and so great evils in them as makes them admire at his patience that they are not consumed in their Iniquities They find cause enough to suspect their own sincerity doubt the truth of their Faith and of their Graces and are therefore frequent and serious in the trial and examination of their own states by Scripture-marks and signs They urge the Commands and Threatnings as well as the Promises upon their own hearts to promote Sanctification Excite themselves to duty and watchfulness against Sin They also encourage themselves by the rewards of obedience knowing their labour is not in vain in the Lord. And all this while they look not for that in themselves which is only to be found in Christ nor for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel nor for that on Earth which is only to be found in Heaven This is the way that they take And he that shall tell them their Sins can do them no hurt or their Duties do them no good speaks to them not only as a Barbarian in a Language they understand not but in such a Language as their Souls detest and abhor Moreover The zeal and love of Christ and his Glory being kindled in their Souls they have not patience to hear such Doctrines as so greatly derogate from his Glory under a pretence of honouring and exalting him It wounds and grieves their very hearts to see the World hardned in their prejudices against Reformation and a gap opened to all licentiousness But notwithstanding this double Antidote and Security we find by daily experience such Doctrines too much obtaining in the professing World For my own part He that searches my Heart and Reins is witness I would rather chuse to have my right hand wither and my tongue rot within my mouth than to speak one word or write one line to cloud or diminish the Free-grace of God Let it arise and shine in its Meridian Glory None owes more to it or expects more from it than I do And what I shall write in this Controversy is to vindicate it from those Doctrines and Opinions which under pretence of exalting it do really militate against it To begin therefore with the first and leading Error Error I. That the Iustification of Sinners is an immanent and eternal act of God not only preceding all acts of sin but the very existence of the sinner himself and so perfectly abolishing sin in our persons that we are as clean from sin as Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some of them have spoken To stop the progress of this Error I shall 1. Lay down the Sentence of the Orthodox about it 2. Offer some Reasons for the refutation of it 1. That which I take to be the truth agreed upon and asserted by sound reformed Divines touching Gospel-Justification is by them made clear to the World in these following Scriptural distinctions of it Justification may be considered under a twofold respect or habitude 1. According to God's Eternal Decree Or 2. According to the execution thereof in time 1. According to God's Eternal Decree and Purpose and in this respect Grace is said to be given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1. 9. And we are said to be predestinated to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 5. 2. According to the execution thereof in time So they again distinguish it by considering it two ways 1. In its Impetration by Christ. 2. In its Application to us That very mercy or privilege of Justification which God from all Eternity purely out of his benevolent Love purposed and decreed for his Elect was also in time purchased for them by the death of Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. where we are said to be justified by his Blood and he is said to have made peace through the Blood of his Cross to reconcile all things to himself Col. 1. 20. to be delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. Once more That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses 2 Cor. 5. 19. God the Father had in the death of Christ a foundation of reconciliation whereby he became propitious to his Elect that he might absolve and justify them Again 2. It must be considered in its application to us which application is made in this Life at the time of our effectual Calling When an elect Sinner is united to Christ by Faith and so passeth from Death to Life from a state of Condemnation into a state of Absolution and Favour this is our actual Justification Rom. 5. 1. Acts 13. 39. Iohn 5. 24. which actual Justification is again considered two ways 1. Universally and in General as to the State of the Person 2. Specially and Particularly as to the Acts of Sin As soon as we are received into Communion with Christ and his Righteousness is imputed by God and received by Faith immediately we pass from a state of Death and Condemnation to a state of Life and Justification and all Sins already committed are remitted without Exception or Revocation and not only so but a Remedy is given us in the Righteousness of Christ against Sins to come and tho these special and particular Sins we afterward fall into do need particular Pardons yet by renewed Acts of Faith and Repentance the Believer applies to himself the Righteousness of Christ and they are pardoned Again they carefully distinguish betwixt 1. It 's Application by God to our Persons And 2. It 's Declaration or Manifestation in us and to us Which Manifestation or Declaration is either 1. Private in the Conscience of a Believer Or 2. Publick at the Bar of Judgment And thus Justification is many ways distinguished And notwithstanding all this it is still actus indivisus an undivided act not on our part for it is iterated in many acts but on God's part who at once decreed it and on Christ's part who by one Offering purchased it and at the time of our Vocation universally applied it as to the state of the Person justified and that so effectually as no future Sin shall bring that Person any more under Condemnation In this Sentence or Judgment the Generality of Reformed Orthodox Divines are agreed and the want of distinguishing as they according to Scripture have distinguished hath led the Antinomians into this first Error about Justification and that Error hath led them into most of the other Errors That this Doctrine of theirs which teaches that Men are justified actually and compleatly before they have a being is an Error and hath no solid Foundation to support it may be evidenced by these three Reasons 1. Because it is Irrational 2. Because it is Unscriptural 3. Because it is Injurious to Christ and the Souls of Men. It is Irrational to imagine that Men are actually justified before they have a Being by an immanent Act or Decree of God Many things have been urged upon this
God or that the Troubles of good men in this life fall not out by casualty but by the counsel and direction of Divine Providence He that denies the hand of God to be upon the Persons of Believers in this life in the way of painful Chastisements and Sufferings must either ignorantly or wilfully overlook that Scripture Heb. 7. 8. What Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not but if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Nor will any sober Christian deny these Troubles of Believers to be the effects of God's governing-Providence in the World or once imagine or affirm them to be mere Casualties and Contingences for affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5. 6. In what Eutopia doth that good man live upon Earth that feels not the painful Rod of God upon himself nor hears the sad laments and moans of other Christians under it This sure is undeniable that the Rod of God is every-where upon the Persons and Tabernacles of the Righteous and if any doubt it his own sense and feeling may in a little time give him a painful demonstration of it 2. And for the second That this Rod of God is sometimes laid upon Believers for their Sins methinks no sober modest Christian in the World should doubt or deny it when he considers That 1. God himself hath so declared it 2. The Saints in all Ages have freely confessed it to be so 1. God himself hath fully and plainly declared it to be so 2 Sam. 12. 9 10 11 12 13 14. Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thy House c. Here 's the Sword a terrible and painful Evil upon David's House a man after God's own heart and that expresly for his Sin in the matter of Vriah So Moses one of the greatest Favourites of Heaven for his sinful shifting of the Lord's Work Exod. 4. 13 14. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses For the multitude of thine iniquities because thy sins were encreased I have done these things unto thee saith God to his own Israel Ier. 30. 15. To instance in all the Declarations made by God himself in this case were to transcribe a great part of both Testaments 2. And as God hath declared the Sins of his People to be the provoking causes of his rods upon them so they have freely and ingenuously confessed and acknowledged the same Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. This was spoken by Ieremy in the name of the whole captive Church So Psal. 38. 3 5. There is no soundness in my flesh saith David because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my Sin My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness And were it not an hideous and unaccountable thing to hear any Child of God under his Rod to stand upon his own justification and say Lord my Sins have not deserved this at thy hand nor is it justice in thee thus to chastise me after thou hast received satisfaction for all my Sins from the hand of Christ. Would it not look like an horrid Blasphemy to hear the best man in the World disputing and denying the Justice of God in the troubles he lays him under For my own part let the Lord lay on as smartly as he will upon me I desire to follow the holy Patterns and Presidents recorded in Scripture for my imitation and to say with the People of God Ezr. 9. 13. Thou hast punished me less than mine iniquities deserve And Mica 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And he that refuses so to do gives little evidence of the Spirit of Adoption in him but a very clear evidence of the pride and ignorance of his own heart Iob indeed stifly stood upon his own vindication but that was when he had to do with men who falsly charged him laying those Sins as the causes of his trouble which he was innocent of Iob 22. 5 6. But when he had to do with God he disputes no more but saith Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth q. d. I have done Father I have done Whether these Chastisements be for my Sins or no sure I am my Sin not only deserves all this but Hell it self Thou art holy but I am vile 3. Nor can it at all be doubted but that these Fatherly Corrections of the Saints for their Sins are reconcileable to and fully consistent with his Justice satisfied by the Blood of Christ for all their Sins For 1. If it were not so the just and righteous God would never have inserted such a clause of reservation in his gracious Covenant with his People to chasten them as he saw need after he had taken them into the Covenant Psal. 89. 30 31 32 33. If they transgress he will visit their Transgressions with a Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless saith he my loving-kindness will I not take away That Nevertheless clearly proves the consistency of his stripes for sin with his loving-kindness to his People and with Christ's satisfaction for their Sins 2. If this were not consistent with the Justice of God to be sure he would never single them out to spend his Rods upon rather than others 'T is most certain the holiest men have most lashes in this life Asaph said Psal. 73. 12 14. The ungodly prosper in the World but he was chastned every morning And vers 5. The Wicked are not in trouble as other men 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iudgment must begin at the House of God and if Piety would give men an exemption from all troubles pains and chastisements then men might discern love or hatred by the things that are before them contrary to Eccl. 9. 1 2. Neither could those that are in Christ suffer the painful Agonies of Death because of sin expresly contrary to Paul Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of sin 3. In a word As Christ never shed his Blood to extinguish or abolish God's displeasure against sin in whomsoever it be found so he never shed it to deprive his People of the manifold blessings and advantages that accrue to them by the Rods of God upon them It was never his intent to put us into a condition on Earth that would have been so much to our loss So then if the hand of God be upon his People for sin and consistently enough with his Justice it must be an Error to say God smites not Believers for their sins and it would be injustice in him so to do which is their 6th Error Error VII
it is to be kept sound in judgment stedfast and unmovable in the Truths and Ways of Christ. A sound and stedfast Christian is a blessing in his Generation and a glory to his Profession 'T was an high Encomium of Athanasius Sedem maluit mutare quam syllabam He would rather lose his Seat than a syllable of God's Truth Soundness of Judgment must needs be a choice Blessing because the understanding is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that leading-faculty which directs the Will and Conscience of Man and they his whole Life and Practice How often and how earnestly doth Christ pray for his people that they may be kept in the Truth 'T is true Orthodoxy in its self is not sufficient to any man's Salvation but the conjunction of an Orthodox head with an honest sincere heart does always constitute an excellent Christian Phil. 1. 10. Happy is the man that hath an head so hearted and an heart so headed Consectary IV. By this discourse we may further discover one great and special cause and reason of the lamentable decay of the spirit and power of Religion amongst the Professors of the present Age. 'T is a complaint more just than common That we do all fade as a leaf And what may be the Cause Nothing more probable than the wasting of our time and spirits in vain janglings and fruitless controversies which the Apostle tells us Heb. 13. 9. have not profited i. e. they have greatly damnified and injured them that have been occupied therein Many Controversies of these times grow up about Religion as Suckers from the Root and Limbs of a Fruit-tree which spend the vital Sap that should make it fruitful 'T is a great and sad Observation made upon the state of England by some judicious persons That after the greatest increase of Religion both intensively in the power of it and extensively in the number of Converts what a remarkable decay it suffered both ways when about the year Forty-four Controversies and Disputations grew fervent among Professors Since that time our strength and glory have very much abated Consectary V. From this Discourse we may also gather the true Grounds and Reasons of those frequent Persecutions which God lets in upon his Churches and People These rank Weeds call for Snowy and Frosty Weather to subdue and kill them I know the enemies of God's People aim at something else They strike at Profession yea at Religion it self and according to their wicked intention without timely Repentance will their reward be But whatever the intention of the Agents be the issues of Persecution are upon this account greatly beneficial to the Church the Wisdom of God makes them excellently useful both to prevent and cure the mischiefs and dangers of Errors If Enemies were not Friends and Brethren would be injurious to each other Persecution if it kills not yet at least it gives check to the rise and growth of Errors And if it do not perfectly redintigrate and unite the hearts of Christians yet to be sure it cools and allays their sinful heats and that two ways 1. By cutting out for them far better and more necessary work Now instead of racking their Brains about unnecessary Controversies they find it high time to be searching their hearts and examining the foundations of their Faith and Hope with respect to the other World 2. Moreover such times and straights discover the Sincerity Zeal and Constancy of them we were jealous of or prejudiced against before because they followed not us Consectary VI. Lastly Let us learn hence both the Duty and Necessity of Charity and mutual Forbearance We have all our mistakes and errors one way or other and therefore must maintain mutual Charity under dissents in judgment I do not say but an erring Brother must be reduced if possible and that by sharp rebukes too if gentler essays be ineffectual Tit. 1. 13. and the wounds of a Friend have more faithful love in them than the kisses of an Enemy And if God make us instrumental by that or any other method to recover a Brother from the error of his way he will have great cause both to bless God and thank the Instrument who thereby saves a Soul from death and hides a multitude of sins Iam. 5. 20. 'T is our Duty if we meet an Enemy's Ox or Ass going astray to bring him back again Exod. 23. 4. much more the Soul of a Friend Indeed we must not make those Errors that are none nor stretch every innocent expression to that purpose nor yet be too hasty in medling with contention till we cannot be both silent and innocent and then whatever the expence be Truth will repay it AN APPENDIX Containing a Full and Modest Reply to Mr. Philip Cary's Rejoinder to my Vindiciae Legis Foederis Manifesting the badness of his Cause in the feebleness and impertinency of his Defence And adding farther light and strength to the Arguments formerly produced in defence of God's gracious Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. and the right of Believers Infants to Baptism grounded thereupon SIR NEXT to the not deserving a Reproof is the due reception and improvement of it You deserve a sharper reprehension for your timerity and obstinacy than I am willing to give you from the Press Yet in love to the Truth and your own Soul reprove you I must and I hope God will enable me to be both mild in the manner and convincingly clear in the matter and cause thereof 'T is better to lose the Smiles than the Souls of men I dare not neglect the duty of a Friend for fear of incurring the suspicion of an Enemy Several Learned and Eminent Divines who have seen what hath publickly passed betwixt you and me have returned me their thanks and think you ought to thank me too for the pains I have taken to set you right hoping you will evidence your self-denial and repentance by an ingenuous retractation of your Errors But how will you deceive their Expectations and unbecome the Character given you by your Friends when they shall find the true measure both of your ability and humility drawn by your own Pen in the following Rejoinder I have throughly considered your Reply in the Manuscript you sent me which I hear is now in the Press and in the following Sheets have given a full and I think a final Answer to whatsoever is material therein And it so falling out that my Discourse of Errors was just going under the Press whilst your Rejoinder was there also I thought it not convenient to delay my Reply any longer but to have my Antidote in as great readiness as might be to meet it One Inconvenience I easily foresee that the Pages of your Manuscript which I follow may not throughout exactly answer to the Print But every intelligent Reader will easily discern and rectify That if my Bookseller save him not that trouble as I have desired him to do As to the Controversy about the
ΠΛΑÎΗΛΟΓΙΑ A SUCCINCT and SEASONABLE DISCOURSE OF THE Occasions Causes Nature Rise Growth and Remedies of MENTAL ERRORS Written some Months since and now made publick both for the healing and prevention of the Sins and Calamities which have broken in this way upon the Churches of Christ to the great scandal of Religion hardening of the Wicked and obstruction of Reformation Whereunto are subjoined by way of Appendix I. Vindiciarum Vindex Being a Succinct but Full Answer to Mr. Philip Cary's weak and impertinent Exceptions to my Vindiciae Legis Foederis II. A Synopsis of Ancient and Modern Antinomian Errors with Scriptural Arguments and Reasons against them III A SERMON composed for the preventing and healing of Rents and Divisions in the Churches of Christ. By IOHN FLAVELL Preacher of the Gospel at Dartmouth in Devon With an EPISTLE by several Divines Relating to Dr. CRISP's Works LONDON Printed by R. Roberts for Tho. Cockerill at the Three-Leggs in the Poultrey over-against the Stocks-Market 1691. THE Reverend Author of the ensuing Treatises having in them explained and defended several Gospel-Truths unto which divers things in the Writings of the Reverend Dr. Crisp deceased do seem very opposite Whereas some of us who subscribed a Paper the design whereof was only to testify That we believed certain Writings of the Doctor 's never before Published were faithfully transcribed by his Son the Publisher of them which Paper is now by the Bookseller prefixed to the whole Volume containing a large Preface which we never saw till after the publication together with all the Doctor 's former Works that were published many years before And are hereupon by some weak People misunderstood as if by that Certificate we intended an Approbation of all that is contained in that Volume We declare we had no such intention As the Paper we subscribed hath no word in it that gives any such intimation But are well pleased these later Writings are Publish'd in reference whereto We only certified our belief which we fixedly retain of the Publisher's fidelity as they contain many passages in them that may in some measure remedy the hard and hurtful construction that many expressions were more liable to in the former whereof the Doctor seem'd apprehensive himself when in the beginning of his Discourse on Tit. 2. 11 12. he speaks thus Beloved I am jealous of you with an holy jealousy 1 Cor. 11. 2 3. Lest after the sweet wooing of you in Christ's Name that you might be espoused unto him I say I am jealous and fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty namely bewitching her to a presumptuous licentious adventuring on God's gentleness while she tasted the forbidden Fruit so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in him namely by presuming too much upon him and adventuring to continue in Sin in hope that Grace may abound For the preventing of which dangerous miscarriage which hath been the dangerous lot of many Thousands I thought good to step in with this Text which I am persuaded will prove a seasonable warning to some at least And this Pioâ—â— caution of the Author 〈◊〉 lest he should be misunderstood gives us some grounds to believe that be intended them not in the more exceptionable 〈◊〉 'T is best if any unwary Reader receive hurt that he receive his healing also from the same hand and whereas a Paper was Printed upon this occasion soon after the Publication of the Doctor 's Works We willingly adopt so much of it as is requisite to our present purpose which is to this effect Some who Subscribed this Certificate saw only the Paper it self to which subscription was desired never having perused the Works of Dr. Crisp. The Certificate only concerned the Son not the Father and certified only concerning the Son That they who should subscribe it believed him in this to deal truly that he was not a Falsarius that he would not say that was his Father's which was not so a Paper so sober so modest was taken by it self scarce refusable by a Friend The Son's Preface some that subscribed this Certificate saw not nor had any notice or the least imagination of its Contents otherwise the part of a Friend had certainly been done as well in advising against much of the Preface as in subseribing the Certificate For the Works of this Reverend Person themselves as it no way concern'd the subscribing this Certificate to know what they were so from the opinion that went of the Author among many good Men That he was a Learned Pious Good Man it was supposed they were likely to have in them many good and useful things to which it was only needful to think them his not to think them perfect We may in some respect judge of Books as of Men i. e. reckon that though divers very valuable Men have had remarkable failings yet that upon the whole 't is better they have lived and been known in the World than that they should not have lived or have lived obscure The truth is which we have often considered that though the great Doctrines of Christian Religion do make a most coherent comely Scheme which every one should labour to comprehend and digest in his mind yet when the Gospel first becomes effectual for the changing mens hearts 't is by God's blessing this or that passage which drops the most discern not the series and connection of Truths at first and too little afterwards Vpon that view of Dr. Crisp's Writings we have had since the Publication we find there are many things said in them with that good savour quickness and spirit as to be very apt to make good impressions upon mens hearts and do judge that being greatly affected with the Grace of God to Sinners himself his Sermons did thereupon run much in that strain All our minds are little and incomprehensive we cannot receive the weight and impression of all necessary things at once but with some inequality so that when the Seal goes deeper in some part 't is the shallower in some others If some parts of Dr. Crisp's Works be more liable to exception the danger of hurt thereby seems in some measure obviated in some other As when he says p. 46 vol. 1. Sanctification of Life is an inseparable Companion with the Justification of a Person by the Free-Grace of Christ. And Vol. 4. p. 93. That in respect of the Rules of Righteousness or the Matter of Obedience we are under the Law still or else we are Lawless to live every Man as seems good in his own eyes which I know no true Christian does so much as think In like manner whereas Vol. 2. Serm. 15. and perhaps elsewhere the Doctor seems to be against evidencing our Justification and Union to Christ by our Sanctification and new Obedience we have the truth of God in this matter plainly deliver'd by him Vol. 4. p. 36. when he teacheth that our Obedience is a comfortable evidence of our
of the Gospel 72. This is the effect sometimes of Hypocrisie sometimes of weakness 74. To prevent which some Rules 76. viz. R. 1. To get a real inward implantation into Christ ibid. R. 2. To labour for an experimental Taste of the Truths professed p. 77. R. 3. To study hard and pray earnestly p. 77. R. 4. To be sensible of the benefit of a good establishment and the evil and danger of a wavering mind p. 78. Cause 5. Eagerness to snatch at any Doctrine or Opinion that promiseth ease to an Anxious Conscience 79. For the cure of which some Queries propounded viz. Qu. 1. Whether a good trouble be not better than a false Peace 82. Qu. 2. Whether Troubles so laid asleep will not revive again with a double force 83. Q. 3. Whether the Saints in Scripture that have been under terrors have not found peace by those very methods which the Principles that quiet you exclude 84. Cause 6. An easy Credulity 85. The Remedies against this 1. The consideration that it is beneath a man 88. 2. That the priviledge of trying all things is of too great a value to be thus slighted 89. 3. Observe the Practices and Lives of those men whose Opinions you are so ready to imbrace 90. Cause 7. A vain Curiosity 90. Remedies 1. A due consideration of the mischiefs that have entred into the World by this 92. 2. God hath not left his people to seek their Salvation among curious but solid and plainly revealed Truths 94. 3. 'T is a dangerous snare of Satan ibid. Cause 8. Pride and Arrogancy of Humane Reason 95. Remedies 1. 'T is the Will of God that Ratiocination should submit to Revelation and Reason to Faith 98. 2. A sense of the weakness and corruption of Natural Reason 99. 3. Consider the manifold mischiefs flowing from the pride of Reason Cause 9. Ignorant Zeal 101. Defensatives 1. A Reflection upon the mischiefs occasioned by it in all Places and Ages 104. 2. A consideration how hurtful it may prove to your own Soul 106. 3. How prejudicial is hath been to Human Society 107. 4. That Opinion is to be suspected which comes in by the Affections 108. Cause 10. Impulsive of spreading Errors Satan 110. Rules for Cure 1. Pray for a sound Conversion 113. 2. Acquâ—int your selves with the Devices of Satan ibid. 3. Resign your Souls to the conduct of Christ and his Spirit 114. 4. Live in the practice of the truths and duties God hath revealed already 115. Cause 11. Instrumental the false Teacher ibid. Remedies 1. Pray for strength of Grace and solidity of Iudgment and use all means to obtain it 119. 2. Acquaint your selves with the Artifices of such as these 121. Such as are their endeavours to blast the reputation of faithful Teachers ibid. the mixing their Errors among solid Truths 122. Cause 12. The methods used by False Teachers to draw men from the truth among which the first is their representing the Abuses of the Ordinances of God in such a manner as to scare tender Consciences from the use of them 124. Remedies 1. Nothing so great and sacred in Religion but what hath been vilely corrupted and abused 127. 2. 'T is the temper of a gracious Soul to love those Ordinances which are most abused and disgraced 129. 3. Before you forsake any Ordinance consider whether you have found no advantage by it 130. Cause 13. Another method which they use is a granting to their Followers a Liberty of Prophesying 131. Remedies 1. Let all that incourage or undertake such a work as this consider the danger they cast on their own and other mens Souls 134. 2. How daring a presumption it is to intrude themselves into such an Office without a Call from Christ 136. 3. To vent our unsound Liberty is said in Scripture to be our greatest dishonour 137. 4. 'T is much more safe and advantageous for every one to fill their own places with their proper work ibid. Cause 14. Another method of theirs is a Spirit of Enthusiasm or a pretence to Revelations 138. Remed 1. Whatever Doctrine seeks credit to it self this way ought to be suspected of wanting a Scripture-foundation 141. 2. Consider how often the Devil hath abused the World by such ways as these 142. 3. Hâ—w impossible it is to know whether such a Revelation be from God or the Devil 144. Cause 15. Another method they use is Timing their Assaults 145. Remed 1. Respects Ministers that they should look carefully after the Souls of young Converts 149. Remed 2. Young Converts should consider That they must not expect to find Christ in one way and not another that they are expos'd to the Snares of Satan and that it is a sad thing to grieve the hearts of those Ministers who have travelled in pain for them 150 151. Cause 16. Another Artifice of False Teachers is to press their Proselytes to declare speedily for them and their Opinions 152. Remedies Consider 1. That hasty ingagements in disputable matters have cost many Souls dear 155. 2. Weighty Actions require answerable deliberations ibid. 3. The only season wherein men have to consider is before their Affections are too far ingaged 156. 4. Consult with pious Ministers and trust not to your own Iudgment 157. 5. Suspect that Opinion that will not allow you a due time for consideration 158. Consectaries from the whole ibid. 1. The usefulness and necessity of â— standing Ministry ibid. 2. How little peace the Church must expect till a greater light be poured out upon it 159. 3. What a mercy it is to be kept sound in Iudgment and stedfast in the ways of Christ 161. 4. We may discover one cause of the great decay of serious Pâ—ety in this Age 162. 5. One Reason of the frequent Persecutions God exercised his Church with 163. 6. We may learn the duty and necessity of mutual Charity and forbearance 164. The Contents of Vindiciarum Vindex or the First Appendix THE whole of the Answer reduced under three heads p. 175. Two things premised 176. Head 1. Mr. Cary hath not been able to free his Thesis from the horrid absurdity charged upon it viz. That Moses and the whole People of God were under a Covenant of Works and a Covenant of Grace at the same time 179. From whence follows Absurd 1. That all their lives they were in the mid-way between life and death and after death in the mid-way betwixt Heaven and Hell 180. Mr. Cary's First Reply 184. Answer'd 185. Mr. Cary's Second Reply 187. Answer'd ibid. The Ten Commandments complexly taken including the Ceremonial Law were added as an Appendix to the promise 192. Mr. Cary's Answer to it consider'd 194. A Promise of pardon in the Sinai Dispensation to penitent Sinners 198 199. The several Arguments that are left standing in their full force against Mr. Cary 200 201 202 203. The Law given at Sinai wrote of the chief Privileges which the Jews had 203. His Argument that the Law is not of
Opinions or Judgments from the perfect Rule of the Divine Law And to this all men by nature are not only liable but inclinable Indeed man by Nature can do nothing else but Err Psal. 58. 3. he goeth astray as soon as born makes not one true step till renewed by Grace and many false ones after his Renovation The Life of the Holiest man is a Book with many Errata's but the whole Edition of a wicked man's Life is but one continued Error he that thinks he cannot Err manifestly Errs in so thinking The Pope's supposed and pretended Infallibility hath made him the great deceiver of the World A good man may Err but is willing to know his Error and will not obstinately maintain it when he once plainly discerns it Error and Heresy among other things differ in this Heresie is accompanied with pertinacy and therefore the Heretick is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sels-condemned his own Conscience condemns him whilst men labour in vain to convince him He doth not formally and in terms Condemn himself but he doth so equivalently whilst he continues to own and maintain Doctrines and Opinions which he finds himself unable to defend against the evidence of Truth Humane frailty may lead a man into the first but Devilish Pride fixes him in the last The word of God which is our rule must therefore be the only Test and Touchstone to try and discover Errors for Regula est index sui obliqui 'T is not enough to convince a man of Error that his Judgment differs from other mens you must bring it to the Word and try how it agrees or disagrees therewith else he that charges another with Error may be found in as great or greater an Error himself None are more disposed easily to receive and tenaciously to defend Errors than those who are the Antesignani Heads or Leaders of Erroneous Sects especially after they have fought in defence of bad Causes and deeply engaged their Reputation The following Discourse justly entitles it self A BLOW AT THE ROOT And though you will here find the Roots of many Errors laid bare and open which comparatively are of far different degrees of Danger and Malignity which I here mention together many of them springing from the same Root Yet I am far from censuring them alike nor would I have any that are concerned in lesser Errors be exasperated because their lesser Mistakes are mentioned with greater and more pernicious ones this Candor I not only intreat but justly challenge from my Reader And because there are many general and very useful Observations about Errors which will not so conveniently come under the Laws of that Method which governs the main part of this Discourse viz. the CAVSES and CVRES of Error I have therefore sorted them by themselves and premised them to the following Part in Twenty Observations next ensuing Twenty general Observations about the rise and increase of the Errors of the times First Observation TRuth is the proper Object the natural and pleasant food of the Understanding Iob 12. 11. Doth not the ear that is the understanding by the ear try words as the mouth tasteth meat Knowledg is the assimilation of the Understanding to the truths received by it Nothing is more natural to man than a desire to know Knowledg never cloys the Mind as food doth the natural Appetite but as the one increaseth the other is proportionably sharpened and provoked The Minds of all that are not wholly immers'd in Sensuality spend their Strength in the laborious search and pursuit of Truth Sometimes climbing up from the Effects to the Causes and then descending again from the Causes to the Effects and all to discover Truth Fervent Prayer sedulous Study fixed Meditations are the labours of inquisitive Souls after Truth All the Objections and Counter-arguments the mind meets in its way are but the pauses and hesitations of a bivious Soul not able to determine whether Truth lies upon this side or upon that Answerable to the sharpness of the Minds appetite is the fine edg of Pleasure and Delight it feels in the discovery and acquisition of Truth When it hath Rack'd and Tortured it self upon knotty Problems and at last discovered the Truth it sought for with what joy doth the Soul dilate it self and run as it were with open arms to clasp and welcome it The Understanding of man at first was perspicacious and clear all Truths lay obvious in their comely order and ravishing beauty before it God made man upright Eccl. 7. 29. this rectitude of his mind consisted in Light and Knowledg as appears by the prescribed method of his Recovery Col. 3. 10. Renewed in knowledg after the Image of him that created him Truth in the Mind or the Minds union with Truth being part of the Divine Image in man discovers to us the Sin and Mischief of Error which is a defacing so far as it prevails of the Image of God No sooner was man created but by the exercise of knowledg he soon discovered God's Image in him aâ—d by his Ambition after more lost what he had So that now there is an haziness or cloud spread over Truth by Ignorance and Error the sad effects of the Fall Second Observation Of Knowledg there are divers sorts and kinds some is Humane and some Divine some Speculative and some Practical some Ingrafted as the Notions of Morality and some Acquired by painful search and Study But of all knowledg none like that Divine and Supernatural knowledg of saving truths revealed by Christ in the Scriptures from whence ariseth the different degrees both of the Sinfulness and danger of Errors those Errors being always the worst which are committed against the most important Truths revealed in the Gospel These Truths lye infolded either in the plain words or evident and necessary consequences from the words of the Holy Scriptures Scripture-Consequences are of great use for the refutation of Errors it was by a Scripture-consequence that Christ successfully proved the Resurrection against the Sadduces Matth. 22. The Arrians and other Hereticks rejected consequential proofs and required the express words of Scripture only hoping that way to defend and secure their Errors against the arguments and assaults of the Orthodox Some think that reason and natural light is abundantly sufficient for the direction of life but certainly nothing is more necessary to us for that end than the written Word for though the remains of natural light have their place and use in directing us about natural and earthly things yet they are utterly insufficient to guide us in spiritual and heavenly things 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God c. Eph. 5. 8. Once were ye darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now are ye light in the Lord i. e. by a beam of heavenly light shining from the Spirit of Christ through the written Word into you minds or understandings 'T is the written Word which shines upon the path of our Duty
as this how earnestly doth the Ear of a distressed Conscience listen how greedily doth it suck in such pleasing words Are all Sins that are pardoned pardoned before they are committed and does the Covenant of Grace require neither Repentance nor Faith antecedently to the application of the Promises how groundless then are all my Fears and Troubles This like a Dose of Opium quiets or rather stupifies the raging Conscience for even an Error in Judgment till it be detected and discovered to be so quiets and comforts the heart as well as principles of Truth but whenever the fallacy shall be detected whether here or hereafter the anguish of Conscience must be increased or which is worse left desperate The Remedies To prevent and cure this mistake and error in the Soul by which it is fitted and prepared to catch any Erroneous Principle which is but plausible for its present relief and ease I shall desire my Reader seriously to ponder and consider the following Queries upon this Case Query I. Whether by the vote of the whole Rational World a good Trouble be not better than a false Peace Present ease is desirable but eternal safety is much more so and if these two cannot consist under the present Circumstances of the Soul Whether it be not better to endure for a time these painful pangs than feel more acute and eternal ones by quieting Conscience with false Remedies before the time 'T is bad to lie tossing a few days under a laborious Fever but far worse to have that Fever turned into a Lethargy or fatal Apoplexy Erroneous Principles may rid the Soul of its present pain and eternal hopes and safety together Acute pains are better than a senseless stupidity Though the present rage of Conscience be not a right and kindly conviction yet it may lead to it and terminate in faith and union with Christ at last if Satan do not this way practice upon it and quench it before its time Query II. Bethink your selves seriously Whether Troubles so quieted and laid asleep will not revive and turn again upon thee with a double force as soon as the vertue of the Drug I mean the Erroneous Principle hath spent it self The efficacy of Truth is eternal and will maintain the peace it gives for ever but all delusions must vanish and the Troubles which they damm'd up for a time break out with a greater force Satan employs two sorts of Witches Some to torment the Bodies of Men with grievous pain and anguish but then he hath his White-Witches at hand to relieve and ease them And have these poor Wretches any great cause think you to boast of the cure who are eased of their pains at the price of their Souls Much like unto this are the cures of inward Troubles by Erroneous Principles I lament the Case of blinded Papists who by Pilgrimages and Offerings to the Shrines of Titular Saints attempt the cure of a lesser Sin by committing a greater Is it because there is not a God in Israel who is able in due season to pacify Conscience with proper and durable Gospel-Remedies that we suffer our Troubles thus to precipitate us into the Snares of Satan for the sake of present ease Query III. Read the Scriptures and inquire whether God's People who have lain long under sharp inward Terrors have not at last found settlement and inward peace by those very Methods which the Principles that quiet you do utterly exclude If you will fetch your Peace from a groundless Notion that your Sins were pardoned and your Persons justified from all eternity and therefore you may apply boldly and confidently to your selves the choicest Promises and Privileges in the Gospel without any regard to Faith or Repentance wrought by the Spirit in your Souls I am sure holy David took another Course for the settlement of his Conscience Psal. 51. 6 7 8 9 10. And it hath been the constant practise of the Saints in all Ages to clear their Title to the Righteousness of Christ wrought without them by the Works of his Spirit wrought within them Sixth Cause The next Evil Temper in the Subject preparing and disposing it for Error is an easie CREDVLITY or sequacious humour in men rendring them apt to receive things upon trust from others without due and thorough examination of the grounds and Reasons of them themselves This is a disposition fitted to receive any impression Seducers please to make upon them they are said to deceive the hearts of the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. credulous but well-meaning People that suspect no harm 'T is said Prov. 14. 15. the simple believeth every word Through this Sluce or Floodgate what a multitude of Errors in Popery have overflowed the People They are told they are not able to judge for themselves but must take the matters of their Salvation upon trust from their Spiritual Guides and so the silly People are easily seduced and made easily receptive of the grossest Absurdities their ignorant Leaders please to impose upon them And it were to be wished That those two Points viz. Ministrorum mut a officia populi caeca oâ—sequia the dumb Services of their Ministers and the blind Obedience of the People had stay'd within the Popish Confines But alas alas how many simple Protestants be there who may be said to carry their Brains in other mens Heads and like silly Sheep follow the next in the tract before them especially if their Leaders have but wit and art enough to hide their Errors under specious and plausible Pretences How many poisonous Drugs hath Satan put off under the gilded Titles of Antiquity Zeal for God higher attainments in godliness new Lights c. How natural is it for men to follow in the Tract and be tenacious of the Principles and Practises of their Progenitors Multitudes seem to hold their Opinions Iure Haereditario by an Hereditary Right as if their Faith descended to them the same way their Estates do The Emperour of Morocco told King Iohn's Ambassadour That he had lately read St. Paul's Epistles And truly said he were I now to chuse my Religion I would embrace Christianity before any Religion in the World but every man ought to dye in that Religion he received from his Ancestors Many honest well-meaning but weak Christians are also easily beguiled by specious pretences of new Light and higher attainments in Reformation This makes the weaker sorts of Christians pliable to many dangerous Errors cunningly insinuated under such taking Titles What are most of the Erroneous Opinions now vogued in the World but old Errors under new Names and Titles The Remedies The Remedies and Preventions in this Case are such as follow Remedy I. 'T is beneath a man to profess any Opinion to be his own whilst the grounds and reasons of it are in other mens keeping and wholly unknown to himself If a man may tell Gold after his Father then sure he may and ought to try and examine
Conduct of the Spirit and in all your addresses to God pray that he would keep them chast and pure and not suffer Satan to commit a rape upon them Plead with God that part of Christ's Prayer Iohn 17. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth Rule IV. Live in the conscientious and constant practice of all those Truths and Duties God hath already manifested to you This will bring you under that blessed Promise of Christ Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God Satan's greatest successes are amongst idle notional and vain Professors not humble serious and practical Christians Caus◠XI Having considered and dispatched the several internal Causes of Error found in the evil dispositions of the seduced as also the Impulsive Cause viz. Satan who fits suitable baits to all these sinful humours and evil tempers of the heart we come next to consider the Instrumental Cause employed by Satan in this work viz. the FALSE TEACHER whom Satan makes use of as his Seeds-man to disseminate and scatter erroneous Doctrines and Principles into the minds of Men Ploughed up and prepared by those evil tempers forementioned as a fit Soil to receive them The choice of Instruments is a principal part of Satan's policy Every one is not fit to be employed in such a Service as this All are not fit to be of the Council of War who yet take their places of Service in the Field A Rustick carried out of the Field on Board a Ship at Sea though he never learned his Compass nor saw a Ship before can by another's direction tug lustily at a Rope but he had need be an expert Artist that sits at the Helm and steers the course The worst Causes need the smoothest Orators and bad Ware a cunning Merchant to put it off Deep-parted Men are coveted by Satan to manage this design None like an eloquent Tertullus to confront a Paul Acts 24. 1. A subtil Eccius to enter the List in defence of the Popish Cause against the Learned and Zealous Reformers When the Duke of Buckingham undertook to Plead the bad Cause of Richard the third the Londoners said They never thought it had been possible for any Man to deliver so much bad Matter in such good Words and quaint Phrases The first Instrument chosen by Satan to deceive Man was the Serpent because that Creature was more subtil than any Beast of the Field There is not a Man of eminent parts but Satan courts and sollicites him for this service St. Austin told an ingenious but unsanctified Scholar Cupit abs te ornari Diabolus The Devil covets thy Parts to adorn his Cause He surveys the World and where-ever he finds more than ordinary strength of Reason pregnancy of Wit depth of Learning and elegancy of Language that is the Man he looks for These are the Men that can almost indiscernably sprinkle their Errors among many precious Truths and wrap up their poisonous Drugs in Leaf-gold or Sugar Maresius notes of Crellius and his Accomplices That by the power of their Eloquence and sophistry of their Arguments they were able artificially to cloath horrible Blasphemies to allure the simple And like the Hyaena they can counterfeit the voices of the Shepherds to deceive and destroy the Sheep There is saith a late Worthy an erudita nequitia a Learned kind of wickedness a subtil art of deceiving the minds of others Upon which account the Spirit of God sometimes compares them 2 Pet. 2. 3. to cunning and cheating Tradesmen who have the very art to set a gloss upon their bad Wares with fine words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they buy and sell the people with their ensnaring and feigned words And sometimes he compares them to cunning Gamesters that have the art and sleight of hand to Cog the Die to deceive the unskilful and win their Game Eph. 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And sometimes the Spirit of God compares them to Witches themselves Gal. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you How many strange feats have been done upon the bodies of Men and Women by Witchcraft But far more and stranger upon the Souls of Men by the Magick of Error Iannes and Iambres performed wonderful things in the sight of Pharoah by which they deceived and hardened him and unto these false Teachers are compared Such a Man was Elymas the Sorcerer who laboured to seduce the Deputy Sergius Paulus though a prudent Man Acts 13. 7 8 9 10. Oh full of all subtilty and all mischief thou Child of the Devil saith Paul unto him The Art of seduduction from the ways of truth and holiness discovers a Man to be both the Child and Scholar of the Devil But as the wise and painful Ministers of Christ who turn many to Righteousness shall have double Glory in Heaven so these subtil and most active Agents for the Devil who turn many from the ways of Righteousness will have a double portion of misery in Hell The Remedies The proper Remedies in this Case are principally two Remedy I. Pray fervently and labour diligently in the use of all God's appointed means to get more solidity of Judgment and strength of Grace to establish you in the Truth and secure your Souls against the cunning craftiness of Men that lye in to deceive 'T is the ignorance and weakness of the people which makes the Factors for Error so successful as they are Consult the Scriptures and you shall find these cunning Merchants drive the quickest and gainfullest trade among the weak and injudicious So speaks the Apostle With good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 harmless weak easie Souls who have a desire to do well but want wisdom to discern the subtilties of them that mean ill who are void both of fraud in themselves and suspition of others Oh! what success have the Deceivers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fair words and sugared speeches sweet and taking expressions among such innocent ones And who are they among whom Satan's cunning Gamesters commonly win the Game and sweep the Stakes but weak Christians credulous Souls whom for that reason the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children The word properly signifies an an Infant when 't is referred to the Age but unskilful and unlearned when referred as it is here to the Mind So again 2 Pet. 2. 14. They that is the False Teachers there spoken of beguile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unstable Souls Souls that are not confirmed and grounded in the Principles of Religion Whence by the way take notice of the unspeakable advantage and necessity of being well Catechized in our youth the more judicious the more secure Remedy II. Labour to acquaint your selves with the sleights and artifices Satan's Factors and Instruments generally make use of to seduce and draw Men from the Truth
as well knowing of what great use this will be to confirm and strengthen them in the ways of God So Errorists in like manner vehemently urge them to associate with their Party as knowing how one wedges in and fixes another in the ways of Error for such Causes Satan pushes on half-convictions into hasty resolutions quick dispatch being his great advantage This the Apostle intimates Gal. 1. 6. I marvel saith he that ye are so soon removed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what so soon yes if it had not been so soon it might never have been at all for Errors as one ingeniously observes like Fish must be eaten fresh and new or they'I quickly stink The Cure or Remedy The Remedies and Preventatives in this Case are such as follow Remedy I. Consider that hasty engagements in weighty and disputable matters have cost many Souls dear As hasty Marriages have produced long and late repentance so hath the clapping up of an hasty Match betwixt the Mind and Error By entertaining strange persons Men sometimes entertain Angels unaware but by entertaining of strange Doctrines many have entertained Devils unawares 'T is not safe to open the door of the Soul to let in strangers in the night let them wait till a clear day-light of information shew you what they are Remedy II. Weighty Actions require answerable Deliberations It was the worthy saying of Augustus Caesar That 's soon enough that 's well enough There be many things to be considered and throughly weighed before a Man change his judgment and embrace a new Doctrine or Opinion Luther in his Epistle to the Ministers of Norimberg cites an excellent passage out of Basil He that is about to separate himself from the society of his Brethren had need to consider many things even unto anxiety to beg of God the demonstration of Truth with many tears and to pass many solitary nights with waking eyes before he attempt or put such a matter in execution By the vote of the whole rational World Time and Consideration ought to be proportionate to the weight of an Undertakement Remedy III. The only season Men have to weigh things judiciously and impartially is before their affections be too far engaged and their credit and reputation too much concerned Men are better able to weigh Doctrines and Opinions whilst they are other mens than when they have espoused them and made them their own Before an Opinion be espoused the Affections do not blind and pervert the Judgment as they do afterward Self-love Love pulls down the balance at that end which is next us If therefore by hasty resolution you lose this only proper and advantagious season of deliberation you are not like to find such another Remedy IV. Trust not to the clearness of your own unassisted eyes nor to the strength of your single reason but consult in such cases with others that are pious and judicious especially your godly and faithful Ministers and hearken to the Counsels they give you Paul justly wondered that the Galatians were so soon removed and well he might For had they not a Paul to consult with before they gave their consent to false Teachers Or if he was at a distance from them about the work of the Lord in remote places had they no godly and judicious Friends near them whose Prayers and assistances they might call in as Daniel did Dan. 2. 17. Wo unto him that is alone in a time of temptation except the Lord be with him by extraordinary assistance and direction Remedy V. Lastly Suspect that Opinion as justly you may for erroneous that 's too importunate and pressing upon you and will not allow you due time of consideration and means of information That which is a truth to day will be a truth to morrow But that which looks like a truth to day may be detected and look like it self an odious Error to morrow And this is the reason of that post-haste that Satan and his Factors make to gain our present consent lest a speedy detection frustrate the suit and spoil the design The Vses follow in Six Consectaries Consectary I. From all that hath been said about Errors we see in the first place the great usefulness and plain necessity of an able faithful standing Ministry in the Church One special end of the Ministry is the establishment of the peoples Souls against the Errors of the times Eph. 4. 11 14. He gave some Apostles c. that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men c. Ministers are Shepherds and without a Shepherd how soon will the flock go astray Moses was absent but a few days from the Israelites and at his return found them all run into the snares of Idolatry A Sheep is animal sequax a creature that follows a Leader One stragler may mislead a whole flock A Minister's work is not only to feed but to defend the flock I am set saith Paul for the defence of the Gospel Phil. 1. 17. An Orthodox and Faithful Minister is a double blessing to the people but wo to that people whose Ministers instead of securing them against Errors do cause them to err Isa. 9. 16. they are the Dogs of the Flock Some in Scripture are called dumb dogs who instead of barking at the Thief bite the Children But faithful Ministers give warning of spiritual dangers So did the worthy Ministers of London Worcestershire Devon c. in their Testimonies against Errors Consectary II. This discourse shews us also how little quietness and peace the Church may expect till a greater degree of light and unity be poured out upon it what by persecutions from without it and troubles from within little tranquility is to be expected 'T is a Note of St. Bernards that the Church hath sometimes had pacem à Paganis sed rarò aut nunquam à filiis peace sometimes from Pagan Persecutors but seldom or never any peace from her own Children We read Zech. 14. 7. the whole state of the Christian Church from the primitive days to the end of the World set forth under the notion of one day and that a strange day too the light of it shall neither be clear nor dark nor day nor night but at evening time it shall be light i. e. a day full of interchangeable and alternate providences Sometimes persecutions heresies and errors prevail and these make that part of the day dark and gloomy and then Truth and Peace break forth again and clear up the day Thus it hath been and thus it will be until the evening of it and at even-time it shall be light then light and love shall get the ascendant of error and divisions Most of our scuffles and contentions are for want of greater measures of both these Consectary III. From the manifold Causes and Mischiefs of Errors before mentioned we may also see what a choice mercy
Right of Believers Infant-seed to Baptism you have altogether adventured it the second time with the consent of your Partizans upon the three Hypotheses which if I mistake not I have fully confuted and baffled in my first Answer But if my brevity occasioned any obscurity in that I hope you shall find it sufficiently done here Mean time you have given and I accordingly take it for granted that our Arguments for Infants Baptism stand in their full strength against you 'till you can better discharge and free your dangerous Assertions from the Errors and Absurdities in which they are now more involved and intricated than before The weaker any thing is the more querulous it is If Scripture-Argument and clear Reason will not support the Cause I undertake I am resolved never to call in passionate Invectives and weak Evasions for my Auxiliaries as you have here done The Lord give us all clearer Light tenderer Consciences exemplary Humility and Ingenuity Vindiciarum Vindex OR A REFUTATION OF THE Weak and Impertinent Rejoinder OF Mr. PHILIP CARY Wherein he vainly attempts the defence of his Absurd Thesis to the great abuse and injury of the Laws and Covenants of God AND must I be dipt once more in the Water-Controversy 't is time for me to think of undressing my self and making ready for my approaching Rest and employ those few moments I have to spend in more Practical and Beneficial Studies for my own and the Churches greater advantage And 't is time for Mr. C. to reflect upon his past Follies which have consumed too much of his own and others time without any advantage yea to the apparent loss and injury of the Cause he undertakes to defend When I received these Sheets from him in vindication of his Solemn Call I was at a stand in my own Resolutions whether to let it pass without any Animadversions upon it as a passionate Clamor for a desperate Cause or give a short and full Answer to his confused and impertinent Rejoinder But considering that I had under hand at the same time the foregoing Treatise of the Causes and Cures of Mental Errors and that though my honest Neighbour discovers much weakness in his way of Argumentation yet it was like to meet with some interested Readers to whom for that reason it would be the more suitable and how apt such Persons are to glory in the last word but especially considering that a little time and pains would suffice as the Case stands to end the unseasonable Controversy betwixtâ— us and both clear and confirm many great and weighty Points of Religion I was upon these Considerations prevailed with against my own Inclination to cast in these few Sheets as a Mantissa to the former seasonable and necessary Discourse of Errors resolving to fill them with what should be worth the Reader 's time and pains As for the rude Insults uncomely Reflections and passionate Expressions of my discontented Friend I shall not throw back the dirt upon him when I wipe it off from my self I can easily forgive and forget them too The best men have their Passions Iam. 5. 17. even Sweet-briers and Holy-Thistles have their offensive Prickles I consider my honest Neighbour under the strength of a Temptation It disquiets him to see the Labours of many years and the raised Expectations of so great a conquest and triumph over men of Renown all frustrated by his Friend and Neighbour who had done his utmost to prevent it and often foretold him of the folly and vanity of his Attempt Every thing will live as long as it can and natura vexat a prodit seipsam But certainly it had been more for Truth 's honour and Mr. C's comfort to have confessed his Follies humbly to God and have laid his hand upon his mouth The things in controversy betwixt us are great and weighty viz. The true nature of the Sinai Laws in their complex body the quality of God's Covenant with Abraham and the dispensation of the New Covenant we are now under These are things of great weight in themselves and their due Resolutions are at this time somewhat the more weighty because my Antagonist hath adventured the whole Controversy of Infants Baptism upon them I have in my Vindiciae Legis c. stated the several Questions clearly and distinctly Shewn Mr. C. what is no part of the Controversy and what is the very hinge upon which it turns desired him if he made any Reply to keep close to the just and necessary Rules of Disputation by distinguishing limiting or denying any of my Propositions that the matters in Controversy might be put to a fair and speedy issue But instead of that I meet with a flood of words rolling sometimes to this part and then to another part of my Answer and so back again without the steddy direction of Art or Reason There may for ought I know be some things of weight in Mr. Cary's Reply if a man could fee them for words but without scoff or vanity I must say of the rational part of it as the Poet said of the overdressed Woman Pars minima est ipsa Puella sui 't is the least part of it To follow him in his irregular and extravagant way of writing were to make my self guilty of the same folly I blame him for I am therefore necessitated to perstringe them and reduce all I have to say under three general Heads I. I shall clearly evince to the World That Mr. Cary hath not been able to discharge and free his own Theses from the horrid Consequents and gross Absurdities which I laid to their charge in my first Reply but instead thereof in this feeble and unsuccessful attempt to free the former he hath entangled himself in more and greater ones II. That he hath left my Arguments standing in their full strength against him III. And then I shall confirm and strengthen my three Positions which destroy the Cause he manages by some further Additions of Scripture Reason and Authorities which I hope will fully end this matter betwixt us But before I touch the Particulars two things must be premised for the Reader 's due information 1. That the Controversie about the true nature of the Sinai Laws both Moral and Ceremonial complexly considered is not that very Hinge upon which the Right of Believers Infants to Baptism depends that stands as it did before be the Sinai Laws what they will We do not derive the Right of Infants from any other Law or Covenant but that gracious Covenant which God made with Abraham which was in being 430 years before Moses his Law and was no way injured much less disannulled by the addition of it If Abraham's Covenant be the same Covenant of Grace we are now under the Right of Believers Infants to Baptism is secured whatever the Sinai Convenant prove to be Which I speak not out of the least jealousie that Mr. Cary hath or ever shall be able to prove it to be
John verse 8. Look to your selves that we lose not the things which we have wrought With multitude of other Scriptures recommending holy jealousy serious self-trial and examination of our Faith as the unquestionable duties of the people of God But if we ought to question our Faith no more than we ought to question Christ away then with all self-examination and diligence to make our Calling and Election sure for where there is no doubt nor danger there 's no place nor room for examination or further endeavours to make it surer than it is How do you like this Doctrine Christians How many be there among you that find no more cause to question your own faith or interest in Christ than you do to question whether there be a Christ or whether he shed his Blood for the remission of any Man's sins Reason II. This is a very dangerous Error and it is the more dangerous because it leaves no way to recover a presumptuous Sinner out of his dangerous mistakes but confirms and fixes him in them to the great hazard of his eternal ruin It cuts off all means of conviction or better information and Nails them fast to the carnal state in which they are According to this Doctrine 't is impossible for a Man to think himself something when he is nothing or to be guilty of such a Paralogism and cheat put by himself upon his own Soul Iam. 1. 22. this in effect bids a Man keep on right or wrong he is sure enough of Heaven if he be but strongly persuaded that Christ died for him and he shall come thither at last Certainly this was not the Counsel Christ gave to the self-deceived Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17 18. but instead of dissuading them from self-jealously and suspition of their condition whether their Faith and State were safe or not he rather counsels them to buy Eye-salve that is to labour after better information of the true state and condition they were in and not cast away their Souls by false persuasions and vain confidences Reason III. This Doctrine cannot be true because it supposes every persuasion or strong conceit of a Man 's own heart to be as infallibly sure and certain as the very fundamental Doctrine of Christianity No truth in the World can be surer than this That Jesus Christ died for Sinners This is a faithful saying and worthy of all accepâ—ation 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a Foundation stone a tried precious Corner-stone a sure foundation lay'd by God himself Isa. 28. 16. and shall the strong conceits and confidences of Men's hearts vye and compare in point of certainty with it As well may probable and meerly conjectural Propositions compare with Axioms that are self-evident or demonstrative Arguments that leave no doubts behind them Know we not that the heart is deceitful above all things the most notorious cheat and impostor in the World Ier. 17. 9 Does it not deceive all the formal hypocrites in the World in this very point And shall every strong conceit and presumptuous confidence begotten by Satan upon a deceitful heart and nursed up by self-love pass without any examination or suspition for as infallible and assured a truth as that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners The Lord sweep that Doctrine out of the World by Reformation which is like to sweep so many Thousand Souls into Hell by a remediless Self-deception Error IV. The fourth Antinomian Error before mentioned was this That Believers are not bound to confess their sins or pray for the pardon of them because their sins were pardoned before they were committed and pardoned sin is no sin Refutation If this be true Doctrine then it will justify and make good such Conclusions and Inferences as these which necessarily flow from it viz. 1. That there is no Sin in Believers 2. Or if there be the evil is very inconsiderable Or 3. Whatever evil is in it it is not the will of God that they should â—ither confess it mourn over it or pray for the remission of it Whatever he requires of others yet they need take no notice of it so as to afflict their hearts for it God hath exempted them from such concernments There 's nothing but joy to a Believer saith Mr. Eaton But neither of these conclusions are either true or tolerable therefore neither is the principle so which yields them 1. It is not true or tolerable to affirm that there is no Sin in a Believer 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us There 's not a just Man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not Eccles. 7. 20. In many things we offend all James 3. 2. The Scriptures plainly affirm it and the universal experience of all the Saints sadly confirms it 'T is true the Blood of Christ hath taken away the guilt of Sin so that it shall not condemn Believers and the spirit of Sanctification hath taken away the dominion of Sin so that it doth not reign over Believers but nothing except Glorification utterly destroys the existence of Sin in Believers The acts of sin are our acts and not Christ's and the stain and pollution of those sinful acts are the burthens and infelicities of Believers even in their justified State Dr. Crisp indeed p. 270 271. calls that objection I suppose he means distinction betwixt the guilt of Sin and Sin it self a simple objection and tells us the very Sin it self as well as the guilt of it passed off from us and was lay'd upon Christ So that speaking of the Sins of Blasphemy Murther Theft Adultery Lying c. From that time saith he that they were lay'd upon Christ thou ceasest to be a transgressor If thou hast part in the Lord Christ all these transgressions of thine become actually the transgressions of Christ. So that now thou are not an Idolater or Persecutor a Thief a Murtherer and an Adulterer thou art not a sinful person Christ is made that very sinfulness before God c. Such expressions justly offend and grieve the hearts of Christians and expose Christianity to scorn and contempt Was it not enough that the guilt of our sin was lay'd on him but we must imagine also that the thing it self Sin with all the deformity and pollution should be essentially transferred from us to Christ No no. After we are justified sin dwelleth in us Rom. 7. 17. warreth in us and brings us into captivity ver 23. Burthens and oppresseth our very Souls v. 24. Methinks I need not stand to prove what I should think no sound experienced Christian dares to deny that there is much sin still remaining in the persons of the justified He that dares to deny it hath little acquaintance with the nature of Sin and of his own Heart 2. It is neither true nor tolerable to say there is no considerable evil in the sins of Believers deserving a mournful confession or petition for
any the least guilt in the Elect to be pardoned and consequently no place or room could be left for any Justification in time And then it must follow that seeing Christ died in time for sin according to the Scriptures It must be for his own sins that he died and not for the sins of the Elect Diametrically opposite to Rom. 4. 25. and the whole current of Scripture and faith of Christians 'T is therefore very unbecoming and unworthy of a justified person after Christ hath taken all his guilt upon himself and suffer'd all the punishment due thereunto in his place and room Instead of an humble and thankful admiration of his unparallel'd grace therein to throw more than the guilt and punishment of his sins upon Christ even the transgression it self and comparing his own Righteousness with Christ's to say he is as compleatly Righteous as Christ himself This is as if a company of Bankrupt Debtors Arrested for their own Debts ready to be cast into Prison and not having one Farthing to satisfy after their Debts have been freely and fully discharg'd by another out of his immense treasure should now compare with him yea and think they honour'd him by telling him that now they are as compleatly Rich as himself I am well assur'd no good Man would embrace an Opinion so derogatory to Christ's Honour as this is did he but see the odious consequences of it doubtless he would abhor them as much as we And as for those now in Heaven who fell into such mistakes in the way thither were they now acquainted with what is transacted here below they would exceedingly rejoyce in the detection of those mistakes and Bless God for the refutation of them Error VIII They affirm That Believers need not fear their own sins nor the sins of others for as much as neither their own or others sins can do them any hurt nor must they do any duty for their own good or salvation or for eternal rewards That we need fear no hurt from sin or may not aim at our own good in Duty are two Propositions that sound harsh in the ears of Believers I shall consider them severally and refute them as briefly as I can Proposition I. Believers need not fear their own sins or the sins of others because neither our own or others sins can do us any hurt They seem to be induced into this Error by misunderstanding the Apostle in Rom. 8. 28. as if the scope of that Text were to assert the benefits of sin to justified persons whereas he speaks there of Adversities and Afflictions befalling the Saints in this Life Vniversalis restringenda est ad materiam subjectam loquitur enim de afflictionibus piorum The subject matter saith Pareus on the place restrains the Universal expression of the Apostle For when he there saith All things shall work together for good he principally intends the afflictions of the Godly of which he treats there in that context It may be extended also to all providential events Omnia quaecunque eis accedunt forinsecus tam adversa quà m prospera All adverse and prosperous events of things without us as Estius upon the place notes Nothing is spoken of sin in this Text. And the Apostle distributing this General into Particulars verse 38. plainly shews what are the things he intended by his Universal expression verse 28. as also in what respect no creature can do the Saints any hurt namely that they shall never be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And in this respect it is true that the Sins of the Elect shall not hurt them by frustrating the purpose of God concerning their Eternal Salvation or totally and finally to separate them from his Love This we grant and yet we think it a very unwary and unsound expression That Believers need not fear their own sins because they can do them no hurt 'T is too general and unguarded a Proposition to be received for truth What if their sins cannot do them that hurt to frustrate the purpose of God and Damn them to Eternity in the World to come Can it therefore do them no hurt at all in their present state of conflict with it in this World For my part I think the greatest fear of caution is due to sin the greatest evil and that Chrysostome spake more like a Christian when he said Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin Though sin cannot finally ruine the Believer yet it can many ways hurt and injure the Believer and therefore ought not to be misrepresented as such an innocent and harmless thing to them In vain are so many terrible threatnings in the Scriptures against it if it can do us no hurt and it is certain nothing can do us good but that which makes us better and more Holy But Sin can never pretend to that of all things in the World But to come to an issue Sin may be consider'd three ways 1. Formally 2. Effectively 3. Reductively First Formally as a transgression of the Preceptive part of the Law of God and under that consideration it is the most formidable evil in the whole World The evil of evils at which every gracious heart trembles and ought rather to chuse Banishment Prison and Death it self in the most terrible form than Sin or that which is most tempting in Sin the pleasures of it as Moses did Heb. 11. 25. Secondly Sin may be consider'd Effectively with respect to the manifold mischiefs and calamities it produceth in the World and the Spiritual and Corporeal Evils it infers upon Believers themselves Though it cannot Damn their Souls yet it makes War against their Souls and brings them into miserable Bondage and Captivity Rom. 7. 23. It wounds their Souls under which wounds they are feeble and sore broken yea they roar by reason of the disquietness of their hearts Psal. 38. 5 8. Is War Captivity Festering painful Wounds causing them to roar no hurt to Believers It breaks their very Bones Ps. 51. 8. And is that no hurt It draws off their Minds from God interrupts their Prayers and Meditations Rom. 7. 18 19 20 21. And is there no hurt in that It causeth their Graces to decline wither and languish to that degree that the things which are in them are ready to die Rev. 3. 1. and Rev. 2. 4. And is the loss of Grace and Spiritual strength no hurt to a Believer It hides the Face of God from them Isa. 59. 2. And is there no hurt in spiritual withdrawments of God from their Souls Why then do deserted Saints so bitterly lament and bemoan it It provokes innumerable afflictions and miseries which fall upon our Bodies Relations Estates and if Sin be the cause of all these inward and outward miseries to the People of God sure then there is some hurt in Sin for which the Saints ought to be afraid of it Thirdly Sin may be consider'd Reductively