To the Law or to the Gospel to his own Obedience or Good Works or to the Obedience of Christ Answ The ordinary method of Cure is first to search the Wound to the bottom and then to apply healing Remedies first to pour in Wine and then Oyl Our Physitians use first to purge or vomit their Patients and then to give Cordials So spiritual Physitians till the Patient be truly and rightly sensible of his sins they send him to the Law for by the Law comes the knowledge of sin the horrid nature and demerit of it but then for Comfort they send him to the Gospel to this soveraign Balsom yea they pour on them the Oyl of Gladness upon whom they perceive has been the Spirit of Heaviness They say not Physitian heal thy self but rather send them to the Great Physitian by whose stripes we and they are healed We dare not trust in our own Righteousness but in the Lord our Righteousness Quest Do not Nonconformists as they desire liberty from the Impositions of Men in the Worship of God so preach up liberty from the Commandments of God in the Course of their Lives Or at least do they not lift up their Voice like a Trumpet when they publish the Gospel but onely speak in a small and still Voice when they treat of Obedience to the moral Law Answ 'T is an unjust Calumny cast on the Protestants by the Papists That they are Solifidians and against good Works And 't is an uncharitable censure of the Nonconformists by the Author of the Debate that they do not preach obedience to the Moral Law as well as Faith in Christ and the Duties of the second Table of the Law as well as of the first Whoever reads the Assemblies Confession of Faith their Larger and Shorter Catechism M. Dod on the Commandments Mr. Anthâ—â— Burgess his Vindiciae Legis may see clâ—â—â— that the Nonconformists are not Libâ—â—â—â—es â—â—â—â—gh they desire some Liberty and that thou 〈◊〉 pray to be delivered and freed from humane ceremonial Laws as God has freed them from the Ceremonial Law of his own making yet they are not Antinomians they commend and in Gods name require Obedience as well as Faith Doing as well as Believing they commend Moral Honesty but prefer Piety We deny him to be a truly godly man that is not a good honest man we deny him to be righteous before God that endeavours not to approve himself righteous in his dealings with men We would not by any means break the two Tables by dashing them one against the other and yet we prefer the Gospel before the Law Christ to Moses the second Covenant to the first that of Grace to that of Works Quest Is not Obedience then to the Moral Law the Condition of our Justification See Debate p. 13. Answ No 'T is not the Condition and Qualification of the Covenant so properly D. M. as 't is of those Persons that enter into the Covenant Faith justifieth the Person before God and Obedience justifieth the Faith before men Obedience saith a Reverend Author must be in the same Subject with Faith but it hath not a Voice in the same Court We do not cry down mans Obedience when we cry up the Obedience of Christ as the matter of our Justification and the Imputation of it as the form of our Justification We dare not appear before God in our own filthy Garments and menstruous Cloaths We expect a Blessing from our Heavenly Father when we are arrayed with the Robes of our Elder Brother Jesus Christ his Righteousness which sends up a sweet smell in Gods Nostrils Quest Is Faith or believing in Christ a coming to Christ or a relying on Christ for the pardon of our sin See Debate p. 43. Answ Yes John 7.37 38. there coming to Christ and believing are all one And to what end Sinners are called to come to Christ we my learn from our blessed Saviour Mat. 11.28 namely That they may find rest I believe in God saith Bishop Nicholson in his excellent Exposition of the Church-Catechism as if I said I put my whole trust hope and confidence in him I â—ely upon him And so may Faith in Christ I â—hink be very well described to be a relying on Christ for the pardon of our sins and all good â—hings If my memory fail not I have often â—eard that Renowned Professor Dr. Samuel Ward deliver it for good Doctrine in the Chair That Faith was Recumbentia in Christum Mediaâ—re c. a Recumbency on Christ for the pardon of â—ins .. One Mr. Down that wrote too against Separation defineth Faith to be a rest of the Will upâ—n Christ and his merits for Justification and consequently Salvation And the same Author obâ—erves that the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all words equipollent in the old Testament and what is meant by them in the Old Testament is expressed in the New by Believing To instance in one Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart saith the Old Testament Prov. 3.5 If thou believest with thy whole heart or with all thy heart saith the New Act. 8.37 We may define Faith thus It it a gracious habit infused into the Heart by the Spirit of God whereby the Soul rests or rolls it self upon Christ for all things appertaining to Life and Godliness for Gods Glory and its own Salvation Quest. Who are the greatest Enemies to the Church of England and to Religion it self those who bring in new and strange Doctrines or those that dissent onely from her as to the Ceremonies Answ Those that differ in Substantials 〈◊〉 Religion are to be thought more to differ thâ—â— those that differ onely in Circumstantials and those ought to be reputed the greatest Nonconformists who do not conform to the Doctrineâ— the Church of England set forth in her Articles Homilies and Liturgy Quest. Who are they Answ Even many that have been conformable enough as to Ceremonies their Names anâ— Tenets you may find in a Book entitled Laudeâ—sium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in another called Laâ—densium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who they were thâ— maintained these Doctrines and their Doctrinâ—â— in some measure also you may find in Mr. Rushworth's Collections and others who have written the History of the Times immediately preceding the late Wars I shall refer you to one and that is Dr. Fuller in his Church-History who relates that it was complained of to the Sub-committees for Religion in Parliament of which Sub-committee the Bishop of Lincoln the Bishop of Armagh the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Exeter Dr. Sam. Ward Dr. Hacket Dr. Holdsworth and others were Members that all the Tenets of the Councel of Trent abating only such points of State-Policy against the King's Supremacy as were made Treason by the Statute Good works Co-causes with Faith in Justification private Coufession by particular ennumeration of sins needful necessitate medii to Salvation that the Oblation
Ministry was questioned and disgraced appealed unto this 2 Cor. 3.2 Ye are our Epistle viz. of commendation to or from the Church of Corinth written in our hearts known and read of all men This Epistle was the Apostles Evidence and Seal that he was a true Minister of the Lord Jesus But this I must have leave to say that 't is no evidence of a real conversion to rail at Bishops or the Common Prayer nor on the other side at Nonconformists as Schismaticks Sectaries Rogues c. I know that Religion is another thing and teacheth other things better things than these And I believe there are serious sober solid godly persons excellent Christians placable Sons of Peace of both Perswasions that pray to God and would be ready to joyn in Petition to Authority for some expedient for a Reconciliation And such a spirit as this I look on as a Gospel-spirit and well-becoming Preachers and Professors of the Gospel of Reconciliation and if there be any of either side that have not attained to this or the like spirit I look on them as of a lower form of Godliness and on endeavours and actings contrary to this way of Peace to be no part of their Godliness or any evidence of their Conversion though I will not say they are therefore ungodly or unconverted Quest Why do not Nonconformists preach up Peace and Unity and Obedience to Superiours Answ You tell us that the Nonconformists hold it their duty to declare the whole Counsel of God and they tell us that 't is their duty to pray for Magistrates and to obey their lawful Commands for Conscience-sake and therefore 't is but Charity to judge they will not be wanting in what they are convinced of is their Duty If there be any that sow the Seeds or Tares of Division and Disobedience whether in private Meetings or publick Congregations I say concerning them O my Soul come not thou into their secrets unto their Assemblies be not thou united yet there are I fear who cry peace peace when there is no peace but war in their hearts all the Peace and Unity they intend and endeavour after is but to bow all to their own Bent Ways Opinions and Sentiments and to break all those whom they cannot bend Some there are who with much pretended Zeal cry and that aloud for obedience to Magistrates and Laws and act more out of policy and self-interests than Conscience making these but as stalking-horses the better to come near and to shoot at their own Game thus taking vengeance on their own supposed Enemies whilst they seem to do God and his Vice-gerent service Hereby breaking the whole Law of God pretending the observation of the fifth Commandment and that fundamental Law of our Peace and happiness the Act of Indempnity whilst they pretend Zeal to the Act of Uniformity Else what 's the reason that they seldom or never preach but upon that subject when as it sufficeth by the Canons to treat of it four times a year For my own part I acknowledge and profess 't is a duty to preach obedience to God and his Vice-gerent both to be obedient our selve and to teach others also this duty by Precept and Example Yet I must confess I do not think they do all things decently and in order who always preach up the Duty of the people at Court not they that preach the duty of Rulers in the Country Quest But are there not Nonconforming-Ministers who were formerly great Friends to the Army and Countenancers and Encouragers of them in their illegal unjust and horrid Proceedings against King and Parliament Answ I know none of the whole Tribe of the Presbyterians that are so I have heard of one Mr. Martin lately imprisoned for a Conventicle at Warwick that lost his Arm in his Majesties service and I have heard of one that marched before the Souldiers when they went to fight against his Majesty at Worcester that hath been a zealous Conformist since Not do I know that he and many others ever saw day till the Royal Sun arose in our Horizon to scatter the Clouds that hung over their eyes The horrid murther of his late Majesty as it was abhorred and declared against by the Presbyterian Ministers and others in City and Country from Pulpit and Press so it was that I know of never undertaken to be justified by any Minister in print but by J. G. that great Goliah and Champion of the Arminians And the Presbyterians yea those who were Commissioners for the View of the Liturgy Declare in one of the Papers to his Majesty That till the Covenant was decried as an Almanack out of date and its Obligation taken to be null that odious Fact could never have been perpetrated against your Royal Father nor your Majesty so long expulsed from your Dominions Quest Do the Nonconforming-Ministers call those Moral Preachers who preach obedience to the Moral Law and the necessity of good Works Answ He that rightly divides the Word of Truth must preach Law and Gospel both Moral as well as Evangelical Duties yet 't is best to preach the Law as it was first delivered in the hands of a Mediator Blame them not if they preach frequently the Gospel and the great love of Christ to sensible Sinners because the love of Christ constrains us to love him again 't is the Loadstone of Love Nothing they say is more easie than to love him that loves us and the Apostle John tells us That we love God because he first loved us But 't is not very long since Puritan Preachers as they were nick-named were charged to preach nothing but Hell and Damnation Quest Do Nonconforming-Ministers use to preach Comfort to ungodly Sinners resolving still to live ungodly Answ No by no means The Presbyterians and others used to declare against Antinomianism and to preach Repentance towards God as well as Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ to him that was sensible of sin and weary of it and that mourned for it they were willing to preach glad Tydings of Remission and Reconciliation They were and are Enemies both to presumption and desperation and seek to save Souls from perishing either way They are ordinarily first Beanerges's then Barnabas's and seek first and most to wash the inside of the Platter than the outside first they aim to cleanse the Heart then the Hands They press men first to seek God in prayer with their whole heart for pardon and grace and then direct them how to pray whether with or without a Book in private as shall be most expedient for them they deny those that I converse withal that they dissivade any from the use of the Liturgy or Common Prayer This indeed is a Maxime with them in Religion Quod cor non facit non fit and that the devotion of the Soul is the soul of Devotion Quest In case a person be truly troubled in Conscience for his sin to which is he to be sent for Comfort
or as others the Consumption of the Elements in the Lords Supper holdeth the nature of a true Sacrifice Prayers for the Dead lawfulness of Monastical Vows the gross substance of Arminianism and some dangerous points of Socinianism had been preached or printed by some amongst us Quest If it should be proved true that the high Conformists should warp somwhat from the Doctrine of the Church of England yet have they not all and alwayes been constant and firm to the Government to King and Parliament and great admirers of what their Superiors do and say Answ Dr. Heylyn tells us that he cannot reckon the death of King Edward the sixth for an infelicity of the Church of England for being as he saith ill principled in himself and easily enclin'd to imbrace such counsels as were offered to him it is not to be thought but that the rest of the Bishopricks before sufficiently impoverished must have followed Durham and the poor Church left as destitute of Lands and Ornaments at when she came into the world in her natural nakedness The above-named Dr. Heylyn in his History of the Reformation chargeth the Grandees at Court and in the Parliament of those times with such vices and crimes as our Adversaries may make use of to blemish our Reformation All which with some other considerations may give occasion to some to think that what the Devil said falsly and maliciously against Job may a little altered be too truly and without breach of charity said of some high blades Do they fear and honour the King and Parliament for nought Have they not made a hedge about them and about their house and about all that they have on every side and their Substance is encreased in the Laud But let but King and Parliament put forth their hand now and touch all they have and they would if not for fear of punishment curse them to their face Quest Is there any other absolute promise besides that of sending Christ into the World Answ Yes many As that Gen. 9.9 not to drown the World any more That of calling of the Gentiles Gen. 49.10 The promise of the Conversion of the Jews as is generally thought Rom. 11. The promise of giving Christ the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2. And that Isa 53. He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands That Christ shall have a Seed to serve him that Christ shall certainly and infallibly save some and the Lord knows who are his That he hath not shed his Blood in vain like water spilt on the ground that this glorious Head of the Church shall certainly have a Body in some measure answerable and suitable to the Head c. The promise of First Grace is thought to be absolute I will take away your heart of Stone and give you a heart of Flesh 'T is confess'd we are bid to convert and turn and to come to Christ and to make our selves new hearts and yet 't is as true that we cannot do any of these things of our selves without Divine Assistance and special Grace But this for out Comfort That which is the matter of Duty in one place of Scripture is the matter of a Promise in another And again That Gospel-Commands are not onely significations of out Duty but Conveyances of strength to do our Duty Quest Is not Mr. W. B. absurd in comparing Gods people to Plate Answ I answer There is Scripture-ground enough to justifie the calling of Gods people his Plate for in Scripture they are called Gods Jewels or his peculiar Treasure Psal 3.17 And obdurate wicked men are compared to Reprobate Silver Jer. 6.30 Quest. May we not say That we come to the Promises by Christ Answ In him are all the Promises Yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 As a woman hath a right to her Joynture by first taking the man to her wedded Husband so Christians have a right to the Promises and all good things by taking Christ first for their Lord and Husband Quest. Is fear the chief and principal motive of a Christian to Duty and Obedience I mean the fear of punishment Answ No The chief and best Principle is Love I look on them as of a lower form in Religion who onely serve God for fear of Hell Although this fear is useful yet 't is not the principal motive to obidience in Gods Children And this was the Divinity of former time I do not hold it unlawful to serve God for fear of punishment nor hopes of Reward yet this I say That fear alone speaks a man a Servant and love speaks a min a Son And those are the best Servants to Vertue who serve virtutis amore for the love of Vertue A man may hate the good he doth and love the evil which he doth not do If then a man do that which is commanded meerly or chiefly for fear of Hell is be necessarily one of Gods best Servants I think not because he may at the same time hate the good he doth and love the evil he abstains from As for working with an eye to the Reward intuitu mercedis 't is justifiable and commendable 't is that which Moses did Heb. 11.26 and which our blessed Saviour did and it sufficeth the Servant to be as his Master Christians to be Followers and Imitators of Christ their Lord and Master Quest. Are good Works necessary to our Justification Debate p. 13. Answ The Church of England in her 11th Article teaches her Children thus We are righteous before God onely for the merit of the Lord our Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works or Deservings Wherefore that we are justified by Faith onely is most wholsom Doctrine and very full of Comfort c. And in her Book of Homilies Tom. 1. pag. 17. Edit 1623. thus Justification is not the Office of man but God or man cannot make himself righteous by his own Works neither in part nor in whole for that were the greatest arrogance and presumption of Man that Antichrist could set up against God Quest Hath the Doctrine of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness for our Justification been the Doctrine of our Church and the prime Doctors of it Answ The Papists indeed call it with a jeer Putative Righteousness And 't is storied of a Popish Bishop lighting accidentally on that place Rom. 4.6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works c. threw away the Book in great displeasure and said O Paule an tu quoque Lutheranùs factus es O Paul art thou also become a Lutheran 'T is observed by 〈◊〉 Conforming Minister that the Apostle Paul mentions this grace of Imputed Righteousness ten times in the 4th chapter to the Romans and Bishop Andrews in his most excellent Sermon on that Scripture Jehova Justitia nostra His naâ—â—