The Doctrine of Free Grace No Doctrine of Licentiousness, Tract

The Doctrine of Free Grace No Doctrine of Licentiousness · Tract

p. 1THE Doctrine of FREE-GRACE no Doctrine of Licentiouſneſs.

Rom. 6.1, 2.

What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in ſinne that Grace may abound? Farre be it: How ſhall we that are dead to ſinne, live any longer therein?

THeſe are the words of the Apoſtle Paul, brought in by way of Objection, againſt; and of Anſwer, for, that Doctrine of Free-Grace, which he doth in this Epiſtle expreſly handle: For the underſtanding of his Diſcourſe, we muſt have recourſe unto Chap. 3. where after a long and accurate handling of this Queſtion,verſ. 28. How a man comes to be Juſtified in the ſight of God? the Apoſtle concludes foreign, We inferre therefore, or, Argue from the Premiſes (as the word ſignifies) that a Man, is juſtified by Faith, without the Works of the Law. The reaſon and ground or which Aſſertion is this,verſ. 20. Becauſe by the Law is the knowledge of ſinne, i. e. A ſtrict and impartiall view of the Law, in its latitude and ſpirituall p. 2ſignificancy; and comparing of our Lives with it, is ſo farre from diſcovering the Rectitude of our Nature and Actions, that it rather ſerves to manifeſt the Obliquity and ſinfullneſs of them both: And therefore there muſt be ſome other expedient found out to Acquit or Juſtifie men in the ſight of God,verſ. 27. than an appeal unto the Law of Works; and that is, the Law of Faith, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, The Righteouſneſs of God, (i. e. which avails before God,verſ. 22. and is accepted by him) is by Faith of Jeſus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. For all have ſinned, and come ſhort of the Glory of God, (whereby is meant, either the Graces which God requires, or the Happineſs which he promiſes: Men were not of themſelves able to perform the one, and therefore had no Right or Title unto the other) whereupon it follows, that all ſuch as are Juſtified, are Juſtified Freely by his Grace, through the Redemption, that is in, or by Jeſus.

This Doctrine, which doth ſo levell the Pride of man, by putting his Salvation quite out of himſelf and therein is utterly contradictory to humane conception, the Apoſtle foreſaw, would meet with great oppoſition, and therefore that he might Aſſert and Clear this Fundamentall Truth from all poſſibility of Cavill, he urges and anſwers three of the main Objections, which either are or can be alleaged againſt it.

Object. 1 The firſt Objection is taken from the Example of Abraham, concerning whom the common opinion of the Jews was, that he was Juſtified by Works; which they gathered from Gods renewing his Bleſsing upon him, after his ſignall obedience in attempting to offer his ſonne. For now I know, Gen. 22.12.Gen 22:12ſaith God, that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy ſonne, thine onelyonly ſonne from me. And p. 3again, Becauſe thou haſt done this thing, verſ. 16, 17.and haſt not withheld thy ſonne, thine onelyonly ſonne; In bleſsing I will bleſs thee. Whereupon the Apoſtle James ſeems clearly to Affirm, that Abraham was juſtified by his Works, in that Queſtion, Was not Abraham our Father Justified by Works, when he had offered Iſaac his ſonne upon the Altar?

To this Inſtance,Anſw. the Apoſtle anſwers by directly denying that Abraham was Juſtified by Works; for proof of which, he quotes a place out of the Old Teſtament, Gen. 13.6.Gen 13:6That Abraham believed in God, and it, i. e. that Faith of his, was imputed to him for Righteouſneſs. Which was ſpoken of Abraham, long before he had received Circumciſion, and done that Signall and Heroick Action, by which the Sincerity and Truth of his Faith was evidenced. So that the Apoſtle James words cannot be underſtood, as if he intended to decide whether Faith or Works did Juſtifie; but onelyonly that he determins what kind of Faith it was which Juſtified, viz. not a Naked and Barren, but an Effectuall and Working Faith: And that Abrahams was ſuch a kind of Faith, he manifeſted afterwards, in undertaking ſo Perillous and Dangerous a Task, meerly in obedience to Gods Command. From whence it follows, that if Abraham, who is ſtiled, the Friend of God, did attain to the eſteem of being reputed Righteous before God, meerly upon the account of his Faith; then all others, whoſe higheſt commendation is onelyonly to be the Followers and Imitators of Abraham, have no other way of obteining True Righteouſneſs, but by treading in the ſame footsteps of Faith, which the Patriark Abraham walked in: as the Apoſtle concludes,Rom. 4.23, 24.Rom 4:23Rom 4:24 It was not written for him, i. e. for Abraham alone, that it was imputed to him: But to us alſo, to whom it ſhall be imputed, if we believe on p. 4him, that raiſed up Jeſus our Lord from the Dead.

Object. 2 The ſecond Objection againſt this Doctrine, is taken from that ſeeming Abſurdity and Contradiction, which would follow, ſhould men think of being ſaved by the Righteouſneſs of another: For as every man is to be condemned, onelyonly for his own ſinnes; ſo it ſeems to be moſt Juſt and Equall, that every man ſhould be ſaved onelyonly for his own Righteouſneſs: according to the Reaſoning of God himſelf, who doth not onelyonly ſay, that the Wickedneſs of the Wicked, Ezek. 18.20.Ezek 18:20but likewiſe that the Righteouſneſs of the Righteous ſhall be upon him.

Anſw. 2.To this Objection, the Apoſtle excellently anſwers throughout the whole fifth Chapter of this Epiſtle, by drawing a parallel between Adam and Chriſt; who were the two great Heads and Repreſentatives of all Mankind, in their ſeverall Eſtates. Now if it ſhall appear that Adam deſtroyed his Race, by the Imputation of his ſinne; then it cannot be Unreaſonable to believe, that Chriſt may ſave his Race, by the Imputation of his Righteouſneſs. But that Adam deſtroyed his Race, by the Imputation of his ſinne, appears clearly from hence, in that Death, which is the Wages of ſinne, verſ. 14.doth actually ceaze thoſe, who never Actually ſinned, and therefore could be but liable to it, onelyonly upon the Account of Tranſmitted, Derivative and Imputed ſinne; as he Argues, Death reigned from Adam to Moſes, even over thoſe that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams Tranſgreſsion, i. e. over Infants. From whence he inferres, As by one mans diſobedience, Many (i. e. All who deſcend from him by Naturall Generation) were made ſinners: ſo by the obedience of one man, Many (i. e. all who are related to him by Faith, and ſupernaturall Regeneration) ſhall be made Righteous. Nay by how much Chriſt p. 5is a greater Perſon than Adam, (the one being formed from Earth, the other:1 Cor. 15.47.1 Cor 15:47 being the Lord from Heaven) by ſo much ſhall the Obedience and Righteouſneſs of that One, more avail to Save, than the Unrighteouſneſs and Sinne of the other did to Deſtroy. And this the Apoſtle clears in two Particulars:

1. In Extent of the Pardon; which is to many ſinnes, whereas the Condemnation was onelyonly for One. For, ſaith he, the Judgment, or foreign Guilt was by one. i. e. Offence, to Condemnation; but the free-gift is of many Offences, verſ. 16.unto Juſtification. In Adam, one ſinne, and that of the leſſer ſort, ſtiled foreign a ſlip or ſo, was ſufficient to undoe a World. But in Chriſt, Many ſins, how aggravated and circumſtanced ſoever, ſhall not be ſufficient to deſtroy one Soul,

2. In the Excellence of the purchaſe: Adam, by his Sinne, purchaſed Death and Damnation; which is, like a Motion down-hill, very Naturall and eaſie to be conceived: For that a Creature, ſhould die; that a Sinner, ſhould be ſentenced, may without any Difficulty be imagined: But Chriſt purchaſed Life Eternall, which is like a Motion up-hill, very Hard and exceeding Difficult to be comprehended. From whence the Apoſtle concludes, that where Sinne, i. e. the Guilt or Demerit of Adams Sinne, abounded, there Grace, or the Gift of Life by Chriſt, did much more abound. The word in the Originall, ſignifies ſomething more than enough; ſomething,foreign. that was above and beyond what was ſufficient, to Antidote and to Expell the Contagion of Adams ſinne: Juſt as if a Man ſhould let in a Sea to cleanſe a ſink; ſo abundant was the Overflow of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, for the Purifying of thoſe Natures, which Adams ſinne had infected.

p. 6Object. 3 The third and laſt Objection is conteined in the Text, and the ſenſe of it amounts to this: Some may ſay, If the Merit of Chriſts Death, doth ſo infinitely tranſcend the Demerit of Adams Sinne, as the word foreign imports; then, will it not follow from hence, that the Goſpell will be a Rule of Strictneſs and Severity of Life, no longer; but rather ſet open a door to all manner of Impiety, ſince this Concluſion may eaſily be drawn: Since Gods Goodneſs is ſo Free, as well as full; ſince Chriſt, in the moſt proper acception, did die for Sinners; will it not follow, the greater Sinners we are, the more acceptable we ſhall be to Chriſt; and the more Offences we commit, the better will his Goodneſs in pardoning them appear: As to run upon the Score, is the beſt way to ſet out and to adorn a Creditors Munificence. Come on then, will wicked men ſay, Let us ſinne that Grace may abound.

Anſw.To this Odious and Unworthy Inference, which yet, ſo corrupt and diſingenuous it our Nature, moſt men are ready, not onelyonly to Reaſon, but to Live by, the Apoſtle returns a double Anſwer:

1. In a Phraſe of Abhorrency, foreign: He ſeems, as it were, to ſtart and to bluſh at the bare mention of ſuch a ſuppoſall,; and therefore haſtily cries out, Farre be it, that any ſhould be ſuch a Wretch, as to make Rich and Undeſerved Mercy, a Motive of his Contumacy; that any ſhould therefore preſume to Offend, becauſe God is Willing to Pardon; that any ſhould therefore ſpurn their Heavenly Father on the Bowels, becauſe they are Tender and Yearn toward them: This doth not uſe to be our manner of dealing with Men, and therefore Farre be it, that any ſhould thus deal with God.

2. He anſwers by inſtancing in the Life of Himſelf, and thoſe Believing Romanes, to whom he writes; As if he p. 7had ſaid, Farre be it that any ſhould make ſuch Impious Concluſions, from ſo Holy, and ſo Gracious Premiſes; that any ſhould preſume to Poiſon themſelves, becauſe there is an Antidote ſo neer them: If any doe ſo, it is their own Fault; for we have experimentally found this Doctrine of Free-Grace, to have had a clean contrary Effect and Operation upon us; and inſtead of Exciting us to Sinne, even to cut up and root out in us, not onelyonly the Acts, but even the Habit of Sinfullneſs: How then, ſaith he, ſhall we that are dead to ſinne, live any longer therein? Which being the Full ſcope and Deſign of the Apoſtles whole Diſcourſe, it affords us this uſefull Obſervation:

That the beſt and moſt effectuall way to mortifie the Power of In-dwelling ſinne, is to conſider how free, how Abſolute, how Unconditionall Gods Grace is in pardoning it.

Before I proceed to handle this, I muſt needs take notice of the Objection, and from thence obſerve;

Doct. 1 That Corrupt and Curious Wits, doe uſually draw pernicious and deſtructive conſequences from the moſt Precious and ſoul-ſaving Truths. For Inſtance; What Doctrine can be more Winning, to a Deſperate; or more comfortable, to a Deſpairing Sinner; than to hear, that Chriſt hath already fully ſatisfied for Sinne; that God is willing to be reconciled; that, notwithſtanding his Greatneſs, he even woes us to be at Peace with him; and, in token of his Readineſs, he offers us Peace and Pardon, unclogged with any Condition; he requires nothing but Faith, i. e. a Naked and an Empty hand, to take what he is willing in Bounty to beſtow. Yet the Diſputer in my Text, labours to make this Sweet, appear to be very Unſound Doctrine; and would fright men from embracing their Cordiall, leſt by accident it ſhould heighten and encreaſe their p. 8Diſtemper, Thus it hath fared with all the Abſtruſe and moſt Myſterious Points of our Religion; the Incarnation of the eternall Sonne of God, the Reſurrection of the Body, the Aſsiſtance of the Holy Spirit in the Hearts of Believers, have been all attaqued and ſet upon by mens Irregular Fancies, and each Age hath produced ſome Sect or other, who have made themſelves Famous by direct oppoſition unto thoſe forementioned Truths. But to omit them, I ſhall content my ſelf with thoſe Inſtances which the Apoſtle makes in this Epiſtle, Chap. 3, He layes down this Concluſion: That God in the Wiſdome of his Providence, ſo orders and manages all Events, as that out of Evill, he doth extract Good; and makes even our Unrighteouſneſs, verſ. 5.to ſet off and to illuſtrate his Righteouſneſs: From whence one preſently inferres, then is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance, i. e. who puniſheth men for that, which at laſt doth redound to the Advantage of his Glory; and then goes on, Let us doe Evill, that good may come of it: i. e. Let us Sinne, that Gods Glory may be promoted. Which Impious Deduction, whereby Gods Providence is made to countermand his Precepts, the Apoſtle confutes in that ſharp Expreſſion, Whoſe Damnation is Juſt, i. e. ſuch who will not actively Glorifie God, by their Obedience unto his Revealed Will, God will get himſelf Glory of them, by Puniſhing their Diſobedience. Again in that Great Buſineſs of Gods Abſolute and Unconditionall Electing of ſome unto Eternall Life,Rom. 9.Rom 9 the Apoſtle inſtanceth in the Examples of Jacob and Eſau; who, when as yet neither of them had done Good or Evill, yet one was preferred before the other; or which the Apoſtle gives no other reaſon, but this; That the Purpoſe of God, according to Election might ſtand, not of Works, but of him that calleth. Againſt which p. 9Unmerited and Irreſpective choice,verſ. 14. there is One in that place objects, Is there not then Unrighteouſneſs with God? i. e. Is not God Partiall and Unequall in his determinations concerning Man, thus to chuſe and preferre one before another, when as by Nature, All are Equall? To this he anſwers, by alleaging God's Soveraignty,verſ. 15. who in the caſe of Pharaoh, affirms of Himſelf, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy; and the Apoſtle inferres from thence, and whom he will he hardens, i. e. he ſhowes no Mercy to, but leaves them in their Naturall Hardneſs and Impenitency. And when the Objector is not ſatiſfied with this, but cries out, Why doth he then find fault? i. e. why doth he reprove and ſeem Angry againſt ſinne and ſinners? for who hath reſiſted his Will? The Apoſtle then in ſtead of anſwering any further, asks a Queſtion, which the Bold Diſputers of our times will never anſwer, and that is, Who art thou O man who diſputeſt againſt God? by which way of Procedure, he ſufficiently ſhews, that in the opening of Divine Miſteries, nothing is more hard, than to ſtop a Diſputers mouth. And the Reaſons are

Reaſon 1 Firſt, Becauſe Men doe uſually ſound the Depths of God, by a very Falſe and Imperfect Line; and that is, by Naturall Reaſon: There is indeed a Reaſon given to man, which is capaable of the Higheſt Miſteries; this in Philoſophy, is called Right; in Scripture, Enlightned Reaſon; i. e. ſuch a Reaſon as ſtoops and ſubmits to Faith, and dares believe God in ſpight of all contrary ſuggeſtions. But all the while our Reaſon, is in its Native and Unreclaimed eſtate, like a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the Yoke, it kicks at every thing which it cannot comprehend. Thus even the moſt Holy men, while they did quit their ſafe Rule, which is Gods own manifeſtation p. 10of his Wayes in Scripture, and ventured in their own Reaſons to argue about Divine Providence;Pſal. 73. Jer. 12. Hab. 1.Ps 73Jer 12Hab 1 the Proſperity of the Wicked, was ſo Obvious, and withall ſo Great an Objection, that they were unable to reſolve it; as appears by the Complaints and Inquietudes of David, Jeremy, Habakuk, and others upon this Subject. That alone which ſilenced Job, in the midſt of his bold Expoſtulations, did likewiſe ſatisfie them; and that was, a diſtinct and clear Diſcovery of Gods uncontrolable Soveraignty and Dominion over all his Creatures; which ought to be admired at a diſtance by us, and not too curiouſly pried into, leaſt ſo Wonderfull and Amazing an Object doe ſtrike us Blind. Thoſe Tenets, wherein Gods Honour is mainly concerned, ſuch are, His managing of all Events,Act. 1.16. & 3.28.Acts 1:16Acts 3:28 even the Sinnes of Man (as the Scripture tells us he did pre-ordain the Treachery of Judas) without any Imputation to his Holineſs: His diſpoſing of all Perſons, abſolutely to their reſpective Ends, and without any Imputation to his Juſtice—Such things as theſe, the Apoſtle hath taught us to call foreign Untraceable Paths, Rom 11.33.Rom 11:33in which onelyonly an Humbled Soul can walk. Here if we will goe, we muſt goe groveling, with our Faces in the Duſt, leaſt if, like Moſes, we draw neer to pry with too much curioſity, his Dread doe fall upon us, and his Terrors make us afraid. Till Humane Wiſdome be throughly abaſed, and all the Pride of Earthly Knowledge be purged out, the more we ſtrive to underſtand the things of God, the more we are entangled; till at laſt we come, not onelyonly to Reject, but likewiſe to Revile them.

Reaſon 2 The ſecond Reaſon is, Becauſe men are not onelyonly Shallow in their Apprehenſions, but Raſh and Haſty in their Concluſions: We are Naturally of Proud Impatient p. 11Spirits, and apt to range abroad, in queſt, not of Truth, but, as thoſe at Athens, of ſomething that is New; Act. 17.Acts 17without purſuing thoſe firm grounds, whereupon to bottom and to fix a Perſwaſion. It is therefore the moſt common cauſe of all Practicall Errors in the World, that Men doe uſually faſten upon that part of a Tenet, which favours them in their Luſts, without taking notice of the whole Compaſs and Latitude of it. Thus when a Sinner hears that God is Mercifull, he preſently cries out, This is good News for me, for I am already, and reſolve ſtill to be a Sinner; never conſidering, that Mercy leads to Repentance; and it can no farther be pleaded, or pretended to by any, then as it doth influence us to return from Sinne to God. So perhaps ſome may argue, If I am predeſtined to be ſaved, I ſhall be ſaved; and what need I then trouble my ſelf with Holineſs? Whereas the End is never deſigned by God, but with Reſpect of and Subordination to the Means: And all the ſeverall Stages in our Journey to Heaven, are appointed in the ſame Eternall Regiſter, wherein the place it ſelf is deſigned for us. In ſhort, as in a Chain, when men catch haſtily at the Link that is next them, without taking notice of the connexion and ſeries whereby many are joyned together, the whole chain is apt thereby to be diſordered and diſcompoſed: ſo is it in Divine Truths, if we look not at the whole contexture of them, and that admirable dependance which each part hath upon the other; we are apt to be led away by our own Prejudices, and to draw Abſurd and Monſtrous Conſequences, which, had we leaſure to take a View of the Whole Body of Sacred Truth, we ſhould not have adventured to doe. Herein mainly conſiſts the Difference between Truth and Error: Error is then ſtrongeſt, when it is conſidered Single; p. 12but the ſtrength of Truth lies in its ſtanding linked and confederated unto other Doctrines: Therefore to ſingle out any one Opinion, how true ſoever, and handle it apart, is, like the cutting of Sampſons Hair, it makes it leſs ſtrong, and more liable to miſ-conſtruction: It robs it not onelyonly of its Strength, but likewiſe of its Beauty.

Ʋſe. The Uſe hence is to Adviſe all, not to judge of any Opinion or Party of Men, by thoſe Prejudices wherewith they are loaded, or by thoſe Ill-favoured Conſequences which may be wreſted from their Doctrine; but let us labour to diſcern every thing, as it ſhines in its own Light, by the clearneſs of Scripture-diſcovery: All Truth, eſpecially Divine, muſt be tried by its Evidence, and not by its Conſequences. When we have tired out our ſelves and others with needleſs Objections, one Scriptum eſt, wherewith our Saviour anſwered the Devill, with ſtand like a Rock, and abide all thoſe Waves of Oppoſition, which don't ſo much Batter Scripture, as Daſh and Break themſelves upon it. And if ever this Advice were neceſſary, certainly this Age, wherein we live, doth moſt of all require it; in which, whatever may leſſen and undervalue Scripture is let in and broken looſe upon us. For what by Humane Additions, on the one ſide; and by Pretences to more Immediate Revelations on the other; the Scripture, which is the undoubted Word of God, is robbed of its Sufficiency and Perfection; and harder Conditions are required of us, for the attaining of Eternall Life, than thoſe which our Saviour hath enjoyned us, viz. To Believe, and to Obey him alone. Let us therefore bring both our own, and all other mens Opinions, unto this Touchſtone; and when we have found a Sic dixit Deus, the Mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, for any thing in controverſie, let us ſtick to that Declaration, without ever p. 13troubling our ſelves with Conſequences, which are but ſo much Duſt thrown in our Eyes, to keep us from diſcerning our Duty. Should we ever quit this hold, I can ſee nothing before me but Sea and Aire, i. e. a Wide and Endleſs Labyrinth of Inextricable Error: But while we ſtick faſt to this Rule, we may indeed erre in the Comment, but we are ſure the Text is Infallible. And the more Submiſs and Silent our Reaſon is, in things which may at firſt bluſh appear Strange and Contradictory, the more, I will not ſay Meritorious, but Pleaſing and Acceptable is our Obedience.

Having thus diſpatched that Obſervation which the Objection in my Text did lead me to, I come now to the Doctrine which I firſt raiſed, and which takes in the whole Scope and Deſign of the Apoſtles arguing, viz. That the Beſt and moſt Effectuall Way to mortifie the power of Indwelling Sinue, is rightly to conſider how Free, Abſolute and Unconditionall, Gods Grace is in pardoning it. In which there are theſe three Points to be explained.

1^o That, Gods Grace in pardoning Sinne, is Abſolute, Free and Unconditionall.

Obſerv. 2 2^o That, A Conſiderate and fixed Belief of this, is the beſt way to mortifie the Power of Indwelling Sinne.

3c That, A Believer, muſt never think he hath arrived to the Truth of his Profeſsion, till Sinne is mortified in him: or, in the Apoſtles words, Till he is dead to Sinne.

Doct. 1 The firſt Point is, That, Gods Grace in pardoning Sinne, is Abſolute, Free and Unconditionall. I mean, reſpecting nothing in, requiring nothing from the creature, as that which may merit and deſerve ſuch Favour. Thus all the Promiſes run, I will take them, ſaith God ſpeaking of the New Covenant or Goſpell-Times, to be my People, p. 14and I will be their God: Jer. 31.33.Jer 31:33For I will Forgive their Iniquities, and I will remember their Sinnes no more. So ſpeaking of the ſame Covenant by the Prophet Ezekiell, Ezek. 36.25.Ezek 36:25I will, ſaith he, ſprinkle clean water upon you, and from all your Filthineſs will I cleanſe you. Which gracious Promiſe, leaſt it ſhould ſeem to reſpect any thing in them as meritoriouſly exciting it, God doth expreſly premiſe, I doe not this for your ſake, verſ. 22.O houſe of Iſrael, but for my holy Names ſake. And again concludes it thus; Not for your ſakes doe I this, verſ. 32.ſaith the Lord God, be it known unto you. Therefore in that Form of Words, which God preſcribes unto Returning Backſliders, he commands them to ſay,Hoſ. 14.2.Hos 14:2 Lord take away all Iniquity, and receive us graciouſly. To which God preſently replies,verſ. 4. I will heal their Backſlidings, I will love them Freely. But beſides what may be deduced from the whole Tenour and Current of Scripture-Promiſes, this will yet farther appear from theſe three Conſiderations:

Reaſon 1 Firſt, From the Nature of God who pardons Sinne, who cannot be moved or altered by any condition in the Creature, ſince he himſelf is the ſole Author and Beſtower of whatever good condition the Creature is able to perform. For according to the Queſtion of the Apoſtle Paul, Rom. 11.33.Rom 11:33Who hath first given unto him, and it ſhall be recompenced to him again? or, as the words are in Job, from whence the Apoſtle took them,Job 41.11.Job 41:11 Who hath prevented me, ſc. by doing for me, that I ſhould repay him? Hereby intimating, that none hath or is able ſo to doe any thing for God, as that he ſhould thereby challenge any thing from him, by way of Recompence: As the words following in that place imply, For whatever is under the whole Heaven is mine. When therefore the Holy Men doe begge pardon of Sinne, their finall reſort is to Gods p. 15Mercy or Power; as Moſes when he intercedes for Iſrael; And now let the Power of my Lord be great, Numb 14.17.Num 14:17according as thou haſt ſpoken, ſaying, the Lord is long ſuffering and of great Mercy, forgiving Iniquity and Tranſgreſſion. And ſo he goes on, Forgive I pray thee the Iniquity of this People, according to the greatneſs of thy Mercy. Mic. 7.18.19.Mic 7:18Mic 7:19So the Prophet Micah, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth Iniquity, and paſſeth by the Tranſgreſſion of the Remnant of his Heritage, becauſe he delighteth in Mercy. Whereas did conſideration of any thing in the Creature, move God to ſhew Compaſſion; Forgiveneſs from him, would no longer be Grace but Debt; and God in pardoning Sinne, would not exert an act of Power, but an act of Juſtice: and Men might challenge not onelyonly Pardon of Sinne, but likewiſe, Heaven it ſelf, as a Reward of their Performances. Which is quite contrary to the whole Current of Scripture, and to all thoſe Conceptions, which the Majeſty and Greatneſs of God, together with the Vileneſs and Deſpicable meanneſs of the Creature, muſt needs enforce upon all Rationall and Conſiderate Men. Since therefore the Promiſes of God run Abſolutely, ſince the Nature of God is Inalterably, i. e. Freely Gracious; they neither conſult Gods Honour, nor the Comfort of doubting Chriſtians, who interpoſe the Clog of any preceding Condition. They are very unfaithfull Embaſſadours to the King of Heaven, who ſtreighten their Commiſſion; and ſpeak Peace and Pardon in Terms leſs generall, than they have received.

Reaſon 2 Secondly, This will appear yet farther from Conſideration of the Price, which was paid for Sinne. For though God pardons ſinne Freely, in reference to us, ſince we neither did nor could deſerve it; yet it was not Free in reference to our Surety; by Chriſt this was dearly p. 16bought, and whatever we enjoy thereof, was firſt ſealed, and comes down ſtreaming to us, in the Blood of the Mediator. Now to know the Greatneſs of the Price, the beſt way will be to conſider the Greatneſs of the Perſon, who paid it.Joh. 1.John 1 In the beginning of Johns Goſpell, we read of one, whom he there ſtiles foreign, i. e. Reaſon or the Eternall ſpring of Wiſdome, of him it is ſaid, that he was with God, nay that he was God; and as God did make the World. If we look a little farther, we ſhall find that this very Perſon, this foreign, i. e. became Fleſh, or frail Man, and laying aſide the Glory of his Divinity for a time foreign Tabernacled, or pitched his Tent among the ſonnes of Men. It was this foreign, this aſſumed Nature of his, which he ſacrificed as a Victim to appeaſe his Fathers Anger, and to expiate the ſinnes of the world; according as he ſpeaks himſelf. The Bread that I will give you, Joh. 6.51.John 6:51is my Fleſh, or my Humane Nature, which I will give for the Life of the World. Where by World is not, nor cannot be meant, the Generality of Man-kind, of which the greateſt part periſh, which could not poſſibly be, had Chriſt actually ſhed his Blood for them: but, as our Saviour explains himſelf in another place,Joh. 10. &c. 11. v. 52.John 10 His Sheep, or the Generality of Believers ſcattered throughout the world: ſo that the word World, is of the ſame Extent with the word Many, Mat. 20.28.Matt 20:28which our Saviour elſe-where uſeth. As in Matthew, foreign. Mat. 26.28.Matt 26:28the Sonne of Man came to give his life a Ranſome for, or, in ſtead of many. And afterward, This is the Blood of the New Covenant, which was ſhed for Many, for Remiſsion of Sinnes. That we may know the ineſtimable value of this Blood, it is called by the Apoſtle Paul, and that without a Figure the Blood of God, Act. 20.28.Acts 20:28i. e. which the Sonne of God ſhed in that Humane Nature, which he had united unto himſelf. Who is there then that will not p. 17think ſuch Blood ſufficient Ranſome? For as the Apoſtle argues excellently,Heb. 9.13.Heb 9:13 If the Blood of Bulls and Goats ſanctifies to the purifying of the Fleſh; How much more ſhall the Blood of Chriſt, who through the Eternall Spirit, offered himſelf up to God, purge our Conſcience from Dead Works, i. e. Cleanſe our Souls both from the Leproſie and Guilt of Sinne? So that to eek out this Sacrifice, by mingling with it any Vain Oblations of our own, is nothing elſe but to leſſen its value, as they, who light up their Candles at noon-day, doe onelyonly Affront and Prejudice the ſplendour of the Sunne. When ſuch a Price is already paid, for any to appear Nice and Dainty, to cry out they are not Humbled, not Sorrowfull, not Thankfull Enough, and therefore neglect to make uſe of it, this is nothing elſe, but either Peeviſhly, to refuſe offered Comfort; or elſe Proudly, to think we are able by our delay to make our ſelves worthy of it.

Reaſon 3 Thirdly, The laſt Argument may be taken from the Impoſſibility there is, that we ſhould be able to perform any thing acceptably unto God, till we are come within the Terms of the Covenant; Then are we within the Covenant on Gods part, when we have accepted it on ours: but till then, we are under the Law, all our Works are Legall Works, and our Repentance it ſelf is to be repented of; as being infinitely ſhort of that Perfection which the Law requires. Beſides, upon ſuppoſition that ſuch a meaſure of Humiliation, Sorrow, Contrition, or other ſuch like Acts, were prerequired to capacitate and make us fit for the receiving of our Pardon; what infinite diſquiets muſt this needs beget in every Sinner, that is now upon the point of his Converſion; for who ſhall be able to fix a juſt Proportion? or aſſuredly tell him, that he hath grieved and mourned enough? ſince there p. 18can be no Proportion between our Sinne and our Sorrow, and likewiſe our Bodies may be waſted with Grief, and our Eyes fail us with weeping, and yet all our Fears, prove onelyonly an Idle and a Fruitleſs Expence, as Cains and Judas did. There can be therefore no better or more warrantable Advice be given unto a poor lamenting Creature, than to bid him leave off his Works, and throw himſelf immediately into the Arms of Mercy: ſince who ſo reſts upon his own Endeavours, labours in the very Fire, and undertakes a Task beyond his manage, in thinking to Fit himſelf for Mercy; whereas it muſt be Mercy, already in ſome meaſure apprehended, which muſt qualifie and fit us for the receiving more.

Object. 1 Againſt this it may be objected, That the Promiſe in the Goſpell runs,Mar. 16.Mark 16 He that believeth, ſhall be ſaved; and the Command by the Apoſtle is,Acts 3, 19.Acts 3:19 Repent that your ſinnes may be blotted out. From whence it may be gathered, that Faith and Repentance are required as Conditions to Remiſſion; and that Pardon of Sinne is not ſo Abſolute on Gods part, but that ſtill ſomething muſt be done on ours, to qualifie us for the receiving it. But I anſwer

Anſw.1. For Repentance, that is no diſtinct and ſeparate condition of it ſelf, becauſe it alwayes follows Faith, and can no more be ſevered from it, than Motion from Life: whence it is that the Apoſtles doe promiſcuouſly uſe one for the other; as Peter, to thoſe who were wrought on by his Sermon, and came to him for Direction, he bids them Repent; Acts 2.37.Acts 2:37but Paul, to the Jaylor who was in the ſame caſe, he commands him to Believe; and our Saviour joyns them both together, in that Epitome of his firſt Sermon, Repent and believe the Goſpell: Mar. 1.13.Mark 1:13thereby intimating that one could not be without the other.—Therefore

2. Though Faith be required as a Condition to the p. 19receiving of Chriſt and Pardon by him, yet it is ſuch a Condition, as takes nothing at all from the Freeneſs of Gods Gift; no more than Emptying the Hand, and taking an Almes, doth leſſen his Bounty that beſtowes it. For Faith is nothing elſe but a Naked Hand, and hath no influence at all upon Gods Gift, to make it more or leſs Free; but all its influence is downwards, by applying and appropriating of that Gift, to make it Ours. And therefore in Scripture-language, to Believe in Chriſt, and to Receive Him, is the ſame thing: As John ſpeaks,Joh. 1.12.John 1:12 As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſonnes of God, even to as many as believe on his Name.

As a Medicine may be given gratis by a Phyſician, he may ask nothing for it, yet except the ſick-man take it, it will not cure him: So God offers Chriſt and Mercy freely, but unleſs we Believe i. e. Receive him, he will not profit us. And in this, and no other ſenſe is Faith a Condition. But

3. Even in this ſignification, as Faith ſignifies not a power of Acting, but meerly a power of Accepting, yet ſo it is a Condition, onelyonly of Gods beſtowing, and not of Mans procuring. Thus our Saviour:Joh. 6.44. verſ. 35.John 6:44 None can come unto me (i. e. believe on me, as he there explains) except the Father which hath ſent me draw him. And again, He that hath heard, and learned of the Father, he cometh unto me; ſo, No man can come unto me, verſ. 45.except it were given to him of my Father. All which places ſhow, that Faith, which is a coming to Chriſt, verſ. 64.is not wrought in any but peculiar Power and Influence of God. And accordingly, the Apoſtle Paul, By Grace, ſaith he, are ye ſaved, Epheſ. 2.8.Eph 2:8through Faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the Gift of God, i. e. That Faith by which ye are enabled to receive Chriſt, is as much the Gift of God, as Chriſt himſelf who is received p. 20by it. Therefore he prayes, that they may be ſtrengthened by the Spirit of God, c. 3.16, 17.in the Inner Man, that ſo, Chriſt might dwell in their Hearts by Faith: intimating, that, without ſuch Supernaturall Aſſiſtance, they neither could nor would Believe.

Object. 2 Againſt this it may be objected again, If God alone gives Faith, why then are we commanded to Believe and to Repent, for this preſuppoſes a Power in the Creature to Obey, or elſe the Command would be in vain.

Anſw.I anſwer, That Gods command doth not alwayes preſuppoſe a Power already exiſting in the Creature, but being a Word from God, it gives that Power which was not there before. As when God ſaid, Let there be Light, there was no activity in that Dark Chaos, ſufficient of it ſelf to produce it, but God by his Word at the ſame time created what he did command. To which Action of Gods, the Apoſtle compares his bringing any to the Knowledg of Chriſt;2 Cor. 4.6.2 Cor 4:6 God, ſaith he, that commanded Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhone into our Hearts, to give unto us the Knowledg of his Glory in the Face of Chriſt. So in the New Teſtament, when our Saviour commanded the Sea to be ſtill, the Blind to See, the Dead to Riſe, &c. there was no Ability in thoſe Creature to Obey his Commands; but his Command, going out with Divine Authority, gave unto them Power: ſo when the Miniſters of the Goſpell command Sinners to Believe, and to Repent, the word goes out in the Name and in the Strength of God, and, whereever it is effectuall, it conveighs that Power, which was not there before. And this is it, which makes Preaching neceſſary unto the worlds end, becauſe the Spirit of God doth cooperate with it; as the Apoſtle hath it, when he commands a Miniſter to be Meek, and ready to Teach even thoſe that ſet themſelves p. 21to oppoſe the Truth: if, ſaith he,2 Tim. 2.24.2 Tim 2:24 peradventure God will give them Repentance: We Preach to, and Pray for Sinners, onelyonly with a Peradventure; perhaps, God may work ſome good by us: but if God doth not work, our Words cannot, and the Sinner himſelf will not.

Ʋſe. This may ſerve to teach all thoſe, who begin to be troubled for their paſt Sinnes, which way they muſt take to arrive unto Comfort and ſatisfaction. There are ſome Ignorant and Unskilfull Phyſicians of the Soul, who preſcribe Faſting, Pennance, Uneaſie Poſtures of Prayer, and the like, which are at the beſt but Bodily exerciſe, 1 Tim. 4.1 Tim 4which Profits little, becauſe it reacheth not to the Core of Sinne, that lies within. Such kind of Methods as theſe, doe onelyonly prune and lop the Branches of Corruption, but leave the Root entire; Men may in a needleſs Rigour ſtarve their Bodies, and all the while doe nothing elſe but feed their Pride. My advice rather is, to a diſconſolate Sinner, that he would preſently lay hold upon his Pardon: And my grounds for this Advice are theſe two.

Motive 1 1. Nothing doth more engage us in a Wilfull and Deliberate Courſe of Sinning than Deſpair of Pardon. When once Cain cries out,Gen. 4.Gen 4 that his Sinne was greater than could be forgiven; the next News we hear of him, is, That he went out from the Preſence of the Lord. Thus when God ſummoned the People by his Prophet Jeremy; Jer. 18.12.Jer 18:12to return from the Evill of their Wayes, he brings them in ſaying, There is no Hope; and then it preſently follows, but we will walk in the Imagination of our own Hearts. The Apoſtle Peter therefore exhorting thoſe to whom he writes, to make a Progreſs in Holineſs, by adding one Grace to another,— But he, ſaith he, who wants theſe things is blind, 2 Pet. 1.9.2 Pet 1:9forgetting that he was cleanſed from his old ſinnes; thereby intimating, that as Preſumption begets Confidence, ſo p. 22Deſpair begets Careleſneſs in Sinning. As we read of ſome, who have died for fear of Death; ſo is it in this caſe, when men dare ſo much wrong Gods goodneſs, as to imagin, that he will not make good his Promiſe to them, though it runs Indefinitely, they runne ſo farre in Sinne, till at laſt they dare not think of Returning; which ſeems to have been Davids caſe, when he cries out, Innumerable Evils have compaſſed me about, mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up, they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. While he ſtayed and forbore to paſs the Ford which Mercy had ſhallowed for him, his Sinnes like a Torrent, began to overwhelme him with horror and amazement.

Motive 2 2. Pardon of Sinne—for the time paſt, and Power againſt Sinne for the time to come, goe both together. As when a Judge doth free a Priſoner, at the ſame time he gives him Liberty, he knocks off his Chains; ſo when God intends to doe good unto a Sinner, he never ſevers his Gifts, but compleats the work of his Redemption, by Purifying and ſtrengthening Grace at the ſame time. As he ſpeaks by the Prophet,Ezek. 36.Ezek 36 I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean: then he preſently adds, A new heart alſo will I give you, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my wayes, and you ſhall keep my Judgments and doe them. And the reaſon of this is clear, becauſe when a Sinner hath once received his Pardon, he may boldly goe to God and Chriſt, and by Prayer engage their Power in his behalf; but till then, he is not able to doe any thing; he cannot pray in Faith, becauſe he hath no Aſſurance that he ſhall be heard; he cannot act in Faith, becauſe he hath no Promiſe that he ſhall be aſſiſted; but when once he hath taken, what God p. 23offers, he hath a certainty of both.

But ſome may object, That were their Sinnes leſs,Object. then there was ſome Hope; but their Sinnes have been ſo many, and ſo ſtrangely aggravated, that they muſt needs ſit down under the ſorrow, as being in an hopeleſs condition.

For anſwer, I wiſh all thoſe who make this Objection,Anſw. (as indeed none ever thinks of returning to God but he meets with this Lion in his way) would ſeriouſly ask, whether they find themſelves as Willing to forſake their Sinnes, as they pretend to be ſorry for them. And if they doe, then let them conſider theſe three things:

1. The Latitude and Extent of Chriſts Death; I doe not mean as to the Univerſality of the Perſons (for I find no ground for that) but as to the Qualifications of thoſe for whom Chriſt died: And we ſhall find it was for Sinners, for the Ungodly, for Enemies; Rom. 5.6, 8, 10Rom 5:6Rom 5:8Rom 5:10from whence a Repenting Sinner may thus argue; If Chriſt died for Sinners, then certainly he will not refuſe me becauſe I have been a Sinner: If he died for Enemies, then ſure he will not caſt me off, if I am ready to lay down my Weapons, and be reconciled unto him. This was it which comforted Paul, It is, ſaith he, a Faithfull ſaying, 1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15that Christ came to die for Sinners; among which I am chief: he confeſſes as much Guilt, as could poſſibly ſtick to him, and yet takes comfort in that generall Truth, that Chriſt came to die for Sinners: And then propoſes his own Example, For this cauſe I obtained Mercy, that in me firſt Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering, for a pattern to them which ſhould hereafter believe on him to life everlaſting. We muſt take heed how we fruſtrate the Grace of God, for, as the Apoſtle argues, If Righteouſneſs, or Juſtification had been by the Law, then had Chriſt died in vain: p. 24So if Sinners, who are deſirous above all things to come unto Chriſt, ſhould therefore be driven out from him, becauſe they have been Sinners, then would Chriſt have died in vain.

2. Conſider the Freeneſs and Liberality of the Invitation: There is no condition ſo ſad, but there is ſome word of Invitation or other, which particularly concerns that condition:Prov. 9.4, 5. Iſa. 55.1. Mat. 11.29. Rev. 22.17.Prov 9:4Prov 9:5Isa 55:1Matt 11:29Rev 22:17 The Fooliſh and ſimple, in Proverbs: The Hungry and Thirſty, in Iſay: The Weary and Heavyladen, in Matthew; and, which is beyond all, Whoever will, in the Revelations; Whoever will, let him come and drink of the Water of Life freely. There cannot be any thing more free and more inviting than this, that whoever will, may be ſure of Well-come, I doe not ſay, that any Man hath this will of or from himſelf; but this I ſay, that he who hath a Will, hath a Warrant; and may boldly come to Chriſt, and claim the benefit of his Promiſe. Eſpecially ſince Juſtification dependeth not at all upon our Working, but upon our Willing; as the Apoſtle hath it, to him that worketh not (that is, that bringeth no meritorious works along with him) but believeth on him that juſtifies the Ungodly, his Faith is counted for Righteouſneſs,

Laſtly, Conſider the Tender and the Compaſſionate Nature of Chriſt, how he never refuſed any that came unto him: And therefore Lepers, the Blind and Lame, Publicans and Sinners had on earth moſt both of his Preſence and Power: The ſame Promiſes which, brought them, he hath left to encourage us—when he ſayes—Every one that my Father giveth me will come unto me; and He that cometh to me, Joh. 6.37.John 6:37I will in no wiſe caſt out. He that ſaith of himſelf, He came, not onelyonly to ſave, but likewiſe, to ſeek that which was loſt; will not be harſh to any, who p. 25are now upon the point of returning to him. Hence we read that Peter, who denied; Paul, who perſecuted; the three thouſand in the Acts, who crucified him, were all upon their Repentance received by him. Our Saviour hath the ſame Bowels ſtill, and though he hath changed his Place, yet he hath not changed his Nature;Heb. 4.15, 16.Heb 4:15Heb 4:16—Wherefore, in the Apoſtles words, ſince we have not an High-Prieſt, which cannot be touched with our infirmities: Let us come with boldneſs unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in a time of Need. And ſo much for the firſt Point.

Doct. 2 The ſecond Point to be handled was this; That, Nothing is more effectuall to mortifie the power of In-dwelling Sinne, than to conſider how Free and Abſolute Gods Grace is in pardoning it. By Free here, that I may repeat what I mentioned a little before, I doe not mean Free, as excluding Christ, in conſideration of whom, God is thus Free to Pardon (as the expreſſions run,2 Cor. 5.19.2 Cor 5:19 God was in Chriſt reconciling the World unto himſelf. And,Rom. 3.24.Rom 3:24 We are juſtified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jeſus. And, In whom, i. e. in Chriſt, we have redemption through his Blood, the forgiveneſs of Sinnes, according to the Riches of his Grace. But I mean Free, as excluding our ſelves, or any thing we can doe, either as a Cauſe procuring, or as a Condition qualifying us for receiving this Grace. In this ſenſe, that the Freeneſs of Gods Grace, is the beſt way to mortifie the Power of In-dwelling Sinne, will appear

1. From Inſtances.

2. From Reaſon.

1. For Inſtances; here is one occurres in the Text, How ſhall we, i. e. Believers, who are dead to Sinne, live any longer therein? i. e. In us, this Doctrine, being rightly underſtood, hath wrought to the killing of Sinne; ſince we p. 26now learn how much we are indebted to Chriſt, and therefore ſomething muſt be done to expreſs our Thankfullneſs; which he proſecutes throughout the following Chapter; and uſes an Argument to draw them off from ſinning, which at firſt ſight may ſeem Harſh and Inconſequent, but indeed is moſt demonſtrably efficacious: Ye ſhall not ſinne, or ſinne ſhall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the Law (which like Pharaohs Task-maſters, requires the whole tale of Brick, and allows no ſtraw) but ye are under Grace (ye now ſtand in thoſe termes with God, that he gives ſtrength, and accepts of what you doe in proportion to that Ability which he beſtows) and for this Reaſon Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you. So again the Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Galatians, handling the ſame ſubject, he layes down this Poſition,Gal. 2.16.Gal 2:16 That a man is not juſtified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt: Againſt which he brings an Objection, But if, ſaith he, while we ſeek to be justified by Jeſus Chriſt, we our ſelves alſo are found ſinners, is therefore Chriſt the Miniſter of ſinne? i. e. If we, who profeſs to be juſtified by Chriſt alone, doe notwithſtanding ſinne daily, will it not thence follow, that this Doctrine makes men careleſs, as if thereby they might take occaſion to ſinne more freely. To this the Apoſtle anſwers as he doth here, firſt foreign, Farre be it! and then he urgeth to the contrary his own example— I am crucified together with Chriſt; Gal. 6.14.Gal 6:14and in another place, Farre be it, that I ſhould glory in any thing ſave in the Croſs of Chriſt, by which the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World. And what he affirms of himſelf, we find him, in another place, aſcribing unto all Believers—of foreign— They who are Chriſts, Gal. 5.24.Gal 5:24i. e. who by Faith have received and are united to him; have crucified the Fleſh, (i. e. their p. 27corrupt and ſinfull Nature) with the Affections and Luſts, i. e. have rooted up as it were the very Fibres and leſſer particles, by which ſinne was faſtned and incorporated into them. And the Reaſon of this is clear—

Reaſon. Becauſe, He who is once truly in Christ, i. e. who hath rightly apprehended him, forthwith becomes a New creature, as the Apoſtle argues; Chriſt, ſaith he,2 Cor. 5.15, 172 Cor 5:152 Cor 5:17 died for All i. e. Believers, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them: From whence he inferres, Therefore if any man be in Chriſt be is a New Creature: i. e. he is altogether another kind of perſon than he was before. What the meaning of thoſe words New Creature are, will beſt appear, by comparing two places of Scripture together: In one place it is,Gal. 6.15.Gal 6:15 In Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion, but a New Creature; which in another place runs, In Jeſus Chriſt, Gal. 5.6.Gal 5:6neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion, but Faith which worketh by Love. From whence it appears, that, in the Apoſtles ſenſe, to be a New Creature, is nothing elſe, but to have a Faith working by Love, which, our old Nature, is no more capable of, than Darkneſs is of Light; but as ſoon as ever the Spirit of God begets Faith in the Heart of any, that Faith preſently produceth Love, as Fire begets Heat, and then Love enflames and quickens to Obedience. As the Apoſtle Paul found it in himſelf, when he ſayes, The Love of Chriſt conſtrains us; 2 Cor. 5.14.2 Cor 5:14ſince none can apprehend ſuch an Exceſs and Overflow of Undeſerved Love, but muſt needs think himſelf obliged to return all Acts of Love, whereby he may expreſs his complacency in, and deſire of a ſtreighter Union. As the Apoſtle John argues, we love him, i. e. God, becauſe he loved us firſt. 1 Joh. 4 19.1 John 4:19Since then our Lord Chriſt is pleaſed with nothing more, then p. 28with the Crucifying of thoſe Luſts, and Mortifying of thoſe Sinnes for which he died, it muſt needs follow from hence, that every Believer, and therein a Lover of Chriſt, will find himſelf ſenſibly ſtirred with the Hatred of Sinne, as often as he reflects upon the death of Chriſt; as men uſe to deteſt and abhorre the ſight of thoſe Weapons by which their Friends were Murdered. For ſince every Believer muſt needs know that he hath no otherwiſe any Title to Pardon, than as he is purified by the Blood of Chriſt,Heb. 9.Heb 9 without the ſhedding of which there would have been no Remiſsion: hence he dares not, nay he cannot goe on to live in Sinne, becauſe by ſo doing, he ſhall adde New Wounds, New Sorrowes, New Marks of Diſhonour to Chriſt, by whoſe Stripes alone he muſt expect to be healed. Adde to this, that the Spirit of God, which, by quickning the Immortall Seed of the Word, Pſal. 51.Ps 51begets Faith, is a clean Spirit, and will not ſuffer Sinne to cohabit with it ſelf, but Mortifies, Subdues and Quels it, according to that of the Apoſtle,Rom. 8.9.Rom 8:9 Ye are not in the Fleſh, but in the Spirit, i. e. Ye walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, if ſo be the Spirit of Chriſt dwelleth in you: and again, If Chriſt, verſ. 10.i. e. his Spirit, be in you, the Body is dead, by reaſon of Sinne, verſ. 13.i. e. it dies to ſinne: And, if by the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the Fleſh, ye ſhall live: All which places imply, that it is the Spirits proper buſineſs to Mortifie Sinne, there is no True Life without it. So that put all this together; Since 1. Gods pardoning Sinne for the ſake of Chriſt, is the higheſt expreſſion of Love imaginable;1. Joh. 4.10.1 John 4:10 as the Apoſtle John cries out, Herein is Love! i. e. Love to an Hyperbole, Love beyond any degree of compariſon; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Sonne to be the Propitiation of our Sinnes. 2. Since this expreſſion of Love on Gods part, cannot p. 29be embraced by Faith on ours, but it muſt needs beget Love again; as the Sun beams cannot fix themſelves directly upon the Earth, but they will conveigh Warmth and Heat together with themſelves. 3. Since whereever Love is engendred, it is always Active, carrying out the Soul with unquiet longings after Union with, and till that can be compaſſed, of Likeneſs to the Object it loves. As the Earth no ſooner conceives Heat, by the Action of the Sunne, but preſently returns and reflects it back again. Laſtly, Since the Spirit of God, which dwells in a Believer, is alwayes actuating and blowing up this Love, and improving the ſtrength of it, eſpecially in the ſubduing of Sinne, upon this conſideration, becauſe Sinne is contrary to the Nature of God, and to the Merit of Chriſt; from hence it demonſtrably follows,—that the beſt way to Mortifie Sinne, is rightly to conceive of the Freeneſs of Gods Grace in pardoning it.

Ʋſe. This may ſerve to ſhow us the True Nature of Justifying Faith: To think, as perhaps ſome careleſs men doe, that Faith is nothing elſe but a Confident Perſwaſion, that our Sinnes are pardoned for the ſake of Chriſt, without any other notable Effect upon us; this is, at the beſt, an Ungrounded Fancy, which will in the end deceive us. From what I have ſaid, it may appear, that True Juſtifyfying Faith carries along with it theſe two Inſeperable Effects;

1. It pacifies the Conſcience, it begets a Calm within. When a Sinner firſt begins to be troubled for Sinne, there muſt needs be a kind of Earthquake and Tempeſt in the Soul; as God ſaith of the wicked, that he hath no Peace, but he is like a troubled Sea, which cannot reſt. Iſa 57.19.Isa 57:19A wicked man is not more Eager and Impatient to commit Sinne, than he is troubled and diſquieted after it, for whenever p. 30he cools and can be at leaſure to conſider what he hath done, he can propoſe nothing to himſelf but matter of Anguiſh and Vexation; without, there is the Law complaining, and God ſentencing; within, Conſcience accuſing, and Sinne condemning. In this Tumult and Hurry of Thoughts, if there be but dropped into any, ſo much ſtrength of Faith, as to lay faſt hold upon Gods generall Pardon (like Eaſther catching at the Golden Scepter, when it was ſtretched out to her) preſently the ſtorm is laid, and a marvellous calm enſues. As the Apoſtle hath it,Rom. 5.1.Rom 5:1 Being juſtified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. I doe not ſpeak this, as if I thought that Faith did exclude all manner of Doubting; but that it doth expell Diſtraction. For to doubt is ſo much conſiſtent with Faith, that I take it for granted, there never was, nor ordinarily can be, any True Faith without it. As at the Creation, Night did precede Day, ſo in Converſion, Darkneſs and Ignorance did precede the Enlightnings of Faith; and Doubting, like a Miſt, doth ſtill attend it, becauſe our Faith, like our Knowledge, in this life neither is nor can be perfect, for then it would no longer be Faith but Fruition. Yet this Doubting, which, like an Allay, God ſuffers to be mixed (with the ſtrong Wine of Faith,) need not at all diſturb our Peace of Conſcience, but rather is left, as the Canaanites were, to teach Iſrael to warre,Jude 2.Jude 1:2 to quicken our endeavour, and to make us diligent in the uſe of thoſe means, whereby we may be yet more confirmed and ſetled.

2. True Faith, as it Pacifies the Conſcience, ſo it Purifies the Heart;Acts 15.9.Acts 15:9 as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks, that God did put no difference between the Jews and Gentiles, becauſe he purified their Hearts by Faith. Which is ſo inſeparable an Effect of True Faith, that though Juſtification p. 31be not Sanctification, yet it is never without it; and therefore they are ſometimes put one for the other, as he that is juſt, foreign, let him be juſtified ſtill. i. e. let him goe on to be more Holy.Rev. 22.11.Rev 22:11 And to the Corinthians— Ye are waſhed, ye are Sanctified, 1 Cor. 6.11.1 Cor 6:11ye are Juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God. So—By his mercy he ſaved us, Tit. 3 5, 7.Titus 3:5Titus 3:7by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt; That being juſtified by his Grace, we ſhould be made Heirs. Where Holineſs, which is an Effect and Fruit of Juſtification, is made to precede it; onelyonly to ſhow the Fixed and never-failing union betwixt them. Now Faith produceth Holineſs, not onelyonly becauſe it is begot by the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of Purity; but becauſe it entitles us to all the Promiſes, which are alwayes urged as Motives unto Purity. Ye are clean, ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples, through the Word i. e. of Comfort,Joh 15.3.John 15:3 which I have ſpoken to you: and the Apoſtle having alleaged the Promiſe of God, wherein he ſaid,2 Cor. 7 1.2 Cor 7:1 he would walk and dwell in his People; from thence he inferres, having therefore theſe Promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all Filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit. So Peter, God hath given to us many Rich and Precious Promiſes, 2 Pet. 1.4.2 Pet 1:4that thereby we might be partakers of a divine Nature, having eſcaped, or fled from that corruption which is in the world through Lust. And John telling us that hereafter we ſhould be like to Chriſt, becauſe we ſhould ſee him as he is, i. e. in his utmoſt radiance and luſtre of Glory,—He then, ſaith he, that hath this Hope, 1 Joh. 3.3.1 John 3:3purifies himſelf as he is Pure. A right Believer enters into Heaven with Chriſt, and labours to live as a Citizen, not of that world he is in, but of that to which he belongs; and prepares himſelf for the Reception of Glory, by cleanſing p. 32his Soul with the Infuſions of Grace.Jac. 2.Jas 2 Let every one then, who would paſs for a Believer, follow the Apoſtle James Advice, and try his Faith by his Works; for as Water ſavours of the Veſſell, ſo all our Actions have a Tincture and Reliſh from Faith; if that once be True and Sincere, it influences all we doe; and he that indeed believes in Chriſt, lives onelyonly in and to him. But if our Faith be Falſe and Counterfeit, then we have crooked Ends, we preſently vary our Walking according to the worlds Compaſs, and lye at catch for ſuch Gales to drive us,Rev. 3.1.Rev 3:1 as are blown upon us by Popular Applauſe. In ſhort, like the Church of Sardis, we have a name to live, but indeed are dead. So that where we ſee one Unholy in his Life, we need not to diſpute, but he is an Unbeliever in his Heart, and all the while he is ſo, he ought to conclude himſelf Unjuſtified. And ſo much for the ſecond Point.

Doct. 3 The third and laſt Point, in the generall Obſervation was this; That a Believer muſt not think he hath arrived unto the Truth of his Profeſsion, untill he is Dead to Sinne. What it is to be Dead to Sinne, the Apoſtle explains afterwards,verſ. 6. when he calls it a crucifying of the old man together with Chriſt, that the Body of Sinne may be aboliſhed; Col 3.6.Col 3:6and in another place, a Mortifying of our Earthly members: the importance of which Phraſes amounts to this; that a Believer muſt keep no truce with, nor give any Quarter to Sinne; he muſt not onelyonly not hearken to its Motions, but ſtrangle them in the Birth; and labour to bring himſelf unto that Temper, that he may have as little appetite to Sinne, as a Dead man to doe any Action of Life. And the Reaſons are,

Reaſon 1 Firſt, Becauſe there is to be a conformity between p. 33Chriſt, and a true Chriſtian; As all the parts of our Saviours life, are written for our Example, ſo his Death too ought to be Ours, in Reſemblance and Imitation; we muſt, in the Apoſtle Pauls language,Rom. 6.5.Rom 6:5 be planted together into the likeneſs of his Death; and that is by crucifying our Old man, i. e. by gibbeting thoſe Luſts, which are the ſhame and Ignominy of our Nature;Phil. 3.10.Phil 3:10 Paul therefore tells us, that he laboured for nothing more, than to attain unto a Fellowſhip in Chriſts ſufferings, being made conformable to his Death: which conſiſts not onelyonly in ſuffering for him, but in dying with him, in that Part, which is onelyonly our Clogge and Hindrance; and, as a Mudwall keeps off the light of the Sunne, ſo doth this Fleſh onelyonly ſtoppe the Entrance, and hinder the actings of a Spirituall Life: Therefore the Apoſtle,Rom. 6.10.Rom 6:10 drawing a Parallel between Chriſt and a Believer, enforceth it thus; As Chriſt died and roſe again, ſo reckon ye your ſelves to be dead indeed to Sinne, but alive unto God in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. So that the Death of Sinne, is the Life of the Soul; and therein a fit reſemblance of a Riſen Saviour.

Reaſon 2 Secondly, The Promiſe of a Crown, is onelyonly made to Conquerours: To him that overcometh, Rev. 3.21.Rev 3:21will I give to ſit with me on my Throne: Now to Conquer, is not to fight or skirmiſh a little, but to renew the combate, and purſue it, till we have got the Enemy within our Power: So our Duell with Sinne, ſhould be ad Internecionem, to the utter ruine and extirpation of it: Since the Price is our Souls, which we have no way to ſave, but by killing this Adverſary.Heb. 13.4.Heb 13:4 The Apoſtle therefore exhorting the Hebrewes to endure Afflictions, uſeth this as a Motive, Ye have not as yet reſiſted unto blood, fighting againſt Sinne. As if he had ſaid, Ye have as yet done juſt nothing, p. 34for this Warfare againſt Sonne, is never to be ended, but with the Death and Deſtruction of one of the Combatants.

Reaſon 3 Laſtly, When we have done all, Sinne will ſtill be in us.Rom. 7.20.Rom 7:20 So the Apoſtle Paul found, when he complains, that it is no longer I which doe theſe things, but Sinne which dwelleth in me: And then preſently cries out in great paſſion, like a man half diſtracted, who ſhall deliver me from this Body of Sinne and of Death? verſ. 24.meaning thereby thoſe Reliques of Originall Corruption, which like a Fatall Poiſon; will not in this life be ſo totally emptied out of the Soul, but ſtill ſome drops will remain behind, to embitter our Lives, and to exerciſe our Graces, The moſt we can doe, will be to diſarm this Enemy, for we cannot … him; to pull him from the Throne, ſince we cannot caſt him out of the Houſe. For it alwayes lies within, like Leaven, ſpreading its infection; or like Fire; if not watched, enflaming our whole man, being it ſelf firſt inflamed of Hell. Sinne may lye quiet in the Soil, like ſparks raked up in Aſhes, which, upon the Addition of new Fuell, onelyonly rageth the more There is ſaith Job, Hope of a Tree, Job. 14.7.Job 14:7when it is cut down, yet if the Root abide in the Earth, by the Sent of Water it may flouriſh and ſpring afreſhe, ſo there is fear of Sinne, becauſe the … of the …ter abides in us, and is alwayes reſtleſs and importunate in its Actings. As a Cloud, however Thin and Empty at firſt, yet if there be a rough Wind to ſcatter it, it ſoon over ſpreads the whole Face of Heaven; ſo Sinne in the Soul, hath alwayes a Furious and Eager Spirit to blow it up, which ſhould make us carefull to throw out the evil Firment leaſt it ſhould ſowr the whole Maſs, and by its corrupt quality, infect whatever it mixeth with.

p. 35Ʋſe. This may ſerve to rectifie their miſtakes, who think it a very facile and eaſie matter to be a Chriſtian. Were there indeed no more required, then to keep modum peccandi, to regulate our vile Actions, and to preſerve a mean in ſinning, this would not at all be hard; ſuch a meaſure is atteinable by meer Morality: The Heathen, whoſe Lives we read of, had many of them this degree in great Perfection; whoſe beſt virtues were onelyonly vitia temperata, well mingled and Allayed Vices. Their light, how glorious and great ſoever it ſeems, was nothing elſe but Coloured Darkneſs; and their beſt Heats, onelyonly rebuted cold; ſufficient to ſatisfie the world, and to get Applauſe with Men; but as for Inward Purity, and Heart-Mortification, that was a thing they never dreamt of; this was a task reſerved for our Saviours followers. He hath not minced the matter, when he tells us, that the way to Heaven is a Streight and foreign, i. e. a ſqueezed, preſſed and Narrowed way; ſo pent up,Mat. 7.Matt 7 and very ſtreight, that no Wind of Ambition, no Tumour of Pride, no running-Sore of Luſt will enter there; he tells us plainly, that we may take our choice, either cut off our Hands, i. e. abridg our ſelves of our moſt Uſefull and Profitable Sinnes, or elſe into Hell fire; it will certainly be very dreadfull to endure the one, and it muſt needs be painfull to doe the other. Hence Fear and Trembling. Watchfullneſs and Sollicitude are ſo often called for; we muſt be alwayes upon our Guard, becauſe ever in a fighting poſture, which is a very uneaſie ſervice. And theſe being the Termes, upon which we are to follow Chriſt; it is very ſad to conſider, what a Liberty, both in Life and Language, even Profeſſors of Religion doe take, as if they had a mind to try, how neer they could come to Sinne, without actuall Sinning. We uſe to be afraid of the p. 36ſhadow of a Lion; and in a bodily diſtemper, none willingly would venture upon a little Poiſon, leaſt by accident it ſhould prove Mortall. Why we ſhould not be as carefull to avoid thoſe Sinnes, which none but fools count Little, is a Queſtion we cannot aſſoil, if we either value our Souls, or prize our Peace with God, with whom to break in little things, is great Preſumption. It will be to no purpoſe to ſcape greater Corruption, if leſs may be ſufficient to damn us.Rom. 6.14.Rom 6:14 One Chain ties the Slave as faſt to his Oar, as if he had a thouſand; ſo doth one Luſt bind up the Sinner unto Satans ſervice; ſince all the while it reigns, it proclaims that Sinne is our Maſter.

Ʋſe 2 To exhort all Believers to ſet upon this Duty; as for others, they have no skill in it; it is a peculiar Task for ſuch, as have the Life of Faith; and this they ought ſo much the more earneſtly be excited to, in that, all the while they allow themſelves in any one Sinne, they are Eſtranged from the Life of God; 1 Joh. 1.7.1 John 1:7if we expect to have fellowſhip with him, we muſt walk in the Light, as he is in the Light: As Darkneſs, is nothing elſe but the Abſence of the Sunnes Light; ſo Sinne, which the Apoſtle calls Spirituall Darkneſs, is nothing elſe but the Abſence of the Light of Gods Countenance, which while it ſhines upon the ſoul, it preſerves it not only from Diſcomfort, but likewiſe from Dangerous ſtumblings. It is indeed very poſſible, for a True Believer, through heedleſneſs and inadvertency, to fall into ſome Groſs Sinnes, as David, Hezekiah and Peter did, but yet as while they lye in them, their condition ſeems little to differ from that of Reprobates; ſo when they begin to recover out of them, we may learn from the Practice of thoſe forementioned Saints, that their Peace with God, and Aſſurance of his Favour is not recovered without great Expence of p. 37Tears and Sorrow. Every Sinne therefore is to be mortified, if for no other reſpect, yet for this, in that any one allowed and countenanced in the Soul, will caſt a cloud upon all our Graces, and hinder us for the time from diſcerning the Truth and Sincerity of any. As we therefore prize our own Peace, and Senſe of Communion with God, ſo muſt we beſtirre our ſelves, to keep every Corruption from breaking out and prevailing. For the effecting of which, the obſerving of theſe Rules will be very neceſſary.

1. Diſtinguiſh carefully between the Naturall and the Sinfull Deſires of the Soul. There are ſome Deſires, viz. of Food, of Reſt, of Raiment, &c. which as they are Naturall, ſo they are Innocent too; Our Saviour himſelf was not without them, the Apoſtle ſaith,Heb. 4.15.Heb 4:15 He was tempted in all things as we are, i. e. with Hunger, with Cold and Nakedneſs, yet without Sinne. The Body, as it is a creature of God, is good and muſt be provided for; and therefore the Mortification of the Body, conſiſts not, in denying it the Neceſſaries of Life, but in Abridging it of its Irregular and Senſuall Appetites.1 Tim. 6.8.1 Tim 6:8 Having Food and Raiment, ſaith the Apoſtle, let us be therewith content: from whence it follows, that either through Want, to be Deſtitute; or through Will, to deprive our ſelves of Food and Raiment, is our Miſery, and not our Mortification. They that are in the Fleſh cannot pleaſe God: Rom. 8.8.Rom 8:8The meaning is not, they that are in the Body, cannot pleaſe God; for ſo it is our duty to pleaſe him; but, they that walk in the Vanity and Senſuality of their Fleſhly Mind, cannot pleaſe God: Such as commit thoſe Actions that the Apoſtle hath branded with the Name of Works of the Fleſh; as, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanneſs, Gal. 5.22.Gal 5:22Drunkenneſs, p. 38&c. theſe cannot pleaſe God, becauſe they walk in Wayes directly contrary to the Holineſs and Spirituality of his Commands. But where the Appetite is hedged in and bounded within thoſe limits, that God hath appointed, there to come Eating and Drinking, as our Saviour did, may more redound to the Glory of God, in our thankfull Uſing of his Bounty, than any Forced and uncommanded Abſtinence. So that all thoſe Wayes of Mortification, which are now preſcribed in the Church of Rome, and too much doted on by men that love to be talked on for their Sanctity, are but the Old, Needleſs and Sinfull Methods of the Phariſees, revived with greater Rigour and Auſterity; which conſiſt, as the Apoſtle hath it, foreign,Col. 2.23.Col 2:23 in Unmercifullneſs to, and not ſparing of, the Body; and ſeem to have a Face of Wiſdome and True Holineſs, but indeed are meer Folly; as neither reaching to (pull out the Core of Sinne, which lies within; nor being able to keep the practiſers of them from Exchanging a Carnall Luſt for Spirituall Pride: and ſo inſtead of right ſubduing the Body, they onelyonly ſwell and puff up the Soul.

2. Pray for the Spirit of Chriſt; without which we ſhall be too Weak to ſet upon and conquer this In-bred Enemy. Whatever is born of the Fleſh, is Fleſh, i. e. both Prall and Sinfull: and Fleſh will never be able to ſubdue Fleſh; the Spirit, which alwayes acts in Believers, muſt be ſet awork about it.Rom. 8.13.Rom 8:13 If by the Spirit, ye mortifie the deeds of the Fleſh, faith the Apoſtle, ye ſhall live, i. e. ye ſhall live indeed, for it is this Spirit alone that quickens. And whoever thinks of mortifying his Corruptions, without this ſupernaturall Aſſiſtance, begins a Combate wherein he is ſure to be foiled; ſince not onelyonly his own p. 39Nature, but likewiſe the Powers of Hell are violently bent againſt him; and how ſhall he ſcape the Malice and Wickedneſs of thoſe Evill ſpirits; unleſs the Spirit of God, which will alwayes reſide where his preſence is ſollicited, doth ſecure the ſoul and give us ſtrength for the Victory.

Laſtly, Labour for the Aſſurance of the Pardon of your Paſt Sinnes: As he that runnes a Race, muſt firſt put off his Fetters; ſo whoever engages againſt the Violence of his Luſts, muſt firſt be ſatisfied, that his paſt offences are forgiven; or elſe the ſenſe of Sinne unpardoned will lye, like a Weight upon him, and inſtead of exciting him to ſtrive againſt it, betray him to its Aſſaults.

For the Attaining of this, beſides what the Spirit of God may immediately work, (which caſe falls not under any Rule, ſince the Spirit blowes where and when it pleaſeth) there is no Method can be given better, than that which I have hitherto been inſiſting on, and that is to caſt our ſelves upon Gods Free-Grace in Chriſt; which who ſo doth, is as certain never to miſcarry, as the Word of God, and the Experience of all the Saints now Triumphing in Heaven, can make him.

FINIS.

End of the text · Edward Bagshaw, The Doctrine of Free Grace No Doctrine of Licentiousness (1662)