In this latter God looks on Men as final Sinners and reveils his Justice in their Condemnation In the former he doth not look on men as final Sinners but pass them by and leave them to themselves to become such and in this he shews forth his infinite Sovereignty in dispensing Grace as he pleaseth This made the Divine Goodness so restlesly zealous Mr. Sherlock and concerned for the recovery of mankind various ways he attempted in former ages but with little success but at last God sent his own Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world to be the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls to seek and to save that which was lost Various ways attempted Answer what distinct and separate from Christ Was not Christ in the first plot and design of our recovery Was not he the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Immediately after the Fall he was promised in the Seed of the woman and after that first Gospel the light was still a breaking out in a succession of Promises and Sacrifices Various ways saith the Author were attempted to little Success what was it to any success at all Was ever any one lost son of Adam saved without a Christ without a Satisfaction No Christian ears will endure such an opinion however God having a design in those ways as the Author imports why did not those plots take effect and save Christ the labour of coming in the flesh May it become his infinite wisdom to attempt this and that and at last light upon the right way Or may it comport with his infinite power to be posed and nonplust and that in so great a concern as Man's recovery To think so is as S. Austin saith To hazard the first Article of our Creed Euchir cap. 96. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem And if in those various ways there could be an obstacle to the Almighty what might it be Was it for want of a satisfaction No according to our Author that was not necessary God might have pardoned without it or was it because the corrupt obstinate Will of man did frustrate those designs Very well after that last greatest design by Christ may it not do the same According to our Author God as passionately desirous and restlesly jealous as he is in this matter affords yet no higher than suasory resistible Grace and let any judge how reconcileable such opinions are with infinite wisdom or power or indeed with the Scripture which tells us That he doth whatsoever he pleases Psal 115.3 It 's true the great Grotius glosses on that place thus Ideò homo libertatem habet quia Deus voluit which is true within the Text but if that liberty be of so vast a latitude that it may frustrate so great a design as that of Salvation by Christ the truth of the Text cannot possibly consist Those sins which are not expiated by the Sacrifice of Christ as none are Mr. Sherlock till we repent and reform shall certainly be expiated by the death of the sinner I conceive that Christ expiated our sins upon the Cross Answer but that expiation avails us not till it be applied by faith He gave himself a ransom for all 2 Tim. 2.6 But all do not repent and believe such as continue in their hardness and unbelief cannot have the benefit of that ransom but fall into death eternal ever suffering but never able to satisfie or expiate their sins If our Faith in Christ have reformed our lives Mr. Sherlock and rectified the temper of our minds and made us sincere lovers of God and goodness though we are not acquainted with those artificial methods of repentance have not felt the workings of the Law nor the amazing terrors of Gods wrath nor the raging despair of damned Spirits and then all on a sudden as if we had never heard any such thing before have had Christ offered heard his woings and made a formal contract and espousal with Christ and such like workings of a heated fancy and religious distraction though our Conversion be not managed with so much art and method we are never the worse Christians for want of it Certainly it is very sad Answer saith a worthy Divine That scoffing at the doctrines of repentance and humiliation which was wont to be a badge of prophaness should be adopted into religion The Author tells us a little before Christ and his appearance were not designed to cause tempests and earthquakes in our minds without such artificial methods of repentance saith the Author our lives may be reformed and minds rectified but what saith the Scripture Our Saviour preached up repentance S. Paul tells us of a spirit of bondage going before the spirit of Adoption S. James would have sinners be afflicted and mourn and weep and to turn their laughter into mourning and their joy to heaviness and to humble themselves in the sight of the Lord that they may be lifted up And what saith Reason Sin of all things in the world calls for sorrow sorrow was made for sin if for any thing at all sin is so intimately in us that it will not easily come out being contracted with joy it must be dissolved with sorrow The hard heart unless melted by the fiery Law will not run into the Gospel-mould nor will the proud heart unless bowed down under the weight of sin and wrath ever stoop under the Divine command the new creature is not born without pangs nor the inward Circumcision which cuts off the dear but corrupt flesh of the heart done without some anguish self-judging ushers in justification before God and despair in our selves a lively hope in our Saviour On all hands we are summoned to methods of repentance the groaning Creation shames us into that posture and the indwelling sin presses us into it the broken Law calls for a broken heart and the storm of wrath black in the threatning for a trembling one a crucified Christ asks a mourning eye and an exalted one gives it Why the Author should call these penitential acts artifices or effects of ignorance or think them unnecessary or improper under the Gospel I see no just reason at all for it SECT IV. THese men abound in Scripture Mr. Sherlock but they accomodate Scripture-expressions to their own dreams and fancies being possest with Schemes and Ideas of Religion whatever they look on appears of the same shape and colour wherewith their minds are tinctured if any word sound like the tinkling of their own fancy it is no less than a demonstration that that is the meaning of the spirit of God every little shadow confirms them in their preconceived opinions As Irenaeus observes of the Valentinians that they used one artifice or other to adopt all the speeches of our Saviour and Allegories of Scripture malè composito phantasmati to the contrived figment of their own brain These acquaintances of Christ first contrive their religion and possess
our Saviour Joh. 14.6 Or how could they be reckoned among those that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek out God Heb. 11.6 Nature may grope after God but it cannot indeed seek him out as he is in his gracious Covenant without a Divine Call and Spirit Or how could they be justified without Faith in a Messiah By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isai 53.11 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 We see without believing in him there is no remission no pleasing of God And were Abel and Enoch without a promise then they were in a meer Pagan state and what that is the Apostle tells us Eph. 2.12 Having no hope and without God in the world and this because they were without Christ and without the covenant of promise as that place tells us Now if Abel and Enoch were without God then how could they be sincerely Religious or do him any true service And if they were without hope how could they look upon God as a rewarder of them that seek him Indeed there are some rudera imaginis Dei in us A natural man hath some obscure notions of God and his remunerating goodness but in the Apostle when God is said to be a rewarder it is not to be taken Philosophicè but Evangelicè that is that he is a rewarder of Believers in and through the Messiah and the Promises of Grace and eternal life made in him Take away the word and you take away justifying Faith How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 If Abel and Enoch had only natural Faith and that justifying meer Pagans may have the same who yet have not the name Jesus the only name of Salvation who never heard of the holy Ghost the Fountain of all Holiness who have not the Gospel the Chariot of the holy Spirit who know not what Grace is in its supernatural nature or in its center the glory of heaven notwithstanding all this they may have justifying Faith Before the Author told us That the Gospel is the fulness of Christ the principle of a Divine Life the Wisdom and Power of God and yet without this Gospel a man by meer Nature may arrive at justifying Faith By these things I hope it appears that the Faith of Abel and Enoch was more than natural even Faith in the Messiah Remarkable is that of the second Arausican Council Can. 25. Crabbe 1. tome 628. Abel justum Noe Abraham Isaac Jacob omnem antiquorum Sanctorum multitudinem illam praeclaram fidem quam in ipsorum laudem praedicat Apostolus Paulus non per bonum naturae sed per gratiam Dei credimus fuisse collatam You see they allow no natural Faith Our Church reckoning up Abel and the rest of the Worthies Heb. 11. saith They did not only know God to be the Maker and Governour of the World 2. Hom. of Faith but they had a special confidence and trust that he would be their God although they were not named Christian men yet was it a Christian Faith that they had for they looked for all benefits of God the Father through the merits of his Son Jesus Christ as we now do And in the eighteenth Article our Church saith They are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of Nature For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ by which men must be saved And what can be more full or zealous than these passages I shall only more add the judgement of Bishop Wren Abelem qui per propterque fidem Messiae defunctus est etiamnum celebrari à nobis Christianis atque in Ecclesiae Christi Martyrologiis quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ritè appellantur Heb. 12.1 locum habere Thus much touching natural Faith The second sort of Faith mentioned by the Author is of particular Revelations made to Noah Abraham and others whereby they were justified Observe the Author saith That in the Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews there are mentioned two kinds of Faith that is natural Faith and Faith of particular Revelations So that it seems in this Chapter which reaches down from Abel to the Maccabees Nay I suppose after them to the Incarnation of Christ there is no Faith in Christ at all to be thought of But Noah and the rest had not only a Faith of particular promises but a Faith in the Messiah too which was that which made it justifying Abraham rejoyced to see Christ's day And that was the joy of Faith Joh. 8.56 Jacob tells us of a Shiloh to whom the gathering of the people should be Gen. 49.10 And surely he himself was gathered to him by Faith Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure in Egypt Heb. 11.29 And surely he was no stranger to Christ in his Faith Job saith I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 And O how piercing and appropriative of Christ was his Faith The Fathers in Moses's time did all eat the same spiritual meat and all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.3 4. And how this feeding on Christ should be without Faith I know not Vnto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them saith the Apostle Heb. 4.2 They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelized they had Christ set before them And we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they saith St. Peter Act. 16.11 We shall be saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the very same manner as they were saved that is we and they are both saved by Faith in Jesus Christ and his Grace Again it is to be considered that the Sacrifices under the Law were ordained to be as Types and shadows of Christ to make an Atonement for sin as appears in Leviticus not that the Sacrifices themselves were an absolute real Atonement in themselves but a typical one pointing out the only true atoning expiatory Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Now either God did reveil to the Jews at least wise to the Believers among them the typicalness the true use and end of those Sacrifices or not if he did reveil it to them then all true Believers among them did not hang upon the Shadow and outward Sacrifice only but by their Faith did fix upon Christ and his precious Blood but if he did not reveil it to them the Sacrifices even of those Believers must be all miscarriages nothing but meer blots and Errata's they must be offered up not in Faith but in mistake in the belief of an utter falsity that is in the belief of that impossible
good men Very true he doth not a Saint of God may walk in darkness The face of God may be hid from him And that saith Mr. Shephard because there is in many an one an heart desirous of his Love and this would quiet them if they were sure of it The Author thinks this hard measure But Mr. Shephard goes on they never came to be quieted with Gods will in case they think they shall never partake of Gods love but are above that opposite resist quarrel with that the Lord therefore intending his favour for humbled sinners hides his face till they lye low And now I suppose the measure is fair it is very fit we should know our selves to be but receivers and withall unworthy of the Mercies we receive But how do we know that it is the testimony of the Spirit indeed and not a cheat or imposture To satisfie this we are directed to marks Thus this infallible testimony of the Spirit must in its lastiresolve be founded upon moral evidence So the Author To which I answer When the Spirit witnesseth with our spirit when Gods Spirit and Mans concurr and so heaven and earth agree in it one would think it might pass without further examination The Testimony of the Spirit is such that he to whom it made certainly knows that it is the Spirit of Truth it self which bears the Testimony otherwise the Spirit it self testifies and would not be believed by him to whom the Testimony is made that is he testifies and doth not testifie if he do not make a man sure who it is that testifies The Testimony is to make us sure that we are the children of God it is to make us with confidence cry out Abba Father It is to be an earnest and seal of our Salvation and how can this be if we know not who testifies Hence St. Chrystom upon the place saith The Spirit beareth witness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doubt can remain Hence reverend Dr. Ward saith Parum abest à blasphemiâ dicere De certitud Grat. 221. non esse certum illum cui testimonium perhibet Spiritus Sanctus utrum testimonium illud a Spiritu Sancto sit an à diabolo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this it appears that the Testimony of the Spirit is not such as gives only a conjectural certainty but an infallible one But to proceed What are the marks of our being in Christ Have you the Spirit of Christ This saith the Author is just as easie to know as whether you be in Christ Yet this is a mark in the Apostle If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Is your faith of the right stamp wrought by the Almighty Power of God This saith the Author is as easie to know as the former Yet the Apostle would have us examine our selves whether we be in the Faith that is whether we have a true genuine Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 True Faith where ever it is makes Christ to belong to him that hath it Doth Faith purifie the heart overcome the world work by love bring forth holy fruit These are as the Author confesses true marks but these men do but complement Holiness And now we must hear his reasons for it For first Holiness is not necessary to our Vnion to Christ Mr Sherlock and therefore can be no necâ—ssary sign of it We are united to Christ 〈◊〉 we are holy an unholy man may be united to Christ and how can Holiness be the only sure mark of our Vnion to Christ They tell us That Holiness doth necessarily follow Union But no man knows how long it may be before it follows yet all this while such a person is united to Christ at least this gives evidence but to one part of the question an holy life is an evidence of a man in Christ but the want of it is no evidence that a man is not in him This mark may be rejected by any one who hath no mind to it Nay secondly according to these mens principles we cannot tell whether we be holy or not till we know whether we be in Christ or not our Vnion to Christ must be an evidence of our Holiness not our Holiness an evidence of our Vnion till we are united to Christ we can do nothing to please God The best actions of christless men are but Splendida peccata glittering impieties appearing fair but odious to God because the person who does them is out of Christ Our persons must be first accepted in Christ and then our services we cannot judge of Holiness by the external performance of any duties nor by the inward sense of our minds but must first know whether we be in Christ whether our persons be accepted in him before we can tell whether any thing we do be good And this is a plain demonstration that Holiness cannot be an evidence of our Vnion to Christ because we must first know our Vnion before we can know that we are holy So much Holiness Mr. Sherlock as is included in true Faith is necessary to our Union to Christ an unholy man that is a wicked man cannot be united to Christ believers are not such but an unholy man that is one who yet hath not lead an holy life may be united to Christ and his after holy life is a sure mark of that Union because a necessary essect thereof But when doth the holy life follow that Vnion I answer immediately Thus our Church tells us in the twelfth Article That good works do spring necessarily out of a true and lively Faith insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit The want of an holy life in the very instant of believing is not an evidence that a man is not is Christ but soon after the want of it will tell him that his Faith was but a fancy and his being in Christ but a dream The best actions of christless men are I confess as our Church tells us in the thirteenth Article not pleasant to God nay they have the nature of sin without Faith it is impossible to please God in our persons or actions our persons must first be accepted in Christ and then our services the best actions of a man not in Christ are not acceptable to God Those actions cannot be acceptable to him whose defects are unpardoned and the defects of those actions are unpardoned whilst their Agent is so But the Author from hence concludes That Holiness cannot be an evidence of our Vnion to Christ because we must first know our Vnion before we can know that we are holy To which I answer Our Union to Christ cannot be known to be so without a knowledge of Faith nor an holy life cannot be known to be so without a knowledge of Faith because without Faith neither can be in reality when we see our Faith flowing out in an holy life we see
were possible for Christ and Heaven to be separated I would rather desire Christ without Heaven than Heaven without Christ Obj. But this is a hard matter I cannot say I desire Christ on such terms as I should This saying is the best sign of Grace I have met with he is an honest Man who will not contradict the natural sense of his mind and say he can do that which is impossible to be done It is an odd proposal in order to comfort a poor Soul that he must be willing to be damned with Christ before he must take comfort in hopes of being saved by him Ans But is it the grief of thy heart that thou canst not deny thy self Desirest thou to close with Christ upon any terms Obj. Alas I cannot grieve and mourn for sin Certainly they are at cross purposes their Objections and Answers do so ill agree Ans Hast thou any will to it Art thou willing to part with thy sins But the poor Soul saith I fear I shall never do this But art thou willing that Christ should make thee willing against thy will and pitch thee upon a promise and hold thee there for shame poor Soul refuse not this then comfort thy self thou hast a right to Gods promises Thus this evidence of Sanctification is dwindled away into a desire to be willing Nay into a desire to be made willing and he is a strange Man who cannot go so far When a Minister comes to comfort poor afflicted souls Answer he doth not offer them the Altitudes the highest Statures of Holiness to measure themselves by that would be horrid cruelty but he sets before them that immense mercy which stoops down in its acceptance to the least seeds or sparks of Grace to grace latent in a desire or willing mind Nay to that poverty of the spirit which though it seem to it self to have nothing at all of Grace hath yet a blessedness entailed on it a broken heart which hath some truth of Grace may complain of the prevalency of sin in some sence The pressure of inherent corruption may make him cry out O wretched man the flesh may so lust against the spirit that he cannot do the things that he would Gal. 5.17 Yet comfort may and doth belong to him those promises of subduing iniquity of treading down Satan may without straining them beyond their scope let out their sweetness to him When he thinks that he cannot pray God may find and accept of a prayer in his sighs and groans when he fears by reason of the stirring lusts that he shall fall from God Grace is sufficient and able to make him stand he may be in Christs hands and yet not know it to his comfort He saith he cannot believe and yet his Faith though little and as the smoaking Flax may be true The deep sense which he hath of the power of sin and want of Faith argues somewhat of Faith and a Divine Life in him which struggles against sin and aspires after more Grace He saith that he cannot desire Christ as he should And this sense of his want may speak him not an honest man only but a pious such as indeed breaths after Grace He saith he cannot grieve or mourn for sin yet that very saying argues a kind of mourning and lamentation over his hardness and speaks his heart not to be totally hard or senseless He complains his will is not such as it should be and this shews that in some measure he looks up to that Grace which is able to make him willing not as if he were to be made willing against his will but that Grace can change an unwilling will into a willing one In such dealings as these with broken hearts Sanctification is not dwindled away but comfort is administred from the lowest measure of true Grace Mr. Sherlock But when they have a mind to take down the confidence of men who are apt to presume too soon that their condition is good they do so magnifie the attainments of hypocrites who shall never go to Heaven that it is impossible for any sanctified man to do more than an hypocrite may do So that notwithstanding any evidences of Sanctification he may be a hypocrite still which quite spoils the evidences of Sanctification because we cannot distinguish a sanctified man from a hypocrite Thus for example one may plead I have left my sins I once lived in I am no Drunkard Swearer Lyer I answer Shep. Sinc. convert Thou mayst be washed from the mire the pollution of the World and yet be a Swine in Gods account which he proves from 2 Pet. 2.20 Where the Apostle tells them That if they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Christ and are again entangled therein and overcome if they return to their old vices then their latter end is worse than the beginning Which is point blank contrary to what he affirms that those who have escaped these pollutions and are not yet entangled again in them may notwithstanding that be Swine in Gods account For so he adds Thou mayst live a blameless innocent honest smooth life and yet be a miserable creature But I pray says such a man and that often so thou mayst and yet never be saved Isai 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices To great purpose sure when they are offered by men of blameless innocent honest smooth lives the want of which made those sacrifices abominable to God But I fast sometimes so did the Scribes and Pharisees But it was to devour widows houses which was not the fast of an honest innocent man But I hear the word so did the stony ground who for a season believed And it had been well and a good sign of Grace if it had continued I read the Scripture so did the Pharisees who were perfect in the Bible But though knaves read the Scriptures and be never the better for it yet good men may read it to good purpose reading of Scripture is no argument that a man is an hypocrite because the Pharisees were But I am grieved and repent of my sins so did Judas but he hanged himself and that indeed is no repentance to life But I love good men and their company so did the foolish Virgins But they slept and suffered their Lamps to go out which all that love good men do not But God hath given me much knowledge that thou mayst have and never be saved Yes and twenty good things more but if a blameless honest man hath the keeping of this knowledge it is never the worse for him But I keep the Lords day so did the Jews had he been as well acquainted with the Scriptures as the Pharisees were he would not have said that the Jews kept the Lords day however this is one good thing which doth well in the company of more But I have good desires and endeavours to get to Heaven these thou mayst have
make holiness needless Under pardon this is neither better nor worse than an old Popish calumny such as hath been cast into the face of Protestants over and over Chemnitius asserting justification by imputed Righteousness tells us Exam. Conc. Trid. de Justif Inde verò Pontificii texunt calumniam omnia decreta Tridentina ita condita sunt de justificatione ut obliquè nos insimulent quasi doceamus credentes non renovari quasi charitatem obedientiam ita excludamus ut nec adsit nec sequatur in reconciliatis And what return doth that learned man make thereunto Sed tantùm Syeophanticae impudentes calumniae sunt quibus strepitum excitant The learned Chamier brings in Sapeins Cham. de Sanctif cap. 2. charging the Protestants thus Non esse nos justos nist solû imputatione justitiae Christi non autem ullâ inhaerente qualitate And Costerus thus Christus est nostra justitia nulla est ergo alia justitia in nobis And Bozius thus Vt salutem consequaris sis sanctus aiunt omnes Protestantes nihil est necesse boni aliquid velis moliaris aut facias Christo fidas impunè quidvis audeas ad exitum perducas and then expresses himself thus Immanem ita me Deus amet calumniam The excellent Davenant De Hâ—tuali cap. â— ushering in Bellarmine and Campian and Becanus as casting the same dirt into the face of Protestants saith plainly to the two first quot verba tot serè mendacia and to the third calumnia est apertè falsa The Papists you see have cast out these calumnies but should a Protestant do so No surely the Author I confess hath done a great honour to these few Nonconformists in casting upon them that reproach of Christ for so as a Protestant I must call it which many a son of the Church of England would willingly bear hoping to have the spirit of Glory rest upon him but I suppose he hath done no great right to the Protestant cause therein How vain this calumny is doth assoon appear as we can open our eyes upon the common distinction between Justification and Sanctification Justification is an Action of God without us Sanctification an Action of the Spirit within us the one is by the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed the other by the holy Graces of the Spirit infused and inherent in us In the one we are freed from the Guilt of Sin in the other from the Corruption and Pollution of it By the one we have a Title to God's Kingdom by the other a Meetness for it it being such as no unclean thing can enter into the same And what colour of Repugnancy is there between these two and how doth the one make the other useless Both are useful to the Believer and both in Harmony between themselves Obedience is so far from being needless that it is a necessary consequent upon Justification by Christ's Righteousness St. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans first treats of Justification and then of Sanctification as a consequent thereupon Good works as our Church tells us in the 12th Article are the Fruits of Faith and follow after Justification To me it is unimaginable that the holy Spirit which is procured by Christ's Righteousness and before whose inspiration as our Church tells us in the 13th Article works done are not pleasant unto God should inspire unjustified persons to Obedience nay had it not been for Christ's Righteousness the holy Spirit I verily believe would no more have touched in the least holy motion upon Men than upon Devils I shall close this Point with the Authors own words Christ's Satisfaction was for sins of Omission and Commission and by it we are reputed by God as having done nothing amiss and as perfectly righteous to have done all to have kept the whole Law pag. 60. and yet I hope the Author doth not esteem Holiness needless though I cannot tell how Christ's imputed Righteousness whereof his Satisfaction is a part should make any man more than perfectly righteous However Holiness is necessary with respect to Sanctification Mr. Sherlock We have in us a New Creature which is fed cherish'd nourish'd kept alive by the fruits of Holiness God hath not given us new Hearts to kill them in the womb or to give them to the Old Man to be devoured as Dr. Owen hath it The phrase of this is admirable and the reasoning unanswerable if men be new Creatures they will certainly live new Lives And this makes Holiness necessary by the same reason that every thing necessarily is what it is when it is The new Creature is fed with fruits of of Holiness Answer so Dr. Owen Upon which the Author tells us in sport that the phrase is admirable I suppose it is so Hear our Church As Men that be very Men indeed 1. Hom. of good works quoting St. Chrysost for it first have life and after be nourished so must our Faith in Christ go before and after be nourished with good works But for the reason I think it cannot be answered Exercise is necessary for the Body and is it not necessary for the Body and is it not necessary for the Soul It is necessary for the Soul in meer Moral Virtues and is it not necessary for it in spiriritual Graces too Reason though a natural Talent only necessarily obliges us to walk sutably to it and how much more do Divine Graces which are altogether supernatural bind us to live in a Decorum thereunto These things to me are very cogent Well! Mr. Sherlock but holiness is necessary as the means to the end but how Though it neither be the Cause Matter nor Condition of our Justification yet it is the Way appointed by God for us to walk in for the obtaining Salvation he that hopeth purifieth himself none shall come to the End who walk not in the Way without Holiness it is impossible to see God This is all pertinent and home to the purpose but it hath two little faults in it that it contradicts it self and overthrows their darling Opinions which I can pardon if he can What the necessary way to eternal Life and yet neither Cause Matter nor Condition At least it might be the Causa sine qua non and that will make it a Condition But not to dispute about words I am content it should be only a way to life but what becomes of Christ then who is the only way Cannot Christ's Righteousness save us without our own Doth Christ's Righteousness free us from guilt and entitle us to Glory and yet can we not be saved without Holiness What becomes of free Grace then Is not this to eek out the Righteousness of Christ with our own To make Christ our Justifier and our Works our Saviour This is all pertinent Answer It seems the former Arguments drawn from the sovereign Will of God from the End of the Love of the blessed Trinity from the
a very comfortable Notion for bad men and such as I would not part with for all the world did I resolve to live wickedly and yet intend to go to heaven but it is good to be sure in a matter of importance Christs Righteousness was not an imaginary imputed Righteousness Answer but inherent and personal thus the Author It was not imaginary but inherent very true but was it not imputed to him Then Christ would never have appealed to God as he doth Surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God Isai 49.4 God would never have accounted him as righteous or promised him a Seed Isa 53.10 he would never have said This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 neither would he ever have exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 2.9 In a word if his Active and Passive Righteousness were not reckoned or accounted of by God then he could not be our Saviour or pay a Ransom or Satisfaction to divine Justice for us What follows in the Author That this Righteousness may be a comfort to wilful incorrigible sinners is as I have before manifested a meer Popish Calumny But before I proceed any further with the Author I shall crave lieve of the Reader a little to state and prove this point That we are justified before God by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ and then I shall proceed with the Author Justification may be considered in a double Notion there is Constitutive Justification whereby we are made righteous before God and Sentential whereby we are pronounced such at Judgment I chiefly aim at the first upon which the second follows as a consequent Christ's Righteousness is either Active such as fulfilled the Command of the Law or Passive such as bore the Curse of it I take in both The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is either that Fundamental Imputation whereby it is so far reckoned or accounted unto men in general as to make them capable of Justification upon Gospel-terms or that after particular Imputation whereby it is so far reckoned or accounted to Believers in particular as to constitute them righteous before God The first Imputation severs men from lapsed Angels the second severs Men from Men Believers from Unbelievers The first we have in such Scripture-expressions as tell us that Christ died for us for unless his Death were in some sence accounted to us it was no more for us than for Devils The second we have in such Scripture-expressions as tell us that we are justified by his blood for his Blood justifies us not unless it be actually particularly made ours and made ours it cannot be without an Imputation We have both together Col. 1.20 21. He hath reconciled all things and a little after yet now hath he reconciled you all things in the first sence and you O believing Colossians in the second Reconciliation was actually particularly imputed unto them which was before applicable to all I intend the second particular Imputation in this discourse That which I assert is this That Believers are justified or constituted righteous before God by the Active and Passive Righteousness of Christ actually particularly applied unto them And first as is meet let us open our eyes upon Scripture which is the only infallible Rule there often occurrs that memorable phrase the righteousness of God which cannot but be of considerable moment in this matter And what doth it import our own inherent Graces or Christ's Righteousness Not our inherent Graces for these though they come down from Heaven are never called the Righteousness of God nay on the contrary they are called our own Hence the Fath of the Romans is called your Faith Rom. 1.8 the Love of the Corinthians your Love 2 Cor. 8.8 the Patience of Christ's Disciples your Patience Luk. 21.19 the Hope of the scattered Christians your Hope 1 pet 1.21 That which is called in Scripture the Righteousness of God is not the same with that which is called our own there but it imports the Righteousness of Christ which by Imputation is made ours This is called the Righteousness of God because it is the Righteousness of Christ who is God for so his Blood is called the blood of God and his Life laid down the life of God and not a Righteousness inherent in us And withal it is a perfect Righteousness which can consist before the Tribunal of God himself and in which the pure Eyes of the holy One can find no spot or blemish at all and not an imperfect one such as our inherent Graces are But that the Righteousness of God imports Christ's Righteousness will further appear by the places wherein that phrase is used Thus Rom. 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God reveiled from faith to saith In the precedent Verse he saith That the Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth and how so Why because it reveils the Righteousness of God which saves the Believer and delivers him from the wrath which in the subsequent Verse is declared to be reveiled from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men And can our inherent Graces expiate sin and avert wrath Oh no these such are their spots and imperfections must pass with God cum Venia with a pardon of their defects and under the Wings of Christ's Righteousness that that alone expiates sin and averts wrath no other but that can be the Righteousness of God within that Text. Thus Rom. 3.22 The Righteousness of God is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Inherent Graces are not upon us but in us but Christ's Righteousness as that in the Text is not in us but upon us Inhererent Graces are not the matter of our Justification of which the Apostle there treats but of Sanctification Christ's Righteousness is not the matter of our Sanctification but of our Justification which is the very thing there treated of Hence it appears that the Righteousness of God in this place is that of Christ Thus Rom. 10.3 They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God and what was that The next Verse tells us For Christ is the and of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth and which way was Christ the End of the Law by imparting inherent Graces to the believer or by his own perfect Righteousness imputed to him Not by the inherent Graces alas these are so far from reaching the perfection of the Law that they are full of defects and every defect is no less than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a falling short of the Law Profectò illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitio est saith St. Austin That which is less than it ought to be is so far sinful as it is less than it ought to be Nothing less than the pure Righteousness of Christ which answers the Law in every point can be the Righteousness
this Righteousness with this Name we may without fear appear before the King executing Justice If any here reply we are Christians the Moral Law delivered by Moses obliges not us I answer I conceive it obliges all Christians the Scripture urges it upon them St. Paul presses the Romans though no Jews to love as the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8 9. and the Ephesians though no Jews to honour their parents because it is a commandment with promise Eph. 6.2 St. James in his Epistle which is general to Gentiles as well as Jews would have them fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scriptures Jam. 2.8 The Matter of the Moral Law is perpetual and why should God put a temporary obligation upon it If the Moral Law bind us not then all the excellent Morals in the Prophets which are but as so many Commentaries on the Moral Law do not belong unto us and what a door will this open to overthrow the Old Testament I conceive therefore the Moral Law delivered by Moses obliges us Christians and I take it that our Church is of the same mind for I am sure she is too wise to command us to Eccho to an abrogated Law in such a devotional Prayer as that Lord have mercy upon us encline our hearts to keep this Law But however this opinion be touching the Moral Law as Mosaical without doubt whatsoever is Moral Naturall in it whatsoever is the pure Primitive Law of Nature must reach unto all and bind all all must answer to it and because it calls for finless Perfection nothing can answer it but the perfect righteousness of Christ and that made ours by Imputation 4. It is evident that the Passive Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us In Scripture the blood of Christ justifies us Rom. 5.9 purges the corjcience Heb. 9.14 cleanses us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 washes us from our sins Revel 1.5 And how can it doe these great things for us unless it be applied and made ours in particularâ— or how can it be made ours but by a particular Imputation sanguis Christi non haeret in nobis it is not subjectively in us but what ever it doth for us in Justification it doth as imputed to us Hence Christ is called a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 2.25 Faith receives the atoning Blood and God imputes it If there had been no first fundamentall Imputation of that Blood to us it could not have been said that Christ dyed for us more than for Devils That Blood shed could not have rendered us pardonable or justifiable upon Gospell-terms And if there be not an after particular Imputation of that Blood to us upon believing it cannot be said actually to justifie and wash us from our sins As shed for us it makes us pardonable and justifiable but no more till there be a particular imputation Without this it doth not actually justifie and wash us because it is not particularly applied and made ours Should we be justified or pardoned without this Imputation we should be justified or pardoned without that Blood made ours and by consequence without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Satisfaction made ours in particular that Satisfaction without this Imputation being only in common to all pardoned or unpardoned and particularly applied to none Bellarmine himself confesses the Imputation of Christ's Passive Obedience Solus Christus saith he pro peccatis nostris satisfecit D. Justifiâ—◠〈…〉 illa satisfactio nobis donatur applicatur nostra reputatur cum Deo reconciliamur justificamur And why he might not as well have allowed the Imputation of the Active Obedience I see not save only because he would leave for our inherent Graces a room in Justification But because he allows not the Imputation of the Active Obedience Bishop Andrews is bold to tell him Sermon of Jâ—stisie That he spoils Christ of one half of his Name that is of that Name Jehovah our Righteousness And withal the Bishop urges thus against the Papists By what proportion do they proceed They cannot counterpoise an infinite sin but with an infinite Satisfaction and think they can weigh down a reward every way as infinite with a Merit to say the least surely not infinite Why should there be a recessary use of Christs death for the one and not an use fâ—â—â— as necessary for the Oblation of his Life for the other And again he saith This nipping at the Name of Christ is for no other reason but that we may have some honour our selves out of our Righteousness Hence Bellarmine saith Magìs honorificum est habere aliquid ex merito Rather than they will lose their honour Christ must part with a piece of his Name Thus that Reverend Man Let us therefore confess that all Christ's Righteousness Active as well as Passive is made ours by Imputation His Obedience like his seamless Coat all woven together of Love and Philanthropy from his first breath of Holiness on Earth to the last gasp upon the Cross should not be rent or divided but preserved entire for our Justification and Salvation 5. When we are justified before God it must be by a Righteousness either that of inherent Grace or that of Christ imputed to us We are not justified by the first our inherent Graces have all their spots and wrinkles of imperfection how faultring is our Faith How fluctuating our Hope How cold our Charity How much is there wanting of what ought to be in every one of them All of them are but in part and as it were in their first Lineaments none of them in plenitude or full measure answering to the Law they dwell not alone but alas there is a sad Inmate of Corruption a body of Sin dwelling under the same roof so that the purest actions of the Saints on earth come forth ex laeso Principio out of an Heart sanctified but in part and in their egress from thence gather a taint and tincture from the indwelling sin Quotidie stillamus super telam justitiae nostrae saniem concupiscentiae nostrae saith one Our concupscence like putrid matter is ever dropping upon the web of our weak little holiness If we walk not post concupiscentias it is very well Non concupisces which is a greater thing we cannot reach in this Vale of sins and sorrowes still the Flesh will be lusting and Corruption bubling up in the heart and can we think that such imperfect Graces should be the Matter of our Justification Again we have contracted many Guilts and every even the Least of them have a kind of Infinity in them because against an infinite Majesty and can our inherent Graces which are but finite things ever expiate or blot out those guilts No surely they cannot cover their own spots and blemishes but must pray in aid from the Grace and Righteousness of Christ to have them done away and is it imaginable that those Graces which want a pardon and
Commandements shall be the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven if taken in rigore juris were enough to shut all men out of heaven it imports therefore that sincere Obedience is necessary to those who will go thither Again the Evangelicall Light brake out as it pleased the Father of Lights gradually and successively In Math. 16. Peter makes that famous Confession Thou art Christ and was by Christ called Blessed for it and a little after Peter as ignorant of Christ's Passion would have diverted him from it and for that was called Satan Christ's Passion was sure a most necessary thing vet he knew it not Further our Saviour tells the Apostles that It was expedient for them that he should go away why so Then the spirit should come which should guide them into all truth which should glorifie Christ which should take of Christs and should shew it unto them Joh. 16.7 13 14 15. Observe the Spirit was to open and display the things of Christ amongst others his blood and righteousness in their glory and true use to be made ours and now it is no wonder at all if imputed Righteousness be more fully laid down in the Epistles than in the Sermons of our Saviour Christ himself the wisdom of heaven reserved that fuller light till the descent of the holy Ghost Moreover we must distinguish between the necessity of Christs imputed righteousness in it self and the necessity of the knowledge of it Imputed Righteousness since the fall hath ever been necessary in it self no man was ever justisied without Christ's blood applyed to him and that application is made upon believing by way of imputation but the knowledge of it hath been more or less necessary as the Evangelical light hath more or less reveiled it St. Peter at that time of his confession was no doubt justified by Christ's blood and yet he then had not the knowledge of his passion Lastly it appears plainly that our Saviour warned his hearers not to trust in their own Righteousness Thus the Pharisee and the Publican are in the Parable set forth to those that trusted in themselves that they were righteous Luk. 18.19 The Pharisee boasts of his Justice Purity Sanctity The Publican cries out of his sins and begs for mercy and as our Saviour tells us went away jestified rather than the other So true is that of Prosper Melior est in malis factis humilis confessio quà m in bonis superbagloriatio To conclude I hope by these things it appears that neither our Saviour was unfaithful in his prophetical Office nor the Evangelists in giving us an account of our Saviours Doctrine It is worth the observing Mr. Sherlock that in all the New Testament there is no such expression as the Righteousness of Christ or the imputation of Christ's Righteousness we there only find 〈◊〉 righteousness of God and the righteousness of Faith and the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ which is 〈◊〉 strange Did the whole Mystery of the Gospel consist in the imputation of Christ's Righteousness that neither Christ nor his Apostles should once tell us so in express terms This is Bellarmine's own Argument Answer Hactenùs nullum omninò locum invenire potuerunt De just l. 2. cap. 7. ubi legeretur Christi justitiam nobis imputari ad justitiam But I hope our Author will not follow the sound and tinkling of words what if it be not in Scripture syllabically and literally May it not suffice to be there in Sence just Consequence Ratio divina non in superficie est sed in medullà The Author saith That there is no such Expression as the Righteousness of Christ but St. Peter tells us of the righteousness of God our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 11 1 Again he saith That there is no such Expression as the Imputation of Christs Righteousness But St. Paul tells us That we are made righteous by Christs obedience Rom. 5.19 But I will say no more to this Objection because I have before proved Imputed Righteousness by Scripture That phrase Mr. Sherlock the Righteousness of God sometimes signifies his Justice Veracity or Goodness Rom. 3.5 but most commonly in the new Testament it signifies that Righteousness which God approves commands and which he will accept for the Justification of a sinner which is contained in the Terms of the Gospel Rom 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God reveiled Thus it is called the Righteousness of God Math. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness which is the same with the righteousness of his Kingdome Now the Kingdom of God signifies the State of the Gospel and the Righteousness of God or of his Kingdom that Righteousness which the Gospel prescribes which is conteined in the Sermons and Parables of Christ and consists in a sincere and universal Obedience to the Commands of God Answer The Righteousness of God is indeed that which he approves and accepts of in Justification but not that which he commands us to do no then we should not be justified by Christs blood Rom. 5.9 nor made righteous by his obedience Rom. 5.19 then the Apostle would not tell us of a righteousness imputed without works Rom. 4.6 Neither would he as he doth in that place exclude the Works of converted Abraham from Justification I say of converted Abraham for those words Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 were spoken of Abraham divers years after his Conversion as Dr. Ward hath observed Our Obedience is an Evidence of our Justification 〈◊〉 22. but till it can expiate sin and reach the top and apex of the pure Law it cannot be the Matter of our Righteousness before God Our Church places good Works after Justification and most exellently states Justification in three things Vpon Gods part his great mercy and grace 〈◊〉 of Salvation upon Christs part Justice that is the satisfaction of Gods Justice or the price of our Redemption by the offering of his Body shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly thoroughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the Merits of Jesus Christ which is not ours but by God's working in us Thus our Church leaving no room at all for Obedience In the point of Justification The Righteousness of God that which he commands and rewards is the Righteousness of Faith Mr. Sherlock or Righteousness by the Faith of Christ Now Faith in Christ is often ujed objectively for the Gospel of Christ which is the Object of our Faith and so the Righteousness of Faith or by the Faith of Christ is that Righteousness which the Gospel commands Thus Acts. 24. Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith of Christ that is concerning righteousness temperance and the judgment to come vers 25. which are the principal Matters of the Gospel Thus obedience to the Faith is obedience to
the power of sin and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Thus the Author to which I answer God sent his Son indeed into the world that we might be sanctified by his Spirit but that was not all he sent him that we might be justified by his Blood and Righteousness to which purpose it will be worth while to consider that place Rom. 8. The Apostle in the first verse sets forth believers men in Christ by two excellent things first by Justification There is no condemnation to them no though there be reliques of corruption in them as is imported in the seventh Chapter there is none and then by Sanctification which is in conjunction with the other they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And in the other verses he confirms both but inverso ordine first he confirms their Sanctification from the great Origen of it the holy Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death vers 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath subdued the power of sin and then he confirms their Justification from the sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh vers 3. Their sins were condemned in the flesh of Christ there was an atonement made for them which certainly must relate to Justification from these sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience must be taken in conjunction the Apostle inferrs That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us vers 4. The Law was not able to justifie us for want of a perfect obedience in us but God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us Christ bore the wrath of God for us and these things being imputed unto us the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us But then the Apostle returns again to Sanctification and subjoyns Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit assuring us that those who are justified by the imputed Righteousness of Christ are also Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit This I take to be the meaning of the place But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures r. Hom. of Salvation St. Paul saith Rom. 3. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ And Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth And Rom. 8. That which was impossible by the Law in as much as it was weak by the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh by sin damned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these places the Apostle toucheth three things which must go together in our Justification upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christ's parts justice that is the satisfaction of God's justice or the price of our redemption by the offering of his body and shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ which yet is not ours but by Gods working in us So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace but also his Justice which the Apostle calleth the Justice of God and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law And so the Grace of God doth not shut out the Justice of God in our Justification but only shutteth out the justice of man that is to say the justice of our works as to be merits of deserving our justification And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true lively Faith which nevertheless is the gift of God and not man's only work without God and yet that Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so that although they be all present in him that is justified yet they justifie not all together These are the excellent words of our Church worthy without flattery be it spoken to be written in Letters of Gold but much more in the hearts of all true Christians We see here that there is in justification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only no internal Holiness Repentance Hope Love Fear of God are in the justified but shut out from the office of justifying God's Grace and Christ's Righteousness are the great causes of justification But saith the Author Is there here any mention of Christ's Righteousness or the imputation thereof I answer Our Church surely thought so and we have his passive Righteousness expressed vers 3. and where that is expressed the active is implied This is clear when the Scripture saith That we are made righteous by Christ's obedience Rom. 5.19 It doth include his blood also and when he saith That we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 It doth include his active obedience also so that the Scripture because it expresses justification by both and because it must be consistent with it self in expressing the one includes the other When therefore Rom. 8.3 his sufferings are expressed his active obedience is also included both therefore are intended and withall an imputation without which they cannot be profitable to us But saith the Author The Law could not do it that is the Law could not deliver from the power of sin I answer The Law could not do it of it self and without the Spirit of Christ but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand and write it in the heart I suppose there will be a New Creature But the Author saith That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. How can imputation come in here What pretty sence will this make of the Apostles argument I answer The sence is very clear the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by Christ's Righteousness imputed to us and withall we to whom that is imputed walk after the Spirit the one is our Justification the other our Sanctification Both the Apostle proves to be in Believers and both consist very well together as appears from the first verse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The No condemnation appertains to Justification and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification and both stand very well together As to what the Author saith afterwards That there was no reason to abrogate Moses ' s
odds much the worse Man As first When the whole bent and tendency of the heart is towards sin when the propensities of the Soul thereto are entire and unmixt there it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate But is every one a regenerate Man who hath some good propensities in him who hath some wouldings and velleities to that which is good then there are few unregenerate in the World Secondly which is the explication of the former when all the several Faculties of the Soul are altogether on sins side and wholly take its part then it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate where the understanding gives in its final positive dictate that sin is good represents it as eligible to the will the will upon this closes with it embraces it it cleaves to it the affections desire joy delight run out upon it where it is thus the case is determined yea without controversy But where shall we find such a Man I believe there was never such a Man born too many chuse evil though they know it to be evil for the seeming advantages of profit or pleasure but to chuse evil as believing it to be good and to rejoyce and delight in it as good and eligible for it self is such an unregenerate state as the Devil never arrived at for though he be a wicked Spirit yet he is no Fool as those must be who mistake evil for good in such plain instances The Heathens themselves at this rate were all regenerate for their consciences accused them for doing evil Rom. 2. They knew good to be good and evil evil There was never such a Man as he describes when he tells us That sin comes to the Sinner and says Art thou willing that I should rule Yes saith he with all my heart I like thy commands I am thine I submit to be at thy dispose I here swear fealty and allegiance to thee c. This Oath c. might very well have been spared for there is enough without it and yet if this be the difference that the unregenerate Man chuses sin believing it to be good and the regenerate Man chuses sin though he knows it to be evil it is plain that the regenerate is much the worse because his sins have the greatest aggravations that any sins are capable of which the sins of an unregenerate Man have not viz. That they are sins against knowledge and so according to our Saviours reasoning this regenerate Man will be beaten with more stripes Dr. Jacomb assigns the difference between the Law of sin in the regenerate and in the unregenerate Answer First When the whole bent of the heart is towards sin when the propensities are entire and unmixt there it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate But saith the Author is every one regenerate who hath some good propensities Who hath some wouldings velleities to that which is good Then there are few unregenerate Men in the World To which I answer The unregenerate may indeed have some wouldings and velleities to good not of himself for in his flesh and such he is all over by Nature there is no good but from the common motions and operations of the Holy Spirit Yet notwithstanding these the bent of his heart is to sin the power of sin is habitual in him which is all the intent and very expression of the Doctor in that place Secondly When all the faculties of the Soul are on sins side when the understanding gives in its final positive dictate that sin is good represents it as eligible to the will the will closes with it the affections run out upon it there the case saith the Doctor is determined But saith the Author Never such a Man was born as to chuse evil believing it to be good to delight and rejoyce in it as good and eligible for it self To which I answer The Authors discourse runs upon this as if the Doctor had asserted that the understanding in the unregenerate did represent sin as good that is as conformable to the Law and Will of God and so good Hence the Author tells us That the Devil though a wicked Spirit is no Fool that the very Heathen know good to be good and evil evil But all this is besides the scope the Doctor never said or meant so when he saith that the understanding dictates sin to be good No Man I presume will interpret the words thus the understanding dictates sin to be conformable to the Will of God that is sin to be no sin No the understanding knows sin to be sin sin to be contrary to the Will of God yet it represents sin as good in other respects and so good as to cast the ballance in the heart on sins side it may be there are baits of profit or pleasure in it Nay it is my own thought that the pravity in sinsul actions comes sub ratione convenientiae and offers it self as congruous and so good to the corrupt Will and heart of Man the very difformity or contradiction to the will of God as intrinsecally black as it is blushes and looks fair to that Carnal mind which is enmity against God An unregenerate Man drinks in iniquity as water Job 15.16 being filthy himself iniquity though a very foul thing goes down naturally with him and is as it were his proper Element St. Austin in his Confessions speaking of his stealing of Apples saith that he was Gratis malus Confess li. 2 cap. 4.6 Amavi defectum meum decerpta projeci epulatus inde solaminiquitatem quâ laetabar fruens si quid illorum intravit in os meum condimentum facinus erat He confesses the very sin it self was grateful to him If Sinners did not believe sin to be good in some respect or other if they did look on it as evil and nothing but pure impure evil it were utterly impossible that they should chuse it or delight in it the will cannot appetere malum sub ratione mali for that were appetere non appetible which is impossible I conclude with the words of the Doctor in that place Whosoever upon deliberation judges a sinful course to be the best and thereupon chuses embraces falls in with it delights in it continues in it in this Man 't is the Law of sin this Man is as I take it a Servant of sin and willing it should rule There is as learned Bishop Reynolds saith a Covenant a virtual bargain between him and his lusts he agrees to serve and obey them But Thirdly Mr. Sherlock The Law of sin hath different workings in the People of God than in others This working of the Law of sin in Gods People me thinks is an ill thing But let us hear how it is First Where sin is committed industriously and designedly there it is the Law of sin in the Graceless unless Men be very cunning at the trade of sin they are not under the Law of it as graceless persons are
Grace is consistent with taking all fair opportunities of sinning so we do not design it before hand Secondly When the temptation easily prevails then it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate This is an Argument indeed that a Man is a willing Slave but when a Man is conquered by a temptation though he make some resistance it is an Argument that sin is his Master which rules and governs especially if this be often such a Man surely is none of Christs freemen and therefore not to fail Thirdly When sin carries it in spite of all opposition against all external discouragements threatnings of the Law the Scepter of the Gospel the Love of God and his Wrath the Death and Wounds of Christ Reproofs Resolutions Vowes Promises c. then it is the Law of sin So that it seems when sin carries it in despite of all external oppositions only it is the mark of an unregenerate Man but when it carries it against internal and external oppositions that is a sign of a regenerate Man for a regenerate Man has the same external oppositions to preserve him from sin that an unregenerate Man hath and besides these he hath internal oppositions the checks of his own conscience which he says the unregenerate Man has not And Fourthly When it is sinning and no sense of sin no after Repentance for it then it is the Law of sin Now what bad Man is there who does not at one time or other repent of his sins complain of them And how many are there that repent of their sins and make large Confessions of them and return to them again There are no Men but do at one time or other express some sorrow for their sins which he calls Repentance and there are a great many who pretend thus to be sorry for their sins who it is to be feared are never the better Men for it and yet were there any such who sin without any sense of it they would be much better then those regenerate Men who feel the gripes of conscience for sin and yet return to it This working of the Law of sin in Gods People is an ill thing Answer Oh! that we had perfection But while we are here sin will be in us and whilest it is in us it will work in some measure Concupiscere nolo concupisco saith St. Austin De Temp. Serm. 45. The first mark in the Doctor is sinning industriously and designedly and this is a sure one and found in all the unregenerate although all of them are not alike cunning and Artists at the Trade of sin all more or less make provision for the Flesh the frame of their Heart stream of their Thoughts run this way The Flesh as the Doctor speaks hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the projecting and forecasting ability at command in them thus it is not with the regenerate The Second is The temptation easily prevails in the unregenerate and what more certain The old heart is as dry tinder ready to take fire upon every little spark thus it is not with the regenerate who hath a higher and a better Spirit than his own to guard him against the temptatation If he be overcome in a particular Act of sin sin is not yet his Master because it cannot gain the bent of his heart and the course of his life The third is When sin carries it against all external Discouragements against the threatnings of the Law the Scepter of the Gospel the Love and Wrath of God the Wounds of Christ Reproofs Resolutions Vowes c. then it is the Law of sin Upon which the Author inferrs thus It seems when sin carries it against external oppositions only it is a mark of an unregenerate Man but when it carries it against internal and external oppositions that is a sign of a regenerate Man To which I answer It is true when sin carries it in a regenerate Man it carries it against such internal helps and principles of Grace as are not in the unregenerate but then it carries it only in a single Act But in the unregenerate it carries it in a course of life too against Law Gospel Wrath Love the Blood of Christ the smitings of Conscience Reproofs Promises Judgments still he will sin on whilest he is unregenerate thus the regenerate doth not The Fourth is When 't is sinning and no sense of sin no after Repentance for it then it is the Law of sin But saith the Author What bad Man is there who does not at one time or other repent of his sins and yet were there any such they would be better than those regenerate Men who feel the gripes of conscience for sin and yet return to it Unto which I answer Surely all bad Men do not repent of their sins such as God gives up to a reprobate mind to a fat heart to a spirit of slumber to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brawny hardness which feels nothing do not do so and yet I suppose these are the worst of Men Sinning against gripes of Conscience is a great aggravation but an hard senseless heart is the worst state imaginable on Earth But suppose bad Men have some kind of Repentance is it such as the regenerate have after their falls No surely the regenerate as the Doctor hath it are greatly humbled they recover again by true Repentance they rise after their falls thus unregenerate Men do not It is wonderful to consider Mr. Sherlock how little a matter will serve for an evidence of Grace after all their talk of Sanctification when they come to administer comfort to distressed consciences Oh saith the Soul I find sin prevail Sheph. Sts Jewel and how can I be comforted not by Sanctification sure Answ I will subdue your iniquities and cast your sins into the midst of the Sea Obj. But the Devil will be busie with me Ans God will tread him down Obj. But I cannot go to God by Prayer to fetch comfort Comfort what hast thou to do with comfort get quit of thy sins first and then it is time enough for comfort Ans Though it be so yet believe and thou shall have thy desire But I doubt the Soul that cannot pray cannot believe neither Obj. But I am afraid I shall fall away from God Afraid of it thou art fallen from God already if sin prevail so much for sin is the great Apostacy from God Answer None can pluck thee out of Christs hands neither sin nor the Devil But how if they be not in Christs hands yet sin I doubt may keep them out if God cut off barren Branches there is some danger of putrid ones God hath said I have made an everlasting Covenant with thee I will not turn away from thee Obj. This is good news had I a right to the promise but alas I cannot believe and take a naked promise Ans Doest thou desire to believe and to have Christ and say thus If it