of Christ. I have already instanced that I denied any Grace or Work to be any Cause at all 9th Head also that Christ's Righteousness is the sole meritorious Cause or Matter of our Justification which is imputed to us 4 5 6 Heads and that our Works follow Faith and Pardon and neither Faith nor Works are any Price Atonement or moving or procuring Cause 6 11 Heads and elsewhere yea and that we are to renounce a Thought of this Do I then oppose Christ or compare any Holiness with him I shall add Cap. 19. p. 198. I own we should esteem the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions to be Dung if compared with Christ as meritorious of Justification And p. 202. Who must not own that compared with Christ the best thing in us is vile yea compared with his Righteousness And p. 210. We must teach the best man to renounce all the Grace he hath and Good he doth as it being the least atonement for Sin or least purchase of Life or any addition of Merit to Christ or sharing in what is peculiar to him And Cap. 21. p. 225. I condemn any that preach that our best Obedience doth not deserve Wrath by the Law or that it doth not need Forgiveness or is any Supplement of Christ's Righteousness yea or to neglect to call men to renounce all in themselves as any atonement for Sin or cause of Pardon and that we must look to Christ as the only Propitiation Purchaser of all our Blessings and Cause of the acceptance of our Persons and Performances Reader I have given thee a few of those many places Having finish'd this first point propos'd I will appeal to thy Conscience whether I can with any shadow of Justice be charged with those Principles which this Brother fixeth upon me I hope he did not wilfully expose me in the face of such Evidence The words in my Preface lead not to the least suspicion yea are positive to the contrary and therefore how he saith this is my sence when I must not only equivocate but grosly contradict my self and that in places where I state the Question must encrease the Wonder Neither is there the least pretence except that I assert that though Pardon and Salvation are all Free Gifts and the Merits of Christ are imputed as the sole meritorious Cause of all yet God as our Ruler hath appointed a Method in the Gospel for the dispensing of them and doth confer them in that Method and ordains a Gospel-Ministry in a consistency therewith and in a subserviency thereto This Scheme any man may see in my very Preface and morethrough the whole Book 2. I shall attempt if possible to make my sence intelligible to the most vulgar Apprehension to this end I premise 1. God may be considered in his Dispensations towards fallen men as a meer Proprietor and Benefactor and not as Rector or Ruler and so men must be considered meerly as Creature-Objects of his Benefits and not at all as rational Subjects to be now governed and hereafter judged If you look at God thus absolutely conferring Benefits then the way is this He eternally elects to Glory a certain number of men whom he sore saw undone by Adam's Fall he appoints his Son to undertake their recovery as the sole covenanting Party with him in the Covenant of Redemption he was to satisfie Justice merit Glory and make them physically meet for it This is all true and sometimes prophetically declared thus and the event as to the Elect is as certain as if God dealt no otherwise with Man on this side Death But if this be the whole Method of GOD with Men as some account it how much of the Bible is unintelligible and vain how much is contradicted and a great part of God's manifold Wisdom obscured and denied which shines forth in his present Paternal Dominion as Redeemer 2. God may be considered as a Ruler Proprietor and Benefactor conjunctly We may look at him as communicating his Benefits in a way of Government and that in many things not exclusive of his absolute Propriety That this is his Method I have proved in my Book Cap. 8 13 20. and other Chapters and may hereafter more confirm it Herein God connects Benefits with Duties offers Pardon and Glory upon Terms deals with Men as Subjects whom he now governs and will hereafter judge without respect of Persons and to that end hath set down his Rules by which he now sentenceâ—…h by the Word and will at the great day do it by the Person of Christ all which suppose Christ's Merits and the Ability to obey and Benefits given for his sake alone It 's true he discovers his absolute Propriety in not giving the same Means or the same internal Grace to all which will no doubt fully appear to be equal He doth also discover himself peculiarly beneficent to his Elect for whom Christ merited all and infallibly brings about his purpose concerning them by making them obedient to the Conditions of whatever saving Benefits his Gospel promiseth upon Conditions But yet he dispenseth the promised Benefits as a just Rector or Ruler according to the Offers made to all Pursuant hereto our Ministry is appointed to propose Blessings to all in the same way and upon the same Terms and to assure all that upon those Terms and no other they shall obtain those Benefits for the sake of Christ. Can any think we dare make the same Offers to the Devils as to every man or to the Damned as we can to all men alive Dare we say to them after Death If you will now believe you shall yet be saved turn now and you shall yet live On the other hand dare we say to an Elect Unbeliever if we knew him Elect thou shalt be forgiven though thou dost not believe thy Unbelief is no Bar to thy Salvation by any Threatning of God declared against thee Is Sentence past on all men in Adam or on the Elect in Christ's Person that God deals with neither in a way of Government as in any state of Trial for Eternity There 's an end of that Preaching which God hath fitted and most blessed to the conversion of Souls if this be true Mr. Chancy's Father in Doct. of Iustific p. 117. Mind you your Duty God hath ordained the End with the Means and therefore though it were revealed to thee from Heaven that thou shalt certainly be saved yet I might truly say to thee except thou believe and repent thou shalt perish c. The Offer of Christ in the Gospel this shews what he would have us to do even to repent and believe Mr. Norton Orth. Evang. shews They might say to a Judas If thou believe thou shalt be saved and to a John If thou believe not thou shalt be damned p. 89 90. Having premised these things I shall familiarly deliver my real Thoughts as to what men ignorantly accuse me of and pitch upon Forgiveness of
disswade me from a Reply assuring me it was at best needless with their Advice I had complied but that I find the Ignorant believe his Misrepresentation of my Principle It 's amazing what Eye they read with if they read at all What 's become of Truth or Ingenuity that Professors dare affix these Doctrines to me which I a thousand times disown and never can ascribe any Passages to ground them on but are still forced to cry This is your meaning against my plain words and entire Scheme as thou wilt see in this Reply Mr. C. saith I juggle and equivocate when I declare I still speak my mind and must be the most inconsistent Fool if it were not so But what should induce me to juggle or equivocate I value not the Purses of any and in God's Cause I fear not the Abilities of the whole Party yea by more of God's presence I shall be reconciled to their fiery and clamorous Tongues which is their only formidable strength tho' the liberty they take doth not evidence a good Cause or a Christian Spirit They give out that I oft meet with Noblemen about a great Affair when I never spake with one of these Noblemen nor ever was once in any Meeting about that matter They assert Mr. How said he had not put his Hand to my Book but that I assured him Mr. M. would do the same when Mr. H affirms he never said any such thing but that after he had signed he desired me to ask Mr. M's Hand Others say that Hands were affixt without their leave which is too gross to reply to Nay they turn the effects of my sinking Distempers to my reproach the worst I wish them is Forgiveness and more Charity and Wisdom Obj. They say some of the first Subscribers did not read the whole Book A. The whole substance of the Book is in the Truths and Errors which they did peruse Obj. Do not some of the Subscribers recant A. Tho' they have been abused yet the only one that to me seem'd willing that his Name had been left out and that only because of the noise I offer'd to publish that he desir'd it but he hath forborn any such desire Two of these Authors pretend to great Piety in their Party above others the Lord encrease it in all but I am perswaded they call many Serious ones of their Party who live under the power of the contrary Truth and understand not the Errors of those for whose persons they may have regard There be a far greater number of humble meek heavenly Christians that abhor these Errors which they observe to alter much the Christian Calm and tender Frame of such that I hope are upright in the Substance And I heartily desire all of us would lay these Texts to Heart 1 Cor. 13. Though I have all Faith and have not Charity I am nothing Iam. 1. 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart that man's Religion is vain Iam. 3. 13 to 18. But the Wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated And it 's evident notwithstanding what Mr. C. saith of Passions p. 12. that a holy Fear with a siducial Consent to Christ tâ—…ds more to make a man's state safe and his walk exact than sudden Confidence or easie Perswasions It 's true Assurance should be endeavoured in our working out our Salvation with trembling and with fear yet Mr. Sedgwick was a man I 'll believe before Mr. C. or the Letter and he saith In my Conscience this is the general Opinion of ungodly men they hear Christ died to take away Sin and to make Peace for Sinners and therefore they will take no thought after Christ but will live basely and boldly in their sinful ways c. but Christ never yet made such a Reconciliation that all Sinners whatsoever though they live in Unbelief and Impenitency shall share in it but only penitent Sinners and believing Sinners S. of Cov. p. 258. I shall represent the true state of the points in debate that if any men will engage me to Edification and with Truth they may be directed The Controversie with Dr. C. my Book doth it so plainly that I hope all may see it there but the present Specimen more especially shall refer to Mr. C. who differs from many that help the noise though they will not see it 1. It is not whether a certain number of Sinners are of Free Grace elected to Faith and Iustification which I affirm but whether the Elect are required by the Gospel to believe that they may be justified which Mr. C. denies and I affirm 2. It is not whether the Gospel be such a Law as that Acts of Obedience to it stand in the place of legal Works so as that for them we are saved which I deny but whether the Gospel doth assure Salvation for Christ's Merits to such as obey it and threaten an exclusion from this Salvation against all such as disobey it This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 3. It is not whether we are justified by our Faith or any Act of ours as if they as Works or Qualifications were a jot of that Righteousness for which or by which we are justified this I deny but whether God hath fixed this as the Revealed Gospel-Rule that a man must be a penitent Believer whom God will justifie for Christ's Righteousness This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 4. It is not whether the Faith and Forgiveness of the Elect be the Fruits of Election and Distinguishing Mercy which I affirm but whether God hath a revealed Rule by which as Paternal Ruler he gives Pardon and Glory to Believers for Christ's sake and judicially withholds them from others whom he condemns not for their being unelected but for their final Impenitency and Unbelief This Mr. C. denies and I affirm To other of his Citations under his Third Principle add this p. 32. If you understand Judicial in respect of any Duty Grace or Qualification found in us tho' wrought by the Spirit I abhor it 5. It is not whether we are immediately justified upon believing before any Works which follow the first Act of Saving Faith this I affirm but whether if Faith should be ineffectual to Acts of sincere Holiness and to prevent Apostacy and utter Ungodliness would we be subject to Condemnation by the Gospel-Rule This Mr. C. denies and I affirm 6. It is not whether Holiness or Good Works are necessary to Salvation this they and I affirm but whether God doth require them as indispensible means of obtaining the possession of Salvation through Christ and declares that the total want of them and much more their Contraries shall expose to Misery This Mr. C. must deny and the Necessity they speak of is only a Physical Necessity not a moral Note 〈◊〉 two last Questions refer to the Adult that have time 7. It is not
a purchasing Price or meritorious of the Benefits promised on such Conditions This I deny for Christ alone paid the Price and it 's the Covenant-Promise gives an Interest in the Benefits to such as perform the Conditions Cap. 8. p. 53 54. When I had shewn how all Satisfaction c. were provided and adjusted in the Covenant of Redemption I declare that by the Covenant of Grace I mean the way that God hath ordained to apply to Sinners that Salvation which is prepared by Christ and which he will enable the Elect to comply with Same Pag. I affirm the Conditions do not merit the Blessings promised P. 55. I affirm it 's from God's Will in the Promise that they are made to be Conditions he connected the Benefit and the Duty though he chose Conditions that were fit yet their fitness would not have availed to our Interest in the Benefits unless he had promised they should so avail c. And the Covenant though conditional is a disposition of Grace There 's Grace in giving Ability to perform the Conditions as well as in bestowing the Benefits God's enjoyning one in order to the other makes not the Benefit to be less of Grace but it is a Display of God's Wisdom in conferring the Benefit suitably to the nature and state of Man in this Life c. P. 45. Our Pardon and Acceptance is firm and lasting and will no more fail us than the Righteousness of Christ will fail it being the meritorious Cause and Security thereof and the Benefits can abate to none who answers the Gospel-rule of its Application P. 57. These Conditions make us capable of no Happiness but what Christ hath bought and prepared for us c. P. 58. The Use and Interest of Gospel-Conditions is not from the conformity of them to the preceptive part of the Law though in a degree there be that but from their conformity to the Rule of the Grace of the Promise the promise of Pardon through Christ being to the penitent Believers and no other Repentance and Faith become necessary and useful Conditions of this Pardon by the order of God in that gracious Promise but by the Covenant of Works the meer Work gave an Interest in the Reward as it was obedience to the Precept by a Sanction that had Goodness but no such Grace in it See p. 61 225. I deny that Faith c. are in the same place as Works were under the Law How many more places could I cite but I shall refer thee to what follows as to the point of Merit See p. 225 247. VI. Mr. C. p. 30 31. He looks whether or no we have fully performed the Conditions and upon finding them he judicially gives the Promise i. e. in away of Reward to the Works performed Whether they be perfect or imperfect it 's no matter the Reward is of Debt and not of Grace c. And what can this be but a declared Iudgment that he is de congruo deserving Pardon and I think ex condigno too before he is pardoned c. Repl. The scope of these and the like Passages is to render me one that thinks that Faith or other Graces did merit the pardon of our Sins which is contrary to my declared Judgment as may be seen in what I have above cited and in these following Passages Cap. 12. p 102 103. Tho Faith be no way a meritorious Cause of a Sinner's Justification c. Note 1. There is a Righteousness for which a man is justified that is only Christ's Righteousness this is the Foundation of the Promise and the Merit of the Blessing promised Nothing can add to it or mingle with it it 's sufficient and alone sufficient to satisfie Justice atone for Guilt and merit Acceptance and Eternal Life 2. There is to be considered what the condition of the person is whom this Mercy is promised to he is one that hath this True Grace of Faith c. Christ's Righteousness shall not be imputed to this use unless we believe c. and this Faith being a conformity to the Rule of the Promise some call it a subordinate Righteousness not meaning any Righteousness for which a man is forgiven for it is Christ's Righteousness alone for which God justifies us But it 's our answering the Rule by which Christ applieth his Righteousness for our remission and a Right to Life and his Promise is the ground of our Title P. 104. I deny that Faith or any Grace be a jot of the meriting Righteousness for which we are justified I deny that Faith or any other Grace add anything to the value of Christ's Merits Yea I add That if Christ's Righteousness could be applied for Pardon to the vilest Sinner before he believes it would justifie him but God hath declared it shall not be applied to Unbelievers P. 120. Neither Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works are in the least the meritorious Righteousness whereby Salvation is caused or for which this or any Blessing becomes due to us as of Debt c. but He appoints these as the Way and Means of a Believer's obtaining Salvation c. P. 125. I deny that any Holiness internal or external any Obedience work or Duty do at all merit the Promise or is the meritorious Cause or Righteousness for which any promised Mercy is bestowed And I own that all is of Gift tho' given in an order suitable to our condition as Subjects in a state of Trial. P. 137. Nothing of these merit Heaven but he that merited Heaven hath peremptorily appointed these to bring us thither P. 155. We ought to renounce every Thought of purchasing from God any Benefit for what we do P. 210. We must teach the best man to renounce all the Grace he hath and Good he performs as if being the least atonement for Sin or least purchase of Life or any addition of Merit to a Christ or sharing in what is peculiar to him P. 225. I condemn it as Legal to preach that our Faith Holiness or Good Works stand in the same place now as perfect Obedience did under the Law viz. to render the Reward to be of Debt or be the meritorious Righteousness for which we are justified P. 244. I do renounce all that Saints have or do as any atonement for Sin or purchasing Price of the least Benefit much less Salvation Judge Reader if I can say more to exclude all Opinion of Merit VII Mr. C. p. 31. you do here not a little insinuate what I know lies in your Breast That there is no specifick difference between Grace and meer moral Endowments And it appears so upon all your Hypotheses for you declare there ought to be such and such Qualifications to entitle a man to the Promise of Grace or Grace in the Promise before he hath the Promise The same p. 32. Repl. Here I am charged 1. as if I thought there were no specifick difference between Saving Grace and meer Moral
Endowments I suppose by Moral Endowments he 〈◊〉 such as the unconverted have to which I answer There is a moral specifick difference the one is Saving the other is not the one is from the effectual Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul is truly regenerated the other is not And this difference thou wilt see me own as far as I had occasion 2. I am charged as that I hold there must be Qualifications in a Sinner to entitle him to the first Grace or to the Promise of it But as there is not a tittle leading to either in the words he cites so I pray weigh the places under each Head 1. There is a specifick difference between Grace and meer moral Endowments P. 224. I condemn it as legal to press men to Faith and Repentance and other Duties as if to be performed in our strength without the Grace of Christ and influences of the Spirit P. 57. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Christ freely given to Sinners Cap. 11. p. 90. Every man is without Christ till he be effectually called but when by this Call the Spirit of God enclineth and enableth him willingly to accept of Christ as a Head and Saviour a man becomes partaker of those Influences and Priviledges which are peculiar to the Members of the Lord Jesus Cap. 11. p. 92. I affirm that Christ's giving us the Spirit of Grace doth begin this Union and the Spirit given in order to Saving Operations produceth this Faith whereby the Union is consummated P. 83. I affirm There may be Knowledge Assent Humblings c. and yet a Soul fail of an interest in Christ for want of true Conversion 2. See how positive I am that there are no Qualifications to entitle a man to the First Grace or the Promise of it Tho' I wonder that he makes no difference between the Promise of Grace which is absolute and Promises to Grace which are conditional Cap. 10. p. 83. I affirm The worst Sinners are often the Objects of God's effectual Calling in order to an Interest in Christ. Cap. 8. p. 61. I affirm the First Grace is absolutely given though dispensed ordinarily in the due use of Means P. 66 The Gospel or Covenant tells us that there is a Promise of the First Grace made to Christ for the Elect and by vertue of that Promise the Elect do consent to the Covenant and this Gospel or Covenant is the Means whereby that Faith is wrought VIII Mr. C. It is this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest pick at Repl. Reader weigh my plain words Cap. 7. p. 37. The Mediatorial Righteousness of Christ is so imputed to true Believers as that for the sake thereof they are pardoned and accepted unto Life-eternal it being reckoned to them and pleadable by them for these uses as if they had personally done and suffer'd what Christ did as Mediator for them whereby they are deliver'd from the Curse and no other atonement nor meriting price of Saving Benefits can be demanded from them P. 39. I affirm That besides these Effects viz. all the saving Effects of Christ's Death being made ours the very Righteousness of Christ is imputed to true Believers as what was always undertaken and designed for their Salvation and is now effectual to their actual Pardon and acceptance to Life yea is pleadable by them as their Security and is as useful to their Happiness as if themselves had done and suffer'd what Christ did And a few lines before I affirm That Christ's Sufferings and Obedience were so in our stead that God cannot exact from us any other atonement for Sin or price of any Gospel-Blessings P. 43. Had not Christ suffer'd for us we could not be absolved for the sake of his Obedience and Sufferings The like may be seen p. â—…47 Reader I would inform thee that I can agree to any Expressions to note Christ a Representative Surety Head c. that are consistent with Pardon of Sin and our not being the persons in God's Account who suffer'd and obey'd But I think Forgiveness for the sake of what Christ did and suffer'd for us is what we must take comfort in and Christ suffer'd in the person of a Mediator IX Mr. C. p. 1. For the Doctrine of Iustification especially we are in a manner return'd to Aegypt that of Iustification by Works being brought into the room of Iustification by Faith Repl. Here and in many places I am arraigned as being for Justification by Works and not by Faith which must be to import 1. That I am for Works being joyned with Faith to our admission into a state of Justification 2. That Faith and other things do justifie us as the Righteousness for or by which we are justified As to the last review what is cited under the 3 4 5 6 misrepresented Principles and sure thou wilt see that it 's Christ's Righteousness and not ours which is that for and by which alone we are justified as the sole Merit The former then remaineth as a Charge as to which see if I do not positively assert that we are justified as soon as we truly believe Cap. 12. p. 104. I affirm that we are justified the same moment as we truly believe in Christ and the Blessing is not suspended for any time longer This I affirm because God justifies us by the Promise as his Instrument and this Promise declares that He will justifie him that believes It 's Christ truly believed on doth justifie us and a Christ so believed on cannot but justifie us P. 247. We say we are upon repenting and believing put into a justified State before any other Workâ—… Reader I did to prevent this mistake preface that Chap. 13 of the Necessity of Holiness and Good Works with these words P. 120. Note that whatever is spoken in this Chapter of any Act of Grace except penitent Believing refers not to the forgiveness of Sin or the Sinner's admission into a justified state the Benefits I here treat of are the not forfeiture of Pardon the possession of Heaven and particular Blessings as encrease of Peace Joy Returns of Prayer c. So p. 113. Obj. The only Pretence for this Charge must be That I make Repentance necessary to Forgiveness Ans. But 1. I expresly deny Repentance to be any part of the Righteousness for which we are forgiven It 's no Merit c. this thou mayest see in a hundred places in my Book some are cited in the 4 5 6 Heads 2. I deny it to be any cause of Forgiveness I say in p. 119. I own my self to be among them who deny Repentance of any Grace in Mâ—…n to be a Cause of Forgiveness â—… I deny that Justification is equally ascribed to Repentance as to Faith c. See p. 113. I deny Justification to be equally ascribed to Faith and Repentance for we are said to
be justified by it as a meer Condition I abhor the former and will through God's Grace dye by the latter In the first sence it 's only that for which I am justified in the last sence it 's only that upon which by God's Ordination the Righteousness of Christ justifies me As a Work it would make me just as an immediate Cause of Title but as a Condition it removes the Obstacle which God's Gospel-Threatning hath laid in the way of my obtaining his Gift of Righteousness upon Christ's account Hath God appointed Faith by his Command to be a federal Instrument to receive Christ's Righteousness I say no more so that Men will own Men shall be denied it without that Instrument But then must the Gospel be a Law of Works By no means tho' Mr. C. p. 30 31 33. thinks that whatever Law requires an Act of ours in order to Benefits for the sake of Christ is a Law of Works because I suppose the Action is a Work Is not receiving Christ an Action Ay but it justifies not as receiving but it 's Christ received justifieth I say the same but yet I ask Will Christ justifie me if I do not receive him A Christ he is and a full Righteousness he hath before I receive him yet I was unjustified notwithstanding that Why was I unjustified by his Righteousness so long Was it not because I received it not till I received it Well then sure though that Action of Receiving doth not justifie me yet that Action is by God's fixed Law necessary to my being justified by Christ's Righteousness not as it is an Action but as it answers to the Rule of the Promise whereby God enacts he will for Christ's sake justifie him that believes 6. The Apostle doth expresly tell us that the Gospel-Law is not a Law of Works Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boasting then Is it excluded By what Law Nay but by the Law of Faith Here 's two Laws opposed and yet both are Laws and one no Law of Works neither We are threatned with an Answer P. 33. though I know as much as he is like to tell me yet I am sure I have the best Expositors for this sence and doubt not the defence of it Yea though he should argue it is but the Doctrine of Faith yet if God be a Ruler that commands that Faith in order to my obtaining saving Benefits I despise all that can be said against its being a Law But it may be he 'l admit a Solution of his Objection from Mr. Bulkley of New England The putting of a Condition doth not hinder or lessen the Free Grace of the Covenant so long as the Condition is Evangelical and not Legal And p. 328 329 330. he answers the Objection against the Gospel being a new Law and saith Tho' Christ be not a Law-giver to give a Law of Works to justifie our selves by it yet He is a Law-giver to give us a Law of Faith commanding us to believe c. p. 333 334. when it is said Do this and live Here the Promise of Life is legal because the Commandment of Doing is legal On the other side when it is said Believe and live here the Promise of Life is Evangelical because the Commandment of Believing is Evangelical but if we make the Commandment of Believing to be legal then the promise of Life upon Condition of believing must be legal also and then there is no difference left between these two Do and live and Believe and live which confounds Law and Gospel Heaven and Earth and makes the two Covenants all one See Mr. Ball The Covenant which was made of Free Love and calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from and shall be rewarded of meer Grace is a Covenant of Grace though it be conditional So the pardon of Sin is given of Grace and not for Works though the Pardon be granted to the Penitent and Faith on our part a lively unfeigned and working Faith be required to receive the Promise Obj. III. Mr. C. p. 2â—… Moreover all the preceptive Will of God then or afterward to be revealed was enjoyned to Man as his Duty to observe in the Law of Nature imprinted on his Heart As for Faith it was an eminent part of his Perfection and that which the Serpent first wounded him in by Temptation c. P. 22. I tell you the Gospel hath no Law-Sanction at all of its own but it only establisheth the Sanction of the Law by way of promise to all saved ones Christ is the end of the Law to them and as to those that are not saved the Law takes its course of them they came not under the efficacy of the Gospel at all Repl. The Argument of these words is that all the Precepts and Threats in the Gospel are part of the Law of Nature given to Adam and that Law of Adam is the only Law and therefore Faith in Christ which Sinners are called to is only the Voice of the Law of Works or Innocency and the whole Sanction of the Gospel is the Sanction of that Law and hence the Gospel must be no Law I might shew what a gross sence he gives of Christ being the end of the Law and that his words lead us to think that all Obligation except from Gratitude to Obedience lies on Christ only and not on the Elect that the Gospel hath no influence at all upon them that are not actually saved that the Gospel is only an absolute Promise or rather a Declaration of Election to the Elect and requires nothing at all from them as a term of any Benefit whatever and yet they are saved as Elect by the Law as immediately entituling them to Life without the interposal of the Gospel-Sanction that is the Gospel doth not only invest them in Pardon and a Right to Salvation by God's imputing Christ's Righteousness to them when Believers which was a perfect Obedience of his to the Law and a full Satisfaction to the Law-giver for them as their voluntary Surety Which I hold but that the Law immediately judgeth them to have obeyed it perfectly and also to have endured the Penalty in Christ he being their Proxy and Attorney This is the Method these men espouse whereby they destroy Christ's Sufferings as a proper Satisfaction exclude all Forgiveness as needless They debase Christ to an Attorney and exalt the Creatures as if they stood on the strictest Terms of Merit with God having legal Innocence of their own as having obeyed and atoned too Yea they had a Grant of all the Saving Effects of Christ's Death before they fell in Adam who was their Head even when Christ was their Head too for they were one legal Person wlth Christ alwaies as Elect and not when they become Believers And hence the Gospel doth require nothing of any elect persons to interest them in Christ or his Benefits But I pass by these and in opposition to the
that I forbear more Testimonies But why are Gospel-Threatnings a Bull No doubt because the Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings And indeed is it bad news that Sinners shall be saved if they repent and believe and many shall believe Will nothing be glad tidings but that they shall be saved tho' they neither repent nor believe This indeed was a Message unfit for God to send and tho' Mr. C. calls it a Bull Christ hath solemnly declared as the Lord of the N. Testament that they who believe not the Wrath of God abideth in them This cannot be a Threatning of Adam's Law for those Threatnings respected every Sin It is true the Unbeliever is damned for other Sins by rejecting Christ but what makes those Sins damning to him in the event notwithstanding the Offers of Life Is it every Sin will do this Will a vain Thought exclude a man from Pardon as much and as surely as final Unbelief Surely no But yet the Threatning of Adam's Law denounced Death against any Sin as much and as certainly as against final Infidelity and so did not appropriate Death to Infidelity as the Gospel-Threatning doth Besides is it an abiding of Wrath on us which Adam's Law threatned No it was the first bringing of Wrath on them that were free before III. TESTIMONIES that God hath declared a fixed Rule by which He pardons adopts and glorifies Sinners which Rule is his Gospel and not his Secret Decree To prevent mistake know that I speak not of the first Grace which He gives to all the Elect but I speak of Pardon and Glory which he hath promised upon Terms and judicially denies to them that refuse Christ. They put this Q. How is the Grace of God c A. The Grace of God is manifested in the second Covenant in that He freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him and requiring Faith as the Condition to interest them in him c. Here thou feest Faith is a Condition and a Condition required and this required to interest us in Christ No Interest but in conforming to this Rule that requires Faith to this end He De Christo grâ—…tis justificante p. 244. Conditio vero c. The Condition whereby we are properly justified is this That we believe in Christ and cleave to him by a constant profession c. P. 251 252. I ask When Salvation is promised freely for Christ's sake will the absolute Promise save all men promisâ—…uously for the sake of Christ without the limit of any Condition I think no such thing Go on then When this Promise belongs but to some and that only upon a certain Condition who then are those on whom this Promise properly falls Thou must say the Believer c. P. 297. Q. What Sinners are justified by Christ A. Those who enclined by a serious remorse bewail their Sins and displeased at themselves do recollect themselves with their whole Soul and are converted to Christ with an entire Faith these are the only Sinners whom Faith without Works doth justifie And p 311. Repentance prepares the Matter to receive Justification but the cause of Justification is Faith Consult these Canons of the Synod of Dort p. 289. The Promise of the Gospel is that whoever believeth on Christ crucified shall not perish but have everlasting Life which Promise with the Command of Faith and Repentance ought to be declared and proposed promiscuously and without distinction to all men to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel But the reason why many that are called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe on Christ but perish in their Unbelief is not truly any want or insufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice offer'd on the Croâ—…s but through their own fault And the Synod adds p. 302. Quotquot autem c. But as many as are called by the Gospel are seriously called for God doth seriously and most truly declare in his Word what is pleasing to him viz. That they that are called should come to him and unfeignedly promiseth Rest for their Souls and eternal Life to all that come and believe I have cited these to shew that God sets down this general common Rule to all in his Gospel It 's not one Rule to the Elect and another to the Non-elect it 's the same to all Would the Reprobate obey the Call of the Gospel he should have Eternal Life And the Elect do obey this Call and thereupon obtain Eternal Life I could give very many instances out of this Book where Faith is called the Condition P. 105 Salvation is the thing promised in the new Covenant neither is it promised but upon the Condition of Faith Seeing therefore that all men have not Faith in Christ under which alone Condition is Salvation promised it is certain that Christ's Death hath not purchased the Restauration to a state of Grace and Salvation for all men but only for Believers See p. 12. God willeth that the obtaining of Life should be suspended on condition of foregoing Faith P. 76 77. When the Gospel is preached to Men an Experiment is made how they will prove as to Faith and Obedience if they acquit themselves in these they receive the Blessing of Eternal Life from God And p. 14. There is no Interest in Christ or Christian Religion to be obtained without Repentance from dead Works See p. 12 13 14. The removal hereof viz. Enmity of our Minds by wicked Works consists in this Repentance for that is our turning unto God upon the Terms of Peace tender'd to us c. All Doctrines Notions and Perswasions that tend to alleviate the necessity of Personal Repentance c. are pernicious to the Souls of Men c. P. 15. It hath an absolute inconsistency with the especial Righteousness of His Nature Christ and which he exerciseth as supreme Rector and Judge of all that any such should stand in his sight c. and for the Lord Jesus it would plainly make him the Minister of Sin c. and the Gospel doth openly propose Pardon of all sorts of Sin to all sorts of persons that shall believe and obey it If the Gospel did this without annexing to its Promise the Condition of Repentance never was there nor can there be so great an Encouragement to all sorts of Sin and Wickedness He on Ps. 130. p. 141. And this Connexion of Repentance and Forgiveness is that Principle from whence God convinceth a stubborn unbelieving People that all his ways and dealings with Sinners are just Ezek. 18. 25. and should there be any failure in it they could not be so if out of love to Sin or the power of Unbelief he refuse to close with him on these Terms his Condemnation is just P. 136. After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance he would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his Hands He
have God for their own God which with him the vilest if Elect have their Sins can do them no hurt at all and in that regard there is no cause of fear from any of their Sins that ever they have committed Beloved I conceive this may seem harsh to some Spirits especially to such as misconceive the drift at which I aim which is not to encourage any one unto Sin but to ease the Consciences of the distressed I desire you to resolve with your selves this one thing and I beseech you kick not against the Truth There is not one sin nor all the sins together of any one Believer that can possibly do that Believer any hurt real hurt I mean and therefore he ought not to be afraid of them I will make it appear And goes on for five Pages to prove it Now Reader can this one line make all the rest safe There is no more said by him it 's in a Doctrinal way stated and not in a use to wounded Consciences He oft says it elsewhere without so much as this and he saith this to avoid the Odium not to guide his Discourse and it 's no other than if a man were proving a quarter of an hour â—…o a whole company very apt to drink poysoned Wine if this Poyson be drank it will do no harm to them that drink it but yet should once say I prove this all this while but it 's for the sake of them that have drank the Poyson but not to encourage you to drink the Poyson yet be you all assured that when it 's drank it cannot harm you more than them C. It 's to evince the damning nature of sin is taken away A. But that 's a gross Error thô Pardon will prevent its effects Yet hear D. C's own words p. 511. No you will say no condemnation in Hell but yet as there is remainders of Sin in Gods own People so there will some Evil or other fall upon the commission of Sin Mark c. and in many words answers it Now sin is condemned to the Believer it can do no hurt at all to him for what hurt can that do which is carried into the Land of Forgetfulness and this he oft affirms was when Christ died Reader I 'll tell thee on what Principles Dr. Crisp affirms that Sin can do no hurt Take his words 1. God hath no more to lay to the charge of such a person Elect thô a Murtherer than he hath to lay to the charge of a Saint in Glory p. 364. and the Lord hath not one Sin to charge on an elect person from the first moment of conception to the last moment of Life 2. A man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it to be Christs therefore he cannot reckon it his see p. 270. Except God will be offended where there is no Cause to be offended he will not be offended with a Believer because he doth not find the Sin of the Believer to be the Believer's own Sin but he finds it to be the Sin of Christ p. 15. Now Reader judge how vain Mr. C's Excuses be and how injurious his Censures What Mr. C. p. 15. pleads for Dr. Crisp's saying that Graces and Holiness cannot do us the least good is as vain and false viz. that he is only against setting them in the place of Christ for he reckons they are put in Christ's place thô they be affirmed but as Means or Conditions antecedently necessary by divine appointment to obtain any Blessings for the sake of Christs Merits His Principles are 1. That Faith is not so much as the Instrument by which we are united to Christ or justified p. 616. 2. That Christ brings us all good things when we are ungodly and so it 's in vain to do any thing to obtain these p. 41 42. yea that we had a full Title before we are born 3. He saith p. 45 46. It 's a received Conceit among many that our Obedience is the way to Heaven and thô it be not say they the cause of reigning yet it is via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom But all this Sanctification is not a jot the way of that justified person unto Heaven 4. Salvation is not the End of any good work we do 5. No Believer should have the least thought in his Heart of promoting or advancing himself or any end of his own by doing what he doth Consider these with many such and what good can Faith or Holiness do us See my Book c. 13 14. Read the Preface to Mr. Flavel's Blow at the Root which Mr. Mather subscribed Reader distinguish 1. between the Righteousness for which we are justified and the way of applying it to us 2. between a Law by which Christ's Merits are applied and that Obedience whereto is our meriting Righteousness 3. between the Precepts included in the Gospel taken in a large sence and what are its proper Conditions 4. Free Grace as it gives Faith and Pardon and as it 's a Liberty to condemn the Believer and justifie the Unbeliever 5. between the Promises of Grace and Promises to Grace 6. The Gospel as a means to quicken us and as a Charter of Benefits and thou wilt Answer Mr. C's Arguments FINIS The Reasons of my Sermon at P. H. above a year since Why I printed my Book about six months since Vulgar Objections against my Book answered The History thereof is worth the buying Mr. Parkhurst lately reprinted it Part of the Controversie between Mr. C. and me stated which appears fully in his Principles as in the following Book The Method Election asserted The Law not abrogated Christ's Righteousness the sole meritorious Cause or material Righteousness in Iustification and it is applied to Believers Gospel-Conditions not the Righteousness for which we are justified nor of the same nature as legal Works Gospel-Conditions no way meritorious of Iustification or Salvation nor other workingconditions but a meer conformity to the Gospel way of receiving the Gifts of Christ. A moral specifick difference between true Grace and meer moral Endowments The First Grace absolutely given Christs Righteousness is imputed Iustified by Faith before Works Gospel â—…ons no 〈◊〉 of Iustification Iustification by Faith alone as the 〈◊〉 Receiving Condition All Elect Believers shall persevere Christ not opposed but exâ—…ted Free Grace honour'd and not oppos'd Holiness not compared with Christ nor Works sâ—…t in 〈◊〉 place The 〈◊〉 of the Eleâ—… â—…f God be considered as meer Proprietor The state of fallen Men as GOD is considered a paternal Ruler A plain account of my Iudgment by Questions and Answers Popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminian Iustification as our Divines state it Mr. C's first Principle Mr. C's 2d Principle Mr. C's 3d Principle The word Law of Grace same as the Covenant How for a new Law and yet no new Gospel Heb. 11. 4 6. Gen. 4. 7 11. How the Gospel is not a Law How the Gospel is
A DEFENCE OF Gospel-Truth Being a REPLY to Mr. CHANCY's First Part. AND As an Explication of the Points in Debate may serve for a Reply to all other Answers Wherein the Mistaken may at least see that I. I affirm that we are Justified for or by Christ's Righteousness alone and not by Works II. That we are Justified as soon as we truly Believe III. That the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to the Believer and not only the Effects of it IV. That Gospel-Conditions are not our Justifying Righteousness which Legal Works were to be V. How the Gospel is a Law explained and proved c. VI. That I am not for the Popish or Arminian Doctrine of Justification c. as stated by our Divines VII That all I contend for is the way which God hath appointed for the application of Christ's Merits and dispensing the Effects of Free Grace and for a Gospel-Ministry suited to this purpose By DANIEL WILLIAMS LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry 1693. TO THE READER HAving by the Good Hand of GOD contributed so much to the restauration of Peace in the dissenting Congregations in Dublin and somewhat to the Union here a Reason may be expected how I become engaged in the present Debates with grief of Heart I shall nakedly render it Soon after the reprinting of Dr. Crisp's Works his Errors that lay hid for many Years appeared with open Face Many pleading that there are no Humblings or preparatory Works in order to Conversion Saving Faith is nothing but a Perswasion that our Sins are pardoned yea we are justified before we are born Christ was accounted the very Blasphemer at God's Bar Sin cannot hurt the Believer Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation no assurance by Signs from Sanctification c. Eleven Counties the Flame broke soon into under the conduct of Mr. Davies and several others the faithful Ministers were deserted as Legalists Churches divided and Town and Country filled with Debates and Noise These Errors and Disorders were imputed to the Body of Nonconformists and Attempts against our Liberty thereupon threatned Dr. Crisp's Son puts out a Book of his own to abett some of his Father's Opinions and therein reflects on me by Name and other Books to this purpose were set forth hereupon once and but once I deliver'd at Pinners-Hall that which is the Appendix to my Book hoping that a plain state of the Differences might convince some well-meaning People or at least vindicate us that we were not Papists Arminians c. as these represented us nor Antinomians as by others we were all accused In that Sermon I charged no person yea to prevent a Iealousie that I might intend Mr. Cole c. I inserted this It 's true there are some small Differences among the Orthodox in wording some of these things but shall we hereby give advantage to such Errors c A great Clamour is thereupon contrived and in his next turn Mr. Cole with great severity exposed us to vulgar notice affirming many Notions that some worthy Divines were startled at Some Friends of Mr. Coles proposed to me a Meeting with him in the presence of Dr. B. Mr. M. and Mr. H. In this Meeting it was agreed that I should read my Sermon after which Mr. Cole declared he had no Exception and so we were agreed which was now the second time Mr. Cole in his turn at P. H. publickly declared there was no real Difference as Mr. H. also did and I repeated it with great satisfaction hoping that the Errâ—…neous would be less confident when they lost that Cover which they made of his Name This Calm did not long endure for Mr. Cole I fear by Instigation revived at P. H. the same Reflections and Dr. Batâ—…s practically preaching the Necessity of Repentance to the Forgiveness of Sin Mr. Cole soon after brake out into the wonted Exclamations and charged us as Opposers of Christ's Righteousness in Iustification c. and I was accounted by most as the chief Mark level'd at Friends entreated me to take no notice of these Reflections in my Sermons there and tho' thus oft provoked I never expressed any Resentments in any Discourse there since that first Nevertheless many assured me of the necessity of printing somewhat to clear our selves and if possible to stem this Tide Peoples Mouths were filled with the grossest Misrepresentations of our Doctrines Ministers were accused as Legalists when they only preached that men had somewhat to do if they would be saved if a man did but plead with Sinners from Gospel-Threats or argue Obedience and Duties he was no Gospel-Preacher Yea some arrived to that daringness as publickly to assert there were but three or four Ministers of Christ in London the Reverend Mr. Mead himself escaped not the Title of a Legalist These things caused in me many sad Thoughts and at last I was convinced unless we should prostitute our Ministry suffer the infecting of our People which would end in Divisions as I found attempted on some of my own and be all guilty and branded abroad as Complyers by our silence something must be published I was sensible of the Trouble Reproach and Hazards attending it especially since I was informed that some out of the Union were the Spring in this Affair who having failed in their Unchristian Methods to oppose that Agreement it seems judged by the Notions of some few of whom I was ignorant that either these Opinions must prevail by our silence or that the Union would be endangered if we appeared against them At last I found the effects of Mr. Davies's and others Practises abroad and in the City that the hazard to our Peace would grow by further delay especially seeing as yet so very few if any of the United Brethren were suspected to abett these Errors and Mr. Cole with all the rest that appeared their Advocates in City and Country were not of the Union Nay I believed if some others did not act Mr. Cole he could not be offended with what I should write he having at three meetings expressed himself so reconciled to my Principles and then disowned what I should oppose The reason why I desired any Testimony to my Book was because the People do oft value Names more than Arguments the Opposites so unscrupulous in their Clamours might prejudice men against the Truths as if I was singular And considering the delay of 〈◊〉 Testimony against Mr. Davies this might be some Antidote till we arrived at more Yea I heard also Mr. Cole was printing when I was about mine These are the Considerations which induced me to print my Book at the desire of several Brethren and I have Peace in this that it appeared an absolute Duty Some object Why I did not get some of the Brethrens Hands formerly called Congregational and it looks like forming a Party c. A. I did ask some of them that I thought would not scruple it particularly
be justified by Faith which imports that Repentance is but a Disposing Condition and Faith the Receiving Condition Repentance without Faith is unavailable as Faith without Repentance is impossible Faith seems to compleat all and in a manner comprehend all Now Reader thou seest that all I say is That Faith alone receives Forgiveness by Christ or Christ for Forgiveness But that Repentance of Heart must be in that Soul who shall obtain Forgiveness see my Reasons Cap. 12. from p. 115 to 119. By the way note If it can be true as he saith p. 16. That I mean Works are necessary to Salvation as working Conditions when I exclude all Graces and Works as any Cause at all X. Mr. Ch. p. 29. What a sad case is a poor Sinner in if he make shift to scramble by his imperfect Conditions into Covenant He is like every day to be turned out again and when he hath done the best he can he must never believe that he shall go to Heaven till he lye a dying Repl. Here my Principles are represented as against the perseverance of the Elect Believer But I shall cite a few places and leave it to thy Judgment Cap. 7. p. 40. I affirm That Christ by his Righteousness merited and by his Spirit doth renew the Hearts of his Members and will in time so communicate of his Grace to them that they shall be perfectly holy even without Spot and Blemish And the Spots and Blemishes remaining in a godly man do consist with his justified state and shall not cast him out of God's Favour P. 138. Do not say the Elect Believer will not fall away I think the same yet is it the less true that even he shall perish if he fall away Nay doth not God by these Threats contribute to keep him from Apostacy And p. 173. I deny that a Principle of Life given at first conversion will finally fail to exert it self in due Humblings for repeated Enormities and in holy Resolves And p. 248. God sees no Sin in Believers so as to cast them out of a Justified state P. 66. The Gospel secures the Perseverance of Believers in that true Faith and the necessary effects and operations of it and thereby secures those Benefits as unforfeited Many more places might be produced as p. 37 c. XI Mr. C. p. 16. The great Quarrel you have with him is That he viz. Dr. Crisp makes it so much his business to vindicate the Honour of Free Grace and of the Lord Iesus in our whole Salvation P. 35. According to your own Principles it 's a question whether you have not put a Bar upon the Grace of God by making so daring and audacious an opposition to it as you have done in this Book Repl. This severe Charge is that I 1. oppose the Honour of Christ 2. I make an audacious opposition to the Grace of God even to a doubt whether I am guilty of the Sin against the Holy Ghost But I hope the places following will convince thee of his Mistake 1. I do not oppose the Honour of Christ though I would keep the Crown upon his Head See p. 55. Christ as a Priest hath merited all but as a King or Priest upon his Throne he dispenseth all And p. 209. We must teach that Christ hath purchased all Saving Benefits and that men must look to him as the Author of Salvation and Giver of that Grace whereby we obey the Terms of Life Cap. 22. p. 236. I am willing to own any thing that lays Man low and exalts Christ as the only Atonement the only Purchaser of all our Blessings the only Procurer of our Acceptance the Author and Finisher of all Grace Nothing can add to his satisfaction or fulness Pardon Peace Life all are the effects of his sole Merits we must do all in his Name act in his Strength daily live on him for all Supplies and look to him for Acceptance without whose Incense the best man and the best action were an Abomination What I contend for is his Government so wisely contrived to apply his Blessings to Men in a state of Trial. Reader look back to what is cited before 4 5 6 Heads and I am sure my Book is full of such Passages 2. I do not oppose the Free Grace of God See Cap. 23. p. 240 c. I have affirmed and would admit the fullest Expressions to testifie that in these is the Free Grace of God in Truth Of meer Grace he elected some certain Sinners to Life upon no moving foreseen Condition but yet to obtain it through Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Of meer love to Sinners no way deserving it he gave his Son to dye for them who also undertook to bring all the Elect to Salvation in the way appointed between the Father and him He without any thing in Man to deserve it gave his Gospel and thereby offereth in the vertue of his Son's Blood Pardon and Eternal Life to every one that will repent and truly believe and no penitent persevering Believer shall miss of Life by a failure of this Promise He freely and of meer Grace bestows Faith and Repentance yea gives his Spirit to create these and any other good Work in worthless vile Sinners and though he will not forgive any that finally refuse to believe and repent nor save any ungodly apostate man yet Pardon and Life are his Free Gift and no Grace nor Duty merits them they being no more than the required Conditions or Means of our partaking of them as the Gifts of God through Christ and so he hereby honours his own Government and no way indulgeth the Boastings of Men. P. 244. This Grace I adore and own the best to merit nothing to forfeit all yea to deserve Hell by the Law of Works And I do renounce all that Saints have or do as any aâ—…onement for Sin or Purchasing-price of the least Salvation c. Very many other places I might add and have said nothing inconsistent herewith unless that I muâ—…t be arraigned because I think that since God hath published his Will that he will forgive all such and none but such as believe and repent and will damn all that remain unbelieving and impenitent that therefore He is not alike free to forgive the Unbeliever and Impenitent whilst they remain such and to condemn the penitent Believer when he is by Grace made such Tho' I declare He will make all the Elect to become penitent Believers and then forgive them XII Mr. C. Truly for your comparing Christ and Holiness in the matter of Iustification 't is perfect stuff P. 16. You mean as a working Condition whereby you put Works in the place of Christ and mean as your Oracle speaks c. p. 30. Repl. Here as well as in other places I am represented to compare Christ and Holiness in Justification yea to put Works as working Conditions in the place
which Faith is the great Term of the Covenant and includes so much of Repentance as I insist on Q. Shall the Elect fall from a state of Forgiveness A. No the Decree the Intercession of Christ the Promise of Perseverance yea and Forgiveness it self do all assure a perseverance in Grace and so a continuance in a pardoned estate Q. What do you trust in as that for which God will accept of you and save you A. Only in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Q. Do not you trust in your own inherent Righteousness as that for which God will save you A. I abhor such a Thought Q What stress do you lay on Good Works A. Not as necessary to my justified state into which I am admitted upon my first believing 2. Nor as any Righteousness for which God will save me Q. What stress then do you lay A. No more than as they evidence my Faith to be true execute my first believing Consent prevent their Contraries which the Gospel threatens with Misery and answer the Rule of any Gospel-promise that God hath made and will execute for Christ's sake to the upright person Q. Do you think that we are justified by our Good Works at the last day as if they were the Righteousness by which we shall be saved at the last day A. No I would tremble at such a Thought and declare it 's Christ's Righteousness alone and unmixed that I hope to be saved for and by Q. What are your Thoughts then as to our inherent Righteousness and Good Works as they fall under Christ's Judgment at the last day A. My whole Heart is 1. That if a man truly believe and dye before he hath opportunity to do more he shall be sentenc'd Happy as a Believer notwithstanding he was prevented by Death from professing the Truth and proceeding in Holiness performing Acts of Worship c. 2. God hath declared that none shall at last be saved by Christ's Righteousness that are Infidels Ungodly utterly unprofitable or Apostates And therefore all that God will then save for Christ's Merits must truly be and will be declared to be no Infidels Ungodly utterly unprofitable nor total Apostates but the contrary and they shall be judged free from the guilt of final Infidelity 3. The most eminent in Faith Holiness Sufferings and Labours shall be adjudged to greater degrees of Glory which added degrees will be as truly the effects of Christ's sole Merits as the lesser degrees All this is exactly consonant to my Book and my full Perswasion Because I see that well-meaning People are imposed on by a noise of Popery and Arminianism I shall let thee see how our Protestant and Orthodox Divines do represent and oppose the Popish and Arminian Points in this matter and so thou maist judge how the Antinomians secure their destructive Errors by this clamour The sum of the Popish Principles our Divines oppose may be thus reduc'd They think that 1. by Attrition or a 〈◊〉 legal feaâ—… of Punishments Men do ex congruo or meetness merit Charity and Faith which be the beginning of Sanctification and that this begun Sanctification is all our first Justification 2. That whatever be the efficiency of the Spirit in working Faith it is determinable by Man's free Will whether any believe or no. 3. That upon our improvement and exercise of this first Charity and Faith we truly and properly merit the encrease of Holiness and Eternal Glory and that ex condigno This they call the second Justification 4. That by the Absolution of the Priest on Confession in the Sacrament of Pennance our Sins of Age are forgiven as original Sin was by Baptism and venial Sins and temporal Punishments of mortal Sins by Satisfaction and Indulgences and all in a way of merit The Points that can be at all pretended as my Concern I 'll give you as stated by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus with râ—…y own Answers to his Questions Tom. 3. lib. 5. Q Whether Prayer Fasting or Alms are satisfactory Works A. I plainly deny it oft p. 240. Q. Do our Works truly and properly make satisfaction to God for that Obligation to Punishment which remaineth to be expiated A. I say No for we make no satisfaction by any thing Tom. 4. p. 109. Q Whether Faith alone justifieth A. I say Yes that is we are justified by Faith alone as that which alone receives Christ and before Works of Obedience But yet I think Ames well explains this p. 112. Something may be before Pardon as a pre-requisite Disposition so that it be not the cause of Pardon And this is all I say of Repentance and agree with him in p. 112. Repentance taken for legal Humiliation goes before Iustification as a Disposition in Order pre-requisite but not as a Cause 2. Evangelical Repentance is taken for Conversion of which Faith is a principal part Yea add That a great part of Repentance is the effect of Justification 3. I agree with him in the next words Quocunque modo c. Which-ever way Repentance is taken neither Grief nor detestation of Sin is the cause of Iustification Nay more I agree with Ames in his Account of Faith cap. 2. p. 101. Fides specialis misericordiae duplici ratione vocatur c. Faith of special Mercy which is Trust or Relyance is taken in two respects 1. whereby it apprehends Christ or cleaves to him for apprehending special Mercy by him 2. As it apprehends special Mercy as already bestowed In the first sence it goes before Iustification in the latter sence it follows Iustification Lib. 6. Cap. 1. He treats of imputed Righteousness and p. 139. saith that this is the Protestant Judgment Christi justitiam catenus imputari c. Christ's Righteousness is so far imputed to us that by the vertue thereof we are as much esteemed just before God as if we had somewhat in our selves wherewith we might be esteemed just before him P. 205. Q. An opera bona c. Are the Good Works of Men truly and properly the Merits of Eternal Life A. I positively and oft deny it and dare not assert that Condecency which Ames and others do Reader if thou art a man of any Skill in these things thou wilt find that they oppose the Papists concerning our Graces and Works only as merirorious and causal of Saving Benefits and I deny them to be either See even Chemnit Exam. par 1. p. 172. Davenant de Iustit actuali cap. 30. q. 1. arg 1. Ames Bellarm. Enerv. tom 4. lib. 6. Downam of Iustif. p. 15. I shall now shew thee what our Calvinists and Orthodox Divines oppose the Arminians in as to this Doctrine of Justification The Synod of Dort in their Canons Part 1. p. 289. of the Errors under the Head De Morte Christi thus condemn the Arminians Qui docent foedus illud novum gratiae c. That teach that the Covenant of Grace which the Father upon the intervention of Christ's
the Elect and declared in the Gospel and God doth not fix on these terms for any Worth in them or profit to him 3. The Gospel is the Instrument or Sign by which this Will of God is expressed This is not the Language of God in Adam's Law if this were not superadded to that we had been utterly miserable 4. This fixeth that Rule of the Promise which Mr. C. p. 33. is at a loss to know God promiseth he will justifie him that truly believes and save the upright in Heart Hereby he that in Truth believes and is upright answers that Rule which the Unbelievers and Hypocrites do not and so God doth not hereby promise to save them yea he declares they shall not have an Interest in these Mercies because they continue such and condemns them as such at last It 's Faith not Infidelity it 's Faith in Truth not Faith in Perfection nor Hypocrisie I shall offer thee some few Reasons why I say this is some part of the Essence of the Gospel and that God hath fixed this Rule therein R. 1. The Gospel is oft called a Law by the Spirit of God Isa. 42. 4. He shall not fall nor be discouraged till he have set Judgment in the Earth and the Isles shall wait for my Law Mic. 4. 2. Many Nations shall come c. for the Law shall go forth of Zion c. Rom. 3. 27. The Law of Faith Rom. 10. 31. The Law of Righteousness the Law of Liberty Iam. 1. 25. 2. 12. A converting Law Psal. 19. 7. The Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. The best Commentators expound these to be the Gospel yea many say this is that Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Rom. 8 2. Many more places might be added R. 2. Mens Behaviour towards the Gospel is expressed by words that denote it to be a Law Rom. 10. 16. They have not obeyed the Gospel 2 Cor. 9. 13. Your professed Subjection to the Gospel 2 Thess. 1. 8. To take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel 1 Pet. 4. 17. What will the end of them be that obey not the Gospel R. 3. Justification is a judicial Act and therefore it must be by a Law if we allow God to be a Ruler when He doth it We dispute this against the Papists who deny it to be a forensick Term. It 's true the Righteousness for which we are justified is Christ's which answer'd the Law of Innocency but the application of it to one man rather than another and to the same man at one time and not before is by the Gospel It 's not the voice of the Law of Works that the believing Sinner shall be justified for Christ's Righteousness Rom. 3. 26. So Gal. 3. 22. And I might shew that in Justification is a Right to Impunity And can any thing but a Law give this for Condemnation by Law cannot be reversed without a Law R. 4. The Gospel gives a Right to its Benefits upon believing Ioh. 1. 12. to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name What did God by his Gospel give to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Right a Title to be the Sons of God Very many places of this kind might be urged And little do men see what follows from denying this Gospel-Rule when we read such Places as they were worthy Rev. 3. 4. the Reward a Right to the Tree of Life Are these Terms proper from the meer nature of Mens Actions That 's Popish Merit Or from the Law of Works That 's false and anti-Evangelical But it 's safe to say it 's a Gospel Worthiness Reward Right c. God having for Christ's sake promised to give Blessings in such a way The Gospel-Law is so entirely founded on Christ and refers to him so fully that there is no more than an inviolable Connexion between Terms and Benefits there 's no boasting when the Claim is strongest yea not boasting but ascribing all to Christ is one of the great Terms R. 5. If God hath no Gospel-Rule beside Election and Distinguishing Mercy to confer Glory by then God will not nay cannot forgive or save the Non-Elect though they should believe in Christ. Say not they will not believe that makes no alteration as to the Point in hand Hath not God declared he will save them if they believe That is his Law and their rejecting his Salvation God arraigneth them for He is condemned because he hath not believed c. What an allay to their Misery would it be to think Tho' I had believed I had not escaped this Woe I have lost neither Christ nor Heaven by my Unbelief Read God's Pleas with all Sinners remember Christ's Tears over lost Ierusalem What do Men speak of a Day of Grace that Men may sin away Nay what are the serious Pleas of Ministers with every Soul to believe and repent All are delusive Mockery whilst God is as free to pardon the Elect whether he believes or no He is at liberty to damn others though they should believe nay He is sure to do it should they believe because they are not Elect. If this leads not to Hobbism I see nothing I own that Forgiveness is an Act of Soveraignty that is he is free to give Faith and Forgiveness upon it to whom he will But they that think God hath left himself absolutely free to forgive the Adult whether they believe or no and to condemn the Believer seem to forget their Bible Would men of this Principle but preach according to their Scheme I think their Influence would abate with all that seriously mind Heaven not withstanding Mr. C. says that Pardon will not leave them impenitent R. 6. The Apostles with all the Saints may be arraigned as fallen from Grace and turned from the Gospel if it be no Rule according to which God applies Christ's Righteousness for Justification How could Peter say Repent and be baptized for the remission of Sin c. when the People cried What shall we do How could Paul answer the Goaler's Question What shall I do to be saved Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalâ—… be saved This is not an Advice to Signs but to appointed Terms q. d. God hath commanded you to repent and believe and hath enacted that if you do so the Blood of Christ shall wash and save you So Gal. 2. 16. We have believed that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ. They believed for this very end If any say it was Christ justified it 's true but it was upon believing Faith is not the justifying Righteousness but it is the Condition of our being justified by this Righteousness and the Saints did ill to believe to this end if God had not enacted it to this end Nor could they do it in this assurance that they should be justified when they believed if God
had not promised it upon believing Had Pardon come by an absolute Promise they acted very legally in believing that they might be pardoned Mr. C. may as justly say of them as of me They set up a new Gospel R. 7. The Gospel is at least part of the Rule by which Christ will judge the World at the last day That it must be a Law if it be a Rule of Judgment I suppose none will deny unless they 'l deny that Christ is a Judge The Work of that day is not to try Christ whether he fulfilled all 〈◊〉 Righteousness nor yet whether his Righteousness was impured to all that did believe but by solemn Sentence to decide the Cause of all men to silence all false Apologies and publickly adjudge all to their eternal place unto the Glory of Justice and Mercy That day supposeth all justified or not by the Gospel Christ then changeth no mans state the Godly stand there pardoned and entituled to Life by Christ's Righteousness imputed the Wicked are there without any Interest in Christ these wicked ones if they pretend to sinless Innocency they are cast upon the least Sin by the Law of Adam But if they plead God's general Mercy it will be evident that Mercy adjusted its Rule in the Gospel If they plead Hopes from Christ as a Redeemer and the Offers he made they are convinced by that Book that Christ saved none but such as repent and believe If they plead they did believe and profess his Name Christ will convince them that his Gospel required a true Faith operative in sincere and persevering Obedience the want whereof he will charge upon them as you see in Mat. cap. 7. cap. 22. 25 c. and so leaves them subject to the Law of Adam without Relief by the Gospel yea heightens their Condemnation for disobeying the Gospel But if they yet plead But Lord thou savest some that were Unbelievers as well as we at least they were not such Believers as did yield sincere Obedience This Plea Christ will confound by solemn Declaration of the true Faith and Sincerity of all them whom he now saves and so will evidence that his Judgment is without respect of persons and that his Righteousness is no Plea for any finally unbelieving ungodly Hypocrite whom his Gospel condemned If the Damned or Satan should plead But they were Sinners though not unbelieving Hypocrites the Answer of Christ will be I have satisfied the Law for them and so Justice cannot suffer by my washing them in my Blood nor hinder their being glorious for my sake I humbly think this is being judged according to our Works Rev. 20. 12 13. This is being justified by our Words Mat. 12. 37. And what Iames most intends Iam. 2. 24. I hope none can doubt but this proves the Gospel is part of the Rule of Judgment and it 's plain God will judge the Secrets of all Hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2. 16. And the word that I have spoken to you that shall judge you This is one of the Books that shall then be opened saith Mr. Ch. Father And how awful is that day when the closest Hypocrite will be discovered and yet the doubtful Christian adjudged sincere But blessed be God the Saints Plea will be managed by Christ himself Reader it 's hard reconciling the account we have of the Day of Judgment by any thing below what I have delivered and were not the Gospel to be a Rule of Judgment I cannot see how that could be a Iudgment-day it must be only an Execution-day for by the Law of Adam no Believer could be acquitted that Law must be altered by the Law-giver to admit a Satisfaction and it 's by the Gospel only he hath enacted the way how this Satisfaction shall be applied By that first Law these Unbelievers yea all men were condemned virtually in Adam when he was judged upon his Fall and that Sentence seized them as soon as they had a Being there needed no other It would help thy Thoughts if thou wilt accomodate some of the Circumstances of the last Judgment to them that shall be alive at that time I might multiply Arguments to prove the Gospel to be a Law Whatever proves the Covenant to be conditional proves the Gospel to be a Law Nothing keeps the most sincere Godliness or Act of a Saint here from being downright a Sin if the Gospel be no Law for they are not legally perfect and so are Sins I see not how any man can have grounded Hopes of Glory if the Gospel be no Law and they that deny it and say Faith is but a Sign must set up Works above Faith for they are more evidencing Signs than an internal Act of Faith Yea how can Christ be our King if his Gospel be no Law Many more might be added were there room but I shall omit the rest except what will occur in my Answer to Mr. C's Objections which follow I. Mr. C. objects p. 5. Whoever is justified by a Law is fallen from Grace Gal. 3. 11. It should be read a Law not the Law it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphatical Particle is not put in and so it 's every Law is excluded Repl. Upon such Cobwebs in the face of the plain scope of the Bible doth this Cause stand Where 's the Argument Because in a few places the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not put in therefore the Apostle excludes even every Law when he doth plainly exclude only one sort as appears by the whole Context Nay when he at the same time affirms another Species under that general Rom. 3. 27. But farther note 1. Where the Article is elsewhere omitted the word it refers to doth not exclude every sort of Law Rom. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will you render this For the Gentiles which have not a Law or not any Law the Article is wanting but sure they had some Law even the Law of Nature 2. Where the Article is wanting it doth not infer that every kind under the general word are alike intended Rom. 2. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is not there the written Mosaick Law set in opposition to the Law of Nature unwritten Yet the Article is wanting Rom. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law was added Was it no special Law Sure there was some Law before So Gal. 4. 4. Gal. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iust shall live by Faith Is this any sort of Faith Will a temporary or historical Faith serve Yes by Mr. C's Rule 3. The Article is oft added to the word Law in the very Subject before us Gal. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But the Law is not of Faith V. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is the Law against the Promises and v. 24. Rom. 10. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law 4. The Socinians evade the force of Ioh. 1. 1.
a fixing us in our happy estate in the Gospel he deals with us in order to our recovery from a lost estate in that there was no Mediator in this there is a Mediator who also is our King-Redeemer Many more might be added Reader weigh all these things and if the Gospel must be a special Law so that it be not the Law of Innocency what can be more plain than that it is not the same with the Law of Innocency or Nature either I could farther demonstrate that the very appropriation of Faith tho' it were a legal Precept to be the grand Condition of Salvation doth argue the Gospels being a distinct Law for otherwise any Duty would be of equal use But because Mr. C. charges me as a New Gospeller I 'll give thee a few of the hundreds that oppose his three former Errors and consent to my Paradoxes as orthodox TESTIMONIES that 1st the GOSPEL is a LAW Our Divines in the Synod of Dort say par 2. p. 104. Ex sacris literis c. It 's evident from the Scriptures that some are judged and condemned for Sins committed only against the Light of Nature who yet are excused for not performing the Law of Faith through invincible Ignorance which Excuse can have no place where God publisheth this Law and men are required to obey it Many other places from this Synod might be added Willet saith p. 888. We exclude not every Law but the Law of Works but the Law of Faith is not the Law of Works And p. 635. The Publican finding Mercy and departing justified no doubt had also an express purpose in himself for ever to forsake his Sin for otherwise he could not have been justified nor found remission of Sin for this is the Law and perpetual Rule of Forgiveness Ezek. 18. 21. Lex evangelica clamans the Gospel-law cries Believe and thou shalt be saved Hooker of Effect Calling p. 338. saith I answer not believing in the Lord Christ is not a Sin against the Moral Law but it is a Sin against the Law of the Gospel as he proves fully Saith p. 328. Hereto agree the words of the Apostle Rom. 3. 27. where the Apostle distinguisheth between the Law of Works and the Law of Faith by the Law of Works understanding the Moral Law by the Law of Faith understanding the Gospel c. he adds Here are two distinct Laws having two distinct Commandments as two distinct Conditions of the two Covenants This he proves at large P. 102 to 122. proves the Law as given to Israel was the Gospel Covenant for Substance P. 113. saith Faith in Christ is not commanded in the Moral Law as it was engraven in the Heart of Adam in the state of Innocency but as it was given to Israel to be a Rule of Life to a People in Covenant it was presupposed and commanded Lib. 2. Cap. 1. proves at large that God published a new Law as Redeemer to Man upon his Fall P. 17. Christ will proceed at the Day of Judgment according to a double Law the Moral Law and the Law of Faith the Moral Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the Law to do it Now by this Law we are all cast but the Law of Faith affords to Mankind a mitigation of the Moral Law and begins where the other ends God having sent his only begotten Son to this end that whosoever believes on him should not perish notwithstanding the Condemnation of the Moral Law but have everlasting Life Much like the favourable Law amongst us which affords the Benefit of Clergy c. P. 19. Those therefore whom Christ shall then acquit are acquitted by the Gospel or Law of Faith those whom he condemâ—…s he condemns by both Laws P. 230. They that really believe Forgiveness in God do thereby obtain Forgiveness Believing gives an interest in it it brings it home to the Soul concerned This is the inviolable Law of the Gospel Believing and Forgiveness are inseparably conjoined P. 139. he saith Repentance was no Duty to Adam in Eden it is none for the Angels in Heaven nor for the Damned in Hell what then may be the Language of this Appointment O Sinners come and deal with God by Repentance c. It 's true many do deceive themselves they raise themselves unto an expectation of Immunity not on Gospel-grounds But God deceives none whoever comes to him on his Proposal of Repentance shall find Forgiveness It 's said of some He will laugh at their Calamity c. But who are they Only such as refuse his Call to Repentance with the Promises of Acceptation annexed See p. 254. P. 375. Faith is the only Condition of the Covenant of Grace which is therefore called the Law of Faith P. 7. The Covenant of Grace the Apostle calls it the Law of Faith and it is especially expressed thus He that believes shall be saved P. 308. The Precept of Believing is a Gospel-Precept only and the Punishment for Unbelief is threatned and inflicted in relation to the Gospel as he oft shews at large and in p. 10. instanceth in five things a great difference between Faith in Adam and Gospel-Faith one of which is that tho' there was a kind of Faith in Adam yet it was not to be the Condition of that Covenant c. But the Faith required in the Covenant of Grace comes in purposely as the Condition of Life and Justification for the Sinner P. 18. Oh saith the Law such Duties have been omitted such Sins have been committed such Sabbaths have been prophaned c. such Tenders of Grace have been slighted Here saith he the Gospel Law comes in as an Accuser too And p. 55 553. You must so confide and rely on Christ's one most perfect and all-sufficient Sacrifice as yet withal to be careful that you on your part do perform those Gospel-Conditions which God enjoins and requires of you in order to Remission Justification and Glorification c. The whole Business of Merit and Satisfaction lies upon Christ but as to Believing and Repenting the two grand Gospel-Conditions they lye upon your selves with respect to the Act tho' not the Power and must be done by your selves yea and the doing of these is as necessary on your parts under the notion of Conditions as suffering and dying was on Christ's part under the notion of Merit And it is most certain that the latter without the former will not profit you because Christ never designed to impute or make over his Merit to any further than as they should make good these Conditions of Faith and Repentance P. 553. he shews the Rock of Popery is to trust in these as Merits and the Rock of Antinomianism is to deny that respect to Holiness Obedience Faith and Repentance which is due to them as Means and Conditions P. 157. you read Rom. 3. 27. the Law of Faith and the Law
of Works very opposite and contrary Laws P. 610. Unbelief is disobedience to the Law of Faith when discover'd to Men therefore it is our Sin not the Sin of Heathens as that is disobedience to any Law which is against that Law when revealed and known See p. 314. The Law of Christ requires Belief in the Satisfaction he hath wrought for the Law of Christ is not as the Law at the Creation was c. p. 683. P. 190. Vocatur lex c. The Covenant of Grace is called the Law of Faith because Faith is therein prescribed to us as the Condition of the Covenant P. 146. There is a legal necessity that he that continues in his Lusts and Unregeneracy must perish and that because of the Will and Law of God As God wills the Salvation of all that will turn to God and obey him so he wills the Damnation of all that will not but hold fast their Lusts and refuse to return As He hath made a Law that whosoever will come to Christ and take up his yoke shall find rest to his Soul and shall livefor ever so He hath declared it as peremptorily that he that slights Christ and will not hearken to him nor obey him shall be utterly cast off P. 148 102 103. It is He that with the Father hath established this as the great Condition of Salvation bearing the Yoke So that it is the standing Law of Heaven whoever will be saved must take up Christ's Yoke This is the way to Blessedness and there is no other Bear the Yoke of Christ and be blessed cast that off and he will cast you off submit and be saved reject it and Christ will reject you This is the unalterable Condition of Salvation and there is no other Things are so settled in the eternal Compact between the Father and the Son about the Case of Man that the Blood of Christ it self cannot stead us nor the Mercy of God infinite as it is benefit us without this Condition be performed by us P. 202. In the day of Judgment God will not proceed with Men upon Election and Reprobation but upon Obedience or Disobedience to his Law Rom. 2. 7 8 9 c. God will vindicate the justice of his Proceedings in that day by making the Word the Rule of his Judgment to all that are under it Ioh. 12.48 P. 165. God hath not absolutely promised Salvation and Eternal Life to any but he hath annexed it to certain Dispositions and Qualifications without which we shall never share in the Blessing promised P. 119. Mat 5. 8 c. P. 72. None can be saved by all which Christ hath done and suffered but upon these Conditions and they are Self-denial Faith Repentance taking up the Cross Obedience these are the unalterable Conditions of Salvation and these Conditions of Salvation are the Yoke of Christ. These Passages of this worthy Divine amount to no more than what Dr. Ames saith P. 189. Bellarmin objecting Mat. 11. 29. My yoke is easie Ames answers Pro lege c. There 's nothing said in these words concerning the Law simply taken and the perfect observation of it but they speak of the Gospel that is of Faith and new Obedience that 's the easie Yoke of Christ. I could bring an hundred places out of Dr. Manton wherein he calls the Gospel a Law and proves it Altingius proves that the Repentance required of us is a Gospel Command and not required by the Law Peraeus Peter Martyr yea Chamier himself affirm the Gospel to be a Law of Faith Indeed who deny it except a few Lutherans who also deny the Doctrine of Perseverance and three or four â—…ranaker Divines who are followed by several of the Cocceians but not by all of them See more Proof of this under the next two Heads I shall subjoyn the Assembly of Divines Q. What doth God require of us c A. To escape the Wrath and Curse of God due to us for Sin God requireth of us Faith in Jesus Christ Repentance unto life with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby God communicates to us the Benefits of Redemption Reader 1. Is not that Sign or Instrument whereby God requires these things to this end a Law of God What 's a Law if that be not Is it the Counsel of a Fellow-Subject No it 's God's commanding Act he requires these 2. Doth God require these of us to this end in the Law of Adam or in the Gospel Was innocent Man to escape the Curse due to him No it was not upon him that Law did not suppose him undone it must then be the Voice of God by the Gospel to fallen Man The Gospel enjoyns these Duties to this end with a Promise that we shall not fail of this end if we omit none of these Duties Here 's the Gospel-Law II. TESTIMONIES that the GOSPEL hath its proper Threatnings P. 90. The best Perswasion we can arrive at concerning the Spiritual Condition of any leaves room for Gospel-Threatnings c. And p. 91. Whatever we Ministers may conceive of the state of any such they are not to baulk or wave the delivery and pressing of any Evangelical Warnings or the severest Threatnings contained in the Gospel P. 91. Others should not think they are hardly dealt with when they are prest and urged with the severest Threatnings of the Gospel See him on Cap. 4. Heb. v. 1 2. P. 217 180 181 182 on Ps. 130. p. 266. he that believeth not shall be damned That 's a hard word many men cannot endure to hear of it they would not have it named by their good-wills c. But let not men deceive themselves this is the softest word that Mercy and Love it self that Christ that the Gospel speaks to despisers of Forgiveness c. Mr Mead It 's sad but certain that the Gospel inflicts a Death of its own as well as the Law P. 121. There be many Threatnings annexed to the Covenant of Reconciliation Threatnings of Gospel-Vengeance to the Transgressors of the Covenant but there are no Threatnings in the Covenant of Suretiship nothing denounced against the man Christ c. How many places might I collect from Mr. C's Father P. 124. Ye Unbelievers your Curse is doubled and your Condemnation is the Condemnation Iohn 3. 19. the Law pronounceth a Curse for breaking of it but the Gospel a far greater for not receiving Christ and your Life and Salvation which is offered to you through him P. 303 This Gospel-Iustice which is the most terrible P. 309. The Gospel is so far from promising Life by the Death of Christ to impenitent and unbelieving persons that it threatens and seals Death and Wrath and Condemnation to them Iohn 3. 36 18 c. If you read the Canons of the Synod of Dort you 'l find Evangelii minas the Threatnings of the Gospel This point is so obvious in all orthodox Writers
hath no Forgiveness for them and therefore would require no Repentance of them It is not nor ever was a Duty encumbent on them to repent nor is it so unto the Damned in Hell God requires it not of them nor is it their Duty there being no Forgiveness for them What should move them to repent Why should it be their Duty so to do Assignation then of Repentance is a revelation of Forgiveness God would not call upon a sinful Creature to humble it self and bewail its Sin if there were no way of recovery or relief Pray see him p. 151 c. P. 184. he saith Whence is it that men perish in and for their Sins Is it for want of Mercy Goodness Grace or Patience in God Is it through any defect in the Mediation of the Lord Christ Is it for want of the mightiest Encouragements and most infallible Assurances that with God there is Forgiveness Not at all but meerly on the account of their own obstinacy stubbornness and perverseness they will not they hate the Light they will not come to Christ that they may have Life See his awful denunciation of the Curse against all that resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation p. 272. I 'll add one Passage of his p. 144. the satisfaction made for Sin being not made by the Sinner himself there must of necessity be a Rule and Law-Constitution how the Sinner may come to be interessed in it and made partaker of it for the consequent of the Freedom of one by the Suffering of another is not natural or necessary but must proceed from a Law-Constitution Compact and Agreement Now the way constituted and appointed is that of Faith or Believing as explained in the Scripture If Men believe not they are no less liable to the Punishment due to their Sins than if no satisfaction at all were made for Sinners P. 624. he asks whether there be any Terms or no Terms in the Covenant he answers Surely there are How shall poor Creatures make out their Interest therein unless God hath declared upon what Conditions we shall be possest of the Priviledges c If God hath once declared the Conditions if we would have the benefit we must consent to them In the last part p. 127. he tells us the Conditions of the Covenant are Faith Repentance and new Obedience P. 374. Nothing can be objected against the Conditions He requires viz. Repentance and Faith Can any Malefactor expect Peace with his Sword in his Hand And is it not fit there should be such Conditions to justifie God since we were the guilty Offenders can there be less than to cast away our Weapons bewail our Sins receive the Mediator and serve him with newness of life They are such reasonable Conditions that the Honour of God would not be provided for nor have a salvo without them See p. 692 349 c. P. 36. Make sure of true saving justifying Faith c. it secures from this Condemnation both as it is the Grace which unites to Christ and also as it is the great Condition of the Gospel upon which it promiseth Life and Salvation c. He may set down what Condition he pleases in order to the giving out of his Grace which when they are performed he is engaged to make good what he promiseth upon them How oft doth he tell us that God requires of every man Faith to be the Condition to be Partaker of the Covenant P. 114. and p. 143. he saith The Condition requir'd of us is the doing this viz. to repent to serve the Lord in newness of Life Bulkley by very many Arguments from p. 278 to 298. doth prove the Gospel-Covenant to be conditional P. 280. The Lord doth not say to any Soul I will save you and bring you to Life though you continue impenitent and unbelieving but commands and works us to repent and believe and then promises that in the way of Faith and Repentance he will save us Had I room I would give thee full proof that Davenant Pemble Perkins Twiss Scharpius Zanchius Rollock Wendelin Altingius Burgess Blake New-England Synod Turretin Synod of Dort with hundreds more do positively affirm the Gospel-Covenant to require a Condition on our part and so fix this Gospel-Rule Mr. Chancy's Father urgeth it p. 79 132 123 116. where he shews what we must do to obtain the Propitiation So 117. Mr. Rutherford affirms That to deny there be Conditions is to bely the Gospel and adds That Good Works are Conditions without which we cannot be saved p. 38. and p. 36. It is a new Heresie of Antinomians to deny a conditional Gospel it is all one as to bely the Holy Ghost who saith He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not is condemned already Or they may say whether Men believe or no they may be saved as Dr. Crisp saith P. 445. If not then be wise and 〈◊〉 from the Wrath to come and there is but one way and that is by closing with Jesus Christ and giving your selves up to an entire subjection to his Yoke There is no way to escape Wrath and secure Eternal Life but this P. 276. Consider where you will lay the blame of your Destruction you cannot lay it upon God for he gave Christ to redeem and save you you cannot lay it upon Christ for he would have gathered you and you would not he never cast you off till you cast him off you cannot lay it upon the Spirit for he would have convinced and converted and sanctified you and you have resisted and quenched him you cannot lay it upon your Ministers for they have set before you Life and Death and declared to you the danger of Sin and necessity of Holiness but you would not believe their Report c. So that you can lay the blame no where but upon a cursed corrupt Heart thy Destruction is of thy self See what he saith of Conditions and decree under the Head the Gospel is a Law P. 182 183 184 c. proves the Covenant to be conditional that without Faith there is no relation in a way of Covenant 'twixt God and us and that upon Faith God becomes our God in Covenant and answers Objections P. 188 189. he speaks to Sinners presuming of the many Promises of Salvation c. Oh but Sirs there is a Condition in the Bond which he oft repeats P. 430. when he had proved Repentance was necessary to the remission of Sin he adds Whereas they say this is Popish and Legal they speak ignorantly if not maliciously c. it is as Popish to say Repentance is required for Assurance as for Remission for both are Acts of Grace Conjunctas autem c. But Repentance and Remission of Sin are joyned together and truly so that Repentance goes before Forgiveness This partly the Word of God teacheth yea Reason it self and common Sence however corrupt doth