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
Law to be Preached then there are no Sinners and then also there is no need of Repentance nor no need of a Mediator Therefore the Law must first be Preached to Sinners to make them sensible of Sin and of their Undone Estate by reason of Sin that they may Know the Want Worth and Necessity of a Saviour for the Law all Grant is not to be Preached to Believers for any such End because they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom 6. 14. Therefore I Conclude That the Law ought to be Preached first to sinners for the Conviction of Sin and 2. I prove that the Law ought to be Preached first to Sinners for the Conviction of Sin from the Practice of the Prophets and Apostles and for this I shall give some Instances see the 2 Sam. 12. Nathan Convinceth David of his Sin in the matter of Vriah by a Parable of one that had broken the Law by Covetting and taking of another's Ewe-Lamb and when David was Convinced he said I have Sinned ver 13. Then the Prophet Preached the Gospel to him saying The Lord hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not Dye The Law admits of no Remission but That Soul that Sins shall Die So in Joel 2. The Prophet Preached Law and Wrath to the People in the former part of the Chapter and then afterwards Preacheth the Gospel Ver. 12 13 14. So in Jeremiah 41. 18. When they were under Conviction of Sin by the Law then the Gospel was Preached to them v. 20. Moreover the Apostle Peter Preached first the Law to the Jews Acts 2. 23. Compared with Verse 36. And when they were Convinced of their Murder which was the Breach of the Law then he Preached the Gospel to them Verse 38 39. I might give you many more Instances also I might ask you To whom do you Preach the Gospel if not to Sinners and if the Gospel is Preached to Sinners it Implyes the Law for how can they be Sinners if the Law be Destroyed Where there is no Law there is no Transgression Destroy the Law and Christ is dead in Vain For Christ came to Redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. And the Apostle saith That 〈…〉 y were so far from Destroying the Law that they Established it 〈…〉 3. 31. And whereas you say To Preach the Law first is contrary 〈…〉 that in the 16th of John The Spirit convinceth of Sin I would have 〈…〉 know That the Law of it self is a dead Letter but it is the Spirit 〈…〉 t sets in with the Law by which means the Law is set home with 〈…〉 wer on the Hearts and Consciences of Sinners and makes them Cry 〈…〉 t Men and Brethren what shall we do when prickt to the Heart 〈…〉 is the Law that Wounds the Gospel Heals But it appears You 〈…〉 re not able to Distinguish between Law Conviction and Gospel Conviction which is the Ground of your Mistake That Text John 16. 〈…〉 9. Hath this Text no relation to Law Conviction but a Gospel-Conviction He shall Reprove the World of Sin True the next part 〈…〉 ly refers to the Gospel viz. of Sin because they Believe not 〈…〉 me The Law saith nothing of Faith neither is it of Faith Galat. 3. 〈…〉 The Law convinceth of Sins relating to it self and its Precepts 〈…〉 is the Spirit in the Gospel that Condemns the Sinner for the Sin of Unbelief John 3. 18 36. Mark 16. 16. So that I have prov'd that 〈…〉 take Offence at Truth in this Point 6. You say that I affirmed That there is no Vnion before Faith I have Answered this Point in a Letter to Mrs. Farmer and therefore if you had not been Prejudiced you would have put this out of your Paper except I had received an Answer from her who was Silent about it and since she hath set her Hand to Mr. Knollys's Words 〈…〉 o Positively saith That by Faith the Soul in it's Conversion 〈…〉 is United to Christ So I hope she will be so Faithful as to Vindicate this Truth against you For if Actual Union be by â—aith it cannot be without Faith nor before it But if she neglect or refuseth to Vindicate what she hath set her Hand to let the Blame for ever be upon her own Head One should have thought Mr. Rich. Adams ' s letter might have Satisfied you which answered the Charge of False Doctrin you laid to my Charge on this Point we told you that it was the Opinion of Dr. Owen c. and also of all the Baptised Churches of our Way That Actual Union in order of Nature is not before Faith unless any of late are Deluded into Antenomian Notions 〈…〉 t because this our Answer is now made Publick I shall give you the same Answer I gave to Mrs. Farmer and by that show your Weakness or Mistakes and that is by Enquiring into two Things 1. By Enquiring into what we were while in Unbelief And 2. By Enquiring into the Nature of Union it self 1. We and all Men while in Uubelief are in the Flesh and cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. Heb. 11. 6. What in Union with Christ and yet at the same time cannot please God Whilst we are in Unbelief we are all Children of Wrath our Natures being Corrupted by the Sin of our first Parents Ephes 2. 3. Condemed John 3. 18. And the Wrath of God abiding on all John 3. 36. And yet for all this United to Christ 3. Whilst in Unbelief we are in a state of Enmity being in the Carnal Mind Rom. 8. 7. Aliens Enemies in our Minds by wicked Works Colloss 1. 21. Haters of God Rom. 1. 30. What cannot we please God What under a state of Wrath Aliens and Enemies against God and yet in Union with and United to Christ at the same time What Strange Doctrin is this and how contrary to the Scriptures Thus I come to make enquiry into the Nature of Union 1. A Conjugal Union is an Agreement of two Persons together by which they Twain become One Flesh and as Conjugal Union must arise first from one Party which commonly is the Man his Affections goes out after the Woman he seeks to make his Wife he Sues for her Love by Arguments and Gifts yet here is no Union till she Consents and is Actually United to him in her Affection and is Joined to him and he to her by God's Appointment and Ordinance This is the true state of Union The Application is easie God and Christ have a Love of good Will and Affection for the Elect whilst they are Enemies and from that Love they Invite Woo and Beseech poor Sinners to be Reconciled and United 2. Cor. 5. 20. by their Ministers verse 18. And this is looked upon as done by the Father and the Son Luke 10. 16. And to the end they may be Reconciled he gives to them the Gift of Repentance Acts 5. 31. and the 11. 18. And the Gift of Faith Ephes 2.
can be Pardoned is True Would any Persons that were right 〈…〉 their Wits or that have common Sense as Rational Creatures bring in such a thing in Charge against me would fain betaught by your Profound Judgments How a Man can 〈…〉 e Pardon'd of Sin if he never was guilty of Sin Can a Man be 〈…〉 aid in any Sense to be Forgiven of that heâ—ss not guilty If Repentance be Antecedent to Forgiveness Sin must be much more An 〈…〉 ecedent to Forgiveness but Repentance is Antecedent to Forgiveness therefore Sin must be much more Antecedent to Forgiveness The Major Proposition is but stating the Question it is the Minor that is to be Proved The Minor is this That Repentance is Antecedent to Forgiveness I prove from these Scriptures Psalm 32. 5. Where David's acknowledging of his Sin and his Confessing of his Transgressions was Antecedent to his Pardon And thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Acts 3. 10. Repent and be Converted that 〈…〉 Sins may be Blotted out The conclusion must of Necessity follow For if Repentance be Antecedent to Forgiveness Sin must be Antecedent to Repentrnce for wâ—ere there is no Sin there is no 〈…〉 ed of Repentance Luke 15. 7. nor no foundation for Repentance 〈…〉 to the last Clause of this Charge You say That it seems to you 〈…〉 me to say They must be Sinners before they can be Pardon'd 〈…〉 Overthrow Original Sin One would Wonder that ever any that have made a Profession so long should be so Blind and Ignorant as to think that which doth the most Establish the Doctrin 〈…〉 Original Sin should Overthrow it If you say we are Pardoned before we are Sinners then we must be Pardoned before we come into the World for we are Sinners asscon as we come into the World our Natures being Corrupted by the Fall of our first Parents Rom. 5. 16 17 18. Rom. 3. 9 10. But if we were Pardoned before we come into the World then we came not into the World guilty Sinners and so not guilty of Original Sin For to say a Ma 〈…〉 is Pardon'd and yet at the same time is Guilty is Nonsense One of your Number you know who it is Subscribed to what 〈…〉 Reverend Mr. Knollys hath said concerning this Point in his Book Entituled The World that now is c. p. 35. 36. This Faith saith he Jesus Christ is the Author of and will be the Finished of it Heb. 12. 2 And therefore called the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. by which Faith the Soul in it's Conversion is united to Christ and kept through it by the Power of God unto Salvations compare Ephes 4. 13. with 1 Pet. 1. 3. Thus I have made it Appear That I Establish the Doctrin of Original Sin and your Notions necessarily Destroy it And thus have turned this Charge upon your own Heads For the time to time where you show or carry your Exceptions to be seen by others do me the Justice to show my Answer that I may speak for my Self and then I Care not to whom you show your Exceptions You 〈…〉 not been so long without an Answer had you been so Just as 〈…〉 have given me a Copy And now I shall leave you to Consider my Answer Praying that God would inlighten your Understandings 〈…〉 you may return again to the Truth you once Professed and to the Church with whom you once were Members POSTSCRIPT REader this Answer as to the substance of it I formerly gave to their Paper or Charge against me tho' I have Corrected it and left out some Expressions that might seem a little too hard upon them they having Disturbed my Spirit and O that God would graciously appear and recover them out of that Snare into which they are fallen and return them again to that Church in which they have made a grievous Schism to the dishonour of God and Scandaâ— of Religion for no other Cause then what you read in this Narrative O with what Joy should we Embrace them Certainly the Mistake 〈…〉 arise from want of Wisdom to distinguish between a Virtual and Actual Vnion and Justification But is it not Sad that for these things good People should be 〈…〉 away to divide and rend a Church of Christ to peices I shall not now aggravate that Evil upon them it being lately so well done by the Reverend Mr. Isaac Chauncy in his book Concerning the Keys 〈…〉 Dr. Owen and others FINIS