Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	heart_n	work_n	7,151	5	5.4540	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66343	The answer to the report, &c., which the united ministers appointed their committee to draw up, as in the preface also letters of the Right Reverend the Bishop of Worcester, and the Reverend Dr. Edwards to Mr. Williams, against whom their testimony was produced by Mr. Lob : and animadversions on Mr. Lob's defence of The report / by Daniel Williams.	Williams, Daniel, 1643?-1716.; Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.; Edwards, John, 1637-1716.	1698 (1698)	Wing W2645; ESTC R9333	67,736	107

to the Articles they had chosen to insist upon whereas we might have provided against each of Dr. Crisp's Errors A good issue of this Paper was expected by many of us But to our grief it was rejected and no Answer sent us concerning it to this very day Yea a Coalition hereupon was chearfully hoped for by us even after their Friends had Nov. 7. 1694. Necessitated four of our Number to leave the Lecture at Pinners-Hall and all such of the dissenting Brethren who were managers of ●he reiief for Poor Ministers had deserted their Assoiates with other things not so directly belonging to the Body of United Ministers as such But alas as they had generally absented from us long before all the Bre●hren call'd Congregational except the Reverend and Upright Mr. Barker and a very few more joyned as a separate Party from us in the Monday 's Meeting at Pinners-Hall with the Ministers who had opposed the Union ever since it was concluded The temper of our Brethrens Spirits the methods taken to expose us their disappointing us so often when we thought they had been obliged And the unsuccessfulness of so many probable attempts for Re-union might well discourage any further endeavours yet when we heard that any of these Brethren had the least disposition towards Peace we applyed our selves to an Accommodation In order thereunto the Reverend Dr. Bates Mr. Hammond Mr. Hill and Mr. Slater in concurrence with Mr. How and Mr. Williams were desired to draw up a proposal which they brought to our Meeting as that wherein they were all agreed and after we had several days considered the same it was unanimously assented to and sent by us in a Letter to our Brethren The Paper by the Report called the third Paper which was sent by the Vnited Brethren to such as had left the Vnion WHereas some unhappy Differences have arisen among us principally about the Doctrin of Justification as set forth in Mr. Williams's Book entituled Gospel Truth Stated to which several of our Names are pre●ixt we being willing to give all reasonable satisfaction therein for the removing the present and preventing all future Differences which will otherwise tend to the dishonour of God disquiet of his Churches and danger of Souls do here by declare our Judgment concerning the same That we adhere to our former Approbation of the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England or Confession of Faith compiled by the Assembly at VVestminster or that at the Savoy as agreeable to the word of God and particularly to the Articles collected by us out of the Confession with the Catechisms compiled by the same Assembly printed 1693. A●d further declare That if any shall express himself disagreeably thereto in any momentous Points of Doctrin we will with Brotherly candour and kindness endeavour to give and receive just satisfaction therein bearing with one anothers Infirmities and different Sentiments in matters of lesser weight not contending about Logical or Philosophical Terms or meer Human Forms of Speech not judging it reasonable or just to charge upon any such consequences of any expression or opinion of his which he himself shall disown And we further declare as to the special matters in difference I. Concerning Justification That altho the express word of God do assert the necessity of Regeneration to our entring into the Kingdom of God and requires Repentance that our Sins may be blotted out and Faith in Christ that we may be justified and Holiness of Heart and Life without which we cannot see God Yet that none of these or any work done by Men or wrought by the Spirit of God in them is under any Denomination whatsoever any part of the Righteousness for the sake or on the account whereof God doth pardon justifie or accept Sinners or entitle them to Eternal Life that being only the Righteousness of Christ without them imputed to them and received by Faith alone II. Of a Commutation of Persons between Christ and us As we are to consider our Lord Jesus Christ in his Obedience and Sufferings as God and Man invested with the Office of Mediator So it is apparent this Commutation of Persons with us was not natural in respect of either nature by which his Individual Substance should become ours and ours his nor Moral in respect of Qualities or Actions whereby he should become inherently Sinful and we immediately Sinless Nor was it any change whereby his office of Mediator should be transfered on us But it is to be understood in a Legal or Judicial Sense as we may call it viz. He by agreement between the Father and Him came into our room and stead not to repent and believe for us which the Gospel requires of us as our Duty tho he hath undertaken the Ele●t shall in due time be inabled thereto But to answer for our violation of the Law of Works He being made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5 21. III. Of God's being pleased or displeased with Christ as standing and suffering in our stead We judge that God was always pleased with Christ both in his Person and execution of all his Offices which is exprest most particularly in that of his Priestly 1● Iohn 17 18 Therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life c. And no otherwise displeased than as having a dispassionate Will to inflict upon him the punishment of our Sins which he had undertaken to bear that God might without injury to his Justice or Honour pardon and save penitent Believers for his satisfaction and Intercession founded thereon Mr. VVilliams freely declareth his Concurrence with us in these three particulars and that his Judgment was never contrary to the sence of this Paper for which he appeals to the said Book So it is manifest that when he useth the prhase of no change of Person between Christ and the Elect it could not be intended as a denial o● a change of Persons between Christ and us in the General Sence but only in opposition to the Opinion of his adversary he wrote against for in that very place he expresly affirms That Christ suffer'd and dyed in our Room and stead And we do declare that whosoever shall be found to express themselves in their Preaching or Writing agreeably to this Paper and to the mentioned Articles or Confessions we shall esteem them to deliver the sincere Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and it shall be remote from us to oppose or reflect upon but we shall to our utmost Encourage and give Countenance to one anothers Ministry therein Such of us whose Names are prefixed to the said Book do declare they were given to the State of Truth and Errors as formerly exprest in the Paper intituled The agreement in Doctrine Subscribed and Published Anno Dom. 1692. They who framed this Proposal had before them two Papers one which the report calls the first

agreement imply an approbation of Mr. Chauncy's Writings in this controversy Nevertheless they do rejoyce that both Mr. Williams and Mr. Chauncy have accepted this offered expedient We hoped after this agreement Union and Peace were well secured But alas in a little time without any occasion given on our parts we found besides the endeavours of those who came not into the Union to prejudice People against us and our Doctrine as well as against the Union Several of those called Congregational who were Members of the Union frequented not our Meeting but oft joyned with the former in a Meeting at Pinners-Hall the very day and hour of the Week in which our Meetings of Ministers are statedly kept Yea and some of them in Print reflected on our Meetings in very unbeseeming Terms as will be made appear if occasion require Nevertheless our Zeal for Peace did not only prevail with us to be silent under these Publick affronts but set us on making a new Essay for a re-union about the latter end of the Year 1694. To which end we appointed a Number to meet both with the dissenting Brethren who had left us and with such who had always refused to be of us These dissenting Brethren pretended nothing for their separation but that there were Erroneous Persons in the Union To gratify them as to this the Persons deputed by us admitted such Provision as pleased those Brethren against whatever Errors they suspected any of our Number guilty of This you will find in the former Part of the following Paper which was brought to our Meeting as what would satisfy the Dissenters if assented to by us Some of us were sensible of this New ●mposition of theirs against whose Opinions we had so much to object and the dangerous Consequences of thus Multiplying confessions as also of favouring such unjust suspicions of our Principles which we knew they had no Reason for as 〈◊〉 any of our Number Nevertheless we submitted 〈◊〉 Prospect of a Coalition only we finding their Pa●●r to want due Provision against Crispian and Antino●●an Errors which many did Publickly Espouse and ●●bet we desired Mr. How Mr. Stretton Mr. Williams ●●d Mr. Lob to supply the said defect The result ●hereof you have in the ensuing Paper which was un●●imously agreed to in our Meeting and sent from us 〈◊〉 Mr. Lob to our Dissenting Brethren In Ian. 7. 1694. After a Preface it thus follows ' We the United Ministers in and about London considering of a way whereby to preserve the Union and prevent any mistakes and remove any prejudices that may arise amongst us to interrupt the foresaid Union do declare that we still adhere to the Terms thereof and do still submit to the Holy Scriptures as the Rule of Faith and Practice and do own the Doctrinal part of those commonly called the Articles of the Church of England or the Confession shorter or larger Catechisms compiled by the Assembly at Westminster or the Savoy Confession and do renounce and testify against all Opinions and Doctrines dissonant therefrom as for instance among many others First That there is no definite Number of Persons elected from all Eternity whom God will by his appointed means certainly save and bring to Eternal Life leaving the rest who fall under a just Condemnation for their Original and Actual Sins especially for their neglect and contempt of the means of salvation 2. That Christ died equally for all Men not intending the final salvation of some more than others Thirdly That Men have in their own Power by the use of the Natural Faculties of their reason and will unassisted by the special Light and Grace of the Holy Ghost to perform all that is necessary to salvation or that his special efficacious Light and Grace is not necessary to their conversion perseve●rance and final salvation Fourthly That any o● them whom God hath foreknown predestinated and called effectually according to the purpose of hi● Grace shall fall away either totally or so as not t● be finally gloryfied Fifthly That Faith Repen●tance a Holy Conversation or any Act of Wor● whatever done by us or wrought by the Spirit o● God in us are any part of that Righteousness fo● the sake of which or on the Account whereof Go● doth justify any Man or Entitle him to Eterna● Life On the other side First That Men are under no obligation to mak● use of their Natural Faculties with such Externa● means of salvation as God affords them praying i● hope for his Gracious assistance in order to tha● blessed end Secondly That God hath not made of●fers of Grace by Christ to all within the sound o● the Gospel testifying that whoever believeth shall b● saved without excluding any and commandin● them to believe accordingly Thirdly That any ar● in the sight of God justified or Entitled to Eterna● Life before they are effectually called or while the remain unregenerate or in unbelief Fourthly Tha● any may expect Pardon without Repentance Fifthly That continued Repentance towards God and Fait● in our Lord Jesus and Holyness of Heart and Life are not in the Nature of the thing and by the con●stitution of the Gospel necessary to salvation Sixthly That the Moral Law is not of use to unregenerate Men to awaken their Consciences to fly from th● wrath to come and drive them to Christ or that 't is not a rule of Life to them that live under the Gospel as well as others Seventhly That believers falling into grievous Sins do not incur Gods displeasure or that they may expect assurance otherwise than by the evidence of those Graces to which the promises of salvation are made and by the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God We have thought it our Duty to bear our Testimony against all these Erroneous Opinions or any other contrary to the plain Tenour of the Gospel of God And we do further protest against any design of undermining one another in any matter of Church Government but do heartily desire to maintain Communion with each other according to the Heads of Agreement we have assented to And if any thing hath been done or spoken by any of us through mistake or inadvertency that may cause any just offence to the prejudice of the said Union we are ready upon better information to rectify the same still desiring and continually resolving a Brotherly forbearance towards one another in any lesser points wherein we may differ Our concern for Union will appear if it be considered that to the best of our Knowledge we retained all the very words sent by them to us as a guard against each of the Errors of which they suspected any of us the Provisions we added is generally in the words of the Assembly to which we hoped they would be more easily induced to assent than if we had expressed our selves in other words and we limited our additions to such Errors as are the other extreme as

them in Mr. Williams's Book for Six of the Dissenters did not only object some particular Passages but they deny those to be Truths which are called Truths and such to be Errors which are called Errors In the 2.5.7.8.12.16.18 and 19. Chapters of that Book Yea they say They find not Truth and Error rightly Stated in other places besides these Thus they say Mr. Chauncyes Neonomianism unmasked Par. 3. p. 96. Whereas many of our Brethren Subscribed that each of these were rightly Stated He that will Read the Truths and Errors in those several Chapters may judge of the difference and whether any of Dr. Crisp's Errors will be disowned 2. In the forcited Articles 1694. You 'll find that when we had owned such to be Errors which they required of us yet they refused to disown those Errors which we added and therefore the difference at that time respected whatever they refused to agree with us in and was not ever since Accommodated 3. The Reporter cannot be Ignorant that September 15. 1695. This Vote unanimously passed among the United Brethren upon reading a Paper relating to several dangerous Expressions in favour of Antinomianism if that any thing objected out of Books written against Antinomianism be required to be disowned as a Term of Union that those things read this Day and further to be Collected of that kind out of the Books on the other side shall be required to be disowned Some things Collected out of the Books of Mr. Chauncy Mr. Cole Mr. Mather and Mr. Trail TO talk of a Gospel threat is a Catechresis at best and nothing else can save it from being a Bull. Pardon is rather the Condition of Faith and much more having a causal influence thereunto than Faith and Repentance are of Pardon It was sin as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ bore the fault of sin was laid upon Christ the sin it self as opposed to guilt Christ was reputed a Criminal not only by Man but by God As to the Elect there was never any Guilt upon them in respect of the Righteous Judgment of God in foro Dei but that which Accompanied the Letter of the Law setting in with the Conscience Justification is before effectual Vocation The Doctrine of Justification before Faith is not an Error but a Great and Glorious Truth Justification in regard of Application must be before believing The first Application ordine naturae saltem is to an ungodly Man eo nomine that he may believe we believe that we may be justified declaratively It is denied that God requires Faith as an Indispensible Qualification in them whom he will justify for Christs merits He denies that unbelief is the Cause why Men are barred from Justification and Obnoxious to Misery He saith you talk of an offer to the Non elect and that offer you say must be serious c. But I Pray where is any offer of Grace to the Non-elect at all as such And shew me any Grace given or Gospel Duties required of the Non-elect or Benefits promised to the Non-elect upon their performance of Grace and Duties c. And what if the Non-elect be in as bad a Case as the Devils Is God bound to be any better to them than to the Devils God hath not said I will save a Non-elect Person if he believe more than he hath said a Horse shall be a Man if he can use Reason or speak or a Man shall be a Horse if he hath four Feet God was reconciled to the elect at Christs Death but we are reconciled to God by the Gospel Ministry Union with Christ is before Faith at least Natura and we partake of the Spirit by Virtue of that Union there is a Compleat Union with Christ before the Act of Faith All that a believer can pray for is the further manifestation of Pardon for he knows that all his sins are Pardoned A believer is to work from Life and not for Life It 's a great Truth that God sees no sin in a believer sin can do no real hurt to a believer God is not displeased with his People and is not angry with the Persons of believers for their sins Legal Convictions before saving Faith are no more than sin it 's but the Filthy Conscience polluting guilt of sin There is no Preparatory work distinct from Gods Act in effectual Calling The Gospel is no Rule of Judgment that 's the Law only The Gospel is not any part of the Rule of Judgment at the last day that 's only the Law of Creation Denies that at the Judgment Day there will be a Tryal upon which some will be justified others Condemned Christs Precepts are not Laws with a Sanction Approves of these words sanctification is not the way of a justified Person to Heaven If you look upon Graces and Duties and Salvation as two distinct things I deny that they are necessary to give a right to Salvation All imperfect Holiness is sin Turn ye turn ye why will you dye Is but the Triumph of the Law over a Dead sinner An unsaved Person can do nothing in order to salvation God was displeased with Christ as our surety We in Christ satisfied the Justice of God We through Christs Righteousness have a right to Glory by Adams Covenant Adam for one good work should have entred into full possession and a confirmation therein To teach that a Christian upon the Actings of Graces and Performance of Duties may in the Virtue of the promise made to the exercise of those Graces or Duties expect any of those promised Blessings is to teach a low and servile Spirit The Eternal Life in which the Angels were Created and Confirmed by Christ differs from that Eternal Life which believers have in Christ the one is a Creature Life or a Created Life the other is the Eternal Life of God Communicated in time Believers are as Righteous as Christ I mean not in a way of Similitude but in a way of Equality Christs Incarnation was no part of his Humiliation we Coalesoe upon believing into one mystical Person with Christ which is distinguisht from Legal Union which is before Faith The Gospel hath no Law-Sanction it 's plainly denied that the Gospel is a Law of Grace Faith is neither a Condition nor Qualification in the Office of Justification with several things of the same sort as above recited Most of these were then included in the Paper the Vote refers to which with the other things further Collected shall be proved to be in the Printed Books of the foresaid Authors and Book and Page cited for each when it shall be required Yea at great deal more if not worse of the same sort By these things it 's manifest what the difference is about tho' a noise hath been raised about things remote from the true occasion that while we seemed to be only on the defensive part their Errors might receive Countenance as if unopposed and the abettors thereof might less appear

persevere in Faith and true Holine● Also declaring all impenitent Unbelievers wh●le su●h to be in a state of Condemnation So by the same Gospel it is evident that none of these nor any w●●k done by Men or wrought by the Spirit of God in them are under any denomination any part of th● Righ●eo●sness for the sake or on the account whereof any Blessing is merited or procured much less Justification or Eternal life But God justifies pardons accepts and entitles Sinners to Eternal life only for the sake of the Righteousness of Christ without them imputed to them and received by Faith alone 2. O Co●mutation o●●ersons Whereas sinners were obnoxio●s to suffer the Punishments threatned by the Law for their Transgressions The Lord Jesus by his Compact with the Father became our mediating Surety and as such he obeyed the Law and our Punishments were judicially transferred on him which for our Redemption he endured in our room and stead to the satisfaction of Justice that we m●ght be justified when we believe and be dealt with accordingly Nevertheless we deny that by a Commutation of Persons there is such a reciprocal change of condition betwixt Christ and Sinners or such an imputation or translation of qualities as implies that Christ was as Sinfull as we and we as Righteous as Christ. And though we assert that Christ hath undertaken the Elect shall in due time repent and believe yet we deny that Christ came into the room of the Elect to repent or believe for them or that Believers are accounted to have done and suffered what Christ did or that they are justified by the Law of Works See more in the next Head 3. Of the ●athers being dis●leas●d with Christ Thoug● the Phrase be not proper yet we declare The Lord Jesus having engaged in the Covenant of Redemption as our mediation Surety to suffer the punishment of our Sins for the expiating thereof He did bear the guilt of our Iniquities to suffer as Sinners suffer and to be dealt with as God threatned to deal with them whom he is displeased with as far as was consistent with Christ's being innocent and one who became subject to those Punishments by his own consent in Obedience to the Father and for the Redemption of Sinners And therefore Christ was under the wrath of God as that was his will to punish him yea he endured the weight of that wrath in the punishment of our Sins which sins as to the obligation to endure those punishments were laid on Christ It pleased the Lord to bruise him having laid on him the iniquities of us all But we deny that our Sins as to their fil●h or fault were transferr'd on Christ or that he was inherently or in legal esteem or looked on by the Father as one contrary to his holy Nature and Will either as he was our Surety or in any other respect And therefore if by displeased with C●ri●t is meant that the Father hated or abhorred Christ which is proper only to one evil in the sight of the Lord because of our sins imputed to him So the Father was not displeased with Christ. But on the contrary the Father was always well-pleased with him at all times accounting him even as our High Priest holy harmless undefiled and separate from Sinners and therefore such when he offer'd himself an expiating Sacrifice yea for that he loved him Then follows Mr. William's Concurrence in these three Points with Citations at large out of his Book that he had oft affirmed the very same and that the places objected did not at all contradict any of these things And then further declareth that as he had oft proposed it so now he is willing to an Union with the dissenting Brethren either by mutual forbearance wherein we differ in judgment or if satisfaction be insisted on as to any other expressions that have been or shall be objected out of any of his Books where he knows nothing but what is orthodox he is willing to give it in the same time and manner as Mr. Cole Mr. Mather Mr. Chauncy Mr. Trayl c shall be obliged to give satisfaction as to many material exceptions he hath made and shall yet make to what they have published in their Books But otherwise he will no farther concern himself but keep to the Vo●e past Sept. 16. 1695. notwithstanding that now for Peace-sake he hath waved the demand thereof in Answering the above mentioned Exceptions when they are not required to do the like Lastly There is the form of Words for the Subscribers of Mr. Williams's Book which you have before p. 4 cited out of the Agreement 1692 only with this Addition That Mr. W. did not write his Book nor they subscribe the Approbation with any design to oppose our Congregational Brethren as such or to divide from them This Paper was read and received but Mr. W. desired it might be waved when a proposal was made by a Subscriber of the first Paper that we should draw up the third Paper out of this and another Paper called the first which were both voted to be laid aside altho that called the first ●aper was never read in the Meeting nor once proposed to be received there A LETTER from the Right Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Bishop of Worcester in Answer to one from Mr. Williams who desired his Iudgment as to the following Questions because his Lordship's Book is in the first Paper a●d the Report pleaded against Mr. Williams SIR I Return you Thanks for the Papers you were pleased to send me by which I am able to Understand something more than formerly of the Present state of the Difference about the Change of Persons between Christ and us But I shall meddle no farther in it than I am Obliged to do it in Answer to the Questions you propose to me And I wish I may be able to do any service therein The first is about my sense of Commutation of Persons It is said in the first Paper that I do with G●otius expressly affirm and irre●ragably prove it with the common sentiment of Protestants and that the Doctrines of Iustification and Christs satisfaction cannot be duely Explained and Defended consistently with the Denial of any Commutation of Persons between Christ and Believers This had been fairly Represented in Case there could be no other sense of Commutation of Persons than what is asserted by Dr. Crisp but there is a 3 fold sense of it very different from each other 1. Such a Change of Persons as implies that One is Appointed and allowed to Act on behalf of others and for their Advantage and this sort of Commutation of Persons the Socinians never denied as I have shewed in the Discourse of S●tisfastion p. 62. 190 191. It is not therefore the Use of the Words but the sense of them is to been enquired into For some may Affirm a Change of Persons and yet be Socinians and others may deny a Change and be far enough