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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	act_n	faith_n	justify_v	11,290	5	9.0946	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37371	A Declaration of the congregational ministers, in and about London, against antinomian errours, and ignorant and scandalous persons intruding themselves into the ministry		1699 (1699)	Wing D655; ESTC R30977	18,241	80

Men as well as for the Clearing our selves from such groundless false and injurious Imputations we have thought it expedient to give a just Representation of our Principles in these Points But to prevent Mistakes We desire it may be observed that our Design is not to profess our Dislike of every Doctrine to which the Name of Antinomian hath been given For we know that not only Bellarmine with sundry Papists but the Socinians and other Erroneous Persons among our Accusers too near a kin unto them have branded some of the most Important Truths of the Gospel defended by the Reformed against the Insults of the Jesuits and their Abettors as Antinomian Nor indeed can we look on the Errours falsely said to be held by us as Opinions that have found so much Reputation as to gain any Number of Learned Men to support them they being for the most part the Off-spring of the Brains of some Popish and other Heretical Writers who in their Disputes with Protestants have first affirm'd 'em to be Consequences easily deduced from Principles entertained by us and then represented as Doctrines which we have espoused But yet several of 'em have had Parents to own and cherish them and have not been misnamed which nevertheless we shall consider only as charged upon us and endeavour to shew not only that we never entertained or gave countenance unto them but that in our Writings and by the Articles and Confessions which we have deliberately and readily subscribed unto we have from time to time Publickly given our Testimony against them whereby it will appear that as there hath not been the least Colour or Pretence for our Accusers so boldly to Publish their Insinuations and Charges against us so it must be acknowledged that there is somewhat at bottom not obvious to every one's View that influences them hereunto which whether it be the more easie to conceal and under a Covert the more effectually to instill and propagate Errours of an Arminian Nature and Tendency we leave to Impartial Observers to determine who we doubt not will soon be convinced that what is here suggested is too True seeing they did not lay Antinomian Errours to our Charge until we expressed our Dissatisfaction about their Arminian and other hurtful Opinions But what Judgment soever any shall pass on their Methods and Designs we will set down the Errours they say we Hold and shew How and Where we have witnessed against them The ERRORS § 1. That the Eternal Decree gives such an Existence to the Justification of the Elect as makes their Estate whilst in Unbelief to be the same as when they do believe in all respects save only as to the Manifestation and that there is no other Justification by Faith but what is in their Consciences § 2. That the Elect considered as in their Natural Estate or as in the first Adam are not under the Denunciation of Wrath by the Law as well as other Unbelieving and Impenitent Sinners are § That pardoned Sin is no Sin and therefore God can't see Sin in his People to be displeased with them for their Sins nor doth God express his Fatherly Displeasure against them by any Afflictions laid upon them § 4. That Believers are not bound to Confess or mourn over Sin as committed by them or pray for pardon of Sin in making daily Acknowledgment of a Need of it because 't was pardoned before committed and pardoned Sin is no Sin § 5. That Believers ought not to be afraid of committing Sin because their Sins can do them no hurt § 6. That they must do no good Work or Duty for their own benefit nor with an Eye unto their own Salvation § 7. Believers not having in themselves an Ability to do good Works are not bound to perform any good Duty unless excited thereunto by a special Motion of the Spirit § 8. That Sanctification evidenced by the Spirit of God to their Consciences is not a Sign Mark or Evidence of their Justification and that Marks and Signs for the tryal of a Believer's Faith are of no use For Faith lying in a full Perswasion and Assurance that their Persons were Actually Justified and Pardoned in Christ it is a Sin to Question Whether they do Savingly believe or no § 9. That Gospel-Ministers are not to Preach the Law in its Commands and Curses to convince Men of their need of Christ nor are Believers obliged to Regard the Law as delivered by Moses nor as Externally propounded nor are they bound when they commit Sin to look to the Law for further Discoveries and Convictions of the remaining Corruptions that are in them because by the Gospel its Obligations are dissolved § 10. That Ministers of the Gospel ought not to propound the Offers of Salvation unto all those to whom God calls them to Preach seriously Inviting them to Improve the Means of Grace that they may be Saved and assuring them in the way of their Ministerial Duty of the Salvation of all such as believe in Christ because they want Ability to close with the Offer and all shall not be saved § 11. That by God's laying our Sins upon Christ he became every way as sinful as we and we every way as Righteous and Holy as he and that therefore Persons may expect to be pardoned whilst they continue in a State of Unbelief and Impenitence and that continued Repentance and Holiness are not in the Nature of the Thing nor by the Constitution of the Gospel necessary to our being possessed of Eternal Life The Opposition we have made unto these Errours may be seen in our Confession at the Savoy as also in the Writings of our Brethren both at Home and in New-England particularly in the Books of the Celebrated Dr. Goodwin and Dr. Owen as we will distinctly evince by opposing to these Errours what is delivered in the foresaid Confession and Writings The First and Second Errours 1. That the Eternal Decree gives such a Real Existence to the Justification of the Elect as makes their State whilst in Unbelief to be the same as when they do believe in all Respects save as to Manifestation and that there is no other Justification by Faith but what is in their Consciences 2. That the Elect considered as in their Natural Estate or as in the First Adam are not under the Denunciation of Wrath by the Law as well as other Unbelieving and Impenitent Sinners Our Opposition 1. That there is a Difference between the Estate of the Elect whilst in Unbelief and when Believers besides what is manifestative to their Consciences 2. That before they believe they are not Personally and Actually Justified in the Court of Heaven but by believing they are so Justified 1. The Learned Dr. Goodwin in the Fourth Volume of his Works about the Objects and Acts of Justifying Faith Part 1. Book 1. Chap. 15. hath in the following Words given our true and Genuine Sense about this Important Point For there he Discoursing of

to know the Things which are freely given him of God he may without Extraordinary Revelation in the Right use of ordinary Means attain thereunto And therefore it is the Duty of every one to give all Diligence to make his Calling and Election sure which as in § 1 2. cannot be but by Endeavouring to Walk in all Good Conscience before the Lord Jesus For This Certainty is not a bare Conjectural and Probable Perswasion grounded upon a Fallible Hope but an Infallible Assurance of Faith founded on the Blood and Righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel and also upon the Inward Evidence of those Graces unto which Promises are made and on the Immediate Witness of the Spirit Testifying our Adoption and as a Fruit thereof leaving the Heart more Humble and Holy And in cap. 6.2 Good Works done in Obedience to God's Commandments are the Fruits and Evidences of a True and Lively Faith and by them Believers strengthen their Assurance The Ninth Errour 9. That Gospel Ministers are not to Preach the Law in its Commands and Curses to convince Men of their need of Christ nor are Believers obliged to regard the Law as delivered by Moses nor as Externally propounded nor are they Bound when they commit Sin to look to the Law for further Discoveries and Convictions of the remaining Corruptions that are in them because by the Gospel its Obligations are Dissolved Our Opposition We hold 1. That the Law delivered by Moses continues in its Commands and Curses Vndissolv'd 2. That it 's still of use to convince of Sin that we may see a need of Christ and therefore is to be Preached and Externally propounded and we are to look unto it To the First 'T is very expresly declared in our Confession cap. 19. § 2. That the Law written in the Heart continued to be a perfect Rule of Righteousness after the Fall of Man and was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in Ten Commandments and written in Two Tables commonly called the Moral-Law § 3. And in § 5. The Moral-Law doth for ever Bind all as well Justified Persons as others to the Obedience thereof and that not only in regard to the Matter contained in it but also in respect of the Authority of God the Creator who gave it Neither did Christ in the Gospel any way Dissolve but much strengthen this Obligation To the Second In this Chap. § 6. Altho True Believers be not under this Law as a Covenant of Works to be thereby Justified or Condemned yet it is of Great Vse to them as well as to Others in that as a Rule of Life Informing them of the Will of God and their Duty it Directs and Binds them to Walk accordingly discovering also the Sinful Pollutions of their Nature Hearts and Lives so as Examining themselves thereby they may come to further Conviction of Humiliation for and Hatred against Sin together with a Clearer Sight of the Need they have of Christ and the Perfection of his Obedience It is likewise of use to the Regenerate to Restrain their Corruptions in that it forbids Sin and the Threatnings of it serve to show what even their Sins deserve c. To what is here declared let us add what is in cap. 15. § 5. and 't will appear that it must be Understood of Preaching for it 's there said That altho there is no Sin so small but it deserves Damnation yet there is no Sin so great that it shall bring Damnation to them that truly Repent which makes the constant Preaching of Repentance necessary for there can be no Preaching Repentance as described in this cap. § 3. but by Preaching the Law as 't is useful to Convince of Sin for Humiliation c. Before we proceed to the Tenth Errour we must if we will Impartially deliver the Truth about the standing Obligation of the Law declare with the Learned Dr. Owen in his Treatise of Justification p. 201. That that is an Antinomianism of the worst sort and most derogatory to the Law of God which Affirms it to be divested of its Power to Oblige unto Perfect Obedience so as that what is not so shall as it were in despight of the Law be Accepted as if it were so unto the End for which the Law Requires it There is no Medium but that either the Law is utterly Abolished and so there is no Sin for where there is no Law there is no Transgression or it must be Allowed to require the same Obedience that it did at its first Institution and unto the same degree Thus much we thought needful to mention that whilst we are declaring our selves against those Errours which are commonly called Antinomian the worst Part of Real Antinomianism might not escape the mention of our Abhorring it which yet some of our Accusers are for The Tenth Errour 10. That Ministers of the Gospel ought not to propound the Offers of Salvation unto all those to whom God calls them to Preach seriously Inviting them to Improve the Means of Grace that they may be Saved and assuring them in the way of their Ministerial Duty of the Salvation of all such as believe in Christ because they want Ability to close with the Offer and all shall not be saved Our Opposition That tho Men want Ability to Believe Savingly yet it 's the Duty of Gospel Ministers to make the Offer and Testifie unto them That whoever Believes and Repents shall be Saved and that it 's the Peoples Duty to make use of their Natural Faculties with such External Means and Workings of the Spirit as God Affords them that they may Believe Repent and be Saved Dr. Goodwin in Vol. 4. Part 2. Lib. 3. Cap. 1. is very positive That tho Faith be a Difficult Work yet we ought to use our Endeavours to Believe As 1 To cleanse our Hands and Hearts taking heed of Hinderances and Impediments which may hinder God's working it or Provoke him to leave off the Work To Refrain all ill Company and all Sins of what kind soever which grieve the Spirit Thus the Apostle Heb. 12.1 2. Men may Endeavour to be Humbled for their Sins and take such Considerations into their Hearts as may serve to Humble them which tho it is not Faith nor Works Faith yet leads to it James 4.3 3. There are Duties and Ordinances God hath appointed in which to bring our Hearts before him James 4.8 And this also Men may do they may come unto God and Present their Souls before him by Prayer by Hearing the Word by good Conference by Reading c. But 5. Further Souls humbled are to attempt the Exercise of the very Act of Believing That is they are to take Promises into their Thoughts and to bring their Hearts to them to look up to Christ and consider his Fulness and attempt to lay hold upon him We have an express place for this Heb. 4.11 v. 16. The Apostle bids them come to the Throne of Grace that they may obtain