An Answer to William Sherlock, Chapter 3 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
THeſe men abound in Scripture, Mr. Sherlock.but they accomodate Scripture-expreſſions to their own dreams and fancies, being poſſeſt with Schemes and Ideas of Religion; whatever they look on, appears of the ſame ſhape and colour wherewith their minds are tinctured; if any word ſound like the tinkling of their own fancy, it is no leſs than a demonſtration, that that is the meaning of the ſpirit of God; every little ſhadow confirms them in their preconceived opinions: As Irenaeus obſerves of the Valentinians, that they uſed one artifice or other to adopt all the ſpeeches of our Saviour, and Allegories of Scripture, malè compoſito phantaſmati, to the contrived figment of their own brain: Theſe acquaintances of Chriſt, firſt contrive their religion, and poſſeſs their fancies with their private opinions, and then read the Scripture with no other deſign, than to find ſomething there to ſtamp Divinity on their own conceits; they dote upon words and Metaphors, and Alluſions; they found their Religion on obſcure Texts, or myſtical interpretations of plain Texts, and by the help of distinctions, and gloſſes, curtailing of Texts, tranſplacing of words and Comma's, or ſeparating a ſingle ſentence from the body of the diſcourſe, make the Scripture ſpeak their ſence as plainly, as the Bells ring what every boy will have them; which is to deal with Scripture; as Irenaeus obſerves, as if a man ſhould take a picture of a King, which conſiſted of an artificial compoſition of precious ſtones, and tranſplace all thoſe ſtones into another form; as ſuppoſe of an Ape, and then ſhould perſwade ſilly people, that that was the Kings picture: At this rate we may find the Alcoran in the Bible, as well as make ſo many Books different and contrary to each other, from the various compoſition of twenty four letters: Theſe acquaintances of Chriſt: (And who may better make bold with him than they) pervert the Goſpel to ſerve their opinion; there are two wayes of expounding Scripture in great vogue among them: First, By the ſound and clink of words, which is all ſome men underſtand by a form of ſound words: Secondly, When this will not do, they reaſon about the ſence of Scripture from their own preconceived notions, and prove that this muſt be the meaning of Scripture, becauſe otherwiſe it is not reconcileable to their dreams, which is called expounding Scripture by the Analogy of Faith.
It is the obſervation of that excellent man,Anſwer. Jerome of Prague, in his defence before the Council of Conſtance; That many worthy men have been unjuſtly condemned, ſuch as Socrates among Pagans, Iſaiah and other Prophets, nay, Chriſt and his Apoſtles: The Author hath put in a long grievous charge againſt theſe good men; but the Reader will obſerve, that it is a general one, and I ſuppoſe, he will hang by his belief, till proof be made by the after-inſtances: As for the Valentinians, theſe men have nothing to do with them or their Aeones; they were very high flyers in their knowledge and perfections: And as I find in the Magdeburgenſes, they held, That men, Cant. 2. cap. 5.eſpecially thoſe of their own Sect, naturâ ſalvos fieri, were ſaved by nature; Which, whether it may have any affinity with the natural faith allowed by the Author, I know not: But now let us hear out Authors inſtances, and firſt for their expounding Scripture by the ſound of words, If they find any words, ſaith the Author, which chime to the tune of their private conceits, they clap their own ſence on them.
Thus when Christ is ſaid to be made wiſdom to us, this is a plain proof, Mr. Sherlock.that we muſt learn all our ſpiritual wiſdom from an acquaintance with his Perſon, though ſome duller men can understand no more by it, than the wiſdom of thoſe Revelations Chriſt hath made to us of Gods will.
External Revelation was never excluded by thoſe whom the Author oppoſes, Chriſt is made wiſdom to us,Anſwer. as I have anſwered before, becauſe all true Wiſdom, that is, external Revelation and internal Illumination are derived from him, who is the Mirrour of divine Perfections.
Thus when men have learn'd, Mr. Sherlock.from an Acquaintance with Chriſt, to place all their hopes of ſalvation in a perſonal Ʋnion with Chriſt, from whom they receive Pardon, Grace, Righteouſneſs and Salvation; what more plain proof can any man, who is reſolved to believe this, deſire of it, than 1 Joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath life: What can having the Son ſignifie, but having an interest in him, being made one with him: though ſome will be ſo perverſe as to underſtand it of believing and obeying his Goſpel.
Perſonal Union with Chriſt?Anſwer. who owns it? that is, of different Natures in the ſame Perſon, ſuch as is not between Chriſt and us; Myſtical, the Author ſhould have ſaid; that I own, and from thence are derived all ſpiritual good things to us: And ſo much is proved by that of St. John; Having the Son, imports Union with him, or elſe we may have all at a diſtance from him. Hear the Learned Biſhop Reynolds on that Text:Life of Chriſt, fol. 461. One thing cannot be the Principle of Life to another, except there be ſome Ʋnion, which may be the ground of that conveyance; and this is that the Text calls, the having of Chriſt: And what this Union is, he afterwards explains, It is that whereby we and he are ſpiritually united to the making up of one myſtical body, Fol. 468.the formal Reaſon or Bond of it is the Spirit of Chriſt; from it doth immediatly ariſe a Communion with him in all good things. Hear the Glory of our Church, Archbiſhop Ʋſher; Serm. before the Commons, An. 1620No man participates of the benefits ariſing from Chriſt to his ſpiritual relief, except he firſt have Communion with him; we muſt have the Son, before we have life; eat him we must, that is, as truly be partakers of him, as we are of our ordinary food: and a little after, This is that great Myſtery of our Ʋnion with Chriſt, whereby we are made members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bone. Hear the Learned Hooker; Eecleſ. Pol. Lib. 5.By vertue of this myſtical Conjunction we are of him and in him; even as though our fleſh and bones ſhould be continuate with his: No man is actually in him, but they in whom he actually is; for he which hath not the Son, hath not life. And may we ſay or think, that ſuch Pillars and Luminaries of the Church, ſhould follow the ſound and clink of words and phraſes, chiming to the tune of their own Conceits? One might rather take the Author to be out, he underſtands that place of obeying and believing the Goſpel: Believing the Goſpel is but a dogmatical Faith, which entitles not to Chriſt; Obedience follows after Union with him, and may be rather called walking in him, than having of him.
Before we can be united to Christ, we muſt go to him; Mr. Sherlock.and therefore Faith, which is the Instrument of this Ʋnion, is very luckily called, Coming to Christ: But this is not enough, we must receive Chriſt, Joh. 1.12. that Faith which ſerves us for Legs to go to Chriſt, muſt be an Hand to receive him; when we have received him, we muſt embrace him in our Arms, as old Simeon did, when he found him in the Temple, which is a little nearer Ʋnion, as plainly appears from the example of the Patriarchs, who embraced the Promiſes: And now we have Chriſt, we muſt truſt and lean upon him, as we are often commanded; and, if leaning be not enough, we may make a little more bold, and rowl on him, as appears from the Original: Gal. Pſal. 37. We may diſcharge our load and caſt it upon Christ, and having brought our Souls to Chriſt, we muſt commit them to his charge, if they periſh it will be his fault: Thus St. Paul did, 2 Tim. 1.12. And now we must hide our ſelves in Christ, as the Dove in the rock, Cant. 2.14. Christ's Wounds are the clefts of the rock, where the believing Soul hides it ſelf: But this is not enough yet, we muſt put on Christ, Rom. 13.14. that is, his Righteouſneſs, which is a most beautiful Robe to cover our nakedneſs; if we would get the bleſſing, we muſt go to God, as Jacob did, in the Robes of our elder Brother; though this reſemblance doth not very well pleaſe me: For though Jacob was a good man, yet this looks like a cunning trick, to rob his elder Brother, and cheat his blind Father; and men must not think, that God is thus to be impoſed upon; when we are united to Chriſt, and made one with him, all is ours, as the Apoſtle tells us. And now what better proof can you deſire for all this, if you will be contented with expreſs words? No man would have dream'd of ſuch Interpretations of Scripture, who had not been prepoſſeſt with the myſterious Notion of a fanciful Ʋnion to Chriſt, and Application of Chriſt to us; for here is no other proof of this, but words and phraſes ſeparated from the body of the Text, and the deſign of the Diſcourſe, and like ſtraglers picked up and listed into the ſervice of their Hypotheſis. The whole myſtery of this and a great deal more ſtuff of this nature conſiſts, in wreſting Metaphorical expreſſions to a proper ſence: When the Scripture deſcribes the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, a ſincere Belief and Obedience to the Goſpel, by having of Chriſt, being in him, coming to him, and receiving of him, theſe men expound theſe phraſes to a proper natural ſence, to ſignifie I know not what unintelligible Ʋnion and cloſure of the Soul with him.
I never yet took any pleaſure in Drollery,Anſwer. and leaſt of all when it ſports it ſelf with Scripture, which is ſacred all over to the loweſt Hem and Fringe of Metaphors: Methinks no man can play with theſe, but he will meet with ſome ſtops or Remora's in Conſcience; the tragical Stories of Theopompus and Theodectes, mentioned by Joſephus, might ſerve for retractives, or the Reverence of Scripture might fly in the face, as the Fringe did in that Jew's, who was addreſſing himſelf to his forbidden pleaſure. I conceive Faith, which is the Inſtrument of Union with Chriſt, is not luckily, but purpoſely and in wiſdom called Coming; It being, as our Church tells us,1. Hom. of Faith. the firſt coming unto God, whereby we be justified: And in another place,2. Hom. of the Paſſion. The only mean and inſtrument of Salvation required of our parts. The divine Spirit did not plant thoſe Metaphors in Scripture, as ſo many Flowers in a Garden, in vain or to no purpoſe, but to ſet and ſhadow forth in lively colours that excellent Grace of Faith, which doth in ſo admirable a way unite to Chriſt, as if it had all Motions, poſtures and Senſations ſpiritually in it ſelf, to take in Chriſt with his incomparable Benefits into the Soul: Chriſt is the Center of Reſt, rich Treaſure, infinite Beauty, ſure Foundation, Rock of Salvation, heavenly Covering, and the very Food and Life of Souls; and Faith is coming, receiving, embracing, leaning, hiding, putting on, and feeding on him; denoting thus much to us, That Faith is, as I may ſay, the commune Senſorium, or common Capacity, which takes in Chriſt and his excellent Benefits in an appropriative way into the Soul. The Author indeed thinks this Union and Application of Chriſt to be but a Fancy; but it is ſuch an one, as without which his Blood and Merits are like to avail us little or nothing, as I before noted. St. Auſtin upon that Text of receiving Chriſt, Joh. 1.12. ſaith,Tract. in Joh. Et nos illum poſſideamus, & ipſe nos poſſideat, ille nos poſſideat ſicut Dominus, nos illum poſſideamus ſicut ſalutem. Gregory Nyſſen, as I find him quoted by Gerard, ſaith, Nos fide Chriſtum recipere, ut intra conclave noſtrum, quod cor noſtrum eſt, perveniat. St. Chryſoſtome on that Text, Rom. 13.14. would have us put on, nay foreign, to be compaſſed round about with Chriſt, he would have Chriſt to dwell in us, and to be a garment about us, that he may be all to us, foreign, within and without; and a little after, he tells us, That he is the Root, Food, Life, the Foundation, Corner-ſtone, and what not to us, foreign, every way conjoyning and conglutinating us to himſelf. That of going to God in the Robes of our elder Brother, which pleaſes not the Author, not every way ſuiting, as indeed no Reſemblance doth, was hinted by no leſs man than St. Ambroſe, who ſaith, Et odoratus est odorem veſtimentorum; & fortaſſe iſtud est, quia non operibus juſtificamur, ſed fide. And for the neceſſity of this Application, our Church hath laid it down in terminis; As it profiteth a man nothing to have Salve, 2. Hom. of the Paſſion.unleſs it be applied to the part infected, ſo the Death of Christ ſhall ſtand us in no force, unleſs we apply it to our ſelves, in ſuch ſort as God hath appointed: Almighty God worketh by means, and in this thing he hath ordained a certain mean; what mean is that? forſooth it is Faith: And in another place,1. Hom. of the Sacrament. our Church would have us come to the Lord's Supper, not as ſpecially regarding the terrene and earthly Creatures, but always holding faſt, and cleaving by Faith to the Rock, whence we may ſuck the ſweetneſs of everlaſting Salvation. However, the Author, to whom all theſe are Fancies, underſtands by ſuch Metaphors, believing and obeying the Goſpel: Believing the Goſpel is but a dogmatical Faith, not entitling us to Chriſt or Salvation; if that be all which is meant, the Glory and divine Emphaſis of thoſe Metaphors is loſt, and the Texts themſelves muſt wither in a very cold and jejune Sence: And for Obedience, that follows after Union, and, as our Church tells us in the 12. Article, is a fruit of Faith.
Thus when they talk of our ſpiritual impotency and inability to do any good thing, Mr. Sherlock.they prove it wonderfully from our being dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; therefore as a dead man can contribute nothing to his own Reſurrection, no more can we towards our Converſion: Which is true of Natural death, but will be hard to prove of a Moral death, which conſiſts in the prevalency of vicious habits contracted by long cuſtom (which was the caſe of the Heathen, whom the Apoſtle there ſpeaks of) which do enſlave the Will, that it is very difficult, though not impoſſible for ſuch perſons to return to the love and practice of Virtue.
Every man,Anſwer. who is acquainted with himſelf, may learn his own impotency to good, from the inward preſſure of corruption which is in him: However the Apoſtle in that 2. to the Epheſians doth notably decypher it out to us; there he ſpeaks not ſo much of a ſpiritual Death in actual cuſtomary ſins, as of ſuch a Death in Original corruption; for he oppoſes it to quickning Grace which by divine Principles infuſed heals the ſame; and a little after tells us, that we are by nature the children of wrath. Hoc uno verbo, quaſi fulmine, totus homo, quantus quantus eſt, proſternitur, ſaith Beza on the place: this ſhews him dead indeed. It's true the Pelagians,Contra Julian. l. 6. c. 4. as St. Austin tells us, would have omitted the word, Nature, and in ſtead thereof have read, Prorsùs, altogether children of wrath, but the Church would not ſuffer it. This ſpiritual Death in Sin is a total one, it runs over all the Soul; there are, ſaith the Apoſtle luſts or deſires of the Fleſh, the ſenſitive Faculties, and of the Mind, the rational Powers; nothing is left in Man but what is dead in ſin, not a drop or a ſpark of Spiritual Life or true Grace: For then a man ſhould be naturally regenerate and under a Promiſe of that Evangelical Mercy, which is indulged to the leaſt meaſure of Grace, though it be but as a ſmoking flax or bruiſed reed. Man is wholly void of ſpiritual Life by Nature, and hence it evidently appears, that he is not able to reach ſo high as any ſpiritual Act, ſuch as Converſion is, unleſs he be elevated above his own Line by ſupernatural Grace: This is fully the Doctrine of our Church, who tells us, Man of his own nature is fleſhly, 1. Hom. for Whitſunday.carnal, corrupt, naught, ſinful, diſobedient, without any ſpark of goodneſs in him: And in another place, The condition of Man, Article the 10th.after the Fall of Adam, is ſuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himſelf by his own natural ſtrength and good works, to Faith and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleaſant and acceptable to God, without the Grace of God preventing us, that we may have a good Will, and working with us, when we have that good Will.
We are ſaid to be created to good works, Mr. Sherlock.and to become new Creatures, and therefore we can contribute no more to it than to our first Creation; and we are born again which ſignifies that we are wholly paſſive in it: Which were true indeed, if our being created unto good works did ſignifie the Manner and Method of our Converſion, and not the Nature of the new Creature, which is the true meaning of it; That as in the firſt Creation we are created after the Image of God, ſo we are renewed after the Image of God, in the ſecond; which is therefore expreſly called in other places the renewing of our minds.
The new Creature is indeed after God and his Image,Anſwer. but it is alſo from him and his glorious Power in a way of Creation: He takes it upon himſelf; A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, Ezek. 36.26. His great Power is put forth in it, Eph. 1.17. and it is brought forth in a way of Creation, even as God commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, 2 Cor. 4.6. May there be a new Creature without a Creator Or may poor, dead, impotent Man without any ſpark of Goodneſs in himſelf be ſuch? Or if he cannot do it alone, may he be a Cocreator with his Maker, and put in for a ſhare in ſo great a work? No ſurely, all muſt be aſcribed to the Grace of God alone: Non eſt devotionis dediſſe prope totum, ſed fraudis retinuiſſe vel minimum. ſaith Proſper; We muſt not rob God of the leaſt Atom in Nature. For my own part, were I, as I am not, under a neceſſity to do one, I ſhould rather think it tolerable to ſteal away the old World, as the Manichees did, than with the Pelagians to take away the new from him. But ſuppoſe a man could indeeed, as ſome have preſumed, new-make his own Heart after God's Image, might it be called a Creation? Is not that Title too high for any Creature, and where doth the Scripture give ſuch an one to Man? 'Tis God's Royal Prerogative to new-make the Heart: Of his own will begat he us, ſaith the Apoſtle, Jam. 1.18. To this our Church agrees; It is the holy Ghoſt, 1. Hom. for Whitſunday.and no other thing, that doth quiken the Minds of Men; and a little after, He is the only worker of Sanctification, and maketh us new men in Chriſt Jeſus.
When this fails, they take another courſe with Metaphors, to make them ſerve their purpoſe, that is, by conſidering all the properties of thoſe things Christ is compared to, and applying all that will ſerve their turn to Christ, without regarding the end, to which they are uſed; thus the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Pearl of great price: Mat. 13. This Pearl ſignifies Chriſt, who, as Mr. Watſon ſaith, makes us worthy with his worthineſs; Though all the Parable means, is, that we ſhould part with all for the Goſpel: Thus Chriſt was prefigured by the Manna, this was circular, and ſo a figure of Chriſts perfection; it was meat dreſſed in Heaven, and Chriſt was prepared of his Father, it ſuited every ones palate, and Chriſt ſuits every Chriſtians condition; he is full of quickning, ſtrengthning, comforting virtue, that is, He is what every man fancies him to be, reliſhes to their guſto; what precious diſcoveries are here of Chriſt! What irrefragable proofs for them? Thus Chriſt is a Rock, 1 Cor. 10. A rock for defence, and for offence, and for comfort, to ſcreen us from Gods wrath, and contein the honey of the promiſes; Chriſt is reſembled by the brazen Serpent, Braſs as inferiour metal ſignifies his humanity, and as ſolid metal the power of his Godhead, it ſhines but doth not dazle the eyes, and ſo ſignifies the Godhead veiled with Manhood; thus the brazen Serpent was like a Serpent, but no reall one; ſo Chriſt was in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, but no ſinner; the Serpent was lifted up to be looked on, and ſo was Chriſt to be looked fiducially upon: Never man ſo happy in expounding types, never Serpent ſo ſubtil: Thus Chriſt is a Vine, a Vine is weak, Chriſts humane nature was fain to be ſupported by the Divine, the Vine grows in the Garden, Chriſt in the Church, not known amon the Heathen: It had been more grand, to have ſaid, that Christ made the Garden, where he grows; The Vine communicates to the Branches, Chriſt to Believers, the Vine hath rare fruit, and the promiſes grow upon Chriſt; the Blood of Chriſt is the wine, which chears mans heart, What fine work might a prophane wit make at this rate, but further they jumble all together, and prove one thing from another in a wonderful manner, as thus; Chriſt is lovely, that is, as Mr. Watſon hath it, he is lovely in his Titles, being the deſire of all nations, the Prince of Peace, the holy one; lovely in his Types, typified by Moſes, David, Solomon, who were lovely perſons; and typified by lovely things, as the Pillar of Cloud, the Manna, the Mercy-ſeat, brazen Serpent, and Noah's Ark: Who can forbear being ſmitten with ſo lovely a Perſon? Beſides all theſe, Chriſt is reſembled to the Roſe of Sharon, the Queen of Flowers; to a Vine, the nobleſt of Plants; to a Corner-ſtone, a Rock, a rich Treaſure, a beautiful Robe, and all theſe are lovely, (and ſo ſhould any thing have been, that had come in his way at that time;) thus Chriſt is altogether lovely.
The Author tells us,Anſwer. pag. 75. That he had done enough to expoſe theſe men to ſcorn: Yet we have here a very long Harangue, ſerving to very little uſe, unleſs that ill one, which I preſume the Author never intended; to gratifie that ugly ſcoffing humour at Religion, which runs about the prophane world: God himſelf by uſing ſimilitudes, hath ſanctified them to us; the Song of Solomon is an entire Allegory full of ſacred myſteries, the writings of the ancient Fathers are in a great meaſure like pieces of Arras or Tapeſtry, beautified with Allegorical Flowers, and Images of Divine things, to give a little taſt: S. Cyril of Alexandria ſaith,Comment. in Aron. That Chriſt is inſerted into us, foreign, As if he were the Diamond of the heart: S. Hilary tells us, That Chriſt is Margarita, quia nihil illo pretioſius invenitur, Theſaurus ut in ipſo omnes divitiae regnorum coeleſtium reconditae agnoſcantur, De Patris & Filiunitate.all riches and pretionſneſs being in him: S. Auſtin touching Manna, ſaith, Panem Angelorum manducavit homo, Tract. 13. in Johan.quis eſt panis Angelorum? In principio erat verbum, quomodo manducavit homo? Verbum caro factum eſt, & habitavit in nobis. And in another place, De Coelo Manna veniebat, that is in Mr. Watſon's phraſe,De …tilit. Poenitent. It was meat dreſſed in Heaven, attende quem figurabat; ego ſum, inquit, panis vivus, qui de Coelo deſcendi: For the Rock, let S. Ambroſe come in, Chriſtus petra dicitur, De fide centra. Ar. cap. 6.quia credentibus fortitudinem, incredulis duritiem praeſtat, that is, in Mr. Watſon's language; A Rock for defence, and a Rock for offence; and for the Honey in the Rock, our Church thinks it no diſparagement to ſay,1. Hom. of the Sacrament. That from this Rock we may ſuck the ſweetneſs of everlaſting Salvation: As for the brazen Serpent, let us hear Theophylact, Vide figuram, confer cum veritate, illic Serpentis ſimilitudo, Comment. in Joh. 3.formam habet beſtiae, venenum non habet, that is, in Mr. Watſon's words, It was like a Serpent, but no real one: Ita ex hoc loco homo Dominus, ſed à peccati veneno liber, in ſimilitudine carnis peccati venit; that is, in Mr. Watſon's words, Chriſt was in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, but no ſinner: Tunc videntesevadebant mortem corporis, nunc autem qui vident, mortem animae; that is, in Mr. Watſon's words, The Serpent was lifted up to be looked on, and ſo was Chriſt to be fiducially looked on. Touching the Vine, I muſt make bold to vouch in St. Bernard, who, not ſeeing all things, never dream'd ſuch things ſhould be ridiculous; he brings in Chriſt ſpeaking thus;De Coena Dom. Ser. 10. Ego ſum vitis, dans botrum dulciſſimum cunctis palmitibus; that is, in Mr. Watſon, I give the ſap of Grace to all believers: Generans vinum, quod laetificat cor hominis; that is, in Mr. Watſon, My Blood is the Wine which chears Man's heart: And a little after, Chriſtus eſt vitis, in quo est totus humor, id eſt, omnis plenitudo Spiritùs ſancti; The divine Spirit fills, or, as Mr. Watſon ſaith, ſupports his Humane nature. And now I might bring the ſame Author for the Roſe of Sharon, and other things; but this may ſuffice to ſhew, that Mr. Watſon's words may carry a fair Sence before a candid Interpreter: The Author might have made no leſs pretty ſport with thoſe ancient Fathers, thoſe excellent devout Souls, who ſpiritualize every thing, and reduce every thing to the great Center of Scripture, Jeſus Chriſt. I ſhall only add on Mr. Watſon's behalf, that he never thought, that Chriſt, the Manna, ſhould be accommodated to Mens Fancy, nor imagined the Church unplanted by Chriſt; neither did he dream that his Diſcourſes of Chriſt's Lovelineſs ſhould be traduced into carnal Expreſſions, ſuch as that, Who would not be ſmitten with ſuch an one? To what the Author adds, as his own imitation of theſe Men, being no other than the playing of his Fancy with it ſelf, I ſhall return juſt nothing, as ſeeing nothing conſiderable therein.
When this will not do, Mr Sherlock.they argue from their own preconceived Notions, and pretend to prove their own Scheme from Scripture, but in truth prove the ſence of Scripture by its agreement with their Opinions; which is juſt ſuch a trick as the Papiſts have got, to prove the Church from Scripture, and the Scripture from the Church. Thus after all their talk of being juſtified by the Imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, the Scripture tells us, that we are justified by Faith, have remiſſion by Faith, have peace with God by Faith, are ſanctified by Faith, are the ſons of God by Faith, are ſaved by Faith: Now how is this reconcilable with being juſtified by imputed Righteouſneſs? Why, thus; Faith doth not juſtifie abſolutely, as Faith, but relatively, as it brings us to Chriſt, and apprehends his Righteouſneſs: This is their own preconceived opinion, or elſe no man could have ſtumbled on this Diſtinction: But their Reaſon is plain; Should Faith juſtifie as Faith, as our own Act, it would be as bad as good Works, and irreconcilable with the Grace of God; though modest men dream not of meriting, though Faith had juſtified as our Act; ſince the Reward doth ſo infinitely exceed the Work, that there can be no ſuſpicion of Merit, and where there is no Merit, the Reward is of Grace.
I ſhall at preſent wave,Anſwer. who ſymbolizes moſt with the Papiſts, and how Juſtification, Sanctification, Adoption and Salvation are here jumbled together, as if they were one thing: The General Charge (having had ſo many) I ſay nothing to, but I come to the Inſtance; The Scripture ſaith that we are justified by Faith; very well; but what by Faith excluſively of its Object, Chriſt's Blood and Righteouſneſs? No ſurely; then the Scripture, which tells us, That we are juſtified by Faith in his blood, Rom. 3.25. and made righteous by his obedience, Rom. 5.19. muſt contradict it ſelf; or what, excluſively to the imputation of theſe? No neither, without the imputation of theſe we cannot be entitled to them to our Juſtification: Now that Faith juſtifies not abſolutely, and as our Act, may appear: In Juſtification there is a judicial proceeding, and we muſt anſwer to ſomething, to the Goſpel only, or to the Law alſo; if to the Goſpel only, then Evangelical Juſtification is in a way fruſtrative and not perfective of the Law; there needeth only Faith to anſwer the Goſpel, and not perfect Righteouſneſs to anſwer the Law: But what ſaith the Apoſtle to this? Having concluded Juſtification to be by Faith, Rom. 3.30. he immediatly adds, Do we then make void the Law through faith? God forbid, yea, we eſtabliſh the Law, ver. 31. And how is this? That Faith, which anſwers to the Goſpel, receives that perfect Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which anſwers the Law in every point, Chriſt being the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth, as we have it, Rom. 10. Without this, it is not at all imaginable how Faith, or Juſtification by it, ſhould eſtabliſh or complete the Law; our ſincere Obedience, which flows from Faith, can no more do it than imperfection can reach perfection. Again, if to the Goſpel only, then all the Pagans muſt needs be juſtified, for they have nothing to anſwer unto; not to the Goſpel, that is not reveiled to them; not to the Law of Nature, that is but the relicts and broken pieces of the Moral Law: And if Chriſtians, who have the Moral Law in its entire perfection, are not to anſwer to it, then ſurely Pagans, who have only ſome little Fragments of it, need not anſwer thereunto, and by conſequence they muſt be recti in Curia before God: But if (as of neceſſity we muſt) we muſt anſwer to the Law alſo, then Faith, as it is in it ſelf, and our Act, cannot poſſibly juſtifie; it being but a piece of the Law, and that imperfect; God, who judgeth according to truth, will not eſteem thoſe perfectly righteous, who are not ſo indeed, nor accept of a partial Righteouſneſs for a total one. If reply be made, This is true, when God judgeth Judicio Juſtitiae, but not when he judges Judicio Miſericordiae; he in his condeſcending Mercy accepts of Faith in the room of total, perfect Righteouſneſs: I anſwer, this cannot poſſibly ſtand, God's Mercy and Truth are never at variance; his Truth will not eſteem us righteous upon account of a partial imperfect righteouſneſs, and his Mercy will not condeſcend ſo far, as to interfere with his Truth: But when he eſteems us righteous upon account of a perfect Righteouſneſs, which is not our own, but Chriſt's, then Truth and Mercy both ſhine forth; Truth, in that there is a perfect Righteouſneſs to anſwer the Law; and Mercy, in that it is not our own, but our Sureties. But further; If Faith be taken for a perfect Righteouſneſs, then it is lifted up into the room of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs: If you ſay, no, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is the foundation of this acceptance of Faith; I anſwer, Then will it follow, that Chriſt died not ſo much for Perſons to juſtifie them, as for Graces, to elevate Faith above it ſelf into the eſtimation of a perfect Righteouſneſs; and withal, that Faith is our proper Righteouſneſs in an immediate formal way, and Chriſt but a remote Cauſe only; much after the ſame rate as the Papiſts ſay, Bona opera tincta ſanguine Chriſti juſtificant: Works are made the immediate Cauſe of Juſtification, and Chriſt the remote. Moreover, it is to be remembred, that nothing can be Inſtrumentum & inſtrumentatum; the Artificers Tools are not the Houſe he makes; the Hyſops ſprinkling of Blood in the Jewiſh Sacrifices was not the Blood of Chriſt; Faith is not our Righteouſneſs, but the Medium to it: Hence, Phil. 3.9. we read of righteouſneſs by faith: it is not it ſelf our Righteouſneſs, but a means to it. Thus it appears, that Faith in it ſelf and as our Act juſtifies not; therefore it juſtifies as it is that Evangelical Medium which receives Chriſt and his perfect Righteouſneſs. Thus the Reverend Hooker, Faith is the only hand, which putteth on Christ to Justification, and Chriſt the only Garment which being ſo put on covereth the ſhame of our defiled Natures, hideth the imperfection of our Works, preſerveth us blameleſs in the ſight of God; before whom otherwiſe the weakneſs of our Faith were cauſe ſufficient to make us culpable, yea, to ſhut us from the Kingdom of Heaven, where nothing that is not abſolute can enter: Thus our Church;2. Hom. of ſalvation. The true underſtanding of this Doctrine, That we are juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, is not, that this our own Act, to believe in Chriſt, which is within us, doth juſtifie us, and deſerve our Juſtification; for that were to count our ſelves juſtified by ſome Act or Vertue that is in our ſelves. And in another place: This Righteouſneſs, 1. Hom. of ſalvation.which we receive of Gods Mercy and Chriſts Merits, embraced by Faith, is accepted by God for our perfect Juſtification.
But this is paſt all doubt, Mr. Sherlock.when it is confirmed by a Metaphor or two: A Ring which hath a precious Stone in it, which will ſtanch blood, may be ſaid to ſtanch it, but the Virtue lies in the Stone: Faith is the Ring, Chriſt the precious ſtone; all that Faith doth, is to bring home Chriſts Merits to the Soul and ſo it juſtifies, an invention I never met with before: And again; In the Body are Veins, that ſuck nouriſhment from the Stomach; Faith is a ſucking Vein, that draws Virtue from Chriſt: Is not this plain, that we are ſaved by Chriſt, as the Body is nouriſhed by the Stomach?
That of the Ring is no new or abſurd invention,Anſwer. it was many years ſince uſed by Dr. Pomeran, Melch. Ad. in Vita Georg. Anhalt.in theſe words; Ʋt Annulus magnò eſtimatur & amatur propter gemmam, non propter aurum; ſic dicitur, fide juſtificari homines propter gemmam Filium Dei: hanc autem gemmam fide amplectimur. With this Similitude George Prince of Anhalt was much delighted. Neither need the Author have found fault with that other Similitude, of a ſucking Vein; all ſpiritual nouriſhment is drawn from Chriſt, and that by Faith.
Now to make all clear, Mr. Sherlock.we may give a Philoſophical Account why God choſe Faith to be the Inſtrument of our Juſtification: Becauſe it is an humble Grace, and gives the Glory of all to Free Grace: If Repentance ſhould fetch Juſtification from Chriſt, a man would be ready to ſay, This was for my Tears: (ſtrange deſerving Creatures theſe, who can dream of meriting Heaven with a few tears!) But Faith is humble, it is an empty Hand, and what merit can there be in that? Doth the poor man's reaching out his hand merit an Alms? (yes, juſt as much as a few tears merit Heaven.) Faith is only a golden Bucket, that draws water out of the Well of Salvation. But why may not thoſe, who are ſo apt to be conceited of Merit, grow as proud of a golden Bucket, as if the Well were their own? They are civil to Faith, to make it a golden Bucket; but at other times they tell us, That Faith may be a ſore and blear-eyed Leah, a ſhaking and a palſie hand, weak and bending Legs, and have all the infirmities that may be, and be never the worſe neither as to the purpoſe of Juſtification; ſo that Faith had need be a very humble Grace, elſe it would take ſuch language very ill from them.
What need all this ſport with Faiths Humility or Infirmity?Anſwer. An humble Grace Faith is, it empties the Soul of it ſelf, gives all Glory to God, hangs upon Chriſt and free Grace, and hath all in a way of receiving and dependence; and ſeeing its Nature and aptitude to Evangelical purpoſes is ſuch, it is no wonder at all, that God ſet his ſtamp upon it, and marked it out for an Evangelical Medium, to receive Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs unto Juſtification; Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 4.16. Fides & Gratia commeant, mutuò ſe ponunt & tollunt; Fides ſola Gratiâ nititur, Gratia tantùm credenti promittitur, ſaith the Learned Paraeus on the place. Let us hear our Church in this matter:2. Hom. of ſalvation. This ſaying, that we be juſtified by Faith only, freely and without Works, is ſpoken, to take away clearly all merit of our Works, as being unable to deſerve Juſtification at Gods hands; and thereby moſt plainly to expreſs, the weakneſs of Man and goodneſs of God, the great infirmity of our ſelves, and the might and power of God, the imperfectneſs of our own works, and the moſt abundant Grace of our Saviour Christ. But to go on; infirm Faith is, becauſe of the adherent Corruption, which is apt to blear its eyes, and give it a palſie hand and trembling legs; however, if it be true, it entitles to Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs: Invoco te, Domine, languidâ & imbecillâ fide, ſed fide tamen, ſaid Cruciger the German Divine. Thoſe men, whom the Author oppoſes, hold no ſuch thing as meriting by Tears or any thing elſe of our own, but caution againſt it: Indeed the Author thinks there is no danger in repentant Tears; but Humane pride, ſuch is its venomous Nature, is ready to ſwell at any ſmall matter, which hath but any ſhadow of excellency in it: The heart of good Hezekiah was lifted up, over his Silver, and Gold, and Treaſures, and precious things, which yet were of a much lower value than his devotional Tears, which ſhews the proneneſs of our Nature to that ſin.
Thoſe Scriptures (Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God;Mr. Sherlock. The wrath of God is reveiled againſt all unrighteouſneſs; In every Nation he that worketh righteouſneſs is accepted of God; Except your righteouſneſs exceed that of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no wiſe enter into Heaven; He that breaketh the leaſt of theſe Commandements, and teacheth men ſo, ſhall be called the leaſt in the kingdom of heaven; and he that doth and teacheth them ſhall be called great there) aſſert the abſolute neceſſity of an holy life, to entitle us to Gods Love and the Rewards of the next Life, and perfectly overthrow their fundamental Notion of Juſtification by the righteouſneſs of Christ imputed to us.
Doth the neceſſity of an holy Life overthrow the Imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs?Anſwer. No ſurely, it's a very groſs miſtake; a holy Life is ſo far from overthrowing Imputed Righteouſneſs, that it preſuppoſes it: We are married to Chriſt, that we might bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7.4. And our Church in the 12. Article tells us, That good Works follow after Justification: Thoſe, who are true Believers, and have Chriſt's Righteouſneſs imputed to them do, above all other men, obey God's Commands, glorifie his Name, and walk in holy Obedience towards the Crown of Glory above: Obedience is neceſſary, but not in that ſence, as if the leaſt breach of a Command ſhould finally exclude from Heaven, for then it were, Wo, wo, to us: Nor yet ſo abſolutely, as that a Believer, dying in the firſt inſtant of Faith and before actual Obedience, ſhould be ſhut out of Heaven: Our Church hath taught us better:1. Hom. of good works quoting St. Chryſoſt. ſor it. I can ſhew a man that by Faith without Works lived, and came to heaven, but without Faith never man had life; the Thief, that was hanged when Chriſt ſuffered, did believe only, and the merciful God juſtified him: If any ſay, that he lacked time; truth it is, and I will not contend therein; but this I will ſurely affirm, That Faith only ſaved him.
But theſe men defie you, Mr. Sherlock.if you charge them with destroying the neceſſity of an holy life; for they tell us, Tat this univerſal Obedience and good Works (a ſuſpicious word) are indiſpenſibly neceſſary, from the ſovereign appointment and Will of God; this is the Will of God, even our Sanctification: It is the Will of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt; it is the end of their Diſpenſation in the buſineſs of Salvation; it is the end of the Father's electing Love, Eph. 1.2. of the Son's redeeming Love, Tit. 2. and of the Spirit's ſanctifying Love; it is neceſſary to the glory of them all: And are not theſe men mightily injured? Is it not great pity they ſhould be ſo abuſed? But the truth is, all this is not one ſyllable to the purpoſe; for the Queſtion was about its neceſſity to ſalvation; and if we be juſtified and ſaved without it, all this cannot prove any neceſſary obligation on us to the practice of it: God hath commanded Obedience, but where is the Sanction of this Law? Will he damn thoſe who do not obey, for their diſobedience, and ſave thoſe who do, for their obedience? Not a word of this, for this destroys our Juſtification by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs only; if after all thoſe commands, God hath left it indifferent, whether we obey or not, Obedience is not neceſſary. And will the Father elect, and the Son redeem none but thoſe who are holy, and reprobate all others? If we be elected and redeemed without any regard to our being holy, our Election and Redemption is ſecure, whether we be holy or not; and ſo this cannot make holineſs neceſſary on our part, though it may be neceſſary on God's to make us holy; but that is not our care; and how is Obedience for the glory of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, when the neceſſity of holineſs is deſtructive to free Grace, which is the only glory God deſigns by Chriſt.
I ſuppoſe them injured and abuſed to ſome tune,Anſwer. after they have in terminis aſſerted the Neceſſity of Obedience from ſtrong, invincible, Scriptural Arguments, they are yet charged with deſtroying the Neceſſity of an holy Life. But, ſaith the Author, All this is not one ſyllable to the purpoſe; for the Question was about its neceſſity to ſalvation; if we be justified and ſaved without it, it is not neceſſary. I anſwer, Here we have Juſtification and Salvation confounded; Obedience follows after Juſtification, as we heard but now from our Church, but precedes Salvation: But to paſs that; Is nothing neceſſary to Salvation but what juſtifies? Is not Sanctification neceſſary to Salvation, and yet diſtinct from Juſtification? and how then are we ſaved without Obedience? But, ſaith the Author, Where is the Sanction of this Law? Will he damn thoſe that obey not, and ſave thoſe that do obey? If after all thoſe Commands God hath left it indifferent, Obedience is not neceſſary: But what a ſtrange Suppoſition is this! Commanded and yet left indifferent? It is utterly impoſſible; no man will ſay ſo ſo much as of an Humane Command: No doubt at all, but God will damn the rebellious, and ſave the obedient; yet our Obedience no way claſhes with Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, neither is Eternal Life given us for Obedience, as if it merited the ſame. What follows in the Author, Will the Father elect and the Son redeem none but thoſe who are holy? is a very ſtrange Queſtion: Will they? as if the Book of Life were yet unwritten, and the Blood of Atonement yet unſhed: The Father hath elected us, that we ſhould be holy, Eph. 1.4. and how can he elect us being ſuch? The Son gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himſelf a peculiar people zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. and how could we be holy before? However, no diſregard is caſt upon Holineſs, which, though it do not antecede Election and Redemption, yet it ſweetly ſtreams and iſſues from thence; and Believers are obliged to follow after it, as they will anſwer the End of Election and Redemption; And whileſt they are paſſing on in that pure way, I dare be their Bondſman, that they ſhall not be met with any ſuch monſtrous Conceit, as if Holineſs, which is exaltative of free Grace, were deſtructive of it.
Yet Holineſs is neceſſary to our honour, Mr. Sherlock.for it makes us like to God: Prophane men that they are! as if the perfect Righteouſneſs of Christ were not much more for our honour, and did not make us more like to God, than the rags and patches of our own Righteouſneſs.
A very hard caſe,Anſwer. they muſt be profane for proving the Neceſſity of Holineſs and likeneſs to God; but the reaſon is, this diſparages the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; A ſad ſtory; but it will be proved much about the time, when Chriſt's juſtifying Righteouſneſs and ſanctifying Spirit ſhall fall at odds and variance among themſelves: So horrid a thing cannot be, neither let any Chriſtian Mind ſtart a thought of it.
But it is for Peace; what! Mr. SherlockPeace of Conſcience? Muſt we fetch our peace from Duties and Graces? Is not this to renounce Chriſt? Miſerable men! muſt we ſet about correcting our Lives, amending our Ways, performing Duties, following after Righteouſneſs according to the preſcript of the Law? Why this is the courſe, wherein many continue long with much perplexity, hoping, fearing, tiring themſelves in their way: Afterwards they come to the Apoſtle's Concluſion, By the works of the Law no man is juſtified; and is this the way to Peace? Is this the way to Communion with God by our own Righteouſneſs? Doth not all our wiſdom of walking with God conſiſt in our acquaintance with Chriſt? God is Light, we darkneſs; he Life, we dead; he Holineſs, we defiled; he Love, we hatred; ſurely this is no foundation of Agreement or Communion: the foundation then of this Peace is laid and hid in Chriſt, who is our peace, and the Medium of all Communications between God and us: So that if this Gentleman's (that is, Dr. Owen's) memory had not failed him, he would never have told us, that Holineſs is neceſſary to our peace and Communion with God.
All this is but a miſtake,Anſw for want of diſtinguiſhing between the Foundation of our peace with God, and the Senſe of it: The Foundation of our peace is not laid in our Works or Legal Righteouſneſs, but in the atoning and ſatisfying blood of Jeſus Chriſt, which ſpeaks peace to all believers:Melch. Adam. in vit. Jureconſult. A notable inſtance whereof we have in that German John à Berg Father of Joachim, who in all his life was a zealous Papiſt, ſtanding on his works and legal righteouſneſs, but upon his deathbed caſt away thoſe fig-leaves and poor coverings, and repoſed himſelf in the merit and expiation of Chriſt, as the only foundation of peace: But the ſence of this peace is found in a way of holineſs, whileſt the believer is there; the love of God coming down in the witneſs of the ſpirit, and ecchoing in conſcience, makes ſuch a pure ſerenity in the heart, as outreliſhes all things in nature: Now whether there be any inconſiſtency between the foundation of our peace and the ſence of it, I leave to the Reader; theſe may as well ſtand together, as Chriſts attonement and our Obedience.
However Holineſs ſerves for the conviction of enemies;Mr. Sherlock. how ſo, when it is not eſſentially neceſſary to his Friends? and it is for the converſion of others; why ſo, when men may be converted without it? It keeps off the Judgments of God from men; But why cannot Christs Righteouſneſs do this more effectually than the holineſs of men?
Holineſs caſts forth a convictive Ray and Glory into the dark world,Anſw yet it is not eſſential to Believers to juſtifie, but to ſanctifie them; It hath a Divine tendency to convert others, yet the firſt act of converſion precedes in habitual Grace, and actual Holineſs or Obedience follows after; Chriſts righteouſneſs, without which there would be nothing but wrath and judgments, is the great fundamental reaſon of keeping them off; but Holineſs miniſters under it to the ſame end.
But it is neceſſary in reſpect of the ſtate and condition of juſtified perſons, Mr. Sherlock.for they are accepted and received into friendſhip with an holy God; therefore they muſt cleanſe and purify themſelves: what need of this? when they are cloathed with the Robes of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, which is the only foundation of our Commuuion with God. And pag. 267. They fulfill the Righteouſneſs of the Law, not by doing any thing themſelves, but by having all done for them, by having this perfect righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to them. And pag. 423. The Doctor places Chriſts righteouſneſs in the room of ours, to be not only the foundation, but condition of the Covenant; And then makes it an expreſſion of our chaſt affections to Chriſt, quite to thrust out our own righteouſneſs, and to allow it no place in our Religion: And pag. 427. The foundation of their love to Chriſt, Is a fond imagination that he will ſave them by his righteouſneſs without any righteouſneſs of their own.
What!Anſwer. Doth imputed righteouſneſs make holineſs needleſs? Under pardon, this is neither better nor worſe, than an old Popiſh calumny, ſuch as hath been caſt into the face of Proteſtants over and over: Chemnitius aſſerting juſtification by imputed Righteouſneſs, tells us,Exam. Conc. Trid. de Juſtif. Inde verò Pontificii texunt calumniam, omnia decreta Tridentina ita condita ſunt de juſtificatione, ut obliquè nos inſimulent, quaſi doceamus credentes non renovari, quaſi charitatem & obedientiam ita excludamus, ut nec adſit, nec ſequatur in reconciliatis: And what return doth that learned man make thereunto? Sed tantùm Syeophanticae & impudentes calumniae ſunt, quibus ſtrepitum excitant. The learned Chamier brings in Sapeins, Cham. de Sanctif. cap. 2.charging the Proteſtants thus, Non eſſe nos justos, niſt ſolû imputatione juſtitiae Chriſti, non autem ullâ inhaerente qualitate: And Coſterus thus, Christus est noſtra juſtitia, nulla eſt ergo alia juſtitia in nobis: And Bozius thus, Ʋt ſalutem conſequaris & ſis ſanctus, aiunt omnes Proteſtantes, nihil eſt neceſſe boni aliquid velis, moliaris, aut facias, Chriſto fidas, impunè quidvis audeas, & ad exitum perducas; and then expreſſes himſelf thus, Immanem, ita me Deus amet, calumniam: The excellent Davenant, De H… tuali cap. ….uſhering in Bellarmine and Campian, and Becanus, as caſting the ſame dirt into the face of Proteſtants; ſaith plainly to the two firſt, quot verba, tot ſerè mendacia; and to the third, calumnia eſt, & apertè falſa. The Papiſts you ſee, have caſt out theſe calumnies, but ſhould a Proteſtant do ſo? No ſurely; the Author I confeſs, hath done a great honour to theſe few Nonconformiſts, in caſting upon them that reproach of Chriſt, (for ſo as a Proteſtant I muſt call it) which many a ſon of the Church of England would willingly bear, hoping to have the ſpirit of Glory reſt upon him; but I ſuppoſe, he hath done no great right to the Proteſtant cauſe therein: How vain this calumny is, doth aſſoon appear, as we can open our eyes upon the common diſtinction between Juſtification and Sanctification: Juſtification is an Action of God without us, Sanctification an Action of the Spirit within us; the one is by the perfect Righteousneſs of Chriſt imputed, the other by the holy Graces of the Spirit infuſed and inherent in us: In the one we are freed from the Guilt of Sin, in the other from the Corruption and Pollution of it: By the one we have a Title to God's Kingdom, by the other a Meetneſs for it; it being ſuch as no unclean thing can enter into the ſame. And what colour of Repugnancy is there between theſe two? and how doth the one make the other uſeleſs? Both are uſeful to the Believer, and both in Harmony between themſelves; Obedience is ſo far from being needleſs, that it is a neceſſary conſequent upon Juſtification by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs. St. Paul in the Epiſtle to the Romans firſt treats of Juſtification, and then of Sanctification as a conſequent thereupon. Good works (as our Church tells us in the 12th Article) are the Fruits of Faith and follow after Juſtification. To me it is unimaginable, that the holy Spirit, which is procured by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and before whoſe inſpiration (as our Church tells us in the 13th. Article) works done are not pleaſant unto God, ſhould inſpire unjuſtified perſons to Obedience; nay, had it not been for Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, the holy Spirit, I verily believe, would no more have touched in the leaſt holy motion upon Men than upon Devils. I ſhall cloſe this Point with the Authors own words: Chriſt's Satisfaction was for ſins of Omiſſion and Commiſſion, and by it we are reputed by God as having done nothing amiſs; and as perfectly righteous, to have done all, to have kept the whole Law, pag. 60. and yet I hope the Author doth not eſteem Holineſs needleſs; though I cannot tell, how Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs (whereof his Satisfaction is a part) ſhould make any man more than perfectly righteous.
However Holineſs is neceſſary with reſpect to Sanctification. Mr. Sherlock.We have in us a New Creature, which is fed, cheriſh'd, nouriſh'd, kept alive by the fruits of Holineſs: God hath not given us new Hearts to kill them in the womb, or to give them to the Old Man to be devoured, as Dr. Owen hath it: The phraſe of this is admirable, and the reaſoning unanſwerable; if men be new Creatures, they will certainly live new Lives: And this makes Holineſs neceſſary, by the ſame reaſon, that every thing neceſſarily is, what it is, when it is.
The new Creature is fed with fruits of of Holineſs; Anſwer.ſo Dr. Owen: Upon which the Author tells us in ſport, that the phraſe is admirable: I ſuppoſe it is ſo: Hear our Church: As Men that be very Men indeed, 1. Hom. of good works quoting St. Chryſoſt. for it.first have life, and after be nouriſhed; ſo must our Faith in Christ go before, and after be nouriſhed with good works: But for the reaſon, I think it cannot be anſwered: Exerciſe is neceſſary for the Body, and is it not neceſſary for the Body, and is it not neceſſary for the Soul? It is neceſſary for the Soul in meer Moral Virtues, and is it not neceſſary for it in ſpiriritual Graces too? Reaſon, though a natural Talent only, neceſſarily obliges us to walk ſutably to it, and how much more do Divine Graces, which are altogether ſupernatural, bind us to live in a Decorum thereunto? Theſe things to me are very cogent.
Well! Mr. Sherlock.but holineſs is neceſſary as the means to the end, but how? Though it neither be the Cauſe, Matter, nor Condition of our Juſtification, yet it is the Way appointed by God for us to walk in for the obtaining Salvation; he that hopeth, purifieth himſelf: none ſhall come to the End who walk not in the Way, without Holineſs it is impoſſible to ſee God. This is all pertinent and home to the purpoſe; but it hath two little faults in it, that it contradicts it ſelf, and overthrows their darling Opinions, which I can pardon, if he can: What? the neceſſary way to eternal Life, and yet neither Cauſe, Matter nor Condition? At least it might be the Cauſa ſine qua non, and that will make it a Condition: But not to diſpute about words; I am content it ſhould be only a way to life, but, what becomes of Chriſt then, who is the only way? Cannot Chriſt's Righteouſneſs ſave us without our own? Doth Chriſt's Righteouſneſs free us from guilt, and entitle us to Glory, and yet can we not be ſaved without Holineſs? What becomes of free Grace then? Is not this to eek out the Righteouſneſs of Christ with our own? To make Chriſt our Juſtifier, and our Works our Saviour?
This is all pertinent: Anſwer.It ſeems the former Arguments drawn from the ſovereign Will of God, from the End of the Love of the bleſſed Trinity, from the Glory of them all, from our Likeneſs to God, from the Peace of Conſcience, from the Conviction and Converſion of others, from the averſion of Judgments, from the State of juſtified Perſons, from the Work of Sanctification, are but poor inſignificant things with the Author; which yet with me are of great Moment. This is all pertinent, ſaith the Author, but it contradicts it ſelf, and overthrows their Darling-opinion: What? the neceſſary way to eternal Life, and yet neither Cauſe, Matter nor Condition? At leaſt it might be Cauſa ſine qua non, and ſo a Condition: But the Author might have obſerved that the Doctor did not ſpeak ad idem, to one and the ſame thing; his words are, Holineſs is neither the Cauſe, Matter nor Condition of Juſtification, yet it is the way to Salvation; both ſtand well together without any ſhadow of Contradiction: Obedience is ſubſequent to Juſtification, and ſo neither Cauſe, Matter nor Condition of it; but it is antecedent to Salvation, and the way thereunto. Well, the Author is content, that it only be a neceſſary way to eternal Life, but what then becomes of Chriſt the only way? What of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs and of free Grace? I hope there is no matter of fear; our Holineſs, unleſs it be lifted up above it ſelf into the room and Throne of Chriſt, very well comports with Chriſt and Grace: it is a way, but not, as Chriſt, an Expiatory Meritorious one; it ſtands as neceſſary in Sanctification, but eeks not out Chriſt's Righteouſneſs in Juſtification: It flows from free Grace, and doth not overturn, but magnifie its Fountain. Afterwards our Author draws up a long Charge againſt theſe men, That they prepoſſeſs their Fancies with arbitrary Notions, pervert the Scriptures, to juſtifie their Darling-opinions; and that ſometimes with ſo ill ſucceſs, as to break ſome ſtubborn Truths into palpable abſurdities and contradictions; their Fancies and Scripture agree no better than the Church of Rome and Scripture do: They add ſuch limitations, distinctions, gloſſes to Scripture, as are neceſſary to make them orthodox. Their Acquaintance with Chriſts Perſon is only a work of Fancy, teaches men Hypocriſie, undermines the Deſign of the Goſpel; makes men incurably ignorant, yet conceited of knowledge; impertinent talkers and cenſurers of Mankind; deſpiſers of their Teachers, as if ignorant and meer Moral Preachers: Their Acquaintance with Christ's Perſon warms their Fancies, moves their Paſſions; ſometimes they find breakings of heart, and feel the horrors of damned Spirits; ſometimes they are raviſh'd with his love and Beauty, refreſh'd with the ſweet careſſes of his love: All which may be no more than the working of a warm Enthuſiaſtick Fancy, the tranſportation of frantick Raptures and Extaſies of Love. Unto all which I ſay two things only; the one is this: In general Charges, which may be drawn up againſt the moſt innocent Souls under Heaven, the intelligent Reader muſt meaſure the truth of them only by the Inſtances, which before have been examined: The other is this, that the Author tells us, That their breakings for ſin, and raviſhments in Chriſt, may be but the working of a warm Enthuſiaſtick fancy: In which Cenſure, I ſuppoſe there is no over-meaſure of Charity. There are yet Two things behind, which, becauſe interwoven with the general Charge, I have hitherto omitted, but ſhall now recite them; the one is this; Prepoſſeſſed Fancies force men (ſaith the Author) to pervert the Scriptures to make them ſpeak the Orthodox Language; to this we owe all thoſe nice and ſubtil Diſtinctions, which conſtitute the Body of Syſtematical Divinity, which commonly have no other deſign than to evade the force of Scripture, or to bribe it to ſpeak on their ſide. I will now wonder no longer, that the Author treats a few Nonconformiſts with ſuch rough hands; Behold! an univerſal blaſt put on thoſe excellent Divines, which have ſtood in the Proteſtant World like burning and ſhining Lights, and have ſet forth ſo many learned and worthy Syſtems of Divinity for the Churches uſe: But this is All-a-mode with the Remonſtrants, who, as Vedelius tells us,De Arcan. Armind. have poured forth convitia atrociſſima in Formulas; not being afraid to ſay, Iſta ars eſt Sathanae, calling them humanam tyrannidem; and proceeding ſo far as to ſay, That that Preface in Athanaſius his Creed, Qui vult ſalvus eſſe ante omnia credat, &c. was a proud one: Syſtems of Divinity are to them as Bonds and Fetters, which they would willingly break off, that they might have the better Scope to introduce their unſound and novel Opinions. The other is this: It is not, ſaith the Authour, the Perſon, but the Goſpel of Chriſt, which is the way, the truth and the life. It ſeems the new and living Way through his Fleſh may be ſtop'd up, the great Prophet may want the Title of Truth, the vital Influences of Grace from Chriſt may be intercepted; and all this after Chriſt himſelf hath told us expreſly, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Theſe things, I ſuppoſe, will hardly be paſſable with Chriſtian Ears or Hearts: If he be not the Way, there is no approach for us to the Father; if not the Truth, we are not bound to believe him or his Goſpel; if not the Life, to quicken our dead and unbelieving Hearts, we ſhould never believe in him, though he were both the former.