same grace of the spirit produce faith and repentance in the soule or a diuerse and whether the grace which produceth them produce them both in the same instaâ—t or diuerse and whether these diuers instances must bee diuers instances of time or of nature onely and lastly it being granted that faith and repentance are both produced in the same instant of time and nature whether the one beginneth to worke before the other and whether admitting that the worke of repentance is first felt in the soule before any worke of a iustifying faith yet that the worke of a iustifying faith may not be in the nature of the thing before it as the thunder in nature is before the lightning yet wee see the lightning before wee heare the thunder I say for these and the like subtilties I hold it needlesse and vnprofitable to imploy the haruest of our time in tithing thâ—se minutas decimas of minte and commin It sufficeth that we Ministers of the Gospell in our Preaching and Gods people in their hearing and all of vs in our practise follow the method vsed by the holy Ghost and beginne with Iohn Baptist and proceede to Christ beginne with terror and proceede to comfort beginne with sorrow for sinne and proceede to ioy in the Holy Ghost hauing first a sense of our sinne and searching deepe into our wounds and then applying to our selues the soueraigne salue of faith in Christs blood beeing first weary and heauy laden and then expecting to bee refreshed by Iesus Christ In whose bowells I ernestly beseech my brethren in the Ministry not to interfere nor hinder one another in their holy courses muchlesse virulently detract from the persons or labours one of another but to set aside all preiudicat opinion and allay all heate of passion and contestation Cyp. de zelo liuore Purgare mentem quam serpentinus liuor infecit amaritudinem omnem quae intus incedit Christi dulcedine lenire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Paule exhorteth Ephes 4.15 1 Iohn 3.18 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Iohn perswadeth that as we all agree in the loue of the same truth so wee may seeke and follow after the truth in loue Thine in the best beloued Christ Iesus Daniel Featly To the Author GOOD Sir I haue perused your little Treatise or Apology which you committed to me and I see no cause why you may not safely send it abroade into the world with his fellowes that haue seene the light allready for as for your conclusion in mine opinion it is sound and orthodox and as you explaine it to my thinking not much different from theirs who in wordes seeme to speake contrary And for your proofes and answeres though I hold not euery particulaâ— to be demonstratiue and certaine yet I thinke there is enough in them to evict the cause you stricte for Notwithstaâ—ding you must not make accompt that all men should presently yeeld to be of your opiniâ—n for sober minds may dissent from you and you from them without b each of charity or loue and fierie spiâ—its will dissent from you if it be for no other cause but only for that Salamanders cannot liue out of the fire But I would wish you to consider of that Rule of â—he Apostle 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme to bee â—ontentious wee haue no such custome â—or the Churches of GOD and as much as may bee to imitate the stayed â—iscretion of wise Trauailers who for â—eare of letting their iourney will not â—tand still and strike at euery dogge that â—arketh at them For as a Learned Writer vpon the â—ormer wordes of Saint Paule notes to â—ood purpose There will neuer bee an â—nd of quarrelling Nunquam enim contentionum erit finis si certando velis hominem pugnacem vincero qui centies victus nunquam fatigabitur Cal. in 5. Cor. 11.16 if you labour to get he mastery of him that is contentious â—ecause though hee bee an Hundreth â—imes foyled yet will hee neuer bee â—earied Wee haue all worke enough to doe in ecessary things and therefore howsoeuer kinde of necessity for satisfying the world aue forced you thus farre as to cleare hat hath beene obiected allready yet if â—ere shall come any new repetition of â—d Arguments or any futher friuoâ—us cauills your good howers may perâ—ps bee better spent then in pursuing â—ngling disputes which mine opinion notwithstanding I leaue to your discretioâ— to doe as occasion shall require and sâ— I leaue you and your labours to GODS blessed Protection and Mercy Yours euer in the Lord Iesus Henry Masoâ— An Apology for the precedency of Repentance vnto faith in Christ IN the Treatise called a Triall of Faith the Author intended to teach Christians to examine rhemselues whether they had a sauing Faith or no. As meanes to that end he propounded in the first booke certaine reasons to perswade vnto this Triall and in the second some rules to direct them therein Against the reasons there is no exceptions taken for ought I heare but against the rules onely nor yet against all but onely the first and the sixt rule That which hath been obiected against the first hath beene fully answered in a briefe defence not long since published and that which is excepted against in the sixt rule shall now God willing be cleared and satisfied in a further confirmation thereof In handling the sixt Rule of trying our Faith I did three things principally First I proued generally that there are some preparations wrought in men before they can beleeue in Christ whereby God drawes them thereunto page 219 220. namely that most vsually and ordinarily it is so Secondly and more specially I shewed what these preparations were viz. Some gifts and abilities wrought by the spirit of God in the vnderstanding and will of those whom the Lord hath a purpose to saue page 220 to 224. Thirdly and in particular I affirmed that a beginning of repentance is one of those preparations page 224 to 229. For making good of this third and last point I set downe this proposition to be discussed Repentance is begunne before faith in Christ 1. e Sinners beginne to sorrow for their sinnes and to purpose to leaue them before they can beleeue in Christ viz. So as to haue any benesit thereby First I proued this point by arguments secondly I cleared it by answering some obiections and lastly I applied it by making some further vse thereof Against these generall heads and many particular members of each there are I vnderstand exceptions taken by some and their exceptions to omitte longer introduction are either against the fixt rule it selfe or the handling of that rule not that they are propounded in these very words and method but that in substance and effect they import as much and therefore are they by mee reduced to these two heads for my more orderly proceeding and the Readers better vnderstanding The Triall of Faith The Rule
shew mercy and how God by the light and helpe of it draweth him forward vntill hee beleeue for his owne part and in his owne person for these be his very wordes in the beginning of that discourse hee doeth lay downe sixe seuerall workes of the Spirit in six seuerall sections of that fourth chapter the heads of them are these and they are more at large there discoursed of 1 God makes them to beleeue their misery and to be troubled in minde for it 2 They consult in this case what to doe 3 They are broken hearted and humbled 4 They haue a secrete desire of forgiuenesse 5 They conferre and aske pardon 6 They forsake all for it and highly â—rize it and then they come to apply Christ and the promise to themselues which his iudgement is a sauing faith In like manner and to the same eâ— Maister Baynes speaking Maister Baynes briefe directions to a godly life how the knoâ—ledge of misery by sin and redemption Christ workes on a man towards faith Christ he saith thus 1 Hee is drawne by the secret worke the spirit to beleeue that the doctrine taugâ— doth concerne him 2 The Lord directeth him to enter iâ— further consideration with himselfe of and â—bout his present state and consulteth what doe in this extremity 3 From the former consultation bâ—commeth to this holy resolution that he 〈◊〉 not returne to his old wayes but in all huâ—lity meekenesse and holinesse say with 〈◊〉 Paule Lord what shall I doe 4 By this meanes he comes to an vnfâ—ned desire of forgiuenesse 5 With earnest humble and particulâ— confession of his sinnes hee powreth oâ— prayers to God for the pardon of them Christ 6 He hauing found this pearle prize it as it is worth and therefore selleth all thâ— he hath and biddeth farewell to his sweetâ— delights for the obtayning of it and then 〈◊〉 commeth to apply the Gospell to himselfâ— and sealeth vp his saluation in his heart Neither is this the opinion of these learned and holy preachers but of many other in our owne Church Mr. Elton in his Catechisme the foure principle Modell of Diuinity page 274 to 279. Mr. Wheatly of Regeneration ch â—4 Mr. Perkins Catechisme the fourth principle and the state of a Christian Sect. 6. to 16. The next thing to be considered is their reasons whereby they would proue that some of those preparations which I mention do not goe before faith in Christ and they are two The Exception Those preparations doe not go before faith in Christ 1. Because they doe not draw all men to beleeue in Christ in whom they are wrought for say they Gods cords do draw and haue alwayes irresistably comming ioyned with them 2. Because I my selfe in my Treatise say that some of them are effects and fruites of faith following it Therefore cannot they goe before it as preparations to which I will answere seuerally The Defence Their first reason To the first reason is of no force First because though those preparations do not in the euent draw all men to beleeue in Christ in whom they are wrought yet do they at one time or other draw all the elect so to do that are ordained vnto eternall life and to beleeue in him for that end For of these onely is the question Secondly if their reason were good then would it proue that a beleefe of the Gospell is none of Gods cords to draw men to beleeue in Christ nor the Preaching of the Gospell none of Gods meanes to worke faith in Christ for neither the one does draw al men so to come to Christ nor the other so worke faith in Christ in all that haue the one wrought in them or the other taught vnto them witnesse the Parable of the seede in the Gospell Mat. 11.19 to 28. Is not the act of generation Gods ordinance to the begetting of a child because a child is not begotten by euery hand acts I confesse Gods spirit doth not onely draw men to beleeue in Christ but also workes it in them actually at one time or other after those preparations but drawing men to beleeue or preparing them thereunto is a different action from his working of faith or enabling them to beleeue and in the elect comming followes drawing necessarily in respect of the euent Their second reason To the second reason whereby they would prooue that some of the preparations I name cannot goe before faith in Christ is of no power because though I say some of them may go before it in one respect yet may they follow in another Indeede I say that a feare of God goes before faith in Christ as a preparation to it page 222. and that a feare of God followes faith in Christ as an effect thereof page 304. but neither doe I say that a filiall feare is the preparation nor a seruile feare the effect though the faithfull after beleeuing in Christ doe feare to sinne for feare of condemnation else the Holy Ghost would neuer diswade from it on that ground The like may be sayde of sorrow for sinne by comparing page 222. where it is a preparation to faith and page 301. where it is an effect of a sauing faith or rather of one that hath it for I do not say that sorrow for sinne on the same grounds altogether and in the same measure doth goe before and after faith in Christ and therefore their reason is but a Cauill and so I descend to the third generall thing against which they except in handling the sixt rule viz. the particular naming of a beginning of repentance to be one of those gifts of the spirit that prepare to faith in Christ Against this there are three exceptions 1 against the position it selfe 2 against the exposition of it and 3 against the handling of the position The Triall The position it selfe that repentâ—nce is one of those preparations The position it selfe is this Repentance is begunne before faith in Christ The Exception This position they dislike for two causes First because it implies a beginning of repentance before faith in Christ some space of time Secondly because it supposeth that repentance is begun at one time in some part of it and finished at anotheâ— in the residue The Apology To the 1. Exceptiâ—n I do indeede often vse the word Before to expresse the Precedency I meane but neither did I meane a precedency some space of time nor can they shew it by the words of the booke except I had added thereunto some other word as time space season or the like to giue light to such an interpretation which is not done in that whole disputation Or except the word Before in the English tongue did alwayes carry that sence onely which experience disprooues seeing one thing may be before another in nature as fire before heat in order as the second before the third In dignity as an Earle before a Baron and in worth as gold before siluer
As well as in time as the begetting of a childe is before his birth Secondly they had reason to interpret my meaning of a precedency in nature rather then in time because I made the beginning of repentance to be a meanes vnto Faith in Christ as is to bee seene by my two first Arguments and other places of the booke and therefore before it onely in the order of causes and consequently in the order of nature 2. Because in my disputation I oppose the common opinion and the receiued opinion concerning the precedency betwixt Repentance and Faith is that faith goes before repentance not in time but in nature therefore my opinion that contradicts theirs should be vnderstood of the same manner of precedency viz. that repentance goes before faith in order of Nature Thirdly though I meant a precedency in nature yet did I not meane that so much as the proofe of this namely a necessity of the being of repentance with faith in Christ For my chiefe intent was to shew that sinners cannot warrantably with any expectation of benefit by theiâ— faith beleeue in Christ for saluation except they repent when they doe the onâ— they must doe the other as appeares by this in that by way of exposition I say men cannot beleeue in Christ as long 〈◊〉 they liue in their sinnes page 244 line 27 and that I expound the word Before bâ— till or vntill page 279. line 26 27. 278 line 25 281. line 17.24 282. l. 25 27. and in other places In the fourth place If I say to my Tenant that owes me the rent of the two laâ— quarters you shall not bring mee the onâ— quarters rent before the other I will nâ— receiue the first before the last can it be hence concluded necessarily that I mean he shall bring his first quarters rent in timâ— precisely before the last may not my Tenant with as good reason conceiue my meaning to be that I will haue him bring both together and if he doe so may not he thinke I will be well content In like manner when I say sinners may not beleeue in Christ before they haue repented It cannot be necessarily concluded I meant they must repent some space of time before they beleeue in Christ They may with as good reason vnderstand they must doe both at one time when they beleeue in Christ they must repent and if they so doe it will be well pleasing to God Charity might haue taught them to interprete mee the best way rather then the worst Fifthly they that hold repentance and faith goe together in time but giue the precedency to faith in nature yet speake of the precedency of faith vnto repentance and when they speake of this precedency they say faith goes before repentance and why then may not I which hold repentance and faith goe together in time but giue the precedency to repentance in nature speake of this precedency and say repentance goes before faith why should I be vnderstood of predecency some space of time more then they and be blamed therefore rather then they Lastly if I may freely speake my minde I thinke it may be maintained that in some cases and in some persons in these dayes repentance in some degree may be wrought before faith in Christ some space of time according as those doctrines may be preached first or last in time and be made effectuall to the good of the hearers by Preaching for I could neuer yet conceiue how it crost any commandement or promise of God or hindered any duty or comfort of the faithfull or discountenanced the sincerity of profession or disparaged the perseuerance of the Elect in the estate of grace or derogated from the free grace of God in Christ or lifted vp man in any proud conceit of his owne free will as long as it is affirmed that repentance is but begunne onely that it is wrought by the Spirit onely and by the word onely and in the Elect onely and onely as an effect of their Election and only as a meanes to worke Gods will on them by disposing them to faith in Christ whereby they may be brought to that supernaturall end to which they are ordained in him and therefore there needed no such clamour as hath beene noysed about it supposing the position hath beene so vnderstood But it may be others see what I cannot they discerne more vntruth in the Doctrine then I and descry more mischiefe likely to ensue thereupon then I can apprehend else there is no reason they should be so violent in opposing it be it so then I hope it will appeare by their arguments against it Surely if the opinion were so absurde and dangerous I suppose the holy Scripâ—ure would affoord arguments many and strong enough to confute it and if they did I make no doubt but they would bee diligent enough to collect them and if they had I guesse shrowdly they would be forward enough to produce them let vs then take a view of them to the end wee may beleeue if it be possible The Exception Their Arguments are foure in number and I will propound them in due forme that their strength may bee better discerned The first Argument If all sauing graces bee wrought all at once and together so that when one is wrought the other is wrought also then is not repentance begun in time before a sauing faith But the first is true therefore the second The Assumption they prooue as shall be seene by and by The Defence 1 I answere If by sauing graces the meane such as are appointed by God 〈◊〉 saue sinners instrumentally then I deny tâ—â— consequence and grant the Assumptioâ— for though all such sauing graces suppâ—sing there were many of them weâ— wrought all at an instant so that when oâ— is wrought the other is wrought also yâ— might repentance be wrought in time bâ—fore all these for in this sense onely faitâ— in Christ is a sauing grace because it onelâ— apprehends and layes hold on the Sauioâ— Christ and his merits for saluation Repeâ—tance is no such sauing grace but if by sauing grace be meant either those that tenâ— to saluation or are wrought in all theâ— that shall be saued to make them person capable of saluation then I grant the coâ—sequence and deny the Assumption because some of these viz. illumination anâ— beliefe of the Gospell and the beginning oâ— repentance may in time be wrought before faith for ought this argument proue to the contrary But let vs see how they prooue the aâ—sumption in which lyeth the strength oâ— the Argument The Exception If regeneration be wrought all at once and together so that when one grace of regeneration is wrought all other of the same kind are wrought also then all sauing graces are wrought all at once and together But the one is true therefore the other The consequence they imagine is good because by the work of sauing graces men are regenerated
and borne of the Spirit The Assumption they will prooue anone The Defence I answere by granting the consequence of the proposition but by denying the Assumption and that for this â—eason Illumination of the minde and vnderstanding with the knowledge of the mystery of the Gospell in Christ is a grace of Regeneration as well as the sanctifying of the will and affections yet may illumination be wrought in time before sanctification in the Elect because it is wrought in the reprobates without sanctification at all and therefore regeneration is not wrought all at once and together as they hauâ— alleaged That Illumination is a gracâ— of Regeneration I prooue first because it is a part of the new man Colos 3.10 Eph. 1.17 Eph. 4.23.24 Act. 26.19 Eph. 1 18. 21. secondly it is a part of the renuing Gods image iâ— vs thirdly it is a part of our turning anâ— conuersion fourthly because it is a part 〈◊〉 our spirituall quickening But let vs heare how they prooue thâ— Assumption The Exception If all Gods workes be perfect in theiâ— seuerall kindes so that when part of theâ— is wrought the other is wrought also then is regeneration wrought all at oncâ— and together so that when one gracâ— thereof is wrought all other of the same kind are wrought also at the same time But the first is true therefore the second The consequence they take for good because regeneration is one of the workeâ— of God that argue his perfection in working yea one of the chiefest of them The Assumption they thinke needes no proofe The Apology I answere by granting the consequence but by denying the Assumption 1. Because the Creation of the world was not perfected in all the parts thereof all at once but successiiuely and in sixe dayes 2. The creation â—f Adam was not for his soule was created and put into his body in likelihood in time after his body was framed 3. Sexin lacte dies ter sunt in sanguine trinibis seni carnem ter seni membra figurant The generation of man man which is Gods worke is not perfected all at one instant for neither is the body perfect all at one instant but in some dayes and weekes after the child is conceiued and begotten nor is the soule put into the body as soone as it is begotten and conceiued but some dayes and weekes after the child is conceiued and begotten for the man is not perfect till both soule and body be vnited together fourthly Iesus Christ doth frame the Church and make it perfect not all at once and together but successiuely by calling one member after another and adding them thereunto Act. 2.47 Heb. 11.40 Eph. 4.12 I grant all Gods workes are perfect in their seuerall kindes with that perfection which God intends them at seuerall time but one time they may be imperfect in regard of the whole for vnto some part that are already wrought others may bâ— added at other times when God pleaseth I grant also that if by regeneration thâ— meane Gods making a man actually hâ— childe then is regeneration wrought all one instant and together for that graâ— that giues him prerogatiue to bee God sonne viz faith in Christ is wrought all 〈◊〉 once and together but if by regeneratioâ— be meant euery or any grace of the Spiâ— tending or disposing thereunto or aâ— part of regeneration then I say regeneration may be begun in one part at one timâ— and perfected in another grace at anotheâ— time as hath beene shewed in the instand of Illumination and Sanctification but â—uen now and as may be further declareâ— by peace of conscience and ioy in the holâ— Ghost which are graces of regeneratioâ— yet are not wrought all at one instant wiâ— faith in Christ at least not in all men bâ— some time after Neither can this bee any way a dispâ—ragement to God which workes it thuâ— if hee please so to worke seeing his wiâ— caÌ„not disparage his power nor his pleasuâ— his wisedome therefore their first Aâ—gument is not strange enough to proue the question the second followes The Exception If a true change of the heart The second Argument cannot bee begun in time before a sauing faith then repentance cannot be begun in time before a sauing faith But the one is true therefore the oâ—her The consequence they say is good because repentance is a true change of the heart the Assumption they proue The Defence I answere if by a true change of the heart be meant the change of the whole soule in all the parts and powers thereof â—hen I deny the consequence and grant the Assumption For the repentance I speake of is not such a change But if thereby he meant an hearty sorrow for sinne and a true change of the purpose of the heart without hypocrisie to leaue sinne then I grant the consequence and deny the Asâ—umption for this change of the heart may â—e begunne in time before a sauing faith But they proue their Assumption thus The Exception If the beginning of a true change 〈◊〉 the heart do presuppose that faith in Chriâ— death and resurrection goes in time befoâ— this change then a true change of thâ— heart cannot bee begunne in time before sauing faith But the first is true therefore the sâ—cond The consequence they thinke none wiâ— deny The assumption they offer to prooâ— out of my booke where page 301 refrâ—ning sinne is made a fruite of faith anâ— page 310. we are sayd to draw downe veâ—tue from Christs death to die vnto sinnâ— and from his resurrection to walke in neâ—nesse of life The Apology I answere 1. generally that this argumeâ— directly crosseth the first Argument for sauing graces be wrought all at once aâ— together then cannot a true change of tâ— heart presuppose faith in Christ death to goe before this change in time Secony and more particularly I answere thâ— The consequence I grant the assumption I deny for I doe not say which is the question that at the first conuersion when the heart beginnes first to be changed this change doth presuppose faith in Christ to be in it at the same instant and that there can be no refraining of sinne in any measure so much as begunne till there bee in men faith in Christ whereby they drawe downe vertue from his death and resurrection c. But I onely affirme there that refraining of sinne for conscience sake in sincerity and in a setled and constant course is a fruite of faith and requires vertue from Christs death and resurrection to bee drawne downe by faith in Christ and so doth power to mortifie our corrupt nature in the lusts of it and to quicken vs in our new man to cheerefull constant and conscionable new obedience require and presuppose this faith in Christs death and resurrection faith that Christs obedience Actiue and Passive hath merited pardon and that if we repent and beleeue therein wee shall be pardoned is with Gods Spirit sufficient
meanes and cause of a thing goes before it in nature then penitency repentance or not liuing in sinne is a meanes and cause of beleeuing in Christ and consequently goes before it in nature The Assumption I prooue by Ioan. 5.44 Thomas Aqui. Caluin Musâ—nlus Illiricus Rollocrus Piscatori commentary on the place where by the iudgement of learned Interpreters the Holy Ghost assignes this for a reason and cause of the infidelity of the Scribes and Pharisees and why they beleeued not in Christ viz. they liued in worldly pride ambition and couetuousnesse And if this were truely verified of them in those dayes then may it be sayd of men in these dayes that liuing in their sinnes is a cause why they beleeue not in Christ and consequently leauing of mens sinnes viz. in purpose is some cause or meanes of beleeuing in Christ and therefore goes before it in nature The Triall The fourth argument Repentance is begunne before faith in Christ at the first conuersion because sinners must first repent of their sinnes committed after their first conuersion before they can trust in Christ for the pardon of them The Exception To this they answere by denying the antecedent for say they both the habit of faith and some acts of it viz. vniting and ingrafting into Christ receiuing and apprehending Christ doe goe before repentance secondly by denying the consequence because through repenting after the first conuersion in nature goes before faith in Christ yet doth it not follow it must so do at the first conuersion The Apology First their answere to my Antecedent had beene to purpose if they had prooued by some good reason that in nature and order of working the habit of faith had gone before the habit of repentance or that the act of faith which is beleeuing in CHRIST had gone before the act of repenting that is of sorrowing for past sinnes and purposing to leaue them but seeing they doe neither of these the Antecedent is good They say indeede that these acts of faith viz. vniting and ingrafting into Christ receiuing and apprehending Christ go before repentance but neither is this to purpose except they prooued they were all one with the act of beleeuing in Christ for of that act is the question nor doe they prooue what they say for they doe barely affirme it nor do I thinke it possible to be proued because in nature I thinke it impossible for any vnrepentant sinner to be vnited to Christ ingrafted vnto him and made a member of his misticall body Indeede vpon another occasion they say repentance goes before these acts of faith viz. perswasion and assurance of saluation and praying for pardon and yet else where in effect they deny it where they say to beleeue in Christ is to be perswaded and assured of saluation by Christ and that no man can pray for this pardon of his sinnes before he haue faith in Christ Mr. Eltons Catechisme 4. principle Mr. Perk. state of a Christian Sect. 14. Mr. Rogers Mr. Baynes as is cited before the first of which points hath beene confuted by me in my Treatise and the second is contradicted by other Diuines where they say praying for pardon of sinnes goes before the application of faith and the perswasion of Gods loue in Christ If they had giuen any reason of their deniâ—ll of the consequence of this Argument that had beene sound it would haue answered my Argument but seeing they haue not good cause why they cannot therefore is the Argument as yet good because as yet it is vnanswered And indeede I know not how they should answere it as long as the habit of repentance and faith in Christ are the same vertues both at and after mens first conuersion for nature and vse and so are the acts of repenting and beleeuing in Christ If any man can giue me a good reason why the spirit of God should not incite men to repent and beleeue in Christ iâ— the same manner and order at the first conuersion as he doth after it when through weaknesse they fall and offend God theâ— would I say the consequence of my Argument were weake and consequently mâ— argument but because I thinke they cannot for if they could they would therefore as yet is my fourth Argument good â—â—â—ect But they say this Argument implieâ— a successiue working of saith by God anâ— of pardoning sinnes as if a Christiaâ— ceased to beleeue when he falleth into anâ— grosse sinne after his first conuersion anâ— that therefore faith must bee wrought a new in them and be pardoned a new I answere to the first that though I do not meane that the habit of faith is lost Solut. by the committing of any enormous sin and therefore there is no feare of neede to haue it planted in them againe yet doe I thinke that a sinner falling into enormous sinne doth not exercise his faith nor vse the act of it and he may in some sort be sayd for a time to loose the vse and exercise of this beleeuing in Christ and that therefore after such a fall the Spirit of God must incite him vp againe to the vse thereof before he can trust in Christ and that the spirit doth not thus incite a sinner to trust vntill he haue stir'd him to repent of those great sins which he hath coÌ„mitted And as touching the second member of their exception concerning successiue pardoning of sinnes I can see no reason why we should euery day aske pardon of our sinnes if God did not pardon them euery day I see not why this may not be called successiue pardoning Math. 6.11 12. for if the godly sin euery day must repent and beleeue in Christ euery day and craue pardon of the sinnes of euery day then will God forgiue euery day speaking after the Scripture phrase and then there is a daily and successiue pardoning The Triall Repentance may bee begunne before Faith in Christ The fift Argument because as great a worke as the beginning of repentance is wrought before it The Exception To this Argument they answere that iâ— is naught because it is founded vpon a false supposition viz as if I perswadeâ— my selfe they thought that therefore repentance was not wrought before faith iâ— Christ because it could not be so wroughâ— by God as if they thought any too hard to hard the Lord and therfore first or lasâ— wrought The Apology Vpon this I reply thus first as they vse so they muse because they thinke meanely of mee therefore doe they perswade themselues I doe the like by them as if my shooe were of their last or as if they knew they deserued I shuld so iudge of them but the Lord knoweth I had neuer such an imagination of them or so meane a conceit of their iudgement that they should thinke that simply God could worke it so by his absolute power but that by his actuall power which is limited by his will he cannot that is
regeneration If God be mooued for his infinite mercy and free grace in Christ to bestow faith vpon sinners when as yet Christ is not in them actually why may hee not vpon the same grounds and for the same reasons for Christs sake begin sanctification in them when as yet Christ is not actually in them The Exception Obiect 2 Oh but say they how can sanctification be wrought before they haue faith in Christ whereby they drawe downe vertue from his sanctification to that end The Apology I answere First 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made vnto vs wisedome as well as sanctification and illumination of one Elect descends from Christs wisedome vpon them and this discends before faith in Christ Why then may not a beginning of sanctification All our good is from Christ but all is not drawne from Christ by faith for preuenting grace is not so drawne Are wee not called before we are iustified Rom. 8.30 In like manner all that is drawne is not from Christ as ours by iustifying faith for faith it selfe is not so drawne for that faith should bee before and after it selfe and if faith be not so drawne why should Repentance Secondly For the Spirit blowes where when and as it lists so in what measure and order it pleaseth him to beginne and finish the work so that as long as the begining of Repentance and sanctification in the preparations though before faith in Christ be not attributed to the worke of Natute or good vse of our owne Free-wil but onely to the worke of the Spirit in the Elect which yet is not sufficient to saluation nor acceptable thereunto without faith in Christ I can see no inconuenience in holding a beginning of Repentance or sanctification in the dispositions thereunto before faith and that therefore it will not follow that the Elect are wholly impure before faith in Christ in whom those preparations to Regeneration and faith in Christ are so wrought as I haue sayd Indeed some challenge mee for bordering vpon Pelaganisme and Poperie as if I diuided some part of Repentance betwixt the worke of the Spirit and of Nature because I said Nature onely doth nâ—â— worke the preparations to Repentance and Faith recited Pag. 222. l. 24. But how they can conclude it thence against me 〈◊〉 cannot see and therefore doe I referre it them to conclude and to the iudicious Reader indifferently to determine This I am sure I abhor Palaganisme and Popery and I haue often and plainely affirmed them al to be the work of the Spirit in the Elect and haue denied them to bee the worke of Nature yea I haue giuen reasons for it both in my Treatise and in my Apologie Indeed I say Pag. 258. that by the light of Nature a man may know many actions bee doth to bee sinne and that hee ought to repent of them and leaue them yea that hereby many are mooued for a time to refraine some euill actions But this prooues not that to repent or to bee prepared to repent is the gift of Nature I haue often affirmed that the worke of all those preparations is the worke of Gods Spirit in the elect If they can bring any place out of my Book where I say any one of them is the worke of Nature in them that doe repent then may they pooue my supposed Diuision In the meane time such wresting of a mans writing sauours neither of loue nor iudgement The Triall Repentance is not begunne before faith in Christ because then it should be acceptable without faith The third Obiection but no grace can be acceptable to God without faith Heb 11.6 The Exception This Argument they say I can neuer answere but whether I haue or no or now shâ—ll let the Reader iudge The Apology To this Argument I answered that iâ— prooues not the question because thâ— Text out of the Epistle to the Hebreweâ— prooues not the Argument for both quâ—stion and Argument are to be vndâ—rstooâ— of pleasing of God any or euery way bâ— the proofe out of the Epistle to the Hâ—brewes is of pleasing God one way onely viz vnto saluation To remooue my answere and maintaine their owne argument they shoulâ— haue done two things First they should haue taken away mâ— distinction in one of the members thereâ— concerning acceptablenesse and sheweâ— that no repentance can be any way acceâ—table without faith in Christ But beliâ— it was too hard a tasâ—e for some repetance is not at all acceptable vnto saâ—uaâ—on as Ahabs and the Ninivites and yâ— the same Repentance without Faith 〈◊〉 Christ is some way acceptable vnto Goâ— namely to the auerting of a temporâ— Iudgement as in the same exâ—mples Secondly they should haue prooued that the Text alleadged out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes to prooue their argument is to be vnderstood of a sauing faith only for of that only is the question which is not done I grant the Apostle in that chapter speakes of a sauing faith vers 5. but it seemes that in the verse alleaged he speaks but of an assent to the truth of the two propositions following in the next verse viz that God is or there is a God secondly that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him for he that doubts of either of these cannot please God at all for how should he please God that beleeues not there is a God But neither of these haue they done and therefore for all this the argument is vnsound The Exception Oh but will they say though the Text Heb 11.6 doe not prooue that all our actions done wiehout faith are euery way vnacceptable yet may it bee prooued by reasons taken from Scripture let vs heare them and answere them in order Without faith all our actions are euery way vnacceptable because without Christ they are euery way vnacceptable I answere first there is some pleasing God without Christ to the obtaining of some blessings as the examples of Ahab and the Ninivites and Iehu shew and as the example of Cyrus will easily prooue Isay 44.28 45.1.2.3 Secondly I answere that this reason begges the question because to bee without faith and to be without Christ makes an vnacceptablenes to one and the same end viz vnto saluation and not any or euery way as the proofe should be Faith in Christ makes vs acceptable to God with that acceptablenesse to which we are elected in Christ which hee hath purchased and which faith apprehendeth but this is acceptablenes to saluation for spiritual and heauenly things are the treasures of the couenant of grace to which we are elected by the father which are purchased by the Sonne and which wee receiue instrumentally by Faith The Exception But without Faith in Christ all our actions are euery way vnacceptable because they are euery way sinne no sinne can any way please God The Apology I answere though all our actions done before faith in Christ are vnauaileable to euerlasting life yet are they not sinne Is
the vse of a Doctrine is good or bad according as the nature of the Doctrine is true or false as wel as if it be proper natural or streined and impertinent Now then if it may appeare as I hope it shall to all that are willing and able to iudge that I haue answered all their exceptions then doth my Doctrine touching the precedency of repentance vnto Faith in Christ as yet stand vpright and consequently the application thereof by way of confutation instruction reprehension exhortation and consolation must goe for currant being naturall to the point and not wrested As it will not bee needefull for mee to defend all those vses so neither to inlarge them onely I would adde out more to the other fiue and cleere one of them which I haue already made That which I would adde to the other should bee by way of caution which is to aduertise the Christian Reader that in perusing this my Defence and meditating on the point it selfe he would not doe either the one or the other with a minde onely intent to vnderstand the truth of the point but with a heart to bee affected with the truth when it is vnderstood not labouring so much to enquire whether of repentance or Faith the one or the other goes before in nature or in time as whether they haue them both or no and how they may get them both both being necessary in their kinde vnto saluation That vse which I would cleare should be the fourth whence as also from other places in the Treatise viz. page 226. 233 234. some collect that I make that faith not to be sauing faith which is not wrought after Repentance To this I answere far be it from me to imagine must lesse to determine that a true faith in Christ supposing it to be true cannot be a sauing Faith For Faith in CHRIST is a true sauing Faith let it bee wrought by the Spirit of GOD when it will before or after repentance for I thinke the hand of the Lord is not to bee tyed in as much as hee may worke how and when hee will with and by the vsuall meanes and ordinarily or without them or against them and extraordinarily But this I say that for as much as it hath appeared that vsually and in the common order of Gods working generally and in his ordinary course God prepares men to beleeue in Christ by the fore-worke of some graces tending to it and that many will presumptuously say and perswade they beleeue in Christ when indeede they doe not and therefore to restraine men from presumption I say that such persons may not perswade themselues as yet they hauâ— a sauing faith 233. such may be conceiued not to haue a sauing faith 234. not when they had it indeed but when they thought they had it and had it not for how can a man look for benefit by beleeuing in Christ that continues in a purpose of sinning And that this is so may appeare because in that vse I speake onely of carnall Gospellers who cannot haue a sauing faith indeede yet may they presume they haue it May not a Minister of the Gospell knowing that Preaching is the way and meanes to worke faith in Christ viz. ordinarily reprooue carnall Gospellers that neglect and contemne hearing of Sermons and yet thinke they haue faith in Christ may they not say that their faith us not a sauing faith viz. because they submit noâ— themselues to the ordinary meanes which should beget it may not they say safely and truely that their faith is not a sauing faith though God can and will and somtime doth worke a sauing faith without these meanes viz. extraordinarily why then may not I say that the faith of carnall Gospellers is not true sauing faith seeing they were neuer prepared to beleeue in Christ by the dispositions which Gods holy Spirit workes ordinarily in those in whom he begets a sauing saith though sometime God can and will in an enthusiasme and sodaine rapture worke a sauing faith without these preparations Surely yea for not Gods extraordinary wayes and workes but his ordinary are the pathes wherein wee must walke the rule by which we must proceede and the Touch by which wee must try our selues in cases of this nature To conclude By that which is written in this Apology the Christian Reader may discerne the materiall Exceptions against my Doctrine and the Defence of my Doctrine against those Exceptions I know full well that a Maister of Defence would haue put by these thrusts with more skill or haue beaten them backe with more strength but I am onely a learner in this Schoole and therefore onely as a Scholler in this faculty pro meo marte arte I haue playd my prize That which by Gods prouidence I haue seene materially obiected against my Doctrine I haue with Gods grace answered the pertinency and sufficiency of which answere I referre to the more learned and iudicious Readers to be determined Some obiect my Doctrine is new but I answere it is not a new but a renewed Doctrine Witnesse my testimonies and reasons It is not new though it seeme new it skills not how new a doctrine be so it be true As it is not good to receiue euery Doctrine for this is to be carried about with euery blast Eph. 4 14. So neither is it safe to reiect euery Doctrine which seemes new for this was the errour of the Iewes who refused the Gospell because to their iudgement it seemed a new Doctrine Acts 17.19 The way to preuent errour by mistaking is to follow the rule of the Apostle Prooue all things 1. Thes 5.21 22 hold fast that which is good abstaine from all apperance of euill that is Examine the Doctrines you heare by the word of God and if after Triall they euidently appeare to your iudgement to be good sound imbrace and hold them fast if naught and erronious reiect and let them go If any man after Triall shall dissent from me in this opinion I will not be offended so he dissent as a brother in iudgement and opinion and not in loue and affection and so from answering Exceptions to my booke in one point I proceede and conclude with a remouall of some imputations against it in another the Authors in both not being the same There came to my hands very lately certaine papers containing an accusation against me concerning my first Booke called A Triall of Faith and my second A Defence thereof The things layd to my charge are no lesse then periury lying and contradiction heresie blasphemy and aequivocation as if my booke were a mirrour of errours and absurdities and my selfe a monster of Ministers The matters being so foule and the opportunity so faire to purge my selfe I thought good to adde a sew leaues for the clearing of my innocency herein For in that these papers were brought me not knowing of them nor looking after them when this booke was