those scruples or doubts which are incident to many weak believers about the nature and truth of their Faith For let the inward impression motion or acting of the Soul answer any of these notions or descriptions if it otherwise purifie the heart or be operative through love there needs no question be made but that it is true Faith and will justifie him that hath it Quest 9. But may there not be a commodious definition or description given of this Faith according to the Scriptures and which may make for the Edification and Comfort of those who doe belive Answ There can hardly I conceive any such particular description of it be given but will endanger or prejudice the joy of the Faith of some though it may accommodate the faith of others unlesse haply it should be explained with much wisdome and caution The best and safest description of this Faith that can be given is that which shall take in and comprehend the lowest degree of it that is to be found in any person that so the bruised reed may not be broken by it nor the smoaking flax quenched Therefore I conceive it may be thus or after some such manner as this described without much danger or inconvenience Faith is such a perswasion in heart or belief of the truth of the Gospel or that Iesus Christ is the Son of God which disposeth a person to manifest or make it known by the fruits of Love both to God and Men. Quest 10. What is it in Faith or relating unto Faith that giveth it the force or priviledge to justifie Answ Not anything that properly is in it or in the nature of it but as was lately said the Decree of God wherein he hath enacted it for a Law or decreed that such a faith shall justifie men which decree is extrinsecall to the nature of Faith and no ingredient in it Quest 11. Can there any Reason be given why God should single Faith from amongst all other holy qualifications and graces of his Spirit to conferre upon it the Office and Dignity of justifying men Answ None I suppose but only that which the Holy Ghost himself ssigneth in the general viz. that the justification of men that have sinned might be of grace Therefore it is of Faith that it might be of Grace Rom. 4.16 Which Saying seems to imply that either the wisdome or righteousnesse of God or both could not he satisfied with making any other qualification act gift or indowment whatsoever instrumental for the justification of a sinner but Faith only For if for example such a justification might have been by love by patience humility or any other grace the Apostle could not have truly said that it was by Faith that it might be by Grace because upon such a supposition it justification might have been of Grace although it had not been by Faith Quest 12. But if justification be by Faith and of Grace why is it sometimes ascribed unto works as Jam. 2.21.24 And why is it said that not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be justified Answ Justification is sometimes taken for the justification of a mans Faith that is either for the making of a sufficient proof of the truth and soundnesse thereof or else for the giving of a testimony whether by word or by deed unto the truth of it and consequently for the justification or approbation of the Person himself For he that justifieth or approveth any mans faith as sound and good in a consequential sense justifieth and approveth the person himself at least in respect of his faith and of all things depending thereon Such a justification as this is proper unto works that is unto such works which give a due and sufficient proof of the soundnesse of a mans faith and is accordingly in Scripture attributed unto them In this sense Abraham is said to have been justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the altar Iam. 2.21 that is to have received such a Testimony from God which did amount to the justification of his Faith as sincere and sound and consequently of his Person also See Gen. 22.16 17 18. But concerning the justification of a mans person strictly and properly so called and which as was lately said standeth in remission of sins Faith only and not works hath to do in the obtaining of it from God And in this sense Abraham was justified before his offering up his Son upon the Altar Compare Gen. 15.6 with Gen. 22.9.10.16 c. And yet on the other side it is true again that Faith shall never obtain that full benefit or fruition of that justification which it alone obtaineth I mean the great blessing of Salvation without the Conjunction and Co-operation of works with it as the Apostle Iames speaketh Chap. 2.22 And in this respect the Apostle Paul is to be understood when he saith that not the Hearers that is not those that are only hearers of the Law but the doers of the Law that is the conscientious observers of it though not without many slips and frailties shall be justified that is shall enjoy the great benefit of justification the saving of their souls Take the word Justification in any of the Senses now mentioned it may truly be said to be of Grace because God was at perfect liberty whether ever he would have justified man being fallen or any person that had ever sinned in one kind or other either by faith or by works or in any other way whatsoever Quest 13. What works are they which are sufficient to justifie a mans Faith or to render him actually capable of Salvation Answ It is said as we lately heard that Abraham was justified by works when he offered Isaack his Son upon the altar Iam. 2. 22. So that it seems that in persons professing faith in God any notable or singular strain or act of devotion and obedience unto him is sufficient for such a service I mean to justifie the faith of such a man Otherwise a conscientious and uniforme observance of the will of God concerning us expressed in both tables of the morall Law though with many weaknesses and humane frailties for in many things we offend all Iam. 3.2 is of sufficient authority that way Amongst particular good works which seem authorized by God in Scripture to give evidence for the truth of any mans faith works of Mercy if men be fruitful and persevering in them suffering for the truth with patience and meeknesse together with forgiveness of injuries and love shewed unto enemies upon occasion have the preheminence Compare Iam. 2.15 Heb. 6 10 11. Mat. 5.7 Mat. 19.29 2 Thes 1.6 7.2 Tim. 2.11 12. with Mat. 6. 14. Mark 11.25 Luk. 6.37 Quest 14. If justification consisteth as hath been said in forgivenesse of sins and is obtained by Faith why is forgivenesse of sins in Scripture sometimes ascribed unto Repentance as it seemeth to be in these and many other places Esa 1.16 17 18. Psal 32.5
Ezek. 18.27.30.32 Mar. 1.4 Luk. 24.47 Act. 3.19 Acts 5.31 Is Faith and Repentance one and the same thing Answ Although true faith and true Repentance be not formally and in definition the same thing yet they are as Twins receiving life together at one and the same time in the soul Yea they are so neer of kin that they still embrace and infold one the other and are never parted Yea they may seem to take place and to be effected and wrought by one and the same motion or conversion of the heart or soul Even as a man by one and the same motion or turning about of his body turneth himself from the west towards the east although turning from the West and turning to or towards the East be two things of a different consideration In like manner when a man worketh off or turneth his heart from sin that is in effect when he repenteth by the same act of altering or changing his posture he turneth himself towards God or towards Christ that is he believeth The Holy Ghost himself seemeth to state the case much after this manner between Repentance and Faith 1 Thes 1.9 in this short clause And how yee turned unto God from Idols which clearly implyeth that their turning unto God which importeth their believing and their turning from Idols which noteth their Repentance took place in them and were effected by one and the same act of turning So that if forgivenesse of sins be ascribed unto Repentance it is ascribed but unto that which is materially the same with beleeving Otherwise it may be said to the question propounded that by forgivenesse of sins in Scripture is oft meant not that generall or universal forgivenesse by which a person is translated from the state of condemnation into the state of life and salvation but only an exemption or discharge from the guilt and punishment due unto such or such particular sins according to the course of divine justice As when Christ praied for those who crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23 34. So likewise Stephen for those who stoned him Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7.60 So the Apostle Paul for those who forsook him I pray God it may not be laid to their charge 2 Tim. 4.16 I is plain that the intent of their prayers respectively onely was that God would not judge or punish them for the particular sins committed against them When men have sinned greatly against God whether believers or unbelievers and are liable to punishment for it he judgeth it a righteous thing and well becomming him either to pardon and passe by their sin and to remit the punishment deserved by them upon their Repentance or to inflict this Punishment upon them in case of their impenitence I suppose it is onely in some such sense as this that forgivenesse of sins is ascribed unto Repentance Or if that forgiveness of sins which acompanieth salvation be any where in ' Scripture ascribed unto repentance it is ascribed unto it only as such a means or cause of it as that which Logicians call Causa sine qua non that is not as a cause operating towards the procuring of it but as a condition without which it cannot be obtained Quest 15. What is Repentance Answ Answer at least in part was given to this in the Answer to the former question where it was said that Repentance is the turning away the heart from sin A larger description of it may be drawn up in these or the like words Repentance is a deliberate act of the Soul performed upon the motions and by the assistance of the good Spirit of God wherby a man being touched with unfeigned sorrow and remorse for all that he hath sinned whether inwardly or in secret or else openly and in the sight of men armeth himself with a firm resolution and purpose of heart never by the grace of God willingly to sin more Quest 16. Whether is it in the power of any man to repent or to believe unto Salvation Answ To do either of these is in the power of no man considered simply as a man or as fallen in Adam or by any ability or endowment found in him or belonging to him in either of these considerations But all men without exception of whom Repentance and faith are required by God as necessary unto salvation considered as having part and fellowship in that great and blessed Restauration or Redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ are inabled by him and by his grace both to repent and to believe Otherwise God must be thought to have dealt more graciously and favourably with the Devills then with far the greatest part of mankind inasmuch as they were enabled by him to have continued in that glory wherein they were created and to have prevented that misery into which they are now irrecoverably plunged Quest 17. If the generality of men be inabled by God to repent and believe unto Salvation how cometh it to passe that the greatest part of them perish notwithstanding through impenitencie and unbelief Answ Men voluntarily suffer the zeal of this present world and of gratifying the desires of the flesh to eat them up So that they reserve a very inconsiderable proportion either of their hearts or of their time for seeking after God or for pursuing the great concernments of Repentance and Faith Whereas the nature of these being spiritual and heavenly the effectual pursuit and obtaining of them requires much abstraction of mind and affection from the things of this present world and much contention and ingagement of the faculties and powers of the Soul about them Luk 13.24 Joh. 6.27 1 Cor. 9.24 2 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 4 11. and 6.12 with many other places Now flesh and bloud being generally loath to be at any great cost and charge about the things of Heaven and the world to come being much more willing to give the price which God hath put into their hand to get true wisdome for the light and empty contentments of this present world then for the purchase of true wisdome from hence it must needs come to pass that flesh and bloud should go miserablyâ— to wreck and that though the number of them be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them only in comparison should he saved Quest 18. What ground hath any particular person to betieve in God or in Christ for his justification and Salvation Answ More then to walk upon the firm ground as men generally doe I mean without the least scruple or fear that it should open under them and swallow them up quick Yea and with the greatest confidence and security that it will bear them without the least danger or inconvenience For the Earth hath sometimes opened her mouth and swallowed up quick those that walked and were secure upon it Numb 16.31 32 33. Psal 106.17 Neither hath God made any promise to any the Sons or Daughters of Men that
it should never do the like unto any of them Whereas it is most certain that God never yet denyed justification unto life unto any that relyed or trusted on him for it yea he hath made many promises great and precious pregnant and expresse unto the World yea and hath bound them wirh the greatest oath that himself or any other is capable of swearing that he never will deny it unto any such Quest 19. What incouragements or motives have men and women to believe in God and in Christ Answ Great and many yea greater and more then unto the performance of any other duty yea or action whatsoever and more especially Ten. Quest 20. What is the first of the Ten Answ The most great and invaluable Recompence of Reward which God hath annexed unto Faith both by an unchangeable Decree and by a Promise that can never fail Heb. 10.35 Silver and Gold and precious Stones Crowns and Kingdomes of the Earth with all the Pomp and Pleasures attending them are but dark and dull colours to shadow out or make a representation of the glorious Blessednesse of those that believe Quest 21. What is another of these incouragements or motives to believe Answ That whatsoever a mans sins hath been or how great soever his present unworthinesse is he shall not be rejected by God or by Jesus Christ in his believing nor upbraided with presumption boldnesse or the like but shall most certainly be accepted with favour and heavenly indulgence And him that cometh unto me saith Christ Joh. 6.37 that is whosoever believeth in me as ver 35. I will in no wise cast out which is as if he should have said I will sooner do that which is most abhorring to my nature and disposition yea or most repugnant to my glory then offer the least indignity or unkindnesse or send empty away any person whatsoever that shall come unto me by Faith for Justification or Saltion Quest 22. What is your third motive unto Faith Answ That the greater and more notorious and publique any mans sins have been the greater and more weighty will his Testimony be by believing both to the freenesse and fulnesse of the grace of God in Christ and to his truth and faithfulnesse also in his greatest promises as likewise unto the perfection and fulnesse of the attonement made by Christ in his death for the sins of men And therefore the acceptation of such persons with God and with Jesus Christ upon their believing is of all other mens the least questionable Quest 23. What is a fourth motive or incouragement to believing Answ That God is a great lover of that Creature of his which is called Man and that men have the precedency of the Angels themselves in his affections and good will and that he hath from the beginning of the world plainly declared such his inclinations and respects towards them by admitting such of them as were meet and capable of so great honour into friendly and familiar communion and fellowship with his Majesty imparting such of his secrets unto them as were expedient for them to know The Scripture-records concerning Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Jacob Ioseph Moses Samuel David Solomon with all the Prophets generally and many others give ample Testimony hereunto And Iesus Christ under the notion and name of the Wisdome of God is said to rejoice in the habitable part of his Earth not of his Heavens that is amongst men not among Angels as it followeth and my delight were with the Sons of Men. Prov. 8.31 Quest 24. What is your fifth motive to stirre up men to believe Answ That God in the heighth of his glory and unconceivable Splendor and brightnesse of his Majesty is altogether unlike the generality of those that are called Gods upon Earth Kings Princes Potentates and Grandees of the World who are more ready to tread and trample upon to grind the faces and to break the bones of those that are beneath them and under their power especially if they have at any time provoked them or been disobedient unto them then to commiserate or relieve them in their distresse or to lift up from dunghil or take them into any part or degree of fellowship with them in their worldly felicity The Lord saith David is high above all Nations and his Glory above the Heavens Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who yet humbleth himself to behold the things in Heaven and in the Earth He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil That he may set him with Princes c. Psal 113.5 6 7 8. There is nothing at all in God but what rightly considered rendereth him lovely and desirable especially in the eye of his Creature-man Yea his Attributes and all his perfections as they stand declared in his word duely weighed and layed together commend and set him forth as a God to speak with all due reverence made on purpose to be trusted and depended on for every thing good and desirable Quest 25. What is your sixth incouragement or motive to believing Answ The consideration of that absolute and utmost necessity that lyeth upon all men to believe if they mean or desire either ever to be truly happy or to escape the heavy doom of being for ever most miserable Neither is there Salvation in any other said Peter to the Iews being filled with the Holy Ghost when he spake Acts 4.8.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved And as there is no other name undr Heaven given by God unto men whereby to be saved but only the name of Christ so there is no other way or means whereby persons capable by years and reason of believing may be saved by this Name but only by believing in it See Ioh. 3.18 Mar. 16.16 with very many places beside Quest 26. Your seventh motive or incouragement the same way what may it be Answ Seriously to consider that to believe is not only if so much the benefit or advancement of the Creature believing as the honour and magnifying of the name of God of his grace and faithfulnesse in the great promises of the Gospel and so of the name of Iesus Christ and of the efficacy and fulnesse of that ransome which he hath paid for the Redemption of the World which are matters more highly considerable then the Salvation of any particular person that shal believe He that hath received his Testimony saith Iohn that is that believeth him teaching and affirming that God sent him into the World for the Salvation of all those that shal believe in him hath set to his Seal that God is true Ioh. 3.33 meaning that in doing this in that avouching of the truth and faithfulnesse of God in the Gospel which is done by any mans true and cordial believing he performes a very notable service unto him and of high acceptation with him And Abraham in respect doubtlesse
of the signal service of his believing was counted and called the Friend of God Iam. 2.23 The act of believing is frequently spoken of as an act of obedience unto God and under the like notion with the performance of any other duty commanded by God Rom. 1.5 16.19.26 1 Joh. 3.23 Quest 27. What is the effect or substance of your eighth motive unto men to believe Answ They may by the exemplarinesse of their believing be great and blessed Benefactours unto many others and cause them also to glorifie God in the day of their visitation according to what the Apostle informed the Corinthians in somewhat a like Case And your zeal saith he hath provoked many The greater and thicker the cloud of witnesses is wherewith men shall be compassed about as the Apostles phrase is Heb 12.1 the greater proportionably is their encouragement to believe and it is much more easie to fall in with a multitude in any way they shall go then to adventure solitarily upon any great action or to cast in our Lot in such a case only with a few The Faith of Abraham alone how generative hath it been filling the world all along the succeeding ages thereof with believers like unto the stars in the firmament of Heaven for number Upon the account of which service God himself honoured him with the signal Title or Appellation of being called The Father of Believers Romans 4.11.16 Quest 28. What may be your ninth Encouragement unto Believing Answ To consider that a man by meanes of his Faith especially when it shall be grown to any maturity and strength may live at a very excellent and Prince-like rate of Comfort Peace and Joy Yea and this under the greatest tribulations and afflictions that he is like to suffer in this World Rom. 5.2.3 15.13 2 Cor. 1.24 8.2 Heb. 10.34 1 Pet. 1.6.8 How costly or chargeable soever in one kind or other a mans Faith may be unto him either in maintaining or keeping of it or in the managing or profession of it in the world it will bear its own charges with a great overplus of Satisfaction The life that the Apostle Paul lived in the flesh and he lived like a Prince alwaies rejoycing and in possession of all things 2 Cor. 6.10 He lived by the Faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him Gal. 2.20 Quest 29. What is your tenth and last motive to invite any man to believe Answ To consider that all that he adventures upon the truth and certainty of the Gospel in his believing it all the hazard he runns by depending upon God for Salvation is not much considerable Suppose that a mans believing should expose him to the losse of all that he possesseth or might enjoy in this World yea and that he should have no return of his Adventure but that impossibillities should interpose between him and his hopes and expectations as that the Gospel should prove a devised fable or that God should suffer his truth and faithfulnesse to fail or the like yet the lose which the person we speak of should even in this case sustain by his believing would amount to no great matter of lamentation or despondency it would be of nothing more then what many wise and sober men amongst the heathen despised and made little reckoning of I mean the transitory and empty enjoyments and contentments of this World Whereas on the other hand the matters of benefit and gain with the promise and hope whereof the Gospel inviteth men to believe are so unmeasurably rably vast and great that if the credit of the Gospel holds so that a mans Faith returnes safe laden with the Treasures of Life and Immortality he is a made man for ever all the desires of his heart will cease through an aboundance of Satisfaction and Joy Now such opportunities wherein little is expended or put to the venture and yet many hundreds and thousands of profit and advantage under the greatest probability expected are wont to be much taking with men of ordinary reason and understanding in the affairs of this wo ld and improved accordingly How much rather should men put to hazatd or were it to part with only that which is not for this is the Character or description of the best of this world given by the Holy Ghost Prov. 23.5 upon the credit of the Gospel when as there are greater richer probabilities yea and higher assurances of all the great things mentioned and promised therein then ever any Merchant or any the wariest adventurer of this world ever had to receive that which he parted with with advantage Quest 30. You have spoken much of Faith is not the grace of hope of much affinity with it Or how do they differ or agree Answ They differ in four things they agree in three Quest 31. What is the first particular wherein they differ Answ Faith or believing is before Hope in order of nature if not of time also Faith is said to be the substance or according to our former Translation the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 And is for the most part if not alwaies mentioned before hope in the Scriptures where they are both named See 1 Cor. 13.13 Col. 1.23 1 Thess 1.3 1 Pet. 1.21 Quest 32. In what do they differ besides Answ Faith respecteth the word or promise wherein good things are promised together with the faithfulnesse and power of him that promiseth whereas hope properly respecteth the good things themselves conteined in the promises and the receiving and enjoyment of them in due time Quest 33. What is your third difference between them Answ The object of Faith in the proper notion of it is somewhat in present beeing The object of hope is alwaies somewhat that is future or to come according to that of the Apostle How can a man hope for that which he seeth Rom. 8.24 Quest 34. What is the fourth and last difference Answ Faith bears the relation of a Parent or of a Mother in respect of Hope and Hope the relation of a Daughter in respect of Faith For hope is a kind of natural result from Faith as the light is from the body of the Sun and hath it's dependence upon Faith both for the reception and continuance of it's beeing whereas Faith seems to have no dependence upon Hope for either For a man must believe the truth and certainty of such a promise wherein any good thing one or more is promised unto him or which is in effect the same the faithfulnesse of him that maketh this promise together with his ability to perform it before he can reasonably or upon any good ground hope for or expect that good which is promised especially when he that shall make such a promise was no waies obliged unto him unto whom he maketh it and most of all if he shall moreover have been greatly provoked by him which is the case concerning that Hope of which we now speak
But when once the person to who many such promise is made shall really and firmly believe his promise it is but natural and as it were matter of course for him to hope for all the good contained in such a promise And if he that shall at first or for a time believe such a promise as we speak of but before the time wherein the promise is to be performed shall upon any suggestion or occurrence cast away or let go such his believing his hope must needs at the same time and by means of the failing of his belief fall to the ground Only this would be here mentioned by way of caution that although a promise of good things be made unto such or such a particular person in common with many others and as well and with equall intention of good unto him in him that maketh this promise as unto any of the rest yet if this person shall either be ignorant that or doubtful whether this promise be made unto him as well as unto others he may believe the said promise with the greatest certainty and stedfastnesse of Faith and yet remain without all hope of the good things contained in this promise Quest 35. You have shewed how and wherein Faith and Hope differ Can you shew likewise how or wherein they agree Answ Their Agreement standeth chiefly in these three things First in the Causes or Means producing them Secondly in the Effects produced by them Thirdly in the Subjects in which they are found Quest 36. What are the Causes or means producing them wherein they agree Answ They are chiefly these three First the word of God or the great and precious promises of the Gospel together with the Arguments and grounds here hinted or delivered why they should be believed Secondly the hearing of this word as it includeth the understanding and consideration of it Thirdly and lastly the gracious operation or interposure of the Holy Ghost opening the hearts of men to attend unto this word when it is preached or otherwise presented or set before them Act. 16 14. It is expresly said Rom. 10.17 that Faith commeth or is by hearing and hearing that hearing by which Faith cometh by the Word of God If Faith cometh by hearing and Hope as hath been shewed proceedeth from Faith then must hope also proceed from or come by the word of God and Hearing as the remote Causes at least or means thereof Quest 37. What are the effects which are common unto Faith and Hope and wherein they agree Answ They are principally four Quest 38. What is the first of them Answ A cleansing and purifying of the heart and consequently of the lives and waies of Men. That Faith or which is the same God by Faith purifieth the heart appears Act. 15.9 And because of this property or effect of it it is elsewhere called Holy yea most Holy Jud. v. 20. See also 1 Pet. 1.22 Again the same or the like property of cleansing or purging is ascribed unto Hope also 1 Joh. 3.3 where it is said And every man that hath this hope in him purgeth himself even as He is pure See 2 Cor. 7.1 Quest 39. What is a second effect wherein they agree Answ The inabling working or disposing of the heart to a patient and humble waiting upon God for such help or supplies from him in every kind whereof men stand in need See and compare Esa 28.16 Rom. 8.25 Psal 119.81 27.13 14. Lamen 3.26 1 Thess 1.3 Quest 40. What way be a third effect wherein Faith and Hope agree Answ They are both Joy-makers in the hearts and souls of men See and compare Rom. 15.13 2 Cor. 1.24 Philip. 1.25 1 Pet. 1.8 1 Thess 2.19 Rom. 5.2 Heb. 3.6 Rom. 12.12 Quest 41. What is the fourth and last property or effect wherein they communicate Answ They each of them never fail to deliver their respective Subjects from disappointment in their greatest expectations and consequently from such shame confusion which are wont to accompany frustratiōs especially in matters of moment great concernment Concerning Faith it is thus conteyned in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect preacious He that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Concerning Hope it speaketh And hope maketh not ashamed See further and compare Psal 22.4 5. Jer. 17.7.8 Heb. 6.19 Phil. 1.20 Psal 33.20.21 Quest 42. How do they agree in their Subject Answ Hope as hath been said being a kind of naturall result from Faith where this is that must needs be also And the Scripture frequently placeth them in the same person 1 Pet. 1.21 Rom. 4.18 5.2 with some other He that believeth a promise of good things made unto him if he knows or believeth this promise to have been indeed made to him cannot but hope for all the good things conteined in this promise Review the case proposed towards the latter end of the Answer to the 34 Question in this Chapter Quest 43. You have declared many things concerning Faith Can you yet further declare what the first great priviledge or benefit is which floweth from this grace or work of Faith more immediately and upon which many others depend Answ This priviledg is the great and high dignity of Adoption or being made the Sons of God The wisdome goodnesse and love of God to the Children of men have together consulted and decreed this great honour and happinesse unto them that as many of them as shall joyn themselves by an unfeigned Faith unto his Natural and in that respect only Begotten Son Jesus Christ shall partake with him in his glorious relation of Son-ship unto God as farre as their nature and line of creation will admit This the Scripture declareth in several places But as many as received him meaning by Faith as it is explained in the end of the verse to them he gave power or prerogative as the former translation had it or else right priviledg as the margent of the last hath it to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1.12 For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 See also Rom. 8.14 15 16. Gal. 4.4 5 6 7. 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Quest 44. What is the great benefit of Adoption or of Son-ship unto God Answ By vertue hereof there accrueth unto us a right and title unto that immortal and undefiled inheritance which fadeth not away and which is reserved in the Heavens for those who believe 1 Pet. 1.4 Yea Believers by vertue of their Adoption become joynt-heirs with Christ But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God And if Children then Heires Heires of God and joynt-Heires with Christ Rom. 8.15 16 17. But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem
of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow ground and sow not amongst thornes Circumcise your selves unto the Lord and take away the foreskins of your hearts lest my fury come forth like fire and burn c. Supposing first that the men of Iudah and Ierusalem to whom this Doctrine at the appointment of God was preached were at this time persons unregenerate and Secondly that the several callings upon them in the metaphors of breaking up their fallow ground of circumcising themselves unto the Lord of taking away the foreskins of their hearts were admonitions or injunctions unto them from God to alter the sinful property of their hearts and souls or in the Prophet Esai's expression to wash and make themselves clean or in the more plain and direct Language of Ezekiel to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit all which expressions import the work of Regeneration or Sanctification or Mortification or rather indeed include them all these two things I say supposed which I presume are not denied by any from the said words I plead the cause in hand thus If God requireth it of unregenerate men to sanctifie or regenerate themselves threatning them with his wrath and fury to their utter destruction if they shall not obey him therein then certainly they have power to do the one or the other otherwise he should threaten to destroy his Creature for that which is no waies sinful nor a Transgression of any Law For it is no waies sinful for a Creature not to do things that are impossible for him to do or not to do that which is possible only for God himself to do Therefore without controversie God doth afford unto unregenerate men at least if they be not many degrees worse and more hateful unto him then simply as such sufficient abilities and means whereby to become new men or make themselves new hearts There is hardly to be found amongst men a Tyrant so Barbarous Bloody or Inhumane who when he hath cut off the leggs or feet of any of his Subjects though for some misdemeanour will further threaten him with Death unlesse he shall runn as fast as his lightest Footman or swiftest Horse in his Stables Quest 8. What is the tenour of your second place and how do you argue from thence for the point in question Answ This place conteineth these words Therefore I will judge you O house of Israel every one according unto his waies saith the Lord God Repent and turn your selves from all your Transgressions So iniquity shall not be your ruine Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live yee In these words the great duties or works of Repentance Sanctification Regeneration Mortification I might add of Self-denial also are not only or simply required by God of men themselves but with a very gracious and compassionate expostulation about the misery which they would certainly bring upon their own heads if they did not perform them for why will ye die c. together with promise upon promise of favour life and peace in case they did perform them so iniquity shall not be your Ruine and again turn your selves and live yee That is and yee shall certainly live Now it is broadly inconsistent with that most gracious and merciful disposition unto the Children of men which the Scriptures in a thousand places ascribe unto God to promise good things unto them as life peace safety c. only upon such conditions or termes which he knows to be utterly impossible for them yea with all the help or means which he intends ever to afford them ever to perform This would rather be most cruelty to insult over poor creatures in misery then either to compassionate them or to counsell or direct them how to deliver themselves and make an escape Therefore doubtlesse this contexture of Scriptures maketh it as clear as the light at noon-day that men even whilest they are yet in their sins and unbelievers have a sufficiency of Grace power and means vouchsafed unto them by God to make themselves new hearts and new spirits to repent and turn themselves from all their Transgressions c. Quest 9. What is your third and last place of Scripture to prove your Assertion Answ This place containeth only these few words And he the Lord Christ marvelled because of their unbelief If the people at or because of whose unbelief Christ is said to have marvelled were in no sufficient capacity by all the grace nor by all the means of grace granted unto them to have believed and consequently to have made themselves new hearts to have sanctified themselves c. there had been no reasonable nor indeed tolerable cause why Christ should marvel at their unbelief at least if it be supposed that this their incapacity of believing was known unto him and ignorance in this kind cannot he supposed in him who searcheth the hearts and the reins of the Children of men Revel 2.23 For what occasion is there in the least that a man should marvell because a Creature acteth not beyond or above the sphere of his activity as that a man should not flie like a bird in the aire that an ox should not run swifter then a grey-hound or the like For a person to marvell that a man doth not believe whom he knoweth to have no power of believing and to marvell that a stone doth not speak Hebrew or Greek unto him are passions much of one and the same consideration Quest 10. What are now your Reasons and grounds which strengthen your belief of the Doctrine you maintain concerning a sufficiency of power given by God unto men whereby to sanctifie and regenerate and deny themselves to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh c. Answ There are many Reasons which prevail over my judgment to conclude the said Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Truth but more especially Seven Quest 11. What is the first of these Reasons Answ If God should not upon the account of Christ and of the Grace brought by him unto the World invest Adams posterity with a sufficiency of power to do all things simply and absolutely necessary for their salvation and oonsequently to perform the duties of Sanctification Regeneration Mortification and Self-denyal these at least in some degree being absolutely necessary unto Salvation be should deal with much more rigour and severity in the second Covenant which yet is a Covenant of Grace and usually so called then he did in the first which being a Covenant of Works was very peremptory though righteous and just denying all mercy to transgressours For although in the first Covenant he was very strict and severe against Transgressours yet he was thus far gracious and indulgent unto his creature Man that he required nothing
works of the Law in their respective seasons was required of him for the continuance of his justification was not a Faith of like Character or Notion with that which now justifieth it was not a Faith in God that he would justifie him freely through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus nor an assent unto any promise made by God for the justification of him upon the performance of such or such terms but such a Faith whereby he believed God to be every waies as great in holinesse in truth in goodnesse and in all manner of perfection as he had by the light of nature revealed himself unto him to be From whence by the way it is observable that Man did not by his fall in Adam lose any ability or power to believe in Christ unto justification For how could he lose that in Adam which neither Adam before his fall nor he in Adam ever received and consequently that this Faith is not now required of men upon the account of any ability given unto them under the first covenant of works or received in Adam but upon the account of such ability or power which is given unto them by the second Adam under the second Covenant of Grace Quest 6. But if justifying Faith be not commanded in the Decalogue or Morall Law how can this Law be said to be perfect or a perfect Rule of all duties that we owe either to God or Men or our selves Or is it not a perfect rule in this kind Answ The Decalogue is a perfect rule of all Moral duties which are naturally such whether respecting God our neighbour or our selves but there are some duties which are termed positively Moral which become such by institution or special command which are not comprehended in the Decalogue that is which could not by the light of reason or force of conscience be discovered there or made out from thence to be things required of us nor would they have been duties or things required of us by God had he not given particular charge or commands concerning them over and besides the Decalogue But though they be not required or commanded in or by the Decalogue or Moral Law yet they are and well may be termed Moral in a sense or in a particular respect as namely positively or institutedly Morall because being commanded by God though not in the Moral Law yet are men bound to the performance of them by that obligation unto God in things appertaining to him which the Moral Law imposeth on them Hence it is that though to believe the Gospel be not enjoyned by God in the Morall Law yet being otherwise required or injoyned by him he that doth not believe it maketh God a Lyar as John saith 1 Joh. 5.10 which is a transgression against the Morall Law being contrary to that most honourable and reverend esteem of the Truth and faithfulnesse of God which the Moral Law requireth of all men in the first Commandement of it As on the other hand John Baptist saith of him that believeth the Gospel that he hath set to his Seal that God is true Joh. 3.33 that is hath given a full testimony of the truth and faithfulnesse of God which is a duty required of every man by the Morall Law Thus all the Levitical Ceremonies during the time that God was pleased they should continue were positively Morall unto the Jews to whom they were prescribed by him and if they had neglected or omitted any of them in their season they had transgressed not only the ceremonial Law by which they were particularly enjoyned but the Moral Law also by which God commandeth both them and all men to worship him with that worship which himself directeth and prescribeth unto them There is the same consideration of the Sacraments and their Administration and use in the Gospel Now justifying Faith or to believe in Jesus Christ is a duty of that kind we now speak of as was lately intimated viz. positively Morall and is not to be reckoned or found amongst the Duties that are naturally such and are commanded in the Decalogue or Moral Law which though it be a perfect rule in its kind and fully sufficient for the ends for which it was given yet is it not absolutely or in all respects perfect for then there had been no need of any additional precepts in the Gospel Quest 7. But if justifying Faith be not required in the Morall Law whether is it at all required of the Heathen who seem to be under the command of this Law only and this only as it is written in their hearts and consciences and not at all under the command of the Gospel Answ God in the Gospel speaketh immediately and directly unto those only who live under the ministrie of it or who have the letter of it and withall are capable of understanding it and unto these and concerning these he declareth plainly clearly upon what tearms he is pleased to justifie and to save them and again upon what he will do neither Concerning others as Children before years of discretion persons destitute of the ordinary light of nature in their understandings whether this hath befallen them by some accident as of sicknesse or other providence or is occasioned by some defect in their constitution or corporeal Organs and so likewise concerning Heathens amongst whom or near unto whom the Letter or Ministry of the Gospel never came he hath discovered his mind and counsell touching their both justification and salvation somewhat more sparingly Nor is it easie to evince from the Scriptures so plainly and distinctly upon what tearms he purposeth to proceed with these in the great concernments mentioned but that some doubt may still remain And of all the three sorts of persons named the case of the third and last the Heathen seems to be most obscure Notwithstandiug these seven particulars relating to it are to me unquestionable from the Scriptures First That God really and truly desireth their Salvation at least simply considered or as men or members of mankind This is fully evident from these places with many others 1 Tim. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 Tit. 2.11 Heb. 2.9 Secondly That as of him unto whomsoever much is given much will be required viz. to his Salvation Luk. 12.48 so by the rule of equity and proportion to whomsoever little or lesse is given little or lesse will be required of him This agreeth with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Thirdly That there is no person of mankind but hath received a Talent one or more by a diligent and conscientious use and improvement whereof he shall be accepted with his Lord and Master Mat. 25.14 15. c. Luk. 19.12 13. c. Fourthly That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him Act. 10.35 Fifthly That the forbearance and long-sufferance