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HEB.II«5>& Without Faith it is impojfible to pleafe God: He that cometh to God muft believe, that He is, and that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently feek^ him.

Luke I p. 17. Well) thou good Servant. Becaufe thou haft been faithful in a very little, have thou Authority over ten Cities- So Mat. 25. 21.

Mat. 25. 34, 40, 46- Inherit the Kindgom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World: For

I was hungry and ye gave me Meat In as

much as ye have done it to one of the lea ft of thefe

my Brethren, ye have done it to me \ And thefe

fhall go into Everlafting Punifhment, and the Righteous into Life Eternal.

Gen. 22. 16, 17, 18. By my felf have I faorn, faith the Lord, becaufe thou haft done this things and haft not withheld thy Son &C

John 16. 27, The Father himfelf loveth you, becaufe you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

1 John 3> 12, 13. Whatfoever we ask, we receive of him, becaufe we keep his (Commandments, and do thofe things that are plcafing in his fight, and this is his Commandment that we believe on the Name of his Son Jefus Chrift and Love one another.

Rev. 3. 4. They Jhall walk, with me in vjhite,for they are worthy.

Rev. 3. I a Becaufe thou haft kept the Word of my Patience^ I will keep thee, &c.

MaK 7. 29. For this faying go thy way, the Devil is gone out, &C.

Mat. ?• 20. Ewept your Righteoufnefs exceed the Righteoufhefs of the Scribes, and Pharifees, yon ft all in no cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat. 12. 36, 37. Every idle Word that Men Jhall fpeak^, they Jhall give account thereof in the day of Judgment. For by thy Words thou Jhalt he Jh-fiified, and by thy Words thou foalt be Condemned.

Jam- 2. 24. Tou fee then that by Works a man is Jufiified, and not by Faith only. So v. *3« to the end.

Rom. 8. 29, 30. Whom he foreknew, them he pre-deftinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son, * that he might be the, firft born among many Brethren : And whom he did predefiinate. them he al-. fo called : And whom he called them he alfo justified, and whom he jufiified them be alfo glorified.

Luke 18. 13, 14. / tell you, This man went

down -Jufiified rather than the other.

PrOV. 17. 15* He that Jufiifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the Juft, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

Of Faith imputed to Righteoufnefs, and our being Justified by Faith, See Rom. 3. 30, 26. Rom. 4. II, 22, 23, 24. He that confidereth the different fence^ of £)yAnyj2., J)magoti<; and J)ygteo<rvvti> ( the fir ft ufually fignifytng the Practical or Preceptive matter that is Righteoufnefs, the fecond Active efficient Juftification, and the third the State of the Jurt/Qualitative or Relative, or ipfam Juftiti-am, will the better expound the Word Justification as it is in our Translations.

Rom*

Romi 4.24, 25. For fa alfo to whom it fhall be im« puted (not is before we believe, ) if ( a Conditional ) we believe on him that rai/edupjefa our Lord from the dead: Who wa4 delivered for our offences\ and was raifed again for our Jufiification : ( Not only obeyed and fuffered for our Justification, but was raifed for it.) && tW SiKaiwiv npfy, efficiently to mak$ m juft relatively and qualitatively, and fo to juftify m,andconfequently to judge, m juft.

Exodus 23.7. I will not juftify the wiekgd. Obj. Kom. 4 5. He juftifieth the ungodly, Anfvv. Tes : By making him Juft by Pardon , Adoption and Godlinefs : As he hGaleth thefick^andraifeth the dead, infenfudivifo.

Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptised every one of yen in the name of the Lord Jefas, for the remiffion of fins, 13.38. By him all.that believe are Juftified from all things from which ye could not be juftified by the Law of Mofes, See Titus 3.6,7. 1 Cor. 6.8, g, 10, 11. Rom. 2. 13,14.1 Peter 1.16,17.2 Cor. 9.6.

Rev. 20-12,13, And the dead were jpdged out of thofe things which were written in the Books according to their works, &c. ( Which is oft laid in Scripture.)

John 5". 22. 29. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, and hath given him authority to Execute Judgment. —— They • that have Done 4oOod to the RefurreSion ofLife y and they that have done evil to the Refurrettion of damnation.

2 Tim. 4* 7) 8. / have fought a good fight. — Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous Judge fljallgive pie at that day, and not to me only, but to all that love his appearing*

See Heb. 6.10. i Cor. i?. 58. Col. 3* 24. HebJ 11. 26. 2. Thef. 1. 5> 6, 7- Mat. 5. 12. ■■

Mat.6.2.4.6. & 7.12. & 10.41.42. & ip. 29; 1 Cor. 9.17. Rom. 2.5. 10. Mat. 7.4.

I Joh. 1.9. 7/ ire w*/e/} our fms> he is faithful and j itft to forgive hs our fins ^ and to cleanfe us from all unrighteoufnefs. So Rom. IO. 10.13.

Mat. 6. 14,15. If ye forgive men their trefpaffes^ your heavenly Father will forgive you: But if ye forgive not men. —- Neither will.

I Joh. 3.17* Let no man deceive you ; He that doth Rigbteoufnefs is Righteous.

Ifa. I. 16,17, 18. Ceafeto doevilStC. Come now If your fins be red as crimfon.

Ift. 55. 6, 7. Seek, the Lord while he may be founds &CO Let the wicked for fake his way, &C. Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on hint) &C

Acts 10. 35. In every nation he that fearetb God and worketh Rigbteoufnefs is accepted of him*

Rev< 2 2. 14. Blejfed are they that do his Com* tnandments^ that they may have right to the Tree of Life , and may enter in by the Gate into the City.

John 3. 18. He that believetb not is condemned already^ becaufe^ &C.

Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, the fame is none of his. See alfo^VQrk*^. 5. 7.14.

2 Cor. 15-5 Jefus Chrift is in you except ye be reprobates.

Col-1. 27. Chrift in you the hope of glory.

iSeeEph. 2. What the Elett are before Convcr-fion.

lCor« 6. 9, 10, IX. Know ye not that the unrighteous

righteous Jhall not inherit the Kingdom of God ? Be not deceived, neither fornicators - > And fuch were fome of yon: But ye are wafhed, ye are SanElified, hut ye are juftified in the name of the Lordjefus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I Thef 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your voorkand labour of Love.

Phil. 2.13. Workout y$ur Salvation with fear and trembling: For it is (Sod that worketh, See.

ReV. 2> & 3. Read the promifes to him that over-

Mat. 6. Ip, 20* Lay up for your j elves a treafure tn heaven.

Luke 16. p. JMakg you friends of the Mammon of unrighteoufnefsy that when you fail they may receive you into the everlafting habitations.

Gen* 4. 7. Ifthoudoft welljhah thou not be accepted ? But ifthou y &CC

Luke 13.3. 5. Except ye repent ye'Jhall all pe-rijtu

Mat. 1.8. 3. Except ye be converted and become as little Children, yejliallnot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Heb. 5. 9- Ele is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him,

Luke Ip. ij.Thefe mine Enemies that would not Jjhould reign over them.

Heb.10. ^. Cafi not away your confidence which hath great recompenfe of reward, ^9. We, are not of them that draw bdck^ tQ perdition, but of them that be-| lieve to the faving of the Soul.

Mat. 18. 32,35. 0 thou wicked Servant, I forgave thee all that debt, becaufe, &C. fo (hall my heavenly Father do alfo to you if you from your .hearts forgive not %very one his brother their trefyaffes.

The

The Anfwer to all this by the Adverfaries.

I. By the Infidels, [ The Scripture is not the Word of God. ]

II. By the Mahometans in fpecial : [Thefollowers of Chrift altered it. ]]

III. By Papifts, Scripture is to us buf^vhat the Church declareth of ft; I. The reading of it^ and re-jetting fupplemental Tradition by the Fulgar t caufeth herefies.

IV. By the Quakgr, It is the light within us that is ' our Rule.

V. The Enthufiafts, or Fanaticks, We muft try Scripture by the Spirit, and not the Spirit by the Scripture: (the Apoftles Spirit by ours, and not our low meafure by theirs-)

VI. Thefeekers. The Scripture muft firft be recovered by a true Miniftry.

VII. The Cabbalift and Familift 3 If u not to be underftQod Literally^ but Myftically.

VIIL The Antinomian Libertine: The 'written word} or at leaft all that prefcribeth duty and hath conditional promifeS) is but a Covenant of works. The Covenant of Grace is only the Spirits Effectual work,: 1 will, and you (hall.

A Breviate of the Doctrine of

Juftification,

Dilivered in many Books,

By RICHARD BAXTER:

In many Propofitions, And the Solution of 50 Controverfies about it.

Written,

1. To end fuch Controverfies.

2. To confute Rafh Cenfurers and Errours.

3. To inform the Ignorant.

4. To procure Correction from wifer men, if I miftake.

Occafioned by fome mens Accufation of me to others, that will not vouchfafe their Inftru-dtion to my felf

And by the Erroneous and dangerous Writings and Preachings of fome well-meaning men, fuch as Mr. TroHghton,&c. who at once miftake and mifreport God's Word and ours, and fight in the dark againft Chriftian Faith and Love.

LONDON,

Printed for Tho. Partyurfi, at the Bible 2ad Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheap fide. 1690.

The Preface long ago written.

Reader,

IT was the Army and Sectarian Antinomians (more fitly called Libertines) who firfi called me in the year 1645. and 1646. to fiudy better than 1 had done the Dottrine of the Covenants and Laws of Gody of Redemption and Juftification ; I fetcht my firfi refolving thoughts from no Book^ but the Bible 9 fpecially Mat. 5, and 6, and 25*. Grotius de Satif-fa&ione next gave me more light. While I was con-fldering many mens friendly Animadverfions on my Aphorifms, and anfwering fome (that more differed from each other than from me ) it increafed light,efpecially the Animadverfions of Mr. George Lawfon; My Writings againfi the Antinomians had fuccefs be* yond my expectations, though fome good men of the Party called Independent^ having more heat than light, deceived by the notions of fome that had fpoken injitdi-cioufly before them\ caft out fufpicions and contradictions in a jealoufie that I encroached on the honour of Free Grace: 1 mean finch men as prefaced the Book^ called The Marrow of Modern Divinity, which on

pretence of Moderation is Antinomian or Libertine i and very injudicious and unfound: And others Books

(fuck as Paul Hobfons, Mr. Sakmarihes, Bunyan on the CovenantSydzc.) which ignorantly fuhverted the GofpelofChrifij came out on the fame bufinefs , and revealed mens mifiakes on pretence of revealing the My fiery of Free Grace.

John Goodwin was then, and before, publidnng hi* Judgment of Jufiification, and Mr, Walker, and Mr, Roborough wrote again fi him, with great difpa~ rity of light and firength. But becaufe J. G. turned to the ArmjmanS) prejudice cryed down his Dolhixe of

lhe Fretace.

J uflif cation^ ( and it was not all to be approved.) Mr. Gataker publifljed many things to the likepurpofe^ and among the reft, the Narrative of Mr. WotCOns Cafe, referred to many London Divines, and decided by them*? Of my fufpenfion of my Aphorifms, and of my

Comtftswirh Mr Craudcn, Mr. Eyres, Mr. War-iner, and afterwards with Dr. Tully, / need not here make particular mention. The ?noft that Iconverfi with fee me d of my Judgment: The reft ( befide the Animadvert crs on my Aphonfms) who freeliefi fpake of me behind my back^> would none ofthemfpeakjo me. Va-va(or Powell W Mr. Ed. Bagfhaw, were two of the chttf. Many worthy men publifhed the fame Dotlrine which I averted $ efyecially Mr. Gibbons of Black-fryars C in his Sermon in the Morning Lectures at £*. Giles) Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge, Mr. Hotch-kis, Mr. Thomas Warren, Mr. Graile, and Mr.

Jeflop^ laboured to prove that Br. Twiffe meant the fsiK.e, who feems to Jpeakfor Eternal Immanent Jttfiifi-

camn: And Mr. Truman, and Lud. Le Blankes Thefesat Uft came out (after the Thefes Salmurienfes, and the Breme Divines, Lud. Crocius Conrad. Ber-gius, and the Berlin, Johan. Bergius) as clear as any.

B:\ttht prattue of fome (who wanted the humility and diligence which were neceffary to learn the Truths which they knew not) was juft the fame with that of the 1relates in Councils j or a thoujand years, even to put it to the Vote of men of their own mind, or to lean on the names of fome of their Predeceffors who were men of note, and efpecial/y to cry down thofe that heard them not.

And lately came out a Book^ of one Mr. Trough-tpvisofthe fame temper with the reft. He allarmeth the Nation* as if the Enemy were at the Gates. He is a man that hath been blind from his Infancy or early Childhood.and I fappofe nevtr read a Bookfinthttb ^ a d

fome

The Preface.

fome one to read to him, and he under taketh to tell the fenfe of Vroteftant Writers, and Fathers, and the words and fenfe of Mr. HotchkiS and me, and fitch others ^ whom he fiercely affaulteth as Jais and the Churches Ad* verfaries : And the good man heapeth up untruths m matter of faH in falfe reciting his Adverfaries words and fenfe. Befides his Libertine falfe Doctrine, ( as that the Covenant or Vromife of Jufiification hath no Conditions, no not Faith, andfuch like J and abufeth the Authors whom he citeth. I thought once to have be-fiowed two or three days worl^ in anfwering him, but I defifted, partly becaufe he was one of thofe that had written at the rate of fome former Adverfaries, who had fo formed their Affaults, that they had lefr me little to anfwer but a Mentiris, which is fo unpleafng a task^y that they that mo(t deferve it cannot bear it. And it hath been my lot fmce 1662. in which the powerful Ringleader Morley began, to have fo many fuch Books written againft me, andfuch reports divulged of me, as if the Devil had been ftndying to prove, Rom 3. 4. that every man is a Lyar, to be true in a fenfe beyond the meanings and to bring all Hi ft ory at leaf of Difpu-ters into dijcredit, and to make it become a valid con~ fequence [It is (aid and written by a domineering, or an ambitious, or an erroneous, or angry Ad-verfery; Ergo it is falfe.] Andalfo I was loth .to fay that againft the man that his Book required: For I hear he is a very'hone(i man, and not only blind-, but a fujferer for Nonconformity with the reft; and when he was a Child, his Grand-father^ Grand-mother, and other kindred in Coventry if ere my hearers and loving friends, and godly people : His Father and Mother my very near Neighbours, and weekly, an ^ almoft daily company, have asked my Counfel, what they jhould do with a blind Boy that was much inclined to Learning, and I encouraged them to further him, not fort feeing his

A 3 fnares.

The Preface.

fnares, 3. And I perceive that judiciotu Readers have no need of an Antidote again ft fo wtak^ a Poifon. He that gave me the Animadverfions anfwered in the end, told me, He had fcarce patience to read him. And as to thofe that arefo weak^as to need an anfwer to fitch a Book^, it's like they arc too weak^to understand one ; cr will thinly him in the right that hath the laft word,and that may be he that liveth longeft. The great fault of the good man is that which is too predominant in all Cafes in corrupted Nature, even an unhlimbled under-ftatlding, which doth not fufficiently fufpett it [elf, wuch lefs is acquainted with its own Ignorance^ hut when it moft mtftaketh, doth raoft confidently rage. Who would thinks that fuch a man could be ignorant how unfit he was who never faw their Books, to undertake fuch account as he giveth of Fathers, Proteftant Ivrittrs, or m his chofen Adverfaries i When his Fea-dtr hath read to him fome parcels of our Writings, how hnoweth he what he omitteth, or what explications fae never read ? And how uncapable mu(l his memory 7ieeds be of retaining and laying all together out of fo many Volumes, and making a charge, and pacing a judgment thereupon, unlefs his memory be greater far than Bijhop Hall faith Dr. John Reynolds reading and memory was friext to a MiracleJ which his grofs falfifications Jhew that it is not.

And 4. I found fo many ready to write on the fame SubjeSifor my fenfe, that I the more thought it need-lefs to my [elf. Sir Charles Wolfley hath lately done f> very judicioujly* I have lately per ufed divers Manu-fcripts that are fuch prepared for the Prefs : One of Mr. William MznningS,another of Mr.Cltrke Son to Mr. Samuel Gierke (WJDr.Twiffe hath a Latine JDifputatiou to the fame fenfe, ) and fome more {all Nonconfermijh.)

But }et J fitII hear fome London Brethren ufe to v , caft

cafi out their fufpicions, afperfions and cenfures behind my back^ , and fome in their Conferences when they meet; Whereupon I drew up this Taper of Explicatory Propofitions and Controversies, only to let them truly know my fenfe, and long after gave it that honeft Dr. Annefley, at whofe houfe fometimes fome meet of different Judgments in fuch thihgs, defiring.him but to get it read to them, and to procure me their Animad-verfions on what they did any of them diflike ; inftead of their unprofitable Obloquy when I cannot hear them 5 for this I fhould take for a great brotherly kindnefs : But it is now near a twelve month that I have waited in hope of it, bfo cannot procure a word to this day \ which mak°th me think it needful topublifh that which J intended but for their private view. Tet one that to me profrffed diffent, feemed to take it well that I intreated his Reafons, and promifed to give them me^ but never did. Nor hath any one yet anfwered, I. My Confeffion ; 2. My Disputations of Jufi if cation 5 3. My Apolopy (to many -,) 4. My fmallTraEl

of Saving Faith to Bi s hop Barlow; f. ASy'Treatife of Juftifying Righreouihefs to IV.Tully.

This week An honeft judicious moderate Friend (that is more a Lonfenter than a Diffentcr* as far 'as J can. judge, fent me the Notes which 1 anfwer in im> Utter-end, as partly his own, and partly others \ whicl as eppofeng them^ but as tending to elucidate the whole Caufe)-1 here adjoyn, though all or mo(l here faid % is faid elfewhere before,which. I mention,left you thinkjhat J took all for his own Opinion which he cited out of Dr. Owen, who himfelf reformed much of his forme? "Judgment about Dollrine and Government before he died. The Lord heal his Church by Light, Love and Humility, which is torn by Ignorance, Uncharitableneis and Pride, Amen.

A 4 Tha

The Prologue*

r ■ 11

§. i..f | 1HE Doctrine of the JufHfication of finful man, by Chrift as our Redeemer, Saviour and Judge, is of(o great moment, that it Siould be Skilfully taught to all that are Catechifed. And yet by the Unskilfulnefs of Teachers, is become a foot-ball of Strife aod Contention,and of Wrathful Cenfures, and Reproach, among thofe who are moil zealous for the fafe and honourable preferva-rion of it, and really differ more in the Terms and Methods which they think muft preferve it, | than in the inward pra&ical fenfe of the matter it-

§. 2. Two things conftitute this itch or lepro-iy rather of ftrife, which experience maketh us fear is uncurable: And thefe two are one. Ignorance : .. Ignorance of the cafe : And Ignorance of our Ignorance. But what Ignorance is it ? I am grieved to know and fpeak it. It is Ignorance of -words or the art of fpeaking^ of Grammar and Lo-gick. O what a plague did JSHmrod bring on the Worlds and what a Babel hath it been by the con-fuflon of language to this, day I How vain hath peaceable Dr. Wilkins attempt of an Univerfai Character proved ? My good old highly valued Friend, Mv-Johv Eliots long ago wrote to me, that to make the Hebrew the Univerfai Language, and to fet up ft Godly Magiftracy in the world were the two things yet to be done for Univerfai Concord and Reformation: Alas, good man? Abi'wceU

lam,

The ^Prologue.

Um, &c. If you can get the Earth to drink up the flood of Perfecution call: out againft you in New-En gUnd^xt is rvell. Little did I think when I was a Schoolboy Learning my Grammar, that I fhould live to find that the Chriftian World is all in con-fufion, Divifi-n, Wrath, Schifm, War, and Bloodt am- much, if notmoftly for wane of Skill in words or Grammar I

But indeed were there one Univerfal Language it would not be enough to heal us. For we are moftly fo dull of nature,& fo flothful in our Studies, and io apt to fpeak as our parents or firft Matters or Company teach us, that we are utterly difagreed and unrecondleable about the fenfe ofbur ommon words in our Mother Tongue. So that if Englijh were the only Language of,the World, we fhould ftill be difagreed : I have been a great comtemner of vain oilentation in Critical or Verbal Skill: But I fee that rightly ufed about things neceflary, it mutt be a principal help to end moil of our Contro-yerfies.

§. ?. Though fupernatural Revelation far ex-ceedeth the meer light of Nature, and the teachings of the Creation, yet the difficulty of learning and fpeaking many Languages, without which we cannot Preach abroad in the World, and the Univerfal Wars about words that take up and corrupt mankind, do make me read the lyPfalm. with great regard, and not think fo hardly as 1 have been tempted to do y of Gods dealing with the heathen and generality of mankind, while the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament fheweth his handy works, while day unto day utters Knowledge and while Sun Moon, and Stars, do Preach God with fo loud a voice, and their found goeth through all the World and there is no Nation or

Tongue

The Trologue.

Harp and Trumpet , or elfe who can know what is Piped or Harped, or can prepare himfelf to the Battle ? So we unlefs we utter words eafy to he underftood, how Jlia/l itbeknovon what isfpoken ? But we fpeakjnto the air y v. 9 But confufion and ambiguity are notiinftrudtive, but deceitful to the fimple.

2. So they talk much of Imputation^ and neither know nor tell you what Imputation is: But take it moftly to be that which even Dr. Crifpe calleth a charging God with falihood;as if it were his Reputing, Reckoning, Efteeming or Suppolingus to be what indeed we are not, or to have done or fufler-ed what we did not, or to have what we have not : Whereas Paul meaneth nothing (& ^%*» fignifi-eth nothing ) but a true accounting us to be what we are, and to have done w r hat we did, and to have what we indeed have. And to impute righte-oufnefs to us, figniheth bat truly to Repute, Account or Judge us Righteous. Thofe that are here moil inclined to miitake, ^ fliould the rather take Mr. BradJJnm to be impartial, becaufe he was for Independent Church Government ( tho (harp a-gainft Separation. ) And in the Preface to his Eng-3i(h edition of his little Book of Juftification, he hath in a few lines laid enough to end all this Con-troverfy , by a true explaining in what fenfe Chrifts Righteoufnefs is imputed to us, and how not.

?. And do they tell us with aoy agreement what Righteoufnefs of Chrift they call Imputed ? Some fay only the Paflive, fomealfo the Active ? Some alfo the habitual,and fome alfo the Divine. Much lefs agree they to what EfFe&s it is imputed, and how far.

4. Alfo the name of Faith is ufed without a due and true explication \ of their meaning. One by

Faith

The Trclogue.

Faith meaneth not Faith ^ but Chrifts Righteouf-nefs. Another calls it an Inftrument, and yet de-nieth it to be the rl credere that is, the Ad of Faith indeed, as if any thing elfe was that inftrumenc A-nother faith it is but one Phyfical aft, and not like contrading, a Moral complication of many Phyfical Ads: One faith it is but one Act, and all other Ad:s of Faith he that looketh to be Juftified by denieth the Dodrine of Grace or true Juftifi-cation, and fo leave men to defpair becaufe they can never tell which that (ingle is, and how to ef-cape the damning Do&rine of Juftification by works. One faith it is the Underftandings aflent: Another that it is the Wills recumbency, or truft: One faith it is only Faith in Chrift that Juftifieth, and not in God the Father or the Holy Ghoft: One faith it is only Faith in Chrifts Prieftly Office, and not in Chrift as Prophet or King-, fome fay it is not Faith in his whole Prieftly Office, either his Inter-ceffion or Heavenly Priefthood, but only in his Sacrifice and Obedience. Another that it is only . the trufting on his Imputed Righteoufnefs : Another that it is none of all thefe,. but only the belief that we are already Juftified by Chrift. One faith we are juftified only at once by the firft numerical A& of Faith, and never by any after Ad:: Another that an A& of the fame Species continued] our Juftification. And this confulion is from the vain fan-tafy of men, that will divide and mince and yet will not fufficiently diftinguifli: and know not that by Faith is meant our becoming Chriitians and continuing fuch.

5. So they talk loud againft Works in the Cafe of Jultification, and know not what either Paul or , James or Chrift meaneth by works. But they dream' that Works md -^#/are of the fame fignification*

As

The ^Prologue.

As if every humane Aft were that which Paul meaneth by porks, contrary to his exprefs explication : And fo to be Juftihed by Faith muft be to be Jufiitied by Works. One faith, we will grant Justification by Faith, if you take it aright, to be a going wholly out of our felves and denying all our own righteoufnefs, and going to Chrift and his Righteoufnefs alone. But is their chofen Metaphor £ of Going oa/-, and Going to ] an A5t or no AEt ? If an Aft, than it is works, if they may be believed. If no Acl, then their meaning is, we confefs that yon are Juftifiedby Believing^you do not believe : Ton are Juftified by Faith, if Faith be nothing ; and by coming toChriftlFyoH come not to him y or it be nothing. Such is the ience of thefe Confounders and Corrupters.

But thefe and many fuch miflakes are to be opened in their proper place.

That which I here intend is (not a confutation of this or that writer, but) to give them a breviate of my own Judgment, who will not read what I have largely written in many books long ago, pretending that the length of the books is their rea-fon; and yet have not fo much confcience as to fufpend their cenfures, no nor their back-biting,falfe accufations of that which they have not leifure to underftandor read -, They judge hard cafes which they never digefted by any anfwerable Study ; and Scruple, not Judging and Slandering perfons unheard-

Corrupting the Gofpel, andfo excellent a Sub-jeft as the Doftrine of Grace, and of the Office and Merits and Judgment of Chrift, and fo of Chrifti-anity it felf,is a matter that confcience fhould more tenderly fear, than wearing a Surplice, or kneeling at the Sacrament,or communicating with a Church that ufeth the Common-Prayers. To think thofe

unworthy

The Prologue.

unworthy of their Communion that ufe fuch Ceremonies or forms of prayer, and at the fame time to prophane fo high a part of the name of God, as is his Grace in Chrift, and his Juftif ying, Governing and Saving works, and this ( quoad verb a ) by corrupting it even in Eflentials, and then to defame as erroneous thofe that are not as Ignorant and Erroneous as themfelves, and to foment malice and er-rour and Sefts by fuch lying defamations: This is a Nonconformity which I earneftly defire that no man that loveth Chrift, or Free grace, or the Church or his own Souljmay ever take for his duty or his honour, or rafhly as a fequacious admker of any miftaken leader be ever guilty of: What is {training at a Gnat and fwallowing a Camel,if this be not? And of how ill a conftitution is fuch a blind and partial confcience?

I fhall here ftudy brevity, and firft explain the Dodrine of Grace, and Righteoufnefs andjuftifi-cation, in fome felf-evident Propofitions. And next briefly refolve about fifty doubts or Controverfies hereabout.

The

C « )

A Breviate of the Boffirine of J unification.

Pr. I. T"TT TEfliuft firft agree, what Right e-

\/\/ 0H f ne f s #•; Righteonfnefs is for-

▼ V mally a Relation: And there-*

fore muft have the definition of a Relation: I

need not tell Schollars what that is.

2. The fubjeet of this Relation, is* firft mens aSHons and habits, and their Titles and Rights, and then their Per/ow as the fubjed of thefe.

?• Righteoufnefs is a Relation to the Rule or Law : And is an Agreeablenefs thereto: If it be Gods Law, it is Righteoufnefs before God. If but mans, it is but humane Righteoufnefs.

4. As a Law hath two parts; the precept and the retribution of reward and punifhmenc, fo there are two forts of unrighteoufneis and righteoufnefs : As to the precept, Obedience is Righteoufnefs, and Sin is Unrighteoufnefs. As to the Retribution, Right to Impunity and to the promifed Reward is the Perfons Righteoufnefs, and fo contrary.

5. Righteoufnefs materially is either, 1. Particular, in fome one caufe, or few caules: 2. Or Vniverfal and perfect in all caufes.

6 Righteoufnefs particular is either in fome fmall matter that we are not made happy by, 2.0r in fome great caufe which our happineis dependeth on.

7. The firft Law required perfonal perfect con-ftant obedience on pain of death ; and fo juftifieth none without it. B 3 %. 4 4am

CO

8. Adam was the Father of all mankind, from whom they fpring, but he did not foreprefent the Perfons of all that were to fpring of him, as if his obedience without their own woald have juftified any of them at age. If Adam had not finned, Cain ihould have been condemned if he finned 3 and fo others.

. 9- The firft Law being broken, man was made uncapabie of either part of Juftification by it 5 either as one that finned not, or as one that was not by it to be condemned. And fo it w ; as no more to him a Promife or Covenant of Life ; the Condition being now become impoflible, and fo no condition ; and the threatning becoming as a Sentence-

10. This Law neither gave, mentioned or owned any Surety, Subftitute, or Mediator.

11. But the blefled Lawgiver our Creator would not fo lofe his Creature, but the eternal word presently interpofing, undertook mans Redemption, and God gave man a new Law of Life, or a Covenant of Grace, promising him a Mediator in the fullnefs of time, and giving him freely for his fake both pardon of his fin, and right to Life, on the Terms of Grace therein prescribed: and commanding him future obedience, efpeciaHy in the reception of his Grace, and ufe of the mans of Grace appointed him.

12.- This Law of Grace was made to ) Adam the lapfed head of all mankind, and fo to all mankind in him: And it was renewed to Noah in the fame capacity : fo that all falien mankind was put under this Law of Grace in that firft Edition of it, made to Adam, and Noah. And were neither left I lefs, nor utterly defperateas under the nieer damning violated Law, which now no more offered

C J ) ,

Life to any, the condition being become of natu -ral impossibility : God is not to be fuppofed to fay now to finners, tf yon be not Sinners yon Jhall live ; when it's known that they are.

13. Abraham, being eminently righteous.* according to this Law of Grace, and Believing a fpe-ciai promife of God, and not withholding his only Son in his obedience to his command, God made with him moreover a Covenant of peculiarity, fu-peradded ro the common Lavv of Grace. In which he chuieth out his Seed as a peculiar Holy Nation, from whom the Mejfiah Ihould come, in whom all the Nations of the Earth Ihould be blejftd. This pro-mife was renewed to Jfaac ( and Jacob) Gen. 26.

4, 5* Becanje that Abraham obeyed my Voice and kept my Charge, my Commandments, my Statute's, -and my Laws.

14. This Covenant of Peculiarity with Abrfc ham, nulled not the common Law of Grace made to mankind, nor was it ever nulled or abrogate, but perfected after: Though men make them-ielves uncapable of the benefits.

15. God ufeth none of fallen mankind according to the feyericy of the firft Law, but givech ro all men undeferved forfeited Mercy, and bindeth them to ufe fome means for their recovery •, to repent in hope, and to receive and thankfully ufe the meafures of mercy which he vouchfaiech them. And all men fhall be judged according to that edition of the Law of Grace which they were under, and the receiving and^ ufing the Grace or Mercy which was given or offered them.

16. When the peculiar Seed was formed into a Nation, God gave them by Mofes a peculiar Law, which exemplified the Holwefs of the jfr/? Law,' but had the Promiles and Grace of the iecond, witjj

B 4 [the

(4)

the peculiar additions*, and plainlier pointed out. the Mefliah to come but by a way of operous Ce-remonies^ and fevere Difcipline, fuitable to their rude minority.

17. In the fulnefs of time, Chrift was conceived by the Holy Ghoft, in a Virgin, and beipg God and Man, as made by the Will of the Deity, was made a Subjed under a Law peculiar to himfelf, according to his peculiar works; and this Law given to our Mediator had three parts. 1. That he mould perfe&ly obey the Law of Innocency fo far as it w r as fitted to his cafe, and overcome the Tempter. 2. That he fhould perfe&ly keep the Law of Mopes, fo far as it agreed to him. 3. That he fhould perfe&ly do all that was proper to the Redeemer, in being a Sacrifice for (in, clearing and publiihing the New Covenant 5 fealing it by Miracles, rifing again, inftituting his Word, Sacraments and Mini dry, afcending, giving the Spirit, interceding in Heaven, &c his promifed reward being the fuccefs of his undertaking, the faving of his Church and his Glory, in the glorifying of God the Father : This is the peculiar Law to the Mediator.

18. That which is called The Covenant between the Father and the Son, is this Covenant made to

2nd with Chrift Incarnate, and the fore-decreeing thereof, with the Prophecies of it. If there be more, it is paft our reach.

19. Chrift perfectly fulfilled all that he undertook, and this as the fecond Adam $ not a Natural Root, but a Voluntary Sponfor: Notour £ubftitute or Servant fent by us, but chofen by tl:e Father, and lent by him to do all his Will for Mans Redemption.

20. As he took the common Nature of Man, (o

the

Ci)

the fins of all, and not only of the Eled were the caufes of his fufferings, and laid upon him, and the frmts of his fuflferings and merits were fome common, and fome peculiar t6 the Ele<ft.

21. He being not as Adam, our natural Parent, was not meerly by natural generation to convey his benefits to the Redeemed; but by fuch means as he fhould chufe, and Man confent to, even by a holy Covenant or Contrad, being alfo* his Do-drine, and his Law in feveral refpects •, which Covenant having great and precious Promifes, is Gods Inlirument of Donation and Condonation, and our title to all the bleflings promifed; by which God doth give us right to Pardon and Salvation: This Law of Gr^ce is the Rule of our duty, and the Rule by which we (hall be judged,

22. This Law or Covenant givetha Conditional Pardon to all in the tenour of it, with Adoption and Right to Life Eternal : But adual Pardon and Right accrueth to none, till the Condition be performed,whichis to be Believers,or their Infant feed dedicated to God by Covenant Confent.

25. This Condition is not that we our felves make God amends or fatisfadion,or give him any thing that hath any merit in Commutative Jufiice, or do any kind of work which (hall make the reward to be of debt, and not of grace: But it is \jhe Belief of , and Confent to the Covenant of Grace, and the Believing Acceptance of the gifts and grace of the Covenant, according to their nature, and for their proper ufe $ and is the fame thing which is to be profefled in Baptifm, which is the folemnizing of this mutual Covenant, andinwfeich God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, do give them felves to us, for grace and glory, and we give up our felves

by

by 'confent to him, believingly accepting his grace, and penitently renouncing the lufts of the flefh, the world and the Devil 5 and Co are facramentally inverted in a ftate of Juftification, Adoption and Spiritual Life.

24. The profefiion of this Faith and Confent in Baptifm, maketh men vifible Chriftians and Church*members; and true heart-confent in Faith maketh men Living and Juftified Members.

25. This belief and content, or performance of the Condition, is not the Efficient Caufe of our Pardon or juftification, but is the neceffary difpofi-tion or qualification of the Receiver^ in the very nature of the Act fuitable and needful^ and by Divine Institution and Promife made the Condition and acceptable.

26. Though we are not capable Receivers of Juftification, till we thus penitently and believingly confent, yet w r hen we do fo, it is the merit of Chrifis Righteoufnefs by which we are jufiifed : For the Covenant of God is but his Infirument by which he giveth us Chrift fto'be our Head) and Life in and with him,* and fo giveth us Justification as procured by his Merits.

27. Juftification is a word of many fenfes: fome-times it fignifieth [making m righteom~] fometimes., the Law 'or Covenants virtual judging m righteous y it being the Bale of Judgment: fometimes Goes efieeming US righteous in his own mind: fometimes for a Juftifying h Evidence or Witnefs : fometimes by apology of an Advocate : fometimes by the Sentence of the Judge: and-fometime for the Execution of that Sentence. But the notable fpecial forts

are three, Making jufi y Judging jufi y and Vfing as

jufi: And they that will difpute of Justification, and not tell in what fenfe they take the word, do but abufe their time and talk.

%$. No

(?)

28. No man is judged righteous by God, that is not firft made righteous.

29.. He that is made righteous, is jufiifiable in Judgment, and virtually jufiifed ( in Law. )

30. No (inner is made righteous as to the Preceptive part of the Law of lnnocency ; it being a contradiction to have been a (inner and no finner.

31. Pardon of fin doth not make the fad done to be undone*, or not done, nor the fin to be no fin, nor not to have deferved punilhment: But it remitted! the punifhment and the fault, fo far as it in-ferreth puni(hment ? becaufe of the merit and (atif-fadtion of the Mediator 5 and delivered! the finner from that which he was bound to fuffer by the violated Law.

32. To make a man righteous before God that hath finned, all thefe things muft concur: 1. He

muff have a Mediator that wuft anfwer the Ends of the Law that condemneth him, and fo meriteth his Jll-

ftification. 2. This Saviour mud make him a

Pardoning and Jufttfying Covenant, to convey the right of the purchafed benefits to him. 3. He ' himfelf {by grace) muji perform the Conditions of that Covenant 5 accepting the free gift believingly according to its nature and ufe. 4. Upon this the Covenant (by virtue of the forefaid Merit of the Mediator) mufi effeClually jufiife him.

33. Though we. have no Righteoufnefsof our own, that is fo denominated by the Law of lnnocency, yet have we a Righteoufnefs to plead for our Justification from its Sentence, which by our Mediator was performed to it ? by which the i aw~ giver hath received fatisfa&ion; and we muft have the perfonal fubordinate Righteoufnefs required by

the Covenant of <}race.

34. All that are made righteom, are efieemed and judged righteous , and ufed as right com. 35.Par-

(8 )

55- Pardon of Sin, and Right to Life, are not that Righteoufnefs which anfwereth the Precept of the Law: But they are that Righteoufnefs which ju-ftifieth us againft the Accufation, [that we are not to befaved, but to be dammd7\

35-. Qirifts P erf eft Obedience to the Law of In-nocency, exempteth us from the neceffity of perfect obedience to it, and from all duty of obeying it as the condition of life : But he did not Repent and Believe in obedience to his own Law of Grace, to exempt us from the neceffity of Repenting and Believing, which we muft do our felves by his grace, or periih.

3& To make a man righteous implieth, that he was before unrighteous: But to judge him righteous, fuppofeth him to be righteous ; yet either ac-cufed of unrighteoufnefs, or accufable ; Juftification here fuppofing either attual or virtual Accufation. « 37. The Law is the Virtual Accufer, but that fpeaketh nothing but truth 3 (jviz,. that we finned and deferved damnation.) Satan IS the Attual Accufer, and the Father of Lies.

38. We (hall not be jaftified by denying the true Accufation of the Law, but by denying the falfe Accufation of Satan : That we' are finners Ciuft be granted; and that our fin deferved BtU: But (that we- have no part inChrift, that we are unpardoned, unreconciled finners, that we are unbelievers, impenitent, unregenerate, unholy, or hypocrites, muft be denied, or weperifh : As aifo that hereupon we ought to be damned, ancfyiot to be glorified*

39. By this it is very plain how far a man mull bejuftified in Judgment by his own perfonal Righ-teoufnefs;and alfo how to understand, A/^/?. 2 5.and all the defcriptions of the laft Judgment, and the Reafons there afligned of the Sentence 5 and what

(9) it is to be Juftified or Condemned by our words, and to be judged according to our works, or what we have done in obedience or difobedience to the Law of grace ; and what is meant in James by being juftified by works, and not by faith alone. For though Chrifts righteoufnefs is to be then honoured, it is not his part, but ours, that is by him to be£**-mined and Judged. And it istheZ^n? of Grace by which we muft be judged, which prefcribed us the Conditions of Pardon and Salvation. The performance of which muft therefore be the caufe of the day to be Examined and Judged.

4. To juftify a mans Right to Salvation is to jufti-fy the man when his right is the thing tried: Therefore the caufes of our Right to Salvation are necef-fary caufes of our Jufltfication. All this is plain* and I think, not by aChriftian to be denied : And is not here enough to be the matter of our Chrifti-an peace and concord in this one point ofJnftificatiotf. But we are not fo happy ; It is a greater number of Controverfies that the teachers of Chriftians have raifed about it, than many hours willferve to handle. I will name fome that are too many, and yet far from all, and give you my fenfe of them plainly and briefly, that you may truly underftand the matter and me.

Com. 1. Paffing by all the old quarrels, about Chrifts Perfon, by the Arrians, Nefiorians^Eutychi-ans, Monothelites, Phantajiafia^xid abundance more, about Justification itfelf, the firft that Ifhall mention is that which a few great and worthy men have unhappily raifed, Whether Jufiificaticn be not

an Immanent ail in God, artdfo eternal: This they

aflert, and I deny: There is nothing in God but God i Nothing therefore that hath beginning and

end,

( io )

end, but all is Eternal. But Relations and Extrin-ficl^denominationsj find alfo Effects may begin and end. The world was not from Enernity: God did not make it from Eternity, nor was the creator of it from Eternity, in proper fpeech. And yet no A<5t as it is- in God had beginning or end -, for it is God himfelf. But Gods Eflential will or word is not called creating till it actually create. So is it in Justification: Nothing is new in God, befides Relation and Denomination ^ but much is new by and from God. Justification is a tranfient act of God. It is the aft of his Covenant and his Judgment and Execution. Therefore he that faith Eled Infidels are juftifiedfrom Eternity, Contradi&eth Gods word, that faith we are juftified by faith, and till then are under Condemnation.

Cont. 2. Whether the Covenant of Grace, be made only with Chrift,or with us alfo ? The firft is put into

a Catechifm where I am forryer to find it, than in Maccovim, Cluto,Coccews and Cloppenburgius. The' Covenant made with Chrift is not the fame that is made between Chrift and us, and which we celebrate in Baprifm. It is not only Chrift that is bap. tized^hxiz all his members -, And baptifm is the mutual Covenant* We are the receivers of the Relation to God the Father,Son and Holy Ghoft, and we are the Tromifers (■ the word Reftipulation is too prefumptU-

ous.) If we are not Covenanters, we can be noCo-venmt breakers, nor have right to the benefits of fach a Covenant: It is the fame thing that in feveral refpeits is called a Law and a Covenant. And if we are not under Chrifts Law we are Lawlefs, or not hisSubje&s. DenyChriits Law and Covenant to us, and you will fubvert allChriftiani-ty and deny the rule of judgment and Justification,

Cont.

(II)

Cont. 3. Whether the Covenant of grace have any condition required of us.

Anf Here we firfi fhew our weaknefs in contending about the word C Condition ] while we a-gree not of the fenfe, though till men made a difference on this ill occafion, there were few words that men were more agreed in (of fuch a Subject. ) And the word we muft ufe, hath no other name that I remember which our Grammar hath taught us to call,fuch Conjunctions by as C If 3 is* but C Conditional^ nor any other name that Law and Civil ufe hath taught us to call the thing defined by but [ CONDITION'} without circumlo-cution,uncouthnefs orobfcurity. The common definition of Lawyers is that it is, C Ltx *ddita ne~ getio qua dome prafietur event urn fufpendit : It is in our cafe the Mode of the Law or Promife requiring a Duty or Moral Aft or qualification-, on the frcfeme or abfence, performance or non-performance whereof the Law or Donation annexethor fufpendetltthe event. This is a Condition as it is in th^Laxv or Covenant, ot Promife, being but its Modus: But as it is in the perfon and performance , it is £ Moral Aft Of qualification, required by the Law, or Promife, to which it annexeth, and till it be performedfuf-pendeth the event. Natural or m@erly contingent conditions that are not moral, belong not to our enquiry. ( As if it be a fair day to morrow. If fuch a fhip come fafe home! If I live fo long, &c.)

Some define a condition here to be any Moral medium of obtaining a benefit ex pafta: But I. A Law r hath its conditions, and fo hath a Donation or promife, when there is no proper mutual paftum or , Covenant. 2. There are other Moral media ex pa&o befides conditions (as are all fimple duties.) 3- But

thefe

thefe definers cannot congruoufly deny the Gofpel Covenant of grace to have conditions of our Jnftif-cation and Salvation : For none but an Infidel can congruoufly deny that Faith and Repentance are conditions of our Juftification and Salvation, if e-very Moral medium be a condition which is expaSo. Is faith,and is repentance no means ? And are they not required of us ? and do we not profefs them at prefent and promife them for the future $

Sometimes the fame thing is a moral caufe and a Condition of the Event. And fometimes it is a meer Condition and but fine quanon, aadno proper caufe* ufually in Moral Conditions there is fomething in the Nature of the matter for the fake of which the Donor or Lawgiver maketh it neceffary; which is its aptitude as a means to fome of his ends. , *

If Faith had no more fitnefstobe the condition ofJufHfication thant^e/zef or hatingCod^xxd itGod-limfs or Holinefs had no more fitnefs to be theCondi-tionofour Salvation than wickednefs, they would not have been deputed to this place, Office and Honour.

Faith is no Condition of Gods making the promife ( He abfolntely made fome Conditional promifes, and Others only on conditions performed by Chrifh ) But it is the condition of our right to orpofleffionof the thing promifed-, or of the event.

Either che deniers of conditions deny all or but fome. If all then they deny that Chrift performed any conditions. If but fome, they deny either the name only ^ or the thing alfo. If the name only. i. Is it worth their Zeal and Contention ? 2. Are they not (ingular ; and Angularity in the ufe of words tendethto cauflefs quarrels. 3. Why do they not commend to us fome better name for the fame thing ? Grammar and common ufe hath taught us this. Dr. Twijfe hath fomjd another, oft and ok

faying

C t"j )

laying that C Faith is a difpofitive caufeofjufkificati-w.^ I diflikenot his notion, fave that, i. It is too general there being more difpofitive caufes befides Conditions. 2. That it is not Political enough as theSubjed requireth( or Civil. ) 3. That it is in two words when one is better ; and 4. That the very terms C Caufe ] is liable to miftake. For faith is no efficient canfe of Juftification, principal - nor in-ftrumental: We muft not afcribe fo much to it. Nor is it a final caufe, nor the formal caufe. But it is as the Dr. fpeaketh Difpofttio SabjeEli recipients: Not a natural 5 but Moral dijpofition 3 Yet madefuch by Gods inftitution, becaufe the very nature of the adt containeth zfitnefs to its receptive Office 5 even as it is the believing acceptance of fuch a free and wonderful gift to fuch fpecial ends and ufes.

2. But if it be not the Name only but the thing defined that is denied the Gofpel is denied, and that which is of neceflity to Salvation is denied. To deny faith to be necejfary to Pardon, Juftification -and Salvation as a moral means congruous in its nature and inftituted of God, is infidelity or open prophanenefs: Nor can thofebe meet Preachers of the Gofpel that denyitandoppofeit.

Two waysScripture fheweth thatjuftification'and Salvation are given conditionally. 1, By the plain Conditional Phrafe, and 2. By the conditional description, in the mode of the promife: To inftance in k few Texts among a multitude, Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized Jhall be faved^and he that believeth not jhall be damned.

Rom. 4. 1%. To whom itfiall be imputed, if we believe on him that raifed up Jefm our Lord from the dead.

Rom. IO. 9, 10. For if thou Jhaltconfefs with thy mouth theLordJefus andfhalt believe in thy heart that

C God,

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Cod raifed him from the dead, thou Jhall be faved. For with the heart man believeth to righteoufnefs, and with the mouth confejfwn is made unto Salvation.

Joh. 1*12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God y even to them that believe in his name.

joh. 3. 19. 18,16. %k 6. throughout.

Mat. 6 14. 15. If ye forgive men their tref-pajfes,your heavenly Father will forgive yon* But ifyc forgive not, Sec.

Luk. 13. 3, 5. Except ye repent ye {hall all /*%-mfeperiJJj.

Ads 10. 35. In every nation he that feareth God andworketh righteoufnefs is accepted of him.

Ads 8. 37. If thou believeft with all thy he&rt thou

maift* ( i.e. Be baptized for the remiffion of fins.)

But I have recited fo many Texts of this fort in my Confejfwn and other books, that I will here forbear unneceflary recitals. Mat. 5. alone may fuf-fice, and all the Texts that fay, Faith is imputed for or to nghteoufnefs^andthat we arejuftifiedbyit.

Furthermore; 1. If the Baptifmal Covenant have no condition, then none is to be prerequired in the perfon to be baptized, nor his promifcof any demanded. But the confequent is falfe .• Elfethe baptifm inftituted by Chriit and ever pradifed ia the Church is falfe.

And here you fee what a Baptifm thefe men would make : If they practice it according to this principle 5 and how they would overthrow our Chriftianity, and baptize Infidels. , The major is evident becaufe, where no condition is required of God or impofed, there none fhould be required or impofed i>y the Mini-iter. And if fo in Baptifm, Tri*y not alfo

in Abfolution and the Lords Supper.

2. If the Promife of Pardon and Juftification be Abfolute without any condition, then either to All men, or but to fome. If to All, then all are juftified. If but to fome, to whom? If you fay to the Eletti no man knoweth them, while they are unbelievers: and fo neither the Perfon nor the Minifter can apply that Promife to any fingular man : If you fay, To Believers, you grant Faith to be 3. necejfary, moral antecedent: Andiffb, whence can you imagine it to be fuch, but Aptitudinally in the Nature of the Aff ( receiving Chrift, which fome call it S Inftrumentality ) and A finally by Godslnftitution in the Tenor of his Word: Now this is i- In the Tenor or Mode of the Precept, and that makethit a Duty. 2. In the Tenor or Mode of the Promife, and that maketh it if* Condition : In what other refpe& do they ( exclufive-ly ) feign it neceilary ?

Obj, As an Antecedent ? Anf That fpeaketh but the Order : But what Antecedent is it ?

Obj> As a fign ? Anf. Of what? and why Is it as a fign of Election ? But Holinefs, the Love of God, and man, &c. are figns of Election, and yet not pre-requifite to baptifm and pardon. And whence is it that this fign of Election is prerequifite, but that Gods precept made it a duty, and the promife a condition i Grant it a fign, the queflion is (till of the reafonofthis figns neceffity to J'unification. 3. If Signification be the thing neceffery, it muft be either to God, to the Sinner, or to the Baptizjer. Not to God, that needs no notice by figns: arid fo it would follow that before God Elect Infidels are juftified, which is falfe, as is oft proved : And to the Minifter it if not certainly known: Nor may he baptize anyraeerly as Elect, if he could know C z it

( i6 )

it (by revelation) before Faith. Nor might fuch a perfon claim it, Nor do believers ufually at the very firft know their Election. It's pity that any catechized perfon fhould be fo ignorant as to deny fo plain a Truth as it is that the Promife ma-1 keth Faith antecedently neeeflary to Juftitication under the form of an apt condition $ when no nfed phrafe can fpeak the thing to us fo intelligibly and truly as this doth.

Ohj It is prerequifite as an Inftrument f Anf. Of this I Ihall fpeak by it felf anon. By an Inftrument \ I hope when confidered they will not mean any proper efficient Injtrwnem of Juftification (Though in exciting, the acts of Sanctification in us it may be called our Instrument and Gods by us:) But ju-ftifying is wholly and only Gods Act, and the Covenant as an Act of oblivion, and Grace is his Inftrument giving us our Right to impunity and Life y ( in which our Conftitutive, Juftification doth confift ) But they mean a Metaphorical Receiving Inftrument, and to receive Chift is but the very effence of Faith, which they call the To credere, and fo to be jufti-fied by Faith as it receiveth Chrift^ and as a receiving In [frumenty and as it is the Jo credere in fpecie y are all one. And all this is true, if you ask but

for wfeat Natural aptitude God made Faith the Con-

dition of Juftification: And it's more aptly called by the forefaid Dr. Caufa difpofitiva •? and yet more aptly djfioftio receptiva moralis,neceihry and fuccefs-

ful, aptitudinally in its Nature, and A5luaHy by the

tenor of Gods Promife or Donation, making it a Condition: that is, faying [ He that believeth fljalt be jufiified and faved, and he that doth not J be

damned. ] If God had not given Chrift and L oy

a Promile of this Tenor, £ If thou believe thonfhalt

rhave Chrift and Life, ] it's aptitude would have

had

( 17 ) had no ufe. If the King by an A& of Oblivion

fay' E All Rebels and Makfaftort that thankfully come and take out their pardon, and lay down arms (hall live, and the reft Jhall be unpardonable. ] Here, I. The Ad; of Oblivion is the pardoning Inftrument, and the receivers Title and fundamentum juris* 2. The Reception is made a Condition by the A& being

the modus donandi feu condonandu 3. Next this

Condition is performed. 4; And next the effed; followeth from it's proper efficient caufes, e. g. fuppofe, 1. The Kings Clemency. 2. His Sons Interceflion. 3. The A& of Oblivions Inftrumen-tality. 4. The Offenders performing the Condition, which doth but make him a capable Receiver of the Effect. 5. And laftly, the Miniffers instrumental applicatory fealing, delivering and inve-ftiture. This is all plain, to men that by prejudice fight not againrt the light.

And that the Promifes of Salvation, or Glory ( and perfeverance ) have their Conditions, I will not for fhame and tedioufnels ftand to prove to fuch as you.

Obj. But he that performeth a Condition may boafi and afcribe fomewh at to himfelf*

Anf. 1. I find many that thus argue the pro-neft of moft Christians toboaft of, or to defend their honour and the honour of their^party againfi any that would vilifie them ; and do afcribe fome-thing to them, even to be the beft fort of men. 2. God boafteth of his Servants, and afcribetb much to them, viz* to have his Image, the divine nature, to be the Salt and Lights of the Earth, his Jewels, the Apple of his Eye, &c. He bids them turn themselves, fave themfelves and work ouc their Salvation, and keep themfelves in his Love and continue in his Love, &c 3. If faying that C 3 they

( i8)

they believe and repent, and give up themfelves to God in Chrift be culpable boafting then all that have been baptized on fiich a required profeflion, have thereby finned, and all the Chriftian bap-tifm hath been fin. 4. No man is a Chriftian, ju-ftified, or can be faved that cannot fo boaft (that he is not an Infidel, but a Penitent Believer.) 5. Is it a matter of boafting that God commandeth when he commandeth us to repent and believe the Go-fpel ? If he freely pardon condemned Sinners for the fake of Chrifts Sacrifice, Righteoufnefs and Interceftion, on Condition, that they do not finally refufe the gift, but believingly accept it according to it's Nature, and all this by his Grace; is this matter of boafting ? May a pardoned Traytor boaft of his Merit to the King, if the Condition of his pardon be, that he (hall not refufe it, and fpit in the Kings face, or continue a rebel?

Obj. Where all is of Grace, and Faith it felf given and promife d by the Covenant, there the Covenant is not Conditional.

Anf 1. As to the giving of Faith, itwellftands with Gods method both to Command it as a duty, and to make it a Condition of his Promife, and to give his Word and Spirit to caufe us to perform it. It is a fi&ion that thefe may not confift, and he fubverteth the Gofpel that faith they do not confift. 2. As to the Promife, God indeed hath promifed to Chrift, to give him a k^d, and to draw them to him, &c. But the Covenant irade with particular men, and fealed and folemni-2ed in baptifm doth not promife Faith and Repen-iance^ which are firft given, but prerequire them as the neceflary qualification of the adult. And this is the Covenant that we fpeak of. 3. It is a Condition of Pardon, Jufiification and Acceptance, that

we

C *9)

we enquire of. Therefore it is the Promife ofthefe that we muft mean: Now I ask whether the Promife of Pardon and Justification be a Promife of Faith, or whether it be not a Promife to pardon andjufti-fie Believers only and their Seed, and fo prerequi-ireth Faith.

Obj. But you -call the many parts of one Covenant by the name of many Covenants. Anfi I hope we fhall not be called in matters of Catechifm to Me-taphyfical or Logical quibbles deVmtate & Indivi-duatione. Which is too hard for mens wits about things natural or moral That is one in fome re-fpe<5t which is many in others. There is fome fort of Unity of all thellniverfe, even of all Creatures: And fo there is of all Gods Law.s and Covenants : either the Obje&iors fpeak de nomine or de re : If but of the Name £ One, ] they (hall call it One if that will pleafe them,and let them only diftinguifh the Parts of that One: If they will fay that the Covenant made by the Father with the Mediator, and the Law made for him, are one and the fame with the Covenant made by the Father and Son and Holy Spirit with us, and that our Baptifmal Covenant is no Covenant, but only a part of the Covenant of which that with Chrift aforefaid is another part, I will not ufe their phrafe, but let me understand them that it is only the Name of [Ow or Two 2 that they contend about, and we will fit our words accordingly : I think on feveral accounts they are to be called Divers Covenants : If they diflike it, let us enquire whether the various Precepts of one Covenant make not various duties to Chrift and to us; and whether the various Promifes of it have not various Conditions, fome to be performed by Chrift and fome by us. Our prefent Qiieftion is, Whether that part of the

C 4 Cove-

( 20 )

Covenant which promifeth ar$ giveth Pardon of fin, Juftification, Adoption, and right to Glory, have any Condition, as the Modus of the gift ? We will rather follow them in unmeet terms, than leave them thence a pretepce to confound names and things, 4 and hide their errour by the confufion.

All Divines, ancient and modern, reformed and and unreformed, that I know of, agreed with us in the conditionally of the faid Promife, and by the form of Baptifm ihewed the Churches confent till Maccovim in Holland, and Dr. Crifpe and other Antinomians in England began to fubvert the Gofpel on pretence of magnifying the freenefs of Grace; and yet they durft never attempt to alter the Form of Baptiftn ; as this Opinion will require. • ■■ ■ » • ■' ■»*> ^

Coritr. 4. By what hath been faid, the fourth Controverfie is already refolved^ viz* Whether our performance of the Condition of Juftification doth efficiently jnftifie us? Some fay 5 becaufe we fay that Chrift doth not juftifie us till we perform the condition by believing, that therefore we make our own Faith or performance to juftifie proximately, and Chrift but remotely, and fo to do more than Chrift to our Juftification.

jipf. 1. As to the phrafe, Scripture faith, that we are juftifie d by Faith, that word not fignifying an efficiency ', but a receptive qualifying condition ; but it never faith, that Faith doth juftifie us, much lefs that we by it juftifie ourfelves: Our performance or Faith is no efficient caufe 5 but as to two parts of cur Juftification it hath a twofold Office: 1. As to our Juftification by the Merits of Chrifts Righ-teoufnefs ^gainft this charge {that damnation u due

to

to m for fin] our Faith is the Condition of our P*r-^ and J unification 5 that is, the metal qualification which God hath made neceflary to make us capable receivers of it i As laying down Arms,and taking his Pardon thankfully, may make a Rebel capable of Pardon f but doth not pardon him) if the pardoning A& lay [This fhall be the Condition: ] And by his # "Pardon he is jnfiifiable againft the charge of being liable to death.

2. But as to the fubordinate part of Jifftification y againft the falfe charge that we are no Believers, nor repent^ andfo have no pan in chrift\ here our own Faith is the very Matter of Righteoufnefs by which we muft be in tamum rfo far) juftified : As truth and innocency is againft every falfe accufation ; And to fay that becaufe Chrifts Merits juftifie us not before and without our Faithand performance of the Condition, therefore our Act juftifteth us more than Chrift, or efficiently at all, is a thing unworthy of an anfw-er, being below the thoughts of an intelligent Difputer. How much the capacity or incapacity of the Receiver doth as to all the various changes in the world, both $)hyfical and moral, when yet efficiently it doth nothing, is not wholly unknown to any fober thinkitig man. As . the fame fun-fhine maketh a Weed ft ink, and a Rofe fweet 5 fo the fame Ad of Oblivion, or conditional Juftifying Law or Covenant, doth juftifie the capable, and not the uncapable, though no mans Faith doth effed any part of his own Jufti-fication. Mr. Troughton, and fuch others denying Faith to be the Condition of our Juftification by the Promife, hath drawn me to fpeak the largelier pfthis^

Contr,

(22 )

«■ i ■■■ " '■■■ '«■ ' ■ * " , * ' •■■■'■• ' " ' ' ' * '» " . ■ ■ ■ II — *-^

Contr. ff Whether we arejuftijied by Chrifis Righteoufnefs imputed to us: and whether the Scripture fay fo. ,

Anfi The Scripture oft faith, that Faith is imputed to us for Righteoufnefs ; and that is, Faith in Chrift : And it faith, that Righteoufnefs is imputed, or reckoned to us, that is, we are reckoned or reputed righteous, Rom. 4. 11, 22.6. And that fin is #6t imfuted, that is not charged on us to punishment, or damnation, Rom. 5.13. & 4. 8. Pfal. 32. <v. 2. ? Cor. 5. 16. The words of Imputing Chrifis Righteoufnefs to us, I find not in Gods Word y and therefore think them not neceflary to the Churches peace or fafety. But as for the fenfe of thofe words.no doubt but it may be good,& the Papifts themfelves own them in the fame fenfe as many ProteftantDivines profefs to ufe them,as Ihave proved.

Contr. 6. In what fenfe is Chrifts Righteoufnefs imputed to us ?

Anfw. It is accounted of God the valuable consideration, fatisfadion and merit (attaining Gods ends) for which we are (when we confent to the Covenant of Grace,)* forgiven and juftified againft the condemning Sentence of the Law of Innocen-cy, and reconciled and accepted of God to Grace and Glory.

Q^ But did not Chrift reprefent our perfons in his Righteoufnefs^ fo that it is imputed to us as ours, as if &e our felves had been and done what he was and did as righteous ?

Anfi This being the very heart of all the Con-troverfie,(hould bejdecided only by Scripture, and nothing added or diminifhed. That Chrift is the fecond Adam, and called fyy"*> a Sponfor* Surety

(23)

orlnterpofer, and a Mediator between God and Man, that fuffered for us, the juft for the unjuft, a price, and a facrifice, is all found infcripture. Wife and peaceable men here will be as fearful of humane Inventions and Additions as in Difci-pline or Ceremonies at leaft. But becaufe all are riotfuch, we muft fpeak to men as they are. There are feverai forts of Sureties or Sponfors.

Few reprefent the very ptrfon, at leaft not all: If men will needs impofe on us their own word of Refrefentation s for peace fakeiwe accept it, in a found fenfe. In a limited fenfe it is true that Chrift reprefented m $ that is, he fuffered in our ftead, that we might not fuffer : He obeyed, and was perfectly righteous as Mediator in our Natures^ and fo far iirour ftead, as that fuch perfed Righteouf-nefs fhould not in our felves be neceflary to our Juftificacion. But he did not abfolutely reprefent us; he was not cur Delegate: Our perfons did not in a Law-fenfe do in and by Chrift what he did, or poffefs the habits which he poflefled, or fuffered what he fuffered: Nor doth God account us fo to have done, for that were to miftake. I haverendred a multitude of reafons to prove this in my Treatife of Juftifying Rtghtewfnefs: The contradi&ion is enough that we are accounted never to have finned, becaufe Chrift never finned 3 and yet we are accounted to have fuffered or fatif-fied for fin, becaufe Chrift did fo 3 or at leaft that we need a pardon by his blood, and muft ask for pardon, and muft fuffer correcting punifhments,and long be without neceflary grace and glory, when yet we are accounted never to have finned, but from birth to death to have fulfilled all Gods Law in Chrift. I have fully proved that this DoCirine fubverteth thefumof all the Gofpel and Religion, to which I refer you. Contr.

( M)

Contr. 7. What Righteoufnefs of Chrift is it that is ours, and imputed to ns^ the Pa/five, the AElive> the Habitual^ or the Divine, or all ?

■ Anfw. Divines are here fallen into four Opinions.

I. Many of our moft famous Divines fay, that it is only Chrifts fufferings that are imputed to us as our Righteoufnefs to Juftification; being Juftitia Meritt, the reft being Juftitia Perfona, to qualifie Chrift to merit for us- Thus Partus, Scul-tetus y Wenddine, Beckman* Vrfine, Pifcator, Olevian, Camero with his followers,and many more: Thefe are far from thinking that we fulfilled all the Law in Chrift, or are righteous becaufe he fulfilled it.

II. The fecond fort think that the A&ive and Paflive Righteoufnefs are imputed to us as our Righteoufnefs.

III. The third fort are for the Paflive, A&ive and Habitual imputed.

IV. The fourth think fo alfo of the Divine, (which is the Deity it felf; for there is nothing in God but God) Andrew opander is for our Justification by the Divine Eflence, but I think rather by Communication than Imputation. Thus hath cur weaknefs diftra&ed and difgraced us. But Mr. Bradfhaw truly noted, that if the fenfe of Imputation were well agreed of, the reft might well be reconciled^ viz.. that no Righteoufnefs of Chrift is imputed to us in theifcrid: fenfe of Repre-fentation, as if we our felves were legally accounted to have been done or fuffered, what Chrift did, was and fufFered. But in the juft fenfe of Imputation all is imputed to us, that is, Chrifts Habitual, Active and Paflive Righteoufnefs, fulfilling his own part of the Covenant, advanced in

dignity

f>>)

dignity by the Union of the Divine nature and perfection was the true meritorious caufe of our Juftification, and not any one of thefe a-lpne.

» . . . ■ ■ ■ •• ■ ,. ! ■ I tt | | ,

Cont. 8. Whether Chrifts righteoufnefs be the efficient > material OV formal caufe of our Righteoufnefs and Juftification. i

Anf. Its pity that poor people mull be thus tempted with Controverfies of Logick. But what remedy ? Chrifts righteoufnefs as materially and formally his, merited our Juftification: But for the accidental relation of righteoufnefs in Chrift, to be the accidental relation of righteoufnefs to every believer, is impoffible unlefsthe Subject be the fame: If Chrift be the believing (inner, and as many perfons as there be fuch, or all thefe be the fame perfon with Chrift, then his individual righteoufnefs is formally theirs, elfe not. For as noxa ca-putfequitur, fo no accident is the fame numerically in various Subje&s. They that deny this Vented but the fame advantages to have believed Tran-fubftantiation, and renounce the common principles.

But that Chrifts righteoufnefs is the meritorious caufe of ours, is paft doubt. And therefore they that affirm and they that deny it to be the material caufe (which is the common Doctrine of Pro-teftant difputers) do but differ about a name. For if Adam had merited his own glorification had noc his works been both the meritorious caufe, and.the material ? that is, the matter of that meritorious righteoufnefs: And why may we not fay fo of Chrift ? It is therefore the material becaufe it is the meritorious, that is, the meriting matter. For

righteoufnefs being a Relation hath ftri&ly no

matter

matter, but a Subjett. And Chrifts Atts andhabks wpre the firft Subjetl of that righteoufhefs of his perfon whofe merit juftifieth us : But the believer is the Sttbjeti of his own perfonal righteoufnefs thus merited by Chrift. It's pity that holy things fhould be brought down to fuch Logical trifling; but more pity that Church teachers that will do fo, fhould abufe them by their ignorance in their own way. The matter of the righteoufnefs which me-riteth our Juftification from the Laws damnation of us, is Chrifts own righteoufnefs 5 (unlefs by the matter you mean the Subject perfon.) But the matter of om fubordinate righteoufnefs is in and of our felves,of which anon.

. ,—, ' ■>■ ■ . ' " «

Cont. 9. Whether the Vnion between Chrift and believers be not fo near^ as maketh them the fame Subjeft, and fo the accident of Chrifts righteoufnefs to be ours?

Anf. So fome think, but this tremendous my fiery muft not be rafbly and profanely handled. In a Union Specifick of humanity, all mankind is one with Chrift that is, of one Species of humane nature : And fo that which is predicated of one as fuch, is predicated of the other.

In a Political Vnion Chrift as the head, and the Church as the body make one Society as part scon-ftituting the whole. And fo whatever is predicated of a part meerly as a party is predicable of both : But that which is predicated of the whole as a whole is properly predicable of neither alone: And that which is predicated of the Head as a head, is not predicable of the body, nor that of the head, which is proper to the body, nor that of one member which is proper to another. But fome things by way of Communication may be predicated

v %j J cated of the whole, for the fake of a part. So the Church is called (infill and imperfed; for our fake, though Chrift be not fo: And it is eminently holy and glorious,becaufe Chrift is fo; that is,/e-

cnndum quid.

But no Vnion will make us righteous and perfo-naliy happy by anothers righteoufnefs and fyappi-nefs, unlefs it were a perfonal Union, ( natural or Legal at leaft as to Relative rights.) The qqieftion then is whether every believer be one per [on with Chrift ? And if ft), whether one naturalperfon^ or one Legal (asa lawful vicarim is. ) They that hold the firft plead that the fame Spirit that is in Chrift, is the fame divine nature, and maketh us one natural perfon. But where doth the Scripture fay fo ? The Sun is not one. individual with every Plant that it quickened), nor every plant with it. A nettle or rofe is not the Sun, nor is it the illuminater of the World, that maketh day, &c But they have • fo much from the Sun as it communicateth 5 and no more. So we are not Chrift, nor the Eternal and Natural Son of God, nor infinite in Wifdom and Goodnefs, nor perfe&ly juft and glorified, as Chrift is: But we have from Chrift fo much of the Spirit as he communicateth 5 And nothing is curs meerly becaufe it is his, and we one perfon with him ; but becaufe he Communicateth it to us: What further real Union there will be in our glorious perfection we cannot well know till we are there. But in this imperfe&lon our Union is not fuch as far as I underftand it, as maketh us one natural perion with Chrift 3 And furely it cloth not make his proper accidents to be our accidents.

And as to that which fome call a Legal or Repu-tative perfonal Union* it muft be proved before in

( 28 )

isafferted. And as I know no word of God that fpeaketh fuch a thing, as that Thrift and we areim-putatively one perfon 3 fo I know that they that will affentit of their own heads, prefume far in a tender point; and if they fhould fay that we are [imply and ad omma one perfon, it were not by Chriftian ears to be endured: If they will fay that it is but in fome refpeds and to fome certain ufes, f^as a Servant,that payeth his Mafters creditor by order in fome fenfe reprefenteth him in that one adtion ) they muft limit it carefully and fhew to what ufes we are one perfon, left they do they know not what: And they muft fhew what fort of perfon they mean ? Whether Chriftbe made the lame perfon with each believing (inner, and fo take our bad denominations -> or each (inner be made the perfon of Chrift 3 and have his glorious deno-niinations,or a third fort of perfon is made of both, and what that is ? If meer perfonal Unity make us righteous by imputation,becaule Chrift is fo, either it muft be as Chrift is righteous, in full perfe&ion (reputatively) or elfe but according to the meafure of our receptivity: The firft none will affirm that underftand what they fay : And the fecond brings the effed no higher than we grant 7 The foot doth not underftand as the head doth-, though it be a part of the fame natural body, and may have its peculiar Ulcers and Difeafes: A crab and a fweet apple may grow on the fame Tree: Certainly we have a perfon proper to our felves, which hath its own defe&s and evils, and hath no more from Chrift than he communicateth.

Cont. IO. Art we not n got eons by b tin gone with Chrifty as we arefmners by Vnion with Adam?

Anf 1. We were but feminally and virtually

C *9>

in Adam, and not perfonally ( as I have opened in my difpur. Of Original fin:) And fo we were but virtually in Chrift when he fuffered and obeyed, and we were unborn.

2. Nay our derivation from Adam was by nature, but from Chrift by his voluntary Gift and Con-tratt.

2. Had we not finned in Adam, and yet had finned our felves w r e had been unrighteous: And fo it is, though we finned not in Chrift, and yet are finners our felves againft him.

Our radical righteoufnefs in Adam would have happily difpofed us to perfonal obedience ^ as-^-dam himfelf was who yet fell: And our radical righteoufnefs in Chrift, is yet a more happy preparative to our neceflary duty to him, which is righteoufnefs alfo, which he that hath not (hall be condemned. I know that many fay that [(Adam had conquered that temptation, or at leaft had never finned, all hispofterity ftiould have been confirm-edagainft all future fin and danger as the Angels be in Heaven: But I dare not add to the Word of God; and I find no fuch thing there, though I hear what others fay: And if that were true, thefirft Covenant would have ceafed upon Adams obedience, as it did upon his difobedience, and all the World would have been under either no Law, or fome Law to us unknown. The firft Adam was a living Soul, indeed, and the fecond is a qmclzning Spirit. And as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fiall all be made alive , but every man in his own order . And as we are not railed, nor yet delivered from all our fin ormifery by our Union with Chrift as foon as we believe, fo neither from all guilt and unrighte-oufnefs h but muft daily pray, forgive us our ttefi-P«ffes, and deliver us from the evil. If our Union

D prefently

( jo )

prefently made all ours that is Chrift s y and that as it is his, yea or as much as we need it, we were then highly dignified indeed. Marriage giveth the Wife her felfno further propriety in the Husbands fixate nor ufe of it, than he communicateth by the contract: And neither that nor generation itfelf, give Wife or Child the Husbands or Fathers learning, innocence or health.

Cont. IT. Is notChrifts righteoufnefsours y as our fms were his, by imputation ?

Anfi Yes, As much at leaft> or more. But take heed of making Chrifts Gofpel by your mending it, and of making him no Chrift while you would make him more merciful according to your own conceits.Iknow it is laid once that he was made fin for u$± W 7 ho knew no fin , that we might be made the righte-onfnefs of G&d in him&ut as we are not properly righte-oufnefs) much lefs Gods righteoufnefs, but are made righteous, and fo the inftances or demonftrations of the righteoufnefs of Gods fo expofitors commonly agree that by fin is meant a Sacrifice for fin. Or by being £ made fin ] is meant being ufed as if he had been a finwr. Undoubtedly if God imputed or accounted Chrift a finner, and if he were truly fo by any means, practice or tranflation, he muft be by fin hateful to the moft holy God, ( even to him-felf)and would have in him lb great a part of Hell, and Divine defertion, as is not confident with his perfonal perfection, or the hypoftatical Union, ^ as far as we can conceive : And if indeed God imputed to him the fins of all the eledfc, fo as firft to make the very fins themielves to become Chrifts own fins by imputation, then Chrift lutfered for his own fins, and muft be more odious to God than any ordinary finner 5 and all good men that knew

Q 1* ) it by him muft have judged accordingly : For fin, & especially the fins of fo many millions & fo great, muft needs render him whofe own they are, really finful, hateful and miferable. Any of which to fay of Chrift is blafphemy.

Chrift undertook th^t guilt of our fin which is nothing but the obligation to punifhment, and that fuch puni/hment as befeemed him to undergo. There is a guilt ofFaft, and a guilt o{ crime, and a guilt of punifhment. Chrift undertook the laft, but neither of the former, as in themfelves confi-dered, unlefs as by connotation relatively he may be faid to be guilty of the fin meerly becaufe he undertook to fuffer for it; which is improper fpeech. Chrift condefcended to the admiration' of Angels in taking on him our nature, and our punishment, and fuffering for our fins; but hisholinefs would not fuffer him to undertake our fin it felf, or take it to be his own fin : Nay confidering the communication of attributes which Divines aflert from the hypoftatical Union, men fhould tremble to think of laying aground of calling it The Sin of God, by the fame reafon as 5 Att$ 20. it's faid, [ The blood of God. ] Its a fad cafe that partiality canfo much prevail, as that they that cry out of fome doubtful words as damnable herefies, do yet think it tolerable language to fay, that by Imputation of the very fin itfelf to Chrift as his fin, he was the greateft fin-ner, the greateft Murderer, Lyer, Adulterer,^. in the world. I befeech you abftain from fuch words till you find them in the Scripture. Chrift never was reputed of God afinner, who did fo much to fhew his hatred of it. Nor ever took our fin unto him, any furrher than to fuffer for it to expiate it: And if this be the fimilitude by which we sfiuft underftand how his Holimfs and BighttoHfnefs D2 is

C v )

is made ours, it will make all very plain. It is ours, or imputed to us, fo far as to be reputed the true caufe of our Juftification, Adoption, San&ification and Glory, as our fin was the caufe of his fuffering and death.

Cont. 12. Doth not Chrifts righteoufnefs caufe our Salification in the fame fort of caufality as it cauf eth our J unification?

Anf The effects are divers, but both from the fame meritorious caufe. But it is more unapt to fay that it is the material caufe ofourSanctification than that it is the material caufe of our righteouf-nefsjThough it merit both;Becaufe our habitual and actual holinefs hath a nearer material caufe in itfelf which our pardon and meer adoption have not.

Cont. 13. When it isJaid that faith is imputed to us for righteoufnefs is it faith indeed that„ is meant or Chrifts Righteoufnefs believed on ? ,

Jinf. A if range and bold queftion. What occafi-on hath the Holy Ghoft given us to raife fuch a fufpicion, that when it is fo often faid by him that Faith is imputed ox accounted for righteoufnefs, men fhould make a doubt whether it be Faith indeed that he meaneth ? If it be not , the context is fo far from relieving our underitandings*, that it contributed! to our unavoidable deceit or ignorance. Read over the Texts and put but [ Chrifts Righte-mfnefs ] every where inftead of the word [ Faith*f\ and fee what a fcandalous Paraphrafe you will make. The Scripture is not fo audacioufly to be Corrected: It's wifer to believe Gods Word than to contradid it on pretence of expounding it.

Obj. But it is faid alfo that .Kighteoufnefs is

■imputed: And that muftbe either Chrifts Right eouf

* nefs

( V )

nefs or our own : But not our own 5 therefore Chrifts.

Anf. We are not now queftioning whether Chrifts Righteoufnefs be imputed to us\ Though it be not the Phrafe of the Scripture, I have (hewed you that it is true, in a found fence. But the queftion is, Whether Faith be imputed for righteoufnefs. And what is the meaning of ail fuch Texts ? To have righteoufnefs imputed to ur, plainly fignifieth to be Reckoned, Accounted, Reputed or Judged righteous. And it's ftrange that it muft not be our own righteoufnefs^ that is imputed or reckoned to us as our own: If it were never fo well proved, thac the very Habits and Ads of Chrift are by Gift or Union made our awn in themfelves, and not only as the caufes of their eiFe&s, yetftill our own they would be,and the righteoufnefs given by them our own, in order of nature before they are imputed, accounted or reckoned to us as our own. Some way that righteoufnefs which is reckoned to conftitute us righteous is furely made our own.

Pfal 106. 30, zi.Phinehas's executing Judgment, it is faid to be accounted to him for righteoufnefs.

And of Abrahams ]ui\iRcmonGodfaith,BecaufethoH haft done this foe- What mart that ever read the Bible can doubt, but that every man that will be faved muft have a perfonal faith, repentance and holinefs, which is called righteoufnefs many hundred times in the Scripture, befides the righteouihefs that was or is in Chrift ? And will not Cod reckon him righteous that is * righteous ? He that doth righteoufnefs is righteous ? And (hall it not be imputed to him? if God account not a man a believer, can he be juftified and faved ? Chrifts Righteoufnefs hath made Satisfaction for all our iins, and for our unrighteoufnefsas to the Law that doth condemn us: But he made us not lawlefs,

D 3 but

( 34 )

but put us under a Law of Grace, which faith

£ He that believeth (hall be faved, and he that belie-veth not pall be damned. ] And muft we not be judged by this Law ? and be juftified or condemned as we keep or break it ? wonderful is the power of prejudice that any good men that read the Scripture can doubt whether Chrift himfelf hath made us a Law of Grace, according to which as performers or non-performers we muft be juftified ss righteous in fubordination toChrifts Righte-ofifaefs or elfe be condemned, as neglecters of fo great Salvation ? Is any thing plainer in all the Go-fpel ?

Ob]. Wtfaitis theObjcSt, and not the Aft ; Chrifts Righteonpaefs and not our Faith ; the Gold and not the Hand that taketh it y that is our Riches and Righte-onfncjs.

Anf, i. No queftion but the Faith that we talk of, is Faith in Chrift^ even the Believing Receiving of a Saviour and his Grace freely given his. And therefore Chrifts Righteoufnefs is ever connoted when we talk of Faith: For. what is the very Specification of the A6t but the Object ? But it is not the ejfence of Chrift or his Righteoufnefs, that conftituteth Faith 3 but Chrift in ej]e cognito & objeffivo, even as it is not the efience of Sin that conftituteth Repentance, but the notion of Sin in effe cognito as an Objed. And there is no doubt but Chrift is the^ouls Riches which Faith received. But if the King by Law fhould reftore all the Rebels in Ireland to their Eftates, and give them their Lives, that Jay down Arms, and ask Mercy and accept it, if it come to the Tryal whe-" ther they are Accepters or Reflifers, their Acceptance muft be fo far their juftifying Righteoufnefs, though their Lives and Eftates be iheir Treafure,

and

C v )

and the Kings Aft be their Title to it.

Faith is reckoned or imputed to be that which by the Redeemer himfelf is required of the Sinner to make him partaker of Chnft and his Benefits, Reconciliation and Salvation 3 and it is no other Righteoufnefs.

Chrifts Righteoufnefs is not imputed^ to us inftead of our Faith and Repentance and fincere ho-linefs, which is made by himfelf the condition of Life. As he died not for the Sins which we were neve? guilty of, and are no lias, fohis Righteoufnefs is not inftead of that Righteoufnefs which by his Grace we have, but inftead of that which we have not: Not inftead of our being penitent Belie-"vers and fandified before we die, but inftead of that perfect innocency which we want: Not that we are reputed perfect innocent obeyers, becaufe he was fuch; but that our want of it lhall not hinder our Juftification or Adoption., Grace or Glory. Chrift hath done all his part, but he hath appointed us a neceiTary part which muft be done by our felves? and though without him we can do nothing, yet by him we muft believe and be new Creatures, and by him that ftrengtheneth us we can do fome-things and muft work cut our Salvation, while he worketh in us to will and to do.

The purchafe then and Donation is by Chrift, but the voluntary acceptance is by us, by the operation of his Grace; which is not to make up any deficiency in Chrifts part, or to be a fapplement to his Righteoufnefs, nor to bear any part of the fame office in our Juftification ; but it's that which fubordinately is required of us as the Condition of Pardon and Life, by his own Law or Covenant of Grace. And fo far it is imputed to us for Righteoufnefs.

D 4 Cohtr.

C 36 )

Contr. 14. Whether Grace be Grace> or Free, if it have any Condition ?

jtnfi As free and great as God will have it, but pot fuch as the wicked man would have ir, who would be faved from pain, but not from Sin, or without any Condition required of him. The Covenant is made conditional, for the ufe that the commands are made 3 to bring man to his Duty, and to convey the Benefit in a fapiential congruous way; but not as requiring a price for the Benefits : He that pardoneth a Traytor on condition that he thankfully accept it, and will not fpit in the Princes face, and rebel again, doth pardon freely without a price. And as our Duty and Act deniech not that it's Grace by which we do it 5 fo the neceffity of Grace thereto denied) it not to be our Duty or our Att when we believe. The Covenant giveth fome Mercies abfolutely, but not all. He that would be from under all Conditions of Gods Promifes, would be from under all Law, and all threatnings: For what kind of Law is that which hath no Conditions of Reward and Punifhment.

Obj. But when the Condition it [elf is promifed, it is equal to 'abfolate.

Anf. 1. If that be true, ftill it is conditional .Why do you not fay fo then, net that it hath no Conditions, but that it is a conditional Promiie equal to an abfolute ? 2. But flay a little:' Is the condition promifed to all that the conditional pro-mife is made to ? even to all that hear the Gofpel, or that are baptized- If you fay that the conditional Promife is made to none but the Elect, you deny the Gofpel, which is to be preached to all the World 3. Will you caft out Baptifm by this Argument ? and io vifiblc Chriftianity ? Or

will

( n )

will you new mold it into an abfolute Form ? Or will you fay that it is no Covenant? If you fuppofe not God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft to be there given to us with pardon and right to Life upon condition of our believing acceptance, and that we there profefs that acceptance which is the Condition, you fuppofe not that it is Baptifm indeed. And when your little notions fhall lead you to deny Gods Law and Covenant GolpeJ, Baptifm, and fo Chriftianity as vifible, they are fcarce fit notions to make you pafs for Orthodox, and to be turned againft others as erroneous, 4 But how is it that God promifeth the Condition it felf? and to whom? I find, Prov. 1.23. Turn you at my reproofs behold J will pour out my Spirit to you?, I will make known my Words unto you ? Is it

£ if you do fir ft tum.~\ Then there is fome degree of turning neceflary as a condition to the promi-fed fpecial gift of the Spirit.^ Or is it [ that yoa may turn /] Then God prornifeth his Spirit and Word to help even thole to turn, that yet turn not •, which muft fuppofe fome Condition of con-fent or non-refiftance required which they could perform. I find, that it's all mens duty to pray,

and I read [] As\^ and ye Jhall have, feeh^and ye fhall

find, &c. ] And fo that to ask and feek faving Faith, is a Duty to him that hath but common Faith. And God commandeth no man to ask or feek in yain: A meer command to u(e means im-plieth that they are not vain. God then giveth ( as Dr. Twijfe oft faith as out of: A uguftine) the pojfe credere where yet the a£t of Faith doth not follow: and it is not a meer Paffive, but an A-dive Power. And where he giveth Grace which caufeth the A<5t it felf, did God Promife, it before hand to that man any more than to others ?

He

( J« )

He promifeth Chrift to call all his Ele&: But this giveth no right to any individual Perfon before he is born, or before he believeth : Therefore not to the firft Faith. For God to tell men, what he will do with his EIe6t is one thing ; and to enter into Covenant with a man, and give a right thereby is another. This Covenant hath it's Conditions,

Contr. 15*. Here comes in alfio the Contr over fie whe* ther Repentance be any Condition of Pardon, or Jufti-^cation ? And whether to affirm it be not to equal it with Faith ?

Anfi Read thefe Texts of Scripture and judge, Ez.eks 14. 6. & 18. 30. Luk, 13. 3, 5. Aft. %. 38. &8. 22. & 17.30, 31. &26. 18, 20. Mar. 1.4.

fyt 24.47. Aa.). 31. & 11.18. & 13.24. &

20. 21. Luk. 15.7. &c.

2. Faith in Chrift as it is the remedying Grace ever fuppofeth Faith in God as God, and Repentance towards God, A&. 20. 21 as it's end, and is connoted when it is not expreft. He that faith,

[] Take me and trufi me as your Phyfician and J will

cure yon~] implieth, i. If you defire to be cured. 2. If you will take my Medicines. To believe in Chrift, is to truft that through his Mediation a penitent returning Sinner ftiall be pardoned and accepted of God and faved. Holineis is the Souls health, and Chrift believed in is the remedy: Repentance and Holinefs are neceflary as the end for themfelves, and Faith in the Mediator is neceflary as the ufe of the Remedy. The Office or Nature of thefe is not the fame, though both be Conditions. Yet as Repentance is the change of the Mind, fo repenting of unbelief is Faith itfelf, denominated with refpect to the terminus a quo. Unhappy

C 39 ) happy wits fet things as oppofite, which God hath connexed and made coordinate.

Contr. 1 6. Whether Faith juftifie m as a meritorious Caufe, or as a difpofitive C^ufe of receiving Jufii-fication, cr as a meer Condition, or as an Inftrumental Caufe ?

Anf. t If thefe Logical names had never been ufed,pl-ain Ghriflians would have underftood what is neceflary without them. '• I. That the Promife maketh Faith a Condition, making unbelief a Hop to the benefit, and Faith the removal of that flop, is paft all doubt. And the Promife being the Donative Inftrument, and its Condition being its Mode, the intereft of a Condition is molt certainly the formal Law-intereft that Faith hath as to our Juftification.

2. And Dr. Twijfe's forementioned name of

Caufa difpofitiva, i, e. recipiendi, is undoubtedly alfo apt, and fignifieth both the Nature of the Aft, and the Office of it as a Condition: For in both refpe&s it is the necejfary qualification of the Patient or Receiver, i. e- naturally and legally necejfary 5 fiich as difpofaio materia is faid to be in Phyficks.

3. And as for the notion of an Inftrumental Caufe of Justification, it is paft doubt that properly taken neither Faith, nor any adi of ours is any fuch, nor doth juftifie us efficiently at all: But if any be fb fond of the invented notion of an foft ru went, as that they will ufe it, though unaptly, they muft fay, 1. That it is not an Efficient, but a Recipient Inftrument. Dr. Kendall calls it like Boys catching the Ball in their Hats, or as a Spoon is in eating :

But it is not an Inftrument of Phyfical Reception, but Moral. To Trufi is ho more a Reception, than to Love, The adive Acceptance of a Saviour given

with

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vmh his benefits, is a Moral Receiving of him, which difpofeth m as the Condition of the Covenant to receive Juftification, that is 5 to be ju/tified. And in this lax fenfe, you may call it all thefe if you pleafe -, viz* a Condition, a Difpofitive Caufe, and a Receiving Infhumem.

4. A Meritorious Caufe it is not in a Commutative or ftricl fenfe. But if you will call that meritorious which is pleafing to God as congruom to his free gift and defign of grace, whence fomeare called Worthy in the Gofpel, fo the thing is not to be denied s and (o all are reconciled.

Contr. 17. Isjuftifying Faith an aft of the under-fianding or will t

Anf. Both, and therefore it is no one Phyfical ad only, nor Inftrumental in a ftri£t Phyfical tenfe.

Contr. 18. What aft of Faith is it that juftifeth as to the Objeft I whether only the belief of the truth of the Promife, or of the whole Gofpel alfo, or the affiance on Chrifis Right eoufnefs, or on his Truth,or on his Inter-cejfion, or taking him wholly for our Saviour, Prophet, Friefi and King? And whether Faith in God the Fa-ther, and the Holy Ghoft, do juftife ? or all thefe ? And if but one, which is it ? and whether all the restore the works which Paul excludeth from J' unification?

Anf To fay that only one Phyfical adl of Faith is it that we are juftified by, and all the reft are thole works, is a perverfe corrupting of Chriftiani-ty, and not to be heard without deteftation. For it will utterly confound all perfons, to find out which that one act is, which they indeed can never do. And it will contradid the fubfiance of all the Gofpel; There is no fuch thing as Faith in

Qhrifh

( 4* ) Chrift, which containeth not )# or includeth not Faith in God as God, both as he is our Creator, and as reconciled by Chrift, and as the Giver of Chrift: to us, John 3.16. and as the end of all the work of Redemption. Nor is there any fuch thing as Faith in Chrift which is true and faving, that includeth not, or connoteth not the Knowledge of Chrift, and Love, and Defire, and Thankfulness, and Confent: Nor did ever God tell us of a Faith in Chrifts Imputed Righteoufnefs only that muft juftifie us^ which is not alfo a Faith in his Perfon, Do&rine, Law, Promife and Example; and his Interceflion in the Heavens. And to fay that only the A<5t of Recumbency on Chrifts Righteoufnefs as imputed to our Juftification, is that a6t of Faith by which we are juftified, and that Believing in God, his Majefty, Truth, Wifdom, Goodnefs,and the believing in Chrift as he is the Prophet, Teacher, King of the Church, and the Refurre-&ion, Life, and Judge of all; and believing in the HolyGhoft, as the Sandifier, Comforter, and Witnefs and Advocate of Chrift, and believing and trufting th£ Promife of God for Life Eternal,

or for any grace except Chrifts Righteonfnefs imputed, that all this Faith in God, in Jefus Chrift and the Holy Spirit, and all our Love to Chrift, and defire after him, and prayer for his grace, and thankfulnefs for it, &c are all none of the Faith which Juftification is promifed to, but are the Works by which no man is jtiftified, and that he is fain from grace, that feeketh to be juftified by fuch works, that is, by true Faith in God as God, and in Chrift as Chrift: This is a new Gofpel ful> verting Chrifts Gofpel, and making Chriftianity another thing * and this without any countenance from the Scripgjre, and contrary to its very fcope.

The

The Faith by which we are juftified, is one Moral a& containing many Phyfical ads, even our fiducial Confent to the Baptifmal Covenant, and dedication of our felves to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, to be our Reconciled God, our Saviour, and our San&ifier, to give us Pardon, Adoption, Holinefs and Glory, which is our Chri-ftianity it feIf a* fitch.

Contr. 18. But though this be the Faith qua? JU-ftificat, which juftifieth us, is it not only Recumbency on thrifts Imputed Righteoufnefs, qua talis, which hath the Office of Inftrumentality, and is fides qua jufti-ficans.

Jinf. Such quibbling and jingling of a meer found of words is ufual in ludicrous Difputations of Lads: But it's pity it iliould pafs as the laft remedy againft plain truth in fo great a matter. Firft it muft be remembred that no Faith juftifieth efficiently, and therefore neither qua nor qua juftifi-cans is to fignifie any fuch thing, but a meer Moral qualification of the recipient fubjed: 5 fo that to be juftified by Faith, is but to be juftifled by it as that which God hath promifed Justification on as the qualifying Condition : But if it be not the fame thing that is here called Fides qua and qua, but in the firft part they fpeak of the Habit, and in the fecond of the Aft, had it not been plainer to fay, \The fame Habit of Faith hath feveral Afts, as believing in God, in Chrifts Interceffion, Kingdom, &C. but none of thefe Afts do jufifie us, but one only ; viz. tftifting to the Imputation of his Righteoufnefsf] And (b

both the qua and qm is [denied to all Ads fave that one. This is their plain meaning, which is denied to be truth, and is a human dangerous invention. Yet it's granted them, that it is not every

Aft]

( 43 ) Ad of Faith that is made the Conditioi) of Juftifi^ cation or Salvation: It is neceflary that the formal Objed, Gods Veracity ^ be believed to make it true Faith s and that the Gofpel or Covenant of Grace be believed with Confent, as aforefaid, to make it to be the true Chriftian Faith, in eflence 5 and it's of neceffity that every thing be believed which we know that God revealeth. But it is the Chriftian Faith that hath the Promife of Justification, and that not any one fingle Ad of it, but all that is eflential to it, and that which belongeth but to its Integrity^ bene ejfe, when it exifteth, is alfb fo far conducible to our Juftification, (as Abrahams believing that Jfaac fhould live and have feed, when he went to facrifice him) yet Juftification may be without fome Ads, as Salvation may without many due Ads of Obedience, when yet fincerity of Obedience is neceflary, and thofe Ads, if done, have their place with the reft as means of Salvation; fo here : But Saving Faith is denominated from the eflential part: The nature of Faith is in order of nature antecedent to its Office: The nature of it in genere is to believe all that God faith : The nature of it infpecie is to believe in Chrift, and confent to his Covenant: The integrity of it is to believe all that we find revealed. The Office of it as the Means of Juftification, is to be the condition of the Juftifying Covenant or Law* That which fome call the Instrumentality, is the very nature of the Ad, the T * credere infpecie fc Believing in Chrift is the T ° credere^ and that's it that they call an lnftmmwt of receiving him as fuch. But the ™ credere even in fpecie, Faith in Chrift, doth not juftifie qua talis ^ as that Faith, bun as k is that qualifying Condition which the Pro-inife annexeth Juftification to; without which it

would

( 44 ) would riot have done it. Had the Prbmife been ibfolute, it had pardoned us before, and without Faith. The nature of the A<5t is like the metal of Gold or Silver, and the tenor of the Juftifying Covenant is as the Kings Stamp, that maketh it currant Coin. It is Faith in order of nature before it is the Juftifying Condition.

The qud juftificans therefore fhould fpeak, not a diftinft Act from the other Ads of the Chriftian Faith as fuch, but the relation of the fame Ads to the benefit- Omnis fdei dftvu qui jufiificat, confide-rari pot eft- quatenm jufiificat.

Contr. 19. Whether wt are justified by the Law of Innocency faying. Obey perfectly and live t

Anfi This is one of the chief points of all our difference : Some fay, that becaufe Chrift fulfilled it for us, we are juftified by that Law as fulfillers of it: This is it that Mr. Anthony Wotton hath bellowed mod of his Learned Treatife de Reconci-liatiom to confute. The Law juftified Chrift, but not US, for it never faid, Thou, or another for thee {halt obey.'] Nor doth it know a l r icarim obediently am poena ; nor take Chrifts Perfon and ours for the fame: Therefore we are not juftified by that Law, but condemned by it: And it cannot condemn and juftifie the fame man. But we are juftified by another Law, Covenant or Promife by Chrifts fulfilling the Law of Innocency, and making over to us the benefits.

Contr. 20. Whether by Works be meant A&s in general, or only fuch Atts as are adverfe to Faith in Chrift , and make the reward to be of debt, and not of grace ?

Anj.

(45 )

Anf. The laft is the Apoftles Expoficion of them. Chrift faith, we are juftified by our words; James, by our works; and all the Scripture that fpeaketh of Juftification, afcribeth it to fome A<5ls : It is ^according to our worlds : ] And Faith is an Ad, yea many Ads.

Obj. But it jufiifeth not as an Alt, but as an In-ftrument.

Anf That is, not as an Act or good Ad in ge-nere, but as this Alt in fpecis ; viz* Believing on Chrifts Right eoufnefs: But that is the ri credere ; that \s,As this Act: But it is not fo, unlefs you add [As

it is this congruous Alt,or Acts authorized by Gods Covenant to this Office.] So we will grant, that no Ad juftifieth as an Aft, or as a good Alt $ but as a con* . gruom good Act appointed thereto.

As is faid before, To believe in God, and in Chrift as Chrift, and in the Promife of Salvation, and to believe the evil of fin, and the need of a Saviour* and to defire him, and be thankful for him, and pray for pardon, are not the works that Paul fpeaketh againft, but fome belong to the Ek fence, and fome to the Integrity and Accidents of that Faith by which we are juftified. Yet a foolifli perfon may contradid himfelf, and hold his own Faith, as well as his Love, or Defire, or Prayer, to be meritorious,as making the reward not of grace: Such mad contradidion may fuppofe Faith to be the works which it denieth.

Cont. 21. Are any works of man meritorious ?

. Anf Not in point of Commutative Juftice, thae giveth one thing for another to the commodity of each; as in buying and felling.

2. Nor yet in diftributive Governing Juftice as making any good due to us by the Lawoflnno-cency or Works, E 3- But

( 4& )

5. But as God hath freely given us Chrift and Life by a Law of Grace , on condition of fuitablc acceptance and ufe fo he that performed} this condition's called worthy, and the contrary unworthy in the Gofpel * and did not men abuie it, they might with all the ancient Churches ufe the word merit in the fame fenfeas worthinefs. Asa good natured Child that humbly and thankfully taketh money or. meat when his Father giveth it him, is faid to deferve it of him, better than he that fcorneth it and him. So our merit is but of paternal Governing Jufticein the Kingdom of Love, according to Gods

Law of Grace in Chrift.

■ i ■» ■. . ■ ■ . ^ .i. ■ <

Cont. 12. Whether obedience be apart of Faith, or we are juftifiedbyobedience.

JAjk i. To believe in Chrift at fir ft is an act of obedience to God, who commandeth us fo to dp : But it is but Subjection to Chrift which that act included], ihat is, taking him for our Lord and Saviour to~be obeyed, which is virtually all future obedience asks root, but not actually.

2. Actual obedience to Chrift is not faith, but the fruit of faith, and part of our performance of the Covenant which we made with him, and neceflary to the continuance of our Juftification and to our Salvation, as all the Scripture fully Iheweth.

Cont. 2% . Whether any more be necejfary to the continuance or not jofing our Justification, than to the beginning of it.

Anf. Yes, i. More acts of the fame faith. 2. Praying for pardon. 3. Forgiving others, as Chrift exprefly tells us. 4- Sincere Love and Obedience to Chrift unto the end.

Cont.

( 47 )

Cont 14. Is Pardon and Justification perfect the fir ft moment ?

Anf No. 1. AH the .punifhment is not yet taken off: We have yet much penal want of Grace, and the Spirits Operations, and Communion with God. x. We have not right to the prelent removal of all the punifhment. 3.. Many more fins hereafter muft be pardoned. 4- Much means is yen to.be ufed for final Juftification. 5. That final1 Justification only is perfect.

Cont. 2£. Is nolle pmire or non^punire a pardoning of [m ? It's Dr. Twijfes Controversy.

Anf Yes, In fome degree, to a capable perfon that is, to a finner 5 But not to one that is no fin-ner, or before one hath a being.

Cont. 26. Is future fin pardoned before htxd.

Anf Future fin is not fin, and therefore not capable of pardon, nor the perfon for it .• But it may be pardoned virtually, though not actually: A general grant of pardon may be given, which is conditional and vircual,and (hall actually pardon it when it is.

» ■■■ ■ ' * ■> ' l » * — " "I " ■ ■■ ■ > Bill I

Cont. 27. Is any one punifiedfor fin that is pardoned ?

Anf Not in the fame thing and degree that he is pardoned : But every man that is pardoned in this life, is yet correctively puniibedin that degree that he is unpardoned, For pardon is yet imperfect here.

Cont. 28. Is it not unjiift to pttnijh him that Chrifi died for- evm one (in twice ?

(48)

~fAnf No, Unlefs it were the fame perfon that fuffered, cr the very fame puniihment that was due ( and all that was due) were expected again 3 and unlefs it were againft our mediators will.But all is contrary in this cafe*. 1. The Law bound no one to fuffer but the offender. 2. Therefore Chrifts fuf-fering was not the famepunifcment which the Law did threaten, but it was Satisfaction inftead of it; which is the Tantnndem, not the idem quod debitum fuit, but redditio aqahalentis alias indebiti, as the

Schoolmen call it. For noxa caput feqmtur ; the Law threatened not a furety, but only the firmer, and vhi alivt* folvh -, fimul aliud folvitur. 3. And Chrift himfelf never fatisfied with any other intent 5 and therefore it is according to his will, that they that tread underfoot the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were Sandified, as an unholy thing, and do defpight to the Spirit of Grace, fhould fufler the far forerpunifliment, Heb. 10. Yea it is Chrift himfelf that will have itfo, and that doth fo judge, them, and inflict this punifhment for the contempt of grace.

And it is his will that his own members be pu~ nifhed by corredion, notwithftanding his fuffer-ings: As many as he loveth he doth rebuke and chaften: And Chrift doth not wrong himfelf: The end of his fuffering never was to excufe the redeemed from all fuffering, nor to make believers lawlefs.

Cent. 29. // a man after his regeneration and Faith } ever obliged to any but temporal punifliments, or need to asl^pardon of any other ?

Anf. Obliged is a w r ord >that needeth explication : The very Law of nature yet in force maketh everlafting punifhment due to a believers fins, till God forgive them: But they are forgiven, (and

the

(49 )

the obligation diflblved) through Chrift by the Covenant of Grace to a true believer as foon as committed (at leaft if they be meer fins of infirmity ) becaufe of his general repentance and continued faith: But yet in order of nature the Guilt and due-nefs of punifhment is before theremiflion of them. And believers muft'ask pardon while they live. i. Becaufe every fin thus needethit; and asking is part of the expreffion of that faith and repentance which is our condition of pardon. 2. They muft ask the continuance of that pardon which they have. 3. And they muft ask itill for executive

remiffion; which is, nottopunijb, poena damni vel

fenftis 3 Body or Soul, and fo for more of Gods forfeited Grace and Spirit, and the fenfe of his Love, and Communion with him.

Cont. 30. What is it to be judged according to our works , or what we have done in the body ?

An[. To be Judged is the genus: To be Jufiified or Condemned are the Species. This openeth all the Controverfy. It is not according to our works as they are congruous to the Law of Innocency or works 5 But as judged by the Law of Grace 3 Therefore it is not the fam* works which Paul excluded from Juftification, for we ihall not be judged according to them. 2. And according to them, is as much as James meaneth, when he faith, we are jufiified by them: It's all one, that is, the Law ofChrift our Redeemer requireth fincere obedience of all than fhall be faved,by his blood and merits from the condemnation of the Law of Innocency;and accordingly mens right to Chrift & Salvation (hall be judged of: Their right to life through Chrifts merits and free gift, fliall be jufiified who were fincerely penitent believing obeyersto the end> and no others. E 3 Cont*

C 50)

9tmm * ' ' ' ■ " ■ •

Cont. 31. What Law hit that Paul caKeth the law of works y and laboriously proveth that its works do not jufiify u*.

A'4. It is the Mofaical Jewifli Law, as is all a-long evident 3 and not the Law of Innocency, as made to Adam ; though ccnfequently afortiore y its certain that we have no works by which that will juftify us ( either perfonalor imputed.) The words £ He that doth them fhaB live in them ] do not mean, He that is nofimtr, according to the Law of perfection : For 1. All men were finners before, and fo this Lawfhould have been only a condemnation in the form of a promife. 2. And this Law prefcribeth Sacrifices and Prayers for pardon of iin 5 which the firft Law of Innocency knew not.

Cont. 32. How and why then is this called a Lav? of works ? Which juftify no man ?

Anf Becaufe it impofeth ftridnefs in a multitude of laborious Tasks and Ceremonies, and rigo-roufly punifheth the breakers ofit^ 2. The heretical teachers had falfly feparated the Law from the promife of Chrifts juftifying jigjiteoufnefs and grace, which was the fence and end of the Law : And Paul proveth that without the Vromife and thrifty the Law is but a carkafs of fruitlefs works without a Soul, and cannot juftify.. 3. But yet a believing Jew being juftified by faith in thepromifed feed, was to obey Mofes Law (incerely as his mare-rial obedience to God his Redeemer; as we are now to obferve the Sacraments inftituted byChrift as part of our iincere obedience, neceflary to Salvation.

Conk

C jfi'3

Cont. 33. What is Pauls drift in ^11 his dtfpntesa-bout purification}

Anf. 1. Primarily, to prove the neceffity- of a SavioursSacrifice,Righteoufnefs and^Interceflion to fave and juftify us, and that the doing or Mofes Law, how excellent foever efteemed by the Jews, would not juftify without him. 2. To prove that the Gentiles may be faved by faith without the Law, as well as the Jews by Faith with it: And that it bindeth not the Gentiles, and is abrogate to the Jews, and that the Law of Chrift fucceedeth it. Heconfuteth their trufting to the keeping of their Law inftead of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, and the promife of Grace and their obtruding their Law upon the Gentiles as necetfary to Salva-. tion.

Cont. 34. What is the drift of St. James?

Anf. That bare believing the Gofpel to be true, will not ferve to any mans Salvation without obeying Chrifts Commands; Nor will juftify any mans Title to Salvation, or prove him acceptable to God. It is the fame Juftification before God (and not only in confcience or before men (that Pad and James fpeak of, and the fame inftance of Abraham they bring, but by C Works ] they mean not the fame thing, as is before explained.

Cont- 3 5". Muft a believer truft at all to his fait h t 'repentance, or holimfs^ or plead it any way to bis Juftification}

Anf. It muft be trufted or pleaded inftead of

nothing that is Chrifts part, nor for any thing but

its own part. But a part it hath, as is confefled, and

for that part it muft be trufted and pleaded ; and

£ 4 no

no man muft truft to be faved without faith repentance and obedience, Heb. 12.14. Mar. 16. \6. Zltk. i3.3 ? 5. I conclude all in Dr. Preftons words, Treatife ofFaith. p. 44,45. And of the Attributes, jp.71. C" Juflffying Fauh (defined ) is aGraceor c * habit infufed into the Soul whereby we are enabled to v believe , not only that the Meffiah is offered to us y Ci but alfo to take and receive him as a Lord and * c Saviour that is y both to be faved by him and obey V him.

u No man believeth Juftification by Chrift but his " faith is mainly grounded on this Word of God: cc In Scripture we find that Jefus Chrift is come in €i the fleijh,and that he is the Lamb flain for the for-ic givenefs of fins: That h'e is offered to every crea-ci ture : That a man muft thirft after him, and then " take up his Crofs and follow him: Now come " to a believer going out of the World, and ask " him, what hope he hath to be faved , he will be " ready to fay, I know that Chrift is come into the " World, and offered up,and I know that I am one c ' of them that have a part in him: I know that I " have fulfilled the conditions, as that Ifhouldnot cc continue willingly in any known fin, that I fhould " love the Lord Jefus,& defire to ferve him above gi all: I know that I have fulfilled thefe conditions, <c and for all this 1 have the word for my groun^c^c

So far Dr. iWefton.

<c

Cont. 36. Hath Juftification and Salvation the fame conditions ^and do worksfave us, which do notptfli-fie us.

Anf. i. The works which JWexcludethfrom Juftification he excludeth from faving us, Eph. 2. 5.8,9 Ttt. 3. 5. fo Jam. 2. 14, &c 2. Juftification begun and our right given to Salvation have the

fame

fame condition. $. Juftification in the laft Judg-merit, is the juftifyingof our right to Glory, and hath the fame condition with our glorification, Mat. 25. Come ye blejjed, &c. But more isneceflary to final Juftification and Salvation, than to our firft right, as is before fliewed.

Cont. 37. Is there any fuch thin gas a Juftifying w againfi Sat am falfe accufations : As that a believer is no believer ', impenitent ', an hypocrite , &C. Some fay the Devil will not be fo foolifh, knowing that God knoweth all.

Anf. If Juftification relate not to Accufation, Divines have hitherto much wronged the Church in maintaining it fo commonly as they have done. If it do, i. It is either to a true or a falfe acqifati-on. Againft a true accufation no man can be juftifi-ed, but muft confefs the charge. If it befaid that we finned, and that this fin deferveddeath^ it muft be confefled, and we cannot be juftified directly a-gainft this charge .• ForG^/rand Righteoufnefs cannot confift as to the fame particular caufe. But if it be faid^ 1. That we are unbelievers, impenitent, hypocrites,^. 2. Or that we have no part in Chrift, 3. Or that we are not pardoned, accepted, reconciled and adopted for his meritorious righte-oufnefs and interceffion, and were not thus confti-tuted juft ^ 4. And that therefore we have no right to life, but ought to be condemned : Ail thefe are falfe accufations againft which we may and muft bejufiified.

2. And Satan is a Lyar and a Murderer and the accufer of the brethren: And his knowledge hundred not his malice from falfly accufing Job to God himfelf, nor from tempting Chrift himfelf to the moft odious fin.

( *4 ) 3. Bat ic fufficeth us that Juftification relateth

not only to Actual Accufation, but to Virtual^ yea to Poffible: And if God declare the Righteoufnefs of his Servants by his Light, Sentence or Execution, though none accuie them, either Satan or Conference, it ftill relateth to poffiblf Accufation.

They that deny all this, muk needs fay that at Judgment ( and before as to any Sentence ) there will be no Juitification at all, becaufe no Accusation true or falle: And If no Juftification ( oor Condemnation) then no Judgment, which is all contrary to an Article of Faith.

Contr. 38. But though all this prove th*t we are juftified by Faith, yet not as a Righteoufnefs 5 fo that it is que ftioned whether any perfonal Righteoufnefs confuting in our performance of the Condition of the Covenant , be that which we are juftified by here or at loft, in fubordination to Chrifts Righteoufnefs [which needs no iupplement from us ? ]

Anf. 1. This Qaeftipn is either ofthe Thing* or of the bare Name of Righteoufnefs; (whether it fhould lobe called.)

1. As to the Thing, it is fully proved already, that Faith, Repentance and Obedience are of flat necefifity to our Salvation 5 and therefore to the Juftifying of our Claim oi Right to that Salvation : And therefore to Juititie the Perfoms to that Right and Claim (that he is one that truly hath fuch right.9 For the 'verfon is juftified by the juitifying of his Caufe: I fuppofe none of this will be denied.

2. And as to the Name; 1. The definition will prove it apt: That which is Righteous, denomina-. teth the fubjed: accordingly. Every Caufe in Judgment is Righteous or Unrighteous : And the Perion is Righteous fo far as his Caufe is fo: If it

be

( n

be (aid againft a Believer, that [he hath no right to Chrift, and Glory] his* Right is his Righteoufnefs- as againft this Charge: This Right is no natural being at all, but a Moral Relation, called Duenefs. Yet this is his J ufiifying Righteoufnefs. But the fundo* went urn of that Right is quid abfohtum.

It is an abfurd contradiction to fay that a man hath any Righteoufnefs that doth not fo far conftitme iphteous ; as it is to fay that a man hath Learning, Wit, Honefty, Goodnefs, which do not fo far make him Learned, Wife, Honeft or Good : Or the Paper hath whitenefs that maketh it not white.

3«, But we ever diftinguilh between Total Righteoufnefs and Partial, in tantum or fecundum quid: And between that Righteoufnefs in tantum which Salvation is laid on, and that which is of [mall concern : And alfo between Chrifis part and mans. And fo we ftill fay, i. That Chrifis part needeth no fupplement from ours $ nor do we perform the leaft that belongs to him. 2. But his own Law, Will and Covenant, hath laid anecejjary part on us. 3. That by this we are no further juftined than in tawk'nty as it is a Righteoufnefs of ours; that is^ Faith in it felf, as fuch, juftifieth us only againft the falfe Charge of Infidelity 5 Repentance only againft the faife Charge of Impenitency 5 HolineS and Sincerity againft the falfe Charge of unholi-nefs and hypocrifie, &c. But, as the Condition of the Covenant , they prove our right to Chrifi and Life :

And fo as the Donation in the Gofpel is the Titulm feu fundamentum juris \ fo Faith and Repentance are the Conditio titttli.

There is a Partial Righteoufnefs which every wicked man may have, which entitleth no one to Salvation. The Devil himfelf may be falfly ac-cyfed, and be juftifiable againft that accufation :

But

( 5* )

But the tenor of Gods Covenant maketh this in queftion to be a Righteoufnefs on which Salvation lieth.

Yet we fay that nothing of ours, or in us, is a Righteoufnefs that would do any thing to our Salvation, without the Righteoufnefs of Chrift.

Obj- This is like the Papifts, who fay y That Chrift merited to make our actions meritorious: So you fay, That Chrifts Righteoufnefs purchafed a perfonal Evangelical Righteoufnefs for m, by which we are juftified.

Anf Yes: by which we are juftified, i. Againft the Charge of Infidelity , lmptnitency\ and Infince-rity, and final Vngodlinefs : And 2. By which our title to Chrift and his Righteoufnefs, and purchafed benefits muft be juftified, as by the Condition of the free gift. And to deny this, is to deny or fubvert the whole Gofpel. As to the talk of Popifh Merits, I will not be fo vain as to divert on that oc-cafion. He is no true Chriftian that really denieth that Chrifts Righteoufnefs hath procured a perfonal Righteoufnefs in and of us, confifting in our conformity to the Conditional Mode of the Pro-mife of Chrift and Life. We may differ in words, while we mean the fame thing : But as for him that denieth the things I know that he can be no better than prophane.

Righteoufnefs is denominated as related, i. To the Precept and Condition of the Law of Innocency: fo the erroneous fay, We are fo righteous by Chrifts Righteoufnefs imputed: And the orthodox fay, We have no fuch Righteoufnefs.

2. As related to the bare Precept of the Law of Chrift fince the Fall; which requiring perfection, (that is, making it a duty) we have no fuch Righteoufnefs, and therefore daily ask for pardon.

(57)

3- To the Tenor or Mode of the Promifingandpe^ nal part of the Law of Chrift * which giveth pardon and Life on Condition of penitent believing acceptance and confent ; and cofitinueth it on Condition alfb of fncere obedience to Chrift our Redeemer, and God in him: and fo we (hall be judged, and either jnfiified or damned, as we have or have not this perfonal Righteoufnefs : Chrift in Judgment is not to try his own part, but oms; He that is not thus juftified (hall be damned.

And as to the Libertine or Antinomian errour (that this performing of the Condition of the Pro-mife is no righteoufnefs, but only Chrifis imputed is Righteoufnefs, becaufe it anfwereth not the perfed Precept, though it anfwer the impofed Condition of the Promife, and that it is not to be called Righte* onfnefs, nor we fo far as is aforefaid to be juftified by it 5 I appeal to Scripture and the reafon of the thing.

The Words Juft^ Juftice, Righteous and Rightt-teoufnefs, Juftifie and Juftification, being viewed in the Concordance, and examined will lhew you, that God fn Scripture many fcore or hundred times giveth fuch Names to our Perfonal Qualities and Atts : And what is that man that dare deny this conftam language of the Scripture ? Doth he take Gods Word for his rule; or will he fhame himfelf by faying that in all thefe God fpeaketh unfitly, and that he can mend his Language? See but Gen* 6. 9. Prov. 17.15, 26. & 20. 7. & 24. 16. lfa. 26. 7. Ezek- 18. 5,9. Mat. l. 19. & 13. 49. Luk. 2. 25. & 20. 20. & 23. 50. Aft. io. 22. Rom. 2.13. Jam. 5.6. 2 Pet 2.7. Exo. 13.7. Ben. 25. I. Jer.$. 11. Mat. 12. 37. Luk. 18. 14, I Cor-6. II. Jam. 2. 21, 24,25, Rom. 3. 26. Ezek. 32* I3» &C. £«j^48,18. />/*/. 35, 24. Bph. 4.24.

V. 5° )

2 Cor. g. 9. Mai.6.33. &5.20. Ezekz3*20. I Sam. 26. 23. I Pet. 3. 14. Gal. 3. 6. Rom. 4-5,9, 22. Jam. 2. 23. Gal. 3. 6. Mat. 5. 20, Gen. 15. <5. i?ei/.ip.8. 1 Job. 2.19. &3.7,io. 2?a. 2.5,21. & 3. 13. 1 i^ff. 2. 24. J^. 3.18. P/e£. 1.9. &7. 2. & 11.33. &12. II. 2 7tf».2.22. &4. 8 a 1 Ii/», 6. 11. Phil. I. II P>fe. 5. 9- &6. 14- I Cor. 15. 34. 2 Cor. 6. 7, 14. & 9. IO. Rom. 6. 13, l6 5 18,

19, 20. & 8 4,10. & 10. 5,6,10. & 14. 17. ^#. 10. 35. &^3- 10. Z,*^ I. 75. Mat. 5.6. & 21. 32. Zepb.2. 3. Dan. 12.3. & 4. 27. £«£. 18.20. & 33. 12. //*. I. 27. &5. 23. &2<5. 9,10. &32.

17. & 64. 5. &61. 3. Prov. 10 2. &ii.4,'5,tf, 18,19, fri2. 28 &13.6. &15. 9. &21.21. P/*/. 106. 3. JDft*. 6. 25. P/*/. 11.7. & 15. 2. & 23.3. Mat. 10,41- Rom. 5. 7. 2 Pa. 2.8. Jam. 5; 16. I jT/tfz. 1.9. Rev. 21. 12. 1 Per. 3. 12. & 4.18. ife£. II. 4. 2 Zw. 4. 8. Rom. 2. 5, 6. &C, £/*£. I. 6. Mar. 2. 17. 3/^r. 25. 37, 46. & I 3. 43. Mai. 3. 18. Hah. I. 4, 13. ^/tfor 2.6. Ifa. 3. 10. & 57.

1. & 60. 21. Eccl. 8. 14. Pro?/. 24. 24, & 15. 29, 28, 19. 6. & 14 32. & 12. 26. Pfal. 146. 8. & 1. 5,6. & 5.12. &32.11. 8c 33. I. &34- I5>I7, 19,21. &58.II. & 97.11,12. Num. 23.10. Gen.

18. 23, 24, 25-, 26, 28. & 7. I. Mat.6. 14, 15. & 18. 35. Mar. 1 1. 25, 26. . £/*£. 6. 37. I Job. I. 9. Jkfor. 4 12. Act. 26. 18. Mar. I. 4. & 16.16. I#. 24.47. Att.1.3%. & 10. 43. 2 Cor. 7. 10. P/e£. 5. 9 ifow. IO, 9,13. -4#. 16. 31. & 11. 14, 2, 21. y^f. 10. 22. Prov. 28. 18. £pfe, 2. 8. I Cor. 15. 2. Rom.%. 24. 7er.4. 14. I Pa. 3. 21. Jam. I. 21. &

2. 14. & 5'. 20, 3W. 23. I Cor. I. 21. & 7. 16. I 7*w. 4. 16. .ytfff. 2.40. fo'tt. 22. 14. Pfal. 37. 40. Gen. 22. 16. & 26. 5. I jfotf. II. 34. Luk. 19. 17. jfofe. 16. 27. Luk. 13. 3, 5. Job. I..II, 12. & 3. 16,18, 19, I Tim. 4. 8. /fc&. 4. I. i?ei/. 20.12,13.

C 59) I Pet. I. 17. Bed 12. 14. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. jr> IO.

I fet light by their Judgment, that fet light by all thefe plain Words of God, and can diftort them to their humane or felf-chofen opinions.

I had thought here to have ended, but fince the writing of this, Objectors have railed fome new jmade Controverfies.

Qll. 39. Whether the Acceptation ofChrifis Righ-teoufnefs be the Imputation of it I

Anf. Language is fo ambiguous, and fome men do fo (unskilfully) abufe it to vain Controver-fie, as if they had been hired to ferve the defign of our late Bruitifts, who make Reafon and Speech to be our Mifery, proving man more unhappy than the beafts. 1. Either you mean [ the Imputation of it to Chrift,'] or [to us*'} 2. And that either to fain man in general, or to this or that individual Perfon in particular.

1. To Accept and to Impute are not Words of the fame fence. But when Chrift had performed all that he had undertaken, as the Condition of his Mediatorial Covenant, or the Law of Mediation impofed on him, it was at once both accepted to the ends of that Covenant and his performance* and alio imputed to him, that is, He was truly reckoned to have fulfilled all Righteoufnefs.

2. Fain man was thenreckpned to be (as to price and merit) Redeemed, God fo far pardoning them y or not imputing their fin to them, as to make them a general Pardon on Condition of a believing due 3cceptance 5 & committing to his Minifters the Word of Reconciliation, befeeching them in Chrifts ftead to be perfonally and actually reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5, ig y 20.

. 3- Chrifis

(6o )

3- Chrifts Righteoufnefs was thus accepted of God as loon as performed: but it was not then as fo performed imputed to any fingular Perfon, to his per fond attual J vilification. For it Was accepted before we were born, or believed : But it, was not fo imputed to our actual J unification before we were born or believed.*

Righteoufnefs is imputed to us, if we believe, Rom. 4. 24. And Faith is imputed to us for Righteoufnefs : And he that believeth not is condemned already, and under the curfe, when yet Chrifts Rk hteoufnefs was accepted long before: If they fay that there is a new Acceptation of it for every Sinner jufi when he believeth, and that it is this that they mean \\ an-

fwer, that as long as men take liberty to make new phrafes about fupernatural myfteries, which are not in Scripture., and to ufe thefe to the forming of new Creeds or Articles of Faith, they will be fo long in acquainting the World with their meaning, that we ihall never come to an end of Controverfies, nor to the true underftanding of one another .• for few fuch men underftand them-felves; but when they confound the matter and the readers with their new ambiguous phrafes, they cry out againft thofe that would fearch out their meaning, as if they did but Cavil with their Words, and difiinttion and underftanding were the way of Confufon and not theirs.

We grant that the Juftification of every Believer is a new Effett of Chrifts Righteoufnefs: And if they will call this a new Acceptation by God of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, or ufe any other new made unmeet or gibberifli Words, if they will but expound them as they go, we fliall the better bear them.

Qu, 40.

(yt )

^ __i u___ L— i- ,«■ ' ' '■■ — -—~T-

Qu. 40. Whether it follow that Chrifis Offerings ( or Pa (five Obedience ) did not merit Eternal Life at ail for us, becaufe it was only Active Obedience which the Law of Innocency fo rewarded \^Do this and livej not [Suffer and live ? ]

Jmf. t. Their foundation-err our animateth the affirmative. They falfly think that it is that Law of Innocency which juftifieth us, which doth chrfe and condemn us, and not juftifie us at all; but it is the Gofpel,or Law of Faith and Grace that juftifieth us.

2. The Merit of Chrifis Right eonfnefs is t$be reckoned principally as juftifying us, according to the tenor of the Law or (Covenant made only to tftm as Mediator: That Covenant laid on ChvlRfitch duty as was made the Condition of the Tromife, and made him a fpecial Promife upon that Condition or Duty.: He performed the latter for the former. The mac : ter of his undertaken Condition or Duly was threefold, r. To fulfil the Law of Innocency ; 2. And the Law of Mofes ; 3. And divers Mediatorial ads proper to himfelf •, (as to farisfie Juftice by his fufferings, conquer Satan and Death, work his Miracles, (freC) To perform this whole Condition of his Covenant^ was to merit of God-Man Juftifica-tionand Salvation : The pan of this was but pan of his Merit fnaterialiy confidered, j^ftifying him-Self againft any charge from that Law which he

fulfilled : But his Mediatorial Acbs^ and fo his Sufferings were another part, by which he was juftified, and merited Righteoiuheis and Life for us: And therefore the Obje&ion faliiy iuppofeth that it is only Adams Law that juftified Chriii, and according to which he merited for m^ whereas it was the \itorial Cove?tant or Law which made his Suf-g part of the Condition of the Pramile made to him for himfelfand us. F His

His own Glory was merited by death on theCrofs, Phil.2.J$>9. Therefore alfo ours. By his blood he entered into the Holieft, having obtained eternal Redemption for us. His blood not only purgeth our Consciences from dead works, toferve the living God, but for this oaufe he is the Mediator of the New Tejl anient, that by means of death, for the redemption of the tranfgreffions under the fir ft Teftament, they which are called might receive the Premife of Eternal Inheritance, Heb. 12. 14,15. Heb. 10. IO, 14. By one offering he hath perfected Jor ever them that are fanttified. He hath reconciled us in the body ofhisflefh through death, to prc-fent us holy, and unblameable^ and unreprovable in his jfi^ht. Col. I. 22. To eat Chrifts fle(h, and drinks his blood, is to believe his Sacrifice, which yet is that which hath the Promife of Life.

Indeed the reafon of this Obje&ion would deny alfo Chrifts A&ive Obedience to merit our Salvation : For by the Law of Innocency Chrift merited for none but himfelf: For that Law promifeth Life to none but them that perfonally obey, and never mentioned obeying by another, nor knows any Vtcarinm ant obediewU aut poena. It isonlyGods Covenant with the Mediator as fuch, that gave him right to make us righteous, to pardon and to ' faveus: And that Covenant giveth it (as is (aid) on the whole Condition. It is true, that Life is oft efpecially afcribed to Chrifts Refurre&ion and Life, and deliverance from guilt to his Death But that is not becaufe his Death is no part of thei Meritorious Caufe of our Life, or Holinefs and; ' Glory, nor his Life a Meritorious Caufe of our Pardon by fulfilling all Righteoufnefs •, but becaufe Guilt was it.that was to be expiated by his Death! as a Sacrifice, and fo it did but purchafe by plea*' „ fing God, the gift of our life: But his Refurretfion)

and

and heavenly Interceffion did more than purchafe, even further communicate and perfed our Life. Chrifts Death was in order of Nature firft fatif-fa&ory for fin, and then meritorious of Life ; and his perfect Active Obedience was firft and directly meritorious both of Pardon and Glory.

I pafs by the Controverfie which Mr. Gataker moft infifteth on, Whether to deliver from Death, and to give Life, be not all one ? And whether according to the Law of Innocency, he that had no fin or guilt of Commiflion or Omiifion, had not right to the Life there given ?

Qu. 41. Whether Chrifts being the End of the Law for Righteoufnefs^doth fignife that he fo fulfilled Adams Law in onrftead, as that it juftifieth us by Fac hoc & vives.

Anf 1. The affirmers quite miftake Mofes and Paul, in thinking that it is the Law of Innocency, which the words cited by Paul defcribe ; when indeed it was Mofes Law of Works, which had Sacrifices and Promifes of Pardon, which the other had not (of which before.) 2. Chrift is there faid to be the End of all the Law as to its (hadows, types, and conjunct Promifes. The Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth (that is, the things promifed and typified) cam by Jefus chrift. The confounding of thefe Laws confoundeth many in thefe Controverfies.

I Qu. 42. Whether the fufferings of * Chrift merit our freedom from nothing but what he fujfered i* our ftead?

Qu. 43. And whether hence it follow that his Offerings merit not our deliverance from death fpiritual agid habitual^ or aRml pravity, becaufe Chrift fujfered fkemnot? f 2 Anf

)

Anf, Toihe^d. The affirmation of the firft is a corrupting addition to the Word of God. i. He » filtered not paay temptations, which yet by the fufferings we are freed from. 2. He fl-ife/ many relative evils, as bad Parents,

bad Teachers, a bad Wife, and all the attendant' croiles in baying and kiting, crofles from bad Tenants, or Landlords, arc. which the merit of his filtering' delivered! many/rom. 3. He fuffered i nt of an accufing Conscience. 4. Nor Godshatrecfqrdifpleafure. 5. Nor the many mi-feries whichiin in its own nature bringeth to the So|il (as painful cares, fears,fru{Erations,deceits,(^c:.) <5. K ...pticn in the grave. 7. Nor the final

Sentence {Go ye cur fed trap ever lafting fax ^ 8. Nor the proper Execution of that Sentence.

Yet he delivereth fome Believers from all thefe, and all from ibme, by the merits of his fufferings* For it was not they/*/* fame punifhmem that w f asdue to all Believers that he fuffered, but that which was fit to make hhn a meet Sacrifice, which was the t ant undent lei d^mvdens^ confideratis con fide-ran.

Ad 43. The affirmativeTubverteth our Faith. Chrifts Death merited the full pardon of all pardoned (in : But the pardon of fin is the pardon of the deferved punilhment of fin (and of the fin as related to that puniflhment.) But certainly the privation of Gods iliuLriinatingjfandifying Spirit, and its helps and fruits, is a great part of the puniihmenc of fin, i^/. 81. II, 12. Rom. I. 28. 2 Thef 2. 10,12. To be given up to mens own counfels, wills, lulls, vile affe&ions, to a reprobate mind 5 to have eyes and fee not, hard hearts to believe lies, &c. Sin is no farther pardonccj ['than this puniihment is by landtifying grace \ d, and removed

The

( & 0

The Scripture doth not afcribe to Chrifts Sacrifice, fome part only of our pardon of TitT bufthe whole, Rev. j. 5. He wafihed us from oar fins in his blood; and fo he is the propitiation for them, 1 John 2.2. & 4. 3 • Be made purgation of them on the Crpfs, Heb. 1.4. He diedKfc them, and gave himfelf for them, 1 Cor. 15.9. $41. 1. 4. 1 Pa. 3.18. //<?£. 10.12. & p.2&. ife 3: s 5. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his bipod, for the reriiiffion of fins that are paft, Atts 22. 16. & 13.3^^. And the poena damni is part of the punifhment to be foi*givei>: Therefore, Rom. 4.7. Blejfek 'are they nv jijes

are forgiven 7 &c. But no nian is blefled riiat is mr holy, and feparated from Qod : Aswe all finned and came fhort of the Glqry : pf God, and fpiritusl £>eath is by the obje&er confeffed to be part of our puniflbmje.nt iip pardon'Contained) therwinijrioa cfthatpunilhment.

And it is fajfly fuppofed that Chn h is

not fecondarily meritorious of more / .W,

even of all that his A&ive Obedience meriteth s of which before.

Pardon is, i. Injure^ a' Remiffionbf me Obligation to punifhment; giving us Jiu Impumtatis 5 and this giv.eth us Right to all that §race and blef-fednefs, which by (in we loft a Rip

2. Declarative by Sentence, vyhicli us a

jits jiidtcatHm.

3. Executive, which adlually free:h the pawa damni & jenfits. And lb Saiiccinca^ion is a part of Executive Pardon; s it giyetli what for (in we -were penally deprived of this is all pjain and fure.

Qll. 44. Seeing we our felves bear that part of the Curfe which tieth in Death fpiritual^ doth it follow that Chrifts Sufferings were not to free us from it, when we bore it y and not he?

jinf It is not denied that part of the punifli-menc of finis born by the Elect themfelves,(which the former Objecters deny :) And therefore that frardon is not abfolutely perfect at firft: Death and Divine denials of the Spirit and Grace, are fuch penalties- And Chrift died not (nor obeyed) to fave us from that which we are not to be faved from, but was excepted from Pardon. But the Objecter can never prove that the Merit of Chrifts Sufferings (though he fufiered not fpiritual death, or privation of Gods Image ) doth not free us, 1. From fo much of fpiritual death or pravity as we are freed from : 2. And from the duration of it for ever: Or elfe it merited not one half our pardon. To be wafhed from our fins in his blood, can be no left than to be freed from the guilt which is the obligation to punifhment firft, and confequently from the puniihmenC it felf.

Qu, 45. Is this the reason of our deliverance from the Law, and being dead to it y becaufe we fnffered ever-iafiing Hell fire equivalently in Chrifts fufferings.

Anf: When men once depart from the Scripture, their corrupt additions hardly keep bounds.

x. It's well that this Obje&er implieth, that it was not the Idem, but the ^£quivakns that Chrift fuffered, as to our debt.

* 2. That which ihade Chrifts Sacrifice to be equivalent to our endlels damnation 9 was not that it

\yk$ ^S great a proportion of fufferirig { poena fenfus

W dami) as all ours 'together would have been 1

But

But becaufe the dignity and perfe&ion of the per-fon made it an apt means for God that would pardon us, to accept as a Sacrifice, and fo as fit a means to the ends of Government, as our damnation would have been (andfitter. ) This is the equivalency.

3. We fuffered not damnation at all in Chrift 5 nor doth God or his Law fake or reckon us to have done fo; but only to receive the pardon and other benefits freely given us, which he in the perfon of a Mediator, and not in our per/on merited.

4. We are dead tothMLaw, both as a Covenant of Perfection, and as the Law of Mofes to the Jews, becaufe Chrift nailed the latter to his Oofs, or did abrogate it as fuch to the Jews, and to thofe Gentiles that needed to be Profelytes; and the former ceafed by the Fall and Promife 5 (But it is the Jewifh Law that Paul fpeaketh of) And alfo in our believing acceptance of this liberation, and of the Law of Chrift.

Qy. 46. Is it true that Chrifis Attive Obedience only meriteth Heaven for us ; and therefore it only we-riteth the Spirit or Holinefs which is but Heaven begun i

Anf. Both are falfe: His Active and Paflive Righteoufnefs merit Pardon, Holinefs and Glory. And their proof from [Fac hoc & vives*] is upon a great miftake, and no proof.

Qu. 47. Is it true-, that becaufe Regeneration is the beginning of Hfavcn, and Chrifis Obedience imputed giveth a right to the whole y therefore it giveth a right to the beginnings and therefore Repentance which foU loweth Jufiification can be no Condition of it?

F 4 M*

( 63 )

[, It is a fancy (pun by a a miftaken mind, to oppofe the plain. Vv r ord of God.

i. If it would hold, it would exclude Faith as well as Kcpr.tance, from being a Condition or An-, tecedent.to Juflification, contrary to the Gofpel \ For Faith is as much a grace of the Spirit as Repentance- If. j And it is not true that impenitent In-fideka^jpftified, though they may be predefti-H4te to.De^iTrft called, and then juftified, and then glorified, Rom. 8. 30.

. That which goeth before Pardon f and that as a Condition) goeth before Juflification : But

stance goeth before Pardon, Atts 5, 31. Luke 3. 3. ASs 2.38, & 3. 19. &8. 22.

: 3 1.$. /:%<4-12. But of this I have given £$ge %ivpt elfewhere. • . , 3. All the gracqof tne Spirit is a preparation for Heaven jBui: that eminent gift of the Spirit, >vhich in Scripture is called the Seat $ Eamefi, and fin!: Fruit* is pronged ijpon repenting m&believwg, arid therefore followed! them, and is, 1.The Habit of Divine Love, which is the New Nature, and more change £r ft feed of grace: 2. And the Spirit related to us as an in-dvveliing,pofIefling Agent of Chrift to fanctifieus to the end. 3.And in thofe times to many, the extraordinary gifts of Miracles, Tongues,G ! T.

1. Faith ajid Repentance went before Baptifm in the Adult, even as a Condition of it and its benefits, Markjl.q. Acts 13. 34. & 19. 4. Matt. 3. II. Jdm I. 26. Markl6. 1(5. John 4. I. Atts 2. 38, 41. 8t$. 12, 13,36,37,38. & 9. 18. & 22. 16. But that gift :of the Spirit which is called the Earmft, Scaifindfirft Frxitjvas either given in,or after Baptifm ordinarily ( though to Cornelius before) but not before faith and Repentance. It is called therefore,

fore^ £ Baptising with the Holy Ghofc. J See Mat.,

3. it. Atts 1. 5, & 2. 33. 38, & 8.15.17, & ip.2. jSo/«. y. 5. Tit. 3.5

2. And the Spirit is faid to be promifed and given to believers, after faith, and becaufe they were adopted fons : Eph. 1.13. /Voz>. 1-23. is*/.

4. 6.& 3.14. -Rd/»w 8. 15,16. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22.&

5. 5. Therefore pur Divines commonly put fow-non as giving the firft ads of 'Faith arid Repentance before 1 Santtific,athn y zs Rom. $.30. doth before Juftift<;ation and Glorification, And yet Faith and Repentance are gifts of the Spirit too, and fo are ma-ny commoner gifts in unian&ified men: But as the daylight is teen before the Suo~riiing, and as Satan is not faid to poflefs all that he tempteth ; So force gifts of the Spirit, and fome motions and operations of it, go before the proper giving of the Spirit itfelf, and his poffeiling qs.

3. It is no abfurdity, biit the wife order of God, that one gift of the Spirit (ball be antecedent to another, and the reception and exercife of it by us, be a condition of that other. For God will morally induce us to our duty by fuitable motives. He that denieth this fubverteth the Gofpel.

4. 1 have elCewhere^at large proved the falfhood of this Do&rine^that Impenitept Infidels are jufti-ified by the imputation ©f Chrifts Jlighteoufnefs. It is enough that Clinics righteoufneis is reputed by God to be the meritorious caufe of all our grace even of iaftification before we are juftified.

Qu. 48. How can faith or repentance entitle us to thatrighteoufnefs ofChrifi which mafi firft give m a right to themselves and all Grace}

Anf. u Faitb and Repentance give us not a Title

tie in ftri&fence,but theCovenant orPromife ; that is, the Gofpel Donation is our Title, and Faith and Repentance are but Conditions of our Title, which on feveral accounts make us morally capable^e-ceivers of Right.

2. Chrifts Righteoufnefs did merit all grace of God, before it juftifieth us, * and we are reputed righteous by it. It is a great error to fay that we muft be reputed righteous by Chrifts Righteoufnefs given and imputed to us to that ufe, before we can have any fruits of the merits of his righteoufnefs. Even the outward call of the Gofpel is a fruit of it.

Qu. 49. Is it true that we muft be praBical Ami-nomians nnlefs we hold that only Chrifts active righteoufnefs merited grace and glory for us?

Qu. 50. Is this proved by Rom. 7.4.

Anf 1. Some mens words are ufed to hide the fenfe, and not to open it. What is the meaning of

Fr attic al Antinomianifm ? Is it tO be the Oppofers of

all Gods Laws ? or only fome and which ? And doth he not mean that the judgment muft be nrft agaioft them.

How far are we under the Law 3 and how far not? 1. The Law oflnnocency as a Covenant requiring perfeft, perfonal obedience as the necefla-ry condition of life, we are not under. It ceafed by the firft fin, ctffante fubditi capacitate : We muft not fuppofe that (iod faith to allfinners: ToHJhall be faved if yon be not finners. Conditionepr&tqritaLex tranflt in fententiam.

2. We are not under the Law of Mofes as fiich; even that which.was written in ftoneis done away,

2 Cor. 3 7, &C ; j

IfthisbeAntinomianifmJ am anAntinomianthat 1 written fomuch againftthem. 3. We

3. We are only under the Law of Chrift, into whofe hand all power is given: And that is i. The Law of reprieved and redeemed nature: 2. All his fupernatural revelation, and fo much of Mofes Law as he hath aflumed. If the objeder think that we are under any other, fo do not I, except the fubordinate Laws of men.

2. That Law of Grace which we have, and that freedom from the Law of Works, are merited both by Chrifts Active and Paffive righteouf-ne(s. " ■■-■ n* ' ■» > ■ ■ ■■■ » »■ i n . » ■■■. ■ ■ ' — •«-«

-dd. Qxi.io.Rom.'j.^. hath no fuch thing, but only that Chrift hath delivered men from the bondage of the Law of works which did neither juftily nor fan&ify, and hath fubjeded and engrafted us junto himfelf, that we might by him be made holy unto God.

[ Conclufion.~\

THe Reader may now perceive what abundance of great notional errours fome men have corrupted the Doctrine of Juftification with, by prefumptuous (pinning webs out of their own fancies, raifingone errour out of another, departing from the Word of God.

I. A radical errour is, that the Law of Inno-cency made to Adam is it that juftifieth us, by itsfac hoc & vives^sfnlfillwg it in Chrift.

II. Another is that it is that Covenant of perfection which Paul meaneth by the Law of Works, and the fac hoc, &c. And that the Jews Law was fuch as made Inaocency its condition of life, III. That

(72 )

III. Thattbefenreof-^^r^Lawwas, [^Dothis

>h tbyfelf or another, or elfe thou or thy furety flail d\ef]

IV. That Chrift did obey and fuffer, merit and f$jpisfy, in fo foil and ftria a reprefenting and 1 perflating every one oftheEledt, as that they did and fuftered it in and by Chrift, in the fence of the Law of Works, or in Gods account; and that it was no: in the third perfon of a mediator, to com-mi inicajLe the Effects freely as he pleafed by ano-tht :r Covenant. And fo that Gods imputing righte-ou inefs to us, is his accounting us to have done 3p d fuftered in Law fenfe what Chrift did. This is the root of all the reft, fubverting the Gofpel itaelf

V. And fo that God accountcth US to belnnocent, aud never to have finned by Omiflionor Com-rr iiflion from birth to de^th, and to have all that is n 'quired to merit Heaven, becaufe we did it in Chrift 5 a nd aifo to have [offered in Chrift for our fins, the

c urfe threawed to us, and ( as the laft obje&er

i aith ) eternal damnation equivalently : And fo we I iad fin and no fin : And Chrift muft die and we fniuft pray, for the pardon of that fin, which in Gods account or imputation w r e never had.

Y L When theText tells us tlm,[Faith is imputed to m[orRighteou[ne[sf\ & that [Righteoufne[s is imputed to believers ] that is, [They are accounted righteous according to the juftifying Covenant of Grace, upon thtir believing in Chrift,[or his meritorious Righteou[ne[s and Sacrifice, giving them, by the new Covenant their gracious relation, tpGod the Father, Son and Holy Gho[i } \tyth right to further Grace and Glory, they tell US that [ h Faith ] is not meant [ Faith ] but [ Chrifts Jijghteoufne[s, 3 and by C Righteoufne[s imputed tons, 2 IS meant [Gods accounting us to have done all that

Righte*

( 73 >

Sighteoujnefs by Chrift which he did for us. ]

Many more fuch humane inventions corrupting, our Faith ( at leaft in notion) too many fight for, as if they were neceflary truths of God.

Poftfcript.

REader, the Author of the following objections is Mr. Stephen Lob : / had thought not to have named him, till1 fawbut Ye ft er day his Books of Free Grace, which I never before^ heard'of, though it was printed almoft ten year ago : It is fo considerable a con-, futationofAntinomian err ours that 1 commend it to thy reading.

And being my felf in great pain expelling death, and like to write in thefe Contr over pes no more, that I have once more as a Speculator or Watchman blown the Trumpet to warn men of the danger of the Other Gof-pel that fubverteth the Gofpel of Chrift, I have this Peace of Confcience that the blood of the feduced will not be required at my hands.

And if that M. $.of Mr. Stone o/New-Eng-' land which Mr. Lob/o praifeth, may by him be yet recovered, I intreat his endeavour : In which I cannot

doubt but Mr. Increafe Mather will ajfift him^ tho his name be prefixt among the twelve.

And I commend tofome honeft Bookfeller to reprint Mr. Thomas Welds Hiftory of the New-England Antinomian Libertinifm, it being out ofprefs.

And I hereby intreat Mr. William Manning of Suffolk ( if living ) to Trim the excellent Treatife of Juftif cation of his which I have long ago read. And Mr. Samuel Clerk C Author of the Alinot. )to Print

his

his found freatife ( which J long ago read ) m the fam Subjett.

And though my own Judgment be for the Imputation ofChrifts Pafive, Attive, and Habitual righteoufnefs y dignified by the Divine as the full andthefole meritorious caufe of allGrace andGlory^as making up the condition of his Mediatorial Covenant impofed on him by God$ Tet I intreat the Learned Reader to perufe the Writings of thofe great Divines that are for the Imputation of the? affive only (Urfine, Olevan, Parous, Scultetus, Wendeline, Beckman, and the reft, withCzmero* PlacaSUS, and all that party of famous French Divines who all effectually confutethe falfe fenfe of Imputation of the Active Righteoufnefs which Mr. Bradfhaw confuteth with many others ( as if we had done it byChri(t % and were our felves the Subjects of it, and arejuftified by that Law that condemneth w.}

Jan. 20. 1690.

R. B.

An

C 7? J

ilw Anfxver tofome Animadverfions of a Friendj tending to the further explication of fomepaffages which through brevity were not under flood.

§. i. jT^IR, Your notes have fo much Judgment ^^ and moderation and fo little, if any ^% thing contrary to what I aflert, that ^^* they require nothing from me, but a repeated explication of that whidh you observed not as before explained : But when it is enough for me to explain my own Words and Do&rine, you put me on another task to feek after the explication of another mans •■> which I am not obliged to on any account, but for your Satisfa&ion. Ic is enough for me to fpeajc true Do&rine in the moft intelligible manner that lean without examining whether other mens expreflions be found or apt,

§. 2. I begin with your own Notes: And i. I hope that few are fo ignorant (that meddle in thefc matters) as to doubt of what you fay, that no one term much lefsone Metaphor or fimilitude can adequately exprefs any of the Myfteries of Grace, and no one Metaphor muft be carried too far $ Omne fimile eft mam dijfimile: And all fct together fo far as they are thereto intended muft in-ftrud us.

§. 3. I know none but the Socinians that think a Mediator and aSponfor inconfiftent; or deny Chrift to be a Sponfor. And methinks your words

for

( ?& ;

for their confitlency, import a greater diiference between them than there is. Jj is part of Chrifts Mediation to be a Sponfor: Thefe terms there-fere exprefs no difference but betvyeen the whole and the part.

But what a Sponfor Chrift is, is all the doubt which I a little opened, and you pafsby. It is not agreed by expofitors what the vyord tyyw* mean-eth in that one only place of Scripture where it is ufed- Very learned expofitors think that as Mo fa was called Gods Mediator or Sponfor-to the people as being his Spokeiman and in his name aflpring them that this was Gods Covenant which he would perform, and returning the peoples anfwer to God, and praying for them but not undertaking for them, and perforating them : ; fo Chrift is here likened to him, and called the Mediator and Sponfor of the new and better Covenant, not as he perfonateth or un-dertaketh for Covenanting Subjects,' but only as he reprefentethGod the Father to man, and is his Sponfor to us.

But as Paul faith he is not a Mediator of one, fo I fee no: biit (though chiefly he be Gods Sponfor to man)yet withal,.he be there called a Sponfor aifo as well as a Mediator for man to God: But all the doubt is what a Sponfor for man he is.

And firlt we muft enquire what Covenant he is a vforof? No doubt but Gods Covenant with the Mediator as fiich, is prfe % and Gods and the Mediators Covenant with man folemnized in baptifm is another : And yet no doubt but thefe two have fuch relation as that in fome fort or refped they may be called one. He. that faith they are not two is plainly confuted by the conftitutive defining

patTS, fhe Divers'Parties y Matte* ', Terms and Ends.

It was net faid to Chrift, but by Chrift, [ Rr

and

C 77 ) and believe in Chrift, or be damned. ] Pardon and Salvation are not offered to Chrift to be received by Faith in himfelf. Yet as the Laws of the Land though feveral, are One Inftr amentum Regiminis : So wc call all the Laws of Nature ufually Angularly. The Law of Nature, ( and fo we fay. The Civil LatVy the Canon Law, Gods Law, See.) Now the queftion is, what Covenant Chrift was the Sponsor of? i. In his own proper Covenant he did Spondere & pr aft are, to fuffer for us, and to obey for us^ (in the juft fence in due place explained,) to rife and afcend for us, to intercede for us, to Teach us, Guide us, give out his Spirit, and to Juftifie and Sanctifie and Glorifie his chofen:. So that it was part of his Undertaking and Performance

to do all this for us ; and this may well be called his becoming a Sponfor for us, and to be made to us, fi'if-

dom, Righteoufnefs, Sanftification and Redemption. '

In our Covenant with Chrift, he is the Impofer and Stipulator, and we are to Promife for our y&rr, to be done by his promifed help: Bur on Gods part y it is in this that he is the Sponfor, and not in the former , where God the Father is the Promifer to Chrift, and not Chrift to himfelf as a Covenanter : So that it is in one Covenant that he proml-feth to God for Man^ and in another that he promi-feth for God to Man : And the queftion is which of thefe Covenants it is that the Apoftle calleth him, the Surety of? If you fay that the Apoftle taketh bofrh here as parts of One, and (o meaneth both; I. -find no proot of this in the Text: And if it were fo, it is all one; for it were then fpoken of the * whole, but refpedively to what Chrift did in the ttfa which are the parts : Indeed it is efW>tw, and not ^kS»'ji», that is the Covenant .mentioned in the Text: and as Grotins in prafat. ad not as in N. T.

G hath

(7*)

hatlrcopioufly (hewed, it is a Divine Difpofal, Law, Impofition,. or Statute containing the terms of Life, that is meant.by cfti^'wi .• And cap. 7. 22.

as it is faid, yer Jeffs was made a fumy of a better Teftament. And c. 8.6. He hath obtained a more excellent Mmjhy> by how much he is the Mediator of a better Covenant £ which was ftablijhed on better Pro-mfes. 2 It is che fame thing which our Tranflators call a Teftament in one Chapter and a Covenant in the other, and it feems that a Surety and a Mediator here do mean the fame thing in Chrift: And the whole context fheweth that it is Gods Pro-inife or Covenant, and Law of Grace made to man that is here meant, and that ChriftsOffice and Undertaking and Performance is prefoppofed. And fo it is the Fathers Sponfor and Mediator to man' that is meant here dire&ly, and mans Sponfor and Mediator towards God by Connotation; but fo as in other Texts, as Cap. p. 15. that part alfo is directly exprefTed, and Chrifts death made a part of his Mediation.!

§4- The Queftion being not then whether Chrift be Mediator, or Sponfor , or the Second A-dam, but what theie words fignifie, that which is to be noted by the Reader is, 1. What it is hereon that we aftert 5 and v^ hether that be enough. 1. And what it is that we deny as too much, and falfe.

§ 5. 1. And for the firft I explained it here, and more fully in my Treat, of Juftifying Righte-ciifnefs: And to repeat as oft as any one will call for it that hath not leifure to read it already done is tedious. In (hort [" Chrift in the Common " Nature of man made under the Law of Innocen-"cy, of Mojes and that proper to the Mediator, " did in the undertaken Perfon of a Mediator, Spon-

k ' for

I 79 ) £ for, interpofing Friend and Saviour, perfe$ly ftl-" fil all thefe, and give up himfelf to {offering as u a Sacrifice for Mans Sin, that by the Merit and "Satisfaction of him that was God and Man,and " Mans undertaking Mediator and Sponfor, doing y * and fullering becaufe we had finned, and defer-" ved fuffering, and that for our fakes, and partly " in our ftead, the ends of God as Governour by " the Law of Innocency, and Mofes might be ob-" tained to his Glory, without our fulfilling of " thofe Laws or Suffering theXleferved Penalty, " and God in confiftency with his Wifdom, Holi-' r nefs and Juftice, might for thefe Merits and Sa-" tisfa&ion of Chrift give gll things into his Hands "as the Redeemer, even all Power in Heaven " and Earth, and make him Lord of the Dead and " Living, and Head over all things to the Church, "and give him the Keys, and commit all judg-" menu to him; that by the will of the Father " he might make with fain redeemed Man a Law " and Covenant of Grace, giving thenr Himfelf in " incomprehenlible Union, and with himfelf his " indwelling fan&ifying comforting Spirit of A-" doption, with a ' ovenant Right to Pardon, Ju-" ftification, Adoption and Glory, i^they will pe-"nitently accept it, by a fiducial pra&ical belief: "And calling Sinners, to this Faith and Re-''pentance, and effectually drawing his Ele£i, r might by this Covenant give them as foon as " they fo believe, an actual right to that impuni-14 ty, Grace and Glory which was antecedently "given conditionally to all. And might finally " perform all this to them.

In plain and full words, this is that we affert, and the Office which by the Word Sponfor, Mediator and Second 'Ad*m we mean,

G 2 §5-1

§. 5. I have elfewhere told you that there are many forts of Sponfors. i. There is one that Antecedently maketh himfelf a Party in the Covenant and Bond: As when my Friend is bound with me in the fame bond for a Debt or Duty: If the Law to Adam had been fuch as this, took in Chrift alfo into the fame bond, and had meant [One of yon Jhall perfectly obey orfujfer 3 ] Then that Law would have had nothing againft Adam at all, becaufe all was fulfilled by Chrift: And it bound but dif-jun&ively, one or the other. Then thrifts Obedience or Suffering would not have been fatisfa-Bio, which is folutio aquivakntis alias indebiti, & folutio recufabilis ; but i^ would have been folum ejufdem & non recufabilis according to the bond.

2, There is a fubfequent Sponfor that was not before bound, but as a Friend after interpofeth, and offereth (not in the Perfon of the debtor, but yet in his ftead ) to pay the debt: and this upon fuch terms as to the Debtors deliverance as he thinks «beft; andfb may take him as Debtor to himfelf, and put various limits, and Conditions upon his Difcharge: And fuch a Sponfor is Chrift for Man. Many more diftinctions of Sureties are here confiderable.

3. But forfie men take a Surety here to be the

fame Perfona civilis, quamvis non natwralis, with

the Offender and Debtor; as if we did Legally, Morally or Civilly that which Chrift did naturally : As indeed an allowed Reprefentative, Servant, or Agent and Attourney is: If I be bound to pay an hundred pound, the Law and Bond meant not that I muft needs do it with my own hands, but if I fend my Servant or Friend with the Money, it is Civilly, Legally and Morally done by Tue, becaufe he was my lawful Inftrument: I did it by him. II. The

c *o

II. The Do&rine then, which I deny as fub-verting the Chriftian Religion is efpecially thefe three errours following.

I. That the true meaning of Adams Law or Covenant was to bind him or his furety disjunctively ^ s vit. Thou (halt obey thy felt or another (Chrift ) for thee,or elfe thou (halt die, or Chrift for thee. ] i Gods Word faith no fuch thing.

2. Then Chrift had been an Antecedent Sponfor.

3. Yea and a party equally bound. 4.. Then a Saviour and Grace had been by that Law .• which is falfe. 5. Then Adam had been no Sin-fter 5 for it was but He "or Chrift and not He and Chrift that were bound to keep the Law, by this Doctrine. 6. Then no Death had been due to Adam. 7. Then that Law was not broken at all : for it bound but disjunctively, 8. Then the Law condemneth no man. 9. Then our Death and the Curfc of the Earth were injuries, for we kept the Law by Chrift. 10. Then the Law of Innocen-cy is it by which we are juftified (which is falfe.) 11. Then there is no place for pardon. 12. Nor for a new Law to give us pardon upon terms or new Conditions: This is to fubvert the Gofpel.

Yet this is commonly faid by the adverfaries, that Adam after his fall was juftified by that fame Law, as faying, Do this and Live, becaufe he kept it by 'Chrift, or Chrift in his Name and ftead, fo that it juftifieih Adam : ( which Mr. Wot ton de Re-

conc. hath at large coufdted.) If they fay that the fame Law or Covenant commanded Adam to obey perfectly and his fitrety alfo in his Bead conjunctly, and condemned both Adam for Sin and his Surety for the fame, then both muft fuffer as both muft obey = and each beareth his own part. It is a fundamental fiction leading on many other G 3 errours

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.crrours, to fay that the Law oflnnocency as it

commanded Adam Obedknce^, or as it threatned Death to hirnwzs fulfilled by Chrift for him That Law commanded Adam only Ferfonal perfett perpetual Obedience : It mentioned or meant no ficari-us obedient i& ant poena : JDum alius folvit, aliudfolvi-

tur. Anothers obeying or fuffering was no fulfilling of the Law asi/ commanded Adam : The Law commanded} each fubject diftinctly and perfonal-ly : Chrift fulfilled all the Law as it obliged him-felf, and thatjV Adams Redemption who had broken it: But the fame Law as it pbliged Adam was broken by Jdam r and not kept by him or any for him: It is not that Law that gave man a Saviour, but the Mercy of the Offended Lawgiver. To fay the Hoc fac, e ; - viyes, in that Law giveth us right tp Life, and juflifieth us as perfect obeyers, and fo tip Sinners, is to deny the Gofpel

Many fay indeed that Chrift fatisfied the Law r for iis: but r. That proveth that the Obligation of it on US was not fulfilled: Yot fan sfaction is folutio recu-fabtlistantidem, loco fohttionis ejufdem. 2. But it is an improper fpeech to fay that [the Law is fatisfied'} And it meaneth no more but that^ C the end of Government by that Law is obtained. J And it is properly fai is faction only to the Lawgiver, and not to the Law: For the Law in it's fence admits not of fatisfaftion, (though it hath nothingagainft it: ) It is only thefubjetts Obedience that it command-eth, and his death as fatisfaction for fin that it demanded]. It is the Lawgiver as he is above his own Law and hath power to pardon, that is fatisfied:

Though as tropically fome fay, that Finis Legis est Lex, fe we will not contend with them that tropically fay, Christ fatisfied the Law, while they

mean but that he fatisfied the Lawgiver in obtaining

( %3 )

ing the End of the Law. But Chrift perfectly fulfilled the Law as it obliged himfelf, upon his Spon-fion. And that Law juftiried him,but no man eiie. It is only the New Covenant that, juftifieth us.

II. The fecond Errour to' the fame purpofe, is, that though Chrift and Adam were two Natural Perfons? yet they were One Verfon in a Civil? Legal or Reputative fenfe, in Chrifts obeying and fufter-ing 3 and lb diat what Chrift did and differed in his own Natural Perfonjkie did and fuffered in Adams-j and every Eledfc mans Chil y Legaf, or Reparative Per/on. This is but the, confequent of the former Errour. He may be called our Reprefenter in a limited fenfe, in tantum & ad hoc ( for there is no hope of holding our oppofers to Scripture phrafe:) But fuch a ftrictfull perforating Reprefentition as is here defcribed, denieth the fubitance of the Gofpel- There are indeed feveral Cafes in which one in Law or Civil fenfe doth perfonate another : , When the Law allowed) one to do the thing by another, that thing is morally done by himfelf; e.g. by my Servant, Proxie, Attorney, Agent, in Cafes io allowed by the Law. It is I that pay the debt which my Servant, or_any Vicarim allowed by Law-payeth for me in my name. Chrift did not t pay or (offer in our names as our Legal Perfbn 3 but for us and in our (lead as tfnbfequtm Sponfor in the perfori of a Mediator; fo that it cannot be faid that ive did it Legally by him ; elfe all the fore-nainfid abfurdities would follow 5 and fpecially that Legally we never fimed, and never deferved punifhment, nor need either Pardon, or the Sacrifice of Chrift for Pardon/ Irs certain that Chrift never finned, but obeyed • perfectly from firft to laft : And if we did this Legally by him, we- finned. not in Law fenfe, that is, not truly at all. When

we (hew that it is a palpable contradi&ion to fay, that we were perfectly obedient in and by Chrift, fi-bm birth to death, and yet that Chrift muft fuf-iei for our fins; it's ftrange to fee how fome men latisrie themfelyes with wriggling, or huddling out a few uifignificaat words, unfit to fatisfie any othpr.

And if Chrifts Habitual Perfe&ion be alfo fo imputed to us, in a Legal fenfe, we were habitually perfect from birth to death* Whence it is that fome aftert an equality of fuch Perfection in all Chri-ftians: The consequents I will not trouble you with reciting •, nor ftay to enquire whether alfo his Divine highteciifefs beoursin fuch a Law fenfe/ and fo Man be deified.

Hither '>-• ft was our Legal Perfon before we rccrt Lornj or from the time of our being, or from the time of our believing only. i. Before we had a Being we were no finners, nor bound to obey; and therefore needed not to obey or fuflfer by another. 2.-. When we were born, we were not in Chrift', and perhaps not Believers till old Age : And fo the Elect mould Legally be juft while they are Infidels, and never fin even in their ftate of * Enmity. 3. If only fince believing we were fo perfonated by Chrift, then his Righteoufnefs is Rot imputed to us for all the time of our unrege-neracy, and then we never finned in Law fenfe after our believing. If they fay that infuffering he reprefemed us as unregenerate, and in his obedience as Believers only, then he' fuffered not for our fins after believing, nor obeyed to merit pardon of our fins before. If they fay that/0 far as we are finntrs^we legally fuffered in him,, and as Believers

further to'merit glury we obeyed by him, die contradiction of this is (hewed before. If we obeyed

fo

( »5T >

fo far as to merit glory by the Law of Works* then we never finned: And if we fuffered in him* for all fins of Omiffion and Commiflion, we merited glory without any other obedience: For the Law requireth nothing but Innocency as neceflary to life. He that hath no fin, doth perfectly obey. And pardon of all fin of Omiflion and Commifiion, is the pardon of al! punifhment of S t nfe and Lofs, and fo of the lofs of promifed Life.

Befides that, one that is reputed to have Legally fulfilled the Law, mult be unjuftly corrected by the punifhment of temporal afflictions cr death/ or lofs of the Spirit and Grace, and hath prefent right to the reward of that Covenant, or deliverance from ail penal evil at led!-, fo that this Doctrine of ftrict Legal perfonating Reprefenta-tion, overthroweth the New Covenant and Law of Chrift, and all his Kingdom of Grace, and all Religion.

III. The third fundamental Errcur which we deny and oppofe, is, that the Vnion-between Chrift and (the Electa fay feme, or) Betitvewt&y others) is fo near, as that his very per [oval Holinefs, Right e-oufnefs and Sufferings, are in Law fenfe truly our Ho-linefs, Righteoufnefs and Sufferings as toe accidents of ourperfons: As if Chrift and Adam, and every Chrifiian, were one and the fame? fubject of Holi-nefs, Righteoufnefs, Suffering, Merit or Satisfaction. Yet they dare not fay that the Union (like the hypoftatical) warranteth fuch a community of Properties or Attributes, as that we may be faid to be Divinely Righteous, perfectly Holy, never to have finned^ to have fatisfied for our felves, to have merited our own Salvation, and many fuch like; as feeing the evil of the confequents, though not of the premifes.

And

r 86)

And here fometime they.abufe the fimilitude of I a Husband and Wife; whereas they are diftiacc perfons, and one is not wife, juft or guiltleis, be-caufe the other is fo * nor hath the Wife' any propriety fo much as in extrinfick goods.* but by con-trad: in the proportion granted by tfeie Husband.

Some abufe the iimilitude of a Head and Members ; whereas Natural Head and Members make one Natural Body ; but fo do not Chrift .and Believers: And a Political Head and Members are diftinift perfons, and one is not guiltlefs, righteous, wife or good, becaufe the other is fo. But of this more before, and elfewhere. Some here abufe die fimilitude of Chrifts being the fccond Adam, which you here (though not to this Errour) inCiii' upon. And then they feign us, i. To have been otherwife in Adam than we were 5 2. And his fio to be otherwife imputed to us than it was; And 3. The iimilitude to extend further than it doth..

I. They feign us to have been Perfonally m Adam, whenas we were but feminally in him, and perfonally from him. 2. They feign us to have been in him by a certain Covenant, more than we were by Natural In-exiftehce: And that his (in was arbitrarily by God through that Covenant, imputed to us further than we were guilty of it by any natural In-being or derivation: As if God made all men iinners by his arbitrary imputation of that to them, which in their natures they were not really guilty of: And as if our guilt oiAdams fin,were juft of the fame fort as his 3 yea, and our guilt and his guilt were individual accidents of the fame individual perfons. But this (which Dr. Twiffh oft ccn-futeth in moft of his Books) I have fo largely and lately cleared in my published Difputations of ^/fin, that you fhall excufe me for net red-

?. The guilt of Adams {jn being ours by Natural Derivation, Cometh to all alike , entirely (according to the fubjeCts capacity,) and neceffarily, without the confent of Parent or Child: Were Adam and all Parents unwilling to communicate it in generation, it would neverthelefs be done: But Chrift being not a Natural, but a contracting voluntary Root and Caufe, doth communicate the fruits of his Righteoulrtefs only voluntarily by gift of Contract, at the time, in the manner, and mea-fure,and on the terms that he feeth meet.

Here it ik obfervable, i. That both Generation and Regeneration have much unfearchable: How Souls generate Souls, and how the Spirit of Chrift communicateth^Srace to Souls, will never here be clearly apprehended, John 3.8.

2. But it s certain that the Soul of the Parent is not the Soul of the Child, butibme caufe of it$and fo that they are not one ptrfon.

3. We were nor perfons in Adamt perfon, either the fame or diftintt.

4. But Adam caufed us, not as a man maketh a garment, houfe,<^c but as one Candle doth light another, by (bme myfterious communicatiorrof its effence: {bform&femtiltipHcant, by the Divine benediction Uncreafe and multiply [\ and primary cau-facion.

f: Though we were not perpmally, hat virtually and feminally in Adam, yet when that/^d becomech a per [on, that person is from Adam, and io niufl pro-

portionably be guilty : For who can bring a clean thing out of the effence of an unclean ?

6. Adam had the common Nature of all men fpe-cifically, and radically, and canfatly, though as. their nature individually conftitute thfeir perfons y they exifted/iQt in him (as extra can/am.)

7. So

7. So Jefus Chrift did more affame the common Nature of fain Man, than the perfons of any, or the JN'atnrezs extra can/as, conftituting the individual perfon.

8. Bormm efl ex caufis integrity malum ex paniaii:

Any defeat maketh fin, but good maft ■ have entire caufes- Adams (in caufeth Original fin in all, ixpfi* vatione caufationis bom: But if Adam had not finned,

every fin of their own would have made his Children unrighteous.

9. Chrift having fuffered in the common nature of man fo far did it in their ftead, and if you will needs (o call it, fo far reprefented fallen mankind, as that if they will personally receive him by faith, in the New Covenant, they lhall not perifh for 4* dams fin (or their own) Tuppofing that the parent is the accepter for the Infant) none perilh for Original fin alone, without the addition of negle&ed and refufed grace and remedy.

io. It is not only the Spiritual off-fpring that Chrift was a fecond Adam to, but partly to all mankind : For by a refurredtion ( though not to glory ) all men are made alive by Chrift, Joh. 5. 22, 23, 29. 1 Cor. 15. And allimve a general conditional reconciliation and pardon, 2 Cor. 5. 19,20. Joh. 3. 16. So thata&ual Juftification refulteth to no man from Chrifts meer representation of him, but from his free donation by the New Covenant.

11. It's doubtlefc that all and only the holy feed, or faithful, are juftified a&ually by Chrifts Righte-oufnefs: But in what fence it is imputed to them is all the doubt.

12. It's alfo doubtlefs that Chrift fuffered in our fieadihut in what fenfe & how far is all the doubt.-Becaufe 'we deferved it y he voluntarily afliimed it, to

demonftrats

t °9 ) demonftrate Gods Juftice, Mercy and Wifdom,and deliver us. You fay before that, Vltwaftrizieft Juftice that was (hewed on Chrift. J I would not ftrive about the word : It was ftritteft Juftke as upon Chrift : It vt&sperfett Juftice as to the ends of Government: But it was not ftritteft Juftke as to us, nor as ftri&eft fignifieth the ftrfcfc fulfilling or executing of the threatning of the Law: For it was not fo executed, but the finner mercifully pardoned.

§. *6. You note that Chrift muft take our guilt on him or elfe he could not take our punifh-ment..

Anf i. He took not the ReatumfaBi y or the Reatum cdp& : For, i. Our guilt was the accident of one Subjett^ and that which Chrift -took of ano* then Therefore the accidents were not the fame. 2. Elfe fin however taken in its reatus culpa would have made him culpable, and formally a (inner, and hateful to God, and like to Satan: Which he was not.

2. He took Upon him the Reatum poena feu obli-gationem adpcenam: But not ours individually the - fame $ but one of his own inftead of ours : Chrifls guilt and ours were divers accidents of divers persons. The obligations nor the Subjetts were not the fame. Our obligation to puhiflimerit was an ad of the- Law which we broke : So was not Chrifts: That Law never bound him to punifhment : But his own voluntary undertaking and his Fathers im-pofition. Our guilt was the occafion and reafon of Chrifts aflumed guilt: As our puniihment individually was not it that he fuffered, but his own punifhment to prevent ours. He fuffered the juft For the unjpft, to redeem us to God. God tells us plainly that Chrift fuffered for our fins, and was

made

19° J made fin, that is, a Curfe or Sacrifice for fin for us, that we might notfuffer. And cannot we receive this plain Gofpel, without fptnning fo many additional webs of our own ? Chrifts taking our guilt and punithrnent is no more, but his voluntary Offering in our ftead, that we might be pardoned, not by that fufferiiig immediately, but by his free donation in the Law of Grace, in his time and on his terms.

§. 7- " You note that though we are juftified "by our own Faith, Repentance, and Obedience to tc the Gofpel againft the falfe charge of being un-" believers,impenitent and ungodly; Yet to be free " from the curfe of the Law, and obtaining right " to life, it is Chrifts Righteoufnefs that we muft <c plead.

4Af. Very true thus, i. It is only Chrifts Righteoufnefs that we muft plead as the Satisfying and meriting cauie : 2. It is only the free Donation of the New Covenant which we muft plead as our Title or Fundamenturn juris y and conveying caufe of right. 3. It is our Faith and Repentance (in various refpe&s) which we muft plead as the conditio tituli praftita which is the neceftary moral receptive difpoiition of the Subject receiving. Thefe things are all very plain and lure. § 8. Youfeem to doubt whether by the Law

of Works. Pdul meant not the Law of Innocency: And

firft you feem to miftake me as if I had faid that he meant only the Ceremonial Law: I fay no fuch thing. But rhe whole Law of Mofes y confidered meerlyas a law, and by the Jews ill feparated from Faith, and Grace was an operous Yoak, and of fe-vere penalties to the tranfgreftburs; and though it gave pardon for fome faults, it was not meerly for the task of facrificing but for the great Sacrifice

( 9< ) fice typified: The Law as a Law doth only'Command, and threaten and promife life to them that do all things written, but gave not grace to do it. The Jews left out the true fence of the types arid promife which intended the Mefliah, in whom k was that the promiflbry part of theLa w was made; and thought the very task of duty or works would procure their acceptance and pardon when they failed. If you are not fatisfied with this reafon why Paul calleth it the Law of Works, find out a better if you can : But moft certainly that is a great miflake that Mofcs and Paul defcribe the Law ofInnocen-cy ? It's tedious to recite the proof.

i. It's enough that the Law oflnnocency as a Covenant was before ceafed, ceffante capacitate fub-ditorum: When all men had 2000 years been Originally and Actually finners, will you feign God with all that folemnity to make fuch a Law as

this, £ / know and yon mufi know that no Son of A-dam is Innocent : And 1 make now a Law that if yon are, and will continue innocent yon pall live : Elfe you (halldie? This is too grofs to be feigned of God

2. It is enough that when the Law was made

they were all under attual mercy which was the grace

of the new pardoned Covenant.

3. Yea that the Covenant of Grace had fo long before teen made with all fallen mankind in Adam and Noah 7 and renewed to Abraham with fpe-cial promifes ■/ And doth God now repeal or hide it.

4. What need we more proof than fo many Laws about Sacrificing and Confefling for forgive-nefs? Which the Law oflnnocency knew not.

And why elfe did God deliver the Law as a God of Redeeming mercy, lam the Lord thy Cod that

brought

^ 9 Z ) brought thee out of Egypt* proclaiming his namtf,

Exod. $4*6, j/The Lord, the Lord <3od Merciful

and Graaoiu, for giving Iniquity, Tranfgrefjwn and Sin.

6. Peruieall the Contexts in Pan ,and you will be fatisfied. See Camero de tnplice fader e ( which Dr. Bolton ( of Liberty ) was (o taken w 7 ith and magnifieth,and <-mhony Burges of the Law,proving Mofes Law to belong to a Covenant of Grace. But I have more fully opened all this in my Methodus TheclogU. No doubt but Pauls difputes have great difficulty 5 but this much is very plain.

§ g. Your next question is about the nature of Faith , whether if it be placed in the will, and include conftnt, it be not confounded with Love, whofe objett is goodnefs.

I have anfwered this oft and largely in divers Books, and therefore muft here be excufed from "faying any more than this, viz.. i. You muft diftinguifh between Faith Phyfically taken, and Faith morally taken. 2. Between its formal a& and its material.

L Phyfically fome one natural a&, conflicted by one Objed is called Faith: But morally taken it comprehendeth divers Phyfical Aits, both of the Intellect and Will s And as it is Juftifying and Saving it is fo taken: Yea morally it is fomerime in Scripture taken largelier, for our Chriftian Faith, as God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft the Promife, Grace and Glory are all the conftituting Objeds of it in their truth and goodnefs; and fomd-time more narrowly as altogecher diftind from Hope and Love •, It is taken in the firft fenfe when it is (aid to be the condition of Juftification and Salvation.

And here what you faidof the neceffity of con-joyning the many fiaiiliiudes which exprefsChrifts

(9?)

Office to us, when but one of tliem in a Text is na* med, the fame muft be faid of Faith in Chrift. A 'Mora! ait which hath many Phyfiqjl acts, muft be named by iome one> the reft being connoted or in> plied, for it would be uncomely to name them all in every mention of it.

Notealfo, that the name is varied according to what is fpecially noted in the Object, fomedme Truth, fometime Goodnefs: So Chrift faith, [ Tfo Father hath loved yon^ becanfe ye have loved mc. And Panly Grace be to all them that love the Lord %efm in fincerity. If any man love not the Lord Jefv^ kt him

be Anathema Maranatha. And Chrift, Luke 14. 26.

and Mat. JO. He that loveth any better than Xtbrift^ cannot be his Difciple. And to be a Difciple, a Chri-

fiian and a Believer r are all one in Scripture. .•; But when it is the Goodnefs of another Objett that is mentioned* the Act is another thing.

Iluppofe you will confefs that no Faith in Chrift and the Promife juftifieth us, which doth not ia that famfe initant include, 1. A belief of the* Goodv nfifs, as well as the Truth of both. 1 A wIMing-neis to receive Chrift and Grace as good 5 and a .confent to the offer- And if theie muft concur in tire fame inftant as neceflary Conditions of our Ju-ftification or Reception of Chrift and Grace,, call them how you will, and fay, Confentis an Effctloi Faith or a pan of it, all's one to me : But I .will fay, that Co^Jcnr is an Effect of one Ait of F mth ^IriB:^ lyj#kjp*i viz. jijfent$ but a part of it taken for Juftifying^ Saving Faith.

II. After many and long thoughts of this matter, Itiu.ik they that will pretend to exactnefs,muft fay, that Trnfi \s the Formalu4£loiFmh.zs Trufiinefs or Fidelity 10 the Formal Object: And that the Mate-

H

(94)

rial Alb is threefold, Jiffent, Confent and Prattice ; and Done of thefe, no not Affent is the Formal Aft. Both ^f and Fides figniEeTrutty yea and Credere too. iVnd fo FidesyUS it fignifieth Fidelity, and Fides ■, as itfignuieth Faith or Tufl-^rQ the Formal Object and Act. / Aftem to the Truth of the Gofpel, be-caufe I Tmfi the Veracity or Fidelity of the Author. I Confent to the Covenant, bccaufe-I TV*/? the Re-vealer, Offerer and Iromifer. I actually give up my felf to Chrift, becaufe 1 Truft himMx. Pemble Vindicate Crat. hath accurately opened this.

I have in my Aphorifms, and oft faid, that a GhrifHan ihould rather try his Faith by the Con-fencing *dt, than tlier^/^^becaufe many a One caniior Eiid that they can Truft Chrift, that yet find Cdnle.iT.. t>ut 1 explain this, or recall it, as not well fpoken: For indeed, though it be Confent by which we may furely know oar Intereft in the Juftifying Covenant (Ipeciaily 'when practically exprefl;,) yet Affiance or Truft is the Formal Ail ;of Faith, and thdt'Gwfentis but the Material. For if we Truft Ciot Ghri/ls Eideiity;. we can neither AJfent, Confent or Frattife* But when I fpake as aforefaid, I fol-lowed : the fcnle of rooft complaining Chriftians, who k\y y They c tint at Truft Chrift, meaning by 7*7*/?, tluijQutetingofthe mind, which is but an ef-feck of Tr.uft:~ Whereas at that time they-take Chrift to be Trufty^ and a fefficient Saviour , but are hindered from the- applying and quieting Effeft, by Ignorance, or doubting of their onw Truftinefs, and not of the Truftinefs of Chrift.

If 1 be tedious in'relating again my old fimili-tudes, you muft ; Wame your iel'f that are the caufe.

Only,©ne Phyficisn can cure the Plague: Some flander liim as a deceiver: He promiieth to cure

all

(95)

all that will take him for their Phyfician, and troft him: Tmfiing or believing him here included} materially , Believing his Word, Conferring to be his Fatients, and coming to him for Phyjlck*

A Prince in India buyeth the Iriili Rebels that had forfeited their lives, of the # King, that they may lay down Arms, and go wirfi him, and become his Subjeds: He promifeth to every one of tbem a Lordfhip in India, a fafe Ship thither, and pardon here 5 fome call him a Deceiver, and diftruft him : He tells them, if they Tmft him, he will perform all this. Here Trufi y the Formal Act y includeth as the Material AVvs, 1. AJfemng to his Word as True, 2. Confenting to his Offer and Terms 5 J. Tragically venturing to lay down Arms, and go with him in the Ship, and forfake their own Countrey.

b Such is Faith in Chrift,when it is made the Condition of Jollification and Life. The Formal and Material Atts together COnftitUte Faith, and not the Formal^ or one of the Material ( Ailent) alone. ( Nor hath Biihop Downame well .confuted Mr. Pemble about the Formal Att.) In a word (true andpHn) ttaptifm, our Chrifiening, beft tells us the Eilence of J unifying Faith: For that; is the Sealing to ,w the Jujtrfying Covenant, that it may adually and folermiiy deliver to .us our part in Chrift, and ri^fht to Farcon and Life, which is given us on no lower terms, than the Fiducial Afftnt, Con/em and Dedication,pvoktikd by U3 ejfentially in Baptifm.

§ to. Your next doubt is about the various Ob-

\jetts of Faith in exercife ('Gods Omnipotency,

( Truth, &c. ) and the various ufcs of Faith ac-

(9*) cordingly. This is the point which Mr. Lawfon and I feemed fomewhat to differ about: And I have in my Treatife of Juftification faid fo' much of it, that you (hall now excuie me from any more than telling you, that in Sandtification, where one a& really produceth one effetf: on cur hearts, and another a& another effect, each effe& muft be afcribed to its proper act. But you muft not think it is fo in our Juftification or Adoption, where that which we receive is a RIGHT, Jus impumtatis & vita, which is not the Immediate Effett of our AtJ % no nor any Effect of it at all, but of Gods Donative Covenant, of which our Faith is but a Conditioned no Efficient Caufs of our Right. And therefore I doufit not ftill to fay, that we are thus juflifed

as much by a Confeming to Chrifts Teaching and Sanctifying Grace, as by Confeming to be jxftifi-ed by hu Rightecufnefs-, or by fiducial taking him for our Teacher, Interceflbr jxid King, as taking him for a Satisfier and Meriter for us; Indeed it is undivided Taking Chrift as Chrift, that is the Juftifying Condition, John i. 10,11,12. I John 5.10,11,12. ,

§ 11. In the end you defire me to anfwer. What R'ghteoufmfs is meant, Rom. ?. By the obedience of one many are made righteous.

Anf The meaning is, By the Merit of Chrifts AEiive and Pa (five ( yea Habitual ) Right eon fnefs ( alfo ) exalted in dignity by his Divine perfection, all fain Mankind is Conditionally pardoned, And hath the gift of Life, enacted in the Law or Covenant of Grace* and aU true Believers have by that Covenant aUuaRy given them a Right of Union with Chrift, and roith him Pardon and Adoption, or Right jo Grace and Glory, and have the Spirit of HoHnefs

M

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m the firfifruits. All this is included in that Righteoufnefs.

§ 12. Laftly, you ask, What Righteoufnefs Faith is imputed to ? Whether that which is by Chrifts obedience, and by Faith , be the fame ? and perfect or un-perfetl ?

Anf Here alfo you may take the blame that I lay things long ago fo' oft faid. By Righteous is meant JujHfable in general : And rhe plain meaning is, Chri(i having merited, and freely given Pardon and Life to all finners that will fiducially accept his purchafed Gift, it is not now keeping the Law of Innocency or Works , but only the faid fiducial Acceptance of Chrifi and his free Grace that is required on their part to their Right or Juftification. If by Imputed we meant, Reputing it the MATTER of our total Righteoufnefs, then it were an unfound ienfe. But (briefly and plainly) Faith in Chrift is reckoned to us as the Matter of our imperfect perfonal fubordi-nate Righteoufnefs, and as the Instituted Medium of oht Reception of our Vnion with Chrift, and our Right to Pardon and Life for the Merit of his Righteoufnefs. And I think this is plain and full. For Righteoufnefs to be imputed, is meant no more, but chat God accounteth the perfon Righteous : Bat the imputing Faith to this, is but to reckon it to be what it is, i. As the Matter of ones 2. As the Medium or Condition of the other.

§ 13 • You here give me an Epitome of Dr. John Owens Book^ of Juftification, which you judge tlpsbeft thai you have feen, and fay it is faithfully

H 3 collected,

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collected, to fave me rbe labour of reading it, to fhew me how nearly we agree.

Anf. I have perufed the Book, but being now abfent from it, cannot judge whether you have rightly epitomized or recited it, and therefore fhall ipeak to it as yours^ and not as his: Thanking you for endeavouring to lpare my labour, but not for calling me to judge of other mens Writings. Only I^muft fay, I am glad of fo much Moderation ss is in it 5 but I better understand many other Books of Juftitication; eipeciaily Mr. Truman, Sir Charles Wolfey, Mr. Gibbons Sermon, Mr. Wotton, Mr. Gatakpr, a Ma-nufcript of Dr. Twiffes ( though I agree not with him in his exclufion of Chrifts Adtive Righte-oumefs as juftifying us,) Le Blanks Plactus, yea John' Goodwin, Mr. Hotckkis, and many others,

§ 14. You take Impiting Righteoufnefs to be the foundation of Reputing hs righteous, and not the fame thing.

Anf. The Controverfie is de re, or de nomine. De re we agree that a man mud be made Righteous before he is Reputed fo. De nomine I deny that St. Taul by imputing doth mean making us Righteous. t^otM is by all confeffed to fignifie Accounting, Reckoning or Reputing: Making us Righteous goeth before Reckoning it to us on account. John Goodwin

will tell you of many more fenfes of Imputation than you .recite, and more confiderable.

§• If. II. You fuppofe an Imputation of Righte* oufnefs to us, which was not ours before that Imputation. Anf Again de re there is a Donation of inch : But de nomine I deny that this is it that the Scripture calleth Imputing. You

You make this to contain two Aft s> and you

Name three, I. A grant or Donation of the thing it frtfto be ours. 2. A wiliof dealing with hs accord-ingly. $ . An actual fo dealing with hs.

Anf. I De nomine y I deny that hoytlo^t doth in Scripture figniiie the giving of Righteoufnefs to him

that had it not : but the reckoning ic 'on account to

him that by gift firft had it. u Nor doth it primarily fignifie willing to «/^, and fifing as righteous, but only by confequence inferreth it.

But 2. De re here is no Explication how Imputing is giving, or how .Higbteonfnefs is given hs: There is noqueftion but all the Righteoufnefs that we have is given us by God: But the very heart of the Controverfie is, How the Righteoufnefs of Chrift: is given hs and made ours : In that Righteoufnefs is found, i. The Matter. 2. The Form. i. The matter is, I. The Habits. 2. fhe Afts of Chriii in the Divine and Humane Nature : Are tbefe given us, and do we poffefs them in themfdves? The AEts are pzft t and fo are nothing novo; and nothing is no bodies actual pofleiiion. The Acts and Habits were Accidents which fine interim cannot pals from Subject to Subject: Divers Subjects prove diverfity of Accidents 2. The Form is a - Relation, and Co an Accident alfo: And they muft needs be tw6 Accidents, that are Formal Righteoufnefs in thrift and us, unlefs we are the fame Subject Perion. Therefore neither matter nor Relative form in Chrift and Man is the fame individual Accident. How then is it ours J What is there in it beiides matter (tha (abject and fundament am) and'form? It's plain chat, I • The Benefits are given hs, and are oar o&n by that Gift; All that conlilt in jure r in right, (as

H 4 to

C i op ;

to Chrift, to the Love of the reconciled Father, the Communion of the Spirit^ to further Grace, Pardon, Glory) are all given us inftru-1 mentally by the new Covenants donative Act; The inherent habits, and the Ads are given us by the Holy Ghoft And 2. Thele Benefits being given us for the Sacrifice, and Merits of Chriit, the price is faid by a Metonymy of

for the ijfect 1 to be given its, becautc it is given for us : It was God the Father to whom Chrift $ud the price of our Redemption, and gave his Active and Pailive Righteoufnefs for us : But Morally and Rcpntatively it is no Dno eet phrate to fay that is given to us which is given for us in our neceifity and to purchafc us all this.

If the King would ranfom all his Subje&s that are Slaves to the Turks^ and paid a million for their Freedom, he may well be laid to give them a million, though it be but a Mctonymi-cal Speuh, feeing he gave it for them: Though it was the Freedom or Benefits and not the Money which indeed they received: And fo it is here: So God giveth us Chrilts Righteoufnefs, Merits and Satisfaction \ but not properly the things themfelves. If there be any more to be laid as given us, I lhould have been glad to know what it is: but your Words lhew it not.

'.re it the very fame Individual Righteoufnefs that Chrift hath, Ads, Habits and Formal Relation made in themfelves our own accidents, I follow that we are really perfect in ;, Habits and Relation, and need neither more increale of Grace, nor lhould pray no; uie means for any, nor are \ye liable

able to any corrective Penalty, nor to any want of the Spirits help, but have prefent right to all thai is oue to a perfeft righteous man; with much more iuch, which is all falfe. Yet is it truly and fitly faid that Chrifi is our teoufnefsj that is, the pur chafer and giver of it; and that he is made of God to us Wifdom^ Riahieoufnefs) Salification and Redemption, on the

account: Yea though fome deny it, his Righteoulnefs may be caked the material caufe of our Righteoufnefs, as ours is our J is ad mpnni-

& vitam, becaule it is the matter of it's meritorious.canfe. For \{.Adam had merited Life lis meritorious Acts and Haoits would ha\ 7 e been fitly called, the matter of his^ Rightc-}, that is, of the fundamcntum Relationis 9 Yec this is the difference: Adams Right or Re-& would have refulted immediately from his own Acts and Habits compared with the Law; whereas ours refuketh from Ghrifts Merits or Righteonfnefs, not immediately as ours in it felf, but mediately as paid for us to God, and the Benefit (of Right and Righ-teoufnefs) given us by the Covenant, for the faid Merit of our Mediator.

§ \6. Next you fay, that this Imputation fup-pofeth not the Perfon to. have done and Offered himfelf what is imputed to him, and note their miftake that fuppoie the Doctrine of Imputation to imply that Chrift did commit our Sins, and w r e perform his Righteoufnefs.

jipf. This granteth much towards Concord.-But I hope you understand that the Queftion IS not whether we did thy finally do and faffer

what

C I02 }

what Chrift did, even in our Natural Perfons? but whether v;e did it Morally, Legally, Civilly, Jleputatively, as a Man acteth by an Infimmem,

Attorney, Ficar, or Perfonating Reprefenter, lo chat the Law reputeth it his Act, Why did you not note this, and tell us whether you deny this alfo, as well as pur Phyfical performance ? If you deny not this our Legal or Moral doing and fuffering in and by Chrift, you did not fairly in your Defcription of the Mind of your oppofers, as far as ever I could underftand ihem^ But U you deny this, our agreement ieem-eth very fealible. But then you muft go over the Explication of Imputation and Donation of Chrifts own Righteoufnefs again, and better tell us what you mean by them, than thefe delcrib-ed words do.

§ 17. Next you tell us of Imputation, t. Fx li juftitia. 2. Ex Foluntaria Sponfione. 3. Ex injuria. u 4. Ex gratia.

1. "Things imputed ex juftitia you fay are, I. " For Federal Relation, as Adams fin. 2. For u Natural Relation, and that only as to form temporal " Effects.

Anf Here we muft fuppofe by your former explication, that by Imputation you mean not Eftima-tive reckoning or accounting that to a man which he be-frrehath^but^ I. Donation. 2. Vfagecongruoujly and will fo to ufe one. But Adams fin was no gifjt to us, and came not by donation 3 Nor is Donation,

Imputation.

2. What you fay of Adams fin being ours by Covenant Relation, as diftinft from Natural Relate

,on, isunfound, and the matter needeth fuller explication,

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plication, which as aforefaid I have attempted in my Deputation of Original Sin. And as unfound is it that Natural Relation brings none but Temporal Evil. It cannot be proved, nor is to be affirmed, that withont natural derivation, we derive by meer Covenant the guiu 01 Adams fin 5 no nor that Covenant derivation is before the natural, nor yet that it goeth any fan her, or that we contract any more guilt by Covenant, than we do by nature 5 but the Law of nature it felf.and Gods congruous Covenant is that which virtually judieth us guilty, when natural derivation hath made m guilty ( as Dr. Tmjfe oft as aforefaid.) Do you n-ean that guilt refulteth from Gods

part of the Covenant, or from Adams, or from his Pofierities ? Not fromow/, for we exiftednot) and made no fuch Covenant. Not from Adams part ( antecedent to Natural Derivation.) For 1. No man can prove that ever Adam made fuch a Covenant. 2. Or that God gave him any fuch powerj ( much lefs Command ) to bring fin and death on his Pofterity by his Confent, or Will, or Contract,- further than 'by the Law of Nature they muft derive it from him if he finned. 3. Not by Gods Covenant att : For, 1. No fuch Covenant of God can be (hewn, that made men finners further than Natural Derivation did, 2. Elfe Cod fnould be the Author

°f f m y ev en of all mens Original fin, if -his Arbitrary Covenant made them finners, where nature did not.

Nay more, it is not meer Natural Relation, much lefs fuch Covenant Relation that doth it, ( for Relation doth not fo operate of itfelf) but it is that Generation which caufeth Fundamentally

t-dllyat once both the Relation of Softs and the ad-

hercnt guilt.

And in my forefaid fecond Difputation I have proved that Natural derivation (even from nearer Parents) deferveth more than Temporal hurt-

§ 18. II. Your fecond ex volant arid Sponfone you exemplify in Onifmns and Judah to Jacob,

^/ i. There is no talk of Imputation in either of the Texts, as to the receiver: Much lefs of an Imputation which is Donation. Indeed Paul undertaketh to pay Omfimus's debt to Philemon ; and fo bids him fet the debt, on his account; that is, take him for the pay-maf-ter ; If this be Imputing the debt to Paul, we are agreed that fo (not our reatm culpa, but/><?#*) our debt of piwifhment was imputed to thrift, that

is, he undertook to bear it for us: Paul gave not the money to Onefimns , but for him (by promife.) He was not an antecedent fumy, but a confequem ? He did not promife to pay it in Oncfimm Legal perfon j Nor is the payment properly imputed to Ontfimm as any way done by him, but only the Effetted benefit given him.

And Judah only undertaketh to bring Benjamin again, or elfe to bear the blame for ever. No doubt but Chrift undertook our ranfom, and alfo to effect our adtual deliverance. If you will call this C Giving or Imputing his own Righteoufnefs to us> fo as that in fe it is made the fame accident of every believer befides giving them the benefits of that which he

gave

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gave to God for them, I will not imitate you.

III. That of Bathflieba, I Kin. I. 21, taketh

Imputation as the Scripture doth. • For account* ing and reckoning them to be (inners, and ufing them accordingly, and not as you do for making them fuch by making anothers Fad or guilt to become theirs. All thefe inilances are for what I affert* None of them mention any fuch thing as imputing one mans Acts or Habits to another fo »as to make them or repute them to be really his.

IV. Your fourth fort of Imputation ex ?nerd

gratid you fay is the imputing of that which before that act we had no right to : And you do well to fay there is no other inftance of it in Scripture .- But you do not well to fay without' proof that' this is it that's meant, Rom. 4. God tnaketh us Righteous by donation before he imput-eth it to us: Imputation there is Reckonings Accounting, and Judging a man to be what he is. Abraham had Faith before God imputed Faith to him for Righteoufmfs: And that Faith was fuch a Righteoufnefs as God imputed it to be. To fay, it was an imperfect one, is no wonder: A-braham had none perfonally or properly infe but what was imperfect.

The fum of all our Controverfie is, what Righteoufnefs believers have? You before noted that Righteoufnefs as it is a conformity to the preceptive part of the Law, is one thing, and as it relateth to the retributive part, and is our Jus impunit^tU & vita it is another. The Doctrine which I bend all thefe words againft is, that we <muft have, or. have, as our own any fuch

righteoufnefs as is a conformity to the preceptive part of the Law of innocency , whether done by ns or Chrift. Prove that we have any fuch Righteoufnefs, and J yield all the caufe to them that plead for the Imputation which I deny. If we have fuch a Righteoufnefs we have no fin, nor ever had , in the ienfe of the Law: And have no need of Chrifts Sacrifice, or are capable of pardon or puniihment. I dare plead no Righteoufnefs as mine but [_fubordinately as a condition and medium^ my faith or performance of the conditions of the Covenant and its gifts , and principally my right to impnnity and life for the fake of the Merits^ Sacrifice and Interceffwn of Chrift^ freely -given by him in the New Covenant.'} It was Chrifts perfect Righteoufnefs which merit-' eth mine, but I have no perfect Righteoufnefs of my own, either in me, or done by me, by my felf or by my Inftrument or Vicar, nor given to me, faving as metonymically, that is Aid to be given to me which was given for me, and the Efteds or fruits of it given to me: Befides my imperfed: Faith and finceredevotion to Chrift, I know of no Righteoufnefs that-1 have, but that which faveth^ me from the Laws Condemnation, and giveth me right to life , which is not perfed obedience to the precept made mine, but pardon of dif-obedience , and a freely-given Adoption, merited by another whole merits were never mine fo much as by proper gift or imputation, though figuratively they may be fo called mine. I tire my felf and you with tedious repetitions be-caufe I find that without them I am not underftood. Therefore your next inference that fanlfpeah^

eth

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eth of that which was not ours before Imputation y is not true, as is proved.

And your fecond that the imputation of Faith as a work,, is not of Grace , is cloudy ', or untrue, or both. If by a work, you mean a work in Commutation obliging God, or any work which maketh the reward to be of debt and not of Grace, it's true that if faith were fuch a work it would be an a& of Juftice fo to judge it- But Faith is no fuch work ; and therefore it would beerrourfo to judge it. But if by a workjyou mean but a Moral att y as made by the Law of Grace the condition of pardon and life,then to Impute, Repute or Judge it to be what it isfo made, is an ad of Truth and Juftice, but fuch Truth and Juftice as is Evangelical, and confident with Grace, and is founded on Grace: It is Grace, that we have a Saviour to purchafe and give all: It is grace that we are not under the Law of Inriocency which juftift-eth none but the innocent and perfect that never finned: It is Grace that we have a Covenant and Law of Grace, which maketh fincere faith a Mediate or Subordinate Righteoufnefs 3 requiring no more at our own hands inftead of what the Law of innccency required: It is of Grace that as this faith is the matter of this fubordinate Evangelical Righteoufnefs, fo it is the receptive medium of our right to Chrift y pardon and life which is our full faving righte-oulnefs. It being therefore of Grace that it is made fo, and alfo that we are made believers,

it muft be of Grace, though of Truth, and gracious Juftice, that it is reckoned or imputed to us* for Righteoufnefs.

By debt oppofed to Grace, Faul meaneth not,

Debitum,

(**J

Debit urn, Dwnefs, by free gift thankfully accept ed^hut quod debetur ex apart* propria dignhate^ a Workman earneth his wages.

§ 19. Your Defcription of the Imputation cf Chrifts Righteoufnefs, is either to be uncierftood as fpoken in proper words, or as figurative. If the latter, it's unintelligible fti]l till explained : If the firft, it is that fame Do&rine which I take to fubvert all the GofpeU viz,. " That {God

u maketh an effectual Grant and Donation of a true, " realj perfett Righteoufnefs, even that of Chrifi " himfelf, to all that believe , accounting it as " theirs.2

God accounted^ not Chrifts Divine Righteoufnefs to be our Righteoufnefs, nor yet his Humane Habitual Righteoufnefs. nor his Obedience to the L*w proper to the Mediator, ftor his Obedience to the Law of Mofes (which as fuch bound not you or me,) nor his perfect fulfilling the Law of Innocency, nor his fatisfactory Sac for fin, nor his Refurrection, Afcenlion, Inters ceflion, &c. But he only accounteth thefe t the Caufes of our Righteoufnefs, and not our Righteoufnefs it felf Though the Meritorious Gaufe may be called the Meritorious Matter in a remote fenfe, as purchafing the free Gift of our Formal Righteoufnefs.

Though this alfo is but an unneceiTary 1. cal name, the thing being without it plainlier opened, Relations having properly no Material Caufe, and the Subject being it thac is uiuaiiy £0 called* and our Jus being our Formal Righteoufnefs, and the Covenant Donation tne Fun-damentum Juris, and Chrifts Meritorious Righteoufnefs

C 109.)

teoufnefs being but the caufe of that Fundament ntm or Titdm , it can be called the Matter of our Right but in a remote fenfe, and fuch a Matter as is without us, paid for us, but not ours in it felf y but the CAVSE of that Relation which is ours. 4

The plain inconfiftency of a Ferfett Conformity to the Law made our own, with Chrifts dying for fin, and our need of pardon, con fir awed a

great part of the famoufeft Divines of the laft Age, to go too far, in my Judgment, in excluding Chrifts Active, and Habitual Righteoufnefs* to our Juflification, and confining it to the Fat fiveoi)ly: Such as Olevian, Vrfine, Pifcator^ Fa* ram, Scultetm, Wendeline, Beckman^ and others in Germany^ and Camero, with his moft Judicious and Learned followers in Trance 5 and E)r« Twijfe ( whofe M. S. I before mentioned) Mr. Wotton^ Mr. Gatakgr and others in England: And yen the two laft, I think, go not fo far as the reft. But Mr. Bradjhan? truly,told them, that it is not the excluding the Active from Imputation that muft untie the knot, but the taking Imputation it felf in a found fenfe, and forfaking the unfound rigid notion of it, both as to the Active and Paflive Righteoufnefs. Grotim dt Satufattionc hath gone the middle way, and if that Book had been more ftudied,. fewer would have made us a new Gofpel in terms, who, I hope, in fenfe do mean better than they fpeaL

§ 20. In your explication you further owri the fubverting fenfe 3 w^ That Chrifts perfect " Righteoufnefs is made the Righteottfmfs^ of Belie* * vers (forma dat nomea) and is accordingly

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"fagged, efteerned and reputed theirs, being by free "Gift made theirs to all ends and purpofes, where* cC to it would have ferved, if it had been their own, a without any fitch Imputation, Donation or<:om-* c mmication, and God dtaleth with them accord-

Anf. This is plainer dealing than we had before. If this were true,

i. We are as righteous as Chrift.

2. We may deny that ever we were finners^ for had we done all this our felves, that is, kept the Law perfectly from firft to laft, we had never finned.

3. We had never deferved punifhment 5

4. Nor needed a Sacrifice 5 $. Or a Pardon;

6. Nor ihould we, during the time of our un-'regeneraey, have been left under ipiritual death, or at leaft, -after believing, be left under remaining {in, and a body of death ;

7. Nor have been penally deprived of any help of the Spirit v

8. NorofUny Communion with God •,

9. Nor fo long be kept out of Heaven, or the Reward;

10. Nor ever have been corre&ed 5

11. Nor ever had need of Word, Prayer or Sacraments for the helping us to renewed Pardon;

12. Nor ever have died and rotted in a grave;

13. Nor would the Magiilrates Execution of Juftice on us T for our crimes be owned as Gods Juftice.

14. All ism would have the fame degree of Innccency and Holinefs.

■ . »5- It

iy. It would have been a wrong to us, when we had perfe&ly kept the Law of Innocency, to fufpend our right to Pardon and Salvation upon new Conditions in a new Covenant.

i6. We having perfectly kept the Law ofInno-cency as to the death, as foon as we believe, cannot be under another Law of the Redeemer that hath the true ufes of a Law.

17. Our own adions ( befides Chrifts) are not capable of Reward or Punifhment.

18. All the Texts of Scripture that mention inherent or practical perfonal Righteoufnefs, would contradid: our imputed Righteoufnefs, or make usj fupererogate, and be more than perfectly righteous.

19. We need not fear that any new crime ffoould diminish our Righteoufnefs which is perfed, and can neither increafe or decreafe.

20. Whether we fhould not be as righteous on Earth (even under Davids or Peters fin) as in Heaven? and whether we fliould be Deified by being divinely righteous, and jultified by Gods Eflentiai Righteoufnefs, as Andr.Ofiander taught, I leave to be con(idered,as you further explain your fei£

So much to your Epitome, which if I wrong you by judging it ali your own, it is long of youf • feif that own it as aforefaid in the grofs : If the Dr. be wronged, it is by you, and not by me.

§ 21. In the conclusion you do no more peaceably than provcdly pronounce us in a manner agreed, enumerating the particulars in which we confent: But I have told you wherein we are not agreed in words, nor in fenfe,if thole words be not mif-ufed, whatever we are in latent fenfe.

I 2 I

.( i WO

I ftill grant that Cbrift fuffered,yea and obeyed, in lome fore, in our ftead, though not in ourperfon, Civil, or Legal, fo as that we are Legally reputed the doers of it by or in him: And that his affirming our Nature, and being the fecond Adam, a voluntary Sponfor and Mediator, was a necefTary reafon of the application of the fruits to us 5 and that we areas certainly and happily juftifiedand glorified, as if we had been the doers and fatisfiers our felves (To many as are faved $) But not on the fame reafons, nor in the fame method or manner of conveyance: Nor when in judgment we are ac-cufed as having finned and deferved death, can we deny it, & plead that we w r ere innocent by another, or by imputation, as we fhould have been, had we been innocent our felves: But we muft plead pardon, and a free gift of life, through the merits, fatisfa&ion and interceflionof a Saviour.

§ 21. And to all before faid, I may add, That they who account all the Laws obligations on each gerfon to be fulfilled by Chrift, (and not only fatif-fadion given for our not fulfilling them, r. Muft fuppofe that oneperpm of Chrift to have been Le^ gaily as many perfons as he died for (or juftifieth:)

•For the Law laid as many diftintb obligations on them* as they were perfons, and laid them only on their per-Jons. It faid. Thou Adam, ThouEve, Jhalt perfonally obey perfectly, or die: And the Law of Nature, and of Mofes\ faid in fenfe, Thou Solomon , Thou Manaffes, (and fo of ail others) fhalt do all things commanded, and not fin: Now that in all Chrifts Obedience he was Legally and imputatively fo many ieveral perfons, Adam, Eve, Solomon, Manaffeh^

2nd fo that none of thefe broke Gods Law, I find

£ * - * ■ - ■ no t

not in the Scripture. If you fay, Adam was Legally as many perfons as are born of him in fin, I deny it: He was the Root of all his Pofterity, and they were in him feminally and virtually, but not perfi---natty, aBnally, or imputatively j But by one mans difbbedience, as their Root and Caufe, many are made finners: And by one mans obedience, as the Root and Caufe, all Believers are made righteous, It is enough that one Saviour and Mediator in a third perfon of his own did and fuffered that which by its merits and value (as attaining the Ends of the Law and Government) procured our deliverance from a neceffity of perfed obeying as the Condition of Life, and from guilt and mifery, and is become the Root, Head and Donor of Grace and Glory.

2. And if (as you fay) it be the very thing that is imputed to us as ours, to all intents, as if we had done it, why have you not told us, whether it be 4// that Chrifi did, or but fome t and what f and how from Scripture you prove the diftribution ? and whether we have not thus, a Righteoufnefs, which is bothtoo much,2X\& too little.

L Too much: For we were not obliged by the Law to be born of a Virgin, by the Holy Ghofi, to fafi forty days, to turn Wa$u into Wine, to cafi out Devils, to heal all difeafes, and rai/e the dead, to indite the Go/pel, and fend out Apoftles*, &c. If you fay that fo much only of Chrifts Obedience is in itfelf mr own, as we muft elfe have done our felves, I ask the proof of the limitation.

And II. Is it not then too little, if it muft be the Idem, and not the oSLquwakmi For fome of us are bound to the Offices of Parents, and fome of Huf-bands and Wives, fome of Servants, fome of JMagi-

firates

( "4 )

ftratcs, fome of Souldlers y fome to actions proper to the M., totheoW, and other conditions which 1 Chrift was never in: We are bound to monifie our finful litfis, to pray for pardon end\ grace ', to re-ceive a pardon offered y to yield to the mortifying motions of the Spirit y &e. which Chrift was not capable of. It was enough that he undertook all that was fit for him, and neceflary by equivalency to fatif-fie, and merit a free gift of grace and glory for us, and that he performed the undertaken conditions and duties of all that Law whkh was laid on him $ without doing all the fame things which were laid onus.

§. 22. And one thing more I defire you to note, which Grotius de\fatisf hath minded us of, viz,. The great difference that there is between the cafe of a Rector and a Creditor, and between a Subject and a Debtor^ or a Debt of

Obedience or Tunifhment and a Debt of Money : For the name of Debt occafioneth fome men to run the fimilitude of a Creditor and Debtor beyond the bounds- The Law requireth not a Debitor pe-cunU, I. To pay the very fame individual money which he borrowed, but the fame fum. 2. Nor to pay it by his own hands. But the Law of God ob-ligeth every Subject to every individual act which it commandeth. 2. And obligeth every man to do it all in his own perfon and not disjunctively by him-felfora Vicar. That Chrift is limitedly and only to certain ends and ujes a Vicarim foena in the perion of a Mediator ■, is not becaufe the Z,^n? as made to Adam required or accepted it, but the Lawgiver as above his Law. The Law that bound Chrift is fulfilled $. but the Law that bound Adam ana every

man

( **5)

man is not fulfilled ' finlefs that fame itian do himfcIF all the lanfe things which it commanded him.

§ 23. I conclude all with thefeprofeffions of my opinion of all thefe Controverfies.

11 believe that theLibertines (commonly called Antinomians) whole Dodrines I have in many Books oppofed, do ufe thole ill Notions, and Methods which on pretence of magnifying Chrift and free grace, do by plain confequence wrong Chrift and Grace,and Subvert the Go/pel, and fhould rather be t'henee denominated, than from their denying the Law. <( The Law of hnocency as a Covenant^ and of Mofeszs Jewiih being truly ceafed.)

II. J believe that yet moft of thofe that thus err in hotiotts, are Rot fo bad in their Judgment of the matter it felfzs their mfords import $ but that want of Skill in terns and Mtthodhath fedueedmen of dull witsjflight popular ftudies,and undigefted thoughts, to fpeak worfe than they think, and had they more exa<5t diftinguifhing and expreffive Skill,they would "(hew-that they mean moftly as others do.

■III. I believe that unskilful contending with the Papifts h&h occafioned all this, while in the heats ofGontroverfy men bend all their wits to disgrace the Doctrine of their adversaries, not fearing enough unfafe expreffions and contrary ex-treams while they feem to ferve their prefent turn: And then departing from Scripture terms as necet fary to fet their hearers far enough from their ad-verfaries ? are next carried into a multitude of new made articles or notions, contrary alfo to Scripture fenfe, when they have once thus left the words.

IV. I believe that moft honeft ,plain, lefs learned ChrifUans, and the throughly ftudied and learned

Teachers

( "6 )

Teachers, agree in the true fence of the Doctrine of Juftification which the halfftudied contenders make to feem more difficult than it is, and muddy it by their unlearned queftions and words. That is, all plain Chriftians hold, that [ Chrifi God and Man is our only Saviour who obeyed, fujferedandin-terceedeth for us, as a Mediator, and is become as re m deemer the Lord of all^even of Nature,Grace and Glory^ and hath merited, pur chafed and made a Covenant and Law of Grace, that whoever believeth in him Jhall not perijh, but have evtrlafiing life $ offering his Grace to all, and effequally giving it to fome ; And that as our King and Lord Redeemer he governeth us by this Law, and requireth Faith and Repentance of all that will be pardoned, and pncere obedience to the end, of all that will be glorified ; and as he par done th allpaft fin at our Converfion, fo to thofe that believe and fincerely obey him, he pardoneth all their following fms m , and as he maketh them righteous by giving them his Spirit to perform the conditions of pardon, a-doption and Salvation, and by forgiving all their fins, and freely giving them right to life Eternal, for the fake of his Sacrifice and Merits, fo he accordingly virtually jufiifeth them by his Covenant, andfo efteemeth them, and willfoufe them,and will fo judge them finally by his Sentence hereafter, and will receive them as fojufiified and adopted to his GloryJ]

This all agree in till wranglers trouble them; and this much is enough.

FINIS.

Defence of Qirifb

AND

nt <t§wtzx

Againft the

SUBVERTERS,

Commonly Called,

Antinomians or Libertines;

WHO

Ignorantly Blafpheme CHRIST on Pretence of extolling Him.

IN A

DIALOGUE

Between

An Orthodox Zealot,

AND

A Reconciling Monitor.

WRITTEN

On the occafion of the reviving of thofe Errours, and the Reprinting and Reception of Dr. Crifpes Writings, and the danger of fubverting many Thoufand honeft Souls by the No tions of Free Grace, and juftification, rnifolfcderftood and abufed by injudicious, unftudyed, prejudiced Preachers.

By Richard Baxter.

London, Printed for Tho. TArkhurft at the Bible and Three Crowns t at the lower Bni of CbwfGtei near Mmq^CbtfeU 1690,

T O T H E

READER.

A POSTSCRIPT to the Second Book.

Since the Writing of all that followeth, I have feen the New Edition of Dr. Crifp's Sermons : There are prefixed to it^ twelve Reverend Names^ Mr. Griffiths, Mr. Cockains^ Mr. Chancysy Mr. Howes, Mr. Alfops, Mr. Nat. Mather, Mr. increafe Mather, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Powels, Mr. Turners, Mr. Surest -^r.Gammons. The Preface is Mr. S Crifpes invettive again ft me r unnamed, with the Citation of fome Trenchers Words as contrary to mine.

1 mitft defire thofe Conformifts that wiU write the next friendly debate, and will charge Herefy on the Non-Coriformifts, that they will lay the charge on none^ bat the guilty ; and that they take not all whofe Names are prefixed to be of the judgment of Dr. Criipe ( a Conformist ) : For I am paft doubt y that Four or Five of them are again ft it. If yon tok, why then did they give their Names to be hanged up like a Sign before the Door of a Houfe of Scdttttior?, it's likf they have fomething more to fay

A z * for

To the ReaJer.

for it than I know of ? But their Words fhew you that they only teftifis the Sermons to be the Drs. even. They are men of Peace, and inclined to gra* tifte others in attefting a truth, and J fuppofe, intended not to promote untruth by it.

But 1 fee the corrupting Defign is of late, grown fo high, that what feemed thefe Thirty Four Tears fop-prejfed, now threatneth a> a torrent to overthrow the Gojpel, and Chriftian Faith, and to- deny the trti? Office of Chriji as, Mediator and his Grace and Right eonfncfi, by feeming ignorantly to extol them :. And Satan defigneth to make us a common fcom to Papifts and Malignants\ by the palpable grofaeft cf fuch mens undeniable Errours. And therefore I dare neither aive them my Name, nor be Jilent in fuch a common fcandal and danger* while I can [peak and write.

It ojfendeth me that I mtift but briefly name their err ours, inftead of a large confutation of them, while the whole Scripture is again ft them ', but I have done it oft largely> which they will not anfwer. And the Bookfelkr s will Print no Books that are targe andinfen-fible of our danger ', thinks th;y are but few that need it.

One errour the Preface addeth to the hundred, which were it a truth, would carry the caufe for them, and bring me to a recantation, viz.: That Chrift and the Eleft are one and the fame Perfon. It is net a Relative perfonality that is the que ft ion ; for fo Chrift himfelf had many Perfons, as one and the fame man may have the Perfon of a Pother, of a flu'baxdy cf a M T after, of a King, &c- Bat it is Phyftcat or Subftantial Perfonality, which Mr. Crifpe faith, is more than natural, we being one Spirit, and Bone of his Bone, and FleJI? of his Flefts* And if this be fo, I JhaUgrant that we are as righteous as Chrift, and Chrift now in Heaven Qand

not

To the Reader.*

not on the Crofs only ) is guilty of all cur fins*, and was indeed as they call him y the greateft blafphemsr, hater of God, adulterer, &c. in the World.

But j. if all the Elctl be really many diftinlb Perfons, then, either Chrifl wit ft be alfo as many dift.ncl Perfont, or not be the fame P erf on with them all, or any of them. But the Elect art many di-ftintt Perfons, and Jhall be fo for ever : Peter was not Paul or John : They do not the fame Atts i They be net guilty of the fame numerical fins : Every vian jhall anfwer for all that he hath done in the Body, and rot for all that all others of the Elecl: have done. All the Elttl fmll not ft on the twelve Thrones , as Ap'files : All did not Preach the Cofpel as Paul did, nor Per feme as Paul did: Over-* throw difiinff individuation here or in Heaven, and how difmal will be the con feculence ? And. here, will not each man-have right to anoihers Houfe, Wife y Food, Goods, if they are but one Perfon ?

To be one in Spirit, is no ?mrc to be one perform than feeing by the fame Sun-tight mahcth all.Eyes to be one Eye. For the Spirit is not cur perfonality.

And if you wake Chriji to be many Millions of Perfon*, where is his Vnity in himfeif, or with any m

2- Jf Chrrfi a?id the FleEl, be' all one, and the fame Perfon, then the Ele£h are really God himfclf: For the Perfon of Chrift, is God : Thefe men are unfit to confute the Schools who have long maintained that the very human nature of Chrift, is not a fart of his 'Perfon, but an accident of it; becaufn he is but one Perfon, which is the fecond in Trinity from Eternity, and is God (of which fee Derodon de Suppolito- ) And if we are all one God, then God ftffers when we fuffer, and God judgeth himfelf yyhen he judgeth us : May not Men pray to fuch then, and \Yorfirip> them as Gad'> <*vd Truft in tht>*n

A 3 as

To the Reader.

as Gods * Is not %hti Idolatry worfe than Image-Worjhip, or than Anti-chriftianity ?

3. If Chrijt and the Elett be one and the fame T erf on, ,then Chrift fmneth when ever they fin : And Chrift fujfered for his own fin, even that which he by them committed : And then he pardoneth his own jm ', C or who pardoneth him ) ? But all this ii falfe.

4. And it would follow, that all the Eleli are Mediators to themfelves, and dyed for their own fins, and pardon their own*fins, and juftify themfelves, and believe in themselves, and fave themfelves.

5. And are all Chrift? s threatnings againft him-[elf which are againft m ? Doth Satan overcome kim y when ever he overcometh m f Is his Law made for himfelf, that is made for m ? Doth he command a Father to correal Chrift, when he commandeth him to corrdl his Children ? Doth the Magistrate hang Chrift when he hangeth a AialefaUor^ tho* Eleit r ( that fmneth by fur prize. )

6. Where there are divers Bodies, and divers Souls, and divers Vnderftandings^ and divers Wills, there are divers Perfons : But of all thefe, in Chrift and li$ there is a divcrftty.

I believe- that the IJnion between Chrift and the Glorified, will be neerer than we can well now conceive : But not fuch as will make m one and the fame Per-fon with Chrift. 1 have read in Phanatick^ Fryers, fuch at Barbanfon, and Benedi&us de Benedifti?, and m Gibienf the Oratorian, of our Deification, and being Coded with God, and that it is the only perfection to know no being but God : And I have read of fuch Heathen as Wcrflipped Demon-Gods, that once were men. And it is the top of the now prevalent Bruitifm, cr Saddncifm, to believe that all Souls are but one God, and as Candles that are far ■dividuate by the Oily Matter, when exwtt, are all

To the Reader.

§ne in the common Air ; and that there is nothing hut God and Matter. But I hope few good Chrifiians mil fo far lofe the knowledge of themfelves^ as to take themfelves to be the fame Terfon with him that is God: Angels forbad John to Worfhip them, tho 9 he took^ them not for God. Do thofe Churches ex-ercife Difripline upon fuch as are one P'erfon with Chrifl f Do they Excommunicate Chrifi for fin ? No wonder that Dr. Crifpe chargeth David as fpeaking untruth, for complaining of his fin, and Gods difpleafnre j tho' John fays, tie is a Lyar that faith he hath no fin-, and all God?s Saints havt profefs'd Repentance ; but I read not that Chrifi did ever Repent of fin.

J doubt fome will think that I feign Mr. Crifpe to fay what he doth, not, his words are thefe :

Fir fly He accufeth me as faying £To fay t)lir Union with Chrifl: fo makes us Plefh of his Flefh, than we are the fame PERSON with Chrift ; this is fo grofs, that I will not beftow time to confute it- ] He anfwers Q u Nor cannot as long M as that Text is in our Bibles; we are Mem-M bers of his Body, of his Flelh, and of his Bones 5

ic Ephefi 5 God faith, He that is joyned to

Cc the Lord, is one Spirit-, which is more than a cC Political Member, or a Natural Member either.] / believe that it is more than Political, but not fuch as maketh us one Perfon with Chrifi. Andrew Oflander, is condemned by Proteflants for feigning that the Effence of Cjod is our Righteoufnef. Neftorius was condemned by General Councils, as fuppofad to feign Chrifi to have two Perfons : What would thefe Councils have fudged of them that feign him to have Million of Perfons, or Millions, to be all on? Perfon with him ?

A 4 As

To the Reader.

As t$ Mr. Crifpes £piftle, it calleth more for Titty , than Confutation : He pretendeth out of his Notes, to tell what 1 Preached at Pinners-Hal], Jan. 17. 1673. an ^ ^ U S- X1 - l6 74- (/* longfince.) And he begins with a grofs untruth, that J faid > £ L( - A ct mans firft: believing is by external Arguments, cc not by the Operation of the Spirit, but his after-tc believing is by the Spirit.] / do not believe that the man purposed to lye, but trufted h s falfe Ears y and Notes. The World \noweth how voluminoufly J have written to the contrary: Never fuch an Opinion came into my head : But contrarily I have copioujly proved, that even common Faith, much more the firft )ufttfying faith, is the work of Gods Spirit : : My Cathoiick Theology, proveth it all ap large. I doubt not but both firft and fecond Faith . is by-Script are Argument } but never dreamed that it was not the Work of the Spirit: Indeed I find few tf his accufir.g Notes, that be not falfificatiom by Jus defective or patcht Recital.

I am forty that he hath wronged the Memory of fuch good men as Mr. Fowler, avd Mr. Cole, by telling the World how unftudied, and yet how confident they have been in feme points. But he did worfe in citing Dr MaiUon, that incurred their Cen-fure for defending me in that very Pulpit, where he faith I Preach* d again ft fuch accusers as he j and was wholly of my judgment. Axel reciting Arch? Btfhop Uiher, who perufed my Confeflion written a\ainft the Antinomians, and altered not a word in j>, before J publijhcd it ; I got him and Mr. Gataker to read it ( and it was the laft Work that Afr. Gataker did in the World, as his Epiftle and his Sons fmw. )

Had the Prefacer read but that one Boo\>my Confeflion, written in 1655. and there the explications

To the Reader.

of the Co v trover fie s , and the many /core plain Texts and Arguments, and the hundred Teftimonies of Synod, and Rroteftrat Divines, for the Dothine which I defend \ and fpecially if he have read my Exp'ication of all thefe Conxr over pes, m my Catoh-lick Theology, and Methodus, and Difpute */Judication, and of justifying Righteoufneis} and yet had calPdfor an anjwer to Mr. Cole or Mr* Fowler^ Jfljculd have told him that he, and fuch as he, are too hard or deaf for me to anfwer.

But he impertinently citeik other men, that fay, vce are jufttfied by Free Grace, and the Righteouf-nefs of thrifts and not by Works ; as if he would fat fly intimate that 1 deny it, when I neither truft to, nor know any Righteoufncfs that is not meerly Subordinate to the Right coufnefs of Chrift ; and take his R'ghteoufnefs Habitu I, Active and Paffive, to be the only and perfect Meritorious Caitfe of our Jn-ftifcation, and Salvation of Grace and Glory : And J wonder not, that Paul counted his own Right e-cufefs by the Law to bs dung in compa^ifon of be~ ing found in Chrift, having his Righteoyfnefs. But I abhor the opinion, that Ckrift's Righteoufnefs given us, is all without its, and none within in, when Chrifi dwelleth in m j as if 600 * Texts of Scripture were all falfe, that fpeak of the necejfity of an inherent and atlive Righteoufnefs, I abhor the opinioft cf any works necefjary to juflifcation or Salvation, or to any common Bltffings in the fenfe of Paul:, fitch -as make the reward to be of Debt, and not cf Grace. < 1 thinks few mtn living, are lefs tempted to mag* nify or truft to any worth of th.ir own, than 1 am. J lool^not for a bit of Bread, or an h urs Eafe y or Life* or the Pardon, or Acceptance of one Duty, or cf my Holieft Affections (fo faulty are they by their great Imperfettion) but meerly from the Free Grace of

God,

To the Reader.

God, and the Merits and Interceffion of Chrift. But jhould I take all for Errour that this Preface rec teth as fitch, and all for truth that Dr. Crifpe and fuch men write • I Jhould look^ for wifer ?nen than him or Mr. Cole, to Anathematize me y rather as an A'iti-Gofpeiler , than a metr Antinomian. And I am the forryer for the prefixing of the Twelve Reverend Names, when 1 find by their Epiftles that they had read this Treface^fo full offalfe Citations and grofs Errour, and fay not a word again ft it, nor a-gat ft fuch a Book^

Mr. Cockain, in his Epiftle, directing it to them that live Godly in Chriffc Jefus, tells them^ that the Kingdom of God within them, fhall never be fhaken *, and the Divine Nature that hath fwallowed them tsp, (hall for ever fatisfy them with variety of Contentments. And is not that ours which is within us ? And is this Kingdom and Divine Nature^ nothing but that which Chrift did without us, imuted to be done by m ? And if this be no fub-ordinate Righteoufnefsj what doth the word ftgnify f$ ma y hundred times tfed in the Scripture f

Let them but grant "juft if cation by Faith, and let them affign Faith what Office therein they can reafenably imagine, without flat denying all Pauls Dottrme, and they will confute Dr. Crifpe. Say but that Faith is imputed to us for Right eoufnefs, and give not the lye to Paul, and fare we fliall be reconciled. But if they Kill tell us that by Faith, Paul meaneth not Faith, but C drift's Righ*eoufnefs ; they m ft pr&ve that they have more than a Papal Power to m^k? God-s Word-, by making the Senfe^ when God maketb but .the Letter, before we can renounce the Scripture and believe them. And yet^ if they will expound imputation fobcrly, we foalhgrAnt them the matter(that Chrift's Righteoufnefs is accounted to us

To the Reader.

of God, m the only Meritorious Caufe of our Justification and Salvation ) tho* we believe that by Faith, Paul meaneth Faith-

But if they ft ill fay % that by Faith is meant only the Object of Faith, and not the Aft ; could we but get them to forbear Anathematizing Men for being fo Learned^ a* to underfiand Englifii^ we might yet hope at leaft, to keep the flame of their Zeal cut of the thatch within the Chimney j by telling them the difference between the Object of Faith, as fucfb and the perfon that is the Object, otherwife confidered. In real Exiltence, Chrifi, tho not yet believed in, is the fole meritoricm Caufe : But it is only in effe COgnito, that Chrifi is the Object of Faith. And School-Boyes that have no damnable Learning, may teach thefe confident men, that the Objeft as an Ob-jeft believed, is the very form in fpecie of the Aft of Faith : It is an, Atl without it-> but not this Aft, vtTL* the Christian Faith. t As Jin in effe reali is damning, but in effe cognito objeftivo, it is the form of the Grace of Repentance • fo is it here. But jf they trill grant that by Faith is meant Faith, and not fay that Paul condemneth Jufiification by Faith , as being but purification by Works ; let them but tell m, how it jufiificth : / fay not efficiently at all\ but only as a meer receptive qualification: If they fay as an Efficient Inftrument, they give it much more than 1 do ; and lay it en the AH or the "jb Credere, as they fpeak : For, what elfe is the Infirument j I hope they mean not that Chrifi and his Righteoufnefs is but the Infirument: But of this, more after.

1 thought it meet to hive recited many hundred Texts of Scripture , nhich they dreEtly contradiB 9 y^hich good Men fiwuld rather believe than them: But if the Reader will perufe my ConfeffiOD, he will find it there done already. And

To the Reader.

And 1 thought it neceffary to commend the good Lives of many of them {excepting the Schifm and Vnrighteoufnef that Faflion doth involve them in ) left- the Grofnef of their Verbal Err curs, which corns from unskilfidncfs in Words and Methods, fnould tempt many to ytdge of the Men by their Words^ and Opinio ons ; and [hould harden the malignant to jtfftifie all their hard Cenfures andVfage of the Non-Confor-mifts for their fakes. And yet Mr. Crifpe is one of my [harp C en fitters, for charitably excufng Men from leffer Enours than his own ( while he falfify, cth my Wo>'ds about cur dijferenee with the Papifts.)

/ h;tve [aid oft^ and long agoe, that I cannot be fo harden d aga ; nft God's miraculous Judgments in New-England) on Alrs % Hutchifon and Airs. Dy-er> and the Cafe of their Governour, and Mr. Wheer ler, recited by Mr- Weld, in his Book^ called, The Rife and Fall of Antinomianifme in New-England, 4U to defpife thofe with the Scripture^ to hear Satan Jeeming an Angel of Light or Righteoufnefs. I once more counfel the?n that are prejudiced againft my Writings-) to read Mr. Bradfhaw {an Independant) cf Juftification, Mr. Truman's Grand Propitiation) Ant. Watton de Reconciliations, Mr. Gata-kcr against Sakmarfb, and on Lucius ^^Pifcator. Ben. Woodbridge ( the frft Graduate of the New-England Colledge, ) Mr. Thomas Warren, Mr. Hotchkins, Afr. Gibbons r/Black-Fryers, his Lecture at Giles, Placeus in Thef. Salmurienf. Teftar--dus, Codurcus; but above all\ Vine. le Blancks Thefes 5 and the Breme Divines, S.Charles Wolfley cf Juftification , and the forcfaid Book^ of Mr. Weld a New-England Congregational-man : The Subjeff .of which, J fuppofe two or three of the Twelve Evifthrs ( the two Air. Mathers, tf not Mr. Chancy *!fo ) will give you a truer Account of 7 than Dr.

Stubs

To the Reader.

Stubs ( a man miferable in life and death ) did do.

Once more I conculde, that if Chrift was one Per-fon with the EleEk, before they were men^ he was one Per fori with thofe that were no Perfons : If he we're one Per [on with them, before their Converfion y he was one Ptrfon with Millions of wicked men, and /laves of the Devil, and the haters, and perfecutors of Him-[tlf % and of Holinefs. And feeing they hold that this Vnion is not dijjolvable^ do they not feign him now in Heaven to be one Ptrfon with all the Elett wicked firmers on Earth ?

1 ft ill fay, / will not lofe my Charity as to the Perfons of tbefe blind Zealots, and Hnskilful Talkers : But how confcionably foever they live, it is no thanks to their ungodly unchriftian Doffirhe. If they prevail to ma\e England believe that eleft wicked Infidels are as righteous as Chrilt -, and that .it is impofftble that any fin jhould hurt them-> or that any Prayer or Duty (jwnld do them any good^ ( the exprefs Words of Dr. Crifpe ) and that to intend their own good by any y is to wrong the Free Grace and full jaiva-ticn by Chrift (with the reft like this): •, 1 ftmtld have more hope of the Turks and Heathens, than of that Land that receiveth and praftifeth thefe Prin-rifles, nctwithftanding Mr. Cokaiifs Benediction to thofe that prattife what this Doctor taught.

The God of Truth a?id Mercy, fave a poor Nation from the extream Factions that run deeper daily into the guilt of Impenitency and doleful Divifions; and let not fober Peace-makers mourn in dejpair, over * hopelefs Generation of felf-deftroyers, as having labour* ed for Peace in vain,

Jan. 15. 16

8'

90

A

A further Advertifement to the READER.

HE that will know whether I rightly cite Dr. Crifpe, muft read his own Bookj, efeciaUy y Lib. 2. Serm. 3, 4, 55 6, 7, 8. 15. and Vol- i. m Serm. 9 7 10, 11. He is fo large? that I muft give you but a Tajie of his Dotlrine, in his own Words.

Vol. 2. Serm. 3. pag. ( Edit. 1644.) 88, 89, 90. It is Iniquity it felf that the Lord hath laid

on Chrift. It is the Fault or Tranfgreffion it

faf To fpeak^ it more plainly, Haft thou bee?i

an Idolater, a Blaphemer, a Defpifer of God's Word, a Trampler on Him ? Haft thou been a Defpifer of Government, a Defpifer of thy Parents , a Mother er, an Adulterer^ a Thief, a Lyar, a Drunkard} Reckon up what thou can ft again ft thy felf\ if thou haft Tart in the Lord Chrift, all thefe Tranfgreffions of thine become actually the Tranfgreffions 0/Chrift? and fo ccafc to be thine , and thou ceafeft to be a Trarfgreffor? from that tiwe they were laid on Chrift, ( which he oft faith, was before we were bom ) to the laft hour of thy Life : So that now thou art not an Idolater ', thou art not a Perfecutor, a Thief, or a Murtberer, (Why will not our Judges believe this > but hang innocent Men ? ) Thou art not an Adulterer, thou an not a finful Perfon^ ( Why did Chrift then juftifie the confefling Publican ? ) Reckon what Sin foever yon commit^ when you have part in Chrift, you ARE ALL that Chrift was } Chrift is ALL that you were, 2 Cot. 5«2l. mark it well: Chrift is not himfelf fo complcatly righteous , but we are as righteotu as he was: Nor we fo compleatly finful^ but Chrift b&-came 7 being made fin^ as compleatly finful as we :

Nay*

To the Reader.

Nay y more\ The righteoufnef that Chrifl; hath with the Father , we A R E the fame right eoufneft ; that very ftnfulnef that we were , Chnft is made that very finfulnef before God} fo that here is a dirett Change : Chrifl: takes WvPERSONS, and Conditions^ and fiands in oht ftead ; we take Chrift's PERSON and Condition, and ft and in his ftead : What the Lord bheld Chrifl to be 9 that he beheld his Adembers to be ; and what he beheld the Members to be in themfelves, that he beheld Chrifl himfelf to be. Chrifl: himfelf is not

mere righteous^ thzn this Ptrfon\ and that Per fori is not more finfnl than Chnft was.

Pag. 91, &c. He at large ftriveth to prove that it was not only the'guilt of fin , or the Puniflment that God pat on Chrifl, but the very fin it felf. So p. 108. ( Having well proved, that Imputation iignifieth not, That God lyed 7 or mif-reckoned, but only reckoned that to be, which truly is: He faithj £ That Chrifl became as really and truly the Perfon that had all thefe fins, as he that did commit them really and. truly, had them: ] Readmore y Serm 6.pag. 139. There is not one Pdjfage of Scripture that fpeakj of imputing our fins to Chriit.

Vol. 1. Serm. 10. pag. 242. For ANY HURT that fuch fins can do to #*, it is not poffible ; for Chrifl hath made fatisfattion. pag. 239. Tho* fins be committed y there is no peace broken, becaufe the breach of peace is fatisfied in Chrifl. p. 234,

235. That they are to do, they are not to do it with ANYEYE to their own Advantage, that being already perfectly compleated to their bands 9 before they do any thing: But with an Eye to glori-fie Cody and to ferve their Generation. And page-

236, 237. he is large in threatning them that pray or do any thing for JLife } or furthering cur Salva-

tiofff

To the Reader.

tion ; Do thiSj and live \ being the Voice of the Law 3 therefore we muSi do nothing that we may live-, ( or as elsewhere he faith ) to be ever the better for it.

P. 230, 23 1. There is not any Duty you perform*, when yon have attained the higheft pitchy that hath any prevalency cr availablenejs^ to produce to bring forth any the lesft Good to your feives : 1 fay <#-gain , There is nothing yon can do^ from wbe- ce you ought to expett any Cain to your feives by doing , yon ought not to feek to find in what yon do> &c— No Believer for whom Chrift dyed, fimdd have the leaf; Thought in his heart, of promoting or advanceing himfelf^ or any end of his owv y by doing what he doth, but to glorifie God, and do

qooet to men

Tou cannot propound or v tend to your feives any pof-fible Gain by Dmy\ &c- Why then do men plow, and fovv, and trade, and eat, &c. Is it not as much againft Chrift to do good for others, as for iny felf ? Is glorifying God inconfiftent with feeking to be faved ?

Reader, I give thee but this Tafle, to pew thee how truly I cite him in all the reft. I have Five Arguments again ft ihefe Men. 1. The Effential Nature cf Man. 2. The Nature of God, and his Government. 3. The Office and Work^ 0/Chrift, and Grace. 4. The whole Bible. 5. The Confent of Mankind, efpecially Chriftizns.

The difmd Effccls : 1. The confirming of Thou-fands in Popery, feeing our horrid Errors. 2. Hardening Malignants in Intpenitency^ as being but a-gainft odiow Hereticks. 3. Seducing ignorant Zealots^ cheated by good Words and Names. 4. Threatening thz Land with uncurable Divifion % 5. Dif-affcCting Rulers agaivjl m a* ivtoHerable*

To

To the TEACHERS of Dr. Crifpes Do£lrine.

f~r^ H E laudable Convey [at ions of many of yon$ JL flxw, tk** y on are vot wholly void of Religion : hnt ifs no thanks to your irreligious Doctrine. It is no wonder that fuch men would cafv out Reafon from Religion ^ for their Religion fecmcth to be by mecr infiwcl : But if it muff be without Reafon^ it is hard that they will make it all agatnft Reafon. While Reafon is effenti.tl to man^ no wonder then if Religion meet with much Refislance\ and if\ as one of Mr. Crifpe's Authors faith, ( nigro Carbone notandus) That to caufeoneto believe in Chnfi^ be as great a Miracle as ChriJPs Refurredtion> and as great an Inftance of Almightinefs, as any Work that God hath made : No doubt , but it is a hard, and great , and fecial IVor^ and an cf» fett of Omnipotency, or elfe it were no effeft of God : For, omtns potentia eft Dei eft Omnipotentia. A Hand or tongue moveth ?iot but by Omnipotency -but all that God doth , are not equal Infcances or Demonffrations of Omnipotency ; nor are they all Mi** racks ^ and as great Miracles as the Refmreilion of Chrilt. Js not the preaching of the Gofpel a means of mens believing ? And is that as great a Miracle as Chrill's RefurrtEtion^ that is .wrought by jo rational a means^ ufed by man f I am fure St. Paul fifed not fo much to prove the Truth of Chriftianity from this Medium 0 [Tome believed ii\ e r g°y it is 1 irue 3 as by the Rejurrettion of Chrift -* JNor is every Woman or Man* Belief as good a Proof th®t the Gofpel is true: 1 would not have Inf dels taught to fay^ .If God damn me for not believing, k will be for not doing that which is as great a Mira-

B' Cfcr

To the Teachers

tic as Chrijlh Refurredlion , and as great an In-ftance of Almighty Power, as the making of Sua and Moon? and of the World: Overdoing is undoing.

But if the men that J oppofe, be religious, 1 cannot deny but it muft be by Miracle or Madnefs : Confider avd judge.

Is it any other to be for Rtligion, and to preach and labour, and fuffer for it, if it have no Good-nefs in it, and will do no good, and muft thus le believed? That is good that doth good. Dr. Crifpe is larve and earnefi in telling us* that nothino- that rce do, muft be done to do us any good, or give us the ka/l Gain or Advantage, nor muft fuch a Thought come into our hearts^ that we (l)all be ever the better far it 7 for Chrift hath already done all that we need. And if it do us no good, it doth good to none. To God it can do none ; if we be righteous, what do we give him. Our goodnefs ex~ tendeth not to him , by adding any thing to him. Pfal. 16. 1,2. And to men it can do no good, if it can do none to our felves; for either thofe men be elect? or not: If they be elett, all their good was \erfetted by Chrift, as well as ours before they were bom ; And it will be as great an injury to Chrift* to endeavour to do them any good , as our felves : And this cither to their Souls or Bodies -, for Chrift hath pur chafed all good for both: Oh what an Antidote again ft Charity is here, and again ft doing good to aU men, efpccially to them of the Houjhold of Faith y and again ft feeding Chrift in his Members !

But if they are not elett, thefe men fay that Chriit dyed not for them, to pur chafe them any good, and to do them good, is impojjible 7 and what a Wrong would it be to Chrift, for us to pretend to do men goodwith~ out him, or his vurthafe ?

But'

of Dr. Crlfpes Doctrine.

'But they fay 0 we muft do it in Thanl^fulnefs^ for beirvr faved. already : But what good is in that Thank-fulnejs, when it doth no good to God or man^ to our [elves or others ? Is not this to trufi to worlds ? AH Atts with them are Works; and Thankfulncfs is an A^i or Habit*

And if we are never the better for Love^ Thanks^ and Praifes to God on earthy what the better Jhall we be for them in Heaven ? What do thefe men preach for ? What do they gather Churches for ? And what do they exercife firiftnefs for^ by their felf devifed. terms of their Church«Communion ? What do they write for and wrangle for^ while they frofefs that it is not to do any good) to God^ to them/elves^ to the eleft^ 0Y t0 *ke re*> probate ( which undenyably fo/loweth ) ? I l^now yen fpeak^for Faith , Prayer^ and Holinefs, and I think yen fray your felves : But to what end, Chrift fath 9 ask and have, feek and find *, Dr. Crifpe fyitfc feek not to find : O think not that you foall be ever the better for fraying-) or any thing elfe that you do in the greatest heigth of Piety. Is Prayer only a Thankf> giving? I knew an old Man ( one Difhforth> by Cal-yerley n$ar Bradford in Yorkshire ) who went among the Followers of Hacket ^^Coppinger, called, Grim-, dletonians (from the Town where they lived) : And going for Novelty among them % they breathed on him^ and he came home fo tranfported, that he left his for-, . mer way of Praying in his Family % with Confeffion and Petition, and did all by Extafy, and Than\fgiving^ and Praife^ and fo continued about a Fortnight, and then returned to Humility■> and relented {^hiir.fdf and his Son were my Informers. )

/ wonder that it is not fowith aU that think. fTfjfiqg^ . hearing f readings meditating^ and Sacraments do _.no : good: P&td alt from a fcttijh Expo prion of £ Db r fifais and live, 2 ** tf & forbid doing any thing that

To the Teachers

vr>e may live : And from an Vnchriftian Conceit that Chrift giveth hs all that he decreeth or purchafeth, as foon as the Price is paid: And that tecauie he frccth hs from the Law of Works, and, of lnnocency y he ?naketh us lawltfs 5 or is a Kino that hath no Lawsj vr Laws that are neither the Meafure of Duty or Jndg* ment, the keeping of which is no fubordinate Righteouf viefs irlTa-Utum , becaufe it is not as Chrift's 5 * purcha* fing f rice 3 and ]uftiftth not primarily m,r °m tOtUOi: Or as-if Chrift commanded and gave a Righeoafnefs which is'no Rhhteoitfriefs ; and that becaufe all jufti* fymg is not making Righteous, therefore making Righteous is no Juftifying, ner any part of it. Its a \hame\o_ftay to ate many Ttxts rgiirTt thefe men^ tvhere the -whole Bibfc^ but efptcially all ChriiPs own Preachings and Parables, arc fo expre(ly sgahft th m 7 that I adrnire with what face thefe inert prdfefs to believe the Scripture. And 1 wonder not that jome of them fay, that all the written Word is a Covenant of Workiy and only the Spirits inward Wor\ is the Covenant of Brace : And when th<y tell us ( as CriTpe, p. 242. Vol.* 1 • Ed. 1.) That for any hurt that fuch fins'can do tr?, ir is not pofiible, for Chrift hath made fatisfadiioH- / wonder why they freach again ft that which doth no hurt*, and why they excommunicate wen for fin* y and why they fcruple Perjury, Liturgies, P a^if^ Communion, or any Point of Conformity \ yea, why fomc of them willfuffer rather than conferrn, when it is impoffible for any fin to hart them : Why do y<mr hearers pay you for Preaching again ft a harmlefs thing ? Why mal^e yon fo much Complaint againft IJmeformeo.nefs ? Sin doth God no hurt; it doth not the Eletl any hurt by your Dottrine; for Chrift hdth fitisficd and born all : And the Reprobate are nn* capable of goody for want of fatis faction for them. I 1 ray you do not fpeak^ow this Boftrim to the World :■

of Dr. Crifpes Do&rine.

// you do, I jhall be glad that yon are confined to your [educed ignorant Congregations. Jf you will tell the Worlds If you are elect, no fin can poflibly hurt you ; whatever Murders, Adulteries, Perjuries you commit it is none of your fin^but Cbrifts: It cannot be his and yours too ; and if not eieft, you have no hope ; and if you be eleft, you will be never the better for praying, conlidering, charity, or any Ad of Religion, or Juftice, which you do., nor muft once think to gain any thing by it: Horn many Converts is this like to make ? And what would fuch a Nation come to ? I hope- few of the publicly Preachers that you call fcandaluus, preach fo fcanda-loujly as this. I have one Re que ft to you, that if you, or any other be questioned by the Judges for Murder, A-dultery, Falfe-witncfs, Perjury, or Robbery y you will not fay as Dr. Crifpe hath taught you £ / am no Murderer, Adulterer perjured Robber y &c. It is Chriffc that is fuch a one, and not I \ it cannot be my fin, whzn he hath made it his ] » for I doubt, neither the Judge? or Ju r y well believe yon : If you believe not me, ask the Judges,^ whether it be you or Chrilt that is the fin* ner ? I doubt it is you that will,be hang*d 9

If you fay-) £ for what may not ignorance fay ~\ That it is not ac the Bar of man^ but of God only, that Chnft is the finner, and not we : / Anfwer, Know you not that Judges and Princes are Goa*s Ojfi-cers, and that the Judgment is tie Lords ; and that what they do accordi?ia to his Willy he d>th by them : Pie doth not command Rulers to hang nien fur a fit) that is none of theirs. All mens Judgments are Nul-\hties, that are againfi the fore-known Judgment of Qod: It is the King that pumflh'th when the hang r man execu'eth : God punifjeth men by Rulers^ ar c 4 doth it righteoufly,

To the Teachers, &c.

I writs all this, the rather becaufe Mr, Cokain, in his Preface, exhorteth Preachers to go on where the Dr. left : / httmbly befeech them fir ft to read and believe, Mat. 5. & 6. and 7, 8. and 13. 18. 25. and

all the Sermons and Parables of Chrift; and not downright to give him the I it* and call it exalting him :

And for them that report that there are no fuch Words in Dr. Crifpe, as I report, \ wonder not while they think that lying can do them no hurt, and is not their fa, but Chrifts.

■ And they that believe they are under no Law, may believe that they have no Tranfgreffion, nor Chrift: for them, when they had -never any. And to them that talk of inherent Righteoufnefs, as Itfs neceffary than God hath made it \ I defire them but to mari^ what Chrift faith of it, and to remember that fin is much of Hell^ and holinefs of Heaven : And that Chrift: came to fave his People from their fins , as more righteous than the Scribes and Pharifees inherently, and \ to make them a peculiar People jealous of good Works,and holy as God is holy ; and to bethink them whether to di!grace the Builaina, be to honour the Architect; and whether the worth, or the worthlefnefs of the Work-, more honour the Work-men \ and whether the Cure of the Sick^ difconour the Phyfitian : And whether to fay, that my Clocks or Watch will go by artificial mea/^s,—or only no longer, than the Worl^ mans Finger only moveth it,do more honour the Artift: And whether the Pfalms would fo much call us to glorifie Cod for 0 his Works, if all that is afcribed to his WorkjiWere taken from his Honour, the Lord teach us better to underftand that Word, that makcth the fimple wife, and not to fet Chrift againfi himfelf , and again ft his own Honours, Government and Laws,

CO

<& A »& A ^ *&<&»&& »&*&*&

A

Defence of Chrift>

AND

S

CHAR I.

Prefatory.

Ortho- £^\ /JP, Having my fclf, and the Congre* gatioh which I am Related to, been in danger of the Errours called Antino-miaii \ I wrote to yon^ to intreat you, who have done fo much heretofore^ to Conquer and Extirpate thofe Errours^ to get the London Minifters^ to publifl) their Judgments againfi Dr. Crifpe^ Book y and Juch other s y novo Re-printed, and rifing up with re-nerved danger.

Reconcil. You did fo, and I anfwered you j l- That 1 thought it not feafonable, till the acceptance and fuccefs of that Book and fuch others,

B 4 W<J$

% Prefatory. Chap. i.

made our danger fo notorious and great, as would clearly juftify our Confutation : I have written on that Subjedt fo much already, i. In my Confef-fion of Faith. 2. In my Apologies againft Mr. Crau-don, Mr. Aaires^ and others. 3. In my Deputations of Justification. 4. In my Life of Faith. 5. In my Juftifywg Rightconfaefs , and there againft Dr. Tally ; , and my laft Ammadverfions on Mr. Cart-wright. 6. In my Catholick^ Theology, efpecially tha five iaft Chapters- 7. And in my Methodus Theologies All which, are unanfwered to this day, that I know not why I fhould be forward to write much more : For they that will not read this that hath been fo long written, are not like to read it if 1 yet write more.

And I am fo fearful of ftirring up the hidden fpark of this mifchief, that having written Fourteen Years ago a (hort Decifion of a multitude of thefe Controverlies, I fufpended it, left it fhould kindle New Oppofitions.-

2. And 1 told you, that we have now fbch pub-lick and dangerous Controverlies, about RoyaIty r Prelacy, Conformity, &c\ that it is very unfea-fcnable to make a noife of the Errours and Factions among the Tolerated, though they ihculd'fomt-\vhat increafe by advantage of our filence, till we fee what poblick lettlement there will be.

3. And I coafefs, I have an opinion that accidentally the Books which ycu fear, will fo effectually confute thetnielves, that they will occasion more good among fober knowing Chriftians* than hurt to the ignorant profeflbrs, that will be toft up and down with every wind of Dottrine. For, 1. The whole tenour of the Bible is againft them. And will not Ghriftians read the Bible ? 2,- The Divine Nature on the Soul, and all Christian

Chap, i." Prefatory. ^

ftian Experience is againft them. And will not Chriftians know that Work and Doftrine of Gods Spirit in them ?

For Inftance, i. Will they that are faved from Atheifm ever believe that the molt Holy God is the maker of fins, yea, and made his own Son the greateft finner in the World, when the Devil himfelf cannot make one man a flnner, but only tempt him to be fuch ; yea, that God made himfelf (in the fecond Perfon) a (inner.

2. Will Chriftians eafily believe, that our Saviour came to deliver us from fin, by making himfelf worfc than any of us, and becoming the great-eft hater of God andGodlincfs,the greateft Infidel, A-iheift,Blafphemer,Murderer,Adulterer,Lyar,Thief, &c. in ail the World, and confequently like the Devil, hated of God, and having a Hell in himfelf ? All Chriftians believe that our fins were laid upon Chrift as to their penalty, that he was VicariHs poena, that he fuffered for us, the jufl: for the unjuft, to reconcile us to God, and that he was made for us, a Sacrifice for fin, that we might be healed by his ftripes, and wafbedin his Blood.

But what Chriftian can believe Dr. Crifpe and his Sectaries, that Chrift took not only the pu-nifhment and guilt (rekistm j>&™ ) but ail the very iins thcmfelves of all theEleft, habitual and aftual, privative and pofitive, of omiffion and com million, and fo really became the moft wicked man in all the World 7 and that he faveth us from fin, by becoming a thoufand times worfe himfelf, than any of us; when it cannot be proved that any one Devil had fo great a hand in mans fin, as to ftiake all our fins his own ? And Dr. Crifpe well vindicateth God from falfe Imputation of that fin

to

to Chrift, which was not his: But it is by Blaf-phemy, making that his, which was never his, even the very fins of all the Elect. 3. And do you think any Soul that hath the Spirit of God, and readeth and believeth the Scriptures can believe this Dr. that no (in can pojfibly hurt the Eleft, be-caufe they are fully faved already by Chrift ? And that it is againft Chrift and his Grace, to intend our Salvation, or any good to our felves by any Duty we do, or to look to be ever the better for praying, obeying, believing, but mult do all only in thankfulnefs, and for the good of others.

4. Do you think that a man ( not to fay a Chriftian ) can believe that the torments of the Stom^ Gout, Collie^ Convulfion^ &c % are no hurt, or no caitigatory Penalty ? And that it is no hurt or punifhment for an Eleft Perfon to be under decays of Holinefs, increafe of Sin, prevalen-cy of Temptations, the terrours of God, and lofs of his Confolations, and fears of Death : He that can believe all this, may believe Tranfxbfikns nation againft all the fenfes of mankind. A Hundred of fuch Inftances may be named, which have fo ugly a countenance, that men that love their Souls, will be affrighted from Amnomianifm^ by the reading of them. And I further tell you, that too fudden and eager difputing againft He-rcfy, doth but engage men to ftretch their wits to find out what to fay to defend it, and to take thofe for Enemys to God and them, who fhame their folly.

And I muft confefs, that tho' I am much for MinifteriJ aflbciations and confultations in order, to Concord and mutual Edification ; I am not piuch for the way of deciding do&rinal Contro-

verfies

Chap. i. Prefatory. |

verfies by majority of Votes, remembring what Councils have done that way theie 1300 Years, and how often either errour or unskilful decif-fions have the greater number ; fo that tho* now with us, they will confent againft errours ; it may be,taken for a precedent for erroneous pluralities, to Tyrannize or tread down truth hereafter. Ortho. But Jhall we therefore let Herefy fprcad unreffied.

ReconciL No, But you will let it pafs uncured, whether you will or not: You let noc ignorance,and pride, go unrefifted : But if it were not uncured, there would be no futh Herefies. If all the Ministers in England fubfcribe a deteftation of grofs ignorance and pride, do you think it would cure them ? Doth it cure Atheifm, Infidelity, Drun-kennefs, Luft, though all Preachers condemn them ? If you can prevail with thefe risen, to read and confider but one half of that which I have written on thefe Subjects, inflead of reviling that which they never read or tryed, you will not need to call for more Confutations of them.

Ortho- But a Confutation jhort and newly pubs, lifted, will be read by thefe that will not read Books old and large*

ReconciL I have fbid fince your firfl; motion, to fee whether there be like to be any apparent neceffity of any renewed oppofition to this infefti^ on y and I acknowledge, that now fome necellity ap-peareth to me, in the new and zealous attempts of the erroneous: But God in great mercy, hath raifed up many that are fitter to oppofe them> than I that in pain and languifhing weaknefs, have time little enough to meditate on my approaching change. But becaufe the erroneous have karn'd of the transformed Angel of Light, and

his

bis pretended Minifters of Righteoufhefs, to call their Errours, the Preaching of Cbrifl^ and Free Grace, and to fay, that all they Preach not ChnJ} 7 but the Righteottfnefs of man , that wrong not Chrift as much as they -, I (hall by God's help attempt briefly to try, whether indeed they Preach pbriftj or Preach aoamft him •, and whether they Exalt him, or Devy him \ and whether they Preach up tree Grace , or as Enemies Reproach it. And. I (hall publifti a brief Decifion of the many Con-troverfies of Juftification, which I call by thefq Fourteen Years, left 1 fhould provoke any to revive the allayM quarrels : But their new and earned Attempts, do now call it out, by telling us, that this evil Spirit is again at work, and call-eth us to a renewed Defence of Truth.

CHAP. II.

An Enumeration of the Errours which have corrupted Chriitianity, and fnbverted the Gofpel.

ReconciLvyEhve I give you a Confutation of the J3 Errours of the Anti-Gofoellers^ I will promife thefe two things:

i. I will here give you a Catalogue of their Errours which I am to Confute. 2. I think it needful to caution you, what to think of the Per-fons, that you Cenfure them not too hardly, tho* the Errours as worded, be very great.

I. And 1. As the general Fault of their Errours, is the confounding of things which greatly differ i fo by this, they corrupt the Dottrine of Adams Communication of fin and guilt to his posterity, and thereby raife more dangerous Errours,

They

They feign.that God made a Covenant with Ada^ (and alfhis Pofterity fay fome, as in him J that if he flood, God would continue him and his Posterity \ and if he fell, God would take it as if all his Pofterity then perfonally, finned in him; and fo, that either we were all then perfonally in him, or God by Imputation would take us to have fo been : And fo that God's Covenant and Imputation, made Adams fin, ours, further than it is by natural propagation •, not truly diftinguifh-ing between our being Personally in him, and being but Virtually ^ and Stminally in him : And feigning God to make AA*m not only the Natural Father and Root of Mankind, but alfo Arbitrarily* a Conltituted Reprefenter of all the Persons that fliould, fpring from him; and fo that God made them finners> that were none, and that> before he made them men.

IL \V hence they infer, that Chrift was by Gods impofitron and his own fponfion, made the Legal Reprefentative Perfon of every one of the Eleft taken Angularly; fo that what he did for them, God reputeth them to have done by him.

III. Hereby they falfly make the Perfon of the Mediator, to be the legal Perfon of the fin-Ber, and deny the true Mediatorfhip.

IV. But they cannot agree, when this Perfo-nating of the Eleft began : Some fay, It had no beginning, but was from Eternity ; becaufe Elefti-on was from Eternity, and we were Elefted -in Chrift •, and fo were Per fens from Eternity in him.

V. Others fay, That it began at the making of the World, Chrift being then the fir/t of G6ds Works in a Super-angelical Nature, emaning from the Divine, which contained all our PeMbns in it i as the Beams are of, or in the Sub*

VI- Others

VI. Others fay, that this Perforation began at the giving to Adam the firft Law or Covenant of Jnnocency, and that Chrift was a perfon in the Bond or Covenant: And that the meaning of it. was, Thou or Chrift fcrfonating thte y Jbatt perfeftly Obey • or Thou or He jhatt Die the threaded death for Sin. •

VII- Others fay, that this Perfonation began at the making of the Promife, Gtn, 3. of the Sad of the Woman, &•<:. And fo 5 that Chrift perforated none under the firft Covenant.

VIII. Others fay, that it began at Chrifts Incar* nation, when he took the Nature of Man, and therewith all our Perfons.

IX. Others fay, that it began on his Crofs, or at leaft, at his Humiliation, and that he only fuffered in our perfons.

X. Others fay, that it begins at our Believing and our Union with Chrift by Faith 5 and then he by Union perfonateth us.

XI. They deny Gods Covenant or Law of Inno* cerjey, that required our Perfonal Obedience, as the condition of Life.

XII. They forge a Law that God never made* that faith, Thou, or thy Surety, Jhall Ckty Perfettly> or Dye.

XIII. They falfly fay, that God juftifyeth none that are not really or imputatively perfectly Innocent, Obedwit, and fuch as never Sinned^ but kept all that Law.

XIV. They confound Gods Covenant with Chrift as Mediator, impofing on him his Mediatorial part* and the Covenant of the Father and Son, with fain Man, impofing on them the terms of Recovery and Life.

XV. They hold that the firft Law ( and fome of then* alfo Mofu r % Law) is done away as to

all

Chap. %. of their Errours defcribed. ^

all the Eleft, but is ftill in force to ali the Reprobates, and was in force to Chrift: But whether it bound him to Obedience as our Repre-fentative antecedently to mans fall, or only con-fequently, they are in their confulion at a lofs. And they hold that its curfe and penalty fentenced after the fall by God, fell on all the Reprobate and on Chrift? but none of it on any of the Eleft, as having been fuftered by Chrift fully for them.

As I have faid, The promiilary part of that Law ceafed, and fo did the condition of the pro* mife, by mans fin making it impoflible $ but the threat did tr an fire in fententiam : And if Chrift was antecedently in the bond of Obedience for us, he was bound not to Eat of the forbidden Tree, and bound to drefs the Garden, and bound to take Eve for his Wife, &c. which are all falfe.

If he were bound by it as our reprcfentative after the fall, it bound him when it ceafed, and bound not us, which is falfe : And therefore it was only the Law of perfeft Innocency anew im-pofed on himfelf, by the Mediatorial Covenant that bound him.

And if the Penal Sentence and Curfe, be Executed on all the Reprobate, then it is not ceafed :< And then it muft be a Penalty, and that Curfe, even on the Eie£t before they believe, becaufe till then, they have no part in Chrift. And after they believe, they muft bear part of that Penalty, called a Curfe, which was fixed, and not reverfed and pardoned ; that is, The privation of thofe degrees of Grace,Peace,and Joy,which they fhould have had if there had been no fin : The Curfe on the Earthy Sorrow in Child-bearing* and Death : Thefe ceafe not now to bePenals, but are SandtiSed Penalties. A Curfe turned to a Blefllng i an Evil made a

Medicine-

Medicine to our good \ Correction is truly Penal, tho' profitable; Chriit fufFered to attain his own Ends* and not to crofs them \ His Ends was noc co free the Elect from his own Government, or Corre&ing Juftice.

XVI. They affirm, that the Covenant is made only with Chriit, for us, but not with us: As it God made none with man, and Baptizing and Cnrifti-a'nity were not Covenanting.

XVII. They feign God to have made an eternal Covenant with his Son \ that is, God impofing on God, the Law of Mediation.

XVIII. They moll dangeroufly affirm, that Chrifl took not only the punilhment of our fin, and that guilt, or Rettumpxn^ which is an alTumed obligation to fufler the punifhment deferved by us, (to be Vic arms poea<£) but til our very Sins the mfelves : the very Bjjencc of the Sin of all tbeEktt j the Reatnm Culpa : Sq that, tho 7 he never did fin himfelf, yet ail our fins, habitual and aftual, pofitive and privative, of commifiion and omiffion, became truly and properly Chrifts own fins: And fo, that he was truly judged a hater and blafphemer of God and Holinefs, and the greateft murderer, adulterer, thief, lyar, perjured Traytor in all the World, the fins of all the Eleft being truly His fins. Of which Dr.Crifp is pofitive and large.

XVI11I. They fay, that God laid thefe fins of ours on him? and made him properly fin for us> and not only a Sacrifice for fin : And fo, that God is the Maker of the greateft Sin.

XIX. They fay, that Gods Imputation being truly but the accounting one to be what he is 5 had not God made him a Sinner, his imputing or reckoning him fuch, had been a Lye ; which is true, tho' they infer Falfhood from it, taking Imputation of Sin, ftriftly for a true Efthnatioir. XX. They

Chap. 2. their Errours defcriled. n

XX. They that make this Imputation to be before the Incarnation, make God to make himfelf this great Sinner \ that is, Chrift while he was meer God: And fo make us a wicked God. When Satan can but Tempt us to fin, and its not proved that any one Devil is guilty of all mens fins, they make God guilty of all; yea? they that lay it on Chrift only after his Incarnation, lay it on him that is God.

XXI. They that feign Chrift to have perfonated us in his firft Covenant of Redemption, make us by him, to have Covenanted to Redeem our felves, and to do the Mediator-work.

XXII. They feign Chrift to have made fuch an Exchange with the Eled, zi that having taken all their Sins, he hath given them all his Righteouf-nefs j not only the Fruit of it, but the Thing in it fdf: So that they are as perfe&ly Righteous as Chrift himfelf, and fo efteemed of God.

But here they differ; i. Some fay we have only all his Pajjive Righteoiifwfs: Some fay alfo all his Atttve: 3,Others alfo all his Habitual: 4. Others, all his EJfemial Divine Rijvbteoufntfs y and fo are Goded-

XXIII. This perfect Righteoufnefs, they fay we have at leaft from the time of Chrift's death, be^ fore we were born, or had any perfonal Beeing.

XXIV. Hereby they muft needs feign Chrift, and us to be one and the fame Subjeft ; or elfe the fame Acciderits, Habits, Adls and Relations to be in divers Subjects? (till the fame, which is a contradiction.

XXV. Hence they fay, that the eled have no fir^ becaufe it is ajl Chrift 7 s,and cannot be his and theirs alfo.

XXVI. They fay that Ghrift having perfeftly

G done"'

done the Work of a Saviour, we are perfectly fa-vcd, and want nothing neceifary to Salvation.

XXVII. They fay ai] fin paft, prefent, and to come, are pardoned, even that not committed ( that is no fin. )

XXV III. They fay, that it is not poffible that fin can do an eleft Perfon any hurt, Chrift having been a perfect Saviour from it all; fo Dr. Crifpc.

XXIX. They fay, that no Prayer, or Duty, or Act of Man, am do us any good, or further our Salvation, Chrift only having done it already for us: fo Crifpe.

XXX They add 5 that to pray,hear,read,obey, or do any Dutv,^ * means to our own GqoJ^t Salvation^ is to fin againft the Free Grace of Chrift : But that we muft do it, 1. In thankfulnefs to Chrift, that hath faved us. 2. And for the good of others.

As if it were not 2s injurious to Erne Grace-, to feck other mens Salvation as our own ; or we might not do good in love to our felves, as weil as to our Neighbours: Or, as if we ought not to plow, fow, labour, eat, drink, build, &c. for our good ; bccaufe Chrift is all: By this it feemeth, that Dr. Crifpe did not preach or write his Books to do any good; becaufe he took that to be a deny a] of Chrifts Grace.-

XXXI They fay, that under Mofes Law, David and theEkft, were not pardoned, till they had fa-crificcd: But under the Gcfpel? all the~ele£t are abfolutely pardoned, without any delay, or condition) or means on their part; as if there had been fo vaft a difference between the Fruits of Chrift> and the way of his Juftification, then and now.

XXXII. They fay, that Pardon and Juftification src abfolutely perfeft at thefirft, and fo no more fin to be after forgiven, nor any^puni'&ment to be remitted or removed, XXXIII.

Chap. z. their Err ours defcriled. |Jjj

XXXIII. They fay,that no eleft perfon fuffereth any the leaft punifhment*, becaufe all is forgiven, and Chriftfufferedall-, and that no Pain or Correction is now penal, or for fin.

XXXIV. They talk of our being freed from the Law, in fo undiftinguifhing univerial Words;, they knew no Law, but that of Innocency to ^jffam, and that of Mofes to the fcivs, and thought it wefre a priviledge to be lawlefs, or that Chrifl:had no Law; and fo there were no Tranfgreffibn.

XXXV. They hold , that Chrilt was to fcatfl-Maker, and fo muft infer, that he was no Kinfe, and had no Laws of his own, to Govern or Jndgp by-, and fo deny a chief Part of his Office,- and his Kingdom, and Government, who is King of Kings.

XXXVI. They fay, If God fhould punifh any fin of the eleft, it would be injnftice-, becaufe it is all punifhed already on Chrift, and the Debt-is fally paid by him.

XXXVII. They take GodVCovenantsand Laws to be things fo different, as that a LaWMs-hotChis Covenant, nor his Covenant a Law: 'Whereas AiaQmn fignifieth both ; that is> God's Statnte^Law, containing the determinate Terms of E)aty , Re* ward and Punifhment,- Life and Death r-a*)d both have the fame parts, his Law having Precepts, Prohibitions, Promifes, and Threatnihgs \ and his Covenant, as his hath the fame: c> And when it its rwQmn, it becometh a mutual Covenant by mans Confent ; and the Law bindeth Subjafts to that Confent.

XXXVIII. They are fo-much for aChrrfl with* out us, that they write as if the Work pf Chrift within usr and by us, were a Difhonour to Chrift, that caufeth it, if we praife it: As if the Praife

of the Stru&ure were a difhonour to the Builder ; or the Cure were a difhonour to the Phyiitian^ or the Glory of the World, if praifed, were a diiho= rouringof God. God praifethhis Servants, and their Grace and Works 0 but if we praife them, thevfov, we rob Chrift of his honour.

XXX-1X. They feem to hold, that Chrift doth .all the Work of our Salvation, immediately, with-cout Inftruments, or Means: And all that is afcri* bed to.fubordmate Caufes, were derogate from ■him": And fo Apoftles, Miracles, ^cripture, Wri-c f5ngs* Preaching, were no Means of Good, or tor-jhitd Chrift r as if Sun and Moon, Angels and Men, difiionoured God.

XL. While they fay,that no Duty muft be done, for our own good, or falvation, they deftroy natural ncceflary felf love, and direftly would drive out fill-true-Religion from the World, and harden aH the-wic^duixurjgodlinefs/by taking away thofe Motives, without which: no men are converted, or favefl^«KH?eptfro'r)i-fih. "

:;fjXU^?Ehcy hold,that whatever Law or Promile in Scripture-, hath any condition, is part of the Law of Works ; And that the Law or Covenant of Grace, yiafdrily of what God will adtually and ab-folut^ly himfeireiTed, or that Effi'cience it felf; as if the Gofpel were a .Law of Works:

XLIL Accordingly, they hold, that God doth not mkke any conditional Promife, or threatning a means of his Spirit, or Chrifts communicating ©f Free Grace : And & that the Gofpel hath no conditional Promifes, tho' there be -conditional Words} not understanding that God, who is Life, Light, and Love •, Power, Wifdora and Goodiiefs-, worketh by all three, and printeththe feage of ail on his Eleftr working by efficient Motion,

Ch$p. 2. their Errours defcriled. r ^

tion, fapiental Order, and amorous attraftive com* munication.

XL III. They hold, that no mens fins were the caufe of Chrifi* % Sufferings, but the Elefts : And that the reft are damned for want of a fufficient Sacrifice offered for them.

XL1V. They hold, that all the Mercies that the Non eleft have in all the world, are given them without the Purchafe oi* Chrifi.

XLV. Yea, many hold, that none but the Ele<3 have any Grace, or any Mercy : becaufe it will end in their Damnation: And fo Conference hath no juft Accufation , in Hell, or here, as for any finning againft Mercy, nor do they owe God thanks for any.

XLV1. Whereas God hath made, through Chrifi, a general Aft of Grace, or Gift of Chrifi, Pardon, and Life eternal, to all ther World, on condition of fiducial Acceptance of it as a Free Gift, and commanded the Offer of it to ail; and will doubly condemn the final Refufer; and by this Gofpel-gift, as his Inftrument, pardoneth, and juftifieth the believing accepters. Thefe men de= ny the very being of this Gofpel-Aft: They deny it to be either Chrffii Law, or Covenant, or Grant-

XLVII. They hold, that Chrifi, in our ftead, did all that the Law bound us to do; as if he had been a Husband, a Father, a Souidier. &c.

XLV III. They fay, That Chrifts fatisfaftion by Sacrifice, was the the fohuiq^ ejufdem^ the payment of the fame debts of fuffering that was due tp us ? and not properly fatisfaftion, which is ? Redditio equivalent is, or tantidem alias in debiti : as if he had fuffered death Spiritual by lofs of Holinefs, and the torments of Hell by an accu-

C 3 fing

ling Confcience, and the hatred of God.

XLIX. They fay, That by the Imputation of his Righteoufnefs, habitual and actual, we are judged perfe&ly Juft-, that is, fuch as have no fin, yet he fuffered in our Perfon for our fins \ which we are reputed never to have.

L. TThey fay, That the Inherent and Aftive Righteoufnefs which confifteth in our Faith, Repentance, Love, and fincere Obedience, wrought by Chrifl in us, doth not Conftitute us Righteous in Subordination to Chrifts meritorious Righteoufnefs, ill any part or degree i that is, than it is Righteoufnefs, that in tanmm % maketh no man ever the more Righteous, than if he had it not •, q. d. Albedo qua non facit album, or Pat emit as qua non confntmt Patrem^ not diftinguilhng HKipe'fitl and particular Righteoufnefs.

LI. They talk of Juilihcation, in meer ignorant confulion \ not knowing the various fenfes of the Word, or the divers parts of the Work: They deride, that diftinftions which no reafon can deny; they confound J*Jhfying Efficiently, Justify trig Conftitntively, Juftifying Virtually by the Gofpel-67/V, or L-voo of Grace ^ Justifying by Evidence ^ Jjtfkifying by Witnefs^jHsiifying by Pita zndsJdvocatc, Jiiftifytng by Judicial Sentence^ and by Execution. They fee the Caufes againft each others, as if in were a thing that had but one Gaufe •, when they meet with the word ufed for Sentential Jyftifka-tion by decifive Judgment •, they Exclude all the included and fuppofgd Ads, that is, m<&ing Men juft Efficiently, conjHtHtive Matter and Form, or Subject and Relation \ the G off el Donation and Condonation and ali fuch previous Ads: And when they have done, not knowing what they affirm or deny ; they only cry up, the name of Chrifts Righteoufnefs- lm-

futedy

puted, not knowing what Imputation is, nor what fort of Caufe Chnfts Righteoufnefs is, whether Ef* ficient, or Material, or Formal by Conjiitution, and and think its true Meritorious Caufality is too Ik* tie. And in their defcription, exclude fentcmial dec-ifive Juftification, which they had denominated it to be, making it to be only the Donation of Chnfts perfect Righteoufnefs as ill its Effence, to be ours-, and fo joyning the efficient and conftitutive Caufes, yet leaving out the lnftrumental Efficient* which is the Gofpcl Donation, or Covenant-Gift, and calling Faith the inftrumemal Caufe, which is no Efficient Caufe, but a Moral Reaption of the Free-Gift , and a Moral Qualification as a Receptive Condition^ for our Title to the pofleflion : And whereas God never Judged a man Righteous, till he had made him Righteous •, they fay, That to Juftify, is not to wake Righteous, but to judge Righteous and yet defcribe judging by making : Yea, and exclude the fentential Juitification at the day of Judgment, thinking that it is all perfectly at our firffc Jultification Sentenced. As if God the Father, Chrift as King, or Prophet, the Holy Ghoft, the Covenant of Grace, Faith, had no hand in our Jultification, but Chrifts Righteoufnefs imputed only. LII. They talk much againlt being Juitified by the 1° Credere, the A£t of Faith ; and when they have done, ignorantly, are the maintayiers of in againft thofe that deny it. For when w.e fay that Faith doth not Juftify us, as that Phrafe fig-nifieth Efficiency > but that we are only faid to be Jnftifed-by it, as iignlfyinga Receptive Condition, or (Salification \ they fay, that it Juftifieth us as an inftrument which is an Efficient Caufe : And it is the very Aft or U Credere (or nothing) which they call that Inftrument: And thus they

C 4 make

make a War againft themfelves, while they igno-raitly accufe they know not what-

L1II. They blindly take Paul by Works to mean nil humane Afts j when as 5 i. The whole fcope of his difputing, is, againft Juftifieation by the iVorks^ rohich are fet in opposition, or competition with Juftifieation by Chrift, and by Free Grace^ fuch as the Jews thought the keeping of Mofesh Law was \ which is the Law that he doth all along fpeak of. 2. And he expreflf defcribeth the Work* that lie excludeth,to be thoje that are fuppofed to make the Reward to be of Debt ( for the value of the Work) and not of Grace : And do they know any Prote-ft ant that is either for Juftifieation, or Salvation by any fuch Works, or for the being of any fuch ? 3. And is not Faith a humane Att f And doth not Paid moft plainly and frequently fay, we are Jm-ft 1 fed by it ? Aud did he call Faith, Works?

LIV. But to anfwer this, they erre as grofly, faying, that £by Faith imputed for Rightecufnefs ] and our being Juftified by Faith j is not meant the the Aft or Habit of Faith, but the Objeft, Chnsih RiglqtttHfhefs ; not flicking hereby to turn all fuch Texts into worfe than Ntnjence ; Put ChnsPs Righteoufnefs inftead of the Word [_ Faith 2 in all thofe Texts, and try how it will run? And why is Faith named if it have no part in the Senfe ? They fay, That it Juftifieth not as a Workj I fay, it Juftifieth not efficiently at all \ much lefs as a Work^ in Pad's fenfe, that maketh the Reward to be not of Grace, but of Debt. Nor doth it Juftify as an Act in gentre, for then> a quate-nns ad omxe, every AH would Juftify ; nor yet as a meer good Aft or Work^ : For then, every good A3 would Juftify as it doth. But we are Juftifkd by, 1. This Faith in )]w*V,which is our F /-

ducUl

Chap. z. their Errours defcribed. jp

due id Reception of Cbriff. 2. And that as it is formally made by God, the condition of our par* ticipiation of the Gift, which is Chrift and Ms Juftifying Meritorious Righteoufnefs. ChriiE is not inftead of Faith, and Faith is not inr ftead of Chnft: It is Chrift believed in, 213d received •, and not Chrift without belief and rz-ceptio??.

And when they fay, That it is the OjjeH zvd not the Alt 7 they mifltiply the Proclamations of their undiftinguifhing ignorance, unskilfully pretending to cliftinguifh: For the Objclt Ckrijjt 3 is confiderable •, 1- In effe reali, in himfelf. 2- Or in ejje objeltivo r which is, but in effe cognito^ in Idea or Notion: Chrift in effe reali^ indeed* Ja-itifieth us, by Dying for us, and Meriting for us, and doing that which Faith never did : But Chrift in effe objellivo, or cognito, and in our minds* is the form of this Faith in fpecie it feif, and not to be Juftified by the Alt of Faith in Chrift, is not to be Juftified by the Objed as fuch •, for the Object efTentiafly fpecifieth the All j thus illogycal heads confound Holy things.

LV. But thefe that muft have the 01] ft of this Faith only to Juftify, exclude moft effential parts of the Object it felt The Baptifmai Faith, is not their Juftifying Faith : Belief in God the Father, and in the Holy Ghoft, is none of it, and fo God the Father, and the Holy Ghoft, are none of the Juftifying Objeft ; when as it is eflential to Chrift, as the Objed to be one with the Father, and fent by Him, and to be his exprefe Image, and the way to Him, &c. And to be Conceived by the Holy Ghoft, and to be attefted and to operate by him.

An Hundred of Chap. 2,

LVI. Yea, thefe undiftinguifhers are fuch dividers, that they exclude moll that is effential to Chrift himfelf, as Mediator, from being the Objeft of their Juftifying Faith : It is not his Prophetical Office, nor his Holy Example or Do-dirinej nor his Kingly Office, either in Legifla-tion or Judgment •, tho' it be as King, that he Juftifieth by Sentence and Execution : It is not any part of his Prieftly Office, but his Righteouf-neis, habitual, inftead of habitual and original Righ-teoufnefs; aftive, inftead of our aftive Righteouf-nefs ; and paflive inftead of our punifhment; It is not his Prieftly Interceffion in Heaven, nor his giving the Holy Ghoft, nor his Railing, Judging, or Glorifying us, that are die Objeds of this Faith.

LVII. But yet they will failacioufly feem fubtile by diftinguifhing, and fay, that tho' none of thefe are the Objefts of Fides qua Juftificat, Faith as 7«fti-fy* n & Y et ^ey are the Objects of Fides qu* Jufiificar, of that Faith which Juftifieth by another Aft, meer fallacy. 1. Here they muft take Faith for the Habit j for if it were for the Atk, two divers Afts are not the fame. 2. How is that Habit qnajuftificat, when they fay only Reception by its Inftrumenta-lity Juftifieth •> and that's only the A& ? 3. But ■qua fuiiificnt fallaciouily implyeth that Faith Efficiently Juftifieth, whereas it is only a Dijpofitio Moralis Receftiva as a Conditio?i (and they deny its conftitutiveCaufality) and that {Fides qua JF* des, Jusiifieth at all) and as a difpofitive Condition, it is a belief in much more than Chrifts Imputed Righteoufnefs.

LVIII. And thefe ill dividing men, pretending to fubtiky, telling us, that it is but one Aft of Faith by which it juftifieth, are fo far from being able to tell what that one Aft is, That, it is enough

to

to call all their Difciples into defpair, if, till they know it, they mull not know that they are juitified.

LIX. For they feign it to be one only Phyfieal Ait, whereas, in Moral Subjects, an Aft comain-eth many Phyfieal Afts: Faith in Chrill is a Covenanting Aft, like a contraft of Marriage, or between Prince and Subjefts, or Captain arxi Soldiers, which is many Phyileal Afts. '

LX. Hereupon they are at a lofs in what faculty it is, whether the Intellects Alfent, or the Wills Content* or Affiance or Practical Obedience ; and whether it be one Aft only mtmero, or only/peac, and what individuates an Aft ?

LXI. And they unavoidably call men upon their fuppofed Jufiifcationby works, while they feign all Afts, lave that one (they know not what) to be Works : Yea, many take every Aft to be Works , as is aforefaid.

As when they fay, that it is only rcfting on Chrifts Rightcoitfmfs^ as made burs in it felf by 'imputation ; they hereby make the Belief of the Godhead, and of the truth of the Gofpel, and of the Life to come, and Repentance, and Confeflions, and Love to God and to Chrill, and Thankfulnefs, and Prayer, and Self-denial," to be all works of the Law, which Free Grace in this exciudeth.

If Ajjent be that one Juftifying Aft, then he that thinketh it is Confent, or Hope, or Tr.uft •, or that denying his own RighteoufhdTs is any part of it, is fallen from Grace, by looking for Juftification by Works.

LX1I. They do.notonly fay, that Grace is not free, if it have any politive Condition, but alfo if it have any negative Condition; that is, that if a pardon be offered a Traytor, on Condition that

he

%z An Hundred of Chap. 2.

he will not refufe it, caft it in the fire, and fpit in the Face of him than ofFereth it, or will not feek his Death : this is no free pardon, unlefs he may-have leave to hate and (tab the Prince that pardon-eth him.

And here you fee what thefe take for Works ; e-ven fuch things as are neither Works nor Adls at 2ll, but meer nothings. Not to refill;, oppofe, refufe, difpife Grace : not to believe the Devil and his agents, that call Chrift a deceiver, and that deny God and the life to come : I do not fay, that fuch meer negatives are all the condition of pardon and juftification ; but thefe are included in the pofitive condition , and yet to take any of thefe for any part of the condition, is fuppofed to be, to look for Juftification by Work*-* becaufe all fuch conditions are taken for Works, fave one fimple Aft of Faith.

LXIII. This is becaufe they know not what a meer Condition is, when they have laid Salvation on the denial of it j when as it is no caufe at all (as fetch) of the efFefts, but as impofed, it is a bar put to the efFeft till the Condition be performed \ as the Lawyers fay, Lex addita nego-tio qua donee pr&fletiir event urn fafpevd.it ; and as/>£*"-formed, it is the removing of that impediment. O-pening the Windows? or not (hutting them is no caufe of the Light; nor opening our Eye-lids any caufe of our feeing; but a removing of that which # bindereth the light: It is a neceJfary difpofition of the Receiver, but no efficient caufe of the efFecft \ and fo is Faith to our Juftification or Pardon.

And therefore note? That whereas many Reforming Proteftants write for the inftrumentall Intereffc of Faith in our Juftification, I number not them with the forementioned fubverters of the Gofpel \ for

by

by Injtrumentality they mean no Efficiency, but Receptivity ; unhappily ufing the name of anlnftrument improperly and without due explication; and as Dr. Twife tolerably calleth it, Can [am .dtfpofitivam fubjetti recipient is 5 fo Dr. Kendal likeneth it to boys playing at ball or cat? that make their hats the inftruments to catch the ball or cat in: This giveth them no efficiency fo that they only mif-carry by choofing an equivocal Name, and place-ing too much of the Controvcrfie on that Name, when there be proper words enough at hand •, and alfo' in that they diflinguifh not duly between Phyfical and Moral Reception , when they fliould tell us that Faith is not the Phyfical, but the Moral Reception of Chrift, to Receive infenfu Phyjico^ is nothing elfe but to be the Paffive ttrminus&i-an Agents efficiency, and is fignified by Paffive Verbs. To receive Jnflificatto/7, Salification, Adoption Phyfi-cally, is nothing but Jufttficari, Sanftificari, &x. to be Juftified, Sanftified, Adopted: But to receive Morally, is sJtcipere, to accept the gift by confent, and exercife that confent by contrad, and containeth (as is aforefaid) many Phyfical ACts i as to receive a Tutor, a Matter, a Phyfiti-an, a King, a Husband, &c. And fuch is Faith, a receiving (not of righteoufnefs only) but of Chrift with all his offered benefits.

And when they fay, that other Ads or Graces. may be Conditio?*, but none but Faith is the Infiru-ment-j 1. Certainly that called by them Inltrumenta-lity, is but the ii credere-, the Aft it felfinfpecie, and the Condit tonality is the near eft reafon of its In-tereft in our Juftification- 2. And there is nothing more in the Nature of Affent, Trufi, or any Adt of Faith, befides msec Acceptance or Confent^ why they fhould be called Receiving, than in Lwe 3

Defire,

zj± An Hundred of Chap, 2,

Defr'Cj Gladnefs, Hope, or Setkhiv. 3. And Ac* ctyting Chrift as our Teacher, King, and Inter-cefior in Heaven? is as much conditional and ne-ceflary to our Juftification and Salvation, as accepting his Juftitication and Deliverance from Puniihment. That which men are molt averfe to 1 Love, Holinefs, and Obedience) is made the Condition of that which men more eafily accept.

And indeed thofe that (in fenfn Phyfico) they call Other Conditional Acts, are but modifications, or parts of the fame Moral ACl which is the Condition- The Faith by which we are juftified, is that true Cbnftianny which includeth our believe-ing content to God the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghofti our belief of Chrift, and our thankful acceptance of him to be our Teacher? Interceflbr or Prieft, and King, with his offered Grace 5 and that this acceptance is with Drfrc, Love, and ffl&ff§ cxpreft in a holy Contract or Covenant. This is the Souls Marriage with Chrift* and Allegiance to him, and it includeth the renouncing our truft in all Creatures, or in any Righteoufnefs of our own* fo far as they would ufurp the leaft part of-Guilt's Office, Work, or Honour.

None of all this is Juftification by Works. LXIV. They erroneously tell us, That nothing is properly a Condition, which is it felf a Free Gift. As if God could not Command and Give the fame thing, and make his Command a congruous means of Giving.

LXV. They erroneoufly hold, that nothing can be called a Condition of one Gift of the Covenant, which is not a Condition of all: Whereas God hath many Anticedent Gifts before any Condition be forauch asimpofed: Without any Condition, he gave us our Being, and gave us a Saviour,

Chap. z. their Err ours defcriled. z$

viour, and the Gofpel, and the conditional Co-<umant, and offers of Grace: And why may not the reception and ufe (or not reje&ing) of a former Gift of Grace, be made a condition of the giving of more? To him that hath^ Jha/I be given z may not Faith be the gift of God ; and yet be the condition of Juftincatioir and Salvation ?

LXVf. They erroneoufly hold, that when a man is once juftified, the continuance of his juftifica-tion 13 Abfolute* and hath no impofed conditions: contrary to Chrifts own words, Joh. 15, and many plain texts of Scripture.

LXVlI. They erroneoufly put Free Grace and Free Will in fuch opposition, as if nothing could be an ad of Free Grace, which impofeth any condition on Free Will: which is true, if by Free Will they mean Freedom of Natural fufficiency, as Free without Grace from vitious habits and inclinations; for we have no fuch Free Will: But thefe men know not what Free Will is, nor di-ftinguifh Freedom, from Prohibitions, and from Conftraint, and neceffitating predeterminating efficient Premotion, from Moral Freedom.

LXVIIF. In fome points forementioned about Faith and Juftification, the unapt Words and Methods of fome Reformers give them advantage ; But Dr. Criffc and the grofs A«tiwmians , take Faith to be neither Caufe nor Condition of Juftification, but meerly the receptive belief, that we are Juftified already (before we were born)-, fo that Faith juftifieth only in our confidences, which is but to be confeiqus that w r e are Juftified.

LXIX." Accordingly Dr. Crifpe maintaineth, that Election and Juftiftcation are known only by two means, The Spirit within revealing it, and Faith receiving it; that is, The Spirit inwardly faying

ing, Thou art Elcft and Juftificd, and Faith believing this ; fo that neither of thefe Juftifie us, but only make us know ir.

JLXX. They naiitafce the meaning of the Wit-mfs of the Spirit •, As if it were but an inward Inspiration and Impulfe equal to a voice, faying, Tim art Eiett and Juftifitdy Whereas it is an Inherent Imprefs, and lb an objeftive Evidencing witnefs 5 even the Divine Nature,and Image of God, and the habit of Divine filial Love, by which Gods Spirit marketh us out as adopted: As likenefs of the child to the Father, and love, are an evidencing witnefs of true Son-(hip: Anda£*Reafon is a witnefs that we are Men, And as Learning h a witnefs that we are Learned: So San&ity is an evidencing witnefs that we are the children of God; HcUiefs to \hi Lord^ is his Mark: And he that nameth the name ofChrifty departing from iniquity, hath Gods Imprefs: Yet there are other fubfequent parts of the Spirits witnefs; that is, 1. Caufing us to exercife •, 2. And to know the Grace that he hath given us; 3. And exciting in us a joyful perception of it.

LXXI. Hereby they deftroy the affurance and comfort of mod (if notalmoftall) true Chriftians in the world •> becaufe they have not that infpr-ration or certain inw 7 ard word of aflurance, that they aie Eleft and Juftified. I have known very few that faid they had it: And of thofe few, fome fell to Debauchery, and fome to doubting. And though Prophetical lnfpiration prove it felf to them that have it, its not poflible for others to know, but that a counterfeit Fanatick conceit may be it.

LXXI I. Hereby the Ungodly are dangeroufly tempted to damning preemption, and fecurity :

while*

Chap. 2. their Errours defer ibed. ±j

while, if they do but confidently believe that they are Eleft and Juftified, they are quieted in fin.

LXXIV. Dr. Crifpe co'pioufly maintaineth, that a Man cannot be fure that he is Juftified either by Sincerity , or Vniverfal Obedience , or love to the Godly, or any fuch Grace} To the difnqnour"of Holinefs, the contradiction of Scripture, and tfte overthrow of the comfort of Believers* -

LXXV. They tell us, that we mtfff not fee-times for Prayer, or other Worfliip,y but ffay till Gods Spirit move us, or tell us when to^Pfatf. As if God were not the God of Order, but cf Confufion; and did not move us as reafonable creatures, by a rational guidance of us: They would be loth to follow their crooked Rule in common things, and to keep no fet-times for their Trading, Labours, Dyet and Reft-, and not to work or eat, or fleep, till the Spirit moveth then*. And God maketh ufe of Reafon and Order, in things Spiritual as well as in things Natural:- And the Spirits of the Prophets are fubjeft to Prophets.

LXXVI. They reprove us for perfwadiiig :: tln-converted Men to Pray> becaufe the Prayer of the Wicked is abominable *,and they fhould flay till they have the Spirit of Prayer : And is a Tavern or a Whore-houfe, a fitter place to get that Spirit, than on their knees by Prayer ? when God himfelf faith; To thee foall all flefi come: jeek the Lord while he may be found ; call ufon him while he is near: Let the Wicked forfa^s his way $ &c. wicked Prayers of wicked men, that are but to quiet them in fin, are abominable ; and no prayer of an Impenitent unbeliever hath any promife of certain fuccefs. But Ahab, and Nineve^ and millions of Sinners have found, that there are force

D prayers

prayers of the unregenerate, that are better than none- And do they think > when we perfwade them to Pray^ that we perfwade them to continue Impenitent? No, it is but perfwading them to Turn and Live: For praying is a returning inotiQn, and we fay but as Peter , Repent and Pray 7 if Wfha^s the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Not to exhort men to Pray, is not to exhort- them to defire Grace, and true Converlion : ^Cpmmon Grace, and Natural Self-lore have their defires, which are not all in vain ; its better to be necr the Kingdom of God, than to be difpi-fei s of it.

God hath fixed the time of the .Lord's day, and the undifpofed mud not fay, we will not keep it till the Spirit move us; As it is a duty to Relieve the Poor, fo it is to Pray, as foon as God commandeth it; and none mull fay, I will not Give or Pray till the Spirit move me, but wait for more help of the Spirit in the way of duty.

LXXVII. That, becaufe no man can come to Chrift too foon, therefore no man can too foon believe that he is Eleft and Juftified, though he have no evidence to prove it, and though he know not God, or Chrift, or the Spirit, or the Gofpel.

LXXVIII. That men are bound to Believe that Chrift Believed for them, and Repented for them, and muft no more queftion their Faith and Repentance than they muft queftion Chrift (as Salt-mayfj fpeaketh)? as if Chrift had had Sin to repent of, or a Saviour to fave him from it; and, as if this were no Covenant-Condition required of our felves, as necefTary to our Juftification. They may next fay, Chrift that is Holy for them, lhall be Sayed ia ftead of them,

LXXIX. That

LXXIX. That to Believe, that we are Eleft and Juftified, is fides Diving a Believing the word of God, becaufe his Spirits witnefs of it, by infpi-ration is his word.

LXXX. That nothing done by an unregenerate man, by common Grace, maketh him any fitter to Believe and be Converted, than if he were without it, becaufe it is fin.

LXXXI. That it is no Grace, which is not unrefiftible; and becaufe we cannot Merit it, we cannot refill:, and forfeit it.

LXXXII. That Pardon and Juftification, being perfeft, the firft Moment of our faith, therefore it is only one momentous Aft of Faith only that Juftifieth us-, and no Aft of Faith it felf Juftifieth us after that hour. This is held by the more moderate fort, who fay not, that we are Juftified before Faith.

LXXXIII. That we mult ad from Life, but not for Life -, as if Natural Life were not to be ufed for Spiritual Life.

LXXXIV. They hold, That Sin being all (paft, prefent, and future J Pardoned at firft, we muffc not ask Pardon any more, but only the fuller Belief arid Senfe of pardon.

LXXXV. They hold, that no Sin, or declining of a Juftified Perfon, fhould ever make him doubt of his Juftification.

LXXXVI. They hold, that the meaning of Rontl 8. 28. is, That all the fin that an Eled, or Jufti* iied man committeth, fhall certainly work for his greater good, when the Text fpeaketh but of Enemies and Sufferings, and all the Providences of God; As if it were the way of God's Wife and Holy Government, fo far to encourage men to fin* as to affure all that love God beforehand*

0 z that

that the more they fin, the better it {hall be for them* whereas he hath filled the Scripture with fo many terrible threatnings againft Sin andBackfli-ding. And? as if no Juffcified perfon, by fin, did ever gnow worfe than before, or love God lefs, or at ail difpleafe him. Or it were for our good to be worfe, and love God lefs, or difpleafe him, or lofe any meafures of Grace and Glory ( in Title;.

LXXXV1I. They take Jullification in the Great day of Judgment, to be none of our proper Jufti-fication by Faith, becaafe that was done before j but a Declaration of k: As if Juftification had but one degree, and the. word but one fence; or any were perfefter Jullification than that, and a Decifive Sentential Declaration, were not the moft eminent.

LXXXVIII. Thofethat confefs works of Obedience to Ghrift? to be the Condition of Glorifi-? cation, yet deny it to be a Condition of Juftifica-ticn ip Judgment ^ when as to Juftifie us in Judgment, is to Juftifie our right to Imputity and Glory, and fo the Condition muft be the fame-

LXXXIX. Though God oft, and plainly faith, That all men fhall be judged according to their works, and according to what they have done in the Body, [good or evil] *, and to judge, is cither by decifive fentence to Juftifie? or to Condemn; or executively to Reward and Glerify, or to Punifh -, yet many that Confefs that men (hall be fo Judged^ do deny that they ihail be fo Juftifisd, though Justifying be Judging,

XC. Though the w 7 ord ^According to their works'} do plainly fignify? The Caufe to be then de^ uded^ in order to the fentence of Salvation or Damnation; andChrift Mat. 25. and elfewhere,

hath

hath largely enumerated the parts of that Caufe, and call it Righteoufnefs, and that with a Ca*-fal particle; and though the Scripture mention our inherent and atted Rightcoufnefs, (in terms of the fame fignificationj above Six hundred times ^ and that as the thing that pleafeth God, and that he loveth, hateing the contrary, telling, us that the unrighteous fhall not enter into Heaven, &c w Yet do they feign, that all that Godlinefs which hath the promife of this Life, and That to come, and which God, is faid as a Righteous Judge to Reward and Crown, is mentioned only as a fign of the Elctt and Righteous, and of Faith, and not as the Caufe to be then decided, or as a Rewarded thing. And for whom is this^/foib-lemnly produced ? God knoweth us without Signs: His Light in our Confciences will make us know j our felves, by Internal Perception- And if it r be to confute the Devil and his fervants that (lander us, it is for want of Rightcoufnefs, and not only for want of figns of it, that we areaccuf-ed; and it is more than figns that muft confute them for our Juftification. And the Judgment is not to be managed as at a human judicature^/ talking it out with every Perfon, but by an uni-verfally convincing Light, that at once can fnevv every man in the World his own particular cafe, as in it felf$ it is not Signi y but Rghtccnp/:/^ that hath the promifes of Reward : And there is no Righteoufnefs that fo far maketh not a man Righteous, and fo far Juftifiable.

XCI. They ( fome of them) fay, that we fliall need no Juftification againft any falfe Accufation : For who fhould accufe us ? Chrift will not, Confidence will not \ and Devils, fay they, will have fomething elfe to do : And they, know that falfe

D. 1 accufa-

accufation will be in vain before fuch a Judge. The fum of this, is, that there will indeed be no day of Judgment, and no Juftification by decifive Sentence ; yea, and no Salvation", for a&ual Glorification will be a Sentence, manifefted by Execution ( which Mr. Laxvfon thought was called the Judgment- ) And if no Judgment? then no Judge, no Reward, no Condemnation, and no Punifhment: If any Judgment, there muft be Perfons, and a Caufe to be tryed and judged, i. The Caufe of that day, will not be, whether Chrift be a fufficient Saviour, or have made fufficient fatisfa&ion ? It is not for Chrift to judge himfelf: It is not to judge God, whether he cledted us ? It is not to judge, whether we were of the Seed of Adam, or whether we ever finned ? Or whether the Law of Innocency condemn us \ And our fin deferve ever-lafting Punifhment ? There is no juftifying us a-gainft any fuch Accufation: It muft be all confefs'd we were the finful Children of Adam-, we de-ferved Condemnation. But the Caufe will be, |I. Whether we arelyable, by Guilt, to future Pu-nifliment? And againft this, our Pardon joftify-eth us. 2. And, whether we have Right to the Heavenly Inheritance ? And in this, the Gofpel-Donation, Covenant, or Promife, juftifieth us; and both thro' the Merits of the Sacrifice, and Righ-teoufnefs of Chrift. 3. And the other part of the Caufe of that day, is, whether we have part in Chrift , and the Merits of his Righteoufnefs ? In which our Faith, and God's Covenant will ju-ftifieus. 4. And the Queftion, being, Whether this Faith be that which had the promife, and not a Counterfeit \ the defcription of it, by its A&s and Part, and not only by adventitious Signs, niuft be our juftifying Evidence : The faith that

hath

hath the Promife, is eflentially Chriftianity^ or a Covenant, accepting of God the Father, Son, and Spirit of Chrifi, as our Teacher, Prieft,and King,by affiance, expreffed in aflent, confent,and fubje&ion : And all that is effential to this •, yea, the neceffary integrality and modification have their parts in being the Caufe of the day.

And as to the Cafe of Accufation •, 1. A Virtu* al Accufation by the Law, which we have broken, and condemneth us, requireth a Juftiftcation, if there were no more. 2. The Glory of ChrifP* Merits, Righteoufnefs and Grace, requireth a Ju^ ftification of us,againft our real Guilt. 3. And is not Satan the Accufer of the Brethren, and that before God ? And did not his Malice fo work againfl: Job, though God contradi&ed him ?

It is certain, that fencential and apologetical Juftification relates to Accufation ( virtual or a&u-al ) and Condemnation. Who frail condemn us, it is God thatjuftifieth us ? And if we are not juftifi-ed againfl: falfe Accufations, we [hall never be ju* ftified againfl; any.

But we all confefs, that we are made righteous, efficiently by Grace, and conftkutively by Righte-oufuefs, in defpight of all Satans true accufations> and againfl all our own unworthinefs, ungodlinefs* ( antecedently ) and guilt j and that before all Works and Perseverance, fave a true accepting Faith in Chrift : But if we fhall in judgment be, decifively declared righteous, by that which con-ftituteth us righteous i ( of which, no knowing man herein can doubt, God judging all things truly as they are J then certainly will men by decifive declaration, be judged righteous, as being pardoned and adopted by the Merits of Cbrifi, and qua-

D 4 lifieci

lilied by true Faith, Repentance and Obedience, for that Guifr.

XCH. They abfurdly hold, that to be juflified, as to the fincerity of our Faith, from the charge of Hypocrifie, or unfoundncfs, it is not the Juftifica-tion of the Perfon : A contradiction that I am afhamed to be long in confuting. Is it the Faith and not the Perjon that is to be judged ? Is it not as it is the Perfons Faith ? What is it to ju-ftifie his Faith, but to juftifie him to be a true 6*-Ikvmg Cbrifti&n y and fo to be an Heir of the Pro-mife : The neceflary qualification of Faith ( if It be operative ) is as truly a part of the condition of the Promifes,as that Faith be Faith indeed-

Indeed fome found Divines fay, {_ That Faith jhfiifieth as as finntrs^ and Works jnftifitth our Faith ^ as i . ..wers. ] But they never meant that

by justifying our F*ith y it iuftifieth not our Perfons .:. But that we are at lirft, conftituted juft, and adopted, upon the condition of a confenting covenanting Faith, before we have time to fhew it by outward Works \ and that we are continued and judged, juilified and intitled to Life, on condition oi our Performance of the EfTentials of our Covenant-

XCill- They, hold, that we are juflified by the fame Law or Covenant of Innocency, which condemned us : Becaufe, fay they, we have fulfilled it in, and by Chnft^ falily ( as is aforejaid) fup-pofijig, that Chnft w 7 as either fuch a Surety as was in the fame Bond, disjunctively with the principal, or.elfe that the principal ( man ) was allowed to do his Duty, or bear his Suffering by ano-. ther: And fo they deny the Gofpel-Covenant* and Gift, vviiich is that indeed, which juftifieth us by . fchQ. way* of Rederppuon 5 falfly fuppcflng, that the

very

Chap, x, their Errours clefcribed. *f

very damning Law doth juftifie us, by way of Prevention, as innocent, as having fulfilled iz in Chrift. XC1V. They fuppofe, that Chrijt w jH not judge and juftifie us, according to any Law, by which he governed us, but only by declaring his abibiute Decree and Will; giving no Reafon of his Sentence, from the caufe or different performance, or non-performance of the Perfons judged ; and fo that Judgment is no aft of Moral Government, or of Reward, contrary to all the Scripture.

XCV. They falfly fuppofe, that Pardon of fi^ is no Juftification,conftitutive 3 or fentential; Be-caufe, fay they, that doth but fave us from Pu-nifhment; but to be Righteous, is to be by imputation, fuch as have kept all the Law, and fo have never finned. But we have no fuch Righteohfnefs as they thus feign •, when the Queftion is, whether we are fmners ? We muft confefs it, and not plead that we have no fin. But when the Queftion is, whether we are to be condemned, Pardon is our Righteoufnefs •, and having the Pardon of all fin original, habitual and actual, of omiffion and com* miffion, we are in ft at it quo print ; and if that be not enough, to intitle us to -Glory, Adoption added to it, is: And fo our Right is juftified,

XCV I. They fay, that to hold, that Chrifth Righteoufnefs and Merit, is to make our Faith, and holy Obedience, rewardable, is a Bapijh Dodrine againft Free Grace : As if Chrift had not cofae to fave his People from their fins, and to make them holy, and zealous of Love and good Works; or God were grown fo indifferent to his Image, and to Chnft within us, and fo forgetful of all his Pro-mifes of Reward, that he would accept and reward our Fidelity, and Obedience to Cbriftj rte* ver the more for all Chrft's meritorious Sacrifice,

fice, Righteoufnefs and Interceffion, which is the only Price that purchafeth our Acceptance •> and as if Judgment fhould make no difference between mens rewardablenefs, but only judge ChriSt to have been a Saviour to the Eledt.

XCVII. They devife a Plea for the juftifyingof all the wicked damnable Hypocrites in Judgment; while they tell them that there will be no need of a Justification againft the Charge of Hypocrifie and Unholinefs,but only againft the Charge of being finners ; and fo they can fay, that all were finners as. well as they •, and that Chrifi was offered them as a Saviour that had made a fufficient Sacrifice for their forgivenefs: And they profefled to believe in him, as their Saviour : And as to the foundnefs of their Faith* there will be no need of Juftification. And if Chrift {ay y I was hungry, and ye fed me not, I was naked, and ye cloathed me not, &c. They are taught to fay, The Righteoufnefs of their own perfonal Holynefs or Obedience, is none of the Caufe of the day, to juftifie them, or to be tryed, and juftified.

XCVIII. Some fay, that Chrift Reconciled Man to God, but did not Reconcile God to Man •, be-caufe God was at no enmity with the Eleft, but loved them from Eternity -, and to the Reprobate, he is unreconciled. It is true, that Chrift made no real change on God by his Reconciliation : But by his Sacrifice, and Merits, and Interceffion, he made it a thing Jnft and Meet for God to forgive and fave us, notwithstanding all our Guilt, all his Holinefs, Juftice and Truth ; and fo diilblving our obligations to punifhment,and removing the impediments of our Reconciliation; he is by extrinfick denomination faid to be Reconciled to us, when he is noway bound to Damn

us;

us •, and this without any change in God : But the Clouds being thus difpefled, that were between God and us, his Face as Reconciled, fhineth on us. God was in Chrifl: Reconciling the World to himfelf, by making them capable of perfonal plenary Reconciliation* by purchafing a Free Pardon to be offered to all \ tho' they have after need to be intreated to be perfonally and adtuallyReconcilcd to God, 2, Cor.$. 19,20. Gods Love of Benevolence, goerh before his Love of Complacence, tho' the change be really in the Objeft only.

XCiX. Dr. Crijf$ h and all that fay, that our own Obedience and Duties and perfonal Righteoufnefs do us iji -yood, nor further our Salvation (Chrifl: doing all that ) and that it hindereth Salvation to do any thing for Salvation, do plainly make Heavenly BiefFetinefs,and God himfelf, as fought,loved and enjoyed to be againfl: our Salvation. For all our Sandtity, is but our Love of God, and our Fruition of him : And the perfe&ion of this, is our Heaven and Happinefs; and Holinefs is here the beginning of it: And if it be againfl: the Grace pf Chrifl:, to feek Heaven and the Fruition of God, and to be receptive of It by Holynefs, and to feek God, be the way to keep us from him (as not going out of our felves to Chrifl: ) ; How then is Chrifl the way to the Father ? How doth he bring us to God ? Why doth he Sanftify us, and bid us feek and ftrive to enter ? Will Heaven be againfl Heaven, and God againfl: God to us ? If fo, then ftriving to be faved from Sin, and Hell, is the way to bring us to Sin and Hell} which none would hold, that knowethhow much of Hell Sin it felf is, and how much Holinefs is of Heaven.

C. They falfly reproach the Orthodox that erre Jiot with them, as Enemies of free Grace, and as

38 To moderate Mens ovbr-hot Chap. 3^

not going out of themfdvesy and by odious Words, as being for Justification by Works : When it is they themfelves that overthrow all Juftification, and the Gofpel,as Juftifying us, and Juftification by Faith it felf, calling it1« Credere^ and a Work : Ridicu-loufly, making!® Credere and F^Vfcjtofignify diver* ly : And tell us not when it is the Phrafe, and when it is the the Meaning, that they oppofe. ff it be the Phrafe that they oppofe? they condemn Chrift, and the Scripture \ that- fay, Men are Jufti-fied by their Words and Works. I If it betheSence, let them tell what that Sence is, which they accufej and not confound the Controverfies of the Nam, and of the Thing. Thofe that they reproach, Renounce all Works for Juftification or Salvation, that arrogate the leaft part of the Office, Merits, or Grace of Chrift \ or that make the Reward not of Grace, but of Debt : Yea, all that Honour not Chrift and Grace, more than if he had not required them ^ and did not, as dwelling in us by his Spirit, caufe them, and make them acceptable to God: But we will not renounce Chrift living in us, nor the ufe, and worth of the Image of God.

CHAP. III.

To moderate Mens over-hot Cenfiring the

Erroneous.

Reconcil. jTTAving enumerated a Century of their JLJL EiToars,! fliall next tell you, how,and why 5 notwithstanding ail thefe groft Corruptions, you fhould moderate, and regulate your Cenfureof the Men, and of other fuch.

Ortho, Ton kkvk told me fuffitUntly what to think

of them, when you have told me what they hold ; I waft neithtr judge of the Faith by the Man, nor forbear judging of the Man by his Faith. Can any man judge too hardly of men that overthrow all Religion} They fern to me to be Atheists, Infidels;Anti-Chriftians,Pro-phane, and open Enemies of all that is Holy and Good 3 fave only the Name of God, and Chrifi, and Free Grace., and that Good which they ofpofe.

This Char all tr of them y I gather from your own Words.

I. They deny the only true God, and feign or make us another God: The true God is Holy, and hateth fin : But they feign a God, who is the maker of fin ; yea, that made his own Son the greateft finntr in the World, by making all the fins committed by aU the Eletti to be really his fins, and fo making him the worfi of men.

II. Tea, whereas Devils can but temyt men to fin^ they feign God to tranflate our fins themfelves Ef

Jentially on Chrift, and fo to make him a finntr that could not be tempted to it.

III. They make us another (pretended) Chrift, and fo deny the true Chrift, and fo are Anti-chrifts., The true Chrift had no fin, but only became a Sacrifice for our fin ; which were laid upon him, no further than to fuffer for us, But they feign a Chrift? that was a hater of God, an Atheift, a Servant of the Devil, and the great eft finner in all the World 9 and yet finned not himfelf.

IV. They deny God dwelling in us as Love, and Chrifi liv'incr in us by his Spirit, by feigning us to be never the better for his Grace and inward Ope-rations, as to any furtherance of our Salvation -, as if the Life of Chrift within us, were not faving.

V. They deny the great Ends, and ufe of a Savi~ cur, to fave us from Sin, as a means to fave

us

4<d To moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3.

us from Hell, and as the means of our Glorificati-cn ^ and as a Prophet by his Dottrine and Example , to teach us how to feeh^and obtain the pur chafed Salvation.

VI. They deny the Holy Gkoft^ by denying that his Sanctifying Work and Grace, muft be efteemed andufedas a furtherance of our Salvation : Becaufc Chrift hath Javed us by himfelf already,

VII. They deny the Gofpel, while th>y deny it to be the Law or Donation of God, which as an Act of Oblivion^ is his Inftrument of our Juftifcation and Pardon ; our Title to life (for TitultfS eft fun-damentum juris; J And as the Inftrument of our virtual Jnfti feat ion.

VIII. They do as Anti-chriftians, deny Chrift's Trophetical Office, by which, by Doffrine and Example^ he teacheth us what we muft do to be faved-j And his Kingly Office^ by which h: maMeth Laws to Rule us, or to Judge us by, as the impofed term of Life and Death.

IX- They deny the Law of Innocency, and forge another of their own inflead of it, which nameth Chrift as infleadof us.

X. They holdall the EleEt Lawk fs 0 and fo no Sub-jttts of Chrift, while they fay y they are under no Law.

XI. Hereby they deny God and Chrift 1 s Government by Law.

XII. They have no humiliation for fin, and fay y they have no fin ^ for fince ChriFPs death , it is none cf theirs.

XIII. They hold, that there is no fuch thing as fin in the World ( of the Elett ) becaufe Chrift toolkit from them ( before they were born or had it j) and he hath none now in Heaven.

XIV. They deny all Juftification by Faith ^ and fay? that it is not by Faith, bnt by the Objett of Faith only. XV, Tbef

XV. 'they make Chrifi no true Mediator ', but fitch a furety as was a party in the Bond with hs^ And fuffered for his own Cm 9 and was condemned by that Law of lnnocency for us.

XVI. They deny Justifying Faith it felf^ while in-jlead of it they feign a meet belief that we are Ju-ftified.

XVII. They harden ungodly mm in their damning prefumption 7 obtruding on them a beliefs that they are Eleft and Jutt$pcd 9 th<? ungodly; and telling them, that this is coming out of themjelves to Chrifi ^ and that they cannot believe this too foon ; and that Chrifi hath Repented, Believed, and been Holy for them. .

XVIII. They diretlly fight againfi all mens SaU vation, by telling them , that they ought to do no Duty inward or outward^ as a means of their Salvation^ left it be againfi Chrift and Free Grace which faveth them. And that nothing that they do % can do them any goody nor any fin 9 pojfibly can do them any hurt, beeaufe they are already perfeft, and faved only by Chrifi.

XIX. They expofe Chriftianity to the fcorn of In-fidels y by telling men, that it confifteth in that which every novice in Logick^ or Reafoning, knoweth to be im-poffible ; that one mans Sins^ and one mans Righte-oufne/s, fhould be made anothers : * Not only fo far as that of hers partake of the Ejfefts ( Chrifi of our fins in fufferings, and we of the benefits of his Righ~ teoufnefs} which we all maintain j but that the thing it felf 9 is efjentially thus transferred : And fo the Accidents do tranfire a Subje&o in Subjeftum z And whereas Sin and Righteoufnefs, are Accidents in the three predicaments of Habit (or Privation) A&s 9 and Relation , they feign the Habits, Atts> md Relation, of odious deformity of all the Eleft*,

to

meaning of a Word, may deny the Word, I yet hold fa ft the matter fignifyed by it And he that fpeaketh the greateft Errour in Terms not underftood, may mean and hold the troth*

2. And Coniequences not difcerned, will not prove" a man to be a real Heretick, or one that holdeth not the truth, which by fuch confequen-ces he fubveneth : Therefore all Pacificators conclude, that Confequences are not to be charged too far, when not underftood.

Or^ho. ' Who h.oixcth mens minds but by their Words? What ever they be to God who fearcheth the hearty they are damnable Hereticks in foro EcCle-iiaftico*

Reconcil. I excufe not the Words which 1 have largely accufed : I would fave others from them, I confefs it is Words that the Church mult judge of, and judge by. But it muft be Words as fig-niiicant of the Matter, and of the Mind of the fpeaker. And therefore the Church muft try the* fpeakers meaning by informing and convincing queftionsand explications. I pray you tell me, when you are Catechizing your Parifliioners (young or old ) do you meet none that in ignorance fpeak words that fubvert the Foundation ? And yet when you better fearch their meaning, you may find that they mean better than they fpeak-I write againft ail their dangerous words, efpecially to fave others from being drawn by them to errour, and to Prevent the errour that the Church and Go-fpel may receive thereby.

Ortho. But if they defend them^ they are Here-ticks: For how elfe Jhall we know whether they deny not Fundamentals (

Recjicil I will tell you how ; Ask him firft, whether he believe the Fundamental Truth ? If he

fay,

fay, yea: Ask him whether if he knew that his Confequence contradicted or fubverted it, which of the two he would let go ? And by that, you may know which it is that he holdeth fafteft.

For Inftance, Ask fuch a one as Dr. Crifpe, whether he would hold that Chrift was really a (inner, and God made him fuch, and the Effence of all our fins were his, and none of ours, if he knew that this were inconfiftent with the perfection and Office of Chrift, and the truth of the Gofpel ? Ask him whether he would hold that the fin of the EleCt can= not poffibly do them any hurt ^ nor any Duty that they do, be any means or help to their Good or Salvation, if he knew that this were contrary to the Gofpel and Free Grace, and tended to mens damnation? Ask him whether he would hold that our inherent and aCted Righteoufhefs did not, make us fo far Righteous, and no whit furthered our Jufti-tication or Salvation, if he knew this were a contra-• didion, and againft Chrift ?

Ortho. By this Rule, we ftall judge none Here-ticks, but Infidels ; fvr who will exfrtjly renounce Chri* sii unity but they?

Reconcil. The Word Bcmicks, is varioully ufed as men are inclined : 1. Of all that are (tiffin any hurtful Errour,againft found DoCtrine \ and fo all or moft Chriftians are Hereticks. For all have many Errours, and all men are too itifTin their own conceits. 2. For thofe that confequentially fubvert Effentials.

uimejius is not lingular, who faith fin Caf. Confc.) that Theology is fo concatenated, that every Errour by confequence(near or remote)fubverteth theFoun-dation. 1 would except only Genealogies,ChroQolos gies,Topography, Grammar, & fome Prophecies &: Politiyes: But of meer morals it is not improbable.

E z 3- For

46 To "moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3.

3. For all that Schifmatically feparate from the Apoftolieal Churches and their Communion, and gather Seftsto themfclves, for the promoting of their Errors ; I provoke you to name to me any Text of Scripture, that callcth any by the reproved Name of Hereticks, that did not feparate from the Catholick Church? Though all Schifmaticks be not Hereticks (for fome caufe divifions in the Church,-and yet depart not from it): Yet all Hereticks in 'cripture-fence were Schifmaticks; for itfffrt; fignficth rot only the choofing of a new Bo&rine, but alio a new Separated Sedt and Church, for the promoting of it.

Ortho. Fbcfe Libertines are generally Scparatifts.

Reconcile You are hiftorically miflakcn: Dr. Cnfpc was a Conformift himfelf*, and fo have been many hundreds, who have held fome of the forementioned miftakes. Have you read Luther on the GaLithians ? And 'u£pinns, and Gallus^zxA Amh[dorphipis^ and Sthlujjelvergws, and abundance fuch Lutherans, who damn George Major for faying, That Good works are necellary to Salvation, and that maintained, that they were hurtful to Salvation (tho 7 no doubt they meant, that confidence in them was hurtful). JHave you read Jflebin^ that turned from Antmomiam[m to be a P apt Ft Bifhop,and helpt to redtifie Lmh:r\ Phrafe, by calling him to oppofe him ? Have you read Learned Beza himfelf, and many? and many fuch excellent men, both Calvinifts and Lutherans, of imputed Righteoufhefs, and againft Imputing Faith for Righteoufnefs, and of the definition of Faith ? Till Camera, Placeus i Amyraldasfiapelltts^c-fiardns^. Codurciu, BlondelyDalUnsr, Drelincottrt ftopt £hem \ and before them Melanchthon, Sneer, and after- C & guts, Qkvian r Vrfm r Parens^ Sculte-mis,

Wends-

Wendeline-y Ludovitus Crocius^ Conradus Bergius y Johannes Bergitts, Martinins , and filch Other great Divines flopt thorn in Germany y How many fpeak indefenfibly ? How many Bifhops and Confor-mifts in England^ have held, and written unjufti-fiable words about Jjuftification ? Was Dr. Tdly a Non conformift ? No, nor Mr. Rokrmoh, Mr. Wulkgr, and many fuch, before the Aflemblies times.

Though Dr. GeH, Mr. Thomdiks* and many fuch did ill, in inveighing againft imputed Right coup fiefs^ in undiftinguiihing wotds ; yet too many by a very ill fence and fort of it, gave them too much occafion; which put fo many Learned, Judicious Divines to explain it, of whom in 'England the chief were Ant. Wot ton^ Mr. William Br adjhaw 1 Mr. Tho. Gataker, Bifhop Davenant, Bifliop Rolen Abbot y Mr. William Fenner^ and other Zealous Converting Preachers i fuch as John Rogers, Tho. Hooker., Tbo, Shepbard, and tlie ffyco - England Churches againft Mrs. Hutcbmfon^xA Mr Wheeler, that by Mr. Weld published the Narrative <f the Antinomian Error* 9 and of the ftrange Monfters from' Mrs. Dyer i and Mrs. Thitehinjon^ and her death; and of late, Mr- Ben'yWoodbndge, Mr. Tho. fiotch^s, Mr. Tho. Warrcn y Mr. Graile, Mr. ■Jefop; but especially Mr. Truman, Mr. Gibbons of Black fryers, and Dr. Stillingfleet. It is not a thing unknown, that it was not only fuch as you call Separatifts, but many Bifnops and Confor-mifts, that in opposition to Popery, for want of diftinguifning, have fuch words about Imputation* as encouraged the Antinomians. Therefore you cannot take all as Hereticks in the Scripture-fence, who hold the fame Errors.

E 3 Or tho.

48 To moderate ftiens over-hot Chap. 3.

- Ortho. Then we fall not hn tl is>> if

men do not fegregatc thr,>ij/ives to propagate it,

Rtconcil. You may know what opinions are pernicious, ( or if you will Heretical) when you know not whether the man be a Heretick that owneth them: Ever, the Heretick Hereticating Papifts fay, there muft be ait obftinacy againlc lufficient Jight of evidence. 'And all tenati** oufnefs through prejudice, ignorance, or incapacity is not obftinacy. If your Schoiiar or Apprentice be feven years learning what you teach him, it may not by-that be proved obftinacy.

The word Hemul^ is ufed as pleafe the {pea-leer, in yarkius fences. iQ Some call all Here-ticks that obftinately oppofe any Opinion for truth) which the Church determiheth to be Believed. 2. Some call all Hereticks that gather any fegregate Church to maintain or propagate any Error. 3. Some call all Heretick~, who oppofe any Point eilentia?! to Chriftianity', though but ignoraatly by remote ton Sequence. 4.-Some call thofe Hereticks, who deny feme one eflential Article o£ Chriftianity, dire&ly and .knowingly, while they own the reft. 5. And fome,call none Her-eticks but thofe that joyn together* the defying of feme eflential Article dire&ly or by plain evidentr confequQn^, fchd'gathen>ifegregate Churches to propagate it? and do this obltinate-ly againft fufficient lights If you -will-life the Namz, tell men which oi Bhefe yc;i men

Ortho. Tftut encoursaz Hctefie 5 it [0

hard- to knorv a Htrtttt^'- May we not kwtv them by their Bourin: ?

RecoxcU. Yc ;:now what is Error, and

Heretical, when you know not the man to be an Heretick: do what you can juftly, to fave

men

men from their Error, without unjuft and uncharitable cenfuring of the perfons. To which end I remember you of the writing of worthy Dr. Fowler, that Holinefs is th?. defi^n of Chrijiianity : If then it prove that many of thefe that hold thefe bad opinions, are men of flncere Holinefs, then Chriftianity in them hath reached to itsdefig'n: Now I rind that the molt of them that I have known, Teem to me to be perfons of ferious Holinefs f notwithstanding their infirmities): They are Zealous .towards God; they greatly honour Chriffc ; they atfoid known Sin \ they live juftly and charitably towards men \ yea 3 it is the Piety and Strict-nefs of the lives of many of them, which hath drawn many well-meaning ignorant perfons to their Errors. Bunnian, an unlearned Antinomkn-Anabaptift, wrote againft the forefaid Book of Dr. Fowler \ yet f abating his reparation) I never heard that Bunnian was not an honeft Godly man. If then he attained the defign of Chriftianity, • was he not a Chriftian?

Ortho. Could he be Godly thjt /aid arid did fo much aaainft the Truths and Fo fftUvh to draw men to his Errors ?

Reconcil. There is no man without many Errors : And do- not all defire that others fhould take that for Truth* which they take to be Truth ? And how few be there Id the world, that embody not with fome Seft or Fa&ion, for the promoting of their Opinions ? And how few that do not over - vilifie and wrong thofe from whom they differ?

And Bannians laft preachings give me hope that he repented of his Errors,; for he Zealonfiy preached but the common acknowledged doftrine of ChriiPs readinefs to receive : and pardon converted finners. E 4 Ortho,

ftp To moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3.

Ortho. But unholy Dottrine will not make men tyoly, nor confift therewith,

Reconcil. 1. It is Holy Dodrine, pra&ically received, that maketh them Holy *, and that which is Unholy, is 'received but notionally, and fo pre-vaileth not againft the power of truth* No cloubt but falfe unholy Dodtrine greatly tendeth to un-holinefs of heart and life; Therefore let us all do our t?eft to cure it. But it is not the lhar-peft cenfures, nor the greateft fiercenefs, or fou-left words, or punilhments, that are the right or wifeft way of cure : But the cleareft explication of the Truth, and the moft loving and meek intruding oppofers, if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the Truth.

Ortho. I am fure General Councils^ and Heathens* Bilhops and Emperors alfo of'old\ were fevere againft Hereticks.

Reconcil. What will you fay> if I fully prove, that Hereticks themfelves, as* fuch 5 did not more, hurt to the Church, than the ftir and violence iiftd againft them that were accounted fiich, hath done, and flill doth? No, nor fo much hurt: But what need I more proof of this* than what Popery hath done thefe 800. or 900. years in the World ? Did Htreticks ever murder fo many .hundred thoufapds as thePapifts did of the WaU denfts, Bohemians , French ProteftantS) Dutch, Irttfu Engl ft, PoUnders, Hungarians, &c- by Wars, Mat facres, Inquifitions, &c.

Ortho. fhofe men were not Hereticks y but mcnfaljly accnf^d of Herefie : Why inftance yon in Papifc . Tyrants I

Reconcil. And who think you will be Judge who

fhall fuffer as Hereticks? Will it not bethofe that

' ' are

are uppermoft, and get greateft itrength ? And arc thofe ufually the wifeft : Who is the Judge, now in the Turks Dominions? and among CJiriftians? vyho is Judge in Mufcovy^ where Preaching is forbidden ?

Ortho. But it is the Clergy that is the Judge of Here fie.

Reconcil. And how fmall a part of the Earth is fo happy as to have the major part of the Clergy, wife, found, honeft and orthodox ? Whereas the Clergy fo powerful as in the Roman Kingdom ? And where more erroneous, or more cruel ?

Ortho, But you tmtft inflance in times of tht Churches Purity, and not in the time of A-iti thrift's Reign.

Reconcil. Few of us are agreed, when the time of the Church-Purity ended, from the Apoftles days ^ till the Fall of the Pagan Empire, there were great Numbers of Hereticks in the Church ; and no Sword was drawn, or deflved> againltthem, by the Churches: And yet all the Number of that time, mentioned by Epipbanius^ hurt not the Church, fo much as the Pride and Contention of the Clergy, even before Dwclefiavs Perfecution, if Eufebius may be believed, lib. 8. c. 1.

And for long time after, the Church abhorred the ufe of the Sword, or Violence, againft Hereticks : Or elfe Martin had not with fuch abhorrence,feparated from the Bifhops that were for the ufe of the Sword, againft the PrifcilUn Gnofticks.

And whereas Anftin is cited as the chief that changed his mind herein, his inftance is but one, and it is ufually abufed. 1. It being not againft Herefie, but Schifm, that he writeth: The Dona-tifts were Prelatical Zealots, that thought them-felves the greater Number, and fo called them-

felvcs

5^ To moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3.

felves the Church ; for being the fuppofed Majority in Africk^, and having the trueft Bifhop, as the Papifls and fome Preiatifts arrogate the Name of the Church on thofe Accounts: What Errour had they more than Cyprian, and all his pious Councils had, raving their Faftioufnefs for their own chofen Biihop.

2. And it was not this Shifm neither, that Au-ftin, was for Violence againft, but to reprefs Force with Force -, for the Donatifts ufed Murder and Violence.

But come to the Times and Councils that fup-preffed Hereticks with the greateft Zeal, I have nothing herein to fay againft the Council of Nice ^ though fome good men think that they had done better to tolerate the Eafter-Day different j yea, and to have done lefs to ftir up Difputes about fiDne feubftance i Bun do you think Nejlorius did more hurt, by faying, That Mary was not to be called, The Mother of God ; but, f The Mother of him who is God, 3 than was done by banifliing him? Who was fo far from being a Sedary, that he was the greateft Patriarch, and fo deadly an Enemy to the tolerating of men, called Hereticks, that he began with urging the Emperour to pro-fecute them-, and was juftly fo ufed for his Violence, as a Heretick himfeif: AnJ being banifh-ed, let up fo great a Party in Syria, and other Countries, to this day, called Nejtorians, as continue the abhorrence of the Council of Calcedon 2nd EpkcJliSy and the Church of Rome, and the great Divifions of the Chriflian Church , Would the tolerating of the accufed Phrafe have done fo much Hurt as this ?

And did the Bilhops and Councils, that condemned bis Adverfaries, Eituches and Dhfcrrns,

and

Chap. 3 Cevfaring of the Erroneo us. fw

and banifhed him that was the fecond Patriarch of the Eaft, do lefshurtto the Church, than it would have done, to have patiently inftrufled them in what fence Chrift's Nature remained Two* and to have granted, that in other fence and re-fpett, they might be called One, as agreeing and united ? When now the Entychian Jacobites, by Diofcorus Banifhment, fill the vaft Country of A* bafjia-j and many other Countries, in Divifions from other Churches, and Opposition to the Councft of Calcedon.

And did the Monothelites do fo much harm, by faying, thatChrift might be faid to have but-One Will dnd'Operation, (b? Concord, called One J as all the Councils and Bifiiops did, by their condemning and profecuting them, till the Imperial Churches were by it broken all to pieces ?

And did the three Words in the Writings of Theodora, Ibas and Theodore Moppufi, do fo much" hurt, as the Councils that condemned thefe Tria Capitida did, by woful Divifions ?

Or did they, that fufttman called CommkoU, do more hurt, than he did, by murdering thou-fands, and wafting *Aigypt, and other Countries, by his blind Zeal againft Hereticks ? Surely there is no Comparison in the hurt*

Epiphanuis himfelf rec'ordeth how much hurt He-reticating He&t did, againlt Andws and others called Hereticks: And Lucifer C dam amis was made a Heretick, for his inordinate Zeal againft the Adrians themfelves. And I think few now doubt, but the blind Zeal of Epiphanivs hlmfel^ and of Cyril Alexand; and the Council that condemned Chry-fojiom, as if he were not hot enough againft Origin, did a great deal more harm than good : And thac Aniens and PvGcltfc, by their Indulgence to the Jq~

anitts-

54 To moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3,

amus^ were fain to heal the Wounds that thofe mens Heats had made. And more than Socrates and Zoz-omene tell us, that the faid Attkus and Proclus did the Church more Service, agarnft the Nova-tians % by Gentlenefs and Liberty, than their Pre-cleceJIbrs ever did by their zealous Fiercenefs.

The Church hath fufFered much by Setts and He-refie, but, I think, much more by the ignorant Ty* ranical Attempts of fupprefling them, and of fuch as are falfiy accufed of them.

Ortho. But the Errours of former Times muft not fiop car Zeal againji Errowr % nor reconcile us to He-refit.

Rceoncil. But why do we not enquire how far, even the godly Orthodox-Minifters, in thefe times, alfo have been guilty of occafioning that which they jaftly reprehend ?

I have feldom obferved any Herefle or Errour to rife up, but what the Orthodox were a culpable Caufe of: The Chief Rife of Anabaytifty hath been by our mofl vile Abu e of Infant^Baptifm, 1 Receiving all Infants of Atheifis and Infidels. 2. And that, on an unproved Title, and on the perfidious Vows and Sponfions of God-fathers and God-mothers, that never owned them, nor intended to perform their Vows- 3. And forceing Minifters to b3ptife them againft their Judgments. 4. And worft of all, initead of caufing them at age, fo-Jemnly to renew their Chriftian Covenants, chea= ting thoufands of ignorant Souls, with a Ceremony, called, Confirmation.

So have the Scfaratifts rifen from the Corruptions of the Clergy and Church, and their wicked Lives, and Tyrannical Impositions and Perfections. And fo have thefe Antiwmans rifen, firft, From

the

Chap. J. Conjuring of the Erroneous. 55

the Papifis Falfe Dodtrines, about their Good Works \ and next, From many godly Protectants^ feldom, and unskilful opening the Myftery of Re* demption and Grace, and preaching almoft all for Humiliation,.and too little of the wonderful Love of God, revealed in Jejns Chrifi , till Dr. Sibbes and fuch others, led them into another ftrein: And, thirdly, by their unskilful Managing the Do* ftrine and Controverfies of Juitification; till the Bnme and French Divines abroad, and Da<vtna.nty jint. tVotton^ Rradjhaw, Gataker^ and fuch others at home, taught them to fpeak more diftin&ly and folidly, ( which Le Blancl^hath done above all before him.)

And they, that by Unskilfulnefs have occafion-ed other mens Extreams, ftiould not be over-rigo-rous agalnft them.

Enquire into the Temper and Lives of mofl: of this fort of men, among us of late, Qeven Dr- Crifpe t Lane after Town, Walter Cradok, Salt marfij 9 Den^ Hobfon-i and fuch other j and you will find, thac though they had their Temerities and Biemifties, they were in the main, Men, far from wicked and prophane Lives \ much more, Mr. Walker % Mr. Ro-borough^ Mr* Crandon^ Mr, Eyir, blind Mr. Troughs iar f Dr. Tally y and fuch other that came too near them,

I will now inftance more largely , in one, who, in the Fervour of his Zeal,Preach'd at P inners-HalL-Letture, and after printed a zealous ignorant Sermon, againft fuch of us, as judge not asconfufed-ly and erroneoufly as himfelf; when I had avoided Preaching on any fuch SubjeQ;, and Printing what I had long before written on it, left I fhouid revive the Strife •, and yet he is known to be a worthy vertuous Man,

y£ To moderate Mens over-hot Chap. 3.

I will give you yet another Proof x that fuch may be ferious godly Men, who Preach a Dottrine, quoad ferba^ Heretical or Anti-evangelical. The Renovation of an unfan&ified Soul, requireth a Change fo great, on ail our Faculties, .as mud turn a meer natural man into a fpiritual \ and give a man a new End, new Principles, and a new Heart and Life ; and this by Divine transforming Influence : But to cure one of thefe Erroneous Men, there needs not fo a great Renovation, but only the better informing of an ignorant mans Judgment, that was carryed away by Education, Prejudice, the Veneration of his chief Teachers, and the weaknefs of his own dull undiftinguifh-irig Mind -, yea, perhaps, the Cure of his Ignorance, in Grammar or Logick, in fome one word, .may make him Orthodox.'

. Could you but get out Prejudice and Ignorance, fo' far, as to teach thefe men but Two or Three Diftinitions, in all likelihood , it would cure them, E. G.

1. To diftinguifh between a Surety antecedent, and fubfequent.

2. To diftinguifh between the Righteoufnefs of Chrifl-j given Or imputed to us in Je it felf, (one mans Accidents made anothers ) and his Righteoufnefs given us in its Effects and Benefits, reputed the fole meritorious Caufe-

3. Between Justification by Efficiency, ( principal and inftrumental ) and juftifying us confti-tutively, ( as Matter and Form ) juftifying by Grant in Law, or by Evidence, or by Witnefs, or by an Advocate Defence, or by Judicial de-cifive Sentence, or executely; and thefe, as fup-pofing adtual or legal Accufations.

4. Between the Law or Covenant of Innocen-

cy

Chap. 3. Cenfuringof the Erroneous. ^y

cy with Adam ; the Mediatorial Law or Covenant to Chrift \ the Common Law of Grace, maie with Adam and Noah 9 the Covenant of Preculianity with Abraham-^ the Political Law of Mofcs to the Jews; and the Law or Covenant of Chrift, of Grace, of Faith, by which Chrift doth Govern, and will Judge his vifible Church. Get unftudied dull heads, but to underftand thefe four diftinftions, and you cure them without a new regeneration: And doth not this prove that they are Godly?

To inftance no more, but in the firffc ; an Antecedent Surety is either, 1. A party in the Bond ; 2. Or an Inftrument of the party Bound.

1. If two perfons be bound disjunctively (this or that J to a Duty or a Penalty, the bond is anfwered if either of them perform it- If the Law to Adam had either faid, thou, or Chrift for thee (halt perfectly Obey, (halt drefs the Garden, (halt take Eve for thy Wife; or that thou or Chrift: (hall fuffer for not doing it •, then Chrift's performance had antecedently freed us from Guilt and Punifhment.

2. Or if the Law had faid or meant, thou (halt Obey or Suffer by thy felf, or by thy fubftitute or per alium as a man may pay his debt by his Servant) or appear by his Attourney •, then Chrift's Righteoufnefs or Suffering would have proved us guiltlefs.

But a fubfeqwm Surety, who, after the guilt* doth voluntarily, as a Mediator, undertake the difcharge of the guilty, is no fir id or abfolute Reprefentative, but, as a Mediator, purchafeth the Captive, to receive his Grace on the terms, and to the ends, which by a Law or Covenant of Grace, the Mediator (hall appoint.

CHAP.

$<> Reasons againjt a Chap. 4.

C H A P. I V.

J\4j Reafjns againft a tedious netdhjs Confutatun.

$$&. 1. *Tp H E chief thing that I intended next JL to be done, that is, To Confute the Hundred Errors before named ^ I am, on further thoughts, difcouraged from performing: 1. Be-caufe, upon perufal, 1 find that I have already done it lb oft and largly in many Books unan-fvvered, that repetition is like to be difgracefully naufeous: 2. And they that will neither anfwer nor read what I have written 3+ years ago> or 20, are not like to read what 1 fhall write now.

In my Confeffionof Faith, Printed 1655. I have fo largely opened this Controverfy, about Jufti-ficationi Faith, and Works, in necefiary diftin&i-ons, and many fcore felf-evident Propofitions, and many fcore Arguments, and abundance of exprefs Texts of Scripture* and above an hundred Teitimonies of Proteitant Churches ConfeQlons, and eminent Divines, that I find very little needful to be added.: And why fhould I think they will read more that will not read that ?

In ray Apologies, I have Anfweredthem that have oppofed, and have had no reply.

In my Treatife of Juftlfication^ I have done it over again.

In my Catholic!^ Theology, I have thrice overdone the fame by Explication and Confutation diftinftly.

In my Treatife of Juftifying Right eon fnefs^ in a Difputation y and an Anfwer to Dr. Tally, and to Mr. Canwigbt, I have done the fame, perhaps top largly.

In my Methods Tbeologi& 9 I have opened the Cafe methodically and briefly.

In my Lift of Faitb^ I have clearly explained it: And muft I expect no Anfwer, and yet do all again ?

2. But my great diflfwafive is^ that it will fwell the Book to fo great a magnitude, that few will read it; fhould I cite all, or moil of the plain Texts of Scripture that confute therm how greac a part of the Bible muft I Tranfcribe ? Yet do-they lay Salvation on points that no one Text of Scripture mentioneth.

Sea. 2. 1. If t fhould cite all the Texts that prove that we are truly Sinners, though Chriffc hath been a Sacrifice for our fin, and that the -guilt of Fatt and Fault, on us, is not taken off" by Chrift's taking the penalty; but we are verily finners ftill \ How great a part of the Bible may \ recite to prove it ?

Sett. 3. 2. If I mult prove that Cjjirift is and was no finner, by true imputation of our fin, as to the guilt of Fatt or Fault, but only as a Sacrifice bear the Penalty; it would be a reproach to the Adverfarics, to need a Confutation of their Blafphemy, and all the Gofpel would confute them.

Selt. 4. # 3. Should I cite all the Texts tha£ prove us to need, and have an Inherent and Adt-ed Righteoufnefs by Grace, befides Chrilis Per-fonal Righteoufnefs Meriting for us, above fix hundred Texts of Scripture exprefly pove it* and how tedious and needlefs a work is this ?

Se&. 5. 4. Should 1 prove that All Righteoufnefs, fo far maketh Righteous; and that making Righteous, is a Juftifying, which goeth before Judging us Righteous v and that it is a putid con*

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tradition, to fay, that any Righteouftfefs doch not make Righteous, tntanpum^ School-boys would turn it into a derifion'of the oppofers.

Sett. 6. 5. Should I prove by Argiiment>thatno . Accident can by ye fame numerically in divers. Subverts, nor nan-fin a S/tbjecto in Subjettiim 5 and fo the Habit, Art,and Relation of Righteoufnefs in Chrift's Perion, cannot in it felf be our Habit, Aft, or Relation, unlefs our Perfons,and ChrilTs, be really the fame-, every novice in Logick, would be too much cccafionedjxunfult over the ignorant gain-fayer.

Seft. 7. 6. Should I prove,that to JuftifyEfficiently by making Righteous, and to Juftify Confti-tQtively (being our Righteoufnefs ) and. to Juftify by Plea, or by Witnefs,or by Evidence, and to Juftify in Eftimation or Account, and to Juftify by deciflve Sentence of a Judge, and to Juftify Executively, and to Juftify privately in Confcience, and to Juftify publickly before Rulers or the World, or niore publickly,at the Bar of God, are feveral fences, of the Word Jxfi;ficatton y and feveral forts ^ what man of fenfe would not pity the Confounder that denyeth it, and talk, as if the Word had but one fence ?

Sccb. 8. 7. Should I prove that by Imputing* Paul meaneth truly accounting a man Just that, is fo ; reckoning that to him which he hath, and "not feigning him to have what he hath not; even Dr. Crifpe harh fpared me that labour, venturing to fay, that the contrary fence of Imputing, maketh God a Lyar, or deceived. God never judged a mail Righteous, that was not firft made fo.

Sett. ^ 8. Should I prove, that by Works,?zu\ meaneth thofe that make not the Reward of Grace, but of Debt •, and James meaneth thofe that are She effects of Free Graw, and purely fubordinate

to

to Chrift, as commanded by him ; the exprefs Texts do make it needlefs.

Sell, io. 9. Should I prove, that Chriffc is our King, and Ruleth and Judgeth by his own Law, and hath not made us Lawlefs, and all Judgment or Rule is now committed to him 3 and that the very Law of Nature, is now his Law; and alfo the Law of Supernatural Revelation, called by iW, the Law of Chnjl^ the Law af Faith and of Grace •, and by James^the Law of Liberty ; the whole fcope of the Gcrfpel, faveth me that labour.

Sell. 11. 10. Should I prove, that Chritt in efe objeftivoj as the Objed of Faith, is the very fpecify-ing form of that Faith it felf-, and fo, that to be Juftified by the Objeft as fuch, and not by jtbac Faith it felf, is a notorious putid Contradidion; or fhould I fland to prove that Faith it felf, is faid by Paul? to be Imputed for Righteouirefs in meer fubordination to the meritorious Sacrifice and Righteoufnefs of Chrift, and in conjunction with Free Pardon and Adoption purchafed by Chrift \ how needlefs a work is this made by the Text ?

Sett. ix. 11. Should I ftand to prove,that Elect Infidels* Atheifts, or wicked Men are not Juftified* while fuch ( fave as God maketh them Juft by Con-verfion & Pardon) all the Scripture tell us, it is ne«d-tefs, and that Eternal Ele&ing to Juftification, is not: Juftifyingv nor yet Chrifts dying for us, till He btgww to us y as well as for hs.

Sell, 13. 12. Should I ftand to prove, that men fell be judged according to their Works, and that God is the Rewarder of them that diligently feek: him i and that Chrift hath frequently promifed Rewards, and that the fame Salvation, which, as to Vdnt % is no Debt 7 bttt meerly a Free Gift of Grace tbrougfr Ghnftiikjctv^f W the Qrder of Conveyance^

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given on Condition as a Reward, that Fatherly Love may attain its ends by Sciential means, and not only by Povrer ^ Mrs ally producing Moral Ejfctts^ in conjunction with Lbve and Power \ and thus, that the pardoning and faving Aftsof the Covenant, impofe Conditions, as receptive qualifications, which yet are all the Effefts of Grace, the whole Scripture rnak'eth this a needlefs task,

Sett. 14. 13. Should I prove the diftin&nefs; r. Of the Law and Covenant of Innocency. 2. And of the Law and Covenant of Mediation. And, 3> Of the Mediators Law and Covenant of Grace impofed on us, and fealed in Sacraments; And that the fame is both a Law and Covenant, and that the Covenant of Grace, is the Inftrumental Gift of Pardon and Jollification •> How much of the Bible mufi: I transcribe ?

Sttt. 15. The like I may fay, of mod of the reft, which I doubt, I have been too large in proving in all the fix, or feven, or eight Books before named. I thought alfo, to have diftin&ly anfwered th Printed Pinners-Hall Le&ure, but he that can no, find it more than fully anfwered, in the forefaid Books, either never read them, or Anfwers tofuch a man* will be vain.

And I am forry, that the fame hand in another Lefture, elfewhere publifheth,that C" That any are * c brought to believe tn Jefus, is as great a Miracle, as cC the Refurrettion of Chrift from the dead} p. 223. " And after £ There is not a greater Inflame of <c the Tower of God in the whole World, than this-, in ** -bringing over the heart of a /inner to believe in " Chnft.]

If grieveth my Soul to think what Scandals are thus given by good Men to Papifts, Infidels and fre-pidketi Smners, and what work they will make

with

with it. No doubt but Faith is a great and difficult Work, and wrought by Almighty Power: For God hath no. other Powqr, but: Omnipoten^: omnis Dei Votkntia eft OmnifGuntia, quia -Infinita. Gods Power is his Efience: But the Inflates and Demonftrations of it, are as various as the Effe&s. Your Finger or Tongue, moveth not, but by Qna-nipotency : But every Motion or Fly, Is not as great an Inftance or Demonftration of Power, as Faith is. Nor Faith fo great an Inftance as the making of Angels, Men, Heaven and Earth, Sun, Moon, and Stars, their Natures, Motion and Order : Divines have hitherto taught, that Power is eminently manifefted in Creation and Natural Pre-fervation, tho' with Wifdom and Love •, and Wifdom Eminently manifefted in Government, and Love in Glorifying Ctho' they were conjunct in each) Man cannot work Miracles, and that fo great. And 1 do not believe that God damneth all unbelievers, as for want of an Ad as great as the motion of the Sun, or making the World.

And if it be a Miracle, and as great a one as Chrift's Refurre&ion, How can any believer doubt at all ? Why was Chrift's Refurreftion Preached by the Apoftles, fo much as the Proof of the Truth of Ghriftianity,and not the Faith of every be* liever ? Then we need hob go far to prove the Chri-ftian Verity: Every poor Boy or Woman that be-lieveth, hath the fullcft Proof, and as great and miraculous as Chrift's Refurreftion. Why fend ,we not Infidels and Doubters to this Miracle, which ft about them in all age^ in thoufands; Over-doing is undoing.

And yet no doubt, the Author faith truly, that Faith in Chrift is fo hard a Work, that he that never found it hard, hath none ( or hath it but in the feed,

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and yet unrooted, or untryed. But alas! Infidels find:it too hard to them.

To conclude, Inftead of the larger part of the Proof or Confutations which I intended ; 1. 1 (hall with this, Annex a brief Treatife,. refolding a multitude of Gontroverfies about Julftfication, which I hayfelaid by, about Fifteen Years.

2. *I refer you to the forefaid former perform forrnance of it.

3. Were I not difabled by Pain, and the ap* proa'chesof Death, I would be ready to Anfwer any fober, rational Obje&or.

5r#. i. X i\ /Hereas divers fay, they were drawn V V in to prefix their Names to this Drs. Book, becaufe they were told 3 that the Er-rours were expunged : Upon peruial, I find than it is ho fuch matter ; but in Vol. 3. Ser, 3,4. &c„ the Author rather more frequently inculcateth the WOrft of them, v f iz+. V %k4t fin cannot hurt any that are Elett^ or that Christ dyed for, 3 And that Dp I. Joh. h is a powerful means to keep them from finning^ to believe that if they fin f it ev them no hurt. J

Sett. 2. The Text, drew him to ufe the Name of finning. £ / write to you, that you fin not. 3 But did not the Contradidion of it to his Do-ftrihe convince him, /while, he read the Text a-gainfl; iinning ; judge whether he took cot the thing to be impoffible ? He faith, Tho' fuch do Murder, commit Adultery, Blafphemy, Idolatry, or any fuch thing, they are no Murderers, Adulterers, &c. or Sinners \ becaufe it is Chnlt's fin, and not theirs, and cannot be his and theirs 500,-, fo that-they may live in the Ad, but cannot\fin>

Object. But it was their fin once^ before it was Chrifis fin?

Anfw. No -, He faith, that it wasChrift's fin, if not from Eternity, at leaft above Sixteen Hundred Years before we were born. And he that had

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no being, could have no fin: And Gods foreknowledge of future fin, maketh not (in : Nay, he could not fore-know, that which would never be*, fo that indeed, Chrift could not take our fin' as his, which was not ours, nor ever would be $t ail: And if he had, yet I hope they will noc fay, that now in Heaven he is the greateft fin-ner. And-fo, there neither was, nor is, any fin in us or Chrift.

Scot. 3. But as he repeateth this Errour,I will repeat my Lamentations and Warning to this tempted SeH . Hear it as SmuUtoris Tubam? the Watch-mans Trumpet, that would deliver, if it may be, more than his own Soul.

1. Is it poflible, that that which is evil, and the greateft evil It felf, can be in hs 7 and done by hs^ and do us no hurt ?

2. Can that do no hurt to the Eleft-, that mab eth fuch calamitous Confufions in the World ? What, that which filleth the Earth with the dark-nefs of Ignorance, Idolatry .Infidelity, bloody Wars, Perfections, Torments, Flames, Famine, Malignity, and yet do no hurt to any that are Eleft, no, not while they are fuch themfelves ?

3. JDid jWcall himfelf mad againft the Saints, unworthy to be called an Apoftle, a wretched man, for that which did him no hurt ?

4. Did David write all the lamenting Words of Pfal. 51. and many others ^ and Aftph % Pfal. 77, &c. for that which did them no hurt?

5. Did God pronounce all the Curfes, Lev. 26. and Dent. 27. eK againft that fin that will not hurt the Eleft that then lived ?

6. Are the recitals of the Jews fins and punifh-ments, pfal. 78. and 105,106. &c. of things that cannot hurt the Eleft?

7- Did

?. Did God fend the Jews into Captivity tq Babylon for iins that do the Eleft no hurt; even for penitent Manaflhs** fins ?

8. Are all God's threatnings in the whole Scripture, even fuch as Chrift's Words, ~Job. 15. Heb. 6. Heb.iO- and Rev. 2, and 3- againft things that are fo h3rmlefs ? Muft we ferveGod acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear, becaufe he is a confuming Fire ; and becaufe it is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God, if no fin can pop-fibly do us any hurt ?

9. Doth not this opinion contradift every Article of the Creed, every Petition in the Lords Prayer, and every one of the Ten Commandements ?

10. If it be no hurt to be tormented with pof-felfions of the Devil, to be Lunatick, Blind, Lame, Dumb, Toxn^&c. Why is Chrift fo Praifed for healing fuch, and why appealeth he to his Works againft unbelievers ?

11. If it be no hurt to be mad, what is Bedlam good for? Or to be tormented with Stone, Col* Ucfa Convulfion, or any Difeafe; why will thefe Phanaticks fe?k to Phyficians, ufe Medicines, and groan in Pain ? Poflidcnius would confute his Tongue by a fower-face or a groan; when he faid, O Pain^ thoH \halt not make me confefs that thou arf (malum ) ill, or bad.

12. Why do we not take up with the three firft Petitions in the Lords Prayer, if our own In-terefl be not next to be regarded and prayed for ?

13. Why pray we for our daily Bread, if there be no hurt to want it -, or for the pardon of fin, if punifhment be impoflible, or hurt not i or a-gainft temptations and the evil one, and evil things, if they be no fuch ?

14. Should

14. Should none pray .but Reprobates, if others tavc no hurt to deprecate ?

15. Why fhould we companionate the poor, or lick, if fin do no hurt to them ?

16. Why do men Plow and Sow, and Labour, and Eat, if Famine hurt not, and Labour do no gopd, becaufe Chrift hath done all ?

'17. Why do Minifters Preach fo much againft fin, if it can do no hurt?

18. What is it that we are to repent of, if fin do no hurt ?

19- Why muft fafting, and watchfulnefs, and refilling temptations be ufed againft Luft> and o-ther fin, if it can do no hurt ?

20, What is Baptifm, the Lords Supper, Con-felfion, and-Abfolution then for ?

21. Why 'then fhould we exhort each other 3aily, left any be hardened by this deceitfulnefs of fin?

( 22. Why is he called Leaft, in the Kingdom pf God, who breaketh the .leaft. Commandemexit, and teacheth men fo"?

; 23. Why is the Education of Children fb great a Duty, and he that fpareth the Rod, hateth his Child, if fin will do them no hurt ?

24. What is God's Governing Juftice good for, in punifhing fin, if it hurt not ?

25. Why muft Rulers be Juft, and a Terrour to them that do evil, if fin do no hurt ?

26. How can that hurt any other Eleft Person , that hurteth not the finner himfelf ?

27. Why is it worfe to be call into the Sea with a Miil-ftone, for fcandalizing the leaft, if than fcandal cannot hurt them ?

28. Why do Libertines' labour to efcape Pri-fons, Banifhments, Fines, or Hanging for fin, if it •can do them no hurt? 29. Why

1 19. Why is man's nature afraid of Devils, and the Serpents feed* if they cannot hurt us ?

30. Why hurt we others by Self-defence, and War, if nothing can hurt us ?

31. Why hath God put fwr into our ? Nature, if nothing can hurt us?

32. Was it no hurt to the Eled to-be-"Jong the Devil's Servants, and to have our Converfi-on fo long delayed, as with many it is f.

33- Is lin worfe than fufFering, if it can do no hurt ?

34. Is it no hurt to live and dye in terrible fear of Gods difpleafure, and in doubts of our everlafting ftate ?

35. Is it no hurt to have Faith, Lpve, De-fire, and Joy, weak, and to have ftill the remnants of unbelief, and other fuch like fins ?

36. Is it no hurt to lofe fome degrees of Love and Holinefs, which we have had?

37. Is it no hurt accordingly to have the lefe of Glory in Heaven ?

38. Why are thefe men for Separation and Church-Difcipline, if lin do no hurt ?

39. Why pray they for Reformation, and Church-profperity, and the Thoufand Years Glo-rious State, if fin be fo harmlefs a thing?

40. If all that Chrift Merited, be really the Elefts, immediately on his purchafe, are not ail the Eleft in Heaven already; yea, before they had any being j whence then is all the grofs Ignorance and JErrour, and blind Defence of Satans falfehoods, under the Name of Chrift and Truth? Why cenfure they Conformifls and others that differ from them ? If all that Chrift hath, be already ours, and we are as perfed as he, what can Duty, or more Grace,)! or Heaven, add

to

JO Afyfl-fcript

to us? And why would they have men read their Books, to do no good, and avoid no evil ? Is it to make up any iraperfeftion in the Obedience or Righteoufnefs of Chrift ?

41. Did Chrift redeem us from under his own Government, and the Law of Grace ? Are we not under the Law fof Chrift and Faith, and Liberty! to Chrift? Or is there any tranfgreffion, if no Law ? Or is it Law that we ftiall not be Ruled and Judged by ?

42. Is it no greater Mercy and Grace, to make us like our Saviour in Holinefs, and Gods Image, and the Divine Nature, than not ? Are Chrift's Graces his difhonour ?

43. Is it not a vile abufe of his Grace, to contemn it, becaufe it is our own ? And to take Righteoufnefs to Hand againfi Free Grace, if it be but our own ? And to pervert Pauls Words, that accounted as dung his own Righteoufnefs^ which he fets in competition or oppofition to Chrift, calling it that Righteoufnefs which was of (Mofcs) Law § when at the fame Word, he fets againft it a Righteoufnefs alfo made his own, which is by the Faith of Chrift. Could Chrifts Righteoufnefs Ju-ftify us, if it were not in fome kind of Caufaii-ty ( meritorious, material, or formal J made our own : Can an Accident of another Subject be an Accident of us ? And will not diftinft perfona-lity continue to Men* as well as to Angels for ever ? We abhor the thoughts of any Righteoufnefs that is of our own poflefling or working, other-*wfe than as given and Wrought in us, by the Merits of Chrift, and the Free Gift of undeferved Grace; or any that muft not by the fame Divine Power and Grace be continued. And all that pretendeth to the lcaft part of the Office or Performance

a rojt-jcnpt. yj

formance of Chrift ; but only what he freely giveth, and which advanceth the Honour of his Merits and Love, and tendeth to PJ ea f e and Glorify God, and- atcain the defigned End of Re^' deroption and Salvation* -

A5^r^fc^ an prefixed.tothe Book, I leave tt to them/elves, u fptak their

the Words tfrttft, as they are written (and* deed inculcated) to overthrow Chrifiiamtv\„d Hu mamty And I doubt not, but fome of tie refi JL of the fame mind, and had not read the Book or the Preface, fo as to know what was in them '

FINIS.

Three BOOKS Lately

Publifned by Mr. BAXTER, and Printed for Tbo. (parkhurfl.

i. "CNglilh Non-Conformity, ay under ■L King CHARLES the Second; Truly Stated and Argued.

z. Knowledge and Love.

3. Cain and Abel.

THE Vanity of Continuing Ceremonies is the Worfhip of GOD; by a Minifierof the Church of England.

An Healing Attempt; Confcience Satisfied in Submitting Obedience to King WILLIAM and Queen. MARY.

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