all this fruitless if â—â— wâ—re left to himself the most high did from Everlasting Decree that which in time he effects by his powerful Grace to draw a remnant unto Christ that they may obtain salvation by him and to leave the rest to perish in their obstinacy Where then is our making null the revealed will of God by his Decree that Mr. C. talks of He adds The Lord himself makes this distinction with suitable promises alike to both i. e. He allows a latitude beyond the first and special Election or gift tâ— hiâ— Son with promise of life on the universal account of Grace Joh. 6. 37. which Text he miserably wrests in his following lines unto the whole my answer is briefly this The Decree of God is one thing his Command another It is the latter that constitutes our duty not the former It doth not therefore follow that because many are called and commanded to believe and Life is tendred to them on Gospel-terms therefore many are chosen besides the special Elect. But to the Text All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out In the context Christ declares 1. That there was a certain number given to him by the Father which Mr. Collier owns to be the special Elect. 2. That concerning these the will of God was that they should be brought to Inherit Eternal Life by Faith in Christ v. 40. 3. That although the natural pravity of men is such that no man without special Grace can come to Christ v. 44. yet these should by the drawings of the Father be brought to him All that the Father hath given me shall come to me 4. That these coming should in no wise be rejected by him and the reason thereof he renders v. 38 39. It is evident therefore the same persons are spoken of in the end that are intended in the beginning of v. 37. and Mr. Colliers supposition of the contrary is without ground and his reason for it ridiculous It cannot be supposed saith he that him that cometh c. is a promise to the first gift for they shall come that is All the Elect shall believe in Christ Ergo There is no promise made of their salvation by him Apage nugas That which he discourseth concerning the Book of Life p. 22. if his notion of it were granted makes nothing for him unless he suppose that the revealed will of God that declares and determines our duty what we ought to do and the Decree of God or what himself will do to be all one However we will consider what he saith viz. That Rev. 3. 5. 20. 12 15. 22. 19. must be understood to speak of the gospel-Gospel-book of Life in which all Believers are written and not the first Book of Life in which the special Elect are written I answer 1. The special Elect and true Believers are terms convertible where the one are written the other are written And it is Mr. Colliers great errour to suppose the number of the one to exceed the other As many as are ordained to Eternal Life believe so the Election obtain and the rest are blinded Acts 13. 48. Rom. 11. 7. 2. A Book is attributed to God in Scripture not properly but by a Figure called Anthropopatheia the metaphor being taken from wise men who are wont diligently to set down in a Book those notable things that they would keep in mind and signifieth his providence with respect to and most exact knowledge of all things and in the Scriptures cited by Mr. Collier it signifies Gods special knowledge of his saved ones concerning which the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 19. which is as a certain Catalogue of those whom God hath chosen unto Eternal Life by Faith in Christ But Mr. C. saith they must be otherwise understood His saying they must is no proof and his reasons are too weak to inforce it His first is Because out of the Book of Life here mentioned many may be blotted I answer The expression is Figurative and is to be interpreted according to the scope of the place as God is said to blot out sin when he doth not impute it so to blot out the name of one out of the Book of Life that he doth not reckon among his saved ones which he will make manifest in the day of judgement when all the world shall know that he had no part therein thus the affirmative being put for the contrary negative the sense is briefly this God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Rev. 22. 19. i. e. He shall have no part at all in it and so likewise e contra ch 3. 5. I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life i. e. I will reckon him amongst my own Sheep and it shall appear by my confessing him before my Father c. His second reason is Because this Book is one of thâ—se by which men shall be judged Rev. 20. 12 15. In the Text this Book is mentioned distinct from those by which men shall be judged and the opening of it in that day signifies the glorious discovery that shall then be made of the Lord his hâ—ving ordered all things in his holy and righteous government of the world so as to fulfill his own Decree and that all his saved ones are alone beholding to free Grace dispensed according to the purpose that God purposed in himself before the foundation of the world for in the issue when men have talked their pleasure of their own ability it so comes to pass That whatsoever was not written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire not simply because they were not written there but because they being left to the way of their own heart did wilfully persist in their rebellion against God for which they must then suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire Election he saith is no ground to discourage any from believing who saith it is That crimination hath been abundantly answered by others without the help of his Scriptureless notion The tenders of Life in the Gospel are full of Grace the command to believe equal and rational and the promise of Life to the believer sure and stedfast Election is a secret and hidden thing as to the concernment of particular persons in it which belongeth unto God and as none can know their Election of God before Faith so is it no way necessary that they should do so in order to believing for revealed things belong unto us and our Children and we are bound to attend to them in that same order in which God hath revealed them Now in the Gospel is the Salvation of God revealed to lost sinners and they simply considered as such commanded to accept of it upon the terms proposeâ— to them none are called to believe under the formal consideration of Elect persons but as weary and heavy laden sinners undone thirsty sinners in
Vindiciae Veritatis â—R A CONFâ—TATION 〈◊〉 THE Heresies and Gross Errours Asserted by THOMAS COLLIER IN HIS ADDITIONAL WORD TO HIS Body of Divinity Written by Nehemiah Coxe a Servant of Jesus Christ and Minister of his Gospel For there must be also Heresies among you that those which are approved may be made manifest among you 1 Cor. 11. 19. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lost ye also being led-away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Nonnulli dum plus exquirunt 〈…〉 ando quam capiunt usque ad perversa dogmata erumpunt 〈…〉 um veritatis discipuliâ—essâ— negligunt humiliter magistrierroris fiunt Greg. LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry near Corn-hill and in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street 1677. Christian Reader WE whose names are here subscribed thought our selves more particularly than many others obliged in Duty and Conscience to appear in the front of this Book by way of approbation of the same Wherein the manifold Errors of Tho. Collier in a Book intituled An Additional Word c. are clearly detected and solidly enervated Because although it be a most unequal judgement to make the Errours of one single person under any Profession to reflect upon the whole of the same seeing the Apostle telleth the Church in its Primitive and most pure state Act. 20. 30. That there should arise from themselves men speaking perverse things and draw away Disciples after them yet woeful experience hath taught us that there is nothing more usual with the world And we did judge that though we do not hope hereby to silence the mouth of malice yet this might be a means to set us right in the thoughts of those who are not byassed by evil affections We had hoped that the snares wherein the said Tho. Collier had been many years entangled and for which he seemed by Gods blessing on some of our endeavours to manifest repentance might have been a caution to him to avoid these dangerous Rocks for the future But to our grief we find it otherwise and see that the highest Profession cannot secure men from falling when the heart is not established with Grace and kept humble before the Lord as we see in the examples of Hymenaeus and Alexander For the Author of this work if any by reason of his inferiority in years should suspect him of an over-forwardness arising from any over-weening sâ—lf-opinion in undertaking this matter although that answer is ready in his behalf which sometime David gave to Eliah in a case though of a different yet something like nature 1 Sam. 17. 29. What have I done is there not a cause shall the whole Host of Israel be defied the principles of Gospel-truths subverted the name of God blasphemed a flood-gate of Errour open'd and any be thought over-forward to oppose the Adversary But over and above we think meet to acquaint thee that the Combatant in this Conflict was not so much prompted to it by his natural inclination as by the joint and earnest perswasion of several of the Elders and that of elder years partly because we did judge him meet and of ability for the work and next at that time of his entring upon it a more than ordinary Providence of God gave him leisure for it more then others by suspending him from other more weighty employment thereby as it were calling him out and determining him to this employ Wherein upon our perusal we hope we may truly say without particular respect to his Person he hath behaved himself with that modesty of Spirit joined with that fulness and clearness of answer and strength of argument that we comfortably conceive by Gods blessing it may prove a good and soveraign Antidote against the Poison from which as we earnestly pray the venter of it may be delivered so no less that thou also maist be preserved And in order thereunto desire of thee that thou wouldst read this ensuing discourse with this candour and charity to believe that it is Verity not Victory that is here contended for And farther we beg of God that thou maist be enabled to weigh each particular in the just Ballance of the Sanctuary and that he will direct thy heart into the love of Truth which shall be the daily Prayer of Thine in the Lord William Kiffen Daniel Dyke Joseph Maisters James Fitton Henry Forty William Collins TO THE READER Courteous Reader AMongst all those vanities which are under the Sun this is none of the least That some men puft up with a conceit of their sufficiency for every undertaking do daily burthen the world with their raw and indigested notions and whilst they contemn that guidance they might have in the way of truth from the labours of others who have been raised up and enabled of God to transmit to posterity the Doctrine of the Gospel in a form of sound words do darken counsel by words without knowledge But alas Our sorrow on this account may be drowned in Tears for a greater evil if we reflect on the more bold and dangerous attempts of some who are not satisfied to have darkened the shining lustre of divine truth unless they do also subvert the foundations of the Christian Religion by a downright opposition to some of the most important Doctrines thereof And one sad instance of this kind we have in a Book not long since published by Thomas Collier which he calls An Additional Word c. which hath occasioned my writing this small Treatise in answer thereto For although the argument of the Book may not seem to require his pains inasmuch as there is nothing urged by him to give countenance to his corrupt notions but it hath either been answered many times already by those that have written against the Pelagians Jesuites and Socinians in whose steps Mr. Collier very frequently treads or else where he doth transcend the Heresies of those mentioned its weakness and impiety is more manifest then to need any refutation by another yet on many accounts some Answer to him was judged necessary not only by my self but by divers others whose Judgement in this matter I esteemed much more then my own That so at least a Publick testimony might be born against those gross Errors therein by him expos'd to publick view and by the detection of them the intanglement and seduction of weak though well-meaning Souls might be prevented who otherwise were in danger to be drawn away by him to drink in those notions that will eat as doth a Canker and also that persons irreligious and ungodly who are ready to catch at any thing even against the Judgement of their own Consciences that may give them quiet in their sinful ways might not rest in peace on those Pillows he hath prepared for them by his endeavour to perswade them That there is no such Eternal wrath and Judgement like to overtake them as
Book I answer I have in the following page given thee a specimen of Mr. Colliers strange Heterodoxies collected out of his Book for the most part in his own terms which with very many more contained therein are detected and refuted in this And give me leave to express my desires in the words of that holy man of old concerning what I have written Domine Deus unus Deus Trinitas quaecunque dixi in his libris de tuo agnoscant tui si qua de meo tu ignosce tui Amen! August Let God alone have the glory of any thing serviceable to the interest of his truth in this Treatise and interpret well my poor Essay towards the clearing thereof much weakness therein I am sensible of and know right well that one of deeper Judgement and greater abilities endued with a more plentiful anointing of the good spirit would have said much more in less room then I have done But seeing no other was engaged in this service my mite is humbly offered and that my weakness may be pardoned and my poor endeavours succeeded to some advantage if it be but of the weakest of Christs sheep and the reflecting of some glory to his holy Name is the earnest prayer of The unworthiest of his Servants N. C. Amongst the many gross Errours published by Mr. Collier in his Additional Word and refuted in this Treatise are these following 1. THat Christ is the Son of God only as considered in both natures Addit Word Ch. 1. p. 2. 2. As he was the Prince of Life the Lord of Glory was he killed and crucified and that was not in the humane nature only ch 1. p. 4. 3. As God-man he was a Creature ch 1. p. 9. 4. This Creature God-man made all things ch 1. p. 10. 5. The word God-man was made flesh ch 1. p. 11. 6. There are Increated Heavens for the Eternal God must have some Eternal habitation ch 1. p. 12. 7. Christ died for the Universe the Heavens and Earth and all things therein ch 2. p. 13. 8. The Gospel ought to be preached to the whole Creation even to that part of it that is not capable of hearing or understanding it ch 2. p. 16. 9. The Foolish Virgins shall obtain some great priviledge in the day of Christ ch 3. p. 23. 10. Those that never heard the Gospel cannot be under the Judgement of Damnation ch 4. p. 26. 11. The sinful defilement of our nature is not the sin but the affliction of man ch 4. p. 27. 12. It s possible for men in respect of power to believe the Gospel if God do not work at all upon them by his spirit ch 5. p. 31 32. 13. Regenerate Persons or True Believers may finally fall away from God and Perish ch 5. p. 36 c. 14. None shall be Eternally damned but those that sin against the holy Spirit ch 7. p. 47. 15. The Gospel hath been preached to men after they were dead ch 7 p. 48. 16. Men may repent so as to obtain deliverance from their torment after death and the last Judgement ch 7. p. c. 8. 17. Sluggish Christians and Formalists may find some mercy in the day of Judgement p. 51. 18. Perhaps the torment of some sinners may not exceed a 100 years p. 52. 19. The Sodomites have already received their Judgement and are still suffering thereof and the day of the general Judgement is like to be their day of ease p. 53. 20. The infinite Sacrifice of Christ remains the same to have its influence for the obtaining of Grace after the Judgement as before p. 54. CHAP. I. Concerning God The distinct Subsistencies in the Divine Nature And more especially the Person of the Son MR. Collier intimates in the beginning of his first Chapter That he had been from some private hand admonished of certain errors by him before published in his Body of Divinity which in this Chapter he endeavours to vindicate and makes this the occasion of the putting forth the whole of what we find in his Additional Word But verily this course is in no wise like to give satisfaction to them who before were justly offended For a man when he is blamed for swerving from the form of sound words and that Doctrine that is according to Godliness in some instances to repeat his errors with new Confidence instead of a retractation of them and then to add many more and more dangerous against the analogy of Faith yea the express words of Scripture and common sentiments of all that deserve the name of Christians is not the way to reconcile himself to the truth or to any true lovers thereof And that Mr. Collier hath thus done will be manifested in our progress We are plentifully instructed from the Scripture That there is but one only living and true God who is a most pure Spirit Eternal and Immutable Incomprehensible and infinitely perfect in his Being and all the properties thereof c. This also Mr. Collier professeth to own yet he hath in the close of this first Chapter of his Additional Word dropt an expression or two that seem to hold no very full harmony therewith He saith p. 12. As to the Omnipresence of God the Father I say what the Scripture saith which directeth us to the Father as in Heaven and that by his Spirit he is present in all places Omnipresence is an Essential property of God grounded on his Infiniteness it is as necessary to him to be Omnipâ—â—ent as to be God It is all one therefore whether we speak of the Omnipresence of the Father or of the Son or of the holy Spirit these three being that One incomprehensible and infinite Jehovah to whom all fear and worship is due And to deny it of any of them is to deny their Divinity And whereas Mr. Collier tells us That he saith what the Scripture saith c. That is not enough unless he make it manifest also That he saith it according to the true sense and intendment of the Spirit of God in those Scriptures he refers unto I am unwilling to entertain jealousies of any man but yet I must say That those Socinians who have most opposed the truth concerning the immensity of God have yet said as much as Mr. Collier here presents us with and to clear himself from suspicion in this matter when questioned about it more might justly have been expected from him The Scriptures indeed speak of God as in Heaven but that is as many other expressions in them â—re in a way of condescension to our capacity And we must always remember that those things that are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men must be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a sense becoming God else we must immediately close with the gross and absurd Heresie of the Authropomorphites Seeing then that we conceive of no place so glorious as Heaven that is represented to us as the dwelling place or
them But I shall pass this also and return to the beginning of his Chapter that his strange notions about the person of the Son of God may be brought to examination And that I may proceed with the more clearness I will first briefly represent what the Scripture teacheth in this matter That the Son of God might become the author of Eternal Salvation unto lost sinners he took upon him the office of a Mediator betwixt God and them and in order to the accomplishment of what he had undertaken on their behalf it was necessary that he should take hold of their nature and be manifested in flesh In the person of Christ therefore we are to mind 1. The distinction of both natures Divine and Humane 2. The union of both natures in the person of the Mediator First Both the Divine and Humane nature in Christ remain distinct in their essence and all their essential properties and necessarily must do so the one being created and the other increated the Divine nature cannot be changed into the Humane nor the Humane into the Divine neither is it possible that they should be so confounded or mixed together as to make a third nature distinct from both The Word was God and the Word was made flesh Joh. 1. He was in the form of God and yet took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2. He was and remained the only begotten of the Father his own Son and yet was in all things made like to us sin only excepted He was true God God by nature and true man also made of the seed of David as concerning the flesh Secondly There is a glorious and unspeakable union of both natures in the person of Christ As he is Immanuel he is but one person and as such is spoken of throughout the Scripture even the same person that in the beginning was with God The Humane nature of Christ never having a personality of its own Vid. Amâ—sâ—i Medullam did from the first moment of its being subsist in the person of the Son of God So then 1. Though the second person of the Deity have but one only subsistence yet his subsistence is to be considered with a twofold respect first as he was in the Divine nature from Eternity and also as he was manifest in the flesh which last inferrs no change in God but only a relation The Son of God remained what he was although he became what he was not by uniting the Humane nature with the Divine in one person 2. Though there is not nor cannot be a real transfusion of the properties of the Divine nature into the Humane or of the Humane into the Divine yet by reason of this strict union of both natures there is a personal communication of properties which doth consist in a communion or concurrence of both natures unto the same operations so as they are done by both natures together yet each nature worketh according to its own properties So that all that Christ did or suffered is properly referred to his person but if we consider the immediate principle of his actions some of them must be referred to his Divine nature only others to his Humane 3. Hence ariseth and herein is founded that communication of properties in the Scriptures speaking of Christ 1. When that is spoken of the Person that agreeth to him onely with respect to one of his natures as when Christ is said to dye of which he was capable only in his Humane nature or to create all things which was proper to his Divine nature And sometimes it is said of him that he knew what was in man that he searcheth the reins c. at another time that he knew not the day of Judgement So likewise of God it is true that he cannot be tempted of evil and yet Christ who was God as well as man suffered being tempted but then this could not be as God but as man considered as made like to his Brethren in all things except sin neither can we avoid contradiction without embracing this way of exposition which is alone suited to the mind of the Spirit of God in such sayings and founded in the real distinction of both natures without division in the person of Christ 2. Sometimes also that is attributed to one nature as it doth connote the person that is proper to the other so Act. 20. 28. and 1 Joh. 3. 16. That is spoken of God viz. his shedding his blood and laying down his life which cannot without blasphemy be affirmed of the Divine nature as such 3. And again That which is only proper to the person as such considered in both natures is attributed to the one nature as 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediator betwixt God and men the man Christ Jesus He was not Mediator as man only nor as God only but as God-man in one person These things well weighed may deliver us from that strange confusion that Mr. Colliers discourse tends to cast us into and might serve for a refutation of his first Chapter but for the help of the weak for whose sake this work was undertaken I will particularly examine whatever therein might be occasion of stumbling to them and remove it out of the way In p. 1. of his Book he thus writes The exceptions against what I said in this matter i. e. relating to the Person of the Son of God are as followeth 1. That he is not the Son of God in the Divine nature only 2. That he is the Son of God only as considered in both natures 3. That he was the word as he was God-man and man-God 4. That as God-man he was a Creature 5. That this Creature God and man created all things 6. That this Word God-man was made flesh 7. That he is the Son of Man in both natures By these words of his one would conclude these gross contradictions were the assertions of the animadverter on his Book but his meaning is That these are the things excepted against in it which he still owns and undertakes the vindication of them in which fruitless attempt I shall attend him He begins with the first That he is not the Son of God in the Divine nature only My reason for this is Because the Scripture no where that I know affirms him so to be and for me or any other to affirm that which the Scripture doth not must needs be unsound and unsafe The Scripture always when it speaks of the Son of God it is as he was in both natures God and Man and hence its safe to say that he was not the Son of God in the Divine nature only Had I met with this position concerning Christ by it self That he is not the Son of God in the Divine nature only charity would have moved me to hope that the design thereof though the words are harsh and improper had been no more then to assert the indissoluble union of the humane nature with the Divine
which terms every one sensible of his condition by nature finds himself presently and equally with others concerned Now that God hath purposed to make this call effectual unto some and these upon believing through the Doctrine of Elect on have a prospect into the heart of God towards them and his Everlasting purpose of Grace concerning them and find their spiritual and glorious joy increased by a knowledge that their names are written in Heaven being rightly weighed may on divers accounâ—s incourage but on no account can discourage the Faith of any We come now to his last Section in this Chapter which is worse then all that goes before yet here he gives us but a taste of what he intends more largely to pursue afterwards Thus he writes p. 23. The Scripture seems to import that many yea very many compared with the first elect and espoused relation shall obtain some great priviledge though below that of Election and espoused relation to Jesus Christ That which he was to prove is That besides those that are chosen to the obtaining of Grace and Glory there are others chosen to be heirs of Glory on foresight of their faith c. so that they obtain Election thereby To make this good he tells us of very many that shall obtain some great priviledge though below that of Election Such impertinencies are his writings full of But we will take his meaning to be That they he now speaks of shall obtain the second Election but not the first which is a great priviledge but below that of espoused relation to Christ But then is he at variance with himself again for thus he writes a little before p. 16. Whoever among the sons and daughters of men do sincerely believe and obey the Gospel shall have the special relation to God and Christ therein and the special benefit and salvation thereof And this he supposeth many do besides the special elect And in this very Chapter he tells us That faith and obedience with perseverance therein renders persons the objects of this Election and certainly the Scriptures know no other espoused relation to Christ but what we have by Faith neither are there greater promises in the Book of God then those that are made to persons persevering in faith and obedience They shall inherit all things Rev. 21. 7. But Mr. C. supposeth that these believe and persevere with less help from God then the special Elect have Be it so there is no reason that this should lessen their Glory why therefore Mr. Collier sets these beneath the special Elect I know not But indeed these are Saints of his own making and therefore he may preferr or postpone them as he pleaseth The Scripture speaks of no true Believers but the Elect that are enabled to believe by special Grace He proceeds to his proof Else saith he what means thâ—t Psa 45. 14. The Virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee i. e. to Christ where the only one spouse is distinct from the Virgins her companions Mr. C. it seems is confident this can have no other meaning but what favours his notion But here it were easie for me to fill up divers sheets in transcribing the Commentaries of many learned men on this Text of which not one gives countenance to his opinion but that suits not with my present design Briefly therefore I reply In this Psalm and in Solomons Song from whence he takes his next testimony the Holy Ghost doth set forth things spiritual and heavenly by Types and Metaphors taken from things tâ—rrene and usages among men which necessarily fall short of the compleat expression of the Glory of the things of Gods Kingdom and therefore as there is somewhat of similitude so is there also of dissimilitude betwixt the things compared and the parallel must not be run farther then the scope of the Texts themselves and warranty of other plain Scriptures will allow Hence it is also that divers Metaphors are used to express the same thing of which some do adumbrate â—t under this râ—spâ—ct and some under that Now in this Scripture the manifest design of the Psalmist is to set forth the Majesty and Grace of Christs Kingdom as he is the head and husband of his people together with the glorious priviledges of the Church his Spouse in her marriage relation to him And therefore in his description of the Church in that state and honour unto which Christ hath advanced her she is compared to a Queen richly adorned and attended as with her Ladies of Honour by the Virgins her companions because so it useth to be with Queens when brought in state unto their Lord and Husband And if we strain the Metaphor or Type no farther we have a good sense of the words and that which suits the design of the Text. Although I am inclined to think that the same Church and Spouse of Christ is in various respects shadowed by either term both of Queen and of the Virgins her companions As she is represented by the Queen respect is had to the then flourishing state of the Jewish Church as by the Virgins her companions that should also be brought to Christ the bringing in of the Gentiles and their gathering into divers particular Congregations is respected which in the fulness of time should be though then they were as a little Sister that had no breasts More might be added buâ— this sufficeth to shâ—w that he hath failed of his purpose in the citation of this Text. He proceeds And that Song 9. 6. he means the 6. 8 9. where are multitudes besides the â—spoâ—sed relation of Queens but â—ertainlâ— if they be Queens indeed they are espoused to him whose Queens they are Concubines and Virgins blessing and praising the holy and happy estate of the undefiled Spouse called ch 5. 8. the daughters of Jerusalem so that there may be many friends and followers that may come short of the espoused relation and yet have a part at that day As to Cant. 6. 8 9. Here seems to be two things of a different nature one referring to the ways of the Kings of the Earth and another referring to Jesus Christ the Kings of the Earth use to have many Queens and Concubines many single persons for their pleasure and recreation and Solomon himself was greatly presumptuous in this kind But speaking of Christs disposition he is not like the world but saith â—y Love my Dove is but one and she is the only one of her Mother and the choice one of her that hear her as there is but one Christ so in matter of Salvation there is but one Church And therefore I see not at present any just exception against the account that Mr. Ainsworth gives of it in his annotations which is to this purpose There are sixty or be their sixty Queens i e. Though there were sixty c. yet one is my Doâ—e or there is but one my Dove so this one only is opposed
that the special Elect only shall obtain and that all others are debarred that though they will and run all will be in vain And again p. 41. he intimates that his opponents infer from this Scripture That God will damn whom he please from his own will and power and save whom he will from his own will and power Let men believe or obey do what they will or can its all nothing But that after all their willing running repenting believing obeying wâ—tching and warring they must leave all to the Eternal will and power c. This is as notorious a slander as he could well have cast upon them for all they say amounts to no more then this That the Election have obtained and the rest are blinded And this we are bold to affirm still having so good warranty for it as we have though he go on to reproach us therefore But that we say willing and running believing and obeying c. is in vain to the non-Elect and that after all watching and warring the state of men must be determined by the Eternal will and power is a very gross and I fear a studied untruth there being no foot-steps of any such assertion to be found in the Doctrine or Writings of the men of his controversie It being constantly asserted by them That there is an inseparable connexion between Faith and Salvation and that it is an Everlasting truth That he which believeth shall be saved â—â—d he which believeth not shall be damned and it is as true That none do will or run after a right manner but the Elect who are drawn with loving kindness because loved with an Everlasting love It is in vain for Mr. C. to pretend to be a follower of peace and holiness whilst he makes no conscience of belying and abusing those that have no otherwise offended him then by a sober asserting of those truths that the corruption of his heart riseth against And whereas he saith p. 40. That it condemns all willing and running without having respect to the mercy of God in the Gospel leaving out Christ and Grace c. This is a truth in it self though not the direct sense of this Text That all such running will be in vain But I desire to know how he will reconcile this with his other Doctrine of the Salvation of very many that know not Christ nor the Grace of God as revealed in the Gospel The other Text is 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us This Text is so express against the falling away of true Believers that Mr. Collier despairs of dealing with it on any Add. word p. 44. fair terms and therefore instead of an Exposition adventures upon a down-right contradiction to it The Apostle saith That by persons going out from the true Church it is manifest they never were living members of it and that God suffers such to fall away that so their Hypocrisie might be discovered Mr. C. saith John might know it some other way and that this proves not that all that may go out from the Church were not of them The Text saith again If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us Mr. Collier saith nay Some may go out who if they had continued might yea must have obtained i. e. were once sincere John saith if it had been so no doubt they would have continued Now let the Reader choose whether authority he will imbrace Audacia Creditur a multis fiducia And if Mr C. shall still object as probably he will That it is not to be desired that men should persist in their Hypocrisie neither is there any danger of falling away from it c. I answer in the words of Dr. Owen Saints Pers p. 295. Though they may not be exhorted to continue in their Hypocrisie which corrupts and vitiates their profession yet they may in their profession which in its self is good And though there is no danger of leaving their Hypocrisie yet there is of their waxing worse and worse by falling from the beginnings of Grace which they have received the profession which they have made and the regular conversation which they have entred upon So that notwithstanding any thing said to the contrary the Scriptures insisted on to prove the Saints final Apostacy may principally belong to some kind of Professors who notwithstanding all their gifts aâ—d common graces which they have received yet in a large sense may be termed Hypocrites as they are opposed to them who have received the spirit with true and saving Grace I shall close this with my earnest request to Mr. C. That before he adventure on a farther opposition to this great truth he would seriously perâ—se the Book referred to and diligently consider the strength of what is there pleaded by the reverend Author for the Doctrine of the Saints perseverance which if he would do I am perswaded the profit or at least conviction of the weakness of his present arguments against it which he might receive thereby would even in his own judgement abundantly compensate his pains However it will farther inform him what he hath to remove out of his way before he can establish the Doctrine now assertâ—d by him and so may guide and influence him to speak more pertinently and modâ—stly then hither to he hath done in a matter of so great importance CHAP. VI. Of Justification THat Article of our Faith which concerns the Justification of a sinner in the sight of God must needs be acknowledged to be of great importance and we ought to be more careful of nothing then that our minds be not corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel and we moved from our sted fastness thereabout and therefore although Mr. Collier in the Book before me hath said but little directly to that point yet observing divers things therein very opposite to and inconsistent with the truth in this matter I could not pass them without some remark And in the first place I shall briefly propose what the Scripture teacheth us and then examine Mr. Colliers notions that are contrary to the truth revealed therein The term Justification is constantly in the Scriptures speaking of this matter taken in a Law-sense as it imports the acquitting of a person by the sentence of a Judge The Justification of a sinner by God is The gracious sentence of God by which for Christs sake apprehended by Faith he loooseth the sinner from his Obligation to Eternal wrath and punishment and accounts him righteous to the obtaiâ—ing of Life and Glory 1. It is the sentence of God as a Judge acquitting Rom. 8. 32. 2. It is a gracious sentence without any respect to our worthiness or works of Righteousness that we have done or can do Rom. 3. 24.
Eph. 2. 8 9 10. 3. The meritorious cause of our Justification is the Obedience of Christ both passive and active and our actual Voet. Select Disput pars 5. p. 281. Justification is the effect or consequent of the imputation thereof unto us Justification in the formal reason thereof doth speak two things 1. A discharge from condemnation or the remission of sins which was purchased by the death and blood-shedding of Christ Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1. 7. The benefit of which purchase râ—dounds to us because of Gods reckoning upon our account or imputing to us what our surety suffered in our stead Isa 53. 6. 11. 2. The adjudging of us to be Heirs of and so inrighting us in Life and Glory for the sake of Christs active Obedience imputed to us in like manner Rom. 3. 22. ch 4. 4 5. 5. 19. Gal. 2. 15. ch 3. 11 12. 4. True and lively Faith whereby we receive Christ and his benefits freely given of God to us and rest on him and his Righteousness is the instrument of our Justification Joh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 17. So that Faith alone justifieth though justifying Faith is never alone but worketh by love and that Righteousness for the sake of which we are justified before God was wrought out and fulfilled only by Christ who was made sin for us although he knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And therefore in the business of Justification Faith is opposed to all good works as exclusive of them from any influence into the obtaining of our pardon and acceptance with God Rom. 3. 20 21 22. v. 28. chap. 4. 4 5. Gal. 2. 16. ch 3. 11 12. The first mention of this Article that I meet with in Mr. Colliers Book is ch 1. p. 12. where after some boasting of his clear stating the matter in his Body of Divinity he thus writes If any persons dare to maintain that any are justified before God without Faith and Holiness as the terms thereof though not the deserving cause I must leave them to their own understanding without all Scripture grounds for my own part I fully on good grounds believe the contrary Notwithstanding Mr. Colliers swelling words of vanity and contempt of the understanding of others I must tell him even these words are not so clear and scriptural but that they give just occation to suspect his own understanding to be dark and his judgement to be unsound For although true and justifying Faith is pregnant with good works and whosoever is justified is sanctified also and that Faith considered as a Grace inherent in us belongs to our sanctification yet doth not the Scripture any where allow good works the same influence into our Justification as it doth unto Faith which is a clear evidence that it is not the act of believing â—â—r any other holy duty for which we are justified but that in this business Faith is to be considere as relative to Christ and that it is the object of Faith apprehended thereby on the account of which its said to justifie And this Mr. Collier cannot but own if he understands what is asserted by himself in his Bodâ— of Div. concerning the imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us in order to our Justification before God For if we are justified freely by Grace and are presented without spot before God in an imputed Righteousness then can our good works have no interest in the reason of our acceptance with him And indeed if this were not so we could not be justified at all forasmuch as the Lord is of purer eye then to behold iniquity and our sanctification is imperfect so that if all our Righteousnesses so far forth as ours be examined in strictness of justice they will be found but filthy raggs a Covering too narrow and a Bed too short Yea if those that plead mosâ— for the interest of good works in our Justification would seriously consider what themselves dare abide by before the tremendous tribunal of the great Judge they must all fly to Bellarmines tutissimum est and put an end to this controversie by acknowledging that they dare not venture into Gods sight nor pass out of the World to his Judgement-seat in their own Righteousness But indeed there is another principle laid down once and again by Mr. C. in those Chapters of his Book already examined which if true renders all discourses of deliverance from wrath to come by Christ needless and without ground It is this That the penalty of the breach of the first Covenant was only temporal death and Eternal damnation is inflicted on men only for sinning against the Gospel the Law of Faith Now if this were true Besides that in some respects it renders the condition of those that never heard of Christ more eligible then those who live under the sound of the Gospel 1. If there be no Law threatning Eternal death Ferg Differ of Moral Virtue Grace p. 107. but the Law of Faith then there is no such thing as forgiveness and remission of sin in the World For the Gospel denounceth damnation only against final impenitency and unbelief and as these are not pardoned nor pardonable so on the other hand if there be no Law threatning Eternal death besides the Gospel then is there no other sin we need forgiveness of 2. If this be true Then Christ never dyed to free any from wrath to come which yet is plentifully asserted in the Scriptures wherein we read also that his death was for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Covenant Heb. 9. 15. For it is non-sense to say that he hath freed us from the curse of the Gospel yea it is a repugnancy unless you will introduce another Gospel to relieve against the terms of this nor will that serve the turn unless you likewise find another Mediator to out-merit this Thus Mr. Ferguson in answer to one of Mr. Colliers mind So then if Mr. C. will abide by this notion and the just consequences thereof his sense of our Justification must either be contradictory to himself or else very corrupt and unsound Another passage that hath a bad aspect this way you meet with Addit Word p. 50. where he gives this reason why his supposed deliverance of the damned will not extend to any degree of Glory but only a deliverance from pain and misery For they are under no promise of reward of Good works because they had none That God will graciously reward the good works of Believers is granted so that besides that joy and glory that all Saints have an immediate right to by virtue of their interest in Christ every one shall receive a superadded Crown according as his work shall be which layeth a foundation for our believing the enjoyment of different degrees of Glory among the blessed in another world But to suppose as Mr. C. here doth That the admission of persons into the Kingdom of