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A85510 A modest vindication of the doctrine of conditions in the Covenant of Grace, and the defenders thereof, from the aspersions of arminianism & popery, which Mr. W. E. cast on them. By the late faithful and godly minister Mr. John Graile, minister of the gospel at Tidworth in the county of Wilts. Published with a preface concerning the nature of the Covenant of Grace, wherein is a discovery of the judgment of Dr. Twisse in the point of justification, clearing him from antinomianism therein. By Constant Jessop, minister of the Gospel at Wimborn minister in the county of Dorset. Whereunto is added, a sermon, preached at the funeral of the said Mr. John Grail. By Humphrey Chambers, D.D. and pastor of the church at Pewsie. Graile, John.; Chambers, Humphrey, 1598 or 9-1662.; Jessop, Constantine, 1601 or 2-1658. Pauls sad farewel to his Ephesians. 1654 (1654) Wing G1477; Thomason E817_1; Thomason E817_2; ESTC R207370 97,971 125

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against the Papists And truly I wonder that you should cavil at that distinction I gave between a condition and a meritorious cause And more that you should say that Papists ascribe no merit to conditions and preparations You know the question concerning the conditional promises of the Gospel is handled under that concerning the necessity of works where our Writers grant a necessity of presence but not of efficiencie which Bellarmine contends for Now I pray what doe they understand by that efficiency but a meritorious efficiency or what other then that can be ascribed unto works yea that our Authours understand merit by that efficiency they deny Adde to Chemnitius Chamier and consider two passages in him But the Gospel doth not promise salvation without any condition of observing the law nor did ever any of ours teach that so that he do not take the word condition for merit And in ch 5. Sect. 11. For the condition of faith is not antecedent but consequent because there is no merit of faith considered or faith is not the cause of salvation To these joyne Doctor Ames who saith We doe not deny that good works have any relation to salvation for they have the relation of an adjunct consequent and of the effect to salvation obtained as they speake and of an adjunct antecedent and disposing to salvation to be obtained and also of an Argument confirming our assurance and hope of salvation But we deny that any works of ours can be a meritorious cause of justification and salvation And in the Chapter before Promises with a condition of obedience as the causes of that right which we have to the thing promised are proper to the law but promises with condition of obedience as of the adjunct or effect of the thing promised or the donation of it have place in the most bountifull kingdome of grace where there is no place found for our merits Bishop Davenant shall be the next who averring repentance faith and love to be necessary to justification adds by way of explication and in opposition to the Popish sense of necessity These and the like inward works of the heart are necessary to all that are justified not because they conteine in themselves that efficacy or merit of justification but because according to Gods ordination either they are required as conditions precedaneous to or concurrent with justification as to repent and to believe or else as effects necessarily flowing from justifying faith as to love God to love our neighbour And in his next Chapter stating this question whether good works may be said to be necessary to justification and salvation he sets downe in his first and second conclusions that in controversies with Papists and Sermons to vulgar people wee should not use such expressions without due explication of them and that because both Papists and people wil be ready to understand them necessarily as meritorious causes of salvation Shewing by example of the Ancient Fathers how careful they have beene to forbeare some forms of speech by reason of the corrupt sense of hereticks to which purpose he alledgeth that of Hierom that which may well be spoken is not sometimes to be spoken by reason of the Ambiguity Neverthelesse in his fifth sixth and seventh Conclusions he maintains that they are necessary thereto though not as meritorious causes yet as previous and concurrent conditions Let Mr. Perkins be the first wee name for this particular who in his Reformed Catholick besides the head of Merit which wholly makes for us and shewes sufficiently the Papists to be Patrons of merit in that of Repentance speaking of the differences between us and Papists therein saith The fourth abuse is touching the effect and efficacy of Repentance for they make it a meritorious cause of remission of sin and of life everlasting flat against the Word of God And a little after They ascribe to their contrition the merit of congruity which cannot stand with the sufficient merit of Christ We for our parts hold that God requires contrition at our hands not to merit remission of sins but that we may acknowledge our owne unworthinesse be humbled in the fight of God and distrust all our own merits and further that we may make more account of the benefit of Christ wherby we are received into the favour of God and more carefully shun sin for time to come But we acknowledge no contrition at all to be meritorious save that of Christ I might adde to these learned Camero and repeate that which I cited out of him before it being the very distinction which you call a most weake evasion and the defence of which we are now upon As also renowned Pemble who spends a whole Chapter in refuting that opinion of Bellarmine and the Romanists viz. That faith justifies us as an efficient and meritorious cause obtaining deserving and in its kinde beginning justification But I shall content my self with the recitall of two more who handle the very Question now in controversie Whether the Promises of the Gospel be absolute or conditional And determine that they are absolute not conditionall The first of these is Broachman who saith It is not controverted Whether the promises of the Gospel that they may be fruitfull and saving do require faith Neither is it called into controversie Whether the promises of the Gospel be so free and absolute that they discharge a man from a serious sorrow for sins and from all study of good works For he must be an infant in Scripture that is not acquainted with these assertions of the holy Spirit But the true state of the question is whether the Gospel for any our worth intention work merit or any disposition in us doth promise to us grace mercy remission of sinnes and eternal life or rather for and through Jesus Christ apprehended by faith And againe in answer to Bellarmines fifth objection which was that the promises of the Gospel doe alwayes require the condition of Faith Thus hee saith which wee grant And further averrs that this condition of faith will stand with his Assertion of absolute promises For saith he We warned you in the beginning that it is not controverted Whether the promises of the Gospel doe require faith which wee willingly grant But whether in the free remission of sins the condition of Faith be required as any work of ours or certain disposition in us to which as to an efficient helping or cooperating cause the free remission of sins may be ascribed which we do roundly deny The other is Mr. Burges who asserts the same out of Broachman as I conceive By these Citations I hope it will more then sufficiently appear to an eye not strangely possest with prejudice 1. That the distinction between a Condition and a meritorious Cause is no slender and weak Evasion but a maine and fundamental Distinction in this Controversie such as on which the very hinges of the
for application say they is the end of impetration and impetration the foundation of application So that the Arminian doctrine of conditions to be performed by mans owne power which make the issue of Christs death to be uncertaine and pendulous on mans free will is wholly razed thereby but our doctrine of conditions purchased for us by the death of Christ and to be wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ are no way shaken The purchases of Christs death may be surely applied to them for whom they are purchased though they be applyed conditionally Nor is that other maxime of any more strength positâ causâ totali sequitur effectus the totall cause being put the effect followeth for if you speak of mans actual salvation or the application of salvation unto man you cannot say that Christs death is the total cause of it The whole and sole meritorious cause it is But I hope Gods grace is the impulsive cause Christs spirit the efficient cause and faith the instrumental cause And bonum est ex integris causis Good doth arise from all causes entire Now though an instrument be the meanest of causes yet is it necessary in the way of an instrument nor can the effect be in act before it be used Your third head contained such Scriptures as speake of Christ and salvation as of a gift a free gift In pursuance of which you delivered Christ is given freely given of God And if by grace then not of works And what can be laid on the creature that is not a worke If but a Rose not free To be freely and by condition is an absolute and flat contradiction For answer the Covenant with Adam in a passage before you aver to be conditional And in a passage following you seeme to intimate that it is free by saying that he could not have merited had he kept the condition It seems then that to be free and yet to be conditional as flat a contradiction as it is you your selfe have admitted in the Covenant with Adam Did you seriously consider what you spake when you said if but to pay a rose the tenure is not free Certainly my Country men in Glocester-shire account that a very free tenure nor think I them therein mistaken And if some Gentlemen should bestow on you an hundred pound a year on condition you should be more liberal to the poor to the expence not of a rose or two or a penny or two but it may be ten or twenty pound a yeare which unlesse you constantly exhibite you were to lose the principal If for all this condition you should not say that this were a free gift I should account you fowly unthankful If my memory faile not our ancient godly Divines use those similitudes of a Rose or pepper corne to set out the condition not of faith but of good works which they maintaine to be required under the Gospel as a consequent condition By which expression of theirs they do as you say destroy the freenesse of grace But your bare saying so doth not prove it The truth is the Arminians and Papists were more beholding to you for some passages in your Sermons then our ancient godly Protestant Divines But come wee to your Argument which if not taken out of Doctor Crispe is yet certainly the same with his vol. 1. p. 64. p. 179. By gift and on condition is a flat contradiction But take heed that you and the Doctor make not the Scriptures to speake absolute and flat contradiction which say wee are saved by grace through faith Eph. 2. 8. And therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace Rom. 4. 16. And being justified freely by his grace through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 23 24. And in the very place cited by you and the Doctor Rom 11. 6. If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be by works it is no more of grace otherwise works are no more works where it followes what then Israel hath not obtained what he seeketh for And if you ask wherefore the Apostle will tell you Rom. 9 32. Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law So likewise Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law of works Nay but by the law of faith Rom 3. 27. And to him that worketh not but believeth Rom. 4. 5. The Scriptures joyn faith and free grace yea they tell us that freenesse of grace is upheld by that requisite or condition of faith But you call it a flat contradiction The Scriptures oppose faith and works But you say What can be laid upon the creature that is not a work You would beare men in hand that we teach contradictions But I am sure these passages of yours contradict the Scripture Again did not Christ lay repentance and faith upon the creature when he said repent and believe the Gospel Matth 4. 17. Mark 1. 15. yea doth he not lay it on them upon paine of damnation when he doubles it Luke 13. 35. except ye repent ye shall perish Did not the Apostles lay something on the creature when they thus answered their troubled converts who in anguish of spirit came with these queries to them men and brethren what shal we doe Acts ● 37. And Sirs what shall I do to be saved ch 16. 20. I say when they thus answered them repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be converted Did they not require something of them and lay something on them And did Christ or his Apostles think you preach any thing contradictory to free grace or free gift I hope whatever contradictions you pinne on our Sermons you will take heed what you fasten on the sayings of Christ and his Apostles whose doctrine we must take leave to believe and follow how contradictory soever it be deemed in the world Do not say here that Christ did not require them nor his Disciples presse them as conditions or as a worke which is the Doctors evasion for you your selfe know that we disclaime faith as a worke as much as you Wee maintaine not any worthinesse excellency or merit in faith I desire you to shew me if you can in any of ours that faith doth justifie as a work done by us or for any worthinesse or excellency that is in it I am sure that I can shew you the contrary and you may also see it if you be pleased to peruse Mr. Gatakers rejoynder to Saltmarsh p. 51. 53. This is that we maintaine that faith is so required of God that if we have it we shall have salvation and if we have it not we cannot have salvation and that not only in knowledge but in the being of it not only the evidence declaration and manifestation of that which is the Doctors opinion p. 168. and I feare is also yours but not the receipt benefit or being of it and that because it
religiously maintained No Sir our doctrine concerning conditions doth no way destroy the certainty of election But on the contrary the doctrine of election doth confirme this our Tenent of Conditional Redemption For so as God from all eternity purposed salvation unto us and elected us thereto So did Christ purchase it and so is it actually to be applied But God hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth And heretofore Christ did purchase it to be obtained that way and that way it is actually to be enjoyed So that till we be brought over to the beliefe of the truth and some degree of Sanctification we cannot be said actually to partake of any part of the salvation purposed or purchased That God elects for faith foreseene we uterly deny but that he electeth through or by it i.e. salvation to be obtained through or by it we religiously maintain Your fourth Argument runnes thus If the purchases of Christs death have any condition annexed to them in regard of application then these conditions share with Christ in the businesse of salvation It is the same with another of your Arguments used in your former lectures and neere of kinne to that of Doctor Crispe vol. 1. p. 168. Then Christ justifieth not alone Is faith Christ himselfe if not then Christ must have a partner to justifie But the sequel both in yours and the Doctors Argument is notoriously false and that because conditions are not required in the same way of causality that Christs righteousness is For that is required as a meritorious cause purchasing and procuring mans peace faith is an instrument apprehending it and Christ the cause of it repentance as a way leading to it or qualification fitting a person for it Now when an effect depends on divers causes of a different kind the necessity of the one argues not the insufficiency of the other but the one may be sufficient in its kind though the other be required The wounded person must apply the plaister to the wound if he wil have it heale him The diseased person must drink the potion must travel to the bath and bathe himselfe therein if he will have either the potion to purge him or the bath to cure him Yet would it be great weaknesse in either of these to say that the plaister the potion the bath were not sufficient because they were required to goe unto the one to take and apply the other for their taking going drinking applying are not required in the same sanatory and medicinal way as the bath the plaister or the portion are but only in an instrumental way to bring these home to him that so they might worke upon him So nor is my repentance and faith required in any satisfactory or meritorious way to satisfie Gods justice together with Christ or merit remission for me no Christ doth that alone they are only required to fit me for Christ and bring me to Christ Did we ascribe any merit or worthinesse to our conditions then you might say indeed that we made them partners with Christ but we abhorre this as much as you Faith saith Mr. Gataker affords not the least mite towards the making up of that price wherewith our debt is to be discharged That this answer would be made unto your Argument you your selfe foresaw and therefore to Anticipate it You say But some distinguish betweene Conditions and meritorious Conditions c. Unto which you reply That this is a most weake evasion for Papists themselves ascribe no merit to the preparations they plead for and cite for it Conc. Trid. Sess 6. c. 8. And here Sir is a second calumnie For as before you ranked us with Arminians so here you would insinuate that we joyne hands with Papists in maintaining of this conditional redemption But as I hope I have vindicated it from the charge of Arminianisme so I doubt not also to cleare it from this of Papisme Is it enough my good friend to make a thing evil to say that Papists hold so Why did you cite Aestius and Lessius both Papists among the Champions of your opinion Papists agree with us and wee with them in many things Nor call we that Popish where they are sound and agree with us but that only wherein they being erroneous we dissent from them and protest against them Now whether or no Papists maintaine any meritoriousnesse in the preparations they defend sure I am that Protestant Authors chiefly oppose this meritoriousnesse of them as I shall prove unto you First then consider that what Chemnitius replie to that very place and passage of the Counsel that you cite If I have not mist your quotation His words are these If therefore this were the minde and judgment of the Synod that it would simply shew that manner and order which God doth use according to the Doctrine of the Scripture when he intends to bring men to justification and if they would not attribute those things which the Scripture teacheth do go before it to the strength of free will but to the grace of God and operation of his Holy Spirit nor place any merit or worth in those preparations for which wee may be justified we might easily be agreed concerning the word preparation rightly understood according to the Scripture Out of which of Chemnitius I observe three things 1 That however in that Session they did daube over the matter yet they did hold a dignity worth and merit of congruity to be in these preparations which the same Chemnitius doth afterwards prove at large spending three or foure leaves therein 2 That Chemnitius held something some worke wrought by the Spirit in man to precede his justification or his reception of justification for in the following paragraph thus he speaks It is therefore false which in the ninth Canon they attribute to us as if we taught that not any motion of the will given by God and excited by him doth goe before our receiving of justification for we doe altogether teach that repentance and contrition doe goe before Wee doe not say that they goe before as a merit which by its worth doth cooperate to the obtaining of justification but as the sense of sicknesse or griefe of a wound is not any merit of the cure but doth raise and stirre up to desire seeke out and welcome the Physician For the whole hath no neede of the Phsitian but they that are sick as Christ saith And in this sense those things as the Scripture saith do go before 3. That he could easily have agreed with those Tridentine Fathers about preparations the word preparation being rightly understood and according to Scripture expressions if they would not have ascribed them to the strength of free wil nor have put the worth and merit of justification upon them By this I think it is plaine that they were meritorious preparations that Chemnitius did oppose in his writings
Controversie doth turn 2. That your saying That Papist ascribe not any meritoriousnesse to conditions c. is most false if there be any truth in these Protestants collections yea that it doth asperse these reverend Protestant Authours fore-named who oppose the Papist in the very particular 3. That those of our Divines who maintain conditional promises in the Covenant whilst withal they exclude all claim of dignity worth merit or any such causality from these conditions do not joyne with Papists as you would make the people believe but with Protestants against Papists and differ not one hairs breadth from those who aver the Covenant to be absolute not conditional for by the Conditions which they deny they understand meritorious Conditions 4. That in rejecting this distinction between a Condition and a meritorious Cause and asserting the Covenant to be without not only meritorious conditions but all other also you oppose all Orthodox Divines that ever I met with not only those that hold the Covenant to be conditional but those also who in terminis aver the absoluteness of it for by the conditions they reject they understand meritorious ones as hath been shewed and joyn with Mr. Saltmarsh Dr. Crisp and such other whom the Othodox not out of malice but for distinction sake and for the due desert of some of their Tenents do call Antinomians But let us see what further strength you bring to the battering of this distinction for your charge of Popery will not hold You add therefore farther Did Adams doing merit life None will say it Yet the Grace of God is more shewed in the latter then in the first Covenant Therefore in it no conditions at all Sir The Apostle saith To him that worketh the reward is reckoned not of grace but of debt Rom. 4. 4. I know some hold the Covenant with Adam wherein works were injoyned to be a Covenant of Grace I have heard Mr. Symonds of Holland deliver that in a Sermon at Rederith and thereupon divide the Covenant of Grace into the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Faith Certainly had Adam kept the condition of the first Covenant he had done no more then his Duty nor had he profited God at all besides there would have been small or no proportion between that his Work and the reward all which are required to merit proper So that in some sense that may be called a Covenant of Grace Neverthelesse in the latter Covenant of Faith the grace of God is so far more fully richly and gloriously manifested then in that of Works as that it obtaineth the title of the Covenant of Grace The Apostle saith it was by Faith that it might be by Grace Rom. 4. 16. And the Scripture being so plain for it I ought to believe it though I could not make it out to others wherein it was freer nor yet apprehend it my self But my good friend the businesse is not so difficult but that it may be and hath been already dispatch'd by some of our side and the freenesse of the latter above the former notwithstanding the conditionality of both at large discovered And that not by excluding faith or the condition of faith from the latter as you would have it for that would interfere with that of the Apostle now cited By Faith that it might be of Grace where Faith is taken in not left out to make out the freenesse Nor yet only because faith is given of God and so ability to keep the latter Covenant is given which is something For though that strength Adam had to keep the first Covenant was freely bestowed on him by God in his Creation yet when God was pleased to enter into a Covenant with him he had it in him and was to work in his own strength and power Whereas in the New Covenant God finds man in an impotent weak and dead condition and graciously promiseth to work in him ability to do what he requireth This I say is something that serves to shew the freenesse of Divine Grace in the new Covenant for the Apostle saith expresly Ephes 2. 8. We are saved by Grace through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God where the giving of the thing required to wit Faith is introduced by the Apostle to shew the freeness of Grace But the superabundancy of Grace in the latter Covenant appears mostly in this that in the former the matter of mans Justification had been something of his own his own exact and perfect obedience to the Law of God but in the latter the matter of it is an others the perfect Righteousness of Christ In the one man runs into himselfe for the price of his life and happiness But in the other faith carries him out of himself unto another the Lord Jesus Christ for all In the one the condition it self and the keeping of it was to have been the matter of mans Righteousness the ground of his Justification In the other it is only the Instrument and Mean In the one the condition it self Works procured life in and of themselves without any reference to any other but in the other Faith is looked on not as a Work but as an Instrument nor doth it save for any excellency worth or vertue that is in it but only because it layes hold on Christ I cannot better expresse my self then in Mr. Gatakers words Rejoynder p. 46 47. In the one Works are considered as in themselves performed by the Parties to be justified and live In the other Faith is considered and required not as a work barely done by us but us an Instrument whereby Christ is apprehended in whom is found and by whom that is done whereby Gods Justice is satisfied and life eternal meritoriously procured for us so that they differ as much as these two Propositions 1. Pay your debt of a thousand pounds and be free 2. Rely on such a friends satisfaction made for it and be as free as if you had made full payment and satisfaction your self All this and more you may find in that reverend Divine your contempt of whom and all other not of your way sads the hearts of your friends and makes them fear that which they are loath to suspect concerning you You proceed and tell us that though it be not meritorious yet if it be Antecedent it must be Effective For an Antecedent condition is effective Sir By your own maintaining faith to be an instrument in the work of our salvation which I think is more then a condition though no more I believe then truth you must of necessity grant it both a precedency and efficiency therein for instruments are alwayes reckoned to the efficient cause and in order of nature precede the effect And thus I conceive that faith is effective in the work of our salvation as an instrument receiving Christ not as a condition Conditions are not effective but instruments are As for that of Chamier that a
condition Antecedent is effective I conceive he means meritorious the passage cited out of him already leading me to that conjecture For saith he the Condition of faith is not Antecedent but consequent because no merit of faith is considered or faith is not the Cause of Salvation Now that Conditions are meritorious yea or so much as impulsive is altogether denied by the Assertors of conditions who allow no causality at all to them It rests on you to prove that the Antecedency of a condition doth infer its causality For though Chamier aver it yet I see no ground for that his assertion especially in such conditions as those we maintain in the New Covenant Your first Argument runs thus If Conditions be annexed c. Then no man can be sure of the benefits purchased whiles he lives for the conditions must be performed c. To which we may add two Arguments of your former Sermons the first the very same with this If salvation were on condition then none could be sure of salvation for none can be sure to hold out in performance of the Condition The other If any condition be required then none can be saved for none can perform the condition Adam could not abstain from one tree when he was in the state of Innocency Much lesse First Sir your instance of Adam we conceive it unsound That he did not abstain we finde by woful experience but that he could not we deny Recepit posse si vellet non autem velle ut posset saith a Father Adam had power to have abstained if he would only his will was not confirmed in good whereupon it came to passe that he freely fell Secondly Your weapon may be turned against your self For whereas you hold That none are saved but such as believe it may be objected unto you out of your own Argument Then none can be saved for none can believe or Then none can be sure of Salvation because none can bee sure to hold out in believing Thirdly It seemes to me directly to crosse the Apostle who tells us That it was of faith that the Promise might be sure to all the Seed Rom. 4. 16. Fourthly Whereas you say That if Conditions be required then none can be sure because none can bee sure to hold out Do you not seem to intimate that salvation is sure to the Elect whether they hold out in the faith or not which is the Monster Arminians would father upon our Tenents For answer therefore to your Argument the main of it may wound an Arminian who holds falling from grace but as for those who hold no such uncomfortable Doctrine it no way toucheth them We say with David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure For he hath promised to circumcise our hearts to write his Lawes in our hearts to give us a new heart and then through grace after our recovery we may do that which in our sick dead and corrupt estate we could not do namely keep the condition in an Evangelical way wherein though exact perfectnesse be required yet is repentance admitted and sincerity accepted Again he hath promised to put his fear in our hearts that we may not depart from him Jer. 32. 40. And we are confident that he who hath begun a good work in us will perform it to the day of Christ Phil. 1. 6. Qui operatur ut accedamus idem operatur ne discedamus We answer therefore the main of your Argument even as wee answer the Arminians That though in regard of our own strength which is weak we may fear yet in regard of Gods manutenency we are sure Who will keep us not without but by and through the Means he hath appointed us even faith by which as he brings us into a state of Salvation so through the same he will keep us by his Almighty power unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. We are as sure of perseverance in observation of the condition as of Salvation holding both of God by like tenure of free promise Salvation you see then may be obteined notwithstanding the conditions required because God hath promised to give ability to perform them and to persevere in the performance of them This you foresaw would be replied and therefore anticipate it by saying But God hath promised to give faith To which you rejoyne I demand Whether that Promise be absolute or conditional And anon There is no reason why one Promise should be more absolute then another But 1. Sir Whether absolute or conditional a Promise it is and such as doth assure the soul of the condition on which salvation is given So that Salvation is sure notwithstanding the conditionality of the Covenant and the sinewes of your Argument are cut in two 2. For your Quaerie Whether it be conditional or absolute I conceive it absolute Christ procured Salvation for us to be bestowed conditionally if we do believe but faith it self hath he absolutely procured without prescribing of any condition so that it is equivalent to an absolute purchase in respect of the event and issue Owen Universal Redemp l. 3. c. 1. 2. For my part I cannot imagine how any condition I mean Antecedent condition for a Consequent condition they may admit of can be annexed to those Promises I will write my Lawes in their hearts and I will put my fear into their hearts and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies c. unlesse free wil be granted And therefore I conceive those promises to be absolute in regard of Antecedent conditions Now whereas you say There is no reason why one Promise should be more absolute then another the will of the Covenant Maker to have it so is it self a sufficient Reason Is it not the will of God to give Christ absolutely then salvation for Christs sake to them that do believe in him Shall I say here That there is no reason why one gift should be more absolute then another He who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will hath infinite reason both for his will and working In the mean while Sir your Reason from the certainty of Salvation is I think sufficiently discovered to have nothing of force against Protestant conditional Redemption Your last Argument was taken from the Analogy or Resemblance betwixt Christ and Adam As by the one sin is conveyed so by the other Righteousnesse but by the one sin and death are conveyed without Condition Ergo. I doubt not Sir but that you will remember the old rules viz. 1. That similitudes run not on all four 2. Nor are Argumentative I might as well argue hence That all mankind are redeemed by Christ because they were all destroyed by Adam Or that all were not corrupted by Adam as Peter Martyr on the place tels me Ambrose and Origen did hence hold because all are not
doth not justifie for it is against both his truth and justice 2. It may be taken for one that is ungodly and unjustifiable in himself but yet believing on Christ is through him and his satisfaction Just and so justifiable Such an ungodly person God doth Justifie and thus Ames Paraeus Bishop Downam and those other Divines I have in their descriptions of Justification make not a sinner simply but a believing sinner to be the subject of Justification or the person to be justified Now whereas you say That no where in Scripture a Believer is called ungodly I conceive it false He is called so there For who is the ungodly person spoken of there but Abraham and he was justified as hath been shewed when he did believe Besides God the object of faith Justifying who is described there to be the Justifier of the ungodly is said in ver 26. of the foregoing Chapter to be the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus I beseech you tell me doth not the Apostle speak of one and the same Justification in both places Doth he not in both places describe one and the same person the person that is justified Him then whom he calls a Believer on Christ in one place the same he calls an ungodly person in the other and whom he cals an ungodly person in this in that he stiles the same a believing person Certainly seeing as it is Chap. 3. vers 30 that it is one God that justifies both the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith i.e. All that are justified both Jew and Gentile circumcised or uncircumcised by or through one and the same mean of faith It must needs be that the ungodly person spoken of in the next Chapter is such an ungodly person as hath faith and doth believe or else God should justifie some without faith to which the former place doth aver the contrary That place in the Romanes then concerning Gods justifying the ungodly will not bear the Position you ground upon it viz. That sinners are justified before they do believe or that we do not believe that we may be justified as the Doctor expresseth it an assertion as rotten as the foundation on which it is built and expresly contrary to the Apostle who tells us Galat. 2. 16. that hee had believed on Christ that so he might be justified by the Faith of Christ Thus have I given you an account of some and those of the main of your Arguments both wherein they have not satisfied me concerning the Tenent you endeavoured to maintain and wherein also they have offended me whilst they wounded that I hold for truth through the sides of Popery and Arminianism I shall now shew you some grounds of my belief on the contrary first taking leave in a word to state the Question and to set downe how and what I hold concerning it First then I distinguish between both a condition and a meritorious cause as also between it and an impulsive cause By condition I understand neither any thing meriting Justification at Gods hands in the least degree nor yet any thing moving the Lord to Justifie or bestow Salvation on us Secondly By Conditions I understand the restipulation or repromission in a Covenant the termes and Articles of Agreement in a Covenant betweene equals and the thing commanded or required in a Covenant betweene Superiors and Inferiors such as is the Covenant between God and man Thirdly Whereas there are conditions yet I assert them not in any rigid and legal but in an Evangelical way Not so as if they were not strictly and in a rigid exactnesse perfectly kept there were no hope of Salvation but so as if that they be not in some measure sincerely observed there is sure damnation Mr. Ball will tell you that whereas in the Covenant of Nature perfect obedience is exacted so that if there be the least failing in any jot or tittle and that but once a man can never be justied thereby nor can the breach be made up by any repentance In the Covenant of Grace perfect obedience is indeed required yet so as Repentance is admitted and sincerity accepted Conditions in this Evangelical way I plead for and conceive That God in the New Covenant doth not promise life and salvation absolutely unto his chosen whether they believe and repent or no but doth require from and command them to repent and believe if they will be partakers of the benefits purchased by his Son and promised by himself in that his Covenant which that they may do he himself of his own grace and for his own Sons sake bestowes faith and repentance on them Nor have they a right to any actual enjoyment of these benefits untill they do actually repent and believe The Grounds of my perswasion in this particular follow 1. That Covenant wherein is a mutual stipulation is conditional But such is the new Covenant therefore that is conditional As on Gods part life and salvation are promised so on mans repentance and faith and perseverance therein are required and to be promised Mar 1. 15. Chap. 6. 12. Acts 2 38. chap. 3. 19. chap. 20. 21. John 6. 28 29. chap. 3. 15 16. John 8. 24. Rom. 10 6 7 8 9 John 8. 31. Chap. 15 5 6 7 10. Heb. 3. 6. Chap. 10 38. He cannot see wood for trees that doth not take notice of these Evangelical commands wherein performance of Gospel conditions and perseverance in that performance are required they every where so abundantly occur Choose we out one of the places named and a little insist on it that Rom. 10 9. the rather for that in your answer to Mr. S. you make some reply thereto How say you do you prove that Rom. 10 9. is set down the forme and tenure of the New Covenant I deny it The Apostles intent is c. Sir It is clear as Calvin notes that the Apostle here opposeth the Righteousnesse of faith to the Righteousnesse of Works It is also clear that in describing the Righteousnesse of Works he setteth downe the very tenor and form of that Covenant The man that doth them shall live by them ver 5. And in opposition thereunto delivers this to be the speech of the Righteousnesse of Faith If thou confessest with thy mouth and believest with thine heart c. If then it be granted which cannot be denyed that in these words The man that doth them shal live by them the tenor of the Covenant of Works is contained it must needs follow by the rule of opposition that in these words If thou confessest and believest c. the tenor of the Covenant of Grace is also contained Besides when the Apostle saith The Word is nigh thee c. That is the Word of faith which we preach That if thou confesse c. What I pray you doth he mean by the Word of Faith but the Gospel or what else did the Apostle preach but the Gospel The sum of which he
marry without advising with her Uncle about it she loseth her right to the Legacy given her which by the way may shew the weakness of that Argument that is taken from the word Testament which some use against Conditions as if Conditions could not stand with a Testamentary disposition Now such is Gods grant of salvation it is made in Christ it is made in him unto Believers it is not made to sinners as sinners as some aver but to repenting and believing sinners John 6. 38. 39 40. This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him have everlasting life The Grant being made unto us as Believers I conceive we have not right unto the benefit granted until we doe believe Sure I am we cannot have right but by and through our union to him which union being an inestimable benefit we cannot have right before we have benefit 7. Because you are so ready to charge your Adversaries with nonsense and contradictions let us mind you of the old rule He that accuseth another of dishonesty must look well to himself and let the inconsequences which necessarily follow from your Doctrine be our last Argument I beseech you therefore to read me those riddles your Tenents seem to me to contain and to lead me out of those mazes and Meanders which I think your Positions lead unto at least to deliver your self out of them for perhaps my senses may not lead me to follow your clue unlesse I see better solutions then I have seene or heard from you hitherto I beseech you tell me then 1. How there can be Many yea or any true Believers who were never humbled when yet all men must see their Righteousnesse drosse and dung must be schooled by the Law to know their need of Christ before they can or will make out unto him 2. How the same man may be actually reconciled to God have wrath removed from him and be beloved of God with the love of complacency and yet at the same time in regard of the same evil works be an enemy unto God a child of wrath and have wrath abiding on him 3. How the same man may be actually justified and quickned and yet actually dead in regard of the same sins at the same time 4. How the same man at the same time can be a member of Christ one in him and united to him as he must be who is actually justified and a member also of the divel as he cannot but be who still remains an ungodly impenitent and unbelieving person 5. How faith in the work of Justification serves for any farther use then to assure us that we are justified seeing it doth not concur to the essence and being of it or to the constituting of us in a state justifiable and how we are said to be justified by Faith and not by Works when Works assure us of our being justified as well as Faith 6 How in the Petition Forgive us our debts we can pray for any thing more then assurance of pardon when actual pardon is passed long before And how sins can be actually pardoned before they be committed and the guilt removed before it is contracted 7 How God who promiseth pardon to Believers only and condemneth thousands for their impenitency and unbelief can without blemish of his Honour Truth and Justice give pardon to any in his impenitency and unbelief 8 How a man can be said to be bound by Covenant to keep or break the Covenant when yet in the Conant there are no conditions on mans part required to be performed 9 Why it doth not follow from your Tenents that a man may be actually Justified and saved without faith when yet you maintain actual Justification before faith and faith to be required not to the essence of it or interesting of persons in it but only to the assuring them of their interest therein 10. Why it follows not also from them that Christians may live as they list seeing you hold that no conditions are on their part required so that they cannot break the Covenant Whether Doctor Preston dares the Believer to sin if hee can I yet finde not but this I find That hee holds that the Believer may both sin and by sinning may break the Covenant as you may find in his Treatise of the New Covenant p. 458 459 460. c. These are some of the many for more might be named straites and intricacies your Positions lead your self and your followers into out of which how you will rid your self I wot not but sure I am that your Solutions hitherto given do yeild no manner of real satisfaction not only not to my self but not to any other of your godly and intelligent Auditors that I have yet met with Toward the close of your Sermon you ushered in your Authorities with this Objection But many good Divines call it a Conditional Covenant But Sir you are meal mouthed in the very Objection for not only many but the most part of Divines call it so All that I have ever yet met with Dr. Crisp Mr. Saltmarsh and your self exepted As for those Authors you bring I shall by and by shew your fowle play in citing some of them and your mistake of others and discover most if not all of them to be on my side and to be only against meritorious Conditions The like mincing you used in a passage in the beginning of your Sermon viz. That some good Divines say That Faith and Repentance are the way to glory Whereas if you be pleased to rub your poll I believe you may call to mind not only that some but most good Divines call these Conditions and say as much of good Works as you here allow to Faith namely that they are via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom though not Causa regnandi the cause of reigning I am sure Mr. Perkins Dr. Preston Bishop Davenant and most others I have read do call them so But you are politick in these expressions for thereby you would perswade your hearers that you had many on your side like some Travellers who passing on in solitary wayes keep a whistling and a hooping as if they had a great deal of company whereas alas they are either wholly alone or at most have but one or two Companions Now Sir for your reply to this Objection we shall refer it to the close of all and at present shall look into the Authours you bring and see whether they stand for the opinion for which you cited them or rather against it as shall be made to appear and then shall add some others to them You begin with the Fathers but there you are sparing in your citations you tell us the Question was rarely agitated then But you might have said that the Fathers if they faulted in any thing about the matter in Controversie it was in giving too much to Faith Repentauce and good Works by
both there and in this eleventh Argument he excludes both from the Covenant with Abraham and the work of Justification 2. Let but Martyr expound himself and then it will appear what conditions he denies and in what manner nor shall I lead you any further for discovery of this then this his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans Look then Chap. 10 on those words For righteousnesse to every one that believeth and you shall find the difference betweene the Law and the Gospel thus set down by him The Law is received by doing and most exact performing that which is commanded But the Gospel by a lively and efficacious assent of faith Moses also Deut. 30. writeth concerning the Law that hee had set before the people life and death manifestly teaching that if the Law be received and fulfilled it will bring eternal life with it But seeing we are shut out from this benefit the merciful God hath provided another word to wit of faith which if by assenting to it it be received bringeth life along with it From this place it appeareth that the promises of the Law were given from the supposition or condition of Works going before But in the Gospel if works are annexed to the Promises they are not so to be understood as either the merit or causes of those Promises But we must thus conclude That these gifts of God which are promised follow after the works though they be not perfect and absolute as they are commanded in the Law This place I hope will shew that Peter Martyr was only against the condition of Works and there too against their merit or efficiency for as for their presence he allowes that they are required in the Gospel But as as for the condition of faith he is not at all against it Turne to one place more Rom. 8. If we suffer with him c. Where setting down the differences between the Promises of the Law and of the Gospel he saith They do not differ in this as some think that the Promises Evangelical have no conditions annexed but the Legal Promises are never offered without conditions for as it s said Honour thy Father and thy mother that thou maist live long upon the earth And if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land So we read also in the Gospel Forgive and it shall be forgiven give and it shall be given c. Wherefore seeing this is not the difference we must seek out some other It appeareth therefore to him that diligently considereth that the conditions of the Law might bee causes of the obtainment of the rewards promised for if they had been perfect and absolute as the Law required them they might be compared with the rewards themselves and had also had esteem of merit but seeing these cannot be performed by men God of his mercy gave in their stead Evangelical Promises which although they have conditions added yet are offered freely Wherefore if thou joyne these three things together that the Evangelical rewards are promised freely that the conditions cannot be compared unto or equalized with them that the Promises must be most firme and take away the account of merit you may see wherein these differ from those of the Law And thus I hope it is manifest that they were conditions of Works which Peter Martyr did deny that he did not deny them simply neither but only as meritorious and causal of the benefits promised that he held faith to be the Requisite or the Condition of the Gospel So that you must give me leave to take Martyr from you too and put him down with the forenamed Authors for a patron of our Cause 3. Next unto Peter Martyr you cite Olevian but whether with any more advantage to your Cause then the former or disadvantage to us is the businesse of our present enquiry If you please with second thoughts which are most commonly the best to look into him you shall find that when he denies conditions in the Covenant they are only such as first are performed by and proceeding from our own strength which we with him do acknowledg to be none and therefore also deny the same 2. Which arise from or carry along with them a consideration of dignity or worthinesse in our selves 3. Are of a meritorious nature Such conditions as these we together with him disclaim That these are the conditions which he doth deny is so clear and plain that he which runs may read If you begin with his definition of the Covenant of Grace you shall find him in the close thereof expressing himself thus Without the condition or stipulation of any good thoughts from their own strength Having spoken concerning God who makes the Covenant he comes afterward to consider the persons with whom this Covenant is made and shewes that the very Elect themselves to whom it doth especially belong are by nature children of wrath dead in sins such whose hearts are hearts of stone unable to think a good thought of themselves meer darknesse enemies to God slaves to sinne and Satan Now forasmuch as they are such God saith he promiseth he will not make any such Covenant with them which in the least part thereof should be founded on their own strength to perform it Wherefore lest the Covenant should fail and be of none effect men being miserable dead in sins having hearts of stone such as are not subject to the Law of God neither in deed can be Rom. 8. Who are not able of themselves to think any thought that is good but that it may remain firm and everlasting he promiseth such a Covenant the whole essence whereof doth depend on himself alone and is founded in his Son Jesus Christ He promiseth also such a manner of executing in us this his decree and purpose the strength and efficacy whereof doth not proceed from corrupt man but from himself alone A little after he sums up all that he had said concerning the nature and substance of the Covenant thus Wherefore if you look upon God the efficient cause and those to whom he promiseth the Covenant or if you consider the matter and form thereof you shall still find it is a Covenant of free grace and that it doth not Depend on any condition of our worthinesse merits or our proper strength The most merciful God did see the promise would be vain in respect of our vanity which should depend on the condition of our own strength What here he doth deliver so plainly and in such expresse termes you may if you please to look into him find him afterwards repeating againe and again Sir By these passages you may see you have not gained any thing by Olevian nor your Adversaries lost by what he speaks against conditions in the Covenant Now that you may further see that he speaks rather on their side whom you oppose then for you I shall intreat you to consider some
so the marriage may be made and continued And what doth Zanchy I pray you here say more then any of those whom you oppose or who is there of those against whom you alledge him that doth not assert the very same If you look back into his Commentary on the same Chapter and verse you shall find him speaking the same thing and explicating himself in what sense he saith 't is a Promise without a Condition It is to be noted saith he explicating those words I will betroth thee to me that this is a simple and Evangelical promise without any condition for here God doth exact nothing to wit to be done by their owne strength but doth simply promise what he himself will do to his Church so that he doth promise faith it selfe without which the rest of the Promises can have no place in us 2. You may observe That when he saith The Promise is made without any condition his meaning is without any Condition in us Antecedaneous as a moving cause inducing or inclining the Lord to enter into this Covenant and to make this matrimonial Contract all the cause thereof the Lord finds in of and from himself in which regard he prevents us not we him Thus he doth afterwards clearly expresse himself By that word I wil betroth thee he doth give us to understand that God is the Author of our Reconciliation and consequently of our Salvation He it is that doth first come to us and betroth us to himself Wee do not prevent him or seek him to be our husband but he preventeth us that he may betroth us unto himself 1 John 4. Not that wee loved him first but he loved us first Wo be to us if God did not prevent us Thus Zanchy and what have you gained by him in this particular or your opposites lost Do they not speak the same things and when they assert Conditions yet deny them to be on our part antecedaneous or any moving causes acknowledging that all doth proceed from the meer good pleasure of God according to the purpose which he purposed in himself and that he loveth his people with whom he makes the Covenant because he loveth them as Moses sometime said to Israel 3. That in denying of Conditions he doth deny conditions that are meritorious and that the Covenant it self as also the Promises are free without respect unto or dependance on any thing that is of merit in us Thus in the very next page setting down the substantial or essential heads of the Covenant he delivereth his mind The manner of making the Covenant or of promising is that God of his free grace without any merits of ours doth make this Covenant with us and it doth not depend on any merits of our own at all And do not those whom you oppose and think to strengthen your opposition against them by Zanchies Authority produced and urged for you do not I say they speak the same thing with him in this particular Hitherto I shewed that Zanchy is not so much for you as you would make the world believe he is I shall now make it appear that in the same place however he doth not use the word Condition which yet he doth in other places yet he speaks the same thing for substance which they do against whom you alledg him And that there are such conditions required on the Churches part as wee plead for Consider with me to this purpose 1. His explication of that phrase I will betroth thee to me When God doth make a new Covenant with any people he is said to betroth them to himself because that by the bond of the Covenant he will unite himself to that people and they are likewise joyned to God as the Bridegroome is to the Bride and the Bride to the Bridegroom faith of the Marriage being given on both sides or by both parties And 2. His definition of the Covenant which he doth afterwards largely insist on setting down the chief and essential heads thereof The Covenant of God with man saith he is mutua pactio a mutual agreement between both parties wherein God of his meer grace and for Christs sake doth promise two things 1. That he will be a God to us or receive us into his favour pardoning all our sins for Christs sake and impute his righteousnesse unto us 2. That he wil bestow the Kingdom of Heaven on us for our inheritance And doth also require of man two things 1. Faith 2. Obedience that he order his life according to the pleasure of God and both parties do by outward signes confirm Fidem sibi invicem datam You may find the same thing delivered by him in the first and second Heads of the Covenant And in the next page The substance of the Covenant on Gods part saith he is that which God of his free grace doth offer and promise us on our part that which he doth require of us and which we promise to perform That we do embrace this reconciliation offered and promised That we will be his people c. Now Sir if you will be pleased to consider these several assertions of Zanchy in this very place which you your self did quote 1. Faith is that Grace which is on the Churches part necessary to make up the marriage Covenant between the Lord and her 2. This grace the Lord doth promise absolutely to give it being that grace without which the rest of the Promises have no place in us 3. It is also our duty God doth in the Covenant command it we promise to perform it 4. It is that wherein on our part the substance of the Covenant doth consist Lay them altogether and you may clearly see here is an acknowledgment of the thing faith is the condition of the Covenant though he doth not give it the name But to give you a further taste of him that it may be out of all question that he doth assert conditions both name and thing I shall only intreat you to peruse one place more in him where he doth largely handle that great blessing and benefit of the Covenant the remission of sins in the sixth place he comes to consider On what condition it is offered and conferred and mentions three 1. The first and chief is the true and constant practice of Repentance 2. Confession and acknowledgment of our offences to those whom we have injured and wronged 3. A brotherly forgiving of those which have sinned against and offended us Where he doth withal maintain that they are conditions not for which but without which the remission of sins is not obtained denying them to be conditions meritorious Therefore S. John saith If we confess behold the condition yet he doth not say for our confession he will forgive Justification cannot be had without faith but we do not say it is obtained for the worth of our faith but freely or of free-grace Moreover
a gold chain with a rich Jewel of the Crown in it and withal should bind himself to give her both the chain and a will to wear it Again He is both without doors knocking and within doors opening yet he never cometh in but upon condition we open which condition is also his own work He offers Righteousness so the sinner believe and he works belief that the sinner may have Righteousnesse pag. 109. Thus you see others as well as Dr. Preston assert the absolutenesse of the Covenant in that part who yet still maintain the other part viz. the promise of life and salvation to be conditional which as hath been already shewed Dr. Preston doth maintain 8. As for Mr. Walker he denies not all kinds of conditions in the place cited but only Conditions Legal and conditions for which meritorious ones but conditions which are as a means by which the free gift is received and as a qualification whereby one is made capable and fit to receive and enjoy the free gift such he granteth and calleth them Conditions in the place cited by you saying There is no condition of the Covenant propounded but only the way and means to receive the blessing or the quality and condition by which men are made capable and fit to enjoy the blessing which is as much as I plead for under that Title As for Mr. Strong though both what I have heard from him my self and also what I have heard from others who have seen his Sermon induce me to believe that he is not against our conditions yet having not his Sermon I must be altogether silent at this time concerning him By this Sir you may see that I have looked into the most of the Authors which you cited and amongst them all I must professe unto you that I find not one that speaketh fully for you but more against then for your Tenent and for that sort of conditions whose cause I plead I must intreat you therefore to shake hands with them and leave them to stand on my side To them I shall add some few more 1 Mr. Perkins shall be the first who puts down conditions in the very description of the Covenant saying The Covenant of Grace is that whereby God freely promising Christ and his benefits exacteth again of man that he would receive Christ by faith and repent of his sins In the Covenant of Grace two things saith he elsewhere must be considered the substance thereof and the condition The Substance of the Covenant is that Righteousnesse and life everlasting is given to Gods Church and people by Christ The Condition is that we for our parts are by faith to receive the foresaid benefits and this condition is by grace as well as the substance 2. Mr. Reynolds shall be the next in his Treatise of the Life of Christ p. 399. he calls Faith the conveyance and p. 403. We expect Justification by faith in Christ Faith unites us to Christ and makes his death merit life kingdom sonship victory benefits to become ours You may see p. 451 452 453. That to marriage between Christ and his Church whereby the Church hath a right and propriety created to the Body Name Goods Table Possession and Purchases of Christ is essentially required consent which consent must be mutual for though Christ declare his good will when he knocketh at our doors yet if we keep at distance stop our ears at his invitations there is then no Covenant made It is but a wooing and no marriage c. Pag. 465 466 467. That the office of Faith is to unite to Christ and give possession of him till which union by Faith be made we remain poor and miserable notwithstanding the fulness that is in Christ Pag. 478 479. and to name no more pag. 512. setting down the difference between the two Covenants he saith They differ in the Conditions for in the old Covenant legal obedience but in the new Faith only is required and the certain consequent thereof Repentance 3. Mr. Ball shall be the third who saith The Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions but such as will not stand with grace and pag. 18. The stipulation required is that we take God to be our God that is that wee repent of our sins believe the Promises of mercy and embrace them with the whole heart and yeild love fear reverence worship and obedience to him according to the prescript rule of his Word and p. 20. If then we speak of Conditions by conditions we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to Justification Repentance Faith and Obedience are all conditions But if by conditions we understand what is required on our part as the cause of that God promised though only instrumental Faith or belief in the Promises of free mercy is the only condition 4. Let learned Pemble be the fourth who speaking of the difference between the Law and the Gospel saith The diversity is this The Law offers life unto man upon condition of perfect obedience cursing the transgressors thereof in the least kind with eternal death The Gospel offers life unto man upon another condition viz. Repentance and Faith in Christ promising remission of sin to such as repent and believe That this is the main essential difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace we shall endeavor to make good against the Romish Apostacy And about a leaf after Hence we conclude firmly that the difference between the Law and the Gospel assigned by our Divines is most certain and agreeable to the Scriptures viz. That the Law gives life unto the Just upon condition of perfect obedience in all things The Gospel gives life unto sinners upon condition they repent and believe in Christ Jesus Where you may take notice that he layes it down not as his own private opinion but as the general Tenent of all the Orthodox Divines in his time and that in opposition to our Popish Adversaries It was then no Popery to hold conditions in the Covenant and as he of the Divines of his time so may I of the Divines of this present age See their consent and harmony herein Larg cat p. 9. 5. Doctor Downam shall be the fifth That which is the only condition of the Covenant of Grace by that alone we are justified But Faith is the only condition of the Covenant of Grace which is therefore called Lex fidei And l. 7. c. 2. Sect. 6. Our Writers distinguishing the two Covenants of God that is the Law and the Gospel whereof the one is the Covenant of Works the other is the Covenant of Grace do teach that the Law of Works is that which to Justification requireth Works as the condition thereof The Law of Faith that which to Justification requireth faith as the condition thereof The former saith Do this and thou shalt live the latter Believe in Christ and thou shalt be saved
6. Doctor Davenant doth also fully expresse himselfe several times to the like purpose and may in the sixth place be added to the former His words are these In the Covenant of the Gospel it is otherwise for in this Covenant to the obtainment of reconciliation Justification and life eternal there is no other condition required then of true and lively faith God so loved the world John 3. 16. Therefore Justification and the right to eternal life doth depend on the condition of faith alone Where he doth afterward thus briefly shew the difference betweene the Law and the Gospel considered as two distinct Covenants The Law saith he hath the very strength and form of a Covenant made in the condition of Works But the Gospel placeth the very strength and form of a Covenant made in the blood of the Mediator apprehended by faith What can be said more expresly then this I will not trouble you with repeating what hath been already delivered out of him in his next Chapter but only mention one passage or two out of him The Promise of eternal life according to the Covenant of the Gospel and of Grace doth depend on the condition of faith A little before explicating in what sense we deny good works to be required as conditions of Salvation he thus speaks If by conditions of salvation we understand the conditions of the Covenant whereby we are received into the favor of God and to the right of eternal life for these depend on the only condition of faith apprehending Christ the Mediator 7. With the fore mentioned Divines doth the learned Cameron fully agree who handling the agreement and differences of the Covenant of Nature and of Grace observes they both agree in the extrinsecal form that to each there is annexed a restipulation though in the thing it self required in each by way of stipulation they differ for that in the Covenant of Nature natural Righteousnesse is required but in the Covenant of Grace faith alone is required Whereupon in the conclusion of his whole Discourse concerning that Subject he gives this definition of the Covenant of Grace It is that wherein God on the Condition of faith in Christ proposed doth promise the remission of sins in his blood and life everlasting in heaven and that for this end that he might shew the riches of his mercy 8. Unto these I may add Paraeus who observes that the Apostle doth make mention of faith that he may teach us fidem esse conditionem that faith is the condition under which Christ is given unto us as the propitiation for sins and that it is the Instrumental cause by which alone we obtain the propitiation in Christ And elsewhere setting down the difference between the righteousness of the Law and of faith or of the Gospel He saith By that no man doth obtaine life because the condition of doing all things required by the Law is not possible to any besides Christ It is easie to obtaine the fruit and reape life by this because the condition of confessing the Lord Jesus and believing his Resurrection is nigh in the mouth and in the heart 9 The learned Chamier that great Assertor of the truth of God against the Romish corrupters of it is the next He disputing with Bellarmine concerning the difference between the Law and the Gospel speaks as fully and plainly as any of the rest forenamed Protestant Divines That the Law of Works doth propose salvation upon condition of fulfilling the Law But the Law of Faith doth propose it upon condition only of believing in Christ the word condition being taken in the same sense in both sides And having distinguished conditions that are in Contracts and Covenants that some are precedent others are consequent the former being such as are essential to the Contract or Covenant yea constituting the very essence and foundation of it The other being such the defect or want whereof doth make the Contract or Covenant to be void and of none effect though they do not make the Covenant and Contract it self He doth apply it to his present Subject The Law of Works requireth the fulfilling of the Law as a condition antecedent without which any man hath not either the actual possession of nor so much as a right to eternal life The Law of faith doth not admit works as such a condition antecedent but only consequent so that they are necessary ex vi donatae jam propter fidem vitae by vertue of that right to eternal life which is already conferred on them through faith Where you see Chamier doth clearly assert Faith to be the condition by which we doe receive the right to life given us by grace Works the condition consequent in the Covenant of Grace 10. Mr. Bayn on the Ephesians Remission of sin is communicated from Christ in manner following 1 Christ sendeth his Ministers as Legats with the word of reconciliation or pardon inviting them to believe on him that they may receive forgivenesse of sins 2. He doth work together by his Spirit making those who are his children believe on him if they may find forgivenesse in him 3 He doth communicate to them the forgivenesse which himselfe had procured and obtained for them And on that fourth verse God doth not bind any directly and immediately to believe salvation but in a certain order for he binds them first to believe on Christ to Salvation and then brings them in Christ to believe that hee loved them and gave himselfe for them 11. Mr. Burroughes upon Hosea upon those words I will betroth them unto me how frequently hath he those words It must be mutual it must be mutual in every particular branch of it He shewes it must be mutual on the Churches part as well as on Gods part and how can it be so without stipulation In Moses his self-denial p. 188. Faith hath the greatest honour above all other Graces to be the condition of the Covenant 12. Last of all it is the general Tenent of our brethren in New England as appears by Mr. Bulkly of the Covenant pag. 280 281. where he handles that very Question And also by the Catalogue of Errors that did arise there and were condemned by an Assembly at the Church of New Town August 31. 1637. attested by Mr. Weldes Err. 27. It is incompatible to the Covenant of Grace to joyne Faith thereunto Err. 28. To affirm there must be faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ Er. 37. We are completely united to Christ before or without any faith wrought in us by the Spirit Err. 38. There can be no true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a Qualification or a condition expressed Err. 82. Where faith is held forth by the Ministers as the condition of the Covenant of Grace on mans part as Justification by Sanctification and the acting of faith in that Church there is not
omnia quae ad hoc connubium etiam ex parte exotis contrabendum ●um confirmandum inperpetuum pertinent t Promittit se effecturum perpetuo connubio simul ei copulati Perpe●uum autem esse non potest connubium nisi sicut in Deo sic etiam in nobis perpetua sit fides Spiritus Christi per quem hoc connubium contrahitur conservatur Ergo promittit se effectum ut perpetua in nobis e●ect●s sit fides Spiritus Christi Ibid● §. 25. §. 26 27 ad 33. u Notandum hanc esse simplicem evangelicam sine ulla conditione promissionem Hic enim nihil exigit Deus sed simpliciter promittit quod velit ipse ecclesiae suae facere adeo ut promittat etiam fidem sine qua reliquae promissiones in nobis locum habere non possunt w Innuit illa dictione Ego Deum esse authorem nostrae reconciliationis consequentur nostrae salutis Ipse est qui prior venit ad nos nos sibi ipse desponsar Nos non ipsum praeve nimus aut quaerimus in sponsum sed ipse praevenit nos ut desponset nos sibi Ego inquit desponsabo te huc illud 1 Joh. 4. Non quod nos prius dilexerimus eum sed ipse prior dilexerit nos Vae nobis si Deus nos non praeveniret § 5. Desponsabo x Deut. 7. y Ratio foederis faciendi seu promittendi est qua Deus ex gratia extra nostra merita foedus hoc nobiscum init foedesque hoc nullis nostris suffultum est meritis Pag. 44. §. 3. Ratio z Foederis vinculo se unit cum populo populus vicissim unitur Deo sicut sponsus cum sponsa sponsa cum sponso fide conjugii utrinque data P. 43 §. Cum autem a Ibid. 43. Col. ● Ex parte nostri substantia foederis est id quod à nobis stipulatur nos premittimus c. p. 45. a In 1. Epist Joha cap. 1. loc de rem peccat q. 6. Quibus conditionibus remissio peccatorum offeratur conferatur b Sunt conditiones non propter quas sed citra quas peccatorum remissio non obtinetur Et si citra bas conditiones obtineri remissio peccatorum non potest non tamen propter eas tanquam propter merita Ideo Johannes ait Si confiteamur ecce conditionem non tamen ait propter confessionem Nam etiam citra fidem haberi non potest justificatio non tamen propter dignitatem fidei haberi eam dicimus sed gratis Deinde illud notandum est etiam has conditiones quas requieit à nobis Deus donari nobis à Deo esse dona Dei non ergo meritis ullo modo sed soli Dei gratiae danda est remissio peccatorum c Vsum istius nominis in hac significatione Classicis authoribus non fuisse incognitum ante in oratione quadam demonstravimus Patal l. 3. c. 9. d Dei gratiam luculentiorem hominibus explicatam esse quòd suis non foedus sed Testamentum dederit Quiae foedus conditiones mutuas fuisset habitum quas si altera pars non praestet foedus est irritum Testamentum verò liberalitatis gratiae citra ullam conditionem instrumentum est ex quo haeredes vocantur instituuntur citra contemplationem ullius officii quod ab ipsis proficissi possit e Substantia utriusque restamenti una quidem atque communis est in Christo Jesu eaque partibus duabus comprehensa pro ut Abrahamo primum Gen. 17. deinde vero posteris illius fuit exposita una promissionis quum Deus inquit futurus sim ipsis D●us altera conditionis appositae qua Deus petit ut nos viciss●m pareamus ad stipulationem ip●●● quam ●i ipsi e●unt mihi populus Par. l. 3. c. 8. f Hujus promissionis Evangelicae antecedens sive 〈◊〉 conditio poterat multorum animos deterrere ac potius omnium si legis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in carne nostra ut necesse est expendissent cujus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde à principio sermonis hujus conditionem Moses expresserat dicens nondum dedit vobis Jehova mentem ad cognoscendum Ne igitur impossibilem conditionem propositam sibi à Deo fuisse quererentur commoditatem istius Moses his verbis explicat Nam praeceptum hoc quod ego praecipio tibi c. quasi dicat hactenus proposui tibi partem priorem foederis ut obsequaris Deo sed quia altera quaeque pars foederis est tibi necessaria ut Deus tuus quasi novo foedere quod tamen reipsa unum est suis partibus erga te defungatur cum tu ipse non possis circumcidens cor tuum inscribat ei legem suam foedus suum ad obedientiam fidei Par. lib. 2. part 16. g Hoc praeceptum fidei quod cloquor neque occultum neque longinquum cum id ipsum in ore tuo corde tuo gratiosè Deus ind● si tantum fide potes prehendere h Concedimus hominis officium requiri illud insuper contendentes Deum hujus premissionis vi effecturum in suis ut officium illud faciant quatenus necessariò est faciendum Cor. act 5 p. 400. To●a dispositio Testamentariam habet 〈◊〉 ut simpliciter 〈…〉 conditio atque hac ratione ad modum foederis aliquando proponitur qui tamen proponendi modus non sic est accipiendus ut Testamenti naturam in ulla parte mutet Utrumque à nostris optimè conjungi solet quum justitiam ac vitam sub conditione fidei promitti docent fidem ipsam electis dari vel conditionem foederis in ipso foedere simul promitti Pag. 40. Mark 16 k Survey of Antinom p. 129. l Socin Disc Consut p. 225. m Order of the causes of Salvation c. 31. n Ref. Cath. tit of Justif Diff. 2. 2. o Treat of the N. Cov. p. 17. p Of Justif §. 4. c. 1. q Tract 1. of Justif l. 6. c. 8. §. 10. r In fodere Evangelico aliter se res habet nam in hoc foedere ad obtinendam reconciliationem justificationem vitam aeternam non alia requiritur conditio quam verae vivae fidei Sic Deus dilexit mundum Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 4. 5. Gal. 3. 8. Justificatio igitur jus ad vitam aeternam ex conditione solius fidei suspenditur De just act c. 30. in resp ad ob 3. ſ Lex in conditione operum habet ipsam vim formam icti foederis At Evangelium in Mediatoris sanguine fide apprehenso collocat ipsam vim formam foederis Ibid. s Promissio vitae aeternae juxta pactum Evangelicum foedus gratiae pendet ex conditione fidei Id. cap. 32. in sol ad ob 1. p. 407. Si per conditiones salutis intelligamus conditiones foederis quibus recipimur in favorem Dei ad jus vitae aeternae haec enim pendent ex solo conditione fidei Christum Mediatorem apprehendentis Ibid. p. 406. t De trip foed Thes 8 9. In foedere naturae exigitur Justitia naturalis at in foedere gratiae exigitur tantum fides u Foedus gratiae est illud quo Deus proposita conditione fidei in Christum remissionem peccatorum in ejus sanguine vitam coelestem pollicetur idque eo fine ut ostendat divitias misericordiae suae Thes 82. v In 3. ad Rom. 23 in illa verba Per fidem w Ex illa vitam nemo consequitur quia conditio faciendi omnia leg●s nulli est possibiis extra Christum Ex hoc fructum vitam consequi facile est quia conditio confitendi Dominum Jesum credendi ejus Resurrectionem prope est in ore in corde nostro In cap. 10. ad Rom. v. 9. x Nos legis Evangelii discrimen cum quaerimus utrumque nominare contracta illa significatione secundum quam Paulus oponit legem operum legi fidei Hoc est legem operum proponere salutem sub conditione legis per ficiendae At legem fidei candem preponere sub conditione tantum credendi in Christum nimirum ut u●rinque conditio sumatur codem sensu Tom. 3. lib. 15. cap. 3. § 26. § 27 28 29. Penes quos est vis 〈◊〉 loq●di * This Book was delivered unto Mr. Eyre in the Authors life time some years since before his Book against Mr. Woodbridge Mr. Crauford and Mr. Baxter came forth Job 30. 23. John 5. 28 29 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4 Phil. 1. 23 1 Thes 2. 19 20 Doctr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim 4. 15 2 Tim. 4. 1 22 Jude v. 22 23 ● Luke 12. 42 43 2 Tim. 2. 15 Jer. 19. 20 Matth. 7. 23 1 Tim. 4. 12 Tit. 1. 9 Ephes 4. 14 Tit. 2 11 12 and 14 2 Tim. 2. 19 Gal. 6. 1 1 Tim. 5. 20 2 Tim. 2. 25 26 Acts 13. 48 Acts 2. 41 〈◊〉 13. 20 21 ●om 15 13 ●ames 1 21 Gal. 5. 6 Joh. 14. 15. 21 23 Gal. 4. 14. Ephes 4. 11 12 1 Cor. 4. 15 James 1. 18 1 Thess 2. 7 Gen. 37. 34 35 John 16. 7 Revel 1 Heb. 7. 25 Jer. 3. 15 Micah 2. 6 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 Deut. 14. 1. Acts 8. 2 Phil. 2. 30 Matth. 24. 4 6.