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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	faith_n	justification_n	justify_v	7,231	5	9.1878	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B06542	A brief, and plain apology written by John Wheelwright: wherein he doth vindicate himself, from al [sic] those errors, heresies, and flagitious crimes, layed to his charge by Mr. Thomas Weld, in his short story, and further fastened upon him, by Mr. Samuel Rutherford in his survey of antinomianisme. Wherein free grace is maintained in three propositions, and four thesis [sic] ...	Wheelwright, John, 1594-1679.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1604; ESTC R186427	40,565	36

Assurance of Faith Assurance of Faith may be taken in a Twofold sense 1. Largely for whatsoever assurance we have of Gods special love to us in Christ from Scripture-grounds in which sense a conclusion deduced from true Works of Sanctification is a conclusion of Faith beleeved in its premises or one of them the other being known by spiritual sense The witness which the spirit gives in a conditional promise is as true as that which he bears in an absolute promise No man living saith Vega should ever draw me to doubt of my being in the state of Grace if I might infer it out of two Propositions the one beleeved and the other made some way evident unto me 2ly Assurance of Faith may be taken strictly and properly for our first perswasion we have of Gods mercy towards us in Christ 1 Thess 1.5 This distinction is in use amongst Protestant Writers and the Papists understand them in this sense Certainty saith Mr. Perkins is either of Faith or Experimental which Papists call Moral Certainty by Faith is to apply the promise of salvation to our selves and to beleeve without doubting that remission of sins belongs unto us Moral certainty is that which proceeds from Works of sanctification as signs and tokens of true Faith Treat of Con. cap. 3. Bellarmine doth acknowledge this Moral certainty with this difference from us That it is only conjectural but he will by no means admit of that absolute perswasion precedent to our works calling it the Lutheran presumption They saith he will have their certainty to go before their works and not to follow them Tom. 4. Cap. 9. De Justificatione So that in this Thesis I do not deny simply that we have any assurance of Justification from our works of sancttification far be it from me but that the assurance which we have from our works is our first perswasion of Gods Grace and mercy towards us in Christ which properly in strictness of speech is called an assurance of Faith is denied by me In which respect I said in my Sermon That our first perswasion of Gods love was not by faith it self 1. By faith as an argument though it be by faith as an organ or instrument Consonant to this is that which is affirmed by Zanchy in his dispute with Mazhacchius about the order of evidencing our election page 361. Thus he writes Quis hic non videat apertè qualis fuerit sententia Buceri in hâc materiâ Nimirum ut incipiamus à priori id est contemplatione soluis divinae bonitatis gratiae in Christo oblatae in Evangelio revelatae Et inde certam persuasionem concipiamus nos vere fuisse ad aeternam salutem electos ideoque nunc efficaciter vocari Deinde descendamus ad id quod etiam revera est posterius nimirnm ad certum fidem assensum obsequium vocanti praebendum This is all which I do herein assert That our first perswasion of Gods mercy towards us in Christ is not founded upon any arguments taken from our works of sanctification which I have aboundantly proved in my second Proposition whether I refer the Reader THESIS II. That Justification goes in order before our Beleeving Justification by a passive Faith goes in order of Nature before our act of beleeving which is thus confirmed 1. We have the Spirit of Adoption are made partakers of divine Nature become new creatures before we put forth any act of Faith 1 Joh. 5.1 Joh. 1.12 13. This is Mr. Calvins Note upon this 13. vers Negat Evangelista posse quemquam credere nisi qui ex Deo genitus est Now whereas it seems by the twelfth verse that we are not the sons of God but consequently to our act of beleeving he doth thus answer it In respect of our sense we do not begin to be the sons of God but after faith 2. We are no sooner living in the first Adam but his sin is imputed unto us before we commit any actual sin Rom. 5. and by the like reason as soon as we live in the second Adam his righteousness is imputed unto us before we put forth any act of righteousness As in carnal Generation all men are born sinners even by imputation So in spiritual regeneration all men are born righteous having the righteousness of Christ imputed to them 3. If we be not justified antecedently to our act of beleeving then can a man in the state of condemnation do that eminent work of God to beleeve on Christ whereas except we be in Union with Christ and so by consequence in the state of Grace we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 To Beleeve is the act of a Person either in the state of Grace or in the state of condemnation Not of condemnation therefore of grace and we are justified before our act of Faith 4. Elect Infants dying before they come to years of discretion or sanctified in their Mothers Wombs are justified by the habit of Faith Persons in this state of Grace being adulti cease not to be justified when they fall into sownes or otherwise put forth no act of Faith which I suppose would follow were they not justified by the seed of Faith If the seed failed in such a case so much as the act doth by what band should they be united unto Christ And how could persons out of union with Christ be justified The Belgick Professors in the Synod of Dort give this as a reason Why the Faith by which we are first converted and from which we are called Beleevers is not an act but an habit infused of God because otherwise oft upon one and the same day we should be Beleevers and Unbeleevers the children of God and the children of the Devil It would I conceive upon the same ground follow That were we not justified by rhe habit of Faith but only by the act we should many times be successively justified and unjustified Chamier thus expresseth himself I say it is most true That justifying Faith doth follow if not in time yet in order justification Mr. Cotton saith in his New Covenant page 55. A man is as passive in regeneration as in his first generation only God giveth his spirit that doth unite us unto Christ which is received by Faith together with Adoption and Justification and yet by the act of Beleeving we are justified also Gal. 2.16 that is manifested to be justified in our own consciences Object 1. This is against the judgement of our Orthodox Divines who generally make Faith an instrumental cause of our Justification Answ They who do affirm That in our active conversion we perceive and receive Christ by an act of Faith do not deny a passive reception precedent to that act in our conversion wherein we are altogether passive Object 2. The Scripture never saith That we are justified by the habit of Faith but rather by the act Answ The Scripture doth not say That we are justified by the habit or act of Faith in

with the word of truth James 1.10 The immediate testimony is I conceive an act of the spirit by which he doth dictate and strongly suggest with a soul-ravishing inward voyce to a believing penitent humble over-coming Saint that he is the child of God his sins are forgiven or the like being compared to hidden Manna a white stone a new name Rev. 2.17 which doth exceedingly confirm Faith and it is not I suppose the portion of every good Christian but a special benefit given by God who is a most free agent before in or after sufferings for the name sake of Christ or some special service done unto him as God sees meet Sundry of our learned godly orthodox Divines do acknowledge such a testimony as Dr. Preston Mr. Bolton Mr. Elton with others and divers of the Martyrs had experience thereof as I doubt not many Christians have at this day This is part of the Comforters office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is taught in the Word he shal bring to remembrance John 14.26 The spirit of truth never revealeth any thing in this kind immediately for the confirmation of Faith which is not revealed in the words of truth He shall not speak of himself saith Christ he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16.13 14. This immediate Testimony differs not from that which is mediate by the Word in the thing testified but in the manner of testifying and stablisheth the Soul by making a deeper impression filling it with joy and with the holy Ghost 3. By spiritual sense and experience There is in Gods Children not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1.9 By reason of use they have their senses exercised Heb. 5.14 and that by divine objects 1. They are many times made very sensible of the grace mercy and love of God unto them in Christ The love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto them Rom. 5.5 The Lord doth again and again lift upon them the light of his countenance and in the light of his favour they see the light of all felicity Psal 36 9. Christ doth manifest himself unto them in the Spirit Joh. 14.21 They hear see look upon and handle the word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 They taste and see that the Lord is good 2. They have frequently and for the most part as of sin so likewise of the work of Gods grace in them sense and experience The wind of the Spirit blows into the gardens of their Souls and the spices of saving graces with a fragrant smell flow out Cant. 4.16 The Sun of Righteousness shines into the hearts of Beleevers acts upon the saving graces of his own spirit excites and stirs them up from whence a sweet scent goes out as from some costly perfumed Oyntment When Faith love joy godly sorrow for sin humility patience with other saving graces are vigourously acted it exceedingly affects the Saints who are very sensible of it The Virgins love Christ not only for the savour of the oyntment of his own Righteousness which they perceive and receive by faith but even of these good oyntments powred into them Cant. 1. The Spouse in the Canticles David Paul with others do largely express the great sense and feeling they had of the gifts of Gods Spirit in them accompanying salvation as an Argument of that fellowship which they had with Christ 3. Beleevers have an experimental knowledge of the gracious Works of Gods Providence about them which doth likewise confirm their Faith So had David 1 Sam. 17.37 So had Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 18 For though there be no marks set upon the outward acts of Gods Providence whereby they may be discerned to proceed from Gods eternal and fatherly love yet do the children of God behold them in and through the covenant of Grace as testimonies of Gods favour and feel them to be such by their gracious effects knowing by experience that chastisements and corrections for sin are for their good Psal 119.71 So that the long experience which we have of Gods grace upon us his work of grace in us the gracious works of his providence about us is a special means to strengthen our faith This for the substance is all that I have ever Taught or held forth concerning evidencing a good estate I am not for the sole witnessing of the Spirit with Enthusiasts nor of Faith alone with Solifidians nor of works in the first place with you but of al these Three in one and that in the Apostles order 1 Joh. 5. The Spirits inward effective testimony of Gods grace towards us in Christ in giving him unto us in the free simple promise with a command to beleeve begets faith faith produceth works of sanctification sanctification confirms faith Promises are so many Declarations of Gods good Will towards us and it is the spirits office to apply them I do humbly conceive That when the Spirit of Promise applyes the absolute Promise of Grace that by way of excellency is called The spirits witness otherwise I do not see how the spirits witness should be a distinct witness from water and blood If the conditional Promise made to beleeving be applied that is the witness of blood let the conditional Promise made to sanctification have its application that is the witness of water He who hath one of these three witnesses hath them all in some degree and he that wants one wants them all for all these three are brought in by Christ when he comes into our hearts in our effectual call as witnesses of his gracious presence So that a Christian can reason thus I have the spirits witness I am a beleever I am a Saint therefore Christ dwells in me and I in him This is the sum of all concerning Evidencing That act of Faith by which we beleeve that Christ and his Righteousness is given to us and we receive him is begotten by the inward testimony of the spirit in an absolute promise confirmed by works of sanctification the immediate testimony of the holy Ghost spiritual sense and experience Because I would not acknowledge your works to be good Evidences which you will needs have to appear before Gods Grace or Faith appear you are highly displeased and labour to make the Court Churches and all the world beleeve that I taught That sanctification is no good Evidence and if a man conclude a good estate from sanctification which he sees in himself he shall never be saved 4. The Fourth Errour which you charge me to have delivered is That they who hold not according to this Doctrine are Antichristians enemies to Christ and under a Covenant of Works If by this Doctrine you had meant That Doctrine which indeed I taught owned by me in my first Three Propositions you had done me wrong I did never expresly nor implicitly affirm That they who were not of my judgement about the grounds of

terminis but in sense These are frequent Gospel expressions We are justified by Faith Faith is taken as well for the habit as the act When Faith is said not to fail that is to be understood of the habit When we are commanded to Beleeve that is meant of the act Bucer saith Zanchy is not ashamed to say That we beleeve sometimes in act sometimes only in habit There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Let a man be in Christ whether by the act or by the habit of Faith he is justified Which way soever Christ and his righteousness is made ours this righteousness is counted to us for ours by God who counts things as they are Object 3. He that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 We are not then justified but consequently to our act of beleeving Answ The act of Faith doth ever follow the habit and in order of time they can scarce be distinguished the one from the other But in order of causality Gods work goes before ours A Christian is in the order of nature in the state of grace before Faiths act though not in time In a word when it is said He that beleeveth not is condemned already it must be understood thus He that beleeveth not either actu secundo or actu primo else what will become of us when we are asleep and put forth no act of beleeving Object 4. If we be justified antecedently to our act of Faith then justification goes before vocation contrary to that Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified Answ That doth not follow Vocation is a gracious act of God by which we are brought into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 We are in our effectual call drawn into union with Christ by a Physical act of God in our passive conversion precedently to our act of beleeving Faith goes in order before justification both in our passive and active conversion the habit in the one and both habit and act in the other THESIS III. That the Faith of Gods Elect whereby they do beleeve on Christ is grounded upon a free simple absolute promise of Grace The Question is Whether God in the Gospel do first reveal his special love to his Elect in giving of them Christ and blessing through him in a conditional promise or in an absolute promise I say in an absolute These are my Arguments 1. Almighty God himself the Prophets Angels John Baptist Christ and the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel have ever propounded Christ to be beleeved on in an absolute promise of Grace Gen. 3.15 15.5 Isa 9.6 Hos 2.19 20. Luk. 2.10 11. Matth. 3.2 4.17 10.7 2. The Elect have alwayes founded that act of Faith by which they did beleeve on Christ upon this principle Abraham beleeved on the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness Upon what promise did he ground his Faith Upon this absolute promise Thus shall thy Seed be Gen. 15.5 6. This Faith of Abraham is made a patern for all the spiritual seed of Abraham to follow Rom 4.23 24 25. Paul describeth the Faith by which he spiritually lived Gal. 2.20 In what Promise was Christ revealed Even in this absolute Declaration of Gods good Will towards him who loved me and gave himself for me The Apostle tells us That all the Elect are born as Isaac was Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 In what form runs the Promise This is the word of Promise At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Rom 9.9 The children of this absolute Promise are counted for the seed vers 8. 3. The proper immediate effects of justifying Faith do strongly argue That it is built upon an absolute promise powerfully applyed by the spirit in our effectual call How comes Faith to work by Love It apprehends Gods love to us in Christ How doth it cause Rejoycing It beholds Christ given for us and to us out of Gods eternal love Abraham rejoyced to see Chrtsts day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 How doth it beget Peace It looks at God as reconciled unto us in Christ How doth it cause Repentance It makes us apprehensive that we have sinned against our Saviour Omnium appetitivorum motuum causa est bonum vel malum apprehensum 4. As in Conjugal Contracts amongst us the Husband doth first make known his Love and express his absolute consent so doth Christ when he doth betroth the Church of his Elect unto himself in their effectual Call I will say unto them that were not my People Thou art my People and they shall say thou art my God Hos 2.23 5. If our Faith be not founded upon an absolute Promise then is not the Covenant of Grace established upon better Promises for form than the Covenant of Works contrary to that which is affirmed by the Apostle Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. The New Covenant Promises are better than the Old in this respect amongst the rest That they are absolute or upon conditions absolutely promised 6. The absolute Promises are either only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently or else also to Unbeleevers for the begetting of Faith But they are not only to be propounded to Beleevers antecedently They were no Beleevers to whom the Lord by the Prophet Hosea applies the absolute Promises Hos 2.19 20. being such as were unmarried and not betrothed to what end did he propound them if not to build faith upon 7. There is no conditional Promise or Grant in all the Word of God wherein Christ doth convey himself over to us for the beginning of Salvation Christ doth absolutely promise to give us a new heart inhabit in us his Spirit Ezek. 36.26 27. What ever the Remonstrants say to put in any condition is against Scripture and Reason Wherefore we must beleeve on Christ and receive him as given in an absolute Promise of Grace This very Doctrine which teacheth us to ground our faith whereby we are perswaded of Gods Love to us in Christ upon an absolute Promise is maintained by Zanchy in his Miscellanies against Marbuchius who objects against it as one of Zanchy's Errors and new Revelations but he doth earnestly contend for the truth hereof affirming of it to be the Judgment of Bucer and that conformable to the Scriptures Which he could not but imbrace proving it by Four Arguments and Answers three Objections The Definition of Justifying Faith given by Dr. Zanchy and Mr. Calvin declares them to be of this mind Faith say they is a stedfast and assured knowledg of Gods kindness towards us which being grounded upon the truth of the free Promise in Christ is both revealed to our minds and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost They make two Essential parts of Faith 1. An apprehension of Gods Love to us in Christ which is an act of the Intellect 2. A receiving and imbracing of Christ which is

undoubted truth That falsum non est objectum fidei The Spirit of Truth doth not perswade men to beleeve Lyes The Spirit is truth and is no lye 1 John 2.27 2ly All to whom the Gospel cometh are not only bound to put forth acts of Evangelical obedience but to have the principles of these acts for we lost in Adam the very principles of yielding obedience to the holy Will of God to wit Integrity of Nature with the presence and assistance of Gods gracious Spirit So that it is a sin to be unregenerate and to want the spirit of Grace where the Gospel is preached Jude 19. 3ly When Reprobates are commanded to beleeve the Lord requires of them these two things 1. That they have a new heart and a new spirit which is the spirit of Adoption Ezek. 18.31 2ly That they Elicite an act of Faith from this new heart excited by this new spirit Let Reprobates then according to the true sence of the Gospels Command have a new heart and a new spirit and beleeve from these principles that the absolute promise of Grace belongs unto them and they shall not beleeve a lye Neither are Elect nor Reprobates commanded actually to beleeve immediately from the principles of Nature but by the intervening of a new heart and a new spirit which are the principles of Grace let these intervene and then it is not required that they beleeve more than is revealed and true All true Christians beleeve that this Promise belongs unto them in habit inclination desire or act of which there are many degrees THESIS IV. That all Promises proper and peculiar to the Gospel are absolute In the Covenant of Grace there are two sorts of Promises Some common to the Law with the Gospel though not for the matter yet for the form into which they are put as Beleeve and be saved Repent and be saved and these are conditional belonging to Elect and Reprobates There be other Promises peculiar to the Gospel both for matter and form as a new heart will I give you a new Spirit will I put within you and these are absolute Ezek. 36.26 Which Promises though they be propounded in the promulgation of the Gospel to all indifferently yet are they proper only to Gods Elect. Of these Promises is that to be understood which Prosper speaks Lib. 1. De voc Gent. Cap. 9. Manet prorsus et quotidiè impletur quod Abrahae Dominus sine conditione promisit sine lege donavit And of these Promises doth Zanchy mean Miscell Lib. 2. Thes 13. where he saith Promissiones de gratuitâ Dei misericordiâ deque certa et aeterna salute etsi univer salitér omnibus proponuntur et praedicandae sunt ad ipsos tamen tantum electos reipsa pertinent And again De Common Divinis Evangelium propriè quod annuntiat id absolutè citrà conditionem annuntiat It was denyed in the Synod that there was any absolute Promises The Remonstrants Collat. Hag. Band. pag. 190. lin 22. assert That the giving of a new heart is promised upon condition of our actual conversion Others would have these Promises to be only Predictions and Prophesies but seem to exclude them from being any part of the Covenant of Grace whereas they be the chief and proper part or else I cannot see that our first Parents had any Gospel preached unto them in Paradice Gen. 3.15 There is nothing but an absolute Promise expressed in which all absolute Promises in both the sences before mentioned are wrapt up though I doubt not but the conditional Promise Beleeve and be saved is implied Our Orthodox Divines in the Synod of Dordt stand for these absolute Promises as parts of the Covenant of Grace against the Arminians and that they are proper to the Gospel in respect of their absolute form cannot be denied the Law hath no Promises which run in that form It is evident which Zanchy saith Quicquid pertinet ad legem in scripturis conditionale est I have lost divers Notes by often removals but to my best remembrance these with one or two more of the like Nature coincident with them were all the Positions which at first I intended for Disputation in the Synod In heat of Discourse in that Assembly certain expressions fell from me which were numbred amongst my Errors and made the chief matter of Dispute by them who took all occasions and advantages to make me seem erroneous Amongst the rest how it came in I do not well know I said That Christ was part of the new Creature The Question is What is meant by the new Creature or new Man which Christians are commanded to put on I answer Partly Christ with his new created Righteousness partly new created qualities in us Which I conceive may thus be proved Adam is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam is the old man and Christ the new man Hereupon tropically all sin which entred into the World by Adam is called the Old man and all that righteousness which is brought in by Christ is called the New man which righteousness of Christs becomes ours in our New Birth partly by Imputation partly by Regeneration Eph. 2.15 Object By the Old man which we are to put off is only meant Sin not Adam 's Person and therefore by the New man is only meant new qualities in us and not Christ's Person Answ By the Old man may be understood not only the corruption of Nature which passeth from Adam to us but his disobedience which becomes ours by imputation So that in some respect we are to put off Adam that is the transgression of Adam in eating the forbidden Fruit which was his in act and ours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and originally I am not the first who have taken the New man in that sense which if it be not proper yet is it true We are to put on Christ as well by Faith as by imitation I shall not much herein contend Zanchy upon Eph. 4.24 having set down the judgment of Ambrose what is meant by the New man which Christians are to put on who understood it of Christ himself and of others interpreting it of new qualities delivers his own mind and joyns them both together Novus igitur homo primum est Christus ipse in nobis inhabitans deinde ipse nova totius hominis qualitas et natura per Christum in nobis creata postremo nos ipsi Christo induti et novae illius naturae participes effecti et in virtute ut loquuntur scholia viventes Ye would likewise have wrested other expressions which fell from me to a corrupt sence as if I denied acting from a formal principle of Grace or that any power was conveyed by the Commandments of the Law to act graciously which was far from my sence The Opinion of Peter Lombart Lib. 1. Dist 18. that Charity is not any thing created in the soul but the Holy Ghost himself is sufficiently

any such should arise Might not all this have been done without Sedition Tertullian reports That the Gentiles used to fall upon Christians in time of publick Calamity If Tiber and Nilus did not over-flow if the heavens restrained their influence if there were Earthquakes Wars Famine Pestilence as the cause of all those evils whenas indeed the cause was in themselves 4. You make a great matter of certain typical allegorical expressions which I used to set forth our spiritual combate taken from bodily fightings which you would have to be understood in their literal proper sense as if I should stir up to a bodily fight You confess that I did otherwise express my meaning why wil not you take my meaning as I did express it Why might not I use scripture expressions in a scripture sense To cut off all your Arguments at once all this while you dispute ex non concessis You have grounded the Courts sentence Censure all your reasons to maintain the justice of the Court upon the matter contained in that secret Accusation before mentioned which did never shew its face openly but acted in tenebris Brother Weld you would have your Hearers to take it for granted That I delivered that which you charged upon me in your Accusation to which you relate all your defence of the Courts justice You lay this as a ground-work as will appear by sundry passages in that which you call a short story but especially in your Preface to it These are your words Now you might hear one of them Preach a most dangerous Sermon in a great Assembly when he divided the whole Country into two rancks some that were of his opinion under a Covenant of Grace those were friends to Christ Others under a Covenant of Works whom they might know by this if they did evidence their good estate by sanctification These were said he Enemies to Christ Herods Pilates Scribes Pharisees yea Antichrists I confess if this were true I had deservedly suffered But I pray you Mr. Weld let me come a little closer unto you With what good conscience can you report these things First That which you relate is not contained in the Notes of my Sermon which I suppose are upon record in the Court of the Massachusets in New England neither immediately nor in their principles Secondly After your Accusation before mentioned came to my hands I sent an Answer to you Elders which you received shewing my self much grieved with that your clandestine unparalled practise disclaiming these Errours which you charged upon me as erronious and wicked shewing that you had no ground to father them upon me Thirdly I was questioned in the Court about these particulars First They asked me Whether Faith and Repentance were any Conditions of the Gospel I Answered They were Conditions consequent but not antecedent that is they followed Christs giving of himself unto us in a free promise but went not before Secondly They demanded of me Whether Sanctification was any Evidence of a good Estate Yes said I it is secondary evidence but not the first Thirdly The Court put this Question to me Whom I meant of by those under a Covenant of Works To which I Replyed I intend it of none absolutely but conditionally if they walk in that way which I describe to be legal I did openly in the Court and I doubt not in your hearing plainly express my sense and meaning Fourthly Reverend Mr. Cotton who constantly in the Court stood by me with me in a speech which he made bears this witness to the Doctrine I taught I do conceive and profess That our Brother Whelewrights Doctrine is according to God in the Points controverted and wholly and altogether and nothing did I hear alleaged against the Doctrine proved by the Word of God Would that learned judicious holy man of God give such testimony to that Doctrine delivered by me or would you have suffered it in him if it had been according to your Report Certainly he would have abhorred it and born as much witness against it as you Miserable is that cause which cannot be justified without such feigned Accusations against so much light Will these their Fictions justifie the Courts acts To set a fairer colour upon your cause and make it more probable that I was justly condemned and censured by the Court you do in your short story take this course 1. First You put upon me many odious and reproachful Names I am stiled by you an Antinomian Familist Libertine Seducer My conscience bears me witness That I do not hold so far as I know any opinion of Sectaries as such nor any Doctrine condemned in any approved Council or Synod but such as is maintained by some Orthodox Divines not disconsonant from the Harmony of Churches Confessions though I do not build my Faith upon the Dictates of men but only upon the written Word of God I am not through Gods infinite mercy an Antinomian Familist Libertine or any other Sectary but a Christian I do with Mr. Calvin prefer the Papists before them Mr. Weld would drown me in that Pit of Heresies which was privily digged for me The Points of Doctrine which I held wherein I did really differ from my Reverend Brethren in matters of greatest concernment were so far as I know only these Five following Positions 1. That to conclude that Christ belongs unto us from Qualifications precedent to Union is legal and no conclusion of Faith 2. That to conclude a good estate from Works as first evidences of our union is legal and no conclusion of Faith 3. That the Faith of Gods Elect by which they do believe on Christ is grounded upon an absolute promise of grace 4. That the first evidence of Gods grace and mercy in giving of us Christ is the inward witness of the spirit in an absolute promise of Grace 5. That in our passive conversion we are justified by a passive reception of Christ precedently in order of nature to our act of beleeving If I may justly be branded for an Antinomian Libertine Familist Seducer by reason of the Assertions or such as are dependent upon them I cannot justifie my self yet let me be convinced that they or any of them are erronious I shall by Gods grace retract Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo 2. Secondly You would make your Reader beleeve page 25. That in the Synod I disputed and maintained these Points contained in your Charge which you call the ground-work of my imagined Sedition You know very well Brother Weld that long before the Synod in my Answer to the Elders I disowned them as wicked Errours shewing that they were your groundless Inferences and is it likely I should defend them in the Synod There was no such matter The Positions which I brought into the Synod to my best knowledge were these ensuing which I shall explicate and confirm THESIS I. That Assurance of Justification from Works of Sanctification is not our