first before you undertake to be a Corrector of others it 's not worth our time to attend your Amendments Neonom Let me only tell you what those Divines in the Preface to Mr. Flavel 's Book against Antinomianism which they approve of inform us That to say Salvation is not the end of any good Work we can't and we are to act from Life and not for Life were to abandon the humane Nature Antinom I suppose you quote your Authority the rather because that you think the Preface was drawn up to expiate for a Fault some of them had committed and was well school'd for But I pray let us a little examine whether those Gentlemen be not mistaken in denying that Position That we are not to act for Life but from Life For the first part I am mistaken if they will deny That all Gospel-acting is from Life In natural things Life is always presupposed to all Motion and Acting A dead thing cannot nor is expected to move and act As in the natural Man so in the Spiritual and as he must have Life so he must be alive unto God in Christ that acts he must act from him by vertue of him through the Power and Influence of his Grace through the Operation of his Spirit from Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and knows there 's no acceptable Duties or Graces but to be acted from Life as the Fountain and Spring of them and indeed the first Adam acted from Life I pray make a thing act if you can that hath not Life to act from 2. As for acting for Life the true meaning ought to be adjusted That Life should be our End and Aim is not to be doubted according to a right Understanding of it Christ propounds himself as Life unto poor Sinners and saith I am the Resurrection and the Life And so he is the Life unto a Believer He that hath the Son hath Life Now it must be understood when we speak of Working for Life we speak of a considerate sedate regular Acting and Working Not Acting and Working as one that is scared and affrighted with the danger of Life death lying inevitably to his Apprehension before him not as scrambling to save himself in the Water from drowning Now a poor Sinner awakened under the Law and seeing a little Glimpse of Gospel-hope through Grace shining into his Heart it may be bestirs himself with all his might and ascribes much to every Duty he doth But we speak here of what the true Spirit and Disposition of a Christian is he ought to arrive at by Faith the Question is Whether he works for Life A. I say He doth and he doth not 1. He makes Life his subordinate Aim and End But 1. He that hath Christ by Faith doth not work as if he had not Christ already 2. He doth not work for Life so as to entitle himself unto Life some work for this end as if he had not Life already He sees by Faith that he is Christ's and that all things are his whether Life or whether things present or to come 3. He doth not work for Life so far as to think thereby to keep himself alive or maintain himself in a Covenant-state so as by his Works to continue his Justification any more than to get it at first 4. He doth not work for Life in a way of remunerative Justice no not for the continuance of Life in a way of Remuneration For indeed herein lies only the difference between a Legal and Gospel-Spirit If the Spirit that acted the first Adam before the Fall I speak not of a Legal Spirit since the Fall and the true Spirit of a Believer in Christ be compared together for Adam then acted from Life already given he acted not as having no Life but acted for the continuance of Life upon the account of the working Conditions enjoyned and expected Life by way of Remuneration i. e. the continuation of Life Now such working for Life as this we must reject and such is intended when-ever we say we must not work for Life It 's not to be understood as if the Spiritual Man had not a sanctified rational End in all his Actings which we say is for the Glory of God in Free Grace for Christ in whom his Life is he acts from the Life that is in Christ and he is carried forth to it and in it He is created in Christ Jesus to good Works that he should walk in them looking unto Jesus Heb. 12. And looking upon all things as his in Christ his Business is to live unto Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 31. ch 3.22 23. To me saith Paul to live is Christ and to die is gain i. e. I shall come to a further Enjoyment of Christ Theology is defined to be the Doctrine of living unto God so that in living unto God and to God in Christ a Christian hath all things that appertain to Life and Godliness through the knowledge of God our Saviour 2 Pet. 1.3 Christ is our Alpha and Omega of him and through him and to him are all things to him be Glory for ever and eaer Rom. 11.36 Now what need all this great ado about working for Life shewing the danger of this Doctrine that it teacheth to abandon Nature and supposeth us to do no more than other Men and it makes all Motives useless c. Whereas if Men will not have perverse Minds they must own and acknowledge the same things that they oppose unless they will deny their own Reason But when a Spirit of Contradiction prevails there is nothing but Quirks Sophisms and Equivocations can take place with Men. And notwithstanding all your Noise and Authority to work for Life in the true Sence it is to act as by and under a Covenant of Works it 's to work for Life as Wages and to gain a Right and Title thereby and such a Principle will abandon the Grace of the Gospel It will teach to violate all the Precepts and Principles of the Gospel it will elude all the Promises and lay a Man under the full Rigour of the Law and will never be any effective Motive to acceptable Duty It is a Fault it self that lies under the blackest Mark and of as dangerous Consequence as any the Gospel cautions us against and warns to take heed of seeking the establishing our own Righteousness That true Gospel Discourse of Worthy Mr. Vink at the Morning-Lecture will tell you better things on 2 Tim. 2.19 wherein he shews That Gospel Grace is the best Motive to Holiness He saith Our business is to enquire after what we propound in our Obedience If it be to expiate for my past Offences or to merit undeserved Favours it must needs be abominable in the sight of God being the highest act of Pride or Presumption that can be imagined let our Works be what they will though the best are but filthy Rags if they be offered unto God by way of Barter or Exchange they
it be not an imperfect Covenant that hath an imperfect Condition 2. It 's not in the least meritorious of the Benefits conferred by no means i. e. by any Intrinsick Value and Worth either adequate to or excelling the Benefits received No your meaning is what you have for it is well worth your Money it 's a good Bargain But by your Favour every Foederal Condition is ex pacto meritorious so that you may challenge your Bargain upon Performance if it be but 20 Guineas to purchase an 100 l. per Annum So that we have only your Word for it that it 's not meritorious when it 's so in reality the nature of the thing speaks it to the Understanding of all Men of Sence No no do not think to wheedle Christ out of his Merits and God out of the Honour of his Free-Grace and us out of the comfort of both 3. You say it 's not performed in our Natural Strength No and yet a condition of Covenant made with Man A most unreasonable thing to require a Condition of a Covenant of one that we know hath no strength to perform it If a rich Man should offer an Estate of 1000 l. a year to a poor Man that he knew was not worth a Groat provided he fetched him Twenty Pound of his own Money this Act would be reckoned a mocking and ridiculing this poor Wretch God did not require that small Condition of Adam but that he actually had natural Strength to perform it You will say God will give him Ability to perform so he did to Adam previous to the Covenant As the rich Man tells the poor I will give thee 20 l. to pay me for my Estate he 'll say Well Sir when you give it me I will then bargain with you and when I have it though you gave it me I shall reckon it mine as much as if I had raised it my self or another had given and if we bargain I shall expect to have my Bargain upon this condition Though it 's a good Bargain yet it 's a Bargain and whatever I have of you is Debt I can sue for it as purchased by me saith the poor Man Now see how well qualified this Condition is no no believe it God makes no such lame Bargains as these Yet you say according to the Constitution of the Covenant it is required of us in order to the Blessings consequent thereupon by vertue of the Promise This I must confess is an Orthodox Paradox indeed What mean you by the Constitution of the Covenant Is it not as other Covenants by the Constitution of your Scheme Is it not by a Condition and Promise And is not this Condition performed Foederale Meritum And is not Do this and Live Ordo foederalis and the Blessings consequent ex pacto and therefore Debt Think not to beat us out of our Senses that the Blessings of a Covenant are only à consequentia Ordinis vel posterioritatis As one Man follows another in a narrow Path or Ordine Naturae as a Son is after a Father But here it is in Ordine ad Virtute pacti in order to a Foederal Right and Challenge of the Benefits as a due Debt But how do you understand that Clause By vertue of the Promise Neonom It 's from God's Will in the Promise that they are made to be Conditions He connected the Benefit and the Duty though he chose those Conditions that were fit yet their fitness would not have availed to our Interest in the Benefits unless he had promised that they should avail A Penitent Believer had not been saved but for the Promise though it 's unlik◠a God to have saved any that were not such D. W. p. 55. Antinom Wherefore God's Will in the Promise Are not the Promise and the Conditions both equally willed by God Is God's Will in the Promise any thing besides that Will of God that is in the Condition The plain Truth is this is a puzzling Doctrine God's Will in the Promise that makes Conditions But how You tell us he connected Benefit and Duty But in what manner For he connected Benefit and Duty in the Covenant of Works and it was as much God's Will in the Promise as you can pretend to if I understand the Riddle But you say he chose fit Conditions It was fit God should choose his Conditions and it became his Wisdom and Power to make fit Conditions But imperfect lame sinful Conditions of a Covenant do not become a holy and perfect God to choose to cast away perfect Conditions and take Imperfect in their room But though God chose fit Conditions yet they would not have availed sufficient you reckon but not efficient God's choice of Persons or things in your Sence makes them not certainly future yet we find that many things that God hath chosen do avail to attain the End to which he chose them tho' there be no Promise of their availing But it seems God makes a Covenant with Man and is fain to enter into Bond for Man's Performance of the Condition and perform them himself at last in giving the first Grace But what indeed should be the true English after all this Splutter about a Condition It 's but a little thing wrapt up in the Promise and is ours by vertue of Promise So that at last our conditional Covenant is become Absolute for we have the Duty as well as the Benefit by Promise The Penitent Believer hath his Faith and Repentance as a part of eternal Life given to him by Promise Neonom And consequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in this Order are and must be suspended by the Donor or Disposer of them till it be performed and such a condition we affirm Faith to be Antinom And a fine business you have made of it And consequently i. e. Foederally for it 's no otherwise consequently There must be a Suspension of the granted Benefits not by the Donor that 's improper but by the Bargainer And how long Till he is pleased to give the Man Money to make the Purchase with And is not this Reason if he be to find the Money And is it any Fault in the poor Man that he doth not make the Purchase when he that should sell him the Estate hath all the Purchase-money in his Hands You bid poor Sinners come and buy and you say not with the Prophet without money and price but you must have such a parcel of Mony to do it with which Money is in God's Hands They will tell you when God gives us the Money we will buy and till then it 's not our Fault He is a hard Master if he looks to reap where he sowed not Neonom These Conditions are our Duty by God's Command and no less so by being made Terms of the Benefit in the Divine Grant D. W. p. 55. Antinom It seems you make more Conditions than one we shall meet with them by and by 2. You make the Covenant
in I will write it they shall be my People Shall here is a Word of Power And it follows They shall not teach every one his Neighbour for they shall know me How By their own Study and Industry No. See John 6.45 The Condition of knowing the Lord is to be performed by the Lord They shall be all taught of God Observe also the larger Expression of the Covenant Ezek. 36.25 c. Obj. If all lies on God's part and Man must do nothing then all his Life-time he may live as he list Answ You must make a difference between doing any thing in reference to the Covenant as a Condition thereof and in doing something in reference to Duty and Service to God who freely enters into Covenant with you I say only in way of Condition of the Covenant you must do nothing Calvin You see Mr. Neonom he doth not deny Duties to belong to this Covenant and Duties to be performed under the highest Obligation of God's free and bountiful Acting towards us in this Covenant but he speaks against your Principium modus agendi that we are not to perform these Duties in a mercenary way as if we were thereby Obtainers of the Benefits by Foederal Conditionality which way of Performance brings us under a Covenant of Works but we are to do all as such who receive both to will and to do by vertue of the Covenant and as the Effects thereof and I am very much mistasten if this be not Gospel-Truth Neonom But he saith in Answer to an Objection D.W. p. 60 I must needs tell you directly That Faith is not the Condition of the Covenant Dr. C. 84. Antinom I did say so and say so still Obj. But you will say He that believes shall be saved he that believes not shall be damned Is not Faith therefore the Condition of the Covenant Answ There is no Person under Heaven shall be saved till he hath believed this I grant yet this will not make Faith a Condition of the Covenant Faith as an Act is our Act and our Act of believing is a Work but it doth not depend upon a Work For the Apostle saith To him that justifies the ungodly Thus far to satisfie you from what I discoursed Now I tell you further that the Proposition He that believes shall be saved denotes no more than the necessary Connexion of Faith and Salvation by vertue of the Promise viz. Of one Gift of the Promise to another the Lord making many of the Gifts or Duties from a Covenant-Principle not upon Terms of foederal Conditionality on our part but that all is to be done by vertue of and flowing from the Promise of Eternal Life whereof Faith it self and the lively Fruits thereof are parts as well as Glory it self and all Eternal Life is in one Promise though not bestowed together but the several Gifts thereof have Conditionem Ordinis i. e. Prioritatis Posterioritatis conditiones relativas inter se But none of these Gifts are Foederal Conditions one of another but all alike belong to the Promissory part Grace as well as Glory Neonom But you say That after we are in Covenant with God he will bestow these things upon us as Effects and that the Covenant in the actual Substance of it is made good to a Man before he can do any thing Dr. C. p. 81. 83. Calvin Great Truths for without Christ we can do nothing therefore Christ the Substance of the Covenant must be given to us first or else Christ himself hath not spoken Truth Neonom I will shew you now how far I agree with you in this point and then it will the better appear where the difference lies 1. The Question is not Whether God hath promised and Christ engaged in the Covenant of Redemption that the Elect shall believe and possess Christ c. This I affirm Antinom Then you own a Covenant between the Father and the Son and the Promise of it was Christ and all his Benefits This one Assertion lays the Covenant of Grace higher than it 's possible that you or I can reach by our Conditions only you would not have this the Covenant of Grace though it contains all Grace but a Covenant of Redemption contradistinct to the Covenant of Grace which is most absurd For what is Redemption but rich Grace God hath accepted us in the beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of Sins according to the riches of his Grace wherein he hath abounded toward us in all Wisdom and Prudence having made known unto us the mystery of his Will Eph. 1.6 7 8 9. This Mystery of his Will is the Covenant of Grace which I can easily also evince made manifest by the appearing of Jesus Christ and working out our Redemption and by the Preaching thereof 1 Tim. 1.10 11. Neonom Neither is there any Question Whether there be any Duty on Man's part as a Condition of Christ's Vndertaking or of the certainty of the things undertaken in that Covenant This I deny Antinom Then you deny all Conditions of ours as required in the Covenant of Redemption as you call it Call it then but the Covenant of Grace as it is and the Assembly call it and then you say as we do in that Point Neonom Nor whether the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace be performed in our own strength or be uncertain as to the Elect. This I deny D. W. p. 61. Antinom Then this Performance by Divine strength and certainty is founded on Promise and if so is the Gift of God and thence it 's frivolous to talk of Conditions to be performed on our part God doth not give his Gifts to us to make Purchase with and rob his Free Grace and his Son of the Honour due to them Neonom Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions move God to enact offer or appoint this Covenant whereby the Grace of Christ is applyed This I deny Antinom What mean you by enacting or appointing this Covenant If you mean your Law of Imperfection we know no such Covenant of God ever enacted or appointed Neonom Yea I add That God enacted this Covenant before we were born and offers an interest in it on it's proper terms to men when Sinners Antinom Then the Covenant was an Eternal Covenant or at least the compleating of it did not depend upon our coming in with our personal foederal Conditions But I do not grant that your Covenant of Imperfection was ever so enacted And 2. You say offers an Interest in it to Men when Sinners Now our Covenant of Redemption and Grace come to be all one All that remains to be done is to bring Sinners to a participating Interest in it Undoubtedly when the Covenant was enacted it was provided that Sinners should have a free unconditional participation of it for the Infinite Wise God knew Sinners would be so poor and wretched that they would have no Condition Money and
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
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
for Salvation is the Genus both of Justification Sanctification and Glory And in the same kind as you make Faith and Repentance necessary to Justification so you may make your Sincerity and Perseverance You do but tire out your selves and us in an ambiguous Word in which you would not have us know your meaning but he must and cannot be mistaken in it Neonom He hath as well promised Heaven to the Godly Man as Pardon to the Believer Antinom As if a Believer were not a Godly Man and Heaven were not promised to him A Believer is a Godly Man and the Promise of all things that appertain to Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called him to Glory and Vertue Glory and Vertue are promised to him 2 Pet. 1.3 Neonom And our Perseverance in Holiness and Obedience is as truly our way to Glory as the Scriptures can describe Antinom It 's one thing to be a way in the Covenant-state and another thing to be a way to it Salvation hath it's ways of Degrees in it Sanctification is but a degree of Glorification When we are changed into the Image of Christ it 's from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 Neonom Nothing of these merit Heaven but he that merited Heaven hath peremptorily appointed these to bring us thither Heb. 6.10 11 12. Antinom He that merited the End hath merited the Means and the means to work in such a way as shall not rob him of the Honour of his Merits He hath not merited that we should deserve but he must have the Honour of all our Salvation The things spoken of Heb. 6.10 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended in Salvation He spake of false-hearted Professors before now he was perswaded better things of them that to them true Salvation did belong and that through Grace that bringeth Salvation they had truth of Faith and Love to his Name which they shewed in their Love to his Saints and therefore encourageth them in the Stability of the Promises from the Truth and Justice of God that made them and that they should not fail of all in God's Order and therefore exhorts them to full Assurance of Hope that God who gave Grace will give Glory and will with-hold no good thing and therefore encourageth to persist in Faith and Hope and the true Fruits thereof from the Grace of God they had received and the stability thereof as he exhorts to the Practice of Christian Duties Heb. 13.1 2 3 4 5. and Ver. 5. For he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper Is not this Salvation And that there 's Rewards in Grace it 's not denyed but they are all to Christ and his Members not upon the attaining of Conditionating Qualifications And we deny not but the Lord Jesus exhorts to Labour and Diligence and Perseverance and rebukes Slothfulness and all these are Benefits for so I call all Covenant Duties that are connext to Promises but all within the Covenant The obtaining a Covenant-state or continuance in it is not to be ascribed to them but they are to be assigned to our Salvation and to the Fulness Perpetuity and Permanency of the Covenant Neonom Christ declares in the Gospel they shall miss of Heaven and Eternally perish who are Apostates Vngodly Disobedient and Vnprofitable This is not the Doom of the Law D. W. p. 138. Antinom That 's false doth not the Spirit of God say in the Gospel The Law is made for the Lawless and Disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 and that it dooms whatever thing is contrary to Sound Doctrine Denunciations against Sin and Sinners in the Gospel is but telling the Sence and Judgment of the Law The Gospel qua talis cannot doom any to Death it being only the offer of a Remedy those that embrace it not it leaves them as it found them it found them dead and so it leaves them and their further penalty is from the Law of being more inexcuseable for their rejecting the Remedy and saith to them How will he escape that neglects so great Salvation i. e. How will they escape that Condemnation that they are under already Neonom It 's not against every imperfect degree of Godliness but Vngodliness It 's not every defect of Obedience but Disobedience not against every neglect of Fruitfulness but such as argues a dead and barren State Antinom These are such as are under the Law and whatever the Word of God saith to them it 's the Law denouncing their Doom and by your own Doctrine they are not come into the Bounds of a Gospel-Covenant having not performed the Conditions of sincere Obedience On the other hand you own that these Dooms and Threatnings do not belong to those in Covenant tho' they have Sins and Failings and Falls yet the Gospel doth not doom them nor the Threats belong to them because the Gospel admits imperfect and sinful Obedience But the Law condemns the least Sin even in God's Children and the Gospel admits of no Sin nor approves of it but is to save us from it Neonom Art thou so unskilful in the Word as not to remember Heb. 10.38 39 If any Man draw back Is this a Threatning or not Is it not true of all Persons Do not say the Elect Believer will not fall away I think the same But yet is it the less true that even he shall perish if he fall away Antinom I wish you and I were more skilful in the Word than we are Will you have such Expressions as these to be part of the Covenant of Grace which are Sentences of Death to Hypocrites and Unbelievers Christ will send away many such at the last Day with I know you not depart from me c. Will you say that will be preaching the Gospel to them and giving them a Law of Grace No no when Christ judgeth as Judge of all the World he will judge but by one Law under which those will fall who have not obeyed the Gospel though their Punishment will be the more higthned in that they have refused the Remedy There are many things in the Scripture as Declarations of Truths of one kind or another Description of Persons Histories Miracles c. Discriminations of Persons and Things which are not to be reckoned the Essentials of the Covenant of Grace but for the Bene esse of it the Usefulness and Advantage of those to whom it doth belong If we make every Work in the Scripture spoken of to be a Condition of the Covenant of Grace we shall not tell where to find it Neonom Salvation is promised to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.7 Antinom Perseverance is Salvation and in the Promise is an Assurance of the Connexion of all Salvation one part to another for every one that is saved is saved with all Salvation and it 's an Encouragement and Motive to the Saints to hold on their
Forgiveness It was not expressed no more was the Admittance of a Surety But if God had intended the Salvation of Man by a Law of Works this might have been admitted When once a Transgressor is sentenced by the Law he falls into the Hands of Prerogative and the Prince may do with him what he pleaseth God also might have put Repentance into the Conditions of the Law of Works at first and said If thou dost not eat or repent of thy eating thou shalt have thy Reward But God never intended to accept Repentance as a Foederal Condition of any Covenant whatever nor no other Imperfect Obedience There was never but one Law of Works and to fulfilling it he always stood upon perfect sinless Obedience Neonom Vpon the Fall Life is impossible by the Law with this Sanction Antinom Yea or by any Law whatsoever with this Sanction Neonom And hence to preach it to Sinners as a way to Blessedness is sinful and vain and no saving Benefit is dispensed to any of us by this Rule Antinom To preach any Law to Sinners as a way to Blessedness in this forementioned Sence of a Law is sinful and vain and no saving Benefit is dispensed to any of us by such a Rule Therefore the preaching a new Law is as sinful and vain Neonom The Gospel includes the Moral Preceptive part of the first Law with some additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate State As Faith in an attoning Saviour and Repentance for Sin these could not be injoyned as Duties upon innocent Man by a Rule of Happiness and Misery Nor could they be necessary to his Right to Life because they would suppose him a Sinner Antinom 1. I deny that the Gospel takes in or includes any Moral Preceptive part of the Law as a Rule of Happiness and Misery with Sanction as a Foederal Condition nor any Additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate state as Faith and Repentance For it were vain to set up such a Law seeing a Law of Works proved fruitless to Man in his perfect State it 's much more likely to be of none effect we being now a Thousand times more unable to perform the old Law or a new one with Additional Precepts And it becomes not the Wisdom of God to make a Law to enjoyn new Obedience to dead Men unless he makes them alive first Moreover all the Preceptive Will of God then or afterward to be revealed was enjoyned to Man as his Duty to observe in the Law of Nature imprinted on his Heart As for Faith it was an eminent part of his Perfection and that which the Serpent first wounded him in by Temptation Repentance also is an included Duty required in every Command of God upon a Supposal of a Transgression but that Repentance or any Duties are enjoyned as a Rule of Happiness and Misery if I understand your Rule aright viz. A Foederal Condition giving Right as such since the Fall I utterly deny and the rather because any such Duties suppose him a Sinner as will be very easily made appear when need requires Neonom The Gospel is taken in a large Sence when I say it includes all the Moral Precepts But yet the Gospel doth so and they are the Commands of Christ as Redeemer to whom all Judgment is committed as well as the Law of the Creator Antinom In your Sence it 's taken in so large a Sence as to make it Gospel is Nonsence If it takes in all Moral Precepts as Foederal Conditions that 's your Sence then it sets up the Old Law again only new vamps it with some Additional Precepts You have the Old Law you say and a great deal more the Precepts of Faith and Repentance which are a Thousand Times more hard to perform by Man in his Apostate State than ever a hundred Laws would have been to Adam in his Innocency Now here is in your new Law brought in not only all the Precepts of the Old Law for Condition but the difficult Task of a Blackamore's changing his Skin and a Leopard his Spots before the Sinner hath the Benefit of the Promise so much as in any taste of pardoning Mercy which you make when he hath it the Foederal Reward for so it must be of his Conformity to the Rule 2. Christ our Redeemer gives Commands and exerts a Kingly Power in Government of his Church and hath Judgment committed to him but these are not of the Gospel Conditions of Life unto Sinners propounded in the Gospel God doth not require Obedience to the Laws of Christ in his Church as Foediral Conditions of Eternal Life Such Obedience is part of the Life promised There is the Essence of the Gospel and the Effects of the Gospel The Essence of the Gospel is altogether Promise and Free Gift the Effects of the Gospel is every Priviledge and Blessing and the Production of all Good Fruits in Service and Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ 3. It 's true all Judgment is committed to Christ as his Reward but all that Judgment is not the Gospel viz. Whenever Christ is found in a way of Judgment to destroy not to save So the Word Preached where it proves a Savour unto Death it 's not Gospel to such in the Event 4. You say they are the Laws of a Redeemer as well as the Laws of a Creator It 's true Christ is Creator But is the Gospel a Revival of his Law as Creator in a way of Redemption If you mean so then the Ministry of the New Testament is the same to us with the Ministry of Death and Condemnation contrary to 2 Cor. 3.7 9. Neonom 3. The Gospel hath another Sanction to the preceptive part of the Law than the Covenant of Works had Antinom This is a strange Assertion For there was never any Law of God with Sanction but it was always the same Suppose that your new Law were a Reality and not a Fiction of Mens Brains as it is can there be any other Sanction than what was annex'd to the old is it not a Promise of Life upon the Condition of performing Obedience and a Denunciation of Death to the Non-performers What other Sanction have you or can you pretend to besides this Neonom Though nothing be abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty yet Blessings are promised to lower Degrees of Duty Antinom The Change you pretend to therefore is not in the Sanction but in the Condition the preceptive part or the Obedience to it required your Sanction still remains of Life or Death as in the first Covenant of Works But see how well your Scheme hangs together You say there 's nothing abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty 1. I never thought God gave a Rule of Sin therefore that 's mighty improper but let it be a Rule to judge of Sin by 2. You say There 's nothing abated of the Rule of Sin and Duty therefore nothing abated in the conditionary preceptive part of the Law And there
Active or Passive Obedience but Christ hath performed it in his very Righteousness when he was in his state of Humiliation what was done was done then the Effects were afterwards in his Exaltation Arg. 4. That which is pleaded in Prayer by us for Forgiveness and ought to be is Imputed to us but the very Righteousness of Christ is pleaded by us this is the sake of Christ for which we ask of God pardon of Sin we have nothing to do to plead that Righteousness which is not accounted to us There 's none of us pleads our own Righteousness but the very Righteousness of Christ Arg. 5. That Righteousness upon which a Sinner hath peace with God is the Righteousness reckoned to us for Justification but Christs very Righteousness is that by which we have peace with God Eph. 2.13 15. and Peace of Conscience Heb. 9.14 c. 1. beg Rev. 1.5 Arg. 6. Christ could not be said to be Jehovah our Righteousness if his very Righteousness were not Imputed to us but only the Effects Jer. 23.6 And upon what is it grounded that the Church is named as it is in Chap. 33.16 but upon Christ's Imputed Righteousness Arg. 7. I might add that Argument which others have urged that as the Sin of the first Adam was Imputed to his Seed so the Righteousness of the second to his Seed See Rom. 5. But it 's easie to prove the Sin of Adam was Imputed to all his Posterity he being a publick Person and all we in his Loins if Mr. Neonomian deny this we will go upon the proof of it another time It behoveth him to bear the Punishment and Wrath of God not for his own Person but for our Persons and so making a happy Change with us he took upon him our sinful Person and gave unto us his Innocent and Victorious Person wherewith we being now cloathed are freed from the Curse of the Law Luth. on Gal. 3.14 Christ's Mediation was a Redeeming Mediation he must give himself for a Ransom or Counterprize 1. The price is a standing price that the Law requires without the least Variation or Abatement 2. There must be an Exchange betwixt the Mediator and us he must be a Counterpane standing in our room or stead 1 Tim. 2.6 3. There must be an Exchange of Person for Person which is the surest Exchange in War or Captivity when nothing but one Person will be taken in the room of another no Gifts or Rewards could unbind the Infinite Justice of God 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14.4 There must not only be Person for Person but like for like 1. In Nature one of an Inferiour or Superiour Nature would not do Heb. 2.16 Phil. 2.7 2. There must be an Exchange of State for State Phil. 2.7 2 Cor. 8.9 Isa 53. 3 4. Mat. 20.28 Gal. 3.13 Mr. Stone of New Eng. Neonom You seem to speak as if Christ's Holiness were Imputed to us and that we are perfectly Holy Antinom You know I told you it may follow from your Doctrine viz. Imputation of Sanctification as well as Justifying Righteousness because Sanctification is an Effect and Vertue of Christ's Mediation I shall now speak but a word to this Point viz. That our Life of Sanctification is in Christ we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and he is made of God to us Sanctification As we are Created in him so we live in him as to Holiness and we have a compleatness of Sanctification in him and though that fulness of Sanctification is not properly said to be communicated by Imputation as by derivation of Grace yet this Infused Grace arising into Duty and our Duties mingled with much Corruption must be covered by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ that they may be accepted as well as our Persons Dr. Horton on Rom. 8.3 understands the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ to be all that Holiness wherewith the living and quickning Spirit of God hath filled the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ which is the fulness of Sanctification in all Grace and Holiness Neonom Though Christ be perfectly holy yet his Holiness is not so imputed to us as that we are perfectly holy p. 46. You say we appear before God perfect in Holiness p. 428. Antinom You seem to imply as if Christ's Holiness were ours by Imputation so much as it is ours and therefore you insinuate as if there were such a thing as partial Imputation But we speak not any thing either of Christ's Holiness as so Sanctification by way of Imputation but of real Communication from him to us of which perfect Fulness we do receive by the new Creation in him and Grace received from him as Members from the Head in our measures by vertue of our mystical Union to him 2. I said Let me tell you if God had not laid the Iniquities of Men on Christ Dr. Cr. p. 428. there 's never a Soul had entred into Heaven For there 's no Refuge to fly to there 's no hope of drawing near to the everlasting Kingdom of Blessedness till the Lord Jesus cleanse you thoroughly from all Sinfulness and Filthiness and so you appear before God perfect in Holiness It is his white Rayment makes us worthy to walk with the Lamb in White he counsels the Church of Laodicea to buy of him White Rayment Now see now we are abused by you The Words you refer your Proof to doth relate to and is intended of the state of Glory that the Saints must be personally and perfectly holy before they can draw near to God in that full Fruition of him in the state of Blessedness in Heaven If there is any thing understood of the Saints Perfection in this Life it is not denyed but that their Graces and Duties are imperfect here as they come from and are acted by them and are mingled with much Sin and Pollution but their acceptation with God must be in a way of Perfection 1. In that Christ of whom we are Members and who is made unto us Sanctification as the Head of the Body the Roâ— and Fountain is perfect in Sanctification and we in him Col. 1.19 ch 2.10 2. That all the best Duties and Services as coming from us and performed by us being mingled with Sin and Corruption must be accepted in and through Christ and covered in his righteousness so that as they are presented unto God by our Advocate they come before him washed white in the Blood of the Lamb and persumed in his Incense Neonom God cannot account a sincere Christian perfectly holy The Vnion in Marriage doth not transferr habitual Qualifications from Husband to Wife Is a foolish Wife perfectly wise because her Husband is so It 's absurd Our restored Holiness is through the Operations of the Spirit and not by transfusion If the very Holiness of Christ's Persons be in us if increated then we are God's if created Holiness of Christ's Humane Nature be in us it must depart from him and cease to be in
former manner i. e. not between parties bearing a proportion to one another and therefore one bound in Duty or Relation to be subjected to the Will and Pleasure of the other Antecedently or fallen under the Breach of their Duty and Relative Obligation and so lying at his Mercy and such are the Covenants that are made between Parents and Children under Age Masters and Servants while in Service between Soveraign Princes in Actual Dominion and their Subjects Of these Covenants there are two sorts 1. A Covenant by way of Legislation or a Law Covenant And 2. A Covenant by way of Promise or free Obligation without Condition required to Entitle to the Promise the Spirit of God calls the first of these a Law and it 's properly so and the second a Covenant of Promise 6. A Law Covenant 1. Presupposeth these two things 1. Foedus minimè hic intelligitur reciprocum aut equale jus contrahendi propter partium inaequalitatem cum altera sit Deus altera homo creatura non est humani sed divini hujus foederis institutio dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legislatio Clopenberg de Foed Vet. A Soveraign Legislative Power duly lodged in the Law-giver or else his Law Covenant is but Vsurpation 2. A Power and Ability in the Subject to perform the Conditions his Law requireth or else the said Law is Vnreasonable Vnjust and Tyrannical 2dly It implies 1. That both the Condition and Sanction be at the will and pleasure of the said Soveraign Law-giver 2. That the first and natural end of the Law is Obedience to the preceptive part which Obedience is due first by a Relative Politick or Natural Relation of the Subject to the Legislator so antecedaneous to the Law and secondarily to that particular Law Obligation 3dly Consequently to this Obedience whether it be little or more there is an Entitling to the remunerative part of the Law if any expressed or implied and by vertue of the compact is a Reward and the said Obedience though infinitely disproportionable is meritorious But in case of Transgression the Sanction by way of Penalty takes place and is called the Wages of Sin such a Covenant as this was the Covenant of Works and it 's not to be supposed that this Law Covenant was grievous to Adam having a Concreated Perfection both of Ability to perform it and an absolute Delight in the whole revealed Mind and Will of God from the highest Principle of Love to God with all his Heart and Soul neither could his Obedience be without unwavering stedfast Faith wherein when he began to stagger his Fall began 7. Adam stood under this Law Covenant as under a Covenant of Works wherein he is to be considered and the Law it self 1. He himself under these Considerations 1. As Endowed with a Personal Perfection and lying under a particular obligation to Obedience both previous to and directly by that Law with Sanction which the Soveraign Creator brought him under 2. God brought not him only as a single private Person under this Obligation only but as a publick common Person the Head of all Mankind and he was not only the Covenant Representative but the Natural Fountain the whole Nature being in his Loins and therefore that first Covenant Breach of his threw the whole Nature out of Covenant the Law charging Transgression upon the whole Humane Nature and laying it under the sentence of Death Rom. 5. Hence his Sin is justly Imputed to all his Posterity the whole World becoming guilty before God besides that a Corrupted Nature which is propagated to all his Posterity 2dly The Law it self 1. The particular Command or rather Prohibition that Adam stood under had these things in it 1. It was but a small Branch of that Moral Obedience which God expected from him and put him upon tryal by but his breaking thereof in one point made him guilty of all God shewing thereby unto him and the World that no Condition could be accepted but perfect Obedience 2. He was not required to work out unto himself any further Grace than he had freely received but to persist in that and therefore the Duty incumbent upon him was perseverance in Grace 3. The particular Obedience required of him for his probation was very easie and small next to nothing negative and but with-holding his Hand from an Apple and bore no proportion as a Condition to the Promise of Eternal Life and therefore could never have merited in respect of the Value but would have been Meritorious by reason of Law compact 3. If he had persevered it must have been by Grace as his Ability was of Grace and so it is with the Angels that stand they have nothing but what they have received and therefore they are saved by Grace in a Covenant of Works 8. The Law by reason of the Fall of Man and God's Will to restore him by a Saviour is not Vacated and Abolished but remains the same still in the commanding Part and Sanction It requires Moral Obedience of Man as God's Creature and continues to condemn Man for the first Sin and all Sins derived from it both Original and Actual in Unregenerate and Regenerate the preceptive parts of it are Rules of Obedience to Redeemed Ones and the Sanction remains even to them in Christ Jesus the Law obtaining its compleat end as to Righteousness Active and Passive in the second Adam Besides this the Law that God governs the World by and will Judge it by at the last Day the Works of Wicked Men will be Condemned and their Persons for their Works the Saints shall be also Justified by their Works because their Persons and their Works are perfect in Christ Jesus they being in him shall be found perfect before God and there is no Condemnation belonging to them nor Sin to be laid unto their Charge Of a Covenant of Promise THere is a Covenant by way of free unconditional Obligation and that is where the Principal or Supream Covenanter binds himself to the Covenantee absolutely requiring no condition to be performed by the Covenantee before his performance of the Promise and in a sence this Covenant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a Covenant with the Stones of the Field that abide uncapable Subjects of Restipulation but it supposeth the Covenanters to be such as are by the Promise made capable and willing to restipulate and perform all Duties for matter and manner that may answer the design of the Covenant consequential to the bestowing of Promise in which their Obedience is contained 2. That God hath Covenanted thus with the Creature without requiring previous Conditions to the Performance of the Promise is not to be questioned such was that made with Noah Gen. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will i. e. alone and by my self set up and establish my Covenant with you without calling you forth to restipulate or perform Conditions and the Promise was that all Flesh
should not be cut off any more by the Waters of the Flood nor shall there be a Flood to destroy the Earth any more God laid Man under the performance of no condition to Entitle him to this Promise yea though he lay under a Forfeiture of all good things promised in the first Covenant and a Desert of all Calamity and Destruction and neither able or willing to enter into Covenant with God by the performance of any Duties yet God tyes himself that for that this kind of Destruction should no more come upon the Earth there was also the Covenant concerning the continuance of Day and Night and that the Seasons of the Year should be opportune regular and constant Gen. 8.22 To both these Covenants is the Covenant of Grace compared in respect of its Absoluteness and Perpetuity Isa 54.9 Jer. 33.25 The Promulgation thereof under the Old and New Testament are thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Covenants of Promise 3. Such a Covenant as this is a Testament which takes place among the most Entitling Covenants in the World The Apostle doth more than once speak of the Covenant of Grace by the Nature of a Testament which is the immutable purpose of God and suspendible upon no condition but as it were his last Will of bestowing Eternal Life upon the Elect which being built upon the unchangeable Counsel of God and hath its Sanction in the Death of Christ the Testator it can't be subverted by any Infidelity of the Elect neither it's firmness depend upon any Faith of man seeing in the said Covenant God hath provided unchangeably no less for their Faith than Salvation Wits de foed p. 195. whereby a Legacy is freely Bequeathed Entitling the Legatee to the Estate Bequeathed without any Duties or Conditions previous to the said Title by Bequeathment but the Estate Bequeathed by Will and Testament becomes due upon the Death of the Testator according to his free Constitution hence the Exhibition of the Covenant of Grace in the Old and New Dispensations are called Testaments because of their Absoluteness under whatever Vails of Conditions they seemed to be cloathed and because it was confirmed and become due by Death Typically under the Mosaical Dispensation by the Death of the Sacrifices but really by the Death of the Testator accomplished in the Gospel-Days And this was it's Sanction and the proper Sanction of a Testament 4. This Covenant is said to be absolute free and unconditional in respect of us that are saved by it because there was no Capacity Ability or Will in Man since the Fall to perform any Covenant-Conditions or Duties to God as such but he lay utterly condemned and dead in Sin All Salvation must come to him of Free Gift even Life whereby he might perform any vital Act for all Action is from Life and no Action can be before Life but must proceed from it Man in Innocency acted from Life in Innocency and that he should act before or without Life is most absurd to think or that in a state of Spiritual Death he should act for Life The natural Man can do neither before he can do any thing for God the Absolute Promise must be performed of giving him Resurrection from the Dead the new Birth the new Nature the new Heart So that the Covenant of Grace is considered as totally free and absolute as to the Tenure of and Performance relating unto Man in his lost and fallen estate and condition all the good contained in it relating to us by way of Promise and bestowed upon us by way of Free Gift even Faith and all Holiness Grace and Glory 5. But taking the Covenant of Grace or Promise in the full extent of it Foedus gratiae respectu Sponsoris magìs foederis notionem habet significationem pactum mutuae fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu nostri magis Testamenti rationem habet quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse Witsas p. 597. de Foedere it is a mixt Covenant a conditional and absolute a Covenant of express Compact between two stipulating Parties upon propounded Terms and a Covenant of Promise wherein God hath freely given us his Son and in him Life eternal It is therefore to be considered as it respects Christ and as it respects the Elect in him 6. As it respects Christ it carries the Nature of an express compleat Covenant of Works Sponsor Testamenti Christus vocatur Heb. 7.11 non eo precipuè nomine qui pro Deo promissis illius nobis spondet aut quia pro nobis spondet nos obedituros quemadmodum Moses Exod. 19.3.3 Quanto Christus major Mose tanto prestantiori modo sponsor fuit sponsio illius in eo consistet quod in sese recepit prestare conditionem illam citra quam salvâ Justitiâ Dei gratia promissiones ipsius ad nos non poterat pervenire quâ prestirâ omninò illae ad filios foederis perventurae erant Nisi ergo Christi sponsionem evacuare velimus Socinianis pessimis Scripturae perver soribus gratificari velimus necesse est foedus aliquod concipiamus cujus conditiones Châ—istus in se recepit spondendo apud parrem se eas pro nobis prestiturum quibus prestitis spondere nobis pro parre possit de gratiâ gloriâ infallibiliter nobis donandâ Herm. Witsus de Oeconomia Foed p. 104. and that in respect of the Party 's covenanting and the tenure of the said Covenant The Party 's covenanting was the Father and the Son God the Father proposing and God the Son accepting the Terms Here the Parties Contrahentes or Confederantes were equal Phil. 2. and had equal freedom of accepting or refusing the Terms hence the Agreement was Mutual and Reciprocal The Tenure of the Covenant was Express Conditions and Promises upon the performance of them by Reward in a way of Remunerative Justice Isa 53. The Conditions were of the highest Nature 1. To satisfie offended Justice on the behalf of the Elect looked upon as fallen by the Transgression of the Law Covenant in the first Adam and to be the end of the Law for all Righteousness both Active and Passive to all them that should believe 2. That the Condition performed by Christ should not only be Meritorious Virtute compacti as therefore Adam's should have been but that they should be adequately so they bearing an equality to and with the Eternal Life promised by reason of the Transcendent Excellency of the Person and the performances And herein he became and stands the Middle Person or Mediator betwixt God and Man and hence as he was the Covenanting Head and Representative of the Elect so he undertook to be and was the Foederal Condition in what he was and what he did and to him as such was all the Promises primarily made and in him performed all being Yea and Amen in him and hence he became the Fundamental Promise the Father giving us his Son and Eternal Life
this vailed Ministration but look'd thorough the Vail by Faith for the Law-deliverance at Mount Sinai did not or could not disannull it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Covenant or Testament fore-ratifyed by God unto Christ Thus far we do in some measure agree Neonom But the Point before us is to know who this Israel and Judah be 1. They are either the Natural Jews to be alive in those days which this Promise refers to 2. Or to true Believers who are inwardly Israel Rom. 9.6 If it terminate in the Natural Jews it 's a strong Text for the Conversion of the Jews for the most part by an immediate Influence Antinom Those days are the days of the Gospel-ministration and it 's plain the Spirit of God referrs to the Jews that then lived The Apostle wrote to the Hebrews and his Design was to take them from the Mount Sinai Ministration which they were most fond of He tells them That now the days were come which the Prophet spake of and therefore this is but shuffling with the Texts as if the time of fulfilling this Promise was not yet come when the Spirit of God gives us so clearly to understand when this Prophecy was accomplished ver 6. having given us an Account of the Ministry of the Old Sanctuary that then the Priests did serve the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do service or minister by way of Similitude and Shadow whereby they understood that they were not to last but till a better Ministry ensued And ver 6. he saith But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also as he is the Mediator of a better Covenant And this is the time at the Appearance of this Mediator and his fulfilling all Righteousness that there should be this clear unvailed Dispensation of the Promise Not but God did thus unconditionally save them before but now they should understand the true Ground Principle and Use of Gospel-Services and Duties And here 's all absolute God forgives their Iniquity and writes his Law in their Hearts where all is absolute and free without mentioning any condition though you would fain hook them in any way by Head and Shoulders but you labour in vain Neonom If they be true Believers inward Israel Rom. 2.9 then there is Faith in such who are the Parties with whom God makes this Covenant c. D. W. p. 68. Antinom We shewed you it 's meant first of the professed Jews in those days out of which God would take a true Israel by vertue of this Promise And when-ever they that were blinded should be converted and turn to the Lord it should be so and this way they should come to be Believers for giving the New Heart and writing the Law there is making them Believers How absurdly do you talk of making Believers first and then taking them into Covenant As if making Men Believers and giving them new Hearts were not taking them into Covenant This is from your Principle That there 's no Promise of giving Pardon or Salvation to meer Sinners and Unbelievers which is contrary to the whole Gospel I will shew you a Promise that declares this absolute Covenant expresly to the Sinners of the Gentiles though the same Promise belongs to both expressed in either of the places Rom. 9.23 That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared to Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This fore-preparation was in the Covenant of Grace even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles ver 25. As he saith in Osce I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved c. See the place And that this Calling referrs to more than an outward Profession appears by 1 Pet. 2.9 10. You will make the writing of God's Law in the Heart to be the Condition when it 's the very Promise made Give me the Condition of this Promise to be found in us before God's Law is written or else you do nothing Neonom It cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the New Covenant that the Dr. would have it God doth not require any Duty as the condition of the Benefits which he promised to give D. W. p. 68. Antinom You say the first Grace is freely given which in the Promise is a New Heart Now what is a greater Benefit than Life from the dead And what Duty can be required as a Condition to this Benefit Here you must fall in with the Papists and directly contrary to Article 13. of the Church of England Neonom I talk not of a Condition before a new Heart but that the New Heart is the Condition For God's Law is written in the Heart before our relation to him as his People or the Pardon of Sin Antinom Here you plainly say there 's a real state in Grace without a relative Sanctification without Justification or Adoption the Law written in the Heart and therefore Good Works While we are unreconciled to God it 's before we are his People Now this Law must be written 1. In the Heart of the ungodly Man and Unbeliever contrary to what you say That there 's no promise made to such because Unbelievers Or it must be in the Heart of him who at once is made a Believer in the working of a New Heart in which instant he is related to God and hath the pardon of Sin But it 's unaccountable Divinity That the Law of God is writ in the Heart before our Relation to God as his People or the Pardon of Sins Neonom But God requires us to make us new Hearts as a condition of Life Ezek. 18.31 Jer. 7.23 2 Cor. 3.6 Antinom I suppose Sir you your self cannot say that the first quoted places are wrote in the New Covenant Dialect but in that of the Vailed Covenant especially that of Ezek. 18. the place quoted by you I suppose you will not say it 's quite contrary to Jer. 31.31 for if so we may throw away our Bibles but that this place is to be taken in some Sence that is not contrary to the very nature and design of that of Jeremy The drift of this Chapter Ezek. 18. is to vindicate the just and righteous Proceedings of God For they had charged God with Injustice and Unrighteousness of his Dealings towards them That the Son suffered for the Father's Sins The Father eat sowre Grapes c. God Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children The Lord tells them there 's no Child suffers for his Fathers Sins any farther than he entails the Curse and as he walketh in his Fathers Sins and that by personal Repentance of the vilest Person a Man should be saved and not suffer for his Parents Sins And ver 29. the Prophet saith notwithstanding you have heard the Justice of God thus vindicated you will persist in it and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Life as a Reward of work for this was the Tenour of the Covenant of Works but from Life received being dead in our selves by Nature and in respect of the Law Condemned Persons we must work not to obtain Eternal Life by working but having received Life from it to work Christ saith He is the Life the Resurrection and the Life Where 's the Man that can work without Life to work from Neonom But he understands this you 'l say only of External Duties but not of the Actings of Grace no I could shew you how he saith the same of all Graces Antinom You need not have troubled your selves with that Objection for I do intend all Graces and Duties for they must all be performed from a Principle of Life received and not for Mercenary Designs and Ends thinking that thereby we deserve any thing of the Lord for when we have done all we are unprofitable Servants Neonom He saith That is the proper Work that God hath given to Belleving D. W. p. 124. D. Cr. p. 326. not to effect any thing to the good of Man but only to be the witness of that good to the Spirit of Man and so give light to that which was hidden before Antinom You know my Opinion and it 's with other Divines That there is Justification in Heaven and Justification in a Man's Conscience and Spirit D. G. â— 3â—â— Justification in Consciences and Spirits of Men is the manifestation of that Act of God to a Man 's own Spirit by which a Man comes to know and consequently to rejoice in the Justification of God and so you may read the words Rom 5.1 Bring Justified by Faith i. e. through Faith having the Justification of God evidenced and manifested to our Spirits we have peace with God I contend not with them that say It Justifies Virtute objecti or Instrumentaliter So that I ascribeâ— all the Efficacy to Christ's Righteousness and not to the Act of Faith as a Quolifying Condition to Justifie sensu proprio as you and the Arminian's do and in that sence I spake against its doing us good that is in your sence of Justification Neonom He saith If you have more Ability than others in doing let it not come into your Thoughts D. W. p. 125. D. C. p. 429. as an Inducement to think better of your self as if you were more accepted of God or pleasing in his sight Antinom I believe it is or should be the Spirit of the best of God's Children that they prefer others above themselves Phil. 3. viz. That fear the Lord and think not that there 's any thing in them that makes them more accepted than others but that all that have true Faith are equally accepted in the Beloved and that Paul's Usefulness and Apostleship rendred him no more Justified than the meanest of the Disciples of Christ Calvin You see Mr. Antinom as he is for the exalting Christ so he speaks highly in the Commendation yea and usefulness of Holiness and good Works those diminutive Terms that he useth is in respect of Purchase obtaining Pardon or being qualifying Conditions for the bestowing of Benefits He holds Christ is the great Condition both of Grace here and glory hereafter tho' I confess I wish Mr. Antinom you had spared many Expressions for which I fear the Truth suffers from the ignorant and more learned of perverse Minds that make it their business to load the Doctrine of Free-Grace with all Scorn and Contempt and take all occasions to wound the Truth because of some rash or over-zealous Expressions used by you and others which it may be had you foreseen you would have prevented by not using them or had you printed your own Sermons you would not have sent to the Press Mr. Neonom I pray let us have this Doctrine delivered in your own Words and Expressions Neonom The Truth is this That though neither Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works do make any Atonement for sin or are in the least meritorious Righteousness whereby Salvation is caused or for which this or any Blessing becomes due to us by Debt yet as the Spirit of God freely worketh all Holiness and enableth to sincere Obedience and good Works so the Lord Jesus hath of his own Grace and for his own Merits promised to bring to Heaven such as are Partakers of true Holiness perform his sincere Obedience and do those good Works perseveringly Antinom You allow Christ the Honour of Atonement for Sin but how far I know not by what follows his Atonement reacheth not the Breach of the new Law Conditions but only so far as refers to Sins against the Old Law of which you will not allow Impenitency and Unbelief be a breach so that there must be some way in the new Law found out to expiate and appease God for them without Christ's Atonement Beside the Conditions of it it being only imperfect Obedience there will need nothing but the Performance of the constituted Condition which whether perfect or imperfect being performed as well as is required tho' sinfully imperfect leaves no place for Sacrifice or Atonement hence you allow Christ's Righteousness to have merited Blessings with the same Reserve which you are not willing to speak out viz. That Christ hath purchased and merited that we shall come under new and milder Terms with God or God rather with us We thank you no more than we do the Papists for saying Christ hath merited all and is a cause even as the Creation was of the Covenant of Works God's the Cause of all for he made all so Christ hath merited all that follows whatever new Laws and Conditions follow and upon which Terms Benefits become due to us you should have said to Mankind by Debt We may challenge the Priviledges of compounding with God upon such Terms as we like better than the former but our Failure in performing those Terms that Christ agreed for will bring us under new Arrearages to God And for your saying the holy Spirit worketh freely the said conditional Holiness it helps not which notwithstanding your setting aside the Word Merit is truly fo virtute compacti tho' not valoris intrinseci as much as Adam's would have been And as to the Spirit you ascribe the free giving and working of it you give no more to it than Adam had in the state of Innocency and not so much for God had given and wrought in Adam that Perfection and Strength of Grace whereby he might have stood if he would You say There is a Promise made by Christ of Glory upon Condition of their good Works and Perseverance Your Suggestion to us is of two Covenants of Grace procured by Christ for us One the Promise of the state of Grace and Justification provided we fulfil the Conditions of Faith and Repentance whereby we have the first Justification The Second Covenant is of a state of Glory upon condition of Perseverance in good Works which condition if we
should have excepted some and reserved them for good Works but as to those Essential how comes it that a Man can have no more than is of a contingent Proposition the Judgment whereof is Opinion Neonom Nor whether it be the Influence of the Spirit that we are Holy Obedient and enabled to every good Work D. W. p. 125. Antinom Nor would it have been the question if Adam had persevered in the performance of the Conditions of the Law Covenant he would have done all by the Influence of the Spirit Neonom Nor whether it is for the sake of Christ's Merits and Incense and of Free Grace that any Grace or Duty of ours is rewarded or becomes the means of any Benefit these I affirm Antinom Yes for it was through these Merits and Grace that God would suffer us to try for Life in another Covenant of Works he might have taken the advantage of our breaking of the first Covenant as he did upon the Fallen Angels but Christ hath Merited and Grace hath been so far free as to set up another Covenant of Works that we may try for it once more as for your affirming or denying it signifies not much Men that are used to speak always with Mental Reservation will resolve Cases of Conscience like the Oracle of Apollo that you 'll come from them as wise as you went Neonom Nor whether any Holiness internal or external any Obedience Work or Duty do at all Merit the Promise or is the Meritorious Cause of Righteousness for which any promised Mercy is bestowed this I deny Antinom It seems you abdicate the word Merit but if it be an Honest Reward as due Debt it is as good the Catholicks will bate you the word if you allow the thing though you put a Fools Coat upon it Neonom I own that all is of Gift though given in an Order suitable to our condition in a state of Tryal Antinom So was Creation and Created Holiness in Adam and God's taking him into Covenant in an Order suitable to his Condition in a state of Tryal but you see what his Tryal came to We are miserable if our state in Grace be such a state of Tryal Neonom Nor whether the Law be a Rule of Duty This I affirm and you too though you deny any Threatning or Promise to back God's Law as to the Elect. D. W. p. 126. Antinom We affirm it to be not only a Rule of Duty but to stand in full force as to all its Promises and Threatnings that it still promiseth Life to perfect Obedience and threatens Death to the least Disobedience in all without distinction therefore we deny not Threatnings and Promises to back God's Law as to the Elect. Neonom Nor whether the Elect ought to be Holy and will be Holy this you own but you place it wholly on the Decree and Christ's Care Antinom Gentlemen observe now after all this noise he owns that I say the Elect ought to be Holy and will be Holy but saith I place it wrong can I place it better than on Christ's Care I think in all our Fears and Doubtings we should cast all our Care upon him by believing his Truth and Faithfulness in the Promise because he careth for us and hath said He will never leave nor forsake us I desire to have no better Security for Holiness and Perseverance in it than the Love of God and the Care of Christ is this a fault Neonom You deny that God hath required as it indispensibly necessary to our Inheriting any Blessing promised to the Elect. Antinom In your sence I do and if you stand so much on those Terms I shall justly call them into question so far as is necessary in my sence by works you here chiefly understand as I take it works after Faith and Repentance are such Works indispensibly necessary to the Inheriting any Blessing promised to the Elect Is not Union with Christ Faith c. Blessings promised to the Elect What Works was done before and after the Saving Union with Christ if they were indispensibly necessary how could Infants be saved And how do they Inherit Blessings that Repent and Believe just before they go out of the World And how came the Thief upon the Cross to be Saved Neonom You judge Christ hath done all for us and enjoineth nothing for us to do in order to any good thing Antinom He hath done all in the way of Covenant Condition and doth not admit us to be Rivals or Partners with him in our best Works and how can I think that he enjoineth us nothing when I own we ought to be Holy and shall be Holy From what should it be but from Christ's Commands and Care to furnish us with Rules Principles and Strength to be Holy Doth he not work in us to will and to do Neonom Nor whether a Penitent Believer shall be saved if he die before he hath time for further Obedience Antinom Then your indispensible Necessity falls to the ground and it seems the first Law of Grace will save a Man and the second is not indispensibly necessary nay it may be a kindness to die upon the fulfilling the condition of the first Law by Faith and Repentance before he comes to run the risk of fulfilling the Condition of the second Law by persevering Works lest he lose all again I am glad I have done with your Whethers let 's come next to your Neithers for we are as wise as we were before about our Question Neonom I 'll tell you then the real difference Whether Faith and Repentance be indispensibly required that we may be Justified for the sake of Christ's Righteousness Antinom Gentlemen do but take notice how fond he is of his first Justification by Works which we dispatcht t'other day and do declare we are not Justified by Faith and Repentance in your Sence and that to be justified by Faith and Repentance as Conditionating Federal Qualifications though Merited by Christ is downright Popery whether you call such Conditions Merits or no and therefore in affirming it you assert Popish Doctrine and that will stand to though all the Divines in Town affirm it with you and if what 's done already will not be enough we 'll have t'other touch upon that Point when you please Neonom It 's whether Holiness or sincere Obedience and Perseverance are the Way to Heaven and are required of the Elect as the Conditions of their obtaining Salvation Antinom You should have told us what you mean by a Way whether the first way or second Remote or next Antecedent or Consequent Conditions what Salvation you mean whether the Salvation of Justification Sanctification or Glorification there 's as much reason good Works should qualifie us for the Salvation of Sanctification as for Justification and Glorification how comes it to pass that all Salvation is not obtained the same way If we must obtain Salvation by good Works we must do good Works before we are
to forbid all intending our own good but rather act as one that now hath nothing to do in comparison as to the securing of Spiritual good things to my self Christ hath procured and settled all upon me I have a goodly Heritage Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all my days and from the sence of the greatness and fulness of Provision made for me in Christ I will glorifie him in Soul and Body and Spirit live to him serve him and my Generation not thinking that I can add any thing by my Duties to what Christ hath procured and obtained for me and in this sence it is I say that it is no discouragement because you cannot propound to your self any possible Gain i. e. over and above what Christ hath procured but whatever is the greatest and truest spur or encouragement to Duty is already provided to your Hand freely and graciously I illustrate my meaning thus There are some Children in the World that are very observant of their Parents Dt. C. p. 151. and their aim is that by reason of such compliance their Parents may settle an Estate upon them but when a Child knows an Estate is already settled upon him that it cannot be reversed and he is not able to add to it will such a Child propose to himself in his Obedience and Observance the obtaining that Good his Father hath already passed He knows it is passed already and cannot be by any thing he doth firmer and stronger He serves not now to get his Fathers Land but he serves to glorifie his Father that hath so freely settled his Land upon him Hence you see plainly that I mean in respect of Title not in respect of Possession and Enjoyment for so I say of Believers that have the temper of Christ's true-bred Children indeed They in the Gospel of Christ find all things that do appertain to Life and Godliness they find them all so passed over by God's Goodness and Free Grace to them Dr. C. p. 152. That the Lions shall want and suffer hunger before they shall want any thing that is good Must they now labour to gain these things as if they were in agitation or as if they were yet referred to their will or to their good and evil walking that as they shall walk so they shall speed This is to argue That God is yet to determine with himself how to dispose of those good things that he will bestow upon his People and that he gives good things according to their good or evil Carriage and so the goodness of God to his People must depend upon his Peoples goodness to him which is as the Morning Cloud and as Mens Works prevail with God so God will pour out his Bounty upon them Calvin Mr. Antinom gives us a very good account of his meaning and I wonder that Mr. Neonom you will offer to say he â—orbids the intending our own good though in subordination to God's Glory yea laying no stress of Meriting whereas he is express as to both these And by procuring and obtaining he plainly intends procuring or obtaining a Title to Heavenly Things But Mr. Antinom Did not Abraham in his Obedience unto God Heb. 11.9 10. look for a City which hath Foundations And had not Moses v. 26. in his Self-denial an Eye to the Recompence of Reward How is it then that we should not think to gain or procure any thing by our Duties and Obedience Antinom The great things that the Faithful mentioned in that Chapter did by Faith in the Promise surely Entitling them to those great things they looked for they did not esteem that their Obedience added one grain to their Inheritance by Promise any more than that the very Service of God it self and Enjoyment of him was of the Priviledges promised and they walked therein in Expectation of further performances Abraham looked for a City upon what ground Not of his Obedience but as being Heir already of the Promise of it Moses had an Eye to the Recompence of Reward not as procuring it by his Self-denial but as being Entitled to it by the Promise believed as already bestowed upon him by the Gift and Procurement of Christ and thence was carried forth to his Duty in Love to God and in Honour of his Free Grace as I have said thence it was that no difficulties of Affliction could discourage him nor Worldly Preferments and Riches allure him from his Duty My whole design in the Expressions mentioned by Mr. Neonom was to caution Believers against putting their Duties in the place of Christ in order to Life and Salvation And I have Mr. Luther for my President speaking in the like Case after the same manner The true Christ neither calleth thee to reckoning for thy Sins nor biddeth thee trust to thine own good Works Luth. on Gal. 5.4 but the false Christ i. e. the Devil in the likeness of Christ doth and the true Knowledge of Christ or Faith disputeth not whether thou hast done good VVorks to Righteousness or evil Works to Condemnation but simply concludeth after this sort If thou hast done good Works thou art not therefore Justified or if thou hast done evil Works thou art not thereby Condemned And I neither take from good Works their praise nor commend evil Works but in the matter of Justification I say we must look how we may hold Christ lest while we seek to be Justified by the Law we make him unprofitable to us for it 's Christ alone that Justifieth me both against my evil Deeds and without my good Deeds If I have this perswasion of Christ I lay hold on the true Christ but if I think that he exacteth the Law and Works of me to Salvation then he becometh unprofitable to me and I am utterly separated from him Neonom He saith When you labour by Prayer or seeking to prevail with God to take away his displeasure D. W. p. 154. Dr. C. p. 425. c. and to procure such good you serve not God now you serve your selves Antinom I was speaking against Selfishness in our Performances and said if you suppose you fast pray mourn or do any other Religious Services if you apprehend your own turns are not yet served there will be altogether a Selfishness in the performance of these Duties Selfish Ends and Motives will be your Load-stones and they shall draw up your Spirits in these Services As for Example when we labour by our Fasting and Prayer and seeking the Lord to prevail with God to take away his Displeasure c. and to procure such good things unto us do we serve the Lord or no And do we not serve our selves Nay you serve no God now you serve your selves when only your selves put you upon the performance of the Duty but you will say I must Fast and Pray to get my Sins pardoned A. It 's true that as long as Men think their Sins are upon themselves they cannot be atâ—est but
not seen thence it comes to pass that the present Afflictions are light and shall be succeeded with an Eternal weight of Glory it 's an instance of the abundant Grace redounding towards him for the inward and outward Man for things Temporal and Eternal Neonom Were doing for Life and an Eye to gain by service such a legal and wicked thing as some represent it sure the Blessed Jesus would have admonished his Disciples and not answered them as he doth Mat. 19.28 29. Antinom This Arguing would well enough become a Papist but it is strange at this time a day from the Mouth of a Protestant but it 's easie to see the Devil is at work to betray us again into our Spiritual Egypt our Mouths hang too generally after the Leeks and Onions of their Corrupt Doctrine Now we must go to work upon the Terms of the Old Law for Life not Finalitèr as aimed at and travelled to as terminus ad quem taken for Glory but for Life as a Premium of our Works That this is intended by you clearly appears by the Application that you make of this place of Scripture as if it Justified the Doctrine of Merit The Disciples hearing our Saviours discourse concerning a Rich Man and how hard it is for him to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven they were amazed and said Who then shall be saved Peter hence concludes then surely poor Men may better be saved we are poor enough and have lest all for thee what shall we have And there is no doubt but something as yet remained in them of that legal Spirit as prevailed in and among the Jews expecting or enquiring after some proportionable Reward to their Sufferings which Spirit was not fully removed from them till after the Resurrection of Christ and sending down of the Spirit when they came clearly to see the Grace of Christ in the Gospel but it was not Christ's time yet to remove all Clouds and Obscurities from the Doctrine of the Gospel he did it not in his own Ministry it was to be the Work of the Comforter the Spirit as peculiarly belonging to his Office after Christ's Ascension As yet they had not askt any thing in his Name neither did Christ in the platform of Prayer teach them so to do as yet they were strangers to the Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ as yet they looked that the Kingdom of Christ would immediately be a Temporal and External Now the answer of our Saviour imports these things 1. That none shall lose any thing by following him though in parting with worldly advantages 2. That those Blessings that he bestows upon his true Followers are of another Nature than they expected they were of an Eternal Nature ver 29. and of a Spiritual Nature Mark 10.30 For their outward Enjoyments should be with Persecutions shewing how much the Cross and Reproach of Christ as in the Opinion of Moses is to be preferred before the greatest worldly Emoluments 3. He shews them though he abundantly Rewards his Followers yet they ought not to serve him as such that were led by that Principle to serve for Life and Glory as for Wages but they must do all for his own Name sake they must not act from a principle of intending advantage but for Christ's sake for the Love of his Person and for the sake of the Love that he hath shewed us 1 Cor. 3.20 21 22. The Lord knows how vain the Thoughts of his best People is apt to be as if they must by their Duties Earn something of God but there must be no glorying in Men and there 's no need of it for all things are yours already the Means of Grace the World Life Death things present and to come ye are Christ's and Christ God's Neonom Your Argument from the Vanity of proposing our own Gain by Labour and Duties because all is fixed and given already is to make the Decree an effectual means to overthrow the Government of Christ and brand all his Offers to Sinners with Weakness and Falsehood should not poor Sinners pray as they can apply the Word with an Eye to Conversion Should they not Believe and Repent with an Eye to Forgiveness and Escaping of Wrath Why else should God encourage them with an Offer of these upon such Terms D. W. p. 157. Antinom You go upon many Mistakes 1. You talk absurdly of God's Decree overthrowing his Government as if the Decree succeeded God's Government of the Creature that which overthrows a thing comes after the thing overthrown so God's Decree in its proper Nature as a Constituting Immanent Act must succeed his Government 2. Why should not God's Acting in a way of Free Grace be consistent with his most right and just way of proceeding in Government seeing the whole Gospel Revelation asserts that it is so and that therein lyes a great part of the Gospel Mystery which Natural Men and Carnal Reason will not receive 3. Is it any way absurd to say it's vain to propose our own gain by Labour and Duties when the Spirit of God hath expunged the Efficacy of Works as to procurement out of the Covenant of Grace Works are our Price and Money God saith We are to buy without Price and Money Isa 55.1 2. And saith Why do you spend Money for that which is not Bread i. e. Spend your Duties and Labours and get nothing by them Because you make Money of them and reckon you make advantage of them and pay a valuable consideration for the good expected and will not receive it as of Free Gift you will have all for the Money of your Duties and hence you labour and have not that which satisfieth you ask and labour for things to spend upon your own Lusts as the proud Pharisee did 4. You mistake in judging the Offers of the Gospel is in a way of Government it 's in order to Christ's gracious Rule and Government under which Unregenerate Sinners are not till through Grace they are translated into the Kingdom of Christ 5. You wickedly suggest that unless God intend that poor Sinners in their Unregenerate Estate should do some Duties whereby they might gain Life and Salvation God is chargeable with Weakness and Falshood this I take to be an ill Inference all the Offers of Grace must be upon Condition of Works or else God is chargable with Weakness and Falshood 6. You grosly mistake my Discourse or willingly pervert my Sence and Meaning I do not say but poor Sinners at their first believing are very apt to lay too great a stress upon their Duties as if thereby they obtained a Title to Life and Salvation or mâ—de a considerable addition to what Christ hath done and procured for them this legal Spirit I endeavour to take them off from that they should serve God more under the Conduct of the Grace of Adoption Rom. 8.14 15. And therefore say Except you fall to the performance of Duty without such Conceits
of what shall accrue to you thereby Dr. Cr. p. 149. you are not Persons yet come to have that common Spirit and dead to the old Spirit as becomes Christians Such Believers are acted more by a Spirit of Bondage than the Spirit of Adoption The Apostle saith They that are lead by the Spirit are the Sons of God and therefore so far as they are lead by the Spirit act not mercenarily 7. But to let pass your perverting my Sence you will have me to intend Works answering the Call of God to the Unregenerate and you say to this purpose they must be encouraged by Rewards of their Works Were it not rather to charge God as you say when he shall offer them upon the account of their Duties when the Spirit of God tells us they can perform none being Spiritually dead and that which they suppose they do cannot please God Rom. 8.8 therefore cannot obtain any thing from him You say must they not strive to Believe and Repent with an Eye to Forgiveness and Escaping of Wrath I say Not with an Eye to their Works of Believing and Repentance but to the receiving of Forgiveness and Escaping Wrath. Neonom By your Scheme the Elect may be idle and the Non-â—lect do best when they despair for there 's Connection between these Benefits and these Graces and Duties Antinom I pretend not to the making Schemes of the Gospel-Mysteries calculated to carnal Reason as you do I leave that to you that pretend to be so skilful in it But in answer to what you inferr I say I preach not to Men as Elect or not Elect but unto Sinners and I call them to look for the advantage of Life and Salvation in Christ and not in their Duties But yet as I told you I call them to Duty and to the acting of it from higher and nobler Principles than you do not from such a slavish mercenary servile Spirit as you would have them to act from And I think the Doctrine of Free-Grace is no ground of Idleness or Despair but the contrary the greatest Encouragement to Service and preservative against Despair in the World unless it be to such Scheme-makers as you be who charge God with Weakness and Falsehood unless he save Sinners in a way of a Covenant of Works And there 's no such Connection between Graces and Benefits as you plead for Neonom And so the Non-elect are in the same case with Devils there being no serious offer to them nay their Case is worse than Devils for these Offers are made to them with no design but to encrease their Condemnation Nay every Sin of theirs is a Sin against the Holy Ghost i. e. Every Sin is alike that unpardonable Sin and not only that Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Antinom This is the Arminian Plea for Universal Grace and what is this but the smoak of the Bottomless Pit I say Who art thou O Man that repliest against God You come now to prove your Charge of God for Weakness and Folly But if the Non-elect be in as bad a Case as Devils is God guilty of Weakness and Falshood A wiser Man than you did not think so when he said God made all things for himself the wicked for the day of evil Prov. 16.4 Neither was the Apostle Paul of your mind as plainly appears by Rom. 9.18 19 20. But let me return upon you Will you say that it was unrighteous with God to leave a part of Mankind under Non-election to eternal Life and Salvation What will you charge God with for leaving part of the Angelick Nature under it 2. You talk of an Offer to the Non-elect and that Offer you say must be serious and if it be not offered upon such a Condition as they can perform But I pray where 's any Offer of Grace in the Gospel to the Non-elect at all as such And shew me any Graces given or Gospel Duties required of the Non-elect or Benefits promised to the Non-elect upon their performance of Graces and Duties It would not be serious indeed to call for Graces and Duties or promise Life unto them or saving Benefits upon Performance of the said Duties after the Non-election was declared to them Now you will not own there can be any serious Offer made unless the Condition be equally performable by Elect and Non-elect and both be alike in the next Capacity of Salvation or else they are in the same case with the Devils And what it they be as eventually as unlikely to believe and be saved as the Devils why will you be presumptuous to charge God May not God have Mercy on whom he will and harden whom he will without giving an Account of any of his matters And what if the Non-elect be in as bad a case as the Devils is God bound to be any better to them than the Devils For say you God must offer to the Non-elect with the same Mind and Purpose of saving Non-elect as well as of saving the Elect or else God is not serious in his Offers I deny that Gospel-Offers are made to Elect or Non-elect but to Sinners as such and it 's made indefinitely that the Election might obtain and the rest are blinded Rom. 11.5 6 7. as it was with the Elect and Non-elect Jews so it is with the Elect and Non-elect of all Mankind And see there what God saith and that seriously At this present time saith God there is a Remnant of Jews to be saved but according to the Election of Grace What will you say but a Remnant How comes it to pass that the Offer was made to them that belonged not to the Election You 'll say God was not serious in his Offer to them when it was said Acts 3.4 Vnto you first of the Nation of the Jews God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities If the Non-elect in this Nation cannot perform Works say you upon the condition of which they may have the Promise God deals falsly with them Whereas the Spirit of God gives us another Account of these things why notwithstanding this general and indefinite Offer but a Remnant was saved viz. The Election had obtained it ver 7. For saith he if it be by Grace then it is no more of Works nor of him that willeth or runneth but of God that sheweth mercy otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Works 7. What then Israel hath not obtained what he seeketh for or applying it to many Professors or others under a Gospel-Ministry such and such hath not obtained what they pretended to seek after but the Election hath obtained it The Grace of God not Works became efficacious through the Election And what became of the Non-elect You 'll say God mockt them No go you on to mock God with your carnal Reason and hearken
but there 's some as in Elijah's time that calleth upon thy Name i. e. sincerely and earnestly so as to stir up themselves to call upon God then she proceeds to confess Sin and bemoan her self in regard of desolating Calamities acknowledging God's Justice and Soveraignty but Appealing to his Mercy and their Interest in God as a Father O Lord thou art our Father It s most evident then the Prophet mostly personates the choisest tho' the least part of the Church who is set forth here flying to the Throne of Grace and renouncing her own Righteousness even her best Duties accounting them as Filthy Rags We are saith she all of us even the holiest among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not say we are absolutely an unclean thing as all Wicked Men and Hypocrites are but that we are as if it were so in respect of the prevalency of Corruption and present decay and thy dealing with us as if thou wouldst cast us off and all our Righteousness as a Filthy Garment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all our Righteousness of what sort soever it is as Pannus sedentis the Peraphrasis of the Syriac and Arabic calls it Panniculus menstruata and the Chaldeac Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut Vestamentum Abjectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies things removed as unclean and polluted Res Inquinatae Abominabiles quae removentur abjiciuntur The Import is that God's Children see so much Corruption and Pollution in their best Duties that they dare not plead them for acceptance before the Lord. And how many Ten Thousand times hath this place of Scripture been thus applied by the Saints and Churches of the New Testament What Expression is more frequent in their Prayers and more Eminently Exalting the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ It 's not only the Gospel Spirit of Ministers but of all true Christians that leads them to the Practical Improvement of this portion of Scripture and shall the Universal Spirit and Sense of all Believers in all Ages be Condemned by One or Two singular Men that are for crying up their own Righteousness and will not have it to be Filthy Rags or Dung I apprehend there 's not a little also in putting the Plural Number which the Seventy Two Explain universally with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's no Righteousness of ours inward or outward before Regeneration or after that hold the Test before God in it self for Acceptance much less render us Acceptable to God I 'le set against your Annotator the Dutch Annotations who upon this place say All our Righteousness all our best Works or whatever Good we might have done are as a cast Garment if they should be examined according to their own Nature according to the Rigour of the Law out of Christ Phil. 3.8 See on the contrary what we are in Christ Jesus Rev. 19.8 Neonom Object The Apostle saith Phil. 3.8 Answ If this place speaks of Gospel Righteousness as his own things which he counted Dung it doth not prove that Holiness is Dung Antinom Did I not speak of Holiness abstractly considered and of Duties and Services performed by us and mingled with Sin are reckoned Dung because they cannot render us Acceptable to God for Imperfect Righteousness cannot Holiness entire without defect and failure is one thing and Holiness mixed with so much Sin and Corruption as is in our Hearts and Duties is another Neonom All that it can infer is that in comparison with winning Christ it was esteemed as Dung Antinom That is as much as to say that your own Righteousness is but as Dung in comparison of what you shall gain by it your Bargain will be so good your Mony bears not proportion to the Estate that you have bought with your Mony Neonom And who must not own that compared with gaining Christ the best thing in us is Vile compared with his Righteousness yet it must not be Vile in it self Antinom So far as any thing is Sinful its Vile and so far its unprofitable to the end that I employ it its Vile in both those cases our Duties are Vile because its impossible they should be a Justifying Righteousness or recommend us to God therefore a Christian looks upon them Vile upon this account we speak not against Duties but for them but they must not presume to be our Righteousness for Justification Upon this account they must be reckoned Dung it is not enough to say compared with Christ's Righteousness as if Christ's Righteousness were better and had a preheminence in Justification and ours next to it but that our Righteousness hath no share at all in that matter for God never intended that the most Eminent Graces and Virtues of God's People should ever be a Righteousness to Justifie them because they are upon this account Rejectamenta as Bricks are to the making a Brass Kettle Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius a Man cannot cut out the Wheels of a Watch with a Broad Ax out of a Rock Neonom As Rivals with Christ we must hate Father and Mother Antinom Yea and if they go to set themselves instead of Christ or to claim an inferiour degree of share in being a Righteousness or patching up a Righteousness for us Neonom Tho' I own the Imputed Righteousness of Christ for our Justification yet I think to ground it on this place is a damage to the Truth and therefore I add 2. A Gospel Holiness or Righteousness is not here intended by Dung Antinom How you own Imputed Righteousness hath been already made manifest and that you do not own it in other sense than in that which is no owning of it but denying of it hath appeared But it seems you are now such a Friend to that Doctrin that you would not have Scripture to damage it and that grounding it here on this place hath been a damage to it The Assembly at Westminster hath done damage to the Doctrin of Imputation in grounding it on this place Large Catechism Quest 72. Shorter Catechism Quest 33. and Dr. Ames in his Medulla C. 27. S. 12. And Dr. Owen you also have done damage to this Doctrin of Imputation by grounding it on this Text Treat of Justific p. 526. Mr. Calvin Mr. Beza Mr. Zanchy and all you Reformed Protestants you have thought you had a mighty place to ground the Doctrin of Imputation upon and now our Divines especially this Gentleman and a great Train at his Heels bear Witness against you and say you have done a great damage to the Doctrin of Imputation by making use of this place of Scripture to prove it Now I see others are mistaken as well as I. Calvin I Observe Gentlemen That you all sit Astonished to see that at such a time of Day here should be so bold an Assertion made to overthrow the Doctrin of the Gospel and to make this Text of Scripture
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