Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
I Will not so far wrong any of those Divines that professedly differ from me, as to perswade the world that they are of my mind; but yet … will lay down the words of some of them, that the Reader may compare them with mine, and judge of them as he findeth cause. Those that have manifested their dissent from me, are of two sorts 1. Some that I suppose differ only or chiefly but in terms or methods, and not in any momentous Doctrine.
2. Such as maintain the Absolution or Pardon of Elect Infidels, or that we are justified before Faith, or some other Doctrine of moment, wherein I confess my self to differ from them. Of the first sort I will mention Mr. Blake and Mr. Burgess.
1. MR. Blake in his late Treatise of the Covenants, is soM. Blake. full in asserting the Conditionality of Repentance and Obedience, that he spends whole Chapters upon it, and answers the objections of the Antinomians against it. See Chap. 14 and 15. and 6, 7, 8. I will not stand to cite his words, but referr you to them in his Book.
2. MR. Burgesses words are these. Treat of Justif. pag. 210.Mr Burgess. [For some gross sins, there are many▪ Conditions requisite (besides humiliation) without which, pardon of sin cannot be obtained.] And he instanteth in Restitution.
And Lect. 20. he saith, that Scripture limits Justification and Pardon only to those subjects that are so and so qualified.
And Lect. 14. pag, 117. [Scripture makes no pardon of sin to be but where the subject hath such Qualifications as this of forgiving others It is not indeed put as a …ause or Merit, but yet it is a Qualification of the sub ect: therefore our Saviour repeateth, Except ye forgive others, &c. Act. 10. 47. Rom. 3. 15. 1▪ Joh. 1. 9. If we confess, he is faithful and just to forgive, &c. By these and the like Scriptures it is plain that Remission of sin is given us only in the use of these …races▪
And Lect. 18. p. 148, 149. [Prop. 2. Although the Scripture attributes Pardon of sin to many Qualifications in a man, yet Repentance is the most express and proper duty.—If we speak of the express formal Qualification, it is Repentance of▪ our sins, &c. [Prop 3. None may believe or conclude that their sins are pardoned, before they have Repented, Math. 3. 2. Luk. …3. 3] Prop. 4. There is a necessity of Repentance if we would have pardon, both by▪ necessity of Precept, and of Means. …he Spirit of …od worketh this in a man to Qualifie him for this pardon: p. 150. Also he hath well shewed in a whole Lecture, that our final Iustification at Iudgement, will be more compleat then this Iustificatio Viae, which we have here.
Yet if the Reverend Author shall see cause to put any sense on his words contrary to mine, I shall readily admit his Interpretation, it being my purpose only to produce those words that seem to me to say as much as I do, and not to fasten any sense on them but what he shall own.
Also V…nd. Leg. Lect. 4. he saith, [Holyness and Godlyness is the end of our Faith and …ustification; and that is the meaning of our Divines who say, Charity or Love of God is the end of Faith, till he hath brought us into eternal Glory, and there we have perfect Inherent Holyness, though even then the glory and honour of all that shall be given to Christ. Now indeed it hath pleased God to take another way for our Acceptation▪ then shall be hereafter. Only this may make for the Excellency of Sanctification, that therefore is Christ and Grace, and Justification, and all, that at last we may be made perfectly Holy.] And in the margent thus [Because Godlyness Inherent is the end of our Faith and Justification.] See more of this, Lect. 14. pag 133, 134. Edit. prim.
And Lect. 3. p 33. [2. Our holy Dutyes, they have a Promise of pardon and eternal Life, though not because of their worth, yet to their presence.]
And Lect. 4. p. 42. [And thus in this sense, some Learned men say, Good Works are necessary to preserve a man in the state of Justification, although they do not immediately concurr to that act.
And p. 4 [Hence some Divines say, That though Godlyness be not meritorious, nor causal of salvation, yet it may be a Motive.]
And pag 41. [5. They are a Condition without which a man cannot be saved.]
3. MR. Lockier saith the like, (whether he is one of thoseMr. Nic. Lockier. that dissent from me, or of which rank I know not) His words are these on Colos. 1. 14. describing pardon of sin, having shewed that it notes Reconciliation that it is an Act of God, an Evangelical act he addeth, ['Tis a conditional act: men must Repent, and then God forgives: Repent that your sins may be blotted out; thus runs the Gospel throughout. Repentance hath two things; Sense of sin, and Faith in Christ, which Grace is said to Justifie, because a necessary Condition of Justification; and without which, though not for which, God *He means he forgives not without it, though he forgive not for it.doth forgive. Abraham believed, and it was imputed to him for Righteousness, which is as much as if the Holy Ghost had said, Abraham went in the right way of Iustif…cation, and so found it: he sought it not by Works, but by Faith (for you know that is the dispute there) This was imputed to him for Righteousness; This, that is, not Nudus actus Credend…, the naked act of believing, the act abstractively considered, but conjunctively considered, as such a hand laying hold of such a person; this is the Condition which the Gospel calls for, that Christ be trusted in, which also God Works, which work being wrought, Iustification follows actually.
Here Mr. L. 1. Makes Faith to be the Taking of Christ, and so do I. 2. He makes the very Act of Faith it self to be Imputed for Righteousness, not the naked Act abstractively considered, without its object. but the act conjunctively considered, as the hand laying hold of Christ, (that is as this Faith in Specie.) 3 He saith, Pardon is a Condi…ional act. 4. He makes Repentance as well as Faith the Condition. 5. He makes Faith therefore to Justifie, because a necessary Condition of Iustification, or a going the right way to Iustification.
4. MR. Iohn Owen saith, Treat. against Universal Redempt.Mr. I. Owen, now Vice-Chancellor of … Oxford. li. 2. c. 1. p. 53. [In this last way they are usually called, Faith being the means of which we speak, and Salvation the end. Faith ihe Condition▪ Salvation the …romised Inheritance: under the name of Faith we comprize all saving grace, that accompanies it: and under the name of Salvation, the whole glory to be▪ revealed, the liberty of the glory of the children of God, all that blessedness which consisteth in an Eternal fruition of the blessed God▪]
5. THat Mr. Crandon acknowledgeth the main part of what I assert, I have manifested in my Reply to him▪ to whichMr. Crando…. I referr the Reader; Sect▪ 7. And with his name will I conclude this file, as knowing none that is worthy to succeed him.
I think upon concurrence of so many Assenters as I have before produced, I may …afely and boldly advise all those that love the everlasting happiness of their souls▪ that they take heed of their Doctrine who make the meer Receiving of, that is, Affiance in the Righteousness of Christ▪ to be the sole Condition of their first Justification, excluding Repentance, and the Reception of Christ as Teacher and King, and Head and husband, from being any Condition of it, yea and will have no other Condition of our Justification at Iudgement; Who call that Affia…ce▪ only by the name of Iustifying Faith, and all other acts by the▪ name of Works; and tell men, that to be …ustified by the Receiving of Christ as King or Prophet, or to be pardoned on Condition of Repentance or Confession, is to be justified and pardoned by Works: there being no way to be justified by any act of ours▪ but as an Instrument, or as a Work; And the Affiance on Christs Righteousness is the only Instrument: So that all the rest of Faith in Christ, together with Repentance and N…w Obedience, are not so much as Conditions of our Iustification first or last, but mee… signs; and to say the contrary is Popery, or Iudaism. Unhappy is the soul that reduceth this Doctrine into Practise, and whose Affections and Conversations are▪ Regulated thereby. I will yet believe with Reverend Mr. Vines, that [though humiliationMr. Vines. do not wash the hands yet doth it pull off the Gloves.] And I will say with that choice servant of Christ, Mr. Newcomen Mr. Newcomen.of Dedham (Serm. before the Parliament, Sept. 12. 1644. pag. 19▪ 20.) [There is a way whereby we may prevent (Gods charging sin upon us) and that is, by charging our sins home upon our selves. For if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 32. So if we would accuse our selves, indite our selves, we should not be accused, indited of the Lord; If we would charge sin upon our selves, God would not charge our sins upon us: if we would Remember them, God would forget them; if we would set them this day before our faces, God would cast them this day behind his back: therefore let us accuse, indite, charge, Judge our selves, that we may be cleared, acquitted, released, absolved of the Lord.]
And I say as Hoornbeek Socinianismi Confut. li. 1. c. 8. p. 187.Hoornbeek. Et propter promissa consequenda, necessaria est praeceptorum Obedientia: Obedience to the Precepts is necessary to the obtaining of the things contained in the Promises.
And as Dr. Abbot, Nusquam autem decreta Remissio peccatorum Dr. Rob. Abbot.absquc Poenitentia, neque unquam alia Conditione concessa est. Fides ergo remissionis poenitentiam peccatorum anticip…re non debet. Neque vero inde pax▪ quia futura peccata nobis remissa esse Credimus cum Apostolo, lib…raturum nos Dominum ab omni opere malo, & conservaturum ad Regnum suum, ubi siquid secus intercidit, per humannam infirmitatem, esto, sed Impietas esto addere animum pe… candi quia futura quoque peccata remissa sunt.—Illud non improbamus, P…nitentiam vitae Christianae assiduum exercitium▪ & opu… esse; ut quomodo quotidiana est offensio, ita quoque Remissio quotidiana sit, nec absque poenitentia dicendum unquam putemus, Remitt… nobis debita nostra. Abbot in Thomsoni Diatrib. cap. 24. pag. 212.
See also what he saith, cap. 25, 26. pag. 213 of Faith, as being a mixt Habit, neque only in the will, nor only in the understanding, but in the heart, that is in both, and so to be defined.
I Have produced this Consent, in the point of Justification, because it is the main that men are offended at: Supposing it as easie to produce the like Consent in many of the rest; for example, in that other which Mr. C…ryl seems to touch upon▪ and Mr. Crandon doth so furiously assault me in, viz That God punisheth his Elect, yea after their Iustification for all▪ Christs bearing the Penalty, and satisf…ing for their sins. Because it is known to be so common a Doctrine, I will cite but the words of two Divines: the one unquestionably Orthdox, and a sufferer for opposing the English conformity, so far was he from being a friend to Popery: The other, the most Learned, though—of all my Adversaries.
1. MR. Vdall on Lament. 4. 6. p. 164, 165. Doct. The Godly do usually sustain more grievous Punishments in thisMr. Vdall. life, then any other people whatsoever▪] vid. ultr.
Pag. 137. [Doct. Every child of God is justly punished, that faileth in any duty whatsoever it be, that God hath commanded him in his Word.]
The third Reason is, [The least failing in our duty is a sin, that provoketh Gods anger, and bringeth a Curse, seem it never so trifling a matter in our corrupt judgement.]
The second Use is, [to Reprove them that think themselvesS… Mr. Rich. B…rnards Bibles …bstr. …. 87. A Cat…e …f Gods Instrument… of wr…th, wherewith he h…th pun…shed both Go…ly and wick…d th…t have sinn…d. pag. …3. wronged if they be punished, and have not fallen into notorious gross …ins; 3. To teach us to acknowledge God to be Holy, Iust, and Righteous, whatsoever he lay upon us here.]
Pag. 132. Doct. 3. Whatsoever man suffereth, he is to esteem it justly deserved by his sins that he hath committed. Reas. 1. Because God is just, and cannot do any wrong▪ 2. All men commit many sins, the least whereof deserve all that can be laid upon us. The use is to teach us▪ 1. In all our Afflictions to acknowledge our sins to be the cause thereof, &c. 2. To learn to justifie God, (which is the drift of this place) &c.]
Pag. 45. [Doct. 1. Gods people do acknowledge his Iustice in all his Works, yea even in his Punishments laid upon them.] …ead the Reasons and Uses.
Why did never Mr. Caryl nor Mr. Crandon go about to Vindicate that which they take for the Truth of God, against Mr. Vdal and a hundred such, before me▪?
2. MR George Kendal of Perseverance in the Epist [EveryM…. … K…nd…ll. sin draws a scourge after it: albeit he design men to heaven, yet many times he destroyes them on earth: …ometimes blots out their names here below, as much as they are written in indelible Characters above; yea often leaves them to suffer in their posterity in this world, after they are Crowned with glory in the other, and visits the sins of their lives after their death, on that part of them which survives in their Issue: So terrible is God in his Iudgements, even to those who have most of his mercy.]
THE Lord of mercy forgive those men that have necessitated me to spend so much time to so little purpose, and to draw the Reader to the like inconvenience, and pardon every fault of mine that hath occasioned mens offence! And hasten that time when the lacerated divided Churches shall be United, and the now contentious, exulcerated mindes of their Leaders shall be calmed and moderated! when the name of a Party or Faction shall be as hateful as the name of a Drunkard or a Whore-monger! and the consuming Zeal for mens own Opinions, may be turned into a Zeal for the Christian Faith, and for a holy and Peaceable heart and life! when reconciling Truths shall be more Well-come to the Churches; and they that have so long fought in the Dark for their Extreams, which have carryed them to Separations and Hatred of one another, may know at last what Spirit they are of, and may attend to the meek instructions of their Prophet, and the still Voice of the Prince of Peace; and unanimously following the Conduct of his Star, may return to the simplicity that is in Christ!
And the Lord illuminate and send forth some Messenger, that may acquaint the Churches with that True, middle, reconciling method of Theological Verities, which must be the means of healing our divisions. Let men be raised of greater sufficiency for this work, and of such blessed accomplishments as shall be fit to cope with the power of prejudice: and let the fury of blind Contradiction be so calmed, that Truth may have opportunity to do its work. And let not the Lord give men over to believe a Lye, because they received not the Truth in love! nor give up our strength and glory to be destroyed by Schisms▪ nor bury us and our hopes in a deluge of Delusions, because we have despised the Unity of his Saints, and would not know the way of Peace.
FINIS.