Neonomianism Unmasked, Part 3 · Debate 18
DEBATE XVIII. Of God's Diſpleaſure for Sin in the Afflictions of his People.
Neonom.
THE next great Antinomian Errour, is, That none of the Afflictions of Believers have in them the leaſt of God's diſpleaſure againſt their Perſons, for their Sins, D. W. p. 190, 191.
Antinom.
We muſt proceed in our ordinary Method, let us know what you ground your Charge upon?
Neonom.
He affirmeth, p. 15. Except God will be offended, when there is no cauſe to be offended, he will not be offended with Believers, becauſe he doth not find the Sin of a Believer to be his own Sin, but the Sin of Chriſt.
Antinom.
But he in the next words quotes places of Scripture to prove what he ſaith, He hath made him Sin for us, he hath laid upon him the Iniquities of us all; the Blood of J…ſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all Sin; he bare our Sins in his Body, &c. and from theſe he Argues thus, If he bear our Sins, he muſt bear the diſpleaſure for them; and he did bear the Indignation of the Lord; and if ſo, he did bear it all, or but part. If he did not bear all the Indignation of the Lord, then he doth not ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto God by him, as Heb. 4. I ſay not to the uttermoſt, becauſe here is ſome Indignation and Diſpleaſure left behind, and for lack of taking this Indignation upon himſelf, it lights and falls upon Believers. So that either you muſt ſay, Chriſt is an imperfect Saviour, having left ſome ſcattering of Wrath behind, that will fall on the head of a Believer: Or elſe you will ſay, he is a perfect Saviour, and takes away all God's diſpleaſure; then there remains none of it upon the perſon of a Believer.
Now why had you not Anſwered his Argument for what he ſaid? yea, why had you not brought in the next Objection made, to clear up his meaning, but quote only ſo much as may leave your Reader under Prejudice?
Object. Yet you will ſay, Is not God diſpleaſed and offended at the Sins of Believers, when they do commit them? Hath Chriſt taken away the offence of Sin by his Death?
Anſw. No, therefore do not miſtake your ſelf, there may be eaſily a miſtake for lack of ſerious pondering the words I ſpeak; I have not ſaid, God is not offended with the Sins a Believer doth commit, but that God ſtands not offended with the Perſons of Believers for the Sins committed by them; he hath that everlaſting Indignation againſt Sin as ever. And as there is the ſame contrariety in Sin againſt his nature, ſo there is the ſame contrariety in God's nature unto Sin. All contrarieties have a mutual contrariety againſt each other, as Water and Fire, &c. As Sin is contrary to the nature of God, ſo there is an Abhorrency of God to that Sinfulneſs, [here ſee with what ground you could ſay, that Dr. C. makes Sin Innocent,] but there is no Offence of God to the Perſon that commits that Sin, becauſe the Offence of God for that Sin hath ſpent it ſelf upon the Perſon of Chriſt, there remains none of it to light upon the perſon of a Believer, Chriſt having born all this Offence for Sin. — Tho' in our Natures, and in the Sinfulneſs of them, there is matter of diſpleaſure, yet in Chriſt, for all this, God is well pleaſed with us. And yet there is none of God's Indignation againſt Sin loſt in all this, for he is ſatisfied for this his Offence in his Son, more than in our own Perſons.
Neonom.
And he ſaith, p. 18. But are not the Afflictions for their Sins?
Antinom.
Come, I will tell you, he Anſwers that Objection. He ſaith, I Anſwer, No, Afflictions are unto Believers f…om Sin, but not for Sin. What is the meaning of that will you ſay? This, God in Afflicting Believers doth not intend to puniſh them, as now laying on them the deſert of their Sin; for that is laid upon Chriſt, but he doth Afflict them in part, to be a help to preſerve them from Sin. I ſay, all Afflictions to Believers are to keep them from Sin, rather than Puniſhment unto them for Sin.
Neonom.
P. 170. He ſaith, That at that Inſtant when God brings Afflictions upon them, he doth not remember any Sins of theirs, they are not in his Thoughts.
Antinom.
That which he Aſſerts is from plain Texts of Scripture, how dare you Banter and Expoſe ſo great a Truth as this? it is in that great place, Jer. 31.33. declared to be the great promiſe of the Goſpel, by the Spirit of God, Heb. 10.16, 17. God ſaith, He remembers our Sins no more; you ſay, he doth; who are we to believe, God, or you?
Neonom.
He ſaith, Chriſt being Chaſtened for our our Sins, there's nothing but Peace belongs to us, P. 170.
Antinom.
The Words were thus, I ſee the Scripture runs wholy in this ſtrain, and is ſo full in nothing as in this, that he hath generally diſcharged the Sins of Believers. Oh then take heed of falling into the Errour of the Papiſts, that ſay, that God hath taken away the Sin, but not the Wrath of God due to Sin, but that he hath forgiven our Sins, but not the Puniſhment of Sin; but conſider, that as our Sins were then upon Chriſt, he was ſo Bruiſed for our Iniquities, as that by his Stripes we are healed, and the Chaſtiſement of our Peace was ſo upon him, that he being Chaſtiſed for our Sins, there is nothing but Peace belongs to us.
And can you deny the Truth of a plain place of Scripture, The Chaſtiſement of our Peace was upon him? Doth it plainly appear that this is true meaning, that our Peace was fully made by Chriſt, and accordingly he is called our Peace? Chriſt ſaith, in the World we ſhall have Trouble, yet this full and compleat Peace of Reconciliation is made, and Chriſt promiſeth the Comforts of it in Believing, Peace I give unto you, &c.
Neonom.
He ſaith, If we tell Believers, &c. Except they perform ſuch and ſuch Duties, D. W. p. 191.except they walk thus and thus Holily, and do theſe and theſe good Works, they ſhall come under Wrath, at leaſt God will be Angry with them. What do we in this but Abuſe the Scriptures? we undo all that Chriſt hath done, we injure Believers, we tell God Lies to his Face, Dr. C. p. 170.
Antinom.
It is not for you to Expoſe a Man's Words, when they are proved from Scripture and ſound Reaſon, why had you not taken his Argument he brings, to prove that God will not be Angry and be Wroth with his People that are true Believers, Iſa. 54.
God, ſaith he, hath made ſuch an Oath, that the Earth ſhall be drowned with Water before it be broken,Dr. C. p. 160. that he will not be Wroth with his People, nor Rebuke them any more; and upon this account, it is he ſaith, that ſuch as tell Believers, Except they do this or that, &c. they will come under Wrath and Condemnation, do abuſe the Scriptures, and give God the Lie; nay, he ſaith, we do not only, ſo much as lies in us, to make God a Liar, [the Scripture ſaith Unbelief doth ſo, 1 John 5.] but we offer an inſufferable Affront unto Jeſus Chriſt, and ſtrike at the very heart of the Office of Chriſt's Mediatorſhip. If we ſay, God is Wroth with Believers for whom Chriſt died, for what end did Chriſt ſuffer Death? I ſay, that if this Principle be truth, that God will be Wroth with his People, then Chriſt died in vain, for God could have been but Wroth and Angry with his People if Chriſt had not died; to bring the People of God under Wrath and Vengeance again, is to take away all the Vertue of the Death of Chriſt, and to make it of none effect.
Now why do you not Anſwer this Argument? this is the Childiſheſt thing in the World, to ſay, he ſaith ſo, and he ſaith ſo, why do you not tell People why he ſaith ſo, and Confute his Reaſons? but you think you have done enough, if you have Expoſed a Doctrin, by ſaying, this or that Man that profeſſeth to hold it, ſaith ſo and ſo; therefore what if a Man ſpeak truth never ſo weakly, and abſurdly, muſt the truth be reckoned errour therefore?
Calv.
Mr. Neonom. you have ſixt your Anathema upon Mr. Antinomian's Opinion in this Point, viz. For holding that the Afflictions of Believers do not proceed from the judicial or vindictive Diſpleaſure of God againſt their Perſons, for their ſins. You hear he ſaith, God is diſpleaſed with their ſins, and doth afflict them, to purge out ſin from them, that they may be Partakers of his Holineſs, &c. which ſeems to me to be very ſound and orthodox Doctrin, agreeable to the Scripture, and the Analogy of Faith.
Neonom.
Truth: Tho' God is not ſo angry with his People for their ſins, as to caſt them out of his Covenant-favour; yet by their ſins he is ſo diſpleaſed, as for them to correct his Children, tho' he ſpeak Inſtructions by his Rebukes, D. W. 190.
Antinom.
You ſay, Tho' he be not ſo angry, you make degrees of Anger in God thereby, as if God were partly pleaſed, and partly diſpleaſed with his Children; and if ſo at one time, then at another (we ſpeak of the Perſons of Believers) there being always ſin in them for a reaſon here; and if ſo, Chriſt was not our full Peace, he did not reconcile God fully to us, therefore made imperfect ſatisfaction; for if there remains ſome part of the Debt yet unpaid, Chriſt did not pay all. Again, to be under the Penalty of the Law for ſin, and the execution thereof, tho' but in part, is ſo far to be under the Curſe; but there's no Believers in whole or in part, under the Curſe. Again, God, you ſay, is not ſo diſpleaſed with them as to caſt them out of Covenant; if not, then they continue in Covenant with God; if in Covenant, then he hath always a Covenant-love towards them, then he always acts in a way of Covenant-love towards them, even for their amendment and not deſtruction, when he afflicts them not in a way of wrathful diſpleaſure for their ſins: But if you ſay, againſt their ſins, we allow it, and God is always angry with ſin; ſin itſelf was never pleaſing to God, and therefore he purgeth it out in Sanctification every day; and hence ſpends many a Rod upon them for their Profit, as a good Father upon a Child that he dearly loves: Some earthly Fathers may correct for their pleaſure, that is, to vent their Anger and Paſſion; but God, the Apoſtle ſaith, Corrects for our Profit, Heb. 12.10. And he ſaith, Whom he loveth he chaſtneth, v. 6. i. e. loveth at the very ſame time. God's divine love to the Perſons of Believers cannot be abated in the leaſt: It's true, God may alter his Carriage towards them, and deal ſo with them, as to make them conſider their ways, and to humble them, or to point out ſome Corruption God will have mortifyed; this is all love in God, and not diſpleaſure: God's ſeeming diſpleaſure is a fruit of his unchangeable loving kindneſs towards them; and whatever you ſay, if I ſtand ſecured of God's Covenant favour, I am ſure God cannot be angry with me, whatever his ſenſible Carriages are. God's People, whatever God's dealings are with them, they do not take any thing to be done in diſpleaſure, till through Temptation they begin to ſuſpect their Covenant-ſtate: Do but clear up to an afflicted Perſon God's Covenant-favour, and I'll warrant you he will not ſay God hath afflicted him in his diſpleaſure; and therefore you will ſay God is diſpleaſed with their Perſons, for their ſins, i. e. puniſheth them for their ſins to ſatisfie his diſpleaſure thereby, i. e. his Juſtice; if ſo, it's clear the conſequence is unavoidable, as to ſo much of my puniſhment for ſin that I bear, Chriſt did not bear, beſides it muſt be in its degree expiatory and ſatisfactory to God.
Neonom.
You miſtake my meaning ſtill; I will tell you where the difference is not. 1. It is not whether God ceaſeth to love a Believer when he ſinneth.
Antinom.
That is the thing which we ſay, That God hath an unchangeable love to the Perſons of Believers, and cannot love and hate at the ſame time; and to aſcribe changeable Paſſions or Affections unto God, is a kin to the Hereſy of Anthropomorphites.
Neonom.
Nor whether the Afflictions that befal a Believer proceed from the vindicative Juſtice of God as an Enemy.
Antinom.
We agree, with you, in it; why do you condemn us as erroneous? This is the great thing we plead for.
Neonom.
Nor whether God can bleſs the ſoreſt Judgments for Sins, to the future good of a Believer. This I affirm.
Antinom.
I do not only ſay he can, but that he doth ſo always, and not only for his future but preſent good, tho' the Believer may not yet know it for the preſent.
Neonom.
Tho' were it not for our ſins, God would effect that good a milder way.
Antinom.
This is ſtrange talk; for the good is the taking away, or rooting up of our ſins, if you underſtand by, and for ſin, from ſin, we differ not; as I weed my Garden, why for the Weeds, i. e. from the Weeds, to pluck them out; were it not for Weeds it would not weed it; but if you ſay its revenge upon the good Herbs, it's falſe, it's for their good.
Neonom.
And I doubt whether every good Man may be ſaid to get profit by all ſorts of Afflictions, for every degree of Good is not equivalent to the hurt; and ſometimes God puniſheth ſin with ſin. D. W. p. 191.
Antinom.
Now inſtead of a Believer, its a good Man; ſome of your good Men that have as much Faith as they brought into the World with them; nor by all ſorts of Afflictions, it ſeems there's ſome can't have good in them towards God's Children, and every degree of good may not be equivalent in the ſame kind, as the gaining a greater meaſure of Contentment, Weanedneſs from the World, ſubmiſſion to the will of God, you ſay it's not equivalent to the loſing my Houſe and all my Goods, by Fire, in an inſtant. And what if God ſuffers his People to fall a firſt, and ſecond time, and third too; how can you dare to ſay, that the hurt it doth them is greater than the good? It's enough that God's rectoral Rule of Government of them, is, that all things ſhall work together for their good; and tho' Sin hath no good in it ſelf, yet through Gods wiſe diſpoſal it ſhall work for good.
Neonom.
Nor whether ſome ſenſible Calamities may fall on a good Man, not ſo much in a way of Rebuke for Sin, as to try his Graces, prevent Sin, or bring glory to God, by a Teſtimony of Truth.
Antinom.
Theſe are very good Reaſons you have added; let me add, For his increaſe and growth in grace.
Neonom.
Yet I believe the very Martyrs did not ſo glory in the joyful cauſe of their Sufferings, as always to neglect an humble Reflection on what ſin of theirs might juſtifie God, as a hidden cauſe of their hardſhip.
Antinom.
There's none of God's Children, but as they own themſelves leſs than the leaſt of his Mercies, ſo own, that by the Laſt of their ſins, they have deſerved the greateſt Calamities; but truly a Martyr could never go joyfully to Sufferings, if he thought God call'd him to it to puniſh him for his ſins, to expiate ſome hidden ſins; this would be ſad Martyrdom. No, the Apoſtles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to ſuffer for the Name of Chriſt; they had no ſuſpicion, it was a puniſhment of them for their Sins. As to a humble reflexion upon ſin, and what it deſerves in it ſelf, yea and we for it, if God ſhould deal with us according to our ſinful Deſerts: I think others of God's profeſſed Children, as well as Martyrs, have it, or elſe they have little grace in their Hearts, and little Acquaintance with the pardoning grace and mercy of God.
Neonom.
I will ſhew you the real difference, whether God be at all diſpleaſed with Believers for their Abominations. This I affirm, and the Doctor denies. D. W. p. 192.
Antinom.
You ſhould have told us what you mean by God's being diſpleaſed, whether you mean an immanent diſpleaſure of his divine Juſtice, or a providential Carriage towards them, which they are apt to call God's diſpleaſure through Temptation. 2. When you ſpeak of God's diſpleaſure towards Believers, whether you mean their Perſons, or their Sins; we ſay, God is never diſpleaſed with their Perſons, they being reconciled unto God by the death of his Son; and in Chriſt, God is fully and everlaſtingly well pleaſed with them. Indeed in the way of your Scheme, there's ſomething in what you ſay, the righteouſneſs of the new Law being imperfect; and therefore there is room left to expiate our Sins and Imperfections, in obedience by our Sufferings. 3. You make ſtrange kind of Believers, ſuch, it ſeems, as fall ordinarily into great Abominations, act and live in, I ſuppoſe, ſins of the greateſt magnitude; the Doctor means a better ſort of Believers.
Neonom.
Whether God at any time, or by any Afflictions, expreſſeth his diſpleaſure againſt his People for their ſins. This I affirm, and the Doctor denies.
Antinom.
You need have made but one Whether of both theſe, unleſs you diſtinguiſh between God's diſpleaſure, and expreſſing his diſpleaſure, as between immanent and tranſient Acts; and what ſignifies your affirming or denying, when there's no conſiſtency in yourſelf, and all your Affirmations and Denyals are in equivocal Expreſſions?
For you grant, God caſts not Believers out of Covenant favour; he ceaſeth not to love them when they Sin. Nor do Afflictions proceed from his vindicative Juſtice. That he can make Afflictions for their future good. We ſay he doth do it, and for their preſent good too. And that they may fall upon a Believer to prevent Sin and try his Graces, we ſay they do ſo always more or leſs. Let all this be told a Believer in an Affliction, and he will ſay, Bleſſed be God, I find all this that befalleth me is from a gracious God in Covenant: God is not diſpleaſed, but deals with me as a tender Father.
Neonom.
I will confirm the Truth: You muſt know that there is none of all this but Dr. C. meaneth it of the unconverted Elect, for their Sins are off from themſelves as much as Believers; their Sins do them no hurt, nor is God angry with them, tho' God ſaith, He is angry with the Wicked every day.
Antinom.
Solomon ſaith, Prov. 14.22. Do they not err that deviſe evil? And that Violence covereth the Mouth of the Wicked, Ch. 10.11? And that he that hideth Hatred, with lying Lips, and he that uttereth a Slander, is a Fool, verſ. 18? You thought by that time all your Conceſſions were put together, that the Error you charged the Doctor with was dwindled away, and it would not blacken him enough, according to your Intention; and therefore now you will accuſe him for his meaning, that all that he ſpeaks of Believers, refers as well to the unconverted, as the Elect.
Now to ſhew the World how little like a Gentleman, Scholar or Chriſtian you carry your ſelf, ſee D. Criſp, pag. 15. out of which you take your Charge againſt him, in the very entrance of his Diſcourſe, what is ſaid.
He ſhews from John 14.6. That Chriſt is the way from all the Wrath of God to all that do receive him. 1. From the Affection itſelf, of Wrath; let me tell you, God doth, no longer ſtand offended or diſpleaſed, tho' a Believer, after he be a Believer, do Sin oft; yet, I ſay, God no longer ſtands offended or diſpleaſed with them, when he hath once received Chriſt; and unto them God ſaith, Anger is not in me, Iſa. 27.4.
And doth he not expreſly mention Believers in theſe very places you quote out of him? Now I ſee it's impoſſible to eſcape your Accuſations, for you have ſo addicted yourſelf to ſay one thing and mean another, that whatever any ſaith, tho' never ſo plainly, whom you are minded to accuſe, you'l ſay he meant another; and ſo you run on with your Cuckow's Note. He ſays that Sin will do them no hurt, and God is not angry with them, &c.
Neonom.
I affirm God is diſpleaſed with Believers for their Abominations.
Antinom.
Some abominable Believers out of doubt, ſome that you will have called Believers, when as they themſelves know in their Conſciences that you ſlander them.
Neonom.
If he be diſpleaſed, it must be for their Sins; he oft affirms it, and he forceth his People to own it, Pſal 60.1, 3. Iſa. 5.25.
Antinom.
There is nothing to be concluded, that God is angry with the Perſons of true Believers, from thoſe Expreſſions that refer to a National Church, when there is a mixture of Believers and Unbelievers; God always when he ſpeaks to ſuch, in a way of Anger, hath reſpect to the generality or prevailing Party, according to which he doth in external ways of his Providence carry himſelf towards the whole.
Neonom.
God was angry with Moſes, Exod. 4.14. Deut. 4.21. Chap. 9.21.
Antinom.
No Man of ſenſe would bring that of Exod. 4.14. to prove God was angry with Moſes in your ſenſe; for Moſes was then in Converſe with God, who was calling him to a great Undertaking, whereat Moſes was ſurprized and pleaded his own Inſufficiency; which Plea of his, when it ſavoured of Unbelief, God rebuked; not that there was in God penal Anger againſt his Perſon; but he rebukes his Sin that he might not go on in the ſame Sin and Unbelief, and its ſpoken after the manner of Men; and ſo often in Scripture God's Rebukes of Sin in his Children by Word or Providence, is termed his Anger, becauſe its ſo againſt Sin, and ſeems to be ſo with their Perſons, by God's carriage to them many times in their Apprehenſions; and yet for all that, whom he loves he loves to the end. And ſo God loved the Perſons of Moſes and David, even when they ſinned, as you ſay yourſelf, that God ceaſeth not to love a Believer when he ſinneth; if not, then he is reconciled to their perſons, however his ſenſible dealing may be with them, and all proceeds from that love: And therefore why do you blame Dr. Cr. for ſaying, that at that Inſtant, when God brings Afflictions on Believers, he doth not remember any one of their ſins? It muſt be underſtood thus, as he explains it, that God remembers not their ſins in a way of judicial proceeding; marking Iniquity, it is called therefore God's dealings in this kind with his Children, and are called in the Goſpel-language, Corrections and Chaſtiſements; not for Deſtruction or Hurt, as all Penal Evils be, but for Reformation and Amendments, &c.
Doth he not ſpeak as plainly and diſtinctly as may be, that he doth not ſay, God is not angry with the ſins of a Believer, but that he is not wroth with their Perſons?
Neonom.
That place, Pſal. 81.30, 31, &c. proves what I ſay.
Antinom.
That place is on the Doctor's ſide, and againſt you; for it only holds forth thus much, that God corrects his People from Sin, not for Sin in a way of vindicative Wrath; for its a Promiſe to Chriſt, and the Seed there ſpoken of, who are redeemed ones and believers; God ſaith, in caſe of Sin, he will viſit their Iniquities with a Rod, to kill and deſtroy Sin in them; but as for his loving-kindneſs, it ſhall never depart from them: You could not have mentioned a place of Scripture more directly againſt you.
Neonom.
There is that place, 1 Cor. 11.30. and Rev. 3.19.
Antinom.
The Church-members of the Corinthians might not be true Believers, for ought you know; for they were of thoſe that eat and drunk unworthily, and accordingly, in the Apoſtle's phraſe, did eat and drink damnation: But what hinders, but a Child of God may die under an Affliction, which is laid upon him to cure ſome Corruption or other? it's not too late to partake of God's holineſs upon a Death-bed in a higher meaſure than before. And as for thoſe that were ſick and weak, but recovered, theres no doubt, if they were true Believers, but it tended to the curing their ſpiritual ſickneſs. It is a ſtrange thing that a Chirurgeon muſt act always as an Executioner, have his Commiſſion from Juſtice-Hall ſtill, when he comes to a Patient to open an Ulcer, or to cut off a mortified Hand or Leg; and he cannot do this in love, and all tenderneſs and compaſſion to his Patient, but in anger and wrath, and to puniſh and torment the poor creature for his faults. As to what is ſaid by Chriſt to the Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. Chriſt ſpeaks to Body-Politicks, to mix Congregations that had many corrupt Profeſſors among them; and he ſpeaks to them as ſuch as were for the greateſt part of many of them over-run with Hypocriſie and Formality: And what is it he calls them to, but Reformation? So is that place, Amos 3.2. it's ſpoken to a profeſſing apoſtatizing People.
Neonom.
The Aſſembly at the Savoy aſſert this; and in the Aſſembly's large Catechiſm. How doth Christ execute the Office of a King? in rewarding their Obedience, and correcting them for their Sins?
Antinom.
But what follows? preſerving and ſupporting them under all their Temptations and Sufferings, is that in a way of Wrath and Indignation? They ſay, for their Sins; ſo ſay we too, in their ſenſe, if for denote the end of the chaſtiſement, cauſa medendi, for healing; but it's not cauſa vindicandi, for puniſhing in a way of vindictive Juſtice; which is your ſenſe, or elſe you would never make this ſputter, whatever pretence to the contrary you make. God's diſpleaſure is with the Sins of Believers, not with their Perſons; and this is Paternal Diſpleaſure, becauſe there is love to their Perſons, as the cauſe of dealing with them in the way of any ſeeming diſpleaſure.
Neonom.
I will tell you the Doctor's miſtake: Becauſe God laid our Sins on Christ to make Attonement for forgiveneſs of the Elect, therefore God cannot be offended with the Elect for them, before they repent.
Antinom.
Your Miſtakes are wilful, and foul ones too, or elſe you would not act ſo diſhoneſtly.
1. This Doctrin, of laying Sin on Chriſt, you are always bantering; take heed it prove not of dangerous conſequence to you.
2. Hath the Doctor ſpoken one word of the unconverted Elect in this matter, or of the Elect before they repent? But your ſpleen is moved, becauſe he founds the ſecurity of Believers from the Wrath of God towards them for Sin, upon Chriſt bearing Sin, and making full ſatisfaction for it; you cannot brook it, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs ſhould have this honour. I will tell you one thing, If you have no better ſecurity from Wrath, than the Evangelical Righteouſneſs you ſhew in this Book, I can ſay, without a Spirit of Prophecy, The Wrath of God abides on you.
Neonom.
Becauſe God doth not hate the Believer, as an unreconciled God when he ſins, therefore he is not at all diſpleaſed with him becauſe of the Goſpel-ſins.
Antinom.
Becauſe God manifeſts diſpleaſure againſt the Sins of his People, therefore, ſay you, God is diſpleaſed with their Perſons; that's your miſtake, it's not in the nature of God to love and hate the ſame Object; neither hath God ſuch affections as we have: If God hate not as an unreconciled God, he can do nothing towards that perſon, but what are the effects of love; there's few earthly Parents can correct a Child, but it's in their mind wholly to do them good, and to free them of ſome ill habit or corruption; the Child calls the Father's carriage Anger, and it looks ſo to him, in a wiſe Father; but all this while his Heart earns toward the Child, and longs to be Kiſſing it.
Neonom.
He thinks, becauſe a Refiner is not angry with his Gold, therefore a Holy God is not angry with Rational Offenders.
Antinom.
The Perſons of true Believers are precious and honourab…e in the ſight of God, 10000 times more than Gold can be, and ſecurer from the anger of God than any Gold can be from the Refiner's anger. I ſuppoſe your Rational Offenders are your Abominable Believers.
Neonom.
Becauſe God will not hate a Believer ſo as to damn him, therefore he cannot be angry with his People ſo as fatherly to chaſtize them.
Antinom.
If God cannot hate a Believer ſo as to damn him, then he cannot puniſh or afflict him in this World with the ſame affection wherewith he doth damn any one; but all that befalls him in this World proceeds from the ſame affection of love that ſaves them from damnation, as to God, there's the ſame cauſe of the afflictions and chaſtiſements of Believers, as there is of their glorification; they all proceed from his Eternal and Unchangeable Love, from the ſure Mercies of the Covenant of Promiſe, and therefore are all in a way of benefit and advantage towards them; God loves a Child of his as much in its infancy and nonage, as in its grown ſtate, tho' his carriage is different, the diverſity of ſtate requiring it. And as to Fatherly Chaſtiſement, if you underſtand it aright, we deny not but ſuch are thoſe of God's Children; but you muſt know the Spirit of God, Heb. 12. tells us, the compariſon will not hold but as a ſmall illuſtration of it; for God's thoughts, affections, deſigns, are not as Man's; a Father may correct a Child in anger and paſſion, and ſo for his pleaſure, as the Apoſtle ſaith, but God never doth ſo; a Woman may lay aſide natural affections, and forget her ſucking Babe, yea, murder it; but as God cannot lay aſide his innate love, ſo he cannot forget to exerciſe it in all things.
Neonom.
Becauſe God afflicts from Sin, therefore he doth not afflict for Sin.
Antinom.
If you mean from Sin and for Sin in the ſame ſenſe, that Sin is a reaſon of affliction in ſome ſenſe or other, we deny it not; but if you mean it be a judicial cauſe of affliction, as it is in a wicked Man, we utterly deny it; for ſuch muſt be attoning to the Law, tranſgreſſed in part or in whole; the Law deſigns not the ſalvation of the ſinner in any of its executions, but its own ſatisfaction in his deſtruction, it looks not at his amendment, but ruin: And therefore if you mean, that God, as a Father, doth ſo afflict, we deny it; for to ſay ſo, were to make him change, to invalidate the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and make him worſe than an earthly Father.
Neonom.
As if he could not rebuke for what is past, if he reſolve not against their amendment for time to God.
Antinom.
God reſolves their Amendment, and therefore chaſtiſeth; and God rebukes their Sins, and ſhews Man that he hath tranſgreſſed, that Faith be exerciſed the more lively on the propitiation of Jeſus Chriſt, who ſatisfied God for Sin, and that they may the more admire the free and pardoning Love of God, and that his dealings are ſo favourable, it's the Lord's Mercy we are not conſumed, becauſe his Compaſſions fail not, and that Sin may be made more ſinful and hateful to them.
Neonom.
The Doctor was led into this Opinion, by not conſidering that Anger and Diſpleaſure be not Paſſions in God, but a Will of Correcting, and are denominated from the kinds and degrees of Correction.
Antinom.
Quite contrary; he took up his Opinion, becauſe he believed they were not ſo; and that God's correcting his Children, is from his Love and Good-will; and that, whatever the Degrees are, the Specifick Nature is, toto genere, diſtinct from Puniſhments in anger.
Calv.
1. There is no reaſon why God ſhould exact the Debt of Sin, in the ſuffering of Believers, becauſe Chriſt hath fully ſatiſfied his Father's Juſtice for their Sins.
2. Their Sorrows and Afflictions cannot carry a Curſe in them, and therefore not the Wrath and Diſpleaſure of God; for he hath born their Sorrows, and carried their Grief; not that they ſhould not have Sorrow, but that their Sorrows ſhould have nothing of the Sting of Sin, the Curſe of the Law in them.
3. They are under the Grace of Adoption, therefore Chaſtening is the Fruit of Adopting-love, Heb. 12.6. And it's one of the good things God hath allotted to them as Children, and that for many great Ends: 1. To be Partakers more and more of his Holineſs in general, Ver. 10. for their Profit and Advantage. 2. To be conformed unto Chriſt therein, who learned Obedience by ſuffering, Heb. 5.8. 3. To fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Chriſt in his Myſtical Body, Col. 1.24. 4. That we may have fellowſhip with Chriſt in his Sufferings, and therein be conformable to his Death, Phil. 3.10. 5. That as the Sufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our Conſolations may abound by Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.5. 6. That we may learn Patience, that excellent Grace, Rom. 5. Tribulation worketh Patience. 7. That Faith may be tryed, the tryal whereof is better than Gold, Jam. 1. 8. That we may be weaned from the World, prize and long for Heaven more; therefore through many Tribulations we muſt enter into Heaven, Acts 14.22.
Theſe and many more great Reaſons may be aſſigned for the Afflictions of God's Children, and not to be reckoned to be for Sin in your ſenſe.
Mr. Calvin, in his inſtitutions, is very large on theſe things, and ſaith, l. 3. c. 8. ſ. 6. In ipſa tribulationum acerbitate Patris noſtri Clementiam erga nos & benignitatem recognoſcere convenit, quando ne tum quidem deſinit ſalutem noſtram promovere, affligit nos, non ut perdat aut perimat, ſed potius ut a mundi damnatione liberet. In the very bitterneſs of Affliction, it is our Duty to own and recognize the tenderneſs and bounty of our Father, becauſe then he ceaſeth not to promote our Salvation; for he afflicts not that he may kill or deſtroy us, but rather to deliver us from the condemnation of the World.
From the Doctrin of Juſtification by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, we gather, 1. To condemn the proud Papiſts,Dr. Ʋſher. Theol. p. 195. that ſeek Juſtification by their own Works and Righteouſneſs inherent in themſelves. 2. There's no comfort to a Chriſtian's Soul like this. 1. The Aſſurance of the Sufficiency of our Redemption, Rom. 8.33. God having accepted his Son's Righteouſneſs for us, will not hold us any longer treſpaſſers, but he diſables his own Juſtice from making any further demand. 2. Hence there is nothing comes upon the Saints from God's Revenging Juſtice, but all our Corrections are Medicinal from God's fatherly love, to purge out that Sin out of our Nature which he hath already pardoned to our Perſon.