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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	know_v	3,423	5	4.6161	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B06542	A brief, and plain apology written by John Wheelwright: wherein he doth vindicate himself, from al [sic] those errors, heresies, and flagitious crimes, layed to his charge by Mr. Thomas Weld, in his short story, and further fastened upon him, by Mr. Samuel Rutherford in his survey of antinomianisme. Wherein free grace is maintained in three propositions, and four thesis [sic] ...	Wheelwright, John, 1594-1679.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1604; ESTC R186427	40,565	36

Assurance of Faith Assurance of Faith may be taken in a Twofold sense 1. Largely for whatsoever assurance we have of Gods special love to us in Christ from scripture-Scripture-grounds in which sense a conclusion deduced from true Works of Sanctification is a conclusion of Faith beleeved in its premises or one of them the other being known by spiritual sense The witness which the spirit gives in a conditional promise is as true as that which he bears in an absolute promise No man living saith Vega should ever draw me to doubt of my being in the state of Grace if I might infer it out of two Propositions the one beleeved and the other made some way evident unto me 2ly Assurance of Faith may be taken strictly and properly for our first perswasion we have of Gods mercy towards us in Christ 1 Thess 1.5 This distinction is in use amongst Protestant Writers and the Papists understand them in this sense Certainty saith Mr. Perkins is either of Faith or Experimental which Papists call Moral Certainty by Faith is to apply the promise of salvation to our selves and to beleeve without doubting that remission of sins belongs unto us Moral certainty is that which proceeds from Works of sanctification as signs and tokens of true Faith Treat of Con. cap. 3. Bellarmine doth acknowledge this Moral certainty with this difference from us That it is only conjectural but he will by no means admit of that absolute perswasion precedent to our works calling it the Lutheran presumption They saith he will have their certainty to go before their works and not to follow them Tom. 4. Cap. 9. De Justificatione So that in this Thesis I do not deny simply that we have any assurance of Justification from our works of sancttification far be it from me but that the assurance which we have from our works is our first perswasion of Gods Grace and mercy towards us in Christ which properly in strictness of speech is called an assurance of Faith is denied by me In which respect I said in my Sermon That our first perswasion of Gods love was not by faith it self 1. By faith as an argument though it be by faith as an organ or instrument Consonant to this is that which is affirmed by Zanchy in his dispute with Mazhacchius about the order of evidencing our election page 361. Thus he writes Quis hic non videat apertè qualis fuerit sententia Buceri in hâc materiâ Nimirum ut incipiamus à priori id est contemplatione soluis divinae bonitatis gratiae in Christo oblatae in Evangelio revelatae Et inde certam persuasionem concipiamus nos vere fuisse ad aeternam salutem electos ideoque nunc efficaciter vocari Deinde descendamus ad id quod etiam revera est posterius nimirnm ad certum fidem assensum obsequium vocanti praebendum This is all which I do herein assert That our first perswasion of Gods mercy towards us in Christ is not founded upon any arguments taken from our works of sanctification which I have aboundantly proved in my second Proposition whether I refer the Reader THESIS II. That Justification goes in order before our Beleeving Justification by a passive Faith goes in order of Nature before our act of beleeving which is thus confirmed 1. We have the Spirit of Adoption are made partakers of divine Nature become new creatures before we put forth any act of Faith 1 Joh. 5.1 Joh. 1.12 13. This is Mr. Calvins Note upon this 13. vers Negat Evangelista posse quemquam credere nisi qui ex Deo genitus est Now whereas it seems by the twelfth verse that we are not the sons of God but consequently to our act of beleeving he doth thus answer it In respect of our sense we do not begin to be the sons of God but after faith 2. We are no sooner living in the first Adam but his sin is imputed unto us before we commit any actual sin Rom. 5. and by the like reason as soon as we live in the second Adam his righteousness is imputed unto us before we put forth any act of righteousness As in carnal Generation all men are born sinners even by imputation So in spiritual regeneration all men are born righteous having the righteousness of Christ imputed to them 3. If we be not justified antecedently to our act of beleeving then can a man in the state of condemnation do that eminent work of God to beleeve on Christ whereas except we be in Union with Christ and so by consequence in the state of Grace we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 To Beleeve is the act of a Person either in the state of Grace or in the state of condemnation Not of condemnation therefore of grace and we are justified before our act of Faith 4. Elect Infants dying before they come to years of discretion or sanctified in their Mothers Wombs are justified by the habit of Faith Persons in this state of Grace being adulti cease not to be justified when they fall into sownes or otherwise put forth no act of Faith which I suppose would follow were they not justified by the seed of Faith If the seed failed in such a case so much as the act doth by what band should they be united unto Christ And how could persons out of union with Christ be justified The Belgick Professors in the Synod of Dort give this as a reason Why the Faith by which we are first converted and from which we are called Beleevers is not an act but an habit infused of God because otherwise oft upon one and the same day we should be Beleevers and Unbeleevers the children of God and the children of the Devil It would I conceive upon the same ground follow That were we not justified by rhe habit of Faith but only by the act we should many times be successively justified and unjustified Chamier thus expresseth himself I say it is most true That justifying Faith doth follow if not in time yet in order justification Mr. Cotton saith in his New Covenant page 55. A man is as passive in regeneration as in his first generation only God giveth his spirit that doth unite us unto Christ which is received by Faith together with Adoption and Justification and yet by the act of Beleeving we are justified also Gal. 2.16 that is manifested to be justified in our own consciences Object 1. This is against the judgement of our Orthodox Divines who generally make Faith an instrumental cause of our Justification Answ They who do affirm That in our active conversion we perceive and receive Christ by an act of Faith do not deny a passive reception precedent to that act in our conversion wherein we are altogether passive Object 2. The Scripture never saith That we are justified by the habit of Faith but rather by the act Answ The Scripture doth not say That we are justified by the habit or act of Faith in

an act of the Will And they ground both these Acts upon a free Promise of Grace efficaciously applied by the Holy Ghost These are the words of Mr. Calvin upon Gal 3.7 Faith is not an imagination of our own forging it is an assuredness which we conceive of Gods Goodness when he cometh unto us and uttereth familiarly his love that he beareth to us This hath been the constant Definition of Justifying Faith given by our Orthodox Divines in Luthers time and of many since Fides est certa persuasio et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ cum servatorem amplectimur hâc fiduciâ quod crucifixus mortuus sit in propitiationem pro peccatis non aliarum tantum sed et meis Melanchthon Beza with many others describe Faith after that manner and generally this is part of the description of it Faith is a certain perswasion of Gods mercy towards us in Christ which they could not do did they not ground it upon an absolute Promise All our Expositors of the Creed who make this part of the meaning of that Article I beleeve in Jesus Christ to be I beleeve that Christ is mine and place it before that act of the heart by which we rely on Christ do found it upon an absolute Promise Mr. Perkins in his Exposition of the Creed saith That no man can put his confidence in God till he be first perswaded of Gods mercy towards him in Christ This is Mr. Dikes Judgment on Phil. 5. First we must beleeve that Christ is ours before we can be able to commit our selves to him for the will and affections follow the understanding Mr. Cotton in his N. Covenant declares himself fully to be of this Judgment and saith Faith to receive Christ is ever upon an absolute Promise pag. 56. which is as much as I affirm Object 1. The Promise propounded in the Gospel for the begetting of faith is conditional Beleeve and be saved Answ That is not the Gospels first Promise There is an absolute indefinite Promise I take an absolute Promise for that which shall certainly be accomplished in Gods Elect precedent to this viz. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand to which the command of Beleeving in the conditional Promise hath relation As in the Covenant of Works first there is an absolute Law given and then a conditional Covenant made Do this and live So in the Covenant of Grace first there is made an absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ taking absolute in that sense which I have named and then a conditional Covenant Beleeve and be saved When I am commanded to beleeve the Gospel or beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ it is intended that I beleeve this absolute Promise not only Historically but Applicatorily and that I receive and relie upon Christ promised and then I shall not perish but have everlasting life The act of faith is not terminated in the Promise but in the simple term Christ Object 2. There is no absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ in all the Gospel Answ That is not so The first Gospel Promise of Grace and Life was absolute The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 This is renewed to Abraham In thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 Is not this a simple categorical Proposition and Declaration of Gods good will in Christ to the World And this was Gospel which was preached unto Abraham Gal. 3.8 To make things more clear Take an absolute Promise for that which shall certainly be accomplished and then the Gospel alwaies begins with an absolute Promise both of end and means to wit Salvation and all means tending thereunto with relation to Gods Elect of which kind are the Promises before mentioned Gen. 3.15 and 12.3 Let an absolute Promise be taken for that which shall receive its accomplishment without any gracious precedent act of ours and then the beginning of our Salvation to wit a new heart a new spirit and faith it self is absolutely promised Jer. 3.33 34. Ezek. 36.26 27. If by Salvation be meant the continuance perfecting and consummation of Salvation in Gods eternal and everlasting Kingdom that is indeed promised upon condition we put forth acts of faith repentance holiness and righteousness throughout the whol course of our lives all which conditions as hath been said are absolutely promised Ezek. 36.27 Conditiones N Faederis non tantum praeceptae sunt sed etiam promissae Embd. Min. in the Synod of Dordt Object 3. The Promises to save absolutely and upon condition of beleeving are inconsistent Answ 1. To promise the beginning of Salvation absolutely and the continuance and accomplishment of Salvation upon condition of an holy penitential faith stand well together 2. To promise absolutely that is assuredly the continuance perfecting and consummation of Salvation upon condition we actually beleeve repent and obey is not inconsistent because the conditions are absolutely promised Object 4. The absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ propounded in the Gospel is not particular and personal but general and indefinite and therefore if we beleeve it by particular application we beleeve more than is revealed Answ Though the absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ be general and indefinite yet is it made particular to every Elect Person in his effectual call This Promise is held forth with a commandment to apply it and make it particular So saith Zanchy Lib. 5. De Naturâ Dei Cap. 2. and Mr. Perkins upon Gal. 2. When we are commanded to beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ this is one act that is required of us to beleeve that Christ is ours 1 John 5.13 Whilst this Gospel is in preaching in our effectual Vocation the Lord sends the spirit of Adoption into our hearts gives us a new heart and a new spirit which new spirit perswades us to beleeve and apply the Promise and Christ promised and it is all one as if he should call us by name Isa 43.1 John 10.3 They who are thus perswaded by Christ not only outwardly by his Word but inwardly by his Spirit in their hearts have a good ground to beleeve that the Promise belongs unto them and that Christ is theirs nor do they herein beleeve more than is revealed To beleeve what Christ commands is no Enthusiasme Object 5. If all to whom the Gospel is preached are commanded to beleeve that the absolute Promise belongs unto them then are Reprobates commanded to beleeve a lye Answ Zanchy upon Hos 2.1 and Mr. Perkins in his Treatise of Predestination answers thus in effect Let Reprobates beleeve and they shall not find it false but true But because our act of Beleeving works no change in the Object and our beleeving makes not a thing true but it must be true before we beleeve it is not satisfactory to me Before I set down mine own apprehensions with humble submission to better Judgments I think it requisite that some things should be premised 1. I imbrace it for an

confuted by Aquinas 22. c. q. 23.2 Far be it from me to deny the work of Regeneration or new qualities This was my meaning in these passages that we cannot act graciously from any inward principle of Grace further than we are acted upon by the Spirit of Christ in Union That the Commandments of the Law are never accompanied by the Spirit enabling us to perform them being severed from Christ and the Covenant of Grace or before faith come Surely I maintained none of these Points in the Synod which you make the Ground-work of Sedltion 3. Thirdly I am much condemned by you for obstinacy after conviction Of what was I convicted Was it of laying the Magistrates Elders and the most part of the Country under a covenant of works absolutely and that to the knowledg of the hearers out of Contempt of Authority to stir up Sedition Contempt of Authority and sedition is then made the circumstances principles of an act to wit the laying them under a covenant of works in that sort If that act be not proved contempt of Authority and Sedition vanish away having no subject to which they do adhere A man cannot be justly condemned for wilful murder unless it appear that he hath committed murder nor can I be justly condemned for laying men under a covenant of works in that manner out of Contempt of Authority to rayse up sedition except it can be made evident that I did lay them under that Covenant That is then to be enquired into proved by the Court that the Magistrates Elders and most of the Country were the men whom I described and affirmed to be under a Covenant of works otherwise contempt of Authority sedition falls to the ground having no foundation The Court proceeded against me as they said Ex officio which in case of publick infamy and manifest evidence of the fact is not only lawful but necessary and when I humbly requested of the Honoured Court that my accusers might come forth it was answered by them that my sermon was my accuser Then must my Sermon accuse me of that fact which they judged contemptuous and Seditious or else I am condemned without any accusation or accusers meerly from their wil and pleasure How wil they make it appeare that my Sermon was my accuser The Elders in their secret Accusation shewed them a way how to do it viz. by forcing my Sermon to speak thus That faith and repentance are no parts of the Gospel That Sanctification is no good evidence of a good estate That they who see in themselves any Sanctification and thence conclude a good estate shal never be saved That they who are not of this judgment are Antichristians enemys to Christ and under a covenant of works This is made the ground by Mr. Weld in the short story but the Court did not declare themselves to sentence me upon this proofe How then wil they make my sermon my accuser I know not how except it was thus To take a proposition out of my sermon And an assumption which the Elders brought in as hath been said and to conclude against me as though I had been author of them both was the false accusation or application c. of my Sermon Do you think in your Conscience that this was conviction and that I persist obstinate after conviction my circumstantial failing I have acknowledged I did not much inquire after an Apology which I heard was written in the Courts defence because I know very wel that the cause was uncapable of any just defence I knew that if al the men in the world should combine together they could not make a bad cause good no not the Lord himself the defect lieth not in God but in the thing Let a man twist ten thousand sins together he cannot cover sin with sin If your cause was so just and convincing why have you deserted the true cause and set up a new title prove the ground of the Courts sentence out of my sermon or else you say nothing 4. Fourthly You tel a story of a man whom as you say I led into these damnable errors and heresies 1. That the free promises are only for them under the Law 2. That al our assurance is by immediate revelation 3. That in the New Testament there are no signes 4. That Baptisme of water is of no use to them who are Baptized by the holy Ghost 5. That a man may be adopted and not justified 6. That every new creature is a dead lumpe and acts not at al. 7. That we have no inherent righteousness 8. That the commandments are a dead letter I do reject and abominate al these corrupt opinions as none of mine against which I do oppose these following positions as mine own judgment 1. That the free promises are no parts of the covenant of works but of Grace 2. That we do not only come to an assurance of a good estate by the immediate Testimony of the Holy-ghost but also by that which is mediate from faith repentance and works of sanctification 3. That in the New Testament the Lord gives to his confederates signes of their being in Covenant with him both inward and outward 4. That Christians who are inwardly and invisibly ingraffed into Christ stand in need of an outward visible baptizing into him and into one body 5. That justification and adoption are inseparable benefits flowing from our union with Christ 6. That every new creature acts from an inward formal principle of Spiritual life 7. That we are not only justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ received by faith but also have an inherent righteousness infused into us by the spirit of regeneration 8. The Commandements are the spirits instrument to quicken Gods elect The authors of the short story do not propound this to be credited barely upon their authority for than they might have deluded the reader who would beleeve it because of their report but this witness which they beare against me in such a matter of weight consists of this hypothetical proposition If M. Wheelwright tenderly contradicted this poor man being newly come to the profession of religion then must he needs learne those points of Mr. Wheelwright or draw them as necessary consequents from some of his Tenents The Consequent part of this proposition doth not follow from the Antecedent here is no good consequence And therefore this their Testimony must needs appeare to be palpably false to al such as have the use of reason How they should conscientiously ground such an accusation upon such an argument I cannot apprehend 5. Fiftly You much glory in my conceived ruine and cal your proceedings against me to banishment the Lords marvellous doings If by ruine you meane the ruine of my doctrine and cause there is no such matter that you have not touched it is a doctrine and cause of your own devising and setting up which you have ruined If by ruine you understand ruine in respect of