born are transgressors from the womb and if leâ—t to our selves grow worse and worse revolt more and more and if what the Author saith were true then every man had power to keep himselfe from unbeliefe for to be sure that is one of the highest provocations for which God swears in his wrath men shall not enter into his rest And the Author here telleth us that men may keep themselves from such provocations and if they have power to keep themselves from unbelief then consequently they have power to believe then farewel the discriminating grace of God his making us to differ we know men have their Wil nots as wel as their Cannots there is both they will not and they cannot they want will and power there is both wilfulnesse and weaknesse such vile and miserable Creatures are we of our selves and let not the Author make our case better then is is let us have a care of Freewill Page 182. and 183. He saith men may have a feare of God to keep them from sinning against him and may have an experimental sense of the emptinesse of their good works to justifie them and yet neither be under the Law nor Believers and so it was with the Centurion who was neither under the Law nor a Believer until Peter came to him and this he speaks in reference to those that are usually called the Heathens But though the Heathen have such a light set up in their understandings according to which their consciences accuse them or excuse them yet where doth the Scripture say that the fear of God keeps them from sinning nay most of them have denied that there is a God that infinite first being of all things and then they could not through the fear of him be kept from sinning and the truth is no man but the true believer is truly kept from sinning through a true fear of God the fear of hell and wrath may be without a true fear of God the true feare of God is a peculiar benefit of the covenant of grace and how have the Heathens an experimental sense of the emptinesse of their good works to justifie them that know not of heaven or hell to come the businesse of justification before God and forgivenesse of sins is not in all their thoughts But let us come to the Centurion and try whether he were thus and whether he was neither acquainted with the Law nor was a Believer before Peter came to him and the tenth chapter of the Acts will resolve us in these things out of that Chapter we may gather that Cornelius was a Proselyte in his beliefe and Religion and so might be a true believer in Christ though he did not know that Christ was already come and therefore the Lord sent Peter to acquaint him with it and so ver 22. shewes us that this Cornelius was of good report among all the Jewes and the word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ that word Peter told Cornelius he knew Acts 10.36 37. From all which it is plain that Cornelius was not to be reckoned among the Heathen and that he might be a believer in Christ before Peter câ—me to him he might believe in Christ as to come though he might not have light to believe that he was already come as he was taught afterwards by Peters Sermon Page 183. He saith Paul when he saith that he was alive once without the Law Rom. 7. shews that he lived in good conscience in such a state But when Paul saith he was alive without the law once his meaning is not that he was not acquainted with the Law that was written in Tables of stone but that he was not acquainted with the spirituality of the Law but only made an overly Exposition of it not knowing how the Law reached the thoughts and principles of the heart for otherwise Paul knew the Law and was no Heathen in that sense for he was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes a Jew by father and mother and circumcised the eighth day but it shewes how a man may have the outward knowledge of the Law and yet be without the inward and spiritual knowledge of it Page 197. He saith those that hold general redemption and their opposers that goe under the name of Orthodox doe both bear a true witnesse and a false one against another and both of them oppose and exclude upon divers grounds the true righteous seed that live by faith But they cannot be both in the right in that dispute either Christ did die for the whole race of mankind or he did not and either there is an election from all eternity of a certain number to grace and glory or there is not and so throughout that controversie so that I say they cannot be both in the right in these disputes Well but he saith they both oppose and exclude though upon divers grounds the true righteous feed that live by faith God forbid But if it be so is not the Author one of them for I am sure he holdeth general redemption as his book doth sufficiently witnesse and though those that hold universal redemption are surely mistaken in that yet it doth not follow that they and their opposers therein doe exclude the righteous seed that live by faith for most that hold universal redemption and those that oppose them agree in that to wit that he that truly believeth in Christ shall be saved and no other many who are mistaken about the extent of Christs death are yet sound in the Doctrine of Justification Page 198. He saith those that are for the general extent of Christs death finding the truth of their belief expressed in the Letter of the Gospel as indeed it is satisfie themselves in that and rest there thinking it sufficient to try and judge all men as they reject or own this literal knowledge of the Gospel I shall not mingle so many disputes together or else I might undertake to shew that general redemption is not expressed in the letter of the Gospel if by the letter the Author meanes the meaning and mind of the holy Ghost but that hath been sufficiently witnessed by the worthies of our times but yet this Author doth not doe well to charge all those of that judgement in general that they rest there and try or judge all men as they reject or own that Doctrine for though I have known some that have been so rigid yet it is not so with all there are those of that judgement that do not own all to be saints that believe general redemption neither do they disown others that differ from them in that point but notwithstanding their judgement in that particular they do own or disown men according to their faith in Christ and power of godliness neither do they as the Author saith rest there but hold the necessity of applying the blood of Christ and of a new birth though yet some of them may take up
in his death and sufferings that he partakes of the benefit of that bloody sacrifice such a fellowship and share he hath in Christs sufferings that what Christ did in suffering for his sins is imputed to him by an act of the free arace of the Pather as if he himselfe had done it Again the believer is called into fellowship with Jesus in persecution that he suffers with him is despised with him and thus as the Apostle saith As Christ was so are we in this present World without form or comeliness of no reputation in the worlds account Sometimes Regeneration is set out by a planting into the likeness of Christs death Rom. 6.5 10 11. Christ in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God and we are planted into the likenesse of his death when as v. 11. we likewise are dead indeed unto sin and live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord that as it follows v. 12. sin doth not reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof Again sometimes Regeneration is set out by putting on the Lord Jâ—sus Christ as Rom. 13.14 Then it shewes how the true believer puts on the rigteousnesse of the Lord Jesus is willing to be uncloathed of the menstruous rags of his own righteousnesse that he may be cloathed upon with the righteousnesse of Christ Sometimes also it is set out in Scripture by comming unto Christ and taking his yoke upon us as Matth. 11. ult to shew us how the true believer is submitted and given up to Christ is his servant is under his voke under his rule and government is willing to be ruled and governed and commanded by Christ whose commandements are not grievous Sometimes Regeneration is set out by fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before as in the Gospel so Heb. 6.18 to shew us that the true believer seeth his lost estate without Christ and fleeth unto Christ as a City of refuge from the Avenger of blood and whereas there is mercy and life and pardon and righteousnesse tendred to sinners in the Gospel and open proclamation that whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely and sorgivenesse of sins grace and glory is preached in Christs name this soule hath laid hold upon this hope set before him accepted of this grace accepted of these terms of mercy and peaee and so layes down armes against Christ True Regeneration is a difficult thing and therefore there is great need of the Seal of the Spirit to satisfie us about the work of grace upon our hearts for there is a counterfeit faith and a counterfeit repentance there is both an acquired faith and an infused faith there is a believing that is only a work of a mans understanding and not the work of the Spirit Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth to righteousnesse It is not enough to assent with the understanding it s a marvellous difficult thing to find out the difference between that faith that is of a mans own making upon conviction and illumination and that faith that is wrought by the spirit of God by way of creation and infusion and therefore thousands in the world are everlastingly cheated and cousened in this matter But when a man comes to be outed of himself of self-righteousnesse and self-strength and self-wisedome and close with Christ in a word of grace in a free promise that is the work To rest in legal conviction to rest upon duties and qualifications to rest in amendment of life to rest in Notions and head-knowledge of Christ and free grace these are false rests but for the soul to be nothing and utterly lost in himselfe and to apply the blood and righteousness of Christ is a safe and saving state for this is the will of the Father that sent him That whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life CHAP. V. Treats of Justification and shews that whosoever is justified by Christs blood and made the righteousnesse of God in him is in a sasing state and shall never come into condemation THe Doctrine of Justification was well called by Luther the Doctrine of the standing or falling of the Church of God this Doctrine so necessary so precious hath this Author miserably mistaken Page 118. He tels us that men in his first image who are not yet in a sasing state have Christ for their righteousnesse in a way of Justification and page 119. tells us this Righteousnesse and Justification the world hath in common with true Believers This Doctrine of his is most dangerous and is most highly dishonourable unto Christ making the blood of the Covenant a common and vain thing that men may be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and yet not be in a saving state which this Author doth in so many words affirm in that page before mentioned therefore let us treat a little of this blessed doctrine of Justification Justification is to be considered either as an immanent or a transient act in God in the first consideration it is a gracious purpose in God from all eternity not to deal with the Elect according to their sins but to absolve them and forgive them all their trespasses Justification considered as a transient act is Gods justifying and absolving the poor sinner in his own conscience and actually imputing Christs righteousnesse to him when he believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly none but those that are eternally saâ—ed are thus justified for men are not justified and unjustified again as this Author fancies Christ hath taken away the curse of the law from them Gal. 3.13 Now as 1 Cor. 15.46 The strength of sin is the Law the strength and power that sin hath to cast any man into hell is from the Law that the Law is broken and the Law is not satisfied but now Christ having for any man taken away the curse of the Law sinne hath no power to condemn that man it hath no strength and power to doe it for it hath its power from the Law and Christ hath satisfied that and is become the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Who can lay any thing to the charge of those that are thus justified by Christ the Law cannot for Christ hath satisfied the Law and paid it the uttermost farthing yea God through the righteousnesse of Christ is a just God in being a Saviour of them that believe in Christ Christ the surety of the better Testament having paid the debt God is just in being the justifier of him that in Jesus Rom. 3.26 Just to deliver them from going down to the pit for whom Christ hath paid a ransome And so Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the blood of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life by hum living and reigning in
ANIMADVERSIONS UPON Sir HENRY VANES Book ENTITULED The Retired Mans Meditations EXAMINING His Doctrine concerning Adam's Fall Christs Person and Sufferings Justification Common and Special Grace And many other things in his Book By Martin Finch Preacher of the Gospel And they shall turn away their eares from the truth and shall be turned unto Fables 2 Tim. 4.4 LONDON Printed for Joseph Barber and are sold at the Lamb in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the Reader Reader ALL â—ruths whatsoever are precious as coming from a God of immense truth and goodness and as tending to the deliverance of poor creatures from the slavery wherein all are naturally held The more clearly truth breaks forth and shines the more doth the great Enemy who is a lyar and the Father of lyes oppose it In shaking times nothing doth more discover a disciple of Christ indeed then continuing in Christs words he hath promised that such shall know the truth and the truth shal make them free We never had more need to put the promise in suit ye shall know the truth then at this day when so many study to darken it and by cunning craftinesse lie in wait to deceive Of all truths those about Justification are the most precious and the least diminution of that must needs wound the heart deep where it is clearly evidenced that is indeed the Pearl if that be safe all is safe Whether this be intrenched upon or no by the book that is here answered the spiritual Reader can easily judge The Gentleman is known to be a man of great honour and of eminent parts but truth is most honourable of all all titles must stoop to it and it will be justified against whomsoever by her children The Answerer though he have not followed the Author from point to point yet hath cleared those passages that seemed to be most dangerous and yet without any gall or bitterness I dare say out of meer zeal to truth having as high and honorable thoughts of the Gentleman opposed as can consist with sincerity and uprightness of Christian charity The Lord keep us in the wayes of truth and peace remove all heart-burnings and self-interests Pride was the first sin that brought us low and keeps us low and I fear the last that we shall conquer The good Lord make us see our Emptiness help us to return all we have and are to him that is the Fountain and God of all grace and glory that he in all things may be glorified and Christ be set up in his Royalty and Majesty Reader If thou hast any interest in him who is a God hearing prayers pray for him who though he be lesse then the least of all Gods mercies and servants yet delighteth more to be known of God by name that nâ—â— nsme and to be in the hearts and pravers of his people by thousands of degrees then to be known upon any civil respect by his civil name ROBERT ALFORD To the Reader Reader IT pleased this Noble Knight upon his retirment after he had been such a great blessing in publique affairs to the Nation to set himself more closely then before to the study of Gospel-mysteries a thing little minded by mâ—st of the great ones Knights and Nobles of this world most of that rancke adicting themselves to profaness and vanity making use of the large portion that God hath given them under the Sun to treasure up more wrath against the day of wrath It were well if others of his rancke and quality in the world were provoked by his example to study the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. This Author hath not contented himself in the shallows but hath waded into the deeps of Divinity possibly so far sometimes as that he cannot feel the ground of Scripture Alas the best are but men and great parts and a swinge of reason are great temptations unless our thoughts and reasonings be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ And indeed it bath pleased God to leave this Noble Author in his serious enquiry into Gospel-mysteries to much darkness and many wide mistakes in the great points of the Gospel The desire of some godly friends and the unsetledness of others in those matters being too much like little children tost to and fro with every wind of doctrine with something else that I shall not mention put me upon these Animadversions upon his Book concerning which I shall desire the Reader to take notice 1. That I had no intent to have published these sew sheets if I could have seen it done by another I finisht what I have done in November last and kept them by me desiring some other might do this work which I had once some hopes of but was afterwards enformed that it would not be and so have now sent them to the Press in the same crasso filo in which I first writ them which I did at spare hours in a months time 2. What I have written is not for the learned but for weak Christians 3. I have written but little of the Trinity because the Authors judgement is hard to find out about it that I knew not where to have him and indeed it is such an inscrutable mystery that it is rather to be adored and believed then disputed 4. I have endeavoured to be brief because books are so many whereby men are hindred from reading of the Scriptures for which cause Luther wisht his books burnt that if I wrote it should be as little as might be 5. If thou seest me to be in the right and this Noble Knight to be mistaken in the darke neither censure him nor despise his other gifts but if thou beest godly pray for him that wherein he is mistaken and otherwaies minded from the truth and Saints of God that God would reveal even that unto him for surely he would welcome any light and would not turn aside from the truth and flocks of Christs companions the time is not yet come that the Saints should be of one minâ— and judgement the Lord hasten the accomplishment of the gracious promises he hath made in that behalf and grant that we may in the mean while wherein we differ be found speaking the truth in love Eph. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truthifying as some render it in love and not in gall and bitterness not seeking one anothers disgrace and shame but the finding out and maintaining the truth of Christ 6. If thon thinkest any passages unseemly or any way reflecting upon that noble Author Impute it to the hastiness of my writing assuring thy self it was not premeditated truly I would not detract any way from his worth whom I so seriously honour but for writing plainly to my light and conscience I beg no excuse And let the Reader consider that these things which are here handled are the main points of the Gospel the foundation of all our comfort and hope the things by which we live and in which is
simplicity of the gospel which is that Christ came into the world to save sinners that he by the appointment of God according to the Covenant between him and the Father as our surety performed the whole will of God in that body prepared him to purge away our sins by the sacrifice of himselfe and the principles upon which he acted were out of obedience to the Father and love to sinners to compass the blessed designe of God his glory and our eternall salvation Page 111. He goes about to shew what was the nature of that wrath from God that Christ was capable of undergoing which to make out he defineth the wrath of God thus saith he wrath as God is capable of exercising it consists in that posture of an enemy and face of displeasure wherewith he cloaths and armes himselfe in Christ the Mediator to Angels or men A strange definition of Gods wrath for if it were so that God is not capable of exercising wrath to Angels or men but as he cloaths and armes himselfe to do it through Christ then I say it will follow that God could not have reserved any of the Angels in chaines of darkness to the judgement of the great day nor could not have damned any of the sons and daughters of men if Jesus Christ had not been Mediator surely the Reader will wonder at this notion of the Authors and he doth not say that God doth exercise wrath in Christ or thorough Christ as if he had meant that God was the most provoked to wrath for slighting Christ and neglecting so great salvation and will execute the fiercenesse of his wrath upon those that trample under foot the blood of the Son of God but he saith that God is capable of exercising wrath no other way but as he cloaths and arms himself in the Mediator God is said to be angry and wrath when in his dealings with the creature he walks contrary to him and sets himself against him suppose it be eternal wrath then God dawns that creature and turneth him into hell and doth the Author think that God could not have done thus if Christ had never been a Mediator between God and us could not God have exercised wrath upon all of us that are the fallen sons of men and appointed us our portions in the dark nooks of hell without CHrist had been the Mediator and this Author will make Christ necessary to be the Mediator and Saviour upon this account that else God could not have exercised wrath upon any of the creatures But I pray how could Christ bear the wrath of God if that it be true that the Author saith that God is not capable of exercising wrath but in Christ the Mediator well we unthankful men instead of admiring the Lords free mercy in Christ whereby we are delivered from wrath to come who hath attoned God made peace and reconciled us to God we fall a disputing that God is not capable of exercising wrath but thorough Christ the Mediator but if it had not pleased the God of all grace to have sent his blessed Son to turne away his wrath from us and reconcile us to himself we should have seen to purpose and by lamentable experience that God could exerâ—ise wrath without Christ the Mediator CHAP. III. Shews that the highest attainments of the natural man come very far short of what this Author assignes to him and proves his misinterpreting abundance of Scripture about this matter AS this Author doth exceedingly debase Christ marring his visage who is altogether lovely often saying he had a fleshly mind and fleshly principles which were to be subdued in him so on the other hand he cries up the natural mans attainments far above that which any natural man ever arrives at and indeed takes the most of the Characters of a true Believer and claps them upon a natural man And so page 117. That Christ may be the received Lord and Christ in the heart and give a participation and fellowship with him in spirit by the power and presence of himself there either in his first or second appearance and all along he maketh the receiving of Christ in his first appearance only to be no saving state and yet he saith in this state Christ may be the received Lord and Christ in the heart and give the soul a participation and fellowship with himselfe in spirit But how plainly doth the Holy Ghost confute him John 1.12 That to as many as receive him to them gave he power to become the sons of God and Rom. 8.17 If sons then heirs heirs of God and coheirs with Jesus Christ So that wheresoever Christ becomes the received Lord and Christ in the heart eternal salvation at that very time is come to that soul forasmuch as he is made the child of God by faith in Jesus Christ or by receiving Christ which are all one as that 1 John 12. makes plain yea this Author saith that such a soule Christ gives a participation and fellowship with himselfe in spirit but then is not this soul in a safe and saving state for Christ to give a soul fellowship with himself in the fathers love to make him a sharer in his death blood and righteousness and spirit and he that is thus called into fellowship with Jesus Christ is surely in a saving state and by the way I would note this to the Reader that whereas now the Gospel is preached more then in former ages so that many places and poor souls that have sat in darkness see a great deal of light that way and men are told much of Christs being the way the truth and the life and are earnestly pressed and invited to receive Christ that they might have life it 's now one of the devils grand designs to make men believe that men may receive Christ and have fellowship union and communion with him and yet not be in a saveing state but be under the Covenant of works all this while thinking if this doctrine would take it would keep thousands from Christ therefore it concerneth us to way lay his designs and unmask him that transforms himself into an Angel of light that under pretence of carrying us higher would beguile us of the simplicity that is in Christ the sure way of life and salvation by receiving of Jesus Christ the Lord our righteousness and truly for ought I know this Author is the first that ever broacht this doctrine in print that a man might receive Jesus Christ and have fellowship with him in spirit and be made the righteousness of God in him and yet not be in a saving state for the Arminians never had the face to say it was not a saving state if they continued in it Let us examine the Scripture he quotes one is 1 Cor. 10. the beginning of that chap especially the fourth ver that the Jews did all eat of the same spirituall meate that was Manna our fathers did eate Manna in the wilderness that
into their hearts to be their Lord and Christ for then it would have been well with them for ever though this Author makes such a state but the first image and most unwarrantably calls such the devils subjects page 361. Page 151. He saith Those that come into this first image who yet he saith are not in a saving state have by Christ renewed in them the same pure nature for kind wherein man was at first created and in that state are fed and nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood to the growing up into one living body with him Whatsoever this Author saith of the natural mans having the same pure nature for kind that was in Adam at first if we will believe the Scriptures they will tell us the contrary as Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of his heart was onely evil continually where then was the pure nature for kinde that man was at first created in and in the Psalms its said that God looked down from heaven and behold there was none righteous no not one and Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things yea desperately wicked who can know it and Jer. 4.14 Wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved which plainly imports thus much that though there may be a great deal of outward reformation in the natural man yet the hearts of none are truly washed from wickednesse and purified but they shall be saved and 2 Pet. 2.14 the Apostle saith of the false teachers who yet no question made a fair shew that they had eyes full of adultery or of the Whore and could not cease to sin where was the same pure nature in kinde that was in Adam when they could not cease to sin but the Author saith further that these men are nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood but he is sufficiently mistaken for what is it to be nourished up at Christs Table but to be nourished up in faith love holinesse and is the natural man thus nourished up what is this but to be nourished up to eternallife and whereas he saith they eat his flesh and drink his blood I answer then they must needes be saved if we will beleive Christs owne expresse words John 6.54 who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life for though this Author maketh nothing of eating Christs flesh and drinking his blood and maketh it but his first Image in which there is no salvation yet saith Christ in the 55. verse of that chap My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and least we should beleive such doctrine as this Author bringeth that this is but the first Image or Covenant of works and falleth short of salvation to eate Christs flesh and drink his blood the Lord Jesus maketh a solemne asseveration to evince it he saith in 57. verse As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me Thus notably hath Christ confuted this Authors doctrine and left it upon record for a witness against him he saith further that by thus eating of Christs flesh and drinking his blood they grew up into one living body with him and yet by his doctrine in no saving state for all this so that men may be living members of Christ and yet never be saved strange doctrine indeed shall any that are one living body with Christ be damned the Apostle saith Ephe. 5.23 that Christ is the Saviour of the body and I think wee may believe him but he quoteth Luk. 13.25.26 How men shall plead they have eaten and drunk in Christs presence and he hath taught in their streetes but what is this to the purpose did all that sat at table with Christ in the daies of his flesh and eat and drink with him eat his flesh and drink his blood and were all those that heard him teach in their streets made one liveing body with him this would be as strange an inference from this place as those that conclude 7. Sacraments from the five loaves and 2. fishes and alas these were so far from being one living body with Christ that the next verse telleth us that Christ shall say to them I know not where you are and so far from having pure nature of the same kind with Adam that Christ shall say to them Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity What a slurre he casts upon the Godly and Churches of Christ Page 153. calling them the worldly church the incorporated body of visible Saints called out and separated from the world a very cleaver contradicition for if they be called out and separated from the world how are they a worldly church yea and he after confesses they have a manifest selfe-distinguishing proression not onely from all heathenish worship but from corrupt Christian professions and practises but then will I aske this Author how then are they a worldly Church Page 154. He saith that these are a true Church and as Revel 12.1 are cloathed with the Sun yea are the Nursery or womb of all the true Spirituall seede But if they be the true Church of Christ then they are in a saving state and then they are subject to Christ Eph. 5.24 Christ loveth them and hath given himselfe for them v. 25. and presents them to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and without blemish sanctifies and cleanses them by the washing of the water through the word v. 25.29 and surely all this amounts to eternall salvation and to be cloathed with Christ the Son of righteousness Revel 12.1 wrapt up in these beames of light and life holdeth forth salvation fully and I pray how can these be the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seede and yet not be the spirituall seede themselves he maketh these but flesh in their highest attainements and John 3.6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh and no better he maketh them but the Law and the Covenant of workes and doth he think the Law and its righteousness is the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seed the Apostle will teach us another lesson Gal. 3.2 where he asketh the Galatians such a question received ye the spirit by the hearing of the Law or by the preaching faith was the Law or first Covenant the nursery or wombe which brought forth the Spirit in you surely no but the hearing of faith and so Gala. 4.23 he who was of the bond-woman was after the flesh but he that was of the freewas by promise the bondwoman and all that are her children are in bondage Now this Author counts this Church and this state that we are treating on to be but the bondwoman the Law and yet