Neonomianism Unmasked, Part 2 · Debate 1
DEBATE I. of the State of the Elect before Effectual Calling.
Calvin.
GEntlemen, it's well you are come, pray what Caſe will you propound firſt to be ſpoken to?
Neon.
I have this Errour to charge Mr. Antinom. with, viz. That he ſaith the Elect are at no time of their Lives under the Wrath of God, nor are they ſubject to Condemnation, if they ſhould die before they ſhould believe; yea, when they are under the dominion of Sin, and in the practice of the greateſt Villanies, they are as much the Sons of God, and Juſtified, as the Saints in Glory. D. W. p. 1. This I prove from Dr. Criſp, p. 363, 364.
Antinom.
He ſaith, It's thought by ſome, that in Caſe ſuch a Perſon ſhould die before God call him to Grace, and give to him to believe, that Perſon had been Damned. But that is a vain Suppoſition, for it were to ſuppoſe a Man Elected and not Elected; a Man Elected to the End and not to the Means, or that the Sins of the Elect are laid upon Chriſt, and the Elect not ſecured thereby from Condemnation. And he ſaith therefore, That the Lord hath no more to lay to the Charge of an Elect Perſon [conſidered as ſuch] than to the Saints in Glory; his reaſon is, becauſe his Sins are laid on Chriſt; and tho' the Perſon remain yet Unregenerate, and in the heighth of Iniquity, yet God hath no more to lay to his Charge than to a Believer, or to a Saint in Glory. By this he means there is ſo full ſecurity and provſion made for all the Elect, that as to Chriſts bearing their Sins, and ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, there is as much already done by Chriſt as ever ſhall in reſpect of ſatisfaction; for he was once offered to bear the Sins of many, Heb. 9.28. And if the Sins of the Elect were born by Chriſt, they were ſatisfied for, and in reſpect of Divine Eſſential Juſtice there can be nothing laid to their Charge, ſo as to affect them with a ſtroak of Vindicative Juſtice; thoſe that are Elected are Redeemed by Chriſt, Eph. 1.5, 6. And when the Spirit of God ſpeaks of an Elect Perſon, it always ſpeaks of him as ſecure in his Perſon from Wrath and Condemnation, as to the real Execution of the ſentence of the Law upon him, Rom. 8.
It's one thing to ſay an Elect Perſon is free from Condemnation as ſuch, and another thing to ſay a Sinner is thus freed from it. He ſaith not, that if a Man die under the dominion of Sin, or the practice of the greateſt Villanies, he ſhall be ſaved; that's a falſe Charge. Paul as an Elect Veſſel, was by vertue of Election and Redemption ſecured from Condemnation in Execution of the Law Sentence upon him, all the time of his Unregeneracy; neither could a Charge be laid againſt him that could cut off his Perſon from the Benefits deſigned for him in Election, or prepared and purchaſed in Redemption. See what Dr. Cr. ſaith to this Charge, p. 637.
Neonom.
He ſaith the Elect are at no time of their Lives under the Wrath of God or under Condemnation.
Antinom.
That Men are not under the Sence of the Law, and by the ſtate of Nature under Wrath, he doth not ſay, and in foro Conſcientiae, when the Law ſpeaks to him as under it, for he ſaith, p. 359, 360. There's a laying Sin on Chriſt, 1. By way of Obligation, ſo he bore the Sins of the Elect [before he ſuffered actually] from all Eternity, and by virtue thereof the Elect were juſtify'd before Chriſt came [as the Lamb ſlain from the Foundation of the World.] 2. By way of Execution, and this was his Real bearing, the other was Vertual; but there's a third, which is the Lords laying Iniquity on Chriſt by way of Application. i. e. When it is that the Lord doth ſingle out this or that particular Perſon, and lay his Iniquities on Chriſt. Concerning the Elect in general, they were in the Eye of God before they had a Real Exiſtence. So all their Iniquities were laid on Chriſt from Eternity, but it muſt needs be granted that a particular Application of this Grace to Perſons muſt be in time, before a Perſon is in being there cannot be a Perſonal Application of the Grace of God; God cannot apply his Grace to nothing.
P. 361. Know alſo that this Application is double, there's Gods Application and Mans; Gods Application is when he himſelf doth ſay, he loves ſuch a Perſon. Man's Application is, when God gives to Men to Believe, and by this Act of believing to be perſwaded and reſolved that God hath done it.
He diſtinguiſheth likewiſe, and ſaith, God lays the Iniquity of every Elect Perſon two ways, in reſpect of the Application of this Grace. 1. Secretly. 2 Manifeſtly. As to ſecret applying, he inſtances in God's Declaration of his Love to Jacob, Rom. 9. and ſaith, We have here, (p. 362.) the Lord's declaring himſelf perſonally and judicially unto the one whom he loved, Jacob; there was a Love to him from Eternity in the Election of Grace; but till there was a ſingle Individual Perſon, as Jacob, the Lord did not ſay, Jacob have I loved, &c.
Now he concludes, That this ſecret Application of the Grace of laying Sins on Chriſt, is at the very inſtant of ſuch a Perſons having a Being in the World, then God doth appropriate this Grace to an Elect Perſon; and therefore in the Unregenerate Eſtate of ſuch a Perſon, in the Exceſs of Riot, [he is ſecured from the Judicial Charge of Sin, from Vindicative Juſtice.] There's great diverſity of Judgment about the time of applying this Grace, (ſaith he.) Some ſay it's at Baptiſm, ſome ſay at firſt Converſion, &c. pag. 364. It's true, an Elect perſon not called, is never able to know individually of himſelf, that he is ſuch an one that God hath nothing to charge upon him, becauſe till Calling God gives not unto Perſons to Believe: And it's only Believing is the Evidence of things not ſeen; and this he calls the Application of pardoning Grace by way of manifeſtation. Thus I have given you the Summ of Dr. Criſp's Opinion in this matter.
Calvin.
I perceive then his Opinion is, that, 1. In General, That by Electing and Redeeming Love the Elect are ſecured from the Stroak of Vindicative Juſtice, and God hath nothing to lay to their Charge, having accepted the Satisfaction of Chriſt on their behalf. 2. That the Application of this Love to a particular Perſon is in time, as to God's Sentence concerning him, and as to ſome Fruits of this Love from his firſt having a Being; as ſuppoſe, diſtinguiſhing of him as a choſen Veſſel, as he did Jacob from Eſau: As he ſeparated Paul to the Deſigns of electing Love, as to preventing Grace, yea, and providential Grace, to bring ſuch a Perſon, it may be, under the Secret Effects of the Promiſe, and the means of Grace. 3. He ſaith, The manifeſt Application is, when God gives to Believe: So that notwithſtanding all the Security he hath by Election, Redemption, and ſecret Application, he is before Faith, but in a ſtate of Death, and under the Law-Sentence in Foro Conſcientiae, and by Nature born a Child of Wrath, and ſo in Foro Mundi. Hence, that he knows nothing of all this, ſpoken of an Elect Perſon, any more than a Reprobate doth, till he doth believe: I think this is Dr. Criſp's Full Sence, and therefore I think, Mr. Neonomian, you are too partial in your Repreſentation of the Doctor; you take thoſe Expreſſions only that may render him odious, and leave out the Grounds and Reaſons thereof. As to that Opinion of his concerning God's ſecret paſſing over his Love to the Elect Perſons ſo long before they believe. What if he be ſingular therein, yet there may be more in it than you or I can tell, ſeeing it is manifeſt that it hath been ſo in ſeveral that have lived to be Adult; and I doubt not but it is ſo daily as to Elect Infants that die in Infancy. And I muſt tell you, if you deny this Covenant of Grace to belong to the Infants of believing Parents, as it is claimed by vertue of a Goſpel-Promiſe, you can have little Ground to plead for Infant-Baptiſm, which is a Sign and Seal of Forgiveneſs of Sins in ſome Goſpel-Sence or other. But I leave that Point now; and I muſt tell you, that there is no doubt but that there is a ſecret paſſing over of the Grace of God in Chriſt to every Elect Perſon, before he can put forth anyone Vital Act.
Neonom.
He ſaith, the Elect of God are Heirs of God; ſo that their firſt Being puts them into a right of Inheritance, &c.
Antinom.
He gathers this from Gal. 4.1, 2, 3. See Page 367. Though God doth ſecretly give over his Right and Title of his own Grace to a Perſon in the Womb, yet he doth not make it known to him that he hath that Right and Title, till ſuch time as he doth call him; during which time, being under the Law, he is under a Schoolmaſter, Tutors and Governours. And here he ſaith, The Heir, ſo long as a Child, differs nothing from a Servant, though he be Lord of all. From which I obſerve from hence, 1. That there is an Heirſhip during Childhood it ſelf. 2. That there is this Heirſhip when there is no difference between being a Child and a Servant. 3. A Child is an Heir as ſoon as born; yea, when firſt conceived. If a Man of Eſtate leaves his Wife but a Month gone with Child, he leaves an Heir, &c.
Calvin.
Mr. Neonomian, though you grant not the ſecret Application of Grace he ſpeaks of at Conception, yet you can't deny a ſecret and ſure Relation by Vertue of Election and Redemption. Relata affectio in Deo ponit objectum correlatum: A Right muſt be in the Object whenever it hath a Being: Jus adrem, if not in re. All that are redeemed by Chriſt, are called the Sheep of Chriſt before Calling, John 10. Shew me a Perſon that is an Elect and Redeemed One, I can tell you God's Juſtice is ſatisfied on his behalf, and eternal Life procured for him, though he be yet an Unbeliever, be not in Poſſeſſion, nor can make any Claim as yet. I pray, was not Paul in his unregenerate State an Elect Veſſel, and ſecured from the Hands of Vindicative Juſtice by Chriſt's Satisfaction, and Heaven ſecured by Chriſt's Impetration? Impetratio dat Jus ad Beneficium. I pray, Mr. Neonomian, what would you ſay of Paul a Perſecutor in the Heighth of his Villany, had you known then that he was an Elect Veſſel?
Neonom.
I would ſay thus, That Paul when a wicked perſecuting Saul, while breathing forth Cruelty againſt the Churches, ſhould not die under the Dominion of Sin; and being an Elect Perſon, and Chriſt having born his Sins on the Croſs, was the Object of God's Love and good Will even while he was ſo wicked and vile, and that God continues his gracious purpoſe of doing him good, notwithſtanding all his Wickedneſs and Abomination; that Chriſt hath made full Attonement for his Sins, and merited Eternal Life for him, and that he ſhall certainly be Juſtified, Adopted and Glorified in God's appointed way and time; and that Chriſt hath left nothing to be done by us in a way of Atonement and Merit; yea, I affirm, [that diſtinguiſhing Grace] doth make a very great difference between an Elect Sinner, and others. D.W. p. 1. p. 3.
Calvin.
I pray now what is it more that Dr. Criſp hath ſaid?
Neonom.
He ſaith, the Elect are at no time of their Lives under the Wrath of God.
Calvin.
So muſt you too, if you underſtand Wrath in the ſame Sence that he doth: For Chriſt cannot bear their Sins, and the Wrath of God for their Sins, and yet they bear it themſelves too. Shall not the Judge of all the World deal Righteouſly? And you ſay, They continue Objects of his gracious good Will, and full Atonement made. God cannot be wroth with a Perſon with whom full Attonement is made.
Neonom.
But what if they ſhould die before they ſhould believe?
Calvin.
He doth not ſay, They ſhall be ſaved if they die before they believe; or under the Dominion of Sin, &c. You faſten that Charge without Ground; and never fear that, for you ſay their Juſtification and Adoption is certain, there's no doubt then but they ſhall certainly believe.
Neonom.
But they are actually Ʋnpardoned, and not Adopted to Life, which the Dr. ſaith they are.
Calvin.
The Doctor ſpeaks not here of the Elect's Actual Pardon or Adoption: He ſaith indeed, their Sins are laid on Chriſt, and therefore God hath nothing to lay to their Charge. And you ſay, Chriſt hath made full Atonement for them. I pray what difference is here? He ſaith, They have a ſecret hidden Right to Life: You ſay, by vertue of Election, and Chriſt's Merits, they ſhall certainly have Juſtification, Adoption, Glorification. So that you own your Jus ad rem. He doth not ſay an unregenerate Man is Adopted, or hath received the Spirit of Adoption, any where as I know.
Neonom.
But the Elect, while dead in Sin and Ʋnbelief, are Children of Wrath, condemned by the Law, not juſtified by the Promiſe. This I affirm, and the Doctor denies.
Calvin.
The Doctor in this point, for ought I know, affirms and denies but as you do. He ſaith, a Sinner in reſpect of his Viſible Eſtate is under the Law-Sentence, and dead in Sin and Unbelief. He will not deny this, but that an Elect Perſon as ſuch, hath a hidden Relation, Standing and Right, not only in reſpect of Election, Satisfaction and Procurement, but a ſecret paſſing over of Grace. So that to be a Child of Wrath in regard of the Law-Sentence, and a Child of Mercy, are not contradicentia; they may be predicated of the ſame Subject in divers reſpects: A Man may be a Child of Wrath in one reſpect, and of Mercy in another. A Man may be poor in one reſpect, and rich in another, as the Church of Smyrna condemned in one reſpect, and ſecured from it in another. Wrath is underſtood two ways in Scripture. 1. For the Sentence of the Law, that all the World is under, as having ſinned, and come ſhort of the Righteouſneſs of God. 2. For the real Execution of the Sentence of the Law by Eſſential Vindicative Juſtice: This the Elect are abundantly freed from, and the Wrath of God ſhall never fall upon them as ſuch.
Neonom.
But he ſaith, the Elect have right to the Inheritance.
Calvin.
Yes, a ſecret and hidden Right, but true and certain, though not Poſſeſſion or Claim, till Grace embraceth them, and this Grace manifeſted to them. A Child that hath a good Right to an Inheritance may be taken Captive in Infancy, and remain in Algiers a Slave many Years, and never know of any Eſtate belonging to him: But upon his return to his Native Country, finds by Writings and Court-Rolls that he hath had Right all this while, though kept out of Poſſeſſion, and knew no Ground of a Claim. A Man may be Heir to a Crown, and yet during the King's Life be no King; yea, it may be, out in Rebellion againſt his Father many Years, and yet come to poſſeſs the Crown upon his previous Right. A Man may have a good Right to an Eſtate in one Court where it is enrolled, whenas another Court knows nothing of it. Every Elect Perſon is enrolled by Name in God's Book of Election, and the Lamb's Book of Redemption, while there's nothing of this to be ſound in Foro Conſcientiae, nor in Foro Mundi. And your own Aſſertion at firſt cuts you off from all Pleas to the contrary. For you ſay, ch. 1. p. 1. It's certain from God's Decree of Election, that the Elect ſhall in time be Juſtified, Adopted and Saved in the way God hath appointed, [then they are Heirs of Juſtification, Adoption and Salvation, upon ſome ground of right or other] and the whole meritorious Cauſe and Price of Juſtification; Adoption and Eternal Life were perfect when Chriſt finiſhed the Work of Satisfaction. So now it appears here is a compleat Right adjuſted for them, the Eſtate is bought, and the Money all paid, and the Title is enrolled in their Name, what hinders them from being Heirs in Law, and having a Right of Inheritance belonging to them?
Neonom.
I will prove the Elect before they are effectually called, to be Children of Wrath, Eph. 2.2, 3. Col. 1.21.
Calvin.
As Elect Perſons the Scripture no where faith; but as Sinners, and as dead in Treſpaſſes, we acknowledge they are under the Law Sentence, impriſoned in their naturall Eſtate, in a State of Bondage and Darkneſs: But this hinders not the Foundation of God in Election and Redemption, they have a hidden Safety and Security from Wrath by your own Confeſſion.
Neonom.
The Goſpel barrs all Ʋnbelievers and dead Sinners from Pardon and Adoption, and denounceth a continuance of Condemnation againſt them, limiting it's Benefits to ſuch as believe, John 3.18. ver. 36. 1 Cor. 16.22. 1 Cor. 6.11. D. W. p. 4.
Calvin.
If the Goſpel barrs all Unbelievers, and thoſe that are dead in Sin, from Goſpel Benefits, who ſhall be ſaved? it muſt barr them from Life; for Life is the firſt and greateſt Benefit a Dead Man can receive; nay, you ſay, it declares continuance of Condemnation againſt them: It's certainly therefore impoſſible they ſhould ever be ſaved. And are not Regeneration and Faith Goſpel-Benefits? And are Unbelievers for ever barred from them? This puts a Barr upon their poſſibility of Salvation, and keeps them from ever being Believers. The places you quote are nothing to prove your Aſſertion; for the moſt they ſay, is, That whilſt a Perſon is in a ſtate of Unbelief, he is in a ſtate of Condemnation, under the Law; but the Goſpel doth not put a Barr to his Salvation, but rather take off the Barrs, opens the Priſon-doors, gives him Life, gives him a Door of Hope, brings him to Chriſt, who is the Reſurrection and Life.
Neonom.
If it were not ſo, neither the Spirit nor the Word of God would have any Influence in the Saving of Sinners.
Calvin.
Non ſequitur. Can't the ſtate of the Elect be ſecured by Election, and yet Redemption have it's place? Why notwithſtanding both, may not the Spirit have it's place and Influence?
Neonom.
Goſpel-Benefits imply, that there is a time when we are actually guilty and miſerable, Rom. 7.4. Col. 2.12.
Calvin.
Grant it, there is ſuch a time, when we are ſo in our ſelves; but yet quoad Deum, Election and Redemption is not in vain; they have their Force: The Changes that paſs upon us doth not make a Change as to Electing Love, nor as to the Satisfaction and Merits of Chriſt.
Neonom.
The Dr. may well infer, that we are ſanctified and poſſeſſed of Heaven in the Womb; for God hath elected us to thoſe, as well as to Pardon; and Chriſt merited theſe alſo.
Calvin.
No, but he might not: One imports a Relation, the other a real Subjective Change. A Child may be a Son, and yet a very wicked one: There is alſo a great difference between a Right and a Poſſeſſion.
Neonom.
Do you not find that God juſtifies none but what are called, Rom. 8.30?
Calvin.
1. He Juſtifies Infants dying in Infancy, that were never called by the Word. 2. What you would prove by that place, that effectual Calling is before Juſtification, is not manifeſt; for, it's whom be called, them he alſo juſtified. It might be before Calling as well as after, for any thing appears in that Text. 3. But you go from the Terms of the Queſtion all along; for that which the Doctor ſaith, is, That the Sins of the Elect being all laid upon Chriſt, who ſhall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It's Chriſt hath dyed and roſe again, for them: Now God hath no Charge againſt the Elect conſidered as ſuch; if Juſtice remain unſatisfied, Chriſt dyed in vain.
Neonom.
There is Joy in Heaven for one Sinner that repents, Luke 15.7, 10. And would there be ſuch, if they were pardoned and ſafe before.
Calvin.
Yes, Why not? For I queſtion whether the Angels be acquainted with the Secrets of Election and Redemption as to the Perſons concerned, till it be made manifeſt by their Actual Faith and Repentance. And as for the ſafe Eſtate of the Elect before believing, you have ſaid enough, i. e. As to their Security from Wrath, and Certainty of Eternal Life: Therefore it's ſtrange you ſhould deny it now, ſay and unſay the ſame thing.
Neonom.
How much is our Miniſtry and Concern for Souls debaſed, if all we can prevail with are actually pardoned.
Calvin.
You ſhould have ſaid, If all you prevail with have had their Sins laid on Chriſt, whereby God was in Chriſt reconciling the World to himſelf. Paul might have ſaid, How then is our Miniſtry debaſed, to be only Embaſſadors for Chriſt to beſeech Sinners to be reconciled to God, when their Sins are already laid on Chriſt, and to Preach, That all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt, who hath ſlain the Enmity, and made Peace on the Croſs, &c. There's great difference between God's being reconciled to us, and our being reconciled to God.
Neonom.
Who can reconcile this Notion to the Pleadings of God with Sinners, Ezek. 33.11.
Calvin.
Every one. The Pleadings of God in his Word with Sinners, is in Order to change their Hearts by his Word and Spirit, in the Embaſſie of Reconciliation, which God hath ſent unto Sinners: Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, We beſeech you for Chriſt's ſake to be reconciled unto God; and all Arguments uſed in the Word are to that end and purpoſe, viz. To work Faith and Repentance, and to bring them unto God: One great End why Chriſt bore their Sins.
Neonom.
I have the Aſſembly and Dr. Owen on my ſide.
Antinom.
We deny not what the Aſſembly and Dr. Owen ſaith, according to their true Meaning and Intention: For they all ſay no otherwiſe than what I have ſhewed the Doctor ſincerely means, and your own Aſſertions will bear out as well as his: as to his particular Opinion, That the Grace of laying Sins on Chriſt is ſecretly applyed as ſoon as we have a Being, as to ſome Effects wherein we are meerly paſſive, and it's unknown to us till effectual Calling; you ſee he grounds it upon matter of Fact, in the Inſtance of Jacob, which undoubtedly deſerves Conſideration. Though I ſay not, that it's ſo with every one, but apprehend the Spirit of God hath theſe things to inſtruct us thereby, that Juſtification of a Sinner before God is not for the Act of Faith, or Goſpel-Obedience, becauſe Jacob was juſtified before either. 2. That the Children of Believing Parents dying in Infancy may be juſtified and ſaved. 3. That a believing Parent hath Promiſe Ground to baptize his Child, and exerciſe Faith, that his Child is embraced in the Arms of Free Grace, to work upon it how, and when, and in what manner he pleaſeth; and though he can't be active therein, yet he may be paſſive. This we pray for, and in praying believe: God ſaying, I will be thy God, and the God of thy Seed. I am not for Baptiſmal Regeneration, nor Baptiſmal Juſtification: Though there is ſomething Analogous to it, and therefore a kind of Juſtification in Foro Eccleſiae, it being a ſignificant Seal of it, as Circumciſion was called the Covenant: And therefore if there be any ſecret Application of the Grace of Election and Redemption accompanying that Inſtitution of Chriſt, or coming before or after, neither we nor our Children ſhall be ever the worſe for it. And therefore let us not banter and condemn ſuch as have higher Apprehenſions of the Secret Workings of Grace before we are aware of of it. I am ſure many Divines that you would not call Antinomians, have defended Infant Baptiſm upon this Notion, That Infants are capable of the Habit of Saving Faith. And if ſo, I am ſure according to your Notion, they muſt be Juſtified, becauſe they have the qualifying Condition: For a Habit is a Quality, and a Conformity to the Rule of the Promiſe, (as you phraſe it) and therefore muſt Juſtifie as ſuch.
Neonom.
The Dr. miſtakes the Nature of God's Decree, becauſe a Decree aſcertains a thing ſhall be in time; therefore he thinks a Decree gives a thing a preſent ſubjective Being.
Antinom.
The Decree of God gives an Objective Being to the thing Decreed; for the Will willing, and the thing willed, are relata; all things in time are preſent with God, looking upon them in one Eternal Act; there's neither Time paſt or to come, or Succeſſion, that his Decrees are meaſured by; his Decree is himſelf. But if we conſider the Objects of the Decree in Execution, they are in time, and meaſured by Succeſſion; but yet things thus ſtanding, are the Objects of the Decree, they have their firſt Cauſe in his Divine Idea, and have their unchangeable Fixation, as to their Nature and Order in the preſent or future Being and Working, either as neceſſary or contingent Agents.
Neonom.
Becauſe Jacob was an Elect Perſon, or the Object of Electing Love in the Womb, therefore he was then actually a Pardoned and Adopted Perſon.
Antinom.
Nay, there was more in it than that: For mark the Text, ver. 11, 12. r. It doth not only tell us Jacob was Elected, but that it was publiſhed and declared unto Rebecka, Jacob have I loved. If God ſhould tell my Wife when with Child, I have Elected, and do love this Child that is in thy Womb, I ſhould look upon this as a Juſtification of this Child, it being a declared Sentence of God concerning it's ſtanding in his Favour and unchangeable Love. 2. The Text is particular in the Reaſon of this Declaration to Rebecka, ver. 11. that we may ſee that God accompliſh'd his purpoſe of Election in the applying of the Grace thereof without Works, not ſo much as upon the Account of Faith as a Work, becauſe the Children were not capable of doing Good or Evil, the Application of his diſtinguiſhing Love could not be upon that Account, viz. Of any Condition found in them; nor could the Foreſight of any ſuch thing in them be the Cauſe of God's Purpoſe in Election, and ſhews it's one and the ſame Righteouſneſs that an Infant and Adult Perſon is Juſtified by.
Neonom.
Becauſe an Eldeſt Son is an Heir in the Womb, therefore an Elect Perſon who is in time to he Adopted, is an Heir in the Womb.
Calvin.
There's a Difference between an Heir and Adoption. If you know there is an Elect Perſon in the Womb, as Rebecka did, he is a more ſure Heir to Heaven than ever any great Man's Son was to an outward Eſtate. And as to Adoption, that may not be till ſome time after: For that is the Grace of Sonſhip. It's one thing to be a Son, and another to have the Grace of Sonſhip. And is the calling them the Sons of God, manifeſtly taking them into the number, and endowing them with the Priviledges of the Sons of God? The Relation of an Heir, and the ſtate of Adoption, admit of different Conſiderations. The State of Adoption, is the grown ſtate of an Elect Perſon; he is put into Poſſeſſion of the Eſtate, and all Priviledges, ſit together with Chriſt in Heavenly Places as a Coheir. And thus we are the Children of God by Faith, Gal. 3.26. The Spirit bearing Witneſs with our Spirit that we are the Children of God, and ſo Heirs ex abundanti, Joynt-Heirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8.17.
Let us now hear what our approved Calviniſts ſay in this Point, that ſpeak moſt particularly and diſtinctly to it. Speak Dr. Ameſius.
Dr. Ameſ.
The Tranſaction between God and Chriſt was a certain previous Application of our Redemption and Diſcharge to our Surety, and to us in him, which hath the Nature of a certain efficacious Pattern to that Secondary manner of Application which is compleated in us; ſo that this is the repreſentation of that, this is produced by vertue of that. Now it's inferred hence, That our Freedom from Sin and Death was not only determined in God's Decree, but alſo granted and communicated to us in Chriſt before it is perceived by us, Chap. 24. § 3.
Mr. Rutherford, pray ſpeak, you wrote againſt Antinomianiſm. Sane priuſ que electus credit, &c. Certainly before an Elect Perſon doth believe, the Wrath of God, and all the Effects of his Wrath, are removed from the Perſons by vertue of Chriſt's Satisfaction. Exercit. Apologet. per gratiâ, p. 45.
Mr. Pemble.
That God doth actually love the Elect before they are Regenerate, or can actually believe, may appear further by theſe Reaſons. 1. Where God is actually reconciled, there he actually loveth; for Love and Reconciliation are inſeparable; but with the Elect before they are converted and believe, God is Actually Reconciled, Ergo, he loves them before Faith and Converſion: The Minor is evident, becauſe before they are Born a full Atonement and Satisfaction is made for their Sins by Chriſt, and accepted on God's part, whereupon all Actual Reconciliation muſt needs follow. 2. God did Actually Love the Elect before Chriſt's time, when Actual Reconciliation was not yet made, much more therefore after the Atonement made. 3. Juſtification, Effectual Vocation and Faith, are Fruits of God's Actual Love, &c. De gratiâ & fide, p. 22.
Chamier. Perſuaſiſſimum eſt, &c. We are moſt fully perſwaded that our Sins are forgiven before we believe; for certainly we deny Infants to act Faith, and yet their Sins are forgiven them. And although it be true, that our Sins be forgiven before we believe, i. e. before we know it as Actual Believers, we do believe the Remiſſion of our Sins, becauſe this is propoſed to us, yea promiſed to us in the ſame words which we relye upon by Faith, and it's Sealed by the ſame Spirit, whereby that word is Truth. Panſtr. Tom. 3. lib. 13. c. 10.
Antinom.
I think I ſee Mr. Baxter appear in this Cauſe, though I ſuppoſe he is ſeldom in this Society.
Calvin.
I pray let us hear Sir what you ſay to this Point.
Mr. Baxter.
The Anabaptiſts bring Eph. 2.3. againſt Baptiſm of Infants, and ſay, Becauſe they are by Nature Children of Wrath, the Promiſe belongs not to them. Anſ. What though we are by Nature Children of Wrath, doth it follow that we may not be otherwiſe by Grace; the ſtate of Wrath goes firſt in order of Nature, and whether in order of time alſo is not worth our diſputing; but may not a ſtate of Grace immediately ſucceed? Jeremy was Sanctified in the Womb, and John Baptiſt; and the Infants that Chriſt Bleſſed were all by Nature Children of Wrath, and yet by Grace were in a better ſtate. As they come from old Adam they are Children of VVrath, but as they receive of the Grace procured by the Second Adam, ſo they are not Children of wrath. If a Prince ſhould Entail ſome Honours upon all your Children; you might well ſay by Nature, or as they were your Children, they were not Honourable or Noble, and yet by the Favour of the Prince they might be all Honourable from the VVomb. The Godly at Age may ſay that they are ſtill by Nature Children of wrath, even when they are ſure they are Children of God by Grace; and they uſe in their Confeſſions to ſay, That we by Nature are Enemies to God, Fire-brands of Hell. R. Baxter of Inf. Bapt. p. 110, 111.
Calvin.
I would willingly hear what the Learned and Judicious Mr. J. Cotton ſaith.
Mr. J. Cotton, in Anſwer to that Objection made by the Anabaptiſt againſt Infant Baptiſm. Faith comes by Hearing, Ergo, Infants have not Faith. Anſ. It is no Extraordinary thing which Chriſt ſpeaks concerning Infants, when he ſaith, Except you receive the Kingdom of God as little Children, &c. and they cannot receive it without Chriſt, nor without Faith in Chriſt, and yet received not Chriſt nor Faith by their own immediate Hearing of the Word; and for the ſecond thing which you make Eſſential to Union with Chriſt, (viz. a Heart fitly diſpoſed to apprehend and receive Chriſt,) be not unwilling to underſtand that which is Truth. The Heart is fitly diſpoſed by Faith to apprehend or apply Chriſt, when Faith is begotten in the Heart; for by this Gift of Faith begotten in us, Chriſt apprehends us, and by the ſame Gift of Faith the Heart is fitly diſpoſed to apprehend Chriſt even in Infants; for when Faith is wrought in Infants, the Heart is quickned with Spiritual Life, and made a Sanctified Veſſel to receive Chriſt, which reception of Chriſt though it be paſſive, yet it is all one with Regeneration, (as Dr. Ameſ. Medul. c. 26. § 21.) wherein not Infants only but all Men are paſſive, which gave the Lord Jeſus Chriſt occaſion to ſay, That whoſoever receiveth the Kingdom of God as a little Child, [i. e. in reſpect of the paſſive reception,] Luke 18.17.