the nâ—â—â—ssary qualification of the Patient or Reâ—â—iver i. e. naturally and legally necessary such as dispositio materiae is said to be in Physicks 3. And as for the notion of an Instrumental Cause of Justification it is past doubt that properly taken neither Faith nor any act of ours is any such nor doth justifie us efficiently at all But if any be so fond of the invented notion of an Instrument as that they will use it though unaptly they must say 1. That it is not an Efficient but a Recipient Instrument Dr. Kendall calls it like Boys catching the Ball in their Hats or as a Spoon is in eating But it is not an Instrument of Physical Reception but Moral To Trust is no more a Reception than to Love The active Acceptance of a Saviour given with his benefits is a Moral Receiving of him which disposeth us as the Condition of the Covenant to receive Justification that is to be justified And in this lax sense you may call it all these if you please viz. a Condition a Dispositive Cause and a Receiving Instrument 4. A Meritorious Cause it is not in a Commutative or strict sense But if you will call that meritorious which is pleasing to God as congruous to his free gift and design of grace whence some are called Worthy in the Gospel so the thing is not to be denied and so all are reconciled Contr. 17. Is justifying Faith an act of the understanding or will Ans Both and therefore it is no one Physical act only nor Instrumental in a strict Physical sense Contr. 18. What act of Faith is it that justifieth as to the Object whether only the belief of the truth of the Promise or of the whole Gospel also or the affiance on Christs Righteousness or on his Truth or on his Intercession or taking him wholly for our Saviour Prophet Priest and King And whether Faith in God the Father and the Holy Ghost do justifie or all these And if but one which is it and wheâ—her all the rest are the works which Paul excludeth from Justification Ans To say that only one Physical act of Faith is it that we are justified by and all the rest are those works is a perverse corrupting of Christianity and not to be heard without detestation For it will utterly confound all persons to find out which that one act is which they indeed can never do And it will contradict the substance of all the Gospel There is no such thing as Faith in Christ which containeth not or includeth not Faith in God as God both as he is our Creator and as reconciled by Christ and as the Giver of Christ to us John 3.16 and as the end of all the work of Redemption Nor is there any such thing as Faith in Christ which is true and saving that includeth not or connoteth not the Knowledge of Christ and Love and Desire and Thankfulness and Consent Nor did ever God tell us of a Faith in Christs Imputed Righteousness only that must justifie us which is not also a Faith in his Person Doctrine Law Promise and Example and his Intercession in the Heavens And to say that only the Act of Recumbency on Christs Righteousness as imputed to our Justification is that act of Faith by which we are justified and that Believing in God his Majesty Truth Wisdom Goodness and the believing in Christ as he is the Prophet Teacher King of the Church and the Resurrection Life and Judge of all and believing in the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier Comforter and Witness and Advocate of Christ and believing and trusting the Promise of God for Life Eternal or for any grace except Christs Righteousness imputed that all this Faith in God in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and all our Love to Christ and desire after him and prayer for his grace and thankfulness for it c. are all none of the Faith which Justification is promised to but are the Works by which no man is justified and that he is faln from grace that seeketh to be justified by such works that is by true Faith in God as God and in Christ as Christ This is a new Gospel subverting Christs Gospel and making Christianity another thing and this without any countenance from the Scripture and contrary to its very scope The Faith by which we are justified is one Moral act containing many Physical acts even our fiducial Consent to the Baptismal Covenant and dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be our Reconciled God our Saviour and our Sanctifier to give us Pardon Adoption Holiness and Glory which is our Christianity it self as such Contr. 18. But though this be the Faith quae justificat which justifieth us is it not only Recumbency on Christs Imputed Righteousness quâ— talis which hath the Office of Instrumentality and is â—ides quâ— justificans Ans Such quibbling and jingling of a meer sound of words is usual in ludicrous Disputations of Lads But it 's pity it should pass as the last remedy against plain truth in so great a matter First it must be remembred that no Faith justifieth efficiently and therefore neither quae nor quâ justificans is to signifie any such thing but a meer Moral qualification of the recipient subject so that to be justified by Faith is but to be justified by it as that which God hath promised Justification on as the qualifying Condition But if it be not the same thing that is here called Fides quae and quâ but in the first part they speak of the Habit and in the second of the Act had it not been plainer to say The same Habit of Faith hath several Acts as believing in God in Christs Intercession Kingdom c. but none of these Acts do justifie us but one only viz. trusting to the Imputation of his Righteousness And so both the quae and quâ is â—denied to all Acts save that one This is their plain meaning which is denied to be truth and is a human dangerous invention Yet it 's granted them that it is not every Act of Faith that is made the Condition of Justification or Salvation It is necessary that the formal Object Gods Veracitâ— be believed to make it true Faith and that the Gospel or Covenant of Grace be believed with Consent as aforesaid to make it to be the true Christian Faith in essence and it 's of necessity that every thing be believed which we know that God revealeth But it is the Christian Faith that hath the Promise of Justification and that not any one single Act of it but all that is essential to it and that which belongeth but to its Integrity ad bene esse when it existeth is also so far conducible to our Justification as Abrahams believing that Isaac should live and have seed when he went to sacrifice him yet Justification may be without some Acts as Salvation may without many due Acts of Obedience
Physical and Moral Reception when they should tell us that Faith is not the Physical but the Moral Reception of Christ to Receive in sensu Physico is nothing else but to be the Passive tâ—rminus of an Agents efficiency and is signified by Passive Verbs To receive Justification Sanctification Adoptiâ—n Physically is nothing but Justificari Sanctificari c. to be Justifâ—ed Sanctified Adopted But to receive Morally is Accipere to accept the gift by consent and exercise thâ—t consent by contract and containeth as is aâ—oresaid many Physical Acts as to receive a Tutor a Master a Physitian a King a Husband c. And such is Faith a receiving not of righteousness only but of Christ with all his offered benefits And when they say that other Acts or Graces may be Conditioâ—s but none but Faith is the Instrument 1. Certainly that called by them Instrumentality is but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crederâ— the Act it self in specie and the Conditionality is the nearest reason of its Interest in our Justification 2. And there is nothing more in the Nature of Assent Trust or any Act of Faith beâ—â—des meer Acceptance or Consent why they should be called Receiving than in Love Desire Gladâ—ess Hope or Seeking 3. And Accepting Christ as our Teacher King and Intercessor in Heaven is as much conditional and necessary to our Justiâ—â—cation and Salvation as accepting his Justiâ—â—cation and Deliverance from Punishment That which men are most averse to Love Holiness and Obedience is made the Condition of that which men more easily accept And indeed those that in sensu Phyâ—ice they call Other Conditional Acts are but modifications or parts of the same Moral Act which is the Condition The Faith by which we are justified is that true Christianity which includeth our believeing consent to God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost our belief of Christ and our thankful acceptance of him to be our Teacher Intercessor or Priest and King with his offered Grace and that this acceptance is with Desire Love and Hope exprest in a holy Contract or Covenant This is the Souls Marriage with Christ and Allegiance to him and it includeth the renouncing our trust in all Creatures or in any Righteousness of our own so far as they would usurp the least part of Christ's Office Work or Honour None of all this is Justification by Works LXIV They erroneously tell us That nothing is Properly a Condition which is it self a Free Gift As if God could not Command and Give the same thing and make his Command a congruous means of Giving LXV They erroneously hold that nothing can be called a Condition of one Gift of the Covenant which is not a Condition of all Whereas God hath many Anticedent Gifts before any Condition be so much as imposed Without any Condition he gave us our Being and gave us a Saviour and the Gospel and the conditional Covenant and offers of Grace And why may not the reception and use or not rejecting of a former Gift of Grace be made a condition of the giving of more To him that hath shall be given may not Faith be the gift of God and yet be the condition of Justification and Salvation LXVI They erroneously hold that when a man is once justified the continuance of his justification is Absolute and hath no imposed conditions contrary to Christs own words Joh. 15. and many plain texts of Scripture LXVII They erroneously put Free Grace and Free Will in such opposition as if nothing could be an act of Free Grace which imposeth any condition on Free Will which is true if by Free Will they mean Freedom of Natural sufficiency as Free without Grace from vitious habits and inclinations for we have no such Free Will But these men know not what Free Will is nor distinguish Freedom from Prohibitions and from Constraint and necessitating predeterminating efficient Premotion from Moral Freedom LXVIII In some points forementioned about Faith and Justification the unapt Words and Methods of some Reformers give them advantage But Dr. Crispe and the gross Antinomians take Faith to be neither Cause nor Condition of Justification but meerly the receptive belief that we are Justified already before we were born so that Faith justifieth only in our consciences which is but to be conscious that we are Justified LXIX Accordingly Dr. Crispe maintaineth that Election and Justification are known only by two means The Spirit within revealing it and Faith receiving it that is The Spirit inwardly saying Thou art Elect and Justified and Faith believing this so that neither of these Justifie us but only make us know it LXX They mâ—stake the meaning of the Witness of the Spirit As if it were but an inward Inspiration and Impulse equal to a voice saying Thâ—u art Elect and Justâ—fied Whereas it is an Inherent Impress and so an objective Evidencing witness even the Divine Nature and Image of God and the habit of Divine â—â—lial Love by which Gods Spirit marketh us out as adopted As likeness of the child to the Father and love are an evidencing witness of true Son-ship And as Reason is a witness that we are Men And as Learning is a witness that we are Learned So Sanctity is an evidencing witness that we are the children of God Holiness to the Lord is his Mark And he that nameth the name of Christ departing from iniquity hath Gods Impres Yet there are other subsequent parts of the Spirits witness that is 1. Causing us to exercise 2. And to know the Grace that he hath given us 3. And exciting in us a joyful perception of it LXXI Hereby they destroy the assurance and comfort of most if not almost all true Christians in the world because they have not that inspiration or certain inward word of assurance that they are Elect and Justified I have known very few that said they had it And of those few some fell to Debauchery and some to doubting And though Prophetical Inspiration prove it self to them that have it it s not possible for others to know but that a counterfeit Fanatick conceit may be it LXXII Hereby the Ungodly are dangerously tempted to damning presumption and security while if they do but confidently believe that they are Elect and Justified they are quieted in sin LXXIV Dr. Crispe copiously maintâ—ineth that a Man cannot be sure that he is Justified either by Sâ—â—cerity or Vâ—iversal Obedience or love to the Goâ—ly or any such Grace To the dishonour of Holiness the contradiction of Scripture and the ovâ—â—throw of the comfort of Believers LXXV They tell us that we must not fix sâ—t times for Prayer or other Worship but stay till Gods Spirit move us or tell us when to Pray As if God were not the God of Order but of Confusion and did not move us as reasonable creatures by a rational guidance of us They would be loth to follow their crooked Rule in commoâ— things and to keep no set-times for their Trading Labours
when yet sincerity of Obedience is necessary and those Acts if done have their place with the rest as means of Salvation so here But Saving Faith is denominated from the essential part The nature of Faith is in order of nature antecedent to its Office The nature of it in genere is to believe all that God saith The nature of it in specie is to believe in Christ and consent to his Covenant The integrity of it is to believe all that we find revealed The Office of it as the Means of Justification is to be the condition of the Justifying Covenant or Law That which some call the Instrumentality is the very nature of the Act the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere in specie Believing in Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere and that 's it that they call an Instrument of receiving him as such But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere even in specie Faith in Christ doth not justifie quâ talis as that Faith but as it is that qualifying Condition which the Promise annexeth Justification to without which it would not have done it Had the Promise been absolute it had pardoned us before and without Faith The nature of the Act is like the metal of Gold or Silver and the tenor of the Justifying Covenant is as the Kings Stamp that maketh it currant Coin It is Faith in order of nature before it is the Justifying Condition The quâ justificans therefore should speak not a distinct Act from the other Acts of the Christian Faith as such but the relation of the same Acts to the benefit Omnis fidei actus qui justificat considerari potest quatenus justificat Contr. 19. Whether we are justified by the Law of Innocency saying Obey perfectly and live Ans This is one of the chief points of all our difference Some say that because Christ fulfilled it for us we are justified by that Law as fulfillers of it This is it that Mr. Anthony Wotton hath bestowed most of his Learned Treatise de Reconciliatione to confute The Law justified Christ but not us for it never said Thou or another for thee shalt obey Nor doth it know a Vicarius obedientiae aut poenae nor take Christs Person and ours for the same Therefore we are not justified by that Law but condemned by it And it cannot condemn and justifie the same man But we are justified by another Law Covenant or Promise by Christs fulfilling the Law of Innocency and making over to us the benefits Contr. 20. Whether by Works be meant Acts in general or â—nly such Acts as are adverse to Faith in Christ and make the reward to be of debt and not of grace Ans The last is the Apostles Exposition of them Christ saith we are justified by our words James by our works and all the Scripture that speaketh of Justification ascribeth it to some Acts It is according to our works And Faith is an Act yea many Acts. Obj. But it justifieth not as an Act but as an Instrument Ans That is not as an Act or good Act in genere but as this Act in specie viz. Believing on Christs Righteousness But that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere that is As this Act But it is not so unless you add As it is this congruous Act or Acts authorized by Gods Covenant to this Office So we will grant that no Act justifieth as an Act or as a good Act but as a congruous good Act appointed thereto As is said before To believe in God and in Christ as Christ and in the Promise of Salvation and to believe the evil of sin and the need of a Saviour and to desire him and be thankful for him and pray for pardon are not the works that Paul speaketh against but some belong to the Essence and some to the Integrity and Accidents of that Faith by which we are justified Yet a foolish person may contradict himself and hold his own Faith as well as his Love or Desire or Prayer to be meritorious as making the reward not of grace Such mad contradiction may suppose Faith to be the works which it denieth Cont. 21. Are any works of man meritorious Ans Not in point of Commutative Justice that giveth one thing for another to the commodity of each as in buying and selling 2. Nor yet in distributive Governing Justice as making any good due to us by the Law of Innocency or Works 3. But as God hath freely given us Christ and Life by a Law of Grace on condition of suitable acceptance and use so he that performeth this condition is called worthy and the contrary unworthy in the Gospel and did not men abuse it they might with all the ancient Chuâ—ches use the word merit in the same sense â—s 〈◊〉 As a good natured Child that humbly and thâ—nkfully taketh money or meat when his Father giâ—eth it him is said to deserve it of him better than he that scorneth it and him So â—ur merit is but of â—aternal â—overning Justice in the Kingdom of Love according to Gods Law of Grace in Christ Cont. 12. â—hâ—ther oâ—edience be a part of Faith or we aâ—e justifiâ—d by obedience Ans 1. To beliâ—ve in Christ at first is an act of obedience to God who commandeth us so to do But it is but Subjectiâ—n to Christ which that act includeth that is taking him for our Lord and Saviour to be obeyed which iâ— virtually all future obedience as its root but not actually 2. Actual obedience to Christ is not faith but the fruit of faith and part of our performâ—nce of the Covenant which we made with him and necessary to the câ—ntinuance of our â—ustification and to our Salvation as all the Scripture fully sheweth Cont. 23. Whether any 〈◊〉 bâ—â—â—cessâ—ry t◠〈◊〉 continuance or not losiâ—g our jusâ—ifâ—catioâ— than to 〈◊〉 bâ—ginning of it Ans Yes 1. More acts of the same faith 2. Praying for pardon 3 Forgiving others as Christ expresly tells us 4. Sincere Love and Obedience to Christ unto the end Cont. 24. Is Pardon and Justification perfect the first moment Ans No. 1. All the punishment is not yet taken off We have yet much penal want of Grace and the Spirits Operations and Communion with God 2. We have not right to the present removal of all the punishment 3. Many more sins hereafter must be pardoned 4. Much means is yet to be used for final Justification 5. That final Justification only is perfect Cont. 25 〈◊〉 nolle punire or non punire a pardoning of sin It 's Dr. Tâ—isses Controversy Ans Yes In some degree to a capable person that iâ— to a sinner But not to one that is no sinner 〈◊〉 before one hath a being Cont. 26. Is future sin pardoned before hand Ans Fuâ—ure sin is not sin and therefore not capabâ—e of pardon nor the person for it But it may be pardoned virtually though not actually A general grant of pardon may be
worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they â—ay have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in by the Gate into the City John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because c. Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his See also verse 4.5.7.14 2 Cor. 13.15 Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory See Eph. 2. What the Elect are before Conversion 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators And such were some of you But ye are washed ye are Sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Thes 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love Phil. 2.13 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. Rev. 2 3. Read the promises to him that overcometh Mat. 6.19 20. Lay up for your selves a treasure in heaven Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when you faâ—l they may receive you into the everlâ—sting habitations Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted But if thou c. Luke 13.3.5 Except ye repent ye shall all perish Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 5.9 He is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Luke 19.27 These mine Enemies that would not I should reign over them Heb. 10.33 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompense of reward 39. We are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Mat. 18.32 35. O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that dâ—bt because c. so shall my heavenly Father do also to you if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses The Answer to all this by the Adversaries I. By the Infidels The Scripture is not the Word of God II. By the Mahometans in special The followers of Christ altered it III. By Papists Scripture is to us but what the Church declareth of it 1. The reading of it and rejecting supplemental Tradition by the Vulgar causeth heresies IV. By the Quaker It is the light within us that is our Rule V. The Enthusiasts or Fanaticks We must try Scripture by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the Scripture the Apostles Spirit by ours and not our low measure by theirs VI. The seekers The Scripture must first be recovered by a true Ministry VII The Cabbalist and Familist It is not to be understood Literally but Mystically VIII The Antinomian Libertine The written word or at least all that prescribeth duty and hath conditional promises is but a Covenant of works The Covenant of Grace is only the Spirits Effectual work I will and you shall A Breviate of the Doctrine of Justification Dilivered in many Books By RICHARD BAXTER In many Propositions And the Solution of 50 Controversies about it Written 1. To end such Controversies 2. To confute Rash Censurers and Errours 3. To inform the Ignorant 4. To procure Correction from wiser men if I mistake Occasioned by some mens Accusation of me to others that will not vouchsafe their Instruction to my self And by the Erroneous and dangerous Writings and Preachings of some well-meaning men such as Mr. Troughton c. who at once mistake and misreport God's Word and ours and fight in the dark against Christian Faith and Love LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1690. The Preface long ago written Reader IT was the Army and Sectarian Antinomians more fitly called Libertines who first called me in the year 1645. and 1646. to study better than I had done the Doctrine of the Covenants and Laws of God of Redemption and Justification I fetcht my first resolving thoughts from no Book but the Bible specially Mat. 5 and 6 and 25. Grotius de Satisfactione next gave me more light While I was considering many mens friendly Animadversions on my Apâ—orisms and answering some that more differed from each other than from me it increased light especially the Animadversions of Mr. George Lawson My Writings against the Antinomians had success beyond my expecâ—ations though some good men of the Party called Independent having more heat than light deceived by the notions of some that had spoken injudiciously before them cast out suspicions and contradictions in a jealousie that I encroached on the honour of Free Grace I mean such men as prefaced the Book called The Marrow of Modern Divinity which on pretence of Moderation is Antinomian or Libertine and very injudicious and unsound And others Books such as Paul Hobsons Mr. Saltmarshes Bunyan on the Covenants c. which ignorantly subverted the Gospel of Christ came out on the same business and revealed mens mistakes on pretence of revealing the Mystery of Free Grace John Goodwin was then and before publishing his Judgment of Justification and Mr. Walker and Mr. Roborough wrote against him with great disparity of light and strength But because J.G. turned to the Arminians prejudice cryed down his Doctrine of Justification and it was not all to be approved Mr. Gataker published many things to the like purpose and among the rest the Narrative of Mr. Wottons Case referred to many London Divines and decided by them Of my suspension of my Aphorisms and of my Contests with Mr. Craudon Mr. Eyres Mr. Warner and afterwards with Dr. Tully I need not here make particular mention The most that I converst with seemed of my Judgment The rest beside the Animadverters on my Aphorisms who freeliest spake of me behâ—â—d my back would none of them speak to me Vavasor Powel and Mr. Ed. Bagshaw were two of the chief Many worthy men published the same Doctrine which I assâ—rted especially Mr. Gibbons of Black-fryars in his Sermon in the Morning Lectures at St. Giâ—â—s Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge Mr. Hotchkâ—â— Mr. Thomas Warren Mr. Graile and Mr. Jeâ—â—op laboured to prove that Dr. Twisse meant the same who seems to speak for Eternal Immanent Justification And Mr. Truman and Lud. Le Blankes Theses at last came out after the Theâ—es Salmurienses and the Breme Divines Lud. Crocius Conrad Bergius and the Berlin Johan Bergius as clear as any But the practice of some who wanted the humility and â—iliâ—ence which were necessary to learn the Truths which they knew not was just the same with that of the Prelates in Councils for a thousand years even to put it to the Vote of mâ—n of their own mind or to lean on the names of some of their Predecessors who were men of note and especially to cry down those that heard them not
given which is conditional and virtual and shall actually pardon it when it is Cont. 27. Is any one punished for sin that is pardoned Ans Not in the same thing and degree that he is pardoned But every man that is pardoned in this life is yet correctively punished in that degree that he is unpardoned For pardon is yet imperfect here Cont. 28. Is it not unjust to punish him that Christ died for even one sin twice Ans No Unless it were the same person that suffered or the very same punishment that was due and all that was due were expected again and unless it were against our mediators will But all is contrary in this case 1. The Law bound no one to suffer but the offender 2. Therefore Christs suffering was not the same punishment which the Law did threaten but it was Satisfaction instead of it which is the Tantundem not the idem quod debitum suit but redditio aequivalentis alià s indebiti as the Schoolmen call it For noxa caput sequitur the Law threateneth not a surety but only the sinner and ubi aliâ—â— solvit simul aliud solvitur 3. And Christ himself never satisfied with any other intent and therefore it is according to his will that they that tread under foot the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were Sanctified as an unholy thing and do despight to the Spirit of Grace should suffer the far sorer punishment Heb. 10. Yea it is Christ himself that will have it so and that doth so judge them and inflict this punishment for the contempt of grace And it is his will that his own members be punished by correction notwithstanding his sufferings As many as he loveth he doth rebuke and chasten And Christ doth not wrong himself The end of his suffering never was to excuse the redeemed from all suffering nor to make believers lawless Cont. 29. Is a man after his regeneration and Faith ever obliged to any but temporal punishments or need to ask pardon of any other Ans Obliged is a word that needeth explication The very Law of nature yet in force maketh everlasting punishment due to a believers sins till God forgive them But they are forgiven and the obligation dissolved through Christ by the Covenant of Grace to a true believer as soon as committed at least if they be meer sins of infirmity because of his general repentance and continued faith But yet in order of nature the Guilt and dueness of punishment is before the remission of them And believers must ask pardon while they live 1. Because every sin thus needeth it and asking is part of the expression of that faith and repentance which is our condition of pardon 2. They must ask the continuance of that pardon which they have 3. And they must ask still for executive remission which is not to punish poena dâ—mni vel sensus Body or Soul and so for more of Gods forfeited Grace and Spirit and the sense of his Love and Communion with him Cont. 30. What is it to be judged according to our works or what we have done in the body Ans To be Judged is the genus To be Justified or Condemned are the Species This openeth all the Controversy It is not according to our works as they are congruous to the Law of Innocency or works But as judged by the Law of Grace Therefore it is not the same works which Paul excluded from Justification for we shall not be judged according to them 2. And according to them is as much as James meaneth when he saith we are justified by them It 's all one that is the Law of Christ our Redeemer requireth sincere obedience of all that shall be saved by his blood and merits from the condemnation of the Law of Innocency and accordingly mens right to Christ Salvation shall be judged of Their right to life through Christs merits and free gift shall be justified who were sincerely penitent believing obeyers to the end and no others Cont. 31. What Law is it that Paul calletâ— the law of works and laborâ—ously proveth that its works do not justify us Ans It is the Mosaical Jewish Law as is all along evident and not the Law of Innocency as made to Adam though consequently à fortiore it 's certain that we have no works by which that will justify us either personal or imputed The words He that doth them shall live in them do not mean He that is no sinner according to the Law of perfection For 1. All men were sinners before and so this Law should have been only a condemnation in the form of a promise 2. And this Law prescribeth Sacrifices and Prayers for pardon of sin which the first Law of Innocency knew not Cont. 32. How and why then is this called a Law of works Which justify no man Ans Because it imposeth strictness in a multitude of laborious Tasks and Ceremonies and rigorously punisheth the breakers of it 2. The heretical teachers had falsly separated the Law from the promise of Christs justifying righteousness and grace which was the sence and end of the Law And Paul proveth that without the Promise and Christ the Law is but a carkass of fruitless works without a Soul and cannot justify 3. But yet a believing Jew being justified by faith in the promised seed was to obey Moses Law sincerely as his material obedience to God his Redeemer as we are now to observe the Sacraments instituted by Christ as part of our sincere obedience necessary to Salvation Cont. 33. What iâ— Pauls drift in all his disputes about â—uâ—tification Ans 1. Primarily to prove the necessity of a Saviours Sacrifice Righteousness and Intercession to save and justify us and that the doing of Moses Law how excellent soever esteemed by the Jews would not justify without him 2. To prove that the Gentiles may be saved by faith without the Law as wâ—ll as the Jews by â—aith with it And that it bindeth not the Gentiles and is aâ—rogate to the Jews and that the Law of Christ succeedeth it He confuteth their trusting to the keeping of their Law instead of Christs Righteousness and the promise of Grace and their obâ—ruding their Law upon the Gentiles as necessary to Salvation Cont. 34. What is 〈◊〉 drift of St. James Ans That bare believing the Gospel to be true will not serve to any mans Salvation without obeying Chriâ—ts Commands Nor will justify any mans Title tâ—â—alvation prove him acceptable to God It iâ— the same Justification before God â—and not only in conâ—cience or before men that Paul and James speak 〈◊〉 and the same instance of Abraham they bring 〈◊〉 by Work they mean not the â—â—me 〈◊〉 as is 〈◊〉 explained Cont. 35. Must 〈◊〉 ever trust at all to his faith repentance or holiness or pâ—ead it any way to his justification Ans It must be trusted or pleaded instead of nothing that is Christs part nor for any thing but its own part
word It was strictest Justice as upon Christ It was perfect Justice as to the ends of Government But it was not strictest Justice as to us nor as strictest signifieth the strict fulfilling or executing of the threatning of the Law For it was not so executed but the sinner mercifully pardoned § 6. You note that Christ must take our guilt on him or else he could not take our punishment Ans 1. He took not the Reatum facti or the Reatum â—ulpae For 1. Our guilt was the accident of one Subject and that which Christ took of another Therefore the accidents were not the same 2. Else sin however taken in its reatus culpae would have made him culpable and formally a sinner and hateful to God and like to Satan Which he was not 2. He took upon him the Reatum poena seu obligationem ad â—oenam But not ours individually the same but one of his own instead of ours Christs guilt and ours were divers accidents of divers persons The obligations nor the Subjects were not the same Our obligation to punishment was an act of the Law which we broke So was not Christs That Law never bound him to punishment But his own voluntary undertaking and his Fathers imposition Our guilt was the occasion and reason of Christs assumed guilt As our punishment individually was not it that he suffered but his own punishment to prevent ours He suffered the just for the unjust to redeem us to God God tells us plainly that Christ suffered for our sins and was made sin that is a Curse or Sacrifice for sin for us that we might not suffer And cannot we receive this plain Gospel without spinning so many additional webs of our own Christs taking our guilt and puniâ—hment is no more but his voluntary suffering in our stead that we might be pardoned not by that suffering immediately but by his free donation in the Law of Grace in his time and on his terms § 7. You note that though we are justified by our own Faith Repentance and Obedience to the Gospel against the false charge of being unbelievers impenitent and ungodly Yet to be free from the curse of the Law and obtaining right to life it is Christs Righteousness that we must plead Ans Very true thus 1. It is only Christs Righteousness that we must plead as the Satisfying and meriting cause 2. It is only the free Donation of the New Covenant which we must plead as our Title or Fundamentum juris and conveying cause of right 3. It is our Faith and Repentance in various respects which we must plead as the conditio tituli praesâ—iâ—a which is the necessary moral receptive disposition of the Subject receiving These things are all very plain and sure § 8. You seem to doubt whether by the Law of Works Paul meant not the Law of Innocency And first you seem to mistake me as if I had said that he meant only the Ceremonial Law I say no such thing But the whole Law of Moses considered meerly as a law and by the Jews ill separated from Faith and Grace was an operous Yoak and of severe penalties to the transgressours and though it gave pardon for some faults it was not meerly for the task of sacrificing but for the great Sacrifice typified The Law as a Law doth only Command and threaten and promise life to them that do all things written but gave not grace to do it The Jews left out the true sence of the types and promise which intended the Messiah in whom it was that the promissory part of the Law was made and thought the very task of duty or works would procure their acceptance and pardon when they failed If you are not satisfied with this reason why Paul calleth it the Law of Works find out a better if you can But most certainly that is a great mistake that Moses and Paul describe the Law of Innocency It 's tedious to recite the proof 1. It 's enough that the Law of Innocency as a Covenant was before ceased cessante capacitate subditorum When all men had 2000 years been Originally and Actually sinners will you feign God with all that solemnity to make such a Law as this I know and you must know that no Son of Adam is Innocent And I make now a Law that if you â—re and will continue innocent you shall live Else you shall die This is too gross to be feigned of God 2. It is enough that when the Law was made they were all under actual mercy which was the grace of the new pardoned Covenant 3. Yea that the Covenant of Grace had so long before been made with all fallen mankind in Adam â—nd Noah and renewed to Abraham with speâ—ial promises And doth God now repeal or hide it 4. What need we more proof than so many Laws about Sacrificing and Confessing for forgiveness Which the Law of Innocency knew not And why else did God deliver the Law as a God of Redeeming mercy I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of Egypt proclaiming his name Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin 6. Peruse all the Contexts in Pauâ— and you will be satisfied See Camero de triplice faedere which Dr. Bolton of Liberty was so taken with and magnifieth and Anthony Burges of the Law proving Moses Law to belong to a Covenant of Grace But I have more fully opened all thiâ— in my Methodus Theologiae No doubt but Pauls dâ—sputes have great difficulty but this much is very plain § 9. Your next question is about the nature of Faith whether if it be placed in the will and include consent it be not confounded with Love whose object is goodness I have answered this oft and largely in divers Books and therefore must here be excused from saying any more than this viz. 1. You must distinguish between Faith Physically taken and Faith morally taken 2. Between its formal act and its material I. Physically some one natural act constituted by one Object is called Faith But morally taken it comprehendeth divers Physical Acts both of the Intellect and Will And as it is Justifying and Saving it is so taken Yea morally it is sometime in Scripture taken largelier for our Christian Faith as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Promise Grace and Glory are all the constituting Objects of it in their truth and goodness and sometime more narrowly as altogether distinct from Hope and Love It is taken in the first sense when it is said to be the condition of Justification and Salvation And here what you said of the necessity of conjoyning the many similitudes which express Christs Office to us when but one of them in a Text is named the same must be said of Faith in Christ A Moral act which hath many Physical acts must be named by some one the rest being connoted or implied for it would be uncomely to name
will end in their Damnation And so Conscience hath no just Accusation in Hell or here as for any sinning against Mercy nor do they owe God thanks for any XLVI Whereas God hath made through Christ a general Act of Grace or Gift of Christ Pardon and Life eternal to all the World on condition of fiducial Acceptance of it as a Free Gift and commanded the Offer of it to all and will doubly condemn the final Refuser and by this Gospel-gift as his Instrument pardoneth and justifieth the believing accepters These men deny the very being of this Gospel Act They deny it to be either Christ's Law or Covenant or Grant XLVII They hold that Christ in our stead did all that the Law bound us to do as if he had been a Husband a Father a Souldier c. XLVIII They say That Christs satisfaction by Sacrifice was the the sâ—lutio ejusdem the payment of the same debts of suffering that was due to us and not properly satisfaction which is Redditio aequivalentis or tantidem alias in dâ—biti as if he had suffered death Spiritual by loss of Holiness and the torments of Hell by an accusing Conscience and the hatred of God XLIX They say That by the Imputation of his Righteousness habitual and actual we are judged perfectly Just that is such as have no sin yet he suffered in our Person for our sins which we are reputed never to have L. They say That the Inherent and Active Righteousness which consisteth in our Faith Repentance Love and sincere Obedience wrought by Christ in us doth not Constitute us Righteous in Subordination to Christs meritorious Righteousness in any part or degree that is that it is Righteousness that in tantum maketh no man ever the more Righteous than if he had it not q.d. Albedâ— quae non fâ—cit album or Patâ—rnitas quae non constituit Patrem not distinguishng universal and particular Righteousness LI. They talk of Justification in meer ignorant confusion not knowing the various senses of the Word or the divers parts of the Work They deride that distinctions which no reason can deny they confound Justifying Efficiently Justifying Constitutively Justifying Virtually by the Gospel-Gift or Law of Grace Justifying by Eâ—iâ—eâ—ce Justifying by Witness Justifying by Plea and Advocate Justifying by Judicial Sentence and by Execution They set the Causes against each others as if it were a thing that had but one Cause when they meet with the word used for Senâ—e and Justification by decisive Judgment they Exclude all the included and supposed Acts that is making Men just Efficiently constitutive Matter and Form or Subject and Relation the Gospel Donation and Condonation and all such previous Acts And when they have done not knowing what they affirm or deny they only cry up the name of Christs Righteousness Imputed not knowing what Imputation is nor what sort of Cause Christs Righteousness is whether Efficient or Material or Formal by Constitution and and think its true Meritorious Causality is too little And in their description excluded sentential decisive Justification which they had denominated it to be making it to be only the Donation of Christs perfect Righteousness as in its Essence to be ours and so joyning the efficient and constitutive Causes yet leaving out the Instrumental Efficient which is the Gospel Donation or Covenant-Gift and calling Faith the instrumental Cause which is no Efficient Cause but a Moral Reception of the Free-Gift and a Moral Qualification as a Receptive Condition for our Title to the possession And whereas God never Judged a man Righteous till he had made him Righteous they say That to Justify is not to make Righteous but to judge Righteous and yet describe judging by making Yea and exclude the sentential Justification at the day of Judgment thinking that it is all perfectly at our first Justification Sentenced As if God the Father Christ as King or Prophet the Holy Ghost the Covenant of Grace Faith had no hand in our Justification but Christs Righteousness imputed only LII They talk much against being Justified by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere the Act of Faith and when they have done ignorantly are the maintainers of it against those that deny it For when we say that Faith doth not Justify us as that Phrase signifieth Efficiency but that we are only said to be Justified by it as signifying a Receptive Condition or Qualification they say that it Justifieth us as an Instrument which is an Efficient Cause And it is the very Act or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere or nothing which they call that Instrument And thus they make a War against themselves while they ignorantly accuse they know not what LIII They blindly take Paul by Works to mean all humane Acts when as 1. The whole scope of his disputing is against Justification by the Worâ—s which are set in opposition or competition with Justification by Christ and by Free Grace such as the Jews thought the keeping of Moses's Law was which is the Law that he doth all along speak of 2. And he expresly describeth the Works that he excluâ—eth to be those that are supposed to make the Reward to be of Debt for the value of the Work and not of Grace And do they know any Protestant that is either for Justification or Salvation by any such Works or for the being of any such 3. And is not Faith a humane Act And doth not Paul most plainly and frequently say we are Justified by it And did he call Faith Works LIV. But to answer this they erre as grosly saying that by Faith imputed for Righteousness and our being Justified by Faith is not meant the the Act or Habit of Faith but the Oâ—ject Christ's Righteousness not sticking hereby to turn all such Texts into worse than Nonsence Put Christ's Righteousness instead of the Word Faith in all those Texts and try how it will run And why is Faith named if it have no part in the Sense They say That it Justifieth not as a Work I say it Justifieth not efficiently at all much less as a Work in Paul's sense that maketh the Reward to be not of Grace but of Debt Nor doth it Justify as an Act in genere for then a quatenâ—s ad omne every Act would Justify nor yet as a meer good Act or Work For then every good Act would Justify as it doth But we are Justified by 1. This Faith in specie which is our Fiducial Reception of Christ. 2. And that as it is formally made by God the condition of our participiation of the Gift which is Christ and his Justifying Meritorious Righteousness Christ is not instead of Faith and Faith is not instead of Christ It is Christ believed in and received and not Christ without belief and reception And when they say That it is the Object and not the Act they multiply the Proclamations of their undistinguishing ignorance unskilfully pretending to distinguish For the Object Christ
is considerable 1. In esse reali in himself 2. Or in esse objectivo which is but in esse cognitâ— in Idea or Notion Christ in esse reali indeed Justifieth us by Dying for us and Meriting for us and doing that which Faith never did But Christ in esse objectivo or cognito and in our minds is the form of this Faith in specie it self and not to be Justified by the Act of Faith in Christ is not to be Justified by the Object as such for the Object essentially specifieth the Act thus illogycal heads confound Holy things LV. But these that must have the Oâ—jâ—ct of this Faith only to Justify exclude most essential parts of the Object it self The Baptismal Faith is not their Justifying Faith Belief in God the Father and in the Holy Ghost is none of it and so God the Father and the Holy Ghost are none of the Justifying Object when as it is essential to Christ as the Object to be one with the Father and sent by Him and to be his express Image and the way to Him c. And to be Conceived by the Holy Ghost and to be attested and to operate by him LVI Yea these undistinguishers are such dividers that they exclude most that is essential to Christ himself as Mediator from being the Object of their Justifying Faith It is not his Prophetical Office nor his Holy Example or Doctrine nor his Kingly Office either in Legislation or Judgment tho' it be as King that he Justifieth by Sentence and Execution It is not any part of his Priestly Office but his Righteousness habitual instead of habitual and original Righteousness active instead of our active Righteousness and passive instead of our punishment It is not his Priestly Intercession in Heaven nor his giving the Holy Ghost nor his Raising Judging or Glorifying us that are the Objects of this Faith LVII But yet they will fallaciously seem subtile by distinguishing and say that tho' none of these are the Objects of Fides qua Justificat Faith as Justifying yet they are the Objects of Fides quae Justificat of that Faith which Justifieth by another Act meer fallacy 1. Here they must take Faith for the Habit for if it were for the Act two divers Acts are not the same 2. How is that Habit quae Justificat when they say only Reception by its Instrumentality Justifieth and that 's only the Act 3. But qua Justificat fallaciously implyeth that Faith Efficiently Justifieth whereas it is only a Dispositio Moralis Receptiva as a Condition and they deny its constitutive Causality and that Fides qua Fides Justifieth at all and as a dispositive Condition it is a belief in much more than Christs Imputed Righteousness LVIII And these ill dividing men pretending to subtilty telling us that it is but one Act of Faith by which it justifieth are so far from being able to tell what that one Act is That it is enough to cast all their Disciples into despair if till they know it they must not know that they are justified LIX For they feign it to be one only Physical Act whereas in Moral Subjects an Act containeth many Physical Acts Faith in Christ is a Covenanting Act like a contract of Marriage or between Prince and Subjects or Captain and Soldiers which is many Physical Acts. LX. Hereupon they are at a loss in what faculty it is whether the Intellects Assent or the Wills Consent or Affiance or Practical Obedience and whether it be one Act only â—amâ—ro or only specie and what individuates an Act LXI And they unavoidably cast men upon their supposed justification by works while they seign all Acts save that one they know not what to be Works Yea many take every Act to be Works as is aforesaid As when they say that it is only resting on Christs Righteousnesâ— as made ours in it self by imputation they hereby make the Belief of the Godhead and of the truth of the Gospel and of the Life to come and Repentance and Confessions and Love to God and to Christ and Thankfulness and Prayer and Self-denial to be all works of the Law which Free Grace in this excludeth If Assent be that one Justifying Act then he that thinketh it is Consent or Hope or Trust or that denying his own Righteousness is any part of it is fallen from Grace by looking for Justification by Works LXII They do not only say that Grace is not free if it have any positive Condition but also if it have any negative Condition that is that if a pardon be offered a Traytor on Condition that he will not refuse it cast it in the fire and spit in the Face of him that offereth it or will not seek his Death this is no free pardon unless he may have leave to hate and stab the Prince that pardoneth him And here you see what these take for Works even such things as are neither Works nor Acts at all but meer nothings Not to resist oppose refuse dispise Grace not to believe the Devil and his agents that call Christ a deceiver and that deny God and the life to come I do not say that such meer negatives are all the condition of pardon and justification but these are included in the positive condition and yet to take any of these for any part of the condition is supposed to be to look for Justification by Works because all such conditions are taken for Works save one simple Act of Faith LXIII This is because they know not what a meer Condition is when they have laid Salvation on the denial of it when as it is no cause at all as such of the effects but as imposed it is a bar put to the effect till the Condition be performed as the Lawyers say Lex addita negotio quae doâ—â—â— praestetur eveâ—tum suspendat and as performed it is the removing of that impedâ—ment Opening the Windows or not shutting them is no cause of the Light nor opening our Eye-lids any cause of our seeing but a removing of that which hindereth the light It is a necessary disposition of the Receiver but no efficient cause of the effect and so is Faith to our Justification or Pardon And therefore note That whereas many Reforming Protestants write for the instrumentall Interest of Faith in our Justification I number not them with the forementioned subverters of the Gospel for by Instrumentality they mean no Efficiency but Receptivity unhappily using the name of an Instrument improperly and without due explâ—â—ation and as Dr. Twise tollerably calleth it Causam dispositivam subjecti recipientis so Dr. Kendal likeneth it to boys playing at ball or cat that make their hats the instruments to catch the ball or cat in This giveth them no efficiency so that they only miscarry by choosing an equivocal Name and placeing too much of the Controversie on that Name when there be proper words enough at hand and also in that they distinguish not duly between
it self and so that to be Justified by the Object as such and not by that Faith it self is a notorious putid Contradiction or should I stand to prove that Faith it self is said by Paul to be Imputed for Righteousness in meer subordination to the meritorious Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ and in conjunction with Free Pardon and Adoption purchased by Christ how needless a work is this made by the Text Sect. 12. 11. Should I stand to prove that Elect Infidels Atheists or wicked Men are not Justified while such save as God maketh them Just by Conversion Pardon all the Scripture tell us it is needless and that Eternal Electing to Justification is not Justifying nor yet Christs dying for us till He be given to us as well as for us Sect. 13. 12. Should I stand to prove that men shall be judged according to their Works and that God is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him and that Christ hath frequently promised Rewards and that the same Salvation which as to Value is no Debt but meerly a Free Gift of Grace through Christ is yet as to the Order of Conveyance given on Condition as a Reward that Fatherly Love may attain its ends by Saptential means and not only by Power Morally producing Moral Effects in conjunction with Love and Power and thus that the pardoning and saving Acts of the Covenant impose Conditions as receptive qualifications which yet are all the Effects of Grace the whole Scripture maketh this a needless task Sect. 14. 13. Should I prove the distinctness 1. Of the Law and Covenant of Innocency 2. And of the Law and Covenant of Mediation And 3. Of the Mediators Law and Covenant of Grace imposed on us and sealed in Sacraments and that the same is both a Law and Covenant and that the Covenant of Grace is the Instrumental Gift of Pardon and Justification How much of the Bible must I transcribe Sect. 15. The like I may say of most of the rest which I doubt I have been too large in proving in all the six or seven or eight Books before named I thought also to have distinctly answered thâ— Printed Pinners-Hall Lecture but he that cannâ—â— find it more than fully answered in the foresaid Books either never read them or Answers to such a man will be vain And I am sorry that the same hand in another Lecture elsewhere publisheth that That any are brought to believe in Jesus is as great a Miracle as the Resurrection of Christ from the dead p. 223. And after There is not a greater Instance of the Power of God in the whole World than this in bringing over the heart of a sinner to believe in Christ It grieveth my Soul to think what Scandals are thus given by good Men to Papists Infidels and prejudiced Scorners and what work they will make with it No doubt but Faith is a great and difficult Work and wrought by Almighty Power For God hath no other Power but Omnipotency omnis Dei Potentia est Omnipotentia quia Infinita Gods Power is his Essence But the Instances and Demonstrations of it are as various as the Effects Your Finger or Tongue moveth not but by Omnipotency But every Motion or Fly is not as great an Instance or Demonstration of Power as Faith is Nor Faith so great an Instance as the making of Angels Men Heaven and Earth Sun Moon and Stars their Natures Motion and Order Divines have hitherto taught that Power is eminently manifested in Creation and Natural Preservation tho' with Wisdom and Lâ—ve and Wisdom Eminently manifested in Government and Love in Glorifying tho' they were conjunct in each Man cannot work Miracles and that so great And I do not believe that God damneth all unbelievers as for want of an Act as great as the motion of the Sun or making the World And if it be a Miracle and as great a one as Christ's Resurrection How can any believer doubt at all Why was Christ's Resurrection Preached by the Apostles so much as the Proof of the Truth of Christianity and not the Faith of every believer Then we need not go far to prove the Christian Vâ—â—ity Every poor Boy or Woman that believeth hath the fullest Proof and as great and miraculous as Christ's Resurrection Why send we not Infidels and Doubters to this Miracle which is about them in all ages in thousands Over-doing is undoing And yet no doubt the Author saith truly that Faith in Christ is so hard a Work that he that never found it hard hath none or hath it but in the seed and yet unrooted or untryed But alas Infidels find it too hard to them To conclude Instead of the larger part of the Proof or Confutations which I intended 1. I shall with this Annex a brief Treatise resolving a multitude of Controversies about Justification which I have laid by about Fifteen Years 2. I refer you to the foresaid former perforformance of it 3. Were I not disabled by Pain and the approaches of Death I would be ready to Answer any sober rational Objector A Post-script Sect. 1. WHereas divers say they were drawn in to prenx their Names to this Drs. Book because they were told that the Errours were expunged Upon perusal I find that it is no such matter but in Vol. 3. Ser. 3 4. c. the Author rather more frequently inculcateth the worst of them viz. That sin cannot hurt any that are Elect or that Christ dyed for And that in 1. Joh. It is a powerful means to kâ—ep thâ—m from sinning to believe that if they sin it can do them no hurt Sect. 2. The Text drew him to use the Name of sinning I write to you that you sin not But did not the Contradiction of it to his Doctrine convince him while he read the Text against sinning judge whether he took not the thing to be impossible He saith Tho' such do Murder commit Adultery Blasphemy Idolatry or any such thing they are no Murderers Adulterers c. or Sinners because it is Christ's sin and not theirs and cannot be his and theirs too so that they may live in the Act but cannot sin Object But it was their sin once before it was Christs sin Answ No He saith that it was Christ's sin if not from Eternity at least above Sixteen Hundred Years before we were born And he that had no being could have no sin And Gods fore-knowledge of future sin maketh not sin Nay he could not fore-know that which would never be so that indeed Christ could not take our sin as his which was not ours nor ever would be at all And if he had yet I hope they will not say that now in Heaven he is the greatest sinner And so there neither was nor is any sin in us or Christ Sect. 3. But as he repeateth this Errour I will repeat my Lamentations and Warning to this tempted Sect. Hear it as Speculatoris Tubam the Watch-mans Trumpet that would
deliver if it may be more than his own Soul 1. Is it possible that that which is evil and the greatest evil it self can be in us and done by us and do us no hurt 2. Can that do no hurt to the Elect that maketh such calamitous Confusions in the World What that which filleth the Earth with the darkness of Ignorance Idolatry Infidelity bloody Wars Persecutions Torments Flames Famine Malignity and yet do no hurt to any that are Elect no not while they are such themselves 3. Did Paul call himself mad against the Saints unworthy to be called an Apostle a wretched man for that which did him no hurt 4. Did David write all the lamenting Words of Psal 51. and many others and Asaph Psal 77 c. for that which did them no hurt 5. Did God pronounce all the Curses Lev. 26. and Deut. 27. c. against that sin that will not hurt the Elect that then lived 6. Are the recitals of the Jews sins and punishments Psal 78. and 105 106. c. of things that cannot hurt the Elect 7. Did God send the Jews into Captivity to Babylon for sins that do the Elect no hurt even for penitent Manasses's sins 8. Are all God's threatnings in the whole Scripture even such as Christ's Words Joh. 15. Heb. 6. Heb. 10. and Rev. 2 and 3. against things that are so harmless Must we serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear because he is a consuming Fire and because it is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God if no sin can possibly do us any hurt 9. Doth not this opinion contradict every Article of the Creed every Petition in the Lords Prayer and everyone of the Ten Commandements 10. If it be no hurt to be tormented with possessions of the Devil to be Lunatick Blind Lame Dumb Torn c. Why is Christ so Praised for healing such and why appealeth he to his Works against unbelievers 11. If it be no hurt to be mad what is Bedlam good for Or to be tormented with Stone Collick Convulsion or any Disease why will these Phanaticks seek to Physicians use Medicines and groan in Pain Possidonius would confute his Tongue by a sower-face or a groan when he said O Pain thou shalt not make me confess that thou art malum ill or bad 12. Why do we not take up with the three first Petitions in the Lords Prayer if our own Interest be not next to be regarded and prayed for 13. Why pray we for our daily Bread if there be no hurt to want it or for the pardon of sin if punishment be impossible or hurt not or against temptations and the evil one and evil things if they be no such 14. Should none pray but Reprobates if others have no hurt to deprecate 15. Why should we compassionate the poor or sick if sin do no hurt to them 16. Why do men Plow and Sow and Labour and Eat if Famine hurt not and Labour do no good because Christ hath done all 17. Why do Ministers Preach so much against sin if it can do no hurt 18. What is it that we are to repent of if sin do no hurt 19. Why must fasting and watchfulness and resisting temptations be used against Lust and other sin if it can do no hurt 20. What is Baptism the Lords Supper Confession and Absolution then for 21. Why then should we exhort each other daily lest any be hardened by this deceitfulness of sin 22. Why is he called Least in the Kingdom of God who breaketh the least Commandement and teacheth men so 23. Why is the Education of Children so great a Duty and he that spareth the Rod hateth his Child if sin will do them no hurt 24. What is God's Governing Justice good for in punishing sin if it hurt not 25. Why must Rulers be Just and a Terrour to them that do evil if sin do no hurt 26. How can that hurt any other Elect Person that hurteth not the sinner himself 27. Why is it worse to be cast into the Sea with a Mill-stone for scandalizing the least if that scandal cannot hurt them 28. Why do Libertines labour to escape Prisons Banishments Fines or Hanging for sin if it can do them no hurt 29. Why is man's nature afraid of Devils and the Serpents seed if they cannot hurt us 30. Why hurt we others by Self-defence and War if nothing can hurt us 31. Why hath God put Fear into our Nature if nothing can hurt us 32. Was it no hurt to the Elect to be long the Devil's Servants and to have our Conversion so long delayed as with many it is 33. Is sin worse than suffering if it can do no hurt 34. Is it no hurt to live and dye in terrible fear of Gods displeasure and in doubts of our everlasting state 35. Is it no hurt to have Faith Love Desire and Joy weak and to have still the remnants of unbelief and other such like sins 36. Is it no hurt to lose some degrees of Love and Holiness which we have had 37. Is it no hurt accordingly to have the less of Glory in Heaven 38. Why are these men for Separation and Church-Discipline if sin do no hurt 39. Why pray they for Reformation and Church-prosperity and the Thousand Years Glorious State if sin be so harmless a thing 40. If all that Christ Merited be really the Elects immediately on his purchase are not all the Elect in Heaven already yea before they had any being whence then is all the gross Ignorance and Errour and blind Defence of Satans falsehoods under the Name of Christ and Truth Why censure they Conformists and others that differ from them If all that Christ hath be already ours and we are as perfect as he what can Duty or more Grace or Heaven add to us And why would they have men read their Books to do no good and avoid no evil Is it to make up any imperfection in the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ 41. Did Christ redeem us from under his own Government and the Law of Grace Are we not under the Law of Christ and Faith and Liberty to Christ Or is there any transgression if no Law Or is it Law that we shall not be Ruled and Judged by 42. Is it no greater Mercy and Grace to make us like our Saviour in Holiness and Gods Image and the Divine Nature than not Are Christ's Graces his dishonour 43. Is it not a vile abuse of his Grace to contemn it because it is our own And to take Righteousness to stand against Free Grace if it be but our own And to pervert Pauls Words that accounted as dung his own Righteousness which he sets in competition or opposition to Christ calling it that Righteousness which was of Moses Law when at the same Word he sets against it a Righteousness also made his own which is by the Faith of Christ Could Christs Righteousness Justify us if it were not in some kind of Causality meritorious material or formal made our own Can an Accident of another Subject be an Accident of us And will not distinct personality continue to Men as well as to Angels for ever We abhor the thoughts of any Righteousness that is of our own possessing or working otherwise than as given and wrought in us by the Merits of Christ and the Free Gift of undeserved Grace or any that must not by the same Divine Power and Grace be continued And all that pretendeth to the least part of the Office or Performance of Christ but only what he freely giveth and which advanceth the Honour of his Merits and Love and tendeth to Please and Glorify God and attain the designed End of Redemption and Salvation AS to the Twelve Names that are prefixed to the Book I leave it to themselves to speak their own Cause Only I can say that one of them taketh the Words if mean't as they are written and indeed inculcated to overthrow Christianity and Humanity And I doubt not but some of the rest are of the same mind and had not read the Book or the Preface so as to know what was in them FINIS THE CONTENTS CHAP. 1. Prefatory page 1. Chap. 2. An hundred of their Errors described p. 6. Chap. 3. To moderate the over-hot Censurers of their Persons p. 38. Chap. 4. Reasons for present forbearing a tedious Confutation of them as being fully and often done by me already and as further needless p. 58. Post-script p. 65. Three BOOKS Lately Published by Mr. BAXTER and Printed for Tho. Parkhurst 1. ENglish Non-Conformity as under King CHARLES the Second Truly Stated and Argued 2. Knowledge and Love 3. Cain and Abel THE Vanity of Continuing Ceremonies in the Worship of GOD by a Minister of the Church of England An Healing Attempt Conscience Satisfied in Submitting Obedience to King WILLIAM and Queen Mary