Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed, Chapter 2 · Section 2 (1 of 4)

Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed · Chapter 2 · Section 2 (1 of 4)

p. 33SECT. II. Of his ſecond Error that the Covenant of Grace is Abſolute and not Conditional.

SEcondly the Author of the Letter aſſerts that the Covenant of Grace is Abſolute and not Conditional, as appears from page 18. at the end, and page 24. And particularly he denies that Faith in Chriſt is the Condition of Juſtification, page 8. [Some ſay that faith juſtifies as it is a fulfilling of the condition of the New Covenant, if thou believeſt p. 34thou ſhalt be ſaved.] This he finds fault with, and oppoſes to it, the old Proteſtant Doctrine (as he calls it) That the place of Faith in Juſtification, is only that of a Hand or Inſtrument, &c. Where we obſerve,

(1.) That he makes faith its being a Condition, and its being a hand or inſtrument, to be two oppoſite things, the one whereof is inconſiſtent with and deſtructive of the other; and ſo in this he not only fights againſt us, but likewiſe againſt the Aſſembly of Divines at Weſtminſter, who held Faith to be both an Inſtrument and a Condition in the matter of Juſtification, as was ſhewed before.

(2.) He makes it to be New Doctrine, and contrary to the Old Proteſtant Doctrine, to hold that Faith is a Condition of the Covenant of Grace, and that we are Juſtified by Faith, as a Condition of the Covenant; wherein he makes the Aſſembly as well as us, to be Preachers of a New Doctrine, and Corrupters of the Goſpel; ſince they likewiſe held Faith to be a Condition of the Covenant, as aforeſaid.

And again in page 9. [We ſay that Faith in Chriſt is neither Work nor Condition, nor Qualification in Juſtification, but is a meer inſtrument] and he affirms that their ſaying ſo, is that by which the fire is kindled. So that (ſaith he in page 10.) [It is come to that as Mr. Chriſtopher Fowler ſaid, that he that will not be Antichriſtian, muſt be called an Antinomian.] Here it is very remarkable, that he not only denies Faith to be either Work, Condition, or Qualification in the matter of Juſtification, but he alſo in effect affirms, that it is Antichriſtian to aſſert that Faith is either Work, Condition, or Qualification, and that he will therefore rather chooſe to be called an Antinomian for denying, than to be an Antichriſtian for affirming it. This is and muſt be his meaning, or elſe he was dreaming, and knew not what he did, when he cited Mr. Fowler, and brought in his Judicious ſaying, with a (ſo that it is come to that as Mr. Fowler ſaid, &c.) Finally in page 25, at the beginning, he ſays, that Faith in the Office of Juſtification is neither Condition nor Qualification, but in its very act is a renouncing of all ſuch pretences. From all which it is plain, that we do not wreſt his Words, nor charge him with an Opinion which he doth not hold; for he ſo firmly holds the Covenant of Grace to be Abſolute and not Conditional, and particularly that Faith is neither the Condition of obtaining Juſtification, nor a qualification of the Perſon then Juſtified when he believes, that he glories to be accounted an Antinomian, rather than renounce that Opinion, page 24. And he holds it to be New and Antichriſtian Doctrine to maintain that Faith is either a Condition of obtaining Justification, or a qualification of the Perſon juſtified or to be juſtified in that inſtant of time wherein he believes.

Before we refute this Opinion, we will briefly declare to the World what our Faith is in this matter. And,

Firſt, We do not hold that there is any Antecedent Condition of the Covenant of Grace: Our meaning is plainly this, That there is nothing required to be neceſſarily performed by us as a Condition before the Lord will make us Partakers of any Grace, even of the firſt Grace of the Covenant. For we believe that the firſt Grace is given Abſolutely, and the Lords giving of it, is not ſuſpended on our performing of ſome antecedent Condition by our meer natural Strength; This indeed would be Pelagianiſm, or rather Semi-Pelagianiſm condemned by the Ancient Church, and we condemn it as much as the Ancients did. We hold that there are Abſolute Promiſes, Promiſes of Regenerating Grace, of the New Heart, the Heart of Fleſh, of ſpecial Grace through which the Elect believe and repent. This is the Grace whereby we performe the Conditions required of us in the Covenant, and therefore it muſt be promiſed and given Antecedently to our performing thoſe Conditions, foraſmuch as it is the cauſe of the performance of thoſe Conditions, and the cauſe muſt always be in order of nature and cauſality before the Effect. There hath been, and is ſome difference of Opinion amongſt Orthodox Miniſters about the Perſon or Perſons to whom God hath made thoſe abſolute Promiſes; Some think they are made only to Christ for the Church according to theſe Scriptures, Iſai. 49.6. compared with Acts 13.47, p. 3548. and Iſai. 53.11. Pſal. 22.30. and 110.3. Others think they are made through Chriſt, only to the Catholick Church, that God for Chriſt's ſake would ſhew ſpecial Mercy unto his Select People in all Ages, and add them to the Church Myſtical by ſaving Illumination, Regeneration and Converſion: And ſo that God through Chriſt hath promiſed unto the Catholick Church, that ſhe ſhould be a fruitful Mother, that ſhould ſtill bring forth Children unto God, which ſhould continue the Succeſſion unto the end of the World; as in Iſa. 54.1. Sing O barren, &c. ver. 5. For thy maker is thy husband, &c. See alſo ver. 8, 10. and then conſider the Promiſe, ver. 13. That all her children ſhould be taught of the Lord. And compare that place with Gal. 4.26, 27, 28, 29. We humbly conceive that the Abſolute Promiſes of the firſt ſaving Grace, are not made immediately to Individual Perſons, but to the Body of the Church, to the Mother in behalf of her Children: Such are the Promiſes recorded, Iſa. 44.3, 4, 5. Iſa. 59.21. Ezek. 36.22. compared with ver. 26, 27. and with Heb. 8.10. Theſe and all abſolute Promiſes of the firſt ſaving Grace ſeem not to be made immediately unto, nor to be immediately pleadable in Faith by any Individual Perſons before their firſt Converſion; but to be made unto the houſe of Iſrael, (as the Text expreſſeth it) that is, unto the true Church which is the Myſtical Living Body of Chriſt, in behalf of all the Children which ſhe as a Spiritual Mother is to bring forth unto God: Or,

3ly. To Reconcile theſe two Opinions, and to reduce them into one, it may be, ſome judge it beſt to ſay, that the aforeſaid abſolute Promiſes are made both to Chriſt and his Church, as one Myſtical Body conſiſting of Head and Members, which is to be filled up from time to time by adding New Members to it; and that continual addition of new Members is made by the fulfilling of the foreſaid abſolute Promiſes; and for this may be alledged, Gal. 3.16. and this way we oppoſe not.

Thus it is confeſſed that there is ſome difference of Opinion about the Perſons to whom the Abſolute Promiſes of the firſt Saving Grace, are made; and we cannot help it; for it is not in our power to make all good Men to be of one mind in leſſer matters, and we think we are bound in Conſcience to bear with one another in love, notwithſtanding ſuch little differences. But we thank God that we are all agreed that the Promiſes of the firſt Grace are Abſolute, ſo as to exclude the neceſſity of our performing any Antecedent Condition to make us capable of that firſt Grace.

And we deſire it may be well remembred, That we ſay thoſe Promiſes are abſolute, ſo as to exclude any antecedent Condition, but not ſo as to exclude the uſe of Gods appointed means for the obtaining of that promiſed Grace. We plainly diſtinguiſh between an Antecedent Condition, which is always and in all caſes neceſſary to obtain the promiſed Grace; and the uſe of God's means appointed for the obtaining of the promiſed Grace; which uſe of means is indeed ordinarily neceſſary unto Men, ſo that they have no ground to expect that ever God ſhould give them the aforeſaid Grace, without their attending upon him in the uſe of thoſe means; yet is not the uſe of them ſo abſolutely neceſſary as that Grace at no time and in no caſe can be had without them: For though God hath tyed us to the means, he hath not tyed himſelf to them by any Law or Conſtitution, ſo that he can never give the firſt Saving Grace to any without the uſe of them. We know God hath been found of them that ſought him not, ſo he was found of Paul and others, and ſo he may be again in theſe latter days if he pleaſe. God may give Faith and Repentance to a man abſolutely in what way he pleaſeth, he may do it in the uſe of means, or out of the uſe of means, (which is his ordinary way) becauſe he hath not made the uſe of means, the Condition upon the performance of which he hath declared that he will always give it; and never in any caſe without the performance of it. Thus indeed it is in the matter of Juſtification and Glorification. It is not conſiſtent with the Truth of God's Word, and Perfection of his Nature to juſtifie or glorifie an Impenitent Unbeliever remaining ſuch, becauſe he hath declared that he will not, and it is not conſiſtent with his own Honour that he ſhould do it, but upon the performance of the Duty and Condition of Faith and Repentance. p. 36But in the matter of Regeneration and giving Faith and Repentance in the uſe of means, God hath not ſo tyed up himſelf by any Declaration of his Will that we know of, but that he hath left himſelf at free Liberty as a Gracious Lord and Merciful Benefactor to give the Grace of Regeneration, Faith and Repentance when and how he pleaſeth, ordinarily in the uſe of means, and extraordinarily without the Antecedent uſe of Means.

This we learn of Doctor Twiſſe who as he affirms frequently that the firſt Grace, and particularly the new Heart, Faith, and Repentance are promiſed and given abſolutely, and not upon the performance of any Antecedent Condition, ſo he poſitively aſſerts that the ſaid new Heart, Faith, and Repentance, are uſually given in the uſe of Means, and not otherwiſe ordinarily. You ſhall have it in his own words. Thus then he writes in his Anſwer to the foreſaid Book called The Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to Practice, page 195, 196. As God did ordain us to everlaſting Life by way of Reward of our Faith, Repentance, and good works; ſo likewiſe he did …rdain us to the obtaining of Faith, Repentance, and good Works, to be wrought in us, partly by the Miniſtry of his Word, therein ſpeaking unto us, and partly by our Prayers, ſeeking unto him to bleſs his word unto us, and fulfil the good pleaſure of his Goodneſs towards us, and the work of Faith in Power. For God doth expect, that we ſhould ſeek unto him by Prayer for this, as we read, Ezek. 36.37. Thus ſaith the Lord, I will yet for this be ſought of the Houſe of Iſrael to perform it unto them. Neither do we maintain that God doth ordain any Man of Ripe Years unto Eternal Liſe in any moment of Nature, before he ordains him to Faith, Repentance, and Good Works, and that to be wrought in him by the Miniſtry of the Word, with Gods Bleſſing thereupon according to the Prayers in common, both of the Paſtor and the People. By this paſſage we ſee that though Dr. Twiſſe denies that Gods giving us Grace to Convert, Believe and Repent, doth depend upon any proper Condition to be antecedently performed by us before we can ever in any caſe receive that Grace; yet he confeſſes and maintains that ordinarily Gods giving that firſt ſpecial Saving Grace depends upon the uſe of his appointed means, and that it is Gods Will it ſhould ſo depend. And truly if it were not ſo, Miniſters ſhould give over Preaching and Praying, and People give over hearing them, and joyning in Prayer with them, in order to Converſion; for it would all ſerve to no end or purpoſe, but would be a taking of Gods Name in vain. Thus it may appear to all, that we do not believe nor teach, that there is any Condition required to be neceſſarily performed by us antecedently to our partaking of the firſt Grace promiſed in the Covenant; ſo that if we performe that Condition, we ſhall infallibly have that firſt Grace, and if we perform it not, we ſhall infallibly not have it at all.

(2.) From hence it follows, that in conſiſtence with our foreſaid Principle we cannot hold, and we ſolemnly declare that we do not hold that there is any Natural Condition of the Covenant of Grace; for we know aſſuredly that there is no ſuch Promiſe in the Covenant of Grace as this, Facienti quod in ſe eſt viribus naturae, dabit Deus primam gratiam. God will give the firſt ſupernatural Grace to every Man who doth what he can by his Natural Powers. It was the Opinion of the Semipelagians, that we believe in Chriſt by our own Natural Strength without Supernatural Grace, and upon Condition that we do ſo, God promiſeth to give, and accordingly he gives us the firſt internal Supernatural Grace. Auguſtin himſelf was once of this Opinion, as he confeſſeth; lib. de praedeſtin. Sanctorum, cap. 3. where he tells us that he was convinced of his Error by that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4.7. What haſt thou that thou haſt not received, and if thou haſt received it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadſt not received it. We bleſs God for that by his Grace he hath preſerved us from that Semipelagian Errour, and we declare our abhorrence of it: And therefore it muſt needs be a great wickedneſs in the Authour of the Letter to bely us as he hath done, in charging us not only with Semipelagianiſm, but even with Pelagianiſm it ſelf, which are Errours that our Souls abhor, as God who ſearcheth the Hearts of all Men knoweth, and to whom we appeal; yet praying him again not to enter into Judgment with that Brother for the wrong he hath done us, but rather to give him Repentance, and then to pardon him.

p. 37(3.) From hence alſo it follows that we neither do hold nor can hold that there is any meritorious condition of the Covenant of Grace. For we do firmly and unanimouſly believe that Chriſt by his Elood hath purchaſed for us, and by his Spirit freely gives unto us the Grace whereby we performe the Condition of the Covenant, the Grace whereby we ſincerely believe, repent, and obey the Goſpel. Now we are perſwaded that it is utterly impoſſible for any Man to merit of God the benefits of Juſtification and Glorification by performing the Condition of Faith, Repentance, and Evangelical Obedience, becauſe we are infinitely beholding to God in Chriſt for giving us freely the Grace, whereby we performe the Condition, and without which we could never performe it. We know very well, that the Papiſts argue the quite contrary way that our Faith, Repentance, and Obedience are properly meritorious, becauſe they are the effects of God's Grace in us, but this we know alſo to be a very ridiculous way of arguing, becauſe the Argument really proves that they are not, and that they cannot be properly meritorious, becauſe they are the Effects of God's Free Grace. God by giving us the Grace whereby we Believe, Repent, and Obey the Goſpel, properly merits of us our moſt humble and hearty thanks for thereby cauſing us to Believe, Repent and Obey, and therefore our ſo believing, repenting, and obeying cannot properly merit any thing of God. But we need not inſiſt on this, it being ſo evident in it ſelf, and confeſſed by all Proteſtants that it is impoſſible for a meer Creature and that a ſinful Creature too, properly to merit and deſerve any thing from God but Death and Damnation. And this being ſo, we do aſſert (as much as our Authour doth, page 24. or can poſſibly do) ſuch an abſolute freedom of the Grace of God as excludeth all merit. But what our Authour means by excluding not only merit it ſelf, but every thing like merit, we do not well underſtand. As for the merit of a ſinful Creature, we know it to be a chimera, that it neither hath nor can have a real being, that it is impoſſible and implies a contradiction. Now what it is that is like a chimera, we leave to our profound Authour to determine. But if by every thing that is like merit, he means every falſe conceit of merit that is or may be in the fooliſh Imaginations of erroneous men; we underſtand him and agree with him; for we do (as much as he) exclude out of our own imaginations all falſe conceits of merit, and if we could we would exclude them out of the imaginations of all other Men, that ſo we and all other Men might aſcribe unto God through Chriſt the Glory of all the good we do, and of all the good we receive or hope to receive.

If our Authour by every thing that is like merit, mean any other thing, we are to ſeek what it may be, and truly we cannot well imagine what it is he excludes under the notion of its being like merit, unleſs it be Repentance in order to pardon of ſin, and Prayer for pardon of ſin; and if that be really his meaning, and he be of that mind that he will neither repent of his ſins in order to obtain the pardon of them, nor pray for the pardon of them, for fear leſt he ſhould ſeem to merit the pardon of them; we cannot but think him to be a very weak man, and that he fears where no ground of fear is: For aſſuredly if he do but exclude out of his own mind the proud Conceit and Opinion of meriting by his Repentance and Prayer, he needs not forbear repenting and praying for the pardon of his ſins, for fear of thereby meriting pardon, or for fear of doing that which looks like meriting pardon. His own common Senſe and Reaſon may teach him that by the very acts of repenting and praying for pardon, he doth renounce all pretence to merit as well as by the Act of believing in Chriſt for pardon, he doth renounce all pretence to the meriting of his pardon.

(4.) We do not believe that Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience are the legal but evangelical Condition of the Covenant of Grace: Which that our meaning may be underſtood by all, we explain thus, we do not believe that our Faith, Repentance and ſincere Obedience which are the Conditions of Juſtification and Glorification according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace, have the ſame Place and Office in this new Covenant and Law of Grace, which moſt perfect ſinleſs Obedience had and was to have had in the firſt old Covenant and Law of Works; for in that firſt old Covenant, perſonal, perfect ſinleſs Obedience was to have been Mans Righteouſneſs p. 38by which alone he was to have been ſecured from Death, and to have had ſtill a Title and Right to Life; but in the new Covenant and Law of Grace, neither our Faith, Repentance, nor ſincere Obedience are or can be that righteouſneſs which ſecures us from Eternal Death and purchaſes for us a Right and Title to Eternal Life; when God firſt made the new Covenant with us in Chriſt, we had all loſt our Right and Title to life, and were become guilty of Death; In which ſtate we could never by any Act or Acts of ours, by any Righteouſneſs in us or done by us, ſecure our ſelves from Death, and recover our Right and Title to Life: It was the ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs of our Lord Redeemer, Chriſt Jeſus, that could do, and did do this for us. It was Chriſts Righteouſneſs alone that ſatisfied for our Sins, and redeemed us from Death; and that merited and purchaſed for us a Right and Title to Life. Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone procures us the pardon of our ſins and a Right and Title to Life, ſo that it is Chriſt's ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs alone that comes in the place of that perfect ſinleſs Righteouſneſs which was the Condition of the firſt Covenant and Law of works. It is Chriſt's Righteouſneſs that ſtands us in ſtead of that perfect ſinleſs Righteouſneſs which we ſhould have had, but have not. It is Chriſt's righteouſneſs alone that procureth to us the Reſtauration of all the good we had loſt, and more and better. Our Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience have nothing to do at all in this matter. This was Chriſt's work alone, and we give him all the Glory of it with all our Hearts and Souls. And as it was Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone that merited our pardon of ſin, and deliverance from Death; and that purchaſed our acceptance with God, as righteous in his ſight, and our Right and Title to Life, ſo it is by his Promiſe and Law of Grace that the Lord gives us that which he had merited and purchaſed for us, that he gives us the pardon of our ſins and Right or Title to Life upon our repenting and believing; ſo that our repenting of our ſins and believing in Chriſt, are but the immediate neareſt means which God hath ordained to be uſed on our part that we may be fit to receive, and accordingly may receive thoſe bleſſings and benefits which Chriſt hath purchaſed, and which by the promiſe are given unto us. The uſe of this means, the performance of thoſe Duties of Faith and Repentance, is that which our Orthodox Divines call the Condition of the Covenant of Grace. For upon Condition that through Grace we do thoſe Duties we ſhall have thoſe bleſſings and benefits: The Lord will graciouſly give us them according to his promiſe, on condition that we by Grace do ſuch and ſuch Duties according to his Command. Our Faith and Repentance are not our Legal Righteouſneſs, nor inſtead of it, (that is the Place and Office of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs only) but they are the Condition which the Lord in the Goſpel hath required of us, that according to his promiſe we may be bleſſed with the pardon of ſin, be accepted at Righteous in his ſight, and have a Right and Title to Eternal Life. From the premiſſes it is manifeſt, that according to our Principles Faith and Repentance are not a Legal but an Evangelical Condition of the Covenant of Grace; and that they do not in the leaſt detract from the Grace of it. And we deſire it may be remembred that though ſpeaking of Faith and Repentance joyntly, we call them ſometimes the Condition of the Covenant, or the Condition of Juſtification, yet we make a difference between them, and becauſe Repentance includes an hearty ſorrow for ſin, and purpoſe to for ſake it and to return unto the Lord, we call it the diſpoſing Condition; but finding by Holy Soripture and the Nature of the thing that Faith above other Graces hath a peculiar reſpect unto Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, we call it the receiving Condition, ſo doth our Reverend Brother Mr. Williams call it in Goſpel truth ſtated, &c. page 114. and we approve the diſtinction. He was not the firſt inventer of it; for it was uſed by others before either he or we were born. Now if this be true as the Lord who ſearcheth all hearts knows it to be, then let the World judge how falſe and injurious that Authour is unto us, when in page 6. he giveth the People an account of our Principles as to this matter, in theſe following words, [They will not allow this perſonal Righteouſneſs of Chriſt to be imputed to us any otherwiſe than in the merit of it, p. 39as purchaſing for us a far more eaſie Law of Grace; in the obſervation whereof, they place all our juſtifying Righteouſneſs: Ʋnderſtanding hereby our own perſonal inherent holineſs, and nothing elſe. They hold that Chriſt dyed to merit this of the Father, viz. that we might be juſtified upon eaſier terms under the Goſpel, than thoſe of the Law of Innocency; in ſtead of Juſtification by perfect Obedience, we are now to be juſtified by our own Evangelical Righteousneſs, made up of Faith. Repentance, and ſincere Obedience.]

And Page 28. [Many manage the Miniſtry, as if they had taken up a contrary determination, even to know any thing, ſave Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified. We are amazed to ſee ſo many aſhamed of the Croſs of Chriſt, and to behave, as if they accounted the Tydings of Salvation, by the ſlain Son of God, an old antiquated Story, and unfit to be dayly preached. And what comes in the room thereof, is not unknown, nor is it worth the mentioning: For all things that come in Chriſt's room, and juſtle him out, either of Hearts or Pulpits, are alike abominable to a Chriſtian.]

Again, in Page 33. by an Innuendo, he gives the People to underſtand that we teach, that ſincere obedience unto the Law is the Righteouſneſs we muſt be found, and ſtand in, in our pleading for Juſtification, and that in ſo doing we neither underſtand what we ſay, nor whereof we affirm, 1 Tim. 1.7.]

Laſtly, In his Appendix, Page 39. by another of his Innuendo's, he gives the People to underſtand, that [we bring our own pitiful holineſs into Juſtification, and thereby make it ſit on the Throne of Judgment with the Precious Blood of the Lamb of God.]

By theſe Paſſages, that we have tranſcribed, word for word, out of his Letter, it appears, that he hath told the People a very tragical Story of ſome Miniſters; and if he mean it of us, we know our ſelves to be ſo clear of thoſe horrid Crimes, he charges us with; that we can declare with a good Conſcience in the ſight of God, who will judge us all, that it is as falſe with reſpect to us, as any Story that ever came out of the Mouth of the Father of Lies. For it hath been our chief deſire, and endeavour, to preach Chriſt to the People, to preach Chriſt both as humbled and exalted, as crucified and glorified. To convince them of their need of Chriſt, of their being utterly undone without him; that there is no help nor hope for them from any thing in themſelves, and of themſelves, or from any meer Creature, either in Heaven or Earth; that Chriſt is the way, the truth and the life, and that there is no coming to the Father, but by him; that there is no Salvation in any other but in Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe there is no other Name under Heaven given unto Men whereby we muſt be ſaved: That there needs no other, becauſe Chriſt being not onelyonly Man but God alſo, being God-man, he is an all-ſufficient Saviour, able and willing to ſave, able to ſave to the uttermoſt, to ſave perfectly, to ſave evermore all that come unto God by him. It hath been our care and endeavour to teach the People, that Chriſt hath not onelyonly procured for us the new Covenant, or Law of Grace, according to which we may be Juſtified, and ſaved, if we comply with the Terms, and Conditions of it, but that he hath by his Humiliation and Obedience, his Obedience unto Death, even the Death of the Croſs, fully ſatisfied the Juſtice of God for our Sins, merited for us the pardon of them, with the acceptation of us as righteous in the ſight of God, and a Right, or Title to Eternal Life, if we ſincerely Believe and Repent: And moreover that he hath merited for us by his Blood, and gives unto us by his Spirit all that Grace whereby we do both ſincerely believe, and repent, and obey the Goſpel.

We tell the People, that God made with us the new Covenant, or Law of Grace, in and through Chriſt the Mediator, and Surety of it, That it is founded upon, and ratified, and confirmed to us by his Blood-ſhedding and Death; and that he hath purchaſed for us all the Grace, Bleſſings and Benefits of it. We tell them, and prove to them, that Chriſt hath fulfilled all Righteouſneſs; that he moſt perfectly kept every Law of God that he was under the obligation of; that he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death; even the death of the Croſs: That it was for us Men, and for our Salvation, that he came down from Heaven, and was humbled, and became obedient unto death: That his Obedience, active and paſſive, was equivalent, p. 40fully equivalent to all that we ought to do, and to all that we deſerve to ſuffer for not doing what we ought, for not doing what is commanded us, and for doing what is forbidden us: That by his Obedience, and Sufferings, he hath paid the full price of our Redemption, and by paying that Price hath made full ſatisfaction to the Juſtice of God for our Sins, and hath merited for us the full pardon of our Sins, and Eternal Salvation of our Souls, if we ſincerely believe, repent, and obey the Goſpel, by that Grace which he hath alſo purchaſed for us by his Blood, promiſed to us in his Word, and gives unto us by his Spirit. So that we are compleat in him, we have all in, and from him, who is the Head, the living, and Life-giving Head, the ever bleſſed, and glorious Head of the whole Church, in whom dwells all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, and in whom it pleaſed the Father that all fulneſs ſhould dwell, that out of his fulneſs we might receive, and grace for grace. Moreover we call People, we command them, we exhort and beſeech them, in God's Name, to believe in Chriſt the Son of God, and Saviour of Men, to repent of their Sins, and to be ſubject and obedient unto him: The more effectually to encourage and perſwade them ſo to do, we aſſure them in God's Name, that if they do indeed, through Grace, believe, repent, and obey, they ſhall be firſt juſtified, and afterwards glorified, and that not for their Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience, but only for the ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to them. So that we teach People to plead Chriſts Righteouſneſs onelyonly as that which ſatisfies God's Juſtice for them, and as that which procures, and purchaſes to them the pardon of their Sins, the acceptation of their Perſons as righteous in God's ſight, with their Right and Title, firſt to eternal life, and at laſt the actual donation of eternal life for their everlaſting portion and inheritance. On the other hand, we faithfully declare to them, that they ought, by no means, to aſcribe unto their Faith, Repentance, or Obedience, any of theſe things that belong to Chriſt's ſatisfactory, meritorious Righteouſneſs: That the place and office of Faith, in reference to Juſtification, is to be the conſenting, receiving, truſting Condition of it, or the Inſtrumental means of receiving Chriſt as offered in the Goſpel, and with him his Righteouſneſs, for which alone we are juſtified: That the place and office of Repentance is to be the diſpoſing condition of Juſtification, or rather (if you will) of the Perſon to be juſtified, it not being conſiſtent with the Truth of God's Word, nor with the Perfection of his Nature, to pardon a Sinner whilſt he continues his full obſtinate Reſolution to go on in his Enmity and Rebellion againſt the Divine Majeſty: And laſtly, that the place and office of ſincere obedience (in the notion under which we now conſider it) is to be a condition of obtaining Eternal Life and Glory; we do not ſay that it is the cauſe, (though Calvin, Twiſs, Ames, Rutherford, &c. have not ſpared to ſay, and write, that it is, in ſome ſenſe, a cauſe, an inferiour diſpoſing cauſe, &c.) but a duty and condition until the performing whereof, God hath ſuſpended the Gift of Eternal Life and Glory; and to the Performers of which duty and condition he hath freely promiſed, and according to his promiſe he graciouſly giveth Eternal Life and Glory, for the ſake of Chriſts meritorious Righteouſneſs only. And we deſire it may be alwayes remembred that from this condition of ſincere obedience, we do by no means exclude, but include the continued exerciſe of Faith in Chriſt, as that which is the ſpring of it, and which runs through all the parts of it; as alſo we hold that it comprehends the continued practice of Repentance, and Love to God and Man. Such ſincere Obedience we hold to be a condition to be performed on our part, Ezek. 18.24, 25. Heb. 10.38.Ezek 18:24Ezek 18:25Heb 10:38for the obtaining of Eternal Life and Glory. For we learn from the Scriptures of Truth, that if any of God's People ſhould apoſtatize from Faith in Chriſt, fall from the Profeſſion and Practice of Chriſts true Religion, and give themſelves up to the wilful commiſſion of all manner of Abominations, and dye in that ſtate without Repentance, they would loſe their Right to Eternal Life, be ſhut out of Heaven, and caſt down to Hell, there to ſuffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire: Whereas on the contrary, all that continue to the end in the exerciſe of Faith in Chriſt, and in the practice of Repentance and p. 41Evangelical Obedience, they have their Right to Life and Glory ſtill continued to them, and ſhall, through God's Grace and Mercy, and Chriſt's Righteouſneſs and Merits be put into the full and eternal poſſeſſion of it.

If our Authour ſhould object, and ſay, that we ſuppoſe an impoſſibility, from whence there is no right arguing for, or againſt any thing. We deſire him to conſider what Dr. Twiſs ſayes in the 29 Page of his Anſwer to the Book called The Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to practice: His Words are, [When we ſay, the elect Saints cannot fall from Grace, this is ſpoken not in reſpect of any abſolute impoſſibility, but meerly upon ſuppoſition of God's upholding them: And accordingly they are ſaid to be kept by the power of God, through Faith unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. Now this impoſſibility of falling away from Grace, in Scholaſtical account, is but an Impoſſibility Secundum quid; like as we ſay, It is impoſſible that Antichriſt ſhould fall, or the Jews be called till the time, which God hath appointed, is come, for bringing forth theſe great and wonderful Works of his; but the contrary is ſimply poſſible on either part.] Thus Twiſs. Our Anſwer then is, that the Apoſtacy of a Saint is not ſimply and abſolutely impoſſible: Alas! it is but too poſſible with reſpect to us, conſidered in our ſelves; but it is onelyonly impoſſible in ſome reſpects, to wit, in reſpect of God's Purpoſe and Promiſe, and Chriſt's Interceſſion, &c. And notwithſtanding its being impoſſible, in this ſenſe, yet we find it ſuppoſed, and granted alſo, to be poſſible in another ſenſe. And further we find, that the Spirit of God, in Holy Scripture, ſuppoſes greater Impoſſibilities than that ſeems to be, and rationally argues from them too: Witneſs John 8.55. Gal. 1.8.

If any ſhould further object, and ſay, that hereby we deſtroy the Saints Aſſurance of Eternal Life and Glory, by holding that their obtaining of it, is ſuſpended on a condition. We Anſwer, the conſequence is falſe, becauſe thoſe who are aſſured, upon good Grounds, that they are truly Converted, and Juſtified by Faith in Chriſt's Blood, See 1 Joh. 2.19.1 John 2:19may from Holy Scripture be aſſured of the condition of perſeverance through Grace, in Faith, Repentance, and whatever God hath made neceſſary to their obtaining Eternal Life and Glory. Indeed if our Glorification depended upon a Condition of which we could not be ſure, then neither could we be ſure of Glorification it ſelf. But we believe, and maintain, that through Grace we may, and ought to be ſure of the Condition, to wit, of Perſeverance, and conſequently that we may, and ought to be ſure of our future Glorification, which is infallibly promiſed to perſeverance in Faith and Holineſs. We know the Followers of Luther, whom our Authour ſo much magnifies, as if he were for him, and his Party, deny that a Saint can be abſolutely ſure ordinarily in this World, that he ſhall be ſaved in the World to come. It is true, they maintain that a Saint may, and ought to be abſolutely ſure, that he is in a ſtate of Grace and Salvation for the preſent, but they deny, and on their Principles muſt deny, that he can have an abſolute, but onelyonly a conditional aſſurance of his Eternal Salvation and Glorification, becauſe they ſay, he cannot be abſolutely ſure, that he ſhall not fall totally, and finally from the ſtate of Grace that he is now in. If we ſhould follow Luther, or the Lutherans, in this, what a Clamour would our Authour raiſe againſt us, how would he proclaim us to the World to be Arminians or Papiſts, yet Luther was a bleſſed Man, and moſt Orthodox Divine, becauſe in his Commentary on the Galathians, he ſeems to hold with our Authour in ſome things, though in other things, of greater importance, he be againſt him, and us too.

But Holy Scripture is the Rule, and Meaſure of our Faith, in theſe, and all other Religious Matters, and according to the Preſcript thereof, we believe, profeſs, and preach to the People, that as Chriſt purchaſed all Grace for us by his Blood, ſo he gives it unto us by his Spirit in the uſe of his appointed Means, and what Saving Grace he once gives unto his People, he never wholly takes away from them again, and that if at any time they fall into Sin, againſt Knowledge and Conſcience, he raiſes them up again, by cauſing them to renew their Faith and Repentance, and never wholly leaves them, nor forſakes them, but gives them ſtill more Grace, according to p. 42their need, and by Grace prepares them for, and at laſt brings them unto Glory.

Thus we deſire, and endeavour to Preach Chriſt, and now we appeal to all, who have any Conſcience of Truth and Honeſty, whether we neglect to Preach Chriſt, or whether in the preaching of Chriſt we ſet up any thing in co-ordination with him, yea whether we be not ſo far from it, that on the contrary we make all ſubordinate to him, and derive all Grace from him, not only the Grace of Juſtification, and Glorification, which are promiſed on Condition of Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience, but alſo the Grace of effectual Vocation, Faith and Repentance, in a Word, all the Grace whereby we perform the whole condition of the Covenant from firſt to laſt. From the premiſſes it may manifeſtly appear to any, that are not ſtark blind, that we do not hold Faith, Repentance, and uncere Obedience, to be a Legal, but an Evangelical Condition of the Covenant of Grace, and conſequently, that in our Judgment, they do not hold the ſame Place and Office in the New Covenant of Grace, which perſonal, perfect, ſinleſs Obedience had, and were to have had in the firſt Covenant of Innocency, and of Works.

Object. But ſaith our Authour, in his Appendix, Pag. 39. It is the Achillaean Argument of the New Divinity, that Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience is our Evangelical Righteouſneſs, and that Righteouſneſs is our defence againſt the charge of Ʋnbelief, Impenitence, &c. And what then? Why in the following Pages he ſo ſhapes it as might beſt ſerve his Deſign, which was to make the People believe, that we ſet up our own Righteouſneſs in the place of Chriſt's, and maintain, that Men muſt be Juſtified by their own Righteouſneſs, and not onelyonly by Chriſt's. And ſo he trips up Achilles Heels by the Fallacy of many Interrogations. But it will be no very difficult Task to ſcatter this Miſt, which he hath caſt before the Peoples Eyes. In order thereunto, let it be conſidered,

1. That the Subſtance of this Argument was not invented by any amongſt us, dead or alive, that we know of; but ſome in this Nation having read it in ſome very eminently learned forreign Divines, particularly Ludovicus de Dieu at large, and the Holy, Humble, Learned, and moſt Acute Placeus, they received it, and improved it as uſeful to clear ſome ſeeming Difficulties in Scripture, obiected to us by our Adverſaries the Papiſts.

2. Conſider, that this way of reconciling James with Paul in the matter of Juſtification, for the Subſtance of it was taken up alſo by the Learned Turretin.

3. That it doth not appear, that all of us ever expreſſed our ſelves in thoſe Words for the clearing up of the ſeeming difference between James and Paul.

4. That thoſe who do take that way, do not impoſe it upon others. We know there have been many ways taken by Reformed Divines to expound James, ſo as not to contradict Paul: And ſome conſiderable difference there may ſeem to be among Divines in the methodizing, and expreſſing of their Notious of thoſe Matters: But yet there appears to be very little difference amongſt them, as to the things themſelves. Indeed upon the Matter all ſeems to come almoſt to the ſame thing. And particularly, let it be conſidered,

5. That this way of Interpreting James his Juſtification by Works, and reconciling it with Paul's Juſtification by Faith, ſeems to differ from the more common, modern Opinion, moſtly in the manner of expreſſion, which ſome of us think moſt agreeable to the Scripture Phraſe. But we leave every Man to expreſs his Notions, as beſt pleaſeth him, provided, that if he do not uſe Scripture Words, yet he do not contradict Scripture ſenſe. And therefore,

6. We deſire it may be conſidered, that this way of expounding James, which we are now ſpeaking of, doth not in the leaſt contradict the Holy Scripture, but rather ſerves to explain it, if it be underſtood (as it ought to be) in the true genuine ſenſe of its Authours. For,

(1.) Though they ſay, that our Faith, Repentance, and ſincere Obedience is an p. 43Evangelical Righteouſneſs, (as indeed it is) yet at the ſame time they declare that this Evangelical Righteouſneſs is no other thing but the Condition of the new Covenant on our part, whereby we are intereſted firſt and ſtill keep our intereſt in the ſatisfactory, meritorious Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, by and for which alone we are juſtified from firſt to laſt. They do not ſay that this Evangelical Righteouſneſs, which is the Condition of the Covenant, doth ſatisfie God's Juſtice for the leaſt ſin either againſt Law or Goſpel; or that it doth properly merit to us the leaſt good, ſo much as a Cup of Cold Water. They give unto Chriſt alone the whole Glory of having by his Righteouſneſs ſatisfied Juſtice for all our Sins, and merited to us all our Mercies. So that our Authour was (we think) a little impertinent in putting his queſtion, page 41. What is that Righteouſneſs which juſtifies a man from the ſin of Ʋnbelief? For he knows well enough that the Worthy Divines (as he deſervedly calls them) with whom he has to do in that Argument, have publiſhed it to all the World under their hands, That aſſoon as a Man who was before an Unbeliever begins through Grace ſincerely to believe in Chriſt, and to repent of his Unbelief, and of all his other ſins, immediately thereupon, Chriſt's ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs juſtifies him from his ſin of Unbelief, and from all his other former ſins, both Original and Actual; that is, God by and for Chriſt's Righteouſneſs juſtifies him from them upon his believing and repenting. And as our Authour knows this to be true, ſo he hath honeſtly confeſſed it in the end of the ſame Paragraph, Will any man (ſays he) dare to tell a perſon who is troubled in Conſcience about his ſin of Ʋnbelief, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is his legal Righteouſneſs againſt the charge of ſins againſt the Law; but for Goſpel-charges he muſt anſwer them in his own name? I know our hotteſt oppoſers would abhor ſuch an anſwer, and would freely tell ſuch a Man, that the blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin, and that his Juſtification from his Ʋnbelief, muſt be only in that Righteouſneſs which he ſo ſinfully had rejected while in Ʋnbelief, and now lays hold on by Faith. Here the Truth comes out at laſt, and in effect he gives the lye to his own falſe accuſations of the Lord's Miniſters, and acquits the accuſed: For if his hotteſt Oppoſers freely tell People that the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin, and that their Juſtification from the ſin of Unbelief muſt be only by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, then how can thoſe things be true whereof (as was obſerved before) he had accuſed us in page 6, 28, 33, and page 39. That we bring our own pitiful Holineſs into Justification, and make it ſit on the Throne of Judgment, with the precious blood of the Lamb of God? Ex ore tuo, &c. But,

(2.) The Authors of the Argument we are upon, never ſaid, wrote, or ſo much as thought (that can be known) That our ſincere Faith and Repentance is a Defence or Juſtification againſt a charge of Unbelief or Impenitence given in againſt us by God, for they knew full well without being taught it by this Authour, That the God of Truth cannot be the Authour of a Lye, which he would certainly and evidently be, if he ſhould charge us with being Unbelievers and Impenitent at that very time when he knows that by his own Spirit and Grace we ſincerely believe and repent; But that which the aforeſaid Excellent Divines ſaid, is yet to be ſeen in their Writings, and it is this, That our ſincere Faith and Repentance is a Defence and Juſtification againſt any falſe charge of Unbelief and Impenitence that is or poſſibly may be given in againſt us by the Devil and the World, or by our own miſtaken Conſciences. And who dare deny the Truth of this? May not the Devil and the World falſly accuſe, do not they too often falſly accuſe us, and ſay that we are Hypocrites, and have neither true Faith nor Repentance? When this Brother accuſeth us ſo falſly as he doth in his Letter, we need not think it ſtrange that the Devil and the World do falſly accuſe us: Yea we have that within our own breaſts that may ſometimes through the temptations of Satan, or the remainders of ſinful Darkneſs and Unbelief, falſly accuſe us of predominant Hypocriſie, Unbelief, and Impenitency. Now if at the ſame time we are really true Converts, and through Grace ſincerely believe and repent, what Man that is endued with common Senſe and reaſon can reaſonably deny that our ſincere Faith p. 44and Repentance is a ſufficient Defence and Juſtification of us, againſt all ſuch falſe accuſations. Sure we are that our infinitely Gracious God and Saviour allows our plea, and (we moſt heartily bleſs his Name for it) hath ſometimes by his Spirit and Grace ſenſibly helped us to make our defence by clearing up to us the ſincerity of our Faith and Repentance, and by enabling us to take unto our ſelves the Comfort, and to give him all the Glory of our being ſincere penitent Believers, notwithſtanding all that the Devil, World, or Fleſh, ſay falſly to the contrary.

But as for thoſe who are impenitent Unbelievers indeed, all the World knows that the Faith and Repentance which they have not, can never juſtifie them from the Unbelief and Impenitency which they really have deeply rooted in their hearts. In ſhort, We maintain that Christ's meritorious and ſatisfactory Righteouſneſs only juſtifies us at Gods Bar from all our ſins againſt any Law of God whatſoever, as ſoon as we through Grace performe the Goſpel-Condition of ſincere Faith and Repentance: And then that ſincere Faith and Repentance is our Defence and Juſtification before our moſt Gracious God, and before all honeſt Men againſt all falſe accuſations of our not having performed the Goſpel-Condition of ſincere Faith and Repentance. But as for thoſe who continue ſtill in Unbelief and Impenitence, they have nothing to defend and juſtifie them; but if they live and dye in that ſtare, their Unbelief and Impenitence will bind upon them to Eternity the Curſe and Condemnation of the Law, and moreover will bring upon them the ſorer Vengeance of the deſpiſed Goſpel, John 3.18, 19, 20. and Heb. 2.2, 3. and 12.25.

Thus Achilles is on his Legs again without receiving the leaſt hurt from the weak efforts of that aſſailant; who hath nothing to ſay to him without miſrepreſenting him, but that he doth not like his Language, pretending that it is unſcriptural, let. p. 41, 42.dangerous, and tends to the diſhonouring of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, &c. but that pretence is utterly falſe: For,

(1.) That our ſincere Faith, Repentance, and Goſpel-Obedience is a righteouſneſs, is evident from the Nature of the thing, For (1.) They are Duties which we owe unto the Lord our God, and it is ſelf-evident that it is a righteous thing to give unto God the things that are Gods.

(2.) It is confeſſed by our Divines in their Diſputes againſt the Papiſts, that our Faith, Repentance, ſincere Obedience and Holyneſs is a Righteouſneſs: For they generally grant that we have a two-fold Righteouſneſs.

(1.) The Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us.

(2.) A Righteouſneſs inherent in us, and adherent to us, which we receive from Chriſt by his Spirit and Grace.

This is expreſly confeſſed by that ſame Biſhop Downham in his Book of Juſtification, which our Author, page 12. of his Letter, commends as an Orthodox Book. There that Reverend and Learned Divine affirms that we are Righteous both by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us, which is our Principal Righteouſneſs; and likewiſe by another Righteouſneſs wrought in us and performed by us, which is our ſecondary ſubordinate Righteouſneſs. If our Authour ſhould have the Confidence to deny this, it will be proved againſt him by Authority both Divine and Humane.

(2.) This our ſubordinate Righteouſneſs is rightly termed Evangelical, becauſe it is required by the Word of the Goſpel, wrought by the Spirit of the Goſpel, and is a complying with the terms, and a performing of the Condition of the Goſpel.

(3.) That our ſincere Faith, Repentance, and Obedience, is a ſubordinate Righteouſneſs by which we are defended and juſtified againſt the falſe charge of Hypocriſie, Unbelief, and Impenitence, is ſo far from being unſcriptural, that it agrees exactly with the very Letter, Scope and Senſe of the Scripture in the ſecond Chapter of James, if that Epiſtle be Scripture, as I hope we all believe that it is; for there a Man is expreſly in formal terms ſaid to be juſtified by works, James 2.21, 24, 25. which words can ſignifie no leſs than this, That the good Works and ſincere Obedience of a good Man do juſtifie him againſt the falſe accuſation of being an Hypocrite p. 45or prophane Libertine. As to what our Authour ſays in page 41. That works of Righteouſneſs are only a Juſtification of Faith, and not of the Perſon of the Believer, it is a notorious falſehood, and expreſly contradicts the Spirit of God, who faith that a man is juſtified by works, and particularly that Abraham and Rahab were juſtified by works, and not that their Faith only was juſtified by Works. We do not deny but that good, Works do juſtifie Faith, but we alſo affirm with James, that they do likewiſe juſtifie the perſon of the Believer. But how is that? Why they juſtifie his Perſon in tantum, in ſo far as they are his Defence and Juſtification againſt the falſe charge of his being a Hypocrite or Libertine, and not a true penitent obedient Believer. In all this neither doth James, nor we after him diſhonour the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt in the leaſt; for our inherent and adherent Righteouſneſs is intirely ſubordinate to Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs, it hath alſo quite another Ʋſe and Office than Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs, and it proceeds from it as the only meritorious cauſe thereof; We abhor all Opinions and Practices that have the leaſt real tendency to diſhonour Chriſt or his Righteouſneſs. We aſcribe this to Chriſt as his peculiar incommunicable Glory that (as was ſaid before) his righteouſneſs alone comes in the place of that perſonal perfect ſinleſs Righteouſneſs which was the Condition of the firſt Covenant of Innocency and Law of Works. And as for that perſonal, imperfect, yet ſincere Righteouſneſs, which through the Grace of Chriſt we attain unto, by Believing, Repenting, and Obeying the Goſpel, it is nothing but the Condition of the new Covenant, by performing whereof we get and keep an Intereſt in Chriſts imputed Righteouſneſs by and for which alone we are juſtified from all our ſins of what kind ſoever, and have a right unto, and at laſt get poſſeſſion of Eternal Life and Glory in God's Heavenly Kingdom. We have inſiſted long upon this, that all may ſee how ſound and orthodox our Principles are in the point of Juſtification; and how we have been abuſed and miſrepreſented to the People by the Authour of the Letter. Whether he did it ignorantly or maliciouſly he knows beſt himſelf: But which way ſoever he did it, it was certainly very ill done.

5thly, and laſtly, We believe that as the Faith of God's Elect is a Condition of the Covenant of Grace, ſo that it is not an uncertain but a moſt certain Condition; our meaning is, that before the Elect believe, it is not uncertain whether ever they will believe or not; It is indeed uncertain to the Perſons themſelves; but it is not objectively uncertain, the thing is not uncertain in it ſelf, nor is it uncertain unto God whether ever his Elect ſhall believe. No, it is moſt certain in it ſelf and unto God that all the Elect ſhall believe; for God hath choſen them through Chriſt unto Faith; Chriſt hath merited ſpecial Grace for them whereby they ſhall believe, God through Chriſt hath promiſed that ſpecial Grace, and God by his Spirit for Chriſt's ſake gives them that ſpecial Grace, whereby they do all certainly and infallibly believe. The contrary Opinion to this, is by our Divines generally charged upon the Arminians. It is ſaid that the Arminians hold that it is ſo far left to Mens Wills aſſiſted by Univerſal ſufficient Grace, whether they will make that Grace effectual, and ſo whether they will believe or not, that it may come to paſs that not one Man in the whole World ſhall ever eventually believe, and conſequently that Chriſt's Blood might have been ſhed in vain, and not one Soul have been effectually redeemed and ſaved by it. This Opinion whoever they be that hold it, we utterly deteſt and abhor; and declare to the World, that as we are infallibly ſure that many of the Elect have believed already, and do at preſent believe, ſo all and every one of them in their ſeveral times ſhall by the ſpecial and effectual Grace of God believe to the ſaving of their Souls. We alſo believe that this certainty of the Faith of God's Elect, doth not at all hinder their Faith from being a condition, but rather that it makes it to be a certain Condition. The Arminians pretend they cannot underſtand how Faith can be a Duty required of us, and a condition to be freely performed by us, and that yet at the ſame time we are ſo excited to it, and aſſiſted by the Grace of God in the doing of it, that it is done with an infallible certainty. And therefore they ſay that if we did believe p. 46by ſuch a ſpecial effectual Grace as that we could not but believe at the time we are influenced by that Grace, then our believing would neither be a Duty nor Condition of the Goſpel.

Thus the Arminians argue againſt Special Effectual Grace. But what ſay our Antinomians to this Argument? Why truly they ſay it is a very good argument, that the Arminians have reaſon on their ſide, and that they do effectually prove that Faith cannot be a Condition of the Goſpel-Covenant. Now we deſire the World to take notice that the Antinomians join with the Arminians againſt us, and take up their very Argument to prove that Faith neither is nor can be a Condition of the Goſpel-Covenant. And ſince they account this their chief argument, we deſire they would be ſo juſt and honeſt as to take the whole argument and not only a part of it; and conſider that the whole argument proves that upon ſuppoſition of ſpecial effectual Grace, Faith can neither be a Duty nor a Condition, and it proves as ſtrongly that Faith cannot be a Duty of the Goſpel, as that it cannot be a Condition of the Goſpel. Either then our Antinomians muſt ſay that Faith is no Duty becauſe of this argument, or if it may be ſtill a Duty, ſo may it alſo be ſtill a Condition, notwithſtanding the force of this Argument. For ought we know, the right Antinomians may be willing enough to grant the conſequence of the argument to be good as to both parts of it; for we are afraid they care as little for Duties as they do for Conditions; and ſome of them have plainly renounced Faiths being their Duty, and have put it over upon Chriſt as his Duty and not theirs. But we hope the Authour of thy …etter is not yet ſo far gone, and that he ſtill retains ſome reſpect for Rutherfond's Examen Arminianiſmi, which he had a hand in publiſhing, and where he will find theſe words following, page 270. Quaeritur an fides non poteſt eſſe conditio, &c. The Queſtion is whether Faith cannot be a Condition required of the Elect by way of Duty and free Obedience, and at the ſame time be a thing promiſed by God, and unavoidably wrought by God in us. The Remonſtrants deny it, we affirm it: We likewiſe are for the affirmative againſt the Remonſtrants who hold the negative of the Queſtion. But how to reconcile the Efficacy of God's Grace with our Free Will in doing the Duties incumbent upon us, is no eaſie matter. S. Auguſtin lib. de…praedeſt. Sanct. cap. 14. ſays that it is, Difficilis ad ſolvendum quaeſtio: A Queſtion difficult to be reſolved. Erkſtra blaſphemas & ignorantium auribus ingeris, nos lib. arb. condemnare, damnetur ille qui damnat. Hieron. Epiſt. ad …tiſi hontem.And Epiſt. 46. Ad Valentinum, he ſays it is difficillima quaeſtio & paucis intelligibilis, a moſt difficult queſtion, and ſuch as few can underſtand. And again, lib. de gratiâ Chriſti contra Pelagium & Caeleſtium, cap. 47. Iſta quaeſtio, ubi de arbitrio voluntatis & Dei gratiâ diſputatur, ita eſt ad diſcernendum difficilis, ut quando, &c. That Queſtion where Men diſpute about Free Will, and God's Grace, is ſo hard to diſcern or underſtand, that when Men defend Free Will, they ſeem to deny God's Grace, and when they aſſert God's Grace, they ſeem to take away, or deſtroy Free Will.

What muſt we do then in this caſe, muſt we deny Free-will altogether? No, not altogether, for as Auguſtin ſaith, Epiſt. 47. ad Valentinum, Fides Catholica neque liberum arbitrium negat, ſive in vitam malam, ſive in bonam; neque tantum ei tribuit, ut ſine gratiâ Dei valeat aliquid, &c. The Catholick Faith neither denies Free-will, whether in order to a bad life, or a good; neither doth it aſcribe ſo much to Free-will, as that without God's Grave it can do any good, &c.

We muſt not then altogether deny Free-will, the Catholick Faith will not allow us ſo to do, nor will the inward ſenſe and experience that we have of our own Soul, and its Actings ſuffer us to do it. For as Augustin ſaith, Lib. 83. Quaeſt. 98. Moveri per ſe Animam ſentit, qui ſentit in ſe eſſe Voluntatem: He feels his Soul to be moved by it ſelf, who feels that he hath a Will in himſelf. And if we muſt not altogether deny all Freewill againſt Faith and Experience, much leſs muſt we deny the Grace of God. For as Auguſtin ſaith in the foreſaid 46 Epiſt. ad Valent. Si non eſt Gratia Dei, quomodo Deus falvat Mundum? & ſi non eſt liberum arbitrium, quomodo judicat Mundum: If there be no p. 47Grace of God, how doth God ſave the World? And if there be no. Free-will, how doth God judge the World? The occaſion of Auguſtin's writing thus is obſervable. Two Young Men, Creſconius and Felix, came to Auguſtin from another Congregation, and told him that there was a Controverſie amongſt them, in the managing whereof ſome had ſo preached the Grace of God, as to deny that Man hath any Free-will, and which is worſe, they ſaid that in the Day of Judgment God will not render unto every one according to their Works. This was the occaſion of Auguſtin's writing both that 46. and the following 47. Epiſtle to Valentinus. And towards the end of the 46. Epiſtle, he gave this prudent, and wholſome Advice, Ʋbi ſentitis vos non intelligere, &c. that is, Where you perceive that you do not underſtand, (how Grace and Free-will conſiſt,) in the mean time believe the Divine Oracles, for there both is a Free-will in Man, and alſo the Grace of God, without whoſe help, Free-will can neither be converted unto God, nor yet grow up in God. And what you piouſly believe, pray that you may alſo wiſely underſtand. This was the Advice which St. Auguſtin gave unto the Diſputers of his time. And it was very good Advice, for certainly where two things are both clearly revealed in Scripture, and yet we find it very difficult to underſtand, and explain the way and manner how they do conſiſt, and agree with one another, we ought firmly to believe them both upon the Authority, and Veracity of God revealing, though the mode and manner of their conſiſtence in the ſame ſubject, we do not underſtand. Yet what we do believe, we may, and ought, humbly and reverently to pray, that if it be God's will, we may alſo more throughly underſtand. So in the preſent caſe before us, we ought firmly to believe, that God's Elect, when they are effectually called, and converted, have Free-will actually to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and alſo that it is by the ſpecial, effectual Grace of God that they do actually believe; though we do not throughly underſtand how theſe two hang together, how Man's Free-will, and God's Effectual Grace conſiſt and agree with reſpect to the Act of Believing. For both are clearly revealed in Scripture, as it were eaſie to demonſtrate. See Joh. 8.36.John 8:36But the mode and manner of their conſiſtence and agreement is not clearly revealed, and therefore not ſo neceſſary to be explicitely believed. Yet may we humbly pray, and endeavour (if the Lord will) ſo far to underſtand their conſiſtence and concord, as to be able, in ſome meaſure, to anſwer the Objections of thoſe who deny either one or other of them, upon pretence that they cannot both be matter of Faith, becauſe they contradict and deſtroy each other, and ſo if one be true, the other muſt be falſe.

Now we humbly conceive, that the great difficulty about the concord of the freedome of Man's will, and of the efficacy of God's Grace in the act of believing, ariſeth from the falſe notion of Free-will, which the Remonſtrants have learned from the Schoolmen, and from ſome of the Greek Fathers, to wit, that the formal Nature and Eſſence of the liberty of the Will of Man, conſiſts in an abſolute indifferency to act this, or that, or not to act at all, as a Man pleaſeth, and that even when all things are put together which are pre-required to his acting.

We muſt ingenuouſly confeſs, that we do not ſee how it is poſſible to reconcile this notion of Free-will with the powerful efficacy of Special Grace. But we take this to be a falſe notion of Liberty, and that therefore we are no ways concerned to trouble our ſelves about the reconciling of ſuch a falſe notion of Liberty with the efficacy of God's Grace; but rather we are concerned to find out the true Notion of Liberty of Will, and to ſhew its conſiſtency with the efficacy of Grace. And we take this to be the formal Nature of the Liberty of Man's Will, That it is a power with which God hath end…ed the Soul of Man, whereby he is enabled to conſider of, and weigh the ſeveral things propoſed to him, and upon the Reaſons and Motives that do, or may appear to him from the conſideration of things, willingly to chooſe, or not chooſe, or refuſe one thing, and to chooſe, or embrace another. Now this notion of Free-will is well enough conſiſtent with the efficacy of Grace. For the effectual Grace of God is ſo far from hindering a Man from uſing this ſort of Free-will, that on the contrary it mightily helps him to uſe it aright; for,

p. 481. The Grace of God's Spirit enlightens Man's Mind, and enables him to underſtand the things propoſed by the Word unto his choice, and to ſee the great reaſon he hath to chooſe them.

2. Grace enclines the Will of Man to follow the conduct of his enlightened underſtanding, and willingly to chooſe the beſt Things upon the beſt Reaſons and Motives. Thus God deals with Man as a Rational Creature, capable of Moral Government by Laws and Exhortations, Promiſes and Threatnings; God offers no Violence to his Faculties, but influences him in a way ſuitable to his reaſonable Nature, and helps him to bring his judging, and chooſing Powers into Act, ſo as not at all to hinder but rather further and promote his true Liberty. According to that of our Saviour, (John 8.36.) often uſed by Holy Auguſtin in this Controverſie, If the Son ſhall make you free, you ſhall be free indeed. And that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There is Liberty and Freedom, both from the doing of Evil and to the doing of Good. This was viſible in our Bleſſed Lord himſelf, when he was here upon Earth, in his ſtate of Humiliation. Undoubtedly he was a true Man, and had all the Eſſentials of Humane Nature, in the higheſt degree of poſſible Perfection; conſequently he had Free-will, ſo far as it is an Eſſential Property, and Perfection of Humane Nature; but he had not, nay he could not poſſibly have any indifferency or undeterminedneſs of will to Good or Evil: His Mind did not hang in aequilibrio, in an even Balance between Good and Evil, ſo as to have a Power to determine and incline himſelf to chooſe either. Therefore it is demonſtratively evident, that the formal, eſſential Nature of Man's Free-will doth not, cannot conſiſt in the foreſaid indifferency to Good or Evil.

But on the other hand, The moſt Noble Soul of our bleſſed Lord was certainly endued with Power to conſider, and judge of the ſeveral things propoſed to him, and upon the beſt Reaſons and Motives that appeared to him from the conſideration of things, willingly to chooſe, or refuſe them, and to act, or not to act, to act thus, or otherwiſe, as he ſaw cauſe. Whence we may confidently conclude, that the formal, eſſential Nature of Man's Free-will conſiſts in this Power of acting willingly according to the Judgment of Right Reaſon; and not in the former undeterminedneſs, or indifferency of the Will to do, or not to do, to do Good or Evil, even when all things pre-requiſite to its doing and acting do meet together, and concur to cauſe it to do and act. Upon this occaſion we cannot but mention, with approbation, a Paſſage of a very Reverend, and Dignified Divine of the Church of England, in a Diſcourſe of Chriſtian Liberty, Chap. 11. Sect. 3. pag. 139, 140, 141. As for thoſe that contend that it is more praiſe-worthy to do Good and forbear evil, having a power to do otherwiſe, than to be under a neceſſity of ſo doing; ſuppoſing they mean by neceſſity, ſuch as is not from without, or from an inward blind inſtinct, but from an underſtanding Principle and Perfection of Nature, I muſt needs tell them there is no Propoſition in the World more falſe or abſurd — I will not therefore ſtick to ſay, that to have the Will neceſſarily determined to all Good, and from all evil, from an over-powering ſenſe of the becomingneſs, and excellency of the one, and the vileneſs, and odiouſneſs of the other, is the very perfection of Liberty. And this is ſo far from being impoſſible to be obtained by Creatures, or by our ſelves, that by the help of God's Grace, it is in a large meaſure even in this life attainable. I mean ſuch a ſenſe of Good and Evil, as ſhall certainly determine us to Good, and againſt Evil in moſt of the Inſtances of each. There are ſome Immoralities and wicked Actions, that they who have attained to but very mean and ordinary Degrees of Goodneſs, cannot perſwade themſelves ſo much as to endeavour to reconcile their Minds to. Nay, there are ſome that no Man can eaſily be ſuppoſed able to conſent to, but an extraordinarily depraved and wicked Wretch, let the Motives that are uſed to perſwade him be what they will. Such as blaſpheming of God, contriving the murder of our Parents, of a moſt obliging Friend: Torturing of innocent Babes, and the like horrid Villanies. Surely then, a Man is capable of ſuch a vivid ſenſe of the hatefulneſs of Sin in gneral, as will (whilſt it laſts) render it impoſſible for him to will deliberately to commit any known Sin whatſoever. It is confeſſed, p. 49that we cannot hope to get paſt all danger of ſudden ſurprizals, ſo long as we inhabit theſe Bodies, and remain in our preſent unhappy Circumſtances; but I ſay, ſo powerful a ſenſe of the infinite unrighteouſneſs, diſingenuity, unreaſonableneſs, folly and madneſs of oppoſing the Holy Will of our Great Creator, and Bleſſed Redeemer, may by the Divine Aſſiſtance, be acquired, even on this ſide Heaven, as ſhall determine us effectually againſt all deliberate, and wilful Violations of the Divine Laws. For this we have the Authority of a great Apoſtle: St. John ſaith in his 1 Epiſt. 3.9. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin, for his ſeed remaineth in him, neither can he ſin, becauſe he is born of God, &c.

This excellent Paſſage of Biſhop Fowler's, may help to clear up the foreſaid difficulty, and to ſhew us how the Act of believing, may be a Duty and Condition of the Goſpel, and yet be produced by the effectual Grace of God aſſiſting our Faculties in that production; for the efficacy of Grace doth not hinder, but rather further the free exerciſe of our liberty of Will in producing the Act of Faith. So that our believing in Chriſt being an Act of Free Obedience, (notwithſtanding that the Regenerating Principle of Spiritual Life, and Seed of Faith, inclines and byaſſes us to act, and the actual Influence of the Spirit cauſeth us to reduce the Principle into Act,) we can ſee no reaſon at all why the actual believing in Chriſt, may not be both our duty, and likewiſe the condition upon the free performance of which God promiſeth to juſtify us, to pardon our ſins, and give us a Right and Title to Eternal Life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

Our Authour confeſſeth that the Covenant of Redemption was ſtrictly conditional, Lett. p. 24. Mat. 26.39. Joh. 10.18.Matt 26:39John 10:18and that Chriſt's offering up the Humane Nature in ſacrifice to God, was (in part at leaſt) the ſtrict Condition of it; and yet Chriſt performed that Condition as neceſſarily, and unavoidably as we perform the Condition of actual believing when we are influenced thereunto by the ſpecial, and effectual Grace of God. This we take to be a demonſtration that the meer infallible certainty and neceſſity of the Elect's believing in Chriſt, cannot hinder their Faith from being a proper Evangelical Condition of the new Covenant. And having thus at large declared in what ſenſe we hold the Covenant of Grace not to be conditional, and in what ſenſe to be conditional; We ſhall next prove againſt our Authour that it really is conditional, and that it is not without Ground that we believe it ſo to be.

In order hereunto we premiſe theſe two Things.

1. That it is with reſpect to the ſubſequent Bleſſings and Benefits of the Covenant that we hold it to be Conditional, that is, it is with reſpect to Juſtification and Glorification. For as the Profeſſors of Leyden ſay in their Synopſis of purer Divinity, Diſp. 22. pag. 259. Promiſſiones Evangelii ſunt potiſſimum duae. (1.) De Juſtificatione coram Deo per fidem. (2.) De Haereditate vitae eternae, Rom. 1.17. 1 Johan. 2.25. The Promiſes of the Goſpel are principally two. The firſt is the Promiſe of Juſtification in the ſight of God by Faith: And the ſecond is, The Promiſe of inheriting Eternal Life. It is theſe Promiſes, and the Covenant of Grace in reſpect of theſe Promiſes, which we hold to be Conditional.

II. That by a Condition, we underſtand a Duty which God requires of us, for obtaining the Promiſed Benefit, ſo as to ſuſpend his giving us the promiſed Benefit upon our performing the Duty required: Aſſuring us that if we perform the Duty required, we ſhall have the promiſed Benefit, but if we do not perform the Duty required, we ſhall not have the Benefit promiſed.

Theſe two things premiſed, we come to prove that the Covenant of Grace is really Conditional, as aforeſaid, with reſpect to its ſubſequent Bleſſings and Benefits. And this we ſhall do, (1.) by Scripture, (2.) by Reaſon conſonant to Scripture, (3.) by Teſtimonies of Orthodox Divines, even of thoſe very Divines whom our Authour affirms to be againſt us. And,

1. We prove by Scripture that the Covenant of Grace is Conditional in the ſenſe before explained. And we begin with Rom. 10. v. 9. where though the word Condition be not expreſſed, yet we have the thing meant by Condition, as really as if it p. 50were expreſſed. For, ſaith the Apoſtle, If thou ſhalt confeſs with thy Mouth the Lord Jeſus, and ſhalt believe in thy H…rt, that God hath raiſed him from the Dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved. This Evangelical Pronſiſe and Propoſition is as Conditional, as is that Legal one, Rom. 10.5. The man that doth thoſe things, ſhall live by them. But that Legal Promiſe and Propoſition is Conditional, and confeſſed ſo to be, therefore is this conditional alſo. If it be ſaid, that the Condition is not the ſame, nor doth it ſerve to the ſame end and purpoſe, we grant that: For we never ſaid, nor thought, that the Conditions are the ſame, and for the ſame Ends and Purpoſes; for the one is a Legal Condition, the other is Evangelical, and ſo they differ ſpeciſically and in kind: But what then? Therefore they are not both Conditions. We deny the Conſequence: For though they differ in the ſpeciſical, yet they agree in the generical nature of Conditions: And Faith is as properly a Condition in genere conditionis Evangelicae, as perſonal, perfect, ſinleſs Obedience is a Condition in genere conditionis legalis, that is, Faith is as properly an Evangelical Condition, as perfect, ſinleſs Obedience is properly a Legal Condition. We remember that the Pelagians of old objected againſt the Orthodox, that either our Faith is not wrought in us by the Special Grace of God, or elſe it cannot be a Duty, and ſo it cannot be a Condition. But we know alſo how St. Auguſtin anſwered their Objection, Lib. de praedeſtin. Sanct. cap. 11. Their Objection was this, Cum dicitur, ſi credideris, ſalvus eris, &c. When it is ſaid, if thou believeſt, thou ſhalt be ſaved. The one of theſe, to wit Faith, is required of us by a Command, the other, to wit Salvation, is offered us by Promiſe, then that which is required is in Man's Power, as that which is promiſed is in God's Power. To this Pelagian Objection Auguſtin anſwers thus, Sic dicitur, ſi credideris, ſalvus eris: Quemadmodum dicitur, ſi Spiritu, &c. That is, So it is ſaid, if thou believeſt, thou ſhalt be ſaved, as it is ſaid, if you through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body, you ſhall live, (Rom. 8.13.) For here alſo the one of theſe two is required, and the other is promiſed. — as then although it be the Giſt of God, to mortifie the Deeds of the Fleſh, yet it is required of us, with an offer of the Reward of Life, for our encour agement thereunto: Juſt ſo Faith is alſo the Gift of God, although it be required of us, with an offer of the Reward of Salvation for our encouragement to believe, when it is ſaid, if thou believeſt thou ſhalt be ſaved. For thoſe things are therefore both commanded us, and alſo ſhewed to be the Giſts of God; that it may be known that both we do them, and alſo that God cauſeth us to do them. Thus Auguſtin. We find the like Objection, with the like Anſwer to it, in Bradwardin, De Cauſâ Dei, lib. 2. cap. 28. p. 567, 569. The Objection, Si Deus neceſſario requiratur ad agendum, &c. If it be neceſſary that God concur to the proper production of every Act of the Creatures Will; ſince God's concurring or acting is not in the power of the Creature, then no act of the Creature would be in its own power. The Anſwer is, In rerum temporalium & ſpiritualium adminiſtratione videmus, &c. In the adminiſtration both of temporal, and ſpiritual things, we ſee that there are more Powers and Dominions over the ſame thing, ſubordinate to one another as Inferior and Superior. — wherefore no Man ought to doubt, but that though the Will of the Creature have Power and Dominion over its own Act, yet thereby is not excluded a Superior Power and Lord, to wit, God himſelf, from a Superior Power, Dominion, and Efficiency in reſpect of the ſame Act. And a little after, he ſays out of Thomas Aquinas, The Will is ſaid to have Dominion over its own Act, not by excluding the firſt cauſe, but the firſt cauſe doth not ſo act on the Will, as to determine it neceſſarily to one thing, as he determines Nature or natural Agents; and therefore the determination of the Act, is leſt in the power of the Ʋnderſtanding and Will. We mention both theſe Objections, with Anſwers to them, out of St. Auguſtin and Bradwardin, to ſhew, that though we cannot believe without, but do believe by the Grace of God, yet that no ways hinders our Faith from being a duty required of us, and alſo a Condition of the Covenant to be performed by us, and we know our Authour cannot bring any appearance of an Argument againſt this, but that which was brought by the Pelagians in the time of St. Auguſtin, and which he anſwered. As for the place of Scripture we are arguing from, we have Calvin on our ſide acknowledging that it contains a Conditional Promiſe of the Goſpel-Covenant, p. 51a Promiſe of Righteouſneſs and Salvation to all that ſincerely believe in Chriſt with their Hearts, and confeſs him with their Mouths. For thus he writes Inſtit. Lib. 2. cap. 5. Sect. 12. ſpeaking of this very place of Scripture, to wit, Rom. 10.5, 8, 9. id reputans Paulus, &c. i. e. Paul conſidering this, that Salvation is offered in the Goſpel, not upon that hard, difficult impoſſible condition which the Law requires of us (to wit, that they only ſhall obtain Salvation who have fully kept all the Commandments,) but upon a condition that is eaſie, ready, and ſoon attained unto, (to wit the Condition of Faith) he confirms it with this teſtimony: To wit the Teſtimony of Moſes, which Paul quotes out of Deuteronomy, chap. 30. ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. and interprets it of the Doctrine of Faith in the Goſpel. Let any read and compare Rom. 10.6, 7, 8. with Deut. 30.11, 12, 13, 14. And they will ſee that Calvin did rightly conclude from thoſe places, that in the Judgment of St. Paul Salvation is promiſed us here in the Goſpel upon a much eaſier Condition than it was in and by the Law.

This conditionality of the Covenant of Grace is clearly proved alſo by all thoſe places of Scripture which aſſure us,

(1.) That all who believe ſhall be juſtified and ſaved, John 3.16, 18, 36. John 6.40. John 20.31. Mark 16.16. Acts 10.43. and 13.39. Rom. 4.24. Gal. 2.16. and 3.9, 11.

(2.) That they who believe not whilſt they continue in Unbelief ſhall not be juſtified and ſaved. John 3.18.36. and 8.24. Mark 16.16. Revel. 21.8. Theſe Scriptures plainly ſhew that Faith is a Condition of the Covenant; becauſe the definition and nature of a Condition agrees to it. For (1.) Faith is a Duty which God requires of us for obtaining the promiſed benefit of Juſtification and Salvation, 1 John 3.23. Rom. 10.9. (2.) God hath ſuſpended his giving us the promiſed benefit of Juſtification and Salvation upon our performing the required Duty of Faith, ſo as to aſſure us, that if we performe the required Duty, we ſhall have the promiſed benefit; if we believe, we ſhall be juſtified and ſaved, but if we do not performe it, if we do not believe, we ſhall not be juſtified and ſaved. Nothing more is any way neceſſary to make Faith a Condition, but theſetwo things; and we ſee by plain Scripture that both theſe things agree to a ſincere Faith, therefore 'tis Condition of the Covenant, and ſo the Covenant is Conditional.

(2.) But now we muſt have a care that we do not deceive our ſelves and others, in thinking and ſaying that Faith ſingly and ſeparately conſidered by it ſelf is the whole intire condition of the Goſpel-Covenant, ſo as to exclude all others; for though it be the only condition in ſome reſpect, yet it is not the only Condition in all reſpects; It is the only receiving, conſenting, trusting Condition; but the Scripture gives us plainly to underſtand that beſides this receptive Condition, there is a diſpoſitive Condition; beſides Faith, the Condition of receiving Chriſt and Remiſſion of ſins through his Name, (John 1.12. Col. 2.5. Acts 10.43.) There is Repentance which is the Condition, the performance whereof diſpoſes and prepares us for the receiving of remiſſion of ſins, Exod. 33.5. The Lord ſaid unto the people by Moſes, Ye are a ſtiff-necked people, I will come up into the midſt of thee in a moment, and conſume thee: Therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. The Call to put off their Ornaments, was a call to Humiliation and Repentance. Till they had anſwered that Call, they were not fit that God ſhould ſhew them any favour; and God ſpeaks of himſelf (after the manner of men) as if he knew not what to do with them, till they had given ſome evidence of their Repentance. He was not willing to deſtroy them all; and yet it was not fit that he ſhould pardon them, and ſhew favour to them till they had firſt repented of their ſins. Jerem. 36.3. It may be that the houſe of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpoſe to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their ſin. Here the Lord intimates that it was not fit they ſhould be forgiven, till they had repented; and therefore he ordered that Jeremiah p. 52ſhould tell them from him all the evil which he threatned to bring upon them if they did not repent; to ſee if that would bring them to Repentance, that they might be fit for pardon, and that he might pardon them without diſhonouring himſelf by ſo doing. We read alſo that John the Baptist was ſent to Preach Repentance unto the Jews, Matth. 3.1, 2. That by bringing them to Repentance, he might prepare them to receive the Lord Chriſt, (Luke 1.17.) and to receive through him the Remiſſion of their Sins. Mark 1.4. And it is for this reaſon, that we call Repentance the diſpoſing Condition in order to pardon of ſin, becauſe it fits and prepares us for the receiving of it through Faith in Chriſt Jeſus. It may be our Authour will not like this, but we little value that, if we have Gods Word for our Warrant; As we are ſure we have for the thing we are upon: We will not differ with any about the naming of a thing, if we can come to an agreement about the thing it ſelf. The Thing then we ſtand for, and are reſolved (through the Lord's aſſiſtance) to ſtand for unto Death, is, That Repentance is a Condition of the New Covenant in order to forgiveneſs of ſins, that is, It is a Duty required of us for obtaining the forgiveneſs of our ſins, ſo as that the forgiving us our ſins, is ſuſpended till we repent, and we are aſſured that if we repent we ſhall be forgiven, but if we do not repent, we ſhall not be forgiven. This is all that we mean by ſaying that Repentance is a Condition of the Covenant: And need we prove this to Chriſtians? We thought there had been no Jew, Turk, or Papiſt that had denyed this; But if any Proteſtants that own the Divine Authority of Holy Scripture do deny it, it will be no difficult matter to prove it: For,

(1.) That God hath required of us Repentance for obtaining the forgiveneſs of our ſius, and hath ſuſpended the forgiveneſs of our ſins till we repent. This is evident from the words of the Evangelical Prophet, Iſa. 1.16, 17, 18. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes— Come now and let us reaſon together ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool. And from the words of Jeremiah in the fore-cited place, Jerem. 36.3. That they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their Iniquity and their Sin: And Acts 26.18. To turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſin. Theſe Scriptures ſhew that Repentance is ſo required of us in order to obtain the forgiveneſs of our ſins, as that the forgiveneſs of our ſins is ſuſpended till we repent of them. Repentance is required of us as a means to the end we may receive forgiveneſs; and it is ſelf-evident that the means muſt be uſed, before the end can be obtained. Though the end be firſt in intention, yet the means muſt be firſt in Execution,

(2.) God hath aſſured us of two things:

(1.) That if we ſincerely repent, we ſhall be forgiven. Witneſs Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Ezek. 18.21, 22. But if the wicked will turn from all his ſins, — all his tranſgreſſious that he hath committed they ſhall not be mentioned unto him. See ver. 30. Prov. 28.13. Whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins ſhall have mercy. Acts 3.19. Repent and be converted that your ſins may be blotted out.

(2.) That if we do not ſincerely repent, we ſhall not be forgiven, Pſal. 68.21. God ſhall wound the head of his Enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one as goeth ſtill in his treſpaſſes. Luke 13.3, 5. Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. From all this it appears very evident, that Repentance is a Condition of obtaining the pardon of our ſins, and the Condition muſt be performed in order of Nature before the benefit promiſed upon Condition be obtained; as we can prove (if common ſenſe be denyed) from the Teſtimonies of Dr. Twiſſe, Dr. Owen, &c. But ſome object, Juſtification includes forgiveneſs of ſin, in its eſſential Notion and Nature, and then if Repentance be before forgiveneſs of ſin, it will be before Juſtification p. 53ſtification alſo? Anſwer, We admit the whole Argument, for it is a great truth that Repentance is before Juſtification at leaſt in order of Nature. They object further if Repentance be before Juſtification, then it is either before or after Faith; but it cannot be before Faith, for it is impoſſible that a man ſhould ſincerely repent, before he believe: Nor can it be after Faith, if it be before Juſtification, for a man is juſtified by Faith, and that aſſoon as he believes. We anſwer, That men needed not to be deluded by ſuch a ſilly ſophiſm, if they would diſtinguiſh, (1.) Between the Abiding Seed and Principle, and the Tranſient Act of Faith.

(2.) Between the Aſſenting Act of Faith, and its fiducially conſenting act: For though Faith in the Principle of it be but one ſingle Grace, yet in the Exerciſe of it, it hath ſeveral acts ſucceſſively following one another, and yet not ſo cloſely neither but that the Act of Repentance may come between them. Now to apply theſe diſtinctions, we ſay that from Repentance's being before Juſtification, it doth by no means follow that it is altogether and in all reſpects before Faith, For, (1.) The Seed and Principle of Faith is before the Act of Repentance. (2.) The aſſenting Act of Faith is alſo before the Act of Repentance. And thus from a principle of Faith, and by the help of an Act of Faith the Soul ſincerely repents in order to Juſtification and pardon of ſin; then after the ſaid Act of Repentance, there comes another Act of Faith, to wit the Act of Fiducial conſent to receive Chriſt as he is offered in the Goſpel, whereupon the penitent believing Soul is immediately juſtified and pardoned.

This we learn of Calvin, who in his Inſtitutions, lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 19. writes thus, Sic & Chriſtus ſuas conciones auſpicatus eſt, &c. So alſo Chriſt began his Sermons, Mark 1.15. The Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Goſpel. Firſt he declares that the treaſures of God's mercy were opened in him. Then (2.) He requires Repentance. And (3.) and laſtly, He requires a truſt or relyance on the promiſes of God.

Here we have the Lords order of things judiciouſly ſet forth. (1.) He declares that the Treaſures of God's Mercy are opened in him. This Declaration of God's Infinite Mercy in Chriſt held forth to loſt Sinners of Mankind, is the object of our Faith of aſſent, and we are bound to aſſent to it, as an infallible Truth, and to be firmly perſwaded of it. (2.) He requires our Repentance, he requires that aſſenting to the Truth of the Goſpel, and being firmly perſwaded that God is upon terms of Mercy with us through him, we ſhould repent and be heartily ſorry that by our ſins we have offended ſo merciful a God, and reſolve in God's ſtrength to do ſo no more. (3.) And laſtly, That ſuppoſing we ſo repent from a principle of Faith aſſenting to the Revelation of God's great Mercy in Chriſt to loſt Sinners indefinitely, he requires that we truſt and rely on God's promiſes, and on Chriſt as held forth to us in the promiſes; that according to his promiſes he will for Chriſt's ſake be merciful to us in pardoning us all our ſins. When we are through Grace arrived at this Act of Faith, whereby we truſt and rely on God's promiſes, and on Chriſt as held forth to us in the promiſes, then we are inſtantly pardoned, accepted as Righteous, and get a right to Life for the alone ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs of our Lord Redeemer. But we could never attain to this Act of Faith, and thereby to pardon of ſin for Chriſt's ſake, if we did not firſt believe with the Faith of aſſent; that God through Chriſt is upon terms of Mercy and Peace with us. That is the firſt Act of Faith, and when it is of the right kind, and proceeds from the right Principle, the ſuper-natural Seed of Faith put into the heart, it is through the influence of the Holy Spirit of mighty force and efficacy. (1.) To make us repent, to make us through Grace heartily ſorry for having diſpleaſed and diſhonoured ſo good and Merciful a God by our ſins, and to make us reſolve through Grace to do ſo no more. (2.) It is of as great force and efficacy to make us truſt and rely on Gods promiſes, and on Chriſt revealed in the promiſes, that God according to his promiſes will for Chriſt's ſake juſtifie and pardon us.

Thus we have anſwered that frivolous Objection, and clearly ſhewed how true Repentance is in order before Juſtification and pardon of ſin, and yet not altogether and p. 54in all reſpects before Faith, but partly after, and partly before Faith; after the principle and aſſenting Act of Faith, but before the fiducially conſenting and truſting Act of Faith. And what though no Man could give a clear account of the exact order obſerved by our Souls in the acting of their ſeveral Graces, yet that ſhould hinder no Chriſtian from believing that true Repentance is in order before pardon of ſin, becauſe God who cannot he hath plainly told us in the Scripture of Truth that it is in order before pardon, as hath been proved: If then we have any Faith in God and his Word, We ſhould ſay, Let God be True, who ever proves a Lyar. Certainly it is very unreaſonable, fooliſh, and dangerous too; to deny, or doubt of that which is clear, becauſe we cannot throughly underſtand that which is obſcure, to wit, the preciſe order of the Souls acting its Graces. This may ſuffice at preſent to prove that the Goſpel-promiſe of Juſtification and pardon of ſin, is conditional, and that Faith and Repentance are the Condition of it.

(2.) In the ſecond and laſt place, we ſhall briefly prove by Scripture, that the Goſpel-promiſe of Glorification and Eternal Salvation is conditional, and that ſincere obedience is the Condition of it. For the better underſtanding of our meaning in this matter, we premiſe a few things, As (1.) That this is to be underſtood upon ſuppoſition that a man lives ſome conſiderable time after that he is effectually called and juſtified and pardoned upon his firſt believing and repenting, and that he hath ſpace and opportunity to perform his Covenant Engagement unto the Lord, and to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance. If the Man dye preſently after his Juſtification and pardon, there is no more required on his part; the Spirit perfects his begun Sanctification, and God through Chriſt conſummates his Salvation, without requiring any more of him, than what he is inabled to do as he is a dying. But if God give him time and opportunity, and he live, It is required that proportionably to his Talents and time he ſerve the Lord in Faith and Holy Obedience, that he renew his Faith and Repentance for pardon, as often as he finds that he has fallen into ſin, and that he return to his Duty again, ſerving the Lord all his days in Faith, Hope, Love, Fear, Patience, Meekneſs, Humility, and Heavenly-mindedneſs, &c.

(2.) The Obedience that is required, as aforeſaid, muſt be ſincere, conſiſting in a real, true, hearty deſire and endeavour to be faithful unto the Lord, and through Grace to ſtand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God, Col. 4.12.

(3.) This ſincere Obedience doth not ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for the leaſt ſin, nor doth it purchaſe or merit the leaſt mercy, not ſo much as a Cup of cold Water, much leſs the unconceivably great bleſſing of Eternal Life and Glory.

(4.) As this Obedience doth not purchaſe or merit Eternal Life and Glory it ſelf, ſo neither doth it purchaſe or merit our right to it; and God's actual donation of it. For it was Chriſt alone that purchaſed our right to it by his Obediential Sufferings unto Death for us, and in our Juſtification God by his promiſe for Chriſt's ſake gives us our right to it; and at the end of our days, when we leave this world, God will actually give Eternal Life and Glory to us for the ſake of Chriſt, and by the hand and power of Chriſt, John 17.2. Rom. 6.23. So that

(5ly.) Since our ſincere Obedience neither merits, nor gives us right unto, nor yet actually gives us poſſeſſion of Eternal Life and Glory, it remains that it muſt be the means to be uſed, and condition to be performed on our part, that God for Chriſt's ſake according to his promiſe may continue our right to, and may give us poſſeſſion of Eternal Life and Glory.

Now this we prove firſt by plain Scripture, Firſt Argument from Scripture.for we find in Holy Scripture that God requires our Obedience, as aforeſaid, for obtaining the promiſed Benefit of Eternal Life and Glory, ſo as to ſuſpend our obtaining of Eternal Glory in his Heavenly Kingdom, on our performing of ſincere obedience unto him, and continuing therein to the end.

1. Here is to be proved, firſt, That ſincere obedience is required of us, and for that ſee, Mat. 11.29, 30. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me — for my yoke is eaſie, and p. 55my burden is light. Mat. 12.50. Whoſoever ſhall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven, the ſame is my Brother, and Siſter, and Mother. Mat. 28.20. Teach them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you, and Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the World. Luke 6.46. Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the thing which I ſay? See alſo, John 13.34. and 14. v. 15, 21, 23, 24. and 15. v. 10, 14. Rom. 6.12, 13. and 8. v. 12, 13. and 12. v. 1, 2. 1 Cor. 15.58. Eph. 5. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 16. 1. Theſſ. 4. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. Tit. 2.12. Heb. 6.11, 12. and 12. v. 1. and 13. v. 1, 5. Jam. 1. v. 4, 5, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27. and 2. v. 12. and 3.13, 1 Pet. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. and 2. v. 1, 2, 11, 12. and 3. v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and 5. v. 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 2 Pet. 3.11.17, 18. 1 John 2.4, 5, 6. and 3.18. and 2 John v. 8, 9. Jude v. 20, 21. Rev. 2.5. Rev. 14.6, 7, 12.