likewise and saith God lays the Iniquity of every Elect Person two ways in respect of the Application of this Grace 1. Secretly 2 Manifestly As to secret applying he instances in God's Declaration of his Love to Jacob Rom. 9. and saith We have here p. 362. the Lord's declaring himself personally and judicially unto the one whom he loved Jacob there was a Love to him from Eternity in the Election of Grace but till there was a single Individual Person as Jacob the Lord did not say Jacob have I loved c. Now he concludes That this secret Application of the Grace of laying Sins on Christ is at the very instant of such a Persons having a Being in the World then God doth appropriate this Grace to an Elect Person and therefore in the Unregenerate Estate of such a Person in the Excess of Riot he is secured from the Judicial Charge of Sin from Vindicative Justice There 's great diversity of Judgment about the time of applying this Grace saith he Some say it 's at Baptism some say at first Conversion c. pag. 364. It 's true an Elect person not called is never able to know individually of himself that he is such an one that God hath nothing to charge upon him because till Calling God gives not unto Persons to Believe And it 's only Believing is the Evidence of things not seen and this he calls the Application of pardoning Grace by way of manifestation Thus I have given you the Summ of Dr. Crisp's Opinion in this matter Calvin I perceive then his Opinion is that 1. In General That by Electing and Redeeming Love the Elect are secured from the Stroak of Vindicative Justice and God hath nothing to lay to their Charge having accepted the Satisfaction of Christ on their behalf 2. That the Application of this Love to a particular Person is in time as to God's Sentence concerning him and as to some Fruits of this Love from his first having a Being as suppose distinguishing of him as a chosen Vessel as he did Jacob from Esau As he separated Paul to the Designs of electing Love as to preventing Grace yea and providential Grace to bring such a Person it may be under the Secret Effects of the Promise and the means of Grace 3. He saith The manifest Application is when God gives to Believe So that notwithstanding all the Security he hath by Election Redemption and secret Application he is before Faith but in a state of Death and under the Law-Sentence in Foro Conscientiae and by Nature born a Child of Wrath and so in Foro Mundi Hence that he knows nothing of all this spoken of an Elect Person any more than a Reprobate doth till he doth believe I think this is Dr. Crisp's Full Sence and therefore I think Mr. Neonomian you are too partial in your Representation of the Doctor you take those Expressions only that may render him odious and leave out the Grounds and Reasons thereof As to that Opinion of his concerning God's secret passing over his Love to the Elect Persons so long before they believe What if he be singular therein yet there may be more in it than you or I can tell seeing it is manifest that it hath been so in several that have lived to be Adult and I doubt not but it is so daily as to Elect Infants that die in Infancy And I must tell you if you deny this Covenant of Grace to belong to the Infants of believing Parents as it is claimed by vertue of a Gospel-Promise you can have little Ground to plead for Infant-Baptism which is a Sign and Seal of Forgiveness of Sins in some Gospel-Sence or other But I leave that Point now and I must tell you that there is no doubt but that there is a secret passing over of the Grace of God in Christ to every Elect Person before he can put forth anyone Vital Act. Neonom He saith the Elect of God are Heirs of God so that their first Being puts them into a right of Inheritance c. Antinom He gathers this from Gal. 4.1 2 3. See Page 367. Though God doth secretly give over his Right and Title of his own Grace to a Person in the Womb yet he doth not make it known to him that he hath that Right and Title till such time as he doth call him during which time being under the Law he is under a Schoolmaster Tutors and Governours And here he saith The Heir so long as a Child differs nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of all From which I observe from hence 1. That there is an Heirship during Childhood it self 2. That there is this Heirship when there is no difference between being a Child and a Servant 3. A Child is an Heir as soon as born yea when first conceived If a Man of Estate leaves his Wife but a Month gone with Child he leaves an Heir c. Calvin Mr. Neonomian though you grant not the secret Application of Grace he speaks of at Conception yet you can't deny a secret and sure Relation by Vertue of Election and Redemption Relata affectio in Deo ponit objectum correlatum A Right must be in the Object whenever it hath a Being Jus adrem if not in re All that are redeemed by Christ are called the Sheep of Christ before Calling John 10. Shew me a Person that is an Elect and Redeemed One I can tell you God's Justice is satisfied on his behalf and eternal Life procured for him though he be yet an Unbeliever be not in Possession nor can make any Claim as yet I pray was not Paul in his unregenerate State an Elect Vessel and secured from the Hands of Vindicative Justice by Christ's Satisfaction and Heaven secured by Christ's Impetration Impetratio dat Jus ad Beneficium I pray Mr. Neonomian what would you say of Paul a Persecutor in the Heighth of his Villany had you known then that he was an Elect Vessel Neonom I would say thus That Paul when a wicked persecuting Saul while breathing forth Cruelty against the Churches should not die under the Dominion of Sin and being an Elect Person and Christ having born his Sins on the Cross was the Object of God's Love and good Will even while he was so wicked and vile and that God continues his gracious purpose of doing him good notwithstanding all his Wickedness and Abomination that Christ hath made full Attonement for his Sins and merited Eternal Life for him and that he shall certainly be Justified Adopted and Glorified in God's appointed way and time and that Christ hath left nothing to be done by us in a way of Atonement and Merit yea I affirm that distinguishing Grace doth make a very great difference between an Elect Sinner and others D.W. p. 1. p. 3. Calvin I pray now what is it more that Dr. Crisp hath said Neonom He saith the Elect are at no time of their Lives under the Wrath of God
is a false Conclusion that Christ is mine before he is so and must the great Terms of Life be a Lie We are to examine our selves whether we are in the Faith or not 2 Cor. 13.5 Where hath God made this Proposition My sins are laid on Christ Vnless you are for general Redemption the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer and the Spirit speaks to none but a Believer Antinom In all things we receive of Gift there must be a right of Donation first if we take before it 's given it 's Theft and unless I am perswaded that the giving Hand is reached out I can't receive We have our first Earnest for Blessedness in the Perswasion of Faith in the very Act of it and it 's Non sence to talk any way of partaking of Christ but by the Spirit and Faith And he that in an Act of believing at first finds Christ in the true Perswasion of Faith doth not nor cannot say of Christ he is his before he is so The Soul cannot be too nimble for Christ and if he that believeth not makes God a Liar what are those that perswade to Unbelief That Faith in it's very Act is an Evidence is no hinderance to the Trial and Examination of our selves by the Fruit of Faith besides And though the Proposition in the Gospel be an indefinite Proposition yet the Application by Faith in a Sinner ought to be particular and fiducial or else the Faith of Believers will be no more than that of others that believe only that Christ came to save Sinners and if the Promise of Pardon were not to Sinners as such it were not Pardon and if a Man upon Trial must first find by Signs that he doth believe before he lay claim to Pardon Sinners would be in a sad condition But this is the comfort that as the Promise of Pardon is the great Encouragement to believing so believing it self is the receiving and perceiving of it And the Soul saith or should by Faith He loved me and gave himself for me At the sight of Christ it saith My Lord and my God If the Lord speak to a Believer in believing by his Word and Spirit Thy Sins are forgiven it 's not said so to one that is a Believer first Relata are simul naturâ The Promise of Paternity is not a Promise or Gift to one that 's a Father first nor Sonship to one that is a Son first God promiseth himself to be a Father to them that are Loammi And how gross is that Assertion That the Spirit speaks it to none but to a Believer as a Believer Doth not the Spirit speak Peace before we receive it by an Act of Faith Doth not this cause us to believe it 's the Light causeth the Eye to see It 's the Light shining into the dark Unbelieving Heart that perswades the Heart it 's God that saith to the Soul I am thy Salvation before we can believe it Neonom The Second thing that I will prove is that Saving Faith hath the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. Antinom You said before that Inward Perswasion of the Pardon of Sin was no Part of Saving Faith And said in the next that it contained Assent to the Word Fiducial Consent and Acceptance of Christ A Man therefore may understand you that tho it contained it yet it was not of it's Essence Now you seem to say these are Essentials if you do not you hide your self again in the Word Include If you say These be Essentials which you name we say so too but allow not yours c. and all these Essentials are in the Word Perswasion Assent is the Perswasion of the Understanding Consent the Perswasion of the Will to the Truths and good things propounded the Promise whereby the Soul relies upon Christ therein for himself particularizeth Christ and all Blessings to himself as his and now go on and prove all that you said before to be false Neonom You are mistaken I will prove my Position true and then see where your Errour will be 1. Faith can be no less than the Souls Answer to the Call of God c. Antinom We say it is so and he bids us believe but it 's not Faith as such for all Obedience is an answer to the Call of God Neonom The Scripture describes Saving Faith by all these Acts it 's the evidence of things not seen Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Receiving of Christ John 1.12 Isa 55.4 Acts 13.26 Rom. 15.12 Isa 44.5 Antinom This we say it is Evidence and Substance of things at a distance is a full Perswasion of them according to the Nature of them such a Perswasion as carries the whole Soul forth to God to rest and rely upon him having Union with Christ thereby bringing him in all his Excellencies into our Souls and taking him for our own Doth a Man believe any good thing promised and doth not he catch at it for himself if he have any savour of it If the Promise of Pardon present it self to us doth a Man believe till he appropriate it to himself saying It is mine though an unworthy Sinner If a condemned Prisoner hears a Pardon is come out for some he may believe that but till he believes he is one it 's no Comfort to him tho there may be hopes at least he is in it Neonom Christ can't be received as a Saviour without these Antinom It 's very true he is never received as such till I receive him as my Saviour and believe him to be so in some measure and this I am bound to do to receive him by confident Perswasion and resting upon him Neonom A Faith without these Essentials could never produce those great Effects as are ascribed to Faith to purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 to be a shield against Temptations Eph. 6.16 works by Love Gal. 5.6 sanctifies us Acts 26.18 By Faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2.12 Antinom It 's certain that no Faith can do it but such as makes a particular Application by a perswasion of the Love of God or Interest in Christ Pardon of Sins and Reconciliation to God through him that can produce the Effects spoken of this will purifie the Heart from an evil guilty Conscience to serve the Living God this will be a Shield against the most Mortal Darts of Satan that he shoots at our state by bringing in Law Condemnations Hereby Love to God is produced in the Soul and we Act towards God and our Neighbours in Love hereby we are brought to true Obedience such as the Law required at first for the Principle to Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts Soul and Strength and therefore the Apostle saith Love is the Sum of all Obedience as our Saviour said It 's the fulfilling of the Law through this Grace of the Spirit for by receiving Forgiveness of Sin we
to the purpose you have answered it all yourself in your second Whether viz. That God doth not upon new Crimes judicially charge the Christian with those Sins he had pardoned before tho' he may present to his view some former Sins for his further Humblings And so he doth those new Crimes you speak of God presents them to this view for his further Humblings And I will add in order to the quickning his Addresses to the Throne of Grace in the Faith of Forgiveness and drawing forth and enlarging his Heart in the Love of the Lord Jesus in sense of his Love seeing much is forgiven him Neonom Humiliation Confession Sorrow for Sin new Resolutions and looking to Christ for Healing are the Duties of Saints upon new Faults in order to repeated Acts of Forgiveness c. Antinom That these are our Duties at all times even when we fall not into notorious Relapses we deny not even when and whilst we live in the Faith of our present Pardon and Forgiveness and upon our Relapses our Recovery is by the same Faith which carries us forth to performance of these Duties in order to the mortifying Corruption and giving glory to God in all his Attributes for strengthning Power against Sin and Joy in the Holy Ghost which comfort in believing in restoring of Joy and Gladness in the sense of our Justification and Salvation by Christ is the Forgiveness intended Neonom If a Man were thrice stung must he not thrice look to the brazen Serpent D. W. p. 176. Antinom No doubt of it the brazen Serpent was a Type of Christ and looking to it was the Type of a Sinner's Faith When a Sinner hath Christ in Justification his Life is in him and he must live by the Faith of the Son of God God renews the Expressions and Manifestations of his free Pardon unto Believers from time to time accordingly it 's received by Faith to our daily healing and comfort the vertue of Christ remains the same it 's our Faith is repeated Neonom Believers ought to be more assured of Pardon and joyful after the renewed Acts of Repentance and Faith D. W. p. 177. Antinom They ought not to take up their assurance from their own Performances but from the free Grace in the Promise received by Faith and ought not to suspend Faith till they have repented and humbled themselves this were to pray and repent in Unbelief which makes it all vain and void Neonom It 's otherwise against that wise Order which God hath stated for a due Reverence to him Numb 12.14 Antinom God hath no Order of due Reverence to him established in the Covenant of Grace but Paternal and that 's by a Spirit of Adoption as a Son honoureth his Father and there 's none of this without Faith in the Fatherly Love and Compassion of the Father God hath nowhere ordered that his Children should put themselves into the Hands of his severe Justice when they have sinned and conclude themselves unjustified for a considerable time before they look to Christ for healing they that were stung in the Wilderness did not go to use a great many Medicines first but were immediately to apply themselves to the brazen Serpent for healing So should Believers upon all their falls Miriams being shut out of the Camp seven days was no Argument that God had not forgotten her before the seven days were up God makes some of his People in their falls Examples to others as to outward Afflictions of which they had in the days of the old Testament a more penal Aspect and more Judicial than we ought to make them to have in the days of clearer Gospel-grace as I can make appear divers ways Neonom The People of God have had those sad Fits which you condemn when Sin greatly breaks out they do well become them Paul calls a contrary frame under Guilt a being puffed up 1 Cor. 5.2 Antinom You basely slander the Doctor in making as if he were an Enemy to the serious Gospel remorse of God's Children from a right Principle and due Frame as we have made appear 2 Paul nowhere calls Faith in pardoning Mercy a puffing up that 's from a Spirit of Security and Insensibleness which we have in the Acts of Sin and after till the renewing our Acts of Faith 3. Paul nowhere commends a guilty Frame or Sadness meerly from Guilt But 2 Cor. 7.10 in the Case you mention absolutely condemns such sadness and sorrow as you commend as such which is contrary to true godly Sorrow Sorrow from Guilt only is according to the World and works Death Neonom Consider God remits or binds in Heaven according to what his Church doth justly on Earth either the Pardon of the Non-repenting Offender is suspended or Censures are vain D. W. p. 178. Antinom God's remitting or binding in Heaven is variously understood not to enlarge now upon it I do not apprehend that a justified Person falling into Sin and censured justly by a Church is therefore unjustified before God if so he is fallen from Grace in the highest sense Nor if he be a Hypocrite and in his Hypocrisy be reconciled to the Church in his Hypocrisy that therefore he is justified in Heaven or in foro Dei no I distinguish between forum Dei and Ecclesia a Man may be righteous before God and not before the Church vice versa but I apprehend to bind in Heaven what the Church doth justly on Earth is to confirm and bless his own Ordinances to their designed end and purpose either to the bringing home a lapsed justified Person or to discover him to be a Hypocrite and therefore they shall not be in vain Neonom Need I give you David 's experience Psal 32.3 5. When I keep silence my bones waxed old Antinom That place is impertinently quoted if you read the whole Psalm you will find that it begins with the true Gospel-blessedness of a Believer and after tells you what a miserable condition he was in when he fell under guilt and acted not faith concerning his justified and pardoned state the frame he speaks of as contrary to his sadness was a frame of Faith and Prayer and what was his faith acted upon but on the forgiveness of his sins as Ver. 1 2. Neonom The Assembly and Congregational Elders do both declare God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified D. W. p. 178. Antinom The Assembly saith Christ by his Obedience and Death Assemb Confess c. 11. s 3. did fully discharge the Debt of all those that are thus justified and did make a proper real and full satisfaction to his Father's Justice on their behalf And they say in Answer to that Question Larger Catech. Q. 70. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's free Grace unto sinners in which he pardoneth all their sins therefore them that shall be committed as well as those that are committed already accepteth their persons righteous
Christ is made our Sanctification and all that Holiness in us that is accepted it 's not only in and for his Righteousness but it 's performed in the Life and Power of Christ our Sanctification therefore he saith 1 Cor. 1.30 that what we are we are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. Neonom Or is that filthiness which renders Saints the excellent of the Earth Psal 16 2. Antinom Doth not David say ver 2. My goodness extendeth not to thee the original words if you understood them is fuller as to the sense intended tho' shorter than the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Goodness is not to thee or nothing to thee and the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast no need of my Goodness Do you say Is that Filthiness which renders the Saints Excellent I had thought it was the Grace of God Christ's Righteousness and the Inbeing in Christ that had rendred them Excellent not their own Works Neonom The Imitators of Christ Antinom Scholars that Write after another may make very sorry work mere Scribling that the Master tho' he finds reason in himself to accept would if he did not tear it all to pieces Neonom Was not this it for which Caleb was said to have another Spirit and upon account whereof we must love the Godly as begotten of God Antinom Was Caleb's Works his Spirit or his Works flow from his singular Spirit his Spirit was a Spirit of Faith thro' which he did so great things in Christ Jesus and so the Works were accepted Heb. 11. The Foundation Reason of our Love to the Saints is Christ loving them and their Relation to Christ every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him and by this we know we love the Children of God when we love God 1 John 5.1 2. Neonom Is it not pleasing to God to which he hath made so many promises and for which he commends Moses David c. Antinom As God is not pleased with any Persons so with no Works out of Christ neither hath made any promises to any such out of Christ all the best Works are cast forth as Filth and Odious if done out of Christ Neonom Calling them a peculiar People it s no small thing that Christ is so pleased with his Spouse Antinom They are peculiar because purchased and have peculiar Blessings and Privileges and bring forth peculiar Fruits in Christ Jesus John 15.5 6. without me ye can do nothing and if a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and any Work that is done out of Christ is but Dung as 1 Cor. 3.12 13. If a Man in Christ build Hay Stubble his Works will be burnt and he suffer loss tho' he may be saved Christ is pleased with his Spouse his Church because he hath loved it and washed it in his own Blood and therefore she is Comely but as for what she is in her self and as to her Works in themselves and done out of Christ she is but Black as the Tents of Kedar c. Sol. 1.5 Neonom Can that be Dung which is a Meetness for Glory an Honour to God and Credit to Religion Antinom Our Meetness for Glory is all from Grace there 's nothing that flows from our selves no Work done out of Christ can contribute to any Meetness all our Meetness is in Christ Jesus as made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification and we grow up in him in all things as for our relation unto Men we say with the Apostle they are profitable to Men and be a means that they Glorifie God on our behalf but God hath no direct Honour by them if not performed by Faith in Christ Neonom How can that be Acceptable to God in Christ if it be Filthiness Antinom Good Works are good in their kind but comparatively and in themselves because of the mixture of Sin and Corruption they are in the sense of the Spirit of God but Filth you may as well say how can Paul be Acceptable to God thro' Christ who saith In me dwelleth no good thing Must Persons and Actions be free from all adhering Corruption by reason whereof they in themselves are Abominable to the pure Eye of God before they be made Acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ This is like your constant Doctrins Persons and Actions must be good first before they have benefit by Jesus Christ Neonom Wickedness will never be Accepted with God for Christ sake tho' imperfect Goodness shall Antinom No imperfect Goodness can be Accepted as Righteousness with God for Christ sake Christ never so much as purchased that any of our best Graces or Works should be Accepted as our Righteousness and it cannot be Accepted unto Holiness out of Christ and the Doctor never said our good Works wrought by Faith in Christ are Dung so as not thro' Christ to be Accepted unto Holiness but imperfect Works are no more our Righteousness for Acceptation with God than Wickedness neither in their Nature for Christ's sake Neonom Read what is spoken of Sincerity and Vprightness will it agree with what 's Mortal Poison Antinom Moral Sincerity and Uprightness may and so is all out of Christ Neonom What a Reproach is it to Christ to call his Life in us and the beginning of Glory by this Title Antinom The Life of Christ in us is by the Faith of the Son of God and we are Crucified with Christ to all that 's done by us and therefore account it Dung and Dross in comparison of all done by us and Works give us not Title to Glory tho' Grace begins it Neonom Nay to make his Triumphs in us so low as that all he hath improved his Members to is mere Filthiness Antinom The Triumph of Christ in us is the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Neonom It 's well if the Scriptures can escape clean if all the Works of the Spirit are thus debased when they pass thro' Men. Antinom The Scriptures are clean in themselves as from the Spirit but the Works done by us are not Scripture tho' they be in some measure conformed thereto Neonom But I less wonder that Doctor Crisp should speak thus of the Righteousness of the Saints as in them when he saith the Enemies of Christ may have Sincerity and singleness of Heart towards God P. 450 451 452. Antinom Doth not he prove that Paul in his Unregenerate Estate was blameless as to the Law 's Righteousness Phil. 3.6 and what Paul did against the Churches he verily thought that he ought to do it Acts 26.9 Was not this Sincerity at least in his apprehension had he not an Eye in what he did to the Glory of God The Jews also had a Zeal for God Rom. 10. but you wrong him
in it's Abstract Nature is good That Dr. Crisp renders Sin innocent that is your Expression pag. 198. Now you charge him for saying That the grossest Sin that a Believer can commit can't do him the least harm neither ought they to fear the least hurt by their own Sins pag. 181. By this you would give us to understand that he means Sin is in its self Innocent and that Sin bears no Evil Fruits of its self that it may be boldly committed without Fear Whereas Dr. Crisp declares plainly and with much endeavour to prevent Mistakes that the Hurt he means is only the Penal Effects of Sin and declares again and again he speaks this not to encourage Sin He speaks of the Sins of a Believer in Christ they that are under the Dominion of Grace He speaks not of Sins to be committed but that these ought to be looked upon as the most odious and hateful things in the World and that which here he doth speak is only upon the Account of some poor distressed Consciences whose Sins lay so much upon them as thereby their Souls were driven from the Grace of God in Christ For to prove this take only a few of his Words you shall hear many more heareafter Dr. C. p. 513. Thus I speak of Sin not as it smiles upon a Man with a promising Countenance before it be committed For it is most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which crucifyed the sweetest Lord but as already committed and lying upon the Conscience of a Believer endeavouring to drive him to deny the Free-Grace and Love of God and the All-sufficiency of Christ In this regard it is crucifyed by Christ and so a Believer need not be afraid of Sin the Hand-writing of Ordinances is taken away His whole Discourse is to evince that the condemning Nature of Sin is taken away the Fear he speaks of is only in respect of Sins that a Believer hath fallen into and to prevent their falling into unbelieving Despair Now let any Intelligent Person judge whether you have not misrepresented Dr. Crisp and basely traduced him You your self say pag. 11. The Obliquity of the Fact against the Precept shall not hurt where the Sanction of the Law is answered I think this being duly weighed is worse than any thing Dr. Crisp sayeth I 'll instance in one Misrepresentation more For you charge him for holding the Uselesness and Unprofitableness of Holiness in saying Graces and Holiness do us not the least Good Dr. Crisp p. 41. Preaching upon Christ the way sheweth Christ to be the way to Justification and saith You that are Believers are in a near way to Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Such a near way Christ is yet still People will be cavilling Where are good Works all this while what justified by Faith alone Saved by Christ alone I tell you if Christ be the way to Eternal Life then Works are not the way except they be Christ But must we not work Yea but for other purposes i. e. than for Justification and obtaining eternal Life by them the Lord hath propounded other Ends for which you are to work Ye are bought with a price That 's done therefore glorify God in your Bodies being delivered out of the Hands of your Enemies weare to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness He saith much to this purpose often speaks in the High Commendation of Holiness but speaks against putting it in the place of Christ By these things we may see what Credit is to be given to you when you make it so much of your business in Pulpit and publick places to charge Men and Books with saying those things which they never spake and meaning such things as they never intended And let all Men judge whether you have not misrepresented this good Man whom in the end of this Preface you own to have been a holy Man And could that be true if you have not misrepresented him as to what he said of Sin and Good Works and spoken here a very great Falshood These two Proofs may serve to evince for the present which also shall be made good that it is so in most if not all the Chapters of your Book more or less The great Quarrel you have with him is that he makes it so much his business to vindicate the Honour of Free Grace and of the Lord Jesus in our whole Salvation and in Justification to exclude Works altogether You talk of Works necessary to Salvation but how You mean as a working Condition whereby you put Works in the place of Christ and mean as your Oracle plainly speaks For you are not so honest as he but play the Jugler more He saith Quoniam Christus Mediator Fides in Christum Method Theolog p. 394. § 36. Par. 2. sunt tantum media ad hominem Deo per sanctitatem amorem restituendum Ideo sine Hesitatione dicendum est ex natura rei Fidem Sanctitatem amorem Dei ad salutem magis esse necessaria quà m aut fides in Christum aut Christi ipsius Sacrificium I will not construe it for the Reputation of him that wrote it but their 's a Bone for you to pick And I think to all Learned Men it gives your whole meaning in making such a noise as you do which you think in very allowable Terms that none dare oppose you in that works are necessary to Salvation Neonom His Scheme is this That by God's meer electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours Antinom He never erected his Scheme and cast Theological Figures as you have done to find out a new Gospel He took his Measures of Truth from the Word of God but Bernardus non videt omnia some things he might be mistaken in as well as others But you say that he said By God's Electing Decree all saving Blessings are by Divine Obligation made ours But where 's the Expression I remember it not He might say That from God's Electing Grace it proceeds that all Divine Blessings are made ours by Obligation in the Terms that you have put it its improper because it seems to confound Election and the Covenant of Grace I can say nothing further to that till I see his Words being not willing to believe your reporting of them For it 's manifest you make to Conscience to misrepresent any Man to put your Meanings and draw your Consequences upon him Neonom But he saith There 's nothing more needful to our Title to these Blessings Antinom Is not this Spirare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the First Rate Doth not Dr. C. assert Christ to be needful to Salvation and as our Title Doth he not assert the Covenant of Grace to be needful the Free Gift of Grace Sure Christ and the Covenant of Grace are both distinguish'd from Election and these he affirms needful to our Title to Blessings But Blessings in your Sence are
it shews that all Malediction was included in him This may seem hard that it may look like a Reproach to the Cross of Christ in Confession of which we glory But God was not ignorant of what kind of Death his Son should die when he said Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree But one may here object How comes it to pass that the Son in whom the Father delights should be accursed I answer Two things are here to be considered not only in the Person of Christ but also in his Humanity One is that he was the Lamb of God without spot full of Blessing and Grace The other that he took our Person therefore he was a Sinner and under the Curse not so much in himself as in us but yet it was necessary he should die in our stead which he could not do out of the Grace of God and yet he underwent his Wrath else how could he reconcile the Father to us whom he looked upon as incensed against us therefore the Will of the Father did always rest satisfied in him Again how could he free us from the Wrath of God unless he had translated it from us to him therefore he was wounded for our Sins and experienced God as an angry Judge This is the foolishness of the Cross but admired by Angels and swallows up all the Wisdom of the World We must not imagine Christ to be innocent and as a private Person as do the Schoolmen Luther on Gal. 3.14 and almost all the Fathers have done which is holy and righteous for himself only True it is that Christ is a Person most pure and unspotted but thou must not stay there for thou hast not yet Christ although thou know him to be God and Man But then thou hast him indeed when thou believest that this more pure and innocent Person is freely given unto thee of the Father to be thy Priest and Saviour yea rather thy Servant that he putting off his Innocency and Holiness and taking thy sinful Person upon him might bear thy Sin thy Death and thy Curse and might be made a Sacrifice and Curse for thee that by this means he might deliver thee from the Curse of the Law As Paul applied unto Christ that place of Moses Accursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree so may we apply unto Christ not only that whole 27th of Deut. but also may gather all the Curses of Moses's Law together and expound the same of Christ For as Christ is innocent in this general Law touching his own Person so is he also in all the rest And as he is guilty in this general Law in that he is made a Curse for us and is hanged upon the Cross as a wicked Man a Blasphemer a Murderer a Traytor even so is also guilty in all others For all the Curses of the Law are heaped together and laid upon him and therefore he did bear and suffer them in his own Body for us he was therefore not only accursed but made a Curse for us I will tell you what an Eminent New England Divine Mr. Stone MSS. no Antinomian said to this Point It may appear that Christ was made a Curse for us because he suffered the Perfection of the Second Death which he began in the Garden He began to be sorrowful Matth. 26.27 He drank the first Draught of the Cup of Wrath and afterwards it 's said He was in an Agony There was the Second upon the Cross He drank up the Bottom and Dregs of the Cup of Vengeance and said It is finished John 19.30 He was cursed of God in an eminent manner Deut. 21 22 23. compared with Gal. 3 13. If a Man be guilty of Sin worthy of Death and to be hanged for it then he is accursed otherwise not Christ was accursed hanging on the Tree and therefore it 's certain he was guilty of our Sins charged upon him being the greatest Sinner by Imputation and hence he was really cursed of God and that in an eminent manner and not only cursed but a Curse in the Abstract whereby it is most evident that he suffered the immediate Impressions of the Wrath of God and the Second Death which takes possession of the whole Man and therefore must have suffered while his Soul and Body were united or standing together he was those three Hours in the Darkness of Hell encountring the Powers of Darkness and wrestling with the Wrath of an infinite God Man by Sin having displeased such an infinite God must suffer that infinite Displeasure which Christ suffered in our room The Perfection of which second Death consisted in this that he was uttâ—rly deprived of all the Sweetness of his Fathers Love and Presence and filled with the Sence of all the Bitterness of his Wrath Psal 22.1 2. Isa 53.4 to 11. Matth 27.45 46. Gal. 3.13 in which we may attend 1. The Punishment of Loss a total Privation and Desertion in respect of Sence and Feeling of the Sweetness of his Fathers Love and Presence This Desertion appeared in that the God of Glory forsook him left him destitute and desolate God the Father hid his Face from him God would not send in any Comfort by Sun Angels Saints Psal 16.12 God did not only stand at a distance but lock'd up himself in Anger from him would not be entreated by him Psal 22.1 2. c. 2. There was not only Dereliction but Malediction Gal. 3.13 He was assailed by all the infernal Powers of Hell Luke 22.53 This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authority of Darkness they might do their worst now they had their full Scope the greatâ—st Battel was fought upon the Cross Col. 2.15 2. He wrestled with the Fierceness of the wrath of an Angry God consuming Fire he was smitten of God Psal 69.27 Isa 50. Zech. 13.3 He was his Executioner 3. A Confluence of Plagues and Evils fell upon him and settled themselves on his Sacred Person and he was filled with them he was in the depth of them Psal 69.1 Quest What did our Saviour suffer in Soul Dr. Vsher's Div. p. 172. Answ He drank the full Cup of God's Wrath filled unto him for our sakes the whole Wrath of God due to the Sin of Man being poured forth upon him therefore in Soul he did abide unspeakable Vexations horrible Griefs painful Troubles Fear of Mind feeling as it were the very Pangs of Hell into which both before and most of all when he hanged upon the Cross he was cast which caused him before his bodily Passion so grievously to complain The Death of Christ is the last Act of his Humiliation whereby he underwent the most extreme Ames c. 22. horrible and greatest Punishments for Man's Sins § 2. It contained the greatest Punishments because it did equalize all that misery which the sins of men did deserve Hence is that Plenty of Words and Phrases whereby that Death is expressed in Scripture For it 's not called
that the Work must be pretty well over for Mortification and Vivifaction before Christ comes in before a Saving Interest in Christ may be had a Sinner must not touch him or the Preacher so much as offer Christ to teach them the Doctrine of Self-denial or to enable them through the Beauty and Excellency of his Grace and Love to renounce Idols Did you ever know any Sinner renounce Idols till he saw a ground and reason in Christ for it and felt his power in the Grace of the Gospel The Spirit saith The Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all Sin and accordingly the Promise of Christ is Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you and you will have a vile filthy Sinner to be washed first and have his Idols removed first and exercise one of the highest Virtues in the Christian Religion to deny himself before he dare to come to Christ or before any one must offer Christ to him and if he be offered it must be upon the condition of these Gigantine performances Neonom There cannot be an Acceptance of Christ without a renouncing Sin and Idols and denying Carnal Self and our own Merits as opposite to him And on the other hands to renounce Sin and Idols and deny our selves will not avail us without an Acceptance of Christ and reliance on him Antinom This is an old Brittish way of Arguing because Acceptance of Christ is accompanied with renouncing Idols c. therefore he may not accept Christ till he hath renounced Idols and denied himself c. Because a Man hath Arms and Legs therefore a thing must have Arms and Legs before it be a Man or because a Man is Animal risibile therefore he must be Animal risibile before he is a Man and made a Man afterwards There is one and the same cause of renouncing Sin and Acceptance of Christ and Christ is held forth in the Gospel to turn Men from Darkness to Light and the power of Sathan unto God and Sinners are even the worst to be called and invited to him to come for all those Ends and Purposes for Destruction of Sin and Life of Grace and I tell you there cannot be one of these Sins mortified or Idol renounced without Faith in the Blood of Christ I say before Faith and Acceptance of Christ Neonom I mention some things as Antecedently necessary to our renouncing Sin and Idols c. Antinom This you mean Antecedently necessary to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Neonom I mean Knowledge Assent Conviction of Sin and Misery c. these are Preparatory Qualifications not that an Interest in Christ always follows these but they dispose the Soul to a hearty acceptance of Christ in opposition to all Rival Opposites and are necessary thereto in some degree Antinom I cannot understand your meaning unless this be it that Nature and Grace differ only gradually and that some Men do grow up out of a Natural condition by these degrees and some do fall off and not come to it first there must be Conviction of Sin and humbling and then follows Self-denial and renouncing Idols and then Christ comes in at last when he can be willing and these previous Qualifications must dispose the Soul for Christ this is Popery Neonom The declared design of the offers of Christ to Sinners is that they be thus willing to Accept of Christ and partake of an Interest in him Antinom The declared design of offering Christ is not to tell them they must thus prepare themselves before Christ is of use to them but that they come to Christ and receive of his Grace to furnish them with his Spirit and all gracious Effects and Operations It is the Spirit that convinceth of Sin and all Saving Convictions and Humiliations and Renunciation of Idols are included in Repentance and Mortification which are the Effects of the true Grace of God in the Heart whereby Faith is wrought and that Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for Righteousness and Life purifies the Heart and produceth Repentance Love compliance with the Commands of Christ and they are not grievous You propound wrong Methods for the Curing Diseased Souls this way will not do Neonom You mistake me still I will tell you where the difference is not 1. It is not whether there is in Christ a sufficiency of Merit and Grace to save the worst of Sinners Antinom The question is whether the Grace and Merit of Christ be not efficient in the Saving the worst of Sinners Neonom 2. Nor whether Christ is offered to the worst of Sinners if they will accept him on the Terms of the Gospel Antinom But the Question is Whether the Sinner can accept of Christ on such Terms before Christ hath wrought in them to will and do and made them willing in the Day of his Power And whether they ought not to be Invited to Christ and to receive him in the Gospel Offers for the working this willingness by efficacious Grace Neonom 3. Nor whether Sinners are not often the Objects of Gods Effectual Calling in order to an Interest in Christ Antinom God's Effectual Call is an Interest in Christ and there 's no Effectual Call can be before an Interest in Christ it 's the putting the Soul in Actual Possession of Christ and the uniting it to Christ Neonom Nor whether there may not be Knowledge Assent Convictions Humblings and feigned Resolves and yet a Soul fail of an Interest in Christ for want of true Conversion tho' they are hopeful Signs Aninom But the Question is Whether you ought to make common Grace the Foederal Condition of special and tell Souls that they cannot receive Christ in a way of special Grace till they have attained common Grace out of Christ Neonom Nor whether the degrees of Convictions and Humblings are equal in all D. W. p. 84. Antinom You should have told us whether you mean saving or common if they be saving they are wrought as an Effect of Union to Christ if common and out of Christ it 's no great matter what degree they are of for there is nothing in an unregenerate Man though never so plausible that gives him a disposition to a new Heart no more than one that 's stone dead can have in himself a disposition to Life they that are in the Graves of Sin hear the voice of the Son of God and live he quickens them that are dead Privantia non habent media there 's no medium between Death and Life Neonom Nor whether Preparatory Qualifications do Merit true Grace Antinom You should have told us what Merit ex congruo or condigno if you deny the word you assert the thing For a Foederal Condition is a Merit Virtute compacti Neonom Yea or whether Faith or Repentance do Merit an Interest in Christ This I deny and say That their
of Heaven Holiness is the way to Heaven as Childhood and then youthful Age is to Manhood in the full Stature Grace it 's a growing unto that Perfection we shall have in Glory but it 's not part of a conditionating way to Heaven foederally Heaven is bestow'd on Sanctify'd ones upon as free a Promise as Justification and Sanctification and we say it 's our Business in Christ the Way Neonom I shall give you divers Arguments against your Position 1. It 's not saving Faith that is not Operative D. W. p. 132. Antinom The Eye is the most sensible part in the Body as to the Sense of Feeling yet doth not see conomine By vertue of Feeling Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie by it's Fruits Faith brings forth Fruits but it doth not justifie as Fruitful for that would bring us under a Covenant of Works Neonom Obedience good Works and Perseverance preserve us from contrary Evils Paul kept his Body under 1 Cor. 9.27 Antinom They have their usefulness in their kind but we are kept from Evils by the Grace of God and not by our Works Grace also preserves us in them and not they preserve us What Paul saith he did he did for the Gospel-sake 1 Cor. 9.23 from a Gospel-Principle the Love of God arising from the sight and sence of the Grace of God in the Gospel and for this end the Glory of God in the Promise And he said By the Grace of God I am what I am not ascribing Foederal Efficacy to inherent Graces or Duties Neonom Gospel-Constitutions shew that it contains Promises and Threatnings 2. It shews persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works as necessary to Salvation Antinom It is one thing what a thing contains and another what it is A House contains Tables Libraries Beadsteds Men and Women but a House is not therefore a Table Library Bead-stead a Man or a Woman The Covenant of Grace sets up a Government a Glorious King hath Laws Directions Precepts but it is not either of them Whatever the Covenant hath and is inseparable from it doth not argue the Covenant to be the same A wise Man is inseparable from Wisdom as such yet is not Wisdom A Rational Man hath Reason yet that Man is not Reason Neonom Most of the Promises and Threatnings that refer to the state in the Bible are Evangelical Promises and Threats D. W. p. 133. Antinom Christ in the Bible speaks two ways by way of Precept and backing them with Threats and Promises 1. As King of Nations and Governour of the World So he deals with Men as he will deal with them at last in a way of a Covenant of Works Christ also governs his Church where he hath his peculiar Right of Legislation and his Government is double 2. As to his Mystical or Visible Body his Spiritual Rule is according to the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace His Government in respect of the mixt and politick State must be also mixt because of Hypocrisie Christ's Government of his Churches as Visible Polities and Societies is a mixt Government having in his House Vessels of Honour and of Dishonour Many are led to external Conformity by his Precepts and Commands legally submitted to only having not received Evangelical Principles Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Precepts and Promises of the Gospel work no otherwise with them than by a Spirit of Bondage and come to them no otherwise than in the Tenure of the Covenant of Works And thence the Lord Jesus Christ speaks in that manner to whole Societies and Churches both under the Old Testament and under the New As to the Seven Churches of Asia where there were many formal out-side Professors that never received the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it he tells them what they must expect in that mercenary and bondage-way of Profession without Life and Love wherein they did walk yet he governs them as Politick Head of his Church they having given themselves to his Government at least in an outward Profession according to which he deals with them And therefore the Apostle tells us the Law is not made for the Righteous Man in respect of it's Threats and Denunciations but for the Lawless Disobedient Ungodly c. or for any thing contrary to sound Doctrine which is according to the Glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.10 11. The Precepts and Commands of Christ therefore have a double Aspect Evangelical and Legal as they are received by his Visible Subjects Some receive them from Law-Principles some from Evangelical Neonom Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery by these God governs and Men's Hopes and Fears should be directed by these as a Rule You not observing this have opened a Door to all Licentiousness Your whole Scheme implies that Christ doth not distribute Blessings and Punishments by any Rule that refers to the actings of Men. D. W. p. 133. Antinom This is a round Assertion That the Gospel-Constitution is a Covenant of Works That Constitution that affects all as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery is a Covenant of Works of the severest Nature But you say the Gospel-Constitution is such Ergo a Covenant of Works For that which affects as a Rule of Righteousness and Misery on the Penalty of non-attainment to that Rule and God deals with Men thus by Hopes and Fears that Men may be govern'd by them as they find their Righteousness or fall into their Misery is such an Account of a Gospel-Constitution that I question not but to find as good in Seneca and among many of the Heathen Moralists And if that be my mistake that I understand not such a Gospel-Constitution I must declare I know no such Gospel-Constitution as yet Neonom If that Covenant of Grace be conditional and Faith and Repentance are necessary to Forgiveness the Substance of it must be granted Antinom i. e. If the Covenant of Grace be a Moral Law and Faith and Repentance be the Moral Conditions to Forgiveness the Substance must be granted and it will be so indeed you will still be leaping in and out of Covenant from Righteousness to Misery and from Misery to your miserable Righteousness and between your Hopes and Fears falling short of the Righteousness of God you will fall deplorably into eternal Misery But in what Body of Ethicks do you find a Rule of Misery treated of I think it is no where treated of but in the Neonomian Theology no more than the Rule of Sin which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neonom Most Promises and Threatnings in the Bible that referr to the state of Souls are Evangelical Promises and Threats and are not the Sanction of the Law of Innocence but of Gospel-Grace Antinom The whole Word of God contains but Law and Gospel and all matters of Duty commanded referr to the one or to the other and all Duties enjoyned
for Salvation is the Genus both of Justification Sanctification and Glory And in the same kind as you make Faith and Repentance necessary to Justification so you may make your Sincerity and Perseverance You do but tire out your selves and us in an ambiguous Word in which you would not have us know your meaning but he must and cannot be mistaken in it Neonom He hath as well promised Heaven to the Godly Man as Pardon to the Believer Antinom As if a Believer were not a Godly Man and Heaven were not promised to him A Believer is a Godly Man and the Promise of all things that appertain to Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called him to Glory and Vertue Glory and Vertue are promised to him 2 Pet. 1.3 Neonom And our Perseverance in Holiness and Obedience is as truly our way to Glory as the Scriptures can describe Antinom It 's one thing to be a way in the Covenant-state and another thing to be a way to it Salvation hath it's ways of Degrees in it Sanctification is but a degree of Glorification When we are changed into the Image of Christ it 's from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 Neonom Nothing of these merit Heaven but he that merited Heaven hath peremptorily appointed these to bring us thither Heb. 6.10 11 12. Antinom He that merited the End hath merited the Means and the means to work in such a way as shall not rob him of the Honour of his Merits He hath not merited that we should deserve but he must have the Honour of all our Salvation The things spoken of Heb. 6.10 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended in Salvation He spake of false-hearted Professors before now he was perswaded better things of them that to them true Salvation did belong and that through Grace that bringeth Salvation they had truth of Faith and Love to his Name which they shewed in their Love to his Saints and therefore encourageth them in the Stability of the Promises from the Truth and Justice of God that made them and that they should not fail of all in God's Order and therefore exhorts them to full Assurance of Hope that God who gave Grace will give Glory and will with-hold no good thing and therefore encourageth to persist in Faith and Hope and the true Fruits thereof from the Grace of God they had received and the stability thereof as he exhorts to the Practice of Christian Duties Heb. 13.1 2 3 4 5. and Ver. 5. For he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper Is not this Salvation And that there 's Rewards in Grace it 's not denyed but they are all to Christ and his Members not upon the attaining of Conditionating Qualifications And we deny not but the Lord Jesus exhorts to Labour and Diligence and Perseverance and rebukes Slothfulness and all these are Benefits for so I call all Covenant Duties that are connext to Promises but all within the Covenant The obtaining a Covenant-state or continuance in it is not to be ascribed to them but they are to be assigned to our Salvation and to the Fulness Perpetuity and Permanency of the Covenant Neonom Christ declares in the Gospel they shall miss of Heaven and Eternally perish who are Apostates Vngodly Disobedient and Vnprofitable This is not the Doom of the Law D. W. p. 138. Antinom That 's false doth not the Spirit of God say in the Gospel The Law is made for the Lawless and Disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 and that it dooms whatever thing is contrary to Sound Doctrine Denunciations against Sin and Sinners in the Gospel is but telling the Sence and Judgment of the Law The Gospel qua talis cannot doom any to Death it being only the offer of a Remedy those that embrace it not it leaves them as it found them it found them dead and so it leaves them and their further penalty is from the Law of being more inexcuseable for their rejecting the Remedy and saith to them How will he escape that neglects so great Salvation i. e. How will they escape that Condemnation that they are under already Neonom It 's not against every imperfect degree of Godliness but Vngodliness It 's not every defect of Obedience but Disobedience not against every neglect of Fruitfulness but such as argues a dead and barren State Antinom These are such as are under the Law and whatever the Word of God saith to them it 's the Law denouncing their Doom and by your own Doctrine they are not come into the Bounds of a Gospel-Covenant having not performed the Conditions of sincere Obedience On the other hand you own that these Dooms and Threatnings do not belong to those in Covenant tho' they have Sins and Failings and Falls yet the Gospel doth not doom them nor the Threats belong to them because the Gospel admits imperfect and sinful Obedience But the Law condemns the least Sin even in God's Children and the Gospel admits of no Sin nor approves of it but is to save us from it Neonom Art thou so unskilful in the Word as not to remember Heb. 10.38 39 If any Man draw back Is this a Threatning or not Is it not true of all Persons Do not say the Elect Believer will not fall away I think the same But yet is it the less true that even he shall perish if he fall away Antinom I wish you and I were more skilful in the Word than we are Will you have such Expressions as these to be part of the Covenant of Grace which are Sentences of Death to Hypocrites and Unbelievers Christ will send away many such at the last Day with I know you not depart from me c. Will you say that will be preaching the Gospel to them and giving them a Law of Grace No no when Christ judgeth as Judge of all the World he will judge but by one Law under which those will fall who have not obeyed the Gospel though their Punishment will be the more higthned in that they have refused the Remedy There are many things in the Scripture as Declarations of Truths of one kind or another Description of Persons Histories Miracles c. Discriminations of Persons and Things which are not to be reckoned the Essentials of the Covenant of Grace but for the Bene esse of it the Usefulness and Advantage of those to whom it doth belong If we make every Work in the Scripture spoken of to be a Condition of the Covenant of Grace we shall not tell where to find it Neonom Salvation is promised to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.7 Antinom Perseverance is Salvation and in the Promise is an Assurance of the Connexion of all Salvation one part to another for every one that is saved is saved with all Salvation and it 's an Encouragement and Motive to the Saints to hold on their
for He thanks God tho' naturally a Body of Death grew up by Sin yet there is no prejudice can come to him thro' Christ Ch. 8. 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. No you will say no Condemnation in Hell but yet there is the remainder of Sin in God's own people so there will some Evil or other fall upon the Commission of Sin But mark what the Apostle saith Vers 3 4. The Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of Sin and Death c. Here Christ stands for the deliverance of his People from Condemnation from Eternal Wrath say some Yea but saith the Apostle We are delivered from the Law of Sin and Death what is the Law of Sin but what the Law may do to persons for those Sins which are committed by them Now what can Sin do when it is Condemned c. 'T is true indeed every Sin is a great Debt and we commit Sins daily and hourly against the Lord Dr. C. p. 512. and the Torments of Hell are the merit of the least Sin in the World for I speak not this to Extâ—nuate any Sin but to shew the greatness of God's Grace and to ease upon good grounds distressed Consciences Therefore such as look upon these Sins as uncancelled and these Debts as true Debts it is true so long theâ—e Sins may work a Horrour and Trembling in Persons but for Believers that are Members of Christ they may Read fairly all the Sins that ever they have committed they may Read also the desert of these Transgressions which should be executed and inflicted on them if they were not cancelled and blotted out Isa 43. I even I am he c. It is true our Sins themselves do not speak Peace but Christ bearing the Sin and Wrath that these Sins do deserve speaks Peace to every Believer Dr. C. p. 513. see 1 Cor. 15.56 57. Tho' naturally Sin hath a Sting yet there is a Victory over this Sting Christ is the death of it and he took away the Sting of it It is true before Men come to see the light of the Gospel of Christ their Sins stare in their Faces seeming to Spit Fire at them but as Children will put one of their Company into a hideous posture causing every one that knows it not to run from him so Sin is set up by Satan with a terrible Visage as it were to Spit Fire in the Faces of the Godly and Faithful and seems very threatning and dreadful but they are to know there is no fear from the Sins of Believers all the terrour and fearfulness of Sin Christ hath drunk it and in the drinking of it Christ himself was Crucified and in that regard I say all the terrour and ghastliness and hideousness as it is represented by Satan is spent and Sin it self is dead It is true indeed a living Roaring Lion is a Terrible Creature but in a dead Lion there is no more fear than there is in a stick or stone to him that knows he is dead While Sin is alive it is fearful and terrible and deadly but when Sin it self is dead then there is no more terrour in it than there is in a dead Lion Thus I speak of Sin not as it smiles upon a Man with a promising Countenance Dr. C. p. 513. before it be committed for so it is most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which Crucified their sweetest Lord But as committed and lying upon the Conscience of a Believer endeavouring to drive him to deny the free Grace and Love of God and the Alsufficiency of Christ for in this regard it is Crucified by Christ and so a Believer need not be afraid of Sin the Hand-writing of Ordinances is taken away and they that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Calvin Mr. Antinom hath sufficiently cleared himself in this point for he hath told us of the odious nature of Sin it self the natural hurt and evil effects of it he hath abundantly shewed the hurt he means and speaks of is the penal effects of Sin in its condemning power which condemning nature is taken away in the Atonement made by Christ he speaks of Sins past that lie upon Conscience so as to drive Men from Christ and the free pardoning Grace of God he speaks not of Sin as it comes with alluring smiles to tempt us to the committing of them for so he saith they are most dreadful and odious to the Faithful as that which Crucified our dearest Lord. Besides all this he hath made it appear that you your self have made an Assertion which no way falls short nay to me it 's far more Condemnable than any Expression that you have charged him with under this Head For he speaks only of the effects of Sin which he saith are taken away as you do there in our Sponsor's Answering the Penal Sanction so far you Justifie all he saith but you say that the Obliquity of the Fact as against the Precept which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin it self shall not hurt so that it must needs follow that all the hurt of Sin is only in the Punishment nay that Sin in its proper nature and filthiness hath no hurt in it and that we need not the Blood of Christ in Justification to take it away Now how comes Sin as Sin and Fault to be pardoned for there is no more of Sin pardoned than Christ bore but you say there was no need of his bearing it no more then as to the punishment and then the Obliquity and Fault will do no hurt Turpe est Doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum I think Gentlemen we may dismiss this Point the matter of Charge proving so false an Accusation I shall not have patience to hear him any further upon it and I think Gentlemen you are ashamed of it as well as I. Antinom Pray Mr. Calvinist have a little Patience and hear what he saith to this Point how and in what sense he understands the hurt of Sin Calvin Well I will do what I can with my self but you must Whip the Top with him he will put me out of Breath in Answering his Impertinences I pray then go on and tell us what you call truth in your usual Dogmatizing way Neonom Truth its true of Believers that if Sin should have dominion over them they would thereby come to Condemnation D. W. p. 180. Antinom How can you make a Truth upon Supposition of that which will never be I can call that nothing but a Rule of Falshood in Logick tho' there 's a Connexion of Antecedent and Consequence Si homo sit Leo est etiam Quadrupes such Propositions are Childish When the Sky falls we shall catch Larks throw the Peth of a Quill over the House and it will be a Silver Spoon But it may be you mean
keeps Men from Sin or reforms them when fallâ—n into it there 's no true grace of God in the Heart David saith God's Rod and Staff comforted him Neonom Whether great Offences be a real hurt to a Believer and brings on him much present harm This I affirm and the Doctor denies The Case of National Sins is concluded in these Antinom Here how you come to fight with a Man of Clouts which you yourself have made for we said not that Sin is no hurt for if so why should our whole Doctrin be to shew that it needs healing It 's the hurt of the Daughter of Zion why is it said that we are healed by the stripes of Christ And that Sin even remaining in God's People makes the best of God's Peoples Services and Duties as Dross and Dung by reason of its mixture with them which you condemn for an Error We say pag. 509. let us not be mistaken We do not say we must not be afraid to Sin but that they that have God for their God need not be afraid of the Sins they have committed in regard of the penal Effects But that Sin naturally is a Root bringing forth all manner of evil Fruit The Wages of Sin is Death We distinguish of fear a natural fear an affection in Men by Nature that they cannot be freed from there 's a religious and godly fear which is an awful reverence of the Majesty of God and keeping a convenient distance such as the Creature ought to keep it 's opposed to Sauciness And there 's a turbulent fear a fear of disquietness that which the Lord endeavours to take off from his People All such fear the Apostle saith hath Bondage and perfect Love casts it out And the same Apostle saith as I say These things I write unto you that ye sin not But if any Man sin i. e. hath committed Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Therefore you charge us falsly to say our meaning is That Sin in it self is no hurt and in its Nature doth no hurt But we say as you That Christ satisfied Justice for Sin and over-rules the hurt of it for our good so that through Grace it doth us no real hurt Christ hath taken away the sting of Sin and the Condemnation of Sin The real hurt of Sin lies in the dominion of Sin and in the penal effects of it they that have God for their God can't give up themselves to the dominion of Sin they can't have a love for it because they are under grace and as to the penal Effects they are taken away by Christ or else his satisfaction to Justice was imperfect Now all other Effects of sin as hiding God's Face his paternal Chastisements in outward Afflictions ecclipsing our graces and duties come under a Promise that tho' they are not joyous but grievous to a gracious Mind yet they shall through God's grace disposing them tend to our good in making us the more Partakers of God's Holiness to mortify sin to humble us and empty us of our selves and to bring us to an higher exaltation of Christ and dependance upon him yea to more watchfulness carefulness and circumspection in our ways Hence God's People have their frequent complaints against Sin as to its indwelling and hindring them from doing the good they would groan under the body of Sin and desire Heaven to be altogether rid of it c. But when we say sin cannot do us real hurt and we should not be afraid of it we mean only of sins already fallen into that the disturbing disquieting guilt of them should not lye upon our Consciences to obstruct our Comforts and rejoycing in Christ they should not drive us from Christ to deny the love and free grace of God and the alsufficiency of Christ for if he that hath God for his God lyes continually under an embondaging fear of sins past he would always labour under a servile slavish frame of spirit without comfort all his days We need not repeat what hath been said to vindicate ourselves from this unjust Charge Neonom I 'll tell you your Mistakes Because there is no Eternal Condemnation lyes against a Believer therefore there is no penal present Affliction D. W. p. 189. Antinom It 's all condemnation Christ hath taken away its condemnation that makes Hell and if God's People be under it here they must have a degree of it Christ died in vain as to our present state if it were not to take away condemnation from us here we cannot be justified before God and lye under condemnation too Is a Believer only justified from future condemnation and not present And it 's no mistake to say Because a Man is freed from Eternal Condemnation therefore present Afflictions are not penal but it 's a necessary consequence Why did Christ bear our Sorrows and carry our Griefs but that our Afflictions should not be penal Neonom Whereas there 's much hurt below Hell and that it is not Hell that follows the Sin of a Believer is not from the Innocency of Sin but the Grace of God that brings him to repentance and faith in Christ for remission Antinom I thought there had been no hurt lower than Hell I suppose you mean there 's much hurt on this side Hell but Improprieties are natural to you Condemnation for Sin in this Life is much hurt and a degree of Hell and is the same in kind and therefore if God's People be not freed from it here they cannot expect to be freed from the lower Hell 2. The reason why Hell you say follows not the Sin of a Believer is not the innocency of Sin this is one of the black-mouthed Charges you lay upon us that we make Sin innocent because we say Sin was laid on Christ and he hath born all the Penal Effects of Sin Why say you not the same of the Apostle who saith the strength of Sin is taken away and the sting of Death whereby it or lesser afflictions can't hurt is taken away These abominable Reproaches fall not on Man so much as upon the Truths of the Gospel which Christ hath a Controversie with you for And that Hell follows not the Sin of a Believer you say is from the grace God and why may it not be from the grace of God that no Penal Effects follow the Sin of a Believer That grace that prevents or delivers from the greater evil will also from the lesser Neonom Because all Sufferings for Christ work for good therefore all Sins against Christ can do no harm Antinom All Sufferings of a Believer from the Hand of Christ as well as such as are in a way of Persecution for Christ shall work for their good and therefore whatever befalls them by reason of sin shall be for their good and whatever is for our good according to the wise disposing of God is not for