Grace it cannot be shewed out of Gods Word That any promise runs thus If you be thus or thus prepared for Christ then he belongs unto you ye have performed the condition and the benefit conditioned is yours I do acknowledge that the formal object of an efficacious Call are Elect persons prepared by the Law being sick lost dead sinners to their own apprehensions to the end that sin may abound and grace abound and that to their sense and feeling Rom 5.20 But there ate no preparations wrought either by Law or Gospel which so qualifie the Soul as a man may conclude from thence That God cals with a purpose to save Mr. Culverwel in his Treatise of Faith much bewailes the cordition of such who build their Faith upon the change of their lives affirming That they can never have sound and stedfast Faith but an unconstant and staggering opinion at the best This grounding of Faith upon gracious qualifications before union is much oppugned by Mr. Coltan in his New Covenant and by Mr. Norton in his Orth. Evang. Surely this is a doctrine which hath too much affinity with that of the Jesuites and Arminians who imagine that God makes a promise that he will give super-natural Grace to men upon condition they will use well their common grace PROPOSITION II. That the first evidence of our Justification is not any work of Sanctification 1. All good works are to be done in Faith Heb. 11.4 Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.8 We must as â—â—rsinus saith be perswaded that both our persons and our actions are accepted in and through Christ If this perswasion be the cause of good Works there must be a ground of this perswasion precedent to our Works Good Works are the effects of a former evidence therefore not our first evidences 2. All Moral Duties are comprehended under this general Precept of Love by which Faith works Gal. 5.6 as being either the elicite or imperate acts of Love but we cannot truly love God or our neighbor before we know and believe the love that God hath to us 1 Joh. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. Who is righteous saith Bernard but he that requiteth the love of God with love again Which is never done except the Holy Ghost reveal unto a man by Faith Gods eternal purpose concerning his future Salvation Epist 107. If all our acts of evangelical love flow from the apprehension of Gods love to us they caÌ„not be procreant causes of this apprehension nor our first evidences 3. All that the Gospel requires of us is to believe and repent We cannot evangelically repent before we perceive in some measure that God is reconciled unto us in Christ Zach. 12.10 Ezek. 16.63 Wherefore it is not our repentance nor any work of Sanctification which is our first evidence A man cannot earnestly apply himself to Repentance unless he know himself to be of God Cato Inot 3.3.2 4. All Works of Sanctification are so many acts of gratitude which hath ever relation to some former known benefit and especially our Redemption through Christ 1 Cor. 6.20 This benefit must be known by some Argument precedent to our works Therefore Sanctification is not our first evidence ursinus makes Gratitude the third part of his Catechism and placeth it after mans misery and freedom through Christ 5. All good works must be done in the name of Christ our Mediator Col. 3.17 in obedience to God our Father Then are we to know Christ to be our Mediator and God our Father and so by consequence our justification by some Argument antecedaneous to our works 6. The appearing of Gods grace which brings Salvation and of the kindness and love of God our Saviour justifying of us by his grace is the cause of all our good works Tit. 2 3. If the appearing of Justification and Salvation to the eye of Faith be the cause of all our Sanctification then is not Sanctification our first evidence 7. All good works from the first to the last are to be done without a servil fear Luk. 1.74 This sear is never removed but by a precedent sight of our deliverance from our spiritual enemies wherefore our Redemption and Justification is made known unto us by some other means which goes in order before all works of Sanctification 8. To begin to evidence a good estate from works is opposite to the method prescribed by the Apostle Peter He did write to Christians who knew and believed their justification for believing they rejoyced in joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 He exhorts them to add unto their Faith Vertue c. 2. Pet. 1.5 This Faith was existent out of its causes not to be grounded upon works but only confirmed by them He doth not say Add unto your works faith of assurance but add unto your faith works Therefore this Faith of assurance is not founded upon sanctification as a first evidence 9. We have two distinct witnesses of our good estate which in order do precede our sanctification 1 Our inward call of the spirit 2 Our act of believing on the Son of God The spirits inward call accompanying the outward begets this act of Faith 1 Joh 5.10 1 Thess 1.5 This act of Faith brings forth works of Sanctification Gal. 5.6 Sanctification is in order the last of the three witnesses of a good estate as being the effect of the two former wherefore it is not our first evidence Hoc est initium salutis nostrae quod in nobis sentimus efficax interna vocatio Dei fides nostra assentiens Zanchie De Certâ salute Ecclesiae Mr. Calvin with other learned and godly Divines living in that age wherein the light of the Gospel did abundantly break forth defined justifying Faith not only by an act of the Will whereby we receive Christ and his benefits but also by an act of the Mind by which we are certainly perswaded of Gods love to us in Christ and he doth constantly deny sanctification to be our first evidence and in his Commentaries upon Peter and John calls Works after-proofs Faiths props Both he and Zanchie do acknowledge with all sound Divines and the whole Church that good works evidence but with this caution There must be a former evidence Mr. Calvin thus expresseth himself But forasmuch as of the fruits of Regeneration the Saints gather an Argument of the Holy Ghosts dwelling in them they do thereby not slenderly strengthen themselves to look for the help of God in their necessities when by experience they find him their Father in so great a matter And even this also they cannot do unless first they have conceived the goodness of God sealed with no other assuredness than that of the promise for if they begin to weigh it by good works nothing shall be more uncertain or more weak Inst 3.14.19 Zanchie doth declare his judgement in the same expressions Loco 11. De Justificatione Calvin upon this text 1 Joh. 3.19 And hereby we know that we are of
that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6.45 What made them follow Christ by Faith and holy Obedience It was this inward voyce of the spirit accompanying the outward word which they did hear and know Christs sheep hear his voyce and follow him for they know his voyce Joh. 10.3 4. That which made them believe on the Lord Jesus Christ was the inward witness of the spirit He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 Can it truly be said That these Children of God so sanctified as they can thereby discern their justification did never hear nor know the spirits inward call nor see their saith Can a man love God or his children who knows not in some degree his reconciliation A man in the state of nature hates God and his children and this enmity is never slain before peace be revealed Eph. 2.16 17. We cannot love the law of God except we know its rigour and curse to be taken from us through Christ We must be delivered from the law in respect of its rigid exaction and malediction and that to our apprehensions before we can serve in the newness of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 Suppose that Gods true children should say That sanctification is their first evidence God speaks no such thing in his Word to the which we must rather attend but the quite contrary as hath been proved neither can they rest in that way of evidencing who are truly gracious for the law of grace binds them first to be perswaded of remission of sins and then to serve God without fear from this perswasion and this law is written in their hearts If men under the law should glory in their penitency works of sanctification and strict walking as first evidences they may be convinced à priori because they want this cause hereof viz. The apprehension of Gods mercy towards them in Christ even as we cut off Enthusiasts Antinomians Familists Libertines who boast of their full assurance à posteriori by reason they have not the effects penitency works of sanctification and strict walking The middle way is the Gospel way to wit from the appearing of Gods grace to our own souls in particular to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world PROPOSITION III. That an act of Faith which is grounded upon gracious Qualifications previous to Vnion and Works as first evidences is legal The Works upon which this seeming act of Faith is founded are not evangelical but legal which I thus demonstrate 1. After that the Commandment comes the spirit of bondage in the law we are said to be married to the law bring forth fruit unto the law and to serve in the oldness of the letter unril we be espoused unto Christ Rom. 7 Before Faith come in the free Promise we are kept under the law schooled and over-awed by the law Gal. 3.23 24. We are in bondage under the law til we receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4.3 4 5. Acts done by them as such who are married to the law in bondage under the law must needs be legal and of this nature are all supposed gracious qualifications before faith 2. Works made first evidences and that de jure though they go under the name of works of sanctifitation yet are they indeed works of the law because they do not proceed from principles evangelical but legal 1. They are not done in Faith whereby we are perswaded that our persons and our actions are accepted in and through Christ No our works must first be done and our perswasion must be the effect of these works We must see our works accepted before our persons 2. They are not done in Love for how can we love God before we know and believe the love that he hath to us 1 Joh. 14 16.19 Our apprehension of Gods love must only be an effect of our works and of some imaginal promise made to us in respect of these our works 3. They cannot be acts of Gratitude for our Redemption through Christ These works must be the first means whereby we come to know our Redemption and justification 4. They are all done out of Bondage and servile Fear This servile fear is never cast out but by a sure perswasion of Gods love to us 1 Joh. 4.18 And what is the cause of this fear but the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 Wherefore it doth necessarily follow That a conclusion which doth stay it self upon these legal media works done out of this fear is no conclusion of Faith but if we may so call it a conclusion of works being grounded upon works of the law Estius though a Popish writer speaks to this purpose upon Heb 8.10 Itaque fatemur tempore veieris Testamenti fuisse novi Testamenti filios Et contra tempore Novi Testamenti non paucos censeri filios Testamenti veteris videlicet eos omnes qui carualibus Judaeis similes timore poenae legem servant imo non servant Sed sibi servare videntur ut loquitur August lib. 3. conte 2. Epist Pel. Cap. 4. The Application which I made of this Doctrine was this for substance They who have no more Faith than is built upon gracious qualifications before union and works made first evidences are under a covenant of works and though they be never so much reformed yet wil they persecute them under the covenant of grace as did Paul before his conversion the Scribes Pharisees c. Wherefore if any shal profess themselves to be legal and raise up persecution against you for this truth contend earnestly for it in a way of patient suffering by the sword of the spirit the word of God The Doctrine contained in these three Propositions and this or the like general hupothetical application was the cause of my deep sufferings It seems that you Brother Weld with some others who prosecuted against me did build the Faith upon gracious qualifications precedent to union and works as first evidences I censure this Doctrine of yours to be legal as aforesaid and hereupon you are filled with indignation cast me out as the filth of the world and off-scouring of al things make me a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men which you effect by these means About two months after the Preaching of my Sermon before ever I was dealt withal in a brotherly way I am sent for to the Court to answer for what I had delivered where I have the true cause of my sufferings suppressed and put out of sight and a feigned cause closely and secretly brought in Certain of my Brethren the Reverend Elders had a great hand in this mysterious business for whilst my cause was depending long before my banishment an Accusation was secretly drawn up against me in writing put into the Court thus inscribed The Grounds and Reasons of the Dissent of the Elders of the Churches from some things delivered by
Assurance of Faith Assurance of Faith may be taken in a Twofold sense 1. Largely for whatsoever assurance we have of Gods special love to us in Christ from Scripture-grounds in which sense a conclusion deduced from true Works of Sanctification is a conclusion of Faith beleeved in its premises or one of them the other being known by spiritual sense The witness which the spirit gives in a conditional promise is as true as that which he bears in an absolute promise No man living saith Vega should ever draw me to doubt of my being in the state of Grace if I might infer it out of two Propositions the one beleeved and the other made some way evident unto me 2ly Assurance of Faith may be taken strictly and properly for our first perswasion we have of Gods mercy towards us in Christ 1 Thess 1.5 This distinction is in use amongst Protestant Writers and the Papists understand them in this sense Certainty saith Mr. Perkins is either of Faith or Experimental which Papists call Moral Certainty by Faith is to apply the promise of salvation to our selves and to beleeve without doubting that remission of sins belongs unto us Moral certainty is that which proceeds from Works of sanctification as signs and tokens of true Faith Treat of Con. cap. 3. Bellarmine doth acknowledge this Moral certainty with this difference from us That it is only conjectural but he will by no means admit of that absolute perswasion precedent to our works calling it the Lutheran presumption They saith he will have their certainty to go before their works and not to follow them Tom. 4. Cap. 9. De Justificatione So that in this Thesis I do not deny simply that we have any assurance of Justification from our works of sancttification far be it from me but that the assurance which we have from our works is our first perswasion of Gods Grace and mercy towards us in Christ which properly in strictness of speech is called an assurance of Faith is denied by me In which respect I said in my Sermon That our first perswasion of Gods love was not by faith it self 1. By faith as an argument though it be by faith as an organ or instrument Consonant to this is that which is affirmed by Zanchy in his dispute with Mazhacchius about the order of evidencing our election page 361. Thus he writes Quis hic non videat apertè qualis fuerit sententia Buceri in hâc materiâ Nimirum ut incipiamus à priori id est contemplatione soluis divinae bonitatis gratiae in Christo oblatae in Evangelio revelatae Et inde certam persuasionem concipiamus nos vere fuisse ad aeternam salutem electos ideoque nunc efficaciter vocari Deinde descendamus ad id quod etiam revera est posterius nimirnm ad certum fidem assensum obsequium vocanti praebendum This is all which I do herein assert That our first perswasion of Gods mercy towards us in Christ is not founded upon any arguments taken from our works of sanctification which I have aboundantly proved in my second Proposition whether I refer the Reader THESIS II. That Justification goes in order before our Beleeving Justification by a passive Faith goes in order of Nature before our act of beleeving which is thus confirmed 1. We have the Spirit of Adoption are made partakers of divine Nature become new creatures before we put forth any act of Faith 1 Joh. 5.1 Joh. 1.12 13. This is Mr. Calvins Note upon this 13. vers Negat Evangelista posse quemquam credere nisi qui ex Deo genitus est Now whereas it seems by the twelfth verse that we are not the sons of God but consequently to our act of beleeving he doth thus answer it In respect of our sense we do not begin to be the sons of God but after faith 2. We are no sooner living in the first Adam but his sin is imputed unto us before we commit any actual sin Rom. 5. and by the like reason as soon as we live in the second Adam his righteousness is imputed unto us before we put forth any act of righteousness As in carnal Generation all men are born sinners even by imputation So in spiritual regeneration all men are born righteous having the righteousness of Christ imputed to them 3. If we be not justified antecedently to our act of beleeving then can a man in the state of condemnation do that eminent work of God to beleeve on Christ whereas except we be in Union with Christ and so by consequence in the state of Grace we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 To Beleeve is the act of a Person either in the state of Grace or in the state of condemnation Not of condemnation therefore of grace and we are justified before our act of Faith 4. Elect Infants dying before they come to years of discretion or sanctified in their Mothers Wombs are justified by the habit of Faith Persons in this state of Grace being adulti cease not to be justified when they fall into sownes or otherwise put forth no act of Faith which I suppose would follow were they not justified by the seed of Faith If the seed failed in such a case so much as the act doth by what band should they be united unto Christ And how could persons out of union with Christ be justified The Belgick Professors in the Synod of Dort give this as a reason Why the Faith by which we are first converted and from which we are called Beleevers is not an act but an habit infused of God because otherwise oft upon one and the same day we should be Beleevers and Unbeleevers the children of God and the children of the Devil It would I conceive upon the same ground follow That were we not justified by rhe habit of Faith but only by the act we should many times be successively justified and unjustified Chamier thus expresseth himself I say it is most true That justifying Faith doth follow if not in time yet in order justification Mr. Cotton saith in his New Covenant page 55. A man is as passive in regeneration as in his first generation only God giveth his spirit that doth unite us unto Christ which is received by Faith together with Adoption and Justification and yet by the act of Beleeving we are justified also Gal. 2.16 that is manifested to be justified in our own consciences Object 1. This is against the judgement of our Orthodox Divines who generally make Faith an instrumental cause of our Justification Answ They who do affirm That in our active conversion we perceive and receive Christ by an act of Faith do not deny a passive reception precedent to that act in our conversion wherein we are altogether passive Object 2. The Scripture never saith That we are justified by the habit of Faith but rather by the act Answ The Scripture doth not say That we are justified by the habit or act of Faith in
terminis but in sense These are frequent Gospel expressions We are justified by Faith Faith is taken as well for the habit as the act When Faith is said not to fail that is to be understood of the habit When we are commanded to Beleeve that is meant of the act Bucer saith Zanchy is not ashamed to say That we beleeve sometimes in act sometimes only in habit There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Let a man be in Christ whether by the act or by the habit of Faith he is justified Which way soever Christ and his righteousness is made ours this righteousness is counted to us for ours by God who counts things as they are Object 3. He that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 We are not then justified but consequently to our act of beleeving Answ The act of Faith doth ever follow the habit and in order of time they can scarce be distinguished the one from the other But in order of causality Gods work goes before ours A Christian is in the order of nature in the state of grace before Faiths act though not in time In a word when it is said He that beleeveth not is condemned already it must be understood thus He that beleeveth not either actu secundo or actu primo else what will become of us when we are asleep and put forth no act of beleeving Object 4. If we be justified antecedently to our act of Faith then justification goes before vocation contrary to that Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified Answ That doth not follow Vocation is a gracious act of God by which we are brought into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 We are in our effectual call drawn into union with Christ by a Physical act of God in our passive conversion precedently to our act of beleeving Faith goes in order before justification both in our passive and active conversion the habit in the one and both habit and act in the other THESIS III. That the Faith of Gods Elect whereby they do beleeve on Christ is grounded upon a free simple absolute promise of Grace The Question is Whether God in the Gospel do first reveal his special love to his Elect in giving of them Christ and blessing through him in a conditional promise or in an absolute promise I say in an absolute These are my Arguments 1. Almighty God himself the Prophets Angels John Baptist Christ and the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel have ever propounded Christ to be beleeved on in an absolute promise of Grace Gen. 3.15 15.5 Isa 9.6 Hos 2.19 20. Luk. 2.10 11. Matth. 3.2 4.17 10.7 2. The Elect have alwayes founded that act of Faith by which they did beleeve on Christ upon this principle Abraham beleeved on the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness Upon what promise did he ground his Faith Upon this absolute promise Thus shall thy Seed be Gen. 15.5 6. This Faith of Abraham is made a patern for all the spiritual seed of Abraham to follow Rom 4.23 24 25. Paul describeth the Faith by which he spiritually lived Gal. 2.20 In what Promise was Christ revealed Even in this absolute Declaration of Gods good Will towards him who loved me and gave himself for me The Apostle tells us That all the Elect are born as Isaac was Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 In what form runs the Promise This is the word of Promise At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Rom 9.9 The children of this absolute Promise are counted for the seed vers 8. 3. The proper immediate effects of justifying Faith do strongly argue That it is built upon an absolute promise powerfully applyed by the spirit in our effectual call How comes Faith to work by Love It apprehends Gods love to us in Christ How doth it cause Rejoycing It beholds Christ given for us and to us out of Gods eternal love Abraham rejoyced to see Chrtsts day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 How doth it beget Peace It looks at God as reconciled unto us in Christ How doth it cause Repentance It makes us apprehensive that we have sinned against our Saviour Omnium appetitivorum motuum causa est bonum vel malum apprehensum 4. As in Conjugal Contracts amongst us the Husband doth first make known his Love and express his absolute consent so doth Christ when he doth betroth the Church of his Elect unto himself in their effectual Call I will say unto them that were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2.23 5. If our Faith be not founded upon an absolute Promise then is not the Covenant of Grace established upon better Promises for form than the Covenant of Works contrary to that which is affirmed by the Apostle Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. The New Covenant Promises are better than the Old in this respect amongst the rest That they are absolute or upon conditions absolutely promised 6. The absolute Promises are either only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently or else also to Unbeleevers for the begetting of Faith But they are not only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently They were no Beleevers to whom the Lord by the Prophet Hosea applies the absolute Promises Hos 2.19 20. being such as were unmarried and not betrothed to what end did he propound them if not to build faith upon 7. There is no conditional Promise or Grant in all the Word of God wherein Christ doth convey himself over to us for the beginning of Salvation Christ doth absolutely promise to give us a new heart inhabit in us his Spirit Ezek. 36.26 27. What ever the Remonstrants say to put in any condition is against Scripture and Reason Wherefore we must beleeve on Christ and receive him as given in an absolute Promise of Grace This very Doctrine which teacheth us to ground our faith whereby we are perswaded of Gods Love to us in Christ upon an absolute Promise is maintained by Zanchy in his Miscellanies against Marbuchius who objects against it as one of Zanchy's Errors and new Revelations but he doth earnestly contend for the truth hereof affirming of it to be the Judgment of Bucer and that conformable to the Scriptures Which he could not but imbrace proving it by Four Arguments and Answers three Objections The Definition of Justifying Faith given by Dr. Zanchy and Mr. Calvin declares them to be of this mind Faith say they is a stedfast and assured knowledg of Gods kindness towards us which being grounded upon the truth of the free Promise in Christ is both revealed to our minds and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost They make two Essential parts of Faith 1. An apprehension of Gods Love to us in Christ which is an act of the Intellect 2. A receiving and imbracing of Christ which is
confuted by Aquinas 22. c. q. 23.2 Far be it from me to deny the work of Regeneration or new qualities This was my meaning in these passages that we cannot act graciously from any inward principle of Grace further than we are acted upon by the Spirit of Christ in Union That the Commandments of the Law are never accompanied by the Spirit enabling us to perform them being severed from Christ and the Covenant of Grace or before faith come Surely I maintained none of these Points in the Synod which you make the Ground-work of Sedltion 3. Thirdly I am much condemned by you for obstinacy after conviction Of what was I convicted Was it of laying the Magistrates Elders and the most part of the Country under a covenant of works absolutely and that to the knowledg of the hearers out of Contempt of Authority to stir up Sedition Contempt of Authority and sedition is then made the circumstances principles of an act to wit the laying them under a covenant of works in that sort If that act be not proved contempt of Authority and Sedition vanish away having no subject to which they do adhere A man cannot be justly condemned for wilful murder unless it appear that he hath committed murder nor can I be justly condemned for laying men under a covenant of works in that manner out of Contempt of Authority to rayse up sedition except it can be made evident that I did lay them under that Covenant That is then to be enquired into proved by the Court that the Magistrates Elders and most of the Country were the men whom I described and affirmed to be under a Covenant of works otherwise contempt of Authority sedition falls to the ground having no foundation The Court proceeded against me as they said Ex officio which in case of publick infamy and manifest evidence of the fact is not only lawful but necessary and when I humbly requested of the Honoured Court that my accusers might come forth it was answered by them that my sermon was my accuser Then must my Sermon accuse me of that fact which they judged contemptuous and Seditious or else I am condemned without any accusation or accusers meerly from their wil and pleasure How wil they make it appeare that my Sermon was my accuser The Elders in their secret Accusation shewed them a way how to do it viz. by forcing my Sermon to speak thus That faith and repentance are no parts of the Gospel That Sanctification is no good evidence of a good estate That they who see in themselves any Sanctification and thence conclude a good estate shal never be saved That they who are not of this judgment are Antichristians enemys to Christ and under a covenant of works This is made the ground by Mr. Weld in the short story but the Court did not declare themselves to sentence me upon this proofe How then wil they make my sermon my accuser I know not how except it was thus To take a proposition out of my sermon And an assumption which the Elders brought in as hath been said and to conclude against me as though I had been author of them both was the false accusation or application c. of my Sermon Do you think in your Conscience that this was conviction and that I persist obstinate after conviction my circumstantial failing I have acknowledged I did not much inquire after an Apology which I heard was written in the Courts defence because I know very wel that the cause was uncapable of any just defence I knew that if al the men in the world should combine together they could not make a bad cause good no not the Lord himself the defect lieth not in God but in the thing Let a man twist ten thousand sins together he cannot cover sin with sin If your cause was so just and convincing why have you deserted the true cause and set up a new title prove the ground of the Courts sentence out of my sermon or else you say nothing 4. Fourthly You tel a story of a man whom as you say I led into these damnable errors and heresies 1. That the free promises are only for them under the Law 2. That al our assurance is by immediate revelation 3. That in the New Testament there are no signes 4. That Baptisme of water is of no use to them who are Baptized by the holy Ghost 5. That a man may be adopted and not justified 6. That every new creature is a dead lumpe and acts not at al. 7. That we have no inherent righteousness 8. That the commandments are a dead letter I do reject and abominate al these corrupt opinions as none of mine against which I do oppose these following positions as mine own judgment 1. That the free promises are no parts of the covenant of works but of Grace 2. That we do not only come to an assurance of a good estate by the immediate Testimony of the Holy-ghost but also by that which is mediate from faith repentance and works of sanctification 3. That in the New Testament the Lord gives to his confederates signes of their being in Covenant with him both inward and outward 4. That Christians who are inwardly and invisibly ingraffed into Christ stand in need of an outward visible baptizing into him and into one body 5. That justification and adoption are inseparable benefits flowing from our union with Christ 6. That every new creature acts from an inward formal principle of Spiritual life 7. That we are not only justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ received by faith but also have an inherent righteousness infused into us by the spirit of regeneration 8. The Commandements are the spirits instrument to quicken Gods elect The authors of the short story do not propound this to be credited barely upon their authority for than they might have deluded the reader who would beleeve it because of their report but this witness which they beare against me in such a matter of weight consists of this hypothetical proposition If M. Wheelwright tenderly contradicted this poor man being newly come to the profession of religion then must he needs learne those points of Mr. Wheelwright or draw them as necessary consequents from some of his Tenents The Consequent part of this proposition doth not follow from the Antecedent here is no good consequence And therefore this their Testimony must needs appeare to be palpably false to al such as have the use of reason How they should conscientiously ground such an accusation upon such an argument I cannot apprehend 5. Fiftly You much glory in my conceived ruine and cal your proceedings against me to banishment the Lords marvellous doings If by ruine you meane the ruine of my doctrine and cause there is no such matter that you have not touched it is a doctrine and cause of your own devising and setting up which you have ruined If by ruine you understand ruine in respect of
any such should arise Might not all this have been done without Sedition Tertullian reports That the Gentiles used to fall upon Christians in time of publick Calamity If Tiber and Nilus did not over-flow if the heavens restrained their influence if there were Earthquakes Wars Famine Pestilence as the cause of all those evils whenas indeed the cause was in themselves 4. You make a great matter of certain typical allegorical expressions which I used to set forth our spiritual combate taken from bodily fightings which you would have to be understood in their literal proper sense as if I should stir up to a bodily fight You confess that I did otherwise express my meaning why wil not you take my meaning as I did express it Why might not I use scripture expressions in a scripture sense To cut off all your Arguments at once all this while you dispute ex non concessis You have grounded the Courts sentence Censure all your reasons to maintain the justice of the Court upon the matter contained in that secret Accusation before mentioned which did never shew its face openly but acted in tenebris Brother Weld you would have your Hearers to take it for granted That I delivered that which you charged upon me in your Accusation to which you relate all your defence of the Courts justice You lay this as a ground-work as will appear by sundry passages in that which you call a short story but especially in your Preface to it These are your words Now you might hear one of them Preach a most dangerous Sermon in a great Assembly when he divided the whole Country into two rancks some that were of his opinion under a Covenant of Grace those were friends to Christ Others under a Covenant of Works whom they might know by this if they did evidence their good estate by sanctification These were said he Enemies to Christ Herods Pilates Scribes Pharisees yea Antichrists I confess if this were true I had deservedly suffered But I pray you Mr. Weld let me come a little closer unto you With what good conscience can you report these things First That which you relate is not contained in the Notes of my Sermon which I suppose are upon record in the Court of the Massachusets in New England neither immediately nor in their principles Secondly After your Accusation before mentioned came to my hands I sent an Answer to you Elders which you received shewing my self much grieved with that your clandestine unparalled practise disclaiming these Errours which you charged upon me as erronious and wicked shewing that you had no ground to father them upon me Thirdly I was questioned in the Court about these particulars First They asked me Whether Faith and Repentance were any Conditions of the Gospel I Answered They were Conditions consequent but not antecedent that is they followed Christs giving of himself unto us in a free promise but went not before Secondly They demanded of me Whether Sanctification was any Evidence of a good Estate Yes said I it is secondary evidence but not the first Thirdly The Court put this Question to me Whom I meant of by those under a Covenant of Works To which I Replyed I intend it of none absolutely but conditionally if they walk in that way which I describe to be legal I did openly in the Court and I doubt not in your hearing plainly express my sense and meaning Fourthly Reverend Mr. Cotton who constantly in the Court stood by me with me in a speech which he made bears this witness to the Doctrine I taught I do conceive and profess That our Brother Whelewrights Doctrine is according to God in the Points controverted and wholly and altogether and nothing did I hear alleaged against the Doctrine proved by the Word of God Would that learned judicious holy man of God give such testimony to that Doctrine delivered by me or would you have suffered it in him if it had been according to your Report Certainly he would have abhorred it and born as much witness against it as you Miserable is that cause which cannot be justified without such feigned Accusations against so much light Will these their Fictions justifie the Courts acts To set a fairer colour upon your cause and make it more probable that I was justly condemned and censured by the Court you do in your short story take this course 1. First You put upon me many odious and reproachful Names I am stiled by you an Antinomian Familist Libertine Seducer My conscience bears me witness That I do not hold so far as I know any opinion of Sectaries as such nor any Doctrine condemned in any approved Council or Synod but such as is maintained by some Orthodox Divines not disconsonant from the Harmony of Churches Confessions though I do not build my Faith upon the Dictates of men but only upon the written Word of God I am not through Gods infinite mercy an Antinomian Familist Libertine or any other Sectary but a Christian I do with Mr. Calvin prefer the Papists before them Mr. Weld would drown me in that Pit of Heresies which was privily digged for me The Points of Doctrine which I held wherein I did really differ from my Reverend Brethren in matters of greatest concernment were so far as I know only these Five following Positions 1. That to conclude that Christ belongs unto us from Qualifications precedent to Union is legal and no conclusion of Faith 2. That to conclude a good estate from Works as first evidences of our union is legal and no conclusion of Faith 3. That the Faith of Gods Elect by which they do believe on Christ is grounded upon an absolute promise of grace 4. That the first evidence of Gods grace and mercy in giving of us Christ is the inward witness of the spirit in an absolute promise of Grace 5. That in our passive conversion we are justified by a passive reception of Christ precedently in order of nature to our act of beleeving If I may justly be branded for an Antinomian Libertine Familist Seducer by reason of the Assertions or such as are dependent upon them I cannot justifie my self yet let me be convinced that they or any of them are erronious I shall by Gods grace retract Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo 2. Secondly You would make your Reader beleeve page 25. That in the Synod I disputed and maintained these Points contained in your Charge which you call the ground-work of my imagined Sedition You know very well Brother Weld that long before the Synod in my Answer to the Elders I disowned them as wicked Errours shewing that they were your groundless Inferences and is it likely I should defend them in the Synod There was no such matter The Positions which I brought into the Synod to my best knowledge were these ensuing which I shall explicate and confirm THESIS I. That Assurance of Justification from Works of Sanctification is not our