With his Stripes we are healed and sundry other places Nay to suppose any Degree of Suffering on Christ and not our Sins laid on Christ even though in the Doctor 's Sence would overturn the whole Christian Religion and justifie the Socinians Testimonies The Assemblies Lesser Catechism Q. Wherein did Christ's Humiliation consist A. In his being Born and that in a low Condition made under the Law undergoing the Miseries of this Life the Wrath of God and the cursed Death of the Cross in being buried and continuing under the Power of Death for a time Thou seest Christ's Incarnation or being Born and several other things before Christ's Crucifixion are parts of his Humiliation The Ground of the Doctor 's Mistake Because the hidings of God's Face and especially the dying Sacrifice of Christ did so compleat and finish the Work of Satisfaction as the principal parts thereof therefore he thinks our Sins were not laid on Christ till then CHAP. VI. Of God's Separation from and Abhorrence of Christ while our Sins lay upon him Truth THough God testified his threatned Indignation against Sin in the awful Sufferings of Christ's Soul and Body in his Agony and suspended those delightful Communications of the Divine Nature to the Humane Nature of Christ as to their wonted Degrees yet God was never separated from Christ much less during his Body's lying in the Grave neither was the Father ever displeased with Christ and far less did he abhor him because of the Filthiness of Sin upon him Errour Christ was on the account of the Filthiness of Sins while they lay upon him separated from God odious to him and even the Object of God's Abhorrence and this to the time of his Resurrection Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion He saith P. 294. Nay from this I affirm as Christ did bear our Iniquity so Christ for that Iniquity was separated from God and God was here separated from Christ or else Christ spake untruth P. 295. The Doctor puts an Objection It may be this for saking was but for a little time He saith To this I answer it was as long as Sin was upon him had not Christ breathed out the Sins of Men that were upon him he had never seen God again he having taken Sin upon him he must unload himself of Sin before he can be brought near to God c. There was a Separation and Forsaking when Christ died but at his Rising there was a Meeting again a kind of renewing his Sonship P. 408. It is a higher Expression of Love that Christ should bear the Sins of Men than that he should be given to die for Men c. Affliction is not contrary to the Nature of God God can smile upon Persons when they are under the greatest Scorn c. But where the Lord doth charge any Sin the Lord hath an Abhorrence there P. 379 380. He shews That Christ to be a Scorn yea for God to make him suffer the most accursed Death of the Cross is far less than to make him sin because all this may agree to the Nature of God but Iniquity is the hatefullest thing in the World to God where Iniquity is found a Toad is not so odious nor ugly to Man as that Person is in the Sight of God P. 180. All that Filthiness and Loathsomeness of our Nature is put upon Christ he stands as it were the Abhorred of the Lord. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether the Soul of Christ endured the Effects of Gods Wrath against sin and was amazed thereat as well as at the Importance of the Work he was engaged in and the Enemies he was to encounter with and the Sacrifice he was to make c. 2. Nor whether the Divine Nature suspended for a while on the Cross the delightful Communications of it self as to the Degrees it was accustomed to emit to the humane Nature of Christ. These with awe I freely affirm The Real Difference 1. Whether Christ was separated from God This the Doctor affirms and I deny 2. Whether Christ was at any time under God's Abhorrency or odious to him because under the Loathsomeness of Sin This the Doctor affirms and I deny yea not without Detestation 3. Whether Christ was thus on the account of the Filthiness of Sin upon him separated from and under the Abhorrency of the Father during his lying in the Grave This the Doctor affirms and I deny it of that time and any other or else it would be true for the whole time of his Humiliation The Truth Confirmed 1. This Separation was impossible because of the Union between the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ in one Person This Union could not be dissolved nor could all Communications of Comfort or Strength from the Divine Nature be interrupted while the Union remained Yea the Humane Nature of Christ had never a personal Subsistence of its own but was assumed by the eternal Word the second Person of one Essence with the Father 2. The Father had promised constant Supports to Christ in the whole of his Undertakings and Sufferings and his comfortable Presence with him Isa. 42. 1 4 6. Isa. 50. 7 8 9. 3. The Doctor of all Men had least reason to assert this Separation when he had so exceeded in telling us P. 379. That the Divine Nature is a kind of Soul to the Humanity consisting of Soul and Body and is the Form and Strength of both c. The God-head gives Life to Christ and so all the Sufficiency to bear Iniquity proceeds from the Divine Nature of Christ. And P. 378. Should Iniquity be laid on the Humane Nature and the Divine Nature not support the Humane Nature it would have sunk under sin Reader is it not strange that after this the Doctor should affirm a Separation and that for all the time when Iniquity was upon Christ 4. The Lord Jesus could not be abhorred or odious to God for in him God was always well pleased Isa. 42. 1. Mat. 17. 5. He was now yielding the highest Act of Obedience and so there was at least no cause of Offence yea God loved him for this John 10. 17 18. the Person of the Son was always Gods Delight from Eternity to Eternity Prov. 8. 30. and could not but be so Christ must have been as odious to himself as to the Father for he is of the same Holy Essence Reader How horrid a sound must it have to a Christian Ear to say A Christ odious to God abhorred by the Father and that because he was a loathsome a detestable an abominable and filthy sinner for a time This Point carries that Aspect that from Regards for the Doctor I will not insist on it nor its necessary Consequences and yet upon this depend many of his Positions 5. Christ could not be thus separated from and be as it were the Abhorred of the Lord while his Body lay in the Grave for then his Soul could not be in Paradise as
is their Father though they resolve against being Separate Men can though God saith they cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils 1 Cor. 10. 21. For Union and Communion with Christ be the Heart of the Benefits included in partaking of the Lord's Table Reader Weigh these things and thou canst hardly conceive what Act of God an Union before Faith can be ascribed to It 's not to the Decree for that only resolveth it shall be in future It 's not to God's appointing or Christ's engaging to be a Mediator for thereby he undertook in time to raise a Seed which in the fulness of Time God would gather in one in him Eph. 1. 10. It 's not in Christ's assuming the humane Nature for that admits all Mankind to be united to him as well as the Elect. And what Mr Sterry and others talk of a radical Union with Christ as he is the top Branch or the universal Spirit of the Creation in a Nature distinct from his Divine and Humane it's fordid to such who know of but two Natures in Christ and if granted would not prove the Doctor 's Notion of actual Union TESTIMONIES The Assembly Confess Ca. 26. a. 1. and the Elders at the Savoy Chap. 27. a. 1. affirm That we are united to Jesus Christ by-his Spirit and by Faith A. 5. Only the Elders add We are not thereby made one Person with Christ. The Lesser Catechism hath this Question How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual Calling The New England Synod confute this as Errour 37. We are compleatly united to Christ before or without any Faith wrought in us by the Spirit They sum up their Confutation of this in these VVords If there be no Dwelling of Christ in us no coming to him no receiving him no being married to him before and without Faith But the former is true Errour 16. which Boston Church charged Mr. Hutcheson with was That Union to Christ is not by Faith Errour 38. The Synod Confutes is There can be no true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a Condition expressed Errour 69. Though a Man can prove a gracious VVork in himself and Christ to be the Author of it if thereby he will prove Christ to be his this is but a sandy Foundation He never read Doctor Owen who did not find him as express in this as any Man can be Norton Orthod Evang. P. 291. Union in order of Nature though not of Time followeth Vocation P. 181. Union not without the Act of Faith P. 222. It 's by the Spirit and Faith The Grounds of the Dr's Mistake Because Christ is appointed and given to raise a Body eternally elected thereto therefore he thinks they are this Body before they be raised Because all After-Grace is from Christ as our actual Head therefore he thinks Christ cannot by his Spirit work the first Grace as our designed Head VVhereas the Spirit makes us an Habitation to God Eph. 2. 22. And it 's a strange conceit that Christ can exert no Act of Power on a dead Soul in order to Union but Men must infer that Union prior to it Because the natural Body cannot see without a Head therefore Christ cannot convert a Sinner to bring him into his mystical Body One might better infer the Head cannot see without the Body and the Body sees as much as the Head and the Head sees no better than the Body and so conclude Christ can see nothing till every elect Person be a Member and every Member seeth as well as Christ and the dim Sight of every Member makes the Sight of Christ as blind as his Because Christ received Gifts for the Rebellious that God might dwell among them therefore God dwells among them before those Gifts operate or be communicated to them Whereas the Apostle Eph. 4. 10 11 12. tells us how these Gifts are the Means by which the Elect are converted and made Believers and so come to partake of Union with its peculiar Effects Because from the Parable of the Vine the Gardiner puts the Graff into the Tree before there 's Sap or Fruit therefore he thinks a Man is in Christ before God puts him in Christ by the Spirit and Faith which is the only ingraffing the VVord tells us of besides external Church Privileges Rom. 11. 17 19. I may as well argue a Member of Christ must always do wicked VVorks because the Graff bears always Fruit of its own Kind and not after the Kind of the Stock into which it is ingrafted How sad is it to strain and abuse Parables or Metaphors against the Scope of the Gospel because God condescends to explain some Truths thereby as if all that belongs to the Metaphor teach and prove any Doctrine because that one Point for which the Lord useth it is illustrated thereby VVhat VVork may soon be made by fond People if this be true Because we are chosen in Christ from eternity that is elected to obtain Life by him as Mediator therefore we are one with him before any uniting Bonds Reader I forbear to represent the Nature of this Union as he seems to state it P. 104 105 648 649 615. hoping he meant better than many of his VVords do import but for thy own Good know that upon believing we are made Partakers of Gospel-Benefits we are related to him for all the Advantages which the Metaphors of this Union express He loveth enricheth and honoureth us as a Man doth his Wife He directs rules and quickens us as a Head doth the Members He ministers Grace for Fruit and Exercise as the Root doth to the Branches Yea This Relation he 'll keep undissolved and yet more the very Spirit that his Humane Nature received in Fulness abides in and worketh a Conformity to the Life and Temper of Christ in all his Members which at last he will perfect to the utmost of our Capacity But yet fansie not that we are deified with God or christified with Christ or one natural Person with him as if he had a superangelick Nature which was a sort of a commen Soul or that our distinct Personality shall ever cease with other Notions destructive of God's Government and of all Judgment Beware of confounding God and the Creature or making Christ the Subject of our Graces because he is the Author of them Obj. But you said in the Errour that Men are said to receive Christ against their VVills A. The Doctor tells us Our first receiving of Christ is when Christ comes by the Gift of the Father to a Person while he is in the Stubbornness of his own Heart and the Father doth force open the Spirit of that Person and pours in his Son in spight of the Receiver P. 99. In P. 98. It 's as a Physician poureth Physick down the Patient's Throat and so it works against his Will
Conversion of a Sinner Luk. 15. 7 10. if they be pardoned and safe before How much is our Ministry or Concern for Souls debased if all that we can prevail with are actually pardoned Who can reconcile to this Notion the Pleadings of God with Sinners He speaks to them as wounded undone and miserable Look to me and be saved why will you die Turn to me and live Ezek. 33. 11. Least they should be converted and I should heal them and the like These sound strange if Matters are so perfected before they be born Testimonies The Assembly at Westminster Conf. ch 10. a. 1. and the Congregational Elders at the Savoy Chap. 10. a. 1. are both fully of this Mind All those whom God hath predestinated to Life he is pleased in the appointed and accepted time effectually to call by his Word and Spirit out of that State of Sin and Death in which they are by Nature to Grace and Salvation by Jesus Christ by enlightning their Minds and taking away the Heart of Stone c. Both also Ch. 11. a. 4. say God did from Eternity decree to justifie all the Elect and Christ did in the fulness of time die for their sins and rise again for their Justification nevertheless they are not justified untill the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them None that have read the Assembles lesser Catechism but will see that the time the Spirit applies Christ is in our effectual Calling The Reverend Dr. Owen is as express Treatise of Justification P. 305. Saith he Notwithstanding the full plenary Satisfaction of Christ yet all Men continue equally to be born by Nature Children of Wrath and whilst they believe not the Wrath of God abideth on them they are obnoxious unto and under the Curse of the Law See more of this Point in Chap. 11. and 12. wherein I speak of Union and Justification The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake The Doctor mistakes the Nature of God's Decree because a Decree ascertains a thing shall in time be therefore he thinks it gives a thing a present subjective Being Because Jacob was an elect Person or the Object of Electing Love in the Womb therefore he was then actually a pardoned and adopted Person Because an eldest son is an Heir in the Womb therefore an elect Person who is in time to be adopted is an Heir in the Womb too tho' the Scripture be express that it 's they who receive Christ which only have Power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1. 12. and ye are the children of God by Faith Gal. 3. 26. CHAP. II. Of God's laying Sins on Christ. Truth THough our Sins were imputed to Christ with respect to the Guilt thereof so that he by the Father 's Appointment and his own Consent became obliged as Mediatour to bear the Punishment of our Iniquities and he did bear those Punishments to the full satisfaction of Justice and to our actual Remission when we believe nevertheless the Filth of our sins was not laid upon Christ nor can he be called the Transgressor or was he in God's Account the Blasphemer Murtherer c. Errour God did not only impute the Guilt and lay the Punishment of the sins of the Elect upon Christ but he laid all the very Sins of the Elect upon Christ and that as to their real Filthiness and Loathsomeness yea so that Christ was really the Blasphemer Murtherer and Sinner and so accounted by the Father Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion The Doctor p. 312. tells us It 's Iniquity it self that the Lord laid upon Christ not only our Punishment but our very Sin c. This Transaction of our Sins to Christ is a real Act our Sins so became Christ's that he stood the Sinner in our stead and we discharged Obj. But he may mean no more than the Punishment A. No he chuseth as express Words as possible to shew it 's the Sin it self P. 270. he saith It 's the Iniquity it self that the Lord hath laid upon Christ I mean it is the Fault of the Transgression it self c. To speak more plainly hast thou been an Idolater hast thou been a Blasphemer hast thou been a Murtherer an Adulterer a Thief a Lyer or a Drunkard If thou hast part in the Lord all these Transgressions of thine become actually the Transgressions of Christ. P. 268. Nor are we so compleatly sinful but Christ being made Sin was as compleatly sinful as we c. and God himself did account him among the number of Transgressors P. 286. he spends time to prove that our very Sins were transacted on Christ yea some Sermons have this Title Sins transacted really on Christ. Obj. But may not he mean only that they were imputed as to the Guilt A. No he saith p. 436. the Loathsomness Abominableness and Hatefulness of Rebellion is laid upon Christ's Back He bears the Sin as well as the Shame and Blame He p. 270 271 272 273. 280 281. endeavours to prove it 's the Sin opposed to Guilt and For that Objection That the Lord lays on Christ the Guilt and Punishment but not simply the Sin it self he saith for ought I see it is a simple Objection Yea p. 272. he affirms That to say that God did lay the Guilt of Sin but not the Sin it self is contrary to Scripture And p. 286 292. denies an Imputation that is not a real Transacting of the Sin And p. 289. he represents this by these Similes The bloody Coat of a Deer-stealer is followed by the Blood hound and stollen Goods taken by the Friend of the Thief and found with him and not with the Theif He saith p. 328. God makes Christ as very a Sinner as the Creature himself was P. 409. God lay upon him the Felony of Thieves the Murthers of Murtherers c. Wherein the Difference is not The Difference is not 1. Whether Christ bare the Punishment of our Sins 2. Nor Whether Christ bare the Guilt of our Sins which is that Respect of Sin to the Threatning of the Law whereby there is an Obligation to bear the Punishment 3. Nor whether Christ was esteemed by Men a Transgressor and arraigned as such 4. Nor whether what Christ suffered was not as effectual to put away Sin as if our very Sin had been transacted on him All these I affirm The real Difference The real Difference lies in these things 1. Whether Sin it self as to its Filth and Fault was transacted on Christ. This the Doctor affirms and I deny 2. Whether Christ was made and accounted by the Father the very Transgressor the Adulterer the Blasphemer c. This the Doctor affirms and I deny The Truth confirmed 1. To transact our very Sins on Christ as opposed to Guilt is impossible for it would argue either a mistake in the divine Mind to account him the Committer of our Sins or a propagator of our corrupt Qualities to him which is as impossible and any other way to
it was when his Body was in the Grave Luk. 23. 43. Alas how can any bear to think that as the Doctor affirms he never saw God's Face all that while Where was he Yea What tormenting Agitations of Soul must he be under even after Death in the unseen State The Papists indeed tell us he was in Hell but they assign Purposes more becoming Christ's being there than the Doctor 's Position imports It was the height of Hell for Christ to be banished from God's Face and be under his very Wrath and Abhorrence all that time and his Mind tormented with the Filth of sin made his He never would have been a Saviour on Terms so inconsistent with his Person But the whole Notion is contrary to Scripture for under the greatest Abatements of Comfort he owns God's Presence and Relation My God My God Matth. 27. 46. and just upon his loud Cry he said Father into thy Hands I commit my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost Luk. 22. 46. Was there a Separation or Abhorrence when he thus addresseth himself to God as his God and his Father Did he never come near God all that while when God received his Spirit or rejected his Prayer which God never did reject Joh. 11. 42. Me thou hearest always See Ps. 69. 13 14 15 17 18. Ps. 22. 18 19 20 24. Heb. 5. 7. He was heard in that he feared which refers to this time Testimonies The Opinion I oppose is such that I will only instance the Words of Doctor Owen of Justif. P. 286. There was no reason why God should hate Christ for his taking on him our Debt and the Payment of it And suppose a Person out of an heroick Generosity of Mind an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for another so as to answer for him with his Life Would the most cruel Tyrant under Heaven that should take away his Life in that case hate him And then the Doctor shews here and P. 287. the Word Hate signifies either an Aversion or Detestation of Mind or only a Will of Punishment In the first Sence saith he there was no ground why God should hate Christ on the Imputation of Guilt unto him sin inherent renders the Soul polluted abominable and the only Object of Divine Aversation But Christ was undefiled c. The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake The Doctor doth not distinguish between the Affects of VVrath and the Effects of VVrath Because God forsook Christ as to the usual Degrees of Comfort he thinks Christ was separated from God Because he that is formally a sinner is odious to God therefore he thinks Christ was odious to God who had on him the Punishment of sin with the Guilt or Obligation to bear this Punishment by his own Consent neither of which have any thing of the Loathsomeness of sin I know not why he thinks Christ came not near God from the time of his Death to his Resurrection unless because of his Conceit that the Loathsomeness of sin being on him God could not bear the sight of him till he had sweat it out a Reason too horrid for me to say more to and indeed inconsistent with the Notion of a Mediator for the sins of others CHAP. VII Of the Change of Person between Christ and the Elect and their being as Righteous as he Truth THE Mediatorial Righteousness of Christ is so imputed to true Believers as that for the sake thereof they are pardoned and accepted unto Life eternal it being reckoned to them and pleadable by them for these Uses as if they had personally done and suffered what Christ did as Mediator for them whereby they are delivered from the Curse and no other Atonement nor meriting Price of saving Benefits can be demanded from them Nevertheless this Mediatorial Righteousness is not subjectively in them nor is there a Change of Person betwixt them and Christ neither are they as righteous as he but there remain Spots and Blemishes in them untill Christ by his Spirit perfect that Holiness begun in all true Believers which he will effect before he bring them to Heaven Errour Every Believer or elect Person is as righteous as Christ and there is a perfect Change of Person and Condition betwixt Christ and the Elect he was what we are and we are what he was viz. perfectly holy and without Spot or Blemish Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion P. 270 271. The Doctor saith Mark it well Christ himself is not so compleatly righteous but we are as righteous as he nor we so compleatly sinful but Christ became being made sin as compleatly sinful as we Nay more we are the same Righteousness for we are made the Righteousness of God that very Sinfulness that we were Christ is made that very Sinfulness before God So that here is a direct Change Christ takes our Person and Condition and stands in our stead we take Christ's Person and Condition and stand in his stead What the Lord beheld Christ that he beholds the Members of Christ to be c. So that if you reckon well you must always reckon your selves in anothers Person and that other in your Person And P. 180. God gives his Son Christ c. God gives the Person of Christ to Men as much as to say God gives Christ to stand in the room of Men and Men stand in the room of Christ. So that in giving Christ God is pleased as it were to make a Change and all the Loveliness the Person of Christ hath that is put upon us and we are as lovely with him even as the Son himself And P. 158. Here is a Person in Blood in a loathsome Condition but for all this as loathsome as the Person is in himself and in his own Nature yet here is Perfection of Beauty c. On the account of this he saith P. 428. We appear before God perfect in Holiness And P. 419 420. Christ draws up and exhales that Impurity which Men live in c. and when Men are without Spot and all fair God falls in Love with them c. The Church hath no Blemish at all no Imperfection See more of this in Chap. Of Union Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether the mediatioral Righteousness of Christ habitual active and Passive be a Righteousness sufficient to and designed for the Salvation of the Elect. 2. Nor whether our Justification and all other Benefits when we are made Partakers of them be the Fruits of this Righteousness as the only meritorious Cause of them 3. Nor whether Christ's Sufferings and Obedience were so in our Stead that God cannot exact from us any other Atonement for Sin or meriting Price of any Gospel-blessings 4. Nor whether Christ by his Righteousness merited for all the Elect that they should in his Time and Way be certainly Partakers of its saving Effects and did not only purchase a conditional Grant of those Effects viz. That Proposition He that believeth shall be
Intercessors as Christ and in the same Sence viz. in the Virtue of Merits made personally ours We have a Righteousness in us which is able to save the World and capable of being imputed to their Justification VVe need no Forgiveness but are saved by the Covenant of VVorks as claiming Life by its Sanction immediately which is inconsistent with all Remission yea or Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which did no way consist in Forgiveness but in a full Satisfaction This would denominate us Saviours from the Moment we were justified if not before VVhereas we still need Pardon and continue justified by the Efficacy of the Righteousness of another and must look to Christ as the only Subject of it all our Days Our justified State is a Continuance of the blessed Effects of he Righteousness of Christ from first to last That Cause is still productive of Supplies as our Guilt returns or Necessities and Capacities renew or grow but our Redemption is ever in Christ Rom. 3. 24. 3. That we are as Righteous as Christ is not a proper or safe Speech It 's true indeed our Pardon and Acceptance is firm and lasting and will no more fail us than the Righteousness of Christ will fail it being the meritorious Cause and Security thereof and the Benefits can abate to none who answer the Gospel-Rule of it's Application But yet we are not as Righteous as Christ We are not so as to Sanctification he being perfectly Holy we being imperfectly so though really Holy And it 's to be noted That Believers are said to be Righteous in the common sence of the Scripture on the account of Sanctification 1 Joh. 3. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous And to suppose the Elect to be as sanctified as Christ even while they wallow in the mire is a strange Position But suppose the Phrase refers to Justification yet it is not proper For 1. Christ is denominated Righteous on the account of what he personally did and suffered He derived not Righteousness from another but possessed it as Originally his own He is eminently the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. whereas we are reputed righteous for the sake of what Christ did and not for the merit of what we have done Is it not unagreeable to hear a redeemed Sinner say I am as worthy as he that paid the Ransom Or a pardoned Worm say I am as righteous as he who merited my Pardon 2. Christ was so Righteous as to merit the Forgiveness of all his Seed He is so Righteous as to make many Righteous or safe from the Threat and entituled to the Reward according to the Gospel-Rule But we cannot justifie one other Person by our being righteous We are not righteous enough to save a Brother Psal. 49. 7. 4. Though Christ be perfectly holy yet his Holiness is not so imputed to us as that We are therefore perfectly holy This is evident For 1. Holiness refers to Sanctification and not to Justification 2. Holiness is a Conformity to the Precept as describing what is Sin and Duty But it refers not to the Sanction which determines the Reward and Punishment and so to be Holy and to be Righteous are distinct Conceptions Having premised these it follows 3. That to be Perfect in Holiness while we are in our own Persons Imperfect is impossible ungrounded and absurd 1. It 's Impossible being a Contradiction To be perfectly Holy and not perfectly Holy at the same time are inconsistent If any doubt whether they are imperfect in Holiness they are little acquainted with the Law or with themselves 2. It 's Ungrounded I know that it will be objected That it 's so by Imputation But the Gospel knows no Imputation of this kind we may as well infer That we are Omnipotent and Omniscient because Christ is so I understand that the Promise gives to the imperfectly holy Impunity and Right to Life on the account of Christ's Merits But where hath God said he will esteem the Imperfect to be Perfect as to what he declares them imperfect in Or hath God ever said we are thus perfect He may deal with a sincere Christian who is called Perfect in comparison of others as if he were perfect having provided for his Justice and Honour in doing thus by the Satisfaction of Christ But he cannot account him perfectly Holy The very Union in Marriage doth not transfer habitual Qualifications from Husband to Wife Is a foolish Wife perfectly wise because her Husband is so No though she receives Benefit by his Wisdom 3. It 's Absurd Our restored Holiness is through the Operations of the Spirit and not by Transfusion If the very Holiness of Christ's Person be in us it is his Increated Holiness or Created If his Increated then we are Gods and not Men for there is nothing Increated but God If the Created Holiness of Christ's Humane Nature be in us it must depart from him or cease to be in him as far as it 's derived to us for the same individual Quality cannot be in two Subjects at once though the same for Kind may be If we are as Holy as Christ what hinders us to be entituled to the same degrees of Glory and Honour as he And all this being founded on the Change of Person between Christ and us we may well say we are Christ's even every elect Person severally And if our perfect Holiness should be surmised from the Union between Christ and Believers that indeed would not be a change of Person but the making Christ and us one Natural Person And then on the same grounds as we can say we are as holy as Christ is we may say we are as much Gods as Christ as Wise as Christ as entituled to Worship as Christ we do all that Christ doth in Heaven or Earth and he doth all as we Sinners do we give what he gives and he receives what we receive Distinction of Persons is gone Christ and we do nothing and are nothing as distinct Persons A thousand such things are unavoidable Consequences 4. Can this be reconciled to the scope of the Scriptures wherein Believers are called to grow up in Christ Eph. 4. 15. To perfect Holiness 2 Cor. 5. 1. Grow in Grace The defect of Holiness is bewailed by all the Saints Wretched man that I am saith the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. I press forward c. Phil 3. 12 14. that is Oh that I were as holy as Christ designed to make me and as I shall be at the Resurrection And the want and weakness of Holiness is oft reproved by God even in his own Children 5. The Fifth Head to be proved is That Believers are not as to Holiness without Spot Blemish c. Experience may convince of this But I pass it by as having occasion to speak to it in Chap. 16. Testimonies The Assemlies Large Catec puts this Question What is the Communion in Grace which the Members of the Invisible Church have with Christ They Answer In
any holy Qualification or Endeavour Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion Page 159. The more the Light and Glory of he Gospel shineth in the true Intention of God tohis People the more should they have Joy and Gladness Why may not then a Believer say The Lord hath been bountiful to me God hath done every thing in Christ and taken away all things that can disturb my Peace and Comfort P. 186. Here is first Deliverance then Service is the Fruit of Deliverance not Deliverance the Fruit of Service The Tenour of the Law runs thus First do then live The Gospel saith First live then do c. Do not think God gives Christ upon Condition P. 554. Man will be mincing of this Truth and tell you if you will keep close to God and if you refrain from Sin especially from gross Sins God will love you and then you may apply these and these Promises unto your selves but God speaks plainly before they had done Good or Evil Jacob have I loved the Grace of God is passed over to Men as they are ungodly c. This is the Grace of God revealed and he hath exhibited it thus freely to Men Hath the Lord given us Commission to preach this Gospel P. 124. The Free-man of Christ hath this Freedom Christ doth all his Work for him as well as in him c. Christ doth all for them that God requires to be done See more in the next Chapter But most of these Heads I have proved to be his Opinion in several Chapters at large Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether we must reveal Christ in his Person Natures Offices Sufferings Intercession and whatever describes his Glory Suitableness Use c. 2. Nor that we must teach that Christ hath purchased all saving Benefits and that Men must look to him as the Author of Salvation and Giver of that Grace whereby we obey the Terms of Life 3. Nor that we must declare the free Grace of God in giving his Son for us and his Spirit to call us and all Benefits we do receive on our Obedience to that Call 4. Nor that we must describe Salvation in all the Parts of it for the Comfort of Saints and Persuading of Sinners 5. Nor that we must make Offers of Christ and his Benefits to the worst of Sinners on Gospel-Terms assuring them nothing shall hinder their happiness by him but their refusal to accept of him in all his Offices 6. Nor whether we should inform them that God hath elected a certain Number whose Obedience to the Terms of Life our Lord hath undertaken for and so the Gospel shall not be in vain to all But yet that the Case of no Hearer is made so desperate by this Election of some as that if he do repent and believe he shall not be saved for God will judge all of us by his revealed Will and not by his Decrees 7. Nor That we must teach the best Man to renounce all the Grace he hath and Good he performs as if being the least Atonement for Sin or least Purchase of Life or any Addition of Merit to a Christ or sharing in what is peculiar to him All these I affirm The Real Difference 1. Whether the Gospel requires any Grace or Duty in order to our actual Interest in saving Benefits This the Doctor denies and I affirm and have proved in several Chapters 2. Whether it 's Gospel-Preaching to tell Men that they had the same Interest in Christ Pardon and Life while most wicked as any godly Man hath and that their Happiness doth not at all depend on what Grace they act or sin they commit This the Doctor affirms and I deny being assured whoever preacheth thus opposeth the Gospel of Christ and the plain Truth as I have proved at large Chap. 1. 3 4 7 8 10 11 12 13 15. 3. Whether Christ doth do all for a Believer that God requires of a Believer This the Doctor affirms and I deny though I grant he works all in us or enables us to do what God requires 4. Whether the main Scope of Gospel-preaching is in Christ's Name to perswade and with Authority require Sinners to seek and act those Graces which saving Benefits are promised to assuring them of Salvation if they comply and declaring that it is impossible they can be saved yea that their Condemnation shall be aggravated if they refuse This I affirm and the Doctor Denies The Truth Confirmed 1. Christ doth not do all for a Believer as well as in him He doth not repent for us nor obey the Gospel Terms for us nor accept of or rely on himself as a Saviour for us He never is said to do so we are enabled and required to do these as our own personal Acts or perish It is impossible Christ should do these things as being inconsistent with his Person Can he change his Mind come to himself and turn to God whom he had left alter his Purposes and reform his Life all which are included in Repenting Christ will save none meerly as Christ but as Christ believed on Joh. 6. 52 53 54. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life But can Christ thus eat his own Flesh Doth he mean If I be not thus fed on by Men they shall dye That is If I do not feed on my self Christ will be saved for them while themselves are damned who trust to let Christ believe for them whiles they continue in Unbelief He doth all for us which belongs to him as Redeemer but we must do all in his Strength which he requires of the Redeemed 2. Gospel-preaching is what I have described and because the most Exception will lye against what I have said of the Conditional Proposals of Benefits on Terms of Duty I shall prove that it 's Gospel-preaching to call Men to believe and repent and tell them if they do so God will for Christ's Sake forgive them if they do not so their Sin will remain And also to perswade them to love fear and obey God in true Holiness when in a State of Pardon and profess the Faith And if they persevere in doing so they shall be saved by Christ and if they do the contrary they shall be miserable I have proved that these are Gospel-Truths and therefore to preach them is to preach the Gospel Some one part of the Gospel being Gospel doth not argue that other Parts are not so too But I shall annex a few more Reasons 1. Thus Christ and his Apostles appointed the Gospel to be preached That the Spirit of Christ thus directed the Prophets in the Old Testament to preach none can deny that use to read the Bible Christ on Earth prescribed this way Mar. 16. 15. And he said unto them Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature he
Impenitent as the Penitent 2. VVhat I have stated as Truth doth acknowledge and exalt this Free Grace of God I have affirmed and would admit the fullest Expressions to testifie that in these is the Free Grace of God in Truth Of mere Grace he elected some certain Sinners to Life upon no moving fore-seen Condition but yet to obtain it through Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Of mere Love to Sinners no way deserving it he gave his Son to die for them who also undertook to bring all the Elect to Salvation in the way appointed between the Father and him He without any thing in Man to deserve it gave his Gospel and thereby offereth in the virtue of his Son's Blood Pardon and Eternal Life to every one that will repent and truly believe and no penitent persevering Believer shall miss of Life by a failure of this Promise He freely and of mere Grace bestows Faith and Repentance yea gives his Spirit to create these and any other good VVork in worthless vile Sinners And though he will not forgive any that finally refuse to believe and repent nor save any ungodly barren apostate Man yet Pardon and Life are his free-Gift and no Grace or Duty merits them they being no more than the required Conditions or Means of our partaking them as the Gifts of God through Christ and so hereby he honours his own Government and no way indulgeth the boastings of Men. 3. The Opinions of Dr. Crisp as they differ from these Truths do not exalt the Free Grace of God His Notions may seem more to represent an unlimited Grace as blind and so more suitable to wicked foolish Men But it is not agreeable to the holy Nature nor just or wise Government or the revealed Will of God but greatly reflects on God's Grace beyond what I will mention Is it the honour of God's Grace that all the Graces of the Spirit should be needless to promised Benefits when he promiseth those Benefits to them Is it the Grace of an holy God not to esteem a Man filthy by the greatest Abominations and yet abhorr his own Image in his Saints as Dung Is it the Free Grace of God to account an Elect Person in the heighth of his VVickedness as pure and as lovely as a Saint in Glory and yet with-hold his Spirit from him many years Is it the Grace of God to leave his Precepts without any Sanction when he removed the Curse of the Law Never to express any displeasure when most provoked yea when he doth correct To have no regard to Good or Evil in Men in his judicial Distributions To leave Men so Imperfect in a VVorld of Temptations and State of Tryal free from all fear of Caution and to have nothing in them to influence their Perseverance and Holiness except a Principle of Gratitude though their Love be weak Can it be the Grace of God that his Subjects must have no Eye to his Rewards or Threats fear none of his Displeasure when they offend be confident of the Pardon of the worst Offences before they confess a Fault never fear a Rebuke for or Hurt in or by any Sin yea condemn any trouble on that account though he blame the contrary and his Spirit causeth these Relentings Is it the Free Grace of our God which renders him a Respecter of Persons in his judicial Acts as the Ruler and Judge of the VVorld because he bestows Grace as an Act of Sovereignty It cannot be his Free Grace who hath so wisely contrived the Kingdom of his Grace that he prevents Idleness and Neglect in Men as well as Boasting that he makes the Sinner speechless for being his own Undoer by wilfully refusing Christ as well as he secures the acknowledgment of his Free Mercy by all that are saved Can that Grace be his which nullifies all his Threats weakens the Authority of all his Commands turns all his Pleadings with Men into empty VVords nay direct Fallacies Is it the Grace of God that overturns the stated Order wherein Grace exerts it self becoming all the Perfections of God God's Grace first calls and therein unites us to Christ first quickens then dignifies first gives Faith then Forgives c. But by the Doctor 's Opinion this Order is inâ—erted all Privileges are applied to the Sinner before Grace hath made any Change on the Sinner It 's not the Grace of God which â—ets up his Decree in Opposition to his revealed VVill Acquits whom he declares Condemned Enervates the Ministry Seareth the Conscience Encourageth Spiritual Sloth Discourageth Obedience Reproacheth Godâ—iness gives Advantage to the Tempter Destroys the Rule of Judgment and Opposeth the general and plain scope of the Scripture the Experience of Saints and the Nature of Man as Rational as well as his Relation to God as a Subject in the way to an Eternal State It cannot be God's Free Grace which renders Men as safe for Eternity if they never heard the Gospel as by hearing of it for if they be united to Christ and pardoned in the Womb they need the Gospel only for Assurance but not for Title to change their Apprehensions but not their State How many more and some grosser Objections might be offered against that being the Free Grace of God which Dr. Crisp and his Followers speak of as Free Grace I desire to live adoring the Riches of that Grace that freely elected to Grace and Glory in Christ as the great Means of accomplishing this Purpose so many apostate Sinners that freely offers Life to the worst Enemies on Gospel-Terms with so much help as leaves the Blood of the Impenitent on their own Heads that freely bestows the Spirit to work the Dead and Ungodly to an Obedience to the Terms of the Gospel that freely gives by the Promise for Christ's sake Pardon to the penitent Believer and such amazing Dignity to such as he enableth to persevere in Faith and Holiness as the Rule of the Promise doth require This Grace I adore and own the best to merit nothing to forfeit all yea to deserve Hell by the Law of Works And I do renounce all that Saints have or do as any Atonement for Sin or Purchasing Price of the least Benefit much less of Salvation But yet I disown any Free Grace to be the Free Grace of God which overturns his Benefits from being Motives to Duty denies the total neglect of Duties with their contrary Evils from being a Barr to our Interest in those Benefits which by the Gospel he promiseth to those Duties and requires those Duties in order to this Rectoral Distribution of Blessings it being wisely provided for in the Dispensation of this Grace that he may Rule and Judge us according to his Relation to us and according to our rational Nature in a state of Tryal for a future Condition READER There are other Mistakes of Doctor Crisp's which I might instance as his Notion of the Nature of our
Union with Christ as if we were One Natural Person with him His Difinition of the New Creature as if it stood only in our New Relation to Christ. P. 90. The strange difference he makes between the way of Salvation before Christ's time and since P. 254 255 256 258. Their Sins were pardoned on Condition of Doing not given for all Sins at once much Dust left and they were subject to Lashes for Sin but now the Covenant is contrary in all these respects How contrary to the Sense of the Assembly and Elders at the Savoy ch 11. a. 6. The Justification of Believers under the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the Justification of Believers under the New Testament He forgets that most of his Proofs be fetch'd from the Old Testament as Ezek. 16 c. Jacob loved in the Womb c. and seems not to distinguish the Covenant of Grace and that of Peculiarity But these with other Errours I pass by THE APPENDIX I Shall here repeat what I delivered in Pinners-Hall-Lecture which some Persons seemed greatly to resent and I leave it to any impartial Man to judge from what I have described as Dr. Crisp's Opinion whether I charged Men of his Persuasion with Falshood After I had fully acquitted Men of my Judgment from Pelagianism Socinianism and Arminianism which the Antinomians accuse us of I added with these Men It 's not enough that we hold That we were from Eternity elected to Grace and Glory unless we add That we were actually United to Christ and Justified from Eternity and in the Womb. It 's not enough that we say Christ did in the Covenant of Redemption undertake to save the Elect in his appointed way and time unless we add That there is no other Covenant for the Application of Christ's Benefits wherein God requires Faith and Repentance as the indispensible Means of our Pardon It is not enough that we own That Christ absolutely Redeemed the Elect so as to purchase Saving Graces as well as Benefits to be infallibly theirs unless we add That all others are in state of Devils as having no real Offers of Life on Gospel-Terms nor is their Salvation possible if they will repent and believe It will not please them that we affirm The Punishment of our Sins yea the Guilt of them as an Obligation to Punishment were laid upon Christ our Sponsor unless we add That our Sins themselves in their blot and filthiness were also transacted on Christ. It is not enough that we own That the Righteousness of Christ avails us as much as if it were personally our own yea was always intended for us and is so imputed to us as to be the Foundation of and Security for our Pardon and Right to Life and no Atonement for Sin or purchasing Price of Life can be demanded from us unless we also add That God esteemed us to have done and suffered what Christ did and suffered It sufficeth not that we say That we are Justified only by Christ's Merits as the sole procuring Cause or Righteousness for which we are Justified unless we deny That Faith and Repentance are the indispensibly required Conditions or Qualifications of those Persons to whom the Merits of Christ are applied for Justification It will not serve that we assert That Justifying Faith must be a Reliance on Christ as Priest and sole Atonement unless we deny That Faith must be also a fiducial Acceptance of a whole Saviour i. e. of Christ as Prophet Priest and King It 's not enough that we say We are upon Repenting and Believing put into a Justified state hefore any other Work unless we add That our Obedience to particular Precepts do not benefit us and that God doth not judicially approve of our sincere Actings as according to the Rule of the Gospel-Promises of those Benefits It is not enough that we say The absolute Promises are made to Christ for the be nefit of the Elect and pleadable by him unless we deny That the Gospel is an authoritative Command on Men to Believe and that under the Gospel-Sanction of Life and Death So that he that believes stall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned It will not please that we say That Christ purchased all Grace for us and by his Spirit worketh all Grace in us unless we add That he Believed Repented and did all for us so as we have nothing to do in order to Salvation It 's not sufficient that we own The Grace by which we do any Duty is from Christ and the Good promised to any Duty is for the sake of Christ unless we deny the ordained Connexion betwixt that Duty and that Benefit They say We set up Man's Righteousness if we tell Men that they must be holy and do good and take comfort therein as an Evidence of Grace and of their Title to Christ and as answering the Rule of the Gospel-Promises though we assert They must be Members of Christ and accepted through him or they cannot partake of any Saving Benefits thereby It is not right that we say God sees no Sin in Believers so as to cast them out of Covenant nor out of a Justified-state for it unless we add That God sees no Sin at all in them as theirs when they most offend It 's not enough that we affirm That Sin committed shall not eventually damn a Believer because he shall by the Spirit be brought to Repentance unless we add God is never angry with Believers for Sin nor ever corrects them as guilty of it With these we are Legal Preachers if we urge Faith and Repentance in order to Pardon though we declare that Faith and Repentance are the Gifts of Christ and Pardon is not the Effect of these Graces but of the Promise in the virtue of Christ's Blood or of his Blood applied for Forgiveness by the Promise We are Legal Preachers if we perswade to Holiness as the way of Salvation by the Ordination of Christ though we affirm that it is no way out of Christ nor but with a respect to Christ for whom it is accepted as what answers the Rule of the Gospel-Promise How are we decried as Legal if we urge Threatnings though as Motives to close with Christ and to walk in him Which being used to this end and the threatned Evil being avoidable on Gospel-Terms and pressed on fallen Man for his recovery they are Gospel and not Legal Threatnings It 's not enough That we assert and press Assurance unless we affirm That Justifying Faith is nothing but Assurance It 's not enough we say That we need the Spirit to discover to us our inherent Grace and to assist Conscience in it's Sentence That Grace is inherent unless we add That we must not try our State and conclude of it by Gospel-Marks of Sanctification but depend on an inward Voice of the Spirit saying Thy Sins are forgiven which we must believe if it agree but to the general Word viz. Christ came to save Sinners and believing this is all that Saving Faith the Gospel speaks of Herein I have in part described the state of the Case between them and us It 's true there are some small Differences among the Orthodox in Wording some of these things But shall we hereby give Advantage to such Errours as overturn the Gospel and Dominion of Christ under the abused Pretext of Exalting Christ and Free Grace Bear with this which for the sake of Christ and dying Religion I have ventur'd to declare not for the Irritation of any but the Edification of all especially some mistaken well-meaning People Conscience binds me not to palliate though I fore-see Reproach from some who would do well to remember the Caution the Spirit of God thought needful to such as boasted of a Faith without Works and still it appears too pertinent If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's rereligion is vain Jam. 2. 26. SOME General Heads THE Elect are Children of Wrath till effectually called Page 4 The filth of Sin not transacted on Christ p. 10 The Act of laying Sins on Christ is not the discharge of the Elect p. 17 Mens Sins their own and not Christ's Sins p. 25 Our Sins laid on Christ before he was nailed to the Cross p. 29 Christ not abhorred by the Father p. 33 No change of Person between Christ and the Elect p. 41 Christ's Mediatorial Righteousness not subjectively in us and how imputed p. 42 Believers not as Holy as Christ p. 46 The Covenant of Grace explained and what a Condition is p. 53 57. The Covenant of Grace Conditional p. 63 Faith not a Perswasion that my Sins are pardoned c. p. 75 Prevailing Enmity a Hindrance to our present Interest in Christ p. 85 The Elect not united to Christ without Faith p. 93 What Union with Christ is p. 100 Justification not before Faith p. 105 Repentance necessary to Pardon p. 114 Sinners have much to do to be saved p. 129 The Gospel hath Threats and Promises p. 133 Holiness and Good Works necessary to Salvation p. 139 They are profitable and God pleased c p. 142 143 144 Our own Good should be intended p. 155 Assurance by Gospel-Marks and not by an inward Voice p. 165 God Chargeth Sin on Men and they should repent for repeated Pardon p. 175 Sin may hurt Believers p. 184 God afflicts for Sin p. 192 Sincere Holiness not Dung p. 199 102 Christ doth not repent c. for us p. 211 Conditional Proposals of Benefit on terms of Duty Gospel-Preaching p. 213 To excite Fear in sense of Danger not Legal Preaching p. 228 Christ more Exalted by the former Truths than by Dr. Crisp's Opinions p. 235 The Free Grace of God not honoured by Doctor Crisp though more Freeness be asserted by him than by these Truths p. 239 Part of a Sermon at Pinner's-Hall Anno 1691. The Edition of Dr. Crisp's Works I refer to is the last Anno 1690. FINIS