can be nothing abated in the Sanction it must be Life or Death Ergo There 's the same Law still and we must be saved by the Covenant of Works or not at all But 3. The Reason you give of changing the Sanction is because the Blessings are promised to lower Degrees of Duty This as I said is no Change in the Promise but in the Condition and then see how you contradict your self in the same Breath You say there 's nothing abated in the Rule and yet lower Degrees of Duty admitted How can these Lower Degrees be admitted but by the Rule of the preceptive part For the Degrees of Duty required are according to God's Commands and he requires in a Law Duty answering the Perfection of the Precept Neonom And a Continuance in a State of Death with a Barr to the Blessing are not threatned against every Degree of Sin as the Covenant of Works did Antinom This is not Sence as express'd But I take your Meaning 1. Death was threatned in the Covenant of Works but it spake not of a continuance in that State with any such Barr to a Blessing as should hinder God from the saving of Sinners But you own that Barr might be removed and was but your Covenant puts as great a Barr as that That if Men perform not the Condition they must continue in the state of Death notwithstanding all that Christ hath done to remove the Barr from the Old Covenant For their Concernment in your Sence is not now for a Righteousness to answer that but to answer the New Law which lays them under Life or Death 2. Is the Condition the same and more And the Sanction the same How is it possible it should not threaten Death to every Degree of Sin 3. It seems our Salvation is according to the Degree of Sin We must know what Sins are of such a Degree as that they are pardonable what Venial and what Mortal and if Law and Gospel are distinguished by the Degrees of Sin Gospel lies in Sin not Grace it seems for if it be from the Degree of Sin that we are saved then not from the Blood of Christ which taketh away all Sin 4. Doth God's Law admit of Sin in any Degree then I say as the Apostle saith Is the Law Sin To admit of Sin into Law is Sin No the Law is Holy Just and Good and the Promise doth not make void the Law by abating one Jot or Tittle of it but establisheth the Law Therefore the Law cannot admit of Sin Neonom Can any doubt this to be the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Antinom Yea I do not only doubt it but know and do testifie to the World according to the Grace of God given to me That it is not the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Neonom Doth it promise Life to all Men however vile and impenitent they be Antinom It promiseth and giveth Life to the vilest and most impenitent Sinners Where Grace gives Life it supposeth Men dead and not alive For Repentance is part of the Life given and to talk of giving Life to penitent Sinners is to suppose them alive before Life is given but it doth not suppose that where Christ gives Life the vilest Sinners shall remain so or impenitent Neonom Or doth it threaten Damnation or a continuance of it unto any true penitent believing Godly Man because he is Imperfect Antinom Let a Man pretend himself or be look'd upon to be never so penitent believing and Godly and seek to be justified and saved by his Works I mean such as you mention Moral Obedience Acts of Faith Penitency c. I affirm thereby he is fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 Being fallen short of the Righteousness of God Rom. 10. And as he puts himself under a Law for Justification so a Law condemns for imperfect Obedience For I roundly assert That no Law of God with a Sanction of Life and Death upon Performance or Non-performance of Obedience doth admit of the least Imperfection in the said Obedience Therefore such are under the Curse for their Imperfections Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things And I say if your Gospel be a Law it doth denounce Damnation to the Holiest and most Godly Man upon Earth Neonom This Change of the Sanction supposeth the Death of Christ and his honouring his Law by his perfect Obedience wherein God hath provided for his own Glory while he promiseth Forgiveness to imperfect Man Antinom I have proved the Sanction is not changed But in your Law it seems the Condition is changed It was in the Old Law Perfect Obedience in the New it's Imperfect Verily it is changed for the worse for Imperfect is worse than Perfect But how comes this to pass God hath provided for his own Glory in Christ that saving of Men is upon the Conditions of Imperfect Obedience i. e. by a worse Law an unholy and unjust Law might not turn to his Dishonour God hath provided for himself you mean seeing he rashly made such a Law as he finds will not answer his Ends Justice shall have it's due in his Son and then he shall be at liberty to make a Law with such easie imperfect and sinful Conditions that Sinners may be saved Is not this admirable Stuff for Gospel Neonom And yet he insists upon some Degrees of Obedience unto which of his meer Grace he enables us Antinom He could by his Grace as well enable us to Perfect Obedience if it were for his Honour that Obedience should be the Condition But doth it make it make it ever the less a Covenant of Works Doth what you say make it of Grace For 1. Forgiveness that 's but the Reward of Life But you 'll say it 's for the sake of Christ well that 's but in respect of the Old Law that it may not condemn you whereby you are come into a capacity to stand again for Life upon new Conditions 2. You say it 's to imperfect Man But is it not the same thing to save by Perfect or Imperfect Works so Works be the Condition 3. What if Grace enables them This alters not the Case Did not God give Adam his Holiness before the Fall and enable him to do what he did Neonom This the Covenant of Redemption secures to the Elect tho' the Grant therein is pleadable only by Christ as the Stipulating Party for us Antinom As for your Notion that your Covenant of Redemption is Distinct from the Covenant of Grace I deny it and shall hereafter make it appear that the Covenant of Grace and Redemption is one and the same Covenant And for the present I tax you for saying That the Covenant of Redemption is pleadable by none but Christ Do we never plead Redemption nor the Promise made in Christ nor Christ himself What is all in the Covenant of Redemption Do we not plead it daily And what Christ stipulated in this Covenant for us may we not plead it Is not
former manner i. e. not between parties bearing a proportion to one another and therefore one bound in Duty or Relation to be subjected to the Will and Pleasure of the other Antecedently or fallen under the Breach of their Duty and Relative Obligation and so lying at his Mercy and such are the Covenants that are made between Parents and Children under Age Masters and Servants while in Service between Soveraign Princes in Actual Dominion and their Subjects Of these Covenants there are two sorts 1. A Covenant by way of Legislation or a Law Covenant And 2. A Covenant by way of Promise or free Obligation without Condition required to Entitle to the Promise the Spirit of God calls the first of these a Law and it 's properly so and the second a Covenant of Promise 6. A Law Covenant 1. Presupposeth these two things 1. Foedus minimè hic intelligitur reciprocum aut equale jus contrahendi propter partium inaequalitatem cum altera sit Deus altera homo creatura non est humani sed divini hujus foederis institutio dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legislatio Clopenberg de Foed Vet. A Soveraign Legislative Power duly lodged in the Law-giver or else his Law Covenant is but Vsurpation 2. A Power and Ability in the Subject to perform the Conditions his Law requireth or else the said Law is Vnreasonable Vnjust and Tyrannical 2dly It implies 1. That both the Condition and Sanction be at the will and pleasure of the said Soveraign Law-giver 2. That the first and natural end of the Law is Obedience to the preceptive part which Obedience is due first by a Relative Politick or Natural Relation of the Subject to the Legislator so antecedaneous to the Law and secondarily to that particular Law Obligation 3dly Consequently to this Obedience whether it be little or more there is an Entitling to the remunerative part of the Law if any expressed or implied and by vertue of the compact is a Reward and the said Obedience though infinitely disproportionable is meritorious But in case of Transgression the Sanction by way of Penalty takes place and is called the Wages of Sin such a Covenant as this was the Covenant of Works and it 's not to be supposed that this Law Covenant was grievous to Adam having a Concreated Perfection both of Ability to perform it and an absolute Delight in the whole revealed Mind and Will of God from the highest Principle of Love to God with all his Heart and Soul neither could his Obedience be without unwavering stedfast Faith wherein when he began to stagger his Fall began 7. Adam stood under this Law Covenant as under a Covenant of Works wherein he is to be considered and the Law it self 1. He himself under these Considerations 1. As Endowed with a Personal Perfection and lying under a particular obligation to Obedience both previous to and directly by that Law with Sanction which the Soveraign Creator brought him under 2. God brought not him only as a single private Person under this Obligation only but as a publick common Person the Head of all Mankind and he was not only the Covenant Representative but the Natural Fountain the whole Nature being in his Loins and therefore that first Covenant Breach of his threw the whole Nature out of Covenant the Law charging Transgression upon the whole Humane Nature and laying it under the sentence of Death Rom. 5. Hence his Sin is justly Imputed to all his Posterity the whole World becoming guilty before God besides that a Corrupted Nature which is propagated to all his Posterity 2dly The Law it self 1. The particular Command or rather Prohibition that Adam stood under had these things in it 1. It was but a small Branch of that Moral Obedience which God expected from him and put him upon tryal by but his breaking thereof in one point made him guilty of all God shewing thereby unto him and the World that no Condition could be accepted but perfect Obedience 2. He was not required to work out unto himself any further Grace than he had freely received but to persist in that and therefore the Duty incumbent upon him was perseverance in Grace 3. The particular Obedience required of him for his probation was very easie and small next to nothing negative and but with-holding his Hand from an Apple and bore no proportion as a Condition to the Promise of Eternal Life and therefore could never have merited in respect of the Value but would have been Meritorious by reason of Law compact 3. If he had persevered it must have been by Grace as his Ability was of Grace and so it is with the Angels that stand they have nothing but what they have received and therefore they are saved by Grace in a Covenant of Works 8. The Law by reason of the Fall of Man and God's Will to restore him by a Saviour is not Vacated and Abolished but remains the same still in the commanding Part and Sanction It requires Moral Obedience of Man as God's Creature and continues to condemn Man for the first Sin and all Sins derived from it both Original and Actual in Unregenerate and Regenerate the preceptive parts of it are Rules of Obedience to Redeemed Ones and the Sanction remains even to them in Christ Jesus the Law obtaining its compleat end as to Righteousness Active and Passive in the second Adam Besides this the Law that God governs the World by and will Judge it by at the last Day the Works of Wicked Men will be Condemned and their Persons for their Works the Saints shall be also Justified by their Works because their Persons and their Works are perfect in Christ Jesus they being in him shall be found perfect before God and there is no Condemnation belonging to them nor Sin to be laid unto their Charge Of a Covenant of Promise THere is a Covenant by way of free unconditional Obligation and that is where the Principal or Supream Covenanter binds himself to the Covenantee absolutely requiring no condition to be performed by the Covenantee before his performance of the Promise and in a sence this Covenant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a Covenant with the Stones of the Field that abide uncapable Subjects of Restipulation but it supposeth the Covenanters to be such as are by the Promise made capable and willing to restipulate and perform all Duties for matter and manner that may answer the design of the Covenant consequential to the bestowing of Promise in which their Obedience is contained 2. That God hath Covenanted thus with the Creature without requiring previous Conditions to the Performance of the Promise is not to be questioned such was that made with Noah Gen. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will i. e. alone and by my self set up and establish my Covenant with you without calling you forth to restipulate or perform Conditions and the Promise was that all Flesh
in it's own Nature and needs a continued flux of Supply as our Graces in Sanctification As thus a Traytor pardoned by the King is not unalterably pardoned but shall be kept by the King's Care in a pardoned state Neonom Or whether God hath decreed that the Elect shall certainly believe and so be justified Antinom But hath he decreed that the Elect shall never be justified in any Sence before they believe or that Faith should be wrought as a qualifysng Condition for Justification Neonom Nor whether true Faith be an infallible sign of Justification Antinom But you make it nothing else to us if it justifies as a Condition if your Condition doth not foederally merit the Promise it 's nothing to God but an infallible Sign whereby he sees when to justifie us and to us that we are justify'd by him And what is this better than a manifestation you making it only a manifesting Condition You 're excellent good to multiply Whethers to no purpose You might bring in a 1000 Whethers more and say it 's not the Question Whether it be further to the East or West Indies nor whether Brittain be an Island or Continent Neonom I 'll come to the Point and tell you the Truth Tho' Faith be no way a meritorious Cause of a Sinners Justification yet God hath promised to justifie all such as truly believe Antinom That 's true so he hath promised to Sanctifie and glorifie them Neonom And requires Faith as an Indispensible Qualification in all whom he will justifie for Christ's merits Antinom This now is to the purpose now we see how Faith justifies as an indispensible Qualification a greater Condition than was laid upon Adam a thousand-fold For a clearer understanding the Justification of a Sinner by Faith Norton Evang. p. 110. let these Three Acts be considered the one looked at to succeed the other in Order not in Time First God actually imputes the Active and Passive Mediatory Obedience of Christ unto a Believer Rom. 4.6 therein God is freely given Secondly The Soul having before in order of Nature not in Time received Christ as its Head and Saviour by the same Faith receiveth his Obedience as the matter of it's Righteousness herein the Soul is taking Rom. 1.17 Ch. 6.11 Gal. 3 13. Thirdly God hereupon in the Court of Conscience Judicially declares and pronounceth the Sinner to be righteous and to have right unto Eternal Life by vertue of the Promise John 5.4 Rom. 3.22 30. By this Act of Grace the Person of a Sinner is Justified in himself really yet not inherently but imputatively c. Faith acknowledges 1. That we are Justified for the Righteousness sake of another viz. Christ God Man 2. Acknowledgeth our Justification is free 3. Renounceth our own Righteousness You see the Justifying Nature of Faith is Metonimically ascribed to it as the Eye is said to be the Light of the Body because it lets in the Light so Faith as the Spiritual Eye sees the glory of Christ as the Ear lets in the Justifying Promise declaratory Hence it 's said this is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent which is to acknowledge him by Faith as he is revealed Mr. Norton tells you We are justify'd by Faith alone i. e. Faith as it is justifying is not a work Rom 4.5 Nort. Evang. p. p. 208. 2 Because we are not justified by our own Righteousness i. e. The Righteousness whereof we are the Subjects 3. Because we are justified by the Righteousness of another sometimes called God's Righteousness whereof God is the Ordainer and whereof he who is God-Man is both the Worker and Subject 4. Because we are justified by a Righteousness that 's made ours by Imputation not by Infusion but as Abraham was justified 5. Because we are justifyed by a Righteousness that is actually procured before we believe our Righteousness is compared to a Garment which we put on by believing Rev. 19.8 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 yet Faith never took stitch in it Calvin That Faith justifies not as a Qualifying Condition is manifest 1. Faith as a Quality is a Work of the Law The Law commanded Faith a leading Duty in it But no Man is justified by the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 So Wolleb Willet This Proposition we are justified by Faith understood legally with the Papists is not true but blasphemous but understood correlatively is true Vosin Cat. p. 2. Q. 63. 2. That which cannot stand with Grace in Justification cannot have any Influence on Justification as such but for Faith to have any causal Influence as a Work on Justification is inconsistent with Grace The Minor is prov'd Eph. 2.8 Ergo. 3. That which gives no more to Faith in the business of our Justification than to other Works of Sanctification cannot be true but to make Faith to Justifie as a Qualification gives no more to Faith than to other Works of Sanctification Ergo. The reason is because the Scripture doth peculiarly attribute our Justification unto Faith and in a way of Opposition to all Works of Sanctification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Chap. 3.11 4. If you say That Faith justifies only as an antecedent Condition not at all meritorious Virtute eompacti then it 's no more a Condition than our coming into the World or Acts performed by us before Faith and it gives no more to Faith than to the Works of Nature as Worldly carnal Sorrow Legal Repentance and such moral Acts as carnal and unregenerate Men daily perform such as you call your Preparatory disposing Conditions and they are the cause of Faith as much as Faith of Justification and consequently the causes of Justification Causa causae est etiam causa causati and are in in eodem genere causarum 5. Whatever justifies as a Foederal Condition is meritorious but Faith justifying as a qualifying Condition upon which Life is promised justifies as a Foederal Condition The Major is true in the account of all for the Condition need not to be adequate to the Reward in Intrinsick Value tho' it be never so small yet upon Performance of the Condition the Reward is due Debt And indeed all Conditions in Contracts and Covenants are proper meritorious Causes by vertue of the Compact and Agreement made between the Covenanters For the Minor If it justifies as a qualifying Condition it must justifie as a Foederal Condition or meer Antecedent Condition And if you say as an antecedent Condition it 's at best but Causa sine qua non which we call No Cause 6. The Scripture doth sufficiently explain it self in what it says of Justification by Faith when it says we are redeemed saved justified by Christ by his Blood by his Death c. That the Spirit of God when it says we are justified by Faith intends not any Moral or Physical Causality in Faith as a Qualification but only by vertue of it's Object Mr. Bradford the Holy Martyr reasoneth thus
odd things Sanctification is no Blessing with you but only a Condition of getting Blessings Neonom He saith that on the Cross all the Sins of the Elect were transferred to Christ and ceased ever to be theirs Antinom Then there was something more needful to our Title to Blessings than the Electing Decree viz. The transferring our Sins to Christ on the Cross It is a Truth that our Sins were laid upon Christ and that but once and after the manner of Imputation in foro Justitiae Divinae they shall never be laid upon us This I will prove against you when you please and indeed it s this Doctrine viz. of Imputation that you are still bantering it 's that you have the greatest Pique at Neonom That at the first moment of Conception a Title to all those Decreed Blessings is personally applyed to the Elect and they invested actually therein Antinom If that be his particular Judgment in that Point he saith something for it and I know not that you can disprove him If God doth secretly and invisibly apply his distinguishing Fruits of Electing and Redeeming Love upon the Elect as is manifest in Jeremiah John the Baptist yea Paul and without Dispute in the Instance of Jacob that he gives Is any Man the worse for it Must he therefore come under your Anathema for an Heretick Yea is not the Blessing thus applyed to all the Elect dying in Infancy Neonom Hence he saith the Elect have nothing to do in order to an Interest in any of those Blessings nor ought they to intend the least Good to themselves by what they do Sin can do them no harm because it is none of theirs nor can God afflict them for any Sin Antinom You may erect such a Scheme upon Paul's Epistles after this manner and take the Apostle James to prove it in your way He saith The Elect can do nothing in order to an Interest in Eternal Blessings nor when they have Eternal Life bestowed upon them and the Grace of Sanctification as an undoubted part of it ought they to put their Graces and Duties in the place of Christ or design the procuring or deserving so much as de congruo in what they do and that sin can't harm them as to it 's Penal and Vindicative Effects He saith therefore it can do them no real harm and so he explains himself And therefore Gods afflicting them proceeds not from Vindicative Justice he doth not afflict them so as to execute Justice upon them for Sin but to reform them His Term is from Sin i. e. to purge Sin out of them and make them Partakers of his Holiness As the Apostle saith Heb. 12. Neonom And all the rest of his Opinions follow in a Chain to the dethroning of Christ enervating his Laws and Pleadings obstructing the great Designs of Redemption opposing the very Scope of the Gospel and the Ministry of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles Antinom It 's strange a Holy Man as you own he was should do Christ so much mischief Here 's a swinging Bill of Costs but that 's not fair before we have a Hearing and Tryal Your Word is a Law Ego ipse dixi is enough if you pass the Sentence there 's nothing but Death and the Cobler But you say all his Doctrine is link'd together as in a Chain That 's like the Analogy of Faith not like a Scheme that must be erected a new every Minute or else it will not agree with the Heavens Nowmenians or Neonomians must be often erecting new Schemes Your Opinions are so far from Consistency and linking together that they hang together like a Rope of Sand and like Particles of various Shapes that are always justling one another till they break each others Shins Doth this Doctrine incur all this Damage By what Law Nay all this Damage is excluded by the Law of Faith And your boasting too of Works Doth the Apostle Paul's Doctrine preached Eph. 1. 2. Ch. and Rom. 4. and Gal. 5. where he testifies That Christ is become of none effect to whomsoever is justified by a Law dethrone Christ and enervate his Laws and Intercession Doth he plead your Works Doth it obstruct the great Designs of Redemption in advancing him in all his Offices and the Glory of God's Free Grace Your Bill of Costs will never be allowed you till you have confuted Paul's Epistles or by your Canons made them no Canonical Scriptures Neonom The Dr. had not entertained these Opinions if he had considered that God's Electing Decree is no Legal Grant nor a formal Promise to us The Decree includes the Means and the End in order to the last And as it puts nothing in present being so it bars not God as a Governour to fix a Connexion between Benefits and Duties by his Revealed Will. Antinom Here I see I must have a Care of my Crown The Dr. Seraphicus holds up his Fist Well Dr. Cr. you should go to School to learn new Principles in Divinity if you lived in our Times You did not consider that God did not legally Elect you But Sir is not this a very insolent thing of you to say that the Purpose of God in Election was not a Legal Grant Was it a Grant or no Or was it an Election without a Grant Is not God's Designation of Good a Grant so far as designed Is not a choosing in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love A granting that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love and predestinating us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will A Granting that we should have the Adoption of Children But you say this was not Legal What! Was it not lawful for God to do this according to the good Pleasure of his Will That we usually mean when we say a thing is not Legal Or do you mean God did not elect by a Law If he had been bound by a Law to Elect he had not Elected freely For a free choice implies a Person under no Obligation external or previous to his own intention and purpose 2. You say nor a formal Promise i. e. Explicit you mean It 's enough that it's an unchangeable purpose to make a formal Promise and as there was an Eternal Election so there was an Eternal Promise the Covenant of Grace between the Father and the Son being eternal And it 's expresly said that God's Purpose and Grace was given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.3 We were no sooner efected but the purpose and Grace of it was given us in Promise Election eternal the Promise eternal both equally eternal in puncto Eternitatis though in Nature Election is before the Promise and the Cause of it 3. You say the Decree includes the Means and the End Do you think Dr. Crisp did not know that Yes how to
express it better than you do He would have said The Decree was of the Means and the End and he would not have said Willing the first i. e. The Means in order to a Will of the End but willing the End to be brought about by the Means Quod primum est in Intentione uttimum in Executione as to our Conception 4. You say it puts nothing in present being I say it puts the Promise in an Eternal Being And if you mean as to Created Beings and the manner of them it puts them into a determinate Futurition 5. You say it barrs not God of his Government No it 's not fit nor possible his own Pleasure should barr him of it neither is it possible it should barr him of what he would have neither is he the more barred because you are pleased to find Fault and it was his Pleasure to govern as he willed to govern and all the Connexion of Events so as they come to pass in a way of Necessity and Contingency But he determined absolutely and nothing that falls out is contingent to him for he judgeth not of Events as probable by Opinion but as certain to his Knowledge and therefore knows them because he willeth them to come to pass according to his Counsel and Purpose in himself Neonom So if the Dr. had animadverted that Christ's Sufferings were the Foundation of our Pardon but not formally our Pardon For them our Sins are forgiven whenever they be forgiven Without them Sin can't be forgiven and they were endured that the Sins of all the Elect when Believers should be forgiven Antinom There 's no doubt but the Dr. was so Learned and Wise that he animadverted as much as you can tell him and undoubtedly what was the main of his Judgment that he insisted upon was not from Inanimad version Ignorance or Mistake But you have found out it seems some subtile Distinction that he thought not of You say he should have said That Christ's Sufferings were the Foundation of Pardon All that he saith and means is that our Sins were fundamentally pardoned in Christ But your fundamentally is only a remote Causality as Election is to Creation and Redemption for that 's the Foundation of both If you had not intended so why had you not said the Material Cause seeing you deny them to be the Formal but you 'l have them to be neither and you say For them our Sins are forgiven Take heed how you touch there Be careful you come not too near Christ It 's a tender Point For them our Sins are forgiven How For them For them as an End Or how for them As a satisfying Reason to the Law and offended Justice of God Or only as a Benefit procured For them remotely or for them immediately For them alone or for them in conjunction with other things All that we have at present of your Meaning of for them is that without them Sin cannot be forgiven A poor Causa sine qua non As a Judge gives Sentence upon a Malefactor or acquits him Why doth he sentence or acquit him For his coming to the Judgment-Hall For say I unless the Judge had come to Court the Prisoner could not have been condemned or acquitted Christ is beholding to you for what you give to his Sufferings But we shall see more of this hereafter Neonom But yet they are not forgiven immediately upon nor meerly by his enduring those Sufferings Antinom But you mean by something else besides them not by an immediate Application of them but mediate and remote a causa fine qua non but not causa solibitaria suo genere Neonom But there was by Divine Appointment to interpose a Gospel-Promise of Pardon Antinom Now we come to the Nicety of the Point We shall split a Hair here with a Beetle and Wedges There 's the Curiosity of it What! The Promise come after Christ's Sufferings to interpose between us and Christ's Sufferings Was not the Promise the Cause of Christ's Suffering in the hidden State and Mystery of it before the World was Tit. 1. Was not the Promise declared and promulgated before Christ's Sufferings to Adam Abraham c. And was not Christ in all his Sufferings and Triumphs the great Gift of the Promise as well as the Condition of the Covenant But you 'll have Christ to be provided as an Indefinite good Medicine to stand in the Apothecaries Shop for some body or other when the Physician prescribes it Nay it 's not an absolute sick Patient neither that must have this Medicine it 's one that the Apothecary hath in a manner cured before But there 's some ugly Chronical Symptom or other remains which the Physician must be sent to for Before the Person be pardoned he must be in a very sound and safe Condition I suppose you mean Neonom There must be a work of the Spirit for Conformity to the Rule of the Promise in the Person to be pardoned and a Judicial Act of Pardon by that Promise on the Person thus conformed to the Promise Antinom The plain English of this Position is that there must be an Inherent Righteousness in the Person to be pardoned upon the condition whereof he is to be pardoned and that the Use of Christ's Sufferings are to compound with God for Sinners upon the Account of the Old Law and put a Bar upon his Proceedings according to that and procure another Law by the Righteousness whereof we are justified which Righteousness is our own inherent Righteousness and not Christ's This I affirm hath two things in it First the Abrogation of the Old Law That we have nothing to do with it at all it 's altogether out a-doors This is Antinomianism higher than ever Dr. Crisp affirm'd or any of his Abettors as you call them Secondly Here is Erection of a new Law of Works for our Justification which is Neonomianism Neonom To clear this Point consider 1. The Law is sometimes taken for the Perceptive part of God's Will with the Sanction of the Covenant of Works Antinom The preceptive Will of God with the Sanction of Rewards promised upon Performance of the things required and Threats of Punishment upon the Non-performance is always a Law or Covenant of Works Neonom In this Covenant Life was promised to sinless Obedience and Death was threatned against every Sin without admitting Repenance to Forgiveness Antinom To talk of any other Obedience to a Law besides sinless in respect of that Law in it's preceptive part is Nonsence For sinful Obedience which you are going to plead for is Disobedience and whereas you say Life was promised in that Law to Adam's sinless Obedience That 's a Supposition but there was no explicit Promise in the Sanction neither was there any need there should For a Sovereign may command a Duty or make a thing a Duty to a Subject upon a Penalty without promising a Reward And whereas you say Death was threatned without admitting Repentance to
under a Pretence of bearing Witness against Error into these Practices of Subscribing to your Book meerly to put a Countenance upon the gross Errors that you would vend among the People and that you might the better slurr and brand some Faithful Ministers of Christ in this City with the odious Name of Antinomians and the Preaching the Doctrine of Free Graâ—â—â—s our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles have done with Antinomianism and have in your Pulpit at Publick Lectures and at Publick Houses made it your business to blow up a Flame of Contention in this Town as if no Man was to be esteemed Sound and Orthodox in Gospel-Truths but your self and such as will dance after your Pipe and think all others ignorant Setters up of the Name of Christ c. 3. That in your Writing in decrying of what you would charge upon such that you call Antinomians you take Dr. Crisp and set him up as a pretended Butt a Man dead many Years since an holy Man as you own falsly representing unto the World as to his Sence and Meaning almost in every thing that thro' his sides you might wound the Doctrine of Free Grace I assert your way is very unreasonable to ground a Polemical Opposition and fasten a Charge of Error upon to Excerpt Expressions here and there from Popular Sermons not printed by himself but from the Notes of Sermon Writers How liable the true Words and Expressions of the exactest Men are to mistake and abuse Dr. Crisp Printed nothing all the Sermons reprinted were Printed from Sermon-Notes taken after him in Preaching I need not to insist on to evince common Experience is evidence enough Moreover considering that this is the way the worst of Men have always taken to expose Religion to encourage and seed Atheism and Profaneness in the World Not to name Edward's Gangrena our present time gives an ample Example in that late Pamphlet call'd the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence or the Foolishness of their Teaching You may see how the Sentences taken out of the Sermons of the Reverend Mr. Rule and of divers other Presbyterians doth look when separated from the main Sence intended by them I say I do highly disapprove of this Sermon-hunting Trade as a most disingenuous way unless a Sermon be Preached and Printed by the Author to establish a manifest Error and the whole Sermon or Sence of the said Author be impartially represented and argued 4. That the more to insinuate your self and Doctrines for Truth into the Minds of Christians sound in their Principles that they might think you mean nothing by your Uncouth and Equivocating Expressions and to deceive the less Intelligent as you call most Divines that are not of your Perswasion you grosly abuse the two Reverend Assemblies with Dr. Owen and Mr. Norton quoting them for Asserters of your Errors in places where they speak or dispute directly against the Principles that you assert Now what is this but to Ape a Deceiver at least 5. That you that have subscribed solemnly the Doctrinal part of the 39 Articles should so palpably and openly go about to overthrow some Foundation-Principles therein contained as Imputed Righteousness and Justification only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works and Deservings and that we are justified by Faith only Article 11. And that Principle asserted in the 13th That Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not from Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace c. The Contrary Doctrine to both these Articles under whatever Evasions and Prevarications you seem to abscond your self you make the great Business of your Book not only to insinuate but manifestly enough to assert and endeavour to prove viz. 1. In that it appears to be your Design to blast the whole Doctrine of Imputation whatever you pretend both of Imputation of our Sins to Christ and of the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us 2. That you make it your great Business to set up and establish a Covenant of Works boldly asserting the Gospel to be a Law with Sanction of Rewards and Punishments and that the conditional part thereof are Imperfect Works and that we are justified by those Works as a Subordinate Righteousness to the Righteousness of Christ and that Faith it self is concerned therein but as an Act in the same manner as Repentance and other parts of imperfect sincere Obedience tho in a little kind of Precedency Your Book also is full of many other Errors that have dependence on these Capital Ones which for Brevity sake I will not now rehearse besides your many Inconsistencies Contradictions Equivocations False Insinuations illiterate absurd and unsound Expressions that render your Book very Offensive to sound and solid Minds Antinom These things which you speak of I have already found and have made a little Inspection into and Discovery of unto him in Discourse even now wherein I took the boldness to open the lower Venter of his Morbid Body of Divinity in order if we can agree upon it to a thorough Dissection Neonom You both of you go upon great Mistakes and are led to censure my Book from Prejudice especially Mr. Antinomian because the principal Scope of it is to lay open his Errors And as for those things which you call Inconsistencies Contradictions absurd Expressions c. they are Terms of Art which the Learned understand such as The Rule of Promise The Rule of Sin and The Rule of Happiness and Misery c. If you once come to see how fully and rightly I have stated the Truths and Errors mentioned you will be of another mind Calvin Nay it 's very just and meet to give your Book an impartial Examination that we may have a full and clear Understanding of your Scheme how you state and defend the Points therein contained and if you will consent thereto we will appoint some place where we may meet from Day to Day at a certain Hour where we will dictinctly debate the Material Points that you assert as either Truths or Errors Neonom I highly approve of it But where shall this be with most Conveniency upon all Accounts Antinom Why may it not be Mr. Calvenist at your Calvinian Society I suppose you debate Theological Questions there most of all and there are many worthy and learned Gentlemen attend there frequently to very much purpose Calvin I like your Motion Mr. Antinomian and will undertake that both of you will have a very candid and welcom Reception there Neonom I have but one Objection and that is seeing Mr. Antinomian moves for this place I fear it smells too much of Antinomianism Is there liberty to take a Pipe of Tobacco now and then to clear an ill Scent out of the Throat Antinom Yes yes else how do you think we could be able to endure the
received by us in this Covenant between the Father and Son the Gift of the Spirit the Grace of Faith Justification by his Blood by him came all Grace yea all other supposed Grace that came not from the Father and through Christ is no Grace and will not profit us 7. Where the Covenanters Condition and Promises are all from Grace and Love to us there 's a Covenant of Grace but in that which you call a distinct Covenant of Redemption the Covenanters the Conditions and Promises are of Free Grace and Love to us God the Father from his Free Grace and Love to us called his Son to this Undertaking and Covenanting with him God the Son in our Person from his Love and Free Grace Covenanted with his Father he came and freely offered himself to perform the Covenant condition The condition of this Covenant in all Mediatorial Perfections and Performances is freely promised and bestowed upon us The Promise of Eternal Life all Grace and Glory are promised and given in this Covenant That is a Covenant of Grace wherein God is to us a God of all Grace 8. If the Covenant of Redemption be not the Covenant of Grace then there is more Covenants than the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace for Life and Salvation but there is no more Covenants for our Life and Salvation but that of Works and that of Grace The Minor I think hardly any will deny but if it be said there was Moses Mount Sinai Covenant that was but a darker and faultier Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace in the Moral and Ceremonial Law if Church Covenants be alledged under the Law or Gospel they add nothing to this grand Covenant but are Accomplishments of the Promises thereof to whom it doth belong it being promised that they shall be God's People in this Covenant Christ stipulates and we in him as we did in the first Adam then when we believe we stipulate moved thereto from the Grace of the Promise and enter personally into this Covenant embracing that Covenant which was made for us in Christ it 's called laying hold of it It is solemnly also owned professed and restipulated to when we enter into Church Fellowship repeated Restipulations and Renewings of the same Covenant may be without changing the Covenant for as we find God often repeats this Covenant and renews it with his People in Revelation and Establishment as with Adam Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet it was but the same Covenant so are God's Children excited and encouraged thereto from the Free Grace of the said Covenant I shall not here enlarge any further but refer the Reader to that Excellent Treatise of the Reverend Mr. Petto concerning the Covenants where C. 2. p. 18. he gives us this account of the Covenant of Grace viz. The Covenant of Grace was made and established not only with us but jointly with Jesus Christ and us in him so that both are within one and the same Covenant for the great Transactions with Jesus yea even the giving and sending of him and his accepting the Office of a Redeemer and undertaking for us these are all of Grace as well as what is promised to us through him therefore the Covenant of Grace must take in all that conduceth otherwise than a meer Decree to our Restauration and Eternal Salvation 1. There is no Scripture Evidence for making these two Covenants one of Suretiship or Redemption with Jesus Christ and another of Grace and Reconciliation made with us that distinction which some use is improper for the parts are coincident seeing that which was with Christ was of meer Grace also John 3.16 And it 's promised that he should be given for a Covenant Isa 42.6 therefore it 's of Grace we are Redeemed by him 2 Tim. 1.9 There was Grace before the World was and that must be in the Covenant as with Jesus Christ which was for Reconciling the VVorld to the Father 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Colos 1.20 21. It 's true Christ only is our Redeemer and Surety not we in our own Persons And Christ hath some peculiar Precepts and Promises appropriated to him which are not afforded to us in the same manner and degree yet this hindereth not the Oneness of the Covenant with him and us 2. The Covenant of Grace was made with Jesus Christ as a Publick Person a Second Adam and therefore with all his Seed in him 3. All in the Covenant as with us is undertaken for and promised in the Covenant as between the Father and the Son and so together make but one Covenant 4. All Covenant Blessings are primarily granted to Christ See more p. 23 c. Neonom Q. 2. What is intended by a Condition A. I answer in the Words of the Worthy Mr. Flavel Discourse of Errors p. 248. An antecedent condition signifies no more than an Act of ours which though it be neither perfect in every degree nor in the least meritorious of the Benefit conferr'd nor performed in our natural Strength yet according to the Constitution of the Covenant it is required of us in order to the Blessing consequent thereupon by vertue of the Promise and consequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in this Order are and must be suspended by the Donor or Disposer of them till it be performed such a Condition we affirm Faith to be Antinom Mr. Flavel was a worthy Man but it may be not without some Hay and Stubble I wish it do not prove an attempting at another Foundation besides Christ 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12 13. You tell us what an antecodent condition is that it signifies no more than an Act of ours and such is Faith I suppose you and he mean in distinction from a consequent condition The Antecedent gains the Estate the Lawyers reckon it the Purchase-Mony the consequent condition keeps it and it 's the Quit-rent which if it be not duly paid the Lord can enter and take to the Estate So that Faith you 'll have to be the Antecedent condition money deposited and laid down before you have any thing of your Spiritual Estate And you say it signifies no more than an Act of ours I pray whose should it be but ours if the condition be to be performed by us And why is this put in it signifies no more Unless the meaning be that Christ's Righteousness should be shut out and it should be reckoned under the nature of this condition meerly as an Act of ours without respect to Christ the Author of it and Christ the true Object of it And now you tell us it 's Negative Qualifications 1. It 's not perfect in every degree What 's the meaning of that This insinuates as if it were perfect in some degrees I had thought no Grace were perfect in degrees tho' as to Kind and Truth But you will have it perfect in some degrees and imperfect in other degrees Pray in what degrees is this condition perfect and in what imperfect And whether
God unto Salvation but not as the Cause this were to change the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works our good Works are the effects of Grace the Reward of good Works are a Reward of Grace Good Works are necessary to Salvation as the Way not as an Instrument or Cause Faith is necessary to Salvation as an Instrument The Active and Passive Obedience of Christ is necessary as a meritorious Cause Calvin Mr. Antisozzo I pray do you now speak impartially to this Point Antisozzo I think I have met with his Scheme before now and as I take it it runs thus and the Question that lies before us is this What Influence the Sacrifice of Christs Death and the Righteousness of his Life have upon our acceptance with God The Gentleman that I once disputed with stated the Question so and resolved it as follows Antisozzo p. 580. All that I can find in Scripture about this is That to this we owe the Covenant of Grace That God being well-pleased with the Obedience of Christ's Life and the Sacrifice of his Death for his sake entred into a new Covenant with Mankind wherein he promises pardon of Sin and eternal Life to those who believe and obey the Gospel I think this is exactly your Scheme Mr. Neonomian Neonom Yes and something more D. W. p. 8. viz. That the Gospel barrs all Vnbelievers and dead Sinners from Pardon and Adoption and denounceth the continuance of Condemnation against them limiting it's Benefits to such as believe Antisozzo This Scheme contains three things 1. A Description of the Covenant of Grace 2. An Assertion that this Covenant of Grace is owing to the Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ 3. A Supposition that this Righteousness and Sacrifice of Christ hath no other Influence upon our acceptance with God but that for his sake he enrted into such a Covenant with Mankind 1. His Description is this A Promise of the pardon of Sin and Eternal Life to those who believe and obey the Gospel Neonom You will not I hope deny this to be a true Description of the Covenant of Grace Antisozzo But I will for all your hast It is a Description so liable to Exceptions that it describes neither the whole of the Covenant nor a New Covenant nor upon the matter any Covenant at all Neonom If you prove what you say Eris mihi magnus Apollo I 'll strike out your Name from my Book and if I can be convinced I must subscribe yours Antisozzo You shall see what I can do presently 1. This Description gives us very little of a true Covenant of Grace For 1. Tho you think to put us off with a Promise of Pardon and Life to those that believe and obey the true Covenant of Grace hath given us a Promise of that Faith whereby we may believe and of that New Heart whereby we are enabled to obey the Gospel And First We have the Promise of the right Faith in the true Covenant John 6.37 Eph. 1.8 And least it should be said Faith is a common Gift as other things are the Apostle hath his reply ready Eph. 1.19 Secondly We have a direct and express Promise too of that New Heart from which we give to God new Obedience Ezek. 36. Ver. 26 27. c. 2. This Description gives but very little of the true Covenant of Grace there 's a Promise of Pardon and Life to them who believe and obey but Perseverance in Faith and Obedience is left to the Desultory and Lubricous Power of Free Will whereas in the true Câ—venant of Grace there 's an Undertaking that the Covenant shall be immutable both on God's part Jer. 32.38 4. God hath said He will not turn away from doing them good And 2ly He hath promised That they shall not depart from him c. p. 583. 2. As it describes not the whole of the Covenant so it describes not the Nature of a new Covenant 1. It describes no New Covenant in opposition to the Old Covenant of Works The Covenant with Adam promised Life upon condition of Oâ—edience and those Commands as easie as those now given to Mankind and much easier too if we consider Adam's Natural Strength 2. We are told by you that Christ hath added to the Moral Law i. e. to the Moral Duties required by the New Law Faith and Repentance which is to lay more Load on those that were overcharged before So that as you make Covenants Adam's was much the better Covenant of the two but you have wisely shuffled in a Promise of the Pardon of Sin which may seem to give this Covenant a Preheminence above that of Adam But that will not mend the matter both because it 's better to have no Sin in our Natures than such a Remedy better to have no Wound than such a Plaister and also because the Promise of Pardon as you say is suspended upon the condition of Faith and Obedience which without a Supernatural real Influx of immediate Divine Power reduceth the Promise to an impossibility of Performance 2ly This Covenant described is no new Covenant in opposition to the Old Administration of the Covenant of Grace there were the same Promises then that we have now the same Moral Precepts that we have now Though the Word Gospel come in for a Blind yet the Apostle assures us the Gospel was preached to Abraham 3. Upon the matter it 's no Covenant of Grace at all p. 584. For 1. A Promise of Pardon and Life upon condition of believing and obeying is neither better nor worse than a Threatning of Condemnation and Death to them who believe not and obey not It may with equal right be called a Threatning of Death as a Promise of Life It 's no more of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath And therefore 2ly If it be lawful to consider Man as the Word of God describes him dead in Sins and Trespasses It 's no Covenant at all to him For what is the nice difference betwixt the Promise of Life to him that obeys when it 's certain before-hand he cannot obey and no Promise at all c. Neonom Well Sir pray let us call another Cause Do you argue like a Voucher to my Book Mr. Calvinist he is a sharp Man and he doth this only for Argumentation sake he is of my mind for all this Antisozzo No do not you believe that you wheadled me in to vouch for your Book I know not how but I shall stick the closer upon your Skirts for that I have not done with you yet Calvin I will then propound one Question to Mr. Antisozzo Whether the Covenant of Grace be owing to the Sacrifice of Christs Death and so be distinct from that he calls the Covenant of Redemption Because our time now is up speak only what your Judgment is in this Point Antisozzo Mr. Neonomian I must tell you I have narrowly pryed into this Paradox That the Covenant of Grace is owing to procured by and
Question if it be not Faith it self that is meant The Context is so far from relieving our Understandings that it contributeth to our unavoidable Deceit and Ignorance Read over the Texts and put but Christ's Righteousness every where instead of the word Faith and see what a Scandalous Paraphrase you will make the Scripture is not so audaciously to be corrected Calvin Now I shall shew you how by the Orthodox Protestants this Doctrine of Neonomanism hath been opposed as Antichristian and Destructive to the Grace of God Pemble's Treat of Justif c. 2. p. 164. fol. The Learned Mr. Pemble gives the Anatomy of this Doctrine after that he had shewed that Faustus Socinus Michael Servetus Christophorus Ostodorus and Arminius were the Forgers next to the Jesuits and Propagators of this Doctrine Armin. saith he branches out his Opinion in three distinct Propositions 1. Justitia Christi Imputata nobis Christ's Righteousness is Imputed to us 2. Justitia Christi non Imputata in Justitiam the Righteousness of Christ is not Imputed for Righteousness 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere Imputatur in Justitiam Believing it self is Imputed for Righteousness We now meddle with the last more roundly expressed Ipsum fidei Actum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere Dito Imputari in Justitiam Armin. Epist ad Hippolitum idque sensu proprio non Metonymecè The same is the Opinion of his Fellows the Remonstrants of Voetius Peter Bertius Episcopius c. with whom Bellarmine agrees in the Interp. of Rom. 4. de Justific c. 17. lib. 1. In summ their Opinion runs thus God in the Legal Covenant required exact Gbedience of his Commandment but now in the Covenant of Grace he requires Faith which in his gracious estimations stands instead of that Obedience to the Moral Law which we ought to perform Which comes to pass by the Merit of Christ for whose sake God accounts our imperfect Faith to be perfect Obedience This Assertion exactly Neonomianism and in place thereof we defend this Proposition God doth not Justifie a Man by Faith properly imputing unto him Faith in Christ for his perfect Obedience to the Law and therefore accounting him Just and Innocent in his sight which we prove by these Reasons I 'll but name them 1. We are not Justified by any Work of our own though given by Grace but believing is an act of our own Ergo not by believing The Major is manifest by Scripture which teach we are saved by Grace Eph. 2.5 Tit. 3.6 Rom. 11.6 The Minor is evident that Faith is a Work of ours for though John 6.29 Christ saith this is the Work of God c. yet our Adversaries will not conclude thence that Faith is God's Work within us and not our Work by his help for they 'l say It 's not God believes and Christ repents c. They have two shifts 1. We are not Justified by any Work of our own done by our own strength but by the Aid of Grace A. This distinction of Works done without Grace and Works done by Grace was devised by one that had neither Wit nor Grace being a trick to elude the force of such Scriptures as exclude them indefinitely to our Justification c. Wherefore it s without all ground in Scripture thus to Interpret these Propositions A Man is not Justified by Works i. e. by Works done by the Power of Nature before and without Grace A Man is Justified by Grace i. e. by Works done by Aid of Grace 2. They say We are not Justified by any Works of our own i. e. by any Works of the Law but by a Work of the Gospel such as Faith is we may be Justified by there 's no ground in Scripture for this distinction nor in reason for both tell us that Works commanded in the Law and in the Gospel are one and the same for the substance of them Luke 10.27 Deut. 6.5 What Sin against the Gospel that is not a Transgression of the Law Is Charity one doth not the Law command it Is Faith one doth not the Law enjoyn the same Obj. But it commands not Faith in Christ A. It doth for that which commands us in general to believe commands us to believe whatever God shall make known to us Arg. 2. God only accounts that perfect Righteousness of the Law which is so in deed and in truth but Faith is not the perfect fulfilling of the Law Ergo Here our Neonomians will except and say They differ from the Arminians in saying That Christ only hath merited that our Imperfect Righteousness shall be accepted instead of perfect which hath worser absurdity in it as shall appear Arg. 3. We are not Justified by two Righteousnesses existing in two divers Subjects but if we are Justified by Christ's Righteousness and the VVork of Faith we are Justified by two Righteousnesses existing in two Subjects Ergo. I shall only leave with you the Opinion of the Orthodox Protestants concerning Justification by Faith who have strenuosly opposed the Papists Socinians Arminians and Neonomians in this Point He is Justified by Faith who excludes the Righteousness of VVorks Calv. Instit lib. 3. c. 111 de Justific fidei and apprehends the Righteousness of Christ wherewith being cloathed in the sight of God he appears not as a Sinner but Justified So that we Interpret Justification simply an Acceptance whereby God doth account us for Righteous Ones who are received into his Favour and we say That it i. e. Acceptio Acceptance is placed in the Remission of Sins and Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ Justification hath two parts Remission of Sins and Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Mr. Perkins in the Order and Causes of Salv. c. 37. p. 81. Remission of Sins is that part of Justification whereby he that believes is freed from the Guilt and Punishment by the Passion of Christ Colos 1.21 22. 1 Pet. 2.24 Imputation of Righteousness is the other part of Justification whereby such as believe having the Guilt of their Sins covered are accounted Just in the fight of God through the Righteousness of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 Psal 32.1 Rom. 4. tot cap. Phil. 3.8 9. The form of Justification is as it were a kind of Translation of the Believers Sins unto Christ and again Christ's Righteousness unto the Believer by a Reciprocal and Mutual Imputation Justification is the Gracious Sentence of God whereby for the sake of Christ apprehended by Faith Ames Medul c. 27. he absolves a Believer from Sin and Death and counts him Righteous Rom. 3.22 24. § 17 18. Christ is the adequate Object of Faith as it justifies Faith also upon no other account justifies but as it apprehends that Righteousness for which we are justified and that Righteousness is not in the Truth of any Axiom to which we give Assent but in Christ alone who was made Sin for us that we may be the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Hence those Sermons in
to forbid all intending our own good but rather act as one that now hath nothing to do in comparison as to the securing of Spiritual good things to my self Christ hath procured and settled all upon me I have a goodly Heritage Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all my days and from the sence of the greatness and fulness of Provision made for me in Christ I will glorifie him in Soul and Body and Spirit live to him serve him and my Generation not thinking that I can add any thing by my Duties to what Christ hath procured and obtained for me and in this sence it is I say that it is no discouragement because you cannot propound to your self any possible Gain i. e. over and above what Christ hath procured but whatever is the greatest and truest spur or encouragement to Duty is already provided to your Hand freely and graciously I illustrate my meaning thus There are some Children in the World that are very observant of their Parents Dt. C. p. 151. and their aim is that by reason of such compliance their Parents may settle an Estate upon them but when a Child knows an Estate is already settled upon him that it cannot be reversed and he is not able to add to it will such a Child propose to himself in his Obedience and Observance the obtaining that Good his Father hath already passed He knows it is passed already and cannot be by any thing he doth firmer and stronger He serves not now to get his Fathers Land but he serves to glorifie his Father that hath so freely settled his Land upon him Hence you see plainly that I mean in respect of Title not in respect of Possession and Enjoyment for so I say of Believers that have the temper of Christ's true-bred Children indeed They in the Gospel of Christ find all things that do appertain to Life and Godliness they find them all so passed over by God's Goodness and Free Grace to them Dr. C. p. 152. That the Lions shall want and suffer hunger before they shall want any thing that is good Must they now labour to gain these things as if they were in agitation or as if they were yet referred to their will or to their good and evil walking that as they shall walk so they shall speed This is to argue That God is yet to determine with himself how to dispose of those good things that he will bestow upon his People and that he gives good things according to their good or evil Carriage and so the goodness of God to his People must depend upon his Peoples goodness to him which is as the Morning Cloud and as Mens Works prevail with God so God will pour out his Bounty upon them Calvin Mr. Antinom gives us a very good account of his meaning and I wonder that Mr. Neonom you will offer to say he â—orbids the intending our own good though in subordination to God's Glory yea laying no stress of Meriting whereas he is express as to both these And by procuring and obtaining he plainly intends procuring or obtaining a Title to Heavenly Things But Mr. Antinom Did not Abraham in his Obedience unto God Heb. 11.9 10. look for a City which hath Foundations And had not Moses v. 26. in his Self-denial an Eye to the Recompence of Reward How is it then that we should not think to gain or procure any thing by our Duties and Obedience Antinom The great things that the Faithful mentioned in that Chapter did by Faith in the Promise surely Entitling them to those great things they looked for they did not esteem that their Obedience added one grain to their Inheritance by Promise any more than that the very Service of God it self and Enjoyment of him was of the Priviledges promised and they walked therein in Expectation of further performances Abraham looked for a City upon what ground Not of his Obedience but as being Heir already of the Promise of it Moses had an Eye to the Recompence of Reward not as procuring it by his Self-denial but as being Entitled to it by the Promise believed as already bestowed upon him by the Gift and Procurement of Christ and thence was carried forth to his Duty in Love to God and in Honour of his Free Grace as I have said thence it was that no difficulties of Affliction could discourage him nor Worldly Preferments and Riches allure him from his Duty My whole design in the Expressions mentioned by Mr. Neonom was to caution Believers against putting their Duties in the place of Christ in order to Life and Salvation And I have Mr. Luther for my President speaking in the like Case after the same manner The true Christ neither calleth thee to reckoning for thy Sins nor biddeth thee trust to thine own good Works Luth. on Gal. 5.4 but the false Christ i. e. the Devil in the likeness of Christ doth and the true Knowledge of Christ or Faith disputeth not whether thou hast done good VVorks to Righteousness or evil Works to Condemnation but simply concludeth after this sort If thou hast done good Works thou art not therefore Justified or if thou hast done evil Works thou art not thereby Condemned And I neither take from good Works their praise nor commend evil Works but in the matter of Justification I say we must look how we may hold Christ lest while we seek to be Justified by the Law we make him unprofitable to us for it 's Christ alone that Justifieth me both against my evil Deeds and without my good Deeds If I have this perswasion of Christ I lay hold on the true Christ but if I think that he exacteth the Law and Works of me to Salvation then he becometh unprofitable to me and I am utterly separated from him Neonom He saith When you labour by Prayer or seeking to prevail with God to take away his displeasure D. W. p. 154. Dr. C. p. 425. c. and to procure such good you serve not God now you serve your selves Antinom I was speaking against Selfishness in our Performances and said if you suppose you fast pray mourn or do any other Religious Services if you apprehend your own turns are not yet served there will be altogether a Selfishness in the performance of these Duties Selfish Ends and Motives will be your Load-stones and they shall draw up your Spirits in these Services As for Example when we labour by our Fasting and Prayer and seeking the Lord to prevail with God to take away his Displeasure c. and to procure such good things unto us do we serve the Lord or no And do we not serve our selves Nay you serve no God now you serve your selves when only your selves put you upon the performance of the Duty but you will say I must Fast and Pray to get my Sins pardoned A. It 's true that as long as Men think their Sins are upon themselves they cannot be atâ—est but
to the Hallow I will tell you yea the Spirit tells you the rest the Non-elect Jews were blinded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that were saved the Grace of Election obtained for them But as for the rest they who were not elected they were hardned And when you have done and said all about your Serious Offers unless you hold conditional Election you must still continue to lay these foul Charges and Consequences upon God For whatever Offers are made the Non-elect will neither believe or be saved and in respect of Non-election are in the same Condition with the Devils Now say you then their Case is worse than Devils these Offers are made to them for no other design but to increase their Condemnation But I will tell you it becomes so to them per accidens the design of offering Salvation to the World is that Sinners may believe and be saved not that Elect Sinners should be secure or Non-elect Despair But what is in God's Mind as his Reason in making so indefinite an offer and tender of Grace whose is Election It is for the calling and gathering in of the Elect though an indefinite Invitation or Command of God makes the answer of it equally the Duty of all that hear it by the Law and I will tell you Ex Hebreae veritatis collatione appareat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondere vocabulo Hâ—braeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemo mirabitur quod maluerim soporem aut etiam stuporem convertere Ita n. Hebraei vocant altissimum veternum quod omnem sensum adimat idque optimè convenit ei quod precessit de Callo sive Obduratione quod subjicitur oculis de oculis ad videndam auribus ad audiâ—ndum ineptis Beza Chrâ—sost Theophyl Oecum Inteâ—â—râ—t Spiritum staporis pertiâ—â—â—iâ—â— i. e. animum in malo obstinatum ut neque aut moveri quasi clavo affixum Lee's Crit. the Truth of God's Word will stand against your Carnal Weapons and Banter Rom. 11.8 9. The rest besides the Remnant that were saved were not only blinded but hardned Judicially according to the Word of the Lord by Isaiah chap. 29.10 God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eyes that they should not see The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deep Sleep but the Apostle takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the LXII which primarily signifies compunction derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compungo and used Acts 2.37 It signifies a Mind fixed and pertinacious in evil God hath sent or given them saith Paul the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath given them to drink down a Spirit of Stupidity and see what follows ver 9.10 Notwithstanding the offer made the Non-elect fall under this Judicial proceeding of God viz. a Spirit of Slumber given them Eyes given them that they should not see Ears that they should not hear their Table becomes a Snare the offer of Grace a stumbling to them Nay you say then every Sin of theirs is against the Holy Ghost i. e. every Sin alike the unpardonable Sin There is no Sin unpardonable in respect of God i. e. such that God cannot pardon but there are Sins of the same Nature and Kind with them that are pardoned in some that will not be pardoned in others God 's not pardoning a Sin or Person makes not it or him unpardonable ab actu ad potentiam non valet consequentiam The Sin against the Holy Ghost is not therefore unpardonable because it cannot be pardoned but from the positive and declared will of Christ concerning it that it shall not be forgiven in this World nor in the World to come he hath made an exception upon this Species of Sin or Individual Sin Matth. 12.31 32. but for this reason no other sort or kind of Sin is unpardonable Christ that spake the one spake the other All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto Men ver 32. Is it not a marvellous piece of Impudence in you to draw this Inference upon Christ because Sins in the Non-elect are not forgiven eventually therefore now all manner of Sins in them are as unpardonable as Sins against the Holy Ghost Neonom To say no more it will follow Christ hath no Rule of distributive Justice but his own eternal purpose and Men's Regards to his promised Benefits are all forbidden even when our respect to them is that which subserves his Government and is supposed in all the Methods of it Antinom You need say no more unless it be to express your Repentance for what you have spoken What mean you by Christ's Rule of Distributive Justice Doth Christ offer Salvation unto Sinners or dispence Grace to Believers in a way of Distributive Justice Is not this to make the Covenant of Grace a Law of Works with a witness It 's true Christ governs the World as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and this Rule of distributive Justice on the Providential Throne and at his Second coming is and shall be the Moral Law But is this his Rule of saving Sinners Doth he administer the Covenant of Grace in a way of Distributive Justice according to Men's Obedience to Commands and regard to Promises made upon such Conditions If it were so Sinners uncalled and called were all in a miserable Condition Neonom And why should we intend the Glory of God the Service of Christ or the good of others Are not these as determined as our own good Hath not God fixed and secured his own Glory Antinom He hath so he hath fixed it and all our Duties and Blessings therein and because Christ provided for his own Glory and the Glory of God's Free-Grace in all that he hath done or is doing for us Therefore we are in a special manner to beware lest we rob him of his Glory by giving that which belongs to him to our own Works even the best we can do Neonom I could shew that we cant't sincerely aim at our own good but we therein aim at the Glory of God nor doth God ever require us to intend his Glory but in a Concurrence with an Eye to our own Salvation Antinom You should have said we cannot truly aim at God's Glory but therein we aim at our own Good Men must first aim at God's Glory But 1. Men may sincerely aim at God's Glory and yet come short of God's Glory and their own good For so Paul did in his unregenerate Estate and so will every unregenerate Man Rom. 3.22 2. How many Men sincerely aim at their own Good in many things and yet have not a true Aim at the Glory of God Do not all Men say Who will shew us any good Psal 4. and seek it in Corn Wine and Oyl And did not the Jews aim at their own Good in following after the Law of Righteousness Rom. 9.31 Neonom I will tell you your mistakes Antinom I pray mend and recant your own gross Errors
by the dominion of Sin the prevailing of Sin this I deny to be dominion in a Justified One You should have made this Proposition if a true Believer be not in Christ he shall come into Condemnation Would not this look Ridiculous Neonom And tho' the Grace of God will prevent the dominion of Sin in every Elect Believer and so keep them from Eternal Death yet true Believers may by Sin bring very great hurt to themselves in Soul and Body which they ought to fear and they may expect a share in National Judgments according as they have contributed to the common guilt Antinom Here now you add a preservation from another hurt and it 's certain that as Sin shall not hurt them as to the wages of Sin and penal effects answering the Sanction of the Law so it shall not have dominion over them which you say well in Grace hath secured them from Rom. 6. and yet you begin with a bounce in your proposition made up of impossibilities by your own concession 2. You say the grace of God prevents the dominion of Sin and so keeps them from Eternal Death as if you thought the grace of God made no use of Christ in preserving Men from Eternal Death Hath Christ not delivered us from the dominion of Sin and Eternal Death too but I find you 'l have as little to do with Christ in the Salvation of Sinners or Believers as you can 3. Notwithstanding Sin cannot bring them under Condemnation nor under its dominion the Two great real hurts of Sin yet you would seem to say something contrary to me and that is it doth do them hurt in Soul and Body which they ought to fear we tell you 1. It can do them no real hurt it may do them supposed 2. It doth them no hurt directly as to punishment or dominion it may by accident i. e. thro' the weakness of their Faith lie upon their Consciences defile them and drive them to warp from the free love and grace of God this you would call good and not hurt for you would have them put themselves under Wrath. 3. We speak of Sins past yet lying upon Conscience and driving the Soul from Christ we speak not of Sins not committed those we should fear with a fear of watchfulness and dependance on grace for strength against them and we say they are odious to the Faithful 4. We say true Believers shall have a share in National Calamities which shall not be Judicial Punishments to them but sanctified afflictions and therefore no real hurts tho' seeming ones Neonom But I will tell you wherein the difference is not Antinom What then I must run the Gantlet for my Error forward and backward with whether and neither Neonom Yes if you will know the Truth rightly stated you must know it when it is not as well as when it is as they that look for that which is lost 1. It is not whether God will preserve Elect Believers from Eternal Condemnation by keeping them from the Dominion of Sin Antinom But it is whether keeping Men from the Dominion of Sin is the proper Reason of their being kept from Condemnation Doth Mortification of Sin save Men from Condemnation or the strictest degree of Holiness It 's true that the Will of God is our Sanctification but our Sanctification did not die for us and hath no more to do in taking off Condemnation than Paul in taking off Condemnation from the Corinthians it peculiarly belongs to Christ to deliver from the Wrath to come and from all Condemnation Neonom Nor whether a justifyed Person be freed from the Curse of the Law or the Sanction of the Law of Works Antinom But it is whether he be free from the Sanction of your new Law which is a Law of Works too Neonom Nor whether a Believer should fear his Eternal Condemnation no further than his Sins bring his Sincerity in question or lead to Security or Apostacy Antinom But it is out of question Hypocrites and Apostates were never Believers 2 Whatever a Believer doth do yet you own he ought upon some Grounds or other to be delivered from the fear of Condemnation We say it ought to be grounded on the Faith of his full deliverance from Condemnation by the attonement and satisfaction of Christ You say it ought to be founded upon his Sincerity and Perseverance that when he is rid of all his Hypocrisy and hath persevered to the end of his Life he may be free from fear of Condemnation but not before 3. Where 's the true Believer but is daily complaining and not without cause enough of his Unbelief Hypocrisy Security Backsliding And if he should have no better assurance of the safety of his State and freedom from Condemnation than his own Sincerity and Perseverance he could not be freed from the fear of Condemnation in this Life nor walk comfortably an hour Neonom Nor whether God may in sovereign Mercy spare to execute those Rebukes National or Personal which a godly Man's Sins may expose him to Antinom You love to dance about in Ambiguities There is a great deal of difference between sovereign sparing Mercy and Covenant-Mercy God exerciseth sparing Mercy and long Suffering towards the worst of Men but deals with a true Believer always in a way of Covenant-mercy and whether he rebukes him or not it 's all from his Fatherly Love and Wisdom God cannot deal with him but according to his Covenant relation God indeed deals with Nations and mixt Societies of Men according to his Sovereignty but the same visible Dispensations are made Covenant-mercies to all true Believers within the compass of such Providences Neonom Nor whether God may or can over-rule the Sin of a Believer afterward to his Benefit these I affirm Antinom It 's not only out of question that he may or can over-rule the Sin of a Believer for his Benefit but that he always doth do it if he is truly belonging to God Neonom Nor whether the Afflictions of the Godly be the execution of the damnatory Curse of the Law or any satisfaction or attonement for Sins This I deny and add That Christ alone satisfied Justice Antinom But it 's a question what you mean by the damnatory Curse of the Law Is then one Curse damnatory and another not damnatory You mean Afflictions are an Execution of the Curse of the Law but are not of eternal Damnation 2. You say They are not any satisfaction and attonement but if they be execution of a Curse if but temporary it cannot be avoided but they must be satisfying and attoning in one kind or another in whole or in part 3. You add That Christ alone satisfied Justice if so then he suffered the whole penal part of Sin and this is all the Doctor saith that there remains none of it for a true believing Member of Christ to bear and what 's the reason you make such a noise when here you yield all the
DEFENDED AND THE New Gospel UNMASK'D TWO Gentlemen who had for their Recreation walk'd forth into the Fields in Vtopia happened to fall into Company together and after mutual Salutation and general Discourses of News having not as yet a particular Acquaintance or Knowledge one of another one of them among many things mentioned by him that were great ground of Sadness to a considering and gracious Mind said He was most affected with and grieved at the great Eclipse fallen of late upon the Doctrine of the Gospel insomuch that for the Doctrine of Justification especially we are in a manner returned again into Egypt that of Justification by Works being brought into the room of Justification by Faith and only varnish'd over with the Profession of the Protestant Religion and the change of a few Terms which are used to the same purpose that the former were The other Gentleman look'd hard upon him while he thus spake and said Have you seen a Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated It 's a Book much talked of and commended Yes Sir said the other I have seen the Book and read most of it but I will assure you I was much grieved at the reading of it I pray your Reasons He replyed Pray Sir excuse me there The other return'd I begin to have some Apprehensions what your Principles are I find you are an Antinomian I pray what is your Name I crave your Excuse Sir you have given me a Name you may call me by that or what you please for by this I do as well ken you For I know of what Principles those Men are of that are so ready to asperse the Asserters of the Doctrine of Free-Grace with the Reproachful Name of Antinomians the true Account of which Sect and most ancient is from the Apostle Paul's time that they took occasion from the Doctrine of Free-Grace to plead for and practise all manner of Licentiousness Hoc anno prodiit Secta eorum qui dicuntur Antinomi Sleid. com l. 12. fol. 199. And in Sleiden we have an Account of a Sect of Libertines or Carnal Gospellers which brake out in Germany after the Reformation circ An. 1538. the Ring-leader whereof was Islebius Agricola the Compiler of the Interim They merited this Name of Antinomians by the loose Opinions and looser Practices against whom Luther wrote several Books and Calvin also with great Invectives in his Instr advers Libertin Which were Learned and eminent Witnesses to the Doctrine of Free Grace as it ought to be held forth in all its Gospel-Splendor and Lustre The other Gentleman replied As for Luther he was an Antinomian himself and Calvin but a little better according to the Opinion of our Modern Divines We say they are Antinomians that deny Justification to be by Faith as a conditional receiving Act and by Repentance as a qualifying Act and that the continuation of our Justification is by Works These Men which you name and their Followers indeed pretend to Holiness but they ascribe not that to it which they ought for the Honour of God's Rectoral Rule of Government Antinomian If these be the Men you call Antinomians they are falsely so called I think they that come nearest to the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles are the most Orthodox and I know no such Doctrine that they have taught but contrary to what you call Orthodox you seem to be of the Sect-truly call'd Neonomians because they assert That the Gospel is a new Law the Condition whereof is imperfect sincere persevering Obedience which I take to be no other than a Covenant of Works Neonom I am indeed of that Opinion and my Scheme is according thereunto I say the Covenant of Grace is a conditional Covenant and the Condition of it is sincere Obedience in Faith and other Graces and Duties persevered in But I say not that we are Justifyed by the Covenant of Works the Law of Innocency that is Abrogated transiit in Sentontiam but that Christ hath in satisfying that Law merited another with milder Terms and Conditions viz. of Imperfect Obedience Antinom I perceive then that you are the Antinomian indeed for you set aside the Old Law as Obsolete and Abrogated and of no use to us at all For the Apostle Paul saith The Promise is not against the Law but it doth establish it Neonom i. e. It doth establish the New Law not the Old we are for a Law and Justification by it tho' not for the Old For Paul still opposeth the Law of Faith and the Works of that Law to the Old Law i. e. The Law of Perfect Obedience You must not confound one with another That was a Law of Perfection this of Imperfection I have stated the difference between Truth and Error in these matters Antinom Now you say you have stated the Difference I begin to suspect you to be the Author of that Book lately come forth called Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated For that Gentleman pretends to a singular Dexterity in stating Questions and Superlative Nicety even to the splitting a Hair between Truth and Error and I perceive divers Divines do esteem him a Cuminopristes that way by the Commendation they have given him and the Recommendation of his Treatise Neonom Truly it is no more than what it deserves not to say any thing of the Author who I know how unworthy soever he thinks himself to be yet hath no greater Ambition than to remove Mistakes from Men's Minds about Gospel-Truths of which there are many even among honest well-meaning Divines as well as others who are too much unstudied in these matters and therefore frequently utter their crude and undigested Conceptions in the Pulpit and Press too and as he would reach forth light to them so he would be Malleus Hereticorum Antinom My thinks I am the more confirmed by this that you your self were the Author Are you Mr. D. W Neonom I was either the Author or will personate him so far as to defend the Book if any one hath any thing to say against it I must confess D. W. Pref. p. 1. a dislike of Contention hath long restrained my engaging in this Work Antinom I doubt too much of the contrary appears in that Book or else the Author would never have raked up the Ashes of an Holy Man that hath been so long at rest to contend with and spurn them about with his Foot in so much Scorn and Contempt Neonom I have been oft solicited to this Work by many able Ministers Antinom Because they look'd upon you as the ablest as you seem willing to be thought I perceive now I be not mistaken Neonom But finding what Principles you are of I know you are mistaken in many things which I shall rectifie you in if you have Patience and Will to hearken to me Do but read my Book and consider it well Peace is the Blessing which I chearfully pursue and it with the Truth
what I propose in this very Endeavour Antinom It 's well if it be so but as they say the Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating It 's no new thing for Men to pretend well let their Undertaking be what it will But Non videtur id manticae quod in tergo est Apollinarius the Heretick had a School cum Titulo Orthodoxi And Nestorius the Heretick shrouded himself under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Error sibi ex principiis fidem perstruit ut cum magna mercede fallet It 's observed that Error will always shelter it self under a plausible Pretext of Truth that it may do it with the greatest Advantage Neonom I am convinced after many Prayers and serious Thoughts that the Revival of those Errors must not only exclude that Ministry as Legal which is most apt in its Nature and by Christ's Ordination to convert Souls and secure the Practical Power of Religion but also renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Antinom You know also another old Proverb In Nomine Domini c. Livy reports of Scipio Africanus before he set upon any Business he entred the Capitol alone pretending thereby a Consultation with the Gods whereupon apud multitudinem plerumque velut mente divinitus monitâ agebat thereby he had a great Vogue among the People of the Justness of his Cause I can't perswade my self that the Composure of that piece of Work that hath so much Moral Evil in it and bitter Opposition to Gospel-Truth is an Answer of Prayers neither can I pray as those Gentlemen whose Names stand over your Porch but think it my Duty to pray quite contrary and as for what you speak of Revival of Errors I judge that your Dictates are no Rule to judge of Faith and Error by how magisterially soever you impose them And I think we are come to a sad pass if a Man of your declared Principles must be set up as a Reformer of Error and Former of Articles of Faith and such as are in Fundamental Points directly contrary to the Doctrinal Part of the 39 Articles yea such as our first Protestant Reformers decryed by Scripture and the best Arguments as highly Antichristian and destructive to the Souls of Men which Witness of theirs many of them sealed with their Blood You say the Danger of such things as you call Error will be in excluding the Teaching of your Doctrine and Ministry as Legal Would to God such Ministry as the Spirit of God call's Legal Preaching were excluded by the brighter Shining of the Grace of God into the Hearts both of Ministers and People from which Light some and too many this Day have swerved having turned aside unto vain Jangling desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affivm 1 Tim. 1.6 But you call that Evangelical which we call Legal We can't help your calling Light Darkness and Darkness Light Law Gospel and Gospel Law and you say it 's most apt in its own Nature to secure the Power of Religion Whereas Experience hath shewed to the contrary how well the Doctrine of Justification by Works hath secured it among the Romanists And the Apostle Paul testifies by the Spirit That whosoever is justified by a Law it's not the Law is fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 And therefore its false that such Doctrine is Christ's Ordination It hath not Fitness in it to convert Souls for the Law brings none to God No Man is justifyed in or by a Law in the Sight of God Gal. 3.11 Those Places and divers others should be read a Law and not the Law because the Spirit by them excludes all Laws even your Law Its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphatical Particle is not put in and therefore there 's no ground to say this or that Law only is excluded from Justification but every Law and where there 's no true Justification taught there can be no true Practical Obedience But the last Prejudice is That such Doctrines as are opposite to yours renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Good Reason there is for it because they can't unite in their Head Christ Jesus and therefore can't unite as Members There lies the Impossible For what Communion between Christ and Belial By this it appears you strike at the Union Neonom Every Sermon will be matter of Debate and mutual Censures of the severest kind will be unavodable while one side justly press the Terms of the Gospel under its Promises and Threats for which they are accused as Enemies to Christ and his Grace c. Antinom Reason Good that every Sermon that makes the Gospel a Law i. e. That press Duty under a Law-Sanction should not only be matter of Debate but earnestly contended against for the Performance of Duty as Terms enforced by a Law-Sanction is a Covenant of Works So that such Men are Preachers of a Law it s no matter what Law Works performed under a Law-Sanction are Legal Works and do make the Covenant enjoyning them a Covenant of Works Censures are here justly made of such a Ministry and they that preach such Doctrine are certainly Enemies to the Grace of God under whatsoever Vizards of pretended Holiness they vail themselves Neonom And the other side ignorantly set up the Name of Christ and Free Grace against the Government of Christ and the Rule of Judgement Antinom I think the Stomach of every Good Man may justly rise not only against your Insolent but prophane Expression All Men besides Neonomians are Ignorant Men. What saith the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserimos mortalium Qui spiritus tumidos gerunt Arrogancy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tough Itch not easily cured How far doth this Spirit come short of the Imitation of Christ in Meekness and Lowliness Yea how far from his Rule which you would seem to be so zealous for To do nothing out of Strife and Vain-Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil. 2.3 But with you all that adore Free Grace and set up Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law do ignorantly set up the Name of Christ Is this a piece of Ignorance to set up the Name of Christ as a Saviour of Sinners and as that Name whereby we are Justifyed from all things from which we could not be justifyed by the Law of Moses or any other Law Beware lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets Behold ye Despisers c. Acts 13.39 40. And what do these Men so ignorantly do They set Christ against himself Set up his Name and Free Grace against his Government And why Because they say we are saved not by our Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy and that it was the meer Kindness and Love of God our Saviour that appeared to us in the Gospel-Salvation Tit. 3.4
in it's Abstract Nature is good That Dr. Crisp renders Sin innocent that is your Expression pag. 198. Now you charge him for saying That the grossest Sin that a Believer can commit can't do him the least harm neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins pag. 181. By this you would give us to understand that he means Sin is in its self Innocent and that Sin bears no Evil Fruits of its self that it may be boldly committed without Fear Whereas Dr. Crisp declares plainly and with much endeavour to prevent Mistakes that the Hurt he means is only the Penal Effects of Sin and declares again and again he speaks this not to encourage Sin He speaks of the Sins of a Believer in Christ they that are under the Dominion of Grace He speaks not of Sins to be committed but that these ought to be looked upon as the most odious and hateful things in the World and that which here he doth speak is only upon the Account of some poor distressed Consciences whose Sins lay so much upon them as thereby their Souls were driven from the Grace of God in Christ For to prove this take only a few of his Words you shall hear many more heareafter Dr. C. p. 513. Thus I speak of Sin not as it smiles upon a Man with a promising Countenance before it be committed For it is most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which crucifyed the sweetest Lord but as already committed and lying upon the Conscience of a Believer endeavouring to drive him to deny the Free-Grace and Love of God and the All-sufficiency of Christ In this regard it is crucifyed by Christ and so a Believer need not be afraid of Sin the Hand-writing of Ordinances is taken away His whole Discourse is to evince that the condemning Nature of Sin is taken away the Fear he speaks of is only in respect of Sins that a Believer hath fallen into and to prevent their falling into unbelieving Despair Now let any Intelligent Person judge whether you have not misrepresented Dr. Crisp and basely traduced him You your self say pag. 11. The Obliquity of the Fact against the Precept shall not hurt where the Sanction of the Law is answered I think this being duly weighed is worse than any thing Dr. Crisp sayeth I 'll instance in one Misrepresentation more For you charge him for holding the Uselesness and Unprofitableness of Holiness in saying Graces and Holiness do us not the least Good Dr. Crisp p. 41. Preaching upon Christ the way sheweth Christ to be the way to Justification and saith You that are Believers are in a near way to Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Such a near way Christ is yet still People will be cavilling Where are good Works all this while what justified by Faith alone Saved by Christ alone I tell you if Christ be the way to Eternal Life then Works are not the way except they be Christ But must we not work Yea but for other purposes i. e. than for Justification and obtaining eternal Life by them the Lord hath propounded other Ends for which you are to work Ye are bought with a price That 's done therefore glorify God in your Bodies being delivered out of the Hands of your Enemies weare to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness He saith much to this purpose often speaks in the High Commendation of Holiness but speaks against putting it in the place of Christ By these things we may see what Credit is to be given to you when you make it so much of your business in Pulpit and publick places to charge Men and Books with saying those things which they never spake and meaning such things as they never intended And let all Men judge whether you have not misrepresented this good Man whom in the end of this Preface you own to have been a holy Man And could that be true if you have not misrepresented him as to what he said of Sin and Good Works and spoken here a very great Falshood These two Proofs may serve to evince for the present which also shall be made good that it is so in most if not all the Chapters of your Book more or less The great Quarrel you have with him is that he makes it so much his business to vindicate the Honour of Free Grace and of the Lord Jesus in our whole Salvation and in Justification to exclude Works altogether You talk of Works necessary to Salvation but how You mean as a working Condition whereby you put Works in the place of Christ and mean as your Oracle plainly speaks For you are not so honest as he but play the Jugler more He saith Quoniam Christus Mediator Fides in Christum Method Theolog p. 394. § 36. Par. 2. sunt tantum media ad hominem Deo per sanctitatem amorem restituendum Ideo sine Hesitatione dicendum est ex natura rei Fidem Sanctitatem amorem Dei ad salutem magis esse necessaria quà m aut fides in Christum aut Christi ipsius Sacrificium I will not construe it for the Reputation of him that wrote it but their 's a Bone for you to pick And I think to all Learned Men it gives your whole meaning in making such a noise as you do which you think in very allowable Terms that none dare oppose you in that works are necessary to Salvation Neonom His Scheme is this That by God's meer electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours Antinom He never erected his Scheme and cast Theological Figures as you have done to find out a new Gospel He took his Measures of Truth from the Word of God but Bernardus non videt omnia some things he might be mistaken in as well as others But you say that he said By God's Electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours But where 's the Expression I remember it not He might say That from God's Electing Grace it proceeds that all Divine Blessings are made ours by Obligation in the Terms that you have put it its improper because it seems to confound Election and the Covenant of Grace I can say nothing further to that till I see his Words being not willing to believe your reporting of them For it 's manifest you make to Conscience to misrepresent any Man to put your Meanings and draw your Consequences upon him Neonom But he saith There 's nothing more needful to our Title to these Blessings Antinom Is not this Spirare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the First Rate Doth not Dr. C. assert Christ to be needful to Salvation and as our Title Doth he not assert the Covenant of Grace to be needful the Free Gift of Grace Sure Christ and the Covenant of Grace are both distinguish'd from Election and these he affirms needful to our Title to Blessings But Blessings in your Sence are
Promises And how can any Man conform to the Precept in your Sence and not expect and have from thence the Use of the Benefits Yea and not look upon it as Federally following therefrom 4. I would fain know what gave the Use of the Benefit in the Covenant of Works For you say this determines the Rules of Happiness and Misery in the same manner Was not the Use of Adam's Faederal Holiness as to Happiness from Conformity to the Precept Where was the Rule of the Promise there Either it must be in the Precept or the Promise it self or in the Connexion of Promise and Precept Have I hit it now It 's sure the Connexion is the Rule of the Promise Now how is that a Rule of the Promise but in Conformity to the Precept and then it 's Conformity to the Rule of Precept and not of Promise Or is it possible to come with a Conformity to the Connexion between the Precept and Promise Now all the Intricate Harangue is only to tell us in the Clouds that Faith applying the Lord Jesus Christ will not justifie us but as it is a working Condition to which the Promise is annexed Neonom Yes it follows our applying Christ's Righteousness and relying on it would no more justifie us than our sincere Holiness would save us were it not for this Gospel-Promise That God will justifie for Christ's sake all those that believe Antinom The Business here that is the Kernel of this Nut is that Faith doth not Justifie us by applying Christ's Righteousness in the Promise by vertue of Christ's Righteousness it self imputed but by its own Vertue as being a Righteousness it self whereby it answers the Promise as a Condition upon which it is made As for Faith's receiving Christ and his Righteousness it serves thereby to barr the Old Law But Christ's Righteousness hath nothing to do here it 's our own Faith and Repentance is the Righteousness in their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise and that 's Latin for the New Law Here are great Mysteries more than Paul understood and all the Apostles any other than to reckon them another Gospel and vain talking And truly as for your comparing Christ and Holiness in the matter of Justification under the Umbrage of your Invented Rule of Promise is perfect Stuff It amounts but to this at best That if God had not promised Justification there had been none at all neither by Christ's Righteousness nor by ours But how came this Promise Do you not say Christ purchased it as an conditional Grant Neonom Hence by Gospel Grace there 's a great difference between imperfect Faith and utter Vnbelief between sincere Holiness and formal Profaneness or Wickedness true Love to God and prevailing Enmity c. By the Law of Works nothing was Holy but what was perfectly so c. But read the Bible if thou doubtest whether there is not a true Faith Holiness Love c. which be short of Perfection Antinom I thought we should have had a greater Instance of the Grace of God than in giving us a worse Condition of the Covenant than Adam had You should have told us what Perfection here you mean I suppose it must be only of Parts that it may be a Gospel Foederal Condition which must be imperfect and it must be mingled with Sin or else it will not answer the Rule of the Promise Now you will not allow it must answer the Rule of the Precept for there 's nothing abated of it but it must chop in between the Precept and Promise as the Gospel Condition in a way of Imperfection So that without Sin our Holiness is nothing Foederally We must take heed it become not perfect Holiness for if once it comes to that we fall under the Law of Works This were to begin in the Spirit of Imperfection and end in the Flesh of Perfect Holiness And this is the sad Condition of the Saints in Heaven that they are fallen under the Covenant of Works Again 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 And as to your Exhortation to the reading of the Bible c. I must tell you I have read the Bible several times and hope to read it and meditate on the Word of Grace contained therein as long as I live But if that be the true Doctrine of the Gospel which you have delivered in this Book I am utterly at a loss for my Salvation which I would be loth to be now at last after so many Years Satisfaction And let the World take notice that I do believe your Gospel to be another Gospel such as Paul speaks of and accurseth Gal. 1.8 9. Neonom God in dispensing of Gospel-promised Blessings doth judicially determine a Conformity to this Rule of the Promise When he forgives he judicially declares a Man hath true Faith When he admits into Heaven he judicially declares a Man sincerely holy and persevering Antinom This is plainly as much as to say God dispenseth the Gospel-Promise Judicially in the same way as a Law of Works He looks whether or no we have fully performed the Conditions and upon finding of them he judicially gives the Promise i. e. In a way 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 And in this way Pardon is given upon Imperfect Faith and Repentance And thus Heaven is given Judicially for persevering Holiness Here 's not a bit of Enquiry whether they have Christ or no he is a Cypher in the matter of our Salvation No Papist can utter more gross Divinity But this is a strange way of Dispensation of Gospel-Benefits First to determine a Conformity to the Rule of the Benefit As for Example In dispensing Faith for that 's a Promise God determins judicially a Man hath a Conformity to the Rule before Faith Again Is Forgiveness a judicial declaring a Man hath true Faith Or doth this judicial Declaration go before Pardon and Justification If so a Man hath always true Faith before he is justified and pardoned what absurd Consequences will follow thereupon And what can this be but a declared Judgment that he is de Congruo deserving Pardon And I think ex Condigno too before he is pardoned and upon the same Terms are the persevering Saints at last admitted to Glory Neonom As upon a View of his Guests he cast out him that had not the Wedding-Garment viz. True uniting Faith so by keeping out the Foolish Virgins c. Can any think that Forgiving Adopting Glorifying or the Conveyance of every other promised Benefit given upon God's Terms are not Judicial Acts
perfect in Antinom It seems the Righteousness of Christ there spoken of is a mixture of Christ's Righteousness and Evangelical Obedience but the principal par tis Evangelical Obedience Christ's is but a Complement of ours The Reverend Dr. Beverly hath abundantly evinced that Christ's Righteousness alone is there understood according to the hest Interpreters We shall have further occasions to deal with you upon this Point and your crude and false Interpretation of that excellent Portion of Scripture shall be laid open in our Progress You should have told us whether you mean we are perfect in Christ's Righteousness for Justification without our own Righteousness or Evangelical Obedience joyned with it and whether our Perfection in Holiness be in the same manner as in Righteousness And whether it be in this Life that we are made perfect in Holiness by Faith in Christ Neonom The Grace of God is hereby stated as free as is consistent with his Government and Judicial rectoral Distribution of Rewards and Punishments Antinom That is you have set Bounds to the Grace of God and told God and us how far he may lawfully exercise his Grace He must take heed that no unqualified Sinners have any thing to do with it and that he be sure notwithstanding the Righteousness of Christ that he dispence Grace in the way of a Law that it may be consistent with his Government and all Grace must be distributed Judicially by Rewards and Punishments Let all the World see now whether you have not stated the Grace of God very fairly out of Doors and gone about to establish a Law of Works as shall more manifestly appear afterwards Neonom And there 's none have need of the Grace of God more than I Antinom The truest Word you have spoken at all But according your own Principles its a Question whether you have not put a Bar upon the Grace of God by making so audacious and daring an Opposition to it as you have done in this Book I am sure if this be part of your Gospel Obedience that you intend for your Justification it will not do if you persevere in it But the Lord in his meer Free Grace look in Mercy upon you pardon you and turn you from Darkness to Light Neonom Note that in this Book I still speak of the Adult and not Infants Antinom I find you see you are like to run your Head against a Post but for all your Foresight you are certain of a Knock in the Pate for hereby I find you see God justifies some without Works God hath not one Righteousness of one kind to justify Infants by and another of another kind to justify the Adult by Adult Persons are no more justified by Works than Infants Neonom Forget not tho' the Doctor in his Book speaks to Men as Believers yet in every thing true of the Elect. Antinom Every thing that is true of the Elect is so of them when Believers but every thing that is true of an Elect Believer is not so of him before he 's a Believer And to prove you charge the Doctor falsly I 'll bring but your acknowledged Sence of the Doctor in your next Words It 's true of a Believer that he knows the Saving Blessings he is entitled to but it 's not true of a Person in Unbelief that he knows the saving Benefits he is to be partaker of Neonom They have as much a Title to all Saving Blessings only they know it not this was his Judgment Antinom His Judgment was that nothing entitleth us to the Blessings of the Covenant but the Promise Deed of Gift is that which entitleth us whereby we claim when we take Possession of it when we believe whereby we know our Title more or less by believing Neonom I have carefully avoided to make any Reflexion on Reverend Dr. Crisp whom I believe a Holy Man and abstained the exposing things according to the Advantage offer'd Antinom These things are but ad Populum Phalerae Whether here you be not as false as in other things a little time will discover We call such an one Phaleratum who is as Horace describes Introrsum turpis speciosus pelle decorus Neonom Look who is that that is coming towards us it's sure Mr. A. B. Antinom It 's so indeed Meditatus venit He 's a perfect Calvinist I 'll warrant you you will find him of my Opinion concerning your Book Neonom Your Servant Mr. Calvinist I have a Question to ask you in the first place before we talk of News or any thing I pray what do you say of my Book Calvin I cannot like it by any means I was sorry to see it knowing something of your Principles before but when I read it it raised Variety of Passions in me Neonom I must confess I am willing to hear what most Men think of this Piece of mine tho' I think I need not regard what many Men say seeing it hath so large and ample an Encomium by several very grave Divines and others especially the Learned Mythologists of the late Athenian Clubb the Dessolution whereof is greatly bewailed by me They might have proved of Great Vse to me in these matters But I pray Mr. Calvinist tell me the Reason of your Dislike of my Book I thought it might have pleased Calvinists tho Antinomians whose Opinions are not much to be valued are so angry at it and I have shewed that what I have asserted is the Sence of the Assembly 's Confession the Savoy 's Dr. Owen Mr. Norton and many Learned Calvinists Calvin I shall deal ingenuously and plainly with you and tell you why I cannot approve of your Book My Reasons are these 1. I except against your Magisterial way of Writing by Canons as it were Anathema's in the manner of a Council National or Provincial Assembly whereby you would have all Men to believe that our Faith in all matters of Salvation is to be measured by your Scheme and pinned upon your Sleeve So arrogant a way of imposing upon others in Doctrines hath not been as I know practised by the Conformists whereby you endeavour to make Humane Authority the Standard of our Faith prescribe New Articles contrary to those of the 39. and all our English Confessions and give an Example unto others so to do For if 20 Men of one Perswasion may recommend their Opinion in Doctrinals by a concurrent Subscription by the same Reason others may do the like so that hereby is laid a Foundation of incurable Factions and Division about the main Points of our Salvation whereas whatever of Differences hath been in lesser matters and Men's private Opinions in greater yet hitherto there 's no Sett of Men as I know hath publickly in the like manner invaded our Confessions wherein those of the Conformists and Nonconformists hath harmoniously agreed in matters of Faith in the Sence of the Scriptures and first Reformers 2. That you have plainly drawn in or rather trickt some Divines
Calvin So must you too if you understand Wrath in the same Sence that he doth For Christ cannot bear their Sins and the Wrath of God for their Sins and yet they bear it themselves too Shall not the Judge of all the World deal Righteously And you say They continue Objects of his gracious good Will and full Atonement made God cannot be wroth with a Person with whom full Attonement is made Neonom But what if they should die before they should believe Calvin He doth not say They shall be saved if they die before they believe or under the Dominion of Sin c. You fasten that Charge without Ground and never fear that for you say their Justification and Adoption is certain there 's no doubt then but they shall certainly believe Neonom But they are actually Vnpardoned and not Adopted to Life which the Dr. saith they are Calvin The Doctor speaks not here of the Elect's Actual Pardon or Adoption He saith indeed their Sins are laid on Christ and therefore God hath nothing to lay to their Charge And you say Christ hath made full Atonement for them I pray what difference is here He saith They have a secret hidden Right to Life You say by vertue of Election and Christ's Merits they shall certainly have Justification Adoption Glorification So that you own your Jus ad rem He doth not say an unregenerate Man is Adopted or hath received the Spirit of Adoption any where as I know Neonom But the Elect while dead in Sin and Vnbelief are Children of Wrath condemned by the Law not justified by the Promise This I affirm and the Doctor denies Calvin The Doctor in this point for ought I know affirms and denies but as you do He saith a Sinner in respect of his Visible Estate is under the Law-Sentence and dead in Sin and Unbelief He will not deny this but that an Elect Person as such hath a hidden Relation Standing and Right not only in respect of Election Satisfaction and Procurement but a secret passing over of Grace So that to be a Child of Wrath in regard of the Law-Sentence and a Child of Mercy are not contradicentia they may be predicated of the same Subject in divers respects A Man may be a Child of Wrath in one respect and of Mercy in another A Man may be poor in one respect and rich in another as the Church of Smyrna condemned in one respect and secured from it in another Wrath is understood two ways in Scripture 1. For the Sentence of the Law that all the World is under as having sinned and come short of the Righteousness of God 2. For the real Execution of the Sentence of the Law by Essential Vindicative Justice This the Elect are abundantly freed from and the Wrath of God shall never fall upon them as such Neonom But he saith the Elect have right to the Inheritance Calvin Yes a secret and hidden Right but true and certain though not Possession or Claim till Grace embraceth them and this Grace manifested to them A Child that hath a good Right to an Inheritance may be taken Captive in Infancy and remain in Algiers a Slave many Years and never know of any Estate belonging to him But upon his return to his Native Country finds by Writings and Court-Rolls that he hath had Right all this while though kept out of Possession and knew no Ground of a Claim A Man may be Heir to a Crown and yet during the King's Life be no King yea it may be out in Rebellion against his Father many Years and yet come to possess the Crown upon his previous Right A Man may have a good Right to an Estate in one Court where it is enrolled whenas another Court knows nothing of it Every Elect Person is enrolled by Name in God's Book of Election and the Lamb's Book of Redemption while there 's nothing of this to be sound in Foro Conscientiae nor in Foro Mundi And your own Assertion at first cuts you off from all Pleas to the contrary For you say ch 1. p. 1. It 's certain from God's Decree of Election that the Elect shall in time be Justified Adopted and Saved in the way God hath appointed then they are Heirs of Justification Adoption and Salvation upon some ground of right or other and the whole meritorious Cause and Price of Justification Adoption and Eternal Life were perfect when Christ finished the Work of Satisfaction So now it appears here is a compleat Right adjusted for them the Estate is bought and the Money all paid and the Title is enrolled in their Name what hinders them from being Heirs in Law and having a Right of Inheritance belonging to them Neonom I will prove the Elect before they are effectually called to be Children of Wrath Eph. 2.2 3. Col. 1.21 Calvin As Elect Persons the Scripture no where faith but as Sinners and as dead in Trespasses we acknowledge they are under the Law Sentence imprisoned in their naturall Estate in a State of Bondage and Darkness But this hinders not the Foundation of God in Election and Redemption they have a hidden Safety and Security from Wrath by your own Confession Neonom The Gospel barrs all Vnbelievers and dead Sinners from Pardon and Adoption and denounceth a continuance of Condemnation against them limiting it's Benefits to such as believe John 3.18 ver 36. 1 Cor. 16.22 1 Cor. 6.11 D. W. p. 4. Calvin If the Gospel barrs all Unbelievers and those that are dead in Sin from Gospel Benefits who shall be saved it must barr them from Life for Life is the first and greatest Benefit a Dead Man can receive nay you say it declares continuance of Condemnation against them It 's certainly therefore impossible they should ever be saved And are not Regeneration and Faith Gospel-Benefits And are Unbelievers for ever barred from them This puts a Barr upon their possibility of Salvation and keeps them from ever being Believers The places you quote are nothing to prove your Assertion for the most they say is That whilst a Person is in a state of Unbelief he is in a state of Condemnation under the Law but the Gospel doth not put a Barr to his Salvation but rather take off the Barrs opens the Prison-doors gives him Life gives him a Door of Hope brings him to Christ who is the Resurrection and Life Neonom If it were not so neither the Spirit nor the Word of God would have any Influence in the Saving of Sinners Calvin Non sequitur Can't the state of the Elect be secured by Election and yet Redemption have it's place Why notwithstanding both may not the Spirit have it's place and Influence Neonom Gospel-Benefits imply that there is a time when we are actually guilty and miserable Rom. 7.4 Col. 2.12 Calvin Grant it there is such a time when we are so in our selves but yet quoad Deum Election and Redemption is not in vain they have their Force
day of Expiation as they were in the day of Creation from v. 30. wherein they came short of Perfection or Consummation Heb. 10. But this is the Language of every Expiatory Sacrifice quod in ejus caput sit let the Guilt be upon him hence the Sacrifice was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin and Guilt Lev. 4.29.7 2 10 17. And so God laid on Christ the Iniquities of us all that by his stripes we might be healed Isa 53.5 6. Our Iniquity was laid on him and he bear is v. 11. and through his bearing it we were freed from it His Stripes were our Healing our Sin was his Imputed to him his Merit ours Imputed unto us He was made Sin for us c. that we might become the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This is that Commutation I mentioned he was made Sin for us we are made the Righteousness of God in him God not Imputing Sin to us but Righteousness The same is expressed by the same Apostle Rom. 8.3 4. The Sin was made his he answered for it and the Righteousness which God requireth by the Law is made ours the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us not by our doing it but by his This is that Blessed Change and Commutation wherein alone the Soul of a Convinced Sinner can find rest and peace So he hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might ocme upon us Gal. 3.13 14. He was made a Curse whereof his Hanging on a Tree was a Sign and Token hence said to bear our Sins in his Body on a Tree 1 Pet. 1.24 compare Deut. 21.23 And in the Blessing of Faithful Abraham all Righteousness and Acceptation with God is included And to take off Impertinent Clamours of some against this Doctrine he quotes the original words of Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He gave his Son a Ransom for us the Holy for Transgressors the Innocent for the Nocent the Just for the Unjust the Incorruptible for the Corrupt the Immortal for Mortals For what else could hide or cover our Sins but his Righteousness In whom else could we Wicked and Ungodly ones be justified or esteemed Righteous but in the Son of God alone O sweet Permutation or Change O Unsearchable Work That the Iniquity of many should be hid in one Just One and the Righteousness of One should justifie many Transgressors Gregory Nysson speaks thus He hath transferred unto himself the Filth of my Sins observe the Expression Mr. Neonom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and communicated to me his Purity So Augustin He was Sin that we might be Righteousness not our own but the Righteousness of God not in our selves but in him as he was Sin not his own but ours not in himself but in us And he thus Comments on Psal 22.1 How saith he of my Sins because he prayeth for our Sins he made our Sins to be his mark Mr. Neonomian that he might make his Righteousness to be ours O sweet Commutation and Change And he quotes Chrysostom on 2 Cor. 5. Hom. 11. What Word what Speech is this What Mind can comprehend or express it for he saith He made him who was Righteous to be made a Sinner that he might make Sinners Righteous And he speaks not of an Inclination but expresseth the quality it self He faith not He made him a Sinner but Sin that we might be made not meerly Righteous but Righteousness and that the Righteousness of God when we are Justifified not by Works for if we should there must be no Spot found in them but by Grace whereby all Sin is blotted out And how far is this from your Divinity Mr. Neonomian See more p. 43 44 c. Calvin He quotes also Bernard and Luther and divers others which you may read Mr. Neonomian at your leisure I find you have the Book especially that Excellent Discourse of Albertus Pighius He addeth Nor are we to be moved that Men who are unacquainted with these things in Reality and Power do reject the whole Work of Faith herein as an easie Effort of Fancy and Imagination For the Preaching of the Cross is Foolishness unto the best of the Natural Wisdom of Men. P. 49. Dr. Owen gives the Original of your Argument against Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us P. 509. viz. That if the Righteousness of Christ be Imputed to us so as to be made ours then are we as Righteous as Christ himself because we are Righteous with his Righteousness Dr. Owen shews this to be Bellarmine's Argument against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Lib. 2. C. 7. Si verè nobis Imputatus Justitia Christi c. If the Righteousness of Christ be Imputed to us so as to be made ours thereby then are we as Righteous as Christ himself because we are Righteous with his Righteousness A. These things are plainly affirmed in Scripture that as unto our selves we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousness is as filthy Rags Isa 64.6 on the one hand and that in the Lord we have Righteousness and Strength Isa 45.24 25. on the other That if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and yet that we are the Righteousness of God in Christ wherefore these things are consistent whatever Cavils the Will of Man makes against them unless we take Socinius's his Rule of Interpretation namely where any thing seems repugnant to our Reason though never so express in Scripture not to admit of it c. 2. Notwithstanding the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and our being made Righteous thereby we are Sinners in our selves and so cannot be said to be as Righteous as Christ but only made Righteous in him who are Sinners in our selves 3. We must distinguish between the Personal Righteousness of Christ and our Personal Righteousness and between Righteousness of Inhesion and Imputation being of divers kinds 4. The Righteousness of Christ was the Righteousness personally of the Son of God in which respect of Infinite Perfection and not to be compared to c. And as to that place which you boast of it 's wholly against you Page 242 243. Here you prevaricated with your Reader in rehearsing Dr. O. for having shewed what Imputation is he tells us That Righteousness it self is Imputed and not any of the Effects but the Effects of it are made ours by vertue of that Imputation To say the Righteousness of Christ i. e. his Obedience and Sufferings are Imputed to us only as unto Effects is to say We have the Benefit of them and no more but Imputation it self is denied so say the Socinians but they knew well and ingeniously grant that they overthrew all true real Imputation thereby and quotes Schlictingius saying We concede Christ's Righteousness is ours as it redounds to our Good and Righteousness c. And is it not pleasing to see some among our selves with so
without one desire to be rid of them D. W. p. 88. Calvin Do you think there will be any Fellowship between Christ and Belial One must be gone When Christ comes in unto the Heart he binds the strong man armed and spoils him of his Goods I am sorry to hear you banter a poor Sinner's believing in Christ under the sense of the Vileness and Sinfulness of his Disposition and the Enmity of his Heart or that you should suppose or suggest to the World that there is any way under Heaven to change the Heart and Disposition savingly or heal the Conscience but by bringing a poor Creature to Jesus Christ and him Crucify'd and saying to him Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved There is Pardon Forgiveness Cleansing in the Blood of Christ therefore the Course that I take always is to endeavour to set the Lord Jesus Christ in all his fulness before an awakened Sinner and if he be yet secure and going on in his evil ways I bring him as near to Christ as I can I endeavour to convince him that he sins against Christ as well as the Law the precicious Blood of Christ that was shed for Sinners I do what I can to bring him to Christ to be taught to be invited overcome by the Sweetness and Amiableness of Jesus Christ and let him know the danger if he persist obstinate Neonom But some degrees of Convictions and Humiliations of Soul are necessary prerequisites to the Souls Acceptation of Christ for Pardon weary and heavy laden that Christ invites Mat. 11.28 I came not to call the Righteous i. e. conceited and secure but Sinners to Repentance Luke 5.31 32. They in Acts 2.37 were pricked to the Heart the Gaoler felt some Humbling concern Acts 16.30 Paul knew what this trembling was so Zacheus and the Prodigal Luke 15.14 15. D. W. p. 87. Calvin All his humblings prickings weariness awakenings were by the Power of Gospel Grace and by the preaching of Jesus Christ Christ's Ministry is enough with his Power to save Souls he needs no prerequisites The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation therewith he wounds and therewith he makes whole Christ makes weary and gives rest he convinceth Sinners and gives Repentance the preaching Christ Crucified pricked those Converts to the Heart and healed those Wounds It was the same Hand of Grace that awakened the Gaoler and when he had a Knife in his Hand even to Murder Christ in his Members and when he saw that was wrinched out of his Hand took a Knife to Murder himself in the height of that desperate Villany he was commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he should be saved The case plainly is this That Jesus Christ himself the Minister of the true Sanctuary and the preaching of him is the only and sufficient Remedy to change and save the worst of Sinners through the effectual working of the Spirit the order and method is various it 's as the Spirit listeth we are not to prescribe any methods or measures of Humblings much less to say such and such Moral Vertues or Duties are necessary Prerequisites and Qualifications before a Sinner comes to Christ The Apostle Paul said That he determined to know nothing i. e. so as to Preach among them but Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 I am for working Humiliations by setting Christ before the most refractory Sinners ' for all Salvation true Mourning and Humiliation proceeds from looking on him whom a poor Sinner hath pierced I am for the bringing of the most Leprous Sinner I cannot engage he will come to wash in this Spirtiual Jordan though I find you are rather for washing off his Leprosie first in the Rivers of Abana and Pharfar Rivers of Damascus Neonom I am not for bringing such foul filthy Sinners to Jesus Christ it sounds very ill in the Ear to say Christ saves Murderers Adulterers Persecutors c. and to invite them to come to Christ reaking in their Sins and under the Reigning Enmity of their Hearts it 's fit that they should be civilized first and this wicked profligate disposition removed and that they have new Hearts before they come to Christ for I tell you Christ will not pardon them else Antinom You mistake the whole sence of the Gospel or will not understand it that you may seem to have a plausible pretence to oppose it When Sinners are invited to come to Christ it 's not meerly under the Notion of Pardon but of all Salvation he is offered and the Sinner is invited to come unto him as having given himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works A Sinner is by the Gospel called to Christ in all states of his Unregeneracy whether openly Prophane or Morally Vertuous one is as easily saved by Christ as the other the former ordinarily sooner easier converted seemingly than the latter neither is the latter better qualified and fitted for the Grace of God than the other That place quoted by you 1 Cor. 14.24 25. is a clear proof how the Word of God's Grace works these true Convictions in the Saving Work and that your Humblings in the state of Unregeneracy are no necessary Prerequisites to the Grace of God Neonom I will discover your Mistakes in these things Because they that truely come to Christ shall have an Interest in Christ therefore he thinks whosoever can perswade himself that he hath an Interest in Christ doth come to him Antinom It would have been well if it had been my Happiness to have attain'd to your degree of Learning and had so great a Capacity for it as you that I might not have fallen under so gross mistakes I confess it's pity a Doctor should be so silly a John-an-Oaks as you represent me But what shall I say to it It 's not every Man's Portion to be Learned or Wise only there 's one Proverb I remember that is some satisfaction to an empty Skull Non est datum cuivis Corinthum appellere But methinks you mistake about my Thoughts if I have Wit enough to tell my own Thoughts It is strange I should be so stupid as Credere quod habeo habeo as to believe that I have when I have not and to call that Perswasion my having I spake of having Christ by coming to Christ and then of our knowing that we have Christ If you will examine what I think I will tell you I think coming to Christ is by believing and appropriating Christ and what is generally delivered of him and by him unto my self if it be by way of Promise offer or command and that this believing is such perswasion of the Goodness and Truth of Christ and his Gospel Salvation that it carries me forth to rest and stay my self confidently thereon and that I can perswade my self of the Truth of my Faith from its Act on its proper Object and
by the several Fruits that it doth produce Neonom Because sometimes the worst of Sinners are made Subjects of Preparatory Work and of Effectual Calling as God's Act on them therefore he thinks that these Sinners are invited to conclude they have an Interest in Christ before they do at all answer that Call D. W. p. 90. Antinom You intimate as if you thought some Sinners were more capable Subjects of Effectual Calling as to God's Act than others and that there 's a Preparatory Work distinct from God's Act in Effectual Calling which I do not think Besides I think God's Act in Effectual Calling upon a Sinner is more than a bare Invitation And I do not think or say That any Man concludes their Personal Interest in Christ because they are invited but because being invited they did come therefore not before they answer the Call by coming Neonom But his greatest cause of mistake is that he thinks the worst of Sinners if Elect have as much Interest in Christ as the greatest Saint Antinom Est Argiva Calumnia when you make it appear that I think so by what I have spoken I will answer to it and your Sarcastick Inference therefrom Neonom You may see the large Catechise Q. What is Justifying Faith They tell us That a Sinner is convinced of Sin and Misery who receiveth Christ Antinom But they tell us that that Conviction which is Saving comes by Saving Faith their words are Justifying Faith is a Saving Grace wrought in the Heart of a Sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his Sin and Misery and of disability in himself and other Creatures to recover him out of his lost Condition not only assenteth to the Truth of the Promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his Righteousness c. And in the Shorter Catechism you may see a more particular account of Saving Convictions that they are wrought in Effectual Calling though they be not so properly of the Nature of Justifying Faith for they say Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery enlightning our Minds c. He doth perswade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel You see Conviction and Illumination are both the Saving Works of the Spirit And in the Confession they 'll tell you That Saving Faith is of a larger extent as to the Object it Acts upon than meerly Justifying Saving Faith it convinceth it enlightens it justifies it sanctifies and in this sence they tell you the Nature of Saving Faith Chap. 14. whereby they are enabled to believe to the saving of their Souls and by this Faith a Christian is enabled to believe to be true what-ever is revealed in the Word and from thence comes trembling at the Word and embracing the Promises of Life c. So that this contradicts not but confirms the Doctrine of the 39 Articles That all Works before Faith even Legal Convictions are no more than Sin it 's but the filthy Conscience-polluting Guilt of Sin which Thousands have and which do not dispose the Sinner to love God but to hate him nor to seek Pardon but to seek out a Righteousness of his own Neonom Dr. O. tells us p. 133. Of Justif There is nothing in the whole Doctrine that I will more firmly adhere to than the necessity of Convictions previous to true Believing D. W. p. 89. Antinom If he mean saving believing he must mean previous sine qua non not as a Preparatory Vertue but as Sin is previous to Pardon and thereby Guilt also whereby Sin pollutes the Conscience and is both sin and misery and this may arise from a meer natural stirring of the Law or by the preaching of it which is the Death of Sin the Wrath and Curse that attends it and this may and must arise from a common Faith for a Man is not convinced of any thing that he believes not But if he mean Saving Convictions they are good Fruits and wrought in Saving Faith This he intends here For he said just before Let no Man think to understand the Gospel who knows nothing of the Law God's Constitution and the Nature of things themselves have given the Law the precedency with respect unto Sinners for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin and Gospel Faith is the Souls acting according to the Mind of God for deliverance from that State and Condition which it is cast under by the Law and he supposeth the State of a Man under meer Legal Conviction to be a State of Death and Condemnation Neonom He saith Displicency Sorrow Fear a desire of Deliverance with other necessary Effects of true Conviction P. 102. Antinom True Convictions i. e. Saving have such Effects but observe he is there distinguishing between common Convictions which before Faith are the common Condition of Sinners more or less which is the Death they lye under He saith Temporary Faith and Legal Conviction are the Principles of all Works or Duties in Religion Antecedent unto Justification observe now what he saith which therefore we must deny to have in them any Causality thereof and so he proceeds to shew what Affections and Duties in Religion may follow thence not that they are Gospel Vertues but rather solendida peccata and they I say are so far from disposing the Natural Man to Justification by Grace that they dispose him rather to seek Justification in himself by the Works of the Law till the Law comes to be Preached in true Spirituality in the Gospel and received by Faith And he saith P. 103. That Reformation of Life and these things are where real Convictions are but yet it must be said that they are neither severally nor jointly though in the highest degree either necessary Dispositions Preparations previous Congruities in a way of Merit or Conditions of our Justification Now is not this a Marvellous measure of Presumption and palpable Design upon your Reader to take the Imperfect Sence of a Man's Discourse to justifie your Errours when you must needs see the said Discourse is point blank against you I 'll hear no more therefore of your Allegations in this point out of Dr. O. Neonom Mr. Norton speaks of Preparatory Works between the Carnal Rest of the Soul in a State of Sin and Effectual Vocation Antinom I know of no such middle State for there is but two States that of Death and that of Life that of Light and that of Darkness but the Works done before Conversion he tells you are called Preparatory by way of meer Order which he saith all the Orthodox assert for that which is plainly first in Order and Nature must be said to be so all the Sin and Wickedness as well as the common Graces and Religion performed by an Unregenerate Man are all Antecedent to his Regenerate State But saith Mr. Norton It 's contrary to the Scriptures to say they are
is Actually and Absolutely procured for the Elect before Faith and shall infallibly be applyed to them all in time seemeth to reach the Scope intended by the Godly Learned whose Spirits have more particularly laboured to hold forth the whole Truth in this precious part of Soul-Reconciling Doctrine and Soul-Supporting Mystery of the Gospel To say That we are Justified by vertue of a singular Promise in the Court of Conscience and in our own Persons in which sence the Scripture constantly saith We are Justified by Faith is not that I know of affirmed by any And for this he quotes Chamier Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 12 13. Sect. 18. Nobis persuasissinum est remissa esse peccata antequam Credidimus We are verily perswaded that our Sins are forgiven before we believe for we deny that Infants do believe And Perkins Perkins on Gal. 3.16 who saith Christ is first Justified i. e. Acquit of our Sins and we Justified in him And Dr. Ames saith The Transaction between God and Christ was a certain previous application of Redemption and our discharge unto our Suâ—ety Ames Medul lib. 1. c. 24. § 3. and unto us in him which to that secondary Application to be performed in us hath the respect of a kind of Efficacious pattern so that that the Application to him is the Representation of this Application to us and this is produced by vertue of that And he saith § 3. Hence our discharge liberatio nostra from Sin and Death was not only established in God's Decree but also in Christ and granted and communicated to us in him before it could be perceived by us Rom. 5.10 11. Hence the Father and the Son are said to send the Spirit to the performing of this Application John 14.16 and 16.7 And in the Chapter of Justification Am. Med. c. 27. §. 9. He tells us what the sentence of Justification is 1. It was in the Mind of God as it were conceived by him by his Decree of Justifying Gal. 3.8 2. It was in the Christ our Head pronounced when he rose from the Dead 2 Cor. 5.19 3. Virtually pronounced in that first relation which ariseth from Faith ingenerated in the Heart Rom. 8.1 4. Expresly pronounced by the Spirit witnessing with our Spirits our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.5 Hence it appears that the Doctrine of our Justification before Faith is not an Errour but a Great and Glorious Truth and it is no prejudice to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith but the Foundation Ground and Reason of it neither is it any Door opened to Licentiousness an unbeliever having no more Confirmation or Encouragement to persist in Sin thereby than by the Doctrine of Election which gives none but as Mr. Norton saith It 's no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation that God Imputed to Christ the Sins of the Elect before they did believe and will never Impute them unto the Elect. Neither is my speaking of Faith's taking hold of Christ's Righteousness and saying That it brings not Christ's Righteousness to us but presupposeth it given and granted such an absurdity as you would make it For Dr. Ames saith very distinctly Justifying Faith precedes Justification it self as a cause of its Effect but Faith apprehending Justification necessarily presupposeth and follows Justification as the Aâ—â— doth the Object about which it is Conversant and this I take to be the true Notion of Justification That Great Man for Holiness and Learning Chamier saith I deny that Faith is the cause of our Justification for then our Justification would not be of Grace Cham. Parstrat Tom. 3. l. 13. c. 10. Sect. 18. but of our selves but Faith is said to justifie not because it effecteth Justification but because it is effected in the Justified Person and in another place he saith Faith doth neither merit obtain or begin our Justification Lib. 22. c. 12. Sect. 5. and Sect. 9. for if it did then Faith should go before Justification both in nature and time which may in no wise be granted for Faith it self is a part of Sanctification now there is no Sanctification but after Justification which really and in its own nature is before it I think Sir I have cleared my self sufficiently from the Charge of Errour in this Point viz. That our Justification is in being before Faith And now Sir before we proceed to the other part of your Charge concerning the manner of Faith's Justifying let us hear your Arguments against Justification in any sense going before Faith Neonom One Real Difference between us is Whether we are Justified before we believe Which I deny for 1. We are Justified by Faith is the common Language of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.1 Gal. 2.16 D. W. p. 105. Antinom We own it and say too that we are Justified by Faith and this doth not prejudice but confirm what we assert Neon Faith is enjoyned as an effectual means of Justification by Christ Antinom We deny not that Faith required in the Gospel and wrought by the Spirit is as an effectual means of Application of Justification but therefore it follows not that it 's in being before That which is not in being cannot be applyed Neonom The Gospel denounceth and declareth all condemned till they do believe Antinom The Gospel declares only their state of Condemnation under the Law the Gospel properly condemns not and we own that every one by nature is a Child of Wrath and in the sense of the Law is a condemned Person and every one is shut up under the Law as the Apostle saith till Faith comes his New-Covenant Blessedness belonging to him is not yet made manifest nor is his Nature and State changed Neonom Vnbelief is the Cause why men are barred from Justification and remain obnoxious to Misery Antinom It is God that justifies and no Sin can barr God's Act of free Mercy in pardon of a Sinner in the Pardon of Unbelief as well as of other Sins when God will justifie It 's very absurd to say Sin barrs God's Act of Pardon It 's true Unbelief influenceth a Sinner as to his own Acts and will be charged upon him as his Fault and will aggravate that Condemnation which he hath under the Law because from his own corrupt Will and Affection he will not receive Pardon and Life that is offered in the General and Indefinite Tender thereof made in the Gospel And therefore Christ saith John 5.40 Ye will not come to me that you may have Life Heb. 3.18 19. They could not enter by reason of unbelief Unbelief on our part doth keep us from Christ but hinders not on God's part that effectually draws all the Elect justifying of them and working Faith in them Rom. 8.29 30. Eph. 1. The whole Unregenerate state is a Barr till God break it by Regeneration which is a free Work of Grace as Justification is an Act of Grace and must be found where-ever a Sinner is Justifyed by Faith and that in
As the Israeiltes were healed by beholding the Brazen Serpent so are we saved by believing in Christ Fox p. 1659. but the Looking up of it self did not procure Health to the Israelites but the Promise made in the Object which was the Brasen Serpent therefore in the same manner are we saved by our Faith and Spiritual looking upon the Body of Christ Crucified not that the Action in it self of Believing as it is a quality in Man doth so deserve but because it taketh that Dignity and Vertue from the Object Jesus Christ Augustine compares our Souls to Lanthorns that hath no Light in them of themselves till Christ shines there The latter Helvetian Confess saith c. 11. Because Faith doth apprehend Christ our Righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to Faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours Belgia Artic. 22. We do justly say with St. Paul We are Justified by Faith without the Works of the Law yet to speak properly we do not mean that Faith by it self and of it self doth justifie us which is but only as an Instrument whereby we apprehend Christ who is our Justice But if we say it justifies Conditionally we must say it justifies of it self What was accounted to Abraham for Righteousness Zanch. on Phil. 3. not the Action by which but that which he did believe or Faith not in respect of it self apprehending but in respect of the Object apprehended Faith taken as a Quality doth not Justifie us c. Rivet Cathol Orthod Bellarm. l. 1. de Justific c. 17. Rhem. in Annot. Rom. 3. The Papists tell us That Faith doth not justifie as an Instrument in apprehending the Righteousness of Christ but as a proper and true cause it actually justifieth by the Dignity Worthiness and Meritorious Work thereof and say these words in Scripture justificari ex fidem per fide do betoken an Actual force and power in Faith to Justification and then saith the Jesuite Faith is a Work we are justified by Faith Ergo by a Work To this he adds That Faith is our Justice it self Ergo not the Apprehension only of Righteousness This he Builds on Rom. 4.5 They tell us That Faith justifies us per modum causae efficientis Meritoriae as a Proper Efficient and Meritorious Cause And Bellarmine tells us That if we could be perswaded that Faith doth justifie Impetrando promerendo suo modo inchoando Justificationem then we would never deny that Love Fear Hope and other Vertues did justifie as well as Faith Now to avoid the Absurditities they are forced upon by the Protestant Arguments they have two shifts 1. That this Merit is not from us but from God because Faith is the Gift of God's Grace and therefore though we be justified by Merit we are justified by Grace too and that it is of Grace that our Faith Merits 2. They say That Faith Merits Justification non ex condigno of the worthiness of it but de congruo of the fitness of it and this is that which our Neonomians say That it qualifies and disposeth us to Justification so that the justifying a Believer is the doing a thing that is fit and meet to be done the Person being disposed and qualified thereunto It 's sad that Protestants should now come to lick up the Papists Vomit and re-assert those gross Errours in Fundamental Truths that all our Orthodox and Famous Opposers of the Popish Heresie have refuted and decryed by one Consent But that this Errour might the better be swallowed by Protestants the subtle Enemy of Truth and Mankind forgeth it again gives it a good heat and brings it upon his Anvil polisheth it and makes it much more plausible to look upon The Arminians say Faith justifies sensu proprio the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere the very Act of believing is imputed to us for Righteousness being accepted of God and accounted to us as the whole Righteousness of the Law So we are justified by Faith in the sight of God not by its Merit for they ascribe all the Merit of Justification to Christ but only they ascribe to it a conditional subordinate Righteousness by vertue of the Ordination of God For Arminius saith Armin. in declar sentent ad ordines Holland Westfris Ipsa fides tanquam Actus juxta Evangelii Mandatum prestitus Imputatus coram Deo in sive ad Justitiam idque in gratia cumque non sit ipsamet justitia legis i. e. Faith it self as an Act performed according to the command of the Gospel is Imputed before God in or unto Righteousness and that in Grace when it is not the very Righteousness of the Law * J. Goodw. Treatise of Justif p. 22. I shall give the refined and sublimed Notion of this Arminian Doctrine from a Man of no small dexterity in pleading for it He saith That that which God precisely requires of Men to their Justification instead of the Works of the Law is Faith or to believe in the proper and formal signification he doth not require of us the Righteousness of Christ for our Justification this he required of Christ himself for it that which he requires of us for this purpose is our Faith in Christ himself not in the Righteousness of Christ i. e. in the Active Obedience of Christ if Paul had certified and said to Men That the Righteousness of Christ should be Imputed to Men for their Righteousness it had been quite beside his Scope which was plainly to make known the Counsel and Pleasure of God concerning that which was to be performed by themselves though not by their own strength for their Justification which he affirms from place to place to be nothing else but Faith or Believing To have said thus unto them That they must be justified by Christ or by Christ's Righteousness and withal not to have plainly signified what it is that God requires of them to give them part in Christ's Righteousness without which they could not be justified had been to cast a Snare upon them rather than open a Door of Life and Peace and hence proceeds to prove that Abraham's Faith or Believing it self was Imputed unto him for Righteousness and he palliates it thus That he understands it but as a means of coming at the Righteousness but he defends this Proposition That we are justified by Faith sensu proprib non Metonymico Now see what the Neonomian says expresly of your indispensible Qualification though you Sir always will look one way while you row another The Question in one of you is plainly asked and answered by a great Leader and Guide among you Con. 13. When it is said that Faith is Imputed to us for Righteousness Is it Faith indeed that is meant or Christ's Righteousness believed on Mr. B. Scripture Gospel Defended p. 32. Contr. 13. Answ A strange and bold
the New Testament are so often repeated which shew Justification to be sought only in the Person of Christ John 1.12 and 3.15 16. and 6.40 47. and 14.1 54. Rom. 4.5 and 3.26 Acts 10.43 and 25.18 Rom. 3.26 A Sinner is justified by Faith not properly as it is a Quality or Action Pemble of Justific ch 11. § 2. which by its own Dignity and Merit deserves at God's Hands Remission of Sins or is by God's favourable Acceptance taken for the whole and perfect Righteousness of the Law which is otherwise required of a Sinner but only in Relation unto the Object of it the Righteousness of Christ which it embraceth and resteth upon Justification is a Gracious Act of God upon a Believer whereby for the Righteousness sake of Christ Imputed by God Nortons Eang p. 300. and applyed by Faith he doth freely discharge him from Sin and Curse and accept him as Righteous in the Righteousness of Christ and acknowledge him to have a Right unto Eternal Life Q. 73. How doth Faith justifie a Sinner in the sight of God A. Faith justifies a Sinner in the sight of God not because of those other Graces that do always accompany it Assemb Large Catech. or of good Works which are the Fruits thereof nor as if the Grace of Faith or any Act thereof were Imputed to him for Justification only as it is an Instrument by which he receiveth and applyeth Christ and his Righteousness Q. 32. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's Free Grace whereby he pardoneth all our Sins Shorter Catech. and accepteth us as Righteous in his sight only for the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith alone Whom God effectually calleth he freely justifieth not by Infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins Confess c. 11. and by accounting and accepting their Persons as Righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not by Imputing Faith it self the Act of Believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience as their Righteousness but by Imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the Gift of God We are accounted Righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith Artic. 11. of the Church of Engl. and not for our own Merits and Deservings wherefore that we are Justified by Faith only is a most wholesom Doctrine and very full of Comfort c. The Righteousness of Christ as it 's Christ's and performed by him so it is ours as it 's Meritorious of Grace Efficacious of Faith it self that is to be wrought in us it 's ours therefore I say by way of Right because by the Decree of the Father and Purpose of the Son it 's wrought for us tho' not in our Possession as to Sense and Acknowledgment of so great a Benefit bestowed Haec enim agnitio this Acknowledgment ariseth from Faith The Righteousness of Christ is said to be Imputed to us and his Merits to be applyed by Faith not before God but in our Consciences as there is a Sense of it begotten in our Hearts by Faith and an Acknowledgment of the Saving Application from the Love of God which we taste by Faith and Spiritually perceive Justifying of us and Adopting us to be his Sons from whence ariseth Peace of Conscience Whence the Righteousness of Christ is said to be Imputed to us by Faith because it is not known but by Faith that it is Imputed to us by God and then at length we are said to be Justified by that kind of Justification and Absolution from our Sins which begets or produceth peace of Conscience Dr. Twiss C. 1. p. 2. de Elect. He speaks of Justification in a double Acceptation 1. As the Righteousness of Christ is applyed to us before Faith and Repentance by reason of which Righteousness we obtain Efficacious Grace to believe in Christ and Repent 2. He understands Justification to be that Notification that is by Faith made to our Consciences or in the Court of Conscience and this is saith he that Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Remission of Sin Justification and Absolution which follows Faith There 's none of us saith he say that wicked vitious Person allowing themselves to live in their Sins are bound to believe Christ dyed for them for my part I think otherwise that whilst all are commanded to believe in Christ they are not bid presently to believe that Christ dyed for them but rather to rest themselves upon Christ by Faith to renounce themselves and their own Works and cast themselves down at the Feet of Mercy this is only properly called Faith on Christ fides in Christum the other is only Faith concerning Christ Hence Mr. Norton hath these words Orthod p. 315. These are both Truths 1. Justification hath a Being before the Elect do believe 2. That the Elect are not Justified before they do believe Justification is the Object Faith is the Act or being actually Justified is an Effect Faith is the Instrumental Cause the Cause is before the Effect Maccovius Disput XVI distinguishes Justification into Active and Passive Active Justification signifies God's Absolution of a Guilty Person from Guilt for the sake of Christ's Satisfaction and accounting him Righteous for his Righteousness Imputed The Differences between this and Passive Justification by Faith are 1. This is one undivided Act of God Absolution by Faith is repeated 2. Active precedes Faith Passive follows c. A Digression concerning the Necessity of Repentance to Forgiveness Neonom GEntlemen if you please for a Diversion after this Arduous Attempt that I have made to bring in the true Doctrine of the Catholick Church let us make a little digression for our Recreation and treat upon a Point that hath not so much difficulty in it for having got in Faith to justifie as a qualifying Act I doubt not now but to pleasure some of its Relations and find them a place in Justification too Antinom Stay not so hasty I do not find you have yet attained your End about Faith festina lentè cry not Victoria yet but however Gentlemen seeing he is for a digression let him have it for he hath been in digression from Truth all along I know not how he can digress from the way he hath been in hitherto but by coming into Truth Neonom You judging we are justified before we do believe it 's no wonder if you tell us We are forgiven before we confess Sin p. 255. and repent and therefore I would enquire of the necessity of Repentance to Forgiveness D. W. p. 113. Antinom As a Qualifying Condition Gentlemen this is no digression for it 's the Right Line and Method that Bellarmine and all the Papists have taken in handling the Doctrine of Justification first to bring in Faith to justifie as
a Work and then to bring in other Graces and Duties in the like manner only Faith shall have the honour to lead the way Whosoever saith That a Man is justified only by Faith and that nothing else is required to our Justification Trident. Conc. § 6. Chap. 2. let him be Accursed Faith is not the only cause of our Justification but there are others also as Hope Charity Alms-deeds c. Bellarm. de Justific ib. c. 13. c. 16. The Apostle excludeth not all Works for then Faith it self should be excluded from Justification because it is a Work and if justifying Faith do except every Law then the Law of Faith also should be excepted Looky you see Bellarmine hath got your Remedial Law by the End I thought I should find indeed all your Doctrine in the Original Neonom But he doth not speak fully to the case in hand Antinom But he shall speak fully to your Mind For He adds further Such Works therefore only are excluded which go before Faith which are done only by the Knowledge of the VVord Chap. 19. and by the Power of Free-will without Grace not such Works as are of Faith and proceed of Grace But all I fear is that you may not allow us so much as Bellarmine you will have some Qualifying Condition before Faith to Justifie us whereas he doth in a measure exclude all Works before Faith and he calls not that a Merit in plain English though it 's so in some Countreys I cannot tell how your Language expresseth it Neonom You 're a Pragmatick my Business in this Digression is with Men of more Orthodox Principles who yet seem too doubtful in this Point I shall state the Point between these Calvin Then Sir I find the Province will fall upon me wholly to discuss this Point with you unless the Board will be pleased to appoint an Abler Person Board No Sir by no means Neonom I shall state the Point then and shew you wherein the difference is not Calvin I pray Sir be briefer in stating Points for I find you bring your Adversary out of Breath in stating of Points and when you have stated them no body can tell but by Conjecture where you are in this way of stating Points you may run over the Enclycopeidia Artium in telling us where the Point is not for it can be but in one place Neonom But you must look where a thing is not as well a where it is before you find it I 'll tell you It is not 1. Whether Faith or Repentance be any part of the Meriting Righteousness for which we are Justified Antinom True Bellarmine will not allow Faith and Repentance to be any part of Christ's Righteousness for which we are Justified but only a Meriting Righteousness by which we are Justified .. Neonom I told you Gentlemen I would have nothing to do with this Heterodox Fellow Calvin It is a strange thing Mr. Antinomian that you cannot leave this business to me Antinom I am willing to give you ease that you may keep your Lungs till he comes to the Question for he will tire you before you come at it Neonom Nor is the Question Whether the Habits of Faith and Repentance be wrought at the same time in the Regenerating Principle D. W. p. 113. Antinom You mean you will not discuss this Point and therefore tell us not whether you affirm it or deny it and what you mean by the Regenerating Principle is very doubtful whether a Principle within us or without us Whether a Principle by Nature or by Grace It 's a new term to say We are Regenerated by a Principle it must be sure some Principle in our Nature that Regeneration must spring from Neonom Nor whether Convictions of a lost Estate and some degree of Humblings and Sorrow are necessary to drive a Soul to Christ Antinom The Law is a School-master to bring Men to Christ to cast them into a desperate condition that a Saviour may be acceptable to them that 's Christ's end but it 's no Federal Condition of Justification by Christ nor the Effects of it being the Condemnation of a Sinner which Condemnation and Sin it self are alike Conditions Causae sine quâ non that 's none at all in the sence of Logicians Convictions Humblings Sorrow for Sin before Regeneration and Justification are splendida peccata you have subscribed the Doctrinal Articles and Bellarmine excludes such Works which are before Faith done by the Knowledge of the Law and the Power of Free-will Neonom Nor whether there be an Assenting Act of Faith before there be an Exercise of Repentance under the Power of the Word which must be believed in some degree before it operate such Effects Antinom You should have put in this Question and said Nor whether there should be hearing of the Word before there is Repentance under it and you should tell what Faith you mean whether Historical or common Credulity or Saving Faith c. And whether you do not mean that Natural Men do grow up from a Regenerating Principle under the Word into Saving Grace by degrees Neonom Nor whether Ingenuous Sorrow for Sin in the sense of Actual Pardon be after that Pardon Antinom That need not be brought in to prevent our mistaking of the Question for none that hath any Brains can blunder so as to think a Man can be sorry for Sin in the sence of Actual Pardon before it is it must be after that this whether is next a-kin to a Bull. Neonom Nor whether Repentance as it consists in Fruits meet for it as External Reformation a Fruitful Life and the like must follow Pardon it being against the Tenour of the Promise that Forgiveness should be suspended so long after a Man believes and repents in his Heart Antinom You had better have put the Whether thus Whether Pardon is not to come in between Repentance and its Fruits Or whether Repentance with Fruits appearing or Repentance without Fruits appearing be the condition of Pardon and to what degrees of growth Repentance ought to arise before a Man is qualified for Pardon and how long in an ordinary way a truely Repenting Sinner must expect to continue unjustified And what time is limited in the Tenour of the Promise for suspension of Forgiveness after Faith and Repentance For there 's some time it seems with you that Forgiveness is suspended after Faith and Repentance Neonom Nor whether Justification be equally ascribed to Faith and Repentance For we are said to be Justified by Faith which imports that Repentance is but a disposing Condition and Faith a receiving Condition Repentance without Faith is unavailable as Faith without Repentance is impossible Faith seems to compleat all and in a manner to comprehend all These things the Orthodox Divines are agreed on Antinom That is Orthodox Neonomians of which none are Orthodox in these Points But Mr. Calvinist now he begins to bear up towards the Question I
to God Calvin A Man doth not walk about without his Arms therefore he goes upon his Arms and Hands Neonom Arg. 5. We cannot receive Christ as King without this Repentance of Heart Calvin Nô nor without Faith neither what trifling is here Neonom Without this purpose of Heart no Man accepts of Christ for Sanctification Calvin Therefore you 'l say Christ justifies us by Infusing Righteousness by making us Righteous inherently for which he declares us Righteous an old decryed Popish Errour Neonom A Resolved purpose to continue in Sin and Rebellion against God is Damning let Men pretend what they please Calvin I say more there 's no Venial Sin every Sin is Damning in its own Nature and a Sin repented of without Forgiveness is Damning and the very Repentance of a Natural Man which you would have Conditionate him for Grace is Damning Neonom It 's not to be allowed that it should not be necessary to renounce our Sins with our Hearts in order to Pardon when it is necessary to renounce our own Merits or Righteousness Calvin We reckon it our Duty under the highest Obligation of preventing Grace and great and precious Promises and from the greatest Sence of Duty to renounce our Sins with all our Hearts but dare not do it in a way of Qualification of our selves for Forgiveness least we should make those Repentings and Humblings our Merits as the Papists do whereby Christ profits them nothing and under pretence of Holiness they lose their Righteousness pretend to renounce one Idol and set up another Neonom I will tell you how the Assembly and Dr. O. are of my Mind Calvin You may spare your self the labour for they are point blank against you and so are all Protestants that are not tainted with the Doctrine of the Jesuites Neonom I think there 's never a Barrel the better Herring of you come let 's be gone DEBATE XIII Of the Necessity and Benefit of Holiness Obedience and Good Works with Perseverance therein Calvin HOW do you Mr. Neonomian are you well methinks you look a little Moody Neonom It would disturb any Orthodox Man's Spirit to see how Errour prevails I profess I am almost weary of this Club if this be your Calvinian Club I do think I must betake my self to some other you know where I shall find more soundness in Doctrine Calvin O pray Mr. Neonomian let not Disputants be angry with one another Disputation should be for Information of the Judgment not for the gratifying Pride and Passion put another Question it may be we may agree in that Neonom I will try you once more and if you boggle there Fare you well Gentlemen note that whatever I shall speak now of any Act of Grace except Penitent Believing referrs not to the Forgiveness of Sins or the Sinners Admission into a Justified Estate The Benefits that I here speak of are not the Forfeiture of Pardon the Possession of Heaven and some other Particular Blessings as Increase of Peace Returns of Prayer D. W. Antinom I find now you clapt two Conditions into one why had we not these Conditions twisted together before Methinks you incommoded your self in not doing it yesterday for vis unita fortior but you reckon Faith and Repentance reach no further than the first Justification I think the Catholicks are of your Mind for that 2. You talk of forfeiting Justification the meaning in English is falling away from Grace Neonom Some Mens Brains had need be taken out and washed in Vinegar for there 's no making them understand it were well that you were better studied in Terms of Art Calvin Prethee Mr. Antinomian sit down and hold thy Peace a while you 'll never leave till you have put the Gentleman into a Fustion fume and then we shall lose his good Company pray go on Mr. Neonomian Antinom I smell him where he will be Calvin Nay not yet neither Neonom I tell you then if I may be permitted to speak what an Errour this Antinomian holds He saith 1. Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation 2. Nor is Sanctification a way of any Person to Heaven 3. Nor can the Graces or Duties of Believers no nor Faith it self do them the least good to prevent the least Evil. 4. Nor are they of the least use to their Peace or Comfort 5. Yea though Christ be explicitely owned and they be done in the strength of the Spirit of God 6. And a Believer ought not to think he is the more pleasing to God by any Grace he Acteth or Good he Doth 7. Nor may Men expect any Good to a Nation by their Humiliation Earnest Prayer for Reformation of a People Calvin Now Sir you have a Rowland for your Oliver here 's a long and strong Inditement laid in against you I wish you a good delivery Mr. Antinomian Antinom As I take it there 's about seven things you charge me with I pray make your Proofs per partes I shall be abler to give my Answer Neonom You have told us seeing all things are setled by Christ for us of free Gift I say all we do is for Christ himself and not for our selves Christ comes and brings Justification loving Kindness and Salvation What needs then all this Travel for Life and Salvation seeing it is here already But seeing we get nothing by it c. D. W. from Dr. Cr. p. 41 42. Antinom By this you prove that Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation Gentlemen I must crave your patience to hear that part of my Discourse that you may judge of it It was upon John 14.16 I was saying D. Cr. p. 41. How near hath Christ made the way unto the Father Thus near that he that believeth shall be saved Let me be bold to tell you you are in as full a state of Justification before God Now mark I was speaking of passing from one state to another in Justification and do you not remember what he said That whatever he should speak now referring to any Act of Grace except believing penitently referrs not to Forgiveness of Sins and now he alledgeth what I said upon that account to prove a change about Sanctification You are in a true State of Salvation you that are Believers are as those that are already in Heaven D. Cr. p. 41. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Such a near way Christ is yet still people will be Cavilling where are good Works all this while What justified by Faith alone Saved by Christ alone Let me tell you If Christ be the way of Justification and only Federal Condition of Eternal Life i. e. of all Salvation in Faith and Holiness then Works are not the way except they be Christ but must we not work Yea but for other purposes the Lord hath propounded other Ends not meriting your Salvation for which you are to work ye are bought with a price that 's done therefore glorifie God
Life as a Reward of work for this was the Tenour of the Covenant of Works but from Life received being dead in our selves by Nature and in respect of the Law Condemned Persons we must work not to obtain Eternal Life by working but having received Life from it to work Christ saith He is the Life the Resurrection and the Life Where 's the Man that can work without Life to work from Neonom But he understands this you 'l say only of External Duties but not of the Actings of Grace no I could shew you how he saith the same of all Graces Antinom You need not have troubled your selves with that Objection for I do intend all Graces and Duties for they must all be performed from a Principle of Life received and not for Mercenary Designs and Ends thinking that thereby we deserve any thing of the Lord for when we have done all we are unprofitable Servants Neonom He saith That is the proper Work that God hath given to Belleving D. W. p. 124. D. Cr. p. 326. not to effect any thing to the good of Man but only to be the witness of that good to the Spirit of Man and so give light to that which was hidden before Antinom You know my Opinion and it 's with other Divines That there is Justification in Heaven and Justification in a Man's Conscience and Spirit D. G. â— 3â—â— Justification in Consciences and Spirits of Men is the manifestation of that Act of God to a Man 's own Spirit by which a Man comes to know and consequently to rejoice in the Justification of God and so you may read the words Rom 5.1 Bring Justified by Faith i. e. through Faith having the Justification of God evidenced and manifested to our Spirits we have peace with God I contend not with them that say It Justifies Virtute objecti or Instrumentaliter So that I ascribeâ— all the Efficacy to Christ's Righteousness and not to the Act of Faith as a Quolifying Condition to Justifie sensu proprio as you and the Arminian's do and in that sence I spake against its doing us good that is in your sence of Justification Neonom He saith If you have more Ability than others in doing let it not come into your Thoughts D. W. p. 125. D. C. p. 429. as an Inducement to think better of your self as if you were more accepted of God or pleasing in his sight Antinom I believe it is or should be the Spirit of the best of God's Children that they prefer others above themselves Phil. 3. viz. That fear the Lord and think not that there 's any thing in them that makes them more accepted than others but that all that have true Faith are equally accepted in the Beloved and that Paul's Usefulness and Apostleship rendred him no more Justified than the meanest of the Disciples of Christ Calvin You see Mr. Antinom as he is for the exalting Christ so he speaks highly in the Commendation yea and usefulness of Holiness and good Works those diminutive Terms that he useth is in respect of Purchase obtaining Pardon or being qualifying Conditions for the bestowing of Benefits He holds Christ is the great Condition both of Grace here and glory hereafter tho' I confess I wish Mr. Antinom you had spared many Expressions for which I fear the Truth suffers from the ignorant and more learned of perverse Minds that make it their business to load the Doctrine of Free-Grace with all Scorn and Contempt and take all occasions to wound the Truth because of some rash or over-zealous Expressions used by you and others which it may be had you foreseen you would have prevented by not using them or had you printed your own Sermons you would not have sent to the Press Mr. Neonom I pray let us have this Doctrine delivered in your own Words and Expressions Neonom The Truth is this That though neither Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works do make any Atonement for sin or are in the least meritorious Righteousness whereby Salvation is caused or for which this or any Blessing becomes due to us by Debt yet as the Spirit of God freely worketh all Holiness and enableth to sincere Obedience and good Works so the Lord Jesus hath of his own Grace and for his own Merits promised to bring to Heaven such as are Partakers of true Holiness perform his sincere Obedience and do those good Works perseveringly Antinom You allow Christ the Honour of Atonement for Sin but how far I know not by what follows his Atonement reacheth not the Breach of the new Law Conditions but only so far as refers to Sins against the Old Law of which you will not allow Impenitency and Unbelief be a breach so that there must be some way in the new Law found out to expiate and appease God for them without Christ's Atonement Beside the Conditions of it it being only imperfect Obedience there will need nothing but the Performance of the constituted Condition which whether perfect or imperfect being performed as well as is required tho' sinfully imperfect leaves no place for Sacrifice or Atonement hence you allow Christ's Righteousness to have merited Blessings with the same Reserve which you are not willing to speak out viz. That Christ hath purchased and merited that we shall come under new and milder Terms with God or God rather with us We thank you no more than we do the Papists for saying Christ hath merited all and is a cause even as the Creation was of the Covenant of Works God's the Cause of all for he made all so Christ hath merited all that follows whatever new Laws and Conditions follow and upon which Terms Benefits become due to us you should have said to Mankind by Debt We may challenge the Priviledges of compounding with God upon such Terms as we like better than the former but our Failure in performing those Terms that Christ agreed for will bring us under new Arrearages to God And for your saying the holy Spirit worketh freely the said conditional Holiness it helps not which notwithstanding your setting aside the Word Merit is truly fo virtute compacti tho' not valoris intrinseci as much as Adam's would have been And as to the Spirit you ascribe the free giving and working of it you give no more to it than Adam had in the state of Innocency and not so much for God had given and wrought in Adam that Perfection and Strength of Grace whereby he might have stood if he would You say There is a Promise made by Christ of Glory upon Condition of their good Works and Perseverance Your Suggestion to us is of two Covenants of Grace procured by Christ for us One the Promise of the state of Grace and Justification provided we fulfil the Conditions of Faith and Repentance whereby we have the first Justification The Second Covenant is of a state of Glory upon condition of Perseverance in good Works which condition if we
should have excepted some and reserved them for good Works but as to those Essential how comes it that a Man can have no more than is of a contingent Proposition the Judgment whereof is Opinion Neonom Nor whether it be the Influence of the Spirit that we are Holy Obedient and enabled to every good Work D. W. p. 125. Antinom Nor would it have been the question if Adam had persevered in the performance of the Conditions of the Law Covenant he would have done all by the Influence of the Spirit Neonom Nor whether it is for the sake of Christ's Merits and Incense and of Free Grace that any Grace or Duty of ours is rewarded or becomes the means of any Benefit these I affirm Antinom Yes for it was through these Merits and Grace that God would suffer us to try for Life in another Covenant of Works he might have taken the advantage of our breaking of the first Covenant as he did upon the Fallen Angels but Christ hath Merited and Grace hath been so far free as to set up another Covenant of Works that we may try for it once more as for your affirming or denying it signifies not much Men that are used to speak always with Mental Reservation will resolve Cases of Conscience like the Oracle of Apollo that you 'll come from them as wise as you went Neonom Nor whether any Holiness internal or external any Obedience Work or Duty do at all Merit the Promise or is the Meritorious Cause of Righteousness for which any promised Mercy is bestowed this I deny Antinom It seems you abdicate the word Merit but if it be an Honest Reward as due Debt it is as good the Catholicks will bate you the word if you allow the thing though you put a Fools Coat upon it Neonom I own that all is of Gift though given in an Order suitable to our condition in a state of Tryal Antinom So was Creation and Created Holiness in Adam and God's taking him into Covenant in an Order suitable to his Condition in a state of Tryal but you see what his Tryal came to We are miserable if our state in Grace be such a state of Tryal Neonom Nor whether the Law be a Rule of Duty This I affirm and you too though you deny any Threatning or Promise to back God's Law as to the Elect. D. W. p. 126. Antinom We affirm it to be not only a Rule of Duty but to stand in full force as to all its Promises and Threatnings that it still promiseth Life to perfect Obedience and threatens Death to the least Disobedience in all without distinction therefore we deny not Threatnings and Promises to back God's Law as to the Elect. Neonom Nor whether the Elect ought to be Holy and will be Holy this you own but you place it wholly on the Decree and Christ's Care Antinom Gentlemen observe now after all this noise he owns that I say the Elect ought to be Holy and will be Holy but saith I place it wrong can I place it better than on Christ's Care I think in all our Fears and Doubtings we should cast all our Care upon him by believing his Truth and Faithfulness in the Promise because he careth for us and hath said He will never leave nor forsake us I desire to have no better Security for Holiness and Perseverance in it than the Love of God and the Care of Christ is this a fault Neonom You deny that God hath required as it indispensibly necessary to our Inheriting any Blessing promised to the Elect. Antinom In your sence I do and if you stand so much on those Terms I shall justly call them into question so far as is necessary in my sence by works you here chiefly understand as I take it works after Faith and Repentance are such Works indispensibly necessary to the Inheriting any Blessing promised to the Elect Is not Union with Christ Faith c. Blessings promised to the Elect What Works was done before and after the Saving Union with Christ if they were indispensibly necessary how could Infants be saved And how do they Inherit Blessings that Repent and Believe just before they go out of the World And how came the Thief upon the Cross to be Saved Neonom You judge Christ hath done all for us and enjoineth nothing for us to do in order to any good thing Antinom He hath done all in the way of Covenant Condition and doth not admit us to be Rivals or Partners with him in our best Works and how can I think that he enjoineth us nothing when I own we ought to be Holy and shall be Holy From what should it be but from Christ's Commands and Care to furnish us with Rules Principles and Strength to be Holy Doth he not work in us to will and to do Neonom Nor whether a Penitent Believer shall be saved if he die before he hath time for further Obedience Antinom Then your indispensible Necessity falls to the ground and it seems the first Law of Grace will save a Man and the second is not indispensibly necessary nay it may be a kindness to die upon the fulfilling the condition of the first Law by Faith and Repentance before he comes to run the risk of fulfilling the Condition of the second Law by persevering Works lest he lose all again I am glad I have done with your Whethers let 's come next to your Neithers for we are as wise as we were before about our Question Neonom I 'll tell you then the real difference Whether Faith and Repentance be indispensibly required that we may be Justified for the sake of Christ's Righteousness Antinom Gentlemen do but take notice how fond he is of his first Justification by Works which we dispatcht t'other day and do declare we are not Justified by Faith and Repentance in your Sence and that to be justified by Faith and Repentance as Conditionating Federal Qualifications though Merited by Christ is downright Popery whether you call such Conditions Merits or no and therefore in affirming it you assert Popish Doctrine and that will stand to though all the Divines in Town affirm it with you and if what 's done already will not be enough we 'll have t'other touch upon that Point when you please Neonom It 's whether Holiness or sincere Obedience and Perseverance are the Way to Heaven and are required of the Elect as the Conditions of their obtaining Salvation Antinom You should have told us what you mean by a Way whether the first way or second Remote or next Antecedent or Consequent Conditions what Salvation you mean whether the Salvation of Justification Sanctification or Glorification there 's as much reason good Works should qualifie us for the Salvation of Sanctification as for Justification and Glorification how comes it to pass that all Salvation is not obtained the same way If we must obtain Salvation by good Works we must do good Works before we are
of Heaven Holiness is the way to Heaven as Childhood and then youthful Age is to Manhood in the full Stature Grace it 's a growing unto that Perfection we shall have in Glory but it 's not part of a conditionating way to Heaven foederally Heaven is bestow'd on Sanctify'd ones upon as free a Promise as Justification and Sanctification and we say it 's our Business in Christ the Way Neonom I shall give you divers Arguments against your Position 1. It 's not saving Faith that is not Operative D. W. p. 132. Antinom The Eye is the most sensible part in the Body as to the Sense of Feeling yet doth not see conomine By vertue of Feeling Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie by it's Fruits Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie as Fruitful for that would bring us under a Covenant of Works Neonom Obedience good Works and Perseverance preserve us from contrary Evils Paul kept his Body under 1 Cor. 9.27 Antinom They have their usefulness in their kind but we are kept from Evils by the Grace of God and not by our Works Grace also preserves us in them and not they preserve us What Paul saith he did he did for the Gospel-sake 1 Cor. 9.23 from a Gospel-Principle the Love of God arising from the sight and sence of the Grace of God in the Gospel and for this end the Glory of God in the Promise And he said By the Grace of God I am what I am not ascribing Foederal Efficacy to inherent Graces or Duties Neonom Gospel-Constitutions shew that it contains Promises and Threatnings 2. It shews persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works as necessary to Salvation Antinom It is one thing what a thing contains and another what it is A House contains Tables Libraries Beadsteds Men and Women but a House is not therefore a Table Library Bead-stead a Man or a Woman The Covenant of Grace sets up a Government a Glorious King hath Laws Directions Precepts but it is not either of them Whatever the Covenant hath and is inseparable from it doth not argue the Covenant to be the same A wise Man is inseparable from Wisdom as such yet is not Wisdom A Rational Man hath Reason yet that Man is not Reason Neonom Most of the Promises and Threatnings that refer to the state in the Bible are Evangelical Promises and Threats D. W. p. 133. Antinom Christ in the Bible speaks two ways by way of Precept and backing them with Threats and Promises 1. As King of Nations and Governour of the World So he deals with Men as he will deal with them at last in a way of a Covenant of Works Christ also governs his Church where he hath his peculiar Right of Legislation and his Government is double 2. As to his Mystical or Visible Body his Spiritual Rule is according to the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace His Government in respect of the mixt and politick State must be also mixt because of Hypocrisie Christ's Government of his Churches as Visible Polities and Societies is a mixt Government having in his House Vessels of Honour and of Dishonour Many are led to external Conformity by his Precepts and Commands legally submitted to only having not received Evangelical Principles Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Precepts and Promises of the Gospel work no otherwise with them than by a Spirit of Bondage and come to them no otherwise than in the Tenure of the Covenant of Works And thence the Lord Jesus Christ speaks in that manner to whole Societies and Churches both under the Old Testament and under the New As to the Seven Churches of Asia where there were many formal out-side Professors that never received the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it he tells them what they must expect in that mercenary and bondage-way of Profession without Life and Love wherein they did walk yet he governs them as Politick Head of his Church they having given themselves to his Government at least in an outward Profession according to which he deals with them And therefore the Apostle tells us the Law is not made for the Righteous Man in respect of it's Threats and Denunciations but for the Lawless Disobedient Ungodly c. or for any thing contrary to sound Doctrine which is according to the Glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.10 11. The Precepts and Commands of Christ therefore have a double Aspect Evangelical and Legal as they are received by his Visible Subjects Some receive them from Law-Principles some from Evangelical Neonom Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery by these God governs and Men's Hopes and Fears should be directed by these as a Rule You not observing this have opened a Door to all Licentiousness Your whole Scheme implies that Christ doth not distribute Blessings and Punishments by any Rule that refers to the actings of Men. D. W. p. 133. Antinom This is a round Assertion That the Gospel-Constitution is a Covenant of Works That Constitution that affects all as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery is a Covenant of Works of the severest Nature But you say the Gospel-Constitution is such Ergo a Covenant of Works For that which affects as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery on the Penalty of non-attainment to that Rule and God deals with Men thus by Hopes and Fears that Men may be govern'd by them as they find their Righteousness or fall into their Misery is such an Account of a Gospel-Constitution that I question not but to find as good in Seneca and among many of the Heathen Moralists And if that be my mistake that I understand not such a Gospel-Constitution I must declare I know no such Gospel-Constitution as yet Neonom If that Covenant of Grace be conditional and Faith and Repentance are necessary to Forgiveness the Substance of it must be granted Antinom i. e. If the Covenant of Grace be a Moral Law and Faith and Repentance be the Moral Conditions to Forgiveness the Substance must be granted and it will be so indeed you will still be leaping in and out of Covenant from Righteousness to Misery and from Misery to your miserable Righteousness and between your Hopes and Fears falling short of the Righteousness of God you will fall deplorably into eternal Misery But in what Body of Ethicks do you find a Rule of Misery treated of I think it is no where treated of but in the Neonomian Theology no more than the Rule of Sin which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neonom Most Promises and Threatnings in the Bible that referr to the state of Souls are Evangelical Promises and Threats and are not the Sanction of the Law of Innocence but of Gospel-Grace Antinom The whole Word of God contains but Law and Gospel and all matters of Duty commanded referr to the one or to the other and all Duties enjoyned
they shall be judged of God at the last Day in the same way and manner and on the same grounds is he justified of God in this Life but by Works and not by Faith alone every one shall be judged at the last Day Wherefore by VVorks and not by Faith alone every one is justified before God in this Life This he answers and condemns the following Proposition or not far from it That God pardons Men's Sins gives them the Adoption of Children with a right to an Heavenly Inheritance according to their VVorks which saith he is not only Foreign to she Gospel but destructive of it And you say that Forgiving Adopting and Glorifying c. Judicial Acts of God as a Rector is in a way of rectoral Distribution of Rewards Luth. on Gal. 3.22 saith VVorks done without Faith are under a Curse though they have never so good a shew of Holiness Wherefore so far off is it that the Doers thereof deserve Grace Righteousness and Eternal Life that rather they heap Sin upon Sin After this manner the Pope works and all Merit-mongers DEBATE XIV Of Intending our Souls Good by Duties we perform Neonom THE next Errour that I charge upon this Antinomian is That he saith No Man ought to propose to himself any Advantage by any Religious Duty he performeth nor ought he in the least intend the profit of his own Soul by any Christian Endeavours it being vain and unlawful to do any thing with an Eye to our Spiritual or Eternal Good though in subordination to God's Glory in Christ D. W. p. 152. Antinom I suppose you will not only charge but prove the very things you charge in those words Neonom I will you say There is nothing you can do from whence you ought to expect any gain unto your selves c. Christ hath redeemed us that we should not henceforth live to our selves but to him that died for us c. The Scripture is plentiful in this That no Believer for whom Christ died should have the least thought in his Heart of promoting or advancing himself to any end of his own by doing what he doth Dr. C. p. 150. Antinom Gentlemen he deals with me as you have found upon Examination he hath done formerly I was Preaching upon Rom. 10.2 3 4. and was shewing That Zeal of God proves not a Man a Child of God Dr. C. p. 144 148. and I told them All aim at this that you Build not upon Foundations that will fail you when you come to tryal there is absolutely perfection enough in the Righteousness of Christ alone for your Rest and Security that you shall not need to trust to any thing you do for Life and Peace This is that which God calls you to to go torth from your own Righteousness to rest solely and only upon the Righteousness of Christ if ever you mean to have Comfort in this World or in the World to come I answered this Objection you will say This is the way to destroy all Righteousness and Obedience whatsoever What a Man never a jot the better though never so zealous after God though his Eye and aim be after God in his Zeal A. The World is grown to a miserable pass that Obedience Zeal and seeking after God be of no use at all except a Man himself be a Gainer by his Obedience it 's now as it was in the time of the Psalmist Psal 4. Every one will be ready to cry out Who will shew us any good And if any thing be proposed to Men to be done they answer But what shall I get by it Every one will be ready to shun such an Office or Employment that carry about with them a great deal of labour and expence of time and brings in no profit I must tell you freely There 's not one Duty you perform when you have attained the highest pitch that hath any prevalency and availableness to produce and to bring forth any though the least good to your selves You ought not to think to seek again to your selves by doing or bring Christ to your selves by doing You are not your own saith the Apostle but you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits Christ hath redeemed us that we should not henceforth live to our selves but to Christ that died for us Now in this Discourse I intend these things 1. That our Duties ought not to Rob Christ's Righteousness of the procuring vertue it hath of all the Blessings and Good that we have 2. That we ought not to perform Duties from a Mercenary Principle thinking thereby to obtain good things of God 3. That we rest not in the Duty done 4. That Duties barely considered in themselves though of the highest Nature are not available to obtain any thing of God for what will our Righteousness profit him And when we have done all we are unprofitable Servants and have done less than we ought to do therefore there 's no reason from our best Duties why God should bestow any good thing upon us 5. That we should do Duties from a gracious Spirit of Ingenuity for the Glory of God and Free Grace not from a poor narrow and selfish Spirit Not but that I am for Duty in a right manner and for a right end Neonom He intends to forbid our intending our own Good though in subordination to God's Glory and laying no stress of meriting for saith he People may think here 's a marvellous discouragement to Persons to do what God calls them to do when they shall have nothing for it I answer When there is a Spirit of Ingenuity they shall be as Industrious to glorifie God to do good to Men as if they did it for themselves They shall do as much for Good already bestowed as if they were to procure it by their own doing Antinom Is this not to intend my own Good whereas it 's not only to intend it but to attend it and walk in the highest Comfort and Enjoyment of it as when Esau and Jacob pass'd mutual Complements Esau saith I have enough but Jacob saith I have all It is as plain as may be made 1. That we should in all we do mind and aim at the Glory of God and Honour of Free Grace For I said Except you mind chiefly that all the Duties you perform are for other Ends and Purposes than your Preferment viz. The setting forth the praise of the Glory of Free Grace and the serving the Generation in which you live and the study of good Works because they are profitable to Men. I say Except you fall upon the performance of good Duties for the common good and benefit without having any such Conceits as what shall accrue to you thereby you are not Persons yet come to have that common Spirit and dead to the old Spirit as becomes Christians I say here chiefly and therefore am not to be understood as if I did mean as Mr. Neonomian saith
not any just Exception you can have against this Divinity there being so clear Evidence for what is here delivered from the Word of God Neonom He saith Faith is the Eccho of the Heart to the Voice of the Spirit Calvin In the Continuation of Pool 's Annotations one of your Vouchers hath this on 1 John 5.10 He that truly believes hath the effectual Impress of this Testimony upon his Soul What is that but the Eccho of it speaking the same thing Neonom He means that Faith doth not evidence our Pardon as it is a Grace wrought in the Soul by the Spirit or a holy Qualification but only as it doth assent to and rest in this inward Voice D. W. p. 163. Antinom No he doth not place this Evidencing Nature of Faith which he speaks of in it as an Act or Qualification for as such it evidenceth no more than any other Grace but Faith hath a peculiar evidencing Nature in it because it is a receiving Grace he speaks not now of Assent it takes Possession of the Promise And would not you have Faith to be assenting to and resting on the Voice of the Spirit in the Word what would you have it be nothing at all Neonom He seems to own that Sanctification is some Evidence Antinom He doth so as was observed before Calvin I pray what is your Sence concerning the way of attaining Assurance Neonom Truth The ordinary way whereby a Man attaineth a well-grounded assurance is not by immediate objective Revelation or an inward Voice saying Thy Sins are forgiven D. W. p. 160. Antinom I judge by this Negation you set by these things from Assurance as having nothing to do ordinarily in it 1. That no Voice is heard any way by the Soul Thy Sins are forgiven that is not to be believed by a direct Act of Faith 2. That Forgiveness of Sin is not revealed to a Believer by the Word of Promise believed 3. That the Spirit of God hath nothing to do in bringing the Soul to appropriate and apply the general Promise particularly to his own Soul So that here as to our believing Forgiveness of Sin neither the Spirit nor the Objective Revelation of the Gospel nor indeed Faith it self in it's receiving Nature hath any thing to do but only as a Sign and Mark set upon the Soul Neonom But when a Believer is examining his Heaert and Life by the Word the Holy Spirit enlightens the mind there to discern Faith and Love and such other Qualifications which the Gospel declareth to be the infallible Signs of Regeneration And he adds such Power to the Testimony of Conscience for the Truth and In-being of these Graces as begets in a Soul a joyful sense of it's comfortable state and some comfortable Freedom from those Fears which accompany a doubting Christian And according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak Antinom I observe now though you would let the Spirit have no hand in the Evidence of Faith yet you need its help to enlighten about Signs and Qualifications I pray how doth the Spirit enlighten here Is it by any objective Revelation or by any inward Dictate or Intimation And cannot the Spirit as well enlighten the Mind to behold Christ in the Promise by an Act of Faith as to behold Faith and Love in our selves 2. You will not admit the Declaration of the Gospel received and embraced by Faith to evidence but that it seems the Heart and Life must be examined by the Word as a Rule So that Assurance must be wrought by the Word as a Law not as a Gospel so far as you are come up to a Conformity to the Rule not a Testimony of your Interest in the Grace of the Gospel 3. You had need have the Light of the Spirit to find an infallible Sign in you too though they be declared in the Gospel Hypocrites pretend to them and you cannot tell whether you are any better than a Hypocrite without an infallible Voice of the Spirit according to your Doctrine for you must know that you shall persevere in those Qualifications and it 's impossible for a Man to be assured till Death or can be assured of his Perseverance till then all other Signs will signifie nothing without an Infallible Witness 4. You must have a Power added by the Spirit to the Testimony of Conscience that it may witness the Truth and In-being of Graces What 's the Reason it cannot witness the Truth of our In-being in Christ and add a Power to our Faith to believe even unto Assurance 5. All this Examination Illumination of the Spirit Gospel-Declaration c. may at last beget a joyful Sense or a reconciled State you say but according to you it cannot be Assurance because you cannot yet try by Perseverance the Soul is in a little hopes it 's in a probable way to Salvation but cannot be assured he is in a sure state or shall certainly be saved because he must continue his Justified State by his Works and therefore it 's impossible for him to try and find so far as to Assurance because he hath not persevered you 'l say it may be He must believe his Perseverance and be assured of it by Faith then I say there 's as much ground to believe and be assured by Faith of all our Salvation 6. You speak not of an Assurance in all you have said but of some comfortable Freedom from Doubtings i. e. upon some probable Grounds This amounts to more than Opinion at last the only Judgment of a contingent Axiom and you tell us elsewhere our State here is but of Tryal not decided therefore there can be no Assurance at all in this Life 7. You do well to add at last that according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak And may not that Assurance be so which we call the Assurance of Faith May it not be strong or weak according to the Evidence that Faith gives in being strong or weak Faith But now go on to your Whethers and Neithers Neonom I will shew you wherein the difference is not D.W. p. 164. Antinom So you may and enumerate all things in the World by Sea and by Land besides It is not whether the Sun be the Element of Fire nor how many Regions in the Air nor whether Spirits are material nor whether Anima be ex traduce c. Neonom It is not whether the Spirit witnesseth by his Miraculous Operations to Christ and the Gospel which is a Truth and the meaning of many of the Texts which you quote Antinom I do not know that we were like to stumble there for we speak only of the Spirits witnessing in its ordinary way and so are all the Texts to be understood so far as they have been applyed to our purpose Neonom Nor whether the Spirit as a Worker of Grace in the Heart be an Earnest of Glory and Witness to our state
Christ is made our Sanctification and all that Holiness in us that is accepted it 's not only in and for his Righteousness but it 's performed in the Life and Power of Christ our Sanctification therefore he saith 1 Cor. 1.30 that what we are we are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. Neonom Or is that filthiness which renders Saints the excellent of the Earth Psal 16 2. Antinom Doth not David say ver 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee the original words if you understood them is fuller as to the sense intended tho' shorter than the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Goodness is not to thee or nothing to thee and the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast no need of my Goodness Do you say Is that Filthiness which renders the Saints Excellent I had thought it was the Grace of God Christ's Righteousness and the Inbeing in Christ that had rendred them Excellent not their own Works Neonom The Imitators of Christ Antinom Scholars that Write after another may make very sorry work mere Scribling that the Master tho' he finds reason in himself to accept would if he did not tear it all to pieces Neonom Was not this it for which Caleb was said to have another Spirit and upon account whereof we must love the Godly as begotten of God Antinom Was Caleb's Works his Spirit or his Works flow from his singular Spirit his Spirit was a Spirit of Faith thro' which he did so great things in Christ Jesus and so the Works were accepted Heb. 11. The Foundation Reason of our Love to the Saints is Christ loving them and their Relation to Christ every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him and by this we know we love the Children of God when we love God 1 John 5.1 2. Neonom Is it not pleasing to God to which he hath made so many promises and for which he commends Moses David c. Antinom As God is not pleased with any Persons so with no Works out of Christ neither hath made any promises to any such out of Christ all the best Works are cast forth as Filth and Odious if done out of Christ Neonom Calling them a peculiar People it s no small thing that Christ is so pleased with his Spouse Antinom They are peculiar because purchased and have peculiar Blessings and Privileges and bring forth peculiar Fruits in Christ Jesus John 15.5 6. without me ye can do nothing and if a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and any Work that is done out of Christ is but Dung as 1 Cor. 3.12 13. If a Man in Christ build Hay Stubble his Works will be burnt and he suffer loss tho' he may be saved Christ is pleased with his Spouse his Church because he hath loved it and washed it in his own Blood and therefore she is Comely but as for what she is in her self and as to her Works in themselves and done out of Christ she is but Black as the Tents of Kedar c. Sol. 1.5 Neonom Can that be Dung which is a Meetness for Glory an Honour to God and Credit to Religion Antinom Our Meetness for Glory is all from Grace there 's nothing that flows from our selves no Work done out of Christ can contribute to any Meetness all our Meetness is in Christ Jesus as made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification and we grow up in him in all things as for our relation unto Men we say with the Apostle they are profitable to Men and be a means that they Glorifie God on our behalf but God hath no direct Honour by them if not performed by Faith in Christ Neonom How can that be Acceptable to God in Christ if it be Filthiness Antinom Good Works are good in their kind but comparatively and in themselves because of the mixture of Sin and Corruption they are in the sense of the Spirit of God but Filth you may as well say how can Paul be Acceptable to God thro' Christ who saith In me dwelleth no good thing Must Persons and Actions be free from all adhering Corruption by reason whereof they in themselves are Abominable to the pure Eye of God before they be made Acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ This is like your constant Doctrins Persons and Actions must be good first before they have benefit by Jesus Christ Neonom Wickedness will never be Accepted with God for Christ sake tho' imperfect Goodness shall Antinom No imperfect Goodness can be Accepted as Righteousness with God for Christ sake Christ never so much as purchased that any of our best Graces or Works should be Accepted as our Righteousness and it cannot be Accepted unto Holiness out of Christ and the Doctor never said our good Works wrought by Faith in Christ are Dung so as not thro' Christ to be Accepted unto Holiness but imperfect Works are no more our Righteousness for Acceptation with God than Wickedness neither in their Nature for Christ's sake Neonom Read what is spoken of Sincerity and Vprightness will it agree with what 's Mortal Poison Antinom Moral Sincerity and Uprightness may and so is all out of Christ Neonom What a Reproach is it to Christ to call his Life in us and the beginning of Glory by this Title Antinom The Life of Christ in us is by the Faith of the Son of God and we are Crucified with Christ to all that 's done by us and therefore account it Dung and Dross in comparison of all done by us and Works give us not Title to Glory tho' Grace begins it Neonom Nay to make his Triumphs in us so low as that all he hath improved his Members to is mere Filthiness Antinom The Triumph of Christ in us is the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Neonom It 's well if the Scriptures can escape clean if all the Works of the Spirit are thus debased when they pass thro' Men. Antinom The Scriptures are clean in themselves as from the Spirit but the Works done by us are not Scripture tho' they be in some measure conformed thereto Neonom But I less wonder that Doctor Crisp should speak thus of the Righteousness of the Saints as in them when he saith the Enemies of Christ may have Sincerity and singleness of Heart towards God P. 450 451 452. Antinom Doth not he prove that Paul in his Unregenerate Estate was blameless as to the Law 's Righteousness Phil. 3.6 and what Paul did against the Churches he verily thought that he ought to do it Acts 26.9 Was not this Sincerity at least in his apprehension had he not an Eye in what he did to the Glory of God The Jews also had a Zeal for God Rom. 10. but you wrong him
that I do know still I do count them but as Dung that I may win Christ p. 126. There is nothing can be done in a Man that proveth him to be out of Wrath any farther than it proveth him to be in Christ In this Argument lyes all the strength that Christ is yours and that you are Christs what other Arguments otherwise you have that will not prove this Point are all but Fallacies and your Hopes are but Ropes of Sand. Dress up yourselves in the best Attire you have Vertue Civility Learning Excellent Parts let them paint over the rotten Face of corrupt Nature never so curiously will all this prove that you shall be saved The Apostle counteth all this but Stuff and Lumber Trash Loss and Dung for Christ Can you climb Heaven by any Ladder of Nature's erecting What Ladder reacheth to Heaven but Jacob's Ladder which was a Type of Christ p. 147. Let me come to the Graces of God's Spirit They prove that you are out of the state of Wrath that you shall be saved but how do they prove it Not as the causes thereof doth your Grace that is in you satisfie the Justice of God and redeem you from the Curse and pay the Ransom Is it your Title for Salvation Do you pretend to have him upon the Worth of your Graces Like a Man that 's questioned about his Land goes about to prove the worth of the Land by the wax with which his Deeds are sealed the Seal is more than the Wax therefore the Apostle saith not only we are translated but hereby we know we are translated Now how doth Grace signifie to you that you are out of Wrath As it evidences you to be in Christ and so the Sign bringeth you to the Cause If they prove but unto you the Work of Grace in your Heart and that you are in Christ you need ask them no more they have done enough they have setled you upon a sure ground The least Dram of Grace is worth a 1000 Tun of such kind of stuff of Moral Righteousness which may be in you and not prove you to be in Christ A little Seal is worth a Cart-load of Wax because it sealeth more to me than the Wax is worth so the least Dram of Grace wrought in a Man that is in Jesus Christ is worth a World of Moral Duties because it sealeth Evidences Pardon of Sin Favour with God therefore examine yourselves that you take not a Human-Faith for a Saving-Faith c. p. 148 149 150. V. 8 9. That I may be sâ—und in him that I may know him In these two Expressions is comprized that which he calls the gaining of Christ To be found in Christ that he referreth to Justification or the making a Sinner righteous before God therefore he saith not having mine own Righteousness but the Righteousness of God which is the Faith of Christ. To know Christ referreth to Sanctification as it is expressed in three things The Power of his Resurrection the Fellowship of his Sufferings Conformity to his Death p. 151 152. That I may be found in him c. In this Verse you have two great things expressed Union with Christ that I may be found in him Righteousness with God having the Righteousness of God There is a distribution of Righteousness into two sorts Legal Evangelical These two sorts are first described what they are Legal mine own Righteousness which is of the Law Evangelical the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ 2. Being described they are opposed the one to the other the one is of the Law the other is by the Faith of Christ they are set contrary because they cannot be had together 3. There is a disclaim of the one not having my own righteousness which is of the Law and an adherence to the other the righteousness of God by Faith in Christ Doct. 1. In the gaining or having of Christ the first thing is Union this word in Christ notes Union as 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found in him p. 156 157. Union must be before Communion Christ is a great Mystery Christ and his People are all like one great Tree he is the Stock and Root and they are the Twigs planted in that great Stock and they two live like one great Body as the Head and Members they are alike as Man and Wife are one flesh so Christ and his People are one Spirit as Man and Wife are one Person in Law so are Christ and all that are in him they cannot be cast into Hell because the Sentence must light upon Christ before it falleth upon them Antinom How doth this agree with your Doctrin That the state of Men in this Life is not eternally decided but they are in a State-Tryal as Subjects in Tryal for Eternity p. 55. of your First Book The grossest Divinity that ever Protestant delivered before which both the true Protestant Doctrin of Election and Redemption and Union to Christ must fall to the ground if it be true R. Vines I come to the 2d thing in the words the distribution of Righteousness into Legal and Evangelical Doct. There are two sorts of Righteousness Legal and Evangelical the one of the Law the other of the Gospel for that which we call Righteousness with God is the same which we call Gospel or Evangelical Righteousness which is plain Rom. 1.17 Now do not stumble at this do not think I mean as you do Mr. Neonom that there are two sorts of Righteousnesses which a Sinner may be justified by For by one Righteousness we are justified with God Rom. 5.18 But when I say there are two sorts it is to be understood thus there are but two sorts of Righteousnesses by which Life at any time hath been attained there never was a third Righteousness whereby a Man should be Righteous with God ever propounded to Man standing or falling Where 's your subordinate Righteousness now There are there have been there can be no more the own is his own the other is that which is called the Righteousness of God Now to describe these two sorts of Righteousness see Rom. 1.17 Rom. 10.10 11. These two doing and believing are the Characteristical Words that describe these two sorts of Righteousnesses of the Law and of the Gospel The Righteousness of the Law is only for the perfect Man that never sinned because it must be doing Neonom I could shew there 's no one saving Benefit granted to a Sinner but upon Supposition of his doing D. W. p. 230. Mr. R. Vines But I tell you the Righteousness of the Gospel is for a Sinner a Sinner overwhelmed and overspread with Sins Neonom But I say throughout my Divinity That the Gospel excludes Sinners and that the Righteousness of Christ belongs to none but those that are first meet for it Mr. R. V. The Righteousness of the Law is an exact compliance with the Law of God in every Tittle the Righteousness
Peace with God that which entitleth them to Eternal Life and Heaven They have that which altho' it doth not take away the being of Sin yet it setteth them as free from Hell as Adam in Innocency and setteth them upon a sure Centre that Faith wherein we stand outspeaks Adam even Adam in his first Integrity p. 176. 2dly This Righteousness which they have in Christ is the Righteousness of God this is a Phrase frequent with the Apostle Paul and is almost peculiar to him Now mark that Righteousness whereby a poor Sinner is made Righteous with God is the Righteousness of God i. e. of a Person who is God Jer. 33.16 Not his essential Righteousness it 's only that Righteousness which is from God that which God imputeth to us that which he hath provided appointed and approved to be a satisfaction to his Justice that 's the Righteousness of God which God hath made to be so to us and that is Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 p. 180 3dly This Righteousness of God is by Faith God hath appointed this humble Grace of Faith to be in the hand of the Receiver which taketh hold of this Righteousness of God But now you must consider this Faith not as Mr. Neonomian doth as a Habit or Quality but consider it in the Office it hath as it is an Instrument taking hold of Jesus Christ Not I say as a habit for the worthiness of Faith it self for tho' it be said by Faith it is not said for Faith by it as an Instrument of God for hereby you come to the Promises and to Christ closing with Christ by Faith you are made the Righteousness of God in him It is a self-denying Faith that casteth out Pride and Self and Works and cometh naked and poor to the rich Promises of Christ and there hanged taketh hold and claspeth fast 4. This Faith by which you have the Righteousness of God is the Faith of Christ or which is all one of the which Promises hold forth Christ they are the object of this Faith by which you have the Righteousness of God it 's true the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and that doth not justifie because it works Faith the Eye seeth other things besides the brazen Serpent but as it healeth it looketh to the brazen Serpent only c. p. 185. Now I come to the description of the other sort of Righteousness 1. There is a Righteousness called our own which is of the Law 2. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law is to be utterly disclaimed our own in opposition to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ As the Righteousness of God is the very same with that which is by the Faith of Christ for they are all one so our own Righteousness is that which is of the Law Now that there is a Righteousness which is called our own is evident from Rom. 10.3 to open the Righteousness of the Law 1. The Righteousness of the Law is nothing else but a conformity to the Law See Ezek. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 Rom. 2.17 the Duties which is the Matter must be done with all the Mind and Strength and all the Soul 2. What is meant by our own Righteousness It is that whereby we walk in some conformity to the Law of God and if you will have Works done from a natural Principle or Power by the strength of moral Vertues by Men out of Christ this is indeed within ourselves and this is our own Righteousness like that the Apostle calleth his Gain before he knew Christ But then for holy Duties or Works that are performed which flow from a Principle of renewing Grace this say the Papists is not our own Righteousness For the clearing this Point All your Works that flow from sanctifying Graces in conformity to the Law of God all these come under the Name of our own Righteousness not because it is of our selves efficiently but it is ours subjectively inherent in us As Adam's Righteousness his own though it came from an inward Holiness and Righteousness given him of God Are not the Fruits of the Spirit as Love Joy Temperance are they not our own They are our own or Gods if our own then I have the Point if the Righteousness of God then you are justified by the Fruits of the Spirit and not by the Righteousness of Christ imputed which is the greatest Error in Divinity If the Apostle in this Text had said Not my own Righteousness but the Righteousness of God which is by Repentance Love Hope the fear of God holy Duties then the Apostle had carried it clear against us but he brings nothing that we have to join in concurrence to the Righteousness of God and Christ but only Faith therefore the Apostle leaves all our inherent Graces and the Works that issued from them in this Text to come under the Name of our own Righteousness As the Sin of the first Adam that was personally in Guilt was likewise ours so the Righteousness of God is subjectively in Christ and by Imputation ours Consider then all those Works that proceed from sanctifying Grace in you in order to conformity to the Law of God they may all come under this Name and Notion of my own Righteousness p. 190 191 192. Doct. 2. Our own Righteousness is utterly to be disclaimed that we may be justified by the Righteousness of God Mark the Scripture Rom. 3.21 ch 4.6 Christ pulleth down the Righteousness of your selves which had the Chair before the Servant must not sit in the King's Chair So Grace tho' it be that whereby you may walk serviceable to God yet you must not set it in the place of Jesus Christ Yet the Apostle would not be without Holiness Sanctification and Obedience One in Christ hath Vertue Holiness c. but how as serviceable Graces to walk with God not as his Righteousness with God when the Sun shineth the Moon is put out not out of her Orb or Course but as I may say from her Rul So the Righteousness of God when you come to be justified by Faith doth not abolish Holiness and Sanctification for they are and must be there together but the setting up Obedience in the place of Christ's Righteousness as a Cypher is pull'd down from the place of Pounds How doth that Apostle say Not having mine own Righteousness I answer not having it as my Righteousness with God then I should put mine own in the place of Christ not having it as concurrent with Christ That would make my Righteousness Co-partner with him not having it as a Motive to move him then I should put my Righteousness in the place of free Grace not having it as the Instrument whereby I take Christ no for then I should put other Graces in the place of Faith Well then in a word having Holiness or Righteousness as a stock to trade with in the way of service to God not having it as a means to buy my
these admired Principles of yours famous at Rome as some Instances of the third thing 1. That every Sin is not Damnable Pref. p. 6. 2. That the Moral Law is vacated its Sanction being changed ibid. 3. That the Eternal Condition of Men is not eternally decided in this Life but they are in a state of tryal here for Eternity p. 55. See to reconcile these three Heads of Doctrin to the Assembly and reconcile the first to the larger Catechism Q. 152. What doth every Sin deserve at God's hands A. 1. Every Sin even the least being against the Sovereignty Goodness and Holiness of God and against his righteous Law deserveth his Wrath and Curse both in this Life and that which is to come and cannot be expiated but by the Blood of Christ 2. Reconcile the second to Confess c. 19. 5. The Moral-Law doth for ever bind all therefore its Sanction remains if you know what Sancire is as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof and that not only in regard of the Matter contained in it but also in respect of the Authority of God the Creator who gave it neither doth God in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this Obligation Who is the Antinomian now 3. Reconcile the third rotten ill-worded Principle to the Assemb c. 17. § 2. The Perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own Free-will but upon the Immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable Love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the Merit and Intercession of Jesus Christ the abiding of the Spirit the Seed of God within them and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth the certainty and infallibility thereof With what Conscience can a Man solemnly subscribe these Articles Confessions and Catechisms and yet assert these Principles But you ascertain our Estate here only by doing you say you can shew that there 's no one Saving benefit granted a sinner but upon supposition of doing p. 230. It 's not given him to will or do but upon supposition of doing nor to be justified or persevere but upon supposition of doing So the Whole and the Certainty of a Believer's State depends wholly upon doing he is under a perfect Covenant of Works and his State is a State of Tryal for Life upon his doing as Adam's was but a worse and hath more to do and is less able Lastly As to the great fundamental Principle on which your New Scheme is founded viz. That the Gospel is a New Law with Sanction tho' I hope I have spoken enough to convince you of the Unsoundness of it yet because I would not be wanting in any thing wherein I may contribute to your further Illumination I will only present you with one remarkable Piece of Protestant Antiquity in this Point And it is An Article in the Confession of the Holy Doctrin which was proposed to the Assembly of the Council of Trent in the Name of the Illustrious Prince L. D. Christopher Duke of Wirtenberg and Count Montbelgard Jan. 24. Anno Dom. 1552. Concerning the Gospel of Christ. ALtho' many Precepts of the Law of God are contained in the Writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles and Christ himself teacheth that we are not to render Evil for Evil nor to look upon a Woman to lust after her and many other Precepts of the like nature Yet we must not think that the Gospel of Christ is a New Law whereby as the Fathers of old under the Old Testament were saved by an Old Law so Men now under the New Testament are saved by a New Law For unless thou understand the word Law generally for Doctrin as the Prophets several times are wont to use the word Law certainly the Gospel of Christ properly is no Law as Paul is wont to use the word Law but is good and joyful Tydings concerning the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Expiator of our Sins and Appeaser of the Wrath of God our Redeemer and Saviour Neither are the Precepts of the Law which are contained in the Apostolick Writings a New Law but an Explication of the Old Law according to the mind of the Holy Ghost which are not darkly contained before in the Writings of the Prophets but are repeated in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ that the Severity of God's Law and the Corruption of our Nature being plainly laid open we might be excited to enquire after and embrace Christ revealed in his Gospel and that we should be acquainted by what Rule our Life of Faith in Christ should be directed Wherefore if we ought to speak properly concerning the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ even as we are not to make Christ a New Law-giver seeing he hath not made a New Law nor erected a New Politick Kingdom on Earth so neither is the Gospel to be turned into a New Law which offer Eternal Salvation to the performers thereof But we think that it is most certain that there is one and the same Natural and Moral Law both of the Old and New Testament and Eternal Salvation is not to be had by Men under the Old or New Testament for the Merits of the Works of the Law but only for the sake of the Merits of our Lord Jesus by Faith Christ rehearseth out of Isaiah his Office Luke 4. for which he was sent into this World saying The Spirit of the Lord is upon me in that he hath anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor c. Here Christ teacheth that it is not his proper Office to give a New Law which might terrifie and slay miserable sinners but to Preach the Gospel that might quicken and comfort them See Gal. 4.4 5. Acts 15.10 11. They quote Austin That People who received the Old Testament Augustinus contra Adimantum Manichei discipulum c. 3. was held under certain shadows and figures of things before the coming of our Lord according to that wonderful and most exactly ordered distribution of times Yet in it there was so great a Predication and Fore-publication of the New Testament that no things may be found in the Evangelick or Apostolick Discipline altho' lofty and Divine Precepts and Promises which were wanting to those ancient Books I here conclude only adding the Exceptions of some Ministers against your Doctrin and Principles The Substance of some Exceptions made by divers London Ministers against Mr. Dan. Williams's Book Entituled Gospel Truth stated and vindicated 1. WE find Truth and Error is not rightly stated in several Particulars chap. 2. c. 5. c. 7. c. 8. c. 12. c. 16. c. 18. c. 19. and in other places 2. Under a colour of opposing some old Antinomian Errors which we from our Hearts abhor he falls in with them in their main Principle of vacating the Sanction of the moral Law as appears Pref. p 6 7. and Lib. p. 131 135. and in