8. Phil. 1. 22. To the end that all things may be of God 2 Cor. 15. 18. To the exaltation of free Grace and through the hearing of the Word of Reconciliation the Holy Spirit is given Gal. 3. 2. 5. Acts 10. 44 By which they are joined to the Lord in a Perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Jer. 50. 4. 5. Thus being joined to the Lord they become one Spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6. 16. And by this are Married to Christ Rom. 7. 4. And this is their actual Union with Christ they being Reconciled to him as well as he being Reconciled to them But can this be when we are Strangers to the Covenant of Promise Aliens from the Common-Wealth of Israel and without Christ Ephes 2. 11. 12. Aliens and Enemies in our Minds by wicked Works Vnrighteous such that could not inherit the Kingdom of God and such â—ere some of you But ye are Washed Sanctified and Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Which doth clearly show that there must be two Changes 〈…〉 e one of Qualification and the other of Condition Titus 3. 3 4 5. Your Mistake is You cannot distinguish between Love as it is a 〈…〉 pose of Union in Christ and our being actually Reconciled and 〈…〉 ited to him therefore you say Faith is the effect of Union If you had said Faith is the effect of Love you had said True But I say saith is the Bond of Union on our part moreover there may be love in one Party where there is no Union Union is a mutual Agreement of both Parties by which both Parties are joined together more than in Love and Affection The Lord open the Eyes of your â—nderstanding Truly my Soul is Troubled for you 7. You say I Affirm That what Christ did upon the Cross his Death and Sufferings was not the Elects nor they have no Right to it until they Believe In Answer to this I shall give you my Judgment in the Words of two Authors one in great Esteem with yourselves and that is that Worthy and Learned Divine Dr. Goodwin and Mr. Davis Dr. Tho. Goodwin upon Ephes page 296. Part 2. States this Question But you will say How are we Saved in Christ and Justified in Christ upon Believing when we were Justified from our Sins in Christ when he Rose and had Sin taken off from him Did not he represent us then The Answer is as followeth To instance Adam will clear all Were not all men Condemned in Adam yet no man is Condemned in his own Person till he is Born yet Representively in Adam all Dyed So it is here so far as we take Christ as a Common Person Representing us what was done in him was done for us in him and so from Eternity Before Christ Dyed we were Saved in him in that Sense according to the Grace that was given us in Christ before the World began Saith he in 2. Tim. 2. 9. Christ himself Purchased it with a Reserve till we did Believe and Repent or else we are not to have that Benefit of his Death The Bond lay in God the Father's hand till we should come in to him for it I do not say the Scripture useth the Word from Everlasting but only that the Grace was given us in Christ and Christ dyed Representively but when we come to Exist in our own Persons then it is applyed to us and we are Saued in our own Persons by that Grace which once Jesus Christ purchased as a common Person for us Thus far Dr. Goodwin where you may see the very Thing you Charge me with as Error prov'd to be a Truth in plain Words by this Grave and Learned Divine that no man could or did find Fault with as ever I could hear of You may see your Foolish and Unsound Notions laid down and proved to be False by this Great and Judicious Man in the second Part of his Exposition of the Ephesians Page 144. 135. 294. so on and in divers Places in that Book Mr. Davis in his Vindication against the Rowel Pamphlet Saith I do not see what need there is of all this Noise about Words as I have constantly Preached and Affirmed That Elect Sinners are dead in Trespasses and Sins and under the declared Condemnation of Law and Gospel till they Believe and that then and only then they are freed from that Condemnation which I take to be actual Justification by Faith And he further adds That he shall stand by the Assembly's Definition of justifying Faith And in 24. Artic. of the said Mr. Davis's Confession of Faith he Saith That the Moral Law holds the Elect during their Vnregeneracy under it's Condemning force till they Believe Thus far Mr. Davis Thus you see the Man you so much admire is of my Mind But to Proceed The Elect are dead in Trespasses and Sins and under the declared Condemnation of Law and Gospel till they Believe and that then and not till then they are freed from that Condemnation If the Moral Law holds the Elect during their Unregeneracy under its Condemning force till they Belieue what Advantage have they while in Unbelief save only they are secured from the Execution of that Condemnation by the gracious Purpose of God and Merits of Jesus Christ To which Words I gave my Assent and since have set my Hand to the same Tho' you refused it and some of those that did and especially Benjamin Winckles who was a Member of the first General Assembly with me and since hath with me and others set his Hand to the same Words but after all this is shamefully gone off from his first and second Act. I have Proved by these two Authors That there is no actual Benefit conveyed to the Elect whilst in Unbelief 8. In your last Exception you say I said We were not Sinners till 〈…〉 had acted Sin and if no Sinners then no Objects of Christ 's love and Pity nor Justified Persons any wayes for you said they must 〈…〉 Sinners before they can be Pardoned else it would overthrow Ori 〈…〉 nal Sin and the Representive-ship of Christ for us as Elect. To this I Answer That this first Part is manifestly False I never 〈…〉 d We were not Sinners till we had acted Sin but I said None 〈…〉 uld be Sinners either by Original Sin nor Actual Sin till their Existance For how car we be partakers of Adam's Sin till we par 〈…〉 ke of Adam's Nature For Nothing can partake of Nothing 〈…〉 Nothing is not capable of the Imputation of Sin or Righteousness 〈…〉 Impute Sin or Righteousness to Nothing is the greatest Nonsense 〈…〉 the World And what were we before we were Created that which is Nothing can be the Object of Nothing and so not of Love no further than a Divine Being hath an Idea of that which is 〈…〉 t but in Time shall be That I said they must be Sinners before they
Actual Justification RIGHTLY STATED CONTAINING A True NARRATIVE OF A SAD SCHISM Made in a Church of CHRIST at KILBY in LEICESTER-SHIRE PROVING none of the ELECT are Actually Justified before FAITH GAL. II. XVI We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justisied by the Faith of Christ c. LONDON Printed by B. Harris in Maiden-Head-Court in Great East Ch 〈…〉 and Sold by J. Marshal at the Bible in Grace-church street 1696. THE INTRODUCTION Proving There is no Actual Justification or Actual Vnion with CHRIST before FAITH THose many Errors that abound among us is one of the sad Evils of these Times which tend to make our Dayes Perillous tho' I must Confess some of them are more Dangerous and Pernicious than others as the Socinian Erors that ut 〈…〉 ly Destroy the Foundation of Christianity And evident it is That between the Socinian Arminian and Baxterian Errors on the â—ne hand and those called Antinomian Errors tho' I do not call them Antinomians on the other hand Christ seems to be again Crucified in his Holy Doctrin as in his Sacred Body he was Cruâ—ified between two Thieves The Error that is here Confuted appertains to those last Menti 〈…〉 ed in which you will find what hard Measure the Author hath met with from some of his Flock who charged him with False Do ‑ 〈…〉 rin but how Unjustly will appear in this Narrative The Point that he strives to Oppose is this Viz. That an Elect Person is not in actual Vnion with Christ nor actually Justified in God's Sight before Faith Or doth actually apprehend and apply the Righteousness and Merits of Christ by Faith to his own Soul 1. He doth not say Faith Justifies as 't is a Sacred Habit or Act 〈…〉 ch less in respectâ— of the Fruits and Effects of it 2. Nor that 't is the matter of our Justification but 't is said to Juâ—tify only in Respect of the Object Christ Jesus whom the Soul ap 〈…〉 ehends or receives by Faith Christ's Righteousness only being the Material Cause of our Justification and the Imputation of it the Formal Cause thereof Which our Reverend Brother asserts is not Imputed unto any Adult Person tho' Elected to his actual Justification before he is Actually or Personally United to Jesus Christ aud therefore not in Actual Union with Christ and Justified from Eternity as some say nor from the Death of Christ as others say 3. He stedfastly Believes God's Election of particular Persons from Everlasting for whom he gave his own Son to Die And that the Election of the Father the Redemption of the Son and the Application and Sanctification of the Holy Ghost are of Equal extent 4. That Christ Dyed as the great Representive common Head Root and Surety of all the Elect doing and Suffering in their Room and Stead whatsoever he did and Suffered 〈◊〉 as their Head and Representative and that he hath made full Satisfaction to the Justice of God and answered all the demands of the Law for them So that all they for whom Christ dyed shall certainly be Saved as an act of Justice and Righteouiness as well as an Act of Sovereign Grace and Goodness 5. That Faith by which the Soul apprehends Christ is a Grace of the Spirit purchased by Christ and freely given to us as a sign of God's Eternal Love Moreover he and we with him distinguish or explain Union with Christ and Justification thus 1. That all the Chosen of God are Decretively Justified c. from Eternity 2. Vertually at the Death or rather at the Resurrection of our blessed Saviour 3. Yet that no Adult Elect Person is really and Actually in Vnion with Christ and Actually Justified before he doth Believe in him And so is transplanted out of the first Adam as a common Head and implanted into the second Adam It being impossible any should stand in or grow out of two cwo common Roots at one and the same time since all as considered Actually in the first are Dead and under Condemnation and all that are Actually in the Second are made Alive and brought into Justification and declared free for ever from Condemnation Rom 8. 1. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his That is Actually his tho' many of them may be in the Election of Grace As touching the Sins of the Elect before Faith we say they are charged upon them by the Law under which they remain till they Believe or are United by the Spirit unto their blessed Covenanting Head and are by the same Law with other Unbelievers under the Sentence of Condemnation tho' their Justification Pardon and Salvation is secured for them by God's eternal Election and in Christ by Vertue of his Covenant Transactions with the Father and as 〈…〉 ed by his Blood and Merits As to the Sins of the Elect after Grace or Actual Union tho' 〈…〉 ey are Required to Repent of them and may not have the Sense 〈…〉 Pardon of them in in their own Consciences till then yet the 〈…〉 lt of them is never Charged upon them Christ having born all 〈…〉 Vindictive Wrath due to all their Sins as well those committed 〈…〉 Faith as before they Believed otherwise it could not be said 〈…〉 is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 〈…〉 Therefore whatsoever Mr. Coleman says about the Sins of Believers 〈…〉 Repentance and Pardon he doth not Believe they are ever 〈…〉 in a state of Condemnation Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of 〈…〉 's Elect that is such Elect ones that are united to Christ 〈…〉 Justification is but one Act 't is never more nor less after we are 〈…〉 d to Christ or are in a state of Grace Tho' Sanctification as 〈…〉 s is a progressive Work yet so is not our Justification there can 〈…〉 no breach made on that any more than in our Adoption once a Child 〈…〉 ever a Child Now the Notions we oppose are these following 〈…〉 1. We say The Sins of all the Elect while they remain in Vnbe 〈…〉 are charged upon them by the Law and that the Righteousness of 〈…〉 rist is not actually imputed to them until they do believe in Jesus 〈…〉 i st 'T is one thing for God to Purpose or Decree to discharge an 〈…〉 t Sinner through Christ's perfect Righteousness and Satisfaction 〈…〉 another thing for him actually to acquit discharge and pronounce 〈…〉 Justified by the Application of Christ's Merits Now the asserters 〈…〉 the contrary Notion do seem to say that neither God's Justice nor his 〈…〉 y Law doth charge Sin on any Elect Person tho' under the power of Vnbelief and vile and profane Persons see Mr. Ayre Vindi 〈…〉 Justificationes Gratuitae last Impression p. 94. 95. He asserts 〈…〉 all the Elect before Conversion and Faith stand actually recon 〈…〉 to God and Justified before him Page 45. Nay from â—ternity 〈…〉 31. Ans May we not find a
follow from their Notion that the Elect are twice Justified and so there must be in their Sense a Posterie or Colatural act in God to their Justification 5. These Men say that Faith only Justifies us Declaratively or aâ— it gives the Revelation or Evidence of it to our own Consciences Which if so then the state of ungodly Persons if Elected tho' Swears Drunkards Whoremongers Murtherers c. is good and Justification changes not the state of the Sinner he being in a safe and sav 〈…〉 State before tho' he did not know it being not Condemned unless in his own Conscience God never charged him with Sin saw no Sin in him but imputed Christ's Righteousness to him from Eternity and not more Justified after he believes then he was before 6. Then also it will follow No man hath that Justification which is said to be by Faith or through Faith but he that feels the Comfort of it in his own Conscience or hath it Revealed and Evidenced to him by the Spirit being fully perswaded and assured he is Justified which we say many true Believers do not arrive unto assurance not appertaining to the Being or Essence of Faith but is the highest Degree thereof see 1 John 5. 13. Some who do truly Believe do not feel and know in their own Consciences that they do Believe but have Doubts about it 7. 'T is directly contrary to the express Word of God John 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that Believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not Believed on the Name of the only Begotten Son of God That Unbelievers are Condemned is the express Words of the Text Now who can Condemn them but either God's Law his â—ustice or their own Conscience They say neither Law nor Justice do or can Condemn them And it is clear say we that their Conscience cannot 1. Because it is asleep and as the Apoâ—â—le says Defiled See Tit. 1. 15. 2. Another Reason is clear in the Text from the cause of Condemnation viz. Because they Believe not Now who will say that Natural Conscience doth Condemn for Unbelief for if so the Spirit in the ex 〈…〉 tion of his Office and for which he is sent is thrown away Joh. 16. 8 〈◊〉 are Condemned by the Law and till they Believe thâ—y remain under 〈◊〉 Condemnation Unbelief Condemns as it is a rejecting or refu 〈…〉 to apply the Remedy Not otherwise And let them be whosoever they 〈◊〉 tho' one of God's Elect or comprehended in his eternal Decree of E 〈…〉 on and Love of Intention Pity Purpose and Benevolence yet he remains â—â—â—demned till he Believes or hath actual Union with Christ For he that 〈◊〉 the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 John 〈…〉 12 If we have the Spirit and do Believe we have Union with Christ 〈◊〉 have the Son but if we have not the Spirit if we have not Faith we 〈◊〉 no actual Union with Christ or have not the Son If any man have not 〈◊〉 Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 8. Moreover how can he that is 〈◊〉 to the Lord be said to be one Spirit with him if this Vnion be before Faith 〈…〉 8 Actual Justification before Faith or Actual Union with Christ is attend 〈…〉 with this Absurdity Viz. A Man may be said to be actually Dead and A 〈…〉 e Condemned and Justified at one and the same time Nay be a Child 〈…〉 Wrath and yet a Son of God have actual Union with and united to 〈◊〉 first Adam and yet be in actual Union with and united to the second Adam at one and the same time 9. It Presupposeth That a Man may be actually in Christ and be actu 〈…〉 y Justified and yet no change of Heart as well as no change of State 〈◊〉 that all before Regeneration are Children of Wrath is evident and is it 〈◊〉 Positively said If any Man is in Christ he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈…〉 any man be said to be truly and actually Justified and not actually in Christ 〈…〉 to 10. It presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person that is not es 〈…〉 tually called Now all know and grant there is no effectual Vocation be 〈…〉 e nor without the Spirit of Christ and Saving Faith be wrought in the Soul 11. It also holds forth or presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person 〈…〉 be actually Justified and yet not be Sanctified which is contrary to these â—â—riptures Rom. 8. 7 10 30. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 12. Moreover it follows from their Notion That a Man that is in actual 〈…〉 ion with Christ and is actually Justified may be without nay utter 〈…〉 incapable of enjoying Communion with Christ Can Christ have Com 〈…〉 n with and Delight in filthy Swine Or Can Light have Fellowship with 〈…〉 iese Can a Man in a state of Enmity against God have Commu 〈…〉 n with and delight in God Therefore saith a Reverend Divine The 〈…〉 tive and Real Change are both at one time 1 Cor. 6. 7. But ye are 〈…〉 ctified ye are Justified Charnock on Regen p. 32. 13. It Presupposeth That there may be Union between two Persons 〈…〉 en but one Party only Consents which is very absurd for any to assert 〈◊〉 T is Christ that brings the Soul to Consent he gives the Soul Faith as in the succeeding Narrative is Noted which is his Love-token Grace infused in us as the Effects of Christ's Love constrains the Soul to Love him and â—o to consent to take him as it's Lord and only Object of its Affection But till this is done there is no Real Union We deny not but Christ apprehends us before we can apprehâ—nd him he first takes hold of us by his Spirit and infuses the Habit of Faith before we can act Faith there is the act of Unition before there is a compleat Union 14. It tends to put Men upon Temptation to slight the holy Law of God and renders the Doctrin of Repentance needless or a meer Legal Doctrin Hence some of them have intimated that they have nothing to do with the Law Nay and have uttered such Words and Expressions concerning the Law that are not fit to be mentioned as in particular David Culy one of Mr. Davis's Disciples and a Teacher sent forth as I am informed by him affirmed as it hath been proved against him by Credible Witnesses That the Law was of no use either to the Conviction of Sin or as a Rule of Life Moreover their Airey and uncouth Notions leads them out to assert other Strange and Rediculous nay Blasphemous Expressions For the same Culy said That a Believer in Christ was as Righteous as God himself To which Mr. Rix a Reverend Minister Reply'd That the Righteousness of Christ was imputed to Believers c. But he answered He had nothing to do with Christ's Imputed Righteousness nor the Righteousness of
Your not being able to distinguish between the Duty and the Grace by which Men are enabled to perform the Duty causeth your Mistakes and to take an Offence where none is given Is it not by Grace that we Choose Christ and is it not as true He Chooses those that Choose Him Prov. 8. 17. I Love them that Love me So James 4. 8. Draw nigh unto God and he will Draw nigh unto you So Zachary 1. 3. Turn you unto me and I will Turn to you Is it not by Grace that we love Christ and is it not as true that he Loves them that Love him Is it not by Grace if any Draws nigh to God and is it not 〈◊〉 true That God Draws nigh to such Is it not by Grace that any Turn to God and is it not as true That God will Turn to such that Turn to him That Crime in these words you Charge me with You 〈…〉 y as well charge upon those Holy Texts I have Cited as to be Offended at the Words you say I Spoke But as the Arminians by the Duty destroy the Grace so you by a Pretence to the Grace destroy the Duty Such is your Ignorance and Folly 3. You say I said from 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature That it was not Election nor the Purpose of God which caused us to be in Christ but being Formed of God Regenerated and Born again Ans In this you wrong me for I never thought that Election or the Purpose of God was no cause at all of our being in Christ but I have often Affirmed That our Election and the Purpose of God is the Efficient and Antecedent cause of our being in Christ For we were Elected from Eternity but our Ingrafting into Christ is in Time or else How could we be said to be out of Christ before calling Also How could Junia and Andronicus be in Christ before Paul Rom. 16. 7. And the Ephesians be said to be sometimes without Christ Ephes 2. 12. That at that time you were without Christ yet Paul's and the Ephesians Election took place as soon as June's and Andronicus 2. If we were in Christ as soon as we were Elected then we could not be Guilty of Original Sin when we came into the World for there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. But it is Evident that by Adam's Sin Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation Rom 5. 18. And all the World as they stand in the first Adam all are Guilty before God Rom 3. 19. So that it is for want of Distinguishing between Election as the fore-runner of our being in Christ and our Actual being in him that causeth your Mistakes As for the Purpose of God it will be more cleared up by what I shall say upon this Point Gods Purpose in it's own Nature cannot be the immediate Actual doing of the thing Purposed but the Purpose of Necessity must be Antecedent to the thing Purposed or else the Purpose is Destroyed And so God Purposed to make the World from Eternity but the World was not made from Eternity but in time So God Purposed to call a certain Number into the Fellowship of his Son 1 Cor. 1. 9. And hence Believers are said to be called According to his Purpose Rom. 8. 28. Rom. 9. 11. So that it is evident That God's Purpose was Antecedent to our Calling or else it could not be said We were called according to his Purpose So that from hence I conclude That a Man may be in the Election and Purpose of God and yet at present be no New Creature and so not in Christ For if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature And to say that any Man is in Christ before he is a New Creature is to give the Text the Lye and to destroy the Doctrine of Christ about Regeneration and to suppose a Person may be in Christ and not Regenerate this must of Necessity run you into a desparate Absurdity on the Right-Hand or the Left For if you say a Person may be in Christ and not Regenerated then a Person may be Saved and not Regenerated This is to give Christ the Lye who said Except a Man be Born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And if you say a Man may be in Christ and not Regenerated and so not Capable to Enter into the Kingdom of God then a Man may be 〈…〉 Christ and at the same time be in a Perishing state this is 〈…〉 give the Apostles the Lye Rom 8. 1. There is therefore no Con 〈…〉 ation to them which are in Christ Jesus Thus those that are 〈…〉 t wilfully Blind amongst you may see your Absurdities and Mis 〈…〉 es 4. Upon Jeremiah 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy Heart from Wickedness that thou mayest be saved You say my whole Discourse 〈…〉 ded to put the Creature upon doing for Life and not from life and a Principle of Love and I Cited those Verses Isaiah ◠15 16. Ans I say This is absolutely False for it hath all wayes been 〈…〉 trary to my Principles to Preach Duties from any such foundations neither am I so weak to think that a Dead thing 〈…〉 n work for Life before there can be either Motion or Action Neither did any of you hear me say as you Affirm but in our Judgments you thought my Discourse tended to what 〈…〉 u say and all the Reason you seem to give is because 〈…〉 cited Isaiah 1. 15 16. So that you seem to cast the same Re 〈…〉 lections upon the Prophet and the Holy Ghost speaking by him that you cast upon me and doth not the Apostle James speak the same thing with the Prophet James 4. 8. Cleanse your Hands 〈…〉 Sinners and Purifie your Hearts ye Double-minded Men. 5. You said that I said The Law ought to be Preached before the Gospel to convince sinners of their sins which is contrary to that is said The Spirit shall Convince the World of sin Answer That the Law doth convince of sin is evident Romans 7. 7. and Romans 1. 3. 19. That Sin is the Transgression of the Law is as plain 1 John 3. 4. Thus by the Scripture it is Undeniable that the Law convinces Sinners of Sin and that it might to be Preached I Prove 1. From the Doctrin of Repentance and 2. From the Prophets and Apostles Practice 1. From the Doctrin of Repentance I Argue thus That if the Doctrin of Repentance ought to be Preached every were then they that Preach the Doctrin of Repentance to the People must first tell them what they must Repent off But the Doctrin of Repentance ought to be every were Preached Luke 24. 47. Therefore those that Preach to the People must first acquaint the People with what they ought to Repent off if there is no Law to be Preached then there is no sin Rom. 4. 15. And if there is no