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A32770 Neonomianism unmask'd, or, The ancient gospel pleaded against the other, called a new law or gospel in a theological debate, occasioned by a book lately wrote by Mr. Dan. Williams, entituled, Gospel-truth stated and vindicated ... / by Isaac Chauncy ... Chauncy, Isaac, 1632-1712. 1692 (1692) Wing C3754; Wing C3754A; Wing C3755; ESTC R19390 474,696 516

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it But seeing that after all hopeful endeavours yea Articles and Subscriptions for Truth and Peace our Debates by these Methods are revived and condemned to be continued nam pro supplicio est non potuisse mori I shall conclude concerning this Book of Strife finding my Sense must be known of it and that middle way Hypothesis if any advanced by it as the judicious and learned Turretine after long tryal of it and the consequences that followed it hath published We don't think a a different mode of Expression should be cause of litigation with any Person Turret Theol. part 1. p. 438 439. provided the sound Doctrin be preserved but if this Matter be a little more seriously weighed it will easily appear it 's not a Controversie about Method but under the Pretext of a new Method a new Doctrin is introduced Although this new invented Method would appear most accommodated to the Ears and Humours of them that hear it c. yet there are many Absurdities in it and inextricable Difficulties c. therefore long ago condemned and rejected by the Churches which was not done without weighty Reasons as he there shews To whose Judgment in this Matter I subscribe John Nesbit The Heads of Debate contained in the second and third Parts of the foregoing Treatise I. OF the State of the Elect before effectual Calling II. Of God's laying Sin on Christ. III. Of the discharge of the Elect from Sins upon their being laid on Christ. IV. Of the Elects ceasing to be Sinners from the time their Sins were laid on Christ. V. Of the time when our Sins were laid on Christ. VI. Of Separation from and Abhorrence of Christ while our Sins lay upon him VII Of the change of Person between Christ and the Elect and of imputed Righteousness VIII Of the conditionality of the Covenant of Grace IX Of the nature of saving Faith X. Of the free Offer of Christ to Sinners and of preparatory Qualifications XI Of Vnion with Christ before Faith XII Of Justification by Faith with a digression about Repentance XIII Of the necessity and benefit of Holiness XIV Of intending our Souls good by Duties we perform XV. Of the way to attain Assurance XVI Of God's seeing Sin in Believers and their Guilt by it XVII Of the hurt that Sin may do to Believers XVIII Of God's Displeasure for Sin in the Afflictions of his People XIX Of the Beauty of Sincere Holiness XX. Of Gospel and Legal Preaching To these are Annex'd The Substance of certain Minister's Exceptions against Mr. Daniel Williams's Book Mr. J. Nesbit's Reply to what Mr. Dan. Williams charged him with in his Preface to his Reply to Dr. C. N. B. That the first Edition only of Mr. D. Williams his Book was made use of in the foregoing Treatise Books written by Dr. Isaac Chauncy de Col. Med. Lon. 1. THE Catholick Hierarchy or the divine right of a sacred Dominion in Church and Conscience truly stated asserted and pleaded London Printed for the Author sold by S. Crouch at the Princes Arms in Popes head-alley in Cornhill and Tho. Fox at the Angel in Westminster-hall A. D. 1681. 2. A Theological Dialogue containing the Defence and Justification of Dr. J. Owen from the 42 Errors charged upon him by Mr. Rich. Baxter Printed for the Author 1684. 3. The second part of the Theological Dialogue being a Rejoynder to Mr. Rich. Baxter Printed for Edward Reyner 1684. 4. The unreasonableness of compelling Men to the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper wherein it 's shewed that such compulsion is contrary to the whole Tenor of the Gospel the Common Prayer Articles of the Church of England and the Homily concerning the Sacrament in which is answered a Pamphlet Entituled The Case of compelling to the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper c. vindicated by the Rules of the Gospel Printed for the Author 5. Ecclesia Enucleatà The Temple opened or a clear Demonstration of the true gospel-Gospel-Church in it's Nature and Constitution according to the Doctrin and Practice of Christ and his Apostles Printed for the Author 1684. 6. The Interest of Churches or a Scripture plea for Stedfastness in Gospel order Printed for the Author 1690. 7. Ecclesiasticum or a plain and familiar Christian Conference concerning Gospel Churches and Order Sold by W. Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street 1690. 8. The first second and third Parts of Neonomianism unmaskt in Answer to Mr. Williams's Gospel-truth stated and vindicated A Rejoynder to Mr. Williams's Reply to this first Part. 9. Examen Confectionis Pacificae or Examination of the Pacifick Paper The three last sold by H. Barnard at the Bible in the Poultry 1693. FINIS Errata's in the third Part. PAge 10. Line 29. r. or his Faith was not true p. 13. l. 4. r. you need not p. 19. l. 13. f. forgotten r. pardoned p. 24. l. 19. r. as a sin p. 28. l. 27. r. where it is not as well as where it is p. 45. l. 38. r. as they are Elect. p. 48. l. 4. r. or many of them p. 57. l. 32. f. Posit 1. r. 4. p. 58. l. 3. f. 3. r. 5. p. 59. l. 5. dele of p. 73. l. 32. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 76. l. 15. r. in that he p. 79. l. 39. dele in and. r. to be the hand p. 80. l. 4● r. of the Promises which p. 81. l. ult r. curvo p. 83. l. 30. r. we can rejoyce p 90. l. 40. r. defend● ●● p. 92. l. 2● r. insi●●● o● f. 〈◊〉 p. 93. l. 37. r. and you say that the 〈◊〉 c. Errata's in the Rejoynder PAge 6. Line 20. read non-elect p. 7. l. 29. r. their congruity p. 12. l. 14. r. the Letter deny p. 15. l. 50. r. Impurity p. 16. l. 47. dele Comma and r. of Christ imputed p. 17. l. 32. dele do p. 30. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 30. l. 44. r. tribuere p. 33. marg r. Judicial● p. 34. l. 7. r. Te●●●e state sine Com. p. 35. marg l. 3. corde elect p. 36. marg l. 10. 〈◊〉 natura ibid 13. l. r. adjunctis efficacia p. 33. l. 3. r. Is it reaso●●ble p. 38. marg l. 2. r. manifeste p. 39. l. 11. dele now p. 43. l. 17. r. this name ibid l. 35. r. Therefore c. The. p. 46. l. 31. r. He hath these p. 47. l. 8. and became and Assertor ibid. l. 22. r. The Arminians
the Stomach and that the whole Mass of Blood is infected with ill Humours or the Morbid Constitution of some Parts Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh saith our Saviour our great Physician Is it not sad when there is a poysonsom Juyce under the Lips and a Mouth full of Bitterness Rom. 3. You first charge the Ministry of some and most hereabout know what sort of Men you mean with being the Cause of Men's Security in Sin And why Because they preach the Doctrine of the Gospel in a free Justification of a Sinner by Faith without the Works of a Law according to the Apostle Paul and preach down your Doctrine of Justification by Works But you express the Effects of this dangerous Doctrine to lie in these things 1. Security in Sin A Doctrine that quickens Men that are dead in Trespasses and Sins one part of which Death is Security in Sin doth not cause Security in Sin But the Doctrine of Free Grace in Justification of a Sinner without Works of any Law doth so Eph. 2. I shall not now enlarge upon you 2. Another ill Effect is you say That it causes the mistaking the Motions of sensible Passions for Conversion This is rather the Effect of your own Doctrine wherein you lay the whole Stress of Justifying and Saving Grace upon Sensible Passions and set Men wholly to judge of their State thereby It 's marvellously to be wondred at that any Man should have the Impudency to charge those Effects upon an opposite Doctrine to his which are the natural and palpable Effects of his own and he sees so to be 3. You charge upon it the general Abatement of an exact and humble walking This Charge is likewise of the same Nature Whereas the Spirit of God hath disclaimed any true Cause of exact walking beside the Grace of God that brings Salvation and then teacheth it as hath been proved As for Humble walking what is a greater Inducement thereto than the Doctrine of Faith which ascribes all to the Gift of Grace empties us of every high Imagination and Thought It exalts Christ and makes him all and in all Whereas yours is the contrary no Doctrine tends more to the lifting up of the Creature than that of Neonomianism next to that of the Papists And no wonder say you when so many affirm such and such things Where are the many or the any that you can charge with saying these things in the same Sence you put upon them Many Expressions that taken together with their Connexion in the explained Sence of him that speaks are not only true but safe and sound but abstracted and wrested may be made to look as black as Hell You may say David saith That there is not an honest Man upon the Face of the Earth Psal 12. That he saith There is no God Psal 14. That Moses affirms God to be a Man Exod. 15.3 And in a Thousand Places in your way and manner it 's easie to charge Blasphemy upon the very Scriptures And how often Lying if Hyperbole's be not allowed to be used without Wrong to the Truth As to the particular Charges I shall speak to each in it's proper place and lay open your Prevarications Errors and false Imputations to the World Neonom In this present Testimony to the Truth of the Gospel I have studyed Plainness Pref. D. W. p. 3. and to that end oft repeated the same things in my Concessions to prevent the Mistakes of the less Intelligent tho' I could not think it fit to insist anew upon all Antinom Your Testimony is against the Truth as shall be made appear and is not to be accounted a Testimony For a Testimony is a credible Witness or Evidence As the Apostle Paul saith Our Testimony among you was believed 2 Thes 1.10 And this Testimony is with a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 And Paul testified the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 2.24 1. Your Testimony is not to the Gospel of the Grace of God but against it and therefore not materially true 2. Your Testimony is formally naught it being not accompanied with a good Conscience but with a purpose and design to deceive You pretend to do Good but you manifestly design Evil to blast the Honour of God's Free Grace as if it were a Sin-teaching Doctrine and blacken a Holy Servant of Christ who is now in Glory for Preaching the Gospel your Testimony can't be believ'd because of your manifold Prevarications Equivocations and False Teachings in this Treatise of yours And whereas you say you have studied Plainness if you mean that in some places is no better than plain Falshood in others plain Error it 's true enough Or if you mean Plainness in respect of Style it 's homely enough and hardly plain Sence But if you mean Plainness of Simplicity without double-tonguedness I utterly deny it For when you speak of things that one would think at first Glance you intend Truth by it 's nothing so No Jesuite in the World can out-do you at Equivocation and there lies your Natural Excellency You have impertinent Repetition enough your Concessions every where fall about your own Ears in your glozing Oppositions to the Truth you deny You design the rectifying the Mistakes of the Non-intelligent This is false it 's manifest you design the blinding of them more else why do you quote Dr. Owen and the Assembly for countenancing those Errors which you know they directly oppose Let but the Mistakes of the less Intelligent be removed their Stomachs will rise sufficiently against you and your Book too Neonom I have in nothing misrepresented Dr. Crisp 's Opinion nor mistaken his Sence Antinom This must be true or false and here is the turning Point of the whole Book Either Dr. Crisp was or you must be If you have not misrepresented him then according to your Representation he was so If you have misrepresented him and unjustly blackened him what are you But that which we have in hand is Falshood and Lying As to this Assertion of yours we shall prove you guilty of Falshood throughout the Book that though you have repeated some of Dr. Crisp's Words from time to time yet you have only repeated such part of his Words as might render him odious not those that give a true and can did Sence of what he intended and herein you misrepresented him and that on purpose Now the Spirit of God lays the Formal Nature of a Lie upon an Intention to deceive or to deal injuriously with others as in the Case of Doeg Though I do not design now to come to Particulars I will give one Instance wherein you in your Book and your Party do frequently expose Dr. Crisp and his Abettors such as you call Divers as also Crispians and Antinomians that he and they do assert Sin can do no hurt and you would have Men understand that he means That no Person in Christ need fear to commit Sin and that Sin
for God to say unto the Soul I am thy Salvaiion Is it not the ordinary Gospel Voice under the Old Testament and New Neonom It hardly carries its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all Antinom You say a miraculous Voice can hardly carry its Evidence to a Soul that hath no Grace at all It is well you put in hardly for you know it was carryed to Paul in a miraculous Voice and it 's a marvellous audacious Expression to say God can hardly carry Grace and Evidence of Grace to a graceless Soul no not so much as miraculously and cannot God give Grace and evidence in the same moment of time as to the Thief on the Cross and thousands more in the Word Neonom It 's a way too far Enthusiastick to be allowed in so stated a Case Antinom You had best say the Apostle Paul in the whole 8th Chapter to the Romans and 1 Cor. 2. and Eph. 1. and in divers other places was too Enthusiastick and therefore those portions of Scripture that speak of the Revelation and Witness of the Spirit and the Assurances of Faith not to be allowed I 'll assure you you are mighty Magisterial to take upon you the decrying the Witness of the Spirit at this presumptuous rate openly and before the World What account can you give of this another day Neonom It gives the Devil a great advantage against Sinners to live in Sin and against honest People if once they find cause to question this Voice Yea it sets up the Spirit against it self if any can boast of Assurance by this Voice when their state is justly challengeable by the Gospel as wanting all Sight of Gospel Marks Antinom If the Grace of God that brings Salvation unto Sinners is the casting out of the Devil out of the Heart and the witnessing Spirit a mortifying Spirit Teacher of Holiness and the greatest Enlarger of the Heart therein as Rom. 8.15 by how much the more it works as a Comsorter as the Spirit of Adoption bringing us into the Liberty of Sons of God and shewing to us that Christ is ours and we are his yea by how much the more he makes us to see by Faith in Christ and how much the less he makes us to see in our selves but still shews us our own Vileness and Ugliness Corruptions poorness of Duties even to the loathing and abhorring of our selves if then I say God is most glorified and his Free Grace Christ is most advanced and his precious Blood and his glorious Spirit to be loved and admired and we in the best and most Gospel-frame Then all that you have here spoken is Burlesque mingled with the Enmity of your Heart vented against the Grace of the Gospel and the Spirit of God Calvin I must confess I can't tell what to say of that saying The Witness of the Spirit by the Voice of the Gospel is giving advantage to the Devil I am sure it hath a dangerous Aspect But I pray Mr. Antinomian do you condemn Signs and Marks as altogether useless towards the gaining of Assurance that he inveighs at so heavy a rate Antinom No by no means I allow the Fruits of the Spirit to be of a marvellous use as to Confirming and Comforting of our selves and very satisfactory to others that our Saviour saith hereby shall all men know that we are his Disciples and as James saith we must be convinced of mens Faith by their Work or else we can't take them to be Believers Yea we expect of every one that we admit Church-members that they should give a Reason of the Hope that is in them according to the Rule of the Gospel This Mr. Neonomian is against he will Burlesque upon it as much as he doth now at the Witness of the Spirit Calvin Why it is not possible Mr. Neonomian Sure when you admit Members into your Congregation you are very strict in Examining of them upon the Fruits of Faith that you and all your Congregation may know so far as the Judgment of a rational Charity will go that they are Disciples of Christ tho' as those Signs may deceive a mans own self so others may be deceived in those that make Profession of them Neonom I know no ground to stand so strictly upon my Admission I think if men be not grossly Ignorant or openly Scandalous they may be admitted to all Ordinances I can't try them for their Perseverance which is the greatest Mark. Calvin But I read that the Churches in the Primitive Times were made up of those that were at least to Visible appearance sanctified in Christ Jesus Neonom But the times are altered now they were Converted out of Heathenism we are all Christians Calvin Aye such as they be such as your honest People which the Devil gets a great advantage against to perswade to live in sin because of the pardoning Grace of the Gospel for whose sake you would have the Doctrine renounced and another Gospel preached I see you do not set so much by Signs and Marks but only to set them up in opposition to the Witness of the Spirit Antinom I will give you my full sence of the Doctrine of Assurance The certainty of a Thing or Proposition can be founded but upon one of these two Bottoms either upon an Artificial or Inartificial Argument so called in Logick An Argument artificial gives me sensible or rational ground for what I am assured of and it argues Things from Causes Effects Subjects Adjuncts Dissentaneities wherein are diversa opposita c. But an inartificial Argument is founded on Testimony and according to the faithfulness of him that brings it it gives more or less ground of belief This is reckoned in Logick the weakest ground of Knowledge especially being Testimonium humanum that is brought it may be a probable ground of believing but is not an Infallible one and therefore the Judgment upon it usually goes no further than Opinion that which is of a Contingency But in Theology Testimonium Divinum Divine Testimony is the greatest ground of Certainty and Assurance in the World because he that speaks is unchangeably true faithful just and holy he cannot ly Now hence it is that what Testimony comes from God himself it is to be believed because it is so without reasoning any further and is the greatest ground of Assurance in the World therefore I affirm that the Witness of God in his Word and the Spirit in the Heart firmly believed is and produceth the greatest Assurance for firmness and durability in the World This is that which ought to ly in the bottom of all our Assurance this will hold above all in the hour of Temptation when all Signs and Marks sail tho our Faith may be sometimes shaken and our Comforts and Assurances eclips'd so that our Faith may hold but as far as a Hoping or Perswasion of a Probability of our State and Condition yet as Mr. Neonomian saith as the Evidence is
strong or weak so our Assurance is strong or weak Now that Faith still carries with it a Hypostasis or Demonstration of the thing believed grounded upon the Certainty Truth and Infallibility of God I am fully satisfied from that Portion of Scripture that evinces it undeniably Heb. 11.1 And as now for other grounds of Comfort and Assurance which arise from the Visibility of the Grace of God and the Fruits of the Spirit in the Heart and Life I highly value them as subordinate grounds of Comfort and Confirmation in Assurance these are seen by the reflection of the Soul upon it self being able in regenerate man to reason in a spiritual manner from Causes Effects Subjects and Adjuncts c. which he finds in himself according to the Rule of the Word of God This I call Experimental Assurance and this is that which is so long attaining to and when it is had may be lost again in a great measure as Comfort therefore And because many Believers take this to be all the Assurance they must look for and their Teachers tell them so therefore they go mourning all their dayes and are only supported by what degrees of Assurance is in their Faith which they take not to be any and their Teachers tell them that Faith hath nothing of Assurance in it but do suggest as if it were but the roving of the Mind in uncertainties and Probability and that it is Presumption for them to believe to Confidence and Assurance though the Spirit of God doth command and encourage it again and again and that doubting is rather their Vertue than Sin whereas so much as there is of Doubting mingled with their Faith so much there is of Sin and Unbelief In true Faith there is the Promise more or less believed i. e. the Truth and Goodness because a Promise reached forth a Truth which carries Goodness in it to us-ward is received the ●eason of which reception is the certain Truth and Faithfulne●● of him that promiseth Hence there is believing a Word and believing a Person Hence believing hath three things in it according to the Apostle Heb. 11. 1. The Object falls not under the measure of Sense and Reason therefore called Things not seen and Things hoped for 2. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an express Image Heb. 1. of the things not seen and hoped for brought to us in the Promise 3. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Demonstration or Argument of the Reality and Certainty of those things and intention of bestowing them taken from the Truth and Faithfulness of him that promiseth Faithful is he that hath promised Now that God hath promised in general and indefinitely to save Sinners and that he is able and willing to perform it in his time and to whom he pleaseth may be a common Faith only and such as the Devils have But for a Sinner to take up with the Promise for himself is the work of the Spirit peculiarly Because there is no man spoken to by Name in the Promise which advantage Abraham had and the want thereof must be supplyed by the Spirit 's ●aying to the Soul more or less plainly This Promise belongeth ●nto thee whereby the Soul is enabled to exert fiducially a believing the Promise and staying on the Promiser for himself And here lyes the difficulty of Believing and the usual workings of Unbelief It 's a marvellous thing to me Mr. Neonomian that you can have the Impudency to quote the Assembly for your Assertion Confess Ch. 18. viz. That there is no other grounds of Assurance but Signs and Marks Whereas they say so expressly That a Believer may be assured in this Life that he is in a State of Grace and this Certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perswasion grounded on a fallible Hope but an Infallible Assurance of Faith founded on the Divine Truth of the Promises of Salvation the inward evidence of those Graces unto which those Promises are made the Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits So that they make three grounds of Assurance 1. The infallible Assurance of Faith 2. The inward Evidences of Graces 3. The Witness of the Spirit of Adoption When you quoted this place you had either forgot what you had wrote or you quote it retaining the Assembly first least it should be brought against you There are three great Graces spoken of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.13 Faith Hope Love Mr. Caryl on Job 13.13 And the Scripture holds forth an Assurance in reference to every one of these First The Assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith This Assurance of Faith hath a double respect 1. To our Persons 2. To our Services that in both we are pleasing to God Secondly There 's an Assurance of Hope Heb. 6.11 Faith hath an Eye to the Truth of the Promise Hope to the Good of the Promise and the Assurance of Hope is that we shall certainly receive that Good Thirdly There 's an Assurance of Love 1 Joh. 4.48 Perfect Love casts out Fear How is Love made Perfect and how doth it cast out Fear v. 17. Herein saith he is love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in the World i. e. As his Love is sincere to us so is ours to him according to our measure even in this life and this gives us boldness our Assurance that all shall go well with us in the day of Judgment so this Love casteth out all fear of Condemnation in that day which Fear where it remains hath Torment than which nothing is more contrary to Assurance In perfect Love there is no Torment because there is no Fear and there is no Fear because there is an Assurance of the Love of God in this love the Soul doth repose rest and delight it self There is a Fourth thing spoken of which is a full assurance of Vnderstanding This is Clearness of our apprehension about the things which we do believe and upon which we fasten by Faith and Love The Light of the Understanding shining upon the Mysteries of the Gospel and mixing with our other Graces bottoms the Soul upon the strongest Foundation and raiseth it up to the highest Pinnacle of Assurance We may say of Assurance in reference to these four Graces as Philosophers do of the Heavens in reference to the four Elements That they are neither of the four Elements but a Quintessence of a fisth Essence So we may say of Assurance it is neither Faith nor Hope nor Love nor Knowledge but it is a fifth thing sublimated and raised either out of or above all those i. e. when Assurance is raised to the highest pitch that it is a full Assurance from whence our Joy is full all a Christians Sails are filled being under a full gale and having fair weather Rom. 8.16 The Spirit