for a price, but onely for him to look upon, as that with which he hath appointed those to be qualified withall that come unto him.

I, but yet so long as Christ hath said you must come without it, and onely encline your eare, Isai. 55.3. and heare, and your souls shall live: and that by hearing that, he will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David, me thinks, you should perceive that Christ doth thereby call you from the ways of repentance and humiliation and works of righteousnesse in the case of justification, Cornwell, on Gospel repentance. p. 21. and to pitch directly and immediately upon the free Covenant of Grace.

But Sir, as I conceive, the Scripture holds forth that the Lord hath appointed repentance to goe before faith, for is it not said, Marke 1.15. Repent ye, and believe the Gospel.

Indeed, somtimes the name of repentance is given to those preparatory beginnings and introductories thereof, Dike, of repentance. p. 11. which are those legall fits of fear and terrour, which are both in nature and time before faith, and truly all that repentance that goes before faith in Christ can be no other, for evangelicall repentance being a fruit of faith in Christ, cannot be before faith in Christ.

Then Sir, it seems you hold that he that believes in Christ doth also truly repent.

Yea, indeed, though I hold not that evangelical repentance is an antecedent of faith in Christ, yet I hold it is a consequent, though I hold not that it goes before faith, yet I hold that it follows after.

But yet, Sir, it seemes you hold that those preparatory beginnings of repentance, which you call legall fits of feare and terrour do goe before faith in Christ.

Yea, indeed, I doe conceive that ordinarily, and in some measure they do.

Ordinarily say you Sir, why, are they not in all?

No, indeed, for some doubtlesse are like unto Zachous and Lydia, who received Christ,Luke 19.6. Acts 16.14. and were received of him (as it is verily thought) without any measure of them.

And have not all those that have them, a like measure of them?

O no, there is a great difference in the measure, for some do but as it were sip of the cup, and others doe as it were drinke the very dregs; whereby wee may perceive, that though it be necessary that these Legall fits of feare and terrour be in some before their comming to Christ: yet is there no absolute necessity of them on Christs part, wherefore I pray take notice that those who have them, have them not because Christ would not bid them welcome, and receive them without them, but because they will not come to Christ, except they be by this means driven unto him.

But, Sir, that which you call Evangelicall repentance, and follows after faith, is in all that do believe: is it not?

Yea, indeed, it is more or lesse in every believing soule, according to the measure of his faith, and so of his receiving the spirit of Christ, as all other true fruits of Christs spirit are.

Well Sir, I am answered.

And truly Sir, you have so declared and set forth Christs disposition towards poore sinners, and so answered all my doubts and objections, that I am now verily perswaded that Christ is willing to entertaine mee, and surely I am willing to come unto him and receive him; but alas, I want power to do it, that is, Sir, I want faith.

But tell me on thing truly, are you resolved to put forth all your power to believe, and so to take Christ.

Truly Sir, me thinks, my resolution is much like the resolution of the foure Lepers which sate at the gate of Samaria, for as they sayd, If wee enter into the Citie, 2 Kings 7.4. the famine is in the Citie, and wee shall die there, and if we sit still here, we die also; n • w therefore come and let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians, if they save us we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die: even so say I, in mine heart; if I goe back to the covenant of works to seek justification thereby, I shall die there; and if I sit still and seek it no way I shall die also: now therefore, though I be somewhat fearfull, yet am I resolved to go unto Christ, and if I perish I perish.

O, Sir, If I have as good warrant to apply this saying to my self, as Mr. Bradford had to apply it to himself, I am a happy man.

I tell you from Christ, and under the hand of his spirit, that your person is accepted, your sins are done away, and you shall be saved: Hookers poore doubt. Christ. pag. 52. and if an Angell from Heaven should tell you otherwise, let him be accursed: therefore you may (without doubt) conclude, that you are a happy man: For by means of this your matching with Christ, Iohn 17.21. you are become one with him, and one in him, you dwell in him, and he in you: Hee is your welbeloved, and you are his: 1 Iohn 4.13. Cant. 2.16. so that the mariage union betwixt Christ and you, is more then a bare notion, or apprehension of your mind; for it is a spirituall, reall union, it is an union betwixt the nature of Christ, Hookers Souls union, pag. 6, 7, 9, 10. God and man, and you, it is a knitting and closing not onely of your apprehension with a Saviour, but also of your soule with a Saviour, Tindall Parab. wicked Mam. pag. 75. whence it must needs follow, that you cannot be damned, except Christ be damned with you; neyther can Christ be saved, except you be saved with him. And as by means of corporall marriage all things become common betwixt man and wife,Doubting Christian, pag. 154. even so, by means of this spirituall marriage, all things become common betwixt Christ and you, for when Christ hath married his spouse unto himselfe, hee passeth over all his estate unto her, so that whatsoever Christ is or hath you may boldly challenge as your own,1 Cor. 1.30. He is made unto you of God, wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption, and surely by vertue of this neer union it is, that as Christ is called the Lord our righteousnesse, Jer. 23.6. so is the Church called the Lord our righteousnesse, Jer. 35.16. You may by vertue of this union confidently take unto your selfe as your own Christ, Barnardine Ochine in his Serm. how a Christian should make his last Will. 1 Cor. 3.22. watching, abstinence, travails prayers, persecution, slanders, his tears, his sweat, his bloud, and all that ever he did and suffered in three and thirty years, with his Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascention, for they are all yours, and as Christ passeth over all his estate unto his spouse, so doth he require, that shee should passe over all unto him, wherefore you being now married unto Christ, you must give all that you have of your own unto him, and truly you have nothing of your own but sin, and therefore you must give him that, Barnardine Ochine in his Sermon, how a Christian should make his last Will. say thou unto Christ without fear, I give to thee my dear husband, my unbelief, my mistrust, my pride, my arrogancie, my ambition, my wrath, my anger, my envie, my covetousnesse, my evill thoughts, affections and desires, I make a bundle of these and all my other offences, and give them unto thee, thus was Christ made sin for us which knew no sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him: now then, saith Luther, let us compare these things together, and we shall finde inestimable treasure, Christ is full of all grace, life and saving health, and the soule is fraught full of all sin, death and damnation, but let faith come betwixt these two,Christian Liberty, p. 21.2 • . and it shall come to passe that Christ shall bee loaden with sin, death and hell, and unto the soule shall be imputed, grace, life and salvation, who then, saith he is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly, Pag. 24. who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace, where this rich and righteous husband Christ, doth take unto wife this poore and wicked harlot, redeeming her from all evils, and garnishing her with all his own jewels, Pag. 25. so that you (as the same Luther saith) through the assurednesse of your faith in Christ your husband, are delivered from all sins made safe from death, guarded from hell, and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse▪ life and saving health of your husband Christ, and therefore you are now under the covenant of grace, and freed from the Law, as it is the covenant of works for as M. ball truly saith,On the new Covenant. pag. 15. at one and the same time, a man cannot be under the covenant of works and the covenant of grace.

Sir, I doe not yet well know how to conceive of this freedome from the Law, as it is the covenant of works, and therefore I pray you make it as plain to me as you can.

For the true and cleer understanding of this point, you are to consider that when Jesus Christ the second Adam, had in the behalfe of all his chosen perfectly fulfilled the Law, as it is the covenant of works, divine justice delivered that bond in to Christ,Col. 2.14. who utterly cancelled that handwriting, so that none of his chosen were to have any more to doe with it, nor it with them and now you by your believing in Christ having manifested,Ephes. 1.4. that you are one that was chosen in him before the foundation of the world: his fulfilling of that covenant and cancelling of it, is imputed to you, and so you are acquitted and absolved from all your transgressions against that covenant, either past, present, or to come, and so you are justified as the Apostle saith,Rom. 3.24. Freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

I pray you Sir, give mee leave to speake a word by the way, was not he justified before this time?

If he did not believe in Christ before this time, as I conceive hee did not, then certainly he was not justified before this time.

But, Sir, you know, as the Apostle saith, It is God that justifieth, and God is eternall, and as you have shewed, Christ may be said to have fulfilled the covenant of works from all eternity, and if he bee Christs now, then was he Christs from all eternity, and therefore, as I conceive, hee was justified from all eternity.

Indeed God is from all eternity, and in respect of Gods accepting of Christs undertaking to fulfill the covenant of works, he fulfilled it from all eternity, and in respect of Gods electing of him, he was Christs from all eternity, Boultons true bounds, p. 2 •• . and therefore it is true in respect of Gods decree: hee was justified from all eternity, and hee was justified meritoriously in the death and resurrection of Christ, but yet he was not justified actually till he did actually believe in Christ, for saith the Apostle,Acts 13.39. By him, all that believe are justified, so that in the act of justifying, faith and Christ, must have a mutuall relation, and must always concur and meet together, faith as the action which apprehendeth, and Christ as the object which is apprehended,M. Iohn Fox upon election. for neither doth Christ justifie without faith, neither doth faith except it bee in Christ.

Truly, Sir, you have indifferently well satisfied me in this point, and surely I like it marvellous well that you conclude no faith justifieth, but that whose object is Christ.

The very truth is, thuogh a man believe that God is mercifull and true of his promise, and that he hath his elect number from the beginning, and that he himselfe is one of that number, yet if this faith doe not eye Christ, if it be not in God as he is in Christ it will not serve turn, for God cannot be comfortably thought upon out of Christ our mediator,Doctor Sibs Souls conflict, pag. 55. Instit. pag. 155. for if we finde not God in Christ saith, Calvin, salvation cannot bee known: wherefore, neighbour Neophytus, I will say unto you as sweet Master Bradford said unto a gentlewoman in your case, Thus then if you would be quiet and certain in conscience, then let your faith burst forth through all things, not onely that you have within you, but also whatsoever is in heaven, earth, and hell, and never rest untill it come to Christ crucified, and the eternall sweete mercie and goodnesse of God in • hrist.

But, Sir, I am not yet satisfied concerning the point you touched before, and therefore I pray you proceed to shew me how far forth I am delivered from the Law as it is the covenant of works.

Truly as it is the covenant of works, you are wholy and altogether delivered and set free from it, you are dead to it, and it is dead to you, and if it be dead to you, then it can doe you neither good nor hurt, and if you be dead to it, you can expect neither good nor hurt from it: consider man, I pray you, that, as I said before, you are now under another covenant, to wit, the covenant of grace, and you cannot bee under two covenants at once, neither wholy nor partly; and therefore, as before you believed you were wholy under the covenant of works, as Adam left both you and all his posterity after his fall, so now since you have believed you are wholy under the covenant of grace: Assure your selfe then, that no Minister or Preacher of Gods Word hath any warrant to say unto you hereafter, either doe this and this dutie contained in the law, and avoid this, and this sin forbidden in the Law, and God will justifie thee and save thy soule, or doe it not and Hee will condemne thee and damne thee, no, no, you are now set free, both from the commanding and condemning power of the covenant of works, so that I will say unto you, as the Apostle saith unto the believing Hebrews,Heb. 12.18, 22, 24. You are not come to Mount Sinai, that might not be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blacknesse and darknesse, and tempests, but you are come unto Mount Sion, the City of the living God, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, so that (to speak with holy reverence) God cannot by vertue of the covenant of wotks, either require of you any obedience, or punish you for any disobedience, no he cannot by vertue of that covenant so much as threaten you, or give you an angry word, or shew you an angry look, for indeed, he can see no sin in you as a transgression of that covenant, for saith the Apostle, Where there is no Law, there is no transgression. Rom. 4.15. And therfore though hereafter you doe through frailty transgresse any or all the ten Commandements, yet doe you not thereby transgresse the covenant of works, there is no such covenant now betwixt God and you, and therefore though you shall hereafter heare such a voice as this if thou wilt be saved keep the commandements, or cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are writen in the book of the Law to doe them, nay, though you heare the voice of thunder, and a fearfull noyse, nay, though you see blacknesse and darknesse, and feel a great tempest, that is to say, though you heare us that are Preachers, according to our commission,Isa. 58.1. Lift up our voice like a trumpet, in threatning hell and damnation to sinners, and transgressors of the Law, though these be the words of God, yet are you not to thinke that they are spoken to you, no, no, the Apostle assures you, • hat there is no condemnation to them that •• re in Christ Jesus: believe it man,Rom. 8.1. God never threatens eternall death, after he hath once given to a man eternall life: nay, the truth is, God never speaks to a believer out of Christ, and in Christ hee speaks not a word in the terms of the covenant of works, and if the Law of it selfe should presume to • ome into your conscience, and say herein, and herein thou hast transgressed and broken •• e, and therefore thou owest so much, and • o much to divine Justice which must be satisfied, or else I will take hold on thee: • hen answer you and say, O Law, bee it known unto thee that I am now marryed unto Christ, Greenhams afflicted conscience, p. 70. and so I am under cover • , and therefore if thou charge me with any debt, thou must enter thine action against my husband Christ, for the wife is not suable at the Law but the husband: Barnardine Ochine in his Sermon, how to answer before the judgment seat. But the truth is, I through him am dead to thee, ô Law, and thou art dead to me, and therefore justice hath nothing to doe with me, for it judgeth according to the Law: And if it yet reply and say, I but good works must be done, and the commandements must bee kept if thou wilt obtain salvation: Then answer you and say, Luthers. Chos. Sermon, p. 99.100.101. I am already saved before thou camest, therefore I have no need of thy presence, for in Christ I have all things at once, neither need I any thing more that is necessary to salvation, hee is my righteousnesse, my treasure, and my work, I confesse, O Law that I am neither godly nor righteous, but yet, Chos. Sermon, pag. 42.99. this am I sure of, that he is godly and righteous for me, and to tell thee the truth, O Law I am now with him in the bridechamber, where it maketh no matter what I am, or what I have done, but what Christ my sweet husband is, hath done, and doth for me, and therefore leave off Law to dispute with me, for by faith I apprehend him who hath apprehended me, and put me into his bosome, wherefore I will be bold to bid Moses with his Tables, and all Lawyers with their books, and all men with their works hold their peace and give place, so that I say unto thee, O Law, be gon, and if it will not be gon, then thrust it out by force.

And if sin offer to take hold of you, as David said his did on him, Psal. 40.14. then say you unto it, thy strength O sin is the Law, 1 Cor. 15.56. and the Law is dead to me, and therefore O sin thy strength is gon, and therefore be sure thou shalt never be able to prevail against me, nor doe me any hurt at all.

And if Satan take you by the throat, and by violence draw you before Gods judgement seat, then call to your husband Christ and say, Lord, I suffer violence, make answer for me and help me, and by his help you shall be enabled to plead for your selfe after this manner: O God the Father, I am thy Sonne Christs, thou gavest me unto him, and thou hast given unto him, all power both in heaven and in earth, and hast committed all judgement to him, and therefore I will-stand to his judgement who saith, He came not to judge the World but to save it, and therefore hee will save me according to his office, and if the jury should bring in their verdict that they have found you guilty, then speak to the Iudge, and say, in case any must be condemned for my transgressions, it must needs be Christ and not I, for albeit I have committed them, Barnardine Ochine in his Sermon of Predestination. yet hee hath undertaken and bound himselfe to answer for them, and that by his consent and good will, and indeed hee hath fully satisfied for them, and if all this will not serve the turne to acquit you then: Adde moreover and say, As a woman that is conceived with childe, must not suffer death because of the childe that is within her: no more must I because I have conceived Christ in mine heart; though I had committed all the sins in the world. And if death creep upon you, and attempt to devoure you, then say, thy sting ô death is sin, and Christ my husband hath fully vanquished sin, and so deprived thee of thy sting, and therefore doe I not feare any hurt that thou, ô death, canst do unto mee! And thus you may triumph, with the Apostle, saying, Thanks be to God, 1 Cor. 15.56, 57. who hath given mee victory through my Lord Iesus Christ. And thus have I also declared unto you how Christ in the fulnesse of time▪ performed that which God before all time purposed, and in time promised, touching the helping and delivering of falne mankind: and so have I also done with the law of faith.

But yet, Sir, I conceive, that though (as you say) the law of Christ in regard of substance and matter be all one with the law of works, yet their forms do differ.

True indeed, for (as you have heard) the law of works speaketh on this wise, doe this and thou shalt live, and if thou doe it not, thou shalt die the death: but the law of Christ speaketh on this wise, And when I passed by thee, Ezek. 16.6. and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live, And whosoever liveth and believeth in mee shall never die: Iohn 6.26. Be ye therefore followers of God as deare children, Ephes. 5.1. and walke in love, as Christ hath loved us: And if ye love me, keep my commandements: Iohn 14.15. Psal. 89.31, 32, 33. And if they breake my statutes, and keep not my commandements, then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes: Neverthelesse, my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take away from him, nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail. Thus you see that both these laws agree, in saying, (doe this) but here is the difference, The one saith, doe this and live, and the other saith, (live and doe this) the one saith, doe this for life; the other saith, do this from life: the one saith, If thou do it not, thou shalt die, the other saith, If thou doe it not, I will chastise thee with the rod; the one is to be delivered by God as hee is a creatour out of Christ, onely to such as are out of Christ; the other is to be delivered by God as▪ he is a Redeemer in Christ, onely to such as are in Christ: Wherefore, Neighbour Neophytus, seeth that you are now in Christ, beware you receive not the ten commandements at the hands of God out of Christ, nor yet at the hands of Moses, but onely at the hands of Christ, and so shall you be sure to receive them as the law of Christ.

O no! for God out of Christ stands in relation to man according to the tenour of the law as it is the covenant of works, and therefore can speak to man upon no other terms then the terms of that covenant.

But, Sir, why may not believers amongst the Gentiles receive the ten commandements as a rule of life, at the hands of Moses, as well as the believers amongst the Jews did.

For answere hereunto I pray you consider, that the ten commandements, were the substance of the law of nature, ingraven in the heart of man in innocency; Boultons true bounds, pag. 77 and the expresse Idaea, or representation of Gods own Image; even a beam of his own holinesse: and so they were to have bin a rule of life to him and his posterity (not being then the covenant of works) and then after they were become the covenant of works, Perkius on Gal. 4.5. allea • ged by Docto • Taylor, Regu • vitae. pag. 21 and broken by the first Adam, and kept by the second Adam, then as they were not the covenant of works; and were made knowne to Adam and the rest of the believing Fathers by Visions and Revelations; they became a rule of life to them untill the time of Moses, and as they were delivered by Moses, unto the believing Jews from the Arke, and so as from Christ, they were a rule of life to them untill the time of Christs comming in the flesh, and since Christs comming in the flesh they have been, and are to be a rule of life both to believing Jews and believing Gentiles, not as they are delivered by Moses, but as they are delivered by Christ, for when Christ the Son comes & speaks himselfe, then Moses the servāt must keep silence, according as Moses himselfe foretold, (saying) A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, Acts 3.22. of your brethren like unto me, him shall you heare in all things which he shall say unto you: and therefore when the Disciples seemed to desire to heare Moses and Elias to speak on the Mountain Tabor, they were presently taken away, and a voyce came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Soune in whom I am well pleased, Matth. 17.4, 5. heare him, as if the Lord had said, you are not now to heare either Moses or Elias, but my well beloved Sonne, and therefore I say unto you, heare him:Col. 3.16, 17. And is it not said, Heb. 1.1. That in these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Sonne, And doth not the Apostle say, Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, and whatsoever you doe, in word or deed, doe all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the wife must bee subject unto the husband as unto CHRIST, Verse 18. the childe must yield obedience to his parents as unto Christ, Verse 20. and the believing servant must doe his Masters businesse as Christs businesse: for saith the Apostle, ye serve the Lord Christ, yea, saith hee to the Galathians, Ephes. 5.6. Gal. 6.2. beare yee one anothers burden, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.

Sir, I like it very well, that you say Christ should be a Christians teacher, and not Moses, but yet I question whether the ten commandements may be called the Law of Christ, for where can you finde them repeated either by our Sauiour or his Apostles in the whole New Testament.

Though we finde not that they are repeated in such a method as they are set down in Exodus and Deuteronomie, yet so long as we finde that Christ and his Apostles did require & command those things that are therein commanded, and reprove and condemne those things that are therein forbidden, and that both by their lives and doctrines, it is sufficient to prove them to be the Law of Christ.

I think, indeed, they have done so touching some of the commandements, but not touching all.

Because you say so, I intreat you to consider.

First, whether the true knowledge of God required, John 3.19. and the want of it condemned 2 Thes. 1.8. and the true love of God required, Matth. 22.37. and the want of it reproved, John 5.42. and the true feare of God required, 1 Pet. 2.17. Heb. 12.28. and the want of it condemned, Rom. 3.18. And the true trusting in God required, and the trusting in the creature forbidden; 2 Cor. 1.9. 1 Tim. 6.17. be not the substance of the first commandement.

And consider, secondly, whether the hearing and reading of Gods word commended, John 5.47. Revel. 1.3. and prayer required, Rom. 12.12. 1 Thes. 5.17. and singing of Psalmes required, Col. 3.16. James 5.13. and whether Idolatry forbidden, 1 Cor. 10.14, 1 John 5.21. be not the substance of the second commandement.

And consider, thirdly, whether worshipping of God in vain, condemned, Matth. 15.9. and using vain repetitions in prayer forbidden, Matth. 6.7. and hearing of the word onely, and not doing forbidden, James 1.22. and whether worshipping God in spirit and truth commanded, John 4.24. and praying with the spirit, and with understanding also, and singing with the spirit, and with understanding also commended, 1 Cor. 14.15. and taking heed what wee heare, commanded, Mark 4, 24. be not the substance of the third commandement.

Consider, fourthly, whether Christs rising • rom the dead the first day of the week, Mar. 6.2.9. the Disciples assembling, and Christs • ppearing unto them two severall first days of • he week, John 20.19, 26. And the Disciples • omming together, and breaking bread, and • reaching afterwards on that day, Acts 20.7. • Cor. 16.2. and Johns being in the spirit on • he Lords day: I say, consider, whether these • hings do not prove that the first day of the weeke is to be kept as the Christians Sab • ath.

Consider, fifthly, whether the Apostles saying, Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right: Honour thy Father • nd thy Mother, which is the first comman • ement with the promise, Ephes. 6.12. And • ll those other exhortations given by him, • nd the Apostle Peter, both to inferiours and • uperiours to doe their duties either to other, Ephes. 5.22, 25. Ephes. 6.4, 5, 9. Col. 3.18.19, • 0, 21, 22, Titus 3.1. 1 Pet. 3.1. 1 Pet. 2.18. • say, consider, whether all these places doe not prove that the duties of the fifth commandement, are required in the new Testament.

Here you see are five of the ten commandements, and as for the other five, the Apostle reckons them up all together, saying; Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, Rom. 14.9. thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not beare false witnesse, thou shalt not covet: now judge you whether the ten commandements be not repeated in the new Testamenr, and so consequently whether they be not the law of Christ, and whether a believer be not under the law to Christ, or in the law through Christ, as the Apostles phrase is, 1 Cor. 9.21.

But yet, Sir, as I remember both Luther and Calvin doe speake; as though a believer were so quite freed from the law by Christ, as that hee need not make any conscience at all of yielding obedience to it.

I know right well that Luther sayth, the conscience hath nothing to doe with the law or works;On Gal. p. 59. and that Calvin sayth, the consciences of the faithfull, when the affiance of their justification before God is to be sought, must rayse and advance themselves above the Law;Institut. p. 403. and forget the whole righteousnes of the Law, and lay aside all thinking upon works. Now for the true understanding of these two worthy servants of Christ, two things are to be concluded: First, that when they speak thus of the law, it is evident they mean only in the case of justification; secondly, that when the conscience hath to doe with the law in the case of justification it hath to doe with it onely as it is the covenant of works, for as the law is the Law of Christ, it neither justifies nor condemns, and so if you understand it of the Law, as it is the Covenant of works, according to their meaning, then it is most true that they say, for why should a man let the Law come into his conscience, that is, why should a man make any conscience of doing the Law, to be justified thereby, considering it is a thing impossible, nay, what need hath a man to make cōscience of doing the law to be justified thereby, when he knows he is already justified another way, nay, what need hath a man to make conscience of doing that law that is dead to him, and hee to it: hath a woman any need to make any conscience of doing her duty to her husband when hee is dead, nay, when shee her selfe is dead also, or hath a debter any need to make any conscience of paying that debt which is already fully discharged by his surety, will any man be afraid of that obligation which is made void, the seale torne off, Boultons true bounds, pag. 31 the writing defaced, nay, not onely cancelled and crost, but torne in pieces; I remember the Apostle saith, That if the sacrifices which were offered in the Old Testament, Heb. 10.1, 2. could have made the commers thereunto perfect, and have purged the worshippers, then should they have had no more conscience of sins, that is, their conscience would not have accused them of being guilty of sins, now the blond of Christ hath purged the conscience of a believer from all his sins,Chap. 9.14. as they are transgressions against the covenant of works, and therefore what needs his conscience be troubled about that covenant, but now I pray you observe and take notice, that although Luther and Calvin doe thus exempt a believer from the Law in the case of justification, and as it is the law or covenant of works, yet doe they not so out of the case of justification, and as it is the Law of Christ.

For thus saith Luther, out of the matter of justification,On Gal. p. 182. wee ought with Paul, to thinke reverently of the Law, to commend it highly, Rom. 7.12, 14. to call it holy, righteous, just, good, spirituall and divine; yea, out of the case of justification we ought to make a God of it: And in another place, saith he, there is a civill righteousnesse and a ceremoniall righteousnesse,On Gal. p. 5. yea, and besides these, there is another righteousnesse, which is the righteousnesse of the Law, or of the ten commrndements, which Moses teacheth, this also we teach after the doctrine of faith. And in a third place, he having shewed that believers through Christ are far above the Law (adds) howbeit, Chos. Sermon, pag. 103. I will not deny but that Moses sheweth to them their duties, in which respect they are to be admonished and urged, wherefore such doctrines and admonitions, ought to be among Christians, as it is certain there was among the Apostles, whereby every man may be admonished of his estate and office.

And Calvin having said (as I told you before) that Christians in the case of justification, must raise and advance themselves above the law, (adds) neither can any man thereby gather, that the law is superfluous to the faithfull, whom notwithstanding it doth not cease to teach, exhort, and prick forward to goodnesse, although before Gods Judgement seat it hath no place in their conscience.

But, Sir, if I forget not, Musculus sayth, that the law is utterly abrogated.

Indeed, Musculus speaking of the ten commandements sayth, if they be weak, if they be the letter, if they do worke transgression, anger, curse, and death;Com. Places fol. English, 119, 120. and if Christ by the law of the spirit of life delivered them that believed in him, from the law of the letter which was weake to justifie, and strong to condemne, and from curse being made a curse for us, surely they be abrogated. Now this is most certaine, that the ten commandements doe no way worke transgression, anger, curse & death; but onely as they are the covenant of works, neither hath Christ delivered believers, any otherwise from them then as they are the covenant of works, and therfore wee may assuredly conclude, that they are no otherwise abrogated then as they are the covenant of works: Neither did Musculus intend any otherwise, for, sayth he, in the words following it must not be understood, that the points of the substance of Moses covenant, are utterly brought to nothing, God forbid, for a Christian man is not at liberty to do those things that are ungodly and wicked, and if the doing of those things which the law forbids do not displease Christ, if they be not much different yea, contrary, if they be not repugnant to the righteousness which we received of him: let it be lawful for a christian man to do them, or else not, but a Christian man doing against those things which be cōmanded in the Decalogue, doth sinne more outragiously, then hee that should so do being under the law, so far off is he from being free from those things that be there commanded: Wherfore friend Antinomista, if eyther you or any man else, shall under a pretence of your being in Christ, exempt yourselves frō being under the law of the ten cōmandements, as they are the law of Christ, I tel you truly, it is a shrewd signe you are not yet in Christ, for if you were, then Christ were in you, & if Christ were in you then would he governe you, and you would be subject unto him; I am sure, the Prophet Isaiah tels us,Isai. 33.22. that the same Lord who is our Saviour, is also our King and Law-giver: & truly he will not be Jesus, a Saviour to any but only to those unto whom he is Christ a Lord; for the very truth is whersoever he is Iesus a Saviour, he is also Christ a Lord: & therfore, I beseech you, examine your self, whether he be so to you or no?

Why then, Sir, it seemeth that you stand upon marks and signes?

Yea, indeed, I stand so much upon marks and signes, that I say unto you in the words of the Apostle John, 1 Iohn 3.10. in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devill: whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God; for, sayth Luther, he that is truly baptised, is become a new man, and hath a new nature, Chos. Sermon, pag. 142. and is endued with new dispositions, and loveth, liveth, speaketh and doth far otherwise then he was wont or could do before: For sayth godly Tindall, God worketh with his word, Tindall Parab. wicked Mam. pag. 65.66. and in his word, and bringeth faith into the hearts of his elect, and looseth the heart from sin, and knitteth it to God, and giveth him power to do that which was before impossible for him to do, and turneth him into a new nature. And therfore, sayth Luther, in another place, here in works are to be extolled and commended in that they are fruits and signes of faith, Chos. Sermon, pag. 197. and therefore he that hath not regard how he leadeth his life, that he may stop the mouthes of all blamers • nd accusers, and cleere himselfe before all, and testifie that he hath, lived, spoken, and done well, is not yet a Christian, how then sayth Tindall, again, dare any man thinke that Gods favour is on him,Parab. wicked Mam. pag. 68. and Gods Spirit within him, when he feeleth not the working of his spirit, nor himselfe disposed to any good thing.

But by your favour, Sir, I am perswaded that many a man deceives his own soule by these markes and signes.

Indeed, I must confesse, with Master Boulton, Discourse of true happines, pag. 35. and Master Dyke, that in these times of Christianity, a reprobate may make a glorious profession of the Gospell, and performe all duties and exercises of Religion,On the heart, pag. 111. and that in outward appearance, with as great spirit and zeale as a true believer, yea, hee may bee made partaker of some measure of inward illumination, and have a shadow of true regeneration, there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull, a resemblance whereof may not be found in the unregenerate, and therefore I say if any man pitch upon the signe without the thing signified by the signe, that is, if he pitch upon his graces (or gifts rather) and duties, and conclude assurance from them, as they are in him and come from him without having reference to Jesus Christ as the root and fountain of them, then are they deceitfull markes and signes, but if he looke upon them with reference to Jesus Christ, then are they not deceitfull, but true evidences and demonstrations of faith in Christ, and this a man doth when hee looks upon his outward actions, as flowing from the inward actions of his minde, and upon the inward actions of his minde, as flowing from the habits of grace within him, and upon the habits of grace within him, as flowing from his justification, and upon his justification, as flowing from his faith, and upon his faith, as given by, and imbracing Jesus Christ, thus I say, if hee rests not till he come to Christ, his markes and signes are not deceitfull but true.

But, Sir, if an unbeliever may have a resemblance of every grace that is wrought in a believer, then it must needs be a hard matter to finde out the difference, and therefore, I conceive, it is best for a man not to trouble himselfe at all about markes and signes.

But, Sir, You know the Lord hath promised to write his Law in a believers heart, and to give him his Spirit to leade him into all truth, and therefore he hath no need of the Law written with paper and inke, to be a rule of life to him, neither hath hee any need to endeavour to be obedient thereunto as you say.

Indeed, saith Luther, the matter would even so fare as you say, if wee were perfectly and altogether the inward and spirituall men,Christian Liberty, p. 39. which cannot be in any wise before the last day, at the rising again of the dead, so long as we be cloathed with this mortall flesh, we doe but begin and proceed onwards in our course towards perfection, which will be consummated in the life to come, and for this cause, the Apostle Rom. 8. dorh call this the first fruits of the spirit which we doe enjoy in this life, the truth and fulnesse of which we shall receive in the life to come, and therefore saith hee (in another place) it is necessary so to preach to them, Chos. Sermon, pag. 246. that have received the doctrine of faith that they might be stirred up to go on in good life which they have embraced, Pag. 297. and that they suffer not themselves to be overcome, by the assaults of the raging flesh; for we will not so presume of the doctrine of faith, as if that being had, every man might doe what he listed, no, we must earnestly endeavour our selves that we may be without blame, and when we cannot attain thereunto we must flye to prayer, and say before God and man, forgive us our trespasses: And sayth Calvin, Instit. pag. 162. one proper use and end of the Law concerning the faithfull, in whose hearts liveth and reigneth the Spirit of God. for although, they have the Law written and engraven in their hearts by the finger of God, yet is the Law to them a very good means whereby they may daily better and more assuredly learne what is the will of the Lord, and let none of us exempt himselfe from rhis need, for no man hath hitherto atteined to so great wisdom, but that he hath need to be daily instructed by the Law, and herein Christ differeth from us, that the Father hath poured out upon him the infinite aboundance of his Spirit; Calvin on Iohn 3.34. but whatsoever we doe receive it is so by measure that wee have need one of another: now minde it I pray you, if believers have the Spirit but in measure, and know but in part, then have they the Law written in theit hearts but in measure and in part, 1 Cor. 13 9. and if they have the law written in their hearts, but in measure and in part, then have they not a perfect rule within them, and if they have not a perfect rule within them, then have they need to have a rule without them, and therefore doubtlesse the strongest believer of us all had need to harken to the aduice of godly Tindall, who saith, seek the Word of God in all things,In his works, pag. 86. and without the Word of God doe nothing: and saith another godly and Evangelicall Writer, my brethren, let us doe our whole endeavour to doe the will of God, as it becommeth good children, and beware that we sin not as neer as we can.

Well, Sir, I cannot tell what to say,Benefit of Christs death, pag. 85. but (me thinks) when a man is perfectly justified by faith, it is a very needless thing for him to endevour to keep the law, and to do good works.

Truly, Sir, for mine own part I do much marvell, that this my friend Antinomista, should be so confident of his faith in Christ, and yet so little regard holinesse of life and keeping of Christs commandements, as it seemes hee doth: for I give the Lord thanks, I doe now in some small measure believe that I am by Christ freely and fully justified, and acquitted from all my sins: and therefore have no need eyther to eschew evill or do good for feare of punishment, or hope of reward, and yet (me thinks) I finde my heart more willing and desirous to doe what the Lord commands, and to avoid what hee forbids then ever it was before I did thus believe, surely, Sir, I doe perceive that faith in Christ is no hinderance to holinesse of life, as I once thought it was.

Neighbour Neophytus, if our friend Antinomista, do content himself with a meere Gospell knowledge, in a notionary way, and have run out to fetch in notions from Christ, and yet is not fetcht in by the power of Christ, let us pitty him & pray for him, and in the mean time, I pray you know that true faith in Christ is so far from being a hinderance from holinesse of life and good works, that it is the onely furtherance, for onely by faith in Christ, a man is enabled to exercise all Christian graces a-right, and to performe all Christian duties a-right, which before he could not. As for example, before a man believe Gods love to him in Christ, though he may have a kind of love to God, as he is his creatour and preserver; and gives him many good things for this present life: yet if God do but open his eyes to see what condition his soul is in; that is, if he do but let him see that relation that is betwixt God and him, according to the tenour of the conant of works, then he conceives of him as an angry Judge, armed with justice against him, and must be pacified by the works of the law, whereunto he finds his nature opposite and contrary; and therefore hee hates both God and his law, and doth secretly wish and desire there were neyther God nor law, and though God should now give unto him never so many temporall blessings, yet could hee not love him: for what malefactour could love that Judge or his law from whom he expects the sentence of condemnation? though he should feast him at his table, with never so many dainties; But after that the kindnesse and love of God his Saviour hath appeared, not by works of righteousnesse that he hath done, Titus 3 4, 5. but according to his mercy hee saved him, that is, when as by the eye of faith he sees himselfe to stand in relation to God, according to the tenour of the covenant of grace, then he conceives of God, as a most mercifull and loving Father to him in Christ, that hath freely pardoned • nd forgiven him all his sins, and quite released him from the covenant of works; and by this means, the love of God is shed abroad in his hart through the Holy Ghost, Rom. 5.5. which is given to him, and then he loves God, 1 Iohn 4.19. because he first loved him: for as a man seeth and feeleth by faith the love and favour of God towards him in Christ his Son, so doth he love again both God and his law: and indeed it is impossible for any man to love God, Dyke on Repentance. p. 9. till by faith hee know himself loved of God.

Secondly, though a man before he believe Gods love to him in Christ, may have a great measure of legall humiliation, compunction, sorrow and griefe, and be brought down (as it were) to the very gate of hell, and feele the very flashings of hell fire in his conscience for his sins; yet is it not because hee hath thereby offended God, but rather because he hath thereby offended himself, that is, because hee hath thereby brought himselfe into the danger of eternal death and condemnation: but when once he believes the love of God to him in Christ, in pardoning his iniquity, and passing by his transgression, then he sorrows & grieves for the offence of God by the sin, reasoning thus with himselfe, and is it so indeed, hath the Lord given his own Sonne to death for me, who hath been such a vile, sinfull wretch, and hath Christ borne all my sins? Dyke of Repentance, p. 21 and was hee wounded for my transgressions? ô then the working of his bowels! the stirring of his affections, the melting and relenting of his repenting heart, then he remembers his own evill ways, Ezek. 36.31. and his doings that were not good, and loaths himselfe in his own eyes, Zach. 12.1 • . for all his abominations, and looking upon Christ whom he hath pierced, he mournes bitterly for him, as one mourneth for his onely sonne, thus when faith hath bathed a mans heart in the bloud of Christ, it is so mollified that it quickly dissolues into the teares of godly sorrow, so that if Christ doe but turn and look upon him, ô then with Peter, hee goes out and weeps bitterly! and this is true gospel mourning, and this is right evangelicall repenting

Thirdly, Though before a man doe truly believe in Christ, he may so reforme his life and amend his ways, that as touching the righteousnesse which is of the Law, he may be with the Apostle blamelesse, Phil. 3.6. yet being under the covenant of works, all the obedience that he yields to the Law, all his leaving of sin and performance of duties, all his avoyding of what the law forbids, and all his doing of what the law commands, is begotten by the law of works, of Hagar the bond-woman, by the force of self-love, and so indeed they are the fruit and works of a bond-servant that is moved and constrained to doe all that he • doth for fear of punishment and hope of reward: For, saith Luther, The Law given on mount Sinai, On Gal. p. 218. which the Arabians call Agar, begeteth none but servants, and so indeed, all that such a man doth is but hypocrisie, for he pretends the serving of God, whereas indeed hee intends the serving of himselfe, and how can hee doe otherwise? for whilst he wants faith he wants all things He is an empty vine, Hosea 10:1. and therefore must needs, bring forth fruit unto himselfe, till a man bee served himselfe, he will not serve the Lord Christ; nay, whilst he wants faith, he wants the love of Christ, and therefore, he lives not to Christ but to himselfe, because he loved himselfe: And hence surely we may conceive it is that Doctor Preston saith, all that a man doth,Of Love, p. 19 and not out of love is out of hypocrisie, wheresoever love is not, there is nothing but hypocrisie in such a mans heart.

But when a man through the hearing of faith receives the Spirit of Christ,Gal. 3.2. that spirit, according to the measure of faith, writes the lively law of love in his heart, (as Tindall sweetly sayth) whereby hee is inabled to work freely and of his own accord without the coaction or compulsion of the Law, for that love, wherewith Christ, or God in Christ, hath loved him, and which by faith is apprehended of him, will constrain him to doe so according to that of the Apostle, the love of Christ constraineth us, that is,2 Cor. 5.14. Doctor Preston of Love, pag. 29. it will make him to doe so whether he will or no, hee cannot choose but doe it, I tell you truly, answerably as the love of Christ is shed abroad in the heart of any man, it is such a strong impulsion, that it carries him on to serve and please the Lord in all things, according to the saying of an evangelicall man: The will and affection of a believer, according to the measure of faith, Towns Assertion of Grace, pag. 131. and the spirit received sweetly quickens and bends to choose, affect and delight in what ever was good and acceptable to God or man, the Spirit freely and cheerfully moving and inclining him to keepe the law without feare of hell, or hope of heaven, Pag. 138. for a christian man, saith sweet Tindall, worketh onely because it is the will of his Father, for after that he is overcome with love and kindnesse, he seeks to doe the will of God,Pathway to holy Scripture, pag. 383. which indeed is a christian mans nature, and what he doth, hee doth it freely, after the example of Christ as a naturall sonne, aske him why he doth such a thing, why, sayth he, It is the will of my Father ▪ and I doe it that I may please him, for indeed love desireth no wages, it is wages enough to it selfe, it hath sweetnesse enough in it selfe, it desires no addition,Doctor Preston of Love, pag. 28. it pays his own vvages, and therefore it is the true childe like, obedience being begoten by faith of Saraah the free-woman, by the force of Gods love, and so it is indeed the onely true, and syncere obedience, for, sayth Doctor Preston, to doe a thing in love, is to doe it in syncerity, and indeed there is no other def • inition of syncerity, that is the best way to know it by.

But stay, Sir, I pray you, would you not have believers to eschew evill and doe good for feare of hell, or hope of heaven.

No indeed, I would not have any believer to doe either the one or the other, for so far forth as they doe so, their obedience is but slavish, and therefore, though when they were first awaked & convinced of their misery and set foot forward to goe on in the way of life, they with the prodigall would be hired servants yet when by the eye of faith, they see the mercie and indulgence of their heavenly Father in Christ running to meete them and embrace them, I would have them with him to talke no more of being hired servants, I would have them so to wrastle against doubting, and so to exercise their faith, as to believe, that they are by Christ delivered from the hands of all their • nemies, both the Law, sin, wrath, death, • he devill and hell;Luke 1.74, 75· that they may serve the Lord without feare, in holinesse and righte • usnesse all the dayes of their lives, I would • ave them so to believe Gods love to them • Christ; as that thereby they may be con • trained to obedience.

But, Sir, you know that our Sa • iour sayth, Feare him that is able to destroy • oth soule and body in hell: Matth. 10.28. And the Apostle • yth, We shall receive of the Lord, Col. 3.24. the reward 〈◊〉 the inheritance, & is it not sayd, that Moses • ad respect unto the recompence of reward. Heb. 11.26.

Surely, the intent of our blessed • aviour in that first Scripture, is to teach all • elievers, that when God commands one 〈◊〉 , and man another; they should obey • od, and not man: rather then to exhort •• em to eschew evill for feare of Hell. And as for those other Scriptures by you al •• aged, if you mean reward, and the means 〈◊〉 obtayn that reward in the Scripture sense, 〈◊〉 it is another matter, but I had thought, 〈◊〉 had meant in our common sense, and not 〈◊〉 the Scripture sense.

Why, Sir, I pray you what diffe •• nce is there, betwixt reward and the means to obteyn the reward in our common sense, and in the Scripture sence.

Why, reward in our common sence, is that which is conceived to come from God, or to be given by God, which is, a fancying of Heaven under carnall notions, beholding it as a place where there is freedome from all misery and fulnesse of all pleasures and happinesse, and to be obteyned by our own works and doings. But reward in the Scripture sence, is not so much, that which comes from God, or is given by God; as that which lyes in God: even the full fruition of God himselfe in Christ.Gen. 15.1. I am, sayth God to Abraham, thy shield and thy exceeding great reward: Psal. 73.25. And whom have I in heaven but thee, sayth David, And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee, Psal. 17.15. and I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likenesse. And the means to obteyne this reward is not by doing, but by believing: even by drawing neere with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, Heb. 10.22. and so, indeed, it is given freely: And therefore, you are not to conceive of that reward which the Scripture speaks of, as if it were the wages of a servant, but as it is the inheritance of sons, and when the Scripture seemeth to induce believers to obedience, by promising this reward; you are to conceive, that the Lord speaketh to believers, as a father doth to his young son, doe this or that, and then I will love thee, whereas we know, Tindall Parab. wicked Mam. pag. 89. 1 Iohn 4.19. that the father loveth the sonne first, and so doth God; and therefore this is the voice of believers, Wee love him, because he first loved us, the Lord doth pay them, or at least giveth them a sure earnest of their wages before hee bid them work, and therefore the contest of a believer, (according to the measure of his faith) is not what will God give mee, but what shall I give God; What shall I render unto the Lord, Psal. 16.12. for all his goodnesse, for thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes, Psal. 26.3. and I have walked in thy truth.

Then, Sir, it seems, that holinesse of life and good workes, are not the cause of eternall happines, but onely the way thether.

Doe you not remember that our Lord Jesus himself sayth, I am the way, Iohn 14.6. the truth, and the life: And doth not the Apostle say to the believing Colossians, Col. 2.6. Elton on the Text. As ye have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in him, that is: As you have received him by faith, so goe on in your faith, and by his power walk in his Commandements; so that good works (as I conceive) may rather be called a believers walking in the way to eternal happinesse, then the way it self, but however this wee may assuredly conclude; that the summe and substance both of the way, and walking in the way consist in the receiving of Jesus Christ by faith, and in yielding obedience to his law, according to the measure of that receiving.

Sir, I am perswaded, that through my neighbour Nomistas asking you these questions, you have been interrupted in your discourse, in shewing how faith doth enable a man to exercise his christian graces, and performe his christian duties aright: And therefore I pray you go on.

What should I say more? for the time would fail me to tell, how that according to the measure of any mans faith, is his true peace of conscience, for sayth the Apostle,Rom. 5.1. being justified by faith wee have peace with God: yea, sayth the Prophet Isaiah, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Isai. 26.3. whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee, here there is a sure and true grounded peace: therfore it is of faith, sayth the Apostle, that it might be by grace, Rom. 4.16. and that the promise might be sure to all the seed: and answerably to a mans believing, that hee is justified fully by Gods grace through that redemption that is in Jesus Christ, Rom. 3.24. is his true humility of spirit, so that although he be endued with excellent gifts and graces, and though he performe never so many duties, he denyes himselfe in all, hee doth not make them as ladders for him to ascend up into Heaven by: But desires to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousnesse which is of the law, Phil. 3.9. but that which is through the faith of Christ, he doth not think himselfe to be one step neerer to Heaven for all his works and performances; and if hee heare any man prayse him for his gifts and graces, hee will not conceit that he hath obteined the same by his own industry and pains taking, as some men have proudly thought, neyther will hee speak it out as some have done, saying, these gifts and graces have cost mee something, I have taken much pains to obtain them, but he sayth, Not I, but by the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15.10. I am that I am, and not I, but the grace of God that was with me: And if he behold an ignorant man, or a wicked liver, he will not call him carnall wretch, or prophane fellow; nor say, stand by thy selfe, come not neere to mee, Isai. 65.6. for I am holier then thou (as some have said) but he pitieth such a man, and prays for him, and in his heart he sayth, concerning himself, who maketh thee to differ:1 Cor. 4.7. And what hast thou, that thou hast not received?

And thus I might goe on and shew you how according to any mans faith is his true joy in God, and his true thankfulnesse to God, and his patience in all troubles and afflictions, and his contentednesse in any condition, and his willingnesse to suffer, and his cheerfulnesse in suffering, and his contentednesse to part with any earthly thing, yea, according to any mans faith is his ability to pray aright,Rom. 11.14. to heare or read the Word of God aright, to receive the Sacrament with profit and comfort, and to do any duty either to God or man after a right manner,Heb. 4.2. and to a right end, yea, according to the measure of any mans faith is his love to Christ, and so to man for Christs sake, and so consequently, his readinesse and willingnesse to forgive an injury, yea, to forgive an enemy, and to doe good to them that hate him, and the more faith any man hath, the lesse love he hath to the world, or the things that are in the world, to conclude, the greater any mans faith is, the more fitter he is to die, and the more willing he is to die.

Well, Sir, now I doe perceive that faith is a most excellent grace, and happie is that man that hath a great measure of it.

The truth is, faith is the chief grace that Christians are to be exhorted to get and exercise, and therefore when the people asked our Lord Christ what they should doe to worke the worke of God, he answered and said, this is the work of God, That ye believe on him, Iohn 6.29. whom he hath sent speaking, as if there were no other duty at all required but onely believing, for indeed, to say as the thing is, believing includeth all other duties in it, and they spring all from it, and therefore, sayth one, Preach Faith, and preach all: Whilst I bid man believe sayth learned Rollock, I bid him doe all good things: for, sayth Doctor Preston, Rollock on Iohn. truth of belief will bring forth truth of holinesse: if a man believe, works of sanctification will follow, for faith draws after it, inherent righteousnesse and sanctification, wherefore (sayth he) if a man will goe about this great worke to change his life to get victory over any sin▪ that it may not have dominion over him,I cannot certainly direct you in what page to finde al this, because the severall Impressions do alter the pages, but in that Booke where I had it, is in p. 330.340, 344, 346. to have his conscience purged from dead works, and to bee made partaker of the divine nature, let him not goe about it as a morall man, that is, let him not consider what Commandements there are, what the rectitude is which the Law requires, and how to bring his heart to it, but let him goe about it as a Christian, that is, let him believe the promise of pardon in the bloud of Christ, and the very believing the promise, will be able to cleanse his heart from dead works.

But I pray you, Sir, whence hath faith its power and vertue to doe all this?

Truly, Sir, I doe now plainly see that I have been deceived, and have gone a wrong way to worke, for I verily thought that holinesse of life must goe before faith, and so be the ground of it, and produce and bring it forth, whereas I doe now plainly see that faith must goe before, and so produce and bring forth holinesse of life.

I remember a man who was much enlightened in the knowledge of the Gospell, sayth, there be many that thinke that as a man chooseth to serve a Prince, so men choose to serve God, so likewise they think, that as those who doe best service, Barnardine Ochine in his Sermon of Predestination. do obtain most favour of their Lord, and as those that have lost it, the more they humble themselves, the sooner they recover it, even so they think the case stands betwixt God and them, whereas, sayth hee, it is not so but clean contrary, for hee himselfe sayth, Yee have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, Iohn 15.16. and not for that we repent and humble our selves, and doe good works, hee giveth us his grace, therefore wee repent, humble our selves, doe good works, and become holy: the good thief on rhe crosse was not illuminated because▪ hee did confesse Christ, but he did confesse Christ because hee was illuminated; for, sayth Luther, the tree must first be, and then the fruit, for the apples make not the tree, but the tree maketh the apples, so faith first maketh the person,On Gal. p. 124. which afterwards bringeth forth works, therefore to doe the Law without faith is to make the apples of wood, and earth without the tree, which is not to make apples but meer fantacies, wherfore neighbour Nomista, let me intreat you, that whereas before you have reformed your life that you might believe, why now believe that you may reform your life, and doe not any longer worke to get an interest in Christ, but believe your interest in Christ, that so you may work, and then you will not make the change of your life the ground of your faith, as you have done, and as Master Culverwell sayth, many doe,In his Treatise of Faith, pag. 20. who being asked what caused them to believe, they answer, because they have truly repented, and changed their course of life.

Sir, What thinke you of a Preacher, that in my hearing said, he durst not exhort nor perswade sinners to believe their sinnes were pardoned, before he saw their lives reformed, for feare they should take more liberty to sin.

Why, what should I say, but that I think, that Preacher was ignorant of the mystery of faith, for it is of the nature of soveraign waters which so wash off the corruption of the ulcer, Wards life of Faith, pag. 59. that they coole the heat and stay the spreading of the infection, and so by degrees heale the same: neither did he know that it is of the nature of cordials, which so comfort the heart and ease it, that they also expell the noxious humours, and strengthen nature against them.

And I am acquainted with a professor, though, God knows, a very weak one, that sayth, if he should believe before his life be reformed▪ then he might believe and yet walk on in his sins, I pray you, Sir, what would you say to such a man?

Why, I would say with Doctor Preston, let him if he can, believe truly,New covenant pag. 361. and doe this, but it is impossible, let him believe, and the other will follow, truth of beliefe will bring forth truth of holinesse, for who, if he ponder it well, can feare a fleshly licentiousnesse, where the believing soule is united and maryed to Christ, the law as it is the covenant of works, and Christ are set in opposition as two husbands to one wife successively, Towns Assertion of grace, pag. 142. whilst the Law was alive in the conscience, all the fruits were deadly, Rom. 7, 5. but Christ taking the same spouse to himselfe, the law being dead, by his quickning spirit doth make her fruitfull to God, and so raiseth up seed to the former husband, for materially these are the works of the Law, though produced by the Spirit of Christ in the Gospell.

The truth is, many Preachers stand upon the prayse of some morall vertue, and doe invaigh against some vice of the times, Wards life of Faith, pag. 19. more then upon pressing men to believe, but, sayth a learned writer, it will bee our condemnation, Williams seven golden Candlesticks, p. 394 if we love darknesse rather then light, and desire still to be groping in the twy-light of morality, the precepts of morall men, then to walke in the true light of divinity, which is the doctrine of Jesus Christ, Wards life of Faith, p. 6, 7. and I pitie the prepostrous care and unhappy travail of many well affected, who study the practice of this and that vertue, neglecting this cardinall and radicall vertue, as if a man should water all the tree and not the root, faine would they shine in patience, meeknesse, and zeal, and yet are not carefull to stablish & root themselves in faith which should maintain all the rest, and therefore all their labour hath been in vain, and to no purpose.

Indeed, Sir, this which you have now sayd, I have found true by mine own experience, for I have laboured and endevoured to get victory over some corruptions, as to overcome my dulnesse, and to performe duties with cheerfulnesse, and all in vain.

And, no marvell, for to pray to meditate, to keep a Sabbath cheerfully, to have your conversation in Heaven, Wards life of Faith, p. 68, 69, 70. is as possible for you your selfe to doe as for Iron to swim, or for stones to ascend upwards; but yet nothing is impossible to faith, it can naturalize these things unto you, it can make a mole of the earth a soule of Heaven: wherefore, though you have tryed all morall conclusions of proposing, promising, resolving, vowing, fasting, watching, and self-revenge; yet get you to Christ, and with the finger of faith, touch but the hem of his garment, and you shall feele vertue come from him for the curing of all your diseases: Wherefore, I beseech you, come out of your self unto Jesus Christ, and apprehend him by faith, as (blessed be God) you see our Neighbour Neophytus hath done, and then shall you finde the like loathing of sin, and love to the law of Christ as he now doth: yea, then shall you finde your corruptions dying and decaying daily more and more, as I am confident, hee shall.

I but, Sir, shall I not have power quite to overcome all my corruptions, and to yield perfect obedience to the law of Christ, as the (Lord knows) I much desire?

O, Sir, I desire it with all my heart and therefore I pray you tell me what you would have me to doe that I may grow more strong.

Why surely the best advice and counsell that I can give you, is to exercise that faith which you have, and wrastle against doubtings, and be earnest with God in prayer for the increase of it: forasmuch, sayth Luther, Chos. Sermon, pag. 72. as this gift is in the hands of God onely, who bestoweth it when, and on whom he pleaseth, thou must resort unto him by prayer and say with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith, and you must also be diligent in hearing the word preached,Luke 17.5. for as faith commeth by hearing, so is it also increased by hearing,Rom. 19.17. and you must also read the word, and meditate upon the free and gracious promises of God, for the promise is the immortall seed,Poore doubting Christian, Pag. 148. whereby the spirit of Christ, begets and increaseth faith in the hearts of all his, and lastly, you must frequent the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and receive it as often as conveniently you can.

But by your favour, Sir, if faith be the gift of God, and he give it, when, and to whom he pleaseth, then I conceive that mans using such means will not procure any greater measure of it then God is pleased to give.

I confesse it is not the means that will either beget or increase faith, but it is the Spirit of God in the use of the means that doth it, so that as the means will not doe it without the Spirit, neither will the Spirit doe it without the means, where the means may be had, wherefore I pray you doe not you hinder him from using the means.

Sir, for mine own part, let him say what he will, I am resolved by the assistance of God, to be carefull and diligent in the use of these means which you have now prescribed, that so by the increasing of my faith, I may be the better inabled to subject to the will of the Lord, and so walk as that I may please him, but yet I doe perceive, that in regard of the imperfection of my faith, I shall not be able perfectly to apprehend Christ, and so consequently shall not be able to live without sin: therefore I pray you, Sir, tell me how you would have mee to be affected, when I shall hereafter through frailty commit any sin.

Before I can give you a true and full satisfactory answer to this your necessary question, I must intreat you to consider with me.

First, that in Rom. 6.14. it is sayd concerning believers, Yee are not under the Law, but under grace: And in like manner, Rom. 1.6. it is sayd, But now we are delivered from the Law: And yet it is said concerning a believer, 1 Cor. 9.21. Being not without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ: And in like manner, Rom. 3.31. it is sayd, Doe wee then make voyd the Law through faith? God for bid, yea, by faith we establish the Law.

Secondly, That in 1 John 3.6. It is sayd, That whosoeuer abideth in Christ sinneth not: and in like manner, ver. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. And yet it is sayd concerning such, 1 John 1.8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us, and in like manner, Jam. 3.2. In many things we offend all.

Thirdly, That in Numb. 23.21. It is sayd concerning believers, Hee (that is to say God) hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perversnesse in Israell, & in like manner, Cant. 4.7. It is sayd, behold, thou art all faire my love, and there is no spot in thee, And yet it is sayd, Prov. 5.21. as well concerning believers as others, that the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and hee pondereth all his goings, and in like manner, Heb. 4.13. All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to doe.

Fourthly, That in Isai. 27.4. the Lord sayth concerning believers, Anger is not in me, and in like manner, Isai. 54.9. it is sayd, As I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more goe over the earth, so have I sworn, that I would no more be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee: and yet it is sayd, Psal. 10.40. That because the people went a whoring after their own inventions, therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against this people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance: And in Deut. 13.1. Moses a true believer sayth, The Lord was angry with him.

Fifthly, That in Isai. 40.2. The Lord sayth concerning believers, Speake yee comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for indeed, Christ paid God, till hee sayd hee had enough, Boultons true bounds, pag. 1▪ hee was fully satisfied, fully contented, and therefore in Jer. 50.20. it is sayd, that in those dayes, and at that time, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sinnes of Judah, and they shall not be found: for by Christs death Satan, sinne, and Death were conquered and taken captive, and whatsoever might bee brought against us was taken away as the least bill or scroule, Ball on▪ the covenant. pag. 41. and yet it is sayd concerning the seed and children of Jesus Christ, Psal. 89.30. If they forsake my Law, and walke not in my judgements, then will I visit your transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes: and in like manner, 1 Cor. 11.30, it is sayd, concerning believers, For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you, and many sleepe.

Now though all these Scriptures speake contrary one to another, yet they all speake truth, for they bee all of them the words of truth, and that it may appeare to you that they doe so, I pray you take notice that where believers are sayd not to bee under the Law, and freed from the Law, it is to be understood of the Law, as it is the covenant of works, and where it is sayd that believers are under the Law, and that faith establisheth the Law; it is to bee understood of the Law, as it is the law of Christ, now if believers be not under, but are freed from the law of works, or covenant of works, then though they doe transgresse the law, yet they doe not transgresse the Covenant of works, and if they transgresse not the covenant of works, then cannot God see any transgression of theirs, as a transgression against that Covenant. And if he see it not, then can ye neither be angry with them, nor yet chastise them for it: But if believers be under the Law, and faith doe establish the Law as it is the Law of Christ, then if they transgresse any of the ten Commandements, they transgresse the Law of Christ, and if they transgresse the Law of Christ, then doth Christ see it, and if Christ see it, he will be both angry with them, and chastise them for it.

Now then neighbour Neophytus, to apply these things to you, and so to give you a particular answer to your question, you are to know that you are not now under the Law, but are by Christ freed from it, as it is the Law of works, and therefore whensoever you shall hereafter through frailty transgresse, any of the ten Commandements, you are not to thinke you have thereby transgressed the Covenant of works, neither are you to conceive, that God either sees your transgressions, or is angry with you, or doth chastise you for them, as they are any way a transgression of that Covenant, for you being freed from that Covenant, and so consequently from sinning against it, must needs likewise be freed from all wrath, anger, miseries, calamities and afflictions, as fruits, and effects of any transgression, against that Covenant.

But yet whilst you live, you are to conceive that you are under the Law of Christ, and therefore whensoever you doe swerve or goe away, from the rule of any of the ten Commandements, you must perswade your selfe that you have thereby transgressed the Law of Christ, and that hee sees it, and is displeased with you for it, and if you be not grieved for it, and doe not reforme it, Christ will chastise you for it, either by hiding his face, and withdrawing the light of his countenance from you, and so by depriving you of peace and comfort in him for a time, or else by some outward losse or crosse in this World, for that is the penalty of the Law of Christ, so that if you, or any believer else, doe transgresse the Law of Christ, if need be, 1 Pet. 1.6. you shall bee as sure of temporall corrections, as an unbeliever that transgresseth the covenant of works, shall be of eternall damnation in hell, wherefore, I beseech you, according to my exhortation, and your resolution, first, be carefull to exercise your faith, and use all meanes to increase it, that so it may become effectuall working by love, 1 Thes. 1.3. for according to the measure of your faith,Gal. 5.6. will be your true love to Christ, and to his will and commandements, and according to the measure of your love to them, will be your delight in them, and your aptnesse and readinesse to doe them, and hence it is that Christ sayth,Iohn 14.15. If ye love me keep my commandements, and hence it is, that the believing soule, according to the measure of its faith,Psal 40.8. sayth with the Psalmist, I delight to doe thy will ô my God, yea, thy law is within my heart! for this is the love of God (sayth that loving Disciple) that we keep his commandements, 1 Iohn 5 3. and his commandements are not grievous, nay, the very truth is, nothing will be more grievous to your soule, then that you cannot keep them as you would; ô this love of God being truly rooted in your heart, will make you say with godly Joseph, in case you be tempted, as he was,Gen. 39.9. How can I doe this great wickednesse. and so sinne against God? how can I doe that which I know will displease so gracious a Father, and so mercifull a Saviour? no, I will not doe it, no, I cannot doe it. Secondly, If in case you be at any time by reason of the weaknesse of your faith, & strength of your tentation drawn aside, and prevailed with to transgresse any of Christs Comandements, then beware that you do not thereupon take occasion to call Christs love to you into question, but believe as firmly that he loves you as dearly as he did before, you thus transgressed, for this is a certain truth, as no good in you; or done by you, did move, or can move Christ to love you the more, so no evill in you or done by you, can move him to love you the lesse, no assure your selfe that as he first loved you freely, so will he hereafter heal your backsliding, and still love you freely, Hosea 14.4. yee, hee will love you unto the end, John 13.1. And therefore as you must be nothing in your selfe, in case of your most exact obedience, so must you be all in Christ in case of your most imperfect and defective obedience, the which if you be, why then the love of Christ will constrain you to mourn with an evangelicall or Gospell mourning; reasoning with your self after this manner, and is it so indeed, though I have thus sinned, yet will the Lord love me never the lesse for all that, and am I as much in his favour now, and as sure of erernall happinesse with Christ as I was before I thus sinned, ô what a loving Father is this! ô what a gracious Saviour is this! ô what a wretched man am I to sin against such a God as this! such a Christ as this! ô this will melt your heart, and cause your eyes to drop down the tears of godly sorrow! yea, this will constrain in you to goe unto your Father, and humbly to confesse your sins with the prodigall, and beseech him to shew mercie for the Lords sake, Luke 15.21. Dan. 9.27. with Daniel, and yet not out of a conceit, that till your sin be pardoned, you are lyable to be condemned for it, for that is the penalty of the law of works, which you are not now under, but rather out of a true perswasion, that till it be pardoned, your Father is displeased with you for it, yea, and will whip and scourge you for it, for that is the penalty of the Law of Christ, which you are now under; yea, and this will also constrain you to loath your selfe in your owne sight, for your iniquities: Ezek. 36.31. yea, not onely to loath your selfe for them, but also to leave them, saying with Ephraim, Hosea 14.8. Isaiah 30.22. what have I to doe any more with Idols? and to cast them away as a menstrous cloth, saying unto them, get yee hence, and thus will the goodnesse of God (being apprehended by faith) lead you to repentance. Rom. 2.4. Thirdly, If after you have thus sinned, either through weaknesse of faith, or want of exercising it, yee either doe not thus at all, or not so effectually as you should, and so your loving and wise Father see cause to give you some unpleasant potion, to bring your sins to remembrance, as he did Josephs brethrens, Gen▪ 42.21. and as was the saying of the widow of Zarephath, 1 King. 17.18. and to purge it. and take it away, as is the phrase of the Holy Ghost, Isai. 27.9. and to make you partaker of his holinesse, as the Apostles phrase is, Heb. 12.10. Then I beseech you, beware you conceit not, that your afflictions are penall, proceeding from hatred or vindictive justice, and so as payments and satisfaction for sins, for that is the penalty of the Covenant of works, the which you are now delivered from: But rather be perswaded, as the truth is, that they proceed from Gods fatherly love, and so as medicinall to heale and cure you of your sins,Revel. 3.19. and so to make you more obedient and subject to the Law of Christ under which you now are, for afflictions through Gods blessing, are made speciall means to purge out that sinfull corruption which is still in the nature of believers, Culverwell of Faith. p. 30, 31. and therefore are they in Scripture most aptly compared to medicines, for so they are indeed to all Gods children, most soveraign medicines to cure all their spirituall diseases, and indeed we have all of us great need hereof, for sayth Luther, we are not yet perfectly righteous,On Gal. p. 66. for whilst we remain in this life, sin dwelleth still in the flesh, and this remnant of sinne God purgeth, wherefore, when GOD hath remitted sinnes, and received a man into the bosome of grace, Chos. Sermon, pag. 156. then doth hee lay on him all kinde of afflictions, and doth scoure and renew him from day to day, and to this purpose Tindall truly sayth, If wee looke on the flesh,Obedient Christ man, pag. 120. and into the law, there is no man so perfect, that is not found a sinner, nor no man so pure, that hath not need to be purged. Now if you thus conceive of your afflictions, you will accept of them, and you will with Ephraim, say unto the Lord, Thou hast chastised me, Levit. 26.43. and I was chastised, as a Bullocke unaccustomed to the yoke, turn thou me and I shall be turned, Ier. 31.18. thou art the Lord my God: surely after that I was turned I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed: yea, even confounded, because I did beare the reproch of my youth: Verse 19. yea, and then will you also say with David, Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, Psal. 94.12. ô Lord, and teachest him out of the Law! and thus you see, I have endevoured to give you a satisfying answer to your question.

And truly, Sir, you have done it very fully, the Lord enable me to practise according to your direction.

And believe me, Sir, I used to affirme, as earnestly as hee, that believers are delivered from the law, and therefore do not sin, and therefore God can see no sin in them, and therefore is neyther angry with them, nor doth afflict them for sin, and therefore they have no need eyther to humble themselves, or mourn, or confesse their sins, or beg pardon for them, the which I believing to be true, could not conceive how the contrary could be true also, but now I plainly see, that by meanes of your distinguishing betwixt the law as it is the law of works, and as it is the law of Christ; there is a truth in both, & therefore friend Nomista, whensoever eyther you or any man else, shall hereafter affirme that believers are under the law & do sin, & God sees it, and is angry with them, and doth chastise them for it, and that they ought to humble themselves, mourn, weep and confesse their sins, and beg pardon for them, if you mean onely as they are under the law of Christ, I will agree with you, and never contradict you again.

And truly friend Antinomista, if eyther you or any man else shall hereafter affirme, that believers are delivered from the law, and do not sin, and God sees no sin in them, nor is angry with them, nor afflicts them for their sins, and that they have no need eyther to humble themselves, mourne, confesse, or crave pardon for their sins, if you mean it onely as they are not under the law of works, I will agree with you and never contradict you again.

I rejoyce to heare you speak these words each to other, and truly now I am in hope, that you two will come back from both your extreams, and meet my neighbour Neophytus in the golden Meane, having as the Apostle sayth, the same love, being of one accord, and of own minde.

And truly, Sir, I must needs confesse, that I have erred as much on the other hand, for I have been so far from seeking to be justified by the works of the law, that I have neyther regarded law nor works, but now I see mine errour, I purpose (God willing) to reform it

The Lord grant that you may, but how do you neighbour Neophytus, for (me thinks) you look very heavily.

Truly, Sir, I was thinking of that place of Scripture where the Apostle exhorts us to examine our selves, 2 Cor. 13.5. whether we be in the faith or no: whereby it seems to mee, that a man may think he is in the faith, when he is not, therefore, Sir, I would gladly heare how I may be sure that I am in the faith,

I would not have you to make any question of it, since you have grounded your faith upon such a firme foundation as will never fail you, for the promise of God in Christ is of a tried truth, and never yet failed any man, nor never will, therefore I would have you to close with Christ in the promise without making any question, whether you are in the faith or no, for there is an assurance which ariseth from the exercise of faith, by a direct act, and that is when a man by faith directly layes hold upon Christ, and concludes assurance from thence.

Sir, I know that the foundation whereon I am to ground my faith remayneth sure, and I think I have already built thereon: but yet because, I conceive, a man may thinke hee hath done so when hee hath not: therefore would I fain know how I may be assured that I have done so.

Wel, now I understand you what you mean, it seems you do not want a ground for your believing; but for your believing that you have believed.

Yea, indeed, that is the thing I want.

Why, the next way to finde out and know this, is to looke backe and reflect upon your own heart, & consider what actions have passed through there; for, indeed, this is the benefit that a reasonable soul hath,Doctor Preston of Faith, pag. 84. that it is able to returne upon it selfe, to see what it hath done, which the soul of a beast cannot do: Consider then, I pray you, whether the free and full promise of God in Christ hath not beene so cleered unto you, that you had nothing to object why it did not belong particularly to you: and whether you have not seen a readinesse and willingnesse in Christ to receive and embrace you as his beloved Spouse. And whether you have not thereupon consented, and resolved to take Christ, and to give up yourselfe to him: and whether you have not since that found in your heart a love to Christ and his law, and a readinesse and willingnes to doe your duty to God as a childe to his father, freely without feare of hell, or hope of Heaven: now tell me (I pray you truly) whether you have not found these things in you.

Yea, indeed, I hope I have in some measure.

Why, then I may say with the Apostle John, You are of the truth, and may assure or perswade your heart before God: 1 Iohn 3.19. Wherefore, sayth Christ to you, I say unto thee, that thy many sins are forgiven thee, Luke 7.47. for thou lovest much.

But, Sir, shall he not in so doing turne back from the Covenant of grace, to the covenant of works, and from Christ, to himselfe.

Indeed if he should looke upon these things in himselfe, and thereupon conclude, that because he hath done thus, God hath accepted of him and justified him, and will save him, and so make them the ground of his believing, this were to turn back from the Covenant of grace to the Covenant of works, and from Christ to himselfe, But if he look upon these things in himselfe, and thereupon conclude, that because these things are in his heart, Christ dwels there by faith, and therefore he is accepted of God, and justified, and shall certainly be saved, and so make them an evidence of his believing, or the ground of his believing that he hath believed, this is neither to turn back from the Covenant of grace, to the Covenant of works, nor from Christ to himselfe, so that these things in his heart being the daughters of faith, and the of-spring of Christ, though they cannot at first produce or bring forth their mother, Goodwin Christ set • orth, pag. 23. yet may they in time of need nourish her.

But I pray you, Sir, are there not other things besides these that he sayth, hee finds in himselfe that a man may looke upon as evidences of his believing (or as you call them) as grounds of his believing, that hee hath believed.

Yea, indeed, besides these inward qualifications that are in the heart, there are outward qualifications in the life, as having respect unto all Christs Commandements, which a man may look upon as an evidence, provided, that hee be sure it flow from those within.

But, Sir, how should a man know that?

The sure and best way to know this is, for a man to examine himselfe whether he did first believe in Christ, and then reforme his life, and so made his faith the cause of the change of his life, or whether he did first reforme his life, and then believe, and so made his reformation of life the cause of his faith, if he be sure he did the former, then may he be sure that his outward qualifications proceeded from his inward, and so are right and true, but if hee did the latter, then may he be sure that they are wrong and false evidences.

Then truly, Sir, I have not as yet any right and true evidences of faith.

If you have not then as I tell you, it is time to believe, that so you may have them that are right and true.

But, Sir, I pray you let me ask you one question more touching this point, and that is, suppose, that hereafter I should see no outward evidences, and question whether I had ever any true inward evidences, and so whether I did ever truly believe or no: What must I do then?

Indeed, it is possible you may come to such a condition, and therefore you doe well to provide aforehand for it. Now then if ever it shall please the Lord to give you over to such a condition, first, let mee warn you to take heed of forcing, and constraining your selfe to yield obedience to Gods Commandements, to the end you may so get an evidence of faith again, or a ground to lay your believing that you have believed upon, and so forcibly to hasten your assurance before the time, for though this be not to turn quite back to the covenant of works (for that you shall never do) yet is it to turn aside towards that covenant, as Abraham did,M. Cotton of New England, in his thirteenth quest. who after that he had long wayted for the promised seed, (though he was before justified by believing the free promise) yet for the more speedy satisfying of his faith, hee turned aside to go in unto Hagar, who was (as you have heard) a type of the covenant of works, so that you see this is not the right way:Poore doubting Christian, Pag. 37. but the right way for you in this case, to get your assurance again is, when all other things fail to look to Christ; That is, go to the word and promise and leave off and cease a while to reason about the truth of your faith, Goodwins child of light, p. 194. and set your heart on work to believe, as if you had never yet done it, saying, in your heart, well Satan, suppose my faith hath not been true hitherto, yet now will I begin to endevour after true faith: and therefore, ô Lord! here I cast my self upon thy mercy afresh, For in thee the fatherlesse finde mercy, Hosea 14.3. thus I say, hold to the word, goe not away, but keep you here,Luke 8.15. and you shall bring forth fruit with patience.

Well, Sir, you have fully satisfied the concerning that point, but as I remember it followeth in the same Verse,2 Cor. 3.5. Know yee not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repoobates: wherefore I desire to heare how a man may know that Jesus Christ is in him.

Why, if Christ be in a man? hee lives in him, as sayth the Apostle, I live not, but Christ liveth in me.

But how then shall a man know that Christ lives in him.

Why, in what man soever Christ lives according to the measure of his faith he executes his threefold office in him, viz. his Propheticall, Priestly, and Kingly Office.

Why, so far forth as any man heares and knows that there was a covenant made, betwixt God, and all mankinde in Adam, Iob 5.27. and that it was an equall covenant, and that Gods justice must needs enter upon the breach of it, and that all mankind for that cause were lyable to eternall death and damnation, so that if God had condemned all mankinde, yet had it beene but the sentence of an equall and just Judge, seeking rather the execution of his justice then mans ruine and destruction, and thereupon takes it home, and applyes it particularly to himself, and so is convinced that hee is a miserable lost and helplesse man; I say so far forth as a man doth this, CHRIST executes his Propheticall office in him, in teaching him, and revealing unto him the covenant of works. And so far forth as any man hears and knowes that God made a covenant with Abraham, and all his believing seed, in Jesus Christ, offering him freely to all, to whom the sound of the Gospell comes, and giving him freely to all; that receive him by faith, and so justifies them, and saves them eternally, and thereupon hath his heart opened to receive this truth, not as a man taketh an object, or a theologicall point into his head, whereby hee is onely made able to discourse, but as an habituall, and practicall point, receiving it into his heart,Philip. 1.27. by the faith of the Gospell, and applying it to himselfe, and laying his eternall state upon it, and so setting to his seal that God is true, I say so far forth as a man doth this, CHRIST executes his propheticall office, in him, in teaching him, and revealing to him the Covenant of grace, and so far forth as any man hears and knows that This is the will of GOD, even his sanctification, 1 Thess. 1.3. &c. And thereupon concludes that it is his dutie to endeavour after it, I say so far forth as a man doth this, Christ executes his propheticall office in him, in teaching and revealing his law to him, and this I hope, is sufficient for answer to your first question.

I pray you, Sir, in the second place tell mee how a man may know that Christ executes his priestly office in him.

Why so far forth as any man hears and knows that Christ hath given himselfe as that onely absolute and perfect sacrifice, Heb. 9.26. for the sins of believers, and joyned them unto himselfe by faith, and himself unto them by his spirit, and so made them one with him, and is now entred into Heaven it self to appear, Heb. 9.24. in the presence of God for them: and hereupon is emboldned to go immediatly to God in prayer, as to a father., and meet him in Christ, and present him with Christ himselfe, as with a Sacrifice without spot or blemish, I say, so far forth as any man doth this, Christ executes his priestly office in him.

But, Sir, would you have a believer to goe immediately unto God, how then doth Christ make intercession for us at Gods right hand? as the Apostle sayth hee doth, Rom. 8.34.

It is true, indeed, Christ as a publike person, representing all believers. appeares before God his Father, Perkins on the Creed, pag. 356 and willeth according to both his natures, and desireth as he is man, that God would for his satisfaction sake, grant unto them whatsoever they aske according to his will. But yet you must goe immediately to God in prayer, for all that, you must not pitch your prayers upon Christ, and terminate them there, as if he were to take them and present them to his Father, but the very presenting place of your prayers must be God himselfe in Christ, neither must you conceive as though Christ the Sonne, were more willing to grant your request then God the Father, for whatsoever Christ willeth, the same also the Father, (being well pleased with him willeth) in Christ, then, I say, and nowhere else, must you expect to have your petitions granted, and as in Christ and no place else, so for Christs sake and nothing else; and therefore I beseech you to beware you forget not Christ when you go unto the Father to beg any thing which you desire, either for your selfe or others, especially when you desire co have any pardon for sin, you are not to thinke that when you joyn with your prayers, fasting, weeping, and afflicting of your selfe, that for so doing you shall prevail with God to heare you and grant your petitions, no, no, you must meete God in Christ, and present him with his sufferings, your eye, your minde, and all your confidence, must be therein, and in that be as confident as possibly you can, yea, expostulate the matter, as it were, with God the Father, and say, lo, here is the person that hath well deserved it, here 〈◊〉 the person that wils and desires it, in whom thou hast sayd thou art well pleased; yea, here is the person that hath paid the debt, and discharged the bond for all my sins, and therefore, ô Lord! now it standeth with thy justice to forgive me, and thus if you doe, why then you may bee assured that Christ executes his Priestly office in you.

I pray you, Sir, in the third place shew me how a man may know that Christ executes his kingly office in him.

Why so far forth as any man hears and knows, That all prwer is given unto Christ, Matth. 28.18. both in heaven and in earth, both to vanquish and overcome all the lusts and corruptions of believers, and to write his law in their hearts, & hereupon takes occasion to goe unto Christ for the doing of both in him, I say, so far forth as he doth this, why Christ executes his kingly office in him.

Why then, Sir it seems that the place where Christ executes his kingly office, is in the hearts of believers.

It is true indeed, for Christs Kingdome is not temporall or secular, Reynolds on Psal. 110. p. 9. over the naturall lives or civill negotiations of men, but his Kingdome is spirituall and heavenly over the souls of men, to awe and over-rule the hearts, to captivate the affections, to bring into obedience the thoughts, and to subdue and pul down strong holds, for when our father Adam transgressed, he, and we all of us forsooke God, and chose the devill for ou • lord & king, so that every mothers child of 〈◊〉 are by nature under the government of Satan, and he rules over us, till Christ come into our hearts and disposseseth him, according to the saying of Christ himself, Luk. 11.21, 22. When a strong man armed keeps the Palace, his goods are in peace, that is, sayth Calvin, Harmony, pag. 329. Satan holdeth them that are in subjection to him in such bonds and quiet possession, that he rules over them without resistance: But when Christ comes to dwell in any mans heart by faith, according to the measure nf faith▪ hee dispossesseth him, & seats himself in the heart, and roots out and puls down all that withstands his government there, and as a valiant Captain he stands upon his guard, & enables the soule to gather together all its forces and powers to resist and withstand all its and his enemies, and to set it selfe in good earnest against them, when they at any time offer to return again, and he doth especially enable the soule to resist, and set it selfe against the principall enemie, even that which doth most oppose Christ in his government so that whatsoever lust or corruption is in a believers heart or soule as most predominant, CHRIST doth inable him to take that into his minde, and to have most revengefull thoughts against it, and to make complaints to him against it, and to desire power and strength from him against it, and all because it most withstands the government of Christ, and is the rankest traitor to Christ, so that hee useth all the means he can to bring it before the judgement seat of Christ, and there hee calls for justice against it; saying, O Lord Jesus Christ, here is a rebell and a traitor that doth withstand thy government in me, wherfore I pray thee come and execute thy Kingly office in me, and subdue it, yea, vanquish and overcome it, whereupon Christ gives the same answer that he did to the Centurion,Matth. 8.13. goe thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.

And as Christ doth thus suppresse all other governours but himselfe in the heart of a believer, so doth he race out, and deface all other laws, and writes his own there according to his promise, Jer. 31.33. and makes them plyable and willing to doe and suffer his will, and that because it is his will, so that the minde and will of Christ, laid down in his Word, and manifested in his Works, is not onely the rule of a believers obedience, but also the reason of it: As I once heard a godly Minister say in the Pulpit, So that he doth not onely doe that which is Christs will,M. Caryl at Blackfriers. but he doth it because it is his will.

O that man which hath the law of Christ written in his heart, according to the measure of it, he reads, he hears, he prayes, and receives the Sacrament, and doth all the duties required in the first table of the Law, and that because he knows it is the minde and will of Christ he should doe so, yea, he doth not onely doe the duty of the first table, but of the second also, by vertue of Christs command, ô that husband, parent, master, or Magistrate, that hath the Law of Christ written in his heart, hee doth his duty to his wife, childe, servant, and subject, and that because Christ commands it, and so, that wife, childe, servant, or subject that hath the law of Christ written in their hearts, doe their duties to their husband, parent, master or governour, and that because Christ requires it.

And now when you finde these things in your heart, why answerably you may conclude, that Christ executes his kingly office in you.

Well, Sir, now I doe plainly see, that it is no marvail though my heart hath been hitherto restlesse, sith I have sought rest for it, where it is not to be found.

My occasions doe now begin to call me away from you, neverthelesse, you having begun to speake of the hearts rest, I shall by the Lords assistance, now at our parting, as a conclusion of this our discourse, speake somwhat of the soules rest, if you will be pleased to heare me.

Withall my heart, Sir, but first, I would intreat you to tell me, why you call the hearts rest, the soules rest.

Because heart and soule are put oftentimes the one for the other, for indeed, the heart is the soules chare of state wherein it keeps it residencie. Wilsons Dictionary, p. 259. But to come to the point, I would intreat you to consider with me, that when God at first gave man an elementish body, he did also infuse into him an immortall soule of a spirituall substance, and though he gave his soule a locall being in his body, yet he gave it a spirituall wel-being in himselfe, so that the soule was in the body by location, and at rest in God by union and communication, and this being of the soule in God at first, was mans true being, and his true happinesse, now man falling from God, God in his justice left man, so that the actuall union and communion that the soule of man had with God at first is broken off, God and mans soule are parted, and it is in a restlesse condition, howbeit, the Lord having seated in mans soule, a certain character of himselfe, the soule is thereby made to re-aspire towards that summum bonum, that chief good, even God himselfe, and can finde no rest no where, till it come to him.

For answer hereunto, I pray you consider, that naturally mans understanding is dark and blinde, and therefore is ignorant what his own soul doth desire, and strongly aspire unto, it knoweth, indeed, that there is a want in the soule, but till it be enlightned, it knoweth not what it is which the soule wanteth: for, indeed, the case standeth with the soule, as with a child new born, which child by naturall instinct, doth gape and cry for nutriment, yea, for such nutriment as may agree with it tender condition, and if the nurse through negligence, or ignorance, eyther give it no meat at all; or else such as it is not capable of receiving, the childe refuseth it, and still cryeth in strength of desire after the dug: yet doth not the child in this estate know by any intellectuall power and understanding, what it self desireth: even so mans poore soule doth cry to God as for its proper nourishment, but his understanding like a blind ignorant nurse, not knowing what it cryeth for; doth offer to the heart a creature instead of a Creatour: thus by reason of the understanding, together with the corruption of the will, and disorder of the affections, mans soule is kept by violence from its proper centre, even God himselfe, ô how many souls are there in the world! that are hindred, if not quite kept from rest in God, by reason that their blinde understanding, doth present unto their sensual appetites, varieties of sensuall objects.

Is there not many a luxurious persons soule hindred, if not quite kept from true rest in God, by that beauty which nature hath placed in feminine faces; especially when Satan doth secretly suggest into such feminine harts a desire of an artificiall dressing from the head to the foot: yea, and sometimes painting the face like their mother Jezabel?

And is there not many a voluptuous Epicures soule hindred, if not quite kept from rest in God, by beholding the colour, and tasting the sweetnesse of dainty delicate dishes, his wine red in the cup, and his beer of amber colour in the glasse: in the Scripture we read of a certain man that fared deliciously very day, as if there had been no more but one so ill disposed: but in our times there are certain hundreds, both of men and women, that do not only fare deliciously, but voluptuously twice every day, if no more?

And is there not many a proud persons soul hindered, if not quite kept from rest in God, by the harmonious sound of popular prayse; which like a load-stone draweth the vain-glorious heart to hunt so much the more eagerly, to augment the eccho of such vain windy reputation?

And is there not many a covetous persons soule hindred, if not quite kept from rest in God, by the cry of great abundance; the words of wealth, and the glory of gain?

And is there not many a musicall minde hindered, if not quite kept from sweet comfort in God, by the harmony of artificiall concord upon musicall instruments?

And how many perfumed fools are there in the world? who by smelling their sweet apparell, and their sweet nose-gayes, are kept from souls sweetnesse in Christ. And thus doth Satan like a cunning fisher, beat his, hooke with a sensuall object, to catch men with, and having gotten it into their jaws; he draweth them up and down in their sensuall contentments, till hee hath so drowned them therein, that the peace and rest of their souls in God be almost forgotten: and hence it is that the greatest part of mans life, and in many their whole life is spent, in seeking satisfaction to the sensuall appetite.

Indeed, Sir, this which you have sayd, we may see truly verified in many men, who spend their days about these vanities, and will afford no time for religious exercises, no, not upon the Lords day by their good will.

You say the truth, and yet let mee tell you withall, that a man by the power of naturall conscience may bee forced to confesse that his hopes of happinesse are in God alone, and not in these things, yea, and to forsake profits and pleasures, and all sensuall objects, as unable to give his soule any true contentment, and fall to the performance of religious exercises, and yet rest there, and never come to God for rest, and if we consider it either in the rude multitude of sensuall livers, or in the more seemingly religious, we shall perceive that the religious exercises of men, doe strongly deceive, and strangely delude many men, of their hearts happinesse in God.

For the first sort, though they be such as make their belly their best God, and doe no Sacrifice but to Bacchus, Apollo, or Venus, though their conscience doe accuse them, that these things are nought, yet in that they have the name of Christians put upon them in their baptisme, and for as much as they doe often repeat the Lords Prayer, the Apostles Creed, and the ten Commandements, and in that it may be they have lately accustomed themselves to goe to Church, to heare divine service, and a preaching now and then, and in that they have divers times received the Sacrament, they will not be perswaded but that God is well pleased with them, and a man may as well perswade them that they are not men and women, as that they are not in a good condition.

And for the second sort, that ordinarily have more humane wisdome and humane learning then the former sort, and seeme to bee more holy and devout then the former sort of sensuall, ignorant people, yet how many are there of this sort, that never passe farther then the outward court of bodily performances, feeding and feasting themselves as men in a dreame, supposing themselves to have all things, and yet indeed have nothing but onely a bladder full, or rather a brainfull of winde and worldly conceptions.

Are there not some who give themselves to a more speciall searching and seeking out for knowledge in Scripture, learnednesse, and Clerklike skill, in this Art, and that Language, till they come to bee able to repeate all the historicall places in the Bible, yea • , and all those texts of Scripture, that they conceive doe make for some private opinion of theirs concerning Ceremonies, Church-government, or other such circumstantiall points of Religion, touching which points they are very able to reason and dispute, and to put forth such curious questions as are not easily answered.

Are not some of these men called Sect-makers, and begetters or devisers of new opinions in Religion, especially in the matter of worshiping God, as they use to call it, wherein they finde a beginning, but hardly any end, for this religious knowledge is so variable through the multiplicity of curious wits and contentious Spirits, that the life of man way seeme too short to take a full view of this variety; for though all Sects say, they will bee guided by the word of truth, and all seeme to bring Scripture, which indeed is but one as God is but one, yet by reason of their severall constructions and interpretations of Scripture, and conceits of their own humane wisdome, they are many.

And are there not others of this sort of men, that are readie to embrace any new way of worship, especially if it come under the cloake of Scripture learning, and have a shew of truth founded upon the letter of the Bible, and seeme to bee more zealous and devout then their former way, specially if the teacher of that new way can but frame a sad and demure countenance, and with a grace lift up his head and his eyes towards heaven, with some strong groane in declaring of his newly conceived opinion, and that hee frequently use this phrase of the glory of GOD! ô then these men are by and by of another opinion, supposing to themselves that God hath made known some farther truth to them, for by reason of the blindnesse of their understanding, they are not able to reach any supernaturall truth, although they doe by literall Learning, and Clerklike cunning dive never so deepe into the Scriptures, and therefore they are ready to entertaine any forme of Religious Exercise, as shall bee suggested unto them.

And are there not a third sort much like to these men that are excessive and mutable in the performance of Religious Exercises. Surely Saint PAUL did perceive that this was the very GOD of some men in his time, and therefore hee willeth TIMOTHY to instruct others, that bodily exercise profiteth little, 1 Tim. 4.8. or as some read it, nothing at all, and doth oppose thereunto godlinesse as being another thing, then bodily exercise, and sayth, that it is profitable, &c. And doe not you thinke there are some men at this day that know none other good then bodily exercise, and can hardly distinguish betwixt it and godlinesse. Now these bodily exercises are mutable and variable, according to their conceits and opinions, for all Sects have their severall services (as they call them) yet all bodily▪ and for the most part onely bodily, the which they performe to establish a rest to their soules, because they want rest in God, and hence it is that their peace and rest is up and down according to their working better or worse, so many Chapters must be read, and so many Sermons must bee heard, and so many times must pray in one day, and so many dayes in the weeke, or in the yeare, they must fast, &c. or else their soules can have no rest, but mistake mee not I pray, in imagining that I speake against the doing of these things, for I doe them all my selfe, but against resting in the doing of them, the which I desire not to doe.

And thus you see that mans blinde understanding doth not onely present unto the sensuall appetite, sensuall objects, but also to the rationall appetites, rationall objects, so that mans poore soule is not onely kept from rest in God by means of sensuality, but also by means of formality: if Satan cannot keep us from seeking rest in God, by feedeing our senses with our mother Evahs apple, then he sets us to seeke him in away where wee shall never finde him, if he cannot doe it more grosely, then hee attempts to doe it more closely.

But, Sir, I am perswaded that many men that are so religiously exercised, and doe performe such duties as you have mentioned, doe finde true rest for their souls in God.

Ineeed I am perswaded there are some men that are carefull to performe such duties in obedience to the will of God in Christ, as conceiving them to be the way, wherein he is accustomed to meete his people, and give them an extraordinary visit, as also conceiving them to be the meanes whereby hee doth ordinarily beget and increase faith, whereby they are enabled to draw neer to God in Christ, and so to have peace and rest in him, and therefore if they doe omit any of these duties, when they conceive that God calls them thereunto, they are troubled in their mindes, and vexed at themselves for being disobedient to the will of God, and for missing his kinde visit, and omitting the meanes of increasing their faith, now such men as these may, and doubtlesse doe finde true rest to their soules in God, in the performance of Religious Exercises.

But alas, I feare me, that the most part of such men as are so religiously exercised, and are of such dispositions as I have shewed, doe rather conceive, that as they have offended and displeased God by their former disobedience, so they must pacifie and please him by their future obedience, and therefore they are carefull to exercise themselves in this way of duty, and that way of worship, and all to that end, yea, and they conceiving that they have corrupted, defiled and polluted themselves by their falling into sin, they must also purge, clense and purifie themselves by rising out of sin, and walking in new obedience, and so all the good they doe, and all the evill they eschew is to pacifie God, and appease their own consciences, and if they seeke rest to their soules this way, why it is the way of the Covenant of works, where they shall never be able to reach God, nay, it is the way to come to God out of Christ, where they shall never be able to come neere him, he being a consuming fire.

Then, Sir, it seemeth to me, that God in Christ apprehended by faith, is the onely true rest for mans soule.

I, there is the true rest indeed, there is that rest which David invites his soule unto, when he sayth,Psal. 116.7. Returne unto thy rest, ô my soule, for we which have believed have entred into his rest, saith the Authour to the Hebrews. And come unto me, Heb. 4.3. sayth Christ, all yee that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest. And truly my neighbours and friends believe it, wee shall never finde a hearts happinesse, and a true soules rest untill we finde it here, for howsoever a man may thinke if hee had this mans wit, and that mans wealth, this mans honour, and that mans pleasure, this wife, or that husband, such children, and such servants, his heart would be satisfied, and his soule would be contented, yet which of us hath not by our own experience found the contrary? for not long after that we have obtained the thing we did so much desire, and wherein we promised our selves so much happinesse, rest and content, we have found nothing but vanity and emptinesse in it: Let a man but deale plainly with his own heart and hee shall finde, that notwithstanding he hath many things, yet there is ever one thing wanting, for indeed, mans soule cannot be satisfied with any creature, no, not with a world of creatures: And the reason is because the desires of mans soule are infinite, according to that infinite goodnesse which it once lost in losing God; yea, and mans soul is a spirit, and therefore cannot communicate with any corporall thing, so that all creatures not being that infinite and spirituall fulnesse which our hearts have lost, and towards the which they do still re-aspire, they cannot give it full contentment.

Nay, let mee say more, howsoever a man may in the midst of his sensuall fulnesse be convinced in his conscience, that he is at enmity with God, and therefore in danger of his wrath and eternall damnation, and be thereupon moved to reforme his life, and amend his ways, and endevour to seek peace and rest to his soul, yet this being in the way of works it is impossible that he should finde it; for his conscience wil ever be accusing him, that this good duty hee ought to have done, and hath not done it; and this evill he ought to have forborne; and yet hee hath done it: and in the performance of this duty he was remisse, and in that duty very defective, and many such wayes will his soul be disquieted. But when a man once comes to believe that all his sins, both past, present, and to come, are freely and fully pardoned, and God in Christ graciously reconciled unto him: the Lord doth hereupon so reveale his fatherly face unto him in Christ, and so make known that incredible union betwixt him and the believing soul; that his heart becomes quietly contented in God, who is the proper element of its being: for hereupon there come • into the soule such peace flowing from the God of peace; that it fils the emptinesse of the soule with true fulnesse, in the fulnesse of God; so that now the heart ceaseth to molest the understanding and reason, in seeking eyther variety of objects, or augmentation of degrees, in any comprehensible thing: And that because the restlesse longing of the minde which did before cause unquietnesse, and disorder, both in the variety of mentall projects, and also in the sensuall and beastly exercises of the corporall and externall members, is satisfied and truly quieted, for when a mans heart is at peace in God, and is become truly full in that peace and joy, passing understanding, then the Devill hath not that hope to prevaile against our souls, as hee had before, hee knows right well that it is in vaine to beat his hooke, with profits, pleasures, honour, or any other such like seeming good, to catch such a soule that is thus at quiet in God, for he hath all fulnesse in God, and what can be added to fulnesse, but it runneth over, indeed empty hearts like empty hogsheads, are fit to receive any matter which shall be put into them, but the heart of the believer being filled with joy and peace in believing, doth abhorre all such base allurements, for that it hath no roome in it selfe to receive any such seeming contentments, so that to speak as the truth is, there is nothing that doth truly and unfainedly root wickednesse out of the heart of man, but only the true tranquility of the minde, or the rest of the soul in God, and to say as the thing is, this is such a peace and such a rest to the creature in the Creatour, that according to the measure of its establishment by faith, no created comprehensible thing, can eyther adde to it or detract from it, the increase of a Kingdome cannot augment it, the greatest losses and crosses in worldly things cannot diminish it, a believers good works doe all flow from it, and ought not to return to it: neyther ought humane frailties to molest it, howver this is most certain, neyther sin nor Satan, law nor conscience, hell nor grave, can quite extinguish it, for it is the Lord alone that gives and mayntains it:Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, sayth David, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee: it is the pleasant face of God in Christ, that puts gladnesse into his heart, Psal. 4.7. and when that face is hid, then he is troubled, Psal. 30.7. But to speake more plainly though the peace and joy of true believers, may be extenuated or diminished, yet doth the testimony of their being in nature remayne so strong, that they could skill to say: yea, even when they have felt God to be withdrawing himselfe from them; My God, my God, Psal. 22·1. why hast thou forsaken me: yea, and in the night of GODS absence to remayne confident, that though sorrow be over night, Psal. 30.5. yet joy will come in the morning: Nay, though the Lord should seeme to kill them with wickednesse, yet will they put their trust in him, knowing that for all this,Iob 13.15. Iob 19.25. their Redeemer liveth: so strong is the joy of their Lord: these are the people that are kept in perfect peace, Nehem. 8.10. Isaiah 26.3. because their minds are stayed in the Lord. Wherfore, my deare friends and loving neighbours, I beseech you, take heed of deeming any estate happy until you come to find this true peace and rest to your souls in God, ô, beware lest any of you doe content your selves with a peace rather of speculation then of power! ô, be not satisfied with such a peace as consisteth eyther in the act of oblivion, or neglect of examination! nor yet in any brainsick supposition, of knowledge theologicall and divine, & so frame rationall conclusions, to protract time, and stil the cryes of an accusing conscience, but let your hearts take their last farewell of all false felicities, wherewith they have been all of them more or lesse detained, and kept from their true rest: ô, be strong in resolution! and bid them all farewell, and neyther stay in Egypt by the flesh-pots of Sensuality, nor yet in the wildernesse of religious and rationall formality; but strip your selfe of all: putten on contentments, eyther in sensuall honours, profits, or pleasures, or religious exercises, and become truly poore, miserable and naked.

But stay, Sir, I pray you, would you have our senses to be no longer exercised about any of their objects? would you have us no longer to take comfort in the good things of this life?

I pray you doe not mistake mee, I would not have you Stoically to refuse the lawfull use of any the Lords good creatures, which he shall be pleased to afford you: for I right well know that the minde of man hath a naturall motion towards its own delight and recreation in these things▪ and that this motion still remains in the minde of him that is the most mortified, and hath taken his truest farewell of them, but yet in such a man, that motion which before was violent from the cry of the heart is now restrained▪ so that his appetite is not so forcible, nor so unruly as it was before, the unrulinesse thereof being subdued in the peace of the heart, and and brought into a very comely decorum and order, so that now the sensuall appetite can with much more easiness and contentednesse be denyed the object of its desire; yea, the sensuall appetite can in a good measure be content, with what is most repugnant to its desire, as with hunger, cold, nakednesse, yea, and with death it self, such is the wonderfull working of the hearts quiet and rest in God. So that although such a mans senses be still exer • ised in and upon their proper objects, yet is not his life sensuall, for his heart taketh no contentment from any such exercise, but is still (for the most part) exercised in a more transcendent communion, even with God in Christ; so that he useth the world, and the things of the world, as though hee used them not; and receiveth no cordiall contentment from any sensuall exercise whatsoever, and that, because his heart is withdrawne from them, which withdrawing of the heart is not unaptly pointed at in the speech of the Spouse, Cant. 5.2. I sleep, sayth she, but my heart waketh; so, that it may be sayd, that such a man he is sleeping, looking, hearing, tasting, eating, drinking, feasting, &c. but his heart is withdrawne and is rejoycing in God his Saviour, and his soul is magnifying the Lord, so that in the midst of all sensuall delights his heart, and secretly sayth, I but my happinesse is not here.

But, Sir, I pray you, why do you call rationall and religious exercises a wildernesse?

For two reasons, first, because that as the children of Israel, when they were got out of Egypt, did yet wander many yeers in the wildernesse before they came into the land of Canaan, even so doe many men wander long in rationall and religious exercises, after they have left a sensuall life, before they come to rest in God, whereof the land of Canaan was a type.

Secondly, because as in a wildernesse, men often lose themselves and can finde no way out, but supposing (after long travell) that they are neere the place whither they would goe, are in truth further off: even so fareth it with many, yea, with all such as walk in the way of reason, they lose themselves in the woods and bushes of their works and doings, so that the longer they travell, the further they are from God, and true rest in him.

But, Sir, you know that the Lord hath endued us with reasonable souls, would you not then have us to make use of our reason.

I pray you doe not mistake mee, I do not contemn nor despise the use of reason, onely I would not have you to establish it to the chief good, but I would have you to keep it under, so that if with Hagar, it attempt to beare rule, and Lord it over your faith, then would I have you in the wisdome of God, like Sarah, to cast it out from having dominion, in few words I would have you more strong in desire, than curious in speculation; and to long more to feele communion with God, then to be able to dispute of the genus, or species of any question, eyther humane or divine: And presse hard to know God by powerfull experience, and though your knowledge be great, and your obedience surpassing many; yet would I have you to be truly nullified, anihilated, and made nothing, and become fools in all fleshly wisdome, and glory in nothing, but only in the Lord, and I would have you with the eye of faith sweetly to behold, all things extracted out of one thing, & in one to see al, in a word, I would have in you a most profound silence, contemning all curious questions and discourses, and to ponder much in your heart but prate little with your tongue;Iam. 1.10. Be swift to heare, but slow to speake; and slow to wrath, as the Apostle James adviseth you: and by this meanes will your reason be subdued, and become one with your faith; for then is reason one with faith, when it is subjugated unto faith, and then will reason keepe its true lists and limits, and you will become ten times more reasonable then you were before, so that, I hope, you now see that the hearts farewell from the sensuall and rationall life, is not to be considered absolutely but respectively, it doth not consist in a going out of either, but in a right use of both.

And now for a conclusion let mee tell you, when any of your souls shall thus forget her own people, Psal. 55.10.11. and her fathers house, Christ her King shall so desire her beauty, and be so much in love with her, that like a Load-stone this love of his shall draw the soule in pure desire to him again, and then as the Hart panteth after the rivers of water, Psal. 42.1. Cant. 25. so will your souls pant after God, yea, then will your souls be so ravished with desire, and so sick of love, that it will bee manifest by your seeking him whom your soul loveth, Cant. 3.1. and so shall your soule come to have a reall rest in God, and according to the measure of your faith, be filled with joy unspeakable and glorious; and how can it bee otherwise, when your soule shall really communicate with God, and by faith have a true taste, and by the Spirit have a sure earnest of all heavenly preferments, having, as it were, one foot in heaven, whilst you live upon earth, ô then what an Eucharisticall love will arise from your thankfull heart! extending it selfe, first towards God, and then towards man for Gods sake, because his everlasting love in his Christ is made known to your soule, so that then according to the measure of your faith, you shall not need to frame and force your selfe to love, and doe good duties, but being so assured of Gods love to you in his CHRIST, your soule will stand bound ever more to love God, and according to the measure thereof you will stand bound to the keeping of all his Commandements, and this love of God in the heart will cut down selfe love, so that now you will be for God, and it will be your meat and drinke to doe his will whilst you live on earth, and much more when you come to heaven, the place of perfect and everlasting rest whither our Lord JESUS CHRIST bring us all in his due time, Amen.

And now Brethren, I commend you to GOD, and to the word of his grace, Acts 20.32. which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

And truly, Sir, I doe believe, that I have cause to speake as much in that case as you have, for though I have out-stript him in knowledge, and it may be also in strict walking, yet doe I now see, that my actions were neither from a right principle, nor to a right end, and therefore have I been in no better a condition then he, and truly, Sir, I must needs confesse, I never heard so much of Christ, and the Covenant of grace, as I have done this day, the Lord make it profitable to me, and I beseech you, Sir, pray for me.

And truly, Sir, I am now fully convinced, that I have gone out of the right way, in that I have not had regard to the Law, and the works thereof as I should. But, God willing, I shall hereafter (if the Lord prolong my dayes) be more carefull how I lead my life, seeing the ten Commandements are the law of Christ. And I beseech you, Sir, remember me in your prayers, and so with many thanks to you for your pains, I take my leave of you, beseeching the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to bee with your spirit. Amen.

Now the very God of peace, that brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great sheepherd of the sheep, Heb. 13.20, 21 through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good worke, to doe his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.