Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed, Chapter 2 · Section 3

Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed · Chapter 2 · Section 3

p. 120SECT. III. Of his Third Errour, That there is no Real Change, no Holy Diſpoſition, or Qualification, no Good or Holy thing wrought in, or done by Man in order to, and before Juſtification; That Faith is not ſo much as a Qualification of the Perſon to be juſtified, and that Repentance is not in order before pardon of Sin.

HIS Third Errour againſt the Purity of our Chriſtian Faith is, That the Lord doth not by preventing Grace prepare, diſpoſe, and fit his People for their Juſtification by and for the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to them, but that his firſt ſaving work towards them and upon them, is their Juſtification by Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs. Error 3.That this is his Opinion, is evident from his own words. For in page 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 25, 26, 30, 31, 32. He denyes, That there can be any qualification in us, that any real change is wrought upon us, that any condition is required of us in order to our Juſtification; he will not ſo much as admit of Repentance as a diſpoſitive Condition in order thereunto; and often finds fault with us for holding Faith to be a Qualification or the Condition of Juſtification, though he knew well enough that we hold it to be only the receptive, applicative Condition of Chriſt, and his Righteouſneſs in order to our being juſtified thereby. Now that this Opinion is Erroneous, and againſt the purity of our Chriſtian Faith we ſhall prove. (1.) By Scripture. (2.) By Reaſon agreeable to Scripture. (3.) By the Teſtimony of our moſt Famous Orthodox, Proteſtant Divines. But before we come to our Proofs, we premiſe a few things to give light unto what ſhall follow: As, (1.) That we hold the priority of any preparation, diſpoſition, qualification, or condition before Juſtification, no farther than is neceſſary to verifie the Expreſſions of Holy Scripture concerning them. (2.) We hold that they proceed from the Grace of God. (3.) That that Grace is from Jeſus Chriſt by the ſupernatural influences of his Holy Spirit. (4.) That ſome of thoſe things whereby the Spirit of Chriſt prepares and diſpoſes Souls before they be juſtified, are ſuch as by the Conſtitution and Ordination of God have a neceſſary infallible connexion with Juſtification, they are diſpoſitions or qualifications (ſine quibus nunquam & cum quibus ſemper juſtificamur,) without which we are never, and with which we are always juſtified; of this ſort is Effectual Calling, and what is commonly called Regeneration; or that ſeminal abiding Principle of Spiritual Life, which is communicated unto us in Effectual Calling, and the new Birth together with the firſt vital actings of that Principle in Faith and Repentance. That Seminal Principle of Spiritual Life, with its firſt Vital Acts of Faith and Repentance, doth according to our Judgment, ſo prepare, and diſpoſe, and qualifie the Soul for Juſtification, that it is always infallibly connected with them according to the Word and Promiſe of God, and it is never in any caſe without them; and let it be always remembred, that in our Opinion Actual Faith qualifies us as a receptive Condition of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs. But we think alſo, that there are other diſpoſitions antecedent to Juſtification which have not ſuch a neceſſary Connexion with Juſtification, and yet they are from God's Spirit too. (5.) That the ſaid Seminal Principle of Spiritual Life, with its firſt Vital Acts of Faith and Repentance which are in order before Juſtification, and upon which Juſtification always follows; is the firſt beginning of Holineſs, and may well be called Initial Sanctification; for it is the Holy Thing firſt begotten in us by God's Word and Spirit, it is the firſt forming of Chriſt in us, and it is the Holy Root, or Seed, out of which grows our Progreſſive Sanctification, through the Influences and Operations of the Holy Spirit, given us after Juſtification, to dwell in us, and to abide with us for ever.

Theſe Things premiſed, we ſhall prove, firſt by Scripture, that it is an Errour to deny that there is any real change in us, that there can be any Qualification, or Diſpoſition wrought in us by the Grace of Chriſt antecedently, (at leaſt in order of Nature,) to our Juſtification by the imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. For doth not the Scripture expreſly put Effectual Calling before our Juſtification? Rom. 8.30. Whom God called, p. 121them he alſo juſtified? Now it is confeſſed, that it is an inward Effectual Calling that is there ſpoken of; and that ſuch a Calling makes a real change in the Perſons ſo called. But ſo it is that this Calling is by the Spirit of God put before Juſtification. Again, in Heb. 10.16, 17. there we have the Order of God's beſtowing on his Select People the Bleſſings of the New Covenant. This is the Covenant that I will make with them after thoſe days, ſaith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their ſins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Here we ſee, that the Lord according to his Covenant, firſt writes his Laws in the Hearts of his People, (which cannot be without ſome real change wrought on them, and ſome Holy Principle put into them;) Secondly, Their Sins and Iniquities he remembers no more; and that is, he Juſtifies them, for pardon of ſin is an eſſential part of Juſtification, and is put for the whole, by a Form of Speech uſual enough in the Scriptures of Truth. Further, our Saviour himſelf gives us plainly to underſtand, that this is the order of his diſpenſing his Saving Grace, Mark 4.12. Leſt at any time they ſhould be converted, and their ſins ſhould be forgiven them. In which Words our Lord plainly intimates, that the ſins of the unbelieving Jews were not forgiven them, that is, they were not juſtified, becauſe they were not converted; and that whomſoever he pardons and juſtifies, he firſt converts them. And ſure Converſion imports a real change, and a Principle of Grace and Holineſs implanted in the Souls of the Converted. This is yet clearer from the Words of our Lord to Paul, recorded by Luke, Acts 26.17, 18. I ſend thee unto the Gentiles to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſins, &c. By forgiveneſs of ſins is meant Juſtification, becauſe forgiveneſs of ſins is an eſſential part of Juſtification; before the Gentiles could attain to this Juſtification, conſiſting in the forgiveneſs of their ſins, their eyes were to be opened, and they were to be turned from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Is it not then ſelf-evident, that the Gentiles were to be really changed from what they had been in former times, and that they muſt be renewed, and become new Creatures, before they could obtain the Bleſſing and Benefit of pardon of ſin, and Juſtification? It is a wonder to us, that any Man ſhould doubt of this Matter, who believes the Scripture, and conſiders the form of Words uſed there by the Holy Writer, which plainly ſets forth the Juſtification of the Gentiles as an End, and their Converſion from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, as a Means to attain that End. Now the Means is always in execution before the End: Conſequently, Converſion is, and muſt be before Juſtification. And if ſo, then there is a real change in the Soul before Juſtification; the Perſon to be juſtified is prepared, diſpoſed, and qualified by converting Grace, in order of nature, at leaſt before he be Juſtified: And till he be ſo changed by converting Grace, he is not capable of being Juſtified, according to Gods Order of diſpenſing Saving Grace unto his People. This our Authour ſaw well enough, Lett. pag. 16.when he quoted Gal. 2.16. to prove that a Man is to believe, that he may be Juſtified. For that plainly ſhews, that Faith is a Means to obtain Juſtification, and all the World knows, that the Means is always firſt in execution (as hath been ſaid) before the End be thereby obtained. Now we demand, if a Man muſt have Faith before he be Juſtified, muſt there not be a real change in him, muſt he not be changed from being an Ʋnbeliever, to be a Believer, and muſt he not alſo be initially ſanctified? Is not true Faith a Holy Vertue, and doth it not denominate the ſubject of it, to be ſo far holy, as he is a true Believer? Peter ſaith, that ſincere Faith is a pretious thing, 2 Pet. 1.1 and Jude v. 20. affirms that our Faith is a moſt holy faith, and it is true, both of the object of our Faith, the things which we believe; and of our Faith it ſelf, the Habit and Act, whereby we do believe, both are holy: And how can it be but Faith muſt be holy, ſince it is one of the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22.? And ſurely nothing but what is holy, can be a Fruit of the Holy Spirit. From all which we may confidently conclude, that ſomething which is holy, is wrought in us, p. 122and by us, before we be Juſtified, for it is wrought in us, and by us, that we may be Juſtified. Thus we learn from Scripture, that by preventing, converting Grace there is a real change wrought in the Soul before we be Juſtified, that that change is from falſehood to truth, from evil to good, and that thereby the Perſon to be Juſti…ied of an unholy Ʋnbeliever becomes an holy Believer, and ſo is a Subject capable of being immediately juſtified by Chriſts Righteouſneſs imputed to him upon his Converſion, and penitent believing. And here we might further demonſtrate, that there are, through Grace, ſome holy Diſpoſitions wrought in the Soul before Juſtification, by all thoſe Scriptures that put Repentance before Remiſſion of Sins; but this we have done already, when we proved ſincere Repentance to be a diſpoſitive Condition of Juſtification. Therefore we paſs from this Firſt, to our Second Head of Arguments.

Secondly, We prove by Reaſon agreeable to Scripture, that it is an Errour to deny that there is any real change, that there can be any holy qualification, or Diſpoſition, wrought in us by the Grace of God, antecedently to our Juſtification.

Reaſon 1. Firſt we reaſon thus. Faith is a Condition of Juſtification, as we have proved at large, therefore it may well be a qualification of the Perſon to be juſtified; and we much wonder, that our Authour ſhould boldly deny the poſſibility of any ſuch qualification. For it is leſs to be a Qualification, than to be a Condition: If then Faith be a Condition, it may much more be a Qualification. And that for Faith to be a Qualification is leſs than to be a Condition, is hence evident, becauſe Faith, as the Gift of God, without any Act of ours, may be a Qualification; but to make it a proper Condition, it muſt be our own free Act receiving Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, though produced by the ſtrength of God's Special Grace. Now it is plainly leſs for us to be the Subjects only paſſively receiving the Gift of Faith, than to be the Agents freely producing the Act, and performing the Condition of Faith. Although then our Authour might ſeem to have ſome Reaſon to doubt, whether Faith be the proper Condition of the Covenant, with reſpect to Juſtification; yet we cannot imagine why be ſhould deny, that it can poſſibly be a Qualification of the Perſon to be juſtified; for it is very eaſily conceivable, that it may be ſuch a Qualification, as it is a Grace given unto, and wrought in the Perſon to be Juſtified, on purpoſe that he may be thereby qualified for the great and bleſſed Priviledge of Juſtification. What impoſſibility is there in all this, That God ſhould conſtitute, and ordain, that none thould ever be Juſtified by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, but thoſe that are ſo qualified; and that Faith ſhall be the Qualification: And then becauſe no Man can by his natural power qualify himſelf with this Faith, that God for Chriſts ſake ſhould by his Spirit give Saving Faith unto all his Select People, and ſpecial Favourites, and thereby quali…ie them for Juſtification? We can ſee no Shadow of Repugnancy and Impoſſibility, but that God may do this if he pleaſe. And when he hath done it, when he hath qualified a Man with faith, he moſt certainly hath a Qualification for the Benefit of Juſtification. And this is ſo far from darkning the Glory of God's free Grace in Chriſt, that on the contrary, it greatly ſets it forth, and illuſtrates it, that God will not only freely promiſe Juſtification, through Chriſt, unto all that are qualified with true faith; but that for Chriſt's ſake he freely gives them that faith, and doth himſelf qualifie them therewith. The like we ſay of Repentance, it is a Qualification of God's own ordaining, and of God's own giving. Nor doth Faith and Repentance their being Conditions, hinder their being Qualifications, for they may be, and are both. All that we have hitherto aſcribed to Repentance in order to Juſtification, is to be a diſpoſitive Condition of the Subject, and that is the ſame thing with a qualifying Condition, and a qualifying Condition is a Qualification. We have indeed given more to faith, for according to the Scripture we have owned it to be the only receptive, applicative Condition of Juſtification, which is more than to be, either a meer Qualification, or a meer Condition; for neither is Qualification, nor Condition, meerly as Qualification, and as Condition, receptive and applicative of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs unto Juſtification. To be ſo receptive and applicative is not p. 123eſſential to the general notion of a Condition; but to the ſpecial notion of ſuch a condition. And yet this receptive applicative nature of Faith as ſuch a ſpecial condition; doth not at all hinder it from being a qualification of the Perſon to be juſtified. For the ſame Faith in different reſpects is capable of different Notions: Or if any ſhould doubt of that, (without juſt reaſon we think) to ſatisfie them we may well ſay (what is a great truth) that the habitual Seminal Principle of Faith is a qualification of the Perſon to be juſtified; and that the actual Exerciſe of Faith is the receptive applicative Condition of Juſtification. This is our firſt Reaſon.

2. Reaſon. The ſeminal abiding Principle of Faith is a holy diſpoſition of the Soul whereby it is inclined and fitted to elicit and produce the Acts of Faith. This is clear, becauſe it is in a ſpecial manner the gift of a Holy God, and the fruit of his Holy Spirit, who cannot be the Authour of any Seed, Diſpoſition, Inclination, or Habit in the Soul of Man, but what is good and Holy. But now that Seminal abiding Principle of Faith is before Juſtification. This is clear as the Sun, becauſe it is before the Act of that Faith whereby alone we are ſaid to be juſtified; and that it is before the juſtifying act of faith, we thus demonſtrate, That which concurs to the producing of the Act, is before the act, ſince it is in part the cauſe of the act, and the cauſe as ſuch muſt always be in order of Nature at leaſt, before the effect, and it implies a contradiction that it ſhould be otherwiſe. But the Seminal abiding Principle of Faith, concurs to the producing of the Act of juſtifying Faith, for it is given unto us for that end that it may fit us for, inclines us to, and help us in acting. Therefore it is before the Act of juſtifying Faith, and conſequently before Juſtification it ſelf. Here then we have found a Holy Seed and Principle put by God into the Soul before Juſtification. And therefore it is utterly falſe which the Letter ſaith, that there neither is nor can be any good or holy thing in the Soul, or any real change wrought on the Soul before Juſtification.

3. Reaſon. The Act of Juſtifying Faith is a good and holy thing, ſince it is the effect of God's Holy Spirit, and the firſt Fruit of the foreſaid Holy Seed of Faith in the Soul. But ſo it is that even according to our Authours own Principles the Act of Faith is before Juſtification. For (as was obſerved before) he ſays out of Gal. 2.16. We believe that we may be juſtified; and if ſo, then it is evident that our believing is in order of Nature at leaſt, before we be juſtified. (2.) He holds that Faith is the Inſtrumental cauſe of Juſtification, and lays great ſtreſs upon that Notion, as if it were the great fundamental of his Religion; he likewiſe finds great fault with us for not holding with him that Faith is the Inſtrumental cauſe of Juſtification. Now according to this Opinion of his, he cannot avoid the placing of the Act of Faith before Juſtification, becauſe it is the Act of Faith that receives Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, and that is the inſtrumental cauſe of Juſtification. But all the World knows that every proper cauſe (as an inſtrumental cauſe is in its kind) is in order of Nature before its effect: Either then ſome holy good thing is in us before Juſtification, or Actual Faith is no holy good thing; and his inſtrument wherewith he makes ſuch a noiſe is good for nothing, but to blow the Coals of Strife and Contention.

4. Reaſon, Before a Man can be juſtified by Faith, there muſt be a real and holy change in him, becauſe of an Unbeliever he muſt become a Believer, and that cannot be without a real change, and a holy one too. Now that a Man from being an Unbeliever muſt come to be a Believer in Chriſt before he can be juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, is ſelf-evident, for how can a Man be juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, who yet hath no Faith in Chriſt, he muſt then have Faith, before he can be juſtified by Faith. But how ſhall he get this Faith? Can he get Faith, whilſt he ſtill remains in Unbelief that is impoſſible. For Unbelief either ſignifies not believing, or it ſignifies poſitive disbelieving; and (1.) If it ſignifie not believing, it ſtands in a contradictory oppoſition to believing; and contradictions are utterly inconſiſtent. Can a Man believe in Chriſt, and not at all believe in Chriſt at the ſame time? We hope our Authour will not be ſo ridiculous as to go about to reconcile contradictions.

p. 124(2.) If Unbelief ſignifie poſitive disbelieving, disbelieving in power and prevalency, then it ſtands in a contrary oppoſition to believing, and two contraries in power and prevalency are likewiſe utterly inconſiſtent in the ſame ſubject at the ſame time. A Man that is in the very Act of poſitive disbelief; and under the power and prevalency of it, cannot poſſibly have an actual Faith in Chriſt at that time. Therefore that an Unbeliever may get actual Faith in Chriſt and be juſtified by that Faith, he muſt of neceſſity be changed, really and effectually changed; he muſt be changed from being an Unbeliever, to be a Believer; he muſt come off from his ſin of not believing, or of disbelieving, unto the practice of his Duty of believing in Chriſt that he may be juſtified by Faith; But this cannot poſſibly be without a real change; nay this coming off from the ſin of Unbelief, to the Duty of Believing is a real change, and a holy change too, therefore there is and muſt be a real holy change in Man in order of Nature at leaſt before his Juſtification by Faith in Chriſt. This is as certain and evident, as that Two and Two make Four. Yet our Authour finds fault with us for making it a part of our new Scheme that there muſt be a real change in a man, let. page 30.that he muſt be changed from his Unbelief, that he may come to Chriſt by Faith for Juſtification. And elſewhere he ſays, That it is the experience of every Believer, that every one who believeth on Jeſus Chriſt, page 11.acts that Faith as the chief of Sinners: And if ſo, then it follows by neceſſary conſequence, that every one who believes on Chriſt, acts that Faith as an Unbeliever, for according to him unbelief is the chiefeſt ſin, ſo he writes expreſly, That Ʋnbelief is the moſt provoking to God, page 15, 16.and the moſt damning to man, of all ſins. Unbelief then is the chiefeſt ſin; and if ſo, certainly the Unbeliever muſt be the chiefeſt Sinner, and the Believer who acts his Faith as the chief of Sinners muſt act his Faith as an Unbeliever: And that is a very odd way of acting Faith, to believe as an Unbeliever. Yet no man can help it, for if our Authors Doctrine be true, it muſt be ſo, and cannot be otherwiſe, becauſe it is that which the experience of all Believers witneſſeth unto; and as he writes, page 24. The Believer or Accepter of Chriſt, in the very act of believing or accepting of Chriſt, expreſly diſclaims all things in himſelf, but ſinfulneſs and miſery: And if he do ſo, then he diſclaims, that is, renounces his Faith it ſelf in the very act of believing. He doth not diſclaim his Unbelief, for that is ſin; nor doth he diſclaim the conceit of meriting Juſtification by his Faith, for that is a ſinful conceit: But he diſclaims his Faith it ſelf, unleſs his Faith be either ſinfulneſs or miſery; for he diſclaims all things in himſelf, but ſinfulneſs and miſery: Theſe two, to wit, Sinfulneſs and miſery, are the only things which he doth not diſclaim: Whence it follows neceſſarily, that he diſclaims his belief it ſelf in the very act of believing; and ſo by this means he is enabled to believe as an Unbeliever. This is (it may be) one of our Authours deep Myſteries, for which his Proſelytes admire him, and hug his Letter. And we confeſs there is no ſuch deep Myſtery as the Myſtery of contradictious Non-ſenſe. But if every one who believes, doth believe as the chief of Sinners, and ſo believes as an Unbeliever, and as one that diſclaims all true and ſaving Faith, we would know how it comes to paſs that all the Unbelievers in the World do not believe; one would think that they might all eaſily believe with ſuch a Faith as is acted by a Man (under that reduplicating quatenus) as an Unbeliever, and which, in the very act of believing renounceth all ſaving belief, even every thing but Sin and Miſery. Of old no Man was received into the Chriſtian Church, and accounted a Chriſtian, unleſs he firſt diſclaimed and renounced his ſins; but now it ſeems there is a great alteration in the ſtate of Chriſtianity; for a man cannot at this day be a Chriſtian, unleſs he diſclaim (or which is all one renounce) his Chriſtian Faith, and that too with an exception of not diſclaiming his ſins. If this be the only way to be a Chriſtian, one would think that all the Jews, Turks, and Heathens in the World might eaſily be Chriſtians, for they can eaſily believe with a Faith, that in the very act of it, p. 125renounces and diſclaims Faith, but not ſin. But if our Authour ſay that every true Chriſtian muſt believe in Chriſt with a ſincere and ſaving Faith, which Unbelievers have not, and yet at the ſame time he muſt act his Faith as an Unbeliover, and in the very act of Faith, he muſt diſclaim his Faith, but not his Sin of Unbelief; and that there muſt be no real change in him from Unbelief to Faith, till he have Faith, and have acted his Faith as aforeſaid, and be juſtified by ſuch an Act of Faith; and then a real change paſſes upon him in order of Nature after his Juſtification, but not before. We anſwer, That this is contradictious Non-ſenſe, and at this rate no man can be a Chriſtian till he hath made both ends of a contradiction meet, and hath verified both parts of a contradiction in his own Perſon; no man can be a Chriſtian that is really changed from being an Unbeliever to be a Believer; no, he cannot be a Chriſtian till he be both an Unbeliever and Believer in predominant degrees at the ſame time, without any real change from what he was by Nature: The plain Engliſh of this is that according to the Principles of our Authour laid down in his Letter, no Man can ever be a good Chriſtian at all, for the thing is impoſſible, becauſe it implies a manifeſt contradiction. Yet we muſt be ſo charitable as to think that our Authour hath indeed greatly miſtaken in the expreſſing of his mind in his Letter; but that really he doth not believe thoſe things himſelf. We hope he is of a more Orthodox Faith, and are willing to impute it to ſome inadvertency and inconſiderateneſs in the haſty writing of his Letter. We think he would or ſhould have ſaid that every one who believes on Jeſus Chriſt, acts that Faith, as one who thinks himſelf to have been formerly before his Converſion and Faith, a chief of Sinners, or one of the firſt rank of great Sinners. But doth not think himſelf to be ſtill in the ſame ſtate of Unregeneracy and Unbelief; for if he think ſo of himſelf after that is converted and is actually believing on Chriſt, moſt certainly he thinks amiſs whatever our Authour ſay to the contrary; for he thinks falſly of himſelf, and ſins in ſo thinking. Our Authour talks confidently of that which he doth not know, to wit, the experience of every Believer, for certainly he was never acquainted with the experiences of the thouſandth part of Believers that are in the Chriſtian Church at this day. Can he then ſay in Faith that it is the experience of every Believer that he acts his Faith as one who in former times hath been as great a Sinner, and hath done as much diſhonour to God, and as much miſchief to the Church and to the World, as the preſent King of France? But whatever he ſay or think of Believers; we are perſwaded that true Believers are taught of God, as to be humble, ſo to be wiſe in acting their Faith; wiſer (we are confident) than that every one of them ſhould think himſelf to be ſo great a Sinner as that he hath done as much diſhonour to God, and miſchief to the Church of Chriſt, as Lewis the Fourteenth has done, and ſtill continues to do. Again when he ſays, that a Believer and accepter of Chriſt in the very act of believing and accepting, expreſly diſclaims all things in himſelf, but Sin and Miſery; we think he ſhould have ſaid that he either expreſly, or implicitly, formally or virtually in the very act of Believing diſclaims all things in himſelf as being of and from himſelf, but Sin and Miſery, which are indeed of and from himſelf, and he takes the ſhame and blame thereof upon himſelf; but as for his Faith, or any good diſpoſition or qualification that is in him, he aſcribes it all to the free Grace of God, and gives God all the Glory of it: And after the ſame manner in the very act of believing, in order of Nature before he be juſtified, he virtually acknowledges to God's Glory, that by his Grace he hath wrought a real Holy Change in his Soul, and of a blind, proud Unbeliever, hath made him an underſtanding, humble Believer according to that, 1 John 5.20. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an underſtanding that we may know him that is true.

Reaſon 5. Fifthly and laſtly. The Seminal vital principle of juſtifying Faith is ſeated in the heart, and the firſt vital act of it comes from the heart. Rom. 10.10. With the heart man believes unto Righteouſneſs. We demand then concerning the firſt vital act of juſtifying Faith, either it comes from a renewed Heart, or an unrenewed p. 126Heart, a Regenerate Heart, of an …regenerate Heart, a Heart of Fleſh, or an Heart of Stone; or if it come not from either of theſe, then it muſt come from a third, that is from a Heart that is neither renewed nor unrenewed, neither regenerate, nor unregenerate, neither of Fleſh, nor of Stone, But now,

(1.) The firſt vital act of Juſtifying Faith cannot come from a Heart that is neither renewed, nor unrenewed, neither regenerate, nor unregenerate, for there is no ſuch Heart in any Man, nor indeed can there be any ſuch Heart: For renewed, and not at all renewed, regenerate, and not at all regenerate, are contradictions which admit of no medium. Every Heart of Man then in the whole World muſt be one of theſe, but cannot be both at once, nor any third thing diſtinct from both; for there is no middle between the two, betweenrenewed, and not at all renewed, &c. Since then, every Heart of Man in the World cannot be both renewed, and not at all renewed at the ſame time, nor yet be any third thing, but muſt be either one or other,

(2.) We ſay in the ſecond place, That the firſt vital act of Juſtifying Faith cannot come from an Heart not at all renewed, nor regenerate. For a vital act of Juſtifying Faith is too good and precious Fruit to grow upon the corrupt Tree of a Heart wholly unrenewed and unregenerate. Our Saviour in Matth. 7.16, 17, 18. give us to underſtand, that we may with as much reaſon expect to gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thiſtles, as that a vital act of precious juſtifying Faith ſhould come from a Heart that is altogether unregenerate and unrenewed. It remains then in the third place, that ſince the firſt vital act of juſtifying Faith cannot come from a Heart that is altogether unrenewed and unregenerate, that is all ſtony, hard, and obſtinately bent unto evil; It muſt of neceſſity come from a Heart that is at leaſt partly renewed and regenerate, partly Fleſh, or tender and pliable to the Will of God? And from this it follows unavoidably, that there muſt be a real, holy change wrought in the Heart of Man before his Juſtification by faith; for the Heart of Man cannot poſſibly be renewed and regenerated either in part, or in whole, without ſome real holy change wrought in it; but it is renewed and regenerated in part at leaſt in order of Nature, before the firſt vital act of juſtifying faith, as hath been proved; and that firſt vital act of faith is in order of Nature before juſtification by faith; therefore there is and muſt be ſome real holy change wrought in the Heart before juſtification by faith: From all which it is evident that the Opinion of our Authour is erroneous, and againſt the purity of our Chriſtian faith, to wit, that there is no real change, no holy diſpoſition or qualification before Juſtification by faith: And that on the contrary there is and muſt be a real change of the Heart, there are and muſt be ſeveral holy diſpoſitions and qualifications wrought in the Soul by the Word and Spirit of the Lord, before we can be juſtified by faith, and our ſins can be actually and abſolutely forgiven us. This we have clearly proved both by Scripture and by Reaſon agreeable to Scripture.

Now in the Third and Laſt place, we ſhall prove it by the Teſtimony of famous and orthodox Proteſtant Divines: We begin with Calvin, who (as was ſhewn before) in his Commentary on Ezek. 18. v. 23. ſaith, (Praecedit veniam poenitentia, quemadmodum hîc dicitur:) That Repentance goes before pardon of ſin, as it is ſaid to doe, in this place of Scripture. Whence we obſerve, (1.) That it is not a meer legal Repentance, ſuch as may be in an unconverted Man that he ſpeaks of; but it is an Evangelical ſaving Repentance; for firſt, it is a Repentance that conſiſts in turning from ſin, v. 23. yea from all ſin in Heart and Affection, v. 21. Secondly, in doing the whole known will of God, that is, doing it in deſire and reſolution, v. 21. But a meer legal Repentance doth not conſiſt in theſe things, nor hath it ſo good an effect upon the Soul. Thirdly, It is a Repentance to which Pardon and Life is promiſed through Chriſt. But no ſuch thing is promiſed to a meer legal Repentance: Therefore it is not a Legal, but an Evangelical Repentance, that Calvin there ſpeaks of. (2.) We obſerve, that if in Calvin's Judgment a true Evangelical Repentance goes before pardon of ſin and p. 127Juſtification, then a true juſtifying faith goes before it alſo. For Calvin was clearly of the opinion, that faith goes before a true Evangelical Repentance, in ſo much that he ſaies, Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 1.(Quibus videtur fidem potius praecedere poenitentia, quàm ab ipſâ manare vel proferri tanquum fructus ab arbore, nunquam vis ejus fuit cognita:) That they never knew the power of Repentance, who think that it is rather before Faith, than that it ſlows, or proceeds from Faith as Fruit from a Tree.

Theſe Words of Calvin manifeſtly ſhew, that he held faith to be in order of nature before true Evangelical Repentance; which we muſt thus underſtand, (as we ſaid before,) that the ſeminal Principle of Faith, with ſome of its Acts, to wit, the aſſenting Act, is before any Act of true Evangelical Repentance, and not that all the Acts of juſtifying faith are before any one Act of true Evangelical Repentance; otherwiſe we ſhall make Calvin foully to contradict himſelf. For as was proved before, Calvin in the ſame Book, fol. 210.and Chapter, Sect. 19. lays down the right order of things exactly, ſaying, that the Lord Chriſt firſt declares, that the Treaſures of Gods Mercy are in him ſet open to us, which Declaration of his calls for the faith of aſſent in us. After that in the ſecond place, the Lord requires us to repent, induced thereunto by the faith of the ſaid Declaration. And Thirdly and Laſtly, (Exigit fiduciam erga Dei promiſſiones;) He requires our truſt in the promiſes of God to us; now truly repenting of our ſins. The Act of Faith then which Calvin held to be in order before Repentance, and to be the root and ſpring of it; is the Faith of the conditional Promiſe of God, that he hath Mercy and Pardon for us, if we truly repent. And this ſeems to be his meaning by what he writes in the ſecond Paragraph following, For (ſaith he) whilſt Chriſt and John preach thus, Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: Do not they derive the cauſe of Repentance from the very Grace and Promiſe of Salvation? Therefore the import of their Words is as much, as if they had ſaid, becauſe the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand, therefore repent. And a little after he adds, (Quod etiam demonſtrat illa Oſeae exhortatio, &c.) Which thing alſo that exhortation of Hoſea demonſtrates, Come and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, Hoſ. 6.1.Hos 6:1and he will heal us; he hath ſmitten, and he will bind us up: (Quia ſpes veniae tanquam ſtimulus additur, ne in ſuis peccatis torpeant:) Becauſe the hope of pardon is given as a ſpur (to Repentance,) leaſt they ſhould lie ſecure in their ſins. By this Paſſage we ſee, that the Faith which goes before Repentance, in Calvin's Judgment, is not the Faith that our ſins are already pardoned, but that they ſhall be pardoned upon our ſincere Repentance; which Faith puts us upon acting Repentance, and having put forth an Act of ſincere Repentance, we immediately act Faith upon the promiſe, and apply it to our ſelves, and truſt in the Lord, according to his gracious promiſe. If this be not Calvin's ſenſe, let them free him from ſelf-contradiction that can, for we cannot otherwiſe do it. However it be, we have him expreſly affirming, that Faith (in ſome ſenſe) is before Repentance, and that Repentance, (ſuch Repentance as that in Ezek. 18.23.) is before Remiſſion of Sins and Juſtification: From whence it follows neceſſarily, that in his Judgment, both ſincere Faith and Repentance are in order before Juſtification, and ſo that there is a real change and ſome holy principle and diſpoſition wrought in the Soul before Juſtification. The ſame he affirms again elſewhere, for thus he writes on Mark 4.12. — leſt at any time they ſhould be converted, and their ſins ſhould be forgiven them. (Caeterùm ex eo minimè colligi debet, poenitentiam eſſe veniae cauſam, &c.) But from this it ought by no means to be inferred, that Repentance is the cauſe of pardon, as if God received into favour thoſe who are converted, becauſe they have merited or deſerved it: (For even Converſion it ſelf is a ſign of God's free Grace and Favour,) but only (ordo & conſequentia notatur) the order and conſequence of things is marked out, becauſe God doth not forgive any ſins but thoſe for which Men are diſpleaſed with themſelves. From which Words of Calvin we obſerve, that where there is an order and conſequence of things, there is a priority and poſteriority, p. 127and one of them is before another; but ſo it is, that in Calvin's opinion, between Repentance and pardon of ſin, there is an order, and the one is conſequent upon the other, pardon of ſin is conſequent upon Repentance, therefore Repentance is before pardon of ſin, but Repentance can never be without ſome real holy change and diſpoſition in the Penitent. Therefore there is ſuch a change and holy diſpoſition before Pardon and Juſtification. Again on Luke 3. v. 4. The voice of one crying in the wilderneſs, prepare ye the way of the Lord. (Eadem (inquit) vox auribus noſtris quotidie inſonat, ut Domino paremus viam, hoc eſt, ſublatis vitiis quae regno Chriſti viam praecludunt acceſſum demus ejus gratiae.) The ſame voice (ſaith he) dayly ſounds in our ears, that we ſhould prepare the way for the Lord, that is, that we ſhould give acceſs unto his grace, by putting away our ſins, which ſtop up the way againſt the reign of Chriſt in us. Theſe Words plainly give us to underſtand, that according to Calvin, Repentance and turning from ſin goes in order before pardon, and that it prepares us for the grace of Pardon and Juſtification. There needs no more to ſhew that Calvin held true Repentance, as to the beginning of it, to be in order before pardon of ſin and Juſtification. Yet when Repentance is taken for a courſe of holy living, in the actual performance of our firſt purpoſe to forſake our ſins, and return unto the Lord, then in that ſenſe it is confeſſed, that Calvin, and we with him hold Repentance to be after the ſeveral acts of Juſtifying Faith, and after Juſtification it ſelf, and that it runs parallel with our Lives, and muſt be continued unto Death. This was that which our firſt Reformers called the beſt Repentance, which ſo enraged the Papiſts, that in the Council of Trent they Anathematized us for this Opinion: Si quis dixerit — optimam poenitentiam eſſe tantùm novam vitam, Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 14. Can. 13.Anathema ſit. If any ſhall ſay, that a new life is onelyonly the beſt Repentance, let him be accurſed. Thus they. But we do not at all fear their Curſe, for notwithſtanding it, or any other thing to the contrary, we firmly believe, and ſay, that a new life is the onelyonly beſt Repentance. And this beſt Repentance, this Repentance in its perfection we grant to be not only after juſtifying faith, but alſo to be after Juſtification it ſelf, and after the forgiveneſs of all the ſins that we had been guilty of before our Regeneration and Converſion; yet for all that, we ſtill maintain according to the Scriptures of Truth, that the beginning of true Evangelical Repentance is in order before forgiveneſs of ſins, and juſtification; and we think we have Calvin on our ſide, if we may believe his own words.

To Calvin ſucceeds Beza giving in his Teſtimony plainly for us, and ſaying in his large Confeſſion of faith, (Sed neceſſe eſt imprimis ut idem ſpiritus ſanctus nos ad Jeſum Chriſtum recipiendum aptos & idoneos reddat, cap. 4. art. 3.&c.) But it is neceſſary (ſaith he) in the firſt place, that the ſame holy Spirit make us apt or fit and meet to receive Jeſus Chriſt.

And in his ſhort Confeſſion of faith, Art. 11th. As it was not (ſaith he) in our power to invent or find out the Medicine of Salvation, ſo neither is it poſſible for us to find out the way to uſe that Medicine rightly: Becauſe that falls out in this matter, which uſeth to be in bodily Diſeaſes; for as when one deſperately ſick is ignorant of his Diſeaſe, it is neceſſary that the Phyſician not only find out a Medicine for him, but likewiſe that he ſo diſpoſe the ſick Perſon that he may be both willing and able to uſe the Medicine, and that he may know the way to uſe it aright, ſo in the Diſeaſe of the Soul, which is the moſt dangerous of all, and in which Men are not only ignorant of, but alſo Adverſaries to their Salvation: It is neceſſary that we underſtand from the ſame Phyſician: Firſt, What that Medicine is, then which way it is to be uſed: Finally, That by the ſame Phyſician we be made fit and meet for this that we may be both willing and able to uſe the Remedies propoſed. Again, Art. 19. This Remedy (of free Salvation through Chriſt) is applyed by a double efficacy of the Holy Spirit: For firſt, The Holy Spirit diſpoſes or fits our underſtanding to perceive the Doctrine of the Goſpel, which otherwiſe ſeems meer fooliſhneſs to the World. Then he perſwades our minds that that Doctrine of free Salvation through p. 128Chriſt, is not only true, but alſo that it pertains to us. And that is it which we call Faith ſo much commended in Scripture, to wit, when one perſwades himſelf aſſuredly that the promiſes of Salvation and Eternal Life particularly and properly belong to him. By theſe paſſages of Beza we ſee that he held as we do, that before a Man do, or can actually believe with a juſtifying Faith, he is diſpoſed, fitted and prepared by Chriſts Holy Spirit, for the right performing of that great work of believing aright. And in his little Book of Chriſtian Queſtions and Anſwers, To the Queſtion how we can be truly ſaid to have all gifts from Chriſt received by Faith, ſince if Chriſt be apprehended or received by Faith, Bez. lib. quaeſt. & Reſp. p. 1. 149. 49. pag. edit. 1587.then Faith it ſelf muſt go before that apprehenſion or reception. He Anſwers, If thou conſider the order of cauſes, I confeſs that the principle or beginning of Faith (and that alſo true Faith) goes before the apprehenſion of Chriſt, and therefore that it is not given to them who are already ingrafted, but who are to be ingrafted. By this paſſage we ſee likewiſe that Beza never thought that all ſaving Grace flows into us, from Chriſt already united to us, But that before Union he gives us ſaving Grace by his Spirit, whereby we may be united to him. Chriſt by his Spirit firſt apprehends and takes hold of us, and ſits us for, and brings us into actual Union with himſelf, and this Grace is in the order of cauſes before the Union on our part, and ſo is before our Juſtification. If our Author had underſtood and conſidered all this that we have quoted out of Beza, he would never have thought it impoſſible that we can have any true Grace, any Holy Diſpoſition or Qualification before we be in Chriſt, and juſtified by Faith in him. For it is plain that we have the Grace from Chriſt, whereby we come to be in Chriſt, and Chriſt to be in us. And if it were not ſo, it would be impoſſible for us ever to be actually in Chriſt at all, or to be juſtified by Faith in him.

Our Third Witneſs is Mr. Fox in his Book, De Chriſto gratis juſtificante. Although (ſaith he) it be an undoubted Truth, That Faith in Chriſt, the moſt high Son of God, page 307.alone without works hath the Vertue and Power of juſtifying, as appears from the moſt clear words of Paul, and the Examples of Saints, but yet it doth not put forth this its juſtifying Vertue and Power upon all, (praeterquàm in eos quos idoneos ſolùm invenit ſuſcipiendae Divinae gratiae,) but only upon thoſe whom it finds fitted or qualified for receiving the Divine Grace or Favour of Juſtification:) And that is, the humble and Penitent, as he ſhews in the following Section: Where towards the end of it, in page 310, he ſays, (Praeparat qui…tem poenitentia inateriam ad ſuſcipiendam Juſtificationem, &c.) Repentance indeed prepares the matter for the receiving the Grace of Juſtification. (That is, it prepares the Soul for receiving Juſtification not as an inherent form in the Popiſh Senſe, but as a rich Priviledge and Favour beſtowed upon thoſe who are diſpoſed and qualified for it by Repentance.) And that it is not only a Legal, but an Evangelical Repentance, which he ſpeaks of, is evident from what he ſaith at large in that Section, and eſpecially from the Teſtimonies of Scripture, which he brings to prove it: Such as Pſal. 34.18. Iſa. 57.15.

Our Fourth Witneſs is Rollok whom we made uſe of before, and to whom Bodius his Scholar in his Commentary on the Epheſ. p. 1081, gives this Teſtimony, That he was a Man (quo nemo noſtra aetate Chriſtum Jeſum vel penitiùs imbiberat, vel aliorum animis efficacius inſtillabat) Then whom none in our Age either had drunk in Chriſt Jeſus more deeply or thoroughly into his own heart, or more Powerfully conveyed him into the hearts and Souls of others. This Holy and Orthodox Miniſter of Chriſt in his Book of Effectual Calling ſaith, page 3, 4.That in effectual Calling conſidered as it is internal (Duplex eſt Dei Gratia, ſive operatio in cordibus noſtris, &c. There is a two-fold Grace of God, or operation in our hearts. The firſt Grace is, whilſt God by his Holy Spirit creates a new and heavenly light in the p. 128mind, before involved in darkneſs, which neither ſaw, nor could ſee the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. In the Will wholly perverted and turned away from God, he creates a rectitude, and laſtly, a new Sanctity in all the Affections. Out of this Creation there exiſts or ariſeth that which is called the new Creature, that which is called the new Man, which after God is created in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, Epheſ. 4.24.

The ſecond Grace, or the ſecond Operation of the Spirit— is the act of Faith it ſelf, or an action proceeding from the new Creature, page 5.the action of the enlightned mind in knowing God in Chriſt; the action of the ſanctified Will in embracing or apprehending God in Chriſt, Here the principal Agent is the Spirit of God himſelf,— the ſecondary Agent is the Humane Soul it ſelf, or rather the new Man, and the new Creature it ſelf in the Soul, and its faculties.

In this ſecond Grace, which is the action or work of Faith, we are not now meerly paſſive, page 6.but being acted by the Holy Spirit, we act, being excited to believe, we believe. In one word, with the Holy Spirit operating, we cooperate, and are workers together with the Holy Spirit. Now he cap. 34. p. 258. tells us afterwards in the ſame Book, that all this, and more than this, even the Holy Change that is wrought in the Soul by a true Evangelical Repentance, is before Juſtification. For (ſaith he) Repentance belongs to the place concerning Effectual Calling— Repentance goes before Juſtification, as Faith and Hope go before it.

From all which we obſerve, that in the judgment of Rollock there is a real change made in the Soul before it be juſtified, and that it is prepared for Juſtification by God's working in it an Holy Principle or diſpoſition whereby it is inclined and enabled to produce the act of Faith, whereby it receives Chriſt, that for his ſake, and through his Righteouſneſs it may be juſtified.

We might bring Dr. Ames and Dr. Twiſs for our Fifth and Sixth Witneſſes, for they are of the ſame Opinion with Rollock as to this matter, ſave that Rollock took the Word Regeneration to ſignifie the ſame thing with Sanctification, which comes after Effectual Calling and Juſtification; whereas they took Effectual Calling and Regeneration to be two words, which ſignifie the ſame thing, to wit, the firſt ſaving change which is wrought in the Soul, when a new Seminal Principle of Spiritual Life is put into it, and it is brought off from Sin and the World, unto Chriſt, and unto God through Chriſt, that it may be juſtified by Faith in his Blood. This appears to have been their Judgment by what we have already quoted out of them upon the former head. Let but any that can read in Ames his Marrow of Divinity, the Twenty Sixth Chapter of the firſt Book, concerning Vocation; as likewiſe the Tenth Chapter of his Reply to Grevinchovius concerning the Nature of Faith, where he proves, That God by his Spirit puts a Seminal permanent Principle of Grace into the Soul at its firſt Converſion, and that before any act of ſaving Faith, and conſequently before Juſtification; We ſay, Let but any Man read thoſe Two Chapters of Dr. Ames his Books now mentioned, and he will ſee it as clear as the Sun, that he was of the ſame mind with Rollock, and held, That an Holy Change is wrought on us, and a Seed or Principle of Holyneſs is put into us, and ſome Holy Act is produced by us before we be juſtified, and our ſins be forgiven us.

p. 129And as for Dr. Twiſs, though the Antinomians have laid claim to him, and ſome of ours have almoſt given him up to them, by Reaſon of ſome Expreſſions of his which ſeem to favour them; yet Mr. Jeſſop in his Preface to Mr. Grailes Book, hath ſhewed that they have no ſufficient ground for their ſo doing; and hath proved (as we have further done) that he is on our ſide againſt them: Yea and againſt our Authour too. We read, that Arminius in the Preface to his Anſwer unto Perkins, complained, that though Mr. Perkins did not, yet there were ſome others who did contend that Repentance doth not go before, but follow after Remiſſion of Sins. Twiſs Vind. gratiae Reſp. ad Arminii Praefat. pag. 17. Edit. Amſter. 1648. fol.Whereunto Dr. Twiſs anſwered, by Confeſſing ingenuouſly, That the places of Holy Scripture, which prove that Repentance is before Remiſſion of Sins, are (& expreſſiora & frequentiora) both more expreſs and more numerous; than thoſe that ſeem to favour the other Opinion. And indeed the places of Scripture, that ſpeak of Peoples repenting after their Sins are pardoned, prove nothing at all, but what we and all ſober Chriſtians grant, that our Repentance is to be continued all the days of our Life; and that the Repentance which is begun before Juſtification, and is but weak and imperfect, is to be carried on through Grace unto greater Perfection afterwards, by reducing our purpoſes into Practice, and bringing forth Fruits meet for Repentance; to the doing whereof the Aſſurance of Gods ſpecial Love to us in having pardoned our Sins, and accepted us as righteous unto Life through Jeſus Chriſt, doth not a little animate and excite us. As to what Twiſs ſaith there, that it is without Controverſie, that as Remiſſion of Sins is an immanent Act in God, it is before both Faith and Repentance; that is, neither more nor leſs than this, that God himſelf and his Decree to remit Sin, is before both Faith and Repentance; which is indeed very true, for God and his Decree was before this World, or any thing in this World: but though it be true, it is nothing to the purpoſe; for to ſpeak properly as we ought, and as the Lord ſpeaks to us in his Word, Remiſſion of Sins, is not an immanent Act of God; that is, it is not the Decree of God which is Eternal, but the conſequent and the effect of the Decree, which is Temporal, and is every where promiſed in the Scripture, as a thing future and to come upon Condition of Faith, and Repentance; as Dr. Twiſs himſelf expreſly affirms moſt frequently over and over, as we have ſhewed already, and may do it yet farther hereafter. From ſingle Witneſſes, we paſs to a whole Aſſembly of Divines, who give in their Teſtimony for us, and it is the Synod of Dort, the moſt famous Aſſembly of Divines, that ever was in the Reformed Churches; for it conſiſted of a great number of Learned men, delegated and deputed from all the beſt Reformed Churches in Europe.

In the eleventh and twelfth Canons, on the third and fourth Articles, their Words are, as followeth. Act. Synodi Dord. Part. 1. p. 303.But when God executes this his good Pleaſure in the Elect, or works in them true Converſion, he not only cauſeth the Goſpel to be outwardly Preached to them, and by the Holy Spirit powerfully enlightens their Mind, that they may rightly underſtand, and diſcern the things of the Spirit of God; but alſo by the Efficacy of the ſame regenerating Spirit, he penetrates or pierces into the innermoſt parts of Man, he opens his cloſed, he ſoftens his hard, and circumciſes his uncircumciſed Heart; he infuſes new qualities into his Will, and of dead makes it alive, of evil makes it good, of unwilling makes it willing, of diſobedient makes it obedient, and ſo Acts and ſtrengthens it, that as a good Tree, it may be able to bring forth the Fruit of good Actions. — And then the Will now renewed, is not only acted and moved by God, but being acted by God, it acts it ſelf. Wherefore even Man himſelf by that Grace received, is rightly ſaid to believe and repent.

This was ſubſcribed by the whole Synod, now here we have ſuch a Teſtimony of the Reformed Churches for a real change, for Holy Qualifications and Diſpoſitions in the Soul of Man before Juſtification; as we are ſure our Author can never find the like to oppoſe againſt us, for no real change, no Holy Qualifications or Diſpoſitions in the Soul of Man before ſuſtification. And that the Synod held this real change, thoſe Holy Qualifications p. 130or Diſpoſitions to be in the Soul before Juſtification, is manifeſt, becauſe they affirm all this to be neceſſary that the Will may be able to act, and that the Man may produce the ſaving Acts of Faith and Repentance; but ſo it is, that the very Act it ſelf of Faith is before Juſtification as hath been proved, and ſo it was believed to be by the Synodic Therefore a fortiori, all that is before the Act of Faith, is alſo before Juſtification. This were enough, if we could ſay no more, to prove that it is we who cleave to the old received Proteſtant Doctrine in this matter. Yet ſomething more we will adde from ſome of the Suffrages of the Colledges of Divines recorded in the Acts of the Synod. And firſt, we find that the Embdane Divines in their Judgment, concerning the firſt Article do very particularly and clearly ſet down the way and order of Gods bringing his Elect unto Eternal Life and Glory. Their Words are, Actor. Synodi Dord. part 2. pag. 77.(Via, inter Electionis decretum & decreti finem, intermedia, quâ Deus ex mera gratiâ peculiariter electos ad ſalutem provehit, eſt (1.) Chriſtus. (2.) Vocatio ad Chriſtum efficax. (3.) Fides. (4.) Juſtificatio per fidem, &c.) The intermediate way between the Decree of Election, and the end of the Decree, by which God of meer Grace brings to Salvation thoſe whom he hath peculiarly choſen, is (1.) Chriſt. (2.) Effectual Vocation unto Chriſt. (3.) Faith. (4.) Juſtification, &c. To theſe they ſpeak particularly one after another. Firſt, They ſhew that Chriſt is deſervedly ſet in the firſt place, for he is the ſecond Adam, through whom all the Elect are ſaved by unſpeakable Mercy. What they ſay of Chriſt there, we all agree to, and alſo that all the other particulars are ſubordinate to him and through him.

Then they ſpeak to the ſecond means, which is Effectual Calling, and that they ſay is, (Quando Vox Dei per ſuos Miniſtros, &c. When the Voice of God by his Miniſters ſo founds, outwardly in the Ears of the Body, that together with it the Spirit of God inwardly fits or prepares the Mind of the Hearer, that it may be able to underſtand, and Efficaciouſly diſpoſes the Will to Aſſent (or rather Conſent). Then they proceed to the next (Tertium eſt fides vera, &c. The third is true Faith, to wit, when from Effectual Calling, there arifeth the Knowledge of Salvation underſtood, and again Aſſent follows that Knowledge, and that ſuch an Aſſent as applies the Promiſe of the Goſpel to the Believers own Conſcience, &c. Laſtly, They ſay that the fourth and fifth means are the Effects of true Faith in the Elect, and they are Juſtification, and after that, Sanctification and Perſeverance to the end. From this Teſtimony of the Embdane Divines, it is as evident, that in their Judgment, there are ſome Holy, ſaving Preparations and Diſpoſitions in the Souls of Gods ſelect People before they be juſtified, as it is evident that the ſecond is before the fourth; for Effectual Vocation, whereby thoſe Holy Diſpoſitions are wrought in the Soul, is the ſecond, and Juſtification is the fourth, between which, actual Faith comes in as the Third. So that if we can but reckon two, three, four, and can underſtand, that if the ſecond be before the third, it muſt be alſo before the fourth, then may we ſee that there are ſome Holy Diſpoſitions and Qualifications in the Soul ariſing from Effectual Calling, before Juſtification. This was read in and approved by the Synod, and therefore here we have again the Teſtimony of the whole Synod of Dort, for Holy Diſpoſitions and Qualifications in the Soul before Juſtification. It would be almoſt endleſs to run over all the Suffrages of the ſeveral Colledges of Divines, and to quote what they have ſaid to this purpoſe, therefore we ſhall paſs that as ſuperfluous, and conclude with the Teſtimony of our own Brittiſh Divines, which is to be ſeen in their Collegiate Suffrage tranſlated into Engliſh and Printed in the year, 1629.

Their Words are,

God doth regenerate, by a certain …inward and wonderful Operation, The Suffrage of the Divines of Great Brittain, Art. 3.4. pag. 70.80, 81.the Souls of the Elect being ſtirred up and prepared by the foreſaid Acts of his Grace, and doth, as it were create them anew, by infuſing his quickning Spirit, and ſeaſoning all the Faculties of the Soul with new qualities. Here, by Regeneration we underſtand not every Act of the Holy Spirit, which goes before or tends to Regeneration, but that Act which aſſoon as it is there, we conclude preſently (or p. 131as the Original hath it, it may preſently be rightly affirmed) This man is now born of God.

This Spiritual Birth preſuppoſes a Mind moved by the Spirit, uſing the Inſtrument of Gods Word, whence alſo we are ſaid to be born again by the incorruptible Seed of the Word, 1 Pet. 1.23. Which muſt be obſerved, leſt any one ſhould idlely and ſlothfully expect an Enthuſiaſtical Regeneration, that is to ſay, wrought by a ſudden Rapture, without any foregoing Action either of God, the Word, or Himſelf. Furthermore we conclude that the Spirit regenerating us, doth convey it ſelf into the moſt inward Cloſet of the Heart, and frame the Mind anew, by curing the ſinful Inclinations thereof, and by giving it ſtrength, and a formal Principle. (In the Original, it is Principium formale) Or Active Power to produce ſpiritual and ſaving Actions, Epheſ. 2.10. We are his Workman-ſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works. Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the ſtony Heart, and give you an Heart of Fleſh. From this Work of God cometh our Ability to perform ſpiritual Actions leading to Salvation, as the act of Believing, 1 John 5.1. Whoſoever believes that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is born of God. Of Loving, 1 John 4.7. Every one that loveth, is born of God. Laſtly, all works of Piety, John 15.5. Without mere can do nothing. — Again,

Upon the former (habitual) Converſion, Pag. 83.84.followeth our actual Converſion, wherein out of our reformed, or changed Will (for the Original is ex mutata Voluntate) God himſelf draweth forth the very act of our Believing, and Converting, and this our Will being firſt moved by God, doth it ſelf alſo work by turning unto God (convertendo ſe ad Deum;) and Believing, that is, by executing (eliciendo, producing) withal, its own proper lively Act. — We ſay that God doth not only work that habitual Converſion or Change (for the Word in the Original is Mutationem) whereby a man gets new Spiritual Ability to Believe and Convert, but alſo that God doth by a certain wonderful Efficacy of his ſecret Operation, Pag. 85.extract out of our regenerated (Sanatâ, cured) Will, the very Act of Believing and Converting. So the Scripture ſpeaketh in divers places, John 6.65. The Father giveth us Power to come unto the Son, that is to Believe. Phil. 1.29. To you it is given to Believe, foreign, the very Act of Believing. 2 Tim. 2.25. God giveth Repentance. — This Action of God in producing Faith doth not hinder, Pag. 86.but rather is the cauſe that the Will doth work together with God, and produce its own Act; and therefore this Act of Believing, howſoever it is ſent (or given) from God, yet becauſe it is performed by Man, is Attributed to Man himſelf, Rom. 10.10. With the Heart man believeth unto Righteouſneſs. 2 Cor. 4.13. I believed, therefore have I ſpoken. Again. This Action of God doth not hurt the freedom of the Will, but ſtrengthen it. Pag. 87.88.— Here we deny that by the Divine Operation there is any wrong offered to the Will (or any hurt done to it, for it is in the Original, negamus loeſionem voluntatis) for God doth ſo work in Nature, even when he raiſeth and advanceth it above its proper Sphere, that he doth not deſtroy the particular Nature of any thing, but leaves to every thing its own Way and Motion (in actione producenda) in producing its Action. When therefore God worketh in the Wills of Men by his Spirit of Grace, he makes them move in their own natural way or courſe, that is, freely; and then they do the work the more freely, by how much they are the more effectually ſtirred up by the Spirit of God, John 8.36. If the Son make you free, you ſhall be free indeed. 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. Verily it ſeemeth incredible to us, that God who made our Wills, and gifted them with Liberty, ſhould not be able to work on them, or in them, after ſuch a manner, as that he may produce any good Action by them without hurting their Nature, that is freely; (Ut quamlibet bonam actionem per eaſdem, illaeſâ earum naturâ, hoc eſt liberé, eliciat).

By theſe paſſages quoted out of the Suffrage of our Divines in the Synod of Dort, it is moſt evident that both they, and the Synod which approved their Suffrage, and gave them great p. 132thanks for it, did all of them believe that there is and muſt be a great and holy change wrought on us, and holy Diſpoſitions and Qualifications beſtowed on us, before we are immediately able, (and that we may be able) to believe and repent, and conſequently before we are juſtified. — Yea our Divines expreſly reject it, as the firſt Arminian Error againſt that part of the third and fourth Articles, which relates to Regeneration and Converſion unto God by Faith and Repentance. [That in Regeneration there are no ſpiritual Gifts infuſed into the Wills of Men.] Pag. 91.This Arminian Errour, they diſprove, and amongſt other Arguments againſt it, Pag. 92.they uſe this for one. [As the Will of a meer natural Man, is ſaid to be vicious from a certain inbred and inherent wickedneſs, which in a wicked man even when he doth nothing, is habitual; ſo again we muſt acknowledge that in the Will of the regenerate, there is a certain Righteouſneſs or Goodneſs (as it is in the Original) given and infuſed by God, which is preſuppoſed unto their Religious Actions. St. Auſtin in many places ſetteth forth this habitual Righteouſneſs or Goodneſs. — And Proſper calls this goodneſs of the Will, Proſper de vocat. Gentium. lib. 1. c. 6.(ſuperni agricolae primam plantationem) the firſt planting of the Heavenly Husbandman. Now a Plantation Notes ſomething ingrafted in the Soul, not an Act or Action flowing from the Soul.] Thus our Divines at Dort, whereby we ſee that it is a branch of Arminianiſm to deny that there is any Holy Habit, Seed, Root or Permanent Principle of Grace, or any Spiritual Qualification wrought in the Soul before Juſtification. And we find that long ago Robinſon one of the rigideſt Seperatiſts from the Worſhip and Diſcipline of the Church of England, yet Religiouſly adhered to her Doctrine in this Point we are upon, for thus he writes in Defence of the Doctrine of the Synod at Dort. Robinſons Defence of the Doct. of the Synod at Dort. p. 109. Pag. 132.133.[That a man may have his Sins pardoned, who yet wants all brotherly Love and goodneſs, the Scriptures every where deny. Mat. 6.14, 15. 1 Joh. 3.14, 15. Mark 11 24, 25. Rom. 8.1. Pſal. 32.1, 2.]. And afterwards in the ſame Book, [By the Word and Spirit (ſaith he) God regenerates Men, or gives them Faith and Repentance, which they muſt have before they can believe or repent; as the Child muſt have Life before it can live, or do Acts of Life, and muſt be generated or begotten before it have Life or Being, Regeneration therefore goes before Faith and Repentance.] Here we ſee that old, rigid, zealous Nonconformiſt held that there muſt be a real, great change made on a Man; a Holy Principle muſt be put into him, and Holy Qualifications beſtowed upon him before he can believe and repent, and conſequently before he can be juſtified. Pag. 56.Again, before in the ſame Book, he ſaith expreſly, that Rom. 8.29, 30. Shews plainly that our Predestination or Election goes before our Calling, and our Calling before our Juſtification. — And in the ſame Page, Gods chuſing a Man, (whether in Decree from Eternity, or by Actual and Effectual Calling, and calling of him out of the State of Sin, by giving him the Spirit of Faith and Grace) goes before his believing, for he cannot believe before he have Faith, nor have it before God give him it, but his actual ſaving by Juſtification and Glorificaton follows after Faith.

The ſame Truth is witneſſed unto by Mr. Ball, in his Treatiſe of Faith, Part 1. p. 1.36.[Every one (ſaith he) is not fit to receive the Promiſe of Mercy, the Enemies of the Goſpel of Chriſt, Worldlings, Hypocrites, and all in whom, Sin reigneth, can have no true Faith in Chriſt; he is only ſit to receive Mercy, who knows that he is loſt in himſelf, and unſatiably deſires to be eaſed of the heavy burden of his Sins. — Faith is a Work of Grace — of the Eſſicacy of Gods Spirit, whereby we anſwer to the Effectual Call of God, and come unto him, that we might be partakers of Life Eternal. — And if ſaving Effectual Calling be precedent to Faith, the ſubject of living Faith is Man ſavingly called according to the purpoſe of Gods Will. We can teach no Faith to Salvation, but according to the Rule of Chriſt, (Mark 1.15.) Repent and Believe the Goſpel; no Remiſſion, but according to the like rule, Luke, 24.47. Acts 2.37, 38.

p. 133Our laſt Witneſs is Mr. Gataker, who ſaith [God doth not actually remit or releaſe Sin, until he give Grace to repent, Gatakers ſhadows without ſubſtance. p. 55.which in the Goſpel Phraſe and Method goes conſtantly before pardon, &c.] We might eaſily bring many more of our Reformed Divines to witneſs unto this Truth, but theſe are ſufficient to ſhew, that it is the old Proteſtant Doctrine, generally received in the Reformed Churches, that there is and muſt be a real Holy Change, a ſeminal permanent Principle of Spiritual Life, ſome Holy Diſpoſitions and Qualifications wrought in us by the Spirit of Chriſt, before we are juſtified by Faith in the Blood of Chriſt.

And here by the way, we muſt tell our Author, what it may be, he doth not know, Firſt, that if he will believe Bardwardin, Let. p. 13.with whom (he ſaith) God bleſſed England againſt the Pelagians, then he will find it to be a Branch of the Pelagian Hereſie, that there is no Gracious Principle, no Holy Diſpoſition or Qualification wrought in us before our Juſtification. For Bradwardin ſaith ſo expreſly, Bradward. de cauſâ dei lib. 1. Cap. 43. p. 397.[Aſſerunt ambae (partes reſiduae opinionis Pelagii) remiſſionem peccati & Juſtificationem injuſti praecedere gratiam tempore vel naturâ.] That is, Both the remaining parts of the Opinion of Pelagius, aſſert that Remiſſion of Sin, and the Juſtification of the unjuſt, go before Grace in Time or in Nature. Thus Bradwardin, and then he falls a Confuting of this Pelagian Opinion, by ſuch Arguments as moſt manifeſtly ſhew, that by the Word (Grace) there, he meant not the Good-Will, Love, and Favour of God, but the Effect of it upon the Soul, even a Gracious Gift communicated unto, and a real Holy change wrought in the Soul; whereby of ungracious it is made inherently Gracious, and of unjuſt and unholy, it is made inwardly Juſt and Holy. This Grace, this Gracious change he maintains to be in Order before Remiſſion of Sin, and the Denial of this Grace, this Gracious change before Remiſſion of Sin, he declares to be a Branch of Pelagian Hereſie. We thought fit to let the World know, that what by ſome is accounted pure Goſpel Doctrine now, was in former times accounted a part of Pelagius his Opinion, and that even by Bradwardin, whom our Authour ſo highly commends. Yet at the ſame time we muſt declare, that we do by no means approve Bradwardins way of Confuting that Pelagian Opinion; for he was himſelf Erroneous in the Point of Juſtification, and held that we are juſtified before God by inherent Holineſs, and in this very place, endeavours to prove againſt Pelagius that Grace is before Remiſſion of Sin, becauſe Sin is a Privation, which is no otherwiſe remitted, than by the Habit of Grace its coming in, and driving Sin out of the Soul, juſt as Death is expelled or driven away by Life, Blindneſs by Sight, Darkneſs by Light, Ignorance by Knowledge. Thus he Confuted Pelagius's Error in the Point of Juſtification. And now let all Proteſtants Judge whether Pelagius was not well Confuted, and whether. England was not greatly bleſſed with ſuch a Confuter of Pelagius in the Point of Juſtification! We are Confident our Authour was wholly Ignorant of the Principles of Bradwardin, otherwiſe he would have been wiſer than to have quoted him againſt us in this Controverſie: But it is his way to talk Confidently of what he doth not underſtand. Yet our God is infinitely Wiſe, and brings Light out of his Darkneſs, for by this we come to underſtand by the Teſtimony of Bradwardin (who we Hope may be believed in a matter of Fact) that it was a piece of Pelagianiſm to hold that we are juſtified, and our Sins pardoned, before there be a real change made in us; and Holy Diſpoſitions or Qualifications wrought in our Souls by Chriſts Holy Spirit. And if any Body ſhould Queſtion the Truth of Bradwardins Teſtimony, concerning Pelagius's Opinion about Juſtification, we can prove the ſame matter of Fact, by the Teſtimony of a better Witneſs; and that is the famous Auguſtine, who was Contemporary with Pelagius, and wrote againſt his Opinions at their firſt appearance in the World.

The other Secret which we have to tell our Authour, is, that it is a Popiſh Opinion to aſſert that there is no Gracious Principle infuſed, no Holy Diſpoſition or Qualification wrought in us by Gods Spirit, before the Remiſſion of our Sins.

p. 134Of this Opinion was Jacobus Almainus a Doctor of the Sorbon, who lived in the 15th Century a little before the Reformation, as appears by what he writes in his Book of Morality. Lib. Moral. Tract. de charitate.(Iſta rationalis, eſt vera, quia Deus acceptat aliquem ad vitam aeternam, dat illi Charitatem, & non è diverſo: nam iſta eſt falſa, quia dat Charitatem, acceptat ad vitam aeternam, ergo prius naturâ acceptat ad vitam aeternam, quam det Charitatem infuſam.) This way of reaſoning is true, becauſe God accepts a man unto Eternal Life, therefore he gives him Love, or infuſes into him a Principle of Grace; but not on the contrary for this is falſe, that becauſe God gives him Love, or infuſes into him a Principle of Grace, therefore he accepts him unto Eternal Life, and therefore God doth firſt in Order of Nature accept a man unto Eternal Life, before he give him infuſed Charity. Thus Almain, whereupon we obſerve, that he held Juſtification taken in the Proteſtant Senſe, to be before any real Holy change be made in the Soul, by infuſed Grace in Regeneration and Effectual Calling. For (1.) By Acceptance unto Eternal Life, he meant that we call by the Name of Juſtification. (2.) By Gods giving infuſed Love, he meant that which we call Regeneration and Effectual Calling, or the Holy change that is thereby begun in the Soul. But ſo it is, that he held Acceptance unto Eternal Life, to be before the Gift of infuſed Love, or infuſed Grace, which they call by the Name of Love; therefore he held Juſtification to be in Order before Effectual Calling, or any Holy Principle put into, or change wrought in the Soul thereby.

And the Popiſh Biſhops of Walemburgh are yet more clearly for this, for thus they write, Walemb. de juſtificat. cap. 11. Num. 9.Num 9[Remiſſion of Sins taken for the not imputing of them, in Order of Nature goes before inherent Juſtice.] That is, in their way of ſpeaking, before the Infuſion of any Principle of Grace and Holineſs, and this they prove by the Worde of the ſeventh Chapter, of the Sixth Seſſion of the Councel of Trent, whereunto they adde, that Remiſſion of Sins is not the ſame thing, with inherent Juſtice, becauſe that according to Bellarmine, Vaſquez, and many other School Divines, our Sins may be abſolutely pardoned and remitted, by the meer Non-imputation of them, without the Infuſion of Inward and. Inherent Juſtice or Holineſs, and conſequently the Remiſſion of Sins or Justification (as the Protestants ſpeak) and Inward, Inherent Justite, which according to them, is Sanctification (begun) may be ſeparated, and may be given unto us, the one without the other. Theſe are the very Words (truly Tranſlated) of Monſieur Le Fevre a Doctor of the Sorbon, in a Book written againſt the Famous Monſieur Arnauld, in the Year, 1685.

The Caſe was this, Monſieur Arnauld, in his Renverſement de la Morale, had laboured hard to prove that ſuch Calvinists as our Author, Replique a Monſieur Arnauld pour la Defence du livre des motiſes invincibles. p. 61, 62.had ſo corrupted our Chriſtian Morals by their Errours about Juſtification, that they are the vileſt of Hereticks, and can never be good Catholicks; this was the Judgment of the Ring-leader of the Janſenists, (whom our Authour commends, P. 21. of his Letter) that ſuch Proteſtants as he is, are damned Hereticks by Reaſon of their Errors in the matter of Juſtification; but on the contrary Monſieur Le Fevre undertakes to prove by Invincible Arguments, that ſuch Calvinists as our Authour, may be good Roman Catholicks, notwithſtanding all that Monſieur Arnauld hath written to prove them Hereticks; for tho' they hold that men may be pardoned and juſtified, before there be any real change made in them, or any holy permanent Principle of Grace, Diſpoſition or Qualificatien wrought in their Souls by the Holy Spirit; yet they may be good Catholicks for all that; becauſe Almain, and the Biſhops of Walemburgh were of the ſame Opinion concerning Juſtification; and tho' Bellarmine and Vaſquez do not think that de facto, Juſtification is after that manner, yet they confeſs it is poſſible it may be ſo; and the Council of Trent is not againſt, but rather for its being ſo, de facto: And theſe were all good Roman Catholicks. Therefore ſuch a Calvinist as eur Author may likewiſe be a good Roman Catholick, for in this matter he agrees with the Doctrine of the Roman Church. This to us ſeems to have been the deſign of that Learned and Politick p. 135Sorbonist, to ſhew that ſuch Opinions about Juſtification, as this is, ſhould not hinder a Reconciliation with the Church of Rome, ſince ſhe holds the ſame Doctrine her ſelf. Whether Le Fevre do right to his own Church or not, in faſtening that Opinion upon her, concerns not us to inquire after; but we think he has ſufficiently proved, that it is a Popiſh Opinion, that is, an Opinion that hath been long in the Church or Rome, and is in it, and held by ſome of its Biſhops at this day. And we know the Poſſibility or impoſſibility of the thing, hath been matter of not diſputes amongſt their Schoolmen. Witneſs Vaſque… in 1…. 2^dae. Diſpur. 206, 207. — Suarez l. 2. degratiâ, Cap. 22, 23. Becan. in Summâ Theolog. partis 2^dae. part 1. Tract. 4. de juſtificat. Cathol. Cap. 3. q. 5. §. 26. Bezant. Duval. & Meratius — if our Authour pleaſe to Conſult thoſe Popiſh Schoolmen, he may find ſome Arguments that may be of ſome uſe to him, and may help him to perſwade the People to believe that God may forgive them their Sins before there be any ſaving change of their Hearts; and any Holy Seed or Principle or Grace put into them, or any Gracious Diſpoſition or Qualification wrought in them by the Spirit of Chriſt. And the People may if they pleaſe, go on to drink in that Pelagian, Popiſh and Arminian Doctrine, taking it upon our Authors Word to be a part of the pure Chriſtian Religion, and of the Doctrine of Juſtification by free Grace without good Works and Holy Qualifications, or any thing that looks like them.

But for our parts we declare, that we are for the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort, in the Point of a real Holy Change, and Holy Qualifications before Juſtification, and cannot but prefer it before that Pelagian Opinion, which ſome People are ſo fond of; and they muſt not expect that ever we will humour them in that matter, unleſs our Authour will ſolidly anſwen our Arguments, and give us better Arguments for his Opinion, than we have here given for ours. As for what he ſaith to that purpoſe in his Letter, we can therein find nothing of any weight; as r. in Page 9. We ſay not (quoth he) that there is an actual partaking of Chriſts fulneſs of Grace, till we be in him by Faith, though this Faith is alſo given us on Chriſts behalf, Phil. 1.29. And we believe through Grace, Acts 18.27. Thus he Argues to prove, that all the Grace we receive from Chriſt, comes from our being united to him by Faith, and ſo that we cannot actually partake of the Grace of Chriſt before our Union with Chriſt by Faith. Now if this be ſo, we demand of him concerning this being in Chriſt by Faith, or (which is the ſame thing) this union with Chriſt by Faith, either it is effected by the Grace of Chriſt, or without the Grace of Chriſt, by the meer Power of Nature? Not the Second, to wit, without the Grace of Chriſt, by the meer Power of Nature. For (1.) That is rank Pelagianiſm, or Semipelagianiſm at leaſt. (2.) It is contrary to what he ſays in the ſame place, that the Faith by which we come to be in Chriſt is given us on Chriſts behalf, and that we believe through Grace. The First then is that, which he doth and muſt chooſe to ſay, to wit, that our Union with Chriſt by Faith is effected by the Grace of Chriſt: And then it is ſelf-evident. that that Grace of Chriſt which Effects Faith in us and the Union with Chriſt by Faith, is before Faith and the Union by Faith, becauſe the Cauſe always is and muſt be in Order of Nature before the Effect. And further, if the Grace of Chriſt by which we believe firſt in him and are united to him, be before that Faith and Union by Faith, then we receive that Grace from Chriſt before we be in Chriſt by Faith, and we receive it to this end, that our faculties may be fitted and prepared, yea and powerfully helped actually to believe, and by believing to be actually united unto Chriſt; thus our Author is caught in a Net of his own making, he blows hot and cold out of the ſame Mouth, and contradicts himſelf moſt foully in ſaying, that we do not actually partake of Chriſts fulneſs till we be in him by Faith, and yet that we have that Faith, and Union by Faith, from the Grace of Chriſt as the cauſe thereof; for certainly that Grace is a part of Chriſts fulneſs, and if he give it us and we receive it from him for the producing of Faith and Union with him by Faith, then we actually partake of his fulneſs before we be in him by Faith.

That People therefore may no more be puzzled with ſuch ſelf-confounding and contradictious p. 136Stuff, we deſire them to conſider, (1.) That all our Supernatural Grace is from Chriſt by his Spirit, this we are all agreed in. (2.) That yet all Supernatural Grace is not from Chriſt after the ſame Way and Manner, for there is ſome Grace from Chriſt before Union, and in Order to Union, and ſome Grace is from Chriſt united, from Chriſt now in actual Union with our Souls by Faith; of the first ſort, is the firſt preventing Grace, the Grace by which we are Effectually Called; the Grace by which we are diſpoſed and prepared to believe; and by which we do actually believe, and by ſo believing anſwer the Call, receive Chriſt into our Hearts, and come to be actually united unto him. This Grace being the cauſe of Faith, and of the Union by Faith, is before Union with Chriſt, and ſo cannot poſſibly be from Chriſt conſidered as united to us by Faith. Though then all our Grace be from Chriſt, yet it is notoriouſly falſe, that it is all from him as ours already by Faith; for preventing Grace which is before Faith, is not drawn from Chriſt by Faith; as alſo Faith it ſelf, we mean the firſt Principle and firſt Act of Faith, is not drawn from Chriſt as already ours by Faith, for then Faith would be both before and after it ſelf, which is contradictious non-ſenſe, and impoſſible. Of the Second ſort, is all ſubſequent Grace, the Grace of Juſtification, of Progreſſive Sanctification and Perſeverance, yea all that Grace whereby Gods Select People (being once called according to his Purpoſe) are fitted for, and brought unto Glory, is from Chriſt united, from Chriſt in actual Union with our Souls by Faith. Augustin writing againſt the Pelagians above 12 hundred years ago, Angust. Epist. 105.hath cleared up this matter in few Words, writing thus to Sixtus, [Ita ſine Spiritu ſidei, non est rectê quiſpiam crediturus, nec ſine ſpiritu orationis ſalubriter oraturus; non quia tot ſint ſpiritus ſed omnia haec operatur unus atque idem ſpiritus, dividens propria unicuique prout vult: quia Spiritus ubi vult, ſpirat. ſed quod fatendum est, aliter adjuvat nondum inhabitans, aliter inhabitans, — nam nondum inhabitans adjuvat ut ſint fideles; inhabitans adjuvat jam fideles.] That is, So without the Spirit of Faith, no man will ever believe aright, nor without the Spirit of Prayer, will any man ever pray in a ſaving manner; not that there are ſo many Spirits, but one and the ſame Spirit doth all theſe things, dividing unto every man that which is proper to him, as he will, for the Spirit breaths where he will. But it muſt be confeſſed that the Spirit doth otherwiſe help before he doth inhabit, and otherwiſe when he doth inhabit in the Soul; for before be come to inhabit in the Soul, he helps men that they may be Believers; but when he doth inhabit and dwell in the Soul, he helps them who are Believers. This one Diſtinction of Auſtins attended unto, would help People to underſtand this matter, and to anſwer all that our Authour ſaith againſt any real change, or Holy Seed, Diſpoſition or Qualification wrought in the Soul before it be juſtified. For our Bleſſed Lord by his Holy Spirit, firſt prepares and qualifies, and makes us meet to be an Habitation for himſelf; and then he comes unto us by the ſame Spirit, and dwells in us and abides with us for ever, Epheſ. 2.22. and 3.17. and 1 Cor. 3.16. Now the firſt of theſe, is in Order before Juſtification. God by his Spirit and Word, firſt makes us ſuch as his Word requires us to be, that we may be juſtified; he ſavingly enlightens our Minds, and enlivens our Hearts, he gives us a Seed of Faith, and a Holy Principle of Light, Liſe and Love, and by an influence of actual Grace, cauſes us freely to reduce the ſaid Seed and Principle into Act, and ſo actually to believe and repent; which when we do through Grace, then he juſtifies us on the account of Chriſts ſatisfactory meritorious Righteouſneſs imputed to us. And after that we are effectually Called, and thereupon are become Penitent Believers, and are juſtified and reconciled; the Lord gives us his Spirit, and by his Spirit he comes and dwells in us, he ſtrengthens and encreaſes the Grace that he had begun in us, and makes us more and more Holy in Heart and Life. This is that which is commonly called Sanctification, and follows after Juſtification, and through Chriſts dwelling in us by his Spirit, is carried on from one decree to another, till it have attained its gradual Perfection, and be conſummated in Glory. Let. p. 11.But he objects, (2.) Shall we tell Men, that unleſ they be Holy, they must not believe on Jeſus Chriſt; nor venture on him for Salvation, p. 137till they be qualified, and fit to be received by him. This were to forbear Preaching the Goſpel at all, or to forbid all Men to believe on Chriſt; for never was any Sinner qualified for Chriſt, nor is it poſſible that ever any Sinner ſhould be qualified for Chriſt. We Anſwer our Author had ſaid a little before in the ſame Page, That every one who Believes on Chriſt, acts that Faith as the chief of Sinners, that is, believes as an unbeliever, as was before proved to be his meaning by his own expreſs Words, if his Words be expreſſive of his Mind. And now by the Queſtion, which he puts to us here, he ſeems plainly to be of Opinion, that every man muſt believe as an unbeliever, or elſe no man can ever believe at all; and Miniſters muſt give over Preaching the Goſpel, for they can never preach it as it ſhould be preached, unleſs they tell People that they muſt Act their Faith as the chief of Sinners, that is, they muſt believe as unbelievers; for either we muſt tell People that they muſt believe as Unbelievers, or elſe that they muſt not believe till they be firſt Holy, and that is, that they muſt never believe at all, becauſe it is impoſſible for them to be Holy, till after they have believed in Chriſt and be united unto him by Faith. This is plainly the ſenſe of our Authors Words, and the force of his Reaſoning; which puts us in mind of what Calvin ſays out of Auguſtin (de bono perſeverantiae, Cap. 22.) Calv. Inſtit. lib. 3. Cap. 23. § 14.that there are (inſulſi doctores gratiae) ſome fooliſh Preachers of Grace, and ſurely (if any) they are to be accounted ſuch Preachers, who in effect tell People that they muſt believe as unbelievers, or elſe they muſt not believe till they be firſt Holy, and that is, they muſt never believe at all. But is there no way to avoid this fooliſh ſenſeleſs way of Preaching? Our Author thinks there is not, we on the contrary are perſwaded, that there is a way to avoid it; and in our Judgment it may thus be eaſily done; we tell People that they muſt believe in Chriſt not as Unholy Unbelievers, nor yet as Holy with that Holineſs which is the effect of Believing and follows after Faith in Chriſt; but by ceaſing to be Unholy Unbelievers, and by becoming Holy Believers; and if they ask us how this can poſſibly be done? we anſwer, Not by Power of Nature, but by the Power of Gods ſpecial Grace? if they ask further, How they can obtain that ſpecial Grace before they believe and be in Chriſt by Faith, ſince all Grace is derived from Chriſt by Faith? we anſwer, that all Grace indeed is derived from Chriſt, but it is a moſt notorious falſhood, that all Grace is derived from Chriſt by Faith; for the firſt ſpecial Grace which is the Cauſe of Faith, and whereby we believe in Chriſt, is not from Chriſt by Faith, but it is from Chriſt before Faith; and it is given us by the Holy Spirit of Chriſt to work Faith in us, and to bring us into Union with Chriſt by Faith; if they ſay that even according to this way, People muſt ſtill believe before they are Holy, and ſo muſt believe as not being yet Holy. We anſwer, that is true in one reſpect and falſe in another. It is true that People muſt believe before they are Holy with that Progreſſive Holineſs, which is the effect of juſtifying Faith, and follows after Juſtification; but it is utterly falſe, that People do believe or can believe ſavingly before they are Initially Holy, before they are Holy with that firſt beginning and Principle of Holineſs, which conſiſts in removing the ill Diſpoſition of our Faculties, and in giving our Faculties a right ſpiritual Supernatural Diſpoſition and fitneſs for the Act of Believing; this Holy Principle concurs to the producing of the Act of Faith, and ſo muſt be in Order before it, and then the Act it ſelf of Faith, which is an Holy Act, muſt be in order before Juſtification: Therefore it is utterly falſe, that there can be no Holineſs at all, in any kind or degree before Faith and Juſtification by Faith, ſince before actual Faith, there is the Holy Seed and Principle both of Faith and Repentance and of other Graces too, and in order of Nature there is an Holy actual Faith before Juſtification; and this is a Truth ſo clear that our Author himſelf ſometimes could ſee it, as Pag. 21. Where he ſays that no man can do any thing that is good, till Goſpel Grace renew him, and make him firſt a good man; this is very true, if it be rightly underſtood, thus, No man can do any thing that is ſpiritually, ſupernaturally and ſavingly good, till Goſpel Grace, that is, internal ſpecial Grace renew him and make him firſt a good man, that is, a good man initially, or make him begin to be p. 138a good Man. But now this makes againſt our Author himſelf, and clearly proves that no Man can believe with a ſaving juſtifying Faith, till Goſpel Grace renew him and make him firſt a good Man: this Conſequence from his own Words he can never avoid, unleſs he will ſay that a ſaving juſtifying Faith is no good thing; for if it be not an evil but a good thing, no Man can do it till Goſpel Grace have renewed him, and make him firſt a good Man. So then we have found by his own Confeſſion that a Man is firſt good through Grace, and then he believes in Chriſt to Juſtification. And if a Man be thus good, initially good before he actually believe with a ſaving juſtifying Faith, then is he Holy alſo, initially Holy before he do ſo believe, for that Initial Goodneſs, and this Initial Holineſs is one and the ſame thing. And further, if a man may be, and muſt be thus initially Good and Holy before he actually believe, then he may be qualified before he actually believe; for he cannot be Good and Holy as aforeſaid, without Gods putting ſome good qualities into him. This the Synod of Dort, hath determined in their 11. Canon on the 3^d and 4^th Articles, as was ſhewed before, and it is hoped our Author will not oppoſe the Determination of that Synod.

Now whenever God by his Spirit puts good qualities into a Man, he thereby qualifies him; for the very formal effect of good qualities, is to qualifie the Man to whom God gives them. Pag. 11.But ſaith our Author, Whence ſhould a Man have any good Qualification before he be in Chriſt by Faith, ſince a Sinner out of Chriſt, hath no Qualification for Chriſt but Sin and Miſery. We Anſwer, that before a Man be in Chriſt by Faith, he hath ſome good Qualification from Christ by his Spirit preparing him for, and bringing him unto Union with himſelf by actual Faith.

As to what he ſaith, that a Sinner out of Chriſt hath no Qualification for Chriſt but Sin and Miſery: We Anſwer, by diſtinguiſhing thus, he hath no Qualification but Sin and Miſery, of and from himſelf; It is true. But that he hath no Qualification of and from Chriſt by his Holy Spirit, but Sin and Miſery; it is utterly falſe, and the contrary is true, to wit, that a Man who hath no Qualification of and from himſelf, but the evil Qualification of Sin and Miſery, yet of and from Chriſt by his Spirit and Word, he hath the good Qualification of a Heart in part changed and renewed, and of a Holy Seed and Prineiple of Grace put into his Heart. Though a Man cannot qualifie himſelf for Chriſt; yet nothing hinders but that Chriſt by his Spirit and Word can qualifie a man for Union with himſelf, and for Juſtification by his Meritorious Righteouſneſs.

Yes ſaith our Author, ſomething doth hinder, for I boldly aſſert, that ſuch a man (who were ſo qualified) would not, Let. p. 11.nor could ever believe on Chriſt. We are not willing here to apply the Proverb, That none is ſo bold as blind Bayard. But this we muſt ſay, that we cannot ſee that this Man hath any probable ground for ſuch Confidence. Sure we are, it will be a very difficult task to prove that a man cannot poſſibly believe in Chriſt, becauſe Chriſt by his Word and Spirit, hath fitted and qualified him for Believing. But it ſeems nothing is difficult to this bold man, and therefore he will prove it by an Argument taken from the Nature of Faith; thus, Faith (ſaith he) is a loſt, helpleſs, condemned Sinners caſting himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation. But the qualified Man is no ſuch Perſon.

And then the Concluſion, if rightly inferred from the Premiſſes, is this, ergo, The qualified Man is not Faith, &c. A goodly Argument indeed, and a Foundation fit for this Man to ground his Confidence upon. If he ſay that his Argument doth not ſo conclude, but rather thus. Faith is a Gracious Act, whereby a loſt helpleſs condemned Sinner, caſts himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation; but the qualified Man is not a loſt helpleſs condemned Sinner, caſting himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation, therefore the qualified man is not (what is he not? why he is not?) a loſt helpleſs condemned Sinner caſting himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation. Is this now his Argument? And doth it thus conclude, then his Argument is as Ridiculous as his Confidence. Let p. 139him keep to his Premiſſes laid down in his Letter, and if he can, let him regularly inferr from them another Concluſion than one of theſe.

But let what will become of the form of his Argument. We anſwer by diſtinguiſhing both Propoſitions. And (1.) For the firſt, we ſay, that a Perſon who by true Faith caſts himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation, is indeed a Sinnor, loſt and helpleſs in and of himſelf, and he is condemned by the Law; but tho that be true, yet in Order of Nature before he believes, and in the very Act of Believing, he is found and helped by the Lord, and hath a Pardon offered him by the Goſpel, and by Faith he receives it, Acts 10.43.

Then for the ſecond Propoſition, we diſtinguiſh it alſo thus. The qualified Man is not ſuch a Perſon; is not a loſt, helpleſs, condemned Sinner; that is, the Man that is, (1.) Qualified with a Satisfactory, Meritorious Qualification. (2.) That is, ſo qualified by himſelf, he is not ſuch a Perſon: It is true, and we grant it. But with all, we ſay that indeed it is impoſſible for any Man ſo to qualifie himſelf. Yet we maintain, that a Man who is qualified by the Holy Spirit, and free Effectual Grace of Chriſt, is ſuch a Perſon, and doth by Faith …aſt himſelf on Chriſt for Salvation; our being qualified by the Holy Spirit and free Effectual Grace of Chriſt, is ſo far from hindring our believing (as our Author boldly, but ignorantly affirms) that in Truth it doth very much further our believing; it lets us ſee, and cauſes us to feel that we are loſt and helpleſs in and of our ſelves, and condemned by the Law, and that we are found and helped by the Lord, and can be pardoned only by the Goſpel. Whereupon it inclines and moves us, to flee unto Chriſt for refuge, and to caſt our ſelves on him for Juſtification and Salvation.

Thirdly, In the ſame Page, Let. p. 11.we have another of his Objections againſt the Truth, we have been proving by Scripture, Reaſon, and Teſtimony of Proteſtant Divines. [Shall we (ſaith he) warn People that they ſhould not believe on Chriſt too ſoon?] Either this Interrogation is altogether impertinent, or there is this Argument implied in it, if there be a real change, and a holy gracious Principle wrought in Peoples Hearts, before they do or can believe with a ſaving juſtifying Faith, then it will follow that Miniſters ſhould warn people not to believe on Chriſt too ſoon, but ſo to do is abſurd and contrary to Scripture. We Anſwer, by denying the Conſequence of the firſt Propoſition as falſe, for it doth not follow that we ſhould warn People not to believe on Chriſt too ſoon. And we have nothing Offered to prove that ſuch an abſurdity follows from our Doctrine, but this mans bare Word, which we have found to be ſo often falſe in matter of Fact, that we can give no credit to it in other things.

And he is ſo unhappy here and elſewhere throughout his Letter, that he makes his own Tongue or Pen to fall upon himſelf; for he confeſſes that it is no good Argument, that if People cannot be truly Holy before the Tree be changed, Matth. 12.33, 34, 35. and before they have a new Heart, Ezek. 36.26, 27. (as he grants they cannot), then Miniſters ſhould warn People not to be Holy too ſoon. For to give them any ſuch warning he grants to be abſur'd.

Let him then conſider, Let. p. 11, 12.whether the ſame or the like Anſwer he can give to this Argument, which would prove that Miniſters ſhould warn People not to be Holy too ſoon, may not be given to the other ſilly Argument, whereby he would prove that upon our Principle Miniſters ſhould warn People not to believe on Chriſt too ſoon; for it is as certainly true, that People cannot actually believe on Chriſt with a ſaving juſtifying Faith, before the Tree be changed and the Heart be in part renewed; as it is that they cannot be truely Holy before the Tree be changed, and the Heart be renewed. When we are to deal with Unbelievers, our Lord hath given us other Work to do, than to warn them not to believe too ſoon; and let our Author try when he pleaſes, he will find enough to do, to convince them, that their preſent Indiſpoſition and diſability to believe, doth not free them from the Obligation, which the Lord by his Word hath laid upon them to p. 140believe; and to direct them unto the right means, in the uſe whereof they may obtain from the Lord both the neceſſary Diſpoſition unto Faith, and alſo the Principle and Act of Faith it ſelf. Our Author we perceive has been at this Work, and before we have done with him, we ſhall ſee what a rare Specimen of his skill this way, he hath given the World.

Fourthly, But he farther Objects, We hold forth that God juſtifieth the Ungodly, Pag. 25.Rom. 4.5. Neither by making him Godly before he juſtifie him, nor leaving him Ungodly after be hath juſtified him; but that the ſame Grace that justifies him, doth immediately ſanctifie him. We Anſwer, this is the Text that our Antinomians much inſiſt upon, and think it ſufficient to make all Men Antinomians: And we are glad to find, that it hath not that full effect upon him, for tho he be one with them, with reſpect to any Holy change in Order before Juſtification, and denies it, as they do; yet he ſeparates himſelf from them with reſpect to what follows after Juſtification, and ſaith, that we are ſanctified immediately after Juſtification, and ſo he joins himſelf to us; now there may be good worldly Policy in this to hold with both ſides as much as he can.

But if he do not agree with himſelf, what ground can others have to truſt him, that ever he will heartily agree with them; and that he doth not agree with himſelf, we think is apparent from what he writes, Pag. 16. A Man (ſaith he) is to believe that he may be juſtified, Gal. 2.16. Again, Pag. 32. No Words or Warnings repeated, nor plainest Instructions can beat into Mens Heads and Hearts, that the first coming to Christ by Faith, or Believing on him, is not a Believing we ſhall be ſaved by him, but a Believing on him, that we may be ſaved by him.

And again, Pag. 7. The direct Act is properly justifying ſaving Faith, by which the loſt Sinner comes to Christ, and relies upon him for Salvation. Yet when we do preſs Sinners to come to Christ by a direct Act of Faith, conſisting in an humble reliance on him for Mercy and Pardon; they will understand us (whether we will or not) of a reflex Act of Faith, by which a Man knows and believes that his Sins are pardoned, and that Christ is his: when they might eaſily know that we mean no ſuch thing.

Theſe three Paſſages, ſhow clearly that he holds ſaving Faith to be both before Juſtification, and before Aſſurance of Juſtification. We confeſs that we do very well underſtand this to be the meaning of theſe Words now quoted ou… of his Letter, for we think they are not capable of any other ſenſe; but though we underſtand the Words of the Letter, yet we do not underſtand the Author of them, and we much doubt whether he underſtands himſelf; and that becauſe he immediately adds, Page 7.that Mr. Marſhal in his excellent Book lately Publiſhed, hath largely opened this, and the true Controverſie of this Day.

And Pag. 35. Marſhals Book (ſaith he) is a deep practical well jointed Diſcourſe, — and if it be ſingly uſed, I look upon it, as one of the most uſeful Books the World hath ſeen for many Years. I fear not, but it will stand firm as a Rock against all Oppoſition and will prove good Seed, and Food, and Light, and Life to many hereafter.

Who that reads this can doubt, but that our Author has read Marſha…s Book, and that he approves it, and believes every thing at leaſt, that is material in it; and yet there is one thing very material in it, and it is one of the main joints in it, That justifying Faith is a Believing, that we are now justified and ſhall be Eternally ſaved; and that the Aſſurance of this, that we are now juſtified and ſhall be ſaved, is eſſential to the direct Act of Faith. This Marſhal with all his might ſtrives to prove, and it ſeems he hath done it to the Conviction of our Author, who believes that, that Opinion can never be diſproved again. Yea he ſeems ſo Confident of the Truth of Marſhals Opinion, that he ſpares not to reflect on the Weſtminſter Aſſembly of Divines for denying it, as they do in their Confeſſion of Faith, Chap. 18. Art. 3. In theſe Words. This infallible Aſſurance doth not ſo belong to the Eſſence of Faith, but that a true Believer may mait long, and conflict with many difficulties, before he be partaker of it: Thus the Aſſombly. But doth he reflect on them for this? why, if he doth not, let him tell p. 141us what he means by theſe following Words, Was not the Holineſs of the firſt Proteſtants, eminent and ſhining? Let. p. 22.and yet they generally put Aſſurance in the Definition of their Faith. We cannot ſay that Goſpel Holineſs has proſpered much by the Correction or Mitigation of that harſh-like Definition. If theſe Words of his (whatever might be his Intention) do not reflect upon the Aſſembly we do not underſtand plain Engliſh, and moreover we cannot but think alſo, that they imply his owning of Marſhals Definition of Faith, as not being really harſh, but only harſh-like, though he puts Aſſurance into it, as being eſſential to Faith in its direct Act.

So that by comparing one Paſſage of his Letter with another, we find that he believes with Marſhal, That true Faith in Chriſt is a Believing at firſt, that we are juſtified: And he believes with us that, that is not true, but that it is a believing only at firſt, that we may be juſtified. Again, he believes with Marſhal, that juſtifying Faith in its firſt direct Act, is a Believing that we ſhall be aſſuredly ſaved by Chriſt.

And he believes with us, that juſtifying Faith in its firſt direct Act, is no ſuch thing, it is not a believing that we ſhall be ſaved by Chriſt, but it is a believing, that we may be ſaved by Chriſt.

Further, he believes with Marſhal, that Aſſurance that our Sins are forgiven, and that our Souls ſhall be ſaved, is eſſential to the first direct Act of juſtifying Faith. And he believes with us, that it is quite otherwiſe, and that we do not get ſuch Aſſurance by the firſt direct Act of Faith, but by its reftex Acts, which follow after the direct.

And then for the Antinomians, he believes with them that before Juſtification there is no real change wrought in the Soul, from Ungodlineſs to Godlineſs, in any Kind or Degree, becauſe the Apoſtle Paul ſaith in Rom. 4.5. That God juſtifies the Ungodly. And yet he believes with us, that before Juſtification, there is a real change wrought in the Soul from Unbelief to Faith in Chriſt, becauſe the ſame Apoſtle ſaith in Gal. 2.16. That we believe in Chriſt, that we may be juſtified. And he cannot deny, but that a real change from unbelief to Faith in Chriſt, is a change, and a real change too, from Ungodlineſs to Godlineſs in ſome kind or degree, becauſe he himſelf holds unbelief to be the chiefeſt part of Ungodlineſs, and Faith in Chriſt to be the chiefeſt part of Godlineſs, witneſs his own Words, Pag. 15, 16. That believing on the Lord Jeſus for Salvation is more pleaſing to God, than all obedience to his Law, and that unbelief is the moſt provoking to God, and the most damning to Men of all Sins. If our Author believe this, then by neceſſary Conſequence he believes that unbelief is the chiefeſt part of ungodlineſs, and that Faith is the chiefeſt part of Godlineſs; and that a real change from unbelief to Faith in Chriſt, is a real change from Ungodlineſs to Godlineſs in ſome kind and degree. The import and iſſue of this, is, that our Author believes both parts of a Contradiction. With the Antinomians he believes that before Juſtification, there is no real change from Ungodlineſs to Godlineſs in any kind or degree. And with us he believes, that before Juſtification, there is a real change from the Ungodlineſs of unbelief, to the Godlineſs of Faith, becauſe the Sinner through Grace comes off from his Ungodly unbelief that he may believe, and he believes that he may be juſtified, and ſo in order of Nature before he be juſtified.

Now ſince our Author is ſo ſtrong a Believer, that he can believe both parts of a Contradiction; why may not we think that, as he believes that we preach a new Pelagian, Arminian Goſpel, ſo he may believe at the ſame time that we do not preach a new Pelagian, Arminian Goſpel, but the old Everlaſting Goſpel of Chriſt. He believes in his Letter, that we do preach a new Goſpel, and for ought we know to the contrary, he may at the ſame time believe in his Conſcience, that we do not preach a new Goſpel; for his Letter and his Conſcience are two different things, that may not have much Communion one with another, yea in this matter they p. 142may be at Hoſtile Enmity, the Letter may be againſt his Conſcience, and his Conſcience againſt the Letter.

But will not the Apoſtle Paul juſtifie him in Believing Contradictions, ſince he ſays in Gal. 2.16. That Men believe in Chriſt, that they may be juſtified, and conſequently that Faith is before Juſtification. But in Rom. 4.5. He ſays, that God juſtifies the Ungodly, and by that it ſeems that Faith is after Juſtification.

We Anſwer, far be it from any that fear the Lord, to charge the Apoſtle with contradicting himſelf, or with giving any ground to believe Contradictions; for thus he writes to the Corimbians, 2 Cor. 1.18. As God is true, our Word toward you, was not Yea and Nay. That is, it did not contradict it ſelf. And as he did not contradict himſelf in Preaching and Writing to the Corinthians, no more did he do it in Preaching and Writing to the Romans and Galatians. We muſt therefore ſo underſtand, Rom. 4.5. (of which the Queſtion now is) as not to make it contradict, Gal. 2.16.

And that is no difficult matter to do. For we may eaſily conceive, that this form of Speech (God juſtifieth the Ungodly) is like that of our Saviour, Mat. 11.5. The Deaf hear. Now no Man is ſo fooliſh as to think that the Deaf remaining Deaf, did firſt hear, and then immeditely after were cured of their Deaſneſs; why then ſhould we be ſo fooliſh, as to underſtand the Apoſtle as if he had ſaid, that God juſtifies men whileſt they remain ungodly without any real change wrought in them; and that immeditely after he hath juſtified them, he firſt begins to make them Godly and to ſanctifie them? We are perſwaded it is much more rational to underſtand the Apoſtle the quite contrary way, to wit, that as the Deaf were firſt in Order of Nature and Cauſality cured of their Deafneſs, and then they did actually hear; ſo God firſt Works a Holy change in the Heart of a Sinner, and of an ungodly unpenitent Unbeliever makes him a godly penitent Believer, and then immediately juſtifies him by Faith in Chriſt. So that the Sinner whom God juſtifies, he is ungodly (Antecedenter fed non Concomitanter) that is, he was ungodly in the time before he was juſtified, but he is not ungodly either in the inſtant of Nature before, or in the inſtant of Time when he is juſtified, but on the contrary he is, through Grace, Godly both before and when he is juſtified.

2dly. We Anſwer, that the Man whom God juſtifies by Faith in Chriſt, is certainly Godly Evangelically, both in Order of Nature before he be juſtified, and at the time when be is juſtified; and yet at the ſame time he may be ſaid to be legally ungodly: for underſtanding this, we are to conſider, that the Man whom God juſtifies, may be compared with and judged by the Law of Works, or the Law of Faith; if he be compared with and judged by the Law of Works, he is found to be in himſelf an Ungodly Man, becauſe he hath not perfectly kept, but hath frequently tranſgreſſed that Law, and ſo can never be juſtified but is condemned by it. But if he be compared with and judged by the Law of Faith, the Evangelical Law, the Law of the New Covenant, he is found to be a Godly Man through Grace, to be Evangelically Godly; becauſe he is juſt ſuch a Man, as the Lord by the New Covenant and Evangelical Law requires him to be, that he may be firſt juſtified by Chriſts Righteouſneſs, imputed to him; that is, he is found to be a Man whom God hath bleſſed with a new Heart, and who is a true Penitent Believer, and that is, a Man Evangelically Godly.

Now there is no Contradiction at all in this, for the ſame Man at the ſame time, to be legally ungodly, and Evangelically Godly, becauſe it is with reſpect to different Laws and Covenants, that ſuch contrary things are affirmed of him. Let our Author, if he pleaſe, conſult Turretine, and he will find that, that Learned Calviniſt ſaith expreſly, Turret. Inſtit. part 2. loc. 16. pag. 714.That a true Believer when he is juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, is, (impius, partim antecedenter, partim reſpectivè ad Juſtificationem, non autem concomitanter:) Ungodly, partly antecedently (and that is, becauſe he was altogether ungodly in former p. 143times), partly with r…ſpect to Juſtification, (becauſe he hath nothing in himſelf that can be the matter and cauſe of his Juſtification,) but he is not concomitantly ungodly, that is, he doth not remain Ungodly, when God is juſtifying him, and till immediafely after he be juſtified.

If our Author upon this ſhould ſay to us, what he ſaith to his poor awakened Sinner, That it is Non-ſenſe, Ignorance and Pride, Let. p. 31.32.to maintain that a Man muſt be in ſome meaſure Godly in Diſpoſition and Principle before he be Godly in Act, and that he muſt actually believe with a Godly Faith in Order of Nature before he he juſtified, for this is as much as to ſay, that a Man muſt be pretty well recovered before he make uſe of the Phyſician, &c.

We ſhould reply, (1.) That as for his Poor awakened Sinner, he makes a poor Fool of him, he puts what Words he pleaſes in his Mouth, and makes him ſay in effect, that if he firſt had Faith, before he firſt had Faith, then he would firſt believe before he had firſt believed; which we think no Man ever thought or ſaid, nor is capable of ſaying, unleſs it be ſome poor Creature, that is awakened out of his right Wits, or elſe it be ſuch an one as our Author, who hath the Art of Believing or Writing Contradictions.

(2.) That he had need to take heed that he do not blaſpheme our Saviour, who hath ſaid that the Tree muſt be good, before the Fruit can be good, Matth. 7.16, 17, 18. and 12. v. 33. And that is as much as if he had ſaid, what we hold, that there muſt be ſome Renovation of the Inward Diſpoſition of the Heart, before a Man do actually believe with a ſaving juſtifying Faith.

(3.) That if our Author will not believe us, let him believe his own beloved ſelf, for he ſays, Pag. 16. That a Man is to believe that be may be juſtified. And that neceſſarily implies, that he muſt bring forth ſome good Fruit in order of Nature before he be juſtified, and in Pag. 12. He himſelf quotes, Matth. 12.33. To prove that the Tree muſt be good before the Fruit be good.

(4.) We believe, that our Heavenly Phyſician comes firſt to us (ordinarily in the Miniſtry of the Word,) by his preventing Grace, and doth indeed recover us in part by curing the deadneſs and indiſpoſedneſs of our Hearts, before we go to him by an actual ſaving juſtifying Faith, and thereby imploy him for our Juſtification. Chriſt comes firſt to us by his Word and Spirit, and begins to cure us of our Spiritual deadneſs to any thing that is ſavingly good, before we go to him by actual juſtifying Faith, and be by him delivered from our Legal Death, in Juſtification by Faith in his Blood.

(5.) If our Author will yet go on to tell the People, that we teach them not to employ the Phyſician of Souls, till they have firſt pretty well cured themſelves; we take Heaven and Earth to witneſs, that he belies us, and abuſes the Simplicity of the People: for we believe in our Hearts, and confeſs with our Mouths to the Glory of Chriſt the Phyſician of Souls, that it is he who by his Word, Spirit and Grace both begins, carries on and perfects the cure of all his ſelect People; and that he doth it in the way and order ſet forth in his Word, of which we have here given the World an account, according to that meaſure of Light, which it hath pleaſed him of his rich Mercy, and free Grace to beſtow upon us.

(6.) And laſtly, We deſire it may be conſidered, whether our Authors ſaying, that to tell the People, [they muſt begin to be Godly through Grace, by being Penitent Believers in order to their being juſtified, is all one as to tell them, that they muſt be pretty well recovered and muſt cure themſelves before they employ Chriſt the Phyſician of Souls]; we ſay it is our deſire, People would conſider, whether this be not a piece of Antinomian Cant, for it is certain that this is the Language of Saltmarſh, one of the groſſeſt of that Sect in England, That the Promiſes belong to Sinners as Sinners, not as repenting or humbled Sinners; as is to be ſeen in Gatakers Shadows without Subſtance, Pag. 53.

And again ſaith Saltmarſh (like our Author in this) Do you look, that Men ſhould p. 144be firſt whole for the Phyſician, or Righteous for Pardon of Sin, or juſtified for Chriſt, Ibid. Pag. 54.or rather Sinners, Unrighteous, Ungodly. And Gataker there Confutes this precious Stuff in Pag. 54, 55, 56, 57, 58. Again, You Saltmarſh ſay, that every one who receives Chriſt, receives him in a ſinful Condition, and conſequently in an impenitent one, Ibid. p. 73. And again, ſaith Saltmarſh (as our Author doth in Pag. 11. of his Letter) Can any Man believe too ſoon? Gatakers ſhadows without ſubſtance. p. 75.To which Queſtion, Gataker Anſwers, No more than he can repent too ſoon. Thus we have at large anſwered every thing which we can find in the Letter that looks like an Objection or Argument againſt the Truth which we believe, according to the Scriptures.

But after all, it may be ſome will ſeriouſly put this Queſtion? Is it likely that God will give us any Grace to ſanctifie us in any Kind or Degree, before he ſo love us as to juſtifie us? To which we anſwer, that it is not only likely to be, but it certainly is ſo, that God loves us ſo far, as to make Conditional Promiſes to every one of his People, and ſo far as to give them for Chriſts ſake Grace to begin to perform the Condition, before he ſo far love them, as actually to juſtifie them for Chriſts ſake; and that we ſay is a giving of Grace to ſanctifie us Initially, or to begin a Holy change in us before we be actually juſtified, and our Sins be forgiven us. This we have ſo clearly proved by Scripture and Reaſon, and the Teſtimony of the Synod of Dort, that there can be no juſt ground to doubt of it. And if it were otherwiſe, and we were juſtified before we were ſanctified in any Kind or Degree, that is, before there were any Holy Change wrought in us, before we did begin to Convert and turn to God, before we had any Holy Inclination to believe, or any Holy Act of Faith and Repentance, and any Holy purpoſe to lead a new Life; then might we continue to be actually juſtified and pardoned without being in any Kind or Degree ſanctified; becauſe by the ſame Reaſon that Juſtification might be begun without any Kind or Degree of Sanctification, without any ſaving Faith and Repentance, it might be continued without them.

But all true Proteſtants (except Antinomians) even our Author himſelf, confeſs that Juſtification cannot be continued without any Sanctification, without any true Faith and Repentance, therefore Juſtification cannot be begun before and without them. If any ſhould ſay, that this Argument may be retorted upon our ſelves, for we confeſs, that Sanctification begun in the Seed, Principle and Diſpoſition, with Vital Acts of Faith and Repentance flowing from it, cannot be continued without Juſtification; therefore it follows by our own way of Reaſoning, that they cannot be begun before Juſtification at firſt. We Anſwer, by denying the Conſequence, becauſe God hath expreſly promiſed Juſtification through Chriſt to all, that from a new Heart believe and repent, and ſuch Faith and Repentance are the Condition on which Juſtification is promiſed. But God hath no where promifed either Initial or Progreſſive Sanctification on Condition of Juſtification. This ſhows that our Argument cannot be juſtly retorted upon us; becauſe there is a peculiar Reaſon to the contrary, a Reaſon from the Promiſe of God that ſhews Sanctification, and Faith and Repentance cannot poſſibly be continued without Juſtification; whereas if Juſtification might be begun without any Degree of Sanctification, or Faith and Repentance, there can no ſufficient Reaſon be given (we think) why it might not be long continued without any Degree of Sanctification, or any Act of Faith and Repentance. As for the promiſe of the Spirit to ſanctifie them who are juſtified, it is made to, and got by Faith, by our Authors own Confeſſion; Let. p. 12.and ſo it preſuppoſes Faith, and Faith preſuppoſes Effectual Calling, and a Heart Renovation and Sanctification begun. Now this makes for us, and ſhews that if Sanctification begun in the firſt change of the Heart, and firſt Acts of Faith and Repentance did not go before, there would be no place for the Promiſe of the Spirit after Juſtification, to carry on and perfect p. 145the begun Sanctification; becauſe there would be no ſuch Perſon in the World as that Promiſe is made to, for the Promiſe of the Spirit to ſanctifie us throughly after Juſtification, is made to true Believers, which none can be till they be firſt initially ſanctified by the Spirit of Chriſt, not yet inhabiting, but fitting up a Spiritual Houſe for himſelf to inhabit; which when he hath done, and God hath thereupon juſtified us through the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us, then according to his Promiſe he gives us his ſanctifying Spirit to dwell in us, and to carry on the work begun unto Perfection. Thus we have made good what we undertook, and have proved that there is ſome Preparation, ſome Holy Diſpoſition and Qualification, ſome Holy Principle wrought in the Soul, and ſome Holy Acts of Faith and Repentance produced by the Soul in order to, and before Juſtification, and that thereupon Juſtification follows neceſſarily and infallibly according to the Promiſe of God, who cannot poſſibly lye and deceive. But as we ſaid at the beginning, we hold this Priority of Initial Sanctification, and of the firſt vital Acts of Faith and Repentance, no farther than is neceſſary to verifie the expreſſions and fence of Holy Scripture concerning them; and ſo we conclude this part of our Anſwer with that of the Learned Turretine, [Licet Poenitentiae, &c.] Although Remiſſion of Sins be Promiſed to Repentance, Inſtit. Theol. Elenct. part. 2. p. 744.becauſe it ought to accompany Faith, and to be in him who is juſtified as a certain Condition required of him, becauſe God cannot pardon Sin unto one who is Impenitent; it doth not follow, that it can be ſaid to juſtifie with Faith, becauſe it Contributes nothing either Meritoriouſly or Inſtrumentally unto the Act of Juſtification. That is, becauſe as we ſay, Repentance is only a qualifying, but not a Receptive, Applicative Condition of Juſtification.