Preaching And let us consider a little the Nature of it Condition comes under several Considerations 1. Logical and there it 's Conditio conditionans or Conditio conditionata It 's more Ordinis aut Relationis respectu Ordinis It ariseth from a Priority and Posteriority of things All things can't be at once but one thing must be before another and here one thing is the condition of another respectu temporis there is Conditio relativa and so all Arguments are mutual Conditions one of another and consist è mutuâ alterius affectione and here is not Prioritas temporis sed nature Pater est conditio Filii or rather Paternitas relata affectio est causa filietatis correlata affectionis There is Conditio Axiomatica which ariseth from a Contingent Axiom or necessary and either connex because they 're mostly express'd Conjunctione connexivâ si And so there is also Conditio in dispositione Syllogisticâ ex dependentia inter conclusiones premissa There is also Law-Conditions Dr. Cawel saith It is a Rate Manner or Law annexed to Men's Acts or Grants staying and suspending the same and making them uncertain whether they shall take effect or no. And Papinian saith Conditio dicitur cum quid in casum incertum qui potest tendere ad esse aut non esse confertur This is a general Account of a Condition as arising out of a Contingency the effect depending upon an uncertain Cause And a Learned Lawyer saith A Condition is a Restraint or Bridle annexed and joyned to a Promise by the performance of which it 's ratifyed and takes effect and by the Non-performance of it becomes void Such a Condition I perceive you and Mr. Flavel will have Faith to be a Condition upon which the Promise is made and the Performance suspended by the Disposer till the said Condition be performed Conditio adimpleri debet priusque sequatur effectus Now this being your Condition I say it 's Foederal It 's Conditio Foederalis and let it be in value less or more it makes a Covenant of Works and is cloathed with all the Logical Notions of Condititions besides The Logical Conditions are in all things ex necessitate dependentiae mutuae rerum and a Man can't move a Hand or Tongue without them Even Brutes and all inanimate Beings as well as Men they belong to the whole Fabrick and Constitution of created Beings But a Foederal Condition belongs only to rational Beings and it 's related to the Promise ex pacto in a way of Merit and the Promise belongs to it by way of Debt And in this Sence the Apostle always decries the Law or any Law to have to do with our Justification he affirms that it 's always of Grace and never of Debt upon the least Consideration whatever of our Performance and Qualification And this is the Condition that I contend against and say That neither Faith or any other Gracious Qualifications or Graces of the Spirit are Foederal Conditions or Conditions of the Covenant of Grace My Arguments some of them in brief are these That which is a Gift of the Promise of eternal Life is no condition of it but Faith is a gift of the Promise Ergo. For the Major it 's clear for one thing can't be another eodem respectu tempore The Condition and Promise are Opposita they are Foederalia relata and therefore Contraria affirmantia a Father can't be a Son in that respect as he is a Father As to the Minor it 's out of all doubt by Divine Testimony See John 17.3 Eph. 2.8 To know Christ by Faith is Eternal Life and this Life of Faith is the Gift of God Hence Faith that is the Benefit promised is not the condition of it A Promise or Gift of the Promise cannot be the Condition of it self 2. That which would make the Promise a Debt and the Gift of it a Reward of Debt is not to be allowed But to make Faith a Foederal Condition of the Covenant of Grace would make the Promise to be Debt and the Reward a Reward of Debt Therefore Faith is not to be allowed to be a Condition of the Covenant For the Major it will stand with invincible strength from the Apostle Paul's Divinity and Logick Rom. 4.4 Believing and working are opposed as working and not working as Contradicentia It 's vain and frivolous to shift by evasive Interpretations and all that 's said to that purpose is easily wip'd off For the Minor That putting Faith in as a Federal condition would make the Promise a Debt The Performance of any Work or doing any Act as a Federal Condition let it be never so small the promising Federator becomes indebted thereby to bestow the Benefit promised on the Confoederator ex obligatione foederali and therefore a Debtor Now the Apostle will not allow any thing of this in the least Measure In those places where the Apostle opposeth Faith to Works he speaks of such Works as contain perfect and perpetual Obedience such as God required of man under the Law but not of those Works which comprehend that Obedience which God requires of us who believe in Christ Racov. Catech. c. 9. Therefore your Doctrine of Conditions is Socin 3. That Doctrine which will make all the Graces of Sanctification or gracious Qualifications Federal Conditions is not to be admitted But to say Faith is a condition of the Covenant in the Sence pleaded for will bring in all other Graces as well as it's self Ergo this Doctrine is not to be admitted for there is as much reason that all of them be allowed to be Conditions as that Faith should and therefore I see you and your Party bring in Repentance and other Graces together with Faith and say Our eternal Life is given unto us at the last upon conditional Meetness for it But the Scripture no where speaks of our Justification for or by Repentunce Love Patience Mortification of Sin c. not so much as once in the Sence that it speaks of Justicfiation by Faith And therefore Faith justifies not in it's qualifying nature which it hath in common with other Graces of the Spirit God never intended our strictest Holiness and highest degrees of Grace should be our Justifying Righteousness before God or Federal Conditions of the Covenant of Grace 4. That any Act of ours should be a Federal Condition of the Covenant of Grace destroys the very Nature of it Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.8 9. Tit. 2.5 Rom. 5.17 18. Isa 55.1 2. 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 3.24 as it stands in opposition to the Covenant of Works it can't be distinguished otherwise from the Covenant of Works for the Condition of the Covenant of Works was as small as any thing imagining the Ability was given before the Condition was required He should have had persevering Grace in the Promise had he outstood this Temptation Now the formal difference between the Covenant of Works and Grace was in the Condition
have an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified Pardon believed is the Root of Sanctification and this cannot be without it for by Faith we are risen with Christ we are planted in the likeness of his Death and Resurrection and Faith in this Point of Christ's Resurrection is that which sets us above the Charge of Sin and Condemnation By the Resurrection of Christ Preached we are begotten to this lively believing hope and we are risen with him through this Faith of the Operation of God hence the Body of Sin is destroyed Death abolished Life and Immortality brought to light Christ by his Resurrection being discharged and justified from the Iniquities of us all which were laid upon him and which he bore in his Body upon the Tree Neonom An Inlightned Regenerate Soul cannot Act towards Christ when he is first presented to its view below these Instances Antinom No it 's the sight of Christ and taste of Christ that carries him forth to all Duties of Sanctification he having Christ in all his fulness he hath done with all his Conditions all his Righteousness is filthy Rags A Soul truely instated by a lively Faith is far above padling with his own little poor sinful Duties as conditions between him and Christ he can serve Christ obey him and his Commandments are not grievous to him neither will he think they have any such Vertue in them as to give him Right to Christ in any way of Foederal Conditionality Neonom His mistakes are because Faith is the Evidence of things unseen i. e. it assents unto unseen realities therefore he thinks that our Faith is nothing but our assent Antinom I think I understand the Import of those words as I have told you but I shewed you it 's such a work of the Spirit and Word whereby the Heart Ecchoes to the Word by such perswasion of the Truth whereby Christ and the Truth is as it were formed in us and your selves can give no account of Faith that reacheth the Essentials thereof but what we have done from the Word of God Neonom Because the Word of Grace promiseth Justification unto all true Believers therefore an assurance of my being Justified is believing whereas I must first be a Believer in order to Pardon before I justly can or ought to believe that I am pardoned Antinom The word Assurance is a word you Impose it was not in the words you alledge against me what is it the Gospel would have us believe if it be not Forgiveness of Sins Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you that through this Man is preached unto you forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified c. What do they believe It 's Forgiveness of Sins and in this Act of Faith is the Justification by Faith in that they believe forgiveness of Sins and as they are weakly or strongly perswaded through the Spirit of Grace working the Promise upon their Souls In Justification by Faith Faith is not nor cannot be before it but they are Relata quae mutua alterius constant affectione Popish School Divines do dream that Faith is a Quality cleaving in the Heart Luth. on Gal. c. 3. v. 8. without Christ This is a Devilish Errour But Christ should be so set forth that thou shouldest see nothing besides him and shouldest think that nothing can be more near unto thee or more present within thy Heart than he is for he sitteth not Idly in Heaven but is present in us C. 2. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And here likewise you have put on Christ Faith therefore is a certain stedfast beholding which looketh upon nothing else but Christ the Conqueror of Sin and Death and the Giver of Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life this is the cause that Paul nameth Jesus Christ so often in his Epistles almost in every Verse but he setteth him forth by the Word For otherwise he cannot be comprehended but by the Word This was lively and notably set sorth by the Brazen Serpent for Moses commanded them that were stung to do nothing else but stedfastly behold the Brazen Serpent they that did so were healed Read with great vehemency this word me and for me and so inwardly practise with thy self Id. on Gal. 2.20 that thou with a sure Faith maist conceive and print this me in thy Heart and apply it unto thy self not doubting but thou art of the number of those to whom this 〈◊〉 belongeth Also that Christ hath not only loved Peter and Paul and given himselfe for them but that the same Grace also which is comprehended in this me as well appertaineth and cometh unto us as unto them When I feel and confess my self a Sinner through Adam's Transgression why should I not say that I am made Righteous through the Righteousness of Christ especially when I hear that he loved me and gave himself for me This did Paul most stedfastly believe and therefore he speaketh these words with so great vehemency and full assurance which God grant unto us in some part at the least who hath loved us and given himself for us What is Faith The first part of Religion whereby from Knowledge I believe in God Yates Divin The first Act of Faith is passive in receiving what God gives Here may we justly say it is a poorer and meaner Act to believe than to love nay rather Passion than Action for we are first apprehended of God before we apprehend him again Phil. 3.12 This Grace is most freely Graced that it might the more frankly reflect all on God again No doubt Faith receives a full discharge makes it not we rather by Faith receive an Acquittance Sealed in the Blood of Christ than the Blood of Christ to make our own Works Meritorious which we may offer to God in payment for our selves Here lyes the Errour of Papists even in Faith iâ— self and other Graces If God will â—â—t bear half the Charges by his Co-operation Man shall undertake to Merit his own Glory and fulfill the Royal Law so abundantly that he shall have something over and above Works are the Effects of Sanctification Sanctification is the Effect of Justification P. 23. The Object of the Understanding is Truth of the Will Goodness Temble of Grace and Faith P. 111. Faith is an Assent to the Truth and Goodness of Divine Revelation wherefore we affirm that this Faith is an Act of the Understanding and of the Will both together approving and allowing the Truth and Goodness of Divine Things In which Asserâ—ion you are to note that we do not make the habit of Faith to be inherent in two Faculties but we affirm the subject is but one and the same viz the Intellectual Nature for I take it with divers of the Lerrned that these Speculations about the real distinction of Faculties in Spiritual Substances of Angels and Souls of Men are but meer subtilties in the Schools without any true ground in
the Nature of it The Understanding essentially includes the VVill and the VVill the Understanding wherefore the Oâ—ject of the Understanding and VVill are one and the same Truth and Goodness are essentially the same Faith is General or Particular P. 124. General that which is Assent to all Divine Revelations as good and true in regard of our selves Here comes in the common Work of the Spirit Particular Assent of Faith is when all things revealed by God are assented to as most true and excellent in regard of our selves when they are particularly applyed to our proper occasion and compared with all Desires and Provocations whatsoever to the contrary when we know and believe these things that are generally delivered P. 131. for our selves in application to our own use and practice as Job was counselled by his Friends so that we believe in this particular as well as that at this time as well as another 1. The Root and Fountain of this Blessed Assent is the Grace of Sanctification And 2. The Object is Twofold P. 133. The whole Will of God revealed in his Word containing all Histories Doctrine Commands Threatnings Promises c. 2. The particular Promise of Remission of Sin and everlasting Life by the Death of Christ which in one Word we call the Gospel tho both be one and the same infused Grace which respects both yet Faith as it respects these Objects the whole Will of God and a particular Promise of the Gospel admitteth of divers Considerations Names and Use Faith as it assents to the whole Will of God I call Legal because it is such a Vertue as is immediately required by the Moral Law in the same manner as Duties of the Moral Law are and as all other Moral Duties are required of us in their Degrees as parts of our inward and outward Sanctity necessary to Salvation so is this Faith commanded as a principal Grace and prime part of our Obedience to the first Command so in this respect it may be saving namely as other Graces are Faith as it assents unto the Special Promise of Grace I call Evangelical because it 's such an Act as is expresly commanded in the Gospel not revealed by the Moral Law It is called properly Saving and Justifying in regard of the Use of it through God's gracious appointment to be the only Instrument of our Justification and Salvation by Christ He defines it thus It is a Grace of Sanctification wrought by the Holy Ghost in every Regenerate Man P. 140. whereby for his own particular he trusteth perfectly on the Promise of Remission of Sins and Salvation by Christ's Righteousness The proper Act of Faith as it justifies it consisteth in Trust and Reliance for our own particular To believe the Truth of a particular Promise is to trust upon the Performance of it to me and that assent of Faith which is given to such a Promise is properly called Fiducia or Trust To assent unto such a Promise is not barely to believe that there is such a thing in the World as Remission of Sins by Christ to be bestowed upon God knows who for this is to believe the Promise not as a Promise but a History but this Assent is of the whole Heart in Trust Reliance Adherence c. That Fiducia is the Essence of Justifying Faith 1. From the Phrase of Scripture used in this business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to believe in upon into God Christ c. 2. From the opposition between Faith and Distrust Jam. 1.16 Rom. 2.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. From that excellent place 2 Tim. 1.12 I am perswaded he is able to keep c. Wherefore to believe the Promise is with Confidence and Trust to rely upon it P. 140. which Assent of Faith is wrought in this manner 1. A Man is enlightned to see his Sin and Misery 2. The Promise of Grace is proposed and freely offered unto him 3. Whence the Heart touched by the Spirit of Grace draws near to Christ casts himself into his Arms c. It bespeaks Christ in all Terms of Confidence and Affiance My Lord my God my Hâ—pe This Work of Faith as it doth greatly glorifie God in ascribing the whole Honour of our Salvation only to Free Grace in Christ so God doth highly honour it above all Fellow-Graces by making it the blessed Instrument of all the Comfort we enjoy in this World thereby giving us assurance of our Justification in his sight by Christ's Righteousness and a double Comfort 1. Peace of Conscience resting it self secure upon the Stability of God's Promise against the Severities of Justice the Accusations of the Law it hath wherewithall to answer even an All-sufficient Righteousness in Christ 2. That kind of Fiducia which we call Assurance of full pardon of our Sins This is the fruit of that Fiducia or trusting unto the Promise it self wherein stands the proper Act of Justifying Faith Many do stedfastly believe and rest themselves only upon Christ for Salvation who yet would give a World to be assured and fully perswaded that their sins are pardoned Whereupon they will be apt to fall back and say They do not nor can't believe at all A great mistake and that which casteth many a Conscience upon the Rack It 's a false Argument for Justifying Faith is not to be assured of Pardon but to trust wholly upon the Promise for Pardon What is Essential unto Faith is manifest That which in order of Nature seems to have the Precedency Dr. O. of Justific p. 135. is the Assent of the Mind unto that which the Psalmist betakes himself unto in the first place for relief under a sense of Sin and Trouble Psal 130.3 4. It 's declared in the Gospel that God in his Love and Grace will Pardon and Justifie guilty Sinners through the Blood and Mediation of Christ so it 's proposed Rom. 3.23.24 The Assent of the Mind hereunto as proposed in the Promise of the Gospel is the Root of Faith the Foundation of all that the Soul doth in believing nor is there any Evangelical Faith without it yet consider it Abstractedly as a meer Act of the Mind the Essence of Justifying Faith doth not consist solely therein 2. This is accompanied in sincere believing with an approbation of the way of Deliverance and Salvation proposed c. This Assent and Approbation causing the Heart to rest upon Divine Grace Wisdom and Love and apply it self thereto according to the Mind of God is the Faith whereby we are Justified and concludes in it Renunciation of all other Ways and Means of attaining Righteousness the Consent of the Will Acquiescence of the Heart in God Trust and Confidence c. Peter Martyr saith Faith is an Assent and that a firm Assent unto the words of God obtained not by Reason or Natural Demonstration but by the Authority of the Speaker and by the Power of the Holy Ghost Com. pl. part 3. p. 58. We must now declare what
in him and the Covenant Promise gives a part before that receiving him in giving Christ for the Gift of Christ must be by nature before we can receive him Neonom 3. Whether the Soul of a Sinner as to its habitual disposition and purpose is under the Reigning Power of Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness till after he hath a Saving Interest in Christ. This you affirm and I deny Antinom I do affirm that a Sinner hath no habitual disposition or true purpose of Heart for God and is under the power of Enmity c. till he hath a Saving Faith Here you will have a Sinner free from dominion of Sin before he is under the dominion of Grace the Heart changed and Sin mortify'd without saving Interest in Christ he must be sanctified before Christ is Justification or Sanctification to him This is strange Doctrine Neonom Whether some degrees of Conviction and Humiliation of Soul be necessary Prerequisites to the Souls true Acceptance of Christ for Pardon I affirm this and you deny it Antinom We have told you what Protestants long since say That no Antecedent Qualities before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are pleasing to God or make Men meet to receive Grace but all such are Sins the rather because they are not done as God wills for Effectual Vocation is by an Interest in Christ therefore it 's vain and frivolous to talk that those things are Prerequisites that are the thing it self Neonom I shall only prove the Truth as contained in the third and fourth Question 1. That the Soul of a Sinner as to its habitual disposition and power is not under the Reigning Power of Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness till after it hath a Saving Interest in Christ 2. Effectual Vocation makes this change in the habitual disposition of the Heart and this Vocation is necessary to our Interest in Christ Antinom What is it that you would prove That which you are to prove is this That the habitual disposition of the Soul is changed as to the dominion of Sin and as to the filthiness thereof before a Saving Interest in Christ and now you shift the Terms and after you have been speaking all this while of Preparatory Works how we must be humbled have self-denial and cast off all our Idols before we have an Interest in Christ now you shuffle your Cards and say The Soul is not continued under the Reigning Power of Enmity c. till after his Interest in Christ Doth not any Man that hath half an Eye see this Juggle and forsooth you 'l prove that this disposition of habitual and reigning Enmity doth not remain till after our Interest in Christ why Because it 's taken away in our Saving Interest in Christ Is not this shifting and shuffling That all this while you make such a noise and vapour of what we have before we come to Christ It 's nothing else but what we have by Vertue of an Interest in Christ And your Argument should run thus If Effectual Calling makes this change in the habitual disposition of the Heart and is necessary antecedaneously to our Interest in Christ then this Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness is taken away before our Interest in Christ Ergo We deny the consequence for this reason Because the reigning power of Sin hath it's first blow in our Effectual Calling and then and not before we are beginning to be made holy and this Effectual Calling is our Interest in Christ Sin shall not have dominion over us because we are under Grace Christ is made to us Sanctification and we are Sanctified in Christ c. And now you shift your Hands and fay We do not lye under this Enmity till after our Saving Interest and good Reason because Christ hath slain the Enmity upon the Cross and the Doctrine of Reconciliation being received by Faith in our Effectual Calling the Enmity is slain there also the New Man put on we are Created in Christ Jesus to good Works and the depraved disposition and habit changed and now what you go about to conclude is so far from the Question that it is against you but you say P. 85. That this disposition is altered in Effectual Vocation and there can be no true coming to Christ for Pardon and especially for Sanctification without that purpose whence it appears that Effectual Vocation must be before Saving Faith in Christ and that therein the Reigning Power of Sin must be slain before Justifying Faith or any Sanctifying Grace that is the Fruit of it Neonom The Confessions are for me for they both say That this Call lyes in Enlightning the Minds Spiritually taking away the Heart of Stone giving a Heart of Flesh c. Antinom I pray take their words together they say Confes ch 10. All those whom God hath predestinated unto Life and those only mark the words I know you cannot swallow all this Article without kecking he is pleased in his Appointed and Accepted Time effectually to call by his Word and Spirit Is not this to give them Saving Interest in Christ out of that state of Sin and Death Is not this the habitual purpose and disposition of the Heart under the Reigning Power of Enmity Rebellion and Filthiness in which they are by Nature to Grace and Salvation by Jesus Christ enlightning their Minds savingly taking away the Heart of Stone giving a Heart of Flesh c. Here is terminus à quo and ad quem And now you would argue because this habitual Disposition Enmity and Reigning Power of Sin is taken away in and by our Saving Interest in Christ therefore it 's done before our Saving Interest and because that would look so grosly absurd you say therefore It doth not remain till after our Interest in Christ I pray Gentlemen judge whether this be not either very foul play or from gross Ignorance of the Rules of Right Reasoning Neonom 2. How Inconsistent with Vocation Regeneration and Conversion are Hearts of such vile disposition Antinom Death and Life Darkness and Light are inconsistent they are Privantia a natural Estate and Effectual Calling are such because this takes that out of one state into another in an instant by uniting them to Christ they thereby pass from Darkness to Light from Death to Life and the Passage from Death is the Passage into Life it 's our Death unto Sin and Life unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 And being made free from sin you became Servants of Righteousness Ver. 18 22. Neonom That cannot he a true Faith and Acceptance that consists with such vile Dispositions c. Antinom True but are not such vile Dispositions changed in the New Creation The taking away the Heart of Stone and giving a Heart of Flesh is at once and generatio unius is corruptio alterius and Faith is now in the New Heart yea the very Essence of it Neonom Can he be said to accept of Christ who as you say
in it's own Nature and needs a continued flux of Supply as our Graces in Sanctification As thus a Traytor pardoned by the King is not unalterably pardoned but shall be kept by the King's Care in a pardoned state Neonom Or whether God hath decreed that the Elect shall certainly believe and so be justified Antinom But hath he decreed that the Elect shall never be justified in any Sence before they believe or that Faith should be wrought as a qualifysng Condition for Justification Neonom Nor whether true Faith be an infallible sign of Justification Antinom But you make it nothing else to us if it justifies as a Condition if your Condition doth not foederally merit the Promise it 's nothing to God but an infallible Sign whereby he sees when to justifie us and to us that we are justify'd by him And what is this better than a manifestation you making it only a manifesting Condition You 're excellent good to multiply Whethers to no purpose You might bring in a 1000 Whethers more and say it 's not the Question Whether it be further to the East or West Indies nor whether Brittain be an Island or Continent Neonom I 'll come to the Point and tell you the Truth Tho' Faith be no way a meritorious Cause of a Sinners Justification yet God hath promised to justifie all such as truly believe Antinom That 's true so he hath promised to Sanctifie and glorifie them Neonom And requires Faith as an Indispensible Qualification in all whom he will justifie for Christ's merits Antinom This now is to the purpose now we see how Faith justifies as an indispensible Qualification a greater Condition than was laid upon Adam a thousand-fold For a clearer understanding the Justification of a Sinner by Faith Norton Evang. p. 110. let these Three Acts be considered the one looked at to succeed the other in Order not in Time First God actually imputes the Active and Passive Mediatory Obedience of Christ unto a Believer Rom. 4.6 therein God is freely given Secondly The Soul having before in order of Nature not in Time received Christ as its Head and Saviour by the same Faith receiveth his Obedience as the matter of it's Righteousness herein the Soul is taking Rom. 1.17 Ch. 6.11 Gal. 3 13. Thirdly God hereupon in the Court of Conscience Judicially declares and pronounceth the Sinner to be righteous and to have right unto Eternal Life by vertue of the Promise John 5.4 Rom. 3.22 30. By this Act of Grace the Person of a Sinner is Justified in himself really yet not inherently but imputatively c. Faith acknowledges 1. That we are Justified for the Righteousness sake of another viz. Christ God Man 2. Acknowledgeth our Justification is free 3. Renounceth our own Righteousness You see the Justifying Nature of Faith is Metonimically ascribed to it as the Eye is said to be the Light of the Body because it lets in the Light so Faith as the Spiritual Eye sees the glory of Christ as the Ear lets in the Justifying Promise declaratory Hence it 's said this is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent which is to acknowledge him by Faith as he is revealed Mr. Norton tells you We are justify'd by Faith alone i. e. Faith as it is justifying is not a work Rom 4.5 Nort. Evang. p. p. 208. 2 Because we are not justified by our own Righteousness i. e. The Righteousness whereof we are the Subjects 3. Because we are justified by the Righteousness of another sometimes called God's Righteousness whereof God is the Ordainer and whereof he who is God-Man is both the Worker and Subject 4. Because we are justified by a Righteousness that 's made ours by Imputation not by Infusion but as Abraham was justified 5. Because we are justifyed by a Righteousness that is actually procured before we believe our Righteousness is compared to a Garment which we put on by believing Rev. 19.8 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 yet Faith never took stitch in it Calvin That Faith justifies not as a Qualifying Condition is manifest 1. Faith as a Quality is a Work of the Law The Law commanded Faith a leading Duty in it But no Man is justified by the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 So Wolleb Willet This Proposition we are justified by Faith understood legally with the Papists is not true but blasphemous but understood correlatively is true Vosin Cat. p. 2. Q. 63. 2. That which cannot stand with Grace in Justification cannot have any Influence on Justification as such but for Faith to have any causal Influence as a Work on Justification is inconsistent with Grace The Minor is prov'd Eph. 2.8 Ergo. 3. That which gives no more to Faith in the business of our Justification than to other Works of Sanctification cannot be true but to make Faith to Justifie as a Qualification gives no more to Faith than to other Works of Sanctification Ergo. The reason is because the Scripture doth peculiarly attribute our Justification unto Faith and in a way of Opposition to all Works of Sanctification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Chap. 3.11 4. If you say That Faith justifies only as an antecedent Condition not at all meritorious Virtute eompacti then it 's no more a Condition than our coming into the World or Acts performed by us before Faith and it gives no more to Faith than to the Works of Nature as Worldly carnal Sorrow Legal Repentance and such moral Acts as carnal and unregenerate Men daily perform such as you call your Preparatory disposing Conditions and they are the cause of Faith as much as Faith of Justification and consequently the causes of Justification Causa causae est etiam causa causati and are in in eodem genere causarum 5. Whatever justifies as a Foederal Condition is meritorious but Faith justifying as a qualifying Condition upon which Life is promised justifies as a Foederal Condition The Major is true in the account of all for the Condition need not to be adequate to the Reward in Intrinsick Value tho' it be never so small yet upon Performance of the Condition the Reward is due Debt And indeed all Conditions in Contracts and Covenants are proper meritorious Causes by vertue of the Compact and Agreement made between the Covenanters For the Minor If it justifies as a qualifying Condition it must justifie as a Foederal Condition or meer Antecedent Condition And if you say as an antecedent Condition it 's at best but Causa sine qua non which we call No Cause 6. The Scripture doth sufficiently explain it self in what it says of Justification by Faith when it says we are redeemed saved justified by Christ by his Blood by his Death c. That the Spirit of God when it says we are justified by Faith intends not any Moral or Physical Causality in Faith as a Qualification but only by vertue of it's Object Mr. Bradford the Holy Martyr reasoneth thus
Peace with God that which entitleth them to Eternal Life and Heaven They have that which altho' it doth not take away the being of Sin yet it setteth them as free from Hell as Adam in Innocency and setteth them upon a sure Centre that Faith wherein we stand outspeaks Adam even Adam in his first Integrity p. 176. 2dly This Righteousness which they have in Christ is the Righteousness of God this is a Phrase frequent with the Apostle Paul and is almost peculiar to him Now mark that Righteousness whereby a poor Sinner is made Righteous with God is the Righteousness of God i. e. of a Person who is God Jer. 33.16 Not his essential Righteousness it 's only that Righteousness which is from God that which God imputeth to us that which he hath provided appointed and approved to be a satisfaction to his Justice that 's the Righteousness of God which God hath made to be so to us and that is Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 p. 180 3dly This Righteousness of God is by Faith God hath appointed this humble Grace of Faith to be in the hand of the Receiver which taketh hold of this Righteousness of God But now you must consider this Faith not as Mr. Neonomian doth as a Habit or Quality but consider it in the Office it hath as it is an Instrument taking hold of Jesus Christ Not I say as a habit for the worthiness of Faith it self for tho' it be said by Faith it is not said for Faith by it as an Instrument of God for hereby you come to the Promises and to Christ closing with Christ by Faith you are made the Righteousness of God in him It is a self-denying Faith that casteth out Pride and Self and Works and cometh naked and poor to the rich Promises of Christ and there hanged taketh hold and claspeth fast 4. This Faith by which you have the Righteousness of God is the Faith of Christ or which is all one of the which Promises hold forth Christ they are the object of this Faith by which you have the Righteousness of God it 's true the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and that doth not justifie because it works Faith the Eye seeth other things besides the brazen Serpent but as it healeth it looketh to the brazen Serpent only c. p. 185. Now I come to the description of the other sort of Righteousness 1. There is a Righteousness called our own which is of the Law 2. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law is to be utterly disclaimed our own in opposition to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ As the Righteousness of God is the very same with that which is by the Faith of Christ for they are all one so our own Righteousness is that which is of the Law Now that there is a Righteousness which is called our own is evident from Rom. 10.3 to open the Righteousness of the Law 1. The Righteousness of the Law is nothing else but a conformity to the Law See Ezek. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 Rom. 2.17 the Duties which is the Matter must be done with all the Mind and Strength and all the Soul 2. What is meant by our own Righteousness It is that whereby we walk in some conformity to the Law of God and if you will have Works done from a natural Principle or Power by the strength of moral Vertues by Men out of Christ this is indeed within ourselves and this is our own Righteousness like that the Apostle calleth his Gain before he knew Christ But then for holy Duties or Works that are performed which flow from a Principle of renewing Grace this say the Papists is not our own Righteousness For the clearing this Point All your Works that flow from sanctifying Graces in conformity to the Law of God all these come under the Name of our own Righteousness not because it is of our selves efficiently but it is ours subjectively inherent in us As Adam's Righteousness his own though it came from an inward Holiness and Righteousness given him of God Are not the Fruits of the Spirit as Love Joy Temperance are they not our own They are our own or Gods if our own then I have the Point if the Righteousness of God then you are justified by the Fruits of the Spirit and not by the Righteousness of Christ imputed which is the greatest Error in Divinity If the Apostle in this Text had said Not my own Righteousness but the Righteousness of God which is by Repentance Love Hope the fear of God holy Duties then the Apostle had carried it clear against us but he brings nothing that we have to join in concurrence to the Righteousness of God and Christ but only Faith therefore the Apostle leaves all our inherent Graces and the Works that issued from them in this Text to come under the Name of our own Righteousness As the Sin of the first Adam that was personally in Guilt was likewise ours so the Righteousness of God is subjectively in Christ and by Imputation ours Consider then all those Works that proceed from sanctifying Grace in you in order to conformity to the Law of God they may all come under this Name and Notion of my own Righteousness p. 190 191 192. Doct. 2. Our own Righteousness is utterly to be disclaimed that we may be justified by the Righteousness of God Mark the Scripture Rom. 3.21 ch 4.6 Christ pulleth down the Righteousness of your selves which had the Chair before the Servant must not sit in the King's Chair So Grace tho' it be that whereby you may walk serviceable to God yet you must not set it in the place of Jesus Christ Yet the Apostle would not be without Holiness Sanctification and Obedience One in Christ hath Vertue Holiness c. but how as serviceable Graces to walk with God not as his Righteousness with God when the Sun shineth the Moon is put out not out of her Orb or Course but as I may say from her Rul So the Righteousness of God when you come to be justified by Faith doth not abolish Holiness and Sanctification for they are and must be there together but the setting up Obedience in the place of Christ's Righteousness as a Cypher is pull'd down from the place of Pounds How doth that Apostle say Not having mine own Righteousness I answer not having it as my Righteousness with God then I should put mine own in the place of Christ not having it as concurrent with Christ That would make my Righteousness Co-partner with him not having it as a Motive to move him then I should put my Righteousness in the place of free Grace not having it as the Instrument whereby I take Christ no for then I should put other Graces in the place of Faith Well then in a word having Holiness or Righteousness as a stock to trade with in the way of service to God not having it as a means to buy my
the Works of it and therein is a Neonomian and the rather because by that Rectoral Rule of Government which he hath usurp'd to himself and the Rule of Sin he hath judicially Sentenced all his Opposers to the Name of Antinomians or Abetters of them Insomuch that all our first Protestant Reformers and any known by the Name of Calvinists fall under his severe Censure as Ignorant Setters up of the Name of Christ and his Grace against his Government I thought it meet to call in the long-ago deceased Doctor also under what Name or Title soever he is pleased to call him whom he carries about to scare Children with and as a Trophy of his pretended Triumph that he might be made speak and the World may hear what he hath to say for himself and be acquainted how he is abused and that he may be hereafter permitted to rest quietly in his Grave and not used as Wickliff was i. e. Burnt for an Heretick so many Years after be hath been dead In a Word Shall we stand still with our Fingers in our Months in such a Day of Peace and Liberty while we are Brow-beaten or wheadled out of the great Fundamental Points of Eternal Life and Salvation which in all Ages of Antichristian Tyranny have triumph'd over the smartest Persecutions through the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony in the Faith and Patience of the Saints who have not loved their Lives unto Death in the Heroick Defence of them against the very same sort of Opposition And who I pray will harm us now if we as strenuously defend the Truth as it is audaciously attack'd Have any of us suffered to the spoiling of our Goods in the Defence of Truth of a subordinate and subservient Nature to these and shall we suffer all this in vain and cast our selves tamely at the Feet of such a confident Invader of our most choice and precious things in the World yea our very Life in Christ What is it that affrightens us Doth the Scripture Law or Learning terrify us If so little a Foot-man can run us out of Breath how do we think to contend with Horses Dragooners I mean if they should come And if in the Land of Peace we are wearied what shall we do in the Swelling of Jordan If Popery should ever over-run us again which God forbid and we should be called to bear Testimony to these Truths at Fire and Paggot as the Famous Martyrs have done It 's to be feared now that many Protestants would provide for their Safety by flying to the Neonomian Asylum But to conclude however we shrink from the despised Truths of Christ shuffle and cut with him and sometimes huff and bounce at him or some Truth of his I am fully assured the God of Glory and all Grace who hath hitherto preserved the pure Doctrine of his Gospel not only from the impure Mixtures of Pretenders to Holiness the crafty Methodists of Satan as an Angel of Light but also from his open Rage as a roaring Lion will continue yet to maintain it against all the bâ—ting Winds of False Doctrine That Christ hath his Fan in his Hand and will thoroughly purge his Floor and that if any Man lay any other Foundation than what is laid which is Jesus Christ and continues so to do his Root shall be Rottenness and his Blossom go up as Dust I. C. Some of the Paradoxes contained in the Neonomian Scheme 1. SINS of the Elect are not forgiven immediately upon nor meerly by Christ's Enduring Sufferings but there were by Divine Appointment to interpose a Gospel Promise of Pardon the Work of the Spirit for a Conformity to the Rule of the Promise in the Person to be pardoned and a Judicial Act of Pardon by that Promise on the Person thus conformed to the Rule thereof 2. The Gospel hath another Sanction to the Preceptive Part of the Law than the Covenant of Works had Though nothing be abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty yet Blessings are Promised to Lower Degrees of Duty and a continuance in a state of Death with a Barr to the Blessing are not threatned against every Degree of Sin as the Covenant of Works did 3. This Change of the Sanction supposeth the Death of Christ and his honouring the Law by his perfect Obedience wherein God hath provided for his own Glory while he promiseth Life by Forgiveness to Imperfect Man and yet insists on some Degrees of Obedience to which of his meer Grace he enableth us 4. The Degrees of Obedience the Covenant of Redemption secures to the Elect tho' the Grant therein is pleadable only by Christ as the stipulating Party for us and our Personal Claim depends upon the Gospel Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator 5. The Gospel-Sanction determins as certain a Rule of Happiness and Misery as the Law of Works did tho' it be not the same for while it promiseth a Pardon to all believing repenting Sinners and declares a Barr to Pardon to the Impenitent Rejecters of Christ and Gospel-Grace it fixeth true Repentance and Faith unfeigned to be the Terms of Pardon 6. When it promiseth Heaven to the sincerely holy persevering Believer it fixeth sincere Holiness and Perseverance in Faith as the Terms of possessing Heaven 7. Hence the use of Faith and Holiness as to those Benefits is not fron the Conformity to the Precept but their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise 8. Our applying Christ's Righteousness and relying on it would no more Justifie us than our Holiness would Save us were it not for the Gospel-Promise God will justifie for Christ's sake all such as believe 9. God in dispensing Gospel-promised Blessings doth judicially determine a Conformity to this Rule of the Promise When he forgives he judicially declares a Man hath true Faith when he admits to Heoven he judicially declares a Man sincerely holy and persevering 10. The Wedding-Garment Matth. 22.11 is true uniting Faith 11. Forgiving Adopting Glorifying and Conveyance of every Gospel-Benefit given on God's Terms are Judicial Acts of God as a Rector if not he doth blindly and promiscuously dispense them without any regard to our being Believers 12. With respect to what is declared the Gospel is a Law of Faith and it especially insists on that Sincerity of Grace and Holiness which the Rule of the Promise makes necessary in it's Description of the Person whom it makes Partaker of it's included Benefits 13. The Merits of Christ are the Cause of this Gospel-Ordination his Righteousness Imputed is the Cause for which we are Justified and Saved when we do answer the Rule of the Gospel 14. The Righteousness of God Phil. 3.9 principally intends the Gospel Holiness of a Person justified by Christ's Righteousness both which by Faith in Christ all his Members shall be perfect in 15. The Grace of God is hereby stated as free as is Consistent with his Government and judicial rectoral Distribution of Rewards and Punishments THE Ancient Gospel
can be nothing abated in the Sanction it must be Life or Death Ergo There 's the same Law still and we must be saved by the Covenant of Works or not at all But 3. The Reason you give of changing the Sanction is because the Blessings are promised to lower Degrees of Duty This as I said is no Change in the Promise but in the Condition and then see how you contradict your self in the same Breath You say there 's nothing abated in the Rule and yet lower Degrees of Duty admitted How can these Lower Degrees be admitted but by the Rule of the preceptive part For the Degrees of Duty required are according to God's Commands and he requires in a Law Duty answering the Perfection of the Precept Neonom And a Continuance in a State of Death with a Barr to the Blessing are not threatned against every Degree of Sin as the Covenant of Works did Antinom This is not Sence as express'd But I take your Meaning 1. Death was threatned in the Covenant of Works but it spake not of a continuance in that State with any such Barr to a Blessing as should hinder God from the saving of Sinners But you own that Barr might be removed and was but your Covenant puts as great a Barr as that That if Men perform not the Condition they must continue in the state of Death notwithstanding all that Christ hath done to remove the Barr from the Old Covenant For their Concernment in your Sence is not now for a Righteousness to answer that but to answer the New Law which lays them under Life or Death 2. Is the Condition the same and more And the Sanction the same How is it possible it should not threaten Death to every Degree of Sin 3. It seems our Salvation is according to the Degree of Sin We must know what Sins are of such a Degree as that they are pardonable what Venial and what Mortal and if Law and Gospel are distinguished by the Degrees of Sin Gospel lies in Sin not Grace it seems for if it be from the Degree of Sin that we are saved then not from the Blood of Christ which taketh away all Sin 4. Doth God's Law admit of Sin in any Degree then I say as the Apostle saith Is the Law Sin To admit of Sin into Law is Sin No the Law is Holy Just and Good and the Promise doth not make void the Law by abating one Jot or Tittle of it but establisheth the Law Therefore the Law cannot admit of Sin Neonom Can any doubt this to be the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Antinom Yea I do not only doubt it but know and do testifie to the World according to the Grace of God given to me That it is not the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Neonom Doth it promise Life to all Men however vile and impenitent they be Antinom It promiseth and giveth Life to the vilest and most impenitent Sinners Where Grace gives Life it supposeth Men dead and not alive For Repentance is part of the Life given and to talk of giving Life to penitent Sinners is to suppose them alive before Life is given but it doth not suppose that where Christ gives Life the vilest Sinners shall remain so or impenitent Neonom Or doth it threaten Damnation or a continuance of it unto any true penitent believing Godly Man because he is Imperfect Antinom Let a Man pretend himself or be look'd upon to be never so penitent believing and Godly and seek to be justified and saved by his Works I mean such as you mention Moral Obedience Acts of Faith Penitency c. I affirm thereby he is fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 Being fallen short of the Righteousness of God Rom. 10. And as he puts himself under a Law for Justification so a Law condemns for imperfect Obedience For I roundly assert That no Law of God with a Sanction of Life and Death upon Performance or Non-performance of Obedience doth admit of the least Imperfection in the said Obedience Therefore such are under the Curse for their Imperfections Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things And I say if your Gospel be a Law it doth denounce Damnation to the Holiest and most Godly Man upon Earth Neonom This Change of the Sanction supposeth the Death of Christ and his honouring his Law by his perfect Obedience wherein God hath provided for his own Glory while he promiseth Forgiveness to imperfect Man Antinom I have proved the Sanction is not changed But in your Law it seems the Condition is changed It was in the Old Law Perfect Obedience in the New it's Imperfect Verily it is changed for the worse for Imperfect is worse than Perfect But how comes this to pass God hath provided for his own Glory in Christ that saving of Men is upon the Conditions of Imperfect Obedience i. e. by a worse Law an unholy and unjust Law might not turn to his Dishonour God hath provided for himself you mean seeing he rashly made such a Law as he finds will not answer his Ends Justice shall have it's due in his Son and then he shall be at liberty to make a Law with such easie imperfect and sinful Conditions that Sinners may be saved Is not this admirable Stuff for Gospel Neonom And yet he insists upon some Degrees of Obedience unto which of his meer Grace he enables us Antinom He could by his Grace as well enable us to Perfect Obedience if it were for his Honour that Obedience should be the Condition But doth it make it make it ever the less a Covenant of Works Doth what you say make it of Grace For 1. Forgiveness that 's but the Reward of Life But you 'll say it 's for the sake of Christ well that 's but in respect of the Old Law that it may not condemn you whereby you are come into a capacity to stand again for Life upon new Conditions 2. You say it 's to imperfect Man But is it not the same thing to save by Perfect or Imperfect Works so Works be the Condition 3. What if Grace enables them This alters not the Case Did not God give Adam his Holiness before the Fall and enable him to do what he did Neonom This the Covenant of Redemption secures to the Elect tho' the Grant therein is pleadable only by Christ as the Stipulating Party for us Antinom As for your Notion that your Covenant of Redemption is Distinct from the Covenant of Grace I deny it and shall hereafter make it appear that the Covenant of Grace and Redemption is one and the same Covenant And for the present I tax you for saying That the Covenant of Redemption is pleadable by none but Christ Do we never plead Redemption nor the Promise made in Christ nor Christ himself What is all in the Covenant of Redemption Do we not plead it daily And what Christ stipulated in this Covenant for us may we not plead it Is not
under a Pretence of bearing Witness against Error into these Practices of Subscribing to your Book meerly to put a Countenance upon the gross Errors that you would vend among the People and that you might the better slurr and brand some Faithful Ministers of Christ in this City with the odious Name of Antinomians and the Preaching the Doctrine of Free Graâ—â—â—s our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles have done with Antinomianism and have in your Pulpit at Publick Lectures and at Publick Houses made it your business to blow up a Flame of Contention in this Town as if no Man was to be esteemed Sound and Orthodox in Gospel-Truths but your self and such as will dance after your Pipe and think all others ignorant Setters up of the Name of Christ c. 3. That in your Writing in decrying of what you would charge upon such that you call Antinomians you take Dr. Crisp and set him up as a pretended Butt a Man dead many Years since an holy Man as you own falsly representing unto the World as to his Sence and Meaning almost in every thing that thro' his sides you might wound the Doctrine of Free Grace I assert your way is very unreasonable to ground a Polemical Opposition and fasten a Charge of Error upon to Excerpt Expressions here and there from Popular Sermons not printed by himself but from the Notes of Sermon Writers How liable the true Words and Expressions of the exactest Men are to mistake and abuse Dr. Crisp Printed nothing all the Sermons reprinted were Printed from Sermon-Notes taken after him in Preaching I need not to insist on to evince common Experience is evidence enough Moreover considering that this is the way the worst of Men have always taken to expose Religion to encourage and seed Atheism and Profaneness in the World Not to name Edward's Gangrena our present time gives an ample Example in that late Pamphlet call'd the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence or the Foolishness of their Teaching You may see how the Sentences taken out of the Sermons of the Reverend Mr. Rule and of divers other Presbyterians doth look when separated from the main Sence intended by them I say I do highly disapprove of this Sermon-hunting Trade as a most disingenuous way unless a Sermon be Preached and Printed by the Author to establish a manifest Error and the whole Sermon or Sence of the said Author be impartially represented and argued 4. That the more to insinuate your self and Doctrines for Truth into the Minds of Christians sound in their Principles that they might think you mean nothing by your Uncouth and Equivocating Expressions and to deceive the less Intelligent as you call most Divines that are not of your Perswasion you grosly abuse the two Reverend Assemblies with Dr. Owen and Mr. Norton quoting them for Asserters of your Errors in places where they speak or dispute directly against the Principles that you assert Now what is this but to Ape a Deceiver at least 5. That you that have subscribed solemnly the Doctrinal part of the 39 Articles should so palpably and openly go about to overthrow some Foundation-Principles therein contained as Imputed Righteousness and Justification only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works and Deservings and that we are justified by Faith only Article 11. And that Principle asserted in the 13th That Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not from Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace c. The Contrary Doctrine to both these Articles under whatever Evasions and Prevarications you seem to abscond your self you make the great Business of your Book not only to insinuate but manifestly enough to assert and endeavour to prove viz. 1. In that it appears to be your Design to blast the whole Doctrine of Imputation whatever you pretend both of Imputation of our Sins to Christ and of the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us 2. That you make it your great Business to set up and establish a Covenant of Works boldly asserting the Gospel to be a Law with Sanction of Rewards and Punishments and that the conditional part thereof are Imperfect Works and that we are justified by those Works as a Subordinate Righteousness to the Righteousness of Christ and that Faith it self is concerned therein but as an Act in the same manner as Repentance and other parts of imperfect sincere Obedience tho in a little kind of Precedency Your Book also is full of many other Errors that have dependence on these Capital Ones which for Brevity sake I will not now rehearse besides your many Inconsistencies Contradictions Equivocations False Insinuations illiterate absurd and unsound Expressions that render your Book very Offensive to sound and solid Minds Antinom These things which you speak of I have already found and have made a little Inspection into and Discovery of unto him in Discourse even now wherein I took the boldness to open the lower Venter of his Morbid Body of Divinity in order if we can agree upon it to a thorough Dissection Neonom You both of you go upon great Mistakes and are led to censure my Book from Prejudice especially Mr. Antinomian because the principal Scope of it is to lay open his Errors And as for those things which you call Inconsistencies Contradictions absurd Expressions c. they are Terms of Art which the Learned understand such as The Rule of Promise The Rule of Sin and The Rule of Happiness and Misery c. If you once come to see how fully and rightly I have stated the Truths and Errors mentioned you will be of another mind Calvin Nay it 's very just and meet to give your Book an impartial Examination that we may have a full and clear Understanding of your Scheme how you state and defend the Points therein contained and if you will consent thereto we will appoint some place where we may meet from Day to Day at a certain Hour where we will dictinctly debate the Material Points that you assert as either Truths or Errors Neonom I highly approve of it But where shall this be with most Conveniency upon all Accounts Antinom Why may it not be Mr. Calvenist at your Calvinian Society I suppose you debate Theological Questions there most of all and there are many worthy and learned Gentlemen attend there frequently to very much purpose Calvin I like your Motion Mr. Antinomian and will undertake that both of you will have a very candid and welcom Reception there Neonom I have but one Objection and that is seeing Mr. Antinomian moves for this place I fear it smells too much of Antinomianism Is there liberty to take a Pipe of Tobacco now and then to clear an ill Scent out of the Throat Antinom Yes yes else how do you think we could be able to endure the
The Changes that pass upon us doth not make a Change as to Electing Love nor as to the Satisfaction and Merits of Christ Neonom The Dr. may well infer that we are sanctified and possessed of Heaven in the Womb for God hath elected us to those as well as to Pardon and Christ merited these also Calvin No but he might not One imports a Relation the other a real Subjective Change A Child may be a Son and yet a very wicked one There is also a great difference between a Right and a Possession Neonom Do you not find that God justifies none but what are called Rom. 8.30 Calvin 1. He Justifies Infants dying in Infancy that were never called by the Word 2. What you would prove by that place that effectual Calling is before Justification is not manifest for it's whom be called them he also justified It might be before Calling as well as after for any thing appears in that Text. 3. But you go from the Terms of the Question all along for that which the Doctor saith is That the Sins of the Elect being all laid upon Christ who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It 's Christ hath dyed and rose again for them Now God hath no Charge against the Elect considered as such if Justice remain unsatisfied Christ dyed in vain Neonom There is Joy in Heaven for one Sinner that repents Luke 15.7 10. And would there be such if they were pardoned and safe before Calvin Yes Why not For I question whether the Angels be acquainted with the Secrets of Election and Redemption as to the Persons concerned till it be made manifest by their Actual Faith and Repentance And as for the safe Estate of the Elect before believing you have said enough i. e. As to their Security from Wrath and Certainty of Eternal Life Therefore it 's strange you should deny it now say and unsay the same thing Neonom How much is our Ministry and Concern for Souls debased if all we can prevail with are actually pardoned Calvin You should have said If all you prevail with have had their Sins laid on Christ whereby God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Paul might have said How then is our Ministry debased to be only Embassadors for Christ to beseech Sinners to be reconciled to God when their Sins are already laid on Christ and to Preach That all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ who hath slain the Enmity and made Peace on the Cross c. There 's great difference between God's being reconciled to us and our being reconciled to God Neonom Who can reconcile this Notion to the Pleadings of God with Sinners Ezek. 33.11 Calvin Every one The Pleadings of God in his Word with Sinners is in Order to change their Hearts by his Word and Spirit in the Embassie of Reconciliation which God hath sent unto Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith We beseech you for Christ's sake to be reconciled unto God and all Arguments used in the Word are to that end and purpose viz. To work Faith and Repentance and to bring them unto God One great End why Christ bore their Sins Neonom I have the Assembly and Dr. Owen on my side Antinom We deny not what the Assembly and Dr. Owen saith according to their true Meaning and Intention For they all say no otherwise than what I have shewed the Doctor sincerely means and your own Assertions will bear out as well as his as to his particular Opinion That the Grace of laying Sins on Christ is secretly applyed as soon as we have a Being as to some Effects wherein we are meerly passive and it 's unknown to us till effectual Calling you see he grounds it upon matter of Fact in the Instance of Jacob which undoubtedly deserves Consideration Though I say not that it 's so with every one but apprehend the Spirit of God hath these things to instruct us thereby that Justification of a Sinner before God is not for the Act of Faith or Gospel-Obedience because Jacob was justified before either 2. That the Children of Believing Parents dying in Infancy may be justified and saved 3. That a believing Parent hath Promise Ground to baptize his Child and exercise Faith that his Child is embraced in the Arms of Free Grace to work upon it how and when and in what manner he pleaseth and though he can't be active therein yet he may be passive This we pray for and in praying believe God saying I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed I am not for Baptismal Regeneration nor Baptismal Justification Though there is something Analogous to it and therefore a kind of Justification in Foro Ecclesiae it being a significant Seal of it as Circumcision was called the Covenant And therefore if there be any secret Application of the Grace of Election and Redemption accompanying that Institution of Christ or coming before or after neither we nor our Children shall be ever the worse for it And therefore let us not banter and condemn such as have higher Apprehensions of the Secret Workings of Grace before we are aware of of it I am sure many Divines that you would not call Antinomians have defended Infant Baptism upon this Notion That Infants are capable of the Habit of Saving Faith And if so I am sure according to your Notion they must be Justified because they have the qualifying Condition For a Habit is a Quality and a Conformity to the Rule of the Promise as you phrase it and therefore must Justifie as such Neonom The Dr. mistakes the Nature of God's Decree because a Decree ascertains a thing shall be in time therefore he thinks a Decree gives a thing a present subjective Being Antinom The Decree of God gives an Objective Being to the thing Decreed for the Will willing and the thing willed are relata all things in time are present with God looking upon them in one Eternal Act there 's neither Time past or to come or Succession that his Decrees are measured by his Decree is himself But if we consider the Objects of the Decree in Execution they are in time and measured by Succession but yet things thus standing are the Objects of the Decree they have their first Cause in his Divine Idea and have their unchangeable Fixation as to their Nature and Order in the present or future Being and Working either as necessary or contingent Agents Neonom Because Jacob was an Elect Person or the Object of Electing Love in the Womb therefore he was then actually a Pardoned and Adopted Person Antinom Nay there was more in it than that For mark the Text ver 11 12. r. It doth not only tell us Jacob was Elected but that it was published and declared unto Rebecka Jacob have I loved If God should tell my Wife when with Child I have Elected and do love this Child that is in thy Womb I should
contains not the Genus or common Nature of a Covenant viz. to be an Agreement wherein two Parties do mutually consent nor the Parties wherein the Nature of a Covenant doth consist which is a Condition and Promise nor is there a Covenant in the more improper fence denoted viz. A Promise for if it be a Covenant of Grace it must be at least a Covenant of Promise 2. You say it 's a way ordained of God Here 's no Forma or Differentia for many things are ways and means which are not Covenants you should have said according to your Sence it's God's Agreement with Sinners upon Terms of Faith and Repentance 3. The Application of the means effectually is part of the Salvation it self 4. You say this Salvation is prepared by Christ you should have said By the Father in his Councel and Purpose for the giving his Son and blessing us with all Blessings in him The Life and Salvation is Christ and in Christ he is our Life the Father hath given us Life and this is in his Son 5. You should have said Which he hath promised to enable the Elect to comply with or else it hath nothing of a Covenant in it it carries only the force of electing Will and if he hath promised then to some or other either to Christ and then it brings in your Covenant of Redemption if to any other excluding Christ then to the Elect out of Christ For the Promise to make a Person comply must be made and must be in Nature before he doth comply Neonom I pray what do you say is the Covenant of Grace Antinom I shall tell you the Parties between whom it was made It was made by God in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son You speak improperly to talk of the Father and Spirit covenanting with the Son you should rather say The Father Son and Spirit covenanted with the Son For by this Notion you take in the Persons of the Trinity for you must take them all in the covenanting part and then there 's as much reason to take them in all in their stipitulating part because the Son is God and so the three Persons covenanted with themselves under the same distinct consideration in the Godhead But we say God essentially considered covenanted in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son His Son taking Man's part being his Representative as having his Nature in the same Person therefore as the Second Adam having all the Spiritual Seed in his Loyns and as a common Person foederally Neonom And what is a Covenant between these â—aâ—â—sks Antinom It 's the Promise of Eternal Life made to Christ and to the Elect in him to be performed in and through Jesus Christ as the great Condition to all them that shall be saved by him Covenants are denominated from either part by a Synechdoche here chiefly from the Promise as the same is sometimes from the Condition The Covenant of Grace is a great Mystery c. Rom. 16.25 Col. 1.26 1. Because it was Eternal Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 2. That though between God and Man yet being made with us in Christ it was between Equals Phil. 2.6 3. That though it was a Covenant of Works yet a Covenant of Grace to Christ a Covenant of Works and most conditional Isa 53.10 11 12. To us absolute and free being a Promise of the Gift of Christ and all Blessings in him 4. It is mysterious in respect of the several states that it hath had 1. Hidden 2. Revealed Hidden in God before the World was Revealed since the World 1. Less manifested in the Promulgation before Christ's coming 1 In respect of the few Emanations and Discoveries of its Brightness and Lustre in Absolute Promises to Adam Noah Abraham Jacob David 2 In regard of it's Vailed state First Under the Veils of Sacrifices Types Figures Secondly Under a Legal Moral and Conditional Administration 5. It is mysterious in regard of the various Names and Titles that it hath had from it's different Dispensations that under the Law was called Old and Faulty because it made but a partial Discovery of it's Glory and Lustre In the New Testament it 's called the New Covenant in respect of the new and clear Dispensation it 's called the Promise because it appears absolutely given forth in a Promissory way it 's called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Nature of it in relation to Sinners it's good News to them It 's called a Testament because confirmed by Christ's Death Neonom But you tell me not how you prove the Covenant of Grace and Redemption are all one Antinom 1. Because I know them not spoken of any where as distinct Covenants The Scripture of Isa 53.10 11 12. is a place wherein this Covenant is so clearly described between the Father and the Son it holds forth the Covenant of Grace fully and clearly the Promise of all Grace and Benefits that are contained in the said Covenant of Grace And the Apostle tells us expresly That this Covenant-Agreement was the Will by which we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus once for all Heb. 10.8 9 10. 2. That Covenant that contains in it the whole Matter and Form in Conditions and Promises of the Covenant of Grace doth not Essentially differ from it but the Covenant of Redemption doth It contains Conditions and Promises of Grace all things that pertain to Life and Godliness and it contains in it all conditions upon which we may be partakers of any Promises Christ's Person Offices Sacrifice Righteousness Active and Passive there 's no Covenant condition of Atonement Propitiation Satisfaction unto the Justice of God but it is here Christ is the Great Fulfiller of the Law and Satisfier of it he is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every Believer Rom. 10.4 3. From the Vailed Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace before the coming of Christ their Sacrifices and their Ceremonial Administration held forth in a Figure that it is made to Christ and confirmed in him as the Great Offering and Atonement Christ is there exemplified and set forth as the fulness of the Covenant of Grace both in respect of Promises and Conditions 4. When we plead any thing of the Covenant of Grace it 's the Promises of Life made to us in Christ as Yea and Amen to us in him in respect of obtaining and performance to us 5. Our Justifying Acts of Faith is fixed on Christ as the Summ of the Covenant of Grace as Satisfying for our Sins and as to whom the Promises were made and the great thing promised as the Fountain and Meritorious Cause of all Blessings he is given us as the Covenant 6. There is all Grace to be had in this Covenant frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora there is no Grace but is given forth and
before the Exercise of true Gospel Repentance Repentance is turning from Sin to God and this must be by Faith for none can come to God but by him Repentance and Faith do become necessary and useful by Vertue of the Promise in the way of Salvation but by no means in the Nature of Foederal Conditions God never constituted them in such a Covenant Order Neonom In the Covenant of Works the meer Work gave an Interest in the Reward as it was Obedience to the Precept by a Sanction which had Goodness but no such Grace in it Antinom It 's a gross mistake that Adam's Obedience would have Merited from Intrinsick Value or Worth it was ex pacto and whatever condition of the Creature-Performance the Legislator puts into the Covenant let it be less or more perfect or imperfect it 's all one they do ex pacto make the Benefit promised a Debt and this I will maintain against all the Neonomians in the World Neonom Vpon these accounts I shall never fear that Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace should turn it into a Covenant Works till I see it proved that God can promise and apply no Benefit purchased by Christ to a poor Sinner upon a condition of an Action he commands and freely enableth the Sinner to perform The Judgment Day is past and a state of Tryal is over whenever it is proved Thus much for Removal of Mistakes Antinom And poor confident Man I can but pity you to see how miserably mistaken you are All that you have said is so far from turning your Law of Imperfection into a Covenant of Works that it proves it to be a Covenant of Works against all the World What God can do is one thing and will do is another I am sure he hath made no other Foederal Condition of the New Covenant than Jesus Christ himself and his Righteousness and when the Judgment Day is come and it may be through Grace before during the state of Tryal as you call it you will be glad to throw away all your conditions and hold Christ alone as the only Foederal condition of Life and Salvation And let me tell you again that you forget it not That God never promised or applyed any Benefit to the most Perfect and Innocent Creature upon the condition of any Action he commands but what he freely enableth the said Person so commanded to perform and hitherto you have given us no Specifick difference between the Covenant of Works and Grace it 's only in degree that this is worse in condition and we are all together without strength to perform it Neonom Having premised these things to remove Mistakes I will tell you the Truth which I will express in the words of the Assembly D. W. p. 58. Q. 32. How is the Grace of God manifested in the Second Covenant A. The Grace of God is manifested in the Second Covenant in that he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him requiring Faith as the condition to Interest them in him promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his Elect to work in them that Faith with all other Saving Graces Antinom In the first place you should have observed that they speak only of the manifestation of the Grace of the Covenant and no distinct Covenant from that of Redemption 2. They make not Faith a Condition of the Covenant of Grace but only of Interest Reception or Participation of the said Covenant With them 't is no more than modus recipiendi or participandi which is generally called the Instrument and therefore explain themselves thus Quest 73. How doth Faith justifie a Sinner in the sight of God A. Not as if Works or any Grace of Faith or any Act thereof were imputed to him for his Justification but only as it is an Instrument whereby he receiveth and applyeth Christ and his Righteousness 3. I made no Question but that it was that Fly that you catch'd at and watch'd for The Word Condition was then but a very small inconsiderable Word that none made any great matter of as importing no more than the Connexion of the Congregrative connex Axiom whose band of Connexion is the Conjunction Si And this conditional Connexion may fall upon any things that have necessary or contingent dependency one upon another whereby they have a mutual Affection or Dissatisfactions one to another and I call it a relative Condition and all things may come under it which way soever they look The Affirmation of this Proposition Si sit homo est animal If the Antecedent be true then the Consequence is true If John be a Man then he is an Animal and the Negation is Non si Johannes sit homo sit animal and though both antecedent and consequent may be false yet the It may be a true Proposition by vertue of the Connexion As if a Man be a Lyon he is a Four-footed Beast So if Judas be saved he did believe It 's a true Proposition tho' Judas never did believe nor was saved neither was there any Covenant of Grace made with him So that such a Proposition as this importeth no Covenant-Condition unless it be foederal over and above If the Devils shall be saved Christ died for them It 's true as a connex Proposition because there 's no other Name given under Heaven by which any Sinner can be saved But neither parts of this Proposition is true for Christ died not for them nor shall they be saved So here if a Sinner partake of Christ it 's by Believing because believing is his Participation and giving and receiving are relata and is no more a Condition here than Faith is to Holiness As thus If I believe I shall bring forth Fruits of Faith and it will be a Condition the other way if I bring forth good Fruits then I believe So that this sort of Condition attends the Expression of all sorts of Relations and Dependencies either Logical Mathematical Natural or Theological But when the Word Condition is carried further to denote a Foederal Bond or Obligation it becomes a big-bellied Word as you have phrased it and is always a distinguishing Character of a Covenant of Works And that the Assembly intended no other than a Relative Condition not a Federal I can give you many grounds from themselves Neonom But I will give my Reasons why they must understand a Federal Condition For 1. They judge that though God provided a Mediator for Sinners yet they have no Interest in him till they believe Antinom They by Interest mean Claim of Interest and Participation which we have by Faith and there Faith is no more a Condition than my hand is to the receiving a 1000 l. When it 's brought it 's only a Relative Condition Where there 's giving there is receiving but if there be any Condition on one side more than another it 's in the giving side which in nature and causality hath the
Iniquity the Lord hath laid on Christ God himself cannot charge one Sin on that Man and he makes a difference between a strong Believer and a weak to consist in the degree of his Perswasion Dr. C. p. 158. Antinom This was a Use that I made upon that Point of laying Sin on Christ If God have laid our Iniquity upon Christ then whosoever thou art to whom the Lord will be pleased to give the believing of this Truth that the Lord hath laid thine Iniquity on Christ that laying thine Iniquity upon him is an absolute and full Discharge to thee that there neither is nor can be any Iniquity for the present nor for hereafter that can be laid to thy Charge and then follows what he hath rehearsed And if this be not true Doctrine that every Believer that by the Grace of God sees his Sins laid on Christ hath a full pardon of all Sins past present and to come so that Sin shall never be charged on him for Condemnation before God I am to seek for the Doctrine of the Gospel I quote that place Rom. 8.33 to me a very full Proof And I do affirm that the Degrees of our Faith doth stand in the Degrees of the sight of Christ's Glory and the Perswasion we have in our Hearts of our part in him And I do not say That he is no Believer that hath not this perfectly far be it from me to say so there are that are Believers that are weak in the Faith and there are Believers that are strong in the Faith the more the Light and Glory of the Gospel shines in the true Intention of God to his People the more shall they return to their rest the more shall they have Joy and Gladness Why may not a Believer then say as David did The Lord hath been very bountiful to me that I may return to my rest God hath done every thing in Christ and taken away all things that can disturb my Peace and Comfort Dr. C. p. 158. Calvin I pray Mr. Neonom let us have your Description of Saving Faith Neonom I shall express it in the Assemblies Words ch 14. A. 2. D. W. p. 72 73. By this Grace a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word from the Authority of God himself speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular Passage thereof containeth yielding Obedience to the Commands trembling at the Threatnings and embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come 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 Gentlemen weigh this Account of Faith well which if it were regarded and no essential part excluded when Faith is considered as a Condition of any Gospel-benefit One would think no man need prove that it is not saving Faith when any Essential part of it is wanting and that it must be saving Faith when we mention Faith as a Condition Antinom That Reverend Assembly do here express the Essential Parts of Faith and something more as the Effects of it I take it not to be intended for a Definition wherein only Essentials are put but a Description that takes in Subjects Adjuncts Effects c. The Definition is first given A. 1. That the Grace of Faith is whereby the Elect are enabled to believe to the Saving of their Souls After they proceed to shew the Causes of it the Word and Spirit and after that its several ways of Acting and it's Effects They do in the shorter Catechism give a briefer Account of it which may be more properly called a Definition Quest 86. What is Faith in Jesus Christ Answ Faith in Jesus Christ is a Saving Grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for Salvation as he is offered to us in the Gospel And if you please to turn to Quest 31. you shall see what they mean by receiving and resting There they say Effectual Calling is the work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery enlightning our Minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our Wills he doth perswade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel And in the Larger Catechism you have a full Description of Faith as Justifying Quest 72. wherein there is the Genus of it a saving Grace the principal efficient Cause the Spirit the Causa ministrant the subservient efficient Cause the Word Both Causae procreantes The Subject in whom it is wrought a sinful miserable and lost Creature really so and in his own Eyes And then you have the Material Cause the truth of the Promise of the Gospel In the Confession wherein it's more largely express'd it's whatever is revealed in the Word this is the Objective part of it and Material The Form of Saving Faith is an Impression wrought upon the Soul from the proper Efficacy of the Spirit by the Word according to the acceptable Nature and Evidence thereof The Truth must have Goodness in it because we believe many things that we fear and are averse to The Word works objectively upon the Understanding perswading it to assent and set to it's Seal that the Word is Truth and from the Goodness in that Truth it perswades the Will to embrace because Voluntas sequitur ultimum dictamen intellectus and the consenting of the Will is an Effect of the assenting of the Understanding Hence then it 's not barely believing without Ground but upon some Authority In the Confession 't is said For the Authority of God himself speaking in the Word which is believing on Christ believing in God from whence follows an awful Reverence and Regard to his Word as also the resting and depending of the Soul thereon And when it 's determined to the Grace of Justification it 's as in the Larger and Shorter Catechism it receiveth Christ and his Righteousness in the Promise and resteth thereon for Pardon of Sin Justifying Grace through the Righteousness of Christ is the Object and that which it aims at is the accepting and accounting of a Mans Person Righteous in the sight of God for Salvation which is fuller express'd in the Confession shewing what saving Faith in the largest Sence designs viz. accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone excluding all other Foederal Conditions for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life by vertue of the Covenant of Grace Now you see how clearly they make Faith a Perswasion and that it doth all objectively by taking in the Truth and receiving it for the Understanding receiveth and embraceth by being perswaded it takes in the Light of Truth and the Will embraceth by being perswaded and the great procatarctick Cause is the Covenant of Grace Now I see you have a clean contrary Notion of making it a Condition and moral Instrument i. e. A moral Condition of the Covenant and so a Work and as such
by the several Fruits that it doth produce Neonom Because sometimes the worst of Sinners are made Subjects of Preparatory Work and of Effectual Calling as God's Act on them therefore he thinks that these Sinners are invited to conclude they have an Interest in Christ before they do at all answer that Call D. W. p. 90. Antinom You intimate as if you thought some Sinners were more capable Subjects of Effectual Calling as to God's Act than others and that there 's a Preparatory Work distinct from God's Act in Effectual Calling which I do not think Besides I think God's Act in Effectual Calling upon a Sinner is more than a bare Invitation And I do not think or say That any Man concludes their Personal Interest in Christ because they are invited but because being invited they did come therefore not before they answer the Call by coming Neonom But his greatest cause of mistake is that he thinks the worst of Sinners if Elect have as much Interest in Christ as the greatest Saint Antinom Est Argiva Calumnia when you make it appear that I think so by what I have spoken I will answer to it and your Sarcastick Inference therefrom Neonom You may see the large Catechise Q. What is Justifying Faith They tell us That a Sinner is convinced of Sin and Misery who receiveth Christ Antinom But they tell us that that Conviction which is Saving comes by Saving Faith their words are Justifying Faith is a Saving Grace wrought in the Heart of a Sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his Sin and Misery and of disability in himself and other Creatures to recover him out of his lost Condition not only assenteth to the Truth of the Promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his Righteousness c. And in the Shorter Catechism you may see a more particular account of Saving Convictions that they are wrought in Effectual Calling though they be not so properly of the Nature of Justifying Faith for they say Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery enlightning our Minds c. He doth perswade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel You see Conviction and Illumination are both the Saving Works of the Spirit And in the Confession they 'll tell you That Saving Faith is of a larger extent as to the Object it Acts upon than meerly Justifying Saving Faith it convinceth it enlightens it justifies it sanctifies and in this sence they tell you the Nature of Saving Faith Chap. 14. whereby they are enabled to believe to the saving of their Souls and by this Faith a Christian is enabled to believe to be true what-ever is revealed in the Word and from thence comes trembling at the Word and embracing the Promises of Life c. So that this contradicts not but confirms the Doctrine of the 39 Articles That all Works before Faith even Legal Convictions are no more than Sin it 's but the filthy Conscience-polluting Guilt of Sin which Thousands have and which do not dispose the Sinner to love God but to hate him nor to seek Pardon but to seek out a Righteousness of his own Neonom Dr. O. tells us p. 133. Of Justif There is nothing in the whole Doctrine that I will more firmly adhere to than the necessity of Convictions previous to true Believing D. W. p. 89. Antinom If he mean saving believing he must mean previous sine qua non not as a Preparatory Vertue but as Sin is previous to Pardon and thereby Guilt also whereby Sin pollutes the Conscience and is both sin and misery and this may arise from a meer natural stirring of the Law or by the preaching of it which is the Death of Sin the Wrath and Curse that attends it and this may and must arise from a common Faith for a Man is not convinced of any thing that he believes not But if he mean Saving Convictions they are good Fruits and wrought in Saving Faith This he intends here For he said just before Let no Man think to understand the Gospel who knows nothing of the Law God's Constitution and the Nature of things themselves have given the Law the precedency with respect unto Sinners for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin and Gospel Faith is the Souls acting according to the Mind of God for deliverance from that State and Condition which it is cast under by the Law and he supposeth the State of a Man under meer Legal Conviction to be a State of Death and Condemnation Neonom He saith Displicency Sorrow Fear a desire of Deliverance with other necessary Effects of true Conviction P. 102. Antinom True Convictions i. e. Saving have such Effects but observe he is there distinguishing between common Convictions which before Faith are the common Condition of Sinners more or less which is the Death they lye under He saith Temporary Faith and Legal Conviction are the Principles of all Works or Duties in Religion Antecedent unto Justification observe now what he saith which therefore we must deny to have in them any Causality thereof and so he proceeds to shew what Affections and Duties in Religion may follow thence not that they are Gospel Vertues but rather solendida peccata and they I say are so far from disposing the Natural Man to Justification by Grace that they dispose him rather to seek Justification in himself by the Works of the Law till the Law comes to be Preached in true Spirituality in the Gospel and received by Faith And he saith P. 103. That Reformation of Life and these things are where real Convictions are but yet it must be said that they are neither severally nor jointly though in the highest degree either necessary Dispositions Preparations previous Congruities in a way of Merit or Conditions of our Justification Now is not this a Marvellous measure of Presumption and palpable Design upon your Reader to take the Imperfect Sence of a Man's Discourse to justifie your Errours when you must needs see the said Discourse is point blank against you I 'll hear no more therefore of your Allegations in this point out of Dr. O. Neonom Mr. Norton speaks of Preparatory Works between the Carnal Rest of the Soul in a State of Sin and Effectual Vocation Antinom I know of no such middle State for there is but two States that of Death and that of Life that of Light and that of Darkness but the Works done before Conversion he tells you are called Preparatory by way of meer Order which he saith all the Orthodox assert for that which is plainly first in Order and Nature must be said to be so all the Sin and Wickedness as well as the common Graces and Religion performed by an Unregenerate Man are all Antecedent to his Regenerate State But saith Mr. Norton It 's contrary to the Scriptures to say they are
Preparatory by way of Causation Merit and Congruity i. e. by disposing fitting and making Men the sitter for Effectual Grace as you say as asserted by the Papists and Arminians DEBATE XI Of Union with Christ before Faith Neonom ANother Errour of his is All the Elect are Actually Vnited to Christ before they have the Spirit of Christ or at all believe in him even before they are Born yea and against their will D. W. p. 90. Antinom Your Terms are all Ambiguous you seldom use a word of two or three Syllables but you 'l have him Bifrons like Janus I pray produce your proof and I shall see which way you look most Neonom The Title of a Sermon of yours is Christ ours before gracious Qualifications D. W. p. 91. Antinom I own such a Sermon from Isa 33.6 and the design of it was to answer this Query Dr. C. p. 432. How I may be assured my part lyes here That my Sins were laid on Christ The Apostle speaks of full Assurance of Faith and of coming to the Throne of Grace with boldness I shew'd that it may be found out as the Lord hath chalked it out in his Grace and Grant not only when the Lord is pleased to hold out his Grace and Grant to a Man but also upon those Terms that he holds it out on such as the Terms of God are or Conditions if you will call them so Sure I am as the Conditions are by which they may claim Interest in Christ those conditions being granted and found the Soul may close with the Grace of God now all the difficulty lyes in this whether the Lord propounds to Men that there shall be no part in Christ nor Grace by him till they find their Spirits Souls and Bodies sanctified throughout or whether the Lord holds out the Grant of Pardon of Sin without those previous Qualifications And I say D. C. p. 433. That the Grace of saying Iniquity upon Christ is applicable by Forgiveness of Sins to Persons before there be ever the least measure of Sanctification in Works and being applyed by the Lords own Grant there may be Safety and Security in applying the same by Faith without regard to Sanctification in any measure That is in respect of making Trial thereby I seeing yet no Sanctification in Works to try by it 's certain such Pardon is to be had and that the Grace of Forgiveness is applicable before Works or a Person capable of doing them as to Elect Infants and to the Dying Thief and hath the same place in every Elect Person that doth believe forgiveness is applied to him before he can exert any of the working Fruits of Faith and being applied to him by God's Grant it may be applied to himself by Believing but because you insist on nothing in this Sermon that you particularly express I say no more of it now Neonom Sure you intend only to exclude Works and not Faith D. W. p. 91. Antinom I do not exclude Works from a ground of Assurance for I own when the Conditions are granted and found i. e. the Fruits of the Spirit in the Heart the Soul may close with the Grace of God by way of Assurance but I say also there may be an Assurance of Faith without particular respect to the said Works I say not that Works evidence not but that there is an evidence besides Neonom No you tell us of dangerous Consequences that must follow on it if Persons are not united to Christ and partake not of Justification before they believe and addeth There is not I say such a thing as an uniting or knitting Power in Faith as that Faith doth or should become an Instrument to unite a Soul to Christ Dr. C. p. 616. Antinom My Discourse was from 1 John 2. 1 2. The main design of my Discourse there is to prove That Faith is the Fruit of our Vnion to Christ I shew'd that Christ himself frames and creates that very Faith in Persons that come to him D. C. p. 614. uniting them as Members first to him their Head 2. I shew'd that a Branch must have Union with the Root before it can bring forth Fruit. Christ is the Vine we the Branches Faith part of the Fruit. Communion is a Fruit of Union Faith is a Grace of Communion Suppose that the Life spoken of is not in Persons till they believe it is Dr. C. p. 615. but this That there is no Activeness of the life of Christ in the Person that is Elected his Life is in Christ and was in Christ and reserved in Christ till the time of believing for him and then doth the Elect Person become Active in Life when Christ doth give him to believe Actually But to say that this believing should give the first Being of that Life that should be in Persons is to say There is not that Life of the Elect Persons in Christ before they do believe if this be maintained that there is no Justification at all belonging to Elect Persons till they do Actually believe in Christ or Faith be the Instrument by which they are first united dangerous Consequences must needs follow 1. That in some respect there will be a bringing to Life again the Covenant of Works Do this and live viz. for Persons to do that they may live but the Covenant of Grace gives Life first and from Life comes Doing c. But the words you refer to p. 616. For they are not there nor do I find them elsewhere Neonom He denies the presence of Faith to this end he spends much time to prove that Christ is ours before we come to him and that our not coming unto him doth not import a state of disunion with Christ. D. W. p. 614. Antinom I said Let us suppose the coming in this place is spoken of believing Ye will not come to me that you might have Life it cannot follow that although there be no Life till believing therefore there can be no Union till believing I say If it possibly might be imagined that there may not be Life from Christ till believing yet it follows not that there must be believing before this Union Suppose I say that there cannot be Life before there be believing yet there must be Union before there can be Life fetched from Christ Faith being the Fruit born as aforesaid Neonom He saith You may as soon conceive that a Man is able to see whilst he hath no Head as think a Man can have Spiritual Eyes whether the Eye of Faith to behold Christ or the Eye of Mourning to lament ones Wickedness before there be Actually the Presence and Conjunction of Christ the Head to such a Body Dr. C. p. 104. Antinom I say so and will stand to it Calvin I wonder you should find fault with that Divinity or note down that Expression for an Errour you cannot suppose that there can be any living Act performed without Life as the cause of it
I will name no more of them for the present Antinom The Assembly is full on this Point that our Union to Christ is before the Act of Faith Shorter Catechism Q. 29. How are we made Partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By the Effectual Application of it to us by his Holy Spirit Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our Effectual Calling The Spirit first comes as a Bond of Union and works Faith to Unite by its Act in the first Union by the Spirit we are passive made new Creatures new Born receive Spiritual Life In the second we are Active put forth lively Acts and lay hold on Jesus Christ and all Gospel Grace And if the Confessions say we are United to Christ by his Spirit and by Faith as you acknowledge then there is a Union by the Spirit which is effective of that which is by Faith You say my mistake is in thinking all Grace is wrought by Christ as an Actual Head you mean Grace comes not at first from Christ as our Head but as a designed Head therefore you find fault with my founding our Union on Christ as our Head Where I say P. 104. Christ is the Head of his Church i. e. the Fountain of all Spiritual Sense and Motion A Man cannot have Spiritual Eyes of Faith unless he have this Spiritual Head c. I am not alone here for Mr. Norton and others make Christ as our Head the Fountain and Spring of all Spiritual Life and Motion Evan. P. 249. The Person of Christ Mediator is the first Saving Gift actually applyed to any Elect Person The motion of the Spirit upon the Soul is from Christ the Head See p. 250. DEBATE XII Of Justification by Faith Neonom VVE having formerly discussed the Doctrine of Justifying Righteousness I desire we may now enquire into the Nature of Justification by Faith for Mr. Antinomian hath this Errour among the rest That the whole use of Faith in Justification is only to manifest that we were Justified before and Faith is no way necessary to bring a Sinner into a Justified State nor at all useful to that end D. W. p. 103. Antinom I must hear your proof Sir before I enter upon my defence Neonom You put this Objection Is not believing required unto the Justification of the ungodly Answ An ungodly Person after he is Justified doth believe but you will say it is an Act of Christ by Faith Answ Then Christ doth not Justifie alone c. Nay I say more Christ doth Justifie a Person before he doth believe c. He cannot believe that which is not but he is first Justified before he believes then he believes he is Justified Dr. C. p. 85. Antinom My words were these An ungodly Person after he is Justified doth believe But you must understand it it is not the Faith of the Person that doth simply and properly Justifie but it is that Christ in whom he doth believe he believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly It is he that Justifieth that is Christ It is not believing that justifieth mark well that Phrase he that justifieth Justification is an Act of Christ not an Act of Faith How often is it said it 's God that Justifieth Justification is an Act of God and not of ours Faith is an Act of ours it 's God by his Grace efficiently Justifies and imputeth the Righteousness of Christ we are materially and objectively Justified by the Righteousness of Christ and by that alone and this I say is before a Sinner believes efficiently because the Object must be before the Act of the Recipient Organ A Man sees because there is Light to see which illuminates the Organ especially such a Light as takes off a privation of sight and restores the Habit so that Justification in regard of Application must be before believing the first Application in ordine naturae saltem is to an ungodly Man eo nomine that he may believe who is thereby made to believe that he may be Justifyed for in Justification we are both Passive and Active as Maccovius saith Calvin Mr. Norton Norton p. 214. hath this Objection If we are Justified by Faith then Faith is in order before Justification and consequently the Act is before the Object whereas on the contrary the Act depends on the Object and not the Object on the Act to this Effect Bellarmine Answ 1. We distinguish between the Being of Justification and our being Justified i. e. between Justification as taken in an Abstract Sence viz. without the receiving Subject thereof viz. a Believer and a Justification taken in a Concrete Sence i. e. together with the Believer Justification considered in the Actstract Sence taken simply and in it self which signifieth Remission of Sins and Righteousness to Acceptation prepared for though not yet conferred upon the Elect hath before Faith a Being not only in the purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father and Mediator and in the purchase of Christ This Truth held forth in the Gospel makes the Object of Faith and thus the Object is before the Act. The Grounds of this distinction or distinguishing between Justification actually procured and actually applyed Justification was in God's Decree before Faith P. 315 316. before Sin yea from all Eternity Gal. 3.8 Rom 3.25 The Actual procuring of Justification as considered in it self gives a Being to Justifying Faith Justification is compared to a Garment our being Justified to a Garment put on Justification of the Elect is absolutely and actually procured for them by Christ's Satisfaction before Faith Col. 2.14 The Hand writing of Ordinances cannot be limited to the Ceremonial Law only because it had respect unto the Gentiles then Living to whom the Ceremonial Law belonged not God hath declared his Acceptation of Christ So Calvin on the place P. 216. whereby he hath actually procured Justification for the Elect before Faith It is no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation That God Imputed unto Christ the Sins of the World of the Elect before they did believe and will not impute them unto the Elect 2 Cor. 5.18 19. This great Gospel Truth is of special use to beget Justifying Faith in the Heart of a Sinner The same the Apostle confirms concerning their Reconciliation Rom. 5.10 That it was wrought for them when they were Enemies i. e. Unbelievers Here is a Twofold Reconciliation mentioned one at the Death of Christ before Paul or the Romans some of them at least were Believers the other at Conversion The first Reconciliation though it was vertually wrought before by the Lamb slain in God's Appointment and Acceptance togethr with his own consent from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 yet it was not Actually wrought until the Death of Christ for this Satisfaction sake God Imputes not Sin unto the Redeemed for he
is Actually and Absolutely procured for the Elect before Faith and shall infallibly be applyed to them all in time seemeth to reach the Scope intended by the Godly Learned whose Spirits have more particularly laboured to hold forth the whole Truth in this precious part of Soul-Reconciling Doctrine and Soul-Supporting Mystery of the Gospel To say That we are Justified by vertue of a singular Promise in the Court of Conscience and in our own Persons in which sence the Scripture constantly saith We are Justified by Faith is not that I know of affirmed by any And for this he quotes Chamier Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 12 13. Sect. 18. Nobis persuasissinum est remissa esse peccata antequam Credidimus We are verily perswaded that our Sins are forgiven before we believe for we deny that Infants do believe And Perkins Perkins on Gal. 3.16 who saith Christ is first Justified i. e. Acquit of our Sins and we Justified in him And Dr. Ames saith The Transaction between God and Christ was a certain previous application of Redemption and our discharge unto our Suâ—ety Ames Medul lib. 1. c. 24. § 3. and unto us in him which to that secondary Application to be performed in us hath the respect of a kind of Efficacious pattern so that that the Application to him is the Representation of this Application to us and this is produced by vertue of that And he saith § 3. Hence our discharge liberatio nostra from Sin and Death was not only established in God's Decree but also in Christ and granted and communicated to us in him before it could be perceived by us Rom. 5.10 11. Hence the Father and the Son are said to send the Spirit to the performing of this Application John 14.16 and 16.7 And in the Chapter of Justification Am. Med. c. 27. §. 9. He tells us what the sentence of Justification is 1. It was in the Mind of God as it were conceived by him by his Decree of Justifying Gal. 3.8 2. It was in the Christ our Head pronounced when he rose from the Dead 2 Cor. 5.19 3. Virtually pronounced in that first relation which ariseth from Faith ingenerated in the Heart Rom. 8.1 4. Expresly pronounced by the Spirit witnessing with our Spirits our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.5 Hence it appears that the Doctrine of our Justification before Faith is not an Errour but a Great and Glorious Truth and it is no prejudice to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith but the Foundation Ground and Reason of it neither is it any Door opened to Licentiousness an unbeliever having no more Confirmation or Encouragement to persist in Sin thereby than by the Doctrine of Election which gives none but as Mr. Norton saith It 's no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation that God Imputed to Christ the Sins of the Elect before they did believe and will never Impute them unto the Elect. Neither is my speaking of Faith's taking hold of Christ's Righteousness and saying That it brings not Christ's Righteousness to us but presupposeth it given and granted such an absurdity as you would make it For Dr. Ames saith very distinctly Justifying Faith precedes Justification it self as a cause of its Effect but Faith apprehending Justification necessarily presupposeth and follows Justification as the Aâ—â— doth the Object about which it is Conversant and this I take to be the true Notion of Justification That Great Man for Holiness and Learning Chamier saith I deny that Faith is the cause of our Justification for then our Justification would not be of Grace Cham. Parstrat Tom. 3. l. 13. c. 10. Sect. 18. but of our selves but Faith is said to justifie not because it effecteth Justification but because it is effected in the Justified Person and in another place he saith Faith doth neither merit obtain or begin our Justification Lib. 22. c. 12. Sect. 5. and Sect. 9. for if it did then Faith should go before Justification both in nature and time which may in no wise be granted for Faith it self is a part of Sanctification now there is no Sanctification but after Justification which really and in its own nature is before it I think Sir I have cleared my self sufficiently from the Charge of Errour in this Point viz. That our Justification is in being before Faith And now Sir before we proceed to the other part of your Charge concerning the manner of Faith's Justifying let us hear your Arguments against Justification in any sense going before Faith Neonom One Real Difference between us is Whether we are Justified before we believe Which I deny for 1. We are Justified by Faith is the common Language of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.1 Gal. 2.16 D. W. p. 105. Antinom We own it and say too that we are Justified by Faith and this doth not prejudice but confirm what we assert Neon Faith is enjoyned as an effectual means of Justification by Christ Antinom We deny not that Faith required in the Gospel and wrought by the Spirit is as an effectual means of Application of Justification but therefore it follows not that it 's in being before That which is not in being cannot be applyed Neonom The Gospel denounceth and declareth all condemned till they do believe Antinom The Gospel declares only their state of Condemnation under the Law the Gospel properly condemns not and we own that every one by nature is a Child of Wrath and in the sense of the Law is a condemned Person and every one is shut up under the Law as the Apostle saith till Faith comes his New-Covenant Blessedness belonging to him is not yet made manifest nor is his Nature and State changed Neonom Vnbelief is the Cause why men are barred from Justification and remain obnoxious to Misery Antinom It is God that justifies and no Sin can barr God's Act of free Mercy in pardon of a Sinner in the Pardon of Unbelief as well as of other Sins when God will justifie It 's very absurd to say Sin barrs God's Act of Pardon It 's true Unbelief influenceth a Sinner as to his own Acts and will be charged upon him as his Fault and will aggravate that Condemnation which he hath under the Law because from his own corrupt Will and Affection he will not receive Pardon and Life that is offered in the General and Indefinite Tender thereof made in the Gospel And therefore Christ saith John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that you may have Life Heb. 3.18 19. They could not enter by reason of unbelief Unbelief on our part doth keep us from Christ but hinders not on God's part that effectually draws all the Elect justifying of them and working Faith in them Rom. 8.29 30. Eph. 1. The whole Unregenerate state is a Barr till God break it by Regeneration which is a free Work of Grace as Justification is an Act of Grace and must be found where-ever a Sinner is Justifyed by Faith and that in
order thereunto Neonom The other Question in difference between us is Whether the Vse of Faith in Justification be only to manifest our Justification which we personally had before This you affirm and I deny And add That Faith justifies by receiving Christ and therein answers the Ordination of God who hath promised to justifie the Believer by application of Christ's Righteousness in this gracious effect of it upon a guilty Soul D. W. p. 105. Antinom You alter the Terms of my Expression to make for your own turn My Words were these Quest What doth Faith serve for Dr. C. p. 85. Answ It serves for the manifestation of that Justification which Christ puts upon a Person by himself alone that you by believing on him may have the Declaration and Manifestation of your Justification And I say That it is not the Condition without which we receive no benefit from Christ but rather a manifestation thereof My Words are not That the use of Faith is only a manifestation but I say Rather a manifestation of Benefits received than a condition of receiving benefits And I say it is a Declaration and Manifestation And what is the Promise in the hand of Faith but a Declaration of the Grace of God in Justification of a Sinner and thereby a manifestation of it unto the Conscience Whereby Justification comes to be in foro Conscientiae For I say Where the Condemnation of a Sinner is by the Law there the Absolution of the Sinner is by the Gospel but Condemnation of a Sinner is in Conscience by the Law therefore there his Absolution is by the Gospel and that 's by a Gospel-Sentence pronounced and believed which Sentence is God's Declaration and Faith sealing to the Truth of it applies it and is the Eccho of the said Declaration in the Soul And you say Faith justifies as receiving Christ and you say well Christ is received in the believing of the Gospel-Declaration The Declaration in the Gospel is Life by Christ See 1 John 2.25 This is the Promise that he hath promised us evrn eternal Life 1 John 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son and this is the witness of God which he hath testifi'd of his Son Ver. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself It should be Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This very believing is a Testimony of the Truth of the Promise and his part in it as by the latter part of the 10th Verse appears He that believeth not makes God a Liar and as the truth of the Promise concerns himself ver 12. He that hath the Son hath Life this believing he saith is having the Son as declared in the Promise and Record that takes in the Declaration believingly And this is apprehending and applying and relying on the Promise and Christ in it both as Truth and Goodness Believing is our modus recipiendi or manner of receiving and we do believe that we may receive and apprehend him unto Justification You add and say first Faith justifies by receiving of Christ but you say it 's Application of Christ's Righteousness as to gracious Effects you mean only You do not deal above-board you are not for the application of Christ's Righteousness it self imputed to us and put on by us in believing We have noted your Error in this kind already you 'll not have Christ's Righteousness imputed to us for our Righteousness according to all the Language of the Scripture but only the Effects given us as effectual Calling Sanctification and Glorification So that the Righteousness of Christ justifies no otherwise than it sanctifies and glorifies for it doth these as Effects But I pray express your self more clearly how Faith Justifies or what part Faith hath in Justification according to your Sense without so much ambiguity Neonom The difference is not Whether Faith or any other Grace be a Jot of the meriting Righteousness for which we are justified D.W. p. 104. Antinom But it is whether Faith or any other Grace be a qualifying Condition for Justification if it be so let me alone to prove it a meriting Righteousness whether you call it so or no. Neonom Nor whether Faith or any Grace add any thing to the vaine of Christ's Merits These I deny D. W. p. 104. Antinom No wonder for you have rated Christ's Merits S. Clara dicit omnes convenire scientium de causa efficicate meritorià Justificationis efficiens est Deus meritoria Christus solum ergo controversitur de formuli De Justif Peccatoris how much their Value shall be Valeant quantum valere possunt But there are other things quasi merita at least that must give right to the Benefits procured by Christ's Merits which you call your subordinate Righteousness Neonom Yea I add that if Christ's Righteousness could be applyed for Pardon to the vilest Sinner before he believes it would justifie him but God hath declared that it shall not be applied to Vnbelievers Antinom That 's not for God hath declared the contrary that he justifies the ungodly and if Justification as God's Act be not applied to us first before we are Believers there would never be any Believers for Justification is the cause of Sanctification and not Vice versa But Justification by Faith i. e. Justification as applied by a sensible gracious Act of ours is after Sanctification and we must distinguish in Application of Righteousness between Gods Acts and ours for God must apply Grace before we can partake of it Neonom Nor whether we are Justified the same Moment as we truely believe in Christ and the Blessing is not suspended for any time longer This I affirm because God justifies us by the Promise as his Instrument and this Promise declares that he will justifie him that believes Antinom You 'll own then that we shall not stay for the Benefit if we perform the Condition God will pay ready Mony but the Qualification must be first in us by Nature But why I pray Is it not manners at least to give God the Honour of being first in this Work and say We believe in that moment we are justified 2. I find now you will not have Faith to be the Instrument of Justification but have found out another whereas you find fault with me that I will not have Faith the Instrumental Cause of Justification in its being no more than a passive receiving Instrument and you 'll have the Promise to be the Instrument declaring Justification and what can Faith do but receive this Declaration and thereby declare to the Conscience of the Sinner what the Gospel-Instrument declares Neonom Nor whether an Elect Person once justified by Christ shall be kept by Christ's Care in a justified state Antinom You do not suppose then that Justification is certainly durable in it's one Nature that it is an everlasting Righteousness but that it is loosable
As the Israeiltes were healed by beholding the Brazen Serpent so are we saved by believing in Christ Fox p. 1659. but the Looking up of it self did not procure Health to the Israelites but the Promise made in the Object which was the Brasen Serpent therefore in the same manner are we saved by our Faith and Spiritual looking upon the Body of Christ Crucified not that the Action in it self of Believing as it is a quality in Man doth so deserve but because it taketh that Dignity and Vertue from the Object Jesus Christ Augustine compares our Souls to Lanthorns that hath no Light in them of themselves till Christ shines there The latter Helvetian Confess saith c. 11. Because Faith doth apprehend Christ our Righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to Faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours Belgia Artic. 22. We do justly say with St. Paul We are Justified by Faith without the Works of the Law yet to speak properly we do not mean that Faith by it self and of it self doth justifie us which is but only as an Instrument whereby we apprehend Christ who is our Justice But if we say it justifies Conditionally we must say it justifies of it self What was accounted to Abraham for Righteousness Zanch. on Phil. 3. not the Action by which but that which he did believe or Faith not in respect of it self apprehending but in respect of the Object apprehended Faith taken as a Quality doth not Justifie us c. Rivet Cathol Orthod Bellarm. l. 1. de Justific c. 17. Rhem. in Annot. Rom. 3. The Papists tell us That Faith doth not justifie as an Instrument in apprehending the Righteousness of Christ but as a proper and true cause it actually justifieth by the Dignity Worthiness and Meritorious Work thereof and say these words in Scripture justificari ex fidem per fide do betoken an Actual force and power in Faith to Justification and then saith the Jesuite Faith is a Work we are justified by Faith Ergo by a Work To this he adds That Faith is our Justice it self Ergo not the Apprehension only of Righteousness This he Builds on Rom. 4.5 They tell us That Faith justifies us per modum causae efficientis Meritoriae as a Proper Efficient and Meritorious Cause And Bellarmine tells us That if we could be perswaded that Faith doth justifie Impetrando promerendo suo modo inchoando Justificationem then we would never deny that Love Fear Hope and other Vertues did justifie as well as Faith Now to avoid the Absurditities they are forced upon by the Protestant Arguments they have two shifts 1. That this Merit is not from us but from God because Faith is the Gift of God's Grace and therefore though we be justified by Merit we are justified by Grace too and that it is of Grace that our Faith Merits 2. They say That Faith Merits Justification non ex condigno of the worthiness of it but de congruo of the fitness of it and this is that which our Neonomians say That it qualifies and disposeth us to Justification so that the justifying a Believer is the doing a thing that is fit and meet to be done the Person being disposed and qualified thereunto It 's sad that Protestants should now come to lick up the Papists Vomit and re-assert those gross Errours in Fundamental Truths that all our Orthodox and Famous Opposers of the Popish Heresie have refuted and decryed by one Consent But that this Errour might the better be swallowed by Protestants the subtle Enemy of Truth and Mankind forgeth it again gives it a good heat and brings it upon his Anvil polisheth it and makes it much more plausible to look upon The Arminians say Faith justifies sensu proprio the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere the very Act of believing is imputed to us for Righteousness being accepted of God and accounted to us as the whole Righteousness of the Law So we are justified by Faith in the sight of God not by its Merit for they ascribe all the Merit of Justification to Christ but only they ascribe to it a conditional subordinate Righteousness by vertue of the Ordination of God For Arminius saith Armin. in declar sentent ad ordines Holland Westfris Ipsa fides tanquam Actus juxta Evangelii Mandatum prestitus Imputatus coram Deo in sive ad Justitiam idque in gratia cumque non sit ipsamet justitia legis i. e. Faith it self as an Act performed according to the command of the Gospel is Imputed before God in or unto Righteousness and that in Grace when it is not the very Righteousness of the Law * J. Goodw. Treatise of Justif p. 22. I shall give the refined and sublimed Notion of this Arminian Doctrine from a Man of no small dexterity in pleading for it He saith That that which God precisely requires of Men to their Justification instead of the Works of the Law is Faith or to believe in the proper and formal signification he doth not require of us the Righteousness of Christ for our Justification this he required of Christ himself for it that which he requires of us for this purpose is our Faith in Christ himself not in the Righteousness of Christ i. e. in the Active Obedience of Christ if Paul had certified and said to Men That the Righteousness of Christ should be Imputed to Men for their Righteousness it had been quite beside his Scope which was plainly to make known the Counsel and Pleasure of God concerning that which was to be performed by themselves though not by their own strength for their Justification which he affirms from place to place to be nothing else but Faith or Believing To have said thus unto them That they must be justified by Christ or by Christ's Righteousness and withal not to have plainly signified what it is that God requires of them to give them part in Christ's Righteousness without which they could not be justified had been to cast a Snare upon them rather than open a Door of Life and Peace and hence proceeds to prove that Abraham's Faith or Believing it self was Imputed unto him for Righteousness and he palliates it thus That he understands it but as a means of coming at the Righteousness but he defends this Proposition That we are justified by Faith sensu proprib non Metonymico Now see what the Neonomian says expresly of your indispensible Qualification though you Sir always will look one way while you row another The Question in one of you is plainly asked and answered by a great Leader and Guide among you Con. 13. When it is said that Faith is Imputed to us for Righteousness Is it Faith indeed that is meant or Christ's Righteousness believed on Mr. B. Scripture Gospel Defended p. 32. Contr. 13. Answ A strange and bold
Question if it be not Faith it self that is meant The Context is so far from relieving our Understandings that it contributeth to our unavoidable Deceit and Ignorance Read over the Texts and put but Christ's Righteousness every where instead of the word Faith and see what a Scandalous Paraphrase you will make the Scripture is not so audaciously to be corrected Calvin Now I shall shew you how by the Orthodox Protestants this Doctrine of Neonomanism hath been opposed as Antichristian and Destructive to the Grace of God Pemble's Treat of Justif c. 2. p. 164. fol. The Learned Mr. Pemble gives the Anatomy of this Doctrine after that he had shewed that Faustus Socinus Michael Servetus Christophorus Ostodorus and Arminius were the Forgers next to the Jesuits and Propagators of this Doctrine Armin. saith he branches out his Opinion in three distinct Propositions 1. Justitia Christi Imputata nobis Christ's Righteousness is Imputed to us 2. Justitia Christi non Imputata in Justitiam the Righteousness of Christ is not Imputed for Righteousness 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere Imputatur in Justitiam Believing it self is Imputed for Righteousness We now meddle with the last more roundly expressed Ipsum fidei Actum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere Dito Imputari in Justitiam Armin. Epist ad Hippolitum idque sensu proprio non Metonymecè The same is the Opinion of his Fellows the Remonstrants of Voetius Peter Bertius Episcopius c. with whom Bellarmine agrees in the Interp. of Rom. 4. de Justific c. 17. lib. 1. In summ their Opinion runs thus God in the Legal Covenant required exact Gbedience of his Commandment but now in the Covenant of Grace he requires Faith which in his gracious estimations stands instead of that Obedience to the Moral Law which we ought to perform Which comes to pass by the Merit of Christ for whose sake God accounts our imperfect Faith to be perfect Obedience This Assertion exactly Neonomianism and in place thereof we defend this Proposition God doth not Justifie a Man by Faith properly imputing unto him Faith in Christ for his perfect Obedience to the Law and therefore accounting him Just and Innocent in his sight which we prove by these Reasons I 'll but name them 1. We are not Justified by any Work of our own though given by Grace but believing is an act of our own Ergo not by believing The Major is manifest by Scripture which teach we are saved by Grace Eph. 2.5 Tit. 3.6 Rom. 11.6 The Minor is evident that Faith is a Work of ours for though John 6.29 Christ saith this is the Work of God c. yet our Adversaries will not conclude thence that Faith is God's Work within us and not our Work by his help for they 'l say It 's not God believes and Christ repents c. They have two shifts 1. We are not Justified by any Work of our own done by our own strength but by the Aid of Grace A. This distinction of Works done without Grace and Works done by Grace was devised by one that had neither Wit nor Grace being a trick to elude the force of such Scriptures as exclude them indefinitely to our Justification c. Wherefore it s without all ground in Scripture thus to Interpret these Propositions A Man is not Justified by Works i. e. by Works done by the Power of Nature before and without Grace A Man is Justified by Grace i. e. by Works done by Aid of Grace 2. They say We are not Justified by any Works of our own i. e. by any Works of the Law but by a Work of the Gospel such as Faith is we may be Justified by there 's no ground in Scripture for this distinction nor in reason for both tell us that Works commanded in the Law and in the Gospel are one and the same for the substance of them Luke 10.27 Deut. 6.5 What Sin against the Gospel that is not a Transgression of the Law Is Charity one doth not the Law command it Is Faith one doth not the Law enjoyn the same Obj. But it commands not Faith in Christ A. It doth for that which commands us in general to believe commands us to believe whatever God shall make known to us Arg. 2. God only accounts that perfect Righteousness of the Law which is so in deed and in truth but Faith is not the perfect fulfilling of the Law Ergo Here our Neonomians will except and say They differ from the Arminians in saying That Christ only hath merited that our Imperfect Righteousness shall be accepted instead of perfect which hath worser absurdity in it as shall appear Arg. 3. We are not Justified by two Righteousnesses existing in two divers Subjects but if we are Justified by Christ's Righteousness and the VVork of Faith we are Justified by two Righteousnesses existing in two Subjects Ergo. I shall only leave with you the Opinion of the Orthodox Protestants concerning Justification by Faith who have strenuosly opposed the Papists Socinians Arminians and Neonomians in this Point He is Justified by Faith who excludes the Righteousness of VVorks Calv. Instit lib. 3. c. 111 de Justific fidei and apprehends the Righteousness of Christ wherewith being cloathed in the sight of God he appears not as a Sinner but Justified So that we Interpret Justification simply an Acceptance whereby God doth account us for Righteous Ones who are received into his Favour and we say That it i. e. Acceptio Acceptance is placed in the Remission of Sins and Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ Justification hath two parts Remission of Sins and Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Mr. Perkins in the Order and Causes of Salv. c. 37. p. 81. Remission of Sins is that part of Justification whereby he that believes is freed from the Guilt and Punishment by the Passion of Christ Colos 1.21 22. 1 Pet. 2.24 Imputation of Righteousness is the other part of Justification whereby such as believe having the Guilt of their Sins covered are accounted Just in the fight of God through the Righteousness of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 Psal 32.1 Rom. 4. tot cap. Phil. 3.8 9. The form of Justification is as it were a kind of Translation of the Believers Sins unto Christ and again Christ's Righteousness unto the Believer by a Reciprocal and Mutual Imputation Justification is the Gracious Sentence of God whereby for the sake of Christ apprehended by Faith Ames Medul c. 27. he absolves a Believer from Sin and Death and counts him Righteous Rom. 3.22 24. § 17 18. Christ is the adequate Object of Faith as it justifies Faith also upon no other account justifies but as it apprehends that Righteousness for which we are justified and that Righteousness is not in the Truth of any Axiom to which we give Assent but in Christ alone who was made Sin for us that we may be the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Hence those Sermons in
the New Testament are so often repeated which shew Justification to be sought only in the Person of Christ John 1.12 and 3.15 16. and 6.40 47. and 14.1 54. Rom. 4.5 and 3.26 Acts 10.43 and 25.18 Rom. 3.26 A Sinner is justified by Faith not properly as it is a Quality or Action Pemble of Justific ch 11. § 2. which by its own Dignity and Merit deserves at God's Hands Remission of Sins or is by God's favourable Acceptance taken for the whole and perfect Righteousness of the Law which is otherwise required of a Sinner but only in Relation unto the Object of it the Righteousness of Christ which it embraceth and resteth upon Justification is a Gracious Act of God upon a Believer whereby for the Righteousness sake of Christ Imputed by God Nortons Eang p. 300. and applyed by Faith he doth freely discharge him from Sin and Curse and accept him as Righteous in the Righteousness of Christ and acknowledge him to have a Right unto Eternal Life Q. 73. How doth Faith justifie a Sinner in the sight of God A. Faith justifies a Sinner in the sight of God not because of those other Graces that do always accompany it Assemb Large Catech. or of good Works which are the Fruits thereof nor as if the Grace of Faith or any Act thereof were Imputed to him for Justification only as it is an Instrument by which he receiveth and applyeth Christ and his Righteousness Q. 32. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's Free Grace whereby he pardoneth all our Sins Shorter Catech. and accepteth us as Righteous in his sight only for the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith alone Whom God effectually calleth he freely justifieth not by Infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins Confess c. 11. and by accounting and accepting their Persons as Righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not by Imputing Faith it self the Act of Believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience as their Righteousness but by Imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the Gift of God We are accounted Righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith Artic. 11. of the Church of Engl. and not for our own Merits and Deservings wherefore that we are Justified by Faith only is a most wholesom Doctrine and very full of Comfort c. The Righteousness of Christ as it 's Christ's and performed by him so it is ours as it 's Meritorious of Grace Efficacious of Faith it self that is to be wrought in us it 's ours therefore I say by way of Right because by the Decree of the Father and Purpose of the Son it 's wrought for us tho' not in our Possession as to Sense and Acknowledgment of so great a Benefit bestowed Haec enim agnitio this Acknowledgment ariseth from Faith The Righteousness of Christ is said to be Imputed to us and his Merits to be applyed by Faith not before God but in our Consciences as there is a Sense of it begotten in our Hearts by Faith and an Acknowledgment of the Saving Application from the Love of God which we taste by Faith and Spiritually perceive Justifying of us and Adopting us to be his Sons from whence ariseth Peace of Conscience Whence the Righteousness of Christ is said to be Imputed to us by Faith because it is not known but by Faith that it is Imputed to us by God and then at length we are said to be Justified by that kind of Justification and Absolution from our Sins which begets or produceth peace of Conscience Dr. Twiss C. 1. p. 2. de Elect. He speaks of Justification in a double Acceptation 1. As the Righteousness of Christ is applyed to us before Faith and Repentance by reason of which Righteousness we obtain Efficacious Grace to believe in Christ and Repent 2. He understands Justification to be that Notification that is by Faith made to our Consciences or in the Court of Conscience and this is saith he that Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Remission of Sin Justification and Absolution which follows Faith There 's none of us saith he say that wicked vitious Person allowing themselves to live in their Sins are bound to believe Christ dyed for them for my part I think otherwise that whilst all are commanded to believe in Christ they are not bid presently to believe that Christ dyed for them but rather to rest themselves upon Christ by Faith to renounce themselves and their own Works and cast themselves down at the Feet of Mercy this is only properly called Faith on Christ fides in Christum the other is only Faith concerning Christ Hence Mr. Norton hath these words Orthod p. 315. These are both Truths 1. Justification hath a Being before the Elect do believe 2. That the Elect are not Justified before they do believe Justification is the Object Faith is the Act or being actually Justified is an Effect Faith is the Instrumental Cause the Cause is before the Effect Maccovius Disput XVI distinguishes Justification into Active and Passive Active Justification signifies God's Absolution of a Guilty Person from Guilt for the sake of Christ's Satisfaction and accounting him Righteous for his Righteousness Imputed The Differences between this and Passive Justification by Faith are 1. This is one undivided Act of God Absolution by Faith is repeated 2. Active precedes Faith Passive follows c. A Digression concerning the Necessity of Repentance to Forgiveness Neonom GEntlemen if you please for a Diversion after this Arduous Attempt that I have made to bring in the true Doctrine of the Catholick Church let us make a little digression for our Recreation and treat upon a Point that hath not so much difficulty in it for having got in Faith to justifie as a qualifying Act I doubt not now but to pleasure some of its Relations and find them a place in Justification too Antinom Stay not so hasty I do not find you have yet attained your End about Faith festina lentè cry not Victoria yet but however Gentlemen seeing he is for a digression let him have it for he hath been in digression from Truth all along I know not how he can digress from the way he hath been in hitherto but by coming into Truth Neonom You judging we are justified before we do believe it 's no wonder if you tell us We are forgiven before we confess Sin p. 255. and repent and therefore I would enquire of the necessity of Repentance to Forgiveness D. W. p. 113. Antinom As a Qualifying Condition Gentlemen this is no digression for it 's the Right Line and Method that Bellarmine and all the Papists have taken in handling the Doctrine of Justification first to bring in Faith to justifie as
a Work and then to bring in other Graces and Duties in the like manner only Faith shall have the honour to lead the way Whosoever saith That a Man is justified only by Faith and that nothing else is required to our Justification Trident. Conc. § 6. Chap. 2. let him be Accursed Faith is not the only cause of our Justification but there are others also as Hope Charity Alms-deeds c. Bellarm. de Justific ib. c. 13. c. 16. The Apostle excludeth not all Works for then Faith it self should be excluded from Justification because it is a Work and if justifying Faith do except every Law then the Law of Faith also should be excepted Looky you see Bellarmine hath got your Remedial Law by the End I thought I should find indeed all your Doctrine in the Original Neonom But he doth not speak fully to the case in hand Antinom But he shall speak fully to your Mind For He adds further Such Works therefore only are excluded which go before Faith which are done only by the Knowledge of the VVord Chap. 19. and by the Power of Free-will without Grace not such Works as are of Faith and proceed of Grace But all I fear is that you may not allow us so much as Bellarmine you will have some Qualifying Condition before Faith to Justifie us whereas he doth in a measure exclude all Works before Faith and he calls not that a Merit in plain English though it 's so in some Countreys I cannot tell how your Language expresseth it Neonom You 're a Pragmatick my Business in this Digression is with Men of more Orthodox Principles who yet seem too doubtful in this Point I shall state the Point between these Calvin Then Sir I find the Province will fall upon me wholly to discuss this Point with you unless the Board will be pleased to appoint an Abler Person Board No Sir by no means Neonom I shall state the Point then and shew you wherein the difference is not Calvin I pray Sir be briefer in stating Points for I find you bring your Adversary out of Breath in stating of Points and when you have stated them no body can tell but by Conjecture where you are in this way of stating Points you may run over the Enclycopeidia Artium in telling us where the Point is not for it can be but in one place Neonom But you must look where a thing is not as well a where it is before you find it I 'll tell you It is not 1. Whether Faith or Repentance be any part of the Meriting Righteousness for which we are Justified Antinom True Bellarmine will not allow Faith and Repentance to be any part of Christ's Righteousness for which we are Justified but only a Meriting Righteousness by which we are Justified .. Neonom I told you Gentlemen I would have nothing to do with this Heterodox Fellow Calvin It is a strange thing Mr. Antinomian that you cannot leave this business to me Antinom I am willing to give you ease that you may keep your Lungs till he comes to the Question for he will tire you before you come at it Neonom Nor is the Question Whether the Habits of Faith and Repentance be wrought at the same time in the Regenerating Principle D. W. p. 113. Antinom You mean you will not discuss this Point and therefore tell us not whether you affirm it or deny it and what you mean by the Regenerating Principle is very doubtful whether a Principle within us or without us Whether a Principle by Nature or by Grace It 's a new term to say We are Regenerated by a Principle it must be sure some Principle in our Nature that Regeneration must spring from Neonom Nor whether Convictions of a lost Estate and some degree of Humblings and Sorrow are necessary to drive a Soul to Christ Antinom The Law is a School-master to bring Men to Christ to cast them into a desperate condition that a Saviour may be acceptable to them that 's Christ's end but it 's no Federal Condition of Justification by Christ nor the Effects of it being the Condemnation of a Sinner which Condemnation and Sin it self are alike Conditions Causae sine quâ non that 's none at all in the sence of Logicians Convictions Humblings Sorrow for Sin before Regeneration and Justification are splendida peccata you have subscribed the Doctrinal Articles and Bellarmine excludes such Works which are before Faith done by the Knowledge of the Law and the Power of Free-will Neonom Nor whether there be an Assenting Act of Faith before there be an Exercise of Repentance under the Power of the Word which must be believed in some degree before it operate such Effects Antinom You should have put in this Question and said Nor whether there should be hearing of the Word before there is Repentance under it and you should tell what Faith you mean whether Historical or common Credulity or Saving Faith c. And whether you do not mean that Natural Men do grow up from a Regenerating Principle under the Word into Saving Grace by degrees Neonom Nor whether Ingenuous Sorrow for Sin in the sense of Actual Pardon be after that Pardon Antinom That need not be brought in to prevent our mistaking of the Question for none that hath any Brains can blunder so as to think a Man can be sorry for Sin in the sence of Actual Pardon before it is it must be after that this whether is next a-kin to a Bull. Neonom Nor whether Repentance as it consists in Fruits meet for it as External Reformation a Fruitful Life and the like must follow Pardon it being against the Tenour of the Promise that Forgiveness should be suspended so long after a Man believes and repents in his Heart Antinom You had better have put the Whether thus Whether Pardon is not to come in between Repentance and its Fruits Or whether Repentance with Fruits appearing or Repentance without Fruits appearing be the condition of Pardon and to what degrees of growth Repentance ought to arise before a Man is qualified for Pardon and how long in an ordinary way a truely Repenting Sinner must expect to continue unjustified And what time is limited in the Tenour of the Promise for suspension of Forgiveness after Faith and Repentance For there 's some time it seems with you that Forgiveness is suspended after Faith and Repentance Neonom Nor whether Justification be equally ascribed to Faith and Repentance For we are said to be Justified by Faith which imports that Repentance is but a disposing Condition and Faith a receiving Condition Repentance without Faith is unavailable as Faith without Repentance is impossible Faith seems to compleat all and in a manner to comprehend all These things the Orthodox Divines are agreed on Antinom That is Orthodox Neonomians of which none are Orthodox in these Points But Mr. Calvinist now he begins to bear up towards the Question I
change the term Justification into Forgiveness for though Justification includes Forgiveness yet Justification is not always meant by Forgiveness for Justification is a single Act of God and a Person once Justified is always so but by Forgiveness is meant often especially in the Old Testament a Renewal of the Sence of our Justified Estate the shining of God's Face upon us after Falls and Relapses into Sin and thence we pray daily for Pardon without a Supposition that when we pray for Pardon we are not in a Justified Estate neither do think when we have prayed for Pardon we are ever the whit more disposed and fitted in God's sight to receive it but wait upon God for it with a great sence of our Loathsomness and Unworthiness in our selves flying to Christ and his Righteousness to be covered with it in Believing by which Imputed Righteousness alone we look upon our selves as disposed for Pardon Your places mentioned prove not what you design viz. that in our first Forgiveness which is our Justification That Repentance is required as a disposing condition to the receiving it Acts 3.19 speaks but of the Publick Manifestation of the Righteousness of the Saints at the last day not that they stand unjustified till that day viz. the day of Refreshing and of Christ's second Appearing v. 20. And as for that place Acts 2.38 he commands Gospel Duties but to be performed as Effects of the Promise in performance of the Mercy promised the words of the next Verse shew For the Promise belongeth to you therefore Repent and Repentance is there no more a disposition to Forgiveness than Baptism and the end of that Ordinance is to shew that Forgiveness belongs to us already for it 's the Seal of the Promise and to be Baptized into Forgiveness is no more than to be Baptized into the Seal and Confirmation of the Covenant of Promise or Forgiveness which you believe belongs to you as the Covenant is called the Covenant of Circumcision Acts 7.8 And a Seal is not of a Pardon to be wrote but of that which is Wrote and Signed already Neonom Repentance is a Grace to which Pardon is promised and upon the working of it Forgiveness is given and Impenitency continues Guilt where-ever it reigns D. W. p. 115. Calvin Forgiveness is promised to Persons not to Graces and Qualifications Forgiveness is given to true Penitents and those to whom Forgiveness is given are truely Penitent and both Repentance and Remission of Sins are given it may be we perceive Repentance first but God gives Remission first for so long as there is none of the Grace of Forgiveness bestowed there will never be true Gospel Repentance the Grace of the Promise must be bestowed first by Christ exalted to God's Right Hand God saith He had pardoned David before he Repented and what was it that moved him so kindly to Repentance as is mentioned Psal 51. but the sence of Pardon The Lord had told him by Nathan that he had put away his Sin Neonom How much of the Bible must I Transcribe if I quote all places to prove these Ezek. 18.30 Acts 3.19 Mark 1.4 Luke 13.3 Heb. 6.16 Calvin The Papists have quoted as many as you can think on but could never yet carry the Point As to that place of Ezek. 18.30 it hath been spoken to already It supposeth not that they had any Qualification for Remission by Repentance for they were to make them a new Heart first a Condemned Sinner besure can never do that work nor work at it God must perform the Promise of Grace in breaking his Heart of Stone by the Revelation of Pardoning Mercy and make him a new Heart before he can have a Heart to Repent Acts 26.18 imports no more than that the Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation and thereby Sinners are raised from Darkness to Light i. e. from the Darkness of a Natural State to the Light of Grace thereby in Christ's own Light they see Light the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Infinitive Mood is here put for the Genitive Case governed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foregoing the Light a Sinner is brought into is the Light of receiving Remission of Sins the Gospel Promise seen and applyed by Faith is that Light in the Soul wherein it is brought unto God the first Act of the Soul in Saving Conversion is believing for the Soul cannot turn from Sin to God by any Act of Repentance that 's Saving but by Jesus Christ and Faith in his Blood therefore in order of Nature Forgiveness must be had before there can be coming to God and therefore Ephraim cries for turning the Saints through Grace know they cannot come at God but by and through Christ and therefore their Complaints were so great and Repentings so heavy when God hid his Face from them I need not treat upon the other places they are all of the same strain Acts 5.31 is against you Luke 13.3 will not prove the Gospel a Law as I shall have occasion to shew Neonom The Sin against the Holy Ghost is Vnpardonable because it 's impossible to bring the Committer of it to Repentance Heb. 6.16 Calvin The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not in respect of the power of God but in regard of the Will and Pleasure of God Whom he will he hardneth When God hath left them to despise Christ and to Crucifie him again as it were to put him to open Scorn and Contempt not sinning Ignorantly but Presumptuously there 's no Repentance the reason why there 's no Repentance is because there 's no Forgiveness neither will they seek after it Neonom Are all these things consistent with Pardon before Repentance Can I be subject to perish and pardoned at once Calvin Yes a Traytor may be in the Cart and have the Halter about his Neck just when the Pardon comes Neonom Can God command Repentance under a Promise of Pardon and suppose I must be pardoned before Calvin Yea he always does so he performs the Promise to enable us to obey the Command and he annexeth the Promise to encourage us to the Duty The performance of the Promise to us is the true necessary condition of our performing any Duty to God acceptably Neonom And doth God do all before and nothing after Calvin Yea he doth abundantly more than we can ask or think before and after too Neonom 13. There 's no Saving Faith that includes not this purpose in it and so saith Dr. Owen Calvin Whatever you quote out of Dr. Owen the World knows he was against you in this Point his whole Book witnesseth that he never said that Faith justified as a Qualifying Grace much less Repentance there may be many things in Faith that toucheth not upon that Nature of it whereby it hath more to do in its peculiar Office in the Justification of a Sinner than any other Grace Neonom Without this purpose we do not accept of Christ as the way
to God Calvin A Man doth not walk about without his Arms therefore he goes upon his Arms and Hands Neonom Arg. 5. We cannot receive Christ as King without this Repentance of Heart Calvin Nô nor without Faith neither what trifling is here Neonom Without this purpose of Heart no Man accepts of Christ for Sanctification Calvin Therefore you 'l say Christ justifies us by Infusing Righteousness by making us Righteous inherently for which he declares us Righteous an old decryed Popish Errour Neonom A Resolved purpose to continue in Sin and Rebellion against God is Damning let Men pretend what they please Calvin I say more there 's no Venial Sin every Sin is Damning in its own Nature and a Sin repented of without Forgiveness is Damning and the very Repentance of a Natural Man which you would have Conditionate him for Grace is Damning Neonom It 's not to be allowed that it should not be necessary to renounce our Sins with our Hearts in order to Pardon when it is necessary to renounce our own Merits or Righteousness Calvin We reckon it our Duty under the highest Obligation of preventing Grace and great and precious Promises and from the greatest Sence of Duty to renounce our Sins with all our Hearts but dare not do it in a way of Qualification of our selves for Forgiveness least we should make those Repentings and Humblings our Merits as the Papists do whereby Christ profits them nothing and under pretence of Holiness they lose their Righteousness pretend to renounce one Idol and set up another Neonom I will tell you how the Assembly and Dr. O. are of my Mind Calvin You may spare your self the labour for they are point blank against you and so are all Protestants that are not tainted with the Doctrine of the Jesuites Neonom I think there 's never a Barrel the better Herring of you come let 's be gone DEBATE XIII Of the Necessity and Benefit of Holiness Obedience and Good Works with Perseverance therein Calvin HOW do you Mr. Neonomian are you well methinks you look a little Moody Neonom It would disturb any Orthodox Man's Spirit to see how Errour prevails I profess I am almost weary of this Club if this be your Calvinian Club I do think I must betake my self to some other you know where I shall find more soundness in Doctrine Calvin O pray Mr. Neonomian let not Disputants be angry with one another Disputation should be for Information of the Judgment not for the gratifying Pride and Passion put another Question it may be we may agree in that Neonom I will try you once more and if you boggle there Fare you well Gentlemen note that whatever I shall speak now of any Act of Grace except Penitent Believing referrs not to the Forgiveness of Sins or the Sinners Admission into a Justified Estate The Benefits that I here speak of are not the Forfeiture of Pardon the Possession of Heaven and some other Particular Blessings as Increase of Peace Returns of Prayer D. W. Antinom I find now you clapt two Conditions into one why had we not these Conditions twisted together before Methinks you incommoded your self in not doing it yesterday for vis unita fortior but you reckon Faith and Repentance reach no further than the first Justification I think the Catholicks are of your Mind for that 2. You talk of forfeiting Justification the meaning in English is falling away from Grace Neonom Some Mens Brains had need be taken out and washed in Vinegar for there 's no making them understand it were well that you were better studied in Terms of Art Calvin Prethee Mr. Antinomian sit down and hold thy Peace a while you 'll never leave till you have put the Gentleman into a Fustion fume and then we shall lose his good Company pray go on Mr. Neonomian Antinom I smell him where he will be Calvin Nay not yet neither Neonom I tell you then if I may be permitted to speak what an Errour this Antinomian holds He saith 1. Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation 2. Nor is Sanctification a way of any Person to Heaven 3. Nor can the Graces or Duties of Believers no nor Faith it self do them the least good to prevent the least Evil. 4. Nor are they of the least use to their Peace or Comfort 5. Yea though Christ be explicitely owned and they be done in the strength of the Spirit of God 6. And a Believer ought not to think he is the more pleasing to God by any Grace he Acteth or Good he Doth 7. Nor may Men expect any Good to a Nation by their Humiliation Earnest Prayer for Reformation of a People Calvin Now Sir you have a Rowland for your Oliver here 's a long and strong Inditement laid in against you I wish you a good delivery Mr. Antinomian Antinom As I take it there 's about seven things you charge me with I pray make your Proofs per partes I shall be abler to give my Answer Neonom You have told us seeing all things are setled by Christ for us of free Gift I say all we do is for Christ himself and not for our selves Christ comes and brings Justification loving Kindness and Salvation What needs then all this Travel for Life and Salvation seeing it is here already But seeing we get nothing by it c. D. W. from Dr. Cr. p. 41 42. Antinom By this you prove that Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation Gentlemen I must crave your patience to hear that part of my Discourse that you may judge of it It was upon John 14.16 I was saying D. Cr. p. 41. How near hath Christ made the way unto the Father Thus near that he that believeth shall be saved Let me be bold to tell you you are in as full a state of Justification before God Now mark I was speaking of passing from one state to another in Justification and do you not remember what he said That whatever he should speak now referring to any Act of Grace except believing penitently referrs not to Forgiveness of Sins and now he alledgeth what I said upon that account to prove a change about Sanctification You are in a true State of Salvation you that are Believers are as those that are already in Heaven D. Cr. p. 41. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Such a near way Christ is yet still people will be Cavilling where are good Works all this while What justified by Faith alone Saved by Christ alone Let me tell you If Christ be the way of Justification and only Federal Condition of Eternal Life i. e. of all Salvation in Faith and Holiness then Works are not the way except they be Christ but must we not work Yea but for other purposes the Lord hath propounded other Ends not meriting your Salvation for which you are to work ye are bought with a price that 's done therefore glorifie God
in our Bodies being delivered out of the hands of your Enemies our State is secured our Safety past we serve in Holiness and Righteousness c. do we serve toward Deliverance then it 's not past 1. We are delivered from VVrath before we step a step in Duties we do not the Duty to be delivered but we do Duty because we are delivered And now follows what he chargeth for such a fault and take notice that I speak all along of the change of our state in Justification by Faith and that works have nothing to do in neither are we to look upon them as such All things are setled by Christ for us of free Gift all we do is for Christ himself not for our selves i. e. to put our selves in Christ's Room thereby to Rob him of his Glory if we do it for our selves we do but labour in vain suppose we compass never so much good by doing thinking thereby to put our selves into a justified Estate it is but labour in vain it was compassed before-hand for us in the justifying Righteousness of Christ Christ brings Salvation enters into Covenant what needs all that Travel for Life and Salvation i. e. with a design of purchasing it thereby for all that is said is spoken to the Price that Christ bought us with and I instance in running for Money that a Man need not run for a price that he hath freely without so that he that works for Justification works in vain for saith the Apostle The Jews that followed after the Law of Righteousness obtained it not but ran in vain and this the Apostle means in that place Have ye indeed suffered so much in vain why because you obtained not your end thereby not likely so to do Neonom But it 's not your Intention that nothing we do can Merit but not that they are required as the requisite means and way to obtain these Blessings D. W. p. 122. You intend this p. 45 46. you say I will note one thing before I go on to make clear this thing c. Antinom I will give you my own words and sence The words he referrs to are part of an Answer to an Objection D. Cr. p. 45. Obj. Will but this is a way to lead to a Licentious Life Answ I say the contrary it is the only way to lead Men into a more enlarged way of Holiness than any way in the VVorld which I will declare to you by and by VVe have shewed that Christ is a safe way a lightsome way a near way we will make good now that the consideration that Christ is a free way to all Comers is the only way to Build up Men to an enlarged course of Holiness more than the greatest Self-denial frequentest Prayer greatest Study bearing down of the Body c. And this will further appear if we enquire how Christ is such a way as there is no way wherein there is a quicker wherein there is a better riddance of Businesses and Employments Believers have than in Christ now comes in what he quotes I will note one thing by the way to make clear this thing viz. It is a received Conceit of many that Obedience is the way to Heaven and though it be not Causa Regnandi yet it is Via ad Regnum Let me give you a hint or two of another thing D. Cr. p. 45. or two and lay down this Position There is no Believer under Heaven that doth come to Heaven before he hath served his Generation there is no Person that is a Believer and hath received Christ but that after he hath received Christ he is Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works that he should walk in them Here you may see I am for good Works in a Gospel Way and Sence I say he that sprinkleth 〈◊〉 with clean Water that they may become clean from all their filthiness writes his Law in their inward parts c. so that I say mark well my words that Sanctification of Life is an inseparable Companion with the Justification of a Person by the Grace of Christ but withall I must tell that all this Sanctification is not the way of that Justified Person to Heaven It is the Business of a Person that he hath to do in his way to Christ Dr. Cr. p. 46. Now I shew that Christ is the way and nothing else Sanctification is part of the Salvation wrought in Christ and the Apostle Heb. 6. calls the works of Sanctification things that accompany Salvation therefore I say this is no derogation from works to say they are not the way to Heaven but that they are Concomitant to Heaven unto Persons that shall come thither and now comes in what he rehearseth The Truth is since Redemption is managed by Christ the Lord hath pointed out other Ends and Purposes for our Obedience than our Salvation i. e. than purchasing or procuring or qualifying conditionally in your sence for Savation in this sence is not the end of any good work we do in plain truth good works are a great part of the Salvation it self that Christ is the way to The Ends of our good works are Manifestation of our Obedience and Subjection the setting forth of the praise of the Glory of the Grace of God and as such so actually glorifying him in the World the doing good to others to be profitable to Men the meeting of the Lord Jesus Christ in them where he will be found according to the Promise These are the special Ends that Obedience is ordained for Salvation being setled firm before to keep the true Prerogative of Christ alone that no Righteousness of Man entrench upon his Priviledges Now judge you whether I detract from works of Sanctification as Mr. Neonomian would make me to do because I allow them not that place in Justification and Salvation which he would have them have and that belongs to Christ alone Neonom He puts this Objection We had as good sit still He that works all day and gets no more than he had in the Morning c. Answ Let me tell you the prevention of evil if there be reality of evil in it obtaining of good if there be reality of Good Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost Pardon of Sin the Infallibility of Non-miscarriage the Light of God's Countenance all these you aim at are abundantly provided for you and established firmly on you by the meer Grace of God in you before you perform any thing whatsoever D. Cr. p. 151. Antinom I intend no more than that we are Blessed with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ and we can have no greater Security of all these Benefits than in Christ Jesus and that all performances upon account of our Security is nothing to Faith in Christ who is the Yea and Amen of the Promises and therefore I shew the Vanity of proposing that to our selves by our Works which is done in Christ for us and can be done by none else
Saved Do we not obtain all Salvation in Christ We are Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works but I find you 'll have nothing to be Salvation but Glorification and that must be Earn'd at our Fingers ends and we may lose all at last for all Christ if we do not look the better to it to perform sincere persevering Works till the last Breath the first Justification though by Works gives no Evidence for Heaven you 'll be sure to be far enough from the Errour as you call it of Faith Justifying Evidentially We say Christ is the Way John 14 6. and Holiness our business in that way Neonom Or whether Heaven is promised to them if they persevere in Holiness and sincere Obedience and the Loss of Heaven threatned in case they continue Wicked and Disobedient or after Grace turn Apostates Antinom Observe what Doctrine here is 1. Here his Discourse is limited to the Elect. 2. He supposes the Elect may lose Heaven 3. That their Obedience and Perseverance are the Conditions of their obtaining Salvation you take him for any Salvation for that of the first Justification which he makes to be by Works and Perseverance the obtaining condition of his Second Justification But I pray what 's the Condition of Persevering Sanctification which is Salvation too 4. He doth not only suggest but express falling away from Grace for what is that when he suggests an Elect Person may fall away from Grace turn Apostate and lose Heaven 5. He suggests that the Elect Person before Faith must perform these Works before he can be saved by Justification but this Doctrine is nothing with him this Doctrine I deny from the bottom of my Heart notwithstanding his affirming of it Is this right stating of Truth and Errour Neonom The Question is Whether the good Works of a Believer are Rewardable of Grace for Christ's sake Antinom The Question hath been clearer stated to your purpose long ago between the Papists and we Whether Christ hath Merited that we may Merit Whether you 'll call your Doctrine the Doctrine of Merit or not We 'll call a Spade a Spade and Antichrist must not creep in amongst us again with his Serpentine Tricks to beguile us as the Devil did into Paradise to Rob us of our first Righteousness Neonom Whether by the Gospel as a Rule of Judâ—ment whoever is unholy utterly disobedient altogether wilfully neglectful of good Works shall be condemned this I affirm and you deny Antinom 1. The Gospel is no Law as it hath to do with the Unbelieving Wicked World 2. It is no Rule of Judgment that 's the Law only 3. The Gospel did never condemn any Elect Person to Eternal Death neither is any Elect Person as such under a contingency of Salvation whether he be holy or unholy though as Sinners unholy and wicked Persons they are for as such they may be saved and they may not but it 's not so with the Elect as such Neonom Whether God hath promised several Blessings distinct from Eternal Life to the Exercise of several Graces and Performances of several Duties as to the Improvement of Grace c. This you deny and I affirm Antinom We ask all outward Mercies for the sake of Christ with submission to his Will we reckon them not due to us because of our Duties performed and the Connexion of Blessing as you say and Duty is but the Connexing two Blessings in the Promise upon the same Condition for Duty is a Blessing to the Saints and part of that Salvation purchased by Christ and promised in the Covenant I divide not what God hath joined together and call Duty not a Condition and Outward or Spiritual Good Things the Salvation for I look upon the Service of God to be the great Thing we are Redeemed to the Salvation bestowed on us and not the Condition of it Neonom Whether upon the acting such Graces and upright performing such Duties a Christian may not in the vertue of such Promises expect such Blessings and fear the neglect thereof as a Bar thereto This you deny and I affirm Antinom And you affirm and teach a low servile Spirit and too bold to set aside Christ out of the Promise and challenge any Mercy at the Hands of God upon the account of Duty I think the best of the Saints have always thought themselves less than the least of God's Mercies and all their Righteousness i. e. their sincere Obedience and Perseverance to be but filthy Rags but that 's false Doctrine with you as I suppose we shall hear of e're long Neonom Yet allowing that God may sometime exert his Sovereignty in giving some Blessings to a Believer not answering these Rules and he may exchange a Blessing of a lower Nature Antinom i. e. Rules of distributive Justice in rewarding him according to his Works and if God must do it he must fly to his Sovereignty for Permission to go beside this Rule and no more than in exchanging one good thing for another there 's no such Dispensation in the Covenant of Grace What if God should deny to give the Blessing workt for and give no Succedaneum Neonom Whether God is not more pleased with a Man in the Exercise of Grace and Holiness than when he neglects them and doth the contrary This I affirm Antinom Let me ask you Do you mean in a way of Benevolence or Complacency in respect of his Person or his Services And do you mean He is pleased for the Duties sake or for Christ's sake Neonom Now I shall proceed to confirm the Truth and the Points are too many to admit Enlargement and many carry that Evidence that the whole Scope of the Bible must be forgone when they are denyed Can two or three wrested Texts over-turn the constant Language of the Scriptures Antinom You should have first stated the Question in clear Terms and let it have been but one and not reserve to your self your principal Intention and give us out 20 Whethers and Neithers delivered forth in a Heap of Amphibologies which having been sufficiently demonstrated to you it signifies little for the Discovery of Truth to joyn issue with you upon such rambling Discourses as you make and it 's easier to call Scriptures brought against you wrested Texts than to prove them so Neonom And it is strange that all Religion and Humane Nature it self in a state of Tryal should be so fully struck at from a gross Conceipt that the Infinite God cannot foresee and purpose Events unless it must null his Government over reasonable Subjects and prevent his Distribution of Rewards and Punishments by a stated Rule D. W. p. 128. Antinom Here is nothing but Huff and Bounce to talk at this rate of wrested Texts overturning the Language of Scripture and Humane Nature gross Concelâ—s of God c. Now let me tell you one of the wrested Texts which in it's plain Literal Sence must overthrow your whole Scheme of Distribution of Rewards
Antinom What kind of Supposition Supposition of Duty Antecedaneous to it This is false Faith is a Saving Benefit and it 's not bestowed with a Supposition that any saving Duty is precedent to it So our Union to Christ Gift of the Spirit Justification yea the Grace of Sanctification it self are all Saving Benefits of the highest Nature Neonom 3. The Influences of the Spirit and God's Institutions have no Causality in our Salvation if men have nothing to do in order to be saved Antinom That is as much as to say If we save not our selves the Spirit cannot save us We must be our own Saviours first or the Spirit must make us our own Saviours that we may be saved I told you Adam had been saved by the Influences of the Spirit if he had been saved in his innocent state and it had never the less been a Covenant of Works Neonom On what account is it said That we believe to the saving of our Souls Heb. 10.39 And Repentance to Salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Tim. 4.16 Antinom Those Expressions are Descriptions of true Faith and Repenrance given as to that 1 Tim. 4.16 We deny not that the Covenant of Grace hath many Exhortations Directions Encouragements to Duty but not antecedent to the Promise The General Promise is first participated of before any Duty is or can be performed and after participation of the Promise Consequent to it and Effects of it particular Duties and Promises do follow Neonom The Destruction of Sinners under the Gospel is still laid to not Doing John 5.40 Their not coming not turning and repenting Antinom Yea their blameable moral Inability and Perverseness is that which they are under the Condemnation for Falling upon them in their Apostacy and so their refusing a Remedy is part of their Condemnation under the Law And therefore our Saviour saith such Unbelievers are condemned already they remain under the Power and Sentence of the first Condemnation Neither is the Destruction of Sinners laid to their not doing but not believing in Christ Believing is opposed to Doing because God will not have us to be saved by Doing And when a Sinner comes he is not saved by his Act in Coming but by Christ to whom he is come Neither doth he come till he is saved by the Father's drawing him and Christ finding every Sinner before he comes shews that he is a lost Sinner and never comes to Salvation till Salvation comes to him Neonom If men have nothing to do for Salvation then Christ hath no Rule to judge them that live under the Gospel Christ proceeds on the difference of Men's Carriage and Tempers at the last Day Consider any Description of the last Day you 'll find God saves and damns with respect to men's Neglect and Compliance with the Gospel Antinom Your Argument seems to run thus Upon the same Terms that Man shall be judged at the last Day upon the same shall they be saved now But Men shall be judged by their Works at the last Day Ergo saved by Works now I deny your Major If that were true you might have some Pretence that the Covenant of Grace was a Covenant of Works There 's a great deal of difference between Christ's proceedings in the Covenant of Grace and the Judgment of the Last Day 1. Christ in Covenant of Grace comes not as a Judge to condemn the World but to save it 2. Christ first saves his Church and exerts his Offices in that Salvation first as Priest to make Atonement as Prophet to teach by his Word and Spirit as King to conquer and subdue their Hearts unto himself and all this is done before he rules and governs them 3. Christ in the Covenant of Grace acts not in his Regal Power as King of the World but as King to his Church his Mediatorial Offices are all exerted towards his Redeemed ones in order to the saving of them All final Unbelievers are judged as such as are under the Condemnation of the Law and their Sins only judged the more aggravated because of their refusal of a Remedy The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in Plaming Fire taking Vengeance upon them that know not God and those that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The slighting and rejecting a Remedy offer'd is a ground of more severe proceeding in the way of Execution of the Sentence which the condemned Person lay under before How shall ye escape that neglect so great Salvation The Talents mentioned Matth. 25.21 24 28. refer only to the distinction that appears between Professors Some act from common Grace only some by special Grace Some are carried no further than common Grace will carry them and therefore bring not forth real Fruit unto God and are not in Christ Jesus have only common Graces and Gifts Neonom I could easily demostrate that if men have nothing to do in order to Salvation the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles is all Vanity and Falshood c. They are cold Pleadings with Sinners that are not backed with Life and Death Antinom It 's easie to demostrate that an unsaved Person can do nothing in order to Salvation and if they can the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is false For Christ himself saith Without me ye can do nothing and we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and created in him to good Works and Christ worketh in us to will and to do All this is Salvation The first true Motive to a Sinner is the Salvation wrought by Christ already for Sinners in his Death and Satisfaction The Promise of Heaven is a Secondary Motive but is not to be brought as a Primary Motive The rendring Life and Death to working or not working is the preaching of the Law and of the Letter and makes the Gospel such a Law as is the Ministration of Condemnation And to conclude my Answer to the Proof of that Position That Sinners have much to do in order to Salvation And to prove it in the Negative I offer this Argument They that can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved have not much to do in order to Salvation But Sinners can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved Ergo a Sinner hath not much to do in order to Salvation in your Sence I leave you to consider of it and the Evidence of it for you cannot but apprehend the Demonstration that is therein for doing must be here understood effective Such Works you speak of as appears by what follows Neonom True Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works and Perseverance are the way to Heaven and so necessary to the Salvation of a Believer that without them he cannot be saved and continuing in them he shall be saved Antinom I find you make Holiness or Sanctification and Salvation two things whereas Sanctification is a part of Salvation True Holiness is the way to Heaven but it 's Salvation as well as the Perfection
of Heaven Holiness is the way to Heaven as Childhood and then youthful Age is to Manhood in the full Stature Grace it 's a growing unto that Perfection we shall have in Glory but it 's not part of a conditionating way to Heaven foederally Heaven is bestow'd on Sanctify'd ones upon as free a Promise as Justification and Sanctification and we say it 's our Business in Christ the Way Neonom I shall give you divers Arguments against your Position 1. It 's not saving Faith that is not Operative D. W. p. 132. Antinom The Eye is the most sensible part in the Body as to the Sense of Feeling yet doth not see conomine By vertue of Feeling Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie by it's Fruits Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie as Fruitful for that would bring us under a Covenant of Works Neonom Obedience good Works and Perseverance preserve us from contrary Evils Paul kept his Body under 1 Cor. 9.27 Antinom They have their usefulness in their kind but we are kept from Evils by the Grace of God and not by our Works Grace also preserves us in them and not they preserve us What Paul saith he did he did for the Gospel-sake 1 Cor. 9.23 from a Gospel-Principle the Love of God arising from the sight and sence of the Grace of God in the Gospel and for this end the Glory of God in the Promise And he said By the Grace of God I am what I am not ascribing Foederal Efficacy to inherent Graces or Duties Neonom Gospel-Constitutions shew that it contains Promises and Threatnings 2. It shews persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works as necessary to Salvation Antinom It is one thing what a thing contains and another what it is A House contains Tables Libraries Beadsteds Men and Women but a House is not therefore a Table Library Bead-stead a Man or a Woman The Covenant of Grace sets up a Government a Glorious King hath Laws Directions Precepts but it is not either of them Whatever the Covenant hath and is inseparable from it doth not argue the Covenant to be the same A wise Man is inseparable from Wisdom as such yet is not Wisdom A Rational Man hath Reason yet that Man is not Reason Neonom Most of the Promises and Threatnings that refer to the state in the Bible are Evangelical Promises and Threats D. W. p. 133. Antinom Christ in the Bible speaks two ways by way of Precept and backing them with Threats and Promises 1. As King of Nations and Governour of the World So he deals with Men as he will deal with them at last in a way of a Covenant of Works Christ also governs his Church where he hath his peculiar Right of Legislation and his Government is double 2. As to his Mystical or Visible Body his Spiritual Rule is according to the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace His Government in respect of the mixt and politick State must be also mixt because of Hypocrisie Christ's Government of his Churches as Visible Polities and Societies is a mixt Government having in his House Vessels of Honour and of Dishonour Many are led to external Conformity by his Precepts and Commands legally submitted to only having not received Evangelical Principles Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Precepts and Promises of the Gospel work no otherwise with them than by a Spirit of Bondage and come to them no otherwise than in the Tenure of the Covenant of Works And thence the Lord Jesus Christ speaks in that manner to whole Societies and Churches both under the Old Testament and under the New As to the Seven Churches of Asia where there were many formal out-side Professors that never received the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it he tells them what they must expect in that mercenary and bondage-way of Profession without Life and Love wherein they did walk yet he governs them as Politick Head of his Church they having given themselves to his Government at least in an outward Profession according to which he deals with them And therefore the Apostle tells us the Law is not made for the Righteous Man in respect of it's Threats and Denunciations but for the Lawless Disobedient Ungodly c. or for any thing contrary to sound Doctrine which is according to the Glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.10 11. The Precepts and Commands of Christ therefore have a double Aspect Evangelical and Legal as they are received by his Visible Subjects Some receive them from Law-Principles some from Evangelical Neonom Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery by these God governs and Men's Hopes and Fears should be directed by these as a Rule You not observing this have opened a Door to all Licentiousness Your whole Scheme implies that Christ doth not distribute Blessings and Punishments by any Rule that refers to the actings of Men. D. W. p. 133. Antinom This is a round Assertion That the Gospel-Constitution is a Covenant of Works That Constitution that affects all as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery is a Covenant of Works of the severest Nature But you say the Gospel-Constitution is such Ergo a Covenant of Works For that which affects as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery on the Penalty of non-attainment to that Rule and God deals with Men thus by Hopes and Fears that Men may be govern'd by them as they find their Righteousness or fall into their Misery is such an Account of a Gospel-Constitution that I question not but to find as good in Seneca and among many of the Heathen Moralists And if that be my mistake that I understand not such a Gospel-Constitution I must declare I know no such Gospel-Constitution as yet Neonom If that Covenant of Grace be conditional and Faith and Repentance are necessary to Forgiveness the Substance of it must be granted Antinom i. e. If the Covenant of Grace be a Moral Law and Faith and Repentance be the Moral Conditions to Forgiveness the Substance must be granted and it will be so indeed you will still be leaping in and out of Covenant from Righteousness to Misery and from Misery to your miserable Righteousness and between your Hopes and Fears falling short of the Righteousness of God you will fall deplorably into eternal Misery But in what Body of Ethicks do you find a Rule of Misery treated of I think it is no where treated of but in the Neonomian Theology no more than the Rule of Sin which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neonom Most Promises and Threatnings in the Bible that referr to the state of Souls are Evangelical Promises and Threats and are not the Sanction of the Law of Innocence but of Gospel-Grace Antinom The whole Word of God contains but Law and Gospel and all matters of Duty commanded referr to the one or to the other and all Duties enjoyned
not any just Exception you can have against this Divinity there being so clear Evidence for what is here delivered from the Word of God Neonom He saith Faith is the Eccho of the Heart to the Voice of the Spirit Calvin In the Continuation of Pool 's Annotations one of your Vouchers hath this on 1 John 5.10 He that truly believes hath the effectual Impress of this Testimony upon his Soul What is that but the Eccho of it speaking the same thing Neonom He means that Faith doth not evidence our Pardon as it is a Grace wrought in the Soul by the Spirit or a holy Qualification but only as it doth assent to and rest in this inward Voice D. W. p. 163. Antinom No he doth not place this Evidencing Nature of Faith which he speaks of in it as an Act or Qualification for as such it evidenceth no more than any other Grace but Faith hath a peculiar evidencing Nature in it because it is a receiving Grace he speaks not now of Assent it takes Possession of the Promise And would not you have Faith to be assenting to and resting on the Voice of the Spirit in the Word what would you have it be nothing at all Neonom He seems to own that Sanctification is some Evidence Antinom He doth so as was observed before Calvin I pray what is your Sence concerning the way of attaining Assurance Neonom Truth The ordinary way whereby a Man attaineth a well-grounded assurance is not by immediate objective Revelation or an inward Voice saying Thy Sins are forgiven D. W. p. 160. Antinom I judge by this Negation you set by these things from Assurance as having nothing to do ordinarily in it 1. That no Voice is heard any way by the Soul Thy Sins are forgiven that is not to be believed by a direct Act of Faith 2. That Forgiveness of Sin is not revealed to a Believer by the Word of Promise believed 3. That the Spirit of God hath nothing to do in bringing the Soul to appropriate and apply the general Promise particularly to his own Soul So that here as to our believing Forgiveness of Sin neither the Spirit nor the Objective Revelation of the Gospel nor indeed Faith it self in it's receiving Nature hath any thing to do but only as a Sign and Mark set upon the Soul Neonom But when a Believer is examining his Heaert and Life by the Word the Holy Spirit enlightens the mind there to discern Faith and Love and such other Qualifications which the Gospel declareth to be the infallible Signs of Regeneration And he adds such Power to the Testimony of Conscience for the Truth and In-being of these Graces as begets in a Soul a joyful sense of it's comfortable state and some comfortable Freedom from those Fears which accompany a doubting Christian And according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak Antinom I observe now though you would let the Spirit have no hand in the Evidence of Faith yet you need its help to enlighten about Signs and Qualifications I pray how doth the Spirit enlighten here Is it by any objective Revelation or by any inward Dictate or Intimation And cannot the Spirit as well enlighten the Mind to behold Christ in the Promise by an Act of Faith as to behold Faith and Love in our selves 2. You will not admit the Declaration of the Gospel received and embraced by Faith to evidence but that it seems the Heart and Life must be examined by the Word as a Rule So that Assurance must be wrought by the Word as a Law not as a Gospel so far as you are come up to a Conformity to the Rule not a Testimony of your Interest in the Grace of the Gospel 3. You had need have the Light of the Spirit to find an infallible Sign in you too though they be declared in the Gospel Hypocrites pretend to them and you cannot tell whether you are any better than a Hypocrite without an infallible Voice of the Spirit according to your Doctrine for you must know that you shall persevere in those Qualifications and it 's impossible for a Man to be assured till Death or can be assured of his Perseverance till then all other Signs will signifie nothing without an Infallible Witness 4. You must have a Power added by the Spirit to the Testimony of Conscience that it may witness the Truth and In-being of Graces What 's the Reason it cannot witness the Truth of our In-being in Christ and add a Power to our Faith to believe even unto Assurance 5. All this Examination Illumination of the Spirit Gospel-Declaration c. may at last beget a joyful Sense or a reconciled State you say but according to you it cannot be Assurance because you cannot yet try by Perseverance the Soul is in a little hopes it 's in a probable way to Salvation but cannot be assured he is in a sure state or shall certainly be saved because he must continue his Justified State by his Works and therefore it 's impossible for him to try and find so far as to Assurance because he hath not persevered you 'l say it may be He must believe his Perseverance and be assured of it by Faith then I say there 's as much ground to believe and be assured by Faith of all our Salvation 6. You speak not of an Assurance in all you have said but of some comfortable Freedom from Doubtings i. e. upon some probable Grounds This amounts to more than Opinion at last the only Judgment of a contingent Axiom and you tell us elsewhere our State here is but of Tryal not decided therefore there can be no Assurance at all in this Life 7. You do well to add at last that according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak And may not that Assurance be so which we call the Assurance of Faith May it not be strong or weak according to the Evidence that Faith gives in being strong or weak Faith But now go on to your Whethers and Neithers Neonom I will shew you wherein the difference is not D.W. p. 164. Antinom So you may and enumerate all things in the World by Sea and by Land besides It is not whether the Sun be the Element of Fire nor how many Regions in the Air nor whether Spirits are material nor whether Anima be ex traduce c. Neonom It is not whether the Spirit witnesseth by his Miraculous Operations to Christ and the Gospel which is a Truth and the meaning of many of the Texts which you quote Antinom I do not know that we were like to stumble there for we speak only of the Spirits witnessing in its ordinary way and so are all the Texts to be understood so far as they have been applyed to our purpose Neonom Nor whether the Spirit as a Worker of Grace in the Heart be an Earnest of Glory and Witness to our state
required to examine our selves but where lyes the Critical Point It 's in Christ being in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 try or see by tryal whether Christ be in you how look after the true Evidence of it by finding out the thing it self i. e. Christ received by Faith and witnessed by his Spirit for Christ is in us these ways 1. By his Spirit 2. By Faith 3. By our Mystical Union I in them John 17. Now this Tryal is by Faith for it is thus Do we see the things that are Invisible But suppose you say the Tryal is by the Fruits of Faith we deny it not but we say they are not only here but to be understood therefore the place concludes not against us nor that place 2 Pet. 1.10 The Apostle there tells us We have all things that pertain to Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue and if all things then Assurance too for it 's through great and precious Promises that we are partakers of the Divine Nature and through them as the Spirit is bestowed so it Comforts and Ensures Life and Salvation to us And as it works many gracious Vertues and Fruits in us so it excites and stirs us up to Encrease and Growth in Grace ver 5 6 7. And where these things are not it is a sign that a Man hath no true savour of Pardoning Grace lying under senlesness of the great Reason of Christ's Death and Satisfaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ purging away of Sin i. e. by Sacrifice of his bearing of Sin of old so long ago and it 's no doubt but the real total absence of the Fruits of Faith is a sign there is no Faith if these things be wanting such an one is Purblind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false-sighted thinks he is something when there 's nothing but the difficulty is this a Man saith he hath upon tryal these Vertues but is short-sighted he looks close to himself and passeth a wrong Judgment how shall he be convinced that he hath them not or he saith he hath them not how shall he come to be satisfied that he hath them Who must resolve these difficulties Is it not the Word and Spirit that must resolve it in believing Therefore the rather give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure and how is that done Why not in believing Doth not Faith make our Calling sure Is Election to be known any way but by believing And how is our Calling i. e. Invitation to believe How is that made good but by answering the Call For he saith doing these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. making Calling and Election sure by getting a sure footing and standing in Christ by Faith you shall not fall or stumble so as to fall and an entrance shall be abundantly ministred the words are so an entrance into his Eternal Kingdom shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministred to you Now Christ he is the Door and a Rich Entrance into his Kingdom ministred to every one that believeth so that the Crisis of our State that the Spirit of God puts us upon in both places is especially about our Faith in Christ which Faith is a Witness in our selves and the Spirit witnessing with it and all ways and means causing our Faith to witness and giving us Light and Evidence from the Word believed to see the Graces of God and Fruits of the Spirit in our Hearts Neonom This is the way whereby the Scripture Saints were assured They concluding their Justication by their Sanctification and a state of Peace by the Truth of Grace 1 John 3.14 ver 9. ver 18. Thus David Paul and other Saints concluded the safety of their state D. W. p. 165. Antinom This is one way but not the only or principal way The Apostle John tells often that Love if it be true and from a true Principle and Root is an Argument of our Regenerate state but that it may be known to be such it must be traced to the Head it being but a stream to see how it flows from the Love of Christ apprehended by Faith whereby we have our Radical hold and standing And as he saith ver 14. Hereby we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren Yet lest he should leave us in the dark and we should take false Love for true he tells us there is another Judgment to pass upon our Love before we can argue from it we must find that it flows from our perception of the Love of God in laying down his Life for us and from thence should proceed our readiness to lay down our Life for the Brethren ver 16. In this we know or are assured of God's Love in that he laid down his Life for us The Love of God believed gives the Original Ground of Assurance and is the greatest and the Touchstone to an other A Witness from Men from what is found in us is something but the Witness of God is greater 1 John 5.9 And the witness that he hath given to us in the Gospel concerning his Son testified by the Spirit and applyed by Faith is that Evidence upon which all firm Assurance is Radically Built And you shall plainly see that John doth not found our Assurance Radically upon Love but in Justifying Faith he saith ver 18. Let us be sincere in Love and I will tell you whereby you shall attain to good Assurance ver 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this i. e. in what follows in this refers not to the foregoing Verse but to what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used as the Causal Particle for For in this we shall know or be assured that we are of the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall perswade our Hearts it 's rendred well assure our Hearts bring our Hearts to Assurance by believing that whereby Condemnation is removed for saith he if this be not whatever Judgment we have of what is in our selves it may deceive us and God knows enough in us to condemn us for if our Hearts labour under unbelief and condemn us whatever we find in our selves will not give us peace and God is greater than our Hearts therefore we must assure our Hearts that way which will hold good in the Eye of God's Justice i. e. by Faith in Jesus Christ ver 21. and saith he if our Heart condemn us not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have chearfulness and boldness towards God and how is it possible that the Condemnation of our Hearts should be taken off but by believing and thereby perswading our Hearts But you will say it may be that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used for to express our believing But I will shew you it is See Heb. 11.13 They all died in Faith having not received the Promises but saw them afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were perswaded of them
Adultery or the grossest Wickedness D. W. p. 170. Antinom Here 's many things put together in this Charge and by an undue mixture and wresting my sense and meaning he hath made it look as he pleaseth but we must hear his Proof and then I shall be the better able to make my defence Neonom Note that he speaks most of this concerning a Person as Elect tho' he uses the word Believer sometimes because he alone knows he is elect by believing D. W. p. 171. Antinom Do not you then in alledging my words make a confusion in my sense for your way is to pick up my Expressions here and there and put them together to make up that sense which you would put upon them Neonom You say tho' such persons do act Rebellion yet the loathsomness and abominableness and hatefulness of this Rebellion is laid on the back of Christ he bears the sin as well as the blame and shame c. and that 's the only reason why God can dwell with those persons that do act the thing because all the filthiness of it is transacted from them to the back of Christ. Obj. How should God know every sin the believer hath committed and yet God not remember them Ans Tho' he remember the things thou hast done yet he doth not remember them as thine for he remembers perfectly they are none of thine when he passed them over to Christ they ceased to be thine any longer D. W. p. 436 and Dr. C. p. 436. Antinom I have vindicated my self already as to those Expressions in our Debate concerning God's laying Sin on Christ but lest you should have forgot what was said I shall speak a little to it My design hath been in several Discourses and in that mentioned by you that we must have Christ before we can be holy as the Root of all gracious Qualifications and that Christ is bestowed in a way of efficacy before we have him in a way of evidence and God tells us whose Iniquities were laid on Christ even of them that were gone every one away as lost Sheep and turned to their own ways the same thing that the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.8 God recommended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners it must be meant unbeiieving and impenitent sinners Christ died for us and he saith Ver. 10. If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son that must be understood of our being in a state of enmity before we come to a state of Grace this reconciliation is wrought by Jesus Christ I shall give you my Discourse as briefly as I may that you may see my meaning Faith you know is the first of all Gifts God bestows upon a Soul Dr. C. p. 334. and all other Graces they follow that Faith that Christ doth give to Men. So that if there be not a Believing there can be no Grace of Sanctification at all but while persons are departing from the living God there remains in them an evil Heart of unbelieving and yet this is true that while they are departing from the living God and straying as lost Sheep their Iniquities are laid on Christ and the true meaning of the word turn to our own ways is that Men do what they list and what is good in their own eyes and yet it is the Iniquity of these Men that have thus turned to their own ways which the Lord hath laid upon Christ From whence I lay down this Conclusion That this Grace of the Lords laying Iniquity on Christ is certainly applied unto persons even while they are departing from the living God while they are lost Sheep while they are turned every one to their own way before they have amended their ways And because this Truth is so hardly received seeming to give so much way to loosness as some calumniate I endeavour to clear it Dr. C. p. 435. and that it is a most fearful Injury unto a Man's self and a forsaking a Man's own Mercy directly for a Man to conclude that there is no Grace for me because I cannot find such and such things in me as Universal Obedience Sanctification c. and you shall plainly see where Grace is applied unto Persons and to what Condition of Men Psal 68.18 And then I open that where God is said to give his Gifts to the Rebellious and use the said Expressions which he rehearseth which amounts only to thus much in my sense that when the Grace of Redemption and the application thereof is first applied it finds us lost Creatures lost Sheep rebellious ones turning every one to his own ways which I also illustrate from Ezek. 16.7 8 9. What Qualifications can you find in blind-eyed and shackled Persons that are bound up under the Bondage of Satan Dr. C. p. 439. even dead in Trespasses What renewed Qualifications in Sanctification can you find in such Persons seeing the first Work that God works upon any Person is to open the eyes to see him and to see themselves Now Christ must be present because he is given to do this thing before it can be done If it be the Eye of Faith Christ is said to be the Author and Finisher of it if it be the the Eye of God we must all be taught of God our Saviour speaks plainly when he pointed out directly to the Jews for whom he died and became sin I came to save that which was lost it 's by the Eye of Knowledge we must be taught all of God And this is one part of God's Covenant I will remember their Sins no more What is that Covenant I will be their God and thy shall be my People and your Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Dr. C. p. 438. This is the substance of the Covenant And Christ himself is given over to Men as much as to say In Christ I will become thy God In Christ I will remember thy Sins and Iniquities no more This is the substance of the Covenant Christ is this Covenant and Christ himself is given over to Men quasi dicat In Christ I will become thy God In Christ I will remember thy Sins and Iniquities no more this have I given in him to you But when doth the Lord pass over this to persons When they are first renewed Have persons the knowledge of God and of themselves before the Lord makes this Deed of Gift over to them Mark what follows You shall see all the Qualifications of Sanctification must not only follow Christ given but they are the very work of Christ himself after he is given I will give thee for a Covenant to open blind eyes Now altho' the end of things be first in the Intention yet it is the last in Execution If a Workman be to build an House the Work must be prepared before the House can be builded by him Calv. I think Mr. Antinomian you have said enough to vindicate yourself
suspicion upon reflecting on our former acts of Faith we must believe we are to amend weak Faith or Faith suspected not to be true by believing firmly and confidently on the Pardon of God and Blood of Christ the way to believe is not to charge the Wrath of God upon ourselves and to put ourselves under the Law but to flee for refuge to the hope set before us Neonom But I will shew you wherein the difference is not 1. The Question is not whether a Believer doth by new sins fall from a justified estate D. W. p. 173. Antinom Therefore a Believer ought not upon his new sins to look upon himself to be under the Wrath of God for a state of Justification is a state of freedom from Wrath. Neonom Nor whether God doth upon new Crimes judicially charge the Christian with those sins he had pardoned before tho' he may present to his view some former sins for his further humblings Antinom You here grant 1. That a Believer upon falling into relapses or sin is not bound to disbelieve the pardon of former sins 2. The reason is That God doth not judicially charge former sins already pardoned and if so he is bound to believe God doth not And hath he ground to believe God will not charge judicially sins formerly pardoned hath he not then abundant ground to believe and the same ground to believe God will pardon this sin also and is there a foundation in the Gospel to believe the pardon of some sins and not of all 3. You own That God may present sins to a Believer's view for his humbling where he doth not judicially charge and so do I and you shall see this one Concession will cut down all your design in this Chapter Neonom Nor whether a Believer ought to question his justified estate upon any sins that do not give just suspicion that sin hath dominion over him or his faith was not true Antinom Hence then so long as a Believer's state of grace holds he is not to question his justification upon any sin and he is no further to question the pardon of his sins or ought to charge wrath upon himself and I would ask whether upon any such just suspicion he ought not now to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and lay hold on the pardoning grace and mercy of God in Christ for Life and Salvation Neonom Nor whether any sins past and sins present at his first believing be unpardoned Antinom If so why should he not believe that all sins future are forgiven for there 's the same reason of the forgiving all as one Christ bore all his sins at once and he can believe on Christ for pardon of one sin but he believes the pardon of all if the faith be good 2. If upon the first believing of all sins past and present are forgiven why not upon an after act of faith after a Believer hath sinned for the pardon he then looks for is of a sin past or present and do you think any Man can truly believe any one sin is forgiven and not all Neonom Nor whether our renewed acts of Faith Humiliation Repentance Fasting or Reformation do merit pardon Antinom No but if it tantamount to it it 's as bad it 's no matter what you call it if the thing be the same a federal Condition of Works upon which the Covenant-Promise becomes due is a Merit Neonom Nor whether a principle of life given at our first conversion will finally fail to exert itself in due humblings for repeated enormities and in holy resolves Antinom But it is a question Whether there may not be repeated humblings for repeated enormities and such as you call holy resolves without a principle of life 2. Whether you can make up such an evangelical imperfect sincere persevering Obedience for a Condition of the Covenant to a Man that falls into repeated enormous Crimes 3. Whether that principle of life will not produce as well repeated acts of faith as humblings and resolves 4. Whether those humblings and resolves be worth a rush without faith 5. What you will call due acts of humblings and resolves what measure they must reach to produce a pardon 6. What you mean by a principle of life Neonom Nor whether the same degrees of humblings be necessary for all crimes and in all persons and in all times Antinom Then there are Pardons at several rates and it will be difficult to adjust the several degrees of Penance according to those varieties of respect it will be hard to know how far a Believer must go before he may dare to believe he is pardoned and it 's hard that a Believer must pass through so many humblings and resolves before he may believe his Pardon whereas at his conversion on one act of faith all his sins past and present were forgiven Neonom Nor whether any gross miscarriage should cause a Saint to condemn all past experience and conclude his graces to be counterfeit Each of these I deny Antinom You need not have brought in one gross Miscarriage here in question when you past before repeated Enormities 2. I would enquire whether a gross miscarriage or an enormity be perseverance if it be relapse and non-perseverance he hath reason upon your Hypothesis to conclude his Graces counterfeit for having cut off that Sign and distinguishing Character of true Grace he must begin again to try for that Mark which may hold a while till the next gross Miscarriage and where is his true Grace then must not all precedent Experiences be condemned Neonom Nor whether a sense of Pardon ought not to effect and melt the Heart D. W. p. 174. Antinom But it is whether a sense of Pardon doth not affect and melt the Heart as the Natural Gospel and Effectual Means and all other humblings without Faith of Pardon are not meerly legal generating to bondage and ineffectual to reach the end Neonom Nor whether some true Penitents may not sometimes be too much dejected and overwhelmed with sorrow for sin Antinom But it 's a question Whether true godly Sorrow such as is produced by Faith in the Blood of Christ can be too much or overwhelm any true Believer 2. Whether if it be too much it will obtain pardon and not lose its end as well as when it is too little 3. Whether when it is too much it be not a work of supererogation and may not have the pardon of some other sin yet to be committed cast into boot Neonom Nor whether a general Exercise of Faith and Repentance do not answer the Gospel rule of Forgiveness as to Sins of Ignorance and Surprise These three last I affirm Antinom It seems you allow there 's a general Pardon that will serve to Believers for some sins those I suppose you 'l call Venial I would fain know Whether in the justification of a sinner there be any sins particularly excepted that are not pardoned in the first Grant and whether
is as much as to say all is in Christ and must come from him and that a justified one is Christ's and therefore is emboldned to draw nigh to him in full assurance of Faith as a merciful and faithful High-Priest and this Faith carries him forth to true Sorrow for Sin Repentance Humiliation to exalting Free-Grace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Neonom Now you shall see the Truth confirmed and I have said so much before to clear this Point that I shall only speak now the substance of it D. W. p. 175. Antinom All you have said hath tended to darken any Truth of the Gospel you have taken in hand Neonom God doth see and charge a Believer with his new Enormities as his sins and not Christ's 2 Sam. 12.9 David 's sin is an evil it was in God's sight it 's charged by God on David Antinom I have always told you that imputation of sin in the Gospel sense doth suppose the sin imputed is not his to whom it is imputed by commission David committed it tho' Christ bore it 2. The Lord so far chargeth the best of his People as to reprove them for sin this is an Act of Grace in order to recover them 3. Sin is sin in its true nature still Christ died not to save sin but the sinner that sin should not be judicially charged on him You say God doth not judicially charge a Christian with some sins tho' he may present them to his view for his humbling if God should judicially charge any sin there must be a new sacrifice of atonement before it could be forgiven when the Apostle saith who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect there 's no doubt but there 's enough to lay to the charge of the Elect even before and after Faith both by the word of God and their own Consciences and by Satan and wicked Men but there 's nothing shall be charged upon them so as to affect them in a way of Judicial Proceeding against them nay God is in Christ reconciled to their Persons notwithstanding all his Rebukes in his Word and Providence God's seeing is in a way of Omnisciency so he knows and sees all things his Eyes run through the whole Earth beholding the evil and the good He sees in a way of Grace The Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous Psal 34.15 He sees in a way of Justice and Judicial Proceeding and in this sense Seeing and charging Sin are understood by us as opposed to not Seeing Neonom Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our Iniquities before thee I hope Moses was not mistaken Antinom Moses speaks of Man in general in that Chapter in respect of his Fall and the Effects of it in God's Execution of the Sentence of the Law upon him v. 6 7 8. We question not but it's that Scripture's-sense wherein all the World is become guilty before God And that God in a way of Displeasure doth hide his Face or set Mens Sins in the Light of his Countenance especially in his dealing with a Nation or Church or any mixt People God's management of general Government being according to the Law and not according to the Gospel Hence all Gods Rebukes in a way of Anger are vastly different from such as are in a way of Love and Fatherly Affection But all Threats and Denunciation of Judgment Wrath and Indignation belongs to the Law and its Sanction and not to the Gospel tho' it be upon the account of the neglect and despising of it Neonom A Believer ought to charge himself with his own Sin God commands this when he calls to Confession and Humiliation Antinom A Man ought so far to charge himself as to acknowledge his Sin and see his Misery or else he will never prize Mercy and so did David Psal 51.4 But David fled from the Judicial Charge of Sin from the sight or apprehension of God's displeasure he got from that Charge as soon as he could God never made Despair a way of Salvation Confession of Sin and charging a man's self with Sin is marvelously different for the first may be from the Spirit of Grace but the other is from a Spirit bound under the Law Those despairing Fits that Job and Heman sometimes fell into I look upon them to be Instances of the Saints Infirmities the weakness of their Faith and God's dealing with them in a way of Trial and Humiliation in withdrawment of the usual Light of his Countenance and Favour from them besides that the Saints under the old Testament in regard of the Darkness and Legality of that Dispensation might be said to be charged with Sin in a more seeming judicial way than Gospel-grace doth admit God in a sense might be said to remember Sin in regard of the repeated Sacrifices and Execution frequently of external and temporal Calamities modo paenarum of the manner of Punishments for Sin after the tenor of a Law or Covenant of Works Neonom New Transgressions need renewed Pardon all Sins are not pardoned at once To say nothing how impossible it is Christ would never teach his own People to pray daily for Pardon if it did not need it and it could not be repeated Mat. 6.12 D. W. p. 176. Antinom If Pardon of all Sins be not at once then no Man is justified at once for he that is not pardoned for all Sins is not justified but lies under Condemnation besides so often as he Sins he is unjustified and if unjustified fallen from Grace for where there 's no Justification there 's no Sanctification And as to our Saviour's Teaching his Disciples to pray for Pardon daily it 's easily answered That Pardon of Sin in Scripture-sense is to be understood of God's manifesting Pardon and Forgiveness to justified ones it s of the Grace that we receive in Christ from day to day it 's the lifting up of the Light of God's Countenance upon us and the Sun of Righteousness shining with healing in his Wings or Rays of Grace How many other Benefits that a Believer hath in Christ doth he daily pray for As for the Spirit of Adoption Sanctification in Christ Jesus who is as surely made to us Sanctification as Justification All the Blessings that we have in Christ we pray for and its needful that we have them in Christ or else we can't pray in Faith for them You say it 's impossible God should pardon all Sins at once And God saith His Covenant is Heb. 10.16 17. As for their Sins and Iniquities I will remember them no more Doth he say that he will remember against a justified one only his Sins past and present no more What Comfort then is it to a justified one He may say according to you it 's true I am justified till to day but to morrow God will remember my Sins against me I cannot live in the comfort of Forgiveness for any Sins but past and present What you alledge of David Lamentations and Job are nothing
Christ is made our Sanctification and all that Holiness in us that is accepted it 's not only in and for his Righteousness but it 's performed in the Life and Power of Christ our Sanctification therefore he saith 1 Cor. 1.30 that what we are we are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. Neonom Or is that filthiness which renders Saints the excellent of the Earth Psal 16 2. Antinom Doth not David say ver 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee the original words if you understood them is fuller as to the sense intended tho' shorter than the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Goodness is not to thee or nothing to thee and the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast no need of my Goodness Do you say Is that Filthiness which renders the Saints Excellent I had thought it was the Grace of God Christ's Righteousness and the Inbeing in Christ that had rendred them Excellent not their own Works Neonom The Imitators of Christ Antinom Scholars that Write after another may make very sorry work mere Scribling that the Master tho' he finds reason in himself to accept would if he did not tear it all to pieces Neonom Was not this it for which Caleb was said to have another Spirit and upon account whereof we must love the Godly as begotten of God Antinom Was Caleb's Works his Spirit or his Works flow from his singular Spirit his Spirit was a Spirit of Faith thro' which he did so great things in Christ Jesus and so the Works were accepted Heb. 11. The Foundation Reason of our Love to the Saints is Christ loving them and their Relation to Christ every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him and by this we know we love the Children of God when we love God 1 John 5.1 2. Neonom Is it not pleasing to God to which he hath made so many promises and for which he commends Moses David c. Antinom As God is not pleased with any Persons so with no Works out of Christ neither hath made any promises to any such out of Christ all the best Works are cast forth as Filth and Odious if done out of Christ Neonom Calling them a peculiar People it s no small thing that Christ is so pleased with his Spouse Antinom They are peculiar because purchased and have peculiar Blessings and Privileges and bring forth peculiar Fruits in Christ Jesus John 15.5 6. without me ye can do nothing and if a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and any Work that is done out of Christ is but Dung as 1 Cor. 3.12 13. If a Man in Christ build Hay Stubble his Works will be burnt and he suffer loss tho' he may be saved Christ is pleased with his Spouse his Church because he hath loved it and washed it in his own Blood and therefore she is Comely but as for what she is in her self and as to her Works in themselves and done out of Christ she is but Black as the Tents of Kedar c. Sol. 1.5 Neonom Can that be Dung which is a Meetness for Glory an Honour to God and Credit to Religion Antinom Our Meetness for Glory is all from Grace there 's nothing that flows from our selves no Work done out of Christ can contribute to any Meetness all our Meetness is in Christ Jesus as made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification and we grow up in him in all things as for our relation unto Men we say with the Apostle they are profitable to Men and be a means that they Glorifie God on our behalf but God hath no direct Honour by them if not performed by Faith in Christ Neonom How can that be Acceptable to God in Christ if it be Filthiness Antinom Good Works are good in their kind but comparatively and in themselves because of the mixture of Sin and Corruption they are in the sense of the Spirit of God but Filth you may as well say how can Paul be Acceptable to God thro' Christ who saith In me dwelleth no good thing Must Persons and Actions be free from all adhering Corruption by reason whereof they in themselves are Abominable to the pure Eye of God before they be made Acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ This is like your constant Doctrins Persons and Actions must be good first before they have benefit by Jesus Christ Neonom Wickedness will never be Accepted with God for Christ sake tho' imperfect Goodness shall Antinom No imperfect Goodness can be Accepted as Righteousness with God for Christ sake Christ never so much as purchased that any of our best Graces or Works should be Accepted as our Righteousness and it cannot be Accepted unto Holiness out of Christ and the Doctor never said our good Works wrought by Faith in Christ are Dung so as not thro' Christ to be Accepted unto Holiness but imperfect Works are no more our Righteousness for Acceptation with God than Wickedness neither in their Nature for Christ's sake Neonom Read what is spoken of Sincerity and Vprightness will it agree with what 's Mortal Poison Antinom Moral Sincerity and Uprightness may and so is all out of Christ Neonom What a Reproach is it to Christ to call his Life in us and the beginning of Glory by this Title Antinom The Life of Christ in us is by the Faith of the Son of God and we are Crucified with Christ to all that 's done by us and therefore account it Dung and Dross in comparison of all done by us and Works give us not Title to Glory tho' Grace begins it Neonom Nay to make his Triumphs in us so low as that all he hath improved his Members to is mere Filthiness Antinom The Triumph of Christ in us is the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Neonom It 's well if the Scriptures can escape clean if all the Works of the Spirit are thus debased when they pass thro' Men. Antinom The Scriptures are clean in themselves as from the Spirit but the Works done by us are not Scripture tho' they be in some measure conformed thereto Neonom But I less wonder that Doctor Crisp should speak thus of the Righteousness of the Saints as in them when he saith the Enemies of Christ may have Sincerity and singleness of Heart towards God P. 450 451 452. Antinom Doth not he prove that Paul in his Unregenerate Estate was blameless as to the Law 's Righteousness Phil. 3.6 and what Paul did against the Churches he verily thought that he ought to do it Acts 26.9 Was not this Sincerity at least in his apprehension had he not an Eye in what he did to the Glory of God The Jews also had a Zeal for God Rom. 10. but you wrong him
be a Scripture Expression concerning Christ yea and of Christ under his Sufferings of Wrath and Curse for Sin for tho' God never hated his Person in the highest of his Suffering neither is it necessary any Judge passing Sentence on the worst Criminal should hate his Person yet his Father dealing with him in a judicial way by the eye and hand of Justice in this present state and standing under the Charge of Sin and thereby cloathed as it were with filthy Garments is said to be as it were abhorred of God and it s not only included in the word forsaken the Syriack word Sabactani and taken from Psal 22. where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used signifying dereliquit deseruit and so rendred by the LXXII and the Evangelist Abhorrere being used by Classick Authors in the sense of being averse to a state or condition Cic. Abborret ab auribus vulgi it s not agreeable to the Peoples Ear abhorrere a nuptiis to be averse to Marriage and from that aversion to turn away from it or a Person in it so God having purer Eyes than in his Justice to behold or endure Iniquity forsook and turned away as it were abhorring his Son standing under the charge of Sin in that state and condition And accordingly as Christ considered in this respect and state of Guilt and Condemnation is brought in prophetically by the Prophet speaking those words Psal 22. and are actually applied to himself by himself on the Cross Mat. 27.46 So we see in another famous Prophecy of this same state of his Suffering this word Abhor is used by our Interpreters most properly Psal 89.38 Thou hast cast off thou hast abhorred thou hast been wrath with thine Anointed The Hebrew hath it with thy Messias and the 72. hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred abhorred Sign sprevit reprobavit aspernatus est and by the 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast contemned or despised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dereliquit absecit deseruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprevit Resâ—â—nt reprobavit aspernatus aversatus est abhoruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exconduit Furere percitus And it 's observable that three such highly significant words should he here used in one Verse as expressive of the unspeakable weight of God's Wrath and Curse that lay upon him Thou hast deserted thou hast abhorred thou hast dealt in fury of wrath with thy Messiah In Dr. Abbot's Defence of the Reformed Catholick p. 428. we have the following Passages The Prophet saith The Lord did lay upon him our Iniquities the Lord would break him and make him Subject to Infirmities that we may understand that God did not only leave him to the hands of Men but himself counted him with sinners by the bearing of our sins and therefore dealt with him himself accordingly So that he had cause to cry out Thine Indignation lieth borâ— upon me and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms Lord why abhorrest thou my Soul and hidest thy Face from me thy wrathful Displeasure goeth over me and the Fear of thee hath undone me Yet as touching the Person of Christ we acknowledge that he was excepted from Sin In the Margin he qoutes Psal 89.38 applied to Christ by Athenas Interp. Psal by Arnob and Hierom. on Psal 87. As to the rest of the Mis-representations of the said Doctor which wâ—â—â— take up too much Time and Paper to rehearse I refer you to the particular Debates And as to your charging the Truths that he affirms and insists on for Error I shall mention briefly some principal ones under the next Head As to the second thing in which just Exceptions lie against your Book we have this to charge That you have not in all that is material fully and rightly stated Truths and Errors For 1. You have not rightly divided Truth from Error but confounded them one with another 2. You have condemned Truth for Error and asserted Error to be Truth 3. You have stuffed your Positions with ambiguous Words and Terms that instead of stating you have perplexed them and so that when you seem to speak one thing it 's most apparent you mean another Let me but give a few Instances of many that are more largely and particularly demonstrated in the Debates 1. According to this threefold falseness you state Truth and Error in your 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chapters in the Doctrins of Christ's bearing our Sins and Punishment for them 2. In the Doctrin of Imputation of Christ's Righteousness you plainly deny it to be any other than as to Effects which is no Imputation at all That there was no change of Person betwixt Christ and us That he suffered not in our stead That Spots remain in justified ones as they stand justified before God and therefore not perfectly justified and then imputed Righteousness must be imperfect C. 7. 3. You condemn it for an Error to say The Covenant of Grace as to us is not conditional and that Faith is not a Federal Condition of it And to say The Covenant of Grace was made between the Father and Son as the second Adam and with the Elect in him Or that this Covenant-Transaction is pleadable by us If all this be Error what Truth is there in the Scripture and the Assembly C. 8. p. 53 58. 4. You condemn this for an Error to say Christ is to be offered to the worst of sinners before they are willing to deny themselves and renounce all their Sins and Idols C. 10. p. 81. 5. You insinuate a Condemnation of all Union to Christ before an Act of Faith C. 11. p. 91. 6. You insinuate Perswasion not to belong to the Nature of Faith C. 9. p. 73. and make Faith and Repentance to justifie as qualifying Conditions C. 12. p. 102 114. 7. You insinuate a Condemnation of this great Truth asserted by our Lord Jesus Christ himself That he is the Way Truth and Life in Justification Sanctification and Glory Joh. 14.6 C. 13. p. 121. 8. The Sum of what you design in C. 14. is to condemn this great Gospel-Truth for Error that a Believer is not to work from Life but for Life p. 153. 9. You condemn all Ways of Assurance besides By-Signs and Marks found in us among which Perseverance is the greatest Here you condemn Assurance arising from the direct Act of Faith and immediate Witness of the Spirit by it self or in and by the Word C. 15 160 161. 10. You charge that great Truth to be an Error That God sees no Sin in justified ones C. 16. p. 170. And to say that Sin cannot hurt them in a way of condemnation C. 17. p. 181. And that the Afflictions of God's People are Effects of God's Vindicative-Justice and his Displeasure against their Persons C. 18. p. 150. 11. You condemn the Protestant true Acceptation and Interpretation of Phil. 3.8 9. C. 19. p. 196. 3. To these I shall name
DEFENDED AND THE New Gospel UNMASK'D TWO Gentlemen who had for their Recreation walk'd forth into the Fields in Vtopia happened to fall into Company together and after mutual Salutation and general Discourses of News having not as yet a particular Acquaintance or Knowledge one of another one of them among many things mentioned by him that were great ground of Sadness to a considering and gracious Mind said He was most affected with and grieved at the great Eclipse fallen of late upon the Doctrine of the Gospel insomuch that for the Doctrine of Justification especially we are in a manner returned again into Egypt that of Justification by Works being brought into the room of Justification by Faith and only varnish'd over with the Profession of the Protestant Religion and the change of a few Terms which are used to the same purpose that the former were The other Gentleman look'd hard upon him while he thus spake and said Have you seen a Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated It 's a Book much talked of and commended Yes Sir said the other I have seen the Book and read most of it but I will assure you I was much grieved at the reading of it I pray your Reasons He replyed Pray Sir excuse me there The other return'd I begin to have some Apprehensions what your Principles are I find you are an Antinomian I pray what is your Name I crave your Excuse Sir you have given me a Name you may call me by that or what you please for by this I do as well ken you For I know of what Principles those Men are of that are so ready to asperse the Asserters of the Doctrine of Free-Grace with the Reproachful Name of Antinomians the true Account of which Sect and most ancient is from the Apostle Paul's time that they took occasion from the Doctrine of Free-Grace to plead for and practise all manner of Licentiousness Hoc anno prodiit Secta eorum qui dicuntur Antinomi Sleid. com l. 12. fol. 199. And in Sleiden we have an Account of a Sect of Libertines or Carnal Gospellers which brake out in Germany after the Reformation circ An. 1538. the Ring-leader whereof was Islebius Agricola the Compiler of the Interim They merited this Name of Antinomians by the loose Opinions and looser Practices against whom Luther wrote several Books and Calvin also with great Invectives in his Instr advers Libertin Which were Learned and eminent Witnesses to the Doctrine of Free Grace as it ought to be held forth in all its Gospel-Splendor and Lustre The other Gentleman replied As for Luther he was an Antinomian himself and Calvin but a little better according to the Opinion of our Modern Divines We say they are Antinomians that deny Justification to be by Faith as a conditional receiving Act and by Repentance as a qualifying Act and that the continuation of our Justification is by Works These Men which you name and their Followers indeed pretend to Holiness but they ascribe not that to it which they ought for the Honour of God's Rectoral Rule of Government Antinomian If these be the Men you call Antinomians they are falsely so called I think they that come nearest to the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles are the most Orthodox and I know no such Doctrine that they have taught but contrary to what you call Orthodox you seem to be of the Sect-truly call'd Neonomians because they assert That the Gospel is a new Law the Condition whereof is imperfect sincere persevering Obedience which I take to be no other than a Covenant of Works Neonom I am indeed of that Opinion and my Scheme is according thereunto I say the Covenant of Grace is a conditional Covenant and the Condition of it is sincere Obedience in Faith and other Graces and Duties persevered in But I say not that we are Justifyed by the Covenant of Works the Law of Innocency that is Abrogated transiit in Sentontiam but that Christ hath in satisfying that Law merited another with milder Terms and Conditions viz. of Imperfect Obedience Antinom I perceive then that you are the Antinomian indeed for you set aside the Old Law as Obsolete and Abrogated and of no use to us at all For the Apostle Paul saith The Promise is not against the Law but it doth establish it Neonom i. e. It doth establish the New Law not the Old we are for a Law and Justification by it tho' not for the Old For Paul still opposeth the Law of Faith and the Works of that Law to the Old Law i. e. The Law of Perfect Obedience You must not confound one with another That was a Law of Perfection this of Imperfection I have stated the difference between Truth and Error in these matters Antinom Now you say you have stated the Difference I begin to suspect you to be the Author of that Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated For that Gentleman pretends to a singular Dexterity in stating Questions and Superlative Nicety even to the splitting a Hair between Truth and Error and I perceive divers Divines do esteem him a Cuminopristes that way by the Commendation they have given him and the Recommendation of his Treatise Neonom Truly it is no more than what it deserves not to say any thing of the Author who I know how unworthy soever he thinks himself to be yet hath no greater Ambition than to remove Mistakes from Men's Minds about Gospel-Truths of which there are many even among honest well-meaning Divines as well as others who are too much unstudied in these matters and therefore frequently utter their crude and undigested Conceptions in the Pulpit and Press too and as he would reach forth light to them so he would be Malleus Hereticorum Antinom My thinks I am the more confirmed by this that you your self were the Author Are you Mr. D. W Neonom I was either the Author or will personate him so far as to defend the Book if any one hath any thing to say against it I must confess D. W. Pref. p. 1. a dislike of Contention hath long restrained my engaging in this Work Antinom I doubt too much of the contrary appears in that Book or else the Author would never have raked up the Ashes of an Holy Man that hath been so long at rest to contend with and spurn them about with his Foot in so much Scorn and Contempt Neonom I have been oft solicited to this Work by many able Ministers Antinom Because they look'd upon you as the ablest as you seem willing to be thought I perceive now I be not mistaken Neonom But finding what Principles you are of I know you are mistaken in many things which I shall rectifie you in if you have Patience and Will to hearken to me Do but read my Book and consider it well Peace is the Blessing which I chearfully pursue and it with the Truth
the Stomach and that the whole Mass of Blood is infected with ill Humours or the Morbid Constitution of some Parts Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh saith our Saviour our great Physician Is it not sad when there is a poysonsom Juyce under the Lips and a Mouth full of Bitterness Rom. 3. You first charge the Ministry of some and most hereabout know what sort of Men you mean with being the Cause of Men's Security in Sin And why Because they preach the Doctrine of the Gospel in a free Justification of a Sinner by Faith without the Works of a Law according to the Apostle Paul and preach down your Doctrine of Justification by Works But you express the Effects of this dangerous Doctrine to lie in these things 1. Security in Sin A Doctrine that quickens Men that are dead in Trespasses and Sins one part of which Death is Security in Sin doth not cause Security in Sin But the Doctrine of Free Grace in Justification of a Sinner without Works of any Law doth so Eph. 2. I shall not now enlarge upon you 2. Another ill Effect is you say That it causes the mistaking the Motions of sensible Passions for Conversion This is rather the Effect of your own Doctrine wherein you lay the whole Stress of Justifying and Saving Grace upon Sensible Passions and set Men wholly to judge of their State thereby It 's marvellously to be wondred at that any Man should have the Impudency to charge those Effects upon an opposite Doctrine to his which are the natural and palpable Effects of his own and he sees so to be 3. You charge upon it the general Abatement of an exact and humble walking This Charge is likewise of the same Nature Whereas the Spirit of God hath disclaimed any true Cause of exact walking beside the Grace of God that brings Salvation and then teacheth it as hath been proved As for Humble walking what is a greater Inducement thereto than the Doctrine of Faith which ascribes all to the Gift of Grace empties us of every high Imagination and Thought It exalts Christ and makes him all and in all Whereas yours is the contrary no Doctrine tends more to the lifting up of the Creature than that of Neonomianism next to that of the Papists And no wonder say you when so many affirm such and such things Where are the many or the any that you can charge with saying these things in the same Sence you put upon them Many Expressions that taken together with their Connexion in the explained Sence of him that speaks are not only true but safe and sound but abstracted and wrested may be made to look as black as Hell You may say David saith That there is not an honest Man upon the Face of the Earth Psal 12. That he saith There is no God Psal 14. That Moses affirms God to be a Man Exod. 15.3 And in a Thousand Places in your way and manner it 's easie to charge Blasphemy upon the very Scriptures And how often Lying if Hyperbole's be not allowed to be used without Wrong to the Truth As to the particular Charges I shall speak to each in it's proper place and lay open your Prevarications Errors and false Imputations to the World Neonom In this present Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel I have studyed Plainness Pref. D. W. p. 3. and to that end oft repeated the same things in my Concessions to prevent the Mistakes of the less Intelligent tho' I could not think it fit to insist anew upon all Antinom Your Testimony is against the Truth as shall be made appear and is not to be accounted a Testimony For a Testimony is a credible Witness or Evidence As the Apostle Paul saith Our Testimony among you was believed 2 Thes 1.10 And this Testimony is with a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 And Paul testified the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 2.24 1. Your Testimony is not to the Gospel of the Grace of God but against it and therefore not materially true 2. Your Testimony is formally naught it being not accompanied with a good Conscience but with a purpose and design to deceive You pretend to do Good but you manifestly design Evil to blast the Honour of God's Free Grace as if it were a Sin-teaching Doctrine and blacken a Holy Servant of Christ who is now in Glory for Preaching the Gospel your Testimony can't be believ'd because of your manifold Prevarications Equivocations and False Teachings in this Treatise of yours And whereas you say you have studied Plainness if you mean that in some places is no better than plain Falshood in others plain Error it 's true enough Or if you mean Plainness in respect of Style it 's homely enough and hardly plain Sence But if you mean Plainness of Simplicity without double-tonguedness I utterly deny it For when you speak of things that one would think at first Glance you intend Truth by it 's nothing so No Jesuite in the World can out-do you at Equivocation and there lies your Natural Excellency You have impertinent Repetition enough your Concessions every where fall about your own Ears in your glozing Oppositions to the Truth you deny You design the rectifying the Mistakes of the Non-intelligent This is false it 's manifest you design the blinding of them more else why do you quote Dr. Owen and the Assembly for countenancing those Errors which you know they directly oppose Let but the Mistakes of the less Intelligent be removed their Stomachs will rise sufficiently against you and your Book too Neonom I have in nothing misrepresented Dr. Crisp 's Opinion nor mistaken his Sence Antinom This must be true or false and here is the turning Point of the whole Book Either Dr. Crisp was or you must be If you have not misrepresented him then according to your Representation he was so If you have misrepresented him and unjustly blackened him what are you But that which we have in hand is Falshood and Lying As to this Assertion of yours we shall prove you guilty of Falshood throughout the Book that though you have repeated some of Dr. Crisp's Words from time to time yet you have only repeated such part of his Words as might render him odious not those that give a true and can did Sence of what he intended and herein you misrepresented him and that on purpose Now the Spirit of God lays the Formal Nature of a Lie upon an Intention to deceive or to deal injuriously with others as in the Case of Doeg Though I do not design now to come to Particulars I will give one Instance wherein you in your Book and your Party do frequently expose Dr. Crisp and his Abettors such as you call Divers as also Crispians and Antinomians that he and they do assert Sin can do no hurt and you would have Men understand that he means That no Person in Christ need fear to commit Sin and that Sin
odd things Sanctification is no Blessing with you but only a Condition of getting Blessings Neonom He saith that on the Cross all the Sins of the Elect were transferred to Christ and ceased ever to be theirs Antinom Then there was something more needful to our Title to Blessings than the Electing Decree viz. The transferring our Sins to Christ on the Cross It is a Truth that our Sins were laid upon Christ and that but once and after the manner of Imputation in foro Justitiae Divinae they shall never be laid upon us This I will prove against you when you please and indeed it s this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest Pique at Neonom That at the first moment of Conception a Title to all those Decreed Blessings is personally applyed to the Elect and they invested actually therein Antinom If that be his particular Judgment in that Point he saith something for it and I know not that you can disprove him If God doth secretly and invisibly apply his distinguishing Fruits of Electing and Redeeming Love upon the Elect as is manifest in Jeremiah John the Baptist yea Paul and without Dispute in the Instance of Jacob that he gives Is any Man the worse for it Must he therefore come under your Anathema for an Heretick Yea is not the Blessing thus applyed to all the Elect dying in Infancy Neonom Hence he saith the Elect have nothing to do in order to an Interest in any of those Blessings nor ought they to intend the least Good to themselves by what they do Sin can do them no harm because it is none of theirs nor can God afflict them for any Sin Antinom You may erect such a Scheme upon Paul's Epistles after this manner and take the Apostle James to prove it in your way He saith The Elect can do nothing in order to an Interest in Eternal Blessings nor when they have Eternal Life bestowed upon them and the Grace of Sanctification as an undoubted part of it ought they to put their Graces and Duties in the place of Christ or design the procuring or deserving so much as de congruo in what they do and that sin can't harm them as to it 's Penal and Vindicative Effects He saith therefore it can do them no real harm and so he explains himself And therefore Gods afflicting them proceeds not from Vindicative Justice he doth not afflict them so as to execute Justice upon them for Sin but to reform them His Term is from Sin i. e. to purge Sin out of them and make them Partakers of his Holiness As the Apostle saith Heb. 12. Neonom And all the rest of his Opinions follow in a Chain to the dethroning of Christ enervating his Laws and Pleadings obstructing the great Designs of Redemption opposing the very Scope of the Gospel and the Ministry of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles Antinom It 's strange a Holy Man as you own he was should do Christ so much mischief Here 's a swinging Bill of Costs but that 's not fair before we have a Hearing and Tryal Your Word is a Law Ego ipse dixi is enough if you pass the Sentence there 's nothing but Death and the Cobler But you say all his Doctrine is link'd together as in a Chain That 's like the Analogy of Faith not like a Scheme that must be erected a new every Minute or else it will not agree with the Heavens Nowmenians or Neonomians must be often erecting new Schemes Your Opinions are so far from Consistency and linking together that they hang together like a Rope of Sand and like Particles of various Shapes that are always justling one another till they break each others Shins Doth this Doctrine incur all this Damage By what Law Nay all this Damage is excluded by the Law of Faith And your boasting too of Works Doth the Apostle Paul's Doctrine preached Eph. 1. 2. Ch. and Rom. 4. and Gal. 5. where he testifies That Christ is become of none effect to whomsoever is justified by a Law dethrone Christ and enervate his Laws and Intercession Doth he plead your Works Doth it obstruct the great Designs of Redemption in advancing him in all his Offices and the Glory of God's Free Grace Your Bill of Costs will never be allowed you till you have confuted Paul's Epistles or by your Canons made them no Canonical Scriptures Neonom The Dr. had not entertained these Opinions if he had considered that God's Electing Decree is no Legal Grant nor a formal Promise to us The Decree includes the Means and the End in order to the last And as it puts nothing in present being so it bars not God as a Governour to fix a Connexion between Benefits and Duties by his Revealed Will. Antinom Here I see I must have a Care of my Crown The Dr. Seraphicus holds up his Fist Well Dr. Cr. you should go to School to learn new Principles in Divinity if you lived in our Times You did not consider that God did not legally Elect you But Sir is not this a very insolent thing of you to say that the Purpose of God in Election was not a Legal Grant Was it a Grant or no Or was it an Election without a Grant Is not God's Designation of Good a Grant so far as designed Is not a choosing in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love A granting that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love and predestinating us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will A Granting that we should have the Adoption of Children But you say this was not Legal What! Was it not lawful for God to do this according to the good Pleasure of his Will That we usually mean when we say a thing is not Legal Or do you mean God did not elect by a Law If he had been bound by a Law to Elect he had not Elected freely For a free choice implies a Person under no Obligation external or previous to his own intention and purpose 2. You say nor a formal Promise i. e. Explicit you mean It 's enough that it's an unchangeable purpose to make a formal Promise and as there was an Eternal Election so there was an Eternal Promise the Covenant of Grace between the Father and the Son being eternal And it 's expresly said that God's Purpose and Grace was given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.3 We were no sooner efected but the purpose and Grace of it was given us in Promise Election eternal the Promise eternal both equally eternal in puncto Eternitatis though in Nature Election is before the Promise and the Cause of it 3. You say the Decree includes the Means and the End Do you think Dr. Crisp did not know that Yes how to
the Promise of Life in Christ pleadable 2 Tim. 1.1 9. Neonom And our Personal Claim depends on the Gospel-Covenant whereof Christ is the Mediator Antinom So the Covenant of Redemption is not the Gospel-Covenant but neither is there any Claim to be made by it but another that interposeth between the Second Covenant and us We are not entitled at all to this new Covenant-Blessing by Christ but by our own Obediance you mean in performance of the Conditions of this Covenant you say How To defend from the Old Law Prosecution that there may be no Interruption but our New Law may have quiet in allowance of our Imperfect Obedience Christ Mediator with you is but as the Angel that defended Paradice so Christ stands and defends the New Law that no exception may be taken at its proceeding in Justification by Imperfect Obedience This is to make the Lord Jesus Christ the Minister of Sin to offer up himself a Sacrifice to procure an imperfect Righteousness for a Covenant Condition For in all Imperfections of Obedience there 's a mixture of Sin And is not this to make Sin good in its own Nature And implicitly to assert it can do us no hurt in the lower Degree it coming in as an Allay to the strictness of the Covenant of Works There 's a necessity of it as to the very formal Nature of it in the Condition For otherwise it would be a perfect Condition and then exclude us from all Blessedness as you say Neonom 4. This Gospel Sanction determines as certain a Rule of Happiness and Misery as the Law of Works did though it be not the same Antinom To determine Rules of Sin and Misery as your frequent Expression is is to make the Gospel to approve of Sin and Misery and it 's great Design and Business to send Men to Hell Take your way of Expression in what Sence you please it 's so Unscholar-like that a School-boy should be whipt for it 2. I tell you the Gospel hath no Law Sanction at all of its own but it only establisheth the Sanction of the Law by way of Promise to all saved ones Christ is the End of the Law to them and as to those that are not saved the Law takes it's Course upon them they come not under the Efficacy of the Gospel at all 3. In the whole you have said you have affirmed the Gospel to be a Covenant of Works as it 's your usual manner Neonom While it promiseth Pardon to all believing repenting Sinners and declares a Barr to pardon to the impenitent Rejecters of Christ and Gospel Grace it fixeth true Repentance and Faith unfeigned to be the Terms of Pardon So when it promiseth Heaven to the sincerely holy persevering Believer it fixeth sincere Holiness and Perseverance in Faith at the Terms of possessing Heaven Antinom 1. I would fain know whether the Gospel offers not Pardon unto unbelieving and impenitent Sinners Not that they should continue unbelieving and impenitent but that they should believe and repent For the Promise of the Gospel is an Offer and Tender of Forgiveness unto Sinners and it 's preached to them as such to perswade and encourage them to believe and whether this Promise be not before Faith to work it if not the Sinner hath no ground to believe For where there 's no Promise there 's no ground to believe 2. If it declare a Barr to all present impenitent ones and Rejecters of Christ it is preached in vain for all are so till they receive Christ by Faith 3. Whether Faith and Repentance be not included in the Promise of the Gospel I say They are All Gifts of Grace belong to the Promise of Grace but Faith and Repentance are Gifts of Grace Tâ—e Scripture is express in it Now then I argue First That Faith and Repentance belong to the Promise to the same Promise that gives forth Pardon and therefore are no Conditions they are Benefits they are Life in Christ and there 's none can have them but such as are in Christ And therefore Pardon is not promised to Faith and Repentance as things distinct from the Promise but Pardon is promised together with Faith and Repentance to the Sinner The Spirit of God only gives us to understand that they are to go together Pardon is rather the Conndition of Faith and Repentance and much more having a causal Influence thereunto then Faith and Repentance of Pardon 2. The Gospel doth not fix Faith and Repentantance as Conditions of Pardon in your Sence i. e. Working Conditions to entitle us to Christ for we are pardoned and justified freely and though there be Faith and Repentance upon giving forth of Pardon yet Faith Repentance and Remission of Sins are given in the same Promise to the Ungodly to Persons that were even till now Impenitent Rejecters of Christ 3. But you go on with your Mystery First The Sinner must be qualified with Faith and Repentance before he is reconciled to God in a way of Pardon and when he hath that he is to come on upon another Covenant for possessing of Heaven Now there must be sincere Holiness and Perseverance to qualifie him for Heaven The Promise of Heaven it s upon other Conditions What a Sad Case is a poor Sinner in if he make a shift to scramble by his imperfect Conditions into Covenant He is like every Day to be turned out again And when he hath done the best he can yet he must never believe that he shall go to Heaven till he lies a dying It were happy for him to be knock'd on the Head when he is in a good Frame lest he should lose all again and put to begin to go through all his imperfect sincere persevering moral Righteousness believing he knows not what For if he falls into Sin he must conclude his Perseverance is at an end you must enform us what Degrees of Sin in our imperfect Obedience may be admitted before we conclude that our Perseverance is at an end and then though you say Happiness will come upon Perseverance in imperfect Holiness I suppose then perfect Holiness is that which qualifies us for perfect Happiness and is the Condition of it Therefore we must arrive at it in this Life that so we may have the Condition before the Promise Are not these miserable Chimera's for Protestants Neonom Hence the Vse of Faith and Holiness to those Benefits is not from their Conformity to the Precept but their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise Antinom Now we come to the Whirligig that is the Mystery of the Scheme 1. We would know whether there be any difference between Conformity to a Rule and Precept in a Law And 2. What is the Rule of the Promise Is it not with you the Precept If it be not how is Conformity to it Obedience 3. The Promise is not properly a Precept as such tho' the Gospel-Promise is the Ground and Reason of all Gospel-Precepts but not Precepts of
Promises And how can any Man conform to the Precept in your Sence and not expect and have from thence the Use of the Benefits Yea and not look upon it as Federally following therefrom 4. I would fain know what gave the Use of the Benefit in the Covenant of Works For you say this determines the Rules of Happiness and Misery in the same manner Was not the Use of Adam's Faederal Holiness as to Happiness from Conformity to the Precept Where was the Rule of the Promise there Either it must be in the Precept or the Promise it self or in the Connexion of Promise and Precept Have I hit it now It 's sure the Connexion is the Rule of the Promise Now how is that a Rule of the Promise but in Conformity to the Precept and then it 's Conformity to the Rule of Precept and not of Promise Or is it possible to come with a Conformity to the Connexion between the Precept and Promise Now all the Intricate Harangue is only to tell us in the Clouds that Faith applying the Lord Jesus Christ will not justifie us but as it is a working Condition to which the Promise is annexed Neonom Yes it follows our applying Christ's Righteousness and relying on it would no more justifie us than our sincere Holiness would save us were it not for this Gospel-Promise That God will justifie for Christ's sake all those that believe Antinom The Business here that is the Kernel of this Nut is that Faith doth not Justifie us by applying Christ's Righteousness in the Promise by vertue of Christ's Righteousness it self imputed but by its own Vertue as being a Righteousness it self whereby it answers the Promise as a Condition upon which it is made As for Faith's receiving Christ and his Righteousness it serves thereby to barr the Old Law But Christ's Righteousness hath nothing to do here it 's our own Faith and Repentance is the Righteousness in their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise and that 's Latin for the New Law Here are great Mysteries more than Paul understood and all the Apostles any other than to reckon them another Gospel and vain talking And truly as for your comparing Christ and Holiness in the matter of Justification under the Umbrage of your Invented Rule of Promise is perfect Stuff It amounts but to this at best That if God had not promised Justification there had been none at all neither by Christ's Righteousness nor by ours But how came this Promise Do you not say Christ purchased it as an conditional Grant Neonom Hence by Gospel Grace there 's a great difference between imperfect Faith and utter Vnbelief between sincere Holiness and formal Profaneness or Wickedness true Love to God and prevailing Enmity c. By the Law of Works nothing was Holy but what was perfectly so c. But read the Bible if thou doubtest whether there is not a true Faith Holiness Love c. which be short of Perfection Antinom I thought we should have had a greater Instance of the Grace of God than in giving us a worse Condition of the Covenant than Adam had You should have told us what Perfection here you mean I suppose it must be only of Parts that it may be a Gospel Foederal Condition which must be imperfect and it must be mingled with Sin or else it will not answer the Rule of the Promise Now you will not allow it must answer the Rule of the Precept for there 's nothing abated of it but it must chop in between the Precept and Promise as the Gospel Condition in a way of Imperfection So that without Sin our Holiness is nothing Foederally We must take heed it become not perfect Holiness for if once it comes to that we fall under the Law of Works This were to begin in the Spirit of Imperfection and end in the Flesh of Perfect Holiness And this is the sad Condition of the Saints in Heaven that they are fallen under the Covenant of Works Again you do here not a little insinuate what I know lies in your Breast that there is no specifick difference between Grace and meer moral Endowments and it appears so upon all your Hypotheses For you declare there ought to be such and such Qualifications to entitle a Man to the Promise of Grace or Grace in the Promise before he hath the Promise And as to your Exhortation to the reading of the Bible c. I must tell you I have read the Bible several times and hope to read it and meditate on the Word of Grace contained therein as long as I live But if that be the true Doctrine of the Gospel which you have delivered in this Book I am utterly at a loss for my Salvation which I would be loth to be now at last after so many Years Satisfaction And let the World take notice that I do believe your Gospel to be another Gospel such as Paul speaks of and accurseth Gal. 1.8 9. Neonom God in dispensing of Gospel-promised Blessings doth judicially determine a Conformity to this Rule of the Promise When he forgives he judicially declares a Man hath true Faith When he admits into Heaven he judicially declares a Man sincerely holy and persevering Antinom This is plainly as much as to say God dispenseth the Gospel-Promise Judicially in the same way as a Law of Works He looks whether or no we have fully performed the Conditions and upon finding of them he judicially gives the Promise i. e. In a way of Reward to the Works performed Whether they be Perfect or Imperfect it 's no matter the Reward is of Debt and not of Grace And in this way Pardon is given upon Imperfect Faith and Repentance And thus Heaven is given Judicially for persevering Holiness Here 's not a bit of Enquiry whether they have Christ or no he is a Cypher in the matter of our Salvation No Papist can utter more gross Divinity But this is a strange way of Dispensation of Gospel-Benefits First to determine a Conformity to the Rule of the Benefit As for Example In dispensing Faith for that 's a Promise God determins judicially a Man hath a Conformity to the Rule before Faith Again Is Forgiveness a judicial declaring a Man hath true Faith Or doth this judicial Declaration go before Pardon and Justification If so a Man hath always true Faith before he is justified and pardoned what absurd Consequences will follow thereupon And what can this be but a declared Judgment that he is de Congruo deserving Pardon And I think ex Condigno too before he is pardoned and upon the same Terms are the persevering Saints at last admitted to Glory Neonom As upon a View of his Guests he cast out him that had not the Wedding-Garment viz. True uniting Faith so by keeping out the Foolish Virgins c. Can any think that Forgiving Adopting Glorifying or the Conveyance of every other promised Benefit given upon God's Terms are not Judicial Acts
of God as Rector Antinom If you understand Judicial in respect of the Justice of God answered by the Righteousness of Christ purchasing all good Gifts and Blessings for Sinners that deserve nothing but Wrath it may be said of Justification But if you understand Judicial in respect of any Duty Grace or Qualification that is found in us tho' wrought by the Spirit I abhor it as an abominable Position And your Saying the Wedding Garment was Faith and not the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith is a wretched wresting and Abuse of Scripture turning the sweet and precious Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour against himself I shall meet with you again upon these Points more largely therefore I pass them over briefly now But in the mean time take notice that all our Protestants and particularly the Assemblies Catechism define Justification and Adoption always Acts of Free Grace Neonom If so doth he despense these blindly and promiscuously without any regard to our being Believers c. or no Whether our Faith be true or no any one would blush to affirm Antinom I would know whether if God distribute his Free Grace to poor wretched and worthless Creatures according to his Election and distinguishing Mercy doth he do it blindly because he finds no Reason in them And I pray doth God dispense the Grace of Faith blindly if he doth it without respect to Men's being Believers first So if they believe before they shall have the Gift of Faith and their Faith must be true too before they have Faith given I can ' but think you are Fricatae Frontis or you would blush at the delivery of these things Neonom With respect to what is above declared the Gospel is a Law of Faith a Law of Liberty c. And it especially insists on that Sincerity of Grace and Holiness which the Rule of the Promise makes necessary in it's Description of the Person whom it makes Partaker of it's included Benefits Antinom You do here begin to make Conclusions on your Premises but your Premises not holding Water your Conclusions will no way follow you conclude the Gospel is a Law of Faith We have briefly shewed as you have given occasion that the Gospel as such is no Law and hath not a Sanctio it 's wholly a Promise of Life and the Performance of the Promise doth not depend upon any thing a Sinner can do as a Foederal Condition I shall shew fully hereafter that there is no ground from that place Rom. 3. nor that of James 1. to conclude the Gospel to be a Law i. e. A Command of Duty for a Condition with a Sanction of Threats upon the Non-performance or Promises as Rewards upon the Performance whether the Condition be Perfect of Imperfect Obedience You make the Sincerity of Grace and Holiness to be this Condition and you call it the Rule of the Promise which you say is not the Precept neither neither is it the Promise but a Rule that is neither Precept or Promise So what your Rule is he is wise that knows And you say this Rule makes Sincerity necessary in the Discription of the Person So the Rule of the Promise describes a Person only and therefore makes him not but tells us he must be sincere before he hath any thing to do with the Promise From whence hath he this Sincerity described From Law or Gospel From God or himself If from God then by way of Grace and Gift and so through the Promise If of our selves it 's Dross They that are in the Flesh cannot please God and therefore much less perform such a Duty for which God will give the promised Benefits Neonom And the main of our Ministry consisteth in pressing Men to answer the Rule of Gospel Promises Antinom What this means is very strange when you say the use of Faith and Holiness as to Benefits is not from their Conformity to the Precept Therefore what do you press them unto when you press them to answer the Rule of the Gospel When the Conformity to the Precept doth no good I suppose in the same Sence as you say Obliquity in regard of the Precept will do no hurt But the main of our Ministry consists in Preaching Christ and bringing Sinners unto him and building them up in him Neonom And disswading Men from those things which the Gospel threatens shall hinder their Interest in all or any of their Benefits with an Aggravation of their Misery if they be final Rejecters of Grace Antinom Whatever befalls Sinners retaining their sinful state and rejecting Grace is from the Law and not from the Gospel To talk of a Gospel-Threat is a Catechresis at best and nothing else can save it from being a Bull. But what are those that will hinder a Sinner from the Benefit of being turned from Darkness to Light This I can suppose is the Non-improvement of the Grace which you take every one to have which either hinders or makes that they are not converted Neonom We call Men to be reconciled to God upon which we know God will be at Peace with them Antinom But you tell them not according to 2 Cor. 5.18 That all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ And this is the ground of the Ministry of Reconciliation and the ground of Perswasion to Sinners to be reconciled unto God But this Portion of Scripture to the End of the Chapter you take to be hardly Canonical Neonom These things will help thy Conceptions still remembring that the Merits of Christ are the Cause of this Ordination Antinom The Councel of God is the Cause of the Ordination of Salvation Means and Order But you mean they will help to blunder and confound poor Men's Conceptions Per Nebulam per Caliginem per Somnium Non lectore tuis opus est sed Apolline libris But you would have us not to forget the Causa sine qua non of this rare Gospel Scheme You should have told us that your own corrupt Imagination was the Procatarctick Cause of this new Law Ordination Neonom His Righteousness imputed is the Cause for which we are Justified and Saved when we answer the Gospel Rule Antinom It 's ad Graecas Calendas when a poor wretched Sinner must be saved then Christ is the cause of setting up this new Law and that we should be justified thereby when we perform the imperfect Conditions thereof and that 's your answering the Gospel Rule Since Christ hath put a Barr upon the Old Law now we must set up for a Righteousness of our own to answer the Gospel-Rule by and that 's not Conformity to the Precept neither but answering the Gospel-Rule by Imperfection Is not this sad Divinity Neonom And I exclude not this Righteousness when I affirm That the Righteousness of God Phil. 3.9 principally intended the Gospel-Holiness of a Person Justified by Christ's Righteousness Both which by Faith in Christ all his Members shall be
perfect in Antinom It seems the Righteousness of Christ there spoken of is a mixture of Christ's Righteousness and Evangelical Obedience but the principal par tis Evangelical Obedience Christ's is but a Complement of ours The Reverend Dr. Beverly hath abundantly evinced that Christ's Righteousness alone is there understood according to the hest Interpreters We shall have further occasions to deal with you upon this Point and your crude and false Interpretation of that excellent Portion of Scripture shall be laid open in our Progress You should have told us whether you mean we are perfect in Christ's Righteousness for Justification without our own Righteousness or Evangelical Obedience joyned with it and whether our Perfection in Holiness be in the same manner as in Righteousness And whether it be in this Life that we are made perfect in Holiness by Faith in Christ Neonom The Grace of God is hereby stated as free as is consistent with his Government and Judicial rectoral Distribution of Rewards and Punishments Antinom That is you have set Bounds to the Grace of God and told God and us how far he may lawfully exercise his Grace He must take heed that no unqualified Sinners have any thing to do with it and that he be sure notwithstanding the Righteousness of Christ that he dispence Grace in the way of a Law that it may be consistent with his Government and all Grace must be distributed Judicially by Rewards and Punishments Let all the World see now whether you have not stated the Grace of God very fairly out of Doors and gone about to establish a Law of Works as shall more manifestly appear afterwards Neonom And there 's none have need of the Grace of God more than I Antinom The truest Word you have spoken at all But according your own Principles its a Question whether you have not put a Bar upon the Grace of God by making so audacious and daring an Opposition to it as you have done in this Book I am sure if this be part of your Gospel Obedience that you intend for your Justification it will not do if you persevere in it But the Lord in his meer Free Grace look in Mercy upon you pardon you and turn you from Darkness to Light Neonom Note that in this Book I still speak of the Adult and not Infants Antinom I find you see you are like to run your Head against a Post but for all your Foresight you are certain of a Knock in the Pate for hereby I find you see God justifies some without Works God hath not one Righteousness of one kind to justify Infants by and another of another kind to justify the Adult by Adult Persons are no more justified by Works than Infants Neonom Forget not tho' the Doctor in his Book speaks to Men as Believers yet in every thing true of the Elect. Antinom Every thing that is true of the Elect is so of them when Believers but every thing that is true of an Elect Believer is not so of him before he 's a Believer And to prove you charge the Doctor falsly I 'll bring but your acknowledged Sence of the Doctor in your next Words It 's true of a Believer that he knows the Saving Blessings he is entitled to but it 's not true of a Person in Unbelief that he knows the saving Benefits he is to be partaker of Neonom They have as much a Title to all Saving Blessings only they know it not this was his Judgment Antinom His Judgment was that nothing entitleth us to the Blessings of the Covenant but the Promise Deed of Gift is that which entitleth us whereby we claim when we take Possession of it when we believe whereby we know our Title more or less by believing Neonom I have carefully avoided to make any Reflexion on Reverend Dr. Crisp whom I believe a Holy Man and abstained the exposing things according to the Advantage offer'd Antinom These things are but ad Populum Phalerae Whether here you be not as false as in other things a little time will discover We call such an one Phaleratum who is as Horace describes Introrsum turpis speciosus pelle decorus Neonom Look who is that that is coming towards us it's sure Mr. A. B. Antinom It 's so indeed Meditatus venit He 's a perfect Calvinist I 'll warrant you you will find him of my Opinion concerning your Book Neonom Your Servant Mr. Calvinist I have a Question to ask you in the first place before we talk of News or any thing I pray what do you say of my Book Calvin I cannot like it by any means I was sorry to see it knowing something of your Principles before but when I read it it raised Variety of Passions in me Neonom I must confess I am willing to hear what most Men think of this Piece of mine tho' I think I need not regard what many Men say seeing it hath so large and ample an Encomium by several very grave Divines and others especially the Learned Mythologists of the late Athenian Clubb the Dessolution whereof is greatly bewailed by me They might have proved of Great Vse to me in these matters But I pray Mr. Calvinist tell me the Reason of your Dislike of my Book I thought it might have pleased Calvinists tho Antinomians whose Opinions are not much to be valued are so angry at it and I have shewed that what I have asserted is the Sence of the Assembly 's Confession the Savoy 's Dr. Owen Mr. Norton and many Learned Calvinists Calvin I shall deal ingenuously and plainly with you and tell you why I cannot approve of your Book My Reasons are these 1. I except against your Magisterial way of Writing by Canons as it were Anathema's in the manner of a Council National or Provincial Assembly whereby you would have all Men to believe that our Faith in all matters of Salvation is to be measured by your Scheme and pinned upon your Sleeve So arrogant a way of imposing upon others in Doctrines hath not been as I know practised by the Conformists whereby you endeavour to make Humane Authority the Standard of our Faith prescribe New Articles contrary to those of the 39. and all our English Confessions and give an Example unto others so to do For if 20 Men of one Perswasion may recommend their Opinion in Doctrinals by a concurrent Subscription by the same Reason others may do the like so that hereby is laid a Foundation of incurable Factions and Division about the main Points of our Salvation whereas whatever of Differences hath been in lesser matters and Men's private Opinions in greater yet hitherto there 's no Sett of Men as I know hath publickly in the like manner invaded our Confessions wherein those of the Conformists and Nonconformists hath harmoniously agreed in matters of Faith in the Sence of the Scriptures and first Reformers 2. That you have plainly drawn in or rather trickt some Divines
transferring of Sin from us to Christ and this being done before Christ made Atonement we are discharged not for the Atonement of Christ nor by any Act of Forgiveness for the sake of this Atonement I need not add that by this Notion Heathens may be in a pardoned State and there 's no need of the Gospel or Knowledge of Christ to bring them out of a state of Wrath. Antinom I hope by this time you have pretty well spent your Powder and Ball. I told you before when we spake of laying Sins on Christ we understand his offer to bear them the Charge and Imputation laid on him and the payment he made of our Debt all which is the Atonement for bearing of our Sins was an Essential part of it as shedding his Blood was of the Payment this payment and bearing Sin was in the Eye of God from Eternity as if already done hence the Patriarchs were Actually and Personally Justified by it and doth it follow that they were Justified without Christ's Atonement And whereas you talk of God's Acts of Forgiveness you should tell us what you mean if Immanent there 's but one Act of Forgiveness there 's no new Acts arise in God and it was the Promise of Eternal Life before the World began Tit. 1. If you mean a Transient Act it 's but one viz. the performance of that Promise to Christ our Surety and Head and to us in him Virtually and Fundamentally 1 John 5.11 This is the Record that he hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and from him derived to us terminates in and upon us by the same Effectual Grace of God in Christ towards us so that the same Forgiving Act of God terminates in Christ and in us and therefore you must allow our Life of Forgiveness first in Christ and then bestowed upon us in and through him whereby we are as Sinners brought in to him and receive of his fulness both for Justifying and Sanctifying Grace Whereas you say Heathens by this Notion may be in a pardoned state you foist in another term to impose upon us as if we had said that immediately upon laying Sins on Christ all the Elect were in a pardoned state there 's none can be in a pardoned state before a being natural nor before a being Spiritual at least beginning but what hinders but that the Eternal Life which is given me should be in Christ before I was Born and inferrs not that therefore when I come into the World there will be no need of Gospel or Knowledge of Christ to bring me out of my Natural Estate into Christ See Colos 1.25 26 27. Ephes 3.3 4 5 6. And are not Gentiles as well as Jews pardoned through Christ Neonom The Assemblies at Westminster and the Savoy are both against you Antinom They say in a manner but as we do if you distinguish between a Forgiveness in Christ and Forgiveness bestowed between Impetration and Application Justification and Justified Neonom I will shew you your mistake Mr. Antinomian because it was God's Act to appoint Christ to suffer for our Sins that we might in his way and time be discharged therefore you think we are immediately discharged by that Act. Antinom You take greatly upon you to tell what I think and makes me think contrary to what I have exprest you take upon you to make me speak what you please and to think what you please I take you to be a fit Man to be a Guide was there nothing but God's appointing Christ to suffer for our Sins was there not God's accepting of his Sufferings for us Was not Christ Justified from the Sins of the Elect for when he rose was there not a Radical Justification of all the Elect in Christ If there had not been so they could never have been personally Justified but you would have Christ only purchase our Justification by something else but I must believe and say that he wrought out our Justification which being in him is the same that we do partake of and that our Discharge is begun and carried on in Christ and is compleated in him and received by Faith in his Blood Neonom Because Christ's Atonement is the Sole Meritorious Cause of Forgiveness therefore he thinks God suspends not Forgiveness till he works any thing else in the Soul which he made requisite to our being Forgiven though not as a Meritorious Cause Antinom No you mean Christ shall have the Honour of being the Meritorious Cause but it is that way of Justification intended that Christ hath merited that though we have broken the Law and cannot be Justified by it that a new way of Justification should be set up not through his Blood but by something else a peculiar qualification that shall make us meet to be forgiven that there may be some reason found in the Sinner why he should be forgiven this is now the new Divinity to sham off the Satisfaction of Christ from the Justification of a Sinner and you think you have been very kind to Christ to say this new Qualifications are not Meritorious Causes but Christ's Suffering was though they must stand afar off and look on upon a Justification by something else Calvinist I think as you said Mr. Antinomian's Ambiguity lyes in the word Discharge concerning which you must distinguish there 's liberatio in Christo liberatio à Christo though Mr. Antinomian hath abundantly cleared himself as to his Intention and Meaning but you Mr. Neonomian are so harsh in your Censures that nothing but the worst Interpretation of his words can be admitted by you My Opinion is that as Christ bore our Sins by Imputation so he made full payment of our Debt and had a Discharge so far as concerned himself and us represented by him and in him and hence through this Discharge and the perfection of the New Nature in freedom from all Original and Actual Sin and perfection of all Righteousness our Eternal Life which God hash given us is fully and compleatly in him both for Grace and Glory I say fully Fundamentally Originally and as in a Fountain or Root and of this fulness we do receive even Faith the first Vital Act and by Faith all discharge in Justification and all conformity to him in Sanctification through the operation of the Spirit of Holiness so that it was impossible but Christ must be discharged bearing our common Nature and standing in our stead and that we were in our measure discharged in him but it is also as impossible that we should be discharged personally and in ours till we had our Personal Beings and were first in that State and under that Wrath in some regard from which we were to be delivered and brought into the New Nature by Reconciliation and Actual Union on our part and till then we are Prisoners of the Law without God without Hope Aliens to the Covenant of Promise This account I trust may give both
are pardoned but yet continues to pray for a further manifestation of Pardon Did not David tell us what it is Psal 1.10 Restore to me the Joy of thy Salvation Neonom For were it so yet it is for our Sins it would sound strange to pray Forgive us the Sins of Christ Antinom Yes we pray for the Pardon of our Sins that were laid on Christ and though we do not pray to forgive us the Sins of Christ yet we pray to God to forgive us for the sake of Christ whose bearing of Sin and Satisfaction wrought we always plead believing But you will banter Christ's bearing Sins Neonom The Saints in Scripture esteemed them their Sins and themselves Sinners when they committed Sin and found it's Motions Jer. 14.7 Isa 59.12 Job 7.21 Psal 25.11 D. W. p. 25. Antinom So do we though they and we ought to acknowledge Sin always in Faith of the pardoning mercy of God in Christ we should ask Pardon in Faith nothing doubting but sometimes there may be but weak Faith next to none in God's Children and great Doubtings and therefore great Guilt lying upon their Consciences and from thence great Darkness in times of Temptation Thence did flow those Pathetical Expressions of many of the Faithful from God's hiding of his Face and the Weakness of their Faith as if they were reprobated ones and cast away and so it is even now sometimes And though we believe Christ hath born our Sins yet this is the greatest Ground of true Gospel-brokenness of Heart that they were our Sins and are now the Product of corrupt Flesh the Old Man remaining in us which we labour under endeavouring to get more and more into Christ by a strong Faith that the Body of Sin the Source of Corruption in us may be destroyed Therefore Repentance and Godly Sorrow is exercised even for our Sins laid on Christ Neonom 3. God reckons Sins to be their own he reproves them he forgave them 1 John 2.12 Jer. 33.8 Rev. 2.20 Rev. 3.19 2 Tim. 4.16 D. W. p. 26. Antinom Sins are Sins and our Sins we have said it again and again and therefore reprovable in us and to be forgiven in us by the Application of Pardon All this hinders not but that we be without Fault before God and our Sins cast behind his Back we have a Perfection and Fulness of Pardon and all Grace in Christ Jesus though Sin it self was never reconciled to God and therefore God sets us to the killing of it Christ destroyed Sin on the Cross as to the obstructing God's compleat Love to the Persons of the Elect so that it cannot condemn before God but it is Sin Yet in the Elect and will accuse and condemn wherever it is or at least the Law will by Reason of it and therefore it hath it's Influence this way sometimes on the Holiest Men. It 's in the Nature of Sin to condemn but God doth not condemn for Sin though he condemns Sin daily in the holiest Men and through Unbelief they are apt to think their Persons condemned of God himself When God denounceth Judgment against a sinful Church or Nation they are ordinarily hypocritical prophane and Apostate and therefore a mixt People many or most under a Covenant of Works and a People in their Sins which God awakens by Threatnings or Judgments themselves and therefore the places quoted by you affect us not The Force of your arguing lies here Those Sins that God calls our Sins and we ought to call our Sins are not laid on Christ and taken away but God calls Sins our Sins and we ought to call them so Ergo. The Major is utterly false For all places that we bring to prove that Sin was laid on Christ do call them our Sins and we speak of them as such and it's cause of Abasement in our selves and thankful Admiration of the Free Grace of God in Christ and so the Church acknowledge their Sins Jer. 14.7 8. Isa 59.12 16 17. Neonom Mark what will follow hence No Elect Members of a Church are justly censured for Offences and no Christian Criminal could be punished for they are not the Sinners the Sin is not theirs Antinom It is a shame to hear a Mininister argue in this manner Your Argument runs thus If the Sins of the Elect were laid on Christ by Imputation then no Church or Court of Judicature can proceed to condemn an Offender Ergo. Baculus stat in Angulo ergo pluit Doth Man see and judge as God doth Is there no difference between Forum Divinum and Humanum Ecclesiastick and Civil the Law before Man and his Administration of it knows no difference of Persons it proceeds secundum allegata probata Churches censures is in order to a Justification before the Church that by Faith and Repentance it may appear that God hath forgiven such an one that he belongs to Electing and Redeeming Grace and the Sinners Sin laid on Christ and when they find that they are soon reconciled to an offending Member And you say If Sins were laid on Christ no Christian Criminal can be punished A very sad Case indeed for then any Criminal condemned justly by Man's Law can never be saved For if Christ bore not his Sins he can't be pardoned nay may not a Godly Man through Temptation fall into a Crime whereby he may justly suffer in Foro humano and doth this hinder his Salvation by Christ And is it an Argument his Sins were never laid on Christ Are not these consistent a Sinner and condemned by Man's Law and an absolved Sinner by the satisfy'd Law of God Was not the converted Thief a Sinner justly condemned by Man though absolved by God because Christ bore his sins on the Cross and if he had repented before he had been hanged on the Cross would it have freed him from Man's Sentence Satisfaction to God's Law is not to Man's nor Satisfaction to Man's is not to God's Men stay not Execution of a Malefactor because he repents to Salvation but Man's Law must take it's course upon him I doubt not but the Ordinary of Newgate can teach you better Divinity than this A Man may be in one respect guilty and in another not And so likewise God deals with his Children two ways in case of their eminent Falls in a way of his common Providential Government of the World in foro mundi as he dealt with David that those Evils of Affliction Judgments in the Apprehension of the Men of the World should befall them and so in the Participation of external common Calamities there should not be any manifest difference between them and other Men. Therefore the Wise Man saith That Love and Hatred is not known by these things But notwithstanding all this the other and certain way of God's dealing with them is according to the Covenant of Grace which is the Secret of the Lord he fully pardons their Sins is reconciled to them in Christ will never leave or forsake them
day of Expiation as they were in the day of Creation from v. 30. wherein they came short of Perfection or Consummation Heb. 10. But this is the Language of every Expiatory Sacrifice quod in ejus caput sit let the Guilt be upon him hence the Sacrifice was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin and Guilt Lev. 4.29.7 2 10 17. And so God laid on Christ the Iniquities of us all that by his stripes we might be healed Isa 53.5 6. Our Iniquity was laid on him and he bear is v. 11. and through his bearing it we were freed from it His Stripes were our Healing our Sin was his Imputed to him his Merit ours Imputed unto us He was made Sin for us c. that we might become the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This is that Commutation I mentioned he was made Sin for us we are made the Righteousness of God in him God not Imputing Sin to us but Righteousness The same is expressed by the same Apostle Rom. 8.3 4. The Sin was made his he answered for it and the Righteousness which God requireth by the Law is made ours the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us not by our doing it but by his This is that Blessed Change and Commutation wherein alone the Soul of a Convinced Sinner can find rest and peace So he hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might ocme upon us Gal. 3.13 14. He was made a Curse whereof his Hanging on a Tree was a Sign and Token hence said to bear our Sins in his Body on a Tree 1 Pet. 1.24 compare Deut. 21.23 And in the Blessing of Faithful Abraham all Righteousness and Acceptation with God is included And to take off Impertinent Clamours of some against this Doctrine he quotes the original words of Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He gave his Son a Ransom for us the Holy for Transgressors the Innocent for the Nocent the Just for the Unjust the Incorruptible for the Corrupt the Immortal for Mortals For what else could hide or cover our Sins but his Righteousness In whom else could we Wicked and Ungodly ones be justified or esteemed Righteous but in the Son of God alone O sweet Permutation or Change O Unsearchable Work That the Iniquity of many should be hid in one Just One and the Righteousness of One should justifie many Transgressors Gregory Nysson speaks thus He hath transferred unto himself the Filth of my Sins observe the Expression Mr. Neonom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and communicated to me his Purity So Augustin He was Sin that we might be Righteousness not our own but the Righteousness of God not in our selves but in him as he was Sin not his own but ours not in himself but in us And he thus Comments on Psal 22.1 How saith he of my Sins because he prayeth for our Sins he made our Sins to be his mark Mr. Neonomian that he might make his Righteousness to be ours O sweet Commutation and Change And he quotes Chrysostom on 2 Cor. 5. Hom. 11. What Word what Speech is this What Mind can comprehend or express it for he saith He made him who was Righteous to be made a Sinner that he might make Sinners Righteous And he speaks not of an Inclination but expresseth the quality it self He faith not He made him a Sinner but Sin that we might be made not meerly Righteous but Righteousness and that the Righteousness of God when we are Justifified not by Works for if we should there must be no Spot found in them but by Grace whereby all Sin is blotted out And how far is this from your Divinity Mr. Neonomian See more p. 43 44 c. Calvin He quotes also Bernard and Luther and divers others which you may read Mr. Neonomian at your leisure I find you have the Book especially that Excellent Discourse of Albertus Pighius He addeth Nor are we to be moved that Men who are unacquainted with these things in Reality and Power do reject the whole Work of Faith herein as an easie Effort of Fancy and Imagination For the Preaching of the Cross is Foolishness unto the best of the Natural Wisdom of Men. P. 49. Dr. Owen gives the Original of your Argument against Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us P. 509. viz. That if the Righteousness of Christ be Imputed to us so as to be made ours then are we as Righteous as Christ himself because we are Righteous with his Righteousness Dr. Owen shews this to be Bellarmine's Argument against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Lib. 2. C. 7. Si verè nobis Imputatus Justitia Christi c. If the Righteousness of Christ be Imputed to us so as to be made ours thereby then are we as Righteous as Christ himself because we are Righteous with his Righteousness A. These things are plainly affirmed in Scripture that as unto our selves we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness is as filthy Rags Isa 64.6 on the one hand and that in the Lord we have Righteousness and Strength Isa 45.24 25. on the other That if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and yet that we are the Righteousness of God in Christ wherefore these things are consistent whatever Cavils the Will of Man makes against them unless we take Socinius's his Rule of Interpretation namely where any thing seems repugnant to our Reason though never so express in Scripture not to admit of it c. 2. Notwithstanding the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and our being made Righteous thereby we are Sinners in our selves and so cannot be said to be as Righteous as Christ but only made Righteous in him who are Sinners in our selves 3. We must distinguish between the Personal Righteousness of Christ and our Personal Righteousness and between Righteousness of Inhesion and Imputation being of divers kinds 4. The Righteousness of Christ was the Righteousness personally of the Son of God in which respect of Infinite Perfection and not to be compared to c. And as to that place which you boast of it 's wholly against you Page 242 243. Here you prevaricated with your Reader in rehearsing Dr. O. for having shewed what Imputation is he tells us That Righteousness it self is Imputed and not any of the Effects but the Effects of it are made ours by vertue of that Imputation To say the Righteousness of Christ i. e. his Obedience and Sufferings are Imputed to us only as unto Effects is to say We have the Benefit of them and no more but Imputation it self is denied so say the Socinians but they knew well and ingeniously grant that they overthrew all true real Imputation thereby and quotes Schlictingius saying We concede Christ's Righteousness is ours as it redounds to our Good and Righteousness c. And is it not pleasing to see some among our selves with so
great Confidence take up the sense and words of these Men. Neonom But Dr. Owen saith That Imputation is not the Transmission or Transfusion of the Righteousness of another into them that are justified that they should become perfectly and inherently righteous thereby c. p. 242. D. W. p. 51. Antinom We say so too but Dr. Owen doth not say We are justify'd by the Imputation of the Effects of Christ's Righteousness he opposeth that Imputation as a Socinian Notion Neonom He doth not For he saith That the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us as to it's Effects hath this sound Sence namely The Effects of it are made ours by reason of that Imputation It is imputed so reckoned unto us of God as that he really communicates all the Effects of it unto us Antinom But what immediately follows in the next Sentence Dr. O. p. 243. Why did you not quote all the Dr. said Is not this base false dealing You would only quote as much as should serve your turn But to say the Righteousness of Christ is not imputed unto us only its Effects are so is really to overthrow all Imputation For as we shall see the effects of the Righteousness of Christ can't be said properly to be imputed to us and if his Righteousness it self be not so Imputation hath no place herein nor can it be understood why the Apostle should so frequently assert it as he doth Rom. 4. Therefore the Socinians who do expresly oppose the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and plead for a Participation of it's Effects and Benefits only do wisely deny any such kind of Righteousness of Christ i. e. of Satisfaction and Merit as alone may be imputed to us Here 's matter of Fact to shew your double-dealing Neonom But the Assembly is of my mind Q. 69. What is the Communion in Grace which the Members of the Invisible Church have with Christ A. In their partaking of the Vertue of his Mediation in their Justification Adoption Sanctification and whatever in this Life manifests their Vnion with him so that in their Judgment it 's the vertue of Christ's Mediation operates on us and not the Mediatorial Righteousness in us Antinom This is strange Language to talk of Imputing the Mediation of Christ to us and this is that you now plainly tell us is the Mediatorial Righteousness that you mean all along or that partaking of the Vertues of Mediation and Imputation are convertible Terms Those Reverend Divines do not say the Mediation of Christ was imputed to us no more than his Kingship Priestship Prophetical Office yet we are in a Sence made Kings Priests and Prophets but not by Imputation They tell you only of the Effects of his Mediation of which Justification is one If you would have told us what they say of Imputed Righteousness you should have rehearst the next Q. 70. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's Free Grace unto Sinners in which he pardoneth all their Sins accepteth and accounteth their Persons righteous in his sight not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but only for the perfect Obedience and full Satisfaction of Christ by God imputed to them and received by Faith alone See the Shorter Catechism Q. 33. See also the Confession directly condemning all your Scheme of Divinity at once C. 9. Of Justification Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifyeth 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 Christ's sake alone not by imputing Faith it self the Act of believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience to them as their Rigteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith The Savoy Conf. ch 11. is the same verbatim Now Gentlemen I appeal to all Men of Sence and Honesty whether Mr. Neonomian hath dealt fairly thus to represent the Judgment of Dr. Owen and the Reverend Divines of the Assembly or thus to impose upon the weak and such as have not Will or Leisure to search into the Truth of what he saith Neonom I tell you what the Savoy says which is the same Articles with the Assemblies Antinom But you tell us or would have us to understand that the meaning of the Assembly about Imputation is that the Vertue of Christ's Mediation i. e. in your declared Sence the Effects only operates upon us and then after rehearsal of the Words of the Savoy you add Thou seest it 's Christ's Righteousness is imputed for Pardon and not infused You 'll oppose imputation to Infusion which none of us plead for But this Imputation is in your Sence only as to the Effect which you would have us to believe is the Judgment of Dr. Owen and the two Assemblies And I find you lamely rehearse the Article of your Confession as being ashamed to behold your Erroneous Doctrine so fully condemned by them Do not think such pitiful little Sophisms as these are such as do become a professed Minister of the Gospel or that your Reverend Vouchers have not prejudiced their Honour by asserting so publickly to the World That in all material things you have fully and rightly stated the Truths and Errors in this Treatise and look upon this as a Work of considerable Service to the Church of Christ c. when your manifest Design is to hide Truth by Equivocations false Representations and odious forced Consequences and to impose old palpable decried Errours Veritas non querit angulos Now Sir that you may see we have more than Authority for this great Doctrine of Imputation of Christ's very Righteousness 1. I prove that to say Christ's Righteousness is imputed only as to Effects is to deny the Doctrine of Imputation Consider from the Nature of Imputation it self Imputation is the reckoning and esteeming that unto one man which is done by another As in case of Debt or Wrong done by one Man to another a third comes and does or promiseth that thing whereby the Offended Person becomes satisfied with the Offender previous to which Satisfaction in Nature is his reckoning the Payment made or to be made unto the Offender it 's not the taking of this or that Payment in any kind that is Satisfactory for the Offender unless it be by the offended Person reckoned to him Paul to Philemon v. 18. gives the clear Notion of Imputation both as to Wrong and Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hath criminally or unrighteously done thee wrong in filching or stealing impute this to me or put it upon my Account Take me as Paymaster and put my Payment on his Account i. e. In respect of any wrong that he hath done thee or Debt that he owes thee Here 's my hand for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will repay it to thee Now Paul
Active or Passive Obedience but Christ hath performed it in his very Righteousness when he was in his state of Humiliation what was done was done then the Effects were afterwards in his Exaltation Arg. 4. That which is pleaded in Prayer by us for Forgiveness and ought to be is Imputed to us but the very Righteousness of Christ is pleaded by us this is the sake of Christ for which we ask of God pardon of Sin we have nothing to do to plead that Righteousness which is not accounted to us There 's none of us pleads our own Righteousness but the very Righteousness of Christ Arg. 5. That Righteousness upon which a Sinner hath peace with God is the Righteousness reckoned to us for Justification but Christs very Righteousness is that by which we have peace with God Eph. 2.13 15. and Peace of Conscience Heb. 9.14 c. 1. beg Rev. 1.5 Arg. 6. Christ could not be said to be Jehovah our Righteousness if his very Righteousness were not Imputed to us but only the Effects Jer. 23.6 And upon what is it grounded that the Church is named as it is in Chap. 33.16 but upon Christ's Imputed Righteousness Arg. 7. I might add that Argument which others have urged that as the Sin of the first Adam was Imputed to his Seed so the Righteousness of the second to his Seed See Rom. 5. But it 's easie to prove the Sin of Adam was Imputed to all his Posterity he being a publick Person and all we in his Loins if Mr. Neonomian deny this we will go upon the proof of it another time It behoveth him to bear the Punishment and Wrath of God not for his own Person but for our Persons and so making a happy Change with us he took upon him our sinful Person and gave unto us his Innocent and Victorious Person wherewith we being now cloathed are freed from the Curse of the Law Luth. on Gal. 3.14 Christ's Mediation was a Redeeming Mediation he must give himself for a Ransom or Counterprize 1. The price is a standing price that the Law requires without the least Variation or Abatement 2. There must be an Exchange betwixt the Mediator and us he must be a Counterpane standing in our room or stead 1 Tim. 2.6 3. There must be an Exchange of Person for Person which is the surest Exchange in War or Captivity when nothing but one Person will be taken in the room of another no Gifts or Rewards could unbind the Infinite Justice of God 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14.4 There must not only be Person for Person but like for like 1. In Nature one of an Inferiour or Superiour Nature would not do Heb. 2.16 Phil. 2.7 2. There must be an Exchange of State for State Phil. 2.7 2 Cor. 8.9 Isa 53. 3 4. Mat. 20.28 Gal. 3.13 Mr. Stone of New Eng. Neonom You seem to speak as if Christ's Holiness were Imputed to us and that we are perfectly Holy Antinom You know I told you it may follow from your Doctrine viz. Imputation of Sanctification as well as Justifying Righteousness because Sanctification is an Effect and Vertue of Christ's Mediation I shall now speak but a word to this Point viz. That our Life of Sanctification is in Christ we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and he is made of God to us Sanctification As we are Created in him so we live in him as to Holiness and we have a compleatness of Sanctification in him and though that fulness of Sanctification is not properly said to be communicated by Imputation as by derivation of Grace yet this Infused Grace arising into Duty and our Duties mingled with much Corruption must be covered by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ that they may be accepted as well as our Persons Dr. Horton on Rom. 8.3 understands the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ to be all that Holiness wherewith the living and quickning Spirit of God hath filled the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ which is the fulness of Sanctification in all Grace and Holiness Neonom Though Christ be perfectly holy yet his Holiness is not so imputed to us as that we are perfectly holy p. 46. You say we appear before God perfect in Holiness p. 428. Antinom You seem to imply as if Christ's Holiness were ours by Imputation so much as it is ours and therefore you insinuate as if there were such a thing as partial Imputation But we speak not any thing either of Christ's Holiness as so Sanctification by way of Imputation but of real Communication from him to us of which perfect Fulness we do receive by the new Creation in him and Grace received from him as Members from the Head in our measures by vertue of our mystical Union to him 2. I said Let me tell you if God had not laid the Iniquities of Men on Christ Dr. Cr. p. 428. there 's never a Soul had entred into Heaven For there 's no Refuge to fly to there 's no hope of drawing near to the everlasting Kingdom of Blessedness till the Lord Jesus cleanse you thoroughly from all Sinfulness and Filthiness and so you appear before God perfect in Holiness It is his white Rayment makes us worthy to walk with the Lamb in White he counsels the Church of Laodicea to buy of him White Rayment Now see now we are abused by you The Words you refer your Proof to doth relate to and is intended of the state of Glory that the Saints must be personally and perfectly holy before they can draw near to God in that full Fruition of him in the state of Blessedness in Heaven If there is any thing understood of the Saints Perfection in this Life it is not denyed but that their Graces and Duties are imperfect here as they come from and are acted by them and are mingled with much Sin and Pollution but their acceptation with God must be in a way of Perfection 1. In that Christ of whom we are Members and who is made unto us Sanctification as the Head of the Body the Roâ— and Fountain is perfect in Sanctification and we in him Col. 1.19 ch 2.10 2. That all the best Duties and Services as coming from us and performed by us being mingled with Sin and Corruption must be accepted in and through Christ and covered in his righteousness so that as they are presented unto God by our Advocate they come before him washed white in the Blood of the Lamb and persumed in his Incense Neonom God cannot account a sincere Christian perfectly holy The Vnion in Marriage doth not transferr habitual Qualifications from Husband to Wife Is a foolish Wife perfectly wise because her Husband is so It 's absurd Our restored Holiness is through the Operations of the Spirit and not by transfusion If the very Holiness of Christ's Persons be in us if increated then we are God's if created Holiness of Christ's Humane Nature be in us it must depart from him and cease to be in
him P. 47. Antinom It would take up deservedly some Paper to shew the Error and Sophistry of what you have spoken The Summ is that you deny Christ to be a publick Person and that all that Grace and Fulness that is in him by reason of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures and that Unction without measure which he received was only to qualify him singly and for himself as an Individual Person and not to be conveyed and communicated unto us and therefore none of his Fulness is received by us that the Spirit not his Spirit Neither do we live by vertue of our Union to him as a Root Head Fountain but if we partake of the Divine Nature as the Apostle Peter Eph. 2. ch 1. saith We are made Gods If we partake of the Vertues of Christ we rob him and they are no more in him You abuse the Similitude of Husband and Wife used by the Apostle Eph. 5. and would make it run on Four Feet You consider not that Adam and Eve at first was the true Type the Apostle aims at to represent Christ and his Church by Eve being taken out of Adam had her Nature in him first and was created out of him and so was Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone You must distinguish between the Individual Person and Qualification of the first Adam and his publick Capacity Headship and common Nature he had a peculiar distinct Person and Habits belonging to it as such but he had also a common Nature communicable to his Wife and to his Posterity by Propagation not only Eve's Nature but ours was in him radically And therefore the Prophet Malachy saith that God made but one at first Mal. 2.15 though he had the residue of the Spirit and could have made more as he did in the Creation of Angels but therefore one that he might seek a Seed of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this Seed of God was found in the Seed of the Woman that was made out of Man and was but one as Adam was made but one common Person so Christ and the Church his Wife is made out of him created in him as Eve was and have a Nature common in Christ And doth it follow that because Adam had the common Nature to Eve and his Posterity 1. That his Individual Qualities were communicated taken from him and given to Eve Was Adam turned into Eve Was Adam's Wisdom Holiness his Natural or Moral Vertues taken from Adam and given to her or them The common Nature of a Genus is communicated and propagated by Individuals without robbing the Individual Mankind is propagated daily by Individuals yet those Individuals lose nothing of their proper Adjuncts If Men were not Strangers to Logick and Natural Philosophy and ordinary Terms of Law they would not make so much ado about this common Nature of Christ which in him is Mystical and Transcendent I shall not here enlarge but enquire what is the Opinion of the Protestant Divines Calv. Dr. Davenant I pray speak in this matter what your Sense is Dr. Davenant on Col. 1.19 1. There was in Christ a fulness of habitual Grace neither take we this to be Infinite seeing it was a created Qualitas and inhered in the mind of Christ which also was a Creature it could not be infinite but by fulness of Grace we understand all those Perfections to which the Nature of Grace doth extend it self 2. We consider why Christ ought to have a fulness of Grace 1. E Debito congruitatis it was due to him in a way of meetness by reason of his Union to the Word 2. It was meet that which was nearest to the influencing Cause should partake most of the Influx 3. There was Debitum necessitatis It was necessarily due from the Supposition of the End by reason of the Habitude or relation of Christ himself to the Humane Nature for Grace was conferred upon him not as a private Person but as an universal Principle from whom it is transfused into other Men you say it 's not by Transfusion p. 47. All things ought to be full and in an oneness The Evangelist shews that Grace is diffused to us Eph. 4.7 And on Colos 2.10 1. To be compleat in Christ 1. Is spoken from the Effect Christ is not only perfect in whom dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead but he makes us perfect and compleat we having all things in him and his Doctrine necessary to Salvation 2. The Second Reason is taken from his Office Christ is the Head As to the first We have perfect Wisdom right Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel John 17.13 1 Cor. 2.2 2. We have compleat Righteousness for Satisfaction to the Law of God and for our Sins 3. In Christ we have Sanctification or inherent Righteousness For what is Sanctification other than the washing away of our Errours and Vices whereby we are set at a distance from God and the Susception of Gifts and Graces whereby we may draw nigh to God in his Service And this is done as we stand united to Christ by his Spirit Rom. 1.4 ch 8. 9. In eo non ex eo aut per eum solummodo In him not from him or by him only but he saith We are compleat in him to give us to understand that we have that foresaid Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness not as we behold Christ as existing far from us but as we are incorporated in Christ as we have Christ abiding and dwelling in us and we have this Grace from Christ not the Stream from the head Fountain for it 's not needful that he that will drink of a Fountain should go into the Fountain But it 's otherwise here for we cannot receive of Christ's Fulness unless we are in him As the Old Adam is in us as the cause of Corruption and Death so the New Adam dwells in us as the Cause of Righteousness and Salvation So we are said to be in Christ to dwell in him to abide in him John 15.4 5. Whatever therefore Men hope or please themselves with of Grace Righteousness Sanctification or Glorification it will prove a meer Mock and Dream if they be not in Christ and Christ in them And now Christ is in us and we in him when we are united to our Head and grafted as Branches into the Vine by the Bond of the Spirit and Faith wrought by the Spirit in our Hearts Rom. 8.9 John 3.36 Calv. Speak to this Point Dr. Horton In that Text Rom. 8.2 There are three Terms before us There 's Life the Spirit of Life there 's the Law of the Spirit of Life 1. By Life we are to understand the Grace of Holiness and Sanctification not that which is inherent in our Nature being regenerate but the full and perfect Holiness which is in the Humane Nature of Christ as the proper Subject of it this is the Fountain from which there is a continual flowing of Grace to all that are truly
should not be cut off any more by the Waters of the Flood nor shall there be a Flood to destroy the Earth any more God laid Man under the performance of no condition to Entitle him to this Promise yea though he lay under a Forfeiture of all good things promised in the first Covenant and a Desert of all Calamity and Destruction and neither able or willing to enter into Covenant with God by the performance of any Duties yet God tyes himself that for that this kind of Destruction should no more come upon the Earth there was also the Covenant concerning the continuance of Day and Night and that the Seasons of the Year should be opportune regular and constant Gen. 8.22 To both these Covenants is the Covenant of Grace compared in respect of its Absoluteness and Perpetuity Isa 54.9 Jer. 33.25 The Promulgation thereof under the Old and New Testament are thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Covenants of Promise 3. Such a Covenant as this is a Testament which takes place among the most Entitling Covenants in the World The Apostle doth more than once speak of the Covenant of Grace by the Nature of a Testament which is the immutable purpose of God and suspendible upon no condition but as it were his last Will of bestowing Eternal Life upon the Elect which being built upon the unchangeable Counsel of God and hath its Sanction in the Death of Christ the Testator it can't be subverted by any Infidelity of the Elect neither it's firmness depend upon any Faith of man seeing in the said Covenant God hath provided unchangeably no less for their Faith than Salvation Wits de foed p. 195. whereby a Legacy is freely Bequeathed Entitling the Legatee to the Estate Bequeathed without any Duties or Conditions previous to the said Title by Bequeathment but the Estate Bequeathed by Will and Testament becomes due upon the Death of the Testator according to his free Constitution hence the Exhibition of the Covenant of Grace in the Old and New Dispensations are called Testaments because of their Absoluteness under whatever Vails of Conditions they seemed to be cloathed and because it was confirmed and become due by Death Typically under the Mosaical Dispensation by the Death of the Sacrifices but really by the Death of the Testator accomplished in the Gospel-Days And this was it's Sanction and the proper Sanction of a Testament 4. This Covenant is said to be absolute free and unconditional in respect of us that are saved by it because there was no Capacity Ability or Will in Man since the Fall to perform any Covenant-Conditions or Duties to God as such but he lay utterly condemned and dead in Sin All Salvation must come to him of Free Gift even Life whereby he might perform any vital Act for all Action is from Life and no Action can be before Life but must proceed from it Man in Innocency acted from Life in Innocency and that he should act before or without Life is most absurd to think or that in a state of Spiritual Death he should act for Life The natural Man can do neither before he can do any thing for God the Absolute Promise must be performed of giving him Resurrection from the Dead the new Birth the new Nature the new Heart So that the Covenant of Grace is considered as totally free and absolute as to the Tenure of and Performance relating unto Man in his lost and fallen estate and condition all the good contained in it relating to us by way of Promise and bestowed upon us by way of Free Gift even Faith and all Holiness Grace and Glory 5. But taking the Covenant of Grace or Promise in the full extent of it Foedus gratiae respectu Sponsoris magìs foederis notionem habet significationem pactum mutuae fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu nostri magis Testamenti rationem habet quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse Witsas p. 597. de Foedere it is a mixt Covenant a conditional and absolute a Covenant of express Compact between two stipulating Parties upon propounded Terms and a Covenant of Promise wherein God hath freely given us his Son and in him Life eternal It is therefore to be considered as it respects Christ and as it respects the Elect in him 6. As it respects Christ it carries the Nature of an express compleat Covenant of Works Sponsor Testamenti Christus vocatur Heb. 7.11 non eo precipuè nomine qui pro Deo promissis illius nobis spondet aut quia pro nobis spondet nos obedituros quemadmodum Moses Exod. 19.3.3 Quanto Christus major Mose tanto prestantiori modo sponsor fuit sponsio illius in eo consistet quod in sese recepit prestare conditionem illam citra quam salvâ Justitiâ Dei gratia promissiones ipsius ad nos non poterat pervenire quâ prestirâ omninò illae ad filios foederis perventurae erant Nisi ergo Christi sponsionem evacuare velimus Socinianis pessimis Scripturae perver soribus gratificari velimus necesse est foedus aliquod concipiamus cujus conditiones Châ—istus in se recepit spondendo apud parrem se eas pro nobis prestiturum quibus prestitis spondere nobis pro parre possit de gratiâ gloriâ infallibiliter nobis donandâ Herm. Witsus de Oeconomia Foed p. 104. and that in respect of the Party 's covenanting and the tenure of the said Covenant The Party 's covenanting was the Father and the Son God the Father proposing and God the Son accepting the Terms Here the Parties Contrahentes or Confederantes were equal Phil. 2. and had equal freedom of accepting or refusing the Terms hence the Agreement was Mutual and Reciprocal The Tenure of the Covenant was Express Conditions and Promises upon the performance of them by Reward in a way of Remunerative Justice Isa 53. The Conditions were of the highest Nature 1. To satisfie offended Justice on the behalf of the Elect looked upon as fallen by the Transgression of the Law Covenant in the first Adam and to be the end of the Law for all Righteousness both Active and Passive to all them that should believe 2. That the Condition performed by Christ should not only be Meritorious Virtute compacti as therefore Adam's should have been but that they should be adequately so they bearing an equality to and with the Eternal Life promised by reason of the Transcendent Excellency of the Person and the performances And herein he became and stands the Middle Person or Mediator betwixt God and Man and hence as he was the Covenanting Head and Representative of the Elect so he undertook to be and was the Foederal Condition in what he was and what he did and to him as such was all the Promises primarily made and in him performed all being Yea and Amen in him and hence he became the Fundamental Promise the Father giving us his Son and Eternal Life
the said Foederal Conditions But we affirm neither Faith it self no not the Gift of the Spirit that works Faith not our Union to Christ no Gifts that accompany Salvation are Foederal Conditions Christ in the Exercise of his Mediator's Office in his Humiliation and Exaltation is the only Foederal Condition wherein all entitling Conditions particularly mentioned in the Gospel are lodged and treasured up and are freely by Christ bestowed on us 12. There are also Conditions of Connexion by way of Order and Dependance of things one upon another Whereas the Scripture often inculcates such Expressions as these Without Faith none can please God Without Holiness none can see God as if they had called Faith and a new Life Conditions of the Covenant when in accurate speaking and according to the nature of this Covenant on God's part they are Executions of former Promises and an Earnest of future good But if we will call these Conditions they are not so much Conditions of the Covenant as of the certainty that we are in the Covenant Wits de Foed 196. which are rationes rerum inter se and belong to Logick and they arise from all Arguments Artificial or Inartificial Prime and Ort Simple or Comparate Consentany or Dissentany and they run in a Connex Axiom when the said Conditionality is express'd As thus Si Animal est homo est rationale si figura est trigularis est trilateralis If a Creature be a Man he is a Rational Creature If a Figure have 3 Corners it hath three sides all things in the World are capable of coming under this kind of Conditionality yea the most absolute Beings As if God be the first Cause he is the Creator of all things In this Sence Creation is a condition of Salvation If a Man be saved he must be created So Election a condition if a Man be saved he must be elected but Election is not a Foederal Condition So if a Man believe he shall be saved Believing is a condition of connexion to Salvation If a Man have the Spirit of Christ he shall believe unto Salvation but neither Faith nor Union are Foederal Conditions A state in Grace is a condition to a state in Glory by way of connexion in the Promise But one is not a Foederal Condition of another but both come in in the Gift of Grace In this Sence the Covenant of Promise contains all the Conditions of Order and Dependance in the Exhibition and Performance The Hearing the Word is the Condition of Faith but hearing the Word is not a Foederal Condition So the giving the Spirit is the condition of Union to Christ and Faith Faith the condition of receiving Pardon and living in Holiness And the giving of Pardon the condition of receiving it Holiness the condition of seeing God and eternal Happiness But these kind of Conditions are not Foeâ—eral entitling to the Promise but are contained in the Promise and denote only the connexion and dependance of one promised Benefit upon another 13. Hence the Ministry of Reconciliation runs conditionally because in it the absolute Covenant is preached 1. Indefinitely to Elect and Non-elect 2. The Covenant is declared in all the Promissary and Duty-Dependances contained in it and Duty required because promised 3. We must distinguish of the Ministry of Reconciliation in respect of the Letter of it Insertae sunt novisaederis conditiones novae obedientiae legali quidam Schaemate ad normam probationis nostrae ipsius gratitudinis debitae Sic tamen alio quoque Schemate ipsa resipiscentia in peccati mortificatione bonorum operum studio promittitur tanque Dei donum quod ipse operaturus sit in nobis ut isthoc signo argumento fas sit ex quo verè resipuimus credimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sperate in eam quae ad nos defertur gratiam in patefactione Jesu Christi 1 Pet. 1.13 Promissionis formulae expressissimae novum foedus sancientes donatione rescipiscentiae novae obedientiae extant Jer. 32.40 Isa 52.2 1 Pet. 1.4 2 Pet. 1.3 1 Joh. 3.9 and ver 18. Clopeub dâ— foâ—d p. 516. Quicquid conditionis locum obtinere concipitur id omne vniversalitare promissionum includitur si vitam aeternam solum polliceretur Deus non deâ—sset specie aliqua dicendi rescipiscentiam fidem c. Conditiones hujus foederis esse Verum cum initium progression non intercisam continuationem consummationem denique novae vitae odem quasi â—â—lur addicat Deus in universalitte hâc promissorum nihil remanet quod totius foederis conditio censeri queat Nos hic de conditione foederis sic agimus non de aliquâ re in homine quae actuaalem fruitionem consummatae felicitatis precedere debet Witf p. 195 196. de Foeâ—ere and the Spirit of it 1 Cor. 3.6 In the Letter of it the meer external Dispensation that kills because a Sinner looks upon all these conditions of Dependance to be Foederal Conditions but the ministration of the Covenant by the Spirit in that Ministry is absolute according to the Original Contract and the fullest Discovery in its highest Freedom And therefore the Apostie tells us this Spirit giveth Life And the believing Corinthians are said to be the Epistle of Christ written and transcribed from the Original Covenant-Contract not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart according to that Promise of a new Heart Hence therefore we must distinguish between the Covenant of Grace it 's absolute Tenure and the Ministry of the Grace of the Coventnt which Ministry is conditionally dispensed according to the connexion and dependance of good things contained in the Promise to a mixed People Elect and Non-elect The effect of this Ministry is either to work effectually by the Spirit according to the nature of an absolute Promise and then becomes a Savour of Life or else it works only in the Letter in the conditional Nature as a Covenant of Works and then it killeth eventually and is a Savour of Death and Condemnation 14. The Covenant of Grace is to be distinguished according to its different Revelation and Dispensation under the Names of the Old and New Testament which is no Specifick Difference but only secundum adjunctae Revelationis The Absoluteness of this Covenant was abundantly revealed under the Old Testament Dispensation unto the Patriarchs and Prophets but not so clearly by the Ministry of the Worldly Sanctuary but vailed on which vailedness the faultiness of that Dispensation was charged and did consist in comparison of what was to ensue 1. It stood vailed under a Figurative Carnal Ministry and Ordinances 2. Such as were weak and insufficient as to reaching those Ends that were designed by the Grace of the Covenant Heb. 10.1 and that in respect of the main Gospel Grace in pardon of Sin and purifying the Conscience 3. In that it
received by us in this Covenant between the Father and Son the Gift of the Spirit the Grace of Faith Justification by his Blood by him came all Grace yea all other supposed Grace that came not from the Father and through Christ is no Grace and will not profit us 7. Where the Covenanters Condition and Promises are all from Grace and Love to us there 's a Covenant of Grace but in that which you call a distinct Covenant of Redemption the Covenanters the Conditions and Promises are of Free Grace and Love to us God the Father from his Free Grace and Love to us called his Son to this Undertaking and Covenanting with him God the Son in our Person from his Love and Free Grace Covenanted with his Father he came and freely offered himself to perform the Covenant condition The condition of this Covenant in all Mediatorial Perfections and Performances is freely promised and bestowed upon us The Promise of Eternal Life all Grace and Glory are promised and given in this Covenant That is a Covenant of Grace wherein God is to us a God of all Grace 8. If the Covenant of Redemption be not the Covenant of Grace then there is more Covenants than the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace for Life and Salvation but there is no more Covenants for our Life and Salvation but that of Works and that of Grace The Minor I think hardly any will deny but if it be said there was Moses Mount Sinai Covenant that was but a darker and faultier Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace in the Moral and Ceremonial Law if Church Covenants be alledged under the Law or Gospel they add nothing to this grand Covenant but are Accomplishments of the Promises thereof to whom it doth belong it being promised that they shall be God's People in this Covenant Christ stipulates and we in him as we did in the first Adam then when we believe we stipulate moved thereto from the Grace of the Promise and enter personally into this Covenant embracing that Covenant which was made for us in Christ it 's called laying hold of it It is solemnly also owned professed and restipulated to when we enter into Church Fellowship repeated Restipulations and Renewings of the same Covenant may be without changing the Covenant for as we find God often repeats this Covenant and renews it with his People in Revelation and Establishment as with Adam Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet it was but the same Covenant so are God's Children excited and encouraged thereto from the Free Grace of the said Covenant I shall not here enlarge any further but refer the Reader to that Excellent Treatise of the Reverend Mr. Petto concerning the Covenants where C. 2. p. 18. he gives us this account of the Covenant of Grace viz. The Covenant of Grace was made and established not only with us but jointly with Jesus Christ and us in him so that both are within one and the same Covenant for the great Transactions with Jesus yea even the giving and sending of him and his accepting the Office of a Redeemer and undertaking for us these are all of Grace as well as what is promised to us through him therefore the Covenant of Grace must take in all that conduceth otherwise than a meer Decree to our Restauration and Eternal Salvation 1. There is no Scripture Evidence for making these two Covenants one of Suretiship or Redemption with Jesus Christ and another of Grace and Reconciliation made with us that distinction which some use is improper for the parts are coincident seeing that which was with Christ was of meer Grace also John 3.16 And it 's promised that he should be given for a Covenant Isa 42.6 therefore it 's of Grace we are Redeemed by him 2 Tim. 1.9 There was Grace before the World was and that must be in the Covenant as with Jesus Christ which was for Reconciling the VVorld to the Father 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Colos 1.20 21. It 's true Christ only is our Redeemer and Surety not we in our own Persons And Christ hath some peculiar Precepts and Promises appropriated to him which are not afforded to us in the same manner and degree yet this hindereth not the Oneness of the Covenant with him and us 2. The Covenant of Grace was made with Jesus Christ as a Publick Person a Second Adam and therefore with all his Seed in him 3. All in the Covenant as with us is undertaken for and promised in the Covenant as between the Father and the Son and so together make but one Covenant 4. All Covenant Blessings are primarily granted to Christ See more p. 23 c. Neonom Q. 2. What is intended by a Condition A. I answer in the Words of the Worthy Mr. Flavel Discourse of Errors p. 248. An antecedent condition signifies no more than an Act of ours which though it be neither perfect in every degree nor in the least meritorious of the Benefit conferr'd nor performed in our natural Strength yet according to the Constitution of the Covenant it is required of us in order to the Blessing consequent thereupon by vertue of the Promise and consequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in this Order are and must be suspended by the Donor or Disposer of them till it be performed such a Condition we affirm Faith to be Antinom Mr. Flavel was a worthy Man but it may be not without some Hay and Stubble I wish it do not prove an attempting at another Foundation besides Christ 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12 13. You tell us what an antecodent condition is that it signifies no more than an Act of ours and such is Faith I suppose you and he mean in distinction from a consequent condition The Antecedent gains the Estate the Lawyers reckon it the Purchase-Mony the consequent condition keeps it and it 's the Quit-rent which if it be not duly paid the Lord can enter and take to the Estate So that Faith you 'll have to be the Antecedent condition money deposited and laid down before you have any thing of your Spiritual Estate And you say it signifies no more than an Act of ours I pray whose should it be but ours if the condition be to be performed by us And why is this put in it signifies no more Unless the meaning be that Christ's Righteousness should be shut out and it should be reckoned under the nature of this condition meerly as an Act of ours without respect to Christ the Author of it and Christ the true Object of it And now you tell us it 's Negative Qualifications 1. It 's not perfect in every degree What 's the meaning of that This insinuates as if it were perfect in some degrees I had thought no Grace were perfect in degrees tho' as to Kind and Truth But you will have it perfect in some degrees and imperfect in other degrees Pray in what degrees is this condition perfect and in what imperfect And whether
that in the Covenant of Works the Righteousness which was the Condition was in Man himself that was to be Justified In the Covenant of Grace the conditional Righteousness is in another Not only the Promise but the Condition is freely given and is in another If we must provide the Condition nay if it must be inherent in us though wrought by God it makes our Covenant-standing no otherwise than the first and old Covenant-standing Besides the Design of God in the Covenant of Grace is not only to save graciously so he doth save Elect Angels but to save mercifully to take them into Covenant with him that not only are without good Qualifications but such as are most sinful and miserable and not to qualifie them with meriting or dignifying Righteousness first but to save them so that neither they themselves nor God himself will see any Federal Conditions of Righteousness in them The design of Grace is to save the Creature in the highest Degree of Abasement in himself and far from boasting or seeing any reason in himself to do it 6. The great and Evangelical Promulgations of this Covenant of Grace was always in absolute Promises and no mention made of Federal Conditions in us Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.25 Hos 2.18 19 20. See Zanch. upon the place He doth not say If thou wilt repent I will receive thee into favour and betroth thee but absolutely Tom. 5. fol in Hos p. 4â— 55. I will betroth thee It is therefore a most absolute Covenant wherein God without any Condition doth promise that he will receive his People into Favour and save them The first Promise to Adam was absolute and was not those repeated Promises of it to Abraham and the Patriarchs absolute The forenamed Author speaking of the Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 17.7 notes that this Promise is altogether free absolute and without Condition because in the Words of the Covenant we find no Condition 7. That which is a New Covenant Condition to some saved ones is to all for it 's not to be supposed that the New Covenant hath divers sorts of Conditions but faith or Evangelical Obedience cannot be a condition to some Ergo not the condition Minor It cannot be the condition to saved Infants nor Ideots but it is not to be doubted but God saves many of them by the Covenant of Grace 8. If Jesus Christ himself be the Sole Condition of the New Covenant then Faith nor no other Grace of the Spirit is not the condition The Spirit it self is not the foederal condition of the Covenant but promised to work Faith and Holiness in us But Christ is the only condition 1. His Righteousness is our Condition in Satisfaction of the Law both as to Active and Passive Obedience Rom. 10.4 He is the Condition in whom it is through whom Eternal Life is conveyed to us 1 John 5.11 He is the condition through whom all the Benefits flow Eph. 1.3 Redemption Forgiveness ver 7. He is the Condition of all Good in him through him and by him we have 1 Cor. 1.30 Reconciliation Col. 1.21 Of him we have our Faith Heb. 12. beg That Christ is the only Foederal condition of the Covenant is so clear and plain a Truth thoroughout all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that he must deny the Sun in the Firmament that denies this Truth Christ himself is the Sole Condition of the Covenant 1. It 's impossible any thing else should be the Condition c. 1. There 's nothing else can reconcile Sinners to God in bearing Sin and Curse he only was our Condition for Reconciliation 2. There 's nothing else pleadable with God 1. Christ can plead nothing else in his Intercession but his own Righteousness 2. We can plead nothing else with God not our Faith or Obedience when be come before God in Prayer Dan. 9.18 3. Our best Holiness cannot have any satisfying Vertue for Sin committed II. Christ must be the only Condition that the Covenant of Grace might be free to us That Grace might be free Grace III. He that is the Condition of bestowing the Spirit which works Grace is the condition of all Grace that ensues but Christ is the condition of the bestowing the Spirit Ergo He hath purchased this Gift he sends the Spirit it is his Spirit he had it for this end without measure Neonom I will tell you what is intended by the Benefits of the Covenant A. The Good Things or Priviledges promised to such as by Grace are enabled to comply with the Terms of the Covenant especially whatever is Essential to our Felicity D. W. p. 56. Antinom I pray to what doth that Grace that doth enable a Man to comply with the Terms belong Is it any Priviledge or Benefit of the Covenant Or hath he it out of Covenant And what is that Benefit that he hath in changing his Heart in turning him from Darkness to Light Is not this the performance of the Promise of Eternal Life What condition have you to Premise to this Gift of God You talk of the Grace of God enabling a Sinner to comply just as if he were to keep his Old State and the Grace of God did only help and assist him by some Moral Perswasion I pray tell me 1. Is not the first Life of Grace a good Thing and Priviledge What in us is the condition of it 2. Nay Is not the Preaching of the Gospel a good Thing and Priviledge And doth not Faith come by Hearing You should make Hearing a condition of the Covenant for every Duty to be performed Antecedaneous to another in Order thereunto or as a Means for it is it's condition but not a Federal condition dressing Meat is such a condition to the eating of it making a Suit of Cloaths to the putting it on c. Neonom It 's needful that I acquaint you wherein the conditions of the Covenant of Grace differ from conditions in the Covenant of Innocency or Works as vulgarly called for both lye in doing something though not the same thing nor to the same end p. 56. Antinom We are like to have Excellent Doctrine now here 's a plain declaration that the Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Works though it 's not the same individual thing and something else designed but it lyes in doing Neonom 1. The conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Christ freely given to Sinners The conditions of the Covenant of Innocency were performed by a strength due to and inherent in our Innocent Nature D. W. p. 57. Antinom To say the conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Christ freely given to Sinners and that any Act of ours is a condition I affirm to be a contradiction 1. Whatever is freely given to a Sinner is no part of a Federal condition as such but of a Promise 2. That which is to be ascribed wholly as to all its Good to
first place For it runs thus If you receive there 's some body gives So the Giving is the Condition of Receiving Or see it thus If you be a Father you have a Son they are mutual Causes one of another but the Father is first in respect of Nature and Causality If Receiving lie upon the Condition of Giving then Receiving is not the Condition of Giving but vice versa but Receiving lies under and depends upon the Condition of Giving for if there be no Giving there can be no Receiving Neonom They judge the Covenant is conditional they scruple not to call Faith the Condition of our Interest in Christ and Salvation by him Antinom They do intend and so do we that the New Covenant is conditional and hath a great Condition Jesus Christ He is the Foederal Condition satisfactory and procurative but they mean not that Faith is a condition of the Covenant but a condition relative in the manifestation For they could not suppose Faith to be the Condition of what they make the Covenant for it 's but in the Foregoing Answer they say The Covenant of Grace was made with the Second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed They speak not of any Condition of the Covenant of Grace which they give an Account of Quest 31. but speak only of the way and manner of the manifestation of the Grace of God in the Second Covenant and that they tell you it 's by Faith as a correlative receiving Condition They speak not of any Condition of the Covenant but of the manifestation of the Grace in the Covenant by the Participation thereof Neonom 3. They judge that Christ and Salvation are offered to all Sinners on the same condition though God effectually enable the Elect to obey the Condition Antinom They say he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life Is Faith the condition of God's providing a Mediator And upon the same Terms that he provideth he also offereth i. e. freely If you look for a condition here it must be of providing and offering And they say God requires and works Faith as a Condition i. e. no more in their Sence but a means of conveyance the Grace of the Second Covenant unto them Now that this is their meaning take a full confirmation their Sence fully express'd in their Confession In Ch. 11. Of Justification speaking of the Nature of Justification saith It 's not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ alone not by imputing Faith it self the Act of believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience to them as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his Righteousness is the alone Instrument of Justification Thus Gentlemen you see what a Catch he hath got of the Word Condition made use of by the Assembly When they used the Word Condition it was but Aaron's Rod it 's now turned into a Serpent and every one that savours Christ aright will fly from it It is no better now than a Nehushtan and is to be brokee in pieces in the Sence of a Foederal Condition Neonom Errour The Covenant of Grace hath no Condition to be performed on Man's part though in the strength of Christ Neither is Faith it self the Condition of this Covenant but all the saving Benefits of this Covenant are actually ours before we are born Neither are we required so much as to believe that we may come to have an Interest in the Covenant-Benefits D. W. p. 59. Antinom We have told you and proved to you your Errour in saying That faith is the Condition foederally of the Covenant of Grace and we have shewed how far saving Benefits are prepared for us and ours in the Promise right before we believe yea before we are born and though it 's our Duty to believe and do believe as thereby partaking of Christ unto Salvation yet not in your Sence as a condition of a Covenent of Grace but as a promised Gift and Benefit bestowed upon us in Christ and wrought in us by him Neonom You spend more than a Sermon to prove this and say there is not any Condition in this Covenant D. C. p. 81. Anntinom In preaching on Isa 42.6 7. I shewed by way of Doctrine Dr. C. p. 81. That the Father is pleased to give Christ for a Covenant to the People and in opening it I shewed what it is for Christ to be a Covenant Where I shewed That the Lord means not a Covenant of Works but the Covenant of Grace which Covenant is mentioned Jer. 31.33 and renewed again Ezek. 36 26. and also Heb. 8.6 where you shall find this appropriated to Christ to be his great Priviledge to have the sole hand and managing of this New Covenant But now saith the Apostle He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant And what is this better Covenant Mark what follows Ver. 8. Behold the days come c. Here see the substance of the Covenant I will be their God and they shall be my People Now I shew the difference between this Covenant and others all others run upon Stipulations the Promise runs altogether upon Conditions on both sides The Condition on God's Part They shall live The Condition on Man's Part That he might live he must do this And in the Old Covenant in case Man failed the Condition was broke But in this Covenant there 's no Condition on Man's part to be performed because the Covenant is everlasting Heb. 8. God saith I will be merâ—iful to your Iniquities and your Sins I will remember no more Now suppose there were Conditions for Man to perform and suppose Man did fail in those Conditions what were become of the Covenant The Covenant is frustrated as soon as the Conditions are broken Dr. C. p. 81. Obj. 1. There are many Conditions mentioned in this Covenant there must be a Law put in the Mind writ in the Heart c. Answ It is true God saith I will put my Law in your inward parts But it is not said This is a Condition to be performed on Man's part Obj. But Conditions or no Conditions a Man must have his Heart in this manner Answ I answer It 's true by way of Consequence that after we are in Covenant he will bestow those things upon us as Fruits and Effects of this Covenant but it 's not true by way of Antecedence That God will require those things at our hands before we be Partakers of this Covenant Answ 2. You shall see plainly that Man hath no tie upon him to perform any thing whatsoever in this Covenant as a Condition to be observed on his part Mark how it is in Jer. Ezek. Heb. God saith I will put it
absolutely in relation to God I know not Doth not God offer absolutely Is he provoked to offer Grace from any thing out of himself Sure he offers absolutely and from himself though he offer upon condition or makes Conditions in his Offer And how that comes in as his People is I know not I take the whole put together not to be Sence But I will extract your Argument as well as I can If each Benefit of the Covenant is offered to Men upon condition and not absolutely in relation to God then there are Conditions in the Covenant of Grace to be performed by us before we can have the Benefits But each Benefit of the Covenant is offered so c. Ergo. Here I deny the consequence of the Major first for there are conditions of Offer and conditions propounded in Offer mean them if you please God's propounding the Grace of the Covenant-condition is no ground of Proof that therefore there are conditions to be performed by us before we receive the Benefit For the Duty required and Good thing promised are but both of them Benefits and the leading Duty it may be the greatest and the greatest Exemplification of the Grace of the Promise Here is connexion then of Benefits as to Relation and Order and therefore I deny your consequence That Promises conditionally made do inferr necessarily foederal conditions distinct from the Benefits Minor also deny'd for each Benefit of the Covenant is not offered conditionally as the making a new Heart the Gift of Faith the uniting Power and Efficacy of the Spirit whereby we are inserted into Christ as our Root before we can bring forth the Fruit of Faith As to the places mentioned I say First That the Covenant of Grace as dispensed under the Old Testament was vailed and covered two ways 1. By Types and Ceremonies 2. By a Legal Ministration in Denunciations Conditions Promises of Temporal Blessings whereby they were carried on to Duty but yet in the Sacrifices they had some sight by Faith of the Absoluteness and Freeness of the Grace of God in the Promise and it 's evident the unconditionality of the Promise tho' it was manifested sometimes to the Patriarchs and Prophets yet was mostly under a Cloud as in a cloudy day the Sun may now and then break out with marvellous Brightness and Splendor when for the generality a Legal Darkness clouded and obscured the Grace of God In other Ages the Mystery of the Covenant was not made known and revealed so as now Eph. 3.5 But as to Lev. 26.3 12 it makes nothing against us for God doth but by his Commands and Promises bring them into participation of the Covenant of Grace For what is Faith and Obedience but the Gifts of his Grace And it 's he who through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant works in us the things that are well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ Heb. 13.21 And this was the way of his working with them being under this Tutorage differing little from Servants till the time appointed of his Father Gal. 4.1 2 4. And accordingly you see Lev. 26.3 the Promise of Encouragement is Then will I give you rain in due season And likewise as he promiseth outward Blessings so Spiritual Priviledges His Ordinances and Presence among them in them ver 12. Not that their walking in his Statutes was the condition of his being a God in Covenant for he chose them before they chose him And God saith ver 13. notwithstanding these conditional Promises I am the Lord your God that brought you out c. Likewise as the Promises were mostly of outward good things Temporal and the continuance of his Ordinances so performance of these were connected to their external Conformity to his instituted Worship they were to be a separate and peculiar People sequestred from other People unto his pure Worship and Ordinances and to that Sence doth the Apostle apply this place 2 Cor. 6.17 For he presseth Purity in Church-fellowship in the foregoing Verses by divers Arguments and among others this of Leviticus That God expected such Purity of the Church of the Old Testament much more of them and hence presseth Separation in external Church-fellowship and Ordinances and then as they have the Blessings of Ordinances they will have the Blessing of God's Visible Presence Whereas I said before Benefits are connected A Duty Benefit to a Priviledge to be as motives to Performance the Spirit working with the Word There may be Commands Directions Motives to Duty in the Word and none of these make Duty antecedently necessary and conditional to our being in Covenant but all consequently necessary being a Series of connected Benefits flowing in after we are taken in to Covenant As to Matth. 22.2 3 9 10 11. you say Coming to the Wedding Supper was a Condition of having share in it You say in your Preface to that place that the Garment is Vniting Faith You should have said Putting on the Garment is the Garment Is the coming to Christ or putting him on the Wedding-Garment or Christ himself and his Righteousness so is it of pardon of Sin and acceptance to Life Coming to the Wedding-Supper was not the Condition that gave Right but the Invitation Coming is a priviledge which the People that are invited to receive the Gospel have whom Christ by the Power and Efficacy of his Grace working with the Word compels and constrains overcoming their Rebellious Hearts As to that place of Rom. 10.9 you have as much Reason to inferr thence that Confession is a Condition as well as Faith the great Antecedent Condition there mentioned is Hearing by which Faith comes As for Rom. 4.25 Gal. 3.7 they all shew but connexion of Covenant-benefits all absolutely given in the Promise of Eternal Life Pardon and Faith Faith and Holiness Grace and Glory all sounded upon one Condition of the Covenant the Lord Jesus Christ Neonom I pray By what Justice then do you say the first Grace is absolute It 's Injustice to add new Terms to any of those Benefits if they be ours by the Covenant as absolute before Antinom I see you will stand upon Terms with God and will have him stand upon Terms with you But God never made any such Terms as you dream of Blessed be his Name Neonom If the Covenant be not Conditional as to the disposing of Benefits it would follow 1. That all to whom the Offers are made have an Interest in them or it is not a serious Offer no nor a true Offer as not containing a real and natural Connexion between the Benefit and the Duty D. W. p. 63. Antinom I must take notice of your shifting in your Antecedent what do you put in as to the Disposal of Benefits the Disposal of Benefits is the Performance of the Promise your Condition ought to lie before the Disposal of Benefits If you mean an adjusted Order in the disposal of Benefits you multiply Conditions to the end of the
World and turn all Benefits into Conditions We are to talk of a Condition upon which as such all others are Benefits and relative Conditions are given forth by Promise And we say Jehovah our Righteousness is that Condition for which we are blessed with all Blessings in and through him in and through him they are bestowed and all ways and means of bestowing them are Blessings provided in him and bestowed by him that there is a Method of Order in bestowing them and a relative Connexion between them there is as also among the Blessings and Benefits and is no hindrance to the Absoluteness of the Promise A Man gives me an Estate to come gradually to me 20 l. per Annum this year and 20 l. next c. is my having 20 l. per Annum this year the reason by way of condition of my having 20 l. per Annam more the next The Condition of all this Estate is resolved into the Free-Will of the Donor and his purchasing of it for me with his Money As to your consequence it follows you say That all to whom the Offer is made have an Interest in them I deny it utterly in such Offers as God makes for though the Tender of Grace be indefinite yet God knows who are his by Election and Redemption and to them he gives his Son and his Spirit and the first Gift of the Promise to perswade and enable them to come unto Christ Or you say It 's not a Serious Offer viz. To offer Grace upon such Terms and Conditions which the Sinner is not able to perform This Inference will rebound back again upon you for saying That these Conditions are freely wrought of God in us Doth God work these Conditions before he offers them the Grace of the Covenant If so you say something and work them in all too to which they are offered if not it 's not serious as you and the Arminians will say Therefore to support your Hypothesis you must grant a Free-will in Man and Power of himself to perform the said Condition Now it is true you say as not containing a real and natural Connexion between the Benefit and Duty Why so Can 't Benefits be relative and truly connected without there be a Foederal Condition Having Food and Raiment let us therewith be content Contentment is the Benefit here and it 's a Duty and the Condition â—â—od and Raiment a manifest Benefit too and can't these be conâ—â—â—ted without one be a Foederal Condition of the other which wanting the Blessing is not look'd for Then you may say Not having Food and Rayment sufficient I need not be content Know this the Spirit of God makes the Promise the Condition of the Duty As to Abraham I am God All-sufficient walk before me and it s always so if we rightly understand the Language for it first bids us live before it bids us do And this is the difference between the Covenant of Works and that of Grace Neonom 2. Faith it self is no more necessary to our first Interest in those Benefits than any other Grace nay than Vnbelief Let no man object It 's a Sign for so is any other Grace so might be the Description of Paul by his Name by his Abode yea Sin a Persecutor c. D. W. p. 63. Antinom There is an Interest antecedaneous to Faith but hidden yet such as our Faith can never come into being without And as to our Interest by Faith you speak of Christ by Revelation of his Grace in the Gospel makes us Partaker thereof It 's an Interest of Possession and yet a Man may be thrown out of Possession unless he have this antecedent Right and Title to it And the Interest by Possession of and Communion with Christ is greater by Faith than any other way because it 's directed to Christ objectively and receives more eminently Christ himself And though it do so yet it can't be the Condition of receiving Christ That is the very receiving of Christ for the receiving cannot be the Condition of receiving then an Act should be the Condition of it self Neonom Let not any one say it 's a Sign for so is any other Grace and Paul may be known by this Name Abode c. Antinom Faith is for those Uses that Christ hath appointed but he never appointed it for a Moral Foederal Condition For if it be a Condition it 's so as an Act and if as an Act a Duty and as a Duty Moral and so makes your Covenant only a Moral Law Believing is more than a Sign but it 's most naturally so in your Sence for in it's Conditionality you make it but the same with other Graces and Duties But we say Believing is feeding on Christ seeing of him receiving of him and it 's not proper for to say Feeding is a Condition of Feeding Seeing a Condition of Seeing yet it carries it's Evidence with it abundantly because there is Perception of all I see and feed upon Neonom Men are said to enter into Covenant with God Deut. 29.12 13. Psal 50.3 To keep Covenant Psal 103.18 To perform the Covenant 2 Chron. 34.31 To take hold of the Covenant Isa 6.6 Antinom In the Covenants mentioned betwixt God and the Church of the Jews we must always consider the Pedagogy that they were under and that they were under the Covenant of Grace vailed and not only with Levitical Types but Legal Dispensations in respect of Duty And the Apostle tells us that this Ministry was faulty and therefore he saith Christ hath obtained a more excellent Ministry far differing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By so much that he was the Mediator of a better Covenvnt which is established on better Promises Heb. 8.6 For if the first Covenant had been Faultless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had been no place found for the Second This Second is not to be understood of the Covenant of Works but the Mosaical Ministry of the Covenant of Grace which is fully expressed in the beginning of the Chapter Neither doth the Apostle mean only the meer Ceremonial part of that Ministry but the morally legal and conditional way of Dispensation like the Covenant of Works And therefore he saith The new Covenant that he would make or promulge by the more excellent Ministry of the Mediator it should be published in the true absolute and unconditional Light of it not according to the Mount-Sinai Covenant upon their coming out of Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They abode not in that Covenant by performing the conditional Duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Lord ver 9. i. e. He did not give them those Promises of external good things that he made unto them for the Promises were external for the most part as the Conditions of them were morally Legal 2. Besides these explicit Covenants there were Ecclesiastical Covenants as they were a National Congregational Church and in these Covenants they promised Subjection unto God and Observation of all his
baptize Infants I would desire no stronger Argument to manage against Infant-Baptism than your Principle of Conditionality of the Covenant And as for the Lord's Supper it holds forth Christ's Body freely given and his Blood freely shed for us and that his Blood was a Seal and Ratification of the New Covenant where-by it becomes a Testament Neonom 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism that saves us is not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God i. e. Vpright consent of Heart to the Vow and Profession Antinom The Words are thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To what was Baptism an Antitype Was it not to the Waters of Noah that saved Persons by bearing up the Ark when the rest of the World were drowned What condition was there of God's saving those Eight Persons And to bring it home the Apostle tells us the mere Element in Baptism and external Administration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the washing away External or Levitical Uncleanness as it was used by the Jews but as it signifies the Blood of Christ reaching to the purifying of the Conscience from Guilt Heb. 9. 10. and thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as it signifies the carrying or washing away our Sins by the Blood of Christ and our rising again wherein we were fundamentally Justifyed and the application of both by Faith whereby our present Sence of God's Wrath and Condemnation is removed To talk that it signifies a Vow or upright Consent is very Jejune against the Stream of Interpreters Neonom An Elect Person known by Revelation to be so while unregenerate is not entitled to the Lord's Supper Antinom He that hath that Revelation I suppose will have something more revealed But in the mean time I wonder why you that stand upon such strict moral Qualifications for an Interest in Covenant-Benefits and so sparing of Gospel Grace stand upon so slight Terms for admission to the Lord's Supper and are so lavish of Covenant-Benefits upon such easie Terms I am sure you may know some of them are not Regenerate without Revelation Neonom Vnbelief and whatever Sins are contrary to the Terms of the Covenant are the only hinderances to a Sinners Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant and by these we are said to reject and refuse the Covenant The Scripture lays Men's want of Forgiveness on their Vnbelief as the culpable cause c. Antinom Then the great Business of the Covenant of Grace is to save Sinners and give them Life being dead in Sin and Unbelief and the Gift of God is eternal Life begun in Remission of Sins and Faith in Christ's Blood which God gives freely unto those that are altogether uncapable to perform any Conditions for it he gives these Gifts to unbelieving rebellious ones And if Unbelief should hinder these Gifts of God's Grace there 's none could be saved And as Unbelief doth not hinder Fundamental Covenant Right which they have by Christ's Imputation so it hinders not God's Application when he will work for then nothing shall hinder You seem also to hint as if some Sins were more venial than others and some more consistent with your Moral Conditions of the Covenant of Imperfection and know that no culpable Cause shall hinder the Forgiveness of those for whom Christ died Neonom The Gospel-Promise being the way which Christ appoints to dispense saving Benefits to Believers must have the same Rules with the Covenant of Grace Antinom Yea for the Covenant of Promise and the Covenant of Grace are the same and saving Benefits are dispensed only by way of Gift which is performance of the Promise and no other way Neonom The Gospel is his Testament and a Covenant cannot be a Disposition contrary to this Gospel Antinom The Covenant of Grace is a Testament because confirmed by the Death of Christ and there 's no adding to it if it were but a Man's Testament and last Will as the Apostle saith and therefore there 's no bringing in any after-terms or conditions of it And the Gospel is a Declaration of this Promise and Seal and addeth no further Terms Neonom This Promise tells us 1. That there is a Promise of the first Grant made to Christ for the Elect and by vertue of that Promise the Elect do consent to the Covenant Antinom Promise and Grant are in a manner one and this made to Christ for the Elect it's better to the Elect in Christ but that will do for the present and by vertue of that Promise the Elect do consent I suppose you mean the first Consent which you will sometimes have the Condition of their receiving benefit by the Promise I hope it 's this a great Benefit and absolute Gift of the Promise and of this then there 's no Condition but Christ by your own Consession Neonom 2. That Gospel or Covenant is the means whereby that Faith is wrought Antinom Very good then the Covenant is the condition of Faith and not Faith of the Covenant Neonom This Gospel commands and by the Power of the Spirit works that Faith in order to saving Benefits which Benefits it promiseth to such as do believe and no other D. W. p. 66. Antinom I thought but now you were got above your Covenant of Imperfections but I find you are working down again These Conditions are heavy bulky things they will weigh a Man down do what he can And is Faith wrought only in order to saving Benefits How often shall I tell you it 's one of the principal saving Benefits of any Grace wrought in us And Faith is promised to Unbelievers else they would never have it Neonom This Gospel invests Believers in those saving Benefitt Antinom And it invests Unbelievers in the saving benefit of Faith and therefore the Gospel is the condition of Faith Neonom It secures the perseverance of Believers in the true Faith and the necessary Effects and thereby secures those Benefits as unforfeited Antinom Then they are not under an uncertain Trial all this Life that it is not determined whether they shall be saved or no as you suggested Neonom But Christ never bequeathed or promised in the Gospel a Pardon or Salvation to Vnbelievers Antinom That 's a Riddle Was it not in Christ's Testament to save Sinners to justify the Ungodly Did he not pray for them that should believe Doth not the Gospel tell us He came not to save righteous but to bring Sinners to repentance that he came to seek and to save them that are lost Doth not Christ say He is the Resurrection and the Life and that we are quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins c. The main Tenure of the Gospel If it be as you say there 's none should be saved for if Men are not saved by vertue of the Promise they will never be saved What a miserable Condition are all in if believing and promising Mercy be not bestowed upon
Unbelieving Sinners Neonom Nor the continuance of that Pardon or Salvation but upon supposition that this Faith perseveres And if the Gospel-promise say no such thing I am sure the Covenant did not p. 66. Antinom What Christ bequeathed he purchased but it seems all was done but upon condition of perseverance We must stand upon these uncertain conditions all our Days it would be some comfort if we could come to some certainty of our Pardon and Salvation after we are over the first brunt but we can't be sure we are pardoned or that we shall be saved till the last Gasp and if we happen to fall in the mean time our Pardon is gone Neonom The Account of the Covenant which seems most for it's Absoluteness implies this conditional Connexion of the required Grace and the promised Benefits Antinom Now all our Foederal Conditions are dwindled away into conditional Connexions only It is well some places seem to be for the Absoluteness of the Covenant if there be but one Text that is really for it I think we are bound to believe it But you say they imply a conditional Connexion God forbid that conditional Connexions should he turned out of the World if they should all things must be returned into the first Chaos and this would be a conditional Connexion and this Connection is between the required Grace and promised Benefit If you had said Bestowed Grace it had been more proper Or said Required Duty There 's no body hath so little Sence as to deny Cause and Effects Subjects and Adjuncts Arguments of all sorts in the Covenant of Grace in that free absolute Covenant and among the Gifts of it there is Christ and all his Effects the Spirit and its Effects Faith and it's Effects Adjuncts and Contraries This we call Relative Conditions or else things must cease to have a Being But that which we deny is Moral Foederal Conditions to be performed by us Such as these we say there 's none In the Covenant of Grace there 's no required gracious Act that is such a moral condition of any promised Benefit Neonom The places that seem to be for an absolute Covenant are Jer. 31.31 32 33. Heb. 8.10 11 12. Heb. 10.16 17. Jer. 32.40 Ezra 11.19 20. There be others that relate to the restauration of the Captivity Antinom You name Ezra 11. for one and Ezra hath not so many Chapters I suppose it 's an Erratum but I find it not among the Errata's As for the rest you insinuate as if they referr'd only to the return of the Captivity Neonom Yes I 'll pitch upon one Jer. 31.31 c. This is quoted Heb. 8.10 12. and ch 10.16 17. To understand this we must consider 1. Whom is this Covenant made with 2. What can be inferr'd from this Scheme of the Covenant 1. It 's made with the House of Judah and Israel not the Men in present being but Men to be hereafter It 's after those days I will make it so that it was after the Mosaick Covenant was to expire ver 32. D. W. p. 67. Antinom Hence then you refute your self in saying that it referr'd to the Restauration of the Captivity for then the Mosaick Covenant was in it's full force Neonom And it could not be the only Covenant of Grace for that had it's Being from the Fall and the sincere Israelites lost not the advantage of it Gal. 3.17 Antinom The Covenant of Grace had it's Being before the Fall and from the Fall it had it's Promulgation then was that first revealed state of it before it was the Mystery that lay hid in God But observe that as it was then manifested it was absolute as to us The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head There was no condition mentioned nor rationally supposed to be implied but Christ And it 's to be observed that this Covenant-promise was made before the Sentence was pronounced upon our Fallen Parents which Blessing was the Curse of the Serpent denounced Now as this promulgated Covenant had it's being from the Fall so it continued as the Covenant of Grace and Salvation to all the Faithful under the Old Testament The Lamb slain from the Foundations of the World or before them was looked upon as the only Foederal Condition which was exemplify'd by Sacrifices early begun in Adam's Family and continued till the Messiah came Now indeed this Covenant in the Epistle to the Hebrews is not meant in the Essential Nature of it but in the vailed state of it under the Mosaick Administration which is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graven in stone 2 Cor. 3.6 7. and opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Gospel unvailed Ministration which is said therefore to be New because of the full and clear Discovery that was made by the Revelation of Christ in his Coming and Ministry which was not before And in the same Sence Mount Sinai and Mount Zion is opposed in Heb. 12. And what was seen by this last Ministration It was that Christ Jesus was the Summ and Substance of the former Ministration 1. That it was a Covenant of Free-Grace the Promise given upon the condition of Redemption by the Blood of Christ which appeared to be the true intent of all the Sacrifices 2. That though so much was conditionally required yet no Duties could expiate sin or reconcile us to God And the Reason of those Duties are given us as truly though then not so fully seen was the performance of the Covenant-condition vertually in Redemption typified by Redemption out of Egypt Exod. 20. In a word the Covenant of Grace stood vailed under the Mosaick Pedagogy which stood in a conditional Command under the Sanction of Rewards and Punishments mostly Temporal and under Types and Figures Now this ministration of the Letter stood under a double Faultiness which clouded the Glory and Beauty of the Promise First A Typical and Shadowy Administration in Sacrifices by which the great condition of the Covenant was pointed at as being not yet come and Symbolically only express'd to their Faith The other Fault was the Moral Mount Sinai Vail which called for Duty as it were in the way of Foederal Condition caused them to perform Duty as under a Spirit of Bondage and in a mercenary manner through the Encouragement of Temporal Rewards and fear of Temporary Sufferings and a seeming Attribution of Demerits to the Performances And therefore the Apostle shews that the Faultiness lay here also Heb. 8.9 Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers c. Because they continued not in my Covenant they could not be saved by those Legal conditional Performances but by an absolute Covenant couched under that conditional Ministration being saved even as we for the Law and Legal Ministration it was weak through the Flesh Rom. 8.3 And you speak very truly that the true Israelites never lost the Spiritual Advantage of the Covenant of Grace by reason of
this vailed Ministration but look'd thorough the Vail by Faith for the Law-deliverance at Mount Sinai did not or could not disannull it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Covenant or Testament fore-ratifyed by God unto Christ Thus far we do in some measure agree Neonom But the Point before us is to know who this Israel and Judah be 1. They are either the Natural Jews to be alive in those days which this Promise refers to 2. Or to true Believers who are inwardly Israel Rom. 9.6 If it terminate in the Natural Jews it 's a strong Text for the Conversion of the Jews for the most part by an immediate Influence Antinom Those days are the days of the Gospel-ministration and it 's plain the Spirit of God referrs to the Jews that then lived The Apostle wrote to the Hebrews and his Design was to take them from the Mount Sinai Ministration which they were most fond of He tells them That now the days were come which the Prophet spake of and therefore this is but shuffling with the Texts as if the time of fulfilling this Promise was not yet come when the Spirit of God gives us so clearly to understand when this Prophecy was accomplished ver 6. having given us an Account of the Ministry of the Old Sanctuary that then the Priests did serve the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do service or minister by way of Similitude and Shadow whereby they understood that they were not to last but till a better Ministry ensued And ver 6. he saith But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also as he is the Mediator of a better Covenant And this is the time at the Appearance of this Mediator and his fulfilling all Righteousness that there should be this clear unvailed Dispensation of the Promise Not but God did thus unconditionally save them before but now they should understand the true Ground Principle and Use of Gospel-Services and Duties And here 's all absolute God forgives their Iniquity and writes his Law in their Hearts where all is absolute and free without mentioning any condition though you would fain hook them in any way by Head and Shoulders but you labour in vain Neonom If they be true Believers inward Israel Rom. 2.9 then there is Faith in such who are the Parties with whom God makes this Covenant c. D. W. p. 68. Antinom We shewed you it 's meant first of the professed Jews in those days out of which God would take a true Israel by vertue of this Promise And when-ever they that were blinded should be converted and turn to the Lord it should be so and this way they should come to be Believers for giving the New Heart and writing the Law there is making them Believers How absurdly do you talk of making Believers first and then taking them into Covenant As if making Men Believers and giving them new Hearts were not taking them into Covenant This is from your Principle That there 's no Promise of giving Pardon or Salvation to meer Sinners and Unbelievers which is contrary to the whole Gospel I will shew you a Promise that declares this absolute Covenant expresly to the Sinners of the Gentiles though the same Promise belongs to both expressed in either of the places Rom. 9.23 That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared to Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This fore-preparation was in the Covenant of Grace even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles ver 25. As he saith in Osce I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved c. See the place And that this Calling referrs to more than an outward Profession appears by 1 Pet. 2.9 10. You will make the writing of God's Law in the Heart to be the Condition when it 's the very Promise made Give me the Condition of this Promise to be found in us before God's Law is written or else you do nothing Neonom It cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the New Covenant that the Dr. would have it God doth not require any Duty as the condition of the Benefits which he promised to give D. W. p. 68. Antinom You say the first Grace is freely given which in the Promise is a New Heart Now what is a greater Benefit than Life from the dead And what Duty can be required as a Condition to this Benefit Here you must fall in with the Papists and directly contrary to Article 13. of the Church of England Neonom I talk not of a Condition before a new Heart but that the New Heart is the Condition For God's Law is written in the Heart before our relation to him as his People or the Pardon of Sin Antinom Here you plainly say there 's a real state in Grace without a relative Sanctification without Justification or Adoption the Law written in the Heart and therefore Good Works While we are unreconciled to God it 's before we are his People Now this Law must be written 1. In the Heart of the ungodly Man and Unbeliever contrary to what you say That there 's no promise made to such because Unbelievers Or it must be in the Heart of him who at once is made a Believer in the working of a New Heart in which instant he is related to God and hath the pardon of Sin But it 's unaccountable Divinity That the Law of God is writ in the Heart before our Relation to God as his People or the Pardon of Sins Neonom But God requires us to make us new Hearts as a condition of Life Ezek. 18.31 Jer. 7.23 2 Cor. 3.6 Antinom I suppose Sir you your self cannot say that the first quoted places are wrote in the New Covenant Dialect but in that of the Vailed Covenant especially that of Ezek. 18. the place quoted by you I suppose you will not say it 's quite contrary to Jer. 31.31 for if so we may throw away our Bibles but that this place is to be taken in some Sence that is not contrary to the very nature and design of that of Jeremy The drift of this Chapter Ezek. 18. is to vindicate the just and righteous Proceedings of God For they had charged God with Injustice and Unrighteousness of his Dealings towards them That the Son suffered for the Father's Sins The Father eat sowre Grapes c. God Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children The Lord tells them there 's no Child suffers for his Fathers Sins any farther than he entails the Curse and as he walketh in his Fathers Sins and that by personal Repentance of the vilest Person a Man should be saved and not suffer for his Parents Sins And ver 29. the Prophet saith notwithstanding you have heard the Justice of God thus vindicated you will persist in it and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way of God is not just or right O house of Israel saith the Lord are not my ways just Are not yours unjust For thus saith the Lord I will judge you seeing that you stand so upon your own Justification and censure my Justice see now that you repent and turn you from your Iniquities and so Iniquity shall not be your ruine And if they plead this We cannot do it without the Gift of Grace and thou change our Hearts No faith God seeing you stand upon such Terms with me you must do as you have pretended you could Ver. 31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions and make you a new Heart Get up your selves such Faith as those have who receive my Grace freely and I give new Hearts to and it shall be well with you For saith the Lord my Nature is not to delight in the Misery of the Creature as no just Judge that passeth Sentence delights to afflict or kill the Prisoner at the Barr I had according to my nature rather he should repent and live but if he doth not Justice requireth that he should die Now that which seems here to be chiefly aimed at is to convince them of their sinful undone state that they were never able to perform so much as the external Commands of the Law of Moses or any Commands to Repentance or Obedience in their own strength and power And seeing you charge me with this That I accept not your pretended Repentance but have carried you away into Captivity it 's for the Iniquity of our Fathers they have sinned and we must suffer No saith God do but repent Sin shall not be your ruine make you new Hearts your selves Seeing you pretend you deserve so much and have done so and so let me now see what you can do without me as to Help and Grace you shall see I shall deal with you according to your Good as well as according to your Wickedness The Current of the Old Tkstament is to convince them of the Faultiness of this Conditional Covenant and to confirm what the Apostle saith Heb. 8. Rom. 10.31 32. which is the Sence of that place Jer. 7.23 4. This thing I commanded them but they hearkened not c. That they continued not in that conditional way of Salvation nor obtained the Law of Righteousness neglecting the true Spiritual meaning of the Sacrifices but they that were saved were saved as we by Faith in a free and an unconditional Covenant of Grace Calvin saith on the place Non frustra hoc dicit Deus facite vobis c. God doth not speak this in vain Facite vobis though they had no Power to do it but for this end that men being convinced of their sins should blame none but themselves and acknowledging their Impotency should betake themselves to the help of the holy Spirit as David Psal 51.22 So as also this external Exhortation is as it were the Instrument God useth to conferr Grace upon them And the Apostle acquaints us 1 Cor. 10. and shews us how the Israelites failed and rebelled against this conditional Covenant and so brought themselves under the Calamities threatned to their Disobedience and tells us that all these things happened unto them in a Type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as another Reading hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 11. They were Types and were written for our Instruction Wherein was that viz. That we should not think as they to be saved upon the condition of our Performances which they did notwithstanding they had Christ and the free Promise of Life given to them in the Types of the Cloud and the Rock which they made not Improvement of or regarded but stood mostly on their own strength and righteousness Therefore saith he ver 12. the Instruction lies here which we are taught He that thinks that he stands let him take heed lest he falls i. e. let him depend upon the Free Grace of the Covenant and not upon his Conditional Performances I see not to what purpose you quote 2 Cor. 3.6 and ch 10.11 12 21. Neonom I will tell you your Mistakes you think every thing is a price to buy a Benefit which is a compliance with the way God hath ordained to be a way to bestow a Gift D. W. p. 71. Antinom I think God hath a way to bestow Grace upon us by Price and Gift too the Price is paid by Christ i. e. the conditional part of the Covenant performed and Christ is freely given to us and this is all the Covenant-way of Salvation in him Now if you bring in any other Foederal Condition between Christ and us you destroy it as a Gift of Righteousness and Life and make it Debt because that which makes the Benefits promised due by remunerative Justice makes them a Debitum but a previous foederal Condition performed makes the Benefits promised due by Remunerative Justice Ergo. Make them a Debt and the Condition a Price therefore all such Conditions are rejected as Money and Price Isa 55.1 Neonom You think because God hath promised to Christ that the Elect shall believe therefore God cannot make Faith a Condition of any other Blessing Antinom I think Faith being promised to Christ for us and to all his Seed in him it can never lose the Nature of a Promise to us and can't return into the Nature of a Foederal Condition That the Promises are bestowed Ordine relativâ connexione I deny not nor no body of Sence but no Gifts of the Promise are Foederal Conditions but Christ himself Neonom He thinks because Christ is given to be a Covenant i. e. is appointâ—d to be a Surety to serve the great ends of the Covenant accomplished and secured therefore there is nothing required from men as the way of their Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant though under the Influence of Christ Antinom It seems you give two things to Christ as Surety only 1. That he is the Executor 2. That he hath given Bond and Security that we shall perform the Conditions of the Covenant But we say he was so a Surety as not only to undertake but actually to fulfill all Righteousness for us and was our Federal Condition and was the Testator of the Promise and it being made unto him and us in him all Power was put into his Hand he gave it us by Will sealed it with his Blood and now is exalted and in full Power to give out the wâ—ole Covenant-grant himself and eternal Life in him to Sinners freely that have no Qualification for it neither are capable of making or performing any Foederal Conditions Neonom You think because Christ is appointed to work Faith in Order to Vnion and other Benefits therefore we must have an actual Interest in Christ and his Benefits before this Faith is wrought Antinom Faith is the Fruit that grows upon a Branch of the Vine Christ Jesus Now tell me
how that Fruit shall grow without the Influence of the Root Unless you will say a Branch out of Christ can bring forth Fruit. I will not undertake to tell how long the Union made by the Spirit is before Faith appear but I am sure Faith cannot so much as arise into the first Act without the Sinners Union and Spiritual Communion so far as to have from the Root but as to his active and apprehended Union it can't be before Faith Neonom You think because all Grace after Vnion comes from Christ as our actual Head therefore Christ by his Spirit can work no Grace in us as our designed Head Antinom I know not how you put that Paradox upon me or what you mean by it very well I can but guess at it by your other Notions all that I can say to it is that Christ works Grace as our Actual Head That Christ Works Grace in us as a designed Head is a Riddle for so Grace must be wrought in us before we are in Christ Neonom You think because God Soveraignly decreed what Benefits he would bestow therefore he hath as our Ruler stated no rectoral Method of bestowing those Benefits Antinom I never thought God to be any other than a God of Order and that he is wise in all his ways and holy in all his Works and always thought that as God hath decreed to us all Covenant-Blessings so he hath provided the best method and way for bestowing them most to the Honour and Glory of his Free-Grace Neonom Because the Covenant is everlasting as to future therefore you judge there can be no Condition on man's part nor remembring that the Covenant secures our perseverance in performing those Conditions Antinom Because the Cnvenant is eternal before the World began I judge it was compleat and that the Condition was as ancient as the Covenant and the Security both in Condition and Promise as ancient Neonom Dr. O. in his Treatise of Justification p. 264. saith That Christ undertook that those who were to be taken into this Covenant should receive Grace enabling them to comply with the Terms of it fulfill it's Conditions and yield Obedience which God required therein How frequently doth he assert That our Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant depends on our Answering the Terms of the Gospel 270 30◠351. And so Mr. Norton Calvin Dr. Owen shews what Christ undertook as Sponsor Praes Fidejussor 1. To answer for all the Sins of those who are to be and are made Partakers of the Benefits of it 2. That those who are to be taken into Covenant by their Actual embracing it should receive Grace enabling them and whatever Christ undertook God promised and this Grace of Compliance is no other than what Christ procured undertook and God promised To say that the Promises are Conditions one of another is to say no more than that they stand in an order of Application and i◠a constituted relation one to another And these are all the Terms the Doctor means and that he doth mean so and not in your Sence is manifest by noting other Notions of these things two of which he rehearseth wherein I am sure your Notion is comprized at length and breadth He tells us what some say we owe to the Death of Christ the Procuratum of the New Covenant and that he suffered what God appointed he should not that the Justice of God required any such thing c. as in their stead but what by a free Constitution of Divine Wisdom and Soveraignty was appointed and hereon God remitted the Terms of the Old Covenant and entred into a New Covenant suited unto Reason c. These are Faith and sincere Obedience c. Others say The whole Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us so far as that we are made Partakers of the Benefits thereof And that the way of the Communication of them unto us is by the New Covenant which by his Death the Lord Christ procured For the Conditions of the Covenant are establisted in the Covenant it self whereon God will bestow all the Benefits and Effects of it upon us which are Faith and Obedience Wherefore what the Lord Christ hath done for us is thus far accepted as our Legal Righteousdess as that God upon our Faith and Obedience with respect thereunto doth release and pardon all our Sins Upon this Pardon there is no need of any positive perfect Righteousness unto our Justification or Salvation but our own personal Righteousness is accepted with God in the room of it by vertue of the New Covenant which Christ hath procured So is the Doctrine hereof stated by Cursellaeus and those that joyn with and follow him as I take it you do This Doctrine he refutes As for what you quote from Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. p. 172. it 's not to the purpose His Design is to prove the Gospel is preach'd in an Indefinite Proposition which is not to our purpose you quote Mr. Norton in the wrong place Look ch 10. p. 227. The Application both of Grace and Glory and all the good of the Covenant of Grace are free to us though conditioned unto Christ Free Grace excludes not Christ's Merit but Man's Merit Obj. Faith is a Condition though not of it self yet of Salvation and that in the Elect themselves Therefore the Application of Salvation seems not to be free in respect of the Elect. A. A Condition is either a Condition properly so called i. e. an Antecedent Condition or a Condition improperly so called i. e. a Consequent Condition A Condition properly so called is a Law or Observation annexed to a business the performance whereof lyeth upon the Covenant and accordingly the business becomes valid or null Such a Condition was Works in the first Covenant If Faith were such a Condition there would soon be an end of the Covenant of Grace yea the Covenant of Grace were indeed no Covenant of Grace A Condition improperly so called or a consequent Condition is such a Condition whose performance by the Covenantee is absolutely undertaken for and irresistibly wrought by the Covenanter and not left in Suspence upon the Covenantee to be performed by his own strength Faith is a consequent Condition not an antecedent Condition So as this Proposition I will give Eternal Life to the Elect if they believe is equivalent unto this I will out of my absolute Will give unto the Elect Eternal Life because I will out of my absolute Will give unto the Elect to believe Particula si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si feceris hoc vives Particula si non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in si credideris Buc. loc 21. q. 3. Obj. Repentance and new Obedience are necessary to Salvation Luke 13.3 Heb. 3.13 Therefore the Application of the good of Election is not to be free in respect of us A. Good Works which is also true Repentance are necessary as the way appointed of
God unto Salvation but not as the Cause this were to change the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works our good Works are the effects of Grace the Reward of good Works are a Reward of Grace Good Works are necessary to Salvation as the Way not as an Instrument or Cause Faith is necessary to Salvation as an Instrument The Active and Passive Obedience of Christ is necessary as a meritorious Cause Calvin Mr. Antisozzo I pray do you now speak impartially to this Point Antisozzo I think I have met with his Scheme before now and as I take it it runs thus and the Question that lies before us is this What Influence the Sacrifice of Christs Death and the Righteousness of his Life have upon our acceptance with God The Gentleman that I once disputed with stated the Question so and resolved it as follows Antisozzo p. 580. All that I can find in Scripture about this is That to this we owe the Covenant of Grace That God being well-pleased with the Obedience of Christ's Life and the Sacrifice of his Death for his sake entred into a new Covenant with Mankind wherein he promises pardon of Sin and eternal Life to those who believe and obey the Gospel I think this is exactly your Scheme Mr. Neonomian Neonom Yes and something more D. W. p. 8. viz. That the Gospel barrs all Vnbelievers and dead Sinners from Pardon and Adoption and denounceth the continuance of Condemnation against them limiting it's Benefits to such as believe Antisozzo This Scheme contains three things 1. A Description of the Covenant of Grace 2. An Assertion that this Covenant of Grace is owing to the Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ 3. A Supposition that this Righteousness and Sacrifice of Christ hath no other Influence upon our acceptance with God but that for his sake he enrted into such a Covenant with Mankind 1. His Description is this A Promise of the pardon of Sin and Eternal Life to those who believe and obey the Gospel Neonom You will not I hope deny this to be a true Description of the Covenant of Grace Antisozzo But I will for all your hast It is a Description so liable to Exceptions that it describes neither the whole of the Covenant nor a New Covenant nor upon the matter any Covenant at all Neonom If you prove what you say Eris mihi magnus Apollo I 'll strike out your Name from my Book and if I can be convinced I must subscribe yours Antisozzo You shall see what I can do presently 1. This Description gives us very little of a true Covenant of Grace For 1. Tho you think to put us off with a Promise of Pardon and Life to those that believe and obey the true Covenant of Grace hath given us a Promise of that Faith whereby we may believe and of that New Heart whereby we are enabled to obey the Gospel And First We have the Promise of the right Faith in the true Covenant John 6.37 Eph. 1.8 And least it should be said Faith is a common Gift as other things are the Apostle hath his reply ready Eph. 1.19 Secondly We have a direct and express Promise too of that New Heart from which we give to God new Obedience Ezek. 36. Ver. 26 27. c. 2. This Description gives but very little of the true Covenant of Grace there 's a Promise of Pardon and Life to them who believe and obey but Perseverance in Faith and Obedience is left to the Desultory and Lubricous Power of Free Will whereas in the true Câ—venant of Grace there 's an Undertaking that the Covenant shall be immutable both on God's part Jer. 32.38 4. God hath said He will not turn away from doing them good And 2ly He hath promised That they shall not depart from him c. p. 583. 2. As it describes not the whole of the Covenant so it describes not the Nature of a new Covenant 1. It describes no New Covenant in opposition to the Old Covenant of Works The Covenant with Adam promised Life upon condition of Oâ—edience and those Commands as easie as those now given to Mankind and much easier too if we consider Adam's Natural Strength 2. We are told by you that Christ hath added to the Moral Law i. e. to the Moral Duties required by the New Law Faith and Repentance which is to lay more Load on those that were overcharged before So that as you make Covenants Adam's was much the better Covenant of the two but you have wisely shuffled in a Promise of the Pardon of Sin which may seem to give this Covenant a Preheminence above that of Adam But that will not mend the matter both because it 's better to have no Sin in our Natures than such a Remedy better to have no Wound than such a Plaister and also because the Promise of Pardon as you say is suspended upon the condition of Faith and Obedience which without a Supernatural real Influx of immediate Divine Power reduceth the Promise to an impossibility of Performance 2ly This Covenant described is no new Covenant in opposition to the Old Administration of the Covenant of Grace there were the same Promises then that we have now the same Moral Precepts that we have now Though the Word Gospel come in for a Blind yet the Apostle assures us the Gospel was preached to Abraham 3. Upon the matter it 's no Covenant of Grace at all p. 584. For 1. A Promise of Pardon and Life upon condition of believing and obeying is neither better nor worse than a Threatning of Condemnation and Death to them who believe not and obey not It may with equal right be called a Threatning of Death as a Promise of Life It 's no more of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath And therefore 2ly If it be lawful to consider Man as the Word of God describes him dead in Sins and Trespasses It 's no Covenant at all to him For what is the nice difference betwixt the Promise of Life to him that obeys when it 's certain before-hand he cannot obey and no Promise at all c. Neonom Well Sir pray let us call another Cause Do you argue like a Voucher to my Book Mr. Calvinist he is a sharp Man and he doth this only for Argumentation sake he is of my mind for all this Antisozzo No do not you believe that you wheadled me in to vouch for your Book I know not how but I shall stick the closer upon your Skirts for that I have not done with you yet Calvin I will then propound one Question to Mr. Antisozzo Whether the Covenant of Grace be owing to the Sacrifice of Christs Death and so be distinct from that he calls the Covenant of Redemption Because our time now is up speak only what your Judgment is in this Point Antisozzo Mr. Neonomian I must tell you I have narrowly pryed into this Paradox That the Covenant of Grace is owing to procured by and
founded on the Obedience of Christs Life and the Sacrifice of his Death and yet so unhappy I have been in my search that I cannot find any proof or any attempt to prove it and therefore till I see evidence to the contrary I shall take for granted that the Covenant of Grace is owing to and founded on and given forth by that Free Grace of God from whence it s justly denominated a Covenant of Grace though the Intervention of a Mediator such a Mediator was absolutely necessary to put us into Actual Possession of those Rich Mercies designed to us by God in that Covenant which Mediator himself is owing to and founded on that Covenant of Grace and therefore the Covenant of Grace is not founded upon him but indeed for that Covenant which Mr. Neonomian is pleased to call a Covenant of Grace it 's no great matter where it is founded and therefore let him dispose of his own Creature as he pleaseth c. See p. 581 586. c. Neonom There are Precepts and Threatnings in the Covenant of Grace and therefore those Duties required are Foederal Conditions For to the performance of them are annexed Promises and to the breach of them Threats Calvin I pray Dr. Witsius do you speak in Answer to this Argument Dr. Witsius The Covenant of Grace or Gospel strictly so called as a Platform of that Covenant seeing it consists in meer Promises properly prescribes nothing as Duty it requires or commands nothing not so much as Believe Trust and Hope in the Lord c. but it reports declares and signifies to us what God in Christ hath promised what he will and is about to do All Prescription of Duty belongs to the Law even as after others venerable Voetius hath pressed again and again Voet. Disput Tom. 4. p. 24. seq And this we must firmly hold if we will constantly defend with all the Reformed the perfection of the Law containing in it's compass all Vertues all Duties of Holiness But the Law fitted to the Covenant of Grace and according there to written in the Heart of the Elect commands all these things which are propounded in the Gospel to embrace it with Faith unfeigned and to live a Life of Grace and Glory agreeable thereto De Fâ—â—der p. 197. As to Comminations it cannot be denyed but in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles there are many Comminations which have a peculiar respect unto the Covenant of Grace as He that believes not shall be condemned c. which Comminations do seem to be distinguished from those that are plainly Legal Such as this Cursed be he that continues not in all things c. Yet if we exactly consider them the Covenant of Grace hath no peculiar Threats for all the Threats are from the Law which Law as to all its parts doth accommodate and suit it self to the Covenant of Grace and there are none which cannot be referred to or deduced from that meer Legal Commination Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. De Foed p. 199. DEBATE IX Of the Nature of Saving Faith Calvin AT our last Meeting we finished our Debate about the Covenant of Grace and the Conditions of it What have you further Mr. Neonomian to discourse Mr. Antinomian about Neonom Divers Points besides that he is erroneous in The next I would challenge him upon is Saving Faith and the Nature of it For his Errour is this That Saving Faith is nothing but a Perswasion or absolute concluding within our selves That our Sins are pardoned and that Christ is ours D. W. p. 73. Calvin But you do not deny Faith to be a Perswasion do you If you do deny that Perswasion is the Genus of Faith every common Porter or Youth in the Sreet will contradict you for they will tell you that they do believe this or that to be true Ask them what they mean by Believing they will tell you They are perswaded of it They take Faith and Perswasion to be equivalent Terms and indeed reciprocal for that which I am perswaded of I do believe and that which I believe I am perswaded of But go on let us hear what Mr. Antinomian saith in this Point Neonom Sir he tells us that the whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the foregoing Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace My Sins are forgiven me saith Faith And the Soul that can assume thus from the Spirit and Word of Grace hath the whole Essence of believing D. C. p. 493. Antinom I doubt not Sir but to prove that this is a good Account of Saving Faith I said That which hath the Whole Essence of Faith is not a Dead but Living Faith i. e. which bringeth forth Fruits D. C. p. 493. But the Question was Whether Faith gives Evidence by it self or no by it's own direct Act. Now I said The whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace c. Now I thought I could not give a more lively Account of it for the Eccho is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Daughter of the Voice it 's begotten by the Voice So saith the Scripture Rom. 10.16 17. He quotes Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our Report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word signifies the Voice heard or that comes to the hearing And so doth the Hebrew Word import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath believed or heard our Voice i. e. Who hath so heard it as to make an Impression thereof upon their Hearts believingly And the Apostle saith When this heard Voice takes in a due Impression upon the Heart through the Spirit it begets Faith and that Impress is Faith Rom. 10.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Faith verily is from hearing and this hearing by the Word of God Hearing or the Voice that is heard is by the Word of God Hence that Expression of the Apostle James 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of his own Free-will working effectually by his Spirit in opening and new framing the Heart as Lydia's he begets us by the Word of Truth The Truth of the Word is received into the Heart as it were with an Eccho and Formation of the Heart into it Progenuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all udit ad nostram adoptionem cujus facti sumus per fidem participes John 1.12 13. Fides autem est ex auditu verbi Rom. 10.17 Ideo etiam dicuntur ministri filios gignere sed quatenus Dei instrumenta â— Cor. 4.15 Phil. 10. Beza by an Assent to it as true and Consent to it as a good Truth And this is indeed the Writing the Law of God in the Heart the Law being taken often for any Truth declared in the Word After this manner the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the Gospel
to reach the End of the Covenant which I utterly deny for that would destroy it's own Nature and Use and also the Covenant of Grace it self Neonom The Question is not whether Assurance be attainable in this Life as an effect of Faith D. W. p. 74. Antinom A Perswasion of Truth and certainty thereof is Assurance and so far as I do believe there is this in the Act of Faith though a weak Faith hath Doubtings attending but not therefore commendable And there can be no Faith without some degree of Perswasion concerning the Truth of the Object You speak here of an Assurance which must be reckoned of the highest Degree of Perswasion and therefore you deal not fairly to change your Terms from Perswasion to Assurance There is a two-fold Assurance the Plerophory of Faith and an Assurance that I have true Faith which is Spiritual Sence and Argumentation from it's Nature and Effects one is by the proper direct Act of believing the other by reflex Acts of the Soul upon it self Neonom Nor whether a Sinner ought to apply yea doth personally apply the general Offers of Christ and Life by his own Compliance with the Terms of the Gospel for upon a true acceptance of a whole Christ he is mine in vertue of the Gospel-promise which God will perform in giving Christ and Life to all that accept him as he is proposed for our acceptance Antinom You are very dark and obscure in what you here speak 1. By Personal Application I understand particular Application and so it 's your Sense that a Sinner ought to make a particular Application of the general Offers of Christ and Life in the very Act of believing and so far I joyn with you and that his thus believing is his Compliance the Gospel's Work being perswading my Compliance is to be perswaded and there 's nothing else expected which you call Terms the Terms is that we put in no Terms but accepting Christ freely offered And you say he is yours in vertue of the Gospel-Promise you must intend in the vertue of the Gospel-Promise believed or else you have no right but as you had before believing an Intentional Right only if it be a claimable Right it 's in a Promise believed for whatever Right is real in the Promise none will plead any but what he believes And it is in vertue of the Promise to give Christ and Life to many that do not yet accept of him For it 's the vertue of the Promise to give Life to dead Sinners that they may actively and comfortably receive and accept him Neonom Nor whether a convinced Sinner hath a more special Regard at first of the Priestly Offices and Sufferings as what are more sensibly fitted to his guilty state Antinom I understand not what you mean by Priestly Offices as if Christ had more Priestly Offices than one Christ doth exercise his Priestly Office in the state of Humiliation and Exaltation but I have not seen any before that ascribes to Christ two Priestly Offices And if you mean Justifying Faith it 's Office is to lay hold on and apply the Person of Christ in his Priestly Office Neonom Nor whether every thing recorded in Scripture must be dwelt on with the same regard concern and assurance as the Essentials of the Covenant of Life Antinom You mean here Faith as to the general Nature of it you do not distinguish it from Faith in the Justifying Nature all along Neonom Nor whether Faith contain in it a reliance on Christ as our only Saviour and on his Satisfaction and Merits as what alone purchased our Pardon and Acceptance as well as it includes the realizing Assent to the Truth and unfeigned fiducial Consent to acceptance of a whole Christ in all his Offices All these I affirm Antinom You acknowledge then that Faith contains in it 1. A Reliance on Christ as an only Saviour How can this be without some perswasion A rational Man never rests and leans upon a thing that he hath not some ground of Perswasion that it 's strong enough to bear him 2. You own it includes a realizing Assent to the Truth and this is a very high Perswasion of a Truth with a particular Application of it to a Man's self as belonging to him 3. You say there 's an unfeigned Fiducial Consent to and Acceptance of Christ and all his Offices This is strong Confidence when the Soul is so far perswaded of the reality of the Tender of Christ made in the Promise that he doth not only take him but with boldness questions not but he hath the Son and hath Life in this very Act of Believing You say we rely on Christ's Satisfaction and Merits as what alone purchased our Pardon and Acceptance This is true in a true Sence but we easily see what you mean by what you speak before Neonom The real difference is whether the whole Essence of Saving Faith consists in an inward Perswasion or Assurance that our Sins are pardoned and Christ is ours This you affirm and I deny Yea I deny that it is at all of the Essence of Saving Faith D. W. p. 75. Antinom What I said and you charge for my Errour I stand to it and have made it appear to be Truth I said the whole Essence of Faith is the Eccho of the Heart answering the Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace and thereby it 's the Obedience of Faith The Soul believes and closeth with Truth according to the nature of it and in such a manner as is required You wrong me to say I used the Words Perswasion or Assurance I said If you receive Truth and in reality believe it and rely upon it you may conclude that Christ is yours and this is now a Conclusion made upon my believing too I pray would you not say so to a poor Sinner If thou dost believe on the Lord Jesus with all thy Heart thou shalt be saved and you ought to conclude you shall be saved And this is a perswasion of my state upon believing Calvin Mr. Neonom It 's indeed a marvellous thing that you should say and unsay a thing in the same Breath to own Faith a reliance on Christ that it carries a realizing Assent to the Truth and an unseigned Fiducial Consent and now to say Perswasion is not at all of the Essence of Faith Neonom I said it contained and it included it I said not they were of the Essence Antinom This is just like your wonted way of Dodging How doth Faith contain and include these things As in a Box which contains and includes things of a Specifick Nature different from it self Well we will attend your Proof Neonom The second thing in difference is Whether Saving Faith includes not in it's Nature that powerful efficacious Assent to the Word and fiducial consenting to acceptance of Christ as Prophet Priest and King with a Reliance on his Merits and obediential Regards to God as the
Truth above-mentioned doth express This you deny and I affirm Antinom Now we are for filling up the Box and this Assent or Perswasion and Consent or Reliance is put in but not as the Essence of Faith and among the rest there is obediential Regards And why comes in this but only because he would make up Faith into a moral Condition I speak of the Essence of Faith you talk of containing including and tell us those things that are contained and included I told you not what was necessarily concomitant to Faith I did not speak of Love Sicerity Hope c. which are Concomitants to Faith and inseparable from it but yet be not Faith in the Essential Consideration Neonom I will now confirm the Truth 1. Faith is not an Assurance or inward Perswasion that Christ is ours and our Sins are pardoned Antinom I say Faith is a Perswasion of Truth propounded unto me upon credible grounds You should first state the Question concerning Faith in general Whether it be Humane Faith or Divine and then Divine Faith is that which takes all Divine things in general for it's Object or that which hath some more particular Divine Truth for it's Object as Justifying Faith There is also a particular Divine Faith which is not saving in it's special Nature as Faith of Miracles Historical c. Neonom That which I will prove is that Saving Faith is not Perswasion Antinom Very well i. e. That Perswasion is not the general Nature of Faith We are not to meddle here with the distinguishing Specifick Form of one Faith from another Let us joyn issue there Neonom Yes but I will have my Liberty to dispute of what I please whether it be the Question or no. 1. Men may have this Faith tho' they do not savingly believe Matth. 7.22 Ch. 25.1 2. Nay the most profligate Sinners grow secure by it Antinom Your Argument runs two ways or should 1. Against Perswasion as not being the Genus of Faith and it stands thus If they that do not savingly believe may have Perswasion then Perswasion is not of the Essence of Faith but they that do not savingly believe may have Perswasion Ergo. Negatur consequ Homo est Animal Ergo Brutum non est Animal There 's two Species of Believers those that have a Faith not saving as meerly Historical Temporary or Faith of Miracles and those that have Saving Faith is the Genus of both those Species which is Perswasion Now you argue because such as have not a Saving Faith have Perswasion therefore they that have Saving Faith have not Perswasion Non sequitur but rather quite contrary that they have for the Genus communicates it's common Nature to both Species Neonom No no I don't mean so I mean that Faith is not an inward Perswasion that Christ is ours Antinom I thought so I was going to speak that No indeed it 's not a distinction of Faith but a particular Instance of one thing believed by us If you should ask me what Faith is and I should tell you it 's believing Peter betray'd Christ or that Paul was converted you would take me to be very ridiculous Or I should say it is not believing that I am a rich Man So that if you will have the Question run in a particular Instance it 's easily decided for all true Rules of Art must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true de omni Therefore I acknowledge to say Faith is a Perswasion that Christ is mine is no more a Definition of Faith than to say Animal est rationalis creatura is a Definition of Animals But this is true if you affirm the Genus of the Species Creatura rationalis est animal and it holds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not reciprocè This therefore I affirm that he that believes that Christ is his and his Sins are forgiven doth believe it by a Perswasion You say those that said Lord Lord and the Foolish Virgins had a Faith of Perswasion and many profligate Sinners have a presumptuous Perswasion but not true Believers Therefore say you Faith is not a Perswasion that their Sins are forgiven You might as well say because some have a false Faith therefore none have a true because one Man that trades is perswaded his Stock is good and deceives himself and breaks doth it follow that no Merchant must perswade himself that his Stock is good These are mighty Inconsequences Neonom Many true Believers have not this Perswasion Antinom Give an Instance of a Believer that hath not a Perswasion of the thing he professeth to believe and so far as he is not perswaded he doth not believe Doth any one believe the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 1 John 5.11 if he doth he is perswaded of it But you 'll say He doth not believe Christ is his He ought confidently to believe there is Pardon and Acceptance from him and to get this Witness of Faith in his own Heart You 'll grant he ought to have the Son How shall he have him but by receiving him in the Promise Believing on him as the Faithful Witness depending on the Truth of the Promise and the reality of the Purpose and Intention of Christ towards us and there is not the weakest true Believers but have a Perswasion such as their Faith is tho' it may not so properly be called Assurance because that denotes a strong and high degree of Faith but it 's a Perswasion accompanied with much doubting a staggering Faith Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I I believe help my Vnbelief Lord I am perswaded in some measure help my doubting Neonom Such as had assurance do by this Doctors Opinion fall into the Sin of damning Vnbelief whenever they doubt their Interest in Christ and especially if they conclude that they have no interest in him Antinom Vix dignus sum hâc contumeliä ac tu indignus qui feceris Do you in your Conscience judge that I hold falling away from Grace Is not Unbelief of a damning Nature of it self and so far as it prevails brings the Consciences of the best under Guilt And wherein consists the Doubts and Fears of God's People but in the prevailing of Unbelief which shakes their Faith and darkens their Perswasion is my Doctrine the more condemnable because I hold as Experience and God's Word witnesseth that Faith as other Graces have their Ebbings or Flowings And do not you hold Unbelief to be a damning Sin in it self But is there not a great difference between the degrees of Faith yea of Assurance as you you self grant elsewhere And what degrees of Unbelief and doubting a Child of God may fall into even to the making very dangerous Conclusions concerning himself and not fall totally from faith it 's beyond us to judge There are great Instances in Scripture and we have seen some Neonom This Perswasion should suppose an Interest in Christ doth not give it it
is a false Conclusion that Christ is mine before he is so and must the great Terms of Life be a Lie We are to examine our selves whether we are in the Faith or not 2 Cor. 13.5 Where hath God made this Proposition My sins are laid on Christ Vnless you are for general Redemption the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer and the Spirit speaks to none but a Believer Antinom In all things we receive of Gift there must be a right of Donation first if we take before it 's given it 's Theft and unless I am perswaded that the giving Hand is reached out I can't receive We have our first Earnest for Blessedness in the Perswasion of Faith in the very Act of it and it 's Non sence to talk any way of partaking of Christ but by the Spirit and Faith And he that in an Act of believing at first finds Christ in the true Perswasion of Faith doth not nor cannot say of Christ he is his before he is so The Soul cannot be too nimble for Christ and if he that believeth not makes God a Liar what are those that perswade to Unbelief That Faith in it's very Act is an Evidence is no hinderance to the Trial and Examination of our selves by the Fruit of Faith besides And though the Proposition in the Gospel be an indefinite Proposition yet the Application by Faith in a Sinner ought to be particular and fiducial or else the Faith of Believers will be no more than that of others that believe only that Christ came to save Sinners and if the Promise of Pardon were not to Sinners as such it were not Pardon and if a Man upon Trial must first find by Signs that he doth believe before he lay claim to Pardon Sinners would be in a sad condition But this is the comfort that as the Promise of Pardon is the great Encouragement to believing so believing it self is the receiving and perceiving of it And the Soul saith or should by Faith He loved me and gave himself for me At the sight of Christ it saith My Lord and my God If the Lord speak to a Believer in believing by his Word and Spirit Thy Sins are forgiven it 's not said so to one that is a Believer first Relata are simul naturâ The Promise of Paternity is not a Promise or Gift to one that 's a Father first nor Sonship to one that is a Son first God promiseth himself to be a Father to them that are Loammi And how gross is that Assertion That the Spirit speaks it to none but to a Believer as a Believer Doth not the Spirit speak Peace before we receive it by an Act of Faith Doth not this cause us to believe it 's the Light causeth the Eye to see It 's the Light shining into the dark Unbelieving Heart that perswades the Heart it 's God that saith to the Soul I am thy Salvation before we can believe it Neonom The Second thing that I will prove is that Saving Faith hath the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. Antinom You said before that Inward Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin was no Part of Saving Faith And said in the next that it contained Assent to the Word Fiducial Consent and Acceptance of Christ A Man therefore may understand you that tho it contained it yet it was not of it's Essence Now you seem to say these are Essentials if you do not you hide your self again in the Word Include If you say These be Essentials which you name we say so too but allow not yours c. and all these Essentials are in the Word Perswasion Assent is the Perswasion of the Understanding Consent the Perswasion of the Will to the Truths and good things propounded the Promise whereby the Soul relies upon Christ therein for himself particularizeth Christ and all Blessings to himself as his and now go on and prove all that you said before to be false Neonom You are mistaken I will prove my Position true and then see where your Errour will be 1. Faith can be no less than the Souls Answer to the Call of God c. Antinom We say it is so and he bids us believe but it 's not Faith as such for all Obedience is an answer to the Call of God Neonom The Scripture describes Saving Faith by all these Acts it 's the evidence of things not seen Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Receiving of Christ John 1.12 Isa 55.4 Acts 13.26 Rom. 15.12 Isa 44.5 Antinom This we say it is Evidence and Substance of things at a distance is a full Perswasion of them according to the Nature of them such a Perswasion as carries the whole Soul forth to God to rest and rely upon him having Union with Christ thereby bringing him in all his Excellencies into our Souls and taking him for our own Doth a Man believe any good thing promised and doth not he catch at it for himself if he have any savour of it If the Promise of Pardon present it self to us doth a Man believe till he appropriate it to himself saying It is mine though an unworthy Sinner If a condemned Prisoner hears a Pardon is come out for some he may believe that but till he believes he is one it 's no Comfort to him tho there may be hopes at least he is in it Neonom Christ can't be received as a Saviour without these Antinom It 's very true he is never received as such till I receive him as my Saviour and believe him to be so in some measure and this I am bound to do to receive him by confident Perswasion and resting upon him Neonom A Faith without these Essentials could never produce those great Effects as are ascribed to Faith to purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 to be a shield against Temptations Eph. 6.16 works by Love Gal. 5.6 sanctifies us Acts 26.18 By Faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2.12 Antinom It 's certain that no Faith can do it but such as makes a particular Application by a perswasion of the Love of God or Interest in Christ Pardon of Sins and Reconciliation to God through him that can produce the Effects spoken of this will purifie the Heart from an evil guilty Conscience to serve the Living God this will be a Shield against the most Mortal Darts of Satan that he shoots at our state by bringing in Law Condemnations Hereby Love to God is produced in the Soul and we Act towards God and our Neighbours in Love hereby we are brought to true Obedience such as the Law required at first for the Principle to Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts Soul and Strength and therefore the Apostle saith Love is the Sum of all Obedience as our Saviour said It 's the fulfilling of the Law through this Grace of the Spirit for by receiving Forgiveness of Sin we
whole use depends on Gods Ordination Antinom I wonder you 'l ground your denial upon such a weak Reason for would not Adam's Merits have depended on God's Ordination And doth not Christ's Merits depend on God's Ordination Neonom Nor whether a Soul may neglect to accept of Christ as Prophet Priest and King because they feel not that degree of these Humblings and Convictions which they desire and expect Antinom But being you set them a digging in the Rock of their own Hearts for the Pearl of Great Price you should tell them how deep it lyes before they are likely to find it for all these Convictions and Humblings are before they come at Christ you put them upon hard Service unless you tell them when they are convinced enough and humbled enough and why do you use the word neglect for as long as they are upon the work you assign them they wait for you to offer Christ to them and you tell them it 's better to stay longer and there 's reason for it according to your Hypothesis if some degrees of Humblings must be had to fit them for Christ then more degrees will make them more fit Neonom Nor whether these Preparatory Qualifications be the Work of the Spirit by common Grace This I affirm Antinom So then they may dig and not find the Mine and spend all their days in Common Grace and never find Spiritual Grace now here you fully declare your self that Common Grace is the Condition of Special Grace What a Work is here with Conditions Neonom Nor whether their immediate Influence I mean of Preparatory Qualifications be to prepare the Soul for a true consenting Acceptance which it is hereby less averse to and more disposed for This I affirm Antinom I know not what sence to put upon this but the Papists Congruity and that common Grace is a degree or a qualifying condition of Saving Grace and that Common and Special differ not Specifically but Gradually only which to me is gross Divinity Sancta Clara tells us thus De habitâ prima gratiâ Actuali Communis recepta Sententia Scholar est c. Certainly it is the common and received Opinion of the Schools that with the help of the first preventing Grace we may obtain further helps by acting and endeavouring yea the first habitual justifying Grace and in some measure deserve it de congruo i. e. of meetness fitness and aptitude and it 's the common Opinion of all the Doctors as to after-helps in respect of the first Grace and he faith He takes Scotus's Judgment instead of all as the best in that he saith Repentance is a meer disposition to habitual Grace And amongst such as he quotes for his Opinion he brings the 13th Article of the Church of England Artic. 13. Of Works before Justification Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God for as much as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of Congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God willeth or commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin which he would wrest to his sence that although Works before the Faith of Christ or the first Actual Grace are excluded as meritum ex congruo by the said Article exceptio firmat regulam in oppositum yet he saith Other Works according to the said Article done as Fruits of Faith may in some measure dispose and de congruo deserve promereri gratiam Justificationis which Opinion he would make Augustin to be of And whereas it 's said in the said Article We doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin he would palliate it thus saying Non dicunt talia simplicitèr esse peccata sed potius participare quod sine omni dubio est terminus diminuens i. e They say not that such are simply Sins but do partake of Sin which without all doubt is a Term of Diminution i. e. the word rather or else they would have said that they were Sins without Restriction You see what Jesuitical Evasions here are to establish your Qualifications which you and the Papists are so fond of whereas these first Reforming Protestants say Non disponunt hominem ad receptionem gratiae but the rather we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin yet you will say they prepare for true Acceptance and make the Soul less averse and more disposed to it whereas the quite contrary mostly appears that those that become meerly morall and leave off the practice of some gross Sins and do some good Works from that Principle are usually the most averse and least disposed to the Grace of God of the two Neonom I shall shew you wherein the Real difference is 1. Whether coming to Christ is an inward Perswasion that Christ is mine This you affirm and I deny Antinom You abuse me in charging me with speaking what you would fasten upon me for I spake distinctly of these two things first of coming to Christ and then of knowing that Christ is mine by my being come to him but yet I say that this coming to Christ ought to be by a particular perswasion that Christ is offered to me as a Sinner freely offered to me without any consideration of any Qualification and this perswasion every Believer hath less or more Dr. Twiss distinguisheth between fides in Christum fides de Christo Faith in Christ and Faith concerning Christ being ours the first is this coming to Christ for Life the other our Perswasion and sweet Sense of the Love of God in Christ Neonom 2. Whether Christ is offered to Sinners with a design that they may conclude they have a Saving Interest in him before they are Regenerated by the Spirit and savingly Believe Antinom The Design of offering Christ to Sinners is that they may receive the offer freely and immediately and that when they are come to Christ they should know this Faith was not of themselves or did spring out of any Natural or Moral Qualification but from Christ the Author of it and from their Union to Christ Jesus which I take to be a Saving part in him and that they cannot believe without a Saving part in Jesus Christ before they believe He having blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ of which Faith is none of the least And Dr. Twiss saith Faith being one proper Effect only of a Saving Interest though not claimable by them till they believe Justitia Christi sicut Christi est c. The Righteousness of Christ as it is Christs and performed by him so it 's ours as wrought for us juris ratione and before Faith as Meritorious of Efficacious Grace for the working of that Faith Lib. 1. p. 2. § 25. For if without Christ they can do nothing then they cannot believe without part
with them he is Bone of their Bone and is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2.11 12. Psal 22.22 2. It presuppones a Legal Union between Christ and them that God made the Debtor and Surety one in Law and the Sum one so far as he laid our Debts on Christ Isa 53.6 2 Cor. 6.21 3. It presuppones an Union Federal God making Christ our Surety and to Assume not only our Nature in a Personal Union but also our State Condition and made our Cause his Cause our Sins his Sins not to defend them but to suffer Punishment for them and our Faith makes the fourth Union betwixt Christ and us whether Natural as betwixt Head and Members the Branches and Vine-tree or Mystical as that of the Spouse and Beloved Wife or Artificial as the Foundation and Building or mixed as that of the Imp and Tree or Legal between the Surety and Debtor Advocate and Client or rather a Union above all hard to determine for these are but Comparisons and this Christ prays for John 2.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one And something to this purpose Mr. Norton Norton p. 292. speaks The Efficacy of this Relation springs from its Foundation which is first by the Absolute Grace of God in Election and thence flowing down in the Promise according to the Merit of Christ by the Effectual Operation of the Spirit Needs must the River of Life be full ever overflowing and quickning that ariseth from and is maintained by such Fountains Norton p. 287. And he shews the form of this Union 1. In the Tertium wherein it is 2. The Bands on Christ's part and the Believers 3. The manner as to the Tertium's 1. Sameness of Spirit He that 's joined to the Lord is one Spirit 1 John 4.13 Rom. 8.9 2 Pet. 1.4 2. One Mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 13. The third A Spiritual Marryed Estate Eph. 5.32 Isa 54.5 Ch 62.4 4th A State of Glory John 17.22 23. See more But you will see all along how he makes Christ first in this Personal Union to Christ by the Spirit and Faith Dr. Ames Ames Med. lib. 1. c. 26. Receptio respectu hominuÌ„ est vel Passiva vel Activa Phil. 3.11 The Passive is the Reception of Christ whereby the Spiritual Principle of Grace is Ingenerate in the Will of Man Ephes 2.5 This Grace is the Foundation of that Relation whereby a Man is united unto Christ John 3.5 Neonom I 'll tell you what I take to be Truth in these Points Every Man is without Christ or not united to Christ until he be Effectually called but when by this call the Spirit of God enclineth and enableth him willingly to accept of Christ as a Head and Saviour a Man becomes united to him and partaker of those Influences and Priviledges which are peculiar to the Members of Jesus Christ D. W. p. 90. Antinom I except against what you have asserted in these Particulars 1. You say a Man is not united to Christ before Effectual Calling thereby I understand you that he is not united to Christ in any sence whereas I affirm he is united to Christ before Effectual Calling in the Senses which Mâ—â— Râ—therford doth assert before mentioned 2. I understand you mean that in Effectual Calling a Man is not united to Christ till he doth Actually accept of Christ the Head by an Act of Faith whereas the Head unites the Members to it self before they can reach up to the Head 3. You make Union to be the same with Communion and to consist in a participation of Priviledges Now as to the second thing That in Effectual Calling there is a compleat Union with Christ before the Act of Faith I do affirm upon these Reasons 1. From the utter Impotency of the Soul without and before Union with Christ to any good Act for Union standeth in indivisibili it 's a conjunction of two in one an half one is none if we put forth an Act of Faith to lay hold on Christ before we be compleatly united to him we put forth a good Act and bring forth good Fruit before we be in him and before we be good Trees but we cannot bring forth good Fruit before we be good Trees and we cannot be good Trees before we be in Christ Mat. 7.18 John 15.4 5. Therefore we do not put forth an Act of Faith before we be so compleatly united to Christ so united to Christ as to live by him John 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye c. Arg. 2. In our Regeneration we are meerly Passive our Faith is not then Active but in our Regeneration we are compleatly united to Christ Ergo we are compleatly united to Christ before the Act of Faith The major is proved from Eph. 2.1 2 3. Dead Men are Passive to Regeneration and Dead Men we are till we are Regenerated The Minor is proved from the joint concurrence of Regeneration Conversion and Union with Christ which are all wrought together simul semel Arg. 3. If we be united first to Christ by an Active Faith then an Active Faith is the cause of our Union with Christ but an Active Faith is not the cause of our Union with Christ therefore by an Active Faith we are not first united to Christ Min. If Active Faith were not the cause of the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine then it is not the cause of our Union with Christ but Active Faith is not the cause of the Union of the Humane Nature of Christ with the Divine Ergo Maj. No other cause can be assigned of our true Union with Christ than of the Union of our Nature with the Second Person viz. Divine Assumption Isa 42.1 6. As the Divine Nature assumed ours John 1. so the Person of Christ takes us to Mystical Union with him Arg. 4. If our Union with Christ be first by an Act of Faith then it is by a Work of ours though a Work of Grace but it is not by a Work of ours Ergo Min. If it be by a Work of ours it is not of Grace but it 's of Grace Ergo Maj. Rom. 11.6 These are Mr. Cotton's Arguments Neonom I 'll answer your Arguments another time pray hear mine now to confirm the Truth 1. The Scriptures expresly affirm Vncalled Vnconverted ones to be ununited to Christ Eph. 2.12 Rom. 16.7 Rom. 11.17 Antinom It 's true in respect of the Union in Effectual Calling but yet not in respect of their Hidden Federal and Relative Union which Mr. Rutherford speaks of Neonom 2. The Spirit of Christ and Faith in him are the things whereby God hath ordained us to be Vnited with Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 13. Ephes 3.17 Antinom We grant it in respect of our Union to Christ in Effectual Calling Neonom I see you will throw off all my Arguments by Mr. Rutherford 's unhappy distinction of Vnions therefore
cannot Impute Sin to Christ and the Elect both yea he accepteth us in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Loving the Persons of the Elect Rom 11.28 though hating their Sins and also their State under the Curse of the Law Rom. 6.14 Chap. 7.6 Eph. 2.3 The second is wrought at our Conversion when the Enmity of Nature is slain by the Infusion of Grace Neonom You ask But what doth Faith serve for D. W. p. 103. Dr. C. p. 85. You answer It serves for the manifestation of that Justification which Christ put upon a Person by himself alone Antinom Adding that he by believing on him may have a declaration and manifestation of his Justification Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 A Man is Justified and that by Christ alone but it is nâ—t known to him it is an unseen thing Well how shall he see this The Text saith Faith is the Evidence by Faith we apprehend it and rejoice in it as we apprehend it to be our own I tell you in another Discourse Whatever the Scripture speaks concerning Faith Justiâ—ying Dr. C. p. 596. it must of necessity be understood objectively or declaratively one of these two ways either Faith is said to be our Righteousness in respect of Christ only who is believed on and so it is not the Righteousness of its own Act of Believing Or else you must understand it declaratively i. e. Whereas all our Righteousness and all our Discharge from Sin flowing only from the Righteousness of Christ alone is an hidden thing that which in it self is hid to Men doth become evident by believing and as Faith doth make the Righteousness of Christ evident to a Believer so it 's said to justifie by it's own Act declaratively and no otherwise Neonom He saith We do not believe that we may be Justified but because we are Justified Antinom Yes we do believe that we may be justified declaratively I say there Tho' Faith it self cannot be called our Righteousness Dr. C. p. 86. yet in respect of the Glory that God ascribes to it that it seals to Men's Souls the fulness of Righteousness how can you consider a Person a believing Person and withall an ungodly Person When Persons are Believers they cease to be ungodly but if Men be not justified till they do believe Christ doth not justify the ungodly but rather we must believe on him that justifies the righteous But as I said we do not believe that we may be justifyed but we do believe and truly believe when we are and because we are Justified So that still it stands firm we are not justified we are not in Covenant we partake not in the Covenant by any Condition we perform till which Performance the Covenant cannot be made good unto us but we are in Covenant and Christ makes us to be in Covenant for his own sake without any Condition in the Creature God will have mercy on whom he will without any-thing in the Creature to partake first Neonom He saith God doth add never a tittle of Pardon it self more to him that is a Believer than to that Person not yet converted to the Faith c. D. W. p. 104. Antinom He still gives you but part of my Sence and Misrepresents it my words were these Beloved Dr. C. p. 578. for my own part I cannot conceive any other considerable difference between the plea of Christ for a Converted Person and the unconverted Elect but this Circumstantial difference namely that the value of his Blood is of equal force to Believers and Unbelievers being Elected saving that the Believers have this priviledge that the Lord Christ pleads for the Manifestation of this discharge unto this Converted Person but pleads not for the present Manifestation thereof unto the Unconverted Elect Person till such time as he shall be called to the Faith and by that Faith that thing be made evident which before was hid Now follows what he would blacken me with I say the Pardon of Sin by the Blood of Christ is as full for the Unconverted Elect Person as fully passed over in Grant to that Person as to the Believer himself God doth add never a Title of Pardon it self more to him that is a Believer than to that Person not yet Converted to the Faith in regard of the substance of the Pardon it self and this I clear as a great Truth if any will give themselves the trouble of reading it which I stand to Neonom He saith Faith as it takes hold on Christ's Righteousness it doth not bring this Righteousness of Christ to the Soul but doth only declare the presence of that Righteousness that was there even before Faith was and there denies Faith to be so much as an Instrumental cause of our Justification Dr. C. p. 597. Antinom I added That I did abhor to walk in the Clouds in a Truth of so high Concernment as you too much do Sir and that I knew I had many very catching Ears about me such as you are I said That Faith as it lays hold upon the Righteousness of Christ c. as he hath told you and the reason of that saying I gave in as plain words That there is no Person under Heaven Reconciled unto God Justified by God through the Righteousness of Christ but this Person is Justified and Rconciled unto God before he doth believe and therefore Faith is not the Instrument Radically to unite Christ and the Soul together but rather is the Fruit which follows and flows from Christ the Root being united before-hand to the Persons that do believe Shew me how any Person ununited to Christ can believe and how any one that is unjustified can be actually united to Christ as he must needs be before he can believe Neonom He tells you that Justification is from Eternity in several places Antinom You know that to be a false charge for I have told you a Man cannot be said to be Justified before he hath a Being I have often enough told you in what Sence I apprehend Justification to be before Faith but deny noâ— the Justification by Faith spoken of by the Apostles in the true Sence of it according to my best understanding I have told you that Justification is first in its provision is fully procured and provided and it 's first in Grant Gift and Application applyed unto us before we make Application of it by an Act of Faith whereby we do not bring it into the Heart but the Grace of God doth which we see behold and improve there by Faith manifesting and declaring our Justified Estate whereby our Consciences are freed from Guilt and Condemnation hence I call it Justification in Conscience in foro Conscientiae Mr. Rutherford Rutherford Exc. 1. c. 2. who wrote against the Antinomians saith There is a Justification in the Mind of God Eternal and a Justification in time terminated in the Conscience of a Believer Norton p. 315. That Justification
with a Connexion of Promises and Threats and so performed as such only are legal and must be reckoned as belonging to the Law of Works but all Evangelical Duties are performed from a Principle of Grace and not for Reword or Fear But let us hear your Proof Neonom Who can doubt this if they consider 1. The Covenant of Innocency promised to nothing below sinless and perfect Obedience D. W. p. 104. Antinom It promised to Man upon Obedience which God required and so it is in every Covenant the Obedience required is perfect in respect of the Covenant let it be more or less that is required No Covenant admits of any Abatement or Defect in the Conditions required 2. If this be a Covenant of Innocency your Covenant opposed to it must be a Covenant of Nocency because as you say it admits of a contrary Condition viz. A sinful Obedience Neonom The Threatnings of the Covenant of Innocency admitted no Repentance or after-relief to the Guilty They did fix the Curse irrevocable in case of any Transgression Antinom Who told you the Covenant of Works would admit of no Relief for the Guilty if not how came any How came it to pass that Relief was given before the Sentence was passed upon Man Surely if the Covenant could not admit of it by Vertue of it's Constitution it could not have been just with God to have given it 2. As to Repentance it did naturally belong to the Breach of God's Law and Man's falling into Misery Indeed it did not admit of Repentance as an Expiation of the Sin and a Condition of Life no more doth the Gospel so that Law and Gospel are agreed in that 3. And as to the irrevocable fixing of the Curse grant it was so yet not without admitting a Relief provided it might consist with the irrevocable Curse i. e. That the Law might have it's full Satisfaction both to Sufferings and Obedience as it had in Christ the Sentence of the Law is not repealed or revoked in the Covenant of Grace but confirmed and fulfilled whereby the Guilty have their Relief The Law is not against the Promise Gal. 3.21 No God forbid it 's well pleased with it because it hath all that it can require The Law is not dispensed with in saving Sinners it hath it's Ends Christ being the end of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe The Gospel establisheth the Law Neonom 2. No Overture of Life or door of Hope or Argument to Conversion with Hopes of Acceptance could be framed out of those Legal Threats and Promises Turn ye Turn ye was not the Language Antinom Nor from any other upon Terms of the like Nature viz. Do and Live And why was it that no Door of Hope is open to Man fallen upon those Terms it was because he â—id not do and now is dead and he must live now before he can do till Grace give Life it 's but a Conviction to him that God faith Turn you Turn you for till God give him Life and turn him Turn you turn you is but the Triumph of the Law and all the Turnings of a poor Sinner in his Natural Estate is no more than the turning of a Dead Carcase it 's dead still there 's no returning to Life by turning till the effectual Voice of Christ prevail who is the Resurrection and the Life Neonom See any one of the Calls to Faith and Repentance or Holiness thus back'd with Promises and Threats be not Evangelical Antinom Calls to Faith and Repentance as Commands to Sinners to perform the Acts and Duties thereof upon Threats and Promises and as those Works that shall bring us into Covenant are so far from being Evangelical as they are highly Legal yea super-legal 1. Legal for it makes a Covenant of Works What matter if God require not the same Individual Act as a Condition of Life if he require another What if instead of forbearing to eat an Apple the Condition be now to forbear the eating of a Pear What if perfect Obedience was then required and imperfect now Both were Obedience only now you 'll have a Dispensation for Sin to come into the Condition which reflects upon the Holiness and Justice of God or Power of God that he did not nor could give us Life in a way of perfect Obedience and sinless but must have Recourse to sinful Likewise the only Obligation that lies upon a meer natural Man to obey God when he commands Faith and Repentance is the Law for he is under no other Law but that of Works 2. It is also super-legal 1. To bring fallen Man into Covenant upon working Conditions is more than was with Adam he did not work himself into Covenant God took him freely into Covenant without Conditions all the Condition was Perseverance for keeping him in Covenant as yours is 2. God here requires Works where there 's no Power God gave Adam the Power before he required Obedience Calvin In my Approbation Gentlemen you do but lose time Mr. Antinom argues at a mighty low rate I will take his Position and put it into right Terms and then see Mr. Antinom how you like it Salvation by Gospel-Grace is so necessary to a Sinner for the working Faith Obedience Good Works and Perseverance in the way to Heaven that without it he cannot perform them or continue in them Antinom So I like it well Neonom That 's quite contrary to my Sence For I do not say that Salvation by Grace is the Cause of sincere Faith and Obedience and Perseverance but that Sincerity in Performance of Faith and Obedience with Perseverance is necessary as a Cause of Salvation I spake before of coming into Justification by qualifying Faith and Repentance by the Government ef a Rule of Righteousness and Misery our Minds being thereby affected with Hopes and Fears I will now shew you that by this Gospel-Constitution Persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works are necessary to Salvation D. W. p. 137. Antinom I have told you that if these be right i. e. True Gospel-Holiness they be a great part of Salvation and they are no more necessary than a Part is to the Whole All Graces and Duties are the necessary parts of a saved Sinner And there are two sorts of Necessaries Essentially necessary and Necessary as to well-being as Anima rationalis is essentially necessary to a Man But there are many things as to Integrity Ornaments and Usefulness Now I say as these things are in Salvation or belonging to it for being in their kind for well-being Usefulness Adorning c. so they are necessary But if you look upon them and Salvation as two distinct things they are not necessary to give you right to any part of Salvation Neonom He that made Faith necessary to Justification hath made Obedience necessary to Salvation Antinom It seems by you Justification and Salvation are specifically distinct which they are not they differ but as Genus and Spectes
for Salvation is the Genus both of Justification Sanctification and Glory And in the same kind as you make Faith and Repentance necessary to Justification so you may make your Sincerity and Perseverance You do but tire out your selves and us in an ambiguous Word in which you would not have us know your meaning but he must and cannot be mistaken in it Neonom He hath as well promised Heaven to the Godly Man as Pardon to the Believer Antinom As if a Believer were not a Godly Man and Heaven were not promised to him A Believer is a Godly Man and the Promise of all things that appertain to Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called him to Glory and Vertue Glory and Vertue are promised to him 2 Pet. 1.3 Neonom And our Perseverance in Holiness and Obedience is as truly our way to Glory as the Scriptures can describe Antinom It 's one thing to be a way in the Covenant-state and another thing to be a way to it Salvation hath it's ways of Degrees in it Sanctification is but a degree of Glorification When we are changed into the Image of Christ it 's from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 Neonom Nothing of these merit Heaven but he that merited Heaven hath peremptorily appointed these to bring us thither Heb. 6.10 11 12. Antinom He that merited the End hath merited the Means and the means to work in such a way as shall not rob him of the Honour of his Merits He hath not merited that we should deserve but he must have the Honour of all our Salvation The things spoken of Heb. 6.10 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended in Salvation He spake of false-hearted Professors before now he was perswaded better things of them that to them true Salvation did belong and that through Grace that bringeth Salvation they had truth of Faith and Love to his Name which they shewed in their Love to his Saints and therefore encourageth them in the Stability of the Promises from the Truth and Justice of God that made them and that they should not fail of all in God's Order and therefore exhorts them to full Assurance of Hope that God who gave Grace will give Glory and will with-hold no good thing and therefore encourageth to persist in Faith and Hope and the true Fruits thereof from the Grace of God they had received and the stability thereof as he exhorts to the Practice of Christian Duties Heb. 13.1 2 3 4 5. and Ver. 5. For he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper Is not this Salvation And that there 's Rewards in Grace it 's not denyed but they are all to Christ and his Members not upon the attaining of Conditionating Qualifications And we deny not but the Lord Jesus exhorts to Labour and Diligence and Perseverance and rebukes Slothfulness and all these are Benefits for so I call all Covenant Duties that are connext to Promises but all within the Covenant The obtaining a Covenant-state or continuance in it is not to be ascribed to them but they are to be assigned to our Salvation and to the Fulness Perpetuity and Permanency of the Covenant Neonom Christ declares in the Gospel they shall miss of Heaven and Eternally perish who are Apostates Vngodly Disobedient and Vnprofitable This is not the Doom of the Law D. W. p. 138. Antinom That 's false doth not the Spirit of God say in the Gospel The Law is made for the Lawless and Disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 and that it dooms whatever thing is contrary to Sound Doctrine Denunciations against Sin and Sinners in the Gospel is but telling the Sence and Judgment of the Law The Gospel qua talis cannot doom any to Death it being only the offer of a Remedy those that embrace it not it leaves them as it found them it found them dead and so it leaves them and their further penalty is from the Law of being more inexcuseable for their rejecting the Remedy and saith to them How will he escape that neglects so great Salvation i. e. How will they escape that Condemnation that they are under already Neonom It 's not against every imperfect degree of Godliness but Vngodliness It 's not every defect of Obedience but Disobedience not against every neglect of Fruitfulness but such as argues a dead and barren State Antinom These are such as are under the Law and whatever the Word of God saith to them it 's the Law denouncing their Doom and by your own Doctrine they are not come into the Bounds of a Gospel-Covenant having not performed the Conditions of sincere Obedience On the other hand you own that these Dooms and Threatnings do not belong to those in Covenant tho' they have Sins and Failings and Falls yet the Gospel doth not doom them nor the Threats belong to them because the Gospel admits imperfect and sinful Obedience But the Law condemns the least Sin even in God's Children and the Gospel admits of no Sin nor approves of it but is to save us from it Neonom Art thou so unskilful in the Word as not to remember Heb. 10.38 39 If any Man draw back Is this a Threatning or not Is it not true of all Persons Do not say the Elect Believer will not fall away I think the same But yet is it the less true that even he shall perish if he fall away Antinom I wish you and I were more skilful in the Word than we are Will you have such Expressions as these to be part of the Covenant of Grace which are Sentences of Death to Hypocrites and Unbelievers Christ will send away many such at the last Day with I know you not depart from me c. Will you say that will be preaching the Gospel to them and giving them a Law of Grace No no when Christ judgeth as Judge of all the World he will judge but by one Law under which those will fall who have not obeyed the Gospel though their Punishment will be the more higthned in that they have refused the Remedy There are many things in the Scripture as Declarations of Truths of one kind or another Description of Persons Histories Miracles c. Discriminations of Persons and Things which are not to be reckoned the Essentials of the Covenant of Grace but for the Bene esse of it the Usefulness and Advantage of those to whom it doth belong If we make every Work in the Scripture spoken of to be a Condition of the Covenant of Grace we shall not tell where to find it Neonom Salvation is promised to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.7 Antinom Perseverance is Salvation and in the Promise is an Assurance of the Connexion of all Salvation one part to another for every one that is saved is saved with all Salvation and it 's an Encouragement and Motive to the Saints to hold on their
have the main difference between the first and last that Christ stands by to see what 's wanting But his great business is to see us saved by our own Works from first to last As for Faith Repentance Good Works sincere persevering Obedience internal and external they are our Foederal Conditions upon the Performance whereof the Promise of all Salvation in Justification and Adoption and Glorification is due Debt to us and if Christ hath done any thing for us it 's due to us upon these Terms whatever he hath provided besides Neonom Well I will make you one Challenge more and so leave you P. 146. If any Sinner believe not and repent not hath Christ ever promised to save him Antinom Indeed those Sinners that believe not nor repent not he hath not named them by name but God forbid that he hath not promised to save Thousands that believe not and repent not for the Promise is to Christ first to save his Seed and this is the Promise that Christ's Office is to seek and save them that are lost And I think all Men are so till Christ finds any by giving Faith and Repentance to them for which end he is exalted And these are the Sheep of his which he hath promised shall hear his Voice and shall come into his Fold these are among the chiefest of Sinners before they ever have Faith and Repentance The Lo-ammi who shall become the Children of the living God Ay but you say will any Decree or Merits of Christ secure them so that every poor Impenitent Unbelieving Sinner is in a desperate Condition There 's no Decree of God nor Merits of Christ can save them So that both Decree and Merits were all conditional provided he believe neither Decree or Merits can secure Salvation to him And do they not secure Faith and Repentance as part of their Salvation and so one part as well as another and upon the same Terms Neonom Again if any penitent Believer shall Apostatize prove ungodly and unfruitful hate God or neglect to love God and his Neighbour wholly c. Shall this Man be saved Hath not Christ determined the contrary Will his first Faith save him Antinon I suppose you can mean no other than a True Believer by your Penitent Believer One that is Godly loves God and is fruitful if any such an one should Apostatize c. wholly i. e. fall away from Grace Here we can understand your meaning no otherwise but that such a thing may be and sometimes is or else why do you not make the like Supposition concerning the good Angels And what follows Say you Shall his First Faith save him i. e. Shall Christ that once saved him save him again Hath not Christ that hath once saved him determined to saveâ— him no more These are pretty Enquiries deep School Cases And wherefore is all this but to shew that our Security of standing and keeping in Covenant with God and of all our Salvation lies not on Electing Grace nor on the Merits of Christ but on our own Works of Faith and Obedience The Resolution of these Questions you say according to the Scope of the Word will decide the Main of this Controversie and I will tell you how much they concern the matter in hand As to the first If a Man have a Healthy Body and strength of Nature to live till Fourscore Years of Age he shall not die a young Man And whether if he take the Care of his own Health and Safety God hath not provided every thing else for him Or thus If a Man get a good Estate and hold it till he dies whether this Man can die a poor Man But our Question rightly put runs thus Seeing God hath provided by his Decree or Promise that this or that Sinner shall have true Grace and he that hath it shall never finally lose it whether his Perseverance and Security depends upon his Works and Actings or upon the Decree and Promise The Assembly Chap. 17. of the Perseverance of the Saints saith They that are effectually called shall not finally fall from the state of Grace but certainly persevere which Perseverance depends not upon their own Free Will but upon the Immutability of the Decree of Election The Efficacy of the Merit and Intercession of Christ The abiding of the Spirit the nature of the Covenant of Grace from which ariseth the Certainty and Infallibility thereof As to your second Appeal it hath as much as this in it If a Man get up to the top of the Monument and throw himself down from thence he will certainly break his Neck Or thus If a good Angel fall into Pride and Sin as Belzebub did he will be laid in Chains of Darkness in the same manner as he If Abraham should blaspheme God he would be tumbled out of Heaven If a Man wax on Wings to his Shoulders and fly towards the Sun like Icharus the Wax melts and down comes he headlong Such Propositions as these are the Rules of Christs Rectoral Distribution with you and the Decree comes not in opposition whereas the Decree spoils the Hypothesis for do but assume upon the Proposition and you will find it so that the Decree spoils it as to the Event God's Rule of Government is not a Proposition founded upon an Impossibility Posito Decreto neither is his Decree as you would make it subservient to his Rule of Government but all his Government and Rules thereof are founded on and guided according to his good Will and pleasure in his Decree What you quote out of the Assembly's Confession is nihil ad Rhombum but all against you for none denies God's Approbation of our Obedience the great Uses and Ends of it the acceptation of it and rewarding it in Christ c. ut supra The Ends and Uses which they mention is not amiss to repeat because you charge the same Assertion on Dr. Cr. for his great Errour Assemb Ch. 16. Good Works done in obedience to God's Commands are the Fruits and Evidences of a true and lively Faith and by them Believers make manifest their Thankfulness strengthen their Assurance edifie their Brethren adorn the Profession of the Gospel stop the Mouths of Adversaries and glorifie God whose Workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus thereunto that having their Fruit unto Holiness they may have the end Eternal Life And as for Dr. O. whom you quote from p. 222. Of Justification he is there disputing against these Tenents of yours and grants the like Uses and Ends of our Personal Righteousness as the Assembly that it 's indispensably required by God he approves of it and accepts it in Christ it evidenceth Faith it 's pleadable against Satan and the World And after some explication of his meaning in these things he saith Hence it appears how little force there is in that Argument which some pretend to be of so great weight in this Cause among them you are one As every one say
they shall be judged of God at the last Day in the same way and manner and on the same grounds is he justified of God in this Life but by Works and not by Faith alone every one shall be judged at the last Day Wherefore by VVorks and not by Faith alone every one is justified before God in this Life This he answers and condemns the following Proposition or not far from it That God pardons Men's Sins gives them the Adoption of Children with a right to an Heavenly Inheritance according to their VVorks which saith he is not only Foreign to she Gospel but destructive of it And you say that Forgiving Adopting and Glorifying c. Judicial Acts of God as a Rector is in a way of rectoral Distribution of Rewards Luth. on Gal. 3.22 saith VVorks done without Faith are under a Curse though they have never so good a shew of Holiness Wherefore so far off is it that the Doers thereof deserve Grace Righteousness and Eternal Life that rather they heap Sin upon Sin After this manner the Pope works and all Merit-mongers DEBATE XIV Of Intending our Souls Good by Duties we perform Neonom THE next Errour that I charge upon this Antinomian is That he saith No Man ought to propose to himself any Advantage by any Religious Duty he performeth nor ought he in the least intend the profit of his own Soul by any Christian Endeavours it being vain and unlawful to do any thing with an Eye to our Spiritual or Eternal Good though in subordination to God's Glory in Christ D. W. p. 152. Antinom I suppose you will not only charge but prove the very things you charge in those words Neonom I will you say There is nothing you can do from whence you ought to expect any gain unto your selves c. Christ hath redeemed us that we should not henceforth live to our selves but to him that died for us c. The Scripture is plentiful in this That no Believer for whom Christ died should have the least thought in his Heart of promoting or advancing himself to any end of his own by doing what he doth Dr. C. p. 150. Antinom Gentlemen he deals with me as you have found upon Examination he hath done formerly I was Preaching upon Rom. 10.2 3 4. and was shewing That Zeal of God proves not a Man a Child of God Dr. C. p. 144 148. and I told them All aim at this that you Build not upon Foundations that will fail you when you come to tryal there is absolutely perfection enough in the Righteousness of Christ alone for your Rest and Security that you shall not need to trust to any thing you do for Life and Peace This is that which God calls you to to go torth from your own Righteousness to rest solely and only upon the Righteousness of Christ if ever you mean to have Comfort in this World or in the World to come I answered this Objection you will say This is the way to destroy all Righteousness and Obedience whatsoever What a Man never a jot the better though never so zealous after God though his Eye and aim be after God in his Zeal A. The World is grown to a miserable pass that Obedience Zeal and seeking after God be of no use at all except a Man himself be a Gainer by his Obedience it 's now as it was in the time of the Psalmist Psal 4. Every one will be ready to cry out Who will shew us any good And if any thing be proposed to Men to be done they answer But what shall I get by it Every one will be ready to shun such an Office or Employment that carry about with them a great deal of labour and expence of time and brings in no profit I must tell you freely There 's not one Duty you perform when you have attained the highest pitch that hath any prevalency and availableness to produce and to bring forth any though the least good to your selves You ought not to think to seek again to your selves by doing or bring Christ to your selves by doing You are not your own saith the Apostle but you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits Christ hath redeemed us that we should not henceforth live to our selves but to Christ that died for us Now in this Discourse I intend these things 1. That our Duties ought not to Rob Christ's Righteousness of the procuring vertue it hath of all the Blessings and Good that we have 2. That we ought not to perform Duties from a Mercenary Principle thinking thereby to obtain good things of God 3. That we rest not in the Duty done 4. That Duties barely considered in themselves though of the highest Nature are not available to obtain any thing of God for what will our Righteousness profit him And when we have done all we are unprofitable Servants and have done less than we ought to do therefore there 's no reason from our best Duties why God should bestow any good thing upon us 5. That we should do Duties from a gracious Spirit of Ingenuity for the Glory of God and Free Grace not from a poor narrow and selfish Spirit Not but that I am for Duty in a right manner and for a right end Neonom He intends to forbid our intending our own Good though in subordination to God's Glory and laying no stress of meriting for saith he People may think here 's a marvellous discouragement to Persons to do what God calls them to do when they shall have nothing for it I answer When there is a Spirit of Ingenuity they shall be as Industrious to glorifie God to do good to Men as if they did it for themselves They shall do as much for Good already bestowed as if they were to procure it by their own doing Antinom Is this not to intend my own Good whereas it 's not only to intend it but to attend it and walk in the highest Comfort and Enjoyment of it as when Esau and Jacob pass'd mutual Complements Esau saith I have enough but Jacob saith I have all It is as plain as may be made 1. That we should in all we do mind and aim at the Glory of God and Honour of Free Grace For I said Except you mind chiefly that all the Duties you perform are for other Ends and Purposes than your Preferment viz. The setting forth the praise of the Glory of Free Grace and the serving the Generation in which you live and the study of good Works because they are profitable to Men. I say Except you fall upon the performance of good Duties for the common good and benefit without having any such Conceits as what shall accrue to you thereby you are not Persons yet come to have that common Spirit and dead to the old Spirit as becomes Christians I say here chiefly and therefore am not to be understood as if I did mean as Mr. Neonomian saith
them to such an end as you ascribe to them 4. Lastly You despise therein the Lord Jesus in giving that which is his place alone to your Graces and Duties Neonom All Promises and Threats in the Word directed as Motives to Obedience are foolish if we must not intend obtaining our own good by our Obedience Antinom Are they so You are not the first that hath reckoned the Gospel Foolishness and reproached the Grace of God God hath chosen these foolish things to confound such Wise Men as you are that can undertake to teach Christ a better Gospel c. Neonom How are they Arguments with the Will if we must not aim at Advantage in doing Duty Antinom It is one thing to have advantage by Gift and another thing to have such an Eye to it as to look upon our selves as Earners of it by our Work A Child that knows his Father hath settled an Inheritance upon him and will provide for him till he is of Age to take Possession is there no Motive to him to be dutiful to his Father but an intending more gain and advantage to himself Must his Father pay him for every Errand he runs and Job of Service he doth Must he look upon himself as Earning and Deserving his Dinner every day and for every Duty and Service his Father must say Oh! thank thee my Son I will remember this Service to give thee advantage for it Or else this Child will be sullen and dogged and say What pâ—ofit is there in serving my Father Such Christians as these you would make Neonom Christ calls with such Motives Mat. 11.28 Ezek. 18.32 1 Pet. 5.2 4. Antinom Mat. 11. He Invites Sinners to come to him for rest he would give it them he says not Go to your Works and Duties for Rest I am not against your taking all Motives from Christ and the Riches of his Grace but I am against Burning Incense to our own Drags as you would have us Thaâ— place of Ezekiel you mention is nothing to your purpose for turning and living there is the same thing And whereas you say What influence hath such pleas As 1 Pet. 5.2 4. 1 Tim. 2.12 Colos 3.34 Peter calls himself a Partaker i. e. by Faith of the Glory to be revealed and he chargeth other Elders to feed the Flock and take the Charge not by constraint but freely and willingly and not mercenarily but as he himself was taught by Christ Lovest thou me feed my Sheep and he saith When the chief Shepherd shall appear you shall receive a Crown of Glory which he hath purchased and promised not which they earned and gained by their working So Paul fought and ran 2 Tim. 4.7 8. not expecting to receive a Crown as due to him for Fighting and Running but as by Faith beholding it purchased for him and ensured to him in the Promise therefore he says It 's a depositum laid up for him even before his running and so for all other Believers as well as he he expected not to make an additional advantage to what he saw laid up for him already or thereby to make it surer than the Promise had already made it and as for other places where Duties are called for and ensuing Benefits promised it 's but a Connexion of the Promised Grace in the Covenant under something different Notions of particular Commands and Promises whereas Duties there are Promises and Gifts of Grace and both together Grace upon Grace from the fulness of Christ not that one hath in it a vertue to gain the other which the Spiritual Man understands and Christ dispenseth Grace in the Word of his Grace in this manner more humano which is of use to the weak many times when he teacheth them to walk as Ephraim by the Conduct of a Spirit of Bondage whilst they labour under weak and staggering Faith but such a frame and weak Understanding of the Truth ought not to be commended as a Vertue and such Weaklings are to be brought as soon as may be to more solid Understanding and higher Principles to act from and more Noble Aims and Designs to the Glory of God in Christ Neonom The Spirit of God approveth of Holy Mens regard to their own advantage Antinom Yes for the whole Gospel is a Sinners advantage or else it were sad and they must see it or else they will never embrace it but they are to see all this advantage is founded in Christ and conveyed by Promise and Free Gift to the Praise and Glory of God Eph. 1.6 7 8 12 19 20. Neonom Moses Heb. 11.26 had respect to the recompence of reward and this is given as the very cause why he esteemed the Reproach of Christ above the Treasures of Egypt Antinom I have given an account of that place already it 's said by Faith Moses did what he did by Faith refusing the World chusing and esteeming Christ his great Treasure and greater than all Riches and Honours even the Reproach and Cross of Christ for in believing he Eyed Christ himself who was his to be the great recompence of Reward he had enough to carry him through all difficulties having Christ and God in Christ and this was the reason of his Perseverance for he endured as seeing him that is Invisible he did not see him that is Invisible as a Reward of his Perseverance but he endured because he saw him Neonom Paul governed himself by these regards 1 Cor. 9.17 24. 2 Cor. 4.16 17. Antinom Paul made it his business in preaching the Gospel to obtain the Ends of the Gospel but he doth anticipate all that you would gather from his Discourse 1 Cor. 9.17 for ver 16. he saith For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of and when he speaks of his Reward ver 18. truely it is as much as to say I look for none for my Work sake not so much as from Men my Reward is that I make it without Charge that as it comes freely from Christ so also from me he much less had any Mercenary Expectations of Reward from God c. And ver 23. and all he doth for the Gospel sake that he might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his participation of the Grace of the Gospel was as much as he looked for therefore he would not run at uncertrinty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by Faith in the Promise as looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of his Faith Heb. 12.2 As to that place 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not what is the cause It 's in the verse preceding 14 15. The Spirit of Faith was the cause Whereby knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus for all things are for your selves that the abundant Grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God for which cause we faint not viz. from the abundant Grace apprehended by the Spirit of Faith and looking at things
first before you undertake to be a Corrector of others it 's not worth our time to attend your Amendments Neonom Let me only tell you what those Divines in the Preface to Mr. Flavel 's Book against Antinomianism which they approve of inform us That to say Salvation is not the end of any good Work we can't and we are to act from Life and not for Life were to abandon the humane Nature Antinom I suppose you quote your Authority the rather because that you think the Preface was drawn up to expiate for a Fault some of them had committed and was well school'd for But I pray let us a little examine whether those Gentlemen be not mistaken in denying that Position That we are not to act for Life but from Life For the first part I am mistaken if they will deny That all Gospel-acting is from Life In natural things Life is always presupposed to all Motion and Acting A dead thing cannot nor is expected to move and act As in the natural Man so in the Spiritual and as he must have Life so he must be alive unto God in Christ that acts he must act from him by vertue of him through the Power and Influence of his Grace through the Operation of his Spirit from Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and knows there 's no acceptable Duties or Graces but to be acted from Life as the Fountain and Spring of them and indeed the first Adam acted from Life I pray make a thing act if you can that hath not Life to act from 2. As for acting for Life the true meaning ought to be adjusted That Life should be our End and Aim is not to be doubted according to a right Understanding of it Christ propounds himself as Life unto poor Sinners and saith I am the Resurrection and the Life And so he is the Life unto a Believer He that hath the Son hath Life Now it must be understood when we speak of Working for Life we speak of a considerate sedate regular Acting and Working Not Acting and Working as one that is scared and affrighted with the danger of Life death lying inevitably to his Apprehension before him not as scrambling to save himself in the Water from drowning Now a poor Sinner awakened under the Law and seeing a little Glimpse of Gospel-hope through Grace shining into his Heart it may be bestirs himself with all his might and ascribes much to every Duty he doth But we speak here of what the true Spirit and Disposition of a Christian is he ought to arrive at by Faith the Question is Whether he works for Life A. I say He doth and he doth not 1. He makes Life his subordinate Aim and End But 1. He that hath Christ by Faith doth not work as if he had not Christ already 2. He doth not work for Life so as to entitle himself unto Life some work for this end as if he had not Life already He sees by Faith that he is Christ's and that all things are his whether Life or whether things present or to come 3. He doth not work for Life so far as to think thereby to keep himself alive or maintain himself in a Covenant-state so as by his Works to continue his Justification any more than to get it at first 4. He doth not work for Life in a way of remunerative Justice no not for the continuance of Life in a way of Remuneration For indeed herein lies only the difference between a Legal and Gospel-Spirit If the Spirit that acted the first Adam before the Fall I speak not of a Legal Spirit since the Fall and the true Spirit of a Believer in Christ be compared together for Adam then acted from Life already given he acted not as having no Life but acted for the continuance of Life upon the account of the working Conditions enjoyned and expected Life by way of Remuneration i. e. the continuation of Life Now such working for Life as this we must reject and such is intended when-ever we say we must not work for Life It 's not to be understood as if the Spiritual Man had not a sanctified rational End in all his Actings which we say is for the Glory of God in Free Grace for Christ in whom his Life is he acts from the Life that is in Christ and he is carried forth to it and in it He is created in Christ Jesus to good Works that he should walk in them looking unto Jesus Heb. 12. And looking upon all things as his in Christ his Business is to live unto Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 31. ch 3.22 23. To me saith Paul to live is Christ and to die is gain i. e. I shall come to a further Enjoyment of Christ Theology is defined to be the Doctrine of living unto God so that in living unto God and to God in Christ a Christian hath all things that appertain to Life and Godliness through the knowledge of God our Saviour 2 Pet. 1.3 Christ is our Alpha and Omega of him and through him and to him are all things to him be Glory for ever and eaer Rom. 11.36 Now what need all this great ado about working for Life shewing the danger of this Doctrine that it teacheth to abandon Nature and supposeth us to do no more than other Men and it makes all Motives useless c. Whereas if Men will not have perverse Minds they must own and acknowledge the same things that they oppose unless they will deny their own Reason But when a Spirit of Contradiction prevails there is nothing but Quirks Sophisms and Equivocations can take place with Men. And notwithstanding all your Noise and Authority to work for Life in the true Sence it is to act as by and under a Covenant of Works it 's to work for Life as Wages and to gain a Right and Title thereby and such a Principle will abandon the Grace of the Gospel It will teach to violate all the Precepts and Principles of the Gospel it will elude all the Promises and lay a Man under the full Rigour of the Law and will never be any effective Motive to acceptable Duty It is a Fault it self that lies under the blackest Mark and of as dangerous Consequence as any the Gospel cautions us against and warns to take heed of seeking the establishing our own Righteousness That true Gospel Discourse of Worthy Mr. Vink at the Morning-Lecture will tell you better things on 2 Tim. 2.19 wherein he shews That Gospel Grace is the best Motive to Holiness He saith Our business is to enquire after what we propound in our Obedience If it be to expiate for my past Offences or to merit undeserved Favours it must needs be abominable in the sight of God being the highest act of Pride or Presumption that can be imagined let our Works be what they will though the best are but filthy Rags if they be offered unto God by way of Barter or Exchange they
Antinom Very good then sure if the Spirit be an Earnest of Glory it 's an Evidence of Glory for what is a greater Evidence of a state than an Earnest Yea you say it 's also a Witness of our state if it be a Witness it is by a Testimony and if it bear Testimony and such an one as we take to be a Witness to our state it is something to this purpose Christ is thine thy Sins are Forgiven it must witness something that may beget in the Soul a joyful sence of its reconciled state there contrary to you Assurance must come in the immediate objective Revelation of the Spirit by the Spirits speaking in the Promise believed God is thy God Christ is thine thy Sins are taken away or something to this purpose Neither is this absurd to say the Spirit speaks thus ordinarily by a Voice because it is so interpretatively the Lord speaks when he causeth his Word to speak effectually unto the Heart and whatever Truth of God is made efficacious by the Spirit the Spirit speaks by it If any word of Promise become a truely comforting Word the Spirit as Comforter speaks by it you have granted us here in a manner as much as we can desire in this Point excepting an Equivocating Expression viz. as a Worker of Grace and whatever Evasion you have there this I will say that you make the Spirit an Evidence in its Efficiency it self as an Efficient whereas Signs and Marks are but Evidences as Effects And is not the Spirit received in its first sensible Efficiency in and by the Promise a great Evidence Gal. 3.3 2 Pet. 1.3 Neonom Nor whether the Spirit witnesseth by and with the Conscience in the manifestation of our Graces for Assurance Calvin It is a strange thing that you should make such a loud Cry in the World against a Man for Errour when you in a manner say the same thing and the Word of God asserts it so positively that the Spirit is the Comforter and witnesseth with our Spirits that we are his Children and you say as the Worker of Grace i. e. of all Grace and therefore of this Grace and if it works it must be by some Word of Peace that it speaks and is believed and you say it witnesses by and with the Conscience the Conscience speaking in and by the Spirit and how is the Conscience made to speak Peace more than by the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ whereby an Evil Condemning Conscience is taken away what manifestation of Grace works Peace most the manifestation of the Grace of Christ or of our Graces And these must appear to be the Graces of Christ and slow from him or else they are no Graces the Witness of the Spirit and the Intelligible believed Voice of the Spirit particularly applying the Declaration of the Gospel of Peace must be in all and is the most settled ground of all comfortable Assurance Neonom Nor whether the Spirit of God may in some Extraordinary Cases give an immediate Testimony by a Voice or some Equivalent Impressions D. W. p. 164. Antinom 1. You grant that sometimes the Spirit may witness by Voice or Equivalent Impressions 2. The Extraordinary Cases you here speak of must be meant of some not so usual in an ordinary way 3. I would know whether then the Spirit is to be believed and how its Voice may be distinguished from the Voice of a False Spirit 4. Whether when you speak of a Voice you mean an Articulate sound or such a still Voice as the Spirit speaks by which is an Impression of Gospel Truth with a particular application to the Soul this as you say is Equivalent to a Voice and it is the Eccho of the Word of Promise in the Heart and this is not an Extraordinary nor unusual way bringing Souls to settled Peace and Comfort Neonom But then there was the Truth of Grace though it was doubted before and nothing utterly inconsistent with true Grace either in the Heart nor then appeareth to the Conscience Antinom So that there is first a Witness from our selves before there 's Witness from the Spirit but how comes it that this Witness from our selves hath not Credit enough with it to be believed For if it hath whence comes doubting Here 's truth of Grace and nothing appears to the contrary and yet the Person doubts Doth any Man doubt of any thing when he apprehends nothing to the contrary And you say there 's the Truth of Grace before the Spirit witnesseth who wrought this truth of Grace do you not say that it witnesseth to our state as a Worker of Grace Neonom I will tell you where the true difference lyes 1. Whether none attain Assurance but by the Inward Voice of the Spirit pronouncing the Actual Forgiveness of Sins without manifesting their true Grace and Sanctification This you affirm and I deny Antinom You should have made the first Question whether any Assurance is attainable till Death because Perseverance is one of your Infallible Marks and all others signifie nothing unless we can take up upon that and that must run out to the last moment before we can 2. We affirm that there can be no Assurance without knowledge that our Sins are Forgiven assign an Assurance without it if you can and your Assurance from marks must come to this if it be Assurance 3. This must be by the Spirits pronouncing of it or no way when you have found all that you can it 's God must speak peace or else it will never be and Peace of Reconciliation however you Banter God's Reconciling the World and the Spirits bringing home the Word of Reconciliation 4. Who ever spake of the Spirits manifesting Forgiveness without manifestation of the whole Grace of God that brings Salvation in Sanctification as well as Justification both comes under the Witness of the Spirit and therefore you are besides the Question and state it not right Neonom The next Question is Whether the usual way of attaining Assurance is by the Conscience upon Tryal discerning and concluding through the help of the Spirit that a Man hath those Graces or Signs which describe a Man Blessed and Pardoned according to the Gospel This I affirm and you deny Antinom 1. That I deny Sanctification to be a sign of Justification is false for that which is an undoubted Effect is a sign of the Cause and an Argument of it to conclude it by 2. It 's not the Question whether it be not the usual way of attaining Assurance de facto such Gospel Preachers as you are still putting them upon this way and telling them there 's no other safe way 3. The Question is whether this be the only way Whether another way ought not to go first Neonom I will now confirm the Truth by some Arguments 1. This is the way that God appoints to attain Assurance 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 Antinom This is one way who denies it and a Duty
i. e. believed them so as to be assured of them As for the rest of the Saints you shall find all along that their Triumphant Assurances was by Faith Abraham Rom. 4.20 21. See the various phrases to express his full Assurance of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made no dispute or doubt about the Promise the English well express He staggered not at the Promise or through unbelief ver 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 19. He was not weak in Faith but was strong in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consulted not with himself secondary Causes or Carnal Reason but was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried forth with a full gale of Assurance Job 19.25 Job's Assurance was the Assurance of Faith I know my Redeemer liveth c. David under his greatest Tryal of Banishment by his own Son from the House of God Psal 42.10 when Challenged by his Enemies at the highest rate at which he was so disquieted he calls up his Soul to take up Comfort in believing ver 11. and 45.5 Paul Rom. 7. where he tells how low he was brought upon Self-examination as to what he could find in himself ver 18. I know that in me that is in my Flesh there dwells no good thing See how he complains ver 24. O wretched Man that I am c. as much as to say I am wretched in regard of the Evil Sin and Corruption that I find abounding in me but ver 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord there is the Root of his Comfort in the Faith that he had in Jesus Christ tho there was this little small spark of Holiness in him a mind at least to serve the Law of God yet he trusted not to that And you see 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. when he fell into Temptation and Buffeting was it his Duties and Services to Christ and his Churches that supported him No it was an objective manifestation to him received by Faith My Grace is sufficient for thee but you will say his rejoicing was in the Testimony of his Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 It 's true it was and the Testimony of a good Conscience as to our Hearts and Ways is matter of Rejoicing but this was in Paul without confidence in the Flesh or ascribing any thing to it but by seeing all in Christ and that all flowed down from the Free Grace and Love of God all his Simplicity and Sincerity of Heart was seen by Faith to be Gifts of Grace therefore you see whensoever the Children of God took any Comforts and Rejoicings from the Fruits of the Spirit they made not these as the Fundamental ground of their Assurance but a confirming and additional ground and such as was very uncertain insomuch that at some times they were at a perfect loss for them yet was not without their rooted and grounded Assurances in the darkest Times and under the obscurest Providences Neonom The Conscience is bound to condemn every Man in whom the contrary to these Graces do appear yea where it 's evident they are wholly wanting It 's otherwise a seared Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 It 's the Candle of the Lord now there can be no Assurance where the Conscience condemns 1 John 3.19 20 21. D. W. p. 166. Antinom There is nothing but the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ applyed by Faith that can take off the Conscience from Condemning and without this all the Works and Duties in the World cannot do it it 's the Law that obligeth the Conscience to condemn and the sence of our Imperfections and Weaknesses and remainder of Corruption may be where there is no condemning Conscience but wherefore is it Not because of what they find in themselves but from what they find in Christ and it 's a harsh Doctrine that you teach from 1 Tim. 4.2 that all that cannot find Works enough in themselves to conclude their state in Christ from and hold it meerly by Faith in Christ and thereby freed from Condemning Consciences have Seared Cauterized Consciences such as the Apostle Prophesies of that should abound in the Antichristian Apostacy and Seduction and you subvert the Doctrine of the Gospel thereby helping to fulfill that Prophecy by what Doctrine the Text will tell you Neonom The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 It doth not witness before our Spirits doth witness It is not a separate Testimony from our Spirits but it concurrs with our Spirit as its Instrument our Spirit witnesseth in the Light of the Spirit 1 Cor. 9.1 my Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Antinom What is this Argument brought for is this to prove that there 's no Assurance by the Voice of the Spirit And that the only way of Assurance is by Signs and Marks But you have brought in this place of Scripture as many Men retain Councel in their Case they Fee some Councel only that they may not be against them but the Word of God will not be Bribed this place is directly against you The Apostle here tells us the very Comforting Office of the Holy Ghost that it becomes a Spirit of Adoption this is the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 And what is it that it doth it teacheth us to call God Father and how doth it do this A. It 's by witnessing to us our Relation viz. that we are the Sons of God this is that which doth assure us of our Inheritance if Children then Heirs Now I argue that which witnesseth in the Children of God that they are the Children of God insomuch that from thence they can conclude themselves Heirs doth pronounce the Actual Forgiveness of their Siâ—s and is the usual way of Assurance but the Spirit witnesseth in the Children of God that they are the Children of God Ergo there is a pronunciation of Actual Forgiveness by the Voice of the Spirit c. For the Major it 's proved from Gal. 3.26 The Spirit bestows Adoption by Faith in Christ Jesus Ye are all the Children of Gâ—d by Faith in Christ Jesus and ver 29. If ye be Christ's then are you of Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise you 'll allow the Spirit to witness but not before our Spirit so that you 'll have our Spirits to be before the Spirit the Senior Evidence I deny it for that which causeth our Spirits to give Evidence is not the younger Evidence but the Spirit causeth our Hearts to give Evidence Ergo Now for the Minor that the Spirit causeth our Hearts to give Evidence I prove from your self you say the Spirit concurrs with our Spirit as its Instrument now the Efficient is before the Instrument by which it works and Instrumentum is but Causa Ministrans at most and is res motu facta in that respect is effectum efficientis Now the way of the Spirits witnessing is by bringing to our Spirit an objective Manifestation of Grace in the Promise and causing us by Faith to make
a particular application thereof to our selves and so we become by the Witness of the Spirit to be the Children of God by Faith in the same sence we are Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3.29 Now therefore the Spirit must witness first as the Worker of this Assurance by the Promise that Faith may witness and you your self said but now that the Spirit witnesseth as a Worker of Grace therefore as the Worker of the Grace of Assurance You say it is not a separate Testimony from our Spirits I suppose you mean from our Spirits Testimony your meaning I take to be that they both witness one and the same thing but that they are two distinct Witnesses is evident from the Text that which witnesseth with another is distinct from that other and you say it concurrs with our Spirit i. e. Conveniunt in uno tertio Testimonio ergo inter se And you say our Spirits witness in the Light of the Spirit i. e. in the Light of its Manifestation and Evidence and therefore the Spirit must witness first or else our Spirits must witness without Evidence which is impossible So that all you have been saying in this Argument is against your self and for us Neonom A Testimony of the Spirit giving an Evidence of Pardon without any evidence of Grace is not according to the Word of Grace for the Word of Grace never declareth any Sinners are pardoned but believing penitent Sinners it is not as meer Sinners the Word pardoneth but it flatly condemneth and leaves guilt on all Impenitent Vnbelievers as I have proved Antinom I marvel a Divine should speak at such a rate as if an Evidence of Pardon were not an Evidence of Grace Is not Pardon the highest degree of Grace is not the Word of Grace therefore so because it is a Word of Pardon to Sinners And if you mean Inherent Grace why may not the Spirit give evidence of Pardon to a Sinners evidence of it in an act of Believing before there can be any Fruits of Faith Was it not so with the Thief upon the Cross and many that God pardons just upon the last moment of their Lives And is it not so with many of Gods Children that can see no Evidences in themselves the Spirit strips them of all grounds in themselves and that gives a full satisfaction in objective Grace with the full Assurance of Faith that the Creature may be laid low and Christ may be glorified I must tell you that a meer Sinner is the Object of Pardon and not a Sinner considered under any holy Qualifications The whole need not the Physician Christ finds and pardons lost Sinners and there 's no Sinner applies pardon aright but as a meer Sinner tho he hath Faith But of this I have spoken before in our Eighth Conference and Twelfth Neonom Therefore if there be a Voice a true Voice of God carrying its own evidence saying Thy sins are forgiven it doth at the same time and by the same voice witness to the truth of our Grace because he forgives no other according to the Word of the Gospel Antinom A true Voice witnessing the Forgiveness of sins doth consequently witness to the truth of Grace in our Hearrs for the closing with the Evidence in a way of Comfort witnessed by the Spirit doth de facto witness to the truth of our Faith there 's Lord I believe Likewise it witnesseth that Christ is ours and we Christs and if so we are New Creatures and this we may be and must be before we can bring forth any Fruits besides Faith it self But it 's not for the reason you alledge which is as much as to say Christ saves none but them that are saved already Neonom If the Spirit should say to an Impenitent Soul Thou art pardoned while such it is no Promise in the Gospel c. Antinom Is there no promise in the Gospel to take away the heart of stone to give repentance and neither of these is found till pardoning mercy make the way and are never savingly found till Forgiveness is given and in some measure of Believing closed with but you rove from the Point of Assurance that we are upon go on to your next Argument Neonom To have the Ordinary way of Assurance as it 's stated by the opposite Errour is of dangerous Consequence D. W. p. 167. Antinom i. e. By the Witness of the Spirit and by the Evidence of Faith I pray let us hear those dangerous Consequences what they be Neonom 1. Most Saints must quit their Hopes and Assurances for they never had this Voice tho they have greater stamps of the Spirit than any I ever knew pretend to this Antinom If any Saints have Hopes and Assurance that is good in some degree they need not quit them in betaking themselves to better firmer and more lasting grounds of Hope and Assurance the Assurance may be the same tho better grounded and built But they never had this Voice what mean you by this Is there any true Believer that never heard what the Spirit saith to Sinners is there any that hears not what God saith in his Word Do they not hear that are in their spiritual Graves the Voice of Christ and live Do you so impose as to stretch our meaning to an extraordinary Audible Voice Then you do but like your self But yet you say they have stamps of the Spirit I pray how doth the Spirit make a Stamp and Impression upon a Sinners Heart but by the Application of the Grace of the Gospel in Believing Is it not as many as received Christ to them is the Priviledge of being the Sons of God And you say greater Stamps than any you know pretend to this you speak you know not what in a scornfull manner as if you knew little your self what belongs to a rrue Gospel Spirit I am sure if you did you would not run out in this loose manner as you do in a way of Contempt of others See Phil. 2.3 4. Neonom It makes all Examination useless and vain Antinom It makes Examination most usefull and necessary yea hereby becomes more profitable advantageous and comfortable when by sounding we find good bottom we find we have not only Life but have it more abundantly Neonom It overturneth one of the great 〈◊〉 God hath assigned to the work of all Grace on the Heart Antinom What shall I call this Assertion Mr. Calvin Calvin For shame Mr. Neonom leave off what will you say Gods own Spirit witnessing in our Hearts to the full Assurance of Faith overturns his work of Grace in our Hearts I am sorry to hear this evil Communication come out of your Mouth Neonom It makes Assurance impossible without this Miraculous Voice Antinom Are you again upon the High Ropes and Tenter-hooks Is this intended to be any way a miraculous Voice only the Voice of the Spirit as Comforter in the Heart according to the Word Is it a miraculous Voice
for God to say unto the Soul I am thy Salvaiion Is it not the ordinary Gospel Voice under the Old Testament and New Neonom It hardly carries its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all Antinom You say a miraculous Voice can hardly carry its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all It is well you put in hardly for you know it was carryed to Paul in a miraculous Voice and it 's a marvellous audacious Expression to say God can hardly carry Grace and Evidence of Grace to a graceless Soul no not so much as miraculously and cannot God give Grace and evidence in the same moment of time as to the Thief on the Cross and thousands more in the Word Neonom It 's a way too far Enthusiastick to be allowed in so stated a Case Antinom You had best say the Apostle Paul in the whole 8th Chapter to the Romans and 1 Cor. 2. and Eph. 1. and in divers other places was too Enthusiastick and therefore those portions of Scripture that speak of the Revelation and Witness of the Spirit and the Assurances of Faith not to be allowed I 'll assure you you are mighty Magisterial to take upon you the decrying the Witness of the Spirit at this presumptuous rate openly and before the World What account can you give of this another day Neonom It gives the Devil a great advantage against Sinners to live in Sin and against honest People if once they find cause to question this Voice Yea it sets up the Spirit against it self if any can boast of Assurance by this Voice when their state is justly challengeable by the Gospel as wanting all Sight of Gospel Marks Antinom If the Grace of God that brings Salvation unto Sinners is the casting out of the Devil out of the Heart and the witnessing Spirit a mortifying Spirit Teacher of Holiness and the greatest Enlarger of the Heart therein as Rom. 8.15 by how much the more it works as a Comsorter as the Spirit of Adoption bringing us into the Liberty of Sons of God and shewing to us that Christ is ours and we are his yea by how much the more he makes us to see by Faith in Christ and how much the less he makes us to see in our selves but still shews us our own Vileness and Ugliness Corruptions poorness of Duties even to the loathing and abhorring of our selves if then I say God is most glorified and his Free Grace Christ is most advanced and his precious Blood and his glorious Spirit to be loved and admired and we in the best and most Gospel-frame Then all that you have here spoken is Burlesque mingled with the Enmity of your Heart vented against the Grace of the Gospel and the Spirit of God Calvin I must confess I can't tell what to say of that saying The Witness of the Spirit by the Voice of the Gospel is giving advantage to the Devil I am sure it hath a dangerous Aspect But I pray Mr. Antinomian do you condemn Signs and Marks as altogether useless towards the gaining of Assurance that he inveighs at so heavy a rate Antinom No by no means I allow the Fruits of the Spirit to be of a marvellous use as to Confirming and Comforting of our selves and very satisfactory to others that our Saviour saith hereby shall all men know that we are his Disciples and as James saith we must be convinced of mens Faith by their Work or else we can't take them to be Believers Yea we expect of every one that we admit Church-members that they should give a Reason of the Hope that is in them according to the Rule of the Gospel This Mr. Neonomian is against he will Burlesque upon it as much as he doth now at the Witness of the Spirit Calvin Why it is not possible Mr. Neonomian Sure when you admit Members into your Congregation you are very strict in Examining of them upon the Fruits of Faith that you and all your Congregation may know so far as the Judgment of a rational Charity will go that they are Disciples of Christ tho' as those Signs may deceive a mans own self so others may be deceived in those that make Profession of them Neonom I know no ground to stand so strictly upon my Admission I think if men be not grossly Ignorant or openly Scandalous they may be admitted to all Ordinances I can't try them for their Perseverance which is the greatest Mark. Calvin But I read that the Churches in the Primitive Times were made up of those that were at least to Visible appearance sanctified in Christ Jesus Neonom But the times are altered now they were Converted out of Heathenism we are all Christians Calvin Aye such as they be such as your honest People which the Devil gets a great advantage against to perswade to live in sin because of the pardoning Grace of the Gospel for whose sake you would have the Doctrine renounced and another Gospel preached I see you do not set so much by Signs and Marks but only to set them up in opposition to the Witness of the Spirit Antinom I will give you my full sence of the Doctrine of Assurance The certainty of a Thing or Proposition can be founded but upon one of these two Bottoms either upon an Artificial or Inartificial Argument so called in Logick An Argument artificial gives me sensible or rational ground for what I am assured of and it argues Things from Causes Effects Subjects Adjuncts Dissentaneities wherein are diversa opposita c. But an inartificial Argument is founded on Testimony and according to the faithfulness of him that brings it it gives more or less ground of belief This is reckoned in Logick the weakest ground of Knowledge especially being Testimonium humanum that is brought it may be a probable ground of believing but is not an Infallible one and therefore the Judgment upon it usually goes no further than Opinion that which is of a Contingency But in Theology Testimonium Divinum Divine Testimony is the greatest ground of Certainty and Assurance in the World because he that speaks is unchangeably true faithful just and holy he cannot ly Now hence it is that what Testimony comes from God himself it is to be believed because it is so without reasoning any further and is the greatest ground of Assurance in the World therefore I affirm that the Witness of God in his Word and the Spirit in the Heart firmly believed is and produceth the greatest Assurance for firmness and durability in the World This is that which ought to ly in the bottom of all our Assurance this will hold above all in the hour of Temptation when all Signs and Marks sail tho our Faith may be sometimes shaken and our Comforts and Assurances eclips'd so that our Faith may hold but as far as a Hoping or Perswasion of a Probability of our State and Condition yet as Mr. Neonomian saith as the Evidence is
strong or weak so our Assurance is strong or weak Now that Faith still carries with it a Hypostasis or Demonstration of the thing believed grounded upon the Certainty Truth and Infallibility of God I am fully satisfied from that Portion of Scripture that evinces it undeniably Heb. 11.1 And as now for other grounds of Comfort and Assurance which arise from the Visibility of the Grace of God and the Fruits of the Spirit in the Heart and Life I highly value them as subordinate grounds of Comfort and Confirmation in Assurance these are seen by the reflection of the Soul upon it self being able in regenerate man to reason in a spiritual manner from Causes Effects Subjects and Adjuncts c. which he finds in himself according to the Rule of the Word of God This I call Experimental Assurance and this is that which is so long attaining to and when it is had may be lost again in a great measure as Comfort therefore And because many Believers take this to be all the Assurance they must look for and their Teachers tell them so therefore they go mourning all their dayes and are only supported by what degrees of Assurance is in their Faith which they take not to be any and their Teachers tell them that Faith hath nothing of Assurance in it but do suggest as if it were but the roving of the Mind in uncertainties and Probability and that it is Presumption for them to believe to Confidence and Assurance though the Spirit of God doth command and encourage it again and again and that doubting is rather their Vertue than Sin whereas so much as there is of Doubting mingled with their Faith so much there is of Sin and Unbelief In true Faith there is the Promise more or less believed i. e. the Truth and Goodness because a Promise reached forth a Truth which carries Goodness in it to us-ward is received the â—eason of which reception is the certain Truth and Faithfulneâ—â— of him that promiseth Hence there is believing a Word and believing a Person Hence believing hath three things in it according to the Apostle Heb. 11. 1. The Object falls not under the measure of Sense and Reason therefore called Things not seen and Things hoped for 2. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an express Image Heb. 1. of the things not seen and hoped for brought to us in the Promise 3. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Demonstration or Argument of the Reality and Certainty of those things and intention of bestowing them taken from the Truth and Faithfulness of him that promiseth Faithful is he that hath promised Now that God hath promised in general and indefinitely to save Sinners and that he is able and willing to perform it in his time and to whom he pleaseth may be a common Faith only and such as the Devils have But for a Sinner to take up with the Promise for himself is the work of the Spirit peculiarly Because there is no man spoken to by Name in the Promise which advantage Abraham had and the want thereof must be supplyed by the Spirit 's â—aying to the Soul more or less plainly This Promise belongeth â—nto thee whereby the Soul is enabled to exert fiducially a believing the Promise and staying on the Promiser for himself And here lyes the difficulty of Believing and the usual workings of Unbelief It 's a marvellous thing to me Mr. Neonomian that you can have the Impudency to quote the Assembly for your Assertion Confess Ch. 18. viz. That there is no other grounds of Assurance but Signs and Marks Whereas they say so expressly That a Believer may be assured in this Life that he is in a State of Grace and this Certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perswasion grounded on a fallible Hope but an Infallible Assurance of Faith founded on the Divine Truth of the Promises of Salvation the inward evidence of those Graces unto which those Promises are made the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits So that they make three grounds of Assurance 1. The infallible Assurance of Faith 2. The inward Evidences of Graces 3. The Witness of the Spirit of Adoption When you quoted this place you had either forgot what you had wrote or you quote it retaining the Assembly first least it should be brought against you There are three great Graces spoken of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.13 Faith Hope Love Mr. Caryl on Job 13.13 And the Scripture holds forth an Assurance in reference to every one of these First The Assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith This Assurance of Faith hath a double respect 1. To our Persons 2. To our Services that in both we are pleasing to God Secondly There 's an Assurance of Hope Heb. 6.11 Faith hath an Eye to the Truth of the Promise Hope to the Good of the Promise and the Assurance of Hope is that we shall certainly receive that Good Thirdly There 's an Assurance of Love 1 Joh. 4.48 Perfect Love casts out Fear How is Love made Perfect and how doth it cast out Fear v. 17. Herein saith he is love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in the World i. e. As his Love is sincere to us so is ours to him according to our measure even in this life and this gives us boldness our Assurance that all shall go well with us in the day of Judgment so this Love casteth out all fear of Condemnation in that day which Fear where it remains hath Torment than which nothing is more contrary to Assurance In perfect Love there is no Torment because there is no Fear and there is no Fear because there is an Assurance of the Love of God in this love the Soul doth repose rest and delight it self There is a Fourth thing spoken of which is a full assurance of Vnderstanding This is Clearness of our apprehension about the things which we do believe and upon which we fasten by Faith and Love The Light of the Understanding shining upon the Mysteries of the Gospel and mixing with our other Graces bottoms the Soul upon the strongest Foundation and raiseth it up to the highest Pinnacle of Assurance We may say of Assurance in reference to these four Graces as Philosophers do of the Heavens in reference to the four Elements That they are neither of the four Elements but a Quintessence of a fisth Essence So we may say of Assurance it is neither Faith nor Hope nor Love nor Knowledge but it is a fifth thing sublimated and raised either out of or above all those i. e. when Assurance is raised to the highest pitch that it is a full Assurance from whence our Joy is full all a Christians Sails are filled being under a full gale and having fair weather Rom. 8.16 The Spirit
between God and him the interest he hath in Christ and the love of Christ imbracing him I say there is as much ground to be confident of the pardon of sin to a believer in respect of the fulness and freeness of pardoning grace in Christ as soon as ever he hath committed it though he hath not made a solemn act of confession as to believe it after he hath performed all the humiliation in the Worâ—d Not that I say he ought not to confess sin I say he ought and it is his duty but speak of the ground and reason of pardon quoad Deum as to God What is the ground of the pardon of sin I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own Namesake Here is Pardon the Fountain of it is in God himself All the Pardon in the World that any person shall enjoy is revealed in his Word of Grace and it 's the most absurd thing in the World to think a Soul should fetch out a Pardon any where but from the Word of Grace Calv. I think you have said enough to vindicate yourself that you are for Confession of Sin and it 's every Believer's Duty but that we are not to understand it or look upon it as the ground of God's pardoning our Sins Neonom The Sins he speaks of are Adultery and Murther he brings in an Objection you 'l say this is strange Doctrin Suppose a Believer commits Adultery and Murder must he presently look upon Christ Dr. C. p. 212. Antinom You speak not of my Answer which is I confess the Crime is great in this kind and it may be for the present the Crime may silence the Voice of Truth itself but whatever becomes of it that Christ may have the glory of his Grace and the glory of that fulness of Redemption wrought all at once let me tell you Believers cannot commit those sins that may give just occasion of suspâ—cion to them that if they come to Christ he would cast them out Calv. I think herein you have spoken very safely according to our Saviour's own words directed to actual believers and unbelievers too John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Neonom But you will say all the Promises of Pardon do run with this Proviso In case Men humble themselves in case Men do this and that then Pardon is theirs but otherwise it 's none of theirs Ans Take heed of such Doctrin D. W. p. 172. from Dr. Cr. p. 215. Antinom I answer'd another Objection before this Obj. In all this will you strike at all manner of meeting with God in Humiliation and Prayer Fasting and Confession of Sins I answer with the Apostle Do we herein make void the Law God forbid the rather we establish the Law May not a person come and acknowledge his Fault to his Prince after he hath received his Pardon under the Hand of his Prince when he is brought from the Place of Execution Nay may he not acknowledge it with melting and extream bitterness of Spirit because he knoweth he hath a Pardon It is but a sordid and gross Conceipt in the Heart of Persons to think that there can be no Humiliation for Sin except Persons be in despair I say when Christ doth reveal himself to your Spirits you shall find your Hearts more wrought upon with sweet Meltings and Relentings of Heart and Breathings of Spirit when you see your Sins pardoned than in the most despairing Condition you can be in Many Malefactors have been observed to be hard hearted that they could not shed a Tear at the Place of Execution yet when they have heard their Pardon read have melted into a Flood of Tears And so I say that Heart that could not relent to see the filthy loathsomness of Sin before he saw his Pardon after the knowledge of it doth melt into Tears and hath such relenting that none in the World hath but he that knoweth it I say the Grace of God doth teach Men more Duty than any thing else in the World Tit. 2.11 12 13. We must walk in all ways God hath chalked out to us but if we think our Righteousness and our deep Humiliation and large Talents of the Spirit and Sorrow for Sin and our Confession thereof must make our way to the Bowels of Christ take heed lest you set up a false Christ Then I bring in the Objection and Answer which you rehears'd and go on thus We have heard Arminianism exceedingly exploded but if we conceive that God in pardoning Sin hath an Eye to Confession of Sin how is that doing of Works for Pardon of Sin And how far short this comes of Arminianism let the World judge Calvin I think none that understands the Gospel tho' he takes Confession of Sin to be a great Duty but thinks as you do that none is pardoned for the sake of Confession and that if a believer sinneth he hath an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is a Propitiation for all Sin and in the faith of this he ought to go to the Throne of Grace with Confession and Humiliation tho' it 's not so easie to perform a Duty in Faith after relapses into Sin yet whatever Duty we perform ought to be done in Faith and we ought to go to beg pardon in the Faith of it Jam. 1.6 7. Neonom He saith There is nothing but Joy and Gladness D. W. p. 172. Obj. But some will say Believers find it otherwise there is no such Joy and Gladness they are often oppressed with Sadness and Heaviness of Spirit Answ There is not one Fit of Sadness in any Believer whatsoever but he is out of the way of Christ c. I say The Soul is first satisfied of Forgiveness of Sins before there is that real kindly Mourning in those that are Believers Dr. C. p. 52. Antinom I was speaking upon Christ being the only way and among other Commendations of Christ as a Way one was Dr. C. p. 52. That he is a pleasant Way To illustrate which I alledged Isa 35.8 A high-way shall be there viz. in the Wilderness and Desart that should rejoyce and blossom as a Rose v. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads Nothing but Pleasure it is compared to Lebanon the sweetest place in the World to Carmel and Sharon places of great delight Look into the last Verse and see what a Way of Pleasure Christ is unto all those that receive him And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Then follows what he chargeth me with Behold the Mirth that is in the Way of Christ there is nothing but Joy and Gladness Object But some will say But Believers
he must have a new justification upon the commitment of some sins which the first did not reach 2. Whether the general Exercise of Faith and Repentance so far as to answer the Gospel-rule be a sufficient Condition for Justification from some Sins and not from all Calvin Well now Gentlemen we have danc'd pretty fairly about this Point with your Whethers let us dance back again or else we shall be giddy and the World turn round with us Neonom My Brains are more setled than so I will lead him another dance yet Mr. Antinomian come dance with me again you know little of my mind yet I will tell you the real differences 1. Whether an elect sinner be at any time a guilty person in God's esteem This you deny and I affirm I have proved it in our Debate 1 3 7 12. D. W. p. 174. Antinom This is not fair you have taken a great leap back to begin with from a Believer to an Elect Person which you say you have proved in former Debates we have answered and therefore need not harp always on one string Neonom Whether the Remains of Sin defile us This I affirm and the Doctor denies against all Protestants who prove it of Original Sin against the Papists Antinom If you understand defilement as to our Justification I say the remains of Sin do not defile us if it be understood in respect of Sanctification you 'l see Gentlemen that I shall assert Sin 's defilement of the best of our Duties so much that it makes them as Dung and yet this Neonomian is so audacious as to say this he affirms and the Doctor denies and that he goes with the Protestants when every ordinary Christian may see that he goes with the Papists in every thing and opposeth me in this point of the Saints defilement by sin Neonom Whether a justified person falling into gross Enormities is defiled thereby and contracts guilt upon himself thereby This the Doctor denies and I do affirm Antinom You have not proved one word that was said of the guilt of a justified person i. e. it 's one thing to contract guilt of Conscience and another thing to be judicially condemned Said you not but just now that God may present to a Christian's view former sins for further humblings where he doth not judicially charge sin a Believer may have guilt then upon his Conscience and not be guilty before God 2. Do you not say a Believer ought not to question his Justification but upon such causes as make him question his state and truth of Faith 3. Where is it that I say any sin doth not defile especially gross Enormities if they need the fresh applications of the Blood of Christ by Faith they do defile and defile Conscience too but the Blood of Christ reaching the Conscience in believing washeth away this guilt and defilement where your humblings and resolves will not Neonom Whether God esteems the repeated Abominations of Believers not to be their own Crimes and they not to be sinners but they are Christ's sins This the Doctor affirms and I deny Antinom Your affirmation and negation is not worth troubling ourselves about were it not to undeceive such as are deluded by you we have told you our minds already sufficiently about that we do affirm That all Sins and Abomination of every Elect Person was laid on Christ by God and accounted his Judicially and that in justification the Justified Person hath not his sins not one from the first moment of his justification imputed unto him before God whatsoever contracted guilt he may have upon his Conscience at any time by reason of relapses is but God's presenting former or present sins to his view for his humbling without judicial charging of him in the Court of Heaven Neonom Whether a justified person upon new Provocations is charged by God and ought to charge himself as guilty and defiled so as in God's appointed way to repent believe and renew his Covenant and be earnest with God for forgiveness This the Doctor denies and I affirm Antinom In part I deny it and in part I do not 1. A justified Person upon new Provocations is not charged by God as under and liable to the condemnation of the Law under Wrath and Curse 2. It 's one thing to confess guilty to the Fact and confess a Man's self under the Sentence the former ought to be but the other ought not A Man that 's a Felon may come to the Bar and confess himself guilty when he hath the Pardon in his Pocket Do we not assert that it 's our duty to confess sin repent c. but these things must flow from Faith fix'd on the pardoning Mercy of God in Christ or else all our Humblings and Resolves what do they signifie Do we not assert Faith and Repentance renewing our Covenant is exerted in God's way and not yours Neonom Whether all Sins past present and to come are actually pardoned at once This you affirm and I deny Antinom Among all these Enquiries about the state of the Question I think you are nearest to it now for now you speak plainest and I shall speak my mind as plainly that all a justified Persons sins are pardoned at once as well those that are to be committed as they that are committed already Neonom Whether God hath required new Exercises of Faith and Repentance for their actual Pardon This you deny and I affirm Antinom He requireth not new Exercises of Faith and Repentance as federal Conditions of actual Pardon it is always in and through and for the sake of Christ at first and afterward and by Faith renewed this Grace is manifested anew unto the Soul and Repentance follows thereupon as a Fruit thereof Pardon renewed to justified ones is but in taking of the present view of their sins as you say that God hath set before them he makes them to hear joy and gladness Psal 5.8 i. e. a repeated manifestation of their Pardon in believing Neonom Whether a Believer ought to be assured of the Forgiveness of his repeated Provocations just when he hath committed them and before he hath humbled himself renewed actings of Faith on Christ repeated his Covenant prayed for Pardon for Christ's sake as after he hath thus done This you affirm and I deny Antinom This that I affirm is That there is the same ground of believing Pardon in Christ to a justified one before his Confessions and Humblings as after 2. That his assurance of Pardon after these Humblings is not grounded upon them but the Promise and his free and full Justification 3. That he is to betake himself to these Humblings in Faith of the Promise of Pardon or else all the rest will leave him as they find him 4. And after you have muddied and confounded the clear Gospel as much as you can you tell us there must be a renewing our actings of Faith in Christ and praying for Pardon for Christ's sake which
to the purpose you have answered it all yourself in your second Whether viz. That God doth not upon new Crimes judicially charge the Christian with those Sins he had pardoned before tho' he may present to his view some former Sins for his further Humblings And so he doth those new Crimes you speak of God presents them to this view for his further Humblings And I will add in order to the quickning his Addresses to the Throne of Grace in the Faith of Forgiveness and drawing forth and enlarging his Heart in the Love of the Lord Jesus in sense of his Love seeing much is forgiven him Neonom Humiliation Confession Sorrow for Sin new Resolutions and looking to Christ for Healing are the Duties of Saints upon new Faults in order to repeated Acts of Forgiveness c. Antinom That these are our Duties at all times even when we fall not into notorious Relapses we deny not even when and whilst we live in the Faith of our present Pardon and Forgiveness and upon our Relapses our Recovery is by the same Faith which carries us forth to performance of these Duties in order to the mortifying Corruption and giving glory to God in all his Attributes for strengthning Power against Sin and Joy in the Holy Ghost which comfort in believing in restoring of Joy and Gladness in the sense of our Justification and Salvation by Christ is the Forgiveness intended Neonom If a Man were thrice stung must he not thrice look to the brazen Serpent D. W. p. 176. Antinom No doubt of it the brazen Serpent was a Type of Christ and looking to it was the Type of a Sinner's Faith When a Sinner hath Christ in Justification his Life is in him and he must live by the Faith of the Son of God God renews the Expressions and Manifestations of his free Pardon unto Believers from time to time accordingly it 's received by Faith to our daily healing and comfort the vertue of Christ remains the same it 's our Faith is repeated Neonom Believers ought to be more assured of Pardon and joyful after the renewed Acts of Repentance and Faith D. W. p. 177. Antinom They ought not to take up their assurance from their own Performances but from the free Grace in the Promise received by Faith and ought not to suspend Faith till they have repented and humbled themselves this were to pray and repent in Unbelief which makes it all vain and void Neonom It 's otherwise against that wise Order which God hath stated for a due Reverence to him Numb 12.14 Antinom God hath no Order of due Reverence to him established in the Covenant of Grace but Paternal and that 's by a Spirit of Adoption as a Son honoureth his Father and there 's none of this without Faith in the Fatherly Love and Compassion of the Father God hath nowhere ordered that his Children should put themselves into the Hands of his severe Justice when they have sinned and conclude themselves unjustified for a considerable time before they look to Christ for healing they that were stung in the Wilderness did not go to use a great many Medicines first but were immediately to apply themselves to the brazen Serpent for healing So should Believers upon all their falls Miriams being shut out of the Camp seven days was no Argument that God had not forgotten her before the seven days were up God makes some of his People in their falls Examples to others as to outward Afflictions of which they had in the days of the old Testament a more penal Aspect and more Judicial than we ought to make them to have in the days of clearer Gospel-grace as I can make appear divers ways Neonom The People of God have had those sad Fits which you condemn when Sin greatly breaks out they do well become them Paul calls a contrary frame under Guilt a being puffed up 1 Cor. 5.2 Antinom You basely slander the Doctor in making as if he were an Enemy to the serious Gospel remorse of God's Children from a right Principle and due Frame as we have made appear 2 Paul nowhere calls Faith in pardoning Mercy a puffing up that 's from a Spirit of Security and Insensibleness which we have in the Acts of Sin and after till the renewing our Acts of Faith 3. Paul nowhere commends a guilty Frame or Sadness meerly from Guilt But 2 Cor. 7.10 in the Case you mention absolutely condemns such sadness and sorrow as you commend as such which is contrary to true godly Sorrow Sorrow from Guilt only is according to the World and works Death Neonom Consider God remits or binds in Heaven according to what his Church doth justly on Earth either the Pardon of the Non-repenting Offender is suspended or Censures are vain D. W. p. 178. Antinom God's remitting or binding in Heaven is variously understood not to enlarge now upon it I do not apprehend that a justified Person falling into Sin and censured justly by a Church is therefore unjustified before God if so he is fallen from Grace in the highest sense Nor if he be a Hypocrite and in his Hypocrisy be reconciled to the Church in his Hypocrisy that therefore he is justified in Heaven or in foro Dei no I distinguish between forum Dei and Ecclesia a Man may be righteous before God and not before the Church vice versa but I apprehend to bind in Heaven what the Church doth justly on Earth is to confirm and bless his own Ordinances to their designed end and purpose either to the bringing home a lapsed justified Person or to discover him to be a Hypocrite and therefore they shall not be in vain Neonom Need I give you David 's experience Psal 32.3 5. When I keep silence my bones waxed old Antinom That place is impertinently quoted if you read the whole Psalm you will find that it begins with the true Gospel-blessedness of a Believer and after tells you what a miserable condition he was in when he fell under guilt and acted not faith concerning his justified and pardoned state the frame he speaks of as contrary to his sadness was a frame of Faith and Prayer and what was his faith acted upon but on the forgiveness of his sins as Ver. 1 2. Neonom The Assembly and Congregational Elders do both declare God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified D. W. p. 178. Antinom The Assembly saith Christ by his Obedience and Death Assemb Confess c. 11. s 3. did fully discharge the Debt of all those that are thus justified and did make a proper real and full satisfaction to his Father's Justice on their behalf And they say in Answer to that Question Larger Catech. Q. 70. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's free Grace unto sinners in which he pardoneth all their sins therefore them that shall be committed as well as those that are committed already accepteth their persons righteous
by the dominion of Sin the prevailing of Sin this I deny to be dominion in a Justified One You should have made this Proposition if a true Believer be not in Christ he shall come into Condemnation Would not this look Ridiculous Neonom And tho' the Grace of God will prevent the dominion of Sin in every Elect Believer and so keep them from Eternal Death yet true Believers may by Sin bring very great hurt to themselves in Soul and Body which they ought to fear and they may expect a share in National Judgments according as they have contributed to the common guilt Antinom Here now you add a preservation from another hurt and it 's certain that as Sin shall not hurt them as to the wages of Sin and penal effects answering the Sanction of the Law so it shall not have dominion over them which you say well in Grace hath secured them from Rom. 6. and yet you begin with a bounce in your proposition made up of impossibilities by your own concession 2. You say the grace of God prevents the dominion of Sin and so keeps them from Eternal Death as if you thought the grace of God made no use of Christ in preserving Men from Eternal Death Hath Christ not delivered us from the dominion of Sin and Eternal Death too but I find you 'l have as little to do with Christ in the Salvation of Sinners or Believers as you can 3. Notwithstanding Sin cannot bring them under Condemnation nor under its dominion the Two great real hurts of Sin yet you would seem to say something contrary to me and that is it doth do them hurt in Soul and Body which they ought to fear we tell you 1. It can do them no real hurt it may do them supposed 2. It doth them no hurt directly as to punishment or dominion it may by accident i. e. thro' the weakness of their Faith lie upon their Consciences defile them and drive them to warp from the free love and grace of God this you would call good and not hurt for you would have them put themselves under Wrath. 3. We speak of Sins past yet lying upon Conscience and driving the Soul from Christ we speak not of Sins not committed those we should fear with a fear of watchfulness and dependance on grace for strength against them and we say they are odious to the Faithful 4. We say true Believers shall have a share in National Calamities which shall not be Judicial Punishments to them but sanctified afflictions and therefore no real hurts tho' seeming ones Neonom But I will tell you wherein the difference is not Antinom What then I must run the Gantlet for my Error forward and backward with whether and neither Neonom Yes if you will know the Truth rightly stated you must know it when it is not as well as when it is as they that look for that which is lost 1. It is not whether God will preserve Elect Believers from Eternal Condemnation by keeping them from the Dominion of Sin Antinom But it is whether keeping Men from the Dominion of Sin is the proper Reason of their being kept from Condemnation Doth Mortification of Sin save Men from Condemnation or the strictest degree of Holiness It 's true that the Will of God is our Sanctification but our Sanctification did not die for us and hath no more to do in taking off Condemnation than Paul in taking off Condemnation from the Corinthians it peculiarly belongs to Christ to deliver from the Wrath to come and from all Condemnation Neonom Nor whether a justifyed Person be freed from the Curse of the Law or the Sanction of the Law of Works Antinom But it is whether he be free from the Sanction of your new Law which is a Law of Works too Neonom Nor whether a Believer should fear his Eternal Condemnation no further than his Sins bring his Sincerity in question or lead to Security or Apostacy Antinom But it is out of question Hypocrites and Apostates were never Believers 2 Whatever a Believer doth do yet you own he ought upon some Grounds or other to be delivered from the fear of Condemnation We say it ought to be grounded on the Faith of his full deliverance from Condemnation by the attonement and satisfaction of Christ You say it ought to be founded upon his Sincerity and Perseverance that when he is rid of all his Hypocrisy and hath persevered to the end of his Life he may be free from fear of Condemnation but not before 3. Where 's the true Believer but is daily complaining and not without cause enough of his Unbelief Hypocrisy Security Backsliding And if he should have no better assurance of the safety of his State and freedom from Condemnation than his own Sincerity and Perseverance he could not be freed from the fear of Condemnation in this Life nor walk comfortably an hour Neonom Nor whether God may in sovereign Mercy spare to execute those Rebukes National or Personal which a godly Man's Sins may expose him to Antinom You love to dance about in Ambiguities There is a great deal of difference between sovereign sparing Mercy and Covenant-Mercy God exerciseth sparing Mercy and long Suffering towards the worst of Men but deals with a true Believer always in a way of Covenant-mercy and whether he rebukes him or not it 's all from his Fatherly Love and Wisdom God cannot deal with him but according to his Covenant relation God indeed deals with Nations and mixt Societies of Men according to his Sovereignty but the same visible Dispensations are made Covenant-mercies to all true Believers within the compass of such Providences Neonom Nor whether God may or can over-rule the Sin of a Believer afterward to his Benefit these I affirm Antinom It 's not only out of question that he may or can over-rule the Sin of a Believer for his Benefit but that he always doth do it if he is truly belonging to God Neonom Nor whether the Afflictions of the Godly be the execution of the damnatory Curse of the Law or any satisfaction or attonement for Sins This I deny and add That Christ alone satisfied Justice Antinom But it 's a question what you mean by the damnatory Curse of the Law Is then one Curse damnatory and another not damnatory You mean Afflictions are an Execution of the Curse of the Law but are not of eternal Damnation 2. You say They are not any satisfaction and attonement but if they be execution of a Curse if but temporary it cannot be avoided but they must be satisfying and attoning in one kind or another in whole or in part 3. You add That Christ alone satisfied Justice if so then he suffered the whole penal part of Sin and this is all the Doctor saith that there remains none of it for a true believing Member of Christ to bear and what 's the reason you make such a noise when here you yield all the
him so that not to have a word to speak for himself that his Mouth should be stopped except it be in impleading all that ever he had done as making against him far more than for him And I came to the third thing to shew how all things even the most blameless Works after renovation are loss and dung For illustration sake You must distinguish between that which is the Spirits in Works after renovation and the whole Work after we have done it and now followed what he rehears'd c. Where I shewed that tho' the Motions and Assistances of the Spirit be pure and holy without Scum in the Spring yet by that time they are mixed with our manifold Corruptions in doing and have passed through the Channels of our corrupt Hearts the whole Work becomes polluted and filthy as pure Water passing through a Dunghil c. And this I evinced from James who saith that whosoever fulfills the whole Law of God and yet offends in one point is guilty of all And Paul saith Rom. 7. When I would do good evil is present with me and complains thus O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and he doth not fly to his good Works but to Christ a Refuge against all I thank God through Jesus Christ Object But ought we to refrain therefore from doing righteousness Answ It follows not but therefore we must refrain from glorying in it or stroaking ourselves for our righteous doings rather take shame to ourselves when done and so glory only in the Lord And tho' good Works as done by us are but dung in themselves and in God's eye yet must we be careful to maintain them Tit. 3.6 and David Psal 16.2 3. confesseth that his goodness extendeth not to God but to the Saints It 's no good plea that because a Man cannot be wholly clean therefore he will be more filthy than needs because your Child will be dirty do what you can yet shall be therefore go and â—owl in the Gutter like a Swine Calv. I perceive the sense of Mr. Antinomian fully for he saith 1. That the Graces of the Spirit come clean from the Fountain 2. That when they come into the Channels of our corrupt Hearts they become mixt with the dirt and filth of them 3. That thence our best Duties and Services become polluted 4. That thereby they are not pleadable for righteousness before God 5. We have no cause to boast ourselves after Duties to stroak and commend ourselves as if we had done a great matter but to go off from Duty with humiliation and shame 6. That all or any compared with the Holiness and Purity of God in respect of our coming short of what is required the mixture of sin working in us makes this Duty and Work done as it is in it self considered to be but dung Now Mr. Neonomian what do you think or say of your Duties when they are done when you have spent a day in Fasting and Prayer would you not at the end of the day desire the Lord to pardon the Iniquity of your Holy Things your Wanderings Vain Thoughts stirring of manifold Corruptions would you not say as Daniel ch 9.18 We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness but for thy great Mercies Ought we not to abhor Ourselves and Duties in Dust and Ashes and say Lord if thou mark the Iniquities of our best Duties they are enough to condemn us for ever to Eternal Wrath How often is this spoken and thought by the best of God's Children Or would you go off the Duty like the proud Pharisee commending and stroaking yourself for what you had done saying at last in your Heart I have Pray'd well this day Preach'd well tho' there was some Imperfections yet there was as much as God requires of me to the fulfilling the New Law I have performed the Condition and God must accept it for the sake of my Evangelical Righteousness Antinom I answer an Objection Some will say That God often shews his Approbation of good Works which he could not do if they were all Dung Dr. C. p. 232. Sol. I Answer whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin but to a Believer all things are clean So thro' this Faith in Christ the whole Filth and Dung of our Works is extracted by Christ and he presenting the same purged by himself alone they become accepted with God Rev. 3.4 but simply the Works themselves as done tho' never so well are abhorred of God and Christ never takes them to purge them till we our selves wholly renounce them by counting them Loss and Dung and that Acceptance procured by Christ imports only a liking that God takes to them no Efficacy in themselves Calvin You see Mr. Antinom saith That tho' simply and in themselves as works performed by us they are by reason of Imperfection and mixture of Corruption to be accounted Loss and Dung but yet as we are in Christ and perform them in Christ by Faith they have acceptance with God thro' his Merits Satisfaction and Intercession it is in him alone that both our Persons and Services are accepted with God our Spiritual Sacrifices which are our Duties we be here speaking of are said to be acceptable to God but how By Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 and certainly in themselves and out of Christ they are no better than Dung we are made accepted both to Persons and Services only in Jesus Christ Antinom Object It s granted Originally and per se the best Righteousness obtains nothing but rather charges with a new account yet Instrumentally it obtains what is desired being well qualified as before mentioned Answ If it be no more then I heartily desire that we should heartily say and express as much that the people may clearly understand and remember so much and be guided Explicitely to the Fountain it self Christ alone for certainly whilst Christ is supprest and these Instruments are reached out without relation to Christ who only fills them with all that runs thro' them they are but mere empty Pipes and dry Channels tho' never so curiously cut out Dr. C. p 236. Calvin And is not this great Truth and Gospel Mr. Neonom Your carping at this Doctrin plainly shews that you set forth for another Gospel I perceive wherever any thing exalts the grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ you strike at it as standing in your way and this under a pretence of advancing Holiness in the way of Legal Worthiness You also deal most unjustly and disingenuously with this good Man in falsly representing him and in not acquainting us with these things whereby he fully declares his meaning and adjusts it agreeable to the Analogy of Faith Now because you Expose the Doctor so much for what he saith of the graces of the Spirit of God being once mixed with our Corruptions in a Duty This Duty in it self at best is as Dung ceaseth to be the
is not only the favour of God and by the Merit of Christ but that our Works prevail in some degree Neonom I will tell you wherein the difference lies 1. It is not whether Holiness or the best Acts of a Saint be such or so perfect as to Attone for his Sin or procure a State of Pardon Antinom This is a strange kind of talking about a Saint's good Works Attoning or Procuring a State of Pardon as if there could be a Saint before he is in a State of Pardon And as for those Works that need Attonement and cannot make Attonement for themselves they are in themselves but pitiful Menstruous Rags Dross and Dung for Non Acceptation with God makes all Works such tho' seemingly never so good Neonom Nor whether our Holiness can make us Accepted with God without Christ Antinom Then it is not worth a Pin in it self without Christ Neonom Nor whether the Holiest Action of the Holiest Saint is such as not to need Forgiveness Antinom That which needs Forgiveness is Sin and therefore Filth but according to you The Holiest Action of a Holiest Saint is such according to your self Ergo. Neonom Nor whether by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency Sincere Holiness could be accounted Holiness All this I deny Antinom There could be no other Holiness counted Holiness by the old Law but Sincere Holiness but imperfect Sincere Holiness was not accepted there nor in and by it self in any other Law or Gospel as such Neonom Nothing under that Law but perfect Conformity to the Precept was Holiness whereas Gospel Grace makes a great difference between true Holiness tho' imperfect and wha't formally Wickedness between Sincere Love and Enmity Sincere Faith and Vtter Vnbelief Antinom If perfect Conformity was the Holiness of the old Law required it 's an Argument that nothing will serve the grace of the Gospel but a Holiness answerable to it in perfection and whatever difference you make to be between imperfect true Holiness and formal Wickedness I tell you the formal difference between perfect Holiness and imperfect is Sin for this Imperfection lieth in Sin a coming short of Moral Perfection can lie in nothing but in some degree or other of Sin But is it the Gospel makes the difference between Virtue and Vice Sure it s the Law doth that Neonom The real difference lieth here whether the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions be really Dung and Rotteness This the Doctor affirms and I deny D. W. p. 198. Antinom The Doctor affirms That the Works Services or Performances of a Believer being full of Imperfection and mingled with Sin are not acceptable to God but thro' Faith in Jesus Christ and compared with the pure Holiness and Justice of God and the Righteousness of Christ and his Holiness in which he stands are and ought to be accounted by him as Loss and Dung. Neonom Whether sincere Holiness so far as it prevails in our Hearts and Actings be truly lovely in it self and pleasing to God according to the grace of the Gospel and is not Dung. This I affirm and the Doctor denies Antinom The Question is Whether Holy Works performed by the best Men be not Polluted with Sin and whether they can be truly lovely and pleasing to God in themselves out of Christ according to any grace of the Gospel and therefore are not as Dung This I deny tho' you affirm and a Thousand more Neonom What is spoken of Holiness of any meer Man on Earth since the fall is spoken of sincere Holiness for perfect Holiness none had Antinom What hath been spoken of Holiness that God hath accepted is of true Holiness i. e. Sanctification in Christ Jesus Sincerity may be where there 's no true Holiness Paul had Sincerity in his supposed Holiness he verily thought he did God good Service in persecuting the Churches good ends and meanings which a Carnal Man may have in his Mind are not enough to make an Action good Neonom I have room but to Expostulate Antinom Because you cannot find a good Argument to bring in you might have had more room if you would and it would have been more for your Honour so as you had served Truth in it but go on with your Expostulation Neonom Is that Dung which is the effect of Regeneration in the Soul and Actings Antinom You should have said the Effect of the Spirit for Regeneration it self is not an Efficient but an Effect and that which is the Efficient of Regeneration is so also of all the Vital Acts in a Regenerate Person now we have told you before that the pure graces of the Spirit passing thro' the Corrupt Channel of Man's Heart becomes in a Duty like defiled Pudled Water and such Duty in it self only considered is as Dung in the sight of God and ought to be accounted so by us Neonom Is that Dung which is so often honoured with the Name of the Spirit it self and called the Spirit of Love Prayer c. Antinom You should have named the places where our Works are called by the Name of the Holy Spirit of God as for the Spirit of Love that is the disposition of Love and as to the Spirit of Prayer where it 's taken for the Spirit 's helping our Infirmities it is spoken of as distinct from our Prayers themselves Neonom Is not that more Lovely which is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Antinom The Divine Nature there is the Spirit of Christ received by Faith for it 's given in many great and precious Promises and whatever of Divine Nature we receive it is of God and in conformity to and participation of Christ all which is pure as flowing from the Spring but when it comes to be Exerted and put forth by us in our Duties becomes impure and mixed with the Corruptions so the whole Duty in it self is but an Unclean thing Neonom How Amiable must that be which is the New Man after God's Image Eph. 4.24 Antinom Take the New Man Created after God distinctly considered as it comes from God it 's a pure Creature but this hinders not but the Regenerat Man is made up of the Old and New Man and all his Actions and Duties partake of both and therefore polluted for Paul said the Old Man hindred him from doing good when he would for then Evil was present with him the same may be said of the New Heart Ezek. 18.31 The Law in the Members is warring against the Law of the Mind in every part and faculty of Soul and Body Neonom Are those Works Dung to which we are Created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 Antinom We are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works to be performed in Christ Jesus so far as we are in Christ Jesus and our Works in Christ Jesus they are not Dung neither doth the Doctor say they be but when performed out of Christ in ourselves and in themselves they are but as Dung
and it consisted only in some external Rites Sacrifices Priviledges c. Antisozzo This proceeds upon a double false Supposition 1. That the Apostle renounceth nothing but what he retained while a Pharisee 2. Whatever he renounced did constitute his Pharisaical Righteousness 1. I must cut him off from Circumcision that was no part of his own Righteousness unless you have a spice of the Doctrin of imputing the Righteousness of another Person for Justification 2. For Sacrifices the Apostle mentions them not knowing they were the visible Gospel of the Jewish Church and did lead to Christ As to his being of the Stock of Israel of the Seed of Abraham c. they might expect some favours thence but that any were so far bewitched as to believe that all the Stock of Israel and the Nation of Abraham should be justified cannot be proved 4. For civility and blamelesness of Conversation it may be it may go a great way in your Account But I find you take but little notice of it here but place Paul's Righteousness which he renounced with that of Baal's Priests the Concision his rejection of Christ Opinion of Jewish Observation and abuse of the Mosaick frame a fine Parcel of Righteousness he surely misnamed it he should have called that his Wickedness and Villany But whatever Paul was or was not whilst a Pharisee it makes no great matter to the Business in Hand seeing he hath so freely and openly disown'd whatever was his own Righteousness after Conversion in the matter of Justification before God Antisozzo p. 554. Neonom But Righteousness by the Faith of Christ is internal Righteousness Gospel-Holiness this is not Dung and this was not of the Law opposed to the Faith of Christ nay this is by the Faith of Christ Act 15.9 And we are created in Christ to this Holiness c. Antisezzo Ay but Proof Proof is wanting it 's called being born again rising again with Christ c. but Proof Proof is wanting for we think that those Expressions do not denote that Righteousness whereby we are constituted just in the sight of God but Holiness and Sanctification of Nature which the Gospel evidently distinguishes from that Righteousness whereby we are justifyed p. 559. Paul who rejects the Righteousness of the Law in the matter of Justification before God rejects also inward Purity and Holiness of Mind for that purpose Does the Righteousness of the Law signifie one thing in the New Testament and another in the old Doth it signifie real substantial internal Righteousness in the old and external ritual Righteousness in the new Sincerity in the one and Hipocrisy and Ceremony in the other This is very unaccountable Neonom But the Apostle tells us That by his own Righteousness he means the Righteousness of the Law and by the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of Faith Antisozzo I see you are for finding out Antitheses in the words as some Body else was The Apostle's words are very clear but you find it necessary to obscure them and deprave the Truth But thus far we are secure that the Apostle hath repuditated his own Righteousness from Justification and that we may not doubt what that was he tells us it was that of the Law the Righteousness of the Law is what it commands and prescribes viz. an exact conformity to the Law of God in Spirit Soul and Body so far as is attainable He assures us in the next place what he owns and adheres to viz. the Righteousness of Christ which is called the Righteousness of God He further acquaints us how we come to be interested in this Righteousness it is by Faith and that we do not wilfully and ignorantly mistake this Faith for the Doctrin of Faith he assures us it is believing by which we obtain this Righteousness Rom. 3.24 See more 563 564 565 c. Neonom I will set a Cross upon you the next time I Print my Book Mr. Antisozzo and if you please let us hear what Dr. Owen saith I wish he had undertaken the point in Mr. Antisozzo 's room he would have been more favourable to my Opinion for I prove my whole Scheme out of him especially my Conceptions about the Doctrin of Imputation Calvin I pray Dr. Owen let us bear your Sentiments in this great Point and with as much softness as may be for Mr. Neonom thinks Mr. Antisozzo was too hard and sharp upon him Dr. Owen I shall reduce what I have to say to that admirable Text Phil. 3.8 9. to the ensuing Heads which deserves to be wrote in every Bible in Letters of Gold though Mr. Neonom with some others lay it so low 1. That which the Apostle designs in this Chapter is to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God and have cause to rejoyce and this he fixeth on in general viz. an interest in and participation of Christ by Faith in opposition to all legal Priviledges and Advantages wherein the Jews boasted vers 3. 2. He supposeth that unto our acceptance before God wherein we are to rejoyce there is a Righteousness necessary and whatever it be is the sole ground of that Acceptance 3. He declares There is a twofold Righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose 1. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law 2. That which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith these he asserts as opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our Justification before God 4. Placing the Instance in himself he declares which of them it was he adhered unto and placed his confidence in And in handling this Subject some things engaged his holy Mind into an earnestness of Expression in the exaltation of one of these viz. the Righteousness which is of God by Faith 1. This was the turning Point whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism this therefore was to be secured See Gal. 2.15 16. 2. Hereupon there was a great opposition made to this Doctrin in all places by the Jews 3. The weight of the Doctrin itself 5. Hence in many other places of his Writings but especially in this he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of Spirit than ordinary thus 1. He speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ 2. In his Expression of all other things that are our own that are not Christ's whether Priviledges or Duties however good useful excellent they may be in themselves yet in comparison of Christ and his Righteousness and with respect unto the end of our standing before God and Acceptance with him with the same vehemence of Spirit he casts Contempt upon them calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dog's Meat Neonom Pray Sir doth the Apostle with vehemency renounce Works wrought in Faith Evangelical Works Dr. O. Answ In the Matter of Justification the Apostle opposeth Evangelical Works not only unto the Grace of
of the Gospel is the Righteousness of another the Righteousness of God in him of another in another 2 Cor. 5. last Now take this for a Rule What Righteousness soever it be that justifieth a Man with God it must be perfect whether it be a Righteousness of the Law or the Gospel Again it must be his own Now that it is our own it is not meant as if the Gospel Righteousness was not ours tho' it be not our own originally yet it must be ours derivatively from Christ it is not our own being in us but it is ours by Imputation imputed or accounted to us it is not our own by Works but it is ours by Faith it is not our own of our selves but it s ours of God Neonom Hold not too much of that Doctrin you make us to be as Righteous as Christ This Doctrin of imputing the very Righteousness of Christ to us I cannot down with it 's Christ's Righteousness but it cannot become ours but in the effect Mr. R. V. But I say the Righteousness we stand upon must be perfect and it must be ours legal Righteousness is perfect if a Man fall by one Sin whether in doing or misdoing the Ladder is broken On the other side the Righteousness of Christ it is perfect if it be not perfect it cannot be Righteousness 't is made a Sinners by Imputation by Faith in Christ p. 162 163. Neonom My whole Book is to prove this Man's Doctrin to be false Mr. R. V. Come on then Mr. Reonom I will come to the Demonstration That there are but two sorts of Righteousnesses and by this Point I must drive you and every Man up into a corner for a Man must be brought to a choice of one of them and if he standeth upon one of them which is by the Law he falleth the Point will drive you to a necessity of Christ and Faith Now that there are but two will appear thus The Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of God are described named distinguished Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. and Chap. 11.3 Now mark in Scripture you find these Phrases and Expressions Grace free Grace Christ or Redemption of Christ the Promise or the Gospel Faith the Righteousness of God you may find all these upon one File ranked together Neonom Ay but I value one if joined with a Duty and Benefit before all those according to my Logick Mr. R. V. On the other side you shall find the Law Works our own Righteousness Debt our Wages by Debt Boasting and Glorying these make another File There 's no third all must come under one of these Files if it be one it 's the Righteousness of God by Faith of Christ if it be the other it 's the Righteousness of the Law by our own Works By this 't is plain that there are but two sorts of Righteousness And consider the two Adams were certainly but two common Roots and the foundation of two Covenants the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace Neonom Stay there I deny all that Doctrin Mr. R. Vines But I 'll go on The Adams being two consequently the Covenants are two and consequently the Righteousnesses are of two sorts and no more p. 164 165 166. You confound Law and Gospel learn the difference between Law and Gospel it is of the greatest Consequence most useful to the Conscience of Man in the World to the settlement of an Estate in regard of Life and Salvation to his Soul Law promiseth Life and Salvation to the Doer upon condition of perfect and perpetual Obedience The Gospel freely promiseth Justification to every one that believeth in Christ Neonom But this believing is doing Mr. R. V. This Gospel Righteousness excludeth Works as any cause in the World by which you should be justified with God Many will be looking for good Tidings from the Law which is only brought to you as the Olive-leaf in the Mouth of the Gospel p. 167 168. Doct. These two sorts of Righteousnesses are inconsistent and opposite the one to the other not having mine own but having the Righteousness of God The Scripture is full of their Oppositions and Contrarieties for if you mark it 's said to be of the obedience of one by which we are made Righteous not the obedience of two viz. mine own and Christ's together but one directly see Rom. 5.21 And do you see every where a plain Opposition between Faith and Works the Law and Faith Works and Grace Doth there not come a But Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 16. chap. 5.4 Rom. 9.31 32. See how they are opposed 1. It is excluded as Matter of our Righteousness with God for that which is the Matter of our Righteousness with God is the Obedience of Christ Now to bring your own Righteousness into this place as the Matter of your Righteousness with God is to mingle your Obedience with Christ's So it 's not the Obedience of one but the Obedience of two 2. It 's excluded as the Motive to move God if you bring your own Righteousness into this place you mingle it with free Grace Rom. 3.24 if you make it any Motive you must bring it into the place of Jesus Christ 3. It 's excluded as the Instrument which should receive the Righteousness of God if you bring it into this then you bring it into the place of Faith for Faith is only the Hand that taketh hold of the Gospel Righteousness therefore he saith the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ Now if there be no room for these three it followeth 't is thrust out a Doors pag. 171 172. Neonom Then you may thrust me and my Book both out of Doors for it hath been my Design wholly throughout my Book to establish this Righteousness of our own these three ways 1. To join it with the Righteousness of Christ in Justification under the Name of subordinate Righteousness and a Condition c. 2. To foist it into the Grace of God as a Motive under the Name of Meetness 3. To give it the same place and nature in Justification as Faith in that I make Faith to justifie as its doing and as a working Condition Mr. R. V. Out of this Description we shall take up four Points 1. They that are in Christ have Righteousness with God there 's an Emphasis in the words they that are in Christ have the Righteousness the only Righteousness c. The Papists say We have Righteousness by Works we say we have it by Imputation yet they that have this Righteousness by Imputation have it truly and they are made Righteous by it pag. 176. They have this Righteousness with God mark they have that which sets them right with God into a state of favour and acceptation that which dischargeth all Guilt and Condemnation They have that which freeth them from every Charge every Endictment every Sentence of the Law of God they have that which setteth them into Friendship and
in it's Abstract Nature is good That Dr. Crisp renders Sin innocent that is your Expression pag. 198. Now you charge him for saying That the grossest Sin that a Believer can commit can't do him the least harm neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins pag. 181. By this you would give us to understand that he means Sin is in its self Innocent and that Sin bears no Evil Fruits of its self that it may be boldly committed without Fear Whereas Dr. Crisp declares plainly and with much endeavour to prevent Mistakes that the Hurt he means is only the Penal Effects of Sin and declares again and again he speaks this not to encourage Sin He speaks of the Sins of a Believer in Christ they that are under the Dominion of Grace He speaks not of Sins to be committed but that these ought to be looked upon as the most odious and hateful things in the World and that which here he doth speak is only upon the Account of some poor distressed Consciences whose Sins lay so much upon them as thereby their Souls were driven from the Grace of God in Christ For to prove this take only a few of his Words you shall hear many more heareafter Dr. C. p. 513. Thus I speak of Sin not as it smiles upon a Man with a promising Countenance before it be committed For it is most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which crucifyed the sweetest Lord but as already committed and lying upon the Conscience of a Believer endeavouring to drive him to deny the Free-Grace and Love of God and the All-sufficiency of Christ In this regard it is crucifyed by Christ and so a Believer need not be afraid of Sin the Hand-writing of Ordinances is taken away His whole Discourse is to evince that the condemning Nature of Sin is taken away the Fear he speaks of is only in respect of Sins that a Believer hath fallen into and to prevent their falling into unbelieving Despair Now let any Intelligent Person judge whether you have not misrepresented Dr. Crisp and basely traduced him You your self say pag. 11. The Obliquity of the Fact against the Precept shall not hurt where the Sanction of the Law is answered I think this being duly weighed is worse than any thing Dr. Crisp sayeth I 'll instance in one Misrepresentation more For you charge him for holding the Uselesness and Unprofitableness of Holiness in saying Graces and Holiness do us not the least Good Dr. Crisp p. 41. Preaching upon Christ the way sheweth Christ to be the way to Justification and saith You that are Believers are in a near way to Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Such a near way Christ is yet still People will be cavilling Where are good Works all this while what justified by Faith alone Saved by Christ alone I tell you if Christ be the way to Eternal Life then Works are not the way except they be Christ But must we not work Yea but for other purposes i. e. than for Justification and obtaining eternal Life by them the Lord hath propounded other Ends for which you are to work Ye are bought with a price That 's done therefore glorify God in your Bodies being delivered out of the Hands of your Enemies weare to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness He saith much to this purpose often speaks in the High Commendation of Holiness but speaks against putting it in the place of Christ By these things we may see what Credit is to be given to you when you make it so much of your business in Pulpit and publick places to charge Men and Books with saying those things which they never spake and meaning such things as they never intended And let all Men judge whether you have not misrepresented this good Man whom in the end of this Preface you own to have been a holy Man And could that be true if you have not misrepresented him as to what he said of Sin and Good Works and spoken here a very great Falshood These two Proofs may serve to evince for the present which also shall be made good that it is so in most if not all the Chapters of your Book more or less The great Quarrel you have with him is that he makes it so much his business to vindicate the Honour of Free Grace and of the Lord Jesus in our whole Salvation and in Justification to exclude Works altogether You talk of Works necessary to Salvation but how You mean as a working Condition whereby you put Works in the place of Christ and mean as your Oracle plainly speaks For you are not so honest as he but play the Jugler more He saith Quoniam Christus Mediator Fides in Christum Method Theolog p. 394. § 36. Par. 2. sunt tantum media ad hominem Deo per sanctitatem amorem restituendum Ideo sine Hesitatione dicendum est ex natura rei Fidem Sanctitatem amorem Dei ad salutem magis esse necessaria quà m aut fides in Christum aut Christi ipsius Sacrificium I will not construe it for the Reputation of him that wrote it but their 's a Bone for you to pick And I think to all Learned Men it gives your whole meaning in making such a noise as you do which you think in very allowable Terms that none dare oppose you in that works are necessary to Salvation Neonom His Scheme is this That by God's meer electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours Antinom He never erected his Scheme and cast Theological Figures as you have done to find out a new Gospel He took his Measures of Truth from the Word of God but Bernardus non videt omnia some things he might be mistaken in as well as others But you say that he said By God's Electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours But where 's the Expression I remember it not He might say That from God's Electing Grace it proceeds that all Divine Blessings are made ours by Obligation in the Terms that you have put it its improper because it seems to confound Election and the Covenant of Grace I can say nothing further to that till I see his Words being not willing to believe your reporting of them For it 's manifest you make to Conscience to misrepresent any Man to put your Meanings and draw your Consequences upon him Neonom But he saith There 's nothing more needful to our Title to these Blessings Antinom Is not this Spirare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the First Rate Doth not Dr. C. assert Christ to be needful to Salvation and as our Title Doth he not assert the Covenant of Grace to be needful the Free Gift of Grace Sure Christ and the Covenant of Grace are both distinguish'd from Election and these he affirms needful to our Title to Blessings But Blessings in your Sence are
not seen thence it comes to pass that the present Afflictions are light and shall be succeeded with an Eternal weight of Glory it 's an instance of the abundant Grace redounding towards him for the inward and outward Man for things Temporal and Eternal Neonom Were doing for Life and an Eye to gain by service such a legal and wicked thing as some represent it sure the Blessed Jesus would have admonished his Disciples and not answered them as he doth Mat. 19.28 29. Antinom This Arguing would well enough become a Papist but it is strange at this time a day from the Mouth of a Protestant but it 's easie to see the Devil is at work to betray us again into our Spiritual Egypt our Mouths hang too generally after the Leeks and Onions of their Corrupt Doctrine Now we must go to work upon the Terms of the Old Law for Life not Finalitèr as aimed at and travelled to as terminus ad quem taken for Glory but for Life as a Premium of our Works That this is intended by you clearly appears by the Application that you make of this place of Scripture as if it Justified the Doctrine of Merit The Disciples hearing our Saviours discourse concerning a Rich Man and how hard it is for him to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven they were amazed and said Who then shall be saved Peter hence concludes then surely poor Men may better be saved we are poor enough and have lest all for thee what shall we have And there is no doubt but something as yet remained in them of that legal Spirit as prevailed in and among the Jews expecting or enquiring after some proportionable Reward to their Sufferings which Spirit was not fully removed from them till after the Resurrection of Christ and sending down of the Spirit when they came clearly to see the Grace of Christ in the Gospel but it was not Christ's time yet to remove all Clouds and Obscurities from the Doctrine of the Gospel he did it not in his own Ministry it was to be the Work of the Comforter the Spirit as peculiarly belonging to his Office after Christ's Ascension As yet they had not askt any thing in his Name neither did Christ in the platform of Prayer teach them so to do as yet they were strangers to the Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ as yet they looked that the Kingdom of Christ would immediately be a Temporal and External Now the answer of our Saviour imports these things 1. That none shall lose any thing by following him though in parting with worldly advantages 2. That those Blessings that he bestows upon his true Followers are of another Nature than they expected they were of an Eternal Nature ver 29. and of a Spiritual Nature Mark 10.30 For their outward Enjoyments should be with Persecutions shewing how much the Cross and Reproach of Christ as in the Opinion of Moses is to be preferred before the greatest worldly Emoluments 3. He shews them though he abundantly Rewards his Followers yet they ought not to serve him as such that were led by that Principle to serve for Life and Glory as for Wages but they must do all for his own Name sake they must not act from a principle of intending advantage but for Christ's sake for the Love of his Person and for the sake of the Love that he hath shewed us 1 Cor. 3.20 21 22. The Lord knows how vain the Thoughts of his best People is apt to be as if they must by their Duties Earn something of God but there must be no glorying in Men and there 's no need of it for all things are yours already the Means of Grace the World Life Death things present and to come ye are Christ's and Christ God's Neonom Your Argument from the Vanity of proposing our own Gain by Labour and Duties because all is fixed and given already is to make the Decree an effectual means to overthrow the Government of Christ and brand all his Offers to Sinners with Weakness and Falsehood should not poor Sinners pray as they can apply the Word with an Eye to Conversion Should they not Believe and Repent with an Eye to Forgiveness and Escaping of Wrath Why else should God encourage them with an Offer of these upon such Terms D. W. p. 157. Antinom You go upon many Mistakes 1. You talk absurdly of God's Decree overthrowing his Government as if the Decree succeeded God's Government of the Creature that which overthrows a thing comes after the thing overthrown so God's Decree in its proper Nature as a Constituting Immanent Act must succeed his Government 2. Why should not God's Acting in a way of Free Grace be consistent with his most right and just way of proceeding in Government seeing the whole Gospel Revelation asserts that it is so and that therein lyes a great part of the Gospel Mystery which Natural Men and Carnal Reason will not receive 3. Is it any way absurd to say it's vain to propose our own gain by Labour and Duties when the Spirit of God hath expunged the Efficacy of Works as to procurement out of the Covenant of Grace Works are our Price and Money God saith We are to buy without Price and Money Isa 55.1 2. And saith Why do you spend Money for that which is not Bread i. e. Spend your Duties and Labours and get nothing by them Because you make Money of them and reckon you make advantage of them and pay a valuable consideration for the good expected and will not receive it as of Free Gift you will have all for the Money of your Duties and hence you labour and have not that which satisfieth you ask and labour for things to spend upon your own Lusts as the proud Pharisee did 4. You mistake in judging the Offers of the Gospel is in a way of Government it 's in order to Christ's gracious Rule and Government under which Unregenerate Sinners are not till through Grace they are translated into the Kingdom of Christ 5. You wickedly suggest that unless God intend that poor Sinners in their Unregenerate Estate should do some Duties whereby they might gain Life and Salvation God is chargeable with Weakness and Falshood this I take to be an ill Inference all the Offers of Grace must be upon Condition of Works or else God is chargable with Weakness and Falshood 6. You grosly mistake my Discourse or willingly pervert my Sence and Meaning I do not say but poor Sinners at their first believing are very apt to lay too great a stress upon their Duties as if thereby they obtained a Title to Life and Salvation or mâ—de a considerable addition to what Christ hath done and procured for them this legal Spirit I endeavour to take them off from that they should serve God more under the Conduct of the Grace of Adoption Rom. 8.14 15. And therefore say Except you fall to the performance of Duty without such Conceits