when yet sincerity of Obedience is necessary and those Acts if done have their place with the rest as means of Salvation so here But Saving Faith is denominated from the essential part The nature of Faith is in order of nature antecedent to its Office The nature of it in genere is to believe all that God saith The nature of it in specie is to believe in Christ and consent to his Covenant The integrity of it is to believe all that we find revealed The Office of it as the Means of Justification is to be the condition of the Justifying Covenant or Law That which some call the Instrumentality is the very nature of the Act the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere in specie Believing in Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere and that 's it that they call an Instrument of receiving him as such But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere even in specie Faith in Christ doth not justifie quâ talis as that Faith but as it is that qualifying Condition which the Promise annexeth Justification to without which it would not have done it Had the Promise been absolute it had pardoned us before and without Faith The nature of the Act is like the metal of Gold or Silver and the tenor of the Justifying Covenant is as the Kings Stamp that maketh it currant Coin It is Faith in order of nature before it is the Justifying Condition The quâ justificans therefore should speak not a distinct Act from the other Acts of the Christian Faith as such but the relation of the same Acts to the benefit Omnis fidei actus qui justificat considerari potest quatenus justificat Contr. 19. Whether we are justified by the Law of Innocency saying Obey perfectly and live Ans This is one of the chief points of all our difference Some say that because Christ fulfilled it for us we are justified by that Law as fulfillers of it This is it that Mr. Anthony Wotton hath bestowed most of his Learned Treatise de Reconciliatione to confute The Law justified Christ but not us for it never said Thou or another for thee shalt obey Nor doth it know a Vicarius obedientiae aut poenae nor take Christs Person and ours for the same Therefore we are not justified by that Law but condemned by it And it cannot condemn and justifie the same man But we are justified by another Law Covenant or Promise by Christs fulfilling the Law of Innocency and making over to us the benefits Contr. 20. Whether by Works be meant Acts in general or â—nly such Acts as are adverse to Faith in Christ and make the reward to be of debt and not of grace Ans The last is the Apostles Exposition of them Christ saith we are justified by our words James by our works and all the Scripture that speaketh of Justification ascribeth it to some Acts It is according to our works And Faith is an Act yea many Acts. Obj. But it justifieth not as an Act but as an Instrument Ans That is not as an Act or good Act in genere but as this Act in specie viz. Believing on Christs Righteousness But that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere that is As this Act But it is not so unless you add As it is this congruous Act or Acts authorized by Gods Covenant to this Office So we will grant that no Act justifieth as an Act or as a good Act but as a congruous good Act appointed thereto As is said before To believe in God and in Christ as Christ and in the Promise of Salvation and to believe the evil of sin and the need of a Saviour and to desire him and be thankful for him and pray for pardon are not the works that Paul speaketh against but some belong to the Essence and some to the Integrity and Accidents of that Faith by which we are justified Yet a foolish person may contradict himself and hold his own Faith as well as his Love or Desire or Prayer to be meritorious as making the reward not of grace Such mad contradiction may suppose Faith to be the works which it denieth Cont. 21. Are any works of man meritorious Ans Not in point of Commutative Justice that giveth one thing for another to the commodity of each as in buying and selling 2. Nor yet in distributive Governing Justice as making any good due to us by the Law of Innocency or Works 3. But as God hath freely given us Christ and Life by a Law of Grace on condition of suitable acceptance and use so he that performeth this condition is called worthy and the contrary unworthy in the Gospel and did not men abuse it they might with all the ancient Chuâ—ches use the word merit in the same sense â—s 〈◊〉 As a good natured Child that humbly and thâ—nkfully taketh money or meat when his Father giâ—eth it him is said to deserve it of him better than he that scorneth it and him So â—ur merit is but of â—aternal â—overning Justice in the Kingdom of Love according to Gods Law of Grace in Christ Cont. 12. â—hâ—ther oâ—edience be a part of Faith or we aâ—e justifiâ—d by obedience Ans 1. To beliâ—ve in Christ at first is an act of obedience to God who commandeth us so to do But it is but Subjectiâ—n to Christ which that act includeth that is taking him for our Lord and Saviour to be obeyed which iâ— virtually all future obedience as its root but not actually 2. Actual obedience to Christ is not faith but the fruit of faith and part of our performâ—nce of the Covenant which we made with him and necessary to the câ—ntinuance of our â—ustification and to our Salvation as all the Scripture fully sheweth Cont. 23. Whether any 〈◊〉 bâ—â—â—cessâ—ry t◠〈◊〉 continuance or not losiâ—g our jusâ—ifâ—catioâ— than to 〈◊〉 bâ—ginning of it Ans Yes 1. More acts of the same faith 2. Praying for pardon 3 Forgiving others as Christ expresly tells us 4. Sincere Love and Obedience to Christ unto the end Cont. 24. Is Pardon and Justification perfect the first moment Ans No. 1. All the punishment is not yet taken off We have yet much penal want of Grace and the Spirits Operations and Communion with God 2. We have not right to the present removal of all the punishment 3. Many more sins hereafter must be pardoned 4. Much means is yet to be used for final Justification 5. That final Justification only is perfect Cont. 25 〈◊〉 nolle punire or non punire a pardoning of sin It 's Dr. Tâ—isses Controversy Ans Yes In some degree to a capable person that iâ— to a sinner But not to one that is no sinner 〈◊〉 before one hath a being Cont. 26. Is future sin pardoned before hand Ans Fuâ—ure sin is not sin and therefore not capabâ—e of pardon nor the person for it But it may be pardoned virtually though not actually A general grant of pardon may be
to be first called and then justified and then glorified Rom. 8.30 2. That which goeth before Pardon and that as a Condition goeth before Justification But Repentance goeth before Pardon Acts 5.31 Luke 24.47 3.3 Acts 2.38 3.19 8.22 1 John 1.9 Mark 4.12 But of this I have given large proof elsewhere 3. All the grace of the Spirit is a preparation for Heaven But that eminent gift of the Spirit which in Scripture is called the Seal Earnest and first Fruit is promised upon repenting and believing and therefore followeth them and is 1. The Habit of Divine Love which is the New Nature and more than the first seed of grace 2. And the Spirit related to us as an in-dwelling possessing Agent of Christ to sanctifie us to the end 3. And in those times to many the extraordinary gifts of Miracles Tongues c. 1. Faith and Repentance went before Baptism in the Adult even as a Condition of it and its benefits Mark 1.4 Acts 13.34 19.4 Matt. 3.11 John 1.26 Mark 16.16 John 4.1 Acts 2.38 41 8.12 13 36 37 38. 9.18 22.16 But that gift of the Spirit which is called the Farnesâ— Seal and first Fruit was either given in or after Baptism ordinarily though to Cornelius before but not before Faith and Repentance It is called therefore Baptizing with the Holy Ghost See Mat. 3.11 Acts 1.5 2.33.38 8.15.17 10.2 Rom. 5.5 Tit. 3.5 2. And the Spirit is said to be promised and given to believers after faith and because they were adopted sons Eph. 1.13 Prov. 1.23 Gal. 4.6 3.14 Rom. 8.15 16.30 2 Cor. 1.22 5.5 Therefore our Divines commonly put Vocation as giving the first acts of Faith and Repentance before Sanctification as Rom. 8.30 doth before Justification and Glorification And yet Faith and Repentance are gifts of the Spirit too and so are many commoner gifts in unsanctified men But as the daylight is seen before the Sun rising and as Satan is not said to possess all that he tempteth So some gifts of the Spirit and some motions and operations of it go before the proper giving of the Spirit itself and his possessing us 3. It is no absurdity but the wise order of God that one gift of the Spirit shall be antecedent to another and the reception and exercise of it by us be a condition of that other For God will morally induce us to our duty by suitable motives He that denieth this subverteth the Gospel 4. I have elsewhere at large proved the falshood of this Doctrine that Impenitent Infidels are justified by the imputation of Christs Righteousness It is enough that Christs righteousness is reputed by God to be the meritorious cause of all our grace even of justification before we are justified Qu. 48. How can faith or repentance entitle us to that righteousness of Christ which must first give us a right to themselves and all Grace Ans 1. Faith and Repentance give us not a Title in strict sence but the Covenant or Promise that is the Gospel Donation is our Title and Faith and Repentance are but Conditions of our Title which on several accounts make us morally capable receivers of Right 2. Christs Righteousness did merit all grace of God before it justifieth us and we are reputed righteous by it It is a great error to say that we must be reputed righteous by Christs Righteousness given and imputed to us to that use before we can have any fruits of the merits of his righteousness Even the outward call of the Gospel is a fruit of it Qu. 49. Is it true that we must be practical Antinomians unless we hold that only Christs active righteousness merited grace and glory for us Qu. 50. Is this proved by Rom. 7.4 Ans 1. Some mens words are used to hide the sense and not to open it What is the meaning of Practical Antinomianism Is it to be the opposers of all Gods Laws or only some and which And doth he not mean that the judgment must be first against them How far are we under the Law and how far not 1. The Law of Innocency as a Covenant requiring perfect personal obedience as the necessary condition of life we are not under It ceased by the first sin cessante subditi capacitate We must not suppose that God saith to all sinners You shall be saved if you be not sinners Conditiâ—nâ— prateâ—◠〈◊〉 transit in sententiam We are not under the Law of Mâ—â—â—s as such even that which was written in stone is done away 2 Cor. 3.7 c. If this be Antinomianism I am an Antinomian that â—â—ve written so much against them 3. We are only under the Law of Christ into whose hand all power is given And that is 1. The Law of reprieved and redeemed nature 2. All his supernatural revelation and so much of Moses Law as he hath assumed If the objecter think that we are under any other so do not I except the subordinate Laws of men 2. That Law of Grace which we have and that freedom from the Law of Works are merited both by Christs Active and Passive righteousness Ad. Qu. 50. Rom. 7.4 hath no such thing but only that Christ hath delivered men from the bondage of the Law of works which did neither justify nor sanctify and hath subjected and engrafted us unto himself that we might by him be made holy unto God Conclusion THe Reader may now perceive what abundance of great notional errours some men have corrupted the Doctrine of Justification with by presumptuous spinning webs out of their own fancies raising one errour out of another departing from the Word of God I. A radical errour is that the Law of Innocency made to Adam is it that justifieth us by its â—â—c hâ—c vivâ—s as fulfilling it in Christ II. Another is that is that Covenant of perfection which Paul meaneth by the Law of Works and the fac hoc c. And that the Jews Law was such as made Innocency its condition of life III. That the sense of Adams Law was Do this by thy self or another or else thou or thy surety shall die IV. That Christ did obey and suffer merit and satisfy in so full and strict a representing and personating every one of the Elect as that they did and suffered it in and by Christ in the sence of the Law of Works or in Gods account and that it was not in the third person of a mediator to communicate the Effects freely as he pleased by another Covenant And so that Gods imputing righteousness to us is his accounting us to have done and suffered in Law sense what Christ did This is the root of all the rest subverting the Gospel itself V. And so that God accounteth us to be Innocent and never to have sinned by Omission or Commission from birth to death and to have all that is required to merit Heaven because we did it in Christ and also to have suffered in
word It was strictest Justice as upon Christ It was perfect Justice as to the ends of Government But it was not strictest Justice as to us nor as strictest signifieth the strict fulfilling or executing of the threatning of the Law For it was not so executed but the sinner mercifully pardoned § 6. You note that Christ must take our guilt on him or else he could not take our punishment Ans 1. He took not the Reatum facti or the Reatum â—ulpae For 1. Our guilt was the accident of one Subject and that which Christ took of another Therefore the accidents were not the same 2. Else sin however taken in its reatus culpae would have made him culpable and formally a sinner and hateful to God and like to Satan Which he was not 2. He took upon him the Reatum poena seu obligationem ad â—oenam But not ours individually the same but one of his own instead of ours Christs guilt and ours were divers accidents of divers persons The obligations nor the Subjects were not the same Our obligation to punishment was an act of the Law which we broke So was not Christs That Law never bound him to punishment But his own voluntary undertaking and his Fathers imposition Our guilt was the occasion and reason of Christs assumed guilt As our punishment individually was not it that he suffered but his own punishment to prevent ours He suffered the just for the unjust to redeem us to God God tells us plainly that Christ suffered for our sins and was made sin that is a Curse or Sacrifice for sin for us that we might not suffer And cannot we receive this plain Gospel without spinning so many additional webs of our own Christs taking our guilt and puniâ—hment is no more but his voluntary suffering in our stead that we might be pardoned not by that suffering immediately but by his free donation in the Law of Grace in his time and on his terms § 7. You note that though we are justified by our own Faith Repentance and Obedience to the Gospel against the false charge of being unbelievers impenitent and ungodly Yet to be free from the curse of the Law and obtaining right to life it is Christs Righteousness that we must plead Ans Very true thus 1. It is only Christs Righteousness that we must plead as the Satisfying and meriting cause 2. It is only the free Donation of the New Covenant which we must plead as our Title or Fundamentum juris and conveying cause of right 3. It is our Faith and Repentance in various respects which we must plead as the conditio tituli praesâ—iâ—a which is the necessary moral receptive disposition of the Subject receiving These things are all very plain and sure § 8. You seem to doubt whether by the Law of Works Paul meant not the Law of Innocency And first you seem to mistake me as if I had said that he meant only the Ceremonial Law I say no such thing But the whole Law of Moses considered meerly as a law and by the Jews ill separated from Faith and Grace was an operous Yoak and of severe penalties to the transgressours and though it gave pardon for some faults it was not meerly for the task of sacrificing but for the great Sacrifice typified The Law as a Law doth only Command and threaten and promise life to them that do all things written but gave not grace to do it The Jews left out the true sence of the types and promise which intended the Messiah in whom it was that the promissory part of the Law was made and thought the very task of duty or works would procure their acceptance and pardon when they failed If you are not satisfied with this reason why Paul calleth it the Law of Works find out a better if you can But most certainly that is a great mistake that Moses and Paul describe the Law of Innocency It 's tedious to recite the proof 1. It 's enough that the Law of Innocency as a Covenant was before ceased cessante capacitate subditorum When all men had 2000 years been Originally and Actually sinners will you feign God with all that solemnity to make such a Law as this I know and you must know that no Son of Adam is Innocent And I make now a Law that if you â—re and will continue innocent you shall live Else you shall die This is too gross to be feigned of God 2. It is enough that when the Law was made they were all under actual mercy which was the grace of the new pardoned Covenant 3. Yea that the Covenant of Grace had so long before been made with all fallen mankind in Adam â—nd Noah and renewed to Abraham with speâ—ial promises And doth God now repeal or hide it 4. What need we more proof than so many Laws about Sacrificing and Confessing for forgiveness Which the Law of Innocency knew not And why else did God deliver the Law as a God of Redeeming mercy I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of Egypt proclaiming his name Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin 6. Peruse all the Contexts in Pauâ— and you will be satisfied See Camero de triplice faedere which Dr. Bolton of Liberty was so taken with and magnifieth and Anthony Burges of the Law proving Moses Law to belong to a Covenant of Grace But I have more fully opened all thiâ— in my Methodus Theologiae No doubt but Pauls dâ—sputes have great difficulty but this much is very plain § 9. Your next question is about the nature of Faith whether if it be placed in the will and include consent it be not confounded with Love whose object is goodness I have answered this oft and largely in divers Books and therefore must here be excused from saying any more than this viz. 1. You must distinguish between Faith Physically taken and Faith morally taken 2. Between its formal act and its material I. Physically some one natural act constituted by one Object is called Faith But morally taken it comprehendeth divers Physical Acts both of the Intellect and Will And as it is Justifying and Saving it is so taken Yea morally it is sometime in Scripture taken largelier for our Christian Faith as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Promise Grace and Glory are all the constituting Objects of it in their truth and goodness and sometime more narrowly as altogether distinct from Hope and Love It is taken in the first sense when it is said to be the condition of Justification and Salvation And here what you said of the necessity of conjoyning the many similitudes which express Christs Office to us when but one of them in a Text is named the same must be said of Faith in Christ A Moral act which hath many Physical acts must be named by some one the rest being connoted or implied for it would be uncomely to name
it is another The Doctrine which I bend all these words against is that we must have or have as our own any such righteousness as is a conformity to the precepâ—ive part of the Law of innocency whether done by us or Christ Prove that we have any such Righteousness and I yield all the cause to them that plead for the Imputation which I deny If we have such a Righteousness we have no sin nor ever had in the sense of the Law And have no need of Christs Sacrifice or are capable of pardon or punishment I dare plead no Righteousness as mine but subordinately as a condition and medium my faith â—r performance of the conditions of the Covenant and its gifts and principally my right to impunity and life for the sake of the Merits Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ freely given by him in the New Covenant It was Christs perfect Righteousness which meriteth mine but I have no perfect Righteousness of my own either in me or done by me by my self or by my Instrument or Vicar nor given to me saving as metonymically that is said to be given to me which was given for me and the Effects or fruits of it given to me Besides my imperfect Faith and sincere devotion to Christ I know of no Righteousness that I have but that which saveth me from the Laws Condemnation and giveth me right to life which is not perfect obedience to the precept made mine but pardon of disobedience and a freely-given Adoption merited by another whose merits were never mine so much as by proper gift or imputation though figuratively they may be so called mine I tire my self and you with tedious repetitions because I find that without theâ— I am not understood Therefore your next inference that Paul speaâ—eth of that which was not ours before Imputation is not true as is proved And your second that the imputation of Faith as a work is not of Grace is cloudy or untrue or both If by a work you mean a work in Commutation obliging God or any work which maketh the reward to be of debt and not of Grace it 's true that if faith were such a work it would be an act of Justice so to judge it But Faith is no such work and therefore it would be errour so to judge it But if by a work you mean but a Moral act as made by the Law of Grace the condition of pardon and life then to Impute Repute or Judge it to be what it is so made is an act of Truth and Justice but such Truth and Justice as is Evangelical and consistent with Grace and is founded on Grace It is Grace that we have a Saviour to purchase and give all It is grace that we are not under the Law of Innocency which justifieth none but the innocent and perfect that never sinned It is Grace that we have a Covenant and Law of Grace which maketh sincere faith a Mediate or Subordinate Righteousness requiring no more at our own hands instead of what the Law of innocency required It is of Grace that as this faith is the matter of this subordinate Evangelical Righteousness so it is the receptive medium of our right to Christ pardon and life which is our full saving righteousness It being therefore of Grace that it is made so and also that we are made believers it must be of Grace though of Truth and gracious Justice that it is reckoned or imputed to us for Righteousness By debt opposed to Grace Paul meaneth not Debitum Dâ—â—ness by free gifts thankfully accepted but quod debetur ex operis propria dignitate as a workman earneth his wages § 19. Your Description of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness is either to be understood as spoken in proper words or as figurative If the latter it 's unintelligible still till explained If the first it is that same Doctrine which I take to subvert all the Gospel viz. That God maketh an effectual Grant and Donation of a true real perfect Righteousness even that of Christ himself to all that believe accounting it as theirs God accounteth not Christs Divine Righteousness to be our Righteousness nor yet his Humane Habitual Righteousness nor his Obedience to the Law proper to the Mediator nor his Obedience to the Law of Moses which as such bound not you or me nor his perfect fulfilling the Law of Innocency nor his satisfactory Sacrifice for sin nor his Resurrection Ascension Intercession c. But he only accounteth these to be the Causes of our Righteousness and not our Righâ—eousness it self Though the Meritorious Cause may be called the Meritorious Matter in a remote sense as purchasing the free Gift of our Formal Righteousness Though this also is but an unnecessary Logical name the thing being without it plainlier opened Relations having properly no Material Cause and the Subject being it that is usually so called and our Jus being our Formal Righteousness and the Covenant Donation the Fundamentum Juris and Christs Meritorious Righteousness being but the cause of that Fundamentum or Titulus it can be called the Matter of our Right but in a remote sense and such a Matter as is without us paid for us but not ours in it self but the CAVSE of that Relation which is ours The plain inconsistency of a Perfect Conformity to the Law made our own with Christs dying for sin and our need of pardon constrained a great part of the famousest Divines of the last Age to go too far in my Judgment in excluding Christs Active and Habitual Righteousness to our Justification and confining it to the Passive only Such as Olevian Vrsine Piscator Paraeus Scultetus Wendeline Beckman and others in Germany and Camero with his most Judicious and Learned followers in France and Dr. Twisse whose M.S. I before mentioned Mr. Wotton Mr. Gataker and others in England And yet the two last I think go not so far as the rest But Mr. Bradshaw truly told them that it is not the excluding the Active from Imputation that must untie the knot but the taking Imputation it self in a sound sense and forsaking the unsound rigid notion of it both as to the Active and Passive Righteousness Grotius de Satisfactione hath gone the middle way and if that Book had been more studied fewer would have made us a new Gospel in terms who I hope in sense do mean better than they speak § 20. In your explication you further own the subverting sense viz. That Christs perfect Righteousness is made the Righteousness of Believers forma dat nomen and is accordingly judged esteemed and reputed theirs being by free Gift made theirs to all ends and purposes whereto it would have served if it had been their own without any such Imputation Donation or Communication and God dealeth with them accordingly Ans This is plainer dealing than we had before If this were true 1. We are as righteous as Christ 2. We may deny that ever we were sinners
and it s not proved that any one Devil is guilty of all mens sins they make God guilty of all yea they that lay it on Christ only after his Incarnation lay it on him that is God XXI They that feign Christ to have personated us in his first Covenant of Redemption make us by him to have Covenanted to Redeem our selves and to do the mediator-Mediator-work XXII They feign Christ to have made such an Exchange with the Elect as that having taken all their Sins he hath given them all his Righteousness not only the Fruit of it but the Thing in it self So that they are as perfectly Righteous as Christ himself and so esteemed of God But here they differ 1. Some say we have only all his Passive Righteousness Some say also all his Active 3. Others also all his Habitual 4. Others all his Essential Divine Righteousness and so are Goded XXIII This perfect Righteousness they say we have at least from the time of Christ's death before we were born or had any personal Beeing XXIV Hereby they must needs feign Christ and us to be one and the same Subject or else the same Accidents Habits Acts and Relations to be in divers Subjects still the same which is a contradiction XXV Hence they say that the elect have no sin because it is all Christ's and cannot be his and theirs also XXVI They say that Christ having perfectly done the Work of a Saviour we are perfectly saved and want nothing necessary to Salvation XXVII They say all sin past present and to come are pardoned even that not committed that is no sin XXVIII They say that it is not possible that sin can do an elect Person any hurt Christ having been a perfect Saviour from it all so Dr. Crispe XXIX They say that no Prayer or Duty or Act of Man can do us any good or further our Salvation Christ only having done it already for us so Crispe XXX They add that to pray hear read obey or do any Duty as a means to our own Good or Salvation is to sin against the Free Grace of Christ But that we must do it 1. In thankfulness to Christ that hath saved us 2. And for the good of others As if it were not as injurious to Free Graece to seek other mens Salvation as our own or we might not do good in love to our selves as well as to our Neighbours Or as if we ought not to plow sow labour eat drink build c. for our good becaâ—se Christ is all By this it seemeth that Dr. Crispe did not pâ—each or write his Bâ—oks to do any good because he took that to be a denyal of Christs Grace XXXI They say that under Moses Law David and the Elect were not pardoned till they had sacrificed But under the Gospel all the elect are absolutely pardoned without any delay or condition or means on their part as if there had been so vast difference between the Fruits of Christ and the way of his Justification then and now XXXII They say that Pardon and Justification are absolutely perfect at the first and so no more sin to be after forgiven nor any punishment to be remitted or removed XXXIII They say that no elect person suffereth any the least punishment because all is forgiven and Christ suffered all and that no Pain or Correction is now penal or for sin XXXIV They talk of our being freed from the Law in so undistinguishing universal Words as if they knew no Law but that of Innocency to Adam and that of Moses to the Jews and thought it were a priviledge to be lawless or that Christ had no Law and so there were no Transgression XXXV They hold that Christ was no Law-Maker and so must infer that he was no King and had no Laws of his own to Govern or Judge by and so deny a chief Part of his Office and his Kingdom and Government who is King of Kings XXXVI They say If God should punish any sin of the elect it would be injustice because it is all punished already on Christ and the Debt is fully paid by him XXXVII They take God's Covenants and Laws to be things so different as that a Law is not his Covenant nor his Covenant a Law Whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both that is God's Statute-Law containing the determinate Terms of Duty Reward and Punishment Life and Death and both have the same parts his Law having Precepts Prohibitions Promises and Threatnings and his Covenant as his hath the same And when it its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it becometh a mutual Covenant by mans Consent and the Law bindeth Subjects to that Consent XXXVIII They are so much for a Christ without us that they write as if the Work of Christ within us and by us were a Dishonour to Christ that causeth it if we praise it As if the Prâ—â—sâ— of the Structure were a dishonour to the Builder or the Cure were a dishonour to the Physitian or the Glory of the World if praised were a dishonouring of God God praiseth his Servants and their Grace and Works but if we praise them they say we rob Christ of his honour XXXIX They seem to hold that Christ doth all the Work of our Salvation immediately without Instruments or Means And all that is ascribed to subordinate Causes were derogate from him And so Apostles Miracles â—cripture Writings Preaching were no Means of Good or injured Christ as if Sun and Moon Angels and Men dishonoured God XL. While they say that no Duty must be done for our own good or salvation they destroy natural necessary self love and directly would drive out all true Religion from the World and harden all the wicked in ungodliness by taking away those Motives without which no men are converted or saved and kept from sin XLI They hold that whatever Law or Promise in Scripture hath any condition is part of the Law of Works And that the Law or Covenant of Grace is only of what God will actually and absolutely himself effect or that Efficience it self as if the Gospel were a Law of Works XLII Accordingly they hold that God doth not make any conditional Promise or threatning a means of his Spirit or Christs communicating of Free Grace And so that the Gospel hath no conditional Promises tho' there be conditional Words not understanding that God who is Life Light and Love Power Wisdom and Goodness worketh by all three and printeth the Image of all on his Elect working by efficient Motion sapiental Order and amorous attractive communication XLIII They hold that no mens sins were the cause of Christ's Sufferings but the Elects And that the rest are damned for want of a sufficient Sacrifice offered for them XLIV They hold that all the Mercies that the Non elect have in all the world are given them without the Purchase of Christ XLV Yea many hold that none but the Elect have any Grace or any Mercy because it
worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they â—ay have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in by the Gate into the City John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because c. Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his See also verse 4.5.7.14 2 Cor. 13.15 Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory See Eph. 2. What the Elect are before Conversion 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators And such were some of you But ye are washed ye are Sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Thes 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love Phil. 2.13 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. Rev. 2 3. Read the promises to him that overcometh Mat. 6.19 20. Lay up for your selves a treasure in heaven Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when you faâ—l they may receive you into the everlâ—sting habitations Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted But if thou c. Luke 13.3.5 Except ye repent ye shall all perish Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 5.9 He is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Luke 19.27 These mine Enemies that would not I should reign over them Heb. 10.33 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompense of reward 39. We are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Mat. 18.32 35. O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that dâ—bt because c. so shall my heavenly Father do also to you if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses The Answer to all this by the Adversaries I. By the Infidels The Scripture is not the Word of God II. By the Mahometans in special The followers of Christ altered it III. By Papists Scripture is to us but what the Church declareth of it 1. The reading of it and rejecting supplemental Tradition by the Vulgar causeth heresies IV. By the Quaker It is the light within us that is our Rule V. The Enthusiasts or Fanaticks We must try Scripture by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the Scripture the Apostles Spirit by ours and not our low measure by theirs VI. The seekers The Scripture must first be recovered by a true Ministry VII The Cabbalist and Familist It is not to be understood Literally but Mystically VIII The Antinomian Libertine The written word or at least all that prescribeth duty and hath conditional promises is but a Covenant of works The Covenant of Grace is only the Spirits Effectual work I will and you shall A Breviate of the Doctrine of Justification Dilivered in many Books By RICHARD BAXTER In many Propositions And the Solution of 50 Controversies about it Written 1. To end such Controversies 2. To confute Rash Censurers and Errours 3. To inform the Ignorant 4. To procure Correction from wiser men if I mistake Occasioned by some mens Accusation of me to others that will not vouchsafe their Instruction to my self And by the Erroneous and dangerous Writings and Preachings of some well-meaning men such as Mr. Troughton c. who at once mistake and misreport God's Word and ours and fight in the dark against Christian Faith and Love LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1690. The Preface long ago written Reader IT was the Army and Sectarian Antinomians more fitly called Libertines who first called me in the year 1645. and 1646. to study better than I had done the Doctrine of the Covenants and Laws of God of Redemption and Justification I fetcht my first resolving thoughts from no Book but the Bible specially Mat. 5 and 6 and 25. Grotius de Satisfactione next gave me more light While I was considering many mens friendly Animadversions on my Apâ—orisms and answering some that more differed from each other than from me it increased light especially the Animadversions of Mr. George Lawson My Writings against the Antinomians had success beyond my expecâ—ations though some good men of the Party called Independent having more heat than light deceived by the notions of some that had spoken injudiciously before them cast out suspicions and contradictions in a jealousie that I encroached on the honour of Free Grace I mean such men as prefaced the Book called The Marrow of Modern Divinity which on pretence of Moderation is Antinomian or Libertine and very injudicious and unsound And others Books such as Paul Hobsons Mr. Saltmarshes Bunyan on the Covenants c. which ignorantly subverted the Gospel of Christ came out on the same business and revealed mens mistakes on pretence of revealing the Mystery of Free Grace John Goodwin was then and before publishing his Judgment of Justification and Mr. Walker and Mr. Roborough wrote against him with great disparity of light and strength But because J.G. turned to the Arminians prejudice cryed down his Doctrine of Justification and it was not all to be approved Mr. Gataker published many things to the like purpose and among the rest the Narrative of Mr. Wottons Case referred to many London Divines and decided by them Of my suspension of my Aphorisms and of my Contests with Mr. Craudon Mr. Eyres Mr. Warner and afterwards with Dr. Tully I need not here make particular mention The most that I converst with seemed of my Judgment The rest beside the Animadverters on my Aphorisms who freeliest spake of me behâ—â—d my back would none of them speak to me Vavasor Powel and Mr. Ed. Bagshaw were two of the chief Many worthy men published the same Doctrine which I assâ—rted especially Mr. Gibbons of Black-fryars in his Sermon in the Morning Lectures at St. Giâ—â—s Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge Mr. Hotchkâ—â— Mr. Thomas Warren Mr. Graile and Mr. Jeâ—â—op laboured to prove that Dr. Twisse meant the same who seems to speak for Eternal Immanent Justification And Mr. Truman and Lud. Le Blankes Theses at last came out after the Theâ—es Salmurienses and the Breme Divines Lud. Crocius Conrad Bergius and the Berlin Johan Bergius as clear as any But the practice of some who wanted the humility and â—iliâ—ence which were necessary to learn the Truths which they knew not was just the same with that of the Prelates in Councils for a thousand years even to put it to the Vote of mâ—n of their own mind or to lean on the names of some of their Predecessors who were men of note and especially to cry down those that heard them not
uncapable of the benefits 15. God useth none of fallen mankind according to the severity of the first Law but givâ—th to all men undeserved forfeited Mercy and bindeth them to use some means for their recovery to repent in hope and to receive and thankfully use the measures of mercy which he vouchâ—â—â—eth them And all men shall be judged according to that edition of the Law of Grace which they were under and the receiving and using the Grace or Mercy which was given or offered them 16. When the peculiar Seed was formed into a Nation God gave them by Moses a peculiar Law which exempliâ—ied the Holiness of the first Law but had the Promises and Grace of the second with the peculiar additions and plainlier pointed out the Messiah to come but by a way of operous Ceremonies and severe Discipline suitable to their rude minority 17. In the fulness of time Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost in a Virgin and being God and Man aâ— made by the Will of the Deity was made a Subject under a Law peculiar to himself according to his peculiar works and this Law given to our Mediator had three parts 1. That he should perfeâ—tly obey the Law of Innocency so far as it was fitted to his case and overcome the Tempter 2. That he should perfectly keep the Law of Moseâ— so far as it agreed to him 3. That he should perfectly do all that was proper to the Redeemer in being a Sacrifice for sin clearing and publiâ—hing the New Covenant sealing it by Miracles rising again instituting his Word Sacraments and Ministry ascending giving the Spirit interceding in Heaven c. his promised reward being the success of his undertaking the saving of his Church and his Glory in the glorifying of God the Father This is the peculiar Law to the Mediator 18. That which is called The Covenant between the Father and the Son is this Covenant made to and with Christ Inâ—arnate and the fore-decâ—â—eing thereof with the Prophecies of it If there be more it is past our reach 19. Christ perfectly fulfilled all that he undertook and this as the second Adam not a Natural Root but a Voluntary Sponsor Not our Substitute or Servant sent by us but chosen by tâ—e Father and sent by him to do all his Will for Mans Redemption 20. As he took the common Nature of Man so the sins of all and not only of the Elect were the causes of his sufferings and said upon him and the fruits of his sufferings and merits were some common and some peculiar to the Elect. 21. He being not as Adam our natural Parent was not meerly by natural generation to convey his benefits to the Redeemed but by such means as he should chuse and Man consent to even by a holy Covenant or Contract being also his Doctrine and his Law in several respects which Covenant having great and precious Promises is Gods Instrument of Donation and Condonation and our title to all the blessings promised by which God doth give us right to Pardon and Salvation This Law of Grace is the Rule of our duty and the Rule by which we shall be judged 22. This Law or Covenant giveth a Conditional Pardon to all in the tenour of it with Adoption and Right to Life Eternal But actual Pardon and Right accrueth to none till the Condition be performed which is to be Believers or their Infant seed dedicated to God by Covenant Consent 23. This Condition is not that we our selves make God amends or satisfaction or give him any thing that hath any merit in Commutative Justice or do any kind of work which shall make the reward to be of debt and not of grace But it is the Belief of and Consent to the Covenant of Grace and the Believing Acceptance of the gifts and grace of the Covenant according to their nature and 〈◊〉 their proper use and is the same thing which is to be professed in Baptism which is the solemnizing of this mutual Covenant and in which God the Father Son and Holy Ghost do give themselves to us for grace and glory and we give up our selves by consent to him believingly accepting his grace and penitently renouncing the lusts of the flesh the world and the Devil and so are sacramentally invested in a state of Justification Adoption and Spiritual Life 24. The profession of this Faith and Consent in Baptism maketh men visible Christians and Church members and true heart consent in Faith maketh men Living and Justified Members 25. This belief and consent or performance of the Condition is not the Efficient Cause of our Pardon or Justification but is the necessary 〈◊〉 position or qualification of the Receiver in the very nature of the Act suitable and needful and by Divine Institution and Promise made the Condition and acceptable 26. Though we are not capable Receivers of Justification till we thus penitently and believingly consent yet when we do so it is the merit of Christs Righteousness by which we are justified For the Covenant of God is but his Instrument by which he giveth us Christ to be our Head and Life in and with him and so giveth us Justification as procuâ—â—d by his Merits 27. Justification is a word of many senses sometimes it signifieth making us righteous sometimes the Law or Covenants virtuâ—l judging us righteoâ—s it being the Rule of Judgment sometimes Gods esteeming us righteous in his own mind sometimes for a Justifying by â—vidence or Witness sometimes by â—poloâ—y of an Advocate sometimes by the Sentence of the Judge and sometime for the Execution of that Sentence But the notable special sorts are three Making just â—udging just and Vsing as just And they that will dispute of Justification and not tell in what sense they take the word do but abuse their time and talk 28. No man is judged righteous by God that is not first made righteous 29. He that is made righteous is justifiable in Judgment and virtually justified in Law 30. No sinner is made righteous as to the Preceptive part of the Law of Innocency it being a contradiction to have been a sinner and no sinner 31. Pardon of sin doth not make the fact done to be undone or not done nor the sin to be no sin nor not to have deserved punishment But it remitteth the punishment and the fault so far as it inferreth punishment because of the merit and satisfaction of the Mediator and delivereth the sinner from that which he was bound to suffer by the violated Law 32. To make a man righteous before God that hath sinned all these things must concur 1. He must have a Mediator that must answer the Ends of the Law that condemneth him and so meriteth his Justification 2. This Saviour must make him a Pardoning and Justifying Covenant to convey the right of the purchased benefits to him 3. He himself by grace must perâ—orm the Conditions of that Covenant accepting the free gift believingly according to its
the nâ—â—â—ssary qualification of the Patient or Reâ—â—iver i. e. naturally and legally necessary such as dispositio materiae is said to be in Physicks 3. And as for the notion of an Instrumental Cause of Justification it is past doubt that properly taken neither Faith nor any act of ours is any such nor doth justifie us efficiently at all But if any be so fond of the invented notion of an Instrument as that they will use it though unaptly they must say 1. That it is not an Efficient but a Recipient Instrument Dr. Kendall calls it like Boys catching the Ball in their Hats or as a Spoon is in eating But it is not an Instrument of Physical Reception but Moral To Trust is no more a Reception than to Love The active Acceptance of a Saviour given with his benefits is a Moral Receiving of him which disposeth us as the Condition of the Covenant to receive Justification that is to be justified And in this lax sense you may call it all these if you please viz. a Condition a Dispositive Cause and a Receiving Instrument 4. A Meritorious Cause it is not in a Commutative or strict sense But if you will call that meritorious which is pleasing to God as congruous to his free gift and design of grace whence some are called Worthy in the Gospel so the thing is not to be denied and so all are reconciled Contr. 17. Is justifying Faith an act of the understanding or will Ans Both and therefore it is no one Physical act only nor Instrumental in a strict Physical sense Contr. 18. What act of Faith is it that justifieth as to the Object whether only the belief of the truth of the Promise or of the whole Gospel also or the affiance on Christs Righteousness or on his Truth or on his Intercession or taking him wholly for our Saviour Prophet Priest and King And whether Faith in God the Father and the Holy Ghost do justifie or all these And if but one which is it and wheâ—her all the rest are the works which Paul excludeth from Justification Ans To say that only one Physical act of Faith is it that we are justified by and all the rest are those works is a perverse corrupting of Christianity and not to be heard without detestation For it will utterly confound all persons to find out which that one act is which they indeed can never do And it will contradict the substance of all the Gospel There is no such thing as Faith in Christ which containeth not or includeth not Faith in God as God both as he is our Creator and as reconciled by Christ and as the Giver of Christ to us John 3.16 and as the end of all the work of Redemption Nor is there any such thing as Faith in Christ which is true and saving that includeth not or connoteth not the Knowledge of Christ and Love and Desire and Thankfulness and Consent Nor did ever God tell us of a Faith in Christs Imputed Righteousness only that must justifie us which is not also a Faith in his Person Doctrine Law Promise and Example and his Intercession in the Heavens And to say that only the Act of Recumbency on Christs Righteousness as imputed to our Justification is that act of Faith by which we are justified and that Believing in God his Majesty Truth Wisdom Goodness and the believing in Christ as he is the Prophet Teacher King of the Church and the Resurrection Life and Judge of all and believing in the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier Comforter and Witness and Advocate of Christ and believing and trusting the Promise of God for Life Eternal or for any grace except Christs Righteousness imputed that all this Faith in God in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and all our Love to Christ and desire after him and prayer for his grace and thankfulness for it c. are all none of the Faith which Justification is promised to but are the Works by which no man is justified and that he is faln from grace that seeketh to be justified by such works that is by true Faith in God as God and in Christ as Christ This is a new Gospel subverting Christs Gospel and making Christianity another thing and this without any countenance from the Scripture and contrary to its very scope The Faith by which we are justified is one Moral act containing many Physical acts even our fiducial Consent to the Baptismal Covenant and dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be our Reconciled God our Saviour and our Sanctifier to give us Pardon Adoption Holiness and Glory which is our Christianity it self as such Contr. 18. But though this be the Faith quae justificat which justifieth us is it not only Recumbency on Christs Imputed Righteousness quâ— talis which hath the Office of Instrumentality and is â—ides quâ— justificans Ans Such quibbling and jingling of a meer sound of words is usual in ludicrous Disputations of Lads But it 's pity it should pass as the last remedy against plain truth in so great a matter First it must be remembred that no Faith justifieth efficiently and therefore neither quae nor quâ justificans is to signifie any such thing but a meer Moral qualification of the recipient subject so that to be justified by Faith is but to be justified by it as that which God hath promised Justification on as the qualifying Condition But if it be not the same thing that is here called Fides quae and quâ but in the first part they speak of the Habit and in the second of the Act had it not been plainer to say The same Habit of Faith hath several Acts as believing in God in Christs Intercession Kingdom c. but none of these Acts do justifie us but one only viz. trusting to the Imputation of his Righteousness And so both the quae and quâ is â—denied to all Acts save that one This is their plain meaning which is denied to be truth and is a human dangerous invention Yet it 's granted them that it is not every Act of Faith that is made the Condition of Justification or Salvation It is necessary that the formal Object Gods Veracitâ— be believed to make it true Faith and that the Gospel or Covenant of Grace be believed with Consent as aforesaid to make it to be the true Christian Faith in essence and it 's of necessity that every thing be believed which we know that God revealeth But it is the Christian Faith that hath the Promise of Justification and that not any one single Act of it but all that is essential to it and that which belongeth but to its Integrity ad bene esse when it existeth is also so far conducible to our Justification as Abrahams believing that Isaac should live and have seed when he went to sacrifice him yet Justification may be without some Acts as Salvation may without many due Acts of Obedience
justifying is not making Righteous therefore making Righteous is no Justifying nor any part of it It s a shame to stay to cite many â—â—xts â—gaiâ—st these men where the whole Bible but especially all Christ's own Preaching and Parables are so expresly against thâ—m that I admire with what fâ—ce thâ—se men prâ—fess to believe the Scripture And I wâ—nâ—er not that some of them say that all the wâ—â—ttâ—â— Word is a Covenant of Works aâ—d oâ—ly the Spirits iâ—waâ—d Work is the Covenant of Grace And whâ—n they tell us as Crispe p. 242. Vol. 1. Ed. 1. That for any hurt that such sins can do us it is not possible for Christ hath made satisfaction I wonder why they preach against that which doth no hurt and why tâ—ey excommunicate men for sin and why they scruple Perjury Liturgies Parish-Communion or any Point of Conformity yea why some of them will suffer rather than conform when it is impossible for any sin to hurt them Why do your hearers pay you for Preaching against a harmless thing Why make you so much Complaint against Vnreformeâ—ness Sin doth God no hurt it doth not the Elect any hurt by your Doctrine for Christ hath satisfied and born all And the Reprobate are uncapable of good for want of satisfaction for them I pray you do not speak out this Doctrine to the World If you do I shall be glad that you are confined to your seduced ignorant Congregations If you will tell the World If you are elect no sin can possibly hurt you whatever Murders Adulteries Perjuries you commit it is none of your sin but Christs It cannot be his and yours too and if not elect you have no hope and if you be elect you will be never the better for praying considering charity or any Act of Religion or Justice which you do nor must once think to gain any thing by it How many Converts is this like to make And what would such a Nation come to I hope few of the publick Preachers that you call scandalous preach so scandalously as this I have one Request to you that if you or any other be questioned by the judges for Murder Adultery False-witness Perjury or Robbery you will not say as Dr. Crispe hath taught you I am no Murderer Adulterer perjured Robber c. It is Christ that is such a one and not I it cannot be my sin when he hath made it his for I doubt neither the Judges or Jury well believe you If you believe not we ask the Judges whether it be you or Christ that is the sinner I doubt it is you that will be hang'd If you say for what may not ignorance say That it is not at the Bar of man but of God only that Christ is the sinner and not we I Answer Know you not that Judges and Princes are God's Officers and that the Judgment is the Lords and that what they do according to his Will he doth by them He doth not command Rulers to hang men for a sin that is none of theirs All mens Judgments are Nullities that are against the fore-known Judgment of God It is the King that punisheth when the hangman executeth God punisheth men by Rulers and doth it righteously I write all this the rather because Mr. Cokain in his Preface exhorteth Preachers to go on where the Dr. left I humbly beseech them first to read and believe Mat. 5. 6. and 7 8. and 13.18.25 and all the Sermons and Parables of Christ and not downright to give him the Lie and call it exalting him And for them that report that there are no such Words in Dr. Crispe as I report I wonder not while they think that lying can do them no hurt and is not their sin but Christs And they that believe they are under no Law may believe that they have no Transgression nor Christ for them when they had never any And to them that talk of inherent Righteousness as less necessary than God hath made it I desire them but to mark what Christ saith of it and to remember that sin is much of Hell and holiness of Heaven And that Christ came to save his People from their sins as more righteous than the Scribes and Pharisees inhâ—rently and to make them a peculiar People zealous of good Works and holy as God is holy and to bethink them whether to disgrace the Building be to honour the Architect and whether the â—orth or the worthlesness of the Work more honour the Work-men and whether the Cure of the Sick dishonour the Physitian And whether to say that my Clock or Watch will go by artificial means or only no longer than the Work mans-Finger only moveth it do more honour the Artist And whether the Psalms would so much call us to glorifie God for his Works if all that is ascribed to his Works were taken from his Honour The Lord teach us better to understand that Word that maketh the simple wise and not to set Christ against himself and against his own Honours Government and Laws A Defence of Christ AND Free Grace c. Chap. 1. Prefatory Ortho. Sir Having my self and the Congregation which I am Related to been in danger of the Errours called Antinomian I wrote to you to intreat you who have done so much heretofore to Conquer and Extirpate those Errours to get the London Ministers to publish their Judgments against Dr. Crispe 's Book and such others now Re-printed and rising up with re-newed danger Reconcil You did so and I answered you 1. That I thought it not seasonable till the acceptance and success of that Book and such others made our danger so notorious and great as would clearly justify our Confutation I have written on that Subject so much already 1. In my Confession of Faith 2. In my Apologies against Mr. Craudâ—n Mr. Aaires and others 3. In my Disputations of Justification 4. In my Life of Faith 5. In my Justifying Righteousness and there against Dr. Tully and my last Animadversions on Mr. Cartwright 6. In my Catholâ—ck Theolâ—gy especially the five last Chapters 7. And in my Methodus Theologiae All which are unanswered to this day that I know not why I should be forward to write much more For they that will not read this that hath been so long written are not like to read it if I yet write more And I am so fearful of stirring up the hidden spark of this mischief that having written Fourteen Years ago a short Decision of a multitude of these Controversies I suspended it lest it should kindle New Oppositions 2. And I told you that we have now such publick and dangerous Controversies about Royalty Prelacy Conformity c. that it is very unseasonable to make a noise of the Errours and Factions among the Tolerated though they should somewhat increase by advantage of our silence till we see what publick settlement there will be 3. And I confess I have an opinion that accidentally the Books
Physical and Moral Reception when they should tell us that Faith is not the Physical but the Moral Reception of Christ to Receive in sensu Physico is nothing else but to be the Passive tâ—rminus of an Agents efficiency and is signified by Passive Verbs To receive Justification Sanctification Adoptiâ—n Physically is nothing but Justificari Sanctificari c. to be Justifâ—ed Sanctified Adopted But to receive Morally is Accipere to accept the gift by consent and exercise thâ—t consent by contract and containeth as is aâ—oresaid many Physical Acts as to receive a Tutor a Master a Physitian a King a Husband c. And such is Faith a receiving not of righteousness only but of Christ with all his offered benefits And when they say that other Acts or Graces may be Conditioâ—s but none but Faith is the Instrument 1. Certainly that called by them Instrumentality is but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crederâ— the Act it self in specie and the Conditionality is the nearest reason of its Interest in our Justification 2. And there is nothing more in the Nature of Assent Trust or any Act of Faith beâ—â—des meer Acceptance or Consent why they should be called Receiving than in Love Desire Gladâ—ess Hope or Seeking 3. And Accepting Christ as our Teacher King and Intercessor in Heaven is as much conditional and necessary to our Justiâ—â—cation and Salvation as accepting his Justiâ—â—cation and Deliverance from Punishment That which men are most averse to Love Holiness and Obedience is made the Condition of that which men more easily accept And indeed those that in sensu Phyâ—ice they call Other Conditional Acts are but modifications or parts of the same Moral Act which is the Condition The Faith by which we are justified is that true Christianity which includeth our believeing consent to God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost our belief of Christ and our thankful acceptance of him to be our Teacher Intercessor or Priest and King with his offered Grace and that this acceptance is with Desire Love and Hope exprest in a holy Contract or Covenant This is the Souls Marriage with Christ and Allegiance to him and it includeth the renouncing our trust in all Creatures or in any Righteousness of our own so far as they would usurp the least part of Christ's Office Work or Honour None of all this is Justification by Works LXIV They erroneously tell us That nothing is Properly a Condition which is it self a Free Gift As if God could not Command and Give the same thing and make his Command a congruous means of Giving LXV They erroneously hold that nothing can be called a Condition of one Gift of the Covenant which is not a Condition of all Whereas God hath many Anticedent Gifts before any Condition be so much as imposed Without any Condition he gave us our Being and gave us a Saviour and the Gospel and the conditional Covenant and offers of Grace And why may not the reception and use or not rejecting of a former Gift of Grace be made a condition of the giving of more To him that hath shall be given may not Faith be the gift of God and yet be the condition of Justification and Salvation LXVI They erroneously hold that when a man is once justified the continuance of his justification is Absolute and hath no imposed conditions contrary to Christs own words Joh. 15. and many plain texts of Scripture LXVII They erroneously put Free Grace and Free Will in such opposition as if nothing could be an act of Free Grace which imposeth any condition on Free Will which is true if by Free Will they mean Freedom of Natural sufficiency as Free without Grace from vitious habits and inclinations for we have no such Free Will But these men know not what Free Will is nor distinguish Freedom from Prohibitions and from Constraint and necessitating predeterminating efficient Premotion from Moral Freedom LXVIII In some points forementioned about Faith and Justification the unapt Words and Methods of some Reformers give them advantage But Dr. Crispe and the gross Antinomians take Faith to be neither Cause nor Condition of Justification but meerly the receptive belief that we are Justified already before we were born so that Faith justifieth only in our consciences which is but to be conscious that we are Justified LXIX Accordingly Dr. Crispe maintaineth that Election and Justification are known only by two means The Spirit within revealing it and Faith receiving it that is The Spirit inwardly saying Thou art Elect and Justified and Faith believing this so that neither of these Justifie us but only make us know it LXX They mâ—stake the meaning of the Witness of the Spirit As if it were but an inward Inspiration and Impulse equal to a voice saying Thâ—u art Elect and Justâ—fied Whereas it is an Inherent Impress and so an objective Evidencing witness even the Divine Nature and Image of God and the habit of Divine â—â—lial Love by which Gods Spirit marketh us out as adopted As likeness of the child to the Father and love are an evidencing witness of true Son-ship And as Reason is a witness that we are Men And as Learning is a witness that we are Learned So Sanctity is an evidencing witness that we are the children of God Holiness to the Lord is his Mark And he that nameth the name of Christ departing from iniquity hath Gods Impres Yet there are other subsequent parts of the Spirits witness that is 1. Causing us to exercise 2. And to know the Grace that he hath given us 3. And exciting in us a joyful perception of it LXXI Hereby they destroy the assurance and comfort of most if not almost all true Christians in the world because they have not that inspiration or certain inward word of assurance that they are Elect and Justified I have known very few that said they had it And of those few some fell to Debauchery and some to doubting And though Prophetical Inspiration prove it self to them that have it it s not possible for others to know but that a counterfeit Fanatick conceit may be it LXXII Hereby the Ungodly are dangerously tempted to damning presumption and security while if they do but confidently believe that they are Elect and Justified they are quieted in sin LXXIV Dr. Crispe copiously maintâ—ineth that a Man cannot be sure that he is Justified either by Sâ—â—cerity or Vâ—iversal Obedience or love to the Goâ—ly or any such Grace To the dishonour of Holiness the contradiction of Scripture and the ovâ—â—throw of the comfort of Believers LXXV They tell us that we must not fix sâ—t times for Prayer or other Worship but stay till Gods Spirit move us or tell us when to Pray As if God were not the God of Order but of Confusion and did not move us as reasonable creatures by a rational guidance of us They would be loth to follow their crooked Rule in commoâ— things and to keep no set-times for their Trading Labours
and the greatest sinner in all the World and yet sinned not himself IV. They deny Gâ—d dwelling in us as Love and Christ living in us by his Spirit by feigning us to be never the better for his Grace and inward Operations as to any furtherance of our Salvation as if the Life of Christ within us were not saving V. They deny the great Ends and use of a Saviâ—ur to save us from Sin as a means to save us from Hell and as the means of our Glorification and as a Prophet by his Doctrine and Example to teach us how to seek and obtain the purchased Salvation VI. They deny the Holy Ghost by denying that his Sanctifying Work and Grace must be esteemed and used as a furtherance of our Salvation Because Christ hath saved us by himself already VII They dâ—ny the Gospel while they deny it to be the Law or Doâ—ation of God which as an Act of Oblivion is his Instrument of our Justification and Pardon our Title to life for Titulus est fundamentum juris And as the Instrument of our virtual Justification VIII They do as Anti-christians deny Christ's Prophetical Offiâ—e by which by Doctrine and Example he teacâ—eth us what wâ— must do to be saved And his Kingly Office by which hâ— maketh Laws to Rule us or to Juâ—ge us by as the imposed term of Life and Death IX They deny the Law of Innocency and forge another of their own instead of it which nameth Christ as instead of us X. They hold all the Elect Lawless and so no Subjects of Christ while they say they are under no Law XI Hereby they deny God and Christ's Government by Law XII They have no humiliation for sin and say they have no sin for since Christ's death it is none of theirs XIII They hold that there is no such thing as sin in the World of the Elect because Christ took it from them before they were born or had it and he hath none now in Heaven XIV They deny all Justification by Faith and say that it is not by Faith but by the Object of Faith only XV. They make Christ no true Mediator but such a surety as was a party in the Bond with us aâ—d suffered for his own sin and was condemned by that Law of Innocency for us XVI They deny Justifying Faith it sâ—lf while instead of it they feign a meer belief that we are Justified XVII They harden ungodly men in their damning presumption oâ—trudiâ—g on them a belief that they are Elect and Justified tho' unâ—odly and telling thâ—m that this is coming out of themselves to Christ and that they cannot believe this too soon and that Christ hath Repented Believed and been Holy for them XVIII They diâ—ectly fight against all mens Salvation by telling them that they ought to do no Duty inward or outward as a means of their Salvation lest it be against Christ and Free Grace which saveth them And that nothing that they do can do them any good nor any sin possibly can do them any hurt because they are already perfect and saved only by Christ XIX They expose Christianity to the scorn of Infidels by telling men that it consisteth in that which every novice in Lâ—gick or Reasoning knoweth to be impossible that one mans Sins and one mans Righteousness should be made anothers Not only so far as that others partake of the Effects Christ of our sins in sufferings and we of the benefits of his Righteousness which we all maintain but that the thing it self is essentially thus transferred And so the Accidents do transire a Subjecto in Subjectum And whereas Sin and Righteousness are Accidents in the three predicaments of Habit or Privation Acts and Relation they feign the Habits Acts and Relation of â—â—â—us deformity of all the Elect to become in themselves the Habits Acts and Râ—latiâ—ns of Christ And the Habits Acts and Relations of perfect Rigâ—teousness in Christ to becomâ— essâ—ntiâ—lly the very Haâ—its Acts and Relatiâ—â—s of every Person Elect. XX. They do like the Papists that hold Transubstâ—ntiâ—tion teach mâ—n to reâ—ounce â— mâ—â—â—â— sâ—â—â—â— and reason in believing that no pain or lâ—ss oâ— Gracâ— is a punishment tâ—â— ' but castigatory tâ— the Elect bâ—cause all punishâ—ent is suffered by Christ As if Câ—rists threâ—tning whâ—m I love I râ—â—â—â—e and chasten were a denying â—f himself XXI Tâ—â—y deny the very essentiâ—l principle of sâ—lf-â—â—â—e wâ—ile tâ—â—y tâ—â—â—h men to do nâ—thing for their Salvatiâ—â— XXII They coâ—sâ—queâ—tly teach men to dâ— nothing for tâ—eir Livâ—s Hâ—alth or any Corporal good to Pioâ— â—r Soâ— or Labâ—ur For if they must do nothing for tâ—â— goâ—d 〈◊〉 the Soul much less of the Body Foâ— Câ—rist is sufficiâ—nt fâ—r bâ—th XXIII Tâ—ey heâ—eby destâ—oy all Preaching and all 〈◊〉 to â—â—hers For we must love others but as â—â—r sâ—lves and if we may do nothing as for our oâ—n â—ood thâ—n not for any othâ—rs XXIV They read in Scriâ—ture aâ—ove Six Hundred Tâ—xts that speaks of Iâ—herent and Acted Personal Riâ—â—tâ—ousnâ—â—â— jâ—yned with the prâ—mises of life and Gâ—ds accâ—ptance and threatnings to thâ—m that have it â—â—t And yet they by putid Contradictioâ— say It is a Rigâ—teousness that maketh no man Righteâ—us tâ—â— ' â—ut in tantum subordinate to the meâ—â—â—â—â—â—us perfâ—ct Righteousâ—â—ss of Christ And that we are Jâ—â—tified never the mâ—re for it than if we had it not And so it is as Learning that makes not Learnâ—d or liâ—eness that maketh not like c. That is It is Righteousâ—ess and no Righteousness XXV Tâ—ey make the Baptismal Covenant and the Lords Supper to be no Covenanting or to have no Condition And yet their own church-Church-Covenants have Conditions and are of Works XXVI They deny all the Scripture-promises of reward XXVII They deny and reproach Heaven it self a great part whereof is in the perfection of Holiness while they make Holiness here and the Exercise of it to do us no good or save us XXVIII By all this they would make 1. The Concord of Christians impossible as if they must agree in all this Errour 2. They harden Papists in contempt and scorn of Protestants And 3. They notoriously militate for the Kingdom of Satan And now tell me whether there were ever damnable Hereticks in the World if these be none Reconcil Many that hold some of the forementioned Errours yet hold not all the rest All speak not so grosly as some do Therefore lay your charge but where it is due And all are not properly Hereticks that hold the same Errour that Hereticks do If all Errour were Herefy all men were Hereticks Ortho. But he is a Heretick who subverteth the Fundamentals Reconcil If he do it directly and knowingly he is an Infidel For he is not to be called a Christian or a Believer who denyeth any thing Essential to Christianity But you must distinguish between 1. Denying the Words and denying the Thing signified by them 2. Between denying Directly and denying by Consequence 1.
a Sectary that he was the greatest Patriarch and so deadly an Enemy to the tolerating of men called Hereticks that he began with urging the Emperour to prosecute them and was justly so used for his Violence as a Heretick himself And being banished set up so great a Party in Syria and other Countries to this day called Nestorians as continue the abhorrence of the Council of Calcâ—don and Ephesus and the Church of Rome and the great Divisions of the Christian Church Would the tolerating of the accused Phrase have done so much Hurt as this And did the Bishops and Councils that condemned his Adversaries Eutiches and Dioscorus and banished him that was the second Patriarch of the East do less hurt to the Church than it would have done to have patiently instructed them in what sence Christ's Nature remained Two and to have granted that in other sence and respeâ—t they might be called One as agreeing and united When now the Eutychian Jacobites by Dioscoruâ— Banishment fill the vast Country of Aâ—aâ—sia and many other Countries in Divisions from other Churches and Opposition to the Council of Calcâ—dâ—n And did the Monothelites do so much harm by saying that Christ might be said to have but One Will and Oâ—eration by Concord called One as all the Councils and Bishops did by their condemning and prosecuting them till the Imperial Churches were by it broken all to pieces And did the three Words in the Writings of Theodorâ—t Ibâ—â— and Theodore Mopsuest do so much hurt as the Councils that condemned these Triâ— Capitula did by woful Divisions Or did they that Justinian called Corrupticolae do more hurt than he did by murdering thousands and wasting Aegypâ— and other Countries by his blind Zeal against Hereticks Surely there is no Comparison in the hurt Epiphaâ—ius himself recordeth how much hurt Hereticating Heat did against Audius and others called Hereticks And Luciâ—er Calaritanus was made a Heretick for his inordinate Zeal against the Arrians themselves And I think few now doubt but the blind Zeal of Epiphanius himself and of Cyril Alexand and the Council that condemned Chrysostom as if he were not hot enough against Origin did a great deal more harm than good And that Atticus and Prâ—clus by their Indulgence to the Joanites were fain to heal the Wounds that those mens Heats had made And more than Socrates and Zozomene tell us that the said Atticus and Proclus did the Church more Service against the Novatians by Gentleness and Liberty than their Predecessors ever did by their zealous Fierceness The Church hath suffered much by Sects and Heresie but I think much more by the ignorant Tyranical Attempts of suppressing them and of such as are falsly accused of them Ortho. But the Errours of former Times must not stop our Zeal against Errour nor reconcile us to Heresie Reconcil But why do we not enquire how far even the godly Orthodox-Ministers in these times also have been guilty of occasioning that which they justly reprehend I have seldom observed any Heresie or Errour to rise up but what the Orthodox were a culpable Cause of The Chief Rise of Anabaptisty hath been by our most vile Abuâ—e of Infant-Baptism 1. Receiving all Infants of Atheists and Infidels 2. And that on an unproved Title and on the perfidious Vows and Sponsions of God-fathers and God-mothers that never owned them nor intended to perform their Vows 3. And forceing Ministers to baptise them against their Judgments 4. And worst of all instead of causing them at age solemnly to renew their Christian Covenants cheating thousands of ignorant Souls with a Ceremony called Confirmation So have the Separatists risen from the Corruptions of the Clergy and Church and their wicked Lives and Tyrannical Impositions and Persecutions And so have these Antinomians risen first From the Papists False Doctrines about their Good Works and next From many godly Protestants seldom and unskilful opening the Mystery of Redemption and Grace and preaching almost all for Humiliation and too little of the wonderful Love of God revealed in Jesus Christ till Dr. Sibbes and such others led them into another strein And thirdly by their unskilful Managing the Doctrine and Contâ—oversies of Justification till the Breme and French Divines abroad and Davâ—nant Ant. Wotton Bradshaw Gataker and such others at home taught them to speak more distinctly and solidly which Le Blanck hath done above all before him And they that by Unskilfulness have occasioned other mens Extreams should not be over-rigorous against them Enquire into the Temper and Lives of most of this sort of men among us of late even Dr. Crispe Lancaster Town Walter Cradok Saltmarsh Den Hobson and such other and you will find that though they had their Temerities and Blemishes they were in the main Men far from wicked and prophane Lives much more Mr. Walker Mr. Roborough Mr. Craudon Mr. Eyir blind Mr. Troughlar Dr. Tully and such other that came too near them I will now instance more largely in one who in the Fervour of his Zeal Preach'd at Pinners-Hall-Lecture and after printed a zealous ignorant Sermon against such of us as judge not as confusedly and erroneously as himself when I had avoided Preaching on any such Subject and Printing what I had long before written on it lest I should revive the Strife and yet he is known to be a worthy vertuous Man I will give you yet another Proof that such may be serious godly Men who Preach a Doctrine quoad Verba Heretical or Anti-evangelical The Renovation of an unsanctified Soul requireth a Change so great on all our Faculties as must turn a meer natural man into a spiritual and give a man a new End new Principles and a new Heart and Life and this by Divine transforming Influence But to cure one of these Erroneous Men there needs not so a great Renovation but only the better informing of an ignorant mans Judgment that was carryed away by Education Prejudice the Veneration of his chief Teachers and the weakness of his own dull undistinguishing Mind yea perhaps the Cure of his Ignorance in Grammar or Logick in some one word may make him Orthodox Could you but get out Prejudice and Ignorance so far as to teach these men but Two or Three Distinctions in all likelihood it would cure them E.G. 1. To distinguish between a Surety antecedent and subsequent 2. To distinguish between the Righteousness of Christ given or imputed to us in se it self one mans Accidents made anothers and his Righteousness given us in its Effects and Benefits reputed the sole meritorious Cause 3. Between Justification by Efficiency principal and instrumental and justifying us constitutively as Matter and Form justifying by Grant in Law or by Evidence or by Witness or by an Advocate Defence or by Judicial decisive Sentence or executely and these as supposing actual or legal Accusations 4. Between the Law or Covenant of Innocency with Adam the Mediatorial Law or Covenant to Christ the Common Law of