Truth and Innocence Vindicated, Part 1 · Subpart 3
ANIMADVERSIONS.
THE deſign of this Charge ſeems to me to be, to overturn the Election of Grace, and ſubſtitute a conditional Election in the room thereof; ſo much has been writ in divers Ages in defence of that great fundamental Truth, that there is no need of additions from my Pen, I ſhall conclude it therefore with this Aſſertion, That if Juſtification be an immanent Act of God, as God abſolutely conſidered, it is an Act of Eternity: But if a tranſient Act of God conſidered as Judge, and an Act of his revealed Will, 'tis an Act of Sin.
[The Law doth not prepare for Converſion. The Spirit of God doth not make uſe of the Law for Converſion.]
I Anſwer: The Law, or the Covenant of Works, doth not prepare for Converſion. That the Spirit of God doth not make uſe of the Law in Converſion, is an addition of their own
[Mr. Davis objected in his Sermon, But the Law is ſaid to convert. To this he anſwered, That it is the Law of the Goſpel, which is this, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, &c. The Law cannot convert, becauſe the works of the Law are under a curſe to the Soul.]
To the beſt of my remembrance, I framed my Objection thus: It is written, Pſal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul. Anſwer. By this Law is meant the Doctrine of the Goſpel, or the great Law of diſtinguiſhing Grace held forth in the Goſpel, puts forth converting power, which was proved, by comparing this with Gal. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 2. together with Rom. 9. 15, 16, and 18, as alſo with 2 Tim. 1. 9. laſtly, with Rom. 3. 27. from all which places 'tis evident, the Goſpel converts a Soul: Rom. 1. 16. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt: it is the power of God to ſalvation to every one that believeth. So 1 Cor. 4. 15. For in Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Goſpel. 'Tis alſo evident from the holy Scriptures, That as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curſe, Gal. 3. 10. How then can the works of the Law convert a Soul?
[The Law giveth an impious ſight of Sin.]
My judgment is, That Convictions of the Law, in a ſtate of Nature, are impure, becauſe the ſtate is ſo, and the effect thereof in ſuch a ſtate are impure alſo, Rom. 7. 5, 7, 8. ſee more under Head 14.
[All the Law doth, is to drive perſons farther off from Chriſt, and make ſome go away and hang themſelves.]
This is put with a falſe grain too. This I preached, That the Law convincing and condemning a Man for Sin in a ſtate of Nature, hath a tendency to drive Souls to deſpair, and that is far enough from Chriſt: And ſome, forced with the terrors thereof, have executed themſelves, witneſs Judas.
[Mr. Davis preached, Believe not others who propheſie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. Whoſoever weareth a rough garment to deceive, and tells them of John Baptiſt's preparing the way, and preaching up his roughneſs, his preparatory works, and that you muſt bring theſe qualifications, they propheſie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. Perſons miſery is their qualification.
I am not concerned how they wreſt matters: But this I affirm, That they that preach up the preparatory works as qualifications that muſt recommend perſons to Chriſt, ſo far they depart from their Commiſſion, and ſo far they propheſie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. And if there be any thing that makes perſons the Subjects of God's free mercy, it is miſery. The Phyſician is not for the whole, but the ſick.
[Such as preach up Preparatory Works, are Legal Preachers; hinder Peoples Comfort, and keep them under Bondage. We ſhould begin with high Confidence, and hold it faſt unto the end.]
Such as are afore-mentioned, are Legal Preachers; hinder Peoples Comfort, and keep them under Bondage.
The Goſpel commands Sinners to believe, and to be ſtrong in Faith, whether they attain to it, or no. The Goſpel hath no Degrees of Commands: As firſt commanding a more imperfect Faith, mix'd with a great deal of Unbelief; and then a more perfect Faith, and leſs Unbelief. The Imperfections of our Obedience, muſt not be the Meaſures of Goſpel-Commands. I never ſaid, Sinners muſt arrive to ſuch a degree of Faith, before it can be ſaving: But this I do affirm, That the Goſpel doth require of Sinners, to believe in Hope againſt all Hope. And there are ſeveral Inſtances in the New Teſtament, of ſuch great Faith at firſt. And the Word of God commands us, to hold the beginning of our confidence ſtedfaſt to the end, Heb. 3. 6, 14. chap. 10. 19, 22. and likewiſe ver. 35.
[There is the Redeemer. Ay, ſaith the Soul; but I muſt be humbled more, and pray more. I ſay, you may repent, and be damn'd; for this is ſlighting the Goſpel. Do you know how much you would have, afore you come to Chriſt?]
I Anſwer, I ſhall not mind their wreſted Sentences: But this I have preach'd, and this I will ſtand by, That Souls that delay their Obedience to the Goſpel-Command, of believing on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, under pretence, that they are not humbled enough, and qualified enough for Chriſt; do ſlight the Goſpel. I alſo ſay further, That there are many that have had legal Repentance enough, that are now in Hell. It is ſaid, Judas repented; and yet he periſhed.
☞ [Sinners muſt come to Chriſt immediately, and be united to him in all their Sins and Filth.]
This, I know, I have preached, as my Judgment; That Sinners muſt come to Chriſt, as Sinners; and not as made Saints firſt. And the Goſpel biddeth them come immediately; To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, Heb. 1. 3, 7, 8. Nor do I know where they muſt leave their Sins, afore they come to Chriſt: In that moment they are United to Chriſt, is the Change made; they do not continue in a filthy State any longer: Yet I do not ſee how their State is changed, or they can leave their Sins, before an actual Union with Chriſt.
[Some hold, There muſt be Preparatory Works: Which is a Stumbling-block.]
I Anſwer; That ſuch as do preach up Preparatory Works, (as afore-mention'd,) do lay Stumbling-blocks in the way of Sinners.
[A Perſon may ſincerely deſire after Holineſs, and yet be nothing: Nay, he may deſire Chriſt to reign over him, and yet not be ſavingly convinced.]
Anſw. I do think it is poſſible, a Perſon may have ſincere deſires after that which the New-coin'd Divinity calls the Leſſer Holineſs, afore Faith, as Conditional of their Juſtification, and yet be nothing; becauſe they ſeek to be Juſtified by the Works of the Law. And ſo it was with the Jews, Rom. 9. 31, 32. & Rom. 10. 20, 21. And it is poſſible, they may deſire Chriſt to reign over them, to ſubdue many of their Iniquities, to this intent, that for their ſubdued Iniquities they might be Juſtified.
[When then are you ſavingly convinced? You are ſavingly convinced, when you can believe Chriſt died for you.]
Robert Page atteſted as affectionately in this; as when he witneſſed, Mr. Bear was one of us, when he is not. But to the Matter in hand. I judge then a Soul ſavingly convinced, when he is ſo convinced of Sin and Miſery, that he ſees nothing but the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt will do: When he is convinced of the Suitableneſs, and abſolute Neceſſity of this Righteouſneſs to him; and that nothing ſhort of an Intereſt in it, will ſatisfie his Conſcience. Alſo, When he is convinced of his great Evil, in leaning ſo long on his own Righteouſneſs; and the proneneſs of his Heart to do ſo ſtill. And Laſtly, When he is convinced of an evil Heart of Unbelief.
[The Spirit convinceth of no Sin but Ʋnbelief.]
Sure Mr. Jerry was under a great Miſtake: For it was this I inferred from John 16. 7, 8, 9, 10. 11. That the firſt Sin the Spirit ſavingly convinceth a Man of, is his own evil Heart of Unbelief; and his Evil, in truſting to his own Righteouſneſs. But ſee how ſtrangely it is wreſted! What will not Envy and Prejudice put a Man upon?
[For any to look to their Sanctification, was an hindrance to their cloſing with Chriſt.]
'Tis true, in a good ſence, they have no Holineſs afore they cloſe with Chriſt; and what ſhould they look for that to bring with them, they cannot poſſibly have afore they come.