act of faith in (a) In nomen Christi credere est illum recipere tanquam filium dei salvatorem mundi ergo quinon credunt Christum non recipiunt Nam sine fide non recipitur Muscul com in loc justification which is to beleeve signifieth nothing but to receive Christ therefore the act of faith considered as I have here set it downe To say that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by Gods imputation before the Act of our faith and therefore necessarily without it This is blasphemy and false Doctrine The Scripture saith We are justified by Faith Here is a Doctrine quite contrary namely That we are justified without faith Bâ—t Pag. 36. You see evidently that he labours to prove that we are justified by Gods imputation of Christs righteousnesse without faith to which purpose he argues thus Even as our sins were made Christs so Christs righteousnesse is made ours now how our sinnes were made Christs let the Prophet Esay (b) Id nunc repetit quod nimuum paenam quam nos exol vere debeamus deus ipsi imposuent candem vero ipse in se receperit tanquam voluntarius Gualter in Isa Hom. 267. speake Cap. 53.6 And the Lord hath layed on him the iniquity of us all that is the guilt and punishment of our iniquities well then the Lord layd it upon Christ and he willingly received it 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body God layd them on him Christ by his passive obedience received this burthen as Heb. 5.8 He learned obedience by the things which he suffered So then according to his conclusion God layes our sinnes upon Christ and Saint Ambrose upon this Scripture saith that he did willingly receive those things which hee suffered So God layes Christs righteousnesse upon us by imputation and we by the passive obedience of Faith receive it And by this it is plaine that God imputeth Christs righteousnesse to none but such as doe beleeve for Imputation is an action of God freely accounting the righteousnesse of Christ to be his righteousnesse who beleeves in Christ Rom. 4.3.4 and it was imputed or accounted to him for righteousnesse that is Faith was imputed Faith here must be considered two wayes first as a qualitie in it selfe and thus it is imperfect and consequently cannot bee imputed unto us for our justification Again faith must be considered as an instrument or hand receiving Christ and in this regard beleeving is put for the thing beleeved and faith is imputed for righte ousnesse because by it we doe (c) Paulus additâ—n â—rptetationem quod fide gratuita impu atio accipâ—atu Melancâ— par 3. fol. miâ—â— 958. receive imputed righteousnes Rom. 5.17 They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnes to wit by faith shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ These phrases of Speech Faith is imputed for righteousnes Faith justifieth of Faith or through Faith are Aequipollent of like force and signification When we say We are justified by faith or faith is imputed for righteousnesse it is to be understood correlatively the (d) Ostendimus sidem justificare non habitualiter ut est qualitas sed relate quia cortelatum fidei satisfactio meritum Christi fide apprehensum justificat Item organâ—câ— quia fides justitiam imputaâ—am accipit instar dextâ—ae Pareus in cap. 3. ad Rom. dub 8. correlate of faith is the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Faith then being the relate Christs righteousnes the correlate the one cannot be without the other for the Logician will tell you that relate and correlate considered as such that is according to relation they have their being together so that grant one you must needs grant the other to be take away the being of the one and he other cannot be For we cannot conceive so much as one individed instant of time wherein the one can have a being without the other but they have their being together at one and the same instant of time not one before or after the other As a father considered as a man so he hath the being of a man before his sonne but consider him as a father according to the relation added namely according to paternitie and filiation and so and in such manner the being of father and sonne is at one and the same instant To conclude Faith being the relate Christs righteousnesse made ours by Gods (e) Hoc loâ—o sc Rom. 4.34 fides non potest sumi eo sensu ut imputetur ad justitiam quatenus est opus aliquod justitiae et virtutis in nobis sed quod nos dicimus quatenus fides sumitur pro correlato suomempe re credita fide apprehen sa justitia Christi Rivit Orâ—hod Cathol Tom. 2. pag. 260. imputation the correlate it cannot bee but where there is righteousnesse imputed there must needs be Faith for imputed righteousnesse and Faith of necessity have their being together for where no Faith is there is no imputed righteousnesse And it is a contradiction of an high nature not onely in (f) Relatum correlatum qua ralia simul sunt natura cognitione ideoque se muâ—uo ponunt tollunt tam in essendo quam in cognoscendo Kekerman System log in praedicam Relati Can. 4. Logick but in the Scripture it selfe In this fourth Chap. to the Romans this word imputed is divers times repeated in the Doctrine of justification and is joyned unto Faith without which there is no imputation of Christs righteousnesse to us Imputation of righteousnesse and Faith have their being together grant one you must grant the other take away one you must take away the other Rom. 4.23.24 Now it was not written for his sake alone namely Abraham that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeve on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead So that without beleeving Christs righteousnesse cannot be made ours before God There is no space of time betweene justification and justifying Faith for so soone as a man beleeves he is justified and so soone as he is justified hee beleeves Again the Apostle opposeth the Act of beleeving to justification by workes for the Act of beleeving is not our righteousnesse The proper action of Faith is apprehension and the Act of Faith in justification is beleeving or receiving Christs righteousnesse Now giving and receiving in regard of their relation stand or fall together Justification is (g) Justificatio solet distingui in Activam passivam Activailla dicitur quando deus justificat passiva quando justificatur peccator Distingui posse hic Justificationem patet ex ipsa â—erum natura si enim est quidam qui justificat quidam qui justificatur ergo est Activa Passiva justificatio Machowius Disput 17. active passive Active in regard of God that justifyeth Passive in regard of man who
is justified passive in regard of us who doe by faith receive Christ without which we cannot be justified Thus you see how destructive his Doctrine is to the maine fundamentall point of our Religion to wit justification by faith So much pressed upon us by Christ and his Apostles and by him denyed And justification without Faith in the sight of God is such a justification as I never read of in Scripture We come to his objection and his answer to it Pag. 36. at the latter end But it will be objected How then is faith said to justifie I answer sayes he if we take faith for the object of our faith That is Christ then faith is properly said to justifie us for by him wee are justifyed he being our Righteousnesse Marke here how he contradicts himselfe He sayes before he cannot conceive how faith should put on Christ and apply Christ and that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by Gods imputation before the Act of our Faith and therefore necessarily without it And now confesseth that Faith being taken for the object of our Faith Christ then it is properly said to justifie us and thus it is properly said to justifie Christ being apprehended by Faith Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude a man is justified by Faith without the workes of the Law So it is taken in the Treatise of Justification wheresoever Faith is written without expresse mention of Christ we are to understand the righteousnesse of Christ received by Faith Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by Faith And doth he not overthrow his Doctrine before delivered when he concludes That Faith taken for the object of our Faith doth properly justifie and how can that be without Faiths apprehension of the object Wee will make this more plaine if it may bee Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ The (f) Ea est fides Jesu Christi non active quam ipse Christus habet sed passive qua ipse Christus habetur seu possideâ—ur Affert haec fides justitiam non effective quasi habitualiter aut formâ—li â—r justos efficiat nec materialiter quasi ipsa sit illud quo justi censâ—nâ—ur sed objective quatenuâ— fertur in Christum qui est justitia nostâ—aâ— et organice quatâ—nus instar manus donum â—â—â—â—itiae gratis propâ—er Christi meriâ—um credentib imputatae apprehendit Pare Com. in loc Faith of Christ is not here taken actively for the Faith which Christ had but passively for the Faith whereby Christ is had and possessed This Faith doth not justifie effectively as working an habituall justice or righteousnesse in us nor materially as though Faith it selfe were that whereby we are justified but it justifieth objectively as it apprehendeth Christ and instrumentally as it applyeth the righteousnesse of Christ Object How are we said to be justified freely seeing Faith is required which is an act in the beleever This Objection may bee urged further thus That is freely bestowed which is conferred without any helpe or worke in the receiver seeing then a man must bring Faith which is a worke of the will how is he said to be justified freely The Answer is that we are (g) Si fides qua ratione actus quidam est et ex se justitiam saceret gratis justitia non daretur at id non habet Ego pauperi scutum gratis porrigo quod ille extensa manua me accipit si quis mihi objiceret tu gratis non dedisti nam et pauper manum extendit nec acciperetnisi id faceret ridicula prosecto esset objectio extensio en im manus non habet ex se scutum adferre extendenti si enins id esset quoties manum extenderet scutum haberet A virtute potius et liberalitate dantis est scutum quamvis illi per manuum extensionem applicetur ita defide Tolet. ad Rom. cap. 3. Annot. 20 Deus imputans nobis justitiam Christi dat nobis fidem qua illam applicate valeamus Machowius quae de stat primi hominis Disput 7. justified freely although the condition of Faith be required because Faith doth not justifie as it is an act of ours but all the vertue thereof proceedeth from the object as the Israelites being healed by looking upon the Brasen Serpent obtained not their health by the very act of opening their eyes but by the object which they beheld which was the Serpent And like as when a rich man giveth his Almes unto the poore though he stretcheth out his hand to receive it yet it is said notwithstanding to be a free gift but adde here further that as when a blind man putteth forth his hand but he that giveth is faine to direct it to receive the almes or if a man have a weake and withered hand which he is not able to stretch out unlesse the other that giveth doth lift it up in this case every way the gift is free So our will is not of it selfe apt to beleeve or will any thing aright unlesse the Lord direct it Faith then being both the worke of God in inclining our will and Faith receiving all the vertue from the object which it apprehendeth namely Christ it remaineth that Faith notwithstanding wee are justified freely And the act of faith thus taken as we have set it downe doth according to Scripture stand in opposition to justification by workes And thus Christ in the Covenant of grace is set forth upon some condition to wit that we beleeve in him which condition God doth not onely require at our hand but doth by his Spirit freely give us and enable us to performe it And Christ freely given and all is done of Gods free grace and mercy It may be objected men may be justified before they doe beleeve and so without Faith for they are justified in Gods decree from all eternitie I answer God hath decreed before all time to justifie some men in time but not without Faith that being an effect of Gods decree and beleeving being that way by which God hath ordained to justifie and save men (g) Docet autem hic locus fidem ab election Dei dependere Calvin in loc Act. 13.48 And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Gal. 3.24 that we might be justified by Faith and in the 26. Verse for yee are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus it is plaine by these places of Scripture that God never made any such decree as to justifie any man before he doth beleeve and it is blasphemy to charge such an Act upon God For to justifie a man before he doth beleeve is to justifie him in his (h) Id est impietatem impiâ— Lapid Com. in loc sinfull wayes which God abhorreth and is contrary to his proclamation Exod. 34.7 that hee will by no meanes cleare the (i) Nempe impoenitentem in peccatis suis sibi placentem Riveâ— Com. in loc guiltie
Againe it is plaine (k) Ratio quasi a priori est quod deus per essentiam sit ipsa justitia increata immensa fontalis ab â—a ergovelut a sonte manat omnis justitia creata angelorum hominum quam proinde ut suam amat ac vice versa odit abominatur omnem injustitiam quasi sibi essentialiter contrariam et a daemone prosectam Cornel. à Lap. Com. in loc Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord will God who is the fountaine of justice doe that himselfe which he hateth in others if that place be alleadged Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly and therefore a man is justified before he beleeves the meaning is expounded in these words of the Verse his faith is counted for righteousnesse so that this must be understood in sensu diviso in a divided sense That God justifieth the wicked not him that remaineth wicked but was so before he was justified And the Schoole doth briefely resolve this God justifieth the ungodly Antecedenter antecedently that is him who before justification was ungodly not consequenter consequently that is him who after justification remaineth ungodly Pag. 36. towards the latter end saith he if we take Faith for the Act of our Faith apprehending this object then we are justified by it declaratively in our consciences and concludes that Faith doth onely justifie declaratively speaking to our consciences that wee are the children of God in Christ Jesus Thus you see hee doth exclude faith altogether from justifying a sinner in the sight of God And that it is onely said to justifie because by it we come to be certaine and to have assurance in our consciences that wee are justified in the sight of God and as it doth declare unto us our justification in the court of conscience Two grosse absurdities will follow upon Faiths declarative justification onely as he calls it The first is that Faith doth not at all justifie which is point blacke contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for it is one thing to be and another thing to appeare to be Faith having no hand at all in the being of Justification but in the making of it appeare to be So that I am first justified in the sight of God by Gods imputation without Faith and afterwards Faith comes and makes it appeare to me that I am justifyed And by it I come to have assurance in my conscience that it is so The second absurdity will be this That where there is not assurance there is no faith Faith being as he concludes onely an assurance that I am justifyed What will a distressed Conscience in case of spirituall desertion doe this doctrine makes him desperate for by this he argues the case thus Faith is nothing but an assurance to me in my conscience that I am justifyed in the sight of God but I want this assurance therefore I am without Faith and consequently in a damned condition as the case now stands with me Is this preaching Christ and free grace but I say a man may want in his owne apprehension this assurance and yet he may have Faith Gods people sometimes are in such a condition that they cannot see so much as a glimpse of Gods favour Nay the contrary They conclude themselves forsaken of God and cast-awayes what 's become now of assurance but for all this dare any man say that men in this condition have no Faith Nay they are upheld by the secret support of Faith otherwise in such a condition they would despaire as Judas did but it is plaine by Scripture that a childe of God may want assurance and yet by Faith stay himselfe upon God Isay 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God Take faith for the act of Faith apprehending the object and so we are justified by faith onely in the sight of God in regard whereof the salvation of all that truely beleeve is sure and certaine though they perhaps be not assured thereof for this is the promise of the Gospell that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have life everlasting Take faith in reference to the Subject for that which doth declare our justification to our consciences and herein (a) Fides illa proprie dicitur justificans qua incumbimus in Christum ad remissionem pecca orum salutem Christus enim est adaequatuÌ„ objectuÌ„ fidei quatenus fides justificat fides enim non alia ratione justificat nisi quatenus aâ—prehendit illam justitiam propter quam justificamur illa autem justitia non est in veritate alicujus axiomatâ—s cui assensum pâ—aebemus sâ—â— in Christo solo qui factus est pro nobis peccatum ut nos essemus in ipso justitia 2 Cor. 5 21. fides ista justificans sâ—a natura producit atque adeo conjunctam secum habet speciaâ—em ac certam persuasionem de gratia ac misericordia Dei in Christo Ames Medul Theol. lib. 1 cap. 27. de Just faith cannot not be said properly to justify for this is an effect of justifying faith There are two degrees of justifying Faith the one being a lively assent to the promise of the Gospell the other a sound application thereof to our selves by the former as being the condition of the promise we are justified in the Court of Heaven by the latter in the Court of our owne conscience which is not properly called justification but the application of justification for a man must first be justified in the sight of God before he can be perswaded in his conscience of his justification otherwise his perswasion is a false perswasion and a meere delusion By the former we are justified before God by the latter we are perswaded in our conscience and in some measure assured of our justification For the further clearing of this distinction of Faith let us consider the differences betweene the two degrees by the former as I have said we are justified before God in the Court of heaven by the latter we are justified in the Court of our owne Conscience by the former we are justified properly by the latter we are assured of our justification I take this assurance to be an act of experience flowing from justifying Faith Of the justification which we have by the first degree which is properly so called there are no degrees (b) Justitia nobis imputata persecta aequalis est in omnibus credentibus Wolleb Compend Theol. lib. l.c. 30. but of that which we have by the second degree which is not justification but the assurance of it there are degrees according to the measure of Faith of necessity we must hold this distinction
alium atque alium populum nec terminant gratiam Dei ab aeterno illi destinatam Muscul in loc alterations of some men dying and others being borne doe not constitute another and another people neither doe they terminate the grace of God destinated to his people from eternity to this or that particular generation of beleevers seeing that all the severall generations of beleevers are but one people of God and Christ is the gift of this people of God The same yesterday and to day and for ever And though Christ was to be borne in time to (h) Quamvis enim futurum hoc esset post aliquot secula ipsa tamen gratiae hujus communicatio non erar tempori nativitatis Christi alligata sed toti Ecclesiae electorum inde a principio illius ad finem usque destinata Muscul in loc come many Ages after yet the communication of this grace was not tyed to the time of Christs Nativity but was destinated and appointed to the whole Church of God from the beginning to the end who as I said before though they consist of diverse Generations of men and lived in severall ages of the world yet make but one Church and people of God Consider the objection Pag. 55. line 8. If any man say they speake sometime in the present and preterperfect tense I answer saith he with Saint Peter That not unto themselves but unto us they did minister those things 1 Pet. 1.12 Let us looke into the true meaning of this place it may be understood these wayes First The Prophets prophesied not unto themselves that is to the Jewes but to us Christians for they did (i) Praedixerunt enim Christi adventuÌ„ vocationem gratâ—aÌ„ salutem obventuram Christanis non Judaeâ—â— Cornel. a Lapide in loc foretell the comming of Christ vocation grace and salvation to come to Christians not to Jewes according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.11 These are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Secondly they did minister not unto themselves The Apostle meaneth that those things which they prophesied did not belong unto themselves as is plaine Act. 15.11 But the sufferings and glory of Christ were revealed to them not so much for their (k) Non taÌ„ ip soruÌ„ causa quaÌ„ vestri quâ—â—ratis coâ—um libâ—os lectuâ—i Estâ—us in loc sakes who did already beleeve as for ours who were to read their bookes that so our Faith likewise might be confirmed concerning him considering the Doctrin of the Prophets Apostles to be one the same concerning his incarnation Thirdly Not unto (l) Non suo tempore sed nostro Lawren in loc themselves but unto us that is they did minister those things and did foretell that which was to be fulfilled not in their times but in our times Looke then upon this 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. You shall see that the Prophets were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit ver 11. The Spirit of Christ was in them They were Ministers likewise of the Gospell ver 10. Prophesied of the Grace that should come They were Evangelicall Prophets and Propheticall Evangelists and no question they did not want the fruite and benefit of their owne Prophesies neither were they excluded from the grace of Christ and the fruition and injoyment of Christ being made partakers of the same salvation with us though they did not see the Complement and fulfilling of the promise in regard of Christs apparition (m) Quibus etiam ait paâ—esactum ver 12. Eos non sibi sed nobis illa administrate non quantum ad fruitionem illi enim ejusdem salutis participes fiunt sed quoad Christi apparitionem Tossan praelect in loc and exhibition in the flesh with their bodily eyes yet by they eye of Faith they did see and injoy the present benefit of Christs Incarnation and Manifestation in the flesh Whereas he sayes Page 55. line 14. John speakes of the time hard at hand or present We confesse that this manner of speaking hath respect to the predictions concerning the Messias but yet it doth not deny but that the Kingdome of God as Kingdome is here taken for the Kingdome of (n) Regnum coelorum regnuÌ„ gratiae vocat misericordiae Dei in Christo Pareus in loc Grace was alwayes at hand to true penitents and that Christ was neerer to them that lived many ages before John who saw him with the eyes of Faith in his incarnation many yeares before than to them who lived in Johns time and saw him in his humane nature onely with the eyes of the body Page 55. The three last lines there are these words The Apostle after our Saviours Ascension speakes as of a thing actually past and done shewing plainely the way and meanes whereby the Sonne of God hath purged and sanctified his Church he proveth this Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath ever perfected them that are (o) Comprehendit hoc nomine omnes Dei Filios Calvin Christus qui nunâ— ad dextram Dei sedeâ— â—nico suo sacrificio omnibus quorquot salvandi sunt remissionem plenâ—ssimam omnium peccatorum unpetravit Luc. Osiand in loc sanctified I answer That Christs one offering was ever the way to perfect such as were sanctifyed Beleevers in all times of the world having no other way and this offering did extend it selfe to all beleevers in regard of time past present and to come Dare any man conclude from this place that Beleevers were not actually sanctifyed purged and perfected and their sins actually remitted before Christs Ascension into Heaven if they doe t is popery if not worse Pag. 56. at the latter end saith he There are I confesse many difficulties in the way but I have not now leisure to remove them The greatest is that the Jewes are said to eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.3 4. This objection was not made when he Preacht but was put to him since and he could not answer it 'T is strange that having so long time before he Printed his Sermon that he should in Print say he had not leisure to remove it But I beleeve him for this place doth tell him to his face that his Doctrine is false and this he will never be able to remove But to open this Scripture They did eate the same spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke to wit the body and blood of Christ t is plaine then that they were not under the curse The Apostle in this place proves that the Fathers had the Sacrament of the (p) Eucharistia est Communio corporis sanguinis Christi At Manna aqua ex rupe fuerunt Israelitis Eucharistia Ergo Manna Aqua ex rupe suerunt Israelitis Communio corporis sanguirus Christi non potest ergo negati Sacramenta veteribus fuisse quod ad rem attinet paria novis
its effective energie and efficacie Againe our love doth not onely beare witnesse to our Faith before men but also to our selves that we doe beleeve our consciences telling us that it is such a love that must needs flow from Faith and be a fruit and effect of it Good (b) Opera bona tripliciter veniunt consideranda 1. Ratione materiae sive objecti circa quod versantur 2. Ratione originis ex qua procedunt 3. Ratione finis in quem fiunt Laurent com in Epist Jaceb pag. mihi 178. workes are to be considered 1. In regard of the matter or object about which they are conversant 2. In regard of the originall from which they doe proceed 3. In regard of the end for which they are done Now who can judge of the proper and formall object of a mans love to the brethren whether grace be it or no or who can tell whether it flowes from a sincere affection to grace or no or whether there be any by end or not another man cannot judge 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him by the (c) Spiritus hominis significar substantialem hominis pattem animum seu intellectum conscientiam hominis quae cuique certissime dictat quid in intimis cordis recessibus lateat quisque in sinu gerat Pare com in loc spirit wee are to understand the substantiall part of man the mind or intellect and conscience which doth certainly dictate and tell to every one what lies hid in the secret passages of his heart and every thing that hee carrieth in his bosome for the mind of man doth not onely understand those things which are abroad or mans outward actions but his very inwards And by reflexion upon it selfe knowes and understands that it understands it selfe And thus its plaine that no other can judge of a mans true love to the brethren but his conscience and spirit and the spirit sanctified can by the Word judge certainly another but conjecturally And thus you see our love beares witnesse to our faith in the secrets of our heart and doth infallibly evidence to us that we doe beleeve And my conscience evidences to me that this love could not be in my heart unlesse I had Faith and our Saviour tels us Mat. 25.40 (d) Eleemosyna haec est quae Christum pascit esurientem in paupere Prosper De promis praedict Dei par 2. cap. 7. Inasmuch as we imbrace his Brethren by acts of love we imbrace him in our armes which none can doe without Faith In his conference Pag. 13. he layes downe this as a Note of love to the brethren If they be in poverty to sell the whole or halfe of our possessions and divide among them The sicke man propounds this question Can I not love them unlesse I sell my possessions and divide among them The Minister makes answer Verily no for true love binds us not onely to lay downe our goods but our lives also where need requireth The sicke man saith He hath not loved them thus The Minister tels him then he hath loved them in word not in deed in tongue not in truth And concludes that few can by this marke be assured of their salvation because they come so farre short of the precept and example of our Lord. To this I answer Cannot a man love the Brethren unlesse he actually sell the whole or halfe of his possessions and divide among them its enough if he carry a minde to sell them if need require which every good Christian doth and will in case of necessity part with his estate and life too Pag. 14. In his conference he saith I doe for the present beleeve untill I shall see ground to the contrary that Saint John doth principally speake of our assurance whereby we know (e) Nos scimus quid nos scimus quia transivimus de morte ad vitam undescimus quia diligimus fratres Nemo interroget hominem redeat unusquifque ad cor suum si ibi invenerit Charitatem sraternam securus sit quia transiit de motte ad vitam Jam in dextra est Aug. Expos in Epist Joan. tract 5. col mihi 613. in fine one another to be the children of God this shewes he understands not the meaning of this place it being chiefely to be understood of the evidence we have in our selves Pag. 15. I doe affirme saith he that he that hath no greater witnesse in himselfe than love to the brethren shall never attaine to assurance of Salvation Mark how within the compasse of three leaves he doth say and unsay for Pag. 12. He doth confesse unfained love to the brethren is a testimony of grace received Now whosoever hath a testimony that he hath received Grace hath assurance by this of his Salvation it makes no matter whether the Testimony he hath be greater or lesse so it be sound and true and a Christian in this case may argue a minore ad majus from the lesser to the greater for he that in Truth hath this witnesse is infallibly certaine of the greater and may by this know that he hath that I meane Faith if by it he understands the greater They are cursed speeches of the sicke man to say Hell gapes for him he shall be damned And cursed be the time that ever I laid a foundation upon the sands As though to affirme that unfained love to the brethren is an infallible note of true beleevers were to lay a foundation upon the sands whereas the Apostle affirmes as much Master Perkins speaking of the right way of ministring comfort to a party distressed layes this downe for one ground Namely to love any man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true love of God in Christ and he proves it by this place we are upon 1 Joh. 3.14 Having laid downe this ground saith he The way whereby the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of Salvation stands in two things in making tryall and applying of the promise First when a man is in the fit of Tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fit of his love to God he will answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he love a man because he is a Christian and a Childe of God then he will say he doth indeed In the second place the applying of the promise of life everlasting to the party distressed And that is done by a kinde of reasoning The first part whereof is taken from the Word of God The second from the testimony of the distressed conscience And the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner Major Minor He that loves a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is certainely himselfe a true childe of God But thou lovest a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God Therefore thou art a childe of God Conclus and art translated from death to life as the Apostle speakes Another ground of comfort for a party distressed Master Perkins layes downe from the unfaigned desire after grace which he in his Conference Page 3. and in his Booke Page 74. doth utterly reject First saith Master Perkins let the comforter aske the party in distresse whether he beleeve and repent The distressed party answers no he cannot repent nor beleeve Then we must further aske whether he doth desire to beleeve and repent To this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart Now for applying the promise to the distressed the Argument will run thus He that hath an unfained desire to repent and beleeve hath remission of sins and life everlasting Major Minor Conelus But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeve in Christ Therefore remission of sinnes and life everlasting is thine Thus Master Perkins But that I may comfort the poore weake Christian against such Doctrine as this That such as doe desire to beleeve doe not beleeve I will conclude with an Example I have read in the workes of that famous Divine Master Greenham who tels of one Master Chambers of Leycester who in his sickenesse grievously despaired and cryed out that he was damned and after dyed yet it is not for any to note him sayes he with the blacke marke of a reprobate One thing which he spake in his extremity O that I had but one drop of Faith must move all men to conceive well of him for by this it seemeth he had an heart which desired to repent and beleeve And therefore a repentant and beleeving heart indeed Blame me not for having a second bout at such Doctrine as this so destructive to poore distressed Consciences so contrary to the Word of God and against the experience of every true broken hearted Christian What Doctrine soever tends to the vilifying of a sanctified life is a Doctrine of devils though it appeare as an Angell of light And such as labour to make the Law of God of no use not so much as a rule of life to a beleever doe deny the Kingly Office of Christ and they are Antichrist Now the Lord give us broken hearts that we may be low in our owne eyes and not be led by our owne humours but that we may be guided by the Spirit of truth according to the word of Truth I will present you with the golden chaine of Salvation and I have done 1. God hath ordained 2. Christ hath merited 3. The Word doth promise 4. The Sacraments doe seale 5. Faith doth receive 6. The mouth doth confesse 7. Workes doe testifie Now to God onely wise Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be all praise as is most due for evermore FINIS
doe not teach (k) Idololatrica est paeniteÌ„tia papistarum quam ponunt 1. in contritione 2. in confessione 3 satisfactione quaque peccata expiari putant Wolleb Compend Theol. lib. 2 cap. 3. p. 291. repentance consists first in contrition secondly confession thirdly satisfaction whereby our sins are expiated Pag. 50. At the beginning he goes on thus God people it is dying not crying will give satisfaction for sins I answer did Christs dying exclude his crying who as the Apostle saith Heb. 5.7 In the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares Was this crying and these teares excluded in point of satisfaction for sins Againe we doe not say that teares of repentance make or give satisfaction but this satisfaction of Christ is given to no man but to him in whom are teares of repentance and crying teares in true repentance is dying to sinne else what becomes of Christian mortification and therefore this crying is dying We make not teares the cause but an effect flowing from the satisfaction of Christ by Faith applyed to the soule Zach. 12.10 And they shall (l) Quis enim vere fidelium non plangit peccatis suiscausam se dedisse occisioni crucifixioni Christi hlii Dei hominis ideoque amarissime semper pii Judaei gentes Domini passionem plangunt Pellican in loc looke upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him They that by Faith looke at Christ crucified for their sins cannot but shed teares of repentance Page 50. At the latter end he propounds this question Did not the Prophets also Preach remission of sins upon true repentance If we should hold him close to his owne phrase of speech strictly taken as he doth others we may conclude out of his owne mouth To preach remission of sins upon true repentance that he speakes blasphemy against the blood of Christ without which there is no remission for as satisfaction so remission of sinnes is onely by the blood of Christ but of this by the way Hee goes on in these words I answer the Prophets must be considered preaching either the New Covenant or the Old for they preached the New also They did never Preach the Old and New Covenant in opposition to one another The Law sayes he did not could not disanull the Covenant that was made to Abraham 430. years before this place overthrowes and confutes him to his face and he alledgeth it against himselfe In the new Covenant sayes he the Prophets preached eternall remission in the Old they preached actuall remission by legall services but not eternall which remission is called by the Apostle a fleshly purifying This place concerning the Covenant made to Abraham (m) Conjungi misccri nulla ratione queunt quod non ita est a cipiendum quasi doctrina legis doctrina Evangelâ—i mutuo repugnent ita enim Dous sibi in suo verbo repugnater quod absit sed quod justihcationis modus in lege Evangelio monstratus contratie se haber aut ut nec simul stare anc misceri in unum possunt magis quam aqua ignis simul consistere in unum elemontum possunt Pareus com in loc Gal. 3.17 is not so to be understood as if the Doctrine of the Law and of the Gospell were mutually repugnant contrary to each other for so God should be repungant contrary to himselfe in his owne Word which God forbid in the least thought but in regard of the manner of justification set forth in the Law and in the Gospell So they are contrary and cannot be mixed together be made one or stand together no more than fire and water can consist together or be made one and the same element We must here againe marke the opposition betweene the Law and the promise The false Apostles did attribute the effect of (n) Proinde alrius quiddam in caeremoniis considerat nempe effectum justincationis quem illis tribuchant pseudoapostolâ— conscientiarum obligationem Calvin in loc Justification to legall ceremonies and so did lay a yoke upon mens consciences the yoke of ceremonies but what 's the meaning of the Apostle when he saith The Law cannot disanull and make the promise of none effect why the Impostors did deny salvation promised to be freely given to men and obtained by Faith and did urge the Ceremonies of the Law as necessary cessary for the obtaining thereof And so did set the Law in opposition to the Promise to disanull it which the Apostle affirmes cannot be well then the Law did not nor could not disanull the promise made to AbrahaÌ„ but the false Apostles in Pauls time would have had it so And the Prophets should have beene no lesse than false prophets if they had Preached the Old Covenant in opposition to the New And whereas he saith They did in the Old Covenant Preach Actuall remission by legall scrvices but not eternall now he sets downe what he meanes by actuall remission namely a fleshly purifying for so he saith the Apostle calls it First I answer that where there is actuall remission of sins in the sight of God there must needs be eternall Otherwise a man may be a Childe of God to day and to morrow a cast-away which is Arminianisme in the highest degree if not Popery and contrary to what himselfe hath delivered to wit that God hath pardoned all the sinnes of beleevers past present and to come I would see how he can prove this actuall remission by legall services The Scripture makes mention of no such remission And the Prophets did Preach against remission by legall services consisting onely in a fleshly purifying nay they did abhorre and cry downe the legall services of the people when they did performe them to the purifying of the flesh not having respect to the inward purifying of the heart by Faith Isa 1.11 12. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts I delight not in the blood of Bullockes or of Lambes or of Hee Goates ver 13. Bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto me by this place you may see the Prophet Preacht against legall services as restrained to the purification of the flesh onely and did by them presse the people to looke farther to wit to the spirituall purification as ver 16. Wash ye make you cleane c. They did not preach in the old Covenant actuall remission by legall services but in reference to Christ else they should stand guilty of that which the Apostle speakes Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law Certainely the Prophets never preached any righteousnesse or remission by legall services
a Trap to insnare weake consciences and to handle the word deceitfully But I answer an unfained desire of salvation in a sanctified use of the meanes is an infallible note of salvation Give mee leave to explaine my selfe thus The difference and degrees of Faith are two First A weake Faith Secondly A strong Faith Concerning the first The weake Faith sheweth it selfe by this grace of God namely an unfained desire not onely of salvation for that a wicked and gracelesse man may have but of reconciliation with God in Christ This is a sure signe of Faith in every touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect and they which have this have in them also the ground and substance of true saving Faith Reason to prove this First the promise of life everlasting is made to the desire of reconciliation (d) Est autem valde cemphatica metaphora famis sitis qua non levis expetitio sed vehemens serium ardens desiderium gâ—atiae donorum per gratiam describitur Gerhard Harm cap. 15. col mihâ— 535. Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled by hungring and thirsting here is meant an ardent and earnest desire after grace which our Saviour layes downe as an infallible note of salvation Psal 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them and (e) Desiderium efficax pietati congruens certissima est nota hominâ—s pii Usus Consolationis erga Christianos qui infirmitatibus tentationibus nonnunquam pressi vexari nihil in semetipsis salu i affine sentire possunt praeter desideria pia Ames lect in Psalm Doctor Ames upon Psal 42.1.2 As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee O. God my soule thirsteth for God layes down this point of doctrine Aneffectuall desire congruent to pietie is a most certaine note of a godly man from which he drawes an use of consolation to Christians who are sometimes so pressed and disquieted with infirmities and tentations that they have no evidence in themselves of their salvation but onely godly desires Secondly the hungring desire after grace is a sanctified affection where one affection is sanctified all are sanctified where all are sanctified the whole man is sanctified and he that is sanctified is justified and beleeves and shall infallibly be saved Thirdly God accepts the will and desire to beleeve for repenting and beleeving indeed wherefore this desire of reconciliation if it be soundly wrought in the heart is in acceptation with God as true faith indeed T is confessed that there bee many and sundry fleeting motions and desires to doe good things which grow to no issue or head but in time vanish as they come Now these are not true desires after salvation but rather flashing humours and sudden passions Such have no soundnesse in them and must be distinguished from the true desire of reconciliation with God that comes from a bruised heart and brings alwayes reformation of life And thus I have answered both his questions Whereas in his conference Pag. 3. he hath this comparison The poore man can tell you that to be rich and to desire to be rich are two things even so is Faith and a desire to beleeve as all that desire to bee rich are not rich so all that desire to beleeve doe not beleeve I answer non cadem est ratio his comparison holds not but is as poore as the poore man in it A man may seriously and in good earnest have a hungring desire after riches and yet bee a starke begger and have no riches at all but it is not so in the desire of grace I argue thus he that desireth grace must needs have the Spirit for this desire cannot come of (f) Voluntas est animi motus cogente nullo ad aliquid non admittendum vel adipiscendum Haec autem ut non admittat malum adipiscatur bonum praevenâ—tur praeparatur Dei graâ—ia ipsa bona volunâ—as pedisse qua est granae non praevia Magist lib 2. dist 20. nature Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe acccrding to his good pleasure So that to will or desire good is from grace wrought in the soule by the Spirit of God yea this is a singular grace Tee have begun saith the Apostle not only to do but also to be forward or willing 2 Cor. 8.10 11. making it a greater grace to be willing and desirous to do well then it is to do the thing that is good and thereupon inferreth Vers 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Yea this is almost all that the faithfull have many times to comfort themselves withall that they find in themselves an unfained desire to please God This was all that Nehemiah could say of himselfe and the rest of his brethren Nehem. 1.11 That they did desire to feare Gods Name Isa 26.8 The desire of our soule is to thy Name This was Pauls comfort Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me From these places that godly reverend Divine Master (g) Hildersam John 4. pag. mihi 9. in the beginning Arthur Hildersam concludes They must needs be sure therefore of Grace that have an unfained desire of it for they have it already No man can desire Faith that hath not Faith the desire then of Grace is Grace and the desire of Faith is Faith and he that hath any one Grace in truth and soundnesse in him he may be certaine that his heart is upright and that he is truely regenerate thus Master Hildersam upon the fourth of John page in my edition 425. And the (h) Omnes virtutes sibi haerent ut qui una carnâ—rit omnibus careat qui ergo unam habet omnes haber Magist lib. 3 dist 36. Omnes in hoc conveniun quod qui habet unam virtutem Theologicam habet omnes Henric. de Vrimaria Add. in lib. Senten Schoole affirmes That all the graces of God are so conjoyned and together that he that wants one grace in truth wants all and he that hath any one grace in truth hath al other graces Thus then you see though his comparison holds good in things temporall that a desire to be rich is not to be rich yet it falls to the ground in things spirituall for the poore humbled soule that desires grace is rich in grace And Master (i) Perkins Cases of Conscience page mihi 24 col 1. Sect. Perkins concludes that a desire to repent and beleeve in a touched conscience and heart is Faith and repentance it selfe though not in nature yet in Gods acceptation O poore soules you that complaine of the want of Faith and Grace out of a hungering desire you have after them
comfort your drooping spirits against such desperate disconsolate doctrine as this meerely contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel and the true way of preaching Free Grace by Christ who will not breake a bruised Reed nor quench smoaking Flax if an an Angell from heaven preach any other doctrine beleeve him not I say againe cheere up your hearts The gates of Hell shall never prevaile against you you are rich in grace and all the pretious promises of the Gospel belong to you and all the riches of Gods mercie in Christ Jesus are yours what shall I say more I conclude God is yours Christ is yours and all is yours Now we are come to the third question laid downe in Page the 74. at the latter end Whether when Faith lies hid that wee cannot see that we beleeve by the inward Testimony of our conscience that it is possible our workes of pietie or charitie can assure us of salvation his answer is I say no and my reasons are these 1. That which makes me doubt of my Faith will make me doubt of the sinceritie of my worke 2. How is it possible I should judge my worke sincere when I cannot see I beleeve Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne I answer there are diverse grounds which make a man doubt of his Faith different from those which make him doubt of the sinceritâ—e of his worke as through the want of apprehension whereby hee can say from his conscience that he is justified and at peace with God And in regard of spirituall desertions There is a twofold inward testimony of conscience The first is an immediate knowledge that a man doth beleeve which is by the prime and next efficient cause namely the Spirit of God called the (k) Id est eandem fidem ex ejusdem Spiritus afflatu dono Beza in loc Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and this is more fully set downe downe 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God The second inward testimony of conscience is the sinceritie of a mans worke whereby a Christian knowes he doth beleeve and concerning the sinceritie of the worke none can judge but a mans owne conscience whose proper office it is and this the Apostle sets downe 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our (l) Certebonam conscientiam habemus quod candide ca an misinceritate quam Dominus in nobis requiriâ— un sumus Luc. Ostand in loc conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God wee have had our conversation in the world Conscience being that privitie which the soule hath to things knowne to none but God and it selfe is able to judge of the intention of every action So that as a tree is knowne by the fruits in like manner Faith is certainely knowne by its fruits as the cause is knowne by the effect And the Apostle (m) Insallibile est signam vere râ—natorum organm a postenori valer Arett com in loc 1 Joh. 3.14 makes love to the brethren an infallible signe of a regenerate man We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren So that although we cannot immediately see that wee doe beleeve yet if we find in our conscience that wee love the brethren we know by this that wee doe beleeve for as breath is a certaine signe and evidence of present life so love to the brethren of present Faith even as wee see that when the Sunne is eclipsed though the earth wants the light of it yet not the reall influence and though men see not the Sunne in the light of it they doe see it in its reall influence and vertue So although Faith may be hid in regard of the soules immediate seeing it yet it may evidently see it doth beleeve in regard of Faiths reall influences and effects love to the brethren being one and thus though Faith lies hid Charitie doth and can assure us of our salvation Pag. 75. What workes are done in Faith sayes he that the same acts may not be done in the spirit of bondage If you say indeed that the actions are the same but they differ in the end I grant it and in the efficient also but as I cannot discerne the efficient so neither can I discerne the end of my worke To this I answer I discerne the efficient by the end he that hath a discursive intellect and can make use of that reason which God bath given him can easily tell to what end hee undertakes such and such an action The end being the first thing in the (a) Finis qui ultimus est executione primus est intentione omnis intellectus operativus incipit a fine Keckerm System lib. 1. pag. 165. intention and that which first sets the minde on worke about this or that thus in temporalls so likewise in spiritualls The Christian being able to make use of his sanctified reason can easily tell the intent of his heart and the end hee aymes at especially having the word of God as a sure rule to goe by he can tell whether he loves the brethren out of any by end he hath or onely as brethren setting all other respects aside And finding this holy affection in himselfe must needs conclude it cannot bee in a man that doth not beleeve I have heard of a very godly Minister who as I take it being sicke to death was much troubled about his evidence and doubted whether he did belong to God or no at the last Well sayes he the devill shall never gull me I have one evidence will assure me without faile I am certaine I love Gods people and so gathered comfort Upon these grounds I am bold to determine the question affirmatively That although Faith lies hid for the present yet a man from workes of pietie and charitie which he findes in himselfe may have assurance that he doth beleeve and so is in the state of salvation In his conference pag. 12. he doth confesse Where unfained love to the brethren is found it may be a testimony of grace received but he objects How shall I know his answer is That unlesse we beleeve truely we cannot know we love unfainedly therefore though our love heare witnesse to our Faith before men yet our Faith beares witnesse to our love in the secrets of our heart neither can it ever appeare to bee true love that proceeds not from a heart first imbracing Christ by Faith To this I answer by my loving unfainedly I know I beleeve truely the truth of my worke being an infallible evidence of the truth of my Faith and I can trie my worke by the sure rule of the Word which will not faile and thus though I cannot see my Faith formally yet I can see it effectively I meane in