beleeve Paul had a righteousness of his own Phil. 3.9 thought he was alive Rom. 7.9 him Christ came to call though in his conceited righteousness because he was elected but before he obtained mercy to beleeve he is made sensible both of the dung and unrighteousness of his own righteousness Phil. 3.7 8. and also of his sin Rom. 7.9 The second Reason is taken from the Ends that this Preparatory Work serves unto Reason 2. First To convince of sin The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 For God hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n ali Rom. 3.19 Secondly To justifie the Law i. e. the Curse The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good Rom. 7.12 the Precept holy the Promise good the Curse just Man must acknowledg himself a lawful captive before God will deliver him Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive be delivered Isai 49.24 Before God will justifie man according to the Promise man must justifie God had he proceeded with him according to the Curse We must condemn our selves before God will pardon us Even in this respect God will make his Law honourable Thirdly To teach the Soul the nothingness of all it is and hath without Jesus Christ You see your calling Brethren c. 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence and that not only after they were called but also in the manner of their calling God calleth them that are not Rom. 4.17 Christ is sent to bind up the broken hearted Isai 61.1 His people know him to be the Lord by the manner of his bringing them out of their graves Vt sentiant suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cal. in Dan. 4.35 37. Nostrum esse nihil alâ—ud est quam subsistere in Deo sumus aliqi id in Dâ—o in nobis auteÌ„ nihil idâ—m ibid. Ezek. 37.13 As God in the Creation brought the creature by his Fiat i.e. Let there be Gen. 1. from its term nothing unto its being So in Vocation by his word Vive I said unto thee Live Ezek. 16.6 He bringeth it from its term of a spiritual nothing unto its spiritual being Which in time past were not a people but now are the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2.10 1 Cor. 13.2 'T is one of the Attributes of God that those that walk in pride he is able to abase I an 4.37 Job 40.11 14. Fourthly To teach the Soul how to esteem of and magnifie the free mercy of God in Christ Rom. 11.32 For God lath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n all See Ez k. 16. ult Isai 30.18 Here God getteth unto himself a Name Rom. 4.17 the Quickner of the dead the Caller of those that are not as if they were the Justifier of the ungodly Hence also the people of God receive their name Isai 62.12 And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken that they might be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Hosea 2.1 Say to your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruhamah The third Reason is taken from the season of preparatory Work Reason 3. The fittest season to affect the heart with the sensibleness of sin is between the rest of the Soul in sin and the infusion of faith God works upon man not according to his absolute Power but according to the nature of the subject and fitness of the second cause The fittest time to affect the heart of man with fear is whilest he looketh at the danger as in being not when he looketh at the danger as over If Joseph intend to be an object of fear unto his Brethren he acts this part whilest they look at him as a Judg before he revealeth himself to be a Brother The time between the rest of the Soul in sin and the grace of faith is not only the fittest but the only season to affect the Soul with the spirit of bondage The Soul cannot be affected with the spirit of fear whilest it is at ease in sin to be in fear and not to be in fear in the same respect is a contradiction Neither can the spirit of bondage be in a Beleever Ye have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again Rom. 8.15 This fear is the work of the Spirit of God in the working whereof the Spirit doth two things 1. It threatens the Soul with the Curse as justly due to and impending over it in that estate 2. It causeth the Soul to fear this wrath Now the Spirit cannot cause this fear in a Beleever to whom there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 for in so doing he should affirm and cause the Soul to beleeve and to be affected with an untruth which vvere blasphemy to think besides the spirit of servile fear and the spirit of Adoption are opposite either then there is no spirit of bondage or it is betvveen the rest of the Soul in sin and faith in Christ Jesus Obj. Fear of eternal Wrath may be caused by the Spirit in a Beleever Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Ans 'T is a threatening of them in respect of their Way not in respect of their Estate 2. 'T is a filial fear not a servile that the Spirit works hereby The fear of punishment for sin is so a means to awe them from sin as they yet fear sin more then the punishment for sin The last Head of Argument Examples is taken from Experiences of the Saints who being asked will bear witness unto this truth The Parable of the Prodigals return unto his Fathers house Senior filius Typum gerit PharisaeoruÌ„ ScribaruÌ„ quemadmodum junior Types est publicanoruÌ„ peccatorum in genere omnium qui ad Christum consugiunt Aret. in loc is propounded as a pattern of a sinners being brought home unto Christ Jesus In him we may see the conscience of sin Thâ—neâ—ar sea mighty famine in that Land ver 14. The sence of this perishing condition under sin And I perish with hunger ver 17. The experience of his lost estate He fain would have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat And no man gave unto him ver 16. This my Son was lest ver 32. His sight of his need of Christ and seeking after him And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare I will arise and go to my Father c. ver 17 18. Hereunto may be added many instances recorded in the Scripture Matthew the Publican before he was effectually called was sick of sin as may be well gathered from Mat. 9. ver 9.12 13. Zacheus confesseth his sin Luke 19.8 felt himself lost
his saying and overcometh vvhen he judgeth Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 And he was speechless Matth. 22.12 The Preparatory Work of the Gospel may be referred unto these Heads 1. Revelation of Christ so far as is necessary unto salvation 2. Repentance 3. Lost Estate 4. Acknowledgement of the Soveraignty of God and of Christ in shewing mercy 5. Consideration of the special Object of Faith and Arguments moving thereunto 6. Waiting in the fore-mentioned disposition for the Lord Jesus in the use of means with Ministerial and preparatory hope under the If you believe of the Gospel The Revelation of Christ is the historical propounding and illumination of the soul with the propounded Doctrine of the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of grace namely Election Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification Glorification in Jesus Christ who hath freely absolutely and infallibly procured for us all things that pertain unto life and godliness The Sum whereof is That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost hath sent forth Jesus Christ God-man into the world to seek and save sinners commanded every one that heareth this glad tidings to believe in him whom he hath sent and promised that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved The Gospel is called a Revelation because it being a Truth exceeding the Nature of the creature the Power of Reason and Doctrine of the first Covenant man could no way attain unto it but by Divine Revelation Truth is either Natural Veritas Naturalis Ethica Lâ—galis Evat gelica which is laid up in the creature or Moral to be gathered by rational inferences from the light of nature and help of right reason or Legal contained in the Law or Evangelical revealed only in the Gospel The creature representeth God unto us as a Creatour Governour and Lord The Law as the Creatour of man after his own Image and giving unto him a Covenant of Works unto Eternal life The Gospel beyond these holds forth the mercy of God in Jesus Christ No Salvation can be expected where the Gospel is not preached For there is none other name under Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Representat Deum ut Creatorem gubernatorem DominuÌ„ omnium sed nâ—n ut Conservatorem Spanh resp ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given amongst men by which we must be saved Acts 4.12 Neither the Book of the creature nor the Power of reason nor the first Covenant preach Christ Repentance is two-fold Preparatory or Legal going before faith Mark 1.15 Heb. 6.1 Or saving which followeth faith Luke 7.38 Preparatory or legal repentance is a common work of the Spirit wrought by the Ministery both of the Law and Gospel super-adding unto what was wrought by the meer Doctrine of the Law a further discovery unto and affecting of the soul with the sense of its utter present-perishing condition under and fear of the future aggravated punishment for sin whereby the distressed sinner inwardly feeling the into lerable bitterness and heavy load thereof addeth unto outward unrebukableness according unto the Law an external conformity unto the Gospel It is called Legal not so much in respect of the means whereby it is wrought scil the Law for it is wrought not only by the Law but also by the Gospel but in respect of the state wherein the person is in whom it is wrought notwithstanding preparatory repentance namely under the Law and not under grace Under this Work of preparatory Repentance the soul is troubled for sin Sick of sin Contritio non salutaris Salutaris Vrsin Cat. Matth. 9.12 Consesseth its sin Matth. 27.4 Vomits it up 2 Pet. 2.22 Abstains from the external Commission of it Escapes the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 Reformeth its conversation so as not to omit any external known duty commanded Matth. 19.20 Nor to walk in the practise of any external known sin forbidden either in Law or Gospel Phil. 3.6 Notwithstanding Preparatory Repentance worketh not any change of the heart yet there are in it and accompanying of it certain inward workings that do dispose to a change Ignorance is taken away by illumination pleasure in sin is abated by sorrow for sin that is trouble of conscience Boldness in sinning is abated by the fear of punishment whence followeth a kind of abating the contumacy of the will like a stone that is broken though it yet remains a stone Conceitedness in our own strength is diminished by the sense of our lost condition False confidence by the conviction of the righteousness of Jesus Christ Ministerial and preparatory hope of the change of the heart by grace is increased by our restlesness in our present condition and occasioning an application of our selves to the obtaining of mercy in the use of means Lostness is a principal part of Preparatory Work A lost Estate whereby the soul besides the Work of the Law is further made sensible of its perishing condition by the common work of the Gospel So revealing Jesus Christ to be believed in as withall convincing the soul of the loss of its own righteousness the want of the righteousness of Jesus Christ together with its inability and enmity to believe repent do or desire any good whereby the soul is yet more meetly disposed for the wayting for receiving of and magnifying of received merey Lostness is either taken for the perishing condition of the soul or for the sensibleness of this perishing condition as it is in this place If lostness be taken for the perishing condition of the soul so all are lost by reason of sin whether they are sensible or insensible of it The reprobate totally and finally In this sence Judas is called the Son of perdition John 17.12 That is one justly designed to everlasting perdition or destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genetivus notat finem Piscat in loc i. e. Electos sibi datos a patre qui peri erant non minus quam reprobi per peccatum Piscat in Luc. 19.10 Anal. Mat. 18.11 Schol. Spanh probat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. oves perditas domus Israel ad quas Christus missus est esse Electos Exercit. de gratiâ Annot. in Sect. 18. as they used to say a Son of death So Antichrist is called the Son of perdition 2 Thes 2 3. The Beast is said to go into perdition Revel 17.8 Thus all that perish under the light of the Gospel are said to be lost 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost The Elect are totally but not finally lost Totally in respect of their sin and perishing condition for sin We were by nature the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2.3 But not finally in respect of Gods gracious purpose to them and their relation to him in the everlasting Covenant therefore
and a conditional Promise in particulur If you beleeve you shall be saved Mark 16.16 3. God doth seriously invite beseech and charge them all to beleeve 4. Their beleeving is a high honour pleasure and service done unto Christ above all the dishonour and grief that their unbelief and sin hath been or can be unto him 'T is a greater honour unto them hereby to crown him with his Crown of Glory then to be crowned by him with the Crown of tender Mercy 5. That if they do beleeve in him they shall be saved 6. Notwithstanding the wholesom use even in this place of the Doctrine of the Decree in general yet as they cannot make application of it in particular for them so neither ought they to make application of it in particular against them but to look unto their duty which is to beleeve 7. 'T is a sin for any to beleeve they are not elected and therefore they shall not beleeve 8. As such who live under the Gospel have a ministerial hope Jer. 2.25 Ephes 2.12 Heb. 3.7 Isai 56.3 the Gentiles were far off the Jews were nigh so such to whom God doth not only offer Salvation in the Ministry but moveth upon their hearts by his Spirit they have a preparatory hope Isai 55.6 Psal 27.8 32.6 95.7 8. Acts 2.38 39. 2 Cor. 6.2 Ephes 2.17 9. According as the Preparatory Work doth kindly proceed it admitting degrees so their preparatory hope if you please by that name to let it be distinguished from the ministerial hope before mentioned is encreased Zech. 9.11 12. Mark 12.34 10. The Soul measurably prepared looking unto and thirsting after Christ Jesus as propounded in the Gospel in the diligent use of means is in respect of preparatory work nextly disposed and immediately called to beleeve 11. There can be no Example found in the whole Scripture that ever God forsook such a Soul which did not first forsake him Self-encouragements from qualifications are Legal and therefore please us best Encouragements according to truth are Evangelical and therefore will help us best Error in it self tends not to our furtherance nor Truth to our hinderance Truth is a far better encouragement then Error That there is before faith hope in the use of means and ordinarily not otherwise encourageth unto diligence and deters from negligence That before faith there is not certainty leaveth place for legal humiliation and the spirit of bondage and bloweth upon the glory of all flesh without Christ Hereby the Soul however qualified justifieth God if he sheweth no mercy Mar. 16.16 John 3.16 Revel 3.20 2 Tim. 2.25 Aug. l. 5. de Pers cap. 16. Cavendū est igitur vè dū timeamus vè tepescat hortatio extinguatur oratio accendatur elatio waiteth under the If you beleeve of the Gospel for mercy magnifieth God for free and undeserved mercy being made partaker thereof It is not an inconsiderable part of this Cause that was acted by Augustine one thousand two hundred years since though more tacitly and in its principles where he used that approved speech of his We must take heed lest whilest we fear our Exhortation being cooled Prayer be damped and Pride inflamed That the Soul in measure prepared called immediately to beleeve wait in the use of means with preparatory hope under the If you beleeve of the Gospel for Christ as acting by his special grace to ingenerate faith whereby the Soul passively receives him and whence through assisting grace it may by the act thereof come unto him is the method of the Gospel ought to be the direction of the Ministry and course of the Soul being Christs own way and therefore the most hopeful and most speedy way for the attaining of faith and salvation thereby CHAP. IX Of the first Object of Saving Faith IN the Discussing and clearing of this truth concerning the Object of Faith Consider 1. What an Object in general is 2. The Distribution of the Object of Faith 3. What the special and primary Object of Saving Faith is 4. The Order of Faith 5. That it is the duty of all to believe 6. The Difficulty of believing 7. The Means and Manner whereby Faith is wrought 8. Some principa Motives to believe An Object properly so called An Object in general What Objectum est circa quod res vel rei operatio versatur The Distinction of the Object of Faith is that about which the operation of a thing is primarily excercised and unto which it is of it self naturally ordered and directed So Truth is the Object of the understanding Good is the Object of the Will The Object of Faith is either universal scil the whole revealed Will of God Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Or special scil the Gospel or revealed saving Will of God and this is either Primary viz. God himself Father Son and Holy Ghist and Jesus Christ God-man propounded with a Command to believe 1 John 3.23 And a Promise of Salvation to them that do belieeve Mark 16.16 Or Secondary namely The good obtained by believing which because it is contained in the promises therefore the promises are called the Secondary Object of Faith As a Spouse is first married to the person i. e. her Husband before she enjoyeth any conjugal communion with him so we first by faith receive the Person of Christ before we are made partakers of the benefits of Christ bestowed upon believers Union precedes communion God and Christ are the Object of our Faith the Benefits following upon Christ received are the effect and end of our faith The Special Primary What the Special and Primary Object of Saving Faith is and next Object of saving Faith may briefly be conceived under this Proposition viz. Jesus Christ a Saviour to all believers and consequently unto me believing The Special and Primary Objects of saving Faith more largely considered is that gracious Truth and Testimony of God concerning Christ whereby he is tendered as a free and sufficient Saviour to every one that heareth and receiveth it with a Command to believe and a Promise That whosoever believeth shall be saved This Proposition concerning the Object of Faith containeth in it these particulars 1. That the Merit of Christ is all sufficient i. e. of sufficent virtue to have saved all men 2. That God doth seriously tender Jesus Christ as a sufficient Saviour to all unto whom the sound of the Gospel cometh 3. That every one that heareth the tender of the Gospel is bound to believe 4. That all that hear the Gospel are Ministerially equally capable of believing 5. That whosoever believeth shall be saved This Truth concerning Christ about which saving Faith is firstly and immediately exercised is by judicious Divines properly called the Object of Faith the Gospel Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved The Testimony 1 John 5.11
electione fides electorum tantū Spanh exer de grat resp ad erot 24. Nam in Dei Decreto haec reciprocātur Christus mortuus est pro credentibus soli sunt credentes pro quibus Christus mortuus est Rhetorf de grat ex 2. c. 2 Twiss de erratis lib. 3. errat 8. S. 2. that is in this present general defection of the whole Nation there is a remnant a portion of Jews made the people of God by effectual vocation according to the Election of grace Faith and vocation in which is faith are expresly mentioned as the effects of election And as many as were ordained to Eteraal life believed Acts 13.48 Called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Other faith will not save the many who are only otherwise called are not amongst those few that are chosen Gods willing the futurition of all things is the cause of all things therefore Election which is his will to have mercy of which mercy faith is a part must needs be the cause of mercy which is the whole and consequently of faith which is a part of the whole 1 Pet. 1.20 I obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful 1 Cor. 7.25 2 Tim. 1.9 Redemption is the meritorious cause of faith God according to Order of Justice hath bound himself for Christs sake to give faith unto the Elect Iesa 53.10 Because the active and passive obedience of Christ was not only satisfactory but meritorious both of grace and glory But redemption is the effect of election that which is the cause of the cause is the cause of the effect following from that cause In Gods Decree those two Propositions reciprocate that is they are true both ways for Wards and Backwards Christ died for believers and believers only that is such as are or shall be believers are those for whom Christ died The Elect and Believers are reciprocated that is All that are elected do or shall believe And all that do or shall believe are elected CHAP. XI What is the first saving gift actually applied unto an Elect Soul THe Person of Jesus Christ Mediator together with his Spirit whereof Faith is a principall part is the first saving gift actually applyed unto an elect person All Beleevers have received both the Person of Christ and the Spirit of Christ The Person of Christ Job 1.12 Col. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.12 Rom. 8.32 1 Cor. 6.15 Heb. 3.14 The Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 10. 2 Cor. 13.5 They receive not his Person without his Spirit nor his Spirit without his Person but both his Person and his Spirit together For the clearing of this Proposition consider 1 What the Person of Christ is 2 What the Spirit of Christ is 3 Why it is called the Spirit of Christ 4 Why Faith is called a principal part of the Spirit of Christ 5 What it is to receive the Person of Christ and what it is to receive his Spirit 6 The Arguments concluding the Proposition By the Person of Christ we are to understand God viz. What the Person of Christ is The second Person in the Trinity and man Mediator in one and that an increated Person By the Spirit of Christ What the Spirit of Christ is we are to understand the universal habitual created frame of inherent saving grace The whole body of renewed saving qualities The saving gifts of the Spirit And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 It is called life Rom. 8.10 The Spirit is Life because of Righteousnesse The Spirit of the command and promise is Life The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 i.e. The divine qualities of the mind resembling the Nature of God The seed remaining 1 Joh. 3.9 The Image of God consisting of righteousnesse and true holinesse i.e. Of conformity of the understanding and will or the spirit of obedience unto both Tables Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Created in the soul the second time The new man Eph. 4.24 The new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Here distinguish between the increated Spirit which is the Author the created transient gracious motion of the Spirit which is the efficient cause and saving grace which is the permanent effect thereof It is called the Spirit of Christ Why is it called the Spirit of Christ First Because the Holy Spirit to which the work of saving grace is eminently ascribed notwithstanding it be equally wrought by all the three Persons of the Trinity proceedeth not only from the Father but also from the Son Joh. 14.26 15.26 Gal. 4.6 Secondly Because the motion of the Spirit upon the soul is from Christ as a Head the same individual action proceeds both from the three Persons whose works upon the creature are undivided and from Christ as a Head In the actions of Christ as a Head the whole person acts in way of office the Divine nature principally the Humane nature instrumentally Thirdly Because Christ hath merited the effectual operation of the Spirit Joh. 16.14 15. Fourthly Because the Spirit works according to the wil of Christ Joh. 5.21.26 Joh. 15.26 Fifthly Because the Spirit which we receive in measure is the same in kind with the Spirit which Christ as man received out of measure 1 Cor. 6.17 The soule by faith receiveth the person really and objectively but not personally it were blasphemy so to affirm that is How the soul by faith receiveth the Person of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it apprehends the Person of Christ the immediate object of faith is Christ himself the Divine nature is in the three Persons essentially The second Person of the Trinity dwelleth in the Manhood personally The Spirit is in the Beleever energetically or operatively that is by its saving effects That by faith the soule receiveth the Person of Christ appeareth thus from the nature of Faith whose very being consists in receiving of Christ To receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour is of the form of faith and principally differenceth it from other saving grace wherewith in respect of its next matter it agreeth we may as well deny a man to be a reasonable creature as deny that the soul by faith receiveth Christ hence faith is called a receiving of Christ John 1.12 Col. 2.6 As therefore by the act of faith the soule actively receiveth Christ so by the habit of faith the soul passively receiveth Christ This appears yet further from the nature of Relates Fides per se est qualitas sed ratione respectus ad objectum vecatur relatio Keck Log. Lib. 1. Sect. 1 cap. 12. faith and the object of faith that is Christ are Relates faith in it selfe considered is a quality but in respect of Christ the object thereof it is a Relate Relates necessarily affirm one the other they are together not onely in time and nature but in knowledge also the one cannot be known without the other as it is impossible to be a Son without an actuall respect unto a
in testimony that there was but one God comforts himself over his draught of poyson with the meditation of this very subject If I in this erre faith Cato majer that I beleeve the souls of men to be immortal I erre willingly neither will I ever suffer this errour in which I delight to be wrested from me as long as I live If heathens having a dark view and vain hope of the immortality of the soul were so remarkably though passionately affected what and how vigorous then should the effects be flowing from the strong and solid consolations of beleevers who infallibly though darkly see here what they shall hereafter both be and see cleerly Whom God hath wrought for the self-same end who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit Those are they who are and ought to be in Gods time willing to dye We are confident I say and willing c. 2 Cor. 5.8 Desirous to depart Phil. 1.23 groaning earnestly to be cloathed upon with that house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 Rejoycing in the finishing of their course Act 20.24 Yea triumphing over death 1 Cor. 15.55 How would it sweeten the bitter waters of this Wilderness to live and dye in the Mount in the sight of this Canaan unto the comparative speediness of Christs coming at the Resurrection when we shall enjoy the blessedness of our persons which yet in it self considered admits long delay mentioned by the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 10.37 as an effectual cordial against the sorrows of this present life Adde this consideration of the blessednesse of our souls which immediately follows upon our dissolution from the body and admits no delay the soul is not sooner out of this earthly than it is in its heavenly house it goeth as fast into a better as it goeth out of this miserable world it is instantly with him in whom it findes all rest upon its ceasing to be with man of whom it shall there find no want In a moment in the twinkling of an eye before the eyes of the dead body are closed the eye of the living soul shall behold the face of Jesus Christ Amen Even so come Lord Jesus A Table of the Chapters contained in this Treatise OF the Divine Essence Chap. 1. Page 1 Of the Trinity c. 2. p. 21 Of Christ c. 3. p. 35 Of the Decree c. 4. p. 50 Of the Efficiency of God c. 5. 9. 101 There are certain preparatory works coming between the carnall rest of the soul in the state of Nature and effectuall Vocation c. 6. p. 129 What are the principal heads whereunto the substance of preparatory work in the full extent thereof may be referred c. 7. p. 141 Whether there be any saving qualifications before the grace of faith viz. any such qualifications whereupon salvation may be certainly promised unto the person so qualified c. 8. p. 163 Of the first object of saving faith c. 9. p. 194 Saving faith is the effect of free special grace that is of grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and designed head of his Elect. c. 10. p. 219 What is the first saving gift actually applyed unto an elect soul c. 11. p. 249 The soul is passive in Vocation c. 12. p. 257 Of the union of the beleever with Christ c. 13. p. 283 Of Justification by faith c. 14. p. 297 Of the state of the blessed where Of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution and of their persons after the Resurrection c. 15. p. 327 An Alphabetical Table of the principal matters contained in this Book A. A Meer act what Ch. 1. Pag. 5 Acts of God of three sorts Essential personal mixt and what c. 2. p. 24 The same act both evitable and inevitable in a diverse sense c. 4. p. 64 The second act or exercise of grace what c. 12. p. 260 The act of faith not given before the habit in Vocation c. 12. p. 261 Adams sin how made ours c. 7. p. 142 143 Adjuncts of blessednesse c. 15. p. 342 We are inabled in Adam to beleave in Christ. c. 9. 202 203 204 Appellations of the three Persons in the Divine nature used in Scripture c. 2. p. 24 Ascertaining salvation before faith stands not with Christs Method in preaching the Gospel c. 8. p. 171 Attributes what c. 1. p. 3 Attributes how distinguished from the Divine Essence and one from another c. 1. p. 4 Attributes distributed c. 1. p. 4 Four Attributes of the beatifical object c. 15. p. 335 B. The Bands whereby Christ and the Beleevers are united c. 13. p. 288 289 The Beatifical Vision What. c. 15. p. 229 230. In it three things considered c. 15. p. 230 Qualified sinners onely invited immediately to Beleeve proved by Scripture and by Types c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Reasons c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Examples c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Arguments moving to Beleeve c. 7. p. 158 This Proposition Whosoever Beleeveth shall be saved containeth a command and a particular conditional promise c. 8. p. 172 Why God commandeth them to Beleeve concerning whom hee hath decreed that they shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 How they have hope to Beleeve whom God hath decreed shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 Of the difficulty of Beleeving c. 9. p. 206 207. seq to 212 Beleevers receive both the Person and the Spirit of Christ c. 11. p. 249 Benignity of God what c. 1. p. 12 The society of the Blessed and wherein the good thereof consisteth c. 15. p. 346 347 The Blessednesse of the soul before and after the Resurrection in what respect the same and in what not the same c. 15. p. 352 353 Frequent consideration of the state of the Blessed usefull many wayes c. 15. p. 268 C. Calling extraordinary or ordinary c. 6. p. 130 Ordinary Calling mediate or immediate c. 6. p. ib. The universal efficiencie of the first cause and the subordinate efficiencie of the second cause consist together c. 5. p. 111. 114 The causes of union efficient c. 13. p. 285 Instrumental p. 285 The matter p. 286 The form 287 The end 291 Nothing falleth out beside the purpose of the first cause c. 4. p. 93 A Caution concerning fixing conversion to such a time c. 7. p. 162 In what sense there is no chance c. 5. p. 123 Some things in Scripture ascribed to chance deny not that all things are ordered by God c. 5. p. 123 124 Christ dyed for his when they were sinners c. 9. p. 215 Christ the cause of the application of the good of election but not of election c. 10. p. 225 Without union no communion c. 13. p. 291 292 The excellency of Communion flowing from union c. 13. p. 225 296 The content of the Communion of the blessed c. 15. p. 347 348 Sores of Composition seven which and what c. 1. p. 6 The Concourse of the
THE Orthodox Evangelist OR A TREATISE Wherein many Great EVANGELICAL TRUTHS Not a few whereof are much opposed and Eclipsed in this perillous hour of the Passion of the Gospel Are briefly Discussed cleared and confirmed As a further help for the Begeting and Establishing of the Faith which is in Jesus As also the State of the Blessed Where Of the condition of their SOULS from the instant of their Dissolution and of their Persons after their Resurrection By JOHN NORTON Teacher of the Church at Ipswich in New England For I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 LONDON Printed by John Macock for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley neer Lombard street 1654. Norton's Orthodox Evangelist To the Church and Inhabitants of Ipswich in New-England Grace and Peace in our Emanuel Worshipful Reverend and dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour PAuls desire to make known nothing but Christ unto the Corinths his Travail until Christ was formed in the Galatians with other like speeches of him that breathed nothing but Christ What were they else but the effects of that Savior-like disposition wherewith the Lord Jesus still inspires the Instrumental Saviours of Mount Sion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Ministerial Spirit rested not only upon that great Doctor of the Gentiles but also rests and acts in its measure in all the Ministers of the Gospel for the calling and compleating of the Elect until we all come to be a perfect man So as there is not to be found a more vigorous effusion of the Bowels of Jesus in any of the hearts of the children of men then is in the souls of the Ministry no bowels either of civil or natural relations exceed theirs the love of them is wonderful surpassing the love of Ionathan that passed the love of women By the unbosoming hereof as with a key the Apostle in his Epistle opens the heart of the Reader whilst the Colossians behold the spirit of the writer Col. 2.2 I would to God ye knew what great conflict I have for you Hence I hope in its measure is this present labor for the truths sake for your sake for the sake of any that in the Lord shall accept thereof and for conscience sake To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world to bear witness unto the truth So our Lord Jesus notwithstanding the Truth was that which the Jews then maligned and Pilate derided see the Spirit of Christ an Hypocrite and a Moralist the difference between piety Malignity and neutrality concerning the truth Nothing is more contended for nothing more contended against then the truth The Gospel truth as it is most dear to God so is it most oppugned by Satan As the Attribute of the Holy One is the Spirit of truth So the wicked one is called a lyar from the beginning Concerning it are the greatest thoughts of heart the most intense endeavors of Tongues Pens and Swords It being much more beloved of its followers then Life and more hated of its opposers then death Truth is the excellency of things where truth is there may be a bad action but where truth is not there cannot be a good action Paul supposeth a man may give his Body to be burned in a good cause and it profit him nothing 'T is not the suffering and the cause alone both suffering cause and Spirit must concur to make a Martyr In a bad cause it holds universally Who hath required these things at your hand Mans interpretation of the Scripture is not Gods mind but mans mistake To confess and suffer in testimony to an error is to be a false-witness not truths witness Pleaders for error not Pillars of the truth To add to the profession of error suffering for it is to add sin unto sin The latter error worse then the first Such sufferers are so far selfe-vassals not Christs Martyrs Such sufferings unto spoyling of goods bonds exile the wilderness or whatsoever are worse then lost a dead birth after sore travel is a double wo Such tears must be wept for again this ungodly sorrow is not to be undone without godly sorrow We may build and work but if it be Wood Hay Stubble we shall suffer loss our work must be burnt though our selves be saved yet as by fire The Scripture mentions Little children Children young-men men Fathers and a perfect man in Christ as concerning your selves unto whom the dreadful bond of office hath endebted me the weakest of many to make known unto you the truth of the Gospel what hath my soul longed or labored for more after your birth in Christ then that you should be not only Babes but men both sound and strong in the faith Sincere and distinct that Christ might not only be formed but perfected That you might not onely have a saving but a satisfactory knowledg of him in whom you beleeve The end of the Gospel is to be known the duty and disposition of the Beleever is to know Even Fundamental Truths which have been the same in all generations have been and shall be transmitted more clear from age to age in the times of Reformation until that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect be done away Vid. Greynaei praefat locis com Zeged praefix pag. 5. The truth held forth is the same though with more of Christ and less of man Such addition is no innovation but an illustration not new light but new sight The looking glass slurred and cleared more or less is the same glass Columbus did not make a New World when he made a new discovery of the old World Truth wants so much of its glory as it is unseen The understanding wants so much of its perfection as it is short in seeing thereof The Members of the New man have their joynts joynts not fully set are painful and less useful All unbeleif is presumption not faith which hinders nourishment and genders humor Grace Glory and Glorification hold proportion with the truth Though knowledg may be without grace yet there can be no grace without knowledg According to the measure of our approach to an exact total and Adequate Union of the understanding with the truth of the Gospel So is the glory of the truth beleeved and the Communion of the Soul beleeving Men need strong meat at well as Babes need Milk though he who is but a Babe hath not the knowledg of a man yet he that is a Babe labours after the knowledg of a man Babes rest not in being Babes I have endeavored to say something that might entertain the stronger yet so as I hope I have scarce said any thing that weaker capacities may not with due attention attain unto Solid meat
his ordinary Dispensation of the Gospel calleth not sinners as sinners but such sinners i. e. qualified sinners immediately to believe FOr the better handling this Position it may be convenient to observe the following Method 1. Premise some distinctions 2. Describe preparatory work 3. Prove the Point by Texts of Scripture by Types of Conversion by Reason by Examples 4. Satisfie some principal Objections The term preparatory nothing works so fore-going Distinct 1. as that they imply conversion to follow after is to be considered either in respect of God so only those common works which are in the Elect are preparatory i. e. properly preparatory because in them only vocation or conversion followeth thereupon Or in respect of us and so these common works in all are preparatory yet in the judgment of charity only Forasmuch as we are to hope concerning all where we see them that they are the fore-runners of conversion and till conversion we can but hope concerning any the Secret of Gods intention touching this or that person in particular being not revealed until vocation The first may be called Preparatory in respect of Gods intention the second in respect of the judgment of charity Preparatory Work is said to be so Distinct 2. either by way of meer order asserted by the Orthodox according to the Scriptures or by way of Causation Merit and Congruity asserted by the Papists and Arminians contrary to the Scriptures Calling Distinct 3. is either extraordinary as in Elect Infants dying in their Infancy or ordinary Of this last the question speaks Ordinary calling to believe Distinct 4. is either mediate or immediate Mediate when we are called to believe yet so as that some other duty or duties are to be done before we can believe thus all are called to believe that live under the Gospel Immediate when we are not only called to believe but the very next duty we are called unto is to believe so are all they called to believe that living under the Gospel are in measure preparatorily i. e. in respect of Ministerial capacity nextly disposed thereunto By preparatory Work Preparatory Work What we understand certain inherent qualifications coming between the carnal rest of the soul in the state of sin and conversion wrought in the Ministry both of the Law and Gospel by the common work of the Spirit concurring whereby the soul is put into a Ministerial capacity of believing immediately i. e. of immediate receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ Before sinners are invited immediately to believe Arguments from Scripture they must be such sinners qualified sinners 1. Sinners that are sensible of sin as appeareth from these Scriptures Matth. 9.13 Mark 2.17 Luke 5.31 32. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance He came not to call all sinners for the righteous here mentioned are sinners but such sinners sick sinners the Text can admit no other interpretation Sensible of their death in sin Rom. 7. For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandement came sin revived and I dyed And the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death Paul was dead before though he thought otherwise but now he is sensible of his death he found that he was dead Sensible of their bondage both in respect of the guilt and power of sin Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The state of bondage was alwayes until faith the Spirit of bondage signifieth the sensibleness of that bondage We must distinguish between the state of bondage and the Spirit of bondage Sensible of their want of Christ Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Thirst doth not only signifie a want of water but a sensibleness of that want Luke 15.14 17. And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in the Land he began to be in want And when he came to himself he said how many hired servants in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger Hunger especially such hunger doth not signifie only a want of bread but a sensibleness of that want Sensibleness of a lost estate Luke 15.32 For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found The elder brother was in a lost i. e. a perishing estate as is also every irregenerate Son of Adam but the younger brother was lost i. e. Sensible of his lost estate Lostness signifieth that a man is out of the way perceiveth that he is out of the way and also that he cannot find the way i. e. cannot believe repent desire c. See more Chap. 7. under the Head of a lost estate 2. Sinners that are broken hearted Isai 61.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broken hearted and bruised Luke 4.18 That are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Sinners that are prisoners in a pit where is no water Zach. 9.11 Sensible of their misery and of their being destitute of any remedy The Prophet comparing the spiritual captivity of the soul to the corporal captivity of the Jews in Babylon sheweth That Christ finds the soul not only in a pit but in a waterless pit in a pit wherein there is no succour He will not mix his blood with our water Sinners that mourn in Sion Isai 61.3 The cable must be unreavelled before it can pass through the eye of a neédle so must the soul be broken before conversion Matth. 19.24 Believers as Abigail had Nabal before she had David have experience of two Husbands the Law and Christ But first of the tyrannical Dominion of the Law in respect of its rigour malediction and irritation before they are married unto Christ Rom. 7.1 3 4 T is not only a truth That the Elect uncalled are foolish things weak things base things despised things nothings but that they also see it so You see your calling Brethren 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. To this purpose the Apostle Gal. 3.24 The Law is our Schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ The Law is threefold Moral Ceremonial Judicial And answerably had a threefold Paedagogical or Schoolmasterly Discipline leading the soul unto Christ The Moral Law by its accidental direction as sickness occasioneth us to seek after the Physician The Ceremonial by direct signification and its duration The Judicial by its distinction of the Nation of the Jews from all other Nations and likewise by its duration This Schoolmasterly Discipline of the Ceremonial and Judicial Law is ceased with the Laws themselves but that of the Moral Law still remains by convincing of sin denouncing of the curse making us to despair in respect of our selves and so enforceth us to seek for help out of our selves in Jesus Christ So John preached Matth. 3.2 Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand So Christ preached Matth.
4.17 Mark 1.15 thereby explaining and confirming John's Doctrine of preparatory repentance before believing which is also further cleared and proved Matth. 21.32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not but the Publicans and Harlots believed him And ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might believe So Peter preached Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted So Paul preached Acts 26.20 but shewed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the Coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance The second Head of Arguments to prove preparatory work Arguments from Types is taken from the proportion that this work of special Providence viz. Conversion the thing figured holdeth with those Works of Gods more common Providence which were types and figures thereof For the right use and prevention of the abuse of Arguments taken from types and figures it is requisite that we keep in mind these three Cautions 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signum rei futurae 1 Cor. 10.11 That we inform our selves concerning the nature of a Type namely that it is a person action or thing whether having or not having any physical aptness thereunto by divine institution appointed and declared to signifie testifie and oft times to exemplifie some spiritual truth 2. That we allow not any person action or thing Allegoria non ex legantis voluntate sed ex scribentis Authoritate est intelligenda Hieron in Gal. 4. to be a Type but what from the Scripture appears so to be No Allegory is to be grounded upon the will of the Reader but upon the authority of the Writer 3. That our arguing from thence be adequate to the intent of the Spirit in the Scripture neither more nor less nor otherwise These Cautions premised the Types themselves follow Isaac born of Sarah ninety years of age with whom it now had long ceased to be after the manner of women Gen. 18.11 her womb was dead in respect of conception Rom. 4.19 so as no one would have said that Sarah should give children suck Gen. 21.7 Isaac I say thus born of this Sarah was a Type of the Regeneration and Conversion of the Elect Gal. 4.28 29. As therefore the birth of Isaac was not by the strength of Nature like Ishmaels of Hagar but by virtue of the Promise after a supernatural manner upon sensibleness of barrenness and impotency to such a birth foregoing thereunto So seemeth it to be according to ordinary dispensation proportionably and in measure with every one that is born of the Spirit in respect of their new birth The Deliverance of Israel out of Egypt figured the Deliverance of the Elect from sin witness the Institution of the Passover see also Ezek. 16. Hosea 2.14.15 The state of servitude of the Hebrew servants Exod. 21. figured our subjection unto sin under the Law Rom. 6.6 16 17. The seventh year and the Jubilee figured our spiritual liberty in Gods accepted time by the effectual grace of Christ Isai 61.2 Luke 4.18 19. John 8.32 36. An Israelite stung with the fiery Serpent and healed by looking to the brazen Serpent was a figure of a man stung with sin the fruit of the old Serpent and cured by faith in Jesus Christ Numb 21.8 John 3.14 As Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wild rness so must the Son of man be lifted up Cyrus setting the Jews at liberty from the Babylonish Captivity of whom the Prophet thus speaks Isai 45.1 13. I have raised him up in righteousness and I will direct all his ways he shall build my City and he shall let go my captives not for price nor râ—â—rard saith the Lord of Hosts was a figure of Christ opening the prison to them that are bound and seting them free from the bondage of sin and Satan of whom the same Prophet Chap. 42.6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and I will hold thine hand and will keep thee and wiâ— give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house See also Isai 61.1 Ezek. 37. Zach. 2.11 and 9.11 and 10.9 As therefore God brought not the children of Israel out of Egypt without letting them have experience of their state of bondage and that for many years and such whereby their lives were made bitter unto them Exod. 1.14 Neither was the Hebrew servant set free without some sense of his corporal servitude Nor was the brazen Serpent lift up unto the Israelite stung with the fiery Serpent before some feeling of his sting sin and incurableness thereby Nor was the Babylonish Captivity loosed without seventy years experience thereof and that in such a degree as they say their hope is lost and they are cut off for their parts before they are delivered Ezek. 37.11 So that there be some analogy and answerableness between the Type and the Anti-type the figure and the thing figured It cannot be expected according to the ordinary dispensation of God that the Soul should be made partaker of the liberty of the Gospel by faith in Christ Jesus without some foregoing sense of the bondage servitude sting and captivity of sin and the Curse So hath this Proposition been made good by plain Texts and Types that is by Scripture both proper and typical The third sort of Arguments follow from Reason The first whereof is taken from The good pleasure of God and Christ to proceed unto Vocation according to this order 'T is in the works of Grace Reason 1. as we ordinarily see in the works of Nature Natura non facit saltum God proceeds not immediately from one extream unto another but by degrees They that be whole have no need of a Physician but they that are sick but go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 9.12 13. Here Christ the only Physician of Souls so cures his Elect as that by the common work of the Spirit he maketh them sick before by the saving work of the Spirit he maketh them well He first maketh them to feel the need of a Physician before he succours them according to their needs There seems to be little or no joy in Heaven for that Convert on Earth who was never sensible of his need of repentance Luke 15.7 Christ professeth he came not to call the Righteous The very Elect then whom yet Christ in his order came not only to call externally but also effectually whilest righteous in their own conceit and insensible of their sin he calleth not immediately to beleeve but first calleth them to sensibleness of their sin to repentance c. then calleth them nextly to
ver 10. Had an high esteem of Jesus Christ ver 3.46 Those three thousand Acts 2. ver 37. were pricked in their heart ask what they shall do The like may be observed in the Jaylour Acts 16.29 30. Paul before his conversion was sensible of his sin and death Rom. 7.9 justifieth the Law ver 12. saw the loss of his own righteousness and his need of the righteousness of Christ Phil. 37.8 To this purpose we may read of others else where 'T is certain That many of those who have been converted have had experience of a preparatory work fore-going the conversion but it cannot be proved out of the Scripture That any who have attained unto years of discretion have been converted without some experience thereof Object 1. Objection satissied There is no use of preparatory work because there is no saving work to be wrought upon the Elect which God cannot work without it Answ Were this Objection good there would follow a total uselesness-of any second cause or fellow-creature towards the producing of any effect 2. Not God's Absolute but his Ordinate Power i. e. The common Course of his special Providence is the ordinarily Rule of his proceeding with man the Exercise of his Power is regulated by his Will God is Omnipotent he can do whatsoever he will but he is not Omnivolent he will not do whatsoever he can Obj. 2. Preparatory work seemeth to darken the freeness of grace Ans Preparatory works precede vocation in way of order not in way of causality God giveth Christ after them as the way not for them as the cause Preparatory work is the effect of free common grace as saving work is the effect of free special grace It can therefore be no more prejudice unto grace then a free way is unto a free thing whereunto it is the way No more then freedom prejudiceth freedom i. e. No more then a free act of an inferiour nature prejudiceth a free act of a superiour nature It doth no whit touch it in it self it in many respects cleareth it but no way darkeneth it unto us Obj. 3. The Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 that were Idolaters Adulterers Abusers of themselves with mankind received Christ yet we read of no preparatory qualification mentioned Therefore there was no preparatory work Ans It is not said so therefore it was not so is no good consequence 'T is a frequent thing in the Scripture to mention the thing done without mentioning the manner of the doing of that thing Psal 33.9 David speaks of the Creation yet is silent of the Order of creating Matth. 1.2 We read that Abraham begat Isaac but of the manner of his begetting him viz. By faith not considering his own body now dead Rom. 4.19 c. There is no mention Exod. 20.1 The Holy Ghost records the deliverance of Israel out of the Land of Egypt the manner of it namely by signes and wonders and by an out-stretched arme is wholly omitted 'T is in this case between the thing done and the manner of the doing thereof as between the Sacrament instituted and the Order of the institution The Sacrament is sometimes mentioned where the Order of the institution is not observed 1 Cor. 10.16 As therefore he that would inform himself of the Order of the Institution and Administration of the Elements in the Supper is not to learn it from those Texts where though the matter be recited yet the Doctrine of the Order is not held forth so he that would instruct himself concerning Preparatory Work in order to conversion is not to look unto those places where though the work of conversion be recorded yet the teaching of Preparatory Work is not intended but unto such Scriptures where the Doctrine of Preparatory Work is purposely taught Obj. 4. Jeremiah was sanctified before he came out of his Mothers womb Jer. 1.5 John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers womb Luke 1.15 when they were both uncapable of Preparatory Work Ans Jeremiah's Sanctification from the Womb may be understood not of any actual but only an intentional separation of him to office as Paul speaks in like manner of himself Gal. 1.15 If we understand it actually it seemeth to be but an actual separation of him to the Office of a Prophet By the Holy Ghost whereby John was filled from the Womb we may well understand not the gift of saving grace but eminent gifts of Office to fit this Eliah for that high service whereunto he was appointed Whether we understand by the sanctification of Jeremiah and by the filling of John with the Holy Ghost the grace or gifts of office or the gifts of saving grace The Dispensation of God unto them was extraordinary not ordinary and so teacheth not the question Only in John we clearly see God not only can but doth even in Infants work in a secret manner by his Spirit when he pleaseth CHAP. VII What are the Principal Heads whereunto the Substance of Preparatory Work in the full Extent thereof may be referred IN Answer to this Question Consider 1. What Preparatory Work taken in its Extent is 2. What Parts thereof are wrought by the Ministery of the Law 3. What Parts thereof are wrought by the Ministery of the Gospel 4. Some Cases of Conscience concerning Preparatory Work Preparatory Work taken in its full Extent is the whose frame of inherent Qualifications coming between the Rest of the Soul in the State of Nature and Vocation wrought distinctly and in measure in the Ministery both of the Law and Gospel by the common work of the Spirit concurring therewith whereby the Soul is put into a next disposition or Ministerial Capacity of believing immediately i. e. Of immediate receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ The Parts of Preparatory Work wrought by the Ministery of the Law are 1. Conviction of the Holiness of the Law 2. Conviction of Sin 3. Conviction of Guilt 4. Concluding of the Soul under sin and guilt 5. Conviction of the Righteousness of God in case he should punish us for our sins 6. Inexcusableness 1. The Conviction of the Holiness and Spiritualness of the Law is that Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul is enlightened to see the Conformity of the Command unto the Will of God whether we understand by command the Precept concerning the not eating of the Tree of Life or the Decalogue prescribed unto man in innocency as the rule of life and manners Therefore called the Moral Law or any other Commandement of God Ceremonial Judicial or whatsoever This conviction is called the coming of the Commandement Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed It causeth a Doctrinal Approbation thereof The Law is h ly and the Commandement holy and just and good The Precept is holy the Curse is just the Promise is good I consent unto the Law that it is good 2. Conviction of Sin is the conscience
that necessary and infallible connexion with Eternal life whence salvation may be certainly promised to the person so qualified Or Saving Qualifications are taken improperly First Causally viz. instrumentally for the external means whereby a saving work is wrought so that act of hearing the Word by which faith is begotten in the heart is called saving 2. In respect of the purpose of God and so all previous dispositions intended by God as preparative unto a saving work afterwards to be wrought by him are by some called saving But we are to know that a saving work in the two last sences neither being saving properly nor having a personal promise of salvation made thereunto and therefore indeed is no saving work falleth not under the compass of this question By Faith we are to understand the Faith of Gods Elect which we ordinarily call justifying or saving Faith Concerning the varity of judgements The various judgements concerning the question touching the relation that qualifications before faith have unto conversion Some erre on the one hand with the Enthusiasts not giving them their due by denying any preparatory use of them more on the other by giving them too much we all being prone thereunto by reason of that legal self the remainders of which are yet dwelling in us Albeit we take so much from Christ as we overgive to them whose differing tenets together with their gradual aberrations from the truth and defections even unto the Pelagian heresie it may not be unprofitable in this place to take a brief notice of beginning with the last Pelagius affirmed that man merited grace by the Works of Nature Acta Scripta Synod Art 3 4. The Missilienses by Prosper called the reliques of Pelagians and commonly Semi-Pelagians affirmed that man by previous dispositions performed by the strength of nature obtained grace as a reward The Papists teach Bellarm. de Justif l. 1. c. 2 Zeged sum doct Papist That there are certain pre-requisite and preparatory Dispositions that merit the infusion of grace and justification which to them is the same and more then conversion is with us with the merit of congruity The Arminians taxe the Orthodox Acta Scripta Synod ubi supra Pemble alii for asserting all acts before faith to be sin and teach that there is in a man not regenerate that is vvithout faith a hunger and thirst after righteousness a hatred of sin and such other like acts which ought to be accounted acceptable unto God unto the communicating of further grace that to all such God giveth sufficient grace to believe and leaveth it in the power of such a soul vvhether it will believe or not Others vvith vvhom the fore-mentioned are not to be named reverend learned judicious and pious though they justly abhor the tenets of the fore-mentioned yet seem to teach that there are some qualifications before faith that are saving vvhereunto faith and salvation may be ascertained This tenet religiously premising all due reverence and high esteem in the Lord unto the persons This discourse I hope in the Spirit of Christ craveth leave to examine and also to propound the following considerations for the negative alvvays asserting That it is our duty to encourage orderly to the uttermost to believe in Christ and to hold forth the increase of hope according as the preparatory work doth increase yet not so far as certainly to promise faith or salvation or to deny yea or not to teach the soul before faith however qualified to be the object of and to lye under the si credideris that is the If you believe of the Gospel So as it remains a truth concerning the Soul yet without faith however qualified that if God shevveth it mercy it is free and meer mercy if he doth not shevv it mercy he doth it no vvrong and that his purpose to shevv or not to shevv mercy thereto is yet unrevealed Texts of Scripture against ascertaining Salvation to any qualifications before faith Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall not be damned John 3.34 He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Heb. 11.6 But without faith it is impossible to please God 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves Know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life John 15.5 For without me you can do nothing Rom. 8.9 Now if any have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Mat. 7.17 18. Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt 1 Cor. 13.2 3. And though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Which charity they that are without justifying faith have not it being the effect thereof Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death To assert the death of sin before the in-dwelling Spirit of Christ Jesus is to assert the effect before the cause So of the Scriptures the Arguments follow Arg. 1. To promise salvation before faith and consequently before Christ holds not correspondency vvith the rest of Gods Dispensation of his Acts of grace who so orders the administration thereof as that Christ may have the preheminence in all things Which appeareth by the follovving induction of some particulars God his love to his viz. Election is in Christ Ephes 1.4 The Meritorious Procuring of the effects of this love to be applyed viz. Redemption was wrought by Christ In the first actual application of this Love by effectual Vocation the Soul passively receiveth Christ by the infused grace of faith for unto Dr Ames putting the Souls passive receiving of Christ before the active I fully consent and conceive it manifest that the nature and very form of faith consisting in receiving of Christ it thence followeth that if the Soul acting faith that is by the second act of faith receiveth Christ actively then by the grace of faith viz. by the first act it receiveth Christ passively If then Gods Love to his be in Christ the meritorious procuring the effects of this Love to be applyed be by Christ the first actual application of this Love be the receiving of Christ judg whether it be agreeable to that administration which giveth unto Christ the preeminence in all things that the revelation of this Love which is clearly
that which none denyeth namely that a Beleever is dead to sin before Marriage-union between Christ and the Soul that is before the act of faith for Marriage-union is not without the act of faith on our part which also is acknowledged by them with whoÌ„ this discours argueth But it doth in no case affirm which must be carefully attended to that we are dead to sin before the grace of faith The death of sin is in order after the grace of faith in Vocation The infusion of faith and grace infers the death of sin the immediate effect thereof as the income of life expelled death in the Shunamites child 2 King 4. The Sum is That before our Marriage union with Christ I mean before in order of nature not in time there is first The grace of faith 1. The death of sin 3. The act of faith and this last according to your own grant before the act of faith is both the grace of faith and the death of sin Before the death of sin is the grace of faith Before the grace of faith nothing that is saving Obj. 2. Matth. 13.44 Selling all is placed before buying But by selling we are to understand parting with sin By buying believing Therefore there is a saving Qualification viz. Selling of all or parting with sin before faith Ans In answer to this Objection it will be convenient First to distinguish the terms viz. selling of all or parting from sin which may be applicable and useful for the resolving of sundry other occasional objections and afterwards speak to the Text. The souls selling of all or parting from sin is either before faith viz. Preparatory or Legal so called not always from the means namely the Law by which such a parting with sin is wrought but also from the state of the soul still continuing under the Law notwithstanding any Gospel-work And it is nothing else but such a measurable conviction of the impotency and unprofitableness of all lusts and carnal confidences which the soul before counted gain as that novv it letteth them all go as loss so far as it ceaseth to live upon them any longer Rom. 11.24 Philip. 3.8 Matth. 18.25 Luke 15.14 17. It is the same in effect with a lost estate This preparatory parting from sin is either external consisting in the conforming of the outward man unto the practise of known duties and the restraint of the outward man from knovvn sin Philip. 3.6 2 Pet. 2.20 Or Internal consisting in the legal restraint of the invvard man from sin for this Restraint being understood savingly and properly is in appearance only but not in truth whether to our selves or others together with such spiritual gifts and enlargements as are wrought by the common Gospel-work of the Spirit Or else the souls parting with sin is after faith viz. saving which is threefold 1. Habitual namely the death of sin or destroying of the body of death Rom. 6.6 Chap. 7.14 which is wrought by the infusion of the Spirit of life in Vocation herein the soul is passive it being the immediate effect thereof as the in-come of life was the expelling of death in the Shunamites child Or as the cessation of darkness is the effect of light coming into the air Here is the cessation of the reign of sin 2. Repentance viz. Evangelical part of which consists in sorrow for sin as sin and aversness from sin as sin in which the soul is active 3. Mortification which is a part of Sanctification wherein the soul is also active The Distinction premised the Text remains to be spoken to vvhich being a parable it is seasonable in the interpretation thereof to make use of that generally received and commanded Rule viz. That the principal Scope is to be attended the Metaphors not to be urged above what is consonant to other Scriptures where the same truth is taught in proper and simple terms Calvin Cartwright Junius Chemnitius Piscator Pareus in their Commentaries upon the place seem not to understand conversion to be the Scope of this Parable but rather that it intends the constancy of such who are already converted in the profession of the truth of the Gospel though they should be called to suffer the loss of all yea of life it self in testimony thereunto But be it supposed That Conversion is the Scope of this Parable and so the main intent thereof to be that the soul must part with all that maketh it preparatorily uncapable of believing before it can believe yet selling of all is to be understood of a preparatory not of a saving selling of all 1. Because Selling preparatorily fully answereth the Scope of the place 2. Because Selling savingly is the act of a living spiritual man vvhich none can be vvithout faith as selling civilly is the act of a natural living man Adde hereunto That it being supposed that by buying vve are to understand the first act of faith wherein the soul is active and by selling all a saving parting with sin which yet with due submission to better Judgements appeareth not to be the true meaning of the place yet even this interpretation concludes only a saving selling of all or parting with sin before the act of faith according to the sence of the distinction and as you may please to see therein which is not the matter here controverted but it doth not conclude any saving selling of all or parting with sin before the grace of faith which is the question The Sum of this Ansvver is The Text in that it is a Parable through our infirmity is the more apt to suffer by a mis-interpretation If it be taken in the first sence according to the Commentators above-mentioned it concerns not the question If taken in the latter sence whether selling of all be interpreted preparatorily or savingly it doth not conclude the question that is It doth in no sence hold forth a saving parting with sin before the grace of faith Obj. 3. Salvation is promised unto hungering thirsting poverty of spirit seeking repentance c. which are qualifications preceding faith therefore salvation may be promised to some qualification before faith Ans All Objections raised from these and the like promises vvhereof there are many in the Scriptures may receive a full answer by the right application of the distinction of qualifications into Preparatory or Legal vvhich go before faith And Saving or Evangelical vvhich follow faith intimated before in the beginning of the Answer to the second Objection Accordingly there is a Poverty Luke 4.18 Revel 3.17 A Hunger Luke 15.14 Isai 65.13 A Thirst Isai 65.13 A Seeking Luke 13.24 A Repentance Mark 1.15 Matth. 27.3 All without faith and in judgement of charity before faith viz preparatory poverty Poenitentia Legalis Poenitentia Evangelica Bucan loc 30. Poenitentia Interna salutaris Poenitentia Externa disciplinaris Spanh Exc. de grâ—â—â— Sect. 32. Sitis totalis indigentiae fruitionis complacentiae partialis Ames Coron Art 5. Recipiscentia
8. These qualifications before faith are saving in the Elect because God intends them as a means unto a saving work afterwards to be wrought infallibly by him in them in his accepted time Ans This Objection is already answered in the distinction of the Notion Preparatory in the explication of the terms where you may please to see it Thus to argue is as if you should thus speak God intends this work present in it self common unto which he hath made no promise of salvation as a means unto a further work Saving yet to come unto the which he hath promised salvation therefore this preparatory work present is saving Or as if in other words you should say God intends to do such a good therefore he hath done it God intends it therefore he hath promised it that is revealed his intent whereas the truth is God having but intended it therefore he hath not revealed it Who seeth not in this reasoning not only a Non-sequitur but an implyed contradiction The Event in a perfect birth sheweth that God intended the formation thereof when it was yet but an Embrio as preparatory unto the infusion of a reasonable soul But none will say This preparatory disposition of the matter for the infusion of the Soul was the infusion of the Soul it self nor could any man God not having yet signified his Intent in that respect have ascertained the after-infusion of the Soul into such conception It might in it self and to us have proved an abortion Exod. 21.22 Gods Intent that it should proceed to a perfect birth was only known to him the previous disposition of the matter was therefore from the first instant to him preparatory really but not so to us We must distinguish between Gods Intent Praedestinatio nibil penit in praedestinato Tho. 1. q. 23.2 and his execution of his Intent His Intent meerly causeth not any alteration in the creature only the execution thereof causeth an alteration therein his Intent is an immanent work the execution is a transient work his Intent is from Eternity the execution thereof is in time his Intent is himself intending as Election is God electing the execution thereof is a creature Obj 9. Vocation is not a sanctifying work Vocation is a saving work Therefore Every saving work is not a sanctifying work Ans Transeat The whole argument granted concludes not the present question The question is not Whether there be a saving work that is not a sanctifying work but Whether there be a saving work before the grace of faith If any notwithstanding the doctrine of many godly learned distinguishing sanctification into sanctification taken strictly and sanctification taken more generally yet judg faith not to be a part of sanctification they may please to consider the concurrence of our most able and godly Writers asserting the contrary in their Disputations against the Arminians together with the occasion of the Query and their Arguments leading them unto the Affirmative It may yet haply be said Where these qualifications are there may be a seed of faith This may be either supposeth faith where salvation is ascertained if so 't is that we defend and yeilds the Cause Or it supposeth salvation may be ascertained where faith is not Polan Synt. l. 9. c. 6. Ames Cor. Art 4. c. 4. Idem de Praepar pec ad conversionē Span. Ex. de gr erot 28. Credere in Christū non est motus successivus sed instantaneus Twiss l. 3. Errat 8. Sect. 1. which hath been disputed against and how far disproved let the Reader judg Or it supposeth a middle condition wherein the Soul neither hath faith nor is without faith as if faith were ex traduce which both the nature of faith and the concurring Judgment of the godly Learned refuse teaching regeneration and faith to be wrought in an instant not successively To beleeve in Christ saith Dr Twisse is not a successive but an instantaneous motion that is 't is wrought in an instant Query 1. What are the Inconsequences of the affirmative Tenet 1. Laedunt enim gratiam Dei in verbo Dei patefactam quotquot eam obsourant terminos ampliores quam Deo visum fuerit ipsi praefigunt Twiss de Elect. l. 1. par 2. sect 27. It obscures the grace of Christ For they saith Dr Twisse hurt the grace of God made known in his Word whosoever darken it and enlarge its bounds above what hath seemed good unto God 2. It denyeth the power of the Potter over a non-beleever thus qualified and so sins against the freedom of the Soveraignty of God and Christ in making God a Debtor of mercy before his time 3. It is a nourisher of spiritual pride teaching the Soul to think far more highly of it self then it ought to do in thinking it self to be in a safe way when it is in a perishing condition 4. It hinders the work of kindly humiliation in exempting the Soul thus qualified from looking at it self as indeed it ought to be prostrate at the feet of the good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus under the Sicredideris of the Gospel 5. If the Soul by parting with sin understandeth a saving parting therewith it holdeth it under an unwarrantable expectation teaching it to seek power to part from sin in that way sc without Christ wherein Wisdom professeth it is not to be had which is to seek the living amongst the dead 6. If by parting with sin the Soul understands a legal parting therewith it is a dangerous way to presumption thus it procrastinates the conversion of both and troubles the kindly conversion of many Witness their after spiritual sorrows and unsetlings for such former carnal considences when they come to be more clearly enlightened 7. Notwithstanding all scruples are always religiously and tenderly to be removed in any measure more or less questioning the work of faith by other gracious Truths dispensed at the same time with this Tenet yet since no Error is a medium of faith the Spirit of Truth refusing to mix with or work by mans untruth if the Proposition disputed against be found an Ercor it will also be found so far from being a help to faith as that the Spirit never did nor ever will work faith thereby Query 2. What Encouragement doth the Gospel hold forth unto a Soul under Preparatory Work before Faith 1. It is truth that every such Soul may be saved Sufficit ex parte objecti consideratio infiniti valoris meriti Christi ab dignitatem personae gravitatem passionum ex parte subjecti quod Deus ei copiam fecit omnium mediorum externorum quae electis Dei salvandis in Ecclesia adhiberi solent Spanh ex de grat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 2. The Gospel that is the free tender of Salvation by Jesus Christ a sufficient Saviour to every one that beleeves is to be holden forth to every such perishing Soul with a Command to beleeve 1 John 3.23
is generally affirmed to be a part of Sanctification Sanctification in Scripture is sometimes placed before Justification 1 Pet. 1.2 through sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Christ i. e. Justification and sometimes before the act of faith 2 Thes 2.13 Obj. 2. Acts 26.18 Wee are said to bee sanctified by faith therefore Sanctification followes faith if so neither can faith be a part of Sanctification nor can Sanctification be together in order of Nature with faith nor can it be before Justification Ans Though Sanctification taken strictly followes Faith we cannot therefore conclude the same of Sanctification taken largely The reason of the mistake of this Text is the omission of the Comma or note of distinction at the word Sanctified which saith Beza seemeth to have deceived Erasmus the putting of the Comma in that place according to the example of the Latine Translators joyns those words by faith to the Verb received and not to the participle sanctified which being done you have the sense as if you read the Verse thus That they may receive by faith in me remission of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Vide Calvin Beza in loc This sense is not only agreeable to the analagie of faith but also to the antient Greek Copies which as Beza testifieth are thus pointed Likewise with the sense of the like phrase of Luke the Pen-man hereof And to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Act. 20.32 This text then rightly understood sheweth the quality of those persons that shal obtaine the inheritance viz. that they are such who are sanctified and the manner how such qualified persons heretofore received remission of sins and hereafter shal receive the inheritance viz. by faith not by workes but of the manner how they came to be sanctified it speakes not at all Calvin doth not obscurely insinuate Sanctification sometimes to be used more generally oft-times more specially and in reference to the more general use thereof hee speakes thus God sanctifieth us by effectual calling of us Quod si istae sunt partes vel effectus Sanctificationis Calvin in 1 Pet. 1.2 aliter hic sanctificatio capitur quam saepe apud Paulum hoc est magis generaliter Sanctificat ergo nos Deus efficaciter nos vocando Chamier maketh Faith a part of Sanctification Faith it selfe saith the same Author elsewhere is by it selfe a part of Sanctification Agamus de Sanctificatione Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 10. c. 3 S 1. lib 22 c. 11. â— 5 primo quidem de perfectione deinde de partibus ejus nempâ— fide operibus Est enim sides ipsa per se pars Sanctificatienâ—s The habit of Faith is not before but a part of our Sanctification Pemble of the nature and properties of grace and faith p. 20. Ames Resp ad Grevinch de praedest c. 1. the habits of Grace are co-equal stemmes of one common root of inherent sanctity Pemble Faith saith Ames is a part of inherent sanctity of the Image of God according to which wee are renewed a member of the new Man Sanctitat is internae inhaerent is inchoatae vel naturae illius cujus participes sumus Divinae partem aliquam esse fidem liquidius est ex Natura imaginis Dei gratiae infusae gratiae gratum facientis virtutis denique Theol. spiritualis quam ut iis quidquam opponatur For there is no man but acknowledgeth Faith it selfe to be a part of our Sanctification Twiss de permiss l. 2. cr 4. Sect. 5. Spanhem exercit de grat universali Annot. in S. 13. Doct. Twisse Nam fidem ipsam Sanctificationis nostrae partem esse nemo non agnoscit Sanctification is taken strictly as it is distinguished from internal vocation or in its Latitude whereof that is of Sanctification in its Latitude Faith cannot be denied to bee an effect Spanhemius Quae verò à nobis de Sanctificatione dicta fuêre de Sanctificatione strictè ex usu Scholarum sie dicta prout à vocatione interna distinguitur intelligenda sunt sed de Sanctificatione sumpta in sua Latitudine cujus fidem effectum esse negari nequit c. Fides est primus acius primus fructus spiritus Sanctificantis The infused habit of Sanctification Rhetorf Survey of Antinomianisme c. 60. by order of Nature goeth before Justification Rhetorf As the affirmative is no way prejudicial to the analogy of faith tendeth to the exalting of Christ the abasing of man making the Soule not only passive in the receiving of faith but in the receiving the habits of all saving grace that is in respect of their whole conversion nor only of part thereof so there appeares no concluding reason for the contrary CHAP. XII The Soule is passive in Vocation FOr the clearing and confirming of this Proposition seven things are to be considered 1 What Vocation is 2 What it is for the Soule to be passive 3 What the Habit of Faith or any other Grace is 4 What the second act Life-operation or exercise of Faith or any other Grace commonly called the act is 5 The just distinction between the Habit and the second Act or exercise of Grace which is carefully to be observed 6 That the habit of Faith which also holds in any other Grace precedes the second Act or exercise thereof 7 That in receiving the habit the Soule is passive What Vocation is Vocation is the infusion of a principle of Life or as some speake of the solitary habit of Faith Vocation what in whose sense this Proposition also stands good and untouched by the Spirit into the lost Soule in measure sensible of its inability and enmity to beleeve repent or doe any good by the meanes of and together with the external call of the Gospel in which worke the Soule notwithstanding any preparatory worke is meerly passive i. e. a meere passive receiver This gracious and saving work of the Spirit infusing life into the Soule is called Vocation by a Metonymie i. e. a Figure naming the work it selfe by the name of the instrument and external meanes by which the Spirit works it What it is for the Soule to be passive What it is for the Soule to be passive Passivenesse or suffering is either Perfecting tending to the good and perfection of the subject so the Creature which before was nothing suffered in receiving its being the Life-lesse body of Adam when it was made alive the Soule of Nebuchadnezzar when his reason returned to him Or Corruptive Passio Perfectiva Corruptiva Keck Phys lib. 3. c. 16. tending to the hurt and destruction of the subject so the Creature suffers in being made subject to vanity the body of Adam putrifying in the grave and the Soul of Nebuchadnezzar when it was depriv'd of reason The passivenesse of the Soule is the obediential subjection of a Soule Ministerially prepared wherein being unable to act it
hearing and learning of the Father John 6.45 The Life act of faith is the souls immediate comming unto Christ upon its being drawn taught of God and having heard and learned of the Father By the infusion of the habit the immediate and irresistable work of the Spirit of grace God converteth the soul By the Life-act the soule being converted converteth it self unto God By the insusion of the habit God maketh us his people Hos 2.23 1 Pet. 2.10 By the Life-act we avouch him to bee our God we say it in truth and lye not we unsay it not again By the habit we are made good trees by the life-act we bring forth good fruit The habit or first act doth not alwayes infer the second it may be without the second but the second alayes supposeth the first Two contrary habits may be together in the same subject as grace and originall concupiscence in the soul heat and cold in the same water but there cannot be two second acts proceeding from those contrary habits at the same time The habit is a principle inhering in the wil as its subject and denominating it willing after the nature of a quality the life-act floweth efficiently from this principle and is accountable to us as a good act unto which God in his mercy hath appointed a reward The habit unto the act Suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. Sect. 8. is as the faculty of sight to actuall seeing or vision Aristotle compareth the habit to a man sleeping the act to a man waking The habit of faith which also holds in any other grace precedes the second act or exercise thereof The habit of faith precedes the second act or exercise of faith The habit of faith which also holds in respect of any other grace goeth before the second act commonly called the act or Life-operation or exercise of faith appeareth thus from the order of the first and second act The habit is the first act the Life-operation is the second act First as before Second The nature of the thing teacheth the being of grace which is life it self to be before the vital operation of that grace the grace of faith is the being of faith it self called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 The vitall operation of faith expressed by the acts of coming to Christ Joh. 5.4 6.44 45. Eating of his flesh vers 54. Drinking of his blood ibid. answering the call of God must needs follow the being of faith we cannot act before we are we cannot act acts of life such as coming eating drinking answering are before we are alive the cause precedeth the effect the grace of faith is an efficient cause the Life-operation is the effect All creature-effects i.e. all such effects as proceed from the creature according to the order of second causes whether acts or habits for acquired habits follow acts presuppose a principle virtually or formally containing such effects But supernatural life-operations are creature-effects whose principle is the same with an habit as hath been cleared in the explication of an habit therefore supernatural life-operations presuppose a principle foregoing such acts That supernatural life-operations are creature-effects is manifest grace the new-creature whether considered in part or whole is a creature That creature-effects presuppose a principle in the subject formally or virtually containing such effects appeareth by this induction All creature-effects or actions are either supernaturall proceeding from a supernatural principle infused or inspired or moral whose principle is the Law written in the heart Rom. 2.14 hence are actions of external conformity to the Law or artificial whose principle is right reason or natural which flow from inclination or instinct Obj. 1. Acquired habits as Arts and Sciences ex gr the knowledge of a Physician the faculty of a Scrivener the skill of a Tradesman c. are gotten and caused by multiplied acts therefore all creature-effects do not presuppose principles in the subject formally or virtually containing such acts Resp 1. Albeit acquired habits were such creature-effects as did not presuppose their principle as before in the subject it weakned onely the argument not the cause which proceeds onely concerning such natural creature-effects as acquired habits are not but the argument ex abundanti proving all creature-effects and consequently acquired habits to presuppose some principle of them in the subject concludes the question much more evidently in respect of supernatural creature-effects 2 Notwithstanding there be many artificial acts that may be done without a habit acquired as he may scrible that hath not the faculty of writing well yet even those acts according to the ordinary course of second causes be not done without some inherent principle they may be done without a habit i.e. Such a principle that so affects the subject as to enable it to act promptly easily and with delight but they cannot be done without a principle simply to enable the subject to act Obj. 2. The act of Prophesying was not by way of habit therefore there were not principles thereof in the subject Answ The gift of Prophesie was miraculous therefore falleth not under the compasse of creature-effects proceeding according to the order of second causes 2 Principles are either transient or inherent the act of Prophesie flowed from the transient and passing inspiration of the Spirit whence they prophesied when they were inspired though not from an inherent principle therefore could not prophesie when they pleased We may distinguish between the matter of Prophesie and the act of publishing that matter of Prophesie the matter of Prophesie was miraculously inspired therefore without the limits of the question as before the publication of that matter was a creature-effect proceeding from principles natural rational and spiritual Obj. 3 The act i.e. the Life-act of faith by which the soule commeth to Christ is given in the work of Vocation without any foregoing habit Ans 1 This as it is barely affirmed without any reason given may untill then be sufficiently answered with a denial 2 We must distinguish between Vocation wherein is infused into the soul a power to come to Christ and the terme of Vocation wherein is contained our actuall coming to Christ If the act of faith be given in Vocation without any habit in order of Nature foregoing it then it will follow Either that the soul is not passive in Vocation or Conversion a pure Arminian affection justly opposed and abhorred by the joynt vote of orthodox Divines Or that Vocation precedes believing that is one may be a Member of the Catholick Church and consequently be a Member of Christ in order of Nature at least before he is a belecver which none will affirme Or that Vocation followeth the act of faith whereby the Soule cometh unto Christ which were to affirme Vocation to follow our union active receiving of Christ and Justification an assertion in no meane degree repugnant both unto Divinity and Reason That they i.e. the Arminians suppose the act
4. art 7. that we are justified by faith alone because it imbraceth him that justifieth us namely Jesus Christ Beza Cum Apostolo fide sola nos justificari dicimus eo quod amplectitur eum qui nos justificat nempe Jesum Christum Faith justifieth not as an inherent quality and gift in us Willet synop cent 4. err 56 by any worthinesse thereof but as it apprehendeth Christs righteousnesse and this to us and a little after So that in faith reputed for righteousnesse we are not to respect the worthinesse of the act of beleeving in it self but in respect of the Elect Dr. Willet Consensum patrum cum orthodoxis reformatis in hac hujusce propositionis explicatione videat qui volet apud Chamierum panstrat Tom. 3. l. 22. c. 5. apud Polanum Symphon cathol cap. 12 For the cleerer understanding the justification of a sinner by faith let these three acts be considered the one looked at as succeeding the other in order not in time First God actually imputes the active and the passive Mediatorly obedience of Christ unto a beleever Rom. 4.6 therein God is freely giving Secondly The soul having before in order of nature not in time received Jesus Christ as its head and Saviour by the same faith receiveth his obedience as the matter of its righteousnesse herein the soul is taking Rom. 5.17 Rom. 6.11 Gal. 3.13 Thirdly God hereupon in the court of Conscience judicially declares and pronounceth the sinner to be righteous and to have right unto eternal life by vertue of the promise Joh. 5.24 Rom. 3.22.30 The righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith through faith upon them that beleeve which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve By this act of grace the person of the sinner is justified in himself really yet not inherently but imputatively his state changed who before justifying faith was a childe of wrath even as others untill now the persons of the Elect not being accepted in themselves neither are their actions accepted but now our persons being accepted our actions are capable of being accepted Gen. 4.4 Faith 1 Acknowledges that we are justified for the righteousnesse sake of another viz. Christ God-man 2 Acknowledgeth that our justification is free 3 Renounceth our own righteousnesse First We need the righteousnesse of another and the righteousnesse of this other is sufficient the least sinner needs no lesse the greatest sinner needs no more the least sinner cannot be saved without it the greatest sinner needs no more to be saved God cannot save any Infant without the righteousnesse of Christ the righteousnesse of Christ is fully able to save all beleevers See the Sinfulness of Sin that nothing but the righteousnesse of him who is God could expiate it See the Righteousnesse of Christ which taketh away all sin Faith acknowledgeth the least sin unpardonable without it the greatest pardonable by it Were we onely guilty of Adams sin we could not be saved without it Were we guilty of all the sins of the Elect we might be saved by it To think any sin little is a great sin t is a greater to think that Christs righteousnes is not above all sin our disobedience is but the disobedience of man but the obedience of Christ is the obedence of him who is both God and man the disobedience of man is infinit only improperly in respect of the object the obedience of Christ is infinite properly in respect of the subject that which is infinit hath no limits but the pleasure of the disposer Davids childe needed the righteousnesse of Christ for its justification and Manasseth needed no more To think any sin little is no little sin t is to excuse sin to accuse justice in sentencing our sin in Adam or original sin with death to lessen nay so far to frustrate the righteousnesse of Christ The Pharisee puts confidence in his not having done so ill yea in his having done better than other men Luke 18.11 That he had so done was good but that he put confidence in it was bad If thy hope be more in thy little sins then in Christs great mercy Woe be unto thee had there been but one man to have been redeemed Christ must have dyed and Christs death was sufficient to have redeemed all men T is a sin for the least sinner not to despair of righteousnesse in respect of himself Isa 5.7.10 T is a sin for the greatest sinner to despair concerning the righteousnesse of Christ He that beleeveth not be he never so righteous shall be damned He that beleeveth hath he been never so unrighteous shall be saved 2 The beleever acknowledging his righteousnesse to be the righteousnesse of another to be merited by another acknowledgeth it to be free it cost Christ to the full but it cost us nothing being justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 Justification is called the gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5.11 the free gift the gift of grace vers 15 Grace in this verse noting the love of God it self the gift by grace Justification as an effect of that love God will either not justifie at all or justifie for nothing t is the glory of grace to be free and mans prirce to come without mony The experience of this truth is compared to buying because the sinner parts as hardly with his righteousnesse as the covetous man doth with his mony Isa 55.1 And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Luke 7.42 God will take nothing for our Justification as it is repugnant to the whole so to each part of grace not to be free To attribute any thing to man in way of condignity or congruity were to lessen the sinfulnesse of sin to exalt man to betray Grace and to take so much from Christ This truth God standeth much upon as is notably to be seen in the manner of Naamans cure a figure of the free recovery of a sinner both from the power and guilt of sin hence the Prophet healeth him for nothing and though urged refuseth and that not without an oath but he said As the Lord liveth before whom I stand I will receive none and he being urged to take it still refuseth 2 King 5.16 Where God forgiveth sin be forgiveth much no sin is in it self little Luke 7.47 Simon the Pharisee who looked at sin as a little thing was not forgiven at all where God forgiveth little or much he forgiveth all for nothing That which is said of the Lilly compared with Solomon Consider the Lillies of the field how they grow they toyl not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these Matth. 6.28 29. is most true of the Beleevers compared with the Lillies The Garments of fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints far exceed the glorious aray of the Lillies yet they do not so much as spin for it Thirdly
and yeilds it self to be doubly lost utterly lost and out of measure vile So as in this condition the Command to believe with the Promises of grace fall heavier upon the soul then the Command and Promise of the first Covenant in that Gospel doth exceed the Law Our disobedience to the Gospel so far exceeds in evil our disobedience to the Law as the Gospel transcends the Law The Soveraignty of God in this particular The Soveraignty of God is his absolute free Power to shew or not to shew mercy unto man according to his own good pleasure Gods making himself a Debtor unto his Elect is the effect of his good pleasure Rom. 9.18 We know not that we are of the number of his Elect unto whom he hath made himself a Debtor until we do believe Our personal and practical Acknowledgement That God hath power to deal with us according to his good pleasure is a part of our humiliation The Object of Faith Of the Object of Faith with Arguments moving to believe is the Doctrine of the Gospel the Sum whereof is That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Arguments moving to believe are The Command to believe 1 John 3.23 And this is the Commandement that we should believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ God's invitation of repenting sinners to believe for which end he in Jesus Christ by the Ministery standeth at the door of our hearts knocking there for entrance Revel 3.20 Woeth us John 3.29 Beseecheth us 2 Cor. 5.20 The honour that is given to God by believing Rom. 4.20 Our duty to believe 1 John 3.20 The good of believing He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting life John 3.36 The evil of not believing He that believeh not shall be damned Mark 16.15 The Efficacy of the Gospel to work that faith in us which it commands from us therefore called the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Because the Spirit concurreth with the Dispensation of the Gospel to work faith in our hearts Lastly The Promise made to them that do believe Mark 16.15 In this way we are to meditate of God Look upon me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth Isai 45.22 I sail Behold me behold me Isai 65.1 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have Everlasting life John 3.14 15. Wayting for the Lord Jesus in the use of means Of waiting in the forementioned disposition for the Lord Jesus Christ with preparatory hope is our seeking after him in the wayes which he hath instituted in his Word for that end until we find him such as are hearing of the Word Reading Meditation Conferring Praying c. Seeking for Christ is either without faith in which condition we seek not Christ for himself but for our selves We seek rather the benefits of Christ then Christ we seek our selves not Christ John 7.34 36. and Chapter 8.21 Or with faith so only believers seek Christ and that for himself Though they that have not faith cannot seek Christ as they ought but their very prayer is sin yet it is their duty to pray and to seek after Christ Psal 79.6 Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name If the not calling upon the Name of God be a sin then to call upon the Name of God is a duty Peter calls upon Simon Magus though an unbeliever to pray Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Acts. 8.22 The Pharisee a Type of sinners establishing their own righteousness The Publican a Type of sinners sensible of their sin and want of the righteousness of Jesus Christ both go to the Temple to pray Luke 18.10 The Prophet personates Ephraim yet unconverted praying unto God to turn him Jer. 31.18 The Elects seeking God is the effect of Gods seeking them Our seeking before faith is the effect of the common work of the Spirit our seeking after faith is the effect of the saving work of the Spirit Invenitur Deus à non quaerentibus nempe ante inventionem prius siquidem quam nos quaeramus Deus nos quaerit Paraeus in Rom. 10. dub 16. I am found of those that sought me not Rom. 10.20 Namely before his finding of us And thou shalt be called sought out Isai 62.12 God seeks us before we seek him In this soul-thirsty disposition after Christ whilest we so restlesly desire as yet we find we cannot sincerely desire so seek as yet we cannot seek so pray as yet we cannot pray The Lord Jesus in his set time to have mercy finds us and having found us by his Spirit is found of us by the act of faith When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them Isai 41.17 God converts Ephraim whilest he is praying for conversion Jer. 31.18 19. The Publican finds mercy whilest he is praying for mercy Luke 18.13 14. Quest 1. Is a distinct Experience of the several Heads of Preparatory Work necessary according to Gods ordinary Dispensation unto conversion Ans No yet the more distinctness the better and some distinctness in respect of some of the principal parts thereof according to the ordinary Dispensation of God seemeth necessary as namely the conviction of the sinfulness of sin the conviction of the guilt of sin i. e. that it justly binds over the sinner unto punishment impossibility of salvation by the Law revelation of the object of faith i. e. God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ God-man in one Person set forth to be a Mediatour according to the Gospel of frec-grace Some sense of our lost estate looking up unto Jesus Christ not only as come to seek and save them that are lost but also as able to seek and to save waiting upon him in a broken-hearted and diligent use of means until we be made partakers of his free saving grace Quest 2. What measure of Preparatory Work is necessary to conversion Ans As the greatest measure hath no necessary connexion with salvation so the least measure puts the soul into a preparatory capacity or Ministerial next-disposition to the receiving of Christ So that in respect of the Order of Gods Dispensation such a soul being called to believe is not now to object against its believing The defect of such a measure of humiliation but together with its due attending to and belping on any kindly work of a further degree of humiliation it is to apply it self in a principal manner immediately to believe There is not the like degree of humiliation in all those that are converted Humiliationis gradus nō est idem in
unto God for salvation by Jesus Christ which glorifying of God in way of thankfulness is a more effectual Motive unto obedience vvith a believer notvvithstanding the remainders of sin then the obtaining of life and that according to order of justice was unto Adam though vvithout sin as appears by the Apostacy of the one and perseverance of the other through Grace The means whereby faith is wrought are twofold External Of the means of faith or Internal External scil the Word by divine Institution the Instrument of Conversion hence called the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 Which moveth by propounding Arguments and by perswading 2 Cor. 5.11 By Woing John 3.29 By Commanding 1 John 3.23 it is by Divines commonly called a Moral Suasion or Moral Cause acting only by way of propounding the Object no cause properly but improperly and Metaphorically it produceth not the effect without the concurrence of the Spirit vvhich is the Efficient Cause The internal means is the supernatural saving and effectual Motion of the Spirit concurring vvith the Word of Faith or which is all one with the Word of Grace and in an accepted time vvorking in the soul that faith which the Word calleth for Hence called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 Whence the Moral Suasion of the Word becometh effectual by the real persvvasion of the Spirit The Word calleth upon us to believe the Spirit causeth us to believe The Word calls upon us to will and to do the Spirit of Christ worketh in us to will and to do the Word commands us to be according to our duty the Spirit vvorketh in us to be according to the Word God in the Creation spake the Word that such a creature should be and therewithal sent forth a power causing that creature to be according to his Word So whilest the Angel reveals unto Mary the Conception of Christ the Power of the Highest overshadowed her Whence it vvas with her according to his Word Luke 1.35 38. So also whilest Jesus cried vvith a loud voice Lazarus come forth there proceeded from him a Power whereby Lazaras doth come forth John 11.43 44. The Ministery of the Word whether Law or Gospel is but a dead letter and profiteth nothing without the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.7 Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase After all instructions Timothy must vvait if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 No Oratory how excellent soever can prevail with the blind to see with the deaf to hear or with the dead to live God is not only an Orator Deus Autor non tantum Orator gratiae Twiss de Elect. l. 1. p. 2. dig 6. Sect. 16. but a Creator of grace Which notwithstanding yet are we vvith diligence to attend upon God in the use of means for though the means cannot work vvithout the Spirit the Spirit ordinarily will not work upon subjects of discretion without the means Man is a reasonable creature therefore God proceedeth with him by vvay of Arguments but because man is a dead creature therefore he must work in him that which he persvvades thereunto The Proposition of the Word of Faith is the External Ames Coron de Convert 4 cap. 1. the Operation of the Spirit of Faith is the Internal Call that as was said before is a moral Suasion this is a real Perswasion that a moral Cause this a physical Cause that commands us who are unwilling to be willing Interna gratiae Efficatia quae praedestinationis decretum exsequitur sine dicenda sit actio physica ut loquuntur Dominica vel potius divina supernaturalis vel occulta cui fortasse aptius nomen non occurrit sicut cautiùs in Augustino nostri fere statuunt uon multum interest Prideaux this through its powerful Efficacy by a real and as it were a physical change of the Will of unwilling makes us willing By the first God stands at the door and knocks Revel 3.20 By the second he opens the door i. e. the hearts of his Elect Luke 24.45.16.14 As the Word is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 And the Spirit the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 So the conjunction of both is called the Door of Faith Acts 14.27 The Manner of the working of faith is irresistable The Manner of working of Faith Non alium enim irresistibilitateÌ„ propugnant nostri quam realem efficacem donationem cujus vi effectum certò vel infallibilitur Existit Coron art 4. cap. 3. that is it is such Whence notwithstanding the resistance made by corrupt nature yet at last prevaileth over all opposition whatsoever and causeth the effect certainly and infallibly to follow Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me and they shall be my people And Chap. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned ver 33. I will write my Law in their hearts and they shall be my people Ezek. 36.27 28. I will put my Spirit within you Concursus volunâ—atis cum gratia in opere conversiones non est co-ordinatus sed subordinatus Prideaux Motives to believe and cause you to walk in my Statutes c. And ye shall be my people John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me The Concurrence of the Will with Grace in the Work of Conversion is subordinate not co-ordinate the drawing of the soul is efficacious but not violent God by an Omnipotent Facility on his part and after an experimental impossibility in some measure at least on our part doth not force us unwillingly but of unwilling makes us willing Amongst many other precious means for both the obtaining and confirming of faith Consider 1. The Love of God to man though a sinner Tit. 3.4 'T is not our sin which fell out after the beginning of time that can alter the affection of God which was before time Those of whom the Apostle saith ver 3. That they were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another When such though not as such God loved God hateth sin loveth not any as sinners but loveth his Elect though sinners Rom. 5.8 2. What Christ hath done for sinners He hath obeyed the Law and suffered the punishment Rom. 5.8 And actually procured the application of grace and reconciliation Col. 2.15 Rom. 5.10 Though there be many strengthless Representatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei Christi eâ—â—icacissimum medium ad ingenerandaÌ„ fidem Spanh ex de grat resp ad Erot. 14. ungodly sinners enemies whom neither God loveth nor Christ died for yet all whom God hath set his heart upon or that Christ died for either are or have been such If thou neither wert nor art nor becomest such Christ never died for thee 1 Tim. 1.15 The high account which that great Preacher of Free-grace and Doctor of the Gentiles had
The Prison is the place of hope mercy visits the prisoners of unbelief Rom. 11.32 Christ finds them that are lost Luke 15. After the House of Israel say Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are out off for our parts then God opens their graves this Order of Gods Dispensation we are there called upon to take notice of Behold they say Our bones are dried Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves and bring you into the Land of Israel Ezek. 37.11 12. 9. The certain condemnation without faith Let a mans sin be never so great if he believeth he shall be saved the very sin against the Holy Ghost is not unpardonable for want of grace in a Saviour but for want of faith and repentance in the sinner God justly in his righteous judgement punishing that sinner universally with final impenitence Meritum damnationis jux a Evangelium non est peccatum sea perseverantia finalis in peccato infidelitatis impaenitentiae Twiss vinâ—â— dic grat de erratis lib. 3. Sect. 3. Nec quicquam obstat quo minus dicamus eum qui non credit ideo jam condemnatum esse quia non credit in nomen unigeniti Filii Dei quatenus nulla ex condemnatione emergendi ratio datur nisi per fidem in Dei Filium Spanh Exeer de grat univ resp ad Erot. 39. N. 3. and be his sin never so little if he believeth not he shall be damned Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 The cause of condemnation according to the Law is all sin but the cause of condemnation under the Gospel is unbelief not that all other sin is not as much yea more doubtless under the Gospel then under the Law it self but because there is no way to escape condemnation for sin but by faith and because no sin should condemn those that live under the Gospel if there were not added unto their other sin final perseverance in unbelief CHAP. X. Saving Faith is the Effect of true special Grace that is of Grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and Designed Head of his Elect. FOr the better proceeding in the Discussion of this Question Let us see 1. Consider what Saving Faith is 2. Free the Term of Grace from ambiguity by a just distribution thereof 3. Discribe Free-grace 4. Declare the Nature thereof 5. Shew the use of that exact distinctness in this point which is intended and expressed in the term Special 6. Prove the Proposition Justifying Faith is a Saving Grace of the Spirit Saving Faith What flowing from Election whereby the soul receiveth Jesus Christ as its Lord and Saviour according as he is revealed and propounded in the Gospel Tit. 1.2 John 1.12 Col. 2.6 Grace is Increated Created Natural in Nature Pure The Distribution of Grace Fallen Supernatural Common Saving Effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy Formally Increated Grace is God himself willing spiritual gifts freely unto men In Order to those spiritual gifts which are peculiar to the Elect it may be called increated special grace and is nothing else but Election In Order to such spiritual gifts as are common both to the Elect and such as are not elected it may be called increated common-grace Natural Grace or the Grace of Nature is that Image of God according to which man was created it is called grace because it is a free spiritual gift Natural because concreated with and infused into the Soul so soon as it had its being in pure nature The Grace of Nature in Nature fallen is the Remainder of the Image of God in the Soul after the fall Rom. 2.14 15. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law Supernatural common Grace are spiritual gifts flowing from God in Christ whereof those who are not elected are made partakers They are called Supernatural because they are not attainable by the power of free-will strengthened with the Grace of Nature and common in that they are communicated to the Elect and not elected Such are gifts of Edification in the Ministration of the Oracles of God in Christ 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Gifts and Grace of Office in the Church Rom. 12.3.6 Ephes 3.7 Gifts of Miracles of which 1 Cor. 12. Gifts that qualifie for some eminent Service as in Jehu 2 King 9.6 Saving Grace taken for that which is saving effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy is an Impulse or Motion of the Spirit of Grace working from Christ as a designed or actual Head upon the Soul so as it enables the Soul to yeild obedience in measure unto that Command to the obedience whereof it moveth In it 4 things are diligently to be attended and distinguished 1. The Authour of this Motion viz. the increated Spirit of Grace 2. The Motion it self viz. a created transient act which notwithstanding the effect thereof remaineth yet it self ceaseth and passeth away as the touch of Peters wives mother ceased though the cure remained Matth. 8.15 The Angels motion upon the waters ceased though the healing quality continued John 5. The touch of the Loadstone ceaseth the vertue yet abiding in the needle 3. The Kind of this Motion is from Election from Christ as a Redeemer and Head either designed or actually so unto the person so moved It is not only from Christ who is a Redeemer but from Christ as a Redeemer 'T is peculiar to the Elect and its effect such as accompanyeth salvation in which respect it is called created speciall grace and is such whereof none but the Elect nor they until vocation are made partakers of that by the means of the word Saving Faith and all other formal saving-grace are the next effects thereof As Election is increated special grace so this may be fitly called created special grace Saving Grace which is formally so and according to which sence the words are ordinarily used is a permanent effect accompanying salvation flowing upon such an effectual motion of special grace whether upon the Soul and imputative as in justification and adoption Or in the Soul and inherent as in any other effect of Election viz. Vocation wherein is Faith Sanctification Perseverance Glorification c. Saving Grace is not only above the Power of the grace of nature but also above the Power of supernatural common grace and consequently not attainable by free-will Spiritus Sanctus non operatur vel unicum etiam graduÌ„ fidei salutaris justificantis in non electis Sph. ex de gra univ resp ad Erot. 28. Habitus gratiae gloriae in ipso in nobis unius sunt speciei Twiss de Elect l. 1. p 2. strengthened with both the grace of nature and supernatural common grace Of this kind are all the
the passive voyce as being received by Christ before he makes mention of himselfe in the active voyce as having actively received Christ Receptie respeciu hominis est vel passiva vel activa Medulla l. 1. c. 26. Upon this Text Doctor Ames grounds that Spiritual and profitable distinction of a double receiving of Christ Passive and Active Passive whereby the Spiritual principle of grace is ingenerated Active proceeding from that ingenerated habit of grace and the operation of God fore-going and exciting thereunto we are received of Christ before we doe receive Christ Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us by the act of faith we receive him Christ taketh the Soul before the Soul taketh him A third place to the same purpose is Ephes 2.1.5 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ The infusion of the habit of Faith or Grace into the Soul is the quickning of the Soul until then the Soul is dead as a dead body so a dead Soul is passive in respect of its quickning or being made alive That the infusion of saving faith or saving grace is the infusion of Life appeares thus The Spirit of the Command and Promise viz. that infused grace which inclineth us to obey the Command and receive the Promise is Life the Image of God in Adam which consisted in a conformity to the Command was his spiritual life the spirit of Faith is the spirit of the Command 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandement That we should beleeve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ that it is the spirit of the Promise is out of doubt Joh. 3.33 As the Image of God in Adam which consisted in conformity to the command was his Spiritual life so the Image of God created anew in the Soul is life either this is life or what can be life As the spirit of sinne is the spirit of death so by the rule of contraries the spirit of effectual saving grace is Spiritual life He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 But every Beleever hath the Sonne From the nature of the grace of faith receiving of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour being of the essence and form thereof as a natural principle of natural sense motion and action is natural life so a supernatural principle of supernatural sense motion and action is supernatural life But such a Principle is saving faith and each other saving grace No Life-lesse principle can enable the Soul to a Life-act it cannot be reasonably conceived how a Beleever as a Beleever should not be alive The summe is this text holds forth an Active-quickning Christ enlivening a dead passive Soul So from Scripture the Arguments follow First from the supernatural nature of the Habit of saving faith or of the habitual frame of the New Creature In receiving a supernatural Habit Theologi vocant habirum infusum per se quiaper se sua natusra postulat ita non alitèr fieri suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. sect 13 n. 6. or Principle the Soul is passive saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature is a supernatural Habit or Principle therefore in receiving saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature the Soul is passive Supernatural is that which exceeds the power of Nature and is received of the Soul by way of inspiration only as the gift of Prophecy or both by inspiration and infusion as the habits of grace such habits the Schools call Habits infused of themselves their very nature denying them to be otherwise attained either by acts or any created cause whereby they are distinguished from Habits infused by accident such as are the gifts of Tongues and the gifts of healing which though they are ordinarily acquired and gotten by acts of study and practise yet have sometime been infused as in the Apostles time In receiving that supernatural saving habit or principle before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle the soul is passive But the grace of saving faith is such a supernatural saving habit or principle received before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle Therefore in receiving the supernatural saving habit or principle of faith the soul is passive From the nature of the subject of saving faith which is wholly unable to confer any causative power towards the producing of such an effect In receiving a miraculous impression the soule is passive but the infusion of the habit of faith or principle of life in Vocation or Conversion is a miraculous impression Vocation is a miracle it being no lesse a miracle to raise a soul from spiritual than a body from natural death therefore in receiving the infused habit of faith the soul is passive notwithstanding God oft-times makes such use as he pleaseth of men in working a miraculous effect in them yet because in such works the whole efficiency alwayes flows from God and none from man Men are passive in receiving such miraculous effects or impressions Moses putting his hand into and plucking it out of his bosome Exod. 4.7 Naamans dipping himself seven times in Jordan 2 King 5.14 conferred no more power to the curing of their Leprosie nor the womans touching the hem of Christs garment Mark 5.28 29. to the healing of her issue of blood than if they had done nothing In receiving that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving power the soul is passive we cannot do any thing whilst we are but yet receiving power to do but in receiving the habit of faith we receive that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving-power Therefore in receiving the habit of faith the soul is passive Vocation is compared to Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 to Creation to powring out of the Spirit so is the habit of faith there called Tit. 3.6 to quickning or making alive As therefore the person circumcised was passive in Circumcision the creature in its creation the subject quickned in its vivification and the subject into which precious water is powred is passive in respect of the water powred thereinto So the soul in Vocation which is all these spiritually as being that work wherein the heart is circumcised quickned hath inherent saving grace created in it and powred out into it by the Spirit must needs be passive The contrary tenet makes us in the creation of faith to be our own creators in part An assertion as full of pride as empty of reason it makes us in part authors of our faith a high degree of spiritual facrilege against the glory of Christ and grace of the Gospel Obj. 1. The Soul before and in receiving of grace is active in respect of the use of means therefore not meerly passive Sol. Passive is taken either absolutely for that which is simply passive and
not subjectively that is such as remain ungodly when they are justified The Text saith not he reconcileth enemies according to the sense of those words in the former place He justifieth the ungodly But If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son mark the time of this Reconciliation was the time of the death of his Son not the time of our Conversion much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life that is If while we were enemies in respect of our nature and state we were reconciled in our head i. e. our Reconciliation was actually purchased by and acknowledged at the death of his Son how much more being reconciled in our selves by the slaying of the enmity of nature through the infusion of grace and the changing of our estate in respect of our persons and actions through faith in Christ shall we be saved by his life he that hath done the greater with greatest difficulty he will do the lesse having overcome and triumphed over all difficulty past and proceeding being without all difficulty in respect of what is to come This exposition is agreeable to the Analogie of faith strengthens the Apostles arguing from the greater to the lesser and any shorter interpretation seemeth to straighten those words We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Thus Dr. Amos and Dr. Twisse understand this place Medulla l. 1. c. 20. Twiss de permiss l. 2 cr 4. digr 10. Sect. 4. and Calvin seemeth very well to allow thereof nor doth Piscator dissent there-from as appeareth in his citation of this Text disputing with Vorstius There is remission of sins that is actually procured before we do beleeve Cham. Nobis persuasissimum est Calv. in loc Cham. Tom. 3 lib. 12. Sect 18. Perkins in Gal. 3.16 Medulla c. 24. 27. remissa esse peccata antequam credidimus Christ is first justified that is acquit of our sins and we justified in him Perkins There is a kind of previous application of Redemption to us in Christ The sentence of our Justification was pronounced in Christ our head rising from the dead Ames Transactio inter Deum Christum fuit praevia quaedam applicatio ad nos Sententia haec fuit in Christo capite nostro à mortuis jam resurgente pronunciata There is saith Mr. Rutherford Rhetorf exc 1. c. 2. a Justification in the mind of God Eternal and a Justification in time terminated in the conscience of the beleever Obj. But if it be yeelded that the grace of Justification be before Faith it will follow that in justification by faith there is nothing really and possitively wrought in the Soul but only a manifestation of what was before Ans Not so in the justification of a sinner there is that which is real and positive both on Gods part and on the Beleevers part on Gods part 1 An actual imputing of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to the Beleever 2 A transient judicial act of God whereby he declareth the sinner to be justified for the righteousnesse sake of Christ received by faith terminated in the Conscience of the Beleever upon the Beleevers part there is 1. An actual relying upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ 2. A renouncing of our own righteousnesse Obj. But if we yeeld a being of Iustification how doth the condition of an elect person justified by faith differ from his condition yet an unbeleever in respect of his Iustification Ans God hath absolutely decreed to justifie them before they doe beleeve their persons are beloved from eternity Jesus Christ hath actually and absolutely procured their justification before faith God hath accepted this Meritorious satisfaction of Christ before faith God never imputes the sins of the world of the elect to them unto Condemnation having already imputed them unto and being satisfied for them by Christ All which notwithstanding the condition or state of the Elect before faith is the same with the condition of those who are not elected we are the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2 3. guilty of sinne before God and therefore in respect of their estate obnoxious to Condemnation even as others Though their Justification be absolutely Vide Retorf ex 1. c. 2. and actually procured before Faith yet they are not justified until they doe beleeve now and not until now is their state changed now and not until now doe the effects of Gods displeasure cease towards them by vertue of the Promise He that beleeveth shall not come into condemnation now and not before are their persons accepted in themselves and consequently their actions capable of being accepted hence Albeit the justification of the Elect is absolue ely procured before they doe beleeve yet they have no consolation nor peace of Conscience till they doe beleeve Obj. Yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only Jam. 2.24 Sol. That James agreeth with Paul concerning the Doctrine of Justification is evident in that the same Scripture Gen. 15.6 cited by Paul Rom. 4.3 is cited and acknowledged to be fulfilled by James 2.23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse That Proposition of Pauls We are justified by faith without works and that of James We are justified by works and not by faith only are distinct but not opposite Propositions for Iames referreth not to the manner of our Justification of which Paul speaks but to the nature of justifying faith against such as boasted of such a faith as justifying which was without works Paul disputes against the Legalist Iames both against the Legalists and Libertines Paul sheweth the manner of Justification by faith Iames the nature of justifying faith Pauls conclusion is that We are justified by faith without works Iames's conclusion is that Faith without works doth not justifie Justificamur Effectivè à Deo Approhensivé à fide Declarativè ab operibus Prideaux lect 5. de Justificatione The objection also is further satisfied by distinguishing of Justification Justification is either of our persons before God so Faith only justifies or of our faith before Men so works justifie that is they declare our faith before men to be unfeigned I will shew thee my faith by my works Jam. 2.18 By works was faith made perfect ver 22. Obj. We are justified by faith Rom. 4.9 Faith is a work therefore we are not justified without works and consequently not by faith only Ans How Faith justifieth hath been spoken before that faith doth not justifie as a work is evident Rom. 4 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse God makes high account of that faith which accounts of its object as the matter of our Justification God makes no account of that faith which we account of as a work in the matter of our Justification the Beleever
there is no Blessednesse God is not God Heaven is not Heaven the Creature according to the best namely the Gospel-dispensation of God is capable of no more needs no more can have no more God in Christ doth no more for Man man needs no more from God Hereby the Soul enters into joy Mat. 25.21 23. which is the rest of the wil in its utmost and perfecting end In this Life joy enters into us the Soul here being larger than its joy in the Life to come we are said to enter into joy as into that whereby our Soul is exceeded and wherein as it were we are contained If in the state of faith the Soul is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory how much more shal it be full and running over in the state of fruition Faith is the best Rhetorick to walk so as whether present or absent we may be accepted of him is the best Elocution to admire is short of the cause a holy astonishment answereth not the object The Apostle telling us the good things laid up for the godly in this life exceed our thoughts 1 Cor. 2.9 we must needs grant that those much better things reserved for us in glory doe farre super-exceed our words The Soul separated Consid 3. The Soul separated upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth c. upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth Blessedness in the presence and sight of God and Christ before the eyes of the dead body are closed the Soul with open eyes beholds the face of Jesus Christ then viz. at death shal the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shal return to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 When Christ giveth up the Ghost he commendeth his Spirit into his Fathers hand Luk. 23.46 When the body of Stephen falleth asleep the Lord Jesus receiveth his Spirit Act. 7.59 This Christ saith and that with an asseveration to the Thief upon the Crosse Luk. 23 43. Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise If our earthly house of this Body be dissolved the Soul enters into a house not made with hands No sooner is the cloathing of Mortality put off but the cloathing which is from Heaven is put on Paul dissolved is with Christ Phil. 1.23 the Souls of those Martyrs and Confessors departing during the persecution of Antichrist who came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb are before the Throne of God serving him in his Temple Rev. 7.14 15. that is in his immediate presence For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it Rev. 21.22 The Servants of God may rest assured should Antichrist prevail against them unto death their death should afford them an immediate passage unto happinesse And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works dâ—â— follow them Revel 14.13 Christ is in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 Sits upon the Throne with his Father Revel 3.21 The Souls of the Saints departed are with Christ Phil. 1.23 therefore the Souls of the Saints departed are in the presence of God The Angels behold the face of God Mat. 18.10 The Souls departed are with the Angels Revel 4.8 and 5.8 7.9 Heb. 12.22.23 and like the Angels Mat. 22.30 For if their Bodies at the Resurrection are expresly said to be as the Angels we may wel inferre the same concerning their spirits much more agreeing with the nature of Angels therefore the Saints departed see the face of God They that are in the third Heaven are in the presence of God the Saints departed are in the third Heaven they are in Paradise Luk 23.43 which is the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 4. therefore As the Souls of the wicked depart immediately to the place of Torment so the Souls of the Saints depart immediately to the place of Blessedness Lazarus Soul is as soon in Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 that is in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 18.11 as Dives his Soul is in Hel. Luk. 16.23 For the fuller understanding hereof Bellar. de Beat. Sanct. lib. 1. c. 2. consider these four following Propositions Prop. 1 The Soul considered in it self is a subject capable of happiness It is a subject capable either of Blessedness or Misery the Promise or the Curse Heaven or Hel. It was a good answer of him that upon the proposal of the Question What the Soul was replied I know not Man since the Fall being lesse than himself understands not himself nor wil he fully til he be fully restored to himself in glory yet as a help to our apprehension we may conceive of it after this or the like manner The Soul is a Spiritual substance created after the Image of God indued with the faculties of Understanding Wil Memory and Affections with a power of reflex acting upon it self whereby it knoweth that it knoweth according to the Latitude of the whole revealed Wil and Works of God infused into the body as the form thereof and being separated there-from subsists by it self to be re-united thereunto at the Resurrection to abide as the form thereof for ever More briefly The Soul of the Saints is a Spiritual and Immortal substance created after the Image of God and renewed after the immortal Image of God in Christ The Soul is a Spirit not a Body consisting of matter Luk. 24.39 It is a real and very being as the body is only of a higher kind the Body is of the Earth the Soul is immediately from God It should not prejudice the being of the Soul because it is not visible to our eyes we may as wel question the being of God himself or of the Angels who are invisible or our own selves to be Men for from the Soul it principally is that we are Men or Women It is a substance not depending in respect of its being upon any other Fellow-creature as accidents doe whose being is by having their in-being in another Fellow-creature as their subject It s subsistence exceeds that of the Body the Soul can subsist without the Body but the Body continueth not a Body without the Soul Hence we read of separated Souls but not of separated Bodies The Soul is compared to a large vessel Rom. 9.22 23. as high as Heaven as deep as the earth Prov. 25.3 more capacious than the world Eccles 3.11 As the capacity of a vessel may be learned by the quantity it is able to contain so the understanding of the word of command which considered alone is exceeding broad Psal 119.90 Promise and Curse together with the works of God helps us to conceive of the largeness of the Soul Solomon in respect of his exceeding much understanding is said to have largeness of heart even as the
sand which is by the Sea shore 1 King 4.29 yet Solomons heart compared with Adams innocency or his own Soul now in glory was but a narrow heart Between Pauls Soul in the body and in glory there is as great a disproportion as between a childe and Solomon 1 Cor. 13.11 Prop. 2. The Soul separated dependeth not upon the Body in respect of its operations It dependeth not upon the body for the knowledge either of immaterial or material objects both being present to the Soul either by the essence of things themselves or by their intelligible species or by the Divine essence supplying all species Three things are required to the operation of the understanding 1. An intelligent faculty 2. Light to illustrate the understanding 3 The presence of the object with the understanding whatsoever is understood must be united with and touch the understanding which is done either by the eminent presence of things in the Divine Essence Zanch. de operibus Dei part 3. l. 2. c. 2 so the soul understands in glory or by the formal presence of the very things so the Angels understand themselves and so we as some conceive see the Light or by the similitude or image of the thing commonly called a Species so we understand intelligible objects in this Life The soul whilst it is in the body dependeth not upon any corporcal organ phantasie inward or outward sense as an instrument whereby it understands but as an instrument to represent the object to be understood which representative faculty of the phantasie being performed and that in a more eminent manner either by the Divine Essence it self supplying those Species or by way of infusion of them at or immediately upon the instant of its separation after the manner of the concreated Species of things in Angels or by occasional abstraction of them from objects The soul separated remaineth free to its operations without the use of the body Angels understand material and immaterial objects Angeli cognoscunt materialia per hoc quod sunt in iis per suas spocies intelligibiles The par 1. q. 57. art 1. Piscat praesatin Ezech. by the SPECIES or that which answereth the species of such objects without Corporeal organs In an extasie rapture or trance of which some reckon about five thirty in the Scripture which are spiritual Visions of the soul during that space retiring as it were out of the body or at the least not making any use of the body therein so far is the soul from not understanding at all or from not understanding so well as that it then understandeth best in this life Paul is taken into the third Heaven heareth unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter all which we must needs grant might be done without corporeal organs he himself telling us once and again That whether it was in the body or out of the body he could not tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Conimb de de anima l. 3. c. 8. q. 8. art 2. Tollet q. 21. Immaterial Objects may be understood by the soul in the body without corporeal organs or sensible species The soul in its separation from the body undergoeth a privative not a positive change It suffereth a change in respect of its information of the body and operations by the instruments of the body It informed the body before but not now It exerciseth the same operations now that it exercised before though not in the same manner then with but now without the body In the state of glory Tho. 2.2 qu. 175. art 4. Conim de anima l. 3. c. 8. qu. 8 art 3. the soul is free to contemplate materiall objects either in themselves by intelligible and sensible species according to the use of corporeal organs glorified or according to their representation in the Divine Essence As grace doth not destroy but help so glory doth not destroy but perfect nature The soul glorified and reunited to the body at its pleasure useth but dependeth not upon the phantasie for the understanding of material objects Prop. 3. The condition of the body in the state of death prejudiceth not the blessednesse of the soul The soul may be blessed though the body be dead We look too much upon the dead carkass and too little upon the living soul Christs body in the grave interrupts not the happinesse of his soul in Paradise As the body in the grave doth neither good nor evil so it feeleth neither good nor evil It is as if it were not Joseph is not Ger. 42.36 The bodies of the Saints at death cease for ever from sin and from all suffering that is felt there is neither sin nor tear in the grave And from suffering it self at the Resurrection The body is neither sensible of the want of the soul nor doth the soul feel any misse of the body The body is neither sensible of good or evill concerning it self nor concerning the soul the soul though it be not touched with any evill yet it is affected with good concerning the body whilst it looks at it as sown 1 Cor. 15.43 As at rest Isa 57.2 As fallen a sleep 1 Cor. 15.6 As in Covenant with Christ Matth. 22.32 all which phrases are proper to the bodies of the Saints The soul hath no grievance for the absence of the body yet it hath contentation in its Rest and a glad expectation of its future meeting Such is the condition of the body in the grave which yet we must so mind as not forgetting the soul in glory The body is at rest the soul is in blessednesse that the one is at rest hindreth not the blessednesse of the other the body is asleep but the soul putteth forth its perfect operations The body is asleep in the custody of Jesus 1 Cor. 15.18 The soul beholds the face of Jesus Jacobs sleeping body troubleth not his communion with Christ and his Angels Gen. 28. Pauls soul in the third heavens misseth not his body though as may be supposed for the time soul-lesse upon earth 2 Cor. 12.2 The condition of the soul dissolved in the Lord is as it were a blessed rapture lasting from our dissolution to our resurrection though the grave be a land of darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death without any order where the Light is as darkness Job 10.22 yet is not that long-home of the body so dark and disorderly as the everlasting home of the soul is light and beautiful The godly soul prepared should be no more afraid of death in regard of the body than of its fall into a kindly sleep after weary labour and as glad of dissolution in respect of it self as of going to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1.23 Prop. 4. The soul from the instant of its dissolution is freed from all imperfections of sin sorrow and infirmity God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.17 The spirits of just men
first cause with the second c. 5. p. 106. 108. seq The necessity of the Concourse of the first cause with the second c. 5. p. 106 107 The manner of the Concourse of the first cause with the second c. 5. p. 107 108 The Concourse of the first cause with the second is mediate both in respect of its vertue and its presence c. 5. p. 109 The Concluding the soul under sin and guilt what c. 7. p. 154 Though the Decree be absolute yet the dispensation thereof in the Gospel is Conditionall c. 4. p. 85 86. seq Certain Condemnation without faith c. 9. p. 218 A Condition properly and improperly what c. 10. p. 227 A double Consideration of the second Person in the Trinity helpful to understand the Person of Christ c. 3. p. 36 Conviction of the holinesse of the Law what c. 7. p. 142 Conviction of sin what ibid. D. To justifie God is our duty but to be contented to be Damned is no where commanded c. 7. p. 151 Decree what c. 4. p. 51 The Decree is the antecedent not the cause of sin c. 4. p. 52 What order is to be observed in propounding the doctrine of the Decree c. 4. p. 82 83 se The Decree proceedeth according to the order of the end and means c. 4. p. 82. The Dependence of the second cause upon the first is universall c. 4. p. 98 The Determination of the second cause by the first hindreth not the freedome of the second cause in its operations c. 5. p. 114 115 The Disorder of the second cause not such as is inconsistent with the all-governing providence of God c. 5. p 115. 116 c. The Disorder of second causes no prejudice to the wisdome of God c. 5. p. 117 How a person is Distinguished from the Essence c. 2. p. 26 Things are Distinguished really rationally or modally and how ibid. Distinguish between the Doctrine of the Decree and the personal application thereof in respect of Election and Reprobation c. 4. p. 82 83 Vpon the instant of Dissolution the soul immediately enjoyeth blessednesse c. 15. p. 336 The Dominion of sin what c. 7. p. 144 The Duration of eternity eviternity and time distinguished c. 15. p. 348 E. The Efficiency of God what c. 5. 101 The distribution of the Efficiency of God c. 5. p. 102 The All-Efficiency of the first cause prejudiceth not the Efficiency of the second cause c. 5. p. 111 To deny the Efficiency of the second cause how unreasonable and abominable c. 5.111 112 113 The Doctrin of the Efficiency of God an Antidote against Atheism Epicurism Stoicism Fortune Libertinism and the corrupt doctrine of the Jesuits and Arminians concerning the concurse of the first second cause c. 5. p. 124 125 Gods Efficiency is answerable to his Decree c. 5. p. 126 No person can know he is elected before faith c. 4. p. 84 Election no part of the primary part of the object of faith c. 9. p. 156 All the Elect first or last shall beleeve c. 10. p. 230 The Elect only do beleeve c. 10. p. 231 Eminential continency or for the effect to be contained eminently in the cause c. 1. p. 20 The grace of Eminency in Christ what c. 3. p. 46 The special Eâ—mity of the heart against beleeving c. 9. p. 207 Eleven Gospel-Encouragements unto a soul under preparatory work before faith c. 8. p. 191 192 Encouragement from the sense of our inability to beleeve c. 9. p. 217 218 Eternity what c. 1. p. 7 Eviternity what ibid. Probable that the Saints in glory see the Divine Essence c. 15. p. 327 328 329 It is mans duty to sanctifie God in respect of his Decree and his all-glorious Efficient execution thereof c. 5. p. 127 F. Faith and Repentance c. how ascribed unto God c. 5. p. 113 114 Every one before Faith is under the Law the Curse and Sin c. 8. p. 173 The eminency of the principle requisite to the creating of Faith c. 9. p. 208 The acceptablenesse of the obedience of Faith c. 9. p. 215 Faith a condition improperly not properly c. 10. p. 227 228 This Proposition Faith is the effect of grace is affirmed by Pelagians Semipelagians Jesuits and Arminians but with a diverse sense c. 10. p. 228 229 Faith i. e. Saving faith is the effect of speciall grace c. 10. p. 230 God hath bound himself for Christs sake to give Faith unto the Elect c. 10. p. 248 The habit of Faith is not infused alone without the habits of other saving graces c. 11. p. 152 c. How Faith justifies c. 14. p. 307 308 Faith in our justification acknowledgeth three things c. 14. p. 311 312 313 Fear filial and servile c. 6. p. 138 Three things to be attended in the form of Vnion between Christ and the Beleever c. 13. p. 287 Four things wherein Christ and the Beleever are united c. 13. p. 287 288 G. God knoweth and seeth all things always c. 4. p. 94 Goodnesse of God what c. 1. p. 12 The Gospel propounded with a Command and a Promise c. 9. p. 215 The Gospel holds forth power for the enabling of us to beleeve c. 9. p. 217 Gods generall Government of the creature what c. 5. p. 103 In the government of the unreasonable Creature three things to be considered c. 5. p. 103 Gods government of the reasonable Creature what c. 5. p. 104 c. Free Grace both increated and created what c. 10. p. 223 The distribution of Grace with a description of each part of the distribution c. 10. p. 219 220 Saving Grace and common Grace how distinguished c. 10. p. 222 In an elect person yet an unbeleever there is no other qualification than what is the effect of common grace c. 8. p. 170 Perillous consequences from not distinguishing between common and saving grace c. 8. p. 168 169 Special or saving Grace proceeds from Christ as our Head c. 8. p. 168 169 Guilt what c. 7. p. 144 Conviction of guilt what c. 7. p. 144 H. What the Habit of Faith is or of any other saving grace c. 12. p. 259 Justification of the term Habit c. 12. p. 265 266 The Habit of Grace proved by Scriptures c. 12 p. 267 By Arguments c. 12. p. 268 269 By Authorities c. 12. p. 272 Some Objections answered c. 12. p. 270 271 The distinction between the Habit and second Act c. 12. p. 260 The Habit of Grace precedeth the second Act c. 12 p. 261 Some Objections thereunto answered c. 12. p. 262 263 Created Habitual grace is in Christ in its full Latitude c. 3. p 46 The happiness of the glorified body consists especially in two things c. 15. p. 349 The third Heaven what c. 15. p. 342 With its name place and excellency c. 15. p. 342. to 346 Holinesse in God What c. 1. p. 16 Hunger legal or preparatory before faith or saving after faith c. 8. p. 284 I. The Incarnated Idaea of all things what c. 1.
Pemble of grace and faith p. 59. in Divine graces goes before the habit is saith Pemble an assertion in Divinity not tollerable which tels us the tree must be good before the fruit can be good and that question which Christ put to the Pharisees Mat. 12.34 How can yee that are evil speake good things is more than any Arminian can tell how to answer Either the Life-operation or Life-act presupposeth life or the Life-act is life it selfe or there may be a Life-act without life But there cannot be a Life-act before life nor is that Life-act life it selfe otherwise there being an intermission or cessation of that act there would be a cessation of life Whence would follow interitus gratiae a falling a way from grace the immortal seed 1 Joh. 3.9 should become mortal the beleever so oft as the act of faith ceaseth by reason of sleep or sinne or what else becometh an unbeleever and dying asleep must either not be saved or be saved without faith therefore the Life-operation necessarily presupposeth life If the Life-act of faith whereby the Soule cometh unto Christ have no habit preceding it in order then it will follow either that there is no infused habit of faith or that this infused habit followeth the act of faith but true it is First that there is an infused habit Secondly that this infused habit followeth not the act of faith as we have already seen Obj. How doth it appeare that there is any habit it being no Scripture terme Ans Though the word Habit were not in the Scripture yet the thing signified by that word being in the Scripture it is sufficient according to that received Proposition Whatsoever is contained in the Scripture either in termes or by manifest consequence is Scripture So Divines defend the use of the terms Effence Person Trinity and Merit c. though the words in so many letters are not there found That the thing which those words habit of faith intend is contained in Scripture is manifest from the nature of a Habit thus An infused inherent permanent quality disposing the subject through assisting grace to supernatural acts is the thing signified or intended by the words Habit of faith the grace of saving faith is such an infused inherent permanent quality therefore the grace of faith is a Habit this inherent quality or habit is in the Scripture called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 a power Eph. 3.20 the will Phil. 2.13 the lust of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the seed remaining 1 Joh. 3.9 for though the most appellations mentioned seeme not to be given to the grace of faith only but to the whole frame of habitual grace yet in that they are given to the whole frame of habitual grace yet in that they are given to the whole whereof faith is a part they are also given to faith as a part of that whole The word habit is a Scripture terme used Heb. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered habit by the Latine Translators generally who by reason of the habit have their senses exercised to discerne good and evil the inherent faculty of doing good and eschewing evil is called an habit The infused and inherent grace of faith whether it be called a power principle or habit no way prejudiceth the truth asserted by which of these termes soever it be called the thing is the same therefore the cause is the same and as firme So cleare is the doctrine of infused habits whereof faith is one that many of the School-men both ancient and late Dispositio aut habit us ille supernaturalis c. requiritur simpliciter ad actum istum supernaturalem Rescript Ames ad Grev. c. 10. attest thereunto Those habits Ad quaestionem tamen dico quod oportet ponere fidem infusam propter auctoritatom Scripturae Sanctorum Scot. lib. 3. dist 33. qu. 1. idem lib. 1. dist 17.9 3. 11.30 whereby man is disposed to such an end as exceeds Nature are of necessity in men by Divine infusion We ought faith Scotus himselfe to beleeve the habit of faith infused for the authority of the Scripture and of the Saints Scotus is commended for deducing out of the Master of the Sentences such inferences as might be apprehended not to have denied all supernatural habits Valentia Valentia Tom. 2. disp 4.9.3 p 4. Vbi fusè tractat quaestionem Utrum aliqui habit us infundant ur nobis supernaturaliter à Deo unwilling that the Council of Trent should bee thought to have denied infused habits notwithstanding he denieth not the testimony of Sotus who was there present to be true namely that the Council no wonder if that were difficult to be pronounced by the Adversaries of the Doctrine of Grace industriously abstained from the word habit yet endeavoureth to prove the thing signified by the word being taught by them not the dislike of the word but rather some other reason mentioned by him to have been the cause why they abstained from the use thereof In the same place hee asserreth the being of Habits from Argument Scripture and Authority and mentions other of the principal School-men like-minded with himselfe The Arminians though they could not be ignorant how much it concerned their cause to oppose the habit of faith yet none of them openly denied it before Grevinchovius Faith faith Fstius both in Infants Fides est habitus à Deo infusus tam in baptismo parvulorum quam in justificatione adultorum Estius l. 3. d. 23. s 1. 11. collat is cum dist 24. s 1. and in persons of discretion is a habit infused of God alone In receiving the habit of Grace In receiving the habit of Grace the Soul is passive whether we are to understand thereby the solitary habit of saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature of which before chap. 11. the Soule is passive The proof of this Proposition appeares by Scriptures Arguments Authorities By Scriptures thus Phil. 2.13 For it is God which worketh in you Velle non de substantia voluntatis sed de nova qualitate accipitur Bucanâ—oc 18 qu. 10. both to will and to doe of his owne pleasure The Apostle here distinguisheth between doing and a power to doe which hee calleth the will both these are wrought of God to will or power to doe he worketh without us to doe he worketh by us in the first we are passive and not active manifest it is the Soul cannot actually doe whilst it is but yet receiving power to doe in the second we are not only passive but also active yet so as wee are passive before we are active A second Scripture for the confirming of this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have Phil. 3.12 But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ The Apostle here expresly as those that understand the Original know makes mention of himselfe in