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 44. 
 
 SCV* tsS^fl 
 
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FULL and TRUE 
 
 STATE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CONTROVERSY, 
 
 Concerning the 
 
 MARROW 
 
 o F 
 MODERN DIVINITY, 
 
 As debated between the General AfTembly, and 
 feveral Minifters in the Year 1720 and 172 1. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 L The Aft of AffemKy 
 1720. concerning the 
 Marrow. 
 
 II.Thereprefentationand 
 Petition of the 12 Mi- 
 nifters againft that aft. 
 
 III. Twelve queries agreed 
 upon by the Commif- 
 fion of the Aflembly to 
 be put to the faid Mi- 
 nifters. 
 
 IV. Anfwers given in by 
 thefe Minifters to the 
 above Queries. 
 
 V. Authorities of emi- 
 nent Divines, with re- 
 fpeft to faid Queries. 
 
 VI. The Controverfy con- 
 cerning the Marrow, 
 confidered in a Fami- 
 liar Dialogue between 
 Gamaliel, Paul, &c. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 Printed by John Bryce, and Sold at his Shop, 
 oppofite to the New-Church, Salt-market. 
 
 MDCCLXXIII, 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 *TT^HE frequent demands which have been made 
 **" for the above tracts, particularly for the Que- 
 ries of the Affembly, and the Anfwers of the Mini- 
 fters to faid Queries, induced the Publilher to re- 
 print them, but as there is a clofs connection between 
 all the following papers, efpecially as the Queries 
 and Anfwers cannot be read with fatisfacYion with- 
 out the Act of Afifembly, and Reprefentation of the 
 Minifters upon which they are founded, he thought 
 it more proper to reprint the whole, as they had all 
 become very fcarce, having been only once printed 
 at that time the Controverfy was in agitation. 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 A C T 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 
 
 Concerning a Book, entitled, 
 The Marrow of Modern Divinity, 
 
 Edinburgh, May 20th, 1720. Seffion 9. 
 
 TH E General Aflembly having had under 
 their consideration the book, entitled, The 
 Marrow of Modern Divinity , re-printed at 
 Edinburgh, Anno 1718, with an ample recommen- 
 dation prefixed thereto, which they found was dif- 
 pcrfed, and come into the hands of many of the 
 people, and having had laid before them the follow- 
 ing paflages, collected out of faid book, by a com- 
 mittee for preferving the purity of doctriae iq this 
 church, appointed by the commiflion of the late 
 General Aflembly. The tenor whereof follows. 
 
 Concerning the Nature of Faith. 
 
 PAGE 118, There is no more for him to do, 
 but only to know and believe, that Chrift 
 hath done all for him. Page 119. This then is 
 perfect righteoufnefs, only to know and be- 
 lieve, That Jefus Chrift is now gone to the Fa- 
 ther, and fitteth at his right-hand, not as a Judge, 
 A 2 " bur 
 
4 Act of djfembly 
 
 ° but as made unto you of God, wifdom, rightecuf- 
 " nefs, fancYification and redemption ; wherefore, 
 c< as Paul and Silas faid to the jailor, fo fay I unto 
 u you, Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thoufhalt 
 w be javed. That is be verily perfuaded in your 
 <{ heart, that Jefus Chrift is yours, and that you 
 cc fhall have life and falvation by him, that whatfo- 
 " ever Chrift did for the redemption of mankind, 
 " he did it for you. Page 120. For as much as the 
 u holy fcripture fpeaketh to all in general, none of 
 $% us ought to diftruft himfelf, but believe that it 
 <( doth belong particularly to himfelf/' The fame 
 is aiTerted> pages 121, 122, I23> 124, 131, 136, 137, 
 175, 176, 1 77, and in many other places in the book. 
 This notion of faving faith, appears contrary to 
 feriptures Ifa. 1 10. Rom. viii. 16. 1 John v. 13. 
 and to ConfefT. cap 18. §. 1, 3, 4. and to Larger 
 Catechifm, Queft. 81, 172. All which paffages fhow, 
 That affurance is not of the effcnce of faith, where- 
 as the paffages cited from the Marrow, &c. appear 
 to affert the contrary, making that faving faith com- 
 manded in the gofpel, a man's perfualion that Chrift 
 is his and died for him, and that whoever hath not 
 this perfuafion or affurance, hath not anfwered the 
 gofpel call, nor is a true believer. 
 
 :ip 
 
 Of Univerfal Atonement and Pardon. 
 
 >AGE 108. Chrift hath taken upon him the 
 fins of all men. Page 119. The Father hath 
 li made a deed of gift and grant unto all mankind, 
 " That whofoever of them all fhall believe in his 
 u Son fhall notperifh, ifc? i. e. (whofoever believes 
 eye is perfuaded that Chrift is his. for this muft be 
 the fenfe according to the former paffages) u Hence 
 tf it was, that Chrift faid to his difciples, Go and 
 <€ preach the gofpel to every creature under heaven- 
 " That is, go and tell every man without exception, 
 <c That here is good news for him, Chrijl is dead for 
 
 " h\m. Even foour good King, the Lord of hea- 
 
 " ven 
 
Concerning the Marrow, &«- 5 
 
 " ven and earth hath, for the obedience and defert 
 <c ofour good brother Jefus Chrift, pardoned all 
 ie our fins. To the Came purpofe, pages 127, 128. 
 Here is aflerted an univerial redemption as to pur- 
 chafe, contrary to John x, 10, 1 5, 27, 28, 27, and 
 xv, xiii, xvii, Titus it 14. ConfefT cap 3. §. 6. cap, 
 8. §. 8. Larger Catechiim, Queft. 59. 
 
 Holinefs, not neceffary to Salvation, 
 
 " T~^ROM page T50, to page 153, and if the law 
 11 jO fay good works muft be done, and the com- 
 " rnandment muft be kept, if thou will obtain falva- 
 u tion, then anfwer you and lay, 1 am already faved 
 " before then cameft ; therefore I have no need of thy 
 
 " prefence, Chrift is my right eoufnefs, my treafure, 
 
 " and my work, 1 confefs, law ! that I am neither 
 " godly nor righteous, but this yet I am fure of, that 
 " he is godly and righteous for me. Page 185. Good 
 u works may rather be called a believer's walking in 
 " the way of eternal happinefs, than the way itfelf. 
 This doctrine tends to flaken people's diligence in 
 the ftudy of holinefs, contrary to Heb. xii. 14. 2 
 ThelT. ii. 13. Eph. ii. 10. Ifa. xxxv. 8. James ii. 20. 
 ConfefT cap. 13. §. 1. Larger Catechifm, Queft. 32. 
 ConfefT. cap. 15. §. 2. 
 
 Fear of Puniflment, and Hope of Reward, not allow-* 
 ed to be Motives of a Believer's Obedience. 
 
 w T) AGE 181, Would you not have believers to 
 cc JL efchew evil, and do good for fear of hell, or 
 
 ft hope of heaven. Anfwer, No indeed, for fo faT 
 
 <c forth as they do fo, their obedienee is but flavifh. 
 A great deal more to this purpofe is to be feen, pag. 
 175, 179, 180, 182, 183, 184- and appears contrary 
 to Pfal xlv. 1 1 . Pfal. cxix. 4, 6. Exod. xx. 2. James u 
 25. and ii. 8,9, 10, 11, 12. 1 Tim. iv. 8. Col. hi. 24, 
 Heb. xi. 6. 26. R.ev. ii. 10. 2 Cor.„v. 9, 10, 1 1. Heb. 
 xii. 2.28, 29. 2 Pet, ii. 14 Conf. cap. *6\ §. 2. and 6, 
 
 That 
 
6 Act of Affembly 
 
 That the Believer is not under the law, as^a rule of 
 life. 
 
 " 13 ^^^ I 5°' ^ s r * ie * aw * s ^ e covenant °f 
 
 " X works, you are wholly and altogether fetfree 
 « from It. And page 151, You are now fet free, 
 < l both from the commanding and condemning pow- 
 t( er of the covenant of works Page 216, You will 
 (t yield obedience to the law of Chrift, not only with- 
 " out refpett, either to what the law of works either 
 iC promifeth or threatneth, but alfo without having 
 " refpecl to what the law of Chrift either promifeth 
 cc orthieatneth. And this is to ferve the Lord with- 
 ,c out fear of any penalty, which either the law of 
 (S works or the law of Chrift threatneth. Luke i. 74. 
 See alfo, pages 5, 153, 180, 156, 157, 163, 199, 
 209, 210. contrary to fcripture, Exod xx. 2. Mat. v. 
 17. £?c. Pvom. iii. 21 and xiii. 9. James i 25. and 
 ii. S, 10, 11, 12. and Conf. cap. 19. §. 5, 6. 
 
 The fix folhvjiftg Antinomian paradoxes are feyifed and 
 
 defended^ by applying to them, that diftinhion of the 
 lazu of works , and law of Chrift. 
 
 li 13 AGES 19S, 199. %mp> A believer is not 
 " Jl under the law, but is altogether delivered 
 ' from it. 2do, A believer doth not commit fin. %ti& y 
 " The Lord can fee no fin in a believer. 4to } The 
 " Lord is not angry with a believer for his fins. 
 ". i;to, The Lord doth not chaftife a believer for his 
 " tins. GiOy A believer hath no caufe, neither to 
 *i confefs his fins, nor to crave pardon at the hand 
 - €i of God for them, neither to faff nor mourn, nor 
 *' humble himfelf before the Lord for them. 
 
 ;;p 
 
 Expreffwns in the Marrow , &c. 
 
 AGE 192. Aminifter that dares not perfuade 
 fmners to believe their fins are pardoned, be- 
 
 • f fore 
 
Concerning the Marrow, &c. 7 
 
 " fore he fee their lives reformed, for fear they 
 11 fhould take mce liberty to fin, is ignorant of the 
 " myftery of faith. And page 27 Chrift undertook 
 " to fufFer under the penalty that lay upon Man to 
 " have undergone. And page 117, The covenant 
 u of works was twice made. Firft> With man ; and 
 €i a fecond time, God was on both fides. Page l 15. 
 <c The law practiftd his whole tyranny upon the Son 
 " of God, and becaufe it did fo horribly and curfed- 
 <c ly fin againft his God, it is curfed and arraigned, 
 t€ and as a thief and curfed murderer of the Son of 
 " God, lofeth all his right and deferveth to be con- 
 " demned, the law therefore "s bound, dead, and 
 " crucified to me. Page 126 Wholbever is married 
 " to Chrift, and fo in him by faith, he is acceptable 
 (i to God the Father, as Chrift himfelf. Page 127, 
 " And fo mall the love and favour of God, be as 
 cc deeply infinuatM into you, as it is into Chrift him- 
 u felf. Page 144 Whence it muft needs follow, That 
 i( you cannot be damned, except Chrift be damned 
 u with you, neither can Chrift be faved, except ye 
 " be faved with him. Page 145, 146. Say unto 
 *' Chrift with bold confidence, I give to thee, my 
 " dear hufband, my unbelief, my miftruft, my pride, 
 i( my arrogancy, my ambition, my wrath and anger, 
 <f my covetoufnefs, my evil thoughts, affections, and 
 iC defires : I make one bundle of thofe, and all my o- 
 <c ther offences, and give them unto thee, 2 Cor. v. 
 " 2f. And thus was Cbriji made fin for us> who knew 
 ** no fin, that we might he made the right ecu fnefs of 
 " God in him. Page 207. Nor yet as touching your 
 cc juftification and eternal falvation, will he love you 
 tf ever a whit the lefs, though you commit never fo 
 tS many great fins. 
 
 Thefe are collected out of many other exception- 
 able pofitions contained in that book, which for bre- 
 vity's fake are omitted. 
 
 And the General Aflembly having had the faid 
 pafiages, and feveral others read to them from the 
 laid book, and having compared them with the texts 
 
 of 
 
8 AEl of Ajfcmbly, &c 
 
 of holy fcripture, articles of our Confeffion of Faith, 
 and of the Larger Catechifm of this church above 
 cited. The General AfTembly found, that the faid 
 paflages and quotations, which relate to the five feve- 
 ral heads of doctrine above mentioned, are contrary 
 to the holy fcriptures, our Confeffion of Faith and 
 Catechifms, and that the distinction of the law, as 
 it is the law of Chrift, as the author applies it, in 
 order to fenfe, and ctefend the fix Antinomian pa- 
 radoxes above-written, is altogether groundlefs ; and 
 that the other expreffion above fet down, excerpted 
 out of the faid book are exceeding harfh and offen- 
 five. And therefore the General AfTembly, do here- 
 by ftrictly prohibite and difcharge all the minifters 
 of this Church, either by preaching, writing, or 
 printing, to recommend the faid book, or in dif- 
 courfe, to fay any thing in favours of it : But on the 
 contrary, they are hereby enjoined and required to 
 warn and exhort their people, in whofe hands the 
 faid book is, or may come, not to read or ufe the 
 fame. 
 
 T* 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 To the right Reverend the Moderator and re- 
 manent Reverend and Honourable Members 
 of the General Assembly, met at Edin- 
 burgh the i ith day of May, 1721. 
 
 THE 
 
 REPRESENTATION 
 
 AND 
 
 PETITION 
 
 Of us under- fubfcribing Ministers of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Humbly Sheweth, 
 
 THAT whereas it is the unqueftionable duty of 
 all the members, minifters. and affemblies of 
 this church, to endeavour in their feveral capacities 
 the prefervation of the purity of doftrine contained 
 in the holy fcriptures, and in our Confeffion of Faith 
 and Catechifms, agreeable thereunto, that the fame 
 may be faithfully tranfmitted to fucceeding genera- 
 tions : We rind our elves obliged in confcience, with 
 all due deference, to lay fome things relative to that 
 and fome otjier matters, which are grievous to us, 
 before the venerable aflembly, whofe province it is 
 in a fpecial manner, to maintain the truths of the 
 gofpel, and to take care that every thing in the 
 houfe of the God of heaven, be moulded in a confor- 
 mity to his will, and the pattern he hath fhewed us 
 in his holy word. 
 
 B We 
 
io The Reprejentation of the twelve Minifters 
 
 We are fully perfuaded, That although the grace 
 of God which bringeth falvation, teacheth us, That 
 denying ungodinefs and ivorldy lufls t wefhould live 
 foberly right eoujly and godly in this prefent world; 
 Yet there is fuch a propensity in the corrupt nature 
 of man to licentioufnefs and prophanity, that he is 
 apt to turn the grace of our God into lafcivioufnefs : 
 whence have proceeded thefe menftruous opinions of 
 fome, That, the law is net a rule of life to believers , 
 That, holviefs is not neceffary to falvation, and the 
 like, all which our hearts do abhor, as egregious 
 blafphemy againft our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift 
 making him the minifter of fin : And therefore we 
 cannot but own it to be commendable zeal in the 
 members, minifters, and aflemblies of this church to 
 endeavour the {tilling of fuch menftruous brats in 
 the birth, whenfoever they do really begin to ap- 
 pear. 
 
 But withal on the other hand, we are no lefsper- 
 fwaded that in point of feeking righteoufnefs, and 
 falvation, there is fuch a byafs in the fame corrupt 
 nature towards the old way of the firft covenant, 
 that men feek the fame naturally not by faith, but 
 as it were by the works of the law : the wh ; ch byafs 
 of the heart of man in oppofition to the gofpel doc- 
 trine, known only by a new revelation after the fall, 
 being more fu btile, and not fo eafiiy difcerned, as 
 the other, which is oppofite to the law, the know- 
 ledge of which was imprcfTed on man's mind in his 
 creation. There is an evident neceffity of guarding 
 equally at leaft againft the latter, as againit the for- 
 mer, left the purity of gofpel doctrine fuffer, and 
 man fruftrate the grace of God, feeking righteouf- 
 nefs by the law. x\nd fince we do apprehend that 
 the late General AfTembly of this church, has not 
 fufEciently adverted to the danger on that fide, but 
 that by their act, intitled, Acl concerning a hook, in- 
 titledy the Marrow of Modern Divinity, dated at E- 
 dinburgh, May 20th, 1720, Gofpel truth has fuf- 
 fered, and it is likely, will fuffer more in the rifing 
 
 and 
 
Concerning the Marrow, &c. J I 
 
 and fucceeding generations, unlefs a remedy be time- 
 ly provided. We beg leave with all humility and 
 deference, to lay before this venerable afTembiy, fome 
 (of the many) things which in the faid act are (tum- 
 bling to us and many others in this church. 
 
 And, First, It is furprizing and exceedingly- 
 grievous unto us, that by the laid act the following 
 polition is condemned ; Namely, 7kat as the law is 
 the covenant of works, believers are altogether and 
 wholly fet free from it : Set free both from the com- 
 manding a id condemning power of the covenant of 
 works We acknowledge and profefs, we look up- 
 on our freedom as believers in Chrift, from the co- 
 venant of works, or the law as that covenant, to 
 be the chief branch of that precious liberty where- 
 with Chrift hath made us free, and in which the eter- 
 nal falvation of our fouls is wrapt up. We know 
 no commands of the covenant of works, but that 
 command of perfect obedience, under the pain of 
 the curfe. And if the law as to believers, be divert- 
 ed of its promife of life and threatning of death, 
 (which fuperadded to its commands rnatic it a cove- 
 nant of works) as it really is, fince they are not un- 
 der it to be thereby juftified. or condemned we can- 
 not comprehend how it continues any longer to be a 
 covenant of works to them, or fuch as to have a 
 commanding power over them, that covenant-form 
 of it, being done away in Chrift, with refpeef to be- 
 lievers. And to fuppofe that a man cannpt be under 
 the law, as a rule of life, unlefs he be under the 
 covenant of works, which the act above fpecified 
 plainly imports, is contrary to our Confefiion of 
 Faith, Chap. 19. Seft. 6th. And Larg, Cat. Queft. 
 anent the ufe of the mori! lazv to the repe-ierate, 
 which bear, " That although believers be not under 
 (c . the law as a covenant of works, yet it is of ale to 
 Ci them as a rule of life, or as the rale of their obe- 
 " dience." 
 
 Secondly, Of the fame difmal tendency, we ap- 
 prehend to be, the declaring of that diilinclion of 
 B 2 the 
 
12 The Reprefentation of the twelve Minifters 
 the law as it is the law of works, and as it is the law 
 of Chrift, as the author applies it, page* 198, 199. to 
 be altogether groundlefs. We find the author doth 
 there apply this, diftin&ion, fo as to fhcw that believ- 
 ers are not under the law as it; is the law of works, 
 though under the law as it is the law of Chrift. And 
 he tells us in exprefs words, pnge 6th, That the law 
 of works, is as much as to fay, the covenant of works, 
 the which covenant (faith he) the Lord made with 
 all mankind in Adam before his fall. To what pur- 
 pofe then can this diftinction thus applied be reject- 
 ed, and declared altogether groundlefs, but to ftake 
 down believers under the covenant of works as in 
 the former head, and contrary to the great defign of 
 the gofpel contrivance, to direft them to an obedi- 
 ence, upon which they may boaft, fince by the law 
 of works boafting is not excluded ? It were much to 
 be defired, that another method had been taken to 
 expafe the Antinomian paradoxes, viz. That a be- 
 liever doth not commit Jin. The Lwd can fee no fin in 
 a believer^ and the like, than by condemning the 
 diftin£tion of the law above-mentioned as applied by 
 the author to affert in effect, that believers fin a- 
 gainft the law (or covenant) of works, while in the 
 mean time according to the holy fcriptures, and our 
 Confeffion of Faith they are not under it. Which 
 exemption we are fully Satisfied carrieth no prejudice 
 unto the indifpenfible obligation of the creature to 
 the ftri&eft obedience, flowing from the unalterable 
 authority of the lawgiver, and the nature of the pre- 
 cepts themfelves. Nevertheleis we firmly believe, 
 that no fmall portion, of the believers fafety and 
 comfort, turns upon thefe following points, namely, 
 That the guilt of believers fins, is not fuch as the 
 guilt of their fins, who are under the covenant of 
 works. That God doth not look upon the fins of 
 believers after their union with Chrift, as breaches 
 of the covenant of works. That when in his anger 
 againft them for their fins, he fmites them, yet he 
 doth not proceed againft them in the way of that co- 
 venant 
 
Concerning the Marrow, &c. 13 
 
 Tenant, and that in their confcflions, and addrcflfes 
 for pardon. *f a ftings, mournings, and humiliations, 
 they ought to eye him as their Father in Jefus Chrift, 
 and not as their wrathful Judge, proceeding againft 
 them according to the law (or covenant) of works. 
 AU which truths feem to us to be buried in the ruins 
 of the above-mentioned diftinction of the law as ap- 
 plied by the author of the Marrow. 
 
 Thirdly, It is aftonifhing to us to find, that 
 part of the Marrow, which lies from page 1 50 to 1 53, 
 condemned in Cumulo, as contrary to the fcripturcs 
 and Confeflion of Faith, while we muft frankly own 
 if we underftandthe gofpel, the forecited pages con- 
 tain a bundle of fweet and pleafant gofpel truths, 
 which inftead of fiackening peoples diligence in the 
 ftudy of holinefs, as is alledged in the act, do difco- 
 ver the true fpring of evangelical obedience to the 
 holy law as a rule ; particularly in the aflembly's act, 
 we find the believer's plea in the cafe of juftiiication 
 in anfwer to the demands of the law cut off and con- 
 demned. Viz. lam already faved before thou cam- 
 eji ; therefore I have no need of thy pre fence. (Here 
 the book adds, what the affembly's act omits, name- 
 ly) For in Chrift 1 have all things at once, neither need 
 I any thing more, that is neceffary unto falvation. 
 Then proceeds, Chrift is my righteoufnefs, my trea- 
 fure, and my work. I confefs law, that 1 am neither 
 godly nor righteous ; but yet this I am fure of that he 
 is godly and righteous for me. In which terms that 
 blefied and famous reformer, Martin Luther, 
 in hisftrenuous and couragious defence of the evan- 
 gelical doctrine of juftification, afierted the perfect 
 obedience of the Lord Jefus as our Surety, to be 
 the only righteoufnefs, upon which we may rely in 
 the cafe of juftification before God. The which, 
 that great champion for Jefus Chrift, maintained a- 
 gainft the Antichriftian world, with aftonifhing fuc- 
 cefs in his time. We do believe, That the law or 
 covenant of works being broken, had a two-fold de- 
 mand upon all mankind ; without -a valid anfwer to 
 
 each 
 
1 4 The Reprefentation of the twelve Miniflers 
 each of which, fuftained by the Judge of all the 
 earth, no man can ice the Lord. The one y The de- 
 mand of fatisfaclion to juftice for fin. The other f 
 The demand of obedience. And as we have no plea 
 in anfwer to its former demand, but the fufterings of 
 Jefus Chrift our Surety, fo we have none, we dare 
 pretend none, in anfwer to the latter demand of it, 
 but that which (lands here condemned ; in regard, 
 that as in the language of the law, there is no obtain- 
 ing of falvation, but by works : For the law is not 
 of faith, but the man that doth them, (hail live in 
 them : So it acknowledged! no good works, no 
 keeping of the commandments, no godlinefs nor 
 righteoufnefs, but what is every way perfeel And 
 we conceive, that believers being united to Chrift, 
 this their plea is fuftained in the court of heaven, as 
 the plea of the furetys having paid the debt for them, 
 whereby the demand, which tbe law makes upon 
 them for works, if they will obtain falvation, is cut 
 off", they being appointed to obtain falvation another 
 way, namely, by our Lord Jefus Chr ft : Yea, be- 
 ing already actually, though not completely faved, 
 not according to the works of righteoufnefs, which 
 they have done, but according to his mercy, by the 
 waihing of regeneration, and renewing ok the Holy 
 Ghoft, of which falvation, conferred on them thro' 
 Jefus Chiift our Saviour their deliverance from the 
 law as a covenant of works, and confequently from 
 its demands aforefaid, is a chief part. 
 
 Fourthly, With refpeft to the paftages con- 
 cerning the nature of faith, condemned by the fore- 
 faid act. 
 
 1. It is grievous to us that thereby that act of 
 faith, by which a pcrfon appropriates to himfelf, 
 what before lay in common in the gofpei offer, and 
 without which there can be no receiving a doling 
 with Chrift, for falvation, is in effect excluded from 
 the nature of faith, which as we apprehend, is there- 
 by turned into that general and doubifome faith, ab- 
 jured in our national covenant. 
 
 2. Whereas 
 
Concerning the Marrow, &c. 1 5 
 
 2 Whereas it is notour, That our firft reformers 
 and the body of reformed divines fince, have taught 
 concerning the nature of faith, in the fame ftrain ;ls 
 in the condemned paflages, and thereby cut the fi- 
 news of Popery •, which doctrine of theirs, in the 
 fame manner or expreffion, flind in the Confeflions 
 of our reformed churches, and in the public ftan- 
 dards of doctrine in this church, before the year 
 1647. Such as Confeffion 1560, the Helvetian Con- 
 feffion, received and approved by this church with 
 exception only to holy days •, Calvin's Catechifm, 
 which was commonly annexed to Knox's Liturgie. 
 Mr. John Davidson's Catechifm, approven and 
 recommended by the fynod of Lothian and Tweedalc 
 Anno 1599. As alfo, that little Latin Catechifm, an- 
 nexed to the Rudiments (o long taught in Scotland. 
 The famous and learned Mr. Boyd of Trochrig s 
 commentary upon the Ephefians, a work promoted 
 and encouraged by the WTembly of the church of 
 Scotland. It feems to us no fmali differvice to the 
 intereft of religion, and a handle given the Papifts 
 again ft the reformation, that by an act of a General 
 Affembly of the church of Scotland, that doctrine, 
 or way of exprefTmg it, is now condemned. And 
 although we treely own, That in latter times lav- 
 ing faith ha^ been well defcribed, efpecially in our 
 Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, and the manner 
 of fpeaking on that head is much altered, from what 
 fome time was in ufe, yet we doubt not but the fub- 
 ftance of the doctrine in that point, is {till the fame, 
 as will appear, by comparing the above mentioned 
 Confeffion and Catechifms, with the three acts of 
 Affembly, 1647, anc * 1648. receiving and approv- 
 ing the Weftminfter Confeffion and Catechifms, in 
 which it is exprcfiy declared, That the Jaid Confeffion 
 and Catechifms, are in nothing, contrary to the re- 
 ceived doclrinc of this church. Which they would not 
 have faid, if they had not thought, that receiving 
 and refting in Chrirt for falvation, did imply that 
 affurance, whereby they ordinarily defcribed before 
 
 that 
 
1 6 The Reprefentation of the twelve Minificrs 
 that time, by which undei ftood the fiducial act, or 
 appropriating perfuafion of faith •, and not that af- 
 furance treated of in the Weftminfter Confeffion, 
 which is a complex one, full and clear, containing 
 not only the aflurance included in the direct acl of 
 faith, but alfo, that which arifeth from fpiritual fen- 
 fation, and rational argumentation ; for which fee 
 Conf. Chap. 18. §. 2, 3 Where it is faid, " That 
 u the aflurance of which they treat, is not only foun- 
 <c ded upon the divine truth of the promifes of fal- 
 <f vation, but alfo the inward evidences of thefe 
 a graces, unto which thefe promifes are made, the 
 " teftimony of the fpirit of adoption witnefEng with 
 
 t( our fpirits, that we are the children of God. 
 
 <( This infallible aflurance (adds the confeffion) doth 
 u not fo belong to the eflence of faith, &c." And 
 therefore we are fully perfuaded, That the late Af- 
 fembly had done more acceptable fervices to God, to 
 this and other reformed churches, had they disco- 
 vered the real agreement between the more ancient 
 and modern way of defcribing faith, than to con- 
 demn the former as erroneous ; whereby a heavy 
 charge is hid upon our reformers, this and other 
 reformed churches, who generally have defined faith 
 by aflurance. 
 
 Fifthly, That the following paflage is condem- 
 ned, viz. The Father hath made a deed of gift and 
 grant unto all mankind, That whofoever of themfhall 
 believe in his Son.fha/l not perifh, is furprifing to us : 
 When in the condemned paflage itfelf, extracted 
 forth of the facred records, we read that deed of 
 gift and grant, by which we underftand no more, 
 but the revelation of the divine will in the word af- 
 fording a warrant unto all to offer Chrift to all, and 
 a warrant unto all to receive him. This treatment 
 of the faid paflage, feems to incroach upon the 
 warrants aforefaid, and alfo upon fovereign grace, 
 which hath made this grant, not to devils, but un- 
 to men, in terms than which, none can be imagin- 
 ed more exteDfive. 
 
 Waving 
 
Concerning the Marroiv, Sec. 17 
 
 Waving the confideration of the cxpreffions, judg- 
 ed hy the AfTembly, exceeding harih and offenfive : 
 Since that which hath extorted this reprefentation 
 from us, is our concern for the truth, more than 
 the manner of exprefling it : Yet feeing the intereft 
 of truth, and of that condemned book, are fo much 
 linked together. In this event, we cannot but reprc- 
 fent briefly, the hard treatment wu conceive this laft 
 to have alio met with, when under the confederation 
 of the late General Aillmbly *, and fueh we appre- 
 hend to be. 
 
 1. The heavy charge of maintaining, That the 
 believer is not under the law as a rule of life, is 
 inferred, from the author's afTerting the believer to 
 be tree from the law as it is a covenant of works, as 
 if the law could not be a rule of life, but as it is the 
 covenant of works. One would rather think, That 
 the forefaid . afiertion of the author, doth plainly 
 import the believer to be under the law in lbme o- 
 ther {<znfc 9 and juftice gjs well as charity obliges us 
 to conceive the laid other fenfe to be that of the 
 law, as a rule of life ; for as much as, in exprefs 
 terms, he hath declared the Ten Commandments 
 to be the rule of life to a believer, page 5 - 
 
 2.The charge of maintaining holinefs not to be ne- 
 cefTary to falvation,is fixed upon the authors teaching / \J 
 the believer to pleadthe obedience of Chrift,inanfwer 
 to the law demand of good works, for obtaining fal- 
 vation, of which before: And upon his propoiing his 
 own judgment very modeftly, as to the propriety of 
 expreffion, with refpeft to the relation between good 
 works and eternal happinefs in thefe words, viz. u So 
 €t that good work c , as I conceive, may rather be 
 *' called a believer's walking in the way of eternal 
 <c happinefs, than the way itielf : ' But how that 
 doctrine can bear that inference, that holinefs is not 
 neceflary to falvation, or how it tends to flacken 
 peoples diligence in the ftudy of holinefs, we cannot 
 comprehend : For we can never grant, That the be- 
 liever's walking in the way of eternal happinefs, is 
 
 Q not 
 
1 3 The Reprefentatkn of the twelve minijlers> 
 not neceflary to falvation, and that only the way 
 itfelf is fo. And yet after all, the author doth not 
 tenacioufly irifift on his own judgment aforefaid, as 
 to the propriety of expreffion; but immediately 
 adds; " But however, this we may affuredly con- 
 M elude, That the fum and fubftance, both of the 
 4( way* and of walking in the way, confifts in the 
 " receiving of Jefus Chrift by faith, and in yielding 
 " obedience to his law. 
 
 3. Fear of punifhment, and hope of reward, not 
 allowed to be motives of a believers obedience, is in- 
 ferred from that, the author would not have believ- 
 ers to efchew evil and do good, for fear of hell, or 
 hope of heaven ; as if hell only, and none of the 
 fearful tokens of God's anger againft his own chil- 
 dren in this life, were to be in any fort reckoned pu- 
 niihments ; and heaven only, but none of the fweet 
 tokens of his love beftowed on them in the way of 
 clofe walking with God, were to be reckoned re- 
 wards We fhall only add here, That ror as much 
 as, it is evident to us, from the authors words, page 
 183. relative to the hope of heaven above mention- 
 ed, that he underftands, by doing good for hope of 
 heaven, the doing it for hope of obtaining it by our 
 own works and doings, we heartily approve of his 
 pofkion above (perilled, in that fenfe. 
 
 4. We cannot but account it hard, That whereas 
 there are in the adc, about 27 quotations out of the 
 book, they are all condemned, without condefcend- 
 ing upon the words or propoiitions which the Af- 
 fembly aims at in the quoted paffages : For verifying 
 of which we refer to the act itfelf ; yea fo far as we 
 can find, there are feveral of thefe quotations, which 
 feem to us to contain nothing of what is charged up- 
 on them, as particularly upon the firft head, anent 
 the nature of faith, pages 1 75, 176, 177. And upon 
 the head of univerfal atonement, pages 127, 128. 
 And upon the fifth head, anent the believer's not 
 being under the law, as a rule of life, pages 209, 
 210. 
 
 5- ^ 
 
Concerning the Marrow , &c. 19 
 
 5. It is alfo hard, That the book is condemned, 
 as denying the nccefiity of holinefs to falvation, and 
 the believers being under the law, as a rule of life, 
 without once making the leaft intimation, that the 
 one half of the faid book, contained in the fecond 
 volume, is an explication and application of the 
 holy law. in its ten commandments, not only to un- 
 believers, but alfo tp believers themfclves, for their 
 direction and excitation to holinefs of heart and life, 
 and humiliation for their tranfgreflions of it -> yea, 
 and without that half of the book, its being once 
 under the coniideratior, either of the Afiembly or 
 Committee for preferving the purity of doctrine. 
 Right Reverend and Honourable, 
 Although we don't account of the deed of the late 
 Afiembly in this affair, othcrwife then as an over- 
 fight, neverthelefs our hearts tremble to think of its 
 native confequences, and what ufe in the prefent and 
 fucceeding generations, may be made of the words 
 of the Afiembly 's determination, in the points of 
 doctrine above-mentioned, and of their ftrictly pro- 
 hibiting and discharging all the rninifters of this 
 church, either by preaching, writing, or printing, 
 to recommend the forefaid book : And on the con- 
 trary, enjoining and requiring them to warn and 
 exhort their people, in whofe hands the faid book 
 is, or may come, not to read or ufe the fame : A 
 book remarkable for fetting the difference between 
 the law and the gofpel, the covenant of works, and 
 the covenant of grace in a clear light ; and for di- 
 recting to the true way of attaining gofpel-hclinefs, 
 by which it has recommended itfelf to the conferen- 
 ces of many judicious rninifters and Chrlfuans in 
 this church, holy and tender in their walk. 
 
 As the growing humour in this generation, for 
 turning that religion left among us nolo mere mo- 
 rality, which hath nothing but the matter common 
 to it, with true holinefs and gofpel obedience, ac- 
 ceptable to God through Jefus Chrift, is too notour 
 to efcape your obfervation : So it is with grief of 
 C 2 heart 
 
20 The Repreftfltrition of the twelve Mtnijters % 
 heart we muff fay, that we conceive the above-men- 
 tioned act of Affembly, to have fo opened the fluice 
 to it, that if remedy be not timely provided, this 
 matter muft terminate in a confounding of the law 
 and gofpel, notwithstanding of our Confeflion of 
 Faith and Catechifms, witneffing again ft the fame, 
 which has been the lot of other public ftandards of 
 doctrine, before this time. 
 
 We are confirmed in thefe our fears, of the dif- 
 mal effects of that act, when we find in a following 
 act of the fame aflembly, namely the 8th, entituled, 
 Sicl for preaching catechetical doctrine y with diretlions 
 therein. Two claufes, the one relating to juftifica- 
 tion, the other, to the necefiity of holinefs, being 
 expreffed in the terms following, viz, " Of free juf- 
 11 tification, through our blefTed furety the Lord 
 <c Jefus Chrift, received by faith alone ; and of the 
 <f ncceffity of an holy life, in order to the obtain- 
 u ing of everlafting happinefs " Concerning which 
 we crave leave to reprefent, That the f?id form ot 
 words, being another than what is ufed in our Con- 
 fefiicn of Faith and Catechrfms on thefe fubjects, is 
 {tumbling to us, and cannot fail of being fo to many 
 in the prefent fituation of affairs, with refpect to 
 doctrine in this church, caufed by the former act, 
 for binding on the necks of believers in Chrift, the 
 yoke of the law, as a covenant of works, the mini- 
 fters of this church had been directed to preach free 
 juftification through our blefTed Surety, the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, " only for his righteoufnefs imputed 
 €€ to us, and' received by faith alone," the ground 
 of offence on the former head had been leffened : 
 But that in fuch a circumftantiate cafe, the great 
 doctrine of juftification, was winded up in fuch 
 terms as gave fhelter to the erroneous doctrine of 
 juftification, for fomething wrought in, or done 
 by the finner, as his righteoufnefs, or keeping of 
 the new and gofpel law, is exceedingly grievous, 
 efpecially confidering, That a motion exprefly made 
 to the Affembly, for mentioning the righteoufnefs 
 
 of 
 
Concerning the Marrcw, See. 21 
 
 of Chrift in that caufc was flighted. And whereas 
 the fold AfTembly, by their former act, have condem- 
 ned the abpye-memionc^ plea, in anfwer to the law 
 demand of g^ % for obtaining falvation, and 
 
 that the law acknowledged no works for obtaining 
 ation, but fuch as found a title to it before the 
 Lord : we conceive, their directing of miniiters by 
 the latter aft above-mentioned, to preach (evidently 
 in contradiction to the condemned doctrine of the 
 MarrOW on that head) the neceffity of a holy life, in 
 order to the obtaining of everlfcfting happinels, to be 
 of verv dangerous confequence to the doctrine of 
 free grace. And in our humble opinion, the reced- 
 ing from that doctrine may be reckoned among the 
 caufes of, and as having no fmall influence upon the 
 want of the gofpel-fuccefs, fo much, and fo deferv- 
 edly complained off, by the miniiters and people in 
 thefe our unhappy days. 
 
 For brevity's iake, we do not here reprefent feve- 
 ral other grievances, important in themfelves, and 
 weighty to us, yet we cannot but regret the flame 
 raifed in this church by the overtures concerning 
 kirk feflions and presbyteries, tranfmitted by the late 
 AfTembly : Nor can we without horror, think of the 
 further evils and inconveniencies, that will inevitably 
 follow, in cafe they fhould be turned into ftanding 
 acts. But it is hoped, this AfTembly will be ib guid- 
 ed by the great Mafter of AfTemblies, as to put a 
 ftop to what further detriment the church of Scot- 
 land may fuftain by the faid overtures ; as alfo, ef- 
 fectually to prevent for the future, all grounds of 
 complaint, may be made to fubfequent aflemblies, 
 againft the proceedings of inch as have gsme before 
 them, and confequently to cut off all occaiion, for 
 reprelentations of this nature hereafter. 
 
 Mat 
 
22 The Rcprefentation of twelve Minj/lers, &c. 
 
 " May it therefore pleafe the very Reverend Af- 
 " fembly, ferioufly and impartially to confider • 
 c the premifcs, with the great weight and im- 
 c porrance of this affair, in which the honour 
 ( of our common matter and meffage, the fal- 
 ' vation of fouls, our Confeffion of Faith and 
 ( Catechiftm, our Covenants National and So- 
 c lemn League, and the remains of the peace 
 c of this church are fo much concerned : And 
 f laying afide all confiderations of another kind, 
 1 repeal the 5th aft of the late Affembly, emit? 
 1 led, Aft concerning a book, entitled, The Mar- 
 ;i row of Modern Divinity : And to provide fuch 
 c remedy, as may remove the offence, arifing 
 ;f from the two above fpecified claufes, in the 
 :c 8th act of the faid Affembly, entitled, Aft 
 'for preaching Catechetical Doclrine 9 with Di- 
 1 reftions therein : Which will afford matter of 
 c thankfgiving unto God, in behalf of die truth, 
 ( and of your felves, to many who love the truth 
 ' and peace. 
 
 The Names of the Subscribers, 
 
 Mr. James Hog 
 Thomas Bofton 
 John Bonar 
 John Williamfon 
 James Kid 
 Gabriel Wiifon 
 Ebenezei Erskine 
 Ralph Erskine 
 James Warlaw 
 Henry Davidfon 
 James Bathgate 
 William Hunter 
 
 1 „ 
 
 Q 
 
 Carnock. 
 
 Etterick. 
 
 Torphichen. 
 
 Innerafk & Mufleburgh 
 
 Queensferry, 
 
 Maxton, 
 
 Portmoak. 
 
 Dumfermling. 
 
 Galafhiels. 
 Orwel. 
 
 Lillisleaf. 
 
 QUERIES, 
 
( n ) 
 
 (QUERIES, 
 
 To be put to Mr. James Hog, and other 
 Ministers, who gave in a Reprefcntation in 
 favours of the Marrow, to the -Gene- 
 ral Assembly, 172L 
 
 I. IT7H ETHER are there any precepts in the 
 Y V gofpel, that were not actually given before 
 the gofpel was revealed ? 
 
 II. Is not the believer now bound, by the autho- 
 rity of the Creator, to perioral obedience to the 
 moral law, tho' not in order to juftification ? 
 
 III. Doth the annexing of a promife of life, and 
 a threatning of death, to a precept, make it a co- 
 venant of works ? 
 
 IV. If the moral law, antecedent to its receiving 
 the form of a covenant of works, had a threatning 
 of hell annexed to it ? 
 
 V. If it be peculiar to believers, to be free of the 
 commanding power ot the law, as a covenant of 
 works ? 
 
 VI. If a (inner, being juftiiied, has all things at 
 once, that is neceffkry for ialvation ? And if per- 
 fonal holinefs and progrefs in holy obedience is 
 not neceffary to a juftified perion's poiTeffion of glo- 
 ry, in cafe of his continuing in life after his juftifi- 
 cation ? 
 
 VII. Is preaching the neceffity of a holy life, in 
 order to the obtaining of eternal happinefs, of dan- 
 gerous confequence to the doctrine of free grace ? 
 
 VIII. Is 
 
24 Queries to be put to the twelve Minijiers. 
 
 VIII. Is knowledge, belief, and perfuafion, that 
 Chrift died for me, and that He is mine, and that 
 whatever He did and fuffcred. He differed for me, 
 the direct act of faith, whereby a (inner is united 
 to Chrift, interefted in him, inflated in God's cove- 
 nant of grace ? Or, is that knowledge a perfuafion 
 included in the very effence of that juftifying aft of 
 faith? 
 
 IX. What is that act of faith, by which a finner 
 appropriates Chrift and his faving benefits to him- 
 felf? 
 
 X. Whether the- revelation of the divine will in the 
 word, affording a warrant to offer Chrift unto all, 
 and a warrant to all to receive him. can be faid to 
 be the Father's making a deed of gift and grant unto 
 all mankind ? Is this grant made to all mankind, by 
 fovereign grace ? And whether is it abfolute or con- 
 ditional? 
 
 XI Is the divifion of the law, as explained and 
 apolied in the Marrow, to be juitified : and which 
 cannot be rejected without burying feveral gofpel 
 truths ? 
 
 XII. Is the hope of heaven, and fear of hell, to 
 be excluded from the motives of believers obedi- 
 ence ? And if not how can the Marrow be defend- 
 ed, that exprefly excludes them, tho' it fliould al- 
 low other motives i 
 
 That this is a true Copy, is attefied by 
 
 NIC. S PENCE. 
 
 Agreed unto by the Commi£ion % 
 November 8th, 1721. 
 
 The 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 The Papfr oiven in, and v C icrned 
 before the Commiifion, by thele 
 Mikisters, at their receiving the 
 above Queries, Edin* Novem. 
 9th, 172 1. 
 
 WE fubfcribers or the reprefentation and peti- 
 tion to the General AfTembly 1721, concern- 
 ing an act of AfTembly 1720, condemning the Mar- 
 row, being called by the commiffion of the late Ge- 
 neral AfTembly, to anfwer fome queries, alledged to 
 be founded on the fatd reprefentation : Conddering, 
 That the reverend commiffion having in Auguft laft, 
 paft an overture, and therein made determinations 
 upon the feveral heads of the reprefentation afore- 
 faid, which no anfwers of ours can warrant them to 
 alter ; and confidering, That the putting queries to 
 us, in this manner, is, we conceive, an uncommon 
 and undue manner of procedure \ we do not look 
 upon our felves as obliged to anfwer them. Never- 
 thelefs, for the fake of truth, and to take off any 
 fhadow of fufpicion, though never fo groun llefe; 
 and being neither afraid nor afhamed to bring to 
 light our fentiments on thefe points, in the form of 
 anfwers to thefe queries, as well as we have already 
 done in our reprefentation ; we judge it expedient 
 to condefcend to take them under our confideration, 
 and to give anfwers thereto, againft the commiffion 
 in March. Withal protefting, That this our conde- 
 fceniion herein fhali not be conftructed an approba- 
 tion of this method of proceeding, n or be improven 
 as a precedent. 
 
 D Ans 
 
 WERS 
 
( »« ) 
 
 ANSWERS 
 
 For the Minifters underfubfcribing, to Queries 
 put to them by the Commiffion of the late 
 General Affembly, 172 I. 
 
 ADhering to, and holding, as here repeated, our 
 fubferibed anfwer given in to the reverend com- 
 miffion, when by them called to receive thefe queries: 
 We come to adventure, under the conduct of the 
 faithful and true witnefs, who has promifed the Spi- 
 rit of truth, to lead his people into all truth, to 
 make anfwer to the faid queries. To the which be- 
 fore we proceed, we crave leave to reprefent, That 
 the title thereto prefixed, viz. Queries to be put to 
 Mr. James Hog, and other minifters , who gave in a 
 Reprefentation, in favours of the Marrow , to the Ge- 
 neral Affembly 1721, as well as that prefixed to the 
 Commiffion's overture anent this affair, hath a na- 
 tive tendency to divert, and bemift the reader, to 
 expole us, and to turn the matter off its proper 
 hinge, by giving a wrong colour to our representa- 
 tion \ as if the chief defign of it was to plead, not 
 for the precious truths of the gofpel, which we 
 conceived to be wounded by the condemnatory acT: 
 but for The marrow of modern divinity , the which 
 though we value for a good and ufeful book, and 
 doubt not but the church of God may be much edi- 
 fied by it, as we ourfelves have been ; yet came it 
 never into our minds, to hold it, or any other pri- 
 vate writing faultlefs, nor to put it on a level with 
 our approved ftandards of dottnne. 
 
 Quert 
 
An fivers to the Queries. 27 
 
 Qjjery I. Whether are there any precepts in the 
 gofpel, that -were not aftually given before the go/pel 
 was revealed? 
 
 Answer. The pafTages in our reprefentation, 
 marked out to us, for the grounds of this query, 
 are thefe ; mi The gofpel doctrine, known only by 
 a new revelation after the fall *. Of the fame dif- 
 mal tendency we apprehend tobe the declaring of that 
 diftinction of the law, as it is the law of works,and as 
 it is the law of Chrift, as the author applies it, to be al- 
 together groundlefsf.-The erroneous doctrine of juf- 
 tification, for fomrthing wrought in, or done by the 
 finner, as his righteoufnefs, or keeping the new and 
 gofpel law $." Now, leaving it to others to judge, 
 if thefe pafTages gave any juft occafion to thisquefti- 
 on, we anfwer, 
 
 imoy In the gofpel, taken ftrictly, and as contra- 
 diftinct from the law, for a doctrine of grace, or 
 good news from heaven, of help in Cod through 
 Jefus Chrift, to loft, feif deftroying creatures of 
 ^darn's race \ or the glad tidings of a Saviour, with 
 life and falvation in him to the chief of finners, there 
 are no precepts ; all thefe, the command to,believe, 
 and repent, not excepted, belonging to, and flow- 
 ing from the law, which faftens the new duty on us, 
 the fame moment the gofpel reveals the new object. 
 That in the gofpel, taken ftrictly, there are no 
 precepts, to us feems evident from the holy fcrip- 
 tures. In the firft revelation of it, made in thefe 
 words, The feed of the ivomanfhall brnife the head of 
 the ferpenty Gen. iii. 15. we find no precept but a 
 promife, containing glad tidings of a Saviour, with 
 grace, mercy, life, and falvation in him, to loft fin- 
 ners of Adam's family* And the gofpel preached 
 unto Abraham, namely, In thee, (i. e. in thy fecd t 
 which is Chrift) fb all all nations be blefedy Gal, iii. 
 8. compared with Gen. xii. 3. xxii. 18. Acts iii 25. 
 is of the fame nature. The good tidings of great 
 D 2 . joy 
 
 # Par. a. \ Par. 5 . % Par.penult. 
 
28 Anfivers to the Queries. 
 
 joy to all people, of a Saviour born in the city of 
 David, who is Chrift the Lord, brought and pro- 
 claimed from heaven by the angels, Lukeii. 10, u. 
 we take to have been the gofpel, if rictly and proper- 
 ly fo called, yet is there no precept in theie tidings. 
 We find like wife, the gofpel of peace, and glad ti- 
 dings of good things, are in fcripture convertible 
 term', Rom. x. 15. And the word of the gofpel, 
 which Peter fpoke to the Gentiles, that they might 
 believe, was no other than peace by Jefus Chrilt, 
 crucified, rifen, and exalted to be judge of quick 
 and dead, with remiffion of fins through his name, 
 to be received by every one believing in him, Acts 
 xv. 7. xx. 36,-43. Much more might be added 
 on this head, which, that we be not tedious, we 
 pafs, See Luke iv. 18. compared with Ifa. lxi. 1, 2. 
 Act3 xx 24 2Tim.i. 10. Of the fame mind, as to 
 this point, we find the body of reformed divines ; 
 as, to inftance in a few, Calvin, Chamier, Pcmble, 
 Wendelin, Alting, the proftfibrs of Leyden, Wit- 
 Cus, Ivjaftrich, Marefius, Troughton, EiTenius. 
 
 That all precepts (thefe of faith and repentance 
 not excepted) belong to, and are of the law, is no 
 lefs evident to us : For the law of creation, or of the 
 Ten Commandments, which was given to Adam in 
 paradife, in the form of a covenant of works, re- 
 quiring us to believe whatever God fhould reveal, 
 or promife, and to obey whatever he fhould com- 
 mand ; all precepts whatfoever mutt be virtually 
 and really included in it : So that there never was, 
 nor can be an inftance of duty owing by the creature 
 to God, not commanded in the moral law, if not 
 directly and exprefly, yet indirectly and by confe- 
 quence The fame firft command, for inftance, 
 which requires us to take the Lord for our God, to 
 acknowledge his eflential verity, and fovereign au- 
 thority ; to love, fear, and truft in Jehovah, after 
 what manner foever he fhall be pleafed to reveal 
 himfelf to us ; and likewife to grieve and mourn for 
 his dishonour, or difpleafure *, requires believing in 
 
 Jehovah 
 
20 jtnfwers t: rits, 
 
 Jehovah j our right eoufnefs, as foon as ever he is 
 revealed to us as luch, and forrowing after a godly- 
 fort for the tJ Eon of his holy law, whether 
 bv one's felf, or by others. It is true, Adam was 
 not actually i tq belli vc in a Saviour, till, be- 
 ing loft and undone, a S iviour was n vealed to him ; 
 but the fame command that bound him to truft and 
 depend on, and to believe the promi.'cs or God cre- 
 ator, no doubt, obliged him to believe in God Re- 
 deemer, when revealed : No.* was Adam obliged to 
 forrow for fin eie it was committed : But this fame 
 law that bound him to have a ienfeof the evil of fin 
 in its nature and effects, to hate, loath, and flee 
 from fin, and to refolve againft it, and for all holy 
 obedience, and to have a due apprehenfion or the 
 goodneis of God, obliged him alio to mourn for it, 
 whenever it (hould fall out. And we cannot fee 
 iiow the contrary doctrine is confident with the per- 
 fection of the law - 9 for if the law be a complete rule 
 of all moral, internal and fpiritual, as well as exter- 
 nal and ritual obedience, it muft require faith and 
 repentance, as well as it does a;l other good works : 
 and that it does indeed require them, we can have 
 no doubt of, when we coniider, Tha: without them 
 all other religious performances are in God's account 
 as good as nothing ; and that iin being, as the fcrip- 
 ture, i John iii. 4. and our own ftandards tell us, 
 any want of conformity to, or tranfgreffion of the 
 law of God, unbelief and impenitency muft be io 
 too : And if they be fo, then muft faith and repent- 
 ance be obedience and conformity to the fame law, 
 which the former are a tranfgreffion of, or an ^con- 
 formity unto ; unb- Jief particularly, being a depart- 
 ing from the living God, Heb. iii 12. is, for certain, 
 forbidden in the firft command; therefore faith muft 
 needs be required in the lame command, I fa xxvi. 
 4. according to a known rule. But what need we 
 more, after our Lord has told us, That faith is one 
 of the weightier matters of the law, Mat xxiii. 23. 
 And that it is not a' fecond table duty, which is 
 
 where 
 
30 Anfwers to the Queries. 
 
 there meant, is evident to us, by comparing the pa- 
 rallel place in Luke, chap. xi. 42. where, in place 
 of faith, we have the love of God. As for repentance, 
 in c^fe of fin againft God, it becomes naturally a 
 duty ; and though neither the covenant of works, 
 or of grace admit of it, as any expiation of fin, or 
 federal condition giving right to life, it is a duty in- 
 cluded in every command, on the fuppofal of a tranf- 
 greflion. 
 
 What moves us to be the more concerned for this 
 point of doctrine, is, That if the law does not bind 
 finners to believe and repent, then we fee not how 
 faith and repentance, confidered as works, are ex- 
 cluded from our juftifkation before God ; fince in 
 that cafe they are not works of the law, under which 
 character all works are in fcripture excluded from 
 the ufe of juftifying in the fight of God. And we 
 call to mind, that en the contrary doctrine, Armi- 
 nius laid the foundation of his rotten principles, 
 touching fufficient grace, or rather natural power. 
 €i Adam, laid he, had not power to believe in Je- 
 <c fus Chriit, becaufe he needed him not; nor was 
 fl he bound fo to believe, becaufe the law required 
 M it not : Therefore, fince Adam by his fall did not 
 <• lofe it, God is bound to give every man power to 
 " believe in Jefus Chri'ft " And Socinians, Armi- 
 nians, Papifts, and Baxterians, by holding the gof- 
 pel to be a new, proper, preceptive law, with fancti- 
 on, and thereby turning it into a real, though mild- 
 er covenant of works, have confounded the law and 
 the gofpel, and brought works into the matter and 
 caufe of a finners juftification before God. And, 
 we reckon, we are the rather called to be on our 
 guard here, that the claufe in our Reprefentation, 
 making mention of the new, or gofpel law, is 
 marked out to us, as one of the grounds of this 
 query, which we own to be fomewhat alarming. 
 Beiides all this, the teaching that faith and repen- 
 tance are gofpel commands, may yet again open the 
 door to Antinomianifm, as it fometimesdid already, 
 
 if 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 31 
 
 if we may believe Mr. Crofs, who fays, <( Hiftory tells 
 M us, That it fprungfrom filch a mil take, that faith 
 11 and repentance were taught and commanded by 
 €i the gofpel only ; and that they contained all nc- 
 ct ceflary to falvation fo the law was needlefs *." 
 
 On this head alfo, namely, That all precepts be- 
 long to the law, we might likewife adduce a cloud 
 of witnefles beyond exception, fuch as Pemble. Ef- 
 fenius, Anthony Burgefs, Rutherford, Owen, Wit- 
 fius, Dickfon, Fergulon, Troughton, Larger Ca- 
 techifm on the duties required, and fins forbidden 
 in the firft commandment. But, without iniiiting 
 further, we anfwer, 
 
 id.. In the gofpel, taken largely for the whole 
 doctrine of Chrift and the anoftles, contained in the 
 New Teftament, or for a fyftem of all the promifes, 
 precepts, threatnings, doctrines, hiftories, that any 
 way concern man s recovery and falvation ; , in which 
 refpect, not only all the Ten Commandments, but 
 the doctrine of the covenant of works, belong to it 
 (but in this fenfe, the gofpel is not contradiftinct 
 from, the law:) In the gofpel, taken thus at large, 
 we fay, there are doubtlefs many precepts, that were 
 not actually given (that is, particularly and exprefly 
 promulgate, or required) before the gofpel was re- 
 vealed. Love to our enemies, to inftance in a few 
 of many, mercy to the miferable, bearing of the 
 crofs, hope and joy in tribulations, in profpect of 
 their having a defired iiTue j love, thankfulnefs, 
 prayer and obedience to a God Redeemer, zealous 
 witnefiing againit fin, and for truth, in cafe of de- 
 fection from the faith or holinefs of the goipel, con- 
 ferring our faults to, and forgiving one another : 
 all the ceremonial precepts under the Old Teftamenr, 
 together with the institutions of Chrift under the 
 New, faith in Jefus Chrift, repentance unto lite, 
 with many more, to fay nothing of perfonal and 
 particular precepts, were not actually given before 
 the gofpel was revealed ; all which are neverthelefs 
 
 reducible 
 * Sermon on Rem. iii. 27. pdge 165, 
 
32 Anfwers to the Qiierlcs. 
 
 reducible to the law of the Ten Commands, many 
 of them being plain duties of the law of nature, 
 though they had no due and proper objects, nor oc- 
 cafions of being exercifed in an innocent itate. It 
 is true, there are many of them we had never heard 
 of, without the gofpel had been revealed ; yet are 
 they not therefore, in any proper fenfe, precepts of 
 the gofpel, but of the law, which is exceeding broad, 
 extending to new objects, occaiions and circum- 
 ftances. The law fays one thing to the perfon un- 
 married, and another thing to the fame perfon when 
 married ; one thing to him as a child, another thing 
 to him as a parent, &c. yet is it the fame law (till. 
 The law of God, being perfect, and like unto its au- 
 thor, muft reach to every condition of the creature; 
 but, if for every new duty, or new object of faith, 
 there behoved to be a new law, how ftrangely muft 
 laws be multiplied ? The law itfelf, (even as in the 
 cafe of a man) may meet with many changes, and 
 yet remain the fame as to its effence. Now, as to 
 faith and repentance, though ability to exercife them 
 and acceptance of them, be by the gofpel ; yet, it is 
 evident, that they muft be regulated by the fame 
 law, the tranfgreffion of which made them neceffary. 
 The effence of repentance, it is plain, lies in repeat- 
 ing and renewing, with a fuitable frame of fpirit, the 
 duties omitted ; or in obferving the law, one had 
 formerly violated : For as the divine perfections are 
 the rule and pattern of God's image in man, as well 
 in his regeneration, as in his creation ; fo the holy 
 law of God is the rule of our repentance, as well as 
 of our primitive obedience. And why faith, when 
 it has God-Mediator, or God-Redeemer for its ob- 
 ject, may not be from the fame law as when it had 
 God-Creator, or God-Preferver for its object, we 
 cannot fee. 
 
 Query II. Is not the believer now bound) by the au- 
 thority of the Creator ■, to perfonal obedience to the mo- 
 ral law j though not in order to jujlification ? 
 
 Anf. 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 33 
 
 Auf. What is given us for the ground of this 
 query is the following claufe of our Reprefentation, 
 u Since believers are not under it, to be there- 
 by juftified or condemned, we cannot comprehend 
 how it continues any longer a covenant of works to 
 them, or as fuch to h;we a commanding power over 
 them, that covenant form of it being done away in 
 Chrift, with refpecl: to believers *.* This claufe of 
 the Reprefentation being fo much one, even in 
 words, with our Confeflion, chap. 19. §6. we could 
 never have expected the reverend Commiflion would 
 have moved a query upon it ; but fince they have 
 been pleafed to think ctherwife, we anfwer affirma- 
 tively. _ 
 
 The believer, fince he ceafes not to be a creature 
 by being made a new creature, is, and muft ever be 
 bound to perfonal obedience to the law of the Ten 
 Commands,, by the authority of Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghoft, his Creator: But this authority is, as 
 to him, ifTued by and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 at whole mouth he receives the law, being as well 
 his Lord God Creator, as his Lord God Redeemer, 
 and having all the fulnefs of the Godhead dwelling 
 in him ; nor can nor will the finful creature ever 
 apply himfelf to obedience, acceptable to God, or 
 comfortable to himfelf, without the Creator's autho- 
 rity come to him in that channel 
 
 We are clear and full of the fame mind with our 
 Confeflion, " That the moral law of the Ten Com- 
 <c mandments doth for ever bind all, as well juftified 
 Ki perfons as others, to the obedience thereof, not 
 4< only in regard of the matter contained in it, but 
 c< alfo in refpect of God the Creator, who gave it ; 
 <c and that Chrift doth not in the gofpcl any way 
 <c diiibive, but much ftrengthen this obligation:" 
 cap. 19. For, how can it lofe any thing of its origi- 
 nal authority, by being conveyed to the believer in 
 fuch a fweet and blefled channel, as the hand of 
 Chrift, fince both he himfelf is the fupreme God 
 
 E and 
 
 * Par. 4. 
 
 
34 Anfwers to the ghieries. 
 
 and Creator, and fince the authority, majefty, and 
 ibvereignty of the Father is in his Son, he bein^ the 
 fame in fubftance, equal in power and glory ? Be- 
 ware vfbim % (lays the Lord unto Ifrael, concerning 
 Chrift the angel of the covenant) and obey his voice, 
 provoke hnn net: For my name is in him, Exod. xxiii. 
 21. that is, as we underftand it, my authority, fo- 
 vereignty, and other adorable excellencies, yea, the 
 whole fulnefs of the Godhead is in him, and in him 
 only will I be ferved and obeyed. And then it fol- 
 lows, But if thou (halt indeed obey his voice, and do 
 all that I /peak, ver. 22. The name of the Father is 
 fo in him, he is fo of the fame nature with his Fa- 
 ther, that his voice is the Father's voice ; If thou 0- 
 bey his voice, and do all that If peak. 
 
 We deiire to think and fpeak honourably of him, 
 whofe name is Wonderful, QAtnfelor, the mighty God, 
 the Evcrlajling Father, and the Prince of Peace : and 
 it cannot but exceedingly grate our ears and grieve 
 our fpirits, to find fuch doctrines or pofitions vent- 
 ed in this church, efpecially at a time when the A- 
 rian herefy is fo prevalent in our neighbour nations, 
 as have an obvious tendency to darken and difparage 
 his divine authority, as that, " If a believer ought 
 cC not to receive the law of the Ten Commands at the 
 €i hand of God, as he is Creator out of Chrifr, then 
 M he is not under its obligation, as it was delivered 
 f< by God the Creator, but is loofed from all obe- 
 €( ditnee to it. as it was enacted by the authority of 
 €i the Lord Creator ; and that it is injurious to the 
 " infinite majefty of the Sovereign Lord Creator, 
 " and to the honour of his holy law, to reftrict the 
 §i believer to receive the Ten Commands only at the 
 u hand of Chrift» ,> What can be more injurious to 
 the infinite majefty of the Sovereign Lord Redeem- 
 er, by whom all things were created that are in hea- 
 ven and in earth, vifible and invifible, whether they 
 be thrones or dominions, principalities or powers, 
 than to fpeak as if the Creator's authority was not in 
 him ; or, as if the receiving the Creator's law from 
 
 Chrift 
 
 
Anfwers to the Shtcries. 35 
 
 Chrift did loofe men from obedience to it, as enac- 
 ted by the authority of the Father. Wo unto us, 
 if this doctrine be the truth; for fo fhould we be 
 brought back to confuming fire indeed : For out of 
 (. hrift, be that made us will have no mercy on us; nor 
 will he that formed us.fhew us any favour. We hum- 
 bly conceive, the Father dots not reckon himfelf 
 glorified, but contemned by Chriftians offering obe- 
 dience to him as Creator out of Chrift : Nor does 
 the offering to deal with him after this fort, or to 
 teach others fo^ difcover a due regard to the myfte- 
 ry of Chrift revealed in the gofpel ; for it is the will 
 of the Father, the Sovereign Lord Creator, That all 
 men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour 
 himfelr ; and that at, or in, the name of Jefus, eve- 
 ry knee fhould bow; and that every tongue fhould 
 confefs Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God 
 the Father, who having in thefe laft days fpoken 
 unto us by his Son, by whom alfo he made the 
 world, and with an audible voice from heaven hath 
 faid, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleaf 
 ed; hear ye him. Were it not we would be thought 
 tedious, Perkins, Durham, Owen, and others, 
 might have been heard on this head. But we pro- 
 ceed to 
 
 Query III Doth the annexing of a promife of life f 
 and a threatning of death to a precept , make it a co* 
 venant of works t 
 
 We anfwer> as in our representation, That the 
 promife of life, and threatning of death, fuperadded 
 to the law of the Creator, made it a covenant of 
 works to our firft parents, propofed : And their own 
 confent, which finlefs creatures con Id not refufe, 
 made it a covenant of works, accepted. u A law, 
 €i faith the judicious Durham, doth. neceflfctily im« 
 " ply no more, than 17?, To direcl ; 2^//y,Tocoin- 
 " mand; enforcing that obedience by authority. lA 
 iC covenant doth further neceflarily imply promifes 
 € * made upon fome conditions or threatnings added 
 E 2 if 
 
36 Jnfwcrs to the Queries. 
 
 " if fuch a condition be not performed. Now, fays 
 M he, this law may be considered without the confi- 
 4i deration of a covenant •, for it was free to God to 
 t€ have added, or not to have added promifes ; and 
 " the threatnings, upon fuppofition the law had been 
 H kept, might never have taken effect." (Treatife 
 on the commands, page 4. quarto edit.) From 
 whence it is plain, in the judgment of this great di- 
 vine, the law of nature was turned into a covenant 
 by the addition of a promife of life, and threatning 
 of dea:h. Of the fame mind is Burgels, and the 
 London minifters, Vindicice Legis, page 61. " There 
 u are only two things which go to the effence of a 
 ! c law ; and that is, 17720, Direction; ido y Obligation. 
 " imo, Direction, therefore a law is a rule ; hence 
 €t the law of God is compared to light. 2do, Obli- 
 " gation; for therein lieth the eiTence of fin, that 
 €t it breaketh this law, which fuppofes the obligato- 
 €t ry force of it. In the next place, there are two 
 c< confequents of the law, whieh are ad bene effe, 
 u that the law may be the better obeyed ; and this 
 € [ indeed turneth the law into a covenant. 1/?, The 
 u fanction of it, by way of promife. that is a mere 
 " free thing : God, by reafon of that dominion 
 il which he had over man, might have commanded 
 " bis obedience, and yet never made a promife of 
 11 eternal life unto him. And, 2d/y y As for the 
 u other confequent act of the law, to curie and pu- 
 €C nifh, this is but an accidental act, not necefiary 
 €c to a law ; for it comes in upon fuppoiltion of 
 €< tranfgreflion. — —A law is a complete law, oblig- 
 u ing, though it do not actually curfe ; as in the 
 " confirmed angels, it never had any more than o- 
 €i bligatory and mandatory acts upon them : For 
 c< that they were under a law, is plain, becaufe other- 
 u wife they could not have finned ; for where there 
 *' is no law, there is no tranfgreflion." 
 
 Tho' there is no ground from our reprefentation 
 to add more on this head, yet we may fay, That a 
 promife of life made to a precept of doing, that is 
 
 in 
 
I - Anfwers to the ^ticries. 37 
 
 in confederation, or upon condition of one's doing, 
 (be the doing more or leis it is all one. the divine 
 will in the precept being the ride in this cafe) is a 
 covenant of works. And as to believers in Chrift, 
 tho' in the gofpei, largely taken, we own there are 
 promifes of Life, and threat nings of death, as well 
 as precepts •, and that godlineis hath the promife, 
 not only cf this life, but of that which is to come, 
 annexed to it, in the order of the covenant •, yet we 
 are clear, no promife of life is made to the perfor- 
 mance of precepts, nor eternal death threatned, in 
 cafe of their failing whatsoever in performing ; elie 
 fhould their title to life be founded, not entirely on 
 Chrift, and his righteoufnefs imputed to them, but 
 on fomething in, or done by themfelves : And their 
 after fins fhould again actually bring them under vin- 
 dictive wrath, and the curfe of the law; which upon 
 their union with Chrift, who was made a curie for 
 them, to redeem them from under it, they are, ac- 
 cording to fcripture, Rom. vi. 14, 15. Rom. viii. 1. 
 Gal. iii. 13, 4, 5. and our Confeffion, Chap. 20. §. 
 2. Chap. 11. §.5. for ever delivered from. Hence 
 we know of no fanclion the law, ftanding in the co- 
 venant of grace, hath with refpecl to believers, be- 
 fides gracious ue wards, all of them freely promifed 
 on Chrift's account, for their encouragement in o- 
 bedience ; and fatherly chaftifement and difpleafurc, 
 in cafe of their not walking in his commandments ,* 
 Pfal. lxxxix. 31, 33. 1 Cor. xi. 30, 32. Luke i. 20. 
 Which to a believer are no lefs awful and much more 
 powerful reftraints from fin, than the profpecr of 
 the curfe and hell itfelf would be. The Pteverend 
 Commiffion will not, we hope, grudge to hear that 
 eminent divine Mr. Perkins, in a few words, cu 
 th»s head, who having put the objection, " In the 
 u g°fP e l there are promijes of lije upon condition cf our 
 " obedience, as Rom. viii. 13. If ye through the Spi- 
 u rity &c." Anfwers , The promifes of the gofpei 
 " are not made to the work, but to the worker ; 
 " and to the worker, not for hh> work, but for 
 
 " Chrift's 
 
2 8 dnfwers to the Qtteries. 
 
 " Chrlft's fake according to his work. e.g. The'pro- 
 €i mile of life is not made to the work of mortifica- 
 F 1 tion, but to him that mortifies his flefh -, and that 
 u not for his mort ; fication, but becaufe he is in 
 " Chriit, and his mortification is the token and evi- 
 H deuce thereof *. This, as it is the old proteftant 
 doctrine, io we take it to be the truth. And as to 
 the believer's total and final freedom from the curfe 
 of the iaw, upon his union with Chrift, proteftant 
 divines, particularly Rutherford and Owen, 
 throughout their writings, are full and clear on the 
 head. 
 
 Query IV. If the Moral law , antecedent to its re- 
 ceiving the form of a covenant of works , had a threat- 
 ning of hell annexed to it ? 
 
 Anfiv. Since the law of God never was, nor will 
 ever in this world be the ftated rule, either of man's 
 duty towards God, or of Gods dealing with man, 
 but as it ftanJs in one of the two covenants of works 
 and grace, we are at a lofs to difcover the real ufe- 
 fulnefs of this query, as well as that foundation it 
 hath in cur reprefentation. 
 
 As to the intrinfical demerit of fin, we are clear, 
 whether there had ever been any covenant of works 
 or nor, it deferves hell, even all that an infinitely 
 holy and juftGod ever has or fhali inflict for it: Yet 
 what behoved to have been the Creator's difpofal of 
 the creature, in the fuppofed event of fin's entring, 
 without a covenant being made, we incline not here 
 to dip into : but, we reckon, it is not poflible to prove 
 a threatning of hell to be infeparable from the law of 
 creation, the obligation of which, becaufe refulting 
 from the nature of God, and of the creature is eternal 
 and immutable : for confirmed angels glorified faints, 
 yea, and the human nature of Chrift, are all of them 
 naturally, neceflarily, and eternally obliged to love, 
 pbey, depend on, and fubmit unto God, and to make 
 
 him 
 # On Gah page 236, in Fol. 
 
Anfwers to the Queries- 39 
 
 him their blefTednefs, and ultimate end ; but none, 
 we conceive, will be peremptory in laying, They 
 have a threatning of hell annexed to the law they 
 are under. And we can by no means allow, That 
 a believer, delivered by Chrift from the curfe of the 
 covenant of: works, is (till obnoxious, upon every new 
 tranfgrtffion, to the threatning of hell, fuppoled to 
 be infeparably annexed to the law of creation, or of 
 the ten commandments ; which law every reasona- 
 ble creature nmft for ever be under, fince this would 
 in effect, be no other than, after he is delivered from 
 hell in one refpect, to bind him over to it in another. 
 Whatever threatning one may iuppofe belonged to 
 the moral law of the ten commandments, antece- 
 dently to its receiving a covenant form, all was, for 
 certain, included in the fanction of the covenant of 
 works : So that Chrift, in bearing the curfe of it ; 
 redeemed believers from the hell, vindictive wrath 
 and curfe. their tins in any fort deierved ; the hand- 
 writing, that was againit them, he cancelled tore 
 to pieces, and nailed to his crofs. Hence the threat- 
 ning of hell, and the curfe. are actually fepa rated 
 from the law of the Fen Commandments, which 
 believers are under as a rule of life : And to hold 
 otherwile. is the leading error, yea, the very fpring 
 and fountain-head of Antinomianifm ; on all which, 
 Burgefs, Ptutherford, and others, may be heard. 
 
 Query V. If it be peculiar to believers, to be free 
 of the commanding power of the laiv, as a covenant of 
 works t * 
 
 Though our faying, Yv r e cannot comprehend how 
 the covenant of works, as fuch, continues to have 
 a commanding power over believers,* that covenant 
 form or it being done away in Chrift with refpecl to 
 them *, gives no fufficient foundation to this query, 
 fince we affirm nothing concerning any but believers, 
 whole freedom from the commanding power-of that 
 cqvenant, the query feems, as much as we do, to 
 
 alipiv 
 * Par. 4. 
 
4° f Anfwers to the Shieries. 
 
 allow of ; we anfwer affirmatively : For, fince it is 
 only to believers the Spirit of God in fcripture fays, 
 Te are not under the law (the main import of which 
 phrafe is, fubjection to the commanding power of it, 
 as a covenant) but under grace ', Rom. vi. 14 Gal. 
 iv. 5, 21. and fince they only are, by virtue of their 
 union with Chrift, actually freed from being under 
 the law, by Chrift's being made under it (i. e. under 
 its command, as above, as well as under its curfe) 
 for them ; and fince, according to our Confeflion 
 cap. 19. §6. it is the peculiar privilege of believers, 
 which therefore unbelievers have no intereft in, not 
 to be under the law as a covenant of works, to be 
 juftitied or condemned thereby ; we can allow no 
 other, befides believers, to be invefted with that im- 
 munity. 
 
 All unbelievers within, as well as without the pale 
 ofthevifible church, fince they feek righteoufnefs 
 only by the works of the law, and are ftrangers to 
 the- covenant x>f grace, we always took to be debtors 
 to the whole law, in their own perfons : and this 
 their obligation under the do> or commanding power 
 of that covenant, we took to be inviolably firm, till 
 fuch time as by faith they had recourfe to him, who 
 is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that 
 believeth\ elfe we thought, and do ftill think, if 
 their obligation to the command of that covenant 
 be diflblved, merely by their living under an exter- 
 nal gofpel difpenfation, they would be caft quite 
 loofe from being under any covenant at all ; contra- 
 ry to the common received doctrine of the protef- 
 tant churches, namely, That every perfon whatfo- 
 ever is in and under one or other of the two cove- 
 nants of works and grace : Nor could they, unlefs 
 they be under the commanding power of the cove- 
 nant of works, be ever found tranfgreflbrs of the 
 law of that covenant, by any actual fin of their own ; 
 nor be bound over anew under the covenant-curfe 
 thereby. 
 
 The covenant of works, it is true, is by the fall 
 
 weak 
 
Anpwers to the ^iieriei. 41 
 
 weak and ineffe&ual, as a covenant, to give us life, 
 by reafon of our weaknefs, and difability to fulfil it, 
 being antecedently finncrs, and obnoxious to its 
 curie ; which no perlon can be, and yet at the fame 
 time have a right unto its promife. Hence, for any 
 to feek life and falvation by it now, is no other than 
 to labour after an impofiibility ; yet does it never- 
 thelefs continue in full force, as a law, requiring of 
 all finners, while they continue in their natural 
 irate, without taking hold, by faith, of Chrift and 
 the grace of the new covenant; requiring of them, 
 we fay, perfonal, and abfolutely perfect obedience, 
 and threatning death upon every the leaft tranigref- 
 fion : From the commanding power of which law, 
 requiring uniVerfal holinefs in fuch rigour, as that 
 on the leaft failure in fubftance, circumftance, or 
 degree, all is rejected, and we are determined tranf- 
 greflbrs of the whole law •, believers, and they only, 
 are freed, as we faid above. u But to fuppofe a 
 u perfon, fays doctor Owen, by any means freed 
 tC from the curfe due unto fin ; and then to deny, 
 <# that, upon the performance of the perfedt finlefs 
 u obedience which the law requires, he fhouldhave 
 ,c right to the promife of life thereby, is to deny the 
 cc truth of God, and to reflect difhonour upon his 
 t€ juftice. Our Lord himfelf was juftified by the 
 u law ; and it is immutably true, That he who does 
 u the things of it, fliall live in them.'' (On juftifica- 
 tion, page 345.) M It is true, adds the fame author, 
 " That God did never forma lly and abfolutely re- 
 €€ new, or give again this law, as a covenant of 
 €t works, a fecond time ; nor was there any need 
 *' that fo he fhould do, unlefs it were declaratively 
 <f only : And fo it was renewed at Sinai ; for the 
 " whole of it being an emanation of eternal right 
 u and truth, it abides, and muft abide in full force 
 " for ever. Wherefore it is only fo far broke as a 
 (l covenant, that all mankind having finned againft 
 <c the command of it, and fo by guilt, with the im- 
 IC potency to obedience, which enfyed thereupon, 
 F defeated 
 
42 Anfwcrs to the Queries. 
 
 11 defeated themfclves of any intereft in its promife* 
 u and poffibility of attaining any fuch intereft, they 
 " cannot have any benefit by it. But as to its power 
 Cl to oblige all mankind unto obedience, and the un- 
 fl changeable truths of its promifes and threatnings, 
 " it abides the fame as it was from the beginning n 
 (Ibid.) " The introducing of another covenant, 
 " adds he again on the fame head, inconfiftent with, 
 M and contrary to it, does not inftantly free men 
 <c from the law, as a covenant : For, though a new 
 " Jaw abrogates a former law inconfiftent with it, 
 " and frees all from obedience, it is not fo in a co- 
 4C venant, which operates not by fovereign authori- 
 " ty ; but becomes a covenant by confent of them 
 u with whom it is made. So there is no freedom 
 u from the old covenant, by the conftitution of the 
 " new, till it be actually complied with : In Adam's 
 • c covenant we muft abide under obligation to duty 
 li and punifhment, till by faith we be interefted in 
 " the new." (Ibid 351) 
 
 From all which it appears to be no cogent reafon- 
 ing to fay, If the unbeliever be under the command- 
 ing power of the covenant of works, then would he 
 be under two oppoiite commands at once, viz. to 
 feek a perfect righteoufnefs in his own perfon, and 
 to feek it alfo by faith in a furety : For, though the 
 law requires of us now, both active and paffive righ- 
 teoufnefs in our own perfons \ and likewife, upon 
 the revelation of Jefus Chrift in the gofpel, as Je- 
 hovah our righteoufnefs, obliges us to believe in, 
 and fubmit to him as fuch ; yet, as it is in many o- 
 ther cafes of duties, the law requires both thefe of 
 us, not injenfo compq/ito, as they fay, but in fenfo Ji- 
 vifo. The law is content to fuftain, and hold for 
 good, the payment of a refponfible furety, though 
 itfelf provides none ; and wills us, being infolvent 
 of ourfelves, chearfully, thankfully, and without 
 delay, to accept of the non fuch favour offered unto 
 us : But till the finner, convinced of his undonenefs 
 otherwife, accept of, ufe and plead that benefit in 
 
 his 
 
Anfwers to the Shieries. 4 4 
 
 his own behalf, the law will, and dor? go on in its 
 juft demands, and diligence againft him : Having 
 never had pleafure in the finful creature, by reafon 
 or our unfaithful nefs, it can eafily admit of the mar- 
 riage to another husband, upon a lawful divorce, 
 after fair count and reckoning, and full fatisfacVion 
 and reparation made for all the invaiions upon, and 
 violations of rhe firft husband's honour ; but when 
 the (inner, unwilling to hear of any fuch motion, 
 ftill cleaves to the law its firft husband, what wonder 
 the law in that cafe, go on to ufe the finner as he 
 deferves ? In fhort, this pretended abfurdity, at 
 worft, amounts to no more than this, Make full 
 payment yourfelf, or find me good and fufficient 
 •payment by a furety, till which time, I will continue 
 to proceed againft you, without mitigation or mer- 
 cy. Wherefore, the unbeliever is juftly condemned 
 by the law, both becaufe he did not continue in all 
 things written in the book of the law to do them, 
 and becaufe he did not believe on the name of the 
 Son of God. 
 
 Query VI. If 'a finner, being jufrified, has all things 
 at once, that is necejfary for fahatiori ? And if per/a- 
 nal holinefsy and prcgrefs in holy obedience, is not ne- 
 ceffary to a jufiified perfon's poffeffion of glory y in cafe 
 of his continuing in life after his jufiificaticn ? 
 
 Anf The ground of this query, marked out to 
 us, is in thefe words of holy Luther, " For in Chrift 
 " I have all things at once •, neither need I any thing 
 u more, that is neceffary unto falvation. And to 
 us it is evident, that this is the believer's plea, viz. 
 Chrift's moft perfect obedience to the law for him, 
 in anfwer unto its demand of good works for ob- 
 taining falvation, according to the tenor of the firft 
 covenant ; which plea the R.epre(entation Pledges to 
 be cut off, and condemned by the act of AfiemMy *. 
 But without faying any thing of the old Popihh re- 
 flection on the do&rine of free juftification r>v faith 
 F 2 without 
 
 * Par. 6, ii. 
 
44 Jn/wers to the Queries. 
 
 without works, as it was taught by Luther and other 
 reformers, or the hardlhip of having this queftion 
 put to us, as if we had given ground of being fuf- 
 pedted for enemies to gofpel holinefs, which, our 
 conferences bear us witnefs, is our great defire to have 
 advanced in ourfelves and others, as being fully per- 
 fuaded, that without it neither they nor we fhall fee 
 the Lord. We anfwer to the firft part of the 
 query, 
 
 That fince a juftified perfon, being pafTed from 
 death to life, tranflated from the power of darknefs 
 into the kingdom of God's dear Son, andbleft with 
 all fpiritual bleffings in Chrift, is, by virtue of his 
 union with him, brought into, and fecured in aftate 
 of falvation ; and therefore, in the language of the 
 Holy Ghoft, actually, though not completely, faved 
 already; and fince, in him, he has particularly a 
 moll perfect, law-biding, and law-magnifying righ- 
 teoufnefs, redemption in his blood, even the for- 
 givenefs of fins, peace with God, accefs, acceptance, 
 wifdom, fanctification, everlafting ftrength, and, in 
 one word, an overflowing everflowing fulnefs, from 
 which, according to the order of the covenant, he 
 does, and fhall receive whatever he wants : Hence, 
 according to the fcripture, in Chrift all things are 
 his, and in him he is complete. Confidering, we 
 fay, thefe things, we think, a juftified perfon has 
 in Chrift at once all things necefTary to falvation, 
 though of himfelf he has nothing. 
 
 To the fecond part of the query, we anfwer, That 
 perfonal holinefs, and juftification being infeparable 
 in the believer, we are unwilling, fo much as the 
 query does, to fuppofe their feparation. Perfonal 
 holinefs we reckon fo necefTary to the poffeflion of 
 glory, or to a ftate of perfect: holinefs and happinefs, 
 as in the morning light to the noon-day warmth and 
 brightnefs ; as is a reafonable foul to a wife, healthy, 
 ftrong and full-grown man -, as an antecedent is to 
 its confequent ; as a part is to the whole (for the 
 difference betwixt a ftate of grace and of glery, we 
 
Anpwcrs to the £hi cries* "4 £ 
 
 take to be gradual only, according to the ufual fay- 
 ing, 4< Grace is glory brgun, and glory grace in per- 
 fection;) So necefiary again, as motion is to evi- 
 dence life, or, in order to walking ; not only habi- 
 tual, but actual holineis, and progrefs in holy obe- 
 dience, one continuing in life, we are clear are fo 
 neceflary, that without the fame none can fee the 
 Lord- And as it is not only the believer's intereit, 
 but his neceflary and indifpenfible duiy, to be ftill 
 going on " from ftrength to ftrength, untill he ap- 
 " pear before the Lord in Zion ; io the righteous, 
 11 we believe, will hold on his way, and he who is 
 11 of clean hands will grow ftronger and ftronger :" 
 For tho' the believer's progrefs in holy obedience, 
 by reafons of the many ftops, interruptions and af- 
 faults he frequenrly meets with from Satan, the world 
 and indwelling corruption, is far from being alike 
 at all times ; " yet the path of the juft, though he 
 frequently fall, will be as the fhining light that fhin- 
 eth more and more unto the perfect day :" Tho' 
 he may at times become t€ weary and faint in his 
 mind ; yet fhall he, by waiting on the Lord, renew 
 his ftrength, and mount up as with eagles wings, 
 <bc" But ftill the believer has all this in and from 
 Chrift : For, whence can our progrefs in holinefs 
 come, but from the fupply of his lpirit ? Our walk- 
 ing in holy obedience, and every good motion of 
 ours, muft be in him, and from him, who is the 
 way and the life, who is our head of influences, and 
 the fountain of our ftrength, and who c< works in 
 us both to will and to do. Abide in me. fays he, and 
 
 I in you : For without me ye can do nothing. If 
 
 a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, 
 and is withered." 
 
 But if the meaning of the query be, of fuch a ne- 
 ceffity of holy obedience, in order to the pofTeflion 
 of glory, as imports any kind of caufality we dare 
 not aniwer in the affirmative : For, we cannot look 
 on perfonal holinef?, or good works, as properly fe- 
 deral and conditional means of obtaining the pof- 
 
 feffioa 
 
46 Anfwers to the Qiieries. 
 
 feflion of heaven, tho 1 we own they are neceffary to 
 
 make us meet for it. 
 
 Query VII. Is preaching the neceffity of a holy life, 
 in order to the obtaining of eternal happinefs, of dan- 
 gerous confequcnce to the dotlrine of free grace ? 
 
 Anfw. The laft of the two claufes of the eight aft 
 of Aifembly, being complained of in the Reprefen- 
 tation, is the fir ft and main ground of this query *. 
 And e're we make anfwer to it, we crave leave to ex- 
 plain ourfelves more fully, as to the offence we con- 
 ceive to be given by that act ; Namely, That in op- 
 pofition to, and in place of the believer's plea of 
 Chrift's active righteoufnefs, in anfwer to the law, 
 demanding good works, for obtaining falvation ac- 
 cording to the tenor of the firft covenant, cut off", 
 as we apprehend, by the fifth aft; minifters are or- 
 dered, in the eighth aft, to preach the necefilty of 
 our own perfonal holinefs, in order to the obtain- 
 ing of everlafting happinefs. As alfo, That our in- 
 herent holinefs feems to be put too much upon the 
 fame foot, in point of neceffity for obtaining ever- 
 lafting happinefs, with juftification by the Surety \ 
 which the frame of the words, being as follows, will 
 well admit, viz. <{ Of free juftification through our 
 tl blefled Surety the Lord Jefus Chrift, received by 
 " faith alone ; and of the neceffity of an holy life, 
 '* in order to the obtaining of everlafting happinefs." 
 Moreever, That the great fundamental of juftifica- 
 tion is laid down in fuch general terms, as adverfa- 
 ries will eafily agree to, without mention of the Sure- 
 ty's righteoufnefs aftive or paffive, or the imputation 
 of either ; efpecially fince a motion in open affem- 
 bly, for adding the few, but momentuous words, 
 imputed righteoufnefs , was flighted. And finally, Thar 
 that aft is i'o little adapted to the end it is now given 
 out to have been defigned for, viz. A teftimony of 
 the fupreme Godhead of our glorious God and Sa- 
 viour Jefus Chrift, and againft Arianifm ; efpecially 
 
 fince 
 • Par. x6, 15. 
 
Jnfivers to the Queries 47 
 
 fince not the leaft intimation, or warning againft 
 that damnable herefy, is to be found in the a£t ic- 
 feif ; nor was made to that Affembly, in pairing of 
 it. 
 
 To the query, we anfwer, That we cordially and 
 fincerely own a holy life, or good works, Necejjary^ 
 as an acknowledgment of Cod's fovereignty and in 
 obedience to his command \ for this is the will of 
 God, even our fan edification \ and, by a fpecial or- 
 dination, he has appointed believers to walk in them : 
 Neccjjary^ for glorifying God before the world, and 
 (hewing the virtues of him, who hath called us out 
 of darknefs into this marvellous light : Neceffary y 
 as being the end of our election,. our redemption, 
 effectual calling and regeneration \ for, " the Father 
 " chofe us in Chrift, before the foundation of the 
 c worM, that we ihould be holy : The Son gave him- 
 C( felf for u. f , that he might redeem us from all ini- 
 11 quuy, and purify to himfelf a peculiar peop ] e zeal- 
 " ous of good works ;" and by the holy Spirit we 
 are created in Chriffc Jefus unto them : Necejfary, as 
 expreffions of our gratitude to our great benefactor ; 
 for, being bought with a price, we are no more our 
 own, but henceforth in a moft peculiar manner 
 bound, in our bodies, and in our ipirits, which are 
 lils, to glorify, and by all poffible ways, to teftify 
 our thankfgiving to our Lord Redeemer and Ran- 
 fomer ; ** to him who fpared not his own Son, but 
 (( gave hmi up to ihe death for us all ; to him, who 
 Cl humbhd himfelf, and became obedient unto death, 
 " even the death of the crois, for us :" Necejfary, 
 as being the deiign, not only of the word, but of all 
 ordinances and providences; even that as k4 he who 
 " has called is holy, fo we ihould be holy in all man- 
 M ner of comeiiation :" Nccejfury again, for evi. 
 dencing and confirming our faith, good works being 
 the breath, the native cfispring and iiTae of it : Nc- 
 cejjcry y for making our calling and election fure ; 
 for they are, though no plea, yet, a good evidence 
 for heaven, or an argument confirming our aflur- 
 
 ance 
 
48 Anfwers to the Qiieries. 
 
 ance and hope of falvation : Necejfary, to the main- 
 taining of inward peace and comfort, tho* not as the 
 ground or foundation, yet as effects, fruits, and con- 
 comitants of faith : Necejfary, in order to our enter- 
 taining communion with God even in this life ; for, 
 " if we fay, we have fellowfhip with him, and walk 
 u in darknefs, we lie, and do not the truth :" Necef- 
 fary, to the efcaping o£ judgments, and to the en- 
 joying of many promifed bleffings \ particularly there 
 is a neceiiity of order and method, that one be holy 
 e're he can be admitted to fee and enjoy God in hea- 
 ven \ that being a difpoiing mean, preparing for the 
 falvation of it, and the King's high way chalked out 
 for the redeemed to walk in to the city : Necejfary, 
 to adorn the gofpel, and grace our holy calling and 
 profeffion : Necejfary further, for the edification, 
 good, and comfort of fellow believers : Necejfary^ 
 to prevent offence, and to ftop the mouths of the 
 wicked; to win likewife the unbelieving, and to 
 commend Chrift, and his ways, to their confeiences: 
 Necejfary finally, for the eftablifhment, fecurity, and 
 glory of churches and nations. Though we firmly 
 believe holinefs neceflary upon all theie, and more 
 accounts, and that the Chriftian ought to live in the 
 continued exercife of gofpel-repentance, which is 
 one main conftituent of gofpel-holinefs ; yet we dare 
 not fay, A holy life is necefTary in order to the ob- 
 taining of eternal happinefs. For, to fay nothing 
 of the more grofs fenfe of thefe words, (manifeftly 
 injurious to the free grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 by faith in whofe righteoufnefs alone we are appoint- 
 ed to obtain falvation, from firft to laft) which yet 
 is obvious enough, though we are far from imput- 
 ing it to the Aficmbly ; we cannot, however they 
 may be explained into an orthodox meaning, look 
 upon them as wholefome words , fince they have at 
 leaft an appearance of evil, being fuch a way of ex- 
 preffion, as proteftant churches and divines, know- 
 ing the ftrong natural byafs in all men towards feek- 
 ing falvation, not by faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift,, 
 
 but 
 
dnfwers to the <gj/eries. 49 
 
 but by works of rightcoufnefs done by themfelves> 
 and the danger of fymbolizing with papifts, and o- 
 ther enemies of the grace of the gofpel, have induf- 
 trioufly fhunned to life, on that head : They chill- 
 ing rather to call holinefs and good works neceflary 
 duties of the perfons juftified and faved, than condi- 
 tions of falvation ; confequents and effects of faiva- 
 tion already obtained, or antecedents, difpoiing and 
 preparing the fubjecl: for the falvation to be«obtained, 
 than any fort of caufes, or ►proper means of obtain- 
 ing the pofleflion of falvation ; which laft honour, 
 the fcripture. for the high praife and glory of fove- 
 reign grace, feems to have referved peculiarly unto 
 faith : And rather to fay, that holinels is neceflary in 
 them that fhall be faved, than neceflary to falvation : 
 That we are faved, not by good works, but rather to 
 them, as fruits and effects of faving grace ; or that 
 holinefs is neceflary unto falvation, not fo much as 
 a mean to the end, as a part of the enditfelf ; which 
 part of our falvation is neceflary to make us meet 
 for the other, that is yet behind. 
 
 Wherefore, fince this way of fpeaking of holinefs 
 with refpect to falvation, is, we conceive, without 
 warrant in the holy fcripture, diflbnantfrom the doc- 
 trinal ftandards of our own and other reformed 
 churches, as well as from the chofen and deliberate 
 fpeech of reformed divines treating on thefe heads ; 
 and fince it, being at beft but propofito male fonans y 
 may eafily be miftaken, and afterwards improved, as 
 a fhade or vehicle, for conveying corrupt fentiments, 
 anent the influence of works upon falvation : We 
 cannot but reckon preaching the neceflity of holi- 
 linefs in fuch terms, to be of fome dangerous con- 
 fequence to the doctrine of free grace. In which 
 apprehenfion we are the more confirmed, that at this 
 day the doctrine of Chrift, and his free grace, both 
 as to the purity and eixkacy of the fame, feems to be 
 much on the wane, and popery, with other dange- 
 rous errors and herefies deftructive of it, on the wax- 
 ing \ which certainly calls aloud to the churches of 
 G Chrift* 
 
50 dnfwen to the Queries. 
 
 Chrift, and to his minifters in particular, for the 
 more zeal, w^tchfulnefs, and caution, with refer* 
 ence to the interefts of truth \ and that efpecially ai 
 fuch a time, Cum hereticis nee nomina habeamus com- 
 miinidy ne eorum err orif aver e videamur. 
 
 If in any cafe, certainly in framing a&s and ftan- 
 dards of doctrine, there is great need or delicacy in 
 the choice of words : For the words of the Holy 
 Ghoft in fcripture, under which we include fuch as 
 in meaning and import are equivalent to them, being 
 an ordinance of divine inftitution, for preferving the 
 truth of the gofpel, if thefe be once altered or va- 
 ried, all the wifdom and vigilance of men will be in- 
 effectual to that end. And it is well known, by coft- 
 ly experience to the churches of Chrift, that their 
 falling in with the language or phrafe of corrupt 
 teachers, inftead of ferving the intereft of truth, 
 which never looks fo well as in its own native fim- 
 plicity, does but grieve the ftable and judicious, ftag- 
 ger the weak, betray the ignorant, and, inftead of 
 gaining, harden and open the mouths or adverfa- 
 ries. And that it is faid in a text, " They do it to 
 *' obtain a corruptible crown, but we an uncorrup- 
 " tible," will not warrant the manner of fpeech in 
 the query : For the word, in the original fignifies 
 only to receive or apprehend^ being accordingly ren- 
 dred in all Latin veriions we have feen. and in our 
 own tranilation, in the verfe immediately preced- 
 ing, viz. One receiveth the prize ; and though the 
 word did fignify to obtuin, in the raoft ftrict and 
 proper fenfe, it could not make for the purpofe, un- 
 lefs it were meant of the believer's obtaining the in- 
 corruptible crown, not by faith, but by works. And 
 that an ill chofen word in a llandard may prove 
 more dangerous to the truth, than one not fo juft- 
 ly rendred in a tranilation, with feveral other things 
 on this head, might be made very evident, were 
 it not that we have been, we fear, tedious on it 
 already. 
 
 Query 
 
Anfwcrs to the Queries. 51 
 
 (^siery VIII. Is knowled:*.*, l>rlirf y and perfuafion 
 thit Chrift died for me y and that he is mine> and iv hat- 
 did and fuffcrcd, he did and fuffcrcd for me t 
 the direct act of faith, -whereby a Jinncr is united to 
 Chrijij interejied in him, inflated in God's covenant of 
 grace f Or, is that knowledge a perfuafion included in 
 the very effencc of that juftifyingatl 0/ faith ? 
 
 Anfiv. The query, it is evident, exceedingly nar- 
 rows the import and defign of the R.eprefentation in 
 the place referred to * : For there we affert nothing 
 politively concerning the paflages relating to faith, 
 £ut remonftrate againft condemning them, as what 
 to us feemed-to hurt the appropriating ac~fc of faith, 
 and to fix a blot upon the reformation, reformed 
 churches and divines, who had generally taught con- 
 cerning faith, as in the condemned paffages ; all 
 which we might fay, without determining whether 
 the perfuafion fpoke of in the query, was the very 
 direct and formal aft *of juftifying faith, yea or no. 
 But now, fince the query is put fo clois, and fince 
 the matter in queftion is no other than the old pro- 
 teftant doftrine on that head, as we /hall endeavour 
 to make appear, the reverend comraifiion, we hum- 
 bly conceive, cannot take it amifs, wc?, in xhtjirfi'- 
 place, enquire into the true fenfc and meaning of 
 this way of fpeaking of faith, that we are now quef- 
 tioned about. 
 
 The main of the condemned pafiages, the query 
 refers to, runs not in the order therein fet down, 
 but as follows : " Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 M ana thou fhalt be faved ; that is, be , verily per- 
 " fuaded in your heart that Chrift Jefus is yours, 
 c< and that you fhall have lifie and falvation by him; 
 <c That whatever Chrift did for the redemption of 
 " mankind, he did it for you ;" being in matter the 
 fame with what has been commonly taught in the 
 proteftant churches, and in words of the renown'd 
 Mr John R.ogers of Dodham (a man fo no"ed for 
 orthodoxy, holinefs, and the Lord's countenancing 
 G 2 of 
 
 • Par. 7. 
 
52 Anfwers to the Queries. 
 
 of his miniftry, that no found proteftants in Britain 
 or Ireland of what denomination foever, would in 
 the age wherein he lived, have taken upon them to 
 condemn as erroneous; his definition of faith, which 
 we have as follows ; M A particular perfuafion of 
 <f my heart, That Chrift Jefus is mine, and that I 
 u fhall have life and falvation by his means ; That 
 " whatfoever Chrift did for the redemption of man- 
 *' kind, he did it for me *." Where one may fee, 
 though the difference in words be almoft none at 
 all, yet it runs rather ftronger with him, than in 
 the Marrow. 
 
 In which account of faving faith, we have. j£r/?, 
 The general nature of it, viz. 4 real perfuafion, a- 
 greeing to all forts of faith whatfoever ; for, it is 
 certain, whatever one believes, he is verily perfuad- 
 cd of. More particularly, it is a perfuafion in the 
 heart, whereby it is diftinguifhed from a general, 
 dead, and naked affent in the head, which one gives 
 to things that no way affect him, becaufe he reckons 
 they do not concern him : But with the heart man 
 believes here ; If thou helievefi with all thine hearty 
 fays the fcripture, Acts viii. 37. Rom. x. 10. For 
 as a man's believing in his heart the dreadful tidings 
 of the law, or its curfe, imports not only an affent 
 to them as true, but a horror of them as evil ; fo 
 here, the being perfuaded in one's heart of the glad 
 tidings of the gofpel, bears not only an affent unto 
 them as true, but a relifh of them as good. 
 
 Then we have the molt fpecial nature of it, viz. 
 An appropriating perfuafion^ or a perfuafion, with 
 application to a perfon's felf, that Chrift is his, <bc. 
 The particulars whereof are, Firjl, That Chrift is 
 yours ; the ground of which perfuafion is the offer 
 and grant of Chrift as a Saviour in the word, to be 
 believed in for falvation, by all to whom the gofpel 
 is made known : By whidi offer, and fetting forth 
 of Chrift as a Saviour, though before we believe, we 
 wanting union with him, have no actual or faving 
 
 intereft 
 * Doctrine of faith, page 23, 
 
dnfwers to the Queries. 53 
 
 intereft in him; yet he is in fome fenfe ours, namely, 
 fo as it is lawful and warrantable for us, not for fal- 
 len angels, to take pofllflion of him, and his falvati- 
 on, by faith ; without which, our common intereft 
 in him as a Saviour, by virtue or the offer and grant 
 in the word, will avail us nothing. But though the 
 call and offer of the gofpel. being really particular, 
 every one, both in point of duty, and in point of 
 intereft, ought to appropriate, apply, or make his 
 own the thing offered by believing, they having good 
 and fufficient ground and warrant in the word fo to 
 do ; yet it is either neglected and defpifed, or the 
 truth and fincerity of it fufpedted and called in ques- 
 tion, until the Holy Spirit, by fetting home the 
 word of the gofpeL with fuch a meafure of evidence 
 and power as is effectual, fatisfies the convinced (in- 
 ner, that, with application to himfelf in particular, 
 it is a faithful faying, -worthy of all acceptation , that 
 Jefus Chnji came to favefinners ; and enables him to 
 believe it. Thus the perfuafion of faith is begot, 
 which is always proportioned to the meafure of evi- 
 dence and power from above, that fovereign grace 
 is pleafed to put forth for working of it. 
 
 The next branch of the perfuafion is, That you 
 Jhall have life and falvation by him, namely, the life 
 of holinefs, as well as of happinefs ; falvation from 
 fin, as well as from wrath, not in heaven only, but 
 begun, carried on here, and completed hereafter : 
 The true notion of life and falvation, according to 
 the fcriptures, and as Proteftant divines are wont to 
 explain it. Wherefore this perfuafion of faith is 
 inconfiftent with an unwillingnefs to part with fin, 
 a bent or purpofe of heart to continue in it. There 
 can be little queftion, we apprehend, whether this 
 branch of the perfuafion belongs to the nature of 
 juftifying faith : For falvation being above all things 
 in a fenfible finner's eye, he can never believe any 
 thing to his fatisfaction, without he fees ground to 
 believe comfortably concerning it : Few therefore 
 will, we conceive, differ from Dr, Collin's laying it 
 
 down 
 
54 Anfwert to the ghiertes. 
 
 down as a conclufion on this very head, namely, 
 That u a Chriftian cannot have true, faving, jufti- 
 c; fying Faith, unlefs he doth (I, fays he n do not fay, 
 " unleis he think he doth, or unlefs he faith he doth 
 Ci but unlefs he doth) believe, and is perfuaded that 
 ft God will pardon his fins,"(Cordial,partI.page 208.) 
 Further, this believing on the Son for life and fai- 
 vation, is the fame with receiving of him (as this laft 
 is explained by the Holy Spirit himfelf, John i. 12) 
 and likewife evidently bears the foul's refting on 
 Chrift for falvation: For it is not poffible to conceive 
 a foul refting on Chrift for fa'vation, without a per- 
 fuafion that it (hall have life and falvation by him ; 
 * namely a perfuafion of the fame meaiure and de- 
 gree, as refting is. 
 
 The third branch of the perfuafion, That whatfo- 
 ever Chrift did for the redemption of mankind, he did it 
 jor you, being much the fame in other words, with 
 thefe of the apoftle. Who lovedme, and gave himfelf for 
 me\ and coming in the laft place, we think none will 
 queftion, but whofoever believes in the manner be- 
 •fore explained, may, and ought to believe this in 
 the like meafure, and in the fame order : And, it is 
 certain, all who receive and reft on Chrift for falva- 
 tion,beUeve it,if not explicitly, yet virtually and really. 
 Now, as this account of juftifying faith runs in 
 terms much lefs ftrong, than thefe of many eminent 
 Protectant divines, who ufed to define it by a per- 
 fuafion of God's love ; of h>s fpecial mercy to one's 
 felf ; of the remifiion of his fins, <bc fo it is the fame 
 for fubftanee and matter, though the words be not 
 the fame, with that of our Shorter Catechifm, viz. 
 li A receiving and refting upon Chrift alone for 
 s: falvation, as he is offered to us in the gofpel :'* 
 Where it is evident, the offer of Chrift to us, tho' 
 mentioned in the laft place, is to be believed firft : 
 For till the foul be perfuaded, that Chrift crucified 
 is in the gofpel fet forth, offered, and exhibited to 
 it, as if expreffed by name, there can be no believ- 
 ing on him : And when the offer is brought home 
 
 to 
 
Anfwers to the Qiieries. 55 
 
 to a perfon by the Holy Gholt, there will be a mer.- 
 fure of perfuaiion that Chriit is his, as above explain- 
 ed : And that receiving, or believing in, and refting 
 on him for life and falvation by him, was laid al- 
 ready. But more directly to the query, 
 
 We anfwer, \mo % Since our reformers and their 
 facceflbrs, fuch as Luther, Calvin, Melancton, Beza, 
 Bullinger, Bucer, Knox, Craig, Melvil, Bruce, Da- 
 vidfon, Forbes, i?c. Men eminently endued with the 
 Spirit of truth, and who fetch their notions of it 
 immediately from the fountain of the holy fcripture, 
 the moft eminent doctors and profeifors of theology, 
 that have been in the Protectant churches, fuch as, 
 Urfinas, Zanchius, Junius, Pifcator, Rollock, Dan • 
 ^eus/Wendelinus, Chamierus, Sharpius, Bodius,Par- 
 cus, Altingius ; Triglandii (Gisbertus and Jacobus,) 
 Arnoldus, Marefius.. the four profeilbrs of Leyden, 
 viz, Wallxus, Heidegerus, Eilenius, Turrentinus, 
 6r. with many eminent Bntilh divines, fuch as, 
 Perkins, Pemble, Willet, Gouge, Roberts, Bur- 
 gefs, Owen, <jc. The churches them ft Ives of Helve- 
 tia, the Palatinate, France, Holland, England, Ire- 
 land, Scotland, in their ftandards of doctrine ; all 
 the Lutheran churches, who in point of orthodoxy 
 and faith, are fecond to none ; the renowned fy- 
 nod of Dort, made up of eminent divines, called 
 and commiffionate from feven reformed (rates and 
 kingdoms, beiides thele of the frveral provinces of 
 the Netherlands. Since thefe, we fay all of them 
 frand for that fpeeialjfcfoWa, confidence, or appro- 
 priating perfuaiion of faith fpoke of in the condem- 
 ned pafuges of the Marrow, upon which this query 
 is raifed : the fynod of Dort, beiides the minds of the 
 feveral delegates on this head, in their fever a 1 fufF- 
 rages anent the five articles, declaring themfelves 
 plainly both IU their fined deciiions concerning the 
 laid articles, and in their folemn and ample appro- 
 bation of the Palatine catechifm, as agreeable to the 
 word of God in all things, and as containing nothing 
 that ought to be either altered or amended : Which 
 
 catechifm 
 
56 Anfwers to the Queries. 
 
 catechifm being full and plain, as to this perfuafion 
 of faith, has been commented upon by many great 
 divines, received bymoft of all the reformed church- 
 es, as a moft excellent compend of the orthodox 
 Chriftian doctrine; and particularly by the church 
 of Scotland, as the reverend Mr. Robert Wodrow, 
 lately told his prefent majefty King George, in the 
 dedication of his hiftory : And fince we, with this 
 whole church and nation are, by virtue of the aw- 
 ful tie of the oath of God in our National Covenant, 
 bound ever to abhor and deteit the Popifli " gene- 
 ral and doubtfome faith, with all the erroneous de- 
 crees of Trent ; ,} among which (in oppofition to the 
 fyecial Jiducia of faith therein condemned) this is e- 
 ftablifhed ; being by Proteftants, fo called, mainly 
 for their denying and oppofing the confidence and 
 perfuafion of faith, with application to one's fclf, 
 now in queftion ; by which renunciation our fore- 
 fathers, no doubt, pointed at, and aflerted to be 
 held and profeffed as God's undoubted truth and 
 verity, that particular and confident, or aflured 
 faith, then commonly known and maintained in this 
 church, as {landing plain and exprefs in her ftand- 
 ards ; to the profeflion and defence of which, they 
 in the fame covenant promifing and fwearing by the 
 great name of the Lord our God, bound themfelves 
 and us : And fince the fame perfuafion of faith, 
 however the way of fpeaking on that head is come 
 to be fomewhat altered, was never by any judicato- 
 ry or a reformed church, until now, denied or con- 
 demned. Confidering all thefe things, we fay, and 
 of what dangerous confequence fuch a judicial alte- 
 ration maybe, we cannot, we dare not confent un- 
 to the condemnation of that point of doctrine : For 
 we cannot think of charging error and delufion in 
 a matter of fuch importance, upon fo many Pro- 
 teftant divines, eminent for holinefs and learning ; 
 upon the Proteftant churches ; and upon our own 
 forefathers, fo fignally owned of the Lord ; and al- 
 fo on the ftandards of Proteftant doctrine in this 
 
 church, 
 
Anpwers to the Queries. 57 
 
 church, for nigh an hundred years after her refor- 
 mation : Elfe, if we ihould thus fpeak, we are per- 
 
 tded we would offend againft the generation of 
 his children. Nor can it ever enter into our minds, 
 that the famous Affembly of Weftminfter had it fo 
 much as once in their thoughts to depart in this 
 point from the doctrine of their own, and of this 
 church, which they were all of them by the ftrong- 
 eft ties bound to maintain : Or to go off from the 
 fynod of Dort, which had but fo lately before them 
 fettled the Prcteftant principles as to doctrine \ and 
 -by fo doing, yield up to Socinians, Arminians, and 
 .Papifts, what all of them have a mortal averfion to, 
 namely, the fpecial fiducia^ or appropriating perfua- 
 iion of faith, which Proteftant divines before and 
 fince that time, contended for to their utmoft, as 
 being not only a precious truth, but a point of vaft 
 eonfequence to religion. And we are fure, the Af- 
 femhlies of this church underftood, and received 
 their ConfeiTions and Catechifms, Larger and Short- 
 er, as intirely confident with our Confeffions and 
 Catechifms, before that time, as we have already 
 made evident in our Reprefentation, from the acts 
 of AiTembly, receiving and approving the Weftmin- 
 fter Confeffion and Catechifms. 
 
 Anfwer ldo, It is to be confidered, that moft of 
 the words of the Holy Ghoft made ufe of in the 
 Old and New Teftament, for exprefling the nature 
 of faith and believing, do import the confidence or 
 perfuafion in queftion : And that confidence and 
 truft in the Old Teftament, are expounded by faith 
 and believing in the New; and the fame things attri- 
 buted to the former; that diffidence and doubting 
 are in their nature, acts and effects, contrary to 
 faith: that, peace and joy are the native effects of 
 believing: that the promifes of the gofpel, and 
 Chrift in his prieftly office therein held forth, are 
 the proper object df justifying faith : that, faithful- 
 nefs in God, and faith in the believer, being rela- 
 tives, and the former the ground of the latter, our 
 H faith 
 
58 Anfviers to the Queries. 
 
 faith fhould anfwer to his faithfulnefs, by trufting 
 to his word of promife for the fake of it : That, it 
 is certain, a believer in the exercife of juftifying faith, 
 does believe fomething with reference to his own fal- 
 vation, upon the ground of God's perfon whatfoe- 
 ver, does, or can believe ; which if it be not to this 
 purpofe, that now Chrift is and will be a Saviour to 
 him, that he fhall have life and falvation by him, 
 we are utterly at a lofs to conceive what it can be : 
 That, perfuafion, confidence, and aflurance, are 
 fo much attributed to faith in the fcripture, and the 
 faints in fcripture ordinarily exprefs themfelves in 
 their addrefles to God, in words of appropriation : 
 And finally, That according to our Larger Cate- 
 chifm, faith juftifies a (inner in the fight of God, as 
 an inftrument, receiving and applying Chrift, and 
 his righteoufnefs held forth in the promife of the 
 gofpel, and refteth thereupon for pardon of fin, and 
 for the accepting and accounting one's perfon righ- 
 teous before God for falvation ; the which, how 
 faith can do without fome meafure of the confidence 
 or appropriating perfuafion we are now upon, feems 
 extreme hard to conceive. Upon thefe confidera- 
 tions, and others, too long to be here inferted, we 
 cannot but think, that confidence, or truft in Jefus 
 Chrift, as our Saviour, and the free grace and mer- 
 cy of God in him as crucified, offered to us in the 
 gofpel for falvation (including juftification, fan&ifi- 
 cation, and future glory) upon the ground and fe- 
 curity of the divine faithfulnefs, plighted in the gof- 
 pel promife ; and upon the warrant of the divine 
 call and command to believe in the name of the Son 
 of God : Or, which is the fame in other words, A 
 perfuafion of life and falvation, from the free love 
 and mercy of God, in and through Jefus Chrift ; a 
 crucified Saviour offered to us upon the fecurity and 
 warrant aforefaid, is the very direft, uniting, jufti- 
 fying and appropriating aft of faith, whereby the 
 convinced finner becomes pofleft of Chrift, and his 
 faving benefits, inflated in God's covenant and fa- 
 mily : 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 59 
 
 mily : Taking this always along, as fuppofed, that 
 all is fet home and wrought by the Holy Spirit, who 
 brings Chrift, his righteoufnefs, falvation, and whole 
 fulnefs, nigh to us in the promife and offer of the 
 gofpel ; clearing at the fame time our right and 
 warrant to intermeddle with all, without fear of vi- 
 tious intromifiion, encouraging and enabling to a 
 meafure of confident application, and taking home 
 of all to our felves freely, without money, and with- 
 out price. 
 
 This confidence, perfuafion, or whatever other 
 name it may be called by, we take to be the very- 
 fame with what our Confeffion and Catechifm call 
 accepting, receiving, and refting on Chrift offered 
 iojhe gofpel for falvation ; and with what polemic 
 and practical divines callfiduciafpecialis mifericordite, 
 Jiducial application, fiducial apprehenfion, fiducial ad- 
 herence > recumbence, affiance, fiducial acquiefcence, ap- 
 propriating perfuafion, &c. All which, if duly ex- 
 plained, would iffue in a meafure of this confidence 
 or perfuafion we have been fpeaking of. However, 
 we are fully fatisfied, this is what our fathers, and the 
 body of proteftant divines, fpeaking with the fcrip- 
 tures, called the ajfurance of faith. That once burn- 
 ing and fhining light of this church, Mr. John Da- 
 vidfon, though in his catechifm he defires faith by a 
 hearty ajfurance , that our fins are freely forgiven us 
 in Chrilt ; or, a fure perfuafion of the heart, that 
 Chrift by his death and refurredtion hath taken a- 
 way our fins, and clothing us with his own perfeEl 
 righteoufnefs, has throughly reftored us to the fa- 
 vour of God ; which he reckoned all one with a 
 hearty receiving of Chrift offered in the gofpel for the 
 remiffion of fins : Yet in a former part of the fame 
 catechifm, he gives us to underftand what fort of 
 aflurance and perfuafion it was, he meant, as fol- 
 lows ; " And certain it is, fays he, that both the 
 " inlightning of the mind to acknowledge the truth 
 " of the promife of falvation to us, in Chrift ; and 
 " the fealing up of the certainty thereof in our hearts 
 Hz and 
 
6o Anfwer i to the Queries. 
 
 ,€ and minds, (of the whilk twa parts, as it were, 
 <f faith coniifts) are the works and effects of the 
 " Spirit of God." In like manner, in our Confef- 
 fion of Faith *, it is called, " An allured faith in 
 H the promife of God, revealed to us in his word ; 
 %i by which faith we apprehend Chrift Jefus, with 
 
 ci the graces and benefits promlfed in him. 
 
 tf This faith, and the aflurance of the fame proceeds 
 " not from fiefh and blood/* And in our firft ca- 
 techifm, commonly called, Calvin's catechifm, faith 
 is defined by a fure perfuafion and ftedfaft know- 
 ledge of God's tender love towards us, according as 
 he has plainly uttered in the gofpel, that he will be 
 a Father and Saviour to us, through the means of 
 Jefus Chrift. And again, faith which God's Spirit 
 worketh in our hearts, afluring of God's promifes 
 made to us in his holy gofpel. In the Summula 
 Catechifmi, or Rudimenta pietatis, to the Queftion 
 Quid eft fides ? The Anfwer is, Cum mihi perfuadeo 
 Deum me omnefque fan&os amare, nobifque Chrif- 
 tnm cum omnibus fufe bonis gratis donare ; and in 
 the margin, Nam in fide duplex perfuafio, i. De 
 amore Dei erga nos. 2. De Dei benefices qua ex 
 amore fluunt, Chrifto nimirum, cum omnibus fefl 
 bonis, <bc. And to that Queftion, Quomodo fide per - 
 cipimuS) <b nobis applicamus corpus Chrifti crucifixi ? 
 The Anfwer is, Dum nobis perfuademus Chrifti 
 mortem & crucifixionem non minus ad nos perti- 
 nere quam fi ipfi nos pro peccatis noftris crucifixi 
 eflemus. Perfuafio autem hsec eft verse fidei. From 
 all which it is evident, they held, that a belief of the 
 promifes of the gofpel, with application, to one's felf, 
 or a confidence in a crucified Saviour, for a man's 
 own falvation, is the very effence of juftifying faith ; 
 cr, that we become actually poflefled of Chrift, re- 
 million of fins, #<:. in and by the act of believing, or 
 confidence in him, as above explained. And this 
 with them was the aflurance of faith, which widely 
 differs from the Antinomian fenfe of the aflurance 
 
 or 
 
 * Art, 3, ft, 
 
An fivers to the Queries. 6\ 
 
 or perfuafion of faith, which is, that Thrift, and 
 pardon of fin, are ours, no lefs before believing than 
 after; a fenfe which we heartily diiclaim. 
 
 Whethtivthefe words in the query, viz. Or, is that 
 knowledge a perfuafion inc'uded in the very effence of 
 that j 'unifying atl of faith ? be exegetic of the query; 
 We anfwer, That we have already explained the 
 perfuafion of faith by us held, and do think, that in 
 the language of faith, though not in the language of 
 philofophy, knowledge and perfuafion, relating to 
 the fame object, go hand in hand in the fame mea- 
 fure and degree, 
 
 It is evident, That the confidence or perfuafion 
 of faith, for which we plead, includes, or neceffa- 
 rilly and infallibly infers confent and refting. toge- 
 ther with all the blefiTed fruits and effects of faith, in 
 proportion to the meafure of it. And that we have 
 mentioned confent, we cannot but be the more con- 
 firmed in this matter, when we confider, That fuch 
 a noted perfon as Mr. Baxter, though he had made 
 the marriage confent to Chrift, as King and Lord, 
 the formal aft of juftifying faith, as being an epitome 
 of all gofpel-obedience, including and binding to all 
 the duties of the married ftate, and fo giving right to 
 all the privileges ; and had thereby, as well as by 
 his other dangerous notions about juftification and 
 other points connected therewith; fcattered through 
 his works, corrupted the fountain, and endangered 
 the faith of many; yet, after all, came to be of ano- 
 ther mind, and had the humility to tell the world i'o 
 much : For Mr. Crofs informs us *, That Mr. Bax- 
 ter, in his little book againft Dr. Crifp's error, fays, 
 li I formerly believed the formal nature of faith to 
 *• ly in confent ; but now I recant it : I believe {fays 
 il he) it lies in truft ; this makes the right to ly in 
 (i the object ; for it is, I depend on Chrift as the 
 <c matter or merit of my pardon, my life, my crown,, 
 M m y glory." 
 
 There 
 # Sermon oo Rom. iy. 2. page 148. 
 
6i Anfwers to the Shieries. 
 
 There are two things further, concerning this per- 
 fuafion of faith, that would be adverted to : One is, 
 That it is not axiomatical, but real, i. e. the finner 
 has not always, at his firft clofing with Chrift, nor 
 afterwards, fuch a clear, fteady, and full perfuafion 
 that Chrift is his, that his fins are forgiven, and he 
 eventually fhall be faved ; as that he dare profefs 
 the fame to others, or even pofitively afiert it within 
 himfelf: Yet, upon the firft faving manifeftation of 
 Chrift to him, fuch a perfuafion and humble confi- 
 dence is begotten, as is real and relieving, and par- 
 ticular as to himfelf, and his own falvation, and which 
 works a proportionable hope as to the iffue ; though 
 through the humbling impreffions he has of himfelf, 
 and his own guilt at the time, the awe of God's ma- 
 jefty, juftice, and holinefs on his fpirit, and his in- 
 diftindt knowledge of the dodtnne of the gofpel, 
 with the grounds and warrants of believing therein 
 contained, he fears to exprefs it dire&ly and parti- 
 cularly of himfelf. The other is, That, whatever is 
 faid of the habic, adlings, ftrength, weakneis, and in- 
 termittings of the exercife of faving faith, the fame 
 is to be faid of this perfuafion in all points. From 
 all which, it is evident, the doubts, fears, and dark- 
 nefs, fo frequently to be found in true believers, can 
 very well confift with this perfuafion in the fame 
 fubjeft : For though they may be and often are in 
 the believer, yet they are not of his faith, which in 
 its nature and exercife is as oppofite to them, as light 
 is to darknefs, the flefh to the fpirit ; which though 
 they be in the fame fubjedt, yet as contrary the one 
 to the other, Gal. v. 17. And therefore faith wref- 
 tles againft them, though with various fuccefs, it be- 
 ing fometimesfo far overcome and brought at under 
 by the main force, and much fuperior ftrength of 
 prevailing unbelief, that it cannot be difcerned more 
 than the fire is, when covered with afhes, or the 
 fun, when wrapt up in thick clouds. The confi- 
 dence and perfuafion of faith, being in many, at firft 
 cfpecially, but as the grain of muftard-feed caft into 
 
 the 
 
Anpwers to the Queries. 63 
 
 the ground, or like a fpark amidft the troubled fea 
 of all manner of corruption and lufts, where the 
 rowling waves of unbelieving doubts and fears, hell- 
 ifh temptations and fuggeftions, and the like, mov- 
 ing on the face of that depth, are every now and then 
 going over it ; and, were there not a divine hand 
 and care engaged for its prefervation, would effec- 
 tually extinguifh and bury it : What wonder that 
 in fuch a cafe it many times cannot be difcerned ? 
 Yet will it ftill hold fo much of the exercife of jus- 
 tifying faith, fo much perfuafion. Yea, not only 
 may a believer have this perfuafion, and not know 
 of it for the time (as fay Collins, Roberts, Amefius, 
 and others, who diftinguifh the perfuafion from the 
 fenfe of it) but he, being under the power of temp- 
 tation and confufion of mind, may refolutely deny 
 he has any fuch perfuafion or confidence; while it 
 is evident to others at the fame time, by its effects, 
 that he really has rt : For which, one may, among 
 others, fee the holy and learned Mr. Halyburton, in 
 his Inquiry into the nature of God's aft of jufiifica- 
 tion * And if one would fee the confidence of 
 faith's perfuafion with doubting, well difcourfed and 
 illuftrated, he may confult Downhame's Chriftian 
 warfare f* But we 
 
 Anfwer ^dly^ There is a full perfuafion and af« 
 furance, by reflection, fpiritual argumentation, or 
 inward fenfation, which we are far from holding to 
 be of the eflence of faith ; but this laft, being medi- 
 ate, and collected by inference, as we gather the 
 caufe from fuch figns and effects as give evidence of 
 it, is very different from that confidence or perfua- 
 fion, by divines called the affurante of faith. Sane- 
 tification, fays Rutherfordj does not evidence jufti- 
 fication, as faith doth evidence it, with iuch a fort 
 of clearnefs, as light evidenceth colours, though it 
 be no fign, or evident mark of them -, but as fmoke 
 evidenceth fire, and as the morning ftar, in the eaft, 
 evidenceth the fun will fhortly rile \ or as the ftreams 
 
 prove 
 • Page 37. t Part a. lib. ». page 134* &c. 
 
64 jtnfwers to the Queries. 
 
 prove there is a head-fpring whence they iffiie ; tho* 
 none of thefe make what they evidence vifible to the 
 eye: So doth fanctification give evidence of juftifi- 
 cation, only as marks, figns, effects, give evidence 
 of the caufe. He calls it a light of arguing, and of 
 heavenly logic, by which we know, That we know 
 God, by the light of faith, becaufe we keep his 
 commandments. In effect, fays he, " we know ra- 
 " ther the perfon muft be juftified, in whom thefe 
 " gracious evidences are by hear-fay, report, or con- 
 " fequence, than that we know, or fee juftification 
 €t or faith itfeif in abftraclo : But the light of faith, 
 u the teftimony of the fpirit by the operation of free 
 c< grace, will caufe us, as it were, with our eyes fee 
 u juftification and faith, not by report, but as we fee 
 (C the fun light. Again> he fays, We never had a 
 " queftionwith Antinomians, touching the firftaffur- 
 u ance of juftification, fuch as is proper to the light 
 <c of faith. He (Cornwall) might have fpared all his 
 f< arguments, to prove that we are firft affured of 
 " our juftification by faith, not by good works; for 
 " we grant the arguments of one fort of affurance, 
 i( which is proper to faith ; and they prove nothing 
 " againft another fort of affurance by iign^ and ef- 
 " feels, which is alfo divine." further, as to the 
 difference between thefe two kinds of affurance ; the 
 affurance of faith has its object and foundation with- 
 out the man, but that offenfe has them within him: 
 Tne affurance of faith looks to Chrift, the promife 
 and covenant of God, and fays, This is all my fal- 
 vation, God has fpoken in bis holinefs^ I will rejoice : 
 But the affurance offenfe looks inward at the works 
 of God, fuch as the perfon's own graces, attain- 
 ments, experiences, and the like : The affurance of 
 faith giving an evidence to things not feen, can claim 
 an intereft in, and plead a faving relation to a hid- 
 ing, withdrawing God ; Zion faid, My Lord hath 
 forgotten me ; and the fpoufe, / opened to my beloved; 
 but my beloved had withdrawn himfelf and was gone : 
 So he may be a forgetting and withdrawing God to 
 
 my 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 65 
 
 my feeling ; and yet to my f.iith, my God, and my 
 Lord, (till, lays holy Rutherford ; even as the wife 
 may believe the angry and forfaking husband, is ft ill 
 her husband. But, on the other hand, the affur- 
 ance of fenfe is the evidence ot things feen and felt* 
 The one fays, I take him for mine ; the other fays, 
 1 feel he is mine: The one lays with the church, My 
 God (though he cover himfelf with a cloud, that my 
 prayer cannot pafs through, yet) will hear me : The 
 other, My God has heard me : The one (ays, He will 
 bring me forth to the light, and I fhall behold his rigb- 
 teoufnefs ; The other, He has brought me forth to the 
 light , and I do behold his righteoufnefs : The one fays, 
 Though hefhould kill me, yet will 1 trujl in him ; the 
 other, He fmiles and fhines on me } therefore will I 
 love him and trujl in him. 
 
 Upon the whole, we humbly conceive, Were the 
 nature and grounds of faith's perfuafion more nar- 
 rowly and impartially, under the guidance of the 
 fpirit of truth, fearch'd into, and laid open ; it would 
 inftead of difcouraging weak Chriftians exceedingly 
 tend to the ftrengthning and increafe of faith ; and 
 confequently^ have a mighty influence on fpiritual 
 comfort, and true gofpel-holinefs, which will always 
 be found to bear proportion to faith, as effects do to 
 the efficacy and influence of their caufes. 
 
 Query IX. What is that ail of faith, by which a 
 I firmer appropriates Chrift, and his faving benefits to 
 himfelf P O 
 
 Anfw. This queftion being plainly and fully an- 
 fwered, in what is faid on the immediately forego- 
 ing, we refer thereto, and proceed to the tenth. 
 
 Query X. Whether the revelation of the divine will 
 in the word, affording a warrant to offer Chrifl unto 
 all, and a warrant to all to receive him, can be faid 
 to be the Father's making a deed of gift and grant cf 
 Cbrijl unto all mankind? Is this grant made to all man- 
 I kind 
 
66 Anfwers to the Queries. 
 
 kind by fovereign grace ? And, whether is it abfolute 
 or conditional ? 
 
 An/w. Here we are directed to that part of our 
 Reprefentation, where we complain that the follow- 
 ing paffage is condemned, viz. " The Father hath 
 u made a deed of gift or grant unto all mankind, 
 " that whofoever of them {hall believe in his Son, 
 ct fhall not perifh ;" and where we fay, " That this 
 u treatment of the faid paffage feems to incroach on 
 c< the warrant aforefaid, and alfo upon fovereign 
 5S grace, which hath made this grant, not to devils, 
 u but to men, in terms than which none can be i- 
 *' magined more extenfive * *" agreeable to what 
 we have already faid in our Reprefentation. Wc 
 anfwer to the firft part of the queftion, that by the 
 deed of gift or grant unto all mankind, we under- 
 ftand no more than the revelation of the divine will 
 in the word, affording warrant to offer Chrifl: to all, 
 and a warrant to all to receive him : For although 
 we believe the purchafe and application of redemp- 
 tion to be peculiar to the elect, who were given by 
 the Father toChrift in the counfel of peace ; yet the 
 warrant to receive him is common to all : minifters, 
 by virtue of the commiffion they have received from 
 their great Lord and Mafter, are authorized and in- 
 ftrufted to go to preach the gofpel to every creature, 
 i. e. to make a full, free and unhampered offer of him 
 his grace, righteoufnefs, and falvation, to every ra- 
 tional foul, to whomo they may in providence have 
 acceis to fpeak. And though we had a voice like a 
 trumpet, that could reach all the corners of the 
 earth, we think we would be bound, by virtue of oui 
 commiffion, to lift it up, and lay, c To you, O men, 
 ' do we call, and our voice is to the fons of men. 
 f God hath fo loved the world, that he gave his onlj 
 * begotten Son, that whofoever believes in him fhould 
 4 not perilh, but have everlafting life,' John iii. \6 
 And although this deed of gift and grant, « Thai 
 1 whofoever believeth in Chrift fhall not perilh, 6c. 
 
 * Par. 8. 
 
Anfwers to the §>xierie$ % 67 
 
 is neithfer in our Reprefentation, nor in the paflages 
 of the book condemned on that head, called a Deed 
 of gift, and grant of Chrift ; yet, being required to 
 give our judgment in this point, we think, that a- 
 greeable to the holy fcriptures it may be fo called, as 
 particularly appears from the text laft cited, John 
 iii. 16. where, by the giving cf Chrift , we underftand 
 not only his eternal deftination by the Father, to be 
 the Piedeemer of an elect world, and his giving him 
 unto the death for them, in the fulnefs of time ; but 
 more efpecially, a giving of him in the word, unto 
 all, to be received and believed in : The giving here, 
 cannot be a giving in poiTeflion, which is peculiar 
 only unto them, who actually believe, but it muftbe 
 fuch a giving, granting, or offering, as warrants a 
 man to believe or receive the gift; and mull there- 
 fore be anterior to actual believing ; This is evident 
 enough from the text itfelf \ He gave him, That 
 ivhofoever bclieveth in him>fl)ould not perifh, &c. The 
 context alfo, to us, puts it beyond controverfy ; the 
 brazen ferpent was given, and lifted up as a common 
 good to the whole camp of Ifrael, that whofoever in 
 all the camp, being ftung by the fiery ferpents, look- 
 ed thereunto, might not die but live : So here, Chrift 
 is given to a loft world, in the word, that whofoever 
 believes in him fhould not perlm, 6r. And in this 
 refpedr, we think, Chrift is a common Saviour, 
 and his faivation is a common falvation ; and it is 
 glad tidings of great joy, unto all people , that unto us 
 (not to angels that fell) this Son is given, and this 
 Child is born, whole name is called Wonderful, &c. 
 Ifa ix. 6. 
 
 We have a fcripture alfo to this purpofe, John vi. 
 32. where Chrift fpeaking to a promifcuous multi- 
 tude, makes a comparison between himfelf and the 
 manna that fell about the tents of Ifrael in the wil- 
 dernefs, fays, My Father giveth you the true bread 
 from heaven. As the fimple raining of the manna 
 about their camp, is called a giving of it, verfe 31. 
 before it was tailed, or fed upon ; fo the very re- 
 I 7, relation 
 
68 Anf-wers to the Queries. 
 
 velation and offer of Chrift is called (according to 
 the judicious Calvin on the place) a giving of him, 
 c're he be received and believed on. 
 
 Of his giving of Chrift to mankind loft, we read 
 alfo, i John v. u. * And this is the record that 
 f God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life 
 * is in his Son.' This giving in the text, is not, we 
 conceive, a giving in poffefiion, in greater or lefler 
 meafure ; but a giving by way of grant and offer, 
 whereupon one may warrantably take poffeffion, and 
 the party to whom is not the election only, but loft 
 mankind : For the record of God here, muft be fuch 
 a thing as warrants all to believe on the Son of God. 
 But it can be no fuch warrant, to tell, That God hath 
 given eternal life to the elecl ; for the making of a 
 gift to a certain feiect company of perfons, can ne- 
 ver be a warrant for all men to receive or take pof- 
 feffion of it. This will be further evident, if we 
 confider, That the great fin of unbelief lies, in not 
 believing this record ot God ; he that believes not y 
 hath made God a liar, (fays the apoftle, ver. 10. be- 
 caufe he believes not the record that God gave of his 
 Son; and then it folio we th, ver. n. And this is the 
 record, that God hath given to us eternal life y Sec. 
 Now, are we to think, that the rejecting of the re- 
 cord of God is a bare disbelieving of this proporti- 
 on, That God hath given eternal life unto the eleft P 
 No furely j for the molt defperate unbelievers, fuch 
 as Judas, and others, believe this ; and their belief 
 of it adds to their anguifh and torment ; Or, do they 
 by believing this, fet to their feal that God is true ? 
 No, they full continue, notwithstanding of all this, 
 to make him a liar, in net believing this record of 
 Cody That to loft mankind, and to themfelves in 
 particular, God hath given eternal lifw, by way of 
 grant, fo as they, as well as others, are warranted 
 and welcome ; and every one to whom it comes, on 
 their peril, required by faith to receive, or take pof- 
 feffion of it. By not receiving this gifted and offer- 
 ed remedy, with application and appropriation, they 
 
 fly 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 69 
 
 fly in the face of God's record and teftimony ; and 
 therefore do juftly and defervedly pcrifh, feeing the 
 righteoufnefs, falvation, and kingdom of God, was 
 brought fo near to them, in the tree offer of the gof- 
 pel, and yet they would not take it. The great 
 pinch and ftrait, we think, of an awakened consci- 
 ence, does not lie in believing* that God hath given 
 eternal life to the eletl ; but in believing or receiving 
 Chrift, offered to us in the gofpel, with particular 
 application to the man himfelf, in fcripture, called, 
 An eating theflefi, and drinking the blood of the Son 
 of man- And yet, till this difficulty be furmounted, 
 in greater or lefTer meafure, he can never be faid 
 to believe in Chrift, or receive and reft upon him for 
 falvation. The very taking or receiving muft needs 
 prefuppofe a giving of Chrift ; and this giving may 
 be, and is for the moft part, where there is no re- 
 ceiving ; but there can be no receiving of Chrift for 
 falvation, where there is not revelation of Chrift in 
 the word of the gofpel, affording warrant to receive 
 him, Rom x. 14. and then, by the effectual opera- 
 tion of the Spirit, perfuading and enabling the {in- 
 ner to embrace him upon this warrant and offer : 
 A man (fays the Spirit of God, John iii. 27.) can re- 
 ceive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 
 Hence, Mr. Rutherford, in his Chrift dying and 
 drawing, &c. page 442, fays, " That reprobates 
 t€ have as fair a warrant to believe as the elect 
 " have." 
 
 As to the fecond part of this queftion, to wit, 
 " Is this grant made to all mankind by fovereign 
 u grace ? And whether is it abfolute or condition- 
 <c ali" We anfwer, That this grant made in com- 
 mon to loft mankind, is from fovereign grace only 5 
 and it being minifters warrant to offer Chrift unto 
 all, and people's warrant to receive him, it cannot 
 fail to be abfolutely free ; yet, fo as none can be pof- 
 feffed of Chrift and his benefits till by faith they re- 
 ceive him. 
 
 Query 
 
7° Anfwers to the Queries* 
 
 Query XI. Is the divijion of the to, as explain- 
 ed and applied in the Marrow, to be jufified, and 
 which cannot be rejected without burying fever al gof- 
 pel-truths ? 
 
 Anfw. We humbly judge, the tripartite divifion 
 of the law, if rightly understood, may be admitted 
 as orthodox \ yet, feeing that which we are concern- 
 ed with, as contained in our Reprefentation, is on- 
 ly the divifion of the law, into the law of works and 
 the law of Chrifl : we fay, That we are ftill of opini- 
 on, that this diftinftion of the law is carefully to be 
 maintained ; in regard that by the law of works, we, 
 according to the fcripture, underftand the covenant 
 of works, which believers are wholly and altogether 
 delivered from, although they are certainly under the 
 law of the ten commands in the hand of a Medi- 
 ator : And if this diftinftion of the law thus appli- 
 ed, be overthrown and declared groundlefs, feveral 
 fweet gofpel-truths muft unavoidably fall in the ruins 
 of it. For inftance, if there be no difference put be- 
 tween the law as a covenant, and the law as a rule of 
 life to believers in the hand of Chrift ; it muft needs 
 follow, That the law ftill retains its covenant-form 
 with refpeft to believers, and that they are ftill under 
 the law in this formality, contrary to fcripture, Rom. 
 \i. 14. and vii 1, 2, 3. and to the Confeffion of 
 Faith, chap. 19. §.6. It would alfo follow, That 
 the fins of believers are ftill to be looked upon as 
 breaches of the covenant of works ; and confequent- 
 ly, that their fins not only deferve the wrath and 
 curfe of God (which is a moft certain truth) but al- 
 fo makes them actually liable to the wrath of God, 
 and the pains of hell for ever ; which is true only of 
 them that are in a ftate of black nature, Lefler Ca- 
 techifm, Queft. 19. and contrary to Confeffion of 
 Faith, Chap. 19. §. 1. It will likewife follow, That 
 believers are ftill to eye God as a vindictive and 
 wrathful Judge, though his juftice be fully fatisfied 
 in the death and blood of their blefled Surety, ap- 
 prehended by faith. Thefe and many other fweet 
 
 gofpei 
 
Anfwers to the Queries. 71 
 
 gofpel-truths, we think, fall in the ruins of the fore- 
 faid diftinclion condemned as groundlefs. 
 
 Query XII. Is the hope of heaven and fear of hell 
 to be excluded from the motives of the believer's obe- 
 dience ? And if not, how can the Marrow be defend- 
 ed, that exprefly excludes them, though it fioidd al- 
 low of other motives P 
 
 Anfw. Here we are referred to the third particu- 
 lar head, wherein we think the Marrow injured by 
 the Aflembly's act, which for brevity's fake we do 
 not tranfcribe : But, agreeable both to our Repre- 
 fentation and the fcope of the Marrow : We an- 
 fwer, That, taking heaven for a ftate of endlefs fe- 
 licity, in the enjoyment of God in Chrift, we are fo 
 far from thinking, that this is to be excluded from 
 being a motive of the bediever's obedience, that we 
 think it the chief end of man, next to the glory of 
 God, Pfal. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? 
 &c. Heaven, inftead of being a reward to the believ- 
 er, would be a defolate wildernefs to him, without 
 the enjoyment of a God in Chrift ; the Lord God 
 and the Lamb are the light of that place ; God him- 
 felf is the portion of his people, he is their ihield, 
 and exceeding great reward* The very Cope-ftone 
 of the happinefs of heaven lies, in being for ever 
 with the Lord, and in beholding of his glory s and this 
 indeed the believer is to have in his eye, as the re- 
 compence of reward, and a noble motive of obedi- 
 ence : But, to form conceptions of heaven, as a 
 place of pleafure and happinefs, without the former 
 views of it, and to fancy that this heaven is to be ob- 
 tained by our own works ,:nd doings, is unworthy 
 of a believer, a child of God, in regard it is flavifh, 
 legal, mercenary, and carnal. 
 
 As for the fear of hell its being a motive of the 
 believer's obedience, we reckon it one of the fpecial 
 branches of that glorious liberty wherewith Chrift 
 hath made his people free, that they yield obedience 
 to the Lord ; not out of flavifn fear of hell and 
 
 wrath, 
 
J 2 Anfwers to the <$hteries. 
 
 wrath, but out of a child-like love and willing 
 mind, Confef. Chap. 20. §.6. " Chrift hath deli- 
 " vered us out of the hands of our enemies, that we 
 u might ferve him without fear, in holinefs and righ- 
 " teoufnefs, all the days of our lives/' Luke i. 74, 
 75. A filial fear of God, and of his fatherly difplea- 
 fure, is worthy of the believer being a fruit of faith, 
 and of the fpirit of adoption •, but a flavifh fear of 
 hell and wrath, from which he *is delivered by Chrift, 
 is not a fruit of faith but of unbelief. And in fo 
 far as a believer is not drawn with love, but driven 
 on in his obedience with a flavifh fear of hell, we 
 think him, in fo far, under a fpirit of bondage. And 
 judging this to be the Marrow's fenfe of rewards and 
 punifhments with refpedt to a believer, we think it 
 may and ought to be defended. 
 
 And this doctrine which we apprehend to be the 
 truth, /lands fupported, not only by fcripture and 
 our Confeflion of Faith, but alfo by the fuffrages 
 of fome of our foundeft divines : For inftance Mr. 
 Rutherford * ; <4 Believers (fays he) are to be fad 
 " for their fins, as offenfive to the authority of 
 " the Lawgiver and the love of Chrift, though they 
 " be not to fear the eternal punifhment of them ;" 
 forforrow for fin, and fear, for fin, are moft differ- 
 ent to us. Again, fays the fame author f, u fervile 
 li obedience, under apprehenfion uf legal terror, 
 t€ was never commanded in the fpiritual law of God 
 <c to the Jews, more than to us " Durham, (loco 
 citato) " The believer (fays he) being from the law 
 " as a covenant, his life depends not on the pro- 
 <f mifes annexed to the law, nor is he in danger by 
 " threatnings adjoined to it, both thefe to believers 
 c< being made void through Chrift." And to con- 
 clude, We are clear of Dr. Owen's mind, anent the 
 ufe of the threatnings of everlafting wrath with 
 reference unto believers, who, tho' he owns them 
 to be declarative of God's hatred of fin, and his will 
 
 to 
 
 * Chrift dying and drawing, Sec. page 513. 
 t Trial and triumph, old edit, page 107. 
 
Anfwers to the Queried 73 
 
 to pnnifh it ; yet, in regard the execution of them 
 
 s inconhftent with the covenant, and God's faith- 
 
 fulnefs therein, lays, " The ufe of them cannot be 
 
 H to beget in believers an anxious, doubting, iblici- 
 
 tl tous fear about the punifhment threatned, ground- 
 
 " ed on a iuppofition that the perfon fearing (hall 
 
 c< be overtaken with it, or a perplexing fear of hell- 
 
 " fire ; which, though it oft-times be a confequence 
 
 P of feme of God's difpenfations towards us, of our 
 
 Ci own fins, or the weaknefs of our faith, is not any 
 
 fc where prefcribed unto us as a duty, nor is the in- 
 
 u generating of it in us, the deiign of any of the 
 
 (i threatnings of God." His reafons, together with 
 
 !the nature of that fear, which the threatnings of 
 
 [eternal wrath ought to beget in believers, may be 
 
 |viewed among the reft of the authorities. 
 
 Thefe are fome thoughts that have offered to us 
 iupon the queries, which we lay before the reverend 
 icommiffion, with all becoming deference, humbly 
 'craving, That charity, which thinketh no evil, may 
 procure a favourable conftruing of our words, fo as 
 ino fenfe may be put upon, nor inference drawn from 
 them, which we never intended. And, in regard the 
 tenor of our doclxine, and our aims in converfation, 
 have (tho' with a mixture of fuch finful weaknefs) 
 been fincerely pointed at the honour of the Lord Je- 
 fus, as our King, as well as Prieft, as our fanctifica- 
 tion, as well as our righteoufnefs ; We cannot but 
 regret our being afperfed, as taming the grace of 
 mr God into lafcivioufncfs, and cafting off the obliga- 
 :ion of the holy law of the ten commands; being 
 Derfuaded that the damnation of fuch, as either do 
 :>r teach fo, is juft and unavoidable, if mercy prevent 
 t not. But now, if, after this plain and ingenious 
 leclaration of our principles, we muft ftill ly under 
 he fame load of reproach, it is our comfort, that we 
 lave the teftimony of our confeiences clearing us in 
 hat matter, and doubt not the Lord will in due time 
 bring forth our righteoufnefs as the light, and our 
 judgment as the noonday.' We only add, That 
 K we 
 
74 Anfwers to the Queries. 
 
 we adhere to our Reprefentation and Petition in al 
 points ; and fo much the rather, that we have al- 
 ready obferved the fad fruits, and bad improvement 
 made of the Aflembly's deed, therein complained of. 
 
 Thefe anfwers, contained in this and the fixteen 
 preceding pages, (viz. of the manufcript grven in) 
 are fubfcribed at Edinburgh, March 12th, 1722, 
 by us, 
 
 The Names of the Subscribers, both of the 
 Papers given in Nov. 9th, 1721, and of the pre- 
 ceding Anfwers. 
 
 Mr. James Hog 
 Thomas Bofton 
 John Williamfon 
 James Kid 
 Gabriel Wilfon 
 Ebenezer Erskine 
 Ralph Erskine 
 James Warlaw 
 Henry Davidfon 
 James Bathgate 
 William Hunter 
 
 Carnock. 
 Etterick. 
 Innerafk 
 Queensferry. 
 . Maxton, 
 r £ ^ Portmoak. 
 
 Dumfermline. 
 
 o 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 u 
 
 '3 
 
 Galaftiiels. 
 Orwel. 
 I Lillisleaf. 
 
 N. B. Mr. John Bonar Minifter of the Gofpel at 
 Torphichen, being detained by indifpofition could 
 neither attend when the Queries were given, noi 
 the Anfwers returned. 
 
 A Papeb 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 PAPER containing the Au- 
 thorities of many eminent Di- 
 vines, with refpeft to the for- 
 mer Queries, and which was 
 given in to the Commission, in 
 a Schedule apart from the fub- 
 fcribed Answers, 
 
 Authorities relating to the jirjt Qiiery y and the An- 
 fwers made thereunto. 
 
 PEMBLE's works in folio, page 219. For although by 
 a fyoecdoche of the chief and moft excellent part, 
 the whole doctrine and miniftry of Chrift and his a- 
 poflles, with then (uccefTors, be called the doctrine 
 of the gofpel : yet all things which they preached and wrote 
 is not the gofpel properly fo called : But as Mofes chiefly 
 delivered the law unto che Jews, though yet withal he wrote 
 of Chrift, and fo in part revealed unto them the" gofpel ; fo 
 Chrift and his minifters, tho' chiefly they preach the goV- 
 pd, yet i» its place they urge the law withal, as that which 
 hath its lingular ufe in furthering our Chriftian faith 
 and practice : Wherefore, when v/e fpeak of the gofpel as 
 oppofite to the law, it is ajefuitkal equivocation, to take it 
 in this large fenfe, for the whole doctrine of Chrift and his 
 apoftles, preached by them, and written for us in the book 
 of the New Tenement. This is in proper terms the gofpel, 
 viz. the fpecial doctrine touching man's redemption and re- 
 conciliation with God, by means of Jefus Chnft ; the reve-* 
 lation whereof was indeed *Evctyys\iov, the gladeft tidings 
 that were ever brought to the ears of mortal man ; which 
 gofpel, inftrict terms, the angels preached, Luke ii. 10, n. 
 and afterward Chrift and his apoftles fully explained the 
 myftery of it to the world. 
 
 K % Ibidem, 
 
7 6 Authorities relating to the fir ft Query. 
 
 Ibidem, page 68. It is an error to affirm, That faith, 
 which is the condition of the new covenant, is not command i 
 ed in the moral law, legal and evangelical ; or the faith of 
 Adam in innocence, and of man fince the fall, is, for the 
 fubftance of the grace, one and the fame, viz. Credence and 
 confidence of, and in ail things whatfoever that God ihall 
 reveal unto man. The difference is only in the ufe and in 
 the particular object. Now, Adam being commanded in all 
 things to believe his Creator, whether revealed, or to be 
 revealed, and having ability fo to do, fo that if Cod had 
 told him of the myflery of the gofpel, he would have be- 
 lieved it : We alio are bound by the law of our creation, 
 and fo the moral law, to believe in Chrift as foon as God 
 veveals him. Anu page 165, 166. What work can be nam- 
 ed, that is injoined us in the New Teftament, which is not 
 alfo commanded us in that fummary precept of the moral 
 law, Thou /halt love the Lord thy God with all thy hearty 
 &c. Luke x. 27. Deut. vi. j. ? What fin is there againft 
 the gofpel, that is not a tranlgreflion of the law ? If the gof- 
 pel command charity, is it any other than that which the 
 law commands ? If the gofpel command faith, doth not the 
 law enjoin the fame ? You will fay, No, it doth not com- 
 mand taith in Chrift. I anfwer, It doth : For that which 
 commands us in general to believe whatever God (hall pro- 
 pofe usto us , commands us alfo to believe in Chrift, as foon 
 as God ihall make known, that it is his will we mould be- 
 lieve in him. The gofpel difcovers to us the object, the law 
 commands us the obedience of believing it. So, to be juf- 
 tified by the action of believing, is tc be juftified by works, 
 and our own righteouinefs. 
 
 EfTenii compend. Cap it. ThefT. ix. 11. pag. 427, 42.8. 
 Evangelicum quafi dicatur bonum nu?itium> Sec. That is, 
 The gofpel is as much as to fay, good tidings. It is a doc- 
 trine come from God, and many ways publifhed by Chrift 
 and his mimfters, concerning the remiffion of fins, righte- 
 oufnefs, and eternal life to be had by taith in hii?i for the 
 faivation of the cleft, and to (hew forth the glorious mercy 
 of God. Where it is properly and ftrictly taken, it brings 
 the tidings of faivation in Chrift. whence it is called the gof- 
 pel of peace, Eph. vi. 15. and of faivation, Eph. i. 13. Some 
 times it is taken more largely, in fo far as it directs believ- 
 ers in their practice ; applying alio the law as a guide and 
 rule, 1 Ccr. xi. 28 31. Phil. i. 27. James i. 25. a&d ii. 12. 
 and Cap. 4. ThefT. 24. page 40. Superejl dubium, an fides 
 Evangelica, &c. That is, There remains a douot, if evan- 
 gelical and laving faith may be rightly called a virtue or act 
 of obedience commanded in the divine law ? It is aniv/ered 
 affirmatively, In regard that in the firft command of the 
 decalogue, we are to have a right knowledge and acknow- 
 ledgment 
 
Authorities relating to the jirjl Query. 77 
 
 Jedgment of the one true Goci, and therefore ought to be- 
 lieve ail things held rorth and coiiiir ned to us by kits autho- 
 rity, which ought alfo to be extended to the goipel tmths, 
 ppofitiofi of their being revealed. The golpei pro- 
 l, and ados promiks To as w may 
 the more cheer lolly believe them : Bu, the formal obliga- 
 tion why we fh-jul i believe, that belongs »o the law. 
 
 Chamierus Ccntr. Lib. 15. Cap. 4. §.4, 7. Dkimus 
 fvangetium qnatenus fignif.cat legem jfdei, Sec. That is, 
 we lay, tne goipel, in fo lar as it ligmfies the law of faith, 
 contains no law truly 10 called ; bur only in fo far, as taken 
 in a large (tafes it contains the whole preaching of the gof- 
 pel, and becauie this universal preaching confirms and re- 
 news the authority of the law. As the low forgives no 
 fj.-.s, becauie it puoifhes all, fo the gofpel, as the goipel pu* 
 th 00 iins, becauie it forgives them. We allow of the 
 arguments, which prove Chrift to be a Lawgiver : But we 
 deny that it follows, Chrift is a Lawgiver ; therefore the 
 gofpel is a iaw, truly and properly 10 called. 
 
 Wenaelinus Chriil. theol. Lib. 1. Cap. 19. page ?95. 
 Obfervartduniy tribuo modis diet <t> accipi evangeitu?n> &c. 
 Tnat is, we would notice, that the goipel is fo called, and 
 taken three ways, (1.) Moil largely, for the book of the 
 whole New Teitament, or the whole doctrine of Chrift and 
 his apoftles, in which fenfe the p^pifts, for moft part, un- 
 derftand it. (2.) Largely, for a doclrine, as well of grace 
 and faith, as of repentance and new obedience, Rom. i. 1. 
 1 Cor. ix. 14, (3.) Strictly and properly, for the glad tid- 
 ings of the gracious forgivenefs or (ins, for the merits of 
 Cnrifi appreheaded by a true faith, Luke iv. 14. Matth. ix, 
 5. Rom. i. ia. and x. 15. Acts xv. 7. Gal i. 6. For this \% 
 indeed theie glad tidings of the yoke of the law-curfe, its 
 curfe being taken oft cur necks, and of eternal life to be gra« 
 cioufly given us by Chrift. 
 
 Caivinns Inft. Lib. a. Cap. 9 §. 2. Porro, evangelium 
 acciptOy &c. That is, Moreover I take the gofpel ;or the 
 clear manifeftation of the myftery of Chrift. Whence it 
 follows, That taking the word goipel in a large fenfe, 
 under it are comprehended ali the teftimonies which of 
 eld God gave to tne patriarchs of his mercy and favour : 
 But taken ftriclly, and by the way of eminence and excel- 
 lency, I fay, it is fitted for mewing forth the grace mani- 
 fested ia Chrift, and depends en his authoiity, <bc. 
 
 Marefius Syft. hrev. Loc 8,- $. 11, 19, 20 Aique (E- 
 vangelium) hie nobis fumitur, Sec. That is. And we take 
 the gofpei here, not tor a true and authentic hiftory of the 
 birth, lire, death, and refurreclion of Chrift, in which fenfe 
 the four gofpeis are reckoned among the facred writings, bui 
 for the acceptable and joyful doclrine of falvation and re- 
 demption 
 
7$ Authorities relating to the firjl Query. 
 
 demption in Chrift, which, for its conftancy and unchange- 
 ablenefs, is called the everlafting gofpel, Rev. xiv. 6. Yet 
 on good grounds, we do deny to Papiftsand Socinians, that 
 in the gofpel, as fuch , there are contained either laws relat- 
 ing to practice, which Chrift added to the law of Mofes, 
 fitiCe, on the contrary, /;/'/ yoke is eafy y and his burden light, 
 Matt. xi. 30. and Chrift added nothing to be practifed by 
 us, which we are not obliged unto even by the law of Mofes 
 itfelf : Or, that the righteoufnefs of works, fuch as the law 
 requires, is urged in the gofpel, fince the law of faith is in 
 fcriptufe exprefly oppofed to the law of works, Rom. ir. 
 27. Nor are the Armenians more orthodox than the Soci- 
 nians, who imagine, that the three precepts, mentioned, 
 Matt. xvi. 24. are properly evangelical, and no way con- 
 tained in the law of God. 
 
 Altingius theol. problem. Loc. 11. page 536. Evangeli- 
 um genet atimfumitur, &c. That is, the gofpel is gene- 
 rally taken for the doctrine of Chrift and his apoftle ; and it 
 is a doctrine, as of grace and faith, fo of repentance and 
 new obedience, Rom. ii. 16 1 Cor. ix. 14. Mark xvi. 15. 
 Matth. xxvii. 19. But more efpecially, it is a doctrine of 
 grace, and of tree remiflion of (ins, by faith, for Chrift's 
 fake, Luke iv. 18. Ifa. lxi. 1, 2. Matt. xi. 5. Rom. i. 16. 
 and x. 5. This laft fenfe of the word is the proper meaning 
 of the gofpel, which properly fignifies glad tidings, or the 
 doctrine o f grace, Luke ii. 10. But the former fenfe is figu- 
 rative or fynecdochical. 
 
 The Pro e (Tors of Leyden, fynop. pur theol. Difp. 22. 
 §. 1 — 6. Vox evangelium denotat apud clajtficos autores y 
 &c. That is, the word evangelium t or gofpel^ with pro- 
 fane authors, fl^nifies (1.) Any good or joyful tidings of 
 any thing plealing or defirable. (2.) The reward that was 
 wont to he given to them who brought thefe good news. 
 (3.) The facriiices and prayers that were appointed to be 
 offered to their gods, for good fuccefs in their affairs. In 
 fcripture, by way of eminence and excellency, it fignifies 
 the mod happy and pleafant news of the comfortable com- 
 ing of our Redeemer Jefus Chrift, and is fometimes taken in 
 a general, at other times in a fpecial fenfe. When taken 
 generally > it contains the gofpel promife of Chrift, and the 
 accomplilhment thereof, as Gal. iii. 6.- But taken more ef- 
 pecially , and when reftricted to the coming of Chrift it de- 
 notes, (1.) The hiftory of Chrift raanifefted in the flefh, as 
 Mark i. 2. (2.) It is taken ror the joyful doctrine and pub- 
 lication of the reconciliation of finful men unto God, by the 
 gracious pardon of their fins, purchafed to him by the ex- 
 piatory death of Chrift, offered indefinitely to all, revealed 
 to the poor in fpirit , arrd to babes, but applied particularly 
 to believers for their falvation, and that for the difplaying 
 
 the 
 
Authorities relating to the fir ft Query. 79 
 
 the everlafling praife of divine mercy mixt with juftice> 
 I Cor. ix. 14, 15- 
 
 Witfius animad. iren. Cap. 15. §. 8, 9. Atque bin non 
 difficulter tertninari mihi poffe videtur vexata quxjtio, 8cc. 
 That is, and hence I think that much tofTed queftion may 
 be eafily decided, viz. If the gofp.l^ or covenant of grace, 
 has alfo a law peculiar to itfelf? Indeed, if by the gofpel 
 we understand the whole body of that doctrine which was 
 preached by Chrift and his apoftles, there is no doubt but 
 whatever belongs to any duty, is not only repeated, but is 
 alfo more clearly delivered in the gofpel, and with ftrong- 
 er exhortations enforcing thefe duties, than ever was done 
 by Mofes and the prophets. And fo far that part of evan- 
 gelical doctrine may be called the command of Chrift, the 
 laiv of Chrift, and the perfeel law of liberty ; for, why may 
 not we boldly fay what the Spirit of God has faid before 
 us ? Certainly it wants not its own weight, what the apo- 
 ftlc fays of the New Teftament. // njuas eftahlijhed on bet- 
 ter pur pofes, Gr. It nvas brought into the jorm of a laiv 
 upon better promifes, Heb. viii. 6. For even the doctrine 
 of faith is fometimes inculcated under the form of a com- 
 mand. But if we take the word gofpel in a Ariel fenfe, as 
 it is the formula or copy of the covenant of grace, which 
 confifts of mere promifes, or the abfolute difcovery of fal- 
 vation in Chi ill, then it properly prefcribes nothing as du- 
 ty, it requires nothing, it commands nothing, nay, not fo 
 much as believe, truft, hope in the Lord, and the like ; but 
 it relates and figntfies to us, what God in Chrift promifes, 
 and what he will, and is about to do. All prefcribing of 
 duty belongs to the law ; as the reverend Voet, with others, 
 have taught us, Difp. torn. 4. pag. 24, <bc. And thus we 
 muft firmly maintain, if, with all the reformed, we would 
 conftantly defend the perfection of the law, as containing 
 in it all the duties of holineis. Yet the law, as fitted to the 
 covenant of grace, and agreeably thereto, being written in 
 the hearts of the elect, commands them to embrace all things 
 propofedto them in the gofpel with an unfeigned faith, and 
 to order their lives in a iuitablenefs to that grace and glory. 
 And therefore, when God. in the covenant of grace, pro- 
 mifes to an elect flnner, faith, repentance, and confequent- 
 ly eternal life ; then the law, whofe obligation can never 
 be loofed, and which extends itfelf to every duty, obliges 
 the man to afTent to that truth, viz. That he is highly to 
 efteem the good things premifed : that he is earnestly to 
 defire, feek, * and embrace them. Moreover, feeing the 
 wonderful providence of God has ragged the promifes in 
 that order, that faith and repentance (hall precede, and fal- 
 vation fhall follow after them, man, by the fame law, is o- 
 bliged to approve of, and love this divine difpofal, nor is h e 
 
 to 
 
go Authorities relating to the firft ^uery. 
 
 to promife falvation to himfelf, but in a way agreeing there- 
 unto, <&c. 
 
 Petrus van Maftricht theol. theor. pract. Lib. 3. cap. 1. 
 §. 30. f/i hattetiui refpettu hominis lapft, &c. That is. fo 
 that, in fo far as thev refpect fallen man, they are contrary 
 one to the other, they eftabiim anddeftroy one another : fo 
 that he who is under the law, cannot be but under grace 
 and the gofpel ; nor can he who is under grace, be under 
 the law, Rom. iv. 14, 15. and vi. 14. and vii. 1. and ix, 
 31. and x. 3. Gal. iii, 5. and v. 4. And therefore the gof- 
 pel, as fuch, hath not a law ; even as the law, as fuch, has 
 not a gofpel ; although it be called the law of faith, Rom. 
 iii. 97. and the performance of believing is called the mnrk 
 of faith > John vi. 29. which comes from this, That God 
 requireth faith as the condition of the covenant of grace. 
 
 Turretinus, Vol. a, Loc. 11. §.4. Nullum datur opur, 
 That is, there is no good action bat what is contained in 
 the moral law, and fo falls under a precept, the law being 
 indeed the moft perfect rule of ail righteoufnefs and perfec- 
 tion. And— Loc. 14. §. 8, 9, Refle tamen noftri, Sec. i. e. 
 And yet. againft the Papifts and Socinians ; we juitfy deny 
 that Chrift is a legiflator, in fo far as a law giver imports 
 one who makes new laws, or new moral precepts, which 
 are not contained in the moral law itfelf, nor have their 
 foundation therein. Although faith in Chr-ft, which is 
 commanded in the gofpel, may be called New, in refpect of 
 the object, which is revealed only by the gofpel ; yet it 
 belongs to the law, as to the act and obligation ; becaufe 
 we are bound to believe God, and every word he fpeaks. 
 Repentance alfo belongs to the law, not as it was given to 
 the firft man, b it as it was demanded to the finnc, and as 
 manifefted bv the gofpel, and that materially, if not for 
 mally, becaufe it teacheth and prefcrib^s the way and man- 
 ner of repentance. 
 
 Anthony Burgefs, vindic. legis, pag. i6z, fcc The gof- 
 pel, taken ftrictfy, is not a doctrine of repentance, bat com- 
 prehends no more than the glad tidings of a Saviour. When 
 faith and repentance are called evangelical commands, the 
 word is ufed more largely, for the doctrine o Ghrift and his 
 apoftles ; bin in a ftnet fenfe, it is only a promife of Chrift 
 and his benefits. The gofpel makes known Chrift; and then 
 the law, enlightened by the gofpel, doth ax a command 
 UDon us to believe in Chriih It is true, learned men do 
 fometimes call faith and repentance evangelical commands ; 
 bat then they ufe the word more largely for the doctrine 
 of Chrift and his apoftles : Bat, in a ftrict fenfe, it is only a 
 promife of Chrilt and his benefits ; and in this fenfe, we 
 may fay, the gofpel does not terrify nor accufe. Indeed, 
 mere are woeful threatnings to him that rejecteth Chrift ; 
 
 yea> 
 
Authorities relating to the fir [I £>tiery. Si 
 
 yea, more fevere than f o him that refufed Mofes ; but this 
 
 i frpm the U' : joined in practical ule with thegofpel. 
 
 This arifeth not from the nature of the goip;J, bat from 
 
 the law that is inlightned by the gofpel ; fo th*t he being 
 
 already condemned by the iaw, for not believing in Chr;(t, 
 
 i ds not be again condemned by the gofpel. The gof- 
 
 j pel works repentance by way of an objecT:. not zz a COCO* 
 
 \ mand : And it is from the lav/ that we mould lhewour 
 
 felves kirkl to him who loved us unto the death ; fo that the 
 
 cbjccl is indeed fro'?i the gofpel, but the command to be af- 
 
 feded with his death, becauie of his kindnefs therein mani- 
 
 feflcJ, doth ariie from God's law. Let therefore thefe who 
 
 fay, That the gofpel will humble men, and break their 
 
 hearts for their fins, take heed how this is true, by the gof- 
 
 pH as an objccl, by the law as that which commands luch 
 
 kiFeelions to thtfe objects. 
 
 Troughton, Luth. Rediv. Part i. pages 109, no, 1*3. 
 The command oftrulting in God is a natural and perpe- 
 -tui-1 command ; yea, to truit in him for deliverance out of 
 any mifery and danger, is founded upon the law or nature : 
 So to truft in him for deliverance from the curie, and for the. 
 |i t erf eternal life, when it is revealed and promifed is alfo 
 founded upon the law of nature, which teacheth us to truft 
 in God's ail- r ufnciency and faithfulnefs, for ail things that 
 we want and he promiferh. So that the prcmife of life, by 
 m-rcy, is new and evangelical ; but the command of believ- 
 ing in it, is not properly new, but a natural command ex- 
 tended to a new promife. 
 
 Rutherford on the covenant, page 191. The law, as the 
 law, commands faith in the ftperlative degree, as it doth 
 all acts of obedience ; and fo dot!) it gofpd-repentance. 
 
 D.ckfon Therap fac. page 65. Ad officium credendi in 
 Chrifium, &c. That is, all who hear the gofpel are bound, 
 by t 4 ,e obligation of nature contained in the moral law, to 
 the duty of believing in Chrift, revealed in the gofpel ; be- 
 caufe, byvirtue of the command, he was obliged not on- 
 ly to believe every word of God revealed, but alfo every 
 word that mould be revealed. Who then can deny, that 
 by the law of nature, man is obliged to believe Godtefti- 
 fying. and to truft in God, offering himfelf as a friend and 
 Father. 
 
 Durham on the command?, page 14. §. ult. Edit, Glaf- 
 gow. 1677- 
 
 Henricus Altingius 1 Led. elcncl. pag. 403, 42*> 445; 
 459> 4^2, dtf. 
 
 ' L Authorities 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 Authorities on the fecond (guery. 
 
 PERKINS on Rev. iii. ia. God is no God to us out o 
 Chrift. Firft, He is a God to Chrift, and then in hin 
 and by him unto us. To conceive God out of Chrift, i 
 to make God an idol in the brain. 
 
 Durham on the commands, page 3, 4. edit. Edin. Bot! 
 minifters in preaching, and people in praclifing of the law 
 would carry with fubordination to Chrift. All our obedi 
 ence to God ought ftill to run in that channel. He who 1 
 God the Law giver, is the angel of Chrift; and it is hi 
 word, Acts vii. 30, 31, 38. The predominant motive of ou 
 obedience in the covenant of grace, is not fear of wrath, nc 
 the purchafe of heaven by our holinefs ; but it is love an< 
 gratitude, and that not (imply to God as Creator, but j 
 Redeemer, as the text fheweth, I have brought thee out 0) 
 the houfe of bondage. It is that we may fct forth the prail 
 of him who called us, and that we may glorify him tha 
 has bought us. Where duties have thefe qualifications 
 they are confident with grace and fubfetvient to it ; bu 
 whenthoie are wanted or excluded, Chrift is wronged, an( 
 men turn legal, and in fo far fall from, and overturn grace. 
 
 Trail, Stedfaft adherence, pages 37a, 373. If ever w 
 fet about the knowing of God, or thinking on him, or ftu 
 dying of him, we muft do it all by Chrift Jefus. There ■: 
 nothing fo hard to bring our hearts to : I know it well b] 
 my own, and every one that knows his own heart, will fine 
 it fo : There is nothing fo hard, as for a perfon to confin 
 all his meditations and thoughts of God, unto thofe difcove 
 ries that are made of God in the face of Jefus Chrift. Ther 
 are fome natural notions we have of God, and by the light 
 of the word thefe are polifhed in a great many people ; there 
 upon you will find, that the religion of a great many folks 
 (a great part of it) that bear their heads high in Chriftiani- 
 ty before men, lies wholly and altogether, if I may fo call 
 them, in a company of philofophical thoughts of the majef- 
 ty, power, and attributes of God ; and never a thought of 
 God in Chrift. Whenever a man thinks of God out of 
 Chrift, he enters immediately into a maze and labyrinth, and 
 will be confounded, and wander inavoidably. The light of 
 the knowledge of the glory ofGodfhines to us in the face &f 
 Chrifl Jefus, 2 Cor. iv. 6. If thou haftfeen me, faith our 
 Lord, thou haftfeen the Father alfo : Believeft thou this ? 
 John xiv. 9. 
 
 Owen on the Perfon of Chrift, page 86. Folio. We are 
 not obliged to the obfervance of the moral law itfelf, as 
 given in the hand Qf that Mediator, which gave it the for- 
 mal 
 
Authorities relating to the third Query. 8$ 
 
 mal reafoo of a covenant to that people, and had other fta 
 tutes and judgments infeparabJe from it : But the fame law 
 continues (till in its original authority and power, which it 
 had from the beginning, to oblige all indifpenfibly unto obe- 
 dience. Howbeit, as the church of Iirael, as fuch, was not 
 obliged unto obedience unto the moral law, ablolutely con* 
 fidered, but as it was given unto them peculiarly in the hand 
 of a Mediator, that is, of Moies ; no more is the evangeli- 
 cal church, as fuch, obliged by the original authority of 
 that law, but as it is confirmed unto us in the hand of our 
 Mediator : This renders all our moral obedience evangeli- 
 cal : for there is no duty of it, but we are obliged to per- 
 form it in faith, through Chrifl, on the motives of the love 
 of God in him ; of the benefits of his mediation, and the 
 grace we receive by him ; whatever is otherwife done by us, 
 is not acceptable to God : They do therefore for the moil 
 part deceive themfelves and others, who talk fo loudly a- 
 boot moral duties. — If the obligation they own, unto them, 
 be only the original power of the moral law, or the law of 
 our creation, and they are performed in the ftrength of that 
 Jaw unto the end of it, they are no way accepted of God : 
 But if they intend the duties which the moral law requireta 
 proceeding from, and performed by faith in Cbriil, upon 
 the ground of the love of God in him, and grace received 
 from him, then are the duties purely evangelical. And, 
 although the law hath ne\ir left, nor even can lcie its ori- 
 ginal power o» obliging us to univerfal obedience, as we are 
 reafonable creatures ; yet is our obedience to it, as Chrif- 
 tians, as believers, immediately influenced by its confirma- 
 tion unto the evangelical church in the hand of our Media- 
 tor ; For God hath given unto the Lord Chrift ail power, 
 in his name, to require this obedience from all that receive 
 the gofpel. Others are left under the original authority of 
 the law, either as implanted in our natures at their firft 
 creation, as are the Gentiles ; or as delivered by Moies, and 
 written in table? of ftone, as it was with the Jews, Rom.ii. 
 i%, <bc. But as o them that are called unto the faith of the 
 gofpel, the authority of Chrift doth immediately affect 
 their minds and confeiences ; he [^eds, or rules his people in 
 the ftrength of the Lori, in the majeity of the name of the 
 Lord his God, Micah v. 4. All the authority and majefty 
 of God is in him, and with him, Exod. xxiii. 20, &c. 
 
 Authorities en the third Query. 
 
 DURHAM on the commands, page 4. Glafgow. The 
 law doth neceiTarily imply no more than Firft, To di- 
 ecl. Secondly, To command, enforcing that obedience by 
 L % autho- 
 
#4 Authorities relating to the fourth Query. 
 
 authority. A covenant doth further necefTirily imply pro- 
 mifes made upon forae condition, or threatnings added, if 
 fuch a condiiion be not performed. Now, this law may be 
 confidered without the confideration of a covenant : For it 
 was fr^e to God to have added, or not to have added pro- 
 mi fes ; and the threatnings, upon iuppcfnion the law had 
 been kept, might never have taken effect, <bc. 
 
 Burgefs Vind. legis, page 61. There are only two things 
 that go to the effence of a law, and thefe are, i. Direction ; 
 a. Obligation, (i.) Direction, therefore a law is a rule ; 
 hence the law of the Lord is compared to light, &c. (2.) O- 
 bligation for therein lieth the effence of a fin, that it breaketh 
 this law, which fuppofeth the obligatory force of it. In the 
 next place, There are two confequents of the law, which 
 are ad bene efie, that the law may be better obeyed; and 
 this indeed turneth the law into a covenant. 1. The fanc- 
 tionofit by way of promife, that is a mere free thin/ : 
 God, by reafon of that dominion which he had over msn, 
 might have commanded his obedience, and yet never made 
 a promife of eternal life unto him. 2. As for the other 
 confequent act of the law, to curfe and punifh, this is but 
 an accidental act, not qecefiary to a law ; ror it comes 
 in upon fuppoGtion of tranfgrefiion. A law is a com- 
 plete law, obliging, though it do not actually curfe ; as in 
 the confirmed angels, it never had any more than obliga- 1 
 tory and mandatory acts unon them. For that they were 
 under a law is plain, becaufe otherwife they could not have 
 finned ; for, where there is no law, there is no tranfgref- 
 ficn. 
 
 Authorities on the fourth Query. 
 
 BURGESS Vind. legis, page 61. It is good here to notice 
 a fundamental error of the Antinomians, about a law 
 in general ; for they conceive it to be impofiiblc but that 
 the damning acl: of a law muft be, where the commanding 
 act of a law is. A law implies no more in its nature but di- 
 reclion and obligation : To curie and punilh are only acci- 
 dental acts, not neceffary to a law ; a law is a complere law, 
 obliging, though it do not actually curfe. And page 53. 
 It will not follow from the believer's freedom from the ac- 
 tual curie and condemnation, that there is no law, becaufe 
 it doth not curfe ; for it is a good rule of divinity, A re- 
 piotione attus fecundi infubjeclo imptdito % non valet argu- 
 ment um ad remotionem aftus primi : From the removal of 
 an act or operation, the argument doth not hold to the re- 
 moval of th^ thh£ itielf : As it did not follow, the fire did 
 not bum the three worthies, therefore there was no fire : 
 Acd if that could be in natural agents, which work natural- 
 
Authorities relating to the fifth Query. $$ 
 
 y, how much rather in moral caufes, fuch as the law of 
 Condemnation, which works according to the appointment 
 of God ? And, page 213. Some parts of the law may be a- 
 bohHiec 4 , and yet noc rtte whole r.arure of it : For there is 
 in the l,vv thefe parts, (1 ) The command?, (2.) The 
 promifes oMite to him that doth them. (3.) Th« hreat- 
 r/n?,^ of eternal wrath to him that faile^h in the lead, Now, 
 the moral Jaw, rfibtrgEi it be abrcjrued in refpect oi thetvvo 
 latter to a beiiever ; yet, in reiptc~t of the Former, it do 
 ftill abide, yea, and will continue in heaven irfelf. And 
 we have already proved sgarnft the Antinomians, That one 
 part of the law m*y abide, when the other doth net. 
 
 Rutherford, Chrift dying and drawing, &c> page< 21, 23. 
 Antinomians fay, Sio remaining (in efTeniiaJiy, niuitkzvz a 
 condemning power, fo 2* it is impcifible to feparate tht con- 
 demnatory power of the law from the mandatory comman- 
 ding power of it. The condemnatory power or the law is 
 removed in Chrift to M rha: are in him. And Sur. of Spir. 
 Antich. page 27, The law, as it condemneth and curfeth 
 is (0 a believer a mcie paflive and naked ftan <er by, and 
 hath no activity, nor Cad it acl in that power upon any that 
 are in Chrift : As the law of Spain is merely paflive, in con- 
 demning a iree-born man dwelling in Scotland. 
 
 Authorities on the fifth Query* 
 
 GILLESPIE on the covenant, page 217. To be freed 
 from the law as a covenant of works, is a favour be- 
 ftowed upon none but them that are in Chrift, who cance!- 
 led that hand writing fub rations pacii^ though it remam- 
 eth yet fub rat tone pcedagogi, reguta Frani 6 Speculi, for 
 divers ufes. The fcripture doth often bear witneis to this, 
 Rom.vi. 14, and vii. 1, 2, 3. Now, if none be freed from 
 the law as a covenant, but only tfeey that are in Chrift, 
 then all unregenerate men are under the law as a cove* 
 nant of works. 
 
 Dickfon, Therap. fac. page 115. Both the obligation 
 
 to give obedience, and the obligation to the underjy prmifh- 
 
 \ ment, do (land together, while a man is not abfolved from 
 
 the covenant of works, by entring into a new covenant, 
 
 whereby the debt is paid, and the {inner is abfolved. 
 
 Owen on communion with God, page 184. Chrift's com- 
 ing under the law, Gai. »v. 5. fignih* s his comtng to be 0^ 
 bedierit to it ; fo our being under the law there, imports 
 rot only our being obnoxious to the penalties, but bound 
 to all the duties of it. That this is our being under the law 
 the apoftle confirms, verfe 21. TW/dvr, y6 that dfire to be- 
 under the law, It was not the penalty of the law they de- 
 fired 
 

 86 Authorities relating to the ftxth and/eve nth Queries. 
 fired to be under, but to be under it in refpecl of obedience 
 tothe law. This cannot be the law of creation, feeing Chrift 
 came to deliver us from it. 
 
 Owenon juftification, pag. 350, 351. 
 
 Rutherford, Chrift dying and drawing, page 580. 
 
 Authorities on the fixth Query. 
 
 CALVIN, Inftitut. Lib. %. cap. 9. §. 3. Nee vero aliter 
 Chrijio fruimur, &c. That is, neither do we enjoy 
 Chrift any other wav, but in fo far as we embrace him, 
 clothed with his own promifes : Whence it is, that he in- 
 deed dwells in our hearts, though we wander from him ; 
 becaufe we walk by faith, not by fight. Nor is there any 
 mutual difcord betwixt thefe two, that in Chrift we po/Tefs 
 whatever belongs to an heavenly life, and yet faith is the 
 viewing of the good things that are not feen. Idem, Ibidem, 
 Lib. 3. cap. 15. §. 5. Nee dum finis, &c. That is, Nor is 
 that all, for being fo made partakers of him, although we 
 are in ourfelves fools, yet, in God's fight, he is wifdom for 
 us ; tho' we be finners, he is righteoufnefs for us ; tho' we 
 be unclean, he is purity for us ; though we be weak and 
 heJplcis, and expo fed to Satan, yet all that power iu hea- 
 ven and earth that is given to him, is ours, whereby, for 
 us, he bruifes the devil, and breaks the gates of hell : Al- 
 though, as yet, we carry about with us a body of death, 
 yet he is life to us. Briefly, all things that are his are 
 ours ; and we in him have all things, and in ourfelves wc 
 have nothing. Whence it is evident, that we have ail 
 things in Chnft (whofe are all things) and nothing in our 
 felves. 
 
 Burgefs, Vindic. legis, page 226. The moral law, even 
 taken rigidly, as it doth require perfect obedience, and con- 
 demneth thofe that have it not, doth not exclude a Chrift. 
 It requireth indeed a perfect righteoufnefs of our own, yet 
 if we bring the righteoufnefs of a Surety, though this be not 
 commanded by the law, yet it is not againft the law, or ex- 
 cluded by it ; otherwife it would have been injuftice in God, 
 to have accepted of Chrift our Surety for us. 
 Brown on juftification, page 27. cap. 5. §. z. 
 
 Authorities on the f event h Query. 
 
 AM ESI US. Bellar. enervat. Tom. 4. Lib. 6. cap. 6. 
 Nos non negamui bona opera ullum relationem adfa- 
 lutem habere, Sec. That is, we do not deny good works to 
 have any relation to falvation ; for they have the relation 
 
 of 
 
Authorities relating to thefeventh Query. 87 
 
 of a confequent, adjunct and effect of that falvation already 
 received (as they fpeak) and alfo the relation of an adjunct, 
 antecedent to, and difpofing for that falvation which is to 
 come ; as alio of an evidence confirming our confidence 
 and hope of falvation : But we deny that any works of 
 ours can be the meritorions caufe of our juftification and 
 falvation. 
 
 Parous in Urfin. Cat Que ft. 91. §.5. Queflio hie mota 
 ejly &c. Thar is, here a queftion is moved, Whether good 
 works he necejjary to falvation ? Some plainly maintain that 
 they are ; othei s fay, they are deftrucli ve of falvation : both 
 ways of fpeaking are ambiguous and fcandalous, and efpe- 
 ciaily the laft (viz. that they are pernicious)— Good works 
 are neceiTary to falvation, not as the caufe is neceiTary in 
 order to produce the effect, or, as the merit to procure the 
 reward ; but as a part of frlvation itfelf, or as the antece- 
 dent to its confequent, or as a mean without which the end 
 cannot be had. It may be indeed faid, by the fame reafon, 
 that they are neceiTary to righteoufnefs, or in order to juf- 
 tification ; or, they are neceiTary to be in thole that are to 
 be juft fied, that is, as a confequent of j unification, where- 
 with regeneration is infeparably connected. But I would 
 not ufe fuch ways of fpeaking ; and that becaufe, 1. They 
 are ambiguous ; 2. They beget contentions, and give an 
 hand for wrangling to adverfaries ; And 3. The fcripture, 
 with which we mould fpeak, doth not ufe thefe ways of 
 fpeaking. It is more fafe to fay, Good works are neceffary 
 in fuch as are juilified, and (hail be faved. 
 
 Marefius, Syflem. brev. Loc. ia. §.13. Non funt tamen 
 neceffaria, &c That is, Yet they (viz. good works, or 
 holinefs J are not neceffary, by either a neceflky of merit, 
 or efficient caufe, whether principal or iaflru mental, pro- 
 perly fo called, and as having an influence on procuring fal- 
 vation ; Or, as others fay, they have a neceifity ofprefence, 
 but not of efficiency ; for they are (as Bernard fays wel]) 
 the way to the kingdom, but not the caufe of reigning : they 
 are alfo the means of trarfirion, by or through which we 
 go to happinefs, but not of efficiency, or the means where- 
 by it is obtained, 
 
 Bucanus, Inftitut. theol. Loc. 32. §. 37. Suntne bona 
 opera necejfaria ad Jalutem^ Sec. ? That is, are not good 
 works, o r holinefs, nec^fTary to falvation, or eternal hap' 
 pinefs ? The queftion is ambiguous : For if it have this fenfe 
 that our good works or holinefs are neceffary to falvation, 
 fo as they are thejcaufe, or are meritorious of righteoufnefs, 
 falvation, and eternal life, then and in that fenfe it is falfe ; 
 But if it be fo underftood, that new obedience is neceffary 
 as it is a debt, an obedience, and an effecl neceffarily, fol- 
 owing upon our reconciliation to God, then it is true. 
 
 Hel. 
 
S Author hie j relating to the f event h Query. 
 
 Helvetian ConfefEon, chap. 16. Para^; 5, 7. Damnamus 
 itaque omnes qui bona opera content punt. That is, There- 
 fore we condemn a'J thole who defp.fe good works (or ho- 
 liaefs) and babble againft then, as if they ueri u e!e(s,and 
 not Jo be regarded. In the mean time, as we (aid be'ore, 
 we do not mink that we an*, faved by good wcrks, and that 
 they are fo rece/Tary to falvation, as without them no man 
 was ever Lved by g^:ce, and by Chrift alone. Works (of 
 holinefs) are necefTariiy produced by faith, and falvation is 
 improperly attributed to them, which yet is mod properly 
 a fen bed to faith : For the apofiit's faying is well known, 
 Rom. xi, 6. If by grace, then it is no more of work;, oikefr 
 wife grace ts no mere grace \ but if it be of works, then it 
 is no more grace : otberwife t work is no more *w*i k We 
 approve of and urge thefe works which are done by the will 
 and command of God ; thefe ought to be done, not that 
 thereby we may merit eternal life ; for, as the apottle fays, 
 Eternal life u the gift of God : Nor are w^ to do them for 
 vatn oiientation, which God abhors ; neither for profit, 
 which he alio rejects ; but for the g^y of God, the ador- 
 ning of our proieffion and calling, the performing of our 
 gratitude to God, and the advar-tpgc o^o'jr neighbour, Rom, 
 vi. z'3. Ma-t vi. z. and xxiif. 14. and v. 16. Coiof* in. 17. 
 Phil. in. 4. T»tus iii. 14. 
 
 Articles of the church of Encland. xArt. 17. Of predef 
 tination and ekclton. Wherefore they which be endowed 
 with fo excellent a benefit of God, be called according to 
 God's purpofe, by his Spirit working in due feafon ; tney 
 through grace obey the calling ; thev be juftified freely : 
 they be made Sons or. God by adoption ; they be made like 
 the image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift; they walk 
 religioufly in good works, ar^d at length by God's mercy 
 they attai.n to everlafting felicity. The titie of Art. 18. 
 runs thus, Of obtaining eternal falvation only by the name 
 ofChrtjl. 
 
 Perkins on Chrift's fermon on the mount, Matth. v. 16. 
 ^uejlion, How far forth are good works neceffary to falva- 
 tion, or to us rhat do them ? /Infwer, There be three opi- 
 nions touching the neceffity of good works, (1.) Of the pa- 
 piits, who hold them necefTa'V, though not as principle 
 cau&Sj (for they fay we are juftified and faved by Chrift) 
 yet it* converfaot caufes of our falvation : But the truth is, 
 they are 00 caufes of falvation, neither efficient, principal, 
 nor confervant ; nor yet material, formal, or final, as has 
 elfewhere been fliewed. The third opinion is the truth, 
 That good works are necefTary, not as caufes of falvation 
 or j unification, but as infeparable confequents of faving 
 faith in Chnft, whereby we are ju&ified and faved, or as a 
 way is neceffary to the going to a place. 
 
 Ruther- 
 
Authorities relating to the /event h Query. £9 
 
 Rutherord on the covenant, page 203, 204. Faith and 
 works are confounded ; whereas to be (Wed by fairh is to 
 be laved and to be juftified before we can do good works, and 
 the jus or title to nghtecu'nefs and falvation coming only 
 ihe price and redemption that is in Jefus Chrift, is not 
 more or lefs, and grows not more than the wonh of the 
 ranfom of the blood, called the blood of God, A&s xx. 28. 
 row. ---2. Being once made the creation of God in 
 r, and having obtained right by the blood of Chrift to 
 I falvaticn, we walk by hi* grace in good works as leading 
 ! us to the pofTtflion of the purchafed inheritance. And, ib. 
 I page 176. — Nor could Paul make an oppofition between 
 grace and works, as in Rom. xt. 6. if the grace of believ- 
 ing and good works were one in the New Teftament ; for 
 1 fo we mould be laved by works and not by works ; and Paul 
 I by an antanaclafis takes that away. Yea, but we are faved, 
 that is ji.ft:lied and delivered from obligation to wrath by 
 the works oF free grace. He anfwers, Nay, but neither are 
 we faved or juftified by thefe works of grace, as by means 
 or caufes : For we are flrft faved and j unified, before we 
 can do good works ; for good works are the fruits of free 
 grace, fince, ver 10. We are his ivorkmanjhip created in 
 'Chrift Jafus&Tsd fo juftified or faved inChriftJefus^/zta good 
 [•works that ivejhou/dnvafk in them.— -For which he refers 
 to the learned commentator Trochrig, on Eph. i. 8, 9, 
 
 Burgefs, vindic. legis, page 40. In difcourfing the necef- 
 fity oi good works, we arecarerully to diftingufh between 
 thefe two propofitions, M Good works are necefTary to be- 
 V lievers, to juftified perfons, or thofethatfhall be faved;" 
 and this, " Good works are necefTary to juftiflcation and 
 ■ falvation :" For however this latter is true in fome ferife, 
 yet becaufe the words carry as if holinefs had fome effect 
 immediately upon our juftiflcation and falvation, therefore 
 1 do wholly afTent unto thefe learned men, that think in 
 thefe two cafes we mould not ufe fuch a propofltion ; (1.) 
 When we deal with adverfaries, efpecially Papifts, in dif- 
 putaiion, for then we ought tc fpeak exactly ; (a.) In our 
 fermons to the people ; for what common hearer is there, 
 that doth not upon fuch a fpeech conceive, that they are 
 (0 necefTary, as that they immediately work our juftiflcati- 
 on. The former propofltion holds them offices and duties 
 in the perfon juftified ; the other, as conditions affecting 
 our juft fication, 6r.:---And page 218. a believer is not to 
 expect acceptance at the throne of grace in himfelf, or any 
 thing that he doth, but by re;ying on Chrift. The Papifts 
 jhey fay, This is the way to make men idle and lazy ; doing 
 in this matter as Saul did, who made a law that none mould 
 eat of any thing ; and fo Jonathan muft not tafte of the ho- 
 oey : Saul indeed thought hereby to have more enemies kil- 
 M Ud ; 
 
9© Authorities relating to the Jeventh Query. 
 led ; but Jonathan told him, that if they had been fuffered 
 to eat more honey, they mould have been more revived, and 
 enabled to deftroy their adverfaries. Thus the Papifts, they 
 forbid us to eat of this honey, this precious comfort in 
 Chrift, (viz. the doctrine of j unification through him) as 
 if thereby we mould be hindered in our purfuit againft fins; 
 whereas indeed it is the only ftrength and power againft 
 them. 
 
 Jeanes mixture of fcholafl. & pract. divin. part ii. page 
 80, 81. Not only Aquinas, but generally all the fchool- 
 men and civilians too, are fo precife in this particular, that 
 among the degrees of damnable propofitions, are ranked by 
 them, not only propofitions down-rightly heretical or er- 
 roneous, but alfo propojitio f apt ens hterejin propojitio male 
 fonans, every proportion that doth but fmell, that hath 
 but a fmack of herefy, that founds but ill or fufpicioufly ; 
 and fuch arc all propofitions that in the firft fignification 
 (which their words at firft blufh (eem to import) have an 
 heretical fenfe : All propofitions that of thcmfelves, that is f 
 uttered abfoiutely, without any explanation or qualification, 
 feem to favour or countenance heretical propofitions ; al- 
 though they be capable of a good construction, and with 
 many cauticns, limitations, and reftriclions, might pafs for 
 current. — Suarez faith, That if an equivocal propofition, 
 having two proper fenfes, one catholick, another heretical, 
 be delivered abfoiutely without any diftinction or declara- 
 tion, in which fenfe it in meant, it is then defervedly (aid to 
 be prcpqfitio male fonans. The fame author goes on, and 
 and tells us, That a propofition is faid to be malefonans % 
 not only ab intrinfeco y but alfo ab extrinfeco, when the 
 fufpicion or ill found thereof arifeth, not from the pro- 
 pofition taken nakedly, as it is in itfelf, but confidered 
 jointly, with the circumftances either of the perfon deliver- 
 ing, or of the time and place in which it is delivered, 
 
 Davidfon's ordinary catechifm, page 46, 47. And fo by 
 faith only we are faid to be faved, becaufe it only receiveth 
 our only Saviour. Quejl. Then there is no part of our 
 righteoufnefs left without the apprehenfion or grip of faith, 
 feeing it is all wholly in the perfon of Chrift apprehended 
 by faith ? Anf. It is fo : and fo we are perfectly faved by 
 the works whilk Chrift did for us in his own perfon, and 
 na ways by the good works whilk he works in us, with and 
 after faith. Quejl. Reits there any thing for us to do, after 
 that we are perfectly juftified in God's fight, by faith in 
 Chrift I Jnf* Yes, very meikle, albeit na ways to merit 
 falvation, but only to witnefs by the effects of thankfulnefi 
 that we are truly faved. 
 
 Authorities 
 
( 9« ) 
 Authorities on the Eight ®iicry. 
 
 gRUCE (Robert) way to the true peace and reft,4to,Lond 
 1617. P a ge 20, 40. &c. Our Lord when he makes his fer- 
 ?ants to proclaim this redemption, and to intimate it to our 
 confeiences, he works this jewel of faith in our fouls, which 
 aflures us that the Son of God hath died for us : For what 
 couJd it avail us, to fee our redemption, to fee our falvatiorj 
 and our lite, afar off,if a way were not found out, and a hand 
 and means given unto us, whereby wc may apprehend that 
 falvation, and apply it to ourfelves ? What can it avail a 
 hck man to fee a drug in an apothecary's (hop, except he 
 may have it and apply it to his fick body ? So to the end 
 that this work of our redemption and falvation may be fully 
 and freely accomplifhed, look how freely he hath given his 
 only Son unto the death of the crofs for us, as freely hath 
 > he found out this way and means, and offered us this hand, 
 r whereby we may take hold on Chrift, and apply him to cur 
 fouls. This means, to conclude, is faith ; there is not a 
 way nor an inftrument in the fcriptures of God, whereby 
 : we can apply Chrift to our fouls, but only the inftrument 
 of faith : Therefore faith cannot be enough commended. 
 This particular application, which ariieth, no doubt, upon 
 the feeling and feofe of mercy, is the fpecial difference, the 
 chief mark and proper note, wherby our faith, who are 
 juftified in the blood of Chrift, is difcerned from that gene- 
 ral faith of the Papifts : Our faith, by this particular appli- 
 cation, is not only difcerned from the general faith of the 
 Papifts, but it is difcerned from the pretended faiths of 
 all the fedbin the world : For the Papift dareth not apply 
 the promife of mercy to his own foul, he accounteth it pre- 
 emption to. fay, I am an elecl:, I am faved and juftified. 
 They, viz. Papifts, miferable men, content themfelves 
 with this general faith, which is no other than an hifto- 
 rical faith, which groundeth only on the truth of God 
 whereby I know the promifes of God are true : But 
 the Papifts dare not come and fay, They are true in me ; 
 Why? Becaufe they have not felt it, and their hearts are 
 not opened. But our juftifying faith, as I told you, con- 
 fecrateth the whole foul unto the obedience of God in 
 Chrift ; (o that it refteth not only upon the truth of God, 
 aor refteth it only on the power of God, (though thefe be 
 two chief pillars of our faith alfo) but especially and 
 :hiefly it refteth upon the mercy of God in Chrift : It 
 refteth alfo upon the truth and power of God, but efpe- 
 :ially upon the promife of mercy and grace in Chrift. The 
 bul of the Papift being deftitute of the feeling and tafte of 
 M % mercy 9 
 
rr 
 
 
 9» Authorities relating to the eight Query. 
 
 mercy, dare not enter into this particular application of 
 mercy, and fo he^ cannot be juftified. 
 
 Knox's admonition to the profeffors in England, page 
 76. ed t. Edin.40. Wilt thou have a trial, whether the root 
 of faith remuneth with thee, or not ? (I fpeak to fuch as 
 are we*k and not to proud contemners of God). 4. Believ- 
 eft thou that Chrift is able to deliver thy foul, and that he 
 will do the fame according to his promife ? 
 
 Lutherus in Genefin, cap. 48. ver. 1. and throughout his 
 writings. 
 
 Melanclhonis oper. par. 1, and 2. 
 
 Calvin inftitut lib. 3. §7. 
 
 Bezacatech. page 33, 34. Queft. S>uidnam autem fidem 
 vocas ? that is, But what is it that you call faith ? Anf % 
 We call that faith, whereby the children of light are diftin- 
 guifhed from the children of darknefs : Not (imply that 
 knowledge which is common to the devils themfelves, 
 whereby one may acknowledge, that, whatever things are 
 contained in the writings of the prophets and apoftles, are 
 true ; but, befides that, we call it a firm afTent, accompany- 
 ing that knowledge, whereby a perfon peculiarly applies to 
 himfelf the promife of eternal life in Chrift, even as confi- 
 dently as if he were already fully poffeft of it. Again, Con- 
 feff. Fidei, cap. 4. art. 5. Fides autem de qua kquimur^ 
 &c. that is, but the faith whereof we fpeak, is not that 
 faith whereby we only believe God to be God, and his 
 word to be true (for the devils themfelves have this faith, 
 and therefore tremble the more :) But we call faith a cer- 
 tain kind of knowledge, which the Holy Ghoft, by his only 
 grace and goodnefs, more and more imprints on the hearts 
 of the elect ; by which every one of them is affured in his 
 heart of his own election, and applies to himfelf the promife 
 of falvation in Chriih Faith, I fay, not only believes that 
 Jefus Chrift died, and rofe again for finners, but it alfo em- 
 braces Jefus Chrift, in whom alone he trufts, who truly be- 
 lieves, he doubts nothing of it. And Summa totius Chrifti- 
 anifmi, cap. iv. aphor. 10, Primum autem hie Spiritus fa* 
 cit in eleclisy &c. that is, and, firft, The Holy Ghoft fo 
 works in the elect, that they are truly affected with the 
 fenfe of their miferable condition. Add, next, he creates 
 faith in them, that they may perform the condition annex- 
 ed to the preaching of the gofpel : and this faith is, as it 
 were, of two forts ; one is, whereby Chrift is known in ge- 
 neral, that is to fay, whereby we affent to the hiftory of 
 Chrift, and of the prophefies written of him : which faith is 
 fometimes granted to reprobates themfeives. The other 
 kind of faith, which is proper and peculiar to the elect, is 
 that by which we apply to ourfelves, as ours, that Chrift, 
 who is indefinitely and promifcuoufly offered ; and whereby 
 every one of us is affured of our election, which indeed was 
 
 formerly 
 
Authorities relating to the eight Query. 93 
 
 formerly hid, even from eternity, in the fecret purpofe of 
 God, but afterwards declared and revealed to us, partly 
 by the inward tcftimony of our confciences, joined by the 
 Spirit of God to the external preaching of the word ; and 
 partly alio by the power and eiticacy of the fame Ho'y Spi- 
 rit, who, having brought all the elect from the fl .very of 
 fin into a ftate of liberty, rrukes them begin to will and to 
 do the things that are well pleafirg to God. 
 
 Junius in epiftolam Judae, ver*. 
 
 Zanchius, torn. 4. lib. 1. cap. 13. torn. 7. par. 1. col. 227. 
 torn. 8. loc. 7. page 713. -m 
 
 Wendtllnus, Chrift. the^l lib. 2. cap. 24. thef. 15. 
 
 Paraeus in Rom. iii. 21. Eft h<ec fides firrnus affenfus doc- 
 trinaChrifliy &c. that is, This faith is a firm aiTent to the 
 doclrine o: Chrift ceruinly known, with a confidence of the 
 gracious forgivenefs of fins, and of ialvation for Ch rift's 
 fake. Briefly, it is a confident acknowledgment or owning 
 of Chrift. From chap. i. 17. I noticed fix or fevtn fcriptu- 
 ral fignificatioRS of faith, the fifth whereof (hall be made ap- 
 pear trom chap. iv. 1 'hat it is a certain periuafion, an aflu- 
 rance and confidence fixed on the redemption or the Lord 
 
 ^e us : And from this the faith of the patriarchs is called 
 y the apoftle to the Hebrews, chap. xi. 1. thefubftanceof 
 things hoped for ; that is, as the fame apoftle explains it, 
 Heb. iii. 14. theiteduft confidence of things hoped for, or 
 the certainty of thefe things which were or are in hope, as 
 if they were already exiftent, as the Syriac tranflator ren- 
 ders it. And therefore faith is not a mere genera! afTent to 
 an unknown doctrine, but a certain knowledge, afTent, and 
 confidence of the promife of the gofpel, of the grace and 
 benefits of Chrift belonging to all and every one that be- 
 lieves, and therefore alfo belonging unto me Then, on 
 chap. iv. 21. And being fully perfuaded, &c. he fays, 
 Whence it appears, that juftifying faith is not only a know- 
 ledge of, and aflent unto the divine promifes, but a confi- 
 dence of hope againft hope, that is, a certain, infallible, 
 invincible confidence, that can be overcome by no difficul- 
 ties. The Greek participle *x»p<w»*f<V, intimates^the cer- 
 tainty of this faith to us ; and therefore is a plerophory, in 
 oppofition to the popifh conjecluary fophifters. And on 
 chap. x. 9. Ifthoujhalt confefs with thy mouth, and /halt 
 believe in thine heart, &c. Obfervando vero eft emphajis y 8cc a 
 that is, We are to obterve the emphafis of the iecend per- 
 fon through the whole of this verfe, The apoftle doth not 
 fay indefinitely, Whofoever fhall contefs with the mouth, 
 and believe in his heart fhall be faved ; for then he might 
 have repeated the fum and fubffance of the gofpel, in the 
 words of our Saviour, Be that believeth and h baptized^ 
 Jkall be faved ; He that believeth in the Son of Cod hath e- 
 
 ternal 
 
$4 Authorities relating to the eight Query, 
 
 ternallife : But he fays emphatically, If thou Jha It confefs 
 with thy mouth, //"thou Jhalt believe in thine heart, thou 
 Jhalt hefaved. He fpeaks to every one, that fo every one 
 may narrowly fearch himfelf ; for to every one believing 
 and confefling, particularly to me, to thee, falvation is pro- 
 nged. And, by doing this, he, the apoftle, prefcribes an 
 effectual method of teaching to all the preachers of the 
 gofpel, and teacheth every one of us to apply the promife 
 of falvation to himfelf, by faith and confeflioo. And he e- 
 fpecialiy and publicly confirms that which our fophifters 
 impudently deny, viz. That every believer hath as much 
 full and certain aflu ranee of his falvation, as he certainly 
 confefles Chrift with his mouth, and as he believes in his 
 heart that the Lord Jefus was railed from the dead. On 
 chap. xiv. 2, 3. <&v. Obfervemus prima vim verbi *mvmv 
 credere. That is, Let us, in the flrft place, obferve the 
 force of the word, to believe : It is the fame with, to know, 
 to aflent, to be perfuaded ; for it is oppofed to ignorance, 
 denying, and doubting, with refpecT: to the prefent article 
 of faith, concerning the choice of meats. And the apoftle 
 explains what he means by believing, ver. 14. / know and 
 am perfuaded by the Lord Jefus : Hence it appears what 
 faith is. The Papifts define it by a bare aflent, they deny 
 that it is knowledge : And believing to them, is to aflent to 
 the docTrine or belief of the church, although you fhould 
 pot know what that belief is 3 and therefore they devife an 
 implicit faith, but they exclude certainty. But the apoftle 
 fays, They only believed who understood, affented that all 
 meats were lawful. He does not indeed deny that ignorant 
 and doubting perfons had faith, but he calls them weak in 
 the faith* Therefore true faith includes knowledge, aflent, 
 and a certain perfuafion of the heavenly doclrine : and, in 
 fo far as this faith is converfant about any word of Goa, in 
 common or particular, it is called faith in a large fenfe : 
 but in fo far as it is exercifed about the promife of forgive- 
 nefsoffins, on the account of the merits of Chrift, and a 
 confidence of the heart is added thereunto, it is called justi- 
 fying faith. So that when in faith, abfolutely confidered, 
 there are three things, in juftifying faith four are required, 
 viz. knowledge, aflent, a certain perfuafion, and a confi- 
 dence of the heart. And therefore, to faith in general, are 
 oppofed ignorance, denying, and doubting, but, befide 
 thefe to juilifymg faith is alfo oppofed diftruft or diffidence 
 &c. 
 Pifcator in 1 Pet. i. 2. Col. ii. 5, 6. 1 Cor. xiii. 2. 
 Wendelin. Chrift. theol. lib. 1. cap. 24. Thef. 15. 
 Danxi Ifagoge, par. 4. lib. 4. cap. 8. 
 Alting. loc. com. par. 1. page no, in. par. 2. page 3 19. 
 theol. prob, loc. 16. page 710. _ . 
 
 Effeoi 
 
Authorities relating to the eight Query. 95 
 
 Effenii fyft. theol.difput. 2. page 15, and 3 14 
 Leonardi RiifTenii fumma theol. loc, 28. §. 28. Quart- 
 tur, An fiducia fit forma fidei, an veroejus ejfeftus ? That 
 is, it is a queftion, If afTurance be the form or effence of 
 faith, or if it bean effect of faith? Anfw. AfTurance is 
 taken. (1.) For a fiducial aflent, or a perfuafion of the 
 truth and goodnefs of the gofpel-promifes, and of the 
 power, willingnefs, and faithfulnefs of Gcd the promifer. 
 (2.) For that art of fleeing unto, and receiving of Chrift, 
 whereby a believer, knowing the truth and goodnefs of the 
 promifes, flees to Chrift, receives and embraces him, and 
 refts upon his merits alone. (3.) It is taken for that con- 
 fidence, or acquiefcence and peace of the mind, which a- 
 rifes from the foul's having fled to Chrift, and received him. 
 In the iirft and fecond ienfe, AfTurance is of the effence of 
 faith, and by divines is fitly called the form thereof : But 
 in the third and laft fenfe, it is by others well named, not 
 the form, but the effect of faith ; becaufe it doth arife from 
 faith, but doth not conftitute it. Hence our controverfy 
 with the Papifts, viz, If, to the corflituting of faith, there 
 is alfo required afTurance, or a firm perfuafion of the mind, 
 that the promifes of the gofpel in Chrift do particularly be- 
 long to us ? The papifts deny afTurance to belong to faith, 
 becaufe (as they fay) faith only imports an affent to a thing 
 unknown. We maintain, That the proper and fpecific ob- 
 ject of faith, is, the fpecial promife of God's mercy in 
 Chrift : Becaufe, (1,) This is commanded and required in 
 faith ; hence Chrift fays to the man fick of the palfy, Mat. 
 ix. 2, Son, be of good cheer, (or be confident) thy fins are 
 forgiven thee. Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near with full af- 
 furance of faith. 2 This afTurance is praifed and com- 
 mended to us f 10m the examples of the faints, Rom. viii. 
 38. 1 am perfuaded neither death nor life, &c jhallfepa- 
 rate us from the love of God which is inChriJi Jefus. 2 Cor. 
 v. 1. For we know, that if our earthly houfe of this taher- 
 nacle were diffotved, &c» Gal. ii. 20. Chrfft loved me, and 
 gave himfclffor me. 2 Tim. iv. 8. 'There is laid up for me 
 a crown ofrighteoufnefs. 1 Jtfhn iii. 2. Now wearefons 
 of God, and we Jh all he like him. $. Diftrjft is reprov- 
 ed, Matth. xiv 31. Chrift rebukes Peter, thou of little 
 faith, wherefore did/1 thou doubt ? James i- 6. If any man 
 lack wifdom, let him ask ; But let him ask in faith, no- 
 thing wavering, &c 4* Other wife faith could not work 
 joy and peace, contrary to Rom. v. 1. Being juflified by 
 faith, we have peace with God, 3tc. 1 Pet i. 8. In whom 
 believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory* 
 5. Nor would juftifying faith, without fpecial mercy, dif- 
 fer from the faith of devils and reprobates, who may have 
 
 knowledge 
 
96 Authorities relating to the eight Query. 
 
 knowledge and a/Tent, but not confidence and aflurance in 
 the promifes of God, <bc. 
 
 Wollebius's abndg. of Chriii, divin. Lib, i. Cap. 20. 
 The effects offpecial vocation, are immediate or mediate : 
 The immediate is faving faith, which is the gift of vocati- 
 on, whereby he that is elected applieth to himfelf the free 
 promifes of Chrift in the gofpcl, and refteth in them. Rule 
 7. The form of faith, for our better underftanding, is di s 
 vided into three parts, knowledge, aflent, and confidence. 
 Knowledge is the urderftanding of things neceflary to fal- 
 ▼ation : Affent is, by which we firmly believe thofe things 
 to be true, which are delivered in God's word : Confidence 
 is that, whereby every faithful man applies the promifes of 
 the word to himfelf. Rule 8. There is knowledge and af* 
 fent, both in faving and in historical faith ; but confidence 
 is on*y \ n feving f a ith. Confidence is called bv the apoftle, 
 ^fro/SiKrir, perfaafion ; and xxnpofofioL, much aflurance, Epli. 
 lit. 12. 1 TnefF. i. 5. By the name then of confidence, is 
 underftood, either the apprehenfion and application of 
 Chrift with his benefits, or the quietnefs of confeience : In 
 the former fenfe it is the form of faith, in the latter the 
 effect. Rule 9 Implicite faith then, which is the belief of 
 the church o. Rome, with a blind aflent, is no faith ; faith 
 cannot be without knowledge. 1, Becaufe it cometh by 
 bearings and hearing by the word of (Jed, Rom. x. 17. 
 a. Becaufe that is wifdom by which God is known, Ifaiah 
 Int. 11, ebr. Rule 10. Nor is that better than a mere hifto- 
 rical faith, which is not joined with firm confidence. The 
 papifts teach, That faith is only in the undemanding, but 
 not in the will and heart ; but the fcripture plainly teach- 
 cth the contrary, Rom. x. 10. With the heart man believ- 
 eth unto right eoufnefs • Rule 11. Yet we teach not fuch a 
 firm confidence, as if no wavs tofled with doublings ; but 
 inch a one, as doth not finally yield to doublings. 
 
 Francifcus Turretinus Infiit. theol. vol. 2. loc. 15. queft. 
 io ? 11. 
 
 Ntcolaus Arncldus relig. Socin refut. page 580. 
 
 Boyd of Trochrigg in Epb. pag 371, 373, 514 
 
 Joannes Scharpius curf. theol* pag. 442, 443, 488. 
 
 Chamierus contract, torn. 2. lib. 13. cap. 1. §-4,-6. 
 
 Chamierus corp. theol. Lib. 5. cap. 24. Haftenus de in* 
 telleduy nunc de voluntate, That is, hitherto we have fpo- 
 ken of faith as it is in the undemanding ; let us now fpeak 
 of it as it is in the will, in which proteitants maintain faith 
 tobave alio its feat. Bellarmine ttubbornly denies faith to 
 have any place in the will, nor is he alone in that opinion. 
 The eccafion of the controverfy is, becaufe proteftants ac- 
 knowledge no faith true and laving, without aflurance or 
 ccafideLctj fiuce ws U give credit to God, as, at the fame 
 
 time 
 
Authorities relating to the eight Query. 97 
 
 time, we aifo truft to his mercy, and expect (Vvation from 
 it. But the papifts, becaufe they would have every believ- 
 er to be uncertain of his falvation, and therefore mould net 
 truft to the mercy of God ; and, becaufe they cannot deny 
 that afTurance or confidence belongs to the wll, therefore 
 they have fet faith afide from having place in the will, 
 6 c 
 
 Rivetus, in Pfal. ii. 12. Blejfed are they that put their 
 truft in him. Verbum chafah, Cor.fidere, unde^chofei. con* 
 fidentes, &c. That is, The word a ' afah, which is render- 
 ed to truft, ox confide^ properly figniiies to betake one's felf 
 tofome place or perfon, under whofe protection he may be 
 covered and fafe, as the chickens are under the wings of 
 the hen : And from this comes the word machfeh, a refuge 
 or fhelter : By which word, the nature of true faith is ex- 
 preft exactly, and to the life ; faith being not only an afTent 
 of the mind, but alfo an affection and confidence in the will ; 
 
 ! which confidence Chrift required of thofe who expected any 
 thing from him ; Son be of good cheer, or, be confident, 
 Mauh.ix. 2. Idem in Pfal, xvi, 8- doct. 3, Cum non tan* 
 i turn in genere agnofcat^ &c. That is, from what the pro- 
 [ phet not only acknowledges in general, that God is at the 
 j right -hands of the godly to protect them, but alfo applies 
 that particularly to himfelf, He is (fays he) at my right- 
 i hand y ljhall not be moved- We learn what is the nature 
 I of true faith, which fo applies the general promifes to eve- 
 ry believer, that he being certainly perfuaded of the good- 
 will of God to himfelf, mould not doubt of the divine pro- 
 tection in any temptation. Idem in Pfal. xxiii. i- The Lord 
 is viy Shepherd, &c- Habemus hie vera fidei in Deum ex- 
 emplum, &c. That is, We have here an example of true 
 faith in God, which not only believes in general thefe things 
 to be true, which God has revealed, or that God is power- 
 ful and good, and as a Shepherd can and will cherifh and 
 lead his fheep, but a faith which applies, to every believer, 
 the promife of divine grace and care, by the poiTeffive pro- 
 noun {my). "The Lord (fays he) is my Shepherd. So the 
 apoftle, Gal. iii. 20. Chrift loved me, and gave himfelf r or 
 me. From this fpecial application of God's benefits to our- 
 felves, arifes boldnefs and accefs with confidence : But it 
 cannot arife from that general and hiftorical affent, which 
 is all that the papifts allow to faith. So Job xx. 25. 1 know 
 that my Redeemer liveth, and that in my fiejh IJhallfe? 
 God: On good grounds, therefore, does every believer 
 certainly perfuade himfelf, that the Lord is his Shepherd, 
 Idem in Ifa. liii. 11. And difput. 10. De fide jvjlificante* 
 §. 6, Salvificam ill am <b jujlificantem fidem dicimus, &c. 
 That is, We call that a faving and juftifying faith, which 
 is a certain knowledge of the divine revelation ; a firm af- 
 N fent 
 
9$ Authorities relating to the eight Query. 
 
 fent begot in our minds by the Holy Ghoft, through the 
 word of the gofpel, to all things which God has revealec 
 to us in his word : but efpeciafly to thefe faving promifei 
 in Chrift, whereby every believer refting on God by an af 
 fured confidence, is firmly perfuaded, That forgivenefs o 
 fins is promifed, not only to believers in general, but alfc 
 granted to him in particular; and that everlaftingrighteouf 
 nefs, and eternal life thereby, is given to him by the merq 
 of God, for the merits of Jefus Chrift alone. And Colleg. 
 controverfiar. difput. 33. De fide juftificante> §. 2, 3. Fi- 
 des juftijicans nonfolum eft intelleelu, &o That is, Juf 
 tifying faith is not only in the underftanding, but alfo in th< 
 will ; becaufe it is a complex thing [ens aggregutum) anc 
 includes in it a confidence or aflurance of the good will o 
 God towards us, through Chrift : And yet we acknowledge 
 an affent in the underftanding mud go before this confidence; 
 And therefore, when we fay, the mercy of God in Chrift U 
 the fpecial object of faith, we do not exclude its commoc 
 objeel: ; for altho* faith which juftifies, gives affent to ever} 
 word of God, yet faith, as it juftifies, embraces the fpecia] 
 mercy of God ; yea, it makes that mercy fpecial, by ap- 
 plying it to itielf. 
 
 Heideggfras, Medull. theol. lib. a. loc. ai. § 48. 
 
 Wallaei Opera, torn. 1. de Fide, pag, 414, 415. 
 
 Polani fyntag. lib. 9. cap. 6, page 581. 
 
 Perkin's fermon on the mount, Matt. vii. si. page 525, 
 Quarto. 
 
 Perkin's armilia aurea, fol. 112. 
 
 Gomarus, citante hornbekio. inftiu theol. page 377. 
 
 Profeffores Leidenfes, fynop. pur. theolog. diiput. 31. 
 thef. 6. 
 
 Rollocus in Romanos, cap. 8. de Fide, pag. 164, 166. 
 
 Rollocus de vocatione, cap. 31. pag. 244, a p. 
 
 Pemble vindic. Gratioe, page 258, Quarto. 
 
 Wiilet's fynop. papif. controv. 19. par. 3. queft. i, a- 
 
 Gouge on Hebrews x. 22. 
 
 Robert's believer's evidences, pag. 23, 25. 
 
 Robert's Medulla Bib!, pag. 44i» 581, 583- 
 
 Burgefs on Johnxvii. fermon 109, 110. page 551, 553. 
 
 Owen's principles of the doctrine of Chrift, pag. 41, 4*« 
 
 John Forbes on juftification, pages 137, 144, I47> 149; 
 150, 160. 
 
 Mr. James Melvil's catechifm, 10 his propine of a paftoi 
 to his people, page 44* Queft. What is thy faith ? Anfw 
 My fure belief that God both may and will fave me in thi 
 blood of Jefus, Chrift, becaufe he is Almighty, and hai 
 promifed fo to do. 
 
 Mr. John Adarafon, principle of the college of Edio 
 burgh, his Stoicheiofis eloquiorum Dei, printed cum grati; 
 
 k pri- 
 
Authorities relating to the eight Qtiery. 99 
 
 &privilegio anno 1617- Quid eft fides ? &c- That is, What 
 it faith \ Anfw. It is a true and certain knowledge of God 
 in Chrifr. with an afTurance of getting falvation by him. Q; 
 But what is it to believe in Cod I Anfw* It is not only to 
 know him in fuch a manner as he has revealed himfeif in 
 his word, and to acknowledge him as fuch, but alio with 
 confidence or afTurance to rely upon him. Queft:. Where- 
 with L jour confident reliance upon Godfupported i Anfw- 
 My afTurance is fupported by his Fatherly afTc<5hon and om- 
 Irripotent power, whereby he both will and can beftow all 
 good things upon me, and turn away all evil things from 
 me ; or elie turn them all to my good and advantage. Ad- 
 denda, de particulari fiducia. Queft. Creuifne beneficia, 
 1 baec, &c> That is, Do you not believe that thefe benefits 
 whereof we kavefpoken, belong particularly to your felf \ 
 I Anfw. Yes ; by the grace of God I believe fo, and I pray 
 God that he would gracioufly help my unbelief. Qjieft. 
 ' What way are you perfuaded that thefe things do particu 
 larly belong to you ? Anfw. By the gofpel I know that thefe 
 things belong to all believers ; and fince I know my felf to 
 believe, as I profefs in the creed, why Ihould ( doubt that 
 allthele benefits doalfo belong to me in particular I Qjjeft. 
 But. do jou think that it is cf your felf that you believe thsfe 
 things I Anfw. Not at ail : But it is from the Holy Gholt, 
 who is therefore called the fpirit of faith, the fpirit of pi o- 
 mife, the feal and witnefs of God dwelling in us, and the 
 earneft or pledge of our inheritance, <bc 
 
 Vide Craig's catechifm, and the ftyle of the National 
 Covenant compofed by him, evidently bearing the perfua- 
 fion-of faith, now in queftion. 
 
 Dod and Cleaver's catechifm, annexed to their expofiti- 
 on the commands. Queft. What is faith ? Anfico, A per- 
 fuafion of the favour of Gcd toward me in Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Elnathao Par. grounds of divinity, page 59. Queft. Tell 
 me what is faith ? Anfw* Faith is the gift o.' Gcd, wrought 
 by his holy Spirit in the hearts of the elect, by the miniftry 
 Of the word ordinarily, whereby thcy»t*ke kr.ov/ledge of 
 the doctrine of falvation, are perfuaded it is true, and that 
 it belongeth to them in particular, and wholly rely thereon. 
 Explic. As all other good gifts, io faith is' of Goi: In 
 which we are to confider three things ; Firft, Knowledge, 
 Secondly, Confent ; Thirdly, Conn* ience ; wnich three are 
 requifite to this j unifying faith* Tne firrt may be without 
 the fecond, and the firiland iecond without the third ; but 
 the third cannot be without the firit and fecond. A rnunmay 
 know that which he believes not to be true ; and a maa 
 may believe a thing to be true, which yet he may be per- 
 fuaded belongs not to himfelf, and therefore relies upon it. 
 Divers wicked men know many things in the fcriptures, 
 N % which 
 
ioo Authorities relating to the eight Query. 
 
 which they make not their own by application ; even as 
 many hypocrites, and the devils themfelves; for they go 
 thus far': But God's children go farther : They know the 
 prcm'fe, believe it to be true, and upon good grounds are 
 perluaded it belongs to themfelves, from whence comes 
 confidence. I* the devils could do this, or if Judas could 
 have done this, they might be faved. There are then to be 
 obferved three kinds of taith ; Firft, Hiftorical, to know 
 and acknowlege the truth of the Bible ; Secondly, Tempo- 
 rary, when ihere is alfoa perfuafion (but not grounded) 
 that the prornife belongs to us ; the third, True juilifying 
 faith when unto our knowledge is joined acknowledgment, 
 and to this good and warrantable perfuafion, from whence 
 comes confidence. And this laft kind of faith hath three 
 properties ; Firft, It is certain, yet there may be and are 
 doubts, as with the man in the gofpel, Lord I believe, help 
 thou my unbelief : But doubt cometh from the flefh, cer- 
 tainty from taith, which in the end overcometh. Secondly , 
 It continueth, yet it may be eclipfed, as it were raked up 
 in the afhes, and wonderfully (haken, but not totally and 
 finally extinguifhed, and laft, Thirdly, It is lively and 
 working inwardly and outwardly ; inwardly by railing and 
 confirming in par hearts, peace, joy, hope, which malteth 
 cot ifhamed, <&c> Outwardly by the fruits of obedience in 
 our lives. 
 
 On eiT. Helvetica, cap. xvi. De panit. & conver. homi- 
 nis. cap. xvi. De fide & bonis operibus. 
 
 Con e(T. Bflgica, article 22. 
 
 Catechef Palatin. Queft ai. 
 
 Ca^ch. Belgica Qoe'i . 21, 60. 
 
 Horn Lts of the church of England, fermon of faith, part 
 1. p2ge 2, 4 fermon of the paflion, page 189. of the facra- 
 ment, page 200. 
 
 Articles 0* Ireland, article 57. 
 
 Lambeth articles, article 6 
 
 Ca'echifm o> the reformed church of France. Dirnanche 
 18. M. Puis que nous avms le Jondement fur lequel lafoi 
 eft appuyce,8cc. chat is, Mmifter, Since we have the foun- 
 dation upon which the faith is grounded, can we rightly 
 from thence conclude, what the true faith is ? Child, Yes; 
 namely, a fteady and certain knowledge of the love of God 
 towards us, according as to his gofpel he declares himfelf 
 to be our Father and Saviour, by the means of Jefus Chrift. 
 And, Dirnanche II. comment, cognoijfons nous cela ? that 
 is, Minifter, How know we thefe things \ Child, By his 
 word, where he declares to us his mercy in Jefus Chrift, 
 and allures us of his love towards us. 
 
 Authorities 
 
( I°* ) 
 
 Authorities on the tenth Shiery. 
 
 TRAIL'S ftedfaft adherence, page 154. The exhortati- 
 on is, (and it is an exhonatioti to everyone of you, 
 whether you be believers or unbelievers) anfwer the faith- 
 fulnefs of God in the promise of" falvation by Chiift in the 
 gofpel* anfwer it by tairh. This is what our Lord charges 
 his apoflles with, Go, faith he, and preach the gofpel to eve- 
 ry creature ; and as the apoftle, Which was preached to 
 every creature which is under heaven, Col. i. 23. that is, 
 Every man and woman that lives in this world, preach the 
 
 fmfpel to them : What gofpel ? Tell them that thtre is 
 ife and falvation for them in Jefus Chrift ; if they will be- 
 lieve it, well and good, and if not, they mall be damned, 
 Markxvi. 15. Ibid, page 160. You are to believe, that 
 there is no impediment or hindrance, neither on God's part 
 nor thine, to hinder thee from partaking of Chrift, if thou 
 be willing; this is a part of that faith that anfwers the faith- 
 fulnefs of God in the promife of the gofpel, and which a 
 poor creature mould believe firmly, that there is no impe- 
 diment on God's part, nor on my part, to hinder my par- 
 taking of Chrift, according to God's offer, if I accept of 
 him ; the impediment on our part is fin, the impediment 
 on God's part are the law and juftice ; the Lord hath de- 
 clared theie fhall not (land : the law and juftice ftands in 
 no man s way, to hinder him from partaking of Chrift, if 
 he will accept thereof ; neither fhall fin hinder him, for 
 the offer is made to all men as finners, whatfoever they 
 have been, or whatfoever they are, but none will accept of 
 it but enlightened finners- Ibid, page 364. As early as the 
 brafen ferpent was creeled upon the pole, that the ftung 
 Ifraelites might look and live, fo truly is Chrift Jefus held 
 forth in the gofpel, that every man who has a mind to fal- 
 vation may look to him and get it. All men that live where 
 the gofpel is preached, have a like right to believe on Chrift 
 Jefus. No man has a right in Chrift till he is a believer ; 
 there are Secret purpofes and thoughts in God's heart where 
 to apply his grace ; but in the public difpenfations of it, all 
 men are alike far off, and all have alike equal right to be- 
 lieve; there is not a poor creature on the lace of the earth, 
 that lives where the gofpel is preached, but has as much 
 right to believe on Chrift for the falvarion of his foul, as 
 Saul had when he went to Damalcus; indeed an actual right 
 follows faith. 
 
 Authorities on the eleventh §>uery. 
 
 /^ROSS's fermons on Rom. iii. 27. 
 ^ Manton on James ii. 
 
 Rutherford 
 

 ioz Authorities relating to the twelfth Query. 
 
 Rutherford on the covenant. 
 
 And aimoft all proteftant divines on Rom. iii. 17. 
 
 Authorities on the twelfth Query. 
 
 QWEN on Heb. iv. 1. For (fays he of the fear of hell, 
 V- ^ with refpect to believers) 1 This is contrary to the end 
 of all other ordinances of God, which are appointed to en- 
 lighten, ftrengthen, and comfort the fouls of believers, to 
 bring them to folid, abiding peace and confolation. 2. This 
 fear is no effect or fruit of that Spirit of life and holinefs, 
 which is the author of all our duties, and all acceptable o- 
 bedience unto God. This fear of hell, that is, as thatpu- 
 nifiiment lyes in the carfe of the law, neither is nor can be 
 the fruit of that Spirit given and difpenfed in and by the 
 gofpel : for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liber- 
 ty. 3. This kind of fear is not ufeful unto the confefledend 
 of God's threatcings, viz. To excite and encourage men 
 unto diligence and watchfulnefs ; for it's proper effect is 
 to drive them, in whom it is, from God. Again, this fear 
 is directly oppofite to the life of faith, being indeed that 
 bondage, for fear of death, which the Lord Chrift dyed to 
 deliver believers from ; this is that fear which perfect love 
 cafteth out. But a watchful careful fear, as to the ufe of 
 means, the cOnhderation of the threatnings of God, and the 
 inftance* of his fe verity againft finners, ought to beget in 
 us ; that is, they {hould beget in us a ferious conGderatioa 
 of the due debt of fin, of the greatnefs, tei ror, and majefty 
 of God; a conviction and acknowledgment, that in the juf- 
 tice and righteoufnefs of God, the puKfhment threatened 
 might befal us; an abhorrency of fin, as on other reafons, 
 fo on the account o f it's end and tendency ; a fedulous 
 watchfulnefs againft fin, by a diligent ufe of means appoint- 
 ed for that purpofe ; and a conftant watchfulnefs againft all 
 carnal confidence and fecurity. Idem, on perfeverance, 
 chap. x. § 7. 14. chap. xii. § 59, 61, 64. chap. xiv. § 6. 
 
 Rutherford on the covenant, page ai3. Quefh z. How 
 can the fear of falling away, and the faith of perleverance, 
 abfclutely promifed, and abfolutely given, confift together, 
 Anfw. Tne law- fear of falling away, and the gofpel faith 
 of perfeverance are not confident : The fear-legal of the 
 Jeaft fin, is a fear of hell and of eternal wrath to be irreco- 
 verably inflicted ; but btcaufe the perfon is usder grace,the 
 believer cannot fear this fear, except the law- fear be letten 
 cut againit him as a tentation ; but it is not his obliged du- 
 ty fo to fear. i. The law-fear upon a believer is conditi- 
 onal, and not abfolute, as he fears hell and falling away, 
 jure, as his deferving, if God mould enter into judgment 
 with him, and if he were not in Chrift : But he is obliged 
 
 to 
 
Authorities relating to the twelfth Query. ioj 
 *o agofpel-faitfj, which lays hold on Chrift, righreoufneis, 
 and deliverance from condemnation ; and if Chrift and in- 
 tereft in him be hid from him, and nothing on but law-fear, 
 that is a trial not a duty of law fear. On the margin. So 
 the faith of Jofeph and Mary, That Chrift their Son mall be 
 great, mail (it on the throne of David his Father, and fhall 
 reign over the boufe of David for ever, Luke i. 31, 32, did 
 w«llconfift with that ho: y and obediential fear of ilying into 
 -Egypt, for fear that Herod fhoc!d murder that hopeful 
 young king in his cradle, Mat. tii.-- -And page 362. And 
 O what riches o ( grace and mercy, and plenteous redempti- 
 on hath he manifefted to us? And therefore the more grace 
 he (hews to us, the more freely and foniy mould we ferve him 
 with Jels hiredneis and fervile difpofition. If we could love 
 God and Chrift with a heart abftracted from heaven's hire, 
 at leaft the pleaiure of it, (for pleafure makes not any con- 
 form to God but hoHneu doth) and the heart not legally 
 fearing the burning torment of htll, it were good: forfince 
 Chrift hath freed us from the law wrath, he takes it not 
 well that we dare approach too near to the mount burning 
 with fire : Nor does Chrift alio*/ our affections cf fear and 
 forrow and fadnefs, to acl: upon feared everiafting wrath, 
 we being j uftified by faith, any other way than in a gofpel 
 confideration, being caft down for our law deferving, but 
 fo as we highly value our ranfom payer, and yet ferve him 
 with godly fear, «Wj3*« which word Heb. xii. 28. muft 
 note a difference between tpe fear, and trembling, and ter- 
 ror upon devils, for the torment of hell, Mat. viii. 29. Jam. 
 ii. 19. and the tuxafiux the gndiy fear of believers, Heb. xi. 
 28. which is alto Given to Chrift, Heb. v. 7. in whom there 
 was no fear of hell torment ; and therefore the fear of h'm 
 that can caft both foul and body into hell, (tho'it beaoother 
 word, Mat. x, 28 ) which Chrift commands cannot be a fervile 
 fear-legal of he 1, r uch as is in devils and men; but a godly 
 fear, fuch as is confident with the faith of deliverance from 
 the wrath to come : For Chrift M?.t. x. 28. commands that 
 fear; fear,faith he, to deny Kim before men: wh^r* fear him 
 who can caft both foul and body into hei\ ; and immediate- 
 ly, ver. 31. Fear nor therefore, the r «me word thatis ver. 28. 
 then he muft forbad a fear oppefi e to ferviie fear, and 
 which (lands with the fait!} of ions, who are to believe 
 the care of a Father, which is more towards his children 
 tharj towards fparrows, ver. 29, 30. And that the word not- 
 eth a godly fear, which is Heb- vii. bf (ide other Greek au- 
 thors. See Heb. v. 7. Luke ii. 25. Acls ii. 5. viii. 2. xxiii. 
 io. and Heb. xi. 7. Noah moved With fear *u\a/s»9«c built an 
 ark ; fure the fear of everiafting torment to heil, moved 
 not Noah to build the ark, for by faith which is faying he 
 buildcdit. 
 
 The 
 
( 104 ) 
 THE 
 
 CONTROVERSY 
 
 Concerning the 
 MARROW of MODERN DIVINITY; 
 
 ConGdered in a 
 FAMILIAR DIALOGUE: 
 
 Betwixt 
 
 r A minifter, defender of the 
 Gamaliel. ^ AfTembly aft againft the Mar- 
 
 £ row, 6*. 
 
 C A minifter, a defender of 
 Paul. < the Reprefentation againft that 
 
 Caft. 
 
 r A private Chriftian a violent 
 Philologus. <ftickler for the condemnatory 
 
 Cadi. 
 
 r A private Chriftian a zea- 
 Appellss. ^lous friend of the Reprefenta- 
 
 (_ tion. 
 
 r A well-meaning private 
 Rufus. -2 Chriftian, attached to neither 
 
 C fide. 
 
 (~ A carelefs, libertine gentle- 
 
 J man, who mifimproves thefe 
 Gallio. ^debates to ridicule all true re- 
 
 Cligion, 
 
 Phil. 
 
( i oj ) 
 
 Philologus. r^ COD morrow, Mr. Paul ; pray, 
 V J have me excufed for fo early a vi- 
 fit ; I longed for an opportunity to fee yen in town, 
 that I might difcourfe with you a little, about fome 
 things, which have very much offended me. 
 
 Paul. Welcome Sir ; but pray what's the matter? 
 Phil. Why, Sir, in fhort, Fm mightily offended 
 at the conduct of you and your brethren; who 
 have, in a manner fo undutiful and unprecedent- 
 ed, attacked the act of the 'General Affembly againft 
 The Marrow of Modern Divinity ; a book fluffed, 
 not only with-haiih expreffions, but with unfound 
 ' Antinomian tenets, as our minifter Dr. Gamaliel 
 "told me, 'tother day, and marked out for me the 
 paffagesthemfelves. 
 
 Paul. But foftly, Mr. Philologus-, have you con- 
 sidered the Marrow itfelf? Have you compared 
 thefe paiTages with the author's fcope, and the con- 
 I text, in the places quoted ? Have you pondered the 
 | Reprefentation, and the reafons therein urged a- 
 gainft the act? 
 
 Phil. Sir, it's none of my bufinefs to go fo nicely 
 to work as you divines, .who have little or nothing 
 elie to do. Tis enough, Fve read fo milch as fatis- 
 £ed me you are in the wrong And befides, my 
 minifter, who is a learned and good man, has af- 
 ■fiired me, The Marrow is a very ill book, and that 
 the affembly have done well in condemning it, But, 
 Sir, I rn not a fit match to debate with you ; I could 
 be glad to hear Dr. Gamaliel and you reafon that 
 matter, and my great defign in this vifit, was to 
 make this propofal. 
 
 PauL With all my heart, Sir; will you under- 
 take to procure a meeting betwixt us ? 
 
 Phil. I will, Sir ; but I could be fatisfied, how- 
 ever, to hear a little of your mind before I go. 
 
 Paul. I fear, Mr. Philologus, if you and I fhould 
 
 enter on that f abject, you might mifs the dofto:; ; 
 
 O but 
 
ren 
 
 1 06 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 but, to gratify you a little, if you pleafe I fliall rea 
 to you a copy of a letter, from one of my brethren 
 concerned in the reprefentation, in anfwer to one 
 from a neighbouring minifter •, wherein fomething 
 is advanced, that may give you fome view of this 
 caufe, till you hear it more fully difcourfed betwixt 
 the doctor and me. --Here it is, Philologus, it is not 
 tedious, but pretty comprehenfive,— -you may, if 
 you pleafe, read it yourfelf. 
 Phil. With all my heart. 
 
 Philologus reads as follows, 
 
 Reverend and very dear brother, 
 
 I received yours with my fervant. 
 
 THE ftrain of your letter, I own, was more 
 wounding, than convincing. But fuch fmit- 
 ing, I am refolved through grace, fliall not break 
 my head, nor alienate my love from the fmiter, of 
 whofe kindnefs, otherways, I have had fuch con* 
 vincing evidences 
 
 I find you exceedingly prejudiced againft the 
 caufe wherein I am now engaged. And fo far as I 
 can perceive from your letter, it runs principally 
 upon this ground, that you think the method we 
 have taken, in craving that an aft of Affembly may 
 be repealed wants a precedent, and a more fuitable 
 method might have been taken. I do indeed own, 
 that the ftep we have taken is fomewhat unprece- 
 dented, in craving that an act of affembly might be 
 repealed : But this was inevitable, feeing fuch an aft 
 wanted a precedent in the church of Scotland, and 
 we could fee no way, how truth, which is fo evi- 
 dently wounded by that aft, could be falved, but by 
 its being repealed. And who could repeal an aft of 
 affembly, but an affembly only ? You feem to in- 
 finuate what is commonly objected to us, that we 
 ought to have converfed with brethren upon the 
 heads of our petition. But to this it is anfwered, 
 
 That 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 107 
 
 That when we prefented our petition to the com- 
 mitee of bills, we declared, if that the commitec or 
 the aflembly inclined to appoint any of their num- 
 ber to converfe with us, we would not decline it. 
 We did not indeed ask a conference, becaufe we 
 did not, in the leaft, diftruft our caufe : however, 
 while our petition was lying before the commitee of 
 bills, we had a conference with feveral minifters but 
 to no effect. We found a refolution to fupport, 
 and vindicate that act of Aflembly, (though truth 
 fliould fall in our ftreets,) and on the other hand, 
 we were refolved that it fhould not fall for want of 
 a teftimony from us, though we fhould hazard our 
 worldly all for it. And becaufe you fay, you can- 
 not conceive what we can itate our fufferings upon, 
 in cafe the church fhall fee fit to maintain her au- 
 thority by inflicting cenfure upon us, who prefer 
 ;cenfure to obedience: I fhall therefore take the 
 i freedom to lay before you the precious truths of the 
 I gofpel, that we contend for, as wounded by that 
 act of aflembly, againft which we reclaim. 
 
 1. That believers are freed from the law as a co- 
 venant of works, freed from both the command- 
 ing and condemning power of that a tenant. 
 
 2. That there is and ought to be a difference put 
 betwixt the law as the law of works, and the law as 
 the law of Chrift, or the law as a rule of obedience 
 in the hand of a Mediator. And this diftinction, 
 we judge, goes upon a fcriptural foundation, tho* 
 declared groundlefs by the aft of a Tembly, which we 
 conceive has a manifeft tendency 10 confound the 
 two covenants, and to ftop fome of the principal 
 fources of the believers comfort. 
 
 3. That when the law as a covenant of works 
 comes upon the believer with the demand of per- 
 fect obedience as a condition of life and ialvation, 
 his only relief in this cafe- is, to plead the perfect o- 
 bedience and complete righteoufnefs of his ever 
 blefled Surety,and that this plea is fo far from weak- 
 ning him in the ftudy of holinefs, as the act im- 
 
 O 2 ports, 
 
xo8 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 por:s, that it is one of the principal fprings there- 
 of. 
 
 4. That there is a fiducial act or appropriating 
 pe/fuafion in the very nature of juftifying and fav- 
 ing faith, and that to exclude this from the nature 
 of faith is to abandon and contemn our reformers 
 and all our polemic writers, who have been ever 
 fince the reformation contenting as pro aris et focis 
 againft Papifts for this fiducial act under the name 
 of the aflurance of faith, which, toto ca. : o differs 
 from theaffiirance of feme, of which ourWeftmin- 
 ilerConfeffion fpeaks, when it excludes afiurancc 
 from the nature of faith. And we are afraid, left 
 our quiting of this act of faith be a receding from 
 our national covenant, where the general and 
 doubtfome faith of Papifts is abjured* And what 
 that general and doubtfome faith is, may be ga- 
 thered from Lovanienfls, Academia, Aclverius, 
 Lutheranos, Art. 9. concil. Trident. Sect. iii. cap. 
 9. Bellarmine, a^d ether Popifh writers, whole 
 riPOTon nSEAAOs as to this point is ftill, Fidemju- 
 
 Jjficantem non effe fiduciam Jpecialis mifericordia. In 
 oppofition to whom our divines have ftill maintain- 
 ed, Fiaem effe fiduciam fpecialis mifericordia. See to 
 this purpoie Pareus upon Urfin, Sharpius, Maco- 
 \ius, Effenius, Heidlberg. cat. taught in moft fo- 
 reign reformed churches. Turretine, vol. 2. De 
 vocatione et fide, Queft 10. & Queft. 12. 
 
 5. That there is a gift of deed or grant made by 
 the Father to all the hearers of the gofpel, afford- 
 ing warrant to minifters to offer Chrift unto all, and 
 a warrant unto all to receive him, which yet does 
 not lead us into the Arminian camp. 
 
 Thefe, I fay, are fome of the fpecial truths we 
 contend for in our Reprefentation, as injured by 
 that Act of AiTembly. And, had it not been for 
 the fake of thefe truths, I had never ventured upon 
 this appearance : And, I humbly think them of 
 fuch worth, that I durft not quit them or re 
 fufe my teftimony for them for the whole world, 
 
 if 
 
' irro-w of Modern Divinity 109 
 
 if my heart do not conceive me. I perceive you go 
 upon a common tniunke, as if the great <Jtli;»n of, 
 our Petition, in ieeking to have th.: , d, 
 
 were, that we mij liberty to rcci rhe 
 
 book. We do incited own. that we cftceni it as a 
 book whofe principal fcope is to debafe ".tfelt. to 
 exalt our great Mailer, and his everlailina rigiire* 
 oufhefs, and to rid marches between the law and 
 the gofpel. We own we have been edified by it, 
 and therefore cannot content to fuch an absolute 
 condemnation of it, as we rind in that Act. Where- 
 by we are bound up from fpeaking a word to its 
 advantage, even in private converfation, which we 
 think encroaches upon Chriftian liberty, especially 
 when it is turned (?s in our bounds) into a term of 
 minifterial communion : This being one or the quef- 
 tions at our privy ceniuresin fynod and presbytery. 
 Whether we obey that act which condemns the 
 Marrow. For my own part, I have hitherto fhew- 
 ed fuch a regard to ecclcfiaftical authority in that 
 matter that I never went Mr. Strong's length, to re- 
 commend it in my public miniftry : And fo far as 
 I remember, I never recommended it in private to 
 any without telling them there were feveral un- 
 guarded expreffions in it. 
 
 But I fay, it is not fo much the book we ft and 
 up for, (though we think the dead man egregiouf- 
 ly wronged by the Act. And we think juftice 
 fhould be done to the word of men, much more to 
 a faint in glory,) as thefe precious truths above- 
 named; the condemning of which as inconhYtent 
 with the fcriptnres and our ftandards, we humbly 
 think to be the deepeft wound ever truth got in 
 Scotland iince the Preformation. And that which 
 makes it the deeper is that it fhould be given her in 
 the houfe of her friends, I mean a national AiTcm- 
 bly whofe fpecial province it is to patronize truth, 
 and fupport it. Indeed, we do not think that the 
 wound was defigned againfl: truth, but againft the 
 Reverend Mr. Hog who recommends the book, but 
 
 that 
 

 no A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 that truth is really wounded, (tho' by a blow) is 
 fo evident to us, that we cannot think otherwife, 
 unlefs we abandon our common fenfe, and believe 
 as others would have us. Alas for it ! that the au- 
 thority of our Affembly mould be made a tool of 
 to pufh the refentments of fome leading men, it is 
 no wonder, though in that cafe, God fufferboth the 
 leaders and chem that are led, to fall into the ditch 
 together. 
 
 I fee an attempt made by the commiffion in their 
 printed Overture to aflert thefe truths we plead for, 
 and to explain the Affembly's act condemning them, 
 and to lodge a charge of calumny upon the Repre- 
 fentation. I fhall not now defcend unto the parti- 
 cular confideration of the Overture, I believe the 
 falacious way of reafoning both in it and in P. Ha- 
 dow's book, may be opened to the world. I fhall 
 only fay id general, I do not fee, how the Overture, 
 though it were turned into an aft of AfTembly, will 
 falve the matter : For while the former aft ftands 
 unrepealedd, truth Hands condemned by a deed of 
 this church, and a wide door ftands open for men 
 of corrupt and legal principles to vent their errone- 
 ous tenets under the fhelter of it, both in this and 
 fucceeding generations. 
 
 I could undertake (but God forbid I mould be 
 fo far left) to go to public, and preach the follow- 
 ing doctrines, i. That believers are under a cove- 
 nant of works, under the commanding and condem- 
 ning power of that covenant. 2. That there is no 
 difference betwixt the law, as a covenant, and the 
 law as a rule of duty, in the hand of Chrift. 3. That 
 a believer has no relief from the mediatorial holi- 
 linefs, and perfect righteoufnefs of Chrift, againft 
 the law's demand of perfect obedience, as a conditi- 
 on of life ; and that this is a doctrine prejudicial to 
 gofpel-holinefs. 4. That there is nothing of a fidu- 
 cial aft, or appropriating perfuafion in faith, and 
 that all our polemic divines, all our reformers, and 
 all foreign churches 5 yea, the church of Scotland, 
 
 before 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. in 
 
 before the year 1647, were erroneous in fo faying. 
 5. That God does not give warrant to every one of 
 the hearers of the gofpel to receive Chrift though 
 we be commanded to preach the gofpel to every crea- 
 ture, and to proclaim, that whofoever believeth in 
 himfball not perifb, but have everlajiing life, I fay, 
 I could adventure to publifh thefe errors, and if 
 any fhould attack me for it, I could fcreen my felf 
 under that act of Affembly, wherein the truths op- 
 posite to thefe errors are condemned and declared 
 inconfiftent with the fcriptures and Confeffion of 
 Faith. I fee indeed, that the commiffions Overture 
 fays, that thele truths are only condemned in the 
 fenfe of the Marrow : But it i c eafily anfwered, that 
 as it does not appear that the Marrow ufes them in 
 a wrong fenfe, fo, fuppofing it did, yet they ought 
 not to be fimply condemned \ For the quotations 
 are fet down abftraftly, without any fenfe put upon 
 them, and then, in the end of the aft, the condem- 
 natory fentence paft in thefe words, The General Af- 
 fembly found that the faid paffages and quotations are 
 contrary to the holy fcriptures , &c. This is the view, 
 I cannot fhun to have of matters, while that aft 
 ftands unrepealed. * 
 
 Pray, dear Sir, to what purpofe is an affertory 
 aft, with refpeft unto thefe injured truths ; for, 
 the condemnatory aft hath as much of the authori- 
 ty of this church to fupport it, as the affertory aft 
 hath. And therefore, I am as much at liberty to 
 make ufe of the one, as the other, in my way of 
 fpeaking. 
 
 Again, to what purpofe is an explicatory aft ? 
 Will all the explications in the world ever make er- 
 ror truth, or truth error ? Can ever that which is 
 crooked, in things of this nature, be made ftraight ? 
 At beft, I look upon this as a palliating of matters 
 and I wifh, it may not fall under the compafs of 
 that fcripture, Ifa. v. 20. 
 
 I think ftrange to fee good and great men fo eafy 
 upon this head, as if matters would be right enough, 
 
; m 
 
 112 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 by purfuing propofals of this kind ; while they ap- 
 pear to be nothing but mere blinds caft up by fome 
 politic leading men, whofe credit is engaged for the 
 iupport of that act. Shall ever the credit of a few 
 men, or the credit of an act of Aflcmbly be fup- 
 ported to the prejudice of truth by the authority of 
 this church, one of whofe known principles is this, 
 That no church, council > or ajfembly in the world is 
 infallible ? And if this be our principle, why not 
 own it in practice, when there is fuch a iair occafi- 
 on for it, as the refcinding an aft, which there are 
 few, but will own, is wrong in fome things ? If the 
 Marrow muft be condemned, let it be condemned 
 upon a cleanly ground, without prejudice either to 
 truth or juftice, and no man fhall more frankly o- 
 bey than I : But, let it not be condemned by an aft, 
 which, if it be not repealed, muft ftand as a per- 
 petual infamy upon that aflembly that made it, as 
 alfo upon all that fupport it. 
 
 Wo is me that party -intereft fliould fo far pre- 
 vail, as to fupport an act, fo evidently injurious to 
 truth. How far is this from the temper of a fober 
 Heathen, whofr regard to truth made him exprefe 
 himfelf thus, Arnica Plato, amicus Socrates fed magis 
 arnica Veritas ? Where is the fpirit of that noble 
 reformer Martin Luther, who faid, Stet Veritas et 
 mat ccelem ? Dear Sir, the peace of a national 
 church is a moft valuable bleffing, and I would 
 gladly hope that none values it more than I do: But 
 alas what is peace but a conspiracy , if it do not ftand 
 with truth ? He, who is the God of peace hath truth 
 alfo for the girdle of his loins. And he puts fuch 
 a value upon the \ea{tjota of his revealed truth, that 
 he will reduce heaven and earth to their original 
 nothing, rather than differ it to fall to the ground. 
 How then fhall we be anfwerable to the God of 
 truth, if, when truth is wounded, we do not put 
 to our hand to heal and fupport it ? If we quit it, 
 we betray our truft, and give up with our fhield 
 and buckler. 
 
 God 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 113 
 
 God forbid, I fhould be fo uncharitable as to 
 think, that truth huth no friends among the mini- 
 IKrs of Scotland, but the few fubferibers. No, I 
 fini pcrfuaded of the contrary : It has many friends 
 in this church, but whatever night friends it may 
 havj, like Nicodemus ; yet commonly, it has but 
 two witneffes, (Rev. xi.) i.e. But a v^ry few. How- 
 ever, it is all one with God to work by few, as by 
 many, by weak and foolifh things, as by theie that 
 are ftrong and mighty. He can make rams horns, 
 as well as battering rams to throw down the walls 
 of Jericho. It is his ordinary way to choofe the 
 •weak and fcoHjh things of the world, to confound them 
 that are mighty , that no fejb Jhould glory in his pre- 
 Jence. And therefore, however weak and contemp- 
 tible we are in ourfelves, while we are convinced 
 that the caufe is the Lord's, I hope it (hall not dif- 
 courage us, though power and policy, learning, 
 numbers, and authority be againft us. 
 
 But I am afraid I have, by this time, wearied 
 you, for which I beg pardon ; but, I hope, the 
 importance of the fubject will be a fufficient apology. 
 There cannot be too much faid, if I could but lay 
 what might be faid to the purpofe. I fhall be glad 
 to have your thoughts, as to what has been fuggeft- 
 cd ; for, however I be engaged in this matter, I de- 
 fire to ly open to what religion and right reafon 
 may offer. 
 
 I am, 
 
 R. and very D. B. 
 
 Your very affectionate Brother, 
 
 And meft obliged Servant. 
 
 .Sept 
 18th 
 
 EMBER, 1 
 
 Phil 
 
H4 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 Phil. If what your brother has advanced in this 
 letter, can be made good ; I confefs, you have much 
 to fay for yourfelves : but, that is what I very much 
 doubt of. Only, what I have read excites in me, an 
 impatient defire of hearing Mr. Gamaliel and you, 
 upon this fubjeft ; and if you think fit, I fhall wait 
 on the dodtor juft now, and make the propofal. 
 
 Paul. Do, and you fhall find me at where 
 
 I (hall wait your return with the doctor's com- 
 mands. 
 
 Paul, by himfetf) alone. How exceedingly con- 
 cerned is Philologus about this affair ! I perceive he 
 is mightily influenced by Dr. Gamaliel. The doc- 
 tor, to give him his due, is a fubtile difputant. No- 
 thing bears me up, in view of this congrefs, but, the 
 perfuafion I have of the goodnefsof my caufe : For 
 otherwife, I am fenfible, I am a very unequal match 
 for a man of his eminent learning. But, in the 
 ftrength of the Lord, I defire to adventure; and 
 may I be helped to behave fo, as fuch a good caufe 
 may not fuffer by my rnifmanagement. 
 
 Gallio meeting Philologus. Good-morrow Mr. Phi- 
 lologus ; pray, whether in fuch hafte ? is it a mat- 
 ter of life and death ? 
 
 Phil Not in your fenfe, Mr. Gallio. But pray, 
 excufe me that I cannot ftay to acquaint you •, I 
 
 have been juft now with Mr. Paul, and I am in 
 
 great hafte upon my way to Dr Gamaliel. 
 
 Gallio. So, ho ! before you go further I could lay 
 an equal wager with you Philologus, that you are 
 making fome pother about the Marrow of Modern 
 Divinity, a fenfelefs debate, for which we gentle- 
 men of good humour and free thinking do heartily 
 laugh at you. Am I right fir ? 
 
 Phil. Right, Sir, as to the bufinefs ; but I am 
 lorry to hear you blab out fo unadvifedly, on an 
 affair which fo much relates to our knowledge of 
 the right way to heaven, if a man of your carelefs 
 temper would allow yourfelf to think upon it. 
 
 Galli$. 
 
Mar roiu of Modern Divinity, 1 1 5 
 
 Gallio. Tufh ! with your religious cant ! I hope 
 to get to heaven, with much Ids ado. Mean time, 
 Mr Philologus, as indifferent as I ;un for ordinary j 
 I could befatisfied to be witnefs to an encounter be- 
 twixt Dr. Gamaliel and Mr. Paul. It would be 
 good diverfion ; and befides, I expect to learn by it, 
 to chat over a bottle, and not to be quite dumb wh^n 
 a matter that is (o much the town-talk is tofled a- 
 mong my comrades 
 
 Phil. Your known indifference about religion, 
 Mr. Gallio, 1 am afraid, will make the minifters not 
 very frank to allow you. 
 
 Gallio. Nay, Mr. Philologus, if I cannot be ad- 
 mitted with ail freedom, pray, let it alone ? For 
 you know, I am pretty eafy about fuch matters. 
 
 Phil. To oblige you, Sir, I mall ufe my endea- 
 vours to procure you accefs, but I wifh you may 
 have more in your view, than to learn to chat oh 
 fuch matters. 
 
 Gallio. jL thank you, Sir, for your undertaking, 
 and your good wiflies, and I (hall wait your return 
 at 
 
 Phil, to Dr. Gamaliel. A good morning to you 
 reverend Sir, I fee you bufy, and I with my vifit 
 may not be an unfeafonable interruption. 
 
 Gam. You're welcome Mr. Philologus, I was in- 
 deed ftudying hard, but can, neverthelefs fpare a 
 little time to receive your kind vifit I have been 
 juft now reviewing the act of Aflembly againft that 
 vile book, the Marrow of Modern Divinity, and the 
 Reprefentation of the twelve Minifters againft that 
 act. I have alfo been once more looking into P. 
 Hadow's Detection of the Antinomianifm of the 
 Marrow. The P. has done us good, and feafonable 
 fervice, and in my opinion, and that of the gene- 
 rality of my brethren, has fo knocked that matter 
 in the head, that the reprefenters will never be able 
 to fct their faces to it. 
 
 Phil. You'll be difappointed Sir, as I hear, for 
 
 I am told, they defign to anfwer it paragraph by 
 
 P 2 para-* 
 
m 
 
 116 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 paragraph, and that the bufinefs is almoft done al- 
 ready ; though they will take their own time to 
 bring it to the light. And I will tell you, for more 
 news, Sir, fome people talk very confidently, that 
 they are like to turn the cannon upon the principal, 
 ^ and to find him guilty of very erroneous pofitions ; 
 
 and, which is very ftrange, if they fhall be able to 
 make it good, even of averting fome antinomian 
 tenet. And, as to the P's fophiftry and unfair 
 dealing, in his way of quoting and mifapplying paf- 
 fages of the Marrow, to fix on it the charge of an- 
 tinomianifm •, it is, what is loudly talked among all 
 their favourites, But, Rev. Sir, I don't incline to di- 
 grefs on this fubjeft juft now; only Fm glad you were 
 fo free as to impart to me the fubjecl: of your ftu- 
 dies, becaufe, now I hope, what 1 have to propofe 
 to you, will not be out of the way, as to your main 
 fccpe, though it may divert you a little from the 
 
 method wherein you was purfuing it. In fhort, 
 
 Sir, I was this morning with Mr. Paul, and after 
 fome little difcourfe with him, whom I take to be 
 a good man, and a man of fome parts, though he 
 has taken this whim in his head. I told him I could 
 not pretend to debate with him, but that it would 
 be a mighty fatisfaclion to me, if I could hear that 
 matter reafoned betwixt you and him : To which 
 he confented, and left it upon me to procure a 
 
 meeting, and he waits your commands at 
 
 Gam. To let pafs what you have told me of the 
 defigns againft P. Hadow's performance, to a more 
 
 proper time. 1 am very fond of a meeting with 
 
 Mr. Paul ; I am hopeful he may be gained ; I find 
 feveral of my brethren of opinion, that we mould 
 embrace all occafions of reafoning with the Repre- 
 fenters fingly ; for, there is no dealing with them 
 when they get together in a body at Edinburgh. 
 But, if we could get them brought off by feparate 
 attacks upon them, and even by infinuating, pretty 
 roundly, the ri£k, they run, in cafe they perfift; I 
 aflure yoU Philologus it would be a good and fea- 
 
 fonable 
 
'/ Modem Divinity. 117 
 
 fonable fcrvice ; for, upon the one hand, it will be 
 intolerable to toffsp the authority of the c!*urch to 
 be trampled Dpoft, or even weakened , by any twelve 
 minifters; and, upon the other hand, feverie mea- 
 fures may occafion fuch a divilion, as wilt vex us 
 all to the heart. . :, pr*y gtv€ my In vice 
 
 to Mr Paul and, in my name, invite, him to my 
 houfe. 
 
 Phi!. I flnll take your commiffion. Sir,— But, I 
 had almoft forgot to tell you, that having met to 
 day with Gallio. after lome difcourfe with him, I 
 find him fond of being prelent at your coming, •- 
 ftiall I call him too f 
 
 Gam. Do ; but let Mr. Paul be acquainted, for I 
 know not if he will think it convenient. 
 
 Phil. (To Paul, whom he finds in company with 
 Apelles and Rufus.) I fear I Save made you wait 
 too long Mr. Paul, but am glad you've got good 
 company to divert you. 
 
 Paul. As I wa.s coming to this place I met thefe gen- 
 tlemen, and we have been difcourfing upon the con- 
 troverfy concerning the AfFembly's act againft the 
 Marrow, and I find them both very earned to hear 
 Dr. Gamaliel's communing with me on that fubjeft. 
 
 Phil. I could anfwer for the doctor, thefe gentle- 
 men will be very welcome. ---But Gallio having met 
 me to day, has been applying for the fame privilege. 
 — I told the doctor who is fatisfied, providing it 
 be not difagreeab'e to you, Mr. Paul. 
 
 Paul. I (ha'nt differ with the doctor on that head; 
 only I could wifh, that gentleman may not fall into 
 fome extravagant ways of fpeaking, or make a bad 
 improvement of our differences 
 
 Phil. (To Gallio) Sir, you are allowed by both 
 parties, but pray take care how you behave in fuch 
 grave companv. 
 
 G^lo. That I {hall, Mr. Phllologus. 
 
 Phii. (To Gamaliel) Rev. Sir, Pve been with Mr. 
 Paul, I found Apelles and Ptufus with him, who 
 are alio fond to be preient, I undertook you would 
 
 admit 
 

 1 1 8 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 admit them, and they are all upon their way. — I 
 told Mr. Paul of Gallio's defire, and he agrees to 
 allow him, andTve brought him along with me,— 
 He is in the outer room. 
 
 Gam. Pray call in the gentleman. 
 
 Gallio. Your very humble fervant, doctor. 
 
 Gam. I am yours, Mr. Gallio. Your friend Phi- 
 lologus acquaints me, that you defire to be witnefs 
 to an interview between Mr. Paul and me, upon 
 the fubject of the Marrow, and you are welcome ; 
 only let me befeech you, Sir, to be well advifed in 
 what you fpeak 
 
 GaliiG. Why, Sir, I came not with a defign to 
 fpeak, but to hear ; and, if it pleafe you, I fhall 
 obferve a profound filence. 
 
 Gam. Not that neither, Mr. Gallio •, only obferve 
 due caution. 
 
 PauL (To Rufus and Apelles, by the way.) 
 
 Gentlemen, very much may depend upon a right 
 management of this interview ; I have no fear at all 
 of my caufe, but fome concern left any thing (hould 
 happen to make me lofe temper. I'm fenfible of 
 my infirmity that way, and we have reafon to be fo 
 muoh the more upon our guard, that Gallio is to 
 be prefent, who may make a very bad improvement 
 of any intemperate warmth, if it fhould fall out in 
 the progrefs of our reafonings. 
 
 Rufus, I'm hopeful, Sir, your concern about it 
 may be a good mean to prevent it. But, dear Sir, 
 I muft fay, your debates give me very much unea- 
 finefs. I could wifh the Affembly had not meddled 
 with that book ; but, feeing they have difcharged 
 it, I could have been fatisfied you had not made 
 fuch a noife with a Reprefentation ; I know not well 
 what to think, I acknowledge I have read the book 
 with much fa tis faction, and I have a very great re- 
 gard for the minifters who think the affembiy have 
 not wronged it only, but the caufe of truth \ and, 
 upon the other hand, I have a great refpect for ma- 
 ny learned and worthy men, who appear againft 
 
 that 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 119 
 
 that book. Such a dated oppofirion between men, 
 whom I think good men, exceedingly (rumbles me. 
 Wherefore, I befeech you, dear Sir, ufe all poffible 
 means to cultivate a good underflanding, that we, 
 poor weak things, may not be quite broken between 
 you. 
 
 Paul. I do acknowledge, dear Sir, that the dif- 
 ferences which fometimes fall out in the church, 
 even among good men, are matter of great grief to 
 all who have the welfare of Zion ferioufly at heart ; 
 I confefs they are even more {tumbling, than the 
 arifing of corrupt men who bring in damnable he- 
 refies ; for thefe are fooner detected, nor are weak 
 Chriftians fo eafily impofed upon by them, as by 
 the infinuating errors ofperfons, otherways, in re- 
 putation for learning and piety. But when I have 
 been plunged in the gulf of this hard chapter of 
 providence, I've been fweetly relieved by fuch con- 
 siderations as thefe ; that while we are in this pre- 
 fent militant ftate, we fee but in part and know but 
 in part ; that it may pleafe the Lord to permit this 
 for the difcovery of naughty men, and for the trial 
 of the faith and patience of the faints ; that thereby 
 the Lord calls his people, practically, to learn to 
 call no man, nor fociety of men, Mafter ; but to 
 have recourfe to the law and to the teftimony, and 
 after the applauded example of the noble Bereans, 
 to examine the doctrines of their teachers by the 
 fcriptures ; and that the Lord may fuffer thefe dif- 
 ferences, as a juft chaftifement, for the mifimprove- 
 meot of a clear gofpei difpenfation. And though 
 thefe clouds be very humbling and afflicting, yet 
 we are not to give too much way to fainting under 
 them through unbelief; for as our kind and graci- 
 ous Lord and head knows how to preferve thefe 
 who are his, in the moft threatning itorms of this 
 kind, fo he is pleafed oftentimes to make a bright 
 funfhine of gofpel-light to break forth, after thefe 
 thick clouds of darknefs and diviflon, and Fm not 
 without hope of fuch a happy iffue of the prefent 
 
 controverfy 
 
i2o A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 controverfy There are many worthy men, whom 
 I love and honour, who have not had freedom to 
 join us in fuhfcribing the Reprefentation, at whofe 
 feet fome of us may fit and learn clear views of the 
 gofpel, and the glorious truths we contend for. 
 And, I hope, when matters come to be duly pon- 
 dered, truth will appear in its native purity and 
 beauty unto others, in fpite of all theduft that fome 
 learned criticks, perhaps too much carefled, do en- 
 deavour to put upon it. — But now that we draw 
 near to the doctor's lodgings, I muft break off. 
 
 Gam. (To Mr Paul, Apelles, and Rufus, enter- 
 ing his chamber ) — Brother Paul, Pm glad to fee 
 you, and theft gentlemen in health. 
 
 Paul. And I you, Rev. Sir. And, without fur- 
 ther ceremony, I hope you are apprifed of the de- 
 fign of our vifit. 
 
 Gam I am brother, and you are very welcome 
 And after a little refrefhment, we fhail fall clofs 
 upon the fubje c t of the controverfy, concerning 
 The Marrow of Modern Divinity. 
 
 Phil. If it be not impertinent for me to put in a 
 word before you enter on that fubjett, I would, 
 with fubmiffion, propofe to hear the act of aiTem- 
 bly and the representation read, that I may the bet- 
 ter underftand your reafonings upon them. 
 
 Gam. If the company pleafe, Philologus, you 
 may read them. Fid. at the beginning of this book. 
 
 Phil. Now I've dorre, — and if there be not fub- 
 je£i of converiation here tor one forenoon, I'm 
 much miftaken. 
 
 Gallic After what I have heard, I perceive thefe 
 fubjects, gentlemen, will be quite off from my way 
 of thinking, but I hope to underftand better by 
 your reafoning upon them ; only I wifh you di- 
 vines mayn't tooth one another too keenly. 
 
 Ape LI am glad I have heard thefe papers, I am con- 
 firmed in my opinion thereby, that the caufe of the 
 reprefenter is juft. 
 
 Rufus. If I may fay it, Mr. Apelles, youVe a lit- 
 tle 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity 1 2 1 
 
 tie too forward. Came we not to hear the mini-* 
 iters, who beft underftand this debate ? Sure it be- 
 comes us tofufpend our judgment. Pray, Mr. Ga- 
 maliel, fay on. 
 
 Gam That I fhall, Mr. Rufus And gentleman, 
 I excufe you for what you have fpoken, it has but 
 
 given ir»e occaflon to gather my thoughts. -And 
 
 now, Mr. Paul, 1 direct my difcourfe to you ; and 
 I would, with your good leave, rcafon with you 
 concerning the feverai fteps of your conduct in this 
 affair. And, without farther ceremony, I defire to 
 know how you can vindicate yourfelf and your bre- 
 thren upon the following heads 
 
 I. Concerning your conduct in this affair, before 
 you gave in your Representation : And particular- 
 ly, your irregular and extrajudicial manner of con- 
 xertjng and forming fuch an unaccountable and op- 
 en attack upon the fupreme authority of this church. 
 
 II. Concerning the grievous and heavy charge 
 which you lay againft the General Affepiifly 17-.0 ; 
 and the foul reproaches wherewith you load their 
 5th act, wherein they cenfure fome erroneous paf- 
 fages, and harm and offeniive expreflions in that 
 book, entitled,The Marrow of Modern Divinity,and 
 alfo the 8th act, wherein they direct minifters, in 
 preaching catechetical doctrine, To infift upon the 
 great, and fundamental truths according to our 
 Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, all which the 
 Rev. commiflion of the late General Affembly, be- 
 fore whom you were fully he?rd, as to the feverai 
 heads and articles of your R.eprefentation, hath laid 
 to your charge, in their printed overture, concern- 
 ing this affair, prepared for the enfuiag General 
 AfTtmbly. And as I have herein recited the very 
 words of that overture, in this general accufation 
 againft you ; fo, when I come to be more particu- 
 lar on this head, I fhall conline myfelf unto the Spe- 
 cial inftances of thefe foul reproaches, which the 
 commiffion charges you to have cail: on the Affem- 
 bly 1720, as they arc expreffed in the forefaici 
 
 Q^ printed 
 
122 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 printed overture ; that you may fee what lure 
 foundation I go upon in this, which indeed is the 
 principal branch of my charge. 
 
 Ill Concerning your conduct, in managing this 
 affair, at the Affembly, and fince, at the commif- 
 fion. 
 
 IV. Concerning fome unwarrantable fteps of 
 your deportment in this matter, in your converfa- 
 tion elfewhere. 
 
 Now, Rev. brother, this is the method I have 
 been thinking of with myfelf, to propofe to you 
 for managing this conference, ever lince Philolo- 
 gus acquainted me of his defire of hearing you and 
 me upon this fubject, and of your confent to rea- 
 fon with me thereanent. I offer it under your cor- 
 rection, and pray, Sir, if you think it not right, be 
 pleafed to propofe your own opinion concerning the 
 method of our difcourfing this weighty affair ; I 
 hope we fhall foon agree in this circuraftance ; I 
 hearfily wilh, we may no lefs eafily centre in one 
 way of thinking, concerning the fubftance of the 
 controverfy. 
 
 PauL Rev. Sir, without more words, I heartily 
 approve of your method. I kc you have projected 
 a very regular attack upon me ; and if your charge 
 be as juft, and confirmed by as clofe reafoning, as 
 you have now ranged it under proper heads, 1 will 
 certainly be obliged to confefs unto you. Whe- 
 ther it be fo, or not, let us put the matter to a fair 
 and impartial trial, and apply ourfdves feriouily to 
 this enquiryj for I hope it is the difcovery of truth, 
 and not the bafe and mean end of victory, in fuch 
 an encounter that we both have in view. Rev. Sir, 
 pray, allow me, only in a few words, to declare 
 unto you, before you enter on the particulars of j 
 your charge, that if it were not for the valuable! 
 depofitum of the glorious truths of the everlafting 
 gofpel, which, I conceive, the act of the General 
 Aflembly, againft the Marrow of Modern Divinity, 
 hath wounded, I fhould never have appeared in 
 
 this 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 123 
 
 this caufe. Were the only queftion in this affair, 
 as now dated, a competition betwixt the credit of 
 the church of Scotland, and that of twelve mini- 
 sters, a poor handful who have ventured to make 
 a complaint to herfclf of that deed, I fhould frank- 
 ly own, that our name and reputation is not once 
 to be put in the balance with that of our mother, 
 whom we highly honour; but if (he, as we con- 
 ceive, has, through a lamentable overfight, done 
 injury, by that aft, unto any of the precious truths 
 :>f Chrift, may not we her fons i who are bound by 
 :he fcriptures, by her own authority, by the ftrong- 
 =ft and moft binding obligations and promifes, when 
 licenfed aod ordained, by other more private and 
 particular engagements, by our folemn national 
 :ovenants, and by the conilraining love of Chrift, 
 to maintain truth, and to ftand up for the defence 
 jf the gofpel, I fay, may not we, who are under 
 r uch ftrong tyes, be allowed with all humility and 
 deference, and yet plainly and earnefuly to plead 
 «rith our mother, and yet not be branded with 
 :he odious characters of calumniators, turbulent 
 raen, and other fuch names of reproach ? May we 
 lot put in a petition to an AffembLy of this church, 
 .0 repeal an aft, which, we conceive, hath given 
 uch a wound to truth, as wants a precedent in the 
 :hurch of Scotland ? And may our gracious God 
 tnd merciful Redeemer keep her from ever confir- 
 ning it by a parallel. 
 
 Phil. Rev. Sir, pray pardon me for interrupting 
 
 rou, only I obferve you in a mighty concern, — 
 
 md I could not think, when you would have given 
 v*iy to the doctor's particular inftrufting of the 
 :harge againft you, in a method which you have 
 )een pleafed to approve, and which we are impati- 
 ent to hear. 
 
 Paul. Good Sir, I had very little more to fay, be- 
 bre I fhould have uefired the reverend doctor to 
 ;o on in the regular method he had laid down \ 
 >nly, I hope you and the company, and particular- 
 
 Qj* ij 
 
I?4 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 ly the reverend doftor himfelf, will pardon me for 
 pouring cut my heart a little on this affair, before 
 we dip into a more clofs examination of it. And, 
 gentlemen, I muft tell you, this matter being one 
 of the moit important concerns, that ever I was en- 
 gaged in, is weighty on my ipirit ; and I heartily 
 pray the caufe of my glorious Redeemer may not 
 fuffer by this, nor any ftep of my weak endeavours 
 to maintain it. I defire to go forth in the name and 
 ftrength of him, who is the true and faithful wit- 
 jpefs, into whole hands I commit my thoughts, my 
 tongue and pen, as any occafion mall offer, wherein 
 any of thefe (hall be engaged in this controverfy. 
 And now, reverend doftor, you may fay on. 
 
 Gam Sir, I think it ftrange that you perfift td 
 fix a calumny on the church of Scotland, as if me 
 had receded from our ftandards of truth. Who cari 
 bear it patiently to hear his mother church, a church 
 fo famous for orthodoxy and purity of doftrine, 
 treated in fuch a manner. Remember, Sir, it is 
 not with me, but the fupreme authority of the 
 church you have to do ; remember you flie in the 
 face of an exprefs ftatute of the church, an undu- 
 tifui practice, which you can never be able to ac- 
 count for •, notwithftanding of all your vain boaft- 
 ing of your being engaged in the caufe of Chrift, a 
 pretence which the viieft heretics will lay claim unto. 
 
 Paul, Rev. Sir, If the bringing a railing accufati- 
 on againft an antagonift.be any benefit unto a caufe, 
 I confefs you may have much the advantage of me 
 that way ; not only becauie of your fuperior talent 
 in that method of contending; but becaufe of the 
 examples of not a few, whofe chief ftrength for 
 fupporting that caufe you undertake the defence of, 
 lyes in weapons of that kind. I very well know I 
 tranfgrefs a peremptory ftatute of this church by 
 this appearance ; and am heartily forry 1 am obliged 
 to it. But, 1 hope, I do not hereby tranfgrefs the 
 law of the great head and king of his church, which 
 binds me to contend earnettly for the faith once 
 
 delivered 
 
Marroiv of Modern Divinity. J 25 
 
 delivered to the faints, Jude, ver. 3 I do acknow- 
 ledge, Rev doctor, That it would be a very imj>ar 
 congrejjus, betwixt a General aiTembly of the church 
 of Scotland and any twelve minifters, efpeehlty fuch 
 fuperficial men, as fome renowned rabbies on the 
 other lidt, are pleafed, in the»r abund tnt complai- 
 fance to term us; were it not that thcie fame v 
 lings have the caufe of that glorious Lord, who has 
 truth ror the girdle of his loins, to contend for, and 
 that they know it is all one to him to work by few 
 as by many, by the weak as well as by the mighty. 
 Rev. Sir, i cannot but likevvife own, that it k not 
 eafy, in the heat of a difpute, to guard againft an 
 intemperate warmth, and, perhaps, undutiful ex- 
 preffions •, and I no lefs frankly acknowledge, that 
 as thefe are at all times blame-worthy, fo they are, 
 in a fpecial manner, undutiful and uniuitabie, 
 when one is pleading a caufe againft the reprefen- 
 tatives of his mother church, which ought to be 
 done with the greateft refpecl and veneration that 
 poffibly can confift, with the ftrenuous aflerting of 
 truth, whereof the leaft hoof is not to be quit 
 for any authority under heaven. Therefore, 
 Rev. Sir, as, upon the one hand, I defire to be 
 helped, through grace, to guard againft alt un- 
 becoming expreffions, withrefpecl to the AiTembly, 
 in the whole of this difpute ; fo I humbly fuggeft, 
 that you may not on every turn twit me with their 
 authority in this debate, and inftead of argument, 
 run me down with the hideous clamour of rebelling 
 againft ij:. I fincerely declare it is my foul's grief, 
 that I cannot in this cafe, believe as our church 
 believes, unlefs I fhould make her a complement of 
 any common fenfe and reafon, and of that judgment 
 and difcretion which God has givc;n me, which lhe 
 forbids me to do, while fhe expreily difowns the 
 doctrine of the infallibility of the church, and of 
 the implicite faith and abfolute and biind obedi- 
 ence of the members thereof, founded thereupon. 
 And on the contrary maintains, Confeffion of 
 
 Faith, 
 
126 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 Faith, chap. 20. §, 2. " That God alone is Lord 
 " of the confcience, James iv. 12. Rom. xiv. 4. 
 <c And hath left it free from the doctrines and com- 
 " mandments of men, which are in any thing, con- 
 u trary unto his word ; or befide it, in matters of 
 " faith or worfhip, Acts iv. 19. and v. 29 1 Cor. 
 " vii. 23. Matt, xxiii. 8, 9, 10. 2 Cor. i. 24. So 
 " that, to believe fuch doctrines, or to obey fuch 
 "commands, out of confcience, is to betray true 
 u liberty of confcience, Col. ii. 20, 23. Gal. i. 10. 
 €€ and ii. 4,. 5. and v. 1, And the requiring of an 
 c< implicite faith, and an abfolute and blind obedi- 
 €i ence is to deftroy liberty of confcience, and rea- 
 u fon alfo. Rom. x. 17. and xiv. 23. Ifa. viii. 20. 
 " Acts xvii. 11. John iv. 22. Hofea v. 11. Rev. xiii. 
 (f 12, 16, 17. Jer. viii 9. Confeff. chap. 25. § 4. 
 <c The pureft churches under heaven are fubject 
 " both to mixture and error — Rev. ii, iii. Mat. xiii. 
 u 24, eJrc Chap. 31. § 4. All fynods or councils 
 " iince the Apoftle's time, whether general or par- 
 u ticular, may err and many have erred, therefore 
 €t they are not to be made the rule of faith or prac- 
 <c tice ; but to be ufed as an help in both, Eph. ii. 
 <; 20 Acts xvii. 11. 1 Cor. ii. 5 2 Cor. i. 24 
 
 Phi/. Pray Sir, for what is all this quotation ? 
 The Reverend Doctor denys not thefe doctrines of 
 our Confeffion ; nor will any minifter, or true mem- 
 ber of this church, refufe them. 
 
 Paul. Good Sir, with your leave, though thefe 
 principles are not exprefly, and flatly, denyed by 
 the molt violent defenders of the act quarrelled in 
 our reprefentation ; yet, I muft fay, and I judge it 
 very neceflary to be faidin the entry of our difpute, 
 that many, both minilters and others, do by their 
 way of reafoning againft us, from the authority of 
 the church, at lead, virtually and practically con- 
 tradict thefe principles. Their words and frame, 
 in their behaviour towards us, can be reduced unto 
 no other principle, but that of implicite faith. And, 
 ^'hen we infilt on this branch of proteftant doctrine, 
 
 and 
 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 127 
 
 and of Chriftian liberty, which, our own Confef- 
 fion acknowledged in thcfe words, Chap. 20. §. 2. 
 " The requiring of an implicite faith, and an abfo- 
 " lute and blind obedience is to deftroy liberty of 
 •' confcience and reafon alfo." we are, fometimes, 
 accofted with this poor empty retortion : do ye pre- 
 tend to be wifer than the Aflembly i Do ye fa up 
 for being infallible ? As if a man could not maintain 
 fuch a judgment of difcretion belonging to him, 
 which he is not to part with to yield a blind obe- 
 dience to any human authority ; without thinking 
 or faying, He is hhnfelf infallible. When a man 
 believes the Confeflion of Faith, as the confeffion 
 of his faith ; is it becaufe of the authority of the 
 church demanding his owning of this as a term of 
 minifterial communion ? I lay, No : But, becaufe 
 after examination, and comparing it with the fcrip- 
 ture, he fees, with his own eyes, That it is fo. If 
 any man has agreed to it otherwife, fo far he has 
 acted the Papift. And, if that fame church mould 
 pafs an aft, wherein truth is concerned : Am I 
 bound to lubmrt to it, ipfofa£io> becaufe it is injoin- 
 ed ? I fay, No ; unlefs, upon examination, I be 
 perfuaded, it be juft and right. If any think other- 
 wife, let them reconcile their opinion with the above 
 received article, and the fcriptu'res quoted to con- 
 firm it, if they can. Now, Doctor, the prefent 
 cafe is plainly this. We own the decrees of coun- 
 cils, general or particular, to be an help in the mat* 
 ters of faith and practice, as our excellent Confef- 
 lion faith, but, not a rule in either of them. Upon 
 this principle, we reafon thus ; we are perfuaded 
 our AfTembly, by their actagainft the Marrow, hath 
 injured fome of the very truths contained in our 
 own Confeffion. This we fay, this we maintain, and 
 as becomes faithful miniiiers of Chrifr, againft this 
 we reclaim, and of this we 'act redrefs by a repre- 
 sentation and petition to the aiTembly it fclf. There- 
 fore if you pleaie, Rev. Sir, you may forbear your 
 threatnings, tor I hope if your reafons do not con- 
 vince 
 
I 28 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 vinceus that we are in the wiong; your thrcatnings 
 fhall never difcourage us from maintaining the cauie 
 of truth, be the rage and refentment of our enemies 
 what it will. This, we are bound unto, as Chrif- 
 tians and minifters, and this I am periuaded all my 
 brethren will firmly adhere unto I hope we have 
 counted the coft \ and, through grace, mail not 
 reckon any thing that we can fuffer in a world, 
 either in our perfon, name, or fecular intereft too 
 dear, that we may fulfill and discharge that truft 
 committed unto us by our great Lord and Mafter 
 Jelus Chrift. 
 
 Gam. Sir, it would be endlefs, to take notice of 
 every thing that occurs in one another's difcourfe. 
 I could lay a great deal more upon what you have 
 juft now advanced, but I choofe rather to go on 
 unco 
 
 The I. head propoied concerning our conduct 
 in this affair-, before you gave in the Reprefen- 
 tation. 
 
 And that I may go to the fpringof this bufinefs: 
 I afk you. Sir, How came Mr. Hog in a preface to 
 the Edinburgh edition of the Marrow of Modern 
 Divinity, and others of you, by other methods, fo 
 earneftlv to recommend that book, without taking 
 notice of thefe dangerous and harfh expreffions in 
 it, which might lead to error, and ftumble the 
 w> -k ? 
 
 Paul. When Mr. Hog and others, recommended 
 the Marrow, they law no more hazard of expreffions 
 in it unto the judicious Chriftian Reader, than 
 MeiTrs Caryl, Burroughs, Strong, <bc. did, who 
 recommended it in more preffing terms. Perhaps, 
 both they and we read it not, indeed with a form- 
 ed defign, to find faults, but to be edified by it, 
 which, if fome unmerciful criticks of our day had 
 done, they would not have given fuch a way to that 
 talent, as to exercife it by disjointing and dilniem- 
 bering of lentences here and there, and torturing 
 them unto a confeffion of thefe errors, which they 
 
 were 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 129 
 
 were refolved, jt feems, to find in the book ; and 
 which, I hope, in the progrefs of our dialogue, 
 fhall be made to appear, are contrary to the Au- 
 thor's fcope, in the quoted places themfelves, as 
 well as, to the whole tenor of his book in other 
 places. 
 
 But now once for all, as to thefe unguarded ex- 
 preffions. Give me leave, Rev. Doctor, to infift a 
 little. Becaule, indeed, this is the objection that is 
 of greateft weight againftour whole conduct in this 
 affair from firft to laft. Know then, that we do own 
 that we fet not up for any human writing, as perfect; 
 There are in the Marrow fome ways of fpeaking, 
 which we would not have chofen on the fame fub- 
 ject •, yet, when they are coniidered and compared 
 with the context, we fee no ground, by any native 
 inference, to fix herefy upon them ; nor do we in 
 the leaft favour thefe errors, which the AfTembly 
 do think are contained in any fuch difmembered 
 paffagesas are fo cenfured : tho' we cannot fee their 
 fenfe of them to have been the author's meaning, or 
 to be agreeable to the context fairly viewed. There 
 are moftly the expreffions of that worthy reformer 
 Martin Luther whom, the learned and holy Ru- 
 therford in his fpiritval antichrift> doth with great 
 diligence vindicate fiom the charge of antinomian- 
 ifm. If the critics of our day had been acted by 
 that fame fpirit, they would have taken things by 
 the right handle, and have endeavoured to con- 
 ftruct: a man's words in a place obfcure, by his 
 known fenfe and fcope. 
 
 ApeL Mr. Paul, I amalmoft lorry you have men- 
 tioned Mr. Rutherford's fpiritnai antichriji \ be- 
 caufe, I heard it openly faid in the AfTembly. That 
 Rutherford in that book fpoke in a quite different 
 flrain about the law than the Marrow did. and that 
 he confuted the antinomians in another manner 
 than the Marrow. 
 
 PhiL That is very true Sir, and therefore Mr. 
 R Paul, 
 
130 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 Paul, know that Rutherford will do you no no fer- 
 vice in this matter. 
 
 Paul Reverend Doctor, if you have Ruther- 
 ford's Jpiritual a ntichriji* — Pray let us fee it. 
 
 Gam, I have the book, and there it is Mr. 
 
 Paul, but, I know not what ufe you would 
 
 make of it now, when we are but upon a prelimi- 
 nary, concerning your conduct before you offered 
 the Representation. 
 
 Paul Reverend Sir, the objection propofed from 
 unguarded expreffions in the Marrow, which might 
 either feem to favour error, as fome will have it, 
 or at leaft, to found harfh ; being, indeed, the 
 flrongeft argument urged againft our ever counte- 
 nancing that book, in the leaft, either before, in, 
 or after our reprefentation ; I judge it moft proper 
 and feafonabie to take it off now And becaufe Mr. 
 Rutherford's memory is favoury to this church, I 
 defire to make fome ufe of his fpiritual anticbrift in 
 this caufe. And here I would offer from that book 
 fome diftinctions which he makes for clearing the 
 meaning of Luther's expreffions, in his works, by 
 which he lhews a truly Chriftian fpirit ; while he 
 attends to a man's fcope for conftrucling his mean- 
 ing, and allows a more obfeure place, to be inter- 
 preted by other places that are more plain ; which 
 favour, or rather common juftice was not allowed 
 to the Marrow. I ihali alfo mention fome few, of 
 the many expreffions quoted by Rutherford out of 
 Luther, which found no lefs, if not more harfh 
 than any that are quoted out of him, in the Mar- 
 row, which yet Rutherford puts a favourable glofs 
 upon. 
 
 Rufus. Pray Sir, do not widen the breach among 
 you, by fuch keenefs in this difpute ; I could hear- 
 tily wifli you would take a fhortex and fofter way 
 or bringing it to a happy conclufion. I am afraid 
 the lengthning out of the debate, by fuch methods, 
 will be of bad confequence. 
 
 Paul 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 131 
 
 Paul. I fee Sir, you look a little dumpifli at my 
 offering to quote Rutherford. Pray, what is the 
 matter ? 
 
 Rufas. Why, Sir, I (hall tell you freely, wh?t 
 makes me concerned ; you know, from the begin- 
 ning, I was much afflicted with thefe differences a- 
 mong you ; and, the particular that I am concern- 
 ed about, when you mention that book of Ruther 
 ford's, is this in ihort, That if you mould produce 
 any quotations of Luther's words, that are harfh, 
 and which Rutherford favourably conftrucls, it will 
 but tempt your antagonists to condemn both Lu- 
 ther and Rutherford, rather than yield to you : 
 And that is more than you would defire, and it 
 will but heighten the ferment among yourfelves, as 
 well as increafe the fcruples of well meaning weak 
 Christians. 
 
 Paul. No, Sir, I would gladly hope for a better 
 effect upon both I would expect rather, that our 
 reverend brethren will conclude thus, That if Lu- 
 ther be orthodox, when quoted for the like, or 
 more harfh expreffions by Rutherford, why fhould 
 he be reckoned heterodox, when quoted in the 
 Marrow ; I hope it will even make fome brethren 
 bethink themfelves, and not utter fuch expreffions 
 as thefe, That the Marrow fhould be burnt y &c. and 
 tli3t for expreffions which they quote from it that 
 are Luther's words. And then, as to people, I hope 
 when they confider the rules Rutherford lays down 
 for understanding of Luther's expreffions, and the 
 candid interpretations, that holy man, puts upon 
 them, they will not be fo much ftumbled at fome 
 of thefe expreiSons in the Marrow, which truly, 
 did in any meafure offend them. And then, Sir, 
 I conceive, what I incline to offer from this book, 
 will really, lay a ftrong foundation, for fome after 
 reafonings upon the caufe it felf. 
 
 Gam. Pray, then, Mr. Paul, let us hear what ufe 
 
 you make of Puitherford to take off the objection 
 
 from the unguarded, or rather, erroneous expref- 
 
 R 2 fions 
 
, 
 
 132 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 fions of the Marrow, for vindicating your condu 
 in recommending it notwithftanding thereof, 
 
 Paul. I (hall read to you the following paffages. 
 
 Confider, Rev. Sir, That Rutherford lays down 
 twelve diftinftions for underflanding Luther's ex- 
 preffions, which are introduced thus, Rutherford's 
 fpiritual antichrift y Pages 86, 87. The ftyle of Lu- 
 ther was according to his fpirit and zeal, hot, hy- 
 perbolic, vehement againft juftificaticm by works, 
 and therefore thefe diftin&ions are to be obferved 
 to clear Luther s mind. 
 
 1. Luther fpeaketh one way of the law, and the 
 works ofc the law, in the matter of juftification, and 
 a far other way of the law and works fimply as they 
 oblige all. 
 
 2. To Luther the law teaching, fquaring, com- 
 manding is one thing 7 and the law in ftrict terms 
 commanding perfection, under higheft eternal pain, 
 and compelling, terrifying, curling, condemning, 
 is another thing. 
 
 3. The law compelling legally, and condemning 
 that it may condemn, is one thing, and the law 
 compelling and condemning materially, not that it 
 may deftroy and condemn, but condemning to the 
 end it may chafe the finner to Chrift, and fave in- 
 tentionally, is a far other thing. 
 
 4. The confeience limply is one thing, and the 
 conscience terrified, crufhed, fhaken with defpair, 
 a far other thing, Luther conftantly taught that 
 the law obligeth the confeience of believers, as well 
 as unbelievers, and yet that the law ought to exer- 
 ciie no dominion over the terrified and affrighted 
 confeience of a believer, to prefs him to defpair. 
 
 5. The law according to Luther hath three fpe- 
 cial ufes 
 
 (1.) That it may reveal fin and wrath, and by 
 this be a pedagogue to lead the finner to Chrift. 
 
 (2.) To be a rule of a holy life. 
 
 (7.) To difcipline and compefce, with the fury 
 and fear of wrath, hypocrites and wicked men, that 
 
 they 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 133 
 
 they may be difciplined externally, and not go with 
 loofe reins after their lufts. 
 
 6. The law in its rigour, as it founds out of the 
 rr.outh of Moles, and is violated, and prefieth us to 
 abfolute obedience out of our own ftrength, with- 
 out a Mediator, or a Mediator's free grace, is to 
 the believer a rough and bloody enemy, and preach- 
 eth bloody tragedies, and craveth and exacteth hard 
 things, but the law as pacified with the blood of a 
 furety, and as it is the fweet breathing of the love 
 of Chrift, through the Spirt, and as it faith walk 
 in love through theilrengthof him that loved you 
 unto death, it is a fweet, warm, kindly, lovely 
 friend, and it leadeth us, being willing. 
 
 7. The law is eternal, the law condemning, forc- 
 ing, curfing a believer is not eternal ; but ceafethto 
 the believer in that bloody office, through the fatis- 
 faction of Chrift. 
 
 8. Luther highly magnifieth good works in them- 
 felves, but as the agent refteth on them with confi- 
 dence, he abafeth them 
 
 9. The law without the Spirit is a poor, thin, 
 livelefs, hopelefs, ufelefs, dead letter : The law a- 
 nimated with the Spirit, and tempered with fome 
 ounces of gofpel-breathings of free grace, concur- 
 reth inftrumentally to convert, quicken, revive us, 
 and to promote falvation. 
 
 10. The law, as it teacheth, directeth, command- 
 eth, obligeth, bindeth to duties for the authority 
 of the law giver, and is ever an active rule to the 
 believer -, and never a paffive thing : But as it con- 
 demneth and curfeth, it is to the believer a mere 
 paffive, and a naked ftandard by, and hath no ac- 
 tivity, nor can it act in that power upon any in 
 Chrift, as the law of Spain is merely paffive in con- 
 demning a free born man dwelling in Scotland. 
 
 11. The binding authority in the law laying on 
 the finner an obligation to do and act. is. different 
 from the binding power of the law to fufferpunifh- 
 ment, for tranfgreffing of the law. The former 
 
 agreeth 
 
134 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 agreeth to the law fimply, as it is a law : The lat- 
 ter agreeth to the law, as it is violated and difobey- 
 ed. 2 The former is eternal, and urgeth the be- 
 liever, unbeliever, before the fall, after the fall, in 
 the life to come, the latter is removed in Chrift, to 
 all thofe that are in Chrifr, for the law fully fatisfi- 
 ed, neither condemneth nor can it condemn to eter- 
 nal fuffering, for Chrift's paffive obedience renov- 
 eth all poffibility of our paffive obedience for tin in 
 a fat is factory xr?,y. 
 
 12. The lawadmonifheth, but helpeth not. 
 Thefe diftincYions, I fincerely think, if duly ap- 
 plied, as Rutherford doth, will indeed clear Lu- 
 ther's boldeft expreffions concerning the law, of the 
 heterodox fenfe fome would put upon them, at 
 leaft, when they have been fo unlucky as to drop 
 into the Marrow, though, perhaps, they might 
 have been found enough elfewhere. 
 
 Cam. Well, Sir, what is all this to the purpofe ? 
 Can you point to any expreffions of Luther's, quot- 
 ed by Rutherford, fo harfli as thefe in the Marrow, 
 which yet Rutherford puts a favourable glofs upon? 
 Paul. I think I can ; and for a fwatch take thefe 
 following : Rutherford's fpiritual Antichrift, page 
 ioo, io r Luther faith, Opus non poteli deceri, niji 
 ladasjidem : Cum files A" opera in re jujl'ficaiionis 
 extreme adverfantur^ it a fit ut dotlrina operurn ne- 
 ceffario fit dotlrina dxmonicrum et difcejjio a fide. 
 Works, faith he, cannot be taught, except ye hurt 
 faith, feeing faith and works in the matter of justi- 
 fication are extremely contrary, fo that the duclrine 
 of works mud necefTarily be a doctrine of devils, 
 and a departure from faith Luther * Lex in Chrif- 
 tianonon debet exccdere limit e s fuos Jed \ tantum domi- 
 nium habere in carnem, quce et eifubjetlafit, et fub 
 ea mane at, hoc uhi fit, lex confiftit intra fuos limit es 
 kx y fi tu vis afcendere in regnum confeientia et ibi 
 dominori (loquitur de covfeientia hominis jujiificatifub 
 tentationibus terrefacla) et earn arguere peccati y et 
 
 guadium 
 
 * Luther ton:. 4« foh 6- 
 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 1 35 
 
 gaudium cordi, tolleres hec prater officium tuum facts. 
 The law in a Chriftian ought not to exceed his 
 bounds, and ought only to have dominion over the 
 flefli, which is iubjeft to it, and remaineth under 
 it. But oh law ! wilt thou invade the confeience 
 and exercife dominion there, and accufe the confei- 
 ence (of a juftified believer none terrified) of fin, 
 and take away the joy of heart, thou doeft this be- 
 yond thy office. Luther, * Dominetnr fane lex in 
 corpus <b veterem faminem, is ft fub lege, hide pra- 
 fcribat lex, quid facer e, quid prefer re debet , cubile 
 enim in quo Chrift us folus qui ej cere & dor mire debet, 
 non contaminet, id eft, novum homhien nuLofuo u/u 
 nut officio perturbet. Therefore, (Luther,) the law 
 hath dominion indeed over the body and the old 
 man, let this man be under the la v 4 let the law 
 prefcribe what he ought to do, what he ought to 
 fuffer, let it not pollute the the chamber in which 
 Chrift only ought to reft and fleep, that is, let it 
 not trouble the new man with its ufe and office. 
 Page 1 08. Luther, f Nunquam peccat homo farribi- 
 lius quam in co articulo 1 in quo incipit legem [entire 
 feu inteitigere. A man (a believer) terrified in con- 
 feience, and under the tlefpairing ^pprehenfions of 
 wrath doth never fin more horribly, than in that 
 article of time, when he beginneth to feel and un- 
 derftand the law, (in its condemning power.) % ]m- 
 poffibile eft Chrift um & legem fimul habit are in corde : 
 Aut enim legem aut Chriftinn <edcre oporiet. Its un- 
 poffible that Chrift and the law can dwell in one 
 foul ; for either muft the law or Chrift yield the 
 one to the other. Page 109, § Summa ars <h fap i en- 
 tia Chriftianorum eft, nefcire legem, ignorare opera 
 <b totam juftiti'.im aclivam, prefertim cum con/cientia 
 lutlatur cum judicio Dei : Sicut extra pepuhim Dei 
 fumma fapicntia eft, nofcere, in/picere, & urgere le- 
 gem, opera 6" atlivam jujiitiam. It is the great fkiil 
 and wifdom of Chriftians to be ignorant cf the law 
 
 and 
 
 * Luther, torn. 1. 128. f Luther, torn. 1. fol. J41. 
 X Luther, torn a< :• J53. § Luther, torn. 4. f. j. 
 
136 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 and works, and of all active righteoufnefs, efpeci- 
 ally when the confcience wreftleth againft the juf- 
 tice of God, as without the church of God, it is 
 the great wifdom of God to know confider, and 
 prefs the law, works and active righteoufnefs. Page 
 no. * Cum confcientia perterrejit lege 9 nee ratio- 
 nem nee legem confulas : Sed jo a gratia ac confo- 
 lationis verbo nitaris: Ibi omino Jic te geras quaji num- 
 quam de lege Dei quicquam audieras : Sed afcendas in 
 tenebraSy ubi rec lex nee ratio lucety fed folum anig- 
 majidei quce ccrto ftatuit te falvari extra is ultra le- 
 gem Eft is lex audienda fed fuo loco is tempore. 
 
 When the confcience is terrified with the law, and 
 wreftleth with the juftice of God> confult neither 
 with natural reafon, nor with the law, but lean 
 only to free *race and the word of confolation, and 
 there thou mayeft behave thyfelf, as if thou hadft 
 never heard any thing of the law of God : There 
 thou mayeft enter in darknefs, where there fhineth 
 neither law nor reafon, but only the mirror of faith, 
 which may fave thee without and beyond the law. 
 
 The law is alfo to be heard in the own time 
 
 and place. Luther * Chrijliano nihil pr or fus negotii 
 effe debet, prafertium in tentatione cum lege is pec- 
 catOy quatenus eft ChriftianuSy eft fupra legem et pec- 
 catemy habet enim in cordo prafentum is inclufum y ut 
 annalus gemmamy Chriftum dominum leges, itaque cum 
 lex earn accufaty peccatum perterre facity intuetur 
 Chriftumy quo , fide apprehenjby habet fe cum vitlorem 
 legis peccati mortis is diabotiy qui illis omnibus impe - 
 rat, ne nocere pojjint. Luther, A Chriftian hath 
 nothing at all to do, efpecially under a temptation, 
 with the law and fin, in lb far as he is a Chriftian 
 he is above the law and fin, for he hath Chrift the 
 Lord of the law inclofed in his heart, as a ring 
 hath a pearl indented in it •, therefore, when the 
 law accufeth him, and fin terrifieth him, he be- 
 holdeth Chrift, who when he is apprehended by 
 faith, he hath with him the conqueror of the law, 
 
 fin, 
 
 # Luther, torn. 4* f« 4°« t Luther, torn. 4« t 46- 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity 137 
 
 fin, death, and hell, who commandeth thefe that 
 they hurt him not. Luther, * Extenuatwnes legis 
 c render Junt ad certan&n confeientia, Extenuations 
 of the law are referred to the conflict of confeience. 
 f Neque jatis viiiter if cdiofe, cum in hoc argument a 
 verjamur, de ea loqui poffumeis y ideo confeientia in 
 ncrc s co^itare 6* nojfe debet, nift u- 
 
 nicw ; ■;, Lie fummis viribus aatiitatur* ut turn 
 
 legem quam Icfigtjftme e conflitlu aljiciat. Nor can 
 we vilely and hatefully enough fpeak of the law in 
 this argument; therefore the confeience in a true 
 conflict, ought to think of, or know nothing but 
 only Chrift, and with all its might endeavour to 
 remove the law as far as can be, from the conflict. 
 % Extra locum juftiftcationis deb 'emu s , cum Paulo re- 
 ver enter J entire de >ege & earn Jummis laudibus eve- 
 here, appellate Janclum y bonam^Jpiritualem, divenunu 
 aebemus extra confeientiam faccre ex ea Deum, in con- 
 feientia vero eji vero Diabolus. Setting afide the cafe 
 of juftirication, we ought with Paul to think reve- 
 rently of the law, and extol it with great praifes, 
 as holy, good, juft, fpiritual, divine, and when the 
 law is out of the confeience we are to make a God 
 of it, but in the conicienee its the devil. Page 1 13. 
 Luther, § Non enimferam te (0 lex) tyr annum du- 
 rum h crudelem exatlorem in confeientia mea regnare; 
 fiquidem ea fedes eft <b templum Chriftijilii Dei. Lu- 
 ther, The tempted is to lay, I cannot endure thee, 
 O law, a rigorous tyrant, and a cruel exactor, to 
 reign in my confeience, for it is the feat and temple 
 of Chrift the Son of God. Page 124. Luther # Re 
 vera quicquid de Chrifto ipfo dicitur, mox de quolibet 
 ejus membro vivo & propria dicitur. Luther, What- 
 ever is faid of Chrift, may be faid of every living 
 and true member of his : fo every Chriftian is a 
 lamb, juft, holy, a rock, a foundation. Page 124. 
 Luther, f Vita Chrijliani non eft ipfiu$>fed Chriftiiri 
 S eo 
 
 * Luther, torn. 4. 117. f Luth. torn. 4. f. i83. 
 t Luther torn. 4. f. n.j 4 § Luther torn. 4. f- 6. 
 * Luther tern. 1. f. 23^. f Luther torn. 1. f. 43 *> 
 
138 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 ee viventis. The life of a Chriftian or a believer, is 
 not his own, but the life of Chrift living in him. 
 lb. * Chriflianus eft Jilius Dei, he res regni, f rater 
 Chrifli, focius angelorum, dominus mundi, particeps 
 divina nature. A Chriftian is the Son of God, heir 
 of the kingdom, brother of Chrift, a fellow of an- 
 gels, lord of the world, partaker of the divine na- 
 ture, lb. f Luther, Chriflianus non vivit, non lo- 
 quitur , non operatur, non patitur, Jed Chriftus in eo, 
 omnia opera ejus fitut opera Chrifti, tarn ineftimabilis 
 eft gratia fidei. Luther, The Chriftian man liveth. 
 not, fpeaketh not, acteth nothing, fuffereth no- 
 thing, but Chrift in him, all his works are the 
 works of Chrift, fo invaluable and incomparable 
 is the grace of faith, lb. i Luther, Tunc Jiunt bona 
 opera quando Deus ipfe folus actotaliter eafacit in no- 
 bis, ut operis nulla pars ad nos petineat. Then are 
 good works done when God himlelf only, and 
 wholly doth them in us, fo that no part of them 
 belongeth to us. lb. § Chriftus ergo (inquit Paulus) 
 Jic inharens 6" conglutinatus mihi, banc vitam, quam 
 ego, vivit in me, imo vita qua fie vivo, eft Chriftus 
 ipfe : Itaque Chriftus & ego jam unum in hac parte 
 fumus. Chrift therefore, faith Paul, fo remaining 
 in, and glewed to me, liveth in me, the life that I 
 live, yea, the life by which I live, is Chrift himfelf, 
 therefore Chrift and I am one in this part or re- 
 fpecl: ; then we are not one (imply, lb. * Luther, 
 Fide homo fit Deus, 2 Pet. i. A man by believing be- 
 cometh God, 2 Pet. i. lb. \ Verum eft hominem Dei 
 gratia adiuntum plus quiddam 6* Augufticrem ej/e 9 
 quam hominem, at que adeo gratia Dei ipfum deform* 
 em reddit, 6* quaj/i deificat, ut fcriptura ipfum domi- 
 num 6* Dei fiiium vocet. It is true, a man helped 
 by the grace of God is more, yea and more excel- 
 lent then a man, and therefore the grace of God 
 
 maketh 
 
 * Luther, torn. 1. f. 106. fome fay, torn. 4. f Luth. 
 ton* 4. f. 438, % Luther, torn. 4- f 59. % Luther 
 
 tojii-4. f. 65. * Luther torn. 4. f- is* t Luther torn. 
 i'f'353* 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 13 
 
 [ maketh him of the form of God, and, as it were, 
 Goddeth him, fo the (cripture calleth him, the 
 I Lord, and Son of God. 
 
 Thefe expreffions (many of which, I do acknow- 
 
 I ledge found harfh) the holy Rutherford candidly 
 
 conftru&s and interprets according to Luther's 
 
 ; known fentiments and agreeably unto his fcope : he 
 
 \ doth not run them down with hard words, and un- 
 
 \ charitable conftruclions, as fome do thefe harfh ex- 
 
 f preffions quoted from him in the Marrow, but puis 
 
 a favourable fenfe upon them, in th^ following 
 
 ► words, Spiritual Antichrijl, page 126. * But Luther 
 
 : exponeth himfelf in what fenfe he meaneth Chrift 
 
 and a believer is one, and a believer is God, and as 
 
 ; it were Chrifted, to. wit, in regard of the union of 
 
 the grace of faith, and the marriage between a be- 
 
 I liever and Chrift, and the legal intereft that the bro- 
 
 ; ken man hath in Chrift his furety, and of the new 
 
 1 birth, fo faith Luther, A fides eji res omnipotens 6" 
 
 i virtus ejus ineflimabilis, & injinita. Faith is an om- 
 
 1 nipotent thing, and the povrer thereof unvaluable 
 
 and infinite. Now faith is not Chrifted nor Gcded, 
 
 with the infinite effence of God or Chrift, no more 
 
 * is a believer. You may yet fee more expreffions of 
 
 this kind, page 127. £>ucecunque peccata ego <b tu, 
 
 nosomes (eletlij fecimus i? infuturumfacicmus, tarn 
 
 propria funt Chrifli, quamfi ea ipfe fecejjet. What 
 
 ever fins, I, or thou, or we all have done, or lhali 
 
 hereafter do, are as proper Chrift's fins, as if he 
 
 himfelf had done them. //?. f Pius nihil faciendo 
 
 facit omnia j 6* faciendo omnia nihil facit. Luther, 
 
 The believer in doing nothing, but believing in his 
 
 furety, doth all things, and in doing all things, in 
 
 Chrift doth nothing. Page 128. J Luther, Homo 
 
 cum fiducia pofft glonari in Chrfto & dicer e. Meunt 
 
 eft, quod Chriftus vixit, egit, dixit, paffus eft, mor- 
 
 tuus eji, non Jicus quam fi ego ilia vixijfein, egiffem, 
 
 S 2 dixiffem, 
 
 * Luther, torn. 4. f. 74. f Luther, torn. 4. f. 471. ia 
 Pfal. 117. Luther, torn. 1. f. 178, 
 
140 • A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 dixejjem, paffiis effem y mortuus ejjem, ficut fponfus ha- 
 bet omnia qua Junt fpovJt t omnia enimfunt communla 
 titriufque : Sunt enim una caro : Ita Chrijius^b ecde- 
 Jiafunt units Spiritus. A man in faith may glory in 
 Chrift, and fay, it is mine that Chrift lived, did, 
 faid, fuffered, died, no otherwifc then if I had liv- 
 ed, done, fpoken, fuffered, died, as the bridegroom 
 hath all the brides, and the bride all the bride- 
 grooms, for all are common to both, they are one 
 flefh, fo Chrift and his church are one Spirit. Page 
 132. * Luther, Impojftble ejl ut peccetjilius Dei qui- 
 cunque, tametfi verum eft, quod peccat : Sedquiaig- 
 nofcotur ei ideo vero etiam peccans, non peccat, It is 
 unpoffible that a Son of God fliould fin, though 
 it be true, that he fin, but becaufe his fin is pardon- 
 ed, therefore when he truly fins he fins not. Page 
 135. f Luther, Hoc quod vere peccatum eft contra 
 legem j lex pro peccat $ non pot eft accufare in pits. Lu- 
 ther, That which is truly fin againft the law, the 
 Jaw cannot accufe as fin in the godly. Page 138. % 
 Evangelium eft predicatio de Chrifto, quod remmit tat 
 peccatum, donet gratiam % jujlificet fajalvit peccatores 
 Quod autem prcecepta in evangelio reperiuntur, ifta 
 non funt evangelium, fed expofitiones & apendices ct 
 vangelii. Luther, The preaching of Chrift, that 
 he pardons fin, gives grace, juftifies and faves fin- 
 ners. Whereas there are commandments in the 
 gofpei, they are not gofpei, but expofitions of the 
 law, and confequences of the gofpei. 
 
 Now, R.ev. Doctor, upon thefe quotations, and 
 many others of the fame nature. I offer the fol- 
 lowing considerations. 
 
 1. I do freely acknowledge, that many of thefe 
 cxpreffions do not only found harfh ; but have been 
 improven by antinominians, familifts, and others \ 
 to countenance their grofs and abominable tenets. 
 
 2. Neverthelefs, the learned and holy Ruther- 
 ford, confidering Luther's fcope from the tenor of 
 
 his 
 
 * Luther torn. i. f. 305* f Luther torn. 4. f. 17a- 
 Luther torn- 4.51. 
 
\>-row of Modern Divinity. 141 
 
 his writings clears tun of thefe errors, which his 
 expreflions might Teem to favour. 
 
 3. Ih this be allowed in Rutherford's quotations 
 from Luther, I fee not why it fhould not be allow- 
 ed in thefe quotations from Luther, by the honour- 
 able, pious, and learned author of the Marrow, 
 whofe evident and declared icope is to retute atiti- 
 nomianifm ; and who never fpeaks one word, that, 
 in the leaft. feems to bear down the law, but in 
 the c<\i^ of juftiheation.. as Luther does, which will 
 be fully cleared in our progrefs. And therefore, 
 if the Marrow be juftly condemned, becaufe of fuch 
 expreflions and quotations, may not Rutherford's 
 book, who quotes more of the fame kind, and puts 
 favourable gloffes on them, be as juftly difcarded, 
 which I hope few minifters of Scotland will adven- 
 ture upon. 
 
 Now, Sir, I inc 1 ine not, at this time to infift on 
 particulars, becaufe there may be occafion of fur- 
 ther ufe for referring to fome of thefe quotations, 
 when, in our conferences, we came to the particu- 
 lar errors you charge on the Marrow : But, this, I 
 think, may, mean time, fatisfy, to fhew you that 
 we are not fo much to be blamed for the recom- 
 mending a book, which we judged fo ufeful, and 
 edifying notwithstanding of expreflions in it which 
 found harm, and may be mifconftrucled by the iri- 
 advertant or prejudiced reader. In a word then, 
 R.ev. Sir, Mr. Hog and others had the freedom to 
 recommend the Marrow, becaufe they judged it an 
 edifying performance, wherein, the author, with e- 
 minent fkill, and digefted experience, brings toge- 
 ther a bundle of the moft precious truths of the 
 gofpel, collected, chiefly, from the writings of oor 
 eminent reformers, and other renouned divines, and 
 difpofed in a plain and familiar method. In ihort, 
 they found in it, the law and gofpel clearly explain- 
 ed and diftinguifhed ; Chrift highly exalted, free 
 grace, ftrenuoufly pleaded ; and divine juftice in 
 God's way of difplaying that grace evidently mani- 
 
 fefted ; 
 
124 <A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 fefted ; precious faith, which (as the author ex- 
 prefTeth it) " is a coming to Chrift ; a believing in 
 rl him, apprehending his righteoufnefs, apprehen- 
 <c ding him in the promife, receiving him, &c." 
 (as fhall be more clearly opened when we come to 
 particulars) evidently explained, and pathetically 
 prefled : The law as a covenant of works, and in 
 the cafe of justification, difcarded, and yet, as a 
 rule of life, and in the cafe of fanctification, highly 
 honoured and magnified ; and, holinefs of life in- 
 culcated from the ftrongeft motives. And, in a 
 word, they found it a book full of precious truths, 
 regularly methodized, plainly and familiarly expref- 
 fed, clearly inftructed, warmly prefled, and through 
 the whole, fweetly confirmed by fuch a (train of pi- 
 ety, as declares the author to have had much expe- 
 rimental feeling of thefe truths on his own foul. 
 Thefe confiderations moved Mr. Hog and others, 
 to recommend that book. Nor was this unprece- 
 dented in this church ; for, I am well informed by 
 a worthy minifter, that the Rev. Mr. Ofburn, late 
 profeiior of divinity at Aberdeen, recommended the 
 Marrow of Modern Divinity, as one of four l^ooks 
 to fix his fcholars in true notions of the fundamen- 
 tal principles of religion : And, this, my informer 
 told me, he had from one of Mr. Ofburn's own 
 fcholars, who (hewed him the lift he had taken 
 from that worthy man's own mouth, viz the Con- 
 feflion of Faith, and Larger and Shorter Catechifms, 
 Vincent's Catechifm, Pareus on Urfin, and the Mar- 
 row of Modern Divinity. I have alfo been credibly 
 informed of fome minifters of this church, who be- 
 fore P. Hadow furnifhed them with a critical micro- 
 fcope, profefled to feverals their high efteem of the 
 Marrow, and not only, that they themfelves were 
 edified by it ; but that they had recommended it 
 earneftly to fome exercifed fouls, with defireable 
 fuccefs. 
 
 Gam. But, Sir, when it came to be more nar- 
 rowly fearched into, by a committee for purity of 
 
 doctrine, 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 143 
 
 doctrine, and tabled before the Aflembly, as a book 
 fluffed with dangtrous errors ; why did you not, 
 then, make fuch an appearance as now ycdo, when 
 it would have been more feafonable, and probably, 
 more fuccefsful, than now it can be expected, when 
 the aft condemning it is paft. 
 
 Paul. I need only to narrate plain fact to fet this 
 matter in a clear light, and to juiiify the conduct 
 of fuch of the reprefenters as had accefs to fpeak in 
 the Aflembly. Know then, Rev. Sir, that fome 
 P. Zealots for condemning the Marrow, were pleaf- 
 ed, no doubt, for their own ends, to bring it unto 
 the critical inquifition of the committee, appointed 
 by the commiffion for purity of doctrine ; that this 
 committee brought v the draught of the' condem- 
 natory act, per faltum, to the committee of over- 
 tures, without, firft, offering it to the commiffion, 
 who were their immediate condiments, as they ought 
 to have done ; that the committee of overtures trans- 
 mitted it to the Aflembly ; that the Aflembly re- 
 mitted it to a committee of the whole houfe, to meet 
 at five o'clock in the afternoon, where any minifter 
 was allowed to fpeak; that the moderator appear- 
 ed not till after fix, which, fome think, was, not 
 without particular management, and for obvious 
 reafons, difcovered by the event ; that, at that com- 
 mittee, when fome offered to clear the quarrelled 
 paflages, by comparing them with the context, and 
 other places which ipoke more fully on thefe heads, 
 that piece of common juftice, for clearing the au- 
 thor's meaning was denied ; that, when (ome pro- 
 pofed to compare the quotations with the icripture 
 and Confeflion of Faith, it was told in the commit- 
 tee, that it was needleis to do fo, feeing it behoved 
 to be done again in the Aflembly, and yet, it was 
 not done in the Aflembly, though the act runs in 
 terms importing that it was ; that many of- the mem- 
 bers were deceived by thinking the titles prefixed to 
 the feveral heads of paffages were expreflions in the 
 Marrow, which yet they are not •, but erroneous po- 
 rtions, 
 
144 d Dialogue concerning the 
 
 fitions, which the framers of the act pretend to fix 
 on it but without juft reafon, as ihail be made to 
 appear in due time ; that many do aver that not 
 one of ten of the members read the Marrow, far 
 lefs compared the paffages and quotations before 
 they voted its condemnation, that many members ne- 
 ver faw the book, but in the hands of others before 
 that time, and that it was but in a very few hams 
 at the Affembly ; that fome of the reprefenters who 
 were members of that Affemhly, do declare they faw 
 the AiTembly in fuch a hurry that they could make 
 no deliberate judgment, and therefore were alto- 
 gether ii'ent then, but when they came deliberately 
 to view what was done, they were convinced the 
 Affembly had wounded truth., and could not with- 
 hold their teftimony againft that deed ; that others 
 of them, who before that time, were better ac- 
 quainted with the book, and did offer to fpeak, 
 were run down with an impetuous humour, which 
 prompted the chief leader* and followers unto a 
 precipitant condemnation of that book, in fuch ab- 
 solute terms, as, perhaps, wants a parallel, as to 
 any book that ever was condemned in any ecclefiaf- 
 tical judicatory ; that this affair, was not fuffered 
 deliberately to ly on the table, to be conlidered at 
 other diets, but furreptitioufly brought in to the 
 Affembly at a diet, which by a former refolution 
 of the Affembly, was publicly intimated to be fet 
 apart for another affair ; by which little trick of the 
 plotters againit the Marrow, foine, who would have 
 appeared for it, were entirely difappointed, and o- 
 thers baulked, who but very traniiently got notice 
 of that matter's being at that time brought into the 
 Affembly ; though what teftimony they then gave 
 for truth was not barkened unto, fo violent was the 
 opposition to it, through the inceffant but ground- 
 lefs calumnies of fome, which were but too readily 
 entertained by others, without due examination. 
 Now, Sir, what could have been done in luch a 
 cafe, more than what was done by the reprefenters 
 
 who 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 145 
 
 who were prefent. And, becaufc they were, then 
 run down by force ; mall they now be filent ? I 
 heartily wifh a found conviction to all who have ei- 
 ther by miitake, orotherwife condemned (ome pre- 
 cious truths of the gofpel together with that book, 
 and have endeavoured to blaft what God has fo e- 
 minently bleft for the edification and confolation of 
 many fouls, both before, and lince the AfTembly's 
 act. 
 
 Cam. Sir, I think it ftrange you fhould talk fo 
 unaccountably of the Afiembly. Were not the 
 condemned paflages read ? And are they not fo e- 
 vidently wrong that every member muft needs have 
 been convinced, at firft view, that they were con- 
 trary, both to fcripture, and to the Confeffion of 
 Faith, without the pains of comparing them. 
 
 Paul. Rev. Doctor, Grant they had thought fo; 
 will this juftiry the terms in which the aft runs, 
 which import that thefe paffages and quotations were 
 compared with the fcripture and Confeffion of Faith 
 which yet was net done ? But then, it is fo much 
 the worfe, when we confider that the framers of that 
 act have fo far miftaken their meafures, as to quote 
 paflages of fcripture, and of the Confeffion, which 
 not only contain nothing to the purpofe, but do 
 make againft that for which they are adduced ; as 
 fhall be made appear in its proper place, when we 
 come to examine that act in every article thereof, 
 as I hope we are refolved to do in the courfe of 
 our conferences. At the time, I (hall only add, 
 that the paflages are fo difmembered, that, accord- 
 ing to chat way of treating a book; no book is fate, 
 no net the Bible itfelf. To give but an inftance. 
 How unaccountable would it be to quote that fcrip- 
 ture, Rom. vi. 17. *' But God be thanked ye were 
 " the fervantsof fin," — and to ft op there, and draw 
 fuch an inference as this from it, u That Paul was 
 " fo well pleafed with their being the fervants of 
 
 " fin that he blefied God for it." Would not 
 
 this be an iniuriour reflection en that holy Apoftle, 
 T and 
 
146 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 and on the Spirit of God by whofe infpiration he 
 wrote, and do not the following words, viz, " But 
 c< ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doc- 
 u trine which was delivered you/* make the Apo- 
 ftle's fcope plain and clear. I fhall give but one in- 
 flance at this time, of a like treatment of the Mar- 
 row, defigning to fhew it, in more, afterwards. To 
 fix the charge of univerfal atonement and pardon 
 on the Marrow. Page 119. is quoted, and the Mar- 
 row's comment on that fcripture, Matth. xvi. 1 7. 
 <c Go and preach the gofpel to every creature under 
 cc heaven," (wich falls in page 120.) is curtailed to 
 fix the heterodox fenfe upon it For, the act quotes 
 no more but thefe words, i. e. " Go and tell every 
 u man without exception that here is good news 
 u for him Chrift is dead for him," — -and adds not, 
 as the Marrow does. * c And if he will take him 
 u and accept of his righteoufnefs, he fhall have 
 u him." They are the words of a known ortho- 
 dox writer, Dr. Prefton on faith 
 
 Gam. But, Sir, the addition makes nothing to 
 the purpofe ; For, the paffage as quoted by the Af- 
 fembly makes it evident that the Marrow maintains 
 an univerfal redemption as to purchafe. 
 
 Paul. What immediately "follows clears him of 
 this corrupt glofs. Therefore, (faith a godly writer) 
 (t for as much as the holy fcripture fpeaketh to all 
 u in general, none of us ought to diftruft himfelf, 
 c< but believe that it doth belong particularly to him- 
 Cl felf." By which words, it is plain, the author ne- 
 ver dreamed of an univerfal redemption as to pur- 
 chafe, but only of fuch an improvement of the uni- 
 verfal offer as might warrant every man to come to 
 Chrift for falvation, which he could not do, if he 
 fhould have no belief that he died for him. Ne- 
 verthelefs, the author is plain and pointed in many 
 places, upon the doctrine of particular election, as 
 in the very firft paragraph of his epiftle in thefe 
 words, " Jefus Chrift the fecond Aaam did as a 
 €i common perfou enter into covenant with God his 
 
 " Father, 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 1 47 
 
 " Father, N. B. For all the elca." And he is 
 
 no lefs particular and pointed on the head of con- 
 demnation and reprobation, as in the very next page 
 after the paffages quoted by the Aflembly — Page 
 I2i. in thefe words, Evang t€ I befech you to con- 
 11 fider that although fome men, N. B. be ordained 
 " to condemnation •, yet, fo long as the Lord hath 
 tf concealed their names, and not fet N. B. a mark 
 " of reprobation upon any man in particular, but 
 i( offers the pardon generally to all without having 
 u any refpect, either to election or reprobation, 
 c< furely it is great folly in any man to fay it may be 
 " I am not elected, and therefore fhall not have be- 
 " nefit by it . Does not this make the man's fcope plain 
 and clear ? And, to make it more evident •, fee his 
 comment on the forecited fcripture, page 123. " Go 
 (faith Chrift) " and preach the gofpel to every 
 cc creature under heaven, i. e. Go tell every man 
 w without exception, whatfoever his fins be, what- 
 " foever his rebellions be, that, N. B. if he will 
 " come in, I will accept of him, his fins fhall be 
 
 " forgiven him, and he lhall be faved.'' Now, 
 
 Rev. Doctor, it was not allowed, by the Aflembly, 
 to thefe who offered to vindicate the Marrow, to 
 turn a leaf or a page, or to read the context to clear 
 his fenfe, and therefore, Sir, allow me to fay, the 
 dead faint fuffered as well as the truth by that ma- 
 nagement. I could make this matter yet more plain 
 in this fame, and other initances, but thefe will come 
 in more natively afterwards. 
 
 Phil. Hold, Mr. Paul, you have forgot your 
 
 felf, you are too far upon the caufe ; but, pray 
 Sir, how can you account for the manner of your 
 feeking redrels, though you had thought truth in- 
 jured. 
 
 Rufus. I am of your mind, Mr. Philologus, for, 
 not now to dip into the caufe, 1 am perfuaded this 
 was a wrong ftep. 
 
 ApeL And I do acknowledge, that the only thing 
 
 wherein I find a difficulty to defend Mr. Paul and 
 
 T 2 his 
 
148 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 his brethren, is with refpecl: to their conduct in 
 managing this matter in the way of public remon- 
 ftrance •, for otherwile, I am perfuadcd they are ia 
 the right. 
 
 Gallio. Gentlemen, lam in pain to hear how Mr. 
 Paul will extricate himfelf on that head. 
 
 Gam. You fee Mr. Paul, the whole company, e- 
 ven your favourites feem to be fenfible, you have 
 made a wrong ftep in this matter, and that you 
 have not had fuch a tender regard into the peace of 
 the church, as you ought to have had. 
 
 Paul. I find you have all pelted me, in your turn, 
 upon this article of expediency ; though, fome of 
 your hands have been fofter than other9. And in- 
 deed, if things were always right or wrong by vote, 
 I find I would loofe this point in this company ; but 
 I befeech you all to hear me patiently, and I hope 
 to fay fome things that may, at leaft, foften you on 
 this head too. 
 
 Gam. Pray fay on, we wait with all attention. 
 
 Paul. Well then, Mr. Gamaliel, fuppofing for 
 once, that we judged right, That the Affembly's 
 acT: had injured truth, as we are perfuaded we have 
 done : Can any fet of particular brethren or any 
 inferior judicatory, mend that matter ? Can any o- 
 ther courfe, but an other affembly recognofce or 
 refcind the acts of a former ? 
 
 Gam. I grant, they cannot ; but I cannot ima- 
 gine what you are to draw from that concef* 
 lion. 
 
 Paul. Why, then Sir, it is plain the matter be- 
 hoved at length to be laid before the Affembly by 
 fome brethren or other. 
 
 Phil. True, Sir, but why did you not take the 
 advice of fome leading men, who might have got 
 this matter better managed, and if there was any 
 thing wrong in the aft, have got it explained : But 
 nothing, it feems, would pleafe you, and your bre- 
 thren, but to fet your felves, as a party againft the 
 whole church. 
 
 Paul 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity, 149 
 
 Paul. Ay, Mr. Philologus, there lyes the grer.t 
 error indeed, fay you, and fiifch as are led into 
 your way pf thinking. A certain lit of leading 
 men, who, fome think, take more upon them than 
 comes to their lliare, muft be con nil ted in v very 
 thing that comes before an aflembly. I muft teli 
 vou plainly, we had very good reafon to hav 
 thin? to do with thefe men in this caufe, after that 
 manner, if it were but for this one good reafon, that 
 they are parties. 
 
 Phil. If that be a good reafon, Sir, why did you 
 apply to the Aflembly. The Aflembly condemned 
 the book, and you a£k the Aflembly to repeal their 
 own aft. 
 
 Paul. You miftake it, Sir, afucceeding aflembly 
 has power to repeal an aft of a former ; nor are 
 they to be accounted parties as an Aflembly, becaufe 
 generally the members are different, except fome 
 leading men, who are always members, which 
 makes them parties indeed. 
 
 Gam. Why, Mr. Paul, thefe leading men are very 
 wife good men, and it is owing to their juft merit 
 that they have fuch great influence, and if you truly 
 expected to get your defign accomplifhed, it was the 
 moft prudent part you could have afted to have got 
 them on your fide, for then your bufinefs was done 
 effectually ; you may depend on it I am right. But 
 now, that you have neglected this prudential me- 
 thod, thefe men, you may aflure yourfelf, will be 
 mortal enemies to your caufe 
 
 Paul. But what if the confulting them in fome 
 cafes, may be found to be the way to fet their fage 
 heads a plotting ways and means to mar, or at leait 
 to delay, a matter of moment ? And we had good 
 ground to look for this in the prefent cafe, especi- 
 ally, confidering that thefe men you fpeak of, were 
 the great promoters of the aft condemning the 
 Marrow. And I aflure you, the credit or the 
 church, or, in other terms, their own, who are 
 the great managers of our church affairs, fits a lit- 
 tle 
 
1 5° A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 tie nearer to them, than to make them entertain 
 the leaft thought of yielding to repeal, what was 
 enacled through their means. 
 
 Gam. But, Sir, do not you know what is com- 
 monly retorted upon you, when you fpeak thus dif- 
 refpe&iyely of thefe leading men, That you are on- 
 ly offended that you have not the fame power of 
 management, and that thefe complaints are but the 
 fruit of pride and envy. 
 
 Paul. 1 know very well, Sir, that is commonly 
 faid, but how juftly or wifely let the impartial world 
 judge. I know alfo that this is thought to be one 
 of the moft effectual engines to flop our mouths, 
 when we offer to open them upon this ungrate- 
 ful fubjecl:. But, Sir, I hope we have a tefti- 
 mony within our breafts that we deteft fuch a bafe 
 defign. We do indeed think our profeffed principle 
 of parity fhould oblige us unto a more equal manner 
 of adminiftration, and that no man, howfoever qua- 
 lified, mould grafp at more than comes to his (hare, 
 which, is as clear as the fun at mid-day, thefe do, 
 who take care to have themlelves for the moft part, 
 and many of them without interruption, conliant 
 members of Affemblies and coramiffions, though 
 others, nothing inferior to them, are overlooked. 
 And by fuch methods, they are become too big for 
 the Affembly itfelf to controul. 
 
 Phil. Mr. Paul, you had as good let that fubjecl: 
 alone. You, and fuch of your brethren as are like 
 minded, have been thefe many years nibbling at 
 thefe leading men, and quarrelling the constitution 
 of the commiffion and fuch like things •, but you 
 may as well rufhyour head upon a brazen wall and 
 not break it, as think to get that matter otherways. 
 I fee it diverts you from the argument. 
 
 Paid. I acknowledge it has carried me a little out 
 of the way, but I hope not far \ and, to return, I 
 mull: tell you, in fhort gentlemen, we concluded, 
 after this manner was fully reafoned among our- 
 felves, that the communing with thefe leading men, 
 
 would 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 151 
 
 would either quite mar, or at lead: retard our bufi- 
 nefs: And if you think the reafons I have advanced 
 be not iufficient, the worft you can make of it is, 
 that we have been guilty of an efcape in point of 
 expediency; which, fure, in a matter of fuch mo- 
 ment, might be candidly conftrued, without all 
 thefe harfh words, of throwing dirt in our mother's 
 face, and fuch like. « 
 
 Gain. But, Sir, if you had not freedom to im- 
 part your mind unto thefe whom you call leading 
 men, and whom you looked on as parties ;' yet why- 
 did you not advife with a great many other brethren 
 through the land ? Why aid not you confult with 
 your refpeftive presbyteries and fynods ? Why did 
 you not endeavour to get this matter brought into 
 the aiTembly, by a regular application of thefe radi- 
 cal judicatories, in their inftructions to an enfuing 
 Aflembly ? I am very fure, Mr. Paul, I have gird- 
 ed you pretty hard here 
 
 Paid. I heartily thank you, Sir, for your free- 
 dom ; and I do acknowlege what you have now ad- 
 vanced, is the moft plauiible argument againft the 
 manner of our managenent, (though nothing at all 
 againft the caufe itfelf ) that I have. yet heard. Ne- 
 verthelefs, I hope to offer fome things that may fa- 
 tisfy on this head. 
 
 Apel, I heartily wifh you may Sir ; for however 
 I am firmly of your opinion, as to the fubftance of 
 your Rcprefentation, yet Mr. Gamaliel has propof- 
 ed a difficulty, as to your conduct, that I confefs, 
 gravels me not a little, and I am very much ftrait- 
 ned to reconcile thefe neglects of inferior judicato- 
 ries, withthat juft regard you certainly owed to them. 
 However, gentlemen, though I am entirely of Dr. 
 Gamaliel's opinion, yet I muft fay, the neglect is 
 not ianiiy if Mr. Paul mould be able to ftand his 
 ground as to the main caufe. And further, though 
 I do acknowledge, it is, in ordinary cafes, the regu- 
 lar method of procedure, to afcend by all thefe fteps 
 to the fuperior judicatory, yet I know not what par- 
 ticular 
 
152 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 ticular circumftances might have been in this cafe, 
 or what impediments might lye in the way, with re- 
 flect to fome of the reprefenting brethren. Mr. 
 Paul can certainly fatisfy us beft in that matter, and 
 I would be glad to hear him. 
 
 Gallio. Before Mr. Paul enter on this fubject, 
 may I be allowed to fpeak one word ; it is for my 
 information, for I am much a ftranger to thefe 
 fubjects, or to your church managements. Pray 
 tell me then, Rev. doctor, is no matter brought be- 
 fore your AiTembly, but what is firft tabled before 
 your inferior judicatories, for I thought this was 
 the import of your objection, if I took you right 
 
 Gam. Hark ye, Sir, thefe things that are compe- 
 tent for presbyteries and fynods to judge in, and 
 to determine prima inftantia y come not regularly 
 before the AiTembly, but by appeal of parties who 
 judge themfelves lefed, or by reference of the judi- 
 catory itfelf for advice or decilion. Thefe things 
 that concern the whole church, and wherein the af- 
 fembly only can determine, even prima inftantia^ 
 may be brought before them, either by inftructions 
 to members of prefbyteries and fynods, or by appli- 
 cations from thefe judicatories, by addrefles or pe- 
 titions ; or they may be propofed by any member of 
 acommitee of overtuies. Petitions alio even from 
 particular perfons may be offered to a committee of 
 bills, who judge if they fhould be rejected or tranf- 
 mitted to the AiTembly. But this hits not the pre- 
 fent cafe; for in a matter of fuch confequence, they 
 fhould have obferved the regular fteps. 
 
 Apel But, Sir, what you have faid in anfwer to 
 Mr. Galho's quefiion, puts me in mind of another. 
 When a prefbytery gives inftructions to their com- 
 miflioners ; are the commiffioners fure to have thefe 
 inftructions laid before the AfTembly ? 
 
 Gam. I expected no other thing of Mr. Gallio, 
 but an utter unacquaintednefs with our matters ; 
 yet I did not think you, who take fo much upon 
 vou fometimes to pafs your judgment, perhaps 
 
 rafhlv 
 
Alar row of Modern Divinity, 153" 
 
 rafhly enough, upon our management of kirk af 
 fairs, fhould be fuch a ftranger to our methods of 
 conduct in thefe things, as to afk fuch a queftion. 
 Apel. What if you miftake me, Sii* ; a man does 
 not always afk a queftion, becaufe he does not know 
 how to anfwer it, nor is this to be accounted indifcreet 
 in the querift. What if I propofed that queftion 
 to make way for ibmething to be inferred from 
 your anfwer ; for I confefs it hath fuggefted fome- 
 thing to me, that did not occur when I fpoke a 
 little before, Therefore if you pleafe, reverend 
 Sir you may anfwer my queftion, or if you think 
 that any trouble to you, I fhall tell you freely what 
 I have obferved on this head. And you will ihew 
 me if I be right. 
 
 Gam. Say on then, Mr. Apelles, and anfwer 
 your own queftion in the beft way you can. 
 
 rfpel. Well, Sir, as I take it, the common prac- 
 tice is this. Every presbytery may give inftruciions 
 to their commiflioners, fome do, and fome do not. 
 The AfTembly appoints a pretty large committee to 
 receive thefe inftructions ; and the leading men are 
 fure to be members of that committee. The in- 
 ftruclions are all received, and read, and fubcom- 
 mitted to be clafied. Sometimes they are never more 
 heard of. If any competent number of prefbyte- 
 ries happen to jump into the fame overture, and it 
 be agreeable to the managers, it is then brought 
 into the committee of overtures, and fo to the Af- 
 fembly ; but if it happen not to relifh with their 
 palate, it is tofled a little in the committee of in- 
 flections, and thrown out of doors. If the in- 
 ftruc~lions of presbyteries happen to ftand alone by 
 themfelves, they are commonly neglected after the 
 firft reading, unlefs fome one or other of them hap- 
 pen to fuit the tafte of thefe principal men. So 
 much for inflections : Am I right, Mr. Gama- 
 liel. 
 
 Gam. I cannot fay you are much out of the way 
 
 in point ot faft, only I obferve you have an ill-na- 
 
 U tured 
 
1 54 d Dialogue concerning the 
 
 tured way of telling the frory. But now be it as 
 you fay, what is it, good Mr. Apelles, that you in- 
 fer from this to our prefent purpofe ? 
 
 JpeL Why, Sir, that is very plain, what if thefe 
 brethren obferving this to be the common practice 
 with inftrudtions from presbyteries, did judge, that 
 tabling this matter before their presbyteries was the 
 way to have it cruflied, as other difagreeable in- 
 ftrudtions commonly are? And, perhaps, they knew 
 the fmell of their presbyteries breath about the mat- 
 ter, and even defpaired of obtaining fo much of 
 them as to give inftrudtion to their commiffioners 
 to the Aflembly on that fubjeft What if the ho- 
 tted men were pre fled in their minds with the 
 weight and importance of the matter, as a thing 
 not to be delayed. I confefs, Mr. Gamaliel, that 
 bufinefs of managing in fir unions has given me 
 quite another view ot the brethrens conduct than 
 I had when I ipoke a little before. 
 
 Rufus. May I> who am not a little gravelled at 
 this bufinefs on both fides, put in my queftion too, 
 for my information. Are the coram flioners of 
 prefbyteries obliged to vote in the Aflembly, accor- 
 ding to the inftruftions they have from their pres- 
 byteries, when they fhal! happen to come on the 
 field? 
 
 Cam By no means: That were very hard. What 
 if they (hall get a new light when they come to com 
 part notes, efpecially with their directors and cor- 
 refpondents about the town ? Mult they be tied by 
 inftruttions from a country piefbytery, who can- 
 not be fuppofed to fee fo far into things as thefe 
 who fit at the helm ? No. It is enough they bear 
 them to the committee of inftru&ions, and let their 
 prefbyteries mind be known. But what do ye mean, 
 Mr, Rufus, by afking fuch a queftion ? 
 
 Rufus. Nothing at all, Sir, but only this, that in 
 cafe they be left at full liberty to vote as they pieafe, 
 though it fhould even be contrary to their inftrufti- 
 ons, I fee very little ufe for inftruftions, nor do I 
 
 fee 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 155 
 
 fee why any minifter of this church may not pro- 
 pofe what they have a mind tor the \ftcn\h\y prima 
 injiantia y providing it be a matter which the Afiem- 
 bly itfelf only can determine. And I muft fay with 
 Mr. Apelles, that what has been difcourfed con- 
 cerning the manner of managing inftructions from 
 presbyteries, has made my thoughts take a quite 
 other turn from the channel in which they ran 
 when Mr Gamaliel firft propofed the objection a- 
 gainft the conduct of the brethren reprefenters. 
 For, in fhort, I fee plainly, be the way what it will 
 that matters come before the Affembly, it is the a- 
 greeablenefs of the things themfelvesunto the chief 
 managers that makes them force their way into the 
 Affembly, and pafs current therein. And I muft 
 fay fo much for Mr. Paul and his brethren, that I 
 believe we had never heard of their undutiful be* 
 haviour, as to the way of managing this cauie, if 
 the ruling clergy, who fteer at the helm, hid not 
 been mortal enemies to it. And yet, after all, I 
 fhall not fay, but the brethren might have tried o- 
 ther methods. I know fo me of their beft friends 
 cannot be but of that thought. 
 
 PhiL Gentlemen, I could fay fomething in my 
 turn on this fubje£t too, but by thefe fpeeches, you 
 have diverted Mr. Paul from giving his own nnfwer 
 to the difficulty propofed, and I long 10 hear him. 
 Pray, fay on Mr. Paul. 
 
 Paul. Gentlemen, you have very much obliged 
 me that you have not only given me fome little time 
 to range my thoughts inanhver to what Mr. Gama- 
 liel objected a gain ft our conduct, but that in marry 
 things you have very well prevented ine, and I am 
 glad that you Teem, generally, to be almoft convin- 
 ced already, that our conduct in this matter was 
 not quite io far out of the way as it appeared at firft 
 view. And I believe I might ftop here,were it no* that 
 I knew iomething will be expected from me on this 
 fubject. in fhort then you muft know, in order to 
 have a right view of this matter, that all the fub- 
 U 2 icribers 
 
156 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 (bribers were not originally upon the concert : they 
 live in diftant parts of the country, and before they 
 Game to an uniform determination with refpect to 
 their management in this matter, they acted in their 
 feparate capacities, according to the circumftances 
 wherein they were placed You mud know then, 
 gentlemen, thai though fome of them lived in pref- 
 byteries and fynods. who were open and declared 
 enemies to the Marrow, yer they did apply to them 
 both in a regular manner, but were not therein 
 countenanced. Others or them were but acquaint- 
 ed with the defign of the Reprefentation, not many 
 weeks be: ore the AfTembly, and before they came 
 to a deliberate reiolution to join therein, (tho* they 
 were much fooner clear enough about the matter 
 itfelf) they had no opportunity of reafoning that 
 matter with their presbyteries -, nevertheless, they 
 did not think that fo abfolutely neceflary as to make 
 them with-hold their concurrence in fo good a 
 caufe. You muft know further, that this affair was 
 reafoned wkh a great many brethren through the 
 land, and even with co-presbyters in fome parts, and 
 there have been letters of correfpondence betwixt 
 fome of the fubferibers and feveral minifters, who 
 heartily go in to our fentiments as to things com- 
 plained of, and only differ from us as to the method 
 of managing this affair. Nor were we all of one mind 
 at flrft as to the method, till after reafoning on that 
 head among ourfelves, we came to agree ; fo that 
 we have not been altogether fo precipitant in this 
 matter, as is generally alledged. And I know there 
 was much prayer employed about it both feparately 
 and jointly, with much or the Lord's countenance 
 therein. And in fhort, Mr. Gamaliel, when we carne 
 to clofs reafoning on this very fubjeft, we faw plainly 
 that if we had taken any other method, this affair, 
 which was of fc much moment, would either be alto- 
 gether crufhed or delayed ; we could expect nothing 
 from our reipective prefbyteries You have heard 
 what generally comes of inftru&ions, that are not 
 
 pleafing 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 157 
 
 pleafing to fome people : and tho' a presbytery or two 
 had given fomeinftruftions, we could not expect to 
 have many prefbyteri<fs going into that meafure : and 
 therefore, we concluded, that a plain reprefentation 
 from fuch minifters as were truly hearty, and refol- 
 ved to maintain fuch a good caufe» was as proper a 
 method as we could think of. When we came to 
 town, we reafoned with a great many brethren, 
 members of the afTembly and others ; and we found 
 feverals convinced, there were fome things wrong 
 in the aft complained of, which they thought might 
 be got rectified in a more private way. Others dif- 
 fered nothing almoft at all from us on any material 
 point, but only infifted ftill upon the way of con- 
 ference with brethren. This way wc had tried too, 
 with themfelves and others, and could fee no end 
 of it. We looked on thefe propofals as dilatures, 
 and we judged the matter required to be fpeedily 
 confidered. We were perfuaded that much of the 
 weight of our teftimony for truth might ly in the 
 circumitance of embracing the opportunity of the 
 very firft AfTembly that met after that Affembly 
 that paft the aft complained of. We knew not 
 what might fall out before another. And, perhaps, 
 if we had delayed fo long by going on in the way of 
 conference, fome would have objected to us our o- 
 mitting a former Affembly ; which, we judged, was 
 not to be paft by, for this reafon, befides thefe al- 
 ready given, That we rationally concluded, that in 
 the AfTembly that immediately fucceeded that which 
 condemned the Marrow ; there might be more dif- 
 interefted members than perhaps in another, it be- 
 ing but a few, comparatively, who are conftant mem- 
 bers without interruption, though not a few are re- 
 mitted members to the AfTembly ilk other year; by 
 which means we might have expected more of thefe 
 who voted the aft in a fubfequent AfTembly. And 
 we cannot help thinking, thefe may all be fuppofed 
 to be parties in this caufe. The truth is, Sir -, had 
 it not been for fome of thefe confiderations, fome 
 
 of 
 

 158 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 of ouriVives would have been fatisfied to have wait" 
 ed yet lunger in the way of conferences about this 
 affair. And further, Sir, we were aware that fome 
 who fmellod our deflgn had a great mind to fmooth 
 the matter by fome explications which we were per* 
 fuaded could never make the condemnatory act 
 right : Therefore, judging our open teftimony un- 
 to truth might be of fome ufe towards its being pre- 
 ferved pure in this and fucceeding generations \ we 
 gave in our reprefentation in a regular manner to 
 the committee of bills. And when it was in de- 
 pendancc there, we ftill had conferences with feve- 
 ral minifters, and never declined to confer with o- 
 thers ; though the nature of our application was al- 
 together inconfiftent with our afking of conferen- 
 ces ; being perfuaded that an act refciffory was ne- 
 ccffary for maintaining the caufe of truth, which 
 the adl: condemnatory hath injured. Bu«t to con- 
 clude, gentlemen ; let ail be granted that you would 
 be at on this head, let it be called a wrong ftep in 
 point of management, the moft you can make of it 
 is a failure as to expediency. The caufe is entire. 
 I hope no body will fay it was altogether unlawful, 
 or fo contrary to our own church rules, that it was 
 not by any means to be admitted. If it had been 
 fo, the committee of bills had nothing to do, but to 
 throw out our reprefentation on that fcore. We 
 had no reafon to doubt they would have done fo, 
 if there had been ground for it, or lurely, the Af- 
 fembly itfelf would have rejected it, and put us on 
 the right road by remitting us to our presbyteries, 
 which is commonly done when matters are indeed 
 brought in per fa/ium, that ought to have been lirft 
 tabled therein ; but neither of thefe were done. We 
 have reafon, then, to conclude, we have tranfgref- 
 fed no ftatute of this church by this manner of im- 
 mediate application to the Aifembly, upon a mat- 
 ter of fuch importance, the AlTembly it felf being 
 judge. 
 
 Gam. 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 1 59 
 
 Gam> I confefs, Sir, you have faiJ as much for 
 your felf on this head, as I believe the fubject will 
 bear. I could however make replies, and keep up 
 reafoning long enough on this point, if it were need- 
 ful, but I drop it. And proceed unto 
 
 The II. head, concerning the grievous and hea- 
 vy charge which you lay againft the General Aflem- 
 bly 1720 •, and the foul reproaches wherewith, you 
 load their fifth act ; wheiein, they cenfure fome er- 
 roneous pjflages, and harlh and offenfive expref- 
 fions in that book, entituled, 'The Marrow of Mo- 
 dern Divinity : And alfo, their eighth aft, where- 
 in, they direct minifters in preaching catechetical 
 doctrine, To infill upon the great and fundamental 
 truths, according to our Confeffion of Faith and 
 Catechifms All which, the reverend commifSon 
 of the late General Aflembly, before whom you 
 were fully heard as to the feveral heads and articles 
 of your Reprcfentation, hath laid to your charge, 
 in their printed Overture concerning this affair, pre- 
 pared for the enfuing General Aflemb<y. Such re- 
 proaches are thefe following, in the very words of 
 the commiflion, to which I only prefix numbers for 
 the more diftinct confideration of them. 
 
 1. That by the faid fifth act, Gofpel-truth hath 
 fuffered. 
 
 2- That in finding fault with this doctrine of the 
 Marrow, viz. That the believer is not under the 
 law as a rule of life, from paflages of the (aid book, 
 The Aflembly doth fuppofe that a man cannot be 
 under the law, as a rule of life, unlefs he be under 
 the covenant of works. 
 
 3. That the declaring that diflindtion of the law, 
 as it is the law of works, and as it is th^ law of 
 Chrift, to be groundlefs, as the author applies it, 
 to defend fix Antinomian errors, page 198, 199. Is 
 of difmal tendency, and that the Aflembly, feems to 
 them, to have buried divers truths, in the ruins of 
 that diflinction. 
 
 1. That 
 
160 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 4 That when the Aflembly cites the Marrow 
 from page 150, to page 153. to fhew the erroneous 
 opinion of its author, viz. That holinefs is not ne- 
 ceflary to falvation, they have hereby condemned 
 in Cumulo, a bundle of fweet and pleaiant gofpel- 
 truths, and cut off, and condemned the believer's 
 plea, in cafe of juftification, in anfwer to the de- 
 mand of the law. 
 
 5. That by cenfuring the Marrow for making a 
 man's perfuafion, that Chrift is his, and died for 
 him, to be that faving faith commanded in the gof- 
 pel ; The Aflembly hath excluded from the nature 
 of faith, its appropriating act, without which, there 
 can be no receiving, and clofing with Chrift, for 
 falvation, and thereby turned it into that general 
 and doubtfome faith, abjured in our national cove- 
 nant. 
 
 6. That by adducing that paflage of the Marrow, 
 concerning a deed of gift to all mankind, to prove 
 that its author was for an univerfal atonement and 
 pardon, The Aflembly hath encroached, upon the 
 divine warrant unto all to receive Chrift, and alfo 
 upon fovereign grace 
 
 7. That this aft of Aflembly, hath fo opened the 
 fluke unto the turning of religion into meer mora- 
 lity, that if remedy be not timely provided, this 
 matter muft terminate in a confounding of the law, 
 and the gofpel ; and, that the Aflembly in this aft, 
 hath fhewed too great a concern for binding on the 
 necks of believers in Chrift, the yoke of the law as 
 a covenant of works. 
 
 8. That in the above-mentioned eight aft, where- 
 in- the General Aflembly directs minifters, in preach- 
 ing catechetical fermons, to infift, efpecially, on the 
 neceflary doctrine of fatisfaftion to divine juftice, 
 made by Jefus Chrift, who is our only propitiation, 
 and, of free juftification, thro' our blefled Surety 
 the Lord Jefus Chrift, received by faith alone : The 
 Aflembly, hath winded up the great doctrine of juf- 
 tification, in fuch terms as give fhelter to the er- 
 roneous 
 
Marrow cf Modern Divinity. 161 
 
 roneous doctrine of juftification, for fomething 
 wrought in, or done by the finner, as his righte- 
 oufnefs ; or keeping the new •, and gofpel law. 
 And, 
 
 9. That in the fame aft, the Aflembly's direct- 
 ing minifters to preach the neceffity of a holy life, 
 in order to the obtaining everlafting happinefs ; is, 
 Of very dangerous confequence to the doctrine of 
 free grace, 
 
 Thefe things, Mr. Paul, the commiffion declare, 
 they look upon to be grofs calumnies, and injurious 
 and undutiful afperfions caft upon the fupreme ju- 
 dicatory of this church ; which, in thefe two quar- 
 relled acts hath given an open and evident proof of 
 their true zeal for maintaining the received gofpel- 
 truths, and of their fincere concern for preferving 
 this church from the infection of the oppoiite errors. 
 They do, on the other hand, plainly fignify. that 
 you, by the accufations you have advanced, and by 
 ftanding up in defence of that book, fo juftly cen- 
 fured, do lay your felves open to be fufpected, of 
 favouring, too much, the errors contained in it. In 
 vindication of the faid two acts of Aflembly, and, 
 for wiping off the above -mentioned injurious afper- 
 fions, and for preferring the purity of gofpel truths, 
 received in this church •, and, in oppofition to the 
 Antinomian errors, cenfured in that book, called, 
 the Marrow of Modern Divinity , (the defence where - 
 pf ye, the fubferibers of the Rcprefentation, do fo 
 keenly efpoufe) the commiffion have thought fit to 
 declare, that they own and maintain, agreeably to 
 the holy fcriptures ; the received doctrine of this 
 church contained in our Confeflion of Faith, and 
 Catechifms ; and they fubjoin in eight paragraphs, 
 a great many aflertions, in the exprefs words of our 
 Confeflion and Catechifms. And do plainly de- 
 clare, that whereas, in the two above-mentioned 
 acts, it was the true intent and defign of the Gene- 
 ral Aflembly, to have thefe precious truths, (con- 
 tained in the above eight paragraphs) preferved in 
 X purity 
 
1 62 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 purity, and maintained, and inculcated ; and that 
 people might be kept from the infection of the op- 
 pofite errors, they do judge it, a very undutiful, 
 and uncharitable practice, in any minifters of this 
 church, to fuggeft, that the Aflembly have, there- 
 in, receded from the received doctrine contained in 
 our Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms ; and, that 
 well meaning people may not be impofed upon by 
 the fuggeftions in your Reprefentation, or thefe, 
 from your felves, or your abettors ; and for remov- 
 ing miitakes, which the unthinking may fall into, 
 about the true defign, and import of the fifth ad of 
 Aflembly 1720; the commiflion have given it as 
 their opinion, that the General Aflembly may de- 
 clare, that the paflages cited in the faid act, from 
 the book, entituled, The Marrew of Modern Divi- 
 nity* fo ihew it contains the erroneous opinions af- 
 cribed to if, are to be taken, and underftood (as 
 injuftice and equity they ought) in the fenfe and 
 meaning of its author, gathered, and appearing 
 from the book it felf ; and that the faid paflages are 
 condemned, only, in fo far as, they import the faid 
 erroneous opinions; or are wrefted by the author, 
 to that purpofe. And the commiflion do proceed 
 in feven paragraphs, to vindicate the aft of Aflem- 
 bly, in its feveral claufes, and to fix the charge of 
 calumny (mentioned in the Overture) upon the 
 Reprefentation. And, after tmanimous approbati- 
 on of the faid Overture, do allow it to be printed. 
 Now, Sir, tho' the church (as many think) might 
 have taken a more fummary way with you ; for caft- 
 ing fuc-h foul reproaches upon the Affembly ; yet, 
 you fee what tendernefs, the commiflion hath.exer- 
 cifed towards you, and what pains they have been 
 at, to convince, both you and others, of the inju- 
 rious reflexions you have caft on the Aflembly ; 
 you fee, how plainly and clearly, they have aflert- 
 ed the orthodox doftrine, on the feveral heads 
 which are coniidered in ' the Aflembly's aft, and, 
 how they have explained the faid a£t, fo as no body, 
 
 after 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 163 
 
 after this, needs fall jnto any miftake of their fen* 
 timent, or can, juftly afcribe to them thefe corrupt 
 glofles you put on thefe acts, in your Reprefenta- 
 tion. Now pray, let us hear, Mr. Paul, how you 
 can clear yourfelf, of what I have, from the com- 
 million's Overture, laid to your charge, and what 
 you can pretend, after this, to juftify your perfifting 
 fo keenly in this matter. 
 
 Paul. R.ev. Sir, you have carved out more work, 
 than, 1 fear, can be well overtaken, at this confer- 
 ence. However, I fhall not decline to offer fome 
 thoughts thereupon, at this time ; though, I per- 
 ceive the feveral particulars charged upon the Re- 
 prefentation as calumnies, will occur again more na- 
 tively, when we confider the fifth act of Aflembly 
 it felf, by comparing the feveral paflages quoted 
 therein from the Marrow, with the context, and 
 with the fcriptures and articles of the Confeffion 
 and Catechifms therein mentioned : And, I refolve, 
 then, to be more full on each of thefe heads; and to 
 fhew how juftly the Reprefentation, doth charge 
 that fifth act of the Aflembly 1720, with injuring 
 truth, as alfo the eight aft, fo far as, the Repre- 
 fentation doth take notice of it, and compare it with 
 the former : And feeing you have been pleafed to 
 give indeed a very faithful deduction of the com- 
 miffions overture, I incline to make fome remarks 
 upon it, that may be of ufe for clearing our way 
 into the more fpecial confideration of the feveral 
 particular charged upon us, as reproaches of the 
 Aflembly. And, without farther ceremony, I offer 
 the following remarks upon the overture. 
 
 Firft Remark. The eomtniflion do, in this over- 
 ture, by the very title of it, [Overture concerning 
 the Reprefentation and Petition of the twelve bre- 
 thren, in favours of the Marrow] offer to the 
 world, in the very entry, a wrong notion of our 
 Reprefentation, as if the principal, if not the only 
 deflgn thereof were to ftand up for that book, con- 
 cealing our main fcope. And again, to that fame 
 X 2 purpofe 
 
164 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 purpofe they fay, page 2. line 4. " The defence 
 M whereof they fo keenly efpoufe," This, we find, 
 hath all along been the turn they have given our 
 Reprefentation ; this was the channel in which the 
 fifteen peeches which were made, without in- 
 terim -ffion, at our firft appearance in the com- 
 miffiondid run ; this we find to be the common 
 cant in ail the attacks we meet with from rninifters 
 or 01 lers without doors ; this is the notion that is 
 inculcated upon people with the greateft care, in 
 fuch an in iuftricus manner, and among many, with 
 great fuctefs 3 that they have not another notion of 
 our appearance in this caufe, but a keen ftruggling 
 for the r upport of that book ; and encleavours are 
 ufed t j make people believe we fent up for it, as if 
 it were a ftandard, or a confeffion of our faith. 
 Now, we cannot but look on this, as, at leaft, a 
 very finiftrous method of exhibiting this our ap- 
 pearance unto the world ; feeing our pleading for 
 that book, is neither the only, nor the chief ground 
 of our Representation • nor do we fet up for any 
 human compofure as perfect ; nor do we pretend 
 to juftify every expreffion in the Marrow. Is there 
 any fuch thing fo much as infinuated in our Repre- 
 fentation ? Do we not plainly declare, that it was 
 the concern we had for truth, more than the way 
 of expreiling it, that extorted the Reprefentation 
 from us. Nay, Mr. Gamaliel, though this may 
 fe'erh a fmall matter, yet we find it of confiderable 
 influence in this controverfy; for, whereas we can 
 be juftiy judged no further concerned in that book, 
 than our Reprefentation bears, yet the commiflion, 
 by the very title of their overture, do plainly coun- 
 tenance the view .vhich is generally given of our 
 caufe, as if the defence of every fentence of that 
 book as a fet of Thefes were our fcope, which, I am 
 perfuaded, none of us will pretend as to any hu- 
 man writing, except the Confeffion of Faith and 
 Catechifms, which we have owned in the molt fo- 
 lemn manner, and nray be la charity fuppoled to 
 
 have 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 1 65 
 
 have pondered and compared with the fcrip- 
 ture, in fuch manner as to be clear about every par- 
 ticular part thereof, and ready to defend it, in all 
 points, to our power. 
 
 Phil. Pray hold a little, Mr Paul, Well, Sir, 
 
 feeing you own you cannot ftand up for every ex- 
 preffion in that book why do you lb ftrenuoufly 
 oppofc the AfTembly's a<ft, which hath condemned 
 feveral paflages in it on very good grounds ? What 
 can be the ground of all this buftle, but too great 
 keeneis to defend that book, as the commiffion fay 
 in their overture ? 
 
 Paul. Good Mr. Philologus, pray confider 
 
 Will you approve the condemning of true propo- 
 fitions found in any book whatfoever, as falfe and 
 erroneous propositions, though you cannot juftify 
 every expreffion in that book ? Will you defend 
 the excommunicating of a book from the church 
 of Chrift, and diichargin*? fo much as one favou- 
 rable word to be fpoke of it, though it fhould not 
 be owned to be pertecl ? Plainly, Sir, the prin- 
 cipal fcope of our reprefentation is to maintain the 
 caufe of truth and equity , againft the Aflemblies 
 deed : — Of truths in oppofition to their condemn- 
 ing fome precious truths of Chrift by that pe- 
 remptory and abfolute claufe in their ac"t, " The 
 *f General Aflembly found, That the laid paflages 
 M and quotations, which relate to the five feveral 
 u heads of doclxine above-mentioned, are contrary 
 u to the holy Scripture, our Confeffion of Faith, 
 
 u and Catechism. 5 ' And of equity , in oppoluion 
 
 to their abfolute and peremptory lentence of /urn- 
 mar excommunication, (of a book that hath not on- 
 ly been recommended by eminent divines in both 
 nations, but hath been found moft ufeful, favourv, 
 and edifying to many exercifed Chriftians) in thefe 
 words, *' The General Aflembly do ftriclly prohi- 
 11 bite and difcharge all the minifters of this church, 
 *' either by preaching, writing, or printing, to re- 
 u commend the faid book, or in difcourfe, N. B> to 
 
 "fay 
 
*66 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 11 fay any thing in favours of it ; but on the contra- 
 <c ry, they are hereby enjoined and required to warn 
 * and exhort their people, inwhofe hands the faid 
 " book is, or may come, not to read or ufe the 
 " fame." Now, Sir, let me afk you, may not one 
 plead againft fuch odd decifions, and yet not be reck- 
 oned to Hand up for a book as juftifiable in every 
 expreffion ? The AfTembly may come to find abun- 
 dance of work, if they fall into the humour of con- 
 demning books after this manner. And who knows 
 but fome vigorous defenders of the Aflembly aft, 
 may come in for their (hare ? And if the Aflembly 
 ihould go on at this rate, mall any who ftand up 
 againft fuch an abfolute way of condemning books 
 that have been ufeful in the world, be prefently con- 
 ftrufted to maintain every expreflion in thefe books? 
 They who cannot fee a difference betwixt thefe 
 two, are fcarce with any body's while to reafon 
 with. However if the AfTemby's aft be punftually 
 obeyed as to this, or other books they may con- 
 demn, their authority, I coufefs, would not only be 
 fecured, but advanced unto a higher pitch than, I 
 dare fay, they themfelves ever meant; for if people 
 upon this aft, do not fo much as read the book, 
 (and you know they are indeed by the AfTembly re- 
 quired not fo much as to read it) it is plain the Af- 
 fembly flatly injoins people to take it on th^ir word, 
 that a book that has parted through the world near 
 eighty years, with tolerable repute, is a dangerous 
 book, and no body can try whether this decifion be 
 juft or not, unlefs, in the very trial, they tranfgrefs 
 the aft of Aflembly -, for they are forbid to read it. 
 I (hall not fay, but fome people, I believe, cannot 
 help thinking, that this looks as like the injoining 
 of implicite faith and blind obedience, as one egg 
 is like another Now, Sir, if we fay, ifi f The 
 Aflembly hath condemned truth in abfolute terms, 
 2 d t They have wronged a book that has been ufeful 
 and edifying, i. By charging it with errors, which 
 it not only doth not maintain, but which, in feve- 
 
 ral 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity, 167 
 
 ral inftances, it plainly refutes. 2. By excommu- 
 nicating it absolutely, without infmuating one good 
 thing to be in it. 3. By putting people out of ca- 
 pacity to try whether this condemnation be juft, 
 unlefs, in the very trial, they difobey the Aflembly, 
 who prohibits the reading of the hook : May we 
 not all fay this, and yet not be conflrucled to have 
 the defence of the book, but of truth, asourprin- 
 pal view ? And do not the commiflion plainly con- 
 ceal our principal fcope by the title of their over- 
 ture ? 
 
 dpel. Mr. Paul, though perhaps it be not to the 
 principal point, yet, pray, excufe me to afk you 
 lome queitions upon what you have raid, for my 
 information. Doth the act of Aflembly, prohibit- 
 ing the reading of that book, reach us of the laity 
 only ? Or, does it alio reach ininifters ? If it reach 
 minifters alfo, 1 am convinced many a man of them 
 has broken that a£i, who have read the Marrow 
 fince that time, which they had T>ot done before 
 they condemned it ; fure the ^reat P. has tranfgref- 
 ed it egregioufly, who, they fay, has read it, ib as 
 he has it almoft off book, and has been at the pains 
 to print againft it. 
 
 Gam. Sir, you mi flake it ; no doubt miniflers 
 may read it, that they may know how to confute it, 
 and warn their people againft it, but they are en- 
 joined to prohibite their people to read it. 
 
 Abel. But, Sir, I fee no reafon at all, for their 
 reading it for that end, hut wfH juftify the peoples 
 reading it too, For if the authority of the church 
 be not enough to them to warrant their prohibiting 
 their people to read it, till they fee with their own eyes 
 and be furniihedwith arguments againft it byan accu- 
 rate perufal of it, I lee no reafon for people to regard 
 that prohibition on their bare word, without look- 
 ing into the book to try if it be well founded ; and 
 you know, if they do fo, ipjo faclo^ ihey tranfgrefs 
 the acl of Aflembly, as plainly as any Papift among 
 their laity does, who dare look into a Bible, — But, 
 
 Mr. 
 
1 68 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 Mr Paul, I afk you another queftion, Do you think 
 P. Haddow wrote his book for the ufe of private 
 Chriftians at all, or only for minifters. The ground 
 of my queftion is this. If he wrote it for private 
 Chriftians, then it would appear, he either expect- 
 ed they fhould take his quotations, and his whole 
 manner of treating the Marrow, on truft ; without 
 ever looking into the book itfelf ; or if he thought 
 otherwife, he is one of the moft notour tranfgref- 
 fors of the Aflfembly's aft, for by his book, he at 
 lead tempts people to read the Marrow itfelf. 
 
 Paul. I fhall not go far into that enquiry, Mr. 
 Apelles, only I fhall obferve thU to you, that fome 
 people who have read his book and who have even 
 been tempted to compare it with the Marrow, do 
 plainly fay, he has fo perverted the Marrow by his 
 way of quoting it, that they cannot but think he 
 reckoned his greateft fecurity from difcovery of his 
 fallacious way of reafoning, as well as profpeft of 
 impofing on men thereby, lay in his expectation 
 that people would ftriftly obey the Affembly's aft, 
 in not reading the book. And, Sir, I am told fe- 
 veral minifters take care to put the P's book in their 
 peoples hands, but, at the fame time, they prohi- 
 bite the Marrow to be read, according to the Af- 
 fembly's aft, which plainly fhews how much they 
 are approvers of the implicite way ; nor are they 
 unfuccefsful, for we find among many people, the 
 P's book is highly applauded as unanfwerable : But 
 this, I am perfuaded, is either with thofe who are 
 blinded with prejudice, or who are at no pains to 
 compare it with the Marrow, or do it but fuperfi- 
 cially ; whereas fome, even private Chriftians, who 
 are not fuch implicite men, tell us plainly, there 
 can be no better confutation of P. Hadow, than the 
 Marrow itfelf, to any who have eyes in their head, 
 and will be at pains to open them. But, Sir, your 
 queftions have carried me a little off the point I was 
 on, however I know in fuch conferences, incidental 
 things, fometimes, are inevitable, and I hope the 
 
 digreffion 
 
Mar r oiv of Modern Divinity. 16 9 
 
 digrefiion is not altogether impertinent. But to re- 
 turn to the overture, I proceed, Reverend doclor, 
 i 
 Second Remark. The commiflion aflcrts we were 
 fully heard, upon the fevcrai heads and articles of 
 our Representation ; whereas the commiflion, at 
 their n -eeting in Auguft, framed, voted, and con- 
 led the overture, without fo much as calling us in 
 to be heard upon any one article thereof, though at 
 the commirlion in May, we were cited to that dyet. 
 We attended punctually, and were obliged to be as 
 prifeners, not daring to ftir three days together, 
 not knowing what moment we might be called ; 
 yet we were not called till the overture was conclud- 
 ed, and then juit told what common report could 
 have tcld us, That the commiflion had paftan over- 
 ture, and tranfmitted it to the aflembly. Nor was 
 this overture fo much as read to us, even then. 
 Was this full hearing ? And had not fome of us, 
 who live at a confiderable diftance, a good errand 
 to the town ? 
 
 Cam. But hold, Sir, were ye not fully heard at 
 the commiflion in May ? 
 
 Paul. You know, Sir, at that commiflion, after 
 our Reprefentation was read, there were about fif- 
 teen fet harangues on the other fide, without inter- 
 miffion, wherein much time was fpent. And tho* 
 after thefe, we were allowed to fpeak, we had no 
 reafon to look upon this as a fair method, either of 
 equal or full hearing. And therefore we were ob- 
 liged to tell the commiflion, that we could not pre- 
 tend to refume fo many fpeeches, efpecially confi- 
 oering that many of them did run quite off from 
 our Reprefentation to other points in the book, 
 whereby endeavours were ufed to put the contro- 
 verfy off* its true ftate. 
 
 Gam. But, Mr. Paul, were you not fully heard at 
 other dyets of the commiflion in May ? 
 
 Paul. True ; in fome committees there were fome 
 
 reafonings on two articles only, viz. Concerning 
 
 pardon of fin, and the nature of faith. This, hovv- 
 
 Y ever, 
 
170 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 ever, was not full hearing upon the feveral heads 
 and articles of our Reprefentation, as the overture 
 imports. But, Sir, grant we have been fully heard 
 at the commiffion in May, which yet we were not : 
 neverthelefs it is nothing to the purpofe, unlefs we 
 had been fully heard at the dyet of the commiffion, 
 wherein the overture was concluded ; that all the 
 members then prefent, might then know what we 
 had to fay on the feveral heads of our Reprefentati- 
 on, before they were condemned. And I am per- 
 fuaded, Sir, if we had been called in, and allowed 
 to reafon on thefe things, that overture would ne- 
 ver have run in the terms wherein it is expreft; and 
 we might have been happily prevented from doing 
 now, what the caufe of truth, as well as our own 
 neceffary felf defence calls for, viz. The expofing 
 the nakednefs of that overture to the world, to 
 whom the commiffion have appealed. 
 
 Phil. But, Sir, how can you offer to expofe any 
 thing to the world in this controverfy, contrary to 
 fuch an exprefs ftatute of the church, againft print- 
 ing in favours of the Marrow ? 
 
 Paul. Sir, It feems you are for tying us neck 
 and heel, and then pelting us at pleafure. We are 
 not the firft aggreflors in the matter of printing; 
 nor have we been hafty therein. Not to fpeak now 
 of P. Hadow's performance, the commiffion have 
 printed their overture, and, in fome parts of it, 
 have appealed unto the impartial world; and would 
 you have that impartial judge to determine without 
 hearing both parties ? But I proceed unto a 
 
 Third Remark. I obferve, that the commiffion 
 in charging the Reprefentation with loading the 5th 
 act of the Affembly 1720 with foul reproaches, 
 do very unfairly reprefent that act itfelf, as if no 
 more were done in it, but cenfuring fome erroneous 
 paffages, and harfh and offenfive expreffions in it, 
 whereas the Affembly not only do cenfure fome 
 fuch paffages and expreffions as they alledge to be 
 erroneous, but alfo the quotations, and further, 
 do excommunicate the whole book from the ufe of 
 
 the 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 171 
 
 the church, and tye up people from fo much as 
 reading it, or fpeaking one word in its favours. 
 And I remark alfo on this head, that the commifli- 
 on by their way of expreffing the claufe concerning 
 the 8th act of that Aflembly, do give out> as if the 
 Reprefentation quarrelled that whole 8th act, and 
 as if they were againft minifters their infifting on 
 the great and fundamental truths, according to our 
 Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms Whereas it is 
 only one phrafe in that aft, which the Reprefenters 
 find fault with, and even that chiefly upon the ac- 
 count of what had paft before which gave them 
 juft ground of jealoufy, efpecially when a necefiary 
 claufe, concerning the righteoufnefs of Chrift, was 
 openly propofed and flighted, as the Reprefentation 
 on that head more fully bears. But paffing now 
 the pretended reproaches which is to be more fully 
 confidered afterwards. I proceed to 
 
 The fourth P^emark. The commiffion afierts, that 
 in thefe two quarrelled acts, the Aflembly have giv- 
 en an open and evident proof of their true zeal, for 
 maintaining the received gofpel-truths, and of their 
 fincere concern for prefervmg this church from the 
 infection of the oppofite errors. R.ev. Doctor, I 
 fhall never think that zeal, of the right ftamp that 
 fmells too rank of an unwarrantable refpect of per- 
 fons in fome cafes, and no lefs unwarrantable pre- 
 judice at them in others. And let men talk what 
 they will ; while there is one man alive that can re- 
 member the conduct of feveral perfons in P. Simp- 
 fon's affair ; all the profeiTors of zeal for truth that 
 can be made in the ftrongeft terms, will never be 
 believed to be fo fincere and true as they are called, 
 at leaft, till the errors in his book be condemned \ 
 which being imbibed by candidates for the miniftry, 
 may. be of moft dangerous confequence unto this 
 church. 
 
 Rufus. Sir, do you really think, upon cool and 
 
 impartial enquiry and reflection, that the General 
 
 Aflembly, in thefe acts, had any deiign to recede 
 
 from the received doctrines of this church \ or that 
 
 Y 2 by 
 
*7 2 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 by them, they have done fuch injury to truth, and 
 given fuch countenance to error as they are charg- 
 ed with ? 
 
 Paul You might have obferved, Sir, that I put 
 not all the members of Aflembly upon a level in 
 that matter. I cannot help being more jealous of 
 fome than of others, with refpect to the fincerity 
 of their zeal for truth, when I have obferved it not 
 to be uniform. But, further, Sir, our Reprefen- 
 tation, when we declare, we look upon the Afftm- 
 bly's deed, as an overfight, doth plainly allow us 
 room for fome charity towards men, as to their in- 
 tentions, though we cannot but look upon the act 
 it felf as injurious to truth. Indeed, if it fhall be 
 tenacioufly adhered unto in all points, we fhall 
 then, I affure you, have no room left for charity 
 towards the men themfelves who fhall fo adhere, 
 more than we now have for the act ; But, Sir, we 
 would gladly hope that cool and impartial inquiry 
 and reflection, will bring many minifters of this 
 church under a conviction that the AfTembly hath 
 injured' truth by that act, or, at leaft, that inten- 
 tione operis, truth is thereby injured ; and the com- 
 miflion's own expreffions give me fome ground to 
 hope for this, while they fpeak of fuch injury to 
 truth, and fuch countenance to error, as the Af- 
 fembly are charged with in the Reprefentation, 
 which, one would think, doth, at leaft, import fome 
 conviction that the act has done fome injury to truth, 
 and given fome countenance to error, though not 
 to that degree charged in the Reprefentation, I 
 fhall be forry if this obvious remark, be impunged 
 and called a groundlefs criticifm: Butfure, it is the 
 moft favourable conftruction I can put on the words 
 in my way of thinking. And whatever men may 
 think fir to acknowledge or conceal their thoughts 
 on this matter ; I am perfuaded, it is the mind, of 
 not a few, who defend the act, that it hath done 
 fome injury to truth, and given fome countenance to 
 error ; and, if from fuch a conviction, thefe ex- 
 preffions have dropt from the pen of the firft draw- 
 ers 
 
Mirrow of Modern Divinity. 173 
 
 ers of the overture, and been overlooked by others; 
 I am hopeful it may be a good omen towards fome 
 effectual method of repairing, that ionie injury to 
 truth, which the exprcilion to plainly imports. But 
 to conclude this remark ; I frankly own, I am very 
 far from thinking that the Aflembly had a formed 
 and expliciteddign to recede from the received doc- 
 trine of this church, or to do iuch injury to truth, 
 or give fuch countenance to error, as is juftly charg- 
 ed upon the act it felf, as it is plain fcope : And, 
 though, in this generation, men may not be thought 
 to have receded from the truth, fo far, as the aft 
 imports ; yet in fucceeding ages, the act and not 
 men's after- profeflions, will be conftrued to have 
 been the fixed deiign of this church. And while it 
 ftands unrepealed, no profeflions of purity will e- 
 ver fecure from the charge of injuring truth and 
 favouring error. 
 
 Gam. Sir, by the accufation you have advanced, 
 and by {landing up in defence of that book, fo juft- 
 ly cenfured, you have laid yourfelves open, to be 
 fufpected, of favouring, too much, the errors con- 
 tained in it. 
 
 Paul Truly Sir, if thefe pofitions which the Af- 
 fembly hath condemned as errors, in the pafTages 
 and quotations, and which we think are not fo, be 
 found to be errors indeed, I do acknowledge we 
 have given ground, not only to fufpecl, but to con- 
 clude we favour them. But, then, Sir, that is what 
 we refufe, and, in defence, both of the fcripture 
 and Confeffion of Faith, we maintain that the Af- 
 feaibly hath declared pofitions in the paiTages and 
 quotations to be errors, which we affirm and aiTcrt 
 to be truths. This, Sir, Will be made good in due 
 time ; but, it would carry me quite out of the way 
 of the preient plan of conference to infift upon it 
 now. Therefore I mall proceed unto the 
 
 Fifth Remark. The commiflion have thought fit 
 to make a declaration [of their maintaining the re- 
 ceived doctrine of this church] in feveral pafTages 
 
 collected 
 
174 A Dialogue concerning the 
 
 collected from our ftandards, and give out that this 
 is to vindicate the two acts of Aflembly, and wipe 
 of the (ailedged) injurious afperfions contained in 
 the Reprefentation. Now, pray, Sir, tell me, for 
 what purpofe in all the world is this draught of an 
 aflertory act ? The commiffion might have as well 
 faid, in one word, we own the Confeffion of Faith 
 and Catechifms. And fo do we. But, will this ac- 
 knowledgment vindicate an act that plainly con- 
 demns fome truths contained in thefe ftandards ? I 
 muft tell you plainly, Sir, all the aflertory acts in 
 the world, will never make the condemnatory act 
 right. And, while the Aflembly adheres to both, 
 as deeds of this church, we muft fay to the end of 
 the chapter, thefe deeds are incompatible, and de- 
 ftructive of one another, and, that truth ftands in- 
 jured by the act of Aflembly, till it be exprefly re- 
 pealed. I fay, exprefly, becaufe, an act aflerting 
 truth, after one condemning it, may indeed be con- 
 ftructed a virtual repealing of .the former ; fo far 
 will it be from a vindication of it, as the commif- 
 fion gives out. And, perhaps, fome may think this 
 piece of church-policy may be a good falvo both for 
 truth, and for the credit of the church : But, what 
 if, fome will doubt, if there be either wit or con- 
 fcience in fuch a method whereby two acts plainly 
 thwarting one another are fuffered to ftand under 
 the protection of the authority of an Aflembly ? I 
 am convinced we who plead the repealing the con- 
 demnatory act, do really feek what is for the cre- 
 dit of the church, as well as the intereft of truth, 
 more, than thefe do, who pretend to vindicate an 
 act condemning truth, by a pofterior act aflerting 
 it, without repealing the former. Which, all who 
 have eyes in their head muft fay, is but protejlatio 
 contraria facto. 
 
 Gallio. Sir, you put me in mind of the late ftory 
 of a minifter, who was depofed becaufe he would 
 own a child, which his wife brought forth in the 
 fifth month after the marriage to be his, though, at 
 
 the 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity. 17- 
 
 the fame time, he gave the moft folemn declarati- 
 ons of his innocence. 
 
 Paul, You know, Sir, omnefimile clandicat. But 
 I acknowledge indeed it agrees fo far, that an act 
 aflerting truth in the ftrongeft terms, will not jufti- 
 fy an adhering unto an act condemning it •, but the 
 fimile halts here, that there is no fear of being de- 
 pofed on account of fuch adherence. But now I 
 go on unto the 
 
 Sixth Remark. The eight paragraphs in this af- 
 fertory, or declaratory draught, mull import, That 
 the com million meant, that the Marrow is un found 
 on all thefe heads, or they are to no purpofe •, but 
 if itfhall be made evident, by a fair and juft collec- 
 tion of paffages from the Marrow, that it is no lefs 
 orthodox on thefe points, than this draught; I hope 
 it may then appear, that the coramiffion did but lofe 
 their labour in making it. And further, although 
 thefe collected paffages, fo far as they are in the 
 words of our ftandards can be quarrelled ; yet per- 
 haps in the progrefs of this conference, when we 
 come more particularly to canvafs the matter, we 
 may make it evident, that we have juft ground to 
 find fault with fome of the coarfe threads with 
 which they are fewed together in this draught, as 
 well as with the whole piece, as to its fcope and in- 
 tent. But this cannot be overtaken in this prefent 
 dialogue. I proceed unto the 
 
 Seventh Remark. It appears the cornmifiion flat- 
 ly contradicts the Affembly's act. For, whereas the 
 Affembly exprefly declare (without any glofs) that 
 the paffages [nay and lucewiie] the [very] quotati- 
 ons which relate to the five heads of doctrine above 
 mentioned, N. B. are contrary to the holy Scrip- 
 ture, ouirConfeflion of Faith and Catechifms ; the 
 commiffion fpeak of declaring, that the condemned 
 paffages [iV B they fpeak not here of the quotati- 
 ons, which the Affembly alfo exprefly condemn] 
 cited from the Marrow, are to be underftood only 
 in the fenfe of the author, which, they fay, is to 
 
 be 
 
176 d Dialogue concerning the 
 
 be gathered from the book itfelf, and that they are 
 condemned only in fo far, as they import the faid 
 erroneous opinions, or are wrefted by the author 
 unto that purpofe. Weil, it feems thefe paiTages 
 and quotations may be truths in themfelves, and yet 
 the Afiembly may warrantably enough fay, that 
 they are all contrary to the fcripture, be. becaufe 
 they alledge the author underftands them in an 
 unfound fenfe; that is to fay, they may warrantably 
 enough contradict truth and themfelves both. 
 
 Phil. But pray> Mr. Paul, don't run fo fart away 
 with the harrows Remember, Sir, that the coinmif- 
 fion fays, that the author's unfound fenie may be 
 gathered from the book itfelf. 
 
 Paul. But what if I lhould fay, the author's found 
 and orthodox fenfe maybe gathered from the book 
 itfelf ? 
 
 Phil. The cafe is not the fame. That would only 
 prove that the author contradicts himfelf. 
 
 Apel. Mr. Philologus, you put me in mind of 
 Hackerflon's cow 
 
 Paul. You have prevented me, Sir; the knack 
 lyes juft there. We muft not be allowed to conil- 
 der the book, to gather and compare paiTages in the 
 context, from whence the condemned paffages are 
 quoted, or other places, in order to fhew the au- 
 thor's found fenfe; but the AfTembly, (be. may ga- 
 ther paffages, and disjoint them in one place, and 
 few them together in another, as they pleafe, and 
 put the book upon the rack and torture it, by that 
 cruel engine, to fqueeze the marrow out of it in- 
 deed, and make it confefs any thing they have a- 
 mind, howfoever contrary to its plain (cope. But, 
 Sir, that book (even like fome confirmed Chrifti* 
 ans) having weathered out the ftorm of any leffer 
 aflaults made on it, now near eighty years, and re- 
 taining its full vigour to this day, is even bleft with 
 patience to endure the torture, and cannot be made 
 really to confefs any thing but the truth, to thofe 
 that will truly hear it, but ycu know, Sir, ill hear- 
 ing 
 
Marrow of Modern Divinity, 177 
 
 irtg makes bad rchearfing. I hope, however, in due 
 time, the Marrow may fpeak fo loud, that none 
 but fuch as are horn-deaf, or who wilfully ftop their 
 ears (hall mittake its meaning And then it will 
 be evident that the commifiibns glofs de (troys the 
 text. But I proceed unto the 
 
 VIII. Remark. Throughout the whole of the fe- 
 ven following heads, wherein the commiffion do 
 proceed to vindicate; the AiTembly's aft, and to con- 
 demn the Retire fentation, the matter is unfairly fta- 
 ted, nor is the reafoning thereupon cogent ; asfhall 
 be made appear in another dialogue. But now I 
 proceed unto the 
 
 IX. Remark That the commiflion intirely paf- 
 feth over in filence, what we adduced from our re- 
 formers and other known orthodox wricer: 
 cerning the nature of faith. It is plain tlm.askr. 
 fion could not adventure on this point, unlefs thejr 
 had refolved flatly to fly in their tace \ and there- 
 fore they certainly thought it wifdom to take no 
 notice of that matter at ail. But their politics have 
 failed them for once. Did they dream we won d 
 not obferve this omiflion ? Nay, they miftakeit; 
 and if we be condemned in this point, the AiTem 
 bly muft openly and above board condemn the re- 
 formers, the fynod of Dort, who approved the 
 Palatine catechifm, (which is more exprefs on that 
 head than the Marrow) which catechifm our own 
 church received, as Mf. Wodrow aflerts in his de- 
 dication to the king in the frontifpiece of his hifto- 
 ry, as alfo our own old ftandards. unto which we 
 are bound by our national covenants ; and then [ 
 thin\ we will be condemned in good company. But 
 tho' I apprehend, fome of the co nmiffion knew all 
 this," they had no mind to let the world fee us among 
 fuch a cloud of witnefles, if they could help it •, and 
 in fliort, on the other hand, we ha.ve no mind to 
 part with them ; and the AiTembly muft even con- 
 demn us altogether, or they will be a little too ob- 
 moxious to the cenfure of frrtlalitv- if they make a 
 
 Z diftiolHoii 
 
178 A Dialogue concerning^ &c. 
 
 diftincYion. But this matter fhall be laid open by 
 uncontefted documents in our progrefs, and what 
 we affert from this fubject made evident from the 
 fcriptures, as well as difcovered to be the fentiments 
 of thefe worthies. Further remarks will occur at 
 our next meeting, and feveral of thefe will be more 
 fully confidered. But it will not be fit to continue 
 longer at this time. 
 
 Gam I am fatisfied we proceed no further now. 
 But pray, Sir, fhew the general plan of our next 
 dialogue. 
 
 Paul. Sir, I fuppofe if, in the next dialogue, we 
 get through the nine heads of the commiffion's al- 
 ledged reproaches, which we have collected from 
 their overture, and defend what is maintained on 
 thefe heads in the Reprefentation, and offer fome 
 things to vindicate ourfelves from the commiffion's 
 groundlefs jealoufy of our orthodoxy, and fhew, by 
 a more particular coniideration of the commiffion's 
 overture, that they have not taken off the reafons 
 in our Reprefentation, for repealing the Affembly's 
 act ; it is all we can expect. 
 Gam. You fhall be all very welcome to meet here, 
 
 if you think fit, againft the day of But, 
 
 mean time, Mr. Paul, we may write to one another 
 upon fome branches of the fubjects in view, which 
 may prepare us for conference upon them. For 
 though the fubjecls we have been upon were necef- 
 iary to be confidered, yet the main points remain, 
 and what we have been upon is indeed but a prodro- 
 mus thereunto. 
 
 Paul. I am heartily pleafed with your propofal, 
 and fo we need infift no further at all at this time. 
 
 And, to conclude, now may the Lord fend forth 
 his light and his truth, may thefe be our guides, and 
 may this controverfy iiTue in a clear and bright dif- 
 covery of gofpel truths, and a difpelling of the mifts 
 of Legalilm and Baxterianifm, wherewith, among 
 other things, they are clouded in our day. 
 The End of the Firji Dialogue. 
 
 An 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 An APOLOGY by the Author of the 
 foregoing DIALOGUE. 
 
 THE Controverfy concerning the fifth a 61 of 
 the General AfTembly of the church of Scot- 
 land, Anno 1720, condemning, The Marrow of 
 Modern Divinity, and the R.eprefentation of twelve 
 minifters of this church, againft that aft, unto the 
 General AfTembly, Anno 1721, having made fo 
 much noife; the fubjecls of debate, being of fo 
 great moment; mifreprefentations thereanent, by 
 perfons, either unacquainted with that matter, or 
 mightily prejudiced, being fo very common ; and 
 the danger of fuch mifconftruftions being obvious : 
 It cannot but be acknowledged, that it would be 
 good fervice to this church, and to the caufe of 
 truth itfelf, if one could be fo happy as to fet that 
 matter in a true light. 
 
 I hope it will be readily acknowledged, that, in 
 an affair of this nature, this, is not to be expected 
 from the pen of one who is intirely indifferent about 
 one or other fide of the queftion, howfoever fit 
 fuch a neutral perfon may be to accomodate differ- 
 ences of another kind : But then, it muft be no lefs 
 frankly owned, that while we are clothed with mor- 
 tality, and fo, with manifold infirmities, much 
 darknefs, weaknefs, and corruption ; we have rea- 
 fon to entertain a holy jealoufy of our deceitful 
 hearts; left in managing fuch a contrqverfy, we be 
 not quite fo free of fuch a partial byafs towards one 
 fide of the queftion, as may, at leaft in a great 
 meafure, intercept our clear view of the ftrength of 
 the reafons advanced and pleaded upon the other 
 fide. I am very feofible, it is not eafy to be alto- 
 gether free of a byafs in matters of controverfy, let 
 men pretend what they will ; though T am no lei's 
 convinced it is a fault to be fwayed in the leaft any 
 confiderations, but a clear and impartial view of 
 Z 2 truth. 
 
180 An Apology by the Author 
 
 truth. And I do freely acknowledge that it would 
 be but a very forry, nay finful defign in a matter of 
 fuch importance, to contend more for credit and 
 victory than for truth ; therefore, if my heart de* 
 ceive me not, I defire to lye open to conviction ; 
 nor have I willingly fhunned to make a fair repre- 
 fentation of what ever has come to my knowledge, 
 that hath been advanced in favours of the caufe I 
 oppofe, or againft that which I maintain. 
 
 I do confefs this is an undertaking of no fmall 
 difficulty, efpecially when matters are gone fo far, 
 and are io circumftanced, that the difference is like 
 to be' on the growing hand ; while, fome do take 
 but too much liberty in charging the generality of 
 the church of Scotland with maintaining dangerous 
 principles inconfiftent with the gofpel of Chrift, a 
 length which the reprefenters themfelves had not 
 freedom to go, who, albeit they plead ftrenuoufly 
 againft the act itfelf, as of dangerous ccnfequence, 
 and as condemning truths of the greateft import- 
 ance ; yet they do not conftrucT: this deed to be the 
 deliberate and fixed fentiment of the church, but 
 an oversight} and while, upon the other hand, 
 fuch ftrained inferences, and horrid conclufions are 
 drawn from the Reprefentation, and fuch ground- 
 lefs calumnies are charged upon the caufe and con- 
 duel of the reprefenters, both by minifters and o- 
 thers, as I am perfuaded, are no lefs contrary to 
 truth and fact, than they are to their genuine and 
 known fentiments. When matters are fo ftated it 
 rauft be a heavy talk indeed, in a right manner to 
 manage this controverfy. 
 
 Neverthelefs, however difficult this eflay may be, 
 on thefe, or other accounts of the like nature, I 
 am not quite without hope, that what I have offer- 
 ed to the public concerning this affair, may be of 
 fome ufe to open men's eyes, to remove miftakes 
 and prejudices; or at leaft, to excite upon an im- 
 partial enquiry into truth ; which I hope and hear- 
 tily pray may triumph and fhine forth glorioufly to 
 
 the 
 
ef the foregoing Dialogue. 1 8 1 
 
 the conviction o all ; tho' all the credit and reputation of 
 pa a cular men mould be laid in the dull If ill concerned 
 could be helped, tn»o' &rtoe, re l*f aii^e .ill int»irficconii- 
 deftt*0§a ^at ;\>ay have avy influence to keep them from 
 an unbyatfVd am* impartial enquiry into the truth; if this 
 controverfy cou'.d, tnto* the good hand of the Lor 4 upon 
 ihr m, be managed wkh Chriftian charity, brotherly kind- 
 neis, nveknefs, mu ual condefcenhon fo far as tney may 
 be confident with truth and dory, with due temper ot fpirir, 
 and a Chnilian and becoming moderation, and mortification 
 of all inordin /e paffions, and yet an allowable zeal for the 
 ot truth ; if no body would lay too much ftrefs upon 
 ihele confide rations that are not fufficient in tfumfelves to 
 faiisfy the mind of a reasonable enquirerinto truth in mat- 
 ters ccmroverted ; if men would bt perfuaded that with- 
 out fuch ao impartial feareh as may contribute to their fee- 
 ing with their own eyes, no human authority mould deter- 
 mine them ; if all the members of the church judicatories 
 before whom this matter may be canvaffed, would be no 
 more under the influence and expreffion of the neceffity or 
 Supporting the credit of the church, now that the act is 
 pait, than upon a feriocs review, tfoey would judge it rea- 
 Jonab'e to go in to it, in the terms in which it ftaods, if it 
 were to be done. And if they would b<4i»ve, in cafe upon 
 an impartial view of that acl:, they find it fuch as they would 
 not approve of, as it (lands, if it were to be enacled : That 
 it is mo.e for the credit of the church to repeal it than to 
 adhere unto it ; if the reprefemers would with a becoming 
 deference to church judicatories, and with due temper pro- 
 pofe and plead their reafons againft it ; if all uncharnaSie 
 reflections and bitter inveclives were upon ail hands guard- 
 ed againft, and ei'ery thing taken by the beft handle, if 
 (I fay) thefe things could be attained, there would be hope 
 in our Ifrael concerning this thing. Then things themselves 
 would be viewed in a clear light, and not clouded and dar 1: • 
 ened by a too implicite regard unto perfons, on either 
 hand. 
 
 Now, I acknowledge, 1 want not my fears, that neither 
 parties concerned, or who may think fit to concern them 
 leives in ihis controverfy will be !o hsppy as to mana ge 
 thin matter in fuch a fingle and difinterefted manner, nor do 
 1 tra.ifgrefs the law of charity, wr.en I thus cxprefs the** 
 my fears ; nothing having been more ordinary in aJJ ages cf 
 the church, than lor men, in the heat and humour of con? 
 tenticn, to carry matters further, thin they at firlt intend- 
 ed, and nothing more rare and uncommon than a generous 
 and frank fubmitting unco the power of t»uth ; especially 
 When it is maintained by a ihaall and defpiftd hand.ui, as rq 
 
 the 
 
1 82 An Apology by the Author 
 
 the prefcnt cafe, This, however, is do argument againft 
 an effay of this nature, feeing it may be of fome ufe to faf- 
 ten a fecret conviction, to excite unto an impartial enquiry, 
 and to let the world know, that the favourers of the Re- 
 prefentation have fomething to fay for that caufe, that is 
 not quite fo contemptible, as their adverfaries do boaft. 
 
 In ftating this controvcrfy, and reafoning thereupon I 
 have endeavoured to my knowledge not to conceal any 
 thing of the ftrength of the arguments on the other fide, or 
 to quote my antagonifts unfairly, or draw wide conclufions 
 from their words ; a practice in a late applauded perfor- 
 mance evident enough to diligent and impartial readers who 
 have not grudged the time and pains of comparing things ; 
 though it may have efcaped thefe who fatisfied themfelves 
 with a more curfory perufal. I hope before this controver- 
 fy be done, that pamphlet will be found to be a more clear 
 deteclion of \he fophiftry and unfair dealing, if not of fome 
 erroneous fentiments as well as grofs blunders of the famed 
 author than of the Antioomianifm of the Marrow. 
 
 I apprehend, in order to a clear view of this controver- 
 fy ; it will be very expedient ihat fuch as may think fit to 
 perufe the foregoing fheets, mould have he Act of AfTem- 
 bly condemning the Marrow, and the R^prefentation of rhe 
 twelve brethren, againft that act at hand; and left thefe, 
 mould not (o eafily fall into the hand of every reader, I 
 have engrofTed them in thefe fheets *. 
 
 I have thought fit to write the form of a dialogue, be* 
 caufe I judged it a more plain, eafy, comprehenfive, agree- 
 able, and convincing method than any other, efpecially, 
 upon a fubject of this nature, wherein fuch variety will 
 occur as cannot lo properly be managed another way. The 
 choice of borrowed names for a dialogue is very arbitrary, 
 and there is nore^fon for any perfon to put harfh conftruc- 
 tions, upon the choice ; far lefs to make unwarrantable ap- 
 plications of every thing in their known characters, unto 
 thofe whom they reprefent in a dialogue ; and ( hope 
 no body will think it worth their while to beat their 
 brains, to find out reafons why I have borrowed the name 
 of Gamaliel, a great doctor of the law, to rfprefent the 
 minifter or minifters who defend and lupport the act of 
 AfTembly, condemning the Marrow of Modern Divinity ; 
 of Paul, to act the part of the reprefenters ; of Apelies, one 
 
 approved 
 
 * Twelve queries put to the reprefenting brethren, with 
 their anfwers, and the authorities to fupport faid anfwers, 
 arc prefixed to this edition, by the pubiifher. 
 
of the foregoing Dialogue- 183 
 
 approved in Chrift, faluted by Paul, Rom. xvi 10 to bear 
 a part in the, dialogue, a? a private Chriftian, a friend of 
 the Reprefentation ; of Philologus, alfo faluted by Paul, 
 Rom. xvi. 15. to reprefent what may be offered by a pri- 
 vate Chriftian, a friend unto, and defender of the act com- 
 plained of, and an oppofer of the Reprefentation; of Rufus 
 mentioned by Paul, as one chofen in the Lord, Rom. xvi. 13. 
 to put in a word now and then in the name of a well-mean- 
 ing, tho* weak Chriftian, ready to be (tumbled at thefe de- 
 bates, and who is not tenacioufly attached r untoany fide of 
 this controverfy, but would earneftly defire light and direc- 
 tion from the Lord ; and of Galiio, to act the part of a li- 
 bertine, neutral, and prophane perfon, who thinks not 
 thefe iubjects worth his while to be concerned about, but 
 makes a wicked and profane improvement of fuch contro- 
 verties againft religion itfelf, and the profeiTors thereof. It 
 is true the controverfy in the dialogue is principally mana- 
 ged by Gamaliel and Paul, becaufe it ought to be the fpeci- 
 a) concern of minifters to bring that matter unto a happy 
 irTue, by an impartial fearch into truth ; neverthlefs, feeing 
 private Chriftians really do concern themfeives on each fide 
 of this controverfy, and perfons alfo of Gallio's temper 
 do make it the fubject iometimes of their prophane jefts, 
 I thought it not amifs now and then to introduce perfons 
 under thefe characters, for a more full view of this whole 
 controverfy. Though I have beeD fomewhat long before 
 1 bang Gamaliel and Paul together, yet in thefe previous 
 feparate communings by which the parties are brought to 
 meet, there is fomething more may be obferved that may 
 pave the way to clear fome things concerning this matter 
 than a mere decorum introductory unto the difpute itfelf. 
 
 And now I have done with this apology, when I have 
 fuggefted my hope of an happy ifTue of this affair, or at 
 leaft the advantage that truth and the true intereft of reli- 
 gion may gain by it, though the r?prefenters fhould fall a 
 facrifice to the pride and enraged refentruents of their ene- 
 mies. When I conilder that all the minifters of this church, 
 do not only acknowledge the divine authority o" the fcrip- 
 tur^s, but do agree in one common teft of orthodoxy, in 
 our Confefficn of Faith and Caiechifrns, which they have 
 owned and fubferibed as the confeflion of their faith ; may 
 it not be reafonabiy expected that a controverfy of this 
 nature may be quickly determined to their Utis faction, if 
 partiality and prejudice were la'*d kddQ. But if that fhould 
 be otherwife, and matters mould be carried to the greateft 
 height ; yet I rejoice to think, that, even in that event, the 
 fincere defign of the Repreientation will not be quite loft ; 
 it may be expected that the teftimony given to truth there- 
 
 by 
 
1 84 An Apology by the Author ', &c. 
 
 by, will, at leaft, weaken the authority and credit of that 
 act, fc far as few fhall plead it in defence of the errors, 
 which according to its tenor, it doth, at leail by native con- 
 fcqueoce and intention^ oporh, patronlfe, by condemning 
 paUtges quoted out of the Marrow, as contrary to the 
 fcriptore aud Confeffion of Faith, which are agreeable unto 
 both ; it may be expected thefe debates may put private 
 Chriftians to a more fincere and diligent examination of the 
 grounds of their faith, and of the doctrines taught them, 
 than hithetto they have been exercifed about ; this may 
 come to recommend and inculcate the excellent example of 
 the noble Bereans, who tryed the doctrines of the apofties 
 themfelves by the fcriptures ; and who knows, but the ac- 
 curate ftudy of thefe matters, may at length bring the mini- 
 ilry of Scotland to give a teftimony for truth, by repealing 
 that act, when the artful leaders that promoted it, and thtnit 
 their credit engaged tofupport it, are lefs regarded, which 
 cannot fo weli be expected, while thty bear fuch an unac- 
 countable fway in all our church-managements- If God 
 pour out his Spirit, and blefs the few who do, or may ftand 
 up for this caufe, with much fpiritual light and lire, and 
 holy courage, and refolution,in the ftrength of their great 
 Lord and Mafter the chief fhepherd, the truth may prevail 
 in fpite of all her oppoters : But I heartily pray it ne- 
 ver may be the lot of this church to have fuch a handful 
 only, to bear open teftimony to fuch valuable truths, I 
 know there are a great many among the miniftry who have 
 not joined in fubferihingthe Rcprefentation, who are hear- 
 ty friends to the caufe pleaded therein, and others who a r e 
 not fuch violent enemies thereunto, as indeed the genera- 
 lity are ; acid it may be expected, that in cafe cf that ex- 
 tremity, which fame do conftandy threaten, thefe orght- 
 difciples maaf be convinced of their duty, to make a more 
 open appearance in this matter, as a cafeofcorifeflion. To 
 concluue, I hope God fhall be glorified, the church edified, 
 truth eitahliihed aod confirmed, lovers of our Lord Jefus 
 refrefhed, and enemies difappointed, by the ifTue or this 
 controveify. 
 
 FINIS.