failing is when he cometh to answer that Question How shall I know that this is the voice of the Spirit A needful Question Because Satan may and doth transform himself into an Angel of light and deceive the soul This is saith he the usual way of men if the Word did bear witness to this particular voice of the Spirit in me then I could be satisfied But if the Word do not bear witness to this voice of the Spirit I dare not trust it The usual way Nay is it not the only way In the Old Testament thus it was all Revelations were to be examined by the written word Deut. 13. 1. Isa. 8. 20. And is it not so also in the New-Testament See that Text of our Savior Ioh. 16. 13. He that is the Spirit shall lead you into all Truth How so For saith Christ He shall not speak of himself but what he shall hear that shall he speak And what is that which the Spirit heareth Is it not that which is already contained in the scriptures So then no Revelation of any Doctrine no nor the Application of it which is not consonant to the Scripture is to be thought to proceed from the spirit but whatsoever is pretended to be revealed by the Spirit doth so far forth call for Faith as is agreeable to the Scriptures Well not to quarrel needlesly nor to be too strict in terms he doth alow it for a truth The Spirit of the Lord never speaks to the heart of a Believer but he always speaks according to the Word of grace revealed But then he addeth two limitations which spoil all 1. That by the Word we must not understand the Law but the Gospel And this I conceive is put to choke them who seek for signs and marks of Inherent Qualifications 2. That you must not make the credit of this voice of the Spirit to depend upon the Word i. e. to receive credit from it And why not Because saith he if you say that the Word is of greater credit then the Spirit wanteth something in it self of credit as if a man were trusted for a sureties sake But this saith he must not be alowed God never intended that any thing should be of such credit as to give credit to the Spirit The issue of all returns to this That the Testimony of the Spirit is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} self-sufficient as the principles of Arts and Sciences which are indemonstrable and must be received as altogether unquestionable and the meaning thereof is this If any urge how shall I be satisfied that this voice thus speaking is the voice of Gods Spirit his Answer is It is so because it is so Or thus I know it because the Spirit saith it So unwilling are these men that the Revelations and Illuminations on which they build their comforts should be searched into too far Object Nay you will say his meaning is I know it because the Spirit speaketh according to the Word Sol. If so Then he must recant what he said That it doth not depend upon the Word And well he may For howsoever the Truth of what the Spirit speaketh doth not depend upon the Word yet the credit of it doth The Scripture is already known and received as the Word of God And what cometh after it must borrow credit from it St. Peter speaking of the voice which they heard in the Mount saith yet We have a more sure Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1. 19. How more sure But because it was already received as the undoubted Word of God And so to them and in their Apprehension it was a more sure Word But to draw nearer to the point Doth this voice of the Spirit saying to an ungodly man Thy sins are forgiven doth it speak according to the Scripture True indeed the Scripture saith God justifieth the ungodly God hath reconciled the World unto himself But is it therefore alowed for any one to say I am an ungodly man I am one of the World therefore I am justified I am reconciled Is there then any Universal Reconciliation and Justification taught in the Text of Scripture I mean any such Reconciliation that is absolute and irrespective That Reconciliation is so far wrought by Christ indefinitely for the World of mankinde that whosoever will come in and lay hold upon Christ by Faith shall not perish this is revealed None other do I know or acknowledge Is it not rather taught us in the Scripture That before there can be any conclusion of comfort to the soul by the particular Application of the Gospel Promises any I mean more then this conditional If I will come in also I may as well as others there must come in the work of the sanctifying spirit purifying the soul and conscience and working in it those inherent Qualifications to which the Promise is made and upon which dependeth the conclusion of that practical syllogism which bringeth comfort The Text of Scripture saith They that Repent and Believe They that are lead by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Then that renewed and sanctified conscience saith I do Repent and Believe I am lead by the Spirit therefore And so this conclusion thus deduced if the immediate Testimony of the Spirit manifested by an Heavenly impression and irradiation upon the soul if it come in with his attestation to confirm it we may not doubt of the truth thereof because now indeed it speaketh according to the Word and doth confirm that particular conclusion which was comprehended in the general Text of Scripture For where the Text of Scripture hath not a Quicunque for the Proposition there the Testimony of the Spirit that concludes for hic ille doth not speak according to the Word Object You will say to me there is a Quicunque in that of Isa. 55. 1. and Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will and our Saviour Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Sol. I grant it No doubt but the Gospel doth hold out Christ to all none exempted Jew nor Gentile But how As a Physitian to cure them not as an Husband to receive them into union with him Or if you will as a Husband to take them into the Bed of love But not till he hath purged them and fitted them for his Bed is it not for this that the Scripture doth call upon sinners to wash and cleanse their hands and hearts Isa. 1. 15. Jam. 4. 8. To separate from the Wicked 2 Cor. 6. 17. with infinite other Texts of Scripture all of them calling upon us to labor for the work of the Spirit upon the soul that so we may finde the fruits of union and communion with Christ and by that work of the Spirit felt in the heart we way be assured that the word of the Spirit speaking comfort to the soul and assuring the conscience of pardon is the word of truth and worthy of belief For as when
God set down the Text of Scripture and revealed the same to the Church of God he confirmed it by his works from Heaven by Miracles which did convince the world that it must needs be the Word of God which was accompanied with such mighty and miraculous operations so when God will by the Spirit speak to the soul the Application of a Text for comfort he doth make way for the credit of it by the work of the Spirit the work of grace upon the soul If not believe it not the spirit of truth is a spirit of holiness There is no truth in that word which speaks comfort to that heart in which is not wrought the work of Holiness Consequently Thy sins are forgiven in the heart of a Drunkard Swearer Whoremonger is not the voice of the Spirit The work and the word of the Spirit go together Nay so evident is this that the Doctor having sought to establish this Revelation of the Spirit as a principle that may not be disputed and that cannot be demonstrated doth yet in the close come in with this Yet something more for the Spirit doth give men to credit what he speaketh His meaning I conceive to be That by this work of the Spirit by which mans heart is framed to receive the Testimony of the Spirit and to believe it by it doth it appear that it is the Spirit of God which witnesseth their Adoption so then it is the voice of the Spirit that saith Thy sins are forgiven and it is evidenced to be the voice of the Spirit because he frameth the heart to believe it It cannot be denied but that it is the Spirit that giveth Faith to believe it nor is it doubted but that if this perswasion do come from the Spirit it doth afford comfort but still the question is Whether this be the work of the Spirit or not of the other viz. The work of sanctification there is no doubt which if it do not accompany that work of perswasion I much doubt whether it be not an over bold presumption 2. Touching Faith This is delivered by the same Author 1. That the Scripture doth authorize Faith to give full evidence concerning Interest in Christ 2. That this evidence of Faith is not Revealing but a Receiving evidence viz. As it taketh possession of what the Spirit Revealeth and doth rest upon it This Faith saith he brings with it unquestionable evidence full assurance and what needs a man look farther The spirit within thee saith Thy sin is forgiven Faith receiveth it and sits down satisfied here is thine evidence saith he and thou hast thy portion For why the Text of Saint John saith He that believeth hath the witness in himself q. d. He hath as much as can be desired when he hath believing in himself And he that believeth not hath made God a lyar q. d. If when God hath spoken man will not sit down with Gods bare Word but seek for signs and marks drawn from his own works this man hath made God a lyar The sum of all returns to this That this act of Faith receiving the Testimony of the spirit that is when the soul doth rest in it without any farther doubting that this I say is the evidence of our Adoption and Justification so then ask him how do you know that sin is pardoned His Answer is because I believe it and rest satisfied in this perswasion And is not this I pray you a very satisfying evidence It is so because I believe it is so In this way what prophane person is there in the world who may not conclude for himself if he will but force upon himself this perswasion Object Nay but it is not meant but of a perswasion which the Spirit hath wrought in the Heart If God saith he hath given thee to believe it this is thy evidence Sol. Yea but how shall I know whether God hath given me this perswasion or that Satan hath suggested it into my Heart Doth the Spirit of God take a man out of the Dunghil of filthiness and instantly without any work of washing and cleansing speak to him that word of comfort pronounce him pardoned and work in him the full preswasion of it or if he do speedily and as it were suddenly work him to this ful perswasion Doth he not at the same instant work a change upon his will and affections by which that light that is set up in the understanding may be discerned to proceed from the Spirit of God Surely thus we have learned Christ and thus we teach The Spirit of God doth work upon the whole soul and all the faculties at once and equally Understanding and Will Conscience and Affections Nor is there mroe light of saving knowledge in the one then there is heat of holines in the other That Faith which doth not purifie the heart and cleanse the conscience is not a saving Faith such a perswasion of pardon is but a presumption that of S. Iames remaineth an everlasting Truth Faith without works is dead Object That Faith saith he is not dead where the whole essence of Faith is Sol. True but wherein consisteth that essence of Faith This is nothing but the eccho of the Heart saith he to this voice of the Spirit Grant Faith to be the eccho of the Heart to the voice of the Spirit though this indeed be but one act of Faith yet by the voice of the Spirit we understand not that suggestion of Remittuntur but the whole Text of Scripture comprehending Precepts Promises Threatnings in all which there is indeed an eccho of the Heart by Faith Psal. 27. 8. But in this the Antinomian is farther off then the Papist The essence of Iustifying Faith doth neither consist in this eccho to the Text of Scripture nor in that eccho to that word of Revelation but in an act that cometh in between them ex gr. The Text of Scripture saith He that believeth shall be saved Is man justified by believing this for a truth or rather by doing that duty which the word Believeth doth intimate viz. The act of confidence and affiance in Christ Again the Spirit saith Thy sins are forgiven Is man justified because the believeth this word Surely no He must have it before the word that saith so be a word of Truth So then the first eccho goeth before the other doth follow after The right act of justifying Faith whence it is so named is that intermediate act of confidence and affiance Understand me to speak of these acts of Faith as first second third in the order of Nature not in the distance of time In the order of Nature justification doth not go before Faith but follow upon it Nor is man justisted because he doth perswade himself that so it is To wade no farther in this Argument By this I suppose it is evident That the new way of evidencing by the word of the Spirit and the subscription of Faith cannot lay the Ground of
all How then shall any one know whether his part and portion be in that Many or not Ans. Surely say we by the work of Grace in the heart by the Spirit of Sanctification which doth always go along with the Spirit of Adoption and the work of Justification This hath passed for a Truth without any opposition till of late The Antinomians cannot away with inherent Qualifications No certainty can be gathered from the say these men Against whom see the Ancient Truth maintained and the New way convinced of insufficiency Chap. 5. For he shall bear their iniquities This is the Confirmation of the Proposition He shall justifie because He shall bea By bearing iniquities we understand Suffering the punishment due to their sin as a Sacrifice to make an Atonement to satisfie the Justice of God and so to take away the sin of man Hence then we see that Justification is transacted by Christ and he is said to justifie many Not by the way of Instruction as say the Socinians viz. Propounding the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace in which is contained the way and maner of Justification In this sense the Apostles to say nothing of Moses and the Prophets might be said to justifie many inasmuch as they had an eminent service in publishing the Gospel to the world but doubtless Christ had no partners in the Justification of these many So then not by the Instruction is it but by the way of Acquittance and Absolution This is plain but that is farther to be enquired How cometh sin to trouble and vex the conscience if it be taken away Hath Christ born yea born away for so we understand the word bear he doth not only ferre but auferre so bear them as to bear them away Hath Christ born them away and are they brought back again Here again we must Conflict with these Antinomians Old Truths do not please them they have a New way for this also the unsufficiency whereof together with the right way of satisfying the Conscience and taking away the scruple of sin see fully explicated Chap. 6. According to this Method have I finished my Meditations upon this Text of Scripture chosen of purpose to examine the Truth or Falshood of some Points of Antinomianism An Enterprise to which I confess I had bound my self by Vow and Promise made to God in the day of some distress which had befaln me To the performance of which Vow I was engaged by obtaining at the hand of God the gracious grant of my desire which with all thankfulness I do acknowledge and by mine experience can witness That an holy and religious Vow is a ready mean to obtain of God the gracious grant of our just desires Holy and Religious I account that which is framed according to the Rules of Religion One special Rule of Religion is That each Christian in his place and calling do set himself with the best of his abilities to that work which the present times may shew to be most necessary for the advancement of Gods glory I in my place of the Ministery what could I do rather or more tending to this end then to set my self to oppose the present Errors which darken the Truth of God and defile the Purity of our holy Profession This Error of Antinomianism I chese to deal in because I conceived it one of the most dangerous Doctrines that are broached in these days Satan doth never more harm then when he is transformed into an Angel of Light Nor is any Error more dangerous then that by which Christian Liberty is used as an occasion to the Flesh by which the care and conscience of the Law the Rule of Holiness is weakned and worn away by which the Soul and Conscience is steeled and stiffned against the sense and remorse of sin and sinfulness In this I have done what I could If not with strength enough to convince or cleerness enough to perswade yet with a sincere heart and a desire to do good God is my witness And I bless God both for his Assistance enabling me to do what I have done and also for those blessed opportunities which his Providence hath afforded me to do mine endeavor in the course of my Ministery to set forth the Truth of God and to seek the glory of his Name AN EXAMINATION Of the chief Points of ANTINOMIANISM CHAP. I. Touching the Law of Moses Whether altogether abolished so that it is of no use to the Believer now in the time of the Gospel Also whether it do not binde Believers to the Duties of Holiness as well now as it did in the time of the Old Testament THere is a Generation of men risen up again in this last Age of the Church who would gladly banish the Preaching of the Law and all legal Duties out of the Church of Christ The Law say they is abolished the Conscience of the Christian is not bound to the Law they are false Teachers who call men to the practise of the Law and the Duties therein contained This Doctrine of theirs is a word that will eat as doth a Canker till it hath fretted out all care of Holiness and good Works if not prevented Let it not then be thought impertinent this being the time of their infection if by examining their Grounds and discovering the weakness and unsoundness of them I seek what lyeth in me to prevent the further spreading of this evil The Antixomian this name is given him for that he opposeth the Preaching and pressing of the Law he I say buildeth upon these and the like Texts Rom. 6. 14. 7. 4. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 10. 5. 1. whence they argue to this effect If Believers be not under the Law nay if dead to the Law by the body of Christ and so delivered from the Law whereupon Christ is termed the end of the Law Then to call them back again to the Law and the dominion thereof is to draw them from Christ and from that Liberty which Christ hath purchased for them whereas the Apostle doth charge the Galatians to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and not to suffer themselves to be again entangled in the yoke of Bondage Thus they as I finde by that Book of Ro Town Intituled The Assertion of Grace or A ' Defence of the Doctrine of free Justification For clearing of this our Divines distinguish The Law of Moses delivered to the Church of Israel was partly Moral partly Ceremonial Moral so called because it was the Rule of good maners toward God and toward man And it is to be considered either in respect of the Substance or the Circumstance In respect of the Substance it is the comprehension of those Duties of Holiness which God had either imprinted in the heart or revealed to the ear of Adam and his Posterity in that Age of the Church which lived before the writing of the Law And so it is the
and so wrong the Wisdom of our Saviour as if he could not make choice of such words phrases as might plainly and understandingly express his meaning And if these words Forgive us do signifie Make us to know that thou hast long since forgiven us then why shall not the next words As we forgive receive the same interpretation Nay why not so also in the other Petitions Lead us not into Tentation Give us our daily Bread i. e. in the Antinomian sense Make us to know that thou hast not lead us that thou hast given us our daily Bread Will not this be found a sensless gloss nay an utter perverting of our Saviours intention And why then should it hold only in the fifth Petition and in none of the other 2. Adde this That one end of our daily address to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to obtain the Remission of our sins by the application of Christs blood The words of our Saviour touching the Wine are these This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins That in it as we have often need by reason of our daily Transgressions so we may often look upon that Brasen serpent for the cure of our often bitings Thus what we ask of God in prayer the same in the Sacrament doth God bestow upon us viz. The daily pardon of our daily sins Were it not in this respect needful to provide for our wants was the pardon of all actual sins at once sealed in this Sacrament as is the pardon of our Original guilt sealed in Baptism what necessity to receive this Sacrament any oftner then we do the other sc. once for all 3. And above all it is a ground of Religion that nothing is to be received and believed but what is Revealed to us for a truth by the Word of God Now there is no ground in the Word of God for any particular person to believe that his sins are remitted already before he do repent and believe in Christ The Word of God sets down what counsel hath been given to men that they might obtain Remission Act. 2. 38. and 3. 19. But no where doth the Scripture say to this or that man Thy sins be forgiven And for any man to perswade himself of Remission before it be yea before he hath a word for it is presumption and not saith The Antinomian Doctors say That the Spirit of God doth reveal it in the heart of a man and the Voice of the Spirit is the Testimony of truth In very deed we may not refuse the Testimony of the Spirit nor question the truth of it But in as much as we know that Satan doth somtimes transform himself into an Angel of Light and that there be many false Spirits in which respect the Apostles bids us to try the Spirits nor doth Satan seduce only by the Doctrines of men but also by false suggestions whispering to the sinner comfort upon false grounds How shall we discern the Testimony of the Spirit from the suggestion of Satan They Answer Hereby it is discerned Because it speaketh things consonant to the Scripture Let this be manifested and the question is at an end But where doth the Scripture countenance that Voice of the Spirit speaking to the sinner and saying Thou art justified in the sight of God and thy sin pardoned and that long ago in the day of Christs Passion How I say is this proved to be according to the Scriptures They say The Scripture holdeth forth the Free Grace of God in Christ viz. That Christ is given a Saviour for sinners for Enemies for the Rebellious That God doth justifie the Wicked and the ungodly even when and while they are such That he calleth for no works of mans Righteousness nor any previous dispositions to qualifie men that may come to Christ So that neither Impiety nor Enmity can cast in any bar to hinder him that will lay hold upon Christ This we do not much question but withall we adde That the Scripture doth also call upon sinners to Repent and turn to the Lord that so they may be pardoned and their sins bloted out and in as much as we know that one Text of Scripture is no less truth then another nor may we so cleave to the one as to neglect the other for they are not contradictory if rightly understood we conclude that Christ is held forth a Saviour to sinners but so that they repent and forsake their sins not else no sin not the greatness of any sin no nor the multitude of great Transgressions can bar the humble Penitent Saint Iohn saith If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us 1 Iob. 1. 7. Note that If q. d. If not then there is no ground to hope for it Again we say That God doth justifie the ungodly as Christ doth save sinners in sensu diviso i. e. Not while they are ungodly not while they are sinners but when they have forsaken their wicked ways have turned to the Lord by true and sound repentance That text of Rom. 4. 5. speaking of him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly must not be understood simply of such a one that doth nothing at all but respectively of such a one as doth not rest upon his works nor rely upon his Righteousness but renouncing his own works doth cast himself upon the Free Grace of God nor doth it use that word ungodly in the common sense sâ— for one that hath no goodness in him at all but in a limited sense viz for one that wanteth such a perfection of goodness as on which he may build the hopes of his justification And the reason of this explication is because the proposition is drawn from the instance of Abraham a man certainly not altogether void of works and Righteousness though not so complete and perfect in them as that he durst rest upon them but renouncing his works he did cast himself upon the Free grace of God and so was justified by his Faith Consequently that voice of Revelation in man which teacheth him to comfort himself in the assurance of his justification without any respect to the work of Repentance wrought in him this is not the voice of Gods spirit but the delusion of Satan There is no word of God on which to ground such an assurance and therefore it may not be received nor believed for truth it being a ground of our Religion That nothing is to be received but what is revealed by the word of God I might adde this also Nothing is to be received as a truth which is cross and contrary to the Text of Scripture Now that sins should be actually pre-remitted before-hand and the person actually justified before that by Faith he be United to Christ how doth it not cross that Text of Saint Paul Rom. 3. 25. where speaking of the Remission of sin
by the blood of Christ he mentioneth not sin indifinitely but Sins that are past for the Remission of sins that are past I know that some do by this phrase Sins that are past understand the Transgressions of them who lived in the time before Christ the Transgressions against the first Covenant Heb. 9. 15. But whether this be not an over-great straitning of the Text I leave it to the judgement of the Learned That of Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God alleaged by some to prove No Iustification before Faith is by H. D. turned off as not to the purpose Why so To please God saith he is to do things pleasing to God which cannot be done without Faith But he cannot so easily turn of those Texts Joh. 3. 18. and Eph. 2. In the former saith our blessed Saviour He that believeth not is condemned already How so Is the sentence of condemnation judicially past upon him or is the meaning of it that he is in the state of condemnation or in the words of John Baptist Verse 26. The wrath of God abideth upon him viz. till by Faith he lay hold upon Christ By nature we are the children of wrath saith Saint Paul we as well as others Jews and Gentiles one common estate of all till by Grace by a Quickning grace there be put a difference and this Grace is effectual through Faith Verse 8. Consequently no actual Remission of sin before the work of Grace which is yet more apparent from Verse 12. where speaking of those that then were quickned and justified he saith That before that work of Grace calling them and quickning to a communion with Christ they were without Christ without hope It is an overbase and unworthy conceit of the Scripture which is implied in the Answer that he maketh viz. This were something if we were so in Gods account as well as in our own esteem Unworthy of the Scripture is this conceit for whose Word is the Text of Scripture From whose dictating is it penned Doth Saint Paul in those words set down the judgement of men touching the state of Nature or rather the minde of God If so Howsoever in the purpose of God they were appointed to the effects and fruits of Love yet for the present they were not fitted for it till quickned by Grace Consequently not justified from their sins before their calling much less acquitted of their debts before they had run out into any sinful arrerages No Pre-remission of sin before it be committed CHAP. V. The way of seeking vesolution touching our Adoption and Justification by signs and marks viz. The fruits of Sanctification whether it be altogether unsatisfactory THere be who teach That no fruit of Sanctification if it speak as the Lord giveth it to speak can speak peace to the soul And that inherent Qualifications are but doubtful Evidences for Heaven consequently that the way of seeking resolution by them is altogether unsatisfactory This conclusion I grant must needs follow upon those premises but how are they proved The reason alleaged is builded upon Gal. 3. 10. The Law is not of Faith but the voice of the Law is this Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them Are there not failings in all Can that that is full of failings speak peace How then can it secure a man that he hath Interest in Christ But now by this text alleaged to prove their position and by the Argument framed upon it it is evident that either they do not rightly understand what it is that we teach or will not rightly propound it For did we indeed hold forth these Qualifications to be immediate evidences in the way of a legal Righteousness then did they speak to the point Not so now when as we do only account them mediate Evidences and that in a way of Evangelical Righteousness We do not say That he that is Holy and Righteous is adopted for his Holiness or justified for his Righteousness or saved for his good works and duties performed No But this we say He that is Holy and Righteous is discerned to be Adopted Rom. 8. 14. They who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God And whoso is adopted is justified and shal be saved Sanctification is an Evidence of Adoption and Justification not ex Antecedente but ex Consequente Not that either of these doth casually depend upon that but because there is an inseparable Connexion of all these in the person Adopted Saint Pauls Argument runneth thus Ye shall live because ye are children and known to be children because led by the spirit For the further clearing of this truth and discovering of Errors that darken the light and lustre of it I shall propound and prosecute these two propositions 1. That this is the way which the Saints of God have gone in seeking for and setting forth the evidence of their Salvation 2. That the new way of Evidencing only by the spirit and Faith cannot lay the Ground of a setled Peace except the work of the sanctifying spirit be also sought to give in Testimony The first Proposition This is the way which the Saints of God have gone in seeking for and setting forth the evidence of their Salvation I manifest this by three Texts which I make choice of to examine what Doctor Crisp hath objected against the instance of these three Graces Vniversal Obedience Sincerity of Heart and the Love of the Brethren which he refuseth as insufficient evidence of justification 1. Text. Psal. 119. 6. Saith David Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments where note 1. His expectation Not be ashamed or confounded viz. when I am questioned either by God or Man 2. The ground of this When I have respect to all thy Commandments Do we not see That David doth comfortably assure himself that his Universal Obedience should give him boldness and confidence Whereupon is that it in ver. 5. His earnest desire was Oh that my ways were so directed that I might keep thy Commandments Now then was it so with David I might adde Job also whence that Confidence of his expressed Job 13. 15. and 27. 16. Is it not from his integrity see Chap. 23. 10. 13. and Chap. 31. was it so with them and may it not be so with us Had sanctification a greater influence upon their Spiritual estate then it hath upon ours Doubtless the Conscionable care of Universal Obedience is an Evidence and comfortable Ground of our assurance Object But how can this be an Evidence which Paul rejecteth as dross and dung Phil. 3. He was blameless as touching the Righteousness of the Law yet rejecteth it and will not rest upon it Sol. True indeed He was in his own opinion and in others also But this was only a Pharisaical blamelesness such as that that is mentioned Luke 16. 15. and 18.
off that sluggishness that is in us As he doth teach so doth he incline the Heart Teach he doth not only by inward Motions and Suggestions but also by external Precepts and Instructions so doth he incline and discipline the heart by external motives no less then inward motions external motives I say viz. the Promises and Threatnings of the Law Object Is not this to call for an outward Authority to incline the Heart to that which it hath none affection nor inclination Sol. Nothing less It is indeed to call for an outward authority or Argument to quicken the Soul unto that unto which though by Grace it hath an inward affection yet by reason of the powerful relliques of Corruption that inward affection is not strong enough to prevail without some outward helps we know that a Crutch doth no harm to the weak and feeble nor do we account of Christians moved by fear to be as a Bear tyed to a stake We know that they have in them an ingenuous and free Spirit by which they are led but we know that there is in them also the Body of Sin still dwelling the Lusts whereof are violent and must be kept under by the Law We fear to let the Christian loose too soon least like Heirs that come to their Estate before they be wise they squander it away spoil all we know that they have the Spirit of Faith which worketh by love But we know also that the same Spirit worketh by Fear Love and Fear are as the weights and plummets of the Soul Love is indeed the sweetest and most potent but it is not for beginners and Babes in Christ These like School-boys must otherwhiles be frighted into their Duty were there no flesh in believers fear might be laid aside while there is Flesh in them there is use of fear If not why is it part of the promise in the New Covenant Ier. 32. 40. I will put my Fear into their Hearts They grant That the Law doth not lose his Dominion till the Grace of God do challenge us to it self that it may reveal Righteousness in us very good say I but adde this That the Law doth not lose his Dominion wholly till the Grace of God hath revealed Righteousness in us i. e. till it hath set up the reign of Grace and subdued corruption which is the daily endeavor of the Spirit but much retarded by the flesh nor will it be perfected till this life be changed It is not denyed but while the Spirit of Love is active fear may stand aside But we know that when the Heart is taken up with the pleasures of Sin as too often it is the Spirit of God must use the whip of the Law to fetch it off again otherwise it is hardly reclaimed Nor do we deny but that according to their Doctrine and Definition of a true Believer there is no liberty set up nor given to the Flesh But we say it is a Doctrine and Difinition not fitted to the state of a Christian in this life To walk by Love is the Duty of a Christian not the Definition This motive and mean which they prescribe viz. The Love of Christ is potent and prevalent to lead men on in Holiness if it meet with an Heart rightly fitted and qualified But it is not for the common temper of Christians as Saint Paul said of the Law It was too weak Rom. 8. 3. Not in it self but in respect of mans impotency So say we of this love the only motive by which these men would have Christians dealt withall It is strong in it self but not strong enough to over bear the power and prevalency of Corruption still remaining Needs must we call in the help of this fear the fear of danger that may come by Sin to keep men even the best of Christians from daring to meddle with it Well But to what end should these threatnings be used since Christians need not fear them How so Because by vertue of their justification they are delivered from the curse of the Law To this I might answer That their Justification doth not free them from the Rod What was said of the Seed of David is true also of the Seed of Christ the Son of David If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquity with stripes Psal. 89. 31. They may and do smart for their sins as appeareth by the grievous complaints of divers holy men of God Psal. 77. and 88. 15. Now then if they be lyable to smart and suffer for their sin may they not be threatned and put in fear thereof that fear may make them watchful and careful Not for sin say these men doth the Believer smart and suffer but from sin i. e. In the way of prevention not in the way of punishment A fond and a foolish position contrary to the Text of Scripture which directly saith For this cause many among you are weak and sick and some are fallen a sleep 1 Cor. 11. 30. contrary to reason Why doth one Christian smart rather then another Hath he in him more seeds of sin then another contrary to experience What Father doth correct his childe for a fault not yet committed And whose conscience doth not tell him that his sin hath procured these things to himself Even Job is at it I have sinned what shall I do unto thee Job 7. 20. I might adde That if their justification doth exempt them from being cast into Hell yet doth it not exempt them from having an Hell cast into them even the very flames and flâ—shes of that fire and brimstone for a time cast into their souls to drink up their spirits and dry up the moisture of their vital parts as the experience of divers holy Saints of God doth testifie But this I urge finally That notwithstanding their justification they are not exempted from the fear of Hell it self Iustification doth onely free them from this fear while they walk worthy of it But suppose them sinning against the Law of holiness suppose them stepping aside from Christ and wandring into the way of sin they cannot be free from the fear of death The Apostle saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye nor doth he make any exception of the justified person So that if you can suppose a justified person sinning as no doubt but he may otherwise in vain had S. Paul to them of whom he had said 1. Cor. 6. 11. Ye are justified recommended this exhortation verse 18. Flee Fornication if you can suppose him sinning I will conclude him thereby in danger of death and till he repent and return to Christ that he may gain the pardon of this sin also he cannot be out of the fear of death Nay more if you can suppose him sinning and dying in his sin without repentance for that sin I will conclude him in the state of death and condemnation or
more sorrow nor crying no more curse nor fear therof according to the words of the Angel Rev. 21. 4. 22. 3. There is I grant a praejudicium in foro conscientiae a preludial Justification in the Court of Conscience which is a pregustation and foretaste of that final Absolution In the Court of Conscience doth Christ set up his Tribunal there doth he take notice of the Accusations that are put in by Satan against the sinner upon particular occasions and by the power and operation of the spirit working in the Conscience doth he upon the humble confession of the penitent soul pronounce the sentence of absolution by the Ministery of the Word and seal it by the blessed Sacrament and what is now done daily upon emergent occasions shall be ratified at the latter day according to that gracious promise of Christ made to Peter when he gave him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And the same in effect repeated to the Apostles Joh. 20. 23. Thus in present by the Ministery of Reconciliation there is a work of Iustification in the Court of Conscience But the final consummation is reserved to that day when Christ the Iudge proceeding judicially shal pronounce the sentence of absolution The main work of Iustification therefore is as yet future for to say that justification quatenus it comprehendeth remission of sin is one individual act or that the blood of Christ doth at once wash us from all even future sins in the Antinomian sense I dare not yield It is the blood of Christ and that alone which doth cleanse us from all sin so is it the word and spirit of Christ that leadeth us into all truth yet not all at once Truth it is that in our first union with Christ there is conferred the ground and pledge of future remission for all sins to the end of our lives the Ground of it is our Adoption sealed to us in our Baptism the which is not afterward cut off no not by the greatest sins which the believer doth commit still he is the childe of God though in respect of his sin he may be the childe of Wrath and lyable to punishment still he hath an interest in Christ and upon his repentance he shall have benefit and communion with him in his Merits and Graces The Pledge and pawn of future Remission i. e. of the Remission and Forgiveness of all future sins is that actual Remission of what sin for the present the soul stood guilty of at that time when he was United to Christ All sins past and present were actually pardoned viz. Actual sins in Converts Original in their Insants the guilt of these is remitted and their justification in reference to these sealed in Baptism This favor received is a Pledge of assurance to them that in future also by applying themselves to Christ they may and shall receive the forgiveness of their daily sins He that by the application of a salve hath his wound cured hath he not therein a Pledge of assurance that in the use of the same means upon the like occasion he may receive the same benefit But to say That in our first Union with Christ we receive an actual Remission of future sins is in mine Opinion as incongruous as to say The Cure is done and past before the wound be made I grant That it hath been received and passed for currant in the schools of our Divines That all sins are remitted to the Believer at once all viz. past present and to come so hath it been received That justifying Faith is a particular perswasion of Gods mercy to me But as Amesius hath well observed in Medulla Theol. lib. 1. cap. 27. That this was set down only to oppose that general assent to the Articles of our Creed in which Papists do place the essence of justifying faith And therefore though he granteth that Fides justificans parit hanc specialem fiduciam c. yet he defineth it to be Qua recumbimus in Christum ad Remissionem so I suppose that our Divines did set down this position of Iustification transacted at once to cut off the Popish ground for the Sacrament of Penance not foreseeing what we by experience finde how unhappy a ground is herein laid for loosness and Libertinism Hereupon Amesius ibidem coming to set down his Opinion of the matter doth mince it Remittuntur peccata justificatorum non praeterita solum sed etiam aliquo modo futura Note that aliquo modo Now to explain himself he addeth Hoc tamen est discriminis quod peccata praeterita per formalem applicationem Remissionis nobis in Christo paratae futura autem virtualiter tantum Praeterita in sese Futura in subjecto vel persona peccante The which is in effect to say Non remittuntur nisi in pignore The actual Remission of sins past is the Pledge and Pawn of what shall be upon the use and exercise of Faith But to conceive sin remitted as it were by an Ante-dated pardon is not only against sense and reason but also against the grounds of Religion Sense and reason saith there is no need of Remission before there be a guilt nor is there guilt before the sin be committed no need of a Plaister before there be a wound prepared aforehand it may be and laid ready but application of it must needs come in after the malady Then for the ground of Religion 1. In the fifth Petition we are taught to pray for the pardon of sin Now prayer is an act of Faith and hope and both these are de futuris of things expected and not in present possession Faith looketh upon the Promise hope upon the performance neither of them upon the possession No man prayeth for what he hath in hand or for what is compleatly done and past already I know what is usually said viz. That not the pardon it self but the assurance the feeling and comfort of it is that which is desired in the Petition Nor do I deny but that in respect of sins past and formerly pardoned this is so We play for greater assurance of that pardon because our Faith is like a narrow-mouthed Bottle which though cast into the sea yet is not filled but by degrees Or rather we pray for the continuance of assurance we have received not as if God were off and on with us or would revoke what he had given But because this daily Petition is a mean appointed of God to work that continuance and no sooner do we cease to pray and take off our eye from God in Christ but we cease to believe and receive that continuance Thus I say it is in respect of sins past but now for the sins that daily are committed it is the direct pardon of them which we desire of God in that Petition Nor can the words receive any other sense except we should wrest them
work But the Motive and main cause of their performances it is some by-end and base respect as in Jehu and the Pharisees which appeareth in this That when that end is gained or that respect ceaseth then also their work is at an end though the Glory of God and the good of Christs Church be never so much concerned None but the Childe of God doth make the Glory of his Father the end and aim of all his actions All others begin and end in Self Object This sincerity is not found in the ordinary practises of Christians either in the exercises of Religion or in the works of mercy and justice For why saith the Doctor Is there not much Self mixed in their performances in praying and fasting Is not the end of these Duties to be delivered from Danger Sol. It is I grant one end but not the Vltimate end In these exercises we seek our own good bread pardon preservation deliverance and that not unlawfully For Christ hath taught us to put them into our prayers but still with this caution For thine is the Glory i. e. To desire them only as subservient to the glory of God should we desire these for our selves i. e. to spend them upon our lusts to live to our selves in matter of profit pleasure and preferment this were self-seeking But thus to desire them that in the use of them we may be the more instrumental to glorifie God in our several places this is not Self-seeking Say the same of Men-pleasing though a man do encourage himself in goodness by the praise of men by listening to the acceptableness of his well doing yet so long as the praise of men is not as it was in the Pharisees the prime and principal inducement of doing what is done this is not Men-pleasing both of these are defined not by the subservient but by the ultimate end of our endeavors if that be right there is sincerity in the Obedience and this sincerity is a ground of confidence the work of the spirit an Argument of our Adoption Object Not so saith the Antinomian Doctor For we read in Rom. 10. 1. 3. That the Jews had a zeal-and this was exercised in Obedience to the will of God yet these were En 〈…〉 to Christ And how can that be an evidence of Adoption that is found in an Enemy Sol. Is not this a gross mistake The point is touching sincerity and his proof is by an instance of zeal Is there no difference Is not sincerity the singleness of the heart and zeal the earnestness of the spirit Besides this their zeal was not according to knowledge If this kinde of zeal profit not shall not that which is according to knowledge and guided by the rules of Holy discretion shall not that afford comfort That which he addeth viz. That their zeal was not in a corrupt way of their own devising is directly contrary to the Apostle For he saith of them That in seeking to establish their own Righteousness they have not submitted to the Righteousness of God It was therefore a way of their own devising which is proved Verse 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth So that to seek the establishment of the Law though the Law of God for another end then God hath appointed yea in opposition to that end is not an Argument of sincerity but an act of a turbulent passion Papists contend much for the efficacy of the Sacraments But while they place in them an efficacy altogether independent upon Faith do they not seek to establish their own fancies and not the truth of God Tâ—â—s did these Jews they pretended for God but in a way of their own devising Not much unlike to many among us who pretend for the Scepter of Christ but only in a way of their own Were the zeal of all thâ—se sincere as it should be there would be in them a readiness to embrace and submit to what shall appear to be the minde of God and say Vnicat Veritas or as St. Paul in 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can do nothing against the truth 3. Text. 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Hence we collect That the state of our Adoption and standing right in the sight and favor of God is a thing that may be known that this love of our Brethren is a note and evidence thereof For why Love is of God cap. 4. 7. an effect of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. For while the Spirit of Adoption doth shed abroad the love of God in our hearts and make us sensible of it it doth cause in us a love to him that loved us first and for his sake who hath begotten us a love to them also that are as we are begotten of God This is so plain that it may seem strange that any should either deny it or doubt of it Yet saith the Doctor Object The scope of the Apostle is to comfort them against the hatred of the World and he sheweth what esteem they had one of another q. d. though the World do not esteem us yet our judgement one of another is that we are the people of God grounding our selves upon this that we do love one another so that this is rather a mark how another may know me then how I may know my self Sol. Is not this strange That the Apostle should set this down as a ground of comfort to bear up the heart against the hatred of the World viz. The good esteem that Christians have of us Will this secure the soul against sadness and sorrow will not Satan suggest What if they be deceived They know not the heart they judge by the outward appearance by the expressions of love to the Brethren and therein they may be deceived And that the Text must be understood of that immanent and reflexive act of knowledge which passeth a Censure upon our selves it is evident by that that followeth For the Apostle having set this down as a rule of discerning their spiritual estate and proved Veâ—â—e it 15. and pressed it by the example of Christ whose love was manifested by laying down his life for us Verse 16. whom we are to imitate in a real demonstration of our inward affection to the Brethren He urgeth again this Motive That hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him And I would gladly ask whether here also the Apostle doth intend to teach us that by this act of love we way assure our selves touching others and rest secure that we are not decceived And what so great matter is this if in the mean space we may not evidently judge the state of our own souls And what meaneth he to adde this Verse 21. If our heart condemn us not we have boldness toward God Certainly the Apostles intention is to set down an evidence of Self-discerning Object But suppose it
so yet so intricate is this way of Examination that a Christian shall finde himself much puzzled in it Why so Because hard it is to know both what it is to love and who is a Brother And till these be known how can we try our selves by the Sign Sol. Grant it to be hard yet if not impossible we know that difficulty doth not take off but stirreth up diligence What it is to love we may learn from 1 Cor. 13. 5. and 1 Job 3. 16 17. And who is a brother from Gal. 6. 10. Quest But who can truly say I love the Brethren if those be acts effects and properties of love Who can approve himself to have loved in all those particulars Ans. Even he that hath received the Spirit of God for Love is one of the fruits of the Spirit And though peradventure he hath not attaind to that perfection of love which another hath himself desires yet is he not therfore excluded from the truth therof Quest But who can know that this or that man is a Brother Doth not this Brotherhood confist in being united unto Christ Doth any man know this but God alone Ans. Is not this in effect to tell the Apostle he speaks absurdly and sets down a mark of knowing which cannot be known For when the Apostle saith We know Because we love Doth he not pre-suppose that it may be known We love the Brethren both in respect of the Act and Object i. e. both what it is to love and who are the brethren But admit that I cannot infallibly discern who is and who is not a Brother yet may I discern the ground of my love to him viz. because I conceive him to be a Brother I love him under that notion Object So do Papists and Sectaries these love their own and under the notion of Brethren Sol. It may be so but what then Is this therefore no sign or mark of our spiritual condition which St. John hath set down But indeed neither Papists nor Sectaries do love under this notion in St. Johns meaning if their love be confined to Papists and Sectaries He loveth a man under the right notion of a Brother who doth love him eo nomine because there is Aliquid Christi in him because he is of the Houshold of Faith a believer in Christ But if in case of a Brothers necessity yet there be no fruit of love to be seen except also there be in him Aliquid nostri viz. That he be of our Sect and Opinion If all Christianity be confined within the narrow compass of this or that Opinion surely this is not to love the Brethren Let all Sectaries look to it and the Antinomians by name who pretend to be the only Brethren because they only sit down by the free grace of God and rest themselves upon the promises of the Gospel though they see themselves full of sin Let them I say look to it for if their Charity will not extend it self to relieve the necessities and bear with the infirmities of those other whom they accuse to run after Moses and the Law for their peace and satisfaction of Spirit in as much as they cannot but know that if we do erre it is through mis-understanding of the Scripture according to which we desire to frame all our faith and practises certainly they cannot approve themselves to love the Brethren you will say this may easily be retorted Nor will I deny the justness thereof should I suffer the difference of Opinion so far to draw off mine affection from any that professeth Christ as in the case of his necessity to neglect him to reckon him no better then a Turk I should doubt whether the Spirit of Christ dwelled in me or not Is he a man that would not succor a man though a Heathen or Turk against a Lyon or a Bear And is he a Christian that will not succor a Christian though perhaps a Papist or a Sectary against a Turk Is not the Text of St Paul plain Do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith And why to them especially But because they embrace the Gospel and so profess themselves the subjects and servants of Christ Truth it is that among them there is some difference also by a different measure of the Spirit And as each is before other in it so the especially falls upon him We say that God himself is the first and chief Beloved other things are loved for Gods sake viz. All the Creatures but especially Man because there is in him more of God then in the rest All men but especially Christians Because they profess subjection to Christ All Christians but especially them in whom the work of the Spirit is most eminent This it is to love the Brethren But now if beyond all this there must be Aliquid nostri in them some special Relation to us or else no love extended to them This is not to love the Brethren Of such St. Iohn addeth He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death The second Proposition That the new way of evidencing our Adoption and Iustification only by the Spirit and Faith cannot lay the Ground of a firm setled Peace except the work of the Sanctifying Spirit also do come in to give Testimony For the manifestation of which I shall shew 1. What is delivered touching each 2. Wherein I conceive it to fail of the Truth First Touching the Spirit It is termed The Revealing evidence which speaks to a mans own Spirit saying Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven Christ administred this Comfort only in general But the Spirit cometh home to every man in particular Whence he is called The Comforter because he so speaks to the Soul that the Judge is also satisfied And when men do fear My sin is not pardoned The Spirit speaks to the Soul and saith They are pardoned Till this be revealed all the World shall never satisfie the Soul all signs and marks are meer riddles The Spirit of Adoption teacheth as to cry Abba Father The Spirit it self i. e. the immediate voice of the Spirit without any instrument what God hath determined of this or that man is not set down in the scripture But it is revealed by the Spirit Hence the Spirit is the seal and the earnest To this effect the Antinomian Doctor And hereupon he expostulateth Why do men scorn and cry out of them that teach and profess this as of Enthusiasts men that have Revelations Is not saith he the Spirit of God the Spirit of Revelation Is he not given to reveal these things And to confess the truth In all this I see not what can be denyed or much doubted of though all his proofs are not convincing that one Text of Rom. 8. 16. doth speak home to the point That the Spirit of God is the Revealing evidence The voice of the Spirit is the chief though not the only Testimony of our Adoption But all the
perfect peace except there come in also the evidence of inherent Qualifications The voice of Pardon is not the voice of the spirit except when it speaks to a Heart prepared and fitted for it Then only is it true when it falls upon a Penitent soul a Repenting sinner otherwise it is the suggestion of Satan Again the subscription of Faith is then a ground of comfort when it is accompanied with such inherent Qualifications as do certainly proclaim the work of the sanctifying spirit in the Heart otherwise it is but Presumption and rash Boldness The ground of all this is in the nature of this Testimony of the spirit It is not denied But that the testimony of the Spirit is the chief and principal assurance of our Adoption that without it the soul is not finally rid of fears that when it cometh it taketh away all fears and doubts But this is that which we are to nore that this is rather an Attestation then a Testimony a secondary not the first deponent is not this rightly concluded from that of Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit where we have two witnesses joyning together their Testimonies to assert this truth That we are the Sons of God Two I say viz. Our spirit and the spirit of God the witness of our spirit i. e. of our conscience is the first The spirit of God is the second His work is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to witness together with our Spirit i. e. To confirm and ratifie what that hath asserted So that indeed the evidencing of this Testimony of the spirit is from the Testimony of our own conscience If this do not first speak and conclude that other of the spirit speaks not at all Now the Testimony of the conscience is the conclusion of that practical Syllogism and the certainty of this conclusion depends upon the verity of the Assumption which mentioneth the work of grace in the Heart So then let it be the care of the Christian to make good the verity of the Assumption that he may truly say I do repent I am led by the spirit I do believe and rest upon Christ c. This shall not only afford him comfort by the conclusion but also assure him that he is not mis-led by the suggestion of Satan but guided by the spirit to rest upon that Testimony of his Adoption and Justification CHAP. VI Touching sin in the Conscience of the Believer The Doctrine of the Antinomians in this Point examined and found insufficient to satisfie the Conscience The right way of satisfying the Conscience and of taking away the scruple of sin set down THe Prophet Isaiah cap. 53. 11. having set down this That Christ shall Iustifie many addeth this as a reason For he shall bear their iniquities A phrase borrowed from the Levitical Priesthood in which the sacrificed Beast did bear the iniquity of the party that brought it his confession was that he had deserved death by his sin yet now casting himself upon the mercy of God he desired that the guilt of his sin might be transferred and laid upon that sacrifice and by the Blood of it he might finde Atonement So then the meaning of that saying of the Prophet is That Christ shall as a sacrifice of expiation take upon him punishment due to the sin of many Thus by bearing the punishment doth he take away the sin of his people This doth not please some the Antinomian Doctors by name The word iniquities is found in the 6. Verse of the Chapter And upon that Text one of them Dr. Crisp doth contend much for this That not onely the punishment of sin but the iniquity it self was laid upon Christ Not the guilt only but the fault it self His reason is Because otherwise it had been injustice in God to bruise hiâ— I should not much stick either at the Doctrine or the Reason but that I finde that the end of this for which they contend is not found viz. To shew the reason why it is said in Jer. 50. 20. That the iniquity of Iacob the Elect of God is sought for but cannot be found viz. Because God hath conveyed their iniquities away from the sinner and laid them upon the Back of Christ the which he seeketh to illustrate by him that to help a theef and deliver him from the danger of the Hue and Cry conveyeth away out of the thiefs house the stoln goods so that they are not found upon him It is not we see for nothing that these men depart from the received expressions of other Divines Iunius reads that sixth Verse thus Facit ut incurrat pena The punishment of us all met upon him answerable to Verse 5. The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him The Genevenses note is The punishment of our iniquitie and not the fault it self And Deodate saith Not the transgression nor the fault but the Bond by which we were lyable to Gods Iustice and the punishment of it Christ being our surety Amesius saith That the Imputation of our sin could agree to Christ in none other sense then this that he should undergo the punishment due to our sins See his Medulla Theol. Par. 1. cap. 6. But to let this pass Upon this truth and text That God hath laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all and that accordingly Christ hath born our iniquities A question is moved How then cometh it to pass that sin doth still trouble and terrifie the Conscience of many To this Question the Antinomians do Answer That many do trouble themselves needlesly that there is indeed no sin in the Conscience of the Believer but that men do put it in and so vex themselves without cause One of their Doctors out of that Text of Isa. 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all hath delivered these Doctrines 1. That it is iniquity it self and not barely the punishment that is laid upon Christ 2. This iniquity of ours is really transacted and laid upon him truely and not only by so thinking 3. The laying of iniquity upon Christ is the Lords own act it is his prerogative alone to do it 4. This act is not now to be done but it is done already 5. This grace of laying iniquity upon Christ is appliable by forgiveness of sin to persons before the least measure of Sanctification Points of Doctrine in which we cannot readily suspect any iniquity at least they might pass with a favorable interpretation But by the conclusions thence deduced we cannot but see that there is a snake in the grass Hence he inferreth 1. That the reason why believers walk in bitterness of Spirit is because they imagine sin in the Conscience whereas indeed believers have no sin at all wasting their Conscience or lying as a burthen upon them 2. That our own performances faith and repentance have no hand at all in laying sin upon
Christ Nor is there any other end of our Faith save onely to manifest what is done long ago by God and Christ 3. That we may save all our care and fear for the work is done to our hand yea to think that we must take pains to get pardon is a deceitful Imagination 4. That our Righteousness may hinder our closing with Christ so may our sinfulness c. Not much unlike is the dealing of another of the same Society Who having set these two truths 1. That Christ hath taken away sin out of the sight of God by a sacrifice the effect whereof is Atonement and Peace 2. That he hath taken sin also out of the Conscience that so we might have the answer of a good Conscience and this is the effect of our Faith Act. 15. 9. Hence he draweth this conclusion That it is in effect the Doctrine of Antichrist the Man of sin whose design is to set up again what Christ hath destroyed To perswade any that sin is not taken away out of Gods sight or out of the Conscience till the work of Baptism and of Repentance To say That Baptism taketh away sin out of the Conscience Or that Repentance washeth away sin That no forgiveness of sin with God before Repentance Nay he closeth up the discourse with this speech Doth any declare Repentance to be a mean to obtain Remission It is a footstep of Antichrist These inserences being so dissonant from the truth give us cause to suspect the grounds on which they are builded and upon Examination we finde that the Explication of the Points delivered is not sound Touching the first man Who from that text God hath laid on him grounded those Points aforementioned viz. That God hath laid upon Christ all the sins of the Elect and that therefore men do needlesly trouble themselves by putting them again into the Conscience And that they should rest upon this assured ground that all their sins are so done away that there is no need of Repentance and Humiliation for them This man I say either did not throughly look into the text to finde out the true meaning of that phrase or else did willingly neglect it as not fit for his purpose For I desire it may be seriously considered whether that phrase The Lord hath laid upon him doth intend any more then what St. Paul hath expressed in that verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 3. 25. God hath set him forth or pre-ordained him to be a propitiation in which respect it is that he is called The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World i. e. The Lamb the sacrifice of Expiation which God hath appointed for that end And so the words of the Prophet do give us this as the intention of God that though we every one of us have gone astray and so incurred the just wrath and displeasure of God yet doth not God lay the punishment of our transgression upon our own persons but hath appointed him the Lord Christ to bear the punishment and satisfie the Iustice of God so that we do make the fault and he doth bear the blame But now as touching the mean and maner how the fruit of this sacrifice shall redound to us whether absolutely without any intervenient act of man or conditionally in and upon mans recourse to Christ this is not determined in that text but to be fought elswhere Consequently to that which he urgeth That it is Gods own act to lay iniquity upon Christ and that it is done long since We may Reply This is little to the point the Pre-ordination of Christ in this office is Gods own act man hath no hand in it No nor in the purchase of pardon that is Christs own act Both these are done long since yet this hinders not but that in the Application of it to man which cannot be till man have a being it hinders not I say but that man may have his Act as indeed he hath The which is evident by that Analogy which holdeth betwixt the Type and the Truth the sins of the people were not laid upon the Sacrifice but by the hand of Man God indeed appointed the Sacrifices for Expiation and in that sence may be said to lay the iniquity of the sinner upon the sacrifice but beside this the man that brought the sacrifice was to lay his hand upon it And yet more evident is this in that Doctrinal Ceremony of the Scape-goat in Lev. 16. 22. Till the Priest by Confession of the iniquities and transgressions of the people had laid them on him the Scape-Goat did not bear them away So that Man also hath his act in laying iniquity upon Christ no less then God not in the preparation of the price but in the way of Application Adde this that the words Vs all which he applyeth to sinners contending against the necessity of inherent Qualifications in any to dispose them and make them fit to receive the benefit of redemption purchased these words I say are not Universal but only in relation to the Church of God So that till a man be of the Church and in the Number of Believers he may not include himself in the list of them to whom it doth belong For why If it belong to sinners as sinners then to all sinners And so he will lay the Ground for an Universal Redemption which I believe he doth not intend If this Redemption belong not to all as sinners and yet the terms of the promise run in the Universal then some act of Man sanctified by the spirit of God must come in between by which he may be included before he conclude for himself Truth it is That no sin may keep off the penitent soul from closing with Christ And if in saying that this grace is appliable by forgiveness of sin to persons before the least measure of sanctification if he intend no more but this that such is the vertue and value of Christs Sacrifice that no sin how great soever can hinder the hope of Pardon in case he come in and apply himself to Christ I know no man that will not subscribe No sin may may keep off the Penitent but till man be Penitent no man may close with Christ nor conclude to himself the Remission of sin The reason hereof is because mens names are not set down in the Book of God They must know that the conclusion of Comfort is by the way of a practical Syllogism in which alway the Assumption is the Testimony of the Conscience touching that work of Grace in the heart to which the promise is made ex gr. He that believeth in the name of the Son of God shall not perish If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Here is the Promise made to the Penitent believer now saith the Conscience I do believe I do confess my sins this is the Testimony of the sanctified Conscience speaking
so he may comply with that duty of Obedience which he oweth to Authority Not so the other He neither grieveth nor prayeth but pleaseth himself and pleadeth against Authority yea and censureth their proceedings as if all the world were bound to learn of him and subscribe to what he hath concluded And is it fit that such a man should by the pretence and plea of Conscience thus palliate his affected ways and yet escape the just lash of Authority The second Argument NO sort of men can presume of an unerring spirit for evident it is that all of them Fathers Councels Parliaments have been grossly mistaken nor are the presnet times exempt from error Why then should one sort compel the other in as much as hereby hazard is run that he who is in the error may be the constrainer of him who is in the truth Ans. Grant the truth of what is laid for the ground viz. That none are free from error according to that of Rom. 3. Nor can any one presume of an unerring spirit And yet I deny the inference viz. That therefore one sort may not compell the other For why Though no man may presume of such a spirit yet they that are of God may comfortably expect the conduct of the spirit Psal. 25. 14. Joh. 16. 13. Again though none may expect to be guided by inspiration yet by the manuduction of that Rule which the Spirit of God hath fitted and perfected for the Church of God by this I say may the man of God expect to be throughly furnished 2 Tim. 3. ult. Now then might the Prophets and Apostles who were guided by an infallible spirit might they be alowed to compel them that were contrary minded which is evident both by the president of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1. ult. and also by the mans Argument For if they that want it may not because they want it then they that have this infallible spirit may compel because they have it might they be alowed And may not the Pastors of the Church who have a Rule which is no less infallible Is not the Text of Scripture as infallible a Rule of Direction to the Church of God in present as the Inspiration and Revelation was to the Prophets and Apostles If not why is that exchanged for this Is the spirit less careful of the Church now then in times past Lesse careful I mean to lead it into all truth I may grant indeed that the Inspiration and Revelation did carry with it a more active impression of light upon the understanding of the Prophets and Apostles to evidence the truth of what they received But the Question is not so much whether that way had not greater evidence but whether this way hath not as great assurance Things concluded by reason and received by Faith have in them no less assurance then things perceived by sense though not so great evidence So then In those things whereof the Pastors of the Church are infallibly assured by the text of Scripture that they are not deceived they may even by vertue of the Authors Argument use compulsion to restrain the violence of them that oppose the truth of God Object But of all ways compulsion is the most unlikely to beget unity of minde and uniformity of practise Sol. Compulsion is not used to this end but onely ex consequenti as the suppression of different judgements and practises may conduce to unity and uniformity It is a vain thing to think that by fines and imprisonments the Magistrate doth seek to perswade men to piety and honesty No his primary and proper end is to suppress the contrary As the weeding of the Garden doth not make the seeds to grow yet in removing impediments and making room it doth accidently prosper their growth So is it here Object But Club-law causeth prejudice against what is so propugned Sol. It may be so in some and for a time Yet God who is wiser then man by his own practise hath given us to see that when the way is hedged in with thorns and when the Back doth smart under the Rod the ear is opened to discipline and instruction So that though the Rod do not directly convince or perswade yet it hath its efficacy in the way and work of preparation The third Argument TO compel me to do contrary to my Conscience is to compel me to sin Because whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Of Faith i. e. Whereof I am not certainly perswaded that it is lawful But the Magistrate ought not to tompel any one to sin therefore Not to do contrary to his Conscience nor to worship God in a way of the justness whereof he is not perswaded nay is perswaded that it is unlawful Ans. True indeed The Magistrate ought not to compel any one to sin understanding the Proposition of Malum in se of that which is simply evil in it self Not so if we speak of Malum ex accidenti of that which is accidentally evil Evil to me because of a misguided Conscience ex gr. Nebuchadnezzar did ill by threatnings to compel the People to worship the Golden Image So that second Beast mentioned Rev. 13. did ill in causing them to be killed who would not worship the Image of the first Beast Verse 15. Not so the Magistrate in compelling a Papist or a Separatist to come to Church Because though this may be evil to him in respect of his unperswadedness yet is it not evil in it self Again It is not fit that the Magistrate do forbid what is good in it self or lay a restraint upon what God hath commanded It was Darius fault to restrain prayer Dan. 6. 7. And the Scribes and Rulers sinned in forbidding the Apostles to preach in the Name of Jesus Act. 4. 19. But lawful enough it is for the Magistrate to forbid the doing of something which is only good by consequence So likewise to lay restraint upon what is only lawful because not prohibited ex gr. if a man will say This is a truth and therefore I will speak it and publish it Or if he say This is just and fit to be done and therefore I will do it The Magistrate may put in a bar of restraint and punish him that shall transgress For neither is every truth to be published at all times and in all places nor is every man alowed to do every thing that is lawful and good And as for things that are not prohibited by God but left at large who knoweth not but that the use of them is to be regulated and ordered by the advice and direction of Authority The Commandments whereof though they binde not the Conscience of and by themselves yet whoso doth make no Conscience of them sinneth against God whose precept it is to be subject to the power not only for wrath but even for Conscience and for the Lords sake Rom. 13. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Now as touching the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion