curse and secondly supernatural grace to reform deformed nature and thirdly saith he but this last coincident with the former though it shews us the way of life yet it ministers no grace to walk therein nor doth his Gospel minister sufficient grace for that purpose But to make us some amends he comforts us with lies saying but all that which the Law could not do Jesus Christ by whom cometh grace and life hath done unto us But hath Christ already performed for us and in us perfect obedience to the Law and to that end fully reformed and renewed our deformed natures These two saith he cannot be done till we be perfected in glory Then he concludes for his second position or the first part of it rather but out of his false premises therefore there is no life to be found in the observance of the Law Unto which we have often replied upon undeniable grounds that there is no life to be found but in the observation or Gods Law through Christ Jesus Again he ress us that the Apostle in another place cals the Law the ministry of death and condemnation because it instantly binds men under death for every transgression of her commandements It is true the work of the Law by the help of the word doth give such a condemnatory sentence but elsewhere the Law is called the perfect Law of liberty as James 1.25 yea and our life also Deut. 32.46 47. ye shall command your children to oâ—serve to do all the words of this Law for it is not a vain thing for you for it is your life to wit when performed by the grace of Christ But mark his inference from hence so that he which hath eyes to see what an universal rebellion of nature there is in man to Gods holy Law yea what imperfections and discordance with the Law are still remaining in them who are renewed by grace to wit after John Tendring's model may easily see the blind presumption of those who seek life in the ministry of death But we know none that do so more frequently then such loose Gospellers as he who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness And sure we are that the Jews who seek life in the observation of Gods Law for the most part are more obedient to God and consequently nearer to Gods kingdome though yet they own not Jesus of Nazareth to be the promised Christ then any such libertines as he is who own Christ in words but in life and deeds deny him whose sentence he may find recorded before hand by way of premonition Matth. 7.21 22 23. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and then will I profess unto them I never knew them depart from me ye workers of iniquity The Jews are called natural branches because they avoid known sins to the uttermost of their power and follow after righteousness with all their strength but such as take liberty to the contrary are still branches of the wild olive Rom. 11. yea these last though they have Christ often in their mouths are further from the love of Christ who hath no communion with Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 then the former and it is the wicked lives of those that call themselves the Disciples and followers of Jesus that hath kept both Jews and Turks and many others from embracing the holy way of true Christianity Yet saith he so universall is this error of seeking life and salvation by their own deeds that it hath over-run the whole posterity of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminated by Christ to stand to the covenant of works But those who are rightly illuminated by Christ Grace teacheth to seek salvation in the works and observation of the Law yet not out of their own strength and endeavours alone but by the grace and help of Christ which grace John Tendrings vindication curtaileth But the supernatural doctrine saith he of the Evangelist page 53. teacheth us to transcend nature to goe out of our selves and to seek salvation in the Lord Jesus All this is true if rightly understood but so is not that which follows and so to use the Law not that we seek life by fulfilling it which here is impossible but as a Schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ in whom we have remission of our sins so that which is to be had in the last place he puts it in the first sanctification of our nature acceptance of our imperfect obedience what always when it should for times and means afforded be made perfect benefits which the Law could never afford us Thus saith he ye see it is impossible in our own persons but what if Christ be brought in hither to purge us and renew us fully to fulfill the Law of God no such grace saith he being given from above Oh the bold blasphemy of man against the renor of the old and new Testament Deut. 26.18 19. and 30.6 Jerem. 31.32 33. Rom. 8.4 and 10.4 Or if we could saith he yet it is not possible for the Law to save us but he confesseth that it is not through any defect or imperfection in the Law for the Law is just and holy and good Rom. 7.12 but in regard of the corruption of nature which Christ came purposely to abolish 1 Joh 3.8 yea I say quoth he that although the Law be good yet it is not good to that end neither is it ordained of God for that end Yes at first it was and still is in force yet he confesseth that the Law was given for a double end first in common to all men namely to discover sin Rom. 3.10 and the wrath of God due to us for sin and to restrain all men by its rule and discipline from sin and to retain them in a civil course of morality for the good of humane society And secondly in speciall first to the reprobate to make them without excuse because it teacheth them what shall be done or left undone But all have not the outward Law it is therefore the inward Law that doth this and especially because there is grace also afforded likewise to help us in the doing of the good required and the resisting of the evil forbidden Secondly he saith page 54. in respect of the elect to incite us by the sight of our sins to seek out a Saviour as he that informs us of some dangerous disease doth tacitly advise us to seek out some expert physician which is not John Tendring but the Law was never intended that it should justifie us or of it selfe bring us to eternal life Yes it was so at the first But he brings divers arguments to prove that which we deny not as he is very profuse and prodigal in his proof of such things For he first saith that eternal life had been
sure we shall be no longer accounted innovators by him nor his opposite doctrine be esteemed orthodox But now at length he comes to the second branch of his second position which as he saith hath these two parts to be considered First that no man can be justified by the works of the Law Secondly that we are only justified by the righteousnesse of Christ Both which are true and suit well with what we speak if rightly understood And concerning the first he saith he hath cleared it before but he hath obscured it rather by bringing the works of the Spirit under the works of the law as he will do it again by and by And here he tels us that the Apostle Paul reasons admirably and plainly to this point Rom. 11.5 6. saying If salvation be of grace it is no more of works for else grace were no more grace and if it be of works it is no more of grace for else works were no more works So that it is evident say we that the works that are here recited are not works of grace but works before without and against grace But salvation saith he is by grace for by grace are we saved though faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Ephes 2. And our Saviour tels us plainly that when we have done our best we are unprofitable servants And such a servant will he be for the Church and his doctrine also unto which he pretends And reason it self saith he drawn from the Scripture doth sufficiently prove that we cannot be justified by our works for if any works justifie us saith he they must be done either before or after justification but no works before our justification can justifie us saith he page 61. because an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit and these works not being done in faith must needs be sin for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.5 6. Thus he goes about to maintain that which is true in it self with false grounds as we have shewed before whereupon St. Paul saith quoth he that all men before they be engrafted into Christ which as yet he is not are servants of sin farre from righteousness and bring forth no other fruits but such as deserve shame and death Which is all as false as the other for Cornelius was not as yet grafted into Christ when the Angel commanded him to send for Peter and yet he brought forth many good fruits Acts 10.1 2. as we shewed before Secondly saith he Reason it self tels us that our works done after grace cannot be the cause of grace Yes they may be some cause or means to procure a subsequent grace for how can that which cometh after be the cause of that which went before for the cause must precede the effect and so Augustine tels us that good works do not go before him that is to be justified which is not true in every behalf as we have shewed but they do follow him that is already justified and therefore they can be no more the cause of justification then good fruits are the cause of the goodness of a tree and that place of the Apostle saith he which I cited before proves it Rom. 3.20 by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified But there are good works which follow converting and sanctifying grace which yet may precede the great work of justification and nevertheless are no works of the law against which Paul disputes in this controversie For first saith he Paul tels us verse 9. that all both Jews and Gentiles are under sin because all are transgressors of the law true and therefore all the world must be guilty before God and can no way be justified by pretending innocency and righteousness in keeping the law true likewise Secondly he shews the reason why no flesh can be justified by the law because the law convinceth of sin for by the law cometh knowledge of sin But what he addeth in the next place is partly false and wholly impertinent but the law saith he convinceth them that are under grace some of them it doth who therefore had need to seek the justification which yet they want of sin and who have the greatest measure of grace this is ungraciously spoken to be sinners Phil. 3.9 But that Text speaks of Paul's first conversion to Christ not of his last and best estate Therefore saith he but by a non sequitur they that do the works of the law by the help of grace cannot be justified by the Law yes in one sense they may because the law is with them and not against them Gal. 5.23 because the law sheweth them likewise to be sinners by which words he contradicts himself as well though not as great as those are who endeavour to keep the law without the help of grace with which he is better acquainted then with the other way of keeping it and therefore saith he the Apostle concludeth thus that we are justified by the righteousness of God without the law as ye may in his sense see Rom. 3. from verse 20. But whereas he adds his own subinference thereunto saying therefore we are not justified by any righteousness of the law done either by the help of grace or without the help of grace that is neither the Apostles doctrine nor true in it self and the reason which he yields for his said assertion is devoid of reason saying for he that obeyeth the law howsoever he doth it by the help of grace or by his own strength yet he hath the same righteousness Which we say is false because those two differ as much as weakness and strength as flesh and spirit and as that which is natural from that which is spiritual yea as heaven and earth from each other Yet saith he fondly the righteousness of the Law because of the different manner of obtaining it altereth not the thing But the Apostle saith he sheweth a great deal of difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith so he might as to matter manner and measure for Moses described saith he the righteousness of the Law that the man which doth those things however he doth them by his own strength or some other help if he doth them shall live by them But this is a false gloss of his upon Moses for so there shall be no difference between the righteousness of the law required by Moses and the deeds of the foregoing Testament and the righteousness of faith in the nevv Testament Rom. 10.5 But the righteousness of faith speaketh in this wise If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shall be saved vers 6 9. And therefore saith he because the Apostle opposeth doing of the law and believing in Christ and not the doing of
the law by our own strength and the doing of it by the help of grace it is apparent that we can never be justified by the works of the law by what means soever we do them whether by the strength of nature or by the law of grace But he neither understands this Scripture wherein the Apostle is the obscurer because he is concise nor fits or states the opposition here aright For first no man can be saved or justified by believing alone that God raised Christ from the dead that is not the Apostles doctrine or meaning but he that will be saved must believe that Christ likewise rose again for our justification that is for to cleanse us from sin and make us just Rom. 4.23 24. Now it is not written for his Abraham's sake alone that it was imputed to him but also us to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification by faith to sanctification and the opposition is clearly made by the Apostle between the fulfilling of the Law by our own strength and between the doing of that work by the help of grace in Christ or by faith in him Rom. 3.21 22. were it rightly understood Rom. 8.3 4. and chap. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. for as Moses saith Deut. 30.14 concerning the knowledge of the law that the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it so speaketh Paul here concerning Christs spiritual word whereby we must be sanctified to fulfill the Law vers 6 7 8. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to â—ring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart it is the word of faith which we preach to wit an inward living word Christ to quicken us in all righteousness for the purging out of sin and the fulfilling of the law and then it follows verse 9.11 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth in way of earnest prayer the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath for this end even thy justification raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved to wit from all sins spiritual enemies and the wrath to come And this is the Apostles doctrine every where Gal. 1.2 3 4 5. chapters Ephes 2.1 10. so it is most evident out of Phil. 3.8 9 10. where the Apostle having said vers 9. that I may be found in Christ not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ even the righteousness that is of God by faith which he at the tenth verse by way of explication sets forth what that is thus that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and for the overcoming of sin the fellowship of his suffering to suffer our every temptation with patience to the end and so may be made conformable unto his death the onely way in Christ unto life if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead first in the power of Christs resurrection here Rom. 6.5 and then at the last day Thus both the Vindicators suppositions and conclusions do fall to the ground or earth and place from whence they came But Bellarmine saith he in his first book de justificatione cap. 19. labours to prove by three special arguments that all works of the law are not excluded from our justification Which thing he might justly do say we if he had understood the works of justification aright First because faith is a work and that there is a law of faith as well as of works and therefore if all works were excluded from our justification then faith it self must be excluded and so to be justified by faith were to be justified without faith Secondly because the Apostles intent is Rom. 3. that neither the Jews by the observation of Moses his law nor the Gentiles by their moral works and so neither Jews nor Gentiles could be justified by any works that they could do before they believed in Jesus Christ Thirdly because the Apostle shews Rom. 4.4 that the works which he excludes from justification are those works to which wages are due by debt and not by grace and those saith Bellarmine are all such works as are done by our own natural abilities without the assistance of any supernatural grace Unto which he or some other answers page 63. thus But unto all those I say we confess faith to be a work and it is the commandement of God that we believe in Jesus Christ but we deny that faith justifies us as it a work is performed in obedience unto this command but as it is an instrument embracing yea seeking Jesus Christ aforesaid it is not the act of believing but the thing holden he should have said first sought and gotten and possessed by believing that is our righteousness True if he understood rightly what that is or should be Secondly he saith that Bellarmine is mistaken in the whole scope of the Apostle and St. Paul doth not give us the least intimation of what he meaneth that we are not justified by any works done by our natural strength The which is false as we have fully and truly proved as well as formerly but rather sheweth that inasmuch as we are all sinners against the Law therefore by our obedience done to the Law however done by grace or without grace no man can be justified in Gods sight But this as we shewed before is contrary to many expresse Scriptures see Psalm 15.1 and 112. Isai 33.13 17. Ezek. 18.5 9. he is just he shall surely live saith the Lord God Mat. 12.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just but the doers of the Law are justified See Jam. 1.22 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous 1 Joh. 4.17 18. as before Thirdly he saith to Rom. 4.4 cited by Bellarmine the Apostle intendeth no such distinction of works as Bellarmine alledgeth but he excludeth all works as well those that are done by the help of grace as those that are done without grace from the justification of Abraham for those works of Abraham are excluded wherein Abraham might glory before men true but these are the works saith he which he did by the helpe of grace Oh absurd for who made him to differ from other men or what had he in that behalfe which he had not received and why should he or any other boast before men as if he had not received that grace 1 Cor. 4.7 for
otherwise saith the Vindicator or his friend for him if he Abraham were justified by the works done without the help of grace he might as vvell glory before God as men which is not true in every behalfe for he received his internal helps from God and not from himself Psalm 100. It is he that made us and not we our selves But the Apostle tels us saith he that although by those works done by the help of grace he might glory before men where doth he tell us so yet not before God and therefore he vvas not justified by those vvorks in the sight of God But as the premisses vvere false so is the conclusion vvhich he dravvs from thence for by every grace of God he vvas justified in some kind of actual righteousnesse and purged from the contrary sin vvhich is the only justification vvhich Paul pleads for in Jesus Christ necessary to life Nor is his next reason lesse absurd vvhere he saith for if vve could be justified by any vvorks hovvsoever done by grace or vvithout grace then the vvages that is eternal life is not counted of favour but of debt Is it not so when vvithout the rich grace of God the duties required unto eternal life cannot be performed But saith he vvhen vve cannot be justified by our ovvn vvorks nor are we so justified but by believing in him that justifieth the ungodly so that he makes them godly that were before ungodly who is in Jesus Christ what are any ungodly that are in Christ see 1 Cor. 6.11 that we are then justified by his righteousnesse and saved by his merits like the hungry dreamer Isai 29.8 who dreameth that he eateth but when he awaketh his soul is empty Then faith saith the Apostle and not any kind of works is imputed to him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 But here the new false Apostle John of Burstou corrupteth and falsifieth the Text for these words and not any kind of works are not found there See Rev. 22.18 what his reward is like to be for if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him all the plagues that are written in this book But Pag. 64. he saith I shall here close this point with these conclusions First that no man that is a sinner can be justified by his own obedience to the moral Law Secondly that no man that hath offended the Law can be justified by his own satisfaction for his transgression But who denies either of those or to what purpose is all this unlesse as we said before to entertain his Reader with kickshaws But wanderers love extravagancies As to the first of these he saith that by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 that is the Law accounteth all such to be sinners and accounteth them as transgressors and therefore they can never be pronounced guiltlesse by that Law which proves them guilty but every man is a transgressor of the Law to wit before grace and for some time after Rom. 3.9 Gal. 2.1 Joh. 1.8 11. and our consciences testifie it to our faces Therefore can no man be justified by his own obedience to the Law But what is this to the obedience of Christ in the Saints by which alone as we have often said they may be justified freely and ought so to be Secondly he saith that a sinner which hath once offended can never by any action or passion of his own make satisfaction to the justice of God for his transgression Yet can God freely remit thousands and millions of such transgressions to the converting sinner and the Law saith he being broken there is no way to be justified by the Law but by making a plenary satisfaction for the transgression which no sinners satisfaction can do because a finite act can never be a sufficient value to satisfie the offence that is done against an infinite goodnesse as also because all that we can do yea much more is required of us now that assisting grace is tendered as our duty to the Law or Law-giver and therefore it cannot be rendred as any payment for the breach of the Law Therefore saith he to conclude this point or truth we are not under the Law for the justification of our persons as Adam was nor for satisfaction of divine justice as those that perish but we are under it as a document of obedience what perfect or imperfect and a rule of living But not as we ought to do by his doctrine T is not saith he published from Sinai but from Sion but to whom is it so as a Law of liberty what to take our sleep and swing in sin and as a new Law not as a Law of condemnation and bondage Yes it is so published still to impenitent and unbelieving men 1 Tim. 1.9 knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient And yet he saith Pag. 65. that the obedience is not removed yes by his doctrine a great part of it is but the disobedience thereof is both pardoned and cured But how perfectly pardoned but inchoatively cured by his doctrine for saith he the observance thereof is necessary as a fruit of faith but mark how enormously he speaks in the next words but not saith he as a condition of life and righteousnesse yet necessary necessitate pracepti as a thing commanded the transgression whereof is the incurring of sin not necessitate medii as a strict undispensible means of salvation the transgression whereof yes if it be habitual or final is a peremptory obligation to death But we have proved before out of Mat. 5.18 19. and Rev. 14.22 that this is required by Christ as the way to life by the necessity of a medium or means as well as of a precept especially of those that have both space and means to attain unto it in Christ And thus saith he of the former of the two last branches of the second position wherein I have clearly shewed as one would shew a small and remote object in a dark night that as no man can be justified by obedience to the Law nor the works of the best Christians cannot justifie them what not in Christ And now he comes to the last branch that we are only justified by the righteousnesse of Christ which being rightly understood we also maintain We beleeve and maintain saith he as the Scripture teacheth us what is that That we are acquitted and absolved from our sins and so justified in the sight of God by and for he should have said through the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ And so do we but not in his way and sense And though we have said heretofore that justification and remission of sins are two different things yet we would be thus understood that the pardon of sins in his sense which is to take away the guilt or obligation unto punishment and leave the corruption behind and justification that is to make us just holy and good or liberative
the young men shall utterly fail but those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint chap. 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousnesse sake he will magnifie the Law and make it honourable Which it would not be if it were impossible chap. 48.17 18. Thus faith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shalt go O that thou hadst harkened to my commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the sea chap. 51.4 5. Harken unto me my people and give eare O Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgement to rest for a light to the Gentiles my righteousnesse is neer my salvation is gone forth vers 7 8. Harken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproch of men neither be ye afraid of their revisings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them up like wool but my righteousnesse shall be sure and my salvation from generation to generation Jerem. 31.32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah saith the Lord not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my covenant they broke although I was an Husband unto them or therefore I must overule them saith the Lord but this shall be the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Where take notice of these things that the first covenant is a covenant of works and the effect a compulsive obedience out of fear of vengeance Secondly that the second covenant is made to those that now love God and righteousnesse and obey it out of good will after the days of compulsion are ended which must have their foregoing work to break mans strong lusts and inclinations to sin after which comes the revelation of free mercy and salvation out of grace unexpectedly witnessed from Heaven to the lost yet humbled penitent and praying or deprecating soul which melts his heart with godly sorrow and inflames his heart with love to God and righteousnesse and with an hatred of all known sin Thirdly that this second covenant is of sanctification and then of some degree of glory As to the former the Lord promiseth to put his Law into our inward parts and to work the same in our hearts which is done no other way but by regeneration and by the promised Spirit of Christ which is called the blood of the new covenant and the blood of the everlasting covenant for the purging or the dimission away of our sins whereof both the expiative and consecrating blood of the old Testament was a figure Exod. 24.8 and 14.14 10. and chap. 8.23 24. and whereof the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the New Testament is a sign and representation as the bread broken is a representation both of his word to be broken received and eaten Jer. 15.16 and of his suffering patience and weakness which is a body of his to be broken unto us by degrees and received by faith and obedience where through we may remember Christs death and follow him therein crucifying sin till he come unto us in the Spirit and power of his resurrection Thus the Apostle saith ' Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ this Spirit and spiritual blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself as man without spot to God purge the consciences or souls from dead works to serve the living God And Heb. 10.29 He that falls from grace counts the blood of this covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing or a thing of smal price and so doth despite to the Spirit of grace and hence it is that the Apostle prayeth Heb. 13.20 that God who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep would through the blood of the everlasting covenant make the believing Hebrews perfect in every good work to do the will of the Lord as Peter also tells the Saints 1 Pet. 1.18 that they were through the same redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation in a Jewish righteousness received by tradition from their Fathers This blood is promised unto them that walk in the light with God and his Saints 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sin With this blood the Saints washed their robes or imperfect righteousness and made them white Rev. 7.14 with this Christ washed the Apostles and made them Kings and priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. for which they give him praise and glory and with this is the Devil overcome and cast out Rev. 12.11 A third thing observable in this covenant is that there is a clear full and glorious wisdome promised to each Saint in due time so that they shall not need to say to each other know the Lord for they shall know him from the least of them to the greatest for that perfect knowledge and love is then come which makes the imperfect knowledge and prophecying to cease 1 Cor. 13.8 9. Lastly the time of that perfect wisdome power and love is also limited namely vers 34. in those words for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more it is then when God hath purged and taken away all their sins by the same blood where forgiving of sins as in many other places is to be understood of the purging them away by Gods grace which we call dimission and that is the principal taking away of sin upon which the pardon or taking away of the guilt follows of course and is cast in over and above out of Gods abundant mercy for the death and sufferings of Christ But to proceed Ezek. 36.25 26 27. we have another of these promises of enabling grace Then will I pour clean water upon you and from all your sins and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new
me so we are justified by faith in Christ Gal. 2.16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Christ Thirdly as we are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ so we are justified by that Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Fourthly as sanctification is taken for a washing away of sin so is justification also Ibid. 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Fifthly sanctification is taken for a positive or infused holiness or righteousness whereby the contrary unrighteousness is purged out 1 Thes 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification and chap. 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly So is justification used for an inherent holiness and righteousness Isaiah 45.24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even unto him shall men come and all that be in censed against him shall be ashamed for in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified in way of inherent righteousness and strength communicated unto them as was said in the former verse and shall glory Sixthly as this sanctification is gradually attained so is justification also Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still but he that is justified let him be justified still and he that is sanctified let him be sanctified still that is more and more where justification and sanctification are used for an inhesive holiness or righteousness as was said before Seventhly as sanctification is communicated and given to make us obedient unto the law that it may be fulfilled by us so is justification also Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God or through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Eighthly as forgiveness of sins follows sanctification as an individual companion of those sins that are purged away by it Acts 26.18 that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me so that remission of sins is not justification but an effect or concomitant of the same Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who shall condemn So did our Church believe and did pray for children and persons to be baptized saying Almighty and immortal God the aid of all that need c. We call upon thee for these infants that they coming to thy holy baptism may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration Ninthly whereas our Saviour makes the new birth absolutely necessary to salvation John 3.3 Verily I say unto you that unless ye be born again ye cannot see the kingdome of God so Saint Paul leaves out sanctification in order of causes unless sanctification and justification be all one Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called those he justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And so doth our Church in the 39. Article speak of sanctification under justification or else leaves it out as needless which were impiety in us to think which is yet more clear out of the thirteenth Article thus intituled ' Of works before justification The words of the article are these Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make us meet to receive grace Tenthly every grace and vertue of God whereby we perform obedience to Gods law is called a justification and all the graces of the Saints are named as so many particular justifications Rev. 19.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the white linnen is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or justifications of Saints Hence it is that Basil Psal 118. according to his account 119. upon vers 2. he cals the commandements justification as those which are to justifie or make just those that observe them rightly so before Psal 119.7 the law c. Eleventhly by doing and fulfilling of the law which we do accomplish by the grace and Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.4 we become fully justified before God Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified Lastly as we are sanctified by the blood that is the Spirit of Christ Heb. 10.29 Of how much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified an unholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of grace So we are justified by the same blood Rom. 5.9 How much more being justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Hence it is also that the Apostle speaking of the love of Christ to him and his fellow-Apostles and Saints saith who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. where Saint John speaks of the work of justification See 1 Pet. 2.9 10. compared with Exod. 19.5 6. Concerning which work of justification by Christs internal righteousness take these few testimonies of the Fathers following instead of many more which might be alledged Justin Martyr in quaest ad Orthodoxos before cited But what is the universal righteousness of the law To love God above himself and his neighbour as himself which is not impossible to those men that apply themselves thereunto Wherefore the Apostle did not therefore say that no flesh should be justified by the works of the law because we cannot perform impossible things but because we will not do possible things Cyprian serm 6. de oratione Domini speaking of the Publican that went away rather justified then the Pharisee saith he by his humiliation deserved to be sanctified c. Where he makes sanctification and justification to be one and the same thing Hieron in lib. 1. dialog advers Pelag. That a man is not condemned for that which he hath not but is justified for what he hath Ambrose lib. 6. exam cap. c. I pray thee answer whether justification seem to conferred upon thee according to the mind But thou canst not doubt seeing justice or righteousness from whence justification hath its derivation but that it belongs unto the mind and not unto the body Epiphanius doth not onely make righteousness and goodness to
be the same in the end of the second Tome of his first book but in the first Tome of his third book having spoken of a three-fold sanctification or justification one of the body under Moses and another of the soul under the Prophets and a third of the Spirit in the new Testament he compares them to the three parts of the Temple the first to the outward court ot space the second to the holy and the third to the Propitiatorie And saith God counts him only just that hath his habitation in the said last steps or degrees of his inward Temple of holinesse The like saying he hath again in lib. anathematum Augustine serm 5. de Trin. cap. 8. which nature when it is justified it is transformed from deformity unto a beautiful form Idem lib. ad Sympliciam quaest 2. Because the purpose of God to justifie some beleevers remains therefore doth he find out these good works which he may choose into the kingdom of Heaver And there afterwards unlesse the mercy of God in calling men precede neither can any man believe that he may thereby begin to be justified and receive the power and faculty of operating good Et lib. de peccati meritis remissione cap. 10. we read that they which beleeve in Christ are justified by or for the occult communication and inspiration of his spiritual grace and in Psal 119. concio 26. Who whath wrought righteousnesse in man but he that justifieth the ungodly that is by his grace of ungodly makes him righteous and in Psal 98. Who hath righteousnesse in is but he that hath justified us Therefore we are wicked and he is our justifier because he works the righteousnesse in us whereby we please him and serm 15. de verbis Apostolicis He that beleeveth him shall not have his own righteousnesse which is out of the Law although the Law is good but he shall fulfill the Law it selfe not with his own righteousnesse but with that which is given from God himselfe for love is the fulfilling of the Law and from whence is that love diffused into our hearts certainly not from our selves but by the Spirit of God which is given unto us Cyril Alexandrinus lib. 6. de Trin. It is the heat of the Spirit who when he hath diffused love into us and inflamed our mind with the love of the same then we have obtained righteousnesse Greg. lib. 18. Mor. cap. 23. All the chosen ones of the imperial countrey are holy and just by participation of wisedom not in comparison of it they are righteousnesse and wisedome and the servants of righteousnesse and wisedom but that wisdome to wit Gods is the justifying righteousnesse and they are the justified righteousnesse Prosper lib. sent ex Augustino As there are two offices of Physick or of medicine one whereby the infirmity or disease is healed and the other whereby health is preserved so there are two gifts or effects of grace one which takes away the concupiscence of the flesh and the other which makes the vertue of the mind to abide or continue with us in respons ad cap. 6. Gallorum A justified man that is he which of ungodly is now made godly where no good merit or desert did go before hath received the gift by which means he may attain merit or work that what was begun by the grace of Christ may also be augmented by the industry of free-will the help of God being never set aside or neglected without which no man can either be a proficient or perseverer in any good Bernard lib. Sent. For so is justification fulfilled when we abstain from the vices for bidden and exercise the vertue or good things commanded By this time it is evident we hope that we are no innovators unlesse the Fathers of the Church the Prophets Apostles and Christ himself who have set forth our doctrine shall be counted such And it is no lesse apparent that the Vindicator is a veterator and one of those false prophets of which he speaks in his Preface whose study and labour it is to deceive poor souls yea if it were possible the very elect in which place he tels us more truly then he was aware that these are the times foretold wherein there shall be a falling away and a defection from the faith a forerunner of the great and terrible day For the doctrine maintained in his two positions by whomsoever first broached clearly decyphers a manifest defection from the faith which was first given to the Saints who looked for these two things only or mainly by Christ first deliverance out of the hands of their spiritual enemies and then to be so renewed that they might serve God without fear in holinesse before him all the days of their life Luk 1.68 and to escape the corruption of the world which came in by lust and to be made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 To be by regeneration justified in hope to be made heirs of eternal life Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. who expecting eternall life have placed their Religion and Christianity in putting off the old man and putting on the new Ephes 4.20 24. In which Preface also he gives us a warrant for what we preach and write saying the glory of God lies at the stake as it doth here and truth is opposed he tels us that Gods people must not stand by with a guilty silence nor will we be silent God assisting But whereas he saith that he is neither of note nor noted by the unworthiest among the thousands of Levite we shall easily grant him the former but for the latter as he was never any of the tribe of Lovi but by intrusion and first in a mendicant and abusive way so if he had been one of that Tribe he might have past for one of the unworthiest of them by reason of his lewd life as no small part of his doctrine here is the scumm of ignorance and infidelity What he saith further that we in the publick congregation to wit at our second meeting did beat down the truth of his positions and seek to maintain the contrary he is mistaken it was to decry and overthrow the falshood of the same for we can truly say with the Apostle in our measure and degree 2 Cor. 13.8 We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth where notwithstanding he tels us that the points in controversie have been so fully and cleerly vindicated by the Worthies of our Church of which himself nor we ever saw any yet and by our yet living Clergie why did he then produce none of them that to any not puft up with spiritual pride admission of addition may seem superfluous and unnecessary then by his own words he must be convicted as one puft up with spiritual pride whatsoever his coadjutors are for he and they have made a large addition if any thing in this kind was extant before But whereas he tels us that many people have
the true Church of Christ rending it with divisions and contentions for the sins cause to maintain that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live And thus rending the true Church by maintaining such division Joh. Tendring doth verifie another Anagram of his name Hot in rending Some men are fervent that no sin remain Some are more hot its being to maintain Those with tongue John Tendring's hot in rending These for his Saints hotter in defending You see his name suites with his Anagram Hence sins abetter he may say I am Hence sinners Champion you may call his name To plead for sin hence John doth take no shame Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own eyes Prov. 26.15 A Confutation of the two subsequent Positions 1. That sinne will remain in the best Saints as long as they live in houses of clay 2. That it is impossible for the best Saints to obey the Law of God perfectly in this life HAving paraphrased the Vindicators preface and demonstrated the same paraphrase to be apt and genuine in a Relative sense to the Vindicators positions we come next to speake of the said positions laid down in the Pamphlet it selfe which is so full of digressions and perverted Texts of Scripture of Tautologies contradictions nonsense and other absurdities besides the error and impiety of his propositions that we doubted not but in a short time quin mole sua rueret but that it would ruinate it selfe Yet lest the Princock by our silence should grow proud of his borrowed feathers and others either be misled or confirmed in their error by what he hath written we thought good to put forth this short answer wherein we follow him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discover his errors howbeit the Reader must not expect the formall word Answer in our replies to this vindication for this we usually doe either by the adversitive word but or the interposition of a pasenthesis a connter-question or limitation in the close or some such like opposition and qualification to correct what he saith which when we have done in an anasceuastical and confutatory way we will cataâ—scustically establish what we have undertaken to maintain But first let us take a view of the positions themselves the first of which is this as he hath stared it That sin will have a being in the best of men so long as their souls have a being in the houses of clay Whence these absurdities will follow First that sin comes originally from Jehovah in that it is said to have a being for nothing is said to have a being of essence or existence but what first comes from the Being of beings Jehovah himselfe Secondly he here makes sin to be a supreme if not an almighty commander in that he saith sin will have such a being Thirdly herein he makes little difference between grown men and babes in Christ for sin saith he will have a being in the best of them till death Fourthly he doth not here exempt Christ himselfe as he was man Fifthly he makes our bodies or houses of clay to be the proper domicil and seat of sin and then neither Adam in his innocency nor Christ as man were free from sin for both dwelt originally in houses of clay The second position is this That no man can by grace in this life perform such perfect obedience to the Law of God as not to offend against the same or to be thereby justified otherwise then by Christ of Orace given From whence you may observe these things likewise First that this man whose name Iohn imports the grace of God is called so per Antiphrasin for he is an enemy to and with Herod an imprisoner of the grace of God Secondly he questions not what men do de facto but what men can do in this life with the utmost helpe of grace Thirdly he makes the Law simply unlawfull because it is impossible as he saith to observe it both to nature and grace Fourthly he doth not here reserve a place of possibility for Christ himselfe as man to fulfill it Fifthly it appears here that the Vindex is a great lover of forbidden fruit for whereas Doctor Drayton told him at the first that he would not in this controversie have any thing to do with the worke of justification this man will needs bring in that by hook or by crook Sixthly that he is yet caught in the same snare which he laid for another for he tacitly saith that we cannot be justified by such a perfect obedience to the Law of God otherwise then by Christ of grace given and so say we yea if he grants us this he yields the other question also for he that can be justified by such a fulfilling of the Law through the grace of Christ hath no sin unsubdued left in him And if he runs into so many absurdities as he lancheth forth what will he doe when he comes into the maine His first and grand impertinency is this that he spends the first ten pages in a Common-place about sin wherein he is so intangled that he can scarcely find the way out again of which take this short account Pag. 1. He tells us that to the intent his ensuing discourse may be proper profitable for the informing of the weak establishing them in the faith of the truth which next after the glory of God which is not much glorified by our continuance in sin which is that he pleads for and the advancement of the truth which he directly here represseth is the onely thing here by him intended he shal observe this method there following But ere we come to that what difference is there betwixt the establishment of men in the faith of the truth the advancement of the truth which he makes two distinct things But what is his intended method First saith he I shall define what sin is in the generall which he may the better doe because of his long acquaintance with it which by his calculation of his age was twenty foure yeares before his Mother bare him and perhaps some years before her birth also Secondly he will shew what the first sin was Thirdly what were the causes of it Fourthly the effects of it Thus he loves still to ramble about from his right station And lastly what original sin is But what difference is there between the first sin and original sin which here he makes two things He tells us here also that the Hebrew word translated sin signifies properly misdoing or missing of the marke as if the Hebrews had not many words to denote sin though he can name none of them This learned Linguist tels us page 26. that the Apostle doth usually distinguish betwixt peccatum and crimen as if the Apostles writ unto the Churches in Latine Pag. 66. he shews also what a Logician he is making the efficient and formall causes of justification to be passive as well as active And
he brings out a testimony that speaks of the ceremonial Law especially which no man could bear or fulfill of himselfe though it was far lighter then the moral Law Act. 15.10 Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare It is not saith he the priviledge of the Church militant to have no defect or imperfection remaining It is true of the Church collectively taken but we have proved before that some have ended their warfare here before they goe hence Isai 40.1 2. 2 Tim. 4.7 Ephe. 6.13 Here saith he we pray enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord. O that my ways were so directed that I might learn thy statutes Make me a clean heart O God But doe the Saints pray so always to the end of their life They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.24 and Christ only lives in them Gal. 2.20 Here saith he we still find need of Christ who is our advocate with God the Father 1 Ioh. 2.12 But who are they that need him still as a propitiator or purger out of sin for Ioh. speaks there to the babes My little children and yet he speaks to them not to sin that is not to continue in sin and for that end he sets forth a helper of them there against sin as for the young men he saith that they had overcome the wicked one Ioh. 2.13 14. how much more had the old men so done Pag. 34. He tels us that what he hath before written may suffice to satisfie them whose eyes the God of this world hath not blinded That sin will have a being in the best of men so long as our souls have a being in these houses of clay But we dare conclude that if any man rest satisfied therewith in that point that his eyes were never yet truly opened to behold the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God 2 Cor. 4.4 But he prays all the faithful to joyn with him in supplications to God for his adversaries that they may see their own sins And so doe we also for our selves and reciprocally for him and them yet will not that follow that we shall be ashamed of our doctrine as he hopes we shall For we have not drawn the same from any such puddles as he is pleased to call them to wit Pelagius Bellarmine Baily Becanns the Jesuits or from the Adamites who conceived that they were renewed to Adams first purity unlesse he will have the second Adam as he cals Christ the Prophets and Apostles to be such Adamites Nor have we learned them from Romes fraternity now crept in amongst us who are as he saith well versed in the old trade of Arch-hereticks what is that even his own handicraft in falsifying of truth or Text rather for the truth may be denyed or abused but not falsified whatsoever he saith to the contrary to maintain lyes But he doth hope and so doe we also that God will discover such in due time by us or some other of his servants and in the interim keep his who are no patrons for sin nor latrons from the due observance of Gods Law by the help of Christ from being subverted by them But he goes on what men without sin saith he Yes the Angel shewed John many thousands that had been such upon the earth as we proved before out of Rev. 7.14 and 14.4 5 6. Yea John did demonstrate some such unto us before of his own society 1 Joh. 4.17 18. and 5.18 But he scoffingly saith it was happy for the woman that was taken in adultery that her accusers were not such as these preachers Why doe we professe our selves to be without sin But it will be found our fault and his also if we live and dye in our sins now that there is such a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 And yet it will not follow that if there had been one yea many such impeccant persons there of which none are to be found among the proud and censorious Pharisees that the said delinquent should have had a volly of stones about her ears for who are more sensible of humane frailty then such as have passed through the same or who are more merciful then such as have obtained mercy to put away all cruelty pride and wickednesse through the help of Christ yet must Christs expresse commandements be observed But he comes upon us with the Apostles Creed saying What need is there to believe the Article of the forgivenesse of sin if men may live without sin True if they could come into this world live here many years and goe out again without commiting of sin But if sin that is once in cannot be purged out again nor the image of God renewed nor the Law fulfilled what need is there to beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ his only son our Lord who is called Jesus because he came to save his people from their sins Mat. 1.21 and called Christ because he is anointed for that very work Isai 61.1 2 3 4. yea why doe we believe that he is risen again for our justification or regeneration Rom. 4.25 or in the Holy Ghost that there is an Holy catholick Church whom Christ came to sanctifie by the washing of water through the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Epes 5.25 26 27. Pag. 34 35. he gives us this advice as a point of good religion To turn the Lords precepts into prayers and to say with holy David who a little before had his secret sins and his foul sins but now is called holy David Psalm 43.3 Send out O Lord thy light and thy truth and let them lead me into the holy mountain and unto thy Tabernacle and as is Psalm 143.10 Let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse To which we say it is a point of good religion indeed for as the whole duty of man by the testimony of Solomon consists herein to wit in fearing God and keeping his commandements Eccles 12.13 So his father David made the 119 Psalm which is the longest meditation extant in the whole book of Psalms a devout prayer for grace to understand and fulfill Gods Commandements and left it to the Church as an holy Alphabet to know their duty both of prayer and obedience thereby But would the Vindicator have men pray in faith or unbeliefe for if the thing be not possible to be had in this life they cannot pray for it in faith and if it is attainable his second position fals to the ground And if Gods light and truth must lead us into the mountain or tabernacle of his righteousnesse then all
3. idem Serm. de fide lum nat God hath justified us using thereto no works of ours such as we work of our selves but onely requiring faith in Christ so say we also and without faith no man obtaineth life But I am able to shew saith he page 74. that a faithful man hath lived and obtained the kingdome of heaven without works Do it then and give Saint James the lie who saith chap. 2.14 What doth it profit my brethren though a man saith that he hath faith and have no works can that faith save him So the thief saith he did onely believe and was justified But was not his reproving of his fellow-thief the condemnation of himself and his partner in those evils and the accepting of his punishment the justifying of Gods justice and the clearing of Christ as innocent the owning of him for his Lord and his prayer for mercy besides all his former repentance which as we have shewed was both possible and probable was all this we say as no workes and fruits of his faith we may justly question whether the Vindicator hath ever shewed such fruits of his repentance and evidences of a true faith howbeit you see he makes much of this thief alledging him again and again as if he would fulfil the proverb Similis simili c. And Basil quoth he de humilitate saith This is to glory in the Lord when a man doth not boast of his own righteousness but acknowledgeth himself destitute of righteousness and justified onely by the faith of Jesus Christ Who doth not so yet do we not relie upon a false and meer imagined righteousness in Christ as the Vindicator doth Thirdly the material cause of our justification passively considered saith he or the persons to whom justification belongs these are rather subjects and objects then a material cause are those sheep of Christ that are known of him of whom no doubt a great part are fully justified already and he known to them that hear his voice and follow him whom he predestinated to life and elected before the foundation of the world Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did prodestinate them he also called and whom he called those he justified in a sanctifying way and whom he justified he glorified And Rodolph saith he in Levit lib. 17. cap. 2. That the blood of the High Priest was the High priest wont to be slain then was the expiation of the sin of all believers and so Christ hath taken away not onely the original sin but also all actual sins in respect of the guilt punishment and dominion of sin but not in respect of the corruption and pollution of sin which still remaineth in the best Saints But this Rodolphus is not a good Agricola for so Christ who came to perfect or present his Church holy and without blemish before God should have the worst thing and that which of all other is most hateful to God namely the pollution of sin to be left behind which to say is blasphemy against him And besides this saith he out of Haymo in Rom. 5. He hath given unto them everlasting life and to none other doth justification belong saith he and the reasons may be these All those that be justified in full shall be glorified for whom he justified them he glorified Rom. 8.30 But all men shall not be glorified because the kingdome of heaven shall be given but onely unto them for whom it is prepared Matth. 20.23 Secondly but that Text speaketh of sitting at Christs right hand or left Christ is called Jesus for that he should save his people from their sins that is none at all fully according to his doctrine Matth. 1.21 But though all men are his people jure creationis saith he that is by right of creation yet all men are not his people jure donationis given him to be redeemed from their sins and corruptions for of them thou gavest me I have lost none yes the Son of perdition John 17.12 And ye believe not faith Christ because ye are not of my sheep Joh. 10.26 therefore he shall not justifie all men thereby to save them from their sins But whose fault is that Christs or theirs for he invites all that are weary and heavy laden to come unto him Matth. 11.28 29. and Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely Yea though no man can come unto Christ unless the Father which sent me draw him and those he will raise up at the last day John 6.44 yet who is it that the Father doth not draw first to himself if he will come and after to his Son to be justified and saved by him Hosea 11.3 4. I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their armes but they knew not that I healed them I drew them with the cords of a man even with the bonds of love and I was to them as they that tooke off the yoke and I laid meat before them See Job 33.29 30. so all these things worketh God oftentimes with man to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living and chap. 36.10 11. He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity if they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure but if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge And Christ who tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 saith of the Jews and might do it of others also whom he and his Father draweth John 9.40 and ye will not come unto me that ye may have life but men are in a special manner given unto Christ by the Father when they are first converted by him and after brought to believe on the Son for salvation from all their spiritual enemies John 6.37 46. Thirdly the formal cause of our justification passively considered saith he page 75. is the particular application of the righteousness of Christ which in his sense is monstrum informe unto every saithful soul But is this application an act or passion wherein two things are to be considered saith he first that faith must apply unto us all the benefits that Christ hath effected for us Is the work done to our hands is he to effect nothing in us for our justification Secondly that every man in particular must apply these things unto himself if he desires to be deluded as he is for the first saith he this is one of the manifest differences betwixt the faith of Gods elect of which he knows little or nothing and the faith of Devils and wicked men that the godly do apply unto themselves all the benefits of Christ Or rather do apply themselves to the seeking of the same according to the promises and the other know them but have not true grace to apply them But what are
they wise men or fools that believe every vain word and doctrine of men which hath no ground in the Scripture Prov. 14.15 The simple believeth every word but the prudent take heed to their going for so saith Augustine saith he and Peter Lumbard lib. 3. Senten distnct 23. That there is a great difference between him that doth believe Christ and him that doth believe in Christ for the Devils believe Jesus to be Christ but they believe not in Christ And may not some believe amils in Christ as he doth Because saith he it is one thing to believe God another thing to believe there is a God and another thing to believe in God yea and another thing to believe lies To believe God as he saith is to believe that he speaks the truth in the Scriptures and to believe God is to believe a God is But to believe in God is to believe with love and loving him to go unto him and to cleave unto him to be made one with him to dwel in him and have him dwel in us Whence it will follow that the Vindicator never yet believed rightly in God And this is that faith by which a sinful man is instrumentally justified in Gods way and not his and is both found and accounted righteous in Gods sight And hath not the faith of the Devil the father of lies the contrary effect hereunto For the second saith he we must understand that this applicaof faith or of Christ through faith must be particularly applied what must the application be applied by every man unto himself if he desires to be led hood-winked by the nose and that in a most special manner even he Because a general faith no nor a phanatick faith such as his is is not thought justifying faith for Paul testifieth that Agrippa did believe the Prophets Acts 26.17 18. and yet Agrippa confesseth he was no Christian And herein he was the honester man then in words to confess him and inworks to deny him as some Vindicators do And a natural man saith he by the force of Reason may be reduced to believe and acknowledge a God and that this God is powerful just and true and therefore brought to a general perswasion of the truth of things to be believed and yet all this faith no nor his own to boot is not sufficient to justifie us because true justifying faith is no natural quality nor phanatical notion but a supernatural gift of God as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 howbeit it were no hard thing to prove that some of the heathen understood Gods work of justification better then the Vindicator witness that of Catullus the poet Omnia fanda nefanda malo permista furore Justificam nobis mentem avertêre Deorum Things good and bad mixt with a fury blind Have turn'd away Gods just just making-mind or justifying mind And therefore the general faith of the Scriptures saith the Vindicator is not sufficient to make us Christians but as we read the Saints of God do apply the promises of salvation unto themselves or rather themselves unto the promises to seek them in a right way as David saith to wit among experimental deliverances God is my rock and my redeemer and Job 19.25 I know that my redeemer liveth and Mary after that Christ was formed in her my soul rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1.47 and Thomas saith my Lord and my God Joh. 21. and Paul Gal. 2.20 who loved me and gave himself for me But what promises be or are contained in these Texts so must saith he every Christian that looks for salvation apply we say lay hold of in particular the grace and favour of God unto himself and his faith instrumentally justifies or may be a help unto him the sinner what without seeking of justifying and cleansing grace Lastly the final cause of our justification passively considered or the effect of it rather is peace of conscience in this life and the atonement a new expression but let it pass of eternal happiness in the life to come the first whereof saith he is attained by two special things first by an assured perswasion that all our sins are forgiven But may not some have a false perswasion in this kind so being justified by faith that is in a sanctifying and a purgative way from all our sins which we have committed we have peace towards God through Jesus Christ for ootherwise namely in his Son our justification is but a dream Secondly saith he by an unwearied study to strive against the stream which in his sense of impossibility is truly and properly spoken of our own natural corruption and why not against all temptations also and to keep a constant course which he denyed heretofore to be possible in the ways of godlinesse for Christ saith he gave himself for us to die for us and not by his Spirit to redeeme us from all iniquity and did bear our sins on his body upon the tree But for what end that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 or as Zachary saith Luk. 1.74 75. And so St. Augustine saith that Christ died for the wicked not that they should remain wicked but that they being justified through faith should be converted from their wickednesse and bring forth the fruits of holinesse because as St. Augustine saith also grace justifieth that we should live justly But here the Vindicator is so blind that he brings Augustine against himselfe for he takes the word justification as we do for purging away of sin and making of man just holy and good by way of sanctification which is an usual acception of the word among the Fathers The second end of our justification saith he is the eternal blessednesse which shall be attained hereafter when Christ shall say unto all his justified Saints made just and merciful by his sanctifying spirit Come ye blessed of my Father c. Mat. 25.34 And so much saith he for all the causes of our justification actively and passively considered Wherein he hath given us non causas mutilas pro veris false causes for true especially instead of the formall and material causes not much unsuitable to his deceitful justification but the efficient and final causes are for the most part applicable to the true work of justication And this saith he I hope may suffice but it must be among such as are blind or are willing to be deluded for the proof of the truth of this last branch of the second position that we are only justified by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Which point being rightly understood hath been and shall be better confirmed by us I shall end saith he with that of our Saviour Joh. 12.48 The word which I have spoken shall judge you in the last day Yea and judgeth and convinceth the Vindicator already to be a blind guide a stranger to the faith of Gods elect and no other Apostle then a veterator or impostor
5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the Prophets I came not to destroy but to fulfill to wit in us as for us for verily I say unto you that till heaven and earth pass away not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law till all be fulfilled and that in us as the next words there prove Whosoever therefore shall break one of these commandements and teach men so he shall be counted least in the kingdome of heaven c. Rom. 8.3 4. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth 1 Cor. â— 30 Who is made of God unto us wisdome in the understanding righteousness in the will and not onely sanctification in both but redemption in fulness also Ephes 5.25 26 27. As Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Titus 2.14 Who loved us and gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The sixth Topick shall be from the end of the law and the written word of God Psalm 111.4 5 6. Thou hast commanded to keep thy precepts diligently O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandements vers 89. For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven And vers 105 106. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetimes were written for our learning that through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures we should have hope 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work See 2 Pet. 1.19 ' We have also a sure word of prophesie unto which ye do well to give heed as unto a light shining until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts The seventh Topick shall be from the end of the ministry of the word set up in the Church by the Lord himself Ephes 4.11 12 13. And he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ For which end see the Apostles suitable practise Coloss 1.28 Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man that we may present every man perfect in Jesus Christ As for the Topick of the end of the two Sacraments we have spoken before The eighth Topick then shall be the prayer which Christ hath taught us to pray and which his Apostles yea Christ himself hath prayed for this perfection Matth. 6.10 Thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven 2 Cor. 13.9 And this also we wish even your perfection Ephes 3 19. That ye might be filled with all the fulnesse of God Phil. 1.10 11. That ye might be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse c. Coloss 1.9 10. For this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedom and spiritual understanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord to all well pleasing being fruitful in every good work chap. 4.10 labouring fervently for you in prayer that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God 1 Thess 3.12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love towards each other and towards all men as we do towards you to the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holinesse chap. 5.23 Now the God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Did those Ministers of God pray against perfection in this life as the Vindicator and a certain Minister in Salisbury who came out of New-England rather then out of new Jerusalem are said to to have done Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace which brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will 1 Pet. 5.10 Now the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternall glory by Jesus Christ after ye have suffered a while make you perfect c. Joh. 17.23 I in them and they in me that ye may be made perfect in one saith Christ The ninth Topick shall be the admission of this work as possible every where in Scripture Psal 112. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements and 119 1â—2 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and seek him with the whole heart they also do no iniquitie they walk in his ways Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked will turn away from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Luk. 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say ye are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law are justified Jam. 2.8 If ye fulfill the royall Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe ye do dwell chap. 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man 1 Joh. 5.3 4. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandements and his commandements are not grievous for whatsoever is born of God overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1
he cast into the Sea then that he should offend a little one 9. Qu. What is meant by that Math. 7.2 where ' it is said With what measure thou metest it shall be meted unto thee again 10. Qu. What is meant by the false ballance Prov. 11.1 ' where it is said A false ballance is an abomination to God but a just weight is his delight See Prov. 16.16 20.10 Levit. 19.35 36. The reason of this Querie is because ' it is said Dan. 5.27 that the King was weighed in the ballance and found too light therefore other things are weighed besides natural or artificial things 11. Qu. What doth the Psalmist mean by those words ' Psal 119.126 It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law 12. Qu. What is the scope and intent of the Lord in those words Mal. 2.8 9. Ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts v. 9. Therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all according as you have not kept my ways but the people have been partial in my Law 13. Qu. What did David mean by that 1 Sam. 26.19 For they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other Gods 14. Qu. What is meant Heb. 8.10 11. After those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people v. 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest 15. Qu. What is the meaning of those words of the Psalmist Psal 119.98 99 100. Thou through thy commandements hast made me wiser then my enemies for they are ever with me v. 99. I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditations v. 100. I understand more then the ancients because I keep thy precepts 16. Qu. What is the meaning of that 2 Cor. 8.13 Not that one should be eased and another burdened but that there may be equality 17. Qu. What is the meaning of that Ezek. 17.18 19. The reason is because of the sore threatning declared by the Prophet for breaking oath with the King of Babel and we see that the Lord calleth it the despising of his oath and the breaking of covenant with him What will the Lords displeasure be lesse against such who have lifted their hands to him to reform in doctrine and discipline according to the word of God Exitus actu probabit what will you do in the latter end thereof Jer. 30.23 24. 18. Qu. What is the meaning of that Revel 2.2 3 4 5 6. The reason is because the Lord threatens to remove the Candlestick unlesse they repented for that they had left their first love 19. Qu. What is the meaning of that Jam. 1.20 where it is said The wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God 20. Qu. What doth the Apostle mean v. 26. where he saith If any seem to be religious and refrain not his tongue that mans religion is in vain 21. Qu. What is meant by that Math. 23.25 where it is said These things thou oughtest to have done and not to have left the other undone 22. Qu. What is the meaning of that Jam. 2.7 where it is said 'Faith without works is a dead faith The reason is because we are said by many to be justified by faith alone without works which if so then we are justified by a dead faith according to St. James and its contrary to the justification of Abraham v. 21 22. 21. Qu. What is the meaning of that Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man fall by an occasion you who are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meekness considering thou thy self maist be tempted one way or another The reason of this Querie is because of that mentioned v. 1. Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Rom. 15.1 You that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak which are but such for a time 1 John 2.12 13 14. 22. Qu. What is the meaning of that 1 Cor. 15.26 where it is said ' The last enemie which shall be destroyed is death The reason is first because it s said v. 25. ' Christ must reign untill he hath put all his enemies under his feet and death is said there to be the last therefore what death is meant there is worthy of Divines enquiry Secondly if it be so that death is the last enemy then all sin must be destroyed before death come and so sinne shall not remain in all Saints as long as they live 23. Qu. What is the meaning of that 1 Cor. 11. v. 26. where it is said So ost as you eat c. you shew forth the Lords death untill he come The reason of this Querie is because it is spoken to every one who rightly receiveth the Lords Supper and if so it cannot be meant of his last coming which is so much spoken of among Divines 24. Qu. What is the meaning of that Luk. 18.8 where it is said ' When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth The reason of this Querie is because we believe that it is not likely to be meant of the rarity of the faith to be-lieve that Christ came to save sinners or that he was made man to suffer for our sinnes 25. Qu. What is the meaning of that Rom. 8.4 where it is said That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The reason of this Querie is because it is usually affirmed that Christ hath fulfilled all righteousness of the law for us and the Apostle saith that it might be fulfilled in us 26. Qu. What is the meaning of that Mark 16.17 18. And these signs shall follow them that believe In my name shall they cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them and they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover The reason of this Querie is because these signs are declared to follow not the Apostles who were to preach the belief in their order every believer as to know â—hether they believe a right or not which is set down ver 16. to be of that ' necessity that he who believeth not shall be damned therefore it concerneth us much to know whether we believe aright yea or not hence these signs shall follow them which believe and the believers shall do these ensuing things in their order It doth therefore concern us to find out what is contained under those stupendious expressions that every