three places fore-mentioned with that which we find 2 Cor. 5.20 In the former places the Apostle told us we were reconciled and in this place he beseecheth us to be reconciled So you If you mistook your selfe and intended to make the parallel between the 18. verse of 2 Cor. 5. God hath reconciled us to himselfe and verse 20. We pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled Meaning herein that the same Corinthians were reconciled and were yet to be reconciled Know that in that 18. verse the Apostle speakes of his and his fellow Ministers reconciliation verse 19. of the reconciliation of others in the world And therefore ver 20. intreats and beseecheth the Corinthians that were not yet converted to be reconciled For as for the other they were Saints and a Church of God Chap. 1.1 and therefore actually reconciled 2. Answ If our first reconciliation be originall that is hath a beginning like as originall sinne then our first reconciliation is not before the foundation of the world much lesse our second which you call actuall And whereas in your first part or Sermon you mention another reconorliation before both these namely Gods reconciliation of himselfe to us we ask you what shall be the obiect of this reconciliation seeing that our nature and persons are not say you reconciled but by the other two namely by that originall and actuall reconciliation 3. By bringing both ends of your Book together we perceive that the whole frame of your mouldring foundation is this 1. God is reconciled to man Serm. 1. Page 2. And this containes such a love as Christ never purchased Page 21. Yea that God was never an enemy page 2.2 There is reconciliarton of us to God and this is two-fold 1. Originall of our natures 2 Serm. Page 2. And of this you lay down this Proposition That we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son without any previous conditions in us page 3. Here you admit Christs sufferings but Christs grace and spirit of faith is excluded 2. Actuall Reconciliation of our persons page 2. And of this you lay downe this position page 5. of your 2. Part or Sermon Mans actuall reconciliation say you to God requireth previous conditions and qualifications to be wrought in man by the Spirit of God before man can be actually reconciled to God or Gods reconciliation manifested unto him For there are say you three sorts of conditions 1 Antecedent 1 Knowledge of sin 2 Knowledge of the depth of misery by sin to such 2 Present 1 Without believing the soule remaining in the body cannot bee reconciled to God John 3.36 That by believing the soule is actually reconciled to God Iohn 3.33 John 1.12 Rom. 5.1 Thus you Your third sort of conditions are rather effects than conditions therefore I mention them not Thus brother after you have filled the bellies of your auditory with crudities I am loath to say poyson in your after service or second course you bring somewhat that is wholsome in that one dish of actuall reconciliation All the rest we must vomit up or we die To that end I goe on to administer my Dosis 1. Ans That there is but one only reconciliation namely that of God and man into atonement by faith in the one only Mediator Jesus Christ We proved afore * On page 2 of 1. Sermon that the Scripture would yeeld you this one only not two much lesse will it now allow you three one being enough and therefore one onely held out to us in the word whereof we have said so much already that we shall add the lesse now 1. The quarrell between God and us is but one namely our fall in Adam and continuance in that condition Rom. 5. it 's the businesse of the Chapter 2. The satisfaction is only one and made at once Rom 6.10 In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sinne ONCE Likewise reckon yee also your selves dead to sin but alive to God Hebr. 7.27 Christ needeth not dayly to offer up sacrifice for this he did ONCE Heb. 9.12 Christ by his owne bloud entred in ONCE into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us mark that clause Heb. 9.26 But now ONCE in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe And ver 28. Christ was ONCE offered to beare the sins of many and unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath ONCE suffered for sins the just for the unjust that be might bring us to God And so in the fourth of Ephesians the Apostle much runs upon one That as every Christian hath but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ and one and the same holy Spirit so every one hath one calling one hope one faith and one Baptisme as a seale of those Out of all we conclude that if Christ did not at once make a full reconciliation for all that shall bee found in him then is he an insufficient Saviour If he did make a full and sufficient satisfaction whereof they have benefit by the individuall act of justification Rom. 5.1 then is he fully within the atonement in an instant 2. Answ Reconciliation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the Ecclesiasticall Church polity No members of a Church Ismael in the Church circumcised His posteritie out of the Church not circumcised and non-reconciliation are immediate contraries therefore either a man is wholly reconciled or nothing reconciled This immediate contrariety the Apostle toucheth and intimateth 2 Cor. 6.14 where the Apostle makes the opposition between believers and unbelievers to be as between righteousnes and unrighteousnes light and darknes Christ and Belial And the Apostle toucheth our conclusion or inference that a man is either wholly irreconciled or reconciled Eph. 2.11 12 13 14 15 16. Remember that ye in time passed were Gentiles in the flesh who were called uncircumcision c. that at that time yee were without Christ being aliens from the common-vvealth of Israel or rather * Politie of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope vvithout God in the vvorld But now in Christ Jesus ye vvho sometimes vvere far off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ For hee is our peace vvho hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished the enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace and that hee might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse O golden place to our purpose Read it and read it and weigh it and read it See 1. the Apostle sets down once and again a time in this life wherein they were not reconciled 2. Saith that the they were afar off 3. That as they were without hope so without Christ as without Christ so without God God and they were not reconciled And 4. That the bloud of Christ the cresse of Christ by the preaching of peace verse 17. had made believers verse 8. Jewes and Gentiles one among themselves and both one with God at Peace I know not what can be plainer to convince that we are either altogether at peace God with us and us with God or else not at peace at all 3. Answ I remember it was the maine argument of the Orthodox against the Arminians that if we might fall totally as the Arminians said from grace and yet not finally that they should produce the evidences of Scriptures set downe of one totally fallen and not finally If the Scripture set down none but of those that were totally off or finally on then the Arminian truth was not sound So may wee argue that the Scriptures set down no discoveries of one halfe reconciled or two parts reconciled and not the third for you make three reconciliations one after another but set down a demonstration to know whether we are wholy unreconciled or wholy not And therefore either we are wholly reconciled or wholly not for the time till Christ comes and makes the change This demonstration set down in the Scripture is onely from the act of actuall iustification by faith in Christ Rom. 5.1 By this we are blessed or else not blessed Rom. 4.6 Faith makes that there is no difference between us and others in state of salvation or else there remains the difference that we are not in state of salvation for the time till God comes and alters the case through faith This is evident Acts 15.9.11 And put no difference between us and them purifying * There is a purity by faith as well as of imputation of sanctification Rom. 4.3 their hearts by faith But wee believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they The Postscript MUch more might bee said but I have been much larger than I intended though I had two severall printed Tracts to answer the materiall mistakes whereof we have discussed not letting one as I know of escape I wish it had been undertaken by a fitter man and to such a one I had left it but that I saw most of the able men so busie and the meane while some of my neere friends to begin to bee taken with these mistakes I have answered with as much judgement as I could in so verie a short time as I had allotted for this businesse still carrying with me a render conscience the Lord knowes I lye not that I nught not in the least grain or jota prejudice or cloud the free grace of God in Jesus Christ which is more precious to me than my life and the onely bridge that must carry me over the eternall Lake to heaven I have also used as much modesty and love in all my expressions as I could I appeale to the would for the truth of this that I might not grieve any but guide them If any apprehend any materiall mistakes let them but with divine reason cleere them unto me and I will print my retraction Or if they will needs print a confutation let them but doe by me as I have done by this for the manner and keep to the Scriptures for matter and I will say well done Farewell FINIS
to be advised guided by Christ Mat. 17.5 And Christ is honoured in that he must find the price of our redemption finde an hand for us to receive it So that the salvation and the application by faith is all of the gift of Christ and of the power of Christ Ephes 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith see Gods favour and Saints faith conioyned and that not of your selves it is the gift of God who works to will and to do Phil. 2.13 The Proposition We are justified before God before the act of our beleeving Argument I. LEt me speake for those that are not able to speake for themselves I meane the little Babes to whom belongs the Kingdom of God I argue thus Infants doe not beleeve a But Infants are justified Therefore some that do not believe are justified Which if it be granted it will follow that some are iustified before they believe That infants are iustified need no proofe * That infants beleeve not must be proved b although the Church of England hath long since put it out of doubt First Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard shall we say that infants in the Wombe hear the Word Secondly Faith is a Knowledge as some say a Perswasion as others a Trust as others But Infants are capable neither of Trust Perswasion or Knowledge therefore Infants are not capable of Faith But some have said that infants hear the Word of God beleeve in God and love God in an unknowne way c as sometimes John Baptist sprang in his Mothers Wombe for joy at the salutation of the Blessed Virgin But Saint Augustine did answer long agoe not more wittily then truly That this was done by a singular Miracle Neither doth this conclude other infants to beleeve any more d then we may conclude all Asses to be good Counsellors because we read that Balaams Asse spake more wisely then her Master An Answer to Argument I. * Yea if you would hold that infants are iustified before they believe you had need exceedingly to prove that they are so iustified for we know no Scripture for it Justified infants do beleeve a Such an infant may be filled with the holy Spirit Luk. 1.15 And where is the Spirit there are its fruits one of which is faith Gal. 5. The inbeing of grace no way depends upon the growing of the body we know a reasonable spirit is the subject of grace and without respect to age The Angels were full of grace as soone as made Grace doth but perfect reason The soule of an infant is full of reason Ergo why not capable of grace that doth not hurt but help reason how more capable is the soule of a man asleep of faith then the soule of an elect waking childe Yet 1. God hath appeared to men in dreams why not to a waking childe revealing Christ unto it 2. The habit of faith saves else a believer dying in his sleep cannot be saved All infused habits depend not on organicall knowledge that enters by sense 3. Godly men in their deepest sleep have oft the most rationall and divine notions Ergo a childe may awake smiles are the property of reason they will smile Infants do not believe b because Rom. 10.17 Answer that is spoken de Adultis of ripe in yeares for there is mention of confession and supplication The expression is affirmative not negative By this argument because it is said the spirit is given by hearing 2 Cor. 3. Ergo it could not be given to Iohn Baptist without hearing This confirmes that spoken afore c that Iohn was filled with the holy Spirit from the womb now manifesting an apprehension of Christ by that motion the body was organized unto namely leaping in the mothers wombe For that of Augustine 1. If men are to be urged in this point then the whole streame of all sound Divines run to this effect We are elected before all time Created in the beginning of time Justified in the fulnesse of time Glorified after all time That the first is the decree the other the execution 2. Augustines speech must be interpreted that he meanes by miraculum mirandum or else his speech is false as in many things he mistooke for a miracle is Mutatio naturae rei of the water into wine Moses rod into a Serpent Now Iohn in the womb was not altered in nature 1. d It is not said that the Asses soule was capable of humane reason and speech The voice or fitnesse of speech was created in his mouth But it is said Iohns soule was filled with the holy Ghost This infusion of the holy Spirit in regard of Gods acting is the same with his infusion of the Spirit into all other believers though the subiect not like to all other believers in regard of body But the Lord did not make the asse speake as he makes man to speake He makes man speake by the naturall instruments of speech And speakes reason from a reasonable soule But the asses speech was created above the power of nature And for that speech that Iohns condition doth no more conclude that other infants do believe any more then we may conclude all asses to be good counsellours because we read that Balaams asse spake more wisely then his Master We answer 1. This will conclude that as all asses would so speake if God did worke alike in them by creation so all infants would believe if God did work alike in them by infusion as he did in Iohn Yea 2. We can conclude more a fortiori If God doth put the spirit of faith for so it is called 2 Cor. 4. into Iohn whom he intended should live to be a man to see Christ and heare of him if not hear him how much more will he put the spirit of faith into elect infants that shall never grow up to manhood but die in their childehood 3. We can conclude that some one hath had faith in infancy But you can give us on instance of any one that hath beene iustified in infancy without faith I say no instance of example As for your Arguments we will answer to them in order 4. It seemes more infants then Iohn have had saving grace in their infancy Mar. 10. Else how were they pronounced blessed and that to them did belong the Kingdom of heaven and were actually blessed of Christ Argument II. HE that is in Christ is justified But we must be in Christ before we can believe a b c Therefore we must be justified before we can believe The Major is plaine the Minor is proved that we must be in Christ before we can believe To believe is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. But we must be in Christ before we can beare fruit Therefore we must be in Christ before we can believe Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it selfe except it abide in the
against it And therefore tremble you to say That God loved Paul with as great love when he persecuted the Church as after when he preached the Gospel For purpose or preparation of a ground of love is not so great as actuall Love To purpose to wooe is not equall unto the Love of wooing Likewise tremble to say That Christ did not purchase his Fathers actuall Love For wee are not actually loved till actually found in him If it were so that God were alwayes reconciled to us why doe you condemne your selfe in your own words next following pag. 11. I conceive say you and consider what you say the drooping Conscience that sits in darknesse under the clowdy apprehension of an angry Junge c. Attentive to heare how God may be reconciled So you How is God an angry Judge how is there a may be of his Reconciliation to us terms importing future time if he was never at enmitie with us If it were so that God may be reconciled to us from all eternitie and so before we were in Christ why doe you say in pag. 11. 812. that God is freely and fully reconciled to the Elect and loveth them in Christ your words following of persons polluted and sinfull being in Christ import an actuall being in Christ as sure as an actuall pollution when they come to him So much of this distinction Pag. 12 You say that God is freely and fully reconciled to the elect and loveth them in Jesus Christ without any previous dispositions without any qualifications without any performances of Conditions on their parts unlesse to be polluted and sinfull be a previous condition or qualification Answer The Lord expresseth it as the Cardinall condition of the Gospel that men must as well feel their sinnes as be sinners Matth. 11.28 Come to me ye that are weary c. Which Christ explaines Luke 15.7 Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth which is a sense of sin at the least then over ninety nine Iust persons that need no repentance who are they but such as think they have no need whom Christ calls not Matth. 9.13 speaking to the Pharisees who justified themselves Luke 16.15 It is true that the qualifications in man to prepare him for Christ as Iohn by telling men they needed to repent calling them generations of Vipers and telling them That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Mat. 3. is said to make ready a people prepared for the Lord must be from God If there be the qualifications onely of illumination conviction and humiliation for a man blinde or stubborn defieth Christ they are the common workes or graces of the Spirit of God which may be in a reprobate Esau Iudas c. Heb. 6.4 And therefore we cannot be understood in these to ascribe to man either merit or efficacy towards his owne salvation If they be the qualifications of Conversion-graces as of faith c. they come in a speciall manner from the Spirit of Christ as the divine nature of Christ and so cannot be imagined to be of man though in man and acting upon man and man by them For we cannot say that Faith or beliefe doth beleeve repentance doth repent love doth love but men acted and moved by these graces are said to be Beleevers penitent and lovers of God So that though there be no qualifications on mans part from man yet on mans part from God And though there be no performances on mans part by meer man yet there are performances on mans part in man from Christs Spirit when Christ will come and close with the soul actually then doth he act desires and faith into it to make way for himself Rev. 3. Christ knocks before he let in Christ opens Lydia's heart then comes in And Ephes 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God where it is evident that besides the riches of Gods free favour explained in vers 9. there must be Gods gift of Faith to bring us unto and into Christ So Iohn 6.37 Him that commeth will I in no wise cast out There must at least be a restlesse desire that the soul cannot sit still without Christ though that be an effect of the Fathers gift in the same verse All that the father giveth me shall come to me and then Christ will not cast him out or leave him out but receive him in The holy Ghost in that 11. Matth. 28. Come that is beleeve ye that are weary and heavy laden that is weary of finne and desire to come out of it compared with Matth. 5. where there is such frequency and varietie of expressions of desires under the notions of poverty mourning and hunger and compared with Iohn 3. where there is oft mention of faith as necessary to bring into Christ and unto salvation I say the Holy Ghost by these places sets forth unto us that there is a double condition of the Gospel Viz. Qua Quae. 1. The qualification in which a man comes to Christ that is a sensible need of Christ 2. The qualification which brings a man to Christ that is Faith required unto salvation but both of and from the Spirit yea from the Spirit as Christs Spirit as sent by the Mediatour when effectuall So that still all is of God But that which Christ doth to men before they come unto him and into him cannot be denied And this method of the Lord is much for our comfort that the King comes not sine magno strepitu multo pulvere without some hurry somewhat to doe that we may know the commings in of the Lord and not derive all assurance from phanatick Enthysiasmes phantastick dreams that are neither from the word and work of Christ nor warranted there by him You think to comfort a sinner by this that Christ is his without any qualifications performances or conditions on mans part But if there be no conditions qualifications c. performed by Christ in mans behalfe as to put into him desires faith love c. How shall he know but that he is still a miserable sinner uniustified How shall they say to their comfort as 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved unlesse they doe beleeve And that Rom. 8.28 Wee know all work together for good to them that love God unlesse they feel their Love to God And that 1 Epist Iohn 3.14 By this we know we are translated from death to life because we love the Brethren unlesse they doe love the Brethren But of these markes and signes in another place if God permit This Position being your main ground together with the foresaid distinction I have been the longer in confuting the one and cleering the other I shall be briefer in taking down your props and superstructures and that plainly and lovingly You offer to bring many Proofes for the aforesaid unqualified Proposition Proof I. Pag. 12. Of Gods preaching salvation to Adam and Eve in whom