first place For it runs thus If you receive there 's some body gives So the Giving is the Condition of Receiving Or see it thus If you be a Father you have a Son they are mutual Causes one of another but the Father is first in respect of Nature and Causality If Receiving lie upon the Condition of Giving then Receiving is not the Condition of Giving but vice versa but Receiving lies under and depends upon the Condition of Giving for if there be no Giving there can be no Receiving Neonom They judge the Covenant is conditional they scruple not to call Faith the Condition of our Interest in Christ and Salvation by him Antinom They do intend and so do we that the New Covenant is conditional and hath a great Condition Jesus Christ He is the Foederal Condition satisfactory and procurative but they mean not that Faith is a condition of the Covenant but a condition relative in the manifestation For they could not suppose Faith to be the Condition of what they make the Covenant for it 's but in the Foregoing Answer they say The Covenant of Grace was made with the Second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed They speak not of any Condition of the Covenant of Grace which they give an Account of Quest 31. but speak only of the way and manner of the manifestation of the Grace of God in the Second Covenant and that they tell you it 's by Faith as a correlative receiving Condition They speak not of any Condition of the Covenant but of the manifestation of the Grace in the Covenant by the Participation thereof Neonom 3. They judge that Christ and Salvation are offered to all Sinners on the same condition though God effectually enable the Elect to obey the Condition Antinom They say he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life Is Faith the condition of God's providing a Mediator And upon the same Terms that he provideth he also offereth i. e. freely If you look for a condition here it must be of providing and offering And they say God requires and works Faith as a Condition i. e. no more in their Sence but a means of conveyance the Grace of the Second Covenant unto them Now that this is their meaning take a full confirmation their Sence fully express'd in their Confession In Ch. 11. Of Justification speaking of the Nature of Justification saith It 's not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ alone not by imputing Faith it self the Act of believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience to them as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his Righteousness is the alone Instrument of Justification Thus Gentlemen you see what a Catch he hath got of the Word Condition made use of by the Assembly When they used the Word Condition it was but Aaron's Rod it 's now turned into a Serpent and every one that savours Christ aright will fly from it It is no better now than a Nehushtan and is to be brokee in pieces in the Sence of a Foederal Condition Neonom Errour The Covenant of Grace hath no Condition to be performed on Man's part though in the strength of Christ Neither is Faith it self the Condition of this Covenant but all the saving Benefits of this Covenant are actually ours before we are born Neither are we required so much as to believe that we may come to have an Interest in the Covenant-Benefits D. W. p. 59. Antinom We have told you and proved to you your Errour in saying That faith is the Condition foederally of the Covenant of Grace and we have shewed how far saving Benefits are prepared for us and ours in the Promise right before we believe yea before we are born and though it 's our Duty to believe and do believe as thereby partaking of Christ unto Salvation yet not in your Sence as a condition of a Covenent of Grace but as a promised Gift and Benefit bestowed upon us in Christ and wrought in us by him Neonom You spend more than a Sermon to prove this and say there is not any Condition in this Covenant D. C. p. 81. Anntinom In preaching on Isa 42.6 7. I shewed by way of Doctrine Dr. C. p. 81. That the Father is pleased to give Christ for a Covenant to the People and in opening it I shewed what it is for Christ to be a Covenant Where I shewed That the Lord means not a Covenant of Works but the Covenant of Grace which Covenant is mentioned Jer. 31.33 and renewed again Ezek. 36 26. and also Heb. 8.6 where you shall find this appropriated to Christ to be his great Priviledge to have the sole hand and managing of this New Covenant But now saith the Apostle He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant And what is this better Covenant Mark what follows Ver. 8. Behold the days come c. Here see the substance of the Covenant I will be their God and they shall be my People Now I shew the difference between this Covenant and others all others run upon Stipulations the Promise runs altogether upon Conditions on both sides The Condition on God's Part They shall live The Condition on Man's Part That he might live he must do this And in the Old Covenant in case Man failed the Condition was broke But in this Covenant there 's no Condition on Man's part to be performed because the Covenant is everlasting Heb. 8. God saith I will be merâ—iful to your Iniquities and your Sins I will remember no more Now suppose there were Conditions for Man to perform and suppose Man did fail in those Conditions what were become of the Covenant The Covenant is frustrated as soon as the Conditions are broken Dr. C. p. 81. Obj. 1. There are many Conditions mentioned in this Covenant there must be a Law put in the Mind writ in the Heart c. Answ It is true God saith I will put my Law in your inward parts But it is not said This is a Condition to be performed on Man's part Obj. But Conditions or no Conditions a Man must have his Heart in this manner Answ I answer It 's true by way of Consequence that after we are in Covenant he will bestow those things upon us as Fruits and Effects of this Covenant but it 's not true by way of Antecedence That God will require those things at our hands before we be Partakers of this Covenant Answ 2. You shall see plainly that Man hath no tie upon him to perform any thing whatsoever in this Covenant as a Condition to be observed on his part Mark how it is in Jer. Ezek. Heb. God saith I will put it
this vailed Ministration but look'd thorough the Vail by Faith for the Law-deliverance at Mount Sinai did not or could not disannull it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Covenant or Testament fore-ratifyed by God unto Christ Thus far we do in some measure agree Neonom But the Point before us is to know who this Israel and Judah be 1. They are either the Natural Jews to be alive in those days which this Promise refers to 2. Or to true Believers who are inwardly Israel Rom. 9.6 If it terminate in the Natural Jews it 's a strong Text for the Conversion of the Jews for the most part by an immediate Influence Antinom Those days are the days of the Gospel-ministration and it 's plain the Spirit of God referrs to the Jews that then lived The Apostle wrote to the Hebrews and his Design was to take them from the Mount Sinai Ministration which they were most fond of He tells them That now the days were come which the Prophet spake of and therefore this is but shuffling with the Texts as if the time of fulfilling this Promise was not yet come when the Spirit of God gives us so clearly to understand when this Prophecy was accomplished ver 6. having given us an Account of the Ministry of the Old Sanctuary that then the Priests did serve the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do service or minister by way of Similitude and Shadow whereby they understood that they were not to last but till a better Ministry ensued And ver 6. he saith But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also as he is the Mediator of a better Covenant And this is the time at the Appearance of this Mediator and his fulfilling all Righteousness that there should be this clear unvailed Dispensation of the Promise Not but God did thus unconditionally save them before but now they should understand the true Ground Principle and Use of Gospel-Services and Duties And here 's all absolute God forgives their Iniquity and writes his Law in their Hearts where all is absolute and free without mentioning any condition though you would fain hook them in any way by Head and Shoulders but you labour in vain Neonom If they be true Believers inward Israel Rom. 2.9 then there is Faith in such who are the Parties with whom God makes this Covenant c. D. W. p. 68. Antinom We shewed you it 's meant first of the professed Jews in those days out of which God would take a true Israel by vertue of this Promise And when-ever they that were blinded should be converted and turn to the Lord it should be so and this way they should come to be Believers for giving the New Heart and writing the Law there is making them Believers How absurdly do you talk of making Believers first and then taking them into Covenant As if making Men Believers and giving them new Hearts were not taking them into Covenant This is from your Principle That there 's no Promise of giving Pardon or Salvation to meer Sinners and Unbelievers which is contrary to the whole Gospel I will shew you a Promise that declares this absolute Covenant expresly to the Sinners of the Gentiles though the same Promise belongs to both expressed in either of the places Rom. 9.23 That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared to Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This fore-preparation was in the Covenant of Grace even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles ver 25. As he saith in Osce I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved c. See the place And that this Calling referrs to more than an outward Profession appears by 1 Pet. 2.9 10. You will make the writing of God's Law in the Heart to be the Condition when it 's the very Promise made Give me the Condition of this Promise to be found in us before God's Law is written or else you do nothing Neonom It cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the New Covenant that the Dr. would have it God doth not require any Duty as the condition of the Benefits which he promised to give D. W. p. 68. Antinom You say the first Grace is freely given which in the Promise is a New Heart Now what is a greater Benefit than Life from the dead And what Duty can be required as a Condition to this Benefit Here you must fall in with the Papists and directly contrary to Article 13. of the Church of England Neonom I talk not of a Condition before a new Heart but that the New Heart is the Condition For God's Law is written in the Heart before our relation to him as his People or the Pardon of Sin Antinom Here you plainly say there 's a real state in Grace without a relative Sanctification without Justification or Adoption the Law written in the Heart and therefore Good Works While we are unreconciled to God it 's before we are his People Now this Law must be written 1. In the Heart of the ungodly Man and Unbeliever contrary to what you say That there 's no promise made to such because Unbelievers Or it must be in the Heart of him who at once is made a Believer in the working of a New Heart in which instant he is related to God and hath the pardon of Sin But it 's unaccountable Divinity That the Law of God is writ in the Heart before our Relation to God as his People or the Pardon of Sins Neonom But God requires us to make us new Hearts as a condition of Life Ezek. 18.31 Jer. 7.23 2 Cor. 3.6 Antinom I suppose Sir you your self cannot say that the first quoted places are wrote in the New Covenant Dialect but in that of the Vailed Covenant especially that of Ezek. 18. the place quoted by you I suppose you will not say it 's quite contrary to Jer. 31.31 for if so we may throw away our Bibles but that this place is to be taken in some Sence that is not contrary to the very nature and design of that of Jeremy The drift of this Chapter Ezek. 18. is to vindicate the just and righteous Proceedings of God For they had charged God with Injustice and Unrighteousness of his Dealings towards them That the Son suffered for the Father's Sins The Father eat sowre Grapes c. God Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children The Lord tells them there 's no Child suffers for his Fathers Sins any farther than he entails the Curse and as he walketh in his Fathers Sins and that by personal Repentance of the vilest Person a Man should be saved and not suffer for his Parents Sins And ver 29. the Prophet saith notwithstanding you have heard the Justice of God thus vindicated you will persist in it and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
founded on the Obedience of Christs Life and the Sacrifice of his Death and yet so unhappy I have been in my search that I cannot find any proof or any attempt to prove it and therefore till I see evidence to the contrary I shall take for granted that the Covenant of Grace is owing to and founded on and given forth by that Free Grace of God from whence it s justly denominated a Covenant of Grace though the Intervention of a Mediator such a Mediator was absolutely necessary to put us into Actual Possession of those Rich Mercies designed to us by God in that Covenant which Mediator himself is owing to and founded on that Covenant of Grace and therefore the Covenant of Grace is not founded upon him but indeed for that Covenant which Mr. Neonomian is pleased to call a Covenant of Grace it 's no great matter where it is founded and therefore let him dispose of his own Creature as he pleaseth c. See p. 581 586. c. Neonom There are Precepts and Threatnings in the Covenant of Grace and therefore those Duties required are Foederal Conditions For to the performance of them are annexed Promises and to the breach of them Threats Calvin I pray Dr. Witsius do you speak in Answer to this Argument Dr. Witsius The Covenant of Grace or Gospel strictly so called as a Platform of that Covenant seeing it consists in meer Promises properly prescribes nothing as Duty it requires or commands nothing not so much as Believe Trust and Hope in the Lord c. but it reports declares and signifies to us what God in Christ hath promised what he will and is about to do All Prescription of Duty belongs to the Law even as after others venerable Voetius hath pressed again and again Voet. Disput Tom. 4. p. 24. seq And this we must firmly hold if we will constantly defend with all the Reformed the perfection of the Law containing in it's compass all Vertues all Duties of Holiness But the Law fitted to the Covenant of Grace and according there to written in the Heart of the Elect commands all these things which are propounded in the Gospel to embrace it with Faith unfeigned and to live a Life of Grace and Glory agreeable thereto De Fâ—â—der p. 197. As to Comminations it cannot be denyed but in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles there are many Comminations which have a peculiar respect unto the Covenant of Grace as He that believes not shall be condemned c. which Comminations do seem to be distinguished from those that are plainly Legal Such as this Cursed be he that continues not in all things c. Yet if we exactly consider them the Covenant of Grace hath no peculiar Threats for all the Threats are from the Law which Law as to all its parts doth accommodate and suit it self to the Covenant of Grace and there are none which cannot be referred to or deduced from that meer Legal Commination Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. De Foed p. 199. DEBATE IX Of the Nature of Saving Faith Calvin AT our last Meeting we finished our Debate about the Covenant of Grace and the Conditions of it What have you further Mr. Neonomian to discourse Mr. Antinomian about Neonom Divers Points besides that he is erroneous in The next I would challenge him upon is Saving Faith and the Nature of it For his Errour is this That Saving Faith is nothing but a Perswasion or absolute concluding within our selves That our Sins are pardoned and that Christ is ours D. W. p. 73. Calvin But you do not deny Faith to be a Perswasion do you If you do deny that Perswasion is the Genus of Faith every common Porter or Youth in the Sreet will contradict you for they will tell you that they do believe this or that to be true Ask them what they mean by Believing they will tell you They are perswaded of it They take Faith and Perswasion to be equivalent Terms and indeed reciprocal for that which I am perswaded of I do believe and that which I believe I am perswaded of But go on let us hear what Mr. Antinomian saith in this Point Neonom Sir he tells us that the whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the foregoing Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace My Sins are forgiven me saith Faith And the Soul that can assume thus from the Spirit and Word of Grace hath the whole Essence of believing D. C. p. 493. Antinom I doubt not Sir but to prove that this is a good Account of Saving Faith I said That which hath the Whole Essence of Faith is not a Dead but Living Faith i. e. which bringeth forth Fruits D. C. p. 493. But the Question was Whether Faith gives Evidence by it self or no by it's own direct Act. Now I said The whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Eccho of the Heart answering the Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace c. Now I thought I could not give a more lively Account of it for the Eccho is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Daughter of the Voice it 's begotten by the Voice So saith the Scripture Rom. 10.16 17. He quotes Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our Report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word signifies the Voice heard or that comes to the hearing And so doth the Hebrew Word import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath believed or heard our Voice i. e. Who hath so heard it as to make an Impression thereof upon their Hearts believingly And the Apostle saith When this heard Voice takes in a due Impression upon the Heart through the Spirit it begets Faith and that Impress is Faith Rom. 10.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Faith verily is from hearing and this hearing by the Word of God Hearing or the Voice that is heard is by the Word of God Hence that Expression of the Apostle James 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of his own Free-will working effectually by his Spirit in opening and new framing the Heart as Lydia's he begets us by the Word of Truth The Truth of the Word is received into the Heart as it were with an Eccho and Formation of the Heart into it Progenuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all udit ad nostram adoptionem cujus facti sumus per fidem participes John 1.12 13. Fides autem est ex auditu verbi Rom. 10.17 Ideo etiam dicuntur ministri filios gignere sed quatenus Dei instrumenta â— Cor. 4.15 Phil. 10. Beza by an Assent to it as true and Consent to it as a good Truth And this is indeed the Writing the Law of God in the Heart the Law being taken often for any Truth declared in the Word After this manner the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the Gospel
Neonomianism Unmask'd OR THE Ancient Gospel PLEADED Against the OTHER CALLED A New LAW OR GOSPEL IN A Theological Debate occasioned by a Book lately Wrote by Mr. Dan. Williams Entituled Gospel-Truth Stated and Vindicated Unwarily Commended and Subscribed by some Divines Applauded and Defended by the late Athenian Clubb As many as are of the Works of the Law are under a Curse Gal. 3.10 And the Law is not of Faith Ver. 12. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 By ISAAC CHAVNCY M. A. LONDON Printed for J. Harris at the Harrow in the Poultry 1692. TO ALL True Lovers OF THE LORD JESUS BOTH Ministers Christians Of any Perswasions whatever THE Apostle Paul doth declaim against nothing more than Another Gospel which is not another Gospel as he saith because no Gospel Quod nusquam est cum unum fit Evangelium non plura saith Beza on the Gal. 1. It is no where seeing there is but one Gospel and not more This pretended other Gospel was a Doctrine that taught the Conjunction of the Works of a Law with the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ in the Juctification of a Sinner before God which some False Teachers did zealously press upon the Galatians in opposition to the Apostles Doctrine These he calls Troublers of the Churches and Perverters or Subverters of the Gospel of Christ viz. The Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace Such as teach Justification by a Law of Merits not of Christ but our own See Beza on the pl. Altho' we say they were wrought in us by Christ as if Christ could be said to Justifie by giving us a way or means to justifie our selves you may as well reconcile Light and Darkness as these two As to the Introducers and Teachers of such Doctrine the Apostle denounceth a bitter Curse against them whatever they were pretending to never so much Holiness Apostles or Angels Yea he puts himself under this Anathema if at any time he should be guilty in this kind And to shew that he speaks not rashly or passionately but by the Spirit of God and to awe Men's Minds the more and deterr them from such Attempts he redoubles the Imprecation But you 'll say May we not a little make bold with the Gospel of Christ How far may we venture to go and not fall under this Anathema The Apostle answers v. 9. If any Man preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed And the Doctrines which they had received was Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law And that a Law is not of Faith in the Point of Justification ch 3.12 Mr. Beza justifies our Translation in rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides rather than against For saith he the Apostle said not If they preach contrary things and subvert the whole Gospel as Chrysostom hath it But If they pervert it a little if they preach any thing besides that Gospel which they had received c. If they as the Apostle saith many did 2 Cor. 2.17 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupanariam Exercentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caupones Infames semper sordidi sunt babiti quod merces corrumpunt adulterant Jun. Beza Corrupt the Word of God as fraudulent Vintners who dash their Wines with Water or any base Liquors But saith the Apostle We are of those who Preach the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sincerity in the Truth of our Hearts as we will answer unto God without any thing of Craft or Double Dealing or mixing our omn Schemes or Phantasies therewith that speak the very Truth as we have dealt plainly and truly not shunning to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 not shuffling and hiding some great Truths that we think are not fit for the People to know and therefore saith he we have abdicated * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abrenunciavimus pudendis latebris non calliditaté ambutantes neque falsantes sermonem Dei 2 Cor. 4.2 this shameful hiding the Word of God not demeaning our selves craftily nor handling it deceitfully And to such as receive this other Gospel who have professed to the receiving the True Gospel he saith I marvel you should be so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel Calls them Fools Gal. 3.1 saith they were fascinated bewitched the Devil had got a great hand over them tells them they were Apostates had began in a Spiritual Gospel but ended in a Carnal Nay he testifies that whoever is Justified by a Law it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fallen from Grace and that all their former Sufferings how great soever they have been would prove in vain Oh! that Professors of our Days would seriously consider these things who are so ready to run after this other Gospel Lastly It is also needful to observe how the Apostle Paul complements Peter that Great Apostle and one of the Pillars in the Churches for his double dealing in these matters in so much as countenancing this False Gospel or the Imposing Teachers of it He withstood him to the Face and publickly he rebuked him sharply because he was exceedingly culpable and in that he not only committed a great Sin himself but carry'd away Barnabas and many professing Jews with his Dissimulation insomuch that they all plaid the Hypocrites * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him to please the Neonomians He aggravates their Fault in telling them they countenanced a Doctrine which they were convinced was false ch 2.16 That they made Christ a Minister of Sin that they condemned themselves in their Practice by building the things which they had destroyed He takes off also all Apologies that they might make from the seeming Smallness of the Fault as to refuse to eat with the Gentiles Come come saith he the mischief lies in it's Tendency viz. To encourage the Preachers and Receivers of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he we have believed on Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of a Law for by the Works of a Law no Flesh living shall be justified I hope they whom these things do nearly concern at this time will duly weigh and consider them Tho' I doubt not but they know them yet it may not be amiss to stir up knowing Men by putting them in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Verbum sat sapientibus As to the present Grand Assertor of a New Law and of the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the said Law I thought it due to the Grandeur of his Appearance in the Head of a New Sect to treat him by the Name thereof viz. A Neonomian * One that Asserts the Old Law is abolished and therein is a superlative Antinomian but pleads for a New Law and Justification by
what I propose in this very Endeavour Antinom It 's well if it be so but as they say the Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating It 's no new thing for Men to pretend well let their Undertaking be what it will But Non videtur id manticae quod in tergo est Apollinarius the Heretick had a School cum Titulo Orthodoxi And Nestorius the Heretick shrouded himself under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Error sibi ex principiis fidem perstruit ut cum magna mercede fallet It 's observed that Error will always shelter it self under a plausible Pretext of Truth that it may do it with the greatest Advantage Neonom I am convinced after many Prayers and serious Thoughts that the Revival of those Errors must not only exclude that Ministry as Legal which is most apt in its Nature and by Christ's Ordination to convert Souls and secure the Practical Power of Religion but also renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Antinom You know also another old Proverb In Nomine Domini c. Livy reports of Scipio Africanus before he set upon any Business he entred the Capitol alone pretending thereby a Consultation with the Gods whereupon apud multitudinem plerumque velut mente divinitus monitâ agebat thereby he had a great Vogue among the People of the Justness of his Cause I can't perswade my self that the Composure of that piece of Work that hath so much Moral Evil in it and bitter Opposition to Gospel-Truth is an Answer of Prayers neither can I pray as those Gentlemen whose Names stand over your Porch but think it my Duty to pray quite contrary and as for what you speak of Revival of Errors I judge that your Dictates are no Rule to judge of Faith and Error by how magisterially soever you impose them And I think we are come to a sad pass if a Man of your declared Principles must be set up as a Reformer of Error and Former of Articles of Faith and such as are in Fundamental Points directly contrary to the Doctrinal Part of the 39 Articles yea such as our first Protestant Reformers decryed by Scripture and the best Arguments as highly Antichristian and destructive to the Souls of Men which Witness of theirs many of them sealed with their Blood You say the Danger of such things as you call Error will be in excluding the Teaching of your Doctrine and Ministry as Legal Would to God such Ministry as the Spirit of God call's Legal Preaching were excluded by the brighter Shining of the Grace of God into the Hearts both of Ministers and People from which Light some and too many this Day have swerved having turned aside unto vain Jangling desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affivm 1 Tim. 1.6 But you call that Evangelical which we call Legal We can't help your calling Light Darkness and Darkness Light Law Gospel and Gospel Law and you say it 's most apt in its own Nature to secure the Power of Religion Whereas Experience hath shewed to the contrary how well the Doctrine of Justification by Works hath secured it among the Romanists And the Apostle Paul testifies by the Spirit That whosoever is justified by a Law it's not the Law is fallen from Grace Gal. 5.4 And therefore its false that such Doctrine is Christ's Ordination It hath not Fitness in it to convert Souls for the Law brings none to God No Man is justifyed in or by a Law in the Sight of God Gal. 3.11 Those Places and divers others should be read a Law and not the Law because the Spirit by them excludes all Laws even your Law Its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphatical Particle is not put in and therefore there 's no ground to say this or that Law only is excluded from Justification but every Law and where there 's no true Justification taught there can be no true Practical Obedience But the last Prejudice is That such Doctrines as are opposite to yours renders Vnity among Christians a thing impossible Good Reason there is for it because they can't unite in their Head Christ Jesus and therefore can't unite as Members There lies the Impossible For what Communion between Christ and Belial By this it appears you strike at the Union Neonom Every Sermon will be matter of Debate and mutual Censures of the severest kind will be unavodable while one side justly press the Terms of the Gospel under its Promises and Threats for which they are accused as Enemies to Christ and his Grace c. Antinom Reason Good that every Sermon that makes the Gospel a Law i. e. That press Duty under a Law-Sanction should not only be matter of Debate but earnestly contended against for the Performance of Duty as Terms enforced by a Law-Sanction is a Covenant of Works So that such Men are Preachers of a Law it s no matter what Law Works performed under a Law-Sanction are Legal Works and do make the Covenant enjoyning them a Covenant of Works Censures are here justly made of such a Ministry and they that preach such Doctrine are certainly Enemies to the Grace of God under whatsoever Vizards of pretended Holiness they vail themselves Neonom And the other side ignorantly set up the Name of Christ and Free Grace against the Government of Christ and the Rule of Judgement Antinom I think the Stomach of every Good Man may justly rise not only against your Insolent but prophane Expression All Men besides Neonomians are Ignorant Men. What saith the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserimos mortalium Qui spiritus tumidos gerunt Arrogancy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tough Itch not easily cured How far doth this Spirit come short of the Imitation of Christ in Meekness and Lowliness Yea how far from his Rule which you would seem to be so zealous for To do nothing out of Strife and Vain-Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil. 2.3 But with you all that adore Free Grace and set up Justification by Faith without the Works of a Law do ignorantly set up the Name of Christ Is this a piece of Ignorance to set up the Name of Christ as a Saviour of Sinners and as that Name whereby we are Justifyed from all things from which we could not be justifyed by the Law of Moses or any other Law Beware lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets Behold ye Despisers c. Acts 13.39 40. And what do these Men so ignorantly do They set Christ against himself Set up his Name and Free Grace against his Government And why Because they say we are saved not by our Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy and that it was the meer Kindness and Love of God our Saviour that appeared to us in the Gospel-Salvation Tit. 3.4
5. Therefore they set up the Name of Christ against his Government Is his Name Jehovah our Righteousness against his Government See whether Paul is one of those Ignorant Advancers of Christ Gal. 2.8 9. Neonom I believe many Abettors of these Mistakes are honestly zealous for the Honour of Free Grace but have not sufficient Light to see how God hath provided for this in his Rectoral Distribution of Benefits by a Gospel Rule Antinom We are beholding to you Sir for a Drop of Charity mingled with your supercilious Contempt of Holy Protestant Reformers who in my poor Judgment were knowing and learned Men that asserted both the Grace and Government of Christ against your new Law you esteem them but ignorant honest Men that meant well but ignorantly zealous for the Grace of God carried on only by a blind Devotion and did not understand the Mystery of God's Rectoral Distribution The Apostle tells us who are ignorant Rom. 10.3 They that are ignorant of God's Righteousness and go about to establish their own What do you think of the Mythologists of the Late Athenian Society I hope you esteem them Learned and Knowing as well as Honest Neonom Indeed I am bound to give them a high Character because they have given so ample a Testimony to my Scheme After their Learned Defence that somebody took Care of that it should be well done they give me and my Book this Character The Book is worth Perusal of all sorts of Persons for the Antidote which is annexed to each Argument and we must deliver our Opinions that Mr. Williams hath without Passion plainly learnedly and solidly established the Truth with incomparable Brevity and Criticism upon many Texts Antinom But I suppose they have wronged you in one thing viz. Branding you for a Critick upon Texts of Scripture I would do you right I believe you were never guilty of that As to what they say besides of you and your Book I leave others to judge when the matters are impartially tryed Neonom You may say what you please you see it passed the Judgement of those Wise Learned and Judicious Men Divines and others that were Eyes to the Nation in all Points of Difficulty both in Policy Law Divinity Matrimony and something else Antinom As to the Politicks or the Oeconomicks or what else you will call it their Skill failed tho to their Fatal Ruine But I meddle not with those Points I am most concerned at the Inscription upon their Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God which they ignorantly worship Neonom What do you mean by that Antinom I mean they are ignorant of God according to the Articles of the Church of England Neonom It 's Impossible I am sure they give no such ground of suspition by the Credit they have given my Scheme Antinom That may be Bona Ingenia jumpunt I doubt not but they are of your Opinion in Doctrinals Neonom But you say they know not God according to the Church of England Prove that Charge we will both fall together sure if you make not that good I can't but take you for a wicked Slanderer and Backbiter of a worthy solid learned Society of men Antinom If I do not prove my Charge let me be accounted so Sc. As to the Doctrine of Election in answer to this Q. Does the Scripture any where affirm an Election of a determinate Number of men to Eternal Life and Happiness Vol. 7. Athen. Merc. Num. 26. July 26. 1692. They make this Answer I must confess as Men to be pitied for their Ignorance It 's an easie thing to be mistaken in matters of this nature howsoever if we are so we 'll profess our selves ready to change our Opinion this is modest and Ingenuous on the producing better Reason and in the mean time not to have angry and uncharitable thoughts of those who are of a different Judgment Now thus far they set you a Pattern for you forsooth must Dogmatize and Anathematize all men that are not of your Opinion But to the Question We cannot be satisfied by any of those Scriptures which are brought for that purpose that there is any such an Election of a determinate number as either puts a Force to their Natures and Irresistibly saves them or absolutely excludes all the rest of Mankind from Salvation Not to stand upon the fotching in some words improperly brought as forcing Mens Natures which is so much like your way of Canons and Articles that I have a great suspicion that they drew up this Answer by your Direction I shall for all your shifting and shuffling that I see you are prepared for and I am as ready to answer for brevity sake say thus much That these Gentlemen do in this Opinion of theirs deny Absolute Election which you will also be found to do at the long run and that this assertion in denyal of Absolute Election is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Art 17. Predestination to Life is the Everlasting Purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind and to bring them to Everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Now your Servant Sir I think I have proved what I promised I am sure this Article intends an absolute and unconditional Election of some and such an Election as excludes all others Eventually which I am ready to make good But this is not all yet there is another Question concerning the Salvation of the Heathens you advance in order to that Text There is a Qu. Vol. 7. No. 29. There 's no other Name under Heaven given That if we believe in God we believe vertually in Christ I desire to know what 's meant by a Vertual Belief A. The Jews were under the Dispensation of believing Our Father having Faith in the Messiah and whereas the Heathens were under the Dispensation of the Law of Nature the Divine Light written in Man which is the ordinary Voice of the Spirit in every man to restrain him from Murder Idolatry c. if they kept to that Law they should receive the Vertue of the Lamb of God slain before the Foundation of the World by the Fathers Decree for the sins of all men contrary to the Article 18. of the C. of E. They also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature For Holy Scripture hath set out to us only the Name of Jesus Christ whereby men may be saved Neonom You are under many mistakes you neither understand those learned Mythologists nor the Articles for the Articles speak Old English and the Mythologist the New Divinity but they both mean the same thing
by the offering of Christ without Spot to God This spotless Sacrifice whereon he bore Sin and was not defiled And hereby the Conscience of Sin i. e. the Guilt of Sin which is no other than Sin charged upon the Conscience is taken away and thence the Levitical Services could not make any perfect as pertaining to Conscience but it 's the Blood of Christ that sprinkles from an evil Conscience Heb. 10.22 2. A condemning Conscience without which we stand but loathsomly before God yea while for want of Faith we apprehend God deals with us out of Christ we are very loathsom and all our Works and Services dead God loaths and abhors them Is not the Vertue of Christ's Blood compared to a Fountain to wash us in and intended especially of Justification and Pardon and the Saints to betake themselves to it under the Notion of it's cleansing Vertue in that Sence 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Guilt of Sin then is as great a Pollution as belongs to Sin It 's no other than Sin lying upon the Conscience with an Accusation 1 John 3.20 21. Greg. Nysson saith He bore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Filth of our Sin Dr. O. p. 42. Again Wherever Sin is to be purged out by Sanctification it is to be rid away by Justification but all Filth is to be rid by Sanctification that indwells Now it is manifest that the cleansing Vertue of the Blood of Christ applyed by Faith is the first Gospel-effectual Means of Sanctification and it must be the great Cause of Mortification wherein we are planted together in the likeness of his Death Rom. 6. And what did Christ in his Death but destroy the Body of Sin by carrying it away 2 Tim. 1.10 He hath by carrying away sin abolished Sin and Death slain the Enmity that lay in Hatred of God Pravity and Dominion of sin Whence was it that David was cleansed from Blood-guiltiness Was it not from it's being laid on Christ Was it not that very Filthiness of his Sin Psal 51.14 Doth he not pray to God to be washed throughly from his sin and to be cleansed from it Was not that by the Application of the Blood of Christ Doth he not mention all his Pravity Original as well as Actual from which he would be purged as with Hyssop and made whiter than Snow And wherein lies this Washing Is it not in respect of sin not in respect of Punishment he mentioneth not he explains what he means it is that radical Washing ver 9. Hide thy Face from my Sins and blot out mine Iniquity i. e. From the Face of God's Justice Then follows the Creation of a clean Heart He gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity Tit. 2.14 There is no Pravity Defilement Pollution of Sin what-ever that is so but because of it's contrariety to the preceptive part of the Law must first have it's Foundation of cleansing from Christ's bearing of it away and this Faith applying purifies the Heart from the indwelling Macula in us Whence that Promise Ezek. 36.25 The clean Water there is the Spirit working in Application of the Blood of Christ and therefore Gospel-cleansing lies chiefly in Application of Promises 2 Cor. 7.1 Neonom He took care his Body should not see Corruption Acts 2.3 he would much more abhor to take in our Pollution He was holy harmless undefiled c. Antinom All this we say over and over that he bare Sin but was not defiled with Sin nor corrupted in his Nature but the Spirit of God is not to be believed See Christ's taking away of Sin by Atonement is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.3 Neonom It was Condescension enough that he agreed to be treated as a Sinner But how odious is it to load him with Sin it felf To spit that in his Face that the worst of Men abused him with and it would justifie his Persecutors who punished him if he was really the Person your Principles renders him to be Antinom The Spirit of God renders him to be the Person that my Principles renders him to be It saith he bore our Sins in his Body on the Tree the Lord laid Iniquities on him he was made Sin for us and yet how dare you reproach the Spirit of God in such a manner To say that it 's an odious thing To say be bore the Load and Weight of all the Sins of the Elect that it is spitting in the Face of Christ doing that which the worst of Men did to him and justifying his Murderers I am surprized with great horrour to hear such things out of the Mouth of a Man that is called a Gospel Minister I pray God give you Repentance and lay not these things to your Charge But Sir you have here declared your defiance of the Date of the Imputation of our Sins to Christ and yet would pretend you hold that Doctrine by saying God laid the Punishment of Sin only upon Christ The meer Punishment of Christ I must tell you was not the bearing our Sin for the bearing the Punishment was the payment of the Debt and was his Righteousness which is Imputed unto us if Imputation of our Sins to Christ lay in nothing else they were not Imputed at all to him Punishment was laid upon him and he bore it by way of Suffering in his Humane Nature and was that Righteousness that is Imputed to us in Justification the Argument against you is this That which is Imputed to us was not Imputed to Christ but Punishment of Christ to Satisfaction for our Sins is his Righteousness Imputed to us Ergo not the Imputation of our Sins unto him If your rooted prejudices will suffer you to consider I pray weigh well that Argument you will have more by and by But you still say if Christ bore Sin he must be polluted with Sin Ans It argues not that Sin was his by perpetration or Infusion but only by Imputation they were our Sins by Perpetration and Inhesion which he bore by Imputation The Spirit of God tells us he was a Sinner in one respect and no Sinner in another as the Church of Smyrna was Poor in one respect and Rich in another Omnia diversa natura sua abstractâ sunt opposita as Poverty and Riches Sin and no Sin tamen eidem attributa ratione tantum dissentiunt as a Man may be Rich and Poor Wise and Foolish in divers respects And as to the filthiness of Sin it could not stain him he remained untouched in his Holy Nature but yet I must tell you as bearing Sin by the Sacrifices caused a Typical Uncleanness insomuch as the Bodies were Burnt without the Camp and they that Burnt them and gathered up the Ashes became Unclean such a Judicial uncleanness was Jesus Christ our Sacrifice under wherein he answered those great Types and we are not without ample proof of it especially from Heb. 13.11 Neonom Arg. 2. Had he been Esteemed the very Transgressor his
him P. 47. Antinom It would take up deservedly some Paper to shew the Error and Sophistry of what you have spoken The Summ is that you deny Christ to be a publick Person and that all that Grace and Fulness that is in him by reason of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures and that Unction without measure which he received was only to qualify him singly and for himself as an Individual Person and not to be conveyed and communicated unto us and therefore none of his Fulness is received by us that the Spirit not his Spirit Neither do we live by vertue of our Union to him as a Root Head Fountain but if we partake of the Divine Nature as the Apostle Peter Eph. 2. ch 1. saith We are made Gods If we partake of the Vertues of Christ we rob him and they are no more in him You abuse the Similitude of Husband and Wife used by the Apostle Eph. 5. and would make it run on Four Feet You consider not that Adam and Eve at first was the true Type the Apostle aims at to represent Christ and his Church by Eve being taken out of Adam had her Nature in him first and was created out of him and so was Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone You must distinguish between the Individual Person and Qualification of the first Adam and his publick Capacity Headship and common Nature he had a peculiar distinct Person and Habits belonging to it as such but he had also a common Nature communicable to his Wife and to his Posterity by Propagation not only Eve's Nature but ours was in him radically And therefore the Prophet Malachy saith that God made but one at first Mal. 2.15 though he had the residue of the Spirit and could have made more as he did in the Creation of Angels but therefore one that he might seek a Seed of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this Seed of God was found in the Seed of the Woman that was made out of Man and was but one as Adam was made but one common Person so Christ and the Church his Wife is made out of him created in him as Eve was and have a Nature common in Christ And doth it follow that because Adam had the common Nature to Eve and his Posterity 1. That his Individual Qualities were communicated taken from him and given to Eve Was Adam turned into Eve Was Adam's Wisdom Holiness his Natural or Moral Vertues taken from Adam and given to her or them The common Nature of a Genus is communicated and propagated by Individuals without robbing the Individual Mankind is propagated daily by Individuals yet those Individuals lose nothing of their proper Adjuncts If Men were not Strangers to Logick and Natural Philosophy and ordinary Terms of Law they would not make so much ado about this common Nature of Christ which in him is Mystical and Transcendent I shall not here enlarge but enquire what is the Opinion of the Protestant Divines Calv. Dr. Davenant I pray speak in this matter what your Sense is Dr. Davenant on Col. 1.19 1. There was in Christ a fulness of habitual Grace neither take we this to be Infinite seeing it was a created Qualitas and inhered in the mind of Christ which also was a Creature it could not be infinite but by fulness of Grace we understand all those Perfections to which the Nature of Grace doth extend it self 2. We consider why Christ ought to have a fulness of Grace 1. E Debito congruitatis it was due to him in a way of meetness by reason of his Union to the Word 2. It was meet that which was nearest to the influencing Cause should partake most of the Influx 3. There was Debitum necessitatis It was necessarily due from the Supposition of the End by reason of the Habitude or relation of Christ himself to the Humane Nature for Grace was conferred upon him not as a private Person but as an universal Principle from whom it is transfused into other Men you say it 's not by Transfusion p. 47. All things ought to be full and in an oneness The Evangelist shews that Grace is diffused to us Eph. 4.7 And on Colos 2.10 1. To be compleat in Christ 1. Is spoken from the Effect Christ is not only perfect in whom dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead but he makes us perfect and compleat we having all things in him and his Doctrine necessary to Salvation 2. The Second Reason is taken from his Office Christ is the Head As to the first We have perfect Wisdom right Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel John 17.13 1 Cor. 2.2 2. We have compleat Righteousness for Satisfaction to the Law of God and for our Sins 3. In Christ we have Sanctification or inherent Righteousness For what is Sanctification other than the washing away of our Errours and Vices whereby we are set at a distance from God and the Susception of Gifts and Graces whereby we may draw nigh to God in his Service And this is done as we stand united to Christ by his Spirit Rom. 1.4 ch 8. 9. In eo non ex eo aut per eum solummodo In him not from him or by him only but he saith We are compleat in him to give us to understand that we have that foresaid Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness not as we behold Christ as existing far from us but as we are incorporated in Christ as we have Christ abiding and dwelling in us and we have this Grace from Christ not the Stream from the head Fountain for it 's not needful that he that will drink of a Fountain should go into the Fountain But it 's otherwise here for we cannot receive of Christ's Fulness unless we are in him As the Old Adam is in us as the cause of Corruption and Death so the New Adam dwells in us as the Cause of Righteousness and Salvation So we are said to be in Christ to dwell in him to abide in him John 15.4 5. Whatever therefore Men hope or please themselves with of Grace Righteousness Sanctification or Glorification it will prove a meer Mock and Dream if they be not in Christ and Christ in them And now Christ is in us and we in him when we are united to our Head and grafted as Branches into the Vine by the Bond of the Spirit and Faith wrought by the Spirit in our Hearts Rom. 8.9 John 3.36 Calv. Speak to this Point Dr. Horton In that Text Rom. 8.2 There are three Terms before us There 's Life the Spirit of Life there 's the Law of the Spirit of Life 1. By Life we are to understand the Grace of Holiness and Sanctification not that which is inherent in our Nature being regenerate but the full and perfect Holiness which is in the Humane Nature of Christ as the proper Subject of it this is the Fountain from which there is a continual flowing of Grace to all that are truly
former manner i. e. not between parties bearing a proportion to one another and therefore one bound in Duty or Relation to be subjected to the Will and Pleasure of the other Antecedently or fallen under the Breach of their Duty and Relative Obligation and so lying at his Mercy and such are the Covenants that are made between Parents and Children under Age Masters and Servants while in Service between Soveraign Princes in Actual Dominion and their Subjects Of these Covenants there are two sorts 1. A Covenant by way of Legislation or a Law Covenant And 2. A Covenant by way of Promise or free Obligation without Condition required to Entitle to the Promise the Spirit of God calls the first of these a Law and it 's properly so and the second a Covenant of Promise 6. A Law Covenant 1. Presupposeth these two things 1. Foedus minimè hic intelligitur reciprocum aut equale jus contrahendi propter partium inaequalitatem cum altera sit Deus altera homo creatura non est humani sed divini hujus foederis institutio dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legislatio Clopenberg de Foed Vet. A Soveraign Legislative Power duly lodged in the Law-giver or else his Law Covenant is but Vsurpation 2. A Power and Ability in the Subject to perform the Conditions his Law requireth or else the said Law is Vnreasonable Vnjust and Tyrannical 2dly It implies 1. That both the Condition and Sanction be at the will and pleasure of the said Soveraign Law-giver 2. That the first and natural end of the Law is Obedience to the preceptive part which Obedience is due first by a Relative Politick or Natural Relation of the Subject to the Legislator so antecedaneous to the Law and secondarily to that particular Law Obligation 3dly Consequently to this Obedience whether it be little or more there is an Entitling to the remunerative part of the Law if any expressed or implied and by vertue of the compact is a Reward and the said Obedience though infinitely disproportionable is meritorious But in case of Transgression the Sanction by way of Penalty takes place and is called the Wages of Sin such a Covenant as this was the Covenant of Works and it 's not to be supposed that this Law Covenant was grievous to Adam having a Concreated Perfection both of Ability to perform it and an absolute Delight in the whole revealed Mind and Will of God from the highest Principle of Love to God with all his Heart and Soul neither could his Obedience be without unwavering stedfast Faith wherein when he began to stagger his Fall began 7. Adam stood under this Law Covenant as under a Covenant of Works wherein he is to be considered and the Law it self 1. He himself under these Considerations 1. As Endowed with a Personal Perfection and lying under a particular obligation to Obedience both previous to and directly by that Law with Sanction which the Soveraign Creator brought him under 2. God brought not him only as a single private Person under this Obligation only but as a publick common Person the Head of all Mankind and he was not only the Covenant Representative but the Natural Fountain the whole Nature being in his Loins and therefore that first Covenant Breach of his threw the whole Nature out of Covenant the Law charging Transgression upon the whole Humane Nature and laying it under the sentence of Death Rom. 5. Hence his Sin is justly Imputed to all his Posterity the whole World becoming guilty before God besides that a Corrupted Nature which is propagated to all his Posterity 2dly The Law it self 1. The particular Command or rather Prohibition that Adam stood under had these things in it 1. It was but a small Branch of that Moral Obedience which God expected from him and put him upon tryal by but his breaking thereof in one point made him guilty of all God shewing thereby unto him and the World that no Condition could be accepted but perfect Obedience 2. He was not required to work out unto himself any further Grace than he had freely received but to persist in that and therefore the Duty incumbent upon him was perseverance in Grace 3. The particular Obedience required of him for his probation was very easie and small next to nothing negative and but with-holding his Hand from an Apple and bore no proportion as a Condition to the Promise of Eternal Life and therefore could never have merited in respect of the Value but would have been Meritorious by reason of Law compact 3. If he had persevered it must have been by Grace as his Ability was of Grace and so it is with the Angels that stand they have nothing but what they have received and therefore they are saved by Grace in a Covenant of Works 8. The Law by reason of the Fall of Man and God's Will to restore him by a Saviour is not Vacated and Abolished but remains the same still in the commanding Part and Sanction It requires Moral Obedience of Man as God's Creature and continues to condemn Man for the first Sin and all Sins derived from it both Original and Actual in Unregenerate and Regenerate the preceptive parts of it are Rules of Obedience to Redeemed Ones and the Sanction remains even to them in Christ Jesus the Law obtaining its compleat end as to Righteousness Active and Passive in the second Adam Besides this the Law that God governs the World by and will Judge it by at the last Day the Works of Wicked Men will be Condemned and their Persons for their Works the Saints shall be also Justified by their Works because their Persons and their Works are perfect in Christ Jesus they being in him shall be found perfect before God and there is no Condemnation belonging to them nor Sin to be laid unto their Charge Of a Covenant of Promise THere is a Covenant by way of free unconditional Obligation and that is where the Principal or Supream Covenanter binds himself to the Covenantee absolutely requiring no condition to be performed by the Covenantee before his performance of the Promise and in a sence this Covenant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a Covenant with the Stones of the Field that abide uncapable Subjects of Restipulation but it supposeth the Covenanters to be such as are by the Promise made capable and willing to restipulate and perform all Duties for matter and manner that may answer the design of the Covenant consequential to the bestowing of Promise in which their Obedience is contained 2. That God hath Covenanted thus with the Creature without requiring previous Conditions to the Performance of the Promise is not to be questioned such was that made with Noah Gen. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will i. e. alone and by my self set up and establish my Covenant with you without calling you forth to restipulate or perform Conditions and the Promise was that all Flesh
is a false Conclusion that Christ is mine before he is so and must the great Terms of Life be a Lie We are to examine our selves whether we are in the Faith or not 2 Cor. 13.5 Where hath God made this Proposition My sins are laid on Christ Vnless you are for general Redemption the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer and the Spirit speaks to none but a Believer Antinom In all things we receive of Gift there must be a right of Donation first if we take before it 's given it 's Theft and unless I am perswaded that the giving Hand is reached out I can't receive We have our first Earnest for Blessedness in the Perswasion of Faith in the very Act of it and it 's Non sence to talk any way of partaking of Christ but by the Spirit and Faith And he that in an Act of believing at first finds Christ in the true Perswasion of Faith doth not nor cannot say of Christ he is his before he is so The Soul cannot be too nimble for Christ and if he that believeth not makes God a Liar what are those that perswade to Unbelief That Faith in it's very Act is an Evidence is no hinderance to the Trial and Examination of our selves by the Fruit of Faith besides And though the Proposition in the Gospel be an indefinite Proposition yet the Application by Faith in a Sinner ought to be particular and fiducial or else the Faith of Believers will be no more than that of others that believe only that Christ came to save Sinners and if the Promise of Pardon were not to Sinners as such it were not Pardon and if a Man upon Trial must first find by Signs that he doth believe before he lay claim to Pardon Sinners would be in a sad condition But this is the comfort that as the Promise of Pardon is the great Encouragement to believing so believing it self is the receiving and perceiving of it And the Soul saith or should by Faith He loved me and gave himself for me At the sight of Christ it saith My Lord and my God If the Lord speak to a Believer in believing by his Word and Spirit Thy Sins are forgiven it 's not said so to one that is a Believer first Relata are simul naturâ The Promise of Paternity is not a Promise or Gift to one that 's a Father first nor Sonship to one that is a Son first God promiseth himself to be a Father to them that are Loammi And how gross is that Assertion That the Spirit speaks it to none but to a Believer as a Believer Doth not the Spirit speak Peace before we receive it by an Act of Faith Doth not this cause us to believe it 's the Light causeth the Eye to see It 's the Light shining into the dark Unbelieving Heart that perswades the Heart it 's God that saith to the Soul I am thy Salvation before we can believe it Neonom The Second thing that I will prove is that Saving Faith hath the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. Antinom You said before that Inward Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin was no Part of Saving Faith And said in the next that it contained Assent to the Word Fiducial Consent and Acceptance of Christ A Man therefore may understand you that tho it contained it yet it was not of it's Essence Now you seem to say these are Essentials if you do not you hide your self again in the Word Include If you say These be Essentials which you name we say so too but allow not yours c. and all these Essentials are in the Word Perswasion Assent is the Perswasion of the Understanding Consent the Perswasion of the Will to the Truths and good things propounded the Promise whereby the Soul relies upon Christ therein for himself particularizeth Christ and all Blessings to himself as his and now go on and prove all that you said before to be false Neonom You are mistaken I will prove my Position true and then see where your Errour will be 1. Faith can be no less than the Souls Answer to the Call of God c. Antinom We say it is so and he bids us believe but it 's not Faith as such for all Obedience is an answer to the Call of God Neonom The Scripture describes Saving Faith by all these Acts it 's the evidence of things not seen Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Receiving of Christ John 1.12 Isa 55.4 Acts 13.26 Rom. 15.12 Isa 44.5 Antinom This we say it is Evidence and Substance of things at a distance is a full Perswasion of them according to the Nature of them such a Perswasion as carries the whole Soul forth to God to rest and rely upon him having Union with Christ thereby bringing him in all his Excellencies into our Souls and taking him for our own Doth a Man believe any good thing promised and doth not he catch at it for himself if he have any savour of it If the Promise of Pardon present it self to us doth a Man believe till he appropriate it to himself saying It is mine though an unworthy Sinner If a condemned Prisoner hears a Pardon is come out for some he may believe that but till he believes he is one it 's no Comfort to him tho there may be hopes at least he is in it Neonom Christ can't be received as a Saviour without these Antinom It 's very true he is never received as such till I receive him as my Saviour and believe him to be so in some measure and this I am bound to do to receive him by confident Perswasion and resting upon him Neonom A Faith without these Essentials could never produce those great Effects as are ascribed to Faith to purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 to be a shield against Temptations Eph. 6.16 works by Love Gal. 5.6 sanctifies us Acts 26.18 By Faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2.12 Antinom It 's certain that no Faith can do it but such as makes a particular Application by a perswasion of the Love of God or Interest in Christ Pardon of Sins and Reconciliation to God through him that can produce the Effects spoken of this will purifie the Heart from an evil guilty Conscience to serve the Living God this will be a Shield against the most Mortal Darts of Satan that he shoots at our state by bringing in Law Condemnations Hereby Love to God is produced in the Soul and we Act towards God and our Neighbours in Love hereby we are brought to true Obedience such as the Law required at first for the Principle to Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts Soul and Strength and therefore the Apostle saith Love is the Sum of all Obedience as our Saviour said It 's the fulfilling of the Law through this Grace of the Spirit for by receiving Forgiveness of Sin we
hath a Knife in his Hand and Thoughts in his Heart to murder Christ and yet without so much as laying down his Arms D. W. p. 87. Antinom I wish you have not Thoughts in your Heart and a Knife in your Hand not only to wound my Ministry but the Doctrine of Free-Grace you shew such an inveterate Spirit against both Gentlemen Speaking from that Text John 6.37 and endeavouring to remove Objections from poor distressed Souls that dare not come to Christ because of a high deep Sense of their Filthiness and Loathsomness and that are always aggravating their Condition under the saddest and most dreadful Consideration You will say For all this high Aggravation of Loathsomness and Sinfulness my Case is worse than all this you speak of Dr. C. p. 220. therefore there is something in my Condition that if I come to Christ he must cast me off Mark Gentlemen these are the bitter Complaints of a poor distressed Soul against himself set on by Temptation to keep him from Jesus Christ Besides positive Filthiness I am a Rebel a sturdy Enemy I fight against God I quarrel with God and take up Arms against him I endeavour to remove this Objection thus Imagine your Condition is a Condition of as great Madness and Enmity against God as you can devise as always it is look'd upon to be by one labouring under a wounded Conseience in whom Sin is revived by the Law The Remedy that I advise is to bring this poor broken-hearted Creature to Christ to be bound up I go on and say Sure you will say If I be such an Enemy I must lay down my Arms before Christ will have to do with me or admit me to come to him Will a King let a Cut-throat Traitor while he hath Thoughts in his Heart to murder him will he let him come with a naked Knife into his Presence and graciously embrace him in his Arms For Answer still see the close of the Text Observe that if this be true that in respect of this Rebelliousness in thy Spirit against God thou say If I come to Christ he will cast me off This word in no wise cannot be true Do you think it was out of the Thoughts of Christ viz. our Enmity and Rebellion And if he thought of it do you not think he would not have put it in to clear up this Truth Look into Psal 68.18 and Rom. 5.6 7 8. Now observe what I say I do not speak this to the intent that any should conceive that God leaves Persons rebellious Dr. C. p. 211. vile and loathsom as he doth find them when he closeth with them but I say that time when the Lord closeth with them it 's a state of Rebellion and if thou come to Christ in this Condition it manifestly shall appear to thee that he will open his Bosom for thy Head to rest upon as well as for the Righteousest Saint in the World so Christ invites every one that thirsts to come and drink of the Water of Life freely Calvin I would fain know Mr. Neonomian what you would say to a distressed Soul in such a condition that would not only liken himself to a Murderer or a Cut-throat Traytor but will give you an Instance that he is so even at this very time he hath continually horrid blasphemous Thoughts of God yea Atheistical and such as is a Horror to mention He will tell you what a sink of Vileness and Hypocrisie he is in upon all respects what would you tell him indeed here 's the Skill of a Divine Neonom Tell him I would tell him he must be humbled for those Sins and he must cast out these filthy Thoughts and that he must pray and hear the Word and watch over his Heart and resist Satan and indeed must get rid of this Enmity that is in his Heart and this Rebellion and then he may come to Christ for Pardon Calvin Ay but I can do none of these my proud Heart will not be humbled my filthy Thoughts will remain I cannot love God nay I cannot pray and the Word of God is a Terror unto me I fly from the Law and as for the Gospel I dare not come at it God is a Terror to me Neonom I would tell him such a vile Heart corrupt Affections Blasphemous Thoughts are inconsistent with Vocation Regeneration Conversion I would tell him he can't have true Faith or Acceptance with Christ which consists with such vile dispositions and is void of a purpose to be otherwise Calvin And would you not think meet to invite this poor Soul to come to Jesus Christ in this sad Condition Neonom No indeed that I would not in that miserable pickle Calvin What would you do with him Neonom I would tell him he hath a proud Heart which God is humbling his Lusts must be mortify'd he must bear the Indignation of the Lord God will shine in upon you in his due time when you are fit for it and your Sins be purged in the mean time you must wait Calvin But may not a Man speak to such an one of Help laid upon one that 's mighty to save Neonom Take heed of being too bold there If Christ be mentioned it must but be as King and Law-giver if you be too busie in talking of Christ as Priest and Sacrifice and of laying his Sins on Christ it may prove such a Narcotick to him as may cast him into the contrary Extream of carnal Security and Presumption that his condition is better than it is Calvin Do you deal thus always with distressed afflicted Souls when they come to you for advice Neonom No not always in private Conference but in the Pulpit this way must be taken or else you 'll have a company of vile loathsom Sinners grow too sawcy upon the Doctrine of Grace and the Promise Calvin And yet here your Ministry is very successful you receive many Members I suppose you have to deal with great Variety of Cases Neonom I do not trouble my self with that way of Experiences I know no Rule for that I ask them whether they have been humbled and whether they are sincere in taking Christ as their Lord and I tell them now God accepts Sincerity and Imperfect Duties as the Condition of the Covenant of Grace and I find this way succeeds very well and I hope to make it take throughout the City and extirpate those Antinomian Principles and Congregational too Calvin Indeed Mr. Neonomian I must take my liberty to dissent altogether from you in your Method with and Cure of distressed Consciences it was not the way formerly I am for bringing such a poor loathsom polluted Creature to the Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness c. and not say he must be washed first Neonom Can we thus Marry Christ what a carnal selfish thing is Believing A meer using Christ for our own safety in our Abominations which we resolve shall rule over us
that which the Spirit of the Lord reveals and manifests and gives to a Person or as it doth enter upon the Deed of Gift that the Spirit of the Lord doth bring to the Heart Possession is a good Evidence in Law they say it 's an eleven Points let a Man prove he hath Lawful Possession and he proves his Title good The Spirit indeed makes the Title good but Faith makes good the Entry and Possession so clears the Title to us though good in it self before Faith is nothing else but the receiving of Christ and that enters upon the Possession of him and thus I proceeded to apply this to our purpose as he hath mentioned Calvin I suppose you refer to what is spoken by the Apostle John Ep. 1. c. 5. where he tells of God's Records ver 11. This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son Now our Assurance that this Life is mine or thine in particular is the Spirits working by Faith whereby the Soul of a particular Sinner doth appropriate this Record or Deed of Gift to himself Faith doth two things whereby it arrives at Assurance 1. It is a Witness of the Truth of God ver 10. It Attests the Truth of this Record and Deed of Gift 1 John 5.9 10. 2. It receives and takes Possession of it and saith I have received the Son and I have Life Faith being a Receiving Act of the Soul as you your self acknowledge Mr. Neonomian Ver. 12. He that hath the Son hath Life c. This is so clear and plain from the Word that he who will deny it must deny the Scriptures John 1.12 Neonom Your Sermon p. 15. is to prove that Love to the Brethren Vniversal Obedience Sincerity c. are not signs by which we should judge our State Antinom I say they are signs that are not sufficiently satisfactory in themselves to full Assurance without this that proceeds from Faith for if you have never so many Signs 1. They may be true or they may not without a Witness of the Spirit to it though you declaim so much against it you cannot come to an Assurance but only to a probability and you have not a certitude of Judgment only an Opinion 2. If they be true you must believe them to be true or else you have no Assurance A Man hath no Assurance of the Truth if he believe it not and then how should you believe the Truth of your Signs but by the Truth of the Word revealed and believed The Word tells you your Obedience Love Sincerity must be so and so you believe the Word but in comparing your Qualifications with the Word and the descriptions given of them there you will find them fall so short that unless the Spirit assure you there is the Truth of Grace in your Hearts you will be as much at a loss as to Assurance as ever I propounded this Question How a Person may know in particular his own Interest in Christ Dr. Cr. p. 478 479. First I discovered the litigiousness and dubiousness of the way that many Persons go for the satisfying and resolving of this case I Instanced in three marks Universal Obedience Sincerity of Heart and Love of the Brethren and some have conceived that in the Discourse I have directly struck at the Heart of these particulars as if I did attempt the overthrow of them But mistake not I spake only of their Insufficiency that they are weak through the Flesh to give a Satisfactory Resolution of the great case depending they are of excellent use in their own kind Sphere and Orb but when they are set on work to do those things that are beyond their power Men do but entangle themselves instead of getting themselves loose I shewed as to Universal Obedience Dr. Cr. p. 480 481. according to propriety of Speech there is none of it in the World and as it is practised to this end it leaves the case very doubtful in respect of many Imperfections that attend and in respect of the purposes of the Heart which are many times extreamly corrupt and that there is so much in our Obedience common to Unbelievers and Hypocrites As for Sincerity which as the Apostle describes is Simplicity and Singleness of Heart towards God that we find the Jews that were Enemies to Christ's Righteousness had a Zeal for God and you know what Paul saith of himself what designs he had undoubtedly in singleness of Heart to do God Service And besides I shew how false and deceitful we find our Hearts upon Self-examination I spoke also as to Love of the Brethren which the Apostle John speaks so much of if we understand how the Apostle describes it 1 Cor. 13. And if a Man examine his Heart by these particulars I know his Heart cannot but tell him he is exceeding faulty in all these But I do not determine peremptorily that a man cannot by way of Evidence receive any comfort from his Sanctification and I will give you somewhat further for clearing my Judgment to you which I know is according to Truth viz. That the Spirit of the Lord must first reveal the gracious Mind of God to our Spirits and give us Faith to receive that Testimony of the Spirit and to sit down as satisfied with his Testimony before ever any Work of Sanctification can possibly give any Evidence But when the Testimony of the Spirit of the Lord is received by Faith and the Soul sits down satisfied with that Testimony of the Lord then also all the Gifts of God's Spirit do bear witness together with the Spirit of the Lord and the Faith of a Believer So that I do not deny the use of signs and marks in Sanctification you see as you suggest Neonom Sermon 16. He calls it the revealing Evidence of the Spirit and endeavours to prove this immediate Revelation Antinom That the Spirit is a Revealing Evidence and works immediately as it is the Spirit or Grace in all God's Children is not to be denied and yet works immediately by the Word and Means of Grace too and it works immediately so ordinarily I do not mean that it works immediately by way of extraordinary Revelation and Inspiration when it works in this kind But its way of ordinary working is mediately by the Word and immediately in the Word I put this Question Is there any Evidences in the World by which Persons may comfortably claim their Interest in the Priviledges of Christ Dr. Cr. p. 465. A. Yes there are two 1. The Revealing Evidence 2. The Receiving Evidence The Revealing Evidence is the Voice of the Spirit to a Man 's own Spirit saying Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee And this will overcome all Objections and till the Spirit of the Lord come immediately himself and speak this to the Soul all the World shall never be able to satisfie and resolve that Soul and till then all signs and marks
not any just Exception you can have against this Divinity there being so clear Evidence for what is here delivered from the Word of God Neonom He saith Faith is the Eccho of the Heart to the Voice of the Spirit Calvin In the Continuation of Pool 's Annotations one of your Vouchers hath this on 1 John 5.10 He that truly believes hath the effectual Impress of this Testimony upon his Soul What is that but the Eccho of it speaking the same thing Neonom He means that Faith doth not evidence our Pardon as it is a Grace wrought in the Soul by the Spirit or a holy Qualification but only as it doth assent to and rest in this inward Voice D. W. p. 163. Antinom No he doth not place this Evidencing Nature of Faith which he speaks of in it as an Act or Qualification for as such it evidenceth no more than any other Grace but Faith hath a peculiar evidencing Nature in it because it is a receiving Grace he speaks not now of Assent it takes Possession of the Promise And would not you have Faith to be assenting to and resting on the Voice of the Spirit in the Word what would you have it be nothing at all Neonom He seems to own that Sanctification is some Evidence Antinom He doth so as was observed before Calvin I pray what is your Sence concerning the way of attaining Assurance Neonom Truth The ordinary way whereby a Man attaineth a well-grounded assurance is not by immediate objective Revelation or an inward Voice saying Thy Sins are forgiven D. W. p. 160. Antinom I judge by this Negation you set by these things from Assurance as having nothing to do ordinarily in it 1. That no Voice is heard any way by the Soul Thy Sins are forgiven that is not to be believed by a direct Act of Faith 2. That Forgiveness of Sin is not revealed to a Believer by the Word of Promise believed 3. That the Spirit of God hath nothing to do in bringing the Soul to appropriate and apply the general Promise particularly to his own Soul So that here as to our believing Forgiveness of Sin neither the Spirit nor the Objective Revelation of the Gospel nor indeed Faith it self in it's receiving Nature hath any thing to do but only as a Sign and Mark set upon the Soul Neonom But when a Believer is examining his Heaert and Life by the Word the Holy Spirit enlightens the mind there to discern Faith and Love and such other Qualifications which the Gospel declareth to be the infallible Signs of Regeneration And he adds such Power to the Testimony of Conscience for the Truth and In-being of these Graces as begets in a Soul a joyful sense of it's comfortable state and some comfortable Freedom from those Fears which accompany a doubting Christian And according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak Antinom I observe now though you would let the Spirit have no hand in the Evidence of Faith yet you need its help to enlighten about Signs and Qualifications I pray how doth the Spirit enlighten here Is it by any objective Revelation or by any inward Dictate or Intimation And cannot the Spirit as well enlighten the Mind to behold Christ in the Promise by an Act of Faith as to behold Faith and Love in our selves 2. You will not admit the Declaration of the Gospel received and embraced by Faith to evidence but that it seems the Heart and Life must be examined by the Word as a Rule So that Assurance must be wrought by the Word as a Law not as a Gospel so far as you are come up to a Conformity to the Rule not a Testimony of your Interest in the Grace of the Gospel 3. You had need have the Light of the Spirit to find an infallible Sign in you too though they be declared in the Gospel Hypocrites pretend to them and you cannot tell whether you are any better than a Hypocrite without an infallible Voice of the Spirit according to your Doctrine for you must know that you shall persevere in those Qualifications and it 's impossible for a Man to be assured till Death or can be assured of his Perseverance till then all other Signs will signifie nothing without an Infallible Witness 4. You must have a Power added by the Spirit to the Testimony of Conscience that it may witness the Truth and In-being of Graces What 's the Reason it cannot witness the Truth of our In-being in Christ and add a Power to our Faith to believe even unto Assurance 5. All this Examination Illumination of the Spirit Gospel-Declaration c. may at last beget a joyful Sense or a reconciled State you say but according to you it cannot be Assurance because you cannot yet try by Perseverance the Soul is in a little hopes it 's in a probable way to Salvation but cannot be assured he is in a sure state or shall certainly be saved because he must continue his Justified State by his Works and therefore it 's impossible for him to try and find so far as to Assurance because he hath not persevered you 'l say it may be He must believe his Perseverance and be assured of it by Faith then I say there 's as much ground to believe and be assured by Faith of all our Salvation 6. You speak not of an Assurance in all you have said but of some comfortable Freedom from Doubtings i. e. upon some probable Grounds This amounts to more than Opinion at last the only Judgment of a contingent Axiom and you tell us elsewhere our State here is but of Tryal not decided therefore there can be no Assurance at all in this Life 7. You do well to add at last that according to the Evidence of these Graces Assurance is ordinarily strong or weak And may not that Assurance be so which we call the Assurance of Faith May it not be strong or weak according to the Evidence that Faith gives in being strong or weak Faith But now go on to your Whethers and Neithers Neonom I will shew you wherein the difference is not D.W. p. 164. Antinom So you may and enumerate all things in the World by Sea and by Land besides It is not whether the Sun be the Element of Fire nor how many Regions in the Air nor whether Spirits are material nor whether Anima be ex traduce c. Neonom It is not whether the Spirit witnesseth by his Miraculous Operations to Christ and the Gospel which is a Truth and the meaning of many of the Texts which you quote Antinom I do not know that we were like to stumble there for we speak only of the Spirits witnessing in its ordinary way and so are all the Texts to be understood so far as they have been applyed to our purpose Neonom Nor whether the Spirit as a Worker of Grace in the Heart be an Earnest of Glory and Witness to our state
exprest he means that Justification and Eternal Salvation is the Portion of such the positive is included in the negative it 's God's condemnation only from which such as are in Christ are exempted they are nevertheless condemned and censured by Men and sometimes by their own Consciences And on Ver. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect c. Who can implead such or put in an accusation against them There is nothing to accuse them of they are justified And there is none to Accuse them it is God that hath Justified them the Supream Judge hath Absolved them This seems to be taken out of Isai 50.8 9. they were Christ's words there and spoken of God's justifying him and they are every Believer's words here intended of God's justifying them and seems to be from two reasons one implied i. e. God's electing them the other express'd God's justifying and acquitting them And on Ver. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died c. His Death frees them from condemnation thereby he hath made a sufficient attonement and satisfaction for all their sins and which hath long ago satisfied in Heaven for the sins of all the Elect may very well serve to satisfie the Heart and Conscience of a believing sinner here on Earth such an one may throw down the Gantlet as the Apostle doth and challenge all the World let Conscience Carnal Reason Law Sin Hell and Devils let them all bring forth what they can it will not be sufficient for condemnation and that because of Christ's Death and Satisfaction Dr. Jacomb on Rom. 8.1 saith we read it no condemnation the Original will bear it if we read it not one condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such is the Grace of God to Believers and such is their safety in their justified estate that there is not so much as one condemnation to be passed upon them suppose a condemnatory Sentence for every Sin I 'm sure every Sin deserves such a Sentence and in point of merit 't is so many Sins so many Condemnations yet the Pardon being plenary and full every way adequate to the sinner's guilt the exemption of the pardoned person from condemnation must be plenary and full too so that if there be not one sin unpardoned there is not one condemnation to be feared This now is dreadful Antinomianism with some Men Jer. 50.20 In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none 'T is an Allusion to a Man that turns over all his Bonds searcheth into all the Debt-books to see if he can find any Debt due to him from such and such a Person but upon all his searching he cannot find so much as one Debt to charge upon him so 't is with a Pardoned and Justified Sinner Imagine that God should be inquisitive to find out some guilt as lying upon him he might indeed find out enough as he is in himself but as in Christ he is Pardoned and Justified there 's nothing to be found against him therfore no Condemnation What do you think now is it an Errour to say God sees no Iniquity in his People How can any dare to Curse where God Blesseth This is to do worse than Balaam DEBATE XVII Of the Hurt that Sin may do to Believers Neonom I call to mind a most dangerous and dicentious Position of this Antinomian and that is that Sin can do no hurt to Believers D. W. p. 181. His Errour is this Errour The grossest Sins that Believers can commit cannot do them the least harm neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins nor by National Sins yea tho' themselves have had a hand therein Antinom It is strange you should charge this is an Errour upon me when as it s your own Assertion but you know the old Proverb The Thief crys Cut-purse first In the very Second Conference he had this Assertion He is there shewing that there was no need that Christ should bear any more than the Punishment of Sin saying all that endangered us was the Threatning of the Law and this upon Agreement that upon his Attonement we should be released where is the need of more The Obliquity of the Fact as against the Precept shall not hurt when the Sanction of the Law is answered and therefore he that suffers as a Sponsor for another need not sustain in himself the filthiness of the Crime to make him capable of giving satisfaction Chap. 2. p. 11. But go on to your Proof Neonom He saith they need not be afraid of their Sins they that have God for their God there is no Sin that ever they commit can possibly do them hurt Therefore as their Sins cannot hurt them so there is no cause of fear in their Sins committed c. there is not one Sin nor all the Sins together of any Believer that can possibly do that Believer any real hurt This he attempts to prove from Rom. 7. D. W. p. 181. from Dr. Cr. p. 510. Antinom He hath left out my true sense and meaning in these words on purpose as he useth to do to render my Assertions unsound Having been saying that a Believer's Sins cannot hurt them I raised this Objection Some wiâ—l be ready to say This is strange Dr. C. p. 510. all the Evils in the World that come they grow up from the sinfulness of Men. If Man be afraid of any thing he should be afraid of Sin from whence all Evils do flow A. I Answered Beloved it is true Sin naturally is a Root of all manner of Evil Fruit observe Gentlemen the wages of Sin is Death but yet I say whatever Sin in its own nature brings forth yet the Sins of God s peculiar People they that have God for their own God their Sins can do them no hurt at all and in that regard there is no cause of fear of any of their Sins that ever they have committed This may seem harsh to some Spirits that misconceive my drift that I aim at which is not to encourage any one to Sin but to ease the Consciences of the distressed there 's not one Sin nor all their Sins can do them hurt real hurt I mean they may do them supposed hurt And I suppose the Apostle Rom. 7. doth personate a scrupulous Spirit Dr. C. p. 511. that a Believer under the multitude and prevalency of Corruption who was ready to Cry out O Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death but saith he I thank God thro' Jesus Christ q. d. till a Man look to Christ there is nothing but matter of bitterness to be seen as the certain fruits of Sin and there can be nothing but bitterness in Sin in regard of the Evil that is like to follow it but when persons can once look to Christ the case is altered What doth he thank God
him so that not to have a word to speak for himself that his Mouth should be stopped except it be in impleading all that ever he had done as making against him far more than for him And I came to the third thing to shew how all things even the most blameless Works after renovation are loss and dung For illustration sake You must distinguish between that which is the Spirits in Works after renovation and the whole Work after we have done it and now followed what he rehears'd c. Where I shewed that tho' the Motions and Assistances of the Spirit be pure and holy without Scum in the Spring yet by that time they are mixed with our manifold Corruptions in doing and have passed through the Channels of our corrupt Hearts the whole Work becomes polluted and filthy as pure Water passing through a Dunghil c. And this I evinced from James who saith that whosoever fulfills the whole Law of God and yet offends in one point is guilty of all And Paul saith Rom. 7. When I would do good evil is present with me and complains thus O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and he doth not fly to his good Works but to Christ a Refuge against all I thank God through Jesus Christ Object But ought we to refrain therefore from doing righteousness Answ It follows not but therefore we must refrain from glorying in it or stroaking ourselves for our righteous doings rather take shame to ourselves when done and so glory only in the Lord And tho' good Works as done by us are but dung in themselves and in God's eye yet must we be careful to maintain them Tit. 3.6 and David Psal 16.2 3. confesseth that his goodness extendeth not to God but to the Saints It 's no good plea that because a Man cannot be wholly clean therefore he will be more filthy than needs because your Child will be dirty do what you can yet shall be therefore go and â—owl in the Gutter like a Swine Calv. I perceive the sense of Mr. Antinomian fully for he saith 1. That the Graces of the Spirit come clean from the Fountain 2. That when they come into the Channels of our corrupt Hearts they become mixt with the dirt and filth of them 3. That thence our best Duties and Services become polluted 4. That thereby they are not pleadable for righteousness before God 5. We have no cause to boast ourselves after Duties to stroak and commend ourselves as if we had done a great matter but to go off from Duty with humiliation and shame 6. That all or any compared with the Holiness and Purity of God in respect of our coming short of what is required the mixture of sin working in us makes this Duty and Work done as it is in it self considered to be but dung Now Mr. Neonomian what do you think or say of your Duties when they are done when you have spent a day in Fasting and Prayer would you not at the end of the day desire the Lord to pardon the Iniquity of your Holy Things your Wanderings Vain Thoughts stirring of manifold Corruptions would you not say as Daniel ch 9.18 We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness but for thy great Mercies Ought we not to abhor Ourselves and Duties in Dust and Ashes and say Lord if thou mark the Iniquities of our best Duties they are enough to condemn us for ever to Eternal Wrath How often is this spoken and thought by the best of God's Children Or would you go off the Duty like the proud Pharisee commending and stroaking yourself for what you had done saying at last in your Heart I have Pray'd well this day Preach'd well tho' there was some Imperfections yet there was as much as God requires of me to the fulfilling the New Law I have performed the Condition and God must accept it for the sake of my Evangelical Righteousness Antinom I answer an Objection Some will say That God often shews his Approbation of good Works which he could not do if they were all Dung Dr. C. p. 232. Sol. I Answer whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin but to a Believer all things are clean So thro' this Faith in Christ the whole Filth and Dung of our Works is extracted by Christ and he presenting the same purged by himself alone they become accepted with God Rev. 3.4 but simply the Works themselves as done tho' never so well are abhorred of God and Christ never takes them to purge them till we our selves wholly renounce them by counting them Loss and Dung and that Acceptance procured by Christ imports only a liking that God takes to them no Efficacy in themselves Calvin You see Mr. Antinom saith That tho' simply and in themselves as works performed by us they are by reason of Imperfection and mixture of Corruption to be accounted Loss and Dung but yet as we are in Christ and perform them in Christ by Faith they have acceptance with God thro' his Merits Satisfaction and Intercession it is in him alone that both our Persons and Services are accepted with God our Spiritual Sacrifices which are our Duties we be here speaking of are said to be acceptable to God but how By Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 and certainly in themselves and out of Christ they are no better than Dung we are made accepted both to Persons and Services only in Jesus Christ Antinom Object It s granted Originally and per se the best Righteousness obtains nothing but rather charges with a new account yet Instrumentally it obtains what is desired being well qualified as before mentioned Answ If it be no more then I heartily desire that we should heartily say and express as much that the people may clearly understand and remember so much and be guided Explicitely to the Fountain it self Christ alone for certainly whilst Christ is supprest and these Instruments are reached out without relation to Christ who only fills them with all that runs thro' them they are but mere empty Pipes and dry Channels tho' never so curiously cut out Dr. C. p 236. Calvin And is not this great Truth and Gospel Mr. Neonom Your carping at this Doctrin plainly shews that you set forth for another Gospel I perceive wherever any thing exalts the grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ you strike at it as standing in your way and this under a pretence of advancing Holiness in the way of Legal Worthiness You also deal most unjustly and disingenuously with this good Man in falsly representing him and in not acquainting us with these things whereby he fully declares his meaning and adjusts it agreeable to the Analogy of Faith Now because you Expose the Doctor so much for what he saith of the graces of the Spirit of God being once mixed with our Corruptions in a Duty This Duty in it self at best is as Dung ceaseth to be the
is not only the favour of God and by the Merit of Christ but that our Works prevail in some degree Neonom I will tell you wherein the difference lies 1. It is not whether Holiness or the best Acts of a Saint be such or so perfect as to Attone for his Sin or procure a State of Pardon Antinom This is a strange kind of talking about a Saint's good Works Attoning or Procuring a State of Pardon as if there could be a Saint before he is in a State of Pardon And as for those Works that need Attonement and cannot make Attonement for themselves they are in themselves but pitiful Menstruous Rags Dross and Dung for Non Acceptation with God makes all Works such tho' seemingly never so good Neonom Nor whether our Holiness can make us Accepted with God without Christ Antinom Then it is not worth a Pin in it self without Christ Neonom Nor whether the Holiest Action of the Holiest Saint is such as not to need Forgiveness Antinom That which needs Forgiveness is Sin and therefore Filth but according to you The Holiest Action of a Holiest Saint is such according to your self Ergo. Neonom Nor whether by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency Sincere Holiness could be accounted Holiness All this I deny Antinom There could be no other Holiness counted Holiness by the old Law but Sincere Holiness but imperfect Sincere Holiness was not accepted there nor in and by it self in any other Law or Gospel as such Neonom Nothing under that Law but perfect Conformity to the Precept was Holiness whereas Gospel Grace makes a great difference between true Holiness tho' imperfect and wha't formally Wickedness between Sincere Love and Enmity Sincere Faith and Vtter Vnbelief Antinom If perfect Conformity was the Holiness of the old Law required it 's an Argument that nothing will serve the grace of the Gospel but a Holiness answerable to it in perfection and whatever difference you make to be between imperfect true Holiness and formal Wickedness I tell you the formal difference between perfect Holiness and imperfect is Sin for this Imperfection lieth in Sin a coming short of Moral Perfection can lie in nothing but in some degree or other of Sin But is it the Gospel makes the difference between Virtue and Vice Sure it s the Law doth that Neonom The real difference lieth here whether the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions be really Dung and Rotteness This the Doctor affirms and I deny D. W. p. 198. Antinom The Doctor affirms That the Works Services or Performances of a Believer being full of Imperfection and mingled with Sin are not acceptable to God but thro' Faith in Jesus Christ and compared with the pure Holiness and Justice of God and the Righteousness of Christ and his Holiness in which he stands are and ought to be accounted by him as Loss and Dung. Neonom Whether sincere Holiness so far as it prevails in our Hearts and Actings be truly lovely in it self and pleasing to God according to the grace of the Gospel and is not Dung. This I affirm and the Doctor denies Antinom The Question is Whether Holy Works performed by the best Men be not Polluted with Sin and whether they can be truly lovely and pleasing to God in themselves out of Christ according to any grace of the Gospel and therefore are not as Dung This I deny tho' you affirm and a Thousand more Neonom What is spoken of Holiness of any meer Man on Earth since the fall is spoken of sincere Holiness for perfect Holiness none had Antinom What hath been spoken of Holiness that God hath accepted is of true Holiness i. e. Sanctification in Christ Jesus Sincerity may be where there 's no true Holiness Paul had Sincerity in his supposed Holiness he verily thought he did God good Service in persecuting the Churches good ends and meanings which a Carnal Man may have in his Mind are not enough to make an Action good Neonom I have room but to Expostulate Antinom Because you cannot find a good Argument to bring in you might have had more room if you would and it would have been more for your Honour so as you had served Truth in it but go on with your Expostulation Neonom Is that Dung which is the effect of Regeneration in the Soul and Actings Antinom You should have said the Effect of the Spirit for Regeneration it self is not an Efficient but an Effect and that which is the Efficient of Regeneration is so also of all the Vital Acts in a Regenerate Person now we have told you before that the pure graces of the Spirit passing thro' the Corrupt Channel of Man's Heart becomes in a Duty like defiled Pudled Water and such Duty in it self only considered is as Dung in the sight of God and ought to be accounted so by us Neonom Is that Dung which is so often honoured with the Name of the Spirit it self and called the Spirit of Love Prayer c. Antinom You should have named the places where our Works are called by the Name of the Holy Spirit of God as for the Spirit of Love that is the disposition of Love and as to the Spirit of Prayer where it 's taken for the Spirit 's helping our Infirmities it is spoken of as distinct from our Prayers themselves Neonom Is not that more Lovely which is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Antinom The Divine Nature there is the Spirit of Christ received by Faith for it 's given in many great and precious Promises and whatever of Divine Nature we receive it is of God and in conformity to and participation of Christ all which is pure as flowing from the Spring but when it comes to be Exerted and put forth by us in our Duties becomes impure and mixed with the Corruptions so the whole Duty in it self is but an Unclean thing Neonom How Amiable must that be which is the New Man after God's Image Eph. 4.24 Antinom Take the New Man Created after God distinctly considered as it comes from God it 's a pure Creature but this hinders not but the Regenerat Man is made up of the Old and New Man and all his Actions and Duties partake of both and therefore polluted for Paul said the Old Man hindred him from doing good when he would for then Evil was present with him the same may be said of the New Heart Ezek. 18.31 The Law in the Members is warring against the Law of the Mind in every part and faculty of Soul and Body Neonom Are those Works Dung to which we are Created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 Antinom We are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works to be performed in Christ Jesus so far as we are in Christ Jesus and our Works in Christ Jesus they are not Dung neither doth the Doctor say they be but when performed out of Christ in ourselves and in themselves they are but as Dung
Christ is made our Sanctification and all that Holiness in us that is accepted it 's not only in and for his Righteousness but it 's performed in the Life and Power of Christ our Sanctification therefore he saith 1 Cor. 1.30 that what we are we are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. Neonom Or is that filthiness which renders Saints the excellent of the Earth Psal 16 2. Antinom Doth not David say ver 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee the original words if you understood them is fuller as to the sense intended tho' shorter than the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Goodness is not to thee or nothing to thee and the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast no need of my Goodness Do you say Is that Filthiness which renders the Saints Excellent I had thought it was the Grace of God Christ's Righteousness and the Inbeing in Christ that had rendred them Excellent not their own Works Neonom The Imitators of Christ Antinom Scholars that Write after another may make very sorry work mere Scribling that the Master tho' he finds reason in himself to accept would if he did not tear it all to pieces Neonom Was not this it for which Caleb was said to have another Spirit and upon account whereof we must love the Godly as begotten of God Antinom Was Caleb's Works his Spirit or his Works flow from his singular Spirit his Spirit was a Spirit of Faith thro' which he did so great things in Christ Jesus and so the Works were accepted Heb. 11. The Foundation Reason of our Love to the Saints is Christ loving them and their Relation to Christ every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him and by this we know we love the Children of God when we love God 1 John 5.1 2. Neonom Is it not pleasing to God to which he hath made so many promises and for which he commends Moses David c. Antinom As God is not pleased with any Persons so with no Works out of Christ neither hath made any promises to any such out of Christ all the best Works are cast forth as Filth and Odious if done out of Christ Neonom Calling them a peculiar People it s no small thing that Christ is so pleased with his Spouse Antinom They are peculiar because purchased and have peculiar Blessings and Privileges and bring forth peculiar Fruits in Christ Jesus John 15.5 6. without me ye can do nothing and if a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and any Work that is done out of Christ is but Dung as 1 Cor. 3.12 13. If a Man in Christ build Hay Stubble his Works will be burnt and he suffer loss tho' he may be saved Christ is pleased with his Spouse his Church because he hath loved it and washed it in his own Blood and therefore she is Comely but as for what she is in her self and as to her Works in themselves and done out of Christ she is but Black as the Tents of Kedar c. Sol. 1.5 Neonom Can that be Dung which is a Meetness for Glory an Honour to God and Credit to Religion Antinom Our Meetness for Glory is all from Grace there 's nothing that flows from our selves no Work done out of Christ can contribute to any Meetness all our Meetness is in Christ Jesus as made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification and we grow up in him in all things as for our relation unto Men we say with the Apostle they are profitable to Men and be a means that they Glorifie God on our behalf but God hath no direct Honour by them if not performed by Faith in Christ Neonom How can that be Acceptable to God in Christ if it be Filthiness Antinom Good Works are good in their kind but comparatively and in themselves because of the mixture of Sin and Corruption they are in the sense of the Spirit of God but Filth you may as well say how can Paul be Acceptable to God thro' Christ who saith In me dwelleth no good thing Must Persons and Actions be free from all adhering Corruption by reason whereof they in themselves are Abominable to the pure Eye of God before they be made Acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ This is like your constant Doctrins Persons and Actions must be good first before they have benefit by Jesus Christ Neonom Wickedness will never be Accepted with God for Christ sake tho' imperfect Goodness shall Antinom No imperfect Goodness can be Accepted as Righteousness with God for Christ sake Christ never so much as purchased that any of our best Graces or Works should be Accepted as our Righteousness and it cannot be Accepted unto Holiness out of Christ and the Doctor never said our good Works wrought by Faith in Christ are Dung so as not thro' Christ to be Accepted unto Holiness but imperfect Works are no more our Righteousness for Acceptation with God than Wickedness neither in their Nature for Christ's sake Neonom Read what is spoken of Sincerity and Vprightness will it agree with what 's Mortal Poison Antinom Moral Sincerity and Uprightness may and so is all out of Christ Neonom What a Reproach is it to Christ to call his Life in us and the beginning of Glory by this Title Antinom The Life of Christ in us is by the Faith of the Son of God and we are Crucified with Christ to all that 's done by us and therefore account it Dung and Dross in comparison of all done by us and Works give us not Title to Glory tho' Grace begins it Neonom Nay to make his Triumphs in us so low as that all he hath improved his Members to is mere Filthiness Antinom The Triumph of Christ in us is the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Neonom It 's well if the Scriptures can escape clean if all the Works of the Spirit are thus debased when they pass thro' Men. Antinom The Scriptures are clean in themselves as from the Spirit but the Works done by us are not Scripture tho' they be in some measure conformed thereto Neonom But I less wonder that Doctor Crisp should speak thus of the Righteousness of the Saints as in them when he saith the Enemies of Christ may have Sincerity and singleness of Heart towards God P. 450 451 452. Antinom Doth not he prove that Paul in his Unregenerate Estate was blameless as to the Law 's Righteousness Phil. 3.6 and what Paul did against the Churches he verily thought that he ought to do it Acts 26.9 Was not this Sincerity at least in his apprehension had he not an Eye in what he did to the Glory of God The Jews also had a Zeal for God Rom. 10. but you wrong him
no better than Dung because it asserts all our own Righteousness to be Dung in the point of Justification I think Bellarmine or Socinus could not have made a more gross Assertion There is a Gentleman whose Face I think I see among you whom I would request to undertake Mr. Neonom in the Opposition that he makes against this Portion of Scripture I think I remember where and against whom he once made a Strenuous Defence of it Gentlemen its Mr. Antisozzo I speak to I pray Mr. Antisozzo be pleased to appear in this great Debate that lies before us Antisozzo I pray Sir Excuse me here are more Ancient Divines Mr. Zuinglius and Mr. Musculus c. and later Dr. Owen whose Judgment Mr. Neonomian ascribes much to Calvin Indeed Sir you cannot be Excused at which all Cried Mr. Antisozzo Antisozzo Gentlemen I 'le assure you it is not convenient by any means that I should appear in this Cause now against Mr. Neonom he is my special Friend one whose Learning and Judgment I will as soon subscribe to by an Implicite Faith as any Man I know besides there 's a particular reason that is not convenient to Publish Calv. Sir those things are but your Modest Evasions the Society will not be satisfied unless you undertake Mr. Neonom in this point Antisozzo If it must be so it must be so Mr. Neonomian look to your hits for I 'le assure you I will not spare you I will have none of your shifts and tricks none of your whethers nor neithers I 'le have the Question fairly stated the main Question will be What was that Righteousness which the Apostle renounces from having any place in his Justification before God Upon this one hinge turns all the Controversie betwixt us Antisozzo P. 547. Neonom I answer the things which he renounceth were Jewish Priviledges and that conceited Christless Righteousness which he once valued as those Dogs at present did but it was not that Gospel Holiness which by the Grace of Christ he was now Partaker of There 's an Objection I know lies against this Assertion and it is this how doth both these appear I answer from the whole Scope of the Chapter D. W. p. 203 Antisozzo I suppose then we shall join issue and your Objection which you make was but a Question which you ask your self and answer We say and affirm That the Righteousness which the Apostle renounces is whatever inherent Righteousness he had attained or could attain whatever Obedience he hath performed or could perform to the Commands of God That which he calls his own Righteousness he tells in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neonom Thereby he intends not sinless Obedience nor Gospel Sincerity but a Life not to be blamed by the rule of the Jewish Pedagogy that 's his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. W. p. 204. Antisozzo It was that which is from Law from a Law from any Law indefinitely now a Righteousness which is from a Law is such an one as the Law urgeth and presses upon and prescribes to the Conscience but that without question is an internal Conformity of the Soul to the Holiness of the Law but this the Apostle rejects therefore he rejects internal and inherent Righteousness 2. Who doubts but when he saith his own Righteousness it is his own Righteousness and this is not to be fetcht from some sorry Conjectures which Men when they are in streights invent to avoid present ruin but from stable fixed constant use in Scripture my own Righteousness is as my own or your own Works taken for real sincere conformity of Heart and Life to a Law and this is the fixed use in Scripture Gen. 30.33 My Righteousness shall answer for me You Mr. Neonomian would Paraphrase upon it thus My Roguery shall answer for me Job 27.6 My Righteousness I hold fast i. e. you would say My Hypocrisie I hold fast Mat. 5.16 That Men may see your good Works i. e. in the new Glossary Your Complement Dan. 9.18 we present not our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness the Church must not mean real Righteousness but the Sceleton of Obedience Now if the Apostle designed only to reject his own Hypocrisie he was not so barren in Expression but he could have fitted it with its proper Name 3. The Apostle expresly renounceth whatever he had attained before and after his Conversion v. 7. The things that were Gain these I accounted Loss for Christ but is that all No! Yea doubtless I do account all things but Loss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do now account I have accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in Judaism Loss when I was first convinced and I do now account all things even mine own Righteousness Loss and Dung for Christ and there n. b. the Apostle riseth higher in his earnestness v. 8. Yea doubtless q. d. did I say that I once looked upon all as Loss for Christ I will speak a bolder word than that I count all but Loss Dung and Filth that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness and the little value he had for his own Righteousness further appears that it was in reference to the day of Judgment Antis p. 550. Neonom My own Righteousness can signifie no more than my Pharisaical Righteousness or that wherein I placed my Righteousness Antisozzo I beg your pardon Sir it signifies more than that wherein he placed his Righteousness whilst a Pharisee and a great deal less than that wherein he placed his Righteousness after Conversion in order to Justification but if the Apostle renounced whatever he placed his Righteousness in then either he placed it in inherent Righteousness or not if not how dare you place it where he durst not If he ever did place his Righteousness in it then he here openly declares to the World that he renounces it Neonom But there 's no necessity to understand this of inherent Gospel-Holiness for that is not his own Righteousness which is of the Law which is opposed to that which is by the Faith of Christ an external Righteousness serves most Men's turns very well and this is that whereby the Pharisees expected to be justifyed Antisozzo The Pharisees were generally bad enough and you need not make them worse It 's a Sin we say to belie the Devil it doth not appear that the Pharisees expected to be justified before God by an external Obedience only without Sincerity As to Paul whilst he was a Pharisee he was no Hypocrite he every where vindicates himself Act. 25.8 9. 1 Tim. 1.13 Act. 23.1 and others of the Pharisees were sober conscientious Men. And the Discourse of Paul's Master Gamaliel Act 5. shews he had a great deal more Religion in him than most of those who carry on a design to rail at them for Hypocrisie Neonom But I 'll tell you what his Righteousness was Circumcised the eighth day of the Seed of Abraham
these admired Principles of yours famous at Rome as some Instances of the third thing 1. That every Sin is not Damnable Pref. p. 6. 2. That the Moral Law is vacated its Sanction being changed ibid. 3. That the Eternal Condition of Men is not eternally decided in this Life but they are in a state of tryal here for Eternity p. 55. See to reconcile these three Heads of Doctrin to the Assembly and reconcile the first to the larger Catechism Q. 152. What doth every Sin deserve at God's hands A. 1. Every Sin even the least being against the Sovereignty Goodness and Holiness of God and against his righteous Law deserveth his Wrath and Curse both in this Life and that which is to come and cannot be expiated but by the Blood of Christ 2. Reconcile the second to Confess c. 19. 5. The Moral-Law doth for ever bind all therefore its Sanction remains if you know what Sancire is as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof and that not only in regard of the Matter contained in it but also in respect of the Authority of God the Creator who gave it neither doth God in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this Obligation Who is the Antinomian now 3. Reconcile the third rotten ill-worded Principle to the Assemb c. 17. § 2. The Perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own Free-will but upon the Immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable Love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the Merit and Intercession of Jesus Christ the abiding of the Spirit the Seed of God within them and the Nature of the Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth the certainty and infallibility thereof With what Conscience can a Man solemnly subscribe these Articles Confessions and Catechisms and yet assert these Principles But you ascertain our Estate here only by doing you say you can shew that there 's no one Saving benefit granted a sinner but upon supposition of doing p. 230. It 's not given him to will or do but upon supposition of doing nor to be justified or persevere but upon supposition of doing So the Whole and the Certainty of a Believer's State depends wholly upon doing he is under a perfect Covenant of Works and his State is a State of Tryal for Life upon his doing as Adam's was but a worse and hath more to do and is less able Lastly As to the great fundamental Principle on which your New Scheme is founded viz. That the Gospel is a New Law with Sanction tho' I hope I have spoken enough to convince you of the Unsoundness of it yet because I would not be wanting in any thing wherein I may contribute to your further Illumination I will only present you with one remarkable Piece of Protestant Antiquity in this Point And it is An Article in the Confession of the Holy Doctrin which was proposed to the Assembly of the Council of Trent in the Name of the Illustrious Prince L. D. Christopher Duke of Wirtenberg and Count Montbelgard Jan. 24. Anno Dom. 1552. Concerning the Gospel of Christ. ALtho' many Precepts of the Law of God are contained in the Writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles and Christ himself teacheth that we are not to render Evil for Evil nor to look upon a Woman to lust after her and many other Precepts of the like nature Yet we must not think that the Gospel of Christ is a New Law whereby as the Fathers of old under the Old Testament were saved by an Old Law so Men now under the New Testament are saved by a New Law For unless thou understand the word Law generally for Doctrin as the Prophets several times are wont to use the word Law certainly the Gospel of Christ properly is no Law as Paul is wont to use the word Law but is good and joyful Tydings concerning the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Expiator of our Sins and Appeaser of the Wrath of God our Redeemer and Saviour Neither are the Precepts of the Law which are contained in the Apostolick Writings a New Law but an Explication of the Old Law according to the mind of the Holy Ghost which are not darkly contained before in the Writings of the Prophets but are repeated in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ that the Severity of God's Law and the Corruption of our Nature being plainly laid open we might be excited to enquire after and embrace Christ revealed in his Gospel and that we should be acquainted by what Rule our Life of Faith in Christ should be directed Wherefore if we ought to speak properly concerning the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ even as we are not to make Christ a New Law-giver seeing he hath not made a New Law nor erected a New Politick Kingdom on Earth so neither is the Gospel to be turned into a New Law which offer Eternal Salvation to the performers thereof But we think that it is most certain that there is one and the same Natural and Moral Law both of the Old and New Testament and Eternal Salvation is not to be had by Men under the Old or New Testament for the Merits of the Works of the Law but only for the sake of the Merits of our Lord Jesus by Faith Christ rehearseth out of Isaiah his Office Luke 4. for which he was sent into this World saying The Spirit of the Lord is upon me in that he hath anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor c. Here Christ teacheth that it is not his proper Office to give a New Law which might terrifie and slay miserable sinners but to Preach the Gospel that might quicken and comfort them See Gal. 4.4 5. Acts 15.10 11. They quote Austin That People who received the Old Testament Augustinus contra Adimantum Manichei discipulum c. 3. was held under certain shadows and figures of things before the coming of our Lord according to that wonderful and most exactly ordered distribution of times Yet in it there was so great a Predication and Fore-publication of the New Testament that no things may be found in the Evangelick or Apostolick Discipline altho' lofty and Divine Precepts and Promises which were wanting to those ancient Books I here conclude only adding the Exceptions of some Ministers against your Doctrin and Principles The Substance of some Exceptions made by divers London Ministers against Mr. Dan. Williams's Book Entituled Gospel Truth stated and vindicated 1. WE find Truth and Error is not rightly stated in several Particulars chap. 2. c. 5. c. 7. c. 8. c. 12. c. 16. c. 18. c. 19. and in other places 2. Under a colour of opposing some old Antinomian Errors which we from our Hearts abhor he falls in with them in their main Principle of vacating the Sanction of the moral Law as appears Pref. p 6 7. and Lib. p. 131 135. and in