The True Bounds of Christian Freedom, Text (4 of 5)

The True Bounds of Christian Freedom · Text (4 of 5)

p. 212And he goes upon the duty, as a piece of reward; which if he can but find God in, and have converſe and communion with God in it; Oh there is heaven enough, glory enough to his ſoule. As for other prayers wherein his ſoule hath no communion with God, he hath thus much comfort from them; that his ſoule did in ſuch a duty ſet it ſelfe in ſinceritie to converſe with God, to have communion with God, though miſerable poore man he wanted it.

Give me leave to give you the difference of theſe two ſpirits, Legall, and Evangelicall, in nine or ten particulars, it may be worth your obſervance.

1. The principle that carries the one upon dutie is ſlaviſh; the other childlike; p. 213one doth theſe things with a Legall ſpirit, **Lege Chamier. l. 15. c. 2. ſect. 25.either hopes of rewards by it, or feare of puniſhment if he doe it not: the other goes upon this, for communion with God, and ſees that his reward and happineſſe, to have communion with him; and the want of it, the greateſt puniſhment.

2. The one doth theſe things as his delight, the other as his burden; and indeed it muſt needs be burden to them who find not God in prayer, Multi Deo ſerviunt non filiorum spiritu ſed mancipiorum animo, metu poenae, aut spe mercedis Cameron.either ſomething of God going out from them to him, or ſomething of God coming down from him to them. He that hath to doe with nothing but duty, in duty, to them dutie is tedious; but they who have to do with God, with Chriſt in duty, to them duty is delightfull. Now ſuch though they pray, they have nothing to doe with God in prayer, they have no converſe with him; they have to doe with nothing but duty in duty; yea and not with that neither, they have to doe with the world, with ſinne in duty, not dutie in dutie, much leſſe with God in dutie: therefore it is tedious.

But the other hath to do with God, that is, he labours, he breathes, his heart gaſpes after him; he it is whom he hath in his p. 214eyes, whom he labours after in prayer, though he cannot enjoy him.

3. The one he doth dutie out of convictions of conſcience, the other he doth duty out of the propenſions of Nature. Many men whoſe obedience is their precept, not their principle, holineſſe their law, not their nature; many men who are convinced, who are not converted, many that are convinced this they ought to doe, they ought to pray, who yet want hearts to cloſe w^th thoſe things they are convinced of, and do. Meere conviction is rather a tyrant then a king; it conſtraines, it doth not perſwade; Conſcientiae renatorum non legis neceſſitate coactae legi obſequantur, ſed legis ipſius jugo liberae, voluntati Dei ultro obediant. Calvin.it forces, it doth not move and incline the ſoul to obedience, it is but a daring, not a reforming light, it dares a man not to ſin, it dares a man to doe dutie, but inables not a man either to hate ſin, or love dutie, all that they do is out of meere convictions of conſcience, not out of propenſitions of nature. Conſcience tels you, that you ought to doe theſe things, but gives no ſtrength to do them. Meere conviction doth but diſcover the way, tell you what to doe, but it doth not carry the ſoul in it; Like a ſtone ſet up in the way, it ſhews the way to the traveller, but gives no ſtrength to walke it. But now where p. 215there are principles, where there is grace, it is in the ſoul as a pilot in the ſhip, who doth not onelyonly diſcover the way, but ſteers us & carries us that way it doth diſcover.

4. The one he lookes for ſatisfaction in the dutie by the dutie; the other he lookes for ſatisfaction in the dutie by Chriſt, he works above the dutie for his ſatisfaction.

5. The one contents himſelfe with the ſhell, the other no content without the ſubſtance; the one goes upon dutie, as the meanes of Communion with God, to ſee God and enjoy God, and have converſe with God in it, the other goes upon it meerly to ſatisfie the grumblings and quarrels of his conſcience.

6. The one doth them, but he looks to live by them: ask many a ſoul, that prayes how he thinks to come to heaven, he will tell thee by prayer; But now the other doth them, and overlooks them, looks alone to live by Chriſt; he lives in dutie, but not by dutie, he lives in obedience, but yet above his obedience. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt in me. He looks for as much by Chriſt, and from Chriſt, as though he had never prayed a prayer, ſhed a teare; Though he have done this abundantly, p. 216yet he looks up to Chriſt in reſpect of acceptance, as if he had done none himſelfe.

7. The one doth theſe things coldly and formally, the other fervently; and yet I queſtion not, but there may be coldneſſe in a godly man, and earneſtneſſe in another. If Baals Prieſts prayed to their Idol ſo earneſtly, much more a naturall conſcience to God. A naturall man may pray earneſtly; there is no queſtion but Ahab was earneſt, &c. A condemned man may cry earneſtly for a pardon. A naturall man may pray earneſtly at times, when in feare and horrour, under pangs of conſcience, he may now cry earneſtly, but not beleevingly. There may be much affection in a prayer when there is but little faith, fleſhy affections, naturall affections, raiſed affections, either from convictions, feares, horrours, theſe are but the cryes of nature, of ſenſe and reaſon, the cryes of fleſh not of faith; the affections which faith raiſeth, they are not loud, yet they are ſtrong; though they are ſtill, yet they are deepe; though not ſo violent, yet more ſweet, more laſting.

8. Againe, one doth duties by way of ſubſerviency to other ends: that which p. 217makes dutie deſireable to one, is ſome reſpects, dutie is deſireable but onelyonly in a caſe: And you know things which yet otherwiſe are lookt upon as evill may be deſired in a Caſe. As the Merchant caſting his goods out of the Ship, he looks upon the thing no way deſireable, he caſts away his heart with them, but yet in this caſe he ſubmits to it, to ſave his life. So they deſire dutie, and holineſſe but onelyonly in a Caſe, they looke upon prayer, upon obedience, mortification of their luſts, &c. but as ſo many hard taskes, and impoſitions which they muſt ſubmit to undergoe if they will come to glory; But the other doth cloſe with theſe as his heaven, as a part of his happineſſe, a piece of his glory—he doth not cloſe with theſe things out of ſubmiſſion, but out of delight, theſe are not his penance, but his glory, his deſire: As the one he parts with ſin, not becauſe it is not deſireable, for he weeps after them, but becauſe it is damning, he parts with ſin as Iacob with Beniamin, becauſe otherwiſe he ſhould ſtarve: or as Phaltiel, w^th Michol, becauſe otherwiſe he might loſe his head: or as the Merchant with his goods, becauſe otherwiſe loſe his life. And ſo he cloſeth with p. 218holineſſe, not out of love and deſire to it, but becauſe this he muſt endure if he will come to heaven. But now the other he parts with ſinne as poyſon, as an accurſed thing which hee deſires to be rid of, and cloſeth with holineſſe as his happineſſe, which he thirſts to enjoy, and to be ſwallowed up with it.

9. The one hee doth dutie, as the ſicke man eates his meat, not out of deſire and delight, but out of reaſon, it is more out of conviction he muſt die if he doe not eate, then out of deſire or ſtomach to it. The other doth dutie, as a healthfull man feeds, not meerely out of reaſon, but out of deſire and delight in it, Or the one he cloſeth with dutie, as with phyſick, not food, as with a medicine, not with meat: there is reluctance againſt it, it is no way deſireable but in Caſe, Si quid boui triſte feceris, fit de te, potius quum a te, Proſpe.in caſe of health; but the other cloſeth with it as a healthfull man with his meat, there is delight, deſire, pleaſure in feeding, &c. Theſe are the new borne babes that deſire the ſincere milk, — The one cryes, The good that I would do, I cannot doe, and the evill that I would not doe, I doe; the other, The good that I have no deſire to doe, I doe, and the evill that I deſire to do p. 219I dare not doe: he would ſin, and dares not, becauſe of wrath, he doth dutie and hath no heart to it, becauſe he wants a ſpirit ſutable.

All delight in duties doth ariſe from a ſutableneſſe of ſpirit in the doing of them, if there be not grace within, as well as dutie without, if there be not principles agreeable to precepts, the heart can never delight in them. Here is the ground that a godly man doth walke in dutie, not meerely becauſe it is commanded, but becauſe he acts his nature, in his obedience.

The Law of God which is in the booke is tranſcribed into his heart, it is his nature, his new nature; ſo that hee acts his owne nature renewed, in acting obedience. The eye needs no command to ſee, or the eare to heare, it is their nature, the command is in it ſelf, the facultie of ſeeing is the command to ſee: ſo far as the heart is renewed it is as naturall for it to obey, as for the eye to ſee, the ear to hear; and to live in obedience, as the fiſh in the water, the bird in the ayre.

And therefore we do not obey meerly, Conclu. becauſe it is commanded, that is for ſuch who have no principle in them, but wee p. 220obey out of principles which God hath implanted in us ſutable to the commands of God. Indeed the command is the rule without of our obedience, but grace is the principle within; the heart and command anſwer one another: As face anſwers face in the water, or in a glaſſe, ſo the heart and the command; the command is tranſcribed into the heart. Hence it is that there is ſo much delight in obedience, becauſe it is naturall to obey, ſo farre as the heart is renewed; As it is naturall for the eye to ſee, the ear to hear; ſo for the heart to obey, ſo farre as it is renewed; And hence comes delight, Pſal. 40.8.Ps 40:8Pſal. 40.8. I delight to doe thy will oh my God, and wherein was this delight, hee ſhews in the words following, thy law is in my heart, &c. There was the ground, the law was not only his command, but his nature; ſo long as the law is your command onelyonly, you cannot delight to do the will of God; you do duties, but you cannot delight in them, unleſſe it be looking upon them, as ſomething for glory, ſomething for heaven; but when once the Law of God becomes your nature, then you come to delight in obedience, and in the wayes of God.

Actions of nature they are actions of p. 221delight; the eye is never weary of ſeeing, the eare of hearing, neither the heart of obeying; that is ſo farre as it is renewed, ſo farre as ſanctified, becauſe it is his nature. God hath promiſed in his Covenant, to write his laws in the tables of the heart: poor men you have the Law in tables of ſtone, and write after it as after a copie, a thing without you, and you have worke indeed, but hee ſaith hee will write them in the tables of the heart, he will tranſplant them into the ſoule, whereby they ſhall become our nature, and then obedience ſhall not be a forreine command, a Law without you, but obedience ſhal be a natural thing, a Law within you, your nature; hence is that abundance of delight in the Law, as you ſee in the 119. Pſal. up and downe. Hence is that delight in obedience to it, becauſe all this is now your nature, and ſo farre as that acts it acts with delight.

I grant there may be a kind of irkeſomeneſſe and tediouſneſſe in us at times, to doe thoſe things which yet are naturall and full of delight; though it be naturall for the eye to ſee, and that wherein it delights, the eye is never weary of ſeeing, as Solomon ſaith, but that is to be underſtood of an eye that is ſound; for if the eye p. 222before, it may breed a tediouſneſſe in the eye to do that which it delights ſo much in. So though it be naturall for the ſoule to obey, and that wherein it delights, as the fiſh in the water; yet if the principles within be diſturbed, if wounded, it may breed a kind of irkeſomeneſſe, weariſomeneſſe, and tediouſneſſe in the ſoule, to doe that which yet it had ſo much delight to doe.

And this may ariſe from divers grounds.

1. Either their hearts may be damped with carnall affections, 2. or they may be pulled back with the prevailes of corruptions, 3. or they may drive heavily under ſome vexing, and long temptation, 4. or in caſe of the ſpirits withdrawment either in Poenall, or Probationall trials, 5. or in caſe of Relapſing into ſinne. Yet in the greateſt unwillingneſſe, take a Saint at the worſt, hee hath a ſtronger Byas to God, then any others have, when they are at beſt, becauſe in the one there is ſome will renewed, though a will now obſcured, or in conflict, in the other there may be ſome paſſion, ſome mood to ſervice, but no will.

p. 223And thus much ſhall now ſerve for the anſwere of this third Query. Wherein I have plainely ſhewed you, that it is no infringement to our Chriſtian libertie to be tyed to the performance of duties, nor yet to obey and doe duties, becauſe God hath commanded them; onelyonly this is the freeneſſe of a Chriſtian ſpirit, though hee doe the duties which are commanded, and doe them becauſe God hath commanded them, yet not meerely becauſe they are commanded, but out of principles of love, delight, and agreableneſſe to the things that are commanded: he prayes becauſe God hath commanded him, but not meerely becauſe of the command, but becauſe there is a ſutableneſſe between his heart and the work, his ſoul and the duty, and as he deſires after, ſo his ſoul delights in his approaches and converſes with God. I have ſpoken to it at large: Wee come now to the fourth Query.

Whether the freeme of Chriſt, Query. 4 or thoſe made free by Chriſt, may not ſinne themſelves into bondage againe? It is affirmed by ſome: It is denyed by others. I ſhall anſwer in briefe. There is a twofold bondage. 1. Ʋniverſall. 2. Partiall, or graduall.

p. 2241. An univerſall bondage, or a ſtate-bondage; which is a bondage properly ſo called: and that is three-fold.

1. A bondage to ſinne, which is expreſſed in the 3. Tit. 3. We which were ſometimes fooliſh and diſobedient, ſerving divers luſts. So in the 6. Rom. 20. For when you were the ſervants of ſinne, you were free from righteouſneſſe. And Iohn 8.34. He that committeth ſinne, is the ſervant of ſinne. 2 Pet. 2.19. While they promiſe them liberty, they themſelves are the ſervants of corruption.

2. It is a bondage to Satan; who is Gods Iaylor, and holds downe poore ſoules, under braſen barres, and iron gates, not to be broken. Epheſ. 2.2. He is ſaid to rule in the hearts of the children of diſobedience.

3. It is a bondage to the Law. 1. the rigour. 2. the curſe of the Law.

1. A bondage to the rigour of the Law, which requires, 1. hard things: 2. impoſsible things: 3. yea and that in ſuch ſeveritie that it wil not accept of the moſt eminent indevours without performance: 4. Nor of obedience in much, if you faile in a little: 5. Nor will it admit of repentance after all this failing; one breach is p. 225never made up againe, neither by double diligence, nor by repentance. That is the rigour of it.

2. It is a bondage to the curſe of it: which is, 1. An extenſive and univerſall curſe; curſed in ſoule, body, eſtate, ſilver, gold, relations, as you ſee in the 29. Deuteronomie.

2. And it is an unavoydable curſe; thou art not able to obey in all things, and therefore unavoydably concluded under the malediction and curſe; as the Apoſtle reaſons, Gal. 3, 9, 10, 11. As many as are under the workes of the law, they are under the curſe; and how proves he that? For it is written, Curſed is every one that doth not obey in all things written in the booke of the law to doe them. Where there is the impartialitie of the curſe, to every one, and the ſeveritie of it. 1. Who ever obey not. 2. Obey not in every thing; nay though he ſhould, yet one omiſſion and fayling in his life, would conclude him under it. 3. Who ever continues not to obey in all things — And this is the firſt, the ſtate-bondage, or bondage properly ſo called.

2. There is a partiall or graduall bondage, a bondage in part; or a bondage in p. 226degrees, which is a bondage improperly ſo called.

And that is 1. A bondage in reſpect of comfort. 2. A bondage in reſpect of the manner of obedience.

And ſo we ſhall anſwer this in two concluſions.

That the free-man of Chriſt, Concluſion. 1 or thoſe that are made free by Chriſt, ſhall never ſinne themſelves into the firſt bondage againe; they ſhall never ſinne themſelves into that univerſall and ſtate-bondage; he that is once Chriſts freeman, ſhall never againe become Satans bond-ſlave. 1. He ſhall never more be a ſervant to ſinne, the promiſe is, Rom. 6.14. You are not under the law, but under grace; therefore ſin ſhall have no more dominion over you. Sin may have a tyranny, but never a ſoveraigntie: you may be carried captive, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 7.23. — leading me captive — but you ſhall not be willing captives; you may fall into ſinne, but you ſhall never be ſervants to ſinne more; your eares ſhall never be boared in token of willing and voluntary ſubiection to ſinne.

2. Againe, he ſhall never be a ſlave to Satan more, Satan may get the advantage p. 227of him, but he ſhall never become his willing ſervant more.

3. So he ſhall never come under the law more. 1. Not under the rigour of it. 2. Not under the curſe of it; the law can take no hold of him to condemnation. And this is the ground, he is not under the law, but under grace; if he can ſinne himſelfe from under grace, then indeed he is againe under all this: But this is impoſſible, therefore the other; and ſo much for the firſt.

Though the freemen of Chriſt cannot ſinne themſelves into a ſtate of bondage againe, into an univerſall bondage; Concluſion. 2 yet may they ſinne themſelves into a graduall partiall bondage, which we will ſhew in two particulars.

1. The freeman of Chriſt may ſinne himſelfe into a bondage in reſpect of comfort. Thus you ſee David did, Pſal. 51. Reſtore to me the ioyes of thy ſalvation: men that will not follow the direction of the Spirit, ſhall want the conſolation of the Spirit; if they will doe workes of darkeneſſe, they muſt looke to walke in darkeneſſe. Though promiſes of grace are abſolute, yet promiſes of peace and comfort ſeeme to be conditionall, not p. 228that our walking hath any meriting or deſerving power to the procuring of our peace: but that this is the way in which God will beſtow it, and continue our peace and comfort. In the waies of dutie we hold up our communion with God, our converſes with him, our actings of faith and grace; and ſo in theſe waies comfort and peace as they are procured, ſo are they continued. Grace is as the fire, comfort as the flame that comes from it; but as it is with greene wood, if it be not continually blowing, there will be no flame; ſo grace is in us, as fire in greene wood, which will quickly gather an aſh and deadneſſe, if you doe not continue in blowing, if you doe not exerciſe your graces, you can looke for no flame, looke for no comfort without the exerciſe of faith, of grace, and ſutable walking in obedience. Though promiſes of grace are abſolute, yet promiſes of comfort, I ſay, they are conditionall, Pſal. 50.23. To him that ordereth his converſation aright, will I ſhew the ſalvation of God. Iſa. 32.17. The worke of righteouſneſſe ſhall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſſe ſhall be quietneſſe and aſſurance for ever. Iſa. 64.5. Thou meeteſt p. 229him that reioyceth and worketh righteouſneſſe, him that remembers thee in thy way, &c. Ioh. 14.15, 16, 21. If you love me, keepe my Commandements, and I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, who ſhall abide with you for ever. verſ. 21. He that hath my commandements and keepeth them, is he that loveth me; and he that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelfe to him. Where you ſee it ſeemes all to lie upon condition: ſo Gal. 6.16. As many as walke according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy, and upon the whole Iſrael of God. So that if men walke not in the wayes of obedience, they may want comfort, they may want peace.

The freemen of Chriſt may ſinne themſelves into a bondage by ſinne, though not into the bondage of ſinne: They may ſin themſelves into a bondage of feare; yea and a bondage of trouble; their ſinne may coſt them brokenneſſe of bones, though they ſhall not ſinne themſelves into a ſtate-bondage againe. Though you cannot ſinne away your grace, yet you may ſinne away the evidence, the ſenſe, the comfort of it: Though you cannot ſinne p. 230away your pardon, yet you may ſinne away the ſenſe of it; nay the comforts of it; though you have it, yet you have no comfort from it; it is as though you had no pardon in reſpect of you; otherwiſe you muſt ſay a man may have fulneſſe of peace, of aſſurance, and of comfort even in the higheſt acts of ſinne, as ſome have ſaid. Nay, and you may not onelyonly ſinne away the ſenſe and comfort of it, but the evidence and knowledge of it; as that place of Peter ſeemes to imply, 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old ſinnes; new ſinnes bring new feares, new guilts and troubles: All the former foundations and reſting places of the ſoule ſeeme to be ſhaken, new doubts ariſe whether I am juſtified and pardoned, yea, or no; and theſe new doubts bring new troubles and feares on the ſoule.

But you will ſay this is our weakneſſe, Obiect. for the free men of Chriſt they are let looſe to enjoy the free Spirit of Chriſt, that is ſay **Doctor Cr. in his Chriſt alone exalted. p. 246.they, to have free diſcourſe, and free ſocietie with the Spirit of God, and may heare all the gracious language of Gods thoughts, yea and with application and comfort, and that ſay ſome, aſſoone as p. 231he comes warme out of ſinne.

This is our weakneſſe indeed, Anſw. 1 but a penall weakneſſe, a weakneſſe which is a chaſtiſement of former wickedneſſe.

There are threefold deſertions. 1. Cautionall, for prevention of ſinne, as Pauls ſeemes to be. 2. Probationall for triall, and exerciſe of grace, as Iobs. 3. Penall, for chaſtiſement of ſome way of wickedneſſe, as Davids.

In the former it is our weakneſſe indeed, and ſo is the other, but yet with much difference, for in this it is a weakneſſe which we have contracted on our ſelves, or a weakneſſe inflicted in chaſtiſement of former wickedneſſe, as it was in David, his ſinne had brought this on him.

The Spirit of God is a tender and delicate ſpirit **Ita nos tractat ut a nobis tractatur.if you grieve him, he will grieve you; if you wil not follow his counſell and commands, you ſhall want his comforts and joyes: Your iniquities have ſeparated betweene you and your God. Though ſinne make not a totall ſeparation, a finall ſeparation, between us and God, yet it may cauſe a withdrawment, and breed a diſtance between God and us, it may caſt up ſuch a cloud, that all the faith we have will not be able to ſee through p. 232it, as you ſee in David: you have a paſſage in Iſa. 57.17. proves this, For the iniquity of his covetouſneſſe I was wroth, I ſmote him and hid my face—And you ſee how frequently upon the admiſsion of ſinne, though perhaps of an ordinary nature too, what troubles the ſoule hath, all the former reſting places for the ſoule are no reſt to a man, all his former evidences are beclouded, and hid in the dark, he cannot diſcern them. But all this you will ſay is his weaknes too, as David ſaith, Pſa. 77.10. This is my infirmity,—I grant it is our weakneſſe to queſtion former titles, if ever God did grant us a grounded evidence of a pardon, and our intereſt in Chriſt, to call it in queſtion again. But it is ſuch a weakneſſe as doth accompany wickedneſſe, ſuch a weakneſſe as ſinne will bring on you; and God ſuffers it to be ſo, for his fatherly ends to humble us the more, and therefore,

1. God doth not looke now on us as he was wont.

2. Conſcience doth not now give in evidence as it was wont.

3 It may be Satan is let looſe to tempt us too.

4. It may be the Spirit of God is withdrawn p. 233too, becauſe you have grieved the holy Spirit, and then no marvell if there be trouble, if the ſoule want comfort.

But you will ſay; Obiect. It is our worke at this time, even after commiſsion of ſinne to beleeve, and if to beleeve, then to be comforted.

1. Comfort is the fruit of faith, Anſw. and therefore it may be our worke to beleeve. And a man may be able to beleeve, and yet not able to take comfort; A man may reſt upon Chriſt for pardon, and yet upon reflection is not able to evidence he doth reſt on him, and a man may be able to diſcerne of his own acts, and yet comfort may be ſuſpended for a time.

2. Though it be our work to beleeve, Per lachrymas venimus ad canticum.yet is it not ſo properly our work to take comfort; God would have us to take comfort in an orderly way, goe from beleeving and mourning, to joy and comfort. Gods workings are orderly workings; It is now your work, as you have ſinned afreſh, ſo to beleeve afreſh, and mourne afreſh, and then to receive comfort.

Yet 3. you may be comforted, firſt, in reſpect of your former iuſtification; this new ſinne doth not overthrow your former pardon, though interrupt and diſturbe p. 234your preſent peace and comfort, and ſecondly, you may be comforted in this, that there is mercy enough in God to cover, & Grace enough in Chriſt to cure this freſh ſinne: thirdly, and in this you are to be comforted that God doth not ſuffer you to lye in ſin but hath diſcovered it to you, humbled you for it, and brought you over to Chriſt, in whom you may renew your peace, and regaine your comforts.

But then you will ſay, that if our peace may be interrupted by our walking, then our peace and comfort doth not depend upon Chriſt, but upon our ſelves, not upon Chriſts doing, but upon our walking.

1. Some diſtinguiſh betweene a peace with God and a peace with our ſelves; the peace with God cannot be loſt, but peace with our ſelves may be forfeited.

2. Others diſtinguiſh between a peace of conſcience, and peace with conſcience. As wicked men may have peace with conſcience, but no peace of conſcience: So the Godly may have peace of conſcience, and yet want peace with conſcience, Conſcience may object and quarrell, and diſpute, when yet the ſoule is truely at peace.

3. Others diſtinguiſh betweene a reall p. 235peace and an apprehended peace: the godly may have reall peace in reſpect of their ſtate and condition, and yet want the ſenſe of peace in reſpect of their owne apprehenſion.

4. Others diſtinguiſh betweene the peace of Iuſtification, and peace from Iuſtification; the former remaines ſay they inviolate and uninterrupted, even when the ſoul doth neither ſee nor feel its wonted conſolations, 2 Cor. 5.7. Pſal. 49.5. but the other may be interrupted and diſturbed by our walkings.

5. Others ſay, there is a peace of Iuſtification, and a peace from Sanctification; the former, ſay they, doth depend no more upon our walking, then our Iuſtification it ſelfe doth; but the other doth depend upon our exact walking: God doth not maintain peace whilſt we neglect to walk in the wayes of peace, Pſal. 58.6, 7, 8. Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them. God doth ſtill carry on all his work both of peace and holineſſe in a neere proportion together, the one cheriſhing, and helping the other.—

In a word, I conceive wee may diſtinguiſh between the foundation and being of a Chriſtians peace, and the flouriſhing and p. 236welbeing of it. The foundation of our Chriſtian peace, is not in us, but in Chriſt; not in our holines, but in his righteouſneſſe; not in our walking, but in his blood and ſuffering, who is the ſpring of our peace, and in whom we have peace, Iohn 16.33. and who is ſaid to be our peace, Ephe. 2.14. But the flouriſhing and wel-being of this peace doth much depend upon the exerciſe of our Graces, and exact walking with God. It is purchaſed by the obedience of another, but muſt be cheriſhed by our owne obedience: And indeed it doth ſo far depend on us, that if we do not walk exactly, though we cannot ſinne away our former pardon, yet we may ſinne away our preſent peace. There is a 5. fold peace that a man may ſinne away, the leaſt of which is worth a world.

1. There is a peace which flowes from the witneſ-bearing of our conſcience in our integrity and exact walking, ſuch a peace as Hezekiah had when he ſaid, Lord remember how I have walked before thee in ſinceritie — and Paul had the ſame, 1 Theſ. 2.4, 5, 6. Rom. 1.9. and that peace we may ſinne away, when wee fall into freſh ſin, the comforts of our former walking will not beare us up.

p. 2372. There is a peace which flowes from the ſouls Communion and converſes with God in dutie. There is peace as well as ſweetneſſe in every peice of holineſſe, and this peace a man may ſinne away. All that ſweetneſſe and adaptation of ſpirit in duty is now gone upon freſh revolts into ſin, and now the ſoul formerly comforted, is interrupted and diſturbed in all its approaches and converſes with him.

3. There is a peace which flowes from the exerciſe of Grace implanted in you: you cannot exerciſe any Grace, but there is ſome peace and comfort in the exerciſe of it. When you exerciſe your faith to beleeve and cloſe with Chriſt, your repentance to mourne for ſin, — there is ſome peace, ſome comfort, that is the reſult of theſe exerciſes. Now a man may ſinne away this comfort, your freſh ſinne doth wound and diſturb you in the exerciſe of your Graces, and therefore your comforts which flow from ſuch exerciſes muſt needs be interrupted. Nay if a man may ſinne away ſome meaſures and degrees of Grace, thoſe meaſures which are gotten of a mans owne improvement, much more may he ſinne away his peace which ſhould flow from them.

p. 2384. There is a peace which flowes from the ſenſe & knowledge of Gods grace implanted in the ſoul, when a man is able to evidence the works of Grace implanted in the ſoule, there muſt needs be peace and comfort in it. Now this alſo a man may ſinne away, he may ſin away the ſenſe and knowledge of a work of Grace in him, he may ſo darken and obſcure his evidences by ſin, that he is not able to read them, nor diſcerne that worke of Grace in him, hee may now finde ſo much grace as to afflict him, but not ſo much as to comfort him, his light was not directive before, and it is afflictive now.

5. There is a peace which flowes from the aſſurance of God at peace with the ſoule: A peace which flowes from the ſenſe of Gods favour, from the aſſurance of God at peace with us. And this peace may we forfeit and loſe, though we cannot ſinne away our former pardon, yet may we ſinne away our preſent peace; nay and ſin away the ſenſe and comfort; yea the knowledge of our former pardon; which may be implied in that of the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old ſinnes.

And thus much ſhall ſerve for the Anſwer p. 239to the Objections, and the ſettling of the firſt particular, that the freemen of Chriſt may ſin themſelves into bondage in reſpect of comfort.

2. A Chriſtian may ſinne himſelfe into bondage in reſpect of the manner of his obedience: Though he doe now ſerve God, yet not with that meaſure of willingneſſe; not with that meaſure of freedome, chearfulneſſe, and delight; not with that inlargedneſſe of heart which formerly he hath done. David after his ſinne deſired that he might have the free Spirit of God reſtored to him; he had not loſt it, the free ſpirit was in him; but he wanted that former freedome of ſpirit; he wanted thoſe operations and workings of it; he wanted that comfort in ſervice, and that freedom to ſervice which he had before; the wheels were now taken off, and he went heavily, and ſadly on in the waies of life. Though it be naturall to the eye to ſee, and eare to heare, and that wherein it doth delight; for actions of nature they are actions of delight: yet if that the eye be ſoare, it may breed a tediouſneſſe and burden in the doing actions of nature: So here, if the principle whereby he obeys be wounded, it may worke an irkeſomeneſſe p. 240in the doing thoſe things wherein formerly a man delighted. Though ſinne cannot ſet him into the ſtate of a ſlave; yet it may diſable to ſerve fully as a ſonne. And this ſervileneſſe of ſpirit may be cauſed either by, 1. Feare: or 2. by Doubts, and unbeliefe: or 3. Grace is weakened in the operation by the prevailings of ſin: or 4. The ſoule wants thoſe former apprehenſions, and ſo is diſheartened in all its approaches unto God. Indeed now he ſerves God, but it is more out of obedience then out of delight; he dares not but pray, and yet he finds little heart in prayer: he is now wounded in all his approaches to God; that adaptation, and ſweet connaturalneſſe which was betweene his heart and duty is now gone; that complacency and delight which his ſoule had in all his approaches unto God, and walking with him, is gone, and the ſoule drives heavily in the waies of obedience; he goes now to duty, as a ſicke man to meat; not as a hungry healthfull man to his food; he doth duty rather out of ſpirituall reaſon, then out of naturall delight; and thus it befals many of the Saints in their relapſes into ſinne; they ſinne themſelves into bondage in reſpect p. 241of the manner of their obedience. And this ſhall ſerve for the anſwer to the fourth Query, viz. Whether the freemen of Chriſt may not ſinne themſelves into bondage. We come now to a fifth Query.

Whether this may conſiſt with our Chriſtian freedome, Queſt. 5 to doe duties with reſpect to reward.

There are three opinions concerning this Queſtion.

Some ſay that we are to doe duty, Opin. 1 to walke in the wayes of obedience, to merit heaven and glory; we muſt faſt, pray, and doe good workes; and all this with an eye to glory, as **Merces non eſt debita, ſed gratuita, non foreign. Rom. 4.4. Concil. Trident. Seſſ. 6. Can. 33.Rom 4:4wages for work, and as deſert of obedience. And therefore doe they doe all their workes; they faſt, pray, penance, and afflict themſelves, in reference to the purchaſe of heaven and glory by all this.

The Councel of Trent doe denounce a curſe upon thoſe who ſay, That a iuſtified perſon doth not merit eternall life by his obedience. And what would not the proud heart of a man do, if by doing he might merit heaven? what torments have the very heathen indured, out of an opinion that they ſhould come to happineſſe by them? And what would not others p. 242thers doe? Cum Deus coronat merita noſtra (vult opera noſtra) nihil aliud coronat quam munera ſua. Aug. Sua dona coronat, non merita tua. Aug.I have read it was the ſpeech of one, I would ſwim through a Sea of Brimſtone, ſaith he, that I might come to heaven at laſt. Men would be at great paines, and ſpare for no coſt, if what they did might be looked upon as layings out for heaven, as the purchaſe of glory, or as wages for worke. The proud heart of man would faine have that of debt, which God hath decreed to be of grace; and deſires that to be of purchaſe, which God hath intended to be of free gift.

But theſe are to be caſt out of the inquiry. Certainly though we may do good works, and walke in the wayes of obedience, with an eye to the recompence of reward; yet none of us hold, that theſe things are to be done with reference to our meriting of it. The Apoſtle tels us, that it is not of **Quia tu dignatus es facere, non quia ego dignus cui facias. Aug. in 43. Pſal.debt, but of grace, Rom. 4.4. And in Epheſ. 2.5. By grace we are ſaved. So in the 8, 9, 11. verſes. And the gift of God is eternall life, Rom. 6.23. aaRegmon coelorum non ſervorum ſtipendinus, ſed filiorum hareditas. Calv. de Merced.Glory is not the wages of a ſervant, but the inheritance of a ſonne.

And indeed, bbQuid ſunt omnia opera ad tantam gloriam? Bern. Quid poſſumus dignum facere praemiis coeleſtibus? Amb. in Pſal. 118. ſer. 20. Non ſunt condignae paſſiones ad praeteritam culpam, ne que futuram mercedem. Bern.Ps 118what are all our workes p. 243to that glory, if all our ſufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory that ſhall be revealed, what then are our doings? It was the ccSi homo mille annis ſerviret Deo etiam ferventiſſime, non mereretur ex condigno dimidiam diem eſſe in regno caelorum. Anſelm. de menſuratione crucis. Bern. Non valent vitae praeſentis obſequia, aeternae vitae gaudiis comparari, flacceſcant licet membra vigiliis, palleſcant licet era jejuniis, non erunt tamen condignae paſſiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam. Euſeb. Emiſ. Tua peccata ſunt, merita Dei ſunt. Aug.ſpeech of Anſelme, If a man ſhould ſerve God a thouſand yeeres, he could never by that ſervice deſerve halfe a day: I ſay, not one moment of time in that eternall glory.

And therefore we will caſt theſe out of the inquiry, it is too groſſe for Chriſtian eares: the Apoſtle tels us plainely, Tit. 3.5. Not by workes of righteouſneſſe which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaveth us. — Not by workes of righteouſneſſe, that is, our own works, though we ſay of them, as ſome of the more moderate of our Adverſaries doe; our owne workes **Opera noſtra ſanguine Chriſti tincta. Gratia nullo modo gratia, niſi omni modo gratia. Aug.ſprinkled with the bloud of Chriſt. All are iniurious to grace. For by grace we are ſaved; and grace, is no waies grace, if not every way Grace. But let us leave them.—

There are two other opinions which are to be debated.

2. Some ſay peremptorily, that we p. 244muſt have no eye, nor no reſpect to heaven or glory in our obedience: But we muſt walke in all the wayes of obedience, with this freedome; carrying no reſpect to the recompence of reward at all: and that it is utterly inconſiſtent with the free ſpirit of a Chriſtian, and deſtructive to our Chriſtian freedome, to doe duty with reſpect to reward.

3. There is a third opinion, that ſaith, we may doe holy actions, and we may walke in the wayes of obedience; and may alſo in this doing caſt an eye, and have reſpect to the recompence of reward.

Theſe two laſt come to be examined by us; we have caſt out the firſt, as inconſiſtent with the nature of grace, and the freedom of the Goſpel; but both theſe two are held up as conſiſtent with grace and Chriſtian freedome. And yet theſe two laſt ſeeme to ſtand upon oppoſite tearmes.

1. One ſaith, we are to doe holy duties, and may not at all caſt an eye to the recompence of reward.

2. The other ſaith, we may have respect to the recompence of reward in the doing of them.

For the firſt of theſe, that we are not p. 245to have respect to the recompence of reward: It ſeemes to be ſtrengthened by theſe arguments or reaſons.

1. Becauſe this overthrowes the nature of our obedience, and makes that mercenary and ſervile, which ſhould be ſonnelike and free; for if we doe obey God in reference to heaven and glory, then we doe not obey freely, not God for himſelfe, but ſervilely, and mercenarily, that obedience being ſervile in the principle which is mercenarie in the end.

2. Becauſe if ſo; then we overthrow the nature of grace, and make that mans purchaſe which yet is freely beſtowed of God, which muſt needs overthrow the nature of grace.

3. Becauſe all theſe things they are the parts of the Covenant made to us: I will pardon your ſinnes, I will give you grace, I will give you glory. Now we doe not obey that we may have pardon; nor obey that we may have grace; and why the other? why ſhould we ſay, that we obey, that we may have glory, ſeeing theſe are alike promiſed?

4. Becauſe all theſe are fully purchaſed by Ieſus Chriſt, and provided for in Chriſt. Therefore they are not the purchaſe of us: p. 246we doe not obey, that we may get this, but becauſe theſe are purchaſed for us, and we are perſwaded thereof, therefore we doe obey, &c.

Thus may the firſt Opinion be managed.

2. The ſecond, that we may have respect to the recompence of the reward in our obedience.

It may be thus managed and defended.

That which God hath propounded as an incentive to obedience, Argu. 1 we may look upon in our obedience. But this God hath ſo propounded: Ergo. Or thus. If motives may be taken from them to quicken us to obedience, then may we eye them in our obedience. But motives may be taken from thē to quicken us in our obedience. Ergo.

The ſecond propoſition ſeemes the main to be cleared; and it is proved thus.

That which God hath uſed as a motive to quicken to obedience, Min. probat.that may be uſed as a motive, and conſequently we may eye it in our obedience. But God hath uſed glory and heaven as a motive to quicken us to obedience: this is proved, Rom. 8.13. If you live after the fleſh you ſhall die, but if you by the ſpirit do mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, then you ſhall live. And in the 1 Cor. 15. laſt. Therefore be ſtedfaſt, alwaies p. 247abounding in the worke of the Lord, for as much as you know your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. So 2 Pet. 1.5. to the 12. & 2 Pet. 3.14. Seeing ye looke for new heavens and new earth, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot and blameleſſe. And Gal. 6.8, 9. He that ſoweth to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reape corruption; but he that ſoweth to the ſpirit, ſhall of the ſpirit reape life ever laſting: Be not weary in well doing, for in due ſeaſon ye ſhall reape if you faint not. So 2 Tim. 2.12. If we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo reigne with him. And therefore God having propounded this as an incentive of obedience; we may eye it, and have reſpect to it in our obedience.

That which the Saints and people of God have eyed in their obedience, Argu. 2 we may eye alſo. But the Saints in their obedience have eyed the recompence of reward: therefore, — &c. That they have eyed it, you ſee Moſes Heb. 11.25, 26. He choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enioy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon; eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then all the treaſures of Egypt, for he had respect **foreign.to the recompence of reward.

p. 248But you will ſay, Moſes was a man under the law, and he had not ſo free a ſpirit in ſervice, as thoſe now under the Goſpell.

But to this may be anſwered.

1. He was a ſonne, though under age, and had the free ſpirit of grace; elſe he could have had no glory.

2. Paul commends this act of Moſes, ſhewing the greatneſſe of his faith and obedience, and ſo makes it imitable to us.

3. But thirdly, we ſhall find thoſe who were under the Gospel, who enjoyed abundance of Gods free Spirit, that yet had an eye to the ſame recompence of reward in their obedience. You ſee Paul who had as free & ingenuous principles in him as ever man had; yet he ſaith of himſelfe, in Phil. 3.13, 14. I forget all things that are behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, I preſſe hard to the marke, for the price of the high calling of God in Ieſus Chriſt. And ſee Heb. 12.1, 2.

Thus you ſee the ſeverall opinions, and and the chiefe ſtrength whereon they ſtand.

Now in way of reconciliation, and ſetting p. 249downe that which I apprehend the truth in this Controverſie:

1. I will firſt ſhew what is meant by reward.

2. What by eyeing of the reward.

3. Whether the eyeing of it be any infringement to Chriſtian freedome.

For the firſt, what is meant by Rewards. Rewards may be ſaid to be of a threefold nature. 1. Temporall. 2. Spirituall. 3. Eternall.

1. Temporall, and thoſe are all kinde of mercies we enjoy in this life, whether perſonall, or relative, and thoſe poſitive, or privative, health, comfort, food, rayment, houſe, harbour, riches, freedome, deliverance. —

2. Spirituall, and thoſe are all kinde of bleſsings concerne the ſoule: Iuſtification, ſanctification, Grace, increaſe of grace, victory over our luſts, comfort, peace, joy, communion with God. —

3. Eternall rewards, and that is the maine in controverſie; glory, immortalitie, life, as the Apoſtle ſets it down, Rom. 2.5, 6, 7. Who will render to every man according to his works, to them who by patient continuance in well-doing ſeeke for glory, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall p. 250life. In a word, this eternall reward is the enioyment of God, of Chriſt, of the Spirit, it is perfect freedome from ſinne, it is perfect holineſſe, it is indeed, grace glorified, this is that eternall reward. And this ſhall ſuffice for the firſt.

2. What is meant by Eying of the reward. It is the phraſe which the Apoſtle uſeth of Moſes, Heb. 11.25, 26. He eſteemed the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then all the treaſures of Egypt, for he had reſpect to the recompence of reward. We will a little explaine what is meant by it.

There is a threefold eye.

1. There is an eye of knowledge, whereby a man ſees and knows the excellency of a thing.

2. There is an eye of faith, whereby he beleeves the truth of it, and his intereſt in it.

3. An eye of hope, and thereupon of patience, and waiting or expectation for the injoyment of it.

In theſe reſpects, Moſes might be ſaid to eye the recompence of reward.

1. He eyed it by knowledge, he knew thoſe things which were laid up for him, he ſaw him that was inviſible, as the next verſe tels us; and he ſaw thoſe rewards p. 251which God had laid up for his people, farre to be preferred before the pleaſures of ſinne.

2. He had an eye of Faith; Whereby he was perſwaded both of the truth of it, that ſuch things were reſerved, and of his part in them, and that he ſhould poſſeſſe this glory.

3. He had an eye of Hope, to wait and expect the enjoyment of all this with patience. Heb. 10.36.

And now hereupon he eſteemed the reproach of Chriſt above all the treaſures of Egypt, for ſaith the Text: He had an eye to the recompence of reward. What's that? ſhall we ſay, he had reſpect to that glory which hee ſhould purchaſe or enjoy, by doing of this, or for doing this. No. But becauſe he knew the glory that was reſerved for him, becauſe he did beleeve that he ſhould poſſeſſe it, becauſe he did hope for it, and expect it. Therefore he did deſpiſe all the riches and pleaſures of the world, as not worthy to be compared with it. Agreeable to which are thoſe places, Col. 3.23, 24. and Heb. 10.34. And thus much for the ſecond, we come now to the third.

3. Whether to doe duties with an eye, p. 252to the recompence of reward be any infringement to our Chriſtian freedome.

1. I anſwer, if you take it thus as I have ſaid, for knowing, beleeving, hoping; expecting of that glory God hath promiſed to us; then I ſay, it is no infringemen of Chriſtian libertie, to doe duties with an eye to the recompence of the reward. But rather contrary I ſay, that herein our liberty doth conſiſt, upon knowledge, faith, perſwaſion, hope, and expectation of that glory, which God hath reſerved for us, thereupon to be incouraged and quickened in our obedience, and thereby made free indeed in our obedience of him.

In briefe then if you take this eyeing of the recompence of reward as I have ſaid, then a man may doe duties with an eye to the recompence of reward. And indeed we ought to doe them with ſuch an eye to the recompence of reward. 1. VponUpon knowledge, faith, perſwaſion, that God will bleſſe us, and never depart from us, from doing us good. 2. And upon knowledge, faith, perſwaſion, that God is our Father, that our ſinnes are pardoned, &c. 3. And upon the like knowledge, faith and perſwaſion that p. 253God will glorifie us at laſt, thereupon we are to obey & give up our ſelves to all the wayes of obedience, love and ſervice of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Col. 3.23, 24. And what ever you doe, doe heartily to the Lord, knowing that of the Lord you ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance. But if by eyeing of the recompence of reward you meane thus, whether we are not to doe duties, in reference to the obtaining of ſpirituall, temporall and eternall mercies, then I muſt pauſe, and anſwer you by ſome diſtinctions.

If then the queſtion be demanded, 1. of temporall good things. Whether may not a man do duties and obey God in reference to Gods beſtowing of outward mercies and inioyments upon him in this life. The affirmative whereof, viz: (that a man may obey God with an eye and reſpect to Gods beſtowing of outward mercies, and good things in this life) is held up and maintained by holy and learned men, ſuch as I beleeve doe carry as little eye to theſe things as any doe, in their obedience. And this is maintained upon the former grounds, becauſe God hath propounded theſe things as motives and incentives to obedience, and the beſt of Saints have eyed p. 254them in their obedience, Ergo, we may do it alſo. And to take off all ſuſpicion of mercinarineſſe of ſpirit in ſo doing, they uſe to diſtinguiſh betweene Supreame grounds and ends, & Subordinate grounds and ends, and ſay, though the things of this life may be the Subordinate ground and end of our ſervice, yet they are not to be the ultimate and Supreame grounds or ends of ſervice. Matt. 6.33.Matt 6:33We may eye them with reference and ſubordination to Gods glory and our good and ſalvation, but not primarily before, or ſupreamely above the glory of God and our ſalvation: Theſe are the uſuall cautionall diſtinctions which are added by ſuch as affirme the poſition.

I reverence their perſons and iudgements, and what I ſpeak though it may be different, yet I ſuppoſe it will not be contrary to that which hath been maintained by them.

The Query is, Whether a man may not doe duties and obey God, in reference to Gods beſtowing temporall good things on him. For the right ſtating of the Query, I conceive firſt, that (man) in the Query, muſt be taken for Chriſtian man, or man in Chriſt; for if it be ſpoken of Carnall man, he doth neither obey from right principles, upon p. 255right grounds, after a right manner, or for right ends: we may ſay of all his obedience, Vix quaeritur Jeſus propter Jeſum. Aug.that it is but carnall, he hath carnall principles, and grounds and ends in all he doth. It may truly be ſaid of him, what God ſaid of the Iews, when they faſted and prayed, they did not at all doe this to God, They aſſembled themſelves for Corne, and Wine, and oyle, belly bleſſings, ſelf is the ground, and ſelf is the end of all. Principes regionem potius quam religionem quaerunt pauperes, panem potius quam Chriſtum. Chem.They ſerve not God either meerly, or mainly for himſelfe, but for themſelves; they ſeeke not him, but his; they follow him not for the miracles, but for the loaves: Many thouſands, who are moved by no inward ſpring, only theſe outward weights, which taken off, like a clock they ſtand ſtill and cannot ſtir. It is the voice of a carnall heart, Who will ſhew us any good? they count godlines no gaine, if they can make no gaine of godlineſſe; if in ſtead of gaine, they have loſſe, in ſtead of advantage, they meet with perſecution; if in ſtead of a good name, they meet with reproach, for Chriſt, then they preſently caſt off religion and obedience, they owned it meerly to ſerve their owne ends, and for their ends doe diſclaime it. Hee that will ſerve God for ſomething, will ſerve p. 256the divell for more, if hee can mend his wages he is for any maſter.

And therefore by [Man] in the Query, I conceive is meant [Chriſtian Man] or Man in Chriſt.

2. By [good things] here I conceive is meant, outward good things, and thoſe ſuch as the world doe reckon and eſteeme to be good things, as riches, honour, greatneſſe, applauſe; at leaſt, a competency and ſufficiency of temporall and outward good things.

3. And by [ſerving God] I conceive is meant all the acts of obedience, not only outward conformitie, but inward ſubiection to the lawes and commands of Chriſt.

4. And by [eying] of theſe temporall good things in ſervice, I conceive, is not meant the making theſe things either the meere or maine grounds of his obedience, nor the ſupreame and primary ends and aymes of his ſervice, for that were abominable, but carrying a reſpect unto the inioyment of theſe things, as a ſubordinate ground to ſet him on worke, and a means to quicken him in working. And thus I have rendred the beſt ſenſe I can, of thoſe p. 257particulars in the Query, and the queſtion being thus ſtated; I ſhall now come to the Anſwer. In which I conceive I ſhall have the grant of three particulars following.

1. That the inioyment of theſe good things of this life, is not the ground of a Chriſtian mans obedience; they are not that which doth put us on worke, though they ſhould be admitted to quicken us in working, they are not the ſpring of motion, at the moſt they are but oyle to the wheeles to keep on and quicken motion. I conceive there are theſe grounds of obedience.

1. The binding grounds: and thoſe are becauſe God hath commanded, as Pſal. 119.4, 5. Thou haſt commanded us to keep thy precepts, oh that my heart were directed to keep thy ſtatutes.

2. The inabling grounds. Thoſe are two.

1. Our implantation into Chriſt; As without him we can doe nothing, ſo in him we are created to all good works, and I can doe all things through Chriſt, &c.

2. Chriſts implantation into us, which is called the forming of Chriſt in the ſoul, the new man, the law written in the heart, p. 258the new creatures, faith & love, whereby we are inabled to obey his precepts: our faith inables. By faith Abraham obeyed — and our love conſtraines.

3. Impelling grounds, and thoſe are motives rather; 1. becauſe God is good, 2. becauſe he hath been good to us. Gods goodneſſe is a motive, and his grace is our ſtrength.

2. The inioyment of theſe things, they are not the meere end of a Chriſtians obedience, then would it render us to be ſervile, and mercenary in our obedience, and not Son-like and free. Indeed theſe may be the meere ends of the obedience of carnall men, but not of the godly, they have higher ends then theſe: Theſe are too low for the noble and royall ſpirits of Saints.

3. They are not the main ends of their obedience, they have higher ends then theſe are; A Chriſtian hath a more noble ſpirit, a more free-borne ſoule, then to make any thing out of God himſelfe, the maine end of his obedience to God. And ſo farre all agree.

All the controverſie is about the next, which I deſire to propound in modeſty, to thoſe who are of different judgements.

p. 2594. Whether it can be ſaid to be the ſubordinate end of a Chriſtians obedience Seeing,

1. It ſeemes to bee the paedagogy of the Law, in which time they ſeemed to be carryed by temporall promiſes in the wayes of obedience, and God ſeemed to propound to them as men under age, the promiſes of temporall good things to tempt them on to obedience. As you ſee in Deut. 29. Certainly, the injoyment of theſe temporall things was not the meere end of their obedience; though ſome of them might have the ſpirit of the Sadduces, who ſaid, they kept the Law, and obſerved it, that God might bleſſe them, and that it might goe well with them in this life; yet all were not of this ſpirit: nor was the injoyment of theſe things, the maine end of their obedience no more then of ours: It was but a ſubordinate end, God never propounded it, nor did the godly eye it, as the maine end of their obedience. But God deales with them as in their infancy, as under age, and leads them on, and allures them by ſuch reſpects as theſe; becauſe they had not that meaſure and abundance of ſpirit p. 260which hee hath beſtowed on his people now under the Goſpel.

2. Becauſe it ſeemes to preſcribe God, and limit God, not ſubmitting to his wiſdome in deſpoſals to us.

3. Becauſe it ſeemes to propound that which God hath not propounded.

4. Becauſe this end may faile, and ſo our obedience too, at leaſt, ſo much as theſe things were the end of our obedience, ſo much obedience will faile in the failing of them.

5. It is hard to carry an eye to things of this nature, and yet our ſervice be free.

6. I conceive it is ſafer to take up arguments to quicken us in our obedience of God, from the mercies of God beſtowed, or made ours in the promiſe to faith, then for to take up arguments to obey from the expectation of mercy to be beſtowed, or to gaine mercies by our obedience. It ſeemes better to ſay, that we are not to obey that God may beſtow bleſſings on us, but rather upon the knowledge, faith, perſwaſion of Gods bleſſing of us here and for ever, to be quickned from that to obey him. And the Apoſtle ſeems to ſpeake after the ſame manner to us, p. 2612 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore theſe precious promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe both of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the feare of God. He argues from mercy to dutie, not from dutie to mercy here. He reaſons here from the injoyment of promiſes to the performance of obedience; having therefore ſuch promiſes, let us obey. So in Col. 3.23, 24. And whatſoever you doe, doe it heartily as to the Lord, and not to man; Knowing that of the Lord you ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance: where you ſee he takes up the argument, to inforce the dutie from the knowledge, or faith and perſwaſion of that reward which God will aſſuredly beſtow on them. So Heb. 10.34. They tooke ioyfully the ſpoiling of their goods, knowing in themſelves that they had in heaven, a better and an enduring ſubſtance. But I am not here to deale with eternall, but with temporall rewards, and urge theſe places no further then to ſtrengthen what I ſaid before, that it ſeemes better to ſay, that we doe not obey that God may beſtow theſe outward bleſſings on us, but rather upon the knowledge, faith, perſwaſion of Gods bleſsing us here, and for ever, we are quickned to obey him, and in our p. 262obedience of him. And certainly the leſſe eye that we carry to theſe things in our obedience, the more eye will God carry to our obedience, the leſſe regard and reſpect you have to theſe outward things in your ſervice, the more will God reſpect & regard your ſervice, the leſſe you make them the end of your working, the more will God make thē the end of your work; Indeed the injoyment of outward things ſeeme to be too low for a Chriſtian to eye them in his obedience, the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 4.18. We looke not at the things which are ſeene, but at the things which are not ſeene: for the things which are ſeene are temporall, but the things which are not ſeene are eternall.

But you will ſay, Obiect. God hath promiſed all good things to obedience, as hee tells us, 1. Tim. 4.8. Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, and of that which is to come, and therefore wee may obey with reſpect to the injoyment of them.

Before I come to the anſwer of this, Anſw. I will propound one thing, and query two.

1. That which I propound is this, Whether it were not better expreſt, to ſay, God promiſeth to the obedient all good things, rather then to ſay, he promiſeth it to obedience. p. 263Eſpecially if that be a trueth, that Gods Promiſes under the Covenant of Grace are not made to the worke, but to the workman; not to the action, but the perſon. I am ſure our Divines have made this one difference, betweene the Covenant of Workes, and Grace; that in the Covenant of Workes, made with Adam, the Promiſe was made to the worke, and not to the perſon. But in the Covenant of Grace, the Promiſe is made to the perſon, and not to the worke. This I only propound: Now I will query two things.

1. Whether that which the Apoſtle calls [the Promiſe of this life,] and that which is expreſſed in the Obiection under the name of [good things] be Symbolicall phraſes, both expreſſing the ſame thing.

2. Whether by [good things] bee meant thoſe things which are good in the account of men, or thoſe things which are good in the eſteem of God: or if you will, whether thoſe things which are good in themſelves, or thoſe things which in Gods wiſedome he knowes good for us.

If good things be taken at large indefinitely, the firſt part of the Obiection is granted; that God hath promiſed to the obedient, or to the obedient in their obedience p. 264all good things. It is his promiſe, Pſal. Pſal. 84.11.Ps 84:1184.11. No good thing will hee withhold from them who walke uprightly. Nay and his Covenant, Ier. 32.40.Jer 32:40Ier. 32.40. I will never depart from you from doing you good. But if you doe determine and reſtraine good things, either to thoſe things which are poſitively good, thoſe which the world eſteems good, and doe not take in, wants, Divitiae dantur malis, ne pucentur bona; bonis, ne putentur mala; multis, ne putentur magna.as well as inioyments, ſtraits as well as fulneſſe, povertie as well as proſperitie, to be of the number of thoſe good things; then I ſay that God hath made no ſuch promiſe to us, nor can wee truely interpret this promiſe after that manner. If it were a promiſe made unto obedience, and Godlineſſe, and the promiſe were to be interpreted after that manner, then ſurely the Apoſtles ſhould have been ſharers in it. But Chriſt tells them, That they ſhould be hated of all men for his Names ſake, Mat. 10.22.Matt 10:22and ſhould be brought before Princes, Mat. 10.18.Matt 10:18caſt into priſon, Luk. 12.11.Luke 12:11perſecuted, and thoſe who did this ſhould thinke they did God good ſervice. Iohn 16.2.John 16:2And the Apoſtle tells us, That bonds and afflictions did abide for him every where Acts 20.23. Acts 20.23.Acts 20:23And if their hope were in this life, they were of all men moſt miſerable, 1 Cor. 15.19. 1 Cor. 15.19.1 Cor 15:19And it is the ſame which p. 265wee are to expect and reckon on, according to that of the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 3.12. 2 Tim. 3.122 Tim 3:12Hee that will live godly muſt ſuffer Perſecution. And Acts 14.22. Acts 14.22Acts 14:22Through many tribulations wee muſt enter into the Kingdome of heaven. And Chriſt himſelfe tells us, That if we will follow him, we muſt take up our croſſe daily and follow him. — Luke 9.23. Luke 9.23.Luke 9:23And therefore certainly if by the promiſe of this life, be meant the good things of this life: and if by the good things of this life, be meant outward inioyments, then I ſay there is no ſuch promiſe made here to obedience.

If it be ſaid, that the Scripture ſaith, If you will be willing and obedient, you ſhall eate the good of the Land. And therefore temporall bleſſings are promiſed upon condition of obedience.

If it be admitted that the Iews (though they were under a Covenant of Grace) were yet under a different Covenant from us: a ſubſervient covenant, as I have ſhewed, wherein God promiſed outward mercies to obedience; and threatened afflictions to the diſobedient: then the Anſwer is ſoone made: — And David might well ſay, Hee never ſaw the righteous forſaken; nor their ſeed begging p. 266their bread: for outward mercies which were the conditions annexed to their obedience and Gods part in the covenant, uſed not to faile thē that walked in them. But what ever it was then, it is not ſo now; thoſe who are willing nd obedient do not eat the good of the land: no, it may be they are in greateſt outward trouble and neceſſitie; and they who do wickedly, doe proſper.

And where is it that God hath made ſuch a promiſe now under the Goſpel? If ſo; why is it not univerſall and infallible? why doe not thoſe who are willing and obedient injoy it? and not onelyonly ſome of them, but all of them? for promiſes are not made to particular members, but to the whole body of Chriſt. Indeed God tels us now, He that will live godly, muſt ſuffer perſecution. And, through many tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdome of heaven. But yet this is firme in all, that God will never depart from us, from doing us good; he will never leave us, nor forſake us. In bleſſing he will bleſſe us. All things ſhall worke together for the good of them who love God. And this ſtands firme and unmoveable to all Saints; Heaven p. 267and earth ſhall ſooner paſſe away, then one tittle of this promiſe ſhall faile.Debita redditur poena damnato, indebita gratia liberato, ut uec ille ſe indignum queratur, nec dignum ſe iſte glorietur. Aug.

Obiect. But you will ſay, If bleſſings be not promiſed to obedience; and if God rewardeth not obedience, then by the rule of contraries, puniſhments are not threatened againſt ſinne, nor doth God puniſh for ſinne.

Anſw. Not to ſpeake much to the Connexion here, which lies open enough to juſt exception: **Lex obligat ad obediendum et obedientem debita mercede compenſat, tranſgredientem vero punit, quanquam non tam neceſſe fit obedienti ſuam mercedem eſſe, quam tranſgredienti poenam, quia lex imperat ea, quae jam ex officie dehentur, ſed hoc nunc nihil ad nos. Chamier.for God may puniſh ſinne, and yet not reward obedience. In our obedience (if it were perfect) we doe but what we ſhould doe, as Chriſt hints it to us, in Luk. 17.10. When you have done all which is commanded you, ſay, you are unprofitable ſervants, and have but done that which was your duty to do. But when we ſin, we do that which we ſhould not doe: and therefore may God puniſh the one, and yet not reward the other. The puniſhment of our ſinne is but the juſt demerit of our evil; but the reward of our obedience is the gift of his owne mercy: aaRom. 6.23. foreign Photius apud Occum. in locum.Rom 6:23the Apoſtle ſpeakes ſo much when he tels us, The wages of ſinne is death; but the gift of God is eternall life through Ieſus p. 268Chriſt our Lord, Cui redderet juſtus judex coronam ſi non donaſſet gratiam miſericors pater? et quomodo eſſet juſtitia, niſi praeceſſit gratia quae juſtificat impium? quomodo iſta debita redderentur, nifi prius iſta indebita darē tur? Aug. Multum invenies domine unde damnes, nihil unde ſalves. Aug. Amat deus, non aliunde hoc habet, ſed ipſe eſt unde amat, et ideo vehementius amat— Bern. Quomodo cenſeret deus opera noſtra mercede digna, nifi quod in illis quod poena dignum est immenſa benignitate aboleret? Aug.Rom. 6.23. Man may provoke God to juſtice, but cannot tempt God to mercy; our ſinnes draw out his juſtice, but his mercy is the iſſue of his owne heart. We can doe that for which God may damne us; but we cannot doe that for which he may ſave us: and therefore you ſee though the parts be granted to be true, yet the connexion lies open to juſt exception. But ſecondly, it is granted that bleſſings are promiſed to obedience, and puniſhments are threatened to ſinne: but ſhall we judge nothing bleſſings but the enjoyment of temporall and outward good things: may not loſſes be bleſſings as well as enioyments? and may not enioyments be puniſhments, when yet loſſes are bleſſings? Certainly they may be ſo in truth, though not in name; they may be ſo in Gods intention, though not in our apprehenſion. bbSi vera loqui velimus, quid eſt adverſum, nifi quod nobis obſtat ad aeternam foelicitatem properantibus? quid proſperum. niſi quod eo conducit? Conſul. Epiſt. (ad Synod. Lond) ab Eccleſ. Walach. conſcript.And to ſpeake truth, nothing is adverſe but what doth obſtacle our eternall happineſſe; and nothing proſperous, but what is advantagious to it. p. 269Thirdly, it is granted againe that God doth reward obedience, and puniſheth ſinne: but it is one thing for God to reward obedience, and another thing for man to eye reward in his obeying. It is granted to be the end of the worke; but this is diſputed, whether it ſhould be the end of the workeman, and upon thoſe conſiderations propounded. And though God doth reward obedience, and puniſh ſinne, yet as we doe not avoyd ſinne, becauſe of temporall puniſhment; ſo we do not performe duty becauſe of reward: — I ſay, reward, as it is reſtrained here to temporall enjoyments. I would have nothing to come in as a motive to the obedience of a godly man which is either unſutable, too low, or uncertaine: but temporall rewards ſeeme to be ſuch: 1. unſutable and below his worke it ſelfe; and ſure below his ſpirit in working: and 2. uncertaine they are, for we have no abſolute promiſe of them: if there be ſuch a promiſe, why is it not univerſall and infallible? —

But thus much ſhall ſerve for the firſt part of the Obiection. We come to the ſecond, which is inferred upon it; that if God have promiſed all good things p. 270to obedience, then may we obey with respect to the inioyment of them, &c.

I Anſwer by way of denyall of the conſequence, and ſay, Though it ſhould be admitted that God had promiſed all good things (ſo interpreted as before) to obedience; yet doth it not follow that we are to obey God with reſpect to the inioyment of them. Should we grant that by [godlineſſe] in that place of the Apoſtle, were meant obedience, or godlineſſe in practiſe, and [by things of this life] were meant all good things: and thoſe good things were things poſitively good, &c. yet muſt we not obey that we may have this promiſe: but rather having this promiſe, we muſt be quickened to obey. Certainly the Apoſtles reaſoning is the beſt reaſoning, and he reaſons thus, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore ſuch precious promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe, both of fleſh and ſpirit: he doth not ſay, let us doe this that we may have ſuch promiſes; but having ſuch precious promiſes let us obey. Doe not thinke that I would leſſen a Chriſtians deed, nor would withdraw the fewel, much leſſe caſt water upon that which ſhould quicken him to obey. But firſt, I ſay, I conceive that this p. 271is not in the deed, riches is not there, proſpiritie is not there; but mercy, but a bleſſing is there. And for the other, I conceive that it will be a farre greater advantage to obedience, and incentive or ſpurre to quicken us in it, and to it; to conſider the promiſe is made, and we are not to obey that we may have the promiſe; but having ſuch promiſes, how ought we to obey?

Obiect. But though we are not to obey that we may have the promiſe of them; yet may we obey that we may have the poſſeſsion of them.

Anſw. The things of this life they are no part, not ſo much as a pin of the workmanſhip of a gracious ſoule; they are too low to move one wheele of a Chriſtians frame: to ſay the moſt of them, they are but oyle to the wheele, Nec propter te incepi, nec propter te deſinam. Bern.which is not the ſpring of motion, but a helpe in motion; the things of this world can neither be the ground, nor the end of the obedience of a gracious heart, they neither ſet us on worke, nor doe they continue us in working; the inioyment of them may come in to quicken us to worke, and in worke; but theſe muſt not be the end of our working, neither muſt we worke for the p. 272inioyment of them, If the eye be ſingle, the whole body is light, — And ſo on the contrary, if the eye be double, if our aimes and ends be God, & our ſelves, if they be double, the whole man is darkeneſſe. In brief, the leſle respect we have to theſe things in our obedience, the more free and noble is our obedience. Qui hoc doſiderat propter aliud, non hoc defiderat, ſed aliud. Kecker.As we ſay of deſire: he that deſires this for that, doth not deſire this, but that; he that deſires one thing for another thing, doth not deſire this one thing, but the other; or not this, but for the other thing. So he that obeyes with reſpect to outward things, either would not obey, or would not ſo chearfully obey, if there were not ſuch respects to be injoyed.—

Obiect. But you will ſay, we may pray for theſe outward things, and therefore we may doe duty with respect to them.

Anſw. It doth not follow. It is one thing to be the matter of our duty, another thing to be the ground of it. We grant that outward things may be the matter of our prayer, but yet not the ground of our praying. Beſides, it is one thing to be the ground or the end of a particular duty, another thing to be the ſpring of the whole frame. Some outward reſpect may be the ground or end p. 273of this or that particular dutie; we may lawfully goe to prayer for this end, to make knowne our temporall neceſſities; nay, and our preſent wants may be the maine and particular ground of doing this particular dutie at this time; but no outward respects muſt be the hinge upon which the whole frame moves: I ſay, they may be the ground of particular acts, but not the ſpring of the whole; they may be the particular end of this particular duty, but not the general end of the whole courſe of our obedience.

And this ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of the firſt branch of the Query; Whether a man may not obey God in reference to Gods beſtowing of outward mercies and injoyments here. And I ſay, in a word, it ſeemes moſt agreeable to the Goſpel, and to the frame of a Chriſtian ſoule, to ſay, that upon the knowledge, faith and perſwaſion God will bleſſe us, and withhold no good thing from us; we ought to be quickened in our obedience of him; then to ſay, we are to obey God, that we may gaine theſe temporall good things by our obedience; certainely the good things of this life, even the aſſurance of them, ſo farre as they are made over to p. 274us, and are good for us, they are not the grounds of our obedience, though they ſhould come in as incouragements in our obedience; they are not the ſpring, though the oyle; they are not the grounds of motion, though we ſhould admit them to come in as helps in motion; and if not the aſſurance of them, then how can the hopes of them which are more uncertain, be laid downe as the ground of our obeying? though the ground of this particular act of obedience, yet ſurely not the ſpring of the whole. I ſhall proſecute this no further; if in that I have ſaid, I have differed from others, it is not out of diſreſpect to others whoſe iudgements I honour, and I hope an allowance may be afforded unto me, if I have diſſented with reaſon.

We come now to the ſecond branch of the Query propounded, viz. Whether we are not to doe duties with reference and revpect to the obtaining of ſpirituall good things?

And there are ſome that ſay, Doct. C. in his Chriſt alone exalted, pag. 300, 301, 302, 303, &c.—We are not to propound any reſpects or ends at all in the doing of duty: by which they doe not meane baſe ends, or carnall reſpects, or ſecular advantages: but they intend p. 275the higheſt and nobleſt ends: and tell us plainely, that we are not to humble our ſelves, faſt, and pray, for the prevention of any evill, or the procuring of any good: nay yet higher; that we are not to doe duty with respect to the obtaining of any ſpirituall good: either pardon, peace, joy, aſſurance, the light of Gods countenance, the ſubduing of luſts; or for any other end; which though it be an irrationall opinion, and doth denude men of reaſon (for take away the end which every reaſonable creature, as reaſonable, propounds in actions, and you levell him with a beaſt) yet that they might ſeeme to be reaſonable in this paradox, they give us two grounds of it.

1. Becauſe we muſt not thinke to purchaſe that by our prayers and duties which is the purchaſe of Chriſt; But Chriſt hath fully purchaſed all this for us, viz. pardon, peace, joy, and every good thing. Ergo.

2. Becauſe all theſe are ſufficiently provided for us in Chriſt: and God hath decreed all theſe good things for us in Chriſt; and therefore we muſt not think to compaſſe them by our prayers.

Theſe are the reaſons that this, ſhall I p. 276ſay, without offence, unreaſonable and deſtructive opinion ſeemes to be founded on.

Certainly I need not ſay much againſt the opinion, for if it be but twice repeated it will be as good as a confutation to it—. Indeed if this be a truth, we muſt have another Bible to countenance it: What is more frequent then this? Pſal. 50.15.Ps 50:15Call on me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee—Aske, Luk. 11.9.Luke 11:9and you ſhall have; ſeeke, and you ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened: doth not the Apoſtle deſire them to pray for him, and for what end? he tels you; that utterance might be given him: 2 Theſ. 3.2.2 Thess 3:2Doth he not deſire the like, that he might be delivered from unreaſonable men? Doth not Saint Iames bid us, James 5.14, 15.Jas 5:14Jas 5:15if we be ſick, call for the Elders of the Church; but for what end? to pray for us; and why pray? that the ſick perſon may be healed; pray one for another that you may be healed. But I am weary with this: where almoſt can you looke upon any place where a duty is commanded, but there is an end propounded? And what can be more deſtructive to grace, to reaſon, then ſuch an opinion? It would be no more abſurdity to reaſon, to ſay, we muſt not p. 277eate to ſatisfie our hunger; drinke to quench our thirſt; feed to nouriſh our ſelves: but we are to feed out of meere inſtinct, and then as beaſts; and not out of reaſon, as we are men. But what, are we to doe duty for no end? may we not confeſſe ſinne that we may be humbled, and made ſenſible of it? may we not heare the Word, that our underſtandings may be bettered, our affections quickened, our faith ſtrengthened? Sure they themſelves propound theſe ends in their preaching, otherwiſe why doe they take ſo much paines to perſwade (I doe not ſay, convince) mens underſtandings that they are in an error? And may we not uſe Ordinances for the increaſe of our graces? for the abatement and weakening of our corruptions? And may we not do works of charitie, to refreſh the poore? to relieve them who are in extremities? And are not theſe ends? And are not the other duties? But if all this ſhould be denied, yet this you will grant, that we may do duty, and walke in the wayes of obedience, to adorne our profeſſion, to dignifie the Goſpel, to glorifie God, to benefit the Saints, to winne others: and are not theſe ends? and were not theſe as much purchaſed p. 178by Chriſt, and provided for by God as the other? Sure much more God hath no need of us, though we have of him; his glory, his Goſpel, his cauſe doth not depend upon us: God could advance this, and maintaine the other without us: and therefore how little of men, how little of God, how little of reaſon, how little of Scripture there is in ſuch a tenent, I leave to all to judge.

But yet that their ſhew of reaſons may not goe without an anſwer, I ſhall ſay, and it is all I ſhall ſay, to them in a word.

1. Though Chriſt have purchaſed all good things for us, yet will God beſtow them in a way of ſeeking: Ezek. 36.37.Ezek 36:37you ſee this in Ezek. 36.37. which is ſubſcribed at the foot of the moſt free and abſolute promiſes; yet I will be inquired to concerning this,— though God promiſed to beſtow all this, and promiſed like himſelfe to beſtow all this freely without any reſpect to man, Verſ. 32.as he tels them verſ. 32. Not for your ſakes, be it knowne unto you, Oh houſe of Iſrael, will I doe this. No, it was for his owne Names ſake. And yet he tels them, I will yet for this be inquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to doe it for them,— which plainly ſhewes that p. 279though God had promiſed, and promiſed freely to beſtow theſe things on them, yet will he beſtow them in a way of ſeeking.

2. We ſay yet again, that though God will beſtow theſe things in a way of beleeving and praying, yet they are not the purchaſe of our prayers, but the gift of his own mercy, And I appeale to any, whether ever they heard any conſcientious Miniſter to ſay, that prayer was the meriting cauſe of any mercy. Did every any ſay that duty had any Cauſal influence into the compaſſing of any mercy? Hath it not ſtill been held up as a Subſervient meanes, and no procuring cauſe of any mercy from God? When God hath a purpoſe to give, he ſtirs up the heart to ſeeke, and his ſtirring up the heart to ſeek, is an evidence hee hath a purpoſe to beſtow: who loves to beſtow his mercy in a way of ſeeking, that we might be incouraged to come, and to looke upon our incomes as the fruits of prayer, and performance of promiſes to us.

But it may be it will be ſaid, Obiection. If theſe things be freely promiſed, why is there then a condition required to the beſtowing of them?

1. Some there are that ſay, Anſw. That though Gods promiſes are free in fieri, in reſpect p. 280of the making of them, yet they are conditionall in facto eſſe, in reſpect of the performance of them, though they are made out of meer mercy, yet they are performed in relation to our ſubſervient dutie; And if we doe but ſubioyne this to it, that the ſubſervient condition or duty which is prerequired to the performance of the promiſe, is nothing of our bringing, but firſt of Gods beſtowing; I doe not ſee how this may any way intrench upon the freeneſſe of Gods grace, either in making or in performing the promiſe; hee tells us, hee will give to him that is athirſt, Reve. 21.6.Rev 21:6Revel. 21.6. Here is a condition or qualification, and yet this doth not intrench upon the freeneſſe of Grace: Deus dat gratiam defideranti, et dat gratiam defiderii.Notwithſtanding this qualification, he tells us hee gives to him that is athirſt, and what can be freer then gift? gift you know implyes freenes of Grace; And leſt any ſhould object and ſay, how is it a gift when God doth require thirſt? Sure this qualification doth imply it to be no gift, it diſcovers it is not of Grace; therefore is God pleaſed to adioyne to the former word [gift] this other [freely] I will [give] to him that is athirſt of the fountaine of the waters of life [freely.] And therefore doth not this intrench upon p. 281grace, Bonus es Domine animae quaerenti te, quid tum invenienti? ſed hoc mirum eſt, quod nemo te quaerere valet, nifi qui prius invenerit. Vis igitur inveniri, ut quaeraris, quaeri ut inveniaris. Potes quidem quaeri, et inveniri, non tamen praeveniri. Bern. dedillig. domin. p. 951.becauſe that which God requires as ſubſervient to the promiſe, is not of our bringing, till firſt of Gods beſtowing; not of our purchaſing, but of Gods giving, who hath ingaged himſelfe by Covenant, not only to give the promiſe, but alſo what ever is required as neceſſary and ſubſervient to the promiſe; if indeed there had beene any thing required which was of our bringing, and had not firſt beene of Gods beſtowing, it would have intrenched upon Grace, and altered the nature of the thing, and made that of purchaſe which is of gift, though what we brought did carry no proportion with that we had for it; if but one pennie were required of us for the purchaſe of a kingdome, though this fall infinitely low and ſhort of the worth of the thing, yet this alters the nature of the thing, and makes that a purchaſe, which without that would be a gift. So here, if there were any thing required of our bringing and compaſſing, which were not of Gods giving and beſtowing, though the thing were never ſo ſmall, yet it would alter the nature of the gift, and intrench upon the freenes of Grace; but when that which is of our bringing is truly of Gods bſtowing and giving, this doth ſtill hold up the nature of the gift, and doth no way intrench p. 282upon the freenes of Grace, if God doth require faith to cloſe with the promiſe, and gives us faith whereby we may be able to come to the promiſe, certainly this is no Preiudice to Grace. In the Lord is righteouſneſſe and ſtrength, ſaith the Prophet, Iſai. 45.24.Isa 45:24Iſai. 45.24. Righteouſneſſe to thoſe that come over to him, and ſtrength to inable us to come; As the ſea ſends out waters to fetch us to it, ſo God doth iſſue out ſtrength from himſelfe, to draw us to himſelfe: And ſo all is of Grace, which can no way be Grace, if it be not every way truly Grace.—