The Glory of Free Grace Displayed, Title page – To the reader
The GLORY of Free-Grace DISPLAY'D: Or, The Tranſcendent Excellency of the Love of God in Chriſt, unto Believing, Repenting Sinners, in ſome meaſure deſcrib'd. WHEREIN,
1. The Doctrine about Election, and the Covenant of Reconciliation is Explained.
2. The Error of the Antinomians, who aſſert, That the Filth of Sin was laid on Chriſt, and that the Holineſs as well as the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is made the Elects while in the Womb, &c. With their Abuſe of FREE-GRACE particularly detected and confuted.
3. In what ſenſe our Sins were laid on Chriſt, and Chriſt's Righteouſneſs made the Believers, according to the Sacred Scriptures, evinced.
4. The Glory of Irreſiſtible-Grace, as exerted in the Converſion of a Sinner in oppoſition to the Arminian, cleared.
5. A modeſt Defence of the ſober Dominican, about Phyſical Predetermination.
London, Printed by T.S. for B. Alſop, at the Angel and Bible againſt the Stocks-market. 1680.
An Epiſtle to the well-meaning but weak READER, who is moſt liable to the being tainted with the Errors which are oppoſed in the following Diſcourſe.
THE deſign of the enſuing Diſcourſe, is to enlighten Thee concerning the true Notion of Free-Grace, which contains in it diſcoveries of Divine Love to the greateſt of Sinners; and, which is then illuſtrated in its fulleſt glory, when extended towards ſuch, as are affected with the dreadfulneſs of their loſt eſtate, as out of Chriſt: For, whatever ſome may ſuggeſt, none but Convinced Sinners, are capable of entertaining right conceptions of Goſpel-Grace. An Unconvinced Sinner, cannot in any ſaving meaſure underſtand, much leſs comprehend the glory of this myſtery; for whoever would be ſavingly acquainted with it, muſt know, and believe, that ſo many, and ſo great are his tranſgreſſions, that, unleſs he be made the object thereof, he is eternally undone. Whence 'tis impoſſible, that any ſhould diſcover unto Thee the true Notion of this Grace, and not at the ſame time ſhew, who are the proper objects of it: Nor can any ſhew who are the proper objects of it, unleſs they acquaint Thee with the ſtate of thoſe perſons, that ſhall be made the actual partakers thereof, which cannot be without an inſiſtingon the greatneſs of both the ſin and miſery of all ſuch: for Grace is to the miſerable, to thoſe, who in the ſenſe of ſin, labour, and are heavy laden; and therefore the firſt work of a Goſpel Miniſter, is to preach up Repentance towards God, and then Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Yea, we muſt firſt, (if we will be faithful) acquaint you with your ſin, and your danger, aſſuring you, that although you were from eternity elected, your ſins were not actually in God's ſight pardoned from eternity, nor from the day of Chriſt's death, nor from the time you were firſt conceived in the womb; for every Elect Soul, while under the reigning power of Unbelief, and other Luſts, is unpardoned, and in a ſtate of condemnation; whence notwithſtanding your election, if you would receive an actual pardon, you muſt go to God through Chriſt for it; yea, you muſt receive Chriſt in your hearts by Faith; and that you may, we muſt beſeech you, as in Chriſt's ſtead, that you come unto Chriſt; but come unto Chriſt without Faith and Repentance, you cannot; for our coming unto Chriſt, is our believing in the Lord Chriſt, which believing includes Goſpel Repentance, which cannot be without conviction of Sin.
The Doctrine of Free-Grace thus rightly ſtated, is a Point of the higheſt Concern to all the Children of Fallen Man, leading us unto a due cloſing with ſuch other Truths, as are alſo of very great importance, viz. The neceſſity of conviction of ſin, in order to a right believing; and of that Faith, which includes in it the entire Principle of Goſpel Repentance, as antecedent unto our actual juſtification in God's ſight. All which Goſpel Truths, how neceſſary ſoever to ſalvation, are ſadly neglected by ſuch, as underſtand not the Scripture Notion of Free-Grace; which being ſo, I have thought my ſelf the more oblig'd to do my utmost for thy relief, who art in danger of being drawn aſide, not only to the contemning the but now mentioned Truths, but moreover to an entertaining many a Dangerous Error, concerning our Lord Jeſus Christ, as if he bore not only the Guilt and Puniſhment, but alſo the Filth of our Sin; and as if what the Lord Jeſus hath done for the Church, would exempt the Elect from the neceſſity there is of their Repenting, Believing and Rendring a ſincere Obedience to the end of their Lives.
Theſe, and many other Errors, that are but too firmly linkt unto 'em, are of different miſchievous influences; ſome tending to the diſcountenancing Holineſs, as others do to the advancing Prophaneneſs, and a gratifying the Papiſts; all which, beſides what I have already done, I will, for thy greater Caution, particularly evince.
1. The Errors I oppoſe greatly diſcountenance Holineſs; for Juſtification, and a right to Glory, depending meerly upon an eternal, but ſecret Decree,according unto them, the Elect are juſtified actually in God's ſight, at least, as ſoon as they receive their Beings in the womb; whence the conviction of Sin, or that Faith, which includes in it the Principle of Goſpel Repentance, is no way a neceſſary antecedent unto this Juſtification; and conſequently, if the Elect be unconcern'd about the knowledge of their Election, they are ſafe enough, although they mind not Religion in its purity.
2. The Profane are as much encouraged, who, confidently perſuading themſelves that their ſins are pardoned, or, who concluding that their Sentence in the Court of Heaven is already paſt, their Piety cannot better their ſtate, nor their wickedneſs any way conduce to the making it the worſe, and theref…re contemn God and true Religion. I knew as great a Debauchee, as theſe times afford, who, reading Mr. Saltmarſhe's Book, had arrived to a ſtrange aſſurance that his ſins were pardoned; and that although he lived under the prevalency of his luſts, and was confeſſedly a vile wretch, yet, he being ſo fully perſuaded both of his Election, and Juſtification, knew, as he ſaid, that he ſhould be eternally happy, although he ſhould dye in that ſtate. But,
3. Theſe Errors gratifie the Papiſts as much, and that on a twofold account.
1. In that ſome, (to wit, two or three) Proteſtants aſſert, That the Filth of Sin was laid on Chriſt, the Papiſts judge themſelves ſufficiently enabled to reproach all Proteſtants, as a People, whoſe Heretical Opinions, are moſt odious, caſting the Lord of Life under the vileſt of Calumnies. Thus Bellarmine, de Juſtif. l. 2. c. 7. lit. H. &c. would prove, That we make Chriſt a real Sinner.—Ergo poterit Chriſtus dici verè peccator, &, quod horret animus cogitare, Filius Diaboli.—Illyricus in confeſ. Antuerpien. c. 6. & in Apol. ejuſd. admits (ſaith Bellarmine,) that Chriſt may be ſaid to be moſt truly a Sinner, by the imputation of the Father, and his own voluntary reception of their ſins on himſelf, to which he adds, But this their Blaſphemous and Sacrilegious Impudence contradicts the whole Scripture. Whether this Illyricus were of the Antinomian Opinion, or not, I'll not now enquire; for nothing more ſure, than that he embraced Errors of a dangerous tendency. But by this we may ſee, How the Papiſts are gratified by ſuch Doctrines as theſe.
2. The Antinomians, not clearly diſtinguiſhing between the Guilt and Filth of Sin, (as I have ſhewn both in the Body of the Treatiſe, and in the Appendix) give great advantages unto ſome Popiſh Errors.
For theſe Reaſons I have been the more careful in my endeavors, that thou, by coming to the knowledge of the Truth, may'ſt be freed from the miſchiefs thou art liable unto, by a too fixed adhering unto Error. Yea, the ſaving thy ſoul fromErrer, and the ruinous conſequences thereof, is my aim in this Eſſay; It being Grievous to conſider, that any Well-meaning Profeſſors, in this day, and land of light, ſhould be tempted to abandon ſo neceſſary an Article of the Proteſtant Doctrine, and inſtead thereof, embrace an Opinion that ſo much diſcountenanceth Holineſs, that ſo much en… Profaneſs, yea, and ſo much gratifies the …ſts, who are the great Enemies to our bleſſed J…; and who are, at this time, attempting our …ine, by their bringing us into a ſtrange confuſi…, reviving old Errors, ſetting Proteſtant againſt …roteſtant, and by their ſcurrilous Pamphlets preparing the People to believe, that the greateſt Enemies to Popery, viz. the Nonconformiſts, are vile enough to perpetrate ſuch Villanies as are abhorred by none as much as by them.
Reader, That thou may'ſt not, contrary to the honeſt inclinations of thy Soul, be drawn unto theſe deſtructive Errors, I have written the enſuing Treatiſe, deſiring, that thou wouldeſt ſeriouſly peruſe it; and that thou may'ſt do ſo, to thine own profit, ſhall be my Prayer unto the Lord, who is able, and I truſt, who will bring thee to the knowledge of the Truth, as it is in Jeſus.
Farewell. From my Study. July 24. 1680.