Discourse of Mental Errors, To the reader
AN EPISTLE TO THE READER
Candid Reader,
CEnsure not this Treatise of ERRORS, as an Error in my Prudentials, in sending it forth at such an improper time as this. I should never spontaneously have awakened sleeping Controversies, after God's severe castigation of his people for them, and in the most proper and hopeful season for their Redintegration.
And beside what I have formerly said, I think fit here to add, That if the attacque had been general, and not so immediately and particularly upon that Post or Quarter I was set to defend, I should with Elihu have modestly waited till some abler and more skilful hand had undertaken the defence of this Cause.
If ever I felt a temptation to envy the happiness of my Brethren, it hath been whilst I saw them quietly feeding their Flocks, and my self forced … some part of my precious … time (devoted to the … combating with unquiet and erring Br…thren: But I see I must not be my own chuser. Notwithstanding, I hope, and am in some measure persuaded, That publick benefit will redound to the Church from this irks…me Labour of mine. And that this strife will spread no further, but the Malady be cured by an Antidote growing in the very place where it began: And that the Christian Camp will not take a general Alarm from such a …ingle Duel.
The Book now in thy hands consisteth of Four parts, viz. 1. A general Discourse of the Causes and Cures of Errors, very necessary at all times (especially at this time) for the reduction and establishment of seduced and staggering Christians; and nothing of that nature having occurred to my observation among the manifold Polemical Tracts that are extant, I thought it might be of some use to the Churches of Christ in such a vertigenous Age as we live in; and the blessing of the Lord go forth with it for benefit and establishment.
2. Next, thou hast here the Controversies moved by my Antagonist, first about the Mosaick Law complexly taken, which he boldly pronounces to be an Adam's Covenant of works. And secondly, about God's Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17. which he also makes the same with that God made with Adam in Paradise; and affirms Circumcision (expresly called a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith) to be the Seal of the said Covenant of Works first made with Adam.
3. Finding my Adversary in the pursuit of his design, running into many Antinomian delirations, to the reproach and damage of the Cause he contends for; I thought it necessary to take the principal Errors of Antinomianism into examination, especially at such a time as this, when they seem to spring afresh, to the hazard of God's Truth, and the Churches Peace; wherein I have dealt with becoming-modesty and plainness, if haply I might be any way instrumental in my plain and home way of Argumentation, to detect the falsity and dangerous nature of those notions which some good men have vented; and preserve the sounder part of the Church from so dangerous a contagion.
4. In the next place I think it necessary to advertise the Reader, That whereas in my first Appendix under that head of the Conditionality of the New Covenant, I have asserted Faith to be the Condition of it, and do acknowledg, p. 246. that the word Condition is variously used among Iurists; yet I do not use in any sense, which implies or insinuates, that there is any such condition in the New Covenant, as that in Adam's Covenant was, consisting in perfect, personal, and perpetual obedience; or any thing in its own nature meritorious of the benefits promised, or capable to be performed by us in our own strength; but plainly, that it be an act of ours (tho' done in God's strength) which must be necessarily done before we can be actually justified or saved; and so there is found in it the true suspending nature of a condition; which is the thing I contend for, when I affirm, Faith is the condition of the New Covenant.
How many senses soever may be given of this word Condition, this is the determinate sense in which I use it throughout this Controversy. And whosoever denies the suspending Nature of Faith, with respect to actual Justification, pleads (according to my understanding) for the actual Justification of Infidels. And, thus I find a Condition defined by Navar. Iohan. Baptist. Petrus de Perus. &c. Conditio est Suspensio alicujus dispositionis tantisper dum aliquid futurum fiat. And again, Conditio est quidam futurus eventus, in quem dispositio suspenditur.
Once more, My Reader possibly may be stumbled at my calling Faith sometimes the Instrument, and sometimes the Condition of our Justification, when there is so great a Controversy depending among Learned Men, with respect to the use of both those terms. I therefore desire the Reader to take notice, That I dive not into that Controversy here, much less presume to determine it; but finding both those Notions equally opposed by our Antinomians, who reject our actual Justification by Faith either way, and allow to Faith no other use in our actual Justification, but only to manifest to us what was done from Eternity; I do therefore use both those terms, viz. the Conditionality, and Instrumentality of Faith, with respect unto our Justification, and shew in what sense those terms are useful in this Controversy, and are accommodate enough to the design and purpose for which I use them, how repugnant soever they are in that particular, wherein the Learned contend about the Use and Application of them.
To be plain, when I say, Faith justifies us as an Organ or Instrument; my only meaning is, that it receives, or apprehends the Righteousness of Christ, by which we are justified; and so speaking to the Quomodo, or manner of our Justification, I say with the general Suffrage of Divines, we are justified instrumentally by Faith.
But in our Controversy with the Antinomians, where another different Question is moved about the Quando, or time of our actual Justification; there I affirm, that we are actually justified at the time of our believing, and not before; and this being the Act upon which our Justification is suspended, I call Faith the Condition of our Justification.
This, I desire, may be observed, lest in my use of both those terms, my Reader should think, either that I am not aware of the Controversy depending about those terms; or, that I do herein manifest the vacillancy of my Judgment, as if I leaned sometime to one side, and sometime to another. I speak not here, ad idem, as they do in that Contest; but when I call it a Condition of Justification, my meaning is, that no Man is justified until he believe. And when I call it an Instrument, my meaning is, that it is the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith, which doth justify us when we believe. And so I find the Generality of our Divines calling Faith sometimes a Condition, and sometimes an Instrument of our Justification, as here I do.
And if there be any Expression my Reader shall meet with, which is less accurate, and may be capable of another sense: I crave that Candor from him, that he interpret it according to this my declared Intention.
5. Lastly, I have added to the former, a short, plain, practical Sermon, to promote the Peace and Unity of the Churches of Christ, and prevent their Relapse into past Follies.
In all the Parts of this Discourse, I have sincerely aimed at the Purity and Peace of the Church of God; and he greatly mistakes, that takes me for a Man of Contention. 'Tis true, I am here contending with my Brethren, but pure necessity brought me in; an unpleasing irksomeness hath attended me through it, and an hearty desire, and serious motion for Peace amongst all the professed Members of Christ, shall close and finish it. Let all Litigations of this nature (at least, in this Critical Juncture) be suspended by common Consent, since they waste our time, hinder our Communion, imbitter our Spirits, impoverish practical Godliness, grieve the Spirit of God, and good Men, make sport for our Common Enemies, who warm their own Fingers at the Fire of our Contentions; and place more Trust in our dividing Lusts, than they do in their own feeble Arguments, or castrated Penal Laws, to effect our Ruin.
It is my grief (the Lord knows) to see the delightful Communion the Saints once enjoyed, whilst they walked together under the same Ordinances of God, now dissolved in such a sad and scandalous Degree, by the Impressions of erroneous Opinions, made both upon their Heads and Hearts. I do therefore heartily joyn with Budaeus in his pious Wish,*Utinam tam consertis manibus compertam comprehensamque veritatem semel reti…ere poss…mus qu…m protinùs agnitam festivis oculis hilares exosculamur. That God would give his People as much Constancy in retaining the Truths they once received, as they had Joy and Comfort at their first Reception of them. I must in this occasion declare my just Jealousy, that the Non-improvement of our Baptismal Covenant unto the great and solemn Ends thereof in our Mortification, Vivification, and regular Communion with the Church of Christ, into which Society we were matriculated by it; is at this day punished upon Professors in those fiery Heats, and fierce Oppositions, unto which God seemeth to have penally delivered us at this day.
For my own part, it is my fixed Resolution to provoke no good man if I can help it. But if their own intemperate Zeal shall provoke them, in pursuit of their Errors, to destroy the very nature of God's Covenant of Grace with Abraham and his Seed, and I have a plain call (as here I had) at once to defend God's Truths and my Peoples Souls against them, I will earnestly contend in the Cause of Truth, whilst I can move my Tongue, or make use of the Pen of the Scribe.
Reader, I shall appeal to thee, if thou be wise and impartial, Whether any man that understands the Covenant of God renewed with Abraham (which is the grand Charter, by which we and our Children hold and enjoy the most invaluable Privileges) can endure to see it dissolved and utterly destroyed, by making it an abolished Adam's Covenant of Works; and stand by as an unconcerned Spectator, when challenged and provoked to speak in defence thereof?
Is there any thing found in God's Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17. to make it an abolished Covenant of Works, which doth not as injuriously bear upon, and strike at the very life of the Covenant of Grace in the last and best Edition of it, under which the whole Church of God now stands? What is that thing (I would fain know) in God's Covenant with Abraham? Is it the Promissory part of it, I will be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, Gen. 17. 7? God forbid: for the essential and sweetest part of the New Covenant is contained in that Promise, Ier. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. Yet thou wilt find my Antagonist here forced to assert, God may become a Peoples God in a special manner by virtue of the abolished Covenant of Works; and such he makes this Covenant to be.
Or does the Restipulation Abraham and his were here required to make unto God, even to walk before him, and be perfect; doth this make it an Adam's Covenant of Works? Surely no. For as God there requires perfection of Abraham, so Christ requires the same perfection of all New-covenant Foederates now, Matth. 5. 48. Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect; which is altogether as much as ever God required of Abraham and his, in Gen. 17. 1. Take Perfection in what sense you will, either for a positive Perfection, consisting in truth and sincerity; or a comparative Perfection, consisting in the growth and more eminent degrees of Grace; or a superlative Perfection, which all New-covenant Foederates strive after here, Phil. 3. 12, 13- and shall certainly attain in Heaven, Heb. 12. 23. In this also the Covenant with Abraham, and with us, are truly and substantially one and the same.
Or doth my mistaken Friend imagine, that God required this Perfection of Abraham, and his, as in the First Covenant he required it from Adam, and all his? viz. to be performed and maintained in his own strength, under penalty of the Curse; but now though Christ command perfection, yet what duty lies in any command, answerable strength for it lies in the Promise? Very well, and was it not so then? compare the Command, Deuter. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skins of your hearts, with the answerable gracious Promise to enable them so to do, Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy Seed, to love the Lord thy God.
Or lastly, Did Circumcision, the Sign and Seal added to Abraham's Covenant, make it an Adam's Covenant of Works? That's equally impossible with the former: for no man, but such a daring Man as I am concerned with, will dare to say, that a Seal of the righteousness of Faith (as Circumcision was, Rom. 4. 11.) can make the Covenant, to which it is affixed (and which I have shewn in all the other substantial parts, the very same with that we are now under) to become an Adam's Covenant of Works.
These things I have here superadded, to leave as little as is possible behind me to be an occasion of further trouble and contention. Let all strife therefore in so plain a case be ended: Contentious Spirits are not the most excellent Spirits among Christians. Fire (and so Contention) is more apt to catch in low-built thatcht Cottages, than in high-built Castles, and Princely Palaces: the higher we go, still the more peace. The highest Region is most sedate and calm. Stars have the strongest influence, when in conjunction. Angels (tho legions) have no wars among them; and as willingly go down, as up the Ladder, without justling each other. And the Most High God is the God of Peace; let us also be the Children of Peace. And I do assure the Persons with whom I contend, That whilst they hold the head, and are tender of the Churches Peace, I can live in charity with them here, and hope to live in glory with them hereafter.
I remain, Reader, thine and the Truth's Friend, John Flavell.