a fixing us in our happy estate in the Gospel he deals with us in order to our recovery from a lost estate in that there was no Mediator in this there is a Mediator who also is our King-Redeemer Many more might be added Reader weigh all these things and if the Gospel must be a special Law so that it be not the Law of Innocency what can be more plain than that it is not the same with the Law of Innocency or Nature either I could farther demonstrate that the very appropriation of Faith tho' it were a legal Precept to be the grand Condition of Salvation doth argue the Gospels being a distinct Law for otherwise any Duty would be of equal use But because Mr. C. charges me as a New Gospeller I 'll give thee a few of the hundreds that oppose his three former Errors and consent to my Paradoxes as orthodox TESTIMONIES that 1st the GOSPEL is a LAW Our Divines in the Synod of Dort say par 2. p. 104. Ex sacris literis c. It 's evident from the Scriptures that some are judged and condemned for Sins committed only against the Light of Nature who yet are excused for not performing the Law of Faith through invincible Ignorance which Excuse can have no place where God publisheth this Law and men are required to obey it Many other places from this Synod might be added Willet saith p. 888. We exclude not every Law but the Law of Works but the Law of Faith is not the Law of Works And p. 635. The Publican finding Mercy and departing justified no doubt had also an express purpose in himself for ever to forsake his Sin for otherwise he could not have been justified nor found remission of Sin for this is the Law and perpetual Rule of Forgiveness Ezek. 18. 21. Lex evangelica clamans the Gospel-law cries Believe and thou shalt be saved Hooker of Effect Calling p. 338. saith I answer not believing in the Lord Christ is not a Sin against the Moral Law but it is a Sin against the Law of the Gospel as he proves fully Saith p. 328. Hereto agree the words of the Apostle Rom. 3. 27. where the Apostle distinguisheth between the Law of Works and the Law of Faith by the Law of Works understanding the Moral Law by the Law of Faith understanding the Gospel c. he adds Here are two distinct Laws having two distinct Commandments as two distinct Conditions of the two Covenants This he proves at large P. 102 to 122. proves the Law as given to Israel was the Gospel Covenant for Substance P. 113. saith Faith in Christ is not commanded in the Moral Law as it was engraven in the Heart of Adam in the state of Innocency but as it was given to Israel to be a Rule of Life to a People in Covenant it was presupposed and commanded Lib. 2. Cap. 1. proves at large that God published a new Law as Redeemer to Man upon his Fall P. 17. Christ will proceed at the Day of Judgment according to a double Law the Moral Law and the Law of Faith the Moral Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the Law to do it Now by this Law we are all cast but the Law of Faith affords to Mankind a mitigation of the Moral Law and begins where the other ends God having sent his only begotten Son to this end that whosoever believes on him should not perish notwithstanding the Condemnation of the Moral Law but have everlasting Life Much like the favourable Law amongst us which affords the Benefit of Clergy c. P. 19. Those therefore whom Christ shall then acquit are acquitted by the Gospel or Law of Faith those whom he condemâ—…s he condemns by both Laws P. 230. They that really believe Forgiveness in God do thereby obtain Forgiveness Believing gives an interest in it it brings it home to the Soul concerned This is the inviolable Law of the Gospel Believing and Forgiveness are inseparably conjoined P. 139. he saith Repentance was no Duty to Adam in Eden it is none for the Angels in Heaven nor for the Damned in Hell what then may be the Language of this Appointment O Sinners come and deal with God by Repentance c. It 's true many do deceive themselves they raise themselves unto an expectation of Immunity not on Gospel-grounds But God deceives none whoever comes to him on his Proposal of Repentance shall find Forgiveness It 's said of some He will laugh at their Calamity c. But who are they Only such as refuse his Call to Repentance with the Promises of Acceptation annexed See p. 254. P. 375. Faith is the only Condition of the Covenant of Grace which is therefore called the Law of Faith P. 7. The Covenant of Grace the Apostle calls it the Law of Faith and it is especially expressed thus He that believes shall be saved P. 308. The Precept of Believing is a Gospel-Precept only and the Punishment for Unbelief is threatned and inflicted in relation to the Gospel as he oft shews at large and in p. 10. instanceth in five things a great difference between Faith in Adam and Gospel-Faith one of which is that tho' there was a kind of Faith in Adam yet it was not to be the Condition of that Covenant c. But the Faith required in the Covenant of Grace comes in purposely as the Condition of Life and Justification for the Sinner P. 18. Oh saith the Law such Duties have been omitted such Sins have been committed such Sabbaths have been prophaned c. such Tenders of Grace have been slighted Here saith he the Gospel Law comes in as an Accuser too And p. 55 553. You must so confide and rely on Christ's one most perfect and all-sufficient Sacrifice as yet withal to be careful that you on your part do perform those Gospel-Conditions which God enjoins and requires of you in order to Remission Justification and Glorification c. The whole Business of Merit and Satisfaction lies upon Christ but as to Believing and Repenting the two grand Gospel-Conditions they lye upon your selves with respect to the Act tho' not the Power and must be done by your selves yea and the doing of these is as necessary on your parts under the notion of Conditions as suffering and dying was on Christ's part under the notion of Merit And it is most certain that the latter without the former will not profit you because Christ never designed to impute or make over his Merit to any further than as they should make good these Conditions of Faith and Repentance P. 553. he shews the Rock of Popery is to trust in these as Merits and the Rock of Antinomianism is to deny that respect to Holiness Obedience Faith and Repentance which is due to them as Means and Conditions P. 157. you read Rom. 3. 27. the Law of Faith and the Law
Pardon c. p. 21. Repl. 1. Here and p. 28. he confounds a Promise of Grace and Promises made to Grace 2. He affirms that the whole of the Gospel-Covenant is but one Promise and this I suppose is the first Promise in the Sentence against the Serpent Hereby he blasts all the fuller Discoveries of it by the Prophets yea and Christ himself as if all the Conditional Proposals of Covenant-Benefits on Terms of Duty were Additions injuriously added to the first Promise 3. He wretchedly mistakes the nature of that first Promise as if it excluded all Terms of our Saving Interest in the Blessings of it Whereas it did imply them If you take the words as a Promise of Christ that he should in our nature overcome Satan then it belong'd to all Mankind to whom it 's promulgated even the rejecters of it Acts 13. 32 46. and as such gives no Interest in the Effects of it to any man If you take them as importing the Saving Benefits to the Seed of the Woman then there must be some change in them who are by Nature the Seed of the Serpent as well as the most wicked otherwise all the natural Seed of Eve have the same Saving Benefits which is thus evidenced When God renewed the Promise to Abraham and his Seed that Seed the Apostle tells you were Believers Rom. 4. 11 16 27. and as I have said before Faith must be then enjoyned for by Faith Abel's Sacrifice was more acceptable than Cain's and God's Words to Cain were the Redeemer's Language and the use of Sacrifices imports that God revealed more of his Will to them by way of Precept than is there recorded 4. And what can he mean by things distinct from the Promise If that Faith and Repentance are promised I had oft affirmed it If that as Acts in Man they are not distinct from the Promise it 's unfit to reflect on If that they may not be Terms of Pardon conjoyned therewith in one promissory Series it 's against the scope of the Bible and sure if that hinder not Pardon to be the cause of them it will not exclude them to be Terms of Pardon 5. But what strange Divinity is this 1. that Pardon is the Condition of Faith 2. Pardon is the cause of Faith How is Pardon and these at once as he affirms i. e. in order of Nature and yet Faith is the consequent yea effect of Pardon But to come to the point Is not this to burlesque the Scripture We believe that we may be justified Gal. 2. 16 That is we be justified that we may believe We are justified by Faith Rom. 5. 1. that is we are made Believers by Justification We repent for the remission of sins Luke 33. that is we have remission of Sins that we may repent One Reason at least should have been offered for these contradictions I suppose all that would be offered is that Christ cannot work Faith in us till we are pardoned which the whole Scripture is against and God hath provided for it by Divine ordination in that Christ's Merits are admitted effectual to the working and and accepting of this Grace before these Merits are applied for Forgiveness which is fully expressed in his own revealed Method whereby he commands and works Faith in order to Forgiveness Yea he will not I hope deny lest he spoil his Argument p. 28. that Union with Christ is before Pardon in order of Nature And is not that an Effect of Christ's Merits Yea the Gospel-offers Spirits operation of Faith c. are so 6. How long must I stay for an Answer if I ask what kind of Cause is Pardon It 's well if it be not hisprocatartick 7. Is not this a new and singular Gospel Consult the former Testimonies Need I mind thee that Dr. Owens saith p. 306. We require Evangelical Faith in order of Nature antecedently to our Iustification c R. Mr. Cl. p. 134. Norton c. say the same the Synod of Dort is oft positive Mr. Bulkley p. 321. gives nine Reasons to prove that Faith is an antecedent Condition of Iustification and saith the denyal of it is some of the new Light which the old Age of the Church hath brought forth Mr. Sheppard proves the same p. 221 to 240. Mr. C's Father saith Faithunites the Soul to Christ p. 144. It accepts of a whole Christ with a whole Heart p. 154. It 's a receiving Christ in all his Offices p. 132. Faith hath an influence into a Sinner's Justification p. 122. Faith is constituted and ordained of God in the Covenant of Grace as a necessary and indispensible means for attaining this end in adult persons p. 123. And he answers his Son's Objections as to Infants The Assembly affirm That Justification is a Benefit flowing from Vocation wherein Faith is wrought but of this hereafter It 's well if he call not all these Enemies to the Grace of God as p. 8. Mr. C. near a kin to this is his Banter on me p. 21. because I had said that Election was not formally our Pardon nor a legal grant of it but that by Divine Appointment there was to interpose between the decree of Pardon and the actual Pardon of the Elect a Gospel-Promise of this Pardon and a work of the Spirit on Men for a conformity to the Rule of that Promise He tells me I would have Christ to stand as a Medicin in the Apothecary's shop for some body or other when the Physician prescribes it Nay it 's not an absolute sick Patient neither it 's one the Apothecary hath in a manner cured before c. And before the person be pardoned he must be in a very sound and safe condition c. and there must be inherent Righteousness in the person to be pardoned c. Add this and much of this kind up and down in his Book to his fifth Principle viz. That Pardon is the cause of Faith c. and then we have his sixth Principle That we are pardoned before the Spirit do at all work any change upon the Soul in effectual Vocation or we are not called or converted in order of Nature before we are justified This is fully the sence of the Letter from the City p. 25 30 c. Repl. 1. A Legal Grant is a term out of Mr. C's Element or he would not confound it with a Decree and what he speaks of the Promise Tit. 1. will appear not to be eternal but before many Ages and not to exclude Gospel-Conditions in their use for our personal Interest in Pardon 2. Is there not a fulness in Christ for Sinners before they make use of it 3. All Sinners are ungodly in a Gospel sence when God comes to call them effectually in order to Pardon and they are ungodly in a legal sence when God doth pardon them or they would not need Pardon 4. Yet they are not unconvinced Unbelievers that are the Objects of God's pardoning
Endowments I suppose by Moral Endowments he 〈◊〉 such as the unconverted have to which I answer There is a moral specifick difference the one is Saving the other is not the one is from the effectual Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul is truly regenerated the other is not And this difference thou wilt see me own as far as I had occasion 2. I am charged as that I hold there must be Qualifications in a Sinner to entitle him to the first Grace or to the Promise of it But as there is not a tittle leading to either in the words he cites so I pray weigh the places under each Head 1. There is a specifick difference between Grace and meer moral Endowments P. 224. I condemn it as legal to press men to Faith and Repentance and other Duties as if to be performed in our strength without the Grace of Christ and influences of the Spirit P. 57. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Christ freely given to Sinners Cap. 11. p. 90. Every man is without Christ till he be effectually called but when by this Call the Spirit of God enclineth and enableth him willingly to accept of Christ as a Head and Saviour a man becomes partaker of those Influences and Priviledges which are peculiar to the Members of the Lord Jesus Cap. 11. p. 92. I affirm that Christ's giving us the Spirit of Grace doth begin this Union and the Spirit given in order to Saving Operations produceth this Faith whereby the Union is consummated P. 83. I affirm There may be Knowledge Assent Humblings c. and yet a Soul fail of an interest in Christ for want of true Conversion 2. See how positive I am that there are no Qualifications to entitle a man to the First Grace or the Promise of it Tho' I wonder that he makes no difference between the Promise of Grace which is absolute and Promises to Grace which are conditional Cap. 10. p. 83. I affirm The worst Sinners are often the Objects of God's effectual Calling in order to an Interest in Christ. Cap. 8. p. 61. I affirm the First Grace is absolutely given though dispensed ordinarily in the due use of Means P. 66 The Gospel or Covenant tells us that there is a Promise of the First Grace made to Christ for the Elect and by vertue of that Promise the Elect do consent to the Covenant and this Gospel or Covenant is the Means whereby that Faith is wrought VIII Mr. C. It is this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest pick at Repl. Reader weigh my plain words Cap. 7. p. 37. The Mediatorial Righteousness of Christ is so imputed to true Believers as that for the sake thereof they are pardoned and accepted unto Life-eternal it being reckoned to them and pleadable by them for these uses as if they had personally done and suffer'd what Christ did as Mediator for them whereby they are deliver'd from the Curse and no other atonement nor meriting price of Saving Benefits can be demanded from them P. 39. I affirm That besides these Effects viz. all the saving Effects of Christ's Death being made ours the very Righteousness of Christ is imputed to true Believers as what was always undertaken and designed for their Salvation and is now effectual to their actual Pardon and acceptance to Life yea is pleadable by them as their Security and is as useful to their Happiness as if themselves had done and suffer'd what Christ did And a few lines before I affirm That Christ's Sufferings and Obedience were so in our stead that God cannot exact from us any other atonement for Sin or price of any Gospel-Blessings P. 43. Had not Christ suffer'd for us we could not be absolved for the sake of his Obedience and Sufferings The like may be seen p. â—…47 Reader I would inform thee that I can agree to any Expressions to note Christ a Representative Surety Head c. that are consistent with Pardon of Sin and our not being the persons in God's Account who suffer'd and obey'd But I think Forgiveness for the sake of what Christ did and suffer'd for us is what we must take comfort in and Christ suffer'd in the person of a Mediator IX Mr. C. p. 1. For the Doctrine of Iustification especially we are in a manner return'd to Aegypt that of Iustification by Works being brought into the room of Iustification by Faith Repl. Here and in many places I am arraigned as being for Justification by Works and not by Faith which must be to import 1. That I am for Works being joyned with Faith to our admission into a state of Justification 2. That Faith and other things do justifie us as the Righteousness for or by which we are justified As to the last review what is cited under the 3 4 5 6 misrepresented Principles and sure thou wilt see that it 's Christ's Righteousness and not ours which is that for and by which alone we are justified as the sole Merit The former then remaineth as a Charge as to which see if I do not positively assert that we are justified as soon as we truly believe Cap. 12. p. 104. I affirm that we are justified the same moment as we truly believe in Christ and the Blessing is not suspended for any time longer This I affirm because God justifies us by the Promise as his Instrument and this Promise declares that He will justifie him that believes It 's Christ truly believed on doth justifie us and a Christ so believed on cannot but justifie us P. 247. We say we are upon repenting and believing put into a justified State before any other Workâ—… Reader I did to prevent this mistake preface that Chap. 13 of the Necessity of Holiness and Good Works with these words P. 120. Note that whatever is spoken in this Chapter of any Act of Grace except penitent Believing refers not to the forgiveness of Sin or the Sinner's admission into a justified state the Benefits I here treat of are the not forfeiture of Pardon the possession of Heaven and particular Blessings as encrease of Peace Joy Returns of Prayer c. So p. 113. Obj. The only Pretence for this Charge must be That I make Repentance necessary to Forgiveness Ans. But 1. I expresly deny Repentance to be any part of the Righteousness for which we are forgiven It 's no Merit c. this thou mayest see in a hundred places in my Book some are cited in the 4 5 6 Heads 2. I deny it to be any cause of Forgiveness I say in p. 119. I own my self to be among them who deny Repentance of any Grace in Mâ—…n to be a Cause of Forgiveness â—… I deny that Justification is equally ascribed to Repentance as to Faith c. See p. 113. I deny Justification to be equally ascribed to Faith and Repentance for we are said to
hath no Forgiveness for them and therefore would require no Repentance of them It is not nor ever was a Duty encumbent on them to repent nor is it so unto the Damned in Hell God requires it not of them nor is it their Duty there being no Forgiveness for them What should move them to repent Why should it be their Duty so to do Assignation then of Repentance is a revelation of Forgiveness God would not call upon a sinful Creature to humble it self and bewail its Sin if there were no way of recovery or relief Pray see him p. 151 c. P. 184. he saith Whence is it that men perish in and for their Sins Is it for want of Mercy Goodness Grace or Patience in God Is it through any defect in the Mediation of the Lord Christ Is it for want of the mightiest Encouragements and most infallible Assurances that with God there is Forgiveness Not at all but meerly on the account of their own obstinacy stubbornness and perverseness they will not they hate the Light they will not come to Christ that they may have Life See his awful denunciation of the Curse against all that resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation p. 272. I 'll add one Passage of his p. 144. the satisfaction made for Sin being not made by the Sinner himself there must of necessity be a Rule and Law-Constitution how the Sinner may come to be interessed in it and made partaker of it for the consequent of the Freedom of one by the Suffering of another is not natural or necessary but must proceed from a Law-Constitution Compact and Agreement Now the way constituted and appointed is that of Faith or Believing as explained in the Scripture If Men believe not they are no less liable to the Punishment due to their Sins than if no satisfaction at all were made for Sinners P. 624. he asks whether there be any Terms or no Terms in the Covenant he answers Surely there are How shall poor Creatures make out their Interest therein unless God hath declared upon what Conditions we shall be possest of the Priviledges c If God hath once declared the Conditions if we would have the benefit we must consent to them In the last part p. 127. he tells us the Conditions of the Covenant are Faith Repentance and new Obedience P. 374. Nothing can be objected against the Conditions He requires viz. Repentance and Faith Can any Malefactor expect Peace with his Sword in his Hand And is it not fit there should be such Conditions to justifie God since we were the guilty Offenders can there be less than to cast away our Weapons bewail our Sins receive the Mediator and serve him with newness of life They are such reasonable Conditions that the Honour of God would not be provided for nor have a salvo without them See p. 692 349 c. P. 36. Make sure of true saving justifying Faith c. it secures from this Condemnation both as it is the Grace which unites to Christ and also as it is the great Condition of the Gospel upon which it promiseth Life and Salvation c. He may set down what Condition he pleases in order to the giving out of his Grace which when they are performed he is engaged to make good what he promiseth upon them How oft doth he tell us that God requires of every man Faith to be the Condition to be Partaker of the Covenant P. 114. and p. 143. he saith The Condition requir'd of us is the doing this viz. to repent to serve the Lord in newness of Life Bulkley by very many Arguments from p. 278 to 298. doth prove the Gospel-Covenant to be conditional P. 280. The Lord doth not say to any Soul I will save you and bring you to Life though you continue impenitent and unbelieving but commands and works us to repent and believe and then promises that in the way of Faith and Repentance he will save us Had I room I would give thee full proof that Davenant Pemble Perkins Twiss Scharpius Zanchius Rollock Wendelin Altingius Burgess Blake New-England Synod Turretin Synod of Dort with hundreds more do positively affirm the Gospel-Covenant to require a Condition on our part and so fix this Gospel-Rule Mr. Chancy's Father urgeth it p. 79 132 123 116. where he shews what we must do to obtain the Propitiation So 117. Mr. Rutherford affirms That to deny there be Conditions is to bely the Gospel and adds That Good Works are Conditions without which we cannot be saved p. 38. and p. 36. It is a new Heresie of Antinomians to deny a conditional Gospel it is all one as to bely the Holy Ghost who saith He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not is condemned already Or they may say whether Men believe or no they may be saved as Dr. Crisp saith P. 445. If not then be wise and 〈◊〉 from the Wrath to come and there is but one way and that is by closing with Jesus Christ and giving your selves up to an entire subjection to his Yoke There is no way to escape Wrath and secure Eternal Life but this P. 276. Consider where you will lay the blame of your Destruction you cannot lay it upon God for he gave Christ to redeem and save you you cannot lay it upon Christ for he would have gathered you and you would not he never cast you off till you cast him off you cannot lay it upon the Spirit for he would have convinced and converted and sanctified you and you have resisted and quenched him you cannot lay it upon your Ministers for they have set before you Life and Death and declared to you the danger of Sin and necessity of Holiness but you would not believe their Report c. So that you can lay the blame no where but upon a cursed corrupt Heart thy Destruction is of thy self See what he saith of Conditions and decree under the Head the Gospel is a Law P. 182 183 184 c. proves the Covenant to be conditional that without Faith there is no relation in a way of Covenant 'twixt God and us and that upon Faith God becomes our God in Covenant and answers Objections P. 188 189. he speaks to Sinners presuming of the many Promises of Salvation c. Oh but Sirs there is a Condition in the Bond which he oft repeats P. 430. when he had proved Repentance was necessary to the remission of Sin he adds Whereas they say this is Popish and Legal they speak ignorantly if not maliciously c. it is as Popish to say Repentance is required for Assurance as for Remission for both are Acts of Grace Conjunctas autem c. But Repentance and Remission of Sin are joyned together and truly so that Repentance goes before Forgiveness This partly the Word of God teacheth yea Reason it self and common Sence however corrupt doth
Mr. Mead who did object nothing against it but a prudential Consideration and the same answer he made to Dr. Bates when he first asked him and before the second Edition came out I telling him what use his Hand might have been of he made the like answer and made then to me no Objection against the Book but that he wished I had left out that of the third to the Phil. All which I mention'd to some with real respect to him and those Brethren But since Mr. C's Book was published Mr. M. tells me and others he is not of my judgment but I know not wherein except in my sence of that Text. Yet there are others that forbare subscribing who declare no disagreement and he must quite alter his useful way of Preaching if he much differ from me Others ask why I raked into Dr. Crisp's Ashes A. It was needful I should instance some Author for they said nobody affirmed those things I mentioned in my Sermon I chose Dr. C. before another not from Prejudice but because he was reprinted with an unhappy Front his Works seemed the Standard of the propagators of these Errors This Book was taking with many recommended to People by Mr. Trayl and others as I can prove and he must never be answer'd if not after his Death and tho' I treat him with all respect yet I wonder his Works should be so applauded now when most of our great Divines opposed them heretofore Yea as Mr. Nesbit from creâ—…lible Hands informs me the Assembly of Divines desir'd to have them burnt Obj. You are said to misquote him A. I cannot find I mistook one word except that once I set Justifie instead of Pardon which is alter'd in the second Edition Obj. You misrepresent his Sence A. Not that I know â—…nd what Mr. C. instanceth I have fully proved it must be his sence tho' I inform you in my Book he oft speaks Contradictions but the most I mention he labours to prove and his Scheme enforceth it Obj. You take Bits of Sentences A. I still give one full period and it 's only to avoid swelling my Book that I mention'd no more in other Clauses yea in what is material I oft set his words at large and if it be needful I shall put him in a fuller light Many Obj. My Book was written against Mr. Cole A. I had no Eye to him at all except in the Digression about Repentance which was much the same as I deliver'd at a third meeting to compose the Debate between Dr. Bates and him tho' since then he broke out against us twice this I preface in my Book with these words Herein I have to do with men of more orthodox Principles than Dr. Crisp. And Mr. Cole must know these words did refer to him yea notwithstanding many strange Passages I hope he doth not hold most of those Opinions nor can he agree with Mr. Chancy unless he disagree with what he hath oft said yea and printed Obj. It 's more than hinted that I intend in that Book to reflect on all them called Congregational A. I am sure I abhor such an Intention nay did not I pitch on Testimonies from among them to oppose these Errors I know many of their Ministers whom I think free from the least disposition towards them the New England Synod effectually oppos'd them Mr. Flavel and Mr. Lob have written well against them I cite Bulkley Dr. Owens c. who are fully for the opposite Truths and tho' I sent Mr. M. word that in the mind I was in I would forbear Testimonies from his Writings but that I would not bind my self for any time yet I have since met with great reason to cite him as one fully for the Truth Yea Mr. N. tho' I never requested it in my House declared That if Mr. M. and three more such had subscribed he would not have been unwilling to do it and he desired me to add Congregational to the Divines in and about this City who forbear to subscribe only from prudential Considerations which I refused He remembreth the latter part and owneth it and he told Mr. Hume that if one Passage or two were rectified he would subscribe my Book It 's true some clamorous People that cry up these Opinions happen to be of that Perswasion but I hope far the greater part are better principl'd and many seem on the wrong side only from Misrepresentations Obj. Why do you use the word Rector A. It 's a proper word used by Dr. Owens Mr. Charnock and most This Book hath met with various entertainment with many it hath pleas'd God to grant it acceptance and many Ministers out of the Country offered their Subscriptions but of the four seeming Answers to it I 'll give these hints To Mr. B. I am obliged for his Christian usage and while he allows that I speak the Language of Time and of the Dispensation I am under I will comply with his Proposal not to enter the Lists unless I have occasion to prove my Sence of Phil. 3. which I find patroniz'd by Augustin Of Mr. Keach I would but ask 1. Doth not he believe that persons are bound to agree to the Covenant of Grace and thereby engaged to love God and sincerely obey him and is not refusing to agree to this Covenant the damning Sin yea is not this Refusal the Heart of Unbelief And that 's all I there affirm 2. Is his Spirit in a right frame when he shall bring these words in my Catechism to prove that we are not justified upon believing till we do Good Works when in that short Catechism there is this Q. Is not a Believer pardoned before he can put forth any other Act of Obedience A. Thô true Faith is a certain Principle of Obedience yet so soon as we believe we are pardoned even before there can be time to put forth any other Acts of Obedience Yea how oft do I say in my Book that no Act of ours is a jot of the Righteousness for or by which we are justified but that is Christ's alone and yet this person fixeth the quite contrary on me and so batters in the dark and warneth all from hearing me The Lord humble and forgive such The Letter from the City c. seems rather to design a Turn than argue a Truth for as it weakly saith some things true and others erroneous so throughout he belies their Principles whom he exposeth if it be wilfully let his own serious Reviews give him his Character if ignorantly why should he intermeddle There are few Books written that pretend so much which may be so easily and much exposed Mr. C. is the Author I here deal with I have long read Books and from five years old have had no Employment besides my Studies yea before nineteen I was regularly admitted a Preacher yet I never met with a Tract parallel to his for abusive Language violent Rage and uncharitable Censures Many great Divines
disswade me from a Reply assuring me it was at best needless with their Advice I had complied but that I find the Ignorant believe his Misrepresentation of my Principle It 's amazing what Eye they read with if they read at all What 's become of Truth or Ingenuity that Professors dare affix these Doctrines to me which I a thousand times disown and never can ascribe any Passages to ground them on but are still forced to cry This is your meaning against my plain words and entire Scheme as thou wilt see in this Reply Mr. C. saith I juggle and equivocate when I declare I still speak my mind and must be the most inconsistent Fool if it were not so But what should induce me to juggle or equivocate I value not the Purses of any and in God's Cause I fear not the Abilities of the whole Party yea by more of God's presence I shall be reconciled to their fiery and clamorous Tongues which is their only formidable strength tho' the liberty they take doth not evidence a good Cause or a Christian Spirit They give out that I oft meet with Noblemen about a great Affair when I never spake with one of these Noblemen nor ever was once in any Meeting about that matter They assert Mr. How said he had not put his Hand to my Book but that I assured him Mr. M. would do the same when Mr. H affirms he never said any such thing but that after he had signed he desired me to ask Mr. M's Hand Others say that Hands were affixt without their leave which is too gross to reply to Nay they turn the effects of my sinking Distempers to my reproach the worst I wish them is Forgiveness and more Charity and Wisdom Obj. They say some of the first Subscribers did not read the whole Book A. The whole substance of the Book is in the Truths and Errors which they did peruse Obj. Do not some of the Subscribers recant A. Tho' they have been abused yet the only one that to me seem'd willing that his Name had been left out and that only because of the noise I offer'd to publish that he desir'd it but he hath forborn any such desire Two of these Authors pretend to great Piety in their Party above others the Lord encrease it in all but I am perswaded they call many Serious ones of their Party who live under the power of the contrary Truth and understand not the Errors of those for whose persons they may have regard There be a far greater number of humble meek heavenly Christians that abhor these Errors which they observe to alter much the Christian Calm and tender Frame of such that I hope are upright in the Substance And I heartily desire all of us would lay these Texts to Heart 1 Cor. 13. Though I have all Faith and have not Charity I am nothing Iam. 1. 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart that man's Religion is vain Iam. 3. 13 to 18. But the Wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated And it 's evident notwithstanding what Mr. C. saith of Passions p. 12. that a holy Fear with a siducial Consent to Christ tâ—…ds more to make a man's state safe and his walk exact than sudden Confidence or easie Perswasions It 's true Assurance should be endeavoured in our working out our Salvation with trembling and with fear yet Mr. Sedgwick was a man I 'll believe before Mr. C. or the Letter and he saith In my Conscience this is the general Opinion of ungodly men they hear Christ died to take away Sin and to make Peace for Sinners and therefore they will take no thought after Christ but will live basely and boldly in their sinful ways c. but Christ never yet made such a Reconciliation that all Sinners whatsoever though they live in Unbelief and Impenitency shall share in it but only penitent Sinners and believing Sinners S. of Cov. p. 258. I shall represent the true state of the points in debate that if any men will engage me to Edification and with Truth they may be directed The Controversie with Dr. C. my Book doth it so plainly that I hope all may see it there but the present Specimen more especially shall refer to Mr. C. who differs from many that help the noise though they will not see it 1. It is not whether a certain number of Sinners are of Free Grace elected to Faith and Iustification which I affirm but whether the Elect are required by the Gospel to believe that they may be justified which Mr. C. denies and I affirm 2. It is not whether the Gospel be such a Law as that Acts of Obedience to it stand in the place of legal Works so as that for them we are saved which I deny but whether the Gospel doth assure Salvation for Christ's Merits to such as obey it and threaten an exclusion from this Salvation against all such as disobey it This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 3. It is not whether we are justified by our Faith or any Act of ours as if they as Works or Qualifications were a jot of that Righteousness for which or by which we are justified this I deny but whether God hath fixed this as the Revealed Gospel-Rule that a man must be a penitent Believer whom God will justifie for Christ's Righteousness This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 4. It is not whether the Faith and Forgiveness of the Elect be the Fruits of Election and Distinguishing Mercy which I affirm but whether God hath a revealed Rule by which as Paternal Ruler he gives Pardon and Glory to Believers for Christ's sake and judicially withholds them from others whom he condemns not for their being unelected but for their final Impenitency and Unbelief This Mr. C. denies and I affirm To other of his Citations under his Third Principle add this p. 32. If you understand Judicial in respect of any Duty Grace or Qualification found in us tho' wrought by the Spirit I abhor it 5. It is not whether we are immediately justified upon believing before any Works which follow the first Act of Saving Faith this I affirm but whether if Faith should be ineffectual to Acts of sincere Holiness and to prevent Apostacy and utter Ungodliness would we be subject to Condemnation by the Gospel-Rule This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 6. It is not whether Holiness or Good Works are necessary to Salvation this they and I affirm but whether God doth require them as indispensible means of obtaining the possession of Salvation through Christ and declares that the total want of them and much more their Contraries shall expose to Misery This Mr. C. must deny and the Necessity they speak of is only a Physical Necessity not a moral Note 〈◊〉 two last Questions refer to the Adult that have time 7. It is not
Argument I shall in the strength of Christ evidence that the Law of Nature or Works is not a hindrance to the Gospels being a Law but that the Gospel is another Law distinct in its Precept and Sanction and other respects 1. The Gospel is distinct in its preceptive part from the Law of Innocency Faith in Christ was never commanded by that Law To say Faith in God was a Duty is a vain Objection for Faith in Christ as a Saviour is specified from its Object and is distinguished into temporary historical saving c. The Faith that Mr. C. saith Adam was wounded in was meerly a Faith of Assent which the Devils have or a natural Trust in God as Creator But what 's that to a receiving of Christ or consent to him as Redeemer and relyance on him Of which more by and by Is it not strange that Mr. C. saith The Law never brings us to God then Faith doth not for it's part of the Law c. But let 's hear what others speak Mr. Hooker of New E. p. 337. saith I flatly deny that Adam if the Lord Jesus had been revealed to him was able to believe in him and so to rest upon him c. the Reason to confirm this Point that Adam had not this Grace of Faith is this this believing in the Lord Jesus is that which doth directly cross the Estate of Adam in his Innocency c. He to p. 343. proves it and answers Objections P. 338. to one he thus says I answer that not believing in the Lord Christ is not a Sin against the Moral Law but it is a Sin against the Law of the Gospel 1 Ioh. 3. 23. Rom. 3. 28. Mr. Bulkley p. 327. lays down this That Faith in Christ unto Justification and Salvation the Commandment enjoyning this Faith is no Commandment of the Law but of the Gospel which I prove by these ensuing Arguments This he doth by no less than nine Arguments and answers many Objections from p. 327. to 335. and thus concludes Thus far we are come that the putting of Faith as a Condition of Life in the Covenant of Grace doth no whit derogate from the freeness of Grace D. Goodwin affirms That Faith now is of another kind than the Faith of Adam As to the Principle Objects Light c. ours is supernatural his natural and as you may see at large proves by several Reasons that his was but natural as 1. All other things belonging to him were natural c. and therefore it would be strange that if the Principle of Faith in him which then was not of general use should be supernatural c. 2. For him to have a supernatural Principle of Faith as we have was in him superfluous and vain This he shews because Adam's Covenant would not have brought him to Heaven 3. It would not only have been of no use but it would have made him miserable 4. And therefore our way of Faith must needs be supernatural and altioris ordinis from his c. which he proves 1. in the respect of the Objects revealed to our Faith which his Mind should never have arrived at 2. in regard to the Light by which our Minds are acted and elevated 3. in respect of the way or manner of Knowledge or Assent raised up thereby I might add the Testimony of one whom Mr. C. honoured who gives this reason in the present Debate saying viz. If Consent to the Covenant was a Duty by the Law then the Law did bind to its own dissolution But I suppose this may serve to shew that Faith in Christ was no Duty by the Law of Nature and therefore either it is a Command of the Gospel-Law or it is no Duty at all The like I might shew of Repentance which Melancthon's Followers prove against Flaccius Illyricus Obj. If any one should object Did not the Law of Nature bind us to do whatever God should at any time require A. You must consider 1. the Law of Nature less properly as the Rule of Happiness in the Covenant of Innocency and so it was appropriated to that state and was a particular Law of Works If so considered the several Precepts of it were written on Man's Heart and God and the Creatures ministred Instruction to the innate Light which was inherent in our Minds and that in a natural way Some Ruins of both are still preserved to fallen Man Rom. 1. 19 20. Cap. 2. 14. In this sence Faith and Repentance could have no place at all in the Law for it was a Law to govern and save Innocent Man but not to recover Sinful Man To suppose our own Perfection to be the Condition of Life and yet to be obliged at the same time to repent of Sin or believe in an aâ—…oning Saviour to have our Abilities immediately from God as Creator and a Stock in our own Hands and yet be obliged to depend on Christ as Mediator for all Strength are utterly inconsistent 2. If you take the Law of Nature for the remaining Instincts and Notices of it in Man which ought to be perfect and assisted and directed by the Works of God sure the Gospel must be another Law or else Heathens are able to find out Christ by the Book of Nature and engaged to receive him and rely on him though he were never revealed to them The reason is this the Law of Nature in this sence binds all the Heathens and its Precepts are engraven naturally upon their Hearts and God and his Works consider'd naturally direct their Minds 3. The Law of Nature may be considered most generally viz. as it is an Obligation upon Man to believe and obey whatever God shall any way or time reveal and require and to suffer for Disobedience what God shall threaten In this sence indeed the Law commands all Duty in general but it doth not deny the Gospel to be a special Law for this indeed doth oblige us to obey all God's Laws when he makes them Laws but it doth not determine any one Law nor give a Being to one particular Precept It 's the Foundation of our Obligation to submit to God's Authority as Creatures but appoints not wherein we must instance that subjection It 's the same as an Obligation among men to Allegiance to the supreme Power which I hope prevents not the Ruler's Acts to be Laws This Law of Nature subjects us to God's Threatnings which he shall pronounce at any time for Sin but determineth neither the sort nor degree of the threatned Evils This Law is common to good Angels Devils innocent Man fallen Man yea damned and glorified Man for they are all engaged as Creatures to obey the Laws of God when he enacts them and suffer what he threatens if they obey not But is the Gospel therefore no Law or only this Law of Nature Then Angels Devils and the Damned are obliged to believe in Christ for Salvation Do not say
God doth not require this of them for they are under this Law of Nature and so he doth require it of them or else it is some distinct special Law whereby he requires it of others and not of them By this Notion God never made any Law beside this one Law of Nature no positive Law no ceremonial Law for this Law of Nature did bind Man to observe them when God was pleased to command them and yet they were special Laws for all that And why then must the Command of Faith in Christ and Repentance for Remission be no Law when God commands them because the Law of Nature requires us to obey them when God doth command them What a Government do these men assign to God who allow him but one and the same Law to govern the whole Creation by when their state and circumstances be so different though all are his Creatures 4. As for such as confound the Law of Nature with the Law to Israel as taken into the Covenant of Grace I shall not think fit to say more to than this Though the carnal Iews did turn it into a Covenant of Works as if their imperfect Obedience and chargeable Sacrifices were the very Righteousness for which they were justified and so neglected Repentance and Faith in the Promise of Forgiveness for the sake of Christ who was typified in their Sacrifices nevertheless it was a Law of Faith and Repentance as Wittichius calls it p. 106. in cap. 2. v. 25. and therefore such great Titles are given it in the Old Testament and not as such is it opposed by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament it was the base perverting of it as exclusive of Faith in Christ and as opposing Gospel Institutions by Jewish Ordinances that he reprehends See Calvin on Ps. 19 9. he states the difference between the Law commended by David and as represented by Paul and saith that Paul had to do with the perverse Interpreters of the Law which separated it from the Grace and Spirit of Christ c. and sums up all in these words Haec diversa legis acceptatio c. This different acceptation of the Law easily reconciles the seeming difference in the words of David and Paul because Paul's purpose is to shew what the Law of it self viz. as it sincerely requires the Duty we owe to God without the Promise of Grace can do in us or for us but David commends the whole Doctrine of the Law which is the same with the Gospel and therefore includes Christ therein See Mr. Ball 's Arguments for the Covenant with Israel being the Gospel-Covenant and how the Precepts were Gospel-Precepts Indeed it 's true the matter of the Ten Commandments were much of the matter of the Law of Innocency but God did not deliver it to his Church as a Law to innocent Man but to fallen Man for his direction and recovery Therefore when any Authors take the Law as given on Sinai to be the Covenant of Grace they deny Faith to be commanded Adam in Innocency though they grant it requir'd in the Law at Sinai 2. The Sanction of the Gospel is not the same with the Law of Innocency which I shall evidence in the promissory and minatory parts I 'll begin with the promissory part I. The promissory part of the Gospel differs from that of the Law of Innocency 1. There are many things promised in the Gospel which that Law never promised Did that Law ever promise Union with Christ or the indwelling Spirit or Forgiveness of Sin or Perseverance Surely no But the Gospel doth all this Nay Dr. Goodwin urgeth many Arguments to prove that the Reward of Adam was to be only a continuance in the same Life he had in Paradise and not a translation to Heaven 2. The Rewards of the Law of Works were not promised on the same account as the Benefits promised by the Law of Grace be those were on the account of Works as a meriting Righteousness ours are by Free Grace on the account of Christ's sole meriting Righteousness Dr. Goodwin saith The Reward of the Law was in a just sence due of Debt unto the Creature and that from God Not that God can owe any thing to his Creature or be obliged for any thing to him but because in a way of natural Justice or rather Comeliness and Dueness such as is by the Law of Creation to be between a just Creator and a holy Creature there is an approbation due to him from God whilst that Creature obeys him and that as a Debt of Nature But I say all the claim we have is for Christ and ex pacto as the Free Promise assureth us 3. The Benefits are promised on different terms By the Law all was for perfect Sinless Obedience but the Gospel promiseth Pardon upon our true repenting and believing and we forfeit not our Interest in its Blessings if our Faith be effectual and persevering in sincere Holiness and Obedience 4. The Law of Adam did not justifie till the whole time of the trial of Obedience was finished It 's true it did continue the Blessings he had while he sinned not but it did not fix his state of Happiness till his trial was over but the Gospel puts us in a justified state upon our first believing II. The threatning part of the Gospel differs from that in Adam's Law 1. The Evils threatned are not wholly the same Here 's not only Death but that in sorer degrees Heb. 10. 29. 12. 25. God's Wrath will be more poured out and Conscience will find matter of sorer Reflections Here 's a privation of Christ and his Spirit and Pardon We are not only without them but we are barr'd from them because of our wicked refusal when they were sincerely offer'd us after our Apostacy If the Gospel were no Law we could not be obliged to more Misery than Adam brought us under yea and Adam could not be our full Representative in his Covenant if we are capable of encreasing our Misery by that Law without disobedience to a new one 2. The Gospel doth not denounce Death for the same Sins as Adam's Law did that Law threatned Death for the least Sin yea for one Sin but the Gospel threatens Death not for every Sin it doth not bar every Sinner from actual Relief but the impenitent unbelieving and utterly ungodly Hypocrite 3. The Gospel binds not Damnation on us unless we are finally impenitent Unbelievers If at any time of life we truly repent and believe we shall find Mercy but Adam's Law denounced him miserable on his first Sin III. There be a great many other Differences viz. in Adam's Law God acted as meer Creator in the Law of Grace he acts as Redeemer as well as Creator in Adam's Law Men were considered as innocent and sinless in the Gospel we are considered as Sinners by that Law God governed us as happy in order to
that I forbear more Testimonies But why are Gospel-Threatnings a Bull No doubt because the Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings And indeed is it bad news that Sinners shall be saved if they repent and believe and many shall believe Will nothing be glad tidings but that they shall be saved tho' they neither repent nor believe This indeed was a Message unfit for God to send and tho' Mr. C. calls it a Bull Christ hath solemnly declared as the Lord of the N. Testament that they who believe not the Wrath of God abideth in them This cannot be a Threatning of Adam's Law for those Threatnings respected every Sin It is true the Unbeliever is damned for other Sins by rejecting Christ but what makes those Sins damning to him in the event notwithstanding the Offers of Life Is it every Sin will do this Will a vain Thought exclude a man from Pardon as much and as surely as final Unbelief Surely no But yet the Threatning of Adam's Law denounced Death against any Sin as much and as certainly as against final Infidelity and so did not appropriate Death to Infidelity as the Gospel-Threatning doth Besides is it an abiding of Wrath on us which Adam's Law threatned No it was the first bringing of Wrath on them that were free before III. TESTIMONIES that God hath declared a fixed Rule by which He pardons adopts and glorifies Sinners which Rule is his Gospel and not his Secret Decree To prevent mistake know that I speak not of the first Grace which He gives to all the Elect but I speak of Pardon and Glory which he hath promised upon Terms and judicially denies to them that refuse Christ. They put this Q. How is the Grace of God c A. The Grace of God is manifested in the second Covenant in that He freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him and requiring Faith as the Condition to interest them in him c. Here thou feest Faith is a Condition and a Condition required and this required to interest us in Christ No Interest but in conforming to this Rule that requires Faith to this end He De Christo grâ—…tis justificante p. 244. Conditio vero c. The Condition whereby we are properly justified is this That we believe in Christ and cleave to him by a constant profession c. P. 251 252. I ask When Salvation is promised freely for Christ's sake will the absolute Promise save all men promisâ—…uously for the sake of Christ without the limit of any Condition I think no such thing Go on then When this Promise belongs but to some and that only upon a certain Condition who then are those on whom this Promise properly falls Thou must say the Believer c. P. 297. Q. What Sinners are justified by Christ A. Those who enclined by a serious remorse bewail their Sins and displeased at themselves do recollect themselves with their whole Soul and are converted to Christ with an entire Faith these are the only Sinners whom Faith without Works doth justifie And p 311. Repentance prepares the Matter to receive Justification but the cause of Justification is Faith Consult these Canons of the Synod of Dort p. 289. The Promise of the Gospel is that whoever believeth on Christ crucified shall not perish but have everlasting Life which Promise with the Command of Faith and Repentance ought to be declared and proposed promiscuously and without distinction to all men to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel But the reason why many that are called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe on Christ but perish in their Unbelief is not truly any want or insufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice offer'd on the Croâ—…s but through their own fault And the Synod adds p. 302. Quotquot autem c. But as many as are called by the Gospel are seriously called for God doth seriously and most truly declare in his Word what is pleasing to him viz. That they that are called should come to him and unfeignedly promiseth Rest for their Souls and eternal Life to all that come and believe I have cited these to shew that God sets down this general common Rule to all in his Gospel It 's not one Rule to the Elect and another to the Non-elect it 's the same to all Would the Reprobate obey the Call of the Gospel he should have Eternal Life And the Elect do obey this Call and thereupon obtain Eternal Life I could give very many instances out of this Book where Faith is called the Condition P. 105 Salvation is the thing promised in the new Covenant neither is it promised but upon the Condition of Faith Seeing therefore that all men have not Faith in Christ under which alone Condition is Salvation promised it is certain that Christ's Death hath not purchased the Restauration to a state of Grace and Salvation for all men but only for Believers See p. 12. God willeth that the obtaining of Life should be suspended on condition of foregoing Faith P. 76 77. When the Gospel is preached to Men an Experiment is made how they will prove as to Faith and Obedience if they acquit themselves in these they receive the Blessing of Eternal Life from God And p. 14. There is no Interest in Christ or Christian Religion to be obtained without Repentance from dead Works See p. 12 13 14. The removal hereof viz. Enmity of our Minds by wicked Works consists in this Repentance for that is our turning unto God upon the Terms of Peace tender'd to us c. All Doctrines Notions and Perswasions that tend to alleviate the necessity of Personal Repentance c. are pernicious to the Souls of Men c. P. 15. It hath an absolute inconsistency with the especial Righteousness of His Nature Christ and which he exerciseth as supreme Rector and Judge of all that any such should stand in his sight c. and for the Lord Jesus it would plainly make him the Minister of Sin c. and the Gospel doth openly propose Pardon of all sorts of Sin to all sorts of persons that shall believe and obey it If the Gospel did this without annexing to its Promise the Condition of Repentance never was there nor can there be so great an Encouragement to all sorts of Sin and Wickedness He on Ps. 130. p. 141. And this Connexion of Repentance and Forgiveness is that Principle from whence God convinceth a stubborn unbelieving People that all his ways and dealings with Sinners are just Ezek. 18. 25. and should there be any failure in it they could not be so if out of love to Sin or the power of Unbelief he refuse to close with him on these Terms his Condemnation is just P. 136. After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance he would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his Hands He
Act they are such ungodly ones as believing Abram was 5. Their Faith doth not merit Pardon nor is it the Righteousness by which they are pardoned that 's Christ's alone 6. Faith or the first Grace is far from making a Sinner sound or whole before Pardon it makes him sound but as being the Condition upon which Christ's Righteousness will be applied to him for healing but without this applied to the Believer for Pardon he would be miserable notwithstanding Faith 7. Faith is necessary to our Interest in Pardon see cap. 12. 8. This Faith is an effect of the Work of the Spirit on the Heart of a Sinner in effectual Vocation and by Vocation there is a change of the Soul and its prior to Pardon Whom he called them he justified Rom. 8. 30. Lest they should be converted and I should heal them Mat. 13. 15. Act. 26. 18. The Sanctification which follows Justification doth not import that there 's no Calling before nor that begun habitual Holiness is not infused in Vocation But I would ask 1. Q. What kind of Faith is that by which we are justified if there be no Work of the Spirit on the Heart Is it a vital Act before Life Is it the Faith of God's Elect when it proceeds from an unregenerate Heart Is it an Act of an enlighten'd Mind before the Mind be enlighten'd or Can they see Christ before their Eye be opened Is it an Act of the Will before the Will be at all determined by Grace Is it a receiving of Christ while the Heart is yet under an utter aversion to him Is it a renouncing of all for Christ whilst the byass of the Heart is against Christ and for other things above him and against him Do we believe before we are made a willing People Can it be an Effect of Infinite Power and make no change in the principle of our Actings Or can that Principle be and yet have place neither in Understanding or Will It 's true as they describe Faith a man may be Evangelically ungodly and yet believe because it 's a Faith common to the most prophane who perswade themselves all is safe though Destruction is near and this while they hate and reject Christ with their whole Heart How can it be a Faith unfeâ—…gned while Villany and Hypocrisie reign in the Soul Or be adapted to such great Operations whilst in its whole Essence there is nothing which argues the least alteration on the Soul or operation of the Holy Spirit Here 's the Faith of a dead Soul of an unregenerate Soul of an unconverted Soul and by such a Faith we are justified they say But 2. Q. How dare these men pretend to agree with our Orthodox Divines when they are so plain against them Read the Assemblies lesser Catechism Q. What is Effectual Calling A. Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery enlightening our Minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our Wills he doth perswade and enable us to embrace Iesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel Q. What Benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this Life A. They that are effectually called do in this Life partake of Iustification Adoption Sanctification and the several Benefits which in this Life do either accompany or flow from them Reader is not the Assembly plain that a man is called before he is justified When Justification is a Benefit that the Called and none but they partake of and this Benefit supposeth them effectually called who partake of it let 's next see who are called Is there no change made upon them by effectual Vocation Sure there is and this in order to their embracing Christ which is Believing They are convinced of Sin and Misery their Minds are enlighten'd with the Saving Knowledge of Christ. Their Wills are renewed they are perswaded and enabled to put forth that Act of Faith whereby they embrace Christ. Is here no change Sure it 's a great one in the Understanding and Will too and all this to make a man an Object of Justification And shall these men face us down as if we differ'd from the Assembly Nay do not all our Orthodox plead against the Arminians that there is the infused Habit of Faith before the Act yea and that most Habits are infused at once and included in the vital Principle What heaps of Testimonies could I produce for this Yea is it not our common Principle that Vocation is before Justification Herewith agree the Canons of the Synod of Dort par 1. p. 303. Hooker's Effect Calling p. 344 345. Mr. C. saith p. 123. Hence Justification is set after Vocation and therefore after Faith because Faith is wrought in Vocation Norton p. 260 261 263. Union in order of Nature followeth Vocation p. 291. So also Ball of Cov. p. 334 339. See how Mr. Rutherford exposeth this Error p. 131. and p. 111 112. he sets down this as the Gospel-Order 1. The Sinner dead in Sin a Son of Wrath 2. a Walker after the Errours of this World 3. The Gospel of Free Grace is preached to the Dead the elect Heirs of Wrath c. 4. The Law and Curses of it preached with the Gospel lest they despair to humble them 5. The Sinner legally humbled Rom. 7. 11. with a half hope of Mercy prepared for Christ c. 6. The stony Heart of meer Grace removed in the same moment a new Heart put in him or the Habit of Sanctification put in him 7. In the same moment the Soul believeth in him that justifieth the Ungodly 8. In the same moment God for Christ's sake of meer Grace justifieth the believing Sinner Is not here a new Heart in order of Nature before Faith and that Faith before Justification tho' not in time Mr. C. p. 22. When I had affirmed that in Adam's Law Life was promised to sinless Obedience c. and that Salvation is now impossible by that Law but that God in the Gospel promiseth Blessings on lower Terms viz. unfeigned Faith c. Mr. C. answers To talk of any obedience to that Law besides sinless in respect of that Law in its preceptive part is nonsence for sinful Obedience which you are going to plead for is Disobedience And p. 26. I roundly assert that no Law of God with a Sanction of Life and Death upon performance or non-performance of Obedience doth admit of the least imperfection in the said Obedience He oft speaks in this manner whence I think this is his Principle That God hath not promised any Benefit for Christ's sake upon any terms short of perfect Obedience and sincere Faith Love and Holiness because imperfect are formally downright Disobedience or Sin which is the same Rep. 1. I grant sincere Faith and Holiness be imperfect as to the preceptive part of Adam's Law 2. I grant that nothing imperfect can be a meritorious Righteousness
for which we are justified c. But yet I wonder 1. that any man dare say that God hath promised no beneficial Effects of Christ's Merits upon any Terms short of Perfection tho' not for them as the meriting Cause Ioh. 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Mat. 8. 13 15. If ye forgive c. Mar. 11. 25. If we confess our sins 1 Ioh. 1. 9. He is just to forgive Rom. 10. 9. If confess with thy mouth and believe with thy heart thou shalt be saved What 's Repentance unto Life c It seems the meaning of these words is If thou confess and art sinlesly perfect God will forgive Or else tho' I promise thus yet I mean that it 's all as one whether thou confess or not believe or not repent or not it shall make no difference in thy Interest in the promised Forgiveness 2. It 's as strange that the most sincere Action or Grace is Disobedience or Sin because it is imperfect Iniquity cleaves to them but are they therefore Iniquity Is there no Gospel mitigation so as to admit sincere Grace to be true Grace tho' it be not perfect Grace It seems the Saints have weaker Vices but no Graces their Duties are something less Sins but no obediential Acts their Love is an abated Hatred but not truly Love they are meer Dung only they do not smell so strong Is not this to spit in the Face of the most of the Bible It speaks oft of an inherent Righteousness true Graces real Godliness and good Fruits it praiseth Saints for these but it seems we perswade People only to Disobedience when we call them to believe and they try themselves by their Sins when they try themselves by marks of Sanctification and there 's no specifick difference between the best and worst action they do all is Disobedience and but Disobedience 3. And where 's the strength of what is so roundly affirmed viz. No Law of God with a Sanction admits of the least Imperfection in the said Obedience Then if the Gospel as including Adam's Precepts commands Perfection it cannot forgive any Imperfection if it do not abate the Rule of Duty it cannot confer any degree of its promised Mercy But Sir you confound the extent of the Precept with that degree of Obedience to it which is made the Condition of its promised Benefit May not a humane Law command many things and yet confine its Sanction to one part yea and vary its Threaâ—…s or Promises by many different circumstances in the Offenders or Obeyers Doth he indeed think that whereever God enjoyns Duties he denounceth his Threatning to all degrees of neglect of what he makes a Duty or that it ceaseth to be a Duty at all if the Sanction reach not every degree of omission Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Is not it a Duty here to be baptized Yes sure But shall none be saved if they are not baptized thô they do believe The Sanction then falls not on all the Precept or none of the Unbaptized can be saved The unsoundness of this Principle will appear to thee in most practical Books thou readest and the Orthodox are positive in the contrary What more common than the difference between legal and evangelical Obedience It 's stated by Sedgwick on the Cov. p. 652. Dr. Iacomb Rom. 8. p. 23. Rutherford Ant. p. 8. Davenant on Colos. p. 17. Ames spends a Chapter to prove against Bellarmin that our Good Works are not Sins quoad essentiam Mr. C's Father p. 130. Neither is that Obedience which is required of Believers a strict and exact conformity to the Law as it doth in it self require and demand a legal Obedience but evangelical Obedience which stands in the desire resolution and endeavour to obey God's revealed Will. And p. 222. saith The imperfect Good Works that are done by the Faithful are accounted Righteousness or as Mr. Calvin saith are accounted for Righteousness they being dipped in the Blood of Christ i. e. they are accounted righteous actions and so the Faithful shall be judged according to their Good Works thô not saved for them Dr. Owens p. 72. God hath abolished the Covenant of Works by substituting a new one in the room of it because it could not expiate Sin nor could approve of such an Obedience as poor sanctified Sinners were able to yield unto God for it requires Perfection when the best they can attain to in this Life is only Sincerity c. and in this Covenant God hath provided for the acceptance of sincere tho' imperfect Obedience which the Law had no respect to Mr. C. p. 23. Christ our Redeemer gives Commands and exerts a Kiâ—…gly Power in Government of his Church and hath Iudgment committed to him but these are not the Gospel-Conditions of Life unto Sinners propounded in the Gospel God doth not require Obedience to the Laws of Christ in his Church as foederal Conditions of Eternal Life Such Obedience is part of the Life promised c. Repl. Not to expose the Passages before this as if because the Gospel in a large sence includes all the moral Precepts therefore taken in a strict sence it makes all those Precepts and perfect Obedience to them the Condition of its peculiar Benefits and as if Christ's Law did not bind a person morally impotent and that Men must be first pardoned before they are obliged to submit to Christ and that there is no difference between such a tast of Pardoning Mercy as assures us we shall have Pardon on Gospel-Terms and our actually having that Pardon before those Terms be yielded to At this rate he reasons throughout his Book but I mind greater things than the discovery of his Weakness therefore to his Principle I answer He gives Christ as Redeemer a poor Kingdom it 's a Kingly Power but it 's of a low sort 1. It s extent is small it 's bounded within his Church it seems then he hath no Authority over them that are without no not to command them to be Church-Members I thought tho' he be acknowledged King by his Church yet his Laws bind much farther I am sure he damns others for disobeying him But 2. by these words He is not such a King as can make Laws in his very Church He exerts a Kingly Power in governing of his Church This is distinguished by Mr. C. from giving Commands The sound of this Passage is He gives Commands as an Officer acting not in a proper Legislation 3. Allow what he prescribes to be His Laws in any sence yet there 's no Salvation depends upon obeying them Nothing He requires yea by his Revealed Gospel are any Conditions of Life He came to purchase Salvation but he hath no Authority to enjoyn the Terms of it Whereas I read that for this end he died that he might be Lord of the dead and of the living
He is the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him If a man keep my Sayings he shall never see death He that doth my Commandments and keepeth them he loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Iudgment also because he is the Son of Man He that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation It seems too that Church-Censures bind nothing of eternal danger even when rightly administred Dr. Owens in his Treatise of the Sabbath says near these words That our worshipping Christ in his Ordinances on Earth is the Condition of our being with him in Heaven 4. The Reason for all this is strange such Obedience is part of the Life promised then he rendred the Elect Libertines when he made such Promises He promised to make the Elect obedient therefore he cannot command them to be so Pursuant to his Promise he 'll make them obedient therefore the Terms to be obeyed are no foederal Conditions of other Blessings promised on those Terms because he 'l see they shall believe therefore he must not thus enact Believe and thou shalt be saved 5. But is there no distinction admittable in the word Life It 's sometimes put for Grace in us sometimes for Glory consummated sometimes it 's put strictly for the saving priviledge part of the Covenant as consequent to the Terms of it and that believing ye might have Life In this sence he saw I took it And doth God in every Promise of Life in this sence promise Obedience to the Terms of it 6. A few lines after these he determines the Judgment committed to Christ It 's not Legislation at all nay all of it is not Gospel-Iudgment he might have said none of it for with him the Gospel is no Law and so no Rule of Judgment Nay worst of all his Judgment is only to destroy not to save i. e. his Reward as Redeemer is to be Executioner of Adam's Law without conditional Offers of Pardon to any that are not saved for if there be no foederal Sanction in the Gospel there can be no conditional Offer to any that are not saved nay to none that are saved Now Reader see how Christ as Redeemer is honoured by Mr. C. He shall be of use to excuse us from loyal subjection while himself is dethroned as to the rectoral way of the application of his Merits This very point of Christ's regal Authority as Redeemer hath been defended by our Divines hitherto and I am sure he 'l take vengeance on them who obey not his Gospel I might instance others of his Principles which I suppose agree with Dr. Crisp as in his Description of Faith which he hints p. 36. and I have heard him more fully define it by assurance of our Pardon In that place he makes Faith of no use but to claim Possession to which it seems we had as full a Title before we believed And p. 17. Mr. C. After the manner of imputation in foro justitiae our Sins shall never be laid on us viz. the Elect qua-Elect Which I will prove against you when you will Rep. Let 's understand the Question for it is too confused What is this After the manner of imputation in foro c Do you mean the Elect shall never come to God's Bar of Judgment before they believe and are forgiven If so I grant it But if you mean that the past Sentence of God binds not the Sins of the Elect upon them while they are Unbelievers and that this Act of his by his Word is not an Imputation in foro divinae justitiae I freely accept your Challenge so that you will engage to avoid unruly Passions And it 's well if those Effects of Electing Love which Paul had applied to him in the Womb are not semen quoddam electionis which Calvin so condemns Of the same sort is what Mr. C. saith p. 34. of 2 Cor. 5. 18. Rep. 1 God is so reconciled that no want of atonement shall prevent Peace 2. That upon this atonement God offers Peace on the lowest Terms 3. That the Elect shall in time be enabled to obey those Terms and be actually reconciled 4. But the whole Canon of the Word and unopposed in this place assures me that the Elect are in a state of Wrath till they believe yea were God actually reconciled to them he could not suffer them to remain Enemies in their Minds by wicked Works and a total absence of his Spirit But I have not room for these and the like Mr. C. p. 10. After a certain zealous Neonomian had taken his Leave of us And p. 22. you play the Iugler more He saith Quoniam Christus Mediator c. being that both Christ the Mediator and Faith in Christ are only means of the restauration of Man to God by Holiness and Love Therefore it must doubtlesly be said that from the nature of the thing Faith Holiness and the Love of God are more necessary to Salvation than either Faith in Christ or the Sacrifice of Christ himself There 's a â—…one for you to pick. Rep. These are Mr. Baxter's words and had I been in his stead I should not have given so much occasion to simple Readers to startle but being the only seeming Difficulty Mr. C. hath put me to except the exercise of Patience I 'll see if the Offence may be prevented 1. Mr. B. doth not here compare the causal Influence of Christ's Satisfaction with our Holiness nor the use of Faith in Christ with Faith in God as the way of Life is now appointed by the Divine Will If any man had asked Mr. B. Is Holiness as meritorious of Salvation as Christ's Satisfaction is he would have answered No for Christ's Satisfaction is the sole meritorious cause of Salvation and Holiness is none at all If you had ask'd Mr. B. Is Faith-Love to God of that use to receive Christ for our Justification as Faith in Christ is he would have answer'd No Faith in Christ is in it self most apâ—… and by the Lord appointed to this use to receive Christ. Both these he ofâ—… affirms 2. Mr. B. here speaks only of the comparative necessity of these to Salvation with respect to the nature of the thing it self that is as he explains himself it cannot be a Salvation without Holiness at least habitual it 's a Contradiction as it would be to say Salvation without Salvation It is not whether is more necessary now to my obtaining Salvation as if I should ask whether is more necessary to the Essence of Man his Humanity or Christ's Satisfaction you would say from the nature of the thing
of Christ. I have already instanced that I denied any Grace or Work to be any Cause at all 9th Head also that Christ's Righteousness is the sole meritorious Cause or Matter of our Justification which is imputed to us 4 5 6 Heads and that our Works follow Faith and Pardon and neither Faith nor Works are any Price Atonement or moving or procuring Cause 6 11 Heads and elsewhere yea and that we are to renounce a Thought of this Do I then oppose Christ or compare any Holiness with him I shall add Cap. 19. p. 198. I own we should esteem the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions to be Dung if compared with Christ as meritorious of Justification And p. 202. Who must not own that compared with Christ the best thing in us is vile yea compared with his Righteousness And p. 210. We must teach the best man to renounce all the Grace he hath and Good he doth as it being the least atonement for Sin or least purchase of Life or any addition of Merit to Christ or sharing in what is peculiar to him And Cap. 21. p. 225. I condemn any that preach that our best Obedience doth not deserve Wrath by the Law or that it doth not need Forgiveness or is any Supplement of Christ's Righteousness yea or to neglect to call men to renounce all in themselves as any atonement for Sin or cause of Pardon and that we must look to Christ as the only Propitiation Purchaser of all our Blessings and Cause of the acceptance of our Persons and Performances Reader I have given thee a few of those many places Having finish'd this first point propos'd I will appeal to thy Conscience whether I can with any shadow of Justice be charged with those Principles which this Brother fixeth upon me I hope he did not wilfully expose me in the face of such Evidence The words in my Preface lead not to the least suspicion yea are positive to the contrary and therefore how he saith this is my sence when I must not only equivocate but grosly contradict my self and that in places where I state the Question must encrease the Wonder Neither is there the least pretence except that I assert that though Pardon and Salvation are all Free Gifts and the Merits of Christ are imputed as the sole meritorious Cause of all yet God as our Ruler hath appointed a Method in the Gospel for the dispensing of them and doth confer them in that Method and ordains a Gospel-Ministry in a consistency therewith and in a subserviency thereto This Scheme any man may see in my very Preface and morethrough the whole Book 2. I shall attempt if possible to make my sence intelligible to the most vulgar Apprehension to this end I premise 1. God may be considered in his Dispensations towards fallen men as a meer Proprietor and Benefactor and not as Rector or Ruler and so men must be considered meerly as Creature-Objects of his Benefits and not at all as rational Subjects to be now governed and hereafter judged If you look at God thus absolutely conferring Benefits then the way is this He eternally elects to Glory a certain number of men whom he sore saw undone by Adam's Fall he appoints his Son to undertake their recovery as the sole covenanting Party with him in the Covenant of Redemption he was to satisfie Justice merit Glory and make them physically meet for it This is all true and sometimes prophetically declared thus and the event as to the Elect is as certain as if God dealt no otherwise with Man on this side Death But if this be the whole Method of GOD with Men as some account it how much of the Bible is unintelligible and vain how much is contradicted and a great part of God's manifold Wisdom obscured and denied which shines forth in his present Paternal Dominion as Redeemer 2. God may be considered as a Ruler Proprietor and Benefactor conjunctly We may look at him as communicating his Benefits in a way of Government and that in many things not exclusive of his absolute Propriety That this is his Method I have proved in my Book Cap. 8 13 20. and other Chapters and may hereafter more confirm it Herein God connects Benefits with Duties offers Pardon and Glory upon Terms deals with Men as Subjects whom he now governs and will hereafter judge without respect of Persons and to that end hath set down his Rules by which he now sentenceâ—…h by the Word and will at the great day do it by the Person of Christ all which suppose Christ's Merits and the Ability to obey and Benefits given for his sake alone It 's true he discovers his absolute Propriety in not giving the same Means or the same internal Grace to all which will no doubt fully appear to be equal He doth also discover himself peculiarly beneficent to his Elect for whom Christ merited all and infallibly brings about his purpose concerning them by making them obedient to the Conditions of whatever saving Benefits his Gospel promiseth upon Conditions But yet he dispenseth the promised Benefits as a just Rector or Ruler according to the Offers made to all Pursuant hereto our Ministry is appointed to propose Blessings to all in the same way and upon the same Terms and to assure all that upon those Terms and no other they shall obtain those Benefits for the sake of Christ. Can any think we dare make the same Offers to the Devils as to every man or to the Damned as we can to all men alive Dare we say to them after Death If you will now believe you shall yet be saved turn now and you shall yet live On the other hand dare we say to an Elect Unbeliever if we knew him Elect thou shalt be forgiven though thou dost not believe thy Unbelief is no Bar to thy Salvation by any Threatning of God declared against thee Is Sentence past on all men in Adam or on the Elect in Christ's Person that God deals with neither in a way of Government as in any state of Trial for Eternity There 's an end of that Preaching which God hath fitted and most blessed to the conversion of Souls if this be true Mr. Chancy's Father in Doct. of Iustific p. 117. Mind you your Duty God hath ordained the End with the Means and therefore though it were revealed to thee from Heaven that thou shalt certainly be saved yet I might truly say to thee except thou believe and repent thou shalt perish c. The Offer of Christ in the Gospel this shews what he would have us to do even to repent and believe Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. shews They might say to a Judas If thou believe thou shalt be saved and to a John If thou believe not thou shalt be damned p. 89 90. Having premised these things I shall familiarly deliver my real Thoughts as to what men ignorantly accuse me of and pitch upon Forgiveness of
Sin as a word most intelligible to ordinary Readers Q. Who forgiveth Sin A. It 's God in Christ forgives Sin Q. What is it for God to forgive our Sins A. To absolve us from obligation to endure those undoing Punishments due for the Sins which he forgives Q. For what doth God forgive our Sins A. Only for the Merits and Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Q. Whose Sins doth God forgive A. The Believer's Sins though he be a Sinner Q. Is our Faith the Righteousness for or by which we are forgiven A. No this would put up Faith in the room of Christ. Q. Doth God accept of Faith or any imperfect Obedience instead of perfect legal Obedience as the Righteousness for or by which he counts us worthy of Pardon and Eternal Life as if He for Christ's sake had abrogated the Law for this end A. No for this were to exclude Christ's Merits from being the immediate procuring Cause of our Pardon and Eternal Life which with all Saving Blessings are the Fruits of his Merits and Satisfaction Q. Is not Faith or any thing in Man the Cause of Forgiveness A. No because Forgiveness is a Mercy which no Grace or Act of ours hath any causal Influence into Q. Is Faith or any Act of ours any Price of Forgiveness A. No Forgiveness is a Free Gift and of Free Grace and Mercy Q. Is Faith or any Act of ours a foreseen Motive to encline God to purpose offer or give us Forgiveness for it A. No it 's of meer Grace that God resolved and for Christ's sake actually forgives us when we believe Q. Will God certainly forgive a Sinner when he believes A. Yes because he hath promised to do so Q. Will God forgive all the Elect A. Yes when they do believe Q. Did God decree and did Christ merit that the Elect might be only capable of being forgiven if they do believe A. No for God decreed and Christ merited that the Elect should certainly believe and so be infallibly forgiven Q. Will not God forgive the Elect before they do believe A. No because he hath not promised to forgive any while they are Unbelievers yea He hath declared he will forgive no Unbeliever Q. What is that Faith in Christ which you perswade to A. Such a Trust in Christ my crucified Saviour as brings me to receive a whole Christ in opposition to all Rivals for Justification Sanctification and Glory relying on his Merits Fulness Power and Care to perform in his own way what he hath promised and I stand in need of Q. Must not we receive Forgiveness before we receive Christ himself A. No we must receive Christ himself and with him his Benefits though I must first believe that there is Forgiveness in him for me as well as for other Sinners if I will accept of him Q. How come we to believe A. By the Work of the Spirit in our effectual Calling Q. Have we not an Interest in Christ as Members of him before we do believe A. No we have no claim to the Priviledges of Christ's Members until we believe But yet when the Spirit effectually calls us Christ thereby takes hold of us to make us Members and by Faith we receive him for our Head and so have the Priviledges and Benefits of his Members as in Marriage both Parties consent before the Wife hath claim to the Priviledges of a Wife Q. Doth not Faith entitle us to Forgiveness A. No yet by Faith I have a certain Interest in Forgiveness Q. What doth entitle us to Forgiveness A. The Promises of God entitle us to Forgiveness for Christ's sake when we do believe Q. Hath God declared any Rule by which he gives Forgiveness to one rather than another A. Yes his Gospel wherein he declares he will forgive them that believe Q. What use is Faith of to Forgiveness A. Not to merit not to buy not to cause Forgiveness but it answers that Gospel-Rule by which God applies Christ's Righteousness for our participation of this as one of the effects of his Death Q. Have we a Right to Forgiveness for Christ's sake upon our believing A. The Promise gives us a Right to Forgiveness by Christ's Merits when we believe Q. When God forgives us doth he judge us to be Believers A. Yes for he hath declared he will forgive none but Believers Q. Will God hereafter more publickly declare us to be Believers A. Yes 〈◊〉 in the day of Judgment where he will publickly pass that Sentence which he by the Gospel now passeth upon every Soul Q. Is it any thing in the nature of Faith as a Work whereby a Believer comes to be forgiven rather than an Unbeliever A. No tho' God did think fit to chuse this Grace as fittest to honour Christ make use of his Promise c. yet its availableness is from God's Ordination and Promise wherein he hath made Faith a Condition of Forgiveness Q. Why do not you use the word Instrument A. Besides the improperness of that word as the Act of a Sinner who is the Object of God's justifying Act which is a forensick or judicial Act I think it ascribes too much to Faith as a Work and like not to hear it made a Cause and to have a causal influence on Forgiveness yet I believe the Learned mean no more by it than a moral Instrument which is the same with a Condition and therefore they use these words promiscuously Q. But do not they say we are forgiven by Faith only as it is related to Christ's Righteousness c A. So do I say and add that the use of any other Gospel-Condition of any other Benefit is only as that Condition relates to Christ But how comes Faith related to Christ's Righteousness but as the Promise declareth if thou believe thou shalt be forgiven for Christ's Righteousness imputed Q. But are not we justified by Faith A. No otherwise than as God hath declared Christ's Righteousness shall justifie them that believe Q. Doth not Faith take hold of or look to approve of relye on and accept of Christ and his Righteousness for Pardon A. Yes and therein is its fitness above any other Grace But that would not forgive us if it were not ordained by the Will of God that they who thus take hold of Christ and his Righteousness should be justified by the Righteousness of Christ when they take hold of it Q. But do not you affirm that Repentance is necessary to our being forgiven A. Yes not to Pardon in it self but to our obtaining it and have proved this Cap. 12. but I do not put it in the same place with Faith noâ—… do I insist upon the whole of Repentance but I affirm that no man will look to Christ that seeth not his own Misery and no man doth accept of Christ that doth not purpose to leave his Sin and Idols neither do in a manner any solid Writers deny the presence and necessity of so much of it with Faith