as many as received him even to them that believed on his Name Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved Secondly to affirm there must be Faith on mans part to receive Christ is not to undermine Christ but to exalt him according to these Scriptures Ioh. 3. 33. He that believeth hath put to his Seal that God is True and so honours Gods Truth which cannot undermine Christ Rom. 4. 20. But was strong in the Faith giving Glory to God c. Error 29. An Hypocrite may have these two witnesses 1 Ioh. 5. 5. that is to say the Water and Blood Confutation 29. No Hypocrite can have these two witnesses Water and Blood that is true Justification and Sanctification for then he should be saved according to these Scriptures Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Acts 26 18. Error 30. If any thing may be concluded from the Water and Blood it is rather Damnation than Salvation Confutation 30. This is contrary to the Scripture last mentioned Error 31. Such as see any Grace of God in themselves before they have the assurance of Gods Love sealed to them are not to be received Members of Churches Confutation 31. This is contrary to Acts 8. 37 38. where the Eunuch saw his Faith only and yet was presently baptized and therefore by the same ground might be admitted Error 32. After the revelation of the Spirit neither Devil nor Sin can make the Soul to doubt Confutation 32. This position savours of Error else Asaph had not the revelation of the Spirit seeing he doubted Psal. 73. 13. whether he had not cleansed his heart in vain and that God had forgotten to be gracious then also Faith should be perfect which was never found no not in our Father Abraham Error 33. To act by vertue of or in obedience to a command is legal Confutation 33. So is it also Evangelical the Mystery of the Gospel is said to be revealed for the obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25. Also the Lord Jesus is said to be the author of Salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. If we love Christ we are to keep his Commandments Joh. 14. 29. Error 34. We are not to Pray against all sin because the old Man is in us and must be And why should we Pray against that which cannot be avoided Confutation 34. This is contrary to 1 Thess. 5. 23. 1 Cor. 13. 7. Error 35. The efficacy of Christ's death is to kill all activity of Graces in his Members that he might act all in all Confutation 35. This is contrary to Rom. 6. 4. Our old man is crucified witâ—… him that the body of sin might be destroyed that we should not serve sin contrary also to Heb. 4. 14. That he might through death destroy him c. and 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Whence we infer that if Christ came to destroy the body of sin to destroy the Devil to dissolve the Works of the Devil then not to kill his own graces which are the works of his own Spirit Error 36. All the activity of a Believer is to act to sin Confutation 36. Contrary to Rom. 7. 15. as also to Gal. 5. 17. The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh. Error 37. We are compleatly united to Christ before or without any Faith wrought in us by the Spirit Confutation 37. The term united being understood of that spiritual relation of men unto Christ whereby they come to have life and right to all other blessings in Christ 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life And the term compleatly implying a presence of all those bands and ligaments and means as are required in the Word or are any ways necessary to the making up of the union we now conceive this assertion to be erroneous contrary to Scripture that either expresly mentioneth Faith when it speaketh of this union Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Gal. 2. 20. Christ liveth in me by Faith or ever implyeth it in those phrases that do express union as coming to Christ Iohn 6. 35. and eating and drinking Christ vers 47. compared with v. 54. having the Son 1 Iohn 5. 12. and receiving Christ Iohn 1. 12. and Marriage unto Christ Ephes. 5. 32. if there be no dwelling of Christ in us no coming to him no receiving him no eating nor drinking him no being married to him before and without Faith but the former is true therefore also the latter Error 38. There can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Confutation 38. This opinion we conceive erroneous contrary to Esay 55 1 2. Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Revel 22. 17. Let him that is athirst come Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel if the word indefinitely be sanctified for the begetting of Faith if the Gospel it self be laid down in a conditional promise if the Apostles and Prophets and Christ himself have laid hold upon such Promisea to help to Union and closing with himself then there may be a true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Error 39. The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. Confutation 39. This is contrary to express words of Scripture Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Act. 10 43. To him give all the Prophets witness Rom. 3. 21. The righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony Act. 17. 11. The Bereans were more noble in that they searched the Scriptures daily If the Prophets give witness to Christ if his righteousness be witnessed by Law and Prophets and that they be noble that daily search the Scriptures and that Christ so far alloweth their Testimony of him that the Scripture saith there is no light but in and according to them then the due searching and knowledge of Scriptures is a safe way to search Christ but the former is true and therefore also the latter Error 40. There is a testimony of the Spirit and voice unto the Soul meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the Word Confutation 40. This immediate revelation without concurrence with the word doth not onely countenance but confirm that opinion of Enthusiasme justly refused by all the Churches as being contrary to the perfection of the Scriptures and perfection of God's wisdom therein That which is not revealed in the Scripture which is objectum adaequatum fidei is not to be believed but that there is any such revelation without concurrence with the Word is no where revealed in the Scripture Ergo. 1 Cor. 4. 16. Presume not above that which is written Again if there be any immediate
under a sin for which he had been formerly reproved 2 King 3. Christ himself tho' he sharply reproveth the Pharisees c. yet he instructeth Nicodemus gently when he objected against his Doctrine and that somewhat rudely Ioh. 3. The Apostles would not forbear to Preach Christ tho' Rulers forbad them Act. 3. yet another Prophet forbare at another season at the command of King Amasia 2 Chron. 25. so we see that this Plea of Mr. VVheelwright is as weak as the former and will not excuse him from Contempt If it be yet objected that his Sermon was not at all for Contention seeing he raised and pressed an use of brotherly love we grant he did so but it was ejusdem farinae a Loaf of the same leaven with the other for he applyeth it to those of his own party to perswade them to hold together and help one another against those of the other party whom he setteth forth as their opposites and encourageth them thereby by the Example of Moses who in love to his brother killed the Egyptian A further objection hath been made against the proceedings of the Court as if Mr. Wheelwright had not a lawful Tryal as not being put upon a Jury of freemen But the answer to this is easie it being well known to all such as have understanding of matters of this nature that such Courts as have power to make and abrogate Laws are tyed to no other Orders but their own and to no other Rule but Truth and Justice and why thrice twelve men sitting as Judges in a Court should be more subject to partiality than twelve such called as a Jury to the Bar let others judge Now if some shall gather from that which is here before mentioned viz. that every Truth is not seasonable at all times if we shall grant that what Master VVheelright delivered was Truth we must desire him to take only so much as we granted viz. by way of Supposition only for letting pass as we said such Points as were meerly doctrinal and not ripe for the Court depending as yet in Examination among the Elders we may safely deny that those Speeches were Truths which the Court censured for Contempt and Sedition for a Brother may fall so far into Disobedience to the Gospel as there may be cause to separate from him and to put him to Shame and yet he is not to be accounted an Enemy 2 Thess. 3. Therefore when Mr. VVheelwright pronounced such taking them at the worst he could make them to be Enemies c. it was not according to the Truth of the Gospel Again to incense and heat mens minds against their Brethren before he had convinced or admonished them as being in an estate of Enmity c. is not to be termed any Truth of the Gospel so likewise to bring extraordinary Examples for ordinary Rules as of Iohn 8. 44. to incite his party to the like practise against such whose hearts they cannot judge of as Christ could of theirs to whom he spake is as far from the Rule prescribed to ordinary Ministers 2 Tim. 2. 25. and to all Christians Gal. 6. 1. and Iam. 3. 17. as that Example of Elijah by which the Apostles would have called for fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans was different from the Spirit whereof they were so to resemble such among us as profess their Faith in Christ only c. and are in Church-fellowship and walk inoffensively submitting to all the Lords Ordinances in Church and Common-wealth to resemble such to branded Reprobates and Arch-Enemies of Christ such as Herod c. we suppose hath no warrant of Truth We might instance in other like passages as his ordinary inciting to spiritual Combats by examples of bodily Fight and bloody Victories being very unsuitable but these may suffice to prove that all he spake was not true and by this is the offence more aggravated for if it were Seditious only in the manner it must needs be much worse when the matter it self also was untrue But if any shall yet pretend want of Satisfaction by all that hath been produced for indeed it is beyond reason how far prejudice hath prevailed to captivate some Judgments otherwise godly and wise and shall object further that his Doctrine c. were general and so could not be intended of any particular persons we desire such first to remember what application Mr. VVhe made of the same in the open Court viz. That he did intend all such as walked in such a way Then again let the câ—…se be put in a reversed Frame some other had then taught that all such as deny that Sanctification as it is held by the other party is a good evidence of Justification and that say or have their Assurance by Faith as a work of God in them have it in the way of the Gospel that these were Enemies to Christ c. Persecutors of the way of Grace c. and should have stirred up others against them with like Arguments and Vehemency as Mr. VVheelwright did there is no doubt but Mr. VVheel and others of his opinion would soon have pointed out those who must necessarily have been intended by it for it is well known that some proper Adjunct or some noted Circumstance may design a particular person or company as well as names so Christ points out Iudas by the sop Paul the Jews by those of the Circumcision and the Antichrist by That man of sin c. But we meet yet with another objection viz. that disturbance of unity is not Sedition except it also lead to the hurt of Utility To this we answer first that if it tend immediately to such hurt we deny the Truth of the Proposition for if in the time of Famine a man should stir up the people to fetch Corn out of the houses of such as had it to spare this were to an immediate publick Good yet it were Sedition If Ieremy when he taught the Jews that they ought to set free their Hebrew Servants had also incited the servants to free themselves this had not been free from Sedition yet it had not been against publick utility But they alledge the examples of Iehojadah who caused a disturbance yet without Sedition we Answer that case was very unlike to ours for Iehojadah being High Priest was also Protector of the true King and so Chief Governour of the Civil State and Athaliah being a meet Usurper he did no other then if a lawful King should assemble his Subjects to apprehend a Rebel and though a Prince or Governour may raise a party to suppress or withstand publick enemies or other evils yet it doth not follow that a private Man or a Minister of the Gospel may do the like we read Nehem. 5. 7. that he raised a great Assembly against those who did oppress their brethren but we read not that Ezra did so upon the disorders which he complained of and yet that which he did in assembling of the People
in their acknowledgment Many after this came unto us who before flew from us with such desires as those in Act. 2. Men and Brethren what shall we do and did willingly take shame to themselves in the open Assemblies by confessing some of them with many tears how they had given offence to the Lord and his People by departing from the Truth and being led by a Spirit of Error their alienation from their brethren in their affections and their crooked and perverse walking in contempt of Authority slighting the Churches and despising the Counsel of their godly Teachers Now they would freely discover the slights the Adversaries had used to undermine them by and steal away their Eyes from the Truth and their Brethren which before whilst their Eyes were seal'd they could not see And the fruit of this was great Praise to the Lord who had thus wonderfully wrought matters about Gladness in all our Hearts and Faces and Expressions of our renewed Affections by receiving them again into our Bosoms and from that time untill now have walked according to their renewed Covenants humbly and lovingly amongst us holding forth Truth and Peace with Power But for the rest which notwithstanding all these means of Conviction from Heaven and Earth and the Example of their seduced Brethrens return yet stood obdurate yea more hardned us we had cause to fear than before we convented those of them that were Members before the Churches and yet laboured once and again to convince them not only of their Errors but also of sundry exorbitant Practices which they had fallen into as manifest Pride contempt of Authority neglecting to hear the Church and lying c. but after no means prevailed we were driven with sad hearts to give them up to Satan Yet not simply for their Opinions for which I find we have been slanderously traduced but the chiefest cause of their Censure was their Miscarriages as have been said persisted in with great obstinacy The persons cast out of the Churches were about nine or ten as far as I can remember who for a space continued very hard and impenitent but afterward some of them were received into fellowship again upon their Repentance These persons cast out and the rest of the Ring-leaders that had received sentence of Banishment with many others infected by them that were neither censured in Court nor in Churches went all together out of our Iurisdiction and Precinct into an Island called Read-Island sirnamed by some the Island of Errors and there they live to this day most of them but in great strife and contention in the civil Estate and otherwise hatching and multiplying new Opinions and cannot agree but are miserably divided into sundry Sects and Factions But Mistress Hutchison being weary of the Island or rather the Island weary of her departed from thence with all her Family her Daughter and her Children to live under the Dutch near a place called by Sea-men and in the Map Hell-Gate And now I am come to the last Act of her Tragedy a most heavy stroak upon her self and hers as I received it very lately from a godly Hand in New-England There the Indians set upon them and slew her and all her family her Daughter and her Daughters Husband and all their Children save one that escaped her own Husband being dead before a dreadful Blow Some write that the Indians did burn her to death with fire her House and all the rest named that belonged to her but I am not able to affirm by what kind of death they slew her but slain it seems she is according to all Reports I never heard that the Indians in those parts did ever before this commit the like Outrage upon any one family or families and therefore Gods hand is the more apparently seen herein to pick out this woful woman to make her and those belonging to her an unheard-of heavy Example of their Cruelty above others Thus the Lord heard our Groans to Heaven and freed us from this great and sore Affliction which first was small like Elias's Cloud but after spread the Heavens and hath through great Mercy given the Churches rest from this disturbance ever since that we know none that lifts up his head to disturb our sweet Peace in any of the Churches of Christ among us blessed for ever be his Name I bow my knees to the God of Truth and Peace to grant these Churches as full a riddance from the same or like Opinions which do destroy his Truth and disturb their Peace A POSTSCRIPT I think it fit to add a comfortable Passage of News from those parts written to me very lately by a faithful hand which as it affected mine own Heart so it may do many others viz. That two Sagamores or Indian Princes with all their Men Women and Children have voluntarily submitted themselves to the Will and Law of our God with expressed desires to be taught the same and have for that end put themselves under our Government and Protection even in the same manner as any of the English are which morning-peep of Mercy to them saith he is a great means to awaken the Spirit of Prayer and Faith for them in all the Churches T. Welde A Catalogue of such Erroneous Opinions as were found to have been brought into New-England and spread under hand there as they were condemned by an Assembly of the Churches at New-Town Aug. 30. 1637. The Errors 1. IN the Conversion of a sinner which is saving and gracious the Faculties of the Soul and Workings thereof in things pertaining to God are destroyed and made to cease The Confutation 1. This is contrary to the Scripture which speaketh of the Faculties of the Soul as the Understanding and the Will not as destroyed in Conversion but as changed Luke 24 45. Christ is said to have opened their Understandings Ioh. 21. 18. Peter is said to be led whither he would not therefore he had a Will Again to destroy the Faculties of the Soul is to destroy the Immortality of the Soul Error 2. Instead of them the Holy Ghost doth come and take place and doth all the works of those natures as the faculties of the human nature of Christ do Confutation 2. This is contrary to Scripture which speaketh of God as sanctifying our Souls and Spirits 1 Thess. 5. 23. purging our Consciences Heb. 9. 14. refreshing our Memories Ioh. 14. 26. Error 3. That the love which is said to remain when Faith and Hope cease is the Holy Ghost Confutation 3. This is contrary to the Scriptures which put an express difference between the Holy Ghost and Love 2 Cor. 6. 6. And if our love were the Holy Ghost we cannot be said to love God at all or if we did it was because we were personally united to the Holy Ghost Error 4 5. That those that be in Christ are not under the Law and commands of the word as the rule of Life Alias that the Will of God in
the Word or Directions thereof are not the Rule whereunto Christians are bound to conform themselves to live thereafter Confutation 4 5. This is contrary to the Scriptures which direct us to the Law and to the Testimony Esa. 8. 20. which also speaks of Christians as not being without Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 22. Error 6. The Example of Christ's Life is not a pattern according to ‑ which men ought to act Confutation 6. This position those actions of Christ excepted which he did as God or as a Mediator God and man or on special occasions which concern not us is unsound being contrary to the Scripture wherein the example of Christs life is propounded to Christians as a Pattern of Imitation both by Christ and his Apostles Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek c. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ Ephes. 5. 2. Walk in love as Christ hath loved us 1 Pet. 2. 21. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Joh. 2. 26. He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walk even as he hath walked Error 7. The new Creature or the new Man mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ. Confutation 7. The false-hood of this Proposition appeareth from the Scriptures which first propound Christ and the new Creature as distinct one from another 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Secondly The new Man is opposed to the old Man the old man is meant of Lusts and Vices and not of Adams person Ephes. 2. 22 24. Therefore the new Man is meant of graces and vertues and not of the person of Christ Col. 3. 9 10. Thirdly the new man is expresly said to consist in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4. 25. and to be renewed in Knowledge Col. 3. 10. which are Graces and not Christ. Error 8. By love 1 Corinth 13. 13. and by the armour mentioned Ephes. 6. are meant Christ. Confutation 8. This position is near of kin to the former but secondly the opposite 1 Cor. 13. meaneth that love which he exhorteth Christians to bear one towards another which if it were meant of Christ he might be said to exhort them to bear Christ one to another as well as to love one another 2. Faith and Hope there mentioned have Christ for their object and if by love be meant Christ he had put no more in the latter word than in the two former 3. And besides it may as well be said Faith in love as Faith in Christ and Hope in love as Hope in Christ if that were the meaning And by armour Ephes. 6. cannot be meant Christ. First Because two parts of that armour are Faith and Hope whereof the Scriptures make Christ the Object Col. 1. 5. Beholding the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life only we had hope in Christ c. Now these Graces and the Object of them cannot be the same Secondly A person armed with that Armour may be said to be a sincere righteous patient Christian but if by the armour be meant Christ such predication should have been destroyed and you might more properly say a Christified Christian. Error 9. The whole letter of the Scripture holds for a Covenant of Works Confutation 9. This position is unsound and contrary to the constant tenor of the Gospel a main part of the Scriptures which in the letter thereof holds not forth a Covenant of works but of Grace as appeareth Ioh. 3. 16. 1. Tim. 1. 15. Mat. 11. 28. Heb. 8. 10 11. 12. Error 10. That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost may give themselves to the Soul and the Soul may have true Union with Christ true Remission of sins true Marriage and Fellowship true Sanctification from the Blood of Christ and yet be an Hypocrite Confutation 10. The word true being taken in the sense of the Scriptures this also crosseth the doctrine of Ephes. 4. 24. where Righteousness and true Holiness are made proper to him that hath heard and learned the truth as it is in Jesus Error 11. As Christ was once made flesh so he is now first made flesh in us ere we be carried to perfection Confutation 11. Christ was once made flesh Ioh. 1. 14. no other incarnation is recorded and therefore not to be believed Error 12. Now in the Covenant of Works a Legalist may attain the same Righteousness for truth which Adam had in Innocency before the Fall Confutation 12. He that can attain Adams Righteousness in sincerity hath his sin truly mortified but that no Legalist can have because true Mortification is wrought by the Covenant of Grace Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Error 13. That there is a new birth under the Covenant of Works to such a kind of Righteousness as before is mentioned from which the Soul must be again converted before it can be made partaker of Gods Kingdom Confutation 13. This is contrary to Tit. 3. 4. where the new birth is made a fruit of Gods love towards man in Christ of any new birth besides this the Scripture speaketh not It is also contrary to 2 Cor. 3. where it is made the work of the Spirit that is the Gospel opposed to the letter that is to the Law to give life the new birth brings forth the new creature and the new creature argueth our being in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is true indeed Gods Children that are born again must be converted again as Mat. 18. 3. but that conversion is not from that grace which they have received but from the corruption that still remains Error 14. That Christ works in the regenerate as in those that are dead and not as in those that are alive or the regenerate after Conversion are altogether dead to spiritual Acts. Confutation 14. This is contrary to Rom. 6. 11. Ye are alive unto God in Jesus Christ Ephes. 2. 1 5. He hath quickned us 1 Pet. 2. 5. Living stones Gal. 2. 20. The life that I now live Error 15. There is no inherent Righteousness in the Saints or Grace and Graces are not in the Souls of Believers but in Christ only Confutation 15. This is contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 5. The unfeigned Faith that dwelt in thee and dwelt first in thy Grandmoother 2 Pet. 1. 4. Partakers of the Divine Nature which cannot be but by inherent Righteousness 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the Grace of God which is in thee Iohn 1. 16. Of his Fulness we all receive Grace for Grace but if there be no Grace in us we receive nothing from his Fulness 2 Cor. 4. 16. Our inward man is renewed day by day Rom. 12. 2. with Ephes. 4. 24. we are changed or renewed Error 16. There is no difference between
of the party c. they might and would use their liberty as they should see cause and for the other part of the Petition when any matter of Conscience should come before them they would advise what were fit to be done in it When Mr Wheelwright came in the Court was private and then they told him they had considered of his Sermon and were desirous to ask him some questions which might â—…nd to clear his meaning about such passages therein as seemed offensive he demanded whether he were sent for as an innocent person or as guilty It was answered neither but as suspected only Then he demanded who were his Accusers It was answered his Sermon which was there in Court being acknowledged by himself they might thereupon proceed ex officio at this word great exception was taken as if the Court intended the course of the High Commission c. It was answered that the word ex Officio was very safe and proper signifying no more but the Authority or Duty of the Court and that there was no cause of Offence seeing thâ—… Court did not examine him by any compulsory means as by Oath Imprisonment or the like but only desired him for better satisfaction to answer some questions but he still refused yet at last through perswasion of some of his friends he seemed content The question then put to him was whether before his Sermon he did not know that most of the Ministers in this Jurisdiction did teach that Doctrine which he in his Sermon called a Covenant of Works to this he said he did not desire to answer and thereupon some cryed out that the Court went about to ensnare him and to make him to accuse himself and that this question was not about the matter of his Sermon c. Upon this he refused to answer any further so he was dismissed till the afternoon the reason why the Court demanded that question of him was not to draw matter from himself whereupon to proceed against him neither was there any need for upon a conference of the Ministers not long before there had been a large dispute between some of them and himself about that point of evidencing Justification by Sanctification so as the Court might soon have convinced him by Witnesses if they had intended to proceed against him upon that ground In the afternoon he was sent for again in the same manner as before and the Ministers also being in the Town and come hither to confer together for further discovery of the ground of the differences which were in the Countrey about the Covenant of Grace c. they were desired to be present also at the Court to bear witness of the Proceedings in the case and to give their Advice as the Court upon occasion should require so the doors being set open for all that would to come in and there was a great Assembly and Mr. Wheelwright being willed to sit down by the Ministers his Sermon was produced and many passages thereof were read to him which for the better understanding we have digested into this order following He therein describeth two Covenants the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works the Covenant of Grace he described to be when in the point of Justification and the knowledge of this our Justification by Faith there is nothing revealed but Christ Jesus but if men think to be saved because they see some works of Sanctification in themselves as hungring and thirsting c. this is a Covenant of works if men have revealed to them some work of Righteousness as love to the brethren c. and hereupon come to be assured that they are in a good Estate this is not the assurance of Faith for Faith hath Christ revealed for the object therefore if the assurance of a mans Justification be by Faith as a Work it is not Gospel Having thus described those who go under a Covenant of Works he pronounceth them to be Enemies to Christ to be Antichrists to be flesh opposed to spirit such as will certainly persecute those who hold forth the Truth and the ways of Grace he resembleth them to the Philistines who stop up with the earth of their own Inventions the Wells of true Believers he resembleth them also to Herod who would have killed Christ so soon as he was born and to Herod and Pilate who did kill Christ when he came once to shew forth himself and would have kept him eternally in the Grave he further describeth them out of the second Psalm to be the people of God as the Iews were and such as would take away the true Christ and put in false Christs to deceive if it were possible the very Elect he also describeth them by that in Cant. 10. 6. they make the Children of Grace keepers of the Vineyard they make them travel under the burden of the Covenant of Works which doth cause Christ many times from them He cometh after to an use of Exhortation wherein he stirreth up all those of his side to a spiritual Combat to prepare for battle and come out and fight against the Enemies of the Lord those under a Covenant of works he shews whom he meaneth thus to excite alluding to David's valiant Men to Baruch Deborah Iael and all the men of Israel and bind them hereunto under the curse of Meroz He further exhorteth them to stand upon their guard c. by alluding to the 600 valiant Men who kept watch about the Bed of Solomon a type of Christ then he incourageth those of his side against such difficulties as might be objected as 1. If the Enemies shall oppose the way of God they must lay the more load upon them and kill them with the word of the Lord and there he alludeth to those places which speak of giving the Saints power over Nations binding Kings in Chains and of threshing Instruments with Teeth and foretels their flight by that in Esa. 21. 15. They shall flee from the Sword c. 2. Though the Enemies under a Covenant of Works be many and strong as he confesseth they are yet they ought not to fear for the battle is the Lords this he inforceth by that in Iosh. 23. 10. One of you shall chase a thousand and that of Ionathan and his Armour bearer 3. Against tenderness of heart which they might have towards such under a Covenant of works as are exceeding holy and strict in their way he animateth his party by perswading them that such are the greatest Enemies to Christ this he seeks to illustrate by resembling such in their zeal to Paul when he was a Persecutor and in their Devotion to those who expelled Paul and Barnabas out of Antioch He taketh it for granted that these Holy Men trust in their Righteousness and that it thrusteth out the Righteousness of Christ and so concludes and foretels from Ezek. 33. They shall die and their Righteousness is accursed yet they transform themselves saith he into Angels of
the Graces of Hypocrites and Believers in the kinds of them Confutation 16. If this be true then Hypocrites are wise humble merciful pure c. and so shall see God Mat. 5. 8. but they are called fools Mat. 7. 26. Mat. 25. 1 2 3. neither shall they see God Mat. 24. 51. Mat. 13. 20 21 22 23. Heb. 6. 7 8 9. the difference of the grounds argueth the difference in the kinds of Graces Error 17. True poverty of spirit doth kill and take away the sight of Grace Confutation 17. This is contrary to Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help my unbelief if this were so then poverty of spirit should binder Thankfulness and so one Grace should hinder another and the Graces of the Spirit should hinder the work of the Spirit and cross the end why he is given to us 1 Cor. 2. 12. Error 18. The Spirit doth work in Hypocrites by Gifts and Graces but in Gods Children immediately Confutation 18. This is contrary to Nehem. 5. 15. So did I because of the fear of the Lord Heb. 11. 17. Noah moved with fear prepared an Ark. Error 19. That all Graces even in the truly regenerate are mortal and fading Confutation 19. This is contrary to Ioh. 4. 14. they are Graces which flow from a Fountain which springeth up to Eternal Life and therefore not fading Ier. 31. 39 40. Error 20. That to call into question whether God be my dear Father after or upon the commission of some hainous sins as Murther Incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Confutation 20. It being supposed that the doubting here spoken of is not that of final despair or the like but only that the Position denieth a possibility of all doubting to a man under a Covenant of Grace this is contrary to Scripture which speaketh of God's people under a Covenant of Grace in these or other Cases exercised with sweet Doubtings and Questions David was a justifi'd man for his sins were pardoned 2 Sam. 12. 12 13. yet his Bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long and the heaviness of Gods hand was upon him night and day and the turning of his moisture into the drought of Summer Psal. 32. 3 4. and Gods breaking his Bones by with-holding from him the joy of his Salvation Psal 51 8. shew that he was exercised with sweet Doubts and Questions at least as this Position speaketh of and the like may be gathered out of Psal. 77. 3 4. where the holy Man Asaph mentioneth himself being troubled when he remembred God and that he was so troubled he could not speak nor sleep and expostulateth with God Will the Lord cast off for ever And will he be favourable no more And ver 6 7 8 9. These shew that he had at least sweet doubts as the Position mentioneth and yet he was not thereby proved to be under a Covenant of works for he doth afterward confess this to be his infirmity vers 10. and receiveth the Comfort of former Experiences in former days and his songs in the nights and of Gods former works vers 5 6. 10 11 12. and he resumeth his claim of his right in God by vertue of his Covenant verse 13. Error 21. To be justified by Faith is to be justified by Works Confutation 21. If Faith in this position be considered not simply as a work but in relation to its Object this is contrary to the Scripture that so appropriateth Justification to Faith as it denieth it to Works setting Faith and Works in opposition one against another in the point of Justification as Rom. 3. 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law By the Law of works No but by the Law of Faith and ver 28. We conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law and chap. 4. 16. Therefore it is by Faith that it may be by grace compared with vers 4. To him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of grace but of debt Error 22. None are to be exhorted to believe but such whom we know to be the Elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually Confutation 22. This is contrary to the Scriptures which maketh the Commission which Christ gave his Disciples in these words Go Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 15 16. where the latter words imply an Exhortation to believe and the former words direct that this should not only be spoken to men known to be Elected or only to men effectually called but to every creature The Scripture also telleth us that the Apostles in all places called upon men to repent and believe the Gospel which they might not have done had this position been true Error 23. We must not pray for gifts and graces but only for Christ. Confutation 23. This is contrary to Scripture which teacheth us to pray for Wisdom Iam. 1. 5. and for every grace bestowed by vertue of the new Covenant Ezek. 36. 37. as acknowledging every good gift and every perfect giving is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights The whole 119. Psalm besides innumerable Texts of Scripture doth abundantly confute this by shewing that the servants of God have been taught by the spirit of God to pray for every gift and grace needful for them and not only for Christ. Error 24. He that hath the Seal of the Spirit may certainly judge of any person whether he be Elected or no. Confutation 24. This is contrary to Deut. 29 29. Secret things belong to God and such is Election of men not yet called Error 25. A man may have all graces and poverty of spirit and yet want Christ. Confutation 25. This is contrary to Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit but without Christ none can be blessed Ephes. 4. 22 24. he that hath Rightoousness and true Holiness hath learned the truth as it is in Jesus and therefore hath Christ. Error 26. The Faith that justifieth us is in Christ and never had any actual Being out of Christ. Confutation 26. This is contrary to Scripture Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Ergo Faith was in them 2 Tim. 1. 6. Faith is said to dwell in such and such persons therefore Faith was in them Isa. 64. 7. No man stirs up himself to lay hold upon thee Error 27. It is incompatible to the Covenant of Grace to joyn Faith thereunto Confutation 27. This is contrary to Mark 16. 16. Preach the Gospel He that believeth shall be saved Rom 4. 3. Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for Righteousness and Abraham is a pattern to all under the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4. 24. Error 28. To affirm there must be Faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. Confutation 28. First Faith is requir'd on mans part to receive the Covenant of Grace according to these Scriptures Ioh. 1. 12. To