Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed, Chapter 3

Apology for the Ministers Who Subscribed · Chapter 3

p. 168CHAP. III. Of his Ridiculous Way of Converting an Ʋnbeliever.

AND firſt we acknowledge to our Authors Praiſe, that he made a good beginning, and from the 17th line of the 15th page to the beginning of the 16th. he Diſcourſes well enough, and ſhews how indiſpenſibly neceſſary it is that a Sinner believe on Chriſt, and what warrant he hath from the Command, as alſo what encouragement from the Conditional Promiſe of God in the Goſpel, to believe on Chriſt for Juſtification and Salvation.

But we cannot ſay, that as he made a good beginning, ſo he continues till he have made a good end; for he gives ſeveral miſerable Anſwers to the Queſtions, which he makes the Unbeliever to put unto the Miniſter, who is perſwading him to believe in Chriſt.

Firſt, He makes the Unbeliever to ask the Miniſter, What it is to believe on Jeſus Chriſt? Whereunto he Anſwers, That be finds no ſuch Queſtion in the Word of God, but that all, both Believers and Unbelievers, the Diſciples, and the Enemies of Chriſt, did ſome way underſtand the Notion of it: And this he endeavours to prove, becauſe it was commonly reported by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, That Faith in Chriſt, is a believing that the Man Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth is the Son of God, the Meſſiah, and Saviour of the World, ſo as to receive and look for Salvation in his Name; and this common report was known by all that heard it.

This is no ſatisfactory Anſwer, for the Unbeliever may eaſily reply (1ſt.) That though in the Scriptures, there be no ſuch Queſtion in ſo many expreſs formal Words, yet there is ſufficient ground in and from the Scripture for a Man to ask ſuch a Queſtion, becauſe the Scripture ſpeaks of ſeveral ſorts of Faith, of an Hiſtorical, Temporary, and miraculous Faith; and of a ſaving juſtifying Faith: Of a Faith, that is common to unconverted Wicked Men and Devils, and of a Faith that is proper and peculiar to Gods Elect.

p. 169Theſe Faiths are of different natures, and therefore one of them muſt have ſomething that another hath not, and each of them muſt have that whereby they are conſtituted in themſelves and diſtinguiſhed from one another. And this being …o, that the man be not deceived to his ruin, he hath great reaſon to put the foreſaid Queſtion, and ſhould be commended for asking (if he do it ſeriouſly), What it is to believe on Chriſt? To believe in him ſo as he ought to do, ſo as may be to Gods Glory, and his own Spiritual and Eternal Good? (2.) He may reply, that if there were no ground for ſuch a Queſtion, why did the Weſtminſter Aſſembly put that ſame Queſtion in the Shorter Catechiſm, which they compoſed for the uſe of Children? Had they no warrant from Scripture for putting ſuch a Queſtion? Or doth the Scripture only warrant Miniſters, to put Queſtions to the People; but not warrant the people to put Queſtions to the Miniſters?

Again he may ſay, that if there were no ground for putting ſuch a queſtion, Cap. 14. Art. 1, 2.why did the ſame Aſſembly in their Confeſſion of Faith give ſuch a large Deſcription of Faith? was it not that they and all who own their Confeſſion, might be readily furniſhed with an Anſwer to ſuch a queſtion, which they knew was expedient to be asked, (ſince there are ſeveral ſorts of Faith in Chriſt, and ſo much Hypocritical counterfeit Faith in the World and in the Church), and neceſſary to be wiſely and judiciouſly anſwered, that people may underſtand what kind of Faith it is that they are chiefly to ſeek after and get; and if they have it, that they may know it to their comfort; and may bleſs God for it, and give him the glory of it.

(3dly.) The Unbeliever may reply That it doth not follow that becauſe Chriſt and his Apoſtles commonly reported that Faith is a believing that Jeſus is the Son of God, the Meſſias and Saviour of the World, ſo as to receive and look for Salvation in his Name: Therefore the thing Reported was known by all that heard the report, and they did all ſome way underſtand the notion of it. For we read in Luke 18. v. 31, 32, 33. That Chriſt told his own Apoſtles as plainly as any thing can be expreſſed in words, that he would go up to Jeruſalem, and that there he ſhould be moſt cruelly and ſhamefully put to death, and riſe again the third day: And yet in the very next verſe 34. It is ſaid, They underſtood none of theſe things: And this ſaying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were ſpoken. If Chriſts own Apoſtles remained ignorant of thoſe great Truths concerning himſelf, which he had newly told them with as great plainneſs as human Speech is capable of, we may well ſuppoſe that Chriſts Enemies (at leaſt many of them) underſtood nothing at all of the things that were reported concerning Jeſus his being the Chriſt and Saviour of the World, and concerning believing on him as ſuch.

4. He may reply, That ſuppoſe it were true (which can never be proved) That all Chriſts Enemies knew the common report concerning Faith in him, ſo as ſome way to underſtand the notion of Faith. Yet that is wholly impertinent: for there is a wrong way of underſtanding a thing, as well as a right way, ſo that they might ſome way underſtand it, and yet that ſome way might be the wrong way. Now what is that to the purpoſe, when one asks you this Queſtion, What is it to believe on Jeſus Chriſt? To tell him that all Men do ſome way underſtand what it is: for ſome, to wit, Chriſts Friends underſtand it the right way, and others, to wit, his Enemies underſtand it the wrong way?

If our Author ſhould ſay that he meant not ſo, that all men did underſtand it ſome way, that is, either the right or the wrong way; he would make himſelf yet more ridiculous: For the Unbeliever would in all probability deſire him to name and ſhew any one way of underſtanding a thing which is neither the right way nor the wrong way of underſtanding it. And all men of ſenſe would laugh at him, if he ſhould in earneſt go about to convince an Unbeliever, that there is p. 170a way of underſtanding what Faith is, which is neither the right way, nor the wrong way. If laſtly our Author ſhould tell the Unbeliever, That in ſaying, all men did ſome way underſtand what Faith in Chriſt is; his meaning is that all men underſtood it the right way: The Unbeliever would reply upon him, that if that was his meaning, then his meaning muſt needs be falſe, becauſe he himſelf in the 20th. Page of his Letter affirmeth that All the ignorant people amongſt Chriſtians, and amongſt Chriſtians too of the Reformed Churches in England, have no knowledg of Faith in Chriſt, except by Faith you underſtand a dream of being ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt, though they know nothing of him, or of his way of ſaving Men, nor of the way of being ſaved by him. Now if all the Ignorant People amongſt us know nothing of Faith in Chriſt, in the right way, unleſs the dreaming way be the right way, how can our Author prove that all the Unbelievers amongſt the Jews, and Heathens (amongſt whom Chriſt and his Apoſtles preached) whereof many were groſly ignorant, did underſtand aright what Faith in Chriſt is? Do our ignorant people know nothing of Chriſt, nor of his way of ſaving men? and did not the ignorant Jews and Heathens know as little? Eſpecially if it be conſidered that the notion which the Unbelieving Jews in general had of the Meſſias, was that he ſhould be a great and glorious Temporal Prince and Earthly King, who by the material Sword ſhould Conquer and Deſtroy the Romans, and all their other viſible Enemies on Earth; and ſhould ſave their Nation with a Temporal Salvation: But as for Spiritual and Eternal Salvation in another World, many of them, to wit, the whole Sect of the Sadducees, looked upon it as a Dream of Fancyful men; but for their parts they expected no ſuch thing either from the Meſſias or from God himſelf, Acts 23.8.

No man in his right ſenſes who conſiders theſe things, can deliberately and ſeriouſly think that all the Unbelieving Jews who heard the common report concerning Jeſus of Nazareth, had any righter and better underſtanding concerning Faith in him, and Salvation by him, than the generality of ignorant People amongſt us have. Chriſt and his Apoſtles have put this matter paſt all doubt and controverſie with all that do themſelves truly believe in Chriſt. For thus Chriſt prayed for many of them; Luke 23.34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Peter alſo confeſſeth to themſelves that it was through ignorance that they Crncified Chriſt; Acts 3.17. And Paul writing to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2.7, 8. ſaith That had they known the hidden Wiſdom of God in a miſtery, they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory. Whence it is evident that either they had no notion of Faith in Chriſt, and of Salvation by him, or if they had any at all, it was a wrong and falſe notion. And to tell a Man who asks us, what it is to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, That even the Enemies of Chriſt ſome way underſtood what it is, becauſe they had ſome wrong and falſe notion of it, is both impertinent and ridiculous; and is ſuch an anſwer as is more apt to make an Unbeliever laugh at Chriſts Miniſters, and harden and confirm him in his Unbelief, than to move him unto ſeriouſneſs, and to perſwade him to believe. So much for the Unbelievers firſt pertinent Queſtion, and our Authors impertinent Anſwer to it. We paſs on to the other queſtions and anſwers, as he hath ſet them down in the 16 and 17th. pages of his Letter.

Queſt. (2.) Unbeliever. What is a Man to believe, to wit, at firſt?

Miniſters Anſwer. He is not called to believe that he is in Chaiſt, and that his ſins are pardoned, and he a juſtified man, but he is to believe Gods Record concerning Chriſt; 1 John 5.10, 11, 12. And this Record is, that God giveth, that is, offereth to us eternal life in his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and that all who with the heart, believe this Report, and reſt their Souls on theſe glad tidings, ſhall be ſaved Rom. 10.9, 10, 11. And thus he is to believe that he may be juſtified; Gal. 2.16.

This Anſwer is in it ſelf true and good, but in and from the mouth of our p. 171Author it hath no force at all to ſatisfie the Conſcience of an Unbeliever, who ſeriouſly ſeeks Information and Satisfaction as to what he is at firſt to believe; becauſe if he attentively read and conſider our Authors Letter, he will ſee cauſe to doubt whether in this matter he really believes himſelf: Becauſe in his Appendix pag. 35. He moſt highly commends and approves Mr. Marſhals late Book, and in the 7th. page of his Letter, he ſaith expeſly that Mr. Walter Marſhal, in his Excellent Book lately publiſhed, hath largely opened this matter, and the true controverfie of this day. Now it is true Mr. Marſhal throughout his 10th. Direction from page 168 to page 193, inſiſts much upon the opening of this matter, but he doth it ſo, that quite contrary to the anſwer which our Author hath now given to the Unbelievers Queſtion, he maintians, That aſſurance that Chriſt is ours, that our ſins are now forgiven, and we are now juſtified Men, is Eſſential to the very firſt Act of juſtifying Faith, whereby we firſt receive Chriſt, and rely on him for Juſtification and Salvation.

He diſtinguiſheth indeed as our Author doth between the Direct and Reflex Act of Faith, and two things he hath there concerning the Reflex Act.

(1.) He doubts whether it be properly an Act of Faith at all, and rather thinks that it is an Act of Spiritual ſenſe and feeling of what is within our ſelves; Page 172.

(2.) He poſitively affirms that the aſſurance we get by the Reflex Act of Faith, or of Spiritual ſenſe, comes after Juſtification, and is not of the Eſſence of that Faith whereby we are juſtified and ſaved, and that many precious Saints are without it, and ſubject to many doubts that are contrary to it, ſo that they may not know at all that it ſhall go well with them at the day of Judgment; 10th. Direction. Page 172, 173.

Then for the Direct Act of Faith, he ſaith, (and ſo doth our Author after him) that it is two-fold. The (1ſt.) Direct Act of Faith is that whereby we

Believe the Truth of the Goſpel. The (2d.) Is that whereby we believe on Chriſt, as promiſed freely to us in the Goſpel for our Salvation. By the (1st.) Act, Faith receiveth the means wherein Chriſt is conveyed to us. By the (2d.) It receiveth Chriſt himſelf and his Salvation in the means.—And both theſe Acts muſt be performed heartily with an unfeigned Love to the Truth, and a deſire of Chriſt and his Salvation above all things: This is our Spiritual Appetite, which is neceſſary for our eating and drinking Chriſt, the food of Life, as a natural Appetitite is for bodily nouriſhment.—We muſt receive the love of the Truth, by reliſhing the goodneſs and excellency of it—and this love muſt be to every part of Chriſts Salvation, to Holineſs, as well as to the Forgivenneſs of ſins.—The former of theſe Acts doth not immediately unite to Chriſt, becauſe it is terminated only on the means of conveyance, the Goſpel; yet it is a ſaving Act, if it be rightly performed, becauſe it inclineth and diſpoſeth the Soul to the latter Act, whereby Chriſt himſelf is immediately received into the heart. He that believeth the Goſpel with hearty love and likeing, as the moſt excellent Truth, will certainly with the like heartineſs believe on Chriſt for his Salvation; Pſal. 9.10.

Therefore in the Scripture ſaving Faith is ſometimes deſcribed by the former of theſe Acts, as if it were a meer believing the Goſpel: Sometimes by the latter, as a believing on Chriſt, or in Chriſt; Rom. 10.9, 10, 11. 1 John 5.1, 13.— Then he ſaith that This Second Principal Act of Faith in Chriſt, includeth believing on God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and that it is the ſame thing with truſting in God. 4th. Direction, page 61, 62, 63. And elſewhere, he affirms that the Direct Acts of Faith include love.

Now touching theſe Direct Acts of Faith, we acknowledge that there is an Aſſurance Eſſential to the firſt of them whereby we believe the promiſes of the Goſpel; and that aſſurance is two fold, Abſolute and Conditional. Firſt, By our Faith of p. 172the Goſpel we are Abſolutely ſure that God according to his promiſe doth give Chriſt, and Juſtification and Salvation through him unto all true penitent Believers. (2.) By our Faith of the Goſpel we are Conditionally ſure, that if we are true penitent Believers, God according to his promiſe doth give Chriſt; and Juſtification and Salvation through him unto us in particular. For the Conditional promiſes of the Goſpel, being general to all penitent Believers, they comprehend all the Particulars of the ſame kind; and therefore if we believe with an abſolute aſſurance that God juſtifies and ſaves through Chriſt, all penitent Believers, we muſt by neceſſary conſequence believe at the ſame time with a conditional aſſurance that God juſtifies and will ſave us through Chriſt, if we be true penitent Believers. This conditional aſſurance with reſpect to our ſelves, upon ſuppoſition of our being true penitent Believers, is neceſſarily included in the former abſolute Aſſurance, that God for Chriſts ſake, juſtifies and ſaves all true penitent Believers.

Then for the ſecond Act of juſtifying Faith, whereby we believe on Chriſt himſelf with fiducial conſent, according to the Goſpel, we freely grant that it alſo is accompanied with aſſurance; but (mark it) not with an aſſurance that is Eſſential to it ſelf, and Eſſentially included in it ſelf, but with the aſſurance, the double aſſurance of the firſt aſſenting Act, which though it go before, yet it continues and accompanies the ſecond Act of fiducial conſent. And for this reaſon we approve of that aſſertion of Mr. Marſhals in the 179 page of his Book, That believing on Chriſt for Salvation as freely promiſed to us, muſt needs include a dependance on Chriſt, with a perſwaſion that Salvation ſhall be freely given, as it is freely promiſed to us. Thus he. And we ſubſume, But it is freely promiſed to us only on Condition that we through Grace are true penitent Believers, as we before proved at large. Therefore the perſwaſion or aſſurance of it, which accompanies our dependance on Chriſt by the Second Act of Faith, is a Conditional perſwaſion or aſſurance, as it concerns our ſelves and our own Salvation, in particular. Yet afterwards when by Reflex Acts of Faith and ſelf Examination we clearly perceive (through the ſpeciall aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit) that we are indeed true penitent Believers, then our aſſurance becomes abſolute, and we are abſolutely perſwaded and aſſured that Chriſt is ours, and that God is our God in Chriſt, and that through Chriſt we are juſtified and ſhall be ſaved. This is all the aſſurance that the Scriptures hold forth to us as attainable in this life by the ordinary aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit and Grace, and if any good Men have at any time by extraordinary favour and priviledge attained to any other or more aſſurance; they had beſt keep it to themſelves, and be very humble under it, and thankful to God for it; and they ſhould not affirm it to be Abſolutely and Eſſentially neceſſary to the Fiducially Conſenting Act of juſtifying ſaving Faith, and by that means condemn all who have not that ſort of aſſurance, as having yet no juſtifying ſaving Faith, but as being ſtill in a ſtate of nature, and Children of Wrath, and of the Devil.

It were eaſy to ſhew (if we had time and room for it here) that all the reaſons, Scriptures and Examples which Mr. Marſhal brings to prove, That an abſolute aſſurance (that Christ is now ours, that our ſins are now pardoned, that we are juſtified, and ſhall be eternally ſaved) is abſolutely and eſſentially neceſſary to the direct Act of juſtifying Faith, whereby we firſt receive Chriſt and truſt on him for Juſtification and Salvation; prove no ſuch thing: The utmoſt that they prove, is that the foreſaid aſſurances which we willingly admit, are partly antecedent to, and concomitant with, and partly conſequent upon the Direct Act of Faith, whereby we receive Chriſt with ſiducial conſent, that through him we may be juſtified and ſaved.

But there is not one of them that proves, that an abſolute Aſſurance that Chriſt for the preſent is ours, and that we are now juſtified and in the State of Salvation; is eſſentially p. 173neceſſary unto, and included in the direct Act of juſtifying Faith. And whereas it is Confidently ſaid, that all our Reformed Divines were for this ſort of Aſſurance as eſſential to the direct Act of that Faith whereby we are firſt juſtified, we Anſwer, That it is indeed ſaid with Confidence enough, but it is a vain groundteſs Confidence, for though ſome might be of that falſe Opinion, yet it is notoriouſly falſe that all were; we ſhall at preſent give one conſiderable inſtance to the contrary, and our Inſtance ſhall be in Mr. Fox, the Author of the Book of Martyrs, De Chriſte gratis Juſtificante, p. 246, 247.who in his Book of Juſtification written againſt the Papiſts, ſays expreſly, [Sic mea feri ratio ut exiſtimem, &c.] Such is my Judgment, that I think this Confident Perſwaſion of Mercy, and Aſſurance of the Promiſed Salvation, is not the thing which properly and abſolutely delivers us from Sin, and juſtifies us before God; but that there is ſome other thing propoſed in the Goſpel, which muſt ſome way in Order of Nature go before this Aſſurance, and juſtifie us before God; for Faith in the Perſon of the Son neceſſarily goes before, which Faith in the Perſon of the Son, first reconciles us to God. Afterward a confident or ſure perſwaſion of most certain mercy, follows this Faith: Concerning which Mercy, none of thoſe who believe in Chriſt, can juſtly doubt. By this and more that Mr. Fox ſaith in the ſame place, it is clear as the Light, that he did not believe that an abſolute Aſſurance of our being now pardoned, juſtified and reconciled to God is included in, and eſſential to the direct Act of Faith, whereby we are juſtified in the ſight of God; but on the contrary he held that the direct Act of Faith in the Perſon of the Son of God whereby we are juſtified, goes before the ſaid Aſſurance, and Aſſurance follows after it; which is what we believe, and ſo doth our Author with us; for he tells the Unbeliever, That a Man is not called to believe that he is in Chriſt. Mark the Expreſſion, he doth not only ſay, [A Man is not called to believe, that he was in Chriſt before he believed.] For that Marſhal and all but Antinomians do ſay; but he ſays, that a Man is not called to believe that he is in Chriſt (pro praeſenti) for this preſent, that his Sins are now pardoned, and he now a juſtified Man; but he is called to believe the Goſpel Record, and to believe in Chriſt according to the Record, that is, he is to believe that he may be juſtified, and not that he is juſtified. But now Marſhal, unto whom our Author appeals for the opening of this matter, hath ſo opened it, that he hath ſhut it up in darkneſs, Confuſion and Self-contradiction, as it were no difficult task to demonſtrate. He maintains confidently, (1.) That Aſſurance of our being now juſtified, and of the Pardon of our Sins, is neceſſarily and eſſentially included in the direct Act of juſtifying Faith. Pag. 169, 170, 171.172, 173, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, &c.

(2.) He maintains, That all the Reprobate, who live in the viſible Church, are by God ſtrictly obliged under Pain of Eternal Damnation to believe with the foreſaid juſtifying Faith and abſolute Aſſurance, which is eſſential to it, that they are now juſtified, and that their Sins are now pardoned, though it be then and always falſe that they are juſtified, and their Sins pardoned, Pag. 202.204.

Yet he ſaith, that this is but the Appearance of a great Abſurdity, Pag. 171. whereby he gives us to underſtand either, (1.) That it is no real Abſurdity to hold that God obliges Men under pain of Eternal Damnation to believe aſſuredly, that a falſhood is truth, and that they who are not pardoned, are pardoned. Or (2.) That he denies the Conſequence, to wit, that God obliges the Reprobate to believe a falſhood: And the meaning of that is, that though he hath granted both the Premiſſes, yet he will ſtifly deny the Concluſion; whereby men whoſe eyes are open, may ſee what a rare Giſt of Reaſoning Mr. Marſhal was endowed with.

Again, though he maintain, that an abſolute Aſſurance of our preſent Juſtification, and future Eternal Salvation, is eſſential to the direct Act of juſtifying Faith, yet he ſaith, many precious Saints, who have that Faith, and that Aſſurance of Juſtification and Salvation which is eſſential to it, may not know at all, that it ſhall go well with them at the day of Judgment, Pag. 173.and this for want p. 174of the other after-Aſſurance, which comes by the reflex Act, and by Self-examination.

Now is not that a ſtrange Aſſurance, which a Man hath by Faith, of his Eternal Salvation, whereby he doth not know at all, whether he ſhall be Eternally Saved or Eternally Damned, for want of another kind of Aſſurance by Spiritual Senſe and feeling, whereby he may know, how it ſhall go with him at the Day of Judgement, whether he ſhall be then Eternally Saved or Damned! to what purpoſe ſerves the firſt Aſſurance, when a man can know nothing at all by it, without a ſecond Aſſurance? Is not that a plain Indication, that the firſt pretended Aſſurance is nothing but an ens rationis, a Creature of a Mans own making, which hath no real Exiſtence, but in his vain Imagination.

Our Author ſometimes ſeems to be wiſer than to believe ſuch vain Fancies; and yet at other times he appears to be deeply in love with them, as when he moſt highly commends Mr. Marſhals Book (in which we deny not but there are good things), as the moſt Soveraign Antidote againſt the Poyſon of the new Divinity; and ſays, that he hath largely opened this matter.

For our parts, we are willing to impute this to his not having Attentively read that Book, and ſo to his not knowing, that Mr. Marſhal did manifeſtly contradict and diſpute againſt his Opinion, as a Limb or Joint of the new Divinity: But we are afraid his unbeliever will be really ſcandalized at his telling him, that he is not called at the firſt to believe that he is now in Chriſt, that his Sins are pardoned, and he is now a juſtified Man; though in the ſame Letter he ſends him to Marſhals Book for Information and Direction in this very matter, and it tells him the quite contrary, and confidently maintains that an Unbeliever is called and commanded at firſt upon Pain of Eternal Damnation to believe with abſolute Aſſurance by the direct Act of Faith in Christ, that he is now in Christ, his Sins pardoned and he a justified Man.

This we are afraid, will tempt his Unbeliever to ſay, Either, Sir, you believe this of Marſhal or not; if you do not believe it, why do you commend his Book to me, as that which will give me beſt Direction in this matter, and preſerve my Soul from being poyſoned with the new Divinity? But if you do believe him, why do you contradict him, he telling me one thing, and you telling me the quite contrary, yea the contradictory thereof? Why do you alſo join with the new Divines againſt him or his Book, and go about to poyſon my Soul with the new Divinity, in the great Point of Aſſurance, its not being eſſential to the direct Act of juſtifying Faith, whereas the contrary Opinion of Marſhal which you deny, was the great Engine wherewith our first Reformers battered down the Walls of Rome.

Thus our Author by his way of Writing is more like to hinder men from believing, and to harden them in their unbelief, than to be inſtrumental in Converting them from unbelief to Faith in Jeſus Chriſt.

Thirdly, Unbeliever, This believing is hard?

Miniſter, This is a good doubt, but eaſily reſolved.

Here again, the Miniſter makes himſelf ridiculous, and expoſes himſelf to the ſcorn and contempt of the Unbeliever; for the Unbeliever makes no doubt of the matter, but poſitively afferts that this believing is hard, as being firmly perſwaded in his Mind (without the leaſt Heſitation or Doubt) that this believing is hard indeed, and when the Miniſter has heard him ſay, yea has put the Words in his Mouth, and made him to ſay poſitively (without doubting) that this believing is hard; then he anſwers him, and ſays this is a good doubt and eaſily reſolved, and the plain Engliſh of that is, that no doubt but a Poſitive Affirmation, is a good doubt.

But ſuppoſing for once with the Miniſter that no doubt is a doubt, yet how doth he make it appear that it is a good doubt? for there are bad doubts as well as good doubts, and why may not this be a bad doubt, rather than a good doubt? Yes ſaith the Miniſter, I prove it and make it appear thus, that it is not a bad, p. 175but a good doubt; becauſe it beſpeaks a man deeply humbled. Rar…ly proved! But why may it not as well beſpeak a man to be deeply hardened in unbelief, and highly liſted up in pride? For were not the Capernaites deeply hardned in unbelief, and yet when they heard Chriſt himſelf with his own Bleſſed mouth preaching to them of the great neceſſity and uſefulneſs of believing on him, under the Figurative expreſſions of Eating his Fleſh and Drinking his Blood, they both doubted and dishelieved, and thus expreſſed their doubts and unbelief. John 6.42. How is it that he ſaith, I came down from Heaven? And V. 52. How can this man give us his Fleſh to eat? And V. 60. This is an hard ſaying, who can hear it? Likewiſe thoſe Jews and Heathens of whom Paul writes, 1 Cor. 1.23. That Chriſt Crucified was unto the one ſort of them, a ſtumbling block, and unto the other fooliſhneſs; could doubt and ſay, this believing in a Crucified Chriſt is hard, and in effect they did ſay it, and ſo they doubted, if that be to doubt; for they ſaid it was an unreaſonable fooliſh thing to believe to be ſaved by a crucified Man; and that was in effect to ſay, that it was hard to believe in Chriſt. For it is certainly hard for a reaſonable man to believe, that which in his heart he judges to be unreaſonable and fooliſh. But now did this beſpeak thoſe unbelieving Jews and Heathens to be deeply humbled? no ſure it was ſo far from it, that it beſpoke the quite contrary, it beſpoke them deeply hardned in unbelief, and highly lifted up in pride and ſelf conceit.

Our Author has another Argument to prove it to be a good doubt, becauſe (ſays he) Any body may ſee his own impotency to obey the Law of God fully, but few find the difficulty of believing. Well, be it ſo, that few find the difficulty of believing, and that few doubt whether it be difficult or not; doth that prove that this particular unbeliever doubts, becauſe he finds believing to be ſo difficult, that he is paſt all doubt of its being difficult, and thereupon poſitively affirms that it is difficult and hard to believe? He muſt have loſt his reaſon that can deliberately think, that a Man who is fully convinced of the difficulty of believing, and thereupon affirms that it is hard to believe, hath a good doubt whether it be difficult or not; becauſe the generality of other Men ſeldom think of believing, or endeavour to believe, and ſo find not the difficulty of it.

But (2.) ſuppoſe this particular Unbeliever do not find it ſo difficult to believe, as to be paſt all doubt that it is difficult; only his mind is brought to an (aequilibrium) even ballance, and hangs in ſuſpence between theſe two, whether it be difficult, or whether it be eaſſe to believe: This ſuppoſition being true, will prove indeed that the man hath a doubt in his mind concerning the difficulty of believing, but it doth not at all prove that it is a good doubt: The Truth is, ſuch a doubt is evil and cannot be good; for the man ought to be fully perſwaded in his mind, that to believe in Chriſt crucified with a ſaving Faith, it is really difficult and hard, yea impoſſible to Unregenerate Nature and without the Grace of God; but that to Regenerate Nature it is eaſie through the affiſtance of Gods ſpecial Grace. And ſo here can be no room at all for the Unbelievers good doubt.

Next our Author falls upon the reſolving of the Unbelievers pretended good doubt. And in order thereunto, he asks him, What it is which he finds doth make believing difficult to him?

(1.) Our Author asks the Unbeliever Whether he finds it difficult to believe, becauſe he is unwilling to be juſtified and ſaved? And this (ſaith he) the Unbeliever will deny: And he may well deny it, and further tell our Author, Sir, You are very impertinent to ask me ſuch a Queſtion, for you knew well enough without asking, that that could not be the reaſon wherefore I think it difficult to believe; for no man in his right wits, was ever unwilling to be juſtified and ſaved, that is unwilling to be happy; for it is naturally neceſſary unto all men to deſire happinneſs, and therefore if the Juſtification and Salvation which you talk of, be neceſſary to make me happy, and if my happineſs p. 176partly conſiſt therein, you know, I cannot be unwilling to be juſtified and ſaved, becauſe I cannot be unwilling to be happy.

(2.) He asks the Unbeliever, Whether he finds it difficult to believe, becauſe he is unwilling to be ſo ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt, to the praiſe of Gods Grace in him, and to the avoiding of all boaſting in himſelf? And he ſaith, The Unbeliever will ſurely deny this alſo. To which the Unbeliever may be ſuppoſed to anſwer, Sir, I thank you for your good opinion of me, by this I perceive you take me to be deeply humbled indeed, but how you ſhould come to be ſure of that, I cannot underſtand; for I am not ſure my ſelf that I am ſo deeply humbled. It is true, I confeſs and I am ſure of it, that I am willing to be ſaved, that is, to be happy: But I am not yet ſure that I am willing to be ſo ſaved in that way of deep humiliation. I find by your Letter that thoſe whom you confeſs to be already true Believers, find it diffioult to be throughly willing to be ſo ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt, as to give all the glory of their Salvation to Gods Grace, and to take nothing of it to themſelves; how then is it poſſible for you to be ſure that I who am an Unbeliever will not confeſs that I find a great unwillingneſs in my nature to be ſaved in ſuch a way of ſelfdenial and deep humiliation, and that that very unwillingneſs makes it very difficult for me to believe in a Crucified Chriſt: you cannot be ſure but I may be ſuch an unbeliever as will not deny what I really find to be the natural frame and temper of my heart: And you who are a Believer and a Miniſter ſhould not teach me to deny it againſt my natural Conſcience, nor blame me for confeſſing it: And when you have heard my ingenuous confeſſion, if you think my heart is in a very ill frame, and that I am a very wretched creature, you ſhould give me what help you can towards the getting of my nature changed, and my heart deeply humbled; but you think I am deeply humbled already becauſe I ſaid, this believing is hard, whereas for any thing you know to the contrary, the true reaſon of my ſo ſaying, might be becauſe I am not yet deeply humbled. Yet however it be, I thank you for your good opinion of me?

(3.) He asks the Unbeliever, Whether he finds it difficult to believe, becauſe he diſtruſts the Truth of the Goſpel Record; and then adds, that he dare not own this.

To which again the Unbeliever may reaſonably enough Anſwer, Sir, What mean you by this, do you mean that I dare not own it becauſe of you, or becauſe of mine own natural Conſcience? If you mean that I dare not own it becauſe of you, then it ſeems you threaten me, that if I confeſs my ſelf to you, and tell you what diſtruſt I find in my own heart, you will perſecute me, or do me ſome miſchief: This better becomes a Miniſter of the Inquiſition, than a Miniſter of the Reformed Church. Or if you mean that I dare not own it, becauſe of my natural Conſcience, as if it were againſt my natural Conſcience to diſtruſt the Truth of the Goſpel record; how do you know that? You are indeed a man of Confidence enough; but you may be miſtaken for all that; And I tell you that in this you are miſtaken, for it is an ordinary thing with us Unbelievers to diſtruſt the Truth of the Goſpel Record, and I find that ſame diſtruſt often within my ſelf. I cannot conceal it from God who made and Governs the World, and knows all things in the World, as natural Religion teacheth us, and many of us believe this, though we do not believe your Supernatural poſitive Religion; and ſince I cannot conceal it from God, why ſhould I be afraid to confeſs it to Man, eſpecially to the Miniſters of Supernatural Poſitive Religion, a part of whoſe Office it is, to maintain the Credibility and Truth of the Gofpel Record againſt Unbelievers, and to do what they can by good and ſolid Arguments to prove the Credibility and Truth of the Goſpel, and thereby to Convince and Convert Unbelievers to the Faith of it, and to Faith in Chriſt acording to it. Sir, If you believe that Record your ſelf, and can give a reaſon of the Faith and Hope that is in you, as ye are bound to do; you ſhould not diſcourage Unbelievers from confeſſing the true Grounds of their not believing in Chriſt; but ſhould rather deſire and intreat them to tell you their grounds ingenuouſly what ever they be, that when you know them, you may anſwer them, and p. 177ſhew there is no ſolidity in them; by this means you may be inſtrumental to bring Men off from their unbelief; and then by laying before them the ſolid Grounds and Reaſons you have for the Credibility and Truth of the Goſpel-Record, you may through the Bleſſing of God Convince and Convert ſuch Unbelievers as I am, to the Faith of the Goſpel, and to Faith in Chriſt according to the Goſpel.

(4) He asks the Unbeliever whether he finds it difficult to believe, Becauſe he doubts of Chriſts ability, or goodwill to ſave? And then he ſaith, that this is to contradict the Teſtimony of God in the Goſpel.

To this the Unbeliever may readily reply, Sir, What do you mean by Chriſts Ability or Goodwill to ſave? Whether do you mean it of his Ability or Goodwill to ſave others, to wit, all the Elect in general, or of his ability or good-will to ſave me in particular? If you mean it of his Ability or Good-will toſave others, to wit, all the Elect in General, then I tell you that ſo far as I do Hiſtorically and Dogmatically believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, I do not at all doubt of Chriſts ability and good-will to ſave all the Elect in General, for I find that God hath clearly teſtified ſo much in the Goſpel, and I firmly believe his teſtimony, and do not in the leaſt contradict it.

But if you mean it of his ability or willingneſs to ſave me in particular, I deſire you to name the Chapter and Verſe in the Goſpel, where God hath teſtified, that Chriſt is willing to ſave me in particular, ſo that I cannot doubt of his willingneſs to ſave me without contradicting that Teſtimony. You cannot poſitively ſay that I am one of the Elect whom Chriſt is certainly willing to ſave; becauſe I am yet an Unbeliever, and ſo long as I am an Unbeliever, neither you nor I can poſſibly know without an immediate Revelation whether I be one of the Elect or not. I may be, or I may not be one of them: But neither you nor I can ſay determinately that I am certainly the one of them, and not the other. If you ſhall ſay, (and you have nothing elſe to ſay) That whether I be one of the Elect or not, I muſt believe without doubting that Chriſt is able and willing to ſave me, otherwiſe I contradict the Teſtimony of God in the Goſpel: Then indeed you will ſay ſomething to the purpoſe. But We have not yet done, for I muſt now ask you, whether you would have me believe without doubting that whether I be Elect or Non-Elect, Chriſt is willing to ſave me abſolutely or conditionally. And if (1.) Chriſt be willing to ſave me an Unbeliever abſolutely, and that whether I be Elect or not, then it will follow by neceſſary conſequence that one Unbeliever ſhall be infallibly ſaved, even tho he be a Reprobate; and if one why not another, and another? yea, why not all? cum fit eadem ratio unius & omnium, Since there is the ſame reaſon for one and all. The conſequence of this from Chriſts being willing to ſave me an Unbeliever abſolutely, and that whether I be Elect or not, is clear and unavoidable; for Chriſt never fails to do that which he is willing abſolutely to do, if he be able to do it; but he is certainly as able as he is willing: Therefore if Chriſt be both able and willing abſolutely to ſave me an Unbeliever whether I be Elect or not, then I an unbeliever whether Elect or not, ſhall be infallibly ſaved. This would be good news and rare Goſpel to Unbelievers and Reprobates, if there were any Teſtimony of God for it in the Old or New Teſtament. But an Unbeliever may doubt of Chriſts willingneſs to ſave in this abſolute ſenſe, without fear of contradicting the Teſtimony of God in the Goſpel.

(2.) If to avoid this abſurdity, you ſay that whatever I be, Elect or not Elect, Chriſt is willing to ſave me an Unbeliever, conditionally, If I ſincerely believe and Repent; now I Underſtand you very well, and have nothing to ſay but that you are come off from your principle, and fall in with thoſe you call the New Divines, and preached to me the new Divinity, that there is a Conditional Goſpel Covenant, according to the tenour whereof, Chriſt is willing to ſave any unbeliever, whatever he be, on condition that he ſincerely and effectually believe. If to break through this net in which your are caught, you ſhall ſay, that if I be not one of the Elect, Chriſt is no wiſe willing p. 178to ſave me, either abſolutely, or conditionally? I reply, why did you then, ſpeaking to me in particular, ſay, That for me to doubt of Chriſts good-will to ſave, is to contradict the Teſtimony of God in the Goſpel? The Queſtion was not, whether or no Chriſt be willing to ſave ſome other men; but whether he be willing to ſave ME or not? And whereas you made a ſhew as if you would reſolve my doubt by determining that queſtion in the affirmative, that Chriſt is willing to ſave me, and that I muſt not doubt of his willingneſs to ſave me, or if I do, then I contradict Gods Word: Now to keep up your ſeparation from thoſe you call the New Divines, you would bring your ſelf off by telling me, that you do not know whether Chriſt be any wiſe willing abſolutely or conditionally to ſave me. Is not this an excellent way to reſolve my doubt which you put into my head, whether Chriſt be willing to ſave me, to tell me that truly you do not know whether he be any wiſe willing to ſave me or not, but if I doubt of his willingneſs to ſave ſome other men, I contradict the Word of God? Thus you reſolve my doubt (Whether Chriſt be any wiſe willing to ſave me or not?) by confirming it. I ſay, I doubt of Chriſts willingneſs to ſave me an Unbeliever; and you ſay, you doubt of it too, for you do not know whether he be willing or not; and becauſe the thing is thus doubtful both to me and you, therefore I muſt no more doubt of it. This is the beſt way that you have to reſolve this doubt of mine, which your ſelf have raiſed, unleſs you go over to your Brethren, and ſay, that Chriſt is undoubtedly willing to ſave me, (whatever I be) upon condition that I ſincerely believe and repent. And yet you ſhall not eſcape into their Camp without one thruſt more at you, I mean without objecting one difficulty more which lyes in my way to believing. This laſt Objection I have learned of your ſelf likewiſe, and therefore I expect a clear anſwer from you, for it's to be hoped that you are a wiſer man than to raiſe a Spirit which you cannot lay again. Thus then I argue as you have taught me:

Unbeliever. I cannot believe on Jeſus Christ, becauſe of the difficulty of the acting this Faith, for a Divine Power is needful to draw it forth, which I find not. Let. pag. 17.This is a very powerful argument to prove the difficulty of believing, for if it be impoſſible for me to believe, then it is difficult, with a witneſs for me to believe: But it is impoſſible for me to believe without a Divine Power, that being needful to draw forth the Act of believing, and I do not find that divine Power in or with me: Therefore it is difficult for me to believe. This is the argument which you have taught me, and it has the appearance of a demonſtration; at leaſt it proves invincibly that I had reaſon to ſay before, without any doubt, That this believing is hard; though by your Logick which draws quidlibet ex quolibet, darkneſs out of light, &c. ye inferred that I was a good doubter, becauſe I did not doubt at all, but was ſure that it was hard for me to believe: and ſince ye your ſelf have furniſhed me with ſo ſtrong an Argument to Evince the Truth of what I ſaid, that it is hard for me to believe; I do expect from you a clear, ſolid, ſatisfactory anſwer; otherwiſe I ſhall be tempted to ſuſpect you to be your ſelf a ſecret unbeliever, and that your deſign in ſuggeſting ſuch Arguments to Unbelievers, and not giving a ſolid Anſwer to them, is to confirm ſuch as I am, in unbelief and (as it may happen) to increaſe the number of unbelievers: Or if I ſhould be miſtaken in ſuſpecting that you your ſelf had ſuch a formal deſign, yet I no wiſe doubt but am ſure that the thing hath a natural tendency to confirm and harden ſinners in their unbelief.

Miniſters Anſwer. I deſire you Unbeliever, not to ſuſpect me as if I were ſecretly one of your Fraternity, nor yet to be afraid of any miſchief that may enſue upon my method for Converting Unbelievers, which I have publiſhed for the Inſtruction of the younger Miniſters. To cure you of your ſuſpicion of me, and to prevent any hurt to your ſelf or others; I have given an Anſwer to your Argument which you had from me, and thus it is word for word. [Believing p. 179in Jeſus Christ is no work, but a reſting on Jeſus Chriſt: And this pretence (of its being difficult) is as unreaſonable, as that if a Man wearyed with a Journey, and who is not able to go one step further, ſhould argue, I am ſo tyred that I am not able to lye down; when indeed he can neither ſtand nor go. This is my anſwer, Unbeliever, and what do you think of it? Is it not a clear ſolid ſatisfactory anſwer? Do not you ſee the light breaking forth from all the parts of it? Do not you alſo ſee the darkneſs of your Objection flying away before the light of it, as the ſmall duſt and dry leaves fly before the wind.

Unbelievers Reply. Sir, I will tell you by and by what I ſee: But Firſt, I muſt tell you what I think, and to be plain with you, I think this your laſt anſwer is much like all the reſt that went before, there is hardly a good one amongſt them; and the difference is, that this is the worst in the whole pack. And to make this good, I offer theſe things following to the conſideration of all men of common ſenſe and reaſon, as well as of Chriſtian Believers.

(1.) The Objection ſaith, That Faith is a difficult Act, and proves it to be difficult, becauſe, impoſſible, without a Divine Power, which the Unbeliever ſinds not. To which you anſwer, That Believing is no work, but a reſting, and ſo by changing the Terms and putting Work for Act, you think to impoſe upon ſilly Women and ſuch like Perſons, and to make them think that you have ſaid much, when you have ſaid nothing or worſe than nothing: And that you have anſwered the Objection, when you have rather confirmed it: The Objection ſays and proves that Faith is a difficult Act, becauſe, impoſſible without a Divine Power: This you do not deny, but only deny that it is a work, and ſo that it is a difficult work. If then there be an Act that is no Work, (as you ſeem to intimate) tho Faith ſhould not be a difficult work, yet it may be a difficult Act, ſo difficult that a man cannot believe aright without Divine Aſſiſtance, and this was all the Objection was deſigned to prove, for it makes no mention of the word (work), it neither affirms nor denies Faith to be a work.

(2.) I demand why you change the Terms and deny Faith to be a work, whereas the Objection did not affirm it to be a work, but to be an act, and a difficult act; becauſe impoſſible to Humane Nature without the Powerful Aſſiſtance of God? I cannot eaſily imagine what reaſon you had to deny Faith to be a work, inſtead of denying it to be an act, and a difficult act; if you intended to anſwer the Objection which only affirms Faith to be a difficult act. But whatever reaſon might move you to deny Faith to be a work, which I do not well underſtand; yet this I know, that your denying Faith to be a work, falls out very unluckily for you, and turns to your own ſhame; Let. pag. 11.for you your ſelf had ſaid before, and proved from Scripture, to wit, from John 6.28, 29. That Faith is a work, yea that it is the work of God, the great work of God, the great work which we do, and which we cannot do too ſoon. Theſe are your own words: And yet within the compaſs of ſix Pages after, you abſolutely deny that Faith is any work at all. This brings to my mind the old ſaying, Oportet mendacem eſſe memorem, A lyar had need to have a good memory. And by this ſign and token I know that you are a weak deceived man your ſelf, or that you are a deceiver of others. It will no wiſe relieve you to ſay, that though Faith be a Work, yet it doth not juſtifie as a work, but as an Inſirument. For (1.) here you abſolutely deny it to be a work, and that in anſwer to an Objection which did not relate to Juſtification. Therefore (2.) I ſay that here was no occaſion to ſpeak of Juſtification at all, and conſequently no occaſion to affirm that Faith juſtifies as an Inſtrument, and to deny that it juſtifies as a work; for the Queſtion here is not at all, how we are juſtified by Faith, whether by Faith as a work, or by Faith as an inſtrument; but all the Queſtion is, whether Faith be difficult to an Unbeliever or not. The Objection affirms it to be difficult, becauſe it is impoſſible to Humane Nature without the Grace of God; you in anſwer to the Objection, deny it to be difficult, becauſe it is no work. So that it is evident this your denying Faith to be a p. 180work, relates not to the manner of Faiths justifying a Man; but to the difficulty of a Mans getting and uſing of Faith. (3.) It is altogether impertinent here to deny Faith to be a work, in the Office or Act of Juſtification; for though it were granted, that Faith is not conſidered as a work in the Act of juſtifying, yet if it be a work in its own Act of Existence, the Objection remains in its full Strength and unanſwered; for ſtill it is true which the Objection aſſerts, that its very difficult for an Unbeliever to produce the Act, or do the Work of Faith. This you ſaw, and therefore to cut the Sinews, and to take away the main force of the Argument, you abſolutely deny Faith to be a Work. This was your Intention in ſaying that Faith is no work, otherwiſe your Anſwer was wholly impertinent to the Objection. And indeed it muſt be confeſſed, that if your Anſwer were true, if it were true that Faith is no Work at all in any ſence; the Objection hath loſt all its Strength, and falls dead to the ground. But that your Anſwer is not true, I have had it already from your ſelf under your own hand, affirming and proving that Faith is a great Work, which we cannot do too ſoon.

And leaſt you ſhould endeavour to bring your ſelf off, by ſaying that Faith is no outward bodily Work, and that, that was your meaning in ſaying that Faith is no Work, I give you a third Anſwer, and therein,

Thirdly, I demand, what you mean by the Word (Work) when you ſay that Faith is no Work? Whether you do mean an outward bodily Work, or an inward Heart-work? And (1.) I appeal to your own Conſcience, that you did not mean an outward Bodily Work; for no Body ever ſaid or thought, that Faith is an outward Bodily Work. And why ſhould you in Anſwer to an Argument deny, that which no Body ever affirmed; yea and lay the main ſtreſs too of your Anſwer upon that denial?

(2.) You could not give that Anſwer to ſuch an Objection, unleſs you was in a Dream, or out of your right Mind; for to Anſwer ſo as to ſay, that Faith is not an outward Bodily work, but an inward Heart-work, doth not in the leaſt touch the Objection; though that be moſt true that Faith is no outward bodily work, yet if Faith be an inward Heart-work, the Objection ſtands in its full force and ſtrength; for inward Heart-work, is the moſt hard and difficult work, therefore if Faith be an inward Heart-work, it muſt needs be ſtill hard and difficult to believe, which is the very thing that the Objection was brought to prove; therefore if you intended to Anſwer the Objection by denying Faith to be a Work; you muſt alſo intend to deny that it is an inward Heart-work, and ſo that it is any work at all either inward or outward; and if that were true, you had indeed effectually anſwered the Objection: But that is not true, for

Fourthly, It is notoriouſly falſe, that Faith is no inward Heart-work, for to be an inward Work of the Heart is nothing, but to be an inward Act of the Heart, and it is moſt certain and evident that Faith is an inward Act of the Heart; for Believers (as you do confeſs) find by Spiritual Senſe and feeling that Faith is an inward Act of the Heart; Let. p. 7.and the Scripture ſaith expreſly that with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteouſneſs, Rom. 10.9, 10.

And therefore Faith is an inward Work of the Heart, conſequently it is manifeſtly falſe which you ſay, that Faith is no Work.

(5.) Whereas you ſay, that Faith is no Work, but a reſting on Jeſus Christ: I reply, (1.) That if Faith be no Work either outward, or inward, becauſe it is a resting; then Faith is no inward Act, for an inward Act is an inward Work, and if Faith be an inward Act, it is alſo an inward Work; but you your ſelf, Page 7th. of your Letter expreſly ſay, that Faith is an inward Act, and I have proved it by Scripture to be an inward Act, therefore it is utterly falſe which you ſay, that Faith is no Work at all, no not an inward Work, becauſe it is a resting on Christ.

(2.) Faith is both an inward Work, and a reſting on Chriſt. Resting on Christ is a Figurative Expreſſion, and Faith is called by that Name, it is ſaid to be a reſting on Chriſt, becauſe the effect or conſequent of the Act of Faith in Chriſt, is the p. 181rest of the Soul, the ſatisfaction and quiet of the Mind, the eaſe of the Heart, and the Peace of the Conſcience.

(3.) If this ſenſe of the form of Speech, (Resting on Christ), by which the Act of Faith is expreſſed, as it is a means of cauſing, and as it connotes the foreſaid effects; if (I ſay) this do not pleaſe you, but you will have resting on Christ, to ſignifie a total Ceſſation from any inward Act: Then I reply,

(1.) That you ſeem to be ſhifting about from one Sect to another, and for a time to have taken up your rest among the Quietists, the Diſciples of Molino's at Rome, or of Madamoiſelle de Bourignon in France. For it is ſaid to be their Principle, that a man ſhould ceaſe from all Action, outward and inward; and when the Soul is in a State of Non-Action, and perfect rest from all Labour whatſoever, then a Man is moſt Religious, and beſt diſpoſed for converſe with and enjoyment of God.

(2.) If Faith be no inward Act, but a reſting on Chriſt in ſuch a ſenſe, as that it is a Ceſſation from, and a Negation of all Act and Action; then you need no more to endeavour the Converſion of me, or of any other Unbeliever; for if that be true Faith, then a meer nothing is true Faith; and I will aſſure you, I have that nothing, as much as ever I can have it: You your ſelf in your Letter call me an Unbeliever, and that ſignifies one that wants Faith; now if I want the Act of Faith, I muſt needs have the Negation of the Act of Faith, (in ſuch a way as a Negation can be had), and this Negation is a perfect Ceſſation and reſting from any Act of Faith, and further, this Negation, Ceſſation and Reſting is Faith it ſelf, (according to you). Therefore it follows by clear and neceſſary Conſequence that by wanting the Act of Faith, I have Faith, and by being an Unbeliever, I am as good a Believer as your ſelf. Therefore you need no more labour to convert me, than I need to convert you, but let us both reſt together among the new Quietiſts, if you pleaſe.

(6.) And now, Sir, I would be content to reſt, if you would let me alone; but are not you like to diſturb my reſt, by clamouring againſt me, that I am unreaſonable in pretending that it is hard and difficult for an Unbeliever to believe in Chriſt without the powerful Aſſiſtance of Gods Grace? And to prove that I am unreaſonable in this, you boldly affirm it upon your Word (as your manner is), and with appearance of much Gravity, you illuſtrate it by a ſimilitude taken from a weary Traveller, who is ſo tired with his journey that he can neither ſtand ſtill, nor yet go one ſtep further, but muſt of neceſſity lye down and reſt. Now (ſay you) if this Man in theſe circumſtances ſhould ſay, Oh I find it difficult to lye down, for I am ſo tired that I am not able to lie down, though indeed I can neither ſtand nor go; would it not be accounted very unreaſonable? And juſt ſo, it is unreaſonable for you an Unbeliever to pretend, That it is ſo difficult for you to believe, that you cannot do it without the powerful Grace of God; for believing is reſting, it is ceaſing from all Action, and conſequently it is ſo far from being difficult, that it is one of the eaſieſt things in the World; it is of that Nature, that you cannot avoid the doing of it, no m…re than a weary Traveller can avoid lying down, when he is ſo tired, that indeed he can neither ſtand nor go. This is the force of your Reaſoning in the 17th. Page of your Letter, line 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. whereby you would prove me to be unreaſonable, in ſaying that it is difficult for an Unbeliever to believe on Chriſt without the Grace of God.

I have conſidered this your profound Reaſoning, for the Eaſineſs of Believing on Chriſt without the Grace of God, and now that I underſtand it, my fear of being diſturbed by it, is over and gone; yea I am beholding to you for it, and I thank you Sir: For this which I was afraid would have been a diſturbance to me, is like to be a means of bringing us both to reſt.

I have told you before, what I thought; now (according to my Promiſe) I will tell you what I ſee. Why, in ſhort, by the Light of this your Illuſtration, I ſee that I (an Unbeliever) am as good a Believer as you are, and that it muſt be ſo and cannot be otherwiſe; for as the weary Traveller that cannot poſſibly either p. 182ſtand or go, muſt lie down, and cannot but lie down, unleſs he be hindred by force or Miracle: So you and I cannot but believe, unleſs we be hindered by Miracle. But there is no fear of that, God hath wrought many Miracles heretofore to perſwade men to believe, but he never did nor will work a Miracle to hinder us from believing.

I will never more Object the difficulty of Believing, for want of the powerful Grace of God to enable me thereunto, for if this Doctrine be true, there needs no Grace to enable us to believe, for believing is reſting and doing nothing, and that we can do as well without, as with the help of Grace; nay we cannot but do it, unleſs we be hindred from reſting and doing nothing, and be irreſiſtibly ſtirred up to Work and Act by Miracle. But, as I ſaid, there is no fear of that, ſince Working and Acting would hinder us from Believing: And to hinder us from Believing, is contrary to the true uſe and end of Miracles.

And Sir, as I will never complain more of the difficulty of believing, ſo in the Name of the whole Fraternity of Unbelievers, I thank you for your great kindneſs to them, and for this ſweet and comfortable Doctrine (if it be true) which you have taught us all in your Letter, which I hear is much cryed up by ſome Women in London, who love reſt and eaſe.

Now we might have all reſted quietly together, were it not for thoſe you call the New and Young Divines, whom you have charged with Pelagianiſm. This was not wiſely done of you, for you have thereby awakened them from their reſt, and it is to be feared, that by loud Recriminations, they will diſturb you and us both, and proclaim the ſecret to the World, that you your ſelf are Confederate with Pelagians, Semipelagians and Unbelievers. For it is undeniable matter of Fact, that it is a branch of Pelagianiſm, and the very Root and Heart of Semipelagianiſm, That Men can believe in Chriſt with a juſtifying Faith, by the Power of Nature, without the Supernatural Grace of God. And if your ſimilitude hold good, men not only can believe, but which is more, they cannot poſſibly chooſe, but they must of Neceſſity believe without the help of Grace, unleſs they be hindered by a Miracle exciting them to Act and Work, and to ceaſe from reſt. Sir, how you can come to Reſt and Peace with thoſe brisk Young Divines, whoſe Age inclines them to Action, more than to Reſt, I do not pretend to know; but this I know, that upon your foreſaid Principle the Unbeliever and you are agreed; and if you will be ſtedfaſt and ſtand to your Principle, we ſhall live together in perfect quietneſs, and never more differ about Believing.

Thus we have given an account of our Authors Way and Method of Converting an Unbeliever to Faith in Chriſt; (which is more than a reſting on Chriſt, for it is a Grace whereby we aſſent to Jeſus his being the Chriſt, the Son of God and only Saviour of Men; and Conſent to take him for our Prince and Saviour, and as ſuch receive him on his own Terms, and then reſt, relie, and truſt on him for Juſtification, &c.) We have ſhewed alſo, what a weak and ridiculous way and Method it is, and how eaſily an Unbeliever may Anſwer all that he hath ſaid in the 16. and 17. Pages of his Letter mentioned before; except a few at his firſt ſetting out, he hath hardly made one right ſtep in the whole courſe of that Advice, which he takes upon him to give unto Miniſters, how they ought to deal with Unbelievers in labouring to Convert them unto Faith in Chriſt. He hath plainly betray'd our Cauſe to the Unbeliever, who hath brought him by his laſt Objection, to take up with a Piece of Pelagianiſm, and with the groſſeſt Semipelagianiſm that hath been heard of in the Chriſtian Church; ſo weak is he (not wicked we hope) that he could think of no other way to Anſwer that Objection, but by denying that Faith is any Work at all (though therein he ſhamefully contradicts himſelf, and the expreſs Word of God) and by affirming that it is a reſting, in ſuch a ſenſe, as imports that it is neither Work nor Act, but a meer Ceſſation from Working and Acting, a doing nothing at all; and from thence he labours to ſhew the Unbeliever p. 183that it is not difficult to believe, and illuſtrates it by ſuch a ſimilitude as will make any conſidering man who reads it and underſtands the uſe he makes of it, to think that he muſt be a Semipelagian, who holds that a man can believe unto Juſtification without any Subjective Supernatural Grace of God at all.

Whereas he ought to have acknowledged the Truth of the Objection, that it is indeed difficult and impoſſible too, for a natural man by the power of nature ever to believe, but that it is poſſible and eaſy too by the Grace of God. And then he ſhould have directed the Unbeliever unto the means whereby Grace to believe is ordinarily obtained from God through Chriſt, and ſhould have adviſed him to wait, and continue waiting on God in the uſe of his appointed means, and particularly to be much in praying, as well as he can, for Grace to help in time of need, and deſiring the prayers of Chriſts Miniſters and People. But not a word of this, nay, inſtead of adviſing the Unbeliever to uſe Gods means, and ſeek the Grace of Faith from God through Chriſt, he gives him to underſtand that Faith is nothing but a reſting from all work and action, and that it is no more difficult to believe, than it is for a weary Traveller to lye down and reſt, when he is ſo tyred that he can neither ſtand nor go. And after he hath told the Miniſters that they ought thus to reſolve the doubts and anſwer the arguments of Unbelievers, he hath the confidence to conclude that by ſuch reaſonings with an Unbeliever from the Goſpel, the Lord will (as he hath often done) convey Faith to him, and joy and peace by believing. This is like all the reſt, the Concluſion and the Premiſes are at irreconcileable variance with one another: The Concluſion ſaith that the Lord will convey Faith to the Unbeliever, by the reaſonings in the premiſes, and yet one of thoſe reaſonings is that Faith is nothing but a reſting, and ſuch a reſting as ſignifies a Ceſſation from all actings; and that an Unbeliever needs no more help to believe, than a weary Travellour needs help to lye down and reſt, when he is ſo tyred that he can neither ſtand nor go. We think it is a ſort of Blaſphemy, to ſay wittingly and willingly, that ſuch reaſonings as ſome of thoſe we have noted in the 16 and 17 Pages of the Letter, are either in and from the Goſpel, or that the Lord makes uſe of ſuch ſelf contradicting, confounding fulſhood, as means of conveying Faith into the Hearts of his people. And becauſe in this part of his Letter, he ſpeaks to us that are Ministers, and either bids us tell the Unbeliever ſo and ſo; or elſe he affirms that we do tell him ſo and ſo; we muſt declare to the World that we will follow his advice no further than we find it agreeable to Scripture and Reaſon, (which ſometimes we do find, and oftentimes the contrary, as we have proved), but as for what he affirms, that Miniſters tell the Unbeliever, that Faith is not difficult, that it is no more difficult to an Unbeliever, than lying down is to a man when he is ſo tyred and weary that he can neither ſtand nor go; we proteſt we are none of thoſe Miniſters, we never did, and through Grace, never will tell any Unbeliver ſuch an abominable falſhood. We know no other Miniſters but our Author that Preaches ſuch Doctrine, and we have endeavoured to make him aſhamed of it, in hopes to bring him off from it. We truſt that after we have thus publickly declared againſt our Authors Way and Method of Converting Unbelievers to Faith in Chriſt, and plainly ſhewed the falſhood and folly of it in ſeveral particulars, the World will not be ſo unjuſt as to reproach the Non-Conformiſt Miniſters in England with that Ridiculous way of Preaching the Goſpel to Unbelievers, which we our ſelves have Confuted and expoſed, on purpoſe to prevent the Scandal which might otherwiſe ariſe if ſuch things ſhould be ſuffered to paſs current amongſt us, without any publick diſapproving of them.