next principle of good Works for though it be the Meriting Cause of all as it is in Christ yet holy habits are the next Principle with the Spirits influence And above all must we cease to declare the whole Will of God to all that hear us till we know is Christ's Righteousness upon them Yea is it because they are dead in Sin before Faith that we must not press them to repent fear and love God c. The same reason will hold against pressing them to saving Faith which of themselves they can as little perform And if it be by the Word that God regenerates our Hearers Why may not the Spirit infuse Life by calling Men to Repent c. as well as to Believe and a true Principle of Life will act duly though I think not in the same order of discernable Actings in every Convert But however it 's certain that if by preaching Repentance the Spirit quickens a Soul that Soul is as sure to believe when quickned as it is to repent when it believes And so our Author makes but a spiteful Flourish when he would induce our Hearers to think we teach them amiss because we learn not of him SInce the Printing of my Answer to what Mr. M. calls my Second Damning Error viz. That I make the State of Believers to be Undecided and in Suspence during this Life I have found the word Vndecided in my Gospel Truth Stated P. 55. which I then was Ignorant of though I cast my Eye on the bottom of that very Page My words are The Covenant though Conditional is a Disposition of Grace there 's Grace in giving Ability to perform the Conditions as well as in bestowing the Benefits God's enjoyning one in order to the other makes not the Benefit to be less of Grace but it is a Display of God's Wisdom in conferring the Benefit suitably to the Nature and State of Men in this Life whose Eternal Condition is not Eternally decided but are in a State of Trial yea the Conditions are but a Meetness to receive the Blessing But as I have in my Answer shewed that I oft in Gospel Truth stated affirm That the Elect shall Persevere in Faith and that every true Saint is now in a State of Salvation So I shall only add 1. I do not here mention Believers but Men in general yea rather Unbelievers 2. By Eternally decided any Man may see that I had an Eye only to God's Iudicial Decision at Death and the more Solemn Sentence at the last Judgment when we Die our Warfare is finished and our State as Viatores is at an end 3. What meaneth all the Scripture Cautions even to Believers such as Watch c. Pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear c. If all our State be decided so while we have many Years Temptations and Persevering Work before us as it will be beyond the Grave Alas how many are long deceived by the meer Form of Godliness and they that are Godly are called to Caution and Care on this very Consideration that they are to be judged 1 Pet. 1.17 which were useless to such as are in termino 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Rev. 2.10 See more in my Answer The Point of the Embrio was not fit for my large insisting on or I could have proved that an Embrio is not an unformed unorganized Mass or Lump c. FINIS The Five following Books have been lately published by the Author of this Discourse Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry 1. GOspel Truth Stated and Vindicated wherein some of Dr. Crisp's Opinions are considered and the opposite Truths are plainly Stated and Confirmed The Second Edition 2. A Defence of Gospel-Truth Being a Reply to Mr. Chancy 3. The Vanity of Childhood and Youth wherein the depraved Nature of Young People is Represented and Means for their Reformation proposed Being some Sermons Preached at the Request of several Young Men. 4. A Discourse shewing that Repentance of National Sins God requires if ever we expect National Mercies 5. Man made Righteous by Christ's Obedience Being two Sermons Preached at Pinners-hall with Enlargements c. Also some Remarks on Mr. Mather's Postscript c. AN Essay upon Reason and the Nature of Spirits By Dr. Burthogg Heads of Agreement assented to by the United Ministers in and about London The Fourth Volume of the Morning Exercise There will also be Extant in a few days The Second Volume of the French Book of Martyrs Published by her Majesties Royal Priviledge There is in the Press Remarks upon Bishop King's late Book concerning the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God By the Reverend Mr. Iohn Boyse Malbranch's Search after Truth will also be published in a few Weeks
only with other things which the following Tract insists on These he had oft in his own place preached and long endeavoured to make our Ministry hateful to his Hearers yet that I was silent under But serious Thoughts of the Design and Tendency of his open Attempt at Pinners-Hall forced me in my next Turns in that Lecture to preach the Principal Heads of the following Sermons which I enlarged in four Discourses at my own place Yet I had that regard to Peace that as I forbear all Indecent Reflections so I took no notice that any one asserted what I determine against and had never published them except that he had Printed his and that with the Scandalous Name he intends us to be called hereafter by viz. Semi-Socinian Sober Men justly cry out against these Debates but I appeal to their Consciences where the Blame must be laid Can we be Faithful to Christ to our Ministry to Souls that need our help or to our own Name as Ministers if we lye down with these Calumnies and Misrepresentations Though did they only plead for their own Whimsies I should for Peace disregard them but to make it their daily work to Prejudice the People against the Faithfulest Ministry and run them into Confusion of Mind for a Factions sake calls I think for an Industrious Opposition If you ask what in us is it they so exclaim against I answer It 's 1. That though we own Christ's Righteousness is truly imputed to us yet we deny that God esteems us to have done and suffered what Christ did 2. Though we own that God requires nothing of us to be a meriting legal Righteousness or Atonement for Sin yet we say that God in a way of governing Grace requires some Duty to be performed on Man's part to which he enableth us whereupon he applies to us the Beneficial Effects and Fruits of Christ's Righteousness according to the respective Gospel Promises and thereby incourageth us to those Duties governs our Fears and Hopes And that 's the Heart of the Controversie for they think no Duty as a Duty is ordained a means to any Benefit They own no Law but the Law of Works which admitted nothing short of perfect sinless Obedience And because we cannot perform that as the Meriting Condition of Life in the Adjustment of Iustice therefore Men must do nothing as a Condition of enjoying any Benefits in Christ's Right by the Adjustment of Grace in a way of Authority Since we cannot be wholly Sinless it 's all as one whether we are Sincere or no. 3. We own that it is Faith alone is the receiving Condition of Iustification yea I add That it 's the only express'd Condition of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in order to Pardon but all is in vain because we say that Repentance is necessary to our actual Pardon Mr. M. falsly pretends that their Notions are the Truth in the Churches Possession since the Reformation But I have proved the contrary by many Quotations in my Defence of Gospel-Truth and the very Iâ—dicious and Learned Apology of the Subscribers of my Book hath added a greater Number I will of Hundreds I could produce give two Testimonies Mr. Perkins 's Order and Causes of Salvation c. Cap. 36. Quest. Whether is Justifying Faith commanded in the Law Ans. It is commanded in the Law of Faith namely the Gospel but not in the Law of Works that is in the Moral Law Rom. 3.27 The Reasons are these 1. That which the Law revealeth not that it commandeth not but the Law is so far from revealing Justifying Faith that it never knew it 2. Adam had fully before his Fall written in his Heart the Moral Law yet had he not Justifying Faith which apprehended Christ. He then proceeds to answer the Objections against the Gospel being a Law Mr. Anth. Burgess in his Doctrine of Justification Part 1. P. 161. denies that Repentance is in a Man as a Sign only that God hath Pardoned But saith We must go further and say it 's the Means and Way which God hath appointed antecedently to Pardon so that where this goeth before the other followeth after This he proves by six Arguments and the Book was Printed at the Desire of the London Synod Calvin oft owneth the Gospel to be a Law and in his Commentaries on Jonas Cap. 3.10 P. 359. saith Forgiveness is Free and yet as oft as God proposeth Forgiveness to Sinners this Condition is still added therewith viz. That they Repent He gives the Reasons of it and calls it a Law by which God so commands Repentance in order to Pardon though not as a Cause of Pardon I have in this Book endeavoured to put the Doctrine of Iustification in a plain Light though I wonder why our Brethren still say I mean what is quite contrary to what I say I suppose it 's because they have so long thought and represented some of our Principles contrary to what they be that they cannot think it possible that they should be what indeed they are or at least they will suspect us Fools and Lyars rather than seem to own that they could be so long mistaken I request therefore that if Mr. M. will reply to me he would cite my words fully and give the Page as I have done for hitherto my own words would have put their Calumnies to Shame Him while God spares me I will attend to He saith That he is not far from the place where the Weary are at Rest and the Wicked cease from Troubling I wish him Repentance of the Wound he hath injustly given so many fitter to serve their Generation than him or me and whilst he is spared which I desire for Service may be long that he may be less unwearied in hindring and breaking that Blessed Union which promised so much Good though I am sorry he boasts of his own Quietness whilst he createth Broils and Disquiet to so many some known to us both he 'll meet in Glory who were comforted by the above Consideration whilst less able to bear up under his Assaults than by Grace I have been long strengthened to do Nevertheless whilst Conscience binds me to some Sharpness against his Attempt to destroy so many Ministers as to what 's more valuable than their Lives I do from my Heart forgive him and would rejoyce to find him convinced of his Mistake and Misrepresentation of our Principles that we might peaceably concur in promoting the Kingdom of Christ and our common Good and not be the Scorn of such as Glory in our Weakness Reader It 's worth thy notice that there is more Safety in our way than in the contrary for we trust in Christ's only Righteousness for all those Things and Vses it is appointed to even for Satisfaction to Iustice the Pardon of all our Sins and Defects the Acceptance of our Persons and all Performances the Merit of all Good yea and our Legal and Prolegal Righteousness renouncing every Grace and Work
to his particular Flock is at an end Nay he is of so Rash a Spirit small Skill in the Reason of Names and lavishly disregardful of Truth in this Matter that a Nick-name must be the Effect of his giving any to such as are not of his own Faction 2. He quits all Truth and Modesty in giving us the Name of Socinians or Semi-socinians He saith our Opinions are the Off-spring of Socinianism What meaneth he by Off-spring Is it 1. only that Socinianism was the occasion thereof Or 2. That they are of the same Genuine Nature with Socinianism The last is an abominable Slander hatch'd by no good Spirit 1. The former may be pretended but then an immediate Descent must be denied Socinianism tempted weak Men to the opposite Extream of Profane Antinomianism This Extream was perceived equally â—atal to the Vitals of Practical Christianity as Socinianism and also to give Advantage to the Socinians by its wild Positions and weak Arguments consonant thereto Therefore our best Learned Divines at once to prevent the Triumph of the Socinians and the growth of Antinomianism waved many of those Terms which had obtained among the Orthodox in speaking of Christ's Satisfaction without any due regard to either of these fatal Errors Hence Dr. Owen of the Trinity and Satisfaction P. 153. It appears from what hath been spoken that in this matter of Satisfaction God is not considered as a Creditor and Sin as a Debt and the Law as an Obligation of that Debt and the Lord Christ as paying it He then shews the difference and tells us God must be considered as a Rector c. p. 113. and p. 141. There is an allusion to them the Socinian Argument to a Debt and Payment which is the most improper expression used in this matter The same you 'll find Essenius Triumphus Crucis p. 391 399. Turretin Instit. Theol. par 2. p. 264. 462. In like manner they place Satisfaction in an equivalent in many things and not the same for kind in all Essenius p. 340. Dr. Stillingfleet of Sufferings of Christ p. 244 245. Many more instances might be given 2. But our Principles are far from being the Off-spring of Socinianism as being of the same Nature with it which he meaneth They are nothing which is properly Socinian or condemned as such by either Synod or Men of Learning So far are we from being half Socinians The Socinian Principles are summarily reduced to that of the Trinity and that of Christ's Satisfaction They deny the Deity of Christ as the Son of God by eternal Generation We affirm it they deny the Personality of the Holy Ghost we affirm it The Malice of our Author cannot pretend to touch us there The Socinians deny that Christ died a proper Sacrifice for Sin we affirm it They deny that Christ's Sufferings were the Punishment of our Sins we affirm it They deny that Christ satisfied Divine Justice or died in our Place We affirm he satisfied Justice and that Christ died in our Place and in our stead He died that we might not die who were liable to die He gave his Life for ours They say Christ died for our Good not by way of Merit at all strictly We affirm that Christ properly merited all the saving Good we enjoy The Good they say Christ died for is the giving us an Example of Patience confirming his Doctrin and at highest the ratifying the Covenant wherein our own Faith and Obedience is by Acceptilation accepted instead of a perfect legal Righteousness and this exclusive of Christ's Satisfaction and Righteousness and that he attends to this is what they mean when they say Christ in some sort may be said to give us Life But we affirm that the good Christ merited is Reconciliation with God Pardon of Sins and eternal Glory c. as well as that he gave us an Example of Patience c. And we truly affirm that we have no Righteousness that answers the Law but Christ's and that Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us as that wherein we stand before a just God and is as available to us for Salvation as if we had done and suffered what Christ did and we renounce all our own Obedience and Works legal and evangelical as any Part of that Righteousness in or for which we are pardoned accepted or glorified Our very Faith and much less our Repentance or other good Works is not any merit or procuring cause of our Justification The whole use and place we assign to Faith in our Justification and to Repentance in the pardon of sin is that they are the things which the Gospel requireth in those whom God will impute the Righteousness of Christ to for actual Pardon and a Title to Eternal Glory as promising to impute Christ's Righteousness to Believers and actual Pardon to the believing Penitent as also the possession of Glory to such as persevere in Faith and Holiness and all in by and for the only Righteousness of Christ as the sole meriting enclining and procuring Cause Reader judge between us yea let the searcher of Hearts judge whether we are not wronged by this Brother I have in this Book as well as formerly shewed that by Reward is meant no more than an encouragement to a Duty established by the Gospel as a Law not whereby governing Iustice enjoineth us to work out a Righteousness as our Title to Eternal Life but a Law wherein Grace in a way of Government appoints Conditions that render us the subjects of saving Benefits as the Effects of Christ's Righteousness and to be received and enjoyed in his Right Again whereas some call Faith our subordinate Righteousness I have evidenced that they intend no more than a performed Condition of the Gospel and no way a Righteousness of the same kind or to the same End or Purpose with Christ's Righteousness Also when any of us say that we are justified by Faith as an Act Justification is then taken in quite another sense from Justification by Christ's Righteousness the last being universal as to our Persons and State the former being only of a particular Cause viz. Are we Believers and but consequently are we the Persons the Gospel promiseth to deal with as Believers Also I have shewn that Justification is entire in all its Causes and that Faith doth no more than connote us the Objects or Subjects on whom this Justification is conferred by God as a Benefit or the Object on whom the Justifying Act terminates by the Gospel If these be Semisocinian Principles I undertake to shew that all or most of the noted Protestant Confessions of Faith and the Body of our Protestant Divines of Name yea especially such as have written against Socinianism are Semisocinian Sure then our Author either reads our Principles in a false Glass or he knows no more of Socinianism than that it is a scandalous word and so fit to brand those with whose worth acceptance and usefulness he beholdeth with an envious Eye
wherein I except my self Mr. M. hath done more to favour Socinianism than all those whom he accuseth 1. By calling such Semisocinians whose doctrin and Principles will approve themselves to most Men to be Orthodox Many will abate their prejudice against the real Socinian as not being so bad as the word imported 2. He falls in wholly with the Socinians in denying Christ's Incarnation to be a part of his Humiliation and deprives us of the force of one of the greatest Texts for the Deity of Christ Phil. 2.6 7. 3. He supports the Socinian Cause and one of their strongest Topicks against the Satisfaction of Christ by speaking still of God as a Creditor Sin as a Debt the Law as a Money Bond Christ as a Money Surety whereas all our Divines find it impossible to defend that Doctrin without denying this Metaphor and therefore plead that God is to be considered as a Rector Sin a Crime Sinners Criminals Christ a Sponsor in consistency with his being Redeemer Mediatour Saviour Sacrifice and Priest c. For if Sin were a Money Debt why could not God forgive it without Satisfaction as well as other Creditors do c. 4. He grants the absurdity in the sense objected by the Socinians and still opposed by our Divines viz. That we are as Righteous as Christ in equality Turretin Instit Theol. p. 714 715. proves that licet c. though we are justified by Christ's Righteousness imputed non sequitur nos non minus justos esse quam Christum it doth not follow that we are no less Righteous than Christ So doth Dr. Owen of Iustif. p. 509 510. All our celebrated Opposers of Socinianism do the same Mr. M. may say as well of these as he doth of us for denying it as they do They have a heart-hatred of standing in the Righteousness of Christ. 5. The Socinians have their whole Cause favoured against the Deity of Christ or at least the Arrians by what he asserts concerning the Person of the Son of God He makes him such a God as was capable of a real Glory to be added to him that as God he might be under God's frowns and displeasure might quit and forgo the actual enjoyment of that Love Glory and Inheritance which as Son of God he was entitled to and possessed of before his Incarnation not in a way of manifestation nor as to his Humane Nature but in reality and as to his Divine Nature in which alone he acted before his Incarnation a God capable of an acquired Right superadded to his natural Right to those very Riches Love and Glory which he enjoyed before he was Son of Man And also that the Humane Nature belongs to the Constitution of the Person of the Son of God as it is now p. 8. c. Are not these bold Strokes which I have before fully proved to be his Assertions Though Charity binds me to acknowledge that I think he designeth not to oppose the Eternal Deity of the Son of God by Assertions so unsuitable to the Divine Essence and so mistaketh what God is rather than who he is 6. I might add he blasts all the opposition made by our best Authors against Socinianism by branding even them as Semisocinians To say nothing of his representing the Doctrin of imputed Righteousness in a manner not defensible and tempting to most Mens being Socinians unless they have a better Notion of it Few will believe that we did legally do and suffer what Christ did that we are as Righteous as Christ and that the Gospel enjoineth no Duty as a Condition on us for obtaining the blessed Effects of Christ's Merits which be the only ground of his quarreling thus hotly with us Men of his suspicious temper will judge he designeth to favour Socinianism by calling us Semisocinians 12. Mr. M. Attempts to instruct us how to Preach but with an evil insinuation and in some things very contrary to Apostolical Preaching Thus your Teachers should instruct and lead you This is the Apostles direction to Titus that he should teach them that have believed to be careful to maintain good works not to teach and press sinners in their Vnbelief to fall to doing of good works first and overlook believing wholly or to postpone it after them p. 69. Repl. 1. Which teacher of his Hearers doth teach any to postpone Faith or overlook it wholly or delay it at all If by Believing he means a due accepting of a whole Christ yea do not they direct them to expect all from God through Christ and look to Christ as he in whom all fulness is But our Author is one of them who think Christ is never Preached unless his Name be mentioned and that as a Priest too His revealed Truths and enjoined Laws c. are not Preaching Christ. 2. But may one call Sinners to no Duty till they are Believers Must they not be prest to examin themselves pray read the Word hear it Preached fear God teach their Families love their Wives meditate consider strive with their Hearts resist Temptations believe the Scriptures nor relieve the Poor till they be Believers Peter was to learn of our Author to Preach for though he knew Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitterness yet he bids him then repent of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee Acts 9.22 perhaps he 'll say he believed true in such a manner as I fear some that pretend high to Faith exceed not Paul gives such an account of much of his Ministry at first to Jews and Gentiles Acts 26.20 That they should repent and turn unto God and do works meet for Repentance the Baptist was an ill Teacher and Christ's Sermon on the Mount Mat. 5. and Paul's at Lystra Acts 14.15 16. needed Mr. M's direction Paul saith to unbelievers We are Men of like Passions with you thus far he 'll agree and Preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God that made Heaven and Earth c. a good Work is pressed before they believed Here Mr. M. would have told him you Paul should not teach thus But what are his Reasons 1. They that believed in God should be charged to excel in good works therefore they that believe not in Christ should not be pressed to endeavour to set upon doing any good Work Hos. 5. 4. They must not so much as frame their doings to turn unto the Lord. 2. A few words after through Faith that Righteousness will be upon you and being upon you it will produce good Works Here it seems as I have oft heard it urged Ministers should not urge you nor you strive and labour after good Works this Righteousness will produce them but are all that I hope have Faith so abundant therein as not to need Spurs Do all that pretend to it shew that they have it by it's Fruits and how can we know them And is its being upon us the