whether Iustification Adoption and Glorification be Acts of God's Free Grace which I affirm but whether iâ—…â—…eased God to leave himself at liberty to justifie the Unbeliever while such and glorifie the Unbelieving and Wicked and also to damn the penitent godly Believer This Mr. C. affirms and I deny This is these mens Free Grace while they deny the Gospel-Rule and Law 8. It is not whether God hath as to us absolutely promised and coveâ—…nted with Christ that the Elect shall believe and all men believing be pardoned and so persevere in Faith and Holiness to Eternal Life which I affirm but whether there is a Covenant which require our true believing Consent to the Terms of it as â—… Conâ—…tion of Pardon and Glory and supposeth this true Consent in the actual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…f thâ—…se Benefits This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 9. It is not whether â—…uth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only Grace by which we receive and rest on Christ and his Righteousness for Iustification and that it is Christ received by Faith doth justifie which is the Sence of Protestants when they say we are justified by Faith alone this I affirm but whether he that can truly believe to Iustification must be in part a convinced humbled penitent Sinner This I affirm and Mr. C. denies yea he saith that Pardon is rather the Condition of Faith nay Pardon is the Cause of Faith 10. It is not whether Sanctification taken strictly do follow Iustification this I affirm but whether Effectual Vocation make a real habitual change in the Soul and that this Vocation is in order of Nature before Iustification This Mr. C. and the Letter c. deny and I affirm with the Assembly 11. It is not whether our sincere Faith Love c. are imperfect and so can be no meriting Righteousness which I affirm but whether they are disobedienâ—… even in Gospel Account and so incapable of being the Conditions of any of its promised saving Benefits This Mr. C. affirms and I deny These are some of the Points wherein Mr. C. and I differ I fear I shall find him in all things of Dr. Crisp's opinion as I have assurance he is in his Definition of Faith May not I now expect that People that rail at me will impute to me only what I thus plainly state The Body of well-esteemed Authors are on my side there 's an end to our Ministry if these be not true most of the practical Books we have as Allen c. are all Lyes and tending to ruine Souls if Mr. C. judge aright Thou wilt find in this Book Testimonies cogent to my purpose and if it will serve Mr. C. to say I wrest them and men there upon believe him I cannot help it Such as I quoted in my first Book ' are truly quoted and serve fully to what I produce them for but to reconcile all men to themselves is not my Work and yet I think it no hard matter to evidence that none of my Authors speak against my Assertions Mr. C. saith I am against the Articles of the Church of England and the Assembly I am sure he 'l never prove it and I profess the contrary and am certain he is against all Confessions of Faith that we own as Orthodox How far other Ministers are concerned for the Kingdom of Christ the Safety of Souls the Rule of Iudgment the plain Gospel way of Salvation to Sinners the truth and scope of their Ministry Time will evidence But in the strength of Christ I 'll sustain the utmost Persecution at the Hands of these angry men and while God enableth me they shall not overturn the Gospel by their unscriptural Abuse of the blessed Names of the Righteousness of Christ and Free Grace the Gospel way of the application whereof and a subservient Ministry being the whole I contend for I have oft attempted to adjust these things before I engaged nay since the severe Treatment I have met with I sent to Mr. Ch. that I would meet him and shew how much he mistook my Principles or if he refused a meeting I would send him an account in Writing that he might not abuse himself and the World but he would accept of neither as if he could not write without the Question were mistated Yea at the request of the united Brethren I agreed to suspend this Book if he would do so with his but this he refused Now whatever be the Consequences of these Debates I am innocent and commit all to God in whose Cause I though sickly weak and unworthy am engaged There is a Mystery in it that the Explication of one Text should be pretended by some for a Reason against my whole Book and so countenance all Dr. Crisp's Errors which yet they profess to dislike and the Impartial see I oppose nothing but those Errors The Doctrine of Imputation being still by Mr. C. c. objected against me though I have not yet had opportunity to insist thereon I will state that case 1. It is not whether Christ was a publick person as a Mediator in his Undertakings and so transacted all for Sinners that they might be pardoned and saved by his undertaken Satisfaction and Merits this I affirm but whether we were so represented in Christ â—…s that we were in Law sence they that undertook to atone and merit This I deny 2. Nor whether Christ was a Surety for us in a Bond of his own to pay our Debt to the full and much more that we might in a due time and way be released this I affirm but whether we were joynt-parties in one and the same Bond with him and so we were actually acquitted when he made Satisfaction and therefore God could enjoyn no Terms of the application thereof to us for Iustification and Glory nor suspend the same upon those Terms This I deny 3. Nor whether Christ was made under the Law and that this was one Article of his part in the Covenant of Redemption viz. That he should in a way of proper Satisfaction bear the substance of the Penalty of the Law and yield perfect Obedience to all such of its Precepts as were competent to his Person and this to save thâ—… Elect this I affirm but whether Christ was joynt-Covenant-Party with all the Elect in Adam's Covenant so that they were legally esteemed to make satisfaction and yield perfect Obedience in his doing thereof This I deny 4. Nor whether Christ's Righteousness is imputed to Believers and so made theirs that it is applyed to them and pleadable by them as what was always designed and undertaken for their Salvation and is the sole meritorious Cause of their Pardon Acceptance and Glory and this as effectually as if they themselves had satisfied and merited and this Righteousness is reputed by God as that which now pleads for their Impunity Acceptance and Happiness as Members of Christ All this I affirm but whether it be imputed as our formal Righteousness and so we may truly plead that
A DEFENCE OF Gospel-Truth Being a REPLY to Mr. CHANCY's First Part. AND As an Explication of the Points in Debate may serve for a Reply to all other Answers Wherein the Mistaken may at least see that I. I affirm that we are Justified for or by Christ's Righteousness alone and not by Works II. That we are Justified as soon as we truly Believe III. That the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to the Believer and not only the Effects of it IV. That Gospel-Conditions are not our Justifying Righteousness which Legal Works were to be V. How the Gospel is a Law explained and proved c. VI. That I am not for the Popish or Arminian Doctrine of Justification c. as stated by our Divines VII That all I contend for is the way which God hath appointed for the application of Christ's Merits and dispensing the Effects of Free Grace and for a Gospel-Ministry suited to this purpose By DANIEL WILLIAMS LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry 1693. TO THE READER HAving by the Good Hand of GOD contributed so much to the restauration of Peace in the dissenting Congregations in Dublin and somewhat to the Union here a Reason may be expected how I become engaged in the present Debates with grief of Heart I shall nakedly render it Soon after the reprinting of Dr. Crisp's Works his Errors that lay hid for many Years appeared with open Face Many pleading that there are no Humblings or preparatory Works in order to Conversion Saving Faith is nothing but a Perswasion that our Sins are pardoned yea we are justified before we are born Christ was accounted the very Blasphemer at God's Bar Sin cannot hurt the Believer Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation no assurance by Signs from Sanctification c. Eleven Counties the Flame broke soon into under the conduct of Mr. Davies and several others the faithful Ministers were deserted as Legalists Churches divided and Town and Country filled with Debates and Noise These Errors and Disorders were imputed to the Body of Nonconformists and Attempts against our Liberty thereupon threatned Dr. Crisp's Son puts out a Book of his own to abett some of his Father's Opinions and therein reflects on me by Name and other Books to this purpose were set forth hereupon once and but once I deliver'd at Pinners-Hall that which is the Appendix to my Book hoping that a plain state of the Differences might convince some well-meaning People or at least vindicate us that we were not Papists Arminians c. as these represented us nor Antinomians as by others we were all accused In that Sermon I charged no person yea to prevent a Iealousie that I might intend Mr. Cole c. I inserted this It 's true there are some small Differences among the Orthodox in wording some of these things but shall we hereby give advantage to such Errors c A great Clamour is thereupon contrived and in his next turn Mr. Cole with great severity exposed us to vulgar notice affirming many Notions that some worthy Divines were startled at Some Friends of Mr. Coles proposed to me a Meeting with him in the presence of Dr. B. Mr. M. and Mr. H. In this Meeting it was agreed that I should read my Sermon after which Mr. Cole declared he had no Exception and so we were agreed which was now the second time Mr. Cole in his turn at P. H. publickly declared there was no real Difference as Mr. H. also did and I repeated it with great satisfaction hoping that the Errâ—…neous would be less confident when they lost that Cover which they made of his Name This Calm did not long endure for Mr. Cole I fear by Instigation revived at P. H. the same Reflections and Dr. Batâ—…s practically preaching the Necessity of Repentance to the Forgiveness of Sin Mr. Cole soon after brake out into the wonted Exclamations and charged us as Opposers of Christ's Righteousness in Iustification c. and I was accounted by most as the chief Mark level'd at Friends entreated me to take no notice of these Reflections in my Sermons there and tho' thus oft provoked I never expressed any Resentments in any Discourse there since that first Nevertheless many assured me of the necessity of printing somewhat to clear our selves and if possible to stem this Tide Peoples Mouths were filled with the grossest Misrepresentations of our Doctrines Ministers were accused as Legalists when they only preached that men had somewhat to do if they would be saved if a man did but plead with Sinners from Gospel-Threats or argue Obedience and Duties he was no Gospel-Preacher Yea some arrived to that daringness as publickly to assert there were but three or four Ministers of Christ in London the Reverend Mr. Mead himself escaped not the Title of a Legalist These things caused in me many sad Thoughts and at last I was convinced unless we should prostitute our Ministry suffer the infecting of our People which would end in Divisions as I found attempted on some of my own and be all guilty and branded abroad as Complyers by our silence something must be published I was sensible of the Trouble Reproach and Hazards attending it especially since I was informed that some out of the Union were the Spring in this Affair who having failed in their Unchristian Methods to oppose that Agreement it seems judged by the Notions of some few of whom I was ignorant that either these Opinions must prevail by our silence or that the Union would be endangered if we appeared against them At last I found the effects of Mr. Davies's and others Practises abroad and in the City that the hazard to our Peace would grow by further delay especially seeing as yet so very few if any of the United Brethren were suspected to abett these Errors and Mr. Cole with all the rest that appeared their Advocates in City and Country were not of the Union Nay I believed if some others did not act Mr. Cole he could not be offended with what I should write he having at three meetings expressed himself so reconciled to my Principles and then disowned what I should oppose The reason why I desired any Testimony to my Book was because the People do oft value Names more than Arguments the Opposites so unscrupulous in their Clamours might prejudice men against the Truths as if I was singular And considering the delay of 〈◊〉 Testimony against Mr. Davies this might be some Antidote till we arrived at more Yea I heard also Mr. Cole was printing when I was about mine These are the Considerations which induced me to print my Book at the desire of several Brethren and I have Peace in this that it appeared an absolute Duty Some object Why I did not get some of the Brethrens Hands formerly called Congregational and it looks like forming a Party c. A. I did ask some of them that I thought would not scruple it particularly
which Faith is the great Term of the Covenant and includes so much of Repentance as I insist on Q. Shall the Elect fall from a state of Forgiveness A. No the Decree the Intercession of Christ the Promise of Perseverance yea and Forgiveness it self do all assure a perseverance in Grace and so a continuance in a pardoned estate Q. What do you trust in as that for which God will accept of you and save you A. Only in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Q. Do not you trust in your own inherent Righteousness as that for which God will save you A. I abhor such a Thought Q What stress do you lay on Good Works A. Not as necessary to my justified state into which I am admitted upon my first believing 2. Nor as any Righteousness for which God will save me Q. What stress then do you lay A. No more than as they evidence my Faith to be true execute my first believing Consent prevent their Contraries which the Gospel threatens with Misery and answer the Rule of any Gospel-promise that God hath made and will execute for Christ's sake to the upright person Q. Do you think that we are justified by our Good Works at the last day as if they were the Righteousness by which we shall be saved at the last day A. No I would tremble at such a Thought and declare it 's Christ's Righteousness alone and unmixed that I hope to be saved for and by Q. What are your Thoughts then as to our inherent Righteousness and Good Works as they fall under Christ's Judgment at the last day A. My whole Heart is 1. That if a man truly believe and dye before he hath opportunity to do more he shall be sentenc'd Happy as a Believer notwithstanding he was prevented by Death from professing the Truth and proceeding in Holiness performing Acts of Worship c. 2. God hath declared that none shall at last be saved by Christ's Righteousness that are Infidels Ungodly utterly unprofitable or Apostates And therefore all that God will then save for Christ's Merits must truly be and will be declared to be no Infidels Ungodly utterly unprofitable nor total Apostates but the contrary and they shall be judged free from the guilt of final Infidelity 3. The most eminent in Faith Holiness Sufferings and Labours shall be adjudged to greater degrees of Glory which added degrees will be as truly the effects of Christ's sole Merits as the lesser degrees All this is exactly consonant to my Book and my full Perswasion Because I see that well-meaning People are imposed on by a noise of Popery and Arminianism I shall let thee see how our Protestant and Orthodox Divines do represent and oppose the Popish and Arminian Points in this matter and so thou maist judge how the Antinomians secure their destructive Errors by this clamour The sum of the Popish Principles our Divines oppose may be thus reduc'd They think that 1. by Attrition or a 〈◊〉 legal feaâ—… of Punishments Men do ex congruo or meetness merit Charity and Faith which be the beginning of Sanctification and that this begun Sanctification is all our first Justification 2. That whatever be the efficiency of the Spirit in working Faith it is determinable by Man's free Will whether any believe or no. 3. That upon our improvement and exercise of this first Charity and Faith we truly and properly merit the encrease of Holiness and Eternal Glory and that ex condigno This they call the second Justification 4. That by the Absolution of the Priest on Confession in the Sacrament of Pennance our Sins of Age are forgiven as original Sin was by Baptism and venial Sins and temporal Punishments of mortal Sins by Satisfaction and Indulgences and all in a way of merit The Points that can be at all pretended as my Concern I 'll give you as stated by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus with râ—…y own Answers to his Questions Tom. 3. lib. 5. Q Whether Prayer Fasting or Alms are satisfactory Works A. I plainly deny it oft p. 240. Q. Do our Works truly and properly make satisfaction to God for that Obligation to Punishment which remaineth to be expiated A. I say No for we make no satisfaction by any thing Tom. 4. p. 109. Q Whether Faith alone justifieth A. I say Yes that is we are justified by Faith alone as that which alone receives Christ and before Works of Obedience But yet I think Ames well explains this p. 112. Something may be before Pardon as a pre-requisite Disposition so that it be not the cause of Pardon And this is all I say of Repentance and agree with him in p. 112. Repentance taken for legal Humiliation goes before Iustification as a Disposition in Order pre-requisite but not as a Cause 2. Evangelical Repentance is taken for Conversion of which Faith is a principal part Yea add That a great part of Repentance is the effect of Justification 3. I agree with him in the next words Quocunque modo c. Which-ever way Repentance is taken neither Grief nor detestation of Sin is the cause of Iustification Nay more I agree with Ames in his Account of Faith cap. 2. p. 101. Fides specialis misericordiae duplici ratione vocatur c. Faith of special Mercy which is Trust or Relyance is taken in two respects 1. whereby it apprehends Christ or cleaves to him for apprehending special Mercy by him 2. As it apprehends special Mercy as already bestowed In the first sence it goes before Iustification in the latter sence it follows Iustification Lib. 6. Cap. 1. He treats of imputed Righteousness and p. 139. saith that this is the Protestant Judgment Christi justitiam catenus imputari c. Christ's Righteousness is so far imputed to us that by the vertue thereof we are as much esteemed just before God as if we had somewhat in our selves wherewith we might be esteemed just before him P. 205. Q. An opera bona c. Are the Good Works of Men truly and properly the Merits of Eternal Life A. I positively and oft deny it and dare not assert that Condecency which Ames and others do Reader if thou art a man of any Skill in these things thou wilt find that they oppose the Papists concerning our Graces and Works only as merirorious and causal of Saving Benefits and I deny them to be either See even Chemnit Exam. par 1. p. 172. Davenant de Iustit actuali cap. 30. q. 1. arg 1. Ames Bellarm. Enerv. tom 4. lib. 6. Downam of Iustif. p. 15. I shall now shew thee what our Calvinists and Orthodox Divines oppose the Arminians in as to this Doctrine of Justification The Synod of Dort in their Canons Part 1. p. 289. of the Errors under the Head De Morte Christi thus condemn the Arminians Qui docent foedus illud novum gratiae c. That teach that the Covenant of Grace which the Father upon the intervention of Christ's
that I forbear more Testimonies But why are Gospel-Threatnings a Bull No doubt because the Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings And indeed is it bad news that Sinners shall be saved if they repent and believe and many shall believe Will nothing be glad tidings but that they shall be saved tho' they neither repent nor believe This indeed was a Message unfit for God to send and tho' Mr. C. calls it a Bull Christ hath solemnly declared as the Lord of the N. Testament that they who believe not the Wrath of God abideth in them This cannot be a Threatning of Adam's Law for those Threatnings respected every Sin It is true the Unbeliever is damned for other Sins by rejecting Christ but what makes those Sins damning to him in the event notwithstanding the Offers of Life Is it every Sin will do this Will a vain Thought exclude a man from Pardon as much and as surely as final Unbelief Surely no But yet the Threatning of Adam's Law denounced Death against any Sin as much and as certainly as against final Infidelity and so did not appropriate Death to Infidelity as the Gospel-Threatning doth Besides is it an abiding of Wrath on us which Adam's Law threatned No it was the first bringing of Wrath on them that were free before III. TESTIMONIES that God hath declared a fixed Rule by which He pardons adopts and glorifies Sinners which Rule is his Gospel and not his Secret Decree To prevent mistake know that I speak not of the first Grace which He gives to all the Elect but I speak of Pardon and Glory which he hath promised upon Terms and judicially denies to them that refuse Christ. They put this Q. How is the Grace of God c A. The Grace of God is manifested in the second Covenant in that He freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him and requiring Faith as the Condition to interest them in him c. Here thou feest Faith is a Condition and a Condition required and this required to interest us in Christ No Interest but in conforming to this Rule that requires Faith to this end He De Christo grâ—…tis justificante p. 244. Conditio vero c. The Condition whereby we are properly justified is this That we believe in Christ and cleave to him by a constant profession c. P. 251 252. I ask When Salvation is promised freely for Christ's sake will the absolute Promise save all men promisâ—…uously for the sake of Christ without the limit of any Condition I think no such thing Go on then When this Promise belongs but to some and that only upon a certain Condition who then are those on whom this Promise properly falls Thou must say the Believer c. P. 297. Q. What Sinners are justified by Christ A. Those who enclined by a serious remorse bewail their Sins and displeased at themselves do recollect themselves with their whole Soul and are converted to Christ with an entire Faith these are the only Sinners whom Faith without Works doth justifie And p 311. Repentance prepares the Matter to receive Justification but the cause of Justification is Faith Consult these Canons of the Synod of Dort p. 289. The Promise of the Gospel is that whoever believeth on Christ crucified shall not perish but have everlasting Life which Promise with the Command of Faith and Repentance ought to be declared and proposed promiscuously and without distinction to all men to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel But the reason why many that are called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe on Christ but perish in their Unbelief is not truly any want or insufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice offer'd on the Croâ—…s but through their own fault And the Synod adds p. 302. Quotquot autem c. But as many as are called by the Gospel are seriously called for God doth seriously and most truly declare in his Word what is pleasing to him viz. That they that are called should come to him and unfeignedly promiseth Rest for their Souls and eternal Life to all that come and believe I have cited these to shew that God sets down this general common Rule to all in his Gospel It 's not one Rule to the Elect and another to the Non-elect it 's the same to all Would the Reprobate obey the Call of the Gospel he should have Eternal Life And the Elect do obey this Call and thereupon obtain Eternal Life I could give very many instances out of this Book where Faith is called the Condition P. 105 Salvation is the thing promised in the new Covenant neither is it promised but upon the Condition of Faith Seeing therefore that all men have not Faith in Christ under which alone Condition is Salvation promised it is certain that Christ's Death hath not purchased the Restauration to a state of Grace and Salvation for all men but only for Believers See p. 12. God willeth that the obtaining of Life should be suspended on condition of foregoing Faith P. 76 77. When the Gospel is preached to Men an Experiment is made how they will prove as to Faith and Obedience if they acquit themselves in these they receive the Blessing of Eternal Life from God And p. 14. There is no Interest in Christ or Christian Religion to be obtained without Repentance from dead Works See p. 12 13 14. The removal hereof viz. Enmity of our Minds by wicked Works consists in this Repentance for that is our turning unto God upon the Terms of Peace tender'd to us c. All Doctrines Notions and Perswasions that tend to alleviate the necessity of Personal Repentance c. are pernicious to the Souls of Men c. P. 15. It hath an absolute inconsistency with the especial Righteousness of His Nature Christ and which he exerciseth as supreme Rector and Judge of all that any such should stand in his sight c. and for the Lord Jesus it would plainly make him the Minister of Sin c. and the Gospel doth openly propose Pardon of all sorts of Sin to all sorts of persons that shall believe and obey it If the Gospel did this without annexing to its Promise the Condition of Repentance never was there nor can there be so great an Encouragement to all sorts of Sin and Wickedness He on Ps. 130. p. 141. And this Connexion of Repentance and Forgiveness is that Principle from whence God convinceth a stubborn unbelieving People that all his ways and dealings with Sinners are just Ezek. 18. 25. and should there be any failure in it they could not be so if out of love to Sin or the power of Unbelief he refuse to close with him on these Terms his Condemnation is just P. 136. After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance he would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his Hands He
have God for their own God which with him the vilest if Elect have their Sins can do them no hurt at all and in that regard there is no cause of fear from any of their Sins that ever they have committed Beloved I conceive this may seem harsh to some Spirits especially to such as misconceive the drift at which I aim which is not to encourage any one unto Sin but to ease the Consciences of the distressed I desire you to resolve with your selves this one thing and I beseech you kick not against the Truth There is not one sin nor all the sins together of any one Believer that can possibly do that Believer any hurt real hurt I mean and therefore he ought not to be afraid of them I will make it appear And goes on for five Pages to prove it Now Reader can this one line make all the rest safe There is no more said by him it 's in a Doctrinal way stated and not in a use to wounded Consciences He oft says it elsewhere without so much as this and he saith this to avoid the Odium not to guide his Discourse and it 's no other than if a man were proving a quarter of an hour â—…o a whole company very apt to drink poysoned Wine if this Poyson be drank it will do no harm to them that drink it but yet should once say I prove this all this while but it 's for the sake of them that have drank the Poyson but not to encourage you to drink the Poyson yet be you all assured that when it 's drank it cannot harm you more than them C. It 's to evince the damning nature of sin is taken away A. But that 's a gross Error thô Pardon will prevent its effects Yet hear D. C's own words p. 511. No you will say no condemnation in Hell but yet as there is remainders of Sin in Gods own People so there will some Evil or other fall upon the commission of Sin Mark c. and in many words answers it Now sin is condemned to the Believer it can do no hurt at all to him for what hurt can that do which is carried into the Land of Forgetfulness and this he oft affirms was when Christ died Reader I 'll tell thee on what Principles Dr. Crisp affirms that Sin can do no hurt Take his words 1. God hath no more to lay to the charge of such a person Elect thô a Murtherer than he hath to lay to the charge of a Saint in Glory p. 364. and the Lord hath not one Sin to charge on an elect person from the first moment of conception to the last moment of Life 2. A man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it to be Christs therefore he cannot reckon it his see p. 270. Except God will be offended where there is no Cause to be offended he will not be offended with a Believer because he doth not find the Sin of the Believer to be the Believer's own Sin but he finds it to be the Sin of Christ p. 15. Now Reader judge how vain Mr. C's Excuses be and how injurious his Censures What Mr. C. p. 15. pleads for Dr. Crisp's saying that Graces and Holiness cannot do us the least good is as vain and false viz. that he is only against setting them in the place of Christ for he reckons they are put in Christ's place thô they be affirmed but as Means or Conditions antecedently necessary by divine appointment to obtain any Blessings for the sake of Christs Merits His Principles are 1. That Faith is not so much as the Instrument by which we are united to Christ or justified p. 616. 2. That Christ brings us all good things when we are ungodly and so it 's in vain to do any thing to obtain these p. 41 42. yea that we had a full Title before we are born 3. He saith p. 45 46. It 's a received Conceit among many that our Obedience is the way to Heaven and thô it be not say they the cause of reigning yet it is via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom But all this Sanctification is not a jot the way of that justified person unto Heaven 4. Salvation is not the End of any good work we do 5. No Believer should have the least thought in his Heart of promoting or advancing himself or any end of his own by doing what he doth Consider these with many such and what good can Faith or Holiness do us See my Book c. 13 14. Read the Preface to Mr. Flavel's Blow at the Root which Mr. Mather subscribed Reader distinguish 1. between the Righteousness for which we are justified and the way of applying it to us 2. between a Law by which Christ's Merits are applied and that Obedience whereto is our meriting Righteousness 3. between the Precepts included in the Gospel taken in a large sence and what are its proper Conditions 4. Free Grace as it gives Faith and Pardon and as it 's a Liberty to condemn the Believer and justifie the Unbeliever 5. between the Promises of Grace and Promises to Grace 6. The Gospel as a means to quicken us and as a Charter of Benefits and thou wilt Answer Mr. C's Arguments FINIS The Reasons of my Sermon at P. H. above a year since Why I printed my Book about six months since Vulgar Objections against my Book answered The History thereof is worth the buying Mr. Parkhurst lately reprinted it Part of the Controversie between Mr. C. and me stated which appears fully in his Principles as in the following Book The Method Election asserted The Law not abrogated Christ's Righteousness the sole meritorious Cause or material Righteousness in Iustification and it is applied to Believers Gospel-Conditions not the Righteousness for which we are justified nor of the same nature as legal Works Gospel-Conditions no way meritorious of Iustification or Salvation nor other workingconditions but a meer conformity to the Gospel way of receiving the Gifts of Christ. A moral specifick difference between true Grace and meer moral Endowments The First Grace absolutely given Christs Righteousness is imputed Iustified by Faith before Works Gospel â—…ons no 〈◊〉 of Iustification Iustification by Faith alone as the 〈◊〉 Receiving Condition All Elect Believers shall persevere Christ not opposed but exâ—…ted Free Grace honour'd and not oppos'd Holiness not compared with Christ nor Works sâ—…t in 〈◊〉 place The 〈◊〉 of the Eleâ—… â—…f God be considered as meer Proprietor The state of fallen Men as GOD is considered a paternal Ruler A plain account of my Iudgment by Questions and Answers Popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminian Iustification as our Divines state it Mr. C's first Principle Mr. C's 2d Principle Mr. C's 3d Principle The word Law of Grace same as the Covenant How for a new Law and yet no new Gospel Heb. 11. 4 6. Gen. 4. 7 11. How the Gospel is not a Law How the Gospel is
Endowments I suppose by Moral Endowments he 〈◊〉 such as the unconverted have to which I answer There is a moral specifick difference the one is Saving the other is not the one is from the effectual Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul is truly regenerated the other is not And this difference thou wilt see me own as far as I had occasion 2. I am charged as that I hold there must be Qualifications in a Sinner to entitle him to the first Grace or to the Promise of it But as there is not a tittle leading to either in the words he cites so I pray weigh the places under each Head 1. There is a specifick difference between Grace and meer moral Endowments P. 224. I condemn it as legal to press men to Faith and Repentance and other Duties as if to be performed in our strength without the Grace of Christ and influences of the Spirit P. 57. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Christ freely given to Sinners Cap. 11. p. 90. Every man is without Christ till he be effectually called but when by this Call the Spirit of God enclineth and enableth him willingly to accept of Christ as a Head and Saviour a man becomes partaker of those Influences and Priviledges which are peculiar to the Members of the Lord Jesus Cap. 11. p. 92. I affirm that Christ's giving us the Spirit of Grace doth begin this Union and the Spirit given in order to Saving Operations produceth this Faith whereby the Union is consummated P. 83. I affirm There may be Knowledge Assent Humblings c. and yet a Soul fail of an interest in Christ for want of true Conversion 2. See how positive I am that there are no Qualifications to entitle a man to the First Grace or the Promise of it Tho' I wonder that he makes no difference between the Promise of Grace which is absolute and Promises to Grace which are conditional Cap. 10. p. 83. I affirm The worst Sinners are often the Objects of God's effectual Calling in order to an Interest in Christ. Cap. 8. p. 61. I affirm the First Grace is absolutely given though dispensed ordinarily in the due use of Means P. 66 The Gospel or Covenant tells us that there is a Promise of the First Grace made to Christ for the Elect and by vertue of that Promise the Elect do consent to the Covenant and this Gospel or Covenant is the Means whereby that Faith is wrought VIII Mr. C. It is this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest pick at Repl. Reader weigh my plain words Cap. 7. p. 37. The Mediatorial Righteousness of Christ is so imputed to true Believers as that for the sake thereof they are pardoned and accepted unto Life-eternal it being reckoned to them and pleadable by them for these uses as if they had personally done and suffer'd what Christ did as Mediator for them whereby they are deliver'd from the Curse and no other atonement nor meriting price of Saving Benefits can be demanded from them P. 39. I affirm That besides these Effects viz. all the saving Effects of Christ's Death being made ours the very Righteousness of Christ is imputed to true Believers as what was always undertaken and designed for their Salvation and is now effectual to their actual Pardon and acceptance to Life yea is pleadable by them as their Security and is as useful to their Happiness as if themselves had done and suffer'd what Christ did And a few lines before I affirm That Christ's Sufferings and Obedience were so in our stead that God cannot exact from us any other atonement for Sin or price of any Gospel-Blessings P. 43. Had not Christ suffer'd for us we could not be absolved for the sake of his Obedience and Sufferings The like may be seen p. â—…47 Reader I would inform thee that I can agree to any Expressions to note Christ a Representative Surety Head c. that are consistent with Pardon of Sin and our not being the persons in God's Account who suffer'd and obey'd But I think Forgiveness for the sake of what Christ did and suffer'd for us is what we must take comfort in and Christ suffer'd in the person of a Mediator IX Mr. C. p. 1. For the Doctrine of Iustification especially we are in a manner return'd to Aegypt that of Iustification by Works being brought into the room of Iustification by Faith Repl. Here and in many places I am arraigned as being for Justification by Works and not by Faith which must be to import 1. That I am for Works being joyned with Faith to our admission into a state of Justification 2. That Faith and other things do justifie us as the Righteousness for or by which we are justified As to the last review what is cited under the 3 4 5 6 misrepresented Principles and sure thou wilt see that it 's Christ's Righteousness and not ours which is that for and by which alone we are justified as the sole Merit The former then remaineth as a Charge as to which see if I do not positively assert that we are justified as soon as we truly believe Cap. 12. p. 104. I affirm that we are justified the same moment as we truly believe in Christ and the Blessing is not suspended for any time longer This I affirm because God justifies us by the Promise as his Instrument and this Promise declares that He will justifie him that believes It 's Christ truly believed on doth justifie us and a Christ so believed on cannot but justifie us P. 247. We say we are upon repenting and believing put into a justified State before any other Workâ—… Reader I did to prevent this mistake preface that Chap. 13 of the Necessity of Holiness and Good Works with these words P. 120. Note that whatever is spoken in this Chapter of any Act of Grace except penitent Believing refers not to the forgiveness of Sin or the Sinner's admission into a justified state the Benefits I here treat of are the not forfeiture of Pardon the possession of Heaven and particular Blessings as encrease of Peace Joy Returns of Prayer c. So p. 113. Obj. The only Pretence for this Charge must be That I make Repentance necessary to Forgiveness Ans. But 1. I expresly deny Repentance to be any part of the Righteousness for which we are forgiven It 's no Merit c. this thou mayest see in a hundred places in my Book some are cited in the 4 5 6 Heads 2. I deny it to be any cause of Forgiveness I say in p. 119. I own my self to be among them who deny Repentance of any Grace in Mâ—…n to be a Cause of Forgiveness â—… I deny that Justification is equally ascribed to Repentance as to Faith c. See p. 113. I deny Justification to be equally ascribed to Faith and Repentance for we are said to
be justified by Faith which imports that Repentance is but a Disposing Condition and Faith the Receiving Condition Repentance without Faith is unavailable as Faith without Repentance is impossible Faith seems to compleat all and in a manner comprehend all Now Reader thou seest that all I say is That Faith alone receives Forgiveness by Christ or Christ for Forgiveness But that Repentance of Heart must be in that Soul who shall obtain Forgiveness see my Reasons Cap. 12. from p. 115 to 119. By the way note If it can be true as he saith p. 16. That I mean Works are necessary to Salvation as working Conditions when I exclude all Graces and Works as any Cause at all X. Mr. Ch. p. 29. What a sad case is a poor Sinner in if he make shift to scramble by his imperfect Conditions into Covenant He is like every day to be turned out again and when he hath done the best he can he must never believe that he shall go to Heaven till he lye a dying Repl. Here my Principles are represented as against the perseverance of the Elect Believer But I shall cite a few places and leave it to thy Judgment Cap. 7. p. 40. I affirm That Christ by his Righteousness merited and by his Spirit doth renew the Hearts of his Members and will in time so communicate of his Grace to them that they shall be perfectly holy even without Spot and Blemish And the Spots and Blemishes remaining in a godly man do consist with his justified state and shall not cast him out of God's Favour P. 138. Do not say the Elect Believer will not fall away I think the same yet is it the less true that even he shall perish if he fall away Nay doth not God by these Threats contribute to keep him from Apostacy And p. 173. I deny that a Principle of Life given at first conversion will finally fail to exert it self in due Humblings for repeated Enormities and in holy Resolves And p. 248. God sees no Sin in Believers so as to cast them out of a Justified state P. 66. The Gospel secures the Perseverance of Believers in that true Faith and the necessary effects and operations of it and thereby secures those Benefits as unforfeited Many more places might be produced as p. 37 c. XI Mr. C. p. 16. The great Quarrel you have with him is That he viz. Dr. Crisp makes it so much his business to vindicate the Honour of Free Grace and of the Lord Iesus in our whole Salvation P. 35. According to your own Principles it 's a question whether you have not put a Bar upon the Grace of God by making so daring and audacious an opposition to it as you have done in this Book Repl. This severe Charge is that I 1. oppose the Honour of Christ 2. I make an audacious opposition to the Grace of God even to a doubt whether I am guilty of the Sin against the Holy Ghost But I hope the places following will convince thee of his Mistake 1. I do not oppose the Honour of Christ though I would keep the Crown upon his Head See p. 55. Christ as a Priest hath merited all but as a King or Priest upon his Throne he dispenseth all And p. 209. We must teach that Christ hath purchased all Saving Benefits and that men must look to him as the Author of Salvation and Giver of that Grace whereby we obey the Terms of Life Cap. 22. p. 236. I am willing to own any thing that lays Man low and exalts Christ as the only Atonement the only Purchaser of all our Blessings the only Procurer of our Acceptance the Author and Finisher of all Grace Nothing can add to his satisfaction or fulness Pardon Peace Life all are the effects of his sole Merits we must do all in his Name act in his Strength daily live on him for all Supplies and look to him for Acceptance without whose Incense the best man and the best action were an Abomination What I contend for is his Government so wisely contrived to apply his Blessings to Men in a state of Trial. Reader look back to what is cited before 4 5 6 Heads and I am sure my Book is full of such Passages 2. I do not oppose the Free Grace of God See Cap. 23. p. 240 c. I have affirmed and would admit the fullest Expressions to testifie that in these is the Free Grace of God in Truth Of meer Grace he elected some certain Sinners to Life upon no moving foreseen Condition but yet to obtain it through Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Of meer love to Sinners no way deserving it he gave his Son to dye for them who also undertook to bring all the Elect to Salvation in the way appointed between the Father and him He without any thing in Man to deserve it gave his Gospel and thereby offereth in the vertue of his Son's Blood Pardon and Eternal Life to every one that will repent and truly believe and no penitent persevering Believer shall miss of Life by a failure of this Promise He freely and of meer Grace bestows Faith and Repentance yea gives his Spirit to create these and any other good Work in worthless vile Sinners and though he will not forgive any that finally refuse to believe and repent nor save any ungodly apostate man yet Pardon and Life are his Free Gift and no Grace nor Duty merits them they being no more than the required Conditions or Means of our partaking of them as the Gifts of God through Christ and so he hereby honours his own Government and no way indulgeth the Boastings of Men. P. 244. This Grace I adore and own the best to merit nothing to forfeit all yea to deserve Hell by the Law of Works And I do renounce all that Saints have or do as any aâ—…onement for Sin or Purchasing-price of the least Salvation c. Very many other places I might add and have said nothing inconsistent herewith unless that I muâ—…t be arraigned because I think that since God hath published his Will that he will forgive all such and none but such as believe and repent and will damn all that remain unbelieving and impenitent that therefore He is not alike free to forgive the Unbeliever and Impenitent whilst they remain such and to condemn the penitent Believer when he is by Grace made such Tho' I declare He will make all the Elect to become penitent Believers and then forgive them XII Mr. C. Truly for your comparing Christ and Holiness in the matter of Iustification 't is perfect stuff P. 16. You mean as a working Condition whereby you put Works in the place of Christ and mean as your Oracle speaks c. p. 30. Repl. Here as well as in other places I am represented to compare Christ and Holiness in Justification yea to put Works as working Conditions in the place
of Christ. I have already instanced that I denied any Grace or Work to be any Cause at all 9th Head also that Christ's Righteousness is the sole meritorious Cause or Matter of our Justification which is imputed to us 4 5 6 Heads and that our Works follow Faith and Pardon and neither Faith nor Works are any Price Atonement or moving or procuring Cause 6 11 Heads and elsewhere yea and that we are to renounce a Thought of this Do I then oppose Christ or compare any Holiness with him I shall add Cap. 19. p. 198. I own we should esteem the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions to be Dung if compared with Christ as meritorious of Justification And p. 202. Who must not own that compared with Christ the best thing in us is vile yea compared with his Righteousness And p. 210. We must teach the best man to renounce all the Grace he hath and Good he doth as it being the least atonement for Sin or least purchase of Life or any addition of Merit to Christ or sharing in what is peculiar to him And Cap. 21. p. 225. I condemn any that preach that our best Obedience doth not deserve Wrath by the Law or that it doth not need Forgiveness or is any Supplement of Christ's Righteousness yea or to neglect to call men to renounce all in themselves as any atonement for Sin or cause of Pardon and that we must look to Christ as the only Propitiation Purchaser of all our Blessings and Cause of the acceptance of our Persons and Performances Reader I have given thee a few of those many places Having finish'd this first point propos'd I will appeal to thy Conscience whether I can with any shadow of Justice be charged with those Principles which this Brother fixeth upon me I hope he did not wilfully expose me in the face of such Evidence The words in my Preface lead not to the least suspicion yea are positive to the contrary and therefore how he saith this is my sence when I must not only equivocate but grosly contradict my self and that in places where I state the Question must encrease the Wonder Neither is there the least pretence except that I assert that though Pardon and Salvation are all Free Gifts and the Merits of Christ are imputed as the sole meritorious Cause of all yet God as our Ruler hath appointed a Method in the Gospel for the dispensing of them and doth confer them in that Method and ordains a Gospel-Ministry in a consistency therewith and in a subserviency thereto This Scheme any man may see in my very Preface and morethrough the whole Book 2. I shall attempt if possible to make my sence intelligible to the most vulgar Apprehension to this end I premise 1. God may be considered in his Dispensations towards fallen men as a meer Proprietor and Benefactor and not as Rector or Ruler and so men must be considered meerly as Creature-Objects of his Benefits and not at all as rational Subjects to be now governed and hereafter judged If you look at God thus absolutely conferring Benefits then the way is this He eternally elects to Glory a certain number of men whom he sore saw undone by Adam's Fall he appoints his Son to undertake their recovery as the sole covenanting Party with him in the Covenant of Redemption he was to satisfie Justice merit Glory and make them physically meet for it This is all true and sometimes prophetically declared thus and the event as to the Elect is as certain as if God dealt no otherwise with Man on this side Death But if this be the whole Method of GOD with Men as some account it how much of the Bible is unintelligible and vain how much is contradicted and a great part of God's manifold Wisdom obscured and denied which shines forth in his present Paternal Dominion as Redeemer 2. God may be considered as a Ruler Proprietor and Benefactor conjunctly We may look at him as communicating his Benefits in a way of Government and that in many things not exclusive of his absolute Propriety That this is his Method I have proved in my Book Cap. 8 13 20. and other Chapters and may hereafter more confirm it Herein God connects Benefits with Duties offers Pardon and Glory upon Terms deals with Men as Subjects whom he now governs and will hereafter judge without respect of Persons and to that end hath set down his Rules by which he now sentenceâ—…h by the Word and will at the great day do it by the Person of Christ all which suppose Christ's Merits and the Ability to obey and Benefits given for his sake alone It 's true he discovers his absolute Propriety in not giving the same Means or the same internal Grace to all which will no doubt fully appear to be equal He doth also discover himself peculiarly beneficent to his Elect for whom Christ merited all and infallibly brings about his purpose concerning them by making them obedient to the Conditions of whatever saving Benefits his Gospel promiseth upon Conditions But yet he dispenseth the promised Benefits as a just Rector or Ruler according to the Offers made to all Pursuant hereto our Ministry is appointed to propose Blessings to all in the same way and upon the same Terms and to assure all that upon those Terms and no other they shall obtain those Benefits for the sake of Christ. Can any think we dare make the same Offers to the Devils as to every man or to the Damned as we can to all men alive Dare we say to them after Death If you will now believe you shall yet be saved turn now and you shall yet live On the other hand dare we say to an Elect Unbeliever if we knew him Elect thou shalt be forgiven though thou dost not believe thy Unbelief is no Bar to thy Salvation by any Threatning of God declared against thee Is Sentence past on all men in Adam or on the Elect in Christ's Person that God deals with neither in a way of Government as in any state of Trial for Eternity There 's an end of that Preaching which God hath fitted and most blessed to the conversion of Souls if this be true Mr. Chancy's Father in Doct. of Iustific p. 117. Mind you your Duty God hath ordained the End with the Means and therefore though it were revealed to thee from Heaven that thou shalt certainly be saved yet I might truly say to thee except thou believe and repent thou shalt perish c. The Offer of Christ in the Gospel this shews what he would have us to do even to repent and believe Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. shews They might say to a Judas If thou believe thou shalt be saved and to a John If thou believe not thou shalt be damned p. 89 90. Having premised these things I shall familiarly deliver my real Thoughts as to what men ignorantly accuse me of and pitch upon Forgiveness of
Sin as a word most intelligible to ordinary Readers Q. Who forgiveth Sin A. It 's God in Christ forgives Sin Q. What is it for God to forgive our Sins A. To absolve us from obligation to endure those undoing Punishments due for the Sins which he forgives Q. For what doth God forgive our Sins A. Only for the Merits and Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Q. Whose Sins doth God forgive A. The Believer's Sins though he be a Sinner Q. Is our Faith the Righteousness for or by which we are forgiven A. No this would put up Faith in the room of Christ. Q. Doth God accept of Faith or any imperfect Obedience instead of perfect legal Obedience as the Righteousness for or by which he counts us worthy of Pardon and Eternal Life as if He for Christ's sake had abrogated the Law for this end A. No for this were to exclude Christ's Merits from being the immediate procuring Cause of our Pardon and Eternal Life which with all Saving Blessings are the Fruits of his Merits and Satisfaction Q. Is not Faith or any thing in Man the Cause of Forgiveness A. No because Forgiveness is a Mercy which no Grace or Act of ours hath any causal Influence into Q. Is Faith or any Act of ours any Price of Forgiveness A. No Forgiveness is a Free Gift and of Free Grace and Mercy Q. Is Faith or any Act of ours a foreseen Motive to encline God to purpose offer or give us Forgiveness for it A. No it 's of meer Grace that God resolved and for Christ's sake actually forgives us when we believe Q. Will God certainly forgive a Sinner when he believes A. Yes because he hath promised to do so Q. Will God forgive all the Elect A. Yes when they do believe Q. Did God decree and did Christ merit that the Elect might be only capable of being forgiven if they do believe A. No for God decreed and Christ merited that the Elect should certainly believe and so be infallibly forgiven Q. Will not God forgive the Elect before they do believe A. No because he hath not promised to forgive any while they are Unbelievers yea He hath declared he will forgive no Unbeliever Q. What is that Faith in Christ which you perswade to A. Such a Trust in Christ my crucified Saviour as brings me to receive a whole Christ in opposition to all Rivals for Justification Sanctification and Glory relying on his Merits Fulness Power and Care to perform in his own way what he hath promised and I stand in need of Q. Must not we receive Forgiveness before we receive Christ himself A. No we must receive Christ himself and with him his Benefits though I must first believe that there is Forgiveness in him for me as well as for other Sinners if I will accept of him Q. How come we to believe A. By the Work of the Spirit in our effectual Calling Q. Have we not an Interest in Christ as Members of him before we do believe A. No we have no claim to the Priviledges of Christ's Members until we believe But yet when the Spirit effectually calls us Christ thereby takes hold of us to make us Members and by Faith we receive him for our Head and so have the Priviledges and Benefits of his Members as in Marriage both Parties consent before the Wife hath claim to the Priviledges of a Wife Q. Doth not Faith entitle us to Forgiveness A. No yet by Faith I have a certain Interest in Forgiveness Q. What doth entitle us to Forgiveness A. The Promises of God entitle us to Forgiveness for Christ's sake when we do believe Q. Hath God declared any Rule by which he gives Forgiveness to one rather than another A. Yes his Gospel wherein he declares he will forgive them that believe Q. What use is Faith of to Forgiveness A. Not to merit not to buy not to cause Forgiveness but it answers that Gospel-Rule by which God applies Christ's Righteousness for our participation of this as one of the effects of his Death Q. Have we a Right to Forgiveness for Christ's sake upon our believing A. The Promise gives us a Right to Forgiveness by Christ's Merits when we believe Q. When God forgives us doth he judge us to be Believers A. Yes for he hath declared he will forgive none but Believers Q. Will God hereafter more publickly declare us to be Believers A. Yes 〈◊〉 in the day of Judgment where he will publickly pass that Sentence which he by the Gospel now passeth upon every Soul Q. Is it any thing in the nature of Faith as a Work whereby a Believer comes to be forgiven rather than an Unbeliever A. No tho' God did think fit to chuse this Grace as fittest to honour Christ make use of his Promise c. yet its availableness is from God's Ordination and Promise wherein he hath made Faith a Condition of Forgiveness Q. Why do not you use the word Instrument A. Besides the improperness of that word as the Act of a Sinner who is the Object of God's justifying Act which is a forensick or judicial Act I think it ascribes too much to Faith as a Work and like not to hear it made a Cause and to have a causal influence on Forgiveness yet I believe the Learned mean no more by it than a moral Instrument which is the same with a Condition and therefore they use these words promiscuously Q. But do not they say we are forgiven by Faith only as it is related to Christ's Righteousness c A. So do I say and add that the use of any other Gospel-Condition of any other Benefit is only as that Condition relates to Christ But how comes Faith related to Christ's Righteousness but as the Promise declareth if thou believe thou shalt be forgiven for Christ's Righteousness imputed Q. But are not we justified by Faith A. No otherwise than as God hath declared Christ's Righteousness shall justifie them that believe Q. Doth not Faith take hold of or look to approve of relye on and accept of Christ and his Righteousness for Pardon A. Yes and therein is its fitness above any other Grace But that would not forgive us if it were not ordained by the Will of God that they who thus take hold of Christ and his Righteousness should be justified by the Righteousness of Christ when they take hold of it Q. But do not you affirm that Repentance is necessary to our being forgiven A. Yes not to Pardon in it self but to our obtaining it and have proved this Cap. 12. but I do not put it in the same place with Faith noâ—… do I insist upon the whole of Repentance but I affirm that no man will look to Christ that seeth not his own Misery and no man doth accept of Christ that doth not purpose to leave his Sin and Idols neither do in a manner any solid Writers deny the presence and necessity of so much of it with Faith
Death made with Men doth not consist in that viz. That we are justified before God and saved by Faith as it apprehends the Merit of Christ but in this that the Demand of perfect legal Righteousness being abrogated God accounts Faith it self and the imperfect Obedience of Faith for or instead of the perfect Obedience of the Law and graciously judgeth this worthy of the Reward of Eternal Life Which they justly brand as the Socinian Notion Reader I declare against this Error and have affirmed that Faith alone receives Christ and his Merits 2. That it 's the Righteousness of Christ alone which is the Meritorious or Material Cause of Justification 3. That our Faith Repentance or Works are not a jot of the material or meritorious Righteousness by or for which we are Justified They say Christ died that we might be saved if we believe I say Christ died that the Elect should believe and believing have Life through his Name To any one that knows the five Points wherein the Arminian Controversie consists I have said enough fully to acquit me I am positive for absolute certain Election for Christ's not dying alike for all For the Elect he died to secure their actual Reconciliation for others his Death is sufficient and real Offers of Salvation are made to them on the Terms of the Gospel notwithstanding their being condemned by the Law Again I say Man is corrupt and without the Grace of God he cannot believe All the Elect shall be though without violence brought by efficacious Grace to believe and finally persevere All which I oft assert in my Book An Account of some of Mr. C's Principles which he hath set up in opposition to mine I shall begin with Three of them and consider them together Mr. C. p. 24. The Essence of the Gospel is altogether Promise and Free Gift P. 28. The Gospel hath no Law-Sanction of its own but it only establisheth the Sanction of the Law by way of Promise to all that are saved P. 33. The Gospel as such is no Law hath no Sanction c. Which and many more places I may contract into this as his First Principle That the Gospel is in no sence a Law nor includes in it as any part thereof either any Precept nor any Promise upon any Condition on our part nor any Threatning If thou doubt the word Precept should not be added know the words above fully assert it And p. 23. he tells us The Precept of Faith is a Precept of the Law of Nature Mr. C. affirms p. 34. Whatsoever befalls Sinners retaining their sinful state and rejecting Grace is from the Law and not from the Gospel To talk of a Gospel-Threat is a Cataâ—…hresis at best and nothing else can save it from being a Bull. His Second Principles is The Gospel hath no Threatnings When my Question answer'd by him p. 32. was this Doth God promiscuously dispense these viz. Forgiveness Adoption Glory or any other promised Benefit given upon God's Terms I say Doth God dispense these without any regard to our being Believers or no Or whether our Faith be true or no Mr. C. answers I would know whether if God distribute his Free Grace to poor wretched worthless Creatures according to his Election and distinguishing Mercy doth he do it blindly because he finds no Reason in them Whence I may call this His Third Principle That God forgives adopts and glorifies Sinners without any respect to their being true Believers or no and Election and distinguishing Mercy be the only Rule by which he forgives adopts and glorifies Sinners as well as gives the First Grace To put the better gloss upon his Principle he saith p. 13. Doth God dispense Faith blindly c A. The Question was not whether God gave Faith absolutely but whether he gave Forgiveness and Glory promiscuously Nay he knows I oft-times affirm the former And in p. 21. he reviles me for saying That there must be a Work of the Spirit for conformity to the Rule of the Promise in the person to be pardoned Yea this third Principle must follow and is but the same as That the Gospel is no Law or stated Rule of Forgiveness Adoption and Glory And he affirms that Faith is a Precept of the Law and denies that any Precept of the Law is a Rule of Happiness with a Sanction p. 22 23. Repl. Not to insist how in the first Point in what he saith of the Sanction he excludes Forgiveness of Sin altogether yea and as he words it may bind the penal Curse on us He opposeth in these three Principles what he calls my 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 15th Paradoxes but had he considered the 4th and 13th he had answered his few seeming Arguments and prevented his gross misrepresentation of my Principles There he might have seen that I assert 1. There is a Certainty that the Elect shall obey the Terms of the Gospel and be infallibly saved 2. That it is Christ's Righteousness which is the alone meritorious Cause of a Believer's Justification and Salvation and that our complyance with the Terms of the Gospel by the Grace of God is no more than our answering that Rule by which God bestows on us Justification and Salvation for the Satisfaction and Merits of Christ. He that cannot distinguish between the Righteousness for which we are saved and a complyance with that Rectoral Method wherein God doth save us for that Righteousness and the Interest arising from that method complied with had better sit still than meddle with these Disputes Reader tho' I did not once call the Gospel a Law in all my Book and only said in my Preface that the Apostle called it a Law of Faith with respect to what I had discoursed yet because the whole of Mr. C's Book runs on this I shall insist most on this Head 1. by explaining the word Law then 2. in what sence it is not a Law 3. shew in what sence it is a Law which I shall prove c. 4. answer his Objections 5. produce some Testimonies 1. As to the name or word Law It hath pleased God to call the way of his application of Grace to fallen Sinners by various names and by that variety to help our Apprehensions which one name would not so well contribute to It 's called a Law a Covenant a Testament a Promise a Word c. none of them exclude the others and are easily reduced to each other A Promise of God that sets down an Order in conferring Benefits wherein he enjoins any Duty on Mans part in that Order hath the nature of a Law yea tho' he engage to enable the Person to do that Duty We must also consider that God in some respects varies these Terms from their common use among men both his Dominion and his Grace abating their rigid Sence He calls it a Law but yet his Mercy resolves thereby to confer such Benefits as brings the Law
Argument I shall in the strength of Christ evidence that the Law of Nature or Works is not a hindrance to the Gospels being a Law but that the Gospel is another Law distinct in its Precept and Sanction and other respects 1. The Gospel is distinct in its preceptive part from the Law of Innocency Faith in Christ was never commanded by that Law To say Faith in God was a Duty is a vain Objection for Faith in Christ as a Saviour is specified from its Object and is distinguished into temporary historical saving c. The Faith that Mr. C. saith Adam was wounded in was meerly a Faith of Assent which the Devils have or a natural Trust in God as Creator But what 's that to a receiving of Christ or consent to him as Redeemer and relyance on him Of which more by and by Is it not strange that Mr. C. saith The Law never brings us to God then Faith doth not for it's part of the Law c. But let 's hear what others speak Mr. Hooker of New E. p. 337. saith I flatly deny that Adam if the Lord Jesus had been revealed to him was able to believe in him and so to rest upon him c. the Reason to confirm this Point that Adam had not this Grace of Faith is this this believing in the Lord Jesus is that which doth directly cross the Estate of Adam in his Innocency c. He to p. 343. proves it and answers Objections P. 338. to one he thus says I answer that not believing in the Lord Christ is not a Sin against the Moral Law but it is a Sin against the Law of the Gospel 1 Ioh. 3. 23. Rom. 3. 28. Mr. Bulkley p. 327. lays down this That Faith in Christ unto Justification and Salvation the Commandment enjoyning this Faith is no Commandment of the Law but of the Gospel which I prove by these ensuing Arguments This he doth by no less than nine Arguments and answers many Objections from p. 327. to 335. and thus concludes Thus far we are come that the putting of Faith as a Condition of Life in the Covenant of Grace doth no whit derogate from the freeness of Grace D. Goodwin affirms That Faith now is of another kind than the Faith of Adam As to the Principle Objects Light c. ours is supernatural his natural and as you may see at large proves by several Reasons that his was but natural as 1. All other things belonging to him were natural c. and therefore it would be strange that if the Principle of Faith in him which then was not of general use should be supernatural c. 2. For him to have a supernatural Principle of Faith as we have was in him superfluous and vain This he shews because Adam's Covenant would not have brought him to Heaven 3. It would not only have been of no use but it would have made him miserable 4. And therefore our way of Faith must needs be supernatural and altioris ordinis from his c. which he proves 1. in the respect of the Objects revealed to our Faith which his Mind should never have arrived at 2. in regard to the Light by which our Minds are acted and elevated 3. in respect of the way or manner of Knowledge or Assent raised up thereby I might add the Testimony of one whom Mr. C. honoured who gives this reason in the present Debate saying viz. If Consent to the Covenant was a Duty by the Law then the Law did bind to its own dissolution But I suppose this may serve to shew that Faith in Christ was no Duty by the Law of Nature and therefore either it is a Command of the Gospel-Law or it is no Duty at all The like I might shew of Repentance which Melancthon's Followers prove against Flaccius Illyricus Obj. If any one should object Did not the Law of Nature bind us to do whatever God should at any time require A. You must consider 1. the Law of Nature less properly as the Rule of Happiness in the Covenant of Innocency and so it was appropriated to that state and was a particular Law of Works If so considered the several Precepts of it were written on Man's Heart and God and the Creatures ministred Instruction to the innate Light which was inherent in our Minds and that in a natural way Some Ruins of both are still preserved to fallen Man Rom. 1. 19 20. Cap. 2. 14. In this sence Faith and Repentance could have no place at all in the Law for it was a Law to govern and save Innocent Man but not to recover Sinful Man To suppose our own Perfection to be the Condition of Life and yet to be obliged at the same time to repent of Sin or believe in an aâ—…oning Saviour to have our Abilities immediately from God as Creator and a Stock in our own Hands and yet be obliged to depend on Christ as Mediator for all Strength are utterly inconsistent 2. If you take the Law of Nature for the remaining Instincts and Notices of it in Man which ought to be perfect and assisted and directed by the Works of God sure the Gospel must be another Law or else Heathens are able to find out Christ by the Book of Nature and engaged to receive him and rely on him though he were never revealed to them The reason is this the Law of Nature in this sence binds all the Heathens and its Precepts are engraven naturally upon their Hearts and God and his Works consider'd naturally direct their Minds 3. The Law of Nature may be considered most generally viz. as it is an Obligation upon Man to believe and obey whatever God shall any way or time reveal and require and to suffer for Disobedience what God shall threaten In this sence indeed the Law commands all Duty in general but it doth not deny the Gospel to be a special Law for this indeed doth oblige us to obey all God's Laws when he makes them Laws but it doth not determine any one Law nor give a Being to one particular Precept It 's the Foundation of our Obligation to submit to God's Authority as Creatures but appoints not wherein we must instance that subjection It 's the same as an Obligation among men to Allegiance to the supreme Power which I hope prevents not the Ruler's Acts to be Laws This Law of Nature subjects us to God's Threatnings which he shall pronounce at any time for Sin but determineth neither the sort nor degree of the threatned Evils This Law is common to good Angels Devils innocent Man fallen Man yea damned and glorified Man for they are all engaged as Creatures to obey the Laws of God when he enacts them and suffer what he threatens if they obey not But is the Gospel therefore no Law or only this Law of Nature Then Angels Devils and the Damned are obliged to believe in Christ for Salvation Do not say
manifest it he proves this fully So Calvin God forgives no Sins but such as Men are displeased with themselves for c. The excellent Mr. Clerkson will help thee to resolve some seeming difference thou findest among Authors who in one place seem to deny the Covenant to be conditional and in other places affirm it See p. 132 133 134. After he had asserted the first Grace to be absolute viz. in Effectual Calling c. he adds The subsequent Blessings of the Covenant those that follow the first are in some sence conditional and so offer'd and promised in a conditional form and yet are nevertheless gracious There are Terms and Conditions taking the word Conditions in a Latitude as comprizing Qualifications Adjuncts and necessary Antecedents which do no way derogate from Grace neither detract from its freeness nor obscure but rather illustrate it Rom. 10. 8 9 10. Rev. 3. upon such Terms are Iustification Adoption and Salvation offered and not offered but upon Terms and yet most freely and graciously c. and not only Faith but holiness of Heart and Life and perseverance therein are the Terms upon which Salvation is promised c. P. 134. And hath constituted an Order amongst them so that one must go before another we must believe before we are justified and be holy before we can see God and hath appointed one of them to be the means or way to obtain the other We are justified by Faith we are created unto good Works that we should walk in them Acts of holy Obedience are the way wherein we must walk to Salvation So that here is an antecedence of some Duty and that necessary by divine Appointment and Command and this tending to obtain the Favour freely offer'd And by this we may understand what a Condition is in a sence very innocent and no way injurious to Grace It is an Antecedent necessarily required as the way to attain or arrive at what is promised And in this sence it must not be denied there are Conditions in the Gospel and its Promises unless we will deny that there are Duties necessary to Salvation and made necessary by Divine Command for such a Condition is nothing but something of a Command joyned with a Promise in a conditional form c. He commands all to Repent and He promiseth Pardon put this Promise and that Command together and it becomes a conditional Promise If you repent you shall have Pardon 1 Iohn 1. 9. But p. 137 138 140. he justly excludes meritorious natural and legal Conditions By which Legal he means not whatever is commanded with an annexed Promise for that were to contradict all here cited but such Conditions as do entitle us to the Benefit as the very Righteousness for which we merit or obtain them which I have oft denied Gospel-Conditions to be And so he explains himself Reader it 's evident what a number of Men fall under Mr. C's Curse as well as I and judge thou what reason he hath to pretend to the old Gospel and arraign us for a new one My Paradoxes appear the common Sentiment of the notedly Orthodox while his Principles must be content with the Patronage of new sangled Antinomians The Testimonies under the 1 2. Principles prove this Rule Because the Paradoxes may be entire I 'll add the 10th viz. the Wedding Garment Mat. 22. 11. is true Uniting Faith of which Mr. C. p. 32. your saying the Wedding Garment was Faith and not the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith â—…is a wretched wresting and abuse of Scripture c. Repl. 1. Doth a true Uniting Faith exclude Christ's Righteousness or include it Keep to this Rule when you speak of being justified by Faith and what will become of the Object justifying 2. Is it Christ's way to condemn Men meerly because they have not a Privilege or else because they neglected the Terms on which that Priviledge was promised The former was meer Misery and no Fault the latter is a Fault by which he is obnoxious to that Misery and therefore fittest to ground a Sentence on 3. I 'll joyn two to help to bear this Calumny Fox p. 343. Sed per solam fidem c. But by Faith alone therefore Faith is that Garment made white in the Blood of the Lamb which properly cloaths us for the Wedding And Mr. Gale p. 197. Should you this night hear the Cry Behold the Bridegroom cometh are you ready to enter into the Wedding-Chamber Have you the Wedding-Garment of Faith and Holiness As to Phil. 3. 8. I have tryed stronger Arguments than Mr. C. is like to offer and yet my sence of that Text is not alter'd and fear not to defend it in due time Mr. C. p. 27 As for the Notion that the Covenant of Redemption is a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace I deny it Repl. By the Covenant of Grace is meant the Gospel-Covenant made with Men. Mr. R. proves that the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace are two distinct Covenants p. 308 to 313. So doth Mr. Gilaspie Cap. 1. 2. and shews the Difference between these two Covenants cap. 5. The same is proved by Mr. Sedgwick p. 3 4 5. and by Bulkley p. 29 to 32. It 's affirmed by Mr. Norton Orth. Evan. p. 113. It 's oft asserted by Dr. Owens by Mr. Mead in his Book of Early Obedience p. 72. c. and Sermon for Mr. Rosewell Nay the Author of the Letter grants it p. 24. Reader I shall not now descend to argue this Point only hint to thee that the Parties are distinct the Terms are distinct the Promises are distinct's moreover one hath no Mediator the other hath c. It 's true some worthy Divines formerly speak of these two Covenants as if one which render'd their Notions less plain but yet they did not deny but affirm that there was part of that Covenant to be actually engaged and performed by Man tho' giving Ability was undertaken by Christ in the other part of it and also that as it was promised to him that upon Man's compliance with the Conditions they should be Partakers of the Benefits so 〈◊〉 it was a Promise made to them upon complyance with the Terms Whereas Mr. C. asks me Do not we plead Redemption or the Promise made in Christ Repl. I had said that the Promises of the First Grace were pleadable only by Christ as the stipulating Party And what 's that to Redemption But can he think that unregenerate men can plead a personal Right to the First Grace And it 's Right that is included in the word pleadable Mr. C. p. 29. Pardon is not promised to Faith and Repentance as things distinct from the Promise but Pardon is promised together with Faith and Repentance to the Sinner c. Pardon is rather the Condition of Faith and Repentance and much more having a causal Influence thereunto than Faith and Repentance of
Pardon c. p. 21. Repl. 1. Here and p. 28. he confounds a Promise of Grace and Promises made to Grace 2. He affirms that the whole of the Gospel-Covenant is but one Promise and this I suppose is the first Promise in the Sentence against the Serpent Hereby he blasts all the fuller Discoveries of it by the Prophets yea and Christ himself as if all the Conditional Proposals of Covenant-Benefits on Terms of Duty were Additions injuriously added to the first Promise 3. He wretchedly mistakes the nature of that first Promise as if it excluded all Terms of our Saving Interest in the Blessings of it Whereas it did imply them If you take the words as a Promise of Christ that he should in our nature overcome Satan then it belong'd to all Mankind to whom it 's promulgated even the rejecters of it Acts 13. 32 46. and as such gives no Interest in the Effects of it to any man If you take them as importing the Saving Benefits to the Seed of the Woman then there must be some change in them who are by Nature the Seed of the Serpent as well as the most wicked otherwise all the natural Seed of Eve have the same Saving Benefits which is thus evidenced When God renewed the Promise to Abraham and his Seed that Seed the Apostle tells you were Believers Rom. 4. 11 16 27. and as I have said before Faith must be then enjoyned for by Faith Abel's Sacrifice was more acceptable than Cain's and God's Words to Cain were the Redeemer's Language and the use of Sacrifices imports that God revealed more of his Will to them by way of Precept than is there recorded 4. And what can he mean by things distinct from the Promise If that Faith and Repentance are promised I had oft affirmed it If that as Acts in Man they are not distinct from the Promise it 's unfit to reflect on If that they may not be Terms of Pardon conjoyned therewith in one promissory Series it 's against the scope of the Bible and sure if that hinder not Pardon to be the cause of them it will not exclude them to be Terms of Pardon 5. But what strange Divinity is this 1. that Pardon is the Condition of Faith 2. Pardon is the cause of Faith How is Pardon and these at once as he affirms i. e. in order of Nature and yet Faith is the consequent yea effect of Pardon But to come to the point Is not this to burlesque the Scripture We believe that we may be justified Gal. 2. 16 That is we be justified that we may believe We are justified by Faith Rom. 5. 1. that is we are made Believers by Justification We repent for the remission of sins Luke 33. that is we have remission of Sins that we may repent One Reason at least should have been offered for these contradictions I suppose all that would be offered is that Christ cannot work Faith in us till we are pardoned which the whole Scripture is against and God hath provided for it by Divine ordination in that Christ's Merits are admitted effectual to the working and and accepting of this Grace before these Merits are applied for Forgiveness which is fully expressed in his own revealed Method whereby he commands and works Faith in order to Forgiveness Yea he will not I hope deny lest he spoil his Argument p. 28. that Union with Christ is before Pardon in order of Nature And is not that an Effect of Christ's Merits Yea the Gospel-offers Spirits operation of Faith c. are so 6. How long must I stay for an Answer if I ask what kind of Cause is Pardon It 's well if it be not hisprocatartick 7. Is not this a new and singular Gospel Consult the former Testimonies Need I mind thee that Dr. Owens saith p. 306. We require Evangelical Faith in order of Nature antecedently to our Iustification c R. Mr. Cl. p. 134. Norton c. say the same the Synod of Dort is oft positive Mr. Bulkley p. 321. gives nine Reasons to prove that Faith is an antecedent Condition of Iustification and saith the denyal of it is some of the new Light which the old Age of the Church hath brought forth Mr. Sheppard proves the same p. 221 to 240. Mr. C's Father saith Faithunites the Soul to Christ p. 144. It accepts of a whole Christ with a whole Heart p. 154. It 's a receiving Christ in all his Offices p. 132. Faith hath an influence into a Sinner's Justification p. 122. Faith is constituted and ordained of God in the Covenant of Grace as a necessary and indispensible means for attaining this end in adult persons p. 123. And he answers his Son's Objections as to Infants The Assembly affirm That Justification is a Benefit flowing from Vocation wherein Faith is wrought but of this hereafter It 's well if he call not all these Enemies to the Grace of God as p. 8. Mr. C. near a kin to this is his Banter on me p. 21. because I had said that Election was not formally our Pardon nor a legal grant of it but that by Divine Appointment there was to interpose between the decree of Pardon and the actual Pardon of the Elect a Gospel-Promise of this Pardon and a work of the Spirit on Men for a conformity to the Rule of that Promise He tells me I would have Christ to stand as a Medicin in the Apothecary's shop for some body or other when the Physician prescribes it Nay it 's not an absolute sick Patient neither it 's one the Apothecary hath in a manner cured before c. And before the person be pardoned he must be in a very sound and safe condition c. and there must be inherent Righteousness in the person to be pardoned c. Add this and much of this kind up and down in his Book to his fifth Principle viz. That Pardon is the cause of Faith c. and then we have his sixth Principle That we are pardoned before the Spirit do at all work any change upon the Soul in effectual Vocation or we are not called or converted in order of Nature before we are justified This is fully the sence of the Letter from the City p. 25 30 c. Repl. 1. A Legal Grant is a term out of Mr. C's Element or he would not confound it with a Decree and what he speaks of the Promise Tit. 1. will appear not to be eternal but before many Ages and not to exclude Gospel-Conditions in their use for our personal Interest in Pardon 2. Is there not a fulness in Christ for Sinners before they make use of it 3. All Sinners are ungodly in a Gospel sence when God comes to call them effectually in order to Pardon and they are ungodly in a legal sence when God doth pardon them or they would not need Pardon 4. Yet they are not unconvinced Unbelievers that are the Objects of God's pardoning
Act they are such ungodly ones as believing Abram was 5. Their Faith doth not merit Pardon nor is it the Righteousness by which they are pardoned that 's Christ's alone 6. Faith or the first Grace is far from making a Sinner sound or whole before Pardon it makes him sound but as being the Condition upon which Christ's Righteousness will be applied to him for healing but without this applied to the Believer for Pardon he would be miserable notwithstanding Faith 7. Faith is necessary to our Interest in Pardon see cap. 12. 8. This Faith is an effect of the Work of the Spirit on the Heart of a Sinner in effectual Vocation and by Vocation there is a change of the Soul and its prior to Pardon Whom he called them he justified Rom. 8. 30. Lest they should be converted and I should heal them Mat. 13. 15. Act. 26. 18. The Sanctification which follows Justification doth not import that there 's no Calling before nor that begun habitual Holiness is not infused in Vocation But I would ask 1. Q. What kind of Faith is that by which we are justified if there be no Work of the Spirit on the Heart Is it a vital Act before Life Is it the Faith of God's Elect when it proceeds from an unregenerate Heart Is it an Act of an enlighten'd Mind before the Mind be enlighten'd or Can they see Christ before their Eye be opened Is it an Act of the Will before the Will be at all determined by Grace Is it a receiving of Christ while the Heart is yet under an utter aversion to him Is it a renouncing of all for Christ whilst the byass of the Heart is against Christ and for other things above him and against him Do we believe before we are made a willing People Can it be an Effect of Infinite Power and make no change in the principle of our Actings Or can that Principle be and yet have place neither in Understanding or Will It 's true as they describe Faith a man may be Evangelically ungodly and yet believe because it 's a Faith common to the most prophane who perswade themselves all is safe though Destruction is near and this while they hate and reject Christ with their whole Heart How can it be a Faith unfeâ—…gned while Villany and Hypocrisie reign in the Soul Or be adapted to such great Operations whilst in its whole Essence there is nothing which argues the least alteration on the Soul or operation of the Holy Spirit Here 's the Faith of a dead Soul of an unregenerate Soul of an unconverted Soul and by such a Faith we are justified they say But 2. Q. How dare these men pretend to agree with our Orthodox Divines when they are so plain against them Read the Assemblies lesser Catechism Q. What is Effectual Calling A. Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery enlightening our Minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our Wills he doth perswade and enable us to embrace Iesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel Q. What Benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this Life A. They that are effectually called do in this Life partake of Iustification Adoption Sanctification and the several Benefits which in this Life do either accompany or flow from them Reader is not the Assembly plain that a man is called before he is justified When Justification is a Benefit that the Called and none but they partake of and this Benefit supposeth them effectually called who partake of it let 's next see who are called Is there no change made upon them by effectual Vocation Sure there is and this in order to their embracing Christ which is Believing They are convinced of Sin and Misery their Minds are enlighten'd with the Saving Knowledge of Christ. Their Wills are renewed they are perswaded and enabled to put forth that Act of Faith whereby they embrace Christ. Is here no change Sure it 's a great one in the Understanding and Will too and all this to make a man an Object of Justification And shall these men face us down as if we differ'd from the Assembly Nay do not all our Orthodox plead against the Arminians that there is the infused Habit of Faith before the Act yea and that most Habits are infused at once and included in the vital Principle What heaps of Testimonies could I produce for this Yea is it not our common Principle that Vocation is before Justification Herewith agree the Canons of the Synod of Dort par 1. p. 303. Hooker's Effect Calling p. 344 345. Mr. C. saith p. 123. Hence Justification is set after Vocation and therefore after Faith because Faith is wrought in Vocation Norton p. 260 261 263. Union in order of Nature followeth Vocation p. 291. So also Ball of Cov. p. 334 339. See how Mr. Rutherford exposeth this Error p. 131. and p. 111 112. he sets down this as the Gospel-Order 1. The Sinner dead in Sin a Son of Wrath 2. a Walker after the Errours of this World 3. The Gospel of Free Grace is preached to the Dead the elect Heirs of Wrath c. 4. The Law and Curses of it preached with the Gospel lest they despair to humble them 5. The Sinner legally humbled Rom. 7. 11. with a half hope of Mercy prepared for Christ c. 6. The stony Heart of meer Grace removed in the same moment a new Heart put in him or the Habit of Sanctification put in him 7. In the same moment the Soul believeth in him that justifieth the Ungodly 8. In the same moment God for Christ's sake of meer Grace justifieth the believing Sinner Is not here a new Heart in order of Nature before Faith and that Faith before Justification tho' not in time Mr. C. p. 22. When I had affirmed that in Adam's Law Life was promised to sinless Obedience c. and that Salvation is now impossible by that Law but that God in the Gospel promiseth Blessings on lower Terms viz. unfeigned Faith c. Mr. C. answers To talk of any obedience to that Law besides sinless in respect of that Law in its preceptive part is nonsence for sinful Obedience which you are going to plead for is Disobedience And p. 26. I roundly assert that no Law of God with a Sanction of Life and Death upon performance or non-performance of Obedience doth admit of the least imperfection in the said Obedience He oft speaks in this manner whence I think this is his Principle That God hath not promised any Benefit for Christ's sake upon any terms short of perfect Obedience and sincere Faith Love and Holiness because imperfect are formally downright Disobedience or Sin which is the same Rep. 1. I grant sincere Faith and Holiness be imperfect as to the preceptive part of Adam's Law 2. I grant that nothing imperfect can be a meritorious Righteousness
He is the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him If a man keep my Sayings he shall never see death He that doth my Commandments and keepeth them he loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Iudgment also because he is the Son of Man He that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation It seems too that Church-Censures bind nothing of eternal danger even when rightly administred Dr. Owens in his Treatise of the Sabbath says near these words That our worshipping Christ in his Ordinances on Earth is the Condition of our being with him in Heaven 4. The Reason for all this is strange such Obedience is part of the Life promised then he rendred the Elect Libertines when he made such Promises He promised to make the Elect obedient therefore he cannot command them to be so Pursuant to his Promise he 'll make them obedient therefore the Terms to be obeyed are no foederal Conditions of other Blessings promised on those Terms because he 'l see they shall believe therefore he must not thus enact Believe and thou shalt be saved 5. But is there no distinction admittable in the word Life It 's sometimes put for Grace in us sometimes for Glory consummated sometimes it 's put strictly for the saving priviledge part of the Covenant as consequent to the Terms of it and that believing ye might have Life In this sence he saw I took it And doth God in every Promise of Life in this sence promise Obedience to the Terms of it 6. A few lines after these he determines the Judgment committed to Christ It 's not Legislation at all nay all of it is not Gospel-Iudgment he might have said none of it for with him the Gospel is no Law and so no Rule of Judgment Nay worst of all his Judgment is only to destroy not to save i. e. his Reward as Redeemer is to be Executioner of Adam's Law without conditional Offers of Pardon to any that are not saved for if there be no foederal Sanction in the Gospel there can be no conditional Offer to any that are not saved nay to none that are saved Now Reader see how Christ as Redeemer is honoured by Mr. C. He shall be of use to excuse us from loyal subjection while himself is dethroned as to the rectoral way of the application of his Merits This very point of Christ's regal Authority as Redeemer hath been defended by our Divines hitherto and I am sure he 'l take vengeance on them who obey not his Gospel I might instance others of his Principles which I suppose agree with Dr. Crisp as in his Description of Faith which he hints p. 36. and I have heard him more fully define it by assurance of our Pardon In that place he makes Faith of no use but to claim Possession to which it seems we had as full a Title before we believed And p. 17. Mr. C. After the manner of imputation in foro justitiae our Sins shall never be laid on us viz. the Elect qua-Elect Which I will prove against you when you will Rep. Let 's understand the Question for it is too confused What is this After the manner of imputation in foro c Do you mean the Elect shall never come to God's Bar of Judgment before they believe and are forgiven If so I grant it But if you mean that the past Sentence of God binds not the Sins of the Elect upon them while they are Unbelievers and that this Act of his by his Word is not an Imputation in foro divinae justitiae I freely accept your Challenge so that you will engage to avoid unruly Passions And it 's well if those Effects of Electing Love which Paul had applied to him in the Womb are not semen quoddam electionis which Calvin so condemns Of the same sort is what Mr. C. saith p. 34. of 2 Cor. 5. 18. Rep. 1 God is so reconciled that no want of atonement shall prevent Peace 2. That upon this atonement God offers Peace on the lowest Terms 3. That the Elect shall in time be enabled to obey those Terms and be actually reconciled 4. But the whole Canon of the Word and unopposed in this place assures me that the Elect are in a state of Wrath till they believe yea were God actually reconciled to them he could not suffer them to remain Enemies in their Minds by wicked Works and a total absence of his Spirit But I have not room for these and the like Mr. C. p. 10. After a certain zealous Neonomian had taken his Leave of us And p. 22. you play the Iugler more He saith Quoniam Christus Mediator c. being that both Christ the Mediator and Faith in Christ are only means of the restauration of Man to God by Holiness and Love Therefore it must doubtlesly be said that from the nature of the thing Faith Holiness and the Love of God are more necessary to Salvation than either Faith in Christ or the Sacrifice of Christ himself There 's a â—…one for you to pick. Rep. These are Mr. Baxter's words and had I been in his stead I should not have given so much occasion to simple Readers to startle but being the only seeming Difficulty Mr. C. hath put me to except the exercise of Patience I 'll see if the Offence may be prevented 1. Mr. B. doth not here compare the causal Influence of Christ's Satisfaction with our Holiness nor the use of Faith in Christ with Faith in God as the way of Life is now appointed by the Divine Will If any man had asked Mr. B. Is Holiness as meritorious of Salvation as Christ's Satisfaction is he would have answered No for Christ's Satisfaction is the sole meritorious cause of Salvation and Holiness is none at all If you had ask'd Mr. B. Is Faith-Love to God of that use to receive Christ for our Justification as Faith in Christ is he would have answer'd No Faith in Christ is in it self most apâ—… and by the Lord appointed to this use to receive Christ. Both these he ofâ—… affirms 2. Mr. B. here speaks only of the comparative necessity of these to Salvation with respect to the nature of the thing it self that is as he explains himself it cannot be a Salvation without Holiness at least habitual it 's a Contradiction as it would be to say Salvation without Salvation It is not whether is more necessary now to my obtaining Salvation as if I should ask whether is more necessary to the Essence of Man his Humanity or Christ's Satisfaction you would say from the nature of the thing