further than Nature and that desperately corrupted and not knowing whether there were any such thing as Grace or Glory the Center of it As for Israel I wonder that any man should deny Gods special Love to that people What! did he call them his first-born his peculiar treasure the apple of his eye without special Love Did he sever them from other people to be his own Levit. 20.21 chuse them to himself above all people on the earth set his love upon them and that merely because he loved them Deut. 7.6 7 and 8. Verses and all this without special Love Were theirs the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Rom. 9.4 and all this without special Love He hath not dealt so with any nation saith the Psalmist To call this special Love partial fondness is to me a presumption not unlike that of the old Pelagians who charged a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or unjust Partiality upon Gods special Grace towards his own people upon whom St. Austin made some such tart Returns as these Tolle quod tuum est vade Annon licet mihi quod volo facere Li. 2. ad Bonifac. cap. 7. hic tota justitia est hoc volo O homo tu quis es qui respondeas Deo with a great deal more on God's behalf But saith the Author The end of all those particular favours was that all Nations might worship the God of Israel Suppose so if such particular favours to Israel above all other Nations argue not a special love to Israel what can do it God loves all Creatures as the Schools speak Vno simplici actu Voluntatis And if particular favours do not prove his Love special we must say that he loves Worms as much as Angels and Oxen whom comparatively he cares not for as much as Men upon whom his Love hath been set above all other Creatures Joh. 14.6 7. Jesus saith I am the Way Mr. Sherlock the Truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me If you had known me you should have known my Father and henceforth you have known him and seen him that is I alone declare the true way to Life and Happiness no man can thoroughly understand the Will of God but by learning of me Whoever knows me whoever is acquainted with the Doctrine and Religion I preach knows my Father also that is is thoroughly instructed in God's Mind and Will Christ is the Way Answer the Truth and the Life how so He declared the true way to Life and happiness Is this the all of it Is he only the Declarer and not the Author of Life Doth he not work it in us by the power of his Spirit and Grace Hath he not purchased a place in heaven for us by his Blood and doth he not consecrate a new and living Way thither through the Veil of his Flesh It cannot be denied Hear the Learned Bishop Wren against the Racovian Catechist Vidit Dives in inferno ubi sinus Abrahae erat sed monitus est de magno Chasmate intercedente nè possint congredi Via arboris vitae extabat sed ab acie versatilis gladii custodita Aeger ad Bethesdam positus diu jam vider at viam in stagnum sed movere se clinicus non poterat Nôrunt piae foeminae viam in sepulchrum Domini pariter nôrunt saxo obturari Ipsi denique Parenti horum Barjesu ostensa est à Paulo conversionis reconciliationis via verùm ille eò se caeciorem factum ducéque plus egentem indicavit Respondeat igitur an viam Christus quam ostendit aperuit an Pontem paravit trajiciendo Chasmati an versatilem avertit gladium saxum revolvit clinicum excitavit caecum collyrio beavit suo Reconciliationis hae primariae partes sunt sine his praeviis nihil est omnis conversio frustrà via omnis convertendi incassum omnis viae ostensio And afterwards speaking of Christ being the way he shews how he was so Non solùm quòd revelavit iis quae Deus volebat eos scire sed etiam quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 2.14 vel eapropter constitutus quae ab hominibus sine ipso praestari non poterant pro ipsis praestiterit sanguinisque sui merito ità viam ad Deum Patrem perpurgavit communivit illustravit ut nos jam ab ipso veluntatem Dei edocti veréque ad Deum conversi per fidem in sanguine Christi Propitiatione eâ perfrui possimus Thus he very excellently .. I know no need at all for such an Interpretation as takes the Will of the Father for himself or the Doctrine of the Son for himself the thing is plain He that knows the Son in whom dwells all fulness of the Godhead bodily must needs know the Father also To know God is to know the Will of God concerning the Salvation of Mankind Mr. Sherlock to know Christ is to understand the declaration of Gods will that is the Gospel which he preached which is therefore called the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 that is that glorious manifestation God hath made of himself by Christ For the face of Christ signifies all that whereby he made himself known as a man is known by his face that is his Laws Religion and Miracles whereby it appeared that he was the Son of God In the knowledge of God and Christ Answer God and Christ are the Objects the Gospel is the outward Medium Hence it appears that to know God and Christ is in propriety no more to know the Gospel than the Object of Knowledge is the Medium properly we know God and Christ by the Gospel As for that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 I conceive he discourses of somewhat more than external Revelation even that of internal Illumination set forth there by the Creation of the first Light and shining in the heart which gives the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ that is in the Person of Christ who is God manifest in the Flesh God was seen in Christ Mr. Sherlock Joh. 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father that is in plain terms the Will of God was fully declared to the World by Christ upon which account too as well as with respect to his Divine Nature he is called the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 And a little after he adds It is plain that in this sence Christ is called the Image of God 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should shine unto them Where Christ's being the Image of God comes in very abruptly unless we understand it in this Sence That he is the Image of God with respect to the
Glory of them all from our Likeness to God from the Peace of Conscience from the Conviction and Conversion of others from the aversion of Judgments from the State of justified Persons from the Work of Sanctification are but poor insignificant things with the Author which yet with me are of great Moment This is all pertinent saith the Author but it contradicts it self and overthrows their Darling-opinion What the necessary way to eternal Life and yet neither Cause Matter nor Condition At least it might be Causa sine qua non and so a Condition But the Author might have observed that the Doctor did not speak ad idem to one and the same thing his words are Holiness is neither the Cause Matter nor Condition of Justification yet it is the way to Salvation both stand well together without any shadow of Contradiction Obedience is subsequent to Justification and so neither Cause Matter nor Condition of it but it is antecedent to Salvation and the way thereunto Well the Author is content that it only be a necessary way to eternal Life but what then becomes of Christ the only way What of Christ's Righteousness and of free Grace I hope there is no matter of fear our Holiness unless it be lifted up above it self into the room and Throne of Christ very well comports with Christ and Grace it is a way but not as Christ an Expiatory Meritorious one it stands as necessary in Sanctification but eeks not out Christ's Righteousness in Justification It flows from free Grace and doth not overturn but magnifie its Fountain Afterwards our Author draws up a long Charge against these men That they prepossess their Fancies with arbitrary Notions pervert the Scriptures to justifie their Darling-opinions and that sometimes with so ill success as to break some stubborn Truths into palpable absurdities and contradictions their Fancies and Scripture agree no better than the Church of Rome and Scripture do They add such limitations distinctions glosses to Scripture as are necessary to make them orthodox Their Acquaintance with Christs Person is only a work of Fancy teaches men Hypocrisie undermines the Design of the Gospel makes men incurably ignorant yet conceited of knowledge impertinent talkers and censurers of Mankind despisers of their Teachers as if ignorant and meer Moral Preachers Their Acquaintance with Christ's Person warms their Fancies moves their Passions sometimes they find breakings of heart and feel the horrors of damned Spirits sometimes they are ravish'd with his love and Beauty refresh'd with the sweet caresses of his love All which may be no more than the working of a warm Enthusiastick Fancy the transportation of frantick Raptures and Extasies of Love Unto all which I say two things only the one is this In general Charges which may be drawn up against the most innocent Souls under Heaven the intelligent Reader must measure the truth of them only by the Instances which before have been examined The other is this that the Author tells us That their breakings for sin and ravishments in Christ may be but the working of a warm Enthusiastick fancy In which Censure I suppose there is no over-measure of Charity There are yet Two things behind which because interwoven with the general Charge I have hitherto omitted but shall now recite them the one is this Prepossessed Fancies force men saith the Author to pervert the Scriptures to make them speak the Orthodox Language to this we owe all those nice and subtil Distinctions which constitute the Body of Systematical Divinity which commonly have no other design than to evade the force of Scripture or to bribe it to speak on their side I will now wonder no longer that the Author treats a few Nonconformists with such rough hands Behold an universal blast put on those excellent Divines which have stood in the Protestant World like burning and shining Lights and have set forth so many learned and worthy Systems of Divinity for the Churches use But this is All-a-mode with the Remonstrants who as Vedelius tells us De Arcan Armind have poured forth convitia atrocissima in Formulas not being afraid to say Ista ars est Sathanae calling them humanam tyrannidem and proceeding so far as to say That that Preface in Athanasius his Creed Qui vult salvus esse ante omnia credat c. was a proud one Systems of Divinity are to them as Bonds and Fetters which they would willingly break off that they might have the better Scope to introduce their unsound and novel Opinions The other is this It is not saith the Authour the Person but the Gospel of Christ which is the way the truth and the life It seems the new and living Way through his Flesh may be stop'd up the great Prophet may want the Title of Truth the vital Influences of Grace from Christ may be intercepted and all this after Christ himself hath told us expresly I am the Way the Truth and the Life These things I suppose will hardly be passable with Christian Ears or Hearts If he be not the Way there is no approach for us to the Father if not the Truth we are not bound to believe him or his Gospel if not the Life to quicken our dead and unbelieving Hearts we should never believe in him though he were both the former CHAP. IV. Sect. I. NExt to the Knowledge of Christ Mr. Sherlock there is not a greater Mystery than our Vnion to him and Communion with him on which as these men represent it are built all those wild and fanciful Conclusions which directly oppose the Doctrine and Practice of Christianity Therefore it is of great concernment to state this matter and to examine what is meant in Scripture by Vnion to Christ and Communion with him for the Scripture mentioneth such a Relation between Christ and Christians as may be expressed by an Vnion and the phrases of being in Christ abiding in Christ can signifie no less The Author owns some kind of Union Answer but our enquiry is after a spiritual mystical union between Christ and believers who are knit together by the Divine Ligatures of the holy Spirit and Faith The quickning Spirit as the right Reverend Vsher hath it descending downward from the Head Serm. before the Commons 1620. to be in us a Fountain of supernatural Life and a lively Faith wrought by the same Spirit ascending from us upward to lay fast hold upon him This Union is fully set forth in Scripture We are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communion cannot but import Union We are said to have the Son and to have life by him 1 Joh. 5.12 To eat his flesh and drink his blood so as to live by him Joh. 6.56 57. And unless we dream of an oral Manducation what can this be but a Mystical
only Name Jesus is not named the holy Spirit the Fountain of all Grace is not heard of the holy Ordinances the Chariot of the Spirit are wanting and how can we think of the Influences of Grace there The Fathers in the fourth Council of Carthage would have every Bishop believe Crab. Concil Tom 1. that Extra Ecclesiam Catholicam nullus salvetur I therefore conclude with Camero Vult Apostolus omnem plenitudinem esse à Christo non vult omnes participes esse hujus plenitudinis Thus saith the Author the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 signifies the fulness of the Church the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ is the explication of the perfect man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the age and stature of a man the fulness is to be understood of the Christian Church I confess this Text may well be construed as Eph. 1.23 ought to be of the Church only whereas there the Apostle speaks of the Churches being the Body of Christ here he speaks of its growing to ripeness and full perfection which is chiefly accomplished above in Glory But we must still remember that the Churches being Christ's Fulness doth not deny but suppose a personal fontal Fulness in Christ who silleth all in all Let us now consider in what sence Christ is called our Life Mr Sherlock he is called Life with respect to his Doctrine he preached the Word of Life and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel In him was life and the life was the light of men Joh. 14.6 that is he preached the Word of Life which enlightneth the dark Minds of men it is not imaginable how Life should be Light in any other sence Christ tells his Disciples I am the way the truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 that is I declare the true way to Life Thus he calls himself the bread of life Joh. 6. with respect to the Doctrine he preached ver 33. and with respect to that Sacrifice he offered for the Life of the World The bread I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world ver 51. Christ is also our Life because he hath power to bestow immortal Life upon all his sincere followers Joh. 11.25 I am the Refurrection and the Life Joh. 5.25 The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live He first raises those who are dead in sin to a new spiritual Life by the power of his Doctrine and then hath Authority to raise them to an immortal life Thus Col. 3.3 4. Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory That is you profess your selves dead to the world in conformity to Christ's Death and though that immortal Life which you expect to enjoy with Christ who is now risen again from the dead be at present concealed from your view yet when Christ who is the Author of Eternal Life and hath power to raise us up from the dead shall appear the second time to judge the world then shall ye appear with him in glory We must not dream of fetching Life from the Person of Christ as we draw water out of a Fountain but we must stedfastly believe and obey his Gospel which is a Principle of divine Life in us and then we may expect a Resurrection and immortal Life Christ preached the Word of Life Answer he brought Life and Immortality to light that is in a more illustrious manifestation of it Immortality which did but dawn and glimmer under the Law breaks forth in Lustre and Glory under the Gospel That Joh. 1.4 The life was the light of men speaks not of Christ's Doctrinal Word but of his Creative which lighted up an excellent Reason in Man This is clear from the Series of the Evangelist's speech which in this place makes its progress from a state of Creation unto Darkness or the amission of Light and from thence to the instauration of it Christ is the life Joh. 14.6 not only declaring the Way to Life but inspiring that Spiritual Life which is a Seed of Eternal He is our Life with respect to his Sacrifice Joh. 6. but then that Sacrifice must be applied to us by the quickening Spirit which unites to Christ and by Faith which feeds on him He raises up those that are dead in sins to a new spiritual Life Joh. 5.25 Not by his Doctrine only but by his Regenerating Spirit and when he hath raised them up he is their Life still by the supplies of the Spirit and influences of Grace Hence St. Austin upon the 26. Verse As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself observes That Christ hath Life in himself but the Believer hath not Life in himself but in Christ living but as a part or piece of Christ and ever in dependence on him Christ is called our life Col. 3.4 that is he is the Fountain of the glorious Life in Heaven and withal of those Graces which are the first-fruits and buddings of it After all this the Author concludes thus We must not dream of fetching Life from the Person of Christ as we draw water out of a fountain This is durus sermo indeed we must not fetch Life from Christ he calls us to come to him nay charges the unbelieving Jews for not coming to him for Life Joh. 5.40 yet we must not fetch life from him St. Paul did all things through Christ strengthening him Phil. 4. 13. and did not live himself but Christ lived in him Gal. 2.20 yet we must not Christ is in Scripture an Head who gives all vital Influences to his Members 2. Hom. of Mans misery and in our Church-Homily a flowing and most plenteous Fountain of whose fulness we all receive yet we must not And what then must we do We must believe and obey the Gospel which is a Principle of divine Life in us so the Author But is Christ and his Gospel at odds indeed If we fetch Life from Christ may we not believe and obey the Gospel Or if we believe and obey the Gospel may we not fetch Life from Christ What strange inconsistencies are these The Ephesians tusted in Christ and yet heard the Gospel of Salvation Eph. 1.13 they were for the great Purchaser and Fountain of Life and yet cast not away the Charter The Jews searched the Scriptures and yet should have gone to Christ for Life they thought they had Eternal Life in the Scriptures and which was their folly they thought they had it there in a way separate from Christ but he told them that the Scriptures if they had digged deep enough in them would have testified of him unto them and so have pointed out unto them the Fountain of Life in Christ Joh. 5.39 40.
those who are so apt to be conceited of Merit grow as proud of a golden Bucket as if the Well were their own They are civil to Faith to make it a golden Bucket but at other times they tell us That Faith may be a sore and blear-eyed Leah a shaking and a palsie hand weak and bending Legs and have all the infirmities that may be and be never the worse neither as to the purpose of Justification so that Faith had need be a very humble Grace else it would take such language very ill from them What need all this sport with Faiths Humility or Infirmity Answer An humble Grace Faith is it empties the Soul of it self gives all Glory to God hangs upon Christ and free Grace and hath all in a way of receiving and dependence and seeing its Nature and aptitude to Evangelical purposes is such it is no wonder at all that God set his stamp upon it and marked it out for an Evangelical Medium to receive Christ and his Righteousness unto Justification Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace saith the Apostle Rom. 4.16 Fides Gratia commeant mutuò se ponunt tollunt Fides sola Gratiâ nititur Gratia tantùm credenti promittitur saith the Learned Paraeus on the place Let us hear our Church in this matter 2. Hom. of salvation This saying that we be justified by Faith only freely and without Works is spoken to take away clearly all merit of our Works as being unable to deserve Justification at Gods hands and thereby most plainly to express the weakness of Man and goodness of God the great infirmity of our selves and the might and power of God the imperfectness of our own works and the most abundant Grace of our Saviour Christ. But to go on infirm Faith is because of the adherent Corruption which is apt to blear its eyes and give it a palsie hand and trembling legs however if it be true it entitles to Christ and his Righteousness Invoco te Domine languidâ imbecillâ fide sed fide tamen said Cruciger the German Divine Those men whom the Author opposes hold no such thing as meriting by Tears or any thing else of our own but caution against it Indeed the Author thinks there is no danger in repentant Tears but Humane pride such is its venomous Nature is ready to swell at any small matter which hath but any shadow of excellency in it The heart of good Hezekiah was lifted up over his Silver and Gold and Treasures and precious things which yet were of a much lower value than his devotional Tears which shews the proneness of our Nature to that sin Those Scriptures Without holiness no man shall see God Mr. Sherlock The wrath of God is reveiled against all unrighteousness In every Nation he that worketh righteousness is accepted of God Except your righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into Heaven He that breaketh the least of these Commandements and teacheth men so shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven and he that doth and teacheth them shall be called great there assert the absolute necessity of an holy life to entitle us to Gods Love and the Rewards of the next Life and perfectly overthrow their fundamental Notion of Justification by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us Doth the necessity of an holy Life overthrow the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Answer No surely it 's a very gross mistake a holy Life is so far from overthrowing Imputed Righteousness that it presupposes it We are married to Christ that we might bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 And our Church in the 12. Article tells us That good Works follow after Justification Those who are true Believers and have Christ's Righteousness imputed to them do above all other men obey God's Commands glorifie his Name and walk in holy Obedience towards the Crown of Glory above Obedience is necessary but not in that sence as if the least breach of a Command should finally exclude from Heaven for then it were Wo wo to us Nor yet so absolutely as that a Believer dying in the first instant of Faith and before actual Obedience should be shut out of Heaven Our Church hath taught us better 1. Hom. of good works quoting St. Chrysost sor it I can shew a man that by Faith without Works lived and came to heaven but without Faith never man had life the Thief that was hanged when Christ suffered did believe only and the merciful God justified him If any say that he lacked time truth it is and I will not contend therein but this I will surely affirm That Faith only saved him But these men defie you Mr. Sherlock if you charge them with destroying the necessity of an holy life for they tell us Tat this universal Obedience and good Works a suspicious word are indispensibly necessary from the sovereign appointment and Will of God this is the Will of God even our Sanctification It is the Will of the Father Son and holy Ghost it is the end of their Dispensation in the business of Salvation it is the end of the Father's electing Love Eph. 1.2 of the Son 's redeeming Love Tit. 2. and of the Spirit 's sanctifying Love it is necessary to the glory of them all And are not these men mightily injured Is it not great pity they should be so abused But the truth is all this is not one syllable to the purpose for the Question was about its necessity to salvation and if we be justified and saved without it all this cannot prove any necessary obligation on us to the practice of it God hath commanded Obedience but where is the Sanction of this Law Will he damn those who do not obey for their disobedience and save those who do for their obedience Not a word of this for this destroys our Justification by Christ's Righteousness only if after all those commands God hath left it indifferent whether we obey or not Obedience is not necessary And will the Father elect and the Son redeem none but those who are holy and reprobate all others If we be elected and redeemed without any regard to our being holy our Election and Redemption is secure whether we be holy or not and so this cannot make holiness necessary on our part though it may be necessary on God's to make us holy but that is not our care and how is Obedience for the glory of the Father Son and holy Spirit when the necessity of holiness is destructive to free Grace which is the only glory God designs by Christ I suppose them injured and abused to some tune Answer after they have in terminis asserted the Necessity of Obedience from strong invincible Scriptural Arguments they are yet charged with destroying the Necessity of an holy Life But saith the Author All this is not one syllable to the purpose
near conjunction between Christ and the Church and the mutual fellowship of Christians Hence the Apostle calls the Cup the Communion of Christ's Blood and the Bread the Communion of his Body For we being many are one bread and one Body one Body represented by this one Bread for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 Sacraments are Symbols of our Union with Christ Answer and why not of an immediate Union the Elements are immediately applied to individuals and why may not the signified Union be immediate else how doth it correspond to the Sign But to clear this point first for Baptism Unbaptized Believers are really united to Christ even before their Baptism how else should the Thief on the Cross ever arrive at Paradise Or which way should the unbaptized Martyrs get thither Baptism admits men into the Church Visible but if Believers they are in the Church Catholick that one Body of Christ before nay Baptism supposes them to be so because it is a Seal of the Covenant If thou believest with all thine heart saith Philip to the Eunuch thou mayest be baptized Act. 8.37 and after the holy Ghost poured down on the Gentiles water could not be forbid them Act. 10 47. And on the other hand baptized persons may yet not be really united to Christ they may be admitted into the visible Church and yet not in that one body of Christ which is made up of Believers Simon Magus was baptized Acts 8. but for all that in the bond of iniquity many are partakers of baptismal water in whom appears not a Scintilla Spiritûs Sancti In like manner for the Lords Supper men may be nay should be in union with Christ before their receiving of it and yet many outwardly receive it who are not in union with him receiving only Panem Domini and not Panem Dominum as S. Austin speaks and eating only forès non intùs in Sacramento tantùm non usque ad Spiritûs participationem To conclude Sacraments and visible Churches must not be disparaged yet truth must be owned a reall union to Christ may be before the use of Sacraments nay before entrance into the Church visible and therefore it must be immediate or else it could in no case be before them The intention of our Lord and Saviour Mr. Sherlock in what he did and suffered for us was not meerly to reform and save some single persons but to erect a Church and combine all his Disciples into a publick Society to unite them by holy mysteries and to engage them to a mutual discharge of all Christian Offices whereby the whole body may edifie it self in Love and therefore our Saviour doth not own any relation to particular men as such but as they are members of his body for he is the Saviour of the body and redeemed his Church with his own Blood Hence St. John tells 1 Epist That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ First That ye may have fellowship with us become members of the Church by which means you have fellowship with God and Christ. Christ intended to erect a Church How so Answer Common Philanthropy which does alike for all men doth no such singular thing as to cull and call a Church a select company out of the rest of mankind No it is impossible because the Love is common and the work singular no less than special love must do it such as God sets upon his chosen ones Christ intended to set up a Church very true and he hath pitched upon the individual persons which shall make it up he hath set down their names in the Book of Life or else his providence which is so accurate in the little Flies and Gnats as to set down every wing and little part which makes up those minute animals should be very lame and imperfect in that great design of a Church a Church only being designed and not the persons of which it should consist Christ intended to set up a Church Yes and he resolved to give such Grace as should infallibly effect it Providence such is its wisdom and accurate perfection never fails or falls short of its intent no not in a design of Justice and that to come to pass through the hardest medium can be used by it we need not scale Heaven for this but have a Scheme let down from thence to assure us of it 2 Chron. 18. God intended that Ahab should go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead and though the manner of it were by a lying spirit yet it infallibly came to pass how much more must providence be unfailable in such a design of Grace as that of a Church It s true suasory resistible Grace cannot secure it because it leaves the issue of all upon the will of man irresistible Grace must come in or else we may lay by the design of a Church and confess with Corvinus Finis mortis Christi constaret etiamsi nemo credidisset As for that place of St. John That ye may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ By us is meant S. John or the Apostles not the Church or body of Christ But were that Church meant it hinders not but that they in the use of the Evangelical Truths and Ordinances might come to an immediate Communion with God and Christ as the Apostles had thus the Learned Grotius on the place Vt vos ipsi non minùs quà m nos frucium inde percipiatis societatem cum Deo cum Christo Those publick censures Mr. Sherlock whereby rotten or dead members are cut off from the body of Christ consist in casting such persons out of the Christian Society in debarring them from the Communion of Prayers and Sacraments and all religious Offices which is a plain demonstration that our union to Christ is not an union to his person but consists in a sincere and spiritual communion with the Christian Church otherwise this external communion with the Church could be no visible signification of our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him The Author argues thus Answer If union to Christ be immediate then our external communion with the Church cannot signifie our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him To which I answer just before our Author saith Our union to Christ is not an union to his Person but consists in communion with the Church that is the visible Church as he afterwards calls it and therefore our communion with the Church doth not signifie our union to Christ but is it and our excision from the Church doth not signifie our separation from Christ but is it according to our Author which cannot possibly stand Because our union to the
a conduit only and not rather a Sea or Ocean of Grace S. Chrysostome as I have him quoted by the Learned Jeans calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infinite Sea adding Though all the Saints that are were or shall be did do or shall receive of his fulness yet will he never be emptied never the less full for all that and why should the Author utter such a word as dressing up of Christ The investiture of him with his sacred Office of Mediator is so far above a slight that it is no less than the work of infinite Love Wisdom and Power those whom the Author opposes ascribe nothing to Christ but what is founded on Scripture And for such as are united to Christ in truth I verily believe that they shall never fall short of Heaven and to keep them in the true way thither God puts his fear into their hearts that they shall not depart away from him but these men ransack all the boundless perfections of the Deity What is this for Must we not own that Christ is God and hath all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him Or may we be Christians without it but they would have us build all our hopes not on the Gospel but on the person of Christ And where do they utter any such word or syllable Or how could they do so To rest upon Christ and cast away the Evangelical warrant to stand for the great purchaser and despise or neglect the Charter is utterly impossible To make this appear consider Mr. Sherlock Dr. Owen tells us That Christ is fit to be a Saviour from the Grace of Union and if we would understand what this strange Grace of Vnion is It is the uniting the nature of God and man in one Person which makes him fit to be a Saviour to the uttermost he lays his hands upon God by partaking of his nature Zach. 13.7 And he lays his hands on us by partaking of our nature Hebr. 2.14 And becomes a Daysman or Umpire between both Now though this be a great truth that the Vnion of the Divine and Humane nature in Christ did excellently qualifie him for the Office of a Mediatour yet this is the unhappiest man in expressing and proving it that I have met with For what an untoward representation is this of Christs Mediation that he came to make peace by laying his hands on God and men as if he meant to part a fray or scuffle and he might as well have named Gen. 1.1 or Matth. 1.1 or any other Scripture for the proof of it Strange Grace of Vnion Answer No Divine is a stranger to the Gratia Vnionis Nay the Author himself confesses it to be a great truth but the strangeness is in the Doctor 's untoward expressing of it he being the unhappiest man therein that ever the Author met with Imman fol. 21. that is except Bishop Vsher whose words are these Christ the only fit Vmpire to take up this controversie was to lay his hand as well upon God the party so highly offended as upon man the party so basely offending But the Doctor might as well have named Matth. 1. or Gen. 1. for the proof The expression was taken from Job 9.33 And if that expression the man God's Fellow Zach. 13.7 do not prove Christ's Divinity and that other he took part of our flesh and blood Heb. 2.13 do not prove his Humanity what can do it From the Deity of Christ Mr. Sherlock the Doctor observes The endless bottomless boundless Grace that is in Christ it is not the Grace of a creature no not of the humane nature it self that can serve our turn if it could be conceived as separate from the Deity Surely so many thirsty guilty souls as every day drink deep and large draughts of Grace and Mercy from him would if I may so speak sink him to the very bottom nay it could afford no supply at all but only in a moral way and that is a very pitiful way indeed The condemned Pelagius would allow meer moral Grace Answer but if there be no more what means the drawing quickning renewing regenerating creating conquering Grace so signally set forth in Scripture Or how should poor lost lapsed corrupted man dead in Sins and Trespasses ever be raised up into the Divine life Meer suasion operates only as proposing an object and not as ingenerating a power or faculty and were there no other Grace how should the power of repenting and believing which are things far above the Sphere of Nature ever be produced Or which way should the acts of repenting and believing ever come forth without a power S. Austin is not content with meer suasory Grace but would have such an one Quâ Gloriae magnitudo non solùm promittitur De Grat. contr Pelag lib. 1. cap. 10. verum etià m creditur nec solùm revelatur Sapientia verum etiam amatur nec suadetur solùm omne bonum verùm persuadetur And a little after he tells Pelagius That he must confess such a Grace if he would be a Christian The Dr. tells us Mr. Sherlock That if all the world should set themselves to drink free Grace and Mercy and Pardon from the Wells of Salvation if they should set themselves to draw from one single Promise they would not be able to sink the Grace of the Promise of the Person of Christ he means saith the Author one hairs breadth The Infiniteness of Grace with respect to its Spring or Fountain will answer all objections what is our finite guilt before it Shew me the sinner that can spread his Iniquity to the dimensions of this Grace Here is Mercy enough for the greatest the oldest the stubbornest Transgressor c. Enough in all reason this what a comfort is it to sinners to have such a God for their Saviour whose Grace is bottomless and boundless and exceeds the largest dimensions of sin though there be a world of sin in them The Grace of the Promise saith the Dr. of the Person of Christ he means Answer saith the Author This is just to as much purpose as if the Author should tell us That the Grace of the Evangelical Charter and the Grace of Christ the great Purchaser cannot consist together which as yet I never found admitted among Divines The Infiniteness of Christ's Grace is a thing no more to be scrupled or plaid withal than the Verity of his Deity When the Emperor Constantine had unjustly and unnaturally dipt his hands in the blood of his Son Crispus Spondan Annal. and Nephew Licinius Junior the Pagan Flamins were nonplust and could tell of no way of Expiation for so horrible a Crime but the Christian Doctrine furnished him with one No sooner doth a man become Christian but he must own that the Grace of Christ is infinite and in a transcendent Excess above all the dimensions of sin that the oldest and greatest Transgressor may find
being not in any Son of Adam naturally so much Goodness the only reason according to the Author of divine Love as might attract the least crumb of Comfort on Earth or the least moments Reprieve from Hell But saith the Author Should he love a wicked man the Reason and Nature of his Love would change He cannot love a wicked man with a Love of Complacence but cannot he love him in Design or with a Love of Benevolence Then though as the Author tells us pag. 88. he did passionately desire and design the Happiness of Man yet he could not design to him being in a lapsed corrupt Estate a Christ or a Gospel or any the least Means of Salvation Goodness the only reason of Love being gone by the Fall nothing that is good could be intended to him The Author acknowledges that God loves Goodness in Men but whence came that Goodness Was it a Donative of Divine Love or not If so then he loved them before they were such if not then may we say with the Pelagians A Deo habemus quòd homines sumus à nobis ipsis quòd justi sumus though God be necessary to our Being yet he is not to our Goodness Tract 81. in Joh. as St. Austin observes I shall add no more to this having spoken before touching irresistible Grace Christ being God and Man Mr. Sherlock made him an endless bottomless Fountain of Grace to all that believe Thus the Dr. upon which the Author glosses This he was as God as we were told before and his Grace was never the more bottomless for becoming Man The design of all this is to make the Person of Christ the Fountain of all Grace from whence we must drink Pardon and Mercy as long as we need any His Grace was never the more bottomless for becoming Man Answer yet as God and Man he is the Fountain of all Grace to us and unless he had been Man there would have been no Communication of Grace to us The most Reverend Vsher upon that Text He that eateth my flesh Imman pag. 52. and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him saith Three things 1. That by the mystical and supernatural Vnion we are as truly conjoyned with him as meat and drink is with us 2. That this Conjunction is immediately made with his Humane Nature 3. That the Lamb slain that is Christ crucified hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his blood poured out for us to be fit food for the spiritual nourishment of Souls and the very Well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all Life and Grace is derived to us To the same purpose speaks the Learned Zanchy To begin with the Fulness of Christ Mr. Sherlock and the first place wherein we meet with it is Joh. 1.16 And of his fulness we all received and grace for grace Now what is meant by this Fulness we may learn from ver 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This Fulness which was in Christ is a Fulness of Grace and Truth and if we consult ver 17. we shall find that this Grace and Truth is opposed to the Law of Moses The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ So that Grace and Truth signifie the Gospel which is a Covenant of Grace and is expresly called the Grace of God Tit. 2.11 and conteins the most clear and perspicuous Revelation of the Divine Will in opposition to the Types and Shadows under the Law is Truth in opposition to Types and Figures this is the Fulness we receive from Christ a perfect Revelation of the Divine Will concerning the Salvation of Mankind which conteins so many excellent Promises that it may be well be called Grace and prescribes such a plain and simple Religion so agreeable to the natural Nations of Good and Evil that it may well be called Truth This Fulness dwelt only in Christ and from him alone we receive it for none of the Prophets who were before him did so perfectly understand the Will of God as he did No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him v. 18. No man ever before had so perfect a knowledge of the Will of God which is here called seeing God because sight gives the most perfect knowledge but the Son who understood all his most secret counsels hath perfectly declared the Will of the Father to us and hence that Fulness we receive from Christ is explained by Grace for Grace which signifies the abundance of Grace manifested in the Gospel St. Austin expounds it Pro Legis gratiâ quae praeteriit gratiam Evangelii accepimus permanentem but this seems to be a forced sence for the Law is no where called Grace but Grace is opposed to to the Law in the next verse But however this they agree in that by the fulness of Grace and Truth they understand the Gospel that perfect declaration which Christ hath made to the World This Fulness was first in the Person of Christ before he could communicate it to us yet it is not this Personal Fulness we are to attend to but the Fulness and Perfection of his Gospel from whence we must fetch the knowledge of the Divine Will Joh. 1.16 And of his fulness we all received and Grace for Grace Arswer Upon this Text the only Quaere is Whether by Fulness is meant the Fulness of Christ's Person or the Fulness of his Gospel I conceive here is clearly meant the Fulness of Christ's Person it is in the Text his fulness his who is God the Word ver 1. his who was in the beginning with God ver 2. his by whom all things were made ver 3. his who is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world ver 9 his who was made flesh and dwelt among us ver 14. None of these his's can be attributed to the Gospel but they are all proper to the Person of Christ his fulness therefore must signifie the Fulness of Christ's Person from whence all Grace is derived as Light is from the Sun and Sense from the Head All true Believers receive from him grace for grace that is say some Gratiam cumulatissimam abundant Grace or as others Grace answering to the Grace in Christ as the Child receives from his Parents Limb for Limb or the Glass from the Face Image for Image It is further to be noted that the words are we received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his fulness Had the Fulness meant here been the Fulness of the Gospel the words would have been We re-received of his Fulness even the whole Gospel but because here was intended the Fulness of Christ's Person the words are We received of his fulness that is
covering for their own Defects should ever be able to stand before God and justifie us at his Bar Who were is the Saint in Scripture that ever durst stand before God in his own inherent Righteousness Job though perfect would not know his own soul Job 9 21. David though a man after Gods own heart would not have him mark iniquities Psal 130.3 Daniel though a man of desires prayes not for his own Righteousness but for Gods great Mercies Dan. 9.28 Look over the posture of all Saints in Scripture you find them not standing upon their own bottom but in a sense of their wants breathing after Holyness pressing on towards perfection flying to a Mercy-seat and as it is expressed Hebr. 12.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking off from themselves unto Jesus the author and finisher of their faith in whom alone perfect Righteousness is to be found Now if as appears Justification be not by inherent Righteousness then it must be by imputed according to that of St. Bernard touching fallen Man Assignata est ei justitia aliena qui caruit suâ Unto what hath been said I shall add a few Testimonies out of the Fathers Ad Diag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What other thing could cover our sins but Christ's Righteousness In whom could we lawless and ungodly be justified but in the only Son of God! Oh sweet exchange Thus Justin Martyr The fulfilling of the Law by Christ the First-fruits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be imputed to the whole lump so Athanasius Christ having translated the filthiness of my sins to himself hath made me partaker of his purity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicating unto me his own beauty so Greg. Nyssen Non habeo unde me jactem De Jacob. â—it Beat lib. 1. cap. 6. gloriabor in Christo non gloriabor quia justus sum sed quia redemptus sum non quia vacuus peccati sed quia remissa peccata thus St. Ambrose God sent his Son that assuming our flesh and obeying his Father in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might justifie the Nature of Man in himself so St. Cyril of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou believest on Christ thou hast fulfilled the Law and more than it commanded thou hast now received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greater Righteousness Hom. in â—om 10 that is in Christ the end of the Law So St. Chrysostome Domine memorabor justitiae tuae solius ipsa enim et mea nempe factus es mihi tu justitia à Deo Sup Cant Ser. 61. numquid mihi verendum nè non una ambobus sufficiat Non est pallium breve quod non possit operire duos Justitia tua in eternum me te pariter operiet quia largiter larga eterna Justitia thus St. Bernard Many other Passages might be quoted out of the Fathers but this Tast may suffice This divine Truth touching imputed Righteousness such is its Heavenly Oriency hath extorted a confession even from its enemies The very Schoolmen themselves as Bishop Andrewes hath observed whatever they are in their Quodlibets and Comments on the Sentences yet in their Soliloquies and devotional Meditations acknowledge Jehovah justitiae nostra Cardinall Contarenus saith Ego prorsùs existimo piè Christianè dici quòd debeamus niti tanquam re stabili justitia Christi nobis donatà non autem sanctitate gratià nobis inherente And Bellarmine himselfe confesses Propter incerâ—itudinem propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae â—â—â—just 〈◊〉 cap. 7. tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericardia benignitate reponere And now having in short asserted this great Truth I shall attend the Author To begin with that famous place Mr. Sherlock Jer. 23.6 where Christ is called expresly the Lord our righteousness In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely And this is the name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousness a very express place to prove that Christ is our righteousness as these men expound it that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us But is there no other possible sence to be made of this phrase Righteousness in Scripture is a word of a very large use sometimes it signifies no more than mercy kindness and beneficence and so the Lord our righteousness is the Lord who doth good to us who is our Saviour and Deliverer which is very agreeable to the reason of this name that in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel dwell safely and righteousness signifies that part of justice which consists in relieving the injured and oppressed Thus David speaks Hear me O Lord of my righteousness Psal 4. Thus Isai 54 17. Their righteousness is of me saith the Lord which is a parallel expression to the Lord our righteousness and signifies no more than that God will avenge their cause and deliver them from their enemies the like we have Isai 45.24 In the Lord have I righteousness and strength that is the Lord the righteous judge will deliver them from their enemies which agrees with that promise vers 14. Thou shalt be far from oppression and Isai 61.10 He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness This sounds like imputed righteousness but it signifies the great deliverances God promised to Israel in the former verses which should make them as glorious as a splendid garment would The Lord our righteousness is a very illustrious Name of Christ Answer Bishop Andrews observes the word Jehovah Fl saith he is communicated to Angels their names end in it as Michael Gabriel Jah is communicated to Saints their names end in it Isaiah Jeremiah But here is Jehovah to certifie us that it is not the righteousness of Saints nor of Angels that will serve the turn but the righteousness of God very God And in his after discourse upon that name he fairly builds on it the imputation of Christ's active and passive righteousness but our Author hath no mind to it The Socinians who play in Homonymies familiarly enervate the force of a word in one Text by the different signification of it in another Tell them that Christ is called God they will say so are creatures too tell them of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will reply Moses was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7.35 I will not say that our Author imitates them but he turns himself about and is much concerned for another interpretation of Christ's name Is there no other possible sence to be made of this phrase Righteousness sometimes signifies mercy and so the Lord our righteousness is the Lord that doth good to us Thus the Author righteousness in some places signifies mercy Very well but where do we meet with Jehovah our mercy Or because it signifies so in some Texts must it do so in all The question is what it signifies in this
he be a Christian whether he heartily believe and obey the Gospel and herein consists our Vnion to Christ and fellowship with him let us then leave those other dim notions to men who can believe what no man can understand who despise every thing that can be understood as if it were no better than carnal reason The Author Answer who hitherto hath highly though without cause charged his opposites with violating the evidences of Christians doth now himself blast the highest of all evidences the Testimony of the holy Spirit which is so clealy asserted by the holy Apostle that the Jesuits themselves though hotly disputing against assurance never yet attempted totally to deny it The Testimony of the Spirit saith the Author concerns the general adoption of Christians not to testifie to any particular man It is not a private but a publick Testimony given to the whole Church But let us consider the Text it self in the Apostle The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit the Apostle speaks not of the Spirit as shewing forth it self in Miracles and Tongues but as sanctifying and sealing Believers he speaks of the spirit dwelling in them vers 9. Mortifying the deeds of the body in them vers 13. Leading of them vers 14. Making them cry Abba Father vers 15. And then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the self same spirit beareth witness Here is not one jot or tittle of Miracles or Tongues the testimony of the Spirit in Miracles or Tongues is an external one which runs into the senses But the Testimony of the Spirit in the Text is internal it beareth witness not to our senses but to our Spirits It is said to be sent forth into our hearts Gal. 4.6 The Testimony is not without in Miracles or Tongues but within in the heart The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit the Apostle saith not it beareth witness with the Spirit of the Church for there is one body and one spirit the Spirit of the Church Catholick is the holy Spirit which quickens the whole Mystical Body of Christ And these words The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit cannot be translated thus The Spirit beareth witness with it self but the plain meaning is It beareth witness with our spirit that is with the spirits and consciences of particular Believers And what doth it testifie The Apostle tells us That we are the children of God We particular Believers are so Thus in another place ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Ye particular Believers were so And again He hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath dealt so with us in particular The Testimony of the Spirit in the Gospel is that all Believers are the Sons of God But the Testimony of the Spirit in our spirits is that we are Believers and so the Sons of God in particular This Testimony of the Spirit though so fully asserted in Scripture Nay and I will add though so sweetly experimented by the dear Saints of God that they have thought themselves in the very borders of Heaven in respect of it is yet with the Author no better than a dim unintilligible notion and as he speaks a little before a private Enthusiasm But why unintelligible cannot the holy Spirit so illustrate and irradiate the heart that the truth of Grace may appear to the Believer that he may certainly see in his own heart that this is precious Faith and that is love in incorruption and so of other Graces there Or what if it were unintelligible Shall we cast off the Divine Revelation because above our narrow reason What then must become of those Mysteries of the Trinity and hypostatical Union What of that peace of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passing or transcending all understanding Phil. 4.7 Surely in such things reason must vail and do homage to Revelations Ephraem Syrus discerning an heretical propensity in his Disciple Paulinus gave him that excellent advice Vide Pauline ne te submittas tuis cogitationibus sed cum te perfecte comprehendisse Deum putaveris crede nec intellexisse We must not commit Divine Mysteries to the measures of Humane Reason but take them as they are in Scripture But this Testimony of the Spirit is but a private Enthusiasm saith the Author To which I answer We are now more afraid of Enthusiasm than they were of old Dyonisius would have the Hierarch to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Eccles Hierarch to be a divine man and a kind of Euthusiast Ignatius in the Epistle to the Romans saith That he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum arbitrium Dei as if he had wrote by impulse and Inspiration And as Dr. Arrowsmith hath it in Suidas and Hesykius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enthusiasm is when the whole soul is irradiated by God And in this sence I wish with him Vtinam essemus omnes Enthusiastae Would we were all Enthusiasts It s true there is not now an Enthusiasm of gifts in an extraordinary way but sure there must be still in the use of the means an Enthusiasm of Graces in Regeneration and an Enthusiasm of comforts in the Testimony of the Spirit or else which is quite contrary to Scripture there must be no new Creatures but what are of Mans own making nor no Divine comforts for them but what are of Mans own gathering The Just need no longer live by Faith or in dependence upon the Divine Spirit but may have his being and well-being his graces and comforts all from himself CHAP. V. Sect. 1. CHrist hath reveiled the whole mind and will of God Mr. Sherlock in such a plain and familiar manner that every one may understand it who will but exercise the same reason in it that he doth to understand the Laws of his Prince Before the Author took away the witnessing Spirit now the illuminating one Answer A Man may according to him understand the things of God by the exercise of his reason Thus Episcopius Men may by meer natural perception without any supernatural superinfused light understand the Will of God After the same manner speak the Socinians The darkness for such are all the unregenerate Men may it seems comprehend the Evangelical light But the Apostle tells us That the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 That flesh and blood doth not reveil these things but our Father in Heaven Matth. 16.17 Hence the Apostle prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians Ephes 1.17 Hence our Church tells us 2. Hom. of Scripture That the Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of Scripture into us In truth we cannot without him attain true saving knowledge According to these Men Mr. Sherlock the love of Christ is a love to the person of a Believer without considering any