his Loving Kindness shall not depart from them and all things shall work together for their good Neonom An Hundred such Consequences naturally proceed from this Error which fully tends to render Sin and Sinners Innocent Not to say what Popery is in it as if Justification did remove the Filth of Sin Antinom By such consequent Drawers as you are who will charge the greatest Truths of the Gospel with any Absurdities that are forged by carnal Reason As for danger of Popery where is most in Justification by Free Grace or Works And when you make it appear that Justification doth not take away the Guilt of Sin then you shall convince me it taketh not away Filth in that respect For I take no greater Filth to be in Sin than Guilt and that which is the Fountain of all other Filth that is in it or produced by it causeth the inherent Macula And whereas you say the Doctrine of laying Sins on Christ tends to make Sin and Sinners innocent To make Sin innocent is a contradiction Sin is never made no Sin tho' the Sinner may be made no Sinner in a Gospel Sence and your Position is dangerous Neonom I will shew the Grounds of your Mistake You think because God removes our Sins by Pardon so as to acquit us from Punishment therefore our Sins cease to be ours D. W. p. 27. Antinom That is no Pardon to acquit only from Punishment if the Fault remain so that the Person is under the Charge of it 2. Remitting of Punishment only doth not discharge us from Sin 3. Sin imputed to Christ is not imputed to us It 's a Contradiction to say that it is in the same respect and yet we say it was our Sins imputed to Christ and so it 's still We say not they are not ours imputed to Christ but they are ours by Commission and his by Imputation Neonom Because a pardoned Sinner is discharged from Condemnation therefore you think that Person is not to be denominated a Sinner from the Violation of the Precept Antinom Pardon dischargeth from the Fault it self and forgives it or else it 's no Pardon A Man may many ways escape Punishment and not have the Fault pardoned He that is pardoned is no Sinner in the Eye of the Law but we call him a pardoned Sinner and such an one ought by Faith to look upon himself as perfectly righteous before God Neonom Because Christ took upon him to make Satisfaction for Sin therefore he thinks no Filth can cleave to the Offender nor he be a Transgressor by the Offence Antinom You know I do not think so for you know I said a Believer of himself can do nothing but sin And do not you contend with me for saying Our very Righteousness is Sin polluted and unclean And you know my Meaning is that we are peâ—fect and compleat in Christ in our selves all things are polluted and unclean And I take this to be very sound Divinity I will tell yau what Luther saith There is no more Sin Death or Malediction since Christ now reigneth we daily confess also in the Creed of the Apostles which we say We believe there is an Holy Church which is indeed nothing else but as if we should say I bâ—lieve there is no Sin no Malediction no Death in the Church of God Fâ—r they 〈◊〉 do believe in Christ are no Sinners are not guilty of Death but are holy and righteous Lords over Sin and Death and living for ever But Faith only seeth this for we say I believe there is an Holy Church Luth. on Gal. 3.14 Obj. If thou wilt believe Reason and thine own Eyes thou wilt judge clean contrary for thou seest many things in the Godly which offend thee they fall into Sin are weak in Faith subject to Wrath Envy and such other Evil Affections therefore the Church is not holy Answ I deny the Consequence If I look upon my own Person or the Person of my Brother it shall never be holy But if I behold Christ who hath sanctified and cleansed his Church then it is altogether holy For he hath taken the Sins of the whole World Therefore where Sins are seen and felt there are they indeed no Sins For according to Paul's Divinity there is no Sin no Death no Malediction any more in the World but in Christ that is the Lamb of God that hath taken away the Sins of the World who is made a Curse that he might deliver us from the Curse Contrariwise according to Philosophy and Reason Sin Death and the Curse are no where else but in the World in the Flesh or in Sinners for as a Sophistical Divine can speak no otherwise of Sin than doth a Heathen Philosopher Like as the Colour saith he cleaveth to the Wall even so doth Sin in the World in the Flesh and in the Conscience Therefore it is to be purged by contrary Operations But True Divinity teacheth there is no Sin in the World any more for Christ upon whom the Father hath cast the Sins of the World hath vanquished and killed the same in his own Body He once dying for Sin and raised up again dyeth no more Therefore where-ever there 's a true Faith in Christ there is Sin abolished dead and buried but where no Faith in Christ is there Sin doth still remain And albeit the Remnants of Sin be still in the Saints because they believe not perfectly yet are they dead in that they are not imputed unto them because of Faith in Christ DEBATE V. Of the Time when our Sins were laid on Christ and continued there Neonom LET us now discourse about the Time of God's laying our Sins on Jesus Christ I take Mr. Antinomian to be unsound in this Point For he saith That the Time when our Sins were laid actually on Christ was when he was nailed to the Cross and God actually forsook him and they continued on him till the Resurrection D. W. p. 28. Antinom My Words were these Now there was a pitch'd Time wherein God did serve Execution actually upon him and that was when God did forsake this Son of his when he called him forth and served Sin upon him as the Desert of Transgression when he said My God my God c. Now was the time of Payment and Satisfying God Dr. C. p. 356. I do not say that this was the first time of his bearing Sin he bore them in the Garden and was there sorrowful unto Death and lay under Soul-sufferings but upon the Cross he finished his greatest Sufferings made payment in full and therefore the Apostle Peter ascribes his bearing of Sin mostly to that time when he was upon the Cross and under Complaint of the Punishment of Loss God's forsaking of him Besides I distinguish between the charging Sin on Christ as our Debt and the Payment of the Debt and say this was the time of Execution and Payment though I know you confound bearing Sin as a Debt and making
founded on the Obedience of Christs Life and the Sacrifice of his Death and yet so unhappy I have been in my search that I cannot find any proof or any attempt to prove it and therefore till I see evidence to the contrary I shall take for granted that the Covenant of Grace is owing to and founded on and given forth by that Free Grace of God from whence it s justly denominated a Covenant of Grace though the Intervention of a Mediator such a Mediator was absolutely necessary to put us into Actual Possession of those Rich Mercies designed to us by God in that Covenant which Mediator himself is owing to and founded on that Covenant of Grace and therefore the Covenant of Grace is not founded upon him but indeed for that Covenant which Mr. Neonomian is pleased to call a Covenant of Grace it 's no great matter where it is founded and therefore let him dispose of his own Creature as he pleaseth c. See p. 581 586. c. Neonom There are Precepts and Threatnings in the Covenant of Grace and therefore those Duties required are Foederal Conditions For to the performance of them are annexed Promises and to the breach of them Threats Calvin I pray Dr. Witsius do you speak in Answer to this Argument Dr. Witsius The Covenant of Grace or Gospel strictly so called as a Platform of that Covenant seeing it consists in meer Promises properly prescribes nothing as Duty it requires or commands nothing not so much as Believe Trust and Hope in the Lord c. but it reports declares and signifies to us what God in Christ hath promised what he will and is about to do All Prescription of Duty belongs to the Law even as after others venerable Voetius hath pressed again and again Voet. Disput Tom. 4. p. 24. seq And this we must firmly hold if we will constantly defend with all the Reformed the perfection of the Law containing in it's compass all Vertues all Duties of Holiness But the Law fitted to the Covenant of Grace and according there to written in the Heart of the Elect commands all these things which are propounded in the Gospel to embrace it with Faith unfeigned and to live a Life of Grace and Glory agreeable thereto De Fâ—â—der p. 197. As to Comminations it cannot be denyed but in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles there are many Comminations which have a peculiar respect unto the Covenant of Grace as He that believes not shall be condemned c. which Comminations do seem to be distinguished from those that are plainly Legal Such as this Cursed be he that continues not in all things c. Yet if we exactly consider them the Covenant of Grace hath no peculiar Threats for all the Threats are from the Law which Law as to all its parts doth accommodate and suit it self to the Covenant of Grace and there are none which cannot be referred to or deduced from that meer Legal Commination Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. De Foed p. 199. DEBATE IX Of the Nature of Saving Faith Calvin AT our last Meeting we finished our Debate about the Covenant of Grace and the Conditions of it What have you further Mr. Neonomian to discourse Mr. Antinomian about Neonom Divers Points besides that he is erroneous in The next I would challenge him upon is Saving Faith and the Nature of it For his Errour is this That Saving Faith is nothing but a Perswasion or absolute concluding within our selves That our Sins are pardoned and that Christ is ours D. W. p. 73. Calvin But you do not deny Faith to be a Perswasion do you If you do deny that Perswasion is the Genus of Faith every common Porter or Youth in the Sreet will contradict you for they will tell you that they do believe this or that to be true Ask them what they mean by Believing they will tell you They are perswaded of it They take Faith and Perswasion to be equivalent Terms and indeed reciprocal for that which I am perswaded of I do believe and that which I believe I am perswaded of But go on let us hear what Mr. Antinomian saith in this Point Neonom Sir he tells us that the whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the foregoing Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace My Sins are forgiven me saith Faith And the Soul that can assume thus from the Spirit and Word of Grace hath the whole Essence of believing D. C. p. 493. Antinom I doubt not Sir but to prove that this is a good Account of Saving Faith I said That which hath the Whole Essence of Faith is not a Dead but Living Faith i. e. which bringeth forth Fruits D. C. p. 493. But the Question was Whether Faith gives Evidence by it self or no by it's own direct Act. Now I said The whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace c. Now I thought I could not give a more lively Account of it for the Eccho is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Daughter of the Voice it 's begotten by the Voice So saith the Scripture Rom. 10.16 17. He quotes Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our Report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word signifies the Voice heard or that comes to the hearing And so doth the Hebrew Word import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath believed or heard our Voice i. e. Who hath so heard it as to make an Impression thereof upon their Hearts believingly And the Apostle saith When this heard Voice takes in a due Impression upon the Heart through the Spirit it begets Faith and that Impress is Faith Rom. 10.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Faith verily is from hearing and this hearing by the Word of God Hearing or the Voice that is heard is by the Word of God Hence that Expression of the Apostle James 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of his own Free-will working effectually by his Spirit in opening and new framing the Heart as Lydia's he begets us by the Word of Truth The Truth of the Word is received into the Heart as it were with an Eccho and Formation of the Heart into it Progenuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all udit ad nostram adoptionem cujus facti sumus per fidem participes John 1.12 13. Fides autem est ex auditu verbi Rom. 10.17 Ideo etiam dicuntur ministri filios gignere sed quatenus Dei instrumenta â— Cor. 4.15 Phil. 10. Beza by an Assent to it as true and Consent to it as a good Truth And this is indeed the Writing the Law of God in the Heart the Law being taken often for any Truth declared in the Word After this manner the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the Gospel begets Faith Phil. 10. The Apostle James ch 1.15 useth the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning Sin when it is finished or compleated brings forth Death i.
for He thanks God tho' naturally a Body of Death grew up by Sin yet there is no prejudice can come to him thro' Christ Ch. 8. 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. No you will say no Condemnation in Hell but yet there is the remainder of Sin in God's own people so there will some Evil or other fall upon the Commission of Sin But mark what the Apostle saith Vers 3 4. The Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of Sin and Death c. Here Christ stands for the deliverance of his People from Condemnation from Eternal Wrath say some Yea but saith the Apostle We are delivered from the Law of Sin and Death what is the Law of Sin but what the Law may do to persons for those Sins which are committed by them Now what can Sin do when it is Condemned c. 'T is true indeed every Sin is a great Debt and we commit Sins daily and hourly against the Lord Dr. C. p. 512. and the Torments of Hell are the merit of the least Sin in the World for I speak not this to Extâ—nuate any Sin but to shew the greatness of God's Grace and to ease upon good grounds distressed Consciences Therefore such as look upon these Sins as uncancelled and these Debts as true Debts it is true so long theâ—e Sins may work a Horrour and Trembling in Persons but for Believers that are Members of Christ they may Read fairly all the Sins that ever they have committed they may Read also the desert of these Transgressions which should be executed and inflicted on them if they were not cancelled and blotted out Isa 43. I even I am he c. It is true our Sins themselves do not speak Peace but Christ bearing the Sin and Wrath that these Sins do deserve speaks Peace to every Believer Dr. C. p. 513. see 1 Cor. 15.56 57. Tho' naturally Sin hath a Sting yet there is a Victory over this Sting Christ is the death of it and he took away the Sting of it It is true before Men come to see the light of the Gospel of Christ their Sins stare in their Faces seeming to Spit Fire at them but as Children will put one of their Company into a hideous posture causing every one that knows it not to run from him so Sin is set up by Satan with a terrible Visage as it were to Spit Fire in the Faces of the Godly and Faithful and seems very threatning and dreadful but they are to know there is no fear from the Sins of Believers all the terrour and fearfulness of Sin Christ hath drunk it and in the drinking of it Christ himself was Crucified and in that regard I say all the terrour and ghastliness and hideousness as it is represented by Satan is spent and Sin it self is dead It is true indeed a living Roaring Lion is a Terrible Creature but in a dead Lion there is no more fear than there is in a stick or stone to him that knows he is dead While Sin is alive it is fearful and terrible and deadly but when Sin it self is dead then there is no more terrour in it than there is in a dead Lion Thus I speak of Sin not as it smiles upon a Man with a promising Countenance Dr. C. p. 513. before it be committed for so it is most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which Crucified their sweetest Lord But as committed and lying upon the Conscience of a Believer endeavouring to drive him to deny the free Grace and Love of God and the Alsufficiency of Christ for in this regard it is Crucified by Christ and so a Believer need not be afraid of Sin the Hand-writing of Ordinances is taken away and they that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Calvin Mr. Antinom hath sufficiently cleared himself in this point for he hath told us of the odious nature of Sin it self the natural hurt and evil effects of it he hath abundantly shewed the hurt he means and speaks of is the penal effects of Sin in its condemning power which condemning nature is taken away in the Atonement made by Christ he speaks of Sins past that lie upon Conscience so as to drive Men from Christ and the free pardoning Grace of God he speaks not of Sin as it comes with alluring smiles to tempt us to the committing of them for so he saith they are most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which Crucified our dearest Lord. Besides all this he hath made it appear that you your self have made an Assertion which no way falls short nay to me it 's far more Condemnable than any Expression that you have charged him with under this Head For he speaks only of the effects of Sin which he saith are taken away as you do there in our Sponsor's Answering the Penal Sanction so far you Justifie all he saith but you say that the Obliquity of the Fact as against the Precept which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin it self shall not hurt so that it must needs follow that all the hurt of Sin is only in the Punishment nay that Sin in its proper nature and filthiness hath no hurt in it and that we need not the Blood of Christ in Justification to take it away Now how comes Sin as Sin and Fault to be pardoned for there is no more of Sin pardoned than Christ bore but you say there was no need of his bearing it no more then as to the punishment and then the Obliquity and Fault will do no hurt Turpe est Doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum I think Gentlemen we may dismiss this Point the matter of Charge proving so false an Accusation I shall not have patience to hear him any further upon it and I think Gentlemen you are ashamed of it as well as I. Antinom Pray Mr. Calvinist have a little Patience and hear what he saith to this Point how and in what sense he understands the hurt of Sin Calvin Well I will do what I can with my self but you must Whip the Top with him he will put me out of Breath in Answering his Impertinences I pray then go on and tell us what you call truth in your usual Dogmatizing way Neonom Truth its true of Believers that if Sin should have dominion over them they would thereby come to Condemnation D. W. p. 180. Antinom How can you make a Truth upon Supposition of that which will never be I can call that nothing but a Rule of Falshood in Logick tho' there 's a Connexion of Antecedent and Consequence Si homo sit Leo est etiam Quadrupes such Propositions are Childish When the Sky falls we shall catch Larks throw the Peth of a Quill over the House and it will be a Silver Spoon But it may be you mean
the Stomach and that the whole Mass of Blood is infected with ill Humours or the Morbid Constitution of some Parts Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh saith our Saviour our great Physician Is it not sad when there is a poysonsom Juyce under the Lips and a Mouth full of Bitterness Rom. 3. You first charge the Ministry of some and most hereabout know what sort of Men you mean with being the Cause of Men's Security in Sin And why Because they preach the Doctrine of the Gospel in a free Justification of a Sinner by Faith without the Works of a Law according to the Apostle Paul and preach down your Doctrine of Justification by Works But you express the Effects of this dangerous Doctrine to lie in these things 1. Security in Sin A Doctrine that quickens Men that are dead in Trespasses and Sins one part of which Death is Security in Sin doth not cause Security in Sin But the Doctrine of Free Grace in Justification of a Sinner without Works of any Law doth so Eph. 2. I shall not now enlarge upon you 2. Another ill Effect is you say That it causes the mistaking the Motions of sensible Passions for Conversion This is rather the Effect of your own Doctrine wherein you lay the whole Stress of Justifying and Saving Grace upon Sensible Passions and set Men wholly to judge of their State thereby It 's marvellously to be wondred at that any Man should have the Impudency to charge those Effects upon an opposite Doctrine to his which are the natural and palpable Effects of his own and he sees so to be 3. You charge upon it the general Abatement of an exact and humble walking This Charge is likewise of the same Nature Whereas the Spirit of God hath disclaimed any true Cause of exact walking beside the Grace of God that brings Salvation and then teacheth it as hath been proved As for Humble walking what is a greater Inducement thereto than the Doctrine of Faith which ascribes all to the Gift of Grace empties us of every high Imagination and Thought It exalts Christ and makes him all and in all Whereas yours is the contrary no Doctrine tends more to the lifting up of the Creature than that of Neonomianism next to that of the Papists And no wonder say you when so many affirm such and such things Where are the many or the any that you can charge with saying these things in the same Sence you put upon them Many Expressions that taken together with their Connexion in the explained Sence of him that speaks are not only true but safe and sound but abstracted and wrested may be made to look as black as Hell You may say David saith That there is not an honest Man upon the Face of the Earth Psal 12. That he saith There is no God Psal 14. That Moses affirms God to be a Man Exod. 15.3 And in a Thousand Places in your way and manner it 's easie to charge Blasphemy upon the very Scriptures And how often Lying if Hyperbole's be not allowed to be used without Wrong to the Truth As to the particular Charges I shall speak to each in it's proper place and lay open your Prevarications Errors and false Imputations to the World Neonom In this present Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel I have studyed Plainness Pref. D. W. p. 3. and to that end oft repeated the same things in my Concessions to prevent the Mistakes of the less Intelligent tho' I could not think it fit to insist anew upon all Antinom Your Testimony is against the Truth as shall be made appear and is not to be accounted a Testimony For a Testimony is a credible Witness or Evidence As the Apostle Paul saith Our Testimony among you was believed 2 Thes 1.10 And this Testimony is with a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 And Paul testified the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 2.24 1. Your Testimony is not to the Gospel of the Grace of God but against it and therefore not materially true 2. Your Testimony is formally naught it being not accompanied with a good Conscience but with a purpose and design to deceive You pretend to do Good but you manifestly design Evil to blast the Honour of God's Free Grace as if it were a Sin-teaching Doctrine and blacken a Holy Servant of Christ who is now in Glory for Preaching the Gospel your Testimony can't be believ'd because of your manifold Prevarications Equivocations and False Teachings in this Treatise of yours And whereas you say you have studied Plainness if you mean that in some places is no better than plain Falshood in others plain Error it 's true enough Or if you mean Plainness in respect of Style it 's homely enough and hardly plain Sence But if you mean Plainness of Simplicity without double-tonguedness I utterly deny it For when you speak of things that one would think at first Glance you intend Truth by it 's nothing so No Jesuite in the World can out-do you at Equivocation and there lies your Natural Excellency You have impertinent Repetition enough your Concessions every where fall about your own Ears in your glozing Oppositions to the Truth you deny You design the rectifying the Mistakes of the Non-intelligent This is false it 's manifest you design the blinding of them more else why do you quote Dr. Owen and the Assembly for countenancing those Errors which you know they directly oppose Let but the Mistakes of the less Intelligent be removed their Stomachs will rise sufficiently against you and your Book too Neonom I have in nothing misrepresented Dr. Crisp 's Opinion nor mistaken his Sence Antinom This must be true or false and here is the turning Point of the whole Book Either Dr. Crisp was or you must be If you have not misrepresented him then according to your Representation he was so If you have misrepresented him and unjustly blackened him what are you But that which we have in hand is Falshood and Lying As to this Assertion of yours we shall prove you guilty of Falshood throughout the Book that though you have repeated some of Dr. Crisp's Words from time to time yet you have only repeated such part of his Words as might render him odious not those that give a true and can did Sence of what he intended and herein you misrepresented him and that on purpose Now the Spirit of God lays the Formal Nature of a Lie upon an Intention to deceive or to deal injuriously with others as in the Case of Doeg Though I do not design now to come to Particulars I will give one Instance wherein you in your Book and your Party do frequently expose Dr. Crisp and his Abettors such as you call Divers as also Crispians and Antinomians that he and they do assert Sin can do no hurt and you would have Men understand that he means That no Person in Christ need fear to commit Sin and that Sin
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
he there was no Sin in him this doth plainly evince that the Anomy of Sin was accounted to him 3. That the fault of Sin is separable from the Person of the Sinner but can never be separated from the demerit without payment David's Person is freed from the fault of Murder but his Murder cannot be freed from the desert of Death Now that which Christ did especially was to make the Elect without fault before God to take off that relation which they had to the Law lying as to the blame of it God's Reconciliation to the Persons of Sinners is by taking away the fault of Sin before God and this is done by the Person of Christ bearing Sin 4. That in a Sinner which is to be pardoned whenever he receives Christ was â—aid on Christ but the fault of Sin is to be pardoned whenever he receives Christ there 's the least part of pardon that frees only from Punishment but forgives not the Fault or Offence just as a King 's Reprieving a Felon but not Pardoning him To save him from the Gallows but charge him never to see his Face 5. That without the taking away of which the Conscience of a Sinner can never be purified from Guilt was certainly laid upon and taken away by Jesus Christ Heb. 9 14. But the Fault of Sin is such without the taking away of which before God the Conscience can never be purified from Guilt Ergo the fault of Sin was laid upon Jesus Christ to take it away let a Man be sure he should never see Death yet if the fault lye upon him there will still be Guilt his Conscience will accuse he cannot have Peace towards God 6. If the Wages of Sin be in the very Nature of Sin viz. Spiritual Death and it be inseparable from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sin it self then that Death cannot be removed without taking away the Sin before God but the Wages of Sin which is Death is inseparable from the Nature of Sin in the Fault before God c. Ergo he that by Death slays our Death slays and carries away the Sin which is this Death The Apostle to the Rom. 7. calls the Body of Sin the Body of Death 2 Tim. 1.10 7. That which Essentially belongs unto Christ's Office as Mediator must be performed by Christ but bearing our Sins so as to take them away before God is Essentially belonging to Christ's Office as Mediator It 's not the Essential part of a Mediator to bear the Punishment of the wronged Party but to reconcile the Parties at variance he may save one Party from utter Ruine by bearing Punishment yet cannot reconcile them without taking away all matter of offence but it is the fault of Sin that is the cause of variance God hates it and the Sinner loves it God is not offended at the Creature because he must be punished but because it 's he who hath broke his Law therefore he punisheth him 8. If the Creature will never be Reconciled to God till it hath some prospect of God's being reconciled first by Christ taking away the fault of Sin before God then Christ bore it away but the Creature will never be reconciled to God without this prospect Ergo for the Ministry of Reconciliation as to its Efficacy is founded upon this 2 Cor. 5. And it 's there described to be God being in Christ first Reconciling the World to himself and how is he said to be so but by making Christ Sin for us who knew no Sin 9. All the Sin-offerings of the Law hold forth Christ's bearing Sin if you consider their Names the proper Sin-offering was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 4.3 It was called a Sin because made Sin for us Typically as Christ Really by Imputation the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Trespass or Guilt-offering was for Sin that for the whole Congregation was such Lev. 4.15 So the Burnt-offering was designed to the taking away of Sin by bearing it that Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Peace-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in order to the making Peace and Reconciliation for the Sinner therefore in the Consecration of all these there was the charging them with Sin by the laying on of the hands of them that brought them to be Offered up for them Levit. 1.3 The Hebrew Doctors say all Oblations of Beasts which particular Persons Offer of Debt or voluntarily they lay hands on them and so it was on the daily Sacrifice as Mr. A. on Numb 28.2 saith signifying that it was constituted instead of the Sinner and the Sacrifice placed in the Sinners Room thus charged with his Sins the Priest was to offer to make Atonement by to Expiate and make Reconciliation in regard of Man's Sin and God's Wrath for the same That these Sacrifices were Types of Christ our Sacrifice in beating Sin appears abundantly Heb. 9.28 Neither do we say that this bearing of Sin by Christ doth free a Person from being formally a Sinner but because we are formally Sinners therefore our Sins are thus born to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 The Physical Substratum of Sin remains and in us yea the Moral macula in pravity and obliquity to be gradually removed in the Application of Christ's Blood by the Spirit of Holiness but yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God must be taken away which is the fault blamed by the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. O. of Justification p. 287. proves Sin was laid on Christ as to the Guilt which we have shewed and is either the Sin it self or is so conjoined with it that it cannot be separated where there is a demerit there is a fault if Christ had a demerit to Sufferings it was for Sin though ours and subjective in us which his bearing Sin by Imputation always supposeth His Arguments are these 1. If Guilt of Sin was not Imputed to Christ Sin was not Imputed to him in any sence for the Punishment is not Sin 2. There can be no Punishment but with respect of the Guilt of Sin personally Contracted or Imputed Guilt alone gives what 's materially evil and afflictive the formal Nature of Punishment and what is Guilt but Sin manifest by Conviction whereof the Sinner is charged in foro Dei or in foro Conscientiae The first kind Christ took off by bearing it immediately the other is removed by Application in Believing 3. Christ was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 14. but the Curse of the Law respects the Guilt of Sin only i. e. a Person manifestly faulty and a Delinquent to the Law 4. The Express Testimonies of Scripture unto this purpose cannot be avoided Isa 53.6 Psal 32.5 c. 5. This was represented in all the Sacrifices of old especially in the Great Aniversary Expiation with the Ordinance of the Scape-Goat 6. Without supposition of this it cannot be understood how Christ should be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer
Answer And would it be so absurd to say a Believer may be discharged before the Death of Christ were not the Faithful under the Old Testament discharged before the Death of Christ We say when the Charge of Sin is taken off from one and laid upon another there is a discharge real in one sence or another Generaliter but not particulariter here is a blotting out of Sin quoad Deum though not quoad Conscientiam Christ took away Sin by way of Suretiship before he did it Actually and so the Faithful before his Coming were saved Neonom If this Errour hold the Gospel Notion of Forgiveness by the Blood of Christ is destroyed D. W. p. 19. Antinom You mean I suppose if this be Truth No It confirms Gospel Forgiveness by the Blood of Christ but prove that it destroys it Neonom Forgiveness denotes a Person guilty it is a Judicial Act of God as Rector Acting by a Gospel Rule Antinom The Apostle saith He justifies by free Grace through the Redemption of Christ that he may appear just also in so doing because his Justice is satisfied He shews God justifies sitting on a Throne of Grace Grace is the Impulsive Cause so far as it consists in the Pardon of a Sinner but it is through the Righteousness of Christ to shew forth his Righteousness and in forgiving in and through the Righteousness of Christ he hath the high concurrence of Justice therein that as he is a Gracious Justifier so he is justified as Righteous by doing it in this way and whereas you say It 's a Judicial Act of God Acting by a Gospel Rule I think you should rather say It is a Gracious Act of God Acting according to the Rules of Justice therein for so the Apostle clearly describes it Rom. 3.24 25. And methinks you turn my Stomach to hear you give so pitiful a low and mean Title to God as a Rector as if he were but a Mayor of a Corporation or some little Earthly Prince Neonom And this supposeth the full and perfect Atonement made by Christ and the Grant made in Vertue thereof Antinom What have we been Disputing about all this while I am glad to see Mr. Neonomian's Ingenuity that now he grants all we Dispute about only differs in naming a thing you say the Atonement of the Wrath of God by Christ for Sinners which is in my sence Fundamentally and Really Pardon quoad Deum is full compleat and perfect and that Forgiveness supposeth it and the Grant made in the Vertue thereof if you had said it had been the Grant made in the vertue thereof I take it you had spoken your own sence fuller than to say it supposeth the Grant made in the vertue thereof unless you mean the Grant made to Christ as our Representative which comes more to our sence but let these Mistakes in Expression pass You seem to distinguish between a Discharge and a Discharge so do we you distinguish between an accepted Atonement for us and giving out the Grant and Patent to us and so do we between Impetration and Application and so do we between Forgiveness in foro Dei and Forgiveness in foro Conscientiae or Evangelii but as to that first I find you do not Love to call it Forgiveness though you think it carries the Nature of Forgiveness in it why should you represent me as such an Heretick to scare People from my Ministry upon the meer naming a thing by a word which by your own terms contain the Nature and Substance Neonom But Forgiveness supposeth a Person Guilty Antinom Christ's bearing Sin supposeth all the World is become Guilty before God and the Elect as well as others and therefore he became a Propitiation for Sin to God that we who are by Nature under the Law and thereby Condemned as Children of Adam and in our own Consciences and thereby guilty might receive Forgiveness of Sins or an Atonement both signifying the same thing by believing A Man is reus quoad Deum reus quoad Ministrationem Legis in Conscientiâ and in this sence shut up under the Law till Faith comes and then is his Personal and Particular Discharge through the Blood of Christ and this last I apprehend to be the Justification by Faith which the Apostle Paul speaks so frequently of neither do I say that this or that Man hath any part in Christ or Pardon any more than in Election and Redemption till he doth believe Neonom But you are of Opinion a Person is never guilty Antinom I never had any such Opinion if you distinguish right concerning Guilt Neonom You say Man that Sins were laid on Christ before we were Born and therefore never upon us Antinom How old are you Was not Christ's Death and Suffering almost 1700 years ago And do you not say Sins were laid then on Christ and if they were then laid on Christ they cannot return to us in the sence as they were taken off from us and therefore they are never upon us in the same manner as they are on those that are not Elect and this must be in respect of Guilt quodamodo some kind of guilt distinguish then of guilt there is guilt in respect of the Righteous Judgment of God in foro Dei and guilt that accompanies the Letter of the Law setting in with our Consciences and in that sence the Law worketh Wrath. Sins were laid upon Christ and they lye upon us but not both in the same Manner nor for the same End Neonom A Judicial Act by a Rule there is none Antinom What your new terms of Art mean I will not trouble my self my Scheme as you term it of Justification imports that God graciously pardons in a way of Manifestation of his Justice and all God's Acts are according to the Rule of his good Pleasure and Will and that 's enough Neonom For the Gospel Grant of Pardon is not to the Elect as Elect but as penitent Believers neither is the Atonement of Christ supposed to our Forgiveness Antinom Pardon as to the Nature of it belongs to Sinners as such eo nomine Faith and Penitency is given together with Remission of Sins and how can you have the Face to say I do not suppose Atonement in Forgiveness or belonging to it when it 's upon that account that you have fell so foully upon me because you think I lay too great a stress on Atonement and give too much to it in Forgiveness Neonom You own the laying of our Sins on Christ before the making of Atonement and without our Sins lay on Christ he could not justly be punished Antinom And do not you own that it's first in Nature to making Atonement and how could Christ be justly punished without he had the Merit upon him either by his own Sins or by the Sins of others but I find you own a Man may be justly punished that deserves it in no sence whatever Neonom So that our Discharge being a
Sin You say the guilty Person is no Sinner formally What then a punishable Creature Do you mean a Creature capable of Suffering so is a Dog or a Cat or a Horse Or do you mean a Man under a Law If under a Law he is not punishable but as a Sinner Sin is Subjectivè formalis ratio poenae Sin is subjectively the formal Reason of Punishment So that a Man must be denominated a Sinner formally or else he is not punishable in any way of Justice Neonom In the whole Scheme of your Principles it 's Elect as Elect who cease to be Sinners When you speak of Believers you do not mean that he was a Sinner before he believed for you state the time when Christ had his Sins laid upon him D. W. p. 23. Antinom Believers of great Antiquity older than Methuselah But methinks a Man that would be taken for a great Divine and one that in tenderâ—ess to Holiness will rather with-hold the Truths of the Gospel and abscond them lest Men should take too much liberty thereby to sin I say one would think such a Man should for his Reputation sâ—ke make Conscience of speaking Truth and much more tremble at the Temptation to Bantering and exposing the great Truths of the Gospel to Scorn and Reproach How can you dare to toss tumble reproach and load this great Truth of the Gospel in the very Words of the Holy Ghost with all the odious Consequences imaginable You may value your self as you please or other Men may judge of you and your Words as they please I shall only desire you to read Job 19.27 28 29. Neonom Now I will tell you what is the Truth Antinom No no I hope we know the Truth Tell us the Eror you charge me with and if there be time we will hear the Truth afterward Neonom If you are in such haste for it you shall have it then Errour The Elect upon the Death of Christ ceased to be Sinners and ever since their Sins are none of their Sins but are the Sins of Christ and this I prove to be your Error from your own Words You put this Objection Must he not be reckoned a Sinner while he doth sin A. I answer No Tho he doth Sin yet he is not to be reckoned a Sinner but his Sins are reckoned to be taken away from him c. A Man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it Christ's therefore he cannot reckon it his Dr. Cr. p. 8. Antinom Gentlemen I would have you observe the things that are Asserted by Mr. Neonom for I beseech you do me Justice that it appears that I speak always of the Elect as Elect and not Believers and when I mention Believers that I do not mean he was a Sinner before he believed I will read my Discourse to you taken from me as I delivered it Preaching from John 14.6 I was shewing Christ was the Way from a State of Sinfulness There is a two-fold consideration of Sinfulness from which Christ is our Way in a special manner 1. That which is called the Guilt of Sin which is indeed the Fault or a Persons being Faulty as he is a Transgressor Is 2ly The Power and over-masterfulness of Sin in Persons Christ is the way from both these 1. From the Guilt of Sin Christ is the way from the Guilt of Sin It is briefly no more but this to be â—â—d of the Guilt of Sin viz. Upon Tryal to be quitted and discharged from the Charge of Sin that is laid or may be laid to him and to be freed from it This is for a Person in Judgement to be pronounced actually innocent and a just Person as having no Sin to be charged on him This is to be free from the Guilt of Sin A Man is not free from a Fault as long as the Fault is laid to his Charge and he is then free when he is not charged with it He is only the way by which a poor Sinner may be pronounced innocent and having proved that Christ is the way to take away the Guilt of Sin which I say is the Charge of Fault by many plain places of Scripture and by the Type of the Scape Goat I came to answer this Objection But do not those that receive Christ actually commit Sin I answer Yea they do commit Sin and the Truth is themselves can do nothing but commit Sin If a Person that is a Believer hath any thing in the World he hath received that if he doth any thing that is good it is the Spirit of God that doth it not he Therefore he himself doth nothing but Sin his Soul is a Mint of Sin Dr. Cr. p. 3. 8. Now therefore judge Gentlemen whether here I say the Elect ceased to be Sinners ever since the Death of Christ If Sinners after believing much more before in respect of the Indwelling of Sin and Corruption and do not in this Sence cease to be Sinners after believing I went on Then you will say If he doth sin must not God charge it where it is all this while speaking of a Believer Must he not be reckoned to be a Sinner while he doth sin A. I answer No though he doth sin yet he is not to be reckoned a Sinner i. e. Being a pardoned Believer God doth not reckon him so and he ought by Faith to behold all his Sins taken away in Christ but his Sins are to be reckoned to be taken away from him A Man borrows 100 l. some Man will pay it for him Doth he not owe this 100 l. seeing he borrowed it I say no in case another hath paid it for him A Man doth sin against God God reckons not his Sin to be his he reckons it Christ's therefore he cannot reckon it his God hath laid it upon Christ ' Thou hast sinned Christ takes it off supposing I say thou hast received Christ Is this any other Doctrine than what John teaches 1 John 1.7 8. Chap. 2.1 2. I say in one respect they are not Sinners in another they are Sinners And is this any other Doctrine than what the Scripture and all our best Divines teach Therefore judge ye how justly now I am charged with this Error Neonom But you said If thou hast part in the Lord Christ which he thinks all unbelieving Elect have All those Transgressions of thine become actually the Transgressions of Christ and so cease to be thine Dr. C. p. 270. Antinom Is it not very unfair dealing for you to impose a wrong meaning upon my Words when I express my self so plainly If thou hast received Christ if thou hast a part in the Lord Christ who will understand these Expressions but of our active receiving and partaking of Christ though I do speak elsewhere of our having Benefit by Christ and a hidden Right in him and it hath an Influence on us and we are passive therein before we believe yet it 's not
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
if we have Faith to see it and yet I still shew how great a thing Salvation is and good Works in a due manner of Performance from true Principles and a right End I shewed that our Perseverance depends not on our Works and that I am ready to maintain I say God hath settled all things that appertain to Life and Godliness in his Son Jesus Christ and upon you for his own sake and setled Everlastingly and Vnchangeably upon you so that there can be nothing to make them more secure than the Grant of God himself hath made them I shew'd that a good Child knowing he is Heir and hath the Estate setled on him doth not obey his Parents in order to a better Security for the Estate than he hath he serves not now to get his Fathers Land but to Honour and Glorifie his Father that hath so freely setled the Estate upon him VVithout respect to good or evil the Lord hath Everlastingly established all that ever he meant to do i. e. good or evil of ours and in us The Lord doth nothing upon Conditions in his People D. Cr. p. 652. as if he did refer himself still to these Conditions and did suspend what he did intend to do to his People till he did perceive how they carry themselves to him All that I aim at is this that it is not a vain thing to yield due Obedience to any thing that God requires though the Lord intend not ye shall by your Obedience gain Life Neonom He saith When you Fast Pray Mourn keep the Sabbath c. your Eye should be simply to the Glory of God and not to gain that which is already ours in Christ c. Antinom All this I say still If in these Duties we think and propose to our selves to obtain Life we are acted by the Righteousness of the Law which is opposed to the Righteousness of Faith c. D. Cr. 134. Neonom He saith let subduing of Sin alone for Peace D. Cr. p. 13. Antinom It is an easie thing to expose Sermons and any continued Discourses to Contempt if Men will pick out here and there an Expression and not shew the reason and dependance thereof My words are How much filthiness is there in all your wrâ—stlings I say how many defects and infirmities might you see Could you chuse but fall foul upon your own Spirits for these infirmities and defects of your best performances seeing the wages of Sin is Death what can you run to then none but Christ none but Christ whilst your acts in respect of filthiness proclaims nothing but VVar Christ alone and his Blood proclaims nothing but Peace Therefore I will give you this hint by the way when I speak of the power of Christ subduing Sin because from the power of it in Man they are apt to think their peace depends upon their subduing of their Sin If their Sins be subdued then they have peace let subduing of Sin alone for Peace let Christ have that which is his due it is he alone that speaks peace he is our Peace I mean not that subduing of Sin should be let alone but doing it for such an end that belongs to Christ alone If you fetch your peace from any thing in the VVorld but Christ you will fetch it from where it is not Dr. C. p. 13. Neonom He saith I must tell you there is not any thing you perform when you have attained the highest pitch that hath any prevalency or availableness to produce or bring forth the least good unto your selves D. Cr. p. 150. Antinom I say there is nothing you can do by which you ought to expect any Grace to your selves in doing it My meaning was that our bare Duties are not available to good in themselves Paul may Plant c. but God must give the Encrease we may Eat Drink and Sleep but not expect good from the things themselves as in Efficacy so in respect of purchase and procurement what doth our Righteousness profit God therefore I add the words of the Apostle you are not your own you are bought with a price Christ hath redeemed us that we should not henceforth live to our selves but unto Christ that died for us Though some look at this as a discouragement yet there is a Spirit of Ingenuity in a Believer that he will be as Industrious to glorifie God and to do good to Men as if he did it for himself Neonom He saith If a Soul get under full-sail filled with a stiff gale of the Spirit when Floods of meltings flow from it if they can cry mightily c. hereby they think they shall get pardon settle Spiritual Civil and Spiritual Healings c. D. W. from D. Cr. p. 235 236. Antinom I was shewing how Man's Righteousness is exalted above what is meet sometimes when Duties are accompanied with Christ's Assistances by his Spirit and said to clear it up That it 's true indeed whilst a Believers Heart is over-cast with gross Vapours and is more than ordinary dull in Hearing flyes low and slow in Praying and is somewhat stiff and untoward in Fasting without measure such Righteousness goes usually for Loss and Dung But if a Soul get under full-sail fill'd with a stiff gale of the Spirit c. Then follows what he rehearseth and then it follows such courses some think will turn away and reconcile God to a Person of People But under favour the attributing of such Efficacy to this Righteousness though thus assisted by Christ's Spirit is more than is meer though Christ be Explicitly owned as the Author of such Assistances And this is a failing very ordinary among Believers to ascribe an Atoning Efficacy to their Duties especially when performed in the best manner when it is hard to keep their Hearts in the right frame not so duely considered that their Persons and Services when seemingly best performed have all their Acceptation in Christ and they are apt to think that they procure more at the Hands of God when they seem to be carried forth more than when they see as it were a withdrawment of those Assistances and so spoil their best Duties for want of due thorow Renunciation of their own Righteousness and that of their best Duties whereas God never intended that any of our best Graces or Duties should be of an Atoning Nature to Rob Christ of the Glory of his Atonement It may be Mr. Neonomian you never had any such Experience of the working of Corruption in your best Duties for the low esteem you have of Christ's Righteousness and the high valuation you have of your own as appears by these Discourses But know that the more we are carried forth in Duty the greater is our Temptation to Spiritual Pride and Selfulness Neonom His common phrase is We must not work for Life but from Life D. W. p. 124. Antinom Yes and it 's a great Gospel Principle being rightly understood we must not work for
exprest he means that Justification and Eternal Salvation is the Portion of such the positive is included in the negative it 's God's condemnation only from which such as are in Christ are exempted they are nevertheless condemned and censured by Men and sometimes by their own Consciences And on Ver. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect c. Who can implead such or put in an accusation against them There is nothing to accuse them of they are justified And there is none to Accuse them it is God that hath Justified them the Supream Judge hath Absolved them This seems to be taken out of Isai 50.8 9. they were Christ's words there and spoken of God's justifying him and they are every Believer's words here intended of God's justifying them and seems to be from two reasons one implied i. e. God's electing them the other express'd God's justifying and acquitting them And on Ver. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died c. His Death frees them from condemnation thereby he hath made a sufficient attonement and satisfaction for all their sins and which hath long ago satisfied in Heaven for the sins of all the Elect may very well serve to satisfie the Heart and Conscience of a believing sinner here on Earth such an one may throw down the Gantlet as the Apostle doth and challenge all the World let Conscience Carnal Reason Law Sin Hell and Devils let them all bring forth what they can it will not be sufficient for condemnation and that because of Christ's Death and Satisfaction Dr. Jacomb on Rom. 8.1 saith we read it no condemnation the Original will bear it if we read it not one condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such is the Grace of God to Believers and such is their safety in their justified estate that there is not so much as one condemnation to be passed upon them suppose a condemnatory Sentence for every Sin I 'm sure every Sin deserves such a Sentence and in point of merit 't is so many Sins so many Condemnations yet the Pardon being plenary and full every way adequate to the sinner's guilt the exemption of the pardoned person from condemnation must be plenary and full too so that if there be not one sin unpardoned there is not one condemnation to be feared This now is dreadful Antinomianism with some Men Jer. 50.20 In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none 'T is an Allusion to a Man that turns over all his Bonds searcheth into all the Debt-books to see if he can find any Debt due to him from such and such a Person but upon all his searching he cannot find so much as one Debt to charge upon him so 't is with a Pardoned and Justified Sinner Imagine that God should be inquisitive to find out some guilt as lying upon him he might indeed find out enough as he is in himself but as in Christ he is Pardoned and Justified there 's nothing to be found against him therfore no Condemnation What do you think now is it an Errour to say God sees no Iniquity in his People How can any dare to Curse where God Blesseth This is to do worse than Balaam DEBATE XVII Of the Hurt that Sin may do to Believers Neonom I call to mind a most dangerous and dicentious Position of this Antinomian and that is that Sin can do no hurt to Believers D. W. p. 181. His Errour is this Errour The grossest Sins that Believers can commit cannot do them the least harm neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins nor by National Sins yea tho' themselves have had a hand therein Antinom It is strange you should charge this is an Errour upon me when as it s your own Assertion but you know the old Proverb The Thief crys Cut-purse first In the very Second Conference he had this Assertion He is there shewing that there was no need that Christ should bear any more than the Punishment of Sin saying all that endangered us was the Threatning of the Law and this upon Agreement that upon his Attonement we should be released where is the need of more The Obliquity of the Fact as against the Precept shall not hurt when the Sanction of the Law is answered and therefore he that suffers as a Sponsor for another need not sustain in himself the filthiness of the Crime to make him capable of giving satisfaction Chap. 2. p. 11. But go on to your Proof Neonom He saith they need not be afraid of their Sins they that have God for their God there is no Sin that ever they commit can possibly do them hurt Therefore as their Sins cannot hurt them so there is no cause of fear in their Sins committed c. there is not one Sin nor all the Sins together of any Believer that can possibly do that Believer any real hurt This he attempts to prove from Rom. 7. D. W. p. 181. from Dr. Cr. p. 510. Antinom He hath left out my true sense and meaning in these words on purpose as he useth to do to render my Assertions unsound Having been saying that a Believer's Sins cannot hurt them I raised this Objection Some wiâ—l be ready to say This is strange Dr. C. p. 510. all the Evils in the World that come they grow up from the sinfulness of Men. If Man be afraid of any thing he should be afraid of Sin from whence all Evils do flow A. I Answered Beloved it is true Sin naturally is a Root of all manner of Evil Fruit observe Gentlemen the wages of Sin is Death but yet I say whatever Sin in its own nature brings forth yet the Sins of God s peculiar People they that have God for their own God their Sins can do them no hurt at all and in that regard there is no cause of fear of any of their Sins that ever they have committed This may seem harsh to some Spirits that misconceive my drift that I aim at which is not to encourage any one to Sin but to ease the Consciences of the distressed there 's not one Sin nor all their Sins can do them hurt real hurt I mean they may do them supposed hurt And I suppose the Apostle Rom. 7. doth personate a scrupulous Spirit Dr. C. p. 511. that a Believer under the multitude and prevalency of Corruption who was ready to Cry out O Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death but saith he I thank God thro' Jesus Christ q. d. till a Man look to Christ there is nothing but matter of bitterness to be seen as the certain fruits of Sin and there can be nothing but bitterness in Sin in regard of the Evil that is like to follow it but when persons can once look to Christ the case is altered What doth he thank God
keeps Men from Sin or reforms them when fallâ—n into it there 's no true grace of God in the Heart David saith God's Rod and Staff comforted him Neonom Whether great Offences be a real hurt to a Believer and brings on him much present harm This I affirm and the Doctor denies The Case of National Sins is concluded in these Antinom Here how you come to fight with a Man of Clouts which you yourself have made for we said not that Sin is no hurt for if so why should our whole Doctrin be to shew that it needs healing It 's the hurt of the Daughter of Zion why is it said that we are healed by the stripes of Christ And that Sin even remaining in God's People makes the best of God's Peoples Services and Duties as Dross and Dung by reason of its mixture with them which you condemn for an Error We say pag. 509. let us not be mistaken We do not say we must not be afraid to Sin but that they that have God for their God need not be afraid of the Sins they have committed in regard of the penal Effects But that Sin naturally is a Root bringing forth all manner of evil Fruit The Wages of Sin is Death We distinguish of fear a natural fear an affection in Men by Nature that they cannot be freed from there 's a religious and godly fear which is an awful reverence of the Majesty of God and keeping a convenient distance such as the Creature ought to keep it 's opposed to Sauciness And there 's a turbulent fear a fear of disquietness that which the Lord endeavours to take off from his People All such fear the Apostle saith hath Bondage and perfect Love casts it out And the same Apostle saith as I say These things I write unto you that ye sin not But if any Man sin i. e. hath committed Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Therefore you charge us falsly to say our meaning is That Sin in it self is no hurt and in its Nature doth no hurt But we say as you That Christ satisfied Justice for Sin and over-rules the hurt of it for our good so that through Grace it doth us no real hurt Christ hath taken away the sting of Sin and the Condemnation of Sin The real hurt of Sin lies in the dominion of Sin and in the penal effects of it they that have God for their God can't give up themselves to the dominion of Sin they can't have a love for it because they are under grace and as to the penal Effects they are taken away by Christ or else his satisfaction to Justice was imperfect Now all other Effects of sin as hiding God's Face his paternal Chastisements in outward Afflictions ecclipsing our graces and duties come under a Promise that tho' they are not joyous but grievous to a gracious Mind yet they shall through God's grace disposing them tend to our good in making us the more Partakers of God's Holiness to mortify sin to humble us and empty us of our selves and to bring us to an higher exaltation of Christ and dependance upon him yea to more watchfulness carefulness and circumspection in our ways Hence God's People have their frequent complaints against Sin as to its indwelling and hindring them from doing the good they would groan under the body of Sin and desire Heaven to be altogether rid of it c. But when we say sin cannot do us real hurt and we should not be afraid of it we mean only of sins already fallen into that the disturbing disquieting guilt of them should not lye upon our Consciences to obstruct our Comforts and rejoycing in Christ they should not drive us from Christ to deny the love and free grace of God and the alsufficiency of Christ for if he that hath God for his God lyes continually under an embondaging fear of sins past he would always labour under a servile slavish frame of spirit without comfort all his days We need not repeat what hath been said to vindicate ourselves from this unjust Charge Neonom I 'll tell you your Mistakes Because there is no Eternal Condemnation lyes against a Believer therefore there is no penal present Affliction D. W. p. 189. Antinom It 's all condemnation Christ hath taken away its condemnation that makes Hell and if God's People be under it here they must have a degree of it Christ died in vain as to our present state if it were not to take away condemnation from us here we cannot be justified before God and lye under condemnation too Is a Believer only justified from future condemnation and not present And it 's no mistake to say Because a Man is freed from Eternal Condemnation therefore present Afflictions are not penal but it 's a necessary consequence Why did Christ bear our Sorrows and carry our Griefs but that our Afflictions should not be penal Neonom Whereas there 's much hurt below Hell and that it is not Hell that follows the Sin of a Believer is not from the Innocency of Sin but the Grace of God that brings him to repentance and faith in Christ for remission Antinom I thought there had been no hurt lower than Hell I suppose you mean there 's much hurt on this side Hell but Improprieties are natural to you Condemnation for Sin in this Life is much hurt and a degree of Hell and is the same in kind and therefore if God's People be not freed from it here they cannot expect to be freed from the lower Hell 2. The reason why Hell you say follows not the Sin of a Believer is not the innocency of Sin this is one of the black-mouthed Charges you lay upon us that we make Sin innocent because we say Sin was laid on Christ and he hath born all the Penal Effects of Sin Why say you not the same of the Apostle who saith the strength of Sin is taken away and the sting of Death whereby it or lesser afflictions can't hurt is taken away These abominable Reproaches fall not on Man so much as upon the Truths of the Gospel which Christ hath a Controversie with you for And that Hell follows not the Sin of a Believer you say is from the grace God and why may it not be from the grace of God that no Penal Effects follow the Sin of a Believer That grace that prevents or delivers from the greater evil will also from the lesser Neonom Because all Sufferings for Christ work for good therefore all Sins against Christ can do no harm Antinom All Sufferings of a Believer from the Hand of Christ as well as such as are in a way of Persecution for Christ shall work for their good and therefore whatever befalls them by reason of sin shall be for their good and whatever is for our good according to the wise disposing of God is not for
say he means not this Hurt in respect of the Nature of Sin and if so it must be in respect of the real pernicious Effects of Sin for a Believer sees Hurt in Sin and complains of it but as to its Nature which is odious in itself or to its Effects 2. It appears that you judge his meaning is such because you say that by his Doctrin of Christ beaâ—ing Sin he makes Sin innocent to the Elect Whereby 1. You make the nocency of Sin to lye in the punishment of it and thereby justifie Dr. Crisp's Expression how unproper soever it be or erroneous 2. You say totidem verbis that Penal Effects of Sin are most of the hurt that comes by it according to what Doctrin we have already charged you with supra The great sign of the truth of Grace that is usually given is the fear and hatred of Sin from the very nature of it its contrariety to God and his Law and that its the greatest sign of an Hypocrite to abstain from it only for fear of Wrath and Hell And 3. You tell us upon what Principles he goes 1. That God hath no Sin to charge upon an Elect Person tho' a Man sins God reckons not his Sin to him c. Whereby you shew where your grudge is it 's against the Doctrin of Imputation more than against the Doctor for any thing he hath said As for your Instance about poisoned Wine you say yourself he speaks not by way of Exhortation but Doctrinally therefore exhorts none to take poisoned Wine but cautions them against it again and again and as for any that have through weakness and inadvertency he tells them their Antidote as the Apostle John 1st Epist c. 2. 1. My little children these things I write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins DEBATE XVIII Of God's Displeasure for Sin in the Afflictions of his People Neonom THE next great Antinomian Errour is That none of the Afflictions of Believers have in them the least of God's displeasure against their Persons for their Sins D. W. p. 190 191. Antinom We must proceed in our ordinary Method let us know what you ground your Charge upon Neonom He affirmeth p. 15. Except God will be offended when there is no cause to be offended he will not be offended with Believers because he doth not find the Sin of a Believer to be his own Sin but the Sin of Christ Antinom But he in the next words quotes places of Scripture to prove what he saith He hath made him Sin for us he hath laid upon him the Iniquities of us all the Blood of Jâ—sus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin he bare our Sins in his Body c. and from these he Argues thus If he bear our Sins he must bear the displeasure for them and he did bear the Indignation of the Lord and if so he did bear it all or but part If he did not bear all the Indignation of the Lord then he doth not save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him as Heb. 4. I say not to the uttermost because here is some Indignation and Displeasure left behind and for lack of taking this Indignation upon himself it lights and falls upon Believers So that either you must say Christ is an imperfect Saviour having left some scattering of Wrath behind that will fall on the head of a Believer Or else you will say he is a perfect Saviour and takes away all God's displeasure then there remains none of it upon the person of a Believer Now why had you not Answered his Argument for what he said yea why had you not brought in the next Objection made to clear up his meaning but quote only so much as may leave your Reader under Prejudice Object Yet you will say Is not God displeased and offended at the Sins of Believers when they do commit them Hath Christ taken away the offence of Sin by his Death Answ No therefore do not mistake your self there may be easily a mistake for lack of serious pondering the words I speak I have not said God is not offended with the Sins a Believer doth commit but that God stands not offended with the Persons of Believers for the Sins committed by them he hath that everlasting Indignation against Sin as ever And as there is the same contrariety in Sin against his nature so there is the same contrariety in God's nature unto Sin All contrarieties have a mutual contrariety against each other as Water and Fire c. As Sin is contrary to the nature of God so there is an Abhorrency of God to that Sinfulness here see with what ground you could say that Dr. C. makes Sin Innocent but there is no Offence of God to the Person that commits that Sin because the Offence of God for that Sin hath spent it self upon the Person of Christ there remains none of it to light upon the person of a Believer Christ having born all this Offence for Sin Tho' in our Natures and in the Sinfulness of them there is matter of displeasure yet in Christ for all this God is well pleased with us And yet there is none of God's Indignation against Sin lost in all this for he is satisfied for this his Offence in his Son more than in our own Persons Neonom And he saith p. 18. But are not the Afflictions for their Sins Antinom Come I will tell you he Answers that Objection He saith I Answer No Afflictions are unto Believers fâ—om Sin but not for Sin What is the meaning of that will you say This God in Afflicting Believers doth not intend to punish them as now laying on them the desert of their Sin for that is laid upon Christ but he doth Afflict them in part to be a help to preserve them from Sin I say all Afflictions to Believers are to keep them from Sin rather than Punishment unto them for Sin Neonom P. 170. He saith That at that Instant when God brings Afflictions upon them he doth not remember any Sins of theirs they are not in his Thoughts Antinom That which he Asserts is from plain Texts of Scripture how dare you Banter and Expose so great a Truth as this it is in that great place Jer. 31.33 declared to be the great promise of the Gospel by the Spirit of God Heb. 10.16 17. God saith He remembers our Sins no more you say he doth who are we to believe God or you Neonom He saith Christ being Chastened for our our Sins there 's nothing but Peace belongs to us P. 170. Antinom The Words were thus I see the Scripture runs wholy in this strain and is so full in nothing as in this that he hath generally discharged the Sins of Believers Oh then take heed of falling into the Errour of the Papists that say that God hath taken
likewise and saith God lays the Iniquity of every Elect Person two ways in respect of the Application of this Grace 1. Secretly 2 Manifestly As to secret applying he instances in God's Declaration of his Love to Jacob Rom. 9. and saith We have here p. 362. the Lord's declaring himself personally and judicially unto the one whom he loved Jacob there was a Love to him from Eternity in the Election of Grace but till there was a single Individual Person as Jacob the Lord did not say Jacob have I loved c. Now he concludes That this secret Application of the Grace of laying Sins on Christ is at the very instant of such a Persons having a Being in the World then God doth appropriate this Grace to an Elect Person and therefore in the Unregenerate Estate of such a Person in the Excess of Riot he is secured from the Judicial Charge of Sin from Vindicative Justice There 's great diversity of Judgment about the time of applying this Grace saith he Some say it 's at Baptism some say at first Conversion c. pag. 364. It 's true an Elect person not called is never able to know individually of himself that he is such an one that God hath nothing to charge upon him because till Calling God gives not unto Persons to Believe And it 's only Believing is the Evidence of things not seen and this he calls the Application of pardoning Grace by way of manifestation Thus I have given you the Summ of Dr. Crisp's Opinion in this matter Calvin I perceive then his Opinion is that 1. In General That by Electing and Redeeming Love the Elect are secured from the Stroak of Vindicative Justice and God hath nothing to lay to their Charge having accepted the Satisfaction of Christ on their behalf 2. That the Application of this Love to a particular Person is in time as to God's Sentence concerning him and as to some Fruits of this Love from his first having a Being as suppose distinguishing of him as a chosen Vessel as he did Jacob from Esau As he separated Paul to the Designs of electing Love as to preventing Grace yea and providential Grace to bring such a Person it may be under the Secret Effects of the Promise and the means of Grace 3. He saith The manifest Application is when God gives to Believe So that notwithstanding all the Security he hath by Election Redemption and secret Application he is before Faith but in a state of Death and under the Law-Sentence in Foro Conscientiae and by Nature born a Child of Wrath and so in Foro Mundi Hence that he knows nothing of all this spoken of an Elect Person any more than a Reprobate doth till he doth believe I think this is Dr. Crisp's Full Sence and therefore I think Mr. Neonomian you are too partial in your Representation of the Doctor you take those Expressions only that may render him odious and leave out the Grounds and Reasons thereof As to that Opinion of his concerning God's secret passing over his Love to the Elect Persons so long before they believe What if he be singular therein yet there may be more in it than you or I can tell seeing it is manifest that it hath been so in several that have lived to be Adult and I doubt not but it is so daily as to Elect Infants that die in Infancy And I must tell you if you deny this Covenant of Grace to belong to the Infants of believing Parents as it is claimed by vertue of a Gospel-Promise you can have little Ground to plead for Infant-Baptism which is a Sign and Seal of Forgiveness of Sins in some Gospel-Sence or other But I leave that Point now and I must tell you that there is no doubt but that there is a secret passing over of the Grace of God in Christ to every Elect Person before he can put forth anyone Vital Act. Neonom He saith the Elect of God are Heirs of God so that their first Being puts them into a right of Inheritance c. Antinom He gathers this from Gal. 4.1 2 3. See Page 367. Though God doth secretly give over his Right and Title of his own Grace to a Person in the Womb yet he doth not make it known to him that he hath that Right and Title till such time as he doth call him during which time being under the Law he is under a Schoolmaster Tutors and Governours And here he saith The Heir so long as a Child differs nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of all From which I observe from hence 1. That there is an Heirship during Childhood it self 2. That there is this Heirship when there is no difference between being a Child and a Servant 3. A Child is an Heir as soon as born yea when first conceived If a Man of Estate leaves his Wife but a Month gone with Child he leaves an Heir c. Calvin Mr. Neonomian though you grant not the secret Application of Grace he speaks of at Conception yet you can't deny a secret and sure Relation by Vertue of Election and Redemption Relata affectio in Deo ponit objectum correlatum A Right must be in the Object whenever it hath a Being Jus adrem if not in re All that are redeemed by Christ are called the Sheep of Christ before Calling John 10. Shew me a Person that is an Elect and Redeemed One I can tell you God's Justice is satisfied on his behalf and eternal Life procured for him though he be yet an Unbeliever be not in Possession nor can make any Claim as yet I pray was not Paul in his unregenerate State an Elect Vessel and secured from the Hands of Vindicative Justice by Christ's Satisfaction and Heaven secured by Christ's Impetration Impetratio dat Jus ad Beneficium I pray Mr. Neonomian what would you say of Paul a Persecutor in the Heighth of his Villany had you known then that he was an Elect Vessel Neonom I would say thus That Paul when a wicked persecuting Saul while breathing forth Cruelty against the Churches should not die under the Dominion of Sin and being an Elect Person and Christ having born his Sins on the Cross was the Object of God's Love and good Will even while he was so wicked and vile and that God continues his gracious purpose of doing him good notwithstanding all his Wickedness and Abomination that Christ hath made full Attonement for his Sins and merited Eternal Life for him and that he shall certainly be Justified Adopted and Glorified in God's appointed way and time and that Christ hath left nothing to be done by us in a way of Atonement and Merit yea I affirm that distinguishing Grace doth make a very great difference between an Elect Sinner and others D.W. p. 1. p. 3. Calvin I pray now what is it more that Dr. Crisp hath said Neonom He saith the Elect are at no time of their Lives under the Wrath of God
look upon this as a Justification of this Child it being a declared Sentence of God concerning it's standing in his Favour and unchangeable Love 2. The Text is particular in the Reason of this Declaration to Rebecka ver 11. that we may see that God accomplish'd his purpose of Election in the applying of the Grace thereof without Works not so much as upon the Account of Faith as a Work because the Children were not capable of doing Good or Evil the Application of his distinguishing Love could not be upon that Account viz. Of any Condition found in them nor could the Foresight of any such thing in them be the Cause of God's Purpose in Election and shews it's one and the same Righteousness that an Infant and Adult Person is Justified by Neonom Because an Eldest Son is an Heir in the Womb therefore an Elect Person who is in time to he Adopted is an Heir in the Womb. Calvin There 's a Difference between an Heir and Adoption If you know there is an Elect Person in the Womb as Rebecka did he is a more sure Heir to Heaven than ever any great Man's Son was to an outward Estate And as to Adoption that may not be till some time after For that is the Grace of Sonship It 's one thing to be a Son and another to have the Grace of Sonship And is the calling them the Sons of God manifestly taking them into the number and endowing them with the Priviledges of the Sons of God The Relation of an Heir and the state of Adoption admit of different Considerations The State of Adoption is the grown state of an Elect Person he is put into Possession of the Estate and all Priviledges sit together with Christ in Heavenly Places as a Coheir And thus we are the Children of God by Faith Gal. 3.26 The Spirit bearing Witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God and so Heirs ex abundanti Joynt-Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Let us now hear what our approved Calvinists say in this Point that speak most particularly and distinctly to it Speak Dr. Amesius Dr. Ames The Transaction between God and Christ was a certain previous Application of our Redemption and Discharge to our Surety and to us in him which hath the Nature of a certain efficacious Pattern to that Secondary manner of Application which is compleated in us so that this is the representation of that this is produced by vertue of that Now it 's inferred hence That our Freedom from Sin and Death was not only determined in God's Decree but also granted and communicated to us in Christ before it is perceived by us Chap. 24. § 3. Mr. Rutherford pray speak you wrote against Antinomianism Sane priusque electus credit c. Certainly before an Elect Person doth believe the Wrath of God and all the Effects of his Wrath are removed from the Persons by vertue of Christ's Satisfaction Exercit. Apologet. per gratiâ p. 45. Mr. Pemble That God doth actually love the Elect before they are Regenerate or can actually believe may appear further by these Reasons 1. Where God is actually reconciled there he actually loveth for Love and Reconciliation are inseparable but with the Elect before they are converted and believe God is Actually Reconciled Ergo he loves them before Faith and Conversion The Minor is evident because before they are Born a full Atonement and Satisfaction is made for their Sins by Christ and accepted on God's part whereupon all Actual Reconciliation must needs follow 2. God did Actually Love the Elect before Christ's time when Actual Reconciliation was not yet made much more therefore after the Atonement made 3. Justification Effectual Vocation and Faith are Fruits of God's Actual Love c. De gratiâ fide p. 22. Chamier Persuasissimum est c. We are most fully perswaded that our Sins are forgiven before we believe for certainly we deny Infants to act Faith and yet their Sins are forgiven them And although it be true that our Sins be forgiven before we believe i. e. before we know it as Actual Believers we do believe the Remission of our Sins because this is proposed to us yea promised to us in the same words which we relye upon by Faith and it 's Sealed by the same Spirit whereby that word is Truth Panstr Tom. 3. lib. 13. c. 10. Antinom I think I see Mr. Baxter appear in this Cause though I suppose he is seldom in this Society Calvin I pray let us hear Sir what you say to this Point Mr. Baxter The Anabaptists bring Eph. 2.3 against Baptism of Infants and say Because they are by Nature Children of Wrath the Promise belongs not to them Ans What though we are by Nature Children of Wrath doth it follow that we may not be otherwise by Grace the state of Wrath goes first in order of Nature and whether in order of time also is not worth our disputing but may not a state of Grace immediately succeed Jeremy was Sanctified in the Womb and John Baptist and the Infants that Christ Blessed were all by Nature Children of Wrath and yet by Grace were in a better state As they come from old Adam they are Children of VVrath but as they receive of the Grace procured by the Second Adam so they are not Children of wrath If a Prince should Entail some Honours upon all your Children you might well say by Nature or as they were your Children they were not Honourable or Noble and yet by the Favour of the Prince they might be all Honourable from the VVomb The Godly at Age may say that they are still by Nature Children of wrath even when they are sure they are Children of God by Grace and they use in their Confessions to say That we by Nature are Enemies to God Fire-brands of Hell R. Baxter of Inf. Bapt. p. 110 111. Calvin I would willingly hear what the Learned and Judicious Mr. J. Cotton saith Mr. J. Cotton in Answer to that Objection made by the Anabaptist against Infant Baptism Faith comes by Hearing Ergo Infants have not Faith Ans It is no Extraordinary thing which Christ speaks concerning Infants when he saith Except you receive the Kingdom of God as little Children c. and they cannot receive it without Christ nor without Faith in Christ and yet received not Christ nor Faith by their own immediate Hearing of the Word and for the second thing which you make Essential to Union with Christ viz. a Heart fitly disposed to apprehend and receive Christ be not unwilling to understand that which is Truth The Heart is fitly disposed by Faith to apprehend or apply Christ when Faith is begotten in the Heart for by this Gift of Faith begotten in us Christ apprehends us and by the same Gift of Faith the Heart is fitly disposed to apprehend Christ even in Infants for when Faith is wrought in Infants the Heart is quickned with Spiritual Life and made a
united unto Christ 2. By the word Spirit we understand the Spirit of God the Original from whence it flows the Activity and Intention of it This Life for Spirit is a Word of Emphasis 3. The Law is the Prevalency and Force of this Spirit of Life All Holiness wherewith the living and quickning Spirit of God hath filled the Humane Nature of Christ and it hath freed thee and me and all others that are in Christ from the Power of the sinful and deadly Corruption of our Nature and there is a Fulness and Sufficiency of all Grace and Holiness in Christ considered as Man Col. 1.19.2.3 9. John 1.14 Psal 45.7 John 3.34 DEBATE VIII Concerning the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace Calvin BEcause the Question about the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace hath been greatly Controverted and is one of the most considerable Points on which matters in difference doth depend I am desirous some one or other of us first may truely describe and impartially unfold the Nature and Difference of Covenants Mr. Philalethes I take you to be an unbyassed Man and I think I have heard you offer some things of this kind which may tend much to the clearing up of many Points before us of this nature Philal. Sir I shall readily contribute my Mite and submit it to the consideration of your better Judgments 1. The word Covenant comes a Conveniendo because when two Parties agree in some one thing or more on mutual terms it 's usually called a Covenant and it comprehends and takes in the Nature of a Contract or Bargain The Latin have divers words to express a Covenant by Pactum compactum conventum foedus Cicero gives a very plausible account of the Etymology of foedus that is quasi fidus quod in foedere interponatur fides that in a Covenant there is a plighting of troth but it seems the word is most probably derived from an old Heathenish Custom of ratifying a Covenant by the Sacrificing of a Sow great with Pigs quod in foedere foeta porca feriretur I take pactum therefore or compactum to be the better word and expressing enough of the thing meant coming from paciscor quasi pacis Actum and if it carry the significancy of any Ceremony in Covenanting it 's that of striking of Hands percussio manuum thence Covenanting is called striking a Covenant The Greek words some of them vary not from the Import of the Latin such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but these are hardly used by the N. Te. or the LXXII Interpreters for a Covenant and therefore we need not stay upon them The word in most use is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testament such a Covenant as is like a Last Will and Testament for this seems to be the true original meaning of this word Isocrates using it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortunas populo ex Testamento reliquit and yet many instances may be given wherein it appears that all sorts of Covenants are exprest by it but it 's observable the Spirit of God pitcheth upon this word as most expressive of Sacred Covenants because the promulgation of the Covenant of Grace was always managed in a way of Testament Typically with the Patriarchs and under the Mosaical Dispensation and really by the Offering up of Christ and the Apostle gives us this account of it Heb. 9.15 16. Hence the Promise of Life confirmed by the Death of Christ declared and promulgated in the Gospel of the Old and New Testament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegit because the Persons Covenanting do it on free choice and so the Conditions or Terms are mutually agreed on or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precidit succidit quia Victimae cedi in foederibus pangendis solebant in making the Covenant the Sacrifice was cut in pieces and laid so that the Covenanters passed between them Gen. 15 10. And by a Metonimy the Sacrifice or Ceremony used in Ratification was called by the Name of the Covenant it self and after this manner is Circumcision called a Covenant Acts 7. 2. A Covenant then is a mutual Obligation upon certain terms between two Parties Poedus non est pactum tantum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unius lateris quale illud cum creaturis irrationalibus Hos 11.18 Clopenb de Foed Vet. A Covenant differs from a Vow because in a Vow there need be but one part a Man may promise to and resolve with himself to do this or that thing there need not be two parties in making a Vow though most times it is making a promise to God and then it carries the Nature of a Covenant and to this may belong a Sanction by way of Imprecation upon non-performance 3. As there are two parties in a Covenant so in a Covenant properly so there are two parts a Condition and a Promise The Condition is the Terms offered by the Covenanter to the Covenantee Foedus ē pactum mutuae fidei upon the performance of which the Promise becomes due unto him and this supposeth these two things necessarily 1. The Covenantees ability to perform the said tendred Condition 2. His Consent and Acceptance of the Terms and here there is no other Sanction usually than the Promise and Forfeiture expressed in the Obligation upon non-performance confederatorum mutuòse obligantium 4. A Covenant is either express and compleat in parts There 's a Covenant express and a Covenant in Law a Covenant express when all Terms are expressed a Covenant in Law is that which the Law intendeth to be made in such a case though it s not expressed the first is called also a Covenant in fact there is also a Covenant Personal and Real Olden Dorpius Cook i. e. a Covenant perfectè or modo quodam A perfect Covenant is when two Parties of equal Liberty and Rank do freely voluntarily and upon deliberation enter into mutual Obligations with express Conditions and Promises and here it 's always requisite that there be as it were an equality i. e. at least a due proportion between the Persons Covenanting that each may be capable of standing upon his own Terms as well as the other and not one bound to Terms at the meer good will and pleasure of another as a Child cannot in Nonage stand upon Terms with a Parent but must be concluded in his or her will and pleasure or a single Subject with a Soveraign Prince c. and therefore the condition to be performed ought to be such which is not precedently due by any former Relation or Duty here must be a power in each party as sui juris to take or refuse without breach of any former Obligation In this Covenant the Sanction is agreed upon by way of stipulation and restipulation exchange of conditions with forfeiture mutually 5. There are Covenants which are not Express Explicite or Compleat in the
know whether Christ in his Humane Nature was not Elect and the Head of all the Elect therefore if we consider him but singly whether he was not the Principal Elect one and I pray was the Covenant made with him or for him I say it was made with him and for him and so it was made with the Elect in him both with them and for them or else how comes God's Purpose and Grace to be given us in Christ Jesus before the World began 2 Tim. 2.9 But you tell us that the Elect have nothing to do as a condition of this Covenant you reckon you highly honour Christ in giving all the Conditionality of this Covenant to him and what 's that It 's that he provided for our performing the condition of another Covenant and why might he not have prepared us by that condition for another Covenant condition after that But it seems your Covenant of Redemption is but a subordinate Covenant to that of Grace and its Righteousness subordinate to our Righteousness which you make the condition of the Covenant of Grace Neonom And to this Covenant of Redemption all absolute Promises and Prophesies of Grace are reducible they being a transcript hereof D. W. p. 54. Antinom What is your meaning in this it 's hard to guess whether Absolute Promises are made in the Covenant of Redemption And 2. If so whom in that Covenant they are made to to Christ You must mean so for you say we are not in it Then the Promise of giving a new Heart is made to Christ and not to us Or 3. If you mean they are reducible to it as being the Covenant of Promise and so Christ and all his Benefits are given absolutely and unconditionally to us in it this makes us concerned as a Party in the Covenant for to whom the Promise of the Covenant belongs to them the Covenant belongs as a Party concerned Neonom This Dr. Owen makes to be a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace P. 268 269. Antinom It is true Dr. Owen and other Learned Divines have spoken of a Covenant of Redemption as in some respect distinct from the Covenant of Grace but make not such an ill Use of that Notion as you do The Dr. says He doth not call these Foederaal Transactions the Covenant of Grace absolutely Nor is it so called in Scripture And it may well be so for we find not the Term Covenant of Grace mentioned in Scripture and some will not distinguish between a Covenant of a Mediator and the Covenant of Grace because the Promises of the Covenant are absolutely said to be made to Christ Gal. 3.16 of which some its plain the Assembly at Westminster was And therefore it appears there have been different Apprehensions in this matter I reverence and honour both Parties as Orthodox and sound in what they intended and meant in this Point but I must adhere to the Word of God as the most infallible Guide in this and other things according to what Light I receive All the difference that I find they make is no more than respectu adjunctorum that is Hiddenness and Declaration or at most to Execution And indeed all I understand by Dr. Owen is two things 1. To shew us under how many Considerations the New Covenant comes And 2. Which of these Considerations it is the Spirit of God seems mostly to point at when it speaks of this New Covenant as a Promise Covenant of Grace or Peace And he saith It 's variously represented 1. In the Designation and Preparation of its Terms and Benefits in the Councel of God which although it have the nature of an eternal Decree yet is it not the same with the Decree of Election c. 2. It may be considered with respect of the Foederal Transactions between the Father and the Son 3. In respect of Declaration of it by Special Revelation 1 By way of Absolute Promise 2 By way of Additional Prescription of the way and means whereby it is the Will of God that we should enter into a Covenant-state with him c. 4. The Covenant may be considered as to the actual Application of the Grace Benefit and Priviledges unto any Persons c. Now all this while he makes not two Covenants a Covenant of Redemption and of Grace but gives divers Considerations of the New Covenant in it's Dispensation and under which Consideration it may most usually and properly be termed by us a Covenant of Grace And the ground of this Discourse is to disprove your Notion That the Covenant of Redemption or Surety ship is the procuring Cause of the Covenant of Grace And he shews that it is no where said in the Scripture That Christ by his Death merited procured obtained the New Covenant Dr. O. p. 266 267. or that God should enter into a new Covenant with Mankind yea that which is contrary to it and inconsistent with it is frequrnrly asserted Now he comes to shew what respect the Covenant of Grace hath unto the Death of Christ and what Influence it hath thereunto A. Supposing what is spoken of his being a Surety thereof it hath a three-fold respect thereunto 1. In that the Covenant Dr. O. p. 271 272. as to the Grace and Glory of it were prepared in the Councel of God as the Terms of it was fixed in the Covenant of the Mediator and as it were declared in the Promise was confirmed ratified and made it revocable thereby This the Apostle insists on at large Heb. 9.15 16 17 18 19 20. 2. He thereby underwent and performed all that which in the Righteousness and Wisdom of God was required that the Effects Fruits Benefits and Grace intended and designed and prepared in the New Covenant might be effectually accomplished and communicated unto Sinners 3. All the Benefits were procured by him c. Now saith he The Sum of these things is Whereas it 's affirmed the New Covenant was procured by the Death of Christ Dr. O. p. 273. if it be understood with respect unto the Actual Communication of all Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant and proposed unto us in the Promises of it it is most true all the Grace and Glory promised in the Covenant was purchased for the Church by Jesus Christ In this fence by his Death he procured the New Covenant but as to the New Covenant it self it 's not procured All this is rather a Confirmation than a Denial of the Truth of what the Assembly affirms concerning the Covenant of Grace Neonom I say that the Covenant of Grace is not the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and the Son Antinom You should have told what the Covenant of Grace is Neonom The Covenant of Grace is the way that God hath ordained to apply to Sinners that Salvation which is prepared by Christ and which he will inable the Elect to comply with Antinom This Definition or Description I except against For first it
contains not the Genus or common Nature of a Covenant viz. to be an Agreement wherein two Parties do mutually consent nor the Parties wherein the Nature of a Covenant doth consist which is a Condition and Promise nor is there a Covenant in the more improper fence denoted viz. A Promise for if it be a Covenant of Grace it must be at least a Covenant of Promise 2. You say it 's a way ordained of God Here 's no Forma or Differentia for many things are ways and means which are not Covenants you should have said according to your Sence it's God's Agreement with Sinners upon Terms of Faith and Repentance 3. The Application of the means effectually is part of the Salvation it self 4. You say this Salvation is prepared by Christ you should have said By the Father in his Councel and Purpose for the giving his Son and blessing us with all Blessings in him The Life and Salvation is Christ and in Christ he is our Life the Father hath given us Life and this is in his Son 5. You should have said Which he hath promised to enable the Elect to comply with or else it hath nothing of a Covenant in it it carries only the force of electing Will and if he hath promised then to some or other either to Christ and then it brings in your Covenant of Redemption if to any other excluding Christ then to the Elect out of Christ For the Promise to make a Person comply must be made and must be in Nature before he doth comply Neonom I pray what do you say is the Covenant of Grace Antinom I shall tell you the Parties between whom it was made It was made by God in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son You speak improperly to talk of the Father and Spirit covenanting with the Son you should rather say The Father Son and Spirit covenanted with the Son For by this Notion you take in the Persons of the Trinity for you must take them all in the covenanting part and then there 's as much reason to take them in all in their stipitulating part because the Son is God and so the three Persons covenanted with themselves under the same distinct consideration in the Godhead But we say God essentially considered covenanted in the Person of the Father with Man in the Person of the Son His Son taking Man's part being his Representative as having his Nature in the same Person therefore as the Second Adam having all the Spiritual Seed in his Loyns and as a common Person foederally Neonom And what is a Covenant between these â—aâ—â—sks Antinom It 's the Promise of Eternal Life made to Christ and to the Elect in him to be performed in and through Jesus Christ as the great Condition to all them that shall be saved by him Covenants are denominated from either part by a Synechdoche here chiefly from the Promise as the same is sometimes from the Condition The Covenant of Grace is a great Mystery c. Rom. 16.25 Col. 1.26 1. Because it was Eternal Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 2. That though between God and Man yet being made with us in Christ it was between Equals Phil. 2.6 3. That though it was a Covenant of Works yet a Covenant of Grace to Christ a Covenant of Works and most conditional Isa 53.10 11 12. To us absolute and free being a Promise of the Gift of Christ and all Blessings in him 4. It is mysterious in respect of the several states that it hath had 1. Hidden 2. Revealed Hidden in God before the World was Revealed since the World 1. Less manifested in the Promulgation before Christ's coming 1 In respect of the few Emanations and Discoveries of its Brightness and Lustre in Absolute Promises to Adam Noah Abraham Jacob David 2 In regard of it's Vailed state First Under the Veils of Sacrifices Types Figures Secondly Under a Legal Moral and Conditional Administration 5. It is mysterious in regard of the various Names and Titles that it hath had from it's different Dispensations that under the Law was called Old and Faulty because it made but a partial Discovery of it's Glory and Lustre In the New Testament it 's called the New Covenant in respect of the new and clear Dispensation it 's called the Promise because it appears absolutely given forth in a Promissory way it 's called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Nature of it in relation to Sinners it's good News to them It 's called a Testament because confirmed by Christ's Death Neonom But you tell me not how you prove the Covenant of Grace and Redemption are all one Antinom 1. Because I know them not spoken of any where as distinct Covenants The Scripture of Isa 53.10 11 12. is a place wherein this Covenant is so clearly described between the Father and the Son it holds forth the Covenant of Grace fully and clearly the Promise of all Grace and Benefits that are contained in the said Covenant of Grace And the Apostle tells us expresly That this Covenant-Agreement was the Will by which we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus once for all Heb. 10.8 9 10. 2. That Covenant that contains in it the whole Matter and Form in Conditions and Promises of the Covenant of Grace doth not Essentially differ from it but the Covenant of Redemption doth It contains Conditions and Promises of Grace all things that pertain to Life and Godliness and it contains in it all conditions upon which we may be partakers of any Promises Christ's Person Offices Sacrifice Righteousness Active and Passive there 's no Covenant condition of Atonement Propitiation Satisfaction unto the Justice of God but it is here Christ is the Great Fulfiller of the Law and Satisfier of it he is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every Believer Rom. 10.4 3. From the Vailed Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace before the coming of Christ their Sacrifices and their Ceremonial Administration held forth in a Figure that it is made to Christ and confirmed in him as the Great Offering and Atonement Christ is there exemplified and set forth as the fulness of the Covenant of Grace both in respect of Promises and Conditions 4. When we plead any thing of the Covenant of Grace it 's the Promises of Life made to us in Christ as Yea and Amen to us in him in respect of obtaining and performance to us 5. Our Justifying Acts of Faith is fixed on Christ as the Summ of the Covenant of Grace as Satisfying for our Sins and as to whom the Promises were made and the great thing promised as the Fountain and Meritorious Cause of all Blessings he is given us as the Covenant 6. There is all Grace to be had in this Covenant frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora there is no Grace but is given forth and
is a false Conclusion that Christ is mine before he is so and must the great Terms of Life be a Lie We are to examine our selves whether we are in the Faith or not 2 Cor. 13.5 Where hath God made this Proposition My sins are laid on Christ Vnless you are for general Redemption the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer and the Spirit speaks to none but a Believer Antinom In all things we receive of Gift there must be a right of Donation first if we take before it 's given it 's Theft and unless I am perswaded that the giving Hand is reached out I can't receive We have our first Earnest for Blessedness in the Perswasion of Faith in the very Act of it and it 's Non sence to talk any way of partaking of Christ but by the Spirit and Faith And he that in an Act of believing at first finds Christ in the true Perswasion of Faith doth not nor cannot say of Christ he is his before he is so The Soul cannot be too nimble for Christ and if he that believeth not makes God a Liar what are those that perswade to Unbelief That Faith in it's very Act is an Evidence is no hinderance to the Trial and Examination of our selves by the Fruit of Faith besides And though the Proposition in the Gospel be an indefinite Proposition yet the Application by Faith in a Sinner ought to be particular and fiducial or else the Faith of Believers will be no more than that of others that believe only that Christ came to save Sinners and if the Promise of Pardon were not to Sinners as such it were not Pardon and if a Man upon Trial must first find by Signs that he doth believe before he lay claim to Pardon Sinners would be in a sad condition But this is the comfort that as the Promise of Pardon is the great Encouragement to believing so believing it self is the receiving and perceiving of it And the Soul saith or should by Faith He loved me and gave himself for me At the sight of Christ it saith My Lord and my God If the Lord speak to a Believer in believing by his Word and Spirit Thy Sins are forgiven it 's not said so to one that is a Believer first Relata are simul naturâ The Promise of Paternity is not a Promise or Gift to one that 's a Father first nor Sonship to one that is a Son first God promiseth himself to be a Father to them that are Loammi And how gross is that Assertion That the Spirit speaks it to none but to a Believer as a Believer Doth not the Spirit speak Peace before we receive it by an Act of Faith Doth not this cause us to believe it 's the Light causeth the Eye to see It 's the Light shining into the dark Unbelieving Heart that perswades the Heart it 's God that saith to the Soul I am thy Salvation before we can believe it Neonom The Second thing that I will prove is that Saving Faith hath the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. Antinom You said before that Inward Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin was no Part of Saving Faith And said in the next that it contained Assent to the Word Fiducial Consent and Acceptance of Christ A Man therefore may understand you that tho it contained it yet it was not of it's Essence Now you seem to say these are Essentials if you do not you hide your self again in the Word Include If you say These be Essentials which you name we say so too but allow not yours c. and all these Essentials are in the Word Perswasion Assent is the Perswasion of the Understanding Consent the Perswasion of the Will to the Truths and good things propounded the Promise whereby the Soul relies upon Christ therein for himself particularizeth Christ and all Blessings to himself as his and now go on and prove all that you said before to be false Neonom You are mistaken I will prove my Position true and then see where your Errour will be 1. Faith can be no less than the Souls Answer to the Call of God c. Antinom We say it is so and he bids us believe but it 's not Faith as such for all Obedience is an answer to the Call of God Neonom The Scripture describes Saving Faith by all these Acts it 's the evidence of things not seen Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Receiving of Christ John 1.12 Isa 55.4 Acts 13.26 Rom. 15.12 Isa 44.5 Antinom This we say it is Evidence and Substance of things at a distance is a full Perswasion of them according to the Nature of them such a Perswasion as carries the whole Soul forth to God to rest and rely upon him having Union with Christ thereby bringing him in all his Excellencies into our Souls and taking him for our own Doth a Man believe any good thing promised and doth not he catch at it for himself if he have any savour of it If the Promise of Pardon present it self to us doth a Man believe till he appropriate it to himself saying It is mine though an unworthy Sinner If a condemned Prisoner hears a Pardon is come out for some he may believe that but till he believes he is one it 's no Comfort to him tho there may be hopes at least he is in it Neonom Christ can't be received as a Saviour without these Antinom It 's very true he is never received as such till I receive him as my Saviour and believe him to be so in some measure and this I am bound to do to receive him by confident Perswasion and resting upon him Neonom A Faith without these Essentials could never produce those great Effects as are ascribed to Faith to purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 to be a shield against Temptations Eph. 6.16 works by Love Gal. 5.6 sanctifies us Acts 26.18 By Faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2.12 Antinom It 's certain that no Faith can do it but such as makes a particular Application by a perswasion of the Love of God or Interest in Christ Pardon of Sins and Reconciliation to God through him that can produce the Effects spoken of this will purifie the Heart from an evil guilty Conscience to serve the Living God this will be a Shield against the most Mortal Darts of Satan that he shoots at our state by bringing in Law Condemnations Hereby Love to God is produced in the Soul and we Act towards God and our Neighbours in Love hereby we are brought to true Obedience such as the Law required at first for the Principle to Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts Soul and Strength and therefore the Apostle saith Love is the Sum of all Obedience as our Saviour said It 's the fulfilling of the Law through this Grace of the Spirit for by receiving Forgiveness of Sin we
have an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified Pardon believed is the Root of Sanctification and this cannot be without it for by Faith we are risen with Christ we are planted in the likeness of his Death and Resurrection and Faith in this Point of Christ's Resurrection is that which sets us above the Charge of Sin and Condemnation By the Resurrection of Christ Preached we are begotten to this lively believing hope and we are risen with him through this Faith of the Operation of God hence the Body of Sin is destroyed Death abolished Life and Immortality brought to light Christ by his Resurrection being discharged and justified from the Iniquities of us all which were laid upon him and which he bore in his Body upon the Tree Neonom An Inlightned Regenerate Soul cannot Act towards Christ when he is first presented to its view below these Instances Antinom No it 's the sight of Christ and taste of Christ that carries him forth to all Duties of Sanctification he having Christ in all his fulness he hath done with all his Conditions all his Righteousness is filthy Rags A Soul truely instated by a lively Faith is far above padling with his own little poor sinful Duties as conditions between him and Christ he can serve Christ obey him and his Commandments are not grievous to him neither will he think they have any such Vertue in them as to give him Right to Christ in any way of Foederal Conditionality Neonom His mistakes are because Faith is the Evidence of things unseen i. e. it assents unto unseen realities therefore he thinks that our Faith is nothing but our assent Antinom I think I understand the Import of those words as I have told you but I shewed you it 's such a work of the Spirit and Word whereby the Heart Ecchoes to the Word by such perswasion of the Truth whereby Christ and the Truth is as it were formed in us and your selves can give no account of Faith that reacheth the Essentials thereof but what we have done from the Word of God Neonom Because the Word of Grace promiseth Justification unto all true Believers therefore an assurance of my being Justified is believing whereas I must first be a Believer in order to Pardon before I justly can or ought to believe that I am pardoned Antinom The word Assurance is a word you Impose it was not in the words you alledge against me what is it the Gospel would have us believe if it be not Forgiveness of Sins Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you that through this Man is preached unto you forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified c. What do they believe It 's Forgiveness of Sins and in this Act of Faith is the Justification by Faith in that they believe forgiveness of Sins and as they are weakly or strongly perswaded through the Spirit of Grace working the Promise upon their Souls In Justification by Faith Faith is not nor cannot be before it but they are Relata quae mutua alterius constant affectione Popish School Divines do dream that Faith is a Quality cleaving in the Heart Luth. on Gal. c. 3. v. 8. without Christ This is a Devilish Errour But Christ should be so set forth that thou shouldest see nothing besides him and shouldest think that nothing can be more near unto thee or more present within thy Heart than he is for he sitteth not Idly in Heaven but is present in us C. 2. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And here likewise you have put on Christ Faith therefore is a certain stedfast beholding which looketh upon nothing else but Christ the Conqueror of Sin and Death and the Giver of Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life this is the cause that Paul nameth Jesus Christ so often in his Epistles almost in every Verse but he setteth him forth by the Word For otherwise he cannot be comprehended but by the Word This was lively and notably set sorth by the Brazen Serpent for Moses commanded them that were stung to do nothing else but stedfastly behold the Brazen Serpent they that did so were healed Read with great vehemency this word me and for me and so inwardly practise with thy self Id. on Gal. 2.20 that thou with a sure Faith maist conceive and print this me in thy Heart and apply it unto thy self not doubting but thou art of the number of those to whom this 〈◊〉 belongeth Also that Christ hath not only loved Peter and Paul and given himselfe for them but that the same Grace also which is comprehended in this me as well appertaineth and cometh unto us as unto them When I feel and confess my self a Sinner through Adam's Transgression why should I not say that I am made Righteous through the Righteousness of Christ especially when I hear that he loved me and gave himself for me This did Paul most stedfastly believe and therefore he speaketh these words with so great vehemency and full assurance which God grant unto us in some part at the least who hath loved us and given himself for us What is Faith The first part of Religion whereby from Knowledge I believe in God Yates Divin The first Act of Faith is passive in receiving what God gives Here may we justly say it is a poorer and meaner Act to believe than to love nay rather Passion than Action for we are first apprehended of God before we apprehend him again Phil. 3.12 This Grace is most freely Graced that it might the more frankly reflect all on God again No doubt Faith receives a full discharge makes it not we rather by Faith receive an Acquittance Sealed in the Blood of Christ than the Blood of Christ to make our own Works Meritorious which we may offer to God in payment for our selves Here lyes the Errour of Papists even in Faith iâ— self and other Graces If God will â—â—t bear half the Charges by his Co-operation Man shall undertake to Merit his own Glory and fulfill the Royal Law so abundantly that he shall have something over and above Works are the Effects of Sanctification Sanctification is the Effect of Justification P. 23. The Object of the Understanding is Truth of the Will Goodness Temble of Grace and Faith P. 111. Faith is an Assent to the Truth and Goodness of Divine Revelation wherefore we affirm that this Faith is an Act of the Understanding and of the Will both together approving and allowing the Truth and Goodness of Divine Things In which Asserâ—ion you are to note that we do not make the habit of Faith to be inherent in two Faculties but we affirm the subject is but one and the same viz the Intellectual Nature for I take it with divers of the Lerrned that these Speculations about the real distinction of Faculties in Spiritual Substances of Angels and Souls of Men are but meer subtilties in the Schools without any true ground in
I will name no more of them for the present Antinom The Assembly is full on this Point that our Union to Christ is before the Act of Faith Shorter Catechism Q. 29. How are we made Partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By the Effectual Application of it to us by his Holy Spirit Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ A. By working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our Effectual Calling The Spirit first comes as a Bond of Union and works Faith to Unite by its Act in the first Union by the Spirit we are passive made new Creatures new Born receive Spiritual Life In the second we are Active put forth lively Acts and lay hold on Jesus Christ and all Gospel Grace And if the Confessions say we are United to Christ by his Spirit and by Faith as you acknowledge then there is a Union by the Spirit which is effective of that which is by Faith You say my mistake is in thinking all Grace is wrought by Christ as an Actual Head you mean Grace comes not at first from Christ as our Head but as a designed Head therefore you find fault with my founding our Union on Christ as our Head Where I say P. 104. Christ is the Head of his Church i. e. the Fountain of all Spiritual Sense and Motion A Man cannot have Spiritual Eyes of Faith unless he have this Spiritual Head c. I am not alone here for Mr. Norton and others make Christ as our Head the Fountain and Spring of all Spiritual Life and Motion Evan. P. 249. The Person of Christ Mediator is the first Saving Gift actually applyed to any Elect Person The motion of the Spirit upon the Soul is from Christ the Head See p. 250. DEBATE XII Of Justification by Faith Neonom VVE having formerly discussed the Doctrine of Justifying Righteousness I desire we may now enquire into the Nature of Justification by Faith for Mr. Antinomian hath this Errour among the rest That the whole use of Faith in Justification is only to manifest that we were Justified before and Faith is no way necessary to bring a Sinner into a Justified State nor at all useful to that end D. W. p. 103. Antinom I must hear your proof Sir before I enter upon my defence Neonom You put this Objection Is not believing required unto the Justification of the ungodly Answ An ungodly Person after he is Justified doth believe but you will say it is an Act of Christ by Faith Answ Then Christ doth not Justifie alone c. Nay I say more Christ doth Justifie a Person before he doth believe c. He cannot believe that which is not but he is first Justified before he believes then he believes he is Justified Dr. C. p. 85. Antinom My words were these An ungodly Person after he is Justified doth believe But you must understand it it is not the Faith of the Person that doth simply and properly Justifie but it is that Christ in whom he doth believe he believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly It is he that Justifieth that is Christ It is not believing that justifieth mark well that Phrase he that justifieth Justification is an Act of Christ not an Act of Faith How often is it said it 's God that Justifieth Justification is an Act of God and not of ours Faith is an Act of ours it 's God by his Grace efficiently Justifies and imputeth the Righteousness of Christ we are materially and objectively Justified by the Righteousness of Christ and by that alone and this I say is before a Sinner believes efficiently because the Object must be before the Act of the Recipient Organ A Man sees because there is Light to see which illuminates the Organ especially such a Light as takes off a privation of sight and restores the Habit so that Justification in regard of Application must be before believing the first Application in ordine naturae saltem is to an ungodly Man eo nomine that he may believe who is thereby made to believe that he may be Justifyed for in Justification we are both Passive and Active as Maccovius saith Calvin Mr. Norton Norton p. 214. hath this Objection If we are Justified by Faith then Faith is in order before Justification and consequently the Act is before the Object whereas on the contrary the Act depends on the Object and not the Object on the Act to this Effect Bellarmine Answ 1. We distinguish between the Being of Justification and our being Justified i. e. between Justification as taken in an Abstract Sence viz. without the receiving Subject thereof viz. a Believer and a Justification taken in a Concrete Sence i. e. together with the Believer Justification considered in the Actstract Sence taken simply and in it self which signifieth Remission of Sins and Righteousness to Acceptation prepared for though not yet conferred upon the Elect hath before Faith a Being not only in the purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father and Mediator and in the purchase of Christ This Truth held forth in the Gospel makes the Object of Faith and thus the Object is before the Act. The Grounds of this distinction or distinguishing between Justification actually procured and actually applyed Justification was in God's Decree before Faith P. 315 316. before Sin yea from all Eternity Gal. 3.8 Rom 3.25 The Actual procuring of Justification as considered in it self gives a Being to Justifying Faith Justification is compared to a Garment our being Justified to a Garment put on Justification of the Elect is absolutely and actually procured for them by Christ's Satisfaction before Faith Col. 2.14 The Hand writing of Ordinances cannot be limited to the Ceremonial Law only because it had respect unto the Gentiles then Living to whom the Ceremonial Law belonged not God hath declared his Acceptation of Christ So Calvin on the place P. 216. whereby he hath actually procured Justification for the Elect before Faith It is no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation That God Imputed unto Christ the Sins of the World of the Elect before they did believe and will not impute them unto the Elect 2 Cor. 5.18 19. This great Gospel Truth is of special use to beget Justifying Faith in the Heart of a Sinner The same the Apostle confirms concerning their Reconciliation Rom. 5.10 That it was wrought for them when they were Enemies i. e. Unbelievers Here is a Twofold Reconciliation mentioned one at the Death of Christ before Paul or the Romans some of them at least were Believers the other at Conversion The first Reconciliation though it was vertually wrought before by the Lamb slain in God's Appointment and Acceptance togethr with his own consent from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 yet it was not Actually wrought until the Death of Christ for this Satisfaction sake God Imputes not Sin unto the Redeemed for he
Antinom What kind of Supposition Supposition of Duty Antecedaneous to it This is false Faith is a Saving Benefit and it 's not bestowed with a Supposition that any saving Duty is precedent to it So our Union to Christ Gift of the Spirit Justification yea the Grace of Sanctification it self are all Saving Benefits of the highest Nature Neonom 3. The Influences of the Spirit and God's Institutions have no Causality in our Salvation if men have nothing to do in order to be saved Antinom That is as much as to say If we save not our selves the Spirit cannot save us We must be our own Saviours first or the Spirit must make us our own Saviours that we may be saved I told you Adam had been saved by the Influences of the Spirit if he had been saved in his innocent state and it had never the less been a Covenant of Works Neonom On what account is it said That we believe to the saving of our Souls Heb. 10.39 And Repentance to Salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Tim. 4.16 Antinom Those Expressions are Descriptions of true Faith and Repenrance given as to that 1 Tim. 4.16 We deny not that the Covenant of Grace hath many Exhortations Directions Encouragements to Duty but not antecedent to the Promise The General Promise is first participated of before any Duty is or can be performed and after participation of the Promise Consequent to it and Effects of it particular Duties and Promises do follow Neonom The Destruction of Sinners under the Gospel is still laid to not Doing John 5.40 Their not coming not turning and repenting Antinom Yea their blameable moral Inability and Perverseness is that which they are under the Condemnation for Falling upon them in their Apostacy and so their refusing a Remedy is part of their Condemnation under the Law And therefore our Saviour saith such Unbelievers are condemned already they remain under the Power and Sentence of the first Condemnation Neither is the Destruction of Sinners laid to their not doing but not believing in Christ Believing is opposed to Doing because God will not have us to be saved by Doing And when a Sinner comes he is not saved by his Act in Coming but by Christ to whom he is come Neither doth he come till he is saved by the Father's drawing him and Christ finding every Sinner before he comes shews that he is a lost Sinner and never comes to Salvation till Salvation comes to him Neonom If men have nothing to do for Salvation then Christ hath no Rule to judge them that live under the Gospel Christ proceeds on the difference of Men's Carriage and Tempers at the last Day Consider any Description of the last Day you 'll find God saves and damns with respect to men's Neglect and Compliance with the Gospel Antinom Your Argument seems to run thus Upon the same Terms that Man shall be judged at the last Day upon the same shall they be saved now But Men shall be judged by their Works at the last Day Ergo saved by Works now I deny your Major If that were true you might have some Pretence that the Covenant of Grace was a Covenant of Works There 's a great deal of difference between Christ's proceedings in the Covenant of Grace and the Judgment of the Last Day 1. Christ in Covenant of Grace comes not as a Judge to condemn the World but to save it 2. Christ first saves his Church and exerts his Offices in that Salvation first as Priest to make Atonement as Prophet to teach by his Word and Spirit as King to conquer and subdue their Hearts unto himself and all this is done before he rules and governs them 3. Christ in the Covenant of Grace acts not in his Regal Power as King of the World but as King to his Church his Mediatorial Offices are all exerted towards his Redeemed ones in order to the saving of them All final Unbelievers are judged as such as are under the Condemnation of the Law and their Sins only judged the more aggravated because of their refusal of a Remedy The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in Plaming Fire taking Vengeance upon them that know not God and those that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The slighting and rejecting a Remedy offer'd is a ground of more severe proceeding in the way of Execution of the Sentence which the condemned Person lay under before How shall ye escape that neglect so great Salvation The Talents mentioned Matth. 25.21 24 28. refer only to the distinction that appears between Professors Some act from common Grace only some by special Grace Some are carried no further than common Grace will carry them and therefore bring not forth real Fruit unto God and are not in Christ Jesus have only common Graces and Gifts Neonom I could easily demostrate that if men have nothing to do in order to Salvation the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles is all Vanity and Falshood c. They are cold Pleadings with Sinners that are not backed with Life and Death Antinom It 's easie to demostrate that an unsaved Person can do nothing in order to Salvation and if they can the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is false For Christ himself saith Without me ye can do nothing and we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and created in him to good Works and Christ worketh in us to will and to do All this is Salvation The first true Motive to a Sinner is the Salvation wrought by Christ already for Sinners in his Death and Satisfaction The Promise of Heaven is a Secondary Motive but is not to be brought as a Primary Motive The rendring Life and Death to working or not working is the preaching of the Law and of the Letter and makes the Gospel such a Law as is the Ministration of Condemnation And to conclude my Answer to the Proof of that Position That Sinners have much to do in order to Salvation And to prove it in the Negative I offer this Argument They that can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved have not much to do in order to Salvation But Sinners can do nothing in order to Salvation till they are saved Ergo a Sinner hath not much to do in order to Salvation in your Sence I leave you to consider of it and the Evidence of it for you cannot but apprehend the Demonstration that is therein for doing must be here understood effective Such Works you speak of as appears by what follows Neonom True Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works and Perseverance are the way to Heaven and so necessary to the Salvation of a Believer that without them he cannot be saved and continuing in them he shall be saved Antinom I find you make Holiness or Sanctification and Salvation two things whereas Sanctification is a part of Salvation True Holiness is the way to Heaven but it 's Salvation as well as the Perfection
Adultery or the grossest Wickedness D. W. p. 170. Antinom Here 's many things put together in this Charge and by an undue mixture and wresting my sense and meaning he hath made it look as he pleaseth but we must hear his Proof and then I shall be the better able to make my defence Neonom Note that he speaks most of this concerning a Person as Elect tho' he uses the word Believer sometimes because he alone knows he is elect by believing D. W. p. 171. Antinom Do not you then in alledging my words make a confusion in my sense for your way is to pick up my Expressions here and there and put them together to make up that sense which you would put upon them Neonom You say tho' such persons do act Rebellion yet the loathsomness and abominableness and hatefulness of this Rebellion is laid on the back of Christ he bears the sin as well as the blame and shame c. and that 's the only reason why God can dwell with those persons that do act the thing because all the filthiness of it is transacted from them to the back of Christ. Obj. How should God know every sin the believer hath committed and yet God not remember them Ans Tho' he remember the things thou hast done yet he doth not remember them as thine for he remembers perfectly they are none of thine when he passed them over to Christ they ceased to be thine any longer D. W. p. 436 and Dr. C. p. 436. Antinom I have vindicated my self already as to those Expressions in our Debate concerning God's laying Sin on Christ but lest you should have forgot what was said I shall speak a little to it My design hath been in several Discourses and in that mentioned by you that we must have Christ before we can be holy as the Root of all gracious Qualifications and that Christ is bestowed in a way of efficacy before we have him in a way of evidence and God tells us whose Iniquities were laid on Christ even of them that were gone every one away as lost Sheep and turned to their own ways the same thing that the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.8 God recommended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners it must be meant unbeiieving and impenitent sinners Christ died for us and he saith Ver. 10. If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son that must be understood of our being in a state of enmity before we come to a state of Grace this reconciliation is wrought by Jesus Christ I shall give you my Discourse as briefly as I may that you may see my meaning Faith you know is the first of all Gifts God bestows upon a Soul Dr. C. p. 334. and all other Graces they follow that Faith that Christ doth give to Men. So that if there be not a Believing there can be no Grace of Sanctification at all but while persons are departing from the living God there remains in them an evil Heart of unbelieving and yet this is true that while they are departing from the living God and straying as lost Sheep their Iniquities are laid on Christ and the true meaning of the word turn to our own ways is that Men do what they list and what is good in their own eyes and yet it is the Iniquity of these Men that have thus turned to their own ways which the Lord hath laid upon Christ From whence I lay down this Conclusion That this Grace of the Lords laying Iniquity on Christ is certainly applied unto persons even while they are departing from the living God while they are lost Sheep while they are turned every one to their own way before they have amended their ways And because this Truth is so hardly received seeming to give so much way to loosness as some calumniate I endeavour to clear it Dr. C. p. 435. and that it is a most fearful Injury unto a Man's self and a forsaking a Man's own Mercy directly for a Man to conclude that there is no Grace for me because I cannot find such and such things in me as Universal Obedience Sanctification c. and you shall plainly see where Grace is applied unto Persons and to what Condition of Men Psal 68.18 And then I open that where God is said to give his Gifts to the Rebellious and use the said Expressions which he rehearseth which amounts only to thus much in my sense that when the Grace of Redemption and the application thereof is first applied it finds us lost Creatures lost Sheep rebellious ones turning every one to his own ways which I also illustrate from Ezek. 16.7 8 9. What Qualifications can you find in blind-eyed and shackled Persons that are bound up under the Bondage of Satan Dr. C. p. 439. even dead in Trespasses What renewed Qualifications in Sanctification can you find in such Persons seeing the first Work that God works upon any Person is to open the eyes to see him and to see themselves Now Christ must be present because he is given to do this thing before it can be done If it be the Eye of Faith Christ is said to be the Author and Finisher of it if it be the the Eye of God we must all be taught of God our Saviour speaks plainly when he pointed out directly to the Jews for whom he died and became sin I came to save that which was lost it 's by the Eye of Knowledge we must be taught all of God And this is one part of God's Covenant I will remember their Sins no more What is that Covenant I will be their God and thy shall be my People and your Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Dr. C. p. 438. This is the substance of the Covenant And Christ himself is given over to Men as much as to say In Christ I will become thy God In Christ I will remember thy Sins and Iniquities no more This is the substance of the Covenant Christ is this Covenant and Christ himself is given over to Men quasi dicat In Christ I will become thy God In Christ I will remember thy Sins and Iniquities no more this have I given in him to you But when doth the Lord pass over this to persons When they are first renewed Have persons the knowledge of God and of themselves before the Lord makes this Deed of Gift over to them Mark what follows You shall see all the Qualifications of Sanctification must not only follow Christ given but they are the very work of Christ himself after he is given I will give thee for a Covenant to open blind eyes Now altho' the end of things be first in the Intention yet it is the last in Execution If a Workman be to build an House the Work must be prepared before the House can be builded by him Calv. I think Mr. Antinomian you have said enough to vindicate yourself
e. Sin when it appears as it is it 's Death and Condemnation in the Conscience So the Word brought thus by the Spirit into the Heart the Soul is freed from Condemnation it thereby hath Life he believes to the saving of the Soul And can this be denied to be good Faith and true Faith and all the Essence of our Divine Faith it being the believing of the Word so as to close with it and receive it according to the Nature and End of it The Apostle Heb. 11.1 describes Faith by two Words Marvellous Significent in our Sence by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud quo subsistunt Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasio Syr. It notes Confidence or Presence of Mind without fear So Polyb. It 's rendred Confident or confident Perswasion 2 Cor. 9.4 ch 11.17 and Heb. 3 14. where it signifies and is rendred Confident Perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Subsistance The Word is besides used concerning the Person of the Father Heb. 1.3 where Christ is said to be the Character of the Father's Hypostacy we read it Personality So here Faith is said to Personate the Truth or to be the Image of it as it were in the Heart or rather things hoped for it makes them as it were present ecchoing them in the Heart the Eccho speaking the same things the Voice doth and he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evidence or rather Demonstration of things not seen it takes up a Demonstration from God's Authority not from Sence or Reason Here Argumentum Inartific Divine Testimony is of greater Force than any Artificial Arguments can be There is also another Word whereby Faith is express'd and it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasio plena certioratio Stev It 's said of Abraham He was strong in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasae Intelligentiae Stev And what was his strength of Faith It was his Fulness of Perswasion or Confidence ver 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was fully perswaded of what God had promised The Word is used for Faith Col. 2.2 To all riches of the full assurance of understanding Denoting that Faith is primarily an Act of the Understanding this Word is often used for it 1 Thess 1.5 Heb. 6.11 10.22 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for plenam fidem vel persuasionem habeo Luke 1.1 Rom. 14.5 The very Greek Word for Perswasion is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.5 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am perswaded i. e. Do believe that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life c. i. e. This was his strong Faith Rom. 14.14 I am perswaded in the Lord Jesus that there 's nothing unclean of it self This was his Faith I will but name one place more Heb. 11.13 it 's said of those eminent Believers mentioned in that Chapter That they received not the Promises in the fulfilling of them by performance but saw them afar off and being perswaded of them saluted them in their own Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calvin You must own Saving Faith to be a Saving Perswasion you see or else you must deny the Scriptures and according to the Weakness and Strength of Perswasion we account our Faith is weaker or stronger yet hath it's Forma Differentia from its proper Adjuncts and Object Neonom When he puts a Man to examine his Faith he hath these Words D. W. p. 73. How do I know I believe in Christ He answers Do I rest my Heart upon his Truth Do I receive it as a Truth that I do believe Or do I reject it and will not receive it Then I do not believe it But if thou sit down and rest upon this Truth and receive it and do in reality believe it then you may absolutely conclude Christ is yours D. C. p. 107. Antinom I am sorry to see that you should have such an Aversion to these things I was preaching from Isa 42.6 7. and shewing how Christ receiveth Sinners as Sinners he never shuts out one of those Thousands that come upon the Tender of the Gospel Dr. C. p. 107. and if there be no Example of any shut out in the whole Scripture from whence fetch you that bitterness of your own Spirit that you may not that you dare not close with Christ But you will say If this taking Christ be the best Security how shall I know whether I believe or no Or how shall I know that this my taking is not counterfeit but solid and real Answ I answer by the reality of the thing Do you it indeed If you do it indeed it 's a real taking Do you not bid Men believe sincerely and indeed If a Man should ask you How do you know the Sun shines The light of the Sun doth shew it self and by it's light we know it shines How shall I know I believe There is a light in Faith that doth discover it self unto Men. The Soul that doth really close with Christ may conclude he doth so If you give 6 d. to a poor man and you say to him How do you know I have given you 6 d He will answer I have it in my Hand and feel I have it So ask your Hearts this Question How do I know I believe in Christ Do I rest my Heart upon this Truth Do I receive it as a Truth c Calvin What can you Mr. Neonomian with any face except against this Doctrine Doth not the Apostle say 1 John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son hath a witness in himself Is there any clearer Evidence of an Action than the doing it Ask a Man how he knows he can eat saith he I do eat I do taste and swallow what I eat So that Instance of the Sun shining which he gives there 's no doubt but the first Evidence the Soul hath is in Believing it self tho he tries his Faith by it's Fruits also and receives Evidence therefrom Is not Faith illustrated in Scripture by all our Senses Hearing Tasting Smelling Feeling or Touching Seeing And is there not Perception in the Exercise of all the Senses And how shall I know better that I do exercise them than by perceiving their Objects which is a Witness an Evidence a Demonstration to my self above all others that it is so The Natural Man indeed receiveth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the Spirit by Faith 1 Cor. 2.14 and therefore they are foolishness to him But the Spiritual Man doth i. e. by Faith Neonom He says If the Lord give to any to believe this Truth D. W. p. 74. Dr. C. p. 296. that it is his