eternal love to us and why should you or any other think that Hezekiah so approved and commended a long time for a truly-Religious King should now call his spiritual estate into question or doubt no circumstance in the Text arguing any such thing and if it had been so he had gone far about to fetch his comfort and assurance from his works and life and it would have been very uncertain and weak when he had done And so this makes nothing at all against Doctor Crispe who would have all to derive their comfort and peace from the pure fountain even Faith in the satisfaction discharge and atonement made by Christ as the most direct neer and infallible way and not from works which must be first carryed to our Faith or assurance that our state is good there to be proved to be good and so at best can but secondarily and weakly seal that comfort formerly had by believing I think Hezekiah might be reproved and condemned Linguae impiorum est quotidiena sornax Aug. as by Rabshakeh so others neerer unto him for his zeal in demolishing Idolatry whereupon he going to God maketh him the witness of the righteousness of the things done and of the integrity of his heart in doing them Notitia nostri certior intue As David many times did being wrongfully charged by Saul and others and as it is our case who are falsly slandered as Antinomians and yet can and dare boldly go and appeal to God before whom all things are naked saying Thou knowest O Lord we are no Antinomians no Libertines Non est plâ—x ponderis in alieno convitio quam in nostro testimoiro Teachers of licentious Doctrine c. and so the testimonie of Hezekiahs Davids and our Consciences being cleer of such things in the presence of God is a great support a sure defence and an effectual comfort against all those calumnies censures and false aspersions This is my rejoycing saith Paul being misreported to be what he was not the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 But now all this is touching things controverted between man and man where our innocency such as it is is and ever will be the best Buckler plea and comfort and it is not pertinent to what Doctor Crispe entreateth of or if this satisfie not I could add that as the Churches estate was then servile Gal. 4.1 2. and as servants not having the promised Spirit of Adoption they did all things rather ex timore then amore out of fear more then love so Hezekiah having discharged the office of a godly chief Magistrate and now being called upon by death to lay it aside presenting himself before the Lord hath his own thoughts to witness his integrity touching the generality of the course of his life and so they excusing and comforting him in that case do give him some boldness even as it is with a servant who hath answered the requirings and done the commands of his Master in the day of his accounts Thus it is one thing to be comforted from the inward testimony of my Conscience reflecting with an impartial eye upon my conversation in this world and finding it to be unblamable and in all integrity of heart especially when adversaries do accuse and speak evil of me Terret me tota vita mea nam apparet mibi aut petcataem aut tota florilitas Aus and another thing to fetch my peace and comfort thence concerning my spiritual estate and atonement with God he that is exercised with inward consticts and temptations will easily perceive how dangerous a thing it is to have the eye and consideration of the soul taken off Christ and his righteousness and to be set upon any work or qualification of our own then nothing but Christ all is accounted as dung and loss else our own righteousness as unclean and filthy rags Phil. 3.8 9. Isa 64.6 But without spiritual buffetings of Satan the Doctrine of Faith of Christ our righteousness our reconciliation and peace cannot be prized learned nor purely taught M. B. 11. They are necessary in respect of God c. a Leah though blear-eyed yet when she was fruitful in children said Now my husband will love me so may Faith say Now God will love me when it abounds in the fruits of righteousness Answ God is not as man his love to man is not begotten or caused by any thing he seeth in us he loveth before and without works even while we were enemies our mindes being in wicked works Rom. 5.8 Colos 1.21 thus the Word testifieth and Faith receiveth it what good he worketh in us or frameth and inableth us to work are they effects and fruits of his love not causes of it M. B. 12. In regard of others c. 1 Pet. 3.1 It is an exhortation to wives so to walk that their husbands may be won to the Lord So that thy life may convert him By the Word the Apostle meaneth the publike preaching Answ You rather make more obscure then cleer the sense and drift of the Apostle while you are minded to plead for good works you attribute too much to them Faith in Christ and conversion to God is by hearing of the Word Rom. 10.17 If the husband were an Idolatrous Ethnick or prophane yet by the sweet humble and dutiful carriage and vertuous life of the wife Maritos preparent ad amplexandam Christi fidem Calv. he might happily be gained to approve and like well of her Religion which had wrought such a sensible alteration and brought forth so plentiful and pleasant fruits in her and so be moved to give ear and attention to the Doctrine of the Christian Faith thus his minde becometh prepared and more ready to embrace that which did not so well please or perhaps was an offence before This is all that can be meant or intended in those words M. B. Obj. If good works be still necessarily requisite why then is not the Covenant of Grace still a Covenant of Works c. A. Although good works be requisite in the man justified or saved yet it s not a Covenant of Works but of Faith because Faith onely is the instrument to receive Justification and eternal life Answ I see no difference in effect between the Arminian Doctrine and yours in this you hold good works to be imperfect so they and you make all the promises of eternal life to belong and to be made unto them and what do they more 2 You Answer Although they be requisite in the Justified or saved before you said in a man to be Justified and saved yet it is a Covenant of Faith Answ Where do you finde it to be called a Covenant of Faith it is a Covenant of Grace and so it is entire without our Faith M.B. Good Works are to qualifie the subject
condition the free gift of God is eternal life Rom. 6.23 All the Orthodox deny the promise of the Gospel to be conditional for if good works be conditions of life in the Covenant of Grace what then are the conditions of the Covenant of works Or wherein do they differ As this is to confound Law and Gospel Nata est in scholis Pseudo Apostolorum thus to distinguish between justification and salvation so it is remarkable that this distinction and question did first come out of the school of the false Prophets who thereby occasioned great disturbance in the Church as Act. 15.1 5. So Gerard c. M. B. Now by the Antinomian Argument as a man may be justified while he is wicked and doth abide so so also he may be glorified and saved for this is their principle that Christ hath purchased justification glory and salvation for us even though sinners and enemies Answ Methinks your face should blush for shame at the framing of this so appareatly unjust charge and accusation doth any say that Justification leaveth a man wicked Nay do not all and every write otherwise let others judge I say no more But that their principle is undenyably true yet your Logick can finde no ground in it for this corrupt and absurd inference If Christ ever purchased glory justification and salvation for us it was when and while we were sinners and enemies or not at all for he purchased nothing since ye became holy and a friend to God or him neither needed to purchase righteousness and life for any but sinners How are you permitted to err and mislead M. B. 6. They are in their own nature a defence against sin and corruption if we consider the nature of these graces Eph. 6.14 16. there you have some graces a shield some a breast-plate c. Answ 1. Graces as you call them or gifts of Grace are improperly put in and reckoned among good works 2. The defence and power they have against sin is especially in regard of their object Christ his righteousness and promises For thence it is that all they are so good and useful armour If you have Faith and hope and ever was in any great conflict you have found that all your defence help stay and victory was onely from and by Christ the object he is the onely refuge plea and sure Rock when all works will fail M. B. 8. They are necessary by debt and obligation Answ The works of the Law are debts required to be payed first that we may have life and favour but the love and works of the Gospel are for life peace and favour first had and obtained M. B. 9. And the Law of God still remaineth as a rule and directory Answ As it ruleth so it reigneth reproveth and condemneth and when you have walked most precisely according to it it will subdue you and your obedience under the Curse Gal. 3.10 for all you can do is too light when it is put into this balance You say The Antinomian teacheth the abolition of all the Commandments He is an Antinomian indeed that doth so but I must you still thus wrong and slander us M.B. 10. They are necessary by way of comfort to our selves And this opposeth many Antinomian passages who forbid us to take any peace by our holiness Answ There be divers kindes of comfort arising from different grounds and considerations The Doctor speaks of that peace and comfort which ariseth from the true and certain knowledge of remission of sins and reconciliation with God the true proper and pure fountain whereof is Christ crucified as for your works they are like puddle-water a blundered and polluted stream or a deceitful brook yea as a broken Cistern that holdeth little or none You say in temptation they fail and are not to be regarded or looked at See this answered also in the third prejudicial inference Lect. 3. M. B. These good works though imperfect may be a great comfort to us as the testimony of Gods eternal love towards us Thus did Hezekiah 2 King 20.3 he is there a thankful acknowledger of what was in him c. Answ The best and most satisfactory testimony and assurance of Gods love is his giving of that dear Son of his love to die that we might live through him Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this he commends sets forth and confirms his love Rom. 5.8 to put it out of all doubt 2 The next testimony is the giving of his Spirit for to reveal the things of Christ the unsearchable riches in him Joh. 16.14 Eph. 3.8 To shed abroad that love in our hearts that so the soul may know it feel the consolation of it c. 3 A third is the delivering and freeing of our hearts and natures from that bondage and pollution of sin by sanctifying us in body soul and spirit yet these are no causes but effects and expressions of his free and eternal love because he loved his own he doth all for them Our works are no causes or motives to him nor yet sure testimonies of Gods eternal love for many a Papist heathen and reprobate for the matter and shew of works exceed divers of them who believe Therefore if you will have them such testimonies and so have comfort from them you must look on them in all their causes especially in 1 The Efficient and the impulsive and moving cause which be neither the light judgement or dictamen of reason and natures principles nor the command coaction and commination of the Law by its rule and authority extorting them from us as being unwilling but they come from a free and voluntary spirit so made by the spirit of regeneration and Adoption moving to do good in love and delight Rom. 8.14 therefore be they called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Secondly in the subject that the person be reconciled accepted and in favour through Faith in Christ Jesus Heb. 11.6 Lastly to say nothing of the form or object the end they are to be referred unto is not self-praise or profit to procure nor preserve by them our own peace favour or salvation with God which be the effects of Faith in Christ but simply Gods honour his Churches and our neighbours good even as our love is due also Mat. 22.37.39 And if these circumstances required necessarily to every good work Displicet deo dubitatio quare neque cols neque invocari cum dubitatione â—otest Melanct. be considered the soul will finde little need of works as testimonies and arguments of Gods love For that must be out of doubt first for a doubtful Conscience cannot please God by any work or obedience And your example of Hezekiah cometh nothing neer to make good your Assertion For as Gods works for us are testimonies of his love so our works at the most are but witnesses of our love unto him and therefore cannot be testimonies as you affirm of Gods
faith to the everlasting Kingdom You thus swerve from the truth and the old and good way LECT XXII ROM 3.31 Do we then make void the Law Here you tell us It is hard to set up Christ and grace and not thereby to be thought to destroy the Law But it is easie with who was never suspected 2. You say Your Antinomians still are mistaken in this point and plunged into a dangerous errour You should make your words good and discover the errour if not help them out we expect this from you 3. But now like blind Sampson unto whose fact you allude you have raised a doctrine which will lead you to lay your hands on the chiefe pillars of the Antinomian edifice Mr. B. The question then at this time to be discussed is whether the Law be abrogated or no by Christ to the believers under the Gospel Answ Who would question it for Christ came not to destroy the Law but taught that every Apex or lota of it is imperishable Matth. 5.17 18. Indeed your doctrine is the Law is deprived of all power to justifie accuse or accurse but who can receive it If these be no tittle or part of the Lawd understand nothing And yet you tell us often of promises of great rewards for your legall obedience and good works cherefore there is a power to justifie command and bless established by you or else which I rather think your tenets be inconsistent and mutually overthrow each other Mr. B. If we would speak exactly and properly we cannot say in any good sense that the Morall Law is abrogated at all Answ If you would keep there denying according to the truth of the Scripture any mitigation at all either totall or partiall we might soon agree shake hands and lay down our weapons Mr. B. We may say it is mitigated Answ It is then because your Tongues are your own or that you will speak before God say so and so without your Warrant Such teaching of mitigating and Evangelizing the Law of Gods accepting the will for deed c. hath occasioned such dangerous confusion of Law and Gospel these sad controverfies in the Church much instabilitie and many mistakes in the peoples minds c. Mr. B. But you must still distinguish when we speak of the Law some parts of it from the whole Some parts of it may be abolished and yet not the whole nature of it for there are in the Law these parts 1. Commands 2. Promises of life to him that doth them 3. The threatnings of eternal death to him that faileth Now the Morall Law although it be abrogated in respect of the two later to a believer yet in respect of the former it doth still abide yea and will continue in Heaven it self as we have already proved that one part of the Law may abide when the other doth not Answ Like Foundation like Building This makes all your opposition dispute and discourse so weak and soon annihilated in that your ground is so faulty and failing 1. Why are you so inconsiderate thus to distinguish where God doth not and so audacious as to mutilate his good Law which he delivered and would have still to be preserved entire and perfect 2. All this tendeth to nothing but to make the Kingdom and way of the Law so easie and tolerable that the soul may here find a requiem where to settle her abode and never enjoy nor come to Christ and dwell under his shadow and Kingdom where Grace through his righteousness reigneth to eternall life Rom. 5.21 3. What is the reason your discourse is so loose and improper did you not even now tell us that to speak properly and exactly we cannot say in any good sense the Morall Law is abrogated and have you so soon forgotten what you said or are you regardless of any good sense or propriety of words You make three parts I would know what parts they may be called Homogeneal all of them truely law as a drop of the Ocean is as verily water as the whole Sea or Heterogeneal as Timber and Stones be parts of a House but not of the same kinde and nature in themselves and the Soul and Body be two essential parts constituting the man yet the one as flesh the other as spirit and not of one of these alone but the compositum of both is the man So here I demand when you tell us we must distinguish some parts of the Law from the whole Whether these parts be essentiall and requisite to the making or constituting of the whole Law If these three be all parts then to take away two will mutilate if not destroy the whole Law the whole consisting but of three cannot be entire and perfect having lost two And the rather I ask this because pag. 139. you say but prove not for it is not your manner your Disciples and so all other must be jurati in verba Magistri that the Law most strictly taken is meer Mandative without any promises at all Now if the meer Mandative be a Law why do you call the other two there excluded as not needfull parts of it and not rather with Dr. Tailer appendices to it 4. To distinguish between part and part may be granted and usefull but as to distinguish between soul and body between Christ and his Church or between the signe and grace in the Sacrament but to separate and sunder one part from the the other you know here its intoleable and destructive and you so distinguish that you plainly separate and cut off two parts from the third as abolished And yet the whole nature of the Law remaineth if we can believe you not abrogated to the believer you have often put your Adversarie to reconcile his tenets when there was no such cause as you see here is to agree yours The Law in regard of the threats and promises say you is abrogated a very bold assertion which never can be made good When you promise eternall life unto every good work a believer doth as pag. 40. is it not a legall and conditionall promise so as no good work no eternall life and how then can you here say that the promises of the Law be abrogated to a believer And when a believer with Noah David Lot c. doth fall into open and scandalous offences do you not threaten and terrifie him that he may be moved and stirred up if he be secure to seek for healing by faith in the blood of Christ And doth not this also convincingly argue that the reproofs and threats of the Law are of force and not abrogated Lastly if the preceptive part continue in Heaven you cannot say that justice there shall be without power for the two other also what though it doth not actually condemn any Is God without power to make another World because he maketh it not And whereas you say That you have already proved two parts to be abrogated and one still abiding you either forget
grant you repentance Amen Mr. Rutherf pag. 575. There is a twofold keeping in of sinners one meerly legal they care not for Mr. T. Gaole Reply The law is not my Gaole but Gods and both they and you may be made to minde it more then either yet doth you speak too contemptibly Mr. Rutherf Mr. T. will have the believer so free so perfect as the law needs not to teach nor direct him in one stop he doth all without a keeper by the free compulsion of a Spirit separated from Scriptures which is right down A believer is neither under law nor Gospel but a Spirit separated from both guides him Reply When I say the Spirit of the Lord is his keeper do I teach then he hath no keeper 2. He receiveth the Spirit that leads him by the Gospel how false then is your charge who speak or dream of a spirit separated from Gospel and not I. And yet the Spirit breatheth and bloweth in the heart and the voice or sound of it is there heard when there is no sillable of outward Law or Gospel but you have sufficient answer before As for your instances of Joseph and David I ask of you whether it was the Spirit within that kept them from offending or the law T. pag. 5 6. I muse you omit to shew what it is to be under Grace Mr. Rutherf Dr. Taylor did not omit to shew what it is if you did not omit to read his words he is clear to any Reply Before you complained you could not see what was plain before you but now you can see what is not extant this is the fruit of partiality Mr. Rutherf But let your exposition stand you are not under the law as teaching directing regulating believers in the way of righteousness but the Gospel giveth power to subdue sin without any teaching or regulating power of the law But what is the power of subduing sin to the Antinomians not sanctification but justification that is a power to believe that Christ hath obeyed law for me we are obliged to no personal sanctification c. then to be inherently holy is unlawful to Antinomians Reply The exposition is not mine verbatim yet even in your owne expression the light of truth is so clear and convincing on our part that you turn your back on it as afraid to meddle And being disposed to take occasion to wrangle you demand what it is to subdue sin whereas it is set before you even the weakening of the power of sin within us that it domineer not over us Indeed the Prophet Micah 7.19 useth the phrase of subduing by justification and that is a true subduing it in the conscience that it there raign not to death condemnation And yet by your confession this must precede and is the proper cause of subduing it in conversation and then that will necessarily follow issuing out of this faith So that in fine this is but a Papistical cavil That to teach justification is the overthrow of holiness and good works Lastly whereas you tell of obliging to sanctification I answer we are to believe that God will sanctifie us and that throughout and put his Spirit into us to lead us in his wayes and so in that faith desiring and hungering after it to seek to him as a sick man longing for health unto his Physitian and to wait in the use of his ordinances that he may so perform The new Covenant properly requireth nothing of man but God knowing his spiritual poverty and utter disability calleth upon him to seek to him who worketh both the will and the deed of his owne pleasure Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 81. Your slanderous conclusion is both against the rule of Gods law and of all humane arts But such extravagancy becometh or still pleaseth Mr. Rutherford T. Assert pag. 6. I deny not the law to be an eternal and inviolable rule of righteousness yet the Grace of the Gospel doth truly and effectually conform us unto it Mr. Rutherf pag. 578. I ask to whom the law is a rule if to Believers then they must be under it 2. That rule the grace conformeth unto we must be under 3. An inviolable rule of justice cannot be violated without sin Then the Believer cannot violate the law and murder but they must sin and violate the rule c. Reply It s true the law is an inviolable rule but not to him as a Believer or in the things of his Faith but here he departs from it for he doth not the Law to be saved but believeth after the rule of the Gospel 2. If you consider him morally I see not but he may be conformed to the rule of the law and yet not under it but under grace and the rule of the spirit which conformeth him 3. In this your moral or civil conception of him you take him quite out of Christs kingdom where grace reigneth And now grant he doth murder and sin It is death and condemnation by the same rule and law so that he must be totally removed out of the limits of the law before he can be freed and secured from either sin or death You leave faith and fall from grace in all your arguments And they are as forcible to maintain the condemning power of the law to believers as the regulating for where the law regulates it may condemn and so it doth the best Saint here if you bring him and his life under it T. Assert pag. 7. Through faith is bred assured confidence lively hope c. M. Rutherf pag. 579. This is a close perverting of the word of truth the Antinomians faith may here be smelt then whoever once wavereth or doubteth are yet under the law of works A doctrine of despair to broken reeds who cry I believe help my unbelief Reply I must commend to you Jam. 1.6 7. But observe good Reader what is here excepted against viz. Through Faith in Christ is bred assured confidence lively hope pure love towards God invocation of his name without wavering fear or doubting not questioning his good will audience acceptance which would never be effected by all the zeal and conscience towards God according to the law of works And now judge impartially what truth can be current with Mr. Rutherf I aske 1. can assured confidence lively hope c. come or be effected any way else then by faith in Christ If there want light at Noon-day Read Heb. 3.9 where your Bible-Note saith That he calleth that excellent effect of faith whereby we cry Abba Father confidence and to confidence he joyneth hope which is termed a lively hope that God begets unto 1 Pet. 1.3 see also Heb. 10.22 23. Rom. 15.13 and 10.14 How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed But it is like this moveth M. Rutherf that it is said that these cannot be attained by all the zeal according to the law of works yet Paul clears it Eph. 2.18 That
through Christ we have entrance unto the Father and Eph. 3.12 By him we have boldness and entrance with confidence by faith in him If Mr. Rutherf object But these are not in full and absolute perfection where yet true faith may be Who saith so or who but Mr. Rutherf would so closely pervert the truth that I may retort his owne words Being justified by faith we have peace c. In whom believing ye rejoyce c. God hath begotten us againe to a lively hope c. Rom. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.3 8. Nay saith Mr. Rutherf This is a close perverting of the truth for he doubts not but that there are many weak believers of a trembling timerous and troubled spirit whose faith is not yet able to over-master their fears which cause torment and disquietness but I cease And Mr. Rutherf hereby smels our faith Reply Naribus utilis yet no unsavory errour And know it that it is the effect of the law of works upon the natural conscience and the unbelief of the Gospel that keep the soul in bondage through that slavish fear Mr. Rutherf ibid. The covenant of grace commands faith and also good works as witnesses of faith but Mr. T. will have good works in any Notion of an Evangelick command to stand at defiance with the covenant of grace Repl. What contend you for if you grant grace to be the fountain-fountain-cause of all holy walking then not the law 2. If it be a lively and free fountain then doth holiness issue out of it as a pleasant stream and how now do good works stand at defiance with the covenant of grace Besides it is said Catachrestiâ—â—s abusively and not properly that the covenant of grace commands faith and good works for it promiseth to give both to them who have power to neither Lastly these works are not done as conditions to obtain eternal life for that is said passim to be by faith without works faith for salvation good works for conversation Mr. Rutherf ibid. The man under the law cannot give himself to be ruled by the law after the minde and will of God as Mr. T. saith except Antinomians be Pelagians Reply It s a palpable wrong I have no such words as that a man under the law can give himself to be ruled by it after the mind and will of God you have a strange conscience that no better bridleth you though your affections be void of love to your Adversary I might more truely reply by your doctrine That a man under the law can do it for you free none from under it or else you are not ruled by it after the mind and will of God And that is most propable who now is the Pelagian But to deal plainly what say you of Paul and many zealous Jews who in earnest applied themselves to do the things of the Law so that Paul saith touching it he was blameless and that before his conversion to the faith To do it after the mind and will of God is your addition Mr. Rutherf Paul speaks of a man under the Law in the flesh and in opposition to that under Grace married to Christ he that is dead to the Law married to Christ and serves God spiritually And it 's clear the Apostle counts it a part of deliverance from the Law and a fruit of our marriage to Christ that we bring forth fruit to God walk holily and serve in newness of spirit Reply Jam convenimus What contend you for all is granted that I desire or said for 1. then Christ and not the Law as a husband makes fruitfull 2. Then there was a serving of God under the Law in the oldness of the letter 3. Where or how then find you me to be against holy walking and according to the rule of righteousness Is not this your false slander Assert How can Christ redeem us from the Law except in the same sense and extent that Christ was under it Mr. Rutherf 1. Christ was under the Law of Ceremonies I hope Gentiles were not under that Reply The question is of the moral and you talk vainly of ceremonial Mr. Rutherf If Christ was under the Law as a rule to free us from it why commands he to imitate him Reply Christ was under the Law for life even to obtaine favour and salvation for us so he is in the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe 2. It is by his spirit and power any imitate him walking as he did and so do keep the Law as he did freely in love not for self-life or self-ends for so did Christ who sought not himself Assert pag. Mr. T. hath a strange evasion The spirit is free why will you controle and rule it by the Law whereas the nature of it is freely to conforme heart and life to the outward rule of the law without the help of the law as a crooked thing is made straight c. Mr. Rutherf To do the will of God meerly as commanded from the power of an outward commandment is legal saith Saltmatsh and Mr. T. saith it is to controul the free spirit Three means saith T. are passive to hear read receive Sacraments are so many restraints laid on the free spirit Reply I say again If the spirit rule you according to the Law then neither Law nor you do rule it but the Law is onely the rule or pattern according to which the Spirit formeth you What can be more plain to him that will see and grant any truth And this makes no contrariety but a sweet harmony between the word and the spirit yea and establisheth the Law by the faith and Spirit of the Gospel And here you would range us among the old Anabaptists Enthusiasts c. and love to expatiate having burst the banks and bounds of charity and truth I am not more strange to you then this is to me That you are of such a spirit 2. Where say I that meanes are passive The Spirit is pleased to blow sweetly by all Evangelical meanes as Preaching Prayer Sacraments c. and we rightly using them do carry our selves passively that the Spirit may thereby breath and give life to our Spirits and that we may have it more abundantly Mr. Rutherf What T. meaneth in saying The spirit freely conformeth the heart to it Reply The sense is easie and plain if your mind were not finister Mr. Rutherf If the meaning be that the Law of it self cannot convert a man to God Antinomians father most falsly such dreames on us but if the Spirit conform us to the outward rule of the Law then must the Law be yet a rule to our obedience Reply When you please you can spell out my meaning But 1. Whether it be your dream or no I leave it Yet you know that your Brethren so hold and teach and may be forced to own this brat or novell-assertion of theirs 2. As if Mr. Rutherf were in a dream he in his other book would seem
sinners he must be fain to look upon us in our Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness you like to set the Law as a medium between God and you which presenteth you with sin and wrath c. And why do if not your self yet many others in their prayers say Lord behold us not in our selves but in our Lord Jesus c. If there be no such pure and secure estate why pray we to attain to it and if we be perswaded of the truth of it why wrangle we against it you might inform your self and others 1. what it is to continue of your selves separated or remote from Christ and 2. of the meaning of the phrase God seeth no sin you reserve this till afterward so do I and withal for more full satisfaction I refer the hony-combe of free justification and the Assertion of grace M. B. ser 3. You shall carefully distinguish between these two propositions good works are necessary to beleivers to justified persons or to those that shall be saved and this good work 's are necessary to justification and salvation Answ It 's too evident that your self do not heedfully observe this distinction Besides your sense in the tearms you use is doubtful when you say good works are necessary to justified persons Is it your meaning after justification according to that of Augustine Nulla sunt bona opera nisi quae sequuntur precedente fide In Psal 67. no works are good except they follow faith going before or that they are necessarily required in order to go before so that their presence must be had necessarily when God justifieth as your pleading hath been heitherto I know the tearms or words themselves are plain and distinct but you confound them in your afterprosecution 2. There be many kinds of necessary And if you understand them to be necessary after justification in a right sense you have no adversary But if good works be necessary to those that shall be saved I would ask you what you mean for do you not hold salvation to be the proper next and immediate effect or consequence of justification can a man be said or supposed to be justified and not to be saved if he be justified he hath Christ he that hath Christ hath eternal life Ioh. 3. ult the essence of eternal life or salvation is but one and indivisible You cannot make the full revelation or seasible fruition of it to be any part of it your error is that you will have good works necessary to come in between justification and salvation at least as a cause sine qua non or conditions of it or so requisite that the promise of eternal life is made to them and only by vertue of that their promise eternal life becomes his that doth the works But eternal life is the free gift of God Rom. 6.23 And salvation is in Christ alone Act. 4.12 Ioh. 5.12 He that hath Christ hath life and if he have not Christ he can have no life whatsoever works he have So that as a man may have Christ without works by faith so may he have salvation in order before good works unless you will say either that without Christ a man can do good works or that Christ may be nad as separate and a part from life and salvation Christ and salvation standing at a distance so after he be come unto Christ and have him he must do good works that by them he may come unto it but both these are impossible Works done in this sense with such a minde and for such an end as to help us to salvation as if Christ did not sufficiently content us these works saith Luther cannot be good but whatever they be for the matter of them are and ought to be numbered among the worst of evil works fornication stealing lying c. are not so hanious saith he neither is the danger and fearful effects and fruits of these evils comparable to the evil of such pretended good works While I do good to help me to salvation I in heart deny Christ to be my full and sufficient Saviour I make faith void and the promise to be of no effect I overthrow the whole Gospel of salvation I appropriate the promise of life not to Christ nor saith but to my works And if it be said it is onely the presence of good works that is accounted necessary to those that shall be saved I answer Gratia Dei remissio per justitia vita eterna in solo Christo mediatore proponuntur illum vero non apprehâ—ndimus bonis operibus sed sola fide Gratia Dei in christo 1 Cor. 1 data est quia hoc constâ—u um est a Deo u qui credit in chrisâ—um saluus sil sine opere sola fide Vnum illud asseveâ—averem quod sola fides per se salvum fecit Chrys Evangelium proponit justiti salutem credeâ—â—ibus in Christum gratis sine conditione bonorum operum Ger. Si bona opera sint nessaia tum promissiones Evangeliâ—ae non erunt gratuitae sedâ—onditionales Insidâ—luas solad mnaâ— hoc est repellâ—t Christum una cum Christo vitam eternam quae non misi in Christo offertur Aug. 1. How can they be present when I must have Christ and with him eternal life before I can do any good work 2. Is not the presence of Christ and his righteousness sufficient Why then did Paul desire to be found in Christ not having his own righteousness of works but only that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9.3 What comfort or pleasure can they afford or gain when as Calvin saith If God do respect or look upon them we be to us and there cannot be so little a fault or so small a blemish in our works but the same is enough to make them foul and leathsom unto God Thus all Abrahams vertues saith he if they had been examined could have brought him nought but damnation Abraham bad no other help nor comfort therefore but his faith in Christ in whom God did singly consider and accept him Rom 4.1 2.4 If as you affirm the promise of life be made to them and their presence then cannot the soul receive or lay bold of any promise of life till they come into sight And what promise then is made to the righteousness of faith or of Christ Paul was most diligent and faithful in his ministery abounding in the works of the Lord fought a good fight kept the saith finished his course but the crown which was laid up for him and which he certainly expected was the crown of the righteousness of faith 2 Tim. 4.8 See Dr. Foulk on that place against the Rhemists If the crown be not due to that righteousness to what purpose is it and if it belong and be annexed to it will God make promise of it to our good works It is true It shall be said at the
believing Faith onely is the condition or instrument that doth receive the Covenant but yet that a man believe is required the change of the whole man Answ They qualifie the subject believing in some sense is true but do they qualifie before he believe in believing or after Faith this you should have told us it may be concluded from your words that they must qualifie the subject before he believe and this is your reason because that a man believe is required the change of the whole man as if good works did change the man and so were pre-required to believe I answer 1. That the heart must be first changed I grant for the natural heart is evil and unbelieving And secondly It is a good work to renew and change it yet that is no work of ours but Gods Thirdly Do our good works qualifie towards God Coram judicio Dei as Melanct. or towards others Or to our own sight and sense Is not Christ in us put upon us formed and dwelling in us qualification sufficient for acceptance to salvation M. B. Vse Answ You are still ministring your vain Antidotes Take you heed of that spiritual Anti-Christ within man which strongly maketh head against the true Christ What you preach and profess may be a deceitful flourish you bid reconcile Law and Gospel Justification and holiness c. I know none making such jars between one and the other as doth your self Is the Law then against the Promise Gal. 3.21 That is a blinde conceit Christ was ordained to be the Righteousness of the sinful and lost soul of man and to be received by it in the feeling of the failing and want of all goodness in it self He dwelleth in the poor meek low and broken heart to receive heal and satisfie it We may think and talk of him out of us as held forth in the letter and outward Ministry and all this to small and no effectual consolation or purpose LECT V. 1 Tim. 1.9 Knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man M. B. COncerning the righteous man here we must not interpret it of one absolutely righteous but one that is so quo ad conatum desiderium Answ Why may we not understand it as well of one who hath attained to righteousness by Faith which is absolute and perfect as of inherent sanctification which is inchoat and imperfect or why is it that you do altogether exclude this passive and imputed righteousness You do not with the Papists hold it onely to be a putative and not real righteousness And you erre if you take that which is sensible inchoat and so defective to be yet more worthy to give the denomination M. B. pag. 49. The Antinomian and Papist do both concur in this errour though upon different grounds that our righteousness and works be perfect c. and that not only in Justification but in Sanctification also Answ Though the righteousness of Faith in Christ and sanctification by his Spirit which are inseparable in regard of the subject be two distinct things yet they argue not the party to be in a twofold estate towards God for acceptance to favour and life but his estate is peaceable and safe onely by the free grace of Justification You grant your sanctification is imperfect and defective Now sith the sinfulness remaining in us doth dispread it self throughout all the powers of the soul all parts actions and passages of the whole man When you then have gathered and summ'd up all in one do you not bring all your works in the end to yur Justification by your confession of weaknesses wants pollutions c. and so seek forgiveness of the sins of your Prayers Etiam bona opera egent remissione peccati your failings in your Sermons errours of heart and life And this is in effect to have all healed and justified by free justification or the blood of Christ knowing that otherwise all is damnable and in law and justice to be rejected know it and cause also your hearers to learn it that though Justification be one individual act yet the vertue and efficacy of it is necessarily to be extended throughout all the life and wayes of man It purifieth the man and maketh all pure also and acceptable Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure Thus may you see that it is a truth that all are become perfect and the manner also how and lastly that all is in Justification and not in Sanctification and so know your mistake If you receive not this how shall what is imperfect be accepted except either by some mitigation of Gods Justice contrary to that place so much and that without cause urged against us Matt. 5.17 18 or that you will so far be beholding to the new Covenant with the Arminian as to seek for the Grace of it which may pardon or pass by our defects or in effect to deny the extent and continuance of the force and vertue of Justification and Christs blood unto the last end What you charge upon your old Antinomian Islebius I pass by as an Author I never read M. B. As for the latter Antinomian he speaketh very uncertainly and inconsistently Sometimes he grants the Law is a rule but very hardly and seldom then presently kicketh all down again for saith he it cannot be conceived that it should rule but that it also should reign and therefore thinks it impossible that one act of the Law should be without the other the damnatory power of the Law is inseparable from it Can you put your Conscience under the Mandatory power and keep it from the damnatory Assert of Gr. p. 33. Answ None can speak more uncertainly and inconsistently then you in these Lectures you make neither to appear in your adversary but he proveth you guilty of both For when you use these expressions Good works are necessary in the justified and then presently They are necessary in him that is to be justified Again onely Faith in Christ is necessary to salvation the promises of life are made to the believer and good works have the promises of life every good work thou canst do hath a promise made to it of eternal life c. you both leave your reader uncertain what your opinion is and these will in no wise consist together besides many other like passages Also here you say he grants it a rule and yet do charge him with the total abolition of it pag. 43. Is not this inconsistency You say he granteth it hardly nay doth it freely without constraint B. And seldom Ans If need require he will do it toties quoties This is not to kick all down again to say the Law if it rule it doth also reign the latter doth not overthrow the former but onely it crosseth and overthroweth your vain and ayry conceit of a Law ruling and not reigning You say he thinks it impossible that one act of the Law should be without the other
to affirm and maintain it and with a smal touch he there passeth it over And here he saith The Law it self converts not No more doth the Gospel it self as he often saith without the spirit This is as if with Mr. Burgess he meanes that either Law of Gospel is the Spirits instrument for conversion and that we may preach either for that end Mr. Rutherford is unwilling to speak out Loquere ut videam 3. If the Spirit by the Gospel conform us to the rule of the Law It s then true that the Law is a passive rule but not active as actuating to effectuate this thus you grant what I asserted and oppose without cause But at last you tell us the Apostle never speaks of our freedom from the Law as it doth regulate direct and lead us Reply Now this overthroweth what you said even now viz. That the Spirit by the Gospel doth direct and lead us in the way of the Law for then the Law doth not actively lead us Mr. T. pag. 9. What freeth a believer from the curse but because he is a new Creature Mr. Rutherf That new creation is sanctification 2 Cor. 5.17 not justification If any be in Christ that is if he be justified he is a new creature that is sanctified or else by the Antinomian gloss the meaning must be If a man be justified in Christ he is justified in Christ Paul speaks not so non-sense Reply This new creature is the man changed in himself and his state Sanctification is not a new creation but a new qualifying of a man It begets him not nor recreates him not to God nor yet delivereth him from under the curse makes him not the child of God restoreth him not into favour nor doth make him Heir Co-heir with Christ c. See your errour 2. To be justified and to be in Christ is not all one as your gloss is they differ as the cause and the effect or as the antecedent and consequent To be in Christ imports union which is before justification Or it is insition that work of the Father Joh. 15.1 that being ingrafted into him he may partake of his righteousness and holiness both imputatively and inherently if I may use the Aristotelian word More sound or probable is their judgement who teach that regeneration includeth both justification and sanctification Mr. Rutherf How shall it follow that Christ hath loosed us from all debt of active obedience because he hath loosed us from a necessity of perfect active obedience but the Law is spiritualized and lustred with the Gospel Law and free-grace and drawn down to a Covenant of free-grace requires not nor exacts upon perfect obedience under pain of losing salvation It requires obedience as the poor man is able to give it by the grace of God that the man may enter in the possession of eternal life Reply I Reply You can shew no text nor reason why Christ looseth not from imperfect as well as perfect obedience and that from active as well as passive Nay if from prefect much more may we argue from imperfect 2. If our state and case be well considered we are spiritually so poor that we are as unable to pay pence as pounds It is all one to a dead man whether life be tendered unto him upon condition of moving his least finger or the removing of a great Mountain and this is our case Again you can produce no Law 1 That requires not perfect obedience 2 That calls not for obedience as a proper condition of life Do and live 3 That threatens not death upon the least failing in any Iota But you let all see your new divinity 1 I must obey but not perfectly 2 The Law is spiritualized c. drawn down to a Covenant of free-grace 3 No more is required of the poor man then he can give c. Vltra posse viri non vult Deus ulla requirt Thus grace is abrogated promise made void and faith is of no effect Mr. Rutherf Paul sheweth what Law we are freed from of sinne and death and saith Christ died for this end Rom. 8 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Whence I argue Those that ought to fulfill the righteousness of the Law by walking after the Spirit and mortifying the deeds of the flesh are not freed from the Law as a rule of righteousness Reply The strength of sinne is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 2 Christ dyed that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us imputatively or grant inherently yet if this be the end and fruit of Christs death as you say then the Law is no active cause of it but the power of Christs death effecteth it And though this righteousness be for matter one with the Law yet still the Law is but a rule passively according to which the believer is conformed and regulated it not actively regulating Also active walking in the Law is but the expression and effect of sanctification and not properly sanctification it self Adam made holy lived accordingly from that inward form his holy life made him not holy Neither is our holy life to procure or preserve peace favour life as the Law propoundeth requireth it for these consist in faith alone which findeth and enjoyeth Christ to be such a true fulness and All-sufficiency to the soul that self by him and with him is satisfied and so needs no ends of its own in working and obeying Joh. 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst Mr. Rutherf We are freed from the Law being once justified so the Antinomians whatever we do is not against a Law or rule the law gives a dispensation to do those things being justified which the unjustified cannot do but in doing it they sinne because the unjustified are under the law as a rule of justice which we are not under We have an Antidated dispensation to sinne Reply You straine your wit if not conscience to make quidlibet ex quolibet But I say Take justification in the full latitude and extent of it or consider a Christian still as justified and so he is freed from under the Law but if you speak of or consider him in his active righteousness of works so as you bring him under the Law so he sinneth yea and is judged and condemned by the Law and you must raise him and bring him up to his justified state ere he can be free and secure from the curse Justification extends to all sins at all times throughout the whole life But it s false that I give an Antidated dipensation that is your indirect inference If you put the believer under the Law as he sinneth like the unjustified so the Law threatneth and curseth both equally Though you tell us unwarrantably of your bare word that the Law hath power to rule where it hath no power to condemn then we may live securely in sin or the works
tendering Christ to thieves c. whoso upon that ground or tender receiveth him in so doing doth confess himself a thief and if he were not self-convicted and condemned he would never believe or receive Christ for the end of the action is it that putteth him upon the action he believeth in Christ or receiveth him that he may be saved therefore he seeth he is lost and cannot otherwise be saved This is clear But that expression is most strange when you say that sinners remaining in that damnable state do believe For 1. Can they possibly be out of that damnable state before they believe or any other way but by faith in Christ 2. Again if they believe in Christ can you imagine that they shall remain in statu quo prius What a false myst is this or vile dust that you cast before the eyes of people but you are in the net and your end is perceived But what preparations would you desire more then that God should give a heart to such sinners to come to Christ a heart sensible of sin apprehensive of danger desirous to be in a secure condition and that is resolved that peace and safety is onely in Christ and by Christ else the soul cometh not to Christ and if it come not to him it hath no encouragement by Dr. Crisp's Ministery Do not condemn the innocent You often speak of a lazie dead faith If yours were truely operative we should finde you more in the way of truth and charity Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 I end commending to your second thoughts your own words pag. 128. Though thou were upon the borders of hell yet the Gospel though it except thee from all actual mercy yet not from the duty of believing and coming to Christ Those that sin against the holy Ghost are condemned for unbelief Be reconciled first to your self and so to the Doctor 8 Exception against Mr. Town Mr. Rutherf Mr. Town saith All our obedience as it is the work of the Spirit is passive Reply Here I observe a twofold failing 1. In that the occasion of these words and unto which they relate is concealed Dr. Tailer said God looketh not on their obedience as theirs but as it is his own work in them Now then I grant it in a sort to be his own work but so it is passive to us and so it must be unless you put no difference between what the Spirit worketh in and upon us and what we work by the same Spirit for here we act And your dealing is not fair in that you leave out the words in them for so Mr. T. saith What the Spirit worketh is passive to them But 2. see how you pervert this and so infer as you please That now it is sacriledge for us to be holy and to adde any of our active holiness to Christs active obedience Repl. The former Clause ariseth not from my premises as you cannot but see unless this be the meaning to make our selves holy which is Gods work alone not ours at all And if you will adde our active holiness to Christs it is no other then sacriledge though Mr. T. hath no such words for you steal and take from Christ what you put to your own obedience M. Rutherf page 121. Use Antinomians cry down duties This is not the way of grace Repl. You take it to be your duty and part unjustly to charge your brethren 2. Duties are to be cried and chased out of the way of Free-grace if you rightly conceive and take it as Eph. 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 Rom. 11.6 But they are not to be denied in practice and conversation Mr. Rutherf p. 126. Often that which troubleth is subtil and invisible pride he will not believe for want of self-worthiness as I dare not rest on Christ nor apply promises because of my sinful unworthiness I am not good enough for Christ Then you adde Right and saving humiliation conjoyned with faith c. Repl. First you principle your hearers by your doctrine for such temptations and thoughts telling them that sinners as sinners have nothing to do with Christ they must be better qualified bring saving humiliation repentance and faith and now you chide and reprove them for such conceits of their wants and unworthiness as to be thereby letted and deterred for coming to Christ This is your inconstancie And if now you apprehend this to be the ordinary and usual temptation of a troubled dejected sinner desirous of Christ and would clear it that self-unworthiness is no bar why are you so invective against Dr. Crisp Oh consider and be better advised But it is improper and unscripture-like to call humiliation saving as also inconsistent with self-unworthiness 9 Exception Dr. Crisp We cannot gather assurance of a spiritual state from holy walking Mr. Rutherf Holy walking is performed by that efficacious grace promised in the Covenant as an argument on which we may build our peace as a grace threeded upon the free promise Repl. He that believeth is onely in a safe and sure state Joh. 3.36 2. The question will be Whether the holy walking be performed by that efficacious grace of the Covenant You must know it as an effect of such a cause for all walking in a Legal way will not argue it as we see in Paul while a Pharisee Phil. 3.8 First the soul must be in the covenant of Grace and be certain of that else it cannot say This is the performance of the promise nor That holiness of mine is threeded upon the promise A servant may be obedient as well as a childe but that will neither make nor prove him free in Christ by adoption It was not Abel's sacrifice that did witness his faith for Cain sacrificed also but his faith proved his offering to be good and acceptable Heb. 11.4 But I must that any experienced man should say that there is no more light of evidencing a good estate nor more certain ground of peace and comfort in a true justifying faith then is in holy walking and sincerity or should oppose Dr. Crisp seeing his doctrine is not onely true but so very necessary especially considering how Some of you grant that many do seek and gather all their peace and comfort in a meer Legal way and by their reformation and performances in whom the Law never wrought to death and condemnation that all their life and hope might be the faith of Christ their righteousness He that was sensibly dead knoweth how he was quickned and restored to life and he that knoweth in himself what death and life is If then he need and can do it he may use his after-holiness and obedience as Adminicula fidei but so ut alibi statuat solidura firmamentum Calv. See more in answer to Mr. Burgess if need require 10 Exception Mr. Rutherf Mr. Eaton brings divers Reasons to prove that we are not both righteous in the sight of God and yet sinners in our selves Repl. What an open