Aphorisms of Justification, Answer · Answer 10,11
To the tenth and eleventh Objections.
YOur 10. and 11. objections you raise upon my exceptions against the book, called, The Marrow of Modern Divinity: And first you mention the Doctrine, and then the Book.
1. You think, that Do this and live is the voice of the Law of works only, and not of the Law or Covenant of Grace, and that we may not make the obtaining of life & salvation the end of duty, but must obey in meer love, and from thankfulnesse for the life we have received.
To all which I answer. 1. By way of explication; and 2. of probation of my assertions.
1. Do this and live, in severall senses, is the language of both Law and Gospel. 1. When the Law speaketh it, the sense is this; If thou perfectly keep the Laws that I have given thee or shall give thee, so long thou shalt continue this life in the earthly Paradise which I have given thee: But if once thou sinne, thou shalt dye.
2. When the Gospel speaketh it, the sense is thus: Though thou hast incurred the penalty of the Law by thy sinne, yet Christ hath made satisfaction: Do but accept him for Lord and Saviour, and renouncing all other, deliver up thy self unreservedly to him, and love him above all, and obey him sincerely, both in doing and suffering, and overcome & persevere herein to the end; and thou shalt be justified from all that the Law can accuse of, and restored to the favour and blessings which thou hast lost, and to a farre greater.
Thus the Gospel saith, Do this and live. That the Gospel commandeth all this, I know you will not question; and that this is doing, you must needs acknowledge. But all the question is, whether we may do it that we may live? I have fully explained to you in this Treatise already in what sense our doing is required, and to what ends: viz. not to be any part of a legall Righteousnesse nor any part of satisfaction for our unrighteousnesse; but to be our Gospel righteousnesse, or the condition of our participation in Christ, who is our legall Righteousnesse, and so of all the benefits that come with him,
In these severall respects and senses following the Gospel commandeth us to act for life.
1. A wicked man, or unbeliever, may, and must hear the Word, pray, enquire of others, &c. that so he may obtain the first life of grace and faith. This I now prove, Isa. 55. 3. 6, 7. Ionas 3. 8, 9. 10. Pro. 1. 23, 24. 25. Amos 5. 4. Act. 2. 37. Isa. 1. 16. Mat. 11. 15. & 13. 43. Luk. 16. 29. 31. Ioh. 5. 25. Act. 10. 1, 2. 22. 23. Rom. 10. 13. 14, 1 Tim. 4. 16. Heb. 3, 7. Rev. 3, 20.
Yet do not I affirm. that God never preventeth mens endeavours; he is sometime found of them that sought him not. Nor do I say, that God hath promised the life of Grace to the endeavours of nature; But their duty is to seek life; and half promises, and many encouragements God hath given them; such as that in Joel▪ 2. 12, 13, 14. who knoweth but God will, &c, So Zeph. 2. 3. Exod. 32. 30. And that in Act. 8. 7. 2. Pray therefore if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
2. That a man may act for the increase of this spirituall life when he hath it, methinks you should not doubt if you do see, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. & 1. 22. & 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8. & 3. 18. And the Parable of the Talents Mat. 25, 26, 27. 28. 30.
3. That we may and must act for the life of Reconciliation, and Iustification, and Adoption, is beyond dispute: How oft doth Scripture call on men, to Repent, to Believe, to Pray, to forgive others, and to reform, that their sinnes may be forgiven them? I have quoted the Scriptures before, when I opened the conditions of justification, Isa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Isa. 55. 6, 7. Act. 8. 22. Iam. 5. 15. And we are still said to be justified by faith, which is an act of ours.
4. That we may act for to obtain assurance both of our justification and sanctification is undeniable, 2 Pet. 1. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 5. &c,
5. That we may act for eternall life and salvation; methinks, he that beareth the face of a Christian, should not deny: and that both for, 1. Title to it, 2. Assurance of our enjoying it: & 3. for possession it self. I shall but quote the Scriptures for brevity sake, desiring you to read them, and save me the labour of transcribing them, Rev. 22, 14. Iohn 5. 39, 40. Mat. 11. 12. and 7. 13. Luke 13. 24. Phil. 2. 17. Rom. 2. 7, 10. 1 Cor. 9. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 5, 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12, 18, 19. Phil. 3. 14, Mat. 25. 1 Cor. 15. last. 2 Cor. 4. 17. and 5. 10, 11. 2 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Luke 11. 28. Heb. 4. 1. Luke 12. 5. 1 Cor. 9. 17. These last places shew, that the escaping hell, and damnation, is a necessary end of our actings and duties, as well as the obtaining of heaven.
If when you have read and weighed these Scriptures, you be not convinced, that we may act or do for life and salvation, (and so that Do this and live is in some sense the language of the Gospell) I shall question, whether you make the Scripture the Rule of your faith, or be not rather one of them that can force upon themselves a faith of one or others making.
Object, But it is not the most excellent and Gospel-like frame of spirit, to do all out of meer love to God, and from Thankfulnesse for life obtained by Christ, and given us.
Answ. 1. If it come not from love to God, it is not sincere.
2. Yet doth not the Gospell any where set our love to God, and to our own souls, in opposition; nor teach us to love God, and not our selves: but contrarily joineth them both together, and commandeth us both, The love of our selves, and desire of our preservation, would never have been planted so deeply in our natures by the God of nature, if it had been unlawfull.
I conclude therefore, that to love God, and not our selves, and so to do all without respect to our own good, is no Gospell frame of spirit.
2. Thankfulnesse for what we have received, either in possession, title, or promise, must be a singular spur to put us on duty. But I pray you tell me, Have you received all the life and mercy you do expect? Are you in Heaven already? Have you all the grace that you need or desire in degree? If not, why may you not labour for that you have not, as well as be thankfull for that you have? Or have you as full a certainty of it hereafter, as you do desire? If not, why may you not labour for it.
ANd to shew you the vanity, and intolerable, damnable wickednesse of this doctrine, let me put to you a few more considerations.
1. Do you think you may act for your naturall life, to preserve it, or recover and repair any decayings in it? if not, why will you labour, and eat, and drink, and sleep? why will you seek to the Physician when you are sick? Do you all this in meer love, or thankfulnesse, or from obedience which hath no further end? Or if you do, why may you not do as much for your soul, as for your body? Is it lesse worth, or doth not God require it, or will he not give you leave? Hath not Christ redeemed your body also? and is it not his purchase, and charge, and work to provide for it? And yet you know well enough, that this excuseth not you from your duty; and why then should it excuse you from using means for your soul?
2. Nay, hath not God put you upon farre more for your soul, then for your body? For this life, he hath bid you be carefull for nothing; cast all your care on him, for he careth for you; Care not for to morrow: Why are ye carefull O ye of little faith? Labour not for the food that perisheth: Lay not up for your selves a treasure on earth, &c. But hath he said so concerning the life of your souls in immortallity, Care not, labour not, lay not up a treasure in heaven? Or rather hath he not commanded you the clean contrary, to care, to fear, to labour, to strive, to fight, to run, and this withall your might and strength? And yet do you think you may not act or work for life and salvation?
3. I pray you tell me, Do you ever use to pray or no? Do you think it necessary or lawfull to pray (pardon me for putting such grosse interrogatories to you; for the main question which you raise, is farre more grosse:) If you do pray, what do you pray for? Is it onelyonly for your body, or also for your soul? And is not earnest praying for life, pardon, and salvation, some proper kind of doing? it may be you will say, you pray onelyonly for Gods glory, and for the Church: But hath not God as much care of his Church and his glory, as of your soul? or may you pray for other mens souls, and not your own, when you are bound to love them but as your self? Sure, if you may not make the obtaining of life, the end of your labour and dutie, you may not make it the end of your Prayers, which are part of your labour and dutie.
And indeed according to the opinion which I oppose, it must needs follow, that Petition is to be laid aside, and no part of prayer lawfull, but praise and thanksgiving.
4. Do you not forget to make a difference betwixt earth and Heaven? I assure you, if you do, it will prove a foul mistake; if you once begin to think you are in Heaven, and as you would be, and all the work is done, and you have nothing to do but return thanks, you shall ere long, I warrant you, be convinced roundly of your errour. And I pray you, what do you lesse by this opinion, then say, Soul, take thy rest, I am well, I have enough: For if you must not labour for life, and salvation, but onelyonly in thankfulnesse obey him that hath saved you: What is this, but the work of Heaven? Indeed there, and onelyonly there we shall have nothing to do, but to love, and joy, and, praise, and be thankfull.
5. Methinks, if you do but consider what Heaven and Hell, reward and the punishment are, you should easily come to your self and the truth. Heaven and reward is nothing else but the enjoyment of God eternally in perfection: Hell or the punishment is most in the losse of this enjoyment, and the self-tormentings that will eternally follow the consideration thereof, and of the folly that procured it.
Now is it such a legall slavish mercenary thing for a Christian to seek after the fruition of God? Or to be carefull that he may not be everlastingly deprived of it? is it possible that any sober considering man can think so?
6, Do you not think that you may and must seek after the enjoyment of God in those beginnings and fore-tasts which are here to be expected? May not that be the end of your duties, care, fear, labour, watchfulnesse? May you not groan after him, and enquire, and turn the stream of your endeavours this way? And may you not be jealous, and carefull, and watchfull, lest you should loose what of God you do enjoy; and lest any strangenesse or displeasure should arise? I dare not question, but that this is the very businesse which you mind, and the usuall frame of your spirit.
And is it possible, that you can think it our duty, to seek the fore-tasts, and the first fruits of Heaven, and yet think it unlawfull to labour for the full everlasting possession? How can these hang together.
7, Consider seriously, I pray you, to what end God implanted such affections and powers in your soul. Why did he create in you a power and propensity to intend the ultimate end in all your endeavours, to value that end, to love it▪ desire it, study and care how to obtain it; to fear the losse of it, and to loath all that resisteth your fruition, to seek and labour after its enjoyment? Why is the love of our selves, and desire of our preservation so naturall? Surely it is lawfull for you to care and desire, and labour for God in Heaven, or for nothing: And its our duty to fear the losse of this, or to fear no evill at all: and I can hardly think that God would create such powers in the soul which should be utterly uselesse. Then let us no more cry down the abuse of our affections and powers, but the use of them; and so turn worse then Stoicks: this is such a making God the Author of sin, as few men durst ever before be guilty of. And certainly, if the escaping of Hell and the obtaining of Heaven may not be the end and work of all these affections, then much lesse may any inferiour thing.
8. Nay, consider whether you do not make the soul and life of man to be uselesse as to the obtaining of any future happinesse: And so you take down the blessed order which God hath established in nature by Creation, and maintained in the constant course of providence; and this you undeniably do in taking down from us the ultimate end: Take down that, and all inferiour ends are nothing, and all meanes do lose their nature, and become uselesse: and so the soul of the most gracious man shall be no fitter to attain and prosecute its end, and do no more thereto then a beast or a stone; This consequence is undeniable.
9. Nay, consider whether you do not make all the graces of the Spirit (except love, joy, and thankfulnesse) to be almost vain, and the blessed supernaturall work of the spirit upon us, to be a uselesse labour? doth not God onelyonly create in nature, but also new create by grace in us such things as Desire, Care, Fear, Zeal, Courage, Diligence, Watchfulnesse, &c. and may we not use them? Surely, if we may not use them for Heaven, then for nothing. And I cannot believe that God will at so dear a rate plant in us a heavenly nature, and these heavenly Graces, and then make it our sinne to use them for Heaven, and that while we are here in the way where we have such need of them.
10. But especially, I would have you throughly consider to what end God did fill his word so with Precepts, Prohibitions. Promises conditionall▪ and Threats? Doth not almost all the Scripture for the doctrinall part consist of these? And are not Precepts to put us on to dutie? And hath not every duty its end even for our selves? And can it be any other then the obtaining of the fruition of God in Heaven? so what end have the prohibition else? And what are the conditionall promises for, but to stirre us up to believe and to performe the conditions, that so we may enjoy the promised good? And why are the Threatnings but with the fear of the evill threatned to deterre us from the sinne, and to the dutie? What think you is the reason that God doth so commonly Promise Heaven, and threaten Hell, if it be unlawfull for us to labour for Heaven, and to escape Hell? Do you not hereby insinuate an accusation of vanity at least against God and his Lawes? Nay, the very essence of the Covenants doth consist in all these parts conjunct: And will you also overthrow the very essentiall parts of the Law or Covenant, by making it unlawfull for us to admit their proper use? To quote the particular places for this, would be needlesse and endlesse.
11 Methinks you should be so farre from questioning the lawfulnesse of labouring for Heaven, that you should rather think you have almost nothing else to labour for. Gods glory and your salvation, not disjunct, but conjunct, are all the businesse you have to look after: What do you live for? Why have you all the mercies of your life? Is it onelyonly that you may be thankfull for life and merciemercy? Or that you might also improve them to some further advantage? I hope (for all your question) that you make it the greatest labour of your life to seek for assurance and obtainment of your eternall happinesse in God.
12. And once more let me intreat you to consider, whether there be any hope of that mans salvation, who shall reduce this your doctrine into his practise? I abhorre censoriousnesse, but I desire it may be considered, because it is a matter of such unspeakable importance: For surely, if this Doctrine practised will not stand with salvation, it is time for you and all men to abhorre it: And indeed, this is it that maketh me say so much against it, because it hath a holy pretence, and is very plausible to the inconsiderate, but yet is no better then damnable if it be practised: I say, if practised, because the opinion as such is not so; for I believe many a godly man doth erre as foully as this. But it is possible for a man by reading and argument, to be drawn to entertain some opinions in his brain, (not onelyonly consequently, but) directly contrary to the practice of his heart and life, and yet himself to continue that practice: Even as a wicked man may entertain those truths into his brain in speculation, which directly to contradict his continued practice. Now it being the practice here that is of absolute necessity to salvation, and not the opinion, I doubt not but such that erre onelyonly in this opinion, not reducing it into practice, may be saved.
But if practised, I cannot see but it will certainly damne.
For search the Scriptures impartially and consider, whether seeking Heaven be not necessarie to the obtaining of it? And whether those that seek not, and labour not for it, be not shut out? View over the places which I quoted you before, and then judge. Must not all that will have life, come to Christ, that they may have it? Iohn 5. 39, 40, And must not they strive to enter in at the straight gate, and lay violent hands on the Kingdome of Heaven? And lay up for themselves a treasure in heaven, and seek the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse in the first place, Matth. 6. 33. And presse on that we may attain the Resurrection, Philip. 3. 14. And lay up a good foundation against the time to come, doing good works, and lay hold on eternall life, 1 Timoth. 6. 12, 18, 19. And work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. And do his commandments, that we may have right to the Tree of Life, and enter in by the gates into the City, Rev. 22. 14. And make friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that they may receive us into everlasting habitations; See also Rev. 2. 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19. 23. 26, 27, 28, 29. and 3. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22. See also Mat. 18. 8, 9. Iohn 5. 29. Act, 2. 28, 1 Tim. 4 8. Iam. 1, 12. 1 Pet. 3. 10. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Mat. 5. 12. & 6. 1. & 19. 21. Luk. 10. 20. Phil. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 9. Heb. 2. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 10. 1 Thes. 5. 8, 9. Act. 16. 17.
Yea, we are commanded to fear him that is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell: even under that consideration to fear him, Luke 12. 5. And to fear, lest a promise being left us of entring into rest, we should come short of it, Heb. 4. 1. And what is that but to fear the losse of Heaven, or to fear Hell? Prov. 15. 24. Mar. 3. 29, & 16. 16. Mat. 5. 25. Rom. 11. 21, 44. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Heb. 12. 15, 16, Iames 5. 9, 12.
But I must stop; for if I should quote all Scriptures that prove this, I should transcribe a great part of the Bible.
Consider then, if even many that seek to enter shall not be able, whether they are like to enter that never seek? And if the righteous be scarcely saved, what shall become of them that thought it unlawfull to labour for salvation?
13. Lastlie, how is it that you do not see, that by this Doctrine you condemne not all the Saints onelie, but even the Lord himself? Did not Paul therefore keep under his bodie, and bring it into subjection, lest when he had preached to others, himself should be a cast-away? 1 Cor. 9. 27. what can be plainer? Did not Abraham obey because he looked for a Citie which had foundations? Heb. 11. 10. And Moses, because he had respect to the recompence of Reward? 26. And all that cloud of witnesses obey and suffer, that they might attain a better Resurrection? 35. and did they not seek a better Countrey that is, an heavenlie; and therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a City, ver. 16. Do not all that confesse themselves strangers on earth, plainlie declare that they seek another Countrie? ver. 13, 14. Whosoever therefore shall hereafter tell you, that you must not do good to attain salvation or escape damnation▪ as being too mercenarie and slavish for a Sonne of God; abhorre his Doctrine, though he were an Angel from heaven: And if this satisfie you not, look to Jesus the Authour and Finisher of your Faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Crosse, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God; Heb. 12. 12. Rom. 14, 9. And as Adam fell to be liker the Devil when he needs would be as God: so take heed whither you are falling when you will be better then Jesus Christ.
And do I after all this need to answer the Common objections, that it is mercenarie and slavish, to labour for salvation? Must I be put to prove that the Apostles and Christ himself were not mercenarie slaves? or that Gods Word hath not prescribed us a slavish task? Indeed if we did all for a reward distant from God, and for that alone, without any conjunction of Filiall love, and expected this Reward for the worth of our work, then it might be well called Mercenary and slavish. But who among us plead for such a working.
FRom all this you may gather part of the Answer to your next Question: why I except against the book called, The Marrow of Modern Divinity? Because it is guiltie of this hainous Doctrine. Yet further let me tell you, that I much value the greatest part of that Book, and commend the industrie of the Authour, and judge him a man of godlinesse and Moderation by his writing: And had I thought as meanlie of it, as I do of Colyer, Sprigs, Hobsons, and manie such abominable Pamphlets that now fly abroad I should not have thought it worthy the taking so much notice of. But because it is otherwise usefull, I thought meet to give you warning, that you drink not in the evill with the good. And especially because the names that so applaud it, may be a probable snare to entangle you herein. And I conjecture the Authours ingenuity to be such, that he will be glad to know his own mistakes, and to correct them: Otherwise I am unfeignedly tender of depraving or carping at any mans labours. Some of these mistaking passages I will shew you briefly. As page 174. Quest. Would you not have believers to esc…ew evill and do good for fear of Hell, or for hope of Heaven? Ans. No indeed, I would not have any beleiver doe the one or the other: for so farre as they do so, their obedience is but slavish, &c. To which end he alledgeth, Luke 1. 74. 75. But that speaks of Freedome from fear of our Enemies, such as Christ forbids in Luke 12. 5. where yet he commandeth the fearing of God: And consequently, even that fear of enemies is forbidden, as they stand in opposition to God, and not as his instrnments in subordination. Or if it be even a fear of God that is there meant; yet it cannot be all fear of him or his displeasure: so far as we are in danger of sin or suffering, we must fear it: and so farre as our assurance is still imperfect: a jealousie of our own hearts, and a dreadfull reverence of God also are necessary. But not the Legall terrours of our former bondage, such as arise from the apprehension of sin unpardoned, and of God as being our Enemy.
In the 180 Page, he denieth the plain sence of the Text. Mat. 10. 28.
In the 155 page, he makes this the difference between the two Covenants: One saith, Do this and Live: the other saith, Live and do this, The one saith, Do this, for life, The other saith, Do this from life.
But I have proved fully, that the Gospel also saith, Do this for life.
So in his second part, page 190. His great note to know the voice of the Law by, is this, [that when in Scripture there is any morall work commanded to be done either for the eschuing of punishment, or upon promise of any reward temporall or eternall; or else when any promise is made with the condition of any work to be done, which is commanded in the Law; there is to be understood the voice of the Law.
A notorious and dangerous mistake, which would make almost all the New Testament, and the very Sermons of Christ himself to be nothing but the Law of works, I have fully proved before, that morall duties as part of our sincere obedience to Christ, are part of the condition of our Salvation; and for it to be performed. And even Faith is a morall duty. It is pitty that any Christian should no better know the Law from the Gospel: especially one that pretendeth to discover it to others.
So in the next page 191, he intolerably abuseth the Scripture, in affirming that of 2 Thes. 2. 12. 10. to be the voice of the Law, and so making Paul a Legall Preacher.
And as shamefully doth he abuse 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10., As if the Apostle when he biddeth them, not to be decived, were deceiving them himself in telling them, that no unrighteous person, fornicators adulterers, &c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Is this Law? Then let me be a Preacher of the Law. If Paul be a Legalist, I will be one too. But these men know not, that the Apostle speaketh of those that die such; and that these sinnes exclude men the Kingdom, as they are Rebellion against Christ their Lord, and so a violation of the New Covenant.
So in part first page 189. He mentioneth a Preacher, that said, he durst not exhort nor perswade sinners to believe their sinnes were pardoned, before he saw their lives reformed, for fear they should take more liberty to sin. And he censureth that Preacher to be ignorant in the Mystery of faith. I confesse I am such an ignorant Preacher my self; and therefore shall desire this knowing man to resolve me in a few doubts. 1. Where he learned, or how he can prove, that Justifying Faith is a believing that our sinnes are pardoned? when Scripture so often telleth us, that we are justified by Faith: and sure the Object must go before the Act; and therefore that which followeth the Act is not the Object,
If we must believe that we are pardoned, that so we may be pardoned; then we must believe a lye to make it a truth. Also doth not the Scripture bid us Repent, believe, and be baptized for the remission of sinnes; but not first to believe the Remission of our sinnes? I have proved already that justifying Faith is another matter: and this which he calleth Faith is properly no Faith at all; but the knowledge of a conclusion, one of whose permises is afforded by Faith, and the other by Sense.
If therefore the Preacher had said, that he would not have men accept Christ, and so believe for Remission, before their lives be reformed, then I should have subscribed to this mans censure of him. 2. I desire him to tell me, whether he can prove that any mans sinnes are pardoned before they have accepted Christ for their Lord? that is, before Faith. If not, 3. Whether this be not the subjection of the soul to Christ to be governed by him; and so a heart-reformation? 4. Whether the reformation of the life doth not immediately even the same moment follow the hearts reformation? And if all this be so, (as I know it is) then the ignorant Preachers doctrine must stand good, that Reformation of life must go before the belief or knowledge of pardon, though not before justifying Faith.
Many other intolerable errours I could shew you in that Book: as his making the New Covenant to threaten nothing but present Afflictions, and losse of our present communion with God, page, 208. and that we may pray for no other kind of pardon. pag 206, 210. contrary to Mar. 16. 16. Heb. 10, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Heb. 2. 3. Ioh. 15. 2, 6. and many other places: so his affirming that we sinne not against the Covenant of works; which I have confuted in the Aphorismes.
So his making the Law of Christ and the Law of Faith to be two Lawes or Covenants: when that which he calleth the Law of Christ is but part of the matter of the New Covenant.
But this is not my businesse; only because you urged me, I have given you a grain of salt wherewith to season some passages in your reading that and such like Books.
And that passage in M. Shepheards Select cases page 96, 102. that no unregenerate man is within the compasse of any conditionall promise had need of a grain too.