Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	believe_v	faith_n	justification_n	3,844	5	9.3520	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48861	The glory of free grace display'd: or, The transcendant excellency of the love of God in Christ, unto believing, repenting sinners, in some measure describ'd Wherein, 1. The doctrine about election, and the covenant of reconciliation is explained. 2. The error of the antinomians, who assert, that the filth of sin was laid on Christ, and that the holiness as well as the righteousness of Christ is made the elects while in the womb, &c. With their abuse of free-grace particularly detected and confuted. 3. In what sense our sins were laid on Christ, and Christ's righteousness made the believers, according to the sacred scriptures, evinced. 4. The glory of irresistible-grace, as exerted in the conversion of a sinner in opposition to the Arminian, cleared. 5. A modest defence of the sober dominican, about physical predetermination.	Lobb, Stephen, d. 1699.	1680 (1680)	Wing L2724B; ESTC R218819	67,996	163

The GLORY of Free-Grace DISPLAY'D Or The Transcendent Excellency of the Love of God in Christ unto Believing Repenting Sinners in some measure describ'd WHEREIN 1. The Doctrine about Election and the Covenant of Reconciliation is Explained 2. The Error of the Antinomians who assert That the Filth of Sin was laid on Christ and that the Holiness as well as the Righteousness of Christ is made the Elects while in the Womb c. With their Abuse of FREE-GRACE particularly detected and confuted 3. In what sense our Sins were laid on Christ and Christ's Righteousness made the Believers according to the Sacred Scriptures evinced 4. The Glory of Irresistible-Grace as exerted in the Conversion of a Sinner in opposition to the Arminian cleared 5. A modest Defence of the sober Dominican about Physical Predetermination London Printed by T.S. for B. Alsop at the Angel and Bible against the Stocks-market 1680. An Epistle to the well-meaning but weak READER who is most liable to the being tainted with the Errors which are opposed in the following Discourse THE design of the ensuing Discourse is to enlighten Thee concerning the true Notion of Free-Grace which contains in it discoveries of Divine Love to the greatest of Sinners and which is then illustrated in its fullest glory when extended towards such as are affected with the dreadfulness of their lost estate as out of Christ For whatever some may suggest none but Convinced Sinners are capable of entertaining right conceptions of Gospel-Grace An Unconvinced Sinner cannot in any saving measure understand much less comprehend the glory of this mystery for whoever would be savingly acquainted with it must know and believe that so many and so great are his transgressions that unless he be made the object thereof he is eternally undone Whence 't is impossible that any should discover unto Thee the true Notion of this Grace and not at the same time shew who are the proper objects of it Nor can any shew who are the proper objects of it unless they acquaint Thee with the state of those persons that shall be made the actual partakers thereof which cannot be without an insisting on the greatness of both the sin and misery of all such for Grace is to the miserable to those who in the sense of sin labour and are heavy laden and therefore the first work of a Gospel Minister is to preach up Repentance towards God and then Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Yea we must first if we will be faithful acquaint you with your sin and your danger assuring you that although you were from eternity elected your sins were not actually in God's sight pardoned from eternity nor from the day of Christ's death nor from the time you were first conceived in the womb for every Elect Soul while under the reigning power of Unbelief and other Lusts is unpardoned and in a state of condemnation whence notwithstanding your election if you would receive an actual pardon you must go to God through Christ for it yea you must receive Christ in your hearts by Faith and that you may we must beseech you as in Christ's stead that you come unto Christ but come unto Christ without Faith and Repentance you cannot for our coming unto Christ is our believing in the Lord Christ which believing includes Gospel Repentance which cannot be without conviction of Sin The Doctrine of Free-Grace thus rightly stated is a Point of the highest Concern to all the Children of Fallen Man leading us unto a due closing with such other Truths as are also of very great importance viz. The necessity of conviction of sin in order to a right believing and of that Faith which includes in it the entire Principle of Gospel Repentance as antecedent unto our actual justification in God's sight All which Gospel Truths how necessary soever to salvation are sadly neglected by such as understand not the Scripture Notion of Free-Grace which being so I have thought my self the more oblig'd to do my utmost for thy relief who art in danger of being drawn aside not only to the contemning the but now mentioned Truths but moreover to an entertaining many a Dangerous Error concerning our Lord Jesus Christ as if he bore not only the Guilt and Punishment but also the Filth of our Sin and as if what the Lord Jesus hath done for the Church would exempt the Elect from the necessity there is of their Repenting Believing and Rendring a sincere Obedience to the end of their Lives These and many other Errors that are but too firmly linkt unto 'em are of different mischievous influences some tending to the discountenancing Holiness as others do to the advancing Prophaneness and a gratifying the Papists all which besides what I have already done I will for thy greater Caution particularly evince 1. The Errors I oppose greatly discountenance Holiness for Justification and a right to Glory depending meerly upon an eternal but secret Decree according unto them the Elect are justified actually in God's sight at least as soon as they receive their Beings in the womb whence the conviction of Sin or that Faith which includes in it the Principle of Gospel Repentance is no way a necessary antecedent unto this Justification and consequently if the Elect be unconcern'd about the knowledge of their Election they are safe enough although they mind not Religion in its purity 2. The Profane are as much encouraged who confidently persuading themselves that their sins are pardoned or who concluding that their Sentence in the Court of Heaven is already past their Piety cannot better their state nor their wickedness any way conduce to the making it the worse and theref●re contemn God and true Religion I knew as great a Debauchee as these times afford who reading Mr. Saltmarshe's Book had arrived to a strange assurance that his sins were pardoned and that although he lived under the prevalency of his lusts and was confessedly a vile wretch yet he being so fully persuaded both of his Election and Justification knew as he said that he should be eternally happy although he should dye in that state But 3. These Errors gratifie the Papists as much and that on a twofold account 1. In that some to wit two or three Protestants assert That the Filth of Sin was laid on Christ the Papists judge themselves sufficiently enabled to reproach all Protestants as a People whose Heretical Opinions are most odious casting the Lord of Life under the vilest of Calumnies Thus Bellarmine de Justif l. 2. c. 7. lit H. c. would prove That we make Christ a real Sinner Ergo poterit Christus dici verè peccator quod horret animus cogitare Filius Diaboli Illyricus in confes Antuerpien c. 6. in Apol. ejusd admits saith Bellarmine that Christ may be said to be most truly a Sinner by the imputation of the Father and his own voluntary reception of their sins on himself to which he adds But this their Blasphemous and

Punishment is the evil threatned against sin And the Reward necessarily presupposeth a Righteousness as the Punishment doth Guilt And as no punishment but for guilt so no Reward but for Righteousness for as Reatus is dignitas poenae propter culpam so Righteousness is dignitas praemii propter obedientiam perfectam and the Reward is for righteousness From the whole it must be noted That as Guilt which is sins extrinsecal respect unto the threatning of the Law may pass from the actual sinner and be made the guilt of him who knew no sin without a passing of the actual sin even so Righteousness which is the extrinsecal respect of Holiness unto the promissory part of the Law may pass from Christ who is perfectly Holy to another that is not so This being so 't is easy to conclude 1. That the Reward of Christs obedience may be actually given out unto all such as are united unto Christ As the punishment of mans sin was laid on Christ even so the Reward of Christs Holiness shall be given unto the believer The Reward considered strictly and in an eminent manner is the product of Christs Righteousness and Holiness it being given out as the great effect of Christs fulfilling the Law of Innocency and not as the merit of our obedience 2. The Righteousness of the Lord Christ is given unto all such as are born of God as do savingly believe Even as their guilt is made Christs so Christs Righteousness is made their Righteousness In which there is a non-imputation of sin and an actual imputation of Righteousness God doth not proceed in Judgment with them as with guilty sinners but treats them as Righteous giving them a Right to Impunity and Glory so that the freedom from Punishment and the eternal life is the effect of this Righteousness of Christ which Righteousness is given unto and reckoned judged and esteemed to be the Righteousness of the believer which can easily be made theirs as hath been already shewn But 3. The Holiness of Christ was never designed by God the Father or the Son for the formal Sanctification of any For as the being justified or made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness denotes an extrinsecal an outward and a relative change only even so the being sanctified by Christs Holiness must import an internal and physical change which cannot be but by the transfusion of the acts or habits of Holiness from one unto another For Sanctification which most certainly is somewhat distinct from justification consists in a real internal physical change done by the infusion of new habits dispositions c. Whence then it will follow that if we are Sanctified by Christs Holiness the Holiness of Christ must be transfused into us for Holiness is seated in the soul as in its most proper Subject Yea the Holiness of Christ is seated in the soul of Christ and if any are truly and perfectly holy by Christs holiness this holiness must be removed from Christs soul into the souls of such as are esteemed by the Lord to be Holy by such an Holiness which is 1. Impossible in that the ●…s that are in Christ cannot migrate or pass from Christ to us without their destruction 2. Absurd and false for 1. If the habits of Christs Holiness be removed from Christ Christ ceaseth to be holy and consequently cannot remain a Meet Intercessor or Advocate on the behalf of the sincerely humbled soul 2. The Elect are hereby set up above the Lord Jesus in that they are perfectly holy even when the Lord Jesus is void of holiness * That a thing should be taken away and yet be lest behind is a flat Contradiction saith Dr. Crisp But if it be said that the habits of Christs Holiness pass from Christ unto the Elect and yet remain in Christ then an Accident may in one and the same instant contrary to the fullest evidence desirable pass from one Subject to another without destruction and remain in two distinct Subjects at one and the same time yea in a thousand and can continue in being without any Subject that is without what is essential to its Being but if this be once granted 't will follow that Transubstantiation Consubstantiation and the grossest of Errors and plainest of Popish contradictions may be easily admitted as he greatest truths Moreover what is more dangerous If the Elect be made perfectly Holy by Christ's Holiness then 't will follow that the Sanctification of the Spirit is an useless things that conversion Faith in Christ and repentance towards God are no way necessary to our actual Salvation for a man may be both holy and happy without them For consider 3. The third thing The Elect are totally delivered from the filth of sin no one spot remaining on them If they were made holy by Christs holiness and every spot removed by Christ without the Spirit what remaineth to be further done by the Spirit Your Sanctification being already perfected without the Spirit the Spirit must run over the same work and actum agere or set idle which is gross what greater despight can be done against the Spirit of God wherein can you offend him more Oh consider it and tremble 2. If this be true Our Preaching is in vain Praying of no use Ordinances unprofitable things though designed by our Lord Jesus Christ for conversion and edification yea for the helping on and promoting the work of Holiness on the Heart But what use can preaching be of if this be true must it be for the inlightening you in the knowledg of Christ and for the turning you from the power of Satan unto the most High how can this be since when you were in the Womb Christs holiness was made yours and can you be perfectly holy or can you be without the spot and filth of sin even when the spot of Ignorance is on your understandings and the Filth of obstinacy rebellion and pride on your wills * It must be here remembred That the Filth of sin remains on us until the habitual blindness and stubbornness of our hearts be removed for since this Ignorance on the Understanding and the Depraved habits of the Will c. is the Filth of the soul the Filth the Spot remains as long as these abide About this consult Bellar. de justif lib. 2. c. 16. Who saith Quemad nodum ex aversione à lege Dei orta est Macula ita ex conversione tollitur Again why will you pray and draw near to the Lords Supper for strengthening grace and fuller measures of holiness even when you are perfect and want nothing Remember that it hath been sufficiently proved that we are Sanctified by the Spirit CHAP. VI. A digression concerning the actual imputation of Christs Merits c. to all the Elect in the Womb. The unsoundness of this notion The absurd consequences that naturally slow from it The plain Scripture notion about our actual Justification declared Faith in Christ antecedent thereunto The convinced

Free-Grace the reasonableness of our discharge of Duty notwithstand Predetermination and of mans inexcusableness if he neglect it These Truths known to the Heathen whence Grace appears in its fuller Glory A Recapitulation of some of the most material things insisted on as Instances of Free-Grace The Conclusion with a Caution that none Presume to sin because the Lord is Gracious THus I have shewn in many a respect how the Grace of God is displayed in it● glory It therefore now remains only that I evince That this grace is so infinitely extended towards all men that what man soever perisheth eternally He doth so because He will I have already proved that the Decree doth lay no causal influence on mans will in order to the determining it to a commission of this or the other individuated actual sin in that as 't is acknowledged by all the Decree being an Immanent and not Transient act as such nil ponit in esse I 'le now essay to demonstrate that such is the Transcendency of Free-grace that what influence soever proceeds from the first cause in an execution of the eternal decree it is not such as doth lay a man under a Physical necessity of Sinning But before I make an entrance on a Province so intricate it will be necessary that by way of Prologue I intimate what in this controversy is plain and what seems obscure and difficult 1. What is plain and undoubtedly True 1. That God is the first Being yea and the first Efficient the Holy Just and Wise disposer of all things the Author and Conserver of all Beings 2. That such is the purity of the Divine Nature that 't is Impossible God should be the Author of Sin and consequently have any causal influence on the sinfulness of humane actions The Truth of the first Proposition although denied by Epicurus and by Ennius as Cicero de Divinat lib. 2. Ego Deûm genus esse semper dixi dicam coelitum Sed eos non curare opinor quid agat humanum genus by Averrois and some other Peripateticks contrary to the sense of the great Aristotle as Franc. Patric discus perip tom 4. l. 9. expresseth it ' Quid ergo Averrois quid Peripatetici caeteri aiunt Deum in sui contemplatione in motione primi Coeli contentum haec nostratia non curare Id praeterquam quod nefarium scelestum dogma est contra praeceptoris mentem ac dicta est ' c. I say the Truth of this first proposition notwithstanding it hath been denyed by a few is so plain and obvious as to command the assent of most so Franc. Patric ubi supra tom 12. l. 3. sanè de providentia vetustissimum est omnium nedum Sapientum sed Gentium etiam dogma and the Learned Mornay de verit Christ Relig. c. 11. Antiqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Deum seu Providentiam promiscue vocabant quia neutrum sine altero concipi potest But Lactantius doth sufficiently evince this lib. 2. de orig erroris where he saith ' Nam Divinâ Providentiâ effectum esse mundum ut taceam de Trismegisto qui hoc praedicat taceam de Carminibus Sibyllarum quae idem nunciant taceam de Prophetis qui opus mundi ac opificium Dei uno spiritu ac pari voce testantur etiam inter Philosophos penè Universos convenit Idem etiam Phythagorici Stoici Peripatetici qui sunt principes omnis Disciplinae Denique à primis illis sapientibus à Socrate usque ad Platonem pro confesso indubitato habitum est donec unus multis post seculis extitit delirus Epicurus ' c. And not only the old Philosophers but among the Jews the Assarian sect as well as that of the Muatzali and the followers of Rambam and of the Schoolmen not only the Dominican and Jansenist but the Molinist yea and Durandus himself own a Providence The Second is a Truth no less evident owned even by the worst of Hercticks excepting the Seleuciani and the followers of Florinus who in opposing the Coluthians fell into this contrary extream vide Aug. de Haeresibus c. 59.65.66 This Mar. Scribonius in Pantal. in cos de pec act dis 18. qu. 5. asserts ' Nefarii quidem ac Scelesti fuerunt haeretici antiqui nullus tamen ita vecors ut Deum totaliter Authorem peccati fecerit Non tamen Deum astruebant esse primarium peccati authorem ut malum morale est sed solùm quia est Creator omnium vel quia nonnulli illorum duo principia ponebant unum boni aliud mali sic unum Deum dicebant bonum alium malum nullus autem ausus est Deum asserere verè ac propriè peccati Authorem ' The same is confessed by Bellarmine de amiss Grat. et stat pecc l. 2. c. 1. Moreover the Protestants do with the greatest Zeal conclude that God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity And as Durandus the Molinists yea and the Jansenists who have espoused the sentiments of St. Austine even so the Dominicans if not Peter de Aliaco and Abailardus deny God to be the Author of sin for surely as the learned Dr. Stillingfleet has prov'd in his Orig. Sacr. lib. 3. c. 3. Whoever believes the Sacred Scriptures cannot entertain the thoughts of Gods being the Author of sin ' Shall not the Judge of all the World do right will a God of Infinite Justice Purity and Holiness punish the sinner for that which himself was the cause of Far be such unworthy thoughts from our apprehensions of a Deity much more of that God whom we believe to have declared his mind so much to the contary that we cannot believe that and the Scriptures to be true together ' From these two uncontroulable Truths there proceeds another with as much conviction as either of these viz. 3. That what man soever sinneth he doth so freely man being the sole Author of the sinfulness of those evil actions he committeth This is agreeable to the sentiments both of the Schoolmen and Philosophers as hereafter shall be evinced But 2. To what is Obscure Although these things are so there arise great difficulties in all humane attempts how to reconcile the two latter with the first proposition concerning which divers men do diversly descant every particular Sect amongst the learned insisting on different Hypotheses for the solving these Phaenomena In doing which some in order to a more secure establishing the two last propositions express themselves so unwarily as to tempt many to fear they are not right in the former again such as make it their principal design to confirm and illustrate the first about Divine Providence c. have been censur'd as if their Dogmata had been attended with the most black and dismal consequences whence instead of a cordial agreement about these three confessed Truths there are variety of disputes contentions animosities and

of the Heathen so do the Schoolmen Do the New Philosophers disturb the world with their learned Folly so do the Schoolmen And must the New Philosopher be severely checkt for his Presumption in Philosophy then surely much more so must the Schoolman for his greater confidence in Divinity For might Divinity be freed from the perplexing abuses of these Schoolmen as every other Doctrine even so this of Free-grace in all the great instances thereof would suddenly appear to the view of the Vulgar affording them the most satisfying comforts and spiritual advantages desirable § 6. In the Close of all 't will be necessary that in order to the undeceiving the weak I do evince that the Doctrines I assert are according to the Holy Scriptures as most rightly understood by the generality of our Protestant Divines not only the Calvinist beyond the Seas but also the Reformed Divines at home viz. The Church of England and the Nonconformist whether Presbyterian or Congregational which concerning the great Doctrine about our actual justification in the sight of God by Faith in Christ's blood I 'll particularly evince and the rather because 't is the practice of Deceivers to draw Proselytes to their Errors by representing the Truth they oppose as what is either Arminianism Socinianism or Popery and the Error they espouse as what is the true Protestant Doctrine whereby such as are justly haters of the abovementioned Errors and lovers of the Protestant Truths are tempted for this single reason to abandon the Truth and entertain an Error in its stead I. That the Church of England who certainly are truly Scriptural and Protestant in this great Doctrine about Justification by Faith do in their Articles and Book of Homilies concur with me is evident to any that shall without prejudice peruse them Yea this Church is so zealously concern'd for the establishing this Truth viz. Our Justification by Faith in Christ's blood and consequently that none of the Elect are actually in God's sight justified while under the reigning power of unbelief c. that whoever will receive any advantages from her must so chearfully assent and consent thereunto that 't is become impossible that any of her Sons honestly recede from it yea they must be so express in their profession that nothing but a Popish distinction can be subtile enough to extricate their Consciences from the bonds into which by Conformity they have brought themselves Whence many sober Conforming Divines whose Principles are really Protestant or which is the same truly Scriptural cannot but be fill'd with a kind of horror and astonishment to observe how far some of the zealous Sons of the Church have receded from this Doctrine The truth of this is to be found in that learned and once dignified Conforming Divine Doctor Tully in his Book de Justif Paulin. c. 3. p. 23. where he saith Quippe vehementer non mihi solum sed aliis quamplurimis mirari subit quâ vel obscurissimâ rationis umbrâ quâ se defendant verecundiâ qui se Ecclesiae Anglicanae Filios etiam obsequentissimos dici volunt quique ut tales manu fide data toties in illius doctrinam consensum formaverint cum eâ nihilominus bellum apertè gerant But the Doctors wonder is heightned when he reflects on the 35th Article about Homilies amongst which that of Justification is one assented and consented unto by some who in their Writings and Discourses fully shew that they consent to no such thing But if the Doctor had but call'd to mind the Paraphrase of Francisc à Sancta Clara on this mention'd 35th Article de Homiliis the surprize might at least in some measure be removed for that this Popish Casuist assures them that they may give in both their Assent and Consent unto every Homily as to what contains both godly and wholsom Doctrines even when they do not consent unto the whole thereof as such and his reasons are prodigiously strong i.e. to such as design an espousing Popery when 't is their interest to do so it being agreeable to the sentiments of several Popish Doctors which is sufficient to make the greatest impossibilities become Probable Consider how particular and express such are as do Conform in the giving in their Assent and Consent and what Francisc à Sancta Clara's Paraphrase is and you cannot but be convinced that as to this I am in the right The sentiments of Francisc à Sancta Clara are as follows Nec tenentur Protestantes ob haec verba in Articulo statim in singula verba vel sententias Homiliarum jurare nam ut olim Turrecremata cum ipsa Ecclesia Doctorum aliquorum opuscula probat non ob id intelligendum est omnia in eis contenta probari Sicut in constitutionibus 6 Synodi aliquorum Doctorum opera probata sunt quod etiam in decretis legitur dist 15. non tamen omnia verba particulas approbat ut conveniunt Doctores Hoc etiam exactissimè tradunt Doctores Parisienses exponentes Bullam Urbani quinti approbantem doctrinam S. Thomae in qua scripsit Tholosanis ejus doctrinam ut bene dictam catholicam teneri debere Dicunt tamen Parisienses praedictam approbationem non esse universalem sed tanquam doctrinae utilis in multis probabilis prudenter igitur quae sanam doctrinam sapiunt populo legenda alia neglectui habenda So far Franc. à Sancta Clara. But to return It must be acknowledged that the Church of England is so Orthodox in this great doctrine about Justification that the greatest Sophistry of either her open Enemies or pretended Friends who profess themselves to be Her most obedient Sons can never with the least colour of reason evince the contrary II. The Nonconformists also are as right in this whence whatever any particular person among them may assert 't is the judgment of the generality whether Presbyterian or Congregational That our Justification is by Faith in Christ's blood and consequently our actual justification in God's sight doth not precede but follow Faith That the Presbyterians are right in this is acknowledged by some who assert the Congregational notwithstanding their professed owning the Presbyterians Confession of Faith to be Antinomian of which I do the rather take some notice because in an especial manner such as are of that Error attempt the countenancing it by saying that 't is embraced by the Congregational than which nothing more untrue as may be evinced by a due perusal of the Declaration of their Faith agreed and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers in their meeting at the Savoy Octob. 12. 1658. And might the world be so happy as to see a very Elaborate Confutation of the Antinomians written by a very acute and solid Person a great Disputant viz. Mr. Stone of New-England a Congregational Divine it would easily appear that the Congregational are not Antinomian However although this Excellent MS. hath not seen the light yet another Treatise whose worth

sinner the only Subject capable of Justification A return from the digression shewing wherein Grace is highly glorified by some and wherein abused by others THus you see where these errors lead men and how such as do entertain one error do but prepare they way unto many For that which is remarkable is this Those persons who embrace the error I have now confuted do assert that the Elect are actually justified even in the womb though they know it not for saith one God laies the sins of the Elect on the Lord Jesus Christ by Obligation Execution and Application which Application as done by the Father is secret and manifest Secretly unto particular Elect Persons before they come into the world even while in the womb assoon as conceived for which Reason the Lord hath no more to lay to the charge of an Elect person yet in the height of iniquity and in the Excess of Riot and committing all the Abominations that can be committed even then the Lord hath no more to lay to that Persons charge than he hath to lay to the charge of a Person Triumphant in Glory though the Elect person knows it not So Dr. Crisp on Isaiah The Reading which is enough to engage a tender conscience to abhor it But to go on and shew the unsoundness hereof If the Elect assoon as they receive Being are in the sight of God actually justified by this secret Application of their sins unto Christ 't is impossible that any one Elect soul can be truly considered as born or as conceiv'd in sin for their conception and this secret application is in one and the same instant Neither do they need any Sanctification by the Spirit as I shall shew immediately neither can they be capable of a Pardon for they are not actually guilty nor by nature the Children of Wrath This is plain For Christs Holiness being made their Holiness assoon as they received their Being in the Womb there was no one instant in which they were sinners without perfect Holiness whence 't will follow that there is no Original sin no being by nature the Children of wrath no need of pardon for a pardon presupposeth Guilt as Guilt inferreth Sin where no Sin their no Guilt no Pardon yea and hereby Repentance and Faith in the blood of Christ for pardon is made of none effect But if it be said that although the Righteousness and Holiness of Christ is imputed unto the Elect assoon as they receive their Being yet the Elect may remain under the power of sin filthy unclean and polluted full of sinful spots and blemishes If so it must be acknowledged That one and the same person may be at one and the same time a Child of God and a Child of the Devil 1. As Christs Righteousness and Holiness is imputed unto him so He is the Child of God in a state of grace actually in Gods account justified having a right unto the Kingdom the Object of Gods special love and favour but yet 2. As he is under the power of sin and Unclean so he is the Child of the Devil and in a state of wrath actually unjustified in Gods account liable to eternal burnings the Object of Gods hatred being a worker of iniquity But how impossible is this Oh how dangerous to assert what can a man be at one and the same time the Child of God and also of the Devil He may as well be in Heaven and Hell at the same time bathing himself in the Rivers of pleasure that run at the right hand of God for ever even when tormented in that lake that burneth with Fire and brimstone What strange confusion is this but they say that the sin passing from the Elect ceaseth to be the sin of the Elect. q. d. The Elect are never in a state of sin or wrath though under the Power of sin The truth then is this The Righteousness of Christ is not actually imputed unto any under the reigning power of unbelief for he that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 The wrath of God abideth on on him ver 36. There is no Communication of any justifying pardoning grace to any that are not united unto Christ and whatever soul is united unto Christ he is so by Faith for as the Reverend Dr. O. it must be remembred that we require Evangelical Faith in order of nature antecedently unto our justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us which justifying Faith includeth in its nature the entire principle of Evangelical repentance so as that it is utterly impossible that a man should be a true believer and not at the same instant of time be truly penitent A man that continueth under the power of sin no way convinced of his lost estate out of Christ as is the case of many Elect persons a long time after they are out of the Womb is so far from being actually justified in the sight of God that he is not while so a meet Subject of justification Conviction of sin being a necessary antecedent unto that Faith that in order of nature goes before justification and therefore it must be considered that a Convinced sinner as the same Reverend Dr. hath largely proved is the only Subjectum capax justificationis But to return From what hath been said we may clearly see wherein the Grace of God is highly glorified and wherein by some 't is greatly abused 1. T is highly glorified in that the Son of God according to the eternal compact between the Father and the Son assum'd Humane Nature made under the Law voluntarily taking on him the Guilt and Punishment of our sins whereby poor faln man may be freed from both in being pardoned and in being delivered from the weight of that wrath which omnipotency was to inflict Now the Guilty may escape that guilt which tormenteth the consciences of many here and which is amongst the damned as a Gnawing Worm that continually adds to their insupportable horrors hereafter 2. Free-Grace is greatly abused by such as do assert 1. That the spots and blemishes of our sins are laid on Christ as if he who is infinitely pure had been defiled and stained with the Filth of our abominations as if infinite Wisdom could not find out a way to make a display of Free-Grace in the accomplishing faln mans salvation but by the making Jesus Christ God-Man subject unto the Pollution of sin Oh! How is God dishonoured by the bold confidence of Finite mortals who can presume to deny the Lord to be gracious unless his grace be made known in a way agreeable to their corrupt imaginations 2. To assert that the Grace of God is such as makes the Elect holy by Christs Holiness even when they are not only subject to much sin but are under the reigning power of the worst of sins is to abuse the Grace of God for these talk as if such as are in themselves impure unclean and unholy could while so be