dayes while he lives and shall do so for ever when dayes end But the pinch lieth in this word Above in such a time or such an act that is that in the first act of faith in the answer of the call in the uniting of the Soul to Christ Now the Soul must see and examine it self whether it sets up this Grace above its own salsation As for Mr. Shepherd's words Take hold on him not with the hand of presumption what he means by this he opposeth the hand of faith I think to it and love to thy self to save thy self but with the hand of faith and love to him to honour him This passage is so strange and so his ninth way to hell that I could not believe that ever Mr. Shepherd did deliver such Doctrine Sound Believ p. 193. but if the Printer saith true in his Title page that this fourth Edition is corrected and much amended by the Author then I should believe it but I have some cause to doubt it upon these two grounds First I compared this with his Sound Believer where he tells us what is the end of faith in which there is not any such words as these nothing like them nothing of Mr. Rogers notion nothing different from what I have delivered but he and I fully agree Christ himself and all his benefits is the end of faith coming to Christ and I hope salvation is one of those benefits Secondly I do not believe it upon Mr. Shepherd's own words in his Letter to me which are these without omitting or adding a syllable That which is called the Sincere Convert I have not the book I once saw it it was a Collection of such Notes in a dark Town in England which one procuring of me published them without my will or privity I scarce know what it contains nor do I like to see it considering the many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Typographica most absurd and the confession of him that published it that comes out gelded and altered from what was first written Thus you have his own words faithfully transcribed this Letter was dated October 27. 1647. the year wherein the Printer saith the book is corrected and much amended by the Author is 1646. Let any man then judge how this book was corrected and amended much by him In short therefore as to that book for the general part of it the book is very solid quick and searching cuts very sharply it is not a book for an unsound heart to delight in I mean in those places where he agrees both with Scriptures and other able Divines and of these make use but for the other passages which do not agree with either as there are some in it I will let them go as being none of Mr. Shepherd's and not trouble my self with them and wish no Christian that is tender and sincere to trouble himfelf with them This I put in because I hear that book hath caused much trouble to gracious Christians had it been to Christians in name only unsound believers hypocrites I should not have troubled my self about it for I know it is not for their tooth therefore though I had thought to have spoken to more things in it which are just cause of stumbling yet henceforth I will meddle no more with it his notions there do cross what he hath himself published in the Sound Believer I remember my Father Ward made this observation upon him to me When Mr. Shepherd comes to deal with Hypoerites he cuts so desperately that we know not how to bear him made them all afraid that they were all Hypocrites when he came to deal with a tender humble Soul he gives comfort so largely that we are afraid to take it I let that reverend Author then alone he is one on our side in his Sound Believer which he himself put forth I have then only Mr. Rogers to consider who hath given no Scriptures or Reasons that I can find to prove his Assertion some Texts he may name to prove what I readily yield but they-prove not the question in hand therefore I have no Arguments of his to answer butto produce a few Arguments against his Doctrine I shall take up one of my former Arguments and improve it against this notion Arg. 1. That which neither Christ nor his Apostles did require of Gospel-Converts as requisite to their saving Conversion or Faith that is not to be required of Gospel-Converts now But the eying of the glory of God Above our own salvation was that which neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever require of any Gospel-Convert as requisite to their saving Conversion or Faith Ergo The eying of Gods glory Above our own salvation is not to be required of Gospel-Converts now in order to saving Conversion or Faith If it be not to be required then it is needless then no such danger for a man to loose his Soul for want of it as he tells us The Major is plain He that will require more to a faving work of Faith and Conversion than Christ did and his Apostles doth implicitely charge them with want of skill in conversion of Souls and had best become a Teacher of them This is little less than blasphemy you say and I may leave out little less The Minor This lyes upon Mr. Rogers to prove Name the Texts where ever Christ preached thus or any of his Apostles he may name Texts where God declares that the end of all his good things bestowed on Vessels of Mercy is the glory of his Grace we yield the Texts as fast as he can name them and we will give him a Reason also He that is the first Efficient must be the last End It is to set up another God to set up another ultimate end We will be as free as he can be for Texts and Reasons to prove this but this is not the question Let him name the Texts where Christ or the Apostles teach Converts that in their conversion or believing in him they must look to this that they set this glory of his Grace Above their own salsation we read of Christ complaining that the Jews would not come to him that they might have life John 5.40 but never read that he required of them or blamed them that they did not aim at and set up the glory of Gods Grace Above their life in that Text life comprehends salvation and all benefits of communion Those who are thirsty calls them to him and promises them living waters many such Texts but not one word of this stumbling notion when they in Acts 2. were under the work did Peter teach this doctrine to those Converts When the Jaylour came in trembling with that question What shall I do to be saved Acts 16. Doth Paul's and Mr. Rogers answer agree Let Mr. Rogers answer him Ay Jaylour you are now come down as jolly as you were a few hours since and now you would be saved the way to salvation is faith
is a Dependent God a Made God What is this but a Contradiction A Dependent God is as true as Corpus infinitum God may give his Creature a Command to be obeyed of which Command he gives no reason nay the Command appears contrary to reason and yet his Creature is bound to obey that Command God commands Abraham to offer his Son Gen. 22.2 Whether it was his Intention Decree that Abraham should offer his Son was none of his duty to enquire into a Reason for this Command he gives none What reason Abraham could find out for this Command I cannot tell It appeared quite contrary to the light of natural Reason and as contrary to the Promise of God made to Abraham as could be Yet the Soveraign Authority of God was reason enough for Abraham to yield obedience to the Command Audeciam enistimo de bono Divini praecepti disputare neque enim quia bonum est idcirco ausecultare debemus sed quia Deus praecepit Tertul. de Panitentia If then the same Soveraign Authority gives me a Proposition or Article call it what you will to be assented to believed the Soveraign Authority of this Prima Veritas to whom Truth is essential who cannot lye Tit. 1.2 is as sufficient a ground for me to assent unto it believe it though I am not able to demonstrate the truth of it by my reason And I do assent to and believe the truth of it because he speaks it as strongly as if I could make never so clear demonstration of it this is so far from implying a Contradiction that it is a plain moral Contradiction not to believe it Must the Soveraign Law-giver reveal nothing for us to assent to and believe but what we can grasp with our reason Hath he said he will not Our Reason saith this is sufficient reason Thus saith the Lord And our Reason thinks it very well becoming that thrice dreadful Majesty our Soveraign Absolute Lord and Law-giver who is truth and cannot possibly lye to give to his Creature Propositions to be believed barely upon his Authority Yet a little further That which is Supra Captum Rationis what exceeds their reason that it cannot reach and comprehend this they will not believe nor receive for an Article of Faith upon this ground eight or nine of the chief Articles of our Faith are rejected by these Ministers of Reason Hence Socinus saith Although the Scripture it self should speak any thing that fights with or opposeth Reason their Reason it must be it must not be believed that the Scripture intends or means as it speaketh but there is some other hidden sense in that Scripture though Socinus speaks more broadly Etiamsi Scriptura dicat tamen non esse credendum quod cum ratione pugnat Hence come those torturings of the Scripture those corrupt and vile glosses which they put upon plain Texts while they tell us the hidden sense that lyes in those Scriptures which do plainly oppose their corrupt Doctrines That any thing in the Scripture is contrary to or fights with sound Reason we deny No more of that now But to return to Schlichtingius with his followers I ever thought and I am sure it is true that Christian or Divine Faith Nititur Testimonio Divino qua est Divinum I mean that Christian Faith Quae locum habet in intellectu it leans stayes rests and grounds upon Divine Testimony So that Divine Faith relates to Divine Testimony it looks no further when I assent to or believe a Proposition a Testimony of God because I see a Reason if you will have any other Reason than the Authority and Veracity of God Faith ceaseth Did I not believe God to be truth it self so true as impossible he should lye I would not believe the Testimony of God barely because he speaketh it But these men destroy all Faith they will believe no further than they can see with the eye of their reason and demonstrate the truth by their reason but this is not Faith Divine Faith doth not lean rest or stay upon my Reason but barely upon the Testimony of God The assent which the understanding giveth to any Truth for the Authority of the witness or him that speaketh this * I say properly because sometimes to believe is taken largely any way to assent to a thing to be true as we say I will believe my eyes properly is Faith If I give assent upon other grounds it is not Faith It may be perceptio experientia vel scientia vel opinio according as are the grounds or reasons of my assent but not Faith These Rationists know that Testimonium is Argumentum inartificiale hence they call for artificial Arguments they must see things in Artificio rerum else they will not receive them But with their favour we look upon the Almighty to be so faithful and true a Witness that Omnia Testimonia Divina sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnique artificiali argumento certiora omnique exceptione majora So that to me this great Rationist speaks but absurdly If a Divine Proposition be not above the reach of his reason but his reason can comprehend it then he will believe it and receive it for an Article of his Faith otherwise he will not For now it is not the Testimony of God which he believes and his Authority and Veracity for which he believes but the strength of his own reason is the cause why be assents to such a Proposition and receives it not as an Article of Divine Faith but an Article of Socinians Reason Whence the Socinians must either expunge that Topick of Argumentum inartificiale which Reason will not suffer or confound artificial and inartificial Arguments making the Membra divisionis which ought to be contraria at least to be the same which is good Logick for Argumen tum is distributed into artificiale and inartificiale Not that we wholly deny the use of Reason in the Divine Mysteries we will allow Reason a judicium Discretivum but not judicium Docisivum this we give wholly to the Scriptures Scriptura judicat de veritate sententiarum Theologicarum Ratio judicat de veritate connexionum regulae consequentiarum pertinent ad rationem But the Socinians make humane Reason the Judge of all Theological Controversies to conclude this Head If then God in the holy Scriptures reveals and teacheth me that the Divine Essence is singular or but one yet reveals again that this Divine Essence is predicated of three Suppositae or distinct Subsistences Father Son and Holy Ghost How can this be saith humane Reason I cannot reach it this is supra captum Rationis meae what then Must I not therefore believe it when God reveals it because I cannot demonstrate the Truth by my Reason Let God be true and humane Reason a Lyar. Essentia Divina licet sit singularis refert tamen naturam universalis in eo quod sicut universale de pluribus
many terrors as Judas had if those ends were not attained he were not truly prepared for Christ he that hath the least of those that any man had yet if the ends be attained he hath that which the Lord aimeth at and as to preparatory work is sound There are many Christians who have not found the tenth part of those legal hellish terrors which others have done yet have proved sound and got to Heaven when others notwithstanding their great hellish terrors have at last gone to Hell Thus therefore they examined their hearts and found That first God had made them willing to part from their lusts and idols and if he would redeem them from them make an eternal divorce between their Souls and them they would for ever bless his Name Secondly They found that Christ was made so precious to them that they did most gladly accept of Gods offer and think it the best bargain that ever they made might they but enjoy him upon his own terms Fifthly They confidered that great Command of the Gospel To believe in Jesus Christ to receive him which as I have said before makes it my duty to believe in him prepared or not prepared they could not answer their neglect of that Command by saying Alas I am not prepared therefore I must not or I cannot believe in Christ This will not do and therefore they must say as that good Woman on her death-bed to her Minister examining her about her Faith the grounds of it which at that time was understood to lye in Assurance and so she answered O Sir said she I did believe because I dare do no other Sixthly Some for I do not say all have found it have found that though God did spare them in the first coming home as to legal terrors and sorrows from the guilt of fin yet for sorrows and troubles arising from sin another way they have met with their hearts full yea full indeed so full that might they have been their own chusers they would rather have chosen a year lying under that legal bondage which hath made them so often call into question the soundness of their Conversion then to lye so many years under those pressing loads which have made them weary of their lives Whence let me give this advice to Christians Is thy heart light too vain frothy beg of God to make it serious and study how to walk awfully and humbly before him but do not you as some have been apt almost to quarrel with God for want of legal sorrows and fears if you have them not one way you may have enough another way God may let out some lust upon thee it may be that lust in which thou tookest delight before and with which thy heart was most defiled which lust though God keeps thee so that it shall not prevail or get mastery over thee yet it may follow thee so impetuously and incessantly with the motions in all thou goest about and hence cause such horrid vexations and afflictions to thy spirit that thou wilt cry out a hundred times with Job chap. 7.15 My soul chuseth strangling and death rather then life How pleasing have the thoughts of the halter been under these loads but take heed and dread these temptations as patiently as thou canst chuse rather to submit to the soveraign and righteous pleasure of God under these sad and soul-vexing buffetings rather then to give the least ear to those devillish temptations of self-destruction But still which is the advise I give labouring for a plain heart with God do not you teach God what dose of legal workings and sorrows he shall give you It is with Souls that are sick of sin as it is with those who are bodily sick most of these when they send to the Physitian send him word they can take no Physick that is no Vomit no purging Physick they mean but desire him to send them some comfortable things or nothing this is the frame of most of our Country people when as they have ten times more need of Vomits and Purges then of Cordials Some have sent to me Physick being that which before I entred upon the Ministry I studied and practised and now being deprived of my Ministry I am forced to practice again for a rowzing vomit so they termed it that might cleanse them thoroughly but I have not made their desires the rule for my administring Physick had I done so I had in an ordinary way killed them but I gave as I judged they were able to bear Some send no directions what the Physitian should do but leave themselves to his judgment let him send his Physick they submit themselves to it these are the right Patients Thus do sin-sick-souls most if they find troubles arise Conscience being a little awakened presently must have comfortable promises applied listen for such words from Ministers and Christians when they have need of other kind of Physick Some they call for higher discoveries of sin and guilt that sin may appear like it self and they feel more sorrows and if God should give them what they would have unless his mighty hand did support them little do they know what may be the horrid effects Others give up themselves to God do not teach him how much to give but only heal them soundly do his work in them thoroughly and let him take what course his merciful wisdom pleaseth and this is the right frame of a gracious heart What I have said may serve to answer the other case about sorrows for fin of which Divines have written being another part of Compunction The want of sorrows have caused many sorrows in the hearts of many Christians Let not the Reader expect that I should enlarge upon this for as I enlarge upon nothing much less shall I enlarge upon that to which so many have spoken Only a few words First I grant legal sorrows are of good use to prepare the heart and make it willing to part with its sins and remove from that term from which it is called in Conversion but yet give me one ounce as I may say of Evangelical sorrow for sin rising from a Gospel-work and principle before pounds of legal sorrows rising from slavish and hellish fears How much of these sorrows with bitter exclamations against mens lusts have been known and yet not long after men could hug their lusts again but sorrows which arise from the sense of the enmity of sin against the greatness and goodness of God against the love and tenderness of Christ in that great work of Redemption of which the Soul hath had some good hope and taste and that it should deal so disingeniously with this God and this Christ these sorrows being accompanied with reverent filial fear and entire love do not let the Soul ever close with its lusts again Secondly But art thou a sound Christian and hast not known what sorrow for sin means Surely thou art mistaken thou wrongest thy self in saying so
have lived by him nor had communion with him had he not been sorely beaten and kept under A quartan Ague had so shaken his head that he scarce ever recovered it again He had some fearful apprehensions of death and no wonder when God was so dark to him I observed him often to make use of the saying of a godly man in his Town I think it was on his death-bed To dye is a work by it self When his turn came to go off the Stage I observed his frame was very heavenly several times as I sate by he would cry out O glorious Redemption but for that full assurance and joyes which some that had not the tenth part of his grace have expressed he found not as I understood by discoursing with him but that which he so much feared he was not sensible of for the Disease taking his brain in a fit he went off and fell asleep I have wondered sometimes to see and hear how joyfully some weak poor Christians have entertained death what assurance they have expressed when men of great parts and eminent in grace have been more timorous and as for some I have not much delighted to hear their Assurances nor their Joyes there can be no more in the Conclusion then was in the Premises if there be the Syllogisme is fallacious A mans life doth but lay down the Premises for death the Conclusion And to find great joyes and great assurances of Gods love in death when a mans life hath not expressed grace proportionable I much suspect such joyes and assurances I do value at a far higher rate blessed Austin's broken and repenting heart with the Penitential psalms about his bed than the joyes and raptures of these kind of Christians where grace in their life time hath been but low I hope the Reader will not be offended at the little account I give of this man so eminent in parts and grace As for that description of Faith which that holy man Mr. John Rogers hath given in his Book the first that ever I heard opposed it in his own Pulpit was his own Son Mr. Nathaniel Rogers a man so able and so judicious in Soul-work that I would have betrusted my Soul with him as soon as with any man in the Church of Christ when his own Son thus in his Fathers own place opposed it as I have been informed his reverend old Father who dearly loved him stood by and heard him with great attention the people they heard him with some amazement and got him to preach over the Sermon again the next Sabbath Now though it is true this Head of Divinity is cleared already by more able men yet being it is that wherein for many years I found trouble my self in reference to my own state I hope it will not be unpleasing to the Reader to give him an account upon what grounds I was setled my self after many years enquiry Honourable respects I hope the Reader shall find I give to these men from whom I dissent whose parts and grace I am sure I esteem far beyond my own As to the Socinians the thread of my discourse leading me to speak of the Person of Christ briefly I thought it not amiss to put in one or two things which I had been meditating upon and which I found not in others not intending in the least any Controversie but only to leave a word or two as I passed by fearing that Doctrine did spread in England but before I had finished I heard of publick disputes I heard of one and saw another Socinian book newly printed I understood that they in Polonia sent over some of their Scholars to learn our Language and are lately returned Now our Nation is like to be filled with these Books and it will be the spreading Heresie I did ever fear it and now that which I feared is come to pass The consequence of this is terrible for it overthrows our Christian Religion raseth the very foundation God told the Serpent Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel The Serpent is not content with bruising his heel but now is endeavouring to put forth the utmost skill and power he hath to break his head he hath taken the right method if he can but null his Divinity cut off that and he cuts off his head What the thoughts of other Divines are about these Socinian Doctrines I know not for my own part I never blessed God for help in any Controversie as in this for the Popish Controversie that is for that part which is meerly Popish wherein they stand alone by themselves I ever thought it to be stuffed with such pitiful dunghill questions as Doctor Whitaker called them that they were not worthy for a rational learned man to spend his time and thoughts about them What should allure a man to embrace that Religion I could not tell until I did read the Mystery of Jesuitisme then I saw there was something to perswade a man given up to his lusts to give up himself to that Religion I know there are Questions among them which deserve the thoughts of the most able learned Christian but in those they do not stand alone Others who renounce Popery in a strict sense do yet embrace those Doctrines and have fetched their strength from the Jesuites School But the Socinians are as high in those points as any other As this is not a place so neither have I time or intention to meddle with that Controversie only two or three things I will say concerning it knowing how some are troubled about it First It implies no contradiction nor is contrary to any principle of right reason that the infinite Creatour and Soveraign Law-giver in revealing his Mind and Will should give to his Creature Propositions or Articles to be assented to barely upon his Authority revealing them though his Creature is not able by his created reason to demonstrate how these Propositions can be true I read indeed the Socinians affirming the contrary all of them in effect and in particular Schlichtingius Nothing can be believed which cannot be apprehended and understood by reason saith he And again It implies a contradiction while he that is Meisner against whom he disputes affirms it exceeds the reach of reason and yet owns it for an Article of Faith But I wish he had proved it as he hath said it What Contradictions are whether Topical or Axiomatical I know but how this should imply a Contradiction That I assent to this Proposition of my infinite Creator and Soveraign Law-giver because he hath spoken it I believe it therefore and receive it for an Article of my Faith though my Reason is not able to grasp it or demonstrate how it is true I cannot yet understand I challenge all the Socinians Logick to make it good That the Socinians can impose upon us Contradictions to be assented to and those gross ones too is well known Christ
was the pleasure of God that religious worship should be given to any meer Creature Take Christs word for that Matth. 4.10 It is written there is an old Law for this God hath manifested his pleasure as to this point Deut. 6.13 and 10.20 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Crellius makes great use of this exclusive Particle only in John 17.3 which he puts in the front of all his Texts against the Divinity of Christ because he said in his Prayer This is life eternal to know thee the only true God Crellius putting the stress upon the word only proves that Christ excludes himself from being the true God By the same word and as good reason say I doth Christ exclude himself from being the Object of religious worship Let the Socinians say what they can I know what distinctions Socinus useth to help himself here but whence had he them Out of the Turkish Alcoran not out of the holy Scriptures I am sure they are wholly silent as to any such Notions so that thence he must have them or they are the putrid Figments of his corrupt brain But let Francken alone with him I will not multiply more Texts being now I am in an Epistle to the Reader Only one Text more which Francken urgeth against Socinus Isai 42.8 My glory I will not give to another So Isai 48.11 here God declares it plainly that it is not his pleasure to give away the glory due to him unto any other he is peremptory against it Francken urgeth the Text tus Religious worship is the glory of God and God saith he will not give his glory to another Therefore he hath not given it to Christ if he be not God Socinus may scratch his head but shall never be able to answer it But one word more concerning this Text I think it will afford some thing against Socinus and Francken too denying the Divinity of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are I am Jehovah that is my Name and my glory will I not give to another What glory is here especially meant That which he had mentioned just before Gloria Jehovitatis meae as Calonius phraseth it the glory of my Deity that name Jehovah which is proper to me this glory I will not give to another So Chap. 83.18 That men may know that thou whose Name alone is Jehovah art the most high c. Jehovah then is Gods Name and his alone and he that bears this Name is the Most high over all the Earth This glory he will not give to another But this Name Jehovah is given to Christ in the holy Scriptures as Calonius in his learned Tract Theolog. Nat. Rovel p. 218 c. De Nomine Dei Tetragrammato hath shewn and defended them against all the windings of that subtle Serpent in Crellius and his Companions but were not Christ of the same Essence he should not bear the glory of that Name Jehovah Fifthly and lastly I answer It is very true the holy Scriptures do clearly manifest that Divine worship is due unto Christ and it must be given to him both natural and instituted worship we shall find given to him But first That this depends upon the meer pleasure of God I deny as if God might have otherwayes disposed it that no religious worship should be due to him unless that Thesis I mentioned before be true That the good pleasure of God is the first Rule of all Righteousness which some do maintain and from hence argue that if the Lord had so pleased there should have been no worship due to himself from his Creature the Creature should not have needed to love God above all to fear him trust in him or serve him any way pray unto him c. only it was his good pleasure to have it so but this makes all the worship due to the Father depend upon his meer pleasure and doth not hurt our Canse at all whether that Thesis be true or no doth not now concern me Secondly I answer Religious worship is not given to him as a Creature but as he is a Creator God over all blessed for ever for which there are Texts plain enough would but the Socinians hold to the Rules which they seem to approve of viz. Non esse recurrendum ad Figuras donec absurditas Sermonis proprie ita ut sonat intellecti monstretur If Schmalzius would but hold to what he sayes Ludum jocum e Scripturis facere pronunciat qui absque necessitate a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discedunt Would but the Socinians hold to these Rules we shall find Christ to be a Creator not of the new Creature only but of the Creature the Scripture cannot speak plainer than it doth as to this Point Colos 1.16 confutes that Socinian corrupt gloss which they put upon those Texts which declare that all things were created or made by Christ for the Angels I hope had no need of any new Creation Now if the holy Scriptures must be believed when they tell us Religious worship must be given to Christ who is but a Creature as say the Socinians though this be contrary to sound Reason yea and as contrary to the holy Scriptures which will call this Idolatry Then I hope the same Scriptures may as well be believed when they tell us of one singular Divine Essence subsisting in three Persons and of the Humane and Divine Nature united in one Person which things are above but not contrary to Reason Our Reason at the best before our fall being but finite but since our fall corrupt and dim For my part I cannot see how this practise of the socinians can stand but were I of their opinion I must go over to Franciscus David and Christianus Francken and so I believe will our English Socinians ere long upon several grounds which move me to think so but this among the rest perswades me because they are fallen off from some part of his worship already as I learn by the Socinians with whom I had discourse For the Saoraments it is true the Socinians differ from others as to the use and end of them And they do differ among themselves about Baptism Socinus did not judge it to be a perpetual Ordinance yet others of the Socinians do use it And in Transylvania as Calo. Socinis profliga p. 851. nius tells us the Socinians do baptize with water and that in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and that so it was decreed in a Socinian Synod hold Anno 1636. But as to the Lords Supper I cannot see but they all agree in that and Socinus acknowledges it to be Sacramentum perpetuum Universale Now being this was the judgment of all of them for ought I see as to the use of it however they are erroneous as to the end of it I asked him what was the reason they did not administer that Ordinance He answered Though
in the Righteousness of Christ imputed to our justification be not comprehended under the Law but the Gospel so that impenitency and unbelief opposite to that Faith are Sins against the Gospel not the Law as a Covenant of works Yet before a man is convinced of his necessity of this justifying Faith and Repentance he must be convinced he is a Sinner and so need these but this must be by the Law which will convince him of his particular Sins Let these Reasons sussice though more might be added to prove that the preaching of the Law to these ends I have mentioned is both Scriptural and rational and the contrary opinion is both against Scripture and reason As to Mr. Saltmarsh his jeer though there seem to be wit yet there is more sophistry in his Similitude For those legal Preachers did not make Christ and Gospel so hot by their preaching of the Law but by that preaching they laboured to make mens lusts so hot that they might not any longer drink iniquity like water but their hearts being scorched with the apprehension of the wrath of God due for their Sins they might now be glad to listen to and answer that blessed Call of Christ Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 By this I hope it will appear Mr. Shepherd had no just ground to suspect me to be against the preaching of the Law unto right ends though I know many serious Christians have gone many years troubled about the want as they apprehend of these legal works to whom as I have spoken already which I hope may give some ease so I have more yet to speak towards their satisfaction in due place I think it not amiss to give the Reader the close of Mr. Shepherd's Letter to me in these words Dear Brother let my love end in breathing out this desire Preach Humiliation labour to possess men with sence of wrath to come and misery The Gospel-consolations and grace which some would have only disht out as the dainties of the times and set upon the Ministry's table may passibly tickle and ravish some and do some good to them that are humbled and converted already But if Axes and Wedges withall be not used to how and break this rough unhewn bold yet professing Age I am confident the work and fruit of all these mens ministry will be at best but meer hypocrisie and they shall find it and see it if they live to see a few years more 3. Hence If this be the way of the Spirit in drawing the Soul to Christ how rational and necessary is it for those who indeed would have Christ and would have a sound work to beg this Light and Conviction from God to pray with Job though I know the scope of Job in that place something differs Job 13.23 How many are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin It was part of that counsel Christ gave to the luke-warm Angel of Laodicea To anoint his eyes with eye-salve that he might see Apocal. 3.18 What should he see Among other things he should see himself to be wretched miserable poor and naked ver 17. which for want of this work of Illumination and Conviction he did not see and therefore mistook himself as do most who are called Christians thinking he was rich and had need of nothing Was this counsel of Christ good Deny it if thou canst If it were good then my Use cannot be bad for it calls for the same thing that God would make thee see thy self Sin Creatures all as they are What I see not teach thou me Job 34.32 I am sure none of us naturally see Sin and Creatures as they are nor ever will unless God be the Teacher I know this counsel will not take with a carnal heart though it be that which converted Souls daily follow God for to have themselves Sins and Creatures opened and discovered unto them as they are Let Sin be Sin and Creature be Creature and let me see the misery of being a slave to Sin and the Creature as I feel my self enslaved too much unto these daily But for others I know they like it not And what is the matter Alas this would spoil all the sport should we once have Sin guilt and our misery discovered we must never see merry day after and that which we fear must follow our Lovers and we must part and that we find a hard thing yea impossible to bid farewell to those lusts companions and wayes which have brought us in so much pleasure and profit in our dayes These or such like were the thoughts of him who would not hear Doctor Sibbs for fear he should convert him he said We have been before you and know your Objections very well having had the same thoughts in our own hearts against the work of God which you have now uttered and so can tell the better what answer to give I know it to be a frequent Objection made against the work of God That it makes men melancholy mopish if not mad I heard it once my self being in company amongst some Gentlemen and Scholars one of whom God had pulled out and being now under this work the discovery of his sinful and miserable estate was dejected being before chearful and too too vain in his mirth now was as sad the other Gentlemen his Companions threw this in his teeth presently this is the fruit of your Religion when once men begin to be Puritans they must loose all their mirth and chearfulness now nothing but mopishness sadness and sowr faces and were much offended But are you in earnest Do you verily think if God should indeed enlighten you to see your self sin guilt misery that it would spoil your sport and hazard a divorce between you and your Lovers Then if thou beest a man hast the use of thy reason let us grapple a little as I have felt your Objection so I can give you a feeling Answer First You must and shall see your sin self and guilt do what you can there is no avoiding it if as you are loth to see sin and guilt now so you could take a course that you should never see it nor know the effects of it then you might have some reason on your side why you so oppose this work but this is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will set mens sins in order before them Psal 50.21 he will set them in order the word is used variously sometimes for the ordering of a Table sometimes for the ordering of an Army God will set them Rank and File and a terrible Army will this appear Before thine eyes turn thy eyes which way thou wilt yet there shalt thou see thy sins you shall not be able to turn your eyes from them My sin is ever before me said David Psal 51.3 David did not now seek to hide it nor could hide it
interpret of the comfort they had by their going to the Assyrians who promise to strengthen thine hand with help and assistance and so there was no coming home to God So it is with this Soul if it can find life by his hand his working reforming and duties he will not come to Christ for life I shall give the Reader my mind briefly First Though man be now lost miserable undone and hath Convictions that his case is naught yet he hath no such Principle in him naturally that carries him directly to Christ for healing This is obvious to any man who hath laboured to be acquainted with the state of the Souls of his people under his Ministry Ask them are they sinners Yes they deny it not who is not But how then How do you hope to be saved and get out of this condition Let them alone and let them tell their own story and open their minds freely to you they will tell you many things they do how they live how they carry themselves towards God and men but I have observed not one word of Christ all this while no mention of him nor of any thing he hath done at last I have asked What is Christ no body with you O yes yes Christ is somebody when I had put the question to them they have heard of Christ and they are called Christians so they must say they have need of him else it were a shame but had not I mentioned him they had not done it very like to those Women Isai 4.1 Seven women shall take hold of one man saying we will take our own bread and wear our own apparel only let us be called by thy name c. So do most of those who are Christians so called they take hold of him that is they make an outward profession of him called by his Name they cannot tell what to profess else it would be a reproach to them else as those Women pleaded in such a Nation as this they do not like to be called Jews or Heathen but they eat their own bread and wear their own apparel they live not at all upon Christ they will not trouble him for that they have righteousness to cloath themselves a web of their own home-made cloth they are beholding to him only for a name This hath not been my own observation alone but of other Ministers also who have told me they have observed the same in their people Yea I have observed others who in their sickness have had their Consciences awakened and now they were convinced Hell and damnation were no phansies at this time we might talk with them if ever Christ be in mens mouths one would think it should be now but this I have observed hath been the common language If God spare my life I will not live as I have done I shall not frequent such company I will take a new course and many such words But here are two Questions First Grant it be so that you do as you say yet who shall answer for the old score of guilt who shall pay for that Nay for that God may well set off and quit scores if they turn new men Secondly But for this new leaf which you will turn may one believe you Will you promise it Yes Will you vow it Yes Will you swear it Yes Any thing now they can do When it hath been told them your heart is deceitful you promise a great thing you have need of a great power from Christ to help you do this if you get into Christ then there will be ground to hope what you say and promise will be performed else not alas they can do all this without Christ So far as I could judge by their countenance and speech they have seemed to be displeased with me for doubting of the truth of what they say and telling them they will be as bad if not worse if God should raise them up again unless being got into Christ he undertakes the performance of what they promise Men are very confident of their own strength at this time while sickness debilitates nature and fears of hell together keep down lusts so that they do not now act as before they measure themselves by what they feel now and by this state and temper they are now under engage for the future One of our great Men being very sick sent for a very godly Minister a man of prayer indeed Who but this man now Must hardly stir from him What promises and engagements did he make to this Minister of reforming the Minister told him as I said before what he would prove with great earnestness he would multiply his promises yea and you shall see it said he Moreover he wished the Minister if he did recover and did not answer what now he had promised that he should tell him of it Not long after they met together at dinner and this sick man who had made his engagements for a new life fell into his old unsavoury discourse offended much the Minister he soberly told him My Lord you have forgotten your promise he bad him hold his peace for though it was true he had made God such a promise yet he did never intend to perform it The Gentleman whom I made mention of before now with God upon whom God wrought when I was many miles distant from him and knew not of it so soon as I came home and saw him he led me into his Orchard and told me what God had been doing I observed a great change in the man zealous in his duties left off swearing and his drunken Companions I told him Sir God hath done much for you now the business is a right bottoming take heed you do not bottom upon your self your changes your duties but be sure it be upon Christ let your foundation be layed upon him then this will hold What was the matter I know not but upon this he was much cast down in so much as he told me afterwards his Wife wished he had never seen me but I hope my counsel was not hurtful or needless and so he found afterwards in the progress of his Christian course Further to make good my Position how opposite the heart of man is to Christ how men chuse to live upon themselves rather then to go out to him I forbear the names of persons but one that had lived many years I think almost all his life time in a Town where Christ had been as clearly preached as in any Town in England and I think as long when he was about threescore and sixteen years of age he came in to visit a sick Neighbour a Christian friend of mine came to see him also and observing this old man there whom he judged to be one who lived upon his own stock civility good works c. he purposely fell into that discourse to shew how many persons lived upon their duties c. but never came to Christ the old man sitting by
the fan of temptations they will find to be matter of worth Dogmatical Faith is with them but of little worth because the Dogmatical Faith of most is nothing worth Let their principles be searched into how little of that Faith will be found to be divine Faith Lay by these principles that we have been in possession of these Truths concerning Christ his Person his Offices his Redemption for sixteen hundred years this was our Grandfathers and Fathers Religion it is the Religion of our Nation all men are of this Faith our King Rulers our Ministers who teach us are all of this Faith I say lay by these principles which are too short to make a Divine Dogmatical Faith What other reasons of their Faith can the greatest part of those who are called Christians and do assent to these Truths give you How do men generally condemn the Jews I wish these men would read Mr. Jackson's third Chapter of Sect. 2. of Justifying Faith cry out upon them as the basest people under the Sun because they did not believe in Christ and receive his Testimony which in their esteem was the easiest thing and had they been living then they would have believed in him I do not excuse the Jews what they might have learned by observing the Prophets which few of them read and the works which he did John 22.24 he gave them sufficient ground for their faith But though I do not excuse the Jews who yet had a pretty hard work to believe in my opinion and I tremble at Gods Judgments yet thou that canst thus easily condemn the Jews shewest thy self to be a proud a foolish an ignorant Gentile If thou hast not learned this That Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Every Act of Faith if it be Divine Faith even this of assent to these Divine Truths concerning Christ It is given you to believe Philip. 1.29 even this very Act is given Temptations will learn men to interpret Texts Though the Jews had the Prophets and Christ his preaching and Miracles yet Christ tells us John 6.65 No man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father And in ver 44. he saith None come unless the Father draw him Object You will say this is meant of saving Faith Answ I deny it not but observe the next words They must be all taught of God men must hear and learn of the Father before they come ver 45. That teaching hearing learning which are before coming belong to the understanding and this I am sure is one effect of that teaching and learning that he causeth the understanding to give this assent Hence then Dogmatical Faith in those who come to Christ if Divine Faith is the Fathers gift That this Faith is not such a slight thing as men make of it let me shew it a little further First What was the way the Tempter took to overthrow our first Parents and us in them Observe it well you will find he struck at this Faith of Assent this Historical Faith Gen. 3.1 4. Yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden He puts the question and tries their Faith whether they did believe that which God had said to be true he tells the woman ver 4. Ye shall not surely die Just cross to God this which was the hedge to keep them from the Tree he labours to pull down and he doth that by weakning their faith in giving assent to the Threat of God as being true having once done that he quickly attained his design The woman could assent to him though not to God Secondly What Faith was that in Peter for faith it was the Devil aimed at appears by Christs speech to him Luke 22.32 that Satan struck at Observe it and it was this Historical Faith Peter Matth. 16.16 had made a good confession of Christ Thou art Christ the Son of the living God So again John 6 69. Thinks Satan this Peter is a brisk fellow very forward in his conressions it I can but get leave of God to get him unto my san I will try what he is whether he will hold to this confession it may be he will not be of the same mind though he thus now confess and profess he will dye for him and with him When Peter followed his Master and stood amongst the Servants Matth 26.69 to the end now was the time of winnowing Peter Luke 22.31 and now is that faith of his to be tried for so saith Christ I have prayed thy faith fail not when the Servant told him thou wast with Jesus Mat. 26.72 he denied with an oath I do not know the man What not know him This is strange When Christ put the question to his Disciples Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Matth. 16.13 and when ver 15. he put it to his Disciples to answer the question were not you the forward man that answered for all who he was And at another time John 6.69 did you not say We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son c. it seems you did know and were sure who he was and what not so much as know the man now If your faith were not so strong to maintain your confession of him before these but it flabs must you lye so abominably to say you do not know him and bind it with an Oath and Curse So that Peter is far from assenting to that truth which before he confessed Thirdly What Faith was it the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews did so fear lest the Hebrews should fall from it Observe it well and you will find it to be this Historical Faith concerning Christ his Person his Offices his Sacrifice that he was the body the substance of all the ceremonial legal shadows which doctrine they had assentted to but under temptations were in danger to fall from it and so all persecutions in the Church did arise from their Dogmatical faith persecutions did all endeavour to evercome that Faith in all ages and persecutions of the Church If Dogmatical saith once fall saving Faith cannot shand therefore Satan struck so at this Faith in the Hebrews and all the Churches Hence again those whisperings of temptations not in times of persecutions but at other times Titubabit sides si vacillat Scripturarum Divinarum Authoritas Aug. de Christ doct l. 1. c. 37. Are those Scriptures you read the Word of God Are you sure of it Is there a God Are you sure of it Christians at first startle to meet with such motions these are horrid things indeed at the first on-set it may be Satan draws of not follows too hard afterward comes again and follows his motions a little more at last not only from Satan but from the unbelief and atheisine of our own hearts the Soul comes to be so pestered with them that they make him almost distracted and now he that before made a tush at Dogmatical faith
which thou wert sure to gain a thousand pound without any such sensible reluctancy and resistance at that time That thou wilt find rebellion and reluctancy enough afterwards against the wayes of Christ and holiness I deny not and too much enough to make thee groan yet still thy will holds the same towards Christ who destroyes the dominion of that rebellion though he doth not remove the trouble of that rebellion As for that mighty power which the Gospel speaks of in those who did believe let others judge as they please yet for my part I do not think it is meant only of that power which God puts forth upon the will but upon the understanding also in causing that Faith of assent which so many Christians make light of for to have the Jews who had been trained up above a thousand years that Church under Moses Discipline all those things commanded by God and they bound to observe them to have so many Scriptures speak as if that Administration should be for ever and to see Christ in the flesh so low in his state of Humiliation crucified c. for these to lay by all the ceremonial worship to entertain this low despised person to look on him in whom they could see no beauty why they should desire him Isai 53.2 not only as man but God in our flesh the Jews understood him right John 10.33 and Matth. 9.3 and had not Christ been God he would have rejected it with abhorrency as being a horrible sin as bad as the Jews made it for one to make himself God who was not so to renouce their own righteousness and venture their souls only upon him For the Gentiles Ephesians c. who had alwayes been nursed up under dumb Idols but their forefathers Religion upon the preaching of a plain fellow Paul and other Apostles to believe on the true God renouncing their false gods and not only so but which is much more to believe on one Jesus Christ a despised crucified person one whom they never saw to believe him to be God-man to fly to his righteousness and blood venture their immortal souls and salvation upon him So to believe these Truths to assent to them which were the ground why they left Idols Lusts and embraced Christ and holiness in spight of persecutions though the Jews and Gentiles did see miracles which did help to confirm the Doctrine of Christ yet I must say it was a mighty power of God to make them assent to and believe these Truths being so supernatural some so much above though not contrary to reason and also cross to flesh and blood Though I will not contend about the question whether the power of God were more in making their understandings to assent I speak of those who were sound believers not others to those Truths or their wills to consent and embrace the goodness held out in those true Propositions Yet I will affirm it was a mighty power of God and well might it be said It is given you not only to believe but to suffer for those Truths which you do believe and assent unto Phil. 1 29. Neither was this the mighty power of God only then but it is now also and some have felt it under temptations though most make nothing it because it hath been a Religion owned above sixteen hundred years our Fathers Religion and all the Nations hereabouts of the same profession all which are poor grounds to make up Divine faith The first news I had of this temptation was when above twenty years since being about the Mediterranean and lay in danger of Turks who then were exceeding strong and busie In case I should be taken by the Turks what have you for your Religion to make you give assent to your Gospel The Turks and those who profess the Mahometan doctrine are far more numerous than Christians are have been in possession of it a thousand years and much of this stuffe was suggested whence I saw presently and have since many times learned by experience that those grounds upon which most Christians go will signifie little to bear up a man in day of temptations and still I must and will say to work up a Soul to such an assent as is Divine faith in a day of temptation especially there is required a great power of God It is true God doth not let many of his weak as to Intellectuals I mean people be tried here yet the Truth is real although God spares you and do not slight it If then after this discourse you ask me What is saving Faith in Christ I shall answer It is that Grace whereby we receive Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel and so resting upon him Salvation By receiving I intend that Act of the Will which I mentioned in the fourth Head yet including the other in the understanding I shall open it by a plain Similitude presently As he is offered c. he that receives him not as he is offered doth not receive the Christ that God in the Gospel offers but a Christ of his own making I said it was the Person of Christ cloathed with all his Offices or compleat Redemption This reception makes the union Having thus received him now rest upon him for salvation by salvation is understood all the benefits of Christ which are salvation begun prepare and make fit for salvation to be compleated in glory thus we rest upon him for pardon justification peace holiness mortifying of corruptions support against all temptations grace to perform duties and perseverance in all these There are abundance rest upon Christ or trust to him for salvation therefore I said so resting How is that As you received him How did you receive him As God offered him This must be looked to else your resting upon Christ is but in vain But this so resting takes in communion To open this by a plain Similitude of marriage Such a person first offers himself to a Virgin seeks her good will and consent to take him for her Husband the person being not well known to her she tells him Sir you are but a stranger to me though I have heard of your name yet I have no such knowledge of you as to give answer to so weighty a question give me time to enquire after you that I may know whom I marry if I should give consent This is but reasonable saith he and bids her do so She sets her wisest and most faithful friends on work to enquire after him for his estate temper conversation c. The business is what good she is like to have in taking him if those whom she intrusted being wise and faithful bring in full and clear testimony that the man is for person temper education estate and conversation such a one as she may be happy in now she hath knowledge of him now she assents to the truth of what her friends report to her being wise and faithful and assured that he is true