by his prayer to God Gen. 17 20 21. that he carried the type of those who should not be heirs of life Gal. 4.22 c. and peradventure the like may be said of the person of Esau who at the meeting of his brother Jacob was turned into another man Gen. 23.4 and did ever after sweetly accord with him although Hebr. 12.16 he carries the type of a spiritual fornicator and profane person that sels his eternal birthright for a morsel of meat here in this world and of him that losing his first grace or blessing obtaines not a second But here we would not be misunderstood for though we brought Isaac as an instance of a typical or representative seed which he was in opposition to Ishmael Rom. 9.6 7. yet we do not deny but that he was one really elected out of Gods special foreknowledge nor do we doubt but Ishmael might be so likewise howsoever he was generally and conditionally elected as was also Cain Gen. 4.6 7. where the Lord saith unto him Why art thou wroth And why is thy countenance fallen If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted c. Eighthly Betwixt these that are unchangeably designed to life or death out of foreseen faith or unbelief perseverance or Apostacy and those that are absolutely and peremptorily without any condition or respect to standing or falling rising again through grace or lieing still retaining or losing grace received For after this last manner none are irrevocably designed either to life or death from all eternity among Angels or men Ninthly Betwixt a soveraign power invested in a most wise just gratious loving and merciful Prince which may be used to his greater glory and the same placed in a rigourous and cruel Tyrant which last to affix upon God is no small degree of blasphemy Tenthly Betwixt an absolute preterition of some from eternity before they have done or thought good or evil yea had any being which is not found in God towards any of his future rational creatures and a passing over of some in time for their personal ingratitude and contumacy against him as the fallen Angels are declined after their fall and some men after grace often refused and others after grace abused are lest to walk in their own wayes Eleventhly Betwixt the not extending of grace at all after a needless and wilful Apostacy as the Lord dealt with the proud and presumptuous Angels which fell and the withholding of mercy from some persons which were not so strongly and well situated in grace and which fell through the temptation of others and thus God withholds not his first grace which iâ— also a sufficient grace from any of the sons of men though they are fallen in Adam Twelfthly Betwixt the withholding the first or converting grace from fallen men which is not kept back for any till they resist it and the withdrawing of his second or subsequent grace from such as have wilfully cast off the first in the just requiring of it and so do despite of the Spirit of Grace These few necessary distinctions being first premised we proceed Now for your errors and mistakes in your several Sections First we say that your assertion in the second Section is very false and erroneous where you say That Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which should come to pass upon such conditions For did not the Lord foresee that if he created the Angels free Agents some would fall and others stand still in their integrity That if he created our first parents with liberty of will that they would fall That if he offered fallen men his grace to help them up again some would embrace it and some refuse it That his offered grace being conditional some which received it would persevere and fulfil those conditions and some would fail in the performance after they had begun well That Judas being returned to his former covetousness would betray his Master for gain That the Jews out of obstinacy and envy would condemn and deliver Christ to the Gentiles That Pilate out of favour to men would yeeld him up to be scourged and crucified All which and a thousand things more the Lord foresaw would conditionally or supposedly come to pass and did thereupon decree or determine that they should so do because he could turn them to his glory yet do we not say that the Lord was necessitated so to do alwayes but when he foresaw that the effects and productions arising out of such supposed conditions were not conducible to his wise and holy ends he both could and in time did put a stop thereunto at his pleasure Thus he foresaw that the men of Keilah out of their wicked and ingrateful disposition being left to themselves would deliver and betray David into the hands of Saul and therefore he did both decree not to permit it and did actually hinder it by advertifing David of it that he might timely escape In your third Section there is truth and error to be found accordingly as your words are taken for you speak generally and ambiguously saying By God's Decree for the manifestation of his glory some men and Angels are predestinated unto eternal life and others fore-ordained to everlasting death To which we answer thus First That men and Angels are not in all things and every way disposed of alike in God's eternal Decree For though no fallen Angels are ordained to life yet by your own confession many fallen men are appointed to salvation in Jesus Christ Secondly We say that all both men and Angels are first predestinated to eternal life in case they should continue in their first created estate by answerable obedience The truth whereof appears sufficiently in the confirmation and blessing of those holy Angels which persisted in their allegiance who are therefore called the Elect Angels Thirdly We affirm that all men though fallen are appointed to restauration and life by grace conditionally that they beleeve on that grace and obey its requiring Ezek. 18.23 have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord and that not he should return and live Ezek. 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked 1 Tim. 2.3 4. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth Whereunto add that of Tit. 2.11 12. which holds forth both the universality of grace it self and its condition For the grace of God that 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 But lastly we grant notwithstanding that some both Angels and men were appointed for destruction yet conditionally through their own default and disobedience as
the Apostles shew both of the one and of the other and first of the Angels 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into Hell Jude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darkness to the judgement of the great day And secondly concerning men 2 Thes 2.12 That all might be damned who beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Now these and some other Scriptures by us alledged do not speak immediately of Gods eternal Decree yet we know that God works all things in time according to the counsel of his own will from eternity Ephes 1.11 In your fourth Section you declare your selves more fully in this point of Predestination saying These Angels and men thus Predestinated and fore ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either encreased or diminished Which words of yours we will grant to be true First of the Angels after some had stood fast in obedience and others had fallen but this was a destination in time not a predestination from eternity Secondly Of Angels and men out of the special fore-knowledge of God whereby he certainly foresaw the perseverance of the good Angels in obedience when the wicked spirits fell as also the persistance of the Saints in faith and obedience towards grace which should be exhibited on the one hand with the Apostacy of the lapsed Angels and the obstinacy of the impenitent men and backsliding temporaries on the other hand and so accordingly determined that the one part should be saved and the other perish But that Gods decree in the general toward Angels and men was onely conditional and did no wayes necessitate either to sin and damnation or to obedience and salvation it is evident out of these ensuing texts and many more As for the Apostate Angels the fault of their Apastacy is wholly and clearly ascribed to themselves 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. as before And as for men it is said Luke 7.30 the Pharisees and Lawyers did frustrate the counsel of God against themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things would not possibly be done unless God's counsel was conditional add 2 Pet. 3.9 But God is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance which is spoken aswel of singula generum as of genera singulorum and you had before God's oath Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked To confirm his affirmation Ezek 18.23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die And as there is no enforcing necessity from Gods decree to dispose Angels and men to obedience or disobedience life or death so neither was there any necessity of nature that is want of liberty in their wills or inability to obey before their fall whatsoever there is left afterwards in mankinde But if you mean by this particular and unchangeable designing men and Angels an absolute irrespective and peremtorie or inevitable dispose of some Angels and men to life and of others to destruction and that from eternity you do not onely make God a respecter of persons in those that are appointed to life from which the Scripture vindicates the Lord frequently Acts 10.34 Rom 2.11 Deut. 10.17 1 Pet. 1.17 But this contradicts what you speak concerning God Chapter the second where you describe him to be most wise most holy most loving most gratious most merciful and most righteous c. When you ascribe to him such a peremtory and irrevocable Decree of condemning thousands of Angels and men everlastingly and that before they had done or purposed any evil against him or yet had any being Consider this we pray you could any of you which is a father and scarce hath one drop of love mercy and goodness compared with God's ocean appoint one or more of your little babes which yet never offended you to be burned to death How far then must it be from the gratious disposition of him that is love it self and whose bowels of Compassion are infinite inevitably to designe so many millions of Angels his children by creation to endless and insufferable flames of fire before they had any existence in nature or capacity of offending In your Fifth Section you say that those of mankinde that are predestinated unto life are chosen by God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love All which is true both of Gods general and special election But whereas you add these words in conclusion without any foresight of Faith or good works or perseverance in either of them as conditions or causes moving him thereunto It is a most dangerous error and falsehood For was not that counsel of God which Paul declared to the Churches Acts 20.27 briefly comprehended in that Doctrine whereby as he himself saith he testified bâ—th to the Jewes and also to the Gentiles repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Act. 20.20.21 Doth not the same Apostle tell us Rom. 8.29 That those whom God foreknew he did predestinate to be made conformable to the Image of his Son Doth not Saint Peter tell the believing Jews that they were elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Peâ— 1.2 Doth not Saint Paul declare the counsel or will of God to be conditional when he saith 1 Tim. 2.3 4. For this is good and acceptable before God who will have all men to be saved and to that end to come to the knowledge of the truth Are not the words of Saint Peter clear also to that effect 2. Pet. 3.9 Who willeth not that any man should perish but that all men should come to repentance Is not the saving grace of God which hath appeared to all men conditional by the Apostles own testimony Tit. 2.11 12. For the Grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men bath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Is not the Gospel it self which is a declaration of the whole counsel of God to be published conditionally Mat. 18.19 20. Mark 16.15.16 Go yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Doth not God best know what his own will and counsel is and was from eternity when he tels us Ezâ—k 18. and 33 and almost every where else in the old Testament that the obstinate sinner shall die but such as convert to him shall live Yea the finall and
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
all and every one to be sinners by the first individual mans disobedience but grant that the word many in both parts of this 19. verse must be explained by the word all how clear then without any darkness is the meaning when it is said by one mans disobedience namely the natural Adam 's disobedience all are made sinners because all that ever sin sin in that natural Adam for John 3.9 he that is born of God sâ—â—neth not neither can he sin because he is born of God Hence by the obedience of one that is the heavenly Adam many that is all are made righteous according to that Cor. 15.48 As is the earthy so are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly so are they that are heavenly and therefore as we have borne the Image of the earthy by our disobedience so let us seek to bear the Image of the heavenly That as Rom. 5 19. by one mans disobedience we all may be made righteous Thus we hope it plainly appears that no place in the fifth of the Romans asserteth the imputation of the first mans sin to all posterity though it do affirm that by one man sin entered into the world which must be understood of the one natural man or common Adam in and upon us all according to that 1 Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive That is as all die in the earthy Adam that do die so all that live are made alive in Christ the Heavenly Adam We come now to answer the arguments brought à simili whereby you deceive your selves and others As first It is usually said That Traytors are not onely punished themselves for their Treason but their posterity also have their blood tainted and deprived of their inheritance But we demand by what Law Is this by Gods Law and Command that the posterity of a Traytor should be so tainted and deprived or by mans law without warrant from Gods Law If so That doth not argue God will deal with Adams posterity to taint them for his sin and deprive them of an inheritance immortal which the Lord giveth and not man for the first mans sin But to apply our selves to your simile We answer That none but the fathers are punished with death for that sin their children are onely disinherited of the lands and honours which are hereditary but are not made uncapable of new and though all this be done In terrorem yet it leaves Traytors life and being with manyfold capacities of well being but you leave a great part of Adams posterity for his sin by you imputed to them no hope of salvation yea you expose them to eternal destruction for that same they never consented unto nor could avoid Another Objection à simili is this That as the soâ—â— of Achan Josua 7.24 perished with him for his sin so may we justly perish with the first Adam for his sin We answer First Achan's sons being acquainted with the hidden Treasure and approving the thest as it is probable they might were involved in the fin and worthy to be partaker of the punishment Secondly It was but a temporal death which his sons suffered and not an eternal destruction Lastly It is objected That as young Vipers or Serpents are killed with the old ones because we know they have the poysonous nature in them So may Adams posterity â—e destroyed with him We answer That the similitude cannot hold for as we have proved already Adam's posterity are created innocent yea righteous still even in the nautral man besides a spiritual Adam that lieth hidden in all men True it is That by a voluntary fall and the addition of manifold rebellions many men as John calleth them Matth. 3.7 make themselves a generation of vipers but they are not so born by their descent from the first finful Adam Thus we need not throw dirt in the face of our first parents nor transfer the guilt of our fall to those which lived almost six thousand years before us if we rightly understood what we our selves have done yea if we understand that one man before spoken of Rom. 5.12 to the end of the chapter to be opposed unto or paralleled with Christ in a contrary way or course then we may conceive that one man as properly if not more truely to be meant of one personal yet common Adam as of our first progenitors to defame him which will be more fully declared when we speak of Christ the other member of the collation or parallel in the 5. chapter that is concerning Christ the Mediator We beseech you to pardon this our long aboad upon your third Section because we know by experience our opposing the tradition of original sin in children will be most stumbled at and wondered at by them that never surveyed the Scriptures about it In your fourth Section you proceed and say From this original corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil do proceed all actual transgressions Where to your former error of deriving both the guilt of Adams fall and the corruption of nature to his posterity you add three more according to the multiplying nature of error But first you will not deny that Adam was in the estate of regeneration before he begat any of his children and what true reason can there be given why grace and the renewed Image of God being inherent and connatural should not be derived to his seed as well as his corruptions which were not either universal or perfect in degree even before he by grace was renewed again as we have already proved but of that enough before II. How do you prove that the first fall which we call original sin whether happening in Adam or our selves doth presently render us both unable yea and altogether indisposed and opposite to any good For the whole Image of God is not blotted out at once Doth not the Lord testifie of Jeroboams son-who was sick That there was some good thing left in him towards the Lord and therefore he is taken away before that those last sparkes be extinguished 1 Kings 14.13 III. As the Image of God is defaced gradually so corruption is contracted by degrees so that all men are not corrupted in every part nor alike deeply corrupted so Judah by continuance in sin in process of time had more polluted her self then Samaria her elder sister or Sodom her pounger Ezek. 16 45 46 47. c. The last age of the old world upon which the deluge was sent was more corrupt then any that went before it and thereupon it was destroyed Therefore that which the Lord speaks in complaint of that age is not equally applicable to all ages and muchless to all persons Although that is true of all grown men which the Lord speaks Gen. 8.21 That the imaginations of mans hears are evil from his youth that is from the first times of his
2.3 4 5 6. 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly you are here deficient in setting forth Gods stipulation in this Covenant for you say That God requires faith in Christ that men may be saved but the Lord insists not onely upon faith but upon obedience also to all his commands yea obedience unto the death to wit the death of sin Mark 16.16 Act. 2.38 39. Act. 3.19 Heb. 5.9 Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rom 2.7 8.13 Matth. 24.13 Revel 27.11 17 26. Revel 12.5 Thus of your defects here but whereas you say in the close of that Section That God promiseth to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe it is not true we would gladly have you produce anyone such promise yet dowe grant that the Lord is pleased to enlighten and teach all sinners that are out of the way and capable of instruction in the way to life again so that they may believe repent and turn if they will Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The text to which you refer us Ezek. 36.25 26. is a promise made to the house of Jacob in the latter dayes and that of such a clensing from sin as you will not believe or admit but not of faith though the work of regeneration there promised implyeth a precedent faith and therein both illumination on Gods part and assent or credence to the truth revealed on ours In the fourth Section you say That this Covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament and so is the Covenant upon Mount Sinai likewise Gal. 4.24 for those saith the Apostle are the two Testaments But secondly whereas you add That this name is given to that Covenant onely in reference to the death of Christ the Testator and to the everlasting inheritance with all things belonging unto it therein bequeathed You herein fall short again for the believer who is the other party to the Covenant must in following of Christ dye with him and there must follow the death of this Testator likewise Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 8.13 For if we live after the flesh we shall dye but if we mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit we shall live So 2 Tim. 2.11 12. In your fifth Section you are defective likewise in two things and mistaken in a third For first whereas you say That this Covenant was differently administred in the time of the Law and of the Gospel your saying is true but much too short to express the various administrations of the Covenant for it was administred after one manner before the Law after another under the Law after a third under the prophets and all this before the time of the Gospel before the Law as it was at the first made with Adam and renewed with Noah but more solemnly reinstituted with Abraham for the blessing of all Nations and generations of mankinde so all this time it was administred without outward ceremonies and services more then commemorative sacrifices of Christs inward sufferings That Lambe slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 which yet were intentive likewise to a dying with Christ unto all sin and wickedness but under the Law as you truly speak it was administered by promises prophecies the Paschal Lamb and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of Israel in general and not to the Jews alone as you set forth And it was partly set forth as a Covenant of works if not to mind us of original innocencie yet to be our Schoolemaster to Christ shewing us our inability in our selves to keep the law with our sins and miseries and what manifold need we had of Christ Gal. 3.24 and partly as a Covenant of grace also finally under the prophets it was dispensed principally by promises and predictions Isa 9.6 Isa 11.1 2. Jerem. 31.34 35 36. Jerem. 32.38.39 Ezek. 11.18 19 36 25 26 c. But as you were defective in saying That those types sacrifices and services under the Law did onely figure out Christ to come whereas they did teach the Israelites the whole way to life also in following of Christ so you are in saying that the Covenant of grace in regard of the former dispensations is called the old Testament as you do also in saying That in the Gospel it being under other dispensations is called the new Testament in the sixth Section For according to the Scripture and the minde of God the Old and New Testament are thus to be distinguished The whole word of grace whether administred by Prophets or Apostles is the Old Testament that is a foregoing Testament administred by true Elders but the work of grace in purging out sin renewing us in righteousness writing the Law of God in our hearts and sealing the everlasting forgiveness of sins unto us is the new Testament So that the Old Testament is the Covenant which we should observe and keep or endeavor so to do but the new Testament is the work of grace which God hath promised in and through Christ Thus Christ is called the mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9.15 and his spirit blood the blood of the new Testament Mat. 26.28 Yet we do not deny but that both the Prophets and Apostles were able Ministers of the new Testament as true publishers of this promised grace and not of the letter onely as were the Scribes and Pharisees 2 Corin. 3.6 Not that the writings of Moses and the Prophets comparatively to the writings of the Apostles are or should be called the old Testament as they seem to be termed 2 Cor 3.12 for this we say that the writings of the Apostles may be so called likewise and are no other in relation to the promised work of cleansing and renewing grace which God alone both can and must effect Howbeit we do not condemn the common distinction and distribution of the books written before and since Christs incarnation by the penmen of the Holy Ghost into those of the old Testament or instrument and the other of the new because they set forth the new Testament more plainly In you sixth and last Section besides the mistake before touched we crave leave to rectifie you in these ensuing things First whereas you say That now in the new Testament Christ the substance is exhibited If you conceive that the incarnation of Christ is the substance of all that was foreshewed required or promised in the times of the Law and the Prophets it is a great mistake for not onely his sufferings and resurrection but our conformity in following him with the whole process and work of salvation was thereby set out manifoldly and clearly under the Administrations of those times Secondly whereas you say That now under the Gospel the ordinances under which the Covenant of Grace is or ought to be
the Spirit yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh then ye shall live and to that effect Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a now heart and and a new Spirit for why will you dye O house of Israel Secondly In saying here that it is upon the apprehension of Gods mercy in Christ to such as are penitent that men so grieve for sin hate and turn from it and so purpose and ind avor to keep all Gods commandements whereas the apprehension of Gods mercy and grace in the general and that for salvation may produce all this and hath done it in thousands of Jews and Gentiles in the times of the Old Testament and since also who for the present had no knowledge of Jesus Christ and the further grace to be attained in him yet do we not deny but the knowledge and belief of that grace which is held forth in Christ may increase that godly sorrow and much strengthen that purpose and endevor of obedience yea and make the believer to seek the second part of repentance even the work of mortification from the grace of Christ Lastly you are short in this that you make this saving repentance to extend no further then to bare purpose indeavor of walking with God in the ways aforesaid For if this indeavor acts but according to the strength of nature or the first grace received it must needs fall short both in the subduing of sin and the accomplishment of Gods will and therefore true repentance unto life seeks grace and power from Christ for both out of faith in the promises and rests not till it hath attained it according to the promises Ezek. 36.25 26 27 c. Jerem. 31.33 34. Ephes 5.25 26 27. 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Luke 1.74 75. In your third Section you strangely contradict your selves in saying first That repentance is no cause of the pardon of sin and yet afterwards making it a thing so necessary for sinners that none may expect pardon without Is causa sine qua non no cause with you or is the fulfilling of such a condition as without which remission of sins shall not be granted a thing of no satisfaction at all to him that requireth it absolutely though he help us in it Or is it in no wise to be rested in as any satisfation to God who requires it We grant it is not the first inducing cause nor yet the meritorious cause but is first or last some antecedent cause before the thing shall be estated and sealed upon him that is to enjoy it especially since it is Gods absolute will and pleasure to grant pardon no other way That also which you affirm in your fourth Section is by some questioned and that not without cause Whether there be not some sin so great that it doth and shall bring damnation with it though it be repented of For there is a time of patience and mercy in which God hath purposed to receive the sinner if he repents and returns Rev. 2.21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornications but she repented not If in this tearm or space they repent not they may yea shall be excluded from pardon though they repent afterwards Luk. 13.25 26. When once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and you begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open unto us he shall answer and shall say unto you I know you not whence you are what say you to Judas who repented all too late as many thousands more do Prov. 1.28.29 Your fifth Section we grant as also the necessity of confessing of sins unto God and in case of scandal given to the respective parties scandalized also Section sixth But here again you are defective in two things First in that you set not forth the expedience yea necessity that there may be for such as are troubled in minde either for some great sin committed or with terrible temptations to confess and open their estate to some wise and godly counsellor whether Minister or private Saint and to crave the help of their advise and prayers And secondly you make no mention of restitution which is requisite also in many cases if the party be able to recompence the damage which he hath done Exod. 22.1 c. Luk. 19.8 CHAP. XVI Of Good works GOOD works are onely such as God hath commanded in his holy word a Mich 6.8 Rom 12.2 Heb 13.21 and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal or any pretence of good intention b Mat 15.19 Isa 29.13 1 Pet 1.18 Ro 10.2 Jo 16.2 â— Sam 15.21 22 23. II. Those good works done in obedience to Gods commandements are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith c Jam 1.18 22. and by them believers manifest their thank-fulness d Psal 116.12 13. strengthen their assurance e 1 Joh 2.3 2 Pet 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. edifie their brethren f 2 Cor 9.2 Mat 5.16 adorn the profession of the Gospel g Tit 2.5 9 10 11 12. â— Tim 6.1 stop the mouths of the adversaries h 1 Pet 2 15 and glorifie God i 1 Pet 2 12 Phil 1.11 Joh 15.8 1. whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus thereunto k Eph 2.10 that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life l Ro 6.22 III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit of Christ m Joh 1â— 4 5. Ezek 36.26 27. and that they may be inabled thereunto there is required an actual influence of the same holy spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure n Phil 2.13 Phil 4.13 2 Cor 3.5 yet are they not thereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them o Phil 2.12 Heb 6.11 12. 2 Pet 1.3 5 10 11 Isa 64.7 â—2 Tim 1.6 Acts 26.6 7. Jud verse 20 2â— IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life are so far from being able to superogate and to do more then God requires as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do p Luk. 17. Nehem 13.22 Job 9.1 2. Gal 5.7 V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our former sins q Rom 3.20 Rom 4.2 4 6. Eph 2.8 9. Titus 3.5 6 7.
they proceed from themselves are defiled and mixed with much weakness and imperfection and that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgements for doth the Lord any where require more of his Saints then to love him with all their heart and with all their souls and so much we finde promised to all that truly return unto God if they have faith and will to seek it Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live Yea doth not the Apostle expressely tell us 1 John 4.17 That herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this world Defend the honour of God then according to the truth and take not from the glorious works of Christ whereby the Father is glorified upon pretence of giving glory to the Father Remember what Job saith Chapter 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God Will ye talk deceitfully for him In your sixth Sextion as you speak comfortably to the young beleevers in Christ who are constant in their good willing indeavours that their good works are acceptable to God in Christ though for the present they are not wholy unblamable and do truely affirm That the Lord is pleased to reward also that which is sincere in them though accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections yet your sayings in that Section are so accompanied also First In that you speak that the works of beleevers are accepted for their persons the contrary whereof may be truly asserted that the persons are accepted for their works wrought in them by Christ Revelations 3.8 I know thy works behold I have set before thee an open door and no man shall shut it for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name And verse 10. Because thou hast kept my word I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try then that dwell upon Earth Secondly In that you say That the workes of the best grown Saints in this life are not wholy unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God Thirdly In your affirmation That the unperfect workes of the Saints are accepted in Christ though they remain such all our life long which is not true of those who have both time and means to aime at perfection it self Hebrews 5.12 13 14. with Hebrews 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 c. 2 Peter 1.8 9. Lastly Whereas you imply That bare sincerity will carry out the Saints though they remain imperfect in their obedience all their life long it is a great mistake for the Lord requires growth answerable unto the grace means and space offered unto men even of them who are sincere already 1 Peter 1.22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the truth under the obedience of Love saith the old Latine Translation to the unfeined love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently But as you have here and elsewhere weakened the hands of the regenerate in the work of perfecting their obedience and good workes so you have animated the unregenerate in their way of working that which is good in your seventh and last Section where you say and that truely That the neglect of what they can do in this kinde is more sinful and displeasing to God then the doing of such things which for matter are commanded in the word where by the way you hint what are the requisite things which should concur to the making up of a good work viz. That they have the word for their rule faith for their efficient a purified heart for their fountain the Glory of God for their end where onely your main efficient is wanting the spirit and power of God Yet thus much we must advertise you of that many of those whom you account to be moral men and Heathens do act out of Conscience enlightened and the grace of regeneration also as Abimilech seems to have done Genesis 20.1.6 Job Rabah the widow of Sarepta and others did CHAP. XVII Of the Perseverance of the Saints THEY whom God hath accepted in his beloved effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit neither totally nor finally can fall away from the state of Grace but shall certainly persevere therein unto the end and be eternally saved a Phil 1 6. 2 Pet 1.10 John 10.28 29. 1 Joh 3.9 1 Pet 1.5 II. This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free-will but upon the immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father b 2 Tim 2.18 19. Jer 31.3 upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ c Heb 10.10 14. Heb 13.20 21. Heb 9.12 13 14 15. Rom 8.23 to the end John 17.11 14. Luke 22.32 Heb 7.25 the abiding of the spirit and of the seed of God within them d John 14.16 17. John 2.27 1 John 3. â— and the nature of the covenant of grace e Jer 32.40 from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof f John 10.28 III. Nevertheless they may through the temptations of Satan and the World the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of the means of their preservation fall into grievous sins g Mat 26.70 72 74. and for a time continue therein h Psalm 51 title and verse 14. whereby they incur Gods displeasure i Isa 64.5 7 9. 2 Sam 11.27 and grieve his holy Spirit k Eph 4.30 come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts l Psal 51.8 10 12. Revel 2.4 Cant 5 2.3 4 5. have their hearts hardned m Isa 63.17 Marke 6.52 Marke 16.14 their consciences wounded n Psalm 32.3 4. Psalm 51.8 hurt and scandalize others o 2 Sam 12.14 and bring temporal judgements upon themselves p Psalm 89.31 32. 1 Cor 11.30.32 CHAP. XVII Of the perseverance of the Saints examined PErseverance follows good works here in due order for it is in them that the Saints must persevere howbeit we finde in you a constancy which we cannot commend for you persist in doctrine tending to security In your third chapter of Gods eternal decree you make some presume and others to despair teaching that Gods decree of life and death is both particular and absolute In your ninth and tenth chapters you make men stupid by denying us al use of our wils and setting forth Gods work to be irresistable in our first conversion and here you sow pillows under mens arm-holes in saying That true converts cannot possibly fall away from grace We grant indeed that this controversie about the perseverance of the Saints without greater light then for a long time appeared in the world was
23 24. In your fifth Section the better to colour over your own faults as it may seem you asperse the best Churches saying The purest Churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error what say you then to the two Churches the one of Smyrna Rev. 2.8 9 10 11. the other of Philadelphia Rev. 3.7 8 c. with neither of which Christ finds the least fault but highly commends them both True it is if we look into the Churches there is mixture of the inferior members and they are subject to such errors but there are preadventure some such members to be found in some of those two Churches if not elswhere as are no more subject to error then the Prophets and Apostles were certain it is there is such a doctrine discipline from the immediate mouth of God to be found in one of those Churches that no reformers have need to seek any further where also the true Church is fully discovered and all causes of discord and controversie are in that behalf taken away But whereas you add in the same Section and that most truly that some Churches have so degenerated as to become no Churches but Synagogues of Satan you do here necessarily grant what you elswhere deny that some of the Saints and called ones may fall finally from grace for none other are the members of the true Church general or particular among men grown but such We will here charge you with that which you at unawares and unadvisedly affirm in the close of that Section That there shall be alwayes a Church on earth to worship God according to his will for that implies that the earth and the Church there inhabiting shall continue for ever which we conceive is no article of your belief In your sixth and last Section you truly affirm That there is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ but you in your next words have rather deserved the Popes Bull then his Benediction if he may be Judge For first If a Church be that which yee describe it A Congregation of those which profess the true Religion Why might not the Bishop of Rome a least wise in the Primitive times before that Church fell away be in some sence a subordinate head of that Church under Christ or an earthly or Ecclesiastical head as Paul was over the Churches of the Gentiles That the Pope should be an Antichrist which of many Popes and of the state of Papacy is and may be truly affirmed among many other we grant but that he or the succession of Popes or the whole Hierarchy as they are called should be that man of sin and son of perdition which sitteth in the Temple of God exalting himself above and against all that is called God 2 Thess 23.4 8. is doubtless a great though a common mistake for as to the successors of Popes they are many but the Antichrist is one individuum if they all should perish which no charitable man will affirm they should be called not one son of perdition but sons of destruction But to pitch upon the person of the Pope as one individual and single Antichrist out of such a numerous company of Popes which will you single out one past present or to come Certain it is first that the Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaks is a man of sin composed altogether of iniquity and not of flesh and blood as each Pope is Secondly That he is a mystery of iniquity into which none but very spiritual men can see of which none of you or any of your authors or their adherents have yet a true sight Thirdly that the Antichrist exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped and so doth not the Pope directly do who acknowledgeth God Christ the Holy Ghost yea Angels and Saints to be above him Fourthly Antichrist sits in the middle of the Temple of God so doth not the Pope in your sense of the Temple for he pretends to be head of the Roman Church especially Fifthly he doth not say that he is God as Antichrist doth Sixthly All Popes came not with signs and lying wonders nor with all the deceiveableness of unrighteousness as Antichrist comes Lastly Antichrists coming is inward and not outward 2 Thess 2.9 10. and deceives all which receive not the love of truth but the Pope could never decive all such But what may this Antichrist be then Answer first the Temple of God is mans heart or soul where he sits Secondly As Christ is the true unction there so Antichrist is a contrary unction of false and erroneous wisdom righteousness and zeal which sets it self as if it were the holy Ghost and his works opposeth the truth and Kingdom of God and not only allows but hides fosters and cherisheth iniquity in men where he raigneth In a word if the Lord give you spiritual eyes to read the two texts 1. that of 2 Thess 2.3 4 5 c. and then that of Revel 13.11 12 c. to both which you refer us you may by Gods grace make a discovery of Antichrist as one neerer you then the Pope of Rome and one more endangering your souls and learn truly to know and hate him which mercy the Lord grant unto us all Concerning the first text you may observe these things First it is evident that this Antichrist takes his beginning and rise from mens Apostacy or departure from the true faith love and godliness which was fet up by Christ and his Apostles and that in all that fell away 2 Thess 2.3 So that he must needs be the succeeding falshood error hypocrisie and ungodliness Secondly that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man composed of nothing but sin Thirdly That he must therefore needs be a child yea the son of perdition Fourthly That he opposeth himself to all that is called God that is to God and all goodness verse 4. Fifthly That he exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped even the Father Son and holy Ghost All which is true of the false wisdom and holiness which Satan begets in men to delude them there with and to oppose the truth kingdom and work of Christ thereby Sixthly That he sits in the temple of God which is our heart or inward man Seventhly That there he shews or gives forth himself for a God as this deceitful work of errour and delusion saith it is the presence and work of the Holy Ghost Eighthly That he cannot well be known but by spiritual revelation vers 6. Ninthly That there is one tha what he can hides him keeps him close maskes covers him and lets or hinders his revealing or disclosure and that is Satan verse 6.7 Tenthly That as he came in by mens departure from Christ his spirit and kingdom so by Christs spiritual presence and comming again in his brightness power and glory he shall be both revealed and destroyed by the spirit of his mouth 11. That he is called the