An Answer to William Sherlock, Chapter 3 · Section 2

An Answer to William Sherlock · Chapter 3 · Section 2

p. 37SECT. 2.

AFter this account of the knowledge of Christ, Mr. Sherlock.it will be neceſſary to examine another Notion, of the knowledge of Chriſt, which conteins a greater Secret, than at first one would imagine; and that is an acqaintance with the Perſon of Chriſt, which, if we will believe p. 38ſome men, is the only Fountain of ſaving knowledge.

Chriſt the only Fountain of ſaving knowledge? Anſwer.Yes doubtleſs, he is ſo, and of all ſaving Graces too, or elſe he could be no Head, at leaſt not a vital one, to his Church: It is infinitly below him to be a Caput mortuum, affording no influences of Grace to his people. Acquaintance with Chriſt is a ſacred pretious thing, no more to be ſought among meer Notions, than the living are to be ſought among the dead: It imports no leſs than a foreign, or Communion with Chriſt, a having all Grace from him: Take away this, and all the New Creatures in the World muſt die in a moment, being no more able to ſubſiſt without him, than a Ray can be without a Sun, or a Stream without a Fountain. Take away this, and immediately we ſink into the Dregs and foul Error of Pelagius, who, beſides that Liberum Arbitrium, which however adored, is but meer Nature, placed all Grace in External Revelation. This is evident, becauſe if Graces come not down from him and his Spirit, nothing remains but External Revelation:De grat. Chriſti contr. Pel. & Cel. cap. 24 Upon which Error St. Austin paſſes this Cenſure; Legant & intelligant, p. 39intueantur atque fateantur; non Lege atque Doctrina inſonante forinſecùs, ſed internâ atque occultâ, mirabili ac ineffabili poteſtate operari Deum in cordibus hominum, non ſolùm veras revelationes, ſed etiam bonas voluntates: Deſinat igitur Pelagius & ſeipſum & alios fallere, contra Dei Gratiam diſputando. And here Chriſt, I fear, may be again at odds with his Goſpel, if, contrary to its primitive Inſtitution, which was to be an Organ or Ordinance under the free-breathing Spirit of Chriſt, if it aſſume all the Diſpenſation of Grace to it ſelf. But if we may not have acquaintance with Chriſt himſelf, may we have one with the Goſpel? No, I doubt not, the Goſpel tells us, That the Spirit reveils the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. and by neceſſary conſequence, the Goſpel will lead us unto Chriſt for that Spirit, and to communion with him; which is the thing oppoſed by the Author, but to me ſo pretious, that before I would open my lips againſt it, I would put my ſelf under the penance of Severus Sulpitius; who, having ſullied himſelf with Pelagianiſm, afterwards repented, and devoted himſelf to perpetual ſilence, ut peccatum, Spond. Ann. An. 430.quod loquendo contraxerat, tacendo emendaret. p. 40But now we muſt ſee the Pious Learned Dr. Owen brought upon the Stage.

The Dr. tells us, Mr. Sherlock.that Chriſt is not only the Wiſdom of God, but made Wiſdom to us; not only by teaching us wiſdom (by his Doctrine) as he is the great Prophet of his Church, but alſo becauſe by knowing of him we become acquainted with the Wiſdom of God, which is our Wiſdom: To which purpoſe he applies that Text, which ſpeaks of the Doctrines of Chriſt, to his Perſon, Col. 2.3. For in him dwell all the treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge.

A little before thoſe words,Anſwer. the Doctor's Deſign (by which in all Candor his After-diſcourſe ſhould be conſtrued) appears to be, that all Wiſdom is laid up in Chriſt, and that from him alone it is to be obtained, who is ſo hardy as to deny it? He that knows him, becomes acquainted with one, in whom dwell all the treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge, and from whom are derived all the Riches of Underſtanding in the Saints. As in the corporal viſion of an Object, there is requiſite a Light in the Air, and another in the Eye; ſo in this intellectual Viſion, there is external Revelation and internal Illumination; p. 41and both are from Chriſt. Cui Veritas comperta ſine Deo? De Anima cap. 1.cui Deus cognitus ſine Chriſto? cui Chriſtus exploratus ſine Spiritu ſancto? cui Spiritus ſanctus accommodatus ſine Fidei Sacramento? ſaith Tertullian. By that, Col. 2.3. In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, is, as I take it, meant the Perſon of Chriſt; the very ſame, which is pointed out, Ver. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead; Ver. 10. in him ye are complete; Ver. 11. In him ye are circumciſed; and Ver. 12. With him ye are buried in Baptiſm, and with him ye are riſen, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raiſed him from the dead: I can very hardly underſtand all theſe of the Goſpel, neither did I ever find that it was raiſed from the dead. But now let us hear the Author's Inference.

So that our acquaintance with Christ's Perſon ſignifies ſuch a knowledge of what Christ is, hath done and ſuffered for us; Mr. Sherlock.from whence we may learn thoſe greater, deeper and more ſaving Mysteries of the Goſpel, which Christ hath not expreſly reveiled to us; for ſo the Doctor adds, That theſe Properties of God, Chriſt hath reveiled in his Doctrine, in that Revelation he hath made of God and p. 42his Will, but the Life of this Knowledge lies in an acquaintance with his Perſon, whereby the expreſs Image and Beams of this Glory of his Father doth ſhine forth, that is, that theſe things are clearly, eminently and ſavingly only to be diſcovered in Chriſt: So that, it ſeems the Goſpel of Chriſt makes a very imperfect and obſcure diſcovery of the Nature, Attributes and Will of God; and a little after: This ſets up a new Rule of Faith above the Goſpel, acquaintance with Chriſt.

Doth our Acquaintance with Chriſt teach us Myſteries not reveiled in the Goſpel? No, by no means; neither doth the Doctor ſay ſo; Redde verba mea & vaneſcet calumnia tua, ſaith St. Auſtin to Julian. The Doctor ſaith, thoſe Properties are reveiled in the Doctrine: And in a Sentence interpoſed by the Doctor, but omitted by the Author, he ſaith, The knowledge of them is expoſed to all; but ſaith the Dr. The life of this knowledge lies in acquaintance with Christ: So it is; he is God manifeſt in the Fleſh, and ſo a rare Mirrour of the divine Perfections; and withall he is the Great Illuminator by his Spirit, and ſo opens our eyes to ſee the Myſteries in Chriſt and the Goſpel: p. 43Without this Illumination the outward Revelation gives not a ſaving Knowledge. It may be the Author will ſmile at me; but hear St. Auſtin: De Praed. Sanct. c. 8.Valdè remota eſt à ſenſibus carnis haec Schola, in quâ Deus auditur & docet; gratia iſta ſecreta eſt, gratiam verò eſſe quis ambigit? Hear Biſhop Davenant;Exp. in Col. cap. 2.Col 2 Tales illuminationes fieri, & talem foreign imprimi fidelium animis non credunt mundani, experiuntur tamen pii. The Goſpel is a perfect outward Revelation, and Rule of Faith, yet our blindneſs needs an inward Illumination, that we may ſpiritually diſcern the Myſteries therein. But now the Author will ſhew us, what Additions theſe men make to the Goſpel, from an Acquaintance with Chriſt's Perſon; and firſt upon the doctors words, That the knowledge of God, the knowledge of our ſelves, and skill to walk in Communion with God, in which three is the ſum of all true Wiſdom, are obtained and manifeſted in and by the Lord Christ. The Author obſerves, that [by] is fallaciouſly added, to include the Revelations Chriſt hath made. To which I anſwer; The Dr. never excluded outward Revelation; but this alone cannot give ſaving knowledge: All Wiſdom is in Chriſt, p. 44as the Mirrour of divine Perfections, and by Chriſt, as the great Illuminator by his Spirit. We ſhould uſe outward Revelation in the very ſame poſture as Zuinglius did, who, underſtanding from St. Peter that the Scripture was not of private Interpretation,Mel. Ad. in vit. Zuing. In coelum ſuſpexit, doctorem quaerens Spiritum, looked up to heaven, ſeeking the the Spirit for his great teacher.

Had Chriſt never appeared in the World, Mr. Sherlock.yet we had reaſon to believe, that God is Wiſe, and Good, and Holy, and Merciful, becauſe not only the works of Nature and Providence, but the Word of God aſſure us, that he is ſo. And a little after he adds; And is not this a confident Man to tell us, That the love of God to ſinners, and his pardoning Mercy could never enter into the heart of man, but by Chriſt, when the Experience of the whole World confutes him; for, whatever becomes of his new Theories, both Jews and Heathens (who underſtand nothing at all what Chriſt was to do in order to our recovery) did believe God gracious and merciful to ſinners.

The Jews knew God to be gracious and merciful,Anſwer. very true, but through the promiſed Meſſiah, whom the Believers among them ſaw ſlain in p. 45every Sacrifice; or elſe, which is hard to believe, they knew not the meaning of that Service, or did it not in Faith. The Gentiles, as I conceive, had ſome Glimmerings of pardoning Mercy in his Patience towards them, ſparing Mercy being an hint of pardoning; but this Patience was founded on the Sacrifice of Chriſt, though unknown to them. God upon the Fall of Angels made a ſhort work, and immediately caſt them down into Chains; and that he did not ſo with Men, is only owing to the Sacrifice of Chriſt. As for the Dr. I ſuppoſe, as to the Jews, he will fully concurr with me; and as to the Gentiles, I muſt concurr with him, for he ſaith, pag. 91. That pardoning Mercy which is reveiled in the Goſpel, ſhines not with one Ray out of Chriſt; the Mercy in the Goſpel expreſly relates to the Satisfaction of Chriſt, and as ſuch they knew it not; though that Patience, which gave ſome glimpſe of it, was founded on that Satisfaction.

The Doctor tells us, Mr. Sherlock.That in Chriſt God hath manifeſted the Naturalneſs of his Juſtice in puniſhing Sin, in that it was impoſſible that it ſhould be diverted from ſinners without the interpoſing of a Propitiation; that is, God p. 46is ſo juſt, that he cannot pardon without Satisfaction. Now this is ſuch a Notion of Juſtice as is perfectly new, which neither Scripture nor Nature acquaints us with.

Perfectly new!Anſwer. how ſo? How many grave Divines and worthy Champions againſt the Socinians have affirmed, That God, ſuch is his infinite Sanctity and Righteouſneſs, cannot pardon ſin without a Recompence or Satisfaction? And how ſtrongly have they urged it out of Scripture and Reaſon! In Scripture God is ſet forth as a Righteous God, a Judge of the World, who will do right; one who cannot look upon iniquity, who will by no means clear the guily; his puniſhing ſin is attributed not meerly to his Will or Decree, but to his juſt Nature. Thus the terrible Tempeſt comes down upon the wicked, becauſe the righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs, Pſal. 11.6, 7. Thus the vials of wrath are poured out, becauſe God is righteouſneſs, Revel. 16.5. In God an hatred of Sin is as eſſential as a love of Holineſs; and in this hatred is tacitly included a velle punire, as ſome Divines ſpeak; and upon that account ſin cannot go unpuniſhed. The Subjection of a Rational Creature to p. 47its Creator is indiſpenſable, and this Dependence, ſo far as it is broken off by ſin, muſt be ſalved up by puniſhment. Should God puniſh meerly from his Will, then it ſeems, Sin or no Sin, is all one to him. God is in his own Nature no more moved with Impieties and helliſh Blaſphemies, than if there were none; the puniſhing them or abſolving them is but an indifferent thing. Socinus upon that Text, abſolvendo non abſolvet, ſaith, That God, as propenſe as he is to mercy and forgiveneſs, abſolves no rebels and impenitent perſons remaining in that eſtate: Yet, if he might pardon without a Satisfaction, might he not do it without Repentance alſo? The very Pagans knew foreign, the juſt judgment of God, or that he would puniſh ſin; and this not from the reveiled Will of God, but from the natural Principles and Sculptures graven in their hearts; which ſhews that the puniſhment is not meerly from God's Will. If Sin could have been pardoned without Satisfaction, why was the only beloved Son of God made a Curſe? Why did he fear, and tremble, and bow, and ſweat, and pray, and die upon a Croſs, as the Dr. pathetically expreſſes his Paſſion? It ſeems all p. 48this might have been ſpared. But ſaith the Author, All Mankind hath accounted it an act of goodneſs to remit injuries, without exacting puniſhment; and he is ſo far from being just, that he is cruel and ſavage, who will remit no offence, till he hath ſatisfied his revenge: That part of Justice, which conſiſts in puniſhing offenders, was always look'd on as an inſtrument of Government; and therefore the exacting or remitting puniſhment was referred to the wiſdom of Governours, who might ſpare or puniſh as they ſaw reaſon for it. Unto which I anſwer, The Compariſon between God and Man holds not in all things: A Man may renounce his Dominion over his Servant, but God cannot renounce his Dominion over his Creature; that, whileſt a Creature, muſt be ſubject unto him. A man (ſaith the Author) is cruel, who will remit no offence till he hath ſatisfied his revenge: But, I hope, God is not ſo, who never did, hath or will remit any the leaſt offence without ſatisfaction; a man may remit a private offence without it, but may a Magiſtrate remit a publick one in all caſes? No, ſurely, ſometimes Juſtice and the Common Good calls for puniſhment; Deus non vult, ut Princeps p. 49ſcelerato Legum publicarum violatori poenam commeritam remittat, ſaith the Learned Camero: God is here conſidered as a Magiſtrate, as the great Judge of the World, and that he cannot remit without ſatisfaction, is not out of Impotence, or Cruelty, but becauſe of the ſupreme Perfection of his Juſtice and Sanctity.

After the terrible diſcovery of the Naturalneſs of God's Juſtice, Mr. Sherlock.the Doctor makes ſome amends for it; for now in Chriſt, the Nature of God is diſcovered to be love and kindneſs; a happy change this, from all Juſtice to all Love! But how comes this to paſs? why, the account is very plain, becauſe the Juſtice of God hath glutted it ſelf with revenge on ſin, in the Death of Chriſt: And a little after; God is Love and Patience, when he hath taken his fill of revenge, as others uſe to ſay, that the Devil is very good, when he is pleaſed.

What!Anſwer doth God glut himſelf with Revenge? or is he, as the Devil good when he is pleaſed? I tremble at the Expreſſions, and verily believe, that the Dr. would have laid down his neck upon the Block before he would have uttered them. Revenge or Vengeance in God is nothing but pure immaculate p. 50Juſtice: Glutting with Revenge is an Expreſſion fit for malicious Men, or for Devils rather, but not at all for God: God out of Chriſt is a conſuming Fire, but in Chriſt a gracious Father, reconconciling the World unto himſelf. Not that there is a change in the unchangeable One; but, according to his wiſe and gracious Decree, his Juſtice was ſatisfied in Chriſt, and through that Satisfaction his Love and Kindneſs ſweetly ſtream out to Men: He that dares deny this muſt forfeit his Chriſtianity. But if the Dr. did not utter theſe horrid words, may any ſuch thing be drawn from him by conſequence? This the Author would hint; for ſaith he, The Dr. ſpeaks very honourably of God; Whatever, ſaith the Dr. diſcoveries were made of the Patience and Lenity of God unto us, yet if it were not withal reveiled, that the other Properties of God, as his Juſtice and Revenge for ſin, had their actings aſſigned them to the full, there could be little Conſilation gathered from the former; That is, ſaith the Author, he would not believe God himſelf, though he ſhould make never ſo many Promiſes of Grace to ſinners, unleſs he were ſure, that he had first ſatisfied his revenge. To which I anſwer, p. 51Doth the Dr. by [Diſcoveries] intend Promiſes of Graces? No certainly: In his very entrance into the Diſcourſe of Patience, he tells us his Deſign, viz. to prove, That the Glimpſes of Patience ſhining out in works of Providence are exceedingly beneath the diſcovery of it which we have in Chriſt; and both before and after the words quoted, he gives Inſtances of Gods Goodneſs in the Rain & fruitful ſeaſons, & he ſhews what kind of Patience he intends, that is, A not immediate puniſhing upon the offence, not a word or tittle of Promiſes: Neither is it at all imaginable that he could mean them; for he, who holds a neceſſity of Satisfaction, as the Dr. doth, could not ſo much as think one ſingle thought of a Promiſe to be the object of his Faith, or indeed at all to be, without a crucified Chriſt, in whom God's Juſtice was ſatisfied. And for the Glimpſes of Patience ſhining out in Works of Providence, which are common even to the poor Pagans, I may well ſay, that they are little, very little conſolations in compariſon of thoſe which Chriſtians have: Pagans may ſee God forbearing, but Chriſtians ſee him fully ſatisfied in the Blood of Chriſt: Pagans ſee God forbearing, but they p. 52cannot tell how long he may do ſo, or how ſoon his wrath may come daſhing down upon them; but Chriſtians know that they are delivered from the wrath to come, and ſo God's Patience is very ſweet to them. But the Author goes on in his charge: The Doctor ſaith, that the nature and end of God's Patience and Forbearance, is, God's taking a courſe in his infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs, that we ſhould not be deſtroyed notwithſtanding our ſins; the Justice of God being ſatisfied, the greateſt ſins can do us no hurt, we ſhall eſcape notwithstanding our ſins: But the Goſpel inſtructs us, That without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God: Thus the Author. To which I anſwer. Surely we ſhall eſcape notwithſtanding our ſins, or elſe we cannot eſcape without pure ſinleſs perfection, and notwithſtanding our greateſt ſins, or elſe they exceed Gods Mercy and Chriſt's Merit: But what, without Repentance and Holineſs? No, by no means, the Doctor means no ſuch matter, but ſaith expreſly, That the end of Gods patience is, that his Will concerning our Repentance and Salvation may be accompliſhed, and quotes that of St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.9. God is long-ſuffering to us ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all p. 53ſhould come to repentance; and ſurely where true Repentance is, holineſs of Life will follow.

As for the Wiſdom of God, Mr. Sherlock.no doubt but the Goſpel of Chriſt makes glorious diſcoveries of it; but if Juſtice be ſo natural to God, that nothing could ſatisfie him but the death of his Son, the Redemption by Chriſt may diſcover his Juſtice or Goodneſs, but not his Wiſdom; It requires no great Wiſdom to chuſe, when there is but one poſſible way.

No doubt,Anſwer. untraceable is the Wiſdom hid in Redemption, great the Myſtery, God manifeſt in the Fleſh: And what if there were but one poſſible Way of Redemption or Salvation, and that only in and by the ſatisfactory Death of Chriſt? Is this an Eclipſe of the divine Wiſdom? No, that one poſſible Way lay ſo deep, that no wiſdom of Men or Angels could have ſtarted a thought of it; nothing leſs than the infinite Wiſdom of God could have found it out, or brought it forth to the World.

Upon the Doctors words,Mr. Sherlock. We learn our diſability to anſwer the Mind and Will of God, in all or any of the obedience he requireth, the Author adds, that is, It is impoſſible for us to do any p. 54thing that is good, but we muſt be acted as Machins by an external force, by the irreſiſtible power of the Grace and Spirit of God; this is a new diſcovery, we learn no ſuch thing from the Goſpel. And pag. 109. the Author ſaith, After all the noiſe they make about coming to Christ, they mean being carried thither by an omnipotent and irreſiſtible power; and to the ſame purpoſe in other places.

That there is ſuch a thing as irreſiſtible Grace,Anſwer. ſuch as ſurely arrives at the Effect, is a great Truth; the Goſpel ſhews forth the Glory of it, there it is ſet forth thus: It takes away the ſtony Heart, that is, the very reſiſting Principle: It writes the Law in the Heart, that is, it gives ſuch an inward Principle, as anſwers to the outward Command: It draws, opens, quickens, regenerates, new-creates and conquers the Heart, carrying it away by a tranſlation into the Kingdom of Chriſt: It gives the very Willing, the very Believing, the very Acting, cauſing us to walk in his Statutes; and all this in a way of Power, greatneſs, and exceeding greatneſs of Power, ſuch as raiſed up Chriſt from the dead, Fph. 1.19. And if this be not irreſiſtible Grace, I know not what is. St. Austin clearly p. 55owns ſuch a Grace,De Praed. Sanct. c. 8. Haec Gratia (ſaith he) quae occultè humanis cordibus divinâ largitate tribuitur, à nullo duro corde reſpuitur; Ideò quippe tribuitur, ut cordis duritia primitùs auferatur. The Fathers in the Arauſican Council tell us, That believing, willing, deſiring, endeavouring, labouring, watching, praying, ſeeking, knocking, and all is from Grace, Can. 6. And that we may know how the Work of Grace is wrought, they call it, Mutatio dextrae excelſi, A Change wrought by the right hand of the moſt High, Can. 15. Our Church, in the Homily concerning the Coming down of the holy Ghoſt, ſpeaking of the Conception of the Lord Chriſt, as a marvellous matter, adds, But where the holy Ghoſt worketh, there nothing is impoſſible, as may farther appear by the inward Regeneration and Sanctification of Mankind; and withal calls Regeneration or the new Birth, The Great Power of the holy Ghoſt. The incomparable Biſhop Ʋſher aſſerts,Myſt. of Incarn. pag. 43. That no leſs power is requiſite to the effecting of the new Creature, than was at firſt to the producing of all things out of nothing; and what can this be leſs than an irreſiſtible Grace? Should there be only reſiſtible Grace, thoſe Prayers in Scripture, Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, p. 56Jer. 31.18. and, Turn us unto thee, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned, Lam. 5.21. muſt have but a ſick Conſequence; And thoſe two great Petitions in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy Will be done, ſeem, as Mr. Rous obſerves, to run after this rate, Lord, let thy Kingdom be at my pleaſure, and thy Will at the will of my Free-will, whether that ſhall come, or this be done. In very deed, the great Deſign of a Church to be purchaſed by Chriſt's Blood, gathered by his holy Spirit, and crowned with Glory in Heaven, though it cannot but be more eſtimable than all the Providences in Nature, muſt be a meer Pendant on the fickle Will of Man. But the Author urges upon the Doctor, That it is impoſſible for us, according to his Principles, to do any thing that is good, that is, I ſuppoſe without Faith in Chriſt, without which, our Church in her Homily of good Works declares, that no good work can be done: I take it for a very Truth, That from the firſt good Thought to the laſt Act of an holy Life, all that is truly good muſt come from Grace: But, ſaith the Author, This turns us into meer Machins; and pag. 379. he gloſſes upon one of his Oppoſites, as if Chriſt were p. 57to make us willing againſt our will: Unto which I anſwer, The very ſame was caſt into St. Auſtin's diſh by the Pelagians; Sub nomine, inquiunt, Ad Boniſacdib. 2. cap. 5.Gratiae it a ſatum aſſerunt, ut dicant, quia niſi Deus invito & reluct anti homini inſpir averit boni & ipſius imperfecti cupiditatem, nec à malo declinare, nec bonum poſſet arripere: To which, as a meer Calumny, St. Auſtin returns, That a man may as well call St. Paul, fati aſſertorem, for ſaying, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. Indeed it is a very ſtrange charge; doth Grace deſtroy Nature, or may we be willing againſt our Will? It is impoſſible: That of the Schoolman may reconcile the matter, Voluntas humana induci poteſt ab agente creato, mutari ab agente increato, Bona… in …. 2.25.cogi à nullo: The Will, without ceaſing to be it ſelf, cannot be compelled; but Grace changes it without Coaction, breaks off its Chains without deſtroying its Liberty, and per ſuaviſſimam omnipotentiam makes the unwilling Will willing.

But ſtill there is a more glorious Diſcovery behind, that is, Mr. Sherlock.The glorious end whereunto Sin is appointed and ordained, (I ſuppoſe the Dr. means by God) p. 58is diſcovered in Chriſt, viz. for the demonſtration of God's Vindictive Juſtice in meaſuring out to it a juſt recompenſe of reward, and for the praiſe of Gods glorious Grace in the pardon and forgiveneſs of it; that is, It could not be known how just and ſevere God is, but by puniſhing ſin; nor how good and gracious God is, but by pardoning it: And therefore leſt his Justice and Mercy ſhould never be known to the World, he appoints and ordains Sin to this edd, that is, Decrees that men ſhall ſin, that he may make ſome veſſels of wrath, and others veſſels of mercy: This is a Diſcovery which Nature and Revelation could not make; for Nature would teach us, that ſo infinitely a glorious Being as God is, needs not ſin and miſery to recommend his Glory and Perfections; and that ſo holy a God, who ſo perfectly hates every thing that is wicked, would not truckle with Sin and the Devil for his glory; and that ſo good a God had much rather be glorious in the happineſs and perfection and obedience of his Creatures, than in their ſin and miſery: And Revelation tells us the ſame thing, That God delights not in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould return and live, that is, He had rather there were p. 59no occaſion for puniſhing, than be made glorious by ſuch acts of vengeance: Vindictive Juſtice and pardoning Mercy are but ſecondary Attributes of the Divine Nature, and therefore God cannot primarily deſign the glorifying of them; for that cannot be without deſigning the ſin and miſery of his Creatures, which would be inconſiſtent with the goodneſs and holineſs of his Nature. And afterwards pag. 57. He appointed ſin for the glory of his Juſtice and Grace, and (ſince nothing can withſtand the Decrees of God) it pleaſed God that Man ſhould ſin, but when he hath ſinned, he is extremely diſpleaſed with it, and now his Justice muſt be ſatisfied: This falls hard on thoſe miſerable Wretches, whoſe ill fortune it was, without any fault of theirs, to be left out of the Roll of Election, and who have no way to ſatisfie divine Juſtice, but by their eternal torments.

It is, I ſuppoſe, agreed by all, that God did willingly permit the entry of ſin upon the World of Angels and Men: he could have kept all the Angels up in their primitive Station, and then there would have been no Tempter to Man; or, had their been one, he could have ſent the holy Angels to warn him from the late downcaſt of their fellows, againſt p. 60his own, and to tell him, that the poyſon would come from the Serpent; or, if not that, he could have ſent him ſuch ſtrong auxiliaries of Grace as ſhould have out wreſtled the temptation; he could, no doubt, as eaſily as he confirms the Saints and Angels in Heaven; he could for ever have barred out ſin, but he would not, he freely ſuffered it to come in, only the queſtion is, How he did it? Whether there be only a nude Permiſſion, ſuch as leaves the event pendulous and uncertain, till Man's Will hath determined; or whether there be a Preordination of the Event, ſo that it falls out infallibly, Deo permittente and Creatura liberè agente? Two things conſtrain me to believe the latter: The one is this, That without a Preordination, the Event of ſinful Actions muſt be caſual, and what then ſhall become of Providence? The Moments, which hang upon thoſe Events, are great and weighty. Multitudes of Angels, Courtiers of Heaven, turn Apoſtates; out of their Fall comes a Tempter, who at one blow draws Man and all his Poſterity into ſin; that entring into the world makes way for a glorious Redemption by Chriſt: The Four firſt p. 61Monarchies rowl about upon the Luſts and Ambitions of Men; The poor Church, like the Ark, floats upon the waters, and now and then a ſtorm of perſecution comes daſhing down upon it; Errors and Hereſies ſucceſſively break forth as ſo many Torrents ready to carry away every Article of our Creed, and what mighty Concerns are theſe? Admirable are the Methods and Myſteries of Providence in and about ſuch Events; Joſeph's Brethren ſell him into Egypt, and the Church is provided for in the famine; Abſolon goes in to his Fathers Concubines,, and David is viſited for his Adultery; Judah and Tamar commit Inceſt, and this way came the holy One into the fleſh; The wicked Jews crucifie the Son of God, and out comes the great Work of Redemption; Perſecutors ſcatter the Church, and God by this means ſcatters the Goſpel, Act. 8. In ſuch Actions as theſe the Light ſhines out of Darkneſs; God's Mercy, Juſtice, Wiſdom, Holineſs, Power, break forth out of Man's Cruelty, Injuſtice, Folly, Filthineſs and Weakneſs: In every Ataxy God hath a ſecret Order; either an Order of Penalty, Sin puniſhing Sin; or an Order of Conducibility, Good p. 62coming out of Evil. Nullum eſt malum in mundo (ſaith profound Bradwardine) quod non eſt propter aliquod magnum bonum, & forſitan propter aliquod majus bonum. The Concerns being ſo great, ſit down and conſider; May ſuch Events be caſual? Did Angels and Man fall by chance, or could that Providence, which is waky over Hairs and Sparrows, ſleep over ſuch a Concern? Or if it could, muſt not the great work of Redemption, pendent on a caſual Fall, be caſual alſo? May Fortune ring the changes over Empires and Churches, or caſt out Perſecutions and Hereſies, as roving Meteors to do her pleaſure? May lots be caſt upon the Genealogy and Paſſion of Chriſt, or the Acts of Gods Mercy, Juſtice, Wiſdom, Holineſs and Power ſhining out in ſuch Events hang upon a Peradventure? May the All-wiſe and Almighty God ſit, complicatis manibus & oculis conniventibus, as Amyraldus ſpeaks, whileſt ſuch vaſt and wonderful Concerns are in agitation? Methinks no ſober Man can in Reaſon think it credible. For my own part, did I once believe a Lottery of ſuch Events, I ſhould think that my next Fancy would be, That Epicurus his Atoms by a lucky Hit made up that p. 63World, which is ſo fortuitouſly governed in the very great Concerns of it: He that allows not a determining ſtroke of Providence in ſuch things, May, as Biſhop Davenant ſaith, avoid the ſuſpicion of Stoiciſm or Manicheiſm, but very hardly of Atheiſm. This is the firſt thing: Theſe Events, if unordained, muſt needs be caſual, and without a Providence. Neither is this to be ſalved by Divine Preſcience; Preſcience, as it is infallible, is of things future and of determinate Verity; and caſual unordained Events, not being ſuch, are no fit Object for it: This made Epiſcopius doubt, whether Preſcience or at leaſt the knowledge of it were neceſſary. But might ſuch a thing be of meer Caſuals, yet Preſcience is not Providence. Had the Epicurean Atoms rallied themſelves into a World, the Event, though foreſeen, could not have been claimed by Providence as its own, but muſt have been left to thoſe Ethnick Names of Chance or Fortune; and to the ſame, muſt every unordained Event be left, over which there is nothing but meer Preſcience. The other thing, which conſtrains my Belief, is, That the holy Scripture, from whence we muſt take our trueſt Meaſures, expreſly, emphatically p. 64own ſuch a Preordination of the Event; not to inſiſt on that Counſel of Ahitophel, which yet obſervably hits the Mark, only as God will have it, to chaſtiſe David in the Concubines, but not to deſtroy him in the purſuit; I ſhall inſtance in others; God turned his heart to hate his people, Pſal. 105.25. God put it into their hearts to give their kingdom unto the Beaſt, Rev. 17.17. It was of the Lord to harden their hearts, Joſh. 11.20. The cauſe was from the Lord, that Rehoboam hearkened not, 1 Kings 12.15. Touching Abſolon's Inceſt, God ſaith, I will do it, 2 Sam. 12.12. Touching the lying Spirit, he ſaith, Go, and thou ſhalt prevail, 1 Kings 22.22. Antiochus tears and blaſphemes like a Devil, but that which was determined was done, Dan. 11.36. The Jews cruciſie the Lord of Glory, but God's hand and God's counſel had determined it, Act. 4.28. In ſuch pregnant Scriptures can there be any thing leſs than a determining Providence, or what other interpretation is tolerable? May we interpret ſuch emphatical places only of a nude Permiſſion, which leaves the Event pendulous and incertain? It cannot be;De Scient. 219. the very Jeſuite Ruiz will here confeſs, Dei voluntate, decreto, conſilio, p. 65definitione fieri peccatorum actiones ſignificat Scriptura: But, which is more valuable than Ruiz, the Senſus fidelium (which is one of the beſt Interpreters of Scripture) runs this way: It was not you that ſent me, ſaith Joſeph: The Lord hath taken away, ſaith Job: The Lord hath ſaid, Curſe, ſaith David: Thou haſt ordained them for judgment, ſaith Habbakkuk of the Chaldees: Still they look up to the hand of Providence in ſuch Events. And in truth, what elſe can they do in ſuch caſes? May they fear, truſt in, or depend on Man? He is but a Creature, and there is a Curſe in it: Shall they fear, truſt in, or depend upon God? A God he is, but ſuch Events fall not under his Providence. In a word; Theſe things give me ſuch ſatisfaction in this Point, that if Humane Reaſon could object what I could not anſwer, I ſhould yet adhere to the Truth, ſaying with St. Auſtin, Petrus negat, Latro credit, O altitudo! quaeris tu rationem, ego expaveſcam altitudinem; tu diſputa, ego credam. However I ſhall conſider what the Author ſaith; and firſt he tells us, That ſuch an ordaining is not conſistent with Gods Holineſs: To which I anſwer, I confeſs this Objection in the Remonſtrants p. 66look'd to me, primâ facie, as a piece of Tenderneſs towards God, leſt any blot ſhould light on the holy One; they frame God's Decrees upon Preſcience, and ſuffer Man's Will to go formoſt in the Event of ſinful Acts: But remembring, that even in the Event of good Actions, they frame Gods Decrees upon Preſcience alſo, and let Man's Will take the Primacy, it appeared to me, that the great Center of all was no other than the Will of Man; and from ſuch a Center, I deſpaired that any Divine Attribute ſhould be truly glorified. Indeed, after the Scripture hath ſo often and pregnantly aſſerted a determining Providence over ſuch Events, for man to ſay, That God is holier than ſo, is a piece of fondneſs like that of the Maſoreths, who in the Hebrew Bible have put in ſome words in the Margin, as cleanlier than thoſe in the Text: Nothing can be vainer than to imagine that Man ſhould be able to draw the Picture of God's Holineſs fairer than he himſelf hath done in Scripture; or that what is ſpoken there touching his Providence, ſhould in the leaſt reflect upon his Holineſs. But for a fuller Anſwer, I ſay, Gods Providence, which in ſinful Actions, is, as I take it, operative p. 67of the Entity, permiſſive of the Malice, diſpoſitive of the Order, & preordinative of the Event, doth in none of theſe caſt any blot on his Holineſs. As to the Entity, God acts but as becomes the Firſt Cauſe; Arminius himſelf would have it, Ʋt totus act us ritè Providentiae ſubjiciatur, quà actus efficienti, quà peccatum permittenti Providentiae. As to the Malice, God is but a Permiſſor: Sin in the abſtract hath only a deficient Cauſe, viz. the Creature, that, as defectible in it ſelf, hath redire ad non eſſe à ſel, and, as under a Law diſtinct from it ſelf, may fall ſhort of it: But God, who hath no other Law but his own Perfection, and can no more decline from his Rectitude than his Being, is a meer Permiſſor. As to the Order, God diſpoſes it; here inſtead of a Blot, the Glory of God breaks forth, in that he hath his holy Line in the midſt of the Ataxies of men; either an Order of Penalty, ſuch as becomes him as the Prima Justitia; or an Order of Coducibility, ſuch as ſutes him as the Prima Sapientia. In the Sale of Joſeph Man was cruel, but God merciful: In the Act of Judah and Tamar, Man was unclean, but God holy, aiming at the Meſſiah in it: In p. 68Rehoboam's rough Anſwer, Man was fooliſh, but God wiſe, to accompliſh his word: In the Aſſyrian Tyranny, Man was unjuſt, but God righteous to correct his people: In the ſtrong Deluſions ſent to thoſe that love not the Truth, Man was weak, but God ſtrong in Spiritual Judgements; and, to name but one more: In the Crucifixion of Chriſt, there was Malice, Blood and Wickedneſs on Man's part, but Love, Juſtice and Righteouſneſs on God's; one Attribute or other of his glitters in the Event, with no more taint than is upon the pure Sun-beams by their converſe in unclean places. It's true, God needs not Sin to recommend his Glory, no, nor Virtue or Holineſs in the Creature; but ſure he uſes Sin that way, and that ſo holily, that it deſerves a more reverent Expreſſion than trucking with ſin and the Devil. As to the Event God preordains it. I confeſs the Event of ſinful Actions is evil in it ſelf, but in ſome reſpect it may be good to a third perſon:Confeſſ. li. 9. cap. 8. A railing Servant wrought a cure upon Monica, as St. Austin relates: Nay, in ſome caſe it may be good to the ſinner;De Civit. l. 14. c. 13. Audeo dicere ſuperbis eſſe utile, cadere in aliquod apertum manifeſtúmque peccatum, unde ſibi diſpliceant, qui jam p. 69ſibi placendo ceciderant, ſaith the ſame Author: And again on thoſe words, Omnia cooperantur in bonum, Rom. 8. he adds, Etiam ſi deviant & exorbitent, De Correp. cap. 9.hoc ipſum eis faciat proficere in bonum, quia humliores redeunt & doctiores; But however the Event be evil to the ſinner, it is not ſo to God as Ordinator. The Event of Adam's Fall was evil to him, but, as it made way for the Redeemer, was not ſo to God; which made one cry out, O foelix culpa, quae tantum meruit Redemptorem! The Event of the vile Affections in the Gentiles was evil to them, but, as it was punitive of their Idolatry, was not ſo to God: Hence St. Auſtin ſaith elegantly, Tradit Deus in paſſiones ignominiae, Contr. Jul. lib. 5.ut fiant quae non conveniunt, ſed ipſe convenienter tradit; even thoſe inconvenient Affections were convenient for Gods Juſtice to inflict on them. Is it not good that Sin ſhould be puniſhed with Sin? The Scripture plainly affirms it; and if the Event may be good as to God, becauſe of the Order of juſt penalty, why may it not be ſuch becauſe of the Order of wiſe Conducibility? God by his holy Ordination foreign,Dion. de Div. Nom. cap. 4: as far as that Ordination is: Hence the Apoſtle puts a foreign upon the p. 70Event of Hereſies;Dial. de Ver. cap. 8. and Anſelm puts a Debet eſſe upon the Event of Sin; and St. Auſtin lays it down clearly,Euch. cap. 96. Ʋt ſent & mala bonum eſt, aliter nullo modo eſſe ſinerentur ab omnipotente bono; every thing is good ſo far as ordinated by him: In this ſence the Medes are God's ſanctified ones without ſanctity in themſelves, and Events are good without goodneſs in themſelves; that which is evil in Specie, may be good in Ordine, and ſo far as it is good, it is a fit Object for his Will; eſpecially ſeeing it is ordained to come to paſs, Deo permittente on the one hand, and Creaturâ liberè agente on the other. On ſuch Terms as theſe, I may ſay, Deo ordinante, pulchra ſunt omnia. But, ſaith the Author, The Creature cannot act freely, for nothing can withſtand the Decrees of God. To which I anſwer, Gods Providence is ever ſalvative of the Creatures Liberty, inferring not a neceſſity of Coaction, but Immutability: Inſtances in Scripture are abundant; Antiochus blaſphemes according to his own will, yet it was determined, Dan. 11.36. The Chaldees march in violence and in the pomp of freedom, inſomuch that the Text ſaith, That their judgment and dignity proceeded of themſelves, p. 71yet God had ordained them for judgment, Hab. 1. The Kings in Revel. 17. gave their Kingdom to the Beaſt, and what freer than gift? yet God put in their hearts to do ſo: The Jews freely crucified Chriſt, yet God's hand and counſel was in it. After ſuch pregnant Scriptures, ought we not to acquieſce in this Truth, That God's Decree and Man's Liberty may conſiſt together. Cajetan is an excellent Pattern for us, who, laying down the Common Opinion, That Humane Acts are evitable as to us, but inevitable as to Providence; and then mentioning ſome diſtinctions to reconcile the matter, piouſly concluded, that he would captitivate his Uunderſtanding in obſequium fidei; and ſo we ſhould all. Having ſo prolixly ſpoken of the Ordination of ſuch Events, a very little may ſerve as to the End; when God preordains ſuch Events, to be ſure he doth it in great Wiſdom and Reaſon, ſome End there is in it: If any will ſay, it was done, quià Voluit, I am content, his Will is never irrational; if he will ſay further, that it was for his Glory, I am ſatisfied, that is the ſupreme End; if he will yet go on and ſay, it was for the manifeſtation of his Juſtice and Mercy, I cannot p. 72tell how to aſſign a better End; if the after-uſe made of Sin may interpret God's meaning, that ſhews forth the Illuſtration of both thoſe Attributes: The Apoſtle tells us, That God is willing to ſhew his wrath and power in ſome, and to make known the riches of his glory in others, Rom. 9. Suppoſe there were no Ordination, but only a nude Permiſſion, a man may ask, Why did God permit ſuch an Apollyon as Sin to enter the World? Why ſuffered he ſo many glorious Angels to fall into ſin, and immediately, without any place for Repentance, to ſink into Chains of Darkneſs for ever? There is ſcarce any appearance but of meer Sovereignty & Juſtice in it: Why ſuffered he Man and all his Poſterity with him to fall into ſin and wrath? It is plain, that the work of Redemption, in which Juſtice and Mercy were both ſhewed forth, was uſhered in upon it. It's true, as the Scripture ſaith, That God delights not in the death of a ſinner; not in death, as it is the miſery of the Creatute; not in the death of a repenting ſinner, his Repentance, which is there oppoſed to Death, is more grateful: However, the ſins of men fall under his Providence, and, without repentance, their p. 73death, as an act of Juſtice, wil be grateful to him, inſomuch that he will laugh at it, Prov. 1. There are behind yet two other Expreſſions; the one puts the Doctor's Opinion into odious colours, after this manner: It pleaſed God that Man ſhould ſin, but when he had ſinned, he is exceedingly diſpleaſed at it: But upon the very opening of it, all vaniſhes into nothing; God's holy Ordination was his pleaſure, but Man's Sin is hateful and provocative of wrath. This cannot be ſtrange to any one verſed in Scripture: The Aſſyrian Tyrant was the Staff and the Rod in Gods hand, ſent by him againſt his people; yet when the work was done, God would puniſh the fruit of his ſtout heart, and kindle a fire under his Glory: Gods Hand and Gods Counſel was in the Crucifixion of Chriſt, and yet what an horrible tempeſt of wrath came down on the Jews for it? The other Expreſſion is this; This falls hard upon thoſe miſerable wretches, who without any fault of theirs were left out of the Roll of Election: To which I anſwer; It is very hard if God may not have his Royal Prerogative of putting in or leaving out whom he pleaſes in the Book of Life; the Apoſtle is clear, He p. 74will have mercy on whom he will, & whom he will he hardens, Rom. 9. And if any murmur he muſt hear, Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God? As if the Apoſtle had ſaid. If thou hadſt, O Man, but any Sentiments of thy own Nothingneſs, or true Rayes of the divine Glory, thou wouldſt never dare to implead thy Maker: Thou wouldſt not endure to ſee a little Fly or Ant, had it Reaſon enough, to draw an Earthly Prince into queſtion, and wilt thou do ſo to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth? There is no Commune Jus, or Common Meaſure between him and thee to warrant ſuch a preſumption.

This is not enough,Mr. Sherlock. ſaid the Doctor, that we are not guilty, we muſt alſo be actually righteous; not only all ſin is to be anſwered for, but all righteouſneſs is to be fulfilled: Now this Righteouſneſs we find only in Chriſt, we are reconciled to God by his Death and ſaved by his Life; that actual Obedience he yielded to the whole Law of God is that Righteouſneſs whereby we are ſaved; we are innocent by virtue of his Expiation, and righteous with his Righteouſneſs. Upon which words the Author infers; This is a mighty comfortable diſcovery, how we may be p. 75righteous without doing any thing that is good or righteous; but the Goſpel tells us that he is righteous who doth righteouſneſs; that without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God; that the only way to obtain pardon of ſins, is to repent of and forſake them: The only thing that gives a right to the promiſes of future Glory is to obey the Laws and imitate the Example of our Saviour, and to be transformed into the Nature and likeneſs of God.

The Doctor is no enemy to Holineſs,Anſwer. but cannot aſſign it an Ʋbi in Juſtification; no more doth our Church, who, in the Homily touching the Salvation of Man, ſaith, All men are ſinners and breakers of the Law, therefore can no man by his own Acts, Works and Deeds (ſeem they never ſo good) be juſtified and made righteous before God, but every man is conſtrained to ſeek for another Righteouſneſs; which afterwards is declared to be Chriſt's fulfilling the Law and making ſatisfaction. In Juſtification no other Righteouſneſs can take place but that Active and Paſſive one of Chriſt, which anſwers the pure and righteous Law in every point: He that doth righteouſneſs is righteous, that is, his doing ſhews, but doth not make him righteous in Juſtification. Repentance p. 76is an Evangelical Condition, but no Cauſe of Pardon: Holineſs and Obedience are the way to Glory, but not the Cauſe of it: A Transformation into God's Image makes us meet for Heaven, but the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone purchaſed a Title for us. As to what the Author adds, Though our Obedience be not perfect, if it be ſincere, we ſhall be accepted for the ſake of Chriſt; I anſwer, Our Obedience is accepted, but not to be the matter of our Juſtification; Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone is that which anſwers the Law for us.

The third part of our Wiſdom is to walk with God,Mr. Sherlock. ſaith the Doctor, and to that is required Agreement, Acquaintance, a Way, Strength, Boldneſs, and aiming at the ſame Ends; and all theſe with the Wiſdom of them are hid in the Lord Jeſus: The ſum of which, ſaith the Author, in ſhort is this, That Chriſt having expiated our ſins, and fulfilled all righteouſneſs for us, though we have no perſonal righteouſneſs of our own, but are as contrary to God as darkneſs is to light, and death to life, and an univerſal polution to an univerſal holineſs, and hatred to love; yet the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is a ſufficient, nay, the only foundation of our agreement; and upon that p. 77of our walking with God; though St. John tells us, If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him and walk in darkneſs, we lye and do not the truth.

Chriſt the ſufficient and only Foundation?Anſwer. No doubt he is ſo; who can, who dares lay any other? Had not he ſatisfied divine Juſtice, there could have been no room for agreement or walking with God, but as curſed Exiles we muſt have gone to our own place in the loweſt Hell: But what Foundation is he? Is he ſuch an one, that prophane perſons, contrary to God, as Darkneſs to Light, Death to Life, Polution to Holineſs, and Hatred to Love, may, whileſt ſuch, agree or walk with God? Is he ſuch, that ſuch wicked ones, walking in darkneſs, may have fellowſhip with him, contrary to that of the Apoſtle? Or that ſuch may, as the Authors phraſe is, become bold, and look Justice in the face, and whet their knife at the Counter-door, all their debts being diſcharged by Chriſt? Doth the Dr. ſay ſo, or mean any ſuch thing? No ſurely; hear what he ſaith, not in remote places, but upon this very point: God is Light, we darkneſs, he Life, we dead ſinners, he Holineſs, we defiled, he Love, we hatred; ſurely this is no foundation p. 78of agreement, or upon that, of walking together; nothing can be more remote than this frame from ſuch a condition: The foundation then of this is laid in Chriſt, he is our peace, he ſlew the Enmity in his Body on the Croſs, he made an atonement with God; God lays down the Enmity on his part, and proceeds to ſlay the Enmity on ours: We receive the Atonement, lay down our Enmity to God, and have acceſs unto the Father: Christ gives us an Ʋnderſtanding to know him that is true; he conſecrates a new and a living way into the holiest of all; and this way is no other but himſelf, he is the Medium of communication between God and us; all influences of Love, Kingneſs, Mercy from God to us are through him; all our returns of Love, Delight, Obedience to God, are all through him; nay, all our Strength is from him, by the Spirit of life and power he bears us on Eagles Wings in the paths of walking with God; and in him we come to have an aim and deſign at Gods Glory. Thus and much more ſaith the Dr. in that place, his excellent words need no Apology; let the curious Palate taſte them at the Fountain, and then tell me, if there be any Tack or Tincture of thoſe black Conſequences hinted by p. 79the Author; if there be any print or footſtep of any ſuch thing as this, That profane men, without any perſonal ſanctity, in a ſtate of contrariety to God, may, whileſt ſuch, walk or have communion with him: Nay, let any unprejudiced Reader ſay, if the contrary do not appear; the Dr. ſaith, Nothing can be more remote than this frame from ſuch a condition, as agreement or walking with God; and as there are influences of Love, Kindneſs and Mercy from God ſo there are returns of Love, Delight, Obedience from us. Afterwards, the Dr. ſpeaking only of deſigning Gods glory, the Author with the ſame candor gloſſes thus; That is, I ſuppoſe, we deſign it by truſting to the Expiation and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, without doing any thing our ſelves; not a jot or tittle of this appears in the Doctor.

God (according to the Dr.) is ſo naturally juſt,Mr. Sherlock. that he could not pardon without Satisfaction; That is, ſaith the Author, he is ſo juſt, that he hath not one dram of Goodneſs in him, till is Vengeance be ſatisfied, which is a glorious kind of Juſtice.

What! not a dram of Goodneſs?Anſwer. How then did he ſend his Son into the World? Was there not a dram in that p. 80Act immenſe Love? Or did not that precede Satisfaction? Both are undeniable: If God's being ſo naturally juſt, as not to pardon without Satisfaction, argue that there is not a dram of Goodneſs in him before Satisfaction, what doth his being decretively ſo juſt? In this latter he might have waved ſuch a Decree, but he would not; neither doth he pardon any man without a Satisfaction.

Justice being ſatisfied, Mr. Sherlock.a comfortable Scene appears; now God embraces ſinners, and accounts them perfectly innocent in Chriſt's Satisfaction: But this is not enough, the Law muſt be fulfilled, as well as his Juſtice ſatisfied; we muſt be righteous as well as innocent; otherwiſe we may eſcape puniſhment, but can expect no reward: (though, I confeſs, I ſhould have thought, that Chriſt had ſatisfied for ſins of omiſſion together with ſins of commiſſion: And as by his ſatisfaction for doing what we ought not to do, we are reputed by God, as having never done any thing amiſs; ſo by his Satisfaction for our neglecting what we ought to have done, we might by the ſame reaſon be reputed by God perfectly righteous, to have done all that we ought, to have kept the whole Law; but it ſeems this was not ſufficient)… p. 81and therefore as Christs ſatisfaction is imputed to us for the forgiveneſs of ſins; ſo his righteouſneſs is imputed to us, to make us perfectly righteous.

God in his infinite wiſdom redeemed the world, in ſuch a way,Anſwer. as was perfectly completive of the Law; we in our lapſed eſtate were double debtors to the Law; as rational creatures we owed perfect Obedience, and as ſinful creatures, eternal ſufferings; the Law calls for puniſhment, but that is not all, it calls for perfect Obedience, that it did primarily before ſin entred, and that it doth unalterably: The afterſin did not diſſolve the obligation; Now Chriſts righteouſneſs was every way completive of the Law; as active, completive of the mandatory part of it, as paſſive, of the minatory; theſe two ought not to be divided or ſevered the one from the other: Now the Authors Argument, which is this, That his ſatisfaction being for all ſins of Omiſſion, as well as Commiſſion, muſt needs make us perfectly righteous; runs upon an Hypotheſis, which I think is not to be admitted: viz. That Chriſts ſatisfaction may be conſidered apart, or ſevered from his Obedience; his active and paſſive righteouſneſs both together, p. 82taken in conjunction, are, as I conceive, a perfect completure of the Law, and do both expiate our ſins, and make us perfectly righteous before God; But further, Innocent and Righteous are not altogether the ſame: Hear the eminent Dr. Featly, Sac. Nem. 33.34,There are two ſorts of cauſes in Courts of Juſtice, criminal and civil; in criminal its true, idem eſt eſſe inſontem & juſtum, it is all one to be innocent and juſt, but not in civil, where Juſtice hath reſpect to a reward; in that regard a guiltleſs man is not neceſſarily a juſt man, that is, a deſerving man; It was not enough for Demoſthenes to plead for Cteſiphon, that he was an harmleſs man, and therefore ought to have the Crown, but that he was a deſerving man, and by Law ought to have it. God is ſaid to be a righteous Judge, not only in inflicting puniſhments, but in conferring rewards, and Crowns of Glory: Juſtification hath reſpect to both; two queſtions are put to us at Gods Tribunal: Firſt, why ſhouldſt thou not be condemned to Hell for thy ſins? The anſwer is, Chriſt hath ſatisfied for me: Secondly, Why ſhouldst thou receive a Crown of Glory, ſith thou haſt not fulfilled the Law? The anſwer is, Chriſt hath fulfilled the Law for me; both theſe p. 83are expreſſed by Anſelm, in his Book de modo viſitandi infirmos, ſi dixerit, meruiſti damnationem, dic Domine, mortem Domini noſtri Jeſu Chriſti obtendo inter me & mala merita mea, ipſiuſque meritum offero pro merito, quod ego debuiſſem habere, nec haheo; He that is free from the guilt of all ſins of omiſſion, and commiſſion, is righteous in regard of puniſhment and guilt; but not ſo righteous, as to have a title to a Crown of Glory, the taking away of guilt doth not neceſſarily put merit: Thus that learned man. Our Church in the Homily of the ſalvation of mankind, puts Chriſts ſatisfaction, and his fulfilling the Law together in juſtification; not aſcribing all to ſatisfaction.

Now God and ſinners may agree very well, though they have guilt enough, Mr. Sherlock.and he juſtice enough to deſtroy a world; yet there is no danger, ſince Chriſt hath ſatisſied juſtice; and though he be infinitely holy, and ſinners abominably filthy, yet there is no fear he ſhould loath and abhor them, when they are cloathed with the white and ſpotleſs robes of Chriſts righteouſneſs: They are very ſecure, that neither their paſt ſins, nor preſent habitual impurities can do them any hurt, they ſhall be ſaved notwithstanding their ſins.

p. 84Thoſe who are in truth cloathed with Chriſt's righteouſneſs,Anſwer. are ſecure, if any thing can do it, againſt the wrath of God; But are thoſe rich robes worn by impenitent ſinners, rowling in their beloved luſts? Or do thoſe robes go alone without the ſanctifying Spirit? Who, among thoſe the Author oppoſes, ever ſpake or meant ſo? And why are ſuch odious hints caſt forth? The Papiſts indeed have charged ſome ſuch things upon Proteſtants in the point of juſtification, which made Chemnitius enter his proteſt thus,Exam. Cone. Trid. 129. Expreſſe damnamus Simonis Magi blaſphemiam, qui finxit hominibus gratis fide ſalvatis liberum eſse, ut agant quaecunque velint, ſeriò abhorremus à Baſilidis blaſphemiâ, qui finxit ita nos fide ſalvari, ut univerſa libido indifferenter uſurpari poſſit. But why one Proteſtant ſhould draw up ſuch a charge againſt another, I cannot but wonder; however the Author triumphantly concludes, Theſe are thoſe fundamental doctrines, with which theſe men have bleſſed the world, from a pretended acquaintance with Chriſts perſon; which ought to be called the Religion of Chriſts perſon, in oppoſition to the Religion of his Goſpel: To which I ſhall only ſay, that I leave others to judge, p. 85whether any ſuch thing as that oppoſition hath been made good hitherto.

Chriſt having ſatisfied and fulfilled the Law, we have nothing to do, Mr. Sherlock.but to get an interest in his ſatisfaction and righteouſneſs; he is very ignorant of Chriſt, who hopes that any thing elſe will avail him to ſalvation: All which the Author ſpeaks, as the ſence of his Oppoſites.

Is there nothing to do after getting into Chriſt? Who ever ſaid,Anſwer. or meant ſo? Is there no walking in Chriſt? Are there no fruits of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs to be brought forth? Or are thoſe meer unprofitable things, and of no avail? None of the Oppoſites ever owned any ſuch thing, however I confeſs none of our good works muſt take Chriſts Prerogative, or ſit down in the room of his merits and righteouſneſs.

Now that we may come to Christ, Mr. Sherlock.(ſaith the Author, pointing at his Oppoſites) It is abſolutely neceſſary, that we be ſenſible of our loſt condition; we must work our fancy into great terrors and agonies, and a diſmal fear of the wrath of God, and his natural justice; the ſpirit of bondage muſt go before the p. 86ſpirit of adoption, without this we ſhall never value Christ, the promiſe of eaſe is made to the weary, thoſe only ſhall be ſatisfied, who hunger and thirſt after imputed righteouſneſs; now being ſtung with ſin, it is time to look up to Chriſt to ſee his fulneſs and perfection.

All this in a Drollery!Anſwer. and are we come to that paſs, that we can ſport our ſelves at ſuch things as theſe? Need we prove that there are ſuch things as broken hearts, or repentant tears, or ſorrow for ſin? Are theſe the workings of fancy or imagination? When Geneſius was mocking on the Stage at the Chriſtian myſteries,Spond. Ann. Domini 303. he was on a ſudden ſo wrought on, by the Grace of God, that he did ſeriò agere quod jocis actitabat: May the Author ſpeed no worſe, while he makes himſelf merry with this, and other Divine things: Let us ſeriouſly conſider doth ſin hang ſo looſe on us, that we can ſhake it off eaſily without ſo much ſence or ſorrow? Are we ſo propenſe to Chriſt, that we will go to him without a feeling of our wants? Why, or wherefore ſhould we do ſo? Will we go to him for righteouſneſs, who can work out one at our fingers ends, or for regenerating grace, who can diſpatch the matter our p. 87ſelves, or for a ſupply of our wants, who feel no ſuch matter? Our Saviour ſpake indeed of the weary and heavy laden: Such as Grotius ſaith, Peccati onere ſuſpirant, & ad libertatem aſpirant: But according to our Author, it ſeems to ſignifie little; the Apoſtle ſpeaks of a ſpirit of bondage, but ſome it ſeems, never felt any ſuch thing: Afterwards the Author ſpeaking of their comforting Souls, afraid to come to Chriſt thus, Doth not God juſtifie the ungodly? Did Chriſt take our fleſh, and not our ſins upon him? Compare your diſtreſs and Chriſts compaſſion, your wants and Chriſts fulneſs, your unworthineſs and Chriſts freeneſs, &c. He adds, And now if Chriſt do not prevail above thy fears, thou art not worthy to be acquainted with him. But now let Mr. Shepherd that excellent practical Divine come upon the Stage.

If thou objecteſt (ſaith Mr. Shepherd) what have I to do with Chriſt?Mr. Sherlock. who have ſuch an unholy, vile, hard, blind, and moſt wicked heart; O diſhonour not the Grace of Chriſt, thou canſt not come to Chriſt, till laden and ſeparated from ſin, but no more ſorrow for ſin, no more ſeparation from ſin is neceſſary to this cloſing with p. 88Chriſt, than ſo much as makes thee willing, or rather not unwilling, that the Lord ſhould take it away; know if thou ſeekeſt for a greater meaſure of humiliation, thou ſheweſt the more pride, who will rather go into thy ſelf, to make thy ſelf holy and humble; than go out of thy ſelf unto the Lord Jeſus to take away thy ſin; thou thinkeſt Chriſt cannot love thee, until thou makeſt thy ſelf fair, upon which ſerious words, the Author after his merry way tells us, The reaſon of all this is very plain from our acquaitance with Christ; he is our Phyſician, and we muſt go to him with all our diſeaſes and ſores about us; he a fountain, and we muſt go to him with all our filthineſs, to be cleanſed; he is all fulneſs, it is not fit to carry any thing to him, he is our righteouſneſs, and we muſt leave our own behind us, he is all beauty, we muſt not carry any to him, all we have to do, is to go to Chriſt weary and ſick, and filthy, and naked, ſtript of every thing but our ſins and impurities, to receive eaſe and health, and fulneſs and beauty from him.

The Author hints, as if according to Mr. Shepherd, Anſwer.a man muſt go to Chriſt indulging his Luſts, and wallowing in them, with all his ſores running, p. 89and filthineſs allowed, but how untrue is this? Mr. Shepherd ſaith expreſly, Thou canst not come to Christ, till thou art loaden, and ſeparated from thy ſins; thou canſt not be ingraffed into this Olive, unleſs thou beest cut off from thy old root; thou must be made willing, or rather not unwilling, that the Lord ſhould take away thy ſin: To come weary and ſick, and naked to Chriſt, is not to come indulging our ſins, but groaning under them; if there be no wants or ſence of them, how or why ſhould we come to Chriſt? Should we come to him, to ſhew him the garments which nature made, the innate or acquiſite vertue, and excellency which is in us? Should we open our treaſures, and tell him that we are rich, and increaſed in Goods, and have need of nothing? this is the way to be ſpued out of his mouth: The Philoſopher being asked, what God was a doing, could ſay, that he was buſie in elevatione humilium, & ſuperborum dejectione: We muſt go to Chriſt weary and heavy laden under our ſins, but ſurely not ſtrip'd of them altogether; could we ſtrip off the guilt and power of theſe without Chriſt, we might be our own Saviours and Sanctiſiers, Chriſt would have little or p. 90nothing to do for us: But ſaith the Author, We muſt receive Chriſt by Faith, and then what a bleſſed change is there in us! For, though we continue as we were, we have all in Chriſt: What! may we receive Chriſt, and be as we were? Doth he bring nothing at all with him? May we receive him, and not have his righteouſneſs imputed, and his ſpirit imparted to us? It is utterly vain and impoſſible: But now a touch for worthy Mr. Watſon.

Chriſt,Mr. Sherlock. as Mr. Watſon hath it, ſaith to a believer, with my body, yea, with my blood I endow thee; and a believer ſaith to Chriſt, with my ſoul I thee worſhip; As if, ſaith the Author, Chriſt and a Believer were married by the Liturgy.

I ſuppoſe our Church intended ſome ſuch thing,Anſwer. and I mean it in good earneſt; for in the Communion Service, ſhe tells us, That we dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in us; we be one with Chriſt, and Chriſt with us; and excellently prayes, That our ſinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our Souls waſhed through his moſt pretious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us: Sure ſuch paſſages import a near Union and Communication between p. 91Chriſt and believers: But ſaith Mr. Watſon, When a Soul is united to Chriſt, no condemnation can fall upon him; a woman being married, her debts light upon her huſband: O bleſſed priviledge! ſaith the Author, And who would be afraid of running into debt with God, when he hath ſuch an Huſband to diſcharge all; and then how vile and impure ſoever men are, their comfort is, they are married to Chriſt, and his beauty is put upon them: To which I anſwer, No men are more afraid to run into debt with God, than thoſe, who taſte of that Grace, which forgives all; and drink of that blood, which pays for all: Our love to Chriſt is a pure principle of Obedience, and his love to us is a Divine inflammative of ours, becauſe he will diſcharge all, ſhall we be preſumptuous and extravagant? Some Gallants in Queen Elizabeths time, hoping for ſome Church-lands, run out deſperately, crying out, Solvat Eccleſia; but ſhall believers, who have paſt through the pangs of the new birth, and taſted the hidden Manna of Gods love, ſin on and ſay, Solvat Chriſtus? Nothing is, nor can be more unnatural, becauſe they know themſelves eſpouſed to ſuch an husband as Chriſt, p. 92ſhall they be adulterous? Becauſe Chriſt will be their friend, ſhall they be enemies? Theſe are ſtrange repugnancies indeed: As to what the Author adds, How vile and impure ſoever men are, their comfort is, they are married to Chriſt; thoſe words (how vile and impure ſoever men are) are none of Mr. Watſon's, but added by the Author; after which rate one may turn any thing into non ſence, or blaſphemy.

And to crown all, Mr. Sherlock.when they are once ingraffed into Chriſt, they are ſecure to eternity; Chriſt is not divided, a member cannot be lost, the union cannot be diſſolved.

This indeed is that,Anſwer. wherein the Covenant of Grace lifts it ſelf up above the Covenant of works; in that of works, the ſtock was in mans hand; but in this of Grace, it is in Gods; in that there was no promiſe of perſeverance, but in this there are many ſuch promiſes, God ſhall confirm you unto the end, 1 Cor. 1.8. He will put his fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from him. Jer. 32.40. The Apoſtle praying for the Theſſalonians, that they may be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of Chriſt, immediately p. 93adds, Faithful is he that calleth you. who alſo will do it. 1 Theſſ. 5.23, 24, Evidently God undertakes it, and engages his faithfulneſs in it; ſhall we take the matter out of Gods hand into our own, or turn about to the old Covenant? Shall we take theſe promiſes conditionally? Then we muſt utterly evacuate theſe promiſes; for they muſt run thus, if we will perſevere, we ſhall perſevere, and ſo much was true under the old Covenant, and without any promiſe at all: Mr. Watſon argues thus, If any branch be plucked away from Chriſt, it is either becauſe Chriſt is not able to keep it, or becauſe he is willing to loſe it: But ſaith the Author, May not ſin diſſolve the union? What if the believer will not ſtay with Chriſt? I anſwer, This doth not at all anſwer the Argument from Chriſts power; Hath he not power to prevent ſin from being, or from being final? Hath he not power to ſtrengthen believers, in that which is good, or if they lapſe, to raiſe them up again? If ſo, his promiſe cannot fail, his faithfulneſs will make it good; neither doth ſin committed, un-ſaint a believer, as the Author hints; this was the remarkable difference between the two Covenants; in Adam one ſin expelled p. 94perfect holineſs, but in believers it doth not extinguiſh inherent Grace, though imperfect; ſtill there is a ſeed of God abiding in them, a well of water ſpringing up unto everlaſting life; through Grace they ſhall be revived again: But ſaith Mr. Shepherd, Chriſt hath taken upon him to purge his Spouſe; upon which the Author, If ſhe be not purged, whoſe fault can it be but his own? To which I anſwer, Chriſt hath undertaken to purge believers, but not ſo as to prevent all lapſes; when they are purged, it is meerly of Grace, but when they ſin, it is of their own: By ſuch lapſes God lets them know, as he did Hezekiah, what is in their heart.

Let us now conſider the conſequential, Mr. Sherlock.conjugal affections, the Soul must be enamoured with Chriſt, ſick of love to him, he is maximè diligibilis, the very abſtract and quinteſſence af beauty; you muſt delight in his embraces, thirst after more intimate acquaintance with him, follow him from one ordinance to another, and never be ſatisfied unleſs you meet with him in ordinances, there they hear of his Beauty, Riches, Fulneſs, All-ſufficiency, of all truths they ſavour the truths of Chriſt beſt.

And what needs all this?Anſwer. Theſe p. 95truths are too plain to be denied, and too ſacred to be laughed at.

Such ſanctified Souls loath all dull, Mr. Sherlock.inſipid, moral diſcourſes, which are perpetually inculcating duty, and troubling them with a great many rules for a good life: Which Mr. Watſon calls the quaint points of virtue and vice. For this is not to enjoy Christ in ordinances.

I ſuppoſe they cannot loath diſcourſes of duty;Anſwer. For as our Author tells us a little after, they make Obedience to Chriſt their husband, a conjugal act, and in order to that they muſt hear of duty; Only I take it, they had rather hear duty ſpread before them, in a plain Scriptural dreſs, than in curious ſpeculations of meer humane reaſon: They would have duty inculcated, but not ſo perpetually, as to exclude the preaching up of that Divine Grace which enables thereunto, without this they deſpair of doing any thing aright; but ſaith the Author, It is very hard to find a proper place for Obedience in this new Religion; for this is not neceſſary at all, to our coming to Chriſt, and cloſing with him; nay, it is a great hinderance to it, for we muſt bring nothing to Chriſt with us, the marriage is conſummated without it, and then we have leſs need of p. 96it than before, for then we are adorned with Chriſts Beauty, holy with his holineſs, delivered by his expiation, righteous with his righteouſneſs, which gives us an actual right to Glory; we need no righteouſneſs of our own to ſave us, which were to ſuppoſe a defect in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; unto which I anſwer, Though a man, with his arms of rebellion in his hands, cannot poſſibly, whileſt in that poſture, cloſe with Chriſt; yet I take it, Faith, which eſpouſes Chriſt, doth precede true Obedience: Without faith, ſaith the Apoſtle, it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. Heb. 11.6. Without ſaith, ſaith our Church in the Homily of good works, All that is done of us is but dead before God, although the work ſeem never ſo gay and glorious before man, even as the picture graven or painted, is but a dead repreſentation of the thing it ſelf, ſo be the works of all unfaithful perſons before God, they do appear to be lively works, and indeed they be but dead, not availing to the everlasting life; they be but ſhadows and ſhews of lively and good things, and not good and lively things indeed, thus our Church excellently; which tells us what manner of Obedience we can bring to Chriſt: After our eſpouſals to Chriſt by faith, Obedience p. 97follows as a fruit and effect of Faith; though the Author faſten this opinion expreſly on thoſe whom he oppoſes, calling them in ſport, intimate acquaintances of Chriſt; yet our Church tells us in the twelfth Article, That good works do ſpring neceſſarily out of a true and lively Faith: Chriſts righteouſneſs makes us righteous in Juſtification, but doth it thence follow, that Obedience is needleſs? No ſure. It is a thing noted in the Papiſts, that they confound Juſtification and Sanctification together; but we muſt not do ſo, if it be neceſſary to do Gods will, or promote his Glory, or to give evidences of our Faith in, and gratitude to Chriſt; or to walk in the way to Heaven and Salvation, then ſuch is Obedience; but the Author cannot underſtand this gratitude, unleſs our Righteouſneſs and Obedience be due to Chriſt in thankfulneſs to him for ſaving us without Obedience and Righteouſneſs, which is juſt as broad, as long, and we get nothing by the bargain: To which I anſwer, our Obedience is a due gratitude to Chriſt, who ſaves us by his Blood and Righteouſneſs, and and that without a perfect, perſonal, ſinleſs Obedience in our ſelves; and withal, it is neceſſary as a proof of our p. 98faith, and as the way to Heaven, which our Saviour hath chalked out to us.

The Soul (ſaith Dr. Owen) conſents to take Chriſt on his own terms,Mr. Sherlock. to ſave him in his own way, and ſaith, Lord, I would have had thee and ſalvation in my way, that it might have been partly of mine endeavours, and as it were by the works of the Law; but I am now willing to receive thee, and to be ſaved in thy way, meerly by Grace, that is, Without doing any thing, without obeying of thee, as the Author doth interpret him.

Without doing any thing, Anſwer.without obeying of thee: Is this the Doctors meaning? Do his words import ſo? Nothing more remote from him; he ſhews how the Soul cloſes with Chriſt, and takes him on his own terms; it will not now be juſtified by its own works, or legal righteouſneſs, but by Chriſt and his righteouſneſs; it will not now endeavour in its own ſtrength, but under the duct of Grace; this is his plain meaning: For before the words quoted, he ſpeaks of accepting Chriſt as Lord and Saviour, and after them, of giving up our ſelves to be ruled by the Spirit, which cannot be without Obedience: p. 99Its true, the Author calls this a pretty complement, but the Doctor ſpeaks it as his ſerious judgment: In the eighth Chapter of the book quoted, he tells us, Obedience is indiſpenſibly neceſſary, if Gods Sovereignty is to be owned, if his Love to be regarded, if the whole work of the ever bleſſed Trinity for us, in us, be of any moment, our Obedience is neceſſary: Thus fully the Doctor, who yet is here conſtrued by the Author to exclude Obedience; what meaſure this is let others judge.

The Soul gives up it ſelf to be ruled by the Spirit of Christ, to be paſſively, Mr. Sherlock.not actively good, to ſubmit, as needs it muſt, to the irreſiſtible working of the Divine Spirit, and to obey, when it can rebel no longer: (Thus the Author ſports with his Oppoſites.)

Touching irreſiſtible Grace,Anſwer. I have ſpoken before; the Soul in the firſt act of Converſion is meerly paſſive, but after the Divine Principles infuſed, acta agit, it moves under the ſweet influences of the Spirit, without whoſe inſpiration, as our Church tells us in the thirteenth Article, Works done are not pleaſant to God, yet that inſpiration doth not, as the Author hints, force the will of man, but ſweetly lead it in a p. 100way congruous to its liberty. And now the Author ſhuts up this Section thus: I have given thee Reader, an entire ſcheme of a new Religion, reſulting from an acquaintance with Chriſts perſon, in all its principles and practices; I think there needs no more to expoſe it to the ſcorn of every conſidering man, who cannot but diſcover, how inconſistent the religion of Chriſts Perſon, and of his Goſpel are. To which I ſhall only ſay, the Author hath done his endeavour to expoſe his Oppoſites to ſcorn, but how new their Religion is, how inconſiſtent with the Goſpel, and how juſt the ſcorn, I leave to conſidering men to determine.