on the one side that he according to their Principles but a meer creature should be the object of faith on the other that so many pregnant places of Scripture should be eluded but had they found out a way to interpret such Phrases as believing and trusting in him in a sence abstractive from his Person they might all have concluded that he was not the object of faith The Authour as to a faith of recumbency on him and his merits seems to conclude the same for though he speak of trusting in Christ and his blood he interprets himself thus expecting to be saved according to the terms of the Gospel Covenant that is by believing and obeying the Gospel of Christ pag. 24. The whole is placed in believing and obeying the Gospel Obedience as I take it is no part of Faith Works shew forth Faith James 2. and so are distinct from it Faith produces Obedience Hebrews 11. and surely it doth not produce it self We are married to Christ that is by Faith that we might bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.1 And me thinks Faith which is the espousal should not be the Progeny Abraham's faith only is admitted in Justification Romans 4. And his works though done after conversion are excluded as being no part of it When Socinus said that Christo credere idem significat atque illi obedire The Learned Calovius tells him That it is but a meer Fiction to prevent the Article of Justification and transform Faith into Works And withall adds that Credere in nullo idiomate idem est quod obedire Obedience being no part of Faith that which remains is only believing the Gospel which is a Dogmatical Faith such as believes the Gospel to be true and inter alia Jesus Christ to be the Messiah and Saviour But alas This is so far beneath a faith of recumbency such as in the Apostle is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 that the very Devils are capable of it who yet never shall have the least drop of that atoneing blood sprinkled on them In our Authour the whole terms of the Gospel are believing and obeying it Obeying it is not so much as a part of faith Believing it is a part of faith but far short of recumbency and how the Authour leaves any room at all for recumbency I see not if Faith which uses to rest in the wounds of Christ may be only totally lodged in the Evangelical Axiom's I fear that Christ will be at odds with the Gospel which contrary to its Native Genius which is to elevate faith unto him our Great Redeemer reserves all of it to it self But to go on the Authour saith That they are for a recumbency on Christ in contradistinction to obedience to his Laws which sets up a Religion of the Person of Christ in opposition to the Religion of his Gospel I answer They make true faith contradistinct from obedience not that faith is alone in existence as if it had no holy fruits of obedience hanging on it but that it is alone in the matter of Justification And this I think is the Doctrine of Protestants and Fathers Which made Erasmus as I have him quoted by the Reverend Morton say Haec Vox sola fides tot clamoribus lapidata hoc seculo in Luthero reverentèr legitur auditur in Patribus if faith though alone in justification do yet spread forth it self into holy obedience I hope the Gospel is not in the least opposed by such a recumbency as gives Christ the glory of his blood and righteousness But now we must hear the significations of the word Christ First Mr. Sherlock Christ is originally the Name of an Office which the Jews call the Messias or Anointed Jesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and Power which was his consecration to the Mediatory Function and virtually contained all those Offices of Prophet Priest and King which are not properly distinct Offices in Christ but the several parts and different administrations of his Mediatory Kingdom after which the Authour describes those Offices to us The Socinians Answer who deny the Satisfaction of Christ have some reason according to their corrupt Principles to jumble all the Offices of Christ together that the oriency of his Priestly Sacrifice might not appear yet are they castigated for it by Calovius and others and Arnoldus calls the Racovian Catechist Hostis crucis Christi upon that account But why our Authour who owns the Sacrifice and Satisfaction of Christ should confound them I know not I conceive the Offices of Christ are distinct though he who had them all performed them in such a just Decorum as became him who had all of them in himself Though he triumphed upon the Cross and what he preached was a Law yet Teaching is not Reigning nor is either Sacrificing In his Prophetical Office Salvation was explicated in his Priestly purchased in his Kingly applied The first removes Ignorance the second expiates Guilt and the Third subdues Corruption In the Authours description of these Offices the Reader may make some Observations In that of the Prophetical Office he mentions his outward preaching but passes over in silence that internal illumination of the Spirit which to me is the life of the other without which no man can spiritually discern the things of God Hence Reverend Bishop Reynolds speaking of the Opinion of Episcopius that an unregenerate man may understand such things sine lumine supernaturali is bold to censure the same as wicked words In that of the Priestly he tells us That Intercession is the Power of a Regal Priest to expiate and forgive sins I take it Christ on Earth had power to forgive sins and did expiate them by his once offered Sacrifice on the Cross But may we call it Intercession Or is Intercession here below I ever took it to be above and to be Christ's Appearance in Heaven for us and his presenting his meritorious Sacrifice to his Father in our behalf When the Racovian Catechism describes his Intercession by his Power to avert Wrath Arnoldus censures it thus Quis unquà m tam inepta stolida insulsa super claros Scripturae textus glossemata vel somniare posset Interpellare Christi in coelis nihil aliud esse quam potestatem Quae rei vel verborum saltem cognatio In that of the Kingly he saith That he conquers the minds of men by the Power of his Word and Spirit and reduces them into Subjection by Minds I hope he takes in Wills too and all is excellent well may it but stand so but afterwards the Authour denies irresistible Grace and then the Conquest is but ad nutum creaturae at the pleasure of the conquered the conquered if he please may be Conqueror and the Conqueror must drop his Crown into his Hand and shall we call this a Conquest Or if we may is it such as becomes the Throne of the Son of God or the design
AN ANSWER TO THE Discourse OF Mr. WILLIAM SHERLOCK TOUCHING The Knowledge of Christ and our Union and Communion with Him By EDWARD POLHILL of Burwash in Sussex Esquire LONDON Printed for Ben. Foster and are to be sold by most Book-sellers in London MDCLXXV TO THE READER IN that excellent Piece the Soul of Man which is too great for this lower World and in the very Frame of it aspires after an Infinite Good the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or uppermost Room is the Vnderstanding and among all the Truths which are the Furniture thereof none are so rich as those Theological ones which are drawn out of the Golden Mines of Scripture Arts and Sciences are in comparison but the Poor of the Mind the Riches and Treasures of Knowledge lie in Evangelical Mysteries these out-shine the Sun and out-weigh the Earth They have the highest Certainty as coming down immediately from heaven and withall the noblest Tendency as leading us thither Infinite Truth is the Fountain and infinite Goodness the Center of them These when in their Lustre make a spiritual Day and derive such a pure Influence upon the Hearts and Lives of Men as moulds them into the Divine Image and thereby makes them meet for the bliss-making Vision in Heaven No sooner can these be under an Eclipse but there will be a Night and a Chaos of confusions the Path of Life and Happiness will be wrapt up in darkness black Legions of Errors and Corruptions will creep forth and pious Souls will wish for the day I mean for a fresh Illustration of Truths from that sacred Spirit which at first breahed them out into the World and after all the Clouds and dark Veils put upon them can bring them forth in their Oriency and true Glory These to Believers are as Pearls and sacred Jewels dearer than the Apple of their Eye nay than their own Souls They build upon them by Faith espouse them by divine Love lay them up in a pure Conscience distil the Vertue of them into a holy Life and if it were possible they would have none of the sacred Light put out nor the least Jot or Tittle of those Truths fall to the ground O what a rate did the famous St. Austin and others set upon God's special Effectual Grace How highly did the heroical Luther value the Point of Justification Jacente articulo Justificationis jacent omnia saith he as if a Christians All were in it When such Truths are violated Christians how meek soever in other things must earnestly contend and not give place no not for an hour here if ever Luther's pia sancta pertinacia is in season Not to stay any longer on the excellencies and great Concerns of Evangelical Truths which no tongue of Men or Angels is able fully to express I shall now speak a little touching Mr. Sherlock's Book When I read it I thought my self in a new Theological World Believers appearing without their Head for want of a Mystical Vnion strip'd and naked for lack of imputed Righteousness the full treasures of Grace in Christ which have supplied all the vessels of faith emptied out of sacred his person transfused into the doctrine of the Gospel as if according to Pelagius all Grace were in doctrine only The holy Spirit the great Origen of Graces and Comforts in its Illumination seems to be superfluous in its Testimony to Believers an Enthusiastical Fancy and in the work of Regeneration if any at most but a partial Co-cause parting stakes with the Will of Man Faith in Abel and Enoch lying as low as Natural Principles in Noah and Abraham raised up a little to particular Revelations but not so high as the Messiah In Christians standing off and at a distance from Christ its dear Object not daring to lay hold on or so much as touch him to draw any Vertue from thence As if Socinus had hit it right when he said Christi apprehensio merum commentum inanissimum somnium est The immutable Love of God the only Cement of the Church seems to be turned off from Persons to Qualities and towards Persons to be as variable as the fickle Will of Man is and yet he is immutable still he loves for the same Reason or as Socinus saith Non sine causa mutat The Pontifician Thesis touching Justification by inherent Righteousness seems to be revived a fresh and that in a way less tolerable than among the Romanists They though they would have inherent Righteousness come in for a share yet allow the Imputation of Christs passive Obedience but in the New Scheme inherent Righteousness takes up all the room and leaves none for imputed The Drollery and sarcastical Reflections in the Book are but the Cover of it within there is a dark Eclipse upon many excellent Truths which hitherto have been owned in the Churches of Christ and particularly in our own Among other Truths none have had a greater share of suffering than those two touching our Mystical Vnion with Christ and the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us both which are to me very momentous The Mystical Vnion hath I suppose been generally received in the Church Indeed Gregory de Valentia once cavilled at it as if it were Mysterium Calvinisticum and yet he seems to own it when he saith Animum nostrum posse per fidem corpus Christi etiam ut in coelo existens atque adeo ut est extra Sacramentum manducare He that denies the Mystical Vnion cannot hold the head Jesus Christ from which all the body by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred Col. 2.19 Take away that Vnion and Christ is a Head of no Influence the Joynts and the Bands which were made to convey divine Nutriture from him are but empty Titles and signifie no more than those Conduit-pipes do which are severed from the Fountain Again he that denies the Mystical Vnion must lose that piece of his Creed the Communion of Saints their Communion among themselves primarily depends on their Vnion with Christ the Head from whom the whole body is fitly joyned together and compacted as the Apostle tells us Eph. 4.16 All the Harmonies in the Body Mystical hang on its Vnion with the Head without this Believers could have no Communion one with another save in this only that they must all die one common death hy being severed from their Head The living Stones once off from their Foundation can hang no longer together in the spiritual Building but must totter down into a Chaos of Confusion Moreover he that denies the mystical Vnion must turn off the Believer from his true standing according to the Gospel the Believer is a man in Christ he is built on him as on a Foundation he subsists in him as the Branches do in the Vine he hath vital Influences from him as the Members have from the Head he is acted by his divine Spirit in all the pure ways to heaven and all this is his security his
towards the discharge of those that perish who are never discharged as of those that are discharged and saved which plainly shews that it properly discharges none at all and if it discharge not it satisfies not that is it is no satisfaction It remains therefore that Christ's Satisfaction is made ours by Imputation and so doth discharge us If it discharge us it must be made ours by Imputation and if it discharge us not it is no Satisfaction Socinus who denied Christ's Satisfaction had reason to deny imputed Righteousness and he who denies imputed Righteousness must in the consequent deny Christ's Satisfaction nay he must set up another satisfaction in stead of it In Justification there must be some Righteousness or other to be the matter of our Justification and to discharge us before God if the imputed Righteousness of Christ be not such then our own inherent Righteousness must be the very thing that must discharge us and satisfie for us that indeed must be the satisfaction much rather than Christs because it properly actually discharges us which Christs doth not Vnless we say with the Socinians that there is Remission without Satisfaction there must be somewhat to be a Satisfaction and what that is very obvious That which is the matter of our Justification that which doth properly discharge us that is the Satisfaction if Christs Righteousness imputed be not it our inherent Righteousness must be such and yet alas what a poor thing is it to be so advanced It s own defects call for a pardon and how should it justifâ—e or discharge us May that which wants a pardon it self justifie or may it first be pardoned it self and then justifie its Subject in which it is Both are absurd Before it is pardoned it self it cannot justifie and after it is pardoned it is very odd that it should give that which it self once wanted Not to be tedious I have endeavoured to return an Answer to Mr. Sherlock's Book not out of Passion or disrespect to his Person who is my acquaintance and for whom I have respects but meerly out of love to the Truth which is dearer to me than all Relations I have for the most part set forth his words at length and where sometimes for brevities sake I have contracted them it hath been my care to be just to every thing of Emphasis or Argument The Lapses in this my Answer beg the Readers pardon and the Truths in it call for his consent If any thing in it tend towards the clearing or establishing of sacred Truth it is enough for him who is A Well-wisher to the Truth EDWARD POLHILL THE INTRODUCTION CHAP. I. ALL Error hath some appearance of Truth Mr. Sherlock it being impossible to believe a plain and undisguised falshood It is so indeed Answer The old Fable is true Truth first presented her self to the World and went about to seek entertainment but finding none she resolved to leave Earth and take her flight to Heaven But as she was going up she let fall her Mantle and Error waiting by snatched it up and ever since hath gone about in it Every erroneous Opinion which walks about in the dress and appearance of Reason tells us that the opposite Mysteries are retired up to their great original above there to complain against an unbelieving World for the hard usages found here below The first and fundamental mistake is in a confusion of Names Mr. Sherlock in a doubtful and ambiguous use of Words especially in Matters of Religion men consider nothing but the sound of words and from thence form such uncouth Idaea's of Religion as are fitted to the meanness of their understanding or gratifie their natural Genius and Disposition or are calculated to serve an Interest and thus the Gospel of our Saviour is defaced and obscured by affected Mysteries and Paradoxes and senseless Propositions and Christ the brightness of his Father's Glory is represented with a thicker Veil upon his Face than Moses How truly this general Charge is laid at the Door of those Worthies Answer whom this Author opposes must be tried by the instances of the after Discourse in the mean time I fear that some men following the tinkling of their own reason shape such Idaea's of Religion as cast smiles and flatteries upon corrupt Nature and strangely darken the Gospel by clearing away those Mysteries which are the glory of it and stand above the level of humane reason as pregnant proofs of the Divinity of the Gospel and fit objects for the exercise of Faith If we believe some men Mr. Sherlock There is as irreconcileable a difference between the Religion of Christ's Person and of his Gospel as between the Law and Grace for the Gospel of Christ is as severe a dispensation as the Law which dooms all men to eternal misery who live not very innocent and virtuous lives but the Person of Christ is all Grace a meer refuge and sanctuary for the wicked and ungodly that is as he after explains it for impenitent and incorrigible sinners Christ at odds with his Gospel Answer Absit The reason is untrue on both sides That the Gospel is as severe a dispensation as the Law which surely calls for no less than sinless obedience is untrue in it self that the Person of Christ is a refuge for impenitent sinners is not so much as truly affixed upon the Opposites their Writings deny it their hearts abhor it as prodigious He that goes about to deduce it from their words will have as little success as that attempt had which would have extracted the Spirits of Turcism out of the Writings of Reverend Calvin What he means by virtuous and innocent lives I know not the Pelagian Julianus ushers in his Fabricius Fabius and Scipio as very virtuous men and lifts up their Chastity Mercy and Justice as true Virtues and well pleasing to God Will this serve the turn St. Austin can by no means endure it but breaks out in a holy passion O inimici gratiae solo vocabulo Christiani May there be true virtue in animo fornicante à Deo or can a man be just sine fide Christi Or is that virtue in which God is not served Hoc est unde vos maximè detestatur Christiana Ecclesia thus that excellent Father The Authors sence in this matter will be further seen in his after-discourse about natural Faith Faith in Christ Mr. Sherlock and hope in Christ are expounded of a fiducial reliance and recumbency on the Person of Christ for salvation in contradistinction to obedience to his Laws which sets up a Religion of the Person of Christ in opposition to the Religion of his Gospel If these pregnant Phrases of Faith in Christ and Hope in Christ do not make him the Object of Faith Answer I know not what can when the Socinians disputed among themselves whether Christ were the Object of Worship and so of Faith it was a very hard case
separate from him He is the Saviour of the body his merits and righteousness cover only those that are in him the effectual working of the Divine Spirit is only in those that are parts of him and united to him as their head a man can no more continue in the Divine life and walk in holiness without this union than the old Dionysius as the fable runs could walk a great way with his head off The opinion against this mystical union if practical would in a moment murder all the new creatures in the world and make a more bloody day with the Church than that of the Parisian Massacre This at one blow beheads the Church Catholick and cuts off that neck of Faith through which all Graces and Divine influences are derived from Christ unto believers But now let us hear the Author Those Metaphors which describe the relation and union between Christ and Christians Mr. Sherlock do primarily refer to the Christian Church not to every individual Christian Christ is the head but of his body which no particular Christian is Christ is an husband but the whole Church is his Spouse as St. Paul tells the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ Christ is a Shepherd and that concerns the whole flock Christ is a Rock a corner stone and the Church an holy Temple All these Metaphors in their first and most proper use refer to the whole Society of Christians the union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church the Church is the body of Christ and every Christian by being united to this body becomes a member of Christ As the Apostle tells us Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12.27 The Church is the Temple of God and every Christian a lively stone in it the Church is Christs Spouse and every Christian a member of that Society but every Christian is not Christs Spouse he is an enemy to Polygamy and hath but one Spouse as he hath but one body and one Church which quite spoils the prettiness and fantastical wit of a late exhortation to young women to take Christ for their husband which would have sounded much better in a Popish Nunnery than among such pretenders to reformation and to give every one their due the Papists are the most generous sort of sutors for Christ for they perswade them to forsake all other husbands for Christ which is more honourable and meritorious These Metaphors refer to the whole Church or body of Christ very well Answer but are not particular Christians united to Christ as their head espoused to him under him as Sheep under a Shepherd built on him as on a Rock Yes surely The Church of Corinth which is the Authors instance was in proper speech no more the whole body of Christ than a particular Christian is and yet it was espoused as a chast Virgin to Christ if a particular Christian because not the whole body of Christ cannot be espoused to him then neither can a particular Church because not such be so espoused And so the grave words of S. Paul about the Corinthian Church as well as the phantastical wit of the late Exhorter must spoil together But if a particular Christian may be espoused to Christ why should Ministers who are Sutors on that behalf be checked with a Popish Nunnery as if those Espousals smelt of a superstitious Vow The Author himself tells us pag. 180. Every devout Soul is Gods Temple an inlightned mind is his Debir or Oracle a pure heart is his Altar devout Prayers are spiritual Incense and sweet Perfumes the body it self is a consecrated place and called Gods Temple All which is excellently spoken and I think by the same reason a particular believer may be called Christs Spouse but saith the Author The union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church that is to the whole Catholick Church the whole body of Christ which is made up only of Believers and Saints being as Ignatius calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Tral This is the Church the Author here means by the whole Church or body of Christ that body hath none but Believers and Saints in it Now if particular believers are united to Christ by their union to this Church how was the first believer united to Christ Or afterwards how was the Church Catholick united to him Surely not by another Church but immediately and then to me it is unimaginable that the whole Church should be immediately united to him and never a part so united or that all believers should be so united to him and never an one of them so united Besides the Church Catholick is part militant on earth and part triumphant in Heaven Those in Heaven are no part of the visible Church afterwards mentioned by the Author and withal they are at so great a distance from us that we may as easily imagine an immediate union to Christ as to them Those on earth are not all the body of Christ and so not properly within the Authors discourse however if we consider the business those vincula unionis the holy Spirit and Faith which unite them all immediately to Christ are resident in particular Believers and therefore it is a wonder to me that those particular Believers in whom the Divine Bonds reside should not be immediately united to Christ It is apparent that in case those Bonds in particular believers should be dissolved the whole Catholick Church on earth would be dissolved also and how then can particular persons be less than immediately united to Christ Add hereunto that none are in the Church Catholick but reall Believers and in the very instant of believing they are united to Christ and therefore it is not at all supposeable that they should first be united to the Church and by that means to Christ That place in the Corinthians quoted by the Author Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular proves it not The Church of Corinth was not the whole body of Christ neither is there any syllable in it to prove that first we are united to the Church and then to Christ Christ speaking of himself Mr. Sherlock saith I am the true Vine John 15. The meaning is that Church which is founded on the belief of my Gospel is the true Vine I signifies Christ together with his Church which is his body upon which account the Church is elsewhere called Christ The Author is a little various here for he saith Answer I signifies Christ together with his Church but a little after I and in me cannot be meant of his own person So there it is the Church alone and not together with Christ neither doth the Author agree upon the Church First he speaks of the body of Christ which is
Not in the Gospel of which the Apostle speaks not but in the Person of Christ To which purpose Bishop Wren hath an excellent passage Quid non sunt praestituri fideles atque summâ fide elaboraturi ut divelli se nunquam patiantur ab illius in quo seipsos quoque Divinitatis repletos esse intelligunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 10. spirituali mysticâ Vnione Observe he owns that Believers are united to Christ by a mystical Union and in him complete and according to the Creature-model filled with the Divinity As for that in the Author That the Fulness of the Godhead ultimately resolves it self into the Gospel If the meaning be only this the Fulness of the Godhead is in Christ therefore the Gospel is Divine I own it but if the meaning be the Fulness of the Godhead is in Christ and by him transfused into the Gospel I utterly deny that transfusion Mr. Sherlock In other places the Fulness of Christ signifies the Church Eph. 1.22 23. the Church is called his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all the Church makes him as it were complete and perfect for he cannot be a perfect Head without a Body Hence the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Beza tells us That this is the reason of that Phrase which so frequently occurrs in the New Testament of being in Christ that is being Members of the Christian Church Now the Church is called Christ's fulness with respect to its extent and universality that it is not confined to any particular Nation as the Jewish Church was but takes in Jews and Gentiles bond and free This I take to be the meaning of Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Beza observes that some Expositors by his fulness understand the Church for ver 18. the Apostle tells us That he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Where fulness must be expeunded of the Church that it pleased God to unite his Church unto Christ for the Apostle assigns this as the Reason of Christ's being the Head of the Church And if you would know why the Church is called fulness and all fulness said to dwell in Christ the Reason follows in 20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross to reconcile all things by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven and you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled This is that fulness that dwells in Christ that he is made the Head of the Vniversal Church both in heaven and earth that Jews and Gentiles are now united in one Body that Christ is the universal Shepherd and Bishop of Souls by him to reconcile all things to himself And this is the meaning of that phrase The fulness of him who filleth all in all the Church is his fulness because he filleth all in all that is doth not consine his care and providence and the influences of his Grace to any one Nation but extends it to the whole World Thus the fulness of Christ signifies in Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which is the explication of to a perfect man that is to that perfection of Faith and Knowledge which becomes the Christian Church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the age and growth and stature of a Man the fulness of Christ cannot so properly be understood of any thing as of the Christian Church This is all I can find in Scripture concerning the Fulness of Christ which either signifies the Perfection of his Gospel or the Vniversality of his Church which is a plain Demonstration of those mens skill in expounding Scripture who make this Fulness a Personal Grace in Christ Eph. 1.22 23. Answer The Church is called Christ's body the fulness of him that filleth all in all But this is not the Church Visible which is made up of Believers and Unbelievers these latter being dead and putrid Members do not as Bishop Davenant hath observed complere Corpus Christi sed corrumpere deformare but it is the Church Catholick which is made up only of Saints these make up the Mystical Body of Christ and without them Christ as Head accounts not himself complete The Church is Christ's Fulness but is there not a personal fontal Fulness in Christ No doubt there is the Text tells us That he filleth all in all and that he is head to the Church and so must dispense vital Influences of Grace to all his Members Hence the whole Body is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supplied with all the Furniture of Grace from him as Head Col. 2.19 and all the Members of that Body are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled with all graces in him Col. 2.10 Without this fontal Fulness in Christ what would become of the Church In a moment the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Body would turn into Corruption and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fulness would vanish into Confusion but because it is mystically united to him as a living Head hence it is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 The phrase being in Christ signifies the Mystical Union with him Hence Beza on that place There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Rom. 8.1 saith Quia sumus per fidem facti unum cum Christo That place Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell speaks not of the Church as Christ's Fulness but of the fontal personal Fulness in Christ the Church is called Christ's Fulness but never the All-fulness of him the All-fulness is not the Church's Fulness but Christ's such as made him fit to be Head of the Church and the Origen of all Graces in the Church The All-fulness is an antecedent Reason why Christ was Head of the Church the Church's being Christs Fulness is a consequent and result from thence But saith the Author The Church is called fulness because ver 20 21. Christ reconciled all things in heaven and earth he is Head of the Church Vniversal in heaven and earth Jews and Gentiles are now united in one body To which I answer Christ is indeed the Head of the Church Universal but the All-fulness made him meet to be such an Head else he could not have reconciled all things Christ saith the Author filleth all in all that is he extends the influences of his Grace to the whole world This I suppose is somewhat hard to be maintained in the Pagan World it is difficult to believe that there are Influences There they are without God in the world the
place Christ borrows not his Name from temporal blessings no that is too low The Salvation their spoken of is a spiritual and eternal one that Salvation is procured by the active and passive righteousness of Christ that righteousness is made ours by imputation Hence Christ is called the Lord our righteousness The Name of Christ must import somewhat peculiar to himself to do good to us is common to the whole Trinity but the active and passive righteousness of Christ is peculiar to himself that therefore is imported in this Name This Name seems to be attributed to the Church Jer. 33.16 because the Church is mystically united to Christ in whom this perfect righteousness is and this righteousness which is in Christ becomes the Churches by imputation Observe this name is not given to all men but to believers as pointing out not common favours but that righteousness of God which is upon those that believe The Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual Kingdom and the Salvation must be suitable to it And this great Name the Lord our righteousness is the foundation of both As to the places quoted out of Isaiah by the Author that Isai 54. may possibly speak of a vindication or justification against their enemies that Isai 45.24 25. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory speaks of a justification by Faith in Christ that robe of righteousness Isai 61. may be taken for Christs Rrighteousness which is the foundation of Salvation but however these be taken that first quoted place Jer. 23.6 plainly imports imputed righteousness It is very observable Mr. Sherlock that in all the histories of the Gospel which gives us an account of our Saviours Sermons and parables whereby he instructed the people in all necessary truths he makes no mention at all of imputed righteousness but exacts from them a righteousness of their own if they would find mercy with God Now it is very strange if imputed righteousness be the great Gospel-mystery that our Saviour should not once mention it nor warn his hearers to beware of tructing in their own righteousness but that instead of this he should severely enjoyn them the practice of an universal righteousness as the only thing that pleases God and severely threaten those who continue in any sin who break the least of his commandments that they shall not enter heaven This to me is a very great prejudice against such notions as are set up for the fundamentals of Christianity when there is not the least foot-steps of them to be seen in the Gospel of our Saviour Did not our Saviour instruct his hearers in all things necessary to Salvation Or have the Evangelists given us an imperfect account of our Saviours doctrine and omitted so essential a part of it as imputation of his Righteousness Chuse which side you please and the consequence is bad if the first then Christ was not faithful in his prophetical Office If the latter you over-throw the credit of the Gospel and by both destroy the foundation of our Faith Our Saviours Sermons were to be the rule of the Apostles had the Apostles taught any thing as necessary to Salvation which our Saviour had not taught especially any thing that did so plainly contradict the Doctrine of our Saviour as this imputed righteousness doth it would very much have weakned their credit with me for this had been to preach another Gospel than our Saviour did and we have St. Paul 's command to reject all such Preachers though they were Apostles or an Angel from heaven Gal. 1.8 9. And is there no mention at all in the Gospel of imputed Righteousness Answer Are there no footsteps of it Yes surely our Saviour tells us Seek ye first the kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his righteousness that is Gods Matth. 6.33 Inherent Graces are in Scripture called our own but here we have Gods Righteousness which answers to Jehovah our righteousness in the Prophet and the righteousness of God in the Epistles Now the Righteousness of God that is of Christ as before hath been noted is made ours only by Imputation but where doth Christ speak of his own Righteousness See Math. 3.15 Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness saith he he fulfilled all righteousness but was it for himself or for us Not for himself his humane Nature was no sooner assumed into his divine Person but it had a Title to Heaven and might have asended up thither it was for us therefore Hence the Apostle saith expressly That he was made under the Law to redeem us Gal. 4.4 What he did as under the Law was for us and such was all his righteousness and therefore that was for us and what was for us must be applicable to us and this cannot be without an imputation It is said that Christ gave his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price or ransome for or instead of many Math. 20.28 Now a Ransome or Satisfaction implies imputation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly imports a Subrogation or Substitution of one in the room of another Christ died in our room and satisfied for us this Satisfaction is made ours particularly by imputation Hear the French Divines Hanc satisfactionem loco nostro praestitam à Christo nobis imputari negari non potest quis neget solutam à Fidejussore pecuniam imputari Debitori exhibitam à Vade satifactionem imputari ei cujus nomine facta est Ea igitur Christi satisfactio nobis ex gratiâ Dei Patris imputata atque donata illa demum justitia est quâ justificamur in Dei judicio We see therefore in the Gospel Satisfaction owned and that necessarily infers Imputation Christs blood was shed for many for the remssion of Sins as himself tells us Matth. 26.28 Now it could not be shed for us without the first fundamentall Imputation neither can it be made ours to justifie us without an after particular Imputation For his Blood when it cleanses away our sins is not ours by Inhesion therefore if it be at all ours to doe that great Work it must be so by Imputation Remission of sins was to be preached in his name Luk. 24.47 and In his name shall the Gentiles trust Math. 12.21 This Name includes his Blood and Righteousness and these are made ours by Imputation If any reply plainer proof is desired I answer Several things are to be considered by us There is no one place in the Gospels to maintain Justification by our own Righteousness or if there were I shall be bold to say that all the Protestant Churches in the World are bound to yeild the Cause in this point to their Adversaries the Papists Obedience to Gods Commandements is indeed the way to heaven but it is no where made an ingredient into our Justification That place Math. 5.19 quoted by the Author that Whosoever shall break one of the Least
Gen. 22.18 That is with all spiritual and eternal blessings in Christ It is not imaginable that God should suffer the Faith of so great a Believer as Abraham to hang in the thickets of carnal things when he had such spiritual Promises before his eyes our Saviour saith Abraham saw his day and rejoyced Joh. 8.56 He saw the day of his Incarnation and as some the day of his Passion How far God carried the eyes of his Faith I know not however he saw so much as put him into those joys and triumphs of Faith which pointed beyond this World to that Salvation which is the end and center of Faith To me it suffices to say that Abraham rested upon Christ for Salvation and then Christ's Righteousness though unknown to Abraham was imputed to him The Author saith That from in thy seed shall all nations be blessed to imputed righteousness is a train of thoughts beyond Mr. Hobs and yet Abraham discerning the Messiah in that Promise it may be absolved in two short words that the Messiah shall merit Spiritual Blessings for us and that that merit shall be applyed to us there being no other way of applying of what is anothers but by Faith on our part and Imputation on Gods The Author ask's the question Is there no possible way for God to bless the world but by imputed Righteousness I answer had not Christ dyed for us which involves an imputation nothing of blessing could have been expected the wrath of God would no more have spared us than it did lapsed Angels The Jews about Christ's coming thought only of a temporal Messiah the very Apostles for a time thought not of Christ's death but this was because they then lived in the dregs and darkness of the Jewish Church I suppose in former ages the Jews had another manner of Prospect of Christ and above others Abraham whose Faith stands in Scripture with a more than ordinary crown on it probably had so Now if you would know what the Faith of Abraham and if all good men in ancient times was Mr. Sherlock the Apostle to the Hebrews gives us a full account of it Heb. 11. that he discourses there of a justifying Faith that is such a Faith as renders men approved of God and which he will count for Highteousness appears from the tenour of this Chapter in the second verse he tells us That by this the elders obtained a good report that is the Fathers were approved and rewarded by God for the sake of this Faith as he shews particularly That Abel obtained witness that he was righteous ver 4. That Enoch had the testimony that he pleased God ver 5. That Noah became heir of righteousness which is by Faith ver 7. Now this justifying Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A firm and confident expectation of those things hoped for and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an argument of the being of those things which we do not see Faith is such a firm and stedfast perswasion of the truth of those things which are not evident to sense as makes us confidently hope for them the object of Faith must be unseen things and the nature of it consists in such a firm assent to those unseen things as produces some answerable effects in our lives This is the general notion of Faith by which the elders obtained a good report Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Answer Heb. 11. This saith Erasmus is encomium fidei rather than definitio Dialectica However be it that justifying Faith is here meant Christ the marrow and center of the Covenant must be included in it Faith is the substance of things hoped for that is hoped for by vertue of the Promises and in a special signal way by vertue of the prime fundamental promise touching the Messiah which as we see Gen. 3.15 was delivered to Adam as an heavenly treasure more worth than a world and by him was no doubt handed down to his posterity not meerly in the bare words and letters of it for that protevangelium or first Promise of the Gospel was ministerium spiritûs but with such Divine Commentaries upon it as the illuminating spirit was pleased to give in to the heart of believing Adam Faith such is its excellent nature presentiates and makes to subsist the good things hoped for in such a lively manner as if they were actually at hand and before our eyes Nay as learned Pareus observes on the place it makes them subsist not only speculatively and assentively in the mind but fiducially in the heart Now by Faith in the Messiah the Elders had their divine Testimony Abel was righteous before God Enoch pleased God Noah was an heir of Righteousness all of them were Justified and accepted in their persons and holy walking The Author makes Faith to consist in a firm assent only without any thing more in the nature of it Thus the Romanists Thus Bellarmine proves it to be only assensum firmum 〈◊〉 certum ad ea omnia quae Deus credendae proponit And to that purpose among others quotes this Text Heb. 11. But I cannot find that this will down with Protestants Faith is set forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firm perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perswasion with full sails 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial subsistence of things hoped for which expressions speak more than a naked assent Faith receives Christ puts on Christ feeds upon Christ such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was to the Fathers in the days of Moses that they did eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God even before his Incarnation 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Meer assent cannot do this Through faith we are justified and have peace with God Rom. 5.1 We have our hearts purified Act. 15.9 We have the Spirit of all grace Joh. 7.38 We quench the fiery darts of the Devil Eph. 6.16 We have a victory over the world 1 Joh. 5.4 We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Nay not only in the hope of it but with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 as if we had a piece of heaven here below meer assent cannot reach such admirable effects Nay it may be in wicked men who have not the least mite of those Graces or Comforts Our Saviour hath excellently expressed the nature of true Faith Every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life Joh. 6.40 Here are two acts the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see the Son to assent that he is the Redeemer of the World the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to believe on him by fiducial recumbency by which saith Bishop Davenant Dav. Det. 165. Vitam à vitae fonte haurimus in
blameless ver 5 6. But then after all he casts away all this Jewish and Pharisaical glory What things were gain to me those I have counted loss for Christ ver 7. he would not be justified by any of those things but doth he go no further Doth he only exclude his external Pharisaical Righteousness No surely his discourse goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Particles of amplification as if the Apostle had said Nay more than that even now do I count all things loss In the 7. Verse he casts off his Jewish and Pharisaical gains but in the 8. he puts by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things his inherent Graces not being admitted to be the Matter of our Justification In the 7. Vers we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tempore praeterito I have counted but in the 8. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praesenti now I do count all things loss Hence the excellent Beza saith Notandum praesens tempus sic enim crescit oratio ut jam Apostolus quod ad justificationem coram Deo attinet omnia opera excludat tum praecedentia tum etiam consequentia fidem Exam. ' de Justif pag. 135. And Learned Chemnicius saith Paulum non tantùm uti praeterito tempore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de operibus praecedentibus conversionem sed praesenti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ostendai quòd operibus suis etiam post renovationem fact is non tribuat Justificationem coram Deo Even our inherent Graces how precious soever they be in Sanctification must not assume the Royal seat of Christ and his Righteousness they must not be our very Righteousness in Justification Bellarmine indeed here cries out Quanta quaeso blasphemia est How great is this blasphemy to call good works done out of the Faith and Grace of Christ no better than dung But Paraeus answers him very well That they are not so called absolutely in themselves but comparatively to the Righteousness of Christ nefas enim ducit in ullis operibus fiduciam Justificationis ponere coram Deo In the Matter of Justification the whole Church calls her Righteousness a filthy Rag St. Paul will not there own his own inherent Graces no more than holy Job would know his own Soul But this is yet more clear ver 9. The Apostle would be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law he excludes his own Righteousness that is his inherent Graces in the point of Justification I say his inherent Graces for he had before shut out his external Pharisaical Righteousness ver 7. and his after-speech being not a Battology or vain repetition but progressive or expressive of more than went before he doth in the 9. Verse put by his inherent Graces under the name of his own Righteousness and which further confirms this Sence inherent Graces are in Scripture said to be our own Hence we find my faith and thy faith Jam. 2.18 and our Saviour saith Except your righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 See here a Righteousness and that exceeding a Pharisaical one called theirs The Apostle excludes the righteousness which is of the Law In the 7. Verse he had shut out the Righteousness of the Law taken in the Pharisaical sence but in the 9. Verse he goes on and puts by the Righteousness of the Law taken in its own spiritual Nature the Righteousness which the Law in its holy Commands prescribes and surely the Law calls for internal Holiness as well as external Conformity In another place the Apostle tells us That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 No flesh not the holiest Saint on earth whose Righteousness is as much above the Pharisees as Life is above pictures and shadows shall be justified by his own Righteousness or conformity to the Law But if the Apostle would not have his own Righteousness which is of the Law in Justification what would he have He would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith He doth not say a Righteousness which is Faith or other Graces but a righteousness which is through the faith of Christ a righteousness which is of God by faith Now inherent Graces are never in Scripture called the Righteousness of God The righteousness of God is upon those that believe Rom. 3.22 not in them as inherent Graces are The righteousness of God is in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 not in our selves as our Graces are The righteousness of God is one and the same with the righteousness of Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 not the same with our Graces The Apostle therefore would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that is the perfect Righteousness of Christ which Faith receives and God accepts on our behalf By these things it appears that the Apostle in this place doth not only exclude external Pharisaical Righteousness but even inherent Graces in the matter of Justification There is a double Antithesis in the words Mr. Sherlock the righteousness of the Law is opposed to the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ and my own righteousness to the righteousness of God Now the surest way to understand the meaning of this is to consider how these phrases are used in Scripture The righteousness of the Law as you have already heard is an external Righteousness which consists in washings and purifications and sacrifices or an external conformity to the Moral Law The righteousness which is by the faith of Christ is an internal Righteousness which consists in the renovation of our Minds and Spirits in the government of our thoughts and passions which is therefore called being born again becoming new creatures rising with Christ putting off the old man and putting on the new which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness That Righteousness which God requires of us under the Gospel must be an inward Principle of Love and Obedience which transforms us into the image of God as if we were born again or made new creatures The reason why Godsent Christ into the world to die as a Sacrifice for our sins and to confirm and seal the new Covenant with his Blood was that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome expounds it that which the Law was designed to work in them but was found too weak to effect it by reason of the greater power of sin that is the inward holiness and purity of mind which was represented and signified by
whom he is Surety so far forth as he is Surety for them But possibly Dr. Jacomb may speak of the Saints because the Payment or Satisfaction of Christ hath a special aspect upon the Elect or chosen people of God and is particularly applied to Believers and Saints whilest in the mean time to others who receive not the Atonement it is totally ineffectual and in the event as it were none at all But saith the Author I doubt these men are as much out in the Law of Suretiship as before in the Laws of Mariage To which I only say I hope they are out in neither But before I come to the Authors Objections I shall crave lieve to offer one thing to the Readers consideration viz. That the Titles given to Christ in Scripture are all to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a way of transcendent Excellency and Eminency not according to the narrow Scantling of humane Laws or Reason Christ is a Sacrifice but when did you ever hear of a Sacrifice that offered up it self or of a Sacrifice and Priest both in one Or when was there a Sacrifice that was offered up through the eternal Spirit or that had such an Altar as the Deity Christ is a Redeemer but when was there a Redeemer who paid down himself as a Price and which is more paid down himself to himself For so Christ as God-man paid down his humane Nature to himself as God Christ is a Mediator and where is there a Mediator who hath two Natures in one Person or who gave himself a Ransom for all And to name but one instance more Christ is a Surety for us but where was there a Surety ever procured by the Creditor only Or a Surety who took another Nature to be such in Christ is a Surety of the Covenant where there is something on Gods part and something on Man's and who ever heard that in Articles of agreement or reciprocal Covenants between Man and Man any one became Surety for a performance of both parts or sides of the Covenants These things plainly shew that Christ is all these in a way of Eminency or Transcendency So that unless we will be so bold as to spoil him of the glory and excellency of his Titles we must by no means crowd them into the Span of humane Laws or Reason This if considered will prepare a way to answer the Authors Objections which are now to be heard The Surety doth not make himself immediate Debtor he doth not absolutely take the debt upon himself he is liable only in case of the Debtors default No man in his wits would be Surety for another when he knew beforehand that if he did he must pay the debt Men become Sureties upon assurance not to suffer injury by it Thus the Author To which I answer Sureties are usually bound to pay in case of the Debtors default but it is not at all material or essential to Suretiship whether the Debtor be solvent or not it is not the Debtors sufficiency but the Sureties own Act which makes him a Surety neither can a Surety if prosecuted plead this in Law that the Debtor was a Non solvent at the time when he became Surety But however it be with Sureties among men Jesus Christ was a Surety after another rate than they are Sureties among men undertake to pay the debt upon a meer contingency that is if the Debtor make default but Christ undertook to satisfie for us not upon contingency but certainty he was delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a determinate Counsel it was down in the eternal Rolls that he must make satisfaction for us there was not the least Salvo or Condition or Contingency in it No man in his wits will be a Surety for a known Non-solvent But Christ was by his love to us so excordiated and ravished out of himself that he would be Surety for us though known utter Bankrupts though under the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under a perfect impossibility to fulfil the Law or expiate the least breach of it Nay he would be a Surety for us for this very reason because he knew thar we were in a lost irrecoverable condition in our selves The Surety doth not absolutely undertake the debt But Christ our Surety did absolutely undertake to make Satisfaction he was a Surety and a Redeemer both in one As a Surety he paid down his Blood for satisfaction and as a Redeemer he paid the same Blood for a price of Redemption A Redeemer we know doth not depend on the Captive for paying the Ransom but absolutely undertakes it himself and so did Christ our Redeemer for us And if as Redeemer he absolutely undertook to pay down his Blood for a price of Redemption then as a Surety too he absolutely undertook to pay down the same Blood for satisfaction otherwise his Redeemership and Suretiship could not possibly consist together Sureties use to have assurance to save them harmless But had Christ any Or was any such thing possible It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 There was an absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his Death and Sufferings Matth. 16.21 and how could he be saved harmless against the Decree of Heaven Nay if if he could he would not when Peter would have had him spare himself he calls Peter Satan one who in that particular savoured not the things of God Thus we see Christ is a Surety in a way of Excellency above humane Sureties But saith the Author Christ died for us not as our Surety but as our Sacrifice To which I answer Christ died for us as a Sacrifice but he died for us as a Surety too no one Notion can take in all the Excellencies of his Death Though the Essentials of his Suretiship lay in his undertaking to satisfie for us yet the Satisfaction it self was a just necessary consequent of it As he offered up himself for us so he died for us as a Sacrifice and as he undertook to satisfie for us so he died for us as a Surety But to pass on with the Author If Christ died for us as a Surety yet did he fulfil all Righteousness for us as a Surety too Was there ever such a Surety heard of among men that one man should discharge all Offices of Piety Virtue Justice Temperance in stead of another Such a man must have been called not a Surety but a Proxy but humane Laws admit no such Proxies these are personal Duties which none can perform for us no external Relation can make the Righteousness of another ours the Righteousness of another can never be our personal Righteousness unless we become one person with him Thus the Author To which I answer Here the Author makes a great wonder at Imputed Righteousness Was there ever such a Surety heard of among men saith he To which I answer Socinus makes as great a wonder at the imputation of sin to Christ Ego sanè non video quid