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
Neonomianism Unmask'd OR THE Ancient Gospel PLEADED Against the OTHER CALLED A New LAW OR GOSPEL IN A Theological Debate occasioned by a Book lately Wrote by Mr. Dan. Williams Entituled Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated Unwarily Commended and Subscribed by some Divines Applauded and Defended by the late Athenian Clubb As many as are of the Works of the Law are under a Curse Gal. 3.10 And the Law is not of Faith Ver. 12. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 By ISAAC CHAVNCY M. A. LONDON Printed for J. Harris at the Harrow in the Poultry 1692. TO ALL True Lovers OF THE LORD JESUS BOTH Ministers Christians Of any Perswasions whatever THE Apostle Paul doth declaim against nothing more than Another Gospel which is not another Gospel as he saith because no Gospel Quod nusquam est cum unum fit Evangelium non plura saith Beza on the Gal. 1. It is no where seeing there is but one Gospel and not more This pretended other Gospel was a Doctrine that taught the Conjunction of the Works of a Law with the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ in the Juctification of a Sinner before God which some False Teachers did zealously press upon the Galatians in opposition to the Apostles Doctrine These he calls Troublers of the Churches and Perverters or Subverters of the Gospel of Christ viz. The Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace Such as teach Justification by a Law of Merits not of Christ but our own See Beza on the pl. Altho' we say they were wrought in us by Christ as if Christ could be said to Justifie by giving us a way or means to justifie our selves you may as well reconcile Light and Darkness as these two As to the Introducers and Teachers of such Doctrine the Apostle denounceth a bitter Curse against them whatever they were pretending to never so much Holiness Apostles or Angels Yea he puts himself under this Anathema if at any time he should be guilty in this kind And to shew that he speaks not rashly or passionately but by the Spirit of God and to awe Men's Minds the more and deterr them from such Attempts he redoubles the Imprecation But you 'll say May we not a little make bold with the Gospel of Christ How far may we venture to go and not fall under this Anathema The Apostle answers v. 9. If any Man preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed And the Doctrines which they had received was Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law And that a Law is not of Faith in the Point of Justification ch 3.12 Mr. Beza justifies our Translation in rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides rather than against For saith he the Apostle said not If they preach contrary things and subvert the whole Gospel as Chrysostom hath it But If they pervert it a little if they preach any thing besides that Gospel which they had received c. If they as the Apostle saith many did 2 Cor. 2.17 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupanariam Exercentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupones Infames semper sordidi sunt babiti quod merces corrumpunt adulterant Jun. Beza Corrupt the Word of God as fraudulent Vintners who dash their Wines with Water or any base Liquors But saith the Apostle We are of those who Preach the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sincerity in the Truth of our Hearts as we will answer unto God without any thing of Craft or Double Dealing or mixing our omn Schemes or Phantasies therewith that speak the very Truth as we have dealt plainly and truly not shunning to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 not shuffling and hiding some great Truths that we think are not fit for the People to know and therefore saith he we have abdicated * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abrenunciavimus pudendis latebris non calliditaté ambutantes neque falsantes sermonem Dei 2 Cor. 4.2 this shameful hiding the Word of God not demeaning our selves craftily nor handling it deceitfully And to such as receive this other Gospel who have professed to the receiving the True Gospel he saith I marvel you should be so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel Calls them Fools Gal. 3.1 saith they were fascinated bewitched the Devil had got a great hand over them tells them they were Apostates had began in a Spiritual Gospel but ended in a Carnal Nay he testifies that whoever is Justified by a Law it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fallen from Grace and that all their former Sufferings how great soever they have been would prove in vain Oh! that Professors of our Days would seriously consider these things who are so ready to run after this other Gospel Lastly It is also needful to observe how the Apostle Paul complements Peter that Great Apostle and one of the Pillars in the Churches for his double dealing in these matters in so much as countenancing this False Gospel or the Imposing Teachers of it He withstood him to the Face and publickly he rebuked him sharply because he was exceedingly culpable and in that he not only committed a great Sin himself but carry'd away Barnabas and many professing Jews with his Dissimulation insomuch that they all plaid the Hypocrites * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him to please the Neonomians He aggravates their Fault in telling them they countenanced a Doctrine which they were convinced was false ch 2.16 That they made Christ a Minister of Sin that they condemned themselves in their Practice by building the things which they had destroyed He takes off also all Apologies that they might make from the seeming Smallness of the Fault as to refuse to eat with the Gentiles Come come saith he the mischief lies in it's Tendency viz. To encourage the Preachers and Receivers of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he we have believed on Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of a Law for by the Works of a Law no Flesh living shall be justified I hope they whom these things do nearly concern at this time will duly weigh and consider them Tho' I doubt not but they know them yet it may not be amiss to stir up knowing Men by putting them in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Verbum sat sapientibus As to the present Grand Assertor of a New Law and of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the said Law I thought it due to the Grandeur of his Appearance in the Head of a New Sect to treat him by the Name thereof viz. A Neonomian * One that Asserts the Old Law is abolished and therein is a superlative Antinomian but pleads for a New Law and Justification by
satisfaction and I think it 's that which is generally received as the Truth of the Gospel by the Orthodox I think those Testimonies Mr. Neonomian brought for your Extream do all in a manner say as I have said they do not so deny the discharge of the Elect before believing as to deny Christ's discharge and the Elects in him so far as they were capable nor do they assert our discharge in Christ so as to affirm our Personal discharge before Faith The Assembly saith thus The Lord Jesus Christ by his perfect Obedience and Sacrifice of himself which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up to God hath fully satisfied the Justice of his Father and purchased not only Reconciliation but an Everlasting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those which the Father hath given to him Assembl Confess c. 8. 5. Here are two things that Christ hath done satisfied for our Sins and over above purchased a great Estate he could not have done the latter had he not done the former and he hath the Grant or Covenant Deeds in his Hands the Lambs Book of Life wherein the Names of all that are given him are Recorded and Enrolled and this is Life which he now hath the dispensation of in his due time through the Gospel and therefore they further say § VIII To all those to whom Christ hath purchased Redemption he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same c. The Catechism and Savoy Confession say the same in effect in every thing and so doth Dr. Owen When the Lord Christ dyed for us and offered himself a Propitiatory Sacrifice God laid all our Sins on him Isa 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 Then he suffered in our stead and made full satisfaction for all our Sins as appears Heb. 9.26 c. 10.14 He whose Sins were not Actually and Absolutely satisfied for in that one Offering of Christ shall never have them Expiated unto Eternity Notwithstanding this plenary satisfaction yet all Men continue equally to be Born by Nature Children of Wrath Dr. Owen of Justification 305 This old Nature Christ never Purchased and Redeemed but intended always to pull down and destroy for the whole Nature is under Wrath and we cannot be in a state of Life till we be in the New Nature and be Created in Christ Jesus What the Lord Jesus Christ paid for us is as truely paid as if we had paid it our selves And what he underwent and suffered he underwent and suffered in our stead but yet the Act of God in laying our Sins on Christ conveyed no Actual Right and Title to us i. e. immediately for all our Actual Right is founded on it and flows from it therefore he adds They are not immediately thereon nor by vertue thereof ours or esteemed ours personally and in possession because God hath appointed something not only Antecedent thereunto but the Means thereof viz. Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us I shall add the state of the Question how the Learned Dr. Prid. states the Question de satisfact D. Prid. Praelect 19. p. 297. de satisfact Christi Vtrum Christus filius Dei B. Virginis Justitiae Divinae non commutativae sed distributivae Judiciali tam premiativae quam vindicativae verè h. e. non praecariò impetrativè tantum aut metaphoricè sed reipsâ meritoriè integrè non omittendo aliquid qui stricto Jure fieri debuit satisfecerit tam agendo quam patiendo quicquid saluti nostri erat requisitum Hic affirmamus Orthodoxi cum nostris Art 31. obliquè negant Papiculae subdolè labefactant Remonstrantes Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apertè toto Impetu oppugnant Anabaptistae Familistae hisce omnibus Acutiores Astutiores Sociniani hanc positionem confirmat variis Argumentis Irrefrigabilibus adversariorum objectionibus responsa dedit Christ satisfied the Justice of God not Commutative but Distributive and Judicial as well Remunerative as Vindicative not Precariously or by way of Impetration only or Metaphorically but Really Meritoriously and Fully not omitting any thing that in strict Justice ought to be done whatever was requisite to our Salvation Christ by his Obedience and Death did fully discharge the Debt of all those that are thus Justified and did make a proper real and full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice i. e. for all them that should believe Assemb Confess c. 11. § 3. And Mr. Neonomian I must not forget to tell you that there is nothing more frequent than for mistaken Men to tell others how much they are mistaken as you do tell Mr. Antinomian about the Scape-Goat Neonom I say he mistakes the Type of the Scape-Goat because the Scape-Goats carried their Sins into the Wilderness who expressed Faith and Repentance by laying Hands on it and confessing Sin therefore the Sins of Men are taken away by Christ while they continue Impenitent and Vnbelieving Calvinist You may see how in this matter you speak after the Socinian for they give this Interpretation of this Type for though the Confession of Sin over the Head of the Scape-Goat or Sacrifice did hold forth Faith and Repentance yet there 's a difference between an Act Typifying God's Imputation of Sin unto Christ and an Act testifying our Faith concerning God's Imputation of Sin to Christ Norton against Pinch p. 49. So Ainsworth There 's nothing more plainly holds forth Christ's bearing away our Sins to be remembred no more So Dr. Prid. Quemadmodum etiam Hircus iste Azazel sive Emissoâ—is habuit imposita super caput ipsis populi peccata Levit. 16.21 22. Haud alitèr Christo contigit quem proposuit Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsius Rom. 3.25 Prid. de satisf As that Azazel or Scape-Goat had the Sins of the People laid on his Head and so was sent into the Wilderness Lev. 16.21 22. so Christ was dealt with whom God set forth for a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to shew forth his Righteousness Rom. 3.25 which those Sacrifices did manifestly point out however they fell short in themselves yet in relation to the Antitype they were not only Expiatory but also Satisfactory whence the satisfaction wrought by the Antitype is the more strongly argued Praelect de satisf Mr. Norton We may distinguish between the being of Justification and being Justified between Justification in the Abstract and Justified the Concrete that being without the receiving Subject this considered together with the receiving Subject viz. the Believer's Justification considered in the Abstract Sence and in it self in which sence it signifies Remission of Sins and Righteousness to Acceptation prepared though not yet conferred on the Elect hath before Faith a Being not only in the purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father and the Son and the 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
that I speak of here I was shewing from Isa 53.6 that Christ is our great Pay-master and how sad a thing it is to have Sin lying upon our Spirits Separate Sin from the Soul and the Spirit hath Rest in the worst conditions You will never have quietness of Spirit in respect of Sin till you have received this Principle viz. By Faith that it is Iniquity it self that the Lord hath laid on Christ Now when I say thus I mean with the Prophet that it is the Fault of the Transgression c. Reckon up what Sins thou canst against thy self if thou hast part in the Lord i. e. by Faith all these Transgressions of thine became Christ's i. e. Thou seest them laid on Christ Not that they were just then laid on Christ when thou believest I would think your Divinity is not so gross as to assert that but that a Believer by Faith sees that he is one of those Elect ones whose Sins were laid on Christ What the Lord beheld Christ to be that he beholds his Members to be So that if you would speak of a Sinner supposing that Person of whom you speak to be a Member of Christ is this speaking of the Elect meerly as the Elect and no more you must not speak of what he manifests but what Christ was pag. 271. What Unsoundness I beseech you is in this Doctrine I pray speak Gentlemen The Company generally smiled but being afraid to displease Mr. Neonomian and affrighted at the Name of Antinomian which Mr. Neonomian called every one that contradicted him were silent But at last a brisk Gentleman Learned and Solid stood up and said I think you have greatly abused Mr. Antinomian and charged him unrighteously both in your misrepresenting him and in your charging him with Error and False Doctrine in the things alledged against him For saith he I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ though I see some of my Brethren here seem to be so that will not speak for the Truth when they hear a Man of Confidence run it down I say and affirm that he that hath a part in Christ is confidently to believe that Christ bore his Sin in his Body o◠the Tree Tit. 2.14 Calvin I pray Mr. Neonomian give us your Thoughts clearly what you hold and what you deny in this Point Neonom I shall tell first what is not in Dispute between us Calvin There 's 100 things are not now in Question before us I pray you to cut short that we may not lose so much time come to the very Point in Difference first Neonom You are not capable of understanding it till I have told you what is not in Dispute I 'm sure you 'll mistake the Question if I tell you not what the Question is first The Difference is not 1. Whether the pardoned Sinner shall be delivered from Condemnation D. W. p. 24. Antinom But it is whether the pardoned Sinner is not delivered from Condemnation and that Delivery the Ground and Reason of his Pardon Neonom 2. Nor whether God for Christ's sake will deal with a pardoned Sinner as if he had not been a Sinner Antinom The Question is Whether God can deal with any one Salvâ Justitiâ as if he were not a Sinner and yet be esteemed by him formaliter and in the just Sentence of the Law a Sinner and whether a pardoned Sinner be in the righteous Judgment of God a Sinner and can be a Sinner and not a Sinner at the same time and in the same respect Neonom 3. Nor whether Forgiveness doth take away Sin as to it's Obligation to Punishment Antinom If Fault in the Judgment of the Law be made the Obligation to Punishment and the Demerit of Sin lies in the Fault it is a great Question how the Obligation to Punishment can be taken away without taking away the meritorious Cause and whether if the Obligation to Punishment could be taken away without taking away the Sin in the Eye of the Law whether it were Forgiveness for Forgiveness lies formally in taking off the Fault and but consequentially in remitting the Punishment Neonom Nor whether the Atonement of Christ when it 's applyed in it's full effects will perfectly remove all Punishment and purge away all Filth and Defilement from the Elect Each of these I affirm Antinom But it is a Question whether upon the Atonement of Christ made and accepted any of the Elect were punishable for Sin in a way of Vindicative Justice even before Faith much more after So that the things which are without Dispute to you are questionable to us especially according to your ambiguous way of expressing them Neonom I shall now acquaint you with the Questions that are in debate betwixt us 1. Whether because Christ obliged himself to bear the Satisfactory Puunishment of our Sins they did therefore become the Sins of Christ Antinom You state this Question fallaciously The Question all this while between us is this Whether if God laid our Sins upon Christ in the way that he laid them they did in that way become the Sins of Christ If you will have it in the Notion of Christ's bearing Punishment only it must run thus If Christ was obliged to bear or did bear Satisfactory Punishment whether or no our Punishment or the Punishment due to us did thereby become his Both these we affirm Neonom Whether our Sins were pardoned when Christ suffered on the Cross This you affirm and I deny Antinom I affirm it in my own Sence but deny it in your false and imposed Sences Neonom Whether even they that are Members of Christ yet if they do sin are they Transgressors and Sinners and are the Sins they commit their Sins This you deny and I affirm Antinom This Question as you you state it I both affirm and deny because in one Sence a Man must be a Transgressor in another none But the Question Whether the Members of Christ while Sin remains are Sinners and in the sight of God do stand fully justified from all Sin This I affirm Neonom One would think this needed no Proof whether he that doth a sinful Fact be a Doer of it Antinom It needs no Proof I always own it to be so I tell you the Saints commit Sin and are therefore the Doers of it and I have told you 't is all that they can do of themselves and that it is my Sin my sinful Fact and yet my Debt that I contracted may become another Man's if he engageth for it Neonom Christ teacheth Believers to pray for the Pardon of Sins Luke 11.4 Antinom So they had need for Sins are pardoned when they have it not and it 's to them as if they were not pardoned at all if they have not the Comfort Neonom It would be vain to object they pray for manifestation of Pardon Antinom Why in vain Is it any more that a true Believer can pray for For he sees and knows all his Sins
in I will write it they shall be my People Shall here is a Word of Power And it follows They shall not teach every one his Neighbour for they shall know me How By their own Study and Industry No. See John 6.45 The Condition of knowing the Lord is to be performed by the Lord They shall be all taught of God Observe also the larger Expression of the Covenant Ezek. 36.25 c. Obj. If all lies on God's part and Man must do nothing then all his Life-time he may live as he list Answ You must make a difference between doing any thing in reference to the Covenant as a Condition thereof and in doing something in reference to Duty and Service to God who freely enters into Covenant with you I say only in way of Condition of the Covenant you must do nothing Calvin You see Mr. Neonom he doth not deny Duties to belong to this Covenant and Duties to be performed under the highest Obligation of God's free and bountiful Acting towards us in this Covenant but he speaks against your Principium modus agendi that we are not to perform these Duties in a mercenary way as if we were thereby Obtainers of the Benefits by Foederal Conditionality which way of Performance brings us under a Covenant of Works but we are to do all as such who receive both to will and to do by vertue of the Covenant and as the Effects thereof and I am very much mistasten if this be not Gospel-Truth Neonom But he saith in Answer to an Objection D.W. p. 60 I must needs tell you directly That Faith is not the Condition of the Covenant Dr. C. 84. Antinom I did say so and say so still Obj. But you will say He that believes shall be saved he that believes not shall be damned Is not Faith therefore the Condition of the Covenant Answ There is no Person under Heaven shall be saved till he hath believed this I grant yet this will not make Faith a Condition of the Covenant Faith as an Act is our Act and our Act of believing is a Work but it doth not depend upon a Work For the Apostle saith To him that justifies the ungodly Thus far to satisfie you from what I discoursed Now I tell you further that the Proposition He that believes shall be saved denotes no more than the necessary Connexion of Faith and Salvation by vertue of the Promise viz. Of one Gift of the Promise to another the Lord making many of the Gifts or Duties from a Covenant-Principle not upon Terms of foederal Conditionality on our part but that all is to be done by vertue of and flowing from the Promise of Eternal Life whereof Faith it self and the lively Fruits thereof are parts as well as Glory it self and all Eternal Life is in one Promise though not bestowed together but the several Gifts thereof have Conditionem Ordinis i. e. Prioritatis Posterioritatis conditiones relativas inter se But none of these Gifts are Foederal Conditions one of another but all alike belong to the Promissory part Grace as well as Glory Neonom But you say That after we are in Covenant with God he will bestow these things upon us as Effects and that the Covenant in the actual Substance of it is made good to a Man before he can do any thing Dr. C. p. 81. 83. Calvin Great Truths for without Christ we can do nothing therefore Christ the Substance of the Covenant must be given to us first or else Christ himself hath not spoken Truth Neonom I will shew you now how far I agree with you in this point and then it will the better appear where the difference lies 1. The Question is not Whether God hath promised and Christ engaged in the Covenant of Redemption that the Elect shall believe and possess Christ c. This I affirm Antinom Then you own a Covenant between the Father and the Son and the Promise of it was Christ and all his Benefits This one Assertion lays the Covenant of Grace higher than it 's possible that you or I can reach by our Conditions only you would not have this the Covenant of Grace though it contains all Grace but a Covenant of Redemption contradistinct to the Covenant of Grace which is most absurd For what is Redemption but rich Grace God hath accepted us in the beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of Sins according to the riches of his Grace wherein he hath abounded toward us in all Wisdom and Prudence having made known unto us the mystery of his Will Eph. 1.6 7 8 9. This Mystery of his Will is the Covenant of Grace which I can easily also evince made manifest by the appearing of Jesus Christ and working out our Redemption and by the Preaching thereof 1 Tim. 1.10 11. Neonom Neither is there any Question Whether there be any Duty on Man's part as a Condition of Christ's Vndertaking or of the certainty of the things undertaken in that Covenant This I deny Antinom Then you deny all Conditions of ours as required in the Covenant of Redemption as you call it Call it then but the Covenant of Grace as it is and the Assembly call it and then you say as we do in that Point Neonom Nor whether the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace be performed in our own strength or be uncertain as to the Elect. This I deny D. W. p. 61. Antinom Then this Performance by Divine strength and certainty is founded on Promise and if so is the Gift of God and thence it 's frivolous to talk of Conditions to be performed on our part God doth not give his Gifts to us to make Purchase with and rob his Free Grace and his Son of the Honour due to them Neonom Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions move God to enact offer or appoint this Covenant whereby the Grace of Christ is applyed This I deny Antinom What mean you by enacting or appointing this Covenant If you mean your Law of Imperfection we know no such Covenant of God ever enacted or appointed Neonom Yea I add That God enacted this Covenant before we were born and offers an interest in it on it's proper terms to men when Sinners Antinom Then the Covenant was an Eternal Covenant or at least the compleating of it did not depend upon our coming in with our personal foederal Conditions But I do not grant that your Covenant of Imperfection was ever so enacted And 2. You say offers an Interest in it to Men when Sinners Now our Covenant of Redemption and Grace come to be all one All that remains to be done is to bring Sinners to a participating Interest in it Undoubtedly when the Covenant was enacted it was provided that Sinners should have a free unconditional participation of it for the Infinite Wise God knew Sinners would be so poor and wretched that they would have no Condition Money and
begets Faith Phil. 10. The Apostle James ch 1.15 useth the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning Sin when it is finished or compleated brings forth Death i. e. Sin when it appears as it is it 's Death and Condemnation in the Conscience So the Word brought thus by the Spirit into the Heart the Soul is freed from Condemnation it thereby hath Life he believes to the saving of the Soul And can this be denied to be good Faith and true Faith and all the Essence of our Divine Faith it being the believing of the Word so as to close with it and receive it according to the Nature and End of it The Apostle Heb. 11.1 describes Faith by two Words Marvellous Significent in our Sence by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud quo subsistunt Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasio Syr. It notes Confidence or Presence of Mind without fear So Polyb. It 's rendred Confident or confident Perswasion 2 Cor. 9.4 ch 11.17 and Heb. 3 14. where it signifies and is rendred Confident Perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Subsistance The Word is besides used concerning the Person of the Father Heb. 1.3 where Christ is said to be the Character of the Father's Hypostacy we read it Personality So here Faith is said to Personate the Truth or to be the Image of it as it were in the Heart or rather things hoped for it makes them as it were present ecchoing them in the Heart the Eccho speaking the same things the Voice doth and he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evidence or rather Demonstration of things not seen it takes up a Demonstration from God's Authority not from Sence or Reason Here Argumentum Inartific Divine Testimony is of greater Force than any Artificial Arguments can be There is also another Word whereby Faith is express'd and it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasio plena certioratio Stev It 's said of Abraham He was strong in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasae Intelligentiae Stev And what was his strength of Faith It was his Fulness of Perswasion or Confidence ver 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was fully perswaded of what God had promised The Word is used for Faith Col. 2.2 To all riches of the full assurance of understanding Denoting that Faith is primarily an Act of the Understanding this Word is often used for it 1 Thess 1.5 Heb. 6.11 10.22 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for plenam fidem vel persuasionem habeo Luke 1.1 Rom. 14.5 The very Greek Word for Perswasion is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.5 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am perswaded i. e. Do believe that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life c. i. e. This was his strong Faith Rom. 14.14 I am perswaded in the Lord Jesus that there 's nothing unclean of it self This was his Faith I will but name one place more Heb. 11.13 it 's said of those eminent Believers mentioned in that Chapter That they received not the Promises in the fulfilling of them by performance but saw them afar off and being perswaded of them saluted them in their own Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calvin You must own Saving Faith to be a Saving Perswasion you see or else you must deny the Scriptures and according to the Weakness and Strength of Perswasion we account our Faith is weaker or stronger yet hath it's Forma Differentia from its proper Adjuncts and Object Neonom When he puts a Man to examine his Faith he hath these Words D. W. p. 73. How do I know I believe in Christ He answers Do I rest my Heart upon his Truth Do I receive it as a Truth that I do believe Or do I reject it and will not receive it Then I do not believe it But if thou sit down and rest upon this Truth and receive it and do in reality believe it then you may absolutely conclude Christ is yours D. C. p. 107. Antinom I am sorry to see that you should have such an Aversion to these things I was preaching from Isa 42.6 7. and shewing how Christ receiveth Sinners as Sinners he never shuts out one of those Thousands that come upon the Tender of the Gospel Dr. C. p. 107. and if there be no Example of any shut out in the whole Scripture from whence fetch you that bitterness of your own Spirit that you may not that you dare not close with Christ But you will say If this taking Christ be the best Security how shall I know whether I believe or no Or how shall I know that this my taking is not counterfeit but solid and real Answ I answer by the reality of the thing Do you it indeed If you do it indeed it 's a real taking Do you not bid Men believe sincerely and indeed If a Man should ask you How do you know the Sun shines The light of the Sun doth shew it self and by it's light we know it shines How shall I know I believe There is a light in Faith that doth discover it self unto Men. The Soul that doth really close with Christ may conclude he doth so If you give 6 d. to a poor man and you say to him How do you know I have given you 6 d He will answer I have it in my Hand and feel I have it So ask your Hearts this Question How do I know I believe in Christ Do I rest my Heart upon this Truth Do I receive it as a Truth c Calvin What can you Mr. Neonomian with any face except against this Doctrine Doth not the Apostle say 1 John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son hath a witness in himself Is there any clearer Evidence of an Action than the doing it Ask a Man how he knows he can eat saith he I do eat I do taste and swallow what I eat So that Instance of the Sun shining which he gives there 's no doubt but the first Evidence the Soul hath is in Believing it self tho he tries his Faith by it's Fruits also and receives Evidence therefrom Is not Faith illustrated in Scripture by all our Senses Hearing Tasting Smelling Feeling or Touching Seeing And is there not Perception in the Exercise of all the Senses And how shall I know better that I do exercise them than by perceiving their Objects which is a Witness an Evidence a Demonstration to my self above all others that it is so The Natural Man indeed receiveth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the Spirit by Faith 1 Cor. 2.14 and therefore they are foolishness to him But the Spiritual Man doth i. e. by Faith Neonom He says If the Lord give to any to believe this Truth D. W. p. 74. Dr. C. p. 296. that it is his
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
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
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
become most abominable as if God stood in need of something that we have To depart from Iniquity or to labour in Holiness in order to express our Thankfulness unto God for his Mercies in Jesus Christ is most grateful and most forcible Again Love unto God for all his Glorious Excellencies especially for his Mercy in Christ Jesus is the best Principle of Holiness and our departing from Iniquity and this Love is begun and flows from God's Love first He that Acts according to any of God's Commandments out of hope to Merit by them may Act out of Love indeed but it must be then Self-love to obtain as he vainly thinks by his Obedience Eternal Happiness Our Love of God should exceed Self-love as far as God himself exceeds which is Infinitely Our Love of God is a Vertue and the Foundation of the rest Our Love of our selves thus taken is a Sin a Mother Sin the cause of all the rest of our Sins c. I am mistaken if I find not this Doctrine of working for Life according to your sence exactly in the Council of Trent Decree XVI Grace proposeth to the Just the Exercise of Good Works by which Eternal Life is gained as Grace promised by the Mercy of God and a Reward due to Good Works by the Divine Promise And it concludeth This Doctrine doth not establish any Righteousness of our own refusing the Righteousness of God but the same is said to be in us and of God being infused by him for the Merit of Christ Calvin But Mr. Neonomian saith in his Reply It 's vain and false Mr. Antinomian that you say that you are only against setting Graces and Holiness in the place of Christ Antinom He that reads my Sermons must needs see the Truth of that Assertion I have nothing to say to such as only depend upon Mr. Neonomian's report Neonom He reckons they are put in Christ's place though they be affirmed but as Means and Conditions antecedently necessary by Divine Appointment to obtain any Blessing for the sake of Christ's Merits Antinom And well I may if Men must be gracious and holy antecedently to any Blessing for the sake of Christ's Merits and by vertue of that Antecedent Grace and Holiness do obtain Blessings for the sake of Christ's Merits I think you outstrip the Papists here in the Doctrine of Merit Neonom His Principles are That Faith is not so much as an Instrument whereby we are united to Christ or Justified P. 616. Antinom He speaks not there of Faith as an Instrument but he doth speak of it as such P. 597. where he saith Faith is not the Instrument Radically to unite Christ and the Soul together but rather is the Fruit that flows from Christ the Root being united before-hand by the Spirit to the Persons that do believe Neonom 2. That Christ brings us all good things when we are ungodly so it 's in vain to do any thing to obtain these P. 41. Antinom He speaks there of Justification by Faith alone without Works And we are delivered from Wrath before we step a step into Duties and we do not the Duty to be delivered but we do the Duty because we are delivered and seeing all these are settled by Christ for us of Free Gift all we do is for Christ himself I say that we do we do for Christ and not for our selves Neonom He saith Obedience is not the way to Heaven and Sanctification is not the way to a Justified Person Antinom No Sanctification is not the way of Justification he speaks of the way of Justification we are not according to his Divinity Justified by Inherent Holiness or Righteousness though we are according to yours And he tells you Sanctification is our business in Christ the Way for whatever Duty is performed acceptably must be wrought by Faith in Christ Jesus we are Sanctified in Christ Christ is the true way of Sanctification Neonom He saith He should not have the least Thought in his Heart of promoting or advancing himself or any end of his own by doing what he doth Antinom You know this thing is no new Doctrine It use to be one of the signs and marks of Truth of Grace when we Act in Duty singly for the Glory of God and not for selfish and sinister ends and designs but this is spoken to sufficiently before DEBATE XV. Of the Way to attain Assurance Neonom THE next Errour that I have to charge Mr. Antinomian with is his Doctrine of Assurance Errour Assurance is not attained by the Evidence of Scripture marks or signs of Grace or by the Spirits discovering to us that he hath wrought in our Hearts any Holy Qualifications But Assurance comes only by an Inward Voice of the Spirit saying Thy Sins are Forgiven thee and our Believing thereupon that our Sins are forgiven D. W. p. 161. Antinom What evidence do you bring of your Charge Neonom You say if you would know that the Lord hath laid your Iniquities on Christ you must know it thus 1. Is there a Voice behind thee in thy self Thy Sins are forgiven thee Dost thou see this Voice agree with the Word of Grace i. e. Dost thou see it held out to most vile and wretched Creatures as thou canst be And upon this Revelation of the Mind of the Lord by his Spirit according to that Word doth the Lord give to thee to receive that Testimony of the Spirit to sit down with it as satisfied that upon this thou makest full reckoning thou hast propriety in this particularly to thy self If thou dost receive that Testimony according to that Word here is thy Evidence thou hast thy Propriety and Portion in this Dr. Cr. p. 491. Calvin And do you Banter this Doctrine as Erroneous Stuff I would wish you to have a care it 's a tender Point Antinom I will acquaint you with a little of my foregoing Discourse Let us see what kind of evidencing believing gives it is not a Revealing Evidence Dr. Cr. p. 491. nor an Effecting Evidence these the Word and Spirit are but it is a Receiving Evidence or it is an Evidence as it doth receive that Testimony which the Spirit holds out applying it to the Heart as the Eyes receive the light and the Ears the sound and if we ask a Man how do you know such a thing he will say I saw it with my Eyes and heard it with mine Ears It is an evidence as an Officer in Court that speaks nothing of his own knowledge but produceth Records and testifieth the Authentickness of the Records The Life of Evidence is materially in the Records themselves but the Officer is an Evidence as he doth assert the Truth of such Records It is even so with Faith The Spirit of the Lord makes the Records and speaks the Records to the Heart Now Faith comes in and receives what the Spirit of the Lord hath written In brief Faith is an Evidence as it doth take Possession of
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
from his first Charge I doubt not but that our Sins were all at once laid on Christ Paul's Sins were on Christ in the heighth of his Rebellion and Persecution and Christ came upon him effectually to convert him as the Fruit thereof even in the midst of his Rebellion He saith the grace of laying sin on Christ is applied to sinners while they are departed from God and is the cause of the gift of Converting-grace plain Instances whereof were Saul and the Jaylor whom the Covenant-grace took hold on in the heighth of their Rebellion But all this reacheth not the Proof of your Charge which you call Error here Neonom But he saith God hath not one Sin to charge upon an Elect Person from the first moment of Conception to the last moment of Life no nor Original Sin is not to be laid upon him the Lord hath laid it on Christ already D. W. p. 171. from D. Cr. p. 364. Antinom You have been harping on this string already I shall only repeat my words as spoken D. Cr. p. 364. I said it is true an elect person not called is never able to know individually of himself that he is such an one that God hath nothing to charge upon him because till calling God gives not unto persons to believe and it 's only believing which evidences to men of things not seen Things that are not seen they are hidden and secret and shall not be known I mean the things of God's love to men shall not be known to particular men till they do believe But considering their real condition in foro Dei the Lord hath not one sin to charge an elect person with from the first moment of his life till the last minute of it there is not so much as original sin the ground is the Lord hath said it on Christ already See Rom. 8 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 16.14 Was there by one act the expiation of sin and all at once that were committed from the beginning of the World to the end thereof how comes it to pass that this or that sin should be laid upon elect persons when they were laid upon Christ long before I deny not but according to the sense of the Law and in foro conscientiae they are charged and sin is laid to their charge but I speak of their real standing in the Eye of God's Justice their sins were laid on Christ and carried away by him Neonom He saith It 's a Voice of a lying Spirit in your Hearts that saith that you that are believers have yet Sin wasting your Consciences and lying as a Burden too heavy for you to bear c. D. W. p. 171. from Dr. C. p. 298. Antinom The Voice is not of the true Spirit and therefore must be of the lying Spirit 1. If he lye under Conscience walâ—ing Sin it seems to be a lying Spirit that tells him he is a believer 2. If he be a real believer and sin lye so heavily upon his Conscience it 's a sign that his Faith is very weak that it hath not reached the Blood of Christ to the purifying of his Conscience and that he lyes under the Spirit of Bondage quite contrary to the Spirit of Adoption Neonom He saith Was not David a justified Person and did not he bear his own Sin After several things he answers I must tell you all that David speaks here he speaks from himself and all that David speaks from himself was not truth Antinom Why do you not tell those several things My Answer to the Objection as to the sum of it was this I know this Objection seems unanswerable as in several passages Asaph speaks to that purpose and in that particularly where he saith Hath God forgottâ—n to be gracious Hath he shut up his loving-kindness And will he be gracious no more First I would fain know whether now under the times of the Gospel there be not many tender-hearted religious People that cry out of their own Sins and the weight and burden of their own Sins upon their own Spirits as well as David I must tell you all that David said from himself was not truth And is it truth when a sincere-hearted believer through the power of temptation and infidelity â—alls into despairing Expressions Did Asaph speak well in these Passages to charge God that he had forsaken him for ever David might mistake then that God should charge sin upon him and it may be he might charge sin upon himself without any Warrant or Commission from God to do it And doth not Asaph upon recollecting himself in that Psal 77.10 acknowledge that to be his Infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Sickness or Spiritual Disease that I should think or speak at this rate of God And are you so offended that I say it was Asaph's mistake It was by some mistake that those words were said to be David's when Asaph's Doth not the Spirit of God in Asaph say that it was not only his mistake but sin of infirmity Calv. I think you have given a sufficient Answer to that Allegation of his I pray let 's hasten as much as may be Neonom I must confess I have not much to say against the Answer But he saith Before a believer doth confess his sin he may be as certain of the pardon of it as after confession D. W. p. 172. from Dr. C. p. 213. Antinom Speaking of Christ's free welcom to all comers this Objection among others was spoke to But must not he confess first Dr. C. p 213. and be afflicted in his Soul before he can think he shall be received if he come For answer I said 1. I deny not but acknowledge when a believer sins he must confess his sins and the greatest end and ground of this confession is that which Joshua speaks concerning Achan Josh 7.19 My Son confess thy faults and give glory to God A believer in the confession of sin gives glory to the great God of Heaven and Earth and that must be the glorious end of confession of his sin that God may be owned as the sole and only Saviour Except we do acknowledge Sin we cannot acknowledge Salvation we cannot acknowledge any Vertue in the Works and Sufferings of Christ Christ might have saved his labour and never come into the World all that Christ did couâ—d not be acknowledged to be of worth to us if there had not been sin from which Christ should save us He that doth indeed confess his sin doth indeed confess he had perished if Christ had not died for him nay he confesseth that nothing in the World but Christ could save him 2. I grant that a believer should be sensible of sin i e of the nature of sin But my main design is to shew you that Confession of Sin is not the procuring Cause of the Pardon of Sin A believer i. e. a true believer may certainly conclude even before confession of sin that reconciliation is made
Soul out of Hell So you see the difference that still we have it and yet we have it not But why is our own Righteousness that is inherent in us to be disclaimed 1. Because it is a way impossible for a Sinner to go to Heaven by or to be Righteous by that Ladder is too short tho' it seem long enough to you that have some Fragments of the Law 2. Not having it why Because there is another Righteousness and not this which is called the Righteousness of God There is another Adam and that Adam hath another Righteousness for all to believe in a Gospel Righteousness which is not of the Law There is another Covenant God hath appointed whereby a Sinner must be just now because there is another not this 3. Because one of these voids the other if I have the Righteousness of God then mine own is void if mine own then the Righteousness of God is void As the Apostle saith of Grace if Works not Grace and if Grace not Works p. 192 193 194 195. Calvin Reverend Sir we must from the bottom of Hearts most sincerely acknowledge That it is a great piece of Service that you have done to Christ his Gospel Church and poor lost Sinners in this ample and distinct Testimony which you have born to the Truth not only in plainly discovering Mr. Neonomian's corrupt and illiterate Interpretation of this great Portion of Scripture and vindicating of it but also in that you have subverted his whole Scheme laid open the rottenness of the Principles he hath so boldly asserted in his Book and shew'd the dangerous tendency of them Neonom This Gentleman is much mistaken and I could shew where his Mistakes lies Antinom You shew his Mistakes Quid Rectum dignoscere curbo Neonom I believe him an able Man and that sometimes he was of my Judgment because Mr. B. dedicated his Aphorisms to him and acknowledged that he was a fit Censor of his Doctrin Antinom It 's true one would think that piece of Flattery and many others had been enough to engage Mr. R. Vines to subscribe to Mr. B.'s Opinion but it was sufficiently known that instead of so doing Mr. Vines seldom preached a Sermon wherein he did not make a strict Inquisition after the Neonomianism that lay in his way and crackt it as a Man will crack a Louse DEBATE XX. Of Gospel and Legal Preaching Neonom I Have this Error further to charge upon Mr. Antinom viz. Gospel Preaching he saith Is to teach Men that they were as much pardoned and as acceptable to God always as when they were Regenerate and while they are Vngodly they had the same Interest in God and Christ as when they believe neither can Sin any way hinder their Salvation or their Peacc nor have they any thing to do further either of them Christ having done all for them before any holy qualification or endeavour D. W. p. 208. Antinom Here is a long Charge whether it be true or no in part or whole it will appear by the Proof Neonom Page 159. he saith The more Light and Glory of the Gospel shineth in the true Intention of God to his People the more should they have Joy and Gladness why may not then a Believer say The Lord hath been bountiful to me God hath done every thing in Christ and taken away all things that can disturb my Peace and Comfort Antinom What is this to prove your Charge What is this to prove that I say a Man is as much pardoned and as acceptable to God always as when Regenerate while he is Ungodly c There 's not any part of your Charge here proved for I speak of a Believer and that God hath done all for him in Christ and dare you say otherwise But hear what I said which you hide lest your Charge should appear false at the first sight you take only the concluding Words of my Sermon on Rom. x. 2 3 4. just before that p. 158. Object You will say you know many of the People of the Lord Jesus that walk sadly and disconsolately not having this joy and gladness I answer There is nothing hinders the Joy of God's People but their Sins those as they conceive stand as a separation betwixt God and them Oh they stand as a cooling Card in all their Joys and Mirth But when they return to Zion they shall rejoice in that they see that the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God hath taken away all their Sins the Scape-goat having carried them away into the Land of Forgetfulness in that they see that all their Transgressions are blotted out as a Cloud c. When they shall come by the sight of the Glory of the Gospel and the Light thereof to behold this state that Christ hath brought them into then all matter of Sorrow and Sighing shall fly away and the bitterness of it shall be taken away and then that which was the occasion of that bitterness shall vanish too I do not say that he is no Believer that hath not this perfectly far be it from me so to say there are that are Believers that are weak in Faith and there are Believers strong in Faith the more the Light of the glorious Gospel shines c. Calvin Mr. Neonomian I wonder what a Gospel you Preach or would have others Preach Is not Sin the Hindering-Cause of Spiritual Joy Is it not God that blots out our Sins and remembers them no more Is not the Faith of this the Ground-work of all true Joy Have not some Believers less and some more according as their Faith is and the Light of the Gospel shines into their Hearts And do they not by virtue of this Joy and Peace in believing return to their rest And may they not say The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me as David did May they not return to their rest and sit down in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost The Lord hath done all for me in Christ who hath made him Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Is there any thing you can rejoice in but what is done for us or wrought in us by Christ That Sin is taken away in the attonement and satisfaction of Christ the great cause of my disturbance Neonom He saith p. 186. Here is first Deliverance and then Service is the Fruit of this Deliverance not Deliverance the Fruit of Service The Tenor of the Law runs thus First do and then live The Gospel saith First live and then do do not think God gives Christ upon condition Antinom What 's all this to the proving of your Charge of Error 1. It reacheth not the Terms of your Charge if it were Error But 2dly Where is the Error Doth he not clear it from plain Scripture which you take no notice of viz. Zacharias's Song Luke 1.74 75 Do we serve God acceptably before we are delivered from Sin and Satan through Redemption and Application Can we serve God in Holiness 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
Forgiveness It was not expressed no more was the Admittance of a Surety But if God had intended the Salvation of Man by a Law of Works this might have been admitted When once a Transgressor is sentenced by the Law he falls into the Hands of Prerogative and the Prince may do with him what he pleaseth God also might have put Repentance into the Conditions of the Law of Works at first and said If thou dost not eat or repent of thy eating thou shalt have thy Reward But God never intended to accept Repentance as a Foederal Condition of any Covenant whatever nor no other Imperfect Obedience There was never but one Law of Works and to fulfilling it he always stood upon perfect sinless Obedience Neonom Vpon the Fall Life is impossible by the Law with this Sanction Antinom Yea or by any Law whatsoever with this Sanction Neonom And hence to preach it to Sinners as a way to Blessedness is sinful and vain and no saving Benefit is dispensed to any of us by this Rule Antinom To preach any Law to Sinners as a way to Blessedness in this forementioned Sence of a Law is sinful and vain and no saving Benefit is dispensed to any of us by such a Rule Therefore the preaching a new Law is as sinful and vain Neonom The Gospel includes the Moral Preceptive part of the first Law with some additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate State As Faith in an attoning Saviour and Repentance for Sin these could not be injoyned as Duties upon innocent Man by a Rule of Happiness and Misery Nor could they be necessary to his Right to Life because they would suppose him a Sinner Antinom 1. I deny that the Gospel takes in or includes any Moral Preceptive part of the Law as a Rule of Happiness and Misery with Sanction as a Foederal Condition nor any Additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate state as Faith and Repentance For it were vain to set up such a Law seeing a Law of Works proved fruitless to Man in his perfect State it 's much more likely to be of none effect we being now a Thousand times more unable to perform the old Law or a new one with Additional Precepts And it becomes not the Wisdom of God to make a Law to enjoyn new Obedience to dead Men unless he makes them alive first Moreover all the Preceptive Will of God then or afterward to be revealed was enjoyned to Man as his Duty to observe in the Law of Nature imprinted on his Heart As for Faith it was an eminent part of his Perfection and that which the Serpent first wounded him in by Temptation Repentance also is an included Duty required in every Command of God upon a Supposal of a Transgression but that Repentance or any Duties are enjoyned as a Rule of Happiness and Misery if I understand your Rule aright viz. A Foederal Condition giving Right as such since the Fall I utterly deny and the rather because any such Duties suppose him a Sinner as will be very easily made appear when need requires Neonom The Gospel is taken in a large Sence when I say it includes all the Moral Precepts But yet the Gospel doth so and they are the Commands of Christ as Redeemer to whom all Judgment is committed as well as the Law of the Creator Antinom In your Sence it 's taken in so large a Sence as to make it Gospel is Nonsence If it takes in all Moral Precepts as Foederal Conditions that 's your Sence then it sets up the Old Law again only new vamps it with some Additional Precepts You have the Old Law you say and a great deal more the Precepts of Faith and Repentance which are a Thousand Times more hard to perform by Man in his Apostate State than ever a hundred Laws would have been to Adam in his Innocency Now here is in your new Law brought in not only all the Precepts of the Old Law for Condition but the difficult Task of a Blackamore's changing his Skin and a Leopard his Spots before the Sinner hath the Benefit of the Promise so much as in any taste of pardoning Mercy which you make when he hath it the Foederal Reward for so it must be of his Conformity to the Rule 2. Christ our Redeemer gives Commands and exerts a Kingly Power in Government of his Church and hath Judgment committed to him but these are not of the Gospel Conditions of Life unto Sinners propounded in the Gospel God doth not require Obedience to the Laws of Christ in his Church as Foediral Conditions of Eternal Life Such Obedience is part of the Life promised There is the Essence of the Gospel and the Effects of the Gospel The Essence of the Gospel is altogether Promise and Free Gift the Effects of the Gospel is every Priviledge and Blessing and the Production of all Good Fruits in Service and Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ 3. It 's true all Judgment is committed to Christ as his Reward but all that Judgment is not the Gospel viz. Whenever Christ is found in a way of Judgment to destroy not to save So the Word Preached where it proves a Savour unto Death it 's not Gospel to such in the Event 4. You say they are the Laws of a Redeemer as well as the Laws of a Creator It 's true Christ is Creator But is the Gospel a Revival of his Law as Creator in a way of Redemption If you mean so then the Ministry of the New Testament is the same to us with the Ministry of Death and Condemnation contrary to 2 Cor. 3.7 9. Neonom 3. The Gospel hath another Sanction to the preceptive part of the Law than the Covenant of Works had Antinom This is a strange Assertion For there was never any Law of God with Sanction but it was always the same Suppose that your new Law were a Reality and not a Fiction of Mens Brains as it is can there be any other Sanction than what was annex'd to the old is it not a Promise of Life upon the Condition of performing Obedience and a Denunciation of Death to the Non-performers What other Sanction have you or can you pretend to besides this Neonom Though nothing be abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty yet Blessings are promised to lower Degrees of Duty Antinom The Change you pretend to therefore is not in the Sanction but in the Condition the preceptive part or the Obedience to it required your Sanction still remains of Life or Death as in the first Covenant of Works But see how well your Scheme hangs together You say there 's nothing abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty 1. I never thought God gave a Rule of Sin therefore that 's mighty improper but let it be a Rule to judge of Sin by 2. You say There 's nothing abated of the Rule of Sin and Duty therefore nothing abated in the conditionary preceptive part of the Law And there
D. C. p. 268. by Imputation and so cease to be thine for he was numbred with Transgressors God himself did account him among the number of Transgressors for he himself made him a Transgressor at that time bear with the Expression for the Apostle hath a higher than this though it may seem harsh to you 2 Cor. 5. c. He was made Sin for us there 's a great deal of difference between being made Sin and a Sinner the Expression in the Abstract going beyond the Concrete I know the word may be spoke Hyperbolically not that Christ simply could be made Sin not that his Essence could be turned into Sin but the Apostles meaning was that no Transgressor in the World was such a Transgressor as Christ was But still he was a Transgressor as our Transgressions were laid upon him not that he was the Actor of any Transgressions Now Sir you hearing me say this that Christ was a Transgressor by way of Suretiship only not as the Actor of any Sin in his own Person do not you traduce me slanderously charge me with saying that Christ was really the Blasphemer and Murderer and Idolater And that because I say If thou be a Thief Murderer or Drunkard if thou hast part in the Lord all these Transgressions of thine become Actually the Transgressions of Christ i. e. by Actual Imputation as the Debts of a Bankrupt becomes a Surety that undertakes them Was not Noah's Drunkenness David's Murder and Adultery Rachel's Theft and Idolatry Imputed to Christ How would you have these great foul Sins forgiven I suppose you are not for the taking away so great Sins by the Blood of Christ with you it would redound to the disparagement of Christ Neonom Yes if he should bear the filthiness and loathsomeness of Sin as you say D. C. p. 436. he bears the loathsomness abominableness and hatefulness of Rebellion which is laid on Christs Back he bears the Sin as well as the Shame and Blame Antinom I was opening Psal 68.18 Thou hast received Gifts from Men yea for the Rebellious also an Eminent Prophesie of Christ The Text saith also that thou mightest dwell among them who is that them The Rebellious Beloved you must know that no Evil dwells with God the Lord stands fully off and separated from all Iniquity Therefore seeing God can't dwell with Iniquity there must be a taking away of Iniquity before there be a receiving graciously Hos 14.2 3. As long as there is Iniquity to be charged upon any Person there 's no receiving graciously therefore seeing God cannot dwell with Men where Iniquity is Christ he received Gifts for Men that the Lord might dwell among the Rebellious and inlarging here I spake what he rehearseth by way of Reproach unto me It is easie to misrepresent any Mans words and make them look very odiously if you hang draw and quarter them pluck a Sentence limb from limb But the thing in Dispute betwen us is Whether Christ did not bear the very Sins of the Elect in some sence or other Neonom Yes it is so for you say it's Sin opposed to Guilt and to say that God laid the Guilt of Sin D. W. p. 9. and not Sin it self upon Christ is contrary to Scripture Antinom For the Objection about Guilt that the Lord lays the Guilt and Punishment D. Cr. p. 271. but not simply the Sin it self for ought that I see it is a simple Objection For first you shall never find there is distinction in all the Scriptures That God laid the Guilt of Sin upon Christ and not Sin it self Dr. C. 272. nay to affirm that God laid the Guilt of Sin upon Christ and not Sin it self is contrary to Scripture i. e. to deny that God laid Sin it self by saying he laid Guilt and not Sin must needs be so because the Scriptures affirm positively God laid Sin yea Iniquity upon him and that he bore our Sins c. What presumption then is it for Man to say God laid the Guilt and not the Sin i. e. to assert the laying of Guilt on Christ with a denial of laying Sin 2. That you may have a little Light concerning the Word Guilt for I know many Spirits are troubled at it for my part I do not think as some do that Guilt differs from Sin as that which is an Obligation or Binding over to the Punishment of Sin rather than Sin it self being past and gone for when Sin is committed it leaves behind the Conscience of Sin committed which is the Sin lying upon us But that you may have the true Nature of Guilt Gen. 42.21 When Joseph's Brethren were accused for Spies there it is said they spake one to another We are guilty concerning our Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buxtorf renders it Delinquentes and it 's applyed to being under Levitical Vncleanness actually Levit. 5.2 the Chald. renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Debitores we are Debtors to the Law in breaking of it We have contracted the Debt of Sin an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it s not a little remarkable how the LXXII LXX Isa 53.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpret the forementioned word Gen. 42.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are in our Sins or the Sins are upon us which we committed about our Brother What is the meaning of Guilty here D. C. ibid. Reuben Expounds that Ver. 22. Did not I say to you Sin not against the Lad but you would not hearken unto me and therefore behold we are guilty What is that We did Sin against the Child to be guilty then and to commit Sin is all one they are but two words expressing the same thing for further understanding A Malefactor is asked Guilty or Not Guilty He answers Not Guilty he means he hath not done that Fact which was laid to his Chage when the Jury say Guilty what do they mean Do they mean any thing of the Punishment no they enquire only of the Justness of the Charge concerning matter of Fact the Jury have nothing to do with the Punishment but only matter of Fact whether done or not done so that Guilt and Sin are all one And to say Guilt is laid upon Christ but Sin is not laid upon Christ is a contradiction and whereas some say the Punishment of Sin and not the Sin I say that Scripture that warrants the laying Punishment on Christ he was wounded for our Transgressions warrants the laying Sin upon Christ in speaking it thrice plainly in the same Chapter P. 383. 281 288 290. I say here is a real Act and not supposed only God doth really pass over Sin upon him still keeping this fast That Christ Acted no Sin so that in respect of the Act not one Sin of the Believers is Christs But in respect of Transgression i. e. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the relation that Sin hath to the Law as a fault in respect of conveyance as to passing Accounts from one
Sin You say the guilty Person is no Sinner formally What then a punishable Creature Do you mean a Creature capable of Suffering so is a Dog or a Cat or a Horse Or do you mean a Man under a Law If under a Law he is not punishable but as a Sinner Sin is Subjectivè formalis ratio poenae Sin is subjectively the formal Reason of Punishment So that a Man must be denominated a Sinner formally or else he is not punishable in any way of Justice Neonom In the whole Scheme of your Principles it 's Elect as Elect who cease to be Sinners When you speak of Believers you do not mean that he was a Sinner before he believed for you state the time when Christ had his Sins laid upon him D. W. p. 23. Antinom Believers of great Antiquity older than Methuselah But methinks a Man that would be taken for a great Divine and one that in tenderâ—ess to Holiness will rather with-hold the Truths of the Gospel and abscond them lest Men should take too much liberty thereby to sin I say one would think such a Man should for his Reputation sâ—ke make Conscience of speaking Truth and much more tremble at the Temptation to Bantering and exposing the great Truths of the Gospel to Scorn and Reproach How can you dare to toss tumble reproach and load this great Truth of the Gospel in the very Words of the Holy Ghost with all the odious Consequences imaginable You may value your self as you please or other Men may judge of you and your Words as they please I shall only desire you to read Job 19.27 28 29. Neonom Now I will tell you what is the Truth Antinom No no I hope we know the Truth Tell us the Eror you charge me with and if there be time we will hear the Truth afterward Neonom If you are in such haste for it you shall have it then Errour The Elect upon the Death of Christ ceased to be Sinners and ever since their Sins are none of their Sins but are the Sins of Christ and this I prove to be your Error from your own Words You put this Objection Must he not be reckoned a Sinner while he doth sin A. I answer No Tho he doth Sin yet he is not to be reckoned a Sinner but his Sins are reckoned to be taken away from him c. A Man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it Christ's therefore he cannot reckon it his Dr. Cr. p. 8. Antinom Gentlemen I would have you observe the things that are Asserted by Mr. Neonom for I beseech you do me Justice that it appears that I speak always of the Elect as Elect and not Believers and when I mention Believers that I do not mean he was a Sinner before he believed I will read my Discourse to you taken from me as I delivered it Preaching from John 14.6 I was shewing Christ was the Way from a State of Sinfulness There is a two-fold consideration of Sinfulness from which Christ is our Way in a special manner 1. That which is called the Guilt of Sin which is indeed the Fault or a Persons being Faulty as he is a Transgressor Is 2ly The Power and over-masterfulness of Sin in Persons Christ is the way from both these 1. From the Guilt of Sin Christ is the way from the Guilt of Sin It is briefly no more but this to be â—â—d of the Guilt of Sin viz. Upon Tryal to be quitted and discharged from the Charge of Sin that is laid or may be laid to him and to be freed from it This is for a Person in Judgement to be pronounced actually innocent and a just Person as having no Sin to be charged on him This is to be free from the Guilt of Sin A Man is not free from a Fault as long as the Fault is laid to his Charge and he is then free when he is not charged with it He is only the way by which a poor Sinner may be pronounced innocent and having proved that Christ is the way to take away the Guilt of Sin which I say is the Charge of Fault by many plain places of Scripture and by the Type of the Scape Goat I came to answer this Objection But do not those that receive Christ actually commit Sin I answer Yea they do commit Sin and the Truth is themselves can do nothing but commit Sin If a Person that is a Believer hath any thing in the World he hath received that if he doth any thing that is good it is the Spirit of God that doth it not he Therefore he himself doth nothing but Sin his Soul is a Mint of Sin Dr. Cr. p. 3. 8. Now therefore judge Gentlemen whether here I say the Elect ceased to be Sinners ever since the Death of Christ If Sinners after believing much more before in respect of the Indwelling of Sin and Corruption and do not in this Sence cease to be Sinners after believing I went on Then you will say If he doth sin must not God charge it where it is all this while speaking of a Believer Must he not be reckoned to be a Sinner while he doth sin A. I answer No though he doth sin yet he is not to be reckoned a Sinner i. e. Being a pardoned Believer God doth not reckon him so and he ought by Faith to behold all his Sins taken away in Christ but his Sins are to be reckoned to be taken away from him A Man borrows 100 l. some Man will pay it for him Doth he not owe this 100 l. seeing he borrowed it I say no in case another hath paid it for him A Man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it Christ's therefore he cannot reckon it his God hath laid it upon Christ ' Thou hast sinned Christ takes it off supposing I say thou hast received Christ Is this any other Doctrine than what John teaches 1 John 1.7 8. Chap. 2.1 2. I say in one respect they are not Sinners in another they are Sinners And is this any other Doctrine than what the Scripture and all our best Divines teach Therefore judge ye how justly now I am charged with this Error Neonom But you said If thou hast part in the Lord Christ which he thinks all unbelieving Elect have All those Transgressions of thine become actually the Transgressions of Christ and so cease to be thine Dr. C. p. 270. Antinom Is it not very unfair dealing for you to impose a wrong meaning upon my Words when I express my self so plainly If thou hast received Christ if thou hast a part in the Lord Christ who will understand these Expressions but of our active receiving and partaking of Christ though I do speak elsewhere of our having Benefit by Christ and a hidden Right in him and it hath an Influence on us and we are passive therein before we believe yet it 's not
his Loving Kindness shall not depart from them and all things shall work together for their good Neonom An Hundred such Consequences naturally proceed from this Error which fully tends to render Sin and Sinners Innocent Not to say what Popery is in it as if Justification did remove the Filth of Sin Antinom By such consequent Drawers as you are who will charge the greatest Truths of the Gospel with any Absurdities that are forged by carnal Reason As for danger of Popery where is most in Justification by Free Grace or Works And when you make it appear that Justification doth not take away the Guilt of Sin then you shall convince me it taketh not away Filth in that respect For I take no greater Filth to be in Sin than Guilt and that which is the Fountain of all other Filth that is in it or produced by it causeth the inherent Macula And whereas you say the Doctrine of laying Sins on Christ tends to make Sin and Sinners innocent To make Sin innocent is a contradiction Sin is never made no Sin tho' the Sinner may be made no Sinner in a Gospel Sence and your Position is dangerous Neonom I will shew the Grounds of your Mistake You think because God removes our Sins by Pardon so as to acquit us from Punishment therefore our Sins cease to be ours D. W. p. 27. Antinom That is no Pardon to acquit only from Punishment if the Fault remain so that the Person is under the Charge of it 2. Remitting of Punishment only doth not discharge us from Sin 3. Sin imputed to Christ is not imputed to us It 's a Contradiction to say that it is in the same respect and yet we say it was our Sins imputed to Christ and so it 's still We say not they are not ours imputed to Christ but they are ours by Commission and his by Imputation Neonom Because a pardoned Sinner is discharged from Condemnation therefore you think that Person is not to be denominated a Sinner from the Violation of the Precept Antinom Pardon dischargeth from the Fault it self and forgives it or else it 's no Pardon A Man may many ways escape Punishment and not have the Fault pardoned He that is pardoned is no Sinner in the Eye of the Law but we call him a pardoned Sinner and such an one ought by Faith to look upon himself as perfectly righteous before God Neonom Because Christ took upon him to make Satisfaction for Sin therefore he thinks no Filth can cleave to the Offender nor he be a Transgressor by the Offence Antinom You know I do not think so for you know I said a Believer of himself can do nothing but sin And do not you contend with me for saying Our very Righteousness is Sin polluted and unclean And you know my Meaning is that we are peâ—fect and compleat in Christ in our selves all things are polluted and unclean And I take this to be very sound Divinity I will tell yau what Luther saith There is no more Sin Death or Malediction since Christ now reigneth we daily confess also in the Creed of the Apostles which we say We believe there is an Holy Church which is indeed nothing else but as if we should say I bâ—lieve there is no Sin no Malediction no Death in the Church of God Fâ—r they 〈◊〉 do believe in Christ are no Sinners are not guilty of Death but are holy and righteous Lords over Sin and Death and living for ever But Faith only seeth this for we say I believe there is an Holy Church Luth. on Gal. 3.14 Obj. If thou wilt believe Reason and thine own Eyes thou wilt judge clean contrary for thou seest many things in the Godly which offend thee they fall into Sin are weak in Faith subject to Wrath Envy and such other Evil Affections therefore the Church is not holy Answ I deny the Consequence If I look upon my own Person or the Person of my Brother it shall never be holy But if I behold Christ who hath sanctified and cleansed his Church then it is altogether holy For he hath taken the Sins of the whole World Therefore where Sins are seen and felt there are they indeed no Sins For according to Paul's Divinity there is no Sin no Death no Malediction any more in the World but in Christ that is the Lamb of God that hath taken away the Sins of the World who is made a Curse that he might deliver us from the Curse Contrariwise according to Philosophy and Reason Sin Death and the Curse are no where else but in the World in the Flesh or in Sinners for as a Sophistical Divine can speak no otherwise of Sin than doth a Heathen Philosopher Like as the Colour saith he cleaveth to the Wall even so doth Sin in the World in the Flesh and in the Conscience Therefore it is to be purged by contrary Operations But True Divinity teacheth there is no Sin in the World any more for Christ upon whom the Father hath cast the Sins of the World hath vanquished and killed the same in his own Body He once dying for Sin and raised up again dyeth no more Therefore where-ever there 's a true Faith in Christ there is Sin abolished dead and buried but where no Faith in Christ is there Sin doth still remain And albeit the Remnants of Sin be still in the Saints because they believe not perfectly yet are they dead in that they are not imputed unto them because of Faith in Christ DEBATE V. Of the Time when our Sins were laid on Christ and continued there Neonom LET us now discourse about the Time of God's laying our Sins on Jesus Christ I take Mr. Antinomian to be unsound in this Point For he saith That the Time when our Sins were laid actually on Christ was when he was nailed to the Cross and God actually forsook him and they continued on him till the Resurrection D. W. p. 28. Antinom My Words were these Now there was a pitch'd Time wherein God did serve Execution actually upon him and that was when God did forsake this Son of his when he called him forth and served Sin upon him as the Desert of Transgression when he said My God my God c. Now was the time of Payment and Satisfying God Dr. C. p. 356. I do not say that this was the first time of his bearing Sin he bore them in the Garden and was there sorrowful unto Death and lay under Soul-sufferings but upon the Cross he finished his greatest Sufferings made payment in full and therefore the Apostle Peter ascribes his bearing of Sin mostly to that time when he was upon the Cross and under Complaint of the Punishment of Loss God's forsaking of him Besides I distinguish between the charging Sin on Christ as our Debt and the Payment of the Debt and say this was the time of Execution and Payment though I know you confound bearing Sin as a Debt and making
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
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
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
without one desire to be rid of them D. W. p. 88. Calvin Do you think there will be any Fellowship between Christ and Belial One must be gone When Christ comes in unto the Heart he binds the strong man armed and spoils him of his Goods I am sorry to hear you banter a poor Sinner's believing in Christ under the sense of the Vileness and Sinfulness of his Disposition and the Enmity of his Heart or that you should suppose or suggest to the World that there is any way under Heaven to change the Heart and Disposition savingly or heal the Conscience but by bringing a poor Creature to Jesus Christ and him Crucify'd and saying to him Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved There is Pardon Forgiveness Cleansing in the Blood of Christ therefore the Course that I take always is to endeavour to set the Lord Jesus Christ in all his fulness before an awakened Sinner and if he be yet secure and going on in his evil ways I bring him as near to Christ as I can I endeavour to convince him that he sins against Christ as well as the Law the precicious Blood of Christ that was shed for Sinners I do what I can to bring him to Christ to be taught to be invited overcome by the Sweetness and Amiableness of Jesus Christ and let him know the danger if he persist obstinate Neonom But some degrees of Convictions and Humiliations of Soul are necessary prerequisites to the Souls Acceptation of Christ for Pardon weary and heavy laden that Christ invites Mat. 11.28 I came not to call the Righteous i. e. conceited and secure but Sinners to Repentance Luke 5.31 32. They in Acts 2.37 were pricked to the Heart the Gaoler felt some Humbling concern Acts 16.30 Paul knew what this trembling was so Zacheus and the Prodigal Luke 15.14 15. D. W. p. 87. Calvin All his humblings prickings weariness awakenings were by the Power of Gospel Grace and by the preaching of Jesus Christ Christ's Ministry is enough with his Power to save Souls he needs no prerequisites The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation therewith he wounds and therewith he makes whole Christ makes weary and gives rest he convinceth Sinners and gives Repentance the preaching Christ Crucified pricked those Converts to the Heart and healed those Wounds It was the same Hand of Grace that awakened the Gaoler and when he had a Knife in his Hand even to Murder Christ in his Members and when he saw that was wrinched out of his Hand took a Knife to Murder himself in the height of that desperate Villany he was commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he should be saved The case plainly is this That Jesus Christ himself the Minister of the true Sanctuary and the preaching of him is the only and sufficient Remedy to change and save the worst of Sinners through the effectual working of the Spirit the order and method is various it 's as the Spirit listeth we are not to prescribe any methods or measures of Humblings much less to say such and such Moral Vertues or Duties are necessary Prerequisites and Qualifications before a Sinner comes to Christ The Apostle Paul said That he determined to know nothing i. e. so as to Preach among them but Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 I am for working Humiliations by setting Christ before the most refractory Sinners ' for all Salvation true Mourning and Humiliation proceeds from looking on him whom a poor Sinner hath pierced I am for the bringing of the most Leprous Sinner I cannot engage he will come to wash in this Spirtiual Jordan though I find you are rather for washing off his Leprosie first in the Rivers of Abana and Pharfar Rivers of Damascus Neonom I am not for bringing such foul filthy Sinners to Jesus Christ it sounds very ill in the Ear to say Christ saves Murderers Adulterers Persecutors c. and to invite them to come to Christ reaking in their Sins and under the Reigning Enmity of their Hearts it 's fit that they should be civilized first and this wicked profligate disposition removed and that they have new Hearts before they come to Christ for I tell you Christ will not pardon them else Antinom You mistake the whole sence of the Gospel or will not understand it that you may seem to have a plausible pretence to oppose it When Sinners are invited to come to Christ it 's not meerly under the Notion of Pardon but of all Salvation he is offered and the Sinner is invited to come unto him as having given himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works A Sinner is by the Gospel called to Christ in all states of his Unregeneracy whether openly Prophane or Morally Vertuous one is as easily saved by Christ as the other the former ordinarily sooner easier converted seemingly than the latter neither is the latter better qualified and fitted for the Grace of God than the other That place quoted by you 1 Cor. 14.24 25. is a clear proof how the Word of God's Grace works these true Convictions in the Saving Work and that your Humblings in the state of Unregeneracy are no necessary Prerequisites to the Grace of God Neonom I will discover your Mistakes in these things Because they that truely come to Christ shall have an Interest in Christ therefore he thinks whosoever can perswade himself that he hath an Interest in Christ doth come to him Antinom It would have been well if it had been my Happiness to have attain'd to your degree of Learning and had so great a Capacity for it as you that I might not have fallen under so gross mistakes I confess it's pity a Doctor should be so silly a John-an-Oaks as you represent me But what shall I say to it It 's not every Man's Portion to be Learned or Wise only there 's one Proverb I remember that is some satisfaction to an empty Skull Non est datum cuivis Corinthum appellere But methinks you mistake about my Thoughts if I have Wit enough to tell my own Thoughts It is strange I should be so stupid as Credere quod habeo habeo as to believe that I have when I have not and to call that Perswasion my having I spake of having Christ by coming to Christ and then of our knowing that we have Christ If you will examine what I think I will tell you I think coming to Christ is by believing and appropriating Christ and what is generally delivered of him and by him unto my self if it be by way of Promise offer or command and that this believing is such perswasion of the Goodness and Truth of Christ and his Gospel Salvation that it carries me forth to rest and stay my self confidently thereon and that I can perswade my self of the Truth of my Faith from its Act on its proper Object and
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
Life as a Reward of work for this was the Tenour of the Covenant of Works but from Life received being dead in our selves by Nature and in respect of the Law Condemned Persons we must work not to obtain Eternal Life by working but having received Life from it to work Christ saith He is the Life the Resurrection and the Life Where 's the Man that can work without Life to work from Neonom But he understands this you 'l say only of External Duties but not of the Actings of Grace no I could shew you how he saith the same of all Graces Antinom You need not have troubled your selves with that Objection for I do intend all Graces and Duties for they must all be performed from a Principle of Life received and not for Mercenary Designs and Ends thinking that thereby we deserve any thing of the Lord for when we have done all we are unprofitable Servants Neonom He saith That is the proper Work that God hath given to Belleving D. W. p. 124. D. Cr. p. 326. not to effect any thing to the good of Man but only to be the witness of that good to the Spirit of Man and so give light to that which was hidden before Antinom You know my Opinion and it 's with other Divines That there is Justification in Heaven and Justification in a Man's Conscience and Spirit D. G. â— 3â—â— Justification in Consciences and Spirits of Men is the manifestation of that Act of God to a Man 's own Spirit by which a Man comes to know and consequently to rejoice in the Justification of God and so you may read the words Rom 5.1 Bring Justified by Faith i. e. through Faith having the Justification of God evidenced and manifested to our Spirits we have peace with God I contend not with them that say It Justifies Virtute objecti or Instrumentaliter So that I ascribeâ— all the Efficacy to Christ's Righteousness and not to the Act of Faith as a Quolifying Condition to Justifie sensu proprio as you and the Arminian's do and in that sence I spake against its doing us good that is in your sence of Justification Neonom He saith If you have more Ability than others in doing let it not come into your Thoughts D. W. p. 125. D. C. p. 429. as an Inducement to think better of your self as if you were more accepted of God or pleasing in his sight Antinom I believe it is or should be the Spirit of the best of God's Children that they prefer others above themselves Phil. 3. viz. That fear the Lord and think not that there 's any thing in them that makes them more accepted than others but that all that have true Faith are equally accepted in the Beloved and that Paul's Usefulness and Apostleship rendred him no more Justified than the meanest of the Disciples of Christ Calvin You see Mr. Antinom as he is for the exalting Christ so he speaks highly in the Commendation yea and usefulness of Holiness and good Works those diminutive Terms that he useth is in respect of Purchase obtaining Pardon or being qualifying Conditions for the bestowing of Benefits He holds Christ is the great Condition both of Grace here and glory hereafter tho' I confess I wish Mr. Antinom you had spared many Expressions for which I fear the Truth suffers from the ignorant and more learned of perverse Minds that make it their business to load the Doctrine of Free-Grace with all Scorn and Contempt and take all occasions to wound the Truth because of some rash or over-zealous Expressions used by you and others which it may be had you foreseen you would have prevented by not using them or had you printed your own Sermons you would not have sent to the Press Mr. Neonom I pray let us have this Doctrine delivered in your own Words and Expressions Neonom The Truth is this That though neither Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works do make any Atonement for sin or are in the least meritorious Righteousness whereby Salvation is caused or for which this or any Blessing becomes due to us by Debt yet as the Spirit of God freely worketh all Holiness and enableth to sincere Obedience and good Works so the Lord Jesus hath of his own Grace and for his own Merits promised to bring to Heaven such as are Partakers of true Holiness perform his sincere Obedience and do those good Works perseveringly Antinom You allow Christ the Honour of Atonement for Sin but how far I know not by what follows his Atonement reacheth not the Breach of the new Law Conditions but only so far as refers to Sins against the Old Law of which you will not allow Impenitency and Unbelief be a breach so that there must be some way in the new Law found out to expiate and appease God for them without Christ's Atonement Beside the Conditions of it it being only imperfect Obedience there will need nothing but the Performance of the constituted Condition which whether perfect or imperfect being performed as well as is required tho' sinfully imperfect leaves no place for Sacrifice or Atonement hence you allow Christ's Righteousness to have merited Blessings with the same Reserve which you are not willing to speak out viz. That Christ hath purchased and merited that we shall come under new and milder Terms with God or God rather with us We thank you no more than we do the Papists for saying Christ hath merited all and is a cause even as the Creation was of the Covenant of Works God's the Cause of all for he made all so Christ hath merited all that follows whatever new Laws and Conditions follow and upon which Terms Benefits become due to us you should have said to Mankind by Debt We may challenge the Priviledges of compounding with God upon such Terms as we like better than the former but our Failure in performing those Terms that Christ agreed for will bring us under new Arrearages to God And for your saying the holy Spirit worketh freely the said conditional Holiness it helps not which notwithstanding your setting aside the Word Merit is truly fo virtute compacti tho' not valoris intrinseci as much as Adam's would have been And as to the Spirit you ascribe the free giving and working of it you give no more to it than Adam had in the state of Innocency and not so much for God had given and wrought in Adam that Perfection and Strength of Grace whereby he might have stood if he would You say There is a Promise made by Christ of Glory upon Condition of their good Works and Perseverance Your Suggestion to us is of two Covenants of Grace procured by Christ for us One the Promise of the state of Grace and Justification provided we fulfil the Conditions of Faith and Repentance whereby we have the first Justification The Second Covenant is of a state of Glory upon condition of Perseverance in good Works which condition if we
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
to the Hallow I will tell you yea the Spirit tells you the rest the Non-elect Jews were blinded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that were saved the Grace of Election obtained for them But as for the rest they who were not elected they were hardned And when you have done and said all about your Serious Offers unless you hold conditional Election you must still continue to lay these foul Charges and Consequences upon God For whatever Offers are made the Non-elect will neither believe or be saved and in respect of Non-election are in the same Condition with the Devils Now say you then their Case is worse than Devils these Offers are made to them for no other design but to increase their Condemnation But I will tell you it becomes so to them per accidens the design of offering Salvation to the World is that Sinners may believe and be saved not that Elect Sinners should be secure or Non-elect Despair But what is in God's Mind as his Reason in making so indefinite an offer and tender of Grace whose is Election It is for the calling and gathering in of the Elect though an indefinite Invitation or Command of God makes the answer of it equally the Duty of all that hear it by the Law and I will tell you Ex Hebreae veritatis collatione appareat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondere vocabulo Hâ—braeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemo mirabitur quod maluerim soporem aut etiam stuporem convertere Ita n. Hebraei vocant altissimum veternum quod omnem sensum adimat idque optimè convenit ei quod precessit de Callo sive Obduratione quod subjicitur oculis de oculis ad videndam auribus ad audiâ—ndum ineptis Beza Chrâ—sost Theophyl Oecum Inteâ—â—râ—t Spiritum staporis pertiâ—â—â—iâ—â— i. e. animum in malo obstinatum ut neque aut moveri quasi clavo affixum Lee's Crit. the Truth of God's Word will stand against your Carnal Weapons and Banter Rom. 11.8 9. The rest besides the Remnant that were saved were not only blinded but hardned Judicially according to the Word of the Lord by Isaiah chap. 29.10 God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eyes that they should not see The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deep Sleep but the Apostle takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the LXII which primarily signifies compunction derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compungo and used Acts 2.37 It signifies a Mind fixed and pertinacious in evil God hath sent or given them saith Paul the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath given them to drink down a Spirit of Stupidity and see what follows ver 9.10 Notwithstanding the offer made the Non-elect fall under this Judicial proceeding of God viz. a Spirit of Slumber given them Eyes given them that they should not see Ears that they should not hear their Table becomes a Snare the offer of Grace a stumbling to them Nay you say then every Sin of theirs is against the Holy Ghost i. e. every Sin alike the unpardonable Sin There is no Sin unpardonable in respect of God i. e. such that God cannot pardon but there are Sins of the same Nature and Kind with them that are pardoned in some that will not be pardoned in others God 's not pardoning a Sin or Person makes not it or him unpardonable ab actu ad potentiam non valet consequentiam The Sin against the Holy Ghost is not therefore unpardonable because it cannot be pardoned but from the positive and declared will of Christ concerning it that it shall not be forgiven in this World nor in the World to come he hath made an exception upon this Species of Sin or Individual Sin Matth. 12.31 32. but for this reason no other sort or kind of Sin is unpardonable Christ that spake the one spake the other All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto Men ver 32. Is it not a marvellous piece of Impudence in you to draw this Inference upon Christ because Sins in the Non-elect are not forgiven eventually therefore now all manner of Sins in them are as unpardonable as Sins against the Holy Ghost Neonom To say no more it will follow Christ hath no Rule of distributive Justice but his own eternal purpose and Men's Regards to his promised Benefits are all forbidden even when our respect to them is that which subserves his Government and is supposed in all the Methods of it Antinom You need say no more unless it be to express your Repentance for what you have spoken What mean you by Christ's Rule of Distributive Justice Doth Christ offer Salvation unto Sinners or dispence Grace to Believers in a way of Distributive Justice Is not this to make the Covenant of Grace a Law of Works with a witness It 's true Christ governs the World as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and this Rule of distributive Justice on the Providential Throne and at his Second coming is and shall be the Moral Law But is this his Rule of saving Sinners Doth he administer the Covenant of Grace in a way of Distributive Justice according to Men's Obedience to Commands and regard to Promises made upon such Conditions If it were so Sinners uncalled and called were all in a miserable Condition Neonom And why should we intend the Glory of God the Service of Christ or the good of others Are not these as determined as our own good Hath not God fixed and secured his own Glory Antinom He hath so he hath fixed it and all our Duties and Blessings therein and because Christ provided for his own Glory and the Glory of God's Free-Grace in all that he hath done or is doing for us Therefore we are in a special manner to beware lest we rob him of his Glory by giving that which belongs to him to our own Works even the best we can do Neonom I could shew that we cant't sincerely aim at our own good but we therein aim at the Glory of God nor doth God ever require us to intend his Glory but in a Concurrence with an Eye to our own Salvation Antinom You should have said we cannot truly aim at God's Glory but therein we aim at our own Good Men must first aim at God's Glory But 1. Men may sincerely aim at God's Glory and yet come short of God's Glory and their own good For so Paul did in his unregenerate Estate and so will every unregenerate Man Rom. 3.22 2. How many Men sincerely aim at their own Good in many things and yet have not a true Aim at the Glory of God Do not all Men say Who will shew us any good Psal 4. and seek it in Corn Wine and Oyl And did not the Jews aim at their own Good in following after the Law of Righteousness Rom. 9.31 Neonom I will tell you your mistakes Antinom I pray mend and recant your own gross Errors
are meer Darkness and Riddles To clear up this I say the Spirit of the Lord is mainly sent into the World by Christ for this very purpose to speak personally and particularly to the Hearts of Men to satisfie them of their Interest in Christ That this was the main business of the Spirit the Scripture shews and holds out nothing more 1. It maybe cleared from the very Attribute or Title which our Saviour gives to the Spirit of the Lord John 14.16 c. 16.7 8 9 14. The Comforter this is he by way of Eminency and the Title imports That the Satisfaction and Resolution concerning Interest in Christ is the Work of the Spirit What is the occasion of all the Trouble of Spirit in tender Hearts P. 467. God hath forsaken me saith one My Sins are gone over my Head saith another c. What will now chear up the Heart of such a Person It is that God will not lay thy Sins to thy Charge c. If the Comfort of a Person consists in the Assurance of Pardon then the Spirit cannot be a Comforter except it satisfie as to clearing up this Truth Thy Sins are forgiven 2. Besides this bare Title you shall see the Spirit hath this particular Office as that wherefore Christ doth testifie the Spirit doth come John 14 26. The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name and he shall teach you these things Chap. 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he shall guide you into all Truth Ver. 14. He shall glorifie me he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Mark those words you see then wherein the comforting Faculty of the Holy Ghost lyeth in receiving of Christ's and shewing those things to Persons which things are the Glorious Excellency of Christ in Justification and Forgiveness Acts 13.38 39. And more fully of his Office to convince the World of Sin and Righteousness John 16.8 9. And a Person is convinced of Righteousness when Christ's Righteousness in Justification is cleared up unto a Person And whereas the Spirit may be conceived to Comfort only in general Dr. Cr. p. 469. There is a difference between the Administration of Christ and that of the Spirit of Christ Christ came into the World to Merit Salvation and Comfort Men in general for though he merited Comfort in particular to be applyed by the Spirit yet still in his Ministration he did run upon general terms for the most part But the Spirit is sent in Christ's room to come to every Man's Spirit particularly by himself and speak that within a Man's self that Christ by the Ministry of the Gospel speaks but in general to Men therefore he saith If I go not away the Comforter cannot come And now I shall shew that the evidencing particularly unto a Man's Spirit concerning his Interest in Christ is the proper Work of the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 15. and 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12 13. Ephes 1.13 14. These places I opened and applyed to the matter in hand clearly proving the Evidencing Office of the Spirit Obj. But suppose I hear such a Voice here is the Doubt How shall I know it 's the Voice of the Spirit Dr. Cr. p. 473. If the Word did bear witness to this particular Voice of the Spirit then I should be satisfied c. Sol. Let me not be mistaken That it is true the Spirit of the Lord never speaks to the Heart of any Believer but he always applies according to the Word of Grace Revealed and the Voice of the Spirit and if the Word of Grace be in the Soul as they go always together in the Faithful they will agree as Face answers Face in a Glass but yet beware that you make not the Credit of the Voice of the Spirit depend upon the Word barely considered In brief therefore as it is the Testimony of God's Spirit speaking indeed according to the Word Dr. Cr. p. 475. that must satisfie us that we are the Children of God so it must be the same Spirit must assure us that he is the true Spirit of God and not of Delusion But still I say this Spirit of the Lord speaks always to Persons concerning their Interest in Christ according to the Word of Grace and it is most certainly true that every Voice in Man speaking peace being contrary to the Word of Grace that Voice is not the Voice of the Spirit of the Lord yet it is only the Spirit of the Lord can satisfie the Spirit of a Man in this thing that it is his own Testimony and not a Spirit of Delusion You may understand the Word in a double sence either for the Word of the Law or else for the Word of Grace in the Gospel Now mark when we say it is the Spirit of God bearing witness with our Spirits according to the Word that we are the Sons of God it 's not the Word of the Law that agrees in this with the Voice of the Spirit the Word of the Law speaks nothing but Curses The Word in which the Spirit of the Lord speaks to his People is the Word of Grace and the Word of Grace is no more but this as to the Sum and Substance of it in this or such like Expression thereof God was in Christ Reconciling the World unto himself not Imputing their Trespasses Neonom You see the Spirits Voice according to the Word is no more than according to the general account that Christ came to save Sinners And also if any Sinner have this inward Voice that Voice is according to the Word whether he be a Regenerate Person or no. D. W. p. 162. Antinom The Gospel Declaration is indefinite we say it 's the peculiar Work and Office of the Spirit to bring home the Promise in particular it 's not any thing but the Spirit can appropriate the general Promise particularly to any one I said also that the Spirit of the Lord doth both speak and likewise give to Men to Credit and Receive what he speaks Dr. Cr. p. 477. All the Righteousness that ever man did meer man since the Fall Dr. Cr. p. 482. was never able to say upon good grounds such a Person is a Child of God Nay to go higher the very Word of Grace is not able to speak peace to a Soul till the Spirit of the Lord will speak When the Spirit of God will be silent the Word of Grace shall not speak any thing if the Spirit blow the Trumpet makes a found but if it blow not the Trumpet makes no sound at all As the Spirit of the Lord will speak in the Word of Grace so the Melody of the Word will Ravish the Ears and Hearts of Believers but if the Spirit himself will be silent there is no Musick in the Word of Grace it self No man under Heaven can say God is my Father with Propriety but by the Spirit of Adoption Calvin Mr. Neonom I know
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