Head to another in respect of that there is a reality of making Christ to be Sin when one Man becomes a Debtor in another Man's Room Legally and by Consent this Surety that doth become the Debtor is not barely supposed to be the Debtor but by undertaking it and legally having it pass'd upon him he is as really and truely the Debtor yea hath the same Debt upon him as he was who was the principal before I say as really and truely the Debtor So that there is an absolute truth and reality in God's Act of passing over Sins to Christ and laying Sins upon him There must be in Criminal Cases of necessity a present desert upon a Person on whom he inflicts Punishment he must not inflict Punishment upon a meer Supposition Mr. Calvin I do not see but that he hath given a very clear and distinct account of his Notion but I find you will condemn whatever Mr. Antinom saith right or wrong Neonom No no I will lay open his mistakes more plainly before you I will assure you he knows not what he saith I will convince you both immediately The Ground of his Mistakes are these 1. He seems to speak of Sin as a positive material thing and doth not distinguish between God's laying our Sins on Christ as a Physical Act and as a Moral Act and thinks God took our Sins as a material Burden and laid them upon Christ D. W. p. 13. Calvin Sir I must tell you then that you mistake him I doubt wilfully for he no where speaks of Sin as a Physical Act but as a Moral Transgression Doth he not say as plainly as may be the contrary to what you suggest viz. Here is a real Act of God God doth really pass over Sin upon him still keeping this fast that Christ Acted no Sin Doth he not plainly here deny the Physical Act to Christ And doth he speak of Sin as a material Burden when he saith Christ bore it as a Fault Debt Law-Breach c. D. C. p. 283. He speaks of it as a Moral and Judicial Burden and so doth the Spirit of God speak of it Psal 38.4 Mine Iniqui-quities are gone over mine Head as an heavy Burden they are too heavy for me And Christ bore them as a Burden in his Body on the Tree it was not sweet and pleasant naturally to him Neonom He seems not to Apprehend what the true Notion is of Imputing a thing to another in Law in Criminal Cases Calvin Nor do you understand that of Mr. Antinomian I suppose he means you were never used to the Crown Bar you only have been exercised at the Nisi Prius side Antinom I am no Lawyer but yet am fain to use some Law terms that the Scripture useth and most Men are acquainted with in this matter and most Divines hold necessary to explain these Mysteries by though Mr. Neonomian will not understand them nor allow them any otherwise than in his own Sense contrary to all received meanings of them Do not I talk of Sin as a Criminal Case when I say David's Murder and Adultery was Imputed to Christ and the Sin of those and such like Actions Imputation is of the same Nature whether the Default be Debt or Criminal nature both Debts of Money and Fellonies are Moral Transgressions nay both are the breach of one Law Theft and not paying anothers or his own Money due upon Bond or Rent-Charge or the like is breaking the Eighth Commandment Thou shalt not Steal and is not Theft a Criminal Case See Dr. Cr. p. 288 289. Neonom God's laying Sin on Christ is a Moral Act of God as a Rector i. e. he Agreed and Appointed that Christ should in his Person stand obliged to bear the Punishment of our Sins that we might obtain pardon and that Punishment was Actually laid upon him and suffered by him Antinom What do you mean by a Rector do you mean as a Rector under a Law for the Rule of his Moral Obedience or was God bound by his Moral Law to appoint Christ to bear Sin What do we with this diminutive word Rector methinks you might Entitle God our Great King Soveraign Lawgiver who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and doth whatever he pleaseth in Heaven and Earth and you make him little Moral Rector and as such he Covenanted with his Son to bear Sin Did God Act in a way of Government and Dominion over his Son as his Rector when he said If thou shalt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin c Isa 53. Or as with one that counted it no Robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 Was it not when he was with him one brought up with him his Delight his Delight his Fellow And was agreeing with Christ to bear Sin and Actually laying it upon him the same Act whereas one was Immanent and the other Transient God in laying Sin or charging Sin upon Christ or executing the Punishment upon him freely submitting himself to be dealt with in a way of Justice did Act as a Great Judge the Judge of all the World in foro Justitiae Divinae Why must we have this mean Title for God Rector God did not Covenant with his Son in a way of Judicial proceeding though that Covenant was executed in a way of Vindictive and Remunerative Justice And you say the Punishment of Sin was laid on Christ but not Sin it self What Justice is it in a Judge or as a Rector as you call him to punish him for Sin that is not justly charged with Sin its Transgression charged is the only Meritorious Cause of Punishment where there is no Law there 's no Transgression and where there 's no Transgression there can be no Punishment though there may be Sufferings they cannot be Penal Sin and Punishment are Relata in Logick as well as Law And you say he was obliged to bear the Punishment that we might obtain pardon cunningly worded indeed this is an answer to a Bill saving all Advantages that hereafter may be taken You mean Christ hath bore the Punishment of our Sins that we may hereafter by the Righteousness of another Law obtain pardon Neonom Again also because a Man that is bound in a Bond of Money becomes a Debtor therefore he thinks because Christ suffered to save the Idolater or Blasphemer therefore Christ must be the Idolater and Blasphemer D. W. p. 14. Antinom But pray Sir shew first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies propter Rom. 4.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these things comes the Wrath c. Eph. 56. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the same force 1 Cor. 15 3. Pro peccatis nostris Gal. 1.9 Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Sins 1 Pet. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use to signifie no less the Impulsive Cause than the Final Cause See Rom. 15.9 2 Cor. 1.11 Eph. 1.16 2 Cor. 5.21 Grot. de satisfact Vlciscipio Injuriis Sceleris poenas
former manner i. e. not between parties bearing a proportion to one another and therefore one bound in Duty or Relation to be subjected to the Will and Pleasure of the other Antecedently or fallen under the Breach of their Duty and Relative Obligation and so lying at his Mercy and such are the Covenants that are made between Parents and Children under Age Masters and Servants while in Service between Soveraign Princes in Actual Dominion and their Subjects Of these Covenants there are two sorts 1. A Covenant by way of Legislation or a Law Covenant And 2. A Covenant by way of Promise or free Obligation without Condition required to Entitle to the Promise the Spirit of God calls the first of these a Law and it 's properly so and the second a Covenant of Promise 6. A Law Covenant 1. Presupposeth these two things 1. Foedus minimè hic intelligitur reciprocum aut equale jus contrahendi propter partium inaequalitatem cum altera sit Deus altera homo creatura non est humani sed divini hujus foederis institutio dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legislatio Clopenberg de Foed Vet. A Soveraign Legislative Power duly lodged in the Law-giver or else his Law Covenant is but Vsurpation 2. A Power and Ability in the Subject to perform the Conditions his Law requireth or else the said Law is Vnreasonable Vnjust and Tyrannical 2dly It implies 1. That both the Condition and Sanction be at the will and pleasure of the said Soveraign Law-giver 2. That the first and natural end of the Law is Obedience to the preceptive part which Obedience is due first by a Relative Politick or Natural Relation of the Subject to the Legislator so antecedaneous to the Law and secondarily to that particular Law Obligation 3dly Consequently to this Obedience whether it be little or more there is an Entitling to the remunerative part of the Law if any expressed or implied and by vertue of the compact is a Reward and the said Obedience though infinitely disproportionable is meritorious But in case of Transgression the Sanction by way of Penalty takes place and is called the Wages of Sin such a Covenant as this was the Covenant of Works and it 's not to be supposed that this Law Covenant was grievous to Adam having a Concreated Perfection both of Ability to perform it and an absolute Delight in the whole revealed Mind and Will of God from the highest Principle of Love to God with all his Heart and Soul neither could his Obedience be without unwavering stedfast Faith wherein when he began to stagger his Fall began 7. Adam stood under this Law Covenant as under a Covenant of Works wherein he is to be considered and the Law it self 1. He himself under these Considerations 1. As Endowed with a Personal Perfection and lying under a particular obligation to Obedience both previous to and directly by that Law with Sanction which the Soveraign Creator brought him under 2. God brought not him only as a single private Person under this Obligation only but as a publick common Person the Head of all Mankind and he was not only the Covenant Representative but the Natural Fountain the whole Nature being in his Loins and therefore that first Covenant Breach of his threw the whole Nature out of Covenant the Law charging Transgression upon the whole Humane Nature and laying it under the sentence of Death Rom. 5. Hence his Sin is justly Imputed to all his Posterity the whole World becoming guilty before God besides that a Corrupted Nature which is propagated to all his Posterity 2dly The Law it self 1. The particular Command or rather Prohibition that Adam stood under had these things in it 1. It was but a small Branch of that Moral Obedience which God expected from him and put him upon tryal by but his breaking thereof in one point made him guilty of all God shewing thereby unto him and the World that no Condition could be accepted but perfect Obedience 2. He was not required to work out unto himself any further Grace than he had freely received but to persist in that and therefore the Duty incumbent upon him was perseverance in Grace 3. The particular Obedience required of him for his probation was very easie and small next to nothing negative and but with-holding his Hand from an Apple and bore no proportion as a Condition to the Promise of Eternal Life and therefore could never have merited in respect of the Value but would have been Meritorious by reason of Law compact 3. If he had persevered it must have been by Grace as his Ability was of Grace and so it is with the Angels that stand they have nothing but what they have received and therefore they are saved by Grace in a Covenant of Works 8. The Law by reason of the Fall of Man and God's Will to restore him by a Saviour is not Vacated and Abolished but remains the same still in the commanding Part and Sanction It requires Moral Obedience of Man as God's Creature and continues to condemn Man for the first Sin and all Sins derived from it both Original and Actual in Unregenerate and Regenerate the preceptive parts of it are Rules of Obedience to Redeemed Ones and the Sanction remains even to them in Christ Jesus the Law obtaining its compleat end as to Righteousness Active and Passive in the second Adam Besides this the Law that God governs the World by and will Judge it by at the last Day the Works of Wicked Men will be Condemned and their Persons for their Works the Saints shall be also Justified by their Works because their Persons and their Works are perfect in Christ Jesus they being in him shall be found perfect before God and there is no Condemnation belonging to them nor Sin to be laid unto their Charge Of a Covenant of Promise THere is a Covenant by way of free unconditional Obligation and that is where the Principal or Supream Covenanter binds himself to the Covenantee absolutely requiring no condition to be performed by the Covenantee before his performance of the Promise and in a sence this Covenant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a Covenant with the Stones of the Field that abide uncapable Subjects of Restipulation but it supposeth the Covenanters to be such as are by the Promise made capable and willing to restipulate and perform all Duties for matter and manner that may answer the design of the Covenant consequential to the bestowing of Promise in which their Obedience is contained 2. That God hath Covenanted thus with the Creature without requiring previous Conditions to the Performance of the Promise is not to be questioned such was that made with Noah Gen. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will i. e. alone and by my self set up and establish my Covenant with you without calling you forth to restipulate or perform Conditions and the Promise was that all Flesh
these admired Principles of yours famous at Rome as some Instances of the third thing 1. That every Sin is not Damnable Pref. p. 6. 2. That the Moral Law is vacated its Sanction being changed ibid. 3. That the Eternal Condition of Men is not eternally decided in this Life but they are in a state of tryal here for Eternity p. 55. See to reconcile these three Heads of Doctrin to the Assembly and reconcile the first to the larger Catechism Q. 152. What doth every Sin deserve at God's hands A. 1. Every Sin even the least being against the Sovereignty Goodness and Holiness of God and against his righteous Law deserveth his Wrath and Curse both in this Life and that which is to come and cannot be expiated but by the Blood of Christ 2. Reconcile the second to Confess c. 19. 5. The Moral-Law doth for ever bind all therefore its Sanction remains if you know what Sancire is as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof and that not only in regard of the Matter contained in it but also in respect of the Authority of God the Creator who gave it neither doth God in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this Obligation Who is the Antinomian now 3. Reconcile the third rotten ill-worded Principle to the Assemb c. 17. § 2. The Perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own Free-will but upon the Immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable Love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the Merit and Intercession of Jesus Christ the abiding of the Spirit the Seed of God within them and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth the certainty and infallibility thereof With what Conscience can a Man solemnly subscribe these Articles Confessions and Catechisms and yet assert these Principles But you ascertain our Estate here only by doing you say you can shew that there 's no one Saving benefit granted a sinner but upon supposition of doing p. 230. It 's not given him to will or do but upon supposition of doing nor to be justified or persevere but upon supposition of doing So the Whole and the Certainty of a Believer's State depends wholly upon doing he is under a perfect Covenant of Works and his State is a State of Tryal for Life upon his doing as Adam's was but a worse and hath more to do and is less able Lastly As to the great fundamental Principle on which your New Scheme is founded viz. That the Gospel is a New Law with Sanction tho' I hope I have spoken enough to convince you of the Unsoundness of it yet because I would not be wanting in any thing wherein I may contribute to your further Illumination I will only present you with one remarkable Piece of Protestant Antiquity in this Point And it is An Article in the Confession of the Holy Doctrin which was proposed to the Assembly of the Council of Trent in the Name of the Illustrious Prince L. D. Christopher Duke of Wirtenberg and Count Montbelgard Jan. 24. Anno Dom. 1552. Concerning the Gospel of Christ. ALtho' many Precepts of the Law of God are contained in the Writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles and Christ himself teacheth that we are not to render Evil for Evil nor to look upon a Woman to lust after her and many other Precepts of the like nature Yet we must not think that the Gospel of Christ is a New Law whereby as the Fathers of old under the Old Testament were saved by an Old Law so Men now under the New Testament are saved by a New Law For unless thou understand the word Law generally for Doctrin as the Prophets several times are wont to use the word Law certainly the Gospel of Christ properly is no Law as Paul is wont to use the word Law but is good and joyful Tydings concerning the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Expiator of our Sins and Appeaser of the Wrath of God our Redeemer and Saviour Neither are the Precepts of the Law which are contained in the Apostolick Writings a New Law but an Explication of the Old Law according to the mind of the Holy Ghost which are not darkly contained before in the Writings of the Prophets but are repeated in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ that the Severity of God's Law and the Corruption of our Nature being plainly laid open we might be excited to enquire after and embrace Christ revealed in his Gospel and that we should be acquainted by what Rule our Life of Faith in Christ should be directed Wherefore if we ought to speak properly concerning the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ even as we are not to make Christ a New Law-giver seeing he hath not made a New Law nor erected a New Politick Kingdom on Earth so neither is the Gospel to be turned into a New Law which offer Eternal Salvation to the performers thereof But we think that it is most certain that there is one and the same Natural and Moral Law both of the Old and New Testament and Eternal Salvation is not to be had by Men under the Old or New Testament for the Merits of the Works of the Law but only for the sake of the Merits of our Lord Jesus by Faith Christ rehearseth out of Isaiah his Office Luke 4. for which he was sent into this World saying The Spirit of the Lord is upon me in that he hath anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor c. Here Christ teacheth that it is not his proper Office to give a New Law which might terrifie and slay miserable sinners but to Preach the Gospel that might quicken and comfort them See Gal. 4.4 5. Acts 15.10 11. They quote Austin That People who received the Old Testament Augustinus contra Adimantum Manichei discipulum c. 3. was held under certain shadows and figures of things before the coming of our Lord according to that wonderful and most exactly ordered distribution of times Yet in it there was so great a Predication and Fore-publication of the New Testament that no things may be found in the Evangelick or Apostolick Discipline altho' lofty and Divine Precepts and Promises which were wanting to those ancient Books I here conclude only adding the Exceptions of some Ministers against your Doctrin and Principles The Substance of some Exceptions made by divers London Ministers against Mr. Dan. Williams's Book Entituled Gospel Truth stated and vindicated 1. WE find Truth and Error is not rightly stated in several Particulars chap. 2. c. 5. c. 7. c. 8. c. 12. c. 16. c. 18. c. 19. and in other places 2. Under a colour of opposing some old Antinomian Errors which we from our Hearts abhor he falls in with them in their main Principle of vacating the Sanction of the moral Law as appears Pref. p 6 7. and Lib. p. 131 135. and in
it the Money is his own the Debt is the Principal 's transferred to him but the Payment is the Surety's subjectively and properly Therefore to say the Payment is imputed to the Surety is Nonsence The Spirit of God speaks expresly that our Sins were laid on Christ no less than Three times in Isa 53. and expressed by three different Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. It 's express 1 Pet. 2.24 the Apostle plainly there speaking after the Prophet says He bore it as a Sin-offering Heb. 9.28 Was made Sin 1 Cor. 5.21 Therefore we neeed not fear to say Christ bore our Sins let the Sence be what it will which the Spirit means it was certainly so as to take away the Charge of Sin which is Fault and Blame from before God 1 John 3.3 4. To take it away as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is so to take it away as to set a Man right in the Eye of Justice Your next Branch of Proof to the Minor is That to impute Sin to Christ would argue him a Propagator of Corrupt Qualities What could be done or said more by a Socinian to load the great Truths of the Gospel with reproachful Consequences 1. Sin is no positive Quality as such but only privative 2. All Qualities of a pernicious Nature to the Sinner consisting of Natural Causes are Subjecta peccati not Peccatum it self and they are separable from Sin in it's Moral Consideration There were in Christ himself Effects of our Sins in Infirmity Sorrow Reproach c. They were very uneasie Qualities though not corrupt 3. God himself tells us He laid Iniquity upon him and made him Sin and yet saith Positively He was no Committer of Sin And you charge the Spirit of God with Nonsence and Contradiction For you say it 's impossible to impute Sin to Christ any other way than punishing of him it 's to mistake and make Christ the Committer which Punishment is not sin therefore what the Spirit saith is false Sin was not laid on Christ at all and yet the Spirit speaks it expresly 4. You will inferr these Absurdities 1. That Sin cannot be laid on Christ but by Transfusion wherein you deny Imputation 2. That Christ must be corrupted thereby Whereas the Spirit of God tells us he bears Sin as a Lamb without Spot You will have it that he had the Macula fixed on him by bearing it 3. You will have God by laying Sin on Christ to become a Propagator of Sin The Spirit of God says he appeared to take away our Sins and in him is no Sin 1 John 3.5 How audacious is our Carnal Reason to set upon Divine Mysteries Neonom It was needless to the Ends for which our Sins were laid on Christ Antinom You should have said what 's needless Your Argument should have run thus Laying Sins on Christ is needless to the ends for which they were laid on Christ and therefore those Scriptures that say so are needless Neonom Sins were laid on Christ that he might make Atonement by suffering for them and so release us who had transgressed Antinom Now Sir you say something you speak like a Divine if you can hold there Now you own something laid on Christ besides Punishment for the Atonement was made by being punished and say well now that Sin was laid on him that he might make Atonement for them viz. by being punished For bearing Sin is one thing and making Atonement is another but are inseparable relata and therein contraria affirmantiae Neonom Now Christ by submitting to the Guilt as an Obligation to Punishment according to the Terms of the Covenant of Redemption was sufficient to this End and all that was needful Antinom That Christ bore the Desert or Demerit of our Sin which is done only by a Judicial Charge and Accusation in our stead is sufficient What is Sin after the Fact is committed but reatus culpae Guilt is the Fault declared and applyed somewhere in a way of Judicial Proceeding And this is often the Conscience of Sin and is not removed but by Faith on Christ crucify'd who bore our Sins before God Neonom All that endangered us was the Threatning of the Law and the Punishment included in the Threat Antinom Where there is true Godly Sorrow it 's more upon this Account that he hath sinned against a Holy God and broke his holy just and good Law than for fear of the Threats of Wrath. I thought I had better understood the Nature of Sorrow for Sin that it had been the nature of Sin in Contrariety to God had more grieved than the Fear of Punishment Neonom The Obliquity of the Fact as against the Precept shall not hurt where the Sanction of the Law is answer'd Antinom I think this is that you call Antinomianism with a Witness you shall hear of it again e're long only observe That this is as much a Doctrine of Licentiousness as any you charge on me Secure but your self from Hell and you need not regard the preceptive part of the Law you may live as you list See how you 'l clear your self when you charge it for a great Crime upon me in saying Sin will do no hurt in some Sence c. Neonom And he that suffers as Sponsor for another need not sustain in himself the filthiness of the Crime to make him capable of giving Satisfaction Gen. 44.13 Phil. 18. Antinom No that 's true upon your Hypothesis there 's no need of a Sponsor for the Filthiness of Sin is too foul for Christ to bear the Sinner must be his own Expiator and carry away his Filth himself or if he keep it it will not hurt See 1 John 7.9 Neonom This transacting of the Filthiness of our Sins on Christ is blasphemous Antinom Friend that 's a cruel Bomb to shoot at a good Man to charge him with Blasphemy But where 's the Blasphemy to say Christ bore the Filth of Sin in a Sence Is not Sin filthy under all Considerations Doth not the Spirit of God call it filthy and abominable in all respects 1. Is not the Guilt of Sin Filth and abominable in God's Sight And is it not so when it lies upon the Conscience I think the Spirit of God represents it always as the greatest Foulness and Uncleanness I say a Conscience polluted with Sin to those that are defiled and unbelieving and can't by Faith fetch and derive cleansing Vertue from the Blood of Christ into their Consciences to such nothing is clean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.15 Now this is the very Rooot and Foundation of a Defilement And what is it that takes it off but Faith in the Sin-cleansing Vertue of Jesus Christ The great Contrariety of Sin to the Holy Law is the Filthiness of Sin And the Apostle tells Heb. 9.14 How our Consciences come to be purged from dead Works it 's no other way than
Answer And would it be so absurd to say a Believer may be discharged before the Death of Christ were not the Faithful under the Old Testament discharged before the Death of Christ We say when the Charge of Sin is taken off from one and laid upon another there is a discharge real in one sence or another Generaliter but not particulariter here is a blotting out of Sin quoad Deum though not quoad Conscientiam Christ took away Sin by way of Suretiship before he did it Actually and so the Faithful before his Coming were saved Neonom If this Errour hold the Gospel Notion of Forgiveness by the Blood of Christ is destroyed D. W. p. 19. Antinom You mean I suppose if this be Truth No It confirms Gospel Forgiveness by the Blood of Christ but prove that it destroys it Neonom Forgiveness denotes a Person guilty it is a Judicial Act of God as Rector Acting by a Gospel Rule Antinom The Apostle saith He justifies by free Grace through the Redemption of Christ that he may appear just also in so doing because his Justice is satisfied He shews God justifies sitting on a Throne of Grace Grace is the Impulsive Cause so far as it consists in the Pardon of a Sinner but it is through the Righteousness of Christ to shew forth his Righteousness and in forgiving in and through the Righteousness of Christ he hath the high concurrence of Justice therein that as he is a Gracious Justifier so he is justified as Righteous by doing it in this way and whereas you say It 's a Judicial Act of God Acting by a Gospel Rule I think you should rather say It is a Gracious Act of God Acting according to the Rules of Justice therein for so the Apostle clearly describes it Rom. 3.24 25. And methinks you turn my Stomach to hear you give so pitiful a low and mean Title to God as a Rector as if he were but a Mayor of a Corporation or some little Earthly Prince Neonom And this supposeth the full and perfect Atonement made by Christ and the Grant made in Vertue thereof Antinom What have we been Disputing about all this while I am glad to see Mr. Neonomian's Ingenuity that now he grants all we Dispute about only differs in naming a thing you say the Atonement of the Wrath of God by Christ for Sinners which is in my sence Fundamentally and Really Pardon quoad Deum is full compleat and perfect and that Forgiveness supposeth it and the Grant made in the Vertue thereof if you had said it had been the Grant made in the vertue thereof I take it you had spoken your own sence fuller than to say it supposeth the Grant made in the vertue thereof unless you mean the Grant made to Christ as our Representative which comes more to our sence but let these Mistakes in Expression pass You seem to distinguish between a Discharge and a Discharge so do we you distinguish between an accepted Atonement for us and giving out the Grant and Patent to us and so do we between Impetration and Application and so do we between Forgiveness in foro Dei and Forgiveness in foro Conscientiae or Evangelii but as to that first I find you do not Love to call it Forgiveness though you think it carries the Nature of Forgiveness in it why should you represent me as such an Heretick to scare People from my Ministry upon the meer naming a thing by a word which by your own terms contain the Nature and Substance Neonom But Forgiveness supposeth a Person Guilty Antinom Christ's bearing Sin supposeth all the World is become Guilty before God and the Elect as well as others and therefore he became a Propitiation for Sin to God that we who are by Nature under the Law and thereby Condemned as Children of Adam and in our own Consciences and thereby guilty might receive Forgiveness of Sins or an Atonement both signifying the same thing by believing A Man is reus quoad Deum reus quoad Ministrationem Legis in Conscientiâ and in this sence shut up under the Law till Faith comes and then is his Personal and Particular Discharge through the Blood of Christ and this last I apprehend to be the Justification by Faith which the Apostle Paul speaks so frequently of neither do I say that this or that Man hath any part in Christ or Pardon any more than in Election and Redemption till he doth believe Neonom But you are of Opinion a Person is never guilty Antinom I never had any such Opinion if you distinguish right concerning Guilt Neonom You say Man that Sins were laid on Christ before we were Born and therefore never upon us Antinom How old are you Was not Christ's Death and Suffering almost 1700 years ago And do you not say Sins were laid then on Christ and if they were then laid on Christ they cannot return to us in the sence as they were taken off from us and therefore they are never upon us in the same manner as they are on those that are not Elect and this must be in respect of Guilt quodamodo some kind of guilt distinguish then of guilt there is guilt in respect of the Righteous Judgment of God in foro Dei and guilt that accompanies the Letter of the Law setting in with our Consciences and in that sence the Law worketh Wrath. Sins were laid upon Christ and they lye upon us but not both in the same Manner nor for the same End Neonom A Judicial Act by a Rule there is none Antinom What your new terms of Art mean I will not trouble my self my Scheme as you term it of Justification imports that God graciously pardons in a way of Manifestation of his Justice and all God's Acts are according to the Rule of his good Pleasure and Will and that 's enough Neonom For the Gospel Grant of Pardon is not to the Elect as Elect but as penitent Believers neither is the Atonement of Christ supposed to our Forgiveness Antinom Pardon as to the Nature of it belongs to Sinners as such eo nomine Faith and Penitency is given together with Remission of Sins and how can you have the Face to say I do not suppose Atonement in Forgiveness or belonging to it when it 's upon that account that you have fell so foully upon me because you think I lay too great a stress on Atonement and give too much to it in Forgiveness Neonom You own the laying of our Sins on Christ before the making of Atonement and without our Sins lay on Christ he could not justly be punished Antinom And do not you own that it's first in Nature to making Atonement and how could Christ be justly punished without he had the Merit upon him either by his own Sins or by the Sins of others but I find you own a Man may be justly punished that deserves it in no sence whatever Neonom So that our Discharge being a
him P. 47. Antinom It would take up deservedly some Paper to shew the Error and Sophistry of what you have spoken The Summ is that you deny Christ to be a publick Person and that all that Grace and Fulness that is in him by reason of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures and that Unction without measure which he received was only to qualify him singly and for himself as an Individual Person and not to be conveyed and communicated unto us and therefore none of his Fulness is received by us that the Spirit not his Spirit Neither do we live by vertue of our Union to him as a Root Head Fountain but if we partake of the Divine Nature as the Apostle Peter Eph. 2. ch 1. saith We are made Gods If we partake of the Vertues of Christ we rob him and they are no more in him You abuse the Similitude of Husband and Wife used by the Apostle Eph. 5. and would make it run on Four Feet You consider not that Adam and Eve at first was the true Type the Apostle aims at to represent Christ and his Church by Eve being taken out of Adam had her Nature in him first and was created out of him and so was Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone You must distinguish between the Individual Person and Qualification of the first Adam and his publick Capacity Headship and common Nature he had a peculiar distinct Person and Habits belonging to it as such but he had also a common Nature communicable to his Wife and to his Posterity by Propagation not only Eve's Nature but ours was in him radically And therefore the Prophet Malachy saith that God made but one at first Mal. 2.15 though he had the residue of the Spirit and could have made more as he did in the Creation of Angels but therefore one that he might seek a Seed of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this Seed of God was found in the Seed of the Woman that was made out of Man and was but one as Adam was made but one common Person so Christ and the Church his Wife is made out of him created in him as Eve was and have a Nature common in Christ And doth it follow that because Adam had the common Nature to Eve and his Posterity 1. That his Individual Qualities were communicated taken from him and given to Eve Was Adam turned into Eve Was Adam's Wisdom Holiness his Natural or Moral Vertues taken from Adam and given to her or them The common Nature of a Genus is communicated and propagated by Individuals without robbing the Individual Mankind is propagated daily by Individuals yet those Individuals lose nothing of their proper Adjuncts If Men were not Strangers to Logick and Natural Philosophy and ordinary Terms of Law they would not make so much ado about this common Nature of Christ which in him is Mystical and Transcendent I shall not here enlarge but enquire what is the Opinion of the Protestant Divines Calv. Dr. Davenant I pray speak in this matter what your Sense is Dr. Davenant on Col. 1.19 1. There was in Christ a fulness of habitual Grace neither take we this to be Infinite seeing it was a created Qualitas and inhered in the mind of Christ which also was a Creature it could not be infinite but by fulness of Grace we understand all those Perfections to which the Nature of Grace doth extend it self 2. We consider why Christ ought to have a fulness of Grace 1. E Debito congruitatis it was due to him in a way of meetness by reason of his Union to the Word 2. It was meet that which was nearest to the influencing Cause should partake most of the Influx 3. There was Debitum necessitatis It was necessarily due from the Supposition of the End by reason of the Habitude or relation of Christ himself to the Humane Nature for Grace was conferred upon him not as a private Person but as an universal Principle from whom it is transfused into other Men you say it 's not by Transfusion p. 47. All things ought to be full and in an oneness The Evangelist shews that Grace is diffused to us Eph. 4.7 And on Colos 2.10 1. To be compleat in Christ 1. Is spoken from the Effect Christ is not only perfect in whom dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead but he makes us perfect and compleat we having all things in him and his Doctrine necessary to Salvation 2. The Second Reason is taken from his Office Christ is the Head As to the first We have perfect Wisdom right Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel John 17.13 1 Cor. 2.2 2. We have compleat Righteousness for Satisfaction to the Law of God and for our Sins 3. In Christ we have Sanctification or inherent Righteousness For what is Sanctification other than the washing away of our Errours and Vices whereby we are set at a distance from God and the Susception of Gifts and Graces whereby we may draw nigh to God in his Service And this is done as we stand united to Christ by his Spirit Rom. 1.4 ch 8. 9. In eo non ex eo aut per eum solummodo In him not from him or by him only but he saith We are compleat in him to give us to understand that we have that foresaid Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness not as we behold Christ as existing far from us but as we are incorporated in Christ as we have Christ abiding and dwelling in us and we have this Grace from Christ not the Stream from the head Fountain for it 's not needful that he that will drink of a Fountain should go into the Fountain But it 's otherwise here for we cannot receive of Christ's Fulness unless we are in him As the Old Adam is in us as the cause of Corruption and Death so the New Adam dwells in us as the Cause of Righteousness and Salvation So we are said to be in Christ to dwell in him to abide in him John 15.4 5. Whatever therefore Men hope or please themselves with of Grace Righteousness Sanctification or Glorification it will prove a meer Mock and Dream if they be not in Christ and Christ in them And now Christ is in us and we in him when we are united to our Head and grafted as Branches into the Vine by the Bond of the Spirit and Faith wrought by the Spirit in our Hearts Rom. 8.9 John 3.36 Calv. Speak to this Point Dr. Horton In that Text Rom. 8.2 There are three Terms before us There 's Life the Spirit of Life there 's the Law of the Spirit of Life 1. By Life we are to understand the Grace of Holiness and Sanctification not that which is inherent in our Nature being regenerate but the full and perfect Holiness which is in the Humane Nature of Christ as the proper Subject of it this is the Fountain from which there is a continual flowing of Grace to all that are truly
in him upon which accounts he is fitly called the Covenant 7. This Covenant is Conditional in respect of the Justice of God and the Law of Works for Grace being to be magnified in a Salvation by way of Mercy the Subjects of it were such as had broke God's Righteous Law and offended Justice and such who were never able to fulfill this Law by perfect Obedience therefore it was Incumbent on the Mediator to make Reconciliation by coming between the Justice of God and the Elect to stand in their stead and to fulfill all Righteousness on their behalf 8. Again the Conditionality of the Covenant may be considered to be in Christ as he is the men way of conveyance of all good things from God to us all Blessings come in and through Christ to us all Union and Communion that God hath with us and we with him is in and through Jesus Christ there is no other Name for it given under Heaven and he is become the Living and Dispensing Fountain of all Grace and Glory the Way the Truth and Life John 14. 9. Upon a due consideration of the Federal Conditions there will result an appearance of two sorts of Promises not differing Specifically but modo quodam and respectively only some that refer most immediately and directly to the Elect and others that have their Aspect more immediately on Jesus Christ As to the first sort they are to the Elect as such and therefore to Christ the Head of them and the First-born among many Brethren and so the Promise of Eternal Life is made unto him and them As to the second sort which are Rewarding unto Christ and the Crowning him with Glory and Honour though they primarily respect Christ yet fall down from his Head to the Skirts of his Garment and become a Joy Comfort and Crown to all the Elect what other can such be As seeing his Seed and prolonging his Days and the prospering of the good pleasure of the Lord in his Hand 10. Divines differ about the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace we are of their Opinion who think that in accurate speaking that the Covenant of Grace hath no Conditions properly so called in respect of us A Condition properly so called in the matter of a Covenant is such an Action which being performed gives a man a right unto the reward Such a Condition in the Covenant of Grace cannot he exacted of us it s very plain because a right to Life cannot come upon any action of ours but only upon the righteousness of Christ seeing he was for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Righteousness of the Law he fulfilled it perfectly and left nothing at all to be required justly of us to the gaining a right unto our selves Wits ad Foed cum Elect. p. 195. § 9. The Nature of the Covenant of Grace is Absolute and a Covenant of Promise notwithstanding all the Conditionality contained in it and that must be understood in these respects 1. In respect of the Original Proposer of this Covenant it came from the free and absolute Will Grace and Purpose of the Father 1 Tim. 1.9 and ver 1. This Covenant was not purchased no not by Jesus Christ the Covenant it self Christ in it and all the Glory of it lay in the Eternal Councel of Gods Will and became the purpose thereof and accordingly transacted with Jesus Christ and in him with all the Elect as their Representative 2. Hence it was free and absolute as to the Elect personally considered the whole of the Foederal Conditions lay upon their Head as Undertaker for them 3. The Covenant and Grace thereof is free and absolute and not conditional and suspended upon the unstable will of man Between God the Father indeed and Christ as the second Adam the transaction of the Covenant was wholly conditional Yea he undertook not only for his own works but for ours True indeed it is that when we believe it is we only that believe and when we work it is we that work but our working is not the cause of his Grace but his Grace is of our working Dr. Reynolds Works last Edit p. 923. If the Covenant be considered as it is applyed actually unto the Elect in time this is done absolutely in bestowing the Gift of the Promise to dead Creatures in whom there is an absolute impossibility of performing the least entitling Act to the Promise and therefore there can be nothing freer than Life to a dead Creature neither doth Life given entitle to action that 's very absurd to say but it 's a Principle of Action but Life and such a Life and all the Effects of it proceeds from the same Gift and this is Eternal Life 4. Hence all those Promises that contain the Promulgation of the Covenant in it's Oâ—iginal Nature and as respecting us express the Tenure of it as most free and absolute as it was revealed to Adam Abraham David and in the Gospel-Dispensation since Christ 4. The Absoluteness of this Covenant appears as to us in that all the Federal entitling Conditions contained in it is to be found in another and not in us nor wrought in us for whatever is wrought in us is from free Gift and of Promise and must have some condition performed by another as Federal before we can partake of it Therefore there 's nothing in us before or after Conversion that doth belong to the Federal Condition all our Gospel Obedience is to be referred to the Promise and is built upon it therefore it 's absolute because both Christ the Condition and all the good things promised are freely bestowed upon us 11. For the better understanding of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace Medium est vox communioris significationis quam conditio non omne medium est conditio licet omnis conditio fit medium sed medium ad aliquid obtinen dum ex contractu vel foedere illud demum est conditio Dr. Twiss we must distinguish well upon the Nature of Conditions There are two sorts of Conditions Conditions Federal and Conditions of Connexion or Dependance of things one upon another Federal Conditions are Terms agreed on in Covenant-contract between the Parties covenanting whereupon the Promises made become due by Reward and Debt And this supposeth that the Terms proposed be accepted before it become a Covenant A Covenant is not forced and therefore if the Covenant of Grace were made upon conditional Terms with Sinners it could not be a Covenant-Agreement consummated till they had first accepted the Terms 2. It always supposeth there is a Power and Ability in the Party on whom the Covenant-Condition lies to be performed previous to the Proposal of the said conditions otherwise they would be vain and absurd Hence to assert Faith or Obedience to be the Federal Conditions doth unavoidably throw Men into the Arminian Doctrine of Free-Will and of a Natural Power in Man to provide for his Salvation in the performance of
the said Foederal Conditions But we affirm neither Faith it self no not the Gift of the Spirit that works Faith not our Union to Christ no Gifts that accompany Salvation are Foederal Conditions Christ in the Exercise of his Mediator's Office in his Humiliation and Exaltation is the only Foederal Condition wherein all entitling Conditions particularly mentioned in the Gospel are lodged and treasured up and are freely by Christ bestowed on us 12. There are also Conditions of Connexion by way of Order and Dependance of things one upon another Whereas the Scripture often inculcates such Expressions as these Without Faith none can please God Without Holiness none can see God as if they had called Faith and a new Life Conditions of the Covenant when in accurate speaking and according to the nature of this Covenant on God's part they are Executions of former Promises and an Earnest of future good But if we will call these Conditions they are not so much Conditions of the Covenant as of the certainty that we are in the Covenant Wits de Foed 196. which are rationes rerum inter se and belong to Logick and they arise from all Arguments Artificial or Inartificial Prime and Ort Simple or Comparate Consentany or Dissentany and they run in a Connex Axiom when the said Conditionality is express'd As thus Si Animal est homo est rationale si figura est trigularis est trilateralis If a Creature be a Man he is a Rational Creature If a Figure have 3 Corners it hath three sides all things in the World are capable of coming under this kind of Conditionality yea the most absolute Beings As if God be the first Cause he is the Creator of all things In this Sence Creation is a condition of Salvation If a Man be saved he must be created So Election a condition if a Man be saved he must be elected but Election is not a Foederal Condition So if a Man believe he shall be saved Believing is a condition of connexion to Salvation If a Man have the Spirit of Christ he shall believe unto Salvation but neither Faith nor Union are Foederal Conditions A state in Grace is a condition to a state in Glory by way of connexion in the Promise But one is not a Foederal Condition of another but both come in in the Gift of Grace In this Sence the Covenant of Promise contains all the Conditions of Order and Dependance in the Exhibition and Performance The Hearing the Word is the Condition of Faith but hearing the Word is not a Foederal Condition So the giving the Spirit is the condition of Union to Christ and Faith Faith the condition of receiving Pardon and living in Holiness And the giving of Pardon the condition of receiving it Holiness the condition of seeing God and eternal Happiness But these kind of Conditions are not Foeâ—eral entitling to the Promise but are contained in the Promise and denote only the connexion and dependance of one promised Benefit upon another 13. Hence the Ministry of Reconciliation runs conditionally because in it the absolute Covenant is preached 1. Indefinitely to Elect and Non-elect 2. The Covenant is declared in all the Promissary and Duty-Dependances contained in it and Duty required because promised 3. We must distinguish of the Ministry of Reconciliation in respect of the Letter of it Insertae sunt novisaederis conditiones novae obedientiae legali quidam Schaemate ad normam probationis nostrae ipsius gratitudinis debitae Sic tamen alio quoque Schemate ipsa resipiscentia in peccati mortificatione bonorum operum studio promittitur tanque Dei donum quod ipse operaturus sit in nobis ut isthoc signo argumento fas sit ex quo verè resipuimus credimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sperate in eam quae ad nos defertur gratiam in patefactione Jesu Christi 1 Pet. 1.13 Promissionis formulae expressissimae novum foedus sancientes donatione rescipiscentiae novae obedientiae extant Jer. 32.40 Isa 52.2 1 Pet. 1.4 2 Pet. 1.3 1 Joh. 3.9 and ver 18. Clopeub dâ— foâ—d p. 516. Quicquid conditionis locum obtinere concipitur id omne vniversalitare promissionum includitur si vitam aeternam solum polliceretur Deus non deâ—sset specie aliqua dicendi rescipiscentiam fidem c. Conditiones hujus foederis esse Verum cum initium progression non intercisam continuationem consummationem denique novae vitae odem quasi â—â—lur addicat Deus in universalitte hâc promissorum nihil remanet quod totius foederis conditio censeri queat Nos hic de conditione foederis sic agimus non de aliquâ re in homine quae actuaalem fruitionem consummatae felicitatis precedere debet Witf p. 195 196. de Foeâ—ere and the Spirit of it 1 Cor. 3.6 In the Letter of it the meer external Dispensation that kills because a Sinner looks upon all these conditions of Dependance to be Foederal Conditions but the ministration of the Covenant by the Spirit in that Ministry is absolute according to the Original Contract and the fullest Discovery in its highest Freedom And therefore the Apostie tells us this Spirit giveth Life And the believing Corinthians are said to be the Epistle of Christ written and transcribed from the Original Covenant-Contract not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart according to that Promise of a new Heart Hence therefore we must distinguish between the Covenant of Grace it 's absolute Tenure and the Ministry of the Grace of the Coventnt which Ministry is conditionally dispensed according to the connexion and dependance of good things contained in the Promise to a mixed People Elect and Non-elect The effect of this Ministry is either to work effectually by the Spirit according to the nature of an absolute Promise and then becomes a Savour of Life or else it works only in the Letter in the conditional Nature as a Covenant of Works and then it killeth eventually and is a Savour of Death and Condemnation 14. The Covenant of Grace is to be distinguished according to its different Revelation and Dispensation under the Names of the Old and New Testament which is no Specifick Difference but only secundum adjunctae Revelationis The Absoluteness of this Covenant was abundantly revealed under the Old Testament Dispensation unto the Patriarchs and Prophets but not so clearly by the Ministry of the Worldly Sanctuary but vailed on which vailedness the faultiness of that Dispensation was charged and did consist in comparison of what was to ensue 1. It stood vailed under a Figurative Carnal Ministry and Ordinances 2. Such as were weak and insufficient as to reaching those Ends that were designed by the Grace of the Covenant Heb. 10.1 and that in respect of the main Gospel Grace in pardon of Sin and purifying the Conscience 3. In that it
contains not the Genus or common Nature of a Covenant viz. to be an Agreement wherein two Parties do mutually consent nor the Parties wherein the Nature of a Covenant doth consist which is a Condition and Promise nor is there a Covenant in the more improper fence denoted viz. A Promise for if it be a Covenant of Grace it must be at least a Covenant of Promise 2. You say it 's a way ordained of God Here 's no Forma or Differentia for many things are ways and means which are not Covenants you should have said according to your Sence it's God's Agreement with Sinners upon Terms of Faith and Repentance 3. The Application of the means effectually is part of the Salvation it self 4. You say this Salvation is prepared by Christ you should have said By the Father in his Councel and Purpose for the giving his Son and blessing us with all Blessings in him The Life and Salvation is Christ and in Christ he is our Life the Father hath given us Life and this is in his Son 5. You should have said Which he hath promised to enable the Elect to comply with or else it hath nothing of a Covenant in it it carries only the force of electing Will and if he hath promised then to some or other either to Christ and then it brings in your Covenant of Redemption if to any other excluding Christ then to the Elect out of Christ For the Promise to make a Person comply must be made and must be in Nature before he doth comply Neonom I pray what do you say is the Covenant of Grace Antinom I shall tell you the Parties between whom it was made It was made by God in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son You speak improperly to talk of the Father and Spirit covenanting with the Son you should rather say The Father Son and Spirit covenanted with the Son For by this Notion you take in the Persons of the Trinity for you must take them all in the covenanting part and then there 's as much reason to take them in all in their stipitulating part because the Son is God and so the three Persons covenanted with themselves under the same distinct consideration in the Godhead But we say God essentially considered covenanted in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son His Son taking Man's part being his Representative as having his Nature in the same Person therefore as the Second Adam having all the Spiritual Seed in his Loyns and as a common Person foederally Neonom And what is a Covenant between these â—aâ—â—sks Antinom It 's the Promise of Eternal Life made to Christ and to the Elect in him to be performed in and through Jesus Christ as the great Condition to all them that shall be saved by him Covenants are denominated from either part by a Synechdoche here chiefly from the Promise as the same is sometimes from the Condition The Covenant of Grace is a great Mystery c. Rom. 16.25 Col. 1.26 1. Because it was Eternal Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 2. That though between God and Man yet being made with us in Christ it was between Equals Phil. 2.6 3. That though it was a Covenant of Works yet a Covenant of Grace to Christ a Covenant of Works and most conditional Isa 53.10 11 12. To us absolute and free being a Promise of the Gift of Christ and all Blessings in him 4. It is mysterious in respect of the several states that it hath had 1. Hidden 2. Revealed Hidden in God before the World was Revealed since the World 1. Less manifested in the Promulgation before Christ's coming 1 In respect of the few Emanations and Discoveries of its Brightness and Lustre in Absolute Promises to Adam Noah Abraham Jacob David 2 In regard of it's Vailed state First Under the Veils of Sacrifices Types Figures Secondly Under a Legal Moral and Conditional Administration 5. It is mysterious in regard of the various Names and Titles that it hath had from it's different Dispensations that under the Law was called Old and Faulty because it made but a partial Discovery of it's Glory and Lustre In the New Testament it 's called the New Covenant in respect of the new and clear Dispensation it 's called the Promise because it appears absolutely given forth in a Promissory way it 's called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Nature of it in relation to Sinners it's good News to them It 's called a Testament because confirmed by Christ's Death Neonom But you tell me not how you prove the Covenant of Grace and Redemption are all one Antinom 1. Because I know them not spoken of any where as distinct Covenants The Scripture of Isa 53.10 11 12. is a place wherein this Covenant is so clearly described between the Father and the Son it holds forth the Covenant of Grace fully and clearly the Promise of all Grace and Benefits that are contained in the said Covenant of Grace And the Apostle tells us expresly That this Covenant-Agreement was the Will by which we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus once for all Heb. 10.8 9 10. 2. That Covenant that contains in it the whole Matter and Form in Conditions and Promises of the Covenant of Grace doth not Essentially differ from it but the Covenant of Redemption doth It contains Conditions and Promises of Grace all things that pertain to Life and Godliness and it contains in it all conditions upon which we may be partakers of any Promises Christ's Person Offices Sacrifice Righteousness Active and Passive there 's no Covenant condition of Atonement Propitiation Satisfaction unto the Justice of God but it is here Christ is the Great Fulfiller of the Law and Satisfier of it he is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every Believer Rom. 10.4 3. From the Vailed Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace before the coming of Christ their Sacrifices and their Ceremonial Administration held forth in a Figure that it is made to Christ and confirmed in him as the Great Offering and Atonement Christ is there exemplified and set forth as the fulness of the Covenant of Grace both in respect of Promises and Conditions 4. When we plead any thing of the Covenant of Grace it 's the Promises of Life made to us in Christ as Yea and Amen to us in him in respect of obtaining and performance to us 5. Our Justifying Acts of Faith is fixed on Christ as the Summ of the Covenant of Grace as Satisfying for our Sins and as to whom the Promises were made and the great thing promised as the Fountain and Meritorious Cause of all Blessings he is given us as the Covenant 6. There is all Grace to be had in this Covenant frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora there is no Grace but is given forth and
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
whole use depends on Gods Ordination Antinom I wonder you 'l ground your denial upon such a weak Reason for would not Adam's Merits have depended on God's Ordination And doth not Christ's Merits depend on God's Ordination Neonom Nor whether a Soul may neglect to accept of Christ as Prophet Priest and King because they feel not that degree of these Humblings and Convictions which they desire and expect Antinom But being you set them a digging in the Rock of their own Hearts for the Pearl of Great Price you should tell them how deep it lyes before they are likely to find it for all these Convictions and Humblings are before they come at Christ you put them upon hard Service unless you tell them when they are convinced enough and humbled enough and why do you use the word neglect for as long as they are upon the work you assign them they wait for you to offer Christ to them and you tell them it 's better to stay longer and there 's reason for it according to your Hypothesis if some degrees of Humblings must be had to fit them for Christ then more degrees will make them more fit Neonom Nor whether these Preparatory Qualifications be the Work of the Spirit by common Grace This I affirm Antinom So then they may dig and not find the Mine and spend all their days in Common Grace and never find Spiritual Grace now here you fully declare your self that Common Grace is the Condition of Special Grace What a Work is here with Conditions Neonom Nor whether their immediate Influence I mean of Preparatory Qualifications be to prepare the Soul for a true consenting Acceptance which it is hereby less averse to and more disposed for This I affirm Antinom I know not what sence to put upon this but the Papists Congruity and that common Grace is a degree or a qualifying condition of Saving Grace and that Common and Special differ not Specifically but Gradually only which to me is gross Divinity Sancta Clara tells us thus De habitâ prima gratiâ Actuali Communis recepta Sententia Scholar est c. Certainly it is the common and received Opinion of the Schools that with the help of the first preventing Grace we may obtain further helps by acting and endeavouring yea the first habitual justifying Grace and in some measure deserve it de congruo i. e. of meetness fitness and aptitude and it 's the common Opinion of all the Doctors as to after-helps in respect of the first Grace and he faith He takes Scotus's Judgment instead of all as the best in that he saith Repentance is a meer disposition to habitual Grace And amongst such as he quotes for his Opinion he brings the 13th Article of the Church of England Artic. 13. Of Works before Justification Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God for as much as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of Congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God willeth or commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin which he would wrest to his sence that although Works before the Faith of Christ or the first Actual Grace are excluded as meritum ex congruo by the said Article exceptio firmat regulam in oppositum yet he saith Other Works according to the said Article done as Fruits of Faith may in some measure dispose and de congruo deserve promereri gratiam Justificationis which Opinion he would make Augustin to be of And whereas it 's said in the said Article We doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin he would palliate it thus saying Non dicunt talia simplicitèr esse peccata sed potius participare quod sine omni dubio est terminus diminuens i. e They say not that such are simply Sins but do partake of Sin which without all doubt is a Term of Diminution i. e. the word rather or else they would have said that they were Sins without Restriction You see what Jesuitical Evasions here are to establish your Qualifications which you and the Papists are so fond of whereas these first Reforming Protestants say Non disponunt hominem ad receptionem gratiae but the rather we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin yet you will say they prepare for true Acceptance and make the Soul less averse and more disposed to it whereas the quite contrary mostly appears that those that become meerly morall and leave off the practice of some gross Sins and do some good Works from that Principle are usually the most averse and least disposed to the Grace of God of the two Neonom I shall shew you wherein the Real difference is 1. Whether coming to Christ is an inward Perswasion that Christ is mine This you affirm and I deny Antinom You abuse me in charging me with speaking what you would fasten upon me for I spake distinctly of these two things first of coming to Christ and then of knowing that Christ is mine by my being come to him but yet I say that this coming to Christ ought to be by a particular perswasion that Christ is offered to me as a Sinner freely offered to me without any consideration of any Qualification and this perswasion every Believer hath less or more Dr. Twiss distinguisheth between fides in Christum fides de Christo Faith in Christ and Faith concerning Christ being ours the first is this coming to Christ for Life the other our Perswasion and sweet Sense of the Love of God in Christ Neonom 2. Whether Christ is offered to Sinners with a design that they may conclude they have a Saving Interest in him before they are Regenerated by the Spirit and savingly Believe Antinom The Design of offering Christ to Sinners is that they may receive the offer freely and immediately and that when they are come to Christ they should know this Faith was not of themselves or did spring out of any Natural or Moral Qualification but from Christ the Author of it and from their Union to Christ Jesus which I take to be a Saving part in him and that they cannot believe without a Saving part in Jesus Christ before they believe He having blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ of which Faith is none of the least And Dr. Twiss saith Faith being one proper Effect only of a Saving Interest though not claimable by them till they believe Justitia Christi sicut Christi est c. The Righteousness of Christ as it is Christs and performed by him so it 's ours as wrought for us juris ratione and before Faith as Meritorious of Efficacious Grace for the working of that Faith Lib. 1. p. 2. § 25. For if without Christ they can do nothing then they cannot believe without part
in it's own Nature and needs a continued flux of Supply as our Graces in Sanctification As thus a Traytor pardoned by the King is not unalterably pardoned but shall be kept by the King's Care in a pardoned state Neonom Or whether God hath decreed that the Elect shall certainly believe and so be justified Antinom But hath he decreed that the Elect shall never be justified in any Sence before they believe or that Faith should be wrought as a qualifysng Condition for Justification Neonom Nor whether true Faith be an infallible sign of Justification Antinom But you make it nothing else to us if it justifies as a Condition if your Condition doth not foederally merit the Promise it 's nothing to God but an infallible Sign whereby he sees when to justifie us and to us that we are justify'd by him And what is this better than a manifestation you making it only a manifesting Condition You 're excellent good to multiply Whethers to no purpose You might bring in a 1000 Whethers more and say it 's not the Question Whether it be further to the East or West Indies nor whether Brittain be an Island or Continent Neonom I 'll come to the Point and tell you the Truth Tho' Faith be no way a meritorious Cause of a Sinners Justification yet God hath promised to justifie all such as truly believe Antinom That 's true so he hath promised to Sanctifie and glorifie them Neonom And requires Faith as an Indispensible Qualification in all whom he will justifie for Christ's merits Antinom This now is to the purpose now we see how Faith justifies as an indispensible Qualification a greater Condition than was laid upon Adam a thousand-fold For a clearer understanding the Justification of a Sinner by Faith Norton Evang. p. 110. let these Three Acts be considered the one looked at to succeed the other in Order not in Time First God actually imputes the Active and Passive Mediatory Obedience of Christ unto a Believer Rom. 4.6 therein God is freely given Secondly The Soul having before in order of Nature not in Time received Christ as its Head and Saviour by the same Faith receiveth his Obedience as the matter of it's Righteousness herein the Soul is taking Rom. 1.17 Ch. 6.11 Gal. 3 13. Thirdly God hereupon in the Court of Conscience Judicially declares and pronounceth the Sinner to be righteous and to have right unto Eternal Life by vertue of the Promise John 5.4 Rom. 3.22 30. By this Act of Grace the Person of a Sinner is Justified in himself really yet not inherently but imputatively c. Faith acknowledges 1. That we are Justified for the Righteousness sake of another viz. Christ God Man 2. Acknowledgeth our Justification is free 3. Renounceth our own Righteousness You see the Justifying Nature of Faith is Metonimically ascribed to it as the Eye is said to be the Light of the Body because it lets in the Light so Faith as the Spiritual Eye sees the glory of Christ as the Ear lets in the Justifying Promise declaratory Hence it 's said this is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent which is to acknowledge him by Faith as he is revealed Mr. Norton tells you We are justify'd by Faith alone i. e. Faith as it is justifying is not a work Rom 4.5 Nort. Evang. p. p. 208. 2 Because we are not justified by our own Righteousness i. e. The Righteousness whereof we are the Subjects 3. Because we are justified by the Righteousness of another sometimes called God's Righteousness whereof God is the Ordainer and whereof he who is God-Man is both the Worker and Subject 4. Because we are justified by a Righteousness that 's made ours by Imputation not by Infusion but as Abraham was justified 5. Because we are justifyed by a Righteousness that is actually procured before we believe our Righteousness is compared to a Garment which we put on by believing Rev. 19.8 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 yet Faith never took stitch in it Calvin That Faith justifies not as a Qualifying Condition is manifest 1. Faith as a Quality is a Work of the Law The Law commanded Faith a leading Duty in it But no Man is justified by the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 So Wolleb Willet This Proposition we are justified by Faith understood legally with the Papists is not true but blasphemous but understood correlatively is true Vosin Cat. p. 2. Q. 63. 2. That which cannot stand with Grace in Justification cannot have any Influence on Justification as such but for Faith to have any causal Influence as a Work on Justification is inconsistent with Grace The Minor is prov'd Eph. 2.8 Ergo. 3. That which gives no more to Faith in the business of our Justification than to other Works of Sanctification cannot be true but to make Faith to Justifie as a Qualification gives no more to Faith than to other Works of Sanctification Ergo. The reason is because the Scripture doth peculiarly attribute our Justification unto Faith and in a way of Opposition to all Works of Sanctification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Chap. 3.11 4. If you say That Faith justifies only as an antecedent Condition not at all meritorious Virtute eompacti then it 's no more a Condition than our coming into the World or Acts performed by us before Faith and it gives no more to Faith than to the Works of Nature as Worldly carnal Sorrow Legal Repentance and such moral Acts as carnal and unregenerate Men daily perform such as you call your Preparatory disposing Conditions and they are the cause of Faith as much as Faith of Justification and consequently the causes of Justification Causa causae est etiam causa causati and are in in eodem genere causarum 5. Whatever justifies as a Foederal Condition is meritorious but Faith justifying as a qualifying Condition upon which Life is promised justifies as a Foederal Condition The Major is true in the account of all for the Condition need not to be adequate to the Reward in Intrinsick Value tho' it be never so small yet upon Performance of the Condition the Reward is due Debt And indeed all Conditions in Contracts and Covenants are proper meritorious Causes by vertue of the Compact and Agreement made between the Covenanters For the Minor If it justifies as a qualifying Condition it must justifie as a Foederal Condition or meer Antecedent Condition And if you say as an antecedent Condition it 's at best but Causa sine qua non which we call No Cause 6. The Scripture doth sufficiently explain it self in what it says of Justification by Faith when it says we are redeemed saved justified by Christ by his Blood by his Death c. That the Spirit of God when it says we are justified by Faith intends not any Moral or Physical Causality in Faith as a Qualification but only by vertue of it's Object Mr. Bradford the Holy Martyr reasoneth thus
Christ is made our Sanctification and all that Holiness in us that is accepted it 's not only in and for his Righteousness but it 's performed in the Life and Power of Christ our Sanctification therefore he saith 1 Cor. 1.30 that what we are we are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. Neonom Or is that filthiness which renders Saints the excellent of the Earth Psal 16 2. Antinom Doth not David say ver 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee the original words if you understood them is fuller as to the sense intended tho' shorter than the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Goodness is not to thee or nothing to thee and the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast no need of my Goodness Do you say Is that Filthiness which renders the Saints Excellent I had thought it was the Grace of God Christ's Righteousness and the Inbeing in Christ that had rendred them Excellent not their own Works Neonom The Imitators of Christ Antinom Scholars that Write after another may make very sorry work mere Scribling that the Master tho' he finds reason in himself to accept would if he did not tear it all to pieces Neonom Was not this it for which Caleb was said to have another Spirit and upon account whereof we must love the Godly as begotten of God Antinom Was Caleb's Works his Spirit or his Works flow from his singular Spirit his Spirit was a Spirit of Faith thro' which he did so great things in Christ Jesus and so the Works were accepted Heb. 11. The Foundation Reason of our Love to the Saints is Christ loving them and their Relation to Christ every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him and by this we know we love the Children of God when we love God 1 John 5.1 2. Neonom Is it not pleasing to God to which he hath made so many promises and for which he commends Moses David c. Antinom As God is not pleased with any Persons so with no Works out of Christ neither hath made any promises to any such out of Christ all the best Works are cast forth as Filth and Odious if done out of Christ Neonom Calling them a peculiar People it s no small thing that Christ is so pleased with his Spouse Antinom They are peculiar because purchased and have peculiar Blessings and Privileges and bring forth peculiar Fruits in Christ Jesus John 15.5 6. without me ye can do nothing and if a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and any Work that is done out of Christ is but Dung as 1 Cor. 3.12 13. If a Man in Christ build Hay Stubble his Works will be burnt and he suffer loss tho' he may be saved Christ is pleased with his Spouse his Church because he hath loved it and washed it in his own Blood and therefore she is Comely but as for what she is in her self and as to her Works in themselves and done out of Christ she is but Black as the Tents of Kedar c. Sol. 1.5 Neonom Can that be Dung which is a Meetness for Glory an Honour to God and Credit to Religion Antinom Our Meetness for Glory is all from Grace there 's nothing that flows from our selves no Work done out of Christ can contribute to any Meetness all our Meetness is in Christ Jesus as made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification and we grow up in him in all things as for our relation unto Men we say with the Apostle they are profitable to Men and be a means that they Glorifie God on our behalf but God hath no direct Honour by them if not performed by Faith in Christ Neonom How can that be Acceptable to God in Christ if it be Filthiness Antinom Good Works are good in their kind but comparatively and in themselves because of the mixture of Sin and Corruption they are in the sense of the Spirit of God but Filth you may as well say how can Paul be Acceptable to God thro' Christ who saith In me dwelleth no good thing Must Persons and Actions be free from all adhering Corruption by reason whereof they in themselves are Abominable to the pure Eye of God before they be made Acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ This is like your constant Doctrins Persons and Actions must be good first before they have benefit by Jesus Christ Neonom Wickedness will never be Accepted with God for Christ sake tho' imperfect Goodness shall Antinom No imperfect Goodness can be Accepted as Righteousness with God for Christ sake Christ never so much as purchased that any of our best Graces or Works should be Accepted as our Righteousness and it cannot be Accepted unto Holiness out of Christ and the Doctor never said our good Works wrought by Faith in Christ are Dung so as not thro' Christ to be Accepted unto Holiness but imperfect Works are no more our Righteousness for Acceptation with God than Wickedness neither in their Nature for Christ's sake Neonom Read what is spoken of Sincerity and Vprightness will it agree with what 's Mortal Poison Antinom Moral Sincerity and Uprightness may and so is all out of Christ Neonom What a Reproach is it to Christ to call his Life in us and the beginning of Glory by this Title Antinom The Life of Christ in us is by the Faith of the Son of God and we are Crucified with Christ to all that 's done by us and therefore account it Dung and Dross in comparison of all done by us and Works give us not Title to Glory tho' Grace begins it Neonom Nay to make his Triumphs in us so low as that all he hath improved his Members to is mere Filthiness Antinom The Triumph of Christ in us is the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Neonom It 's well if the Scriptures can escape clean if all the Works of the Spirit are thus debased when they pass thro' Men. Antinom The Scriptures are clean in themselves as from the Spirit but the Works done by us are not Scripture tho' they be in some measure conformed thereto Neonom But I less wonder that Doctor Crisp should speak thus of the Righteousness of the Saints as in them when he saith the Enemies of Christ may have Sincerity and singleness of Heart towards God P. 450 451 452. Antinom Doth not he prove that Paul in his Unregenerate Estate was blameless as to the Law 's Righteousness Phil. 3.6 and what Paul did against the Churches he verily thought that he ought to do it Acts 26.9 Was not this Sincerity at least in his apprehension had he not an Eye in what he did to the Glory of God The Jews also had a Zeal for God Rom. 10. but you wrong him
with a pretence to a sweetning Spirit of Meekness from the Temper which he hath manifested formerly as well as now and why he is a most incompetent Judge to pass Sentence upon my Procedure about Matters in Controversie as I do declare all the Subscribers to be and he in a more especial manner not only because he is of the Party engaged in this carnal Contention about words only as he would have the World to understand it to be since it could not be made an Imposition as at first designed but also because he always as it were hath asserted that he ne'er heard one side nor would saying That he never read Mr. Williams's Book tho' he hath subscribed to it and therefore always refused to hear or argue any Allegations against the Doctrins contained in it Now is it possible that such an one should give a true Verdict concerning Matter of Fact or pass a just Judgment upon either Party who is declaredly so byassed I could say much more of this Nature should I proceed to give a true Narrative of Behaviours and Passages that have attended the Carnality of recommending Mr. Williams his Book to the World by Subscriptions which I shall forbear to do unless I see I am provoked to it In the mean time I commend this Cause and the weak management of it on my side to the God of Truth that weighs the Spirits and judgeth righteously And in Honor to that Reverend Divine I say no more to what he hath so angrily preached and wrote but am ready notwithstanding to ascribe it to that Infirmity wherein it's possible some Men think we are too much alike and to bear a due reverend respect to him But if upon further provocations I find I am forced to vindicate my self from these Abuses and that in so doing some Men find Quod me non impune lacessunt let them thank themselves for it as they may for all that they would make me so blame-worthy in A brief Reply to what Mr. Daniel Williams hath charged Mr. J. N. with in the Preface to his Reply to Dr. C. FInding my self traduced by such as seem never to live so pleasantly as in the Fire of Contention who are ambitious to expire in the Arms of Fame and this wholly owing to what Mr. Daniel Williams hath published in the Preface to his late Book called A Defence c. It 's but needful I give the Reader a true and impartial Account of my Concern in those Matters for which I am quoted and thus treated The first Particular for which I am charged is in reference to Dr. Crisp's Works viz. Mr. Nesbit from credible Hands informs me the Assembly of Divines desired to have them burnt In answer to this I shall give the Impartial Account of this Story with the Circumstances that accompany it and then leave my Censors to be Judges how unfairly I am treated in this matter Soon after this Reverend Author had appeared by the Press in the present Controversie I told him I had been in some Company where his Opposition to Dr. C.'s Works was occasionally mentioned To which one naming to him both Place and Person replied They had been sufficiently answered by the Assembly for they burnt them The same Passage being repeated where he and several other Ministers were present it was moved That one should Write to know of Dr. W. at Oxford who was able to give a full Account of the Truth or Falshood of this Report which was accordingly done And the Answer returned and made known to this Author before his Printing was in Sum thus Tho' many of the Assembly did not approve of them yet there was no such thing as a Vote against them that ever he heard of or remembred Now why this Account from a Person that Mr. Williams was satisfied knew the whole of the Affair should be omitted and the other occasional Report printed is not easily conceivable except we knew the meaning of the Reason I had from him when expostulating his unkindness in this Action viz. the Doctor 's Answer was not so much to the purpose therefore omitted But they that know nothing of this are prone to conjecture it seem'd designed to make my Name loathsome to them by whom he can't but know I desire to be approved However I hope my Soul hath been better dieted than to improve for just Reflection what is here offered by him The next Passage is in reference to his own Book viz. Mr. N. tho' I never requested it in my House declared if Mr. M. and three more had subscribed he would not have been unwilling to do it and he desired me to add Congregational to the Divines in and about this City who forbear to subscribe only for prudential Considerations which I refused I must acknowledge the freedom and familiarity I had for some time through our near Neighbourhood in this Author's Company encouraged me often to speak my Thoughts without being requested to it and that without the least Jealousie of having what I discoursed with him in private made publick by the Press and I not once acquainted with it and I see had I come to act the part of a Plotter I had been discovered by an unsuspected Informer As to the whole of what past in this private Conference it was with me of so little moment that in a few days it was buryed in forgetfulness So that when by a Friend these Passages were queried of me I remembred neither but denyed both till some time after seriously revewing what Discourse I had with him about this Concern I remembred that at my parting from him I desired the word Congregational might be added he having before told me the Names of several of that Persuasion that were to his knowledge Cordial for what he had done As for the other Passage I have not once or twice but often solemnly protested to him I did not remember any Particular so much as like it which Answer I thought the most becoming Denial to a Man of his Character but it seems it was not to the purpose and therefore omitted Sure I am Gospel-truth when truly stated carries more Demonstration in it than to need such undue Methods and unmanly Weapons for the defence of it The last Passage is He told Mr. Hume that if one or two Passages were rectified he would subscribe my Book To which Report I shall only make this short return That I may be a Stranger to my self through the deceitfulness of my own Heart but if my Heart does not deceive me I never had such a Thought nor uttered such a Word nor is it easie to conceive the thing so much as probable for the only time I discourst with Mr. Hume of this Subject was before this Author's Defence c. was published And at that time I did expostulate with him why he would be a Subscriber to the former To which he reply'd What should I do when followed daily and prest to