hath Christs death and resurrection and intercession and strengthening in tribulations accompanying it Argument IV. THey that have their sins taken away are iustified a But the elect have their sins taken away before they believe Ergo the elect are iustified before they believe The maior is proved Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgteen and whose sinne is covered Rom. 4.7 The minor That the Elect have their sins taken away before they believe b is proved Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sins of the world and Esay 35. ◠The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all and 1 Pet. 2.24 Himselfe bare our sins in his own body on the Tree and Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed Did Christ take away sinne or not Did he beare them Did he destroy the body of sinne If you say c No how will you escape the Sword of the Spirit If you say Yea I desire no more An Answer to Argument IV. YOu say a they that have their sins taken away are iustified you prove it Rom. 4.7 Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered By this you intend to prove a man is iustified before he believes But your own expressions and allegations are against that 1. Expression For sins are not taken away which is a Physicall act by Gods meere mentall thoughts of iustifying but when he pronounceth the blessing of justification he saith withall in whose heart is no guile Psal 32.1 2. which is the place the Apostle quotes Rom. 4. See reall actuall iustification take our sinnes from us and our hearts from our sins 2. Allegation And with the same breath almost with which the Apostle saith Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven he saith also To him that beleeveth on him that iustifieth the ungodly is his faith counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 6 7. You go about to prove that the elects sins are taken away before they believe b by that Isa 53.8 1 Pet. 2.24 Eph. 1.29 What do you intend by these generall places would you by the two first places have it that Christ takes away the sins of all the Jewes contrary to Rom. 11.7 c. or by the third place that Christ takes away the sins of the whole world contrary to Rom. 8.30 yet either you must take them in that false generall sense or else they make nothing to prove justification before faith That place you alledge out of Rom. 6.6 is flat against you For if sinne be not destroyed till crucified then not till mortified For crucifying signifies mortifieation which is a part of sanctification Gal. 5.22 23 24. And the body of sinne signifies not the guilt but the filth and power Rom. 7. And therefore this place supposeth justification by faith even as faith is mentioned to precede that crucifying in the place last alledged Yet in the close you seeme to triumph c as if you had sheerly carried away the gerland upon the hornes of an unanswerable Dilemma Saying if we say Christ did take away sinne did bear them did destroy the body of sin you desire no more Thus you We answer Christ doth take away sinne doth bear the sins of men but for whom onely for the elect And when doth he take away sinne and make his bearing to lighten men Even when comes that justification by faith that as you say brings with it a crucifying of the body of sinne when comes that iustification mentioned Rom. 5.1 2 3 4. Argument V. VVE were made sinners in the first Adam before we had done good or evill a Therefore we are made righteous in the second Adam before we have done good or evill This consequence is proved Rom. 5.18 19. As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous If you shall place the Emphasis of this Text in All and many you will cause the hearts of the * universall Gratians to leape for joy which I beleeve you would not willingly do Therefore you must be forced to place the Emphasis in As and So As we sinned all in the loynes of the first Adam So were we all made righteous in the loynes of the second Adam The Lord Christ And this agreeth with the ministerie of Reconciliation b to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5.19 Truly this Argument was of so great force c that it did wring out of Cardinall Bellarmine this confession as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 5. That Christ may be put on without a proper act of our soule I confesse I differ from the Cardinall in his meanes of putting on Christ yet this his confession I acknowledge to be true An Answer to Argument V. IT is plaine by the place you alledge Rom. 5. c That you meane not a making of us sinners in the first Adam by Gods bare decree accounting us so And if you do not so meane but meane that we are actually accounted sinners in the first Adam since we came from his loines before we had done good or evill I admire how you dare affirme a thing so contrary to Scripture For the Apostle most evidently affirmeth in that Rom. 5. That though all that are come of Adam have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression ver 14. that is have not sinned actually in their particular persons as infants not any sinne nor any men that particular sinne of Adam yet ver 12. it is said expressy that death passed over all men for that all have sinned or the Greeke will beare it In whom all have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former part of the verse favours this reading in these words As by one man sinne entred into the world Then concludes all have sinned Which how can it be true of infants in their conception as Psal 51. unlesse they be said to sinne in Adam But however we read the same conclusion will necessarily follow that all children and all in the wombe even Jacob and Esau have sinned originally in the common nature at first existing in that publike father of mankinde I say originally As true as we have our bodies from our Grandfathers so from the first Adam we had all the same corrupt senses and appetite in him though actually in our own persons we sinned not that sinne nor do infants as Jacob and Esau actually sinne as persons of ripe years when as the Law speakes they are capaces doli can do evill and give a seeming reason for it So then in briefe our answer is That Adams sin is imputed to all because
all did originally commit it All our natures were at and in the committing of it which natures we lineally derive from him And that you say we are made sinners in the first Adam simply and absolutely before we have done evill the Scripture saith no such thing but the contrary that in him we are all sinners Therefore to retort the Argument upon you we are not made righteous in the second Adam till we partake of his nature that is his Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 which is that by which we escape corruption through lust A part of which is faith after reckoned up and commended to them to whom Peter writes in verse 5. immediately following To that you urge out of 2 Cor. b 5.19 I answer the Scripture is no friend to universall redemption And then what will follow on your behalfe Surely no more will follow or can follow but this that in Gods ordinary way of Gospell administration God is in Christ reconciling them of the world to himselfe that are perswaded by him to believe and receive the word of reconciliation So evidently immediately before and after that 19. verse Yet you say c This Argument did so wring Cardinall Bellarmine that he confessed Christ may be put on without a proper act of our soule Surely then the saddle was closer and harder put on him by some other then you have tackied it or he was more artificially wrackt then you here stretch him But I am willing to imagine the urmost you would or could make of this Argument It may be you have this in your thoughts that as in Adam children are accounted sinners though they cannot act sin so in Christ children may be accounted righteous though they cannot act faith To which I answer As there is a naturall habit of corruption in infants that makes a foundation of a just relation of Adams sinne to them For where there is no habituall corruption of nature there is no imputation of Adams sinne as we see in Christs conception and humane nature He was not accounted a sinner in himselfe but is for them that are saved by him but in himselfe he was and accounted most holy So there is habituall faith in elect infants dying in their infancy through which they are accounted righteous in Christ as we have reasoned to the 1. Argument But that I am loath to wade too deep that little ones should not follow more might be said If it might be said in some sense Christ can be apprehended without a proper act of our soule that is as it is a meere peculiar act of our soule yet not without an act of Gods grace in that soule Till that be put into the soul no more is done in any particular elect person then what was done in the eternall election which the Scripture calls a purpose Rom. 9. And a purpose is not the practise of the thing purposed and of that act of grace the soule of the youngest elect infant is in a faire capacity For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligere the naked act of understanding depends not on the organs of the senses So the Artists that handle of the nature of the reasonable soule no nor doth the representing of an intelligible object to the understanding depend upon the senses when God will in the darke or in a dreame represent as in a vision of the minde the species or images of some spirituall thing that sense never apprehended How much lesse doth the acts of grace in this act of understanding depend upon the body or senses So that though the body be a childe great may be the actings of the gratiated soule Argument VI. VVHere there is full satisfaction made and the party offended accepting that satisfaction and contented to rest in it there must needs follow perfect remission of sinnes But in Christ crucified before we beleeved was full satisfaction made and God was contented to rest in that satisfaction Therefore there will follow perfect remission of sinnes c. First a that there was full satisfaction made in Christ is proved Heb. 10.11 12 13 14. vers For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified But the second that God is therewith contented to rest in that satisfaction we have the witnesse of the Father Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Acquiesco saith Beza See Esay 53.11 He shall see the travaile of his soule and shall be satisfied An Answer to Argument VI. YOur sixth Argument as you prove it will answer it selfe That Heb. 10.11 a 12 13 14. shews expresly that though Christ did make ready the satisfaction for the common nature of men before they knew of it that after should beleeve yet it is not brought home and made available to any particular person but to the sanctified The sanctified ones for ever in all ages and for eternity have the satisfaction not onely prepared but perfected to them See you Pareus c. on the place whether I deale not clearly with the place That place also Matth. 3.17 is for us against you It is in whom not with whom So that it imports that he is onely well pleased with all he studes in Christ Else he doth not acquiescere rest pleased but is earnest till somewhat else be done 2 Cor. 5.20 This interpretation is as old as Augustines time whom I name because you named him But look to the Scripture which to shew that God is well pleased only with those that are actuall in Christ addes to this speech Matth. 17.5 Hear ye him to draw men into Christ that with them God may be wel pleased Till men be actually in Christ God is not well pleased with them though they be elect See a notable place Rom. 9.25 I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved who were they Them whom he had called ver 24. Argument VII IF we are not iustified in his sight before we believe a then are we uniust sinners workers of iniquity then doth the Lord hate us for he hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal 5. You know what absurdity will follow if you say we must believe before God can love us But it God hate us to day b and love us to morrow let Arminius with his disciples hear this and wonder why they should be blamed that say we may be loved to day and hated to morrow Children of God to day and of the Devill to morrow when they who would seeme their greatest Adversaries will not spare to say we may be hated to day and loved to morrow the children of the Devill to day and of God to morrow But that God loved us first before we believed when we were enemies in our blood c. is so plaine that I will not willingly so dishonour you as once to conceive that you will deny it Here is an end of the
you would not have us to think there were any qualifications pag. 13. Answer 1. God made Adam afraid by his voice in the garden 2. God expounded to him the cause of his shame namely his sinne 3. Presseth upon him his sinne Gen. 3.17 and upon Eve hers vers 16. As for the Promise it fell from Gods mouth in his speech to the Serpent And then vers 20. is all the intimation of Adams Faith calling his wifes name Chavah see the Hebrew and the margin of the English Bible that is the mother of all living Your 2. Proof Pag. 13. Abraham receiveth the Promise in the uncircumcision of his flesh Answ Be it so though the Apostles observation touching Iustification is That Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousnesse in his state of uncircumcision yet doth it follow that all is done in the heart Rom. 49.10 as soon as the Promise comes to the eare Then all hearers are immediately saved at their first hearing of the Promise But to the point in a word God commands Abraham to come out of his Countrey and God promiseth to blesse Abraham and to make him a blessing Gen. 12. But it was faith that did actually derive all that upon Abraham Rom. 4. Hebr. 11. By faith he received righteousnesse and by faith he obeyed And by faith must all the spirituall children of Abraham receive blessednesse Gal. 3.9.26 Your 3. Proof 2. Tim. 1.9 pag. 14. Who hath saved us with an holy calling not according to our workees but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Now what conditions or qualifications say you were there in us before the world began I am not willing to stay my self or to stay you so long as to tell you that this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Before the World began is not so infallibly evident to signifie eternity as that Ephes 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the foundation of the world That Calvin translates this phrase Ante tempora secularia Beza Ante tempora seculorum seculum a sequendo which may be rendred informer Ages or before these latter ages That Augustine hath a subtill dispute on this confessed by Calvin That the Greek word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies but terme of life Philem. vers 15. As the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnolam Tempus homini absconditum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere which answers to the Greek somtimes signifies but the 50. yeeres of the Jubile Exod. 21.6 sometimes a mans life 1 Sam. 1.28 But suppose this place to be meant of eternity yet 1. cry you not out What is there that is not comprehended in the word Grace For that is your challenge For though all followes upon that grace or favour here meant yet the words purpose and grace as Calvin and Beza well note comprehend no more then a gracious purpose So they or at most a purpose of grace if you dare to understand it of any other grace then of that which in order of nature goes before purpose God of his eternall grace or favour eternally purposing to save And then what actuall saving is here before actuall qualification of the soul with somewhat from Christ for Christ 2. Note the words given us in Christ So that If given in purpose it is given in Christ as when it is given in act it is given in Christ So that God doth still look at us in Christ as qualified or to be qualified in Christ from or by the power of Christ Though in us and from us there is no power or merit we disclaim the Arminians Foreseen Faith and the Papists Overseen Workes and both their power of Free-will yet God saith in his Word that he will save us actually by Faith in Christ both which he gives us Ephes 2.8 He gives Christ to us by Election and incarnation and us to Christ by vocation drawing us by the VVord and grace of Christ unto and into Christ Cant. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 which is the Third thing here in this Text of 2 Tim. 1.9 by you urged That as God doth intend us and purpose us favour in Christ and gives it us intentionally in him by election so saith the Text Wee are saved being called with an holy calling Calling necessarily supposing hearing and understanding our condition and beleeving in Christ or else how is it an holy Calling and that which saves If you doe not yeeld to these things you set up Grace by diminishing Christ And seem to make as if Christ should not be beholding to himself because he is not to man For as Christ merits so Christ also elects As Christ offers himself graciously so Christ gives man grace to receive him Iohn 1.12 If this prevaile not with you look to the very next verse to that you allcage 2 Tim. 1.10 and you shall finde that the place speakes not in vers 9. but of Gods purpose of favour And in v. 10. of actuall But is now made manifest c. Your 4th Proof Pag. 14. Ephes 2.4 5. Vers 4. But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith hee hath loved us Vers 5. Even when we were dead in Trespasses and sinnes hath he quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved Out of this place your great designe is to prove that men are loved with Gods great love when they are dead in tresposses and sinnes And the better to make way for it you say a stop may be made at the word sinnes And so read the Text thus continuedly God loved us with his great love even when we were dead in trespasses and sins And this reading you say the Text will bear either in the Originall or in other Translations But however you say the text will hold out the same conclusion Answer If wee say the text cannot be thus read after your new way doe not say againe as it is in your book given afore hand that we are froward but with meeknesse of wisedome we would inform you 1. That the Originall will not beare it For after Gods love is described in vers 4. A Comma being put at the word us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us the next verse beginnes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Hutter yea some Greek copy puts a Period a full stop at us in the Fourth verse As if he had as boldly read it thus as you the other way I say thus But God is rich in mercy for the love or in regard of the love wherewith he hath loved us They that know Greek doe know that this doth not straine the text And then the sense concurs in the Fourth verse is described the what Gods love is it is rich in mercy And verse 5. the wherein his Love is acted and manifested Viz. in quickning us c. And to put all out of doubt that the Text will not beare the removall of the stop observe the
with him Rev. 21.6 For his workes were finished from the foundation of the world d Heb. 4.3 And so I rest A Servant of Iesus Christ to live and die H. D. An Answer to your Answer to the 5. Obiection We reply when God speaketh those texts Ephes 2.1 2 3. and 1 Cor. a 6.9 10 11. I pray turne to them and consider them sure God speakes as he thinkes And if God doth not thinke mankinde children of wrath before faith comes sure they will not thinke themselves so To that place of 2 Tim. 1.9 we say b that the place is expresse of Gods gracious purpose For otherwise then in purpose Christ himselfe cannot be said there to be given to us before the world began To that Revel c 21.6 God is Alpha and Omega therefore what he promiseth shall come to passe is done with him we answer all that ever any learned have made of that or you can make is that the thing spoken of there was as certaine to be done in processe of time as if it had been then done when it was spoken But the certainty of a thing to be doth not put the thing into a present being Gen. 3. Gods promise of Christ in the beginning of time doth not actually give Christ till the fulnesse of time Yet if you will have a notion in your head of Gods actuall doing in himselfe that which is yet but in his promise and purpose we retort then so is it also in his threats For the same expression as you alledge out of Revel 21.6 by way of promise of a mercy is used by the same Saint John Rev. by way of threat So that if according to your position Gods promising to justifie be an actuall justifying of a man with him then Gods threatning to condemne John 3.18 is an actuall condemning of a man with him So that a man in this way is as much condemned as justified before faith comes and so you have gained nothing Christ himselfe speakes of Gods justifying him from the imputation of the sinnes of men to him in the future tence or time Isay 50.8 9. He is neere that iustifieth me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Hebrew will very well bear it The iustifier of me is neere who will contend with me c. Behold the Lord will helpe me who is he that shall condemne me See by the opposite terme condemne the word helpe signifies iustifying according to the title of the father in 8. ver The justifier So that if Christ was iustified in time from sinne meerely imputed then much more is a man iustified by Christ from sinne inherent Or else on the other side if according to your sense Gods promise of iustifying be in God a iustifying of a man then Gods promise of giving faith is in him a giving of faith to a man and so faith is come as soon as iustification iustification hath not got the start of faith To that Heb. d 4.3 we say that it is expresly meant as it is explained ver 4. of Gods resting on the seventh day in the beginning of the world and therefore cannot be understood of Gods finishing his workes before the world was made Gods purposes are not workes Gods workes are done in time those of the creation in six dayes those of his providence 6000. years but Gods purposes were before all time from all eternitie But of the nature of Gods purposes and decrees and the Obiection about its unchangeablenesse in our answer to some passages in your Sermons intituled Grace mercy and peace containing Gods reconciliation to man man reconciliation to God An Answer to severall passages in your Booke called Grace mercy and peace containing as you say 1. Gods reconciliation to man 2. Mans reconciliation to God Delivered as I conceive by the division of your booke in two Sermons The 1. Concerning Gods reconciliation to man The 2. Concerning mans reconciliation to God Sermon I. PAg. 1. You say I will shew how God comes to be reconciled to men beare with the terme reconciled although improperly spoken of him that was never an enemy So you Answ 1. If God were never an enemy why say you I will shew you how God comes to be reconciled How can there be any going or coming of his love to man if he never an enemy to him Answ 2. Reconciliation and enmity are relatives as a father and a son take away the relation of a father and the relation of a son is gone and so on the contrary So if you deny that there was ever any enmity between God and man you must needs utterly deny all reconciliation between God and man Re signifies as you know again Con signifies together “ Of Cico ciliation to call or move to How is there a moving to where there was never any removing How a together of those that were never asunder How an again unles there had been once an onenes or an agreement which had been broken to pieces and now is made up againe as the * of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permuto Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commutatio thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commutatio contractus Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A contracting againe Greek word beares us out in all this and so there is reconciliation But whiles I am speaking these things I know you are gone for an appeale from the bar of reason in matters of faith to the tribunall of Scripture I go with you for that is nothing else but a better a divine reason Say you that God was never an enemy to the Elect and you make the fall of Adam in whom the Elect are included a fiction you make the story of the Gospell touching Christ suffering a fable as that Pope did that said blasphemously How much have we gotten by that fable of the Gospel you make Christs passion if you grant he did suffer for the sins of the elect to be a very vanity a more then needs You overthrow the nature of God Hab. 1.13 whose purity cannot indure any sinne as sinne in whomsoever it is but reproves it sharply all along the Scriptures in all his Elect. And you deny many Scriptures that testifie that God was at enmity with his Elect as well as they with him till they were believers Ephes 2.2.3 As they are said to walke as the worldly children of disobedience so in regard of God they are said to be children of wrath All spoken of the Elect for they were now truly converted Weigh the place weigh also that Isay 63.10.11 Therefore he was turned to be their enemy then he remembred the dayes of old c. That is to have mercy on them Obiect Nor is it available for you to say that Christ died to reconcile us to God not God to us Answ For if that had been all the businesse God might have reconciled our stubborne natures into a love of him
effectuall calling that is that may be without conversion For that speech which in effect we had afore pag. 23. though we have answered it effectually we hope afore yet lest any should cast an eye upon it here as unanswered and so conceive it unanswerable though you doe but speak not prove wee answer in a word Before Calling and Conversion God doth onely purpose predestinate elect sinners to be loved in time Ephes 1. first 11. verses a place of your own quotation not actually love Rom. 9.23 I will call them my people that were not my people and her beloved that was not beloved And in Gods predestination God doth as well purpose mans fall and foresees him a childe of wrath Ephes 2.2 as his salvation And therefore when God doth actually give Christ to us and us to Christ there is his great and greatest love For in him we have all 1 Cor. 3.22.23 Yet you will hold the conclusion p. 30. That Gods love is as great before faith as after yet you know that God saith Without faith it is unpossible to please him Heb. 11.6 Next you come to answer Objections and we to reply to them Jn the Objection against the Page 32. which you have not answered to refute yet we have spoken to afore that distinction of hating the sinne not the creature which you you reject is a trueth God cannot hate the entities or beings he made Gen. 1.31 Physically considered no not the devill himselfe for being considered so abstractively from sinne God saw all exceeding good But morally considered as sinfully mannered so he hates them He hates the workers of iniquitie because of that iniquity Psal 36.2 He flattereth himselfe till his iniquity be found to be hatefull which done away in Christ he loves them dearely Ephes 2.1 2. Likewise that distinction Page 33. rejected by you Of Gods love of benevolence to the sinner before conversion and his love of Complacience to him after conversion It hath more light in it than all your assertions in this dispute which are a very darknesse provided that it be meetly understood Namely that God hath a benevolent purpose of saving a sinner before conversion or faith in Christ And after these he hath an actuall love of Complacency to him And before that not Mat. 3.17 17.5 So August In quo non cum quo Your own proof shall assert it This is my beloved son IN whom not VVITH whom I am well pleased Heare yee him So that men must heare and have and be in Christ and then God is well pleased with them Not afore This you grant unawares page 38. in your owne Answer to the Objection and so doe yeeld the Question namely in your large parallel or as least antithesis in that page 38. between Justice and Mercy Law and Gospell The summe whereof is to use your owne words That the one declareth wrath without forgivenesse the other mercy grace and peace in Jesus Christ * VVhere also you put a difference very wel of being under the Law and under grace The onely piece of Divinity that we have had from you all this while The Lord keep us all to that In your Answer likewise to the second Objection Page 40. which you propound as against you out of Math. 6.15 and 18.35 If you forgive not men c. your heavenly Father will not forgive you In summe you yeeld the question and overthrow your eternall Justifi-fication c. For you yeeld that there is a time when a man doth not apprehend or lay hold on for the words are the same in sense Gods forgivenesse And that till Gods pardon come to us we cannot pardon men And sure enough we cannot doe that till conversion that makes the Wolfe to dwell with the Lamb as the Prophet speaks Likewise in your last answer Page 46. to the third Objection Page 45. viz. If God love us before conversion as well as after then to what purpose serveth faith I say in your answer to this objection you overthrow your own position of justification before faith For these are your very words Faith is to good purpose that believing you who were under darknesse and in the shadow of death and saw no light yet I say yee might rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith 1 Pet. 1.8 9. * You durst not goe on with the whole 9. ver of that 1 Pet. but break off in the middle excluding that clause Even the salvation of your soules Because that you thought did too apparently attribute salvation to faith Read the place wisely Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So you Now where is life where is peace before faith comes according to your owne answer and your proofes of Scripture The other three last Objections Page 51. c. against your Doctrine of Justification and Reconciliation before faith As 1. That then what need we take care what we doe if we believe the Lord will not love us the better if we believe not he will not love us the worse 2. That then a man may dye without faith and yet be saved 3. Why then doth God suffer us to live in prophanenesse twenty fifty sixty yeares I say these Obiections following meerely on your unsound Doctrine are stronger to doe hurt than all your declamations against desperatenesse and loosenesse and disparaging the power of being under grace beneath some heathens morality are likely to prevent It is in vain for that man to forbid yong people the conclusion of committing fornication that allows them the premises of all wanton carriage Corrupt men are in their kind rationall and they will conclude according to the principles you teach them ☜ A maid led away with this Doctrine said boldly to me that she knew not how she could offend Jesus Christ by any thing she did But I leave men to read the Book of our brethren of New-England touching the tragicall effects of these Doctrines 2. Part. Or Sermon Reconciliation of man to God Page 1. There is say you in Scripture a twofold Reconciliation 1. Originall 2. Actuall Parallel to the distinction of originall and actuall sinne Originall Reconciliation is of our natures Actuall is of our persons Answ 1. There are no such termes of distinction in all the Scripture Those places you bring for it Rom. 5.10 Ephes 2.16 Colos 1.21 2 Cor. 5.18 19. let all men read and iudge whether there be the least hint of any such thing For is this any argument that because the Apostle saith to the Romans Ephesians and Colossians that they were already reconciled and tells the Corinthians that he was now but a perswading them to be reconciled that therefore the Corinthians had one reconciliation and were to have another For nakedly this is the sense of your inference For these are your very words you having quoted the former places Now say you compare we these
three places fore-mentioned with that which we find 2 Cor. 5.20 In the former places the Apostle told us we were reconciled and in this place he beseecheth us to be reconciled So you If you mistook your selfe and intended to make the parallel between the 18. verse of 2 Cor. 5. God hath reconciled us to himselfe and verse 20. We pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled Meaning herein that the same Corinthians were reconciled and were yet to be reconciled Know that in that 18. verse the Apostle speakes of his and his fellow Ministers reconciliation verse 19. of the reconciliation of others in the world And therefore ver 20. intreats and beseecheth the Corinthians that were not yet converted to be reconciled For as for the other they were Saints and a Church of God Chap. 1.1 and therefore actually reconciled 2. Answ If our first reconciliation be originall that is hath a beginning like as originall sinne then our first reconciliation is not before the foundation of the world much lesse our second which you call actuall And whereas in your first part or Sermon you mention another reconorliation before both these namely Gods reconciliation of himselfe to us we ask you what shall be the obiect of this reconciliation seeing that our nature and persons are not say you reconciled but by the other two namely by that originall and actuall reconciliation 3. By bringing both ends of your Book together we perceive that the whole frame of your mouldring foundation is this 1. God is reconciled to man Serm. 1. Page 2. And this containes such a love as Christ never purchased Page 21. Yea that God was never an enemy page 2.2 There is reconciliarton of us to God and this is two-fold 1. Originall of our natures 2 Serm. Page 2. And of this you lay down this Proposition That we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son without any previous conditions in us page 3. Here you admit Christs sufferings but Christs grace and spirit of faith is excluded 2. Actuall Reconciliation of our persons page 2. And of this you lay downe this position page 5. of your 2. Part or Sermon Mans actuall reconciliation say you to God requireth previous conditions and qualifications to be wrought in man by the Spirit of God before man can be actually reconciled to God or Gods reconciliation manifested unto him For there are say you three sorts of conditions 1 Antecedent 1 Knowledge of sin 2 Knowledge of the depth of misery by sin to such 2 Present 1 Without believing the soule remaining in the body cannot bee reconciled to God John 3.36 That by believing the soule is actually reconciled to God Iohn 3.33 John 1.12 Rom. 5.1 Thus you Your third sort of conditions are rather effects than conditions therefore I mention them not Thus brother after you have filled the bellies of your auditory with crudities I am loath to say poyson in your after service or second course you bring somewhat that is wholsome in that one dish of actuall reconciliation All the rest we must vomit up or we die To that end I goe on to administer my Dosis 1. Ans That there is but one only reconciliation namely that of God and man into atonement by faith in the one only Mediator Jesus Christ We proved afore * On page 2 of 1. Sermon that the Scripture would yeeld you this one only not two much lesse will it now allow you three one being enough and therefore one onely held out to us in the word whereof we have said so much already that we shall add the lesse now 1. The quarrell between God and us is but one namely our fall in Adam and continuance in that condition Rom. 5. it 's the businesse of the Chapter 2. The satisfaction is only one and made at once Rom 6.10 In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sinne ONCE Likewise reckon yee also your selves dead to sin but alive to God Hebr. 7.27 Christ needeth not dayly to offer up sacrifice for this he did ONCE Heb. 9.12 Christ by his owne bloud entred in ONCE into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us mark that clause Heb. 9.26 But now ONCE in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe And ver 28. Christ was ONCE offered to beare the sins of many and unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath ONCE suffered for sins the just for the unjust that be might bring us to God And so in the fourth of Ephesians the Apostle much runs upon one That as every Christian hath but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ and one and the same holy Spirit so every one hath one calling one hope one faith and one Baptisme as a seale of those Out of all we conclude that if Christ did not at once make a full reconciliation for all that shall bee found in him then is he an insufficient Saviour If he did make a full and sufficient satisfaction whereof they have benefit by the individuall act of justification Rom. 5.1 then is he fully within the atonement in an instant 2. Answ Reconciliation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the Ecclesiasticall Church polity No members of a Church Ismael in the Church circumcised His posteritie out of the Church not circumcised and non-reconciliation are immediate contraries therefore either a man is wholly reconciled or nothing reconciled This immediate contrariety the Apostle toucheth and intimateth 2 Cor. 6.14 where the Apostle makes the opposition between believers and unbelievers to be as between righteousnes and unrighteousnes light and darknes Christ and Belial And the Apostle toucheth our conclusion or inference that a man is either wholly irreconciled or reconciled Eph. 2.11 12 13 14 15 16. Remember that ye in time passed were Gentiles in the flesh who were called uncircumcision c. that at that time yee were without Christ being aliens from the common-vvealth of Israel or rather * Politie of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope vvithout God in the vvorld But now in Christ Jesus ye vvho sometimes vvere far off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ For hee is our peace vvho hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished the enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace and that hee might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse O golden place to our purpose Read it and read it and weigh it and read it See 1. the Apostle sets down once and again a time in this life wherein they were not reconciled 2. Saith that the they were afar off 3. That as they were without hope so without Christ as without Christ so without God God and they were not reconciled And 4. That the bloud of Christ the cresse of Christ by the preaching of peace verse 17. had made believers verse 8. Jewes and Gentiles one among themselves and both one with God at Peace I know not what can be plainer to convince that we are either altogether at peace God with us and us with God or else not at peace at all 3. Answ I remember it was the maine argument of the Orthodox against the Arminians that if we might fall totally as the Arminians said from grace and yet not finally that they should produce the evidences of Scriptures set downe of one totally fallen and not finally If the Scripture set down none but of those that were totally off or finally on then the Arminian truth was not sound So may wee argue that the Scriptures set down no discoveries of one halfe reconciled or two parts reconciled and not the third for you make three reconciliations one after another but set down a demonstration to know whether we are wholy unreconciled or wholy not And therefore either we are wholly reconciled or wholly not for the time till Christ comes and makes the change This demonstration set down in the Scripture is onely from the act of actuall iustification by faith in Christ Rom. 5.1 By this we are blessed or else not blessed Rom. 4.6 Faith makes that there is no difference between us and others in state of salvation or else there remains the difference that we are not in state of salvation for the time till God comes and alters the case through faith This is evident Acts 15.9.11 And put no difference between us and them purifying * There is a purity by faith as well as of imputation of sanctification Rom. 4.3 their hearts by faith But wee believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they The Postscript MUch more might bee said but I have been much larger than I intended though I had two severall printed Tracts to answer the materiall mistakes whereof we have discussed not letting one as I know of escape I wish it had been undertaken by a fitter man and to such a one I had left it but that I saw most of the able men so busie and the meane while some of my neere friends to begin to bee taken with these mistakes I have answered with as much judgement as I could in so verie a short time as I had allotted for this businesse still carrying with me a render conscience the Lord knowes I lye not that I nught not in the least grain or jota prejudice or cloud the free grace of God in Jesus Christ which is more precious to me than my life and the onely bridge that must carry me over the eternall Lake to heaven I have also used as much modesty and love in all my expressions as I could I appeale to the would for the truth of this that I might not grieve any but guide them If any apprehend any materiall mistakes let them but with divine reason cleere them unto me and I will print my retraction Or if they will needs print a confutation let them but doe by me as I have done by this for the manner and keep to the Scriptures for matter and I will say well done Farewell FINIS
against it And therefore tremble you to say That God loved Paul with as great love when he persecuted the Church as after when he preached the Gospel For purpose or preparation of a ground of love is not so great as actuall Love To purpose to wooe is not equall unto the Love of wooing Likewise tremble to say That Christ did not purchase his Fathers actuall Love For wee are not actually loved till actually found in him If it were so that God were alwayes reconciled to us why doe you condemne your selfe in your own words next following pag. 11. I conceive say you and consider what you say the drooping Conscience that sits in darknesse under the clowdy apprehension of an angry Junge c. Attentive to heare how God may be reconciled So you How is God an angry Judge how is there a may be of his Reconciliation to us terms importing future time if he was never at enmitie with us If it were so that God may be reconciled to us from all eternitie and so before we were in Christ why doe you say in pag. 11. 812. that God is freely and fully reconciled to the Elect and loveth them in Christ your words following of persons polluted and sinfull being in Christ import an actuall being in Christ as sure as an actuall pollution when they come to him So much of this distinction Pag. 12 You say that God is freely and fully reconciled to the elect and loveth them in Jesus Christ without any previous dispositions without any qualifications without any performances of Conditions on their parts unlesse to be polluted and sinfull be a previous condition or qualification Answer The Lord expresseth it as the Cardinall condition of the Gospel that men must as well feel their sinnes as be sinners Matth. 11.28 Come to me ye that are weary c. Which Christ explaines Luke 15.7 Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth which is a sense of sin at the least then over ninety nine Iust persons that need no repentance who are they but such as think they have no need whom Christ calls not Matth. 9.13 speaking to the Pharisees who justified themselves Luke 16.15 It is true that the qualifications in man to prepare him for Christ as Iohn by telling men they needed to repent calling them generations of Vipers and telling them That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Mat. 3. is said to make ready a people prepared for the Lord must be from God If there be the qualifications onely of illumination conviction and humiliation for a man blinde or stubborn defieth Christ they are the common workes or graces of the Spirit of God which may be in a reprobate Esau Iudas c. Heb. 6.4 And therefore we cannot be understood in these to ascribe to man either merit or efficacy towards his owne salvation If they be the qualifications of Conversion-graces as of faith c. they come in a speciall manner from the Spirit of Christ as the divine nature of Christ and so cannot be imagined to be of man though in man and acting upon man and man by them For we cannot say that Faith or beliefe doth beleeve repentance doth repent love doth love but men acted and moved by these graces are said to be Beleevers penitent and lovers of God So that though there be no qualifications on mans part from man yet on mans part from God And though there be no performances on mans part by meer man yet there are performances on mans part in man from Christs Spirit when Christ will come and close with the soul actually then doth he act desires and faith into it to make way for himself Rev. 3. Christ knocks before he let in Christ opens Lydia's heart then comes in And Ephes 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God where it is evident that besides the riches of Gods free favour explained in vers 9. there must be Gods gift of Faith to bring us unto and into Christ So Iohn 6.37 Him that commeth will I in no wise cast out There must at least be a restlesse desire that the soul cannot sit still without Christ though that be an effect of the Fathers gift in the same verse All that the father giveth me shall come to me and then Christ will not cast him out or leave him out but receive him in The holy Ghost in that 11. Matth. 28. Come that is beleeve ye that are weary and heavy laden that is weary of finne and desire to come out of it compared with Matth. 5. where there is such frequency and varietie of expressions of desires under the notions of poverty mourning and hunger and compared with Iohn 3. where there is oft mention of faith as necessary to bring into Christ and unto salvation I say the Holy Ghost by these places sets forth unto us that there is a double condition of the Gospel Viz. Qua Quae. 1. The qualification in which a man comes to Christ that is a sensible need of Christ 2. The qualification which brings a man to Christ that is Faith required unto salvation but both of and from the Spirit yea from the Spirit as Christs Spirit as sent by the Mediatour when effectuall So that still all is of God But that which Christ doth to men before they come unto him and into him cannot be denied And this method of the Lord is much for our comfort that the King comes not sine magno strepitu multo pulvere without some hurry somewhat to doe that we may know the commings in of the Lord and not derive all assurance from phanatick Enthysiasmes phantastick dreams that are neither from the word and work of Christ nor warranted there by him You think to comfort a sinner by this that Christ is his without any qualifications performances or conditions on mans part But if there be no conditions qualifications c. performed by Christ in mans behalfe as to put into him desires faith love c. How shall he know but that he is still a miserable sinner uniustified How shall they say to their comfort as 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved unlesse they doe beleeve And that Rom. 8.28 Wee know all work together for good to them that love God unlesse they feel their Love to God And that 1 Epist Iohn 3.14 By this we know we are translated from death to life because we love the Brethren unlesse they doe love the Brethren But of these markes and signes in another place if God permit This Position being your main ground together with the foresaid distinction I have been the longer in confuting the one and cleering the other I shall be briefer in taking down your props and superstructures and that plainly and lovingly You offer to bring many Proofes for the aforesaid unqualified Proposition Proof I. Pag. 12. Of Gods preaching salvation to Adam and Eve in whom