Testament Deut. 6.25 And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do viz. through the help of Christ all these commandements before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us Ezek. 18.22 All his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth 2 Cor. 9.10 As it is written he hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousness remaineth for ever Now he that ministreth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiplie your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness See Heb. 10.36 James 1.22.23 24. Rom 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the same and they onely shall be justified And Augustine himself doth acknowledge That forasmuch as this obedience is performed with our consents and endeavors though principally begun and ended through the grace and power of God yet it is through the mercy and goodness of God imputed unto us as if it were entirely ours Ninthly you say That men are justified by having Christs obedience and satisfaction imputed unto them but we have shewed before that the outward person and active obedience of Christ stands upon his own score he as a creature being a debtor to keep the Law and is not imputed unto us as his passive obedience is through which we are discharged of those sins which we have repented of and left Tenthly you say That persons to be justified rest upon Christ and his righteousness by faith which is true of his internal righteousness as we have shewed but not in your sense for so Saint Paul having spoken of the righteousness of faith Phil. 3.8 9. doth explain himself at the 10. vers saying That I may know him and the power of his resurrection c. So the same Apostle Rom. 4.11 saith That Abraham received circumcision which in it self signifies and sets forth sanctification as a seal of the righteousness of faith Lastly whereas you say That they have not this faith of themselves it is the gift of God we grant it to be true of Gods illumination revealing unto us the things which we knew not but not of our credence which we yeeld unto the same as we said before In your second Section besides one of your former errors resumed of faiths resting upon an imagined righteousness his outward obedience aforesaid you affiâ—m two untruths more The first is That faith is the alone instrument of Justification whereas the Publican who went away justified rather then the self justifying Pharisee obtained that mercy partly by his penitence and partly by prayer saying Lord be merciful unto me a sinner Luk. 18.14 Furthermore the word of God is a blessed instrument of our cleansing and justification from sin Joh. 15.3 Now are ye clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Joh 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth see Eph. 5.25 26. Finally we have shewed before that our obedience both active and passive is a way wherein and so a mean and instrument whereby we attain justifying and sanctifying grace from Christ Secondly you say but untruely That faith is accompained with all other graces For though it is the high way to obtain whatsoever grace we want yet at the first it is seconded but with two other ordinarily to wit hope and love Hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth these three Faith Hope and Love but the greatest of these is Love And if it were attended at the first with all other graces why doth the Apostle thus charge us 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love Lastly though you say truly That the faith which justifieth is no dead faith we may justly fear that such a faith as seeks no living justification is scarce a lively faith In your third Section first you harp upon that old string That Christ hath discharged our debt and satisfied Gods justice by his death which how far it is true or false we have already declared yet is our justification of freegrace and so contrived that both Gods exact justice which can have no fellowship with iniquity and his rich grace also might be glorified in the justification that is the renewing and reparation of sinners In your fourth Section we acknowledge Gods decree to justifie all sinners if they oppose him not in the work but not to justifie all the elect For such chosen ones as die in innocency need it not We assent also unto it that Christ did in the fulness of time in his assumed humanity die for the sins of all offenders as in his Godâ—ead he dyeth in them from the time of their fall but neither way doth he suffer death for all the Elect. T is granted likewise that he is risen again both inwardly and outwardly for the justification of sinners but not in your sense But that which you add in the close of the same Section That they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them is false Not that we dream as some do that men are justified either from eternity or from the time of Christs resurrection but that Christ in the work of our justification applyeth the spirit unto us and not the Spirit him as you here dream In your fifth Section by not distinguishing of justification in sieri in facto you bring forth both confusion and error For first you say That God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified which is true of them that are now under the work so far as they continue in faith and obedience or after fals renew their repentance but as for those who are fully justified they have a general acquitance and discharge of all their sins sealed up unto them in and through the death of Christ Heb. 10.14 15 16. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that aâ—e sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us For after that he had said before this is the Covenant that I will make with them after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin Secondly whereas you say That the justified persons can never fall away from the state of justification it is false of persons that are there in fieri and true of
wayes assailed and weakned but gets the victory l Luk 22.33 Ephes 6.16 1 John 5.4 5. growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ m Heb 6.11 12. Heb 10.12 Col 2 â— who is both the Author and Finisher of our Faith n Heb. 12.2 CHAP. XIV Of Saving Faith Examined AS Your selves elsewhere condemn an implicite faith of which notwithstanding you are not altogether guiltless in letting your authors so often impose upon you as they do so we hope you will leave our faith free to dissent from you where truth is not on your side in this and other chapters Here some men perhaps would quarrel with you for not setting forth the kinds of faith but since it was your scope and purpose to speak here of saving faith onely which is a living faith or hope 1 Pet. 1.3 We will not much blame you for making no mention of that dead faith spoken of by St. James chapter 2.20 The like we say of omitting the mention of a false and feigned faith seeing that whereby me must be saved is called faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1 5. The ordinary distribution of faith into those of historical temporary miraculous and saving might here by you with the lesse detriment be passed over in silence because as historical faith is an ingredient into true faith so the temporary differs nothing or very little from it but in point of perseverance and though outward miracles with the primitive power of godlinesse for the greatest part seem long fince to have grown rare yet the true saving faith in Jesus Christ hath alwayes according to its strength and growth been a worker of inward and spiritual miracles and that upon sure grounded promises John 14.12 Verily verily I say unto you he that beleeveth in me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto the Father And those words of our Saviour Marke 16.17 18. being spiritually understood do set forth the signes of a true faith to the end of the world And these signes shall follow them that beleeve In my name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover But the things we most wonder at are these First That you should now come to speak of faith not onely after effectual calling which in your sense implies faith but after justification which you confess to be attained by faith yea and after sanctification also which though you take it to be a distinct thing from justification must for the greatest part follow faith also as an effect of it Acts 26.18 Among them that are justified by faith that is in me And Secondly That you should make no distinction betwixt the three degrees if not kindes of saving faith to wit Faith in God the father Belief in God the Son and Confidence in the Holy Ghost The which as they are in part descriminated from each other at least wise by their distinct objects in the Apostles Creed so are they clearly dissevered from each other in the holy Scripture It is in a general comprehension that the Apostle takes the faith of the elect when he describes it to be an acknowledgment of the truth that is according to godliness in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 1 Tit. 1.2 But it is faith in God the Father or faith in confuso as we said before that is set forth Heb. 11.6 For he that cometh to God must beleeve that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him as it is faith in God the Son which St. Paul points at Gal. 2.15 16. saying We who are Jewes by nature and not finners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus It is also that faith in the holy Ghost of which the Apostle speaks thus Gal. 5.3 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith that is the Lord our righteousness or the beavenly Jerusalem Jer. 33.16 These three are distinct from each other and men may have the first without the second and the first and second without the third For first we finde that Cornelius beleeved in God prayed unto him gave alms and did many things with acceptance before God ere ever he was commanded to send for Peter that he might by him hear of the faith in Jesus Christ Acts 10. chapter Thus our Saviour speaks to his Disciples and Apostles John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me intimating that though they had a clear and strong faith in God the Father yet their knowledge of him in his right saving office and their respective faith was but darke and weak as yet for they neither distinctly understood that he must dye for them and that they must dye with him if they should be saved nor expected salvation from sins and Satan by his blood and spirit and much less had they any hope or due knowledge of the promised Spirit the everlasting comforter who should abide with them for ever till Christ there especially after his resurrection revealed the same unto them and brought them to a true belief and stedfast hope of the same yea where are they now to be found who thus beleeve in the holy Ghost or in Jesus Christ himself for a right justification and spiritual salvation from the hands of all their enemies by his alone power and grace Thus is that fulfilled Luke 18.7 8. And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night to wit for help against their spiritual enemies I tell you that he will avenge them speedily nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall he finde faith upon the earth This faith was a rare bird like a black Swan at Christs last comming in the Spirit That there may be some pious souls which not onely want the third degree or kinde of faith but have not so much as heard that there is an holy Ghost the Scriptures witness clearly Acts 19.2 The like may be said concerning the Lord Jesus and faith in him among the Heathen to whom the Father hath not revealed him as yet But now to come to your particular Sections In the first of them you say That faith whereby the Elect beleeve to the saving of their souls is the work of the spirit of Christ which thing in a proper and accurate kinke of speaking is not true for it is the work of the Father to reveale and manifest the Son unto us as it is the work of the Father and Son to beget faith in
and many others Hence John warnes us in his second Epistile verse 8. thus Looke to your selves that we loose not those things which we have wrought And Christ speakes to the like effect Revelations 3.11 Fourthly and lastly You exclude from salvation all men not openly professing the Christian Religion Where first We pray you to consider whether such persons as the Apostle seems to describe Rom. 2 26 27. may not be saved by Christ naturally planted in them Secondly May not many of the Jews as well under the Old Testament as the New though they know not or beleeve not the mystery of Christs incarnation be saved by that faith which the Apostle describes Hebrews 11.6 thus For he that comes is God must beleeve that God is and that be is a rewarder of them that seek him especially if they expect and seek the inward Kingdom of a spiritual Messiah with victory over their Ghostly enemies through him Thirdly Whether some that are not in all things of the same faith with the modern Christians whether Calvinists Lutherans or Papists may not possibly obtain salvation by such a faith as we have here confessed Lastly Whether such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who are Christs sincere Disciples but dwelling in the midst of persecutors dare make no open profession of their faith and hope may not be saved in the end and that by Christ in whom they have beleeved CHAP. XI Of Justification THOSE whom God effectually calleth he also justifieth a RoÌ„ 8.30 RoÌ„ 3.24 not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of beleeving or any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousnesse but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them b Rom 4.5 6 7 8. 2 Cor 5.19 20 21. RoÌ„ 3.22 24 25 27 28. Tit 3.5 7. Eph 2.7 Jer 23.6 1 Cor 1.30 31. Rom 5.17 18 19. they receiving and resting on him and his righteousnesse by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God c Acts 10.41 Gal 2.16 II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousnesse is the onely instrument of justification d Joh 1.12 Rom 3.28 Rom 5.1 yet is it not alone in the justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love e Jam 2.17 22 26. Gal. 5.6 III. Christ by his obedience and death did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified and did make a proper real and full satisfaction to his Fathers justice in their behalf f Rom 5.8 9.10 19. 1 Tim 2.5 6. Heb 10.10 14. Dan 9.24 26. Isa 53.4 5 6 10 11 12. yet inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them g RoÌ„ 8.32 and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead h 2 Cor 5.20 Mat 3.17 Eph 5.2 and both freely not for any thing in them their justification onely is of free-grace i RoÌ„ 3.24 Eph 2.7 that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners k Ro 3.26 Eph 1.7 IV. God did from all eternity decree to justifie all the elect l Gal 3.8 1 Pet 1.19 20. Rom 8.30 and Christ did in the fulnesse of time die for their sins and rise again for their justification m Gal 4.4 1 Tim 2.6 Rom 4.25 neverthelesse they are not justified until the holy spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them n Col 1.21 22. Gal 2.16 Tit 3.4 5 6 7. V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified o Mat. 6.10 1 Joh 1.7 8 1. Joh 2.2 and though they can never fall from the state of justification yet they may by their sins fall under Gods fatherly displeasure p Luk 22.32 Joh 10.28 Heb. 10.14 and not have the light of his countenance restored to them until they humble themselves confesse their sins beg pardon renew their faith and repentance q Psa 89.31 32.33 Psa 51.7 8 9 10 11 12. Psa 32.5 Mat 26.75 1 Cor 11.30 32. Luke 1.20 VI. The justification of beleevers under the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the justification of beleevers under the New Testament r Gal 3.9 13 14. Rom 4.12 23 24. Heb 13.8 CHAP. XI Of Justification examined YOur doctrine is nowhere less justifiable then in this great business of justification for you neither understand the right notion of the word nor the secret of the work Hence it is that as in your other Sections you have much of error so in your first you have little of truth where laying down the doctrine both positively and negatively you have been so unhappy for the most part as to reject the truth and fix upon the errour More particularly first you say That all those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth which is not true of such as either resist his calling or of them who being brought to believe in Christ do by and by fal away again For the first of these see Gods complaint Psal 91.13 14 15. O that my people had harkened unto me and Israel bad walked in my wayes I should soon have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries the haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him but their time should have endured for ever For the other of these see Mat. 12.45 That sometimes the unclean spirit which was cast out returneth again through mens unwatchfulness Then goeth he and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and they dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first Rom. 11.22 But towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be câ—t off 2 Pet. 1.9 But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins All which places though they may at the first view seem strange to you as proofes of what we have asserted yet when you shall understand what justification means in its true and proper notion they will justifie what we have said Secondly You say that God justifies men not by infusing righteousness into them whom he hath called contrary to the express tenure of the Scriptures See 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate persons nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God And such were some of you but ye are washed but
as we have said before yet we read nowhere of any power proceeding from thence in the mortifying of sin though that his suffering should be both a patern and a motive to follow him in his like death as hath been said Yea the Apostle ascribes weakness and not power to Christ in his death as that whereby he could properly suffer 2 Cor. 13 4. For though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God It was power indeed whereby he was raised up Rom. 1.4 And it is through the same power that those who are dead with him must be raised up again Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection c. So then there is express mention in the word of the vertue or power of his resurrection to be imployed in this work of our regeneration but none of the power or efficacy of his death yea that benefit which we have by the death of Christ followes the work of sanctification in order of nature and doth not go before it as hath been proved sufficiently before Thirdly Whereas you say or imply That the whole dominion of sin is destroyed in those that are in any measure called and sanctified it is a thing rather to be wished if it were the will of God then to be granted for truth for we find the contrary in our own experience while we are babes in Christ yea the Apostle describing the estate of such in his own person because he had been formerly in that â—state complaineth grievously of the remaining and dominion of corruption Rom. 7.23 24. But I see another law in my members rebeiling against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death indeed if you had said that the former love which the least of Saints had to the body of sin and their willing subjection thereunto is in some measure destroyed you had spoken truly but is not a dominion against their wils a dominion still Yea it is the most grievious tyranny of all other and the hardest to be born So then there is left in all the regenerate a dominion and tyranny of sin till by grace they obtain power and victory against it though this dominion is now invitum imperium and not so dangerous as it was in the time of their voluntary subjection thereunto Fourthly That which you speak in the close of that Section is true or false as men bestir themselves in resisting sin and seeking Gods grace there against or otherwise neglect those duties to wit That the several lusts of this body of sin are more and more weakned and mortified and they more and more quickned and strengthned in all saving graces to the practise of true holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Your second Section presents but one error upon the matter but it is a material one to wit That our sanctification in this life is always imperfect and that there abide some remnants of corruption in every part that hence ariseth a continual and irreconcileable war the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 But brethren if our sanctification must not be perfected here when or where must it be made up Is not this life the time of our regeneration Tit. 2.11 12 13. For the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and that glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Must some corruption still remain in every part Why so hath God such pleasure in it Shall Christ lose the end of his comming of which the Apostle speaks in the next verse Tit. 2.24 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works See Ephes 5.25 27. of which we spake before And though while the flesh and the spirit continue there remains an irreconcileable â—ar betwixt them must that war last alwayes had not Saint Paul sought a good fight and finished his course 2 Tim. 4.7 Had he not subued his body and brought it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 shall we never attain to be of a taller Stature and growth then those new born babes in the Galatians That you apply their conflicts and weak estate spoken of Gal. 5.17 to all But we must pardon you for in your third Section you seem to contradict all this again saying In which war although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevaile yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ the regenerate part doth overcome and so the Saints grow in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of God but concerning this we must refer you to what we spake before upon Chap. 6. Sect. 6. Surely as God caused his word to be written that we might there through become absolute 2 Tim. 3.14 16 17. And hath given gifts from heaven unto his Apostles Prophets Evangelists and Teachers to bring us unto such a stature of perfection in Christ Ephes 4 10 11 12 13 14. So he praying for the perfecting of the Saints Heb. 13.20 21. 2 Cor. 13.9 1 Pet. 5.10 did pray for things feasible and attainable nor can the prayer of Christ for the same thing be irritous Joh. 17.23 I in them and they in me that they may be made perfect in one CHAP. XIV Of saving Faith THE Grace of Faith whereby the Elect are inabled to believe to the saving of their souls a Heb 10.30 is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts b 2 Cor 4.13 Ephes 17.18 19. Ephes 2.8 and is ordinarily wrought by the Ministry of the word c Rom 10.14.17 by which also and the administration of the Sacraments and prayer it is increased and strengthened d 1 Pet 2.2 Act 20.32 Rom 4.11 Luk. 17.5 Ro 1.16 17. II. By this Faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word for the authority of God himself speaking therein e Joh. 4.42 1 Thes 2.13 1 Joh 5.20 Act. 24.14 and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth yeilding obedience to the commands f Rom 16.26 trembling at the threatenings g Isa 66.2 and imbracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come h Heb. 11.13 1 Tim 4.8 but the principal acts of saving Faith are accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone for justification sanctification and eternal life by vertue of the Covenant of grace i Joh 1.12 Act 16.33 Gal 2.29 Act 15.11 III. This faith is different in degrees weak or strong k Heb 5 13.14 Rom 4.15 20. Matth 6.30 Matth 8.10 may be often and many
the holy Ghost Thus speaks our Saviour to Peter when he had through faith confessed him to be the Son of God Matth. 16.19 Blessed art thou Bar-Jonah for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven It is the Father that must draw us unto the Son to seek and expect redemption internal and external from him John 6.44 45 46. Christ indeed is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.1 2. That is He is the first Captain and Ring-leader of ouâ— faith for he is gone before us in the same way of trust and confidence to be holpen by the Father in all his distresses and raised up again after he had been obedient to the death And secondly He is the fulfiller of our faith or of that which we by our like faith while we follow him in the same race expect from him according to the promises But whether the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be well translated Author That be is the Author of our Faith except it be understood of his joynt working with the Father and the Holy Ghost we will leave the learned to judge for our selves dissent That also which follows in the same Section must be understood of such a ministry as is called and enabled by the Lord for that work and of prayer made with understanding and affection for the increase of that grace where you say That Faith is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word by which also and by the administration of the Sacraments and prayer it is increased and strengthened for such Ministers as teach vain Doctrine and administer the Sacraments with ignorance and errour beget an answerable faith and perswasion in their hearers who give ear and credit unto them as your Authors and Teachers have done in some of you but this must here also be remembred that the Lord can and often doth when and where he pleaseth beget faith even faith in Jesus Christ by the sole illumination and teaching of the holy Ghost as he did in Job among the Heathen Job 19.25 26. and in Paul among the Jewes Gal. 1.15 16. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.8 9. And for this work sake he is called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 In your 2. Section you confirm what we said before of historical faith that it is an ingredient into true saving faith where you say ' By this a Christian beleeveth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word you mean so far as men are enlightned to the understanding of it otherwise there is more repeated in the word then most men do or can understand while they are in the state of Faith but here you should have added this also to your former words that the servantâ— of God beleeve also whatsoever God is pleased to reveale unto them besides the word which yet is not contrary to the word Thus Paul beleeved that which God had shewed unto him concerning the preservation of himself and those that were with him in the ship Acts 27.25 And St. John gave respect and credit unto all that was shewed unto him in the Revelation where by the way you may observe how God is the Author of Faith to wit by revealing his saving counsel and will unto us which by nature and much more in our corrupt estate we are in a great measure ignorant of And how far faith lies in our own hand and power viz. onely to assent unto that which is so revealed and made known out of grace Thus there is an assenting or dissenting faculty in all men See Acts 9.29 Psalm 106 12. Then beleeved they his word and sang his praise with verse 24. Yea They despised the pleasant Land they beleeved not his Word Acts 17.4 And some of them beleeved and consorted with Paul and Silas verse 5. But the Jewes which beleeved not were moved mith envy c. John 3.32 33. And what be hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony be that receiveth his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true And accordingly as men stand affected to the person reporting or the thing revealed so are they apt to credit or discredit the same Facilè eâ—im credimus quae volumus c. è contrà Hence it was that some persons who were wel inclined to the leaving of sin and the seeking of righteousness and consequently in a good order and posture towards eternal life did easily and joyfully receive the word preached by Paul and Barnabas when others who were more engaged to their sins self-wisdom and false righteousness beleeved not but contradicted and blasphemed Acts 13.44 45 â—6 c. Hence it is also that after Gods grace was made known unto men they were commanded to repent and believe the Gospel Mar. 1.15 And that others are complained of for their unbelief Hebrews 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them being not mixed with faith in them that heard it For the Lord never requires more then either by his preventing or assisting grace men can perform nor yet complaines of them but where they are some wayes deficient in acting their part Secondly What you there speak of faith's different actings in relation to the commands promises and threatnings recorded in the word is true also as to the inhibitions and narrations found there but herein you are defective First in not declaring by what form or vital principle faith becomes so active to wit by love Gallatians 5.6 Without which faith is dead James 2.14 15 16 17. And secondly In passing over the acts and offices of faith in God the Father and of faith in the Holy Ghost both which have an eye to sanctification and eternal life as well as faith in Christ though this last named seeks that which we called justification more especially from Christ But if Gods eternal decree be so absolute as you speak of before what need is there that saith should be moved with threatnings or promises For your third and last Section It may be wholly admitted with this caution That faith at length gets the victory and growes up to a full assurance if men persevere in love and obedience to God and fervently seek that victory and the assurance also from the Lord and his power But both time and the use of all good means are required thereunto and as faith is weak in its first beginning so when it hath gotten some strength yet by neglect of the means aforesaid and by wilful disobedience it may not onely be much weakned but wholy lost as we see in the parable of the Sower Matth. 13. Yea the Aposte tells not onely of women that had forsaken their first faith 1 Tim. 5.12 But of men also who by putting away
lusts will ye do Now this father makes use of a twofold mother to beget men in wickedness besides their own lust which when it is intised and drawn away by temptation conceiveth and bringeth forth sin Jam. 1 14 15. The first is the lying word and promises with which he deceiveth men as he did Eve saying Gen. 3.4 5. Ye shall not dye for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be openâ—d and ye shall be as Goâ—s knowing good and evil The second is the false Synagogue which through Satans help begets men in a false faith religion and worship Thus the Lord speaks to Ammi or his own people which were in the false Synagogue of Israel or the 10. tribes Ho. 2.1 2. Say unto your brethren Ammi and to your sister Ruhama plead with you mother plead for she is not my wise neither am I her husband let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her fight and her adulteries from between her breasts c. On the other hand in the work of the new birth as God is our father so the word of truth is our inward mother Jerusalem or the Church which is begotten from above is our outward spiritual mother Ja. 1.18 Of his own wil begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kinde of first fruits of his creaturs Gal. 4.26 But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Come we now to enquire which of these mothers David here speaks of Not of his natural mother doubtless for as his father Isai which signifies a gift was a pious man in Israel so no doubt is to be made but his mother was a godly matron and being both of them well grown in grace ere they begot this their youngest son they were more likely to convey grace and holiness if that be communicable then sin unto him since at this age they must needs be well grown in goodness and very mortified persons But that it was the lye or lying promises of Satan with the folly therein contained by which he was shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin as our first parents were and all their faln posterity have been since procreated no man of wisdom will doubt And this is here the more evident to be Davids meaning because in the next verse following he by way of opposition having now hope after his late fall to be holpen up again speaks of a new Spiritual Father and Mother saying verse 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me know wisdom which wisdom is a mother and hath her children Mat. 11.19 But wisdom is justified of her children as the lie and folly or Belial hath her brood likewise unto whom the Lord speaks thus Isai 57.3 But draw near hither ye sons of the Sorceress the seed of the Adulterer and of the whore So we read often of lying children or the sons of the lie and of the sons of Belial yea David himself attributes his sinnes to his folly 2 Sam. 24.10 saying I have done very foolishly Of these two Solomon speaks thus Prov. 14.8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way but the folly of fools is deceit and Prov. 15.21 Folly is joy unto him that is destitute of wisdom and the Apostle saith the like Gal. 3.1 5. Objection It is said Psal 58.3 That the wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lies Answer First we may here take notice that the Prophet speaks not this of all men but of the wicked onely Secondly it must needs bee the womb and birth of iniquitie and not the natural birth of which he here speaks For otherwise how can men go astray or speak lies so soon at they are born The 6. Objection Ezek. 16.3 The Lord speaks thus unto Jerusalem Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother an Hittite Answer The Lord doth not here upbraid the Jews with the corruption derived from our first parents but with wicked poslutions learned from the Canaanites although the name Amorite serves fitly to represent the Divel with his lying promises for it signifies a vain-talker or man of words as the name Hittite sets forth the soul that is prostrate to him The 7. Objection Paul confesseth thus much concerning himself and the Jewes Ephes 2.3 Among whom we all likewise had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh serving the desires of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Answer it is one thing to be sinners from our first Nativitie and another in time to become the children of wrath by our personal fall and actual disobedience which also coming to pass in our natural man and by his desault we may truly be said by nature to be the children of wrath especially when sin by custom becomes a second nature unto us Yet doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated by nature import no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is really and truly such by disobedience as the same word signifies Galat. 4.8 Howbeit when ye knew not God ye did sert vice unto them which by nature are no Gods The 8. Objection But the grand objection which our opposites bring is that of Rom. 5.12 c. where it is said That by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed over all men for that all have sinned Unto which we first answer in the general That this Chapter seems to be one of those places unto which Saint Peter aludes 2 Epist 3. Chap. vers 16. saying In which to wit the Epistles of Saint Paul are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other Scriptures to their own destruction For here are seven things rightly understood by few but perveretd by many First the Justification of faith whereby we have peace with God verse 1. Secondly the time of our small strength in the natural man when we first fell through the power of temptation Christ dyed in us and for us v. 6. Thirdly the love of God then in letting his Son die for us and not destroying us v. 7 8. Fourthly the bloud of Christ through which we are justifie by faith v. 9. Fiftly the death of Christ or rather his like death through which we are reconciled to God v. 10. Of all which we shall speak in their due places Sixthly that one man Adam in us through whose disobedience all are made sinners And lastly That one man Christ in us through whose obedience many shall be made righteous which two Adams are not onely paralleled and opposed here with their fruits and effects but in many other Scriptures likewise
them onely that are justified in facto vel potius perfecto Thirdly whereas you grant That persons justified may by their sins fall under Gods fatherly displeasure and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves confess their sins beg pardon and renew their faith and repentance This is true yet not of those perfect or consummate ones who fall not so either into sin or Gods displeasure but of the younger sort onely in the time of their progress and growing up who may not only so faile and suffer as you have affirmed but possibly may through a wilful revolt both fall away totally and remain under indignation finally As to your sixth and last Section because we have described the way and means of justification more groundedly then ye have done we can truely speak it in your words but not in your sense That the justification of beleevers in the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the justification of beleevers under the New Testament But before we leave this subject give us leave to inform you of two things The first is That the means of our justification or spiritual redemption in Christ Jesus is principally his blood the blood of the everlasting Covenant his promised spirit Romans 3.24 25. Ephesians 1.7 Colossians 1.14 Hebrews 9.14 15. 22. compared with Jeremy 31.32 33 Ezekiel 36.25 26 c. Hebrews 10.29 chap. 13.20.21 Rev. 7.14 1 Joh. 1.7 9. The second is that remission of sins wherein you place justification for the main is to be had after sin is put away by sanctification and amendment and not before as you fondly dream both here and elsewhere For which purpose take these ensuing Scriptures Proverbs 28.13 He that covereth his sin shall not prosper but but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Jeremy 33.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me Mark 1.4 John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins Luke 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations Acts 5.32 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins Acts 26.17 18. Vnto whom I now send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption Hebrews 10.14 For by one offering hath he perfected for ever those which are sanctified To all which we could adde that the blessedness which David speakes of Psal 32.2 lies first in the putting away of sins by sanctification as the last words there import and the rest will bear it and then in having them or the guilt of them pardoned in Jesus Christ which words may be thus rendered O the blessedness of the man whose transgression is taken away and whose sins are covered or buryed with the like death of Christ O the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity by letting him dye in his sins as one filthy and unpurged and in whose spirit there is no guile CHAP. XII Of Adoption ALL those that are Justified God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of Adoption a Eph. 1.5 Gal 4.4 5 Ro 8.17 by which they are taken into the number and enjoy the liberties and priviledges of the children of God b Joh 1.12 have his name put upon them c Jer. 14.9 2 Cor 6.18 Rev. 3 12. receive the spirit of Adoption d Ro. 8.15 have access to the Throne of Grace with boldness e Eph. 3.12 Rom. 5.2 are inabled to cry Abba Father f Gal. 4.6 are pitied g Psal 103.13 protected h Prov. 14.16 provided for i Mat 6.30.32 1 Pet. 5.7 and chastened by him as a Father k Heb 12.6 yet never cast off l Lam 3.31 but sealed to the day of redemption m Eph 4 20. and inherit the promises n Heb 6.12 as heirs of everlasting salvation o 1 Pet 1.3 4. Heb 1 14. CHAP. XII Of Adoption examined ERROR and misconceptions in you here as elsewhere Hydra like multiplies heads needlessly for this argument of Adoption is the same with effectual calling in some measure and the self-same with that election of God which is in time of which we spake before And as that is twofold the first conditional the second final and absolute so is this and though all the children of God are capable of these your priviledges or most of them in time if they continue in their filial faith and obedience yet are not they so at the first yea some have by their faithful walking proceeded so far by Gods grace that they have left some of the lesser and foregoing prerogatives behind them Therefore you have first committed great disorder and confusion in attributing all these alike unto all not shewing which priviledges belong to all Saints and which but to some who may absolutely expect all or most of them and who may expect the same conditionally onely Secondly You take the high way here as you have done elsewhere to fill many who are not yet past danger with security and presumption For the first of these There are three degrees of Gods name Image or like being The first Which is the fathers name is written upon those that beleeve on him love and obey him The second Which is Christs powerful and saving name becomes written upon such as are brought to know him to trust in his saving office and to seek his help against their enemies and who persist so seeking The third Which is the name of the holy Ghost and the new Jerusalem with the new name of Christ is engraven onely upon those that have overcome all their enemies through the power of Christ Revel 3.12 These last are they that are never cast off and who inherit the promises as heirs of salvation But the other two If they abide not in the Father and in Christ after they know him may fall short of the promises and be rejected Those of the third form are past Gods fatherly chastisements because they now sin not 1 John 3. but the other two are not so As for the other You tell us that all which are adopted to be the children of God are sealed to the day of redemption but none are so sealed finally and absolutely save the third sort of whom we spake before the rest are but sealed conditionally yet left in good hope Yea all those priviledges which you