only think so Answ The Adversaries themselves make nothing of this and it needeth no Answer Our Lord there speaketh to the Pharisees who themselves judged the Scriptures to shew the way to eternal life but yet they did not see he was the Person the Scriptures testified of No doubt People may set up a bare knowledge of the Letter of the Scripture in the room of the Mediator as it was the Case of the Pharisees 8. Make me as one of thy hired Servants Luke 15. 9. Lo here is his unbelief when God would have him be a Son he would be a Servant Answ Questionless 't is Unbelief not to accept of what is offered and what we are commanded to receive That is the only true modesty that glorieth not in the Flesh but in Christ and his Righteousness And that 's Gospel-humility where the Soul is emptied of itself most receiving from the fulness of Christ There may be a legal humility and unbelieving modesty What think ye of their modesty mentioned Acts 13. 46. whom the Apostles Paul and Barnabas charge with high wickedness for judging themselves unworthy of eternal life 9. There shall go forth such from Rowell as shall sound the Gospel over these three Kingdoms Answ I cannot tell whether ever it was said so by any yet I can say it is my hopes the Lord Jesus e're long will send forth out of other Churches of Christ as well as that at Rothwell such as shall be made very instrumental for the conversion of Souls WE the Members of the Church of Christ over whom Mr. R. Davis is Pastor and his constant Hearers having seriously considered the aforesaid Principles laid to his Charge do declare and testify they are utterly false and that the current of his Doctrine has been as he himself has laid it down And further the design of his preaching amongst us has been to offer pardoning Grace through the blood of Christ freely to Sinners to press them to accept thereof on the pain of damnation To press us to Holiness from the principle of saving Faith To advance the Person and Offices of the Lord Jesus likewise the Person Offices Graces and Gifts of the Spirit And lastly to advance electing Grace reigning through the Righteousness of Christ Jesus We also attest that all those evil Practices laid to his Charge and especially the ridiculous-Falshoods about Admissions are abominable Vntruths Where unto we have subscribed our Names at the general Church-meeting it being a solemn Day of Fasting and Prayer Robert Tebatt John Taylor Jonathan Wells John Arnall William Watts Edward Coales Francis Cave Thomas Chambers Robert Hills John Mansfield Thomas Servell Thomas Rowlatt Nathaniel Chamber Samuel Lades John Bridges Thomas Kilingworth William Whittwell James Taylor Richard Tebatt Christopher Brett Jacob Harle Joseph Person Thomas Ladson James Bodymore Richard Gaurn John Wood Stephen Smith Jonathan Palmore Robert Hoeman John Tebatt Robert King Thomas Whittwell Thomas Hall Samuel Knight John Wills William King William Arch Thomas Paine Thomas Remington Samuel Rogers These following were pretended to be delivered about Kimbolton 10. There are five times wherein Christ intercedes c. Answ However the two Ministers represented it that which was said was this That there are five times of Christ's especial Intercession Not that his Intercession is changeable in itself but in respect of us as to the effects thereof As for Instance Christ intercedes for his Elect before called yet then only it takes effect when they are effectually called So again for his Children under Backslidings yet then made effectual when they are recovered And as for the time of greater sinning it was thus alledged That then he intercedes that their Faith may not totally fail It was illustrated by the Example of Peter Satan's design in his Tryal was not only to cause him to deny his Master but also to take occasion from thence to urge him to cast away all his hopes But says our Lord I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not I never held nor preached That his Intercession was Oral that was the Construction Prejudice put upon it This is my Judgment That he presents his Satisfaction to his Father in a way consistent with his glorify'd state The preverting the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and making it to signify a Comforter in 1 John 2. 1. is indeed according to the Grotian Divinity I judge the Libellers would do well to consider that Christ there is represented as transacting above with his Father and not with us It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Advocate with the Father And whether that be good Sense to render it thus That he transacts as a Comforter towards his Father I leave it to the Judgment of judicious and indifferent Persons E're I part with this I must fix a Falshood upon the Libellers who affirm That two Ministers discoursed me about it at that time whereas it was Mr. Chandler then only spoke to me and it was about the Sense of that Scripture Mat. 10. 32 33. 11. Justification by Faith is only a manifestation of it in our Conscience Answ That I said Only a manifestation of it in our Consciences is false like all the rest But that justifying Faith in the infused Principle thereof is a divine supernatural Manifestation or Revelation to the Conscience is undeniably grounded upon the holy Scripture of Truth Thus saith the Lord Hebr. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence or demonstration of things not seen but yet the demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Christ as working this Faith is said to manifest himself John 14 21 22. The Spirit as the efficient thereof is said to testify of Jesus John 15. 26. To take of the things of Christ and shew them to the Soul John 16. 14. God the Father also as the great Author of Faith is asserted to reveal his Son in the Soul Gal. 1. 16. And he that believeth hath the witness or manifestation in himself 1 John 5. 10. with divers other Scriptures Whence 't is evident That Faith is a Divine Manifestation in the Principle thereof and the Act flowing from it is the Soul's acceptance of manifested Grace and Principle and Act are of the essence of saving Faith Therefore it follows First They that contend for their word Illumination in opposition to Scriptural terms plainly prefer their own Phrases before the Words which the wisdom of the Holy Ghost teacheth Secondly But more especially they that exclude Divine-Illumination or Manifestation from the Essence of saving Faith either set up 1. An implicit Popish Blindfold Faith or 2 dly Set up Faith to act without a Principle which is monstrous and absurd or 3 dly Since in this Divine Principle of living Light Christ comes into the Soul by his Spirit and therein supernatural Power is communicated to the Soul to act as a living Soul in Christ they consequently set up a power in Man's Soul to believe antecedent to Christ's coming to
Subversion of the Hearers Whether you do not rather gratify their sinful Lusts both by your Discourses and Pamphlet and form them up to Pride Malice Strife and Contention than to heavenly-mindedness spiritual conversation and an holy walk How should they follow your Faith when you are the greatest Opposers of the grace of Faith in the Nation And how dangerous it is for them to consider the end of your conversation which is Self and Sin and not Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 7 8. 3. Consider seriously Whether you have not exposed Religion as well by your former actings as by this Libel to the contempt and scorn of the common People Was it not the highest wickedness in you so to order the disposal of many of them as that they were put into the hands of Alehouse-keepers to vend away very cheap or give them gratis to their tipling Company to create them Sport upon their Ale-benches and so render our holy Profession to be the Mockery and Song of the Drunkards and also dispose of them to the poor harvest Folks to read under Hedges You have not only stumbled them from hearing of me but your selves also and every one that beareth the Name of a dissenting Minister You have not only made me odious but Religion our Profession and the dissenting Interest in general Their hatred and ignorance will neither know or make any difference 4. Search into your own hearts and consider by what Principles you have been carried forth in all your former opposition as well as this Libel Lee your Consciences answer truly in the presence of the awful Searcher of hearts as they are always open and naked before his eyes with whom you and I have to do And have they not been Self-gain Self preheminence Ambition Pride Malice and Revenge Is not your Cry like the old Cry of Demetrius and his Followers That your Craft is in danger to be spoilt and your Gain like to be lost Let the Apostle James if you are ashamed answer for your Consciences and for all Jam. 4. 1. From whence cometh wars and fightings amongst you come they not hence from your lusts that war in your members ver 2. Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have but cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not ver 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts ver 5. Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy ver 6. But he giveth more grace wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble 5. Consider seriously what spirit you have acted in all along Was it in the Spirit of Christ or your own spirits Nay was it not in the very worse dregs of your own spirits Weigh this well Whether you have managed your selves in opposition to supposed Errors according to those Commands of the Lord 2 Tim. 2. 3. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they gender strife ver 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient ver 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventrire will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Ah! Have not you rather carried it quite contrary even in your manifest fruits of the flesh such as variance emulations wrath strife envyings back-bitings whisperings swellings tumults c 2 Cor. 12. 10. Had your Cause been never so good yet your way of managing it has been enough to ruine it 6. Was it the honour and glory of Christ that you proposed at the end of such Actions or rather the advancement of some cursed Idols of Self Any unprejudic'd Man that reads your Libel can soon determine the Question Can you think this to be a likely way even in a spirit of bitterness and persecution to reclaim us from those Errors and Heresies that you assert we are fallen into Why did not you in prudence and good manners give way to the wiser learneder and graver heads at London to make the first tryal of their Skill And why must you with your printed Mint of Slander impertinently iuterrupt them and rudely anticipate their Essays and by a malevolent conjunction of so bad a Libel with their Ketterin Visitation cast such an Odium upon them and their Proceedings as cannot in haste be wiped away 7. Consider Whether it be not the greatest Uncharitableness to judge that the great Numbers converted by this erroneous Preaching as you call it are all under Delusions What is Conversion if this be not that those who were so grosly ignorant are so enlightned as to understand and speak so judiciously clearly and experimentally of the person and undertakings of the Lord Jesus and Justification by him alone of the beauty and excellency they saw by Faith in him his suitableness to their wants and the absolute necessity they have of him and his righteousness through a deep sight of their sin and misery and a supernatural discovery of him Is it not evident also that those who were formerly very wicked and profligate in their Lives and Conversations are now become religious serious and circumspect Yea those that are afflicted when they are themselves do adore the Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour and are most awful of God in Christ These many of them live in your Neighborhoods and no doubt many of them by their holy Lives and zealous Profession leave a Testimony in your Consciences for the work of God wrought upon their Souls If you approve not of their Conversion how came some of you to admit several of them into your Churches It seems their Conversion is good enough if they offer themselves to you Can you be then so censorious to judge them all acted by a Satanical Spirit and not converted If many of them are true Converts how dare you blast that Doctrine that God hath blest to reach them with the dreadful name of execrable Heresie It is an old and a true Maxim That the God of Truth never puts his Seal to a Lye We can say in great humility and self-abasing giving the sole honour to the excellency of the power that is of God that those despised Truths such poor Worms as we have deliver'd in the Name of the Lord and have been received amongst us have been sealed and attested to with Fire from Heaven I mean the Spirit of the Lord. 8. Consider this how grosly you abuse us to say we are against the Law of God No we constantly affirm The Law is good if a Man use it lawfully Nor are we against the preaching of it as it ought to be preached We always preach the Law of God demands of Sinners complete and infinite satisfaction and they that will satisfie the penalty of the Law in their own persons must go to Hell to do it
testified against such notorious Forgeries some whereof were pretended to be delivered publickly others in private discourse accordingly therefore I shall divide them The first were alledged to be spoke more publickly 21. To preach Marks of Sanctification is a Doctrine of an old Covenant strain Answ If they had added legal Marks I would have stood by it and so I believe I expressed it But saving Faith has its saving Effects inseparably attending it which I often preach all Scriptures quoted to that purpose are expressive of the inseparable Effects of saving Faith 22. Sanctification is no Evidence of our Justification Answ I have often expressed it that some may mistake a legal Holiness for an evangelical one i. e. They are apt to conclude as I once my self was that when they have such a Catalogue of meer legal Qualifications to boast of then they think they may believe which I apprehend to be a seeking to be justified by the works of the Law But as for excluding Faith and its Effects from being Evidences I never did nor is it my judgment 23. Disciples grieve Christ when they mourn for Sin Answ But the truth of the matter is this I was thus glossing on that passage John 14. 1. Let not your heart be troubled That Christ seemed to be concerned that his Disciples were so grieved at the news of his departure And see good Reader how Malice has perverted it There needs no proof of so plain a matter therefore their ridiculous Confutation fights against a Man of Straw of their own setting up 24. God is the ultimate Object of a strong justifying Faith and Jesus of Nazareth the mediate Object of a weak Faith Answ I never used to separate the Godhead from the humane Nature What then I laboured to make out was this That weak Believers have not so full and distinct a view of the blessed Object of Faith as they that are more clear and strong in Faith This I think is so undeniable that it needs no further Proof than the stating of it thus 25. Christ and Believers are One in Intercession Answ That which was expressed in Prayer was this We are One with him viz. united to him who is our Intercessor This I think will appear afalse Doctrin to none but such as deny a Believer's Union to Christ 26. Believers dishonour Christ by relying on Promises Answ I then spake to this effect 'T is possible some may rely on the Letter of the Promise and not regard Christ in the Promise and they that do so do disrespect and dishonour Christ. Which Truth if these Libellers dare deny they are not fit to be talked with Thus far concerning the Charges of a publick Nature in Cambridge Now follows the Testimony of the Hearers concerning them WE whose Names are here under-written being present when Mr. Davis preached that Sermon in Cambridge when those erronious Doctrines were pretended to be delivered and hearing instantly of the misconstruction of his words through Ignorance and Malice did then while it was fresh in our memories bear our Testimonies against such notorious Falshoods and now testify the whole was false as charged and the matters true as stated in these Papers Jo. Craske James Toolidge Jo. Burges Thomas Greene James Speckman Andrew Craske Stephen Taylor George Godfrey Edward Rogers Joseph Juit William Bentchy Nicholas Spillman Henry Ellis Nathaniel Tench The three following false Charges were words wrested in private discourse which they put upon the Rack to make them confess what they please 27. To believe our Sins are pardoned is justifying Faith Answ To this purpose I have preached often To believe on Jesus for the pardon of Sin is justifying Faith And it was further added to this purpose That saving Faith doth accept of and rely on the pardong Grace that Christ hath already purchased Luke 14. 17. For all things are now ready The Apostle declareth that the first thing he preached to the Corinthians as the foundation of their Faith was That Christ diedfor their Sins according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. And this they had been commanded to believe I never said that nothing was true Faith but what amounted to that degree of positive unwavering and sensible believing that our Sins are pardoned But this is certain that God giveth to many of his Children great persuasion of the pardon of their Sins and who dare deny that to be justifying Faith I do grant that Formalists and wicked persons may have a false presumption of the pardon of their Sin but this doth not impeach the Faith of God's Elect at all I only contend for that Faith that is of the operation of the Holy Ghost which purifies the heart lip and life I think it hath not been so well done of our latter Divines to depart from that definition of Faith given always by our first Reformers who as they lead the Van so no doubt they had most of the Spirit of Christ I judge it a safe way to form a definition of Faith from the holy Scriptures of Truth rather than from the dark low Experiences of weak Believers This may be explained as low as is consistent with Truth for the comforting of doubting Souls See the Apostles definition of Faith Hebr. 11. 1. with many other places and this Faith the Scripture presses us to Hebr. 3. 6. 10 22 35 c. and this was the Apostles Faith Gal. 2. 20. 28. Faith is nothing but a Persuasion that my Sins are pardoned Answ This hath been answered already and so I pass it by 29. Believers may not take Comfort in the actings of their Graces Answ This I do not remember but believe it to be an untruth For no doubt persons have peace and joy in believing and that is the acting of grace The exercise of Faith and other graces as flowing from it is very comfortable But this I have opposed and others contend for that inherent qualifications without Faith can be the actings of grace or bring any true comfort to the Soul WE whose Names are under written being then present at the discourse between Mr Hunt and Mr. Davis in Cambridge did hear Mr. Hunt with great prejudice wrest Mr. Davis ' s Words and ' Sentences and did then oppose and contradict him in so doing And we do protest the Particulars are true as Mr. Davis stateth them and false as the Informers do Jo. Craske Thomas Greene James Coolidge Henry Ellis The following Charges are miscellaneous being chiefly Sentences dropt in private discourse miserably rackt and tortured by the Libeller and not so affixed to places 30 Charge Whatever is supernatural is saving Grace Answ That that was said was this All saving Grace is supernatural And the Bedford Gentleman was then contradicted when he wrested it 31. Zeal is to be preferred before Judgment Answ This also was a wresting of words in private discourse and the occasion was this One in discourse with me at Kimbolton who it seems was highly conceited
Rom. 9. 30 nor as much as to seek and ask after it Rom. 10. 20. But Isaias is very bold and saith I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest to them that asked not after me Whilst the Jews were rejected with all their Qualifications Rom. 9. 31 32 chap. 10. 31. Therefore this Consideration destroys all such antecedent Qualifications Arg. 7. The holy Scriptures of Truth declare That Christ must first come to the Soul before the Soul can move to Christ For the Soul is dead in Sin before the first moment of Spiritual Life and the first moment of spiritual Life is when Christ actually uniteth himself to the Soul And how can they that are dead prepare themselves for Life before Life comes Arg. 8. The Word of God says That the Law cannot give Life For if there had been a Law given which could have given Life to the Apostate Race of Adam verily Righteousness should have been by the Law And if the Works of the Law cannot give Life they cannot prepare for Christ Arg. 9. The Gospel invites Sinners as Sinners and not as qualified Sinners to come to Christ If the Heavy-laden be called Mat. 11. the Lame Blind Hault and Maim'd are invited also Luke 14. 21. Mat. 22. So also the Highway-Sinners are compell'd to come in as they are Mat. 22. Luke 14. 28. Arg. 10. Lastly This Doctrine of previous Qualification contradicts not only the Doctrine of the Bible and of the first Reformers but also the Twelfth ond Thirteenth Article of the Church of England If any would be further satisfied in this Point let them consult Mr. Bridge of Evangelical Repentance And a Book lately Printed styl'd The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification which is a very solid and substantial Piece And now I shall proceed to the remaining Charges Faith is a Perswasion that our Sins are Pardoned I am almost perswaded Mr. Chandler never heard it But my Judgement is Faith is a Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin and Acquitment by the Lord Jesus Why should the word be offensive since it is Scriptural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade In that Prophetick Description of New Testament-Faith it is God shall persuade Japhet c. Abraham's Faith is defined by the same word Rom. 4. 21. The Apostle expresses his own Faith and the Faith of the Elect in the same words Rom. 8. 38. Gal. 5. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 12. To believe a Man's Sins are Pardon'd is Justifying Faith Answ 1. Their racking of Sentences I mind not But this I do affirm That Justifying Faith is to Believe on Christ for the Pardon of Sin which he has purchased and not a blind Consent of the Will to I know not what 2. That every Act of True Faith hath particular Application in it My Act of Faith relateth not to Sin in general but my Sin 3. Faith looks to Christ for what he hath already done for a Pardon already purchasad and an Acquitment already obtained Mat. 22. 4. Luk. 14. 17. 4. The least degree of True Faith hath some Assurance in it tho' not so much as extinguisheth nor yet so much as keepeth under but always so much as doth oppose and disapprove of unbelieving Doubts and Fears 5. Stronger Faith carries stronger Assurance with it The more clearly and strongly I rely on the Righteousness and Strength that are in Christ for me the more firmly I can conclude I am made Righteous in his Righteousness The Argument is Mr. Pemble's against Bellarmine which Mr. B in vain attempts to overthrow 6. Lastly The Spirit often-times cometh in a sealing Promise with irresistible Light assuring the Conscience of a Believer that his Sins are Pardoned and he is Justified so that during this time of Sealing all Doubts Fears and Questionings are silenc'd though when this is past they may revive again And who dare exclude this from relating to Justifying Faith Let 's have a care of contradicting and blaspheming the Operations of the Holy Ghost and offending against the Generation of the Just who have more or less met with such Promises Some will put you upon trying your State by such Marks of Sincerity Love to the Brethren Universal Obedience and Love to God and Christ But this way he denied and said Men make Idols of them and worship'd Stones and Stocks And such as put them on such ways of Tryal are like Baal ' s Priests It is to no purpose for me to fight with their wrested words I shall only therefore deliver my Judgment plainly as to Marks and Signs 1. I judge there is no Holiness or gracious Qualifications preceding Faith 2. To set up these as the Marks and Signs of our being Justified is 1. The greatest Cheat put upon the Soul in the World 2. It is the greatest Affront put upon the Spirit and Blood of Christ For thereby they thrust these that are Nothing into the Room and Throne of the Mediator and Comforter and they that do so are guilty of Spiritual and Mental Idolatry as if they worshiped Stocks and Stones As to that of Baal's Priests I remember nothing of But let the Coiners of this New Gospel that preach such Doctrines look to it lest they justly deserve the Name Some will tell you You must examine your selves whether you be in the Faith or no But I say Look for no Marks and Signs but a risen Jesus seek for no other I affirm That Faith is a great Evidence yea and Self-Evidence too Heb. 11. 1. The great Evidence of Faith is the once Crucified but now Risen Jesus It is Jesus that died is risen again and is set down at the Right-Hand of the Father and ever liveth to intercede They that look off of him to look within seek for a living Christ in a dead Frame I never was against Self-Examination performed in the Light of Faith acting directly toward the Object At Willingham he preached That Christians must not try themselves by Marks and Signs of Grace This is as if a Person should shut the Doors and Windows of his House to let in more Light And produced Mat. 12. 38 39. to reprove this way of Heart-Examination which he said lay with Awe upon his Spirit and he could not but mention it viz. An evil and adulterous Generation seeketh after a Sign And added O Generation of Professors I may say of Preachers that seek after a Sign c. 1. This is further my Judgment That the Scriptural Marks and Signs which are the inseparable Effects and Concomitants of Faith are one way or other some Evidence of our Justification 2. That they do also as Dr. Goodwin phraseth it eek out encourage and strengthen our Faith in a certain way and measure 3. That Souls are more prone to look to them than to Christ and his Grace the Object of Faith and that is very dangerous Spiritual Sense and Enjoyments though given us is something within us But Faith
an Advocate with the Father for us always even when we sin and pleading his Propitiatory Sacrifice unchangably on our behalf 1 John 1. 2. Compared with Heb. 7. 24. Tho' we vary and change in our Frames and in the Exercise of Grace yet it is well for us he never changeth nor the Righteousness of his Son He is God and changeth not therefore c. Mal. 3. 6. There must be no more Conscience of sin in Believers Such is the Nature of their Sacrifice that it ought to be so this Expression also is Scriptural Heb. 10. 2. they that cavil at me herein cavil at the words of the Holy Ghost pray let them undertake to answer him for it You would mourn You would weep Christ hath mourned Christ hath wept and you have nothing to do but accept his Grace the Righteousness by which you and I must be justified is Christ's fulfilling Adam's Covenant and Mount Sinai's Covenant and the Covenant of Grace I do not remember verbatim what hath been expressed so long since malice it self must have a better memory than I to do it but I will plainly relate my Judgment in the matter 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is according to the Scriptures the End or Consummation of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 14. And he did as it became him to fulfill all Righteousness as their Representative 2ly This offered Righteousness must be most freely accepted as a free Gift Rom. 5. 16. We must bring no Money nor Price in our hands to purchase it Isa 55. 1. 3ly Sinners are prone to mourn and weep by way of satisfaction to Justice but what ever in that nature was Penal and Satisfactory to Justice Christ dath done and suffered Isa 53. 3 4. Heb. 5. 7. When you are discouraged with Unbelief in Duty if you can believe that Jesus is there strongly believing in Heaven for you this raiseth your Faith If you see Christ loveth for you this draweth forth your love First observe this differently Phrased in the Libell so that it seems Mr. King took the same sentence from my mouth divers ways backward and forward even as his fancy pleased to chime it The same observations I have made concerning divers of these Accusations compared with them in the Libell 2. This I affirm that this Report was heard of early by us so that I and others that heard me did recollect what I delivered and we found upon such Recollection that my words were wrested and misconstrued but that I expressed my self to this Effect 1mo That Christ as our Representative fulfilled all Righteousness as is aforementioned That Christ believed and believed as our Representative Dr. Goodwin undeniably proves in his Triumph of Faith 2ly That the Graces of the Spirit he perfectly exercised as man cometh within the Compass of our Imputed Righteousness that all the Righteousness he fulfilld on Earth he carried with him to Heaven when he entred once for all not without Blood where he eternally presenteth them to the Father as the matter of our Justification and they are the Pleas he useth in his Intercession the Faith and Love and other Graces he exercised when on Earth are now in Heaven where he is 3ly Believers may take Comfort by veiwing through Faith not only their Persons but Performances covered in his Righteousness and see all their Guilt done away in his Blood see their Imperfect Obedience cover'd with his perfect Obedience This is the Summ of what was delivered and this I will stand by To fear Sin is the way to increase it The Position I laid down was this That Unbelieving Fears of Sin distrusting the Power of Christ to keep us is an inlett into sin 1 Job 4. 18. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love so divers other places which I need not insist upon now Animadversions on the foregoing Head I Cannot but judge that the Particular Accusations under the foregoing Head do infer a pernicious design against the imputed Righteousness of the Son of God viz. 1. That this Righteousness taketh not in the Active as well as the Passive Obedience of Christ which is a Principle which hath been lately minted in Opposition to the Current of Orthodox Writers to the various Confessions of Faith of the Protestants since the Reformation and to the Word of God which hath been already proved in part Therefore I shall only add this following Argument 1. The Law of God must be either satisfied or defeated in its intents and to defeat the intent of such a Holy Righteous Just Law is Antinomianism with a Witness which puteth a great Affront upon the Law-giver 2ly The Primary intent of God's Law is perfect Obedience and without perfect Obedience the Law of God cannot be satisfied 3ly Unless the Law can be satisfied there is no man living can be justified according to the Tenour of it and unless a sinner is justified he cannot be saved 4ly There is no sinner can plead satisfaction made unto it in his own proper Person therefore he must plead the satisfaction given by his Surety and Representative in his stead who fully satisfied as well the demands of it as the Penalty therefore through Faith we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31. and give it the highest Honour by offering to the Law-giver the perfect and God-like Obedience of his Son thereunto 2dly This last Head seemeth to have a bad intent to eclipse God's Act of Imputation by which this Righteousness is so made over to us for our highest Benefit and Advantages as if we our selves had wrought it out All this resulteth to Believers by virtue of Union to the Person of Christ and accepting the Union of Three Persons in One God and of Two Natures in One Person This Union is most unexpressibly great bating those Two fore-mentioned Unions we may speak as high of it and conceive as high of it as possible By virtue of the First Union God the Second Person is Equal with the Father and so the Third Co-equal with the Two former By virtue of the Second Union the Man Christ Jesus becometh the Redeemer the Mediator the Saviour Head over all Prince of Life Lord of Glory But it is Blasphemy to attribute any of this to any Believer by Virtue of a Third Union it is Blasphemy to say We are Godded with God Christed with Christ or that we become Saviours and Redeemers c. Yet however this 3d. Union conferreth great Titles and Privileges upon Believers according to the Scriptures As nothing can be spoken too high of the Righteousness of Christ so the Holy Scriptures of Truth do speak very magnificently of those that are cloathed with it They are said to be made Kings and Priests to God and the Father Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 6. A Holy Priesthood ver 9. A Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People As to Christ they are called Members of his Body Ephes 5. 30. 1
notice thereof but he not willing to part with them till he had a louder Call and since it was not in their power to thrust them from the Place they thought they had the liberty in common Equity to make such provision for their own Edifications as they judged most suitable and necessary Accusation 6. He hath declared it to be his Opinion that he is happy who is an Instrument in breaking all the Churches Answer I declared that this was the Judgment of that great Man of God Dr. Owen now in Glory That it would be best for the Interest of Christ if all the Dissenting Churches in England were broken and would gather anew of those that were thorough for Christ Without declaring my own Opinion as will be attested by Mr. Ellis Mrs. Ellis Mr. Watts Mr. Sendall that were then present But I know not but he may be prophetick in his Opinion if God giveth not Repentance Furthermore he hath affirmed That for two years all the Churches are gone a Whoring from Christ I did not remember this when I first saw it but since one present remembred me of it I think I spake something of it yet the same worthy Person assured me it is not rightly reported and indeed I think it was very unfriendly and unchristian like to trumpet to the World in an odious Libel and then publickly to witness what past by way of Lamentation in private Discourse However as to what is alledged I wish it were not too to true They must needs be of a deep Laodicean Spirit that do not observe very great Declensions and Forsakings of their first Love upon the best Churches of Christ in England and this in Scripture Phrase is going a Whoring from the Lord and must it be an Offence to use Scripture-Language I heartily wish that instead of raging against the Truth they would seriously consider it and consider their own Wages He being told how comfortably the Ministers had lived formerly together replied with heat It was the Gospel he Preached made all the Disturbance for which he brought Matth. 10. Christ came not to bring Peace on Earth but a Sword That Passage is falsly father'd upon me That the Gospel I Preached made all the Disturbance The truth of the Matter is this That question being very often and I thought very uncandidly put unto me viz. What was the Reason there was more Disturbance since I came than formerly I made Answer only repeating these words Luke 12. 49. Any unbyass'd Person may see with half an Eye that they are guilty of Mistakes upon Mistakes for they say I named Mat. 10. 34. whereas the words I said were these I am come to send Fire on the Earth c. 'T is also evident what a captious Question it was and with an insnaring Design it was proposed as it hath since more plainly appeared by the Event This must needs in every impartial Judgment justifie me in keeping at a Distance from such Persons and if I be providentially cast into their Company to treat them with extreme Caution However as to the Answer then given it was not in a light and hasty Spirit for I have not seen cause to repent of it since Time the Parent of Truth may make it more and more Manifest Accusation 7. He said that Mr. Shepard was an Enemy to Christ and the Gospel Answ I must needs say I am sorry he has manifested such Enmity divers ways I need go at present no further than the Libel and the Concernment he appears to have in it other actings of his I could Instance in which were not so much against me for I have done him no harm but against the Gospel and Interest of the Lord Jesus That Mr. Medwell had done more Mischief in two Years than he could repair in all his Life I cannot deny but that I said I being provoked thereunto by one that came like them of old feigning himself to be a Just Man for to ensnare I was afterwards very much grieved for speaking these words in a Passion But as to the truth thereof I felt somewhat of it when I was Indicted at the Assizes for Preaching the Gospel but I shall forbear to produce instances to this purpose out of respect to Mr. Medwell but this is generally known That most of our Persecutors and Revilers Prophane as well as Professors take more Encouragement from Mr. Medwell's favouring the Opposition than others to act as they do Others he called Dry Sticks Scribes Pharisees Legalists Baals-Priests It is not proved that I called any so in particular and if I exclaimed against such Evil Persons in general why may not I against them as well as against Drunkards Swearers Whore-mongers Blasphemers and Sabbath-breakers It is past all doubt there have been in all Ages such sorts of evil Men. Africa was never more Fertile in Monsters than this present Age doth abound with such sorts of monstrous Creatures that John the Baptist our Blessed Lord and his Disciples so severely envied against If I have said so I say so let the Guilty in City and Country share it among themselves He said I care not for all the Elders in London they are most of them Arminians Amiraldists and Baxterians This I said in my Haste that the Ministers of London should not be my Judges being many of them Arminians Amiraldists and Baxterians which appeareth to be too true tho no truth ought to be spoken in Passion and in our own Spirits but is it not matter of Lamentation Pudet hoec opprobria dici Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli That late Book come forth with the New Gospel ushered into the World with 16 Names with a Thrasonic Boast of greater numbers ready to join these sufficiently proved me to be no Lyer I wish the Author would have tarried to have took them all in that we might have known the strength of his Party but since we hear they have appear'd in great numbers indeed yet all that will not do Truth may be clamour'd against but can't be overturn'd by Multitudes But it is very remarkable that the Reverend Assembly send such an one to judge of a Church of Christ and of their Faith and Order at Kettering in great State and Pomp when he had newly declar'd himself in Print to be the Admired Head of the Neonomian Sect or in plain English the New-Law-men to wit a Law they had set up in Contradiction to God's Law having clearly abolisht that requiring imperfect sinful Obedience in stead of what is Perfect and Sinless Accusation 8. He with the Church at Rothwell send forth many Illitterate and Ignorant Preachers without Advising with Neighboring Ministers Answ So we do and so we will do in the Name of the Lord we think it very strange we should be compelled to advise with them who by their late Actions have declared themselves to be perverters of the Gospel and favourers of the Neonomian Party clucking under Mr. William's
dependeth wholly upon our Obedience as the condition to which it is promised and therefore it puts us into a condition or State of Life Imperfect and subject to Change as Obedience it self is that we are not perfectly justified till Obedience be perfected 7. That by their Obedience Believers serve God and are fitted for Heaven and their Afflictions are Paternal Corrections to quicken them and to purge them but not inflicted as effects of the Curse 7. That Believers by their Obedience obtain continue and perfect their Right to Heaven and that their Afflictions are Fruits of the Curse of the Law Christ having purchased only that it should not Damn us but left it to the Father to Punish us for Sins in this Life as he shall think fit 8. We are made partakers of Christ's Righteousness and the Benefits thereof by Faith and that Faith is a trusting in the Promise of Life for the sake of Christ's Righteousness 8. That Faith in its whole Latitude is believing and obeying the Gospel that by this we are made partakers of the Benefits of Christ he having only purchased this Grant or Law that they which Obey him shall be Saved not that his Obedience should Save them 9. That Justification is the acceptance of a Sinner with God as Righteous through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him whereby he hath a full right to Eternal Life 9. Justification is nothing else but the Pardon of Sin i. e. the not exacting the punishment of Sin due by the Law of Works and an acceptance of Man so far and so long as he performeth the Conditions of sincere Obedience These I unfeignedly Assent and Consent to These I Declare and protest against Rich. Davis Richard Davis BEhold the present controversie rightly Stated and tho many of the present Adversaries seem to approve of the Old Protestant Scheme and to be shie of the other yet let their Principles Doctrins and Expressions be persued close and you will catch them in the Neonomian Scheme and many of those they call Anti-Nomian flow genuinely from the Old Protestant Scheme I shall add no more but heartily Pray that the Spirit of Truth would guide us into all Truth as it is in Jesus Amen And that the World may know what my Judgment is in Matters of Faith I do heartily declare my Assent unto and Approbation of these following Articles I. Of the Scripture THE Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God and the only Rule of Faith and Life II. Of God There is but one only the living and true God who is a Spirit Infinite Eternal and unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Goodness and Truth There are three Persons in the God-head the Father eternally begetting the Son eternally begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son the same in Essence equal in all the incommunicable and communicable Attributes of the Divine Nature III. Of God's Decree The Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpose according to the Council of his Will whereby for his own Glory he hath fore-ordain'd whatsoever comes to pass which Decrees he executes in the Works of Creation and Providence IV. Of Creation The work of Creation is God's making all things of nothing by the word of his Power in the space of six Days and all very good and after other Creatures he Created Man Male and Female after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness Holiness with Dominion over the Creatures V. Of Providence God's Works of Providence are his most Holy Wise and Powerful Preserving and Governing all his Creatures and all their Actions VI. The Covenant of Works When God Created Man he entred into a Covenant of Life with him as the common Head and Representative of all Mankind upon condition of perfect Obedience forbidding him to Eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon pain of Death which Covenant our first Parents being left to the freedom of their own Will broke and so fell from the Estate wherein they were Created by sinning against God and all Mankind descending from Adam by ordinary Generation sinn edwith him and Fell with him in his first Transgression VII Of Sin by the Fall The Sinfulness of every Man descending from Adam by an ordinary Generation consists in the Guilt of Adam's first Sin the want of Original Righteousness and the Corruption of his whole Nature which is commonly call'd Original Sin together with all Actual Sins whereby he is opposite to all Good and bent to all Evil and liable to God's Wrath the Curse of the Law Death and all Miseries Spiritual Temporal and Eternal The remainders of this Original sinful Nature acts even in the Saints when their State is changed through Grace VIII Of Christ Christ Jesus the Eternal Son of God became Man being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy-Ghost and thereby taking our Nature upon him continueth to be God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person for ever IX Our Lord Jesus Christ both in his humbled and exalted state executeth the Office of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King to his Church X. Of the Prophetical Office of Christ Christ executes the Office of a Prophet in the times both of the Old and New Testament in revealing by his Word and Spirit the whole Mind and Will of God for Man's Salvation XI Of the Priesthood of Christ Christ executeth the Office of a Priest in once offering up himself a Sacrifice without Spot to God to be a Reconciliation for the Sins of all them that shall be Saved and in making continual Intercession for them at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High XII Of the Kingly Office of Christ Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Office of a King in calling out of the World a People to himself in Ruling and Defending them and in restraining and conquering all his and their Enemies XIII Of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed and was made manifest by freely providing and offering to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation through him XIV Of Iustification Those whom God effectually Calleth he also freely Justifieth not by infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins and by accounting and accepting their Persons as Righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not by imputing Faith it self nor any other Evangelical Obedience unto them as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them They receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the Gift of God And this Faith is not a dead Faith but worketh by Love and is accompanied with all other saving Graces XV. Of Faith Faith in the General is a giving credit