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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	justify_v	law_n	moral_a	5,360	5	10.3036	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37263	Truth and innocency vindicated against falshood & malice exprest in a late virulent pamphlet intituled, (A true account of a most horrid and dismal plague began at Rothwell, &c.) without printer's licenser's or author's name thereunto) : together with an account of the Kettering visitation / by R. Davis ... ; to which is added, Mr. Rob. Betson's answer to so much as concerns him in the said libel.	Davis, Richard, 1658-1714.; Betson, Robert. Answer to some part of that pamphlet called, A plain and just account of a plague being at Rothwell.	1692 (1692)	Wing D435; ESTC R10047	98,027	94

to the whole revealed Mind and Will of God in his Word and upon his own Authority but as it is a saving Grace it is a work of the Spirit whereby a Sinner doth see and behold Christ in all his Excellencies and is persuaded and enabled to look to him to go forth from Sin and Self to lay hold of Christ and to rest and relie on Christ and his Righteousness for Acceptance with God and Eternal Salvation XVI Of Effectual Calling Effectual Calling is the powerful Voice of the Son of God by his Spirit accompanying his Word whereby a Sinner is enabled to accept of Christ upon his own Terms according to the Promise of the Gospel therefore it relates to Faith XVII Of Assurance Assurance is not a bare conjectural and probable Persuasion but the infallible certainty of Faith founded upon the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God altho many Believers have not attained to this Assurance yet it is the Duty of all to seek after it and those that have attained to it may have it divers ways shaken and diminish'd through Sin and Temptations XVIII Of Perseverance The Perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own Free Will or inherent Grace already received but upon the Immutability of the Love of God in the Decree of Election the Efsicay and Merit of the Intercession of Christ The Nature of the Covenant of Grace and the abiding of the Spirit of God Altho true Believers cannot fall finally and totally yet they may fall into grievous Sins and may continue in them for a while whereby they grieve the Spirit lessen their Comforts wound their Consciences scandalise others and do come under the Rebuke of God's fatherly Corrections for their Recovery and Amendment XIX Of Adoption Adoption is an act of the free Grace of God in and for his only Son Jesus Christ whereby all those that are justified are received into the number of his Children have his Name put upon them the Spirit of his Son given unto them are under his fatherly Care and Correction admitted to all the Liberties and Privileges of the Sons of God made Heirs of all the Promises and Fellow-heirs with Christ in Glory XX. Of Sanctification Sanctification is the Work of God's Grace whereby they whom God has before the Foundation of the World chosen to be Holy are in time through the powerful Operation of the Spirit applying the Death and Resurrection of Christ unto them renew'd in their whole Man after the Image of God having the Seeds of Repentance and of all other saving Graces put into their Hearts and those Graces so stirred up increased and strengthned as that they more and more dye unto Sin and rise up unto Newness of Life in the lively Actings and Exercises of Faith XXI Of Repentance True Gospel Repentance is a saving Grace wrought by the Spirit of God whereby we are enabled thorough believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation to turn from Sin unto God XXII Preparatory Works Works done before Faith however good in themselves yet are vain fruitless sinful and not pleasing to God and therefore can't make us any ways meet for the receiving of Grace XXIII Of Good Works Good Works are then only Good when they are the Fruits of Faith and they ought to be carefully maintain'd by Believers not that they may thereby be justified or continued in a justified State but that they may glorifie God and answer the Ends of their Redemption by Jesus Christ XXIV Of the Moral Law The Moral Law holds the Elect during their Unregeneracy under its condemning Force 'till they believe and is unto all Believers a Rule for Obedience which they are enabled to conform unto by the Power of God's Grace XXV Of the State of Believers after Death and their Resurrection The Souls of Believers immediately after Death are made perfect in Holiness are received up to Heaven and behold the Face of God in Light and Glory Their Bodies in the mean time resting in the Grave till the Resurrection are then Re-united to their Souls in Perfect Blessedness and full Enjoyment of God forever XXVI Of the Last Iudgment God has appointed a Day wherein he will Judge the Quick and the Dead in Righteousness by Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Judgment is given of the Father for the Glorifying his Divine Mercy in the Salvation of the Elect and of his Divine Justice in the Eternal Damnation of the Wicked and Disobedient FINIS An Answer to some part of that Pamphlet Called A Plain and Just Account of a Plague being at Rothwell c. Wherein it will be manifest that they that gave the Account gave a very unjust Account in some Matters as in others they Charge as Errors the great Truths of the Gospel of our Lord. By Rob Betson Pastor of the Church of Christ in Wellingborough OH that my Head was a Fountain of Tears that I could Weep Day and Night for a Generation of Men professing love to Christ and Souls and yet their Mouths are full of Revilings and their Pens dipt in Gall as the first Page testifieth and several other places in the Book wherein they act like that Orator Tertullus in Acts 24. 5. We have found this Man a pestilent fellow and a mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens c. Thus he accused and the Jews assented saying That these things were so vers 9. And thus do the Writers of this Pamphlet accuse God's Servant Mr. Davis with many others which I question not but they are dear to our Lord Jesus But yet the People are ready to say all is true that can be spoken yea this I observe these Men will believe the Reports of the worst of Men against him when they will not believe their nearest Friends that speak for him tho what they speak they have seriously weigh'd which sheweth them to be of their minds Jeremy complaineth of Chap. 20. 10. Report say they and we will Report it But I believe the Lord in his own time will vindicate the Faith and Order of that Gospel which is now opposed by a Generation of Men that have not the Power of Godliness However I earnestly intreat all that fear the Lord to cease Reviling and take Paul's Counsel Ephesians 4. 31 32. Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamor and evil speaking be put away and be ye kind one to another And if you yet be in doubt take Gamaliel's Counsel Acts 5. 38 39. For we are very willing that whatever there is that is not of God should fall and we are also sure that whatever is of God you cannot overturn it therefore pray have a Care you be not found fighters against God And pray weigh very seriously what Mr. Davis hath written in answer to what is charged against him for I do trust that in

the Soul and antecedent to this Divine supernatural Power which is no other than Arminianism And to allow it one minute before Christ's uniting himself to the Soul is all one as to allow it him from his Cradle or all three together 12. A Man may simply without Self-design or Self-Interest aim at the Glory of God and yet be an Hypocrite still Answ This is attested by judicious or rather malicious N. A. All the occasion that he had for his false Testimony was that there was something spoke to this purpose That some may possibly perform some obedience to the Law not to get worldly advantage thereby or to gain the applause of Men but because God commands it yet seeking to be justified thereby it is not right but hypocritical because it is not done in Faith in the manner that the Lord requireth it and because it is seeking to be justified by the works of the Law The Apostle testifies for his Countrymen That they had a zeal for God viz. in obeying his Law but notwithstanding it was not according to knowledge because thereby they went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 23. 13. The Law giveth 1. A little sight of Sin 2. A killing sight of Sin 3. An impious sight of Sin Answ Here also is a little mistake in the Information for it was not said an impious but an impure sight of Sin Thus I explained these three Heads 1. The Law abstractedly consider'd gives to the Sinner in a state of Nature in meer legal Convictions a short sight of Sin Reason Because they never seek out under the greatest conviction of Sin for any Righteousness better than their own to be justified by whereas if the Law abstractedly consider'd did give to a Sinner in a state of Nature a thorow-sight of Sin he would never so often as he doth lean upon a Justification by his own works nor pacify the rage of his Conscience with his own doings This the Law of God tho' perfect in itself cannot do to a Man in an unregenerate state in that it is weak through the flesh therefore God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the flesh Rom. 8. 3. 2 dly It is but a killing sight of Sin Reason This is plain from Scripture for to this the Apostle witnesseth when he says expresly the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. which killing Letter he calls ver 7. The ministration of death ver 9. The ministration of Righteousness to which may be added as further proof Rom. 7. 9. 3 dly The Law in meer legal Convictions gives an impure sight of Sin First Reason The state is impure therefore all things in that state are impure too For Illustration thereof I may at least safely allude to those passages Haggai 2. 11 12 13 14. but more plainly proved from that as well as other places of Scripture Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Second Reason A Conviction of Sin in a state of Nature hath a tendency to irritate Sin the more proved from Rom. 7. 5. For when we were in the flesh i. e. in a natural state the motions of Sin or the passions or ferment of Sin which were by the Law viz. convincing or restraining did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Whence it is evident 1. That the Law in a state of Nature by its Convictions doth ferment and irritate Sin 2. That Sin thus irritated doth work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death To which agreeth what is experimentally recorded ver 7 8. says the Apostle there For I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet But did this Conviction diminish or extinguish his Concupiscence No but rather encreased it for it instantly follows ver 8. But Sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence Yet it is true the Law by God's Ordination oftentimes restrains the outward Acts of Sin even then when Sin defiles the Conscience most with monstrous Unbelief and a violent establishment of a Man 's own Righteousness Now considering all this it is undeniably plain to me that the Law abstractedly consider'd in meer legal Convictions giveth to the Sinner an impure sight of Sin whether we consider the impurity of that state that defileth all things or the effects of such Convictions WE whose Names are under-written being constant Hearers of Mr. Davis in and about Kimbolton do testify and affirm That his Accusers have dealt injuriously with him in wresting his Words and perverting his Sentences that his Account is according to Truth and that the tenor of his Preaching amongst us has been to advance the Free-grace of God in Christ and to promote Gospel-holiness upon Evangelical Principles Witness our Hands Edward Marlin Stephen Richards William Custance John Conquest Samuel Gurrey Thomas Woodham Robert Elum John Wollaston George Hull These are said to be preached at Wellemborough 14. Such as preach up Qualifications are legal Preachers keep People in Bondage and are Enemies to their comfort Answ There has been and is too much preaching of such and such legal Qualifications not only antecedent to but abstracted from Faith Nay Faith itself is made no more of by them than a work of the Law and as for such I continue to maintain they are legal Preachers 15. People must beware of three sorts of Preachers Babylonish Graceless and such as mix the Law with the Gospel Answ Suppose it true I do not see how it can be charged as a Crime nor how can any understand my thoughts so as to know whom I mean But if Mr. King takes it to himself I shall heartily consent thereunto 16. Saints under the Old Testament had no spiritual life but in doing Answ This I asserted viz. That Saints since the giving forth of the Law at Mount Sinai had most of their spiritual life from their obedience thereunto And now I shall give my Reasons for my Assertion 1. Tho' I grant that all before the coming of Christ that were saved were saved the same way that the Saints now are viz. by the blood of Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yet whether they knew that way of salvation as well as Saints now is to me a Question especially when I weigh these Scriptures 1 Pet. 10. 11 12. Ephes 3. 8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. From which Scriptures with divers others well consider'd 't is evident to me there is a far greater discovery made now to the Saints in Gospel-days than to them before 2 dly I query whether they had not much of their Peace of Conscience from their Obedience and Sacrifices And this to me is undeniably proved from

of Christ will do When he is convinced of the Suitableness and absolute Necessity of this Righteousness to him and that nothing short of an Interest in it will satisfie his Conscience Also When he is convinced of his great Evil in leaning so long on his own Righteousness and the proneness of his Heart to do so still And Lastly When he is convinced of an evil Heart of Unbelief The Spirit convinceth of no Sin but Vnbelief Sure Mr. Jerry was under a great Mistake For it was this I inferred from John 16. 7 8 9 10. 11. That the first Sin the Spirit savingly convinceth a Man of is his own evil Heart of Unbelief and his Evil in trusting to his own Righteousness But see how strangely it is wrested What will not Envy and Prejudice put a Man upon For any to look to their Sanctification was an hindrance to their closing with Christ 'T is true in a good sence they have no Holiness afore they close with Christ and what should they look for that to bring with them they cannot possibly have afore they come ANIMADVERSIONS The Reader may easily perceive that the tendency of all these Charges under this general Head is to support Two Principles I. That there must be antecedent Works as Conditions of Justification Or at least II. There must be antecedent Works to fit and prepare us for Christ The First Principle I cannot fall in with for these ensuing Reasons Reas 1. God Justifies us freely as well as he Chose us freely and Christ died for us freely God chose the Elect and Christ died for them without any regard had to foreseen Conditions Rom. 9. 11. with 13. 15. Rom. 5. 6 8. So he also Justifies Rom. 9. 16. So Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Reas 2. The Word of the Lord says That God Justifies the Elect not as Saints nor as reformed Sinners but as ungodly Sinners Rom. 4. 5. But believeth on him that justifies the ungodly Therefore he does not Justifie upon precedent Conditions Reas 3. To make the Works of the Law to be the Conditions of our Justification is to seek to be Justified by the Deeds of the Law I which the Word of the Lord expressly condemns Rom. 3. 20 28. Gal. 2. 11. 3. 11. Reas 4. If the Sinner may be allowed to have the Works of the Law as Conditions of his Justification then he has ground of boasting in himself But the Law of Faith that receives Justification freely as a free Gift Rom. 5. 16. excludes all manner of boasting from the Creature Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith Reas 5. The perfect Law or Promise of an infinitely Holy Righteous God must needs require Perfect Conditions Therefore Imperfect Obedience cannot be the Conditions of Justification Reas 6. Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and all Works done before Faith put on the Nature of Sin and that that is sinful cannot be the Conditions of Justification Reas 7. They that are performing Conditions in a State of Nature are under a Curse Gal. 3. 10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse And how can that that is under a Curse be the Cndition of Justification Reas 8. This Doctrine of Antecedent Conditions of Justification as it is contrary to the Word of God so it is contrary to the Doctrine of the first Protestant Reformers and also expressly contrary to the Tenth Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Articles of the Church of England which most of the Dissenting Ministers in the Kingdom have subscrib'd to Neither can I be for the Second Principle Viz. That there must be antecedent Qualifications at least to fit us and prepare us for Christ Before I give my Reasons I shall first tell what the Question is not And then what it is 1. The Question is not Whether an Elect Soul may not often be under the Convictions of the Law before Grace cometh For that we all agree in 2. Or Whether God doth most commonly lay hold of a Sinner by his Grace when he is under strong Convictions of Sin by the Law For this I readily assent to 3. Or Whether since Actual Justification as it is an Act of God terminated in the Conscience is an Actual Discharge there for the sake of Imputed Righteousness that it is necessary there be the same moment an Actual Conviction or Arraignment by the Law in the Conscience which is called a Sight of Sin to make the Soul see its need of the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus But the Question is Whether legal Convictions do prepare and fit the Soul to receive Christ i. e. By enabling the Soul the more or making the Soul the more willing to receive Grace antecedent to the State of Grace And this I do deny All the aforesaid Arguments against Conditions of Justification are edg'd against such antecedent Qualifications also However I shall add a few more Arguments Arg. 1. The Word of the Lord says That God walks by the same rule in Calling as he did in Election and the Eternal Compact 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Whence it is convincingly evident That as he hath chosen the Elect and promised them all Grace in Christ their Common-Head before the Foundation of the World without any regard had to their fore-seen Qualifications not according to their Works So he also saveth them with an holy Calling in time without the least regard had to their then previous Works For it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. See further Eph. 2. 8. Arg. 2. The Spirit is as free in Application as the Father in Election and the Son in the Work of Redemption and therefore the Spirit in Conversion regards not antecedent Qualifications Arg. 3. 'T is in Christ Jesus we are God's Workmanship created to good works Eph. 2. 10. Therefore there is no power for Good Works antecedent to our actual Union with Christ Arg. 4. The first Work of God Souls are put upon is Believing Joh. 6. 28 29. And we are pressed in Scripture to other good Works after Believing Tit. 3. 8. Therefore there can be no previous Qualifications preparatory of Faith Arg. 5. Faith it self is receiving a free Gift as freely given Rom. 4. 16. Eph. 2. 8. Therefore ex Naturâ rei excludes all manner of such antecedent Qualifications Arg. 6. The Promise was by Faith that it might be sure to all the Seed Rom. 4. 16. Even to the Gentile Seed who had no manner of Qualifications to bring For the Scripture saith expressly they had not so much Qualifications as to follow after righteousness

testified against such notorious Forgeries some whereof were pretended to be delivered publickly others in private discourse accordingly therefore I shall divide them The first were alledged to be spoke more publickly 21. To preach Marks of Sanctification is a Doctrine of an old Covenant strain Answ If they had added legal Marks I would have stood by it and so I believe I expressed it But saving Faith has its saving Effects inseparably attending it which I often preach all Scriptures quoted to that purpose are expressive of the inseparable Effects of saving Faith 22. Sanctification is no Evidence of our Justification Answ I have often expressed it that some may mistake a legal Holiness for an evangelical one i. e. They are apt to conclude as I once my self was that when they have such a Catalogue of meer legal Qualifications to boast of then they think they may believe which I apprehend to be a seeking to be justified by the works of the Law But as for excluding Faith and its Effects from being Evidences I never did nor is it my judgment 23. Disciples grieve Christ when they mourn for Sin Answ But the truth of the matter is this I was thus glossing on that passage John 14. 1. Let not your heart be troubled That Christ seemed to be concerned that his Disciples were so grieved at the news of his departure And see good Reader how Malice has perverted it There needs no proof of so plain a matter therefore their ridiculous Confutation fights against a Man of Straw of their own setting up 24. God is the ultimate Object of a strong justifying Faith and Jesus of Nazareth the mediate Object of a weak Faith Answ I never used to separate the Godhead from the humane Nature What then I laboured to make out was this That weak Believers have not so full and distinct a view of the blessed Object of Faith as they that are more clear and strong in Faith This I think is so undeniable that it needs no further Proof than the stating of it thus 25. Christ and Believers are One in Intercession Answ That which was expressed in Prayer was this We are One with him viz. united to him who is our Intercessor This I think will appear afalse Doctrin to none but such as deny a Believer's Union to Christ 26. Believers dishonour Christ by relying on Promises Answ I then spake to this effect 'T is possible some may rely on the Letter of the Promise and not regard Christ in the Promise and they that do so do disrespect and dishonour Christ. Which Truth if these Libellers dare deny they are not fit to be talked with Thus far concerning the Charges of a publick Nature in Cambridge Now follows the Testimony of the Hearers concerning them WE whose Names are here under-written being present when Mr. Davis preached that Sermon in Cambridge when those erronious Doctrines were pretended to be delivered and hearing instantly of the misconstruction of his words through Ignorance and Malice did then while it was fresh in our memories bear our Testimonies against such notorious Falshoods and now testify the whole was false as charged and the matters true as stated in these Papers Jo. Craske James Toolidge Jo. Burges Thomas Greene James Speckman Andrew Craske Stephen Taylor George Godfrey Edward Rogers Joseph Juit William Bentchy Nicholas Spillman Henry Ellis Nathaniel Tench The three following false Charges were words wrested in private discourse which they put upon the Rack to make them confess what they please 27. To believe our Sins are pardoned is justifying Faith Answ To this purpose I have preached often To believe on Jesus for the pardon of Sin is justifying Faith And it was further added to this purpose That saving Faith doth accept of and rely on the pardong Grace that Christ hath already purchased Luke 14. 17. For all things are now ready The Apostle declareth that the first thing he preached to the Corinthians as the foundation of their Faith was That Christ diedfor their Sins according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. And this they had been commanded to believe I never said that nothing was true Faith but what amounted to that degree of positive unwavering and sensible believing that our Sins are pardoned But this is certain that God giveth to many of his Children great persuasion of the pardon of their Sins and who dare deny that to be justifying Faith I do grant that Formalists and wicked persons may have a false presumption of the pardon of their Sin but this doth not impeach the Faith of God's Elect at all I only contend for that Faith that is of the operation of the Holy Ghost which purifies the heart lip and life I think it hath not been so well done of our latter Divines to depart from that definition of Faith given always by our first Reformers who as they lead the Van so no doubt they had most of the Spirit of Christ I judge it a safe way to form a definition of Faith from the holy Scriptures of Truth rather than from the dark low Experiences of weak Believers This may be explained as low as is consistent with Truth for the comforting of doubting Souls See the Apostles definition of Faith Hebr. 11. 1. with many other places and this Faith the Scripture presses us to Hebr. 3. 6. 10 22 35 c. and this was the Apostles Faith Gal. 2. 20. 28. Faith is nothing but a Persuasion that my Sins are pardoned Answ This hath been answered already and so I pass it by 29. Believers may not take Comfort in the actings of their Graces Answ This I do not remember but believe it to be an untruth For no doubt persons have peace and joy in believing and that is the acting of grace The exercise of Faith and other graces as flowing from it is very comfortable But this I have opposed and others contend for that inherent qualifications without Faith can be the actings of grace or bring any true comfort to the Soul WE whose Names are under written being then present at the discourse between Mr Hunt and Mr. Davis in Cambridge did hear Mr. Hunt with great prejudice wrest Mr. Davis ' s Words and ' Sentences and did then oppose and contradict him in so doing And we do protest the Particulars are true as Mr. Davis stateth them and false as the Informers do Jo. Craske Thomas Greene James Coolidge Henry Ellis The following Charges are miscellaneous being chiefly Sentences dropt in private discourse miserably rackt and tortured by the Libeller and not so affixed to places 30 Charge Whatever is supernatural is saving Grace Answ That that was said was this All saving Grace is supernatural And the Bedford Gentleman was then contradicted when he wrested it 31. Zeal is to be preferred before Judgment Answ This also was a wresting of words in private discourse and the occasion was this One in discourse with me at Kimbolton who it seems was highly conceited