terminis but in sense These are frequent Gospel expressions We are justified by Faith Faith is taken as well for the habit as the act When Faith is said not to fail that is to be understood of the habit When we are commanded to Beleeve that is meant of the act Bucer saith Zanchy is not ashamed to say That we beleeve sometimes in act sometimes only in habit There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Let a man be in Christ whether by the act or by the habit of Faith he is justified Which way soever Christ and his righteousness is made ours this righteousness is counted to us for ours by God who counts things as they are Object 3. He that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 We are not then justified but consequently to our act of beleeving Answ The act of Faith doth ever follow the habit and in order of time they can scarce be distinguished the one from the other But in order of causality Gods work goes before ours A Christian is in the order of nature in the state of grace before Faiths act though not in time In a word when it is said He that beleeveth not is condemned already it must be understood thus He that beleeveth not either actu secundo or actu primo else what will become of us when we are asleep and put forth no act of beleeving Object 4. If we be justified antecedently to our act of Faith then justification goes before vocation contrary to that Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified Answ That doth not follow Vocation is a gracious act of God by which we are brought into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 We are in our effectual call drawn into union with Christ by a Physical act of God in our passive conversion precedently to our act of beleeving Faith goes in order before justification both in our passive and active conversion the habit in the one and both habit and act in the other THESIS III. That the Faith of Gods Elect whereby they do beleeve on Christ is grounded upon a free simple absolute promise of Grace The Question is Whether God in the Gospel do first reveal his special love to his Elect in giving of them Christ and blessing through him in a conditional promise or in an absolute promise I say in an absolute These are my Arguments 1. Almighty God himself the Prophets Angels John Baptist Christ and the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel have ever propounded Christ to be beleeved on in an absolute promise of Grace Gen. 3.15 15.5 Isa 9.6 Hos 2.19 20. Luk. 2.10 11. Matth. 3.2 4.17 10.7 2. The Elect have alwayes founded that act of Faith by which they did beleeve on Christ upon this principle Abraham beleeved on the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness Upon what promise did he ground his Faith Upon this absolute promise Thus shall thy Seed be Gen. 15.5 6. This Faith of Abraham is made a patern for all the spiritual seed of Abraham to follow Rom 4.23 24 25. Paul describeth the Faith by which he spiritually lived Gal. 2.20 In what Promise was Christ revealed Even in this absolute Declaration of Gods good Will towards him who loved me and gave himself for me The Apostle tells us That all the Elect are born as Isaac was Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 In what form runs the Promise This is the word of Promise At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Rom 9.9 The children of this absolute Promise are counted for the seed vers 8. 3. The proper immediate effects of justifying Faith do strongly argue That it is built upon an absolute promise powerfully applyed by the spirit in our effectual call How comes Faith to work by Love It apprehends Gods love to us in Christ How doth it cause Rejoycing It beholds Christ given for us and to us out of Gods eternal love Abraham rejoyced to see Chrtsts day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 How doth it beget Peace It looks at God as reconciled unto us in Christ How doth it cause Repentance It makes us apprehensive that we have sinned against our Saviour Omnium appetitivorum motuum causa est bonum vel malum apprehensum 4. As in Conjugal Contracts amongst us the Husband doth first make known his Love and express his absolute consent so doth Christ when he doth betroth the Church of his Elect unto himself in their effectual Call I will say unto them that were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2.23 5. If our Faith be not founded upon an absolute Promise then is not the Covenant of Grace established upon better Promises for form than the Covenant of Works contrary to that which is affirmed by the Apostle Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. The New Covenant Promises are better than the Old in this respect amongst the rest That they are absolute or upon conditions absolutely promised 6. The absolute Promises are either only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently or else also to Unbeleevers for the begetting of Faith But they are not only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently They were no Beleevers to whom the Lord by the Prophet Hosea applies the absolute Promises Hos 2.19 20. being such as were unmarried and not betrothed to what end did he propound them if not to build faith upon 7. There is no conditional Promise or Grant in all the Word of God wherein Christ doth convey himself over to us for the beginning of Salvation Christ doth absolutely promise to give us a new heart inhabit in us his Spirit Ezek. 36.26 27. What ever the Remonstrants say to put in any condition is against Scripture and Reason Wherefore we must beleeve on Christ and receive him as given in an absolute Promise of Grace This very Doctrine which teacheth us to ground our faith whereby we are perswaded of Gods Love to us in Christ upon an absolute Promise is maintained by Zanchy in his Miscellanies against Marbuchius who objects against it as one of Zanchy's Errors and new Revelations but he doth earnestly contend for the truth hereof affirming of it to be the Judgment of Bucer and that conformable to the Scriptures Which he could not but imbrace proving it by Four Arguments and Answers three Objections The Definition of Justifying Faith given by Dr. Zanchy and Mr. Calvin declares them to be of this mind Faith say they is a stedfast and assured knowledg of Gods kindness towards us which being grounded upon the truth of the free Promise in Christ is both revealed to our minds and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost They make two Essential parts of Faith 1. An apprehension of Gods Love to us in Christ which is an act of the Intellect 2. A receiving and imbracing of Christ which is
that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6.45 What made them follow Christ by Faith and holy Obedience It was this inward voyce of the spirit accompanying the outward word which they did hear and know Christs sheep hear his voyce and follow him for they know his voyce Joh. 10.3 4. That which made them believe on the Lord Jesus Christ was the inward witness of the spirit He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 Can it truly be said That these Children of God so sanctified as they can thereby discern their justification did never hear nor know the spirits inward call nor see their saith Can a man love God or his children who knows not in some degree his reconciliation A man in the state of nature hates God and his children and this enmity is never slain before peace be revealed Eph. 2.16 17. We cannot love the law of God except we know its rigour and curse to be taken from us through Christ We must be delivered from the law in respect of its rigid exaction and malediction and that to our apprehensions before we can serve in the newness of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 Suppose that Gods true children should say That sanctification is their first evidence God speaks no such thing in his Word to the which we must rather attend but the quite contrary as hath been proved neither can they rest in that way of evidencing who are truly gracious for the law of grace binds them first to be perswaded of remission of sins and then to serve God without fear from this perswasion and this law is written in their hearts If men under the law should glory in their penitency works of sanctification and strict walking as first evidences they may be convinced à priori because they want this cause hereof viz. The apprehension of Gods mercy towards them in Christ even as we cut off Enthusiasts Antinomians Familists Libertines who boast of their full assurance à posteriori by reason they have not the effects penitency works of sanctification and strict walking The middle way is the Gospel way to wit from the appearing of Gods grace to our own souls in particular to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world PROPOSITION III. That an act of Faith which is grounded upon gracious Qualifications previous to Vnion and Works as first evidences is legal The Works upon which this seeming act of Faith is founded are not evangelical but legal which I thus demonstrate 1. After that the Commandment comes the spirit of bondage in the law we are said to be married to the law bring forth fruit unto the law and to serve in the oldness of the letter unril we be espoused unto Christ Rom. 7 Before Faith come in the free Promise we are kept under the law schooled and over-awed by the law Gal. 3.23 24. We are in bondage under the law til we receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4.3 4 5. Acts done by them as such who are married to the law in bondage under the law must needs be legal and of this nature are all supposed gracious qualifications before faith 2. Works made first evidences and that de jure though they go under the name of works of sanctifitation yet are they indeed works of the law because they do not proceed from principles evangelical but legal 1. They are not done in Faith whereby we are perswaded that our persons and our actions are accepted in and through Christ No our works must first be done and our perswasion must be the effect of these works We must see our works accepted before our persons 2. They are not done in Love for how can we love God before we know and believe the love that he hath to us 1 Joh. 14 16.19 Our apprehension of Gods love must only be an effect of our works and of some imaginal promise made to us in respect of these our works 3. They cannot be acts of Gratitude for our Redemption through Christ These works must be the first means whereby we come to know our Redemption and justification 4. They are all done out of Bondage and servile Fear This servile fear is never cast out but by a sure perswasion of Gods love to us 1 Joh. 4.18 And what is the cause of this fear but the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 Wherefore it doth necessarily follow That a conclusion which doth stay it self upon these legal media works done out of this fear is no conclusion of Faith but if we may so call it a conclusion of works being grounded upon works of the law Estius though a Popish writer speaks to this purpose upon Heb 8.10 Itaque fatemur tempore veieris Testamenti fuisse novi Testamenti filios Et contra tempore Novi Testamenti non paucos censeri filios Testamenti veteris videlicet eos omnes qui carualibus Judaeis similes timore poenae legem servant imo non servant Sed sibi servare videntur ut loquitur August lib. 3. conte 2. Epist Pel. Cap. 4. The Application which I made of this Doctrine was this for substance They who have no more Faith than is built upon gracious qualifications before union and works made first evidences are under a covenant of works and though they be never so much reformed yet wil they persecute them under the covenant of grace as did Paul before his conversion the Scribes Pharisees c. Wherefore if any shal profess themselves to be legal and raise up persecution against you for this truth contend earnestly for it in a way of patient suffering by the sword of the spirit the word of God The Doctrine contained in these three Propositions and this or the like general hupothetical application was the cause of my deep sufferings It seems that you Brother Weld with some others who prosecuted against me did build the Faith upon gracious qualifications precedent to union and works as first evidences I censure this Doctrine of yours to be legal as aforesaid and hereupon you are filled with indignation cast me out as the filth of the world and off-scouring of al things make me a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men which you effect by these means About two months after the Preaching of my Sermon before ever I was dealt withal in a brotherly way I am sent for to the Court to answer for what I had delivered where I have the true cause of my sufferings suppressed and put out of sight and a feigned cause closely and secretly brought in Certain of my Brethren the Reverend Elders had a great hand in this mysterious business for whilst my cause was depending long before my banishment an Accusation was secretly drawn up against me in writing put into the Court thus inscribed The Grounds and Reasons of the Dissent of the Elders of the Churches from some things delivered by
Mr. VVhelewright upon the Fast-day which they do here present to the Honored Court and the Churches of Christ planted amongst us to be considered of desiring Grace Truth and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ In this Accusation I am charged to have delivered these Four Points I. That Faith and Repentance are no parts of the Doctrine of the Gospel II. That to evidence Justification by Sanctification is a covenant of Works III. That they who see in themselves any Sanctification and thence conclude a good estate shall never be saved IV. They who hold not according to this Doctrine are Antichrists enemies to Christ and under a covenant of Works VVhether my Brethren the Elders dealt regularly and justly with me either for the Manner or Matter of this Accusation I shal now make it appear As for the Manner I shal not much insist upon it but the truth is They accuse me to the Court secretly In the Preface to their Charge after many bitter invectives ranking me amongst the instruments of Satan acted by him to put down the Kingdom of Christ upon earth because I could not do it in heaven c. It is pretended by them That they do not write so much to aggravate my fault in the eye of Authority as to convince me in my Conscience and to bring me to Repentance yet al this while they conceal it from me neither did I ever come to know of this their writing more or less by their means or by the Court but a Gentleman my Friend one of the Magistrates did procure a copy to be transcribed secretly in al haste and sent it unto me For the Matter of their Accusation I shal examine the grounds of the several branches of their Charge I. They inform the Court That I taught That Faith and Repentance are no parts of the Doctrine of the Gospel The reason which they give is because I said That in the Gospel there is nothing revealed but Christ Surely it could not be imagined that I meant that nothing is revealed in the whole Gospel but this simple term Christ The words immediately precedent which they leave out taking that absolutely which I spoke in some respect declare my sense When the Lord said I draws his Elect to believe in Christ he doth not reveal unto them some work and from that work carrieth them to believe on him there is nothing revealed but Christ I exclude qualifications from that promise wherein Christ is revealed offered given to be believed on and make it absolute How should I deny Faith to be part of the Gospel in that discourse in which my chief scope was to put a difference between a legal and evangelical Faith The two Deputys Testimony concerning some expressions which I used in a Sermon at the Mount did not agree made nothing to the purpose If I had spoken something then from which such a conclusion would follow which I never did can you necessarily conclude from thence That I delivered the same in my Sermon at the Fast as you accuse me As for this Article of your Charge there is not to be found in my whole Sermon a syllable sounding that way ne gry quidem To my best remembrance al that I have spoken taught written at any time concerning Faith and Repentance from which you might take occasion to draw such a groundless inference was this for substance 1. That Faith and Repentance are law i. e. our inherent conformity to the law of the Gospel in opposition to the righteousness of the Promise which is Christs righteousness and that only in point of justification I asserted herein no more but this That Faith and Repentance is not that justice for which we are acquitted before God it is alone the righteousness of God which is by Faith 2. That these conditional Promises believe and be saved repent and be saved are not proper and peculiar to the Gospel as conditional but common to the law with the Gospel though not in respect of their matter yet in regard of their conditional form to difference them from absolut promises peculiar to the Gospel both for matter and form 3. Those conditional Promises being made the whole intire Gospel by an exclusion of al absolute Promises without any relation unto them becomes a covenant of Works for form A meer conditional covenant is a legal covenant This is one essential difference between the covenant of Works and Grace In the covenant of Works al the Promises are meerly conditional in the covenant of Grace with relation to Gods Elect the Promises are either absolute or upon conditions absolutely promised Will it follow from these principles That I deny the doctrine of Faith and Repentance to be part of the doctrine of the Gospel or the gifts of Faith and Repentance to be evangelical Graces God forbid I should This is a fundamental Errour of the Antinomians who confounding justification and sanctification imagine that Christ did as wel perform for us the conditions of the Gospel as the law repenting and believing for us All my constant hearers can bear me witness That I have ever Preached Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ I never denyed these conditional Promises to be part of the Gospel but I deny them to be the whole Gospel I do in the name of the Lord as I am called exhort al men not only to believe but repent and you amongst the rest II. The Second Errour of which you accuse me is That to evidence Justification by Sanctification is a Covenant of Works You infer this from these expressions in the broken Notes taken by others which I owned only for substance but not for al expressions that if men think to be saved because they see some work of Sanctification in themselves if they be saved it is without the Gospel this is a covenant of works I spake with relation to that which immediately went before to wit when the Lord is pleased to convert any Soul unto himself he doth not reveal unto him some work and from that work carrieth him to believe on Christ All that I affirmed herein was this To make gracious Qualifications previous to Faith the media to baild that act of Faith upon by which we believe on Christ is not evangelical but legal What though I called them works of Sanctification I did not mean they were such indeed but in the opinion of some III. This is the Third Errour which you fasten upon me That they who see in themselves any Sanctification and thence conclude a good estate shall never be saved This conclusion is inferred by you from the former Passages in none of which I denyed the evidencing of true Sanctification but of supposed Sanctification as gracious Qualifications before Union and Works made first evidences You reason stil from that which is spoken in some respect to that which is spoken absolutely You cut off part of these defective Notes and give such
my outward man I must needs say you have laboured to the utmost to bring me to ruine in my self Wife Eleven children Family posterity by such acts before in and after my banishment as I shal not now mention for I love not to complaine I serve no hard master the Lord is my sheild and my exceeding great reward yet even in this regard hath not the Lord delivered me over unto the wil of my adversaries blessed be his name If I and mine be ruinated by you temporally and prosper spiritually ye shal do us no great hurt by such a ruine What though ye thought evil against me the Lord meant it unto good But why do you cal your doings in exiling and afflicting of me the Lords marvellous doings The question then is this whether your proceedings against me be Gods work or yours This may easily be thus determined If you can make it appear that I am an Antinomian Familist Libertine Seducer guilty of Contempt of Authority and Sedition The Author of al these errors and heresies to which you relate me in the short story that I am such a flagitious heretick evil man and seducer and vile miscreant as you paint me forth to be then may the proceedings be accounted Gods worke If you cannot make this apparent then is your proceedings against me your own injurious unrighteous and more sinful work in which you live impenitent to this day by a dangerous defect which lyeth in your wils I do acknowledg that this worke of which you so much boast was the Lords marvellous decreed and permitted work but if you cannot make it evident that it was the Lords marvellous commanded and approved doings it makes nothing against me nor for you The Lord in mercy grant that this work which you have made with me that you so highly extol magnify and put upon record amongst Gods marvellous doings be never layd to the charge of New England If I should answer to al the objections and criminations made against me by the short story I should to little purpose weary out my self and the reader What I have thought required any reply to that I have answered the rest I pass by in silence committing my self and my cause unto him who judgeth righteously Mr. Samuel Rutherford in his survey of Antinomianisme finding me deeply wounded and cast out amougst a company of Antinomians Familists Libertines as their head and leader by the writer of the short story falls upon me smites me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shoots many a deadly Arrow through the very heart of my good name The passages which I take notice of in the survey relating to me are these following 1 Except my heart deceive me give me leave to borrow an expression of Job if I lift up my hand or a bloody pen against the truly Godly or have a pick at holyness let my arme fal from my shoulder blade and mine arme be broken from the bone Job 31.21.22 Epist Page 1. 2 It was observed in New England when Familists grew and in other parts of New England Familists devised such a difference between the Covenant of works and of grace especially after a Sermon preached by Mr. Wheelwright a prime familist c. Page 38. 39. 3 If Familists have such revelations 1. They see the visions of God 2. They speak as acted by the spirit immediatly and so we are by the same certainty of faith to beleeve what H. Nicholas Wheelwright c. Pag. 40. 4 Mr. Knop prophesied of the hanging of the Lord of Grange Mr. John Davison uttered prophesies known to many of the Kingdom divers holy and mortified preachers in England have done the like No familists or Antinomians no David George nor H. Nicholas no man of that Gang Randal or Wheelwright or Den. c. Page 42. 5. The first author of these wicked opinions were N. Wheelwright some adherents to Mr. Wheelwright c. Page 176. 6 Mr. Wheelwright and others were convened before a civil Court in Massachuset October 2. 1637. For disturbance of the publick peace where in the Month of March Mr. Wheelwright was convict of Sedition upon occasion whereof a number of Familists gave in a petition or remonstrance complaining that their beloved Mr. Wheelwright was condemned for no fault whereas his doctrine was no other then the very expressions of the Holy-Ghost himself though he had said expresly that Magistrates Ministers and most of the people were under a Covenant of works and therefore were enemies to Christ such as Herod Pilate Scribes Pharasees and encouraged the people to rise up against them as Phylistins c. Page 177. 178. Part. 1. By what I have here transcribed out of the survey it is evident that Mr. Rutherford makes himself my judg Severing me in his notion from the sheep and sets me amonst goats condemning me amongst the rest as a man not truely Godly And that he so judgeth he sweares oppignorating his Arme to the Shoulder blade This is a dreadful sentence which is passed against me in respect of my personal standing by Mr. Rutherford If he had thus judged me according to the Gospel I should have trembled but because it is done according to his own imagination and especially the short story I despise it Whether I truly feare God or no is better known to me then Mr. Rutherford I do not love to speak of any great matters concerning my self the cheif of al sinners yet seeing I am called and compelled thereunto I shal a little glory in the Lord. After seven yeares spirit of bondage as I remember for the space of this five and twenty yeares or there abouts ever since the loving kindness of our Lord and Saviour did appeare to the eye of my faith justifying of me freely by his grace I have through Gods infinite mercy known in whom I do beleeve and though I have been assaulted with innumerable temptations outward and inward in these perillous deluding times yet have I not through mercy put away a good Conscience or made shipwrack of my faith Doubtless Mr. Rutherford is a very learned man and I hope a Godly man yet is he but a man and this judgment of his is meerly mans judgment it proceeds not from God With me it is a very smal thing to be judged of him or of mans judgment but he that judgeth me is the Lord. By the grace of God I am what I am After that he hath thus judged my person then he comes to condemne my doctrine and practise He cals me a Familist a prime Familist Author of those wicked opinions mentioned in the short story a man convicted of Sedition and what not If I were such a man as he describes he might wel judg me to be a man that doth not truly feare God he might know me by my fruit But this fruit is the fruit of my adversaries vain imaginations and through Gods great goodness did never grow on me If I had been such a man as you
with the word of truth James 1.10 The immediate testimony is I conceive an act of the spirit by which he doth dictate and strongly suggest with a soul-ravishing inward voyce to a believing penitent humble over-coming Saint that he is the child of God his sins are forgiven or the like being compared to hidden Manna a white stone a new name Rev. 2.17 which doth exceedingly confirm Faith and it is not I suppose the portion of every good Christian but a special benefit given by God who is a most free agent before in or after sufferings for the name sake of Christ or some special service done unto him as God sees meet Sundry of our learned godly orthodox Divines do acknowledge such a testimony as Dr. Preston Mr. Bolton Mr. Elton with others and divers of the Martyrs had experience thereof as I doubt not many Christians have at this day This is part of the Comforters office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is taught in the Word he shal bring to remembrance John 14.26 The spirit of truth never revealeth any thing in this kind immediately for the confirmation of Faith which is not revealed in the words of truth He shall not speak of himself saith Christ he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16.13 14. This immediate Testimony differs not from that which is mediate by the Word in the thing testified but in the manner of testifying and stablisheth the Soul by making a deeper impression filling it with joy and with the holy Ghost 3. By spiritual sense and experience There is in Gods Children not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.9 By reason of use they have their senses exercised Heb. 5.14 and that by divine objects 1. They are many times made very sensible of the grace mercy and love of God unto them in Christ The love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto them Rom. 5.5 The Lord doth again and again lift upon them the light of his countenance and in the light of his favour they see the light of all felicity Psal 36 9. Christ doth manifest himself unto them in the Spirit Joh. 14.21 They hear see look upon and handle the word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 They taste and see that the Lord is good 2. They have frequently and for the most part as of sin so likewise of the work of Gods grace in them sense and experience The wind of the Spirit blows into the gardens of their Souls and the spices of saving graces with a fragrant smell flow out Cant. 4.16 The Sun of Righteousness shines into the hearts of Beleevers acts upon the saving graces of his own spirit excites and stirs them up from whence a sweet scent goes out as from some costly perfumed Oyntment When Faith love joy godly sorrow for sin humility patience with other saving graces are vigourously acted it exceedingly affects the Saints who are very sensible of it The Virgins love Christ not only for the savour of the oyntment of his own Righteousness which they perceive and receive by faith but even of these good oyntments powred into them Cant. 1. The Spouse in the Canticles David Paul with others do largely express the great sense and feeling they had of the gifts of Gods Spirit in them accompanying salvation as an Argument of that fellowship which they had with Christ 3. Beleevers have an experimental knowledge of the gracious Works of Gods Providence about them which doth likewise confirm their Faith So had David 1 Sam. 17.37 So had Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 18 For though there be no marks set upon the outward acts of Gods Providence whereby they may be discerned to proceed from Gods eternal and fatherly love yet do the children of God behold them in and through the covenant of Grace as testimonies of Gods favour and feel them to be such by their gracious effects knowing by experience that chastisements and corrections for sin are for their good Psal 119.71 So that the long experience which we have of Gods grace upon us his work of grace in us the gracious works of his providence about us is a special means to strengthen our faith This for the substance is all that I have ever Taught or held forth concerning evidencing a good estate I am not for the sole witnessing of the Spirit with Enthusiasts nor of Faith alone with Solifidians nor of works in the first place with you but of al these Three in one and that in the Apostles order 1 Joh. 5. The Spirits inward effective testimony of Gods grace towards us in Christ in giving him unto us in the free simple promise with a command to beleeve begets faith faith produceth works of sanctification sanctification confirms faith Promises are so many Declarations of Gods good Will towards us and it is the spirits office to apply them I do humbly conceive That when the Spirit of Promise applyes the absolute Promise of Grace that by way of excellency is called The spirits witness otherwise I do not see how the spirits witness should be a distinct witness from water and blood If the conditional Promise made to beleeving be applied that is the witness of blood let the conditional Promise made to sanctification have its application that is the witness of water He who hath one of these three witnesses hath them all in some degree and he that wants one wants them all for all these three are brought in by Christ when he comes into our hearts in our effectual call as witnesses of his gracious presence So that a Christian can reason thus I have the spirits witness I am a beleever I am a Saint therefore Christ dwells in me and I in him This is the sum of all concerning Evidencing That act of Faith by which we beleeve that Christ and his Righteousness is given to us and we receive him is begotten by the inward testimony of the spirit in an absolute promise confirmed by works of sanctification the immediate testimony of the holy Ghost spiritual sense and experience Because I would not acknowledge your works to be good Evidences which you will needs have to appear before Gods Grace or Faith appear you are highly displeased and labour to make the Court Churches and all the world beleeve that I taught That sanctification is no good Evidence and if a man conclude a good estate from sanctification which he sees in himself he shall never be saved 4. The Fourth Errour which you charge me to have delivered is That they who hold not according to this Doctrine are Antichristians enemies to Christ and under a Covenant of Works If by this Doctrine you had meant That Doctrine which indeed I taught owned by me in my first Three Propositions you had done me wrong I did never expresly nor implicitly affirm That they who were not of my judgement about the grounds of
an act of the Will And they ground both these Acts upon a free Promise of Grace efficaciously applied by the Holy Ghost These are the words of Mr. Calvin upon Gal 3.7 Faith is not an imagination of our own forging it is an assuredness which we conceive of Gods Goodness when he cometh unto us and uttereth familiarly his love that he beareth to us This hath been the constant Definition of Justifying Faith given by our Orthodox Divines in Luthers time and of many since Fides est certa persuasio et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ cum servatorem amplectimur hâc fiduciâ quod crucifixus mortuus sit in propitiationem pro peccatis non aliarum tantum sed et meis Melanchthon Beza with many others describe Faith after that manner and generally this is part of the description of it Faith is a certain perswasion of Gods mercy towards us in Christ which they could not do did they not ground it upon an absolute Promise All our Expositors of the Creed who make this part of the meaning of that Article I beleeve in Jesus Christ to be I beleeve that Christ is mine and place it before that act of the heart by which we rely on Christ do found it upon an absolute Promise Mr. Perkins in his Exposition of the Creed saith That no man can put his confidence in God till he be first perswaded of Gods mercy towards him in Christ This is Mr. Dikes Judgment on Phil. 5. First we must beleeve that Christ is ours before we can be able to commit our selves to him for the will and affections follow the understanding Mr. Cotton in his N. Covenant declares himself fully to be of this Judgment and saith Faith to receive Christ is ever upon an absolute Promise pag. 56. which is as much as I affirm Object 1. The Promise propounded in the Gospel for the begetting of faith is conditional Beleeve and be saved Answ That is not the Gospels first Promise There is an absolute indefinite Promise I take an absolute Promise for that which shall certainly be accomplished in Gods Elect precedent to this viz. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand to which the command of Beleeving in the conditional Promise hath relation As in the Covenant of Works first there is an absolute Law given and then a conditional Covenant made Do this and live So in the Covenant of Grace first there is made an absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ taking absolute in that sense which I have named and then a conditional Covenant Beleeve and be saved When I am commanded to beleeve the Gospel or beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ it is intended that I beleeve this absolute Promise not only Historically but Applicatorily and that I receive and relie upon Christ promised and then I shall not perish but have everlasting life The act of faith is not terminated in the Promise but in the simple term Christ Object 2. There is no absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ in all the Gospel Answ That is not so The first Gospel Promise of Grace and Life was absolute The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 This is renewed to Abraham In thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 Is not this a simple categorical Proposition and Declaration of Gods good will in Christ to the World And this was Gospel which was preached unto Abraham Gal. 3.8 To make things more clear Take an absolute Promise for that which shall certainly be accomplished and then the Gospel alwaies begins with an absolute Promise both of end and means to wit Salvation and all means tending thereunto with relation to Gods Elect of which kind are the Promises before mentioned Gen. 3.15 and 12.3 Let an absolute Promise be taken for that which shall receive its accomplishment without any gracious precedent act of ours and then the beginning of our Salvation to wit a new heart a new spirit and faith it self is absolutely promised Jer. 3.33 34. Ezek. 36.26 27. If by Salvation be meant the continuance perfecting and consummation of Salvation in Gods eternal and everlasting Kingdom that is indeed promised upon condition we put forth acts of faith repentance holiness and righteousness throughout the whol course of our lives all which conditions as hath been said are absolutely promised Ezek. 36.27 Conditiones N Faederis non tantum praeceptae sunt sed etiam promissae Embd. Min. in the Synod of Dordt Object 3. The Promises to save absolutely and upon condition of beleeving are inconsistent Answ 1. To promise the beginning of Salvation absolutely and the continuance and accomplishment of Salvation upon condition of an holy penitential faith stand well together 2. To promise absolutely that is assuredly the continuance perfecting and consummation of Salvation upon condition we actually beleeve repent and obey is not inconsistent because the conditions are absolutely promised Object 4. The absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ propounded in the Gospel is not particular and personal but general and indefinite and therefore if we beleeve it by particular application we beleeve more than is revealed Answ Though the absolute Promise of Salvation through Christ be general and indefinite yet is it made particular to every Elect Person in his effectual call This Promise is held forth with a commandment to apply it and make it particular So saith Zanchy Lib. 5. De Naturâ Dei Cap. 2. and Mr. Perkins upon Gal. 2. When we are commanded to beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ this is one act that is required of us to beleeve that Christ is ours 1 John 5.13 Whilst this Gospel is in preaching in our effectual Vocation the Lord sends the spirit of Adoption into our hearts gives us a new heart and a new spirit which new spirit perswades us to beleeve and apply the Promise and Christ promised and it is all one as if he should call us by name Isa 43.1 John 10.3 They who are thus perswaded by Christ not only outwardly by his Word but inwardly by his Spirit in their hearts have a good ground to beleeve that the Promise belongs unto them and that Christ is theirs nor do they herein beleeve more than is revealed To beleeve what Christ commands is no Enthusiasme Object 5. If all to whom the Gospel is preached are commanded to beleeve that the absolute Promise belongs unto them then are Reprobates commanded to beleeve a lye Answ Zanchy upon Hos 2.1 and Mr. Perkins in his Treatise of Predestination answers thus in effect Let Reprobates beleeve and they shall not find it false but true But because our act of Beleeving works no change in the Object and our beleeving makes not a thing true but it must be true before we beleeve it is not satisfactory to me Before I set down mine own apprehensions with humble submission to better Judgments I think it requisite that some things should be premised 1. I imbrace it for an
undoubted truth That falsum non est objectum fidei The Spirit of Truth doth not perswade men to beleeve Lyes The Spirit is truth and is no lye 1 John 2.27 2ly All to whom the Gospel cometh are not only bound to put forth acts of Evangelical obedience but to have the principles of these acts for we lost in Adam the very principles of yielding obedience to the holy Will of God to wit Integrity of Nature with the presence and assistance of Gods gracious Spirit So that it is a sin to be unregenerate and to want the spirit of Grace where the Gospel is preached Jude 19. 3ly When Reprobates are commanded to beleeve the Lord requires of them these two things 1. That they have a new heart and a new spirit which is the spirit of Adoption Ezek. 18.31 2ly That they Elicite an act of Faith from this new heart excited by this new spirit Let Reprobates then according to the true sence of the Gospels Command have a new heart and a new spirit and beleeve from these principles that the absolute promise of Grace belongs unto them and they shall not beleeve a lye Neither are Elect nor Reprobates commanded actually to beleeve immediately from the principles of Nature but by the intervening of a new heart and a new spirit which are the principles of Grace let these intervene and then it is not required that they beleeve more than is revealed and true All true Christians beleeve that this Promise belongs unto them in habit inclination desire or act of which there are many degrees THESIS IV. That all Promises proper and peculiar to the Gospel are absolute In the Covenant of Grace there are two sorts of Promises Some common to the Law with the Gospel though not for the matter yet for the form into which they are put as Beleeve and be saved Repent and be saved and these are conditional belonging to Elect and Reprobates There be other Promises peculiar to the Gospel both for matter and form as a new heart will I give you a new Spirit will I put within you and these are absolute Ezek. 36.26 Which Promises though they be propounded in the promulgation of the Gospel to all indifferently yet are they proper only to Gods Elect. Of these Promises is that to be understood which Prosper speaks Lib. 1. De voc Gent. Cap. 9. Manet prorsus et quotidiè impletur quod Abrahae Dominus sine conditione promisit sine lege donavit And of these Promises doth Zanchy mean Miscell Lib. 2. Thes 13. where he saith Promissiones de gratuitâ Dei misericordiâ deque certa et aeterna salute etsi univer salitér omnibus proponuntur et praedicandae sunt ad ipsos tamen tantum electos reipsa pertinent And again De Common Divinis Evangelium propriè quod annuntiat id absolutè citrà conditionem annuntiat It was denyed in the Synod that there was any absolute Promises The Remonstrants Collat. Hag. Band. pag. 190. lin 22. assert That the giving of a new heart is promised upon condition of our actual conversion Others would have these Promises to be only Predictions and Prophesies but seem to exclude them from being any part of the Covenant of Grace whereas they be the chief and proper part or else I cannot see that our first Parents had any Gospel preached unto them in Paradice Gen. 3.15 There is nothing but an absolute Promise expressed in which all absolute Promises in both the sences before mentioned are wrapt up though I doubt not but the conditional Promise Beleeve and be saved is implied Our Orthodox Divines in the Synod of Dordt stand for these absolute Promises as parts of the Covenant of Grace against the Arminians and that they are proper to the Gospel in respect of their absolute form cannot be denied the Law hath no Promises which run in that form It is evident which Zanchy saith Quicquid pertinet ad legem in scripturis conditionale est I have lost divers Notes by often removals but to my best remembrance these with one or two more of the like Nature coincident with them were all the Positions which at first I intended for Disputation in the Synod In heat of Discourse in that Assembly certain expressions fell from me which were numbred amongst my Errors and made the chief matter of Dispute by them who took all occasions and advantages to make me seem erroneous Amongst the rest how it came in I do not well know I said That Christ was part of the new Creature The Question is What is meant by the new Creature or new Man which Christians are commanded to put on I answer Partly Christ with his new created Righteousness partly new created qualities in us Which I conceive may thus be proved Adam is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam is the old man and Christ the new man Hereupon tropically all sin which entred into the World by Adam is called the Old man and all that righteousness which is brought in by Christ is called the New man which righteousness of Christs becomes ours in our New Birth partly by Imputation partly by Regeneration Eph. 2.15 Object By the Old man which we are to put off is only meant Sin not Adam 's Person and therefore by the New man is only meant new qualities in us and not Christ's Person Answ By the Old man may be understood not only the corruption of Nature which passeth from Adam to us but his disobedience which becomes ours by imputation So that in some respect we are to put off Adam that is the transgression of Adam in eating the forbidden Fruit which was his in act and ours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and originally I am not the first who have taken the New man in that sense which if it be not proper yet is it true We are to put on Christ as well by Faith as by imitation I shall not much herein contend Zanchy upon Eph. 4.24 having set down the judgment of Ambrose what is meant by the New man which Christians are to put on who understood it of Christ himself and of others interpreting it of new qualities delivers his own mind and joyns them both together Novus igitur homo primum est Christus ipse in nobis inhabitans deinde ipse nova totius hominis qualitas et natura per Christum in nobis creata postremo nos ipsi Christo induti et novae illius naturae participes effecti et in virtute ut loquuntur scholia viventes Ye would likewise have wrested other expressions which fell from me to a corrupt sence as if I denied acting from a formal principle of Grace or that any power was conveyed by the Commandments of the Law to act graciously which was far from my sence The Opinion of Peter Lombart Lib. 1. Dist 18. that Charity is not any thing created in the soul but the Holy Ghost himself is sufficiently