answereth that he sinneth not as he is regenerate but in his unregenerate part or as he is unregenerate But so do even the unregenerate sin in that part and manner and yet they sin to death or else they could not perish But he confesseth against himself that sin somtimes reigneth in the regenerate which thing he had denied before And then he brings in John as he hath done often to prove that all have sin in them 1 Joh. 1.8 which is his mistake of the place that he understands not for John doth not only explain his meaning better ver 10. but at the first of the next chapter writes even to the babes not to sin as we have shewed But he will give us his sense 1 Joh. 1.9 whose words are these If we acknowledge our sins he is faithful to forgive us This therefore saith he pag. 44. is the meaning of Saint John that the regenerate do sin but make not much of their sin or they doe not set open the door or yield to evil desires so as to cast off all love to godlinesse and not to repent But we have shewed the contrary even now and might doe further out of Ezek. 18.23 Mat. 12.43 44 45. Heb. 10.27 28. or more briefly because as he tels us yet with more words but to as little purpose that he which is born of God makes not a trade of sinning he lives not in his sin he fancies not his sin he delights not in his sin he sins not with purpose with pleasure with malice with perseverance sin reigneth not but as the Apostle speaks the evill that I doe I would not doe And cannot some of them that are yet unregenerate or but under the work of the Law at the furthest say so likewise we know who said Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor But here he brings the latter part of that verse 1 Ioh. 3.9 by way of objection His seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God To which he gives his former answer that he sins nor unto death But is not this to adde to the word that is written our own words and so to come under that curse Rev. 22.18 Then he brings in a fourth Scripture of our alledging as he pretends to wit 1 Pet. 1.21 being born anew not of mortal but of immortal seed by the word of God who liveth for ever From whence he saith that we conclude that since this immortal seed never dieth in them that are born of it they ever remain regenerate retain grace and never fall into sin But as this objection is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impertinent and upon a new head or point of doctrine so his answer is suitable and false also into the bargain to wit that the regenerate may and do lose grace and the holy Spirit of God in regard of some gifts and those sometimes more and fewer but not in respect of all the gifts for still there remaineth in them some print of faith and conversion which yet by yielding to evil inclinations and desires is ofttimes so opprest and darkened that it can neither be known to others nor confirm themselves of the grace of God and their own salvation for the present howbeit saith he it suffers them not wholly to forsake God and the known truth or the embracements of Christs merits by faith so David prayeth Psal 51.10 11. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me and restore to me the joy of thy salvation But was this by vertue of the old seed of grace when David had been long in his sins of Adultery and murder without any true repentance for them or by Nathan's coming unto him to call him to repentance Therefore his conclusion from thence page 45 is not consequent to wit that David had not wholly left cleanness of heart righteousness of Spirit nor the way of salvation because then he would not have asked them afresh of God as he doth For though some cleanness of heart and rectitude of spirit might remain in him yet he had wholly forfeited and lost the joy of Gods salvation Secondly he further answereth that the seed of God which is his word working true faith and conversion abideth and dieth not Concerning their conversion he means a new and final perseverance however they may fall often grievously and foully before the end because John saith 1 John 2.19 If they had been of us they would have continued with us But we have proved the contrary before out of 1 Tim. 5.11 12. unto which adde 1 Tim. 1.19 holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning the faith have made shipwrack and 2 Tim. 1.15 and 2.17 18. 4.14 15. In the 45 page he brings out other Scriptures as produced against him by us and in the fift place that of our Saviour Matth. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit To which he answers that it cannot as it is a good tree which shall so come to pass in the life to come but as it is partly good and partly evil it may bring forth evil fruit whereof saith he we have sufficient trial and experience in this life Must we then bring forth no good fruit here But Solomon saith Whether the tree fall to the north or to the south in the place where it falleth there it shall lie Eccles 11.3 and David Psal 91.12 13 14 15. The righteous shall flourish as the palm tree he shall grow as the Caedar in Lebanon those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth much fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing to shew that the Lord is upright he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him A sixth Scripture he undertakes to answer which we shall truly own as alledged by Doctor Drayton in his sermon is this Ephes 5.25 26 27. but it seemeth the Vindicator was afraid to recite the words as being too full and evident against his position and purpose which are these Hu bands love your wives as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word and might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Concerning which he saith This Text shews us how Christ in this life by the word and Sacrament and by the operation of grace doth cleanse us that in the state of glory we may be perfectly holy without spot or wrinkle But how proves he that this must be then done and not before This saith he I shall prove by these ensuing reasons First because here we know but in part and consequently can love but in part But we have proved that by and in the new covenant it is promised that such a
the young men shall utterly fail but those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint chap. 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousnesse sake he will magnifie the Law and make it honourable Which it would not be if it were impossible chap. 48.17 18. Thus faith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shalt go O that thou hadst harkened to my commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the sea chap. 51.4 5. Harken unto me my people and give eare O Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgement to rest for a light to the Gentiles my righteousnesse is neer my salvation is gone forth vers 7 8. Harken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproch of men neither be ye afraid of their revisings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them up like wool but my righteousnesse shall be sure and my salvation from generation to generation Jerem. 31.32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah saith the Lord not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my covenant they broke although I was an Husband unto them or therefore I must overule them saith the Lord but this shall be the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Where take notice of these things that the first covenant is a covenant of works and the effect a compulsive obedience out of fear of vengeance Secondly that the second covenant is made to those that now love God and righteousnesse and obey it out of good will after the days of compulsion are ended which must have their foregoing work to break mans strong lusts and inclinations to sin after which comes the revelation of free mercy and salvation out of grace unexpectedly witnessed from Heaven to the lost yet humbled penitent and praying or deprecating soul which melts his heart with godly sorrow and inflames his heart with love to God and righteousnesse and with an hatred of all known sin Thirdly that this second covenant is of sanctification and then of some degree of glory As to the former the Lord promiseth to put his Law into our inward parts and to work the same in our hearts which is done no other way but by regeneration and by the promised Spirit of Christ which is called the blood of the new covenant and the blood of the everlasting covenant for the purging or the dimission away of our sins whereof both the expiative and consecrating blood of the old Testament was a figure Exod. 24.8 and 14.14 10. and chap. 8.23 24. and whereof the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the New Testament is a sign and representation as the bread broken is a representation both of his word to be broken received and eaten Jer. 15.16 and of his suffering patience and weakness which is a body of his to be broken unto us by degrees and received by faith and obedience where through we may remember Christs death and follow him therein crucifying sin till he come unto us in the Spirit and power of his resurrection Thus the Apostle saith ' Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ this Spirit and spiritual blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself as man without spot to God purge the consciences or souls from dead works to serve the living God And Heb. 10.29 He that falls from grace counts the blood of this covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing or a thing of smal price and so doth despite to the Spirit of grace and hence it is that the Apostle prayeth Heb. 13.20 that God who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep would through the blood of the everlasting covenant make the believing Hebrews perfect in every good work to do the will of the Lord as Peter also tells the Saints 1 Pet. 1.18 that they were through the same redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation in a Jewish righteousness received by tradition from their Fathers This blood is promised unto them that walk in the light with God and his Saints 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sin With this blood the Saints washed their robes or imperfect righteousness and made them white Rev. 7.14 with this Christ washed the Apostles and made them Kings and priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. for which they give him praise and glory and with this is the Devil overcome and cast out Rev. 12.11 A third thing observable in this covenant is that there is a clear full and glorious wisdome promised to each Saint in due time so that they shall not need to say to each other know the Lord for they shall know him from the least of them to the greatest for that perfect knowledge and love is then come which makes the imperfect knowledge and prophecying to cease 1 Cor. 13.8 9. Lastly the time of that perfect wisdome power and love is also limited namely vers 34. in those words for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more it is then when God hath purged and taken away all their sins by the same blood where forgiving of sins as in many other places is to be understood of the purging them away by Gods grace which we call dimission and that is the principal taking away of sin upon which the pardon or taking away of the guilt follows of course and is cast in over and above out of Gods abundant mercy for the death and sufferings of Christ But to proceed Ezek. 36.25 26 27. we have another of these promises of enabling grace Then will I pour clean water upon you and from all your sins and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new
3. Luk. 4.18 19 20 yet contrary to this and other promises he saith that we draw the chains of our sins after us which make us move the more slowly But it is the portion of the wicked to be in chains 2 Pet. 2.4 Psal 107.10 11. and to be bound hand and foot Matth. 23.13 There are some that draw iniquity with cords of vanity Esay 5.18 that is with vain excuses and distinctions or ungrounded promises wo to such saith the Prophet Is 5.18 wo c. But these chains saith he are not able to draw us into the bondage that we were in before Yes they have done too many 2 Pet. 2.19 20. That death which is the wages of sin is so changed that it is not the death of the man but the death of the sin in the man What doth this babler say the death that is the wages of sin is the second death in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 14.9 10. and chap. 20.10 15. Sin is the first death and this is the second how then can this be any thing else but the death of a sinner There is another death indeed that is the death of sin and not of the man which is a suffering out of all temptations and a dying with Christ unto all evil Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints of which see Rom. 6.7 8. Rev. 14.13 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Of this death and not of the corporal death did Chrysostome and Ambrose whom he cites speak or else they were as much mistaken as the Vindicator is in this matter saying there that the death which is brought out by sin he should have said by Christ doth at the last even destroy and consume it in the children of God and that sin will remain though not reign Yes if its will may take place it will reign also and that for ever But he goes on and comments thus upon Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deeds of the body hereby saith he the Apostle shews that after regeneration by grace and before glorification grace is not consummate nor is corruption wholly abolished But with what spectacles did he read this Text when he found these things couchant in it for out of the whole verse he might have learned these saving truths for his better information and reformation also First that God doth suspend his final purpose and promises of our salvation upon Ifs or conditions on our parts to be performed For if ye live after the flesh saith Saint Paul ye shall dye but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit ye shall live Secondly that the remaining corruptions in the Saints such as these Romans were have death and condemnation attending upon them Thirdly that therefore they are not to be wounded only but mortified that is absolutely killed And lastly that this is not to be done by the death of the body but by the power of the Spirit which we are to seek by grace and with which we are to cooperate in this life till the work be done His conclusion then from hence pag. 19. and 20. by the new account is false That as long as we live in the body there is some life of sin remaining which we had need to mortify and put off But not as he doth to put it off til our natural death But he addes Saint Augustine saying that our life here is bellum not triumphus a warfare not a trophee of victory Yet may our warfare have an end here and so to have our triumph and victory follow Esay 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith our God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is ended that her iniquity is pardoned Ephes 6.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand 2 Tim. 4.6 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness But he contradicts himself in his next speech pag. 20. by the new account saying that in this battel we must fight without intermission untill we have gotten the victory for who can say that he hath in such sort cut off his superfluities that he hath no need of reforming Yes Paul could say it 2 Cor. 5.17 and the holy Apostle John 1 Ep. 4.17 and 5.5 with many thousands more to whom Christ bears witness Rev. 7.14 15 20. and 14.4 5. That when sins and superfluities are unregarded they kindle again That it is true that the same spiritual temptations may return after the former are quenched but at length the Devil is by Christ to be cast out with all his works Rev. 12.10 11. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now is come salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before God day and night Yet he saith further That whosoever he be unless he dissemble he shall find within himself something that had need to be subdued But such a Pigmee in grace as he is if he be under grace must not measure the growth and mortification of Gods faithful and sanctified Saints by his pitch But he brings in some sentences which he fathers upon Ambrose as this velis nolis infra sine tuos habitabit but he saith habitavit Jebusaeus subâ—ugari potest exterminare he should have said exterminari non potest that will thou nill thou the Jesubite will dwel wit hin thy coasts and borders he may be subdued but not rooted out This is true of temptations especially for a time after our first conversion but this conslict if we bestir our selves aright shall have an end here as we have proved of late some Jesubites are our sins and corruptions which must be rooted out again some Jebusites are our native faculties as they are corrupted disordered and poysoned with rebellion These also may be subdued and brought into obedience but neither can be cast out nor ought to be howbeit we have sure promises that all our sins and corruptions shall be subdued if we will sue out the benefit of the same Mich. 7.19 He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue all our iniquities and thou will cast their sins into the depths of the sea Insomuch as that there shall not be one Canaanite left in our soul which is the house and the temple of the Lord So Zech. 14.21 And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts Yet he goes on saying saying That the great deceitfulness of mans heart of which the Lord complaineth Jer. 17.9 saying the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it it is attributed to all men
and sins In pursuit of this said digression he brings two arguments out of Augustine to prove that Zachary of whom he speaks chap. 1.6 did not perfectly walk in all the commandements of God The first is this because he was a Priest and was bound as well to offer for his own sins as for the sins of his people Heb. 3.5 Yet this he might do for his former sins though he were now perfect for the present so that this argument holds nor But the second which he hath page 26. of the new account is more childish then the former That because he is said to walk in the commandements he had not yet attained to the mark for they that are at their journies end sit still But it is not so in the kingdome of God for though they rest from their labours that is from their conflict against sin and Satan yet they walk in the perfection of Gods commandements for ever and if he fancied any other eternal life to himself then the fulness of love and righteousness required by the Law he was mistaken in the mark at which all true Saints aim Psal 133.3 For there he commanded the blessing and life for evermore Ephes 1.4 As he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love See Psal 24.4 5. Gal. 15.5 2 Tim. 4.8 before cited To which he adds a third argument of his own Because he was smitten with dumbness for not believing the Angels promise But as there is no moral precept for that so it infringeth not what Luke hath said of him chap. 1.6 where he tells us as before that the Apostle doth constantly distinguish between peccatum and crimen betwixt sin and crime that is saith he some grievous offence which giveth slander and is worthy of crimination Is not all sin then worthy of crimination But he voucheth Augustine saying That the life of holy men may be said to be without crime yet he thought otherwise who said nemo sine crimtne vivit but not without sin Which is true of a mans whole race or course that it is and hath been sinfull but not of the Saints last and best attainments or possibilities through grace as we shall afterwards shew out of Augustines own confession who is here again brought in saying Men live well if they live without crime But they live better when by grace they live without sin But that is egregiously false which follows that he who thinks he can to wit by the help of Christ live without sin he doth not thereby make himself free from sin Yes if he do not he may do it in time but debars himself of the pardon of his sins But Saint John speaks otherwise 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Is not the forsaking of sin for the present the high way to pardon for our sins past See Prov. 28.13 Ezek. 18.21 22. But after that former digression he returneth again to his distinctions about perfection and righteousness wherein there is little of right and less of perfection to be found for first he saith out of his own cerebel that there is a two-fold perfection or righteousness the first imputed which is by way of relation and doth perfectly justifie us before God for which you must take his word for he brings no proofe to make it good the second is infused by way of inhesion subjectively in us and this saith he is but inchoate and imperfect and cannot justifie us before God But we have proved before out of Titus 3.4 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 6.11 that justification and sanctification are all one thing and therefore if the righteousness of sanctification be onely inchoated and not perfected in this life then we cannot be fully justified before God for there is no other righteousness to be attained for our justification then that hence it is Rom. 8.30 nothing interveneth between our calling and glorification but justification by which sanctification as being all one thing is to be understood Moreover those whom he foreknew those he called and whom he called those he justified and those he justified them he also glorified Then secondly he brings a distinction of extrinsecal and intrinsecal righteousness out of Zanchie of which the extrinsecal saith he is the adventitious he might have said the fictitious is the perfection of condonation where our imperfections are truly pardoned for the death and passion of Jesus Christ according to that of Augustine All the commandements are reputed as done when that is remitted which is left undone But where had the Bishop of Hippo this Hippomanes for the holy Ghost saith transmutatis terminis the clean contrary that when the cammandements are kept and fulfilled for the present then all that was amiss before becomes pardoned Ezek. 18.21 22 23. If the wicked will return from all his sins which he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live and not die all his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in the righteousness of that he hath done he shall live Doth not Christ require an actual keeping and performance of the commandements of every one that will enter into life Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping of the commandements of God Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life as before And this righteousness saith he rather consisteth in the pardon of sins then in the perfection of vertue But where is the pardon of sins called righteousness for though the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7 8. speaks of a blessedness that lieth not in the imputing of sin and the imputing of righteousness without works yet that not imputing of sin is the purging away sin by Gods Spirit as is evident out of Psal 32.2 3. which place should be thus rendred O the blessedness of the man whose transgressions are taken away and whose sins are covered to wit by mortification O the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity by letting it remain unpurged away and in whose Spirit there is no guile For the last words of the Text do evince that David speaks here of sanctification as knowing no other justification and the imputing of righteousness without works that is our own works is the free bestowing of the righteousnesse of sanctification and the perfection of vertue which the vertuous Vindicator here sets aside The intrinsecal perfection or righteousness which he speaks of out of Zanchy is saith he the perfection of
therefore all these are vain words and lying promises wherewith he would comfort himselfe and others without any ground of truth Text of Scripture But he saith pa. 51. that the Law should be fulfilled in this life is denyed by some of our own fraternity sin is condemned saith Cajetan but not extinguished But if he abuse him not let him henceforth own him for one of his fraternity as he may Bellarmine about original sin many more Papists both of the Jansenians Anti Jansenians in other points which he holds forth with Romea good creatures as he cals them yet we wil not so impudently say that he hath wages from the Pope unlesse we knew it But here he fals upon the second proposition or member of his second position telling us that the Apostle saith positively that no man shall be justified by the works of the Law Gal. 2.26 and yet the same Apostle saith Rom. 2.13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified and St. James backs him saying chap. 1.22 Be ye doers of the Law and not hearers onely deceiving your own souls for none else shall be found righteous before God as we have proved before And therefore he and we had need to have recourse to Christ for grace to fulfill it in us Rom. 8.7 for which purpose that Text which he next alledgeth but in a false sense and to a deceitful purpose must be both a direction and support unto us in this case Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe nor doth that of Galat. 2.21 dissent therefrom or any way thwart the same we do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness be by the Law and our own weak and humane obedience performed thereunto without the assisting and renewing grace of Christ then Christ died in vain both as to meriting the pardon of our guilt as also to example and motive also but we say there is no way for the fallen and corrupt man to enter into life but through conformity to Christs death in the burial of all known iniquity which yet the Vindicator holds to be for attainment impossible Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. and yet it remains inviolate which he cites out of Gal. 3.11 That no man is justified by the Law or our own unregenerate works before God but the just shall live by faith to wit first the life of grace and then the life of glory also that 18 verse stands intire If the inheritance by the Law and our own obedience thereunto without the assistance of grace it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise But it is false which the Vindicator subjoyns It is faith that answers the promise to wit by closing with it and deriving from Christ by way of regeneration the things promised but obedience saith he holds no proportion with it Yes the obedience of faith must do it or else actum est de animabus in some measure Matth. 7.21 Rev. 22.14 18 19. But here he first cites Rom. 8.3 But that which was impossible to the Law insomuch as it was made weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh and afterwards he gives his connexion and false gloss upon the Text saying the Apostle having in the first verse set down a proposition of comfort to those that are in Christ he confirmed it in the second where also he shews us in his own person who they are to whom there is no condemnation in Christ namely to such whom the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed from the Law of sin and death and no other are absolutely and actually freed from that condemnation but they though others that are still in the work have a conditional promise of that freedome Vers 13. but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit ye shall live But the Vindicator saith that the Apostle here shews us how Christ hath freed us from the condemning power of sin How is that not by his death alone as he would have it but by the Law of the Spirit of life in the first place subduing unto those that are dying with him the Law of sin and death But how is that done saith the Vindicator that is saith he Christ taking upon him our nature and therewith the burthen of our sins hath condemned sin in his blessed body and so disanulled it that it hath no power to condemn This is false as he understands it for sin hath a condemning power so long as it remaines unmortified in us as the Apostle witnesses Rom. 6.23 and 7.24 and chap. 8.13 as we proved before Christ hath purchased the pardon of sin by his death and hath it in his own hand to dispose of but bestows it upon none save so farre as sin is bewailed and left There is then another body of Christ which must take away the condemning power of sin and that is the body and flesh of his like sufferance and grace and that in order to that purchased pardon of which the bread broken in the supper of the Lord is a type as well as of the flesh of Christs word Jer. 15.16 And this benefit saith the Vindicator doth the Apostle amplifie shewing that by no other means we could obtain it Yet we have shewed you but even now another means which must go before the pardon of sin for as saith he there is but one way without Christ for men to come to life namely the observance of the Law which way is still retained also in Christ Matth. 19.17 Rev. 22.14 he lets us see saith the Vindicator that it was impossible for the Law to wit now that we are fallen to save us and this impossibility proceeds not from any impotency in the Law but from our selves as the Vindicator truly sets it forth and that in a three-fold respect for first it craves of us that which we cannot perform even an absolute obedience unto all the commandements and that under pain of death But whereas the Vindicator saith page 53. that that obedience may most justly now be required of us because that by creation he means in our first parents we received an holy nature and ability from God to keep this Law This is a false ground as we have proved before yet here in words he expresly contradicts his former doctrine saying that by reason of the depravation of our nature drawn on by our selves which is as much as we affirm in that kind it is impossible that we of our selves can keep or perform the Law Secondly because the Law could not give us that whereof we stood in need to wit a full discharge for our infinite debt of guilt contracted by transgression for saith he it promiseth no pardon but binds us fast to the
promised to the keepers of the Law then the promise had been vain So it had without grace in Christ Secondly if righteousnesse were by the Law then Christ had dyed in vain because it were superfluous for him to dye for us if we could attain it by the works of the Law and therefore it is apparent that by the works of the Law no flesh living can be justified Thirdly for hypocriticall Gospellers such as seem Saints in ostentation that they may play the divell without suspicion as John Tendring did till he went away who say they have faith but shew forth no works which are not vailed with hypocrisie and which are not done or intended to wrong ends for such saith he let Isaiah tell you how acceptable their works be to God and whether they be like to justifie them Isai 1.16 17. For the Lord complaineth that he is weary of them and that his soul hateth them and bids them bring no more such sacrifices to him But we demand of him whether those men were Gospellers or pretended Professors whether the works which the Lord there forbids were Ceremonial or Morals For he forbids not the works of the Moral Law Fourthly he saith that for true Christians that are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of God if any works could justifie it must needs be their works which are wrought in and through them by the spirit of God and yet we say quoth he that the best works of the best regenerate men cannot justifie them before God And thus we prove it how doth he that First because all the graces that we receive in this life are given to us but in part page 55. sure they are wholly and freely given as we shewed in the proof of the other positions and so they are imperfect grace But see how he contradicts himself and lyes against the Holy Ghost in his next words which are these not that the Spirit of Gods works imperfectly but that he means not to inrich us with any grace here while we are conversant with sinful men in this vale of misery but only so far forth as he seeth it fit to bring us unto the kingdome of perfection where that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 But what if Paul looked for that here saying when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part or but a piece-work shall be abolished and swallowed up verse 11. yea what if Paul all that time enjoyed that which is so perfect for he saith verse the 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things And if so then the Vindicators conclusion will stand against us like the walls of Jericho which fell flat to the ground which follows in these words And therefore our inherent justice being but as our knowledg is imperfect and therefore it is impossible that it should perfectly justifie us before God But we have overthrown that supposition of his before Secondly he saith that though our good works are perfect in respect of the Spirit of God which effecteth them yet they are tainted when they pass through us who are so subject to sin as waters running through a dirty channel and therefore cannot justifie us before God in whose presence every polluted thing stands condemned whence the Prophet saith Is 64.6 All our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth But neither are all Saints subject to sin all their life long nor can that which proceeds from Gods Spirit be tainted by us nor is that the righteousness of Saints but of sinners and unregenerate men which is so menstruous as is said before Howbeit he brings in Gregorie's saying Moral lib. 21. cap. 15. and lib. 3. cap. 7. All mans righteousness should be unrighteousness if God should strictly judge it and then Augustine's saying Wo to the most laudable and best life of men Unto which we first oppose these sayings of the Apostle 1 John 2.29 If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him chap. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous chap. 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment and then those of the Psalmist Psal 11.2 3 4 5 6. and 119.1 2. and 128.1 2. unto which we could adde many more Howbeit he goeth on in the same lying strain saying if God laying aside his mercy should discusse our lives or righteousness in the strictness of his justice it would be so for God is a God of purer eyes who charged his angels with folly Indeed Eliphaz one of Jobs back-friends and of John Tendring's gain-saying spirit saith so but falsly Job 4.17 18. for the Lord never charged any but the fallen Angels with folly so But he tels us further if you will believe him that the best of men when he lives on earth is both a Saint and sinner a Saint by reason of grace wrought in him and a sinner by his own natural corruption which in some measure tainteth every grace of God and therefore the best of these who being compared with their fellows might seem just indeed yet looking to the strictness of Gods justice they disclaimed all their own righteousness What that of grace and regeneration also But who are those Saints St. Eliphaz a lying and contentious zelot with whom God is highly displeased Job 42.7 But he brings in Job himself saying chap. 9.2 3. But how should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him to one of a thousand and David Psal 130. and 143. 2. of which we said before that all this is true of man in his corrupt estate and for a time afterwards but not of the Saints best estate and growth upon earth For whereas he saith page 56. that Paul affirmeth 1 Cor. 4.4 that he knew nothing by himself it is true But whereas the Apostle addeth that he was not thereby justified he renders a false reason of that saying of the Apostle and contradicts himself also saying though he served God most faithfully in the inner man yet he saw another law in his members warring against the law of his mind and hence he cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death What did he feel surely a law of sin and felt such a body of death continually and yet knew nothing by himself Good Hyperbolick bring your ends nearer together as the servant said to his lying mother Thirdly saith he that although it were granted that some works of the Saints were perfectly good yet any one sin blotteth out the remembrance of our former righteousness Ezek. 18.24 But that Text speaks of a final Apostasie from righteousness not of one actual
slip or fall as all men confess otherwise David Peter and all the Saints of God during their time of actual fals had lost all their righteousness which they had wrought before by every such by-step or slip Unto which he adds two sayings of the Apostle James which he understands as little as the former The first is chap. 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet shall offend in one point is guilty of all That is of violating the equity of the law and contemning the Authority of the law-giver which binds to the obedience of all the commands as well as to any one yet is not this guilt to be understood of every breach of the law through ignorance or weakness but of witting and presumptuous sins The other place chap. 3.2 in many things we offend all of which we have spoken before and therefore saith he are we taught every day to beg the forgiveness of our trespasses Unto which we have said likewise that although we sin not daily we may daily pray so for our selves and others to have our sins pardoned which have been many great His fourth argument against justification by works which in the Apostles sense we renounce is that Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law unto which he adds Gal. 5.3 4. That if ye seek to be saved or justified by the works of the law then are ye debters to fulfill the whole law and so Christ should profit us nothing who is given for that end But he goes about to prove that here Paul excludes not onely ceremonial works and works before grace but all works whatsoever how doth he that for saith he Paul writes not these things to unbelieving Jews but to the Galatians who were believing Christians But by his leave those of the Jewish faith who looked to be saved by their own works without the grace of Christ were crept in among them and had almost withdrawn them from the faith in Christ as appears chap. 1.6 I marvel that ye are so soon turned from him that called you to the grace of God unto another Gospel See chap. 3.12 and 4.19 20. and 5.1 2 3 4 5. so this argument is false Fifthly he saith that no work of man can be good before his person be justified before God for without faith it is impossible to please God But a man may have faith to please God before a justifying faith the first is in God the Father the second is in God the Son see Heb. 11.6 But without faith it is impossible to please God for he that comes to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Abel saith he was first accepted and then his offering But that divinity of his agreeth not with Gods sermon to Cain if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou dost evill sin lies at the door Gen. 4.7 Nor with that which Solomon speaks Prov. 18.16 A mans gift maketh room for him which is true of gifts brought unto God as well as unto men especially if it proceed out of a good willing spirit But page 57. he comes to answer some objections which we present not because we oppose not his doctrine in this parergical discourse The first is that to what purpose are good works if we can neither be justified nor merit by them he answers That as gold is good yet not to asswage hunger yet his confiding friends gold and silver made him good cheer and the same hath admirable effects yet not to make the blind man see so good works have many uses both necessary and profitable yet not to justifie us before God or to merit by them for when we have done all we can yea all that is commanded we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 to which Scripture we have spoken before But here he bringeth in some objections against his own doctrine of the impossibility of keeping the law as first If God gives us commandements which we cannot perform it is in vain to exhort thereunto viz. to obey the same Secondly his promises of happiness and means for keeping them were but mockeries as if I should promise a child a thousand pounds to carry away a Milstone which he is not able to wag Thirdly his punishments for the neglect and transgression of them should be unjust for if laws be not made and proportioned to our power of performance the law-giver may as well be termed a tyrant as the laws themselves unjust But none of this can stand with the wisedome and justice of God viz. to command beyond our power or possibility Unto which objections he makes answer after his wonted manner with words of ignorance errour falshood first saith he God doth require of us to keep and fulfil his law to teach us what we could have done in Adam and what we owe to God But in the first Adam or Protoplast we could do just nothing for we had no being then nor are we debters to God upon that score though perhaps upon another score we are Secondly saith he there and page 58. to shew us that it is our own fault that we cannot now keep the Law Which perhaps may be truly spoken but not in his sense and way because man abusing his power and free liberty to do what he would did lose both and now he must do what he would not because Adam received that strength both for himselfe and us He often saith it but he never yet proved it Thirdly God teacheth us saith he what we should ask and of whom for God doth therefore command us to do what we cannot perform that seeing our own infirmities and being wearied under the Law of equity we might sue unto the throne of grace for pardoning mercy and the gracious assistance of the holy Spirit to enable us in some measure saith he yea to the uttermost say we to perform what he so justly requireth To which third reason of his we subscribe as also to that which he cites out of Augustine saying in the commandements we must know what we ought to have and in our punishments we must learn that we our selves are the câ—uses of our own wants yea add hereunto and of our own failings likewise and in prayer we must learn from whence we must fetch the supply of our defects or rather before we goe to prayer or saith he again to answer methodically for all this while he hath been no very orderly man God was upon Mount Sinai to deliver a Law what de novo that was never given before but such as was formerly ingraven on mans heart Thus far he speaks truly but what follows is not so true that the Law was now defaced obliterated through sin for we have proved already that though the righteousnesse of the Law was obliterated yet the knowledge of it was written in every mans heart with indelible characters
sure we shall be no longer accounted innovators by him nor his opposite doctrine be esteemed orthodox But now at length he comes to the second branch of his second position which as he saith hath these two parts to be considered First that no man can be justified by the works of the Law Secondly that we are only justified by the righteousnesse of Christ Both which are true and suit well with what we speak if rightly understood And concerning the first he saith he hath cleared it before but he hath obscured it rather by bringing the works of the Spirit under the works of the law as he will do it again by and by And here he tels us that the Apostle Paul reasons admirably and plainly to this point Rom. 11.5 6. saying If salvation be of grace it is no more of works for else grace were no more grace and if it be of works it is no more of grace for else works were no more works So that it is evident say we that the works that are here recited are not works of grace but works before without and against grace But salvation saith he is by grace for by grace are we saved though faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Ephes 2. And our Saviour tels us plainly that when we have done our best we are unprofitable servants And such a servant will he be for the Church and his doctrine also unto which he pretends And reason it self saith he drawn from the Scripture doth sufficiently prove that we cannot be justified by our works for if any works justifie us saith he they must be done either before or after justification but no works before our justification can justifie us saith he page 61. because an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit and these works not being done in faith must needs be sin for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.5 6. Thus he goes about to maintain that which is true in it self with false grounds as we have shewed before whereupon St. Paul saith quoth he that all men before they be engrafted into Christ which as yet he is not are servants of sin farre from righteousness and bring forth no other fruits but such as deserve shame and death Which is all as false as the other for Cornelius was not as yet grafted into Christ when the Angel commanded him to send for Peter and yet he brought forth many good fruits Acts 10.1 2. as we shewed before Secondly saith he Reason it self tels us that our works done after grace cannot be the cause of grace Yes they may be some cause or means to procure a subsequent grace for how can that which cometh after be the cause of that which went before for the cause must precede the effect and so Augustine tels us that good works do not go before him that is to be justified which is not true in every behalf as we have shewed but they do follow him that is already justified and therefore they can be no more the cause of justification then good fruits are the cause of the goodness of a tree and that place of the Apostle saith he which I cited before proves it Rom. 3.20 by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified But there are good works which follow converting and sanctifying grace which yet may precede the great work of justification and nevertheless are no works of the law against which Paul disputes in this controversie For first saith he Paul tels us verse 9. that all both Jews and Gentiles are under sin because all are transgressors of the law true and therefore all the world must be guilty before God and can no way be justified by pretending innocency and righteousness in keeping the law true likewise Secondly he shews the reason why no flesh can be justified by the law because the law convinceth of sin for by the law cometh knowledge of sin But what he addeth in the next place is partly false and wholly impertinent but the law saith he convinceth them that are under grace some of them it doth who therefore had need to seek the justification which yet they want of sin and who have the greatest measure of grace this is ungraciously spoken to be sinners Phil. 3.9 But that Text speaks of Paul's first conversion to Christ not of his last and best estate Therefore saith he but by a non sequitur they that do the works of the law by the help of grace cannot be justified by the Law yes in one sense they may because the law is with them and not against them Gal. 5.23 because the law sheweth them likewise to be sinners by which words he contradicts himself as well though not as great as those are who endeavour to keep the law without the help of grace with which he is better acquainted then with the other way of keeping it and therefore saith he the Apostle concludeth thus that we are justified by the righteousness of God without the law as ye may in his sense see Rom. 3. from verse 20. But whereas he adds his own subinference thereunto saying therefore we are not justified by any righteousness of the law done either by the help of grace or without the help of grace that is neither the Apostles doctrine nor true in it self and the reason which he yields for his said assertion is devoid of reason saying for he that obeyeth the law howsoever he doth it by the help of grace or by his own strength yet he hath the same righteousness Which we say is false because those two differ as much as weakness and strength as flesh and spirit and as that which is natural from that which is spiritual yea as heaven and earth from each other Yet saith he fondly the righteousness of the Law because of the different manner of obtaining it altereth not the thing But the Apostle saith he sheweth a great deal of difference between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith so he might as to matter manner and measure for Moses described saith he the righteousness of the Law that the man which doth those things however he doth them by his own strength or some other help if he doth them shall live by them But this is a false gloss of his upon Moses for so there shall be no difference between the righteousness of the law required by Moses and the deeds of the foregoing Testament and the righteousness of faith in the nevv Testament Rom. 10.5 But the righteousness of faith speaketh in this wise If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shall be saved vers 6 9. And therefore saith he because the Apostle opposeth doing of the law and believing in Christ and not the doing of
See Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him and chap. 8.13 and if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him See 2 Cor. 1.4 5 6. 2 Tim. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. This condition of conformity to Christs sufferings whether inward of which the Vindicator and his party say nothing or outward upon the crosse is not once thought of though there is no other way left us in Christ to obtain salvation Mat. 16.24 25. Pag. 68. he tels us but falsly that the material cause of our justification actually considered is Jesus Christ No it is the person to be justified and the benefits which we have by Christ saith he are two especially First redemption Secondly propitiation But those two say we will prove but one in the end First for redemption saith he it is a word borrowed from the use of war and why not from other civil and judicial acts and it signifies freedom from captivity And thus Christ is our deliverance but how First from the wrath of God see his method he sets that in the first place which should come last because saith he he is our reconciliation And is not that a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 which blood say we is the promised spirit for and signified by blood in the old Testament and not the blood of his crosse as he and others dream see Heb. 9.14 and 10.39 and 13.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Rev. 7.14 and 12.11 Secondly saith he we are freed from the tyranny and dominion of sin because that obeying from the heart the form of doctrine unto which we are delivered that is the Gospel of Christ we are made free from sin and are become the servants of Christ which is our righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Is this obedience then our righteousnesse sure he means nothing lesse though he speaks truer herein then he is aware of But he will have Christs external obedience to be our righteousnesse and none other Thirdly we are freed saith he from the punishment of our sins because it s against justice the punishment should be inflicted when the sin is pardoned for sin being the cause of punishment it must needs follow that sublatâ causâ which he elsewhere saith cannot be taken away in this life the cause being defaced or rather removed the effect should be absolved But against this he saith it may be objected That the sins of the elect are pardoned and yet they are afflicted continually and as the Prophet saith Psalm 73.13 they are chastised every morning and therefore how can it be that he should for give the guilt of their sins and yet as the Prophet speaks Psalm 99.8 he should punish their inventions But there are no sins pardoned say we till they be wholly left Unto which said objection he answers That the miseries of men before the pardon of sin are the punishments of sin but the affliction of the Saints after the remission of their sin are not to be reputed penalties of Gods anger but exercises of his servants and arguments of his love for as many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith Christ Rev. 3.19 so also Heb. 12.5 and that for a double end First for our salvation that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.30 Secondly and subordinately for our sanctification that we may be made partakers of his holinesse But what difference is there between Gods holinesse and our positive salvation is not eternal life a participation in full of Gods holinesse Psalm 17 13. I shall be satisfied when I shall awake with thy likenesse But God punisheth those sins with temporal plagues in his servants for their humiliation and amendment and for a warning unto others which he pardoneth as to the world to come 2 Sam. 12.13 14. and before the pardon of sin men are chastised in love to their souls as well as afterwards Psalm 94.12 Pro. 3.11 12. and Heb. 12.6 7. As for Propitiation he tels us page 68 69. that it is a reconciling us to God through the blood to wit the blood of his Spirit and it is saith he the accomplishment of that which was signified by the Mercy-seat Exod. 30. But the Mercy-seat or Propitiatorie did represent Christ in the Spirit and in his second or spiritual coming in the power of his resurrection when the two tables of the Law are written upon our hearts and the face and aspect of God and the soul looks towards each other like the two Cherubims through Christ the everlasting propitiation and Priest And that which the Vindicator speaks there confirms it for first as God gave his oracles unto the Prophets he should have said unto the Priests also out of the Mercy-seat so he did yea doth reveal his will unto us his Priests and Ministers by Jesus Christ not without us only but especially within us 1 Joh. 2.27 Joh. 1.17 Secondly as God was said to dwell between the Cherubims which covered the Mercy-seat so in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily or really Coloss 2.9 And thereby as God was made propitious and favourable unto his people to assist and bless them by the blood which the High-Priest sprinkled before the Mercy-seat so saith he he is pacified and reconciled unto us and procured to inrich us with spiritual blessings through the blood of Jesus Christ Coloss 1.18 Which is true of both bloods that of his Spirit and that of his cross yea of the blood of sin also which we must shed in conformity to the death and bloodshed of Christ But this last parallel is not apt but forced Again he saith the grounds of those benefits or the meritorious cause thereof is the most absolute and perfect obedience which our Saviour Christ performed unto his Father for our sakes and is to be considered first actively then passively first the active obedience of Christ is a most perfect performance of Gods Law even to the utmost tittle thereof touching which we must consider-first that although Christ as man fulfilled the Law for himself that in both natures he might be an holy High Priest to offer sacrifice unto God yet as mediator as God and man he became subject to the Law and did fully and perfectly execute the same for us But how doth he prove that for Christ saith he is not only our redemption by that ransome which he paid for our sins but he is also the perfection of the Law unto salvation most true but not in his sense unto every one that believeth And there he three things saith he that prove the necessity thereof to be performed for us what are they first the justice of God that will not justifie the wicked to wit while they remain such in deed and will Prov. 17.15 but such as are just and righteous either by a proper
but not in his way which will never make any happy Blessed is the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works to wit his own works before and without grace And blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin but purge it away by his grace and Spirit But this righteousness of Christ thus imputed to us saith he page 72 must be considered in a three-fold respect first in respect of the truth of our imputed righteousness which is wholly a fancy and so we say that we are as truly righteous before God as Christ himself Beware of blasphemy whorson Phanatick because we are righteous with the same righteousness with which he is righteous The clean contrary way Secondly in respect of the quantity But so we deny that it is in the same measure he might truly have said in any measure for in him it is in its fulness and in its largest measure but in us it is onely received so far forth as it serveth to justifie any particular believer he should have said dreamer that is not at all Thirdly in respect of the quality And so we say that this is not in the same manner in us as it is in him which is true enough for he is righteous actually we imputatively or passively rather he subjectively we relatively in him and by him that is not at all but by meer relation or tradition and our fond credulity And so saith he in these two last respects we cannot be said to be equally righteous with Christ no nor with the least real Christian who seeks the true righteousness by Christ though we be righteous with the very righteousness of Christ to wit as Laodicea was Rev. 3.17 18. he perfectly righteous we righteous by reason of our imputation and inchoative righteousness Which last if he have any is the best string for his bow by reason the other is a broken one Again saith he Christ is called holy and sin and yet is said to know no sin and to be made sin so likewise are we said to be just and sinful just in him or rather just out by the imputation and application of his justice without any conversion from sin and sinful in our selves by the inbred corruptions of our own flesh which is brought in by our personal fall as we said before Lastly the final cause of our justification actively considered is the glory of God which he acquired unto himself by the wonderful mixture of his justice and mercy towards men justice and mercy also that he would have his own Son die to make satisfaction for our sins yea suffered to procure us some respite of repentance and returning as said before rather then our sins should esape unpunished or we forthwith perish eternally and mercy that he would have the righteousness of his Son be imputed no derived unto his servants rather then we poor sinners should perish for or in our sins But if he have no better skill in compounding his own medicines then he hath made here in this jumble of justice and mercy he is a Physician of no value And thus much saith he page 73. of the causes of justification actively considered in respect of God now in the second place we must consider the causes of our justification passively in respect of man and first the efficient cause passively considered is wholly instrumental and it is two-fold external which is the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments these are the chief outward instruments which God useth for the application of Chrsts supposed righteousness for the imagined justification of his servants and therefore the Gospel is called the word of life Acts 5.15 16. and the ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 and the Sacraments are called the seal of the righteousness of faith and our Saviour saith of the preachers of the Gospel whose sins ye remit or put away they are remitted But are the word and Sacraments passive or active instruments doth not the Apostle say that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 Is the man infatuated Secondly the internal instrument whereby we apprehend he should say seek the grace of justification is onely faith in Jesus Christ But that is false for by prayer also we both seek and comprehend the same But Christ is set forth saith he to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.15 John 1.12 which place he wrests from its native sense Gal. 3.24 and therefore the righteousness of Christ but not in his sense is called the righteousness of faith and we are said to receive Christ by faith and to receive the promise of the Spirit which is the purging blood of Christ by faith Secondly saith he faith is the onely instrument he should have said the main yet no passive instrument as he would have it whereby we are justified before God The Scriptures saith he are plain and plentiful in this point Is 45.21 25. Ezek. 20.44 Hab. 2.4 Rom. 3.24 26. Gal. 1.8 Acts 13.39 But the first of these if rightly looked into cuts the throat of justification for righteousness and strength are joyned together which must intimate the inward and powerful righteousness of God and this it justifies the man Is 45.24 25. where the words runne thus Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even unto him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified or made just and shall glory Yea that place in Hab. 2.4 shews that he whose soul is lifted up with any knowledge or hope of a false righteousness is not upright in him but the just who is such by any measure of inherent righteousness shall live the full life of righteousness by faith As for Acts 13.39 40. we have spoken of that already And so saith he doth the Apostle in many other places inculcate the same truth as Gal. 4.5 24. and our Saviour saith Joh. 3.14 15. What doth he say there for the Vindicator cites no words namely thus much that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness that Israel reflecting upon their serpentine sins and rebellion might repent and not die even so must the son of man as crucified both in us and for us Gal. 3.1 be lifted up and set forth before us that whosoever believeth on him as a pattern herein as well as a reconciler through faith follows him unto the like death should not perish but have eternal life that is saith he by his false gloss be justified and so be saved onely by believing in him A short and easie way to be saved if it were true as those Israelites that were bitten by the fiery serpents Num. 21.9 were healed and saved alone by looking up to the brazen serpent The Fathers also saith he are plain and pregnant herein of whom more anon Chrysost in Rom. cap.
come salvation and strength the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast out who accused them before God day and night In hope of this kingdom and in order thereunto the Saints to whom it was published purified their hearts by faith in Gods sanctifying grace to be had in Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3.2 3 Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him or we shall see him as he is and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Act. 15 7 8 9. Men and brethren ye know that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and beleive and God which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse giving the Holy Ghost unto them even as he did unto us and put no difference between them and us purifying their hearts by faith Out of this faith and hope the souls of Gods elect do cry unto God night and day for vengeance against Gods spiritual enemies and theirs who first had crucified Christ in them and by them and afterwards did cruciate and vex them with continual temptations and assaults Luk. 18.1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men always ought to pray and not to faint saying There was in a City a Judge that feared not God neither regarded man and there was a widow in that City and she came unto him saying avenge me of mine adversary and he would not for a while but afterwards he said within himself though I fear not God nor regard man yet because this widow troubleth me I will avenge her lest by her continuall coming she weary me And the Lord said hear what the unjust Judg saith and hall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and hight though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith upon earth Where now is this faith of Gods elect to be found yea where is the faith of the Apostles and their Churches to be heard or read of who looked for no life and glory by Christ unlesse they died with Christ unto all known sin Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him then we believe that we shall live with him and the doctrine which held forth that and no other way for the fallen man to enter into life the Apostle commends as a faithful and undeceivable word implying that the contrary doctrine and perswasions deceive mens souls in the end 2 Tim. 11.12 This is a faithful saying if we be dead with Christ we shall live with him if we suffer with him dying to sin we shall also reign with him If we deny him in this way he will also deny us The seventh Topick is the inequality between sin and Gods grace now to be had of Christ Jesus thereagainst Is 5.4.11 No weapon that is formed against the Lord shall prosper and every tongue that raiseth up against thee in judgment thou shalt condemne This is the heritage and so forth Rom. 5.17 For if by one or one mans offence death reigned by one how much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ vers 20 21. Moreover the law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did superabound that as sin had reigned unto death even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ The eighth Topick is the professed resolution of the Christians in the Apostles time to die unto all sin Rom. 6.1 What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin namely by Christian profession and resolution live any longer therein Colos 3.3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God The ninth Topick is from the true end and use of baptism to teach us this death and burial of sin in conformity to Christs death and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4. Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk after we are dead and risen again with him in newness of life for if we have been planted into the likeness of his death we shall also be planted into the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 1 Cor. 15.29 Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead Colos 2.12 Buried with him in baptism wherein ye are also risen through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead The tenth Topick is from the admission and assertion of this mortified and purged estate every where Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the law of sin and death Rom. 6.7 For he that is dead is justified or freed from sin 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ according to the Spirit he is a new creature old things are past away and all things are become new Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Chap. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The eleventh Topick is from the omnipotency of true faith in Christ Marth 15.18 Then said Jesus unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Chap. 21.21 Jesus answered and said unto them Verily I say unto you if ye have faith and doubt not ye shall not onely do this which is done to the fig-tree but also if you shall say unto this mountain of sin be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea it shall be done Mark 9.23 Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe all things are possible unto him that believeth John 14.12 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go to the Father Unto which joyn that of our Saviour John 16.33 In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world even Satans world which ye through faith shall be by me enabled to overcome 1 John 5.4 5. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even
me so we are justified by faith in Christ Gal. 2.16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Christ Thirdly as we are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ so we are justified by that Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Fourthly as sanctification is taken for a washing away of sin so is justification also Ibid. 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but now ye are washed but now ye are sanctified but now ye are justified Acts 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Fifthly sanctification is taken for a positive or infused holiness or righteousness whereby the contrary unrighteousness is purged out 1 Thes 4.3 For this is the will of God even your sanctification and chap. 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly So is justification used for an inherent holiness and righteousness Isaiah 45.24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even unto him shall men come and all that be in censed against him shall be ashamed for in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified in way of inherent righteousness and strength communicated unto them as was said in the former verse and shall glory Sixthly as this sanctification is gradually attained so is justification also Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still but he that is justified let him be justified still and he that is sanctified let him be sanctified still that is more and more where justification and sanctification are used for an inhesive holiness or righteousness as was said before Seventhly as sanctification is communicated and given to make us obedient unto the law that it may be fulfilled by us so is justification also Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God or through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Eighthly as forgiveness of sins follows sanctification as an individual companion of those sins that are purged away by it Acts 26.18 that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me so that remission of sins is not justification but an effect or concomitant of the same Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who shall condemn So did our Church believe and did pray for children and persons to be baptized saying Almighty and immortal God the aid of all that need c. We call upon thee for these infants that they coming to thy holy baptism may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration Ninthly whereas our Saviour makes the new birth absolutely necessary to salvation John 3.3 Verily I say unto you that unless ye be born again ye cannot see the kingdome of God so Saint Paul leaves out sanctification in order of causes unless sanctification and justification be all one Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called those he justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And so doth our Church in the 39. Article speak of sanctification under justification or else leaves it out as needless which were impiety in us to think which is yet more clear out of the thirteenth Article thus intituled ' Of works before justification The words of the article are these Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make us meet to receive grace Tenthly every grace and vertue of God whereby we perform obedience to Gods law is called a justification and all the graces of the Saints are named as so many particular justifications Rev. 19.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the white linnen is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or justifications of Saints Hence it is that Basil Psal 118. according to his account 119. upon vers 2. he cals the commandements justification as those which are to justifie or make just those that observe them rightly so before Psal 119.7 the law c. Eleventhly by doing and fulfilling of the law which we do accomplish by the grace and Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.4 we become fully justified before God Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified Lastly as we are sanctified by the blood that is the Spirit of Christ Heb. 10.29 Of how much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified an unholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of grace So we are justified by the same blood Rom. 5.9 How much more being justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Hence it is also that the Apostle speaking of the love of Christ to him and his fellow-Apostles and Saints saith who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood and made us Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. where Saint John speaks of the work of justification See 1 Pet. 2.9 10. compared with Exod. 19.5 6. Concerning which work of justification by Christs internal righteousness take these few testimonies of the Fathers following instead of many more which might be alledged Justin Martyr in quaest ad Orthodoxos before cited But what is the universal righteousness of the law To love God above himself and his neighbour as himself which is not impossible to those men that apply themselves thereunto Wherefore the Apostle did not therefore say that no flesh should be justified by the works of the law because we cannot perform impossible things but because we will not do possible things Cyprian serm 6. de oratione Domini speaking of the Publican that went away rather justified then the Pharisee saith he by his humiliation deserved to be sanctified c. Where he makes sanctification and justification to be one and the same thing Hieron in lib. 1. dialog advers Pelag. That a man is not condemned for that which he hath not but is justified for what he hath Ambrose lib. 6. exam cap. c. I pray thee answer whether justification seem to conferred upon thee according to the mind But thou canst not doubt seeing justice or righteousness from whence justification hath its derivation but that it belongs unto the mind and not unto the body Epiphanius doth not onely make righteousness and goodness to
shall reward evill to mine enemies cut them off in thy truth and 59.13 Consume them in thy wrath consume them that they may not be and let them know that God ruleth in Iacob to the ends of the earth and 71.24 My toung shall talkof thy righteousnesse all the day long for they are confounded for they are brought to shame that seek my hurt and 101.8 I wil early destroy all the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord which is every Saint Jerem. 4.14 Wash thine heart O Jerusalem that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy wicked thoughts lodg in thee Psal 112.8 His heart is established he shall not be afraid untill he see his desire upon his enemies and 139.23 24. Search me O my God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting and 143.9 10. Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies for I fly to thee to hide me with thee teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit it is good lead me unto the Land of uprightnesse and of thy mercy cut off all mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work knowledg wisedome or device in the grave whether thou goest and Luk 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the days of our life Tit. 2.12 Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree that we being dead to sin might live unto righteousnesse and 4.1 2. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind that he which is dead hath ceased from sin that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh after the lusts of men but after the will of God Fifthly that when we were first converted sin had his death-wound contrary to Rom. 7.14 24. and 8.13 Gal. 5.17 Heb. 3.13 14. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin and 6.4 5 6. and 10.26 27 28 29 30. and 12.15 Looking diligently lest any fall from the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 2 Pet. 2.1.20 21. Jude 4. c. for no sin hath its deadly wound till it be by the patience and Spirit of Christ wholly overcome and lest Rev. 2.16 and 3.10 Sixthly That all the guilt of sin and punishment is taken away though the pollution and corruption remains contrary to Prov. 28.13 Jer. 33.8 Acts. 26.18 this is to take away the effect and leave the cause in force and being hence it is that Hieronymus saith on 1 Cor. 6. Be not deceived thinking that faith alone sufficeth for every sin that remaineth excludeth men from the kingdome of Heaven as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. how the works of the flesh are hurtfull which are these adultery fornication uncleannesse c. of which I tell you before as I have told you in times past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Heaven But also saith he they pray sinfully who persevere in sin and desire that those sins of theirs should be pardoned or put away by the Lord which they themselves have not put away from them Seventhly they say that there is not any other active obedience or righteousnesse of Christ to be attained by faith then that which Christ works in his Saints for its contrary to Isai 45.24 25. and 48.18 and 53.11 and 59.17 and 61.3 10 11. and 62.1 2. Jerem. 23.5 6. and 31.31 32 33. and Rom. 4.11 and 5.7 18 19. and 8.4 Phil. 3.9 10. Eighthly that we are perfect in this life and complete by justification though not by sanctification where 's they are both one thing as hath been proved at large and while the one is imperfect the other is also Ninthly that justification lies in remission of sins or taking away the guilt of the same yet leaving the sin or pollution behind whereas justification taken in a liberative way is a purging and washing away of the fault and corruption in the first place as hath been proved out of Acts 13.20 and 1 Cor. 6.11 Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. Thirdly consider that the kingdome of God which Christ and his Apostles preached is not onely an inward kingdome Luk. 17.21 as it is a kingdome both of grace Rom. 14.17 and of glory also Rom. 8.19 Ephes 1.18 but consequently that there is an internal heaven of holiness and glory to be had and obtained by the Saints in this life Heb. 10.34 knowing that ye have in your selves a better and more induring substance in the heavens for so the words are in the Greek Text. As Paul also speaks of himself and fellow-Apostles whom God hath raised up and set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.5 6. this is that kingdome which Christ taught his Disciple to pray for saying ' thy kingdome come and which he and John Baptist published 'to be at hand Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 and which ' John saw coming down from God out of heaven Rev. 21.23 before whose coming all sin must be purged away for ' no unclean thing can enter into it Rev. 21.27 yea all the spiriteal effects of sin as the second day sorrow crying and tears shall be removed Rev. 21.4 Fourthly that they which know not own not nor witness this kingdome of God with the way and means thereunto were never sent of God to preach the true Gospel of the kingdome but do publish their own imaginations and traditions of men as the Vindicator and many of far greater note then he both living and dead both do and have done Fithly that they who do not believe that he God will avenge his elect who cry unto him night and day for vengeance against their spiritual enemies for the rooting of all out Luk. 18.1 7. have not the faith of Gods elect as hath been said before Sixthly we shall leave it to your serious consideration whether it be not the voice of the unbelievers and not of the Saints of whom it is said concerning the beast of sin which came out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns saying Rev. 13.4 and they worshiped the dragon who gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Which interpretation concerning the beast of sin is not ours but
3.5 the Laver of regeneration c. for no unclean thing can enter Rev. 21.27 and Christ said John 15.3 Now you are clean through the word I have spoken to you and James 1.18 it is said Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth But we presume to adde yet a little further to shew how needful it is to prove from the text or context that the sense we fix upon a Scripture-axiom is the proper sense which the Holy Ghost intendeth in the said place Because one Mr. Stevens of Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire hath set forth a book which he intitles A three fold defence of original sinne in reference to the old common notion thereof in which book he saith p. 94. that the Examiners of the late Synods Confession of faith deal sophistically with him and his party in leaving out their chief argument which lieth hid we confess to us in 3 John 6. But if it do appear that we have sophisticated with them we acknowledge that they may justly according to their large power of admitting or hindring interdicere nobis aquâ igne sed qui non est sponte nocens we desire him to pardon for we do profess to him that we did not dream of such a best in the said place among all their weak arguments for their tradition of original sinne as aforesaid The sense Mr. Stevens sixeth upon those words John 6.3 That which is born of the flesh is flesh is that original sinne and the impurity of the natural birth is meant by the same words and therefore there is a necessity of a new birth spoken of v. 5. from original sinne Which we grant if it be in all men but that is petitio principii it s the thing to be proved though yet there is a necessity of a new birth according to v. 5. and for the reason added v. 6. but we challenge Mr. Stevens who boasteth of this place to contain being as little to the purpose as the rest their chief argument to prove for as yet he hath not done it that Christ meant by flesh from which that which is flesh is born is original sinne and impurity by nature which we openly deny as it were at the market-crosse 1. Because flesh in Scripture is taken in more senses then Mr. Steven's his distinction of flesh in the said place p. 94. doth comprehend Secondly because flesh is more largely taken in Scripture then he can yet fathom within his apprehension and opposite also to the sanctifying work of the Spirit therefore we say Mr. Stevens distinction and his explication of it doth not prove what he with rash confidence affirmeth Now that flesh is taken in Scripture in other respects then Mr. Stevens mentioneth as aforesaid these following Scriptures do evidence 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth we know him so no more Let Mr. Stevens apply the said place to his sense of flesh John 3.6 and make good and Christian-like sense of the said words if he can for there is spoken of a knowing Christ no more after the flesh although they had known him so before now to know them after the flesh must intend not to own them after the flesh any more because Paul could not but know them after the humane flesh by reason all are in that condition to be outwardly conversed with Secondly He did never know that is own Christ at any time after the flesh as it is meant by Mr. Stevens in the second member of his distinction for Christ was not born in original sinne nor yet lived at any time in the corruption of nature Hence flesh in this place doth not come under any member of Mr. Stevens destinction Again flesh in this place is the same in sense as appeareth by Pauls expression in reference to men and the reason of the Apostles disowning any man henceforth after the flesh is grounded upon his disowning Christ after the flesh any more for so the arguing lieth clear by the emphatical expression or revocation yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth we know him so no more therefore the flesh is to be taken in that place in the same sense as it relateth to men and Christ and Paul would henceforth know neither men nor Christ after the flesh hence its plain that the flesh there was a state in contradistinction to the Spirit or his other sanctifying work of the Spirit in which Paul would not henceforth know them in Again in John 6.63 flesh is taken in another sense then Mr. Stevens doth apprehend But to come nearer to the sense of flesh as it may suit with John 3.6 flesh is taken Gal. 3.3 not for corruption of nature in any kind because none can think the Galatians ever did expect to be perfected by sinneful nature after they had begun in the Spirit much lesse did Paul drive at it so as to upbraid them for attempting to be perfected by the flesh in that sense but for the fleshly ordinances they were turning back unto after they had begun in the Spirit as doth plainly appear in chap. 4.21 22 c. chap. 5.1 2 3. So Heb. 7.16 the Ceremonial services in which the Sribes and Pharisees rested in and were captived to are called the carnal comman dement So Heb. 9.11 12. Hence the observances of them were but carnal because the ordinances were but fleshly Hence that which is born of the flesh is still flesh according to Christs words John 3.6 Now with Mr. Stevens his favour in this sense of flesh and not in his of original sinne and impurity of the birth did Christ teach Nicodemus first the necessity of a new birth Secondly the necessity of it by the water and Spirit which are the two copulate causes of it named by Christ and that upon the reason Christ giveth from the nature of the cause to the like nature of the effect in two instances v. 6. that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit for it was in that flesh that is in fleshly ordinances that he and others were captived in therefore not in Mr. Steven's sense of flesh did Christ intend that instruction to Nicodemus because Christ had no occasion given him from Nicodemus to fall upon the doctrine of original sinne this appears from Nicodemus discourse with him owning him upon his working such works to be a teacher come from God our Saviour knowing Nicodemus was a master in Israel v. 10. and likewise well knowing wherein all the present masters of Israel stuck and what they gloried in being puffed up though captived with fleshly ordinances Col. 2.17 18 c. he taught Nicodemus a new lesson of the necessity of his and their new birth from better principles then fleshly rules and services which onely served Heb. 9.13 but to the
he cast into the Sea then that he should offend a little one 9. Qu. What is meant by that Math. 7.2 where ' it is said With what measure thou metest it shall be meted unto thee again 10. Qu. What is meant by the false ballance Prov. 11.1 ' where it is said A false ballance is an abomination to God but a just weight is his delight See Prov. 16.16 20.10 Levit. 19.35 36. The reason of this Querie is because ' it is said Dan. 5.27 that the King was weighed in the ballance and found too light therefore other things are weighed besides natural or artificial things 11. Qu. What doth the Psalmist mean by those words ' Psal 119.126 It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law 12. Qu. What is the scope and intent of the Lord in those words Mal. 2.8 9. Ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts v. 9. Therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all according as you have not kept my ways but the people have been partial in my Law 13. Qu. What did David mean by that 1 Sam. 26.19 For they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other Gods 14. Qu. What is meant Heb. 8.10 11. After those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people v. 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest 15. Qu. What is the meaning of those words of the Psalmist Psal 119.98 99 100. Thou through thy commandements hast made me wiser then my enemies for they are ever with me v. 99. I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditations v. 100. I understand more then the ancients because I keep thy precepts 16. Qu. What is the meaning of that 2 Cor. 8.13 Not that one should be eased and another burdened but that there may be equality 17. Qu. What is the meaning of that Ezek. 17.18 19. The reason is because of the sore threatning declared by the Prophet for breaking oath with the King of Babel and we see that the Lord calleth it the despising of his oath and the breaking of covenant with him What will the Lords displeasure be lesse against such who have lifted their hands to him to reform in doctrine and discipline according to the word of God Exitus actu probabit what will you do in the latter end thereof Jer. 30.23 24. 18. Qu. What is the meaning of that Revel 2.2 3 4 5 6. The reason is because the Lord threatens to remove the Candlestick unlesse they repented for that they had left their first love 19. Qu. What is the meaning of that Jam. 1.20 where it is said The wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God 20. Qu. What doth the Apostle mean v. 26. where he saith If any seem to be religious and refrain not his tongue that mans religion is in vain 21. Qu. What is meant by that Math. 23.25 where it is said These things thou oughtest to have done and not to have left the other undone 22. Qu. What is the meaning of that Jam. 2.7 where it is said 'Faith without works is a dead faith The reason is because we are said by many to be justified by faith alone without works which if so then we are justified by a dead faith according to St. James and its contrary to the justification of Abraham v. 21 22. 21. Qu. What is the meaning of that Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man fall by an occasion you who are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meekness considering thou thy self maist be tempted one way or another The reason of this Querie is because of that mentioned v. 1. Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Rom. 15.1 You that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak which are but such for a time 1 John 2.12 13 14. 22. Qu. What is the meaning of that 1 Cor. 15.26 where it is said ' The last enemie which shall be destroyed is death The reason is first because it s said v. 25. ' Christ must reign untill he hath put all his enemies under his feet and death is said there to be the last therefore what death is meant there is worthy of Divines enquiry Secondly if it be so that death is the last enemy then all sin must be destroyed before death come and so sinne shall not remain in all Saints as long as they live 23. Qu. What is the meaning of that 1 Cor. 11. v. 26. where it is said So ost as you eat c. you shew forth the Lords death untill he come The reason of this Querie is because it is spoken to every one who rightly receiveth the Lords Supper and if so it cannot be meant of his last coming which is so much spoken of among Divines 24. Qu. What is the meaning of that Luk. 18.8 where it is said ' When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth The reason of this Querie is because we believe that it is not likely to be meant of the rarity of the faith to be-lieve that Christ came to save sinners or that he was made man to suffer for our sinnes 25. Qu. What is the meaning of that Rom. 8.4 where it is said That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The reason of this Querie is because it is usually affirmed that Christ hath fulfilled all righteousness of the law for us and the Apostle saith that it might be fulfilled in us 26. Qu. What is the meaning of that Mark 16.17 18. And these signs shall follow them that believe In my name shall they cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them and they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover The reason of this Querie is because these signs are declared to follow not the Apostles who were to preach the belief in their order every believer as to know â—hether they believe a right or not which is set down ver 16. to be of that ' necessity that he who believeth not shall be damned therefore it concerneth us much to know whether we believe aright yea or not hence these signs shall follow them which believe and the believers shall do these ensuing things in their order It doth therefore concern us to find out what is contained under those stupendious expressions that every
they wise men or fools that believe every vain word and doctrine of men which hath no ground in the Scripture Prov. 14.15 The simple believeth every word but the prudent take heed to their going for so saith Augustine saith he and Peter Lumbard lib. 3. Senten distnct 23. That there is a great difference between him that doth believe Christ and him that doth believe in Christ for the Devils believe Jesus to be Christ but they believe not in Christ And may not some believe amils in Christ as he doth Because saith he it is one thing to believe God another thing to believe there is a God and another thing to believe in God yea and another thing to believe lies To believe God as he saith is to believe that he speaks the truth in the Scriptures and to believe God is to believe a God is But to believe in God is to believe with love and loving him to go unto him and to cleave unto him to be made one with him to dwel in him and have him dwel in us Whence it will follow that the Vindicator never yet believed rightly in God And this is that faith by which a sinful man is instrumentally justified in Gods way and not his and is both found and accounted righteous in Gods sight And hath not the faith of the Devil the father of lies the contrary effect hereunto For the second saith he we must understand that this applicaof faith or of Christ through faith must be particularly applied what must the application be applied by every man unto himself if he desires to be led hood-winked by the nose and that in a most special manner even he Because a general faith no nor a phanatick faith such as his is is not thought justifying faith for Paul testifieth that Agrippa did believe the Prophets Acts 26.17 18. and yet Agrippa confesseth he was no Christian And herein he was the honester man then in words to confess him and inworks to deny him as some Vindicators do And a natural man saith he by the force of Reason may be reduced to believe and acknowledge a God and that this God is powerful just and true and therefore brought to a general perswasion of the truth of things to be believed and yet all this faith no nor his own to boot is not sufficient to justifie us because true justifying faith is no natural quality nor phanatical notion but a supernatural gift of God as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 howbeit it were no hard thing to prove that some of the heathen understood Gods work of justification better then the Vindicator witness that of Catullus the poet Omnia fanda nefanda malo permista furore Justificam nobis mentem avertêre Deorum Things good and bad mixt with a fury blind Have turn'd away Gods just just making-mind or justifying mind And therefore the general faith of the Scriptures saith the Vindicator is not sufficient to make us Christians but as we read the Saints of God do apply the promises of salvation unto themselves or rather themselves unto the promises to seek them in a right way as David saith to wit among experimental deliverances God is my rock and my redeemer and Job 19.25 I know that my redeemer liveth and Mary after that Christ was formed in her my soul rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1.47 and Thomas saith my Lord and my God Joh. 21. and Paul Gal. 2.20 who loved me and gave himself for me But what promises be or are contained in these Texts so must saith he every Christian that looks for salvation apply we say lay hold of in particular the grace and favour of God unto himself and his faith instrumentally justifies or may be a help unto him the sinner what without seeking of justifying and cleansing grace Lastly the final cause of our justification passively considered or the effect of it rather is peace of conscience in this life and the atonement a new expression but let it pass of eternal happiness in the life to come the first whereof saith he is attained by two special things first by an assured perswasion that all our sins are forgiven But may not some have a false perswasion in this kind so being justified by faith that is in a sanctifying and a purgative way from all our sins which we have committed we have peace towards God through Jesus Christ for ootherwise namely in his Son our justification is but a dream Secondly saith he by an unwearied study to strive against the stream which in his sense of impossibility is truly and properly spoken of our own natural corruption and why not against all temptations also and to keep a constant course which he denyed heretofore to be possible in the ways of godlinesse for Christ saith he gave himself for us to die for us and not by his Spirit to redeeme us from all iniquity and did bear our sins on his body upon the tree But for what end that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 or as Zachary saith Luk. 1.74 75. And so St. Augustine saith that Christ died for the wicked not that they should remain wicked but that they being justified through faith should be converted from their wickednesse and bring forth the fruits of holinesse because as St. Augustine saith also grace justifieth that we should live justly But here the Vindicator is so blind that he brings Augustine against himselfe for he takes the word justification as we do for purging away of sin and making of man just holy and good by way of sanctification which is an usual acception of the word among the Fathers The second end of our justification saith he is the eternal blessednesse which shall be attained hereafter when Christ shall say unto all his justified Saints made just and merciful by his sanctifying spirit Come ye blessed of my Father c. Mat. 25.34 And so much saith he for all the causes of our justification actively and passively considered Wherein he hath given us non causas mutilas pro veris false causes for true especially instead of the formall and material causes not much unsuitable to his deceitful justification but the efficient and final causes are for the most part applicable to the true work of justication And this saith he I hope may suffice but it must be among such as are blind or are willing to be deluded for the proof of the truth of this last branch of the second position that we are only justified by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Which point being rightly understood hath been and shall be better confirmed by us I shall end saith he with that of our Saviour Joh. 12.48 The word which I have spoken shall judge you in the last day Yea and judgeth and convinceth the Vindicator already to be a blind guide a stranger to the faith of Gods elect and no other Apostle then a veterator or impostor
as we shall in our catasceuastical or affirmative part of our discourse more fully manifest But he concludes with his form of prayer I pray God to enable us all to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and that we may renounce all those doctrines that set up any thing of man And much more say we do tend to the setting up of Satan or his kingdom to the abasing of Christ and that we embrace those doctrines which abase man and much more whatsoever is of the devil and which exalt the Lord according to that of the Psalmist Not unto us O Lord not unto us and much lesse unto the Devil but unto thy name and unto that only give the glory Psalm 15. Unto all which we say and that not formally but cordially Amen You see the Vindicator hath closed like a Saint of the Pharisaicall sect with a prayer even as specious in words of Scripture-phrase as his Preface was to his beloved friends placed in the front of his Vindication but when his prayer is explained to you in reference to his position That sinne will remain in the best of Saints as long as they live then it will appear to have the same scope and end to his said position as we have declared his Preface had For whom can he mean and include in the relative word us when he saith I pray God enable us but the Levites his friends and other his allies with himselfe For be it known to all men by these presents that we disown his Tenents and resolve to speak against them dum maneat Lachesi quod torqueat to speak until we lack breath if we have opportunity Secondly if to hold the unity of the Spirit be intended in reference to his position then these words must signifie to hold the onenesse of the wicked spirit for all sin is of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.9 therefore to pray in reference aforesaid to hold the unity of the Spirit is to pray to hold the onenesse of the wicked spirit in upholding and maintaining with one affection that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live Thirdly to hold it in the bond of peace is to pray in reference to the foresaid position that in the onenesse of affection to the wicked spirit that he and his friends may in all tyes bonds obligations of a quiet and peaceable agreement be bound together to maintain that sin will remain in the best of Saints as long as they live and not to disturb one another as those foresaid false Prophets do disturb them who deny their position Yea the Vindicator prayeth as ignorantly as he can if he maintain his position that he and his friends may renounce all the doctrine that sets up any thing of man to the abasing of Christ for if he intend that clause of his petitionary note in reference to our doctrine of a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life then his prayer is that nothing of man that is of us in contradistinction to himselfe and his friends may be set up to the mortifying of all sin and so to abase Christ by a total mortification of sin if he mean to prefer his own petition before our doctrine tendeth absit blasphemia dicto to the abasing of Christ But if he iutend to maintain to the end as he begun that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live then the said clause of his vote and prayer is a contradiction to himself and his position for doth any doctrine set up any thing of man but that Doctrine which maintaineth the necessary continuance of sin in this life for only sinne and allsin is of the Devill and man Joh. 3.9 Rom. 5.12 by one man sinne came into the world and 2 Thess 2.3 the devil or wicked one what ever men dream to the contrary is called the man of sin therefore for the Vindicator to pray that no doctrine be owned but renounced that sets up any thing of man is to pray against his own position that sin will remain in the best Saints as long as they live because only sinne and all sinne is from man as aforesaid And is there any thing which abaseth Christ but sins continuance when as the Lord complaineth thou hast made me to serve with thy sins and wearied me with thine iniquities Isai 43.24 Hence also upon the same account that the doctrine of sins remaining is the setting up of man and abasing of Christ we say here also the clause of his prayer which is expressed in these words And that we embrace those doctrines that abase man and exalt the Lord is a prayer for the embracing our doctrines because a total mortification of sin in this life is it which exalteth Christ in his holinesse will and power to destroy all sin according to that James 4.5 6. for the Lord offereth more grace that is to overcome it See Phil. 4.13 Joh. 1.16 who came to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2.14 that the Lord may be exalted alone in that day Isai 2.17 Not unto us Lord Psal 115.19 in a better sense then the Vindicator doth apply those words in reference to his prayer relating to his position but unto thy name be the glory who hast in some measure made known to us and made us to believe the true doctrine which abases man and exalts Christ which doctrine is a possibility of a total mortification of sin in this world Thus we have traced the Vindicator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the first to the last of his Vindication wherein the unbiassed Reader may easily comprehend what nonsense tacit contradictions besides open ones this Vindicator is guilty of in this his Vindication so that he hath first and last verified therein another apt Anagram of his name In no end right Our Gusmond hath spit folly with despite But marvel not for He 's in no end right The finis rei by his confession Of his positions is transgression Will you his friends elect this sinful wight To be your Pilot who 's in no end right Can he direct your souls unto heavens blisse Who at both ends doth steer amisse You Levites in his Preface cal'd to fight With us forbear for he 's in no end right His Jus and Saints mentioned in his letters Are mongrels compared with their betters For he cannot on best Saints temper light It to define who is in no end right Disown him then who hath no morning light Detest this vagrant who 's in no end right Having demonstrated the Anasceuastick or confutative part of our revindication and observed the Vindicators ends what they are we proceed to the Catasceuastick or confirmative part thereof in two axioms or assertions contrary to the Vindicators positions First we affirm that there is a possibility through the grace and help of Christ of a total mortification of
God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods commandements cannot be kept of any man in particular but of men taken together August de Nat. Grat. cap. 4.3 God by giving his law unto us admonished us to do what we can and admonished us to ask what we cannot do Idem de tempor serm 61. Neither could God command any thing that is impossible because he is just nor will condemn any man for that which be could not do because he is pious or good Idem in Psalm 56. God would never command us to do that thing if he judged it impossible to be done of man if thou therefore considering thine infirmity faintest under the precept be comforted by example for he that gave us his example is at hand that he may also afford us his aide Idem in Heb. Epist 89. The love of God is diffused into our hearts from whence proceeds the fulfilling of the law not by the power of the will which is in us but by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Idem de verbis Apost serm 15. He that believeth in him shall not have his own righteousness which is out of the law though the law is good but he shall fulfill the law not by his own righteousness but that love which is given him of God for love is the fulfilling of the law and from whence is that love diffused into our hearts not from our selves but from the holy Ghost which is given unto us Idem lib. 2. in Julian cap. 1. Neither is the perfection of virtue to be despaired of by his grace who can change and heal that nature which was vitiated originally or from the beginning Prosp lib. Senten ex August The law is given that grace may be sought grace is given that the law may be fulfilled Idem ibidem The end of the law is Christ in whom the law of righteousness is not confirmed but fulfilled for all perfection is to be found in him beyond whom here is no place or thing whither the hope of faith and truth should extend it self Idem ibid. Every precept is light for him that loveth nor is it so to be understood as spoken upon any other occasion where it is said my burden is light but because he gives the holy Ghost by which love is diffused into our hearts we should do that freely and liberally which fear made us do servilely Greg. in homil 38. upon the Gospel called charity the wedding-garment which he that hath not before he comes to the great marriage is excluded To say nothing of Alippius Evodius Aurelius Possidius and many more of the ancients who with Aug. did hold That the law of God by grace was possible to be kept and fulfilled in this life we will adde a testimony or two of Leo and the Schoolmen and then come to our own English reformed doctrine he saith serm 12. de passione Where sin abounded there grace hath superabounded that those who were born with the guilt or prejudice of sin have power to be reborn unto righteousness for the gift of freedome is stronger or more forcible then was the debt of bondage and slavery Idem serm 9. de Jesun alibi He may justly press us with his precept who goes afore with his help and grace and again serm 9. de Jejun sept men We cannot attain to that which is promised unless we observe that which is commanded but because we commonly do this without the grace of God Also he addeth further upon those words of our Saviour be ye holy as I am holy seeing it seemeth difficult which I command run to the command that from whence the precept is enjoyned help may be afforded for performance As for the Schoolmen we have their judgment briefly comprehended in that verse Ultra posse vini non vult Deus ulla requiri Beyond mans possibility by grace The just God nought requires of mortal race As for our reformed doctrine and Liturgie those places which we alledged before upon the former position will speak to this also That as our Godfathers and Godmothers did promise and vow in our names that we should keep Gods holy will and commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of our life so we should by Gods help resolve so to do and to that end seek his grace that we may continue the same unto our lives end And afterwards when the catechist had set forth the duties of the whole law in the first and second table he saith My ' good child know this that thou art not able to do this of thy self nor to walk in the commandements of God and to serve him without his special grace which thou must learn to call for at all times by diligent prayer c. As for the Liturgie in the Collect upon the first Sunday after the Epiphanie the Church was wont to pray thus Grant that these thy people may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. And besides a prayer said after every one of the commandements in the close of all the Church prayed thus Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseech thee To say nothing of the most learned Bishops that were in their ages Bishop Andrews Bishop Overal and Bishop White with other Grandees and Fathers of our Church King James upon the Lords prayer affirmeth that it is blasphemy to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible for that were to give him the lie who told us out of his own mouth that his yoke is easie and his burden light And Christs intimate disciple saith 1 John 5.3 that his commandements are not grievous Thus much for the first branch of the second position now for the second which follows thereupon That by this righteousness or obedience unto the law wrought by the grace of Christ we may be justified Take these twelve things into consideration First that justification is one and the same thing with sanctification in Jesus Christ as we have shewed out of many places of the Scriptures as 1 Cor. 6.11 But now ye are washed now ye are sanctified now ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and by the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Rev. 21.11 where read the Text thus as it signifies in the Greek Let him that is unjust be unjust still and he that is filthy be filthy still but he that is justified be justified still and he that is sanctified be sanctified still Secondly that as we are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 among those that are sanctified by faith in