of Christ will do When he is convinced of the Suitableness and absolute Necessity of this Righteousness to him and that nothing short of an Interest in it will satisfie his Conscience Also When he is convinced of his great Evil in leaning so long on his own Righteousness and the proneness of his Heart to do so still And Lastly When he is convinced of an evil Heart of Unbelief The Spirit convinceth of no Sin but Vnbelief Sure Mr. Jerry was under a great Mistake For it was this I inferred from John 16. 7 8 9 10. 11. That the first Sin the Spirit savingly convinceth a Man of is his own evil Heart of Unbelief and his Evil in trusting to his own Righteousness But see how strangely it is wrested What will not Envy and Prejudice put a Man upon For any to look to their Sanctification was an hindrance to their closing with Christ 'T is true in a good sence they have no Holiness afore they close with Christ and what should they look for that to bring with them they cannot possibly have afore they come ANIMADVERSIONS The Reader may easily perceive that the tendency of all these Charges under this general Head is to support Two Principles I. That there must be antecedent Works as Conditions of Justification Or at least II. There must be antecedent Works to fit and prepare us for Christ The First Principle I cannot fall in with for these ensuing Reasons Reas 1. God Justifies us freely as well as he Chose us freely and Christ died for us freely God chose the Elect and Christ died for them without any regard had to foreseen Conditions Rom. 9. 11. with 13. 15. Rom. 5. 6 8. So he also Justifies Rom. 9. 16. So Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Reas 2. The Word of the Lord says That God Justifies the Elect not as Saints nor as reformed Sinners but as ungodly Sinners Rom. 4. 5. But believeth on him that justifies the ungodly Therefore he does not Justifie upon precedent Conditions Reas 3. To make the Works of the Law to be the Conditions of our Justification is to seek to be Justified by the Deeds of the Law I which the Word of the Lord expressly condemns Rom. 3. 20 28. Gal. 2. 11. 3. 11. Reas 4. If the Sinner may be allowed to have the Works of the Law as Conditions of his Justification then he has ground of boasting in himself But the Law of Faith that receives Justification freely as a free Gift Rom. 5. 16. excludes all manner of boasting from the Creature Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith Reas 5. The perfect Law or Promise of an infinitely Holy Righteous God must needs require Perfect Conditions Therefore Imperfect Obedience cannot be the Conditions of Justification Reas 6. Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and all Works done before Faith put on the Nature of Sin and that that is sinful cannot be the Conditions of Justification Reas 7. They that are performing Conditions in a State of Nature are under a Curse Gal. 3. 10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse And how can that that is under a Curse be the Cndition of Justification Reas 8. This Doctrine of Antecedent Conditions of Justification as it is contrary to the Word of God so it is contrary to the Doctrine of the first Protestant Reformers and also expressly contrary to the Tenth Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Articles of the Church of England which most of the Dissenting Ministers in the Kingdom have subscrib'd to Neither can I be for the Second Principle Viz. That there must be antecedent Qualifications at least to fit us and prepare us for Christ Before I give my Reasons I shall first tell what the Question is not And then what it is 1. The Question is not Whether an Elect Soul may not often be under the Convictions of the Law before Grace cometh For that we all agree in 2. Or Whether God doth most commonly lay hold of a Sinner by his Grace when he is under strong Convictions of Sin by the Law For this I readily assent to 3. Or Whether since Actual Justification as it is an Act of God terminated in the Conscience is an Actual Discharge there for the sake of Imputed Righteousness that it is necessary there be the same moment an Actual Conviction or Arraignment by the Law in the Conscience which is called a Sight of Sin to make the Soul see its need of the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus But the Question is Whether legal Convictions do prepare and fit the Soul to receive Christ i. e. By enabling the Soul the more or making the Soul the more willing to receive Grace antecedent to the State of Grace And this I do deny All the aforesaid Arguments against Conditions of Justification are edg'd against such antecedent Qualifications also However I shall add a few more Arguments Arg. 1. The Word of the Lord says That God walks by the same rule in Calling as he did in Election and the Eternal Compact 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Whence it is convincingly evident That as he hath chosen the Elect and promised them all Grace in Christ their Common-Head before the Foundation of the World without any regard had to their fore-seen Qualifications not according to their Works So he also saveth them with an holy Calling in time without the least regard had to their then previous Works For it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. See further Eph. 2. 8. Arg. 2. The Spirit is as free in Application as the Father in Election and the Son in the Work of Redemption and therefore the Spirit in Conversion regards not antecedent Qualifications Arg. 3. 'T is in Christ Jesus we are God's Workmanship created to good works Eph. 2. 10. Therefore there is no power for Good Works antecedent to our actual Union with Christ Arg. 4. The first Work of God Souls are put upon is Believing Joh. 6. 28 29. And we are pressed in Scripture to other good Works after Believing Tit. 3. 8. Therefore there can be no previous Qualifications preparatory of Faith Arg. 5. Faith it self is receiving a free Gift as freely given Rom. 4. 16. Eph. 2. 8. Therefore ex Naturâ rei excludes all manner of such antecedent Qualifications Arg. 6. The Promise was by Faith that it might be sure to all the Seed Rom. 4. 16. Even to the Gentile Seed who had no manner of Qualifications to bring For the Scripture saith expressly they had not so much Qualifications as to follow after righteousness
the same with that called the Plerophery of Faith Heb. 10. 22. And that is founded upon 1st The Means of Admittance to the Father by the Blood of Jesus ver 19. 2dly The Way of Admittance to the Father viz. The new and living way consecrated through the vail that is to say the flesh of Jesus ver 21. Who is our Common Head and Representative through whom we are admitted to the Father viz. such an High-priest over the house of God ver 21. So that I conclude the more strongly purely unmixtly and frequently we behold and lean upon Christ the more Light cometh in from the Object to evidence our Faith it self The more an Infant exerciseth his Legs the more he knoweth he hath them and also knows their Usefulness and the more veturous he is of walking on them 2. I find this Faith of Assurance called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom of speech or access so it is called Heb. 3. 6. 10. 35. 1 Job 3. 21. 5. 14. Which is going to God in Christ with great freedom as a Friend to a Friend and asking the things we have need of with great freedom of speech And this also is grounded upon their Representative who is entred to represent us above even Jesus the Son of God who also is above touched with the feeling of our Infirmities here below Heb. 4. 16. compared with ver 14 15. 3. I find this sort of Assurance in the Scripture viz. The Sealing of the Spirit after Believing Ephes 1. 13. called The Earnest of our Inheritance viz. The Beatifical Vision above stiled also The times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord Act. 3. 19. In which the Spirit of the Lord in one Promise or other suited to the Believer's Case doth give an undeniable and irresistible Assurance unto the Soul that Christ is his and that he is Pardoned and Justified and consequently an Elect Vessel though it lasts but for a little season In these sorts of Assurance I find none of them built upon our inherent Qualifications but on Jesus Christ the Corner-stone and all Three of them cast anchor within the vail upon the great fore-runner that is enter'd for us even Jesus made an High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck He preaching said How came the Covenant of Works and the Elect under it It was to illustrate the Electing Love of God and not to make the Elect Haypy The Law enter'd that the Offence might abound the Law was too weak when Man was in his best Estate to reign over him to Eternal Life 1. It is an undeniable Maxim That all things toward the Elect are made to subserve the Design of Electing Love and Grace 2. That it appears ab eventu as well as from God's Word That Electing Grace was only design'd to make the Elect Happy Therefore it undeniably followeth That the Covenant of Works with its Breaches came in to illustrate and agrandize Electing Love and Grace and I think that Scripture Rom. 5. 10. proveth it Though Moses's Law be there intended yet the Covenant of Works made with the Elect in the first Adam is not thereby excluded nay I think chiefly designed For to me it 's plain that the Law of Moses was but a manifestative Copy of the Covenant of Works made with Adam I judge this is past Contradiction That the Covenant of Works could never have secur'd the Elect in Eternal Happiness This is manifest from God's Word and from the Event for it did not secure their standing One day This Honour therefore is to be given to the Covenant of Redemption of which the Lord the Redeemer is the Surety None but a rank Arminian will deny this therefore I wonder to what purpose this is sent as a Charge That Believers under the Law had their Life from their Doings and they had no longer Life than when they were crying and weeping and groaning Witnessed by Mr. Robert Page who entring into a Conference with Mr. Davis about it objected Isai 53. 5. He was wounded c. and therefore the Prophet believed on Christ To which Mr. Davis replied The Prophet did not understand what he said This I have answer'd pretty largely in the Answer to the Libel therefore I shall not insist much on it now Only this I shall observe That the whole current of the Epistles written by the Apostles is to shew an extraordinary Difference between the Two Administrations And this is made the main thing That now the Just live by Faith Not that this excludes the Faith of the Old-Testament-Saints but only makes that of the New-Testament-Saints far to exceed it The Instances of David and others of the Prophets overturns not that general Rule allowed in the former Dispensation they were rare singular and extraordinary besides the Holy Ghost saith expresly what they said was but Prophetical of what should be in Gospel-Days For they did not minister unto themselves but unto us the things which are now reported unto us by them that Preach the Gospel 1 Pet. 1. 12. And this was it which I said in Answer to Mr. Robert Page how invidiously soever he curtails it when he affirmed that the Prophet Isaiah understood the Meaning and Gospel of his own Prophecy as well as the Apostle Paul from which aforementioned Scripture I observed that the Grace and Salvation Prophesied of by them in its Clearness and Dispensation belonged to the New-Testament-Saints for it is said who Prophesy'd of the Grace that should come untoyou 2. It is Evident from the Words that in their Prophecies they did not minister to themselves at all thus not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are reported unto you by them that Preach the Gospel unto you But if they had seen into it as clear as New-Testament-Saints they would certainly have ministered unto themselves which the Holy Ghost saith they did not doe 3. It is manifest from that Place that they searched and enquired diligently what was the meaning of their own Prophecies for they not only searched what they Prophesied but after what manner the things Prophesied should be accomplish'd and when ver 11. Searching what or what manner of time i. e. what Manner of Dispensation it should be The Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow What need all this diligent search and enquiry into these Matters and yet after all could not administer them unto themselves if the Spirit had revealed unto them the meaning of their own Prophecies as clearly as he did to the Apostle Paul afterwards To this Robert Page made no Answer but that that Place of Scripture must needs have another Meaning but what that other Meaning is he hath not told me to this Day Believers under the Law had no real Sight of Christ Mr. Chandler here also witnesseth very corruptly For what I said was this which is ready
These Libellers by an unadvised blabbing out of what they have done concerning Silencing do declare what they expect will be hatched at last amongst the united Brethren at London viz. an old imperious Classis revived again But it would be Prudence in them to tarry first for the generating warmth of Royal Authority which I hope will never be The Story of Mr. Holcraft is a Fiction as divers in Cambridge-shire do attest I shall not mention what his Judgment was of a contrary Nature concerning me not long before his death but he is now in Glory And it is an easy matter to fix Stories on People when they are dead when the Reporters know they are secured from having their Fictions contradicted The Story of the two grave Ministers I shall consider in its place They speak wickedly to say that I make Disturbances in the Country but it is their Wickedness Lying Slandering and a bloody Spirit of Persecution they manifest every where that creates the Disturbance Could they or the Magistrates either have found any thing against me save in the matters of my God it would have been done afore now for the exactest Scrutiny has been made in order to Indictments Now I come to consider the formidable Charge relating to my Principles and Doctrines I have observed they have laid down four places especially where they pretend these Doctrines have been delivered viz. Rothwell and thereabouts Kimbolton and thereabouts Wellingborough Cambridge and thereabouts The Members and Hearers that usually attend my Ministry in these four places may make but one work of it to confront their Testimony in each place respectively Accordingly I shall methodically digest their Charge with my Answers suited to these four Scenes and the rather because my Principles and Doctrines as they alledge were delivered at Rowell or thereabouts are these following And first I begin with Rowell 1. Our Lord Jesus preached not Terror Answ I remember no such thing nor does the Church but I believe it false and so do they 2. A sense of Sin enrages persons against Christ Answ A sense of Sin purely legal in a state of Nature has a tendency to Despair and pure Despair always enrages Souls against Christ and his Grace 3. The Devil of lying has filled the tongues of many Professors Answ I do not believe I said so from their malicious charging of me tho' this cannot be said of all blessed be God yet 't is too notorious there is a lying Spirit gone forth in the mouths of very many Professors especially their Mouths and Pens concerned in the Libel 4. Actually justified from Eternity Answ It was thus I preached or asserted it If by being justified from Eternity be meant our being justified in the Decree and Compact I judge that to be Truth and God's Decrees and Covenanting are his Acts. This I know I have been chiefly on my Guard in this Matter And when it was first charged upon me I was in London and heard of it only on my return home Yet I do not deny but at first I spoke of Eternal Justification in Foro Dei as Dr. Twisse Mr. Pemble and many of the transmarine Divines have asserted as Mr. Baxter himself does acknowledg yet always restrained it to the fore-knowledg of God his Decree and the eternal Compact 'T is true finding the Decree of Election no where expressed by the name of Justification I waved at last that term and kept rather to that of eternal electing Love and Grace because I would not keep on foot a vain strife about words to no profit only to the subverting of the Hearers 2 Tim. 2. 14. When I seriously weigh'd Isa 50. 8 9. compared with Rom. 8. 33 34. and divers other Scriptures I cannot yet but maintain and assert A virtual Justification of the whole Elect of God tho' not yet called in Christ their common Head ever since his Resurrection Especially when I was so confirmed therein by the excellent discourse of Dr. Goodwyn on that Subject in his Triumph of Faith And they that take away the Representativeship of Christ the Foundation of our Gospel introduce a new Scheme of Religion that I cannot find in the Bible I do not see what need there is of all this noise about words as long as I have constantly preach'd and affirm'd That elect Sinners are dead in Trespasses and Sins and under the declar'd Condemnation of Law and Gospel till they believe and that then and only then they are freed from that Condemnation which I take to be actual Justification by Faith As to Justification by Faith I need not put my self to the trouble to define it as long as I am well satisfy'd with the definition given thereof by the Assembly and Savoy Confession by which I shall stand and let this suffice for an Answer to the following malicious Charges 5. That Charge tacked to this viz. That God loved us from Eternity does very much confirm the Suspicions I long entertained that under the Notion of eternal Justification they fought against eternal electing Love and Grace Mutato nomine pro te Narratur These Jealousies were first fomented in my mind by observing that not only well-meaning People violently with great Ignorance disputed the Point but Men of corrupt minds were the fiercest in the Contest And I further observed the Arguments they brought were the very same alledged by the Arminian Party to decry eternal Election and that made me the more willing oftentimes so to frame my method of Argumentation as made many honest People think I held an elect Person actually and declaratively free from the condemnation of the Law before Faith which was a mistake My saying and unsaying the same thing is but a Falshood charged upon me of the same piece with the rest The Country Divine the Libeller mentions was Mr. Chandler for with him I had discourse upon this Point and when he objected my timing of Justification I only replied I never told him yet when I timed it and continued on my Guard all the while 'T is true I asserted everlasting electing Love which he told me afterwards was one of my Blasphemies But I think he may as well charge it on the Book of God particularly two places Jer. 31. 3. Ephes 2. 4. which affirm it in plain terms 6. There must be no Works because God rested in Christ c. Answ What always was contended for which these Arminians and Amyraldists cannot bear was this that no Works must come into our Justification but Holiness as flowing from Faith I have always preached and pressed constantly affirming That they that have believed do maintain good works Tit. 3. 8. as hundreds can witness But perhaps these Prevaricators judge nothing to be preaching up of good Works unless they be urged as Terms and Conditions of our Pardon and Justification and Perseverance therein as the Terms of our eternal Blessedness 7. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life but ye
might be peace and accommodation between us and so they did I do not think they will deny it As to my preaching at Kempson the plain Truth is this When I set out from Rowel to London I did not design to preach at Kempson but when I came to Bedford I was prevailed upon by great Importunity to preach there and that but few hours before I did so that if I spoke of my not designing it to any before I spake the Truth Neither can they prove that we sollicit away any Bodies Hearers for it is false but if any come of their own accord we have no Rule to send them away If these things were true why did not they prove them at Ketterin when they pretended to prove all their matters But are these indeed Gospel-Ministers to murder the Reputation of a poor Man and a Servant of Christ at this rate And also through him to wound the Interest and Gospel of the Lord Jesus which they say they promote and expose our holy Profession to the scorn and contempt of the ignorant multitude But 't is easily perceived what they are by the Titles they give themselves or their Accomplices for them as in page 18. Little Bee Spark of a Bee Notorious Desperado's And also by their strange hectoring Boasts and sinful Vaunts Was there ever heard such wicked boasting Language fitter for the Mouths and Pens of the Hectors of the day than such as pretend to be Preachers of God's Word and Defenders of his Truth against Errors Do such Boasts as these become the Servants of Christ As that they will sting like a Scorpion that they fall to club-Club-Law presently and give sore Blows How contrary is this to the qualifications of a Bishop That he must be no striker 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. The Apostle rightly says The Tongue is an unruly evil it is full of deadly poyson James 3. 8. How much worse the Pen when managed by the same Spirit For Littera scripta manet But indeed such a Spirit such Language redundant with such Scum and Froth that tincture the Conversations of a young Generation of Men made Ministers that are started up in these days call for bitter Lamentation I shall close this Section with this true Remark upon them That they and their Cause and Language are much alike What they publish concerning our Visions and Revelations is of the same tincture That pretended at Oundle I shall give an account of hereafter That whose Scene was laid at Rowel is wholly untrue without the least colour for it as will be attested by the Church and Hearers if there were need And alike false are the Reports concerning others as I verily believe having made particular enquiry about such Reports This I evidently see they cannot bear those discoveries of love Christ has made to his Servants and their profession thereof and rejoycing therein As to their upbraiding us with our Ostentations and Boasts I answer We are taught by grace not to glory in our selves but in the Lord and his Righteousness The Stories they bring to confirm it are so ridiculous and false that it is time lost to give them the reading We can assure our Adversaries that tho' they think us trod under foot we are made humbly to hope our Lord will yet appear to our joy when they that oppose our dear Lord Jesus shall be ashamed We do commit our cause to him that judgeth righteously who for the oppression of the poor and the sighing of the needy will arise to set him at safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12. 5. And since they speak of boasting I would recommend to their consideration those places of Scripture Jude ver 18 16 14 15. Mat. 24. 49 50 51. Our admission of Members has been so publick and so many Members of several Churches with others from divers parts of the Nation have been Eye and Ear-witnesses thereof who have gone away rejoycing in the power of God that they felt that I wonder at their Confidence to invent such nonsensical Falsities and then impose them on the world when there are so many can attest the contrary especially that of the young Child at Rowel is as ridiculous a Romance as ever was committed to Paper I cannot guess what may be the design of the Libellers in relating so much Stuff and Nonsense about our Self-condemnedness unless it be more and more to nauseate the Reader 's Stomach and expose their own Folly and Wickedness Their Narrations are so impertinent as well as false and vain that I shall do no more than shovel the Dirt out of my way The Account they give of our Fits is in such a scurrilous style in so insolent a Meen and Air in that prophane and scoffing manner that it is very detestable To the afflicted pity should be shewn and misery should move compassion But they as unbecoming Men and Christians insult over our Calamities with bitter Sarcasms It is an awful and tremendous dispensation which ought to be revered and not jested with for it is ill Jesting with Edge-tools But these like them of old will run upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler They may feel to their cost hereafter the effects of their bold presumption in making sport with such an awful hand of God Here they out do all their other Lines in Scurrility Prophaness and Obscenity But most horrid of all and which indicates the Writer to be sealed with a judicial hardness is that hideous piece of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost about the middle of their Account worse could not drop from the vilest Rabshekah's Pen Besides there is thrust in a notorious Lye reflecting on my Reputation to cover their Blasphemy 'T is well known that I seldom either eat or drink any or else very sparingly for a considerable time before I engage in the work of preaching And I hope I can say My Moderation is known to all Men. Over and above all this they have dasht and brewed their Account with egregious Lyes besides divers Falshoods of the like nature in other places Can it possibly be supposed that these Authors can have a dram of grace the least awe of God upon their hearts or fear of God before their Eyes But oh lamentable that they should discover themselves to be Dissenters too It is remarkable that when a People are engaged in a wicked Enterprize the further they enter into it the more they discover the Spirit of Satan in his various workings of iniquity And this is observable as to this Pamphlet that the Spirit that acts the Libellers all along thorough it appears blacker and more cloven footed towards the close In these Enquiries to the Country People it shews the highest quintessence of Falshood Calumniation Malice and murderous Designs Here and elsewhere I am charged with four of the most notorious Crimes viz. Drunkenness Adultery Jesuitism and Conjuration which Crimes do not only touch my Name and Reputation in the highest
Rom. 9. 30 nor as much as to seek and ask after it Rom. 10. 20. But Isaias is very bold and saith I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest to them that asked not after me Whilst the Jews were rejected with all their Qualifications Rom. 9. 31 32 chap. 10. 31. Therefore this Consideration destroys all such antecedent Qualifications Arg. 7. The holy Scriptures of Truth declare That Christ must first come to the Soul before the Soul can move to Christ For the Soul is dead in Sin before the first moment of Spiritual Life and the first moment of spiritual Life is when Christ actually uniteth himself to the Soul And how can they that are dead prepare themselves for Life before Life comes Arg. 8. The Word of God says That the Law cannot give Life For if there had been a Law given which could have given Life to the Apostate Race of Adam verily Righteousness should have been by the Law And if the Works of the Law cannot give Life they cannot prepare for Christ Arg. 9. The Gospel invites Sinners as Sinners and not as qualified Sinners to come to Christ If the Heavy-laden be called Mat. 11. the Lame Blind Hault and Maim'd are invited also Luke 14. 21. Mat. 22. So also the Highway-Sinners are compell'd to come in as they are Mat. 22. Luke 14. 28. Arg. 10. Lastly This Doctrine of previous Qualification contradicts not only the Doctrine of the Bible and of the first Reformers but also the Twelfth ond Thirteenth Article of the Church of England If any would be further satisfied in this Point let them consult Mr. Bridge of Evangelical Repentance And a Book lately Printed styl'd The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification which is a very solid and substantial Piece And now I shall proceed to the remaining Charges Faith is a Perswasion that our Sins are Pardoned I am almost perswaded Mr. Chandler never heard it But my Judgement is Faith is a Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin and Acquitment by the Lord Jesus Why should the word be offensive since it is Scriptural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade In that Prophetick Description of New Testament-Faith it is God shall persuade Japhet c. Abraham's Faith is defined by the same word Rom. 4. 21. The Apostle expresses his own Faith and the Faith of the Elect in the same words Rom. 8. 38. Gal. 5. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 12. To believe a Man's Sins are Pardon'd is Justifying Faith Answ 1. Their racking of Sentences I mind not But this I do affirm That Justifying Faith is to Believe on Christ for the Pardon of Sin which he has purchased and not a blind Consent of the Will to I know not what 2. That every Act of True Faith hath particular Application in it My Act of Faith relateth not to Sin in general but my Sin 3. Faith looks to Christ for what he hath already done for a Pardon already purchasad and an Acquitment already obtained Mat. 22. 4. Luk. 14. 17. 4. The least degree of True Faith hath some Assurance in it tho' not so much as extinguisheth nor yet so much as keepeth under but always so much as doth oppose and disapprove of unbelieving Doubts and Fears 5. Stronger Faith carries stronger Assurance with it The more clearly and strongly I rely on the Righteousness and Strength that are in Christ for me the more firmly I can conclude I am made Righteous in his Righteousness The Argument is Mr. Pemble's against Bellarmine which Mr. B in vain attempts to overthrow 6. Lastly The Spirit often-times cometh in a sealing Promise with irresistible Light assuring the Conscience of a Believer that his Sins are Pardoned and he is Justified so that during this time of Sealing all Doubts Fears and Questionings are silenc'd though when this is past they may revive again And who dare exclude this from relating to Justifying Faith Let 's have a care of contradicting and blaspheming the Operations of the Holy Ghost and offending against the Generation of the Just who have more or less met with such Promises Some will put you upon trying your State by such Marks of Sincerity Love to the Brethren Universal Obedience and Love to God and Christ But this way he denied and said Men make Idols of them and worship'd Stones and Stocks And such as put them on such ways of Tryal are like Baal ' s Priests It is to no purpose for me to fight with their wrested words I shall only therefore deliver my Judgment plainly as to Marks and Signs 1. I judge there is no Holiness or gracious Qualifications preceding Faith 2. To set up these as the Marks and Signs of our being Justified is 1. The greatest Cheat put upon the Soul in the World 2. It is the greatest Affront put upon the Spirit and Blood of Christ For thereby they thrust these that are Nothing into the Room and Throne of the Mediator and Comforter and they that do so are guilty of Spiritual and Mental Idolatry as if they worshiped Stocks and Stones As to that of Baal's Priests I remember nothing of But let the Coiners of this New Gospel that preach such Doctrines look to it lest they justly deserve the Name Some will tell you You must examine your selves whether you be in the Faith or no But I say Look for no Marks and Signs but a risen Jesus seek for no other I affirm That Faith is a great Evidence yea and Self-Evidence too Heb. 11. 1. The great Evidence of Faith is the once Crucified but now Risen Jesus It is Jesus that died is risen again and is set down at the Right-Hand of the Father and ever liveth to intercede They that look off of him to look within seek for a living Christ in a dead Frame I never was against Self-Examination performed in the Light of Faith acting directly toward the Object At Willingham he preached That Christians must not try themselves by Marks and Signs of Grace This is as if a Person should shut the Doors and Windows of his House to let in more Light And produced Mat. 12. 38 39. to reprove this way of Heart-Examination which he said lay with Awe upon his Spirit and he could not but mention it viz. An evil and adulterous Generation seeketh after a Sign And added O Generation of Professors I may say of Preachers that seek after a Sign c. 1. This is further my Judgment That the Scriptural Marks and Signs which are the inseparable Effects and Concomitants of Faith are one way or other some Evidence of our Justification 2. That they do also as Dr. Goodwin phraseth it eek out encourage and strengthen our Faith in a certain way and measure 3. That Souls are more prone to look to them than to Christ and his Grace the Object of Faith and that is very dangerous Spiritual Sense and Enjoyments though given us is something within us But Faith
an Advocate with the Father for us always even when we sin and pleading his Propitiatory Sacrifice unchangably on our behalf 1 John 1. 2. Compared with Heb. 7. 24. Tho' we vary and change in our Frames and in the Exercise of Grace yet it is well for us he never changeth nor the Righteousness of his Son He is God and changeth not therefore c. Mal. 3. 6. There must be no more Conscience of sin in Believers Such is the Nature of their Sacrifice that it ought to be so this Expression also is Scriptural Heb. 10. 2. they that cavil at me herein cavil at the words of the Holy Ghost pray let them undertake to answer him for it You would mourn You would weep Christ hath mourned Christ hath wept and you have nothing to do but accept his Grace the Righteousness by which you and I must be justified is Christ's fulfilling Adam's Covenant and Mount Sinai's Covenant and the Covenant of Grace I do not remember verbatim what hath been expressed so long since malice it self must have a better memory than I to do it but I will plainly relate my Judgment in the matter 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is according to the Scriptures the End or Consummation of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 14. And he did as it became him to fulfill all Righteousness as their Representative 2ly This offered Righteousness must be most freely accepted as a free Gift Rom. 5. 16. We must bring no Money nor Price in our hands to purchase it Isa 55. 1. 3ly Sinners are prone to mourn and weep by way of satisfaction to Justice but what ever in that nature was Penal and Satisfactory to Justice Christ dath done and suffered Isa 53. 3 4. Heb. 5. 7. When you are discouraged with Unbelief in Duty if you can believe that Jesus is there strongly believing in Heaven for you this raiseth your Faith If you see Christ loveth for you this draweth forth your love First observe this differently Phrased in the Libell so that it seems Mr. King took the same sentence from my mouth divers ways backward and forward even as his fancy pleased to chime it The same observations I have made concerning divers of these Accusations compared with them in the Libell 2. This I affirm that this Report was heard of early by us so that I and others that heard me did recollect what I delivered and we found upon such Recollection that my words were wrested and misconstrued but that I expressed my self to this Effect 1mo That Christ as our Representative fulfilled all Righteousness as is aforementioned That Christ believed and believed as our Representative Dr. Goodwin undeniably proves in his Triumph of Faith 2ly That the Graces of the Spirit he perfectly exercised as man cometh within the Compass of our Imputed Righteousness that all the Righteousness he fulfilld on Earth he carried with him to Heaven when he entred once for all not without Blood where he eternally presenteth them to the Father as the matter of our Justification and they are the Pleas he useth in his Intercession the Faith and Love and other Graces he exercised when on Earth are now in Heaven where he is 3ly Believers may take Comfort by veiwing through Faith not only their Persons but Performances covered in his Righteousness and see all their Guilt done away in his Blood see their Imperfect Obedience cover'd with his perfect Obedience This is the Summ of what was delivered and this I will stand by To fear Sin is the way to increase it The Position I laid down was this That Unbelieving Fears of Sin distrusting the Power of Christ to keep us is an inlett into sin 1 Job 4. 18. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love so divers other places which I need not insist upon now Animadversions on the foregoing Head I Cannot but judge that the Particular Accusations under the foregoing Head do infer a pernicious design against the imputed Righteousness of the Son of God viz. 1. That this Righteousness taketh not in the Active as well as the Passive Obedience of Christ which is a Principle which hath been lately minted in Opposition to the Current of Orthodox Writers to the various Confessions of Faith of the Protestants since the Reformation and to the Word of God which hath been already proved in part Therefore I shall only add this following Argument 1. The Law of God must be either satisfied or defeated in its intents and to defeat the intent of such a Holy Righteous Just Law is Antinomianism with a Witness which puteth a great Affront upon the Law-giver 2ly The Primary intent of God's Law is perfect Obedience and without perfect Obedience the Law of God cannot be satisfied 3ly Unless the Law can be satisfied there is no man living can be justified according to the Tenour of it and unless a sinner is justified he cannot be saved 4ly There is no sinner can plead satisfaction made unto it in his own proper Person therefore he must plead the satisfaction given by his Surety and Representative in his stead who fully satisfied as well the demands of it as the Penalty therefore through Faith we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31. and give it the highest Honour by offering to the Law-giver the perfect and God-like Obedience of his Son thereunto 2dly This last Head seemeth to have a bad intent to eclipse God's Act of Imputation by which this Righteousness is so made over to us for our highest Benefit and Advantages as if we our selves had wrought it out All this resulteth to Believers by virtue of Union to the Person of Christ and accepting the Union of Three Persons in One God and of Two Natures in One Person This Union is most unexpressibly great bating those Two fore-mentioned Unions we may speak as high of it and conceive as high of it as possible By virtue of the First Union God the Second Person is Equal with the Father and so the Third Co-equal with the Two former By virtue of the Second Union the Man Christ Jesus becometh the Redeemer the Mediator the Saviour Head over all Prince of Life Lord of Glory But it is Blasphemy to attribute any of this to any Believer by Virtue of a Third Union it is Blasphemy to say We are Godded with God Christed with Christ or that we become Saviours and Redeemers c. Yet however this 3d. Union conferreth great Titles and Privileges upon Believers according to the Scriptures As nothing can be spoken too high of the Righteousness of Christ so the Holy Scriptures of Truth do speak very magnificently of those that are cloathed with it They are said to be made Kings and Priests to God and the Father Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 6. A Holy Priesthood ver 9. A Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People As to Christ they are called Members of his Body Ephes 5. 30. 1
Wings as their great Patron and Defender we shall ask their Advice when we think it meet Advice must be free given when asked and not imposed Imposed Advice is an act of Authority One of which said Christ Murthered himself Here is no particular Evidence and it is a down-right Falshood after a great Noise about it In the Notes of his Sermon produced it was thus Christ as High-Priest had in charge given him to kill the Sacrifice and by virtue of Office he killed the Sacrifice and himself was the Sacrifice Down with Works down with Law This was father'd upon Mr. Bere who is none of us but hath been an approved Preacher above this 30 Years who saith he did say so in point of Justification and he will stand by it and so he may for the Word of God doth stand by him in it Another Christ went about his work Blindfold from that place of Scripture Who so blind as my Servant Which another Interpreted thus Christ is blind so as to see no Sin in his People To this charge there is no particular Evidence and the Person Charged is not Named and we know nothing of it Therefore I need do no more but step over it Another thus When People are under Convictions they will go to the Minister and he will exhort them to Read and Pray and Repent but these are the black marks of Hell This last spoken by Mr. Rowlett I enquired of him and he saith he remembers no such thing However this I will maintain they that put awakened Souls upon Working before Believing Act beside the Commission given forth by Jesus Christ Accusation 9. Mr. Davis pretended to Visions for Preaching a Funeral Sermon at Oundle he told the People c. That I pretended to Visions is very false But what if I had said I had seen Visions How should they know it was but Pretence Mr. Clark in his Examples giveth divers Modern Instances of several Godly Persons that saw Visions and why might not I as well as they Tho I do not say I have seen any but the Matter at Oundle was plainly thus I hearing when I was from Home on Thursday from Mrs. Clark's Son that his Mother was not expected to Live that Night I came home that Night and found some of my Acquaintance were Dead nigher home whereupon that Night after Mid-night I was sunk into serious Meditations of the Glory of Heaven and upon that part of their Glory that they were not only Blest there with perfect Holiness but also with Eternal constant Beatifical Visions of the imputed Righteousness they were cloathed with Amongst other Meditations I thought I saw by Faith how bright then the Spirits of Just ones Above shone in that Righteousness and amongst them those Friends lately Dead as I heard And her I concluded Dead from a strong Impulse I confess which I suppose might arise from the Account her Son gave me of her in the day-time and knowing her to be a very good Woman I did by Faith conclude and see she made one in the bright Company above whereupon that Scripture was Suggested into my Mind with great pleasantness Esa 57. 2. That Text I would have Preached upon for her Funeral Sermon if another had not been appointed me However I ventured a little at the close to insist upon this Subject and gave some of the substance of the precedent Story as my Reason for it wherein I think I might use these words That it was imprest upon my mind she was Dead and that by Faith I saw her in Glory which the mistaken Witnesses that know little of Faith took to be other Visions It appeared by the Sequel that she was then Dead and if Dead then in Glory as I thought What need the Learned Assembly make such a Pother and ado about this I would fain hear their weighty Reasons why the Servants of God now may not see Visions as formerly Doth not Zuinglius write of himself that when he was urged by the Cavelling Priests to produce a Parallel place of Scripture to prove that This is my Body was a Sacramental saying was after much perplexity of Mind directed in a Dream to that portion of Scripture Exod. 12. 11. latter part which the Scoffing Papists made as much a Maye-game of then as the vain and jovial Professors do of this Accusation 10. That he Anoints the Sick with Oil is confessed both by himself and Friends c. That we Anoint the Sick with Oil we do confess and continue still to think it is a Duty from God's Word The Story of the Deceased Person I grant with some variation of Circumstances is true She did not then in the Administration of the Ordinance as I hear profess any great confidence of Faith but only testified her willingness to be obedient to the Command of the Lord Jesus neither did I hear that any of her Relations did I think I might say in Preaching or Praying and that not amiss That God upon the finishing of the work of any of his Children given them to do will have them home to their Father's House and will deny all Means and his Blessing to all his own Appointments which must needs be true else his Children would never Die But what needs all this insolent Triumphing Is this becoming Christians I am perswaded it will be but short When the Apostles were endowed with extraordinary power for Miracles yet there was a Case came before them that even they through the power of Unbelief could prevail nothing in If Modesty did not forbid me I could Ballance this one with twenty or thirty astonishing Instances however I submit to the Rebuke which has cost me many thoughts of Heart and hath brought me to these Considerations 1. Whether God in the Sick or in the Administrators requires only a meer Faith of Relyance or Expectance leaving the Issue to his Blessed Will Or 2. Whether he doth not require in both a positive Faith that it shall be so without the least doubting or wavering and that none dare presume to engage in it before they have arriv'd to such a Faith I hesitate and wait for the Counsels of the Almighty before I proceed further Also my Judgment in this Ordinance I shall when I have time draw up Accusation 11. He Re-baptized one formerly Baptized by Mr. Browning namely the Brother of one Mr. Chambers As to this it 's true there was a Brother of that Name Baptised according to our Practice but it was never enquired whether he was Baptised by Mr. Browning or any Body else We whose Judgments are for this Practice neither Preach it Press it nor Impose it but walk according to our Light which we think we have a liberty to do What then hath the Assembly at London to do with our private Practice As to my particular Perswasion concerning Baptism I shall take another time to lay it down The chief managers of the Evidence at Kettering as I understand