Neonomianism Unmask'd OR THE Ancient Gospel PLEADED Against the OTHER CALLED A New LAW OR GOSPEL IN A Theological Debate occasioned by a Book lately Wrote by Mr. Dan. Williams Entituled Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated Unwarily Commended and Subscribed by some Divines Applauded and Defended by the late Athenian Clubb As many as are of the Works of the Law are under a Curse Gal. 3.10 And the Law is not of Faith Ver. 12. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 By ISAAC CHAVNCY M. A. LONDON Printed for J. Harris at the Harrow in the Poultry 1692. TO ALL True Lovers OF THE LORD JESUS BOTH Ministers Christians Of any Perswasions whatever THE Apostle Paul doth declaim against nothing more than Another Gospel which is not another Gospel as he saith because no Gospel Quod nusquam est cum unum fit Evangelium non plura saith Beza on the Gal. 1. It is no where seeing there is but one Gospel and not more This pretended other Gospel was a Doctrine that taught the Conjunction of the Works of a Law with the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ in the Juctification of a Sinner before God which some False Teachers did zealously press upon the Galatians in opposition to the Apostles Doctrine These he calls Troublers of the Churches and Perverters or Subverters of the Gospel of Christ viz. The Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace Such as teach Justification by a Law of Merits not of Christ but our own See Beza on the pl. Altho' we say they were wrought in us by Christ as if Christ could be said to Justifie by giving us a way or means to justifie our selves you may as well reconcile Light and Darkness as these two As to the Introducers and Teachers of such Doctrine the Apostle denounceth a bitter Curse against them whatever they were pretending to never so much Holiness Apostles or Angels Yea he puts himself under this Anathema if at any time he should be guilty in this kind And to shew that he speaks not rashly or passionately but by the Spirit of God and to awe Men's Minds the more and deterr them from such Attempts he redoubles the Imprecation But you 'll say May we not a little make bold with the Gospel of Christ How far may we venture to go and not fall under this Anathema The Apostle answers v. 9. If any Man preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed And the Doctrines which they had received was Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law And that a Law is not of Faith in the Point of Justification ch 3.12 Mr. Beza justifies our Translation in rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides rather than against For saith he the Apostle said not If they preach contrary things and subvert the whole Gospel as Chrysostom hath it But If they pervert it a little if they preach any thing besides that Gospel which they had received c. If they as the Apostle saith many did 2 Cor. 2.17 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupanariam Exercentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupones Infames semper sordidi sunt babiti quod merces corrumpunt adulterant Jun. Beza Corrupt the Word of God as fraudulent Vintners who dash their Wines with Water or any base Liquors But saith the Apostle We are of those who Preach the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sincerity in the Truth of our Hearts as we will answer unto God without any thing of Craft or Double Dealing or mixing our omn Schemes or Phantasies therewith that speak the very Truth as we have dealt plainly and truly not shunning to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 not shuffling and hiding some great Truths that we think are not fit for the People to know and therefore saith he we have abdicated * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abrenunciavimus pudendis latebris non calliditaté ambutantes neque falsantes sermonem Dei 2 Cor. 4.2 this shameful hiding the Word of God not demeaning our selves craftily nor handling it deceitfully And to such as receive this other Gospel who have professed to the receiving the True Gospel he saith I marvel you should be so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel Calls them Fools Gal. 3.1 saith they were fascinated bewitched the Devil had got a great hand over them tells them they were Apostates had began in a Spiritual Gospel but ended in a Carnal Nay he testifies that whoever is Justified by a Law it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fallen from Grace and that all their former Sufferings how great soever they have been would prove in vain Oh! that Professors of our Days would seriously consider these things who are so ready to run after this other Gospel Lastly It is also needful to observe how the Apostle Paul complements Peter that Great Apostle and one of the Pillars in the Churches for his double dealing in these matters in so much as countenancing this False Gospel or the Imposing Teachers of it He withstood him to the Face and publickly he rebuked him sharply because he was exceedingly culpable and in that he not only committed a great Sin himself but carry'd away Barnabas and many professing Jews with his Dissimulation insomuch that they all plaid the Hypocrites * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him to please the Neonomians He aggravates their Fault in telling them they countenanced a Doctrine which they were convinced was false ch 2.16 That they made Christ a Minister of Sin that they condemned themselves in their Practice by building the things which they had destroyed He takes off also all Apologies that they might make from the seeming Smallness of the Fault as to refuse to eat with the Gentiles Come come saith he the mischief lies in it's Tendency viz. To encourage the Preachers and Receivers of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he we have believed on Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of a Law for by the Works of a Law no Flesh living shall be justified I hope they whom these things do nearly concern at this time will duly weigh and consider them Tho' I doubt not but they know them yet it may not be amiss to stir up knowing Men by putting them in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Verbum sat sapientibus As to the present Grand Assertor of a New Law and of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the said Law I thought it due to the Grandeur of his Appearance in the Head of a New Sect to treat him by the Name thereof viz. A Neonomian * One that Asserts the Old Law is abolished and therein is a superlative Antinomian but pleads for a New Law and Justification by
what I propose in this very Endeavour Antinom It 's well if it be so but as they say the Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating It 's no new thing for Men to pretend well let their Undertaking be what it will But Non videtur id manticae quod in tergo est Apollinarius the Heretick had a School cum Titulo Orthodoxi And Nestorius the Heretick shrouded himself under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Error sibi ex principiis fidem perstruit ut cum magna mercede fallet It 's observed that Error will always shelter it self under a plausible Pretext of Truth that it may do it with the greatest Advantage Neonom I am convinced after many Prayers and serious Thoughts that the Revival of those Errors must not only exclude that Ministry as Legal which is most apt in its Nature and by Christ's Ordination to convert Souls and secure the Practical Power of Religion but also renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Antinom You know also another old Proverb In Nomine Domini c. Livy reports of Scipio Africanus before he set upon any Business he entred the Capitol alone pretending thereby a Consultation with the Gods whereupon apud multitudinem plerumque velut mente divinitus monitâ agebat thereby he had a great Vogue among the People of the Justness of his Cause I can't perswade my self that the Composure of that piece of Work that hath so much Moral Evil in it and bitter Opposition to Gospel-Truth is an Answer of Prayers neither can I pray as those Gentlemen whose Names stand over your Porch but think it my Duty to pray quite contrary and as for what you speak of Revival of Errors I judge that your Dictates are no Rule to judge of Faith and Error by how magisterially soever you impose them And I think we are come to a sad pass if a Man of your declared Principles must be set up as a Reformer of Error and Former of Articles of Faith and such as are in Fundamental Points directly contrary to the Doctrinal Part of the 39 Articles yea such as our first Protestant Reformers decryed by Scripture and the best Arguments as highly Antichristian and destructive to the Souls of Men which Witness of theirs many of them sealed with their Blood You say the Danger of such things as you call Error will be in excluding the Teaching of your Doctrine and Ministry as Legal Would to God such Ministry as the Spirit of God call's Legal Preaching were excluded by the brighter Shining of the Grace of God into the Hearts both of Ministers and People from which Light some and too many this Day have swerved having turned aside unto vain Jangling desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affivm 1 Tim. 1.6 But you call that Evangelical which we call Legal We can't help your calling Light Darkness and Darkness Light Law Gospel and Gospel Law and you say it 's most apt in its own Nature to secure the Power of Religion Whereas Experience hath shewed to the contrary how well the Doctrine of Justification by Works hath secured it among the Romanists And the Apostle Paul testifies by the Spirit That whosoever is justified by a Law it's not the Law is fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 And therefore its false that such Doctrine is Christ's Ordination It hath not Fitness in it to convert Souls for the Law brings none to God No Man is justifyed in or by a Law in the Sight of God Gal. 3.11 Those Places and divers others should be read a Law and not the Law because the Spirit by them excludes all Laws even your Law Its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphatical Particle is not put in and therefore there 's no ground to say this or that Law only is excluded from Justification but every Law and where there 's no true Justification taught there can be no true Practical Obedience But the last Prejudice is That such Doctrines as are opposite to yours renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Good Reason there is for it because they can't unite in their Head Christ Jesus and therefore can't unite as Members There lies the Impossible For what Communion between Christ and Belial By this it appears you strike at the Union Neonom Every Sermon will be matter of Debate and mutual Censures of the severest kind will be unavodable while one side justly press the Terms of the Gospel under its Promises and Threats for which they are accused as Enemies to Christ and his Grace c. Antinom Reason Good that every Sermon that makes the Gospel a Law i. e. That press Duty under a Law-Sanction should not only be matter of Debate but earnestly contended against for the Performance of Duty as Terms enforced by a Law-Sanction is a Covenant of Works So that such Men are Preachers of a Law it s no matter what Law Works performed under a Law-Sanction are Legal Works and do make the Covenant enjoyning them a Covenant of Works Censures are here justly made of such a Ministry and they that preach such Doctrine are certainly Enemies to the Grace of God under whatsoever Vizards of pretended Holiness they vail themselves Neonom And the other side ignorantly set up the Name of Christ and Free Grace against the Government of Christ and the Rule of Judgement Antinom I think the Stomach of every Good Man may justly rise not only against your Insolent but prophane Expression All Men besides Neonomians are Ignorant Men. What saith the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserimos mortalium Qui spiritus tumidos gerunt Arrogancy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tough Itch not easily cured How far doth this Spirit come short of the Imitation of Christ in Meekness and Lowliness Yea how far from his Rule which you would seem to be so zealous for To do nothing out of Strife and Vain-Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil. 2.3 But with you all that adore Free Grace and set up Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law do ignorantly set up the Name of Christ Is this a piece of Ignorance to set up the Name of Christ as a Saviour of Sinners and as that Name whereby we are Justifyed from all things from which we could not be justifyed by the Law of Moses or any other Law Beware lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets Behold ye Despisers c. Acts 13.39 40. And what do these Men so ignorantly do They set Christ against himself Set up his Name and Free Grace against his Government And why Because they say we are saved not by our Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy and that it was the meer Kindness and Love of God our Saviour that appeared to us in the Gospel-Salvation Tit. 3.4
and it consisted only in some external Rites Sacrifices Priviledges c. Antisozzo This proceeds upon a double false Supposition 1. That the Apostle renounceth nothing but what he retained while a Pharisee 2. Whatever he renounced did constitute his Pharisaical Righteousness 1. I must cut him off from Circumcision that was no part of his own Righteousness unless you have a spice of the Doctrin of imputing the Righteousness of another Person for Justification 2. For Sacrifices the Apostle mentions them not knowing they were the visible Gospel of the Jewish Church and did lead to Christ As to his being of the Stock of Israel of the Seed of Abraham c. they might expect some favours thence but that any were so far bewitched as to believe that all the Stock of Israel and the Nation of Abraham should be justified cannot be proved 4. For civility and blamelesness of Conversation it may be it may go a great way in your Account But I find you take but little notice of it here but place Paul's Righteousness which he renounced with that of Baal's Priests the Concision his rejection of Christ Opinion of Jewish Observation and abuse of the Mosaick frame a fine Parcel of Righteousness he surely misnamed it he should have called that his Wickedness and Villany But whatever Paul was or was not whilst a Pharisee it makes no great matter to the Business in Hand seeing he hath so freely and openly disown'd whatever was his own Righteousness after Conversion in the matter of Justification before God Antisozzo p. 554. Neonom But Righteousness by the Faith of Christ is internal Righteousness Gospel-Holiness this is not Dung and this was not of the Law opposed to the Faith of Christ nay this is by the Faith of Christ Act 15.9 And we are created in Christ to this Holiness c. Antisezzo Ay but Proof Proof is wanting it 's called being born again rising again with Christ c. but Proof Proof is wanting for we think that those Expressions do not denote that Righteousness whereby we are constituted just in the sight of God but Holiness and Sanctification of Nature which the Gospel evidently distinguishes from that Righteousness whereby we are justifyed p. 559. Paul who rejects the Righteousness of the Law in the matter of Justification before God rejects also inward Purity and Holiness of Mind for that purpose Does the Righteousness of the Law signifie one thing in the New Testament and another in the old Doth it signifie real substantial internal Righteousness in the old and external ritual Righteousness in the new Sincerity in the one and Hipocrisy and Ceremony in the other This is very unaccountable Neonom But the Apostle tells us That by his own Righteousness he means the Righteousness of the Law and by the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Faith Antisozzo I see you are for finding out Antitheses in the words as some Body else was The Apostle's words are very clear but you find it necessary to obscure them and deprave the Truth But thus far we are secure that the Apostle hath repuditated his own Righteousness from Justification and that we may not doubt what that was he tells us it was that of the Law the Righteousness of the Law is what it commands and prescribes viz. an exact conformity to the Law of God in Spirit Soul and Body so far as is attainable He assures us in the next place what he owns and adheres to viz. the Righteousness of Christ which is called the Righteousness of God He further acquaints us how we come to be interested in this Righteousness it is by Faith and that we do not wilfully and ignorantly mistake this Faith for the Doctrin of Faith he assures us it is believing by which we obtain this Righteousness Rom. 3.24 See more 563 564 565 c. Neonom I will set a Cross upon you the next time I Print my Book Mr. Antisozzo and if you please let us hear what Dr. Owen saith I wish he had undertaken the point in Mr. Antisozzo 's room he would have been more favourable to my Opinion for I prove my whole Scheme out of him especially my Conceptions about the Doctrin of Imputation Calvin I pray Dr. Owen let us bear your Sentiments in this great Point and with as much softness as may be for Mr. Neonom thinks Mr. Antisozzo was too hard and sharp upon him Dr. Owen I shall reduce what I have to say to that admirable Text Phil. 3.8 9. to the ensuing Heads which deserves to be wrote in every Bible in Letters of Gold though Mr. Neonom with some others lay it so low 1. That which the Apostle designs in this Chapter is to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God and have cause to rejoyce and this he fixeth on in general viz. an interest in and participation of Christ by Faith in opposition to all legal Priviledges and Advantages wherein the Jews boasted vers 3. 2. He supposeth that unto our acceptance before God wherein we are to rejoyce there is a Righteousness necessary and whatever it be is the sole ground of that Acceptance 3. He declares There is a twofold Righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose 1. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law 2. That which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith these he asserts as opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our Justification before God 4. Placing the Instance in himself he declares which of them it was he adhered unto and placed his confidence in And in handling this Subject some things engaged his holy Mind into an earnestness of Expression in the exaltation of one of these viz. the Righteousness which is of God by Faith 1. This was the turning Point whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism this therefore was to be secured See Gal. 2.15 16. 2. Hereupon there was a great opposition made to this Doctrin in all places by the Jews 3. The weight of the Doctrin itself 5. Hence in many other places of his Writings but especially in this he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of Spirit than ordinary thus 1. He speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ 2. In his Expression of all other things that are our own that are not Christ's whether Priviledges or Duties however good useful excellent they may be in themselves yet in comparison of Christ and his Righteousness and with respect unto the end of our standing before God and Acceptance with him with the same vehemence of Spirit he casts Contempt upon them calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dog's Meat Neonom Pray Sir doth the Apostle with vehemency renounce Works wrought in Faith Evangelical Works Dr. O. Answ In the Matter of Justification the Apostle opposeth Evangelical Works not only unto the Grace of
DEFENDED AND THE New Gospel UNMASK'D TWO Gentlemen who had for their Recreation walk'd forth into the Fields in Vtopia happened to fall into Company together and after mutual Salutation and general Discourses of News having not as yet a particular Acquaintance or Knowledge one of another one of them among many things mentioned by him that were great ground of Sadness to a considering and gracious Mind said He was most affected with and grieved at the great Eclipse fallen of late upon the Doctrine of the Gospel insomuch that for the Doctrine of Justification especially we are in a manner returned again into Egypt that of Justification by Works being brought into the room of Justification by Faith and only varnish'd over with the Profession of the Protestant Religion and the change of a few Terms which are used to the same purpose that the former were The other Gentleman look'd hard upon him while he thus spake and said Have you seen a Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated It 's a Book much talked of and commended Yes Sir said the other I have seen the Book and read most of it but I will assure you I was much grieved at the reading of it I pray your Reasons He replyed Pray Sir excuse me there The other return'd I begin to have some Apprehensions what your Principles are I find you are an Antinomian I pray what is your Name I crave your Excuse Sir you have given me a Name you may call me by that or what you please for by this I do as well ken you For I know of what Principles those Men are of that are so ready to asperse the Asserters of the Doctrine of Free-Grace with the Reproachful Name of Antinomians the true Account of which Sect and most ancient is from the Apostle Paul's time that they took occasion from the Doctrine of Free-Grace to plead for and practise all manner of Licentiousness Hoc anno prodiit Secta eorum qui dicuntur Antinomi Sleid. com l. 12. fol. 199. And in Sleiden we have an Account of a Sect of Libertines or Carnal Gospellers which brake out in Germany after the Reformation circ An. 1538. the Ring-leader whereof was Islebius Agricola the Compiler of the Interim They merited this Name of Antinomians by the loose Opinions and looser Practices against whom Luther wrote several Books and Calvin also with great Invectives in his Instr advers Libertin Which were Learned and eminent Witnesses to the Doctrine of Free Grace as it ought to be held forth in all its Gospel-Splendor and Lustre The other Gentleman replied As for Luther he was an Antinomian himself and Calvin but a little better according to the Opinion of our Modern Divines We say they are Antinomians that deny Justification to be by Faith as a conditional receiving Act and by Repentance as a qualifying Act and that the continuation of our Justification is by Works These Men which you name and their Followers indeed pretend to Holiness but they ascribe not that to it which they ought for the Honour of God's Rectoral Rule of Government Antinomian If these be the Men you call Antinomians they are falsely so called I think they that come nearest to the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles are the most Orthodox and I know no such Doctrine that they have taught but contrary to what you call Orthodox you seem to be of the Sect-truly call'd Neonomians because they assert That the Gospel is a new Law the Condition whereof is imperfect sincere persevering Obedience which I take to be no other than a Covenant of Works Neonom I am indeed of that Opinion and my Scheme is according thereunto I say the Covenant of Grace is a conditional Covenant and the Condition of it is sincere Obedience in Faith and other Graces and Duties persevered in But I say not that we are Justifyed by the Covenant of Works the Law of Innocency that is Abrogated transiit in Sentontiam but that Christ hath in satisfying that Law merited another with milder Terms and Conditions viz. of Imperfect Obedience Antinom I perceive then that you are the Antinomian indeed for you set aside the Old Law as Obsolete and Abrogated and of no use to us at all For the Apostle Paul saith The Promise is not against the Law but it doth establish it Neonom i. e. It doth establish the New Law not the Old we are for a Law and Justification by it tho' not for the Old For Paul still opposeth the Law of Faith and the Works of that Law to the Old Law i. e. The Law of Perfect Obedience You must not confound one with another That was a Law of Perfection this of Imperfection I have stated the difference between Truth and Error in these matters Antinom Now you say you have stated the Difference I begin to suspect you to be the Author of that Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated For that Gentleman pretends to a singular Dexterity in stating Questions and Superlative Nicety even to the splitting a Hair between Truth and Error and I perceive divers Divines do esteem him a Cuminopristes that way by the Commendation they have given him and the Recommendation of his Treatise Neonom Truly it is no more than what it deserves not to say any thing of the Author who I know how unworthy soever he thinks himself to be yet hath no greater Ambition than to remove Mistakes from Men's Minds about Gospel-Truths of which there are many even among honest well-meaning Divines as well as others who are too much unstudied in these matters and therefore frequently utter their crude and undigested Conceptions in the Pulpit and Press too and as he would reach forth light to them so he would be Malleus Hereticorum Antinom My thinks I am the more confirmed by this that you your self were the Author Are you Mr. D. W Neonom I was either the Author or will personate him so far as to defend the Book if any one hath any thing to say against it I must confess D. W. Pref. p. 1. a dislike of Contention hath long restrained my engaging in this Work Antinom I doubt too much of the contrary appears in that Book or else the Author would never have raked up the Ashes of an Holy Man that hath been so long at rest to contend with and spurn them about with his Foot in so much Scorn and Contempt Neonom I have been oft solicited to this Work by many able Ministers Antinom Because they look'd upon you as the ablest as you seem willing to be thought I perceive now I be not mistaken Neonom But finding what Principles you are of I know you are mistaken in many things which I shall rectifie you in if you have Patience and Will to hearken to me Do but read my Book and consider it well Peace is the Blessing which I chearfully pursue and it with the Truth
the Stomach and that the whole Mass of Blood is infected with ill Humours or the Morbid Constitution of some Parts Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh saith our Saviour our great Physician Is it not sad when there is a poysonsom Juyce under the Lips and a Mouth full of Bitterness Rom. 3. You first charge the Ministry of some and most hereabout know what sort of Men you mean with being the Cause of Men's Security in Sin And why Because they preach the Doctrine of the Gospel in a free Justification of a Sinner by Faith without the Works of a Law according to the Apostle Paul and preach down your Doctrine of Justification by Works But you express the Effects of this dangerous Doctrine to lie in these things 1. Security in Sin A Doctrine that quickens Men that are dead in Trespasses and Sins one part of which Death is Security in Sin doth not cause Security in Sin But the Doctrine of Free Grace in Justification of a Sinner without Works of any Law doth so Eph. 2. I shall not now enlarge upon you 2. Another ill Effect is you say That it causes the mistaking the Motions of sensible Passions for Conversion This is rather the Effect of your own Doctrine wherein you lay the whole Stress of Justifying and Saving Grace upon Sensible Passions and set Men wholly to judge of their State thereby It 's marvellously to be wondred at that any Man should have the Impudency to charge those Effects upon an opposite Doctrine to his which are the natural and palpable Effects of his own and he sees so to be 3. You charge upon it the general Abatement of an exact and humble walking This Charge is likewise of the same Nature Whereas the Spirit of God hath disclaimed any true Cause of exact walking beside the Grace of God that brings Salvation and then teacheth it as hath been proved As for Humble walking what is a greater Inducement thereto than the Doctrine of Faith which ascribes all to the Gift of Grace empties us of every high Imagination and Thought It exalts Christ and makes him all and in all Whereas yours is the contrary no Doctrine tends more to the lifting up of the Creature than that of Neonomianism next to that of the Papists And no wonder say you when so many affirm such and such things Where are the many or the any that you can charge with saying these things in the same Sence you put upon them Many Expressions that taken together with their Connexion in the explained Sence of him that speaks are not only true but safe and sound but abstracted and wrested may be made to look as black as Hell You may say David saith That there is not an honest Man upon the Face of the Earth Psal 12. That he saith There is no God Psal 14. That Moses affirms God to be a Man Exod. 15.3 And in a Thousand Places in your way and manner it 's easie to charge Blasphemy upon the very Scriptures And how often Lying if Hyperbole's be not allowed to be used without Wrong to the Truth As to the particular Charges I shall speak to each in it's proper place and lay open your Prevarications Errors and false Imputations to the World Neonom In this present Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel I have studyed Plainness Pref. D. W. p. 3. and to that end oft repeated the same things in my Concessions to prevent the Mistakes of the less Intelligent tho' I could not think it fit to insist anew upon all Antinom Your Testimony is against the Truth as shall be made appear and is not to be accounted a Testimony For a Testimony is a credible Witness or Evidence As the Apostle Paul saith Our Testimony among you was believed 2 Thes 1.10 And this Testimony is with a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 And Paul testified the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 2.24 1. Your Testimony is not to the Gospel of the Grace of God but against it and therefore not materially true 2. Your Testimony is formally naught it being not accompanied with a good Conscience but with a purpose and design to deceive You pretend to do Good but you manifestly design Evil to blast the Honour of God's Free Grace as if it were a Sin-teaching Doctrine and blacken a Holy Servant of Christ who is now in Glory for Preaching the Gospel your Testimony can't be believ'd because of your manifold Prevarications Equivocations and False Teachings in this Treatise of yours And whereas you say you have studied Plainness if you mean that in some places is no better than plain Falshood in others plain Error it 's true enough Or if you mean Plainness in respect of Style it 's homely enough and hardly plain Sence But if you mean Plainness of Simplicity without double-tonguedness I utterly deny it For when you speak of things that one would think at first Glance you intend Truth by it 's nothing so No Jesuite in the World can out-do you at Equivocation and there lies your Natural Excellency You have impertinent Repetition enough your Concessions every where fall about your own Ears in your glozing Oppositions to the Truth you deny You design the rectifying the Mistakes of the Non-intelligent This is false it 's manifest you design the blinding of them more else why do you quote Dr. Owen and the Assembly for countenancing those Errors which you know they directly oppose Let but the Mistakes of the less Intelligent be removed their Stomachs will rise sufficiently against you and your Book too Neonom I have in nothing misrepresented Dr. Crisp 's Opinion nor mistaken his Sence Antinom This must be true or false and here is the turning Point of the whole Book Either Dr. Crisp was or you must be If you have not misrepresented him then according to your Representation he was so If you have misrepresented him and unjustly blackened him what are you But that which we have in hand is Falshood and Lying As to this Assertion of yours we shall prove you guilty of Falshood throughout the Book that though you have repeated some of Dr. Crisp's Words from time to time yet you have only repeated such part of his Words as might render him odious not those that give a true and can did Sence of what he intended and herein you misrepresented him and that on purpose Now the Spirit of God lays the Formal Nature of a Lie upon an Intention to deceive or to deal injuriously with others as in the Case of Doeg Though I do not design now to come to Particulars I will give one Instance wherein you in your Book and your Party do frequently expose Dr. Crisp and his Abettors such as you call Divers as also Crispians and Antinomians that he and they do assert Sin can do no hurt and you would have Men understand that he means That no Person in Christ need fear to commit Sin and that Sin
odd things Sanctification is no Blessing with you but only a Condition of getting Blessings Neonom He saith that on the Cross all the Sins of the Elect were transferred to Christ and ceased ever to be theirs Antinom Then there was something more needful to our Title to Blessings than the Electing Decree viz. The transferring our Sins to Christ on the Cross It is a Truth that our Sins were laid upon Christ and that but once and after the manner of Imputation in foro Justitiae Divinae they shall never be laid upon us This I will prove against you when you please and indeed it s this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest Pique at Neonom That at the first moment of Conception a Title to all those Decreed Blessings is personally applyed to the Elect and they invested actually therein Antinom If that be his particular Judgment in that Point he saith something for it and I know not that you can disprove him If God doth secretly and invisibly apply his distinguishing Fruits of Electing and Redeeming Love upon the Elect as is manifest in Jeremiah John the Baptist yea Paul and without Dispute in the Instance of Jacob that he gives Is any Man the worse for it Must he therefore come under your Anathema for an Heretick Yea is not the Blessing thus applyed to all the Elect dying in Infancy Neonom Hence he saith the Elect have nothing to do in order to an Interest in any of those Blessings nor ought they to intend the least Good to themselves by what they do Sin can do them no harm because it is none of theirs nor can God afflict them for any Sin Antinom You may erect such a Scheme upon Paul's Epistles after this manner and take the Apostle James to prove it in your way He saith The Elect can do nothing in order to an Interest in Eternal Blessings nor when they have Eternal Life bestowed upon them and the Grace of Sanctification as an undoubted part of it ought they to put their Graces and Duties in the place of Christ or design the procuring or deserving so much as de congruo in what they do and that sin can't harm them as to it 's Penal and Vindicative Effects He saith therefore it can do them no real harm and so he explains himself And therefore Gods afflicting them proceeds not from Vindicative Justice he doth not afflict them so as to execute Justice upon them for Sin but to reform them His Term is from Sin i. e. to purge Sin out of them and make them Partakers of his Holiness As the Apostle saith Heb. 12. Neonom And all the rest of his Opinions follow in a Chain to the dethroning of Christ enervating his Laws and Pleadings obstructing the great Designs of Redemption opposing the very Scope of the Gospel and the Ministry of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles Antinom It 's strange a Holy Man as you own he was should do Christ so much mischief Here 's a swinging Bill of Costs but that 's not fair before we have a Hearing and Tryal Your Word is a Law Ego ipse dixi is enough if you pass the Sentence there 's nothing but Death and the Cobler But you say all his Doctrine is link'd together as in a Chain That 's like the Analogy of Faith not like a Scheme that must be erected a new every Minute or else it will not agree with the Heavens Nowmenians or Neonomians must be often erecting new Schemes Your Opinions are so far from Consistency and linking together that they hang together like a Rope of Sand and like Particles of various Shapes that are always justling one another till they break each others Shins Doth this Doctrine incur all this Damage By what Law Nay all this Damage is excluded by the Law of Faith And your boasting too of Works Doth the Apostle Paul's Doctrine preached Eph. 1. 2. Ch. and Rom. 4. and Gal. 5. where he testifies That Christ is become of none effect to whomsoever is justified by a Law dethrone Christ and enervate his Laws and Intercession Doth he plead your Works Doth it obstruct the great Designs of Redemption in advancing him in all his Offices and the Glory of God's Free Grace Your Bill of Costs will never be allowed you till you have confuted Paul's Epistles or by your Canons made them no Canonical Scriptures Neonom The Dr. had not entertained these Opinions if he had considered that God's Electing Decree is no Legal Grant nor a formal Promise to us The Decree includes the Means and the End in order to the last And as it puts nothing in present being so it bars not God as a Governour to fix a Connexion between Benefits and Duties by his Revealed Will. Antinom Here I see I must have a Care of my Crown The Dr. Seraphicus holds up his Fist Well Dr. Cr. you should go to School to learn new Principles in Divinity if you lived in our Times You did not consider that God did not legally Elect you But Sir is not this a very insolent thing of you to say that the Purpose of God in Election was not a Legal Grant Was it a Grant or no Or was it an Election without a Grant Is not God's Designation of Good a Grant so far as designed Is not a choosing in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love A granting that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love and predestinating us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will A Granting that we should have the Adoption of Children But you say this was not Legal What! Was it not lawful for God to do this according to the good Pleasure of his Will That we usually mean when we say a thing is not Legal Or do you mean God did not elect by a Law If he had been bound by a Law to Elect he had not Elected freely For a free choice implies a Person under no Obligation external or previous to his own intention and purpose 2. You say nor a formal Promise i. e. Explicit you mean It 's enough that it's an unchangeable purpose to make a formal Promise and as there was an Eternal Election so there was an Eternal Promise the Covenant of Grace between the Father and the Son being eternal And it 's expresly said that God's Purpose and Grace was given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.3 We were no sooner efected but the purpose and Grace of it was given us in Promise Election eternal the Promise eternal both equally eternal in puncto Eternitatis though in Nature Election is before the Promise and the Cause of it 3. You say the Decree includes the Means and the End Do you think Dr. Crisp did not know that Yes how to
Preaching And let us consider a little the Nature of it Condition comes under several Considerations 1. Logical and there it 's Conditio conditionans or Conditio conditionata It 's more Ordinis aut Relationis respectu Ordinis It ariseth from a Priority and Posteriority of things All things can't be at once but one thing must be before another and here one thing is the condition of another respectu temporis there is Conditio relativa and so all Arguments are mutual Conditions one of another and consist è mutuâ alterius affectione and here is not Prioritas temporis sed nature Pater est conditio Filii or rather Paternitas relata affectio est causa filietatis correlata affectionis There is Conditio Axiomatica which ariseth from a Contingent Axiom or necessary and either connex because they 're mostly express'd Conjunctione connexivâ si And so there is also Conditio in dispositione Syllogisticâ ex dependentia inter conclusiones premissa There is also Law-Conditions Dr. Cawel saith It is a Rate Manner or Law annexed to Men's Acts or Grants staying and suspending the same and making them uncertain whether they shall take effect or no. And Papinian saith Conditio dicitur cum quid in casum incertum qui potest tendere ad esse aut non esse confertur This is a general Account of a Condition as arising out of a Contingency the effect depending upon an uncertain Cause And a Learned Lawyer saith A Condition is a Restraint or Bridle annexed and joyned to a Promise by the performance of which it 's ratifyed and takes effect and by the Non-performance of it becomes void Such a Condition I perceive you and Mr. Flavel will have Faith to be a Condition upon which the Promise is made and the Performance suspended by the Disposer till the said Condition be performed Conditio adimpleri debet priusque sequatur effectus Now this being your Condition I say it 's Foederal It 's Conditio Foederalis and let it be in value less or more it makes a Covenant of Works and is cloathed with all the Logical Notions of Condititions besides The Logical Conditions are in all things ex necessitate dependentiae mutuae rerum and a Man can't move a Hand or Tongue without them Even Brutes and all inanimate Beings as well as Men they belong to the whole Fabrick and Constitution of created Beings But a Foederal Condition belongs only to rational Beings and it 's related to the Promise ex pacto in a way of Merit and the Promise belongs to it by way of Debt And in this Sence the Apostle always decries the Law or any Law to have to do with our Justification he affirms that it 's always of Grace and never of Debt upon the least Consideration whatever of our Performance and Qualification And this is the Condition that I contend against and say That neither Faith or any other Gracious Qualifications or Graces of the Spirit are Foederal Conditions or Conditions of the Covenant of Grace My Arguments some of them in brief are these That which is a Gift of the Promise of eternal Life is no condition of it but Faith is a gift of the Promise Ergo. For the Major it 's clear for one thing can't be another eodem respectu tempore The Condition and Promise are Opposita they are Foederalia relata and therefore Contraria affirmantia a Father can't be a Son in that respect as he is a Father As to the Minor it 's out of all doubt by Divine Testimony See John 17.3 Eph. 2.8 To know Christ by Faith is Eternal Life and this Life of Faith is the Gift of God Hence Faith that is the Benefit promised is not the condition of it A Promise or Gift of the Promise cannot be the Condition of it self 2. That which would make the Promise a Debt and the Gift of it a Reward of Debt is not to be allowed But to make Faith a Foederal Condition of the Covenant of Grace would make the Promise to be Debt and the Reward a Reward of Debt Therefore Faith is not to be allowed to be a Condition of the Covenant For the Major it will stand with invincible strength from the Apostle Paul's Divinity and Logick Rom. 4.4 Believing and working are opposed as working and not working as Contradicentia It 's vain and frivolous to shift by evasive Interpretations and all that 's said to that purpose is easily wip'd off For the Minor That putting Faith in as a Federal condition would make the Promise a Debt The Performance of any Work or doing any Act as a Federal Condition let it be never so small the promising Federator becomes indebted thereby to bestow the Benefit promised on the Confoederator ex obligatione foederali and therefore a Debtor Now the Apostle will not allow any thing of this in the least Measure In those places where the Apostle opposeth Faith to Works he speaks of such Works as contain perfect and perpetual Obedience such as God required of man under the Law but not of those Works which comprehend that Obedience which God requires of us who believe in Christ Racov. Catech. c. 9. Therefore your Doctrine of Conditions is Socin 3. That Doctrine which will make all the Graces of Sanctification or gracious Qualifications Federal Conditions is not to be admitted But to say Faith is a condition of the Covenant in the Sence pleaded for will bring in all other Graces as well as it's self Ergo this Doctrine is not to be admitted for there is as much reason that all of them be allowed to be Conditions as that Faith should and therefore I see you and your Party bring in Repentance and other Graces together with Faith and say Our eternal Life is given unto us at the last upon conditional Meetness for it But the Scripture no where speaks of our Justification for or by Repentunce Love Patience Mortification of Sin c. not so much as once in the Sence that it speaks of Justicfiation by Faith And therefore Faith justifies not in it's qualifying nature which it hath in common with other Graces of the Spirit God never intended our strictest Holiness and highest degrees of Grace should be our Justifying Righteousness before God or Federal Conditions of the Covenant of Grace 4. That any Act of ours should be a Federal Condition of the Covenant of Grace destroys the very Nature of it Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.8 9. Tit. 2.5 Rom. 5.17 18. Isa 55.1 2. 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 3.24 as it stands in opposition to the Covenant of Works it can't be distinguished otherwise from the Covenant of Works for the Condition of the Covenant of Works was as small as any thing imagining the Ability was given before the Condition was required He should have had persevering Grace in the Promise had he outstood this Temptation Now the formal difference between the Covenant of Works and Grace was in the Condition
Antinom What kind of Supposition Supposition of Duty Antecedaneous to it This is false Faith is a Saving Benefit and it 's not bestowed with a Supposition that any saving Duty is precedent to it So our Union to Christ Gift of the Spirit Justification yea the Grace of Sanctification it self are all Saving Benefits of the highest Nature Neonom 3. The Influences of the Spirit and God's Institutions have no Causality in our Salvation if men have nothing to do in order to be saved Antinom That is as much as to say If we save not our selves the Spirit cannot save us We must be our own Saviours first or the Spirit must make us our own Saviours that we may be saved I told you Adam had been saved by the Influences of the Spirit if he had been saved in his innocent state and it had never the less been a Covenant of Works Neonom On what account is it said That we believe to the saving of our Souls Heb. 10.39 And Repentance to Salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Tim. 4.16 Antinom Those Expressions are Descriptions of true Faith and Repenrance given as to that 1 Tim. 4.16 We deny not that the Covenant of Grace hath many Exhortations Directions Encouragements to Duty but not antecedent to the Promise The General Promise is first participated of before any Duty is or can be performed and after participation of the Promise Consequent to it and Effects of it particular Duties and Promises do follow Neonom The Destruction of Sinners under the Gospel is still laid to not Doing John 5.40 Their not coming not turning and repenting Antinom Yea their blameable moral Inability and Perverseness is that which they are under the Condemnation for Falling upon them in their Apostacy and so their refusing a Remedy is part of their Condemnation under the Law And therefore our Saviour saith such Unbelievers are condemned already they remain under the Power and Sentence of the first Condemnation Neither is the Destruction of Sinners laid to their not doing but not believing in Christ Believing is opposed to Doing because God will not have us to be saved by Doing And when a Sinner comes he is not saved by his Act in Coming but by Christ to whom he is come Neither doth he come till he is saved by the Father's drawing him and Christ finding every Sinner before he comes shews that he is a lost Sinner and never comes to Salvation till Salvation comes to him Neonom If men have nothing to do for Salvation then Christ hath no Rule to judge them that live under the Gospel Christ proceeds on the difference of Men's Carriage and Tempers at the last Day Consider any Description of the last Day you 'll find God saves and damns with respect to men's Neglect and Compliance with the Gospel Antinom Your Argument seems to run thus Upon the same Terms that Man shall be judged at the last Day upon the same shall they be saved now But Men shall be judged by their Works at the last Day Ergo saved by Works now I deny your Major If that were true you might have some Pretence that the Covenant of Grace was a Covenant of Works There 's a great deal of difference between Christ's proceedings in the Covenant of Grace and the Judgment of the Last Day 1. Christ in Covenant of Grace comes not as a Judge to condemn the World but to save it 2. Christ first saves his Church and exerts his Offices in that Salvation first as Priest to make Atonement as Prophet to teach by his Word and Spirit as King to conquer and subdue their Hearts unto himself and all this is done before he rules and governs them 3. Christ in the Covenant of Grace acts not in his Regal Power as King of the World but as King to his Church his Mediatorial Offices are all exerted towards his Redeemed ones in order to the saving of them All final Unbelievers are judged as such as are under the Condemnation of the Law and their Sins only judged the more aggravated because of their refusal of a Remedy The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in Plaming Fire taking Vengeance upon them that know not God and those that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The slighting and rejecting a Remedy offer'd is a ground of more severe proceeding in the way of Execution of the Sentence which the condemned Person lay under before How shall ye escape that neglect so great Salvation The Talents mentioned Matth. 25.21 24 28. refer only to the distinction that appears between Professors Some act from common Grace only some by special Grace Some are carried no further than common Grace will carry them and therefore bring not forth real Fruit unto God and are not in Christ Jesus have only common Graces and Gifts Neonom I could easily demostrate that if men have nothing to do in order to Salvation the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles is all Vanity and Falshood c. They are cold Pleadings with Sinners that are not backed with Life and Death Antinom It 's easie to demostrate that an unsaved Person can do nothing in order to Salvation and if they can the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is false For Christ himself saith Without me ye can do nothing and we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and created in him to good Works and Christ worketh in us to will and to do All this is Salvation The first true Motive to a Sinner is the Salvation wrought by Christ already for Sinners in his Death and Satisfaction The Promise of Heaven is a Secondary Motive but is not to be brought as a Primary Motive The rendring Life and Death to working or not working is the preaching of the Law and of the Letter and makes the Gospel such a Law as is the Ministration of Condemnation And to conclude my Answer to the Proof of that Position That Sinners have much to do in order to Salvation And to prove it in the Negative I offer this Argument They that can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved have not much to do in order to Salvation But Sinners can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved Ergo a Sinner hath not much to do in order to Salvation in your Sence I leave you to consider of it and the Evidence of it for you cannot but apprehend the Demonstration that is therein for doing must be here understood effective Such Works you speak of as appears by what follows Neonom True Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works and Perseverance are the way to Heaven and so necessary to the Salvation of a Believer that without them he cannot be saved and continuing in them he shall be saved Antinom I find you make Holiness or Sanctification and Salvation two things whereas Sanctification is a part of Salvation True Holiness is the way to Heaven but it 's Salvation as well as the Perfection
of Heaven Holiness is the way to Heaven as Childhood and then youthful Age is to Manhood in the full Stature Grace it 's a growing unto that Perfection we shall have in Glory but it 's not part of a conditionating way to Heaven foederally Heaven is bestow'd on Sanctify'd ones upon as free a Promise as Justification and Sanctification and we say it 's our Business in Christ the Way Neonom I shall give you divers Arguments against your Position 1. It 's not saving Faith that is not Operative D. W. p. 132. Antinom The Eye is the most sensible part in the Body as to the Sense of Feeling yet doth not see conomine By vertue of Feeling Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie by it's Fruits Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie as Fruitful for that would bring us under a Covenant of Works Neonom Obedience good Works and Perseverance preserve us from contrary Evils Paul kept his Body under 1 Cor. 9.27 Antinom They have their usefulness in their kind but we are kept from Evils by the Grace of God and not by our Works Grace also preserves us in them and not they preserve us What Paul saith he did he did for the Gospel-sake 1 Cor. 9.23 from a Gospel-Principle the Love of God arising from the sight and sence of the Grace of God in the Gospel and for this end the Glory of God in the Promise And he said By the Grace of God I am what I am not ascribing Foederal Efficacy to inherent Graces or Duties Neonom Gospel-Constitutions shew that it contains Promises and Threatnings 2. It shews persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works as necessary to Salvation Antinom It is one thing what a thing contains and another what it is A House contains Tables Libraries Beadsteds Men and Women but a House is not therefore a Table Library Bead-stead a Man or a Woman The Covenant of Grace sets up a Government a Glorious King hath Laws Directions Precepts but it is not either of them Whatever the Covenant hath and is inseparable from it doth not argue the Covenant to be the same A wise Man is inseparable from Wisdom as such yet is not Wisdom A Rational Man hath Reason yet that Man is not Reason Neonom Most of the Promises and Threatnings that refer to the state in the Bible are Evangelical Promises and Threats D. W. p. 133. Antinom Christ in the Bible speaks two ways by way of Precept and backing them with Threats and Promises 1. As King of Nations and Governour of the World So he deals with Men as he will deal with them at last in a way of a Covenant of Works Christ also governs his Church where he hath his peculiar Right of Legislation and his Government is double 2. As to his Mystical or Visible Body his Spiritual Rule is according to the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace His Government in respect of the mixt and politick State must be also mixt because of Hypocrisie Christ's Government of his Churches as Visible Polities and Societies is a mixt Government having in his House Vessels of Honour and of Dishonour Many are led to external Conformity by his Precepts and Commands legally submitted to only having not received Evangelical Principles Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Precepts and Promises of the Gospel work no otherwise with them than by a Spirit of Bondage and come to them no otherwise than in the Tenure of the Covenant of Works And thence the Lord Jesus Christ speaks in that manner to whole Societies and Churches both under the Old Testament and under the New As to the Seven Churches of Asia where there were many formal out-side Professors that never received the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it he tells them what they must expect in that mercenary and bondage-way of Profession without Life and Love wherein they did walk yet he governs them as Politick Head of his Church they having given themselves to his Government at least in an outward Profession according to which he deals with them And therefore the Apostle tells us the Law is not made for the Righteous Man in respect of it's Threats and Denunciations but for the Lawless Disobedient Ungodly c. or for any thing contrary to sound Doctrine which is according to the Glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.10 11. The Precepts and Commands of Christ therefore have a double Aspect Evangelical and Legal as they are received by his Visible Subjects Some receive them from Law-Principles some from Evangelical Neonom Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery by these God governs and Men's Hopes and Fears should be directed by these as a Rule You not observing this have opened a Door to all Licentiousness Your whole Scheme implies that Christ doth not distribute Blessings and Punishments by any Rule that refers to the actings of Men. D. W. p. 133. Antinom This is a round Assertion That the Gospel-Constitution is a Covenant of Works That Constitution that affects all as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery is a Covenant of Works of the severest Nature But you say the Gospel-Constitution is such Ergo a Covenant of Works For that which affects as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery on the Penalty of non-attainment to that Rule and God deals with Men thus by Hopes and Fears that Men may be govern'd by them as they find their Righteousness or fall into their Misery is such an Account of a Gospel-Constitution that I question not but to find as good in Seneca and among many of the Heathen Moralists And if that be my mistake that I understand not such a Gospel-Constitution I must declare I know no such Gospel-Constitution as yet Neonom If that Covenant of Grace be conditional and Faith and Repentance are necessary to Forgiveness the Substance of it must be granted Antinom i. e. If the Covenant of Grace be a Moral Law and Faith and Repentance be the Moral Conditions to Forgiveness the Substance must be granted and it will be so indeed you will still be leaping in and out of Covenant from Righteousness to Misery and from Misery to your miserable Righteousness and between your Hopes and Fears falling short of the Righteousness of God you will fall deplorably into eternal Misery But in what Body of Ethicks do you find a Rule of Misery treated of I think it is no where treated of but in the Neonomian Theology no more than the Rule of Sin which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neonom Most Promises and Threatnings in the Bible that referr to the state of Souls are Evangelical Promises and Threats and are not the Sanction of the Law of Innocence but of Gospel-Grace Antinom The whole Word of God contains but Law and Gospel and all matters of Duty commanded referr to the one or to the other and all Duties enjoyned
i. e. believed them so as to be assured of them As for the rest of the Saints you shall find all along that their Triumphant Assurances was by Faith Abraham Rom. 4.20 21. See the various phrases to express his full Assurance of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made no dispute or doubt about the Promise the English well express He staggered not at the Promise or through unbelief ver 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 19. He was not weak in Faith but was strong in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consulted not with himself secondary Causes or Carnal Reason but was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried forth with a full gale of Assurance Job 19.25 Job's Assurance was the Assurance of Faith I know my Redeemer liveth c. David under his greatest Tryal of Banishment by his own Son from the House of God Psal 42.10 when Challenged by his Enemies at the highest rate at which he was so disquieted he calls up his Soul to take up Comfort in believing ver 11. and 45.5 Paul Rom. 7. where he tells how low he was brought upon Self-examination as to what he could find in himself ver 18. I know that in me that is in my Flesh there dwells no good thing See how he complains ver 24. O wretched Man that I am c. as much as to say I am wretched in regard of the Evil Sin and Corruption that I find abounding in me but ver 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord there is the Root of his Comfort in the Faith that he had in Jesus Christ tho there was this little small spark of Holiness in him a mind at least to serve the Law of God yet he trusted not to that And you see 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. when he fell into Temptation and Buffeting was it his Duties and Services to Christ and his Churches that supported him No it was an objective manifestation to him received by Faith My Grace is sufficient for thee but you will say his rejoicing was in the Testimony of his Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 It 's true it was and the Testimony of a good Conscience as to our Hearts and Ways is matter of Rejoicing but this was in Paul without confidence in the Flesh or ascribing any thing to it but by seeing all in Christ and that all flowed down from the Free Grace and Love of God all his Simplicity and Sincerity of Heart was seen by Faith to be Gifts of Grace therefore you see whensoever the Children of God took any Comforts and Rejoicings from the Fruits of the Spirit they made not these as the Fundamental ground of their Assurance but a confirming and additional ground and such as was very uncertain insomuch that at some times they were at a perfect loss for them yet was not without their rooted and grounded Assurances in the darkest Times and under the obscurest Providences Neonom The Conscience is bound to condemn every Man in whom the contrary to these Graces do appear yea where it 's evident they are wholly wanting It 's otherwise a seared Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 It 's the Candle of the Lord now there can be no Assurance where the Conscience condemns 1 John 3.19 20 21. D. W. p. 166. Antinom There is nothing but the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ applyed by Faith that can take off the Conscience from Condemning and without this all the Works and Duties in the World cannot do it it 's the Law that obligeth the Conscience to condemn and the sence of our Imperfections and Weaknesses and remainder of Corruption may be where there is no condemning Conscience but wherefore is it Not because of what they find in themselves but from what they find in Christ and it 's a harsh Doctrine that you teach from 1 Tim. 4.2 that all that cannot find Works enough in themselves to conclude their state in Christ from and hold it meerly by Faith in Christ and thereby freed from Condemning Consciences have Seared Cauterized Consciences such as the Apostle Prophesies of that should abound in the Antichristian Apostacy and Seduction and you subvert the Doctrine of the Gospel thereby helping to fulfill that Prophecy by what Doctrine the Text will tell you Neonom The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 It doth not witness before our Spirits doth witness It is not a separate Testimony from our Spirits but it concurrs with our Spirit as its Instrument our Spirit witnesseth in the Light of the Spirit 1 Cor. 9.1 my Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Antinom What is this Argument brought for is this to prove that there 's no Assurance by the Voice of the Spirit And that the only way of Assurance is by Signs and Marks But you have brought in this place of Scripture as many Men retain Councel in their Case they Fee some Councel only that they may not be against them but the Word of God will not be Bribed this place is directly against you The Apostle here tells us the very Comforting Office of the Holy Ghost that it becomes a Spirit of Adoption this is the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 And what is it that it doth it teacheth us to call God Father and how doth it do this A. It 's by witnessing to us our Relation viz. that we are the Sons of God this is that which doth assure us of our Inheritance if Children then Heirs Now I argue that which witnesseth in the Children of God that they are the Children of God insomuch that from thence they can conclude themselves Heirs doth pronounce the Actual Forgiveness of their Siâ—s and is the usual way of Assurance but the Spirit witnesseth in the Children of God that they are the Children of God Ergo there is a pronunciation of Actual Forgiveness by the Voice of the Spirit c. For the Major it 's proved from Gal. 3.26 The Spirit bestows Adoption by Faith in Christ Jesus Ye are all the Children of Gâ—d by Faith in Christ Jesus and ver 29. If ye be Christ's then are you of Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise you 'll allow the Spirit to witness but not before our Spirit so that you 'll have our Spirits to be before the Spirit the Senior Evidence I deny it for that which causeth our Spirits to give Evidence is not the younger Evidence but the Spirit causeth our Hearts to give Evidence Ergo Now for the Minor that the Spirit causeth our Hearts to give Evidence I prove from your self you say the Spirit concurrs with our Spirit as its Instrument now the Efficient is before the Instrument by which it works and Instrumentum is but Causa Ministrans at most and is res motu facta in that respect is effectum efficientis Now the way of the Spirits witnessing is by bringing to our Spirit an objective Manifestation of Grace in the Promise and causing us by Faith to make
That we may learn Patience that excellent Grace Rom. 5. Tribulation worketh Patience 7. That Faith may be tryed the tryal whereof is better than Gold Jam. 1. 8. That we may be weaned from the World prize and long for Heaven more therefore through many Tribulations we must enter into Heaven Acts 14.22 These and many more great Reasons may be assigned for the Afflictions of God's Children and not to be reckoned to be for Sin in your sense Mr. Calvin in his institutions is very large on these things and saith l. 3. c. 8. s 6. In ipsa tribulationum acerbitate Patris nostri Clementiam erga nos benignitatem recognoscere convenit quando ne tum quidem desinit salutem nostram promovere affligit nos non ut perdat aut perimat sed potius ut a mundi damnatione liberet In the very bitterness of Affliction it is our Duty to own and recognize the tenderness and bounty of our Father because then he ceaseth not to promote our Salvation for he afflicts not that he may kill or destroy us but rather to deliver us from the condemnation of the World From the Doctrin of Justification by Christ's Righteousness we gather 1. To condemn the proud Papists Dr. Vsher Theol. p. 195. that seek Justification by their own Works and Righteousness inherent in themselves 2. There 's no comfort to a Christian's Soul like this 1. The Assurance of the Sufficiency of our Redemption Rom. 8.33 God having accepted his Son's Righteousness for us will not hold us any longer trespassers but he disables his own Justice from making any further demand 2. Hence there is nothing comes upon the Saints from God's Revenging Justice but all our Corrections are Medicinal from God's fatherly love to purge out that Sin out of our Nature which he hath already pardoned to our Person DEBATE XIX Of the Beauty of Sincere Holiness Neonom I Am now come with a Charge of a Monstrous Error upon Mr. Antimonian I believe it will stink in your Nostrils as soon as I name it it is this That the greatest Holiness in Believers tho' wrought in them by the Holy Ghost is meer dung rottenness and filthiness as in them D. W. p. 196. Calv. I pray let us hear his own words for the Apostle Paul speaks to that purpose Phil. 3.9 Neonom Aye but the Apostle Paul doth not mean as he doth he hath perverted the Apostle's words to a wrong sense He saith Know that the Motions and Assistance of the Spirit be Pure Holy and without Scum in the Spring to wit itself yet by that time these Motions and Assistances have passed the Channels of our Hearts and been mixed with manifold Corruptions even the whole Work becomes polluted and filthy and filthiness alters the property of the pure Motions of Christ's Spirit c. Dr. C. p. 232. Calv. Do you charge this for Error Antinom If you please Sir you shall have my whole sense the sum briefly of what I spake I was preaching from Phil. 3.8 9. I opened that Text according to the sense of the best Interpreters and I shewed that the Apostle 1. demolisheth all glittering and rotten Materials wherewith he had and others still do erect a fortress of security and a place of delight Dr. C. p. 226. 2. He declares his end in so doing that he might lay a sure Foundation and build upon it with other Materials than Hay and Stubble p. 227. Now I shewed that which he cast away was all things not only what he was or could do before he received Christ but even all things whatever also he hath been able to do since he received Christ tho' assisted thereto by the Spirit of Christ as Beza well observes As concerning the Apostle's end for stripping himself naked of his most specious Works in general it is to be cloathed with white Robes even the Garment of Salvation but more especially he declares his end 1. It 's for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ i. e. of Christ's Excellencies known to the knowledge of which I could never come till all I was and am plainly appeared loss and dung my own Righteousness was a thick Film over my Eyes that I could not see Christ's Worth 2. A gaining and winning Christ is a second end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as his own Obedience was in request with him and seemed any thing better than dung in his eye he could never get Christ 3. That he might be found in him i. e. at the great day of appearance That this is the meaning is plain by the Apostle's own expounding himself not having mine own Righteousness and my Doctrin That things even the most blameless walking according to God's Law not only before but after conversion or receiving Christ is truly counted loss and dung by a Paul's Eye and such an one will be willing to suffer the loss thereof as dung Those places were brought in proof Isai 64.6 Luke 17.10 And I shew'd this determination was not to be of some things only but of all not only things directly against the Precept but all Civility Morality the exactest obedience with the highest assistance of the Spirit and straightest aim at a right end c. must be counted and sentenced but as loss and dung But let me not he mistaken here I do not say that the Motions themselves of the Spirit as his nor the Ends and Enlargements of the Heart as his or the Ends aimed at as prescribed must be thus accounted or sentenced but the whole Work as done and when done by a sanctified person thus assisted and qualified when such a person looks at the Work so done by him he must see nothing but meer loss and dung 1. Loss because that he forfeits Life and Bliss on Earth and Heaven there is sin enough in it if God had nothing else but what he could pick out of the best Work to lay to his charge I mean in regard of the desert of such a Work in itself considered under the notion of such loss must it be lookt on And as Dung also which comprehends the causality of such loss in these Works All things of ours even the best are of this nature I say therefore all our Righteousness at best is such a menstruous Cloath in Goâ—'s eye and so certainly in it self Let us consider what it is to suffer the loss of all things 1. There is a Passive Suffering the loss of all things when a person is violently bereft of all 2. There is an Active or Voluntary Suffering the loss of all i. e. he was contented to take shame to himself for his best Actions and account himself worthy to be cast out and destroyed and to be his own Judge to pass not only the Sentence of Confiscation of all but of Condemnation on his Person saying O wretched Man that I am c. and so to stand stripp'd stark naked of all things and all Pleas they can afford
God but unto the Faith of Believers 2. He makes no distinction that Works are of two sorts some excluded from Justification and not others but he expresly rejects his own Righteousness i. e. his personal inherent Righteousness whatever it be and however it be wrought 3. He makes a plain distinction of his twofold Estate 1. That of Judaism before Conversion 2. He proceeds to give an account of himself and Estate after Conversion The words of Davenant on this Passage in my Judgment are sober and weighty The Apostle here teacheth what that Righteousness is whereby we are accepted before God viz. which is apprehended by Faith He shews the cause why it is ours by right i. e. the Apostle shews it in this place because we are inserted into his Body and coalesce with him into one Person therefore his Righteousness is reputed ours De Justisic hab c. 38. For whereas some begin to interpret our being in Christ and being found in him so as to intend no more but our Profession of the Faith of the Gospel the Faith of the Catholick Church in all Ages concerning the Mystical Union of Christ and Believers is not to be blown away with a few empty Words and unproved Assertions The Answer then is full and clear unto the general Exception viz. That the Apostle rejects our Legal but not our Evangelical Righteousness For 1. The Apostle rejects neither absolutely but in comparison of Christ and with respect to the special end of Justification before God or a Righteousness in his sight 2. In that sense he rejects all our own Righteousness but our Evangelical Righteousness in the sense pleaded for is our own inherent in us performed by us 3. Our Legal and Evangelical in the sense pleaded for is the same 4. The Apostle rejects in this case all the Works of Righteousness that we have done Tit. 3.5 but our Evangelical Righteousness consists in the Works of Righteousness which we do 5. He disclaims all that is our own See more in the Treatise of Justification 535. Here the Society was adjourning but that a worthy Divine acquaints Mr. Calvinist that he saw the Reverend Mr. Richard Vines in a corner whereupon Mr. Calvinist return'd There is none here but hath a venerable Esteem for that famous Divine unless Mr. Neonomian who will however if he finds he is against him be so ingenuous as to knock under the Table Sir we beseech you lend us your help here against this confident Neonomian and New Divinity and in defence of the Apostle Paul whose Doctrin he is making Dung of trampling it down as Mire in the Streets Mr. Rich. Vines Phil. 3.7 8 9 10. After the Apostle had in the beginning of this Church fortified the Christian Philippians with a Caveat against such as did yet stand upon and pretend their Circumcision Christ a Christian 's only Gain by Rich. Vines sometime Master of Pembrook-hall Cambridge and their Jewish Prerogatives in opposition to Christ after this he gives a threefold account of himself 1. He sheweth what account he had of himself in respect of those Priviledges that others did insist upon c. V. 4. p. 1. 2. He shews what account he had of himself when Christ was discovered to him c. 3. He sheweth what account he had of himself in respect of perfection V. 12 c. p. 4 5 6. V. 8. p. 19. You have heard what reckoning the Apostle had of his own Righteousness in his unregenerate state and upon the discovery of Christ unto him he came to a loss of all that which before he counted gain Now in this Verse he goes on to shew you what account he had still of Christ and of all things besides Christ after some strength and experience he had of Christ yea doubtless any more than so Yea and more than that I account them still it is a rhetorical Speech wherein the Apostle riseth higher in his expression with greater overflow of affection verifying all things besides Christ as loss and dung he repeats it three times over a note of affection I count all things loss I have suffered the loss I account them but dung and then it is for Christ and that Christ who is my Lord. Suppose the Apostle had been thus spoken to 't is true you forsook all your former Gains and you professed all should go for Christ your self your Wealth your Zeal your Righteousness in the Law you valued all as nothing while Christ was new and fresh in your memory and before you had tasted of his Yoak and Cross But what say you now Paul now you have been beaten with Rods stoned Shipwrackt c. 2 Cor. 11.15 What now Paul are you of the same mind still is not your Courage cooled Nay doubless saith Paul I did and I do I am not changed I do account all things I reserve not one thing to lye between me and Christ not my good Works not any thing within me nor without me that I value or esteem my Righteousness my Obedience to the Law my Fasting my Scourging I count them but Loss and Dung for Christ c. p. 19 20. Doct. 4. That gracious Duties and Performances of a Man in the state of Grace are to be disclaimed in the matter of his Justification or his Righteousness before God p. 44. V. 1. The Papists will not hear this Doctrin for tho' with much ado they will quit their good Works that are done in an unregenerate state without and before Faith yet those Works of a regenerate Man that are besprinkled with the Blood of Christ Here 's your Doctrin Mr. Neonomian they will have them come in for their Justification for thus they say Christ merits for us that we may merit for ourselves that Christ is our Saviour by making us our own Saviours Christ is our justifier by making us justifie ourselves he giveth us Mony and we lay it down what is this It is to keep up good Duties say they and you which otherwise would fall to the ground whereas the true Spring and Whetstone of Obedience to God is Faith and Love and Thankfulness upon the apprehension of the Pardon of our Sins let a Man have Christ for his Righteousness and let a Man be ungodly if he can the love of Christ constraineth us c. p. 44 45 46. This Phrase of Speech All things Loss and but Dung mine own Righteousness both before and after Grace I count all to be but Dung that I may win Christ There is the Faith of Adventure and the Faith of Assurance p. 129. Proof of Doctrin 'T is for the gaining of Christ that a Christian counteth all things in the World as Dung and suffereth the loss of all things It 's a strange trade that a Man must lose to gain he must be a Beggar and Bankrupt that he may be rich he must be nothing that he may have Christ Yea his Works after Grace received all that I did know and all