maine's Treatise of Justification.   

St Paul's Travailing-pangs, With his Legal-Galatians, OR, A Treatise of Justification; Wherein these two Assertions are chief evinced, viz. 

1. That Justification is not by the Law, but by Faith.  
2. That yet men are generally prone to seek Justification by the Law.    
Together with several Characters assigned of a Legal and Evangelical spirit.  
To which is added (By way of Appendix) the manner of transferring Justification from the Law to Faith.  
By Zach. maine, M. A.  My little Children, of whom I travail in Birth again till Christ be form in you, Gal. 4.19. Tell me ye that DESIRE to be under the Law, now after that ye have known God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye DESIRE again to be in bondage, ver. 21.9. I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God, Gal. 2.19. Mirae quidem & inauditae sunt istae definitiones, quod vivere Legi sit mori Deo, & mori Legi sit vivere Deo. Tu vero disce eas recte intelligere. 
London, Printed by M. I. for joseph Leigh at the upper end of Bazing hall street near the Naggs head Tavern, and Henry Cripys in Popes-head Ally. 1662.   

The Preface.  
Courteous Reader,  
THe Subject of this Treatise being the Justification of a sinner is very weighty, the same things being made in the Scripture the conditions of complete Justification and Salvation; and yet this weighty subject is exceedingly controverted. A thing of ill and dangerous consequence! If I had therefore any thing to produce that was new and sound upon this argument, which might serve for the healing of the breaches that are amongst us, I might be very well excused for increasing the vast number of Books by adding one more.  
There are no less than four several opinions amongst good men touching the matter of Justification, or the condition of it; two of which I may term extreme, the other two middle or moderate Opinions.  
The first is that of the Antinomians, who, because the Apostle Paul disputes against Legal Works, banish all consideration of Works, though the most Evangelical and rightly principled, from having any place at all in our Justification. Amongst these Luther himself will be found to be a chief Leader, though otherwise an eminent servant of God. And that I do not accuse him falsely, let such passages as these witness for me, that are to be found in his Commentary upon the Galatians (in which he lays that distinction of Righteousness into active and passive, as the foundation of all his building in the doctrine of Justification, and so makes the righteousness of the Gospel, by which we are justified, to be only a passive righteousness) Pag. 10. of his Commentary printed at Wittenberg 1535. Ego non quaero Justitiam activam (saith he) deberem quidem hab●re & facere eam, etc. that is, I seek not after active righteousness, I ought indeed to have it and do it, but if I had it, etc. therefore I cast myself, rejicio me extra totam justitiam abliv●m, & meam & legis divinae, & simplicietr illam passivam amplector, without, out of, or beyond ALL ACTIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS, both mine, and that of God's Law, and I simply embrace a passive righteousness, which is that of Grace, Mercy, etc. in a word, that of Christ, and his holy spirit, which we do not do, but suffer to be done upon us, quod non facimus, sed patimur. So again, Summa igitur ars Cristianorum est nescire legem, ignorare legem, & TOTAM justitiam activam; that is, It is the greatest art and wisdom of a Christian not to know, or own the Law, Works, or any such thing as active righteousness in the matter of Justification. Here you see he excludes all kind of Works whatsoever. So again, pag. 11. Haec est nostra Theologia, etc. that is, This is our Divinity, by which we teach accurately to distinguish between these two righteousnesses active and passive; that Faith and Manners may not be confounded, Works and Grace. But to mention no more, see pag. 12. Nihil ergo facimus nos? Nihil operamur ad hanc justitiam consequendam? Respondeo nihil; What then do we do nothing? Do we work nothing towards the obtaining of this righteousness? I answer nothing; quia haec justitia est prorsus nihil facere, nihil audire, nihil scire de Lege, aut de Operibus, sed hoc s●lum scire, & credere, quod Christus transierit ad Patrem, & jam non videtur; that is, Because this Righteousness, this passive Gospel-righteousness is only to DO NOTHING, to hear nothing, to know nothing of the Law or Works, but only to know and believe this, that Christ is gone to the Father and is not now to be seen. Here are indeed many good words, and Gospel expressions, That we must go to Grace and Mercy, and that the Law cannot save us, that we must not tamper with the Law in the matter of Justification, we must ignorare legem, nescire legem, be wholly ignorant of and disown the Law in the matter of Justification. These are all good expressions, were it not for their companions, such as these: I cast myself extra totam justitiam activam, out OF ALL ACTIVE righteousness, & meam & divinae Legis, that is, All of one kind or another Legal or Evangelical, so it be active righteousness. So again, That I simply embrace a passive righteousness, such as we do not do but suffer. What will be said then to Faith itself? Surely we act it not suffer it only, and that is our Gospel-righteousness. Again, to shut out MANNERS out of Justification is strange. But the worst expression of all is that last quoted, What then do we do nothing? Do we work nothing towards the obtaining our Justification? I answer nothing: Because THIS Gospel- RIGHTEOUSNESS IS INDEED TO DO NOTHING, BUT ONLY TO BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS GONE TO THE FATHER, etc. Neither can these passages of Luther be interpreted of the first justification of a Sinner upon his first believing (which I wish they could) that there faith justifies without works; which one ingeniously, yet truly, expresseth thus; Fides foeta justificat ante partum, that faith, though it have only an obediential frame and disposition in it to do good works, yet, effectually justifies at first conversion before such good works are brought forth. I say Luther's expressions cannot be taken in this sense, for he manifestly speaks of the whole life and practice of a Christian or Saint of God, in his treating with God for his justification, and pardon at any time. Ego non quaer● justitiam activam (saith he) that is, I do not seek after active righteousness now at this time that I am a Christian; that is, I do not value it in the business of Justification; not but chat he did seek after holiness of life, as he saith himself, Deberem quidem habere & facere eam; I ought indeed to have it and do it; but when I have it, I make no use of it in my treating with God for justification; and to give one instance, which must needs prove that he doth not mean it of Justification at first believing. In pag. 10. he takes men off, when they come to die, from taking their comfort or discomfort from their past life (which, if ever they were justified is the longest time after their first Justification) without any distinction about it; whereas we find, that when Hezekiah came to die, and had the sentence of death passed upon him by God, he presently reflects upon his past-life, and hath a great confidence upon it, nay and useth the holiness of his life passed as an argument with God to spare him longer; Isa. 38.2, 3. Then Hezekiah (after he had received the sentence from Isaiah) turned his face to the wall, and said, Remember now O Lord I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and HAVE DONE THAT WHICH WAS GOOD IN THY SIGHT. And so St Paul, when he thinks of leaving the world, he reflects upon his past life; 2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, HENCEFORTH there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, etc. But that I may not do Luther wrong, I shall quote the whole passage, which I think hath great usef lness in it, were it not almost spoiled by that Antinomian dead fly that may be found in it, Ejusmodi est humana imbecillitas, etc. such is the weakness and misery of Mankind, that in terrors of conscience, and danger of death, we look at nothing else but our Works, our own worthiness, and the Law nostram dignitatem & Legem. Which when it shows us our sin, presently comes into our mind our past life; and then with great grief of soul doth the sinner groan, thus thinking with himself: Ah quam perdite vixi, utinam liceret diutius vivere, tum velim emendare vitam meam, etc. Ah how wickedly have I lived! would God I were to live longer, than would I certainly amend my life and live better, etc. Upon which he adds, Nec potest ratio humana, neither can HUMANE REASON (a very vile thing with the Antinomians!) ita hoc malum est nobis insitum, illamque infelicem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comparavimus, so is this evil imbred in us, and such an unhappy custom have we gotten, that humane reason cannot, ex h●c spectro justitiae activae seu propriae evolvere & attollere seize, get itself out of the sight of this  or apparition called Active Righteousness, or our own proper Righteousness, and lift itself up to the sight of Passive Righteousness, or Christian Righteousness, but it simply sticks upon and rests in the Active. Now I do really believe, that when we come to die, we shall finde great use indeed of our faith in the mercies of God, and blood of Christ, and a little comfort immediately vouchsafed from God by the lifting up the light of his countenance upon us will be better worth to us, and of more speedy help in those bitter agonies we may be cast into, than all the comfort we may be able to conclude to ourselves from the imperfect obedience of our past lives. But yet believe it, he that then shall have the testimony of a clear conscience, and the fair appearance or apparition of a good past life, or active righteousness, so as to be able to use the words of good Hezekiah unto the Lord, Remember how I have done that which was goad in thy sight, will have no occasion to turn from it as a foul spectre or ghastly apparition; but he will rather welcome it as his good Angel, and desire its company with him into the other world: for upon this account it is that they are blessed that dye in the Lord, for that they rest from their labours, and THEIR WORKS FOLLOW THEM, Rev. 14.13. I might add many other passages out of Luther and others, but these may suffice to show the first extreme opinion in the business of Justification, that Works of no kind have any thing to do there at all.  
The other extreme Opinion of some good men, is. That the righteousness of faith is an holy temper of heart, or a Christ-like nature in a man's soul, which, because it is produced very much by faith, it is called the righteousness of faith. Now certainly these bend the stick too much the other way; for though Holiness be requisite unto Justification, yet it is not the only requisite, nor the chief condition of it, upon which the honour is put by God. Yet this Opinion I look upon to be much safer than the Antinomian Doctrine.  
As for the two middle Opinions, that hold the mean betwixt these two extremes, they are that of Mr John Goodwin and Mr Baxter; Mr Goodwin allows Evangelical works a share in Justification, but than it is only in that part or kind of Justification which consists in the divine approbation, but excludes them out of that part or that kind of Justification which consists in remission of sins, which yet he affirms is the strict Gospel-justification; and for this, he makes faith alone to be the condition of it.  
In the last place, Mr Baxter makes Faith and Evangelical Works together the complete condition of that Justification which consists in pardon of sins, as well as of the divine approbation, only that Faith is the principal, Works the last principal condition, and to this Opinion I must needs adhere. Though for Mr goodwin's I look upon it to be sufficiently removed from the Antinomian, in that it makes Faith as an act not only as a hand receiving Christ's righteousness, (as some Antinomians love to speak) the condition of Justification, and Works too to be necessary unto the obtaining divine approbation; besides, that he holds that the final Justification at the day of Judgement shall proceed according to Works. And indeed I am so far of his opinion, that I think faith hath a far greater share in our Justification, than all our good Works put together; yea, that our good Works do chief justifye as they have faith in them, and for the sake of that faith that spirits them, of which I have given some proof in the ensuing Treatise, pag. 270, 271. out of Heb. 11. where the Apostle sindes out a faith in the actions of several of the Patriarches, and says it was by faith that they did this or that and were justified, though their story mention nothing of their faith at all. And it may be said as well that Works without Faith are dead being alone, as that Faith without Works is dead being alone.  
Now these four Opinions lying fair in view, in all which, there are good men engaged, & in some of them to a great heat of contention; it were a worthy design (in any man that were able) to endeavour their reconciliation to each other, (if all means have not been used) and especially considering that there is no other thing requisite in order to it, but a right state of this or these two questions, Whether, and, if so, How far Evangelical Works have an influence upon the justification of a sinner? I say, there is nothing else necessary to the ending of the controversies between all these, but the stating of this question, and the honest attending to such a state given: For that all the parties agree upon the same things for matter, viz. That we must believe, and that we must do good Works and that to our utmost; only one saith Evangelical Works have a share in our justification; another says they have none; one says they signify so much, another but so much, none deny that good works are to be done. I might mention another difference in opinion concerning faith in justification, and that is concerning what kind of faith it is that is the condition of our justification; whether only that faith that hath a direct and express respect to Christ and his death, or else all acts of faith whatsoever upon the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God, as well as that upon Christ and his blood. I hope I have in some of these things added one mire at least unto the treasury of Knowledge, or else I were very impertinent indeed.  
But this was not my design in composing this Treatise, to give a state of such questions, and therefore what I have done of such a kind, I have cast at the end of my Book, as not being chief intended, nor indeed intended at all at first, but only as I found that it would be necessary to say something upon them.  
Or if I had desired to engage in such a design, these several reasons might have discouraged me: First, that it required vast abilities to undertake it; Secondly, That I thought it had been very well performed by Mr Baxter already; and Thirdly, That though any should be judiciously satisfied, that he could give a better state than yet had been given, he might very well doubt how it would be entertained amongst the contenders, when Mr Baxter (of whom I have heard a very learned and godly Person say of late, That he would shine in heaven for his book of Aphorisms) yet by it purchased the highest displeasure from his Presbyterian Brethren.  
My design therefore was wholly of another nature; for observing that the Subject was as well practical and experimental as disputable (though there are very worthy and lofty speculations to be had about it) I thought it the most efficacious way of ending the disputes about it, at least of making it useful to honest men (leaving disputers to themselves) to show how it was practical and experimental, and by how much the shorrer I was in my doctrine upon this Subject, to be so much the larger in my application.  
And indeed I must needs say I observed, as I thought, that those who had hitherto written upon this Subject were deficient in one great piece of Application. Mr Baxter and others I thought had done excellent service against the Antinomians, who have sadly provoked them in these late times both in the Pulpit and Press, and their private suggestions and insinuations: but then they were more sparing in using the two-edged sword of Truth in this Subject on that side where it should cut the Legalist: whereas there was as much or more need to set themselves against them, as against the Antinomian.  
If we would learn what Legality was that we might avoid it, we must go to the Antinomians; there was little to be heard of this Subject amongst others; though in the mean time they did most dangerously poison their Auditors and Disciples with false descriptions of Legality; so that I have myself, whilst formerly an Antinomian and an Enthusiast, looked upon that to be as ugly as Hell and Damnation, which I now receive for good, wholesome, and precious Evangelical truth; I could well have approved of that saying of Luther formerly, Operatores sunt Martyres Diab●li, that is, That those that do mind Works in the matter of Justification, though Evangelical works, so far as they mind them, they are the Devils Martyrs, and bear their testimony by the anguishs of their spirit against the Righteousness of the Gospel; and yet from such Teachers we must receive the notes of Legality, others that are enemies to the Antinomians not offering at this Subject, at least in that professed way as the Antinomians do.  
This I looked upon to be a considerable defect, especially when I observed that the Apostle Paul in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians, as also in some other places, let's out the chief of his zeal, 
Rom. 61, 2. What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forb●d. So ver. 15. Rom. 3.5, 7, 8.  and useth the greatest strength of argument against this sort of men; whereas he is but here and there sparingly touching upon the Libertine, which I hold to be the practical Antinomian.  
And as I said even now, this Subject is a practical Subject, and highly experimental, yea every whit, and rather more experienced in the inconveniences of Legality, than of those of Antinomiansme, For the Law and Grace contend for the dominion and mastery in every heart that but entertains the thoughts of Religion. Now where the notion of Grace prevails in a right way, there is the right Saint or Christian; 
By this division thou mayst (if thou judgest necessary) supply a member of a division that may seem to be wanting. Pag. 117, 118. where I have divided all Religious persons into two forts, viz. Legal and Evangelical; though were i● not for giving offence I might still leave the Antinomian, that is, the high practical Antinomian out of the number of Religious persons.  where it prevails in a wrong way, without a due seriousness of heart, there is Antinomianisme; when the Law prevails, there is Legality: Now I verily believe that there are ten Legalists to one Antinomian, for all the Superstitious world are Legalists; and I have shown in the following Treatise that there are many moral Legalists: and there is evident reason why there may well be more Legalists than Antinomians, for that, with a little knowledge in Religion men may prove Legalists, whereas to be Antinomians requires somewhat more than ordinary of notion in Religion; besides, there is another reason why there should be at least equal care taken if not more (in the application of the doctrine of Justification) for the searching and rooting out of Legality than there is to be had for the destroying Antinomianism; because, destructive Legality takes faster hold of men that are under it, than destructive Antinomianism doth. For the Legalist that depends upon his external Privileges or performances is not so easily beaten out of his hold, as the Antinomian that is destructively so, that is, a Libertine; (for there is a partial Antinomianism as well as a partial Legality that is not destructive) because he falls under an easy & obvious conviction (except he have gotten a brawny conscience) for that his miscarriages are more gross, whereas a Legalists faults are hidden and spiritual:  
However I am sure there is both for the number of Legalists and their usual rootedness in that distemper reason for equal provision to be made about them to what there is to be made about the Antinomians. Now finding that there was not, at least not finding that there was equal care taken, I adventured to say something about it; I wish I may provoke some other to do it better, & they shall have my hearty prayers to the Lord for their assistance in such a work.  
And besides these several reasons which I have mentioned, as moving me to the composing of this Treatise, especially that part of it which consists of the characters, there was another very prevailing with me, & it was my own necessity of being well enlightened about this matter. For I found daily use use of some of the observations which I have here given thee, in every prayer, yea in the mannagement of my spirit all the day long. I found the Law striving to get the mastery of my spirit, that is, sin by the (severity of the) commandment would have destroyed all that little life and quickness which I had in the service of God, would have made me unwilling to serve God, to be averse unto him and his ways, yea to conceive a professed displeasure against God himself, till I have been relieved by some of these considerations which I here tender unto thee for the same end, with an earnest prayer that they may do thy soul good, as I hope they have done mine.  
And I doubt not, but Luther being a good man, and one of a great spirit, had a considerable and worthy design in endeavouring to get the Law out of his conscience, as his phrase is, I mean getting it from its dominion over him, though he might herein  it, as it is certain he did over-speak it. I shall here do him the right to quote a large and lively branch of his Discourse, that is not (as I apprehend) liable to exception; it is in his Preface or Argument before his Commentary, pag. 14. saith he, When at any time the Law would ascend into thy conscience & domineer there, ibi dom●naci, say unto it, Law, or Lady Law (as in some places he speaks) Domina Lex, wilt thou ascend into the Kingdom of my conscience, & rule there, & argue it of sin, and take away my joy which I have by faith in Christ, and bring me into desperation, that I perish? hoc praeter officium tuum facis, here thou goest beyond thy Commission: stay within thy own bounds, consist intra tuos limits, & exerce dominium in carnem, and exercise dominion over my flesh; (which expression I do not well understand, except it be that so far as we are fleshly we are still under the Law, and therefore as the Law was given to humble us at first, so it hath the same use still, as also to direct our lives) exercise thy dominion over my flesh, conscientiam autem ne atting as mihi, but offer not to touch my conscience, for I am baptised, and called by the Gospel into the communion of righteousness, and eternal life, unto the Kingdom of Christ, in which my conscience is quieted, (or doth acquiesce) where there is no Law, (that is, no Law for condemnation) but mere remission of sins, mera remissio peccatorum, peace, quietness, joy, salvation, and eternal life; ista ne inter●nrbes mihi, do not hinder me, nor disturb me in the enjoyment & possession of these things; let not the Law, which is an hard tyrant and cruel exactor reign in my conscience, but Christ the Son of God, the King of Peace and Righteousness, the most sweet Saviour and Mediator.  
And now I have have only this to beg pardon of thee for, that I have spoken to so great and weighty things in so unstudied and undigested a dress and method; but as an argument to prevail with thee for my pardon, I assure thee, that could I have promised myself an opportunity of printing these papers some two or three years hence, (and the Lord continued life) I should have detained them in my own custody so long, on purpose that they might have received a better formation.  
If thou take offence at me for that I have taken liberty in something or other to vary from most of those few Authors that I quote in the Treatise, I crave not thy pardon for it, for neither will the Authors themselves have any reason to be angry, when they consider and believe that, if I had not valued them I should never have quoted them, and, but for that I valued the truth before them, I should never have varied from them.  
Once more Reader, if thou shouldest think it undecent that there should be any thing in the following Advertisement (for which I am so much beholden to the Reverend Author of it) different from what is asserted in the body of the Book; as for instance, that the Author seemeth to judge that there is no repetition of the act of Justification as it signifies pardon, that Works justify only in sensu morali, not in sensu forensi; take this for thy satisfaction, that I had full power from the Worthy Author of it to have left ●ut, yea, or put in what I pleased in the printing of it. But I presumed not to add or diminish one tittle, as judging it but equity and justice that others (especially the Learned, should have the same liberty to differ from me that I take to differ from them. Besides, I account this so far from being any lessening to the value of the testimony given me, that I reckon it a greater advantage to receive it from a Learned man, from whom I presumed to differ, than if he had been perfectly of my mind.  
Now the presence of God and of thy best understanding be with thee in the reading; and so I bid thee farewell.  
Thine in Christ, Zach. maine.   

An Advertisement unto the READER, concerning the Author, Subject, and contents of the Treatise ensuing.  
THE Treatise in thy hand, whilst yet unread, may (possibly) suffer in thy esteem through want of years in the Composer: against which inconvenience I thought it might be some kind of relief unto it, to send it forth attended with a sober Preface, drawn up by a Person, whose years, though but meanly improved, are sufficient to discern between impertinencies, and matters of weight and worth. The Apostle in this brief address unto Timothy, Let no man despise thy youth 
* 1 Tim. 4.12. , supposeth two things; 1. That youth is obnoxious to neglect, or undervaluing, by men. 2. That young men may nonwithstanding redeem themselves from under this disadvantage, and stave off their enemy, Contempt, which otherwise threatens to be upon them, and make a prey and spoil of that, which is honourable, and might be useful, in them. In the place cited, the Holy Ghost prescribes unto Timothy this method for the healing of that weakness in men, by reason whereof they were like to be injurious unto him (and, indeed, unto themselves more) in respect of his youth; But be thou an ensample [or, the pattern, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] of those that are faithful, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in saith, in purity; meaning, that by harkening to this counsel, he should impose a pleasing necessity upon men, to make him, his youth notwithstanding, at least equal, in honour, reverence, and respects with such persons, who by maturity of years a●e invested with a natural right and title unto such Privileges.  
How the Author of the Discourse before thee, hath qui●●ed himself in the five particulars last specified by the Apostle, Conversation, Charity, Spirit, Faith, Purity, in order to the vindication or balancing of his years, I must refer both thee and myself unto those, who have h●d longer time, and more and larger opportunities to understand him in these then I have had: although it be meet for us both 〈◊〉 judge, that he hath seen Christianly provident, even by these, to waylay that prejudice & disparagement which his under-growth in age exposeth him unto. But as far as by word, speech, or writing, a young man may secure his years from the imputation of inconsiderableness, and purchase himself an equitable title to divide the heritage of Reverence and honour, with men of a far longer standing in the world, he that hath befriended the world with the Treatise ensuing, hath (to the best of my understanding) very substantially performed both.  
Not to insist upon the stile, which is grave, and yet pleasant enough, and at a due distance from affectation; the argument, or theme undertaken in the Book, The Justification of a sinner, is, both of as important and necessary, and of as sublime and difficult a contemplation, at least in many of the veins or branches of it, as any other subject within the circumference of Divinity, or Christian Religion. Yea, whereas in the best and most serviceable of the years of my earthly Pilgrimage, I have been (by the providence of God) occasionally engaged to wade somewhat far in the deep waters of those two mysterious Articles of the Common Faith of Christians. Justification and Predestination, and so necessitated to inquire into and consider, with the best of my understanding, the respective natures of them both; if I were now desired to give my sense concerning the difference between them in point of difficulty, or whether of the two requires more of the reason and understanding of a man, to come at any well-grounded satisfaction in all matters of moment relating to it, I must award the precedeney herein unto Justification: For though the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation be resented by many, as points of a most abstruse and sublime consideration, yet I really judge, upon the credit of my unpartial diligence in making the comparison, that the secret veins running along in, and spreading themselves over, the body of the Doctrine of Justification, are both more in number, and also of a more spiritual and hidden nature, harder to be clearly opened, than those that occur in the other Doctrines.  
Not having had time to peruse the Treatise since the printing of it, nor any other knowledge of the contents of it, but only what I gained by some broken communications about them with the Author, when his leisure and mine could agree, (which was not very often) whilst he was preparing it for the Press, I am not able to give thee a steady account how far he hath traversed his Subject, or about how many of the arcana, or difficult Queries relating to it he hath engaged his pen in the present Discourse. I suppose it never came near his thoughts, to interess so small a Tract in all the inquireable points about Justification (nor do I know any man, amongst those many that have served the Christian World in that argument, that have raised the pitch of their Undertaking so high.) But I well remember he hath laboured very commendably, and to the good contentment (I doubt not) of the consciences of those that shall conseientiously read and mind what he hath written, in sundry particulars, very necessary to be understood by those that are desirous to know the whole counsel of God in that Great and most important Article of their most holy Profession (I mean, Justification.) He hath with a strong hand removed that stumbling Stone of Justification from eternity, which the Spirit of Antinomianisme hath laid in the way of Christian profession, and at which, not a few, learned and unlearned, have stumbled. This Error being so broad-faced and palpable, had need have the countenance of some, that are counted Pillars in the Christian Church to support it. And were it 〈◊〉 so gross, and easy of detection, I might take the beldness with modesty enough, to challenge and accuse it of a most malesique and dangerous influence upon the very life of Christianity. For besides other threatening tendencies of ●t of this kind, both the face and heart of it are set to deprive the world of the spirit, life, and soul of all that the great Apostle Paul hath written in his Epistles, in asserting the Doctrine of Justification by Faith against the Jews, and all others opposing it: which is a good part (not to say the best, or gredtest part) of all the heavenly Legatie, which he hath left in writing unto the world, for that Love's sake which he bore in his life-time to the salvation of it. For if the great contest between him and his Oppanents (the Jews) was not about Justification itself, or about the means, whereby it is to be obtained in the sight of God, but only about the manifestation, or declarative of it, and this before men, which they must of necessity affirm, that hold men really and actually justified by God from eternity; then (doubtless) the Jews, who pleaded for Justification by Works, had the better end of the staff; inasmuch as these have a greater declarative force, at least in reference unto men, of the state of Justification, or of the acceptance of a person with God, than Faith hath. This, not reason and experience only, but the Scripture itself supposeth from place to place, still making ways and works of Righteousness, and fruitfulness in well-doing, the most unquestionable Characters and proofs of persons justified, and in favour with God. Places of this import, and very pregnantly such, might soon be drawn together in great numbers; but I judge this needless, by reason of the frequent and familiar occurrencie of such places. Whereas Faith is here represented, as in, and of, itself, inevident, and as standing in need of the light of Works, to make it visible or manifest unto men, Jam. 2.18. 1 Joh. 37.10. Rom. 8.1. Besides, the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Romans, where he is more large in the vindication of his Doctrine concerning Justification by Faith, than elsewhere in any place, speaketh expressly of the constituting [i. e. of the actual making] of men just, or righteous, c. 5.19. [that is, the investing men with the state of Justification] but no no where mentioneth any thing concerning the manifestation of such a state. And the truth is, that the contest about Justification, wherein be engaged against the Jews with so much zeal, so much ardency of desire to convince them, with such variety of exquisite and ponderous arguing, to bring the truth to light, against which they contended with him; the contest (I say) had hardly been worth all this oleum & opera, all this solemnity, and height of engagement by such a man, had it been only about the manifestation, and not about the way and means of procuring a justified estate. An account of this assertion might be given, if need were.  
Another thing worthy consideration about the great Subject of the Treatise, is, whether, & if so, why justification, or Forgiveness of sins, is ascribed, as well to such acts of Faith, which do not, at least directly, or immediately, relate unto Christ, or unto the death of Christ, as unto these which do. Thou wilt finde here more produced from the Scriptures to prove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such an ascription, then, as far as my reading and memory can inform me, is to be met with elsewhere: and as much said upon a rational and probable account for clearing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or reason of it, as may be sufficient to quiet the thoughts of men in the case. For it doth not bear hard at all, either upon the Wisdom of God, or upon any of his words in the Scripture, to conceive, that any act from a believing frame or disposition of soul in man towards God, should reduce him under the Divine Decree of Justification, and so interest him in the benefit or blessing hereof; considering, that every such act doth arguitive (as the Schoolmen speak) that is, virtually and consequentially, comprehend in it such an act of believing also, which is directly and immediately acted upon Christ, or his death. It is a rule in the Civil Law, ●avores sunt ampliandi; the meaning is, that such passages or clauses in the Law which were intended in way of favour or benefit unto men, aught to be interpreted in the largest and most comprehensive sense that the words will any way bear: as on the other hand there is this rule, In odiosis strict facienda est interpretatio; Such say in the Law, which concern the punishment of persons, in one kind or other, are to be understood in as narrow and restrained a sense as the words will permit. Doubtless these notions for the expounding of Laws, both in the one case and the other, are equitable, agreeable to reason and the light of nature; and consequently are to be found in the nature of God himself, who (as the Scripture informeth us) made man in his own image, or likeness; and vested the same, or the like principles, or impressions, of Reason, Equity, and Understanding in him, with those that were in himself. So that it need be no great matter of wonder that God should be very indulgent and large in interpreting such clauses in the Gospel, which relate unto the justification and salvation of men, and (consequently) should find justifying Faith in such acts of believing, which may any ways, even by the most abstruse, subtle, or profound way of arguing, be conceived to evince or comprehend it.  
Whether upon every reiterated or repeated act of believing, the believer is justified afresh; if so, what doth a supervenient act of Justification profit him that is perfectly justified already? or how is there place for the effect of such an act, as that of Justification in him, all whose sins, by means of his being in Christ are already pardoned by God? or if not, what should be the reason why one act of the same Faith should not justify, as well as another? Are problems worthy the consideration and inquiry of an ingenuous Student in the mysterious science of Justification? These also or some of them, are ingeniously discussed, and endeavoured to be resolved in this Treatise. Doubtless every new act of believing doth not procure or bring unto him that so acteth a new justification (properly so called, and which consisteth in remission of sins.) Nor is this any disparagement to an after-act of believing, in comparison of any former, or the first act in this kind, by which Justification in this sense was obtained, nor doth it argue any whit less acceptance of it with God. For as the saying in natural Philosophy is, Quiequid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis, the qualification, or condition of the Subject, doth often, if not always, modify the effect of the act that is exercised or acted upon it: So he, who by virtue of a former act of believing remains and is in a complete state of Justification, all his sins being forgiven him by God, is not capable of receiving the forgiveness of them (at least in the same sense, or kind) the second time, because he needeth i● not. For it being impossible for God, in respect of the infinity of his Wisdom, to do any thing superstuous, no creature can be in a regular capacity of receiving any matter of grace or favour from him, unless in one respect or other it standeth in need of it. Every repeated act of Faith doth (indeed) obtain from God another kind of Justification, I mean, Approbation; which is oft in Scripture expressed, and this without any great acyrology, or impropriety of speech, by the word Justification. For though men were approved of him before, as well as justified, yet Approbation being susceptive of magis and minus, or of degrees, which Justification, strictly taken, is not; they may be oft approved, yet not often (in that sense) justified (their former justification remaining.) That forgiveness of sins which Christ teacheth us to ask of God daily, either imports the continuation of the first act whereby he justified us, which it is meet we should ask of him, in respect of our new and daily transgressions; or (which I rather conceive, yet with submission) God forbearing to punish us with temporal punishments for our daily sins, being at liberty we know) thus to punish us, notwithstanding our justified estate, if he be not entreated by us in this respect to forgive us. Other great and high concernments the care of repeated acts of belicoing, which are not proper to be mentioned here.  
〈…〉 in Christ, or in God by means of Christ (for the Scripture useth both expressions indifferently) qualifieth and inricheth the soul with all principles of righteousness and goodness, and so constitutes a person inherently just and righteous, some of late have conceived, that in this notion or consideration it justifieth, and that God, looking upon man as inwardly just and righteous, by the worthy operation of Faith in and upon his heart and soul, pronounceth him accordingly to be a just and righteous person. With this conceit thou will ●ade the Author of the Treatise cast into somewhat a like passion with Paul at Athens, when he beheld the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, given to Idolatry; the Text saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his spirit was sharply-provoked, or stirred, within him, Act. 17.16. I found him not so warm at any other work in all his Book, as in his wrestle against this Opinion. His zeal in the case is very pardonable, if not commendable rather, the matter being exceeding weighty: For if that be all the Justification we receive from God, to be pronounced just, or righteous by him, according to that righteousness, which he seethe truly and really inherent in us, and for the same, what becomes of our sins? Are these still retained and unforgiven? Or if they be forgiven, is the forgiveness of them nothing, no part of our Justification? And if they be forgiven, are they forgiven for the sake of that inherent righteousness, for, and according unto, which (saith the Opinion) God pronounceth us righteous, that is justifieth us? Doth not this notion wholly evacuate the firstborn inter Magnalia Dei, the most adorable Vouchsasement, that ever the Grace, and Love, or Bounty of God issued forth unto the world; I mean, the propitiatory Sucrifice of Christ? Besides, if God shall pronounce us righteous only for, and according to that righteousness which he seethe and knoweth to be in us, and this be our Justification, the Grace of God will have but a saint and feeble hand in our Justification. For it is but a kind of debt for him, that certainly knoweth another man to be righteous, to give testimory unto him accordingly, and to pronounce him such upon occasion. But for the further eviction of this so Anti-Evangelical a notion, I refer thee to the Treatise itself. Only (if thou pleasest) bear me a few words about what I conceive may be the occasion (at least in part) of the sad mistake. When God in the Scripture calleth or pronounceth men righteous for, and according to, that righteousness which is really and truly vested in them. 1. He speaketh not of an absolute, district and perfect righteousness, or such which without any more ade, giveth them a right of claim to Heaven, but first, of such a righteousness which is inchoate only, and wants many degrees of its perfect growth and stature, admitting no small mixture of unrighteousness with it, according to these, and many like Scriptures: In many things we offend all, Jam. 3.2. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, etc. 1 Joh. 1.8.10. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults, Psal. 19.12. There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not, Eccles. 7.20. There is no man that sinneth not, 1 King. 8.46. Secondly, He speaketh of a comparative righteousness, pronouncing the Saints righteous, [viz. in respect of the world, which as John saith, lieth in wickedness. Again,  
2. When God pronounceth Believers righteous for, and according to that good and righteous frame of heart which he seethe in them, he doth not justify them in the sense of the word Justify, in the Questions and Controversies about the justification of a sinner, namely, sensu forensi, as persons are said to be justified from Crimes laid to their charge by a Judge; but sensu morali, as when persons that are approved by whomsoever, for any thing either done by them, or known or supposed to he in them, are said to be justified by them. The word Justify is frequently used in this sense in the Scriptures. Job 27.5, 33.32, 11.2. Prov. 17.15. compared with Ch. 24.34, & 28.4. Matt. 11.19. Luke 7.35. Matth. 12.37. (with many others.) Whereas when God is said to justify those that believe, with that Justification which is said to be of, or unto life, ( i.e. unto salvation) Rom. 5.18. he is said to forgive their iniquities, to cover their sins, not to impute sin unto them, etc. Rom. 4.5. compared with 6.7, 8. Acts 13.38. with 39 See also Eph. 1.7. Col. 1.14. Luke 1.77. Rom. 3.25. with 8.26▪ The forgiveness of sins is (indeed) a most absolute, district & complete righteousness [in its kind] having no mixture or tincture of any weakness or imperfection in it; and, as to the benefit and comfort of all that receive it, comprehending in it the constant observation of the whole Law of God to every the least iota or tittle of it. In respect of this most exquisite, absolute and divine perfection of it, as well as in others, it may well be termed (as it is Rom. 3.21, 22. twice together) THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF God. It is like the non-advertency of these particulars might render the Judgements of some learned men the more obnoxious to the error now impleaded.  
Yet further, he that desires to understand himself like a Christian in so material a piece of his profession, as Justification, had need be able and expert to distinguish the terms, and phrases, which frequently occur in the Scriptures relating to it, out of their ambiguities and diversities of significations and imports; and so likewise to know when different words or expressions are the same in sense and import, either expressly, or implicitly, and by consequence, otherwise they will never sit easia and light some in their judgement about many particulars belonging to it. I must not stand to instance in particulars; I have already exceeded the intended proportion of my Advertisement. But in this concernment also thou wilt find the Treatise at hand a good Benefactor unto thee: This will inform thee, that the word Righteousness doth not always signify the principle or virtue of righteousness inherent in the soul, but sometimes that which we may call an adherent, or a relative righteousness, viz. a non-imputation of sin, or the forgiveness of sin, called also (as we lately shown) the Righteousness of God, and sometimes the Righteousness of Faith; that is, which is obtained by Faith. So again, it will acquaint thee with different significations of the words, Just, Justify, Justification, and some others; by the knowledge whereof the rough ways of the study of Justification will be made smooth.  
But the carriages or passages of the Treatise hitherto pointed at, are (in the eye of my comparing faculty) but as Pictures of Silver, the Apple of Gold amongst them; and which to me is vena basilica, the Master-Vein of the Discourse, is that quarter of it in which the Evangelical purity and simplicity of Justification is asserted against the importune, yet subtle and close insinuations of a legal spirit. For as I know no Doctrine greater than that of Justification, within the whole Hemisphere of Christian Profession (as before was hinted) so neither do I apprehend any thing more threatening the world with the loss of the great benefit and blessing of this great Doctrine, than that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that Spiritual Wickedness which so much haunteth it especially in the practic of it; I mean, the Spirit that so violently, and this so generally, tempteth and importuneth men to take somewhat from the Law for the relief of Christ in his great work of Justification; as if in this case also it were true, that two are better than one, This Spirit (I believe) was never more narrowly sifted, or more closely pursued then here: He is detected by certain signs and symptoms, lurking in several forms and shapes, at the root of the hearts and minds of men; yea it is here showed, that there are few or none so purely, distinctly, and sixedly Evangelical in their notion of Justification, but some grudge (at least) of Legalism hang upon them, as if they durst not entrust themselves or their souls in the hand of the Grace, or Promise of God in Christ, without some encouragement from Moses. But the comfort is, that every touch or tincture of this bewitching Spirit, is not exclusive from the blessing of Justification; a truth well stated in the Discourse before thee. The reason or occasion rather why this Epilectical Distemper of falling upon the Law in the high concernment of Justification, is so Epidemical amongst the children of men, seems to be the most transcendent brightness of the glory of the Grace of God in his terms or way of Justification, which exceeding brightness doth so praestringere oculos, dazzle the weak eye of their Reason and Understanding, that they are very hardly able to look steadfastly upon it without some refraction or allay; as it is said that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, but were afraid to come nigh him, (yea Aaron himself was afraid) until he had put a covering o● Veil upon his face, [that is, I conteive not such a covering which did altogether hid, or keep from their sight the lustre or shining of his face, but which only did (as it were) correct the disproportion of it to their sight, and reduce it to a temper or degree passable with it, and pleasing to it] Exod. 34 30.33, etc. with 2 Cor. 3 7.13. To bring forth the mind of God concerning justification, in respect of the absolute freeness and non-de●endency of it upon the La●, into a clear, convincing, and satisfactory light, is (I conceive) the highest service that can (lightly) be performed to the Christian world. He that is well grounded and rooted in the knowledge hereof, and also understands in any good measure the weight and worth of a justified estate, stands upon ground of the greatest advantage to anticipate his future equality with the holy Angels, as well in holiness as in happiness and joy. For I believe that the Grace of God in Justification thoroughly apprehended, and seriously believed, is of too strong an eng agement, yea too sovereignly inclining unto holiness, to be (readily or easily) turned into wantonness.  
But I keep thee too long in the Porch, for in the House thou wilt find many more pleasant things (for in matters of spiritual concernment all profitable things are to be counted pleasant) than I have all this while acquainted thee with: There are divers choice strains of Spiritual Discourse, with several lights set up in many dark places of Scripture, which I have not set down in my Inventory: For I judge it more honourable to the Author, (yea and to his friend also, that was willing to serve his pen with a few lines of good will) that his Treatise be found above his Preface, rather than beneath it. My desire and design in this my Anteloquium, was not so much to raise, as to encourage thy expectation. To wish thee as much Christian satisfaction and contentment i● the perusal of the Treatise, as myself received by the Author imparting some of the Contents unto me, would be to wish thee liberally. The blessing of him that justifieth the ungodly, and yet is just in so doing, be upon thee, and upon all thy Conscientious labours, and applications unto him in the use of all means which he hath sealed for the saving of thy soul; and when thou shalt be full of comfort and peace, forget not him who remembreth thee at the Throne of Grace, and resteth,  
Thy Christian Friend, that hath but one heart for thee and himself, J. G.   

ERRATA.  
PAg. 3. lin. 10. read times. p. 5. l. 7. r. Gal. 2.16. p. 8 l. 26. leave out and then the Law must justify him. pag. 9 lin. last, r. Joh. 8.7. p. 10. l. 26. r. us by: p. 11. l. 16. leave our therefore. p. 21. l. 27. r. Covenant. p. 22. l. 12. r. Rom. 10.5. p. 23. l. 20. r. serveth. p. 53. l. 11. r. this. ibid. lin. 33. r. Ordinances. p. 58. l. 1. r. Commentators. p. 63. l. 7. r. makes. p. 67. l. last r. and thou. p. 81. l. 7. r. we are. p. 86. l. 8. r. Epaphras. ult. r. from the 15 to the 19 p. 87. l. 31. r. have thought. p. 90. l last r. take. p. 92. l. 26. r. no good. p. 103. l. 1. r. wonder. p. 115. l. 1. r. own. p. 124. l. 19 r. justice. p. 135. l. last r. thou set. p 137. 1. 31. leave out they. p. 139. l. 20. r. none. p. 180. l. last r. spirit for call. p. 192. last 5 lines to be left out. p. 194. l. 9 r. same time. p. 1●5. l 9 r. hands. lin. 21. r. honest. p. 197. l. 16. 1. cruelties. p. 200. l. 26. r. so far. lin. lastr. self. p. 202. l. 9 r. legality. p. 210. l. 23. r. how Ahab. p. 231. l. 14. 1. and. l. 25 r. discourse. l. 31. r. Pharisce. 232. l. 15. r. certainly. p 258. l. 17. r. neglect to study. p. 239. l. 3. r. Christ. p. 243. l. last r. terminated. p. 244 l 8. r. from. p. 310. l. 5. for Christ read sin. p. 321. l. 1. r. saith. p. 323. marg. r inference from it. p. 341. l. 15. r. that. p. 345. l. 19 r. fundamental. p. 349. l. 34. r. thy.   

Of Justification.  
JUstification may be considered as an Act of God upon the Creature, 
The de●●nicion, or description of justification.  or as a state of the Creature resulting from that act: As God's act, it is, God's reckoning or reputing a man just and righteous. As the Creatures state, it is, his being reckoned, and standing for just and righteous in the sight of God. That this is a Scripture-desinition or description, may appear from Rom. 2.13. For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified: Where to be just before God, and to be justified, is all one; therefore Justification is a man's being just before God, reckoned, reputed by God so to be; Another place that proves this description, you have Gal. 3.11. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God, is evident; for the just shall live by Faith: The justified man is a just man in the sight of God. To be justified before God, or in the sight of God, or by God, are all one; for it is the same phrase, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both places; and the meaning is only this, that God must reckon that man just whosoever is justified, according to that in 2 Cor. 10.18. Not he that commendeth himself is approved: I may add, not he whom all the men on earth, or all the Augels in Heaven commend, is therefore approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.  
This act or state of Justification is variously expressed in the Scripture, I shall give just a taste of it. 
The description of ●ustification v●ried in the Scripture.  In Gen. 4.7. It is called God's accepting of us: If thou dost well, shall thou not be accepted? And again, Gods having respect unto us, in the same chap. v. 4.5. The Lord had respect unto Abel, and unto his Offering; but unto Cain and his Offering he had not respect.  
Once more; Justification is expressed thus, To have a Tessimony from God that we please him, Heb. 11.6. But I shall keep to my first description, because that is especially made use of by the Apostle Paul, in his professed Discourses upon this subject, viz. That Justification is a man's being reputed just and righteous in the sight of God; and indeed the Apostle Paul as a close Disputant keeps to his terms, and rallyes all the terms of a sort together, which in this business are these three especially, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, Just, Justice or Rightcousness, and Justification. Every justified person●s reputed a just man, by virtue of a Justice or Righteousness that constitutes him so, or at least makes him a Subject immediately sit for this Act of Justification to pass upon him: For Justification is a legal or judicial Act, the Act usually of a Court. Now men in their Courts will not pronounce a man just when he is accused, or is brought upon his justification; except there be a righteousness appearing in him, except there be something sufficient brought in his justification: And do we think that God will transact such a great business more slightly than we are wont to do? Why, this Justification of a man's person, it is done in the sight of God; and (that I may a little illustrate it) it seems to be done in the Court of Heaven, before all  Augels of God; for they re●oice at the conversion of a Sinner, and so at his Justification, Luke 12.8, 9.15.10. Therefore in the Court of Heaven, when one is to be justified, the great inquiry that is made, is after a Righteousness: And the Apostle Paul's Epistles when he treats of this subject, ring of nothing so loudly as of a Righteousness: No less than thirty several time doth the Apostle make mention of that Word Rightcousness, in that one Epistle to the Rom. and and at least twenty of those times it is referred unto Justification; therefore Justification must be by a Righteonsness: The great Question therefore is this; What is the Righteousness which if a man have, he is a Subject capable of being justified, that is, reputed a just man in the sight of God? Now the Answer to this Question cannot be made, till I have established four preliminary Propositions.  
The first position is this, That there are only two kinds of righteousness imaginable by us; or rather, but two to be found in Scripture; & they are by the Apostle fairly distinguished, & each part of the distinction expressed in several synonymaes, or words signifying the same thing. There is the Righteousness of the Law, and the Righteousness of Faith, Rom. 10.5.6. The Righteousness of God, and our own Righteousness, Rom. 10.3. And as Righteousness is thus variously distinguished, so is Justification (which is the Reward of Righteousness) said to be of several kinds, according to the several Righteousness which it proceeds upon; (if the Righteousness be that of the Law, by the Works of the Law, then is the Reward reckoned of Debt; if the Righteousness be that of Faith, the Reward is in the nature of a Grace or Gift, Rom. 4 4. Now to him that worketh (according to the Law) the Reward is not reckoned of Grace, but of Debt, and 〈◊〉 contra, to him that believeth, and is for the Righteousness of Faith, the Reward, that is, Justification, is reckoned of Grace, not of Debt. Having thus given a distinct account what Justification is, how that it is the constituting a man just before God; and what ground or reason it proceeds upon, viz. Upon a Righteousness found with the person to be justified; he hath a Righteousness to plead for him: And having given you the only distinction that there is of Righteousness, it is of the Law, or Faith; however either part of the distinction may be varied in synonymous expressions; and so the Justification following upon one of these Righteousnesses, viz. That of the Law is of Debt; upon the other, viz. The Righteousness of Faith is of Grace; I shall draw up the terms that belong to either part of the distinction, whether of Righteousness or Justification, together, that so ye may see the Apostle is full of these two, and only these two; as also, that the Scriptures may appear wherein this subject is touched at, and so fall upon a fair dispute for the Cause, which is this, Whether of these two ways must serve us in the present state of things? Which way of Righteousness, which way of Justification we must betake ourselves unto, if we would be saved? For without Justification, no Salvation; and Salvation at the day of Judgement will follow only upon our Justification in this life; God will then do that in the face of all the world in acquitting or condemning, which now he doth effectually in a more covert and secret manner. To draw up (therefore) these two parties into the field. 1. The Law in its party or list of Synonyma's, hath these severals, The works of the Law, 2 Gal. 1.6. The deeds of the Law, Rom. 3.20.28. The Law of Works, ver. 27. By works, without any addition of the Law. If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, Rom. 4.2. Here glorying and boasting belong to this Tribe too, as a consequent upon Legal-Justification, or Law-Justification. The Verb used is this, To him that worketh. I shall not instance in any further Synonyma's belonging to the Law, such as this, that it is called a fleshly way, and flesh; Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh. I come to give the synonymaes or conjugata that belong to the way of Faith: The substantives are these, 1. Faith alone; Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. The Faith of God, Rom. 3.3. The Law of Faith, ver. 27. The righteousness of faith: Rom. 4.13. Grace 'tis of Faith, that it might be of Grace. Abundance of Grace, and the gift of righteousness, Rom. 5.17. It is also called the Promise. Faith than is made void, & the Promise made of none effect, Rom. 4.14. And lastly, to mention no more the Promises; is the Law then against the Promises of God, Gal. 3.21. the verbs, To him that worketh not, but believeth, his Faith is counted unto him for righteousness. Having given this Musterroll as it were) of both parties, I come now to some other Positions, the first was this viz. 1. That there are but these two ways (imaginable of fication; there are but two sorts of Righteousness, and so but two ways by which men do, or with pretence of reason can seek Justification in, else there had been more mentioned by the Apostle.  
The second position is this, 2. That these two ways are quite opposite one to the other, and inconsistent one with the other, that is, as to the Justification of the same man, at the same time; nay if a man doth but seek to be justified by the one, he cannot be justified by the other at the same time: This opposition I have argued out for me expressly by the Apostle, Rom. 11.6. If by Grace, than it is no more of works, otherwise Grace is no more Grace; but if it be by works than it is no more of Grace, otherwise work is no more work, Rom. 4.4, 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward, not reckoned of Grace, but of Debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth, his Faith is counted for righteousness.  
3d. Position is this; The way of works was once, and still in its own nature is a way of justification, Rom. 7.10. The Commandment was ordained to be unto life; yea, this way was the ancient, and the first of the ways of God in his dealing with man, and seems to be natural, and necessary to the primitive Estate of mankind; For God made made man upright in his own Image, of knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, and gave him the Law, though not written in Tables of stone, yet in his heart, which was better; else it had not been sin to have committed Murder, Adultery, Stealth, false-witness bearing, Perjury, Idolatry, and what not, in the Estate of innocency; for where there is no Law, there is no transgression.  
God gave man a Law, and furnished him with ability to have heaped it to a tittle; so that, if he would, he might have had the works of the Law to show for himself, 
The way of Justification by the ●aw unsolded and argued to be the first & natural way of juslification.  at what time soever the Creator should have called him to account, and all the time he and others had kept themselves innocent and holy; they must have been acceptable to God: he would have had respect to them and their works; and they would have obtained this Testimony from God, that they pleased him; which was all that Enoch (who was too good to live in the World) had to show for his justification: And this had been enough for Adam, or any other man to have produced for their Justification, if Satan had at any time turned Accuser: And thus living according to the Will of God, they should have continued in the favour of God, and perhaps after some term of years have been translated to some more happy an estate: Then they might have gloryed without sinning; that is, they might have pleased themselves with such thoughts and speeches as these: Happy are we that we took heed and care to please God, and kept ourselves innocent; for now have we obtained a glorious reward; we might have ruined ourselves, as we see the Angels have done: We had a Power to have started aside from God; but we have kept ourselves from that mischief: Such an innocent glorying as this (and no higher glorying can I imagine lawful, even in such a state) was not forbidden by the Law of Works; it was not excluded Rom. 3.27. Thus we see Justification is a a thing feasible and attainable by works; by the Law, if a man have the works of it: 
Our Saviour and the elect Augels were justified by the Law.   
Yea, our Saviour Christ had the Works of the Law, and the Law justified him; and the Angels that kept their first estate, they were doubtless approved by the Law of their Creation, and had all the Apostate Angels turned Devils and false Accusers of them, as they are of the Brethren, their Works would have justified them in the sight of God, 
Not that the good Angels had no other reward but what a Covenant of Works would allow.  and before the world; though I say not that the good Angels have no other reward but what a Covenant of works allots. But I doubt not to affirm, That the good Angels were justified and rewarded by a Covenant of Works; in as much as there was a full trial made, when the other Angels fell of their voluntary obedience: So that the Law in itself, hath not only a power to justify and reward, but hath actually rewarded the observers of it, those that had the righteousness of it: Yea all the Work of our redemption by Christ, was brought about only with the good leave of the Law: Christ must make a recognition, and publicly own the Authority and Majesty that was still remaining in the Law: acknowledgement must be made how that that had been offended; and some reparation must be made unto the glory of God, which was much impaired; as it is a revenue from us, in the transgression of the Law: And this was the only way decreed by God, that the Law must satisfy itself upon him, whosoever would undertake our Redemption; and then the Law must justify him; all which it did upon our Saviour: Which proves the unquestionable Power and Authority that the Law had in it to justify man, had he but the works of it.  
But now let any man or Angel but sin, 
If the ●aw be once broken in a tittle, it can justify no longer.  and the Law can justify him no longer; if he have but the least failing in obedience, the Law can only condemn this person, Man or Angel, whoever he be; but I shall limit myself to mankind: For this take that Scripture, Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. So that if a man hath once sinned, and yet seeks to be justified, he must not seek justification by the righteousness of the Law any longer; there comes a necessity of Grace, Pardon, Mercy, which the Law hath not in it; the Law hath no such thing as Grace or Pardon in it. The Law only saith, He that doth them, shall live in them; and he that doth them not, is accursed.  
Now this Grace, Mercy and Pardon which a man comes to have a necessity of, upon his first breach of the Law, is in the way of Faith, which I have proved to be the opposite way of Justification to that of the Law. It is of Faith (saith the Apostle) that it might be by Grace; the way of Grace is the way of Faith.  
So that is the third assertion, with its explication and proof. The fourth Assertion is this, That every man in the World hath broken the Law, Rom. 3.23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Jews call the Gentiles by this Name, The sinners of the Gentiles, or of the Nations: But what saith the Apostle speaking of the Jews, of whom himself was one? What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, as it is written, There is none righteous, no not one, v. 9, 10. When the Jews brought a Woman taken in Adultery, unto our Saviour, to see what Judgement he would pass upon her, he delivered the Woman by this sentence of stoning her, Let him that hath no sin, cast the first stone at her: Now if there had then been but one there that durst pretend to have been without sin, the Woman might perhaps have lost her life, John 8.34. And we find it amongst ourselves, none but some brainsick people dare pretend to be free from sin; even actual sin, committed in their own person, either in deed, word, or thought at least. Now if we have all thus offended the law, and transgressed the law, shall we dare appeal unto it, or can it justify us?  
The fifth assertion therefore, which determines the Question negatively, is, That the law is disabled from justifying us, by reason of sin: In Rom. 8.3. Justification is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that impossibility of the la, translated thus, What the Law could not do; the la now cannot do it, according to that famous assertion of the Apostle Paul to this very purpose. Gal. 3.21. For if there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law: The jaw cannot now justify, and what is the reason? Why the Apostle tells us in Rom. 8.3. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh: The law became thus disabled in the matter of Justification through the flesh, through sinful flesh, as appears by the following words; so that now it could not justify us if it would never so fain.  
We can conceive no way now that the Lord hath to justify by us the law, but this one; first to pardon, then to give us a stock of grace & ability to keep his law, as he gave to Adam; but then mark, here you see, first the way of Grace & Faith must be made use of, before the law can do us any good, or stand us in any stead: therefore still the fifth assertion holds true that the law in the present state of things cannot justify us, except the way of grace should first pass upon us, and then what need we come to the la again? No, it is so true that the la cannot now justify us, nor give life unto us; that if it could have done it, it should have done it, and God would not have made use of any other way.  
I might now give several Scripture-proofs of this assertion, under several Heads: As,  
1. By the Law now comes only the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3.20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified; for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.  the Law comes now amongst sinners, it discovers that they are guilty in such, and such a particular; I had not known sin (saith the Apostle) but by the Law; for I had not known lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet, Rom. 7.7.  
2. The Law worketh therefore Wrath, therefore it cannot justify; this is the Apostles Argument Rom. 4. ver. 15. Now the Law worketh Wrath these two ways, either it setteth home the Wrath of God already deserved upon the Conscience, or it gives occasion to further sinning, and so to a further desert of Wrath; for the Law hath this strange effect now upon a sinner's heart that seeks to be justified by it, that it will (contrary to the first design of it which was to sanctify, justify, and save) it will now stir up all manner of lusts in the heart (as the Sun shining on a Dunghill sends forth a stink) and so not only discovers our former illdemerits and deserving of Wrath, but provokes to further sinning, & so lays us under more wrath still; if this be not a truth, let any make sense of these Scriptures, if they can, Rom. 7.8, 9, 10, 11. Sintaking occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence, for without the Law sin was dead; for I was alive without the Law once; but when the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died; and the Commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death; for sin taking occasion by the Commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 13. Was then that which is good, made death unto me? God forbidden; but sin that it might appear sin, working death in me, by that which is good, that sin by the Commandment might become out of measure sinful. I know several of these expressions are, and may be in part interpreted of sin in the guilt, that it appears by the law; but it must also be understood of the power of sin, that the law discovers that likewise whilst it irritates and provokes it; and I would fain know if there can be any other sense of that whole context from the 1. to the 7. ver of that chap. especially the 5. ver. When we were in the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.  
3. The law by both these effects discovering of sin, and exciting sin, as also showing the Wrath due to sin is so far from justifying, that it becomes the Ministration of Death and Condemnation to the sinner, and not of justification unto life; and for this we may consult the whole third Chap. of the second to the Corinthians.  
My 6th. Assertion therefore is this, Faith is the way, and the only way that we have to take for Justification being sinners; We must have Mercy, Grace, Pardon; We must not think to stand upon our terms, to require Justification as a due debt; We must be glad to receive it as a gift, and this is the way that Faith leads us in: That Faith and Grace are one way, I have proved before, in reckoning up the several Synonymaes of those only two ways which the Apostle mentions. Now that Faith is the only way for us, appears from what hath been already said and proved: For if the law be no way, and there be only these two ways imaginable, then there is no other way but this of Faith left us: But I shall yet give one full Scripture-proof of this, Rom. 3.21. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; but now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested— even the righteousness which is of God by Faith. 24. Being justified freely by his Grace. 28. Therefore we conclude, That a man is justified by Faith, without the deeds of the Law.  
The 7th. and last Proposition is this, That de facto, there hath been no other way of Justification which hath taken effect upon any sinful man, nor any other way adhered to by any of the true Saints of God since the fall of Adam, but this way of Faith. And the Apostle takes this way of proof, viz from the event: For most people are more affected with Events, then with Arguments from the nature and profound reason of the thing. Therefore having proved it first from the nature of the law, I come to examples, and they shall be but two, one plain, the other mystical; and lastly, prove it from a Testimony out of David to this way of Justification by Faith; herein following the Apostle in the way which he takes, or rather herein only marking out the way which he takes, not imitating it in doing the like.  
The first and onely-plain example which the Apostle proves Justification by Faith by, is that of Abraham; this example of Abraham the Apostle hath continual recourse to, in his Discourses of this subject, both in the Romans and Galatians, and well might, having to deal with the Jews and Jewd●izing Gentiles, who gloryed in nothing more, then to be called and accounted Abraham's Seed; and the Apostle in his urging this Example, plainly proceeds upon such a supposition as this, Certainly your Father Abraham was justified in the right way, and you will desire to be justified in no other way than he was: Now He prove to you clearly, that he was not justified by the law, nor by works, but by Faith, & by the promise; therefore justification is not by the la, nor by works, but by Faith. Thus the Apostle argues, Rom. 4. Gal. 3. Rom. 4.1. What shall we say then, that Abraham our Father, as pertaining to the flesh hath found? That is, either Abraham our fleshly Father hath found, or Abraham our Father hath found according to the flesh, that is, in the way of a fleshly righteousness: What hath he found? Hath he found Justification by the flesh? Shall we say he hath? It follows ver. 2. For if Abrahaw were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God; that is, but he hath not whereof to glory before God, therefore he was not justified by works: For if he were justified by works, he might glory before God; for the la of works, if a man hath these works, doth not exclude glorying before God: But now Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God, therefore he was not justified by works, v. 3. For what saith the Scripture, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness, v. 4, 5. Now he that believeth, as the scripture saith Abraham did, he worketh not, that is, seeks not Justification by works. Now see Gal. 3. where the same example is brought in proof by the Apostle, v. 6. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, v. 7. Know therefore, that they which are of Faith, and for the way of believing, the same are the true Children of Abraham, and the only blessed or justified persons, v. 18. For if the Inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of the Promise; but God gave it to Abraham by Promise, therefore he had not the Inheritance by the Law, nor the Works of it; therefore we must not expect it that way, for we must bejustified the same way that Abraham was. Having given you the plain example, I shall likewise give you the Mystical or Allegorical example which the Apostle produceth to prove this last assertion, that de facto, Faith hath been all along the way of Justification; and it is safe using Allegories when the truth is once well established; and I have heard it observed, that the Jews were much taken with this way of Allegories: The Allegorical example therefore is that of Hagar and Saraah, 
The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah  Isaac. and Ishmael, in Gal. 4. from the 21. ver. to the end. The substance of it is this; Hagar was Mount Sinai in Arabia; and that Mountain which the Jews call Sinai, the Arabians call Hagar: Now upon Mount Sinai, or Mount Hagar, was the Law delivered, as much as to say, Allegorically: Hagar and her Seed are for Mount Sinai, for the Law, and the Works of it, for justification: But now Sarah answers Jerusalem that is above, and to Mount Zion; that is, she was a Type of the Gospel-Church, which is for Justification by Faith. Now what saith the Scripture (v: 30.) concerning these two Mothers and their Children, which was not only true literally, but is to be understood mystically and figuratively of the two Seeds, of those two sorts of men that adhere, the one to the Law for justification, the other to the way of believing; what saith the Scripture? Cast out the Bondwoman and her son, for the son of the Bondwoman shall not be heir with the Son of the Freewoman; as much as to say, Those that go to Mount Sinai, to the Law for Justification, shall never be heirs of God, but only the Gospel-Churcch, those that adhere to the way of Justification by Faith, according to that Scripture, Gal. 3.18. If the Inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of the Promise; but God gave it to Abraham and Sarah, and her Seed by promise. Abraham is the Father of us all, Rom. 4.16. and Saraah, which answers to Jerusalem that is above, is the Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. Now if any should object, that this prove; de facto only since Abraham's time, for all that would be accounted of his Seed: I answer. Let them look into Heb. 11. and there they may see a Catalogue of Saints from Abel's time, down to the time of the Maccabees, and in the end of that chap it is said, These all obtained a good report through faith ver. 39  
I come now to my last proof, which was to be from Testimony out of David, which the Apostle likewise makes use of for an Argument, Rom 4.6, 7. wherein the Apostle tells us there is a description of the blessedness of Justification, and particularly that Justification which is by Faith and give me a Scriprure-description, this is Authentic and Divine: Ver. 6. Even as David als● describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom Go● imputeth righteousness without works: This is purely a description of Justification by Faith: Now what is it? It follows v. 7, 8. saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin: Here David makes him the only blessed man that is justified by Faith; and what is this Justification other than pardon of sin, forgiveness of Iniquity, Mercy, Grace, a thing that the Law is not acquainted with; the Law cannot justify the ungodly, as Faith can, Rom. 4.5. How Faith receives pardon, and what this Faith is, I shall have best opportunity to discover in the following part of this Discourse; in the mean time I reckon that I have established these two positions in the general, that the Law is now no way of Justification; and that Faith which is the way of Grace and Pardon, is the only way left us, which sufficiently appears from Reason and Example; the Reason is that of the fall and sinfulness of mankind: The Example is that of Abraham, which may serve instead of all, and that which is of kin to it, viz. the Allegory of Hagar and Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael, together with all the Saints of the Old-Testament, reckoned up in Heb. 11.  
To which as an overplus, I may add the reason of God's approbation of this way of believing, and preferring this way before the reviving the old way of Works again: And this we have Rom. 4.16. 
The reason why after there was once a necessity of pardon, the Lord was pleased to continue the way of grace altogether.  Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace. When once man had fallen, and so brought on a necessity of another way of Salvation, (if the Lord wouldshew so much mercy) when once the way of Grace became necessary, the Great God liked this way of Grace altogether; not to pardon man, and then set him up a new in the way of Works; and the Lord liked the continuation of the way of Grace, rather than re-introducing the old way, that hereby he might have a great revenue of Glory from his Grace, which would be shown in this way; the Lord liked not so well that his Creature should come, and (as it were) challenge his Justification and Salvation as a Debt, which in the way of the Law he might have done; To him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of Grace, but of Debt: The Lord liked not that the Creature should glory and boast that it had saved itself, as in the way of Works it might have done; for glorying is not excluded by the Law of Works, but only by the Law of Faith; whereas this way of Grace excludes glorying, and that indebtedness of God to the Creature, and holds the Creature in continual debt and obligation to God: When Paul would have had the Thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan taken off from buffeting him, the Lord teacheth Paul to be contented with this answer, My Grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness, 2 Cor. 12 7, 8, 9 This way of believing taught Paul to depend upon the Grace and Strength of God, by which the Lord received an Honour which he should not have had if the temptation had been suddenly taken off. And this we find to be the great Reason alleged by the Apostle frequently in this subject: God in the way of his Gospel-Grace, goes quite cross to that way which man would have chosen, for this very reason, to hinder man's glorying and boasting; so we have it, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29. The base things of the World, and things which are despised, hath God chosen to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence: And in the 30.31. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord: So in Rom. 3. when the Apostle had showed what God had declared to be his Righteousness, even that of Faith, Where is glorying then, saith the Apostle? It is excluded. Again, the righteousness of the Law and Works, is called our own righteousness; but Faith is called the righteousness of God, Rom. 3.22 Now God will not allow that we should be justified by our own righteousness, he will have another righteousness which is not our own, that we may glory in him alone.  
Having asserted and proved those two Positions, That the Law is no way, and that Faith is the only way of Justification: I come now to answer the objections that may be made against what I have asserted, either in behalf of the Law, or against the way of believing.  
The great objection (and that which contains almost all that can be mentioned) is started by the Apostle Paul himself, Gal. 3.19. 
Object. Wherefore then serveth the law.  Wherefore then serveth the Law? is the Law of no use then, as you seem to make it? For if it were once a way of life, as you acknowledge, and the Scripture affirms it was ordained to be unto life, Rom. 7.10. and it be now no way unto life, but the way of Faith only is, than you make it an old antiquated thing out of date, out of use. And the Apostle is sensible that this inconvenience would be objected, Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith?  
But the meaning of the objection in Gal. 3.19. is chief this, Wherefore then serveth the Law; that is, To what end or purpose was the Law given to the Children of Israel by Moses? You assert, say the objectors, that as soon as Adam fell, the Law became of no use to him, nor any of his posterity, in the matter of Justification; but yet we find that the Law was given by Moses 2000 years after Adam's fall, and it was given in the most glorious manner, with the most astonishing glory that ever God appeared in, at any time unto the World; it was delivered by Angels, with the voice of a Trumpet, with Thundering, and Lightning, and Earthquakes, so that the whole Mountain was of a fire; and all the people saw and heard the thunder and fire, and the voice of Words: Yea God himself is said to descend upon the Mount in fire, and speak with Moses, Deut. 4.17, 18, 19, 20. Heb. 18.19, 20, 21. And say the Objectors, Whereas you seem to say in your third Position, That the Law was only a way of Justification to Adam: The Scripture makes no mention that ever the Law was given to Adam, but only to the Children of Israel; and when ever you have a comparison made between the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace, or betwixt the Law and Faith, it is the comparing still of the Covenant with the Children of Israel under the Old-Testament, and the New-covenant mad by Christ with his people under the Gospel: So we sinned these two ways compared in 2 Cor. 3. throughout the chap. and Heb. 8. throughout that chapter; but especially from v. 6. to the end; In 2 Cor. 3. there the Law is indeed called a Ministration of death, but yet it is the Law of Moses; for in the same ver. it is said to be written & engraven in stones, which is plainly the Law of the ten Commandments; and that when Moses brought them to the people, his countenance had such a glory and lustre upon it, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold his face, ver. 7. And this Law of Moses is called the Old-Testament, ver. 6. And this is that which is compared with the Gospel which Paul preached, ver, 12.13. Seeing that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech, and not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, etc. Ergo, The Law reached further than the days of Adam for a way of Justification; for it was given to the Children of Israel by Moses, and it was their Covenant or Testament; and if it be done away, it was not till the days of the Gospel by Christ, according to that of the Apostle John, 1 John 17. The Law was given by Moses, but Grace came by Jesus Christ: So in Gal. 3 23. Before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed. So in Heb 8.6. speaking of Christ; But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better promises, ver. 7. For if that first Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second; but finding fault, he saith, Behold the days come saith the Lord, when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of Judah, not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers, when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt. And what Covenant was that I pray, but the Law, the Law of Moses? ver. 13. In that he saith a New Covenant, he hath made the first old; now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away. From this whole context I conclude, says the objector, That the Law, which is famously known to be the Law of Moses, was a Conant till Christ's time at least, with the people of of God, Jews and Proselytes, and so a way of Justification, which is quite contrary to your fifth and seventh Positions; or else show of what use the Law was, when given to the Children of Israel besides this of being a way of Justification, or a Covenant of Works, which is all one. Wherefore then serveth the Law? Is it of no use now unto us? Or rather, wherefore then was it given to the Jews? Was it of no use to them? Was it not their Covenant? And therefore must it not be their way of Justification? Else show how it would deserve the Name of the first, or old Covenant or Testament?  
Nay, to add a little more matter of Objection, the Law hath the Language of a Covenant, a condition annexed, and that when it was given to the children of Israel; and the Lord tells his people, Leu. 18.5. after the delivery of the Law, That if a man do these things, he shall live; And Moses is said by the Apostle Paul, Rom. 5.10. in those words of Leviticus, to describe a legal righteousness in opposition to the Righteousness of Faith; For Moses describeth the righteousness of the Law, that the man which doth those things, shall live by them; but the righteousness which is of Faith, speakethon this wise— that is, in an opposite manner: Therefore certainly saith the objection, the Law when it was given by Moses, was given as a way of Justification: Nay our Saviour himself saith in Luke 10.28. speaking of the law of Moses, This do, and thou shalt live: Therefore certainly the law is a way, if not the only way of Justification unto fallen man; for those Jews than were fallen, as well as we are now.  
This is the objection, which is indeed weighty and considerable, and of purpose raised by the Apostle, in the first great branch of it, that it might receive an answer: It consists of several branches, to all which I shall endeavour to apply an answer in its place; and first I shall begin with that part which is greatest, which when well answered, the rest will receive an easy solution; and it is this: For what ends or purposes was the Law given to the Children of Israel, if not for a way of Justification? Now as I gave the objection first in the Apostles words, so I shall give you the answer to it in his words in that same Chap. Gal. 3. This great objection therefore the Apostle answers in the same way that our Saviour sometimes answered the cavilling Pharisees with a question all as hard, or harder.  
A: You come, saith the Apostle, in a cavilling way against the Doctrine of Faith which we preach, and tell me, the law hath been a way, and therefore is a way, and the way of Justification; and you tell me it was not only a way to Adam in innocency, but to all the people of God, before that Jesus, and we his Apostles preached up this way of believing: And you go to prove this last thing that you say, that it was the way to all the Saints of God till Christ's time (which is the great thing that I deny) by a mere cavil; Forsooth else wherefore doth it serve? Of what use else is it? And I answer: you with an harder question by far? Wherefore then sereth the promise? To what end serve the promises? To what end serves the Gospel that was preached to Abraham? Gal. 3.8. The Scriptute foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, etc. You ask, To what end serveth the Law then? And I ask, To what end serveth the Gospel then, that was preached to Abraham before the law was given? Yea, to what end serves the Covenant made of God in Christ, to A●braham and his Seed 430. years before ever the law was given by Moses, ver. 17. Shall I ever be induced to believe, that when God had set up a way of Grace, nay had established & confirmed it in a Covenant, not to Adam only, who was a remote Father, but to our Father Abraham and his Seed, nay had confirmed it in Christ; shall I think that the law coming by Moses 430 years after, should disannul this Covenant, and make the promise of none effect? What did God repent of his being so gracious, and set up a way that had no Grace, and can have no Grace in it? or was not the great God obliged to make good his Promise and Covenant? Why, if it be but a man's covenant, yet after it is confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. Now this was God's Covenant, and therefore saith the Apostle. Gal. 3 15, 16, 17, 18. that is, This is the full scope and genius of his Discourse; Finding thus a Covenant made and confirmed so long before, I will never believe, it can never be, that the law coming so long after, should come in to put an end to it, to make the way of Justification by Faith to cease; What ever therefore the law came for, this could never be the end of it.  
And here the Apostle might have ended the enquiry, having silenced the question by a greater: For it is as certain, (if not more) that God cannot fa●l in the promise of his Grace, as it is that he should exact the rigour of his Law. But yet now, if those which make the objection will be sober, the Apostle will give them further satisfaction yet.  
2. Ans. There were other ends of giving the Law, 
There were other ends of giving the Law, besides justification by the works of it.  besides Justification by the works of it; For the Apostle will readily allow that there were great and weighty ends of the delivery of the law, that it was delivered with great Majesty and Authority, that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good: The Apostle never speaks lightly of the law; no you shall find, saith the Apostle, that by the preaching of Faith we go the highest way in the World to establish the Laws Rom. 3.31. We will allow any thing that can be thought or imagined for the honour of the law, if you will abate us thus much, that it is not a way of Justification: I come therefore to show some other ends of the law's being given (which were indeed very considerable) besides that of its being a way of Justification by the works of it.  
And first in general, and I shall answer in the words of the Apostle in the same verse, where the objection is made, Gal. 3.19. 
Is was added because of transgression.  The Law was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made: Here may be observed in this answer, the substance of the answer, which is the true reason of the laws being given; and two at least (if not more) cautionary circumstances in the manner of expressing this reason or answer. The substance of the answer, or the main reason of the law's being given, was this; it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was given for the sake of, or by occasion of, or because of transgressions. How transgressions occasioned, and even necessitated the giving of the law, we shall easily understand, if we consider, that, 
All transgressions did not occasion the giving of the Law  first it was not given because of Adam's transgression or transgressions; for than it must have been presently given as soon as Adam fell, whereas it was not given for the space of 2400. years after Adam's fall; so it seems it was not necessary to be given for Adam's Salvation, by occasion of his transgressions, he had indeed the promise of the Seed of the Woman given him presently upon his fall, by which he was to be saved. Again, it was not necessary to be given for Abraham's salvation, not by occasion of his transgressions; it was not given in his time; he had the promise and the Gospel preached to him, by the Faith of which he was saved; the Law was not given till above 400. years after he received the promise, which was long after Abraham was dead and buried: So you see all transgressions did not necessitate the Law's being given; for all the good men that were before the Law had their transgressions, and yet the Law was not given in their time, they went to Heaven without it. The truth is therefore this seems to be the plain reason of the Law's being added with respect to transgressions. Before the Law and the Scriptures written by Moses, 
How transgressions occasioned the Laws delivery.  the People of God had only the Light of Nature, the Promise given to Adam, or other promises and discoveries from God, made to some eminent Patriarch, such as Enoch and Noah, but especially and famously to Abraham; and by these delivered to the people. Enoch is said to be the seventh from Adam, and to prophesy, Judas 14. and Noah to be the 8th person, a Preacher of Righteousness; which perhaps may as well signify his being the eighth famous Preacher from Adam, as one of the eight saved in the Ark, 2 Pet. 2.5. from these the people of God before the Law had a traditional Divinity and Gospel, which might serve well enough, and did very well with the People of God in their days (who were but few, as it should seem) to hinder them from running out violently into transgressions; but when God had entered into Covenant with a carnal Seed of Abraham that should come of his Son Isaac; and this Seed of Abraham according to the promise, grew and multiplied like the stars of Heaven for number, & could not be contained in their duty by so few traditional Rules as the Patriarches and the good men in their days lived and served God by, or that the Prophets which they had amongst them, one at a time, were not able to teach so great a people as they should be taught, but that they would be apt to break out into manifold transgressions, except they had the Law written plainly for them in Tables of Stone, so that every man might teach his Neighbour, when they grew irregular and ungodly, saying, Know the Lord; then, for the sake of these transgressions, and for the prevention of them the Law was added. So you see the Law was given by Moses only occasionally. If the Children of Israel could have been contained in obedience as well as Adam and the Church of God in his time was, and till Abraham's time, and after Abraham's time for a great while, and this without the Law, it seems the Law had never been given by Moses.  
This is the substance of the answer, and to this suits exceeding well another place of the same Apostle, 1 Tim 1.7, 8, 9 There are a sort of men (saith he) that have swerved from the way of Faith, and they will needs be teachers of the Law; but alas, they know not what they undertake in it: 'Tis true (saith the Apostle) the Law is good if a man use it lawfully; but you may make such an use of the Law, viz. in the matter of Justificaton, that it may do you a mischief: And whereas these ignorant Law-preachers tell us, that the Law was given by Moses for a way of Justification, we know, saith he, ver. 9 that the Law is not made, was never given for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for the unholy and profane; for these serve the Laws of the first Table, for Murderers of Fathers, and Murderers of Mothers, for Man-slayers, serves the sixth Commandment. For Whoremongers, and them that defile themselves with mankind, serves the seventh Commandment; for Men-slayers the eighth; for Liars, for perjured persons the ninth; and if there be any thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine. The Law was given because of these transgressions and transgressors, else it should not have been given at all more than it was before, viz: Clearly written in the heart of man before the fall, and obscurely, in the heart of all men ever since, yet plainly enough for those that were minded to use their light faithfully and honestly, together with those vouchsafements they should have had from God at times of further Discoveries.  
This is the substance of the answer of the Apostle; and this reason, Because of transgressions, you see was a weighty reason why the Law should be given to the Jews, if God had any love for them to make them his people above all other Nations, viz. to keep them from running out into these gross sins, which otherwise they would, and other Nations not having the Law did run out into C. 19 Ver. 19, 20. He showeth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any Nation: And as for his Judgements, they have not known them; for though the Work of the Law be written in every man's heart as the Apostle tells us, Rom. 2.14.15. (where he is speaking of the Gentiles) yet men will not be at the pains to read or study what is written there, neither would Israel have done it, had not the Law been written for them in Tables of stone too; they would not have known God's Judgements any more than other Nations, had not God given his Law to them by Moses: And this we see by the event; for that, notwithstanding this Law, yet when they came amongst other Nations, they ran into their abominations, though they had express Laws against them; what would they have done therefore if they had been wholly without this Law? There was therefore a necessity, at least a great requisitness of a Law to be given to Israel, if God loved them, and would manifest his love to them more than to any other people; he could not do it in an higher instance, then in giving them the Law. Therefore you see the Law might be given for other reasons then this, to be a way of Justification by the works of it, I will show further anon why the la was given with respect to transgression. I shall only in the mean time observe one or two things further in the Apostles answer to the objection, which I mentioned by the Name of cautionary circumstances in his Answer; one is this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was added, non data sed addita est; it is not said simply, the Law was given, but added because of transgressions; Added to what? Why to the Promises, to the Gospel that was on foot before, long before; above 2000 years before, in Adam's time; 430. years before, in Abraham's time; it was added to the Covenant that was before confirmed of God in Christ; and it was added, not as a supplement, for the Gospel was complete in itself; it saved thousands before ever the Law was given by Moses; and it would have saved thousands more, and might have served till the coming of Christ, for all any absolute necessity that there was of it. Only if the Lord would be so gracious to his people of Israel above all Nations in the World, to give them his Will in Writing at large, that they might be the better contained in their obedience, better than other Nations were; This was the Lord's Bounty and Grace to them; but it is certain, ' 'ttwas never given them to be so much as a necessary supplement to the Gospel that was before, in the matter of Justification: It was added only occasionally, as an useful Appendix, not as a necessary supplement; not with design to supplant, but to serve the Gospel. I have mentioned one of the limitations or cautionary circumstances which the Apostle useth in his assigning the reason of the Lavv's being given; 
As the law was given only occasionally and additionally, so it was but a temporary dispensation.  it was added, there is another, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until such time as the Seed should come. As the Law was but occasionally and additionally given at first; so it is but temporary in its continuance; as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its beginning; so there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a set-time of its continuance: Here observe, that though the Apostle doth allow that there was a weighty reason, a great occasion of the Law's being given; yet he is afraid at the same time, lest the Law should get too much advantage by this allowance of his, and therefore gives these several terms of diminution, whilst he speaks most for the honour of the Law. Let us return now a little more to discover the mystery that is contained in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Law was added, because of Transgressions; for you shall find that there is much of mystery in it yet, besides what I have mentioned; What I have mentioned, lies more obvious; that which remains is much more wonderful and mysterious, yet expressly asserted by the Apostle in several places. The Law therefore was added because of transgression in these three respects. 
The Law was added because of transgression, in three respects.  1. To hinder transgression from being committed. 2. To aggravate transgressions that were or should be committed. And 3. ultimately to finish transgressions, and make an end of sin by driving and directing the wounded sinner to a Saviour. And all those three reasons are as I may say, fundamental in the occasion of the Law its being added to the promises, till the time that the Seed should come. 1. The Law was added because of transgressions, that is, to hinder transgressions from being committed; and the Law was added to hinder transgressions these two ways. 1. As a large plain Rule to show them what was their duty, that so they might not run into transgressions through ignorance: And 2dly, as a fiery Law to deter them from sin, and frighten them into their duty, that so they might not run into transgressions through negligence. 1. As a large plain Rule to show them their duty. This particular, and this only I insisted upon erewhile, when I explained what was the substance of the Apostles Answer to the Objection, and I shall add no more unto it.  
2dly, It did not only hinder transgression by informing them in their duty lest they should run into transgression through ignorance; but as a fiery Law to deter them from transgression, and to frighten them into their duty, that they might not transgress through negligence; though this doth not so much refer to the matter of the Law, as to the manner of its delivery. But yet this manner of its delivery is as much taken notice of by the Apostle, and was as necessary almost as the matter of the Law itself. Now this manner of its delivery with dread and terror, consists of two things: 1. 
Wherein consists the terror of the Law.  That it was delivered with thunderings and lightnings, etc. 2. That it was delivered much in the form of a Covenant of Works, without that mixture of promises which the Gospel abounds with; and these two things make up the terror of the Law of Moses; and indeed this terror made up of these two parts, is almost all that which is peculiar to their dispensation: For else, for the matter of it (setting aside the Ceremonial and Judicial Law) it remains still obliging us in the days of the Gospel; and the Apostle professeth to establish the Law even by the preaching of Faith: 'Tis true, it was first of all given to the Jews, that was their privilege; but now that it is given, it is ours as well as theirs; that therefore which seems to be peculiar to them in it, was the manner of its delivery, both being without promises, and in that terrible manner given upon the Mount; but yet still it was thus given because of transgressions, to hinder transgressions; they needed this terror at that time; Children though they know their duty, must have some terror to make them do it: The Heir, whilst he is a Child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all; he is used like a servant, harshly, severely; he is under Tutors and Governors till the time appointed by the Father, Gal. 4.2. there is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle hath in his answer to the objection, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: But because this particular hath some affinity with the second general end mentioned, why the Law was given with respect to transgressions, I shall now enter upon that; and it was this, 2. The Law was added because of transgressions, for the heightening and aggravating of transgressions, Rom. 5.20. The Law entered, that the offence might abound, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, subingressa est, irrepsit; the Holy Ghost is pleased frequently to use such words as should show that the Law came in by the by, for some considerable ends indeed that the Lord had in delivering it, but not as the great established way for Justification, for certainly that could not come in by the by; but the Law came in thus, it stole in, subingressa est, it crept in by stealth irrepsit, so the Original signifies. But what was the end of the Law when it thus entered? why, it entered because of transgressions, that the offences of men might abound: In the 12. ver. of R●●. 5. 〈◊〉 read, that sin entered into the World; and 〈◊〉, that the Law entered; the Law hunted it, followed it, stole in afterwards to discover sin; for as ver. 13. hath it, Before, or until the Law, sin was in the world; that is, not before the Law did oblige, but before the Law was delivered in such a solemn manner as it was upon Mount Sinai; before the Law sin was in the world; but sin was not imputed when there was no Law; yet death reigned all this while till Moses his time, which was the curse of the Law. Now that men might know wherefore they suffered death, and the curse, it was sit the Law should come into the world in a solemn manner delivered, that so sin might be imputed by men to themselves, as it was by God to men, witness death, the curse of the Law, which reigned from Adam to Moses; from Adam that sinned, to Moses that gave the Law; sin did not appear to be sin, till the Law entered; & therefore it is said, Sin that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, (viz. the Law) that sin by the Commandment might become out of measure sinful. So Rom. 3.20 the Apostle proves that the Law cannot justify; for by the Law is the knowledge of sin. The Law is so far from justifying (saith the Apostle) that it only brings sin to light, brings the knowledge of sin with it, makes the offence to abound; and if that be the way to justify sinners, to aggravate their sins, & bind on their guilts more than ever upon their consciences, let any man judge; & therefore indeed the Law in the immediate great intent of it was a kill Letter, an Administration of Death, a Ministration of Condemnation, a Ministration of Desperation, and not of righteousness unto justification; and accordingly it was delivered with thundering & lightning upon Mount Sinai, to show the horrible fire, darkness & tempest that there was in the Law itself, to all that should come near it, to think to make use of it for a way of Justification; as Moses put a Veil upon his face to show the vailedness of his Dispensation, so the Law was delivered with fire, to show the fieriness of the Law unto the conscience; for the Law was not only terrible to the beholders of it, when it was given upon Mount Sinai; but this terribleness is in the Law itself, to all that ever had to do with it, feelingly ever since, to all that ever came near it for justification. Indeed for those that stand aloof off from it, only play about it at a distance, & hope to be saved in a lose way by their works, by their good do, and by their good meanings, they may perhaps never feel the stinging fiery lashes of the Law; but let any of these self-Justiciaries drive their Principle to an Head, let them come up near to the Law, let them advance toward Mount Sinai, and approach it, and challenge their Justification from God by the Law, and they shall quickly find themselves scorched and scalded, & sent away with sad hearts and affrightned consciences; they'● find the Law to be a ministration of Death, and not of Righteousness. I might here show in several particulars, how the L●w doth discover sin, it discovers habitual sin; St Paul, or the man personated in Rom. 7. had never found there had been such a bottomless depth, such a lively body of death within him, but for the Law; when that came, sin revived, and he died, Rom. 7.9. 2. It discovers actual sin; I had not known sin (that is, lustings to be sin) except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet, ver. 7. But I shall not insist longer upon this particular: 
The third end of the Law's being ●●ded  I hasten to the third great end of the Law's being added with respect to transgressions, and that was for the finishing of transgressions, and making an end of sin as the expressions are, though somewhat otherwise used, Dan. 9.24. What shall we think, that when God had given promises to Abraham, and confirmed a Covenant in Christ to him and his Seed, that he now gave a law to drive all his people into despair? this amounts all to one, as if he had broken his promise and his covenant, as I have before argued out of the Apostle Paul; did the Lord only send his law that they might know their duty, and be affrightned into their duty, as the first particular carries it? & if they did not do their duty, should the law aggravate their sin, & bind on their guilts upon their Conscience, and so leave them under desperation, and be a ministration of death to them? Was this all the Law came for? If this were all, they might better have been without the law at a venture, then have had it; they might have done better with the promises alone: This therefore was not all the end of the Law, to bring them into desperation, and there to leave them; but by this desperation, which indeed the Law was to bring them into, to make them hunger and thirst after another righteousness then that of the law, which by the law they might see they could not have, to make them in love with the promises, with any thing that looks like mercy and grace, and in a word to direct them and drive them to Christ and a Gospel-Justification, Gal. 3.24. The law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by Faith, ver. 22. The Scripture (that is the Law) hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe. 23. Before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, included as prisoners, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed. Rom. 10.3. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness, unto every one that believeth. So that indeed the Law was given, not to undermine the promise, but to serve the ends and honour of the promise. The law entered not to preach a Legal Justification, but an Evangelical. The Law came into the world to confess its own impotency to save or justify us, as also to send and direct us to one that could, according to that of Rom. 3.20.21.22: Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the Law is the knowledge of sin: But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe. The righteousness of God without the law is witnessed by the law: There are other Scriptures to this purpose, which I forbear to mention. Thus the Law and the Gospel do mutually good turns for one another; the Law preacheth the Gospel most effectually; for men never well close with the Gospel, till they feel the lash of the Law: And the Gospel again most effectually establisheth and obligeth to the keeping of the Law; for till men have a principle of faith, they never have a living principle of obedience; thus the elder, which is the Law, is made to serve the younger, that is, the Gospel; but the Gospel hath an ingenuity in it, to return the Law a due acknowledgement.  
And the Law might well direct the sinner to Christ, and preach Justification by Faith; for this was the only way of recovering its own honour and obedience, which was due unto it, 
Reas. 1. Why the Law might well direct to Christ.  as appears in these three particulars. First, for that Christ personally fulfilled it to a tittle; he lived a most perfect life, and performed unerring obedience for more than thirty years together, here amongst men upon earth; and this is said by some Divines to be for the Justification of his own person, and is known by the name of his active obedience. 2. For those whom he was to save and redeem from under the law, from under the punishments and penalties which were due to them for the breaches of it; he underwent all that the law exacted from him as their Mediator, till the law was fully satisfied. 3. As for the persons themselves thus redeemed by the sufferings of an innocent and legally-righteous Saviour; they are not owned by this Saviour to be his redeemed one's any further, then as they acknowledge the perfect holiness of the law, & that they themselves are obliged as Creatures, and the redeemed one's of Christ, to endeavour to their utmost to keep the law still to a tittle, and do actually perform a sincere obedience to it, not dispensing with themselves in any command of it, but bewailing their infirmities wherein they fall short of unerring obedience; so that in the way of faith, the law obtains its true end, though not exactly in the persons justified, yet in their Saviour; Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, Rom, 10.4. Yea, and in their persons thus far, that they perform a sincere obedience, and endeavour an unerring obedience to the law; and thus the righteousness of the law is said to be fuifilled in them, in as much as they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8 4.  
So that now I have answered the great objection against Justification by Faith, which was th' s, Wherefore then serveth the Law? and that with some advantage to the present cause; I have shown, that whatever the law was intended for in its delivery, it was not given for a way of Justification, because the way of faith was established before; the reasons of its delivery were these: 1. It was given to the Jews in mercy, to show them their duty more plainly than they could otherwise have known it by the light of nature, or any other way of teaching which they had amongst them till that time, that so they might not run into transgressions through ignorance, and it was given with terror, that they might not rush into transgressions through negligence; and these two particulars made up the first end of the delivery of the law, viz. to hinder transgressions from being committed. 2. It was added to heighten transgressions in the guilt of them, when they should be committed. 3. Not to leave them in desperation, but to direct them unto Christ; and I have shown that great advantage did accrue to the law this way, that hereby it came to pass, that though it was not fulfilled by the first Adam in the first giving of it, yet it was all as well fulfilled by the second, and every way recompensed and satisfied as if it had never been broken; so that I reckon the Objection is quite taken off, and may be retorted upon the objectors, thus: If they ask, Wherefore then serveth the Law? We answer, It serveth to lead men unto Christ, that they may be justified by Faith.  
I have some things yet to add upon the two last last ends of the law's being given, which I thought not fit to insert in the first mention of them; upon the second end of the law's being given, viz. for the aggravating of transgression, and loading the Conscience with guilt, I have this to add. It is so true that the law was given to the Jews to make the offence to abound, and to press the conscience with guilt, that it had the same effect upon the Gentile World to whom it was not delivered as it was unto the Jews; so saith the Apostle, Rom 3. where, when he had recited out of the Psalms, a Catalogue of sins which the law doth condemn men for, from the 10. to the 19 ver. in that 19 ver. Now we know (saith he) that whatsoever things the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law, that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world might be guilty before God. Certainly the Gentiles are a part, and the greatest part of the world; now the whole World becomes guilty before God by the law, and every mouth is silenced and stopped by it. I do not say that the law as given to the Jews by Moses, had this effect upon the Gentiles, to whom it was not given; but the Apostle tells us, Rom. 2.15. how this came to pass, that the law, though not given to the Gentiles in the same manner as it was to the Jews, did yet convince and condemn the Gentiles as well as the Jews, because the effect and substance of the same law that was written upon Tables of Stone by Moses, was written in the hearts of the Gentiles; so that their thoughts did accuse them when they did evil, as well as excuse them when they did well. Now hence I draw an argument, a minor●● If the law written, upon the hearts of the Gentiles, though obscurely, had yet an accusing and condemning power in it to them, how might it well have upon the Jews, to whom it was delivered plainly written and engraven in stones, with thunder, lightning & earthquakes, as is before expressed?  
That which I have to add upon the third great end of the Law its being delivered, viz. to direct and bring the wounded sinner to Christ, 
O How 〈…〉 Christ?  is by way of answer to this question, How did the Law lead to Christ? I shall give several answers unto this question, and first of all, The Law was our Schoolmaster unto Christ, 
A. ●●  as the Dispensation of the Law, made way for the Dispensation of the Gospel. Sour things make the sweet more pleasant; Darkness makes Light more desirable; Slavery and Severity makes Liberty more welcome. Quinese●t serv●re nescit imperare, the School makes fair way for the University. This consideration makes the succession of the Gospel to the Law more comely; and it is insisted on very much by the Apostle in Gal. 4, for the seven first verses. Ver. 3. When we were Children, we were in bondage unto the Law; but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son to redeem us into liberty, and to give us the spirit of sons, Gal. 3 23. Before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, and kept under by the Law, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed; wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith; but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a Schoolmaster; it would now be an incongruous thing to be under a Schoolmaster any longer, as it was very convenient that before we should be; and thus the Law was a Schoolmaster unto Christ, (as John Baptist was) by its severities to humble us, and break our hearts, and to make us 〈◊〉 people ready & prepared for the lord And the beauty & great conveniency of the succession of these two Administrations of the Law & Gospel each to other, appears still in the great work of Conversion upon every sinner's heart, where the same method is observed: first to humble the soul by legal convictions, then to make a discovery of Christ & the Grace of the Gospel. And this our practical Divines insist much upon in their Sermons and Treatises, giving us this account of the Work of Grace upon the heart, that first there is conviction, compunction and humiliation, all yet a legal work; then Faith or Conversion. And I do verily believe, that the Spirit of God doth use this method (though as all acknowledge, not with the same degrees) in every work of Regeneration. And again they observe, that as after the Gospel and Faith is come, it is absurd to return to the Law of Moses in the whole Dispensation of it; so they apply that Scripture Rom. 8.15. Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, to this purpose; That after men have received the Spirit of Adoption, (which in some degree every regenerate person hath received) they receive not again the spirit of bondage to fear; which they take to be a spirit of legal convictions, preparatory to the Work of Conversion; and indeed (according to the Calvinist-principles) it must needs be true, that after they are regenerate, they can never receive a spirit of Bondage again, because a spirit of bondage is not Grace, but only preparatory to it; and therefore men that have once been regenerate, can never return to this Spirit without being emptied of all Grace.  
But here it may be further queryed, 
Q How did the Law direct those to Christ that lived and lived before Christ came?  that indeed it is not to be doubted that the Law in the dispensation of it, made excellent way unto the Gospel; for those that were to live in the days of the Gospel; as we find in the Analogical succession of Law and Gospel in the Work of Grace; but how was the Law a Schoolmaster unto Christ to those that lived in the days of the Old-Testament? Who died before Christ came? How were they directed to Christ by the Law? The Law might perhaps be a Ministration of death, and desperation only to them: How did the Law witness the righteousness of God by Faith unto them? In answer I shall first of all premise these two things and then answer more directly. 1. Negatively, that to these it must not come to destroy the promise and the covenant that was made before, nor the comfort of it. It must not come to hinder, but they might have as true saving comfort from the promises, as the Saints before the Law had; or else the Law had been against the promises, which the Apostle denies with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2. It must preach Christ to them as truly, though perhaps not so clearly as it doth unto us. Thirdly and more directly; The Law did preach Christ to the Jews under the Old-Testament these two ways; 1. Virtually or consequentially. 2. Formally and expressly. 1. Virtually, as it convinced them all of their necessity of some other besides a legal Righteousness, as I have shown at large in explaining the second end of giving the Law, because of transgressions. 2. Expressly, as it made mention of Christ; and this it did either improperly & figuratively, in types and shadows, or properly in the prophecies and promises of Christ.  
Or the answer may be better given after this distinction of the Law. 
A different acceptation of the Law in the Scripture.  The Law in Scripture amongst the various significations of it, hath these two very eminent. 1. It signifies the strict and bare command, and so is naturally a Covenant of Works that hath no mercy or grace in it, can only justify the righteous, and condemn the transgressor; and in this sense it hath been taken by me (for the most part) hitherto in my Discourse; & I have produced several places where it is taken in this sense in the Scripture. Take that for instance, As many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse, as it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them, Gal. 3.10. 2dly, The Law is taken in a sense all as large as this is strict; and that is, for the whole Old-Testament. So it is likewise taken in several Scriptures, Gal. 4.21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, etc. where the whole Book of Genesis is made a part of the Law; again in Rom. 3. the Apostle makes the Psalms a part of the Law, where having quoted a great part of the 14. Psalms in the 19 ver. saith he, Now we know, that whatsoever things the Law saith, etc. and so in other Scriptures. Now to apply the distinction in answer to the last query; The Law strictly taken for a Covenant of Works, did only teach Christ virtually and by consequence, as it taught them that they could not be justified by its righteousness; and thus (for aught I know) the Law in its accusations taught Christ to the Gentiles, as it convinced them of the insufficiency of their own righteousness. But now the Law in the second sense as taken for the Scriptures of the Old Testament, taught Christ formally and directly, though more obscurely than the Gospel teacheth him, viz. in Types and Prophecies; it were endless to reckon up all the Types, Promises and Prophecies of Christ that are in the Old-Testament: This way indeed the Law could not teach Christ unto the Gentiles, who had not the Scriptures of the Old-Testament. It is now high time, and yet in this place seasonable enough, to answer some other parts of the objection (which I proposed at large some pages since) which pleads for the Law its being a way of Justification unto the Jews at least, before the coming of Christ, if not to us now; and something of that which remains yet unanswered, 
Obj. 2. The Law was given to the jews as their counant.  is this: If the Law was not given to be a way of Justification, why is it called a Covenant, the Old-Testament or Covenant, 2 Cor. 3.14. and the first Covenant, Heb. 7.8. expressly said to be made with the Children of Israel, when the Lord took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt? For whatever you have argued about Adam's estate of innocency, that God made a Covenant of Works with him, and that if he would, he might have been justified by Works, by the Law; that since him all men have sinned, and the Law was no way of Justification to them; Whatever you have argued to this purpose, say the objectors, yet we find not that the Law was given to Adam, but only to the children of Israel by Moses, and given to them as a Covenant, therefore called the old Covenant, or first Covenant, in Heb. 8. out of Jer. 31.31, 32.33, 34. Therefore it was given them as a way of Justification; for certainly the Justification that they were to seek of God, they were to seek in the way of a Covenant, therefore in the way of the Law, which was their Covenant.  
To this I answer some things by way of concession, 
A. 1. By way of concession in two particulars.  afterwards some things more concluding: And first of all I grant that the Law is no no where (to my remembrance) said to be given to Adam, but only to the children of Israel; I am sure usually when mention is made of the giving of the law, 
Where the law is said to be given, it is to the children of Israel, not to Adam. Yet Adam had the Law, and it was a Covenant of works to him. 1. He had the Law.  it is likewise noted in the same place as given to the children of Israel by Moses, so 2 Cor. 3, 7. Heb. 8.9. 1 Joh. 17. For the Law was given by Moses, Gal. 3.19. Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions— and it was ordained by Angels upon Mount Sinai, in the hands of a Mediator, viz. Moses: Though when I make this concession that the Law is not said to be given to Adam, but to the children of Israel by Moses, I still think it may be easily collected from the Scriptures, that Adam had the Law too, and that it was to him a Covenant of Works. 1. That he had the Law; for 1. if Adam as a creature had not the Law written in his heart, how came the Gentiles, who had not the Law given them by Moses, to have it written in their hearts? 2. Else as I urged it before, it had been no sin for man in innocency to have killed whom he pleased, to have lied, forsworn himself, to have defiled his own body by Adultery, or other uncleanness; for where there is no Law, there is no transgression. 3. If Adam had not the Law before his fall, how came he to have it written in his heart presently after? as it is certain he had; for all other men have it so written, and I cannot think that Adam alone wanted this excellency of all mankind; neither do I think that he got this advantage by his fall, to have the effect of the Law written in his heart, which he had not written there before; therefore he had it written in his heart before the Fall. 
2 It was to him a Covenant of works.  2. It was a Covenant of Works to Adam in innocency. For Adam then had no need of Grace or Pardon before his fall; and I have proved that the Law is in its own nature a Covenant of Works; and Adam had the Law, therefore it was a Covenant of Works to Adam; I deny not but Adam might have some positive Laws in his Covenant of Works, as we find one, viz. that of the forbidden fruit.  
My second Concession is this, That the Law was given to the Jews as a Covenant; 
2d. Concession.  and wherever mention is made of the Old-Covenant, or First Covenant, the parties covenanted withal, are the people of the Jews: So it is in 2 Cor. 3.6.14. in the 6. ver. we have mention made of the New-Covenant, which is that made by Christ in preaching the Gospel; and in the 14th, of the Old-Testament or Covenant, which is that made with the Jews: So in Heb. 8.6, 7. the first Covenant is that which Moses was the Mediator of; the second or better Covenant is that which Christ is the Mediator of; this must not, cannot be denied; and I have been often offended at persons, that when they make a distinction of the Covenants, a first and second, old and new, they make the first, that with Adam in innocency; & the second the Covenant of grace made with the faithful ever since; this though it may be true Divinity, yet is not Scriptural; or if it be somewhat Scriptural, yet it is only to be drawn by consequence out of the Scripture: But there is another determination in this business that is more plainly Scriptural in the words and phrases of Scripture, which is, that the first Covenant, the old Covenant or Testament, is God's Covenant with the Jews by Moses; the new Covenant is that made with the faithful by Christ; and what others aim at in that other way of stating the Covenants, may be attained without that confusion which they make.  
Having made two as fair Concessions as the objectors can desire, 
A. 2.  I come now to the determination of the question, or repelling the Objection, after I have minded you of a distinction of the Law, which I lately gave, and it was this, That sometimes the Law is taken strictly for the bare command, with the threatening annexed to the breach of it, and the promise of life upon the strict obeence of it: So it is in Gal. 3.10. sometimes it is taken for the whole Old-Testament, as Rom. 3.19. where the Psalms of David are made a part of the law; sometimes taken for the five Books of Moses, as in Luke 24.44. where the Old-Testament is divided into these three parts, The Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. Now I answer, Take the Law in the first sense for a Covenant of Works strictly, and so it was not given for a Covenant to the Jews, for than it must have come in against the promises, or the Covenant of God in Christ that was made before: But take it in the second or third sense, either for the whole Old-Testament (as we call the Writings of the holy men of God till our Saviour's time) or for the five Books of Moses, the dispensation by Moses from the Mount; and this I confess was a Covenant to them, but than it was a Covenant of Grace, and indeed contained in it all the promises that were given before it, that traditional Gospel which Abraham and the holy Patriarches before him were saved by, is inserted in the Law of Moses, else it had been a vain thing for the Apostle Paul to have undertaken to prove Justification by Faith out of the Old-Testament, yea out of the Law of Moses; for, as a man cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean, so neither can he bring Gospel out of pure Law; if therefore the Law of Moses had not been a Covenant of Grace, the Apostle could never have proved Justification by faith out of it, which yet he doth not only by strained consequences, but as there professedly. Abraham believed God, (saith he) and it was imputed to him for righteousness; they therefore which are of Faith, are blessed and justified with faithful Abraham, Galathians 3. ver. 6, 7, 9 which is as fair an Enthymema, as can be, and every Sophister can supply the Proposition that is wanting. St. Paul proves Justification by Faith by two great Arguments out of Genesis, the first Book of Moses, viz: by Abraham's Justification, and the Allegory of Hagar and Sarah, which I explained and urged before.  
Nay the Apostle makes a great affirmation indeed, which is this that even Moses himself the great Law-Covenant Mediator, doth in his Writings give a clear distinction of the two Covenants of Works and Grace, shows us the tenor of one Covenant and another; When he had produced the Allegory of Hagar and Sarah out of Genesis, saith he, Alas, Moses in this Story gives you Allegorically the two Covenants, Gal. 4 21. to the 24. But the chief place for proof of what I have said, is Rom. 10.5, 6.— for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, That the man which doth these things, shall live by them, Leu. 18.5▪ But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart who shall ascend up into Heaven, etc. and so goes on in the words of Moses, Deut. 30.12, 13, 14. Here we see Moses in his Writings, delineates and describes the two ways of Works and Grace, of the Law and Faith; and it is proved out of the same ●oses, that the Law is no way to justify sinners: Now I shall but draw out the Apostles Argument, which I suppose to be this: Moses describes two ways of Justification, that by the Law, and that by Faith; that by the Law Moses tells you is no way for sinners, because you must continue in all things, or you are accursed; therefore certainly he described the way of Faith too, that ye might betake yourselves unto it for justification and life; therefore the Law, take it either for the whole Old-Testament, or for the Dispensation by Moses, and it was a Covenant indeed with the Jews; but it was a Covenant of Grace, for in it Moses describeth the way of Grace, that his Disciples might adhere unto it. But here you will object still; Well, 
3 Object.  if Moses his Dispensation or Covenant which he was the Mediator of, was a Covenant of Grace, and not of Works for Justification, why is it called a kill Letter, a Ministration of Death, a Ministration of Condemnation, as it is 2 Cor 3.6, 7, 9 Why is the Lord said to find fault with it, and so to abrogate it, and make a new Covenant? Heb. 8 7, 8. By this it should seem to be a Covenant of Works, for else God would not have found fault with a Covenant of Grace, nor abrogated it.  
To this I answer, 1. Here observe, That this 〈◊〉 no Jewish Argument; for they would not acknowledge that their Law is a ministration of death whilst they seek life by it, nor yet a ministration of condemnation, whilst they seek justification by the righteousness of it; but it is a cavil or objection against the Apostle Paul, who calls the Law a ministration of death and condemnation, and yet acknowledgeth that it was the Jews covenant, and that Moses in it describeth the righteousness of Faith.  
2dly, I answer, That these two are very consistent; it might prove a ministration of death to them, and yet be a way of grace and life in itself; so is the plainest Gospel in the World a savour of death unto the disobedient and unbelievers, that yet is certainly in the great intendment of it a way of grace and life.  
3dly, The Law proved a ministration of death to many of them, because they mistook it for a covenant of works, though it were not given with that intention; they did not see the Grace that was contained in it. There was a vail upon their heart, and is to this day upon the hearts of many of the Jews; their minds were blinded, so that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is alolished, they could not see Christ the end of the Law, 2 Cor. 3.13, 14, 15.  
4thly, There is thus much indeed to be said concerning the dispensation itself, that it was dark and obscure; the children of Israel had not only blinded eyes, and a veiled heart, but Moses had also a Veil upon his face, ver. 13. which was one reason they could not see that Grace which was in his Dispensation. Moses had a vail over his face, so that they could not look steadfastly to the end of his Dispensation. 
The fault of the first Covenant.  There was some kind of fault as it were in the Law itself, so the Apostle tells us, Heb. 8.7. For if that first Covenant had been faultless, there should no place have been sought for the second. What this fault was, is commonly known and discoursed, and it was the obscurity of it; the promises of it were not so plain; & therefore it is said, Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant, established upon better promises, ver. 6. There was a Covenant of works inserted in their Dispensation. Else how could the Apostle give you a description of the righteousness of it out of Moses? Which he doth both in Rom. 10.5. and Gal. 3.12. And no caveat entered in the place where the Covenant of Works is delivered: 'Tis true, the same Moses describeth the righteousness of Faith too; but an inobservant Reader might chance to mistake the Covenant of Works for his way to Heaven, as well as take the Covenant of Grace for his way; and they might keep in that way all their lives, if they were not strict observers of the effects of that way upon their Consciences, which was to gall and sting them, and weary them out of their very lives, till they came to the way of Grace. And thus we find the generality of the Jews did mistake, and ruined themselves by it; so that unless God had by a wonderful hand, as he plucked Lot out of Sodom, and perhaps by  illuminations and attractions, brought a remnant to himself, all Israel had been burnt up by the Wrath of God; they had been as Sodom and Gomorrah, Rom. 9.29. to the end: Rom. 10.1.2.3. I might well transcribe every word of these eight Verses.  
Now this was the fault which God found with his first Covenant; that though it were a Covenant of Grace, yet he is so gracious, that he thought it was not plain enough to save the generality of them; they would be still mistaking and misconstruing his Covenant; it would not make them holy enough, nor save enough of them; and therefore this Fault the Lord amends in the second ●ovenant, in the New-Covenant, Heb. 8 9 For finding fault he saith, Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel, not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers, when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt; because here is the reason of the change, because they continued not in my Covenant, and I regarded them not: It was a Covevenant which they broke with me, and I broke with them upon; there was a fault in that Covenant which seems to be this: It had not Grace enough in it to hold them, they continued not in it: The fault is laid upon the Covenant, not so much upon the parties covenanting, though they were not free from blame; God indeed was free he was ready to give his Grace and Spirit under the first Covenant, but the Covenant was not a free channel for conveyance of this precious Water of Life, for the Spirit runs freest in the clear promise; & therefore the Gospel, which is full of rich and plain promises, is called the ministration of the Spirit, and called by the Name of Spirit; whereas the Law of Moses was a dead, mere outside literal thing, in comparison of it, 2 Cor. 3.6. I say, the fault was laid upon the covenant, which yet was a covenant of Grace: Now what other fault it could be then this, that the Lord did not think it gracious enough, I cannot imagine; and I think that is the fault the Scripture pitcheth upon: Now because Moses' Dispensation, or the first covenant made with the Jews, was thus faulty, had a covenant of Works in 〈◊〉, and was mistaken by the Jews to be a covenant of Works, it might well be called by the Apostle, 
There was the same reason of the Gospel its being added to the Law, that there was of the dispensation of Moses to be added to what they knew of God before.  a kill letter, a ministration of death and condemnation, and deserve to be abrogated and disannulled, if the Lord will make a better, clearer, more gracious and saving; and yet it can by no means be concluded hence, that it was truly, either in its own nature, or in the intention of the Lord who gave it, a covenant of Works; nay the contrary hereunto, is sufficiently evinced.  
Ob. 4. But yet there is a very considerable Objection behind, which is thus: You have acknowledged that in Moses' Writings there is a covenant of Works described; that St. Paul asserts; now I will add saith the Objection) that it is not only there described, but there commended to the children of Israel as a part at least, if not the chiefest part of the Dispensation by Moses; and it is given with as great Authority, and hath as solemn a Sanction upon it as any part of the Law of Moses; for in that place which the Apostle Paul quotes out of Moses, viz. Leu. 18.5. for the description of a legal righteousness, we have these words, Ye shall therefore keep mp Seatutes and my Judgements, which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord. So in the foregoing verses 1, 2. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God; then follow the three verses wherein the covenant of Works is described; ver. 3. After the do of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelled, shall ye not do; and after the do of the Land of Canaan, whither I bring you; shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their Ordinancee. Ver. 4. Ye shall do my Judgements, and keep mine Ordinances, to walk therein; I am the Lord your God. Ver, 5. Ye shall therefore keep my Statutes, and my Judgements, which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord. Here I observe, 1. The simplicity and plainness of the delivery of these commands, which contain the covenant of Works; they are delivered without any caveat or caution to the Reader, lest he should mistake this for his covenant which he should be saved by. 2. I observe the Authority and Majesty they are delivered with; even with this addition three several times in the compass of four verses, I am the Lord, and I am the Lord your God. This doth not look like an old antiquated covenant made with Adam about 2000 years before, and of use to him, but only for the strst day of his creation: I conclude therefore saith the objector, That it is a valid covenant, and delivered with intention that men should be justified by it; And besides I add that which hath great strength in it, That even Jesus Christ himself repeats this covenant of Works in Moses his own Words, and directs a man to this covenant for salvation, that came to ask of him what he should do to be saved; the place is, Luke 10.25, 26, 27, 28. And behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the Law? How readest thou? Christ sends him to the Law; and you shall see it is not to the Law in a large sense, as it comprehends both a covenant of Works and a covenant of Grace; but to the Law taken strictly for a covenant of Works; it follows therefore ver. 27. The Lawyer answering, said, The Law saith, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself: And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live; which are the very words of Moses, where he describes a legal righteousness; From whence I conclude, That the Covenant of Works is still good unto Justification; the Covenant of Works is still in force; else Moses would never have delivered it in that simplicity, and with that Authority; else Jesus Christ himself would never have directed one unto it, to get eternal life by it.  
I answer, 1. That Moses indeed did deliver a covenant of Works to the people of Israel, as truly as he did a covenant of Grace, and that without any caution (that I can find) in the place where it is delivered; and I think I may say also, that our Saviour Christ did deliver a Covenant of Works too, in that 10. of Luke .  
And 2dly, I may add, There was very good reason why they might, and why they did. For that the covenant of Works is still in force, all men by nature are under it; for it is nothing but the natural law of our creation▪ 
All men are naturally under a Covenant of works.  There was indeed a positive Law besides given to Adam; but the observing of it needed not have created any trouble to innocent man: All men are naturally under a covenant of Works, for they are naturally under the Law of their Creation, which is the covenant of Works. Yea the Saints themselves are not freed from it, any further than from the condemning power of it, by Christ's having suffered the penalty for them. That all men are naturally under the Law, or under a covenant of Works, which are all one, appears, for that all those whom Christ came to redeem, were under the Law, Gal. 4.5. which must be meant of the Law, strictly taken for a covenant of Works; for else none but the Jews and proselyted Gentiles were under the Law, as delivered by Moses; whereas in that Scripture it is plain, that all those whom Christ came to redeem, were under the Law; therefore it is meant under the Law as a covenant of Works. Besides, the Apostle in Rom. 7. the first six verses, argues thus, That the conscience or soul of a man must either be married to the Law as its Husband, or to Christ as its Husband; and till it is married to Christ, the Law is its natural Husband; but when it is married to Christ, the law is its husband no longer; therefore till a man come to Christ, he is under a covenant of Works; therefore all men naturally are under a covenant of Works, for no man is in Christ by nature.  
I answer in the third place, That it's true, Moses and our Saviour both preached a covenant of Works, as well as a covenant of Grace; and well might, because all men are naturally under it: Yet neither our Saviour, nor Moses did it, with design to make men seek justification by Works, but only to burden men's consciences with insupportable loads of guilt, that so they might readily flee to the hope that was set before them in the covenant of Grace, which they had together with the covenant of Works in the same Dispensation; That Moses did it with this design, St. Paul asserts, as I have shown in several places; the law entered that the offence might abound, and so was a Schoolmaster unto Christ: And that our Saviour did it with this design, the place quoted in the objection will sufficiently evidence, Luke 10.25. to the 28.25. v. Behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Here this Lawyer came not with a good intention; for it is said he stood up and tempted our Saviour, made the question rather to see what our Saviour would say, then to get any satisfaction to himself; and in the 29. ver. it is said, This Lawyer was willing to justify himself. Now how could the pride of this tempting Lawyer be better repressed, then by sending him to the Law, to a covenant of Works; which if he would but set himself in earnest to keep, would quickly prick the bladder of his pride; and let out that wind with which he was so swollen, as to dare come and tempt Christ, and justify himself? But now our Saviour takes another course with the Woman of Canaan, who after she was tried with a knock or two, with some harsh words, so as to be called Dog, yet continuing humble and submissive, had her faith extolled by our Saviour, and is strengthened with the highest consolations; as we have the story, Matt. 15. from ver. 22. to ver. 29. Thus God resisteth the proud, he hath a Covenant of Works to oppose them withal; but he giveth Grace, and showeth Mercy to the humble; he hath a covenant of Grace to comfort them with.  
Obj. 5 There is one objection yet more concerning the ceremonial law, which I did not mention at the first, and it is this, Certainly it appears from the ceremonial law, that the law of Moses was given to them for a covenant of Works; else why had they such multitude of ceremonies imposed upon them, if they were not to have life for the observation and doing of them, together with the duties of the moral Law? And it is very observable, that in that place of Leviticus which the Apostle quotes, as containing the righteousness of the law, the ceremonies are as strictly enjoined as the moral duties of the law are, with this badge of the law of works upon them, The man that doth them, shall live in them, Leu. 18.4, 5. Ye shall do my Judgements; that is, say Commentors, my judicial Laws, and keep mine Ordinances; that is, say they, either moral or ceremonial; so in ver. 5. You shall therefore keep my Statutes and Judgements, which if a man do, he shall live in them; I am the Lord. Now hence I argue, saith the Objector, Here you have acknowledged, is a covenant of Works described. Now here is their whole Dispensation by Moses, of laws moral, ceremonial, and judicial, contained; therefore their whole Dispensation was a covenant of Works; besides, if the Law moral alone, which you have called the law of Nature, he of itself a covenant of Works, as it seems to have been to Adam, who had but a few other commands besides, viz. such as we call Positive; and if every man by Nature be under a covenant of works (though a stranger to the Old-Testament or New, as having never heard of either) being under the law of his creation; how much more were the Israelites under a covenant of Works, who, besides the moral law, had the judicial and ceremonial added for them to observe, and altogether given them with this language of a covenant of Works, these ye shall observe, which if a man do, he shall live in them; I am the Lord. I shall add only one observation more to strengthen the objection, and it is this, That when St. Paul disputes against the Galatians for embracing a covenant of Works, most of his Work lies in beating them off from the ceremonial law, which they were exceedingly addicted to, as looking upon the la of Moses to be very much of the nature of the covenant of Works, and the ceremonial law as a great sign of it, there being so much work cut out for them in it, and verily believing that if they were pretty strict in keeping the ceremonial law, God would justify and save them. Therefore it is very probable, that the law of Moses was given to them as a covenant of Works, for this reason as well as others, that there were so many ceremonies appointed for them to observe; most of which it is more than probable the greater number did not understand, and so must take up, und satisfy themselves with the Work done, than which, what can look more like a covenant of works, for men to do a great many things which they did not understand, merely because God had commanded them? Now for answer to this objection, and I shall give it in several particulars.  
A. 1 I confess that the ceremonial law proved a great snare and a stumbling-block unto the careless Jews, and so to the Galatians; for when they found such a great task of ceremonies set them, they cared not much to study the meaning of them, but took up with the doing of them, which to do, did not much trouble their hearts or consciences, and so placed themselves by it under a covenant of works, in their treating with God for Justification.  
2dly, I grant that the ceremonial law was a great burden, and an unsupportable yoke even to those that were good amongst the Jews, Acts 15.10. and it is a great piece of the liberty of the Gospel, to be freed from it.  
3dly, I grant that the laws moral, judicial, and ceremonial, were given altogether, and are included in that place, where a covenant of works, or the righteousness of the Law is said to be described by the Apostle; and I grant in this particular, that though the law of nature alone is a covenant of works to those that are in a state of nature, though they never received any positive law from God; yet that it is possible for a ceremonial la, or a law consisting of many ceremonies, or positive laws to be a part of a covenant of works; as we find in Adam's covenant of works, there was a Sacrament, as some reckon it, of the Tree of life; and there was a positive law concerning the forbidden fruit, which were neither of them branches of the law of Nature; and he might have been as well forbidden as allowed all the trees save one, if the Lord had pleased; he might have had a system of positive and ceremonial laws inserted in his covenant of works, if the Lord had thought good, and no wrong had been done him; for he was able to have kept them.  
4thly, Yet here I deny that the ceremonial law was any part of a covenant of works, though brought in near that place where the righteousness of the law is said by the Apostle to be described, and that for this reason, which fully answers the objection: That the ceremonial law did contain Gospel in it, which cannot be said of any branch of the covenant of works: I allowed indeed above, that the law taken strictly for a covenant of works, did preach the Gospel virtually or by consequence, as it burdened the sinners conscience, and so made him seek further for a righteousness; but I said then, it is the law taken in a large sense only as it contains the whole Old-Testament or at least a considerable part of it, that teacheth Christ and the Gospel formally and expressly. Why now the ceremonial law teacheth Christ in many, perhaps in all the parts of it, if well understood. What could the shedding of so much blood for remission of sins signify, but the shedding of Christ's blood for them and us all, which is the great mystery of the Gospel? Now if any say they understood it not, and yet must do it, and so it was all one to them as if it had not singnified any thing at all; and therefore must still pass with them as a covenant of works.  
I answer, 1 in the words of the Apostle, Rom. 3: 3. What though some did not believe, did not understand, must their unbelief and ignorance make the Faith of God, that Doctrine of Faith which the ceremonial law preached, of none effect, or signification? But you will say, they could not see the blood of Christ in the blood of a sacrifice, having no clearer discoveries than they had of Christ? I ans. I confess I cannot say they could see so much, though still so much was contained in it, as now we well understand. But yet if they could not see so much, yet somewhat they might have learned; for certainly God appoints no idle, useless, insignificant ceremonies in his Worship; therefore I suppose they might have learned thus much by their ceremonies, and particularly by their sacrifices, which I suppose was known even amongst Heathens in their sacrifices, that when they killed a Beast for atoning the anger of God, here life went for life, and God might as well have taken their lives from them, as accepted the life of that Beast; and so by this they might see that their lives and salvations did depend purely upon the Mercy and Grace of God; now this sufficiently weaned them from the law or covenant of works, which had no Grace or Pardon in it; it was therefore the grossest mistake of all to understand the ceremonial law for a part of the covenant of Works, when it was greatly intended to be a Gospel to them.  
5thly and lastly, If yet it were dark, and did confound them with the multitude of duties which it imposed; Why might it not herein do the good turn that a covenant of Works did for them? Which was to make them study and search, and long for the pure and clear discoveries of that rich Grace which we now see in the days of the Gospel? I have now done with this objection also, which I of purpose kept out from the rest, in which I only considered the moral law as a covenant of Works, for these two reasons: 1. For that the ceremonial law neither was, nor could be a part of the covenant of Works, which the moral law both was, and is to all that are under a covenant of works. 2dly, and consequently, I therefore kept off from any consideration of the ceremonial law, in my discourses about the law its being given by Moses, that so I might have my discourse run clear in the business of the covenant of works, and draw a line in it from Adam's estate in innocency, to the very days of the Gospel, which with any mixture of discourse about the ceremonial law, would have been broken and disturbed. Whereas now you see the law taken strictly for a covenant of works, might have justified Adam, but could not justify the children of Israel; and therefore though added to the promise given to Abraham, and that in the language of a covenant of works, yet was never given with design that they should accept it for such unto Justification; which appears from this double demonstration, as I may call it, a priori, & a posteriori. A priori, for that before the law was given there was a covenant of Grace, which the law could not come in to disannul; and a posteriori, for that the very same Moses that brought their law from God out of the Mount, did not more truly acquaint them with the nature of a legal righteousness, than he did with the righteousness of Faith, Rom. 10.6. But the righteousness of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy heart, etc. being a text quoted out of the same Moses, Deut. 30.11. which make this argument, wherefore should Moses first describe to you a legal righteousness, and tell you, as appears by clear consequence out of him, that ye cannot attain unto that righteousness, and then describe unto you the righteousness of faith; but for this end, that ye might forgo the one, & cleave to the other? And there are infinite places in other Scriptures of the Old-Testament, which give their testimony to Christ, and the Righteousness of Faith, which sufficiently argue, that the Old-Testament never went about to establish a way of Justification by the Law.  
And here I think it may be of great use to search into this place of Moses, which the Apostle asserts to contain the description of the righteousness which is by faith, that so we may find both that it is so, and what this righteousness of faith is. The place is, Deut. 30.11. to 15. quoted and paraphrased by the Apostle, Rom. 10.6, 7, 8, 9 
An inquiry into the sense of Deut: 30 11, 12  in Rom. 10.6. But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven? etc. clearly referring to Deut. 30.11, 12,— as any may see in the Margin of their Bibles. Now let us go to that place in Deut. and see what Gospel there is in it, and how evident it is, that there is Gospel in it. The words are these: For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off; it is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the Sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? but the Word is nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. This is the whole Paragraph, in which the covenant of Grace, or the righteousness of Faith is described, according to the Apostle Paul. But how is the Gospel or righteousness of Faith described here? First of all, I must separate that which doth not seem to look like Gospel, from that which is pure Gospel, in this place: And here we may observe, That the matter of the Gospel spoken of, is the law or commandment which he had delivered to them; This Commandment which I command thee this day; the same which is spoken of (as I think, there being no visible difference as to matter) in Leu. 18.5. the place asserted by the Apostle to contain a legal righteousness; it was for matter, the law of Moses; This Commandment, saith he, which I command thee this day. Again. I think it will appear to be meant of the ten commandments, because it is added, That Commandment which I command thee, is not far from thee, but is nigh thee, even in thy heart and mouth: Now the ceremonial law was not written in their heart; neither had all the children of Israel, nor the generality of them to whom yet this is spoken, been taught the law effectually by the Spirit of God, so as that should be the sense of these words, This Commandment is in thine heart; and indeed, that is the promise of the new Covenant, not of this by Moses; but the effect of the Moral law was in their heart, for it was in the heart of Heathens; 
If it be objected, as perhaps it may by some that the matter of the Commandment which Moses commanded them that day, was not likely to be the ten commandments, nor that chief; nor to be the same with that in Leu. 18. because this is in Deute●●rom●, which very word signifies a second Law, or a second Edition and giving of the Law, and had more Gospel in it then the Law in the first giving of it had. I answer, 1. by concession, That there were indeed two several Covenants, which the Lord is said to have made by Moses with the children of Israel, Deut. 29.1. These are the words of the Covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the Land of Moab, be ideses the Covenant which he made with them in Ho●eb; which a as a Mountain adjoining to, if not a part of Mount Sinat. 2. That perhaps in this Deutetonomy, or second Covenant by Moses, there 〈◊〉 m●●● promises, and more of Gospel, then in the first Edition of the Law there was. But 3dly, This doth not hinder, but the commandment mentioned in Deut. ●0. might be chief for matter of it the moral Law, or ten Commandments, 'tis true, there were promises added to encourage unto the keeping of them; and there were also terrible threaten unto the breaking of them; all the twelve tribes being divided into two equal parts, the one half placed upon Mount Gerizim, to bless the people that were obedient to the Law, the other half upon Mount Ebal, to curse all that broke it, Deut 27.11, 12, 13▪ But that commandment, for the sake of which these promises and threaten were added, was the Law of the ten words or two tables, which were twice given to Moses in Sinai, and again repeated in this Covenant in the Land of Moab, as we may see in Deut. 5. and the very word Deut. signifies a second Law, or a second giving of the Law.  and this was the Commandment which that day Moses commanded them.  
Lastly, Another thing in this Paragraph that will not seem perhaps to some to look like Gospel, is this. That all the comfort of this Gospel by Moses, lies in Doing. This Commandment (saith he) is not far off, but in thy heart and in thy mouth, that thou mayest do it; and so obtain life and justification by it: This seems to look right like that place in Levitious so often mentioned, where Moses is said to describe a Legal Righteousness; The man that doth them, shall live in them: And so in all the Chapter after, there is blessing if they do the command and cursing if they do not; this to some may not look like Gospel. But yet here is the Gospel, and therefore wherein doth it lie? 
Wherein is the Gospel expressed in this place of Deut.  or how will it appear? I have showed wherein it cannot lie, or doth not seem to lie; I will show yet wherein it must be expressed, and wherein it is visibly expressed, and that is, in that easiness which Moses doth so much insist upon in this Scripture of doing the Commandment. The Commandment for the matter of it was perhaps the same with the Covenant of Works; and Doing (partly at least) brought in the reward of it, that is, Justification: But is this the Language of a Covenant of Works think you, to fallen man, such as the Israelites were? The Commandment is easy; there are no such difficulties in keeping it, as you may imagine; ye shall not need to climb as high as Heaven after it, nor to coast all Lands, and compass the Ocean for it; propose no such vast undertake to thyself for the accomplishment of it, for thou needest not; the Word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, that is near; yea but nearer yet, in thine heart, that thou mayest do it, and thou mayest do it with ease and sweetness; No, I have shown at large, that the Covenant of Works, or the Law taken strictly as a way of Justification, serves now to sinners only to terrify their Consciences with laying home its charge; it hath no such comfortable words in it; nay I shown out of the Scripture, that it is an utter impossibility that the Law should be done by a sinner so as to justify him: A man might as well climb up to Heaven, or compass the vast Ocean▪ yea (to add another impossibility which the Apostle adds in his Paraphras upon this Text in Deut. a man might as well descend into the infernal Abyss, and make a resurrection, as be justified by the Law: This therefore cannot be the Language of the Law. But now take the keeping the Law in a Gospel-sence (as perhaps that Rom. 8.4. is to be understood, where the righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled in us, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit) and then the Gospel in this Scripture is obvious; it is easy to keep the Law now, even that commandment which Moses commanded them, even the Moral Law; that is, to keep it sincerely, not exactly to a tittle, but in the substance of it: This Word therefore which Moses means when he says, The word is nigh thee, as the Apostle adds in his Paraphrase, must be the word of faith which he preached. The Word is nigh thee; that is, not the Word of the Moral law taken in its utmost exactness, to be fulfilled to a tittle; this is not nigh thee; it is as far as Heaven, further then either of the Indies, further than Hell itself; thou sinner canst never attain unto it, to do it. But yet the Word of the same Commandment in a moderated sense, in the gracious acceptation of God, where sincere obedience is accepted for unerring observance of it; This Word is nigh thee, even in thy heart and in thy month, that thou mayest do it; and it is (saith the Apostle) the Word of Faith which we preach; this the new creature can undertake with the assistance of God, even the keeping the Commandments of God in an Evangelical manner, through Faith, which works by Love: Here thou dost not claim thy wages upon thy do, as if they deserved it; or as if they answered the letter of the Law; and so thou comest not to the Law for thy Justification; but though the great Rule of thine obedience be the Law, yet thou goest to the Gospel for thy Justification; thou comest by Faith to the Promise, and Goodness, and Grace of God for thy Justification. And indeed, there is nothing but Faith will encourage thee in such a keeping of the Law as this is. The Law strictly taken, will dishearten thee; that will thus reason the case with thee: What are all thy works, what is all thy obedience, so long as thoughast broken such and such a Commandment, hast omitted such and such a duty? What is thy sincerity good for? What is thy good meaning and real intention worth? I must have a full task performed; I must have unerring, neverfailing obedience, or else I must curse thee with all the curses which thou findest written against sinners: Now the Soul by Faith thus answereth the Law: 'Tis true, were I to stand to thy award, it must be all as thou hast said; but I am upon other terms with the Lord for my Justification; I am upon terms of Grace and Mercy, of which there are no footsteps in thy whole way of Justification; and though I was born under thy power, yet I have a Saviour that hath freed me from under it, by suffering the penalty for my breach of it; and now I am assured, That if I walk faithfully, and deal honestly with God, endeavouring in sincerity to walk after the Spirit, to do all the Wills of God from the heart, my sincere obedience will now be as well accepted, as unerring obedience would once have been. Thus you see, Faith bears off from coming to a legal-Justification, and Faith bears up the Soul against all expostulations of the Law with it, and against all the accusations of Satan in the Conscience, and yet doth keep the soul intent upon the design of universal obedience to the pure and holy Law of God. Faith requires thy obedience to the Law; the preaching of Faith doth establish the Law; and yet the Law in this moderated sense only observed, requires thee to go, or rather takes for granted that thou goest to Grace, Mercy and Pardon by Faith, for that thou art not an exact Doer of the Law. So I have shown how this place in Deut. seems to speak Law, yet must be understood to speak Gospel; and what Gospel that is which it speaks. Yet I may not expect to go off without opposition in this interpretation; and I am sensible that these two or three things will be objected against me, 
3 Objections against the interpretation of Deut. 30.11, 12.  1. That I make Faith too easy a business, as if those that could not keep the Law, are yet able to believe; whereas some think it as hard a business to believe, as to keep the whole Law. 2. They'll say, That I make the Gospel but a Covenant of works in a new dress, and substitute Evangelical obedience in the room of Legal, as the matter of our Justification. 3. They may perhaps add, that I leave out the great gospel-mystery, which according to the Apostle is contained in Deut. and that is Christ. That which Moses expresseth thus, the Commandment which I command thee, is not in heaven, that thou shouldst say, Who shall ascend for us into Heaven, & bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it; The Apostle Paul expresseth thus, Who shall ascend for us into Heaven, (that is, to bring Christ down from above; or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; and (leaving out, that thou mayest do it, he addeth) the Word of Faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Here we see the Apostle finds Christ in all that speech of Moses; and it was Faith on him that justified; therefore it was not a keeping of the Law according to sincerity, instead of unerring obedience, which Moses meant, and so the exposition given of Moses is useless. Now I shall answer first this last objection against the interpretation of Moses his Covenant of Grace, and then come to the other two objections; and I shall do it in the words of truth, (as I hope) I am sure in the words soberness. 
The last objection first answered.  1. I do believe all this, which the Apostle adds by way of Paraphrase, to agree well with the words of Moses. 2. That yet I cannot believe that any ordinary Saint, or any other than some mightily inspired by God, like an Apostle, could have understood all that in Moses his words, when they were first delivered, viz. That Christ should descend into the deep, and after that be raised from the dead, and ascend into Heaven, because Moses says; Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend for us into Heaven, and bring the Word from thence, that we may hear it, and do it? Or because Moses says, Who shall go for us beyond the Seas, and bring the Word unto us?— Neither can I believe that it was their duty in Moses' time to confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, or to believe in their heart that God had raised him from the dead (a thing which was not at that time true) I say, I do not think it was their duty to believe it, because to us it is contained in the Word of Faith, to wit, the Gospel which the Apostle preached. Neither do I believe that it was a necessary duty of that time, so much as to believe that God would raise Christ from the dead, and that for this reason; For all the Apostles in the days of Christ's Flesh, were ignorant of this Mystery; yea, did not believe it, or understand it after Christ had told them of it, as is very plein in Luke 18. from 31. to 35. The reciting the words of that Text is plain proof enough, without urging them by force of Argument. 31. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man, shall be accomplished. Ver. 33. They shall scourge him, and put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again. Now it is said ver. 34. that they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them; neither knew they the things that were spoken. Therefore certainly these things were not necessary to be known and believed in Moses his time: And therefore, though there be so much Gospel contained in that Text of Deut. to us, now that the Apostle hath discovered it, (unless we will say, they are additional glosses upon that Text of Moses, which perhaps may prove no false Divinity) I say, Permit all that be contained to us in that Text of Deut. which St. Paul hath discovered in it, yet by them under the Old-Testament (as I think) there could be no more understood than this; That they were not to lay it upon themselves as absolutely necessary to salvation, and so unto Justification, to keep the whole Law in the strictness of it, but that they were to mind the keeping of it from their heart, to turn unto the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their souls, and so to keep his Commandments and his Statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, as it is ver. 10. immediately preceding those Verses in Deut. 30. where the righteousness of Faith is said to be described, and this to do, to keep the Law with all their heart sincerely, they should find easy and pleasant; whenas for a strict Covenant of Works, Do this, and thou shalt live, they would find it an unsupportable yoke and burden.  
Now I come to answer those other two objections against my interpretation; 
The first answered.  the first is this, That I make Faith too easy athing in comparison of keeping the Law; whereas many good men judge it a hard to believe, as to keep the whole Law:  
I answer, 1. That indeed I do think the way of Faith to be an easier way in itself then keeping the whole Law: For I ask any sober man, Whether it be not easier to keep the Law in a sincere manner, that is, to guide my actions only by the rule of it, and honestly to endeavour toconform to it, though in some things I fail) if this be not easier, than the exact keeping the Law to a tittle? The question I suppose is answered as soon as made. Why then I say, I look upon the way of believing to be this: Corning to God humbling myself for my sins, addicting myself to his service, and walking faithfully with him, 
The description 〈…〉.  and in this way of well doing, seeking for glory, honour and immortality: In one word, It is an Honesty to God, upon terms of Grace, and I being honest and true to him, doubt not of his faithfulness to me, for pardoning my sins, and providing for me here, and saving me here after: Erge, if this be Faith (for proof of which I refer to my interpretation, and require a better or fairer in confutation of it) I say, if this be faith, than the way of Faith is easier than keeping the whole Law.  
2. But yet I have not said, that though it be easier, yet it is in a man's own power to believe; it is not i● a man's own power to move a finger without God, and it is equally impossible without God to move a singer, and to remove a Mountain; yet there is no man in his right wits but will acknowledge, that it is easier in itself to move a singer, then to remove a Mountain. The last objection is this:  
But than you substitute Evangelical works in the room of Legal; and so still you turn the Gospel, 
The second objection answered  which is called the Law of Faith, into a Covenant of Works.  
Now for this objection, I confess it hath some weight in it, though for those that make it, they are usually soaring in high notions, and strangely wedded unto their own apprehensions, and are somewhat of an Antinomian strain; yet I will acknowledge, that it may be made by a sober man: I should prevent myself in what I have to say in the following part of this Treatise, if I should answer it at large in this place; yet to give some taste of an answer here, I make this distinction; That there are indeed two ways of running upon a Covenant of works, either in whole, or in part. 
Two ways of running upon a Covenant of Works  1. Either upon a Covenant of Works purely and strictly, so none durst touch or meddle with it. 2. Upon it in part, so as to mix it with the Gospel. A. Now I answer therefore, That indeed our great care is to be laid out about avoiding of these mixtures of legality in our treating with God for Justification; and that is the great design of this Treatise, to caveat us against these mixtures which we are very apt to be saulty in, as I hope they shall see in the sequel of my Discourse, that please to go on in it. Hitherto we have seen, that there is Gospel in the Law of Moses, and what this Gospel in the Law is; as also, that the reason why it was delivered by Moses, could be no other, but to put his Disciples upon the way of believing, for Justification. There are many other places in Moses, especially in the Book of Deut. that have much Gospel in them. I shall only add one Allegorical or Typical Argument, which yet I think hath much evidence in it, to prove that the Law of Moses had Gospel in it; it is this: That the Law of the two Tables when it was written the second time by Moses from the mouth of God, or else by the singer of God himself, are ordained by God to be put in the Ark, and the Ark to be put under the Mercy-seat, and Cherubims to cover the Mercy-Seat, and the presence of God eminently promised to be found between those Cherubins, Exod 25.21, 22. Thou shalt put the Mercy-Seat above upon the Ark, and in the Ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee, and there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-Seat, from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the testimony of All things, etc. Hence I frame this argument; If the Law be hid in the Ark, which alone seems to be an instrument of Salvation, and this Ark placed under the Mercy-Seat; the Greek word for which, being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is in Rom 3 25. applied to Christ, and translated Propitiation,— whom God hath set forth to be a Propitation through Faith in his Blood; and the presence of God eminently promised to them upon this Mercy-Seat or Throne of Grace, than the Law which was in its own nature a Covenant of Works, and to sinners a killing-letter, was yet to the Israelites shrouded, and covered with Grace and Mercy, (Mercy rejoicing against, or triumphing over Judgement, Jam. 2.13.) and they defended and protected from the wrath and curse of it, by a gracious presence of God with them: that Christ's offering was interposed betwixt the Law and them, and that this was in some sort (though more darkly then to us) signified and discovered to them, and so, that the law was never given them with this design, that they should seek Justification by it as a Covenant of Works.  
I have done with the objections of the Jews, which may be made against my first Position, that Justification is not, cannot be by the Law; that it is, and must be by faith, all which were made by occasion of the Old-Testament Dispensation, chief the giving of the Law by Moses. I shall before I conclude the more Doctrinal part of my Treatise, only mention an objection which might be made on behalf of the Gentiles, against Justification by Faith, and for Justification by the Law: And it is this.  
You have said that the Law of our Creation is naturally a Covenat of Works, 
The objection in behalf of the Gentiles against Justification by Faith.  and that the Gentiles had the Law, or the effect and substance of it written in their hearts, and we read not of any Promises that they had; therefore either they could not be justified at all, or they must be justified by the law.  
I answer: 1. All are not of Opinion that the Heathens were in a justifiable condition till Christ was explicitly and plainly preached to them; and for those that are not of it, they will meet with no difficulty in this Objection; for, if the Heathens could not be justified at all, it ceaseth the enquiry which way they were to be justified  
2. Some are of Opinion, That God never made any creatures under an utter impossibility of pleasing him, and being made happy by him.  
3. Therefore in a consonancy to my preceding Discourse, I say, If it can be made appear that the Heathens without the law of Moses, and the Scriptures tures of the Old-Testament could not discover so much of the Goodness, Grace, Mercy, and Love of God to mankind, as upon which to ground a lively hope, an unfeigned and operative faith, that God was ready upon their repentance and amendment of life, to forgive their sins, and to be at peace with them; the second opinion is to be avoided, and the first received: For, I do verily believe, that if the Heathens were any of them saved, or in a possibility to be saved and justified, it must be by their treating of God in the way of believing, for that the law was rendered utterly weak, and unable to justify so much as one sinner. Now because I do not think it convenient in this place to engage in that controversy, Whether or no the Gentiles were in a salvable condition; I shall neither produce the Scriptures which seem to prove they had sufficient Gospel-light to produce Faith, (which they must have if they were saved) nor the others, which would seem to prove that they had no such light.  
Now to conclude this first part, having proved it ex hypothesi, on the Gentiles part, that if any of them were saved, it must be by faith, and absolutely as to the Jews, notwithstanding all the objections to the contrary, that they were under a Covenant of Grace, and that the law was never given to them to put them upon seeking Justification by the works of it. The first great Propositions which were under demonstration, still stand firm and unsha●en; That the law is no way to sinners for Justification; That Faith is a way, and the only way; and that God hath set up this way, without which all mankind must have perished, and that he hath led his people in this way throughout all ages, before the law, and under the law; that as they were all under sin by the law, so they were likewise under the discoveries of Grace for their Justification by Faith: I come now to some more practical and experimental inquiries, which I shall introduce with an use of Conviction and Reprehension from the Doctrinal part of the foregoing Discourse.  
WE have seen in the foregoing Discourse, that there are but two ways of Justification, the one by Works, the other by Faith; that these two are opposite one to the other; that the Law or Works is now no way to fallen man, but Faith only; that all that ever were justified, were justified by faith, even Abraham, and David, and all the Saints of God under the Old-Testament, all the Saints before the giving of the law by Moses, and ever after; yea the Gentiles themselves, if any were saved, must be saved this way. 
An use Conviction and Reproof  How greatly then are they mistaken, that even under the Gospel will needs be justified by Works? This falls with clear evidence of conviction and reprehension upon such a generation of men; and yet such there are in abundance (who would think it!) even at this day; yea the greatest part of professors run this way. Although man be turned out of Paradise, (which was his place of Justification by Works) and at the door a Cherubin be set with a flaming Sword to dispute the passage, yet they will needs enter again, though they venture life and soul and all. Though Mount Sinai be covered all over with smoke, though they hear the thunderings, see the lightnings, feel the Earth quake at a distance, and be forbid to approach the Mount, yet they wi● make up towards a cousuming fire that will certainly devour them. Though one way of Justification be impossible, so that the Apostle professeth That if there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law, Gal. 3.21. I say, though one be absolute● impossible, and the other way easy, yet they wi● leave the easy way, and take that way which is no passable way at all. Yea though after they are entered upon that way, they feel themselves lashe● and galled, and stung as it were to death with fier● Serpents, in a Wilderness and Labyrinth of guilts and pressures of Spirit, yet they will not be beaten off from going this way, but only a very few of them. They run still upon the Pikes, and press upon the thick Bosses of God's Bucklers. Yea, ● thing stranger yet! Though the law itself preach faith, yet those that pretend to very great skill it the law, and are called great boasters of the law● they will not believe the law in this particular● though the law give witness to the way of believing, yet they will understand the law as giving testimony rather to its own way of Justification.  
Now to set home this Conviction and Reprehension, Consider that there are these four great iniquities found in a legal Spirit: 1. An horrible perverseness and self-willednefs; When God would have them go one way, they will go another; 〈◊〉 right cousness of God is revealed in the Gospel, from faith to faith, as it is written, The Just shall live by Faith, Rom. 1.17. And they give God the lie, and say, The Just shall live by Works, and will go the quite opposite and contraty way 2. Here we see their intolerable pride, which is the root of this self-willedness; they will not be justified by God's Righteousness, but by their own Righteousness; they prefer their own Way to God's, their own dis-approved Works, to God's approved Way of Righteousness. 3. Here we see the sottish senselesness, and brutish fool-hardiness of these men; for in doing thus, they are as a Ship that runs herself upon a Rock; as a Moth that flies at the Candle; they perish every Mother's Child of them that thus steer their course. 4. See the high dis-ingenuity that there is in this way of theirs: What do they herein, but spurn at the very bowels of their Heavenly Father? When God had found man fallen by his own voluntary defection, he might have left him as he did the fallen Angels, to have perished for ever; but he was graciously resolved not so to lose his creature, but finds out a way how he might recover his creature (Man) again, in which certainly there are most admirable contrivances of Wisdom, Power and Mercy; and he proposeth terms of Reconciliation; he offers his Son's blood; bids the sinner but come and humble himself, and ask pardon, and return to his Allegiance, and trust in him for Pardon, Grace and Perseverance to Eternal life: No, saith the Legal self-Justificiary, I have never sinned, I have deserved no anger, no displeasure; I need no pardon, no mercy, I have no need of the blood of Christ: I say, all this, and a great deal more, which were not fit to be expressed, must lie as in the Seed, and in the Root, in a Legal Spirit, though perhaps it may never come directly to such expressions, nor actual imaginations; for let any one but imagine what would be the Language of a sinner that seeks not Justification by Faith, Grace and Mercy, but by the Law, which can justify none but for perfect and unerring obedience; and I think I may say, it can be no other but such as I have mentioned, or fat worse; it must be only a deal of blasphemy against the Grace of God, as useless and needless against the person of Christ as coming into the World to save sinners, when there was no need o● a Saviour, &c Now to have these things lie in his heart at the bottom, though but as in a spawn, not perfected or come to the birth, how odious must it needs be in the eyes of God and good men? And yet all this lies in a legal-Spirit, for which they justly lie under a severe reproof from the foregoing assertions. 
Obj.   
But surely (may some say) there are no such men as these you mention; there are none that pretend themselves perfectly holy; there are none but think they stand in need of pardon; we all cry God mercy for our sins; and why should you say that men are generally apt to do thus, to seek Justification by Works, and that most professors run this way?  
I answer, 
Ans.  1. That it is true, few men profess to go this way amongst us, and perhaps few ever, (except those that do, or have held perfection in this life, and that as a thing necessary to salvation) did profess to expect salvation by the Law as a Covenant of Works in the strict sense of it.  
2. That yet there are very many; and (as I have said) the most of professors are guilty of this folly, yea we are all of us naturally inclinable unto it, viz. To seek Justification by the Covenant of Works; and in proof and explication of this second answer or assertion, I shall do these three things: 1. Prove that the greatest part of men and professors go this way. 2. I shall endeavour to discover wherein their error or mistake lies, that they should not dare to profess this way, and yet be thus deeply guilty. And 3dly, I shall give some characters of a Legal and Evangelical spirit, whereby we may discover if we are guilty, and unto what degree we faulty this way. 
The f●●st particular in the convict ontha● very many are guilty of legality  The first thing which I am to do, is to prove, that there are very many men, yea many, most professors that are guilty of this folly; yea, that we are all naturally inclinable to it, and have been from the beginning. If there had not been such a generation of men in the Apostles times, all the Discourses and Argumentations of the Apostle Paul against this sort of men, in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians, had been useless: Now certainly the Apostle did not trifle so with the world, as to set up Enemies in his own imagination, and then sight with them: And yet it cannot be denied by any, that the Apostle spends large Disco rses and Argumentations against such a sort of men. Besides, that the thing may be out of question, that there were such men, the Apostle Paul names them, points them out with the finger, lays hold of them, binds them down with such Arguments, as they can never dis-entangle themselves from. He points them out; they were the Jews, they were the Galatians, and others; the Jews, see Rom. 10.1, 2, 3. Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved; for I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; for they being ignoram of God's rightcousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the right cousness of God. Here you see the Apostle draws up an high charge against Israel in the lump, and bulk, that is, the people of the Jews in general; it was a general mistake of theirs, that they miss of God's righteousness, that is, as I have explained it, the righteousness which is of God by Faith, and went about to establish their own righteousness, that is, a righteousness of works of the Law; they were ignorant of this, that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness, as it is in ver. 4. of that chap. The Jews they would needs be justified by works; they are one sort of men named by the Apostle, as guilty in this particular. But, which is yet stranger, not only the Jews, but the Galatians, who were Gentiles, who had never received the Law, and lived under it, as the Jews had; had only been educated in Heathen Idolatries and filthiness, till the Gospel came amongst them; yet even these, after they had received the Gospel, had begun in the Spirit, that is, in the way of Justification by Faith, in a Gospel way, and had made public Encomiums of the blessed Estate the Gospel had brought them into, crying, O the blessedness! Gal. 4.15. They so loved the Apostle Paul for his preaching the Gospel to them, that they could have pulled out their own eyes, and have given them to him if it would have done him any good; yet even these, after all this, they no sooner had some Law-Teachers come amongst them, but they turn off from the Apostles Doctrine unto another Gospel; not that there is any more than one Gospel but some under pretence of ●oining the Law to the Gospel, to make them more complete in their Christian Religion, had perverred the Gospel of Christ; & instead of making a more complete Gospel, had reduced all the Gospel they had left, under the service of the Law; so that the Law was uppermost, & ruled in the great business of Justification; & yet these after they had thus sophisticated the Gospel, had gotten the Galatians to be their admirers and followers; which puts the Apostle upon strange admirations, exclamations, expostulations with his Galatians in his Epistle to them; I wonder (saith he) ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the Grace of Christ, unto another Gospel, Gal. 1.6, 7, 8, 9 And, where is the blessedness ye spoke of when I first preached the Gospel to you? Gal. 4.16. And again (saith he) certainly you are bewitched, O ye foolish Galatians, Gal. 3.1. And again, O my little children, of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be form in you, Gal. 4.19. He had traveled with them in the new-birth once already, and Christ had been in some sort form in them; they had received the Gospel, but they were now turned off to the Law, and he was fain to travel with them again; you may see plainly what their disease was, Gal. 4.21. Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law— they had a desire to be under the Law; and in chap. 2.16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. Here the Apostle mentions the Disease, that they would needs be justified by the works of the Law; and he proposeth his own, and the other Apostles and converted Jews, their examples for their imitation; We (saith he, in ver. 15.) We, who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles (that was the name they gave the Gentiles) we knowing that a man is not justified by works, have believed in Christ— and, if we have done so, who had more pretence of reason to cleave to the Law then ever you had, if we have quitted the I awe for the Gospel, certainly we may well wonder at you, that were sometimes sinners of the Gentiles, and not Jews born, that you should quit the Gospel for the Law: So Gal. 4.89. Although then when ye knew not God, were without God in the world, as other Gentiles were, Although then ye did service to them who by nature are no Gods, that is, served Idols; and although this was somewhat tolerable then in the days of your ignorance, yet now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how tur● ye again, or back to the weak and beggarly Elements, unto which ye desire again to be in bondage? Not that they ever were in bondage before to the Jewish Ceremonies, but they were in bondage before unto Idols, and they had been freed by Christ, and now fell back, and desired to be in bondage again, not as before unto their Idols, but to Jewish Ceremonies, and the keeping the Law of Moses: And this the Apostle aggravates so, that he seems to make it a worse business in the days of their knowledge, thus to go off to the Law, then in the days of their ignorance to serve Idols. Thus you have seen their Disease; now for further proof yet, that this was their distemper, we may observe, that the Apostle applies several arguments by way of remedy, which were proper only for this distemper, in that one chap. Gal. 3. I shall observe mine several Arguments sieve of which are contained in the first five verses of that chap. and are more particular and experimental for the conviction of the Galatians, the minor of every ' yllogism being evident in their experience; the major evident in its own nature, or from Scripture; the other four being sufficiently convincing to every man, and of no particular concernment to them more than others; in ver. 1. Who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes fesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, as if he had been crucified amongst you? Makes this syllogism, They who had Christ clearly preached to them; so as if he had been crucified before their eyes, should not for shame go off to the Law— But you have had Christ thus clearly preached; Ergo, 2d. Argument in the 2d. ver. Ye received the Spirit by this plain preaching of Christ, which ye never did by your Law-Preachers: This, one would think, was a mighty Argument to them. This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the preaching of Faith. The Syllogism; They that have received the Spirit by the preaching of Faith, should not for shame go off— But you have received— Ergo, 3d. Arg. in ver. 3. Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh? 'Tis a disgrace for wise men to begin in any way, and alter their way at all before they make an end, but it is a higher disgrace to begin in a better way, and end in a worse; to begin in the Spirit, and to end in the Flesh: As much as Spirit doth excel Flesh (their Horses are Flesh, and not Spirit, Isa. 31.3.) so much doth the Gospel-way of Justification excel the Legal. The Syllogism is this They that have once begun in a more excellent way then the Law is, should not go off to the Law; but you have begun in a more excellent way, viz. the Spirit: Ergo, 4th. Arg. from the 4. ver. Have ye suffered so many things in vain, if it be 〈◊〉 in vain? They had not only embraced the Gospel, and begun in the Spirit to do something; but they had suffered many things from the persecuting Jews, for professing a pure Gospel-way; and now would lose all their sufferings. 5th. Arg. from the 5th. ver. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works 〈◊〉 the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? The Law-Preachers could neither administer the Spirit to their Hearers, nor yet work miracles in proof of what they delivered, both which the Apostle had done, and their present Minister Epaphrus did do; and yet they were so mad upon the Law, and the way of Justification by works, that they were ready to shake off the Gospel for the insupportable burden of the Law. There are ye see at least five Arguments in the compass of five verses proper to them, and all five proposed in the way of interrogation, to express the Apostles vehemency, his trouble at their desection, his strange admiration at it, his longing for their recovery, all which this interrogation-form implies. Then the Apostle proceeds to general and universal Arguments, not of such particular concernment to them, such as I have in my former Discourse urged, viz. the example of Abraham from the 6. to the 10. from the nature of the Law, requiring strict obedience, or else accursing the sinner, ver. 10. from an express proof out of the Old-Testament, Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by Faith, therefore not by the Law, (saith the Apostle) for the Law is not of Faith, 11, 12. And then comes in that great Argument which I have so largely insisted upon, That there was a Covenant of Grace on foot before ever the Law was given by Moses, which could not be broken; therefore the Law came not in for a way of Justification, else it must have disannulled this Covenant, from the 15 to the 1.  
I now recollect and argue, Here you see that not only the Jews, but the Gentiles desired to be under the Law, would needs be justified by the works of the Law, else the Apostle had disputed largely and strenuously against no Enemy: Nay the Galatians, though they never had had the Law before, but only first Heathen Idolatry, and then a pure Gospel, and received it with joy and admiration, and great intenseness of affection; received the Spirit through the Ministry of it, suffered much for the profession of it; begun well, and did run well; yet, though they had begun in the Spirit, no sooner came the Law-Preachers among them, but they turned from St. Paul, who had called them unto Christ, like fools, and men bewitched unto another Gospel, that is, unto a Law-Gospel. The Law-Preachers no sooner came amongst the Galatians, but they turned the very Gospel which the Apostle had preached and they received into so much Law, so that there ye might have seen Christians to be the pure Disciples of Moses, nay far worse than the true Seed were in Moses' time. Now from hence I infer the first assertion in the coviction, viz. That there have been, and therefore may be such a generation of men that (notwithstanding the preaching of the Gospel, nay and the profession of the Gospel, are legal in the business of Justification, followers of the Law, seek to be justified by works; and also, that we are very apt to run into this way without much care and caution: Who would ever thought that the Galatians that had so many reasons to engage them to keep in that way of Faith, should ever have turned carnal and fleshly in the business of Justification? Certainly this Apostasy of theirs argues a great aptitude in humane nature to this way, unless you will think that the Galatians were of another make from all the men in the world.  
I shall add somewhat moreof proof to this proposition, and the parts of it, by and by; only I must first enter upon the explication of the 2d. thing proposed, viz. Wherein this legality lies, or wherein the great inistake lies, that so many should seek to be justified by a Covenant of Works, and yet acknowledge themselves sinners; and in the explication of this, there will new proof arise to the first Proposition, viz. That men are generally addicted to the way of works.  
2dly, 
2d. par●icul● in the con●iction, viz. wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I Nega●vel.  Therefore it comes to be explained wherein this legality lies, of what it consists, which men are so generally inclinable unto; and this is the chief thingin the Conviction; this I shall dispatch in three Propositions; the first is negative, showing what it is not, yet aught to be, if they understood what they go about. 1. It is not a professed putting themselves upon the Law of God strictly, as it requires perfect, unerring obedience for Justification; so the Jews durst not adventure their souls; the Jews acknowledged themselves sinners, though not such sinners as the Gentiles: We find when the Jews brought the Woman to Christ that was taken in Adultery, he set the Woman at liberty by this Sentence of stoning her; He that hath no sin let him 〈◊〉 the first stone.  
Neither did the Galatians assert themselves free from sins alas! they had been sinners of the Gentiles, Gal. 4.8. They had been Idolaters; and accordingly the Apostle disputes against them with such arguments as took that pro confesso, that they were sinners, Gal. 3.10. Is many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. Now surely (as it might be supplied) you will not pretend to have continued in all things; therefore you cannot expect to be justified by the works of the Law.  
Though I must needs say this, If they had gone wisely to work in their seeking Justification by the Law, they must first have found themselves free from sin, hitherto of their lives, together with a power of keeping themselves free for the remainder of their lives, or else must have desisted in the beginning; and therefore the Apostle batters down their high imaginations of self-righteousness with such arguments as these; The Law saith, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things; now you have not continued in all things: And in Rom. 3.19, 20. when the Apostle had recited a Catalogue of sins out of the Law, he infers, Now, we know that whatsoever things the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the Law (and so to you Jews especially) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God: As much as to have said, As for all these sins, some are found in one, and some in another; and wherever any of them is found, there that man's mouth is stopped by the Law, and every such person is become guilty or sub●ect to the Judgement of God: 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin; the Law tells you what is sin, and so the wrath due to sin; and by the Law every transgrestion should receive a just recompense of reward. And so Gal. 5.3. I testify again to every man that is circumcised, (which was the usual sign of their going off to the Law) that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. And yet this you dare not undertake, O ye Galatians, this you dare not profess to do. A strange Dispensation that they gave themselves, that they would aim to be justified by the Law, and yet not hold themselves obliged to keep the whole Law! How could they ever think that the Law should justify them! and yet these arguments brought by the Apostle to convince them, both show, that they did not pretend to answer the Law byunerring obedience, and fulfilling of it, as also that they should have done thus, had they gone wisely to work.  
So much for the first Proposition, showing what their way was not, yet aught to have been, had they understood themselves.  
2. Yet though they did not profess to appeal to a strict Covenant of Works for Justification, and did not understand themselves in what they did, yet by the way that the Jews & Galatians took for righteousness, they fell under that way of Works, & were so reckoned by God to be, and by the Apostle in his Discourses against them; else his Arguments had concluded nothing against them. And the reason is this, for that, though they did not formally intent a Covenant of Works, yet the way they took, was of that nature and tendency; and we have a distinction in the Schools, of sinis Scientiae & Scientis; now the sinis Scientiae is eternal and unalterable, as proceeding from the nature of the thing, let the finis Scientis be what it will; so if the way they took be legal, it is no matter whether they intended it or no. But you will say, What was that in their way, or what is that in this way which you say men usually taken, which makes it so justly, and unavoidably be called and reckoned by God a putting ourselves under a Covenant of Works, though we are not ourselves ware of it? I answer in the third and last place.  
3dly, 
Wherein Legality consists, positively.  It is such a mixture of the Covenant of Works with the Covenant of Grace, as in which the Covenant of Works is predominant, and so most justly gives the denomination to their way; I fix upon the Word Predominant: For else (as I shall show anon) all the Saints have some legal mixtures in their Spirits, even whilst they treat God for their justification and acceptation; but because they are biased and swayed more by Evangelical Principles, then by Legal, they are after the Spirit, not after the Flesh, in the business of Justification.  
I shown in the first Proposition, that the Jews and Galatians did not profess themselves perfectly holy, and so durst not appeal to the Law in a strict sense for a righteousness: I shall now further show how in many things it appears that these legalists, even whilst such, did profess and adhere to the Gospel, which is the way of Grace; and then, that yet by reason of their Legal mixtures, all their Gospel was soured to them, and turned into so much Law; and they are no longer to be reckoned for Christians, but the Disciples of Moses, in Gal. 5.2 3, 4. There are three proofs of this together, that they were great professors of the Gospel, when yet at the same time the Apostle disputes against them, as adhering to a Covenant of Works for Justification. Ver. 2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, That if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing: Here you see they thought to have had some profit and benefit by Christ: Now this was a great mixture of Gospel in their way; for if hope of benefit by Christ, be not Gospel, what is? Nay you may see in another place of this Epistle, that they had hope in the death of Christ, which certainly is a mixture of the Gospel with their Legal way, Gal. 2.21. If righteousness come by the Law (as your way leads you to say) than Christ is dead in vain; but you will not allow that Christ died in vain; you hope for benefit from the death of Christ, notwithstanding your cleaving to the Law for a righteousness: Here was a great mixture you see of Gospel with their way. And in the 3d. ver. of Gal. 5. we see they thought it was not their duty to keep the whole Law, but that I have spoken to already: in ver. 4. You may see yet the strangest mixture of Gospel in their way, which yet the Apostle calls Legal, that can be imagined; for they did profess themselves (all this while they so cried up the Law, were such admirers of it, and Votaries to it) they did profess themselves to be under Grace, to be in the way of Grace, Gal. 5.4. Christ is become of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law, ●e are fallen from Grace; that is, from the way of Grace and Mercy, to be upon perfect, strict, exact terms with God; Ye renounce the Grace of God, the benefit of Christ's death; Christ can do you do good; let your false Preachers call what they preach Gospel, while they will; and you may think you are removed to another and better Gospel than what you received from me, chap. ●. v. 6, 7, 8. But there is no other Gospel but what I preached: Some indeed have perverted the Gospel of Christ, and made it a mongrel thing; but it's Name now muse not be Gospel any longer, but Law and Works, not Grace and Gospel. Here you have ●●en that they did not only avoid the rigour of the Law, in exacting perfect obedience to a tittle, but did take in the Gospel-Principles into their way of Justification; such as the Death of Christ and the Grace of God; and yet these were legal all this while, else the Apostle had disputed impertinently where he had no Adversary: Now what was that which soured all their Gospel, which made their Grace no Grace, and their Christ no Christ, and made them perfect Debtors to the Law, thus unexpectedly to themselves, but this? that they went to make a compromise betwixt the Law and the Gospel in the matter of Justification; they would join them together, that were as irreconcilable as fire and water. The Law is not of Faith; if it be of Grace, than it is no more of works, otherwise work is no more work.  
Now by reaso● of the incompossibility and incompatibleness of these two, in their 
* For else, as the Elements are said to be mixed in a natural body, losing their proper forms, so the L●w and Gospel will well mix, one of them, viz. the Law, losing as I may say, its natural form of a Covenant of works, may be well reconciled to the Gospel, and mixed with it, for the matter of it.  proper and precise notion and nature, they that mix these two, must destroy one of them; they can never agree togegether in this business of Justification, any otherwise then heat and cold agree in water, that look unto what degree the one is there, the other is expelled; so much as there is of cold, so much there is wanting of heat; and so much as there is of heat, so much there is wanting of cold; so here, so much as there is wanting of legality in any heart, so much there is of a Gospel-Spirit, & é contra. Now because these Jews and Galatians did more hanker after the Law, then after the Gospel (though they owned many Gospel-principles, and durst not own the Law in the strictness of it, yet) their predominancy of inclination to the Law for righteousness, justly gave them the denomination of Legal; as the predominancy of cold in water justly gives it the name of cold water; and the Evangelical or Gospel-like men and women, though they have always had some Legal-mixtures in their obedience, yet, because Gospel-Principles are predominant, they obtain the name of Spiritual and Evangelical.  
And according to this representation which I have now given of Legal-people, that is, that they are more propending and inclining to the Law, then to the Gospel, doth the Apostle be-speak them, and speak of them; he speaks to them so in Gal. 4.21. Tell me (saith he) you that Desire to be under the Law— They were such, as though they durst not quit the Gospel, and come off wholly to the Law, yet had a desire to be under the Law. So he speaks of them, Rom. 9.31, 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness, hath not attained unto the Law of righteousness. Wherefore? because they sought it, not by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. And this, though it were but an● as it were, and a Desire, yet it ranked them under a Covenant of Works; and accordingly the Apostle useth such arguments against them, as would have served any that had perfectly renounced the way of Faith and the Death of Christ, and wholly betaken themselves to the Law of Works.  
I have done with the second particular in the Conviction, viz. the explication of the Legality which is so generally to be found, and wherein the deceit lies; that men, who acknowledge themselves sinners, and profess themselves Christians, may yet set themselves under a Covenant of Works for their Justification: They that will, after what I have said, deny that there may be, or hath been such a thing, such persons to be found that did acknowledge themselves sinners, and profess themselves Christians, and yet sought to be justified by the works of the Law, let them quarrel with the Scriptures, and with the Apostle Paul if they dare, out of whom I have so clearly described them, and confute him if they can: Again, if any one questions that which I have asserted to be the manner how this comes to pass, that these persons are justly denominated and reputed Legal self-Justificiaries, viz. by the predominancy of their inclination to the Law, more than to the Gospel, let them show a more probable way, and I shall gladly quit this  
Now the explication and proof of this matter being the very great thing of all should not pass without some improvement or observation from it, which I shall perform by and by; in the mean time, methinks a sober person might very well desire to be further satisfied in this great business, viz. the explication of the nature of a Legal-Spirit. I suppose it will be acknowledged, that that which gives denomination to a Legal-Spirit, is, his greater propension to the Law, then to the Gospel; but yet it may be queried: Wherein doth this propension exert and show itself? in what one word, or more than one, would you express it? Now this I confess is the great difficulty; hic labour, hoc opus est; this were worthy of the most excellent Saint, and the most learned and accurate Head to discover; I can do it only after my manner, that is, rawly enough; but would God I could provoke some able man to undertake it in the strength of God.  
Very many of those that have meddled with it, have dealt rudely and yet saucily with this subject, I mean the Autinomians: They will express the whole business presently, in one word; and tell you that it is Doing. So far as you seek to get life by doing, you are legal; they will tell you, ye mu●● not act for life, but from life; a mighty distinction with them, though quite false: And for proo●● they'll bring you such a Scripture as this, Mark 10.17. where the young man came to our Saviour, and said, What shall I Do that I may inherit Eternal life? Which is a question that I suppose might be asked by a good man, though he was not good that asked it; unless it be asked with such a design as if one thought that the doing good actions might merit, heaven; by this Divinity of theirs which they have of late spread far and near, they have made their followers, which I fear are very many, think strangely of good works, as if they had no influence a● all, not so much as secondary to the obtaining o● our salvation; and so only as matters of love and thankfulness from us; but not as absolutely necessary unto the pleasing of God, and continuing in his favour, according to that of our Saviour, Joh. 15.9, 10. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue in my love. How may we do that? ver. 10. tells us; If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's Commandments, and abide in his love. Yet I would do the Antanomians this right, to say that I think they have very many of them aimed honestly; that they have lighted upon many Gospel-strains, and have done very well in observing that there is a vast difference betwixt serving God with a Legal, and with an Evangelical Spirit; though they have not been so happy in telling us wherein the difference lies; and for the difference which they make, the Legal way to lie in Doing, the Evangelical way in Believing, I confess it hath a great countenance from Scripture, as to the sound of words; but, as they explain their sense, I reckon there is a great disagreement from the Scripture. As to their sense of the word Believing, I shall have some occasion to examine it anon; but as to the word Doing in their sense, I say at present, That though the Scripture seems to express the whole business of Legality in that word, Rom. 4: 4. Working or Doing; yet certainly in a far other sense from their explication of it: For the Scripture in that place understands Working or Doing in a strict Law-sense, so as to expect a Reward for it of Debt; whereas they will tell you, if you look upon Works as having any influence upon Justification, let the works be what they will, you are so far Legal. Now having proved, as I suppose, their exposition of Working or Doing to be but a false gloss, I shall do my endeavour (and no more can be expected) to deliver the truth in this matter.  
I suppose therefore, according to that Text Rom. 4 4. where Legal Works or working are accurately described, that Legality lies in Doing any work with this supposition or conceit in my mind, that now I have justly obliged God, not only by a Justice of performing promise, but a Justice of strict distribution according to the natural desert of an action: My meaning is best expressed in that commonly known word of Merit; he that doth an action to God supposing that he hath now merited a reward from God by distributive Justice, 
The reason why I make prefumtion of Merit, the form of Legality, is for that reward of Debt is the Characteristical note of a Legal Reward; therefore the expectation or presumption of such a reward ought to be in a Legal Spirit.  he is Legal in his action, and none other.  
It will bepresently said, Then there will not be found so many Legal professors as you assert there are, for that few amongst us, if any at all, acknowledge Merits. I answer, though they do not acknowledge it with their mouths, yet this I suppose is the secret Language of their hearts, and where it is not, let them be free from the imputation of Legality for me; I see no rule to condemn them of it, though I will add this. I think many men may disown it in words, nay and think they are not guilty of it, that yet are extremely guilty; such a a secret unsearchable Disease of heart is this of Legality.  
I have perfectly done with the explication or discovery of the Disease in its own nature; I shall come anon to give some symptoms of it, that are signs and effects of it; in the mean time let us see what improvement, what observations we can make upon that Anatomical Discovery which was made of the Galatians e'en now.  
And here, 
1 Obser.  first of all, I shall observe the strange and unhappy disappointments that the Legal self-Justitiaries meet with, the miserable cheat that they put upon themselves. They think to mix Law and Gospel, they dare not stand to the Law alone; they would fain have a little help from the Gospel to eke out their defects in a Legal Righteousness, and alas! the Gospel turns them off with scorn to the Law only, to be tried and judged by it; which will certainly condemn and devour them.  
2dly, 
2 Obser.  I observe the strange absurdities and self-contradictions which these self-Justitiaries, both Jews and Gentiles, run into, in their prosecution of a Legal Righteousness: There are no less than four contradictions which the Galatians ran into in this business: 1. They would be justified by the Law, and yet acknowledged themselves sinners, which is a contradiction; for it is obvious that the Law must condemn sinners. 2. They would be justified by the Law, and yet not be bound to do the whole Law; where●s the Law hath no other way imaginable to justify any persons, but when they have the works of the Law, when they have done the whole Law. He that doth them, shall live in them. 3. They would be justified by the Law, and yet have benefit by Christ and his death; whereas Christ ●ras not the Minister of Circumcision; Christ came into the world and died, because the Law was broken, and could not justify. 4. See the greatest of contradictions imaginable. They would be justifisied by the Law, and yet profess the Gospel, and the way of Grace; therefore the Apostle convinceth them with this Argument, If ye seek Justification by the Law, ye are fallen from Grace, Rom. 11.6. If by Grace, than it is no more of works; yet all these absurdities and contradictions the Galatians swallowed, that they might go on with their way of Works, which they were so greedy after, and addicted to, besides all those evident arguments, both general, and of more particular concernment to them, which they went against; though they had received the Spirit by the Gospel; though miracles were done amongst them in confirmation of the Gospel, neither of which attended the Law; though they had done and suffered so many things for the Gospel, yet all of a sudden, like men bewitched, away they turn to the Law, and in effect, though not in profession, they leave the Gospel. From whence again I add new proof, as I promised to the first thing proposed in the conviction, which is my third observation.  
Therefore certainly mankind is exceedingly addicted to this way of works, 
3 Obser.  though not in a-strict way, yet in this mixed way, which comes all to one at last, and must be called by the same Name I say I may justly infer from this one example of the Galatians, That mankind is exceedingly addicted unto this way of works.  
For though an argument ab exemplo be not ordinarily cogent, yet such an example as this will of itself almost amount to a demonstration; for it is not an example of one man, but of a great company of men; they were the Churches of Galatia, as it is in chap. 1. ver. 2. and Galaria was not a Town or a City, but a large Country that had many Churches up and down in it; and these were such as had gladly received the Gospel, they had received the Apostle Paul as if he had been an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus; they blessed themselves exceedingly in this, that they had heard the Gospel from him, they received the Spirit by it. etc. Now notwithstanding all this, no sooner do a company of Law-Preachers come that could do no Miracles at all, could not convey the Spirit in their Ministry, and yet the Galatians are so bewitched, and besotted with them, through their own natural inclinations to a Legal Righteousness, that they fall off to the Law in the sight and view of all those demonstrations and convictions to the contrary, and swallow down four several contradictions to boot; Ergo, hence it evidently appears, that men are exceeding apt to run into this way of Justification by Works; unless we shall imagine, that this inclination in whole Churches of Galatia, was some strange kind of special distemper, arising from the soil or some such trifling cause that hinders it from being common to us with them: I say, I take it for proved and granted from this example, which is to me much like an Induction; the whole Nation of the Jews, the Churches of Galatia, that were Gentiles, were wholly given to this way; therefore this way is mighty natural to mankind; and we have all a strong propension and inclination to it; but here comes in one considerable objection, upon the answering of which, the truth of this last Assertion will be much clearer, and that is this:  
You say, 
Object.  that because the Nation of the Jews and the Gentile- Galatians were so much addicted to the way of Justification of Works, therefore it is an argument, that all mankind is addicted to this way, and that we are in danger of running into this way; but you do not seem to observe the great snare and stumbling-block that lay in their way, to put them upon it, and that was the Ceremonial Law, which they did not understand as typical of Christ and Gospel-Mysteries, but looked upon it as a task of duties, which if they did go thorough, and do their best to keep, they should undoubtedly please God, and be saved: Now this Ceremonial Law was given to the Jews, and not perfectly out of use when the Galatians were thus led aside by it; but was preached up by the devout Jews that were turned to Christianity, that if they were not circumcised, and kept not the Law of Moses, they could not be saved, Act. 15.1. Now this the Galatians receiving as true, and holding the Gospel with it, they did with the Jews too much dote upon Ceremonial Observances; and so their Gospel which they professed with it, was soured and spoiled by it; but we are not in this danger; we know that the Ceremonial Law is down, and so we are free from this snare and danger; therefore we need not fear lest we run into a Covenant of Works, or seek Justification by works. This is the objection, and you see it is considerable, to which I shall endeavour an answer.  
And first of all I answer by way of concession in three particulars. 
Ans.  1. 'Tis true, the Jews, had the Ceremonial Law imposed upon them by God, and the Galatians by the seduction of false Teachers, received it likewise as their duty. 2. The Ceremonial Law was apt to prove a snare to all that were under it, in leading them into a Covenant of Works: For to be set to do a great many things which we understand no meaning almost in, how naturally will it teach us to take up with the opus operatum the work done, & to look no further? Which easily mis-leads us into an opinion of Merit, especially when we think ourselves prettily well to have discharged ourselves of the duties of the Moral Law besides. 3. Let it be granted that this did actually prove a great snare both to the Jews and Galatians, which appears from this, that the Apostle when he is rebuking the Galatians for their Legality, he instanceth for proofs often in their observing the Ceremonial Law, Gal. 4.8, 9 I window (saith he) that after ye were set free from bondage to Idols by the Gospel of Christ, ye should desire again to enter into bondage to ceremonies, which there he calls beggarly rudiments; and in ver. 10, 11. saith he, Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years; I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain: Nay, the Apostle instanceth so frequently in the business of the Ceremonial Law, that an incurious Reader might think that all thrir fault was but this, that they made Conscience of keeping the Ceremonial Law; though 'tis certain, and I have proved it already, that this was not the greatest fault they had fallen into; for then the Apostle would only have gone about to convince them, that the Ceremonial Law was abolished by the death of Christ, or at least that they being Gentiles, need not have their Consciences obliged to it; which doth not scarce at all appear to have been any part of his design; but his main design is to beat them off from a Covenant of works, unto which the Ceremonial Law served for an Inlet. And indeed this was the nature and genius of their mischievous error; they thought, as the Jews also did, that though they were not so strict as they should be in observing the great & weighty duties of the Moral Law, yet if they were strict and careful in observing the Ceremonial, this would make some amends for their other great defects; and herein we see the Ceremonial Law proved a great snare. Thus our Saviour chargeth the Jews, even whilst it was their duty to keep the ceremonial Law, that they placed the observances of the ceremonial Law in the room of their obedience to the moral Law; Ye pay tithe of Mint, and anise, and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, Judgement, Mercy and Faith; these ought ye to have done, and notto leave the other undone, Matth. 23.23. and so in Isa 1. chap. ver. 10. And this I think is the judgement of all Divines to have been the error of the Jews and Galatians. Now let these three things be granted; yet in the 4th. place by way of direct answer to the objection: Though the Ceremonial L●w were apt to prove a Snare, and actually did prove a Snare to the Jews and Galatians, yet it was their natural inclination to Legality, to a Legal way of treating with God for their Justification and acceptation, that betrayed them into this Snare, or that made it prove such a Snare to them: For else the Ceremonial Law was, in its true use, and in the design of the Lord when he first gave it, a great blessing unto the people of Israel, it was a part of that Dispensation which is called their wisdom and their glory in the sight of the Nations, Deut. 4.6. I say, the Ceremonial Law was not in its own nature unavoidably such a snare as would lead them to a Covenant of Works, nor in the design of God who gave it; nay it was designed to be to them a sigurative Gospel; and therefore, though it was somewhat capable of being made use of to such an end, to serve the turn and humour of a Legal Spirit, yet none but those that were so addicted, could have made such a perverse and destructive use of it, or, if it had been unavoidably, I say, make the supposition that it had been unavoidably such a dangerous snare to the Jews, who had the Ceremonial Law given them from Mount Sinai, yet the Gentile- Galatians had not such a temptation to receive it, with that veneration that the Jews had; and having received the Gospel before, and still retaining the profession of it, might have been well antidoted against the danger of it; and yet they receive it suddenly in this noxious and mischievous use of it: And for what reason can we imagine all this to have come to pass, but because they were naturally disposed, and exceeding apt to catch at any occasion of serving God, as it were by the works of the Law, or according to a Covenant of Works. 5thly, I say therefore, that though we have not the Ceremonial Law of the Jews to prove a Snare to us, yet we have this radicated inclination to a Covenant of Works which betrayed the Jews and Galatians by occasion of the Ceremonial Law, into the prosecution of Justification by Works; and this I think was formerly evinced from the example of the Jews and Galatians, as by an induction. 6thly, As for the ceremonial Law, perhaps it would be granted, that if we had such reason to receive it as the Jews had before Christ, when it was their duty to observe it, or but such a seeming reason as the Galatians after their seduction thought they had; perhaps it would be granted, that if the case were so with us as it was with either of them, that then we should be in great danger to do as they did, and to vent that natural Legality, or addictedness to the way of works, which hath been evinced to be in all men, in ceremonial observances: Now let but so much be granted, and then I have this to offer, That though we are free from the ceremonial Law of the Jews, & know it abrogated by Christ's death, yet we may still have a like danger, though not the same; nay, the Christian Church hath for many hundreds of years (I shall not meddle with the present state of things) I say, the Christian Church hath for many hundreds of years together formerly, been under as great a danger from ceremonies, as the Jews were in from the ceremonial Law; and for proof of this, I shall only quote some passages out of the preface to the Book of Common-Prayer, under the title, Of Ceremonies, why some be abolished, and some retained; where you have these, besides other expressions: Some Ceremonies are put away, because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased in these later days, that the burden of them was intolerable; whereof St. Austin in his time complained that they were grown to such a number, that the estate of Christian people was in worse case concerning that matter, than were the Jews; and he counselled that such yoke and burden should be taken away, as time would serve quietly to do it. But what would St. Austin have said, if he had seen the Ceremonies of late days used amongst us, whereunto the multitude used in his time was not to be compared? This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great, and many of them so dark, that they did more confound and darken, then declare and set forth Christ's benefits unto us. There are other considerable passages concerning ceremonies in that Preface; but this that I have transcribed, serves sufficiently for my purpose, and I suppose fully takes off the objection, that since the ceremonial Law is down, Christians cannot be in the same danger that the Jews & Galatians were from ceremonies. I have yet one more particular to add by way of answer to the objection, and it is this in the seventh place. That I verily believe, though the Jews had had no such Law given them, nor the Gentile-Galatians such a Law preached amongst them by the Jews, nor had any such ceremonies ever been set up in the Church of Christ, as the quotation speaks of; yet both the Jews and Galatians, and we all have such an inclination to, such an earnest desire after the way of Works, that without a strict hand over ourselves from giving way to this natural disposition, we should be all exceeding apt to find out some way or other of venting this humour, either by inventing ceremonies and superisttions, or doing the duties of the Moral Law superficially, and yet resting upon them for our Justification: As for duties or good works that are truly good, though they may be abused after their performance by a spiritual pride adhering to them; nay, though they may perhaps be spoiled sometimes by an opinion of merit, yet because I cannot think it possible for a man that doth exercise himself to serve God with a perfect heart, to turn all his really-good Works into Legal-Works, by an opinion of Merit; I shall except this from being a third way in which Legality predominant may exert and show itself. But for the other two ways of invented ceremonies, or superstitiu●s observances, and an external obedience to the duties of the Moral Law, I think the nature of man is so addicted to the way of Works, that though there were no ceremonial Law amongst us at present, either from God or men; yet men would generally find out one or both of those ways to vent their Legality, even to an opinion of merit in them. This I shall show to have been usually practised in the times of the Scripture, and since, and in our own time; that is, that ceremonies or external services, not commanded in the moral Law, were invented even whilst there was a ceremonial Law in force, and vast numbers since its abolition, and both rested upon; as also, that a superficial performance of Moral Duties is found both in the Scripture, and in our own experience to have been rested upon. For the latter first; How common wa● it with the Jews in our Saviour's time to think, that if they kept the Letter of the Law, they had discharged their duty contained in that commandment! If they did not kill a man, they thought they discharged their duty in the sixth Commandment: If they did not commit Adultery, they had discharged the seventh; and so having kept the Law, they might expect the Law should justify them; and therefore St. Paul whilst a Pharisee, he was touching the Law blameless, as he thought, which if he had truly been, and continued so, he might well have expected to be justified by it: And so the young Pharisee, Matth. 19.20 says of the Commandments, All these have I kept from my youth: And upon this he rested hitherto. I have heard one myself whom I judged a wicked man, and so did many others besides me; yet says he, Well, I am confident if any Family in such a place have the blessing of God, ours hath; for we have prayers morning and evening, and never a cross or angry word passeth between me and my wife from one end of the week to the other. This imperfect obedience to the Moral Law, he made the matter of his Justification, perhaps even to an explicit opinion of Merit. Thus you see men that have any conformity to the Motal Law, are apt to place their trust there: But now because there are few so strict as St. Paul whilst a a Pharisee was, or as the young man was; but that there is a consciousness of guilt from the Moral Law, therefore they are the lewest legalists that rest upon their obedience to the Moral Law alone, if any do; they must help patch up their righteousness with ceremonial observances, so that the ceremonial Law (whether given by God, or invented by men) hath most custom, and bears up the weight of these men's expectations; and I think I may make this assertion, (at least this guess) that there were never any in the world that sought Justification by works, but they were much in love with some superstitlons, or at least with Ceremonies; yea, even those who have been most strict in observing the duties of the Moral Law, as to the Letter of it; your greatest Pharisees, they are as much for obfervation of Ceremonies as any men in the world. How were the Pharisees in our Saviour's time addicted to invented ceremonies and superstitions, though one would think they had enough ceremonies in their Law already? What washings had they invented? etc. And it is said, they taught for Doctrines humane traditions and inventions, Mat. 15.9.  
Wicked men, and those that are careless in keeping the Moral Law, are for ceremonies to patch up a righteousness; Pharisees are for them to have a redundancy of righteousness, such as may make sure work, yea such as may serve themselves and others too; and this cannot well be but by such Works as were not their duty to do, and so must be inventions of their own; so that, however it cometh to pass one way or another, both the strict Legalist, and loser self-Justitiaries, lay the chief stress in pleasing God, and seeking his favour upon ceremonious observances. I shall instance in one place of Scripture, where, as I take it, there is a full and lively Description of a Legal-self-Justitiary; it is Mic. 6 6, 7, 8. And wherein is it that he pleaseth himself most, or hopes to please God best, but in ceremonies, (that is external services not commanded in the Moral Law) and some of those invented? Wherewith (saith he) shall I come before the Lord and how myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings, with Calves of a year old, will the Lord be pleased, (so as to justify me) with thousands of Rams, or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul● Here you see the poor man offers very fair in his way; if he may have it by ceremonious services, he will do any thing, he will suffer the loss of any thing his Estate, his Relations; yea his dearest Relations, his firstborn; here the man mixeth Heathenish Sacrifices with Jewish ceremonies; but you see the ma● is willing, at least seems willing to do any thing: The Papists will whip themselves; Baal's Ptiests w●● cut themselves AFTER THEIR MANNER, with Knives and Lances till the blood gush out upon them, 1 Ki. 18.28. Any thing but BELIEVING. These self. Justificiaries are quite out in their guess what will please God. They are ready to think with Naama● when he was to be cleansed of his Leprosy, that they must do some GREAT THING to be cured, 2 King. 5 13. They slightly pass over THIS POOR EUSINESS OF BELIEVING, as he did his command of washing in Jordan. Are not Abana and Parphar, Rivers of Damasous, better than all the waters of Israel? May not I wash in them and be clean (saith he) so he turned and went away in arage, vor. 11, 12. So saith the legal Spirit, Pish, what is this Believing, I wonder! that is a poor thing; what, only Believe! I'll offer to God rich Sacrifices, Holoenrists, and Hecatombs; nay, thousands of Rams, ten thousands of Rivers of Oil; yea my firstborn, the fruit of my Body; this is better than believing in any man's Judgement. Any thing but believing. But it is better to hear the Lord to declare himself what he is pleased with, than go by our own foolish guesses; and therefore see the 8. ver. of Mic. 6. and the Lord tells us what it is; nay the Lord tells us that we know ourselves what it is, if we would but consult our own hearts, ver. 8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Justice, and to show Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Alas! God doth not require all this operous, laborious, and costly service which men are apt to put themselves upon. He loves nothing but truth in the inward parts. Serve God honestly, trust in him, love thy neighbour, do Justice, show mercy, and this is better than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices, Mark 12.33. And this I shall show anon (as I have partly already in the exposition of that Deut. 30.11.) is believing, that is, it contains the great mystery of believing in it. Not that I have so little of a Scholar, as to say or think, that showing mercy is believing; or doing justly is believing, except in a figurative sense, as we put the Name of the cause upon the effect, or the Name of the chief ingredient upon the whole composition. We must not so miscall things, lest at last we have no Names left us to call things by; but I say, herein is contained the mystery of the way of believing, in opposition to the way of Works. But to return, What a brave flourish doth Micah's man make with his legal Righteousness? What high promises? What vast offers doth he make? thousands of Rams, ten thousands of Rivers of Oil, more than ever any Emperor in the world could set on running! Yet these mighty offers doth this man here make to the Lord for his favour, in the mean time he misseth passeth by this poor contemptible way of believing. Only believe, believe and all things are possible. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God. No, but men that will merit heaven; they must be doing such a number of Duties, so many Ave-maries, so many Pater-nosters, Heathenish, vain repetitions; they must give themselves so many stripes of a Good-Friday. Surely they think God slights plain honesty as an homely thing, and that he is taken with gallant, gandy, magnificent services, or else with barbarous cruelties and severities.  
Thus I reckon I have in some sort proved my seventh and last assertion in answer to the objection, viz. That men are so far addicted to the way of works, that though they had no ceremonial Law at all, yet they would be finding out some way or other to vent this humour, either in superficial obedience to the Moral law, or in full tasks of Ceremonious observances which they could invent for themselves. The Heathens did it in barbarous Sacrifices, and vain repetitions; the Pharisees in divers washings, and that Jew in Micah, in costly and diabolical offerings; so that though we are freed from the Ceremonial law of the Jews, and should be freed altogether from the Ceremonies in the Christian Church, yet we are not quite out of all danger of seeking Justification by works. All now that I can apprehend myself any way engaged to speak unto further, upon the second particular in the conviction, by way of discovery wherein this legality should lie, is, That seeing I have asserted that it must consist only in opinion of Merit; I should speak a little to prove that there is such a thing as that commonly in practice in the world of which I shall give a brief proof both in Jew and Gentile, which will yet further evince, that we are not wholly free from the danger; and then I shall come to give some marks and signs of a Legal-spirit. That there was such a thing among the Jews, Mr. John Smith a late Writer, in his select Discourses, hath taken very good pains to prove. In that Discourse which treats of a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness, he tells us, That it was a great affirmation of the Jewish Doctors, That happiness by way of Merit, is far greater and much more magnificent than that which is by way of Mercy; and so that they reckoned (they are his own words) upon a more triumphant and illustrious kind of happiness, victoriously to be achieved by the merit of their own works, than that beggarly kind of happiness (as they seem to look, upon it) which cometh like an Alms from Divine bounty. And accordingly they held (I shall give you the Author's words) That the Law delivered to them upon Mount Sinai, was a sufficient Dispensation from God, and ALL THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE BY HIM for the advancing of them to a state of perfection and blessedness; and that the proper end and scope of their Law was nothing but to afford them several ways and means of merit. But yet see what their great brags of Merit came to! See what strange Dispensations they gave themselves! even such as the Galatians gave themselves, whilst they sought to be justified by works; for the same Author in the third Chapter of the Discourse mentioned, quotes this passage out of the Misna, Lib. Maccoth. Sect. ult. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning whereof is, That therefore the Precepts of the Law were so many in number, that so they might single out where they pleased, and in exercising themselves therein, procure Eternal life; or as Obadias' de Bartenora expounds it, that whosoever shall perform any one of the 613. Precepts of the Law (for so many they make in number; without any worldly respect for love of the Precept, behold, this man shall merit thereby everlasting life. Here they might have been convinced by those two Arguments which the Apostle Paul useth against the Galatians, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things. And he that is circumcised, that is, professeth to be justified by the Law, is a debtor to keep the WHOLE Law. And this we find the Pharisees to do in our Saviour's time, & they taught, that if a man had devoted what he should have given his Parents, to God, he was dispensed with from the duty of the fifth Commandment to Father and Mother; he might say it was corban, that is, a gift already given to God, Mark 7.11. Matth. 15.5. So that they taught their Disciples to pick and choose among the Commandments, which they would do, and which they would leave undone; nay, to leave out some of the greatest commands of all, that they might but fulfil some one of their inventions. Here you have seen the presumption of mankind in the business of Merit, instanced in the Jews; they liked the way of Merit rather than the way of Mercy, and yet cheated themselves with this, That if they kept any one Law of the 613. (that is, if they kept it constantly, as the same Author tells us) they should merit everlasting life. And that there is such a thing as opinion of Merit in their serving of God at this day amongst men professing Christianity, we may know easily, if we hear but what the Papists teach, and hold, and practise; they won the very word Merit, that good works are meritorious: And, if they seem to avoid the thing which we mean, by their distinction of Meritum excongruo, & condigno, yet we will easily fasten the Thing upon them. For Merit, as I have said, in the Scripture-notion of it, is when a man that doth any action to God, expects the Reward of Debt, and so demands it at the hands of the Law: Now these men profess that they can do more than the Law requires of them; they can lay up a stock of good Works that shall serve for others, which the Church may dispose of to those that want them, and they shall be meritorious for them; therefore it must follow that they have done what the Law requires; for how can he do works of supererogation, which were not demanded of him by the Law, and which the Church may dispose of at pleasure, who hath not kept the whole Law? There is such a thing as opinion of Merit amongst the Papists in their serving of God; therefore we may be guilty of it: How doth the Pope tell them, and they believe it, that if they do such and such things, which are not made the condition of pardon by God, for going such a pilgrimage, for taking such a penance, etc. they shall have their sins pardoned for so long a time? And wherein doth Justification consist so much as in pardon of sin? Therefore they seek Justification by Works, even by inventions of their own, which is worse than by Works commanded. Now that which is so gross amongst them, may be as truly though more refinedly amongst ourselves. I have now done with the two first particulars in the Conviction. I shall only now recollect what I have said and proved, that so I may borrow some strength for what follows, and so proceed.  
Is it so then, that all mankind is so exceeding apt to seek Justification by Works? And is it such an hidden and unsearchable evil of heart, that we cannot easily know it, it hath so many self-deceits, and runs through so many contradictions? Doth it lie in opinion of Merit, & yet is Merit so generally disowned, and yet so many real votaries to it? What need then have we to search, and try if we are not guilty in this particular, and how far we may possibly be guilty? For, though we have found out the very notion in which it must lie, viz. The Opinion of Merit; yet this will not serve usually to find it out by; for who of us doth not renounce Merits, and yet who of us (if the foregoing assertions be true) is not addicted to Legality? I shall come therefore to some other ways of discovery of this evil distemper of heart; some marks and signs of it, some effects which discover their cause, though never so occult and hidden before. And this is the third particular in the Conviction which I promised: The first was to discover, that there are such men as seek Justification by Works. The second was to discover wherein their Legality lies: And this third to discover by some signs where this Legality is to be found, either in a predominancy, or in any less degree.  
Now for the discharge of this last part of my Work in the Conviction; 
The third thing in the Conviction, viz. the Characters  I shall first premise two things, and then come to the Characters. The first is this, That all men in the world are either profane and Atheistical; or else in some way or other Religious; as for those that are profane and atheistical, I have nothing to do with them in this Discourse, for that they have nothing to do with Justification, who make no pursuit after it at all. The second observation that I would premise, is this. That as for the Religious World, those that treat with God after any sort for their salvation, they are all reducible to one of these two sorts; they are either Legal or Evangelical in their service and obedience; for there being but two ways of Justification, either in the Scripture, or imaginable by us by unerring obedience and meriting, or by the way of mercy, which accepts an humble sincerity; I say, there being only these two ways, all that seek Justification must be of one of these two ways; and hence I would infer, that wherever we find in Scripture any two ways of serving God, that have followers and abettors, being two opposite ways, whereof one is good and acceptable, the other evil and displeasing to God, there are these two ways of Legal and Evangelical service; and the Characters of the good way may be referred to the head of Evangelical, the Characters of the bad unto the head of Legal Worshippers: Or if we cannot make a clear reference of every miscarriage in Religion unto legality, yet this I dare affirm, and shall prove, That the distinction of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers, or of such as are fleshly, and such as are spiritual in the Worship of God, is very ancient; nay as ancient as all Antiquity; so that throughout all ages in the Scripture, and in our own age in undeniable experience, there may be traced these two sorts of religious persons, and that by Characters that are visibly Legalor Evangelical. And whatever be the infinite perty differences of Sects in any age or place, yet all men professing Religion, may be reduced to these two classes or sorts of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers; and these are the great things that are to be minded in them; if you find that they are spiritual Worshippers, pass by their petty differences; if they are fleshly, be not deceived by that fair show which they make in the flesh; for the Antiquity and continual suceession of these two sorts of Worshippers, and that as they include all sorts of Religious persons, see one Scripture, & then I come to the Characters; it is in Gal. 4.29. But as then, that is, in Abraham's time, he of the one side that was born after the flesh, the son of the Bondwoman Hagar, the Son of a Covenant of Works, perse●nted him on the other side, that was born after the Spirit, that is, the true Son of the Promise, the Evangelical Worshipper, so it is now. As it was in the beginning, so it is, and ever will be to the end of the World, two sorts of Worshippers, which two sorts all Religious persons may be referred unto. If it were proper to enlarge upon this observation, I could give more ample proof of it.  
Now for the Characters, 
1 It is a 〈◊〉 way which ●e joiceth and glorieth in external privileges and performances The proof that the legal way is an external fleshly way.  the first shall be this, They that are for a Covenant of Works, for the Law, are much and chief for external services; this I have partly touched before; but I have a very fair occasion to speak to it here again, and I dare promise the Reader to free him from the trouble of needless repetition. I say, those that are under predominant Legality in treating with God for their justification and acceptation, they are chief for external services in their Worship, and expressions of their obedience unto God. This the Apostle calls flesh, or a fleshly outward way of serving God, in Phil. 3.2, 3.— the Apostle speaks home to this Character. I will give you (saith the Apostle in the first ver.) some SAFE advice and counsel what sort and party of men you should avoid, and what sort you should close with: Ver. 2. Beware of Dogs, beware of evil workers; beware of that evil sort of Worshippers that are in the sight of God no better than Dogs, and not children: Now who are they? Why the concision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. By the Concision is usually understood the Circumcision, or legal Jew, that gloryed in his Circumcision, here called the Concision, by an Ironical Paronomasia, alluding to the Factions and Schisms which they made every where; Beware of these (saith the Apostle) and do not receive them, nor adher to them; for we are the Circumcision, that is, the true Children of Abraham which worship God in the SPIRIT, in a true SPIRITUAL way of Worship, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, which they, the legal Worshippers have; they are fieshly, we are after the Spirit, and worship God in the Spirit. They have confidence in the flesh, we have none. Now what is this confidence in the flesh, which the Concision, the Dogs and evil Workers had, but the true Worshippers had not: This the Apostle explains at large in the 4, 5, and 6. verses. For (saith he) if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might TRUST in the FLESH, I more. What is that of the Flesh wherein he might glory if he would? He tells us ver. 5. I was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law a Pharisee, or blameless; so i● follows ver. 9 as touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless; that is, as touching the letter of the law Moral or Ceremonial. This is the matter of fleshly glorying or boasting, which you see is made up either of external Rites and Privileges, or the external obedience to the moral law.  
That which he calls flesh, is an external thing. Now that fleshly and legal are Synonymous, or words importing the same thing, and so used by the Apostle, is not only clear in this Scripture, but in other Scriptures; for instance Gal. 3.3. Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, that is, a Gospel-way, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? that is, will ye end in a legal, that is, a fleshly way? Fleshly and Legal are all one: Now the way of the Flesh is an external way, made up of outward Rites, Ceremonies, Privileges and Performances; therefore a legal way is a way in which men please themselves with external Privileges and Performances.  
I shown before, that those that are addicted to the way of works, durst not pretend to an universal conformity to the law in a strict sense of it, and yet do seek to be justified by Works; therefore they must have some Works to glory in, and to uphold their Spirits in a confidence of Divine acceptance: Now therefore what can these Works be, other then external conformities to the ceremonial or moral law, and these ceremonies either as given by God, or else superstiously invented by themselves? I shall now a little further exemplify what I then asserted, and that by some assistance from the second thing premised, in showing that in all times the evil sort of Worshippers (which because they are not Evangelical, must be legal) have done, and do exceedingly please themselves in external Privileges and Performances, in doing which I shall avoid useless repetitions.  
We find, 
The first external privilege which the jews gloried in.  that the Jews who were as well to be condemned for Legality before the days of the Gospel, as under it, (there having been always a fleshly and spiritual Seed) were exceedingly taken with their being circumcised, and of the Seed of Abraham, and made a peculiar people to God in the Lump and Body of the Nation, which did not hinder at all, but for particular persons they might be wicked enough, strangers to God, and heirs of wrath. Thus the Jews, as Jews, scorned the Gentiles, called them Dogs, and the sinners of the Gentiles, or Nations; whereas to be Jews born, was nothing but an external Privilege. And therefore the Apostle, when he comes to convince them of this folly and vain fleshly boasting, he makes no more ado but to cut them off from this stump that they stood upon, by that great distinction so frequent in his Epistles, of Israel according to the flesh, and the true Israel, or the true Seed according to the Promise, that is, Believers: All are not Israel that are of Israel, (saith he) and he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom. 2.28, 29. Now that which amongst us may answer to such a fleshly boast as this was of the Jews, (for I chief aim at the usefulness of this Doctrine to ourselves) may be this, viz, the Name of Christians, and the general Baptism that all amongst us can pretend unto: Though this cannot be accounted so great a Privilege to us, (now that Christendom is so large) as Circumcision, and being natural or proselyted Jews was to them, who were a single Nation, chosen for a peculiar people to God out of all the Nations of the World. I come therefore to some other things.  
They gloried also very much in their Temple; 
The second external privilege the ●●ws gloried in.  there is an eminent place amongst many, for this, Jer. 7.4. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are THESE; that is, THESE BUILDINGS, THESE COURTS, pointing, as it were, with their singer at the Buildings of the Temple; as much as if they had said, See! we have the Temple of the Lord with us, and his Worship and Service amongst us, and therefore no evil can come to us, whatever these Fanatic Prophets threaten us with. Now see what a strange infatuation and besottednesse these men were under! for they were as wicked as men could be, by oppression and bloodguiltiness, yea Idolatry itself; as you may see in ver. 10. Will ye steal murder, and commit Adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other Gods, whom ye know not, and come and stand before me in this House, which is called by my Name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations? It this House, which is called by my Name, become a Den of Robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord. Here is a crew of Legal-Worshippers, of Carnal-Worshippers, that certainly could not pretend to Justification by the strict Law of God, yet trusted in the Temple and Temple-Worship, ver. 8. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit; and what those words are, you have seen in ver. 4. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, the Temple of the Lord, etc. No, saith the Lord. ver. 3. Amend your ways and your do, and I will cause you to dwell in this place: Here is Mercy, Grace, Pardon; here they are put upon the way of believing, ver. 5, 6. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your do, and if ye throughly execute judgement between a man and his Neighbour, if ye oppress not the stranger— then will I cause you to dwell in this Land that I gave to your Fathers for ever and ever; But else never think that the Temple or Temple Worship can save you, or deliver you— Ver. 12. Go to Shiloh, go unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my Name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. Now did God destroy his people at Shiloh for their wickedness, the place where God set his Name at the first, and cannot he deal as severely with a second place? Therefore saith God, except ye repent, and amend your ways, I will do unto this House as I did to Shiloh, and I will destroy you as I did my people at Shiloh, for all your Temple. But here we see how men may dote upon a Temple, so as to think themselves secure from God's Judgements, though they themselves are full of wickedness: Whysomewhat like this are our people ready to do, though God forbidden there should be such a gross thing found amongst us in the days of the Gospel, as this of the Jews was; yet how do many dote upon Churches and consecrated places, crying, as it were, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, and that after our blessed Saviour hath told us as much as this in my apprehension, that one place is no holier than another; neither Jerusalem nor Mount Gerizim, but men should worship the Father in spirit and truth, and in every place (saith the Apostle, (perhaps we might gloss) in every place alike) men should lift up holy hands, without wrath or doubting; and yet how are some apt to think that if they pray in a Church, though the Assembly be not there, that a prayer in a Church is far more acceptable then in their Closet at home? Not as if I did not far more prefer public Worship, then private or secret devotion; or that I were against a convenient decent Meeting-place.  
Again, 
The jews gloried in ceremonious services.  how did this Jewish, Legal, Carnal righteousness please & pride itself in the ceremonial service of Sacrifices, and the like, but never look at the heart, Isa. 1.11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me, saith the Lord; I am full of Burn, offerings of Rams, and the fat of fed Beasts: I delight not in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-Goats. Ver. 13. Bring no more vain Oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new Moons, and Sabbaths I cannot away with— Not as if all these things were at this time unlawful, for they were their duty; but here you see they were abundant in these, and failed in matters of common honesty and justice, as we may see ver. 15, 16, 17. Your hands are full of blood; wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgement, relieve the oppressed● judge the fatherless, plead for the Widow. These things they ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone; and when ye have done these things, saith the Lord, Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins be as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow, etc. ver. 18. Here was Gospel, that if they would mind the true reformation of their hearts and lives, they might expect the pardon of their sins; but these Legal- Jew's they never mind this inward holiness, no nor common honesty, and yet make no question but they shall make God amends very well by keeping Festivals, New-Moons, Sabbaths, days of solemn Assemblies, and by Sacrifices of Rams, Lambs, Bullocks, He-Goats; as if God were fed with the blood and fat of these beasts, and were migtihly attoned by incense & sweet perfumes, 
See Psal. 50. from 7. to 14.  as if then he must needs smell a savour of rest in all that they did.  
And the Gal. we find were come to this, Gal. 3.10. Ye observe days, and months, & times, and years, that is, Jewish Feasts; I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain: When they once came to observe them, there was a great deal of danger, and cause for the Apostles sear, that they would rest in the observance of them, for that this was the reason why they took to observing of them (when it was not now any longer the Jews duty so much as to observe them) because of their inclination to a Covenant of Works, which chief expresseth itself in an external service.  
So likewise the Colossians (amongst whom the same pestilent Law-Preachers had been) they were ensnared to the making conscience of days, Sabbaths and new Moons, and also in the business of meats, that some were clean, and others unclean, which was once the Jews duty to observe; insomuch that Peter tells the Lord, he had been so strict in the business hitherto, that nothing common or unclean (meaning of the flesh of unclean Beasts and Fowls) had entered into his mouth, Acts 11.6.8. But now was not only not their duty any longer, but at least to the Gentiles a sin to make any conscience in it; for that they could hardly begin such a thing, at such a time, upon the enticement of false Teachers (for none else persuaded the Gentiles to it) but from an evil inclination of swerving from the pure Gospel which they had received from the Apostles, unto a Covenant of Works, thus served out to them by their false Teachers. And it argues almost as ill a disposition in the Galatians and Colossians but to take up these things as their duty, as it did in the Jews to place so much in them when they were their duty; Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new. Moon, or of the sabbath-days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ, Col. 2.14, 16, 17. These things when they were in use, and were men's duties, were at best but shadows; and yet these shadows did men exceedingly glory in, and preferred them before true holiness, and the spiritual Worship of God; yea they thought verily, that whilst they did observe these things, they might commit all manner of Villainies, and yet escape the judgement of God: Yea, they thought they were delivered to do all sorts of abominations, as it is in Jer, 7.10.  
The Apostle finds out such a generation of Jews in his time, Rom. 2. from the 17. to the 25. Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law (a full expression, I think, of one that seeks Justification by the Law) and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will: And the Apostle proceeds to describe a great Lawyer indeed, one that thought himself sit to be a Guide of the blind, a Light of them that walk in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, and one that had the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the Law. Yet what kind of man is he for his Morals? Why he is a Thief, an Adulterer, a Sacrilegious person, what not? ver 21, 22. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest Idols, dost thou commit Sacrilege? Yet this man hopes to be saved by the Law; for it is said, He took up his rest in the Law, he rested in the Law, and made his boast of God. Where then must he centre his hopes? and upon what can he ground his boasting, but upon some ceremonial performances? Therefore one that seeks Justification by the Law, may, and it is often found that they do practise it only in some ceremonious observances. I shall give only one proof more of this, and so hasten on to what follows; and it shall be of the Lawyers, Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviour's time, who were the great boasters of the Law, and expected Justification by the righteousness of it. I have already observed, that they were much for Tything of Mint, anise and Cummin, those lesser things of the Law: I shall add more of our Saviour's observation upon them, Matth. 23.5. That they made broad their Phylacteries, and enlarged the borders of their Garments: Of which, saith Dr. Hammond, the first, to wit, Phylacteries, was an invention of their own wholly, together with a multitude of attending Ceremonies. The second indeed, that of Borders, prescribed by God, but yet both abused by them to a vain glorying and boasting; They washed the outside of the Cup and Platter, but within there was nothing but filthiness and nastiness. They were without as whited Sepulchers, but within Sepulchers still that is full of dead men's bones, and all rottenness; they did devour Widows Houses, teach undutifulness to Parents, etc. Now what could these men therefore, that yet sought to be justified by the Law, uphold themselves withal, but in outward conformities, even to an excess in ceremonious observances? 
Invented Ceremonies and Superstitions.   
Now I shall observe in a few word what invented ceremonies they had, besides those which the Law laid, upon them, in which also they gloryed; and then apply that part of the Character to ourselves, or the present age which concerns Ceremonies, either commanded or invented. We find often, that our Saviour charged the Pharisees with teaching for Doctrines the Commandments, Traditions and Impositions of men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mark 7.7. For, laying aside the Commandments of God, saith our Saviour, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of Pots and Cups, and many other such like things ye do: One of which things among the many other, was their Phylacteries, of which Dr. Hammond saith they were inventions of their own; and if it were not too large, I would here transcribe all that he says upon it in his Comment on Matth. 23.5. I cannot omit some things. These Phylacteries (saith he) were a great part (though a great mistake and deceit) of the Religion of the latter Jews, upon God's Commandment Deut. 6.8 Exod. 13.16. of binding those words, for a sign upon their hands, and as front lets between their eyes; which certainly were but figurative exprestions of that which was before mentioned, Deut. 6.7. Thou shalt teach them diligently, etc. This carnal people, which were apt to turn all inward Piety into outward Formality, would needs understand this Precept literally, and made them Scrouls of Parchment, in which they wrote four sections of the Pentateuch, (he mentions which they were.) These Rolls of Parchment were by them prepared with a great multitude of Ceremonies and Decrees made by them, of the Creatures of whose Skins that Parchment was to be made; of the Knives with which it was to be cut, and a great deal more: Being made, they sitted and applied them to the foreheads, and to the wrists, and they were called Phylacleries, either because they were to help keep the Law in their memory, or because they were a kind of Amulet or Charm against Fascinations and Diseases; against the Malus Genius, saith Paulus Fagius. This the learned Doctor tells us was a great part of their Religion, and yet a matter of pure invention, attended with a great multitude of ceremonies. I may not here omit the story of Micah, Judg. 17. who had a house-full of Gods, v. 5. and had made an Ephod and Teraphim, and for want of a Priest, consecrated one of his Sons; but yet at last lighting of a poor Levite of Bethleem-Judah, a young man that had no charge, he bargains with him for ten shekels of silver by the year, about fifty shillings perhaps, a Suit of Apparel, and Victuals; and Micah he consecrates the Levite for his Priest, and what follows? Why an high confidence of Divine acceptance: Now I know (saith he) that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest. This is the confidence of a great Idolater, merely from a Levite-Priest for his false Gods; in which indeed it is plain he pretended to worship the Lord the true God.  
I shall give but one place more about inventions; it is Col. 2.20, 21, 22. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why (as though living in the world, that is, living in a mere worldly Religion, a humane, external, and for the most part invented thing) are ye subject to Ordinances, (such as these, touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using) after the Commandments and Doctrines of men, which are words that express humane inventions. That these Colossians herein were Legal, that Micah was Legal, that the Pharisees that enlarged their Phylacteries, were Legal, I need not trouble myself to prove, having in the beginning shown the equal latitudes of legal and fleshly, fleshly and external, and the external, legal, fleshly way, to lie in dependence upon, and glorying in outward privileges and performances either commanded or invented.  
Now let us see what we have of these Ceremonies which we do, or easily may play the Jews or Legal self-Justitiaries in, and then pass on. For this is the chief thing in the Characters that I have to mind, viz. how far they may concern us, that so they may serve us for trial and examination how far we are inclined to a Legal way of serving God. The Jews fault was, that they over-prized Holidays, Festivals, New-Moons, whilst they were their duty to observe them. The Galatians and Colossians fault was, that they meddled with them at all Now as for our people, truly I think the generality, (I speak not of the great Zealots for Ceremonies) do not place much in Holidays, as to Religion; their greatest danger is from profaneness upon Holidays, in their Whitsun-Ales and Wakes, etc. But if we would step over amongst the Papists, we might see great do upon Holidays. I am informed, upon St Peter's day they carry the Pope upon men's shoulders into St. Peter's Church; which doubtless hath pomp enough attending it; and that upon Candle-mass-day they have the picture of the Virg●in Mary and Christ in her arms, which they carry about with Candles or Tapers burning at noonday, etc.  
Again, the Jews thought themselves very pure and holy, if they kept themselves from Legal uncleannesses, and from eating every thing that was unclean, and placed too much in this, whilst it was their duty to observe these things. The Colossians erred but in making conscience of the Legal uncleanness of Meats; Let no man judge you, (saith the Apostle) in meat or drink; that is, value no man's judgement, let no man abridge you of your liberty in it. Now for ourselves, we are wholly free from Jewish Observations about meats, and I think pretty free from any Religious Observations at all about meats; and if we are forbid flesh in Lent those that are healthy, yet the reason which the Law gives, is civil and political for the breed of ; but if we should come to have our Consciences ensnared to think, that flesh were not as lawful in itself all the Lent-time, as at another time; this were a symptom of Legality, venting itself in superstition. But now if we go over amongst the Papists, what conscientious observations of Meats are there? To eat an Egg in Lent, is punished with imprisonment, etc. & that upon a religious account, which is a plain argument of legality amongst them very rise. I might instance in Priests Vestments, as I apprehend an high piece of formality, very fit to please the humour of a Legal Spirit, that for want of substance, pleases itself with shadows, shows and outsides; but I shall not proceed further to touch at things; he that hath an eye to see, let him look into the Scriptures; and he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. But we may speak freey of the Papists & their Superstitions, not only in doing, but in putting themselves upon needless sufferings; What Pilgrimages and Processioning; what Abstinencies and Penances do they put themselves upon, wearing Sackcloth, scourging themselves? What cross, cringings and sprinklings do they impose upon themselves? 'twere endless almost but to name the kinds of their inventions: Yea some of our own people will say over the Creed and ten Commandments for a prayer, and when they come as beggars at your door, they will say over the Lords, Prayer, as if it were a charm to the house from all mischief. Now I look upon all Superstitions, where they are with any seriousness practised, as those things which do exactly sit a Legal Spirit; for, as I have several times intimated, your legalists cannot endure to come at the Law in the spiritual sense of it, so none but a Gospel-Spirit doth; it is Faith alone that establisheth the Law, and obeys the Law: Now because the legalist cannot endure to come up to the true spiritual obedience of the Law, and yet seeks to be justified by Works; he is fain to find out a thousand things to please himself, and satisfy his Conscience with, whereby he thinks he makes God amends; and we have seen in the instances before us, how that though men are as wicked as they could be, by lying, swearing, and committing adultery, yea and Idolatry too; yet they cried, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; they thought God must love them because they were Jews, especially when they brought him rich Sacrifices, and burned rich Incense, and kept all their Festivals in the time and manner appointed▪ Now what then their over-valuing the Commands of the Coromonial Law was, that is Superstition to us now. For not having such a Law left us by God, we find out somewhat like it, and place the same considences in it that they did in their Law; only ours is so much the worse by not being of Divine institution.  
I have now only one particular more belonging to this Character of external fleshly service; and that is, an external partial conformity to the moral Law, which is indeed the last and strongest fort of a Legal-spirit. As for these external Privileges or Ceremonies and Superstitious Performances which I have insisted upon, they are a slighty thin covering if we come once to try it, and rationally to examine it; and though people wrap themselves in it, yet they cannot bear out any rough argument from galling or pinching through it. 
External conformity to the duties of the Moral Law.  What defence is it for an Harlot to say, This day have I paid my vows, to one that can convince her of being a common Whore, Prov. 7.14. But now if men have lived in some conformity to the duties of the Moral Law, as the young man in the Gospel had done, All these have I kept from my youth, (saith he) speaking of the commandments: Believe it, our Saviour himself shall not by an ordinary word persuade him that he lacketh any thing more. Let us see the beld audacious Pharisee in the Parable, that goes into the Temple to pray; how doth he challenge his acceptance with God? and upon what terms? We have it in Luke 18.11. God I thank (saith he) that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican; I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess. Really the man might well have thanked God, as he did, had it not been for two things; 1. His making comparisons. 2 His valuing those things which he mentions, as a sufficient Righteousness: It was good not to be an Extortioner, Unjust, an Adulterer; it was good to fast, and to give tithes of all; and he might well bless God that he was enabled to do these things: but this was but a partial holiness; for all the Commands are not reckoned up here; then perhaps it was but an external obedience to these commands that are referred to; he was no actual Adulterer, but might he not commit heart-Adultery? He was no Extortioner or unjust person, as he saith: But if it were true at all, it may be it was only thus, That he was not so in the highest degree; perhaps what others accounted injustice and extortion, he did not: But I need not go upon a Perhaps; I will lead the Reader to a certain place of Scripture where the legalist prides himself, and challenges acceptance from God only upon a partial and external obedience unto some duties of the first Table; it is Isa. 58.2, 3. In the 2d. ver. we have an high commendation, as one would think of them; They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a Nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinances of their God; they ask of me the Ordinances o● of Justice, they take delight in approaching to God. These are great matters, and upon these the Jews grew high, and argue the case with God for his acceptance; they wonder, when they are so good, that God should make so little reckoning, so small account of them, ver. 3. Wherefore have 〈◊〉 fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have 〈◊〉 afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? The Lord answers them in the same verse, Behold! in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your 〈◊〉 bour; behold! ye fast for strife and debate, and to smit● with the fist of wickedness. They did something in o● after their Fasts which was contradictory to the nature and design of a Fast; they did indeed observ● the ontside of the duty, as ver. 5. tells us; they d●● afflict their soul, they went with heads bowed down a● butrush, and did spread sackcloth and ashes under the● Here was all the outside of a Fast; But what (sait● the Lord) wilt thou call this a Fast, and an accepta● day unto the Lord? Ver. 6. Is not this the fast which I have chosen, to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Here is a fast indeed, all others are but mock-fasts, the outside and Formalities of a Fast, which (when overmuch attended) use to eat up the substance of a duty. Here you see external conformities to the duties of the moral Law may fill men with a pride, so far as to challenge divine acceptance, making no question but they have well deserved the favour of Almighty God, whilst in the mean time they are oppressors and exactors; which argues, that a legal way in the service of God, is a fleshly and external way. And besides, I observe in this Scripture that we may as well let our Legality run out in Divine Services in duties of Worship, as in second-Table-duties; and indeed I think that is a worse kind of Legality (for it is usually attended with more wickedness) than when men take up with being just and true in their deal with men. Thus our rude people if they go to Morning and Evening prayer, and join with the Church in the service bymaking their responds, and observing the several gestures of sitting, standing and kneeling, they are ready to please themselves with an opinion that they are very well accepted of God, though they are known wicked people. I shall now apply the Character, though I have done little else all this while; but now I shall do it more professedly.  
Wouldst thou know if thou be'st under the predominancy of this dangerous evil of Legality? Then try thyself by this Character. 
The application or u●e of the Character.  How dost thou find thyself affected with any external privileges? Dost set thou but only a due value upon them? For though we may not over-value them, we must not slight them. What conscience hast thou of places, days, meats? Beware of having thy conscience ensnared by them; for this will presently betray thee into legality; for first you come to have a conscience of these things, and then you let the strength of your spirits and of your devotion run out into them; and so they prove as a Wen unto all the true spiritual Worship of God. If thou valuest these things beyond the true spiritual Worship of God, thou art a legalist of the worst sort; for there are two kinds of Legal persons better than thyself, who yet perish. But to leave this, I come to the external conformities unto the Moral Law, the partial obedience to this, and man's resting in it; and here is the greatest danger of all. 
First sort or Moral Legal 〈…〉 such as dependchiefly upon a partial Motality.  There are some men that are not far from the Kingdom of God, as the expression is Mark 12.34. and think themselves in it, and of it, that yet are not: Now these can be none other but such as have high conformities to the commands of the Moral Law; for notwithstanding all the observation of Ceremonies whilst they were in force, notwithstanding all the external privileges that men might have, yet, without a great conformity to the Moral Law, men might be at a vast distance from the Kingdom of God; but to be near it, not far from it, supposes great strictness of life, that none shall be able to say, Black is that persons eye, as the proverb is. Now I say, there may be many of these that yet are not justified, and so have not put themselves upon the right way of Justification. Now what can be their ruin? Truly nothing but one of these two, Either that they know some lust in themselves which they will not part with; or else that they have deluded themselves to think that they are holy enough, and so holy as God is well pleased with them. Now I am so charitable as to think, that when men have come up so high as to be near the Kingdom of God, they do not allow themselves in a gross known sin; therefore their ruin must arise from hence, that they think themselves holy enough, and that they have merited the favour of God by being so much better than their neighbours, as the Pharisees in the Parable did; and this yet is Legality, and that which is most properly so called  
Now though there are many that are near the Kingdom of God, and yet perish by Legality; 
A second sort of moral legalists.  yet there is a greater number still that are not so high in their conformity to the Moral Law, that yet perish by resting in their conformity to the Moral Law, such as it is. And of this sort I take to be very many of our ordinary people that perish, God knows who they are, I judge no man, but many of our ordinary people that perish, who are not high Devotionists, nor in any excess superstitious; yet use no great endeavours to get to Heaven, are at no pains with their hearts, to get in Grace, to cast out lusts, to get the knowledge of God and Christ, find no difficulty in Religion, understand it not at all to be a Warfare, a wrestling with Principalities and Powers, a race, a great piece of Merchandise, wherein we venture all for the Pearl, and are often like Merchants, in danger of losing all; which things I suppose no true Christian can be utterly senseless of; all they that they do is this, they live a plain quiet life, mind their business, manage their trade, do Justice between man and man, (which things are good and commendable in themselves) and perhaps they may may have Prayers morning and evening in their Families; yet such men, though this be the whole of their lives, will expect to go to Heaven when they die; they'll cry God mercy for their fins in a general way, and with a Lord have mercy upon them, they make no doubt to get to Heaven; Now these must lay the stress of their hopes and expectations upon this, That they wronged no man, they have given every man his own, and perhaps have had some duties morning and evening in their Families, and therefore that he that made them, may well afford to save them: Here these men trust upon a conformity to some second table duties, and a slighty performance of some duties of the first Table.  
By what I have said, I suppose men may examine themselves whether they are guilty of predominant Legality by resting upon an external or partial performance of the duties of the Moral Law. of which I have made two sorts, a lower, and an higher, and I free both from being necessarily superstitious, or that their chief danger should arise from thence: And for the first sort I ask, Art thou careless of getting divine knowledge in the Scriptures? Art thou at no pains with thy heart in Religion? Dost thou find no difficulties in it? Art not thou put to struggle, wrestle, sightings? & yet expectest thou to get to Heaven? Why then thou art one of the common sort that perish by resting upon an outward conformity to the Moral Law.  
Again, for the higher, but unsincere Moralist; Dost thou find a difficulty in Religion? Is it ready to break thine heart almost, with the trouble that it puts thee to? Thou art fain to be constant in duties morning and evening, and it may be oftener; thou art just between man and man; it may be thou bestowest much of thine Estate upon the poor, and many other good things thou dost; perhaps thou hast some time or other parted with some very beloved sin, that was to thee as a right eye, or a right hand; thou hast found Religion costly and troublesome to thee; and now thou expectest when ever thou diest, to go to Heaven. But stay man, art thou humble? Dost thou see no imperfections in thyself notwithstanding thy superlative holiness beyond thy neighbours? Art not thou made sometimes to confess before the Lord, and that with great brokenness of heart, that thou art an unprofitable servant? Art not thou made to admire at the rich Grace of God, that he should take pity on thee when thou wast in thy blood? That he should have thoughts of love to thee, should send his good Spirit into thine heart to move thee, and turn thee to himself, & c? If thou hast experience of none of these things, be thou as strict as thou wilt, so that hone can accuse thee; so strict that thine own Conscience doth not loudly accuse thee; I tell thee (whether thou be superstitious and ceremonious yea orno; for it seldom happens but such an one as thou art is so) thou art one of those that are indeed not far from the Kingdom of God, but yet not in it, nor ever shall be whilst thou continuest so; thou art a Legal self-justitiary, that restest in an external unsincere obedience to the Law of God. I have perfectly done with the Character as it is given to discover predominant Legality. Yet here I shall enter two cautions, one concerning the Moralist, the other concerning the Papist. 
A caution concerning the term Moralist.   
For the term Moralist which I use, I fear it may give offence to some ingenuous and worthy persons, and therefore I thus explain myself, that I do not oppose Moral to Spiritual, as if the most spiritual Commands of the Gospel were not Moral; or as if the most spiritual Saint were not the highest moralist; or as if Morality were a low Principle; I know not but I may reduce all the duties of the Gospel to Morality; and I think no sober man will deny them to be Moral Duties: But I make use of it as part of that common distinction made betwixt those two kinds of Laws which Moses delivered, of which some were only ceremonial and typical, and to last but for a time; the other Moral, that is to say, according to the common understanding of it, Perpetual; though as to the Etymological signification of the Word, Moral signifies as much as that which concerns Manners: So Moral Philosophy is opposed to all other Philosophy, as Practical is opposed to Speculative; and in this signification of the Word Moral, all the ceremonial Laws whilst they were in use, might have been called Moral; but because use sways Language more than the Etymology of Words, I here understand the Word Moral purely in opposition to ceremonial or superstitious; so as it signifies those duties that are to be performed by us, as having a more substantial goodness in their own nature, such as Justice, Mercy, and Prayer, etc. Now those men that depend for a righteousness upon the imperfect unsincere performance of these duties I call Legal moralists, of which there are evidently two sorts, 
A caution, concerning the Papists.  an higher and a lower, there being another sort of legalists which I have spoken of, namely the ceremonious legalist. Now I shall likewise enter a caution concerning the Papists, in whom I have instanced often in the matter of Ceremonies and Superstitions, and their placing a confidence in them. And to show that I do not delight to disparage so much as any one man, much less an whole party of men (but that my only aim is to make true proof of my assertions) I shall, to do them right, quote an Author of their own, whereby it will appear plainly that some of them (at least) are sensible of the insufficiency of these things, viz. Ceremonious and superstition. Observances, yea conformities unto some duties of the moral Law, whilst their conformities do not proceed from an universal Charity. The Author is Francis de Sales, once B●shop and Prince of Geneva, who in his Introduction to a devout life, in the very first Chapter, hath th●se Expressions. Every one (saith he) painteth Devotion according to his own passion and fancy. He that is given to fasting, thinks himself very devout if he fast often, be his his heart never so full of rancour: And not daring to moisten his tongue in Wine or Water for sobriety's sake, yet makes no difficulty to drink deep of the blood of his neighbour by slander and calumny. Another will account himself full of Devotion for HUDDLING OVERDO A MULTITUDE OF PRAYERS EVERY MORNING, though afterwards he give his tongue a liberty to utter offensive, arrogant, and reproachful speeches amongst his Neighbours and Family. One willingly draws an Alms out of his purse to give to the poor, but cannot draw Clemency out of his heart to pardon his Enemies. Another forgiveth his Enemies, yet cares not to satisfy his Creditors but by constraint. All these people are devout in the vote of the vulgar, yet indeed they are not so at all. And then he gives us an handsome allusion. The servants of King Saul (saith he) sought David in his House, but Michol having laid a Statue in his bed, and covering it with David's Apparel, made them believe it was David himself sick in bed: So many persons cover themselves with certain EXTERNAL ACTIONS BELONGING TO DEVOTION, and the World believes them truly devout and SPIRITUAL; whereas indeed they are but statues and apparitions of Devotion.  
Now God forbidden that I should judge such a man as this (if he but follow his own directions) to be in a way destructive to his soul, when he professeth to aim at true SPIRITUALWORSHIP, not contenting himself with EXTERNAL ACTIONS only in the service of God, Though still I must needs say (notwithstanding such an Author as this amongst them) that (I think) the Papists do generally ruin themselves by resting upon externals, nay inventions in the service of God. So much for the cautions, and for the Character, as it concerns those that are under predominant Legality.  
Now because the same character that will discover it at this height, will discover it also where it is in any less degree; and for that I have asserted that there is a mixture of Legality in the services of the best Christians and Saints of God, I think it good to improve this character yet further, for the discovery of that Legality which may be found in the Saints themselves. That Legality of the Saints therefore which is discoverable and reprovable by this Character, is, 1. That I doubt not but some good men have a Conscience of some superstitious observations, and I would not for all the world think; the contrary, lest I should condemn the generat on of the just, and think too hardly of some dear Saints of God. And I must needs confess, there is too much occasion given men to run into this extreme of Superstition, by the irreverence of others (perhaps good men) in the service of God. How ordinarily do many sit at prayers in the Church, when they are not necessitated by weakness, or any other occasion? and with their Hats upon their heads. Now how easily may this give occasion to others that take offence at this irreverence, out of a fear lest they should not be reverend enough in the service of God, to approve of kneeling at the Sacrament, which I doubt not but many good men may be very zealous for, as also forbowing at the Name of Jesus. But yet I reckon that good men are in greater danger of Legality in the matter of Moral duties, then in ceremonies and superstitions; for though I have acknowledged that some good men may have a conscience of some superstitious observations, being misled by the care to be sufficiently reverend; yet to be greatly superstitious in Gospel-days, is a shrewd sign of a rotten heart, and so not so incident to good men. 2dly. For the duties of the Moral Law, good men's Legality lies in two particulars: 1. When they have performed a duty rightly and spiritually, they are apt to reflect upon it with a spiritual pride, and ready to lay too much stress upon it, and to think that now God must needs grant the Petitions they have asked; whereas perhaps they have answer enough in the very sweetness of the duty itself, and the communion with God which they have enjoyed in it; and therefore if they are not humbled after such a duty, to see their great unworthiness notwithstanding all they have done, they are so far guilty of Legality; Or which is more usual, 2dly. The Saints too often content themselves with doing their tale and number of duties, praying morning and evening, perhaps reading so many Chapters, but are not spiritual in what they do, watching over their hearts that they worship God in a right manner with those spiritual affections stirring in prayer, that attention in reading that should be; this is commonly known by the name of resting in duties; this is ●egality, and yet I think that which is found more or less in all the Saints; and so far indulged to themselves by some Saints, till at last they have a general deadness and benummedness in all their Graces, and then they fall into sad complaints of desertions, and run into a maze and a Labyrinth of doubts and troubles of mind, which perhaps they get not out of for some years together. As for those Saints that pick and choose amongst the Commandments, that are highflown in their notions, and yet err grossly in matters of common Justice and honesty, that are indeed not only slanderously reported, or unworthily suspected to be so) disobedient to Magistrates, with other like irregular Christians, I have nothing to say to them here. I refer these to the head of hypocritical legalists, that expect to be justified by a partial obedience to the Commands of the Moral Law, these not being spots of God's Children.  
There are other miscarriages of the Saints in duties that are to be referred to their Legality of Spirit; as for instance, if they chance through extraordinary occasions to have miss the time of prayer morning or evening, to have miss the reading their number of Chapters, or doing any good task which they had laid upon themselves, than they have a great fear and terror, lest God should be angry and displeased with them, though indeed Mercy was at ended instead of Sacrifice; but such as these belong to another head or character of a Legal Spirit, to wit, a Spirit of Bondage, which I shall come unto anon.  
I have now perfectly done with the first Character as to its explication, proof, and application, both to Legality predominant, and that which is found in a less degree, in which I may be thought tedious enough: Only I would not leave so much as a cavil, without some endeavour at least of an answer to it Now I am sensible that thoughts may arise in some, as if this whole particular were impertinent.  
Obj. Whoever thought before (may they chance say) that Superstition was Legality? that a partial performance of the Moral Law, either by the less strict, or more strict moralists, was Legality? If men would seek to be justified by the Law, they would endeavour at least to keep the whole Law; and if they knew they fell short of it, as those profane wicked men which you mention out of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other places, that were very wicked did, and yet rested in Ceremonious performances, and external Privileges, these indeed deserve the Name of wicked men, but not of legalists, or such as seek justification by the Law.  
Now to this I answer, and I shall say but little more than what I have said before; 1. 'Tis true, none ought to seek Justification by the Law, but those that have perfectly kept it hitherto, and undertake to keep it for the future part of their lives. 2. If any seek justification any other way, they do but be-fool themselves. 3. But yet the Jews and Galatians did seek justification by Works, by the Law; ASIT WERE by the Works of the Law; else the Apostle had disputed against no adversary: And yet they did not pretend to perfect and unerring obedience. So I reckon the objection is answered already, that men may seek Justification by the Law, that have not, nor think they have the exact Works of it. But yet to give some overplus of answer: There being a generation of men that do seek Justification by the Works of the Law, yea, forasmuch as all men are apt to seek it this way, it must be in some kind of actions or other: Now I have shown that these very men that are taxed for Legality by the Apostle, viz. the Jews and Galatians, they were also taxed for their being so much in love with ceremonies and superstitions, and with external obedience (only) to the Moral Law; and I cannot learn wherein else their fault of Legality lay; therefore this must be their Legality: For it is certain they must vent their Legality in something, in some way or other; and I finding no other great way of theirs, but one of these three, viz. ceremonies, superstitions, and external conformity to themoral law, which all agree in this general nature of an external and fleshly service, such as doth not reach the heart, conclude that their way branches itself forth only into these three particulars. Besides I have shown that there was a continual succession of legalists from the beginning, & they all agree in this general of external service, therefore this must be the very matter of their Legality. And for full proof, having shown what is the form of Legality, to wit, expecting the reward as of Debt, or Merit. I have found out this form enlivening and quickening this fleshly matter of the legalists service and obedience to God. Thus I have shown how the ceremonious Jew with his appointed Ceremonies and invented Superstitions, Micah in the Book of Judges, and the Legal Jew in the Prophecy of Micah, made no doubt but to DESERVE very well the favour of Almighty God. The Partial Moralists in Isa. ●8. wonder that God should not accept of their fastings, and take it very heinously when they had so well deserved it, that they should be so unexpectedly slighted & disregarded. So would the Papists and ourselves (many of us) wonder, that upon crying, Lord, Lord open to us, after we had been so superstitious and ceremonious in his service on earth, we should be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven. I come now to the second Character.  
The second mark or sign of a Legal Spirit by which it may be found out, is this, That it is proud and impatient in the service of God. I shall give Scripture-proof that a Legal Spirit is proud and impatient, and Scripture-instances. For a sinful creature to think that it can merit, is pride in itself; yet this I have proved already, that the Jews and Galatians, and all that practise Legality, are for the Doctrine of Merit, and they make no doubt but they shall very well deserve the favour of God; some by their rich Sacrifices and high Superstitions, others by their external obedience to the Commands of the Moral Law. Surely (saith Micah) now God will do me good: God I thank thee that I am so much better than other men, saith the Pharisee, and upon this challengeth his acceptance, they take it for granted that God cannot but be well pleased with them. This is their pride in its direct and formal act. But now, what if the Lord show them some dislike? Why there we shall see their pride in its effects, impatience, anger, weariness, fullenness. I gave one instance of displeasure against God in the former haracter, Isa 58.3, 4. Wherefore have we fasted (say they) and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no pleasure? They seem to take it very ill at God's hands.  
Another instance we have in Cain, who when he found that God did not accept him with an answer from heaven, as he did Abel, he is sullen, and dogged, and falls into an angry and malicious passion; Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell, Gen. 4.3. 4 and in ver. 6. God comes graciously to argue him out of this angry and so len fit: And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wrath? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? Do but as Abel hath done, offer in faith, offer thy heart with thy Sacrifice, and thou shalt be accepted as he was. No, but Cain ('tis like) thought he had done well enough in bringing the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, and that he might very well have deserved to be accepted as well as his younger Brother; and therefore he continues his wrath and malice, and perhaps if he could have had his will at the great God (for it was against him that his passion was chief stirred) he would have discovered the utmost malice against him. But because he could not, his poor servant, and true spiritual Worshipper Abel must rue it, and he takes his first opportunity, and kills him, ver. 8.  
Others again of Cain's gang, Legal-Worshippers, when they have found that God did not accept them (as they thought he might well have done) they are quite weary of his service, and cry out with those in Malachi, chap. 1. ver. 13. Ye have said also, Behold what a weariness is it! And ye have snuffed at it: And so Amos 8.5 they cry, When will the new Moon be gone, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth Wheat? Will such hypocrites (think you) pray always? Will they always call upon God? No, where a man doth not sinned acceptance, he will be at last weary of waiting. Now, though whosoever comes with faith and love and an hearty-good-will, shall be sure to sinned acceptance with God, yet an hypocrite, or a Legal-Worshipper shall never find it; and therefore he will be apt ever now and then to grow weary, if not quite to cast off the service of God. I shall instance in a proud speech of one that was quite weary, it was the King of Israel, 2 King. 6.33. And he said, (speaking of the Famine in Samaria) This evil is of the Lord, and why should I wait ou● he Lord any longer? It seems, say Commentators, that Elisha had made the King some promise of deliverance from the Famine after a while, and the King had waited for the fulfilling it; but at last the King seeing the extremity of the Famine upon the woman that eat the fl●sh of her child, he would wait no longer: Well, and how doth he vent this rage and impatience? Why, he would take off Elisha's Head. Well, and what then? Would that cease the Famine? No; but saith he by his Messenger, This evil is of the Lord; God deals exceeding hardly and severely with us, therefore I'll cut off his servants Head. A goodly consequence! and that which sufficiently argues against whom chiefly his anger was aimed, even against the Lord himself. Now that this anger, impatience, and weariness in the service of God, is an argument of Legality, is clear, for that pride is the root of it, namely such a pride as by which we think there is very good reason why God should accept of us, and no just reason why the Lord should deal thus severely with us; which if it doth not contain Legality, or opinion of merit in it, I despair of making any proof in this business; and yet I shall not only give this proof by way of argument, but clear Scripture-proof that this impatiency proceeds from Legality; it is in Hab. 2.3, 4. Behold the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry: This was the very case with the wicked King last instanced out of 2 King 6.33. if the Visiontarry, wait for it: But now it follows ver. 4. If you will not wait, if your soul be lifted up in you with pride and impatience, why this soul that is lifted up, is not upright in him; this Spirit is quite contrary to the Spirit of a just and justified man: But the just shall live by Faith; that is, will be patiented in such straits; this is the great famous place which the Apostle Pau. makes use of to prove Justification by Faith in three several Epistles, Rom. 1.17. Gal. 3.11. Heb. 10 38. Ergo, Impatience, weariness of the service of God is a great argument and symptom of a Legal Spirit in the service of God, the thing that we have now under demonstration.  
Now to apply this Character: So far as thou findest thyself slothful, sluggish in the service of God, ready to draw back, and to be weary of well-doing; contentious against God, with Job; angry, as Jeremy and Jonah were in their fits of distemper. So far Legality is discovered to be the principle of serving God. For the Spirit of the Gospel is humble & cheerful; I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, saith the Church in Micah, ch. 7 9 If God defers to hear and answer prayers, yea gives denials, yet the true Saints of God think it their duty to wait patiently on the Lord, and to find out the cause of these denials in themselves: Christ calls the woman of Canaan Dog; Truth Lord, saith she, yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs: And this is commended for an high piece of faith, Mar. 7.28 I join these Scriptures of Old and New-Testament together, and use them promiscuously for proof of the same thing, because it is plain there were spiritual Worshippers under the Old-Testament, as well as there are Legal-Worshippers in the new.  
Now in a consonancy to, and connexion with this latter part of this last Character, viz. the irksomeness, heaviness, and weary somness that there is often found in a Legal Spirit as to the service of God, I might make this a third Character, That a Legal Spirit is weak and feeble, and devoid of all strength in the service of God: But I shall make this rather an Observation than a Character of a Legal Spirit; yet I shall insist some what upon it.  
I say then, 
The Legal spirit is without, strength in the service of God.  That the Legal-Worshipper is faint-hearted & weak in the service of God, like Ephraim in Hos. 7.11. as a silly Dove without heart; and it may very well be, for the joy of the Lord alone is our strength, Neh. 8.10. Which joy the legalist never partakes of, having never any true sense of divine acceptance: And indeed, what strength can the Law give, us that is now, through our fall, become a poor, weak, feeble thing itself? What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, etc. Rom. 8.3. The Law became weak through our sinful flesh, so that it can neither justify, nor sanctify, and it gives no quickness at all in the service of God; it gives quickness to the body of death indeed, and to the motions of sin in our members, as it is Rom. 7. ●. but none at all to serve God with. The Apostle therefore appeals to the Galatians experience, that they never received the Spirit by all the preaching of the Law which they had amongst them, Gal 3 2. And this was the very reason of God's n●a●ing a new Covenant, of his removing his old Dispensat on by Moses, which was so full of Law, and so like a Covenant of Works, Heb 7.8, 19 For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; for the Law made nothing perfect. Thus the Law being weak, the legalist must needs be a weak, imperfect thing in the service of God. But now it is said. They that wait on the Lord by Faith, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wirgs like Eagle; they Well run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. Isa. 40.31. He that believeth on me, saith our Saviour, out of his belly shall flow kavers of living water; this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him should receive, John 7.38, 39 The Gospel of Christ is, and in its proportion ever was so far as at any time it was understood and embraced in the times of the Old Testament the Ministration of the Spirit. In Col. 1.11. the Apostle prays for his Colossians, that they may be strengthened with All might according to his glorious power; in the Gospel there is ALL M●GHT and a glorious Power to strengthen and quicken the Saints with; no wonder therefore if this quicken and encourage them mightily in the service of God, beyond what ever the Law can do for its dependants and admirers.  
I might here take fair occasion to discover what infinite quickening considerations and motive● the Gospel carries in it unto the spiritual service of God beyond what the Law could afford: But seeing I do not so much as make this a Character, I shall not take the liberty to enlarge further upon it.  
I shall only now acquaint the Reader why I do not make this a Character, and then pass on. And truly one great reason is for the sakes of some good people, I may say very many that we have amongst us who, if we should make this a Character of a legal spirit, that it is weak, sluggish, heartless in the service of God, that it is not lively, active and vigorous; they would presently apply it to themselves, and cry out that they are legal, for that they find themselves that they are just thus whereas yet it is true, that every true Saint, the meanest Saint in the World hath more life and vigour of heart in his serving God, than the devoutest and strictest legalist in the World: And what if I should say, in comparing the two Dispensations of the Old and New-Testament, that there is never a Gospel-Saint since the day that the Spirit came down upon the Apostles, but hath more life and spirit or it is h●s fault if he have not) than the highest true Saint under the Old-Testament? Would not that Scripture bear me out in it, which says, that John the Baptist was the greatest that ever was born of a woman before him, and yet that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven (which is often interpreted of the Gospel-state of the Church) is greater than he, Matth. 11.11. And would not that other Scripture countenance it, which saith, The feeble shall be as David, Zech. 10.8: And accordingly I might affirm, that if these complaining Saints had but the true courage of Saints, and the true Character of themselves, and at the same time the Character of the highest legalists, yea of the most spiritual Saints under the Old-Testament, they might truly conclude that their Religion was of an higher strain then either that of the one, or of the other 
* If any will make any abate meant of this observation in the height of it, as that the advancement of the least Salnt in the kingdom of Heaven above john the Baptist, should be meant of Gospelpriviledges, let them do as they see cause. ; and so this observation might well serve for a Character to them: Yet because the Saints of God do not always understand, nor are able to make a judgement of their condition, and for that I aim only at such Characters as may be useful to persons for trial of themselves, I shall at present let this pass without pressing it any further, only I could wish these multitudes of grovelling, creeping, complaining Saints, were well chid and awakened, for they make Ministers that they cannot preach free Divinity, lest they should perhaps grieve them: And I verily believe that it hath spoiled many a good Sermon, that would have been far more lively, both for the conviction of wicked men, and the quickening of other good Christians that could have born it, and done well with it, merely the stuffing it with cautions, and qualifying many brave expressions, lest some of these weak tender Christians should be offended; which tenderness in most, is rather a delicacy of spirit, than the quick sense of a wounded Spirit, which indeed must be tenderly dealt with. Good men many of them have gotten such effeminate Antinomian Consciences, that they cannot bear sound Doctrine; many Gospel strains are legal in their apprehension. But I must forbear this ●●nguage, lest I have little thanks for not making this a Character; I shall only say, before I pass off, that methinks when we serve the great God upon terms of Mercy and Grace, when he offers us pardon of our sins, and the salvation of our souls freely, we should be mighty cheerful, and quick, and diligent; when we consider our high calling, to be the children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, it should mightily quicken and ennoble our Spirits; Seemeth it a light thing (saith David) to, be a King's Son-in-Law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 1 Sam. 18.23. And certainly it argues a great want of faith & hope, not to be very much quickened with these considerations; but/ pass on.  
And as I have now avoided making this a Character, which I might have made one; so I shall endeavour to un-make another that hath been made one by some, or at least to unmake it in part.  
They would make this another Character of a legal Spirit, 
A self Character of a Legal Spirit.  That it is selfish and mercenary in the service of God, only works for wages and for the reward, but doth nothing out of pure love, nobleness and ingenuity. I have heard it delivered in a great Assembly as a great observation, That self-love hath no more Religion in it than an Horse. That is, as I understand it, so far as a man acts towards God for any good that should accrue to himself; so far his Religion is unacceptable. Now for the word ONLY, I confess I know not what to say to that, how that should be a good Spirit that worships and serves God ONLY for the reward. But I suppose, they that speak undervaluingly of this Principle, do mean, or at least should mean by the tendency of their Discourses, that it is a legal Principle to serve God in hope of the reward, or for the reward, and that so far as we serve God from this Principle, we are legal, or at least we miscarry in so doing. And indeed to show that I do not slander a party, I have heard several Discourses wherein this hath been hotly argued, that it is not a right, or at least not a Gospel-Principle to serve God for fear of Head, which is to me all one as to serve him in hope of a reward; for to avoid Hell is a negative reward, as the enjoying Heaven is a positive. Now for my part I think (whatever we may account of self-love when it is the only principle) yet, that it is a very good principle in other honest company, and withal I think that there is no Saint upon earth that doth act towards God merely upon the principle of self-love, which I shall show by and by: But I will say more yet, and that is this, That I think self-love, or acting for the reward, and to labour in hope, as the Husbandman doth, who not only laboureth in hope, but for his hope or for that which he expecteth else he would not have taken that labour) I say, to act for the reward, or in hope of the reward, and so likewise that we may avoid Hell needs not so far the association of other Principles to countenance and credit it, as if it were not itself a right Gospel-Principle, for I think, to be encouraged by the reward which the Gospel promiseth on purpose, that so we might be encouraged, argues a true Gospel-spirit, answering the Gospel-motive; and so that outward motive from the Word or Promise, becomes an inward Principle.  
It were endless to quote the Scriptures that encourage us in holiness by the consideration of glory to come. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee the Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. One more; That which ye have already, hold fast till I come; and he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the Nations, (and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron) even as I received of my Father, and I will give him the Morningstar, Rev. 2 25, 26 27, 28 So it is likewise a Gospel-principle to serve God that we may avoid Hell: We have both together, to get Heaven, and avoid Hell, made Gospel-motives, Heb. 12.28, 29 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire. And it is the advice of our Saviour, Luk. 12.5. To fear God who can cast body and soul into Hell; and for that reason, I say unto you my friends, fear him; they are our Saviour's Words. Luke 12 4, 5.  
Now with whatever fair shows and pretences men may impose these Doctrines upon themselves or others, that they must not serve God for fear of Hell, nor hope of Heaven; I look upon Satan to be the Forger of these devices; for if he can get us once out of the fear of Hell, and out of the hopes of Heaven, he'll make no doubt to bring us into what temptations soever he shall entice us with.  
And I would fain know what the other principles are, when these are removed upon which we should be constrained or engaged to serve God. There is indeed one more lest very considerable; but these men that dislike the hope of reward, and fear of punishment, will not like this neither; and it is because it is the duty of the Creature to serve its Creator, whether he promiseth any reward or no. Now this will not look neither like a Gospel-principle, being the very Law of Creation. Well then, what principles will they suggest for Gospel-principles? Why such as these, Love, and Ingenuity, and Gratitude, and apprehending an excellency in the ways of God. Now I confess these are good principles, and these are right Gospel-principles, the fruit of the Spirit is love; And, we love him, because he loved us first, 1 John 4.19. which is gratitude; Shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law, but under Grace, and that so Grace may abound? God forbidden. This were highly disingenuons, Rom. 6.1.15. And in keeping thy Commandments, there is great reward, Psal. 19.11. There is a sight of the excellency of the precept. But pray observe, that where nobleness and ingenuity is the only Principle of Actions, there is no necessity for any thing to be done at all; for actions of nobleness, and ingenuity, and gratitude, come under no Law, but are left free to the Agent to do, or not to do; only that hereby as he doth them or not, the Agent will discover whether he be of an unworthy Spirit or no. And thus these men have brought things to a fair pass, that God is to be served under the Gospel only upon courtesy; so that any that will, may slip their neck out of Christ's yoke, and their back from under his burden, or else they must acknowledge that men ought to serve God, because there is a MUST upon it; 'tis our duty as Creatures, if we will not, there is an Hell to punish; but to encourage you in it, if you will, there is an Heaven to reward.  
And what if a Legal Spirit go to work with these principles ONLY, as indeed I think he hath no other, and that he may have all these in a degree, viz. the sense of his Obligation as a Creature, the fear of Hell, and some general hope of Heaven: I say, What if he may have all these principles, are they evertheless good or unsuitable to the Gospel, because he useth them? If he used them to good ends, or used them aright, they would do him good, as well as they do others good; the reason why these do him no good, is, for that in the use of the same principles in the general, which a good man may use, A legalist hath always these three gross defects that undo him. 
Three ruining defects in the service of a legalist.  First, though the hope of Heaven in general, as a place of happiness, may somewhat quicken him in what he doth, yet he hath no true notion or apprehension of Heaven, that the happiness of it consists chief in likeness to God, in holiness, which if it were his notion of Heaven, he could not find in his heart to desire it, much less to endeavour after it. The second gross defect is this; All the endeavours that he makes to please God in one thing or in another, (as I have instanced in several ways) never reach to a thorough heart-work; whereas that is the chief thing that God looks after, because he is a Spirit, & the Father of Spirits. And the lastthing is this, That yet, for all this slightiness & hypocrisy of a Legal Spirit, the very rule that he proceeds by in his expectations of his Reward, is, That God is bound to give it him, as having well deserved it at his hands. Now what though a legalist may make use of the same principles that an Evangelical Spirit doth unsuccessfully, yet what should hinder but the Evangelical Worshipper may use the same principles rightly, and with acceptation from God? May not a good thing be abused, or not rightly used? And doth this destroy the nature of it.  
Let us now a little examine the word Mercenary, because indeed it sounds harshly, as if it were a low principle for a Christran to act towards God by; and then we will see briefly, what other Principles there are in conjunction with it in every true Saint of God. The word Mercenary, found'st so ill merely from the common usage of it, not so much from the Etymology or native signification; the Natural signification of it is, when any one acts for wages, or for a reward: the use of it is when a man that is engaged to do courtifies, or at least stands not in any need to receive courtesies, will yet do no good turns for any, without a good reward in his hand, or well assured to him; nay perhaps, will do any mischief, if he may be well rewarded; so that Mercenariness is a Vice always contrary to Nobleness, that is, more free to do, than receive courtesies, and often contrary to justice; but now this Mercenariness, especially as contrary to nobleness, is a Vice only or chief amongst equals, and those that stand not in need of one another; as for those that are far inferior, it is pride with them to be unwilling to receive courresies, or rewards; for wherefore are any advanced in place, but that they may do good to those that are below them. 'Tis no dishonour at all for a poor man that wants bread, to hire our his labour for a reward; nor for a child that is bound, to do what his facher commands, to be encouraged by any reward that his father proposeth to any action.  
Now, let us apply these things to the business before us, and we shall see how ill, or how well Mercenariness becomes us in our service of God: First of all, we are not here to consider the Saints as doing evil things for a reward, that is the worst Mercenariness of all; no, but they serve God for a reward. Now wherein can the sordidness of this Spirit lie; is it that we need not to receive courtesies at the hands of God? or that we cannot endure to receive a courtesy which we know we are not able to requite? Such a struin of nobleness there is sometimes found amongst men; out if we should aim at such a strain of nobleness with God, How will such men ever offer to receive heaven, especially when they did not work for it, which makes it far more obliging? Truly, in my mind, it is very high pride for a poor creature, that is poor, and blind, and naked, and in want of all things, that, when God offers to supply his poverty, to cure his blindness, to cover his nakedness, he shall not be exceedingly overjoyed at it; and seeing that these supplies are of this nature, that they cannot be completely obtained till we come to heaven, nor yet certainly obtained, except we persevere whilst we are here, to labour after them, it seems a strange wantonness to me that men should not labour, and own it that they do labour for them, as the command is, 
No fault in labouring for the reward, except it be for the reward of a debt.  Labour for that meat which perisheth not, John 6.27. 3. The truth is, I cannot apprehend any fault in this principle of acting for a reward, except it should have that formality or Quatenus in it, that it is for a reward as of debt. Doth the Scripture any any where complain of any of the servants of God, that they served him for what they got by him? Or forbidden them to serve him for this reason, because they got by him? 'Tis true, our Saviour upbraids some of his Followers, that they followed him because of the Loaves, John 6 26. But if they had been followers as well of his Doctrine and Life, as they were of his bodily presence, though it had been as well for the Loaves of Bread for a natural life, as of the Bread of Life from Heaven, they had never received such a check.  
'Tis only an accusation made by the Devil, that Job served God for what he got by him. Doth Job serve God for nought? Hast not thou made a Hedge about him? etc. Job 1.9, 10, 11. And what if Job did serve God for this reason partly? Is it not better to serve God for something, then to serve the Devil for nothing but lying-pleasures, and Hell at last? But, as I intimated before, so now I affirm, That no true Saint of God acts towards God only from this principle of Self-love; there are other Gospel-principles that are in the heart of every Saint more or less, as love to God, ingenuity, gratitude; yea, there are in some, strains of highest nobleness and generosity. We love God (saith the Apostle, 1 John 4.19.) because he loved us first; there is Love and Gratitude? Shall we sin that Grace may abound? God forbidden. This I have said to be ingenuity. There have been Saints that have demonstrated to all the World that they did not serve God barely for a reward, either for a temporal reward, no nor for that which is Eternal in some strains of obedience; for the temporal reward, I think all the Saints do usually discover this, because they look upon it as their portion, when they come into the service of God, to meet with sufferings in the World; and there is an evident instance for this in Job, whom God made an example of the greatest outward, yea and inward troubles too in a great measure, for this very end, as one great reason, that he might make the Devil a liar, who accused Job to have served God only for these many blessings which the Lord had conferred upon him, as we may see in the 9.10, 11. ver. of that 1. of Job; Put forth thine hand (saith the Devil to the Lord) and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face; which yet Job never did, though yet the Lord did more against Job, than here Satan desired to have done. But I shall touch at higher instances, they are those of Moses and St. Paul; The first of which was content to have his Name blotted out of the Book of life, Exod. 32. the other to be acoursed from Christ, Rom. 9.1, 2, 3. each for their Brethren, their Kinsfolk according to the flesh, that so God might be glorified in their salvation; Ergo, whilst these men were thus spirited, they served God rather for his glory, then for their own salvation; for they that would fain have been instrumental to serve others by their preaching and exhortations, and yet were content for their sakes, so they might be saved, not to be saved themselves, did not serve God in preaching to men, for their own salvation only, chief, nor indeed at all, whilst they are thus considered. Here you see I acknowledge thus much to the Antinomians, and I think I meet them half way, and I would it might satisfy them; I acknowledge that no Saint acts to God purely from a Principle of self-love; there are other good Principles in association with it; and in the next place I acknowledge that, some Saints may act, at least in some strains, so nobly, so generously, as to serve God faithfully, and yet not mind their own salvation at all: witness Moses, and Saint Paul, and Job as to temporal good things at least. But yet upon these instances of Saint Paul and Moses, 
Moses and St. Paul their nobleness in serving ●od.  I would make these Observations. 1. That high strain in which they both met, was but occasional, and upon a supposition: it was no constant rule by which they walked; Moses' strain was this, That if God would destroy his people, he should e'en destroy him too; if he would not pardon their sin in making the calf, he should e'en blot his name out of the Book of life: there was such a near conjunction betwixt himself and his flock or people, that he could not endure to outlive them: nay, perhaps that he did not desire to go to heaven without a considerable number of them: here was as it were a provocation to his noble love of his countrymen. But I would fain know how this strain could be any rule to Moses in his walking? Or whether it signifies thus much? That he did not for his own particular, in his conversation, endeavour to please God with this design partly, that he might obtain eternal life. Nay, is it not expressly said of Moses, Hebr. 11.29. That he had respect unto the recompense of reward? So I might say of Saint Paul's action, that it was a strain only upon a supposition, which supposition not coming to pass, nor possible could be no ground for a Series of actions; For this was St, Paul's action; upon supposition that the Jews might be saved by his damnation, he was content to be accursed from Christ; which was a supposition impossible, that for the sake of a man that had been, and still was a sinner, thousands of sinners should be pardoned and saved. 2. It is not perfectly out of question, Whether Moses his action were warrantable: I have seen Commentators who say, that, This great zeal of his, might have some mixture of corrupt passion in it, which might make him to speak unadvisedly with his lips, Psal. 106.33. And methinks there is some sign of a reproof of this expression of Moses in the very place where he speaks it, Exod. 2.32. For that the Lord in the next verse, seems to repeat Moses his words, with a reflection upon them, as when any is angry at expressions, they will be apt to repeat them again with a displeasure, vers. 33. And the Lord said unto Moses, whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book? Why shouldst thou desire to be blotted out? So I might perhaps aggravate Saint Paul's action: Why should he desire to be accursed from Christ, that others might be blessed by Christ? Why should he express his love to the Jews in such an high instance, especially when it could stand them in no stead. Nay, for my part, I know not whether it be lawful for any man to be content for any ones sake to lose heaven, or be cast into hell: methinks it is a piece of self-hatred, or at least too high a breach upon that innate principle of self-love which God hath planted in the soul. And certainly that instance of love in our Saviour his dying for us (which yet was the highest instance in the world of regular love) was not of such a kind as this; for he did not die for us to remain accursed, but underwent the curse, that so he might procure the blessing for his people, yea, and for himself, Hebr. 12.2. Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame. But in the third place, not to undertake to censure Saint Paul, especially in such an action, where, if there was an error, it was only in excess of love to men's souls, and high nobleness and generosity. I may safely add this, that I profess I cannot see how his action, or that of Moses are imitable by us; for I know not by what rule we are obliged, or so much as permitted to do any such action: though some would persuade us that we are obliged to be content to be damned, that God may be glorified: thus far I shall go with them, That it is every one's duty to be so humble, as to think that if God cast us into hell, he doth us no wrong: But I cannot go so far in compliaure with their fantastical expressions of love, and submission to God, and designs for his glory, as to say, that if God may be glorified in my destruction, I am content, etc. Alas! What good can my destruction do to God? Or what glory can God have in destroying me, if I walk sincerely with him? and therefore these are but foolish suppositions, and idle offers, which perhaps some good people may make; much-like those in another case of enjoying communion with God, they will say, If God were in Hell, his Presence would make Hell to be Heaven; and they had rather be in Hell with God, than in Heaven without him. People had better show their love to God, and their humility in those actions and duties which he calls them unto, then in such suppositions and fantastical expressions and imaginations as these: That is the third observation, I see not how this action of Moses or St. Paul are imitable by us.  
4. Neither were they in constant practice by themselves, or at least they were not the only principles which they acted by; for Moses I have proved already that he had respect to the recompense of reward, and that encouraged him in doing and suffering for God. And as for St. Paul, we find him pressing towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and exhorting others so to do, Phil. 3.14, 15. And though I doubt not but St. Paul did preach the Gospel willingly, yet he tells us that he did not preach merely as a free-will-offering to God; but there was a necessity upon him, he MUST do it; Though I preach the Gospel (saith he) yet I have nothing to glory of, (as if I had done a thing that I was not bound to do) for necessity is jaid upon me, a dispensation is committed to me, yea woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.11. And so we find in the same chap. ver. 24. this advice; So run that ye may obtain; which argues, that the obtaining the prize not only may be, but aught to be in our eyes; and ver. 27. he tells us of himself, that he kept under his body, and brought it into subjection, lest himself should be a castaway. So that you see, besides these high Principles of nobleness, ingenuity, gratitude, (which are all good and excellent) yet there are other principles that are good and commendable, yea, Evangelical 
* When I say they are Evangelical Principles, I mean they are either so properly, or by way of reduction to, & confonary with evangelical Principles, properly so called, they are at least allowed, if not brought to light only by the Gospel.  such as these, that it is our duty, and that else there is a woe pronounced against us, that we may obtain the prize, that we may not be castaways. I shall just give a brief account of the order of principles in a Christians acting for God, as I apprehend them to lie, and then show why this of mercenariness cannot be made a Character of a Legal Spirie, and then come to give some more true Scripture-Characters. 
The order of principles in every Saint's heart in his acting for God. The 3. first.  Now I suppose that the order of Principles in every Saint's heart is this; 1. He considers himself a Creature, and so bound to obey his Creator; and since God hath always proposed some reward to the keeping, and threatening to the breach of his Law; therefore these three principles may go hand in hand together; and these are the first Principles that any is to begin with in serving God: Now I think there is no exceeding in any one of these Principles; a man cannot be too sensible of his obligation as a Creature to serve his Creator; a man cannot be too sensible of the greatness of the reward, nor of the danger of Hell; yet I think every Christian hath somewhat more to move him in his service to God then barely these three Principles; as for instance, some such as I have named, love to God, gratitude, yea many times nobleness of heart. We love God (saith the Apostle) speaking in the name of all the Saints, because he loved us first, etc. and these further Principles seem to follow in this order from the first, that when I am thoroughly convinced that it is my duty to live to God, when I consider what danger I avoid in it, what good I obtain by it, I am engaged to love that God, 
Then Love.  who takes such care of his Creatures, that he would not have them perish, nay, that he would not have them do their duty for nought; here is now another Principle, a Principle of Love, beyond the three first Principles: Again, I consider the greatness of the reward, the richness of the grace in providing it by the gift of Christ, the Father's giving him, and his giving himself; the sending the Spirit into our hearts to persuade us, and win upon us to accept of this grace; all the care that the Lord takes about us; and hereby I am yet more and more engaged to love and gratitude: 
Aster that nobleness  One may easily be here set all in a flame of love, not counting his life dear for such a God, for such a Saviour; if there be the least spark of Nobleness in one's natural spirit, it will inflame the whole soul to do some excellent service for God; not as the legalist doth, supposing that hereby he shall oblige God, and that perhaps only in some fantastical service, as rich sacrifices, or multitudes of superstitious observations; but the principle shall be only an humble love and gratitude, and the action shall be a true useful, and ingenious action, wherein some real service shall be done for God.  
I shall give an instance in the Apostle Paul, in that place last mentioned, 1 Cor. 9.17, 18. a place where you have the Apostle doing two things, one of necessity, that had a woe upon it, if he did it not; so that whether he did it willingly or unwillingly, he must do it, and that was the preaching the Gospel; the other purely voluntary, and so free lest him, that he might have done the contrary to what he did, and not have sinned at all; and that was as to his maintenance for preaching; he might have expected from them that they should maintain him; but he would not, he would maintain himself; and this he took such comfort in, that he calls this his glorying (as I take it) and he would rather die, then that any man should make this his glorying void. Now the principle of this his action was not Legal, as if he thought by this to lay some obligation upon God, or his Lord Christ Jesus; for he knew that he was so far obliged to the Lord for his mercies, that he could never lay an obligation upon God. The principle therefore was only this of gratitude and nobleness; he had such a good Master, that he could never do enough for; and therefore when he had sent him to preach the Gospel, which he must unavoidably do, the Apostle spied out an opportunity of doing his duty herein more effectually, and that was, if he would preach the Gospel upon free-cost, though he was allowed by his Master to have demanded a reward; and now spying out this, how he might do an eminent service, which yet was a freewill offering, he catches at it, and will rather die than let go this opportunity. Ver. 5. It were better for me to die, then that any man should make my glorying void; upon which take this paraphrase of a learned Commentator; I have preached the Gospel on free-cost, and would rather choose to famish by doing so, then be deprived of this way of advancing the Gospel; and I would not for all the world lose this comfors and joy, that I have preached to you, without receiving any thing from you. Here you see at the same time the Apostle can act from a principle of necessity, and also of voluntariness or nobleness; he preaches the Gospel from the consideration of a necessity, and he takes nothing for his preaching out of a principle of nobleness; and yet this second service is a real service, and advantage to the Gospel; not such a foolish thing as for men to whip themselves, or to offer to the shrine of some Saint, or to say such a tale of Pater nosters, etc. That therefore is another Christian Principle in acting for God, viz. Gratitude and Nobleness.  
I shall only mention one more, and it is this, When one hath been used to serve God, 
The last and highest principle of action is from the excellency of the work itself.  the ways of God are so good in themselves, that a man will find a great sweetness and satisfaction in them; that they are the only ways that perfect a man's nature, they are the only ways that are rational, he shall more and more see every sin to be a gross absurdity, according to that Scriptuture, Heb. 5.14. Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil: And believe it, this is an high attainment, to have a sense of what is good and excellent, and of what is evil and base; and to love the first, and hate the latter for itself; this is certainly the very love and hatred that God himself hath: Now though I have allowed that there are these three Gospel-principles of Love and Gratitude, Nobleness and Generosity, loving and hating things for their own desert, which men may arrive at; yet I dare not speak a light word of the three first principles mentioned especially of that first, viz. of serving God as our Creator, which I think will be an everlasting principle of service after we have received the fullest reward. And for those principles of acting in hope of the reward, and to avoid Hell, I say first, as before, that they are good and warrantable, nay Evangelical principles of action, and therefore cannot (simply considered) be reckoned for legal principles; yet perhaps I might say this, in agreement with those that make them characters of a legal spirit, that if they could be discovered in any person to be the only principle of action (as in Ahab and Pharaoh the avoiding the Judgements that they were sensible of to hang over them, were visibly the only motives of their religious acts) that person might be adjudged legal. But of this more when I come to speak of a Spirit of Bondage, which is the next Scripture-Character that I shall give of a Legal Spirit: Only in the mean time I reckon that I have evinced that, taking it in the general, without that distinctness in which we are to proceed; so it is not a sufficient argument, nor any argument at all of a Legal Spirit to act towards God for fear of punishment, or in hope of the reward.  
I come now to a third Character of a Legal Spirit, 
The third Character of a Legal Spirit.  and it is this, To be under a Spirit of Bondage, is an argument of a Legal Spirit. That this is an Argument or Character of a Legal Spirit, first let us see some Scripture-proof, and then I shall come to show what a Spirit of Bondage is. Now for Scripture-proof; I think there is no Character of a Legal Spirit plainer in the Scripture than this; I reckon indeed that the first, viz. That it is external and fleshly in the service of God, was a plain Scripture-Character; but I think this is rather plainer, in Gal. 4.22, 23. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman; but he who was of the bondwoman, was born after the FLESH, but he of the freewoman was by promise: which things are an Allegory; for these are the two Covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar; This is the Law-Covenant: Ergo, Legalists are under a spirit of Bondage, and they that are predominantly, or properly said to be under a spirit of Bondage, are Legalists: the Proposition is convertible, by reason that a spirit of Bondage is a property of a Legal spirit. Again, for a little more Scripture-proof: 1. 'Tis proved from its contrary; the spirit which is contrary to a spirit of Bondage, is a spirit of Adoption or Sonship: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; now this Spirit of Adoption is a peculiar privilege of the Gospel; therefore the spirit of Bondage must belong to the Law, Rom. 8.15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; which I shall make bold to Paraphrase thus: Ye have not now under the Gospel received the spirit of Bondage again, as ye did under the Law (for some of these Romans to whom he writes, were Jews) but ye have received the spirit of Adoption, whereby both you and I, (for the person is changed) and all Gospel-Saints, cry Abba Father.  
The Law SO FAR as it did reign over the spirits of good people in the days of the Old-Testament, brought them under a spirit of Bondage, SO FAR; and therefore the ve● same Saints that now were under a Spirit of Adoption, by the Gospel, yet had been under ● spirit of Bondage in the times of the Law in a great measure; unless we will make the person. YE, to signify specifically, not numerical, that is, of Saints like them of the same Nation in times past, and not of those very Saint's i● person to whom he writes: but which way s●●ver understood, it asserts that the Saints of Go● in the times of the Old Testament, were in 〈◊〉 great measureunder a spirit of bondage, through the darkness of the Dispensation; which argues, that for those that were under the Law wholly, they were certainly under a severe Bondage from the Law, and so that this may very well be made a Character of a Legal spirit. I am not ignorant that there is another interpretation given of this Scripture by some, yet very agreeable with this that I here give, viz. That in every work of conversion there is a legal conviction, which they call a Spirit of Bondage, which goes before faith; and that after a man hath truly believed, he never receives, or returns to a spirit of Bondage again. But I think this is not the genuine interpretation; only it may be allowed for true in a great measure: and I might borrow strength from it for my present purpose; for that this spirit of Bondage in this interpretation, is the effect, or the work of the Law only; but of this the Reader may see more in the 41. page of the foregoing discourse. I come now to show what a spirit of Bondage is: now this discovers itself in the very name Bondage or Slavery; as also by its opposition to a spirit of Adoption or Sonship; they that are under it serve not God as children serve a father, but as slaves serve a cruel master: again, it is notified to us by the inseparable companion of this spirit, and that is fear; Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that which is here called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is in the 2 Tim. 1.7. called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a spirit of fear; God hath not given to us (saith the Apostle, that is under the Gospel) a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. A Gospel spirit is a spirit of love; a Legal spirit is a spirit of fear. I shall give only one Scripture more for this, that is, 1 John 4.17, 18, 19 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, because as he is (saith the Apostle) so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment, he that seareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. Here I collect and argue. We, that is, We Saints converted by the Gospel, have all of us a principle of Love, which is quite contrary to that of fear. We shall have boldness in the day of Judgement; and this we have some fore-tasts of in this world; for that spirit which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a spirit of Bondage to fear, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a spirit of Love and Sonship or Adoption, which hath an holy boldness in it, Hebr. 4.16. and teacheth us to call God Father. But on the contrary, the Legal spirit hath no such boldness in the presence of God, but is always filled with a tormenting fear and horror at the thoughts of God; even as the Devils are in a great degree, who believe and tremble, and as Cain was, who when he could have no rest in his spirit, went forth from the presence of the Lord, which he could not endure, and fell to building a city, in probability to drown the noise of his Conscience, which else would still have rung in his ears, and alarmed him with this dreadful sentence, My punishment is greater than I can be●● or my sin is greater than can be forgiven. Perfect love casteth out fear; then such as is the proportion a●● degree of Love to God, to such proportion and degree 〈◊〉 the tormenting fear of God abated.  
Yet here I must needs acquaint the Reader that there is another exposition of this Text, which I think, is very allowable, if not more genuine than the former, that is, that perfect love to God casteth out all anxious and solicitous fear of suffering; and persecution for God's Cause; I shall transcribe somewhat of Dr. Hammond upon the place, ver. 17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement— because as he is, so are we in this world; which he first thus translates, In this the love with us is perfected, that we have boldness— and then paraphraseth thus: In this the perfection of that love which is to be found in a Christian consists, that in a time of danger, when we are brought before Judges, and may probably lose our lives for confessing of Christ, than we retain courage and cheerfulness, and confess him willingly; that we behave ourselves in this world as Christ did when he was here, that is, lay down our lives in testification of the truth; ver. 18. there is no fear in love; that is, (saith he) such love as this which was in Christ, hath no fear in it; Christ ventured and underwent the utmost, even death itself for us. I need transcribe no more: But yet I think I may argue strongly, even from this Exposition, that which I aim at, viz. that a Gospel-spirit is free from slavish fear of God, at least in a great measure; for still the love spoken of in this text, it is love to God; this love to God is a great Gospel-principle, as appears in the text. Now can any bear a great love to any person, and yet have a slavish fear, a tormenting fear of that person at the same time? For my part, I think love and fear, with respect to the same person, are very near as opposite as love and hatred; and a tormenting, slavish fear of any person, cannot long be without a great degree of hatred: Is it not a famous question in the Politics concerning the security of a Prince: An praestat timeri quam diligi? Whether it be more safe for a Prince to be loved or feared of his Subjects? 
Brtvis differentia inter legem & Evangelium est ●mor & am●●. Aquina: & August.  Which things if they were not in consistent, the question would need no decision. Again, take the Exposition last given, that perfect love to God casteth out all fear of men; it fills us with courage and resolution, so that we are afraid of no sufferings whatsoever: Yet is it possible that a man should, from the extraordinary inflammedness of his love to God, be full of boldness and courage in the day of Judgement, that is, the day of hottest trials and persecutions, fear nothing, because it is for God, whom he loves dearly, and that for this very reason, that he loved him first, upon terms of gratitude; and yet that this man should have his Spirit contracted and oppressed at the same time with a tormenting fear of the God for whom he suffers? I have argued before, that his love to God would not suffer such a tormenting fear of God; I argue now, that the expansion and enlargedness of heart and soul in his courage and boldness for God, is inconsistent with that contraction of spirit which a slavish fear of God at the same time must needs cause. A man that hath his spirit broken by the tormenting fear of God, can have no courage before men at all; Every man that meeteth me, will kill me, saith Cain when a slavish terror of God had seized upon him. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites, Isa. 33.14. Why what is the matter? it follows: Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burn? When men have a sense of the Wrath of God towards them, which is the cause of this slavish fear, it sills them with fearfulness and terror in all things else; they begin to be afraid of their own shadow. Therefore this boldness in the day of man's judgement here spoken of, must suppose first, some boldness in the presence of God; and so the sense of the text runs clear. There is no fear in Love, where a man loves God hearty, and especially out of a love of Gratitude, because God loved him first, that soul hath boldness and courage in all his sufferings: The Righteous is bold as a Lion, Prov. 28.1. But the wicked fleeth when none pursueth: If God be for us, saith the good man, who can be against us? Who shall separate us saith the Apostle, from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, etc. In all these things (and can there be greater in the day of man's Judgement) we are more than Conquerors, through him that loved us, Rom. 8.35, 36. Here is a courageous, fearless Love; but whence is it spirited, but from the sense of the Love of God. No soul pressed with a slavish fear of God, could have uttered these triumphant expressions 
* And I think, that according to this second Exposition of this place in John's Epistle, is that Scripture to be interpreted, 2 Tim. 1.7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, (timidity or cowardice) but of power, of love, and of a sound mind; which is thus paraphrased by a Commentator: Surely that God that gave us this Commission and Gifts (for the Ministry) hath not given thee or me so poor a cowardly spirit, as that we should be afraid of the dangers and threats of men against the preaching of the Gospel, but courageous hearts to encounter any difficulty; a love of God which will actuate this Valour, and cast out all fear of danger, and withal, a tranquillity of mind, and a full contentedness in whatsoever estate. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Spirit of sobriety; than it follows fully and clearly in countenance of this Exposition, ver. 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel, according to the power of God. Now whereas I have used these two Scriptures in the Epistle to Tim. and that of john, in another sense above; than what I conceive is the most genuine; yet still in a sense consistent with that which is genuine; the reason was, not for want of Scriptures to prove what I intended, but for that these Scriptures are used by others in the first sense, and might well be used so allusively; and for that I had no such way to restare them to their true interpretation, as first by allowing them the accommodation of that other sense, and then showing that this latter is the more proper. .  
But here I must make a twofold distinction of fear, viz. in the kinds, and in the degrees of it. 
The first distinction of fear.  1. In the kinds, there is a lawful and acceptable, yea necessary fear of God, and there is an unlawful, or at least unacceptable fear of God. The first is, that awe we are to have of the Divine Majesty as we are creatures, and with which we are commanded to work out our own salvation even with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.22. This signifies no mor but the creature; keeping its due distance, knowing its place and condition of a creature, having a due sense of the weighty concernment and importance of that salvation which we are to work out, considering the danger we escape, and the prize we press forward unto; these considerations make us greatly in earnest; 'tis no trifling business we are about, and therefore we do it, and are to do it with fear and trembling, and greatest circumspection. So the Apostle Paul saith, he was conversant amongst the Corinthians, in fear and great trembling, 1 Cor. 2.3. which, say Commentators, may signify not only his fear from persecution, but those which did arise from the consideration of the greatness of his Work of saving souls. This fear now is lawful and commendable, and so far from being contrary to love as it may very well proceed from love; love to ourselves, when we are working out our salvation; and love to others when we are helping onward their salvation. But then there is a slavish fear of God in the spirits of men, which doth not further, but extremely hinder the working out of their salvation. This fear we find in the slothful servant, that never set upon improving his Master's Talon, but laid it up in a Napkin, and when his Master called him to an account for his Talon, he tells his Master plainly what was the reason he never so much as endeavoured to improve it. For IFEARED thee (saith he) because thou art an austere man; thou takest up that thou laidest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. Lu. 19.21, 22. Thus every legalist hath at the bottom of his heart, if not in his mouth (as this man in the parable hath) strange prejudices and misrepresentations of God, which beget slavish tormenting fear within him at the thoughts of God, and therefore may well be called, as it is most appositely, by the Apostles a spirit of bondage, of a servant, of a slave, a spirit of bondage to ●ear. And for this I shall have recourse to Mr. Smith of Cambridge in his Discourse of Superstition, who hath indeed a rich vein of his own, and excellent quotations out of other Authors; and hath in that Discourse many things applicable to my present purpose. In it he makes Superstition, according to the etymology of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consist in an over-timerous & dreadful apprehension of the Deity; for with he quotes Helf ychius, whotakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for all one, & expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be one, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that a superstitious person is one that is very prompt to worship the gods, but withal is very fearful of them; and Mr. Smith tells us that Superstition is indeed nothing else but a false opinion of the Deity, that renders him dreadful & terrible, as being rigorous & imperious, that which represents him as austere and apt to be angry: And he further tells us, that Plutarch hath thus defined it in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. A strong and passionate opinion, and such a supposition as is productive of a fear debasing and terrifying a man with the representation of the Gods, as grievous and hurtful to mankind: Besides he tells us, That wicked men, whom he makes the superstitious, are apt to account the Divine Supremacy as but a piece of Tyranny, that, by its sovereign will, makes too great encroachments upon their rights and properties, and therefore are slavishly afraid of him. I shall recite but two quotations more out of him, which I am not a little affected with; the one is out of Plutarch, the other out of Maximus Tyrius. Plutarch's is this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that if we understood God aright, it would beget a freedom and liberty of soul within us, an hope from virtuous actions, and not gender to a spirit of Bondage, which is the Apostles own phrase, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The other of Maximus Tyrius is as remarkable in his dissert. 4. concerning the difference betwixt a friend and a flatterer: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith he) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. the sense whereof is this; The pious man is God's friend, (this is only I think said of Abraham the great Believer) the supersliticus is a flatterer of God; and indeed, most happy and blessed is the condition of the pious man, God's friend; but right miserable and sad is the state of the superstitious. The pious man emboldened by a good Conscience, and encouraged by the sense of his integrity, comes to God without fear and dread; but the superstitious being sunk and depressed through the sense of his own wickedness, comes not without much fear, being void of all hope and confidence, and dreading the gods as so many tyrants. It is no small pleasure to me to read heathens thus rightly apprehending and expressing this twofold way of approaching to God; which altering but the number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, looks so like that which is Divine and Apostolical, Now for all this which here I have transcribed out of Mr. Smith touching superstition, I reckon it may be well applied to the legalist; and I shall not need to add any more in describing their slavish fear of God.  
The second distinction which I promised was of the degrees of fear, 
The second distinction of fear.  and this distinction is likewise very necessary, for that such is the weakness of the Saints themselves, that many of them may have a great degree even of slavish fear of God, and may be far gone under a Spirit of Bondage. The Saints of the Old-Testament by reason of the darkness of their dispensation, were, in a great measure generally under this fear; and 'tis an observation of some, (how solid I leave to others to judge) that therefore the Saints of the Old-Testament are so commonly known by that Name, Such as feared the Lord, because their dispensation was so legal and dark, and attended with a Spirit of Bondage; but however that observation be censured, I am sure the Apostle makes an assertion somewhat like it, In Gal. 4.1, 2. That the heir as long as he is a Child, differeth nothing from a servant; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he be Lord of all; even so we when we were children, were in bondage, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The sense is this peremptorily; The true spiritual Seed, and heirs according to the Promise, had much of a spirit of bondage and fear in the days of the Old-Testament; and so still it is very possible, and often found, that many true Saints, heirs of God, as than they differed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing, that is, nothing to speak of; so now they differ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, very little (such is their weakness) from servants, by reason of the great mixtures of bondage and fear, which they have in their spirits in the service of God; but yet now, though I have allowed this great mixture of a Spirit of bondage in the Saints, even to a great degree; yet I affirm, that now, and in all ages past, the Saints and wicked legalists are to be discerned and distinguished the one from the other by the degrees of this fear, as truly as before I distinguished them in the kinds of fear; for, as much as the Saints of God have, or may have of a slavish fear in the service of God, yet they have all enough of that spirit of adoption and holy boldness, so as to overbalance it, and to enable them to cry, Abba, that is, ●ather; which a mere legalist hath not, but is overborne by his fears, and acts towards God only under the anguish and incitation of a spirit of Bondage: Yea, though the gospel bring so much more of the Spirit of Adoption and Sonship with it, than the Old-Testament did; that, in comparison with it, the Old-Testament be called a killing-letter, and a Ministration of death; yet I shall make this further assertion, That all the true Saints of God even under the Old-Testament, had so much of a Spirit of Adoption as did overbalance their slavish fear and spirit of bondage in the service of God; and the reason is this, for that God hath in all ages accepted of men only as they treated with him upon Gospel-terms and principles. A spirit of a slave was always unacceptable unto God. The two Covenants (as I have shown at large) were in Moses his time, and Abraham's time; and the one gendered to bondage, that was that from Mount Sinai; the other unto liberty, and that is from Mount Zion, the new Jerusalem, which is the Mother of us all that are, shall be, or ever were the true sons and heirs of it; therefore they had always in a SUFFICIUNT DEGREE a spirit of liberty, of sons, a spirit of adoption.  
Having made the spirit of bondage a Character, and given you the distinctions upon it, I shall briefly show the inseparable connexion that there is between a legal spirit and it, and the very reason how it comes to pass. 
The inseparable connexion between a spirit of bondage and a legal spirit.   
And indeed it must needs be, that a legal spirit should be attended with fear and terror; for his very way of serving God leads him into it. He goes to serve God, and to procure acceptance with him by the Works of the Law; now the Law (as I have show nis of that nature that it cannot justify but where there is perfect, unerring obedience; and therefore to all that seek justification by it, and are not furnished with this obedience, it can only prove a Ministration of death, terror, and desperation: So that, let the legalist fancy what he pleaseth at first when he enters upon his way, as perhaps he may think to please God, and satisfy his own Conscience with offering up some external services, either ceremonious or moral, and never pretend to keep the whole law, and so not to seek justification in the true and proper way that the Law is to justify; yet he shall find himself first reputed and reckoned amongst those that seek Justification by the Law, (as the Galatians were, who yet did not pretend to the proper righteousness of the Law) and then he shall find in the next place, that because of the imperfection of his obedience, the Law is too weak to justify him, and yet it will still show him his duty, and press him to the doing of it, and it will discover his defects, and sins, and the wrath due for them; but to allow strength for the fulfilling itself, or to procure pardon for any breach of it, this it cannot do; and so all the effects of the Law upon the legalist, can be only to lash, sting and vex him, which must needs fill his soul with horror and dread of that God whom he serves.  
Now I shall not undertake to show on the contrary how the very nature of the gospel-way must needs produce peace, and an holy boldness and confidence in the sight of God, though I might show that out of the very way itself these things would seem to spring; or at least, that it is very agreeable and suitable to the gospel-way of treating God, that it should be accompanied with peace, joy and holy boldness in the presence of God; for if the great and holy God will admit any sinful creatures, whilst they remain in part sinful, into fellowship and holy boldness with himself, who can they be other than those that renounce all love to sin, abhor themselves by reason of sin, and cast themselves for pardon and salvation purely upon his mercy and grace? All which I have shown to be essential to the Evangelical or gospel-way, the way of faith and grace which I am contending for, Besides, we know the gospel way of serving God receives a denomination from faith; it is called, the way of Faith; They that are OF FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham, Gal. 3.9. Now if this way hath so much of faith in it, (which we know hath affiance in its notion) that Faith should deserve to give name to this way, as it doth, then certainly this way cannot want an holy boldness and confidence in it.  
But instead of insisting upon this way of proof from the very nature and constitution of the Gospel: I shall content myself with a few more Scripture-proofs besides what I first mentioned in the entrance of this Character, to show that peace, joy and holy boldness in the presence of God, are great effects of a Gospel-way of serving God, Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, etc. By the spirit is meant either the gospel, or the holy ghost, which is conveyed by it, or that better part which is within us, called so in opposition to the Flesh: or if you will all three, and then the sense is this, The Spiritual, or New-nature within us, brought forth by the Holy Ghost, in the preaching of the Gospel hath such fruits as these; Love, Joy, Peace, etc. So Rom. 14.17. The Kingdom of God, that is, the Gospel, where it comes in power, is not meat and drink, that is, it consists not of these chief, if at all; but it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost; these are the great designs and effects of the Gospel. And we know that the Gospel is the great ministration of the Spirit who is given in the Gospel as a Comforter, as an earnest of the inheritance, as an Advocate within us, teaching us to cry Abba Father. It were endless to give all the places which make for the proof of this proposition, that the Gospel hath great joys and comforts attending it; and that the opposite way to it of serving God, which is by the Law, can have no such thing.  
If it should be here objected, that it's strange, 
Obj.  if the Gospel-way be so full of comfort and boly boldness in the presence of God, so attended with the Spirit of Adoption, as you have declared, that there should be so many sad, drooping, desponding Saints as there are, that though they live holily, and we cannot but think they are good men, yet are not acquainted with any of those comforts, durst not call God Father, are full of fears and doubts touching the favour of God towards them, etc.  
I confess that this is a considerable objection: 
Ans.  But I must answer it much after the same manner as I discoursed upon that which I might have made the third character, viz. that a Gospel-Spirit was vigorous, quick, and lively in the service of God; that a Legal-spirit was weak, sluggish, and unactive. For I meet with the same kind of Christians in this Objection that then I met with, who durst not be tried by that character.  
First of all therefore I acknowledge, there are many sad souls whom I cannot but think to be godly, and true Gospel-saints, and so much I acknowledged in giving the second distinction 〈◊〉 this character. But  
Secondly, I dare say the Gospel hath comforts for them, if they could but receive them, which yet the Law hath not in it for the legalists; no, the Law is full charged with wrath against them; and did they but fully understand what infinite treasures of wrath the Law contains in itself for them, there is never a legalist in the world but would be fuller of horror and desperation than were Cain or Judas.  
Thirdly, Setting aside what may be of extraordinary dispensation in the troubles of some Saints, I think it's generally their own fault that they have no more comfort and confidence than they have. God would have us rejoice, Rejoice is the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice, Phil. 4.4. Rejoice evermore, 1 Thes. 5.16. The Gospel would have us rejoice, the holy Spirit is ready to fill ou● hearts with laughter, and our tongue with singing, in Col. 3.16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly— singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. in Eph. 5.18, 19 Be ye filled with the Spirit, speaking 〈◊〉 yourselves in Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. So we see 'tis the great duty of the Gospel for Saints to rejoice in the thoughts of God. But there are several ways by which the Saints may, and many do deprive themselves of comfort; by falling into sins, which to be sure will break their peace, or else by admitting Satan's subtleties against their peace, harkening to all the whispers of the Serpent against themselves, who sometimes tells them they are not elected; at other times, that they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost; another time, that they have outstood the day of grace, or that the spirit of God is departed from them; and these things I believe many that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, have not outstood their day of grace, much less committed the sin against the holy Ghost, may yet call into question, and hear Satan's suggestions about them so long, till they be brought into a perfect maze and labyrinth of thoughts, doubts and fears; so that, except the Lord should bring them our by a Miracle almost, I cannot imagine how they should get out: This fear and terror therefore was from their own faust at first, though now they cannot help themselves.  
4thly, Yet still I think it may be asserted, that even for these very persons concerning whom the objection is made, and which are mentioned in the last particular, that even these when they are themselves, and have the right use of their understandings (for I reckon that such sad souls pass through many deliriums, and irrational imaginations) have all of them more kindly strains of ingenuity to God, and of filial boldness, than any legalist in the world ever hath; they have their lucida intervalla, the smiles of God sometimes, and feel the supports of the everlasting Arms; or if they have not that which you may call comfort, yet at least they are enabled to act towards God with a better spirit than that of a slave  
5. But for others that are not thus; and I hope I may say, the greater part of true Saints they have a comfort and joy in the service of God, and their hearts are mightily lightened and quickened by it: Thy word (saith David) is sweeter to me then the h●ney or the honeycomb; Psal. 19.10. thy word hath quickened me, Psal. 119.50. I rejoiced in thy word, as one that findeth great spoil, Psal. 119.162. their joy bore the Apostles up above all their sufferings▪ 2 Cor. 15. for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, siour consolation also aboundeth by Christ: & accordingly, we are advised by our Saviour, that when we suffer for righteousness sake, we should rejoice and be exceeding glad, or leap for joy, as the word signifies, M●. 5.12. And certainly, if the joy of the Gospel be such as will carry us through the greatest sufferings, it may well carry us through all the ordinary affairs and occasions of this life: Yet for this see one place in the Book of Ecclesiastes, ch. 9.7, 8. Go thy way, eat thy Bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; why so? it follows, for now God accepteth thy works; When a man's ways please the Lord, and he hath a sense of it (which none but a Gospel-Saint ever hath) it will make him go cheerfully through all the actions and occasions of his life. Now if there be such a general joy upon the true Saints of God, arising from their Gospel-way of serving God, as will carry them through sufferings, and through all the actions of their lives, and by consequence into the presence of God with a cheerfulness and holy boldness; is it not most injurious, that the troubles and sadness of a few Saints, brought upon themselves against the design of the Gospel, through the subtleties of Satan, and the Saints own default, should be thought able to make this assertion too light, viz. that a Gospel-spirit hath an holy boldness and a cheerfulness in it, and is freed from the Spirit of bondage (which accompanies a Legal Spirit) into the glorious liberty of sonship and adoption.  
I shall only make one observation more before I pass off from the explication and proof of this Character, which I think will add some light unto it, and it will be of a very contrary nature from the observation which the objection fastens upon, and it is this.  
It hath been laid to the charge of the Puritans, that they are too familiar with God in their Prayers: Now truly I will not undertake to defend those good men that have been honoured with that Name, in every thing; but I think in this particular, (as in many other things) they have a great excellency, in that they know better than their adversaries, how to use an holy boldness at the throne of grace. And yet to show that I am not altogether senseless of the danger that there is of erring this way, I do here acquaint my Reader that I verily believe, that many have grossly erred herein: I have heard of one very famous once in London, a Tradesman, that being gotten in a Pulpit, made thus bold with the great God in prayer, Thou hast said, O Lord, that concerning thy sons, and concerning thy daughters, we should command thee: we command thee therefore, &c: I need not go to aggravate this boldness: I have heard others myself, unreasonably (as I thought) bold in their expressions in prayer; but I dare not charge this upon those good people in the general, which have been called Puritans.  
But I am sure however it is with them in one extreme, it is as bad and worse with the Papists, and those that are superstitiously addicted in the other, that they dare not use that holy boldness which is allowed them, nay, which is necessary to be used. They think it too great a boldness to go to God in prayer without the mediation and intercession of some Saint or Angel; or if they go to the right Mediator, they dare not go to him but by the intercession of the Virgin Mary; all which are but over-servile fears, and denials to themselves of that true liberty and boldness which the Lord admits us unto. If they go to celebrate the Eucharist, the Supper or Feast of Christ's body & blood, which we are to eat and to drink at the Lords Table for our souls health, first the people must not have the Wine; then the Bread must be carried about, and worshipped like a god; the Table upon which it is consecrated, must be an Altar; it must not be received, but upon your knees; nor taken, as the command is, Take eat; but received from the Priest's hand into your mouths, which are all but so many superstitious and servile usages of that Ordinance, which all aught to have an holy boldness in, and is not at all prejudiced, but rather furthered as to Divine acceptance, by how much the more of discreet and judicious boldness we have in the use of it: And here I shall take liberty to say something to the nature of Superstition, which I shall presently have done with, and so pass on to the application of this Character.  
And here I shall take liberty to say something to the nature of Superstition, having (as I reckon) a fair occasion for it; and yet I shall quickly have done with it, and so pass on to the application 〈◊〉 the Character.  
Superstition therefore (which I humbly offer) either consists in, or ariseth from an overcimorous and dreadful apprehension of the Deity. Mr. Smith of Cambridge whom I have so often mentioned, with those other great Authors which he quotes, seems to make that the only notion of Superstition, that it is an overtimorous apprehension of God: Now I suppose Mr. Smith's reasons, together with the Arguments and Authority of those whom he quotes, may very well serve to make that notion of Superstition to pass as a true notion, though not the only notion of Superstition; though indeed Mr. Smith in that Discourse partly reproves Cicero for translating the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by Superstitio; but allowing this for a true notion of Superstition: Yet Mr. Smith in the same Discourse mentions two others, one of which he calls a gloss of the late Ages imposition, the other a too-strict confining it to Polytheisme. This last being by the Author intimated to be Mr. Mede's (as I suppose) or Dr. Hammoud's; the other that which Mr. Mede or Dr. Hammond hath confuted, or freed the Word from. Now Mr. Mede's, or the learned Author of our age (as he speaks) his notion of Superstition is this; I shall give it in Mr. Smith's own words; He seems (saith he) to have too strictly confined it to a cowardly-worship of the ancient Gentile-Daemons, as if Superstition and Polytheism were indeed the same thing; whereas Polytheism or Daemon-worship is but one branch of it. Now this Superstition, viz. a worshipping the Superstites (allowing it that name, as Mr. Smith doth) I take to be a Superstition that ariseth from an overtimorous apprehension of the Deity; but doth not so much consist in it; for they that are guilty of making so many Mediators with God, do it chief for this reason, for that they have such a dreadful apprehension of God, that they think they may not dare to come and pray to him without those Mediators, nor to Christ himself without the Mediation of his blessed Mother.  
The reason why ●●ness the Author intimated by Mr Smith, to be Mr. Mede, is, for that he makes great use of the business of Daemon-worship, and by it proves the Papists highly guilty of Idolatry for worshipping of Saints, which he parallels with Gentile-Daemons; though at the same he be for many of those things which some in these LATE AGES have thought Superstitious, as the holiness of Churches the Supper of the Lord to be called a Sacrifice, the Table to be called the Altar, etc. Now this I suppose is that Superstition, or that which by the latter age's imposition is called Superstition, and is said by Mr. Smith to be confuted out of the Name by Mr. Mede, or that learned Author of our own. Now I must confess I have taken the Word Superstition in this sense altogether, in several places of my Discourse, herein being in the mistaken notion (it seems) of the late ages about what is Superstition. And I must needs say, I take Superstition to be the placing a Religion in things which will not admit of it, and where it ought not to be, as in the differences of meats, which once had a Religion in their observance; but now have not, and cannot have; in kneeling at the Sacrament, in bowing to the Altar, in the cross in Baptisin, and all ceremonious observances, more than what are naturally decent, such as being uncovered, and kneeling, or at least standing at prayer, etc. As for Image-Worship, or Daemon-worship. I call that rather Idolatry, than Superstition: For Superstition I take to be a vice in the lesser things of worship; and I am sure if they will not allow us this word to signify this vice, we must have another word to call it by, for such a vice there is; Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain, Gal. 4.10, 11. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day; or of the new Moon, or of the sabbath-days, Col. 2.16. and in Mark 7.2, 3, 4. we find, that the Pharisees, and ALL the Jews, except they wash their heads oft, eat not, holding the TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS, and when they come from the Market, except they wash, they eat not; and many other things there be which they have RECEIVED TO HOLD, as the washing of Cups and Pots, brazen Vessels, and of Tables, in these Scriptures is such a vice taxed, as I call superstition, that is, the placing Religion where God hath not placed it, and would not have it placed. And I could never yet learn that there was so much significancy in the Etymology of that word, that they need be so curious, and I may say superstitious in keeping it from this hone use that the late ages would have put it to; and as I have observed Mr. Smith makes bold to carp at Cicero for translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it, for so Tully (saith he) frequently translatos that word, though not so fitly and emphatically as he hath done some others. Now since Cicero seems to have translated it unfitly, and the late ages have made perhaps a more fit, at least a sitting use of the word; why may not their using it recommend it to us, especially when it is so well understood in their use of it; but let become of the word what will, taking it for granted that there is such a vice as placing Religion in things where it ought not. I shall only show how this ariseth from an over-timorous apprehension of the Deity; superstitious men wanting the right notion of God, that he is a Spirit, and looks chief at the heart, and that he is good and merciful, and requires no more of his creuture then what he can well and comfortably perform; they are apt to think that God is upon the catch (as we say) with them, and stands upon punctilios, and therefore they must be very exact and ceremonious in every thing that they do for him; and hence seem to have sprung all these useless ceremonies, and superstitious observations in the service of God. The Pharisees must be so clean and pure, that they must wash often; when they fast, they must dis-figure their very faces. The Colossians must be so observant, that they must not touch, taste or handle, Col. 2.22. The Laity amongst the Papists must not taste the Wine, it is too good for them; nor touch the Wafer (which is superstitiously invented instead of Bread) with their unhallowed hands, but receive it into their mouths from the hand of the Priest, and that upon their knees; yea, when the Host is carried in the streets, they must fall down upon their knees.  
Thus I have dispatched this observation about superstitious men's shiness of God in his Worship, that they have not that holy boldness they ought to have, but a spirit of bondage and of slaves in the presence of God. Superstitious men under any of the three notions of Superstition, are under a spirit of bondage in the service of God. I come now to the application of the Character.  
And in this I shall proceed (as I have done in other Characters) first endeavouring hence to discover Predominant, 
The application of the Character.  then Partial Legality, or the mixtures of Legality in the Saints.  
Now for Predominant Legality, as the notions of Superstition have been severally given and explained, Superstition alone may serve to discover where this great evil is. As Mr. Smith gives the notion of Superstition, it seems to me to be no other than the spirit of Bondage itself; and I dare say, if thou art superstitious in his sense, thou art under a spirit of bondage Predominantly, and so under Legality Predominant. If thou lookest upon God as a Tyrant, and yet servest him, and that as such, what higher description can there be of a spirit of Bondage.  
Hither I might refer all the too-severe penances which the Papists inflict upon themselves, in watching, fastings, and scourging of themselves; as if the merciful God were taken with such crueties instead of true worship and devotion. But because I have often touched upon these things already, I shall forbear, though this be the most proper head of this matter: Neither yet am I an enemy to prudent penances (if I may so call them) that is means and trials of one's mortification and repentance, so they be wisely directed to an end; as for the Intemperate to fast, to afflict his soul and body before God; for those that are apt to be proud in apparel, to deny themselves sometimes the ordinaryliberties of apparel, and perhaps to wear very mean , that they may break themselves of their proud humour. I make no doubt if Saint Paul should give us the instances of his mortification, when he kept under his body (that is, his whole self, though it may be his body in especial manner) and brought it into subjection, 1 Cor. 9.27. (the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
D●. H●r●moad.  I give myself black, and blue eyes with beating myself, and make myself a servant) I say, if he should tell us what courses he took in his mortification, what liberties he denied himself, what tasks he might possibly impose upon himself, I doubt it would make most of us condemn ourselves severely for dastardly and effeminate Christians; but yet still (I doubt not but his abstinencies and impositions were rational, wisely directed to an end, viz. to subdue or keep under some passion, or the like end) he did not (sure) satisfy himself, or reckon that God was pleased with his sufferings, further than as they were a reasonable service.  
So again for the second notion of Superstition, thou Idolater, thou Papist, that canst not come to the great God without a false Mediator, through a fear and shiness, I have no comfort for thee; only that I know not how merciful God may be to an erroneous Conscience, whenas the persons otherwise (setting aside their error) are sincere and cordial in their obedience, and hold the Head, that is, Christ, as the Apostles phrase is, 2 Col. 19  
Again, for them that are superstitious in the last and lowest, though (I should think) properest notion of the Word, and are grossly so, I take it as a very shrewd sign of a Spirit of Bondage, and Legality predominant, not only for this reason, that they plainly discover themselves to be very ignorant of the Gospel, by which all the Ceremonial Law was at once laid aside, and no other substituted by the Apostles, nor (as I should think) left to be invented by their corrupter successors; but for that other reason which I mentioned, for that such men that are so much for invented Ceremonies, which I reckon superstitious, are not only de facto, strangers to a Spirit of Prayer, (which is all one with the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.16. Gal. 4.6.) but must needs set upon the inventing or embraciag these superstitions, for that they think certainly the great God observes as much the little circumstances (which are not indeed to be despised) as the substance of every action; and that if you are not mighty exact in every punctilio, the Lord will not accept the most sincere devotion; and hence they came to serve out every action with so much pomp and ceremony as must needs hinder the performance of some other necessary duties, besides that the inventions are many times sinful in themselves: Or else there must be another reason of these superstitious inventions, which Mr. Smith suggests, and thereby methinks, brings down his high notion of Superstition somewhat towards this last that we have given; his words are, That superstitious men think, though God is apt to be angry, yet that he is easily to be appeased again by some FLATTERING DEVOTIONS, especially if performed with sanctimonious shows, and a solemn sadness of mind; and therefore (saith he) Superstition will always abound in these things, whereby this Deity of their own, made after the similitude of men, may be most gratified, slasishly crouching to it: And then quotes Plutarch taxing the Jews with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their wallowings in the dust, tumblings in the mire, prosternations, uncouth gestures, and strange rites of worship; the very things which we call Superstition, bowing to the high Altar, etc. And again he tells us, That this root of Superstition diversely brancheth forth itself sometimes into poedantical rites, and idle observations of things and times: What is it that the lave ages have called Superstition, but this, which here Mr. Smith acknowledgeth to be the effects or branches of Superstition?  
But to let pass this criterion of Superstition, as to the word, but yet retaining the thing intended by it, which is an over-timorous fear of God, we may find out predominant Legality by this that follows: Art thou engaged in the service of God ONLY through the fear of Hell? What sayest thou to that Scripture, The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites: Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burn? Isa. 33.14. Not as if this principle were in itself unlawful; no, it is a Gospel-principle; and the Apostle Paul himself, (as I have showed) makes use of it, when he says, I beat down my body, lest after I have preached the Gospel to others, I myself should be a castaway: But the Apostle Paul had other principles in conjunction with it; The love of Christ constraineth us, (saith he) 2 Cor. 5.14.  
I shown before, that fear of Hell, acting for the reward, or from a principle of natural conscience, these are not Legal principles in themselves, and in their own nature; so that he that acts by them, should be far judged to be Legal; but only, they are such as may want the company of other principles not to make themselves pass for Evangelical, but to make the person that acts by them, enough Evangelical; they are a lower sort of good principles, which, let them have as great influence as they will, can do no hurt; only there must be somewhat more, ask showed above; and indeed here is the proper place to show the necessity of some further principle; and I accordingly promised in that particular to show it in this. Now I suppose this is is the great reason why there is need of a further principle besides those three, for that a man may act by all those three principles, and yet be under a Spirit of Bondage. Now there must be some principle to free the soul from this bondage, or else the soul can never serve God acceptably: This Principle must be Love; Perfect love casteth out fear; first, all slavish fear of God, than the fear of men; he that feareth, is not made perfect in love: Look to what degree the love of God is in the soul, to such degree is the slavish fear of God, and the cowardly fear of men abated.  
But yet take two cautions in examining thyself by this Character, as to predominant Legality. 1. Be not too rash in concluding thou hast no love to God. 2. If thou thinkest thou hast reason to conclude that hitherto thou hast no other principle of action towards God, but those three, which do not necessarily exclude a spirit of Bondage; yet be not discouraged as to the future; thou mayest have a further principle; thou art in the fairest way towards it that any other is; A spirit of Bondage is far better than a profane spirit: Many Divines hold (and I think rightly) that the Lord in the work of Conversion, doth usually lead men through a spirit of bondage, into a spirit of adoption; though thou shouldst be at present (as to thy state) under the Law, yet the Law is a Schoolmaster unto Christ: And Mr. Smith in that so often quoted Discourse of Superstition, tells us, after having quoted that very place in Isa. 33. The sinners in Zion are afraid; who shall dwell with the devouring fire? as an argument of men under the power of Superstition: though I should not dislike (saith he) these dreadful and astonishing thoughts of future torment, which I doubt GOOD MEN may have cause to press home upon their own spirits, whilst they find INGENUITY less active. Thou seest there may be good use of such principles even in good men, therefore they are not bad in thee.  
But I come to the discovery of partial Legaity, or the mixtures of Legality which may be found in the service and spirits of good men, from this Character. And this is indeed the Character by which the Legality of good men is usually discovered, There are many Saints (as I have intimated already several times) who, though they walk very exactly, are not conscious to themselves of living in any known sin; nay, it is known by all that know them intimately, that they are very strict in their lives, yet these are still in doubts and fears touching their condition; they are sorely afraid that the Lord is angry and displeased with them; though they have no reason from the Scriptures, or from the judgement of other Christians and Ministers, nor from any revelation within them, but only through Satan's temptations: Now these men cannot gather their fears from any other occasion or reason, then from their unreasonable conceptions, their over-timorous and dreadful apprehensions of God. They have some secret fears and doubts of his goodness, that he will never be pleased, though they make their way never so perfect before him; though they humble themselves, though they acknowledge their vileness in never so great debasements and abhorrencies of themselves. The truth is, they are secretly afraid, and it must be so (or else their jealousies must be without so much as the least show of reason) that they shall never please God, unless they keep the Law to a tittle; and what is Legality if this be not? that is, they think so at some times (and this occasions their fears and doubts) not that they think so always, for if they should think so always, they were perfect legalists. Or else if they do not think so high as this, that they must keep the whole law, yet they think at least, that they must do some very great thing which is beyond their strength; And so accordingly for instance, they think they must do so many duties in a day, let what business come that can come; and they must do it so well, be they in never so ill a temper or frame of heart, (not as if our ill temper excuseth the ill performance of an action, where that distemper is brought upon us by ourselves) and that they perhaps must do as much, when they are sick, as when they are well; that though they be weak in grace, or weak in parts, that yet they must do as much as those that are strong in both. All this now, together with the fears and troubles that attend these thoughts, I call Legality; and it proceeds from a false and over-timorous apprehension of the Deity. And they are not enough sensible, that the condition of man is altered from perfect to imperfect; nor that the terms betwixt the great God and his creature Man are altered from Legal to Evangelical: And I say once for all, he that thinks God requires any thing of the Creature above its strength; nay beyond what the creature can (through the grace of God) well and comfortably perform, is a legalist, and under the spirit of bondage so far. That is certainly a general Gospel-maxime, though made use of upon a particular occasion of contribution to the necessity of the Saints, which we have 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. And nothing is plainer in the Scripture than this, That the Lord will proceed in his taking account of us according to the proportion of Talents that he put into our hands. As many as have sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law; and as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law, Rom. 2.12. The Lord will not expect more than four talents from him to whom he gave but two, nor more than two from him to whom he gave but one, Matth. 25. ver. 14, 15, 20, 21, 22. and from the same person sick he expects not the same that he doth from him when he is in health; nor from a married man the same, as to acts of devotion, that he doth from the unmarried Person, 1 Cor. 7.32.33.  
Now this I dare not let pass without these cautions. 1. That I have delivered this only for the comfort of those that are apt to accuse and censure themselves unreasonably; not for any loose-principled people, who are ready to say, They do all they can, and God is merciful. 2. That this Doctrine, that God proceeds according to the proportions of talents entrusted with us, is not more comfortable to some, than terrible to others. You that have great parts, and great opportunities, cannot be saved with the same improvements that others may; if he that had five talents, had brought in but six or seven to his Master, he could no more have entered into the joy of his Lord, than he that laid up his one talon in a Napkin, Matt. 25.20, 21. Or at least he should enter difficultly, and with great loss, 1 Cor. 3.15.  
Now as there may be these unreasonable fears and doubts about their ESTATE in the hearts of the Saints, which is so much of a spirit of bondage, for that all unreasonable fears of God are the effects and univocal proper productions of a spirit of bondage: I say, as there may be these fears as to their state and condition, so there may be as to PARTICULAR ACTIONS, an absurd fear that we may not do them, and a guilt after we have done them, when indeed they were lawful to be done; which usually argues a spirit of bondage, and so a legal spirit in these actions: Yet I will acknowledge, that to do actions, though lawful, with a doubting mind makes them sins, and may justly affect us with a guiltiness. But many times one does an action freely, and without doubting, and afterwards with a scrupulosity reflects upon the action, and then hath a fear and a guilt: Now I say, if this action upon which we reflect thus, was a lawful action, then is our guilt and fear which we have impressed upon us, an argument of Legality, or a Spirit of Bondage, for the reason above given.  
But yet there is something more to be said as to the clearing of this matter; for I will not dare to call all cautious, wary proceeding, in searchingout what may, or may not be the will of God, and my duty in such or such an action, to call call this Legality, and the effect of a spirit of bondage: God forbidden! this were Doctrine for a Ranter to vent, not for any sober person. But this is that which I affirm, That we ought to inquire faithfully and seriously what may be our duty, and what may be our liberty in such or such an action, before we adventure upon it; and if we cannot understand such a thing to be our liberty, as for instance, to take usury-money, to take an oath, etc. we ought not to do it; but yet I say, (and that is the chief thing I intent in this particular) that if we determine against our own liberty, it not only argues a weakness of judgement, but usually a spirit of bondage, for that our very determination proceeds from a false opinion, and an over-timorous apprehension of God: We think that he will not allow his servants such liberties as indeed he doth; we think him an hard Master, as it is Matth. 24.25.  
There are some men whom I dare not but think good men, that yet think a Christian, a Saint of God, should be so exact, so circumspect in things that are of no consideration; so superstitious (I may say) in gestures, habits, language, as if a Christian, when once such, were not to converse with other men, but must go out of the world, as the Apostles phrase is, speaking in such a case as this, 1 Cor. 5.9, 10. And these men I make no doubt, have done much prejudice to Religion by their great reservedness and narrowness of principles, which I shall take liberty here to call Legality, and a spirit of bondage, for that it usually proceeds from a wrong apprehension of God, as if he were hard and austere, and cruel to his creatures. And this narrowness of spirit and scrupulosity, hath been a common and powerful principle in people, so long, till at last it hath issued out in a party and faction amongst us; and it is (as I conceive) one of the most considerable ingredients in their Religion whom we call Quakers.  
I have done with this third Character: I come now to a fourth, which is this:  
A Legal spirit is a persecuting spirit, and that especially of those that are the true Gospel-Saints and Worshippers of God; I shall presently give my Scripture for this, it is in Gal. 4.28, 29. Now we, Brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the promise; but as then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. He that is born after the flesh was the son of the Bond woman, from Mount Sinai, for justification by works, as all the Allegory will witness, especially ver. 23. he that is born after the spirit, is the son of the promise, that rests upon the promise in the Gospel-way for Justification. Now as there have always been from the beginning these two seeds, these two sorts of Worshippers; so there was always an enmity between them; and they that are after the flesh, and for the Law, always persecuted them that are for the Gospel; those that are for the Law, are full of persecuting principles against all that differ from them; they would fain have all forced to be of their way; but yet their persecution is most fiercely directed against the true Worshippers; they cannot endure that they should live upon the face of the earth.  
Cain was a right legalist; he brings of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord; but never minds with what heart he offers it; yet takes it for granted that God would accept of it, and like it very well: And when he finds that his offering is not accepted, and that his younger Brother's , he cannot bear it, he hates his Brother, and longs for the blood of his Brother; and wherefore flew he him? saith the Scripture; Alas! for no other reason is the answer made in the same place, but for that his own works were evil, and rejected, and his Brothers righteous and accepted, 1 John 3.12. not that his Brother had done him the least wrong imaginable.  
Wherefore did Ishmael (the son of the bondwoman) persecute Isaac, (which persecution we find not to be other than scoffing at him, Gen. 21.9.) but only because he was the son of the promise? mocking him perhaps with some such taunt as this, There goes a young Puritan, a young Precisian, the Son of the promise.  
But come we down to the New-Testament; and who (there) are the great persecutors of our Saviour and his Apostles, but the Jews? yet who greater legalists than they? They at Lystra that would have worshipped Paul and Barnabus for gods to day, are by to morrow persuaded by some Jews that came down thither from Antioch and Iconium, to stone them, Acts 14.11.19. They were the Jews who were so zealous for the Law, that cried out against Paul, Away with such a fellow from the earth, it is not fit that he should live, Acts 22.22. Might not he justly therefore, as he doth, (not by way of revenge, but of right appellation) call them Dogs, Phil. 3.2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision; those that yet have their great confidences in the flesh, ver. 3.4. And as it was then in Abraham's time, and in the Apostles days, so it is now; they that are for Ceremonies and Superstitions, or merely for an external way of serving God, cannot endure the true spiritual Worshippers.  
I shall now in a word endeavour to show how this spirit of persecution proceeds from their Legality; not that the Law teacheth them any such thing directly; but that the corruption of their spirits incited occasionally from the Law, puts them upon it. Now I suppose it comes to pass thus, that seeing they are in such a way of serving God, as brings them in no true peace, but puts the most of them into great horrors, fears, and troubles of spirit, as is manifested in the former particular, and indeed into a secret hatred of God; they cannot vent their hatred against God directly, that would be too gross; and therefore they find out some pretence or other of venting it against his truest and most faithful servants: They'll accuse them of being too strict, that they are the troublers of their Israel, as Elijah was accused by Ahab. 1 King. 18.17. though indeed Elijah there sets the Saddle upon the right Horse, (as the proverb is) when he tells Ahab, ver. 10. I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's House, in that ye have forfaken the Commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. So was his successor Elisha served by the King of Israel in his time, 2 King. 6. where is a most pertinent story to this purpose, which I hav● somewhat touched at above. There was indeed a sore Famine in Samaria, perhaps upon the prayer of Elisha (as before there was upon the prayer of Elijah, as appears from 1 King. 18.1. compared with James 5.17, 18.) or at least the King of Israel suspected that he was the cause of it, and upon this bears him a grudge; but yet Elisha promising, or giving some hopes at least that there should be a plenty in some very short time (as Commentators say) the King thinks fit to wait a while, which he in the 33. ver. calls waiting on the Lord; and he waits with some signs of humiliation; for it is said, ver. 30 that at the story of the woman's eating her child, he rend his , and the people looked, and behold he had sackcloth within upon his flesh: And he hath some Religious words for those that came to make their complaint to him, ver. 26.27. Then cried a woman unto him saying, Help my Lord, O King; And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? Hitherto all things look pretty well; but alas! this was all but an external religiousness, an external humiliation, like that of wicked Ahab; Seest thou Ahab humbleth himself? And therefore this King's forced patience hath an end, and he breaks out into the highest impatience against God; and where hath it its chiefest vent? Why in persecuting the Prophet Elisha: God do so to me (saith he) and more also, if the Head of Elisha the son of Shaphat, shall stand on him this day; and he senta man from before him to be the Executioner, whom Elisha calls the son of a murderer, ver. 31, 32. Now alas, what an absurd and impertinent revenge was this? For suppose Elisha had prayed for this punishment of Famine upon the wicked Samaritans, what reason had this foolish falsly-religious Wretch to think that there was any salt in Elisha? Can he bind up the clouds from raining? Or would the Lord have answered a Prayer which had been guilty of cruelty and inhumanity? It was God who had sent the Famine, not Elisha; yea this wicked Prince acknowledged so much, This evil is of the Lord, saith he, ver. 33. but here is the my sterie of this iniquity, he could not revenge himself upon Heaven; and therefore he lets out his rage upon the best man that was upon earth.  
All legal Worshippers have at the bottom of their heart a deep hatred against God and his people.  
In the last place, there is in the heart of every legalist a spirit of envy and emulation. They are all sensible more or less, at one time or another, that they are not acceptable to God, and that these Puritans, these holy men are; and therefore they cannot endure them, they envy them for their greatest excellencies, and for that they are the favourites of heaven; and they cannot endure, that seeing they take so much pains as they do in their wrong way (as indeed many of them are at great cost and pains in their way) they cannot endure that any should be preferred before them. legalists and Spiritual Worshippers are (as I may say) Rivals for the favour of God. Now the spiritual Worshippers take the right way, the legalists take the wrong way to obtain it; therefore the first ●●e received, the latter are rejected and cast out: What saith the Scriptures? Cast out the bondwoman and her son— Now there can be no greater ●ud than that which is between Rivals. This was the very case bet wixt Cain and Abel, which I have several times explained. And Cain (as I have said) had no other quarrel against Abel, but for that God accepted of his offering.  
But now whereas a legal spirit is thus wrathful, revengeful, envious; and murderous, the Spirit of the Gospel, and of all Saints, so far as they are baptised into a Gospel-spirit, is a micable, peaceable, meek, gentle, and easy to be entreated, James 3.17. Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings, murders, are all fruits of the flesh, and of those that are BORN AFTER THE FLESH; but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, LONG-SUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS; What excellent virtues are these for humane Society! The legalist he cries, It is not fit to suffer such Wretches to live; away with such an Heretic from the earth. Now for the Gospel-spirited man, he could wish indeed St. Paul's wish in Acts 26.29. I would to God (saith he) that not only thou, but all that hear me this day, were not only almost, but altogether such as I am, except these Bonds; he doth not wish them his Bonds, that was his GOODNESS, that last Gospel-virtue mentioned; but he wisheth that all his persecutors were of his persuasion; so doth every good man; else he could not be a friend to the truth that he professeth: But how to make them such, he pretends to no other means but earnest prayers, strong arguments, and meek persuasions. Thou almo●● persuadest me to be a Christian, saith Agrippa; I would to God I could do it altogether, saith St. Paul.  
And when he comes to deal with his legal-Galathians, first he useth the strongest arguments that can be to convince them; afterwards the kindest appellations, and sweetest infinuations to get an interest in their affections: I have spoken to the arguments at large, the appellations and insinuations I might insist upon, such as these; Brethren, I beseech you be as I am, for I am as you are, ye have not injured me at all; ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first, and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus, chap. 4. ver. 12, 13, 14, 15. & ver. 19 My little children, of whom I travel in birth again, until Christ be form in you, I desire to be present with you, etc.  
And as St. Paul practised, so he advised Timothy to do, in dealing with men of a contrary persuasion to him; yea, with such as opposed themselves to him, 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. IN MEEKNESS INSTRUCTING THEM WHO OPPOSE THE MSELVES; if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And so he adviseth his Philippians, Chap. 3.15, 16. Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  
The application is only this: So far as any are of a persecuting spirit, so far they are Legal; and I fear there are great mixtures of this in the hearts of many good men; but I dare make this guess concerning them, that when they have well smarted (themselves) by impositions and persecutions for their consciences, they will be hearty glad of a TOLERATION, which yet they would not have allowed to others, if they had had the power in their own hand; and I fear they will feel the smart as much as any sort of men, (and perhaps more) for all that are good shall be sure to feel the sting of the Serpent; and those most especially that stand next him, hoping to make some accommodation, but yet are true enemies to him. I have done with this fourth Character.  
I have one more considerable Character to add unto the former; but before I proceed to the mention of it, I shall add some few quotations out of Dr. Moor, and Mr. Smith of Cambridge, for confirmation of those things that I have asserted as Characters, because I am loath to goalone without some testimony from others, in such a considerable subject as I have here adventured (through the assistance of God) to treat upon. Dr. Moor in his Mystery of Godliness, I●● 9 cap. 7. pag. 470. tells us, That a MERE legalist is even a stranger to those things he pra●●ses and imitates under the Law, 
Upon the 〈◊〉 Character that the service of the legalist consists only in extemals  and acts so as a Pa●●● speaks, by external imitation, not from a due inwa●● faculty: and so again in the same pag. The Law (says he) not giving life, there is no principle of life and natural genuine compliance of the soul of man wi●● the SPIRITUALITY of the Law under the first Covenant. Now if it cannot reach the spirituality o● the Law, its service must consist only in external conformities: I shall produce somewhat 〈◊〉 the like nature out of Mr. Smith of Cambridge, in that Discourse of his of the difference betwixt a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness, he hath these words; That Righteousness of Faith which the Apostle sets up against the Law, and compare with it, is indeed in its own nature a VITAL and SPIRITUAL Administration, wherein God converseth with men; whereas the Law was merely an EXTERNAL or dead thing in itself, not able to beget any true Divine Life in the souls of men. All that LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Jews boasted so much of, was but from the earth, earthly; consisting MERELY IN EXTERNAL PERFORMANCES, and so falling extremely short of that internal and Godlike frame of spirit which is necessary for a true conjunction and union with God, etc. Again in the same Discourse he tells us, That the most proper and formal difference between the Law and the Gospel, is this, That the one is considered only as an external Administration, and the other as an internal; and that therefore the Apostle calls the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Ministration of the Letter; but on the other side he calls the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Ministration of the Spirit. Once more in the same fourth chapter, p. 323. Under the old Covenant, 
This reaches the first and third characters.  and in the time of the Law, there were amongst the Jews some that were Evangelized, that were re non nomine Christiani, as under the Gospel there are many that do Judaize, are of as LEGAL and SERVILE SPIRITS as the Jews, children of the Bondwoman, resting in mere external observances of Religion, in an outward seeming purity, in a form of godliness, as did the Scribes and Pharisees of old.  
Another out of Doctor Moor his Mystery of Godliness, pag. 387. The holiness of the Gospel is far transcending the holiness of either the ancient or MODERN SCRIBES and PHARISEES, and Zelotical Ceremonialists; for all outward Ceremonies of time, and place, of gestures, or vestments, rites, or orders, they are all but signs and shows, but the body is Christ.  
Some passages out of Mr. Smith's Discourse of the shortness of a Pharisaical Righteousness, 
That Love is an absolutely necessary principle of Gospel-obedience.  to show that love is absolutely necessary to a Gospel-spirit; pag. 364. saith he, The spirit of true Religion is of a free, noble, ingenuous, and generous nature, arising out of the warm beams of the Divine Love, which first hatched it, and brought it forth; and therefore it is afterwards perpetually bathing itself in that sweetest love that first begot it, and is always refreshed and nourished by it. This Love casteth out fear, fear which hath torment in it, and is therefore more apt to chase away souls once wound●● with it from God, rather than to allure them to God, with much more to the same purpose.  
One more out of the learned Doctor, concerning the last Character mentioned, 
Upon the fourth Character.  viz. a spirit of Persecution, and it is this; That Ishmael, Hagar's son, had his hand against every man: Upon which he quotes a descant of Philo. that it might signify thus much, That the legalist is a great and fierce Disputer upon the Letter, a notable Polemical Divine; and his ignorance and untamedness of his carnal heart, makes him very hold and troublesome. I shall need transcribe no more; but if the proof of these Propositions, that the legalist is for● external conformities only in the service of God; that he hath aflat and dead spirit in his service; that he is proud and conceited, and yet under a spirit of Bondage, etc. I say, if the proof of these rested upon authority, I might be furnished with abundant testimonies out of these Authors, and I shall name no more: hitherto therefore it is evident that I go not alone, either in words, or matter and design.  
I proceed now to speak to the last character, 
The last Character.  which is this: A man is so far Legal, as he is affectedly ignorant of Christ, or acts to God without Christ in the days of the Gospel, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9 when the Apostle had there reckoned up his external fleshly privileges (which if he would have had a trust and confidence in the flesh, he might have boasted of with any Pharisee of them all) these (saith he) were once gain to me; I accounted them my riches, and my treasure; but now, What things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ: yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, NOT HAVING MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW, but THAT WHICH IS THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, the righteousness which is of God by Faith. That I may know him, etc. This which I have produced is evidently to the purpose: for that the Apostle is opposing the two righteousnesses, of the Law and Faith; and the righteousness which is of God by Faith is all one with the righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ; and therefore that which he presseth forward unto, is to be found in him, and to know him in the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto him in his death, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.  
But here I will mark (before I go any further) that there is an inseparable connexion betwixt the righteousness of Faith, 
There is an inseparable connexion betwixt the righteousness of Faith, and true holiness.  and the righteousness of Sanctification; nay, they seem in this place to be put one for the other; for when the Apostle interprets his own expressions of counting all things loss and dung that he may win Christ, and that he may be sound in him not having his own righteousness, which is of the Law; he speaks it in words that signify sanctification immediately and properly; But which is (saith he) through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith: What is that? it follows; that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death: These are expressions of sanctification; so it follows, ver. 11. If by any means I might obtain to the resurrection of the dead: Which is the highest expression of Sanctification in the whole Scripture, or at least one of the highest; and so to the same purpose it follows ver. 12, 13, 14, 15. 
* Unless, we will say that the Apostle speaks of Justification in the 7, 8 9 verand then, without any formal transition, passes on to speak of sanctification in the following verses.  Not but that there must still be a proper difference held betwixt Justification and Sanctification, for they have proper, different notions and conceptions: Justification is an act of God without us; Sanctification is an act of the Spirit within us: Sanctification denominates the Person good; Justification denominates the person accepted and wellpleasing to God. But for any contradiction that there should be in this, to say that the same inward holiness which is called our Sanctification, may be the very condition of our Justification, I profess I know of none; not that I affirm that it is so, for indeed I am somewhat shy of affirming in those very words, though I shall afterwards have occasion to say something to the like purpose; but if I should, I were not alone in the opinion, those two Authors  would abundantly supply me with testimonies; for they frequently and strenuously assert, That the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH, mentioned so often in Paul's Epistles, is only an INTERNAL HOLINESS; for which I shall give you several quotations out of them, and so proceed.  
Mr. Smith in his discourse of the difference betwixt the Old and New Covenant, he comes to speak unto this very Scripture, Phil. 3. Where, saith he, The Apostle amongst his other Jewish privileges, having reckoned up his blamelesness in all points touching the Law, he undervalues them all, and counts all but loss, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus: in which place the Apostle doth not mean to disparage a real inward righteousness, and the strict observance of the Law; but his meaning is to show how poor and worthless a thing all outward observances of the Law are in comparison of a true internal conformity to Christ, in the renovation of the mind and soul according to his image and likeness, as is manifest from ver. 9 10, etc. in which he thus delivers his own meaning of the knowledge of Christ, which he so much extolled, very emphatically: That I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law; but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith. Where by the way we may further take notice, what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the righteousness of Faith, and the righteousness of God is according to his own true meaning, as he expounds himself; viz. A CHRIST-LIKE NATURE IN A MAN'S SOUL; or, Christ appearing in the minds of men, by the mighty power of his divine Spirit, and thereby deriving a true participation of himself to them; so we have it ver. 10. That I may know the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death: So far Mr. Smith.  
I shall give now the same observation out of Dr. More, and so proceed. Pag. 387. of his Mystery of Godliness, It is plain (saith he) from the constant scope of the Apostle both in his Epistle to the Gal. and every where else in extolling the righteousness of Faith, that he does not vilify true virtue and morality, but drives at an higher pitch and perfection thereof, and that the righteousness of Faith which he prefers to the righteousness of works IS NOT BY WAY OF EXCLUSION OF GOOD WORKS OUT OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH, but of urging us to exacter and more perfect works of righteousness than could be performed under the dispensation of the Law. And in pag. 379, where the Doctor professeth to explain the great term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he tells us, That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any virtue or goodness in a man whatsoever, and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing else but to be approved as a good man; or, A doer of what is righteous and good, and that BECAUSE he doth that which is good and righteous.  
Having made this great observation, of which I shall make more use anon. I shall proceed with my Character; That an affected ignorance of Christ, is an infallible Character of a Legal Spirit. I have given a Scripture for it, viz. Phil. 3.7.8. to the 15. upon which I have so long insisted; I shall give now the reason of it, which is this: For that all pardon of sins (which is the greatest thing in Gospel-justification) was ever by virtue of the death of Christ. All the symbolical and vailed-Gospel of the old Testament pointed (though darkly) unto Christ: The rock in the Wilderness was Christ, the Serpent was Christ, the Manna was Christ, the Scape-Goat was Christ, the Paschal Lamb was Christ; and in the fullness of time Grace and the Truth (of these types) came by Jesus Christ. Therefore those that are affectedly ignorant of Christ, are affectedly ignorant of all that looked like Gospel, and so of Gospel-Grace itself; & nothing can be a plainer argument of Legality than this. And indeed we may almost adventure to say, That most men so far as they are ignorant of Christ in these days of the Gospel, they are affectedly ignorant.  
I deferred this Character till the last, because I would first put all those Characters together, in which the faith of all the Old-Testament-believers and ours did agree. All the Old-Testament Saints were more for spiritual heart-worship, than for the externals of Religion; they were all in their degree humble and patiented; they were all in their degree quick, lively and vigorous; they had all a spirit of adoption in their measure; they were all of a sweet, meek, and kind heart and spirit, not of a persecuting principle; but I cannot say they all knew Christ in his death, resurrection, ascension and intercession; nay, I should lie if I should say it; these things are peculiar to faith under the days of the Gospel; St. Peter and the other Apostles were all ignorant of these things, Luke 18. from verse 31. to 35.  
Now I shall show briefly the peculiar additionals of a Gospel-faith, or rather a New-Testament Faith, without which, ours cannot be Evangelical enough, and so not justifying and saving: And without performing this part of my Work, I should be guilty of a great absurdity for taking up so many pages in describing the Faith of the Old-Testament Saints, or of justifying-faith, which was common to us and them, and in the mean time to pass by that which is proper to ourselves, and as necessary as any thing which hath been spoken to.  
I affirm therefore, that we are to know and believe in Christ, as the PROCURING CAUSE of all our mercies, and the DISPENSER of all good things to us; These are the two great things which we are to know and believe concerning Christ; to which we must add the meditation & imitation of our Saviour, as a pattern in his Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension; in all which our Faith hath a great usefulness and necessity; and unless our Faith hath a great and very considerable respect unto Christ in all these three particulars, we cannot justly put on the name of Christians.  
That old Faith of Abraham and all the Saints of the Old-Testament, which St. Paul disputes for, and proves they were justified by it, hath now a further Name, and is called the Christian Faith, having taken up that great Object Christ, more explicitly and plainly then ever they received it. I shall say somewhat, (but as briefly as I may) unto all the three generals, wherein our Faith is now necessarily to eye Jesus Christ, that it may be of a right Gospel strain.  
1. 
We must believe in Christ as the great procuring cause of all our mercies. 1. By his blood and offering.  Therefore a right New-Testament Faith eyes Christ as the procuring-cause of all our mercies, and this in two respects, viz. by his offering up himself a sacrifice, and by his intercessions. 1. By his dying for us, and offering up himself, he hath bought us, Ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6 20. Thou hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood, Rev. 5.9. His blood was the price of our redemption; by shedding of this, and offering it up to God, he became a propitiation for our sins, and we ourselves are the purchase of this Price. Acts 20.28.— The Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. We are purchased and redeemed from the world, Gal. 1.4. From our vain Conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Yea, Heaven itself is purchased by his blood for us; for I doubt not but that is it which is called the purchased possession, Eph. 1.14. Now see if we have not reason, nay if there be not absolute necessity (if we would be right Christians) to know Christ, and believe in him, as the procuring-cause of all our Mercies, and that by his Death, and Blood, and offering himself; He hath by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified, Heb. 10.14.  
Now our Faith as it eyes thus the death of Christ, is called faith in his blood; and Justification follows upon this Faith only, Rom. 3.24, 25. Being justified freely by his Grace, THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, Rom. 5.8, 9 But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more than BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath to come. I shall mention no more Scriptures to prove that Christ is the procuring-cause of all our mercies by his death and blood; only I shall describe what this faith in his blood is; and I shall express it thus: It is a judging the death and offering of Christ (either upon the Cross, or in the holy of holies, into which he entered by his own blood, Heb. 9.12.) to be the great propitiation of God (who without this offering had decreed no● to pardon sins) by which he became propitious and appeased, and for it receives all true penitents into his favour; that is, for the judgement or assent of faith to the dogmatical truth in this matter, then for its affiance, faith in the blood of Christ, it is a not doubting but whilst I have the Gospel-condition of Justification (what ever it be) this blood will procure my pardon; or thus, in the way of holiness to rest upon God for pardon, for the sake of Christ's bloodshedding, and offering it to God. Now this faith in the blood of Christ I look upon as an essential branch of a New-Testament-faith.  

2ly His Intercession.  Secondly we are to look upon Christ as the procuring cause of all our mercies by his intercessions, whereby he reaps the benefit of the purchase of his blood. His Blood was the foundation of all his Intercession, and his Intercession is as the harvest to that seedtime, when he sowed in tears of blood. He entered into the holy of holies by his own blood; if he had not had that blood with him, I conceive there had been no entrance for him there as a Priest; but now that he is there entered and entertained as an Highpriest for ever, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Heb. 7.25. We are to look upon him as the great procuring-cause of all our mercies by his intercessions: If when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the DEATH of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his LIFE, Rom 5.10. 1 John 2.1. My little children, these things writ I unto you, that ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, (HE IS to this very day, upon occasion of any failing of the Saints, he interposeth to make God propitious to them, and not only to them, saith the Apostle) not only for our sins, who are the Saints of God, but for the sins of the whole world: He doth now, as he did at his death, and first entering into Heaven, (though not in the same form of offering, which was but ONCE) make use of his blood with his Father, to prevail with him, that he may be ready to pardon, and receive into favour all that come unto God by him; all that are come in upon any of their failings, and all that shall come in with unfeigned repentance for their wicked lives past.  
And as I shown in the former particular of his death and blood, that he did not only procure pardon of sin by it, but redeemed us from our vain conversation, and purchased heaven itself for us; so in this particular I might show, that he doth not only procure pardon of sins for us by his intercession, as our Advocate, but every thing else that we stand in need of: I am going to my Father, saith our Saviour when he was leaving the World) and there I will povide Mansions for you; and whatsoever ye ask the Fther in my Name, I will do it, Joh. 14.2, 3, 13. Thus therefore our Faith, if we would have it a right New-Testament Faith, must eye Christ in his intercession; and whatever we desire of God, we must ask it in his Name, and then believe that Christ as an Advocate with the Father, will take the care of it. So much for the first Head, or general Rule of a New-Testament-Faith: We are to eye Christ as the great procuring cause of all our mercies.  
2dly, 
2 Gospel-faith eyes Christ as the great dispenser of all good things to us.  We are to look upon Christ as the great Dispenser of all our good things to us. Our Saviour Christ hath the distribution & disposal of all things committed to him, as Joseph had in Egypt: The Father judgeth no man, but all judgement is committed by the Father to the Son, John 5.22. Jesus Christ is not only represented unto us in the Scripture, as standing at the right hand of God, Act. 5.55, 56. which may signify his Advocatship and Priestly Office, but much oftener as sitting at the right hand of God, which is a sign of his Kingly Office and Authority; for this see Heb. 10, 11, 12, 13. where sitting is opposed to standing, as Majesty is to Ministering. And every Priest STANDETH daily, MINISTERING, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one Sacrisice for sins for ever, SAT DOWN at the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his footstool. Our Saviour obtained of his Father by his death and offering, not only that sinners might be pardoned, but that he might have the gift of pardon, yea, and of repentance too, which is as great a gift as pardon itself, Acts 5.30, 31, 32. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and sorgiveness of sins; and we are his witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him. In a word, Christ hath all power both in heaven and in earth: So our Saviour came and told his Disciples after he was risen, Matth. 28.18, 19 Jesus came, and spoke unto them (the eleven) saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: Go ye THEREFORE, and teach all Nations. This is the form of the Commission which makes an Apostle (I have received power, therefore go teach) they are not the Apostles of God immediately, but of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, 1 Cor. 1.1. 2 Cor. 1.1. Eph. 1.1.  
To instance in the several branches of this power in heaven and earth, would be too much for me in this place; there is the power of pardoning sins, raising the dead, judging the world, destroying the wicked: These, with many other, I could prove by plain Scripture to be all deposited and be-trusted in the hand of Jesus Christ.  
Now what is the Faith that belongs to Christ as the Dispenser of all good things to us? (for that is my proper business to inquire after) Why, even the Faith that we place in God the Father: This Christ taught his Disciples when he was about to leave them, Joh. 14.1. Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me: As much as to say, Ye have been used hitherto (by your Old-Testament-Faith) to believe in God, and you have found comfort and support in it, and yet you do not see that God you believe in: Why so now for myself, I am going in deed out of your sight, and at this you are troubled, but believe in me when I am out of your sight, as ye have hitherto beheved in an invisible God, and ye shall find the same comfort and support in this Faith, as ever ye found from Faith in God.  
None so common a New-Testament phrase, as believing in Christ; He that believeth in me, though he wee dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die; Joh. 11.25.26. and our Saviour there giveth a very satisfactory reason, 
The difference betwixt faith in Christ, and in God the Father  which is this, I am the resurrection and the life; therefore he that believeth on the Son, hath life, and shall have a resurrection unto lise. Our Faith ought to be the same in the person of Christ, as it is in God the Father, only with this difference, that it must not be terminated in Christ as the ultimate object of our Faith, but only as he is the Mediator and great Dispenser of all things to us by a Power derived from the Father; For this take that eminent place, 1 Pet. 1.21. Who BY HIM (that is Christ) DO BELIEVE IN GOD, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. This I do but touch upon here; it would require a large Treatise to speak unto it as the subject deserves, viz: how we are to direct our Faith and applications to Jesus Christ in a different manner then to God the Father; but this is that which I am upon, That in the general we are to six our Faith upon Christ as the great Dispenser of all good things unto us, if we would have it of a right Gospel-strain, nay if we expect to be justified by our faith; for if God set up a Mediator, a Dispenser of all his bentsits, (as Pharaoh (pardon the allusion) set up Joseph, and required that all men should go to him for what they wanted) will he (think you) take it well that you should take no notice of his Joseph, his dearly beloved, and only begotten Son? But come to himself immediately; dare you do it! Can you ever hope for acceptation in this way of addressing yourselves to God? Might you not justly fear that God will prove a consuming fire to you in in such approaches? So much for the second; general head, in which our Faith is to respect Jesus Christ.  
But 3dly, there is something more requisite yet to be done by our Faith, with respect to Christ, than merely to look upon him as the procuring-cause, and the dispensing-cause of all our mercies, if we would have it a right New-Testament-faith, or a Justifying-Faith in the days of the Gospel, our Faith must conform us unto Christ as a pattern and example: Now there is a twofold conformity unto Christ which our Faith effects, one Proper, the other Analogical; that which is proper, is to put us upon doing as he did, to be as he was, humble, meek, lowly, etc. Learn of me (saith Christ) these things, and ye shall receive rest unto your souls, Matth. 11.29. Phil. 25.6. Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, who made himself of no reputation, etc. Looking unto Jesus, who— Heb. 12.2. But then there is an Analogical conformity which Faith effects, and that is an answerableness to some things in Christ, which it is not our duty to imitate in a proper sense, as now to be conformable unto Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection; these we cannot in a proper sense be conformable unto him in, except we be hanged upon a cross till we are dead; then laid in our graves, then raised by the power of God, etc. Now these things are not our duty to go about to imitate properly, but only in some resemblance and likeness. Our Faith must bring us to the cross of Christ, and teach us the crucisixion and mortification of our old man, with the affections and lusts of it; it must bring us to the grave of Christ, and we must be there buried with him, Rom. 6.1.4. We are buried with him by baptism into death; and by this death and burial we must reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin, ver. 11. He that is dead, is sreed from sin, ver. 7. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein, ver. 2. Yea our Faith must earry us yet further beyond death and the grave, into heaven itself; we must rise with him into newness of life; For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Ver. 5. And as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Ver. 4. And we must sit together with him in heavenly places, in our affections at least. If ye be riser with Christ, seek these things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your assections on things above, not on things on the earth, for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. Faith in the days of the Gospel carries us to the example and pattern of Christ, & conforms us to it, both in a proper and Analogical conformity; so that we have something in us that bears some Analogy and likeness to every thing that is to be found in Christ.  
But because this third respect, wherein our saith eyes Jesus Christ, looks more like obedience then faith, more like sanctification, than that by which most expect justification: and seeing this is not the proper place to show how far obedience, and holiness, and good works have an influence upon Justification, I shall not insist more upon this; contenting myself with the two other respects in which faith eyes Jesus Christ, viz. As the procurer and dispenser of all good things unto us, which none can with any fair pretence deny to be necessary to our faith as justifying, in the days of the New-Covenant.  
Now to quicken, and so to end this Character, viz. That so far as we leave out Christ, we are Legal in the business of Justication; I shall represent the Reader with the example of St. Paul (which I have glanced at already) who was once highly legal, end afterwards as eminently evangelical, and that in the days of the Gospel. And I should think Solomon himself was not a fit person to give an account of the vanity of worldly comforts, than St. Paul was to acquaint us with that vanity & vexation of spirit that there is in pretended legal righteousness, as also with that perfect satisfaction which the Evangelical righteousness brings into the soul: and 'tis from him indeed, and from his Epistles (no doubt indicted by the Spirit of God) that this whole discouse hath been raised. He was as to his descent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Hebrew, born of Hebrew parents both father and mother, and of a special and beloved tribe, and circumcised the eighth day exactly according to the Law: for his profession, of the strictest sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in observation of the Law a Phaisee: for his zeal in his profession it was exceeding great, I profited (says he, Gal. 1.14.) in the Jew's Religion above many my equals in mine own nation; being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of my fathers. And there was no greater argument of his being an high Legal list than this, That he was a bitter persecutor of the way of the Gospel, as he tells us in three several Epistles, Gal. 2.13. Beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it. Phil. 3.6. concerning Zeal persecuting the Church. 1 Tim. 1.13. You have his catalogue of privileges altogether, Phil. 3.4, 5, 6, and there he makes a challenge to any Jew, any Pharisee of them all to show the same grounds and reasons of fleshly confidence and boasting that he could show for himself; If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might boast in the flesh, I MORE. Now if there had been any goodness in that way of a Pharisaical righteousuess, which S Paul with his utmost zeal pursued after, cectainly he must have found it. But as soon as ever the Lord was pleased to call him by his grace, and to REVEAL HIS SON IN HIM, Gal. 1.15, 16, he casts away all his riches and treasures of a legal righteousness, as dross, dung, and dog's-meat, not fit for children to feed upon: and what is it that he embraceth? what is it that can thus metamorphose and transpose him? what doth he see? what hath he espied in the Gospel? Why, it is Christ; a single Christ: He sells all that he had to buy this Pearl, and thinks himself made for ever if he can but compass such a purchase. Yea doubtless (saith he) I count all these but dung that I may WIN-THE-FIGHT Christ, or gain Christ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, Phil. 3.9.  
So we have seen the metamorphosis, the transformation of this man, his leaving all his Pharisaical Legal Righteousness for a single Christ, we will see a little further what use he makes of Christ now that he hath chosen him, and thus centred his soul upon him. Why, he will needs know more of him; I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, Phil. 3.8. and says he, I count them but dung that I may win Christ, and that I may know him, ver. 8.10. There are indeed all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him, as St. Paul tells us, Col. 2.3. and therefore well might he press after the knowledge of him. Again he will love him: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed, 1 Cor. 16. ver. 22. He will believe in him: I would be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through THE FAITH OF CHRIST. Lastly, he will make his glorying and boast of him, and that is the highest honour we can do to God: for men glory in that which they account their excellency; yea, St. Paul chooseth out that in Christ to glory in, which is most contemptible in the eyes of the world, and that is the cross of Christ; which shows what an high esteem he had of him: God forbidden (saith he) that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ, Gal. 6.14 And though the blind world could see nothing in this Cross that they should rejoice or glory in, yet St. Paul saw these great things in the Cross of Christ, that upon it he vanquished Principalities and Powers, Col. 2.15. that he removed all that from off us, that was contrary to us, nailing it to his cross; so that he might well say as he doth, Gal: 2.19. I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live to God; that is, through what the Law hath done to my Saviour, it hath nothing to do with me, I am dead to it, and that is dead to me. Again, see another great efficacy that St. Paul espied in the Cross of Christ, and that was, that it helped him to conquer the World; God forbidden that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ, by which the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world: No wouder therefore if he chooseth the cross of Christ to glory in. Once more we find him in another Scripture choosing his infirmities to glory in, 2 Cor. 12.5 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ's sake: And what is the reason, why not only for that these are a part of Christ's Cross, but because when these things did press him down, then did the arm of Christ support him, and the Power of Christ rest upon him. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME; for when I am weak, then am I strong; that is, with the strength which is in Christ Jesus; and therefore hedoth not only desire that he himself might thus know, love, believe, and glory in Jesus Christ, but he begs for others, that they might have a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ, Eph. 1.16, 17. It were almost an infinite Work to trace St: Paul in all the ways of his treating Christ, and using of him; take therefore one place for all, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, (saith he) nevertheless I live; that is one Riddle. I live, yet not I; there is another Riddle: But whence arise these Mysteries? Why from his conversing with, and possessing of Christ. I live; but (saith he) 'tis not I any longer; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, (the whole of my life) it is by the faith of the Son of God, (that is, Faith in the Son of God) who loved me, and gave himself for me: Paul is dead, he lives no longer; but Christ lives in Paul (if you will) and then no wonder St. Paul can do all things, as he tells us he can, when such a person lives in him, Phil. 4.12, 13. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound, every where, and in all things, I am instructed both to be full, and to the hungry; both to abound, and to suffer need; I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.  
Thus the whole of a Christians lise when he is like himself, is a life of Faith upon Christ immediately; his Flesh and Blood is his food; his Grace and Spirit is his strength; the living of Christ in him (which is a Mystical expression) is his life; For you are dead, and YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST in God, Col. 3.3. That Christian therefore that is not intimately acquainted with Christ, is so far legal: The truth of this assertion is clear from this example, for that as soon as ever St. Paul had Christ revealed in him, he left all his legal righteousness, and fastened upon Christ altogether in this manner, which we have partly declared.  
And indeed, this is the Character of Characters; all the other Characters before given, signify but little without this: It is by means of Christ's coming that we call God Father, that we are freed from that slavish fear of God, which even the Saints of the Old-Testament were under in a great measure; the Heir before was kept in fear; but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons; and because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the SPIRIT of his SON into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, Gal. 4 3, 4, 5, 6. It is by Christ's coming that we are freed from that external, fleshly way of serving God in a worldly Sanctuary, and by carnal Ordinances: It was almost impossible, whilst it was the duty of the people of God to worship God with so much ceremonial service, but they should dote too much upon those externals of worship▪ But saith our Saviour, ●he hour cometh, and NOW is; that is, in the days of the Gospel, that neither in this Mountain, nor at Jerusalem, shall men worship the Father, but in spirit and truth, John 6.21.23, and the reason was this, for that Christ was the substance of those shadows which therefore vanished at his coming.  
The truth is, the great thing that we have to mind as Christians, is the knowledge of Christ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. And I have often thought, that they who would study the Gospel aright, should endeavour to find out what there is peculiar in the Gospel, above whatever was before revealed; for they shall find that in the Gospel there is the hidden wisdom of God revealed, such mysteries of wisdom as were before hidden from ages and generations, and I believe there is no greater prejudice to the advance of knowledge in Theology, or the knowledge of God, than that it is so generally presumed, yea and assertedthat there is nothing in a manner new in the Go, spell, neither precepts nor promises; but that the Faith of the Saints in all ages was the same that it is now, only they appreheuded the same things somewhat more obscurely than we do, and so for the Precepts, that they were always the same Now this presumption will unavoidably hinder all further enquiry, and the New-Testament shall signify no more to us then the old will do; and so we shall necessarily put ourselves again under the Legal, instead of the Evangelical Administration, serving God in the OLDNESS OF THE LETTER, which is the Law; and not in the NEWNESS OF THE SPIRIT, which is the Gospel, Rom. 7.6. Whereas to any diligent and unprejudiced enquirer it will appear, that there are a thousand new things in the Gospel, and all of them referring more or less to Christ. I shall give but two Scriptures for this, and so come to the application of the character: The first is this, in Col. 1.26, 27. I am made a Minister (saith the Apostle) to fulfil the Word of God, even the Mystery which hath been hid FROM AGES AND GENEEATIONS, but NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS, to whom God would make known the riches of this Mystery amongst the Gentiles, which is, CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of Glory. Christ is all the Mystery; all the mysterious things of the Gospel are to be more or less referred to Christ. The second Scripture is Eph 3. of which I might transcribe more than half the chapter; see ver. 9 To make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been HID IN GOD, 
See Marlorat in loc.  who CREATED ALL THINGS BY JESUS CHRIST: This (saith Calvin) Non tam de prima creatione interpretari libet, quam de instauratione spirituali; circumstantia enim loci postulat ut de renovatione intelligamus, quae continetur in beneficio redemptionis: That is, This creation of all things by Jesus Christ, is not so much to be understood of the first creation of the world, as of the instauration and renovation, or new Gospel-state of things, into which God hath put them by Jesus Christ. So the next verse unavoidably carries the sense, ver. 10, 11. To the intent that NOW unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places, MIGHT BE MADE KNOWN by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord What, did not the Angels know the Mysteries of the first creation till the days of the Gospel? O● are they instructed by the Church in the Mysteries of the first Creation? Are Christians (as such) so great natural Philosophers, as that Angels may come and learn of them? The sense therefore is plainly thus; That in the days of the Gospel there is a quite new Model, and new constitution of things, by virtue of the Mediatorial Kingdom which Jesus Christ hath received of his Father; and much of this the Angels learn from the Church: Who therefore, but a rank legalist, will study Jesus Christ.  
I come now to the application of the Character. 
The application of the Character first to the discovery of partial Legality.   
And here I shall somewhat alter my method which I used in the application of the other Characters; for here I shall begin with the discovery of partial Legality, which may be found in the Saints from this Character, and afterwards come to predominant Legality from it. First of all then, Is our New-Testament-Faith to act so much upon Jesus Christ, yea upon him immediately for all things, for pardon, for strength of Grace, for temporal deliverances, & c? Then these Saints are much too blame, and greatly guilty of Legality, that go to God without Christ in any measure: If men go to God in the daves of the Gospel, and where the Gospel hath been preached 〈◊〉 for I have to do with none other at this time) I say, if such men go to God without Christ altogether, they are not Saints at all, cannot be Saints, (of these I shall speak ●non.) But there are a generation of Saints, and perhaps the greatest number, who do truly believe in Christ, that yet go to God without Christ in a great measure; they are Christians Doctrinally, but yet they are not well versed, nor practised enough in treating with Christ, and with God through Christ: but make their immediate applications to God almost in every prayer, in every act of Faith; they cannot speak in a Gospel Dialect; but are as if they were still living in the days of the Old Testament, where, that a man feared and believed in God, was his great character of Saintship. Nay, I would adventure to make this censure of hundreds of Christians, that are good and holy men; that, were it not for the doctrine of satisfaction to the Justice of God which hath an hold upon them, they do not discover wherein they have any need or use of Jesus Christ at all either as King, or Prophet of his people, though indeed they will consent unto all these things when they are preached; & therefore in charity must be conceived to have that respect unto Christ which is necessary, even in these particulars also; & I think many Ministers are greatly to blame (who are otherwise good men) in that they preach no more of Christ unto their people: That this is Legality where it is found, I think there is no need of further proof, this character sufficiently convinceth of it; yet I shall in searching out this distemper, viz. Ignorance, and neglect of Christ, both in Ministers and People, prove it to be a symptom of Legality from another character mentioned.  
And truly I cannot guests what should be the reason of this ignorance and neglect of Christ so general and common, even amongst those that are good, but from a listlesness and irksomeness to, and weariness of the ways and knowledge of God. Good people may (chance) think that they know a great deal of God already, they know enough for their converse between man and man, and for many duties of worship to God, and they find this as much as they can attend, together with their businesses and employments in the world, and so much they know of Christ that he died for their sins, and intercedes with his Father for them, and this is enough to satisfy them; what should they trouble themselves any more about any Gospel Mysteries concerning Jesus Christ, as his Mediatorial Kingdom and the like, how God the Father orders and disposes of all things by him, how they are to make their applications to him. Now this listlesness & carelessness, I made before a plain symtom of Legality; for the more Evangelical we are, the more cheerful we are in the service of God; the more attentive to, and inquisitive about any thing that he makes known to us, especially concerning Jesus Christ; every dust of this Pearl is precious.  
I come in the second place to condemn predominant Legality from this Character; 
Predominant Legality discovered from this Character 1. In the Jews.  and this will convince two or three sorts of men of predominant Legality: And first of all, to be sure this convinceth the Jews of predominant Legality, both those that were at the time of Christ's coming, and have been ever since unto this day, for that they denied then, and still deny to receive Christ at all: If they had been Evangelical under the Old-Testament, they would gladly have received Christ, who is the substance and spirit of all that Gospel which they had but darkly discovered in their dispensation. They that love the dawnings of the daylight, how much more would they be in love with the Sun of Righteousness? but because their hearts were set upon the Law before Christ came, therefore were they such enemies to Christ when he was come; and there is no clearer proof of the charge which the Apostle oftentimes draws up against them, viz. That they were legal, than this, that they are the great enemies of the cross of Christ; and the same may be all applied to the present Jews that are enemies to Christ.  
2dly, This discovers the Legality of the Modern Scribes and Pharisees, and Zelotical Ceremonialists (as Dr. Moor calls them; those that are so much for the externals of Religion in the days of the Gospel; that would set up a ceremonial Law again of their own inventing; these argue their great affected ignorance of Christ, and the Gospel, by which these shadows are certainly done away, for that the Body is come; and this I look upon as a very shrewd sign (though perhaps not absolutely concluding) of predominant Legality. But of these I have spoken largely already, and therefore shall not enlarge further about them, though they come here upon a new account to be convinced and reproved.  
Lastly, (and so I shall end my Characters as I begun them, vide pag. 117. the second observation premised to the Characters) All those that have a zeal for God in the days of the Gospel, and yet are not for a single Christ, and for the purity and simplicity of the Gospel, are legal; for that all Religion which is not the right Religion, is Legal. The Jews corrupted the Gospel by adding the observations of the Law to it: The Greeks and Philosophers destroyed the Gospel by inventions of worshipping Angels, and other voluntary humilities, Col. 2.8.18. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and NOT AFTER CHRIST, ver. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, NOT HOLDING THE HEAD; both these forts the Apostle sets himself vigorously against in several places of his Epistles. Now whosoever shall in a likeness to either Jew or Grecian Philosopher, go about to destroy the simplieity of the Gospel, or the simplicity that is in Christ, as it is called, 2 Cor. 11.3. let him have never so much zeal in his way, is legal; and the reason is this, for that whosoever goes about to establish his own righteousness, is legal, Rom. 10.1, 2, 3. Now all those that destroy the simplicity of the Gospel, & yet have a zeal for God, go to establish their own righteousness. I have now done with the Characters  
Having discharged now after a sort, these several great parts of my Work; shown first that the Law could not justify, and that yet men will needs seek Justification by the Law, and having given the description of their Legality, what it is formally in itself, as also by the several characters of a Legal Spirit, wherein it discovers that distemper which is otherwise many times unsearchable; I hold myself now to be a little at leisure to speak unto some things in general touching Justification, which I had no sitter place to speak unto, than this, and will yet (I hope) further conduce unto the clearing and explaining of the great subject that is before us.  
There may be therefore these several questions spoken to about Justification: 1. At what time or times a person is ustified, 2. For what act or acts a person is ustified. These two questions (the first of which contains several questions in it) I shall first dispatch, and then speak unto some others that will arise to be spoken to.  
The first Question is this; 
The first question about justification. At what time or times is a finner justified?  At what time or times is a sinner justified? This contains these two questions: 1. Whether or no a sinner be justified from eternity? 2. Whether (if he be only justified in time) Justification, considered as God's act, be one or more, that is, be done once for all at his strst Justification, or else repeated often upon the person justified, according to the exigency of the person.  
For the first Q. Whether Justification be from eternity, or in time?  
Now to answer and resolve this Question, 1. I should not have made this Question at all, but for that some have asserted that we are justified from Eternity; and I have heard it openly affirmed several times, that Justification is an immanent act in God, like the eternal generation of the Son. 2. Now for the actions or acts which we may conceive in Eternity, they either respect God himself or the Creatures; Those that respect himself, are such as whereby he understood, loved, and enjoyed himself; and what other soever actions or acts can be certainly ascribed unto God, with relation to his own Essence, but with relation to his creatures, no other can be conceived, but in the way of purposing and decreeing what he would be pleased to do in time; 'tis very true, what that Scripture affirms, that known unto God are all his works from the beginning of he world, Acts 15.18. that is, which he intended to work: But that God should be said to do any action adextra, that is, without himself, such as Justification is, which is terminated upon another person, without the compass of his own Essence, when yet there was nothing but himself in being, is to me a contradiction. God might indeed in the eternal counsel of his own  Will & Pleasure, PURPOSE to juscifie such and such persons after he had made them; but what is this to actual Justification? It may be as well said (in my mind) that the World was created faom eternity, because God purposed in his Eternal Counsels to create the World, as it can be said that any were justified from eternity, because God purposed from all eternity to justify them. Purpose and Decree is one thing, Acting and Performance is another. 3. I cannot understand any countenance which this opinion hath from Scripture; when the Scripture comes to speak of Justification, it expresseth itself as of an action done in time only, Rom. 4.3. What saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: Ver. 10. How was it thou reckoned? WHEN he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision; that is, in the time of his uncircumcision. Abraham is not said to have been justified from eternity, but upon his actual believing; and this actual believing was in the time of his uncircumcision. 4. Seeing justification follows only upon Faith, (as the Scripture tells us) Justification cannot be before Faith: Now Faith is only in time, therefore Justification was not in Eternity, which was before all time. I shall trouble myself with no more as to the answer of the first question, Whether Justification be in Eternity, or in Time?  
Now follows the second question; If it be in time, at what time is it? And how often is it? Once only, or oftener?  
Here are two questions more in one, 1. At what time is it? Now for answer; Seeing that the righteousness of Faith is the righteousness which God alone accepts unto Justification, therefore Justification commenceth only from the time of our believing: When was Abraham justified? Why when he believed; that therefore is the time of Justification, its beginning.  
The Question therefore now before us, is only this, Whether this one act of Justification, which presently follows upon our act of believing, serves for the justification of our persons as long as we live; or whether there be any repetition of God's act of Justification upon our persons afterwards?  
Now for answer to this, which is indeed no contemptible Quest. I say, 1. That indeed the first act of Justification (when Divine approbation comes upon us, according to the Law and Statute of the New-Covenant, Acts 13.39. That by him all that believe are justified) putsi us into a state of favour; and (if there be no intercision in the state, which the Arminians hold there may be) this first act is the great and famous act that makes us happy and blessed.  
But yet 2dly, I hold, that seeing Justification chief consists in pardoning of sins, (according to that Scripture, Acts 13.38, 39 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS FROM WHICH YE COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED by the Law of Moses) every renewed act of Pardon is a renewed act of Justification; for though the first act of God's justifying us, upon our turning to God, do acquit us from all our sins till that moment; yet every new sin brings a new guilt for which we might justly be condemned without a new act of justifying grace; and though every new sin doth not put us out of the state of justification, yet it requires a new act of justifying grace for the continuing the state; and this makes the Advocateship of Christ necessary to be continued, who, when any Saint commits a sin, he interposeth with his Father, that, upon his repentance, a pardon may be issued forth in the Court of heaven for that soul, as to that sin: This I hold necessary even for every sinful infirmity of any Saint of God; that is, I hold Christ's intercession and our habitual repentance at least and faith necessary, chough many times there cannot be actual repentance and faith for pardon, as in the case of secret and unobserved sins. But yet even in such cases our habitual and general repentance is necessary, together with Christ's intercession, and a renewed act of pardon unto our justification 
* I would not be thought to make this continued justification, which consists in continued pardon, to be of like cons●teration with the first act of pardoving & justifying grace at first believing; I only contend for this, That it is true and necessary justification.  And in extraordinary cases the truth of my assertion will be much more visible; for when any Saint commits such a great sin as (according to the doctrine of the Remonstrants) makes him no Saint for the time; here must certainly be repeated a new famous act of Justification (according to their doctrine as famous as the first was) as well as a new act of conversion, Luke 22.32.  
But I need not go to this Supposition of a Saints falling away; for I can show that this is no absonous or unheard of thing in the Scripture, that Justification may be repeated even upon a Saint of God that keeps his standing. See that Scripture in James 2.21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the Altar? ver. 22. And the Scripture was (then) fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. Now when was this Justification of Abraham which is here mentioned? Why it was at least thirteen years after Abraham's first famous Justification; for that was upon his believing that God would give him a Son; this was upon his offering up the Son after he was given, when he was grown up to be a stout Lad, and could carry the wood for his father up the hill. That first act of Justification passed upon him when Abraham himself was in uncircumoision; this after he and all his family were circumcised: therefore the act of Justification may be repeated over several times upon the same person.  
And for a little countenance for this from the authority of Authors, Mr Baxter in his Aphorisms makes mention of a threefold Justification, inchoate, continued, and sinal, Thesis 59 pag. 233. Justification is not a momentaneous act begun and ended immediately upon our believing; but a continued act, which though it be in its kind complete from the first, yet is it still in doing till the final Justification at the Judgement day. Pag. 303. Abraham was justified long before Isaac was offered; yet Justification being a continued act, God is still justifying, and the Gospel still justifying, and Abraham's Justification was not ended before Isaac was offered (nor then neither) and therefore was then in a proper sense said to be justified when he offered up Isaac: these latter expressions which I add are full to Mr Baxter's sense in that place. It is all one in my mind whether we use the word repeated or continued when we apply them to Justification; for I think an act can be no otherwise continued but by repetition. The best sim●le of an act continued is a mathematical Line, which they say is fluxus punctorum, and yet points have no other continuity but by repetition.  
I know a learned man that answers this by distinguishing upon Justification, telling us that Justification may be taken either for Universal pardon of sins, which is done at first believing; or else it is taken for divine approbation: the first (he saith) viz. General pardon, is done but once; but acts of approbation may be frequented, as here they were upon Abraham, and so he said to be justified twice, though he kept his standing in grace betwixt the two acts of his Justification. Now I do not deny that there are these two things in Justification, viz. Pardon and Approbation; but since pardon of particular sins is often repeated as well as acts of Approbation, therefore methinks Justification may well be said to be repeated in both these parts of it, though I always hold that the first act of Universal pardon is the most famous. 
Quest. 2. about Iu●ification; For what acts wear justified.  So much for the first Question about the time of Justification.  
Now for the second Question proposed, which was this: For what act or acts is a person justified? I answer first generally, for the acts of faith primarily; for the other good actions or good works secondarily; but more particularly I shall answer first negatively: 
1 Negatively. A man is not justified only for that act of fa●th which respects the death and blood of Christ.  A man is not justified only for that act of faith which respects the death and blood of Christ; and the reason is evident, for that Justification in the Scripture is applied to other acts of faith besides this. Abraham was justified for his faith in the power of God, that he would give him a Son when he and Sarah were both old. Rom. 4.16, 17, 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the Father of many Nations; ver. 21. Being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was ABLE also to perform; and THEREFORE it was imputed to him for Righteousness. So again, there was another justifying act of his faith, when he being commanded of God offered up his son Isaac, that is, did as good as offer him up; shown his true willingness and readiness to it, the knise was at his Son's throat, and this act of faith is said to be imputed to him for righteousness, Jam. 2.23. Now neither of these acts of faith are said to be in the blood of Christ, and yet are said by the Scripture to be justifying acts.  
If it be objected that these acts of Abraham's faith had respect to Christ who was the promised seed, as well as Isaac; 
Object. Abraham's faith had respect to Christ.  and that his sacrificing Isaac shown his faith in the sacrifice of Christ.  
I answer: 1. I deny not but Abraham saw Christ's day by faith and rejoiced. 2. How far Abraham saw Chrift's death and offering I cannot say: But 3. whatever was the knowledge or faith of Abraham concerning Christ, these answers are ●at trivial in the present case: for the Scriptures lay the stress of Gods approving or justifying Abraham, upon his faith in the power of God, at least they do openly refer Justification to this faith of his, that God could give him a Son notwithstanding the deadness of his own body and the deadness of Sarah 's womb; and than that he was able to raise him from the dead after that he had offered him up, and so to raise a great Nation out of him. Heb. 19.11. compared with James 2.21, 23. which was only or especially an act of faith in the power of God; and these men impertinently carry it to somewhat else, which is uncertain, if not untrue.  
I shall insist only upon one more act of faith which was justifying, and yet was not chief consisting of a respect unto the blood of Christ, if it had that at all in it; and it is the faith of Noah, Heb. 11.7. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house, BY WHICH he condemned the world and BECAME HEIR OF THE RIG HTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH. Here was a work of Faith in the threatening of a Flood, and precept of building of an Ark; and the stress of his Justification is chief laid upon his fear of God's judgements and faithful obedience to the command of building an Ark, (which proceeded from a firm belief of the threatening) and BY IT is said to become an heir of the righteousness which is by faith  
I might likewise instance in the act of Rahab's faith, which is said to be justifying, James 2. 8● seems to have been only this, as appears by the story, that she received the Spies, and trusted in God's power for their and her deliverance; and in the faith of Phineas, who had such a courageous zealous faith, that he killed a Prince and a Princess at once with his own hand for committing lewdness; and this is said to be accounted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore, Psal. 6.31. but I shall mention no more. But thus you see that there are other acts of faith unto which justification is imputed as well as the act of faith in Christ's blood; therefore that is not the only act of justifying faith as such.  
If it be objected, as it may well be, that these are instances of justifying faith in the days of the Old Testament, when faith in the blood of Christ was not so necessary, but now that faith in the blood of Christ is necessary, that is the only justifying act;  
I answer, 1. That for those men that are most zealous for the opinion That faith as directed to the death and blood of Christ is the only act of faith as justifying, they hold that faith in Christ was as necessary under the Old Testament unto salvation as it is now; and unto these, I suppose, the instances of faith as justifying, in other acts prove pertinently enough That faith in the blood of Christ is not the only act of justifying faith.  
2. I affirm, that even in the days of the Gospel other acts of faith justify besides that by which we have immediate respect to the blood of Christ. I shall prove this second Assertion by Argument and Scripture: 1. By Argument;  
Certainly in the times of the Old Testament, though (I verily believe that) saith in the death and blood of Christ was not necessary to Justification, yet they had something in their faith that did answer our faith in the blood of Christ, as perhaps a respect to the mercies of God, and God's readiness to be appeased; which readiness in God was manifested by the Sacrifices which he had appointed. Now I will argue by analogy; If the Jews had some such like object for their faith as the blood of Christ is to us, and yet were not justified only by their fixing upon that object, but for other acts of faith, as is evident in the instances given, than nothing hinders but we may be justified by other acts of our faith, as well as that in the blood of Christ. I will give another argument to prove my Assertion somewhat like this: We are commanded in the Gospel, John 5.23. That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father; and wherein did Abraham glorify God, so much as by his strong faith, Rom. 4.20. If therefore our duty be to honour Christ by believing, as ever any of the ancient Saints honoured God the Father, why will not the same faith in the power of Christ justify, as did when it was placed in the power of God? which yet I have proved that it did justify.  
Now for Scriptures, etc. I shall give several instances of faith in the power of Christ, or at least in some attribute and excellency of Christ besides his blood, which justified; Luke 5.18, 19, 20. There was a great faith of the paralytic man, and his friends, that if he could but come to Christ he should be healed; and therefore they opened the roof of the house, and let him down through the tiling in his Couch; and when Jesus saw cheir faith, (that is, of the sick man and those that brought him) he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Here is forgiveness of sins, which is Justification, upon a faith only to be healed; whether it were in the goodness, or power of Christ, it was not faith in his blood, for this man was as ignorant of that mystery (sure) as the Disciples of Christ were, who yet understood little or nothing of it. Luke 18.33, 34. I shall give but two instances more of this, and they are expressly of faith in the power of Christ, as doubtless the former instance had much of this faith in it; it is in Math. 9.28, 29, 30. There are two blind men healed, and restored to their sight, and that purely upon their faith; which great mercy coming in upon their faith, was certainly a great token of divine approbation, though indeed it be not then said that their sins were forgiven them. Now what is the proper object of their faith at this time? It is the power of Christ to help them. Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea Lord; then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith so be it unto you, and their eyes were opened. The last instance is of the Centurion's faith, which I must needs say I think as pertinent an instance as either of the two former, for his faith is highly approved of Christ, I have not found so great faith no not in Israel, as in this stranger to Israel; and upon it speaks of him and others, that are none of the children of the Kingdom, that is, not natural Jews, that yet shall go to heaven before these that are; therefore I doubt not but this was a justifying faith in the Centurion. Now let us see the compass of this Faith, or wherein it chief manifested itself: Why it was only in this, that Christ was able to cure his servant of the Palsy, nay he thought that diseases were as much under the power of Christ to cure, as the Centurion's servants were under him to command; he could make Diseases come and go, as his servants would at his command, Mat. 8, from the 5. to the 14.  
Having given instances of Faith in Christ which justifies, besides Faith in his blood, I shall give one general proof from a most remarkable Scripture out of the New-Testament, for faith as justifying, which only carries in it a dependence upon God and Christ in straits, and persecutions, and distresses: And indeed I must confess, the former instances are not of so full proof to my particular, (though they are of good use) because till Christ's death, faith in his blood was not so necessary (if at all necessary) to Justification, as afterwards; but this place which I shall now give, will be beyond all exception; it is Heb. 10.36, 37, 38. For ye have need of patience— for yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry: Now the just shall live by faith, and if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. The Hebrews here were under great persecutions for the profession of the Gospel, and they were somewhat inclined to Apostasy, which here the Author of this Epistle endeavours to prevent by promises and threaten; 'tis but a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry; 'tis not long (saith he) ere deliverance will come one way or other, either by the coming of Christ to judgement, or some temporal deliverance. In Habbakkuk it is, The Vision is yet for an appointed time, though it tarry, wait for it: And in the mean time (saith the Author of this Epistle) while the Vision tarries, whilst he that is coming, tarries, wait his coming, and endeavour to support yourselves by faith, for the just shall live by faith; that is, Faith will keep him alive in straits: The life that I live in the stesh, (saith Paul) I live by the faith of the Son of God: And saith Habakkuk, Although the Figtree should not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vine, etc. (when he describes a Famine) yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation, Hab. 3.17, 18. This could be done only by such a Faith as the Hebrews are provoked to live by: This faith (you see therefore) by which the just live, may be as well a dependence upon the goodness, and providence, and power of God to support us in, or deliver us out of straits and difficulties, as resting upon the blood of Christ; and that this living by Faith upon the Power of God, and goodness of God here spoken of, is an act of justifying-Faith, nothing is plainer, for that this is the great sentence the Apostle quotes to prove Justification by Faith out of the Old-Testament, Rom 1.17. Gal. 3.11. when yet the occasion upon which it is delivered by Habbakkuk, ch. 2,4. was much like that of the Hebrews, and therefore there is more of that place quoted in the Hobrews, than in the Romans or Galatians. Therefore if the Apostle would prove Justification by Faith out of this Scripture, he must at least allow it as justifying in that case, in which it is particularly used in the original place, which was resting upon the providence of God in a time of danger; therefore resting upon the providence of God in a time of danger, is an act of Faith as justifying, even in the days of the Gospel; therefore there are other acts of Justifying-Faith even in the days of the Gospel, besides that of resting upon the blood of Christ.  
2dly, Therefore my great Assertion is, That all acts of true Faith justify, though there is (I believe) some special excellency in that act which respects the blood of Christ; but if our Faith be but a right New-Testament-Faith, every act of it justifies: As under the Old-Testament they that had all things that were essential to an Old-Testament Faith, were justified over and over, by every renewed act of Faith, whether in one kind, or another, in one case, or another: One man's Faith shows itself in a time of Famine, as Habbakkuk's; another in imprisonment, as Jonah's and Jeremy's; a third in leaving his Country when God calls him out, as Abraham's; or in believing he should have a son born, when it was very unlikely; in believing he should have him again from the dead after he had killed him with his own hand, which was more improbable; fewer Faith in building an Ark, as Noah's; another in hiding of Spies, etc. So now (I say) as it was then in the acts of an Old. Testament-Faith, it is in an answerableness in the days of the New-Testament; he whosoever hath all the essentials of a New-Testament-Faith, is justified over and over a thousand times, according to the renewed acts of Faith, if he believe as the Centurion did for his servant, or as the woman of Canaan did for her daughter, Matth. 16.28. or as the blind men did for themselves; as the Hebrews were to do in the power and goodness of God for their deliverance; or as the Galatians should have done more in the death and blood of Christ, for they did evacuate the death of Christ in the way that they went, Gal 2.21. I say, they that exercise faith in any of these acts, their faith is justifying in every of these acts; only provided that the Faith be a true New-Testament-Faith, though I may affirm once for all, That there is no true faith in God, but in the days of the New-Testament (after sufficient information) will prove a Faith in Christ, and of a right New-Covenant strain. We see this proved by the event in the Apostles days, Acts 13.48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; That is, (saith Dr. Hammond in his Paraphrase) all they of the Gentiles that had any care or pursuit of the life to come, the Gentile-Proselytes, or that were fitly disposed and qualified for the Gospel to take root in, received the Doctrine of Christ thus preached to them. In his Annotations upon this verse he tells us, That this was Mr. Mede's conjecture and that they were already believers. So that their conversion was only this, That their Faith which before was a Faith in God, now (through that disposition and readiness that it had in it to embrace all further discoveries of the Grace of God) turned into a Faith in Christ. Therefore I may say, wherever there is any act of Faith in God, that act is justifying; and the reason now why every act of Faith exercised upon one occasion or another, doth justify, is this, for that it is faith in us that is our Gospel-Righteousness; therefore whenever there is an act of this righteousness exerted, there must echo an act of Justification from heaven, according to the Law of the New-Covenant, which is sealed with the blood of Christ, that whosoever believeth on God that justifieth the ungodly, or on Christ his Son, his Faith is counted to him for righteousness, Rom. 4.5. or he shall not be ashamed, Rom 10.11. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, John 3.36  
As often therefore as thou dost any action that doth demonstrate this Faith in God, or Faith in Christ, so often are all thy fins pardoned, so often art thou highly approved of God, for there are these two things in justification: We see Abraham was justified twice according to the express words of Scripture; and there is a third act of his Faith recorded, his going out of his own Country, to which I doubt not might be accommodated that Scripture (which St. James only accommodates unto a latter act of Faith, though it was in the original place spoken upon occasion of a former) that then that Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: And as Abraham was justified twice, yea thrice, and that for several sorts of acts of faith; and the other instances given both out of the Old and New-Testaments, for their various acts of Faith upon very different occasions, yet all because they agreed in the general nature of faith; so thou Saint, whosoever thou art, do but live in the actings of faith, and thou art an haypy, pardoned, approved, and juscified person. All our life therefore should be a life of faith; St. Paul lived no other life; The life (saith he) which I now live in the flesh, I live by the saith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. That distinguishing character, one or more (saith Mr. John Goodwin in his Banner of Justification displayed, p. 37.) of justifying-saith which we are at present enquiring after, respecteth not the object, but the intrinsic nature or complexion of it; for at to the object, it is variously expressed in the Scripture; sometimes it is called a believing God, Rom. 43. sometimes a believing on God, Joh. 12.44. sometimes a believing on Christ, or on the Son of God, or on the Lord, Act. 11.17. joh 3.18. 1 joh. 5.10. So the object is various, only it must be for the intrinsic nature of it, a believing in the heart, Rom. 10.9. a believing with the heart, ver. 10. a believing with all the heart, Act. 8.37. a faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1. 5● a faith working by love; and such a faith justifieth in all the acts of it, though exercised upon disferent, yet proper objects.  
Now I find one Caution necessary to be given upon what I have delivered, which is this; That what I have said of faith, that it justifies in every act of it, to the procuring pardon of sins, and Divine Approbation, doth not at all confound the acts of Faith, as if there were not a distinctness to be kept and observed in the actings of Faith; as some may have such a gross conception as this, because I have said that the Centurion was justified for his faith in Christ for the healing of his servant, and the woman of Canaan for faith for her daughter; Abraham for offering his son, and so every man for any act of true Faith; therefore if a man be to seek for the justification of his person, let him find out but any thing in which Faith may act, and he shall be justified.  
As for instance, I think it the duty of any that are enlightened concerning the corruptions of the Church of Chrise, to believe that God will destroy the Papal Hierarchy, and all the superstitious innovations which the Church of Rome hath introduced into the Worship of God; yea, and I think to believe it strongly at this time, when there is so great improbability of it, is mighty acceptable to God, and perhaps another such act of Faith as Abraham's was, that he should have a son, and as justifying. But now if one that hath lived wickedly, but now is greatly convinced of his danger, as the Gaoler was, should ask what he should do to besaved and justified, it were a strange thing to put him upon this act of Faith, That God would destroy the Pope of Rome, which yet may be an act of justifying-faith to another man; We would say to him, as Paul and Silas did to the Gaoler when he asked this question, They said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, Acts 16.30, 31 Believe that the blood of Christ can wash out as great stains as any of thy sins have made; believe that Christ is willing to receive thee, cast thyself upon his mercy and goodness. Though every act of Faith juscifie, yet there is a season for every act of Faith: When the Centurion had a servant sick, his act of Faith in the power of Christ was seasonable; the woman's faith for her daughter was seasonable; the blind men's was seasonable; Abraham's three acts were feasonable; Noah's, and Rahab's, and that of Phineas, were all seasonable.  
Faith is a Divine faculty in the soul, which hath great variety of operations, even as many as the sight hath objects, which are commended by the several seasons and occasions of acting: Faith in famine seeds us, in prison it sets us at liberty, in weakness of nature it strengthens us, yea and in weakness of Grace too. Faith sometimes ●ixeth upon the Power of God, sometimes upon the Wisdom, sometimes upon the Faithfulness of God; sometimes upon one attribute, sometimes upon another: We may see in Heb. 11. throughout the whole chap. what variety of glorious operations and effects Faith hath had; Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, out of weakness were made strong, women received their dead raised to life again, etc. ver. 33. to the end. All which were justifying acts of Faith, only they were seasonable, and prudent; he that was cast to the Lions, did not believe to have the sire quenched; and they that were cast into the fire, did not believe to have the mouths of the Lions stopped: Every act of faith is justifying; but then faith is as an universal faculty, which acts according to all the particular occasions of the soul, and so it justifies:  
I shall now add something of testimony out of Dr. More upon this second question, What acts of Faith justify? because I am very sensible that my answer to it may seem very strange, and sound very harshly unto some good men; and I shall prove out of him, so far as his Authority will prove it, That Abraham's act or acts of faith, which were justifying to him, were acts of faith in the Power, Justice, and Goodness of God, and that they justify by such their respect had unto these Attributes, as also, That our Gospel-Faith, which indeed hath many new objects and encouragements offered to it, doth justify only by agreeing with Abraham's faith in the general nature of faith, or (to use Mr. goodwin's words) in the intrinsic nature and complexion of Faith, which is ready to lay hold of all occasions of discovering our true and hearty dependence upon God, acknowledging our own weakness, renouncing all carnal confidence in any thing short of the omnipotent Power and Goodness of God. And after these quotations out of him, I shall proceed to some other questions. In his Mystery of Godliness, p. 379. Faith (saith he) which is so highly commended by the Apostle, I say, it signifies nothing else but this in general, viz. An high sense of, and confidence in the Power, Justice and Goodness of God, and a firm belief that he will assuredly bring to pass whatsoever he hath promised, seem it never so unlikely and dissicult to flesh and blood: And this is that which is so highly commended in Abraham, as it is plain in the 4th. to the Romans, who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many Nations; and being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body, now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, nor yet the deadness of Sardah's womb, being fully persuaded, that what God had promised, he was ABLE to perform; and therefore (says the Apostle) it was imputed to him for righteousness. That is to say, God approved of him.  
In all this Justification of Abraham, there is not a word of the blood of Christ; for though I believe it was the blood of Christ that procured Abraham's pardon (as a price) yet I doubt not but it was Abraham's faith in the power and faithfulness of God that justified him. Again, pag 380: near the end of it: Thus (saith he) from the example of Abraham would the Apostle commend the CHRISTIAN FAITH unto the World, and in particular to the Jews, the offspring of Abraham: For at the end of the fourth Chapter he makes this use of Abraham's faith being imputed to him for righteousness, that we might also be brought 〈◊〉 TO BELIEVE IN HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. As Abraham's faith in the Power of God to give him a son, was justifying; so is our faith in the Power and Mercy of God (as having raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, who was delivered for our offences) justifying. Our faith, viz. the Christian faith, hath somewhat more in it, than was in Abraham's faith; yet Abraham's faith proving Justification to him, we may well be encouraged to expect Justification in the way of a Gospelsaith.  
And pag. 381. he gives us another instance of a Gospel-faith, which he parallels with the faith of Abraham; and that is, A faith in the power of God to raise up Christ within us by his living Spirit, from the 11th. ver. of Rom. 8. which I think is indeed rightly interpreted, though (with the favour of that great man) not so happily applied; but that I shall speak unto, viz. wherein I differ from the Dr. upon the next question: The words are these; But if the Spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead, dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit which dwelleth in you; and if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness, ver. 10. His interpretation of the verse is excellent in my mind, and it is to this sense as I apprehend it: That when we are Christians, and have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, and the presence of Christ by his Spirit, we shall be sensible how far yet we remain unsanctified, and that unsanctified part in us which the Apostle calls the body of death, and desires to be delivered from, will appear as ghastly and deadly a thing to us, as the dead body tied by Mezentius to the living, did to him, because Christ is living in us: But yet now our Christian faith teacheth us to believe, that though the body be dead because of sin, that is, there be a great part of us yet unsanctified and dead because of sinful remainders in it, and by reason of this unsanctified part or body of death in us, we are exceeding heavy and indisposed to all holiness and goodness, yet that the Spirit of Christ in us is life and righteousness, and will by degrees qvicken those very dead, unsanctified parts that are yet within us; for if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead, dwell in us, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken our mortal bodies (that is, that unsanctified part that is at present dead in sin) by his Spirit which dwelleth in us. Dr. More's words are, We finding a comfortable warmth in the grateful arrivals of the holy Spirit, do believe, That he that raised up Christ from the dead, will in due time even quicken these our mortal bodies, or these dead bodies of ours, and make them conspire and come along with ease and cheerfulness, and be ready, and active complying instruments in all things with the Spirit of Righteousness. Which belief, viz. that God will thus by his Spirit quicken our mortal bodies, is (saith he) a chief point in the Christian faith and most of all parallel to that of Abraham's, who believing in the goodness, and power, and faithfulness of God, had, when both himself and his Wife Saraah were dry and dead, as to natural generation, and so hopeless of ever seeing any frui● of her Womb, who had, I say, Isaac born to him who bears joy and laughter in the very Name o● him, and was undoubtedly a type of Christ according to the spirit. For Isaac is the wisdom, power, and righteousness of God, flowing our and effectually branching itself so through all the faculties both of man's soul and body, that the whole man is carried away with joy and triumph to the acting all whatsoever is really and substantially good, even with as much satisfaction and pleasure as he eats when he is hungry, and drinks when he is dry. And these now (according to the design of the This Discourse) are acts of a Gospel-faith, which justify us, as Abraham's believing in the power of God for a Son did justify him. I come now to another Question, which is this:  
How doth Faith justify? 
The fifth question of justification  or under what notion and consideration doth faith justify?  
Now to this I answer, that Faith justifies as our Righteousness. It doth not justify, as some affirm, only by relying upon the blood of Christ, or apprehending the righteousness of Christ; for I have given instances of several acts of faith which were justifying acts, that had not this respect at all unto the blood of Christ, at least not visibly, and the reward of Justification was reckoned to them upon other accounts. Abraham was fully persuaded that God was ABLE TO PERFORM, and THEREFORE it was imputed to him for righteousness, Rom. 4.21, 22. Yea, I have given instances of a faith in Christ that was justifying, and yet was not directed to the blood of Christ, by any thing that appears in the Scriptures quoted. No, faith itself is our righteousness; faith in the power of God was Abraham's righteousness; and faith in the power of God, according as our necessities at any time require, will be our righteousness. But more especially, faith in the power of Christ, or in the blood of Christ, is our Gospel-righteousness; though, as I affirmed before, there cannot be true faith in God now in the days of the Gospel, but it will turn into a faith in Christ as well as in God.  
And for this Assertion, that Faith is our Righteousness, I shall give several Scriptures; Rom. 4.3. What saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: that is, his believing in God, and relying upon his power and faithfulness for the fulfilling of his promise; this faith of his was accepted so far, was so highly pleasing to God, that God made him his friend, Jam. 2.22, 23. and reputed and reckoned him (through grace) as righteous as if he had kept the whole Law. So Rom. 4. ver. 5. To him that believeth in God, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness; What plainer expression can there be than this for our Assertion? his faith is counted for righteousness to him, or for his righteousness.  
And for a little proof from the testimony of others, for this Assertion (I reckon) is somewhat harsh, see what Mr Baxter and Mr John Goodwin say upon it.  
In his Aphorisms of Justification, Thesis' 20. pag. 108. saith Mr Baxter, Our Evangelical righteousness is not without us in Christ, as our Legal righteousness is, but consisteth in our own actions of Faich and Gospel-obedience. Thesis' 23. pag. 125. In this sense also, it is so far from being an error, to affirm that faith itself is our righteousness, that it is a truth necessary for every Christian to know; that is, Faith is out Evangelical righteousness in the sense before explained, as Christ is our Legal righteousness. And in the explication of this Thesis, pag. 128. he hath these words: Our Evangelical righteousness, or Faith, is imputed to us for as real righteousness, as perfect obedience, not that it is as much in true value, yet it is so accepted because of the value of Christ's satisfaction. Thesis' 57 pag. 225. It is the act of faith which justifies men at age, and not the habit; yet not as it is a good work, or as it hath in itself any excellency above other graces: But 1. in the nearest sense, directly and properly as it is the fulfilling the condition of the new Covenant: in the remote and more improper sense, as it is the receiving of Christ, and his satisfactory righteousness.  
Mr John Goodwin likewise declares himself not to be of their mind, who conceive or teach, That faith justifies as it is an instrument receiving Christ's righteousness, pag. 38. ult. Banner of Justification: therefore it must justify as an act, which by God's ordination investeth us in the privileges of Justification; therefore in his judgement faith itself is our righteousness.  
But I shall add no more in answer to those men that hold, That Faith justifies only as it applies the righteousness or blood of Christ unto the soul; for I have shown at large above, That faith justifies in other acts of it, besides resting upon the blood of Christ. I shall have only here to do with Dr More his Notion (and it is Mr Smith's too) of the righteousness of Faith, or Faith its being reckoned or imputed for righteousness: and indeed I am very sorry that I should have a word to say against the opinion of so worthy a man, and one that labour; so vigorously and successfully against all that effeminacy of notion in Religion which is found amongst the Antinomians, or others. Neither yet do I much differ from him in design; only I cannot be faithful to my present subject, if I should not take notice of his unhappy misinterpreting those phrases of the Righteousness of faith, Justification, and Faith's being impu●●td for Righteousness. I shall first give an account of the Doctor's opinion, and expressions in this business, and then show the reasons of my dissent from him herein. [In the 380 pag. of that book, which I have so often quoted, to borrow some authority and assistance from in this Discourse, I mean his Mystery of Godliness, at the end of that page the Doctor commenting upon Rom. 4.24, 25. To believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, hath these words: In this verse are contained the two grand Privileges of the Gospel; that is, Forgiveness of sins upon the satisfaction of Christ's death, and the Justifying of us, that is, THE MAKING OF US JUST AND HOLY, THROUGH A SOUND FAITH IN HIM THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD. I need quote no more to show the Doctor's notion, and apprehension of the whole business; but yet I shall ex abundanti quote some other passages. The Doctor you see is of opinion, That Justification signifies making us just, holy, and righteous; and when we are made so, then God looks upon us as so, because he judgeth of things aright; and because Faith makes us truly holy, inwardly just and righteous, therefore this righteousness, by which we are thus inherently righteous, is called The Righceousness of Faith. For this see page 379. about the middle of it: Abraham being not weak in faith, considered not his own body now dead, being fully persuaded that what God had promised him he was able also to perform; and therefore (saith the Apostle) it was imputed to him for righteousness, that is to say. God approved of him FOR A GOOD AND PIOUS MAN, who not confulting with the natural improbability of the thing, but giving firm credence to the promise of God, did that which was due to the goodness and power of God, and BECOMEING A GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS MAN. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is NOTHING ELSE but to be approved as a good man, or a doer of that which is righteous and good, and that because he does that which is good and righteous. And afterwards in the same page, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any virtue or goodness in a man whatsoever, with much more to the same purpose. And at last adds in page 372. Sect. 9 This is the only warrantable notion that I can find of being justified by faith.  
So, Mr Smith of Cambridge (as I show above) page 220. saith, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Righteousness of Faith and the Righteousness of God is only a Christ-like nature in man's soul, etc.  
Having given an account of the Doctor's judgement, I shall now show in how many things I agree with the Doctor as to this business, and then where I conceive there needs some rectification of the Doctor's notion: And first of all, I confess these are two GRAND PRIVILEGES of the Gospel (as the Doctor says) viz. The forgiveness of sins and The sanctification of our natures; which latter the Doctor (as I doubt not) mistakes to be meant by the word Justification in Rom. 4.25.  
2. I acknowledge, that true Sanctification is produced only by faith; purifying their hearts by faith, Acts 15 9 no other principle will work holiness in the soul. The Law made nothing perfect, as to inward holiness.  
3. I grant, that if true Sanctification should be wanting from Faith, that Faith would not be a righteousness, would not justify; Faith without works is dead.  
4. I allow that Works have some share, perhaps a second place, in the matter of Justification continued; so saith Mr Baxter often, and I think so saith St James, Jam. 2.24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.  
5. I allow that Justification is attributed several times in Scripture to a Work, the Faith not mentioned, though the Faith is understood, nay the chief honour belongs to faith, and the crown is to be set upon Faith's head, if we wili make a strict and right interpretation of that Scripture whatever it be. Thus the act of Phineas in killing Zimri and Cosbi is reckoned for righteousness, and yet no mention of his faith, Psal. 6.30, 31. Then stood up Phineas and EXECUTED JUDGEMENT, and so the plague was stayed, and IHAT was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. So very many of the actions in Hebr. 11. which are there by the author of that Epistle reckoned to be the actions of Faith, and in several places of that Chapter said to be imputed for righteousness, verses 4, 5, 7. yet in the original places, where their stories are recorded, not a word mentioned of their faith: Compare Abel's history, Gen. 4.4. with Heb. 11.4. compare Enoches, Gen. 5.24. with Heb. 11.5. Noah's, Gen. 6.13, 22. with Heb. 11.7, etc. There is not a word mentioned of their faith in Genesis, but only of their works, and yet their faith in those works is plainly said by the Author of this Epistle to the Hebrews to be a justifying faith; Justification is indeed attributed to works, the faith not mentioned. And so sometimes pardon of sins and eternal life are promised to other graces besides faith, Acts 3.19. Math. 5. from ver. 3. to ver. 11. for these two reasons: 1. For that they have a share, or a second place in the matter of Justification; but 2. and especially, For that they necessarily suppose faith as being the fruits and issues of a true and lively faith.  
Yea. 6. I will allow that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness, in the New Testament, yea and in Saint Paul's Epistles signifies Holiness, Rom. 6.13 18, 20. and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be just, Rev. 22.11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He that is righteous let him be righteous still: which two places the Doctor makes use of for proof. But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have these significations, where the Apostle is strictly speaking to the business of Justification, I can by no means allow, yea I think it most abhorrent from the Apostles design: in this business, what saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none righteous, no not one: here the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, Rom. 1.17. There is no other righteousness takes place here.  
And to rip up the whole business again, which here I am put upon by the Doctor's assertion; and interpretations, though otherwise I might have gone on smoothly in my way.  
First of all, surely the Doctor will not deny that Justification and Sanctification have different proper conceptions and notions, which they are to be understood by; that Justification is God's pardoning our sins, and receiving our persons into special love and favour, that Sanctification is a man's likeness to God in his heart and life; or if the Doctor should deny this, there are several places will evidence it. I shall name but two; Acts 13.38, 39 Be it know: unto you therefore, Men and Brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that BELIEVE are justified FROM ALL THINGS, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses: That is, (saith Dr Hammond) shall certainly be freed and purged from the wrath of God, and the punishments attending sin in another world, from which the Law of Moses could not by all its Ceremonies, Washings, and Sacrifices, purge or cleanse us. The other Scripture shall be that in Janes 12.24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Take Justification here for sanctification, and let any one see if he can make sense of it; nay it is plain in that Chapter that Justification is taken for being highly approved of God, and being made the friend of God, ver. 25. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and then (as it were exegetical of that expression) it is added, he was called the friend of God: But I know the Dr will allow of the particular without this proof, That Justification and Sanctification have these different and proper conceptions mentioned.  
2dly, Certainly the Dr. will allow that the Apostle Paul hath a mighty vigorous and curious Discourse concerning Justification, in its proper notion, or its foreusal acception, as the Dr himself expresseth it pag. 379. ad finem. The Apostle forms a professed Discourse, nay a Dispute with the Jew and Judaizing-Gentile, upon the business of Justification, taken for Divine approbation; they thought to obtain the favour of God one way, but he shows them another. These two particulars I shall take for granted. Now I proceed.  
3dly, The Apostle therefore being to remove one way of Justification, viz. that of the legalist, and to set up another, he makes mention of two Righteousnesses, one of the Law, the other of Faith: That of the Law, as I have showed in the beginning of this Treatise, is a perfect conformity to the Law, perfect inherent righteousness, unerring obedience; this (saith the Apostle) no man hath, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is none righteous, no not one; and the Apostle in that third chap. of the Rom. by enumerating all sorts of sins which we are all more or less guilty of, proves that no man can be justled by the Law; this righteousness therefore the Apostle having fully removed, as an impossible unattainable thing, he (as a Messenger from heaven, substitutes another righteousness, which he calls God's Righteousness, in opposition to our own; the righteousness of God is revealed, that is, that righteousness which God will accept; and what is that? why it is Faith: The righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith; as it is written, The Just shall 〈◊〉 ●aith, Rom. 1.16.17.  
The scope of the Apostles Discourse (I doubt not) is this, That God hath designed and determined, that, seeing men have lost their Original purity, and to can no longer stand upon their own bottom, he will take them off from it altogether, and make them live a life of pure dependence upon himself, and that is by faith, which must have holiness of life attending it; and those that come off to do this, renounce themselves, their own righteousness, and all creature-dependencies, and roll themselves, and all their concerns, upon him, and upon his Son, though their imperfections may be 〈◊〉, yet this their faith shall be imputed to them ●●r righteousness, which they may plead for their ●●tilication, according to the Law of the new Covenant, and they shall pass for righteous men, as truly justified and approved, as if they had perfectly kept the whole Law, under which they were created, especially since God had made provision otherways, how th● honour of that Law might receive r●●●ation, viz. by the death of his Son upon the Cross.  
And this I suppose is no santastical notion of Justification by Faith, which I suppose the Dr. is chief set against; and seeing how many wayer men had corrupted the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, after he had solidly confuted their opinions, betakes himself to that of his own, which I dare say had no evil intention, though I still affirm that it is most unhappily expressed, and I cannot but read it with a great displeasure and indignation.  
For to think that the Apostle should make so much to do to decry the design of a legal Righteousness, which in truth was no other in itself but true and real, only it must be) perfect holiness, (however the legalists all along in their pursuit after the Righteousness of the Law, minded nothing less) I say, for the Apostle to dispute so vigorously against a Righteousness by perfect unerring obedience, under the name of one's own righteousness, and to set up Faith as God's righteousness, and yet that this righteousness of saith should signify nothing else but those poor inconsiderable effects of Faith in holiness of life, which the greatest part of Christians attain unto only, this seems a mean business for the Apostle to labour about: Alas, 'tis true, Faith works holiness, and all the great legalists shall never attain by all their stir and ado, to so much true holiness as the meanest believer attains unto; but yet this which we attain, though by faith, is nothing to give name to a righteousness in the sight of God, for Justification; to be justified by, or for our holiness of faith, is a low and base expression of Gospel-Justification. The righteousness of Faith is an higher thing, when a man comes off from himself, and from all Creature-dependencies, and professeth to live upon the Power, and Goodness, and Faithfulness of God, and the blood & spirit of Christ alone, such a man hath made God himself his righteousness, and Christ his righteousness; and this is a glorious righteousness indeed, far beyond the righteousness of a perfect and unerring obedience, if a man had it; for this see one proof out of the Old-Testament, and one or two out of the New; Isa. 45.24, 25. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength, even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him, shall be ashamed, in the Lord shall all the Seed of Isral be JUSTIFIED, and SHALL GLORY. For the New-Testament I have often mentioned already that place, Gal. 2.20. yet it can never be too often repeated: I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I (or no longer!) but Christ liveth in me, and the 〈◊〉 that I now l●ve in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who lived me, and gave himself for me. Here St. ●aul had a glorious righteousness indeed, for Christ was his riches and righteousness, and dwelled in him by Faith; that is, he lived upon Christ by faith; 'tis true, he had a Christ-like nature in his soul, but this Christ-like nature was not the righteousness of faith, or the righteousness of God, or his Gospel-righteousness, but a fruit of that Faith which was his righteousness. All other glorying is excluded in the Gospel, save cr●ely to glory in the Lord, Rom 3.27. 2 Cor. 1.30, 31. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousnes●y— that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  
Now this making God and Christ a man's righteousness, is that alone which commends the Gospel so highly above the Law, sets up he second Adam above the first, & gives a just account of all those Eulogies which the Apostle gives of the Gospel, & the way of believing, above the first way of works, which I suppose out of Dr Moor's notion would not arise at all; For though the Drs notion should be true, which I confess there is no contradiction in, & I have delivered some things above, p 218 & 219. but a little too much in favour of it 
* I would have that expression p. 219. 〈◊〉 shall say something to the like purpose; understood only thus: Tha sanctification is the condition of our justification only in the second place, faith in the first.  I say, suppose the D●● notion should be true, That faith justifies us purely, because it sanctifies us; and that the holiness which arises from faith, should be that which is called the Righteousness of Faith; yet how could this ever advance the Gospel above the Law in the business of Justification: If we take the Law, not in the mistaken sense of the legalist, but in the proper sense of it? For so the righteousness of the Law is unerring obedience, and the righteousness of Faith: in the D●s sense) is obedience full of defects: Now comparing obedience with obedience, and the righteousness of Faith with the righteousness of the Law, how can the righteousness of Faith be preferred to the righteousness of the Law? How can the second Adam in the holiness which he causeth, be advanced above the first in his earthly righteousness? That therefore which make the excellency and precedency of the Gospel to the Law, is this, that the righteousness of the Law was one's own, this of Faith makes God himself, and Christ himself our righteousness, by our living wholly upon them. I have said as much as I intent, to the Dr. s notion of the righteousness of saith; and I do cordially profess, That what I have spoken hath been merely out of love to the truth; and if the truth had not engaged and enforced me to deliver what I have, I should not have presumed to encounter counter such a great man, being myself not worthy to carry the Doctor's books after him. And I know the Doctor's candour and ingenuity to be so great, that he will give others leave as freely to differ from him as he takes to differ from others.  
I shall shut up this Question with a grave admonition out of Mr John Goodwin, in his Banner of Justification displayed, pag. 32. That Faith justifies (saith he) is the constant assertion of the Scripture, and the Architectonical doctrine of the Gospel, Rom. 5.1, 3, 28. Gal. 2.15.16. By the way, upon occasion of these (with many the like passages in the New Testament, wherein Justification by faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressly affirmed) I cannot but mention my dislike of their strain in teaching, who lay down and deliver it to the people for a doctrine positively and plainly, That men are not justified by saith or by believing. Dovotless it is not convenient or comely, positively to deliver or assert that for a doctrine of truth, which is so diametrally opposite to 〈◊〉 frequent, clear, and express words of the Scripture. And again, I judge it very incongruous for any Minister of the Gospel to se● up a doctrine as it were, in defiance of, or in con●●st against any thing so frequently and so directly in terminis affirmed in the Scriptures, as Justification by faith. I do not ●●●●uce this quotation to infirmate, as if the Doctor did not hold that we are justified by the acts of faith as well as by any other good actions, but for that I am sensible the Doctor intends that we are not more justified by the acts of faith than by any other good actions; which if it were true, I could not see how faith could be worthy of so famous attributious of justification to it, in such an eminent manner, when the Apostle is silent about other graces, only here and there in some places, where there is no such professed dispute, he speaks word● in Tayor of other graces and good works in the matter of justification.  
I tome now to a fifth Question, which is this:  
How do good works justify?  
And in answer to this I must first premise, That seeing the Scripture is so express in it, that works to justify, Jam. 2.25. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and 〈◊〉 by saith only; I dare not pass over this Question without speaking to it. But I shall need to speak the less to this, because Mr Baxter and others have delivered so much upon it. I shall first show the agreement which there is betwixt Saint Paul and St James in this business, and then show how works justify.  
'Tis true, St Paul affirms Rom. 3.28. chat we are justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law. St James saith, that we are justified by works and not by faith only; here seems to be a jarring and disagreement. But they are to be reconciled by the observation of the several sorts of works that these two Apostles speak of. St Paul speaks of legal works or works of the Law, which contain in them an opinion of merit or debt, as I have shown above, pag. 97, 98. and a man is justified without these, nay he cannot be justified if he but pretend to these. Therefore the Apostle James must speak of another sort of works, which, whilst a man doth he yet renounces merit in them; and these works a man may be in part justified by, without any prejudice to the doctrine of Justification by faith. This is fully asserted by Mr Baxter, Thesis' 76. pag. 292. Neither is there (saith he) the least appearance of a contradiction betwixt this and Paul's doctrine Rom. 3.28. if men did not through prejudice, negligence, or wilfulness overlook this; that in that and all other the like places the Apostle doth professedly exclude THE WORKS OF THE LAW ONLY from Justification, but never at all THE WORKS OF GOSPEL as they are the condition of the New Covenant.  
Works therefore justify as a less principal part of the condition of the New Covenant: I am not shy to speak in Mr Baxter's words, since I intent much the same thing; they do not justify from their own merit; so only legal works justify, but from divine promise and acceptance. For proof of this that it is so, that works do justify in the second place, besides the express words of the Apostle James, I find the same thing asserted by the Apostle Paul in three several Scriptures. 
* Dr Hammond Par. All that is required to our justification is faith, not all that is called by that name, but such as is made perfect by addition of those duties which we own to God and our brethren.  Gal. 5● In Jesus Christ, (that is, in the doctrine of Jesus Christ) neither circumcision availeth any thing (that is, unto Justification) 〈◊〉 uncircumcision, but faith whi●● worketh by Love. Here faith indeed is ●aid to justify, but it is a faith which worketh by love, a working faith. But yet more plainly the same expression is used in two places to our present purpose; Gal. 6.15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision, but a new creature; that is, (saith Dr Hammond) the renewed regenerate heart, and it may be added a new life. 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ he is a now creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new; that is, he lives a perfect new life, and this new life only availeth, unto Justification beyond circumcision or uncircumcision which are mere external Privileges. The third Scripture where the same expression is used is beyond all exception to our present purpose: 1 Cor. 7.19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, these are of no consideration in the matter of pleasing God, and obtaining his favour; What then is? why the keeping the commandments of God; this is beyond all these considerations of bond and free, circumcised and uncircumcised. But these are the things with which he compares the new creature and good works: he doth not set these above all, when he compares them with faith; in that place where he mentions faith, that is set above works and other graces, as the cause above the effect, the principal agent above the instrument; Neither circumcision availeth any thing nor unc●r●umb●sion, but faith which WORKETH BY LOVE. But in these Scriptures we see plainly that work have an influence upon our Justification; they are of great avail in order unto it.  
If it be objected that the first Justification passeth upon believing before works, I answer, with many others, that there is in the first faith a rooted disposition unto an universal obedience, there is the new creature or new man of the heart there, and in continued justification there is the new man of the life and conversation.  
Now the reasons why the Lord would have works in the condition of Justification, though he doth not justify for works only or chief, may be gathered out of the Scripture to be these:  
The first reason is this, 
1 Reas. Why works are in the condition of Gospel justification.  For that without works faith itself cannot be accounted a perfect saith. Now certainly if faith justify, it must be a perfect complete faith, not a maimed imperfect faith. That without works faith is imperfect, and by works it is perfected, are the assertions of the Apostle James, Faith without works is dead. James 2.20, 26 & ver. 22. Seest th●● how faith wrought with his works, and by works was his faith made perfect. What an uselets imperfect dead thing is a power or faculty for action without operation? What an useless thing would it be for a man to have eyes able to see, only the man hath a continual blind put before his eyes that he never doth see in all his life? Why just such a thing were faith without action, of no worth or use: What an imperfect faith had Abraham's been if his works and actions had not attended it? Suppose we that when God commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac, he had refused, and said, Lord how then shall there arise of him a great Nation? his faith had been exceedingly discredited: But when he resolves with himself, I will offer him up, for I know that God that raised him out of Sarah's dead womb can as well raise him from the dead after I have killed him and offered him up, here was a noble faith indeed, his faith was perfected by this work; here that grace shown what it could carry men unto; When any thing attains its end it receives its perfection: Here faith attained its end in carrying Abraham to do so great a work, and therein was perfected, and so obtained the complete reward of Justification; then the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God: if works had not accompanied his faith, it had proved but an imperfect dead faith, the Scripture had not been fulfilled which faith Abraham believed God. No artificer will own any thing to be a true and perfect piece of work which will not attain its end, serve the use it is made for; so will not God own that to be faith which will not put us upon acts of confidence in himself, and obedience to his commands be they never so difficult. For though God knows the heart, and so can see into the very principle of our actions, yet the Lord is pleased to keep that distance of State and Majesty, that he will not seem to know what he doth know, till the outward man express what is in the inward man. God knew before what was in Abraham's heart, but yet he will not seem to know that he was so great a believer, till he had put him upon this trial of offering up his son; Gen 22.12. Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with-he●●●hy son thine only son from me. Now I confess, what is here said of works in this reason, That faith receives its perfection from them, can only, properly and immediately be applied to the works of faith, to other works only remotely, as faith may have some kind of influence even upon all good works, but however we see that faith is not perfect without some kind of works. That is the first reason, Faith itself would be an imperfect thing without works, and so could not justify.  
The second reason why works are taken into the condition of Justification is, 
Reason 2.  For that it were neither comely no nor possible for divine approbation (which I have often affirmed to be contained in Justification) to pass upon any man without them. I put these two into one: 1. It were not comely; What a strange thing would it be in the apprehensions of men, if the great and holy God should own a company of persons in the world for his (for certainly whom he justifies he will own for his) that should only be (though they really were) believers, but never do any service for him? Neither plead for his honour when he is blasphemed, nor own his servants when they are in reproach and distressed? Not to mention their negative holiness, which lies in avoiding the corruptions of the world; without which negative holiness, if God should own them, he would be thought the Patron of all Vice, etc. but I dare not express the uncomely consequences that would follow. Now besides the impossibility that ariseth from this uncomliness, there is also an impossibility that ariseth from the nature of the thing, and that was the second thing I intended in this reason. I say therefore it is impossible that God should approve of any person as just, or take him into his favour and delights (all which the Lord doth in the great business of Justification) that is not a good and a righteous man. God cannot justify the ungodly whilst he remains ungodly; he cannot love him, nor delight in him, nor approve of him, because than he should approve of and delight in that which were contrary to his own nature, viz. in a sinful wicked person, being himself an holy God.  
3. 
Reason 3.  Good works do not justify only negatively, as without which faith would not be perfect, and without which the object could not be beloved; but good works do help justify, as that which (after the intervention of mercy and pardon) do render the object lovely to the holy God, and do naturally conciliate the divine love and approbation. 'Tis true, all our obedience, while it is any way defective, cannot constrain approbation and love from God, nay our defects must needs bring a guilt upon our best actions, if we are considered as under the law of our creation. But now, after that the good and merciful God hath found out a comely way how he may show favour to sinners, it is certain that all their good actions (though they are not immediate acts of Faith, but of Love or Patience, Justice or Temperance) must needs be exceeding pleasing to him, Gal. 5.22, 23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meckness, Temperance, against such there is no law; that is, against such graces and actions or persons adorned with them there is no law. This is but a meiosis; for indeed such graces and gracious persons, though but imperfectly furnished with them, are yet for these things sake (through his gracious acceptance of them) highly pleasing to God. For this see Heb. 13.16. Acts 10.4.  
And this is that w●●●● Mr John Goodwin acknowledgeth, who y●● denies that works procure Justification, as Justification signifies remission of sins, in the Fanner of Justification displayed, pag. 48. & 49. When Abraham is said to have been justified by works when he had offered, etc. the meaning is, that upon this great testimony given by Abraham of the truth and effectualness of his faith God highly APPROVED of him, and DEAL● BY HIM AS BY A PERSON RIGHTEOUS AND JUST, and CALLED HIM HIS FRIEND, with much more to the same purpose; by this you see how good works do highly please God, so as to justify us with an high approbation at least, and I should think too even unto remission of sins; so that if such a man that doth these works thus highly pleasing to God have sins upon him lately committed they should be forgiven him, according to these Scriptures, Dan. 4.27. Break, off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, 
jam 5.15. If he have committed s●●s they shall be forgiven him.  if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity or an healing of thine error, as the margin hath it. So Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your iniquities may be blotted out.— Isai. 1.16, 17, 18. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, seck judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as whi●e asnow, though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool. So lizek. 18 21, 22. Here you see that part of Justification which consists in the remission of sins is promised to good works as the Gospel reward of them; and indeed I do not see how these two parts of Justification can be separated, viz. Approbation and Pardon, so as Faith should obtain the one, and Good Works the other, though indeed they may well be conceived as distinct parts of Justification. I crave the pardon of that reverend person mentioned in that I take this liberty to express myself, I shall conclude this Question with those words of Mr Baxter in his Aphorisms, Thesis' 73. pag. 289. & 290. Faith ONLY doth not justify in opposition to the works of the Gospel, but those works do also justify as the secoadary less-principal parts of the condition of the New Covenant. I come now to the last Question, which is this,  
How comes faith thus eminently to intitule us to justification?. I have asserted, 
Quest. 6.  that though works do justify, yet faith doth it so eminently, as that gets the chiefest name of righteousness, and works are never called our righteousness, much less are they the righteousness of faith; though it must be allowed as a good consequence, that if we are said to be justified by works, in a sense works are our righteousness, because all Justification is by a righteousness. But to let pass that, that works are a partial, secondary, less principal righteousness. The Question remains, How comes faith to be so eminently our righteousness, as to bear away the name, so that our righteousness by which we are now said to be justified should be called the righteousness of faith, in opposition to works, (that is) legal works.  
Now to this I answer: in the general, that the great reason of this must be the divine ordination and appointment. It could not be merely from the nature of the thing: nothing in its own nature can justify a rational creature but perfect righteousness, unerring obedience. Now the highest faith in the world can never deserve to be accounted unerring obedience; faith was but a part of our duty which we owed to God under the first Covenant, that is, relying upon the power, goodness, and veracity of God; and therefore wherever faith comes to be our righteousness, or our chief righteousness, it argues that there is a great deficiency in the creature that is so to be justified; and accordingly the Apostle often glances upon this, that glorying is in this way excluded, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith.  
Faith therefore cannot justify by any natural excellency that it hath in it, for though all the men in the world being now sinners and obnoxious to punishment by the law of their creation, should resolve of their own accord to believe that there is so much goodness in God that he will not destroy the work of his own hands, so depending upon his mercy, and therefore they will endeavour to do all those things which they think may be pleasing and acceptable to him, why all this faith and confidence, attended with the most sincere obedience, will not extort a Justification from Almighty God, except it be in his good pleasure to justify such believers, and such obedient persons; because they were all obnoxious to punishment for the breach of his law. Faith therefore cannot justify but by reason of divine ordination and constitution that hath passed upon it, such as this, The just shall live by faith; and, That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, Rom. 10.9. and for this reason I suppose it is so often called God's righteousness, Rom. 10.3. because it was a righteousness not in its own nature as works were, but a righteousness purely of divine appointment: This is Mr John Goodwin's notion of it, Pag. 34. of the Banner of Justification displayed. God was pleased to decree, or make this for a law (which the Apostle calleth the law of faith, Rom. 3.27) that faith or believing in him through Christ should interest men in the benefit or blessing of the death and blood shed of Christ; that is, in that remission of sins which was purchased by his death. And in this consideration faith justifieth, viz. by virtue of the Sovereign authority of that most gracious Decree or Law of God, wherein he hath said or decreed, that it shall entitle men unto, or inright them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the death of Christ which consisteth in the forgiveness of sins; or (which comes much to the same) as it is a qualification or condition, ordained, covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great blessing of that pardon of sin which Christ hath obtained for men by his blood. This is Mr Baxter's opinion too; that is, That saith justifies as it is made the chief condition of the N. Covenant. Page 225 of his Aphorisms, Thesis' 57 It is the act of faith which justifieth men at age, and not the habit, yet NOT AS IT IS A GOOD WORK; (this is directly against Dr Moor's affirmation, who faith, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing else but to be approved as a good man, or a doer of that which is righteous and good, and that BECAUSE he doth that which is good and righteous; methinks here is a Justification for good works purely, and, if faith comes in here to justify, it doth it only as it is a good work. Mr Baxter is of another mind, viz. That faith doth not justify only under that qua●enus or reduplication AS a good work. Faith (saith Mr Baxter in the Thesis quoted) doth not justlfie AS it is a good work, or as it hath in itself any excellency above other graces: But in the NEAREST SENSE DIRECTLY AND PROPERLY as it is the fulfilling the condition of the New Covenant, etc.  
But now though I have affirmed that it doth not justify purely from its own nature, 
Though faith doth not justify purely from its own nature, yet it hath a great excellency in itself which might somewhat recommend it to this service.  but chief from the ordination of God, and that it could not have justified without this ordination, yet I shall add, that it had in its own nature a great fitness to be chosen of God for this eminent service to justify men by. It was the fittest medium that we can imagine, when the first natural way of works failed, to promote the honour of God and the good of the creature in Justification; which consideration commends highly the wisdom of God in setting it apart for this use, as the chief condition of our Justification. To evince the truth of this, let us consider a little the natural excellencyes that there are in faith.  
And first of all faith takes in all spiritual objects, 
1 Excellency of Faith.  and represents them to the soul, so that all other graces are beholden to faith for their objects. Heb. 11.1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen; hope could not be if faith did not give a real and evident being and subsistence to the things that we hope for, as also to all other the invisible and unseen things which a Christian, a Saint, as such converseth with and lives upon. Again, ver. 6. of that chap. 11. Without faith, 'tis impossible to please God; For he that comes unto God must believe that he is— Now it is by faith that we believe and know that God is; ver. 27. by faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible; by faith Moses saw him that is invisible. I will acknowledge that reason may find out that there is a God, but if a man's ways please God, his reason delivers over this observation to his faith, which is an higher thing, an higher principle in the soul than reason; though it never contradicts true reason, yet it is somewhat above mere reason 
* If any one here will say that faith in such a case (as the belief that there is a God) is much the same with reason or a rational conviction of the truth of such a Proposition I will not much contend, only because here the divine Penman says it is by saith we believe there is a God, and his assertion must have a truth in it, we may distinguish Reason & Faith thus, That Faith is a more particular faculty or habit of divine principles, such as respect God, and Religion; but Reason is a more general faculty conversant about all objects whatsoever; and this consideration must come in, That mere Reason only makes one a man, but Faith makes a man a Saint: and therefore this Faith must have a divine afflatus and spirit in it beyond mere reason. . It is by faith that we believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him. And these two Propositions thoroughly believed, are the foundation of all true Religion. By faith we receive the notion of God rootedly in our fouls, and then all the discoveries of God in any the effects of his wisdom, power and goodness, in his Works, or in his Word; in his Works, Heb. 11.3. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Whether faith takes this Proposition, That the worlds were made by the word of God out of the Scriptures, or merely by observation from the works themselves, it comes all to one, as to my present purpose, which is this, to prove that it is faith that strongly and effectually in us owns the being of God and the works of God. Again, it is faith receives all the revelations of God by any messengers that he sends unto us at any time 
* And indeed this is the most proper notion of faith, viz. an asfent to testimony. . Who hath BELIEVED our report (saith Isaias) and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, Isai, 53.1. If the arm of the Lord be not revealed to men in the preaching of the word, it is because they do not rightly believe the report. The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with saith in the hearing of it, Heb. 4.2, 3. and hence it is, for that faith is the proper instrument of receiving the word of God, that the Saints in the New Testament are called as often by the name of BELIEVERS as by any other name, Acts 5.14. 1 Tim. 4.12. and the word of the Gospel is called the word of Faith, Rom. 10.8.  
Nay, faith doth not only in the first place receive God into the soul, than all the discoveries of God in his Works and Word, but it pitches upon all the particular objects that are there discovered in the Word, and brings them particularly into the soul; faith doth not only receive the doctrine of the Gospel as true in the general, and from God, but because Christ is there revealed, it receives Christ himself, and brings Christ into the soul, and so Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith, Eph. 3.17. which is indeed a figurative expression; there is faith in Christ as well as faith in God the Father, and there is faith in the blood of Christ, etc. but of these things I have spoken largely above in the last character, I bring them in only here as proofs of the excellency of faith, in that it brings all spiritual objects home unto the soul, that so the soul may converse with them in the exercise of all its graces and virtues. In one word, our whole life here at a distance from God must necessarily be a life of faith, We walk by faith not by sight, 2 Cor. 5.7. for till we come to the beatifical Vision of God, we must see him and all his glories and excellencies by faith; and our treatings with God the Father and the Son must be by faith: I have a long time dearly loved that Scripture, 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom speaking of Christ) having not seen ye love, in whom though now you see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with ●oy unspeakable and full of glory. Faith must come into set love on work upon an unseen Christ, or else none of that glorious and unspeakable joy could arise to a Christian; so that by what hath been said in this first particular, Faith is the root-grace in this present state of things. 
2 Excellency of Faith.   
But secondly, Faith is not only the first grace in order and a root-grace, but it is certainly productive and efficacious in the actuating all other graces, and setting them on work; when once saith hath brought all these glorious objects into the soul, first God and all his glorious Attributes, than his Revelations, and especially Christ and his Blood, and realized them all unto the soul, it is almost impossible but all other graces should in their several courses and respects which they have to these objects move and work regularly and intensely. Love we know is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. in rational creatures it is the fulfilling of the Law perfectly even in degrees; in broken creatures it is the fulfilling of the Law sincerely in its desires and endeavours. Now this faith makes its great instrument to work by. Faith worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. and I shown above how faith sets hope on work; now these three Faith, Hope, and Charity are the three great graces, 1 Cor. 13.13. all other graces are reducible to these three, and of these three faith is the root-grace. And therefore we find often in the Scriptures that all Religion is put upon the bare assent of faith. Rom. 10.9. If thou confess; with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. 1 John 4.2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come into the flesh is of God. Not as if a mere confession or profession of Christ were saving, for there are many that do profess themselves Christians that shall go to hell. But according to that in the Romans, if they did believe with their heart that God had raised Christ from the dead, together with the ends of his death & resurrection, certainly all those other things which accompany salvation, or have salvation annexed to them, would follow; because true saith, hearty, unseigned faith is a working faith; it works by love to the making a man a new creature, and to the keeping of all the commandments of God. And according to this position I make no doubt that place in James is to be under stood, Jam. 2. where there is a supposition of a superation betwixt Faith and Works; that either that place speaks only of a false and only pretended faith, and then indeed there may be such a Faith without Works, a dead and unactive Faith, that is the resemblance and appearance of Faith; or else ●t speaks of a true Faith, and then it is only by, way of supposition that the Apostle there speaks, that upon supposition any one's Faith (though it were the highest and truest Faith in the World) should not be accompanied by Works, it would not justify, and it is very true upon that supposition: Because Works are as well required as Faith; not but that wherever there is a true and lively Faith, there will be Works necessarily attending it; and this I believe all will readily acknowledge.  
Mr. Baxter is so much of this opinion that Faith is an operative Grace; and puts the soul, where it is, upon gracious actions towards God, that be puts works and obedience into the desinition or description of Faith. In his Aphorisms, pag. 279▪ Thesis 70. Faith (saith he) in the largest sense, as it comprehendeth all the condition of the New-Covenant, may be thus defined: It is, when a sinner by the Word and Spirit of Christ being throughly convinced of the righteousness of the Law, the truth of its threatening— the Nature and Offices, Sufficiency and Excellency of Jesus Christ— his free offer to all that will accept of him for their Lord and Saviour, doth hereupon believe the truth of this Gospel, and accept of Christ as his only Lord and Saviour to bring him to God his chiefest good— and doth accordingly rest on him as his Saviour, and SINCERELY, (though imperfectly) OBEY him as his Lord; FORGIVING OYHERS, LOVING HIS PEOPLE, BEARING WHAT SUFFERINGS ARE IMPOSED, etc. and all this sincerely, and to the end. This is part of his desinition of Faith. Again, Mr. Baxter in another place, pag. 238. Thesis' 62. according to this definition of Faith tells us, That Faith may be called the only condition of the New-Covenant for two reasons; 1. Because it is the principal condition, and the other but the less principal; and so as an whole Country hath  its Name from a chief City, so may the conditions of this Covenant from Faith. 2. Because all the rest are reducible to it, either being presupposed as necessary antecedents or means, or contained in it as its parts, properties, or modifications, or else employed as its immediate product, or necessary subservient means or consequents. And so full to the same purpose, Thesis' 73. pag. 280. Thus we see by Scripture, and according to the opinion of a very learned and good man, that Faith is not only the first Grace in order, but a very operative Grace, and was in its own nature exceedingly sitted for that service which God hath in much Wisdom and Prudence appointed it unto.  
But thirdly, 
〈…〉.  there is yet a more proper reason then either of these, why Faith should be chosen for this uses and that is, for that Faith is a self-emrying Grace; to live by Faith, is to live purely in dependence upon God and Christ for every thing; and what fit instrument or condition of Justification could be chosen after the fall of man, when it was most reasonable that if God would save a man, he should have all the glory? Doth not the Apostle insist mightily upon this, both in his Doctrine and particular practice? Justification now (saith he) is not of works, lest any man should boast, Eph. 2.9. But by Grace are ye saved through Faith. So Nom. 3.27. Where is boasting then? it is excluded. By what Law? Of works? Nay, but by the Law of Faith. This is St. Paul's Doctrine. Then for his practice; For my part (saith he) I am crucified with Christ, I am a poor dead thing; Nevertheless I live, yet not I, or no longer I, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I live, is by Faith in Christ, Gal. 2.20. Now that St. Paul is come to live the life of Faith, he is nothing, Christ is all; he is dead, and liveth not, Christ only liveth in him. So that you see Faith, besides all its other excellencies, hath a peculiar fitness for this service of justifying a sinner; and yet notwithstanding all these excellent qualities that are to be found in Faith, it could not have justified without a Divine ordination and appointment. Now for any to say (as some do) that Love justifies as much as Faith; nay that God doth rather approve of a man for his Love, then for his Faith, is (methinks) very bold and unscriptural Divinity.  
I shall only add a word of testimony out of Mr. Baxter to this last particular, and so conclude the question, and all the questions which I have to propose about Justification. Pag. 231. of his Aphorisms he hath these words: If God had seen meet to have stamped any thing else to pass for Justification, it would have passed currently; yet take this, Faith is, even to our own apprehension, the most apt and suitable condition that GOD COULD have chosen (for as far as we can reach to know) there cannot be a more apt or rational condition— pag. 232. This is the most selfdenying and Christ-advancing Work. Nothing could be more proportionable to our poverty, who have nothing to buy with, than thus freely to receive, etc.  
I have now done with all the Questions which I thought any ways necessary to be spoken to for the more particular and distinct unfolding of the Doctrine of Justification; and I might here shut up the Discourse with the Uses of the whole. But before I come to the Uses, I judge it convenient to add somewhat by way of Appendix; concerning the means or way how Justification came to be transferred from the Law to the Gospel, or from Works to Faith, for that I have acknowledged that Works and the Law were the first natural way of justifying men, but now that it is altogether brought about by Grace and Faith. That which I have to say, I shall introduce with this objection.  
If we were all born under the Law, 
Object.  and bound to obey it to a tittle, upon which obedience it should have justified us, but upon the least breach was armed with this threatening, That we should die the death; and that we have all broken it, how comes it to pass that we are not all the Laws Captives and Prisoners, and condemned by it? How came there such easy gracious terms to be offered us for our justification, as Faith and sincere obedience, that these shall be accepted instead of perfect unerring obedience? How will this way be for the honour of God's veracity in the threatening, or his holiness, to take imperfect sinful creatures into favour?  
Now in answer to this objection I shall not need to meddle with that question, 
Answ.  whether it were inconsistent with the natural Justice or Holiness of God, considered as antecedent to his threatening, or Decree of punishing sinners with death, for him to have pardoned sinners by an absolute Power and Sovereign Grace, and so to have received them into favour upon their repentance, without the intervention of a Saviour.  
But in the first place, seeing there was adecree passed, In the day that thou eatest, thou shalt die the death, Gen. 2.17. I see not how it was consistent with the veracity of God to remit the sinner without any consideration at all, without a very considerable fulfilling of this threatening.  
2dly, The threatening therefore was fulfilled these several ways; 1. Upon man himself in a great measure, for that presently upon man's fall ensued his mortality, and all the inconveniences and troubles which we meet with in the World, which are the forerunners and causes of our dissolution. But secondly, and especially, the great God, in infinite Wisdom and Mercy, provided a Saviour, one mighty to save, that should come into the world in the fullness of time (about the 4000th. year of the World, the World being to last but perhaps 7000. years in all) and free us that were born under the Law, and by our sins made obnoxious to the curse of it, from the curse and power of the Law. Now this being the great means of transferring Justification from the Law to Faith, I shall a little insist upon the Explication of it. That which I have to say upon it, will be contained in these two assertions.  
1. That Christ in his own person here upon earth, undertook the Law, and answered it in all that it had to say against us: And whereas it was a kill letter, he took out this condemning power of it for all believers.  
2. That this was done by Christ for all ages of the Church; and so it was, and is the great foundation of that Justification by faith which the Apostle Paul contends to have been in all ages, before the Law, under the Law, and in the days of the Gospel to the end of the world; so that the way of Justification by faith comes in kindly, and in a comely manner, without any neglect or violation of the Law: I begin with the first assertion.  
That Christ in his own person here upon earth undertook and answered the Law, 
The first assertion, That Christ undertook & answered the law for us.  etc. Now to prove and illustrate this assertion, it will be useful to us, 1. To consider in what condition the Lord Christ found us when he came into the world as a Saviour.  
We were therefore all of us Jew's and Gentiles, 
We were all under the law when Christ came to save us.  prisoners to the Law. I shall give the account of this in the Apostle's expressions (which are somewhat mystical) to which I hope I shall add some light by laying them together, and comparing them one with another. Before Christ came, and before faith came, and so at the time when Christ came, & when faith came in the doctrinal discovery, or at any time doth come to us in the hearty closing with it, We were kept under the Law, Gal. 3.23. the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Law had set a guard upon us, and as it follows, we were shut up unto the faith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we were all shut up as so many prisoners unto the Law, and under its guard and custody; and in Rom. 7.6. (speaking of the Law) the Apostle saith, We were held by it, that being dead (that is, the Law) wherein we were HELD, or by which we were detained, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For though these places in the Galatians and Romans may refer to the different dispensations of the Old Testament and New, that before the days of the Gospel when faith came to be preached men were under a legal dispensation, they were kept under the Law, and shut up to the faith that was to be revealed, yet I dare affirm, that there is a deeper meaning than that, at least a deeper truth then that, if not in those places, which is this, That till Christ and the way of Justification by faith be made known to the soul, the soul must needs be under a legal frame ●f heart towards God, under fear and bondage; ●ay, and a further sense than this yet, and that ●s this, That till the virtue of the blood of Christ ●e applied to the soul, till actual Justification ●y or upon faith, every man lies under the curse ●nd threatening and wrath of the Law: the Law ●ath taken hold of us all, an evident sign of ●hich is this, That death hath passed upon all; and ●hat is the reason? why, for that all have sinned, ●om. 5.12.  
And if any could plead exemption from this abnoxiousness to the Law, it must be either the gentiles that had not the Law, as the expression is, ●●m. 2.14. that is, had not the Law given to ●●em; or those that lived before the Law was ●ven by Moses; now neither of these can plead ●is exemption, therefore all mankind were ●ptives to the Law when Christ undertook the ●ork of Redemption, or rather until the designation of Christ by the Father to this work.  
For the first, viz. the Gentiles, the Apostle tells us that he had proved them under sin, which is the transgression of the Law, therefore under the Law; and their thoughts within them did accuse for their breach of the Law, which was written in their hearts, Rom. 2.14.  
Neither were they free from this arrest of the Law, who lived before the delivery of the Law by Moses; for the Apostle tells us plainly, Rom. 5.13. That until the Law sin was in the world; that is, from Adam till the time that the Law was solemnly given by Moses sin was in the world: now sin is the transgression of the Law, and accordingly, as sin was in the world all that space of time from Adam to Moses, so Death reigned from Adam to Moses: Now we know that death 〈◊〉 the wages of sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. 1 Cor. 15.56. Sin could never have brought in death but by the Law, which binds sin upon the sinner, and with sin the punishment due to it; therefore all that space of time from Ada● to Moses, sin and death being in the world (〈◊〉 they were) to be sure there was the Law in its power & energy; it was there in effect, as sure 〈◊〉 it was in the hearts & consciences of Heathens and the Grave was the Law's Prison, Death its Arrest, Sin it's great Charge and Accusation, by and upon which Death entered. Sin entered in the world and death by sin, upon the threatning● the Law, Rom. 5.12. This was the state and condition therefore that Christ found us in; w● were all under the Law as Prisoners and Captives, therefore when the Father sent fort Christ upon the work of Redemption, it is sa● Gal. 4.4. God sent forth his Son made of a woman, m●● under the Law; to redeem them that were under 〈◊〉 Law. This was written to the Galatians, who were Gentiles, That we (putting himself and the Galatians together) might receive the adoption of Sons; therefore the Gentiles were under the Law when Christ was sent forth for their redemption.  
And our Saviour tells us what he was commissionated to by his Father; Luke 4.18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the , to preach DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (or bound, as it is in Isai. 61.1.) to preach the acceptable year of the Lord; that is the Year of Jubilee, when all servants were set free: thus Christ's coming was to proclaim a Year of Jubilee to the whole world, that the Law's Captives should be delivered, and those that served God under the tyranny of the Law might receive a spirit of Adoption.  
So now thus far we are gone in our proof of the first assertion, that when Christ came as a Saviour and Redeemer of his people, he found them all under the Law, as the lawful Captives and Prisoners unto it by reason of their sins, which were transgressions of the Law. Now therefore what remains but this, that if Jesus will save his people from their sins, if he will deliver the Law's Captives, he must make satisfaction to the Law?  
The Law was such a thing as must not be dealt with in a way of violence: 'tis true, when our Saviour came to redeem us from the power of Satan, he did that by an holy violence, he fought with all the powers of hell upon his Cross, and conquered them by force of arms (as I may speak) and triumphed over them in himself, or in his Cross; but now the Law must be taken off in a more honourable way: for the Law had an authority in it, the Law was nothing but the will of God revealed for man's life, with a reward and threaten annexed; so that the great God himself stood up in vindication of his own Law, that if the Prisoners of it were rescued, it must be upon such terms as these, which appear what they were by the event.  
That he that is the Saviour of the Law's Captives must first be made under the Law himself. 
The terms upon which the Law's captives be delivered.  God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law.  
And secondly, That he must pass through a legal Justification himself, before he can take others off from the Laws condemnation; for being made under it, the Law must either justify him or condemn him, which latter it did not for any personal breach that he made of it, therefore it must and did acquit him.  
But then for us who were under the curse of the Law, if he will deliver us from it, he must be made a curse, Gal. 3.13. if he will save us from our sins, which were invigorated by the Law, with a sentence of condemnation (all the strength of sin for condemnation being in the Law) he himself must be made sin (that is, as much as an immaculate Lamb could be) viz. a sin-offering, 2 Cor. 5.21. he was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; that is, that we might be made righteous by Gods accepting Gospel conditions, instead of legal, for our Justification.  
If Christ will redeem us from the wrath of the Law, which is the wrath of God (the Law worketh wrath, Rom. 4 15.) truly he must come under that wrath so far as it was possible for such an innocent person to be under it; and we know that he was under as horrible a desertion as ever any that trusted in God was under; and that at such a time when he needed the greatest supports, even when he hung upon the Cross, crying, My God, My God, (words of an high saith) why hast thou forsaken me? words expressing a most dreadful desertion, Math. 27 46. Not to mention his agony in the Garden, which was but a fore-taste of that Cup which he was afterwards to drink off. And methinks there is an eminent place for this in Zech. chap. 13. ver. 7. saith the Lord there, as it were stirring up his wrath against Christ, Awake O Sword against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my Fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts: As much as to say, there is a man upon earth that is my Fellow, and he hath undertaken to rescue the Law's Captives, to redeem them from under the Law, Curse, and Wrath, now awake my Sword against him: Here the great God the Lord of Hosts doth, as it were, set himself in battle array against Christ; but what doth Christ now? Doth he make resistance? doth he redeem his Captives from the Law by force●? No; though he were equal with God, though he were God's Fellow (as here the Lord calls him) yet he made it not a prey or a robbery to be equal with God, so as to hold it fast, and stand it out, but gave way; he knew what he had undertaken, to redeem Captives indeed, but it was from under the Law, the righteous and holy and pure law of God, and this must not be violated, this must not be resisted. He had to do with his Father, and there must be no resisting him; The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it? John 18.11. Though he were God's Fellow, though he were equal to God, as it is Phil. 2.6, 7, 8. Yet he made himself of no reputation, he laid aside his equality, took upon him the form of a Servant, and hum●●ed himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross: And this was the utmost that the Law could do to him; here the Law ended its rage, the Law brought Christ to the Cross, and when he ascended the Cross, he bore our sins in his own body, 1 Pet. 2.24 and being as yet under the Law, (for the Law pressed him with our sins) he carried up the Law (as Samson did the gates of the City upon his shoulders, Judges 16.3.) he carried up the Law upon the Cross, & he nailed the Law to the Cross, (both Moral and Ceremonial) as to all its condemning power, as to all that wherein it was a 'gainst us, wherein it was contrary unto us, he answered fully, canceled it, and left it behind him upon the Cross to this very day. Christ came down again, but the Law could never come down since. Col 2.14. Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was AGAINST US, THAT WAS CONTRARY UNTO US, and took it out of the way, ●ailing it to his Cross. Now this was the manner of Christ's enervating the Law, and leaving it without strength, or obligation upon us to punishment, as the expression is, Rom 76. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Law is made of no strength against us, so it might be rendered, though the Translation is this, we are delivered fram the Law, the Law can hold us captives no longer, it is made a weak, and a vain thing to us, having spent all its rage & fury upon Christ; for the Law could do no more than it did upon Christ; what can the Law do more to a debtor, nay to any malefactor, then arrest him, bring him to trial and execution? and all this the Law, did upon Christ, as our surety, and so left no strength, or vigour in itself against those whose Surety he was.  
The Law when it fell upon us it left us without strength, Rom. 5.6. When we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly; but when Christ comes to deal with the Law, he leaves the Law without strength; nay, though he offered no affront or violence to the Law, yet he left it for dead, as it is Rom. 7 6. Now we are delivered from the Law, THAT BEING DEAD WHEREIN WE WERE HELD. The Law that fell upon us when we were weak was taken by the Captain of our salvation, and left for dead; nay, he made it suffer the same death that it put him to. The Law nailed Christ to the Cross, and Christ nailed the Law to the Cross, and all this without violence or affront offered to the Law, it being but naturally consequent upon what the Law did first to Christ; for if the Law set upon Christ as our Surety, and do the utmost to him that it can, it must needs follow that it hath no strength left against those for whom he undertook, and so must die and expire by the same death that our Saviour died, it being nailed to the Cross, which is but a sigurative expression.  
And yet I shall carry the Allegory a little further, herein still following the Apostle Paul, Is it any wonder now, is it any unreasonable thing, now that the Law is dead, and taken out of the way, that we should be married to another husband? that we should reckon ourselves to be no longer under the Law. The woman which hath an husband (saith the Apostle, Rom. 7.23.) is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth, but if the husband be dead she is loosed from the Law of her husband; So then, if while her husband liveth she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that Law, so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man, ver. 4. Wherefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the Law, or the Law is become dead to you, BY THE BODY OF CHRIST, that ye should be warried to another, even to him that is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. The Law is every soul's first Husband, & since the fall, & so every one's actual sin, the Law is an intolerable husband, there is no living with it, it so sets on guilt & presseth the soul with terrors; nay, instead of producing good works, (the natural fruit of this Marriage-relation of the Soul to the Law whilst in innocency) it now produceth all manner of lusts, according to the 5. ver. of that 7. chap. When we were in the flesh, the MOTIONS OF SINS WHICH WERE BY THE LAW did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. Now God, in much mercy to mankind, finding that if the Law and the conscience or soul of man keep together, his creature will be lost, and himself lose those fruits of good works which the soul was first created for, he provides another husband for the soul which is Jesus Christ; only Christ must redeem his Spouse from that tyrannical Husband which now it lives with, else the Soul shall be but an Adulteress to pretend marriage to Christ, that is, the way of grace, whilst the Law can make a just claim to her as a wife, which it might have done as long as it lived. The manner of the rescue I have before declared, it was by suffering and yielding to the Law, yet so as in it the Law destroyed itself, and then is it lawful for the Soul, that was before wife to the Law, to be married to another husband, and who so fit as he that redeemed her? Now the Soul shall have its forbearance under failings, which the Law would not endure, and God shall have a kindly and ingenuous Service; there will be fruits unto God: and this is the passage from Works to Faith, from the Law to Grace.  
I though the Law (saith the Apostle) am dead to the Law, that I might live to God, Gal. 2.19. that is, through what the Law hath done to Christ it hath nothing to do with me. But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter, Rom. 7.6.  
One Scripture more to this purpose, it is Rom. 8.1. & 23.4. There is therefore now no condemnation to ohem which are in Christ Jesus (who are married to Christ and have accepted the terms of the Gospel) who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death: this chief relates to sanctification, that the inward law or power of corruption, which was occasionally and accidentally strenghtned by the Law of God, was now broken by that inward power, spirit, and life which is conveyed by the Gospel of Christ, and is called the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, ver. 3. for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, (that is, it could neither justify nor sanctify) both these did God bring to pass by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, when for sin, that is, Christ's making himself a Sin-offering, & so answering the Law, God condemned Christ in the flesh: that is, destroyed it, both in the guilt and power of it, out of us that were sinners; so it follows, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit; that is, that the Law might no longer accuse us being answered by our Saviour, and that we might attain to that which is the chief design of the Law, to wit, righteousness and holiness, which if we had continued under the Law we could never have attained unto.  
What so common now with the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans, as to tell them, that now they are not under the Law, but under grace by this means, namely, the BODY OF CHRIST offered; and that therefore there shall be no condemnation, and that therefore sin shall not have dominion over them, which are the two great effects of the death of Christ, though the first chief belongs to that subject which I am upon; viz. Justification?  
Having given now all these things in an allegorical and mystical dress, (yet herein only following the Apostle) I shall deliver the same thing somewhat plainly, and so conclude this first particular.  
The sum of all this is, Man was made holy, had a Law to live by, to which there was a threatening annexed, In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the death, or shalt surely die 
* This threatening (I take it) is due by the Law to & intended against all sins, according to that of the Apostle, The wages of sin is death, Ro. 6.23. speaking of sin indefinitely, besides wise Adam might have committed any other sin and not have died. . Man did eat, and so was to die, death accordingly entered by this sin into the world, that is a natural death, and for eternal death hereafter, and the spiritual death of the soul here, which consists in alienations from God; (both which all men at age are obnoxious unto being sinners, as for children, I neither affirm nor deny any thing) the Lord in mercy designing to deliver men from, provided a Saviour, who should first live a perfect life, that so he might be the more acceptable Sacrifice; and his terms of saving men must be these, that he must freely offer himself up to God a Sacrifice for our sins, give his life a ransom, etc. and though the Father loved him all the while (as I cannot admit that the Father was really angry with Christ, or that he tasted the Father's wrath, for God could never be angry with one that never displeased him) yet undertaking such a load as our sins, the Father would deal with him much like as with a sinner, leave him to men and devils upon the Cross, and withdraw the light of his countenance, which forced those sad outcries upon the Cross. Now upon condition of Christ's performing this great service (which was, as I verily believe, the chiefest design of his coming into the world, for this cause came I to this hour, John 12.27. though there were divers other great designs of his coming) I say upon condition of performing this great service the great God of heaven would reckon that his word of threatening was fulfilled, and the holiness of his Law satisfied in this eminent signification of his displeasure against sin shown upon his own Son, (whom he would not spare when he had taken our sins upon him) and for ever after would grant this new and living way of Justification unto the world, THAT WHOSOEVER SHOULD BELIEVE AND OBEY SINCEREEY should be justified and saved; and that for all such, they should be no longer under the Law for their Justification, but under Grace. And I can understand no other sense of the Law's being dead, and Grace its reigning through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ.  
I shall only need to mind one thing before I go off from this particular, 
The subjects of the great Privilege of freedom from the Law.  and that is the subjects of this privilege of freedom from the Law. And they are only so many as put themselves upon the way of believing for Justification; all others are really under the Law still; When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members, etc. Rom. 7.5. All that are in the flesh are under the Law still; But now (saith the Apostle) we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held. The Law was alive before to their conscience, whilst they were in the flesh, and out of Christ, but now the Law was become dead to them; which plainly argues that the Law is dead or alive to men in the condemning power of it, according to the state that a man is in, either of sin or holiness: So Rom. 6.14. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law but under Grace; plainly implying, that if they were under the Law sin would have dominion over them, a also that if sin had dominion over them, it were a plain sign that they were under the law. This being a great truth in this matter, That all that are not serving God in the way of faith are under the law; for that the law is the natural way which a man is born under, and the way of faith and grace a superadded dispensation upon consideration of the death of Christ for all those that should believe and obey sincerely; therefore, till they get into the way of believing, they must be in that state which men are naturally born under, that is, under the law. I shall conclude this particular with a passage about Dr Preston, I have heard it affirmed by one that was contemporary with Dr Preston in Cambridge, a person of credit and worth, that he heard him preach to this purpose, That Christ died to make this Proposition true, that, WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH SHALL BE SAVED. Now this I suppose is full to the purpose for proof of what I am upon, That Christ died to buy a people off from the law, that they might be justified by faith; he died to buy those off from the law that should prove believers; as for all others he leaves them to the law still. For Christ did not die to get the law annihilated, or made utterly void; Do we make void the law? God forbidden, saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.31. but he laid down his life for HIS SHEEP, and to save HIS PEOPLE from their sins; he bought them off from the law, such as St Paul, I through the law am dead to the law; but not for wicked men, that is, such, as continue so, they shall find the law alive to them, and full charged with wrath against them; it being nothing else but the holy will of the great God, unto which all his creatures own an exact conformity.  
Now by what hath been said, I suppose is plainly and fully proved that which I made my first assertion, viz. That Christ Jesus in his own person here upon earth underlook and answered the law for all believers, so that they may be justified, for any accusation that the law hath to charge them with; and thus they come under grace and into this easier and sweeter way of Justification in a comely manner, the law being honourably taken off; So that now God may be just, that is, merciful (saith Dr Hammond upon the place) and the justifier of every one that believes in Jesus, Rom. 3 24, 25, 26. He may now justify the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. which by the law, if that had not been taken off by Christ, he could not (I think) have done. Methinks what I have said should be a clear proof of this assertion, seeing I have not only proved that it is so, but shown out of the Scripture the very manner how the law was taken off.  
All that I can apprehend to remain any whit doubtful or questionable is this, How doth it appear that what Christ did in suffering under the law, being under the curse, etc. did reach to the times that were before Christ's coming into the world? it may be easily conceived how it makes clear way for our Justification by faith, who have lived since his death; for if he bore our sins, the law will not charge them upon us; if he died for us, or in our stead, we are not by the law to die; if Christ were sacrificed for us as our Passover, we need not fear (if we have the Gospel-conditions of Covenant-relation to God in Christ) but the destroying law will pass over us; see how the word Passover comes from passing over, Exod. 12.21, 23, 27. But how doth it appear that this death of Christ had this influence upon the times of the Old Testament, to bring in the way of Justification by faith to them? for that you have asserted that the way of Justification by faith hath been in all ages, both before the law, and under the law, as well as now in the days of the Gospel, and that none was ever justified in any other way. Now how were they taken off from the law and brought under Justification by faith? or how doth it appear that the death of Christ was the foundation of this way of Justification by faith even to them? And unto the assoiling of this difficulty I shall now address myself, that is to the proof of my second assertion, which was this. What was done by Christ, viz. 
2 Assertion.  his undertaking and answering the law, was done for all ages of the Church; and so it was, and is the great foundation of that Justification by faith, which the Apostle Paul contends to have been the only way of Justification in all ages. And for proof of this I offer these things to consideration:  
1. The Saines in all ages before the death of Christ had this way of Grace then as well as we have it now (that I have proved at large in the beginning of this Treatise) therefore whence had it they but from this death of Christ which was certainly to follow at a prefixed time?  
If it be said they had their way of Grace purely from the goodness of God, I oppose, 1. That if so many thousands were saved before by mere grace without the consideration of a Saviour, why had not the Lord continued the same grace unto the end of the world, which we see he hath not continued? Why are the vouchsafements of God's Grace in pardon of two such quite different kinds, so as to save his people for 4000 years without a Saviour, and the rest by a Saviour! Nay, to save them without a Saviour, whom yet he had by multitudes of Promises, Prophecies and Prefigurations made to hope for a Saviour!  
2dly, If the Lord could in a consistency with his veracity in threatening death to sin, pardon sin without either the sinners death or his sureties, and that the law would be (so) well enough contented and satisfied, why would the Lord put our Saviour to so much trouble in suffering a death which he might as well have escaped, and which he so earnestly desired, if it were possible, that he might escape, and all this to take off the Law from being our Head and Husband?  
3dly, It is said expressly, That the Covenant was confirmed to Abraham of God in Christ, Gal. 3.17. which methinks must necessarily imply thus much, that the consideration of Christ went into the confirmation of this Covenant, whether Abraham or any of the Saints under the Old-Testament knew it or no, as it is plain Abraham did; He rejoiced to see my day, and saw it and was glad, John 8.56. Now this Covenant with Abraham is that which the Apostle doth mightily insist upon, to prove Justification by Faith to be antecedent to the giving of the Law, and therefore not to be nulled by the coming of the Law; and yet this Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ, that is, as I think, was sounded upon this consideration, that Christ should afterwards come into the World, and pay that price which God would accept for the redemption of all believers 
* 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3, 4. All the Fathers did drink of the some spiritual drink, for the drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ. .  
Again 4thly, Christ is said to be the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the World, Rev. 13.8. which to me signifies thus much, that though he were not actually slain, yet he was reckoned by God as slain then, and so God was attoned for all the Saints of all ages ensuing; or to follow the other reading of the Words in Rev. 13.8. so that from the foundation of the world, should refer to the writing the Saints Names in the Lamb's Book of Life, and not to the Lamb's being slain, this will make more for my purpose; for if they that were elected from the foundation of the World, were all enroled in the Lamb's Book of life, how should this come to pass, but because they were all to be redeemed to God by the Lamb's blood? And if this opinion of personal Election be true, that Scripture would serve to countenance this interpretation, which we have, Eph. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him (that is Christ) before the foundation of the world, ver. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, etc. And methinks Mr. Biddle, who (in a late Book of his which he calls, An Essay to the explaining of the Revelations, pag. 64.) lays so much weight upon this passage in Rev. 13.8. for proof of personal Election, (as to say, That this alone in his judgement seemeth sufficient to decide the so much agitated Controversy about Predestination) might very well have gone one step further in his alteration of his mind, by acknowledging the reason why all the Elect should be said to be written in the Lamb's Book of life to be this, namely, Because he was to pay the price of their Redemption, as the most proper and pleasing Sacrifice for sins that ever was offered up to God. But to proceed, as Christ was slain in Divine designation and acceptation from the beginning of the world, (for I shall take liberty to follow that reading) so when he came into the world to be slain actually, it is said to be in the fullness of time, Gal. 4 4, 5. WHEN THE FULLNESS OF TIME was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, etc. Time went with this great birth of the Saviour of the World, near 4000 years, and then it was time Christ should be sent into the world to pay that debt which through the forbearance of God had been contracting for so long a space of time.  
But 5thly, for a pertinent and concluding Scripture-proof, I shall insist a little upon Heb. 9.24, 25. 26. For Christ is not entered into the holy place; made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the Highpriest entereth into the holy place every year, with blood of others, (for then must he often have suffered SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD) but now ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD hath he appeared to put away fins by the sacrifice of himself. Here are several differences which the Author of this Epistle observes betwixt Christ out Highpriest, & the Highpriest under the law, who was the most eminent type of Christ. The Highpriest under the law entered into the holy places made with hands; ours into heaven itself. The Highpriest under the law entered into the holy place often, that is, though but once in the year, yet every year once, which is often in many years, ours but once in all. Again, the Highpriest entered with the blood of others. ours by his own blood, or the sacrifice of himself. But yet herein there is a correspondence between our Highpriest, and the legal Highpriest, that as theirs went into the holy of Holies once in the end of the year for to make reconciliation for the sins of the year passed so our Highpriest entered into Heaven with his own blood, ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD, to make atonement for the sins of the ages past: I think there is this allusion in the words once in the end of the world, for that the Highpriest offered but once in the year, ver. 7 of this chap. ours once in all, and their once was in the end of the year, nay about the same distance of time from the years end as our Saviour from the world's end, as is to be seen Leu. 16.29. it was in the seventh month, seven bearing the same proportion to 12 (or very near it) that 4 doth to 7. taking it for granted that the world should last but about 7000 years: therefore I would infer this allusion to be in the words, that as theirs want, etc. Besides, there is that in this Scripture which will enforce this Analogy of the end of the year to the forepast year, and the end of the world to the forepast ages, and it is this; That if our Saviour through the excellency of his person and offering, had not had this high honour from God that his once offering should serve instead of offering a hundred times over, which the Priests under the law were fain to do, and yet could never hereby purge away sin as to the Conscience: I say, if this once offering of our Saviour had not been so highly acceptable to God as it was, he must (as the High-Priests did offer often) have suffered often since the foundation of the world, if he would have obtained pardon of sins for those for whom he obtained it; he must have come into the World, and suffered once a year, or once in an age, or else at the end of some certain term of years prefixed to him by his Father. This is the argumentation of the holy Penman of the Epistle to the Heb. ch 9 25. 
* Dr Hammond in his Par. upon these words, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, hath it thus, For than he should from time to time ever since the BEGINNING the world have died many times.  Now upon what ground doth this argumentation proceed, other than this, That when he suffered and offered himself, it was as a propitiation to God for the sins of all the ages since the Foundation of the World? For else whence would it follow at all, though our Saviour should have been ranked by his Father amongst the common High-Priests, & his offering of himself no more accepted for pardon, than their offering the blood of Bulls & Goats was: I say, whence would it follow that he must have offered himself often since the foundation of the World (which certainly respects the ages past) if he was not at all to make atonement for the sins of those past ages? The Author of that Epistle would rather have said (if he had not gone upon this supposition, that Christ offered for the sins of the ages passed before his suffering, but had only thought that he offered for the ages to come after his suffering) I say, he would rather have expressed himself thus: If out Highpriest Jesus Christ had not been accepted for us under the Gospel, more highly than the legal High-Priests were for their people under the law, he must often offer as they did SINCE his first offering: he must come and suffer death once in the year, and then be raised to offer himself to God: or at least once in an age or some set-period of time; and this he must do to the end of the World; he would never have expressed himself thus; then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But whereas now the Apostle loo●ing upon the world as it were at an end, or drawing towards its end, (for suppose the World last 70 o● years, yet after 4000 years the Scale of Time is turned, and Time in its declining) he speaks of the world, and the continuance of it, as you would do of a year and the continuance of it, & faith he as the High Priest amongst the Jews, did enter into the Holy of Holies once in the end of the year for to make an atonement for the sins of the year past, so hath our Saviour once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  
Again, for I have somewhat yet further which this phrase now once in the end of the world will afford us, and that is this, That indeed, though it be true (and I think I have sufficiently proved it above) that this death & offering of Christ frees US from sin that live after it as well as THOSE that went afore it; yet I verily believe that his death hath a more obvious respect to them that lived in the ages before he suffered than to us who came into the world after he suffered, though it hath indeed an influence upon us too; and the reason is this, for that the use of a Sacrifice is to make atonement for sin after it is committed. When did you ever read of a Sacrifice for sins slain and offered before the sin was committed? The Sacrifices that should be made thus, would rather look like a bribing the Deity to get liberty to sin, then to make atonement for sin. Therefore all the particular Sacrifices that were appointed, they were appointed to be used after the legal uncleanness was contracted; and accordingly the High Priest that went but once into the Holy of Holyes, it was at the end of the year not at the beginning of the year. And thus our Saviour being to take away the sins of the world, John 1.29. he came once in the end of the world to take away sin; so that his appearing thus in the end of the world seems more plainly to respect the ages past, than the ages which were to come; and I verily believe, if Christ had died only for the sins of those ages that have been since his death, or shall be yet to the end of the world, he would have forborn his death till the end of the world, or the times that were near it, from this very reason of decency, That it is not proper to offer Sacrifice for sin till the sin be committed; it rather looks like the dispensation to sin than making atonement for sin.  
But now that Christ was to die for the sins of all the Saints in all ages before him, and that he stayed till the fullness of time, even till the declining of time towards its end, (there being so many transgressions already committed that were to be removed out of the way) it was no uncomely thing at all that our Saviour should come and die, and offer himself to God when he did, though the value of the same Sacrifice was to reach all ages after to the world's end; and that especially, for that there were many other ends of his coming, besides the offering himself thus to God; he was to take upon him the Mediatorial Kingdom, 
Several other ends of Christ's coming besides offering himself a Sacrifice for sin.  to set up a spiritual Worship of God, by pulling down all the Jewish Ceremonies, making Jew and Gentile one, and revealing all the mysteries that were concealed in Moses his dispensation; nay, his very Sacrifice is one of the greatest Mysteries of all, by which we are informed of God's performing his threaten, that the threaten of heaven are not as claps of thunder without a thunderbolt in them; we see God's hatred of sin, punishing it so severely in his own Son; we see God's love to the world, that he would give his Son for the life of it, though he gave him up to the death, we have in his life a pattern of perfect holiness, which is more than all precepts alone; and we see in our Saviour an instance of the Resurrection & heavenly glory; & all these things have been of mighty instruction to the Saints of all ages since the death of Christ, 
If this phrase, the end of the world, should be understood of the end of the jewish state, this will not at all prejudice my ieference from it, that Christ's death had respect unto the ages before his coming, but rather strengthen it.  & will be to all Saints unto the end of the world; and therefore I say, these other great ends of his coming being considered, there is no undecency at all in his coming so early in the end of the world, and offering a Sacrifice that should serve for many ages that were then to come. It was at the end of the world that he came, and therefore might very well serve for those fewer succeeding ages, though it had the first respect unto the ages going before.  
In the sixth and last place, I shall bring plain Scripture to prove that Christ died for the Saints of the ages that were passed before his death. There are two Scriptures that speak to this purpose; the first that I shall name is in that 9th of the Hebrews, the chapter out of which I have been arguing, ver. 15. And for this cause he (speaking of Christ) is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament they which are called, etc. Here it is said that Christ by the means of his death redeemed or expiated the transgressions that were under the First Testament, therefore he died for the fins of those that lived under the Old Testament. But I shall deal so faithfully with my Reader as to acquaint him with another interpretation (which is not contemptible) that others give of these words, and that is this, That our Saviour Christ, the Mediator of the New Testament or Covenant, by his most excellent Offering redeemed and expiated those sins which could not be expiated by any Sacrifices that were appointed under the First Covenant, according to that in Acts 13.39. By him (speaking of Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. There being in Moses no Sacrifices for adulteries, thefts, murders, etc. whereas in the Christian Religion there is pardon for all sorts of sinners by means of the death of Christ, if they have but the Gospel-conditions of pardon. So that this interpretation makes the place to speak of the kinds of sins, and not of the individual or particular sins which were committed under the first Covenant, that Christ by the means of his death hath made redemption of those kind of fins which there was no redemption for under the first Covenant: But I have something to ask of those that make this interpretation yet taking it for passable, and it is this; I would fain know if any of those sins were pardoned under the Old Testament which here are said to be redeemed by Christ for his followers; if they say they were not, than all that committed any such kind of sins were damned for ever, which was untrue, witness David and Manasseh: if they were pardoned, as they were, then either they were expiated by some Sacrifice, or they were not; if those that own this interpretation say they were not expiated by some Sacrifice, and yet pardoned, I oppose, (not to mention that great argument again. That they could not be pardoned without expiation in any consistency with the veracity of God in his threatening) this seems a strange rarity in the deal of God with us, that under the New Testament no sin is pardoned but what is expiated by the death of Christ, and yet under the Old Testament, (which was certainly a dispensation more severe than ours) there the greatest sins should be pardoned without the intervention of any Sacrifice; nay, what a strange thing was it in their very dispensation that legal uncleannesses (such as Leprosy and Issues, etc. must be purged by sacrifice See Leu. 14, 15. chapters. yet the greatest sins of all should be pardoned without a sacrifice; if therefore those great sins of Murder, Adultery, Witchcraft, Idolatry, etc. were pardoned by expiation, it must be by this death of Christ to ensue in the end of the world, for there was no sacrifice so much as appointed for these sins; & those that were appointed could never reach to the purging and cleansing of the conscience, they only purged the flesh from a fleshly uncleanness, Heb 9.13. the blood of Christ alone hitherto hath had a virtue in it to cleanse the conscience; therefore I conclude, that the blood of Christ made expiation even for those individual sins for which there was no expiatory sacrifice appointed under the Old Testament.  
But to let pass that Scripture, what will be said to that in Rom. 3.25, 26. where we have these words, Whom (speaking of Christ) God hath set forth (or fore-ordained, as it is in the margin) to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God, to declare (I say) AT THIS TIME his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus? Now I suppose there may be this sense contained in these words, That God in the days of the Gospel hath set forth clearly what that is by which he was always propitiated and atoned for sins, even those sins that were forepast and fore-committed in the days of his forbearance and long-suffering, that is, the darker times of the world, which times we have otherwise expressed in Acts 17.30. to be the days of ignorance which God winked at, (they were the days of God's forbearance) it was and is the blood of Christ, by which God alone always was, and still is propitiated for sins; only than it was not so well known, but now God hath declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the Acts it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that the forepast sins, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as well as these that are committed under the Gospel, were all redeemed and expiated by the blood of Christ. As for any other sense that is given of these words, I find it only this, That the sins that are past should be meant of the sins of a man's life passed, before he comes to believe; which is a good honest sense, for it is very true, That when a man comes to believe in Christ and in his blood, all the sins of his past life shall be forgiven him: but that this is not meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sins that are past, seems clear to me from that term of opposition, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at this time, which is certainly meant of the times of the Gospel, in opposition to a former time in which those sins past were committed, and therefore that former time was the time before the gospel-days: which observation is strengthened by that parallel place in the Acts, where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed in the very same case to the times of Ignorance and Forbearance which God winked at. I have now finished my proof of the second Assertion, and so I have done with what I thought necessary to add by way of Appendix to the former treatise, the design of which was to show how the great business of Justification came to be transferred from Works to Grace, from the Law to Faith; in which (I must needs say) I reckon is contained the most: considerable piece of Gospel-mystery in the whole Book of God. The Lord give Me & thee (Reader) a spirit of Illumination rightly to understand it and relish it. I come now to the Uses of the whole Discourse foregoing; and here I need not be so large as otherwise I might be, having inserted applications in several places of the body of the Discourse; & for that the very Discourse itself is altogether practical, but most especially, for that the chief end of the Discourse was the discovery of Legality, and this I have so done my endeavour unto in the characters and their applications, that I shall have nothing at all of that to do in the Uses. Yet something I shall add by way of application: And first of all,  
Is it so (as I have above evinced) that the Law was our natural way of Justification which we were born under, 
1 Use of Inso mation.  that we had all made ourselves obnoxious to the wrath and curse of it, that that had seized of us as Prisoners and Malefactor's, and that yet notwithstanding all this we are all of us now either under the tender of Grace, or in the state of Grace & Favour with God, & all this in a comely and honourable way for the Law. Then this gives us matter of Information of or rather Admiration at the several Attributes of Goodness, Wisdom and Holiness in God. I shall be as brief as I may be in this Use, because these things are obvious.  
But here is certainly eminent goodness and grace to mankind shown in this wonderful change of Justification from Works to Faith, 
1 Of the grace and goodness of God in this Gospel-way.  What? that when we had undone ourselves as to the Law, had not only weakened our own strengths (when we were weak Christ died for the ungodly) but weakened the Law itself (for the Law was made weak through our Flesh) so as it could not justify us, that then the Lord should not only seek out a way to support us from falling and sinking, but set us into a better, a more easy, and more glorious way of salvation than we were in before; this is a wonder of Grace and Mercy.  
1. For the glory of this way; When an earthly Adam had betrayed all his trust for his posterity, and undone us, that then we should have a second Adam, who is the Lord from heaven, and who is infinitely to be preferred before the first, we have a glorious representation of him in his similitude unto and dissimilitude from the first Adam, in Rom. 5. from the 14. ver. to the end.  
2. For the easiness of this way; That when we had made (not found) the Law, not only difficult but impossible to be kept by us, so that the going about to fulfil that now would be like climbing up to heaven, descending down to hell, and getting up again, nay raising a Saviour thence, or like compassing the whole world, that instead of this now we should have a way set before us so plain, That wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein, Esay 38.5. so near us that we need not go out of ourselves for it, (if I may so express it) the word is nigh thee even in thine heart and in thy mouth that thou mayest do it, even the word of Faith, Rom. 10.8. so easy that we may run in it; I will run the way of thy Commandments, Psal. 119.32. His Commandments are not grievous, 1 John 5.3. My yoke is easy and my burden is light, Math. 11.29, 30. This way of salvation is so easy to every honest soul, that it is but Ask and have, seek and find, knock and it shall be opened, Math. 7.7. And Rom. 10.13. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: though this easiness be not found by wicked men, Knowledge is easy TO HIM THAT UNDERST ANDETH, and to him only, Prov. 14.6. Neither is it easy to us without the assistances of the Spirit, but these assistances are at hand to good men, and therefore the way of Gospel-Justification and Salvation is wonderful easy and delightsom; and this is a very great argument of the goodness of God.  
If God had proposed the highest difficulties imaginable, and made it our duty to overcome them, if we would obtain the Crown of Glory proposed to us, we should have had no reason to complain; but when he hath taken us off from a difficult, nay an impossible way, (though once the true way) that we were upon, and set us upon an easier way, that that is pleasant and delightsom, and still proposeth the same or a greater reward, this is grace and mercy indeed, here are riches of Mercies. Mic. 6.8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord REQUIRE of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? What canst thou do less? What wouldst thou do else? Thy very work is reward enough, and yet thou shalt have a reward infinitely more glorious than thy work deserves.  
Besides, in this way the holiness of God, 
2 Of the Holiness of God.  that is, his hatred of and displeasure against sin is made very illustrious; in that his Law must be taken off honourably before the way of Grace must enter. I am sure this is so for us under the Gospel, and if under the Old Testament men were saved another way, I should think it very strange: but of this above.  
Lastly, 
3 Of the Wisdom of God.  (not to mention the power of God discovered in this way in the Miracles of Christ & his Apostles, raising Christ from the dead, etc.) The Wisdom of God is exceedingly manifested in this way of Gospel-Justification. I shall show how it appears from what hath been said by & by: A little proof first that so it is this the Apostle Paul often insists upon: God hath made Christ unto us Wisdom and Righteousness; unto them which are called Christ the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, 1 Cor. 1.24, 30. The Gospel is called the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden wisdom. Eph. 1.6, 7, 8. In whom (that is, Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his GRACE, WHEREIN he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence. One place more, it is Col. 2.3. In whom, (speaking of Christ) are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge; That is, (saith Dr Hammond, paraphrasing the second and third verses) In this course which hath more obscurely been taken by God the Father under the Old Testament (and therefore in the second verse is called The Mystery of God the Father) and more clearly now by God in Christ under the New (and therefore called The Mystery of Christ) to bring sinners to salvation; in this course is wrapped up all the depth of divine Wisdom imaginable.  
That there is great wisdom shown herein is usually demonstrated thus, which is a good way, that herein the wisdom of God in saving flnners by Jesus Christ discovers itself, in that so many Attributes are honoured altogether, the Mercy, Holiness, and Power of God. I shall instance further only in this, that certainly the Wisdom of God as well as his Grace doth mightily appear in this way, for that herein God hath graciously accommodated himself to the reason and nature of a man, and hath taken that course, Hos. 11.3, 4. of saving men in this way of Grace, which is most likely to prevail; I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by the arms, I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love, and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. This Scripture may well be applied to God's way of saving men upon Gospel terms; he takes off the yoke of the Law from our jaws, sets meat before us, whereas the Law afforded us nothing but stones instead of bread, and for fish gave us scorpions. The Lord here draws us with the cords of a man and with the bands of Love; in that true winning way which is suited to the nature of a man. Thou hast destroyed thyself (saith the Lord to a poor soul) but in me is thine help, ●os 13.9. Thou art weak, rely ●pon me who am the Rock of Ages; if thou hast committed sins, repent and turn unto me and they shall be forgiven thee, only thou must set thyself faithfully to obey my commands; and whereas thou failest through weakness, I am ready to pardon, and now that thou mayst have life upon these terms, upon these rational terms, Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make ye a new heart and a new spirit, for why will ye die O house of Israel; for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves and live ye, Ezek. 18.31, 32. The Lord obviates all the objections that we can make; if we say it is hard to walk with God in the obedience to his commands, he promiseth strength; if we say, But what if I should fail in such and such instances of obedience? why (saith the Lord) whilst there remains a sincerity I will pardon; if any man doth sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, 1 John 2.1.  
Thus the way of God in the Gospel is highly rational; there is a variety of strong arguments in the way of Grace, especially in the Gospel dispensation, to persuade our faith, and as many to persuade our obedience. Dr Moor in his Mystery of Godliness makes mention of and insifts upon seven several Gospel-powers, by which the Gospel becomes effectual to the bringing of man into a state of salvation, and so as certainly of justification, all which he reckons up pag. 392, sect. 2. the two first he makes, The evidence that we are to be inwardly and really righteous; and not only so, but in an extraordinary manner; the five last are, the promise of the Spirit through Christ's intercession, the example of Christ, the meditation on his Passion, on his Resurrection and Ascension, and on the last Judgement. Most of which (as it is evident) work morally, that is, upon a man's reason; and he tells us, p. 410. add sin. That God in his infinite Wisdom hath traced out such a method in Christian Religion as is most accommodate to gain souls to himself. And this certainly all those Divines will acknowledge that are for conversion to be ordinarily effected by moral suasion; for though the Holy Ghost himself should represent the arguments to our souls which we are to be moved by, yet if it be only represented in order to prevailing upon us in a way of persuasion, it is only the reason of a man that is to close with them, and therefore they will never prevail except they be accommodated and suited to a man's reason; nay, the more lively and truly they are represented unto a man's soul, the less affecting will they be by how much the less rational they are. And what Dr Moor afferts of the Christian Religion, that it is so accommodated to man's nature to prevail upon it, hath been always true in the way of grace and faith in that measure in which it was at any time intelligible. And therefore for these men that speak against reason in Religion, they do but go about to unman us whilst they pretend to make us Christians; and they rob God of the glory of his Wisdom, the honour of which, as it is given by us, cannot be otherwise rightly and acceptably ascribed, then as we understand how this Wisdom discovers itself in the several designs and effects of it; which understanding is by no other faculty in us but that of our Reason, though it need be elevated and strengthened by the spirit of God in such acts of our understanding. The Wisdom of God therefore in this Gospel-way of Justification is very conspicuous, not only in that God hath in this way made many Attributes illustrious together, but in that the way itself is such as is most apposite to attain the end; viz. to justify men, which is the highest commendation of the prudence of any design. Let us therefore be persuaded to admire the Wisdom and Prudence wherein God hath abounded towards us in this way of Faith, which certainly if we studied more, we should be abundantly more affected with, even from our own convictions of the wisdom of it, and made to cry out with the Apostle Paul, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! Rom. 11.33.  
2. 
2 Use of Information; of the perverseness of man.  This discourse informs us of the strange unreasonable perverseness of the sons of men, That when God hath, in so much mercy and wisdom, found out and appointed such a glorious easy way of saving sinners, they should yet generally dislike this way, and take to a more ignoble way, to wit, their own righteousness, and an impossible way, to wit, the keeping of the Law, which I have proved above at large that they do; and it acquaints us with the strange infatuations which pride leads us into, for that is by the Apostle chief glanced at as the reason of so many men's adhering to the way of Works, because they would establish their own righteousness, which they prefer far before the righteousess of God, that is, that righteousness which he hath sufficiently manifested he will alone accept. They that are for the Law are for boasting and glorying, & this humour of self-confidence and fleshly boasting doth so besot them, that they run upon the most absurd and irrational designs in the whole world; but of this enough above.  
3. 
3 Use of Consolation.  There is great matter of consolation which offers itself unto us from what hath been discoursed above. Is it so, that the Lord hath remitted of the rigour of his Law, nay, that he hath taken off the Law wholly from requiring an account of those that are married unto Christ, as being their Husband no longer? Is the condition of Justification altered from unerring obedience to faith and sincerity in obedience? then here is comfort for all faithful sincere hearts. Art thou honest to God? hast thou no Delilah in thy bosom? art thou faithful to the interest of Christ and his Saints? thou art safe, thou art secure; it is not necessary that thou be in the highest form of Christians; 'tis true it were well if thou wert there, and it is thy duty to endeavour it, but it is not absolutely necessary to thy being a Saint or in favour with God.  
There are of all sorts and sizes, 
See more of this pag. 202, 203. above  of all ranks and ages that are accepted with God. There are babes, and young men, and strong men, and fathers; there are lambs, and there are sheep that are with young; only without sincerity, without a lively faith they cannot be so much as Christ's little ones. Now this is a matter of comfort which we may often reflect upon; it is ready at hand unto us. Art thou in any distress or trouble at any time, either from without, from men; or from within, by the bufferings of Satan? turn in presently upon thy soul, and examine, see how thou hast lived, and what thy present frame of heart is. 2 Cor. 1.12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that IN SIMPLICITY & GODLY SINCERITY, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world. Now if thou hast such a testimony as this from thine own conscience, thou mayst conclude thou art in the favour of God, and that therefore all things shall work together unto thee for good; but herein do not deceive thyself with an imagined honesty of heart to God, as many do, but deal faithfully with thyself in the examination whether thou have a sincerity or no. If I should here give all the marks of sincerity that I could find throughout the Scripture, I should not be impertinent in so doing, but yet seeing that hath been done well by many, I shall forbear; I shall only say this, that if thou settest thyself any boundary or stint to thy attainments in holiness, short of perfection thou art so far insincere; or if thou avoidest any opportunity (which thou canst by any means certainly understand to be an opportunity) of honouring God, thou art so far insincere. Lastly, if thou givest way to sin in the little degrees or appearances of it, thou art so far insincere; and if the interest of the flesh or of the world prevail in thy heart above the interest of God and Christ, thou art altogether infincere, whatever good desire; and good affections thou mayst have in thy heart.  
I might here mention the other more principal condition of Gospel-justification, viz. Faith, and bid thee if thou wouldst have comfort inquire if thou have faith; this St James tells thee how thou mayest know whether thou hast it o● no, even by thy works; thou mayst discover it both unto thyself and others by these. Jam. 2.18. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. For though I affirm that the Apostle James doth not speak only in that Chapter of the demonstration of Faith by Works (but also of real Justification before God by Works, as they are a part of the condition of Gospel-justification, according to the 14. ver. of that Chap. If a man say he hath faith and not works, SHALL FAITH SAVE HIM?) yet it is certain that he speaks there also of the demonstration of Faith by Works; and both these designs (I think) may be as we understood in that chap. of James, as in the 24 of Mat. we may understand our Saviour speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the World.  
But instead of giving marks and signs of true faith, I shall rather proceed to an use of Exhortation unto the high and frequent exercise of Faith, which when we are engaged in, we shall have marks and signs enough to discover our faith by.  
In the next place therefore I come to an use of Exhortation. 
4 Use, of Exhortation.  Is it so that Faith is made the great and principal condition of our Justification? that Faith bears so great a stroke in the business of Gospel-justification, that the whole way should receive denomination from it● (Rom. 4.14. If they which are of the Law be heirs, FAITH is made void) Is the righteousness of God in the Gospel said to be revealed from faith to faith? Is the Gospel-righteousness called the righteousness of faith? nay, is faith itself accepted as our righteousness? then let this provoke us to the constant lively exercise of all the various & excellent acts of Faith, Let us do as all the Saints of old have done, and if it be possible let us outdo them in believing. By faith (saith saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews) the Elders obtained a good report, so he gins the chap. ver. 2. These all (saith he) obtained a good report through faith, so he ends it, ver. 39 What that great good report which they obtained was, he tells you ver. 33, 34, 35. Through faith they subdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire; etc.  
My first motive that I shall begin with to quicken this Exhortation shall be from the wonderful things that faith hath wrought and can work. 
1 M●tive.  Faith hath a virtue in it that hath wrought and can work wonderful things. Witness but these three verses quoted, Heb. 11.33, 34.35. It was faith made the walls of Jericho fall down; by faith in prayer Elijah (that was otherwise a weak frail man as we are) stopped the bottles of heaven for three years and six months, that it reigned not; and by faith again he opened these bottles, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit, Jam. 5.17, 18. Faith enabled the Apostles to do miracles; when the Disciples could not cast out a devil of one that was possessed, our Saviour tells them the reason was from their unbelief, and that if they had faith but as a grain of mustard seed, they should be able to say unto a mountain, Be removed hence into yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing should be impossible to them, Mat. 17.19, 20. What then would a strong faith do, if a small faith would do so much? It was by faith that persons obtained miracles to be done for themselves and others, Math. 9.29, 30. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith ●e it unto you, and their eyes were opened: and in Math. 15.28. Jesus answered and said unto her, (the woman of Canaan) O woman great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt; (a large grant indeed!) and her daughter (its said) was made whole from that very hour. This is commonly known by this name the Faith of Miracles; and is plainly expressed what it is, Mark 11.23. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that these things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. So again, 1 Cor. 13.2. If I had all faith so as to remove mountains.— Now if Faith will remove mountains, even all mountains of difficulties, and procure any thing from heaven that we need, who would not endeavour to be strong in faith, to be rich in faith? as the several expressions are, Rom. 4.20. Jam. 2 5.  
2ly, Faith will serve all occasions whatsoever; 
2 Motive:  (and no wonder if it will work all miraculous effects) therefore be rich in faith. In famine it will feed thee, as it did Elijah and the Widow of Zareptha, 1 King. 17. and our Saviour in the Wilderness, who lived not by bread, but by the word of God for 40 days together, Math. 4.4. In prison it will enlarge thee, as it did Peter, Acts 12. or at least enlarge thy heart, as it did the hearts of Paul and Silas, Acts 16.25. If thy children, servants, friends are sick, it will heal them, Mat. 15.28. Mat. 8.6. Jam. 5.14, 15. There is no case but faith will reach it. We may oppose this shield to all the fiery darts of Satan, Eph 6.16 ABOVE ALL taking the shield of Faith, whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. This I have spoken largely to above, and therefore shall not enlarge here.  
Faith and that alone will free thy mind of all cares and burdens; 
3 Motive.  Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee, Psal. 55.22. casting all your care upon him. for he careth for you, 1 Pet. 5 7. Now this is to be done only by faith; who would not have a mind quiet and free from cares? and who can be careful, when he really believes that the only wise and omnipotent Jehovah takes all his cares upon himself? This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, 1 John 5.4.  
4. This will quicken all thy graces; 
4 Motive.  this you may see likewise above upon the last Question, There is no thriving Christian but a believing Christian.  
This is the highest way of honouring God that can be taken; 
5 Motive.  Abraham was strong in faith, and so gave glory to God; if thou dost not make it thy chiefest design in the world to honour God, thou art no Saint of God; now if thou wouldst study all the ways imaginable to honour God, thou canst not do it so effectually as by this one only way of believing. How is God known in the world in any way with such an honourable reflection as by men's trusting in him? To trust our own wit, and conntrivance, and endeavours only in what we do, is as much as in us lies to put God out of the world; I am sure it is a living without God in the world; whereas trusting in him for all is the only advancing the Lord upon his Throne of Sovereignty & Goodness.  
This is the only way of pleasing God; 
6 Motive.  Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that comes unto God must believe that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him. Men cannot more highly displease God than to believe that he is not good, yea, that he is not good to ALL that diligently seek him (let them look to it that confine and set limits to his Goodness:) yea, God is so highly pleased that men should trust in him, that he hath made this the principal condition of the pardon of all our sins, and receiving us into his special love and favour. Abraham was therefore called the FRIEND OF GOD, which is the highest honour in the whole world; by this Enoch obtained this testimony taat he PLEASED GOD, Heb. 11.5. which was an honourable testimony indeed. Yea, (to conclude this Motive, and all the Motives in this Use) that the Lord might give us a testimony how highly he is pleased that we should trust in him, and how fain he would have us rely upon him, he hath at this time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in these blessed days of the Gospel, set forth Christ a propitiation, to show how ready he is to be reconciled to all the world; in a word, one of the greatest ends of the oeconomy by Christ seems to be this, that in him representing his Father, being the express Image of his P●rson, yet partaking of Flesh and Blood like us, we might have a fit instrument and help, or mediate object for our faith to work upon: first upon him and by him, upon God himself, according to that place once already mentioned. 1 Pet. 1.21. Who by him (that is, Christ) do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. I come now to the matter of the Exhortation itself.  
Be exhorted therefore to be strong in faith, that is, in the acts of assent and the acts of affiance; for these (as I take it) are the two chief proper acts of faith, though after I have ended the Exhortation unto these two, I shall give one notion of faith more under which we are to be exhorted to exercise faith:  
1. For Assent; so faith is taken, Isai. 53.1. Who hath believed our report? and Mark 1.15. Repent and believe the Gospel, that is, the doctrine of the Gospel; and (to mention but one place more) Rom. 14.23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin; 
This notion of faith, viz. dogmatical faith, where the word faith signifies an act, is the most common notion of faith in the New Testament.  that is, (as the former part of the verse, he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith, carrieth it) whatsoever a man doth without a sound persuasion in his mind that it is lawful to do it, he sinneth in that action. This is the first notion therefore of faith, namely, the assent to any Proposition, though more accurately the assent to a testimony; but yet you see the Scripture-notion of faith is somewhat larger than that of the Schools, namely, the persuasion of or assent unto the truth of a Proposition.  
First therefore if thou wilt be rich in faith, be thou rich in truth, in thy assent unto truths, that is, truths in Religion; for though it be faith to believe there is such a place as Rome, or Constantinople, yet my design confines me here to truths in Religion: Be thou rich therefore in assent to divine truths, and that, whether they be clear by the light of nature, or revelation; for assent to truths that are clear even by the light of Nature is called Faith by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Heb. 11.6. where to believe that God is, (which certainly is clear by the light of Nature) is called Faith, as I have shown above, pag. 291. I say, be rich in thy assent unto all truths as near as thou canst, whether they be clear by the light of Nature or only by Revelation. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, Col. 3.16. So Christ shall dwell in your hearts by faith; for according to thy light and knowledge and assent unto truths, so will be thy heart, affections, and conversation: he that hath a large light may have a large heart; whereas those that have but a narrow light, and a scanty knowledge, can have but a lower and a more limited sphere and compass to act in for God. And if it happen (as often it doth) that they that know little yet do more than many that know a great deal; this comes not from any advantage of the honest man's ignorance, but from the folly and carelessness of those persons that are knowing, and their want of firm assent to the notions of truth which float in their brains. 
I am but a little careful here of distinguishing betwixt Knowledge & Assent, being confined with in the narrow limits of an Use.  Enlarge thy mind with knowledge, and thou gettest a larger field of action and service than otherwise thou canst possibly have: for thou must first know thy duty before thou canst do it rightly; for he that doth the best actions in the world, not knowing that they are good, pleaseth neither God nor man; they are only the actions of the man, they are not humane or manly actions, as the Schools distinguish. Yea, though thou dost a good action, yet if thou doubtest whether it be good or no, thou sinnest in doing this good action; because, whatsoever is not of faith is sin. For this largeness of faith by assent, see that last character where I show how we should endeavour to know much of Christ.  
2. But then withal take this advice too in thy faith of assent, do not only endeavour to get a true light and persuasion of the truth and goodness of things or actions, but get it as firmly rooted and as clear as ever thou canst, this will be a mighty advantage to thee; for if thou hast only a glimmering light, a little cloud will soon darken it; if thou gettest but a faint persuasion, a small objection will quickly turn it into doubting: therefore get thy faith firmly built, that thou mayst be firm and stable in thy faith and persuasion; Be not like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, Eph. 4.14. Be not children in understanding; in malice be ye children, but in understanding be ye men, 1 Cor. 14.20. I think we have sufficient experience in these times of of the sore evil of a weak persuasion about matters of Religion, by the running up and down of so many from one party to another, till at last they have made shipwreck of their faith, (that is, saith doctrinal) as well as of their consciences, 1 Tim. 1.19.  
3ly; As to this part of faith which lies in assent, as we ought to endeavour that it be large and strong, so we must especially be wary that we fail not in our assent, and that a firm assent to those truths that are most important. Though it were to be wished, yet it cannot be expected, that all Saints should be so well acquainted with all truths, even those of less weight, as it may be justly expected their guid● should be; yet all must look to it that they be well established in foundation-truths, such as the Death of Christ and his Expiation of sins, the Resurrection of the body and the last Judgement; we must be sure to continue in this faith, grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, Col. 1.23. Rooted and built up in him (that is, Christ) and established in the faith as we have been taught, (that is, Faith doctrinal) especially in that great Foundation of Jesus Christ, Col. 2.7. And truly I think there hath been no greater weakening of our faith in foundation-truths than the multiplying of Fundamentals; for taking off that weight and stress which we should lay upon those few fundamentals of the Faith of Christ that are really so, and laying it upon things non-funnamental, must needs make us unsettled from the foundation. So much for the first part of Faith which lies in assent, and the directions about it.  
2ly, For that part of Faith which lies in Affiance. I need not quote many Scriptures to evince this notion of Faith, I shall give but one or two; John 14.1. Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: there is a credere Deo, which is to believe what the Lord says to be truth, and a credere in Deum, which is a resting and relying upon God, committing all my cares and concernments to him: He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, John 3.36. So that phrase of Scripture, (to cite no more places) of faith in the blood of Christ, Rom. 3.25. can be understood of no other than some kind of affiance; such as this, that for that blood sake the Lord is ready to be propitious to me if I have the Gospel-conditions of Justification: and in this sense (namely) of affiance, I have generally taken faith throughout this Treatise; and the reason is this, For that this is the end of a dogmatical faith or a faith of assent, and cannot be conceived without it, as that may without this; not that I think there can be a through dogmatical faith without this of 
* Faith of affiance is known in the Old Testament by the name of trusting, as faith of Assent is known in the New Testament by the name of believing; it it also expressed by staying one's self, leaning upon confidence in God. See Ball of Faith, pag 24, 25, 26. who is large and clear upon it.  Affiance: but yet, seeing one may conceive them apart, though they are never separated, I took the surest course in using the word Faith in this sense, namely, for the faith of Affiance, so including both avoidable.  
Look well therefore to this part of your faith, this makes use of all the truths and promises which you assent unto for true, and brings them down to your particular case: as now for instance; Dost thou assent to this for a truth, that God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart? Psal. 73.1. why then do thou believe for the Israel of God, that God will preserve it, and do it good, notwithstanding all the sufferings that are brought upon it; and do thou cleanse thy heart, and believe that God will be good to thee. The former (viz. to believe the Promise true) is a faith of Assent, this a faith of Affiance; so again, for any particular trouble that the people of God may be under, or that thou mayst be under, believe, and doubt not but God will with this trouble make a way to escape, that they and thou mayst be able to bear it, and that it shall work for good. When thou prayest in any case of public calamity, as of Famine, or of Pestilence, etc. thou must pray in faith, and then thou hast no other way but to apply general promises (which thou believest true by a faith of Assent) to the particular case by a faith of Affiance, so expecting the accomplishment of them. When thou prayest for any sick person, or for thyself, upon any occasion, it is the general promise must give thee encouragement to expect the mercy in the performance of it; which expectation certainly must be understood to be affiance, or at least some other act than merely assent to the promise as from God.  
In this part of Faith therefore, namely Affiance, 1. Endeavour to be rich and abundant; 2. Be strong and intense. 1. Be abundant; extend your faith as far as you can unto all the cases of the Church, or any particular persons whose cases you may have occasion to know.  
St Paul had upon him the care of all the Churches, 2 Cor. 11.28. but think you he could sustain it without casting this care upon God by faith? See an act of faith for his beloved Romans, Rom. 16 20. God shall bruise or tread Satan under your feet shortly; and we find how every Church to whom he wrote did partake of his most ardent prayers, (as we may see in the beginning of every Epistle) which without faith would have been utterly ineffectual. Nay, the Apostle Paul was of so noble a spirit, that he did not only interest himself in the concernments of whole Churches, but of every particular person that he could come to know of, Who is offended, and I burn not? & could he ease himself of this trouble but by faith? Daniel he understood by books the number of the weeks wherein the Jews were to suffer Captivity, and the time of their Deliverance, and did he not add prayers to his knowledge, and faith to his prayers? Dan. 9.2, 3. Was it not for his prayers of faith, looking towards Jerusalem, Dan. 6.10. that he was cast into the Lion's Den? and did not the same faith that set him a praying, and opened his mouth, stop the mouths of the Lions? Heb. 11.33.  
Again, for faith for particular persons, I have often observed already, that the Centurion believed for his Servant, the Woman of Canaan for her Daughter, the Palsie-man's friends for him, Abraham's servant for his Master's Son, Gen. 24.14. and it is said, The prayer of faith shall save the sick, Jam. 5.15. Therefore enlarge your faith and bowels of mercies for as many as you can.  
2ly, Or if you cannot concern your faith so largely or universally as a Daniel, or a Paul might do, (as some men and some Saints are of a more noble spirit and faith than other men, than other Saints) yet be sure look to it, that whatever you do you mix faith in the doing of it. Whether you pray for yourselves, or others, for Churches or particular persons, you must pray in faith; if you hear the Word, you must mix faith in the hearing of it; if thou art under temptations, & findest great weakness & infirmity, thou must glory in it by faith, that here is an opportunity for the power of Christ to rest upon thee: When I am weak (saith the Apostle) then am I strong; which could not be true in the same sense in which he was weak, but only thus, that when he was weak in himself, than he found Christ most ready at at hand to help him, as he explains himself in that Scripture, 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. If any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God, saith the Apostle James, Jam. 1.5. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, as it follows in for 6. But I shall not need to instance in particular cases wherein faith will stead us after so many reckoned together by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. 11.33, 34, 35: there are cases personal and national, in prosperity as victories, adversity as imprisonments, mockings, scourge, death; there are cases of Kings, Judges, Prophets, private men, and even of women; only in the general therefore be sure whatever you do, do it in faith, let your whole life be a life of faith; perhaps you may not have such a large sphere of action as some other more eminent Saints, you may not be of such a large soul as some others, but for what comes through your hands to do, it must be done in faith; in this we must all imitate the Apostle Paul, Gal. 2.20. The life that I now live in the flesh (saith he) I live by the faith of the Son of God, etc. the life that I live, the words are, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, THAT WHICH I now live in the flesh, all this that I live, and wherein I may be said to live, is by th● faith of the Son of God. Manage all thihe affairs, perform all thy actions in faith; whatsoever action thou hast to transact, whether it be of a spiritual, or a more secular concernment, expect wisdom, and strength, and success from God.  
And endeavour to be strong, intense, and vigorous in all the actions of thy faith, as it is said Abraham was, Rom. 4.20. and or a direction herein, that your faith may be strong as Abraham's was, take the course that he did; if there be great difficulties appear in the way that thou art in, yet knowing that thou art in God's way, look away from the difficulties that offer themselves, and consult only with the power and goodness & faithfulness of God, and this shield of Faith (which above all the pieces of our spiritual armour we are cautioned to make use of) will quench all the fiery darts of discouraging temptations. Abraham was put upon as difficult acts of faith as ever any man was, and if he would have considered all difficulties, he might easily have been discouraged; but it is said, He CONSIDERED NOT his own body now dead, nor yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, ver. 19 and therefore staggered not at the promise through unbelief.  
The third Notion in which Faith is taken in Scripture, 
Faith taken for fidelity or faithfulness to God.  and in which thou art to be exhorted to the exercise of faith, is that of Fidelity or Faithfulness to God, as it stands opposed to wavering and unfixedness of heart in the profession of his name and Gospel; thus it is taken in James 15.6. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: If a man think to receive any thing of God, (wisdom or any such thing) let him ask in faith. What is this faith? It is not meant of a particular certain expectation of that which we ask, for that is understood in the phrase think to receive, ver. 7. but it is meant of trustiness and fixedness of heart to God without wavering, as all the three verses 6, 7, 8. carry it; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways; now this double-mindedness and wavering cannot be meant of the want only of a certain expectation of that particular thing which we ask in prayer; for though we should be wanting in this particular and sin in it, yet it would not follow, that we were unstable in all our ways, that we were like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed, or that we were double-minded, for that is a word that plainly signifies hypocrisy. Besides, as I have intimated, it is plainly said in the 7 verse, that such a man that is a waverer, a double-minded man, must not think to receive any thing of the Lord; now if double-mindedness and wavering here, which are made the opposites of faith, were taken for misdoubting to receive that thing which we pray for; the paraphrase would be thus, Let not him that doubteth whether he shall receive his petition think to receive his petition, which were needless admiration; for that while he doubteth whether he shall receive what he prays for, he cannot think he shall receive it. But now there is a full and strong sense in the other exposition, That if a man pray for wisdom, or for any other thing, & at the same time is unfixed in his heart to the profession of the name and Gospel of Christ (as it is known many of the Jews, to whom the Apostle James directs this Epistle, were) let not that man think to receive any thing of the Lord. If thou expectest or but desirest that the Lord should hear thy prayer at any time, do thou come to him with thorough purpose of heart to cleave close to him; do not bring with thee an heart and an heart, a double mind into his presence; for he hates a lukewarm soul, that is neither for God nor for the world, worse than he doth one that is stark cold, Rev. 3.15, 16. if thou comest with such an instability, wavering, and unfixedness of heart to God, never think to receive any thing from him; thou mayst pray and pray thy heart out, and do by thyself as Baal's Priests did by themselves to make their God to hear them, 1 Kings 18.26, 28. but thou shalt not be heard.  
And what the Apostle James saith here in the matter of Prayer, I may say in the matter of faith of Assent and Affiance, both before mentioned, That though you had the largest & strongest assent to divine truths that ever any in the world had, or as the Apostle makes the supposition, 1 Cor. 13.2. Though you had the gift of Prophecy, and understood all Mysteries and all Knowledge; you, though for affiance you had ALL FAITH (that is, saith Dr Hammond, the highest degree of that faith by which Miracles are wrought) so as to remove mountains; nay, I will add, though thou hadst the strongest affiance and trust in the mercies of God for the pardon of sins that ever any man had, yet imagine all this but separated from that integrity and honesty of faith which is here required in this place of James, and it is all worth nothing. Thou must be a man fixed to God in thy resolutions to walk with him and serve him, or else never think to fasten upon any of his promises, nor to receive any answer to thy prayers.  
Here you see is a notion of faith which signifies sincerity, or faithfulness; and this Conradus Bergius Professor at Breme in his Praxis Catholica, pag. 15, 16, 17. asserts and proves to be the first notion of Faith, pag. 17. Ad hanc quidem fidei significationem, qua fidelitatem significat, omnes caeterae revocari possunt; that is, Unto this signification or notion of faith wherein it signifies Fidelity or Faithfulness, all the other significations of faith may be reduced. Yet because (as the same Author acknowledgeth in the same page) Assensio, quam adhibemus dicenti, ita usu invaluit pro significatione fidei, ut propria habeatur, nihilque cedat illi quae ex prima impositione videtur descendere; that is, Assent to the authority and truth of the speaker is so commonly used to express the notion of faith, that it is taken for the most proper notion of faith, as also for that fiducia or affiance ad differentiam sicque ad dignitatem & consequenter ad essentiam fidei pertinet, as the same Author speaks, pag. 44. that is, affiance or trust belongs to the difference and so to the definition and consequently to the essence of faith, for this reason that the firm assent to any testimony, even that of God himself, requires an affection in him that assents; and therefore is Faith defined (as he saith) by Paraus, assensum fiducialem, a fiducial assent. I say, for these reasons, from the notation of the word partly, but especially for that, (though this fidelity and faithfulness be a Scripture-notion of faith, as is to be seen in this place of James, yet) it is rarely used in this sense in the Scripture; I have taken faith as justifying in that sense as it signifies assent or affiance, & chief for affiance, for the reasons given above, pag. 346. But however having urged the practice of faith, as you see from the Scripture in this 3 Notion likewise (which Bergius says is the first) as it signifies Sincerity or Fidelity, I shall not need to make any new exhortation (which otherwise I should be engaged to do from the foregoing discourse) unto sincerity or sincere obedience, which is the other part of the condition of Gospel justification. I might add as a great particular of the Exhortation to the exercise of faith, that you must be sure to exercise frequent and vigorous acts upon Christ and his blood; but of this I have spoken at large in the last Character.  
To conclude therefore this use, and so the whole Treatise, if thou be rich in knowledge, and firm in thy assent unto divine truths, copious and strong in acts of affiance upon the divine power and goodness exhibited in the gracious promises of the Word, and to this addest, or rather makest to precede a sincerity of heart in the service of God; that is, in sum, if thou be a great believer, (thou mayest not perhaps work Miracles, but) thou shalt be a wonderful Christian, and shalt be able to do greater things than it was to do Miracles when they were in use, for wicked men could work Miracles, Math. 7.22. Thou shalt be eminently useful unto the Church, to thy Friends and Relations & Acquaintance, & unto thine own soul; thou shalt be fit to stand in the gap upon all occasions for others; & for thyself, thou shalt free thy mind of all thy cares, all thy businesses shall succeed; thou shalt have all thy graces flourishing & vigorous; thou shalt by thy frequent actings of faith in prayer at last get such liberty of access to the throne of Grace, such fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son as to be unto God and Christ in the quality of a Friend, as Abraham was, Jam. 2.23. which we know occasioned intimate communications from God to him as well as from him to God. Gen. 18.17. Shall I hid from Abraham that thing which I do? So our Saviour saith to his Disciples; Henceforth I call you not servants but friends, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, John 15.15. The secret of the Lord, both of his Covenant and Providence shall be with thee, Psal. 25.14. In a word, be but much in the exercise of faith, and you shall need but little more to inquire into yourselves what evidences you have of the favour of God to you, than one at noonday needs evidence that the Sun shines; be but much in believing, and ordinarily (I speak not of extraordinary dispensations) ye shall have joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. this you may see at large above in the third Character, pag 187. But I do not pretend here in the narrow compass of a Use to speak to all that may be said of the life of Faith, either to the kinds of its acts, the blessed effects of it, all the cases about it, motives to it, or directions in it, this would fill a large Treatise; See Ball of the Life of Faith. I shall conclude all with that of the Psalmist 37.3. Trust in the Lord and do good; be large and firm in thy assent to divine truths, be strong and vigorous in thy acts of Trust and Affiance, and be faithful to thy God, and thou shalt dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed; verily thou shalt be justified, verily thou shalt be saved.  
FINIS.   

THere being here some empty Pages, I thought good to translate one place more out of Luther's Commentary upon the Galatians, which I have a great esteem for; I would have it referred to pag. 112. or rather to the 183. because it shows how apt even good men are to fall into a legal frame of heart; it is in the 53 pag. his words are these, Deinde quoque causa Justificationis lubrica est, etc. besides also the business of Justification is a slippery, tickle thing, not indeed in itself, or in its own nature, for in itself it is most firm and certain: sed quoad nos, but as to us, and in our management of it: That which I myself have often experienced. Novi enim in quibus horis tenebrarum nonnunquam lucter; for I know in what hours of darkness I sometimes struggle and wrestle. I know how often, or, how that oftentimes I lose of a sudden the rays and light of the Gospel and of Grace as it were in certain thick clouds; novi denique quam versentur ibi in lubrico etiam exercitati, & qui pedem firmissime figunt, in the last place, I well know how that the most experienced Saints and those that have best footing stand here (viz. in the business of Justification) as in a slippery place, and their foot is ready to slip ever now and then, and they are apt to let go their hold: habemus quidem cognitionem hujus causae, we know indeed this matter in a doctrinal way, because we can teach it to others, and this is a certain sign that we understand it; for none can teach others that which he knows, not himself. It is a sign of a knowing person (as he said) to be able to teach. Verum eum jam in praesenti agone uti debemus Evangelio, etc. But when we come to practise this doctrine, when we are in a straight and pressure of spirit, & need to use Gospel (which is the word of Grace, consolation, and life) then and there, the Law, the word of wrath, sadness, and death gets before the Gospel, seizeth of us before the Gospel can come, praevenit Evangelium, and gins to make a tumult within us, and stirs up no less terrors in the conscience than that terrible and horrible sight upon Mount Sinai did. Sic ut vel unus locus comminationis in Scriptura omnes obruat & obnubilat consolationes— So that, though but one place of threatening in the Scripture come to our mind, it will over-whelm and darken all our comforts, and will put all our inward parts into such a shaking and trembling, adecque omnia interiora nostra concuti●t, that we shall quite forget the right state of the matter of Justification, we shall quite forget grace, Christ, and the Gospel; ut plane obliviscam●r causae Justificationis, Gratiae, Christi, & Evangelii; therefore, as to us, the business or cause of Justification is a very sl ppery tickle thing, because we are slippery and unconstant in it. Ideses quantum ad nos attinetr, es valde lubrica est, quia nos lubrici sumus.  
FINIS.