£2* 53 ££3 ^a ^^ o^^r OF T11K _ at PRINCETON, N. J. X> O ]W -A. 'X" I « scr «_» V SAMUEL AGNEW, OF PHI I. iDKLFHIA, PA. Q4t> COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE ? LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY J* M — PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 7 00% The Parafelene dismantled of her Cloud. . ^ . — <- ~tf OR, o /^ %£ / 77 j5 ;- 0ajctetfanf(m fiat efac'tt* Drawn from A Literal Tranfcriptof Mr. BAXTERS,- And the Judgment of Others, In the moft Radical Do&rines of Faith ; Compar'd with thofe of the Orthodox, BOTH Conformift and Nonconformift ; And transferr'd over by way of Teft, unto the PAPIST and QUAKER. Ezek-ft.xT ITgey e flood before themfeventy of the Antienti of the Houfe of Ilrael, and m the ftaap^ 0j them fiooj jaazania the Son of Shaphan, &c. Ifa. 62. 1. For Zion sy^ i will not hold ^ Peace, and for Jeru&lcmV fake I wiU not reft, mttl the Righteoujnejs tr*,„f ^ f^-th ^Bri&tnefs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth. Pro Thefauro Carbones, p*s %*.*** ^^^ -^ Or the Babylonijh Garment fetch'd from a Proteflant's Tent, the accurfedftop to IC rttVsCamp in itsProgrcfs towards Reformation. Frontemelapparetj tegiturfed ventre venenum, Melleque fab cauda toxica mixta jacent. Partus. IE %S> By THOMAS EDWARDS, Efq; ^ LONDON, Printed, and fold by Will, Marjhal at the Bible in Newgate-.ftrcvt^ and John Mar/hal at the Bible in Grace-churck-Jlreet. iVpo. . I , "^ > The INTRODUCTION. Reader ; H E following Treatife is not-fo much of the direEk Nature of a GoBtro-- verfy, whatever like it may occafionally tali in, or within compafs bt the lame, as it is literally, by way of Quotation, expreflive oi theai- : itind Jailamciits of feveral Perfwafions, and that about the mam Sal- vation Voint; >:f the Chriftian Religion (fuch I mean as lie more immediately next ujit. the Notion of a Deity, the myfterious Dodrines both of. a God in Trinity, together with that ineffable Difcovery cf eternal Love in the Hywjlatxcal Vnion) which when thou haft perufed, thou art at full liberty to make nrftlipariminatiye cfnncept either of them y and this we mufj all certainly do fooiier or later : for there is not in the lea it any jylednim between thenr, but Life entirely, or Death (rdjij and that both fpiritual and eternal, are held forth d::jnncliveiy or hnmix- c -'>, .'. c not partly. Life, and partly Death, either in the one or in the other: This I fay is lb, in a doctrinal Senfe or Acceptation ; for I determine no Man's final State, as to his particular Perfon ; np ! That is a fovereign Flower of an un- changeable God's Prerogative, which muft not be touch'd upon by any one, Deut, 29. 29. But this I fay, as worthy Mr. Perkins of old did, That a Papifi, as a Ma- pi ft, cannot be J',ivedi i.e. upon thofe Principles whereon fuch lay their ftrefs of hopes foi* Salvation •, viz.. That, the Righteoujhefs of Chrift made way in the Merits thereof, for the Jsjlification of the Perfon of a Sinner, in the material Righteoufnefs of Faith, Repentance, Holinefs, &c. before God. Now if the rankejl Papift in the World will not acknowledg and own this as the very Foundation of his hopes for Glory., I am utterly at a lofs : Nav I am (b far from being mifiaken in this Point, that do 'ut allow of it, and I {hall eafily or with a wet Finger reconcile both Papift and Protdtant:, and fo overthrow the very iianding or vertical Spring of the Re- formation, yea the ^rv j\jaturesof both Covenants in their publick, federal, and as fucll illbltitUtive HeaCllllipb, whereon as Covenant* they mainly depend. The Thoughts of which caule me to lay before thee what Mr. T> ought on, in the clofe of hif Preface to his fecond part of Luther m Redivivm, recites out of Mi*. Norton. , Taking fcferefy for a fundamental Error, i. e. fuch as whofoever liveth and di- " eth in, cannot befaved. The Dialogue containeth three Heretics-, The firftde- " nying the imputation of the Sin of the Elect unto Chrift, and his {uffering the " Puniihment due thereto. The fecond denying that Chrift as Gdd-i edia- ! u to-', obeyed the Law, and therewith that he obeyed for us as our Surety. The " third denying the imputation of ChriiVs Obedience unto juitmcatiun, deftroy- '■ ing the very being of a Sinner's Righteoulhefs, by taking away the Obedience of u the mediatorial Obedience of Chrift to the Law for us. The nine iubiequuit heads being according to my Apprehcnfjn the Subftance of the Prpteftanj: Reibn-natioii, as al. 1 think n . . h. . before A 2 thee. iv The Introduction. thee. And that becaufe of the feveral Citations out of divers Authors infcrted in the twice told three Columns of this Piece, do either fall in with one or other of them, or are wholly rejediveof the fame : This thou wilt find out by comparing each with other. Only bv the way take notice of what Mr. Theophilvu Gale dt- dares as the Excellency of Mr. Strong's Treatife of both Covenants. " i. That u God never did nor will deal with Mankind merely in a way of Dominion, but alfo in a way of Covenant. 2. That both Covenants are made with Men not cc w!Mldutelyy tut in and bv fome publick V erf on. 3. That it is Union with either of thefe publick Perfons, that brings a Man under their Covenants. 4. That it is impoflible for a Man to be under both Covenants. The Heads defigned follow as 1. That Predefiination, and conjcquently Election and Reprobation, ire abfolute- Rom. 9. 11, 15, 16, 22, 23. ch. 1 1. 5, 7, 28. Ephef. 1.5, 11. The following Texts hold forth the Marks, not Caufes of Reprobation ; 2 Cor. 1 3. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 2. That the Covenant of Grace had not a temporal but eternal Origination, was in all Generations particular and fpecial, the lame in matter and effed, never of an univerfal nature, or differently traniaded Mediums between God and Man any further than as Type and Antitype ltood related each to other, and that not only as abiding in the Purpofe and Decree of God, but as made, agreed and en- trcdupon, by a mutual perfonal Compact between the Father and the Son -, and that none but thofe that were perfbnally and formally inferted then in that Covenant, and that reflectively in each Individual of them (thonot then created, yet as truly- known as if fo, Jn God's intuitive Vifion, 1 Pet. 1. 2.) ever have been or /hall be in time actually taken into the fame} Prov. 8. 30, 31. compared with John 17. 5) 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Heb. 2. 11, 12, 13. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Rev. 13. 8. Luke 10. 20. John 10. 3, 4, 5, 16,26,27,28, 29. Ifa.59.21. For the confirmation of this Truth, take Dr. Owens Teltimony unto the fame. ' (1.) That the Lord JefusChrift was the principal fubjett matter of this Cove- ' nam, the Undertaker in it, and Surety of it, the Scriptures exprefly declare ; 14 for the great Promife of it was concerning him and his Mediation, ^ith the Be- c nefits that fhould redound unto Mankind thereby in Grace and Glory. And 1 the preceptive Part of it required Obedience in and from,1*"11* new and diftind " from that which was exacted by the Law of creation, altho enwrapping all the " Commands thereof alio. And he was the Surety of it, in that he undertook un- " to God whatever by the terms of the Covenant was to be done for Man, to " accompli!]] it in his own P erf on \ and whatever was to be done in and by Man, *' to effect it by his own Spirit and Grace \ that fothe Covenant on every fide might > " be firm and ftable, and the ends of it fulfilled. Exercit. Vol. 2. Heb. p. 50. " (2.) Such is the Diftinction of the Perfbns in the Unity of the divine Eflence,; u as that they act in natural and efTential Ads reciprocally one towards another -y " namely, in Understanding, Love, and the like} they know and mutually love " each otter. And as they fubfift diftindly, fo they alfb ad diftindly in" thofe " Works which are of external Operation. And whereas all thefe Ads and Ope- " rations, whether reciprocal or external, are either with a Will, or from a free- " dom of Will and Choice, the Will of God in each Perfbn, as to the peculiar " Ads alcribed unto him, is his Will therein peculiarly and eminently, tho not " exdufively to the other Perfons by reafbn of their mutual In-being. The Will " of God, as to the peculiar Adings of the Father in this matter, is the Will of " the Father i and the Will of God, with regard unto the peculiar Adings of the " Son, The Introduction. v " Son, is the Will of the Son -, not by a diftindion of fundry Wills, but by the " diftind Application of the fame Will unto its diftintt Acts, in the Perfon of the " Father and of the Sorc, And in this refped the Covenant whereof we treat " differeth from a pure Decree, for from thofe diftind Adings of the Will of " God in the Father and the Son, there doth arile a new Habitude or Relation, a which is not natural or necefTary uato them, but freely taken on them. And by u virtue hereof were all Believers laved from the Foundation of the World upon of plrl depraved moral Principles ; Afat. 7. 17, r& tiof. 14. 5,6,7. 8. Pfal. h 3. John 15, 5 si 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1. _ | 8. That the Dotlrine- of AJfurance is the Scripture Vrotefianf Dotlrine, and which all the People of the Lord are enjoined by way of Precept, and encouraged by infinite Promifes to pre fs after, and is attainable V 2 Pet. 2, io,,ii. tfaj'. 6. 3. Jobzz. 21. £phef. 1. 17,18. iCor. 15. 55,56, 57, 58. Ep\)e'f, 2. 16, 17, 18, .iy. 9. That yr^fi GV.^e m its \.iving,nature c\nd kind carries in the very Bowels thereof the ?{omifcoiPerfev{,\avcc unto Glory ; Phil. 1.6, 'Rom. 14. 3,4..'/j^.35.8. I fl», 1.5. TheSubitanceof there Pofitions, Reader, is what the old Proteitant Reformers, as juch, adhered unto, yea for which in ail Generations they eamcftiy contend- ed againit their mo'it iubtle and violent Gpoofers-, ^ud many of them as by Provi- dence called unto their Trials did ;n Faithfulnefs teitiiy unto the, fame, even un: to'felood. >few Attempts, have been made, formerly ,and of late, . both by, Craft and Suhilty, Violence and Impudence y and; that under a. pretence of Moderation, 'ancl a new-coin d milder way tositrip us of the lame, as th -u wit eauly find from the Quotations exprefs'd in the foil owing Trad, unto which I; thai] refer .thee, and the guidance of that blefTed Mod, who ever was and. ever will (notwithltanding the feeming'Succefcof his Enemies,) be feen m the Mount of Difficulties in defence both, of his Truthsand People j which puts me in mind oi the flowing 5 Lines. : ' Aw.iy Bxfparr, my gracious Loul doth foe Tho Winds and Hraves afcuik my A' ".7, He doth prejerye it : \;e £■■■ . Eva when the I rihsare t<:c Triim.ph oj lis Art : ]■■■:; :yes, But not ins Hex :. ...-■■ • \\j\\ many Contentions'' :-;n? How many pre'. ; .1.1' r The Introduction. vii " haft thou loft to thy felf and thy Reverend Brethren ? Into an Abyfs of how cc manv anti-Golpel Errors are they now funk, who glory in thee as their Guide tc and Patron? Who after they have once left the way of Truth, Icarce know ". where to.ftopy and yet thou '{till telleft the World, all thy Difputes are about "the W'ool of a Dog, for: thou dirFereit only in WTords and Names from thy l£ Brethren^ To conclude, Reader, take along with thee this following Advert! fement or Neouomian Teft ; that whenever any Pofition of Truth feemingly fo is laid down by them, whereby they delude the Hearts of the fimple, it is in fuck terms as are capable of letting go that which thou or another think they hold forth in the face of them, and yet fufficiently retentive of their Errors, even to an utter Exclufion of the Truth it fel£ As for inftance, we (hall for the prefent allow them perhaps more than ever yet they have acknowledg'd, or are willing to own (if they do notf think us Impoiers for the fame) as that whereby under a fhadow of Orthodoxy they would abfolutely undermine the Doftrine of Juftification, and the whole of both Covenants, as each are founded upon their different or diftind, fubftitutive and reprefentative Perlbn or Headilhip. Now fuppofe they ihould own Ele&ion in its proper Senfe, fuppofe alio they ihould acknowledg a peculiar Redemption, and that of individual diftind Perfons, as particularly felected from the reft of Mankind.-, yet the Queftion is, how and when are they justified ? Is it that they are materially juiliried in the fight of God, before or only when they actually be- lieve? 'they may per hafps own that they are materially jultified before God, and that even before they actually believe : Let us lee then upon this fuppofed Conceffi- on, how. far this may, according to their ufual Fetches and Prevarication*, iecure tliem in their undifcerned heretical Referves, and thereby indeed overthrow the whole of , that Doclnne, which they TeemUo. own. As'thus, they are materially jultified before' God, and that before they a&ually Relieve, in that the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift in the matter thereof is always in the approved fight of God for them, as having a Sufficiency of Merit in it to plead for, and procure that Faith, Repentance, Sincerity, Hoiinefs and Obedience, which in time upon their actual Believing and P'^cW^UToimiuon, through the Merit, of this m:itemd Righte- oufnefs, becomes then Robe of juilihing Ri^htcoufneft before God, upon which the Sentence ot a juridical Condemnation or J unification mult pais •, and fo far is- it tyre r/W/y.oWned by them as our Righteouihels, and 1:0 further: and" herein let them dUprove me if they can. This is their ngw Law toi fowl! of ju 'in-ation, as purchaieu by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift-: whereas do bur ohLnc tJ e Apoitle, Rom. 5. 19. who (peaking of the JDijobedimce vf one, and the Obedience of mother, mentions not in theleaft any twodiftind Laws, (wherein he lid a fair Opportuni- ty fo to do if any fuch thing had been) whence 'that 'by a Difbbedience unto one of them many were made Sinners, and that by an Obedience unto another of them, or fome peculiar mediatorial Law, ^remote meritorious Righteoufnefs muft come forth to make many righteous by a ihiid Law -, or that a former Law was vacated by Obedience to a middle Law, andall to bring in fuftificatioii by a third Law : Not at all, for the Apoftie as acted by the Spirit" of the lord, fpeaksbut of Difb- bedience and Obedient,, without thiuimerpoiition of two-diiierent Laws unto which apart they muft ftand related, but that both had a pohtive relation either in Condemnation unto Death, or Reiteration unto Life, to one and the felf&me Law. And tho our Aciveriaries would confidently aiTert, that the Law of Iuno- cence*: vi ii The Introduction. fence had no relation unto the moral Law, or that of the ten Commandments which is quite contrary to Scripture and all found Interpreters ', yet fee Rom.5.12 1 3. By one Man Sin cntred into the World 'and until the Law Sin was in the Worlds but Sin is not imputed when there is no Law. How came it then to be m or imputed unto the World, before the coming of the Law ? and that the ielf- fame Sin that was in the World before the coming of the Law, fhould be the felf- fame Sin that was charged upon and imputed unto the World after its Promulgati- on ? for it is plain from the fcope of the place, that this Sin has its Denomination of being a Sin from one and the fame Law as well before as after its Publication. It is indeed, as one well obferves, that from that one Species of Sin in Adam, the whole Genus or Kind is Inewn, as the fame Law being more dearly unfolded doth exprefs \ Dent. 27. 26. Gal, 3. 10. I fhall (hut up this with fonic Observations of Dr.Lightfoot : " Adam heard as much in the Garden as Ifrael did at Sinai, but on- tc ly in fewer words, and without Thunder. Again, how could there be a greater Jdntroverjies nakedly confidered in themfelVes are not (with truly peace* ' loving met ingenuous Soids^) in the leaft pleafant, but rather regretful and irkfome, especially where they are manag'd with a fpiritof Revenge, j4 Self-intereft, Treachery, and Vain-glory. But where Truths lie in dan- ger of being fubverted, and particularly thofe of a more fundamental Station and Magnitude in the Church of God, without which all other fiiper- ftruBuatcd ones will prove but meer Cyphers, even fo, that the very things which Men feem to have (hall be taken away from them and given to the ju.t, i. c. the juftified of God, who will be found to have that Faith, Repentance, Sincerity &C. as a Confequence of fuch a State that others thought they had or pretended to liave* Mat. 25.28. chap. 13. 11, 12. Jchzj. 16, 17. compared with Luke 8. 18. (as if there were no other way of preferving the Moon and Stars in their refulgent Splendor but by putting cut the Sun •, fo with iome Perfons they know not how fufficiently to prefs on Graces and Duties, unlefs it be by a dethroning of Chrijl, and that as he is indeed the alone San of Right eoufnefs : ) Then I fay Polemical Engagements are not ' only abfolutely neceflary in themfelves, as arifing from the nature of the Cauie in hand, wherein every one ought to take care of his own Soul, and the eternal Wel- fare thereof:, but to fee filent herein, would be fo to quit and calf off that Duty enjoin'd us by the Lord, as to run the ha- zard of being reckoned even by himfelf amongil the num- ber of his profeffed Enemies and Betrayers of his Church : Mat. 12. 3c. Atls 20. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; 3 1. Now for any one Servant in a Family, v hofe Duty indeed it is to cover the Infirmities and Weakneffes, properly and truly fuch, of his fel ow-Servants ', yet to connive at, or be meal-mouth'd when they become iecret Domeffick Pioneers (tho he him- felf have no co-adual hand with them theiein ) by their di- verting what is committed to their charge from its peculiar ufe and intendment, will be found not only an Argument of his Unfaithfulneft, but Rebellion in a high degree, as there- by rehdring himfelf no lefs than a Co-partner or Partaker with ihem in fuch vile and ruinous Undertakings : A:ts 7. 58. compare chap. 8. 1. chap. 22 2c. Gal. 2. ir. 1 Tim. 5. 22, 24, 25. Nay, the flothful Servant is reckoned of God, to be no iefs than a Brother to the great Walter, Prov. 18. 9. Hence it is that the Apcutle. Judc, v. 3. exhorting them unto whom he wrote, to contend earnefily for the Faith once de- livered to the Saints; he does it by a word fignificative of a hot and violent Fight, an inftant Contention ; even fuch a word as that t\r& who diligently* together With Faithftd- nefs to and Zeal for the Lord and his Intereit , attend unto 8 Afinoris peccati e/r fe- qu'i malum, quod bonum put arts, quam non audere defenders quod pro bono ccrto noverjs. It is a leifcr Sin to fol- low that evil which thou thinkeft to be good, than not to dare to defend that which thou know- eft for a certain good or truth. • Hierom. Dialog. 1. ad- verf. Pelagian. Ezra^w/^e^a/. Leigh's Cri'.'ic.i Sacra in the Mar- genc tells us, the fimpife word figniiieth, Cert ami- na frip 'lit 1 qnalia funt inter Athletas ; fed com- pojitio iUuilrm c0, <& fig- ht icat ccrtare cum fummo Jhdio. Arec. 2 Baxterianifm Barefaced. the fame in the contextual as well as analogical defign of the Holy Ghoft therein, mull be contest to undergo the (balding Sarcafins of our new Schematifis ; and well the\ may, for it is but what a Prophet ■ f the Lord hath undergone in the judg- ment of fomc of lite, that in his Tefl'mony fo Cod agtinfi a wicked King, and his falfe Prophets, he was acled by a Z? il which .1 d from an irregular Piflion ; 2 King 3.13,14. Thus they, to ftave off Perfons i 6m a juft and weighty attendance upun the very' things tbemfclves in debate, reprefent their opponent Authors either as a piece of tumificd Flcf}?, jocular, patjionate,o? too fir ait-lac' d, and all bound up to- gether with the old invented and artificial Twig of Antinomianifm : Whereas in- deed there are none that I know, efpeciaily under a Vizard of Reformation, that would more promote fuch a Religion as is absolutely deftru&ive of the Law, both in its federal Relation, together with its practical Efficacy, as laid up in Chrift the Ark of the Covenant, than thefe Perfons do. For thou wilt find this to be but the fame method and to the fame dhd, as arifmg from the fame Principle in the Pharifees of old, and their dealings with the People thereupon againft a Reception of the Minifiry of Cl.rifi, and his faithful Witneffes ; John the Baptift's work being to guide Sinners wholly unto Chrift for Safvation : Joh. 1. 29. This alfo being exprefly the defign of Chrift to bring Souls nakedly unto himfelf: Mat. 11.28. Nay, that the very Scriptures themfelves would little avail them without coming unto and laying hold of him in and by their fearching of the fame : Joh. 5.39,40. Now which way do the Pharifees take to divert the People from dofmg with thefe gra- cious In ft ructions and Offers? Even by reprefenting John as a morofe, aufiere, and ficm Man, i. e. too fir ait-lac d, pijffionate, or a piece of tumified Fief}) : And Chrifi * as a Man gluttonous, open or loofe, a Converfer with Publicans and Sinners, i. e. jo- cular, licentious, or a real (in their fenfe) Antinomian ; and alfo all kfe Followers and their delegated Teachers fuch as were ignorant, blockiflj, illogical Creatnresy un- intelligent, unfiudied Divines, full of myfierious Nonfenfe. And this meerly to ferve their own inherent Righteoufnefs in order unto their Juftification, and that by the Mefliah himfelf whom they expeded as their Rector al Governor and Deliverer, i. e. in that very fenfe to be their Saviour ; tho all acknowledged alfo with thankfulnefs to fpring from the free Grace of God : Mat. 1 1. 18, 19. John 7- 4^» 49- c^- 9- 28, 34. ch. 5. 4^,46. Rom.g. 31, 32. Luke 18. 11, 12, 14. This is deductively clear from both wnat was prophefied of John as the immediate fore-runner of Chrift, that he fhould preach, and as is exprefly declared, did preach, If a. 40. 3,4, &c. compare Luke 3.4, 5, 6. That all towring Imaginations of Mans own Works and Righteouf- nefs mould be brought low or to nothing, and every felf-abafed Soul fhould be filled with the Righteoufnefs, Salvation and Glory of God in Chrift. This is alfo pofitive- ly apparent from their coming unto Chrift, and for what end, together with his Carriage towards them thereupon : Luke 16. 15. ch. 18. 9, 18, &c. ch. 5. 31, 32. Therefore it is that Chrift likens that Generation ( thogn?^ pretenders to Holinefs. ) to a pitiful trifling fort of Fellows, Mat. n. 16, 17. fuch as never defended into the jitfi merits of a Caufe laid before them, but were taken up with fome empty, external, foadowy Appearances and Florifties of things: And from thence draws a moft divine Inference, leaving it as a ftanding dottrinal Pofition againft all the fdKc charges of Self-jufticiaries, and in defence both of himfelf and his People, ver. 19. But \Vifdom is jufiijicd of her Children : q. d. whatever imputation of Folly and ' Irrationality may be caft upon my Truths and People, in order to evade the one and afperfe the other, as being abfurd, impious, and a meer putative Imagination yet Baxterianifm Barefafd. * yet one day fhall difcovcr and make it evidently appear, that both the one and the other in their fynonymous Teflimony for me againft the jflelhly Reafons and carnal Artifices of Man, will prove (as it is at preient in my judgment and irreversible efteem) no lefs than a juftifying cf, or a letting the Seal even unto infinite Wifdom it felf, in the whole of the Oeconomy or Man's Redemption, and that both as to order and matter: i John 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1, 12. I (hall lay thefe three Heads before thee in reference unto a real and genuine work of Regeneration, both as to its Rife, Nature and Growth, and that as it ftands related to the Grand (and yet oppofed ) Doctrine of Juflification. ift. As to its Rife , Spring, or original Caufe, I mean in a more immediate, con- tiguoufly apprehended, and prefent applicatory fenle, as precedaneous in order of Nature to an actual fetting of the fame (in the new Creature) on foot in the Soul -, tho the efficient creating Caufe thereof be the Spirit : therefore, To be bom agiin, is to be born of the Spirit ; John 3. 3, 6. But this he does by receiving of that which is peculiarly Chrift's, [hewing it unto the Sinner \ and through an effectual, imputative application cf the fame, enabling him by Faith of his own mighty Ope- ration ^ whereupon the new Birth fprings forth, to clofe and invert himfelf there- with, which indeed is the Right coujnefs of Chrtfi, for which end the Comforter is promifed-, Job. 16. 14. compare v. 7, 8,9,1c. together with Rom. 10.6,7,8. Nay, on this very Rightecuihefs God has founded his Proceedings in both the ruin of his Enemies, and falvation of his People: Ifa.4.6. 12, 13. for it fhall either dijfolve ( wherein Regeneration confiils ) the obfiinacy of the /lout-hearted ; or if pertina- cicuily oppofed by Humbling at and falling upon it, as reckoning it unintelligible, licentious, and unfcripturaU they fhall not only for the preient be broken in all their attempts againll it, but hereafter it fhall ib fall upon them, not as a Covering or Shelter by imputation, (being asfuchin its effential matter and imputative farm rejected by them ) but an exact Accountant, weighing and {canning both their Per- fons and Performances from the ccmpleat climenlions of its infinite and fcrutinous Perfection, as to grind them to Powder. Hence it is that Chrifr in a familiar com- parifon declares bemoaningly, as well as figuratively, wherein the a&ual Rebellion of the jews was originated, notwithstanding their great pretences unto Rel'gion, Holinefs, and the fcveral Duties perform'd by them •, and yet that they were but Hypocrites, and ail they did but meer livpocrify ; namely? * that they would not come unto him as t$eir Rightcoufnejs * Gen. 1.2. Spirit m^ or Covering, under the iLelter of which ( as a Hen with her vetQ or n"*Ttv>xing. The Wings both protects, engenders and cherid.es her young Hetbyew Ractiafh flgtiiji- ones even from the Egg ) he would not only have faved them et0 ^a:era^ a wav,r'i * from an mcenied Juitice, the infinite Charge of a contemn- f™L^J%'P' 9' , ed and violated Law, the Accusations of Confcience, Men and£mvd\fe aJleajdei and Devil;,:, tut alio b\ his Spirit have begotten them after, pje (mr tbmyomg Se- er * brcoded them in his own likened, who is the exprefs rifling and mrrivg them Character or Image cf God in the Perion of the Fatner: up; peut.32.11. Sorth Mat. 23. 37, 38. Lvke 13. 34, 55. compare Excd.2%. ic ufedherefor the effcllual chap. 37.9. Fjul. 17.8. bl 36.7. & 57. I. & 61.4. & 25. comfortable motim where- 14. &91. 1. C( mpared with Vtr. 4. 1 Co-,: 1. 30. Job. 5.40. h Gad's Spirit fufl aim d, cbap.i 2.8. Neb. 1.1,2,3. 1 hat this is no forced Notion or a,,d as 'n were flirted up novel Opinion, will appear from JJa. 8. 14, 1 5. Mat. 21. 44. 1'0C *jj/j Cndture, Air.f- compare ilohi-o. 33. together with the end for which the ;vorth in lccwm> B 2 Apoflle 4 B.txferiamfm Barefaced. /pottle quotes the fame, Pir.ji, 32. For all that Faith, Repeat. vre, and.OsedleKce precedent unto, and perfiJKngQ rtjc&iiH of this"Righteoulhefs in its material ap- lation, asabitradcd trom a bare merirorious "Mibierviencv, will notonlv be ••' and n - but alfo fall under the denomination of ?rcf»>: not Idly Soircv. Imv: Mat, 22 .11, 12. T : . 2 . n compare cb.ip. 19. 74, z Cor. -. iq. Hc'.r. 1.;. thap. 10. 1,9, 13. compa t . :. M . to. 2. com- pare rt \ 9. 3 t, 32. P.G/. 1 18.19,20,2 1 ,22. Nay, bWerve, that that Faith and Re- ince j decedent unto an Act of J 1 n and Pardon, are materially for the do ■• e. :ran that the d - 1 d f. r ever (1 a . be pofTefled of-, only this difference d fet vc the h e Hypocrite to fiu> an, with'; ; Impreilions, whereof tbey are wholly di- d in the World to 6. 29, 3 . compare v. 34. compare Judas his thefe farts i idions, £•'<-■ ' rt up with, as I could eafily manifefr, does the Dt&rmc of 1 rtac tly (tbo not ownedly) grow. ce it is that amor gft the Jews there_ were two Torts of Grapes, the onege- : and the other wild : Dent. 32. 3 ". / . 5. 2, 4. C_- :. 2. ::. - 7. //. 17. 8. "1 he wnole hi fobftance of mis Head is comprehended in Job 33. 14^ 15, 0,20,2^22,23,24,25,26. Put, it, and that drill as mainly referring to this Volhlne of -its genuine C from its refultive Operation, is highly K ' things afe, b. their bs ; bowing, inclining, banning, ds their picoer Center and Element r nd as the Eagle tries the ithnacy t-f hei ms by bringing mem to the Sin, lb will the Faith, and tly in order of Nature, Regeneration, and hiohnefs of the Church in each of its individual fubjective profeiimg Matter, be proved as to the realit of Nov.- towards what does it work ? whether would it head that Per ba in whom it is formed to be enwrapped, aga 11ft the eternal demand of an infinite the eten . e at an imputed Sin ? As knowing that though God to it, as'. - 9 in Regenertrim, yet it aMo knows, when in its right mind (ixt clouded or diitra&ed with Corruptions) ar.d proper operation, ?.s fitting at the feet of Je&s, that it is not cither me ma- ... caufe of God's Aft in uftif\ing a Sinner, or the Ungodly, rot that b. it, and the teitimomal Seals of th. who is its Author, God mahifefts to that Soul wherein it is, that he was materially and really, tho not applied!; and lenfibly, juftined of Goj, re this new Creature put forth it f.lf in a proper act of believing : It is the it • ptick of the Soul given and wrought oi G«.-d,todiicern into the Se- cret or his Covenant And tho it knows, and gives them alio to underftand in whom it is v . by it alone God is to be enjoy 'd, I mean as to Experience and Complacency, yet it alfo knows and gives tliem torn. derftand, that this will ne- ver be truly attained unto without a previous perfonai acquitment in Judgment arifmg fr^m an external imputed Kightecufnefs. But how will this be proved ? "I he -2 p - this very new Creature put him upon, ( as having by the fame discerned into his Acquitment and Juftirlcation wrought out by Chrift, ht of Rebellion againithuB, Ads 9. 1. compare G.d.i. 20.) even to renounce it .(winch no natural Man, tho never To moral, was ever capable cO as any coufc, port of motttr of his justification before God, and to betake himieif Baxteriamfm Barefaced. 5 himfdf wholly unto the Right eoufnefj of Chrifi, for hi; appearance and {landing be- fore him, and that even at ihi day of Judgment, before which time lafidy fuppofe that be knew that this new C in him (hould be rid of all Sin and rption, as compleated in the perfect and imjpotted tJdineft thereof, and that this would £>e upon the firit moment of his Diflblution \ and yet renounces it a matter of his Jujlification in the lalt and univerfal day of the trial or all Fleih, Fml. 3. 3, 8, 9, &c. This Language alio proceeds from the new Natu em L who was reckoned a Man after God's own Heart : Pfal. 71. 16, 24. / will go jn the ftrength of the Lord Cod ; I will make mention of thy Righeok . of thins only. My Tongue alj'o /ball talk of thy Rizhteoxfnefs all the day long, &c. His Graces conftantly, as you will find throughout the more part of his Piaims, more or as a real Evidence of the truth ofRegeneratkjn, excite him unrcj Dunes, lb as to betake himfelf unto the Lord, as his not only provident:?}, or barely yacunt* and rector al VroteQim^ but as his Covering, Shelter. Jfrwg -Timer- Fortrejj^ Hiding* place, &C. which befpeaks an imputed material Righteoufne; s : p:al. 27. 5. & 91. 1, &c. & 61. 1, 2, 3, j. And that which is exceeding remarkable, the Pjahmfi p with the Lord in Prayer for his being covered with the lame, and that he might have a contit ual reiort unto it as his Jhrong Habitation, and that from his Inter ^ft therein, as anting from the Tenure of the Covenant tf Grace between : ar.d the Son, Pfal. 71. 2, 3. compare Ffal. 4c. 8, 9, 10. with John 17. 6,8. For this I ftjadoTD of Wings, or Cherubims, it is true, had a reference to the Mercy-feat, and therein the free Grace of God, upon which tht whole is four- tut all this bore a connective refpect unto the A k or' t-.e Covenant, over which the, were placed, wherein the Law lay, not one jot removed, or ever to be fo ; and in whom, i.e. the Ark, ajl renewed Souls (which Dai ■ full well, as the natural tendency of the new Creature did dictate unto him ) defire to be found, being allured by Regeneration, that tho the Law be 0 1 .gated by Chrilt, yet that they may fafely, with an unaccuiing Conlcience, and unimpendent "Wrath, lie by It in him, by whom they know it was perfectly fulfilled in and on their ftcad and behalf ; it being thereandther.ee, as iuch alone in its A.:. Lelign or Inftitution, that God meets and communes with his People, £xod 25. 21, 22. Hencem is that the ApoftU tells us that the Law is not agaixjl the Pro- riiifes, and rcatln good ; for what Creditor wculd not rather cloie with a wi and reipcnfible Surety, than run a poor Bankrupt out of Home and Harbour, yea into jail to die and rot there, and yet never be iatisfied, tho always demanding ? For the cancelling of a Bond doth not diianul any 1 aw, only it difengages from an Obligation thereunto in a Covenant- feme, . _ :. .: as to any poliibility of in- curring the Penalty tr. -reef, either t c :he lois of a freedom from a charge unto Pu- nilnmenr, or title to an Inheritance : Gal. 3.21. 1 Coy. 15. 55, 56, 57. Epbef. 2. 15. Col. 2. :.;. Many more Inltances might be given tc it true Regenerat: the reluit of an tpntial (as refoecting the Law ) material tfufnefi of God wOorifi. onto tne Soul, from the very nature of its Operation, and- the EficCts thereof up; n fuch Souls in whom it is wrought. This is clear : Experience, for the ni^re a . 1 r.ewcd Creature apprehend: t and his In.terefi therein, the more active and transparent are his Graces, the : ready and regular ties, and the more geruiheaod evangelical is bis C dience ; for ; tt : And on the on cir Over- whelmmgs, Deadneis, DarJcuds, Unlavorincls, Tt,:. g 3 :. do arile from God's. hiding 6 Baxteriaxffm Barefaced. hiding his Face in the aforementioned fenfe, the Land of Promife being a hilly Country: Cam. 6. 12. Pfai 118. 19,22. & 143. 1, 11. & 17. 15. & 4. i.Sc 31. 1. ■& 35.28. &71, 15,16,24. & 51. 1-:. & 69.27. & 119.40. & 88.11,12. &8o. 16. Whereas on the contrary, where the Rightcooiheifi or Chnit is regarded in a more remote mowi ww fubferviency onki there is little care taken as to Graces or Duties, either in their (bring, nature, place, or exercife, (the difference lying on- ly in words, as if God had only a houfe, but that this Houfe wants a form, and that he were not the God of Order but Confufion) as is too apparent this day, fo Something like them be attended unto in a bluftering Zeal, together with a la- borious bodily Exercife, and external glorious appearance therein, which profiteth little •, and that as forecasting that die atoreiaid Righteoufnels in the forementioned fenfe, will fecure all in a dying hour, or at a dead lift, efpecially if they can pro- duce thele their fiippofed Evidences, whereby to lay a caufa fine qua non-claim unto the lame. Thus they make Chiiit not only a Minifter of Sin, but call the Efficacy of his Sacrifice to depend upon their own Works. Then, idly. The Growth of Regeneration : And herein we (halt find that it fprings from a material application of the Righteoufnefs of another by way of imputation ; and that its native Difpofition, when formed, is to head the Soul unto and keep it un- der the Ihelter and protection of the laid Righteoufnefs : fo alio is it maintain 'd and cheriih'd by a continued appropriation of the fame unto fuch a Soul -? Mai. 4. 2. But unto you that fear my Name Jhall the Sun of Righteoufnefs arife with healing in his Wings ; and ye pall go forth, and grow up as Calves of the Stall : i. e. That unto fuch as fo fear the Name of the Lord, as to dread {landing before him in their own Righteoufnefs, God makes a gracious and ample Promile of healing them of fuch a fear, ( otherwife for what mult this healing come in ? ) and that in Righ- teoufnefs, but not as at Mount Sinai, where indeed he man feited himlelf in this very Righteoufnefs, then unto the Ifraelites, as is here fpokenof-, but that was in and immediately by the Law : and hence it is that it was attended with a keep-off, or touch not, a burning Fire, Blacknefs, Darknefs, Tempeit, &c. And the iflue upon their Spirits was fear and trembling, and a wiihing that Gcd in fuch a Voice would withdraw^ Heb. 12. 18, 19, 20, 21. But in this Prophecy of Chnfl: where- in the felf-!ame Righteoufnefi materially was of God to be revealed, which confute of an exact Obedience unto the Moral Law, and was their Terror in the Wilder- prelent _ . in the word Wings: And that which lormerly kept back from the Lord, as a burning Fire, Blacknefs, Darknefs, Temper!:, and fo broke the very Nerves and Sinews of Faith, Love and Obedience, here is promifed to become their healing by an exhalingjCementing^right^gentle^efrelhing^iouriiinng and fructifying Power. 'The Sua of Righteoufnefs Jhall arife with healing, c\C. And yet after all, the Law not vacated or abrogated > for ver. 4. Remember ye we Law of Mofes, and that as not dilanulled, only in a Cov.nant-lenfe, butas a difcovery of that Righteoufnefs (tho wrought out by another) wherein you mult Hand juairied before God ; and alio as the lafe Rule unto and Teit of that Sa notification (tho inherently and effi- ciently created by the Spirit) as will prove acceptable with God. Therefore the Church of God in all Generations thought it not only neceflary to pray unto him- in the name of a Mediator ■, as an inter poling Peace-maker, Intercede! or Reconciler, but BaxterUnifm Barefaced. y but Advocate alfo, that had laid down a proper Ranfbm and Price for another , and that from a mutual, peribnal Compad :, and therefore now claims for luch a juridical Difcharge. There is iu^cient proof for this in John, ch, 17. compared with chap. 10. 15. 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. and in numberlefs other places of Scripture. The Pfalmiii alio infers, Pfal. 92. 12. That he that is juilified or covered with this Righteoufnels, (hail nourilh in the fruits of Regeneration : And ver. 13. Thcfe that be planted in the Houf of the Lord, (which Houfe, I fuppofe, in an antitypical acceptation, is Chrift, in whom it is faid that the fu'nefs of the Godhead dvoelleth bodily, and that as tabernacling in our Nature) they fhall floorifli in the Courts or AflemMies of our God, viz.. luch as are changed in the ftate of their Perions by a Tranfplantation of them, fince nothing can be planted but what had its Being and Station before, from the firft to thefecond Adam, or united unto Chrift by the Spirit and realizing Faith, they Hall not only have true Grace, but grow and perfevere therein unto the end, ver. 14. Now ail this is difcerned, received, applied, che- ri'Led, and particularly improved by Faith, and that both in its objective and fob- jective Operation, as it is the principal leading Member of the new Creature ; 2 Pet. 1. 5. and as truly neceflary and ufeful thereunto, as the five Senfes are to a healthful, ferviceable, and well-ordered Conflitution in the Body. As, 1. It is the hearing Faculty of a new-born Soul: wherein note, That Regenera- tion ( as being God's peculiar Ad: ) in order of Nature precedes this hearing of Faith, i. e. in its adual exercititious Office, as differing from an habitual Qualifica- tion ; Joh. 1.12,13. F°r if an effectual faving Faith be part of the new Creature, then it mufl neceffarily follow, that this muft be created before it can all ; for as our Lord fays, He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear : Now he knew they had ( as having created the fame ) Ears to hear in a natural, acquired, moral, or civil feriiC ; but it was the hearing of Faith that he infilled upon, as being not only part, but the very root in a fubjedive internal fenfe of that new Creature. And this perfectly demon fir at es God's paffiveAd in juffifying, as not only precedent unto, but caufol of cur Ad in believing, in a propofal and application " of fbme diftind Subflance, or (if I may fo fay) Matter to be fixed upon in God, which particularly relates to a righteous, tho violated Law, and confequently the condemning Guilt of a wil- ful Tranigreilbr : for the word of Faith is not Faith it felf, but a Righteoufnels offered in the preaching of the Word to be received by Faith : Therefore with re- fped unto this Righteoufnefs, both as to Matter, Form, Office, life and Effeds, tne Apoflle tells us that Jfaiah was very bold, which our brisk impertinent Anti- evangelical Scriblers this day would have called Antinomianifm in another. See Atts 16. 14. Rom. 10.4, 8, 14, 16, 17. compare ver. 20. Gal. 3. 2, 5. Mat. 13. 14, 15, 16. chap. 11, 15. Rev. 2. 7, II, 17,29. chap. 3. 13, 22. Hence, 2. It is the Eye thereof, or the new Creature exerting it felf by Faith in its dif- cerning Faculty. Ifa.45.22. Look unto me, and be ye faved all the ends of the Earth. It is the Evidence of things not feen, Heb. 11. I. And that from a diftind Con-- fideration of feveral things propofed unto it from that very Chapter, If a. 45. As, (1.) That none but he who is God, and that by Nature, can lave:, ver.zz. For I am God, and there is none elfe : Intimating, that if ever polluted, forlorn and rebellious Wretches {the ends of the Earth, by Sin become the very fhreads and . refufe of the Creation) would be faved, they mull look for the fame from a God oj fmh infinite Perfections, whofe very Nature and Effence is not only Holinefs, JuJHce and Right eoufnefs it felf, and yet faves as fitch, as well as Love, Mercy, and Grace ~ S Baxterianifm Barefaced. Qrace, but alfo that wHl not fave without a compleat regard unto the whole of his A: ibatesin the uttermelt, immenie and incomprehenfible Dimenfions of the fame, a u that not by a 7: ero- formed milder Law, curt ail' d Covenant, nor by entire or- par a , or fophiflic ally fcrap'd Conditions ( an Arrainians Crutch or Wooden Leg) and is attended with the fquinting relerves. of annihilating an eternal Law, ex- preffive of as eternal a Right coujnefs;. which had he done, .or (hould he do, he W< uld not only impair and eclipfe himfelf in this very Property of his Divine Na- ture, but without a due, full commenfurately adequate regard unto the fame, bring an indelible Stain upon the reft of them :, Pfal. 14.5. 17. For to fave from a prece- dent AEt of Grace in Cod, which our Adversaries themfelves will acknowledg ( or they are horn-mad ) and yet to do this without as equal a regard unto a precedent Aft of Righteoufneis in the fame God, I fuppole, ^ is highly irregular, and not fu- table in the leaft to a Covenant well-ordered and lure. Therefore, (2.) He (wears by himfelf, That this Salvation fhould be founded in Right eouf- nefs, even fuch a Righteoufnefs as ihould not be . remotely the caufe thereof in a bare atoning, meriting or procuring fenfe, but fuch as wherein (and not barely for which ) the faved Sinner muft at fuch be found, and that as in a material clothing:, ver. 23, 24,25. Jfa. 61. 10. For if I be not righteous, and perfectly lb, both in degree as well as kind, or reckoned upon as fuch of God before he adually juftifies me, he cannot ( with reverence be it fpoken ) be jult in juftifying of me. Now this word cannot in God arifes not from any Impotency in him, no more than that he cannot lie, either as to diminiih his Soveraignty, or eclipfe any other of his Divine Attributes*, but it is an Evidence of his Perfection, which in the ifTue will redound infinitely more to his Glory in a comparative Confult Dr. Owen'j Di- len\c tnan to tne Sinner's advantage, tho that be unfpeak- atriba de juftitia divina, ably and immenjly great : for were it not fo, and to this end which piece of hts I could mainly contrived and call upon by eternal Wifdomit felf, freely wijh were by fome he could take noplealure in the Salvation of a Sinner, which skilful band tr .inflated in- certainly he does, but therein his chief rcfpetl is to his to Englifc and am per- own Glory. And tho it is true that God may, yea will fwaded would leaf great in due time teflify unto a real work of Regeneration, ufetntsday. when wrought, yet to juuify in and for the fame, is, 1. To make him a Minuter or Sin, the beft of our Righ- tecufnefs being but as filthy Rags, attended with manifold Corruption, and confe- quently that there is no compleat, perfect Justification in this Life. And, 2. To change the Covenant of Grace into that of Works, or caufe the former in its Ad- ministration and Difpenfation to depend upon the lattery and herein by a prepolte- rcus Hyfieron Tret a on, if the Scriptures may be our judg, pottpone God's moral Ad in the Juitification of Sinners in the material Righteoufnels of Chrift, unto his Phyjical Act from infilled Qualities in their Regeneration and Sanctification by his Spirit. 1 he compleatnefs of God's Ad in juitification both in its negative and rofitive firm, without any refpect to an inherent Qualification, is conipicuouily lield forth in the Vifion that Zechari^b had of foftmib's typical Representation of the Church, whom tho Satan accufed, yet the Lord, as we find, does not excufe (as appears from his owning that he had filthy Garments upon him) by either plead- ing his Graces, or extenuating his Faults, from a new compiled and pretended] y pur- . chafed Law, but from a change of his Station : // not tins a Brand plucldd out of the Fire? But how ? By removing him from a itate of Sin and Guilt unto Death, in Baxteriamfm Barefaced, g in taking away Jiis filthy Garments, and thereby caufing Iniquity to pafs from him, which includes the dying Obedience of Chrift, and by clothing him with change of Raiment, which is that Righteoufnefs that fprings from the Life-obedience of Chrifb, and thereby intituling him unto Glory \ whence it is that a fair Mitre is put upon his Head, which principally has a relation unto Chrift 's Prieftly Office, intimating that in his Death Jojhua overcame the Accufations of him that had the power of Death, which is the Devil. Hence, (3.) The Faculty of Faith in a renewed Soul, as it is the fpiritual Eye thereof, difcovers the ablolute neceffity of all Self-abafement, the Glory of free Grace in its diftinguilhing Soveraignty, and the miferable Difappointment of all fuch who will not itoopor bend the Knee unto, but rather arm andincenfe themUves ag.iind this way of God's justifying a Sinner in his own Righteoufnefs, ver. 22, 23, 24, 2%. compare Rom. ic. 3, 4. with chap. 9. 31,32,33. Mat. 21.44 But, 3. Hence comes in the fpiritual Ability of the Soul by iaith, viz. the feeling, handling, or fanning nature thereof, as having apprehenfively difcern.d and felt Subitance, it lays hold upon the fame, and that from the Strength cf Cod ^ as Jacob's wreftling, w7ho scaled Ifael: and therefore God ililes himiclf the Strength of Jfrael, who cannot lie, or fail, where he by Faith engages in the Soul ; hence it removes Mountains, overcomes Difficulties, yea does Wonders, 2 Co: 4. 18. Hcb. 11. i. J fa. 27. 5. Hof. 12. 4. 1 Sam. 15. 2Q. If a. 53. 7. Col. 1. 29 PfiL 56. 9. Phil. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 37. Pfal. 87. 7. It is remarkable in Mark 11. 22. Have Faith in God, is in the marginal reading, Have the Faith of God. Now what can fland before a Faith of Gcd's creating and managing? 4. This Faith is the Tafte or reliihing Dilpolition of a new-born Soul, it is the Sa- vour of God in Chrift, yea it is Truth received in the love of it ; it is that whereby the Soul is enabled to fay, as Ifaac in another cafe commanded, Make mejavory Meat , fuch as I love : IN ay, it is that branch of Faith in its a&mgs wherein the Salt of the Covenant confiiteth, and without which no Sacrifice, whether taken in a proper or improper fenfe, would ever be acceptable with the Lord \ 1 Pet. 2. 3, 4. compare ver. 7,8. 2 Cor. 2. 14, 15. zThejf. 2. 10. Ge;i. 27. 4. Numb. 18. 19. Lev. 2. 13. P/^.40-7, 8. John 4. 32, 34. Mark 9. 49, 50. Mat. 5. 13. 5. This Faith puts forth it felf in a fpiritual fenfe as the fmelling Capacity of the Soul, or as the judicious Sentiment of the new Creature, exerciling it felf be- tween one thing and another, both as to Kinds, Parts, Offices and Degrees j as whether the Peribns in the Trinity be elTentialiy one God, and yet three po,i- tively diftincl Subfrftences •, and in their peculiar relation one to the other, whe- ther there be not one and the felf-fame Will and Purpofe in each of thefe bleffld Three, as to one and the felf-fame thing, and yet this exerted as the proper feparate Acl, not in Deity but Perfonality, of each of them :, whether Chrift without or Chrift within us does materially and personally jultify us before God ^ w hei her Morality and Grace differ only in kind or degrees, &c. Now Faith in this re- fpeci, from a fcriptural acceptation, is termed the Nofe of the Church, and that as directed towards Damafcvts, or the Church's Enemies, fcenting and difdrimihatively determining between what is true and falfe : and this Ad of Faith is reckoned anon to be no leis (from the figure of a Tower, b\ which it is fet forth ) than to be in its place, the Strength or Fort of a Church , not promifcuouily to take in things, as pretending that the d'fferencc lies only in words, from a fuppoied Notion of Me- tajfyfuks to amufe People withal, but righteouliy and accurately to fcan and weigh C Ukm, io BuxferUmfm Barefaced. them, and alllgn unto each Truth its proper ftation and office, which tho mate- rially owned, yet if milplaced, w i 11 be of as little u(e unto the Glory of God, and the benefit of Souls, as Error it felf} Cant. 7.4. Heb.$. 14. 1 Cor. 12. ic. John 7. 24. 7 compared with Mr.Crijp's Preface to his Father's Works, p. 6. pofitivcly afTerts, without any manner of juit ciftinftion, which he ou^ht to have attended to, if either God or Man had been regarded by him, That his Op- pofers hold that Chrift and the ElecT are one and the fame Perfon, i. e. identically or efTentially the iame, viz,, as he exprelTes it, by a phyfical or fubflmtial Perfonality ; here lies his bold, prevaricating and blinding Dexterity : In which method he con- stantly, for that ever I have ieen of his Books in Controversial Points of this na- ture, proceeds ; and then tells us, This, Mr. Crifp faith, is more than natural, we being one Spirit, and Bone of his Bone, and Flcfh of his Flefl). Now Mr. Crifp's AfTertion and Explanation being both fcriptural and found, Mr. Baxter could not wholly omit, tho he gives but a partial recital of the fame ; and all that he does therein is but to anticipate the defigned fenfe thereof, meerly in a prejudicate way to foreflal thy Apprehenfion : That becaufe we are one Spirit with him, therefore ive mull be efTentially and individually one and the felf-fame Spirit -, and becaule Eone of his Bone, and Flefh of his Flelh ( omitting as fcederal Members of his, in a (piritual relation, wherein one main part of the force of this Myftery lies, tho Mr..S. thought meet for feveral realbns not to mention it) therefore we muft be materially and fnbftantially but one Perfon •, and from hence draws a number of wild, yea molt blafphemous Inferences, tho congenial enough with his forged Propofi- tion. T hou may ft lee in Dr. Willet's Tetraflylon Papifticum, that this is the very way the *Papifls took of old in their mifreprefenting and accufing the Proteitant Dodtrine in general •, -they would parcel fo much out oi every Head thereof that they had a mind to expofe as a ridiculous Notion, not leaving out the whole, but either cut off, or add unto what might beft lay the lame more naked, and liable to a feemingly juft Exception. Thus alfo Mr. Baxter deals in his doctrinal end of Controverlies, chap. to. p. 94. where treating of original Sin, he tells us ; §. 1. By one Man Sin enter' d into. the Woyld, and Death by Sin, and fo Death paffed upon all, in that all have finned This is pretty honeft But never tells- thee that this fame All have finned in himv but as clean Water is defiled by pouring foul into it, fo we finued in him. Now comes in his Exceptions. §. 2, 3, 4. We were no? in Adam diflinEb Pcrfons really, ( but whether we were not in God's account confidered as luch in a federal fenfe, he never offers at ', Rojti.%. iz, compare chap. 4, 17.) for onr Perfons then exijied not, (here lies the Fallacy) Baxterianifm Barefaced, i» Fallacy") and therefore did not inexifl, &c. with a great deal more of fach pitiful fluff. Now who tells him fo ? Who pleads this? For unlefs, it feems with him anci the reft of his Difciples, that all the Pofterity.of Adam had been createdly and fo perfonally prefential in him, as the Grecians were in the Trojan Horfey God did not enter perfbnally into Covenant with them by their Rcprefentative Head, Adam. Thus inftead of giving a juft account of his Antagonifts Sentiments of things in Controverfies, he prefents them unto thee under dilallowed and moft grofs Abfur- dities, never lb much as thought of or owned by them ; as do alio the Oppofers of Dr. Crifp's Works : And from hence informs us how we were in Adam. §. 5. We were fcminally or virtu illy in Adam when he finned, as a virtus generate va, &c. Why all this is very true, but this is no more than a Hiftory of the Creation, and the natural Confluences ifiuing therefrom, that Mr. Baxter offers us : For what is th s to God's federal dealing with Man in a commutative juridical Art of his, and that by way of transferring Sin or Right eoufnefs from the one to the other ? He might as well have told us that all the Oaks in the World were feminally and virtually in the firft Oak, and have proved it alio with as many Arguments, which might have pafTed for as many Divinity Topicks and Cafes, as wherewith he has endeavoured to fortify this his jejune Notion. But the Queition is, Whether all the Pofierity of Adam, according to the nature and tenure of that Covenant God enter'd into with him, had not a federal ( not perfonally created, wherewith he would blind us) Exiftence as well and as truly as a radical one in him ? The latter he acknowledges, the former he denies, tho very obfufcingly, like the Fiih Sepia, when Ihe defigns the overturning of a Ship, vomits out ot her Gorge a Cloud of Ink, under which Umbrage, as being there- with and therein encompafTed and hidden from the light of the Mariners, Ihe the more covertly anci fecurely accomplices her Purpoie. Thus the Socinians deal with their Oppofers ", e.g. they will in their pleadings againft the DoHrine of the Trinity betake themfclves unto Gen. 1. 26. Let us make Man, &c. and draw Con- clufions from thence, that if there be diftind pergonal Subfiftencies in the Deity, and that to be pleaded for from thence, why then they blafphemoufly infer, that the word [w\ may befpeak either a lefTer or greater number than three in that glo- rious, tremendous and bleflfed Trin-umon, not at all regarding, or giving their Rea- ders to know, that that place fpeaks of a plurality of Perfons, which as to their pre- cife number [ three ] ought to be regulated and guarded by other Texti of Scrip- ture, none being of a private Interpretation. This is the conftant diverting method of thefe our Athenian Logicians-, fbme new thing (which indeed is not new if confidered, but an old Error new vampt) they would intrude upon us, tho by old Meafures and Practices. For tho it's true, God perfonally and orally entred into Covenant with Adam, but whether it was with him upon his own account, or with Mankind in and by him, is that which is fo far from being brought into the ftate of the Queftion, that Mr. B. perfectly fhuffles it (by his falfe and difingenuous forming of the fame) out of thy fight Nay, ftppefenow fmce the Fall, that any one Perfon of the Kace of Mankind fhould be brought into the World with an univerfal reditude in his Nature unto the whole of the Law of God, as the dired Medium between a Creator and a rational Creature, and Ihould yield, living and dying in that ftate of natural Perfection, an unfpotted or finlefs Obedience unto the iame, yet fince that his Reprejentative not quatenm infufipg original, butfubfiitutive head, finned, this very ad of Tranf- * greiiion 14 Baxter ianifm Barefaced. greflion would perfectly overthrow him in Judgment, and that by Imputation. For tho phyfical Tranfgreflion, and corrfequently finfui Habits and' Practices do contract Guilt in themfclves barely as fitch confidered, yet thefe have no proper, material, or congenially ftrift relation ( any further than as a confequentml Effect) unto a perfonal, eternal and juridical Charge orDifcharge :, the one respecting an inward, depraved Nature and Qualification, the other a perfonal Title, and v^b- noxioufnefs by way of judicial Right unto this or the other Good or Evil in a forenfick fenfe : Infufion and Imputation being of two different natures, both as to their Matter, Ends and Ufes ; the one to qpalijy, the other to jnftify ; the latter toenftitc, the former inherently and apprehenfively to fit for that fa id ftatein a fruitional not entituling fenfe. Adam's Cafe fully manifefts this, in which three things are obfervable : As, i. His Sin as a matter of Fact laid to his charge, and that by the Lord, Haft thou eaten of the Tree ? &c. 2. The Guilt of that Sin breaking in upon him, as Eyes opened, Nakednefs difcovered, and Fear opprefling. 3. A defiled, crooked and befotted Nature ifliung therefrom, as extenuating the Crime, calling it wretchedly rather upon God than where it fhould be, iewing Aprons of Fig-leaves to fecure from the (troke of an infinite Divine Arm of offended Juftice, and ieeking a fhelter in the Creature (behind the Trees) from the all- feeing Eye of an uncircumfcribed boundlefs Creator. Now there is not any one of the after Sins of Adam, i. e. after his Fall, that is charged upon his Poiterity ; but this of his Tranfgreflion that caft him out of his itate of Innocency is fully fo, and only imputed unto them, Rom. 5. 14. not any of his other Sins Being in the leaft mentioned in that refoect:, which fully" demonftrates, (as overthrowing- Mr. Baxter's Pofition) that their Guilt as a Covenant-Charge, was not propagated or transferred from Adam barely as a communicative Root, through their Defile- ment, Channel-wife, or in a derivative fenfe \ for he was as much the firft of Man- kind, truly and properly lb, and the Original of all his Offspring afterwards as before. This Supposition of Mr. Baxter's, it is true, constitutes a Headlhip, but it is by way of Primacy, or /Eval Precedency, and not Headlhip by way of Fcede- racy or Covenant in a fubjlitutive fenfe ; for by his account we were no more in Adam as a common Perfon, than ssfeminally arid virtually fo : but thus we were in him after his being turned out of the Garden as well as before ^ which itrikes at the very root of the nature of Imputation it fel£ This indeed is the full compafs of Mr. Baxters, and the Conceflions of fome others, as to the charge of Original Sin it being in their fenfe only imputed as it is transfufed and inheres, and not as an external, juridical Charge ; but it feems it is with them [ original ] becaufe Adam happened to be the firft of Mankind, and the firfl that finned, but not by them counted Original Sin, becaufe the all of Mankind as in the jufi and true efieem of Cod finned, in his very act of Tranfgrcffion : which more fully appears from what Mr. B. further urges in the aforeiaid Chapter, That the Sins of our more imme- diate Parents are as much, if not more, reckoned upon us as our Sins, than the Sin of Adam. Now confider, tho Eve was firft in the Tranfgreflion, yet we find not that ihe faw her Nakednefs till Adam had finned, which fully "proves, not barely his original but reprefehtative Headlhip ; nay, had ihe only her felf eaten of the forbidden Fruit, unto all eternity Ihe had never in a proper juridical fenfe broken that Covenant, her Guilt not being charged upon her, till her and our publick Head had tranfgrefTed, and Ihe and we in him : lor tho in what Ihe did as to matter of Fait, in her difregarding of and difobedience unto a negative Precept, render'd Baxter lAmfm Barefaced, k render'd her a Tranfgreflbr, and that in a pofitive fenfe, againft her Creator^ Rector and Lawgiver , yet there was no place, no not for infinite Juftice it felf, to come in and pafs a Sentence of Condemnation upon her whilft Adam flood, for (he federally flood in him:, and whilft he performed the Conditions of that Cove- nant, ihe was fafe from any thing that Divine Vengeance could inflift upon her. Whence, viz.. from a juft Confideration of Adams being treated with the Lord as a ptiblick Perfon, or common Head, it clearly appears to me, that the reigning Pollution of our Natures is the effect of an imputed Sin unto our Perfons ( weigh thefe Texts Pfal. 32. 1, 2. & 103. 3. ) tho not identically the fame, either as to God's judicial and gracious way of proceedings with Sinners, or his Determina- tion therein and thereupon \ and that this imputed Sin is the perfbnal Sin of him who was and ever will be in that very fingle A& of his Tranfgreftion the Repre- fentative Head of all Mankind, and will abide fo unto all fuch, i, e. in that con- demning relation unto them who live and die in a ilate of Nature, tho they them- felves had never perfonaily committed fo much as one Sin, either in thought, word, or deed : That wherever, or on whomfbever this Sin lies actually charged, fuch an one frill remains and fhall remain during this his ftate under the dominion of Sin, and that by a Covenant frated Confequence \ no one yet being ever able to walk after the Spirit, who was not firit brought into an uncondemned ftate , Rom, 6. 14. chap. 8. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Alls 9.5,56. compare chap. 22. 3,4, 14, 15. Gal. 1. 1 3, 14, 16. chap. 2. 19, 20. All this my Apprehenfion may be clearly vindicated from feveral places in Scrip- ture, efpecially from the Analogy of Faith therein, and more particularly from Phil. 3. hinted at before (befide that of 1 Cor. 15. 44, &c. ) if the fcope'of that Chapter in the main defign thereof be attended unto : for tho the Apoftle ( as has been find ) knew that he had attained unto Holinefs in the reality of its kind, and withal prefled after the fame in the perfection of its degree, which he knew would be at fartheft made apparent unto all (in the re-uniting of Soul and Body ) at the Refurredtion of the Dead j yet he alfo knew, that if he flood not materially in- verted with the Righteoufnefs of another, he would be caft in Judgment (not- w.tthftanding his unjpotted Holinefs) from a juridical Covenant-charge of the Sin of another, in the compkat matter of Fail: thereof lying upon him. Therefore fays the Apoftle, Gal. 5. 2. if ye be circnmcifcd,chrifi fiall profit ydu, nothing. Now the Quellion will arife, Whether does the Apoftle intend, that this Ordinance of Circumcifion in its bare external Admlnifiration, by a meer literal cutting off ofthe foreskin of the Flelii only •, or, that in its fpkitually figurative relation alfo, as holding forth the change of the Heart, would be lb far from con- tributing any thing, either in whole or in part, towards their Juftifi cation, if re- lied upon for that end, that even Chrift himfelf thereby would be render'd of no effecl, or unprofitable unto them? I fuppofe he means it chiefly in the latter fenfe, the former being too grofs a piece of Hy.pocrify, even for thok falfe Teachers themfcives who had crept in among the believing Galatians, to infill upon:, and fo palpably abfurd, that it is hard to imagine how Peter, Bumabas, and other good Men hould be caught by -it: But that tho they brought in a Heart-renovation, or a Circumcifion of the Heart, il.adowed forth by their actual compliance witn its outward Application in the ufe of that Inilitution, yet if as to any part ofthe matter of their Jufiification, they excluded Chrilt thereby. Therefore Circumcifion, the Law, and the Wtrrks of the Law are convertible terms wTitb the Apoftle in this .cafe* 1 6 Baxteriamfm Barefaced, cafe, as totally expunging and abhorring them from having any fliare or part in this Doctrinal Point and Concern : For a fpiritual Circumcifion is the Law written in the Heart, which if either more or lefs relied upon as to the forementioned end will abfolutely make us Debtors to do the whole Law, by which we mult be either acquitted or caft. G.d. 5. 2, 3, 4. But the Apoftle, whatever others might do, durrt not truft unto tnis, Rom. 7. 22,23, 24, 25. and therefore fays, Phil. 3. 3. We are the Cinumcifion which worjbip Cod in the Spirit, and rejoice in Chriji Jefus and have no confidence in the Flejb; compared witn ver.g. Nay, grant we were throughly, by way of Inherency, holy, yet this Sin of Imputation, which refpects a faderal Headfhip, tho nota-' ually in our own peribnal exiitence contracted by u>, notwithstanding the compleat fuppofed healing of the vitiofity of our Natures would abfolutely and irrefiltibly condemn and overthrow us. job knew this very well, chap. 9. 15. Whom tho I were righteous, yet would I not anfwer, but I would make application to my Judg. It is remarkable here, how this gracious Man ftiles God, even no left than a Judg, which is the Character of one executing Juitice, and therein proceeding ac- cording to Law, and that righteoufly '-, yet durlt not prefent his own Righteoufnefs, tho he were perfectly righteous, (which the word, as indefinitely Ipoken, does im- port) as the Ten: whereon God as a Judg mitft pafs his Sentence upon him-, well knowing, that the molt compleat thorow Renovation of his Nature, even unto an entire riddance of Sin, would never quit him from a perfoml Charge, when God as a Judg fhould come to try him ^ and yet in his Supplication (as is clearly in- cluded ) he would beg God's Acquitment and Justification of him, and that as a Judg, in a forenlick, juridical, and righteous way, and all this without any regard to his own inherent Righteoufnefs, tho it had been fpotlefs and finlefs. Want of an admiffion of this fundamental Truth has opened a door to this follow- ing wretched AfTertion : " In quantum fine ere obediens aliquis eft, in tantum non f its Communication, together with its ailigned, genuine influential Effects both in Graces and Duties, and from the whole my Fellowlhip with the 1 ord thereby, than what thele Perions, with whom our prefent Conteft does lie, do with die greatdt induftrious Malice, and deceitful Impudence feek to deprive us of. La- ther was very fenfible of this, when he (aid that he could overlook many things in the Romanifts, were they but clear and ftedfaft in this point of Juirification. The fame may be laid of feveral this day. The fubfequent Citations have each of them diftinctly their peculiar relation, either in a congruous or incongruous fenfe, to one or more of the nine Doctrinal, Reformed, Proteftant Heads mentioned in the Introduction, unto which the Rea- der is referred, to .determine the matter in hand by an impartial weighing both the one and the. other of them in the Ballances of the Sanctuary. Conformift. Baxteriam Head i. That Tredefti- Head i. That Pre- nation, &c. JDRedeftmation.to Life is * the everlafting purpole of God, whereby (be- fore the Foundation of the World was laid ) he hath conftantly decreed by 'his Counfel fecret to us, to deliver from Curfe and Condemnation thofe whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of Mankind, and to bring •them by Chrift to ever la ft-, . ing Salvation, as Yeffels made to Honour, &c. Ar- tie. 17. Oj. Engl. As many as are in this JFaith (f/2:.Faith in Chrift) ftedfait, were fore-chofen, predelhnate, and appoint- ed to everlafting Life be- fore the World was made : Witnels hereof, they have within their Hearts the Spirit of Chrift, the Au- thor, Earneft, and unfail- aJble Pledg of their Faith ; which Faith only is able to perceive the My Aeries ..of God i only brings Peace unto deftination, &c J Shall premife fome ■*■ few things to the Reader's Confiderati- on before my quoting Mr. Baxter as to this Head. 1. That whenever he feems to engage more capitally, or more particularly in this Voint, he leads his Reader with all the imaginable art he can into the C loads, ne- ver folidly fluting the thing in itjelfasjcrip- turally laid down, or feparately diftinguijh- hig it) i.e. Election, &c. from its proper Objects, as they are the peculiar Snbjec~ks, quatenus/tfffc, of Re- demption, Vocation, Jnftificatiotf, SanUi- jication and Glory. 2. That he mate- rially co?ifounds, and that with an obf loca- ting Non-ConformifL Head 1. That Vredcftlna- tion,&c. I" Shall begin this Column with x fome Sayings of Mr. Perkins, a famous old Puritan, who for his foundnefs and clearnels in moft of the Fundamentals of the Chriftian Religion, may well be entertain'd by the Orthodox both Conformifts and Non-con- formifts. God's Decree, in as much as it concemeth Man, is called Predeftination, which is the De- cree of God, by the which he hath ordained all Men to a cer- tain and everlafting Eftate: that is, either to Salvation or Con- demnation, for his own Glory, iTheJf. 5. 9. Rom. 9. 13, 22. Predeftination hath two Parts, Election and Reprobation, 1 Thejf. 5. 9. Election is God's Decree, whereby on his own free will he hath ordained cer- tain M^n to Salvation to the praife of the Glory of his Grace, Ephcf, 1. 4, 5., 6. This Decree is the Book of Life, wherein are written the Names of the Eled, Rsv.ZO. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Conformift, unto the Heart,only taketh hold on the Righteoufnefs that is in Chrift Jefu?. K. Edw. 6. Catechifm. Prinne, p. 36. God from Eternity hath predeftinated certain Men unto Life*, certain .Men he hath reprobated unto Death : Lambeth, Art. 1. Novcmb. 20. 1595. The moving or efficient caufe of Predestination un- to Life, is not the forefight of Faith, or of Perfeve- rance, or of good Works, or of any thing that is in the Perjons predeftinated, but only the good will and pleaiure of God. Art. 2. There is a predetermi- ned and certain number of the predeftinate, which can neither be augmented rior diminifhtd. Art. 3, By the eternal Counfel of God he hath predeftina- ted fome unto Life, and re- probated fome unto Death, of both which there is a certain number known on- ly to God, which can nei- ther be increafed nor di- minifhed. In a Convoca- tion of the Clergy of Ire- /^,held at Dublin, 161 5. Art. 12. The caufe moving God to predeftinate unto Life, is not the forefeeing of Faith, or Perfeverance, or good "Works, or of any tiling which is in the Per- fon predeftinated, but on- ly the good pleafure of God himfelf. For all things Tor the mani- Baxteriamfm Barefaced, Baxterian. tins, dexterity the Vo- 2* being ordained fi litiens of God with the nature or fub- Jiance of his E (fence, and that diftrittively from the allowance he himfelf gives unto the faid Volition in God peculiarly, and di- verfly exerting it felf according to the dif- ferent methods of its Excrcife and Opera- tion in other cafes. As for inftance, if abfolute Election be pleaded for, and that a* confidercd in God's perfonal intuitive dif- cerning of and actual in him, according to the unchangeable pur- pofe of his Wi II, pitch- ing upon, tho indivi- dually uncreated Ob- jects of the fame ; then (with him it is) that for want of a created perfonal in effe cog- nito, or exiftence of them, God's Volition muft from all eternity lie dormant in hk EJ- fence, until by a pro- duction of thefe Ob- jects in time, his Will in Election may oc- cafionally have fome proper and peculiar Matter to fix upon in a way of choice, which before could not put forth it felf, in that an all-feeing infinite Eye of an eternal God had no pnfonal p.evifion or prrefcUnce Non-Confortnift. The Decree of Reprobation is that part of Predeftination, whereby God, according to the moft free and juft purpoft of his Will, hath determined to rejedt certain Men unto eternal De- ftru&ion and Mifery, and that to the praife of his Juft ice, Rom. 9. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 8. Jude 4, 1 Thef. 5. 9. Perk. Golden Chain, p. 10, 23, 163. This is verbatimly contradicted by- Mr. B. Method. TheoL Par. 1. P-59- ^ This Election the Word of God propofeth unto us, as the gracious immutable Decree of Almighty God, whereby, before the foundation of the World, out of his own good Pleafttre, he chofe certain Men, determining to free them from Sin and Mifery, to be- ftow upon them Grace and Faith, to give them unto Chrift, to bring them to everlafting Bleffednejs for the Praife of his glorious Grace. Dr. O's Difplay of Ar* minianifm, p. 51. Thirdly, The Article of the Ch. of Engl, (which he recites) is clear, that the Objed of this Predeftination is fome particu- lar Men chofen out of Man- s kind j that is, it is fuch an Ad: of God, as concerneth fome Men in particular-, taking them as it were afide from the midft of their Brethren, and design- ing them for fome fpecial end and purpole : the xnpture alio aboundeth in afterting this Ve- rity, calling them that are fo chofen a fern, Matth. 2Q» id which muft needs denote fome certain Perlbns •, and the refidue according to Election, Rom. 1 r. 5. Thoje whom. God km ws tp.be E his> 26 Conformift. manifeftation of his Glory, and his Glory being to appear both in the Works of his Mercy and of his Juftice ? It feemed good to his heavenly Wifaorn to chufe out a certain number to- wards whom he would ex- tend his undeferved Mer- cy, leaving the reft to be Spectacles of his Juftice. Art. 14. What is Predefiination ? It is the {pecial Decree of God, whereby he hath from everlafting, freely and for his own Glory, fore-ordained all reafona- ble Creatures to a certain and everlafting eftate of Glory in Heaven, or Shame in Hell. What is the caufe of this Decree ? Cnly the meer Will and free Pleafure of God, to dilpofe of his own Work as he will, Rom. 9. 21. Jer. 5. 14. & 18. 22. /fc.64.8. Is this Decree certain and unchangeable ? Yea, it mull needs be fo, becaufe it is grounded on the eternal and un- changeable Will of God ? and therefore there is a certain number of the E- lect: and Reprobate known only to God, which can- not be encreafed or dimi- niflied, Joh. 13. 18. zTim. 2. 19. What are the parts of Predefiination ? Election and Reproba- tion, 1 Thcf}'. 5. 9. Rom. 9. \h 22n 23. What Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxtevian. of them unto their be- ing created? formed and brought forth. 3. He conftantly jumbles^ and that ve- ry promifcuoufly (a perfect blind) God's Att in Reprobation? and his All: in Dam- nation? whereas the Sin of Man is the only meritorious caufe and grounds of God's Proceedings in the latter •, but it is the Soveraign Will and Pleajure of God that is the alone Spring and Origine of the for- mer : fo that with him and his Followers Reprobation was ne- ver individually de- figned of God towards any? till their final "Unbelief and Impe- nitency make way for the fame? no more than a definite and for' mally numerical E- leltion was in him? till Men exifi? are con' verted? jufi/fied? a~ dopted? and hold out to the end. 4. I fljall leave the Reader to compare impartially what he fays? and that both in the ?natter and man- ner thereof? with thoje of his right and left hand Authors? and to the Lord's Direction in the whole. ifi. Ele&ion in Scripture fometimes fkni- Non-Conformift. , 2 Tim 2. 19. Men ordained to eternal Life? Ads 13. 48. Vs? Rom. 8. 39. tnofe that are writ- ten in the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. u.ij. All which, and di- vers others clearly prove, that the number of the Elect is cer- tain, not only materially as they fay, that there are fo many, but formally alfo, that thefe particu- lar Perfons and no other are they, which cannot be alter'd : Nay the very nature of the thing it (elf doth fo demonftra- tively evince it, that I wonder it can polTibly be conceived un- der any other Notion : to ap- prehend an Election of Meny not circumfcribed with the cir' mmfiance of particular Perfons? is a conceited Platonical Ab- straction, as it feems ftrange that any one dares profefs to underftand. That there fhould be a Predeftination, and none predeftinated •, an Election,and none elected •? a choice amongffc many, yet none left or taken ? a Decree to fave Men, and yet thereby Salvation defiinated to no one Man? either re autfpe? in deed or in expectation ? in a word, that there fhould be a Purpoje of God to bring Men unto Glory? {landing inviolable, tho never any one attained the pro- pofed end? is fuch a Riddle as no Oedlpi'A can unfold. Now mch an Election, fuch a Predeftination have the Aminians fubftituted in the place of God's everlafting Decree. Pag. 54,55. If final perleverance in Faith and Obedience be the caufe of, or a Condition required unto Eledion, then none can be laid in this Life to be elected -, fo* na Ccnformift. What is Election ? It is the everlafting Pre- deftiriationj or fore-ap- pointingof certain Angels and Men unto everlafling Life and BlelTedneis for the praife of his glorious Grace and Goodnefs, i Tim. 5.21. Job. 15. 16. Rom. 9. 22, 23. Ephef. 1. 4, 5,6,9- /r f#r; ? wo Cauje, Reel' for:, or Inducement of E- lection in the Elected the?n- f elves ? None at all, it is wholly of free Grace, without re- fpect of any Goodnefs that God foreiaw in us, 2 Tim. 1.9. Rom.9.16. Phil. 2.13. jEpfcf/1 1. 9. for other wife Man fliould have whereof he might glory in and of himleif, as having difcern- ed himfelf from others, and Gcd fliould not be the caufe of all Good, nor fliould his Counfel be in- comprehenfive. Is not Sin the caufe of Reprobation ? No ; for then all Men fhould be reprobate, when God forefaw that all would be Sinners :, but Sin is the caufe of the execution of Reprobation, the Damna- tion whereunto the wic- ked are adjudged being for their own Sin. Is there no caufe then of Rcpybation in the Repro- bate ? None at all, in that they rather than others are palfed by of God •, that is wholly from the unfearch- able flgnifieth God's ac- tual choofing or ta- king one Mar. or Peo- ple from amongft o- thers to himielf, ei- ther Lr his fpecial Complacency and Service by Sanctra- cation or Converfi- on, (where it is plain. Baxter iavifm Barefaced. 27 Baxter ian. Non-Con for mijt. no Man is a final Per fever er un- til he be dead, until he has fi- niflied his courfe, and confum- mated the Faith : but certain it is, that it is fpoken of fome in Scripture, that they are even in this Life elected : Few are chofen, Mat.20. 1 6. For the Elect's fake thofe daysfljall be fi.ortned, Mat. 24. And ffjall f educe, if it were as compared with the pqffible, the very Elect, ver. 24. rejl of his Notions, where it is evident, that Electi- tbat God's Love m- on is required to make one per- to or Complacency in fevere in the Faith ^ but no their Pcrfons arifcs where is Perfeverance in the not from a pure diftin- Faith required to Election : yea, guifiing Act of his -and Peter gives us all a Gom- Love towards them mand, that we mould give all nakedly conjidered, diligence to get an affurance of the very root-caufc of our Election even in this Life^ Election *, but that 2 Pet. 1. 10. and therefore fure- ly it cannot be a Decree pre- fuppofing coniummating Faith and Obedience, p. 62. Election is an eternal Act of God's Will j He hath chofen us tion, which it feems before the feundation of -the with our Author, if World, Eph. 1. 4. confummated his emphatic al Note antecedently to all Duty of ours, may be regarded., is Rom^g. II. Now every caufe the ground-work of muft in order of Nature, pre- Converfwn. Uno ab- cede its Effect ; nothing hath furdo concelTo, mille an Activity in caufing, before it fequuntur. ) Mr. B. hath a being ; Operation in e- Doctr. End of Con- very kind is a fecond Ad, fiow- trov. ch. 5. So that ing from the elTence of a thing, Election, and the which is the firit : But all our Love of God there- Graces and Works, our Faith, in, refpe&s Qualifi- Obedience, Piety and Charity, are all temporal, of yeiterday, the £ime (landing with our felves, and no longer, and there- fore cannot be the caufe of, no nor fo much as a Condition ne- ceflarily required for the accom- plilhment of an eternal Act of God, irrevocably eitablifhed be- fore we are. E 2 If this love of Election, which is the fame with that of Com- placency, depends up- on their Sanclifica- cations not Pcrfons. More of thi-s §. 2. God will convert, jufiify, adopt and fave fome Men by his Grace. Ibid. But what is this to Eletli- j M to a diftintt per/t- on :S Con for mi ft. able depth of God's own free-will and good plea- fore Bp Vj/.cr's Body ^ Divinity, p. 9i?Q2. The particular end of the Elect dependeth either on ibme fatal Neceflity, lome accidental Chance, or on the Will of Man:, or it itandeth by God's everlafting Decree: there can be aiiigned no other caufe. Not the nrft, for that were to tie God to Secondary Caufes, for fuch was the Stoic al De- fimy \ not the fecond, tor that were to overthrow God's Providence, by the which all things are go- vern'd,and not by Chance : Not the third, which were to advance the Creature above his Creator : And St. Paul faith, It is not the Wilier, nor the Run- ner, &c. Ergo, God's fpecial and definite De- cree muft Hand : As Au- gujt. ccrti hie, &c. Cer- tainly in this cafe, where neither things are govern- ed by fatal Neceflity, nor by rafli unadvifed Chance, what other Caufe remaiu- eth than the profundity of God's Mercy and Truth ? Contr. Julian. 6. cap. $. It skillethnot concerning the matter in hand, namely, the particular and pajo- nal Election of thofe that (hall be faved, whether we urge God's Prefcience on- ly or Predeftinaton ; for if God did only foreieein particular who3 and how many, Baxter iamfm Bart/aSd, Baxtcri an. perfonal Act in God t owards any,e venfm b whom by Name he i chofc in Chr e foun- dation of the IVorl §. 3. Therefore it is certain that God from Eternity d d will or decree ib to do-, for the £1 in time maketh it fit fo to denominate God's eternal Will : Tho there was no- thing before the Cre- ation reaiiy but God, ( here lies his flruffie ) and fo real exiitent Alan (here lies the Evafwn ) was not the Objedof his Will-, and Man in e([e cog- nito, was nothing but God himfelf, there being nothing elfe from Eternity (ex- cept as Eternity com- prehendeth Time. ) Ibid. How far this will agreee with the Lord's knowing, yea calling of Cyrils by name about an hun- dred years before he was in effe cognito \ and whether King Jofuih long before his Birth and Exiltence, was not even then, as named by the Lord, the perfonal tho ma- terially uncreated, Object of his Will, let the Learned judg. $. 4. In the lame manner as God brin£- NoH-Conf'jrmiJ}. If Predeftination be for Faith forefeen, thele three things, with divers fuch Ablurdities,will neceffarily follow 1 Firft, That Election is not of bim that cal- leth, as the Apo/de foeaketh, Rom. 9. 1 t. that is, of the good plealure of God, whocalleth us with an holy calling, but of him that is caikd-, for depend- ing on Faith,itmuft be his whole Faith is that doth believe. Se- condly, God cannot have Mer- cy on whom he will have Mercy, for the very purpofe of it is thus tied to the qualities of Faith and Obedience, fb that he muft have Mercy only on Believers antecedently to his Decree ; which, thirdly, hinders him from being an abfolute free A- gent, and doing of what he will with his own, of having fuch a power over us as the Potter hath over hi? Clay ; for he finds us of different matter, one Clay, another Gold, when he comes to appoint us to different ufes and ends *, p. 63, 64. And principally, the Effects of Election infallibly following it, cannot be the caufes of E- ledion certainly preceding it: this is evident, for nothing can be the Caufe and the Effect of the fame thing, before and after it felf : But all our Faith, and Obedience, Repentance, good Works, are the Effects of E- ledion lowing from it as their proper Fountain, erected on it as the Foundation of this f^iri- tual Building : and for this the Article of our Church is very evident and clear :, Thofe, faith it, that are endued with this ex- cellent benefit of God, are called accor- Conformift. many, and of what con- dition, fhould believe in Chrift and be faved •, and that as God forefaw, To it mull be, that the fame, fo many, no other, no more lhaii believe than God fcrefaw, then muft the number of the Eled and Believers be as certain, de- finite and determined, as if they Yielded to God's Decree herein : Where- fore they mult either doubt of God's Preicience, or confefs a certain Determi- nation of the number of the Elec>. We have di- red places of Scripture for particular Eledion ; Cbrifl calleth his Sheep by name, Joh. 10. 3. They are all known particularly, and alfigned to Salvation as by Name. 1 he Apoftles were perlonally elected of God, and given unto Chrift, Job. 17. 3. and as fome of the Elect be, fo are the reft, for there is one condi- tion of them all. St. Paid, fpeaking of certain Per- forms his feilowrlabourers, amonglt whom he nametn Clement , faith , Their Names are written in the Book of Life, Phil. 4. 3. Ergo, they were fpecially and particularly ekded. Further , the Scripture faith, that God calleth the Stars of the Sky by their Names, how much more the Sons of Men, the Chil- dren of Salvation, art par- ticularly known-unto him ? and if the Hairs of their Head Baxterianifm Barefaced. 29 Baxterian. Non-Conformijl. according to God's purpofe,>are juftlfied freely , are made the Sons of God by Adoption, they be made like the Image of Chrift, they walk religioHfly in good Works, Sec. Where nrft they are (aid to be partakers of this benefit of E- ledion , and then by virtue thereof, to be entituled to the fruition of all thofe Graces. Secondly, it faith, Thofe who are endued with this Benefit, enjoy thofe BUffir.gs; intimating that Eledion is the Rule whereby God proceedeth in bellowing thole Graces, retraining the Objeds of the temporal Ads of God's fpecial Favour to then* only whom his eternal Decree doth embrace. Both thefe in- deed are denied by the Arml- nlans, which maketh a further difcovery of their Heterodoxies in this particular. Ton fay, iaith Ar mini us to Perkins, that Election Is the rule of giving, or not giving of Faith, and there- bringeth Men to Grace and Glory, he willeth or decreeth to do it : for his De- cree to do it is no re- al Ad of God di- ftind from his Ef- fence, but it is his fimple,efTentialWill denominated from the Effect- related to it. Therefore the Con- troversies about Elec- tion are refolv'd into thofe about the giv- ing of Grace and Sal- vation : Whence note, that God's perfonal e- letFlng of any depends upon their electing of him. Ibid. $. 14. As to the Controverfies about the Objects of God's Decrees, meaning the perional or fubjec- tive Object as diftind from the Erreds of the Volition, {or the prejuppofed ftate of him that Gad dc- creerh the Gift fp) If we will diftribute God's Decrees or Volitions as the Parts or Gifts decreed or diit ributed, then the Queftion is all one, as , what Ji ate a Man is fuppofed to be In when God gives him fitch or fuch a Gift ^ which is a thing that we are not much di (agreed about. Ibid. fore Election is not of the Faith- fid, but Faith of the Elect : But by your leave this I muft deny. Armin. Anti-Per. fol. 221. But yet whatever it is the fophifti- cal Heretick here denies, either Antecedent or Concluiion, he falls foul on the Word of God : They believed, faith the Holy Ghoft, who were ordained to eternal Life, Ads 13.48. And the Lord added dally to his Church fuch as jLould be faved, Ads 2. 47. From both which places it is evident, that God beitoweth Faith only on them whom he hath pre-ordained to eternal Life : but molt clearly, Rom. 8. 29,30. For whom he did foreknow, he alfo predftlnated to u Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Conform} ft. Head are numbred, much more themfel ves. Dr. 1 1 ril- lety Synop. Pap if. p. 899. If God from Eternity absolutely elected feme un- to the infallible attainment of Grace and Glory, we cannot but grant that thofe who are not comprised within this abfolute De- cree are as abfolutely paf {ed by, as the other are chofen. Dr. Davenant A- nimadv. upon a Treatife entitled, God's Love to Alankind, p. 5. Eledion or Predeftina- •tion findeth or confidereth all meer Men in one and the felf-Iame condition ; and it is the Grace prepa- red fyr them in Predeili- nation, which maketh the Predeftinate become holy and happy Men. Ibid. p. 10. They, who will have God in his Divine Predef- tination to behold all Men, and eled thofe Men confe- quently whom heconfiders, as believing and perfevering in Faith and Holinefs to the laft gafp, are in an Error. For, 1. This is to eled or predeftinate Men, not confidered in fiatu Integra, nor in flatu lapfo, but in ftatji reparato, & tantmn non glorificato. 2. Again, This is not to bring Faith, Holinefs, Perfeverance, out of the gracious benefit of Election, but to bring E- ledion out of the fore- feeing Ads of believing, obey ing, perfevering,qulte cou- Baxterian. §. 15. e.g.lhz Re- cipient of the Gift of Glory is a perfevering faithful Saint : The Receiver of the Gift of Perfcverance is a true believing Saint : The gift of Jnfiifi- cation, Adoption, and the Spirit of further Santbific avion, \% given to a penitent Belie- ver-, Faith and Re- pentance are given u- fually to Perfons pre- pared by a more com- mon Grace, having the means of Grace, and for ought we knowfometimes fiid- denly without {uch Preparation. Ibid. Common Redemp- tion and the Decree of common Grace, both antecede that which is> properly called Eledion, in order of Nature in effe objetlivo : that is, God decreeth to give Faith and Salvation effedively to fome of them that had common Grace. Ch. 13. $. 19. Ch. 6. $. 2. God's effential Will, a* fitch, is not called Repro- bation, nor a Decree of Damnation, as diftind from other Volitions: therefore the diftinguilhing denomination mult be fetch'd from the Effeds or Objeds which Non-Conformift. be conformed to the Image of his Son : Mor cover, whom he did predefiinate, them he aljo called ; and whom he called,- them he alfo fijiified, them he alfo glorified. St. Anjlin interpreted this place, by adding in every link of the Chain, only thofe ; however, the words diredly import a prece- dency of Pred eft ination, before the beftowing of other Graces ; and alfo a reftraint of thofe Graces to them only that are fo predeftinate. Now the In- ference from this is, not on- ly for the form Logical, but for the matter alfo, it containeth the very words of Scripture, Faith is of God's Eled ; Tit. 1. 1. For the other part of the Pro- portion, that Faith and Obe- dience are the fruits of Eledion, they cannot be more peremp- tory in its Denial, than the Scripture is plentiful in its Con- firmation. He hath chofen us in Chrifi, that we flmild be holy • Ephef. 1.4. not becaufe we were holy, but that we ihould be Co. Holinefs, whereof Faith is the Root, and Obedience the Body, is that whereunto, and for which we are eleded : The end and meritorious caufe of any one Ad cannot be the fame, they have divers Refpeds, and re- quire repugnant Conditions. P. 6a, 65, 66. The rule and meafure of the Communication of the Spirit for Regeneration is Eledion : The rule and meafure of the Communication of the Spirit for Sandification, is Regenera- tion, &c. Dr. Owen's Diicourfe concerning the Spirit, p. 359. That there is an Election of Grace, Conformift, contrary to the Dodrine of our Church, and of the Truth. 3- Laftofall, If we admit this Opinion of conditionate Predeilinati- on following the eternal forefight of Mens final Obedience and Perfeve- rance, we muft of neceffity grant, that the Grace or Benefit of Predeftination affords no Man any help at all in the way to eternal Salvation,or Glorification*, which no Chriilian Ear can patiently hear : for how can that be the caufe leading infallibly in the way unto eternal Life, which cometh not fo much into confideration, until a Man have run out his race in Faith and Gcdlinefs, and be arrived at Heaven Gates ? Such a falfly nam- ed Predeftination might more truly and properly have been called a Poft- deflination: But call it how they pleafe, it enad- eth only per modum legis, that Men thus living and dying, (hall be received into the Kingdom of Hea- ven •, but it doth not per moaum decreti operant is, infallibly work thofe Gra- ces and gracious Actions, whereby Men are brought unto Heaven. Void. p. 10, 11. ' Neicher doth the De- cree of Preterition Jhut up any Man under a neceffity of firming, and being dam- ned; but it permitteth Man voluntarily and freely to Baxter hnifm Barefaced, ?$ Baxterian. which it hath rela- tion to. §. 3. Therefore where there is no Effed or Objed of God's Will, there is no fuch Will to be named or aiTerted : ( What a blind Deity does this wretched Sophiftcr make of an infinite God? as if he could not call things that are not, as if they were. ) But Co much as God efFed- eth in or towards Man's Damnation, fb much he mull be faid to will. §. 7. If it be laid that God permitteth Sin, therefore he de- creed to permit it : Thefe things mull: be anfwered. 1. Per million is an ambiguous word, ( fome thing like our Author} ftridly it fignifieth inPhyficks nothing at all but a meer Negation, (that is directly like him in found Divinity above all things elfe) which is r.on impedire, not to hindsr ; but in Po- liticks it oft fignifieth a pofitive licenfe or voluntary cone effion of leave for a Man to do or polTefs lome- thing. And many Divines by Permillion mean not bare non-impedi- Nbn - Conformift . Grace, with a non-eledion or palling by others : That diffe- rence to be out of the pure Grace and good Pleafiire of God, which purpofe of Eledi- 011 is the caufe of their effedual Calling and Salvation. Dr. Tho* Goodwin of Eledion, pag. I2» Contents of Chap. 2. The Eled afore ever they are converted, are fliled by God his People, Ads 18. 10. And Chrill faith, Sheep tlhavc] not of this fold ( Gentiles) them I mufi bring. They were Sheep afore they were brought in, and they were fo determinately, fixedly, and reiolutely Gods Sheep, foreknown by him to be fuch, as that Chrill himfelf (to whom God hath committed the Salvation cf them) faith, I muft bring them in, as upon God's peremptory Command to have them laved : And therefore E- ledion, or foreknowledg of them, is as the caufe join'd with their being H I S, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord iknows'] who are [hisi] This their Eledion that makes them his, and is here fignift- ed by fore-knowledg [whom he foreknew ] is a word appropria- ted to the Ekd, and their E- ledion by Gcd ; and Eledion is afcribed unto it, as Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow, he alfo didpredftinate. And 1 Pet. 1.2. Eleib according to the foreknow^ ledg of God the Father ; that is, out of that fpecial foreknowledg which God took of thofe whom he chofe j even fuch a foreknow- ledg as is common to no other Creatures or Perfons-, altho known unto God are all his Works from the beginning. And* Conformift. to run into damnable Sins, and thro their voluntary Impenitency to incur eter- nal Damnation. Ibid.p.20. In the beginning of the Wars when many good People came unto him, ( i.e. Mr. £W) being af- frighted with the Souidi- ers, he encouraged them, ufing this Speech, That if an Houfe were full of Rods, what need the Child fear, when none of them could move without the Father's hand? and the Lord was a loving Father :, and Eitate, and Life and all were at his dilpofal. When afterwards fome Soldiers came to his houle, and threatned to knock him on the head •, he an- fwered with Confidence, that if they did, they Ihould fend him to Hea- ven, where he long'd to be, but they could do no- thing except God gave them leave. When the Souldiers broke open his Cherts and Cupboards, and piunder'd him of his Goods, he faid to a Friend of his, that he would not do them that honour to fay that they had taken ought from him, but it was the Lord, al- ledging that of Job, who, when he was fpoiled by the Sabeans and Chaldeans, yet did not fo much as name the Inihuments, but faid, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath t iken away. .Mr. Dod's fecond Sheet, JMead 3q#ij3*2, God Baxteriamfin Barefafd. Bdxterian. tion, but aho fome Action that tendeth to the procuring of the Event. In the firft and proper fenfe it followeth not, that God decreed to per- mit Sin, becaufe he permitteth it, (moft audacioufly attempt- ed, that any thing Jhould come to pafs without the compafs of God's Decree ! ) for permitting here is but a bare Verb, (no more is faving and damning) and fignifieth nothing. Not to hinder is meer- ly nothing. And nothing is no terminm to denomi- nate God's Decree or Will. ( Whether this has more of Sophiflry or Ignorance in it is hard to determine; for is not God's toil- ling to help, or keep from Sin, as truly an AEi flowing from a Decree and Will in him, as his Volition is to aflijl againfi the fame? Does not my Refolution not to re- lieve a hunger-bitten Creature at effectual- ly contribute (0 his jamming, as myfup- plying the wants of another does to his Prefcrvation f And are not thefe two Branches of one and the fclf-fame Will, cx- Non-Conformift. And, as feveral Interpreters have obferved on the fame word, Rom. 8. 29. he faith not, « rime caufe in whom we ive, move, and have our being •, then no Sin can be affigned wherein this ma- terial part may not be found. In the eating the forbidden Fruity the materi- al part of the Sin in regard of the Soul was the Appe- tition thereof j in regard of the Body, the Maftication and Manducation, and ci- ther bodily Ads : Separate thefe from the formal part which is modus appctendi, and containeth a Repug- nancy to God's Command, and God was the prime Author thereof. The Ad of defiring and of eating, muft of neceffity be redu- ced to God, without whom there neither is or can be any motion of Body or Soul: But the diforderly manner of defiring and eating contrary to the Law of God, this is reducible (as being a defed) only to the defedive Will of Man. This is well obferv'd by Ruin, Aliqui modi fe ha- bendi in volant ate non reducuntur in Deum tan- quam in caufam, pr&fertim quando culpabilis eft mo- dus, &c. habendi. And more fully, Potcft voluntas divina amando quamlibet actionem fub ratione aclio- nis non am are differ enti am monftrofitatis per quampofi- tive repugnat divina legi. Dr.Davenant's Animadver- fions on a Treatife entitled, God's Love to Mankind, p. 22, Baxteriamjm Barefaced. Bcixtevian. they fay true-, and God's Veracity then is gone. ( The hellijh Sottiftnefs of this Section, together with hisfubtlc and blafphe- mous Inferences there- upon^ I ftjall leave to the ingenuous Belie' ver, and that Text, Try the Spirits,^.) Mr. Baxt. End of Dodrinal Contro- verfies. If the Covenant be not conditional, as to the difpofingof thefe Benefits, it would follow, That all to whom the offers are made have an intereft in them, or it is not a ferious offer, no, nor a true offer, as not containing a real and mutual Connexion between the Benefit and the Duty. Mr. D. W. Gofpel-Truth, p. 52, S3- It is a difplay of God's Wifdom, in conferring the Bene- fits futably to the na- ture and ftate of Men in this Life, whofe e- tcrnal Condition is not eternally decided, but are in a ft ate of trial, p.46. This he feems to confirm and vindi- cate by his Explana- tion or it, p. ult. a- gainft Mr. A father, 1. Says he, I do not here mention Be- Non-Conformift. There are thofe in the World that fay God loved all Mankind alike as to Salvation, and to that purpofe hath in all Ages given them Helps and Divine Afiiftan- ces in common, more or lefs, which we ufually term common Grace*, which if their Wills, being ftirred up and moved thereby, will ufe well, then they may and do obtain Faith, and an effedual calling unto Salva- tion. And upon the right ufe of thofe common Adjutories it is that God doth then eled them, and not till then ; or upon the forefight from all Eternity that they will do (b. But if they do not ufe thofe Helps well, then they are reprobated, or rejeded. But from that rehearfal of In- ftances through all Ages, when put all together, it will appear, that the fpecial Grace of Eledi- on hath put the difference : The one obtaining, the orher blind- ed, &c. Ibid. p. 24. Firft, Chrift, God and Man, as the Head, as the prime Fce- derat, after whom, and in whom in the order of Nature all the Body are eleded ; fo that the Grace of Eledion begins firft in Chrift our Head, and defcends unto us in him ', it notes the or- der in which we are eleded, and not the caufe of our Eledion -, not that we were firft eleded, and then Chrift cholen by occa- fion of our Fall •, but he is the firft-born in the Womb of God's Eledion, The firft-born amongft many Brethren. Now the Eledi- on of Man is not an Ad of So- vereignty, and meerly comes under the Will of God \ He has Mercy on whom he will have Mercy. Conformift. p. 22, 23, 48, Jfl, 52, 54, 75,136, 137. It is a common demand which the Patrons of uni- verfal Grace and Free-will ufetomake: Htm God can be excufed from Collufion and Deceit , if he hath not feriou/ly purpofed in his fe- cret and eternal Will, ef- fectually to convert andfave all fuch to whom he offers Grace by his revealed Will) bat only the Elect ? 1. Tho the bare hearing or preaching of the glad Tidings and Promifes of the Gofpel be alike com- municable unto all Men, yet their Benefit and Com- fort are proper, yea pecu- liar to the Eledt alone ; not common to the Ele& and Reprobates, as the Law is, which binds all Men* alike. Hence it is that the Eleft only are filled. The Children of the Promife, the Seed of Abra- ham, 1 Cor. 2. 6, &c. chap. 3. 21, 22, 23. 2 Cor, 4. 3, 4, 15. Pfal. 50.16,17. Luk. 10. 6. Col. 1.26,27- Hence the Vromife of Faith by Je- ftu Chrift, is laid to be given only to them, not generally to all Men , Romans 9. 7, 8. Galatians 3. 22. The Voice of Chri.fi (to Wit the Gofpel ) is proper- only to the Sheep of Chrift, who are the Elect, Joh. 10. 3, 4, 27. whence the Faith of the Gofpel is /ri- led, the Faith of God's Elect, as being proper, yea peculiar to them alone: Tit. 1. Baxterianifm Barefaced, «- Non-Conformift. Mercy. But Chrift as God, could not come under an Ad of his Will, as Ele&ion is, but by his own Confent. Ephef. j. 5. It is according to the good plea- fur e of his Will : he is appointed Heir of all things } as he was the Son, he was H 6, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23. en. 2. 7, 10, 13, 19, 21, 22. ch. 5. 23, 29, 30. 1 Pet. 5. 13. Rom. 8. 29, 30. Heb. 12. 22, 23. The Preachers of the Gofpel, who are ftiled An- gels, are fent out only to gather the Elecl ( not all Men ) from the four Winds , from the one end of Hea- ven to the other : they are all miniflring Spirits, fent forth to minifter for them ( and for them only ) who /hall be Heirs of Salvation, not for Reprobates or wicked Men : they are on- ly to feed the Church, the Lambs, the Sheep, and Elock of Chrift, who are none but the Elect, as the Scriptures and Fathers have defined it. See my Perpe- tuity, p. 20, 21. There- fore the Milk, the Food of the Word, and Gofpel, are proper and peculiar unto them alone ; Mat. 24. 31. Eph. 1. 5,9,10. Heb. 1.14. Rev. 7. 3, to 16. ch. a. 27. Ads 20. 28. Job. 21. 1 Si ]6, 17. 2 Tim. 2. 10. Heb.5.12,13,14. 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 3. Y 011 mult take notice, that tho the Gofpel is to be preached unto every Creature, yet it is not with an Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. regardeth none but him that is dying ; for this peremptory Eledion decreeth the whole accompliih- ment and confumma- tion of Salvation, and therefore requi- reth in the Object the finifhed courfe of Faith and Obe- dience. Grevin ad Ames, •fol. 136. YTea weac- knowledg no other Predestination to be revealed in the Go- fpel, befides that whereby God de- creeth to fave them who fhouldperfevere in Faith. Rem. Col. Hag. fol. 34. There is a compleat Electi- on, belonging to none but thole that are dying, and there is another incom- pleat, common to all that believe : as the good things of Sal- vation are incom- pleat, which are con- tinued whilft Faith is continued, and re- voked when that is denied^ fo Election is compleat in this Life, and revocable. Grcv. ad Ames. Three orders there are of Believers and Repenters in the Scripture, whereof fome are beginners, others having conti- nued for a time, and fome 4* Non-Conformift. Man, before the Ad: of his Will to give him Reafbn : Nor fore- fees Faith in any, before the Ad of his Will determining to give him Faith, Eph. 2. 8. In the Salvation which grows up from this firft Purpofe of God, he regards not the Works we have done, as a principal to fettle the top-ftone ot our Mappinefs, but his own Purpofe, and the Grace given in Chrift, 2 Tim. 1.9. The Honour of our Salvation cannot be challenged by our Works, much left the Foundation of it. It was a pure Gift of Grace, without refped to any fpiritual, much left natural Perfedion. Why mould the Apoftle men- tion that Grcumfrance when he fpeaks of God's loving Jacob and hating Efau, when neither of them had done good or evil9 Rom. 9. 11. if there were any forefight of Man's good Works as the moving caufe of his Love or Hatred ? God regarded not the Works of either as the firft caufe of his Choice, but aded by his own Liberty, without re- fped to any of their Adions which were, to be done by them in time: If Faith be the fruit of Ele&ion, the preference of Faith doth not influence the e- leding Ad of God : Tit: 1. 1. "1 is called the Faith of God's Elecl : Paul an Apoftle of Jeftts Chrift, a: cording to the Faith of God's Elect* i. e. fettled in his Office to bring the Eled of, Goa to Faith. If Men be cho- fen by God upon the forefight of Faith, or not chofen till they have Faith, they are not fo much God's Eled, as God their Ekd:, they chofe God by G Faith, 42 Conformift. an abfolute intent to con- vert or fave all thofe that hear it, but only fuch as do believe it : This is evi- dent by that Commifiion which Chrift gave unto his Apoftks*, Go ye (faith he) into all theWor id \and preach the Gcfpel to every Crea- ture : He that believeth and is baptised fhall be fa- ved, but he that believeth not fiall be damned. By which conditional Claufe of limitation, and fmdry other Texts of Scripture, where God commanded his Word to be preached, to fuch who fiould neither hear nor obey it, nor yet reap any Profit, Converfion, or Sal- vation from it ; it is moft apparent that God did never intend his Gofpel /hould convert and fave all fuch as hear it preach'd, but only fuch as (hould be- lieve, and embrace it in their Hearts. Now thefe are only the Eleft, and no others, for they only do be- lieve : Therefore the Gof pel is intended unto them alone, becaufe they only profit by it. Alark 16. 15, 16. If 1.6.9,10. chap. 29. 10. chap. 65. 2. Jer. 3.8, IC chip. 7. 26, 27, 28. Ez.ek. 2. 3, to the end. Mat. 13. 13, 14,15. Mark 4. 1 1,12. Lul&.io. Jok 1 2. 39, 40. Act. 2%.2%, 26, 27. Rom. 10. 16, 21. chap. 11. 8. zCor.z. 14,15, 16. Heb. 4. 2. chap. 6. 6,7. Mtsil.$. J oh. 10. 26, 27. Rom.%. 30. Luke 10.6. God Baxteriamjm Barefaced. Bcixteriari? Ibme Perfeverants •, the two firft Orders are chofen truly, but not abfolutely, but only for a time, fo long as they will re- main as they are :,the the third are chofen finally and peremp- torily: for this Act of God is either con- tinued or interrupted according as we ful- fil the Condition. Rem. Confcjf.cap. 18. We deny that God's Ele&ion ex- tendeth it felf to any fingular Perfons, as fingular Perfons. Rem.Col.Hag. fol. 76. God hath appoint- ed without diffe- rence, to difpenfe the means of Faith , and as he feeth thefe Per- fons to believe or not believe, by the ufe of thofe means, fo at length he determi- nethofthem. Corv. ad Tilen. 76. It is obtruded on the Church as a mo;t holy Doftrine, that God by an abfolute, immutable Decree from all Eternity, out of his own good pleafure, hath chofen certain Perfons, and thofe but a few in companion, without any refpeft had to their Faith and Obe- dience, and predefti- nated Non-Conformift. Faith, before God choofeth them by Love. It had not been the Faith of God's Eledt, i, e. of thofe already chofen, but the Faith of thofe that were to be chofen by God afterwards Men are not chofen becaufe they believe, but- they believe be- caufe tney are chofen. The A- poftle did ill elfe to appropriate that to the Eled, which they had no more intereft in by vir- tue of their Ele&ion, than the verieft Reprobate in the World. If the forefight of what good Works might be done by his Creatures, was the Motive of his choofing them, why did he not choole the Devils to Re- demption, who could have done him better Service by the ftrength of their Natures, than the whole Mais of Adam's Po- fteritv ? Ibid. pag. 722, 723. ELECTION is the pitch- ing of everlafiing hove, or the good pleafure of God cho jfing and decreeing to eternal Life : It is the great Charter of Hea- ven, God's fpecial and free Grace Deed of Gift to his chofen ones, made over in trull unto Jefus Chrift for their ufe and benefit. Mr. Cole's Practical Difcourfe of God's Soveraignty, p. 41. Prop. That there is a peculiar People, who were per fon ally chofen of God in Chrift according to his own good pleafure, and ordained to eternal Life before the World began. Ibid. p. 42. They were Iperfonally'] chofen ^ that is, the Objects of Eleftion were fingled forth and pitch'd upon by name. Chofen tin Chrift^ or into Chrift~\ as their Head and Me- diator, that thereby their Electi- on ConfoYtnifl. God no Impoflor nor De~ luder. Prynne, p. 1,2,3. Thefe words efcaped me in my Sermon, viz,. As for th'ofe that are not fa- ved, I do moil ftrongly believe, and do freely pro- teii, that I am fo periwa- ded againft Calvin, Peter Martyr, and the reft, that Sin is the true, proper, and firft caufe of Reprobation : But now being better in- ftructed, I fay, that the Reprobation of the wicked is from everlafting,and that the faying of Auguftine to Simplician is moft true,W£.^ If Sin were the caufe of Reprobation, then no Man ftiould be ele&ed, becaufe God hath foreknown all to be defiled with it ^ and ( that I may fpeak freely ) I am of the fame Mind, and do believe concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, as the Church of England be- lieveth and teacheth in the Book of the Articles of Faith, in the Article of Predeftination. Barret's Recantation at Cambridg about ico vearsago. Vid. Fuller's Hi'ft. of the Uni- verfity of Cambr. p. 151. Where fomeare chofen, others are refufed^ and where fome be refufed, ail be not chofen. They err, who hold Election unto Life to be common, or to depend upon forefeen Faith, or "Works, for it is moft fr ee. T he chufing of feme to obtain Salvation by Baxterianifm Barefaced, Baxtcrian. nated them to everlafting life. Praf. lib. Armin. ad Perk. No fuch Will can be afcribed unto God, whereby he fo willeth any one to be faved, as that hence their Salvation ihould be fare and infallible. Arm. Anti Perk. fol. 583. The Decree of Election is nothing but a Decree whereby God hath ap- pointed to juftify and lave them that believe in Chrift. Corv. adTilen. fol. 13. That the only caufe why God loveth ( or choofeth ") any Perfon, is, becaule the Honefty, Faith and Piety wherewith, according to God's Command and his own Duty, he is endued, are acceptable to God. Rem.Apol. p. 13. We roundly confefs that Faith in the confideration of God's choofing us unto Salvation, doth precede, and not follow as a fruit of Election. Rem. Hag. Coll. p. 35. The only ablblute caufe of Election and Reproba- tion is not the Will of God, but a refpect unto our Obedience or Dilbbe- dience. Epijt. Difp, 8. When I place Sin as the meritorious cufe of Re- probation, think not that I lefs place Righteoufnefs to be the meritorious caufe of Election. Armin. Ami Perk. Upon this Dr. Green in his Difplay of Armlnianifm (whence thefe lajft Authors were 4? Non-Conformift. on might be fecured ; that is, that the good Things and Benefits they were chofen unto might (by their being in Chrift) be righteoufly theirs, and ac- cordingly applied to them. Ibid. p. 43. It was not the whole lump of Mankind that was the Object of Election ; nor was this Election (as fome {peak) a Decree to elect fuch as Ihould happen to he thus and fo qualified : but certain determinate Perfons were chofen by name, or fmgled out from among the reft, and ordained to eternal Life. Our Saviour ftiles them, The Men that were given him [put] of the World, Joh. 17. 6. And they were given him by name ( as well as number ) and by thofe Names he knows them, Joh. 10.3,14. And that this Election was tran lacted from Eternity is evident, J0h.1y.21. witn v. 24. £/>;.?. 1.4. Rev.13.8. chap. 1 7. 8, &c. Ibid. p. 58. And if the Election cf the Head was perfonal, and from Eternity, why not theirs that Ihould make up his Body, fmce they did as really exift thenasthz Human Nature of Chrift did ? Befides, it was very agreeable that he and they liiould both be appointed together; for he could not be a Head but with re- fpect to a Body ; and that they were exprelly deter- mined of, appears by G 2 Pfaf. 44 ConfoYtnift. by Chrift, according to the good pleafure of God, •Rom. 9. 11. Election of Grace. This hath two Ads, 1. Of the End, cal- led the Decree. 2. Of the Means, called the Execu- tion of the Decree. Reprobation is the moft wife Purpole of God, whereby lie hath before all Eternity ( for his own Will's fake) constantly decreed, without any In- juftice, not to have Mercy on thofe Angels and Men whom he hath not loved, but hath patted them over when he did chute others, that by their juft Condem- nation, he might declare his Wrath towards Sin, to the Glory of his Juftice, Rom. 9. 10, 11, 18, 22, 23. In the Decree of Repro- bation there be two Ads to be confidered by us, viz.. a purpofe of not lhew- ing Mercy, and of not chufing, of not calling, juftifying, &c. This is privative, or negative, or abfolute Reprobation, ha- ving no caufe impulfive without God. Eph. 1. 11. Trov. 16.4. Jer.6. 30. The fecond Ad is a pur- pofe of condemning, or an Ordination to Pain, even eternal and moil juft Damnation. This is po- fitive , affirmative , or refpedive Reprobation, which refpedeth Sin ori- ginal or adual (as the meritorious caufe of De- Srudion. ) But note fur- ther, BaxterUnifm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. were quoted by me) con- cludes in thefe wordsyp.6j. The fum of their Doc- trine is j God hath appoint- ed the Obedience of Faith to be the means of Salva- tion : if Men fulfil this con- dition, he determineth to fave them, which is their Eledion •, but if after they have entred the way of Godlinefs,they fall from it, they lofe alfo their PredeP tination -? if will they re- turn again, they are cholen anew , and if they can hold out to the end, then, and for that continuance, they are peremptorily eleded or predeftinateel , after they are faved. (Now whether thefe Politions may be gathered from thofe places of Scripture which deliver this Dodrin, let any Man judg. ) I (hall clofe this with a Quotation out of a de- ceafed Author, cited by him out of Auguftlne. The Pelagian faith, God foreknew iuch as would be holy and immaculate by the freedom of their Will, and therefore he chofe them before the foundati- on of the World in his very Prefcience, whereby he foreknew they would become fuch : Whereas the Apoftle faith, he chofe us in him before the founda- tion of the World, that we Ihould be holy and without fpot^ not there- fore becaufe we ihould be- come fuch, but that we ihould Non-Conformift. Pfal. 139.16. In thy Book are all my Members writ- ten, when as yet there was none of them. If any fay, that was meant of David's Members : I anfwer, That if God thought the Mem- bers of an Earthly Body- worthy his regiftring, he could not be lefs particu- lar and exad about the Myftical Body of his Son. Befides, David was his Type. Ibid. p. 59. Great endeavours there are to father Eledion upon forefeen Faith -and Works, which that they call the Covenant of Grace, has (they fay) qualified and capacitated all Men for} and which certain more pliant, ingenuous and in- duftrious Perfbns (asthey fpeak) would attain unto by the helps they have in common with other Men : But this Pedigree of Elec- tion is excepted againft as being not rightly deduced. Ibid. p. 73. Faith follows Eledion ; God refpeds the Perfbn before his Offering Ibid. p. 74. If Men be predeftinated to Faith and Holinefs (as they are) Rom. 8. 38, 39. 1 Pet. 1.2. Then they were not feen to be fuch before their Predeftination : or if they were, then their E- ledion (as to that parti- cular) would feem imper- tinent There can no rational account be given, why Men forefeen to be fuch, Ihould be Corformift. ther, that this Ordinati- on to Pain ( which is the Second Ad: of Reproba- tion) is either Simple, whereby this or that Man (as Cain or Judo*} were ordained to Pain *, or com- parative, whereby Cain ra- ther than Abel, and Judas rather than Peter, be or- dained : of this latter the Will of God is the fole caufe, but the Sbveraign caufe of both ; yet in the former not without rela- tion to Sin, as a mean of the Pain. Note yet fur- ther. That what place Chrift (in whofe Obedi- ence and Suffering we are chofen, Eph. 1.4. ) hath in the Ekdion of faved Per- fons *, that "place Sin hath in the Reprobation of the wicked, in which it is no Efficient that is in God's Will, but a material caufe of their Condemnation. Tho. Wilfon's Chriitian Dictionary. Objett. 7. If God did eled fome, and reject o- thers, he muft needs be [7iBAW7r7>rc] a refpeder of Perfons. Anfvo. 1. One is fa id to accept, or have refped of Perfons, when as he by fome Circumftances inherent in the Perfon, is moved to do this or that. Now as for God, he did upon his meer pleafure eled fome, and rejed others eternally, not moved or urged thereunto by any thing whatibevcr out of himielf. 2. He is Debtor to Baxter ianifin Barefaced, Baxterian. mould be fuch: This is certain, this is manifeSt, that therefore we would become fuch, becaufe he did choofe us, predestina- ting us, that we fhould be- come fuch by his Grace. True it is, that St. Aw gujline himielf was once of that Opinion with the Pe- lagians, Pontificians, and our new Pelagians, con- cerning God's Prefcience, as understanding it to be nothing elfe but a previfion of future Things and E- vents, and thereupon to have grounded his Decree : Which Opinion Augufiine ingenuoufiy retradeth and recanteth in the firft Book of his Recantations, ch.23. The fame Author having fpoken of cne/oe^©-, or the word Predestination, fays, " Now for the Predi- " cate of the Definition, " it is an Ad or Decree, " called fometimes in " Scripture e»a», God's " Ccunfel, Epbcf. j. 11. " fometimes ^Ss^God's " Purpofe,fow.8.28. fome- " times cpfioyv&ns-) 1 Pet. " 1. 2. which is fuch a " foreknowledg as is not cc only a bare Prefcience, " but a prafcitum, an eSta- c< blifhed or decreed Fore- " knowledg, as the Latins " call a Decree of the Peo- " pie plebifcitum : and alfb " the Decree or Judgment u of a Caufe, cognitio, or " Trial, or Knowledg. So to&yvaztfi or pr&cognitio, or foreknowledg of God, is 45 Non-Conformift. be fbfolemnly predeltina- ted thereto. Ibid. p. 75. To derive Eledion from any Root befides the good Pleafure of God, is to fruP trate the principal end of Man's Salvation, viz,, the Glory of God's Grace, Eph. 1.6. ch. 2.7. Ibid. p. 76. This gives a reafon why Men of the largeSt Capa- city for Learning and na- tural Understanding, are fo mightily puzzl'd and la- byrinth'd in fpiritual mat- ters, particularly the Doc- trine of Eledion^ why they do fo Strongly oppofe it, and are fo hardly re- concile with it : They are not in truth fubdued to the Dodrine of God's Sove- raignty -? and therefore, whilft in difcufling thofe Points of Faith they judg as their natural Optick re- prelents them, they lofe both themfelves and the Truth *, which yet (in fome degree) is made known un- to Babes ( Men of low Ma- ture to them ) whofe Spi- rits the Lord hath fubdued to reft contented with what their Father is plea- fed to tell them: and for the reft (as namely, the manner and reafon of God's Difpofements and Difpenlations) they live by Faith in his Righteoul- nefs, waiting for the day that (hall reveal all things \ when the Tabernacle of God which yet is in Hea- ven, Shall be let down a- mong Men, [or they taken * up 46 Conformift. to none, but may by good right do with his Creatures what (eemeth good unto him in his own eyes. 3. It is one thing with God to accept of Perfbns, and ano- ther to make choice of Men-, this if we ftiould not grant, it would follow that God muit be deemed blame-worthy, becaufe he made not all his Creatures mofl: glorious Angels. Perk. Golden Chain, p. 170,171. Vrofper writing to Aw- gufline of the Relicks of the Pelagian Herefy, nameth this to be one, they affirm- ed God only to have pre- deftinated thofe, qnos dig- vos future* eleffione, &c. pr&vidijfet, whom he fore- £iw would be worthy of Election, &c. Dr. Willet's Synop. p. 907. Baxteriawjm Barefaced. 1 Baxterian. is his witting and willing Acl: or Decree. And is their Obedience or Difbbedience an in- different thing as to their Happinefs or Mifery? Mult he fave or damn all, or elfe be a refpecter of Perfons in his judicial Distributions ? And after- wards in the fame Chapter ', The Decree comts not in oppofition to the Me- thods of his Government. Mr. Dan. Williams Gof- pel-Truth, pag. ii$, 125. So that with Mr. Williams God mult, be reckoned a ■ refpetter of Perfons^ if he choofes and faves any without a previous re- gard to their Qualifica- tions. Non-Conformift. up into it] and thefe hid- den things of Soveraign- ty fhall be more openly known among them. Laftly, This Doctrine of God's abfolute Domini- on clears away all that made-Ground and Rubbilh which the Principles of free-will Grace do found their Election upon, and Ihews us the only proper and true foundation of Scripture-Eledion , with thofe other important Truths which hold upon it, or are Confequents of it \ all which have their Head in the Soveraignty of God, and derived thence as Ri- vers are from the Sea, &c. Ibid. p. 25, 26. The Dodrine of the Saints Perfeverance ex- plained and confirmed, or the certain permanency of their acceptation with God, and Sandification from God, manifefied and proved from the eternal Principles, effectual Caufes, external Means thereof, in the immu- tability of the Nature, Decrees, Covenant and Promifes of God, the Oblation and Interceffion of Jefiis Chrift, the Promifes. Exhortions, and Threats of the Gof^el. Dr. Owen's Title Page to his Treatife of trie Saints Perfeverance explained and con- firmed, &c. Hitherto I have delivered the truth of this weighty Point of Religion, which alfo is the Dodrine of the Church of England \ now it followeth that we mould confider the Falfhood. Sundry Divines have devifed, and in Writings publifiied a new frame or platform of the Dodrine of Predeftination \ the Effect whereof is this. The Nature of God (fay they) is infinite Love, Goodnefs, and Mercy it felf:, and therefore he propounds unto himfelf an End anfwerable thereunto, and that is, the communication of his Love and Goodnefs unto all his Creatures. Now for the accomplishing of this iupreme and abfolute End he did four things. Firit, He decreed to create Man righteous in his own Image. Secondly, He forefaw the Fall of Man after his Creation, yet fo, as he neither willed nor decreed it. Third- ly, He decreed the univerfal Redemption of all and every Man effectually by Chrift, fo be it they will believe in him. Fourthly, He decreed to call ail and every Man effedually, fo as if they will they may be faved. This being done, he in his eternal Counfel forefeeing who would believe in Chrilr, did thereupon eled them Baxterianifm Barefaced, 47 them to eternal Salvation : And again, forefeeing who would not believe, but con- temn Grace offered, did thereupon alfo decree to reject them to eternal Dam- nation. This Platform, however it may feem plaufible to Reafon, yet indeed it is nothing elfe but a Device of Man's Brain, as will appear by ftindry Defects and Errors that be in it. For, firft, Whereas it is avouched that Adam's Fall came by the bare Pre- fcience of God, without any Decree or Will of his, it is a- flat Untruth. The put- ting Chrift to death was as great a Sin as the Fall of Adam, Acts 2. 23. nay, in feme refpects greater : Now that came to pals not only by the foreknowledg of God, but alfo by his determinate Ccunfel. And therefore as the Church of Jem- falem faith, Acts 4. 28. Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and People of Ifrael, githered themselves together to do whatsoever thine Hand and thy Counfel had determined before to be done : So may we fay, that Adam in his Fall did nothing but that which the Hand of Cod and his Counfel had determined before to be done. And considering the Will of God extends it felf to the leaft things that are, even to Sparrow?, whereof none do light upon the ground without our Heavenly Father *, How can a Man in reafon imagine that the Fall of one of the moft principal Crea- tures that are, (hall fall out altogether without the Will and Decree of God ? And t there can be nothing more abford than to fever the Foreknowledg of God from his Counfel or Decree. For by this means things (hall come to pafs, God nilling or not knowing, or not regarding them. Mr. Perkins'* Expofition of the Creed in his Golden Chain, p. 477. You are therefore to underftand, that in the point touching Man's Converfion, there is fcarce any Circum fiance that we have formerly fpokenof, but it is quarrel'd at, and corrupted with falle Opinions ', not the nature and fubftance of our Con- verfion, which, fay they, is not by the infufion of habitual Sanctity into the Soul, but through Grace acquired by much Pains and induftrious Ad ions of our own, excited and amfted by fome help of the Spirit •, not the moving caufe, which is affirmed by them to be, not God's fpecial and actual Love to his Elect, but his common and equal Love to all Mankind alike •, not the efficient caufe, which we affirm to be the Work of God's Spirit, they fay it is the freedom of our Wills : not the manner of it, without and above the ftrength of our natural Abilities, as we hold, but fo far in the compafs of our own Power, that we may help or hinder it at our own plea- fure : not the Instrument of it, the Word by the work of the Spirit, but as they would have it, the Word working by it felf, without any inward virtue of the Spirit belides : Laftly, not the Subject, the Elect only, as we maintain, but all in common, upon whom iufficient Grace to Converfion is beftowed, if we will be- lieve them. All thefe erroneous Opinions are founded upon other rotten and un- found Principles, which are chiefly thefe. 1. That God hath not precifeiy deter- mined of any Man's Salvation or Damnation in particular, but hath left it to be de- cided by the liberty of their own Wills. 2. That God doth not bear any fpecial Favour to one more than another, but that his Love is equal to all in general, and his defire of the Salvation of all Mankind alike. 3. That Chriit hath died for all Men alike, procuring lb much by his Death, that God is placabilis towards all, and all Men indifferently are J'ahabiles, if the) lift to make ufeof the Benefits purchased for them. 4. That God requires Faith in Chrift of all Men whatibever, even of fach Infidels as to whom Chrift was never preached. 5. That God cannot in j uitice demand of Man the performance of thofe things, which fince his Fall he hath no * ftrength 48 Baxteriamfm Barefaced, ftrength to perform : and that if God require any fuch Service, he is bound in Equi- ty to give unto Man new ftrength for to perform it. I do but only name thefe Articles of the Arminian Faith, tho even that's enough to (Lew their Weaknefs and Untruth, to any that can judg of found Doctrine ; hut I lay, I mention them only, that you ma\ the better perceive what is that main IfTue whereinto they are finally rcfolved ; and that in plain terms is this [ That all Men, whether Chrffiians e-r Infidels, within or without the Churchy may be converted and faved if they wiU3 you will lay this is broadly fpoken*, but I do them no wrong, read their Books, compare their Tenets, and you fhall fee that this is the upihot of all their Difcourfes. God hath excluded none, he loves all alike, Chrift hath died for all, Faith is required of all, fufficient Ability to believe and repent is given to all ; who then, or what mould hinder the Converfion or Salvation of any one, but himfelf, his own meer Free-will ? Surely an Opinion that fhould not be gainfaid by any, but readily embrac'd by all, if it had as much Truth in it as it caries fhew of Pity and Commileration to Mankind : We would be loth to be judged cruel ; but 'tis Folly, not Pity, to take upon us to be more merciful than God hath declared himielf to bei and it is Impiety to tell a Lie for God, by magnifying the glorious largenefs of his Mercy beyond the bounds which himfelf hath prescribed unto it. Where- fore againft this wide and vaft Conclufion of Arminianiim, that [ God hath given fufficient Grace to all the World to convert and believe, if they will] I oppofe this di- rectly contradictory, I God hath not given fufficient Grace unto all; and in thofe to- whom he hath given fuch Grace, it depends not on their Free-will, whether they will be converted or no. ] Thefe two Proportions deftroy one another, and one is con- futed by that which confirms the other, &c. Pcmble's Plea for Grace, p. 52,53,54. Conformift. Head 2. Covenant of Grace not oj a tempo- ral, but eternal Ori- gination, dec. T^Here are none e- lected in the eter- nal Counfcl of God, ( which refpeSts a perfo- liate onfult at ion, and fo a Covenant) but are or- dained in time to be- lieve ; nor none exclu- ded, but do afterwards by their own Malice and Frowardnefs juftly exclude themfelvesfrom Belief: (not from this Counfel or Covenant, for they were never taken into it) yet it is cer- Baxterian. Head 2. Covenant of Grace not of a tempo- ral, but eternal Ori- gination, &c. 'T'Hey feign God to A have made an eter- nal Covenant with his Son ; that is, God im- pofing ©n God the Law of Mediation. B. Bre- vi Jufi. par. 2. p. 10. ( It is well if our Au- thor owned a Trinity ; for he cannot conceive a perfonal TranJ action be- fore the Incarnation.) That which is called the Co ten ant between the Father and t:.e Son, is this Covenant made to Non-Conformift. Head 2. Covenant of Grace not of a temporal, but eternal Origination, &c. TJFb. 10.4, 5,6,7. God hath *-* been in Chrift reconciling the World; that is, in him and by him, (as a Mediator, and Umpire, and Surety between him and you) this great mat- ter hath been taken up and ac- corded. He and Jelus Chrift his only Son, have from all Eter- nity laid their Heads together (as we may fpeak with Re- verence) to end the Quarrel ^ Chrift- Ihould undertake to fa- tisfy his Father for all the wrong was done him: He was ?nade Sin, that is, a Surety and a Sa- tisfocti- Conformift. certain, that the num- ber and company of Be- lievers (fuch as were individually pitch 'd up- on and mentioned in this Counfel or Cove- nant) is forefeen and pre-ordained of God, and Co conlequently of the other alio} as it may thus appear, Chrift praying for thole that mall believe in him, Joh. 17.20. faith 1/.22. / have given them the G lo- ry y ike. and ver. 24. / will that they which thou hafl given me08cc. They which as yet believed not, but mould believe, are already given unto Chrift, and even now glorified. What is this elfe, but that they are preordained of God, which mould believe in Chrift, and that they are already given (which imports a Gift by way of Covenant from all Eternity unto Chrift, for whom he engages ) and glorified in the Purpofe of God. Dr. Willet's Synop. Pap. p. 896. Whofe Names are in the Book of Life : Whofe Names are not written in the Book of Life from the Foundation of the World: Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 17.8. Huberws anfwereth, that all are elefted in Chrift, and written in the Book of life (or in- Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxteritn. Non- Conformift. 49 to and with Chrifi in- carnate, and the fore- decreeing thereof, with the Prophecies of it. If there be more, it is paft our reach. Ibid. Pan 1. /?. 4. An eternal Covenant properly fo called muft not be fappofed to have pafTed between the Fa- ther and the a bp>v ( i. e. the Word or Son) but when certain it is that fome things are to be done by the Son, and fome things to be given to the Son himfelf as incarnate , and fome things for his fake to be given to Men ; thefe Decrees or Divine Vo- litions are often-times called by Divines by the name of Covenant : And fome certain form of the holy Spirit's fpeak- ing in the facred Scrip- tures, hath given occali- on to this afej whilft it often-times cxprefTeth Properties, to wit, of Chrift by words of Pro- mife, as if the Father in promiiing had faid thefe things to the Son not as yet Man. Mr. Baxter's Meth. Theol. Par.$.p.o. That which they call the Covenant of God with Chrift, not as yet incarnate, is only God's Decree, Promife, pro- phetical Prediction, p. 30. In his Poltfcript to Method. Theol. he pleads for an univerlal Cove- tisfaction for it, who knew no Sin, ver. nit. that they, &c. And God the Father upon it is fo fully fatisfied, as he is ready not to impute their Sins to them, but to impute all Chrift's Righ- teoufnels to them, and to re- ceive them into favour more fully than ever. God was in Chrifi reconciling the World, not imputing their Sins, Sec. And this, my Brethren, is to preach the Gofpel unto Men, which is the beft News that ever Ear heard, or Tongue was employ'd to utter,which took up God's thoughts from Eternity, and lay hid in his Breaft, which none but he and his Son knew ; which, if it were but for the antiquity of the Story of it, it is worth the relating, it being the greateft Plot and State- afFair that ever was tranfacled in Heaven or Earth, or ever will be. Thefe words are a Record of the greateft and deepeft Myftery of State, and the fecret PafTages thereof, that ever was tranfa&ed either in Heaven or Earth. No lels than the Confultation and Conference, yea, the very words that paft between God the Fa- ther and the Son, fpoken at the Council-Table, at which no one was prefent befides, but the great Secretary of State, the bleffcd Spirit, who revealed this. And this, when they fat upon the greateft Bufinefs of State, the Treaty of Peace between God and Men •, and this, juft at the time when God was diipatching his Son to come down into the World, and had prepared him a Body ready for him to tranfact it in. H Then 5° Conformift. inferted into the Cove- nant ) but with a con- dition, fb that they be- lieve and continue in Faith : whereupon it cometh to pais that they which believe not do lofe their Salvation, and fo are as not written in that Book, but are rafed out of it. Thef. 917. Tnckim alfo anfwereth to the fame effed, that not to be written in the Book of Life, mutt be underftood positively, not privatively, that is, they are written and declared through their Contumacy or Con- temt worthy of Dam- nation. Ration. 896. Cont. 1. The Text is, They are not written in the Book of Life (or taken into the Cove- nant) from the foun- dation of the World ; which, firft, overthrows Huberus's Anfwer, &c. 2. It meeteth with the other Cavil 0 for in that they were not written from the foundation, Crc. it fheweth, that they were lnut out of the Book (or Cove- nant) of Life, before their Contumacy or In- fidelity appeard} and therefore their Contu- macy which appeared in the World could not be the caufe of their Names not written in the Book of Life, (or not being taken into the Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. Covenant of Grace, in- to which all Mankind were taken : and God's taking of Abraham into a Covenant of peculia- rity, he judgeth to be but an Adjund added to the univerfal Co- venant of Grace ; and the univerfal Covenant itood unabrogated : nei- ther (fays he ) hath this Covenant^ or firfr. uni- verfal Law of Grace ceafed by the coming of Chrift, in which he gracioufly commanded certain means to obtain pardon of Sin and Life, even to them to whom the Gofpel was never preached. Who dare fay that no Duty, no Means un- to Salvation are pre- ftribed even to the Americans and Indians? No Mercy leading to better things granted to them, or all Duties and Means to be ufed as vain and without hope : and to favour this No- tion he brings Heb. 1 1. 6. Atl.io. 35. All. 14. 17. Rom. 1. 19, 20. & 2. to ver. 17, &c. He tells us in the fum and fubftance thereof, that the Covenant was made to all Mankind;, and becaufe God dealeth not in a way of ftrid Jufticej and becaufe VefTels of Wrath are born with, therefore he affirms that we may eaftfy Non-Conformifi. Then when he cometh into the World, He faith, &c. which Speech of his hath yet further reference unto, and quotes a Record far more antient, even the firft general Council kept in Heaven, and the Records of it *, Jn the Volume of thy Book, &c. The Book is, Liber Decreta- lium , the Book of God's De- crees ; yea, and a Record that was written in the firft Page of that Book. In the Volume of the Book indefinitely, fays the Pfalmiji ', but the Holy Ghoft, who had read over and written every leaf of it, quoting it here, fays, *V yjtpocKiJ) Ta /2//3ajk, in capite, in the beginning of it, which varies not the fenfe, but interprets it : And if you hope to find it (as fbme have gone about to do ) in the firfl words of Genefis, In principio creavit Dens, you are deceived, 'tis the Book of God's Decrees, there Chrift remembers it written, that he was appointed to do God's Will. Dr. Tho. Goodwin Vol. 1. Part. 3. p. 91,92. The main part of this Cove- nant (to wit, of Grace) is tranfaded by God without us, which will appear if we confi- der the Particulars of it. 1. The Purpofe and Intention of it, that is in himfelf, from his own Will only •, for all is done according to the good pleafure of his Will: And he will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy ; Eph. 1. 9. Rom. 9. 15. So that the whole Purpofe and Plot of it is in the Bofbm of God alone, and according to this Plot all things are done in this Covenant ; As in the Creation all Conformifi. the Covenant) which was done before the Foundation of the World. Ibid. ^97. They only are or- dained or elected to Life that are given to Chrift, (giving and taking in- cludes covenanting, e- fpecially when a Con- dition is, that fome- thiugbe done for them by him who receives them ) Job. 17. 2. but a certain number taken out of the World, not the whole World, is given to Chrift (or co- venanted for by Chrift) v. 6. Thou gaveji them me out of the World, ( here is the Covenant) thine they were, (here's Eledion) &c._ Ergo, The number is certain and definite beforeGod, ( both by Election and Covenant ) of them that (hall be faved Chrift faying, TheAfcn xvhich thou gavefi me out of the World* afligneth fome fpecial Perfons that were given unto him ; namely, his Apo- ftles, as it is clear by the Text : And if fome particular Perfons were given unto him, why may there not be a particular Alignment and Cognizance alio be- fore God of the reft tfrat are given unto him ? Where Chrift faith, fpeaking of his A potties, Thine they were, and thou Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxter ian. eafily gather, that God is appeafed, Sin not only pardonable, but after a fort pardoned. Part 3. 5* p. 19, &c. This elfe- where he will not grant unto the Eled until they believe. 1'his Law and Cove- nant was made to and with Chrift incarnate', for fo he was a Subject under the Law. It is too bold, improper and offenfive a Phrafe, to call God's eternal De- cree of Redemption by the name of a Law, yea, or a Covenant of God with himfelf, that is, of the Father with the Son. Therefore all the de- fcrrptions of it in the Old Teftament are but Prophecies and Promi- fes containing the terms of the future Covenant. Mr. Baxters End" of Doctr. Controver. chap. 12. Sell. 2. §. 2,3. And he that giveth Man forfeited Life, Health, Time, and all the abundant Mercies which the World is fail of, doth thereby fo far actually forgive Sin. Chap. 12. Sett. 3. §.7. This Law or Cove- nant in this firji Editi- on was made with A- dam as the Father of ait Mankind, and fo with all Mankind in him, as truly and as much as the Covenant of Inno- cent y was: For, 1. God's Non-Conformift. all things are done from an Idea of God, and according unto that Platform •, as the Temple was built according to the Pat- tern, fo in the Covenant alfo: and therefore Chrift is faid to cnne from the Bofom of the Fa- ther -, being from this gracious Intention and Purpofe of God himfelf from everlafting. 2. He enter'd into Covenant with Chrift the fecond Adam7 that he mould be the Mediator of the Covenant, and the Per- fon that Ihould do all the great Works that he had intended in this Covenant \ and therefore we read of a Promife of eternal Life made unto m before the World began, 2 Tim. 1. 9. God did not content himfelf with a Purpofe, but he added thereto a Promife and Covenant to his Decree, which could not be un- to us, became we were not 5 therefore it muft be to one that did reprefent our Perfons, and was look'd upon as in our itead : for^ a Purpofe might be in him- felf, but a Promife cannot be but to another ; and there was a Glory and a Pofterity that God did promife unto him in this Covenant, and that he would carry Chrift through the Work that he had to do, as appears afterwards ; and therefore Chrift fays, He is my Cod, and the Lot is fallen to me in a fair ground^ which is the fpeech of Chrift, 77.^.16.5,6. and therefore Prov. 8. 22. he lays, The Lord pcjfef- jed me in the higirmmj> of his way. The Covenant that he made with Chrift was the fifft of his going forth unto the Creature, and upon this a ere H 2 ground- 5* Coxformift. thou gave/} them me, v.6. it (hews an abfolute E- lection before God, without any refped of their Faith : For, firft, Chrift fayeth, They are thine, that is, by Elec- tion j and then they are given to him (that i<, by Covenant) to know him, and believe in him, ver. 8. Ibid. They alfo are to be had accuifed, that pre- fume to fay, that every Man flail be faved by the Law or Sed which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law, and the Light of Nature: for the holy Scripture doth fet out unto us only the Name of Jefus Chrift where- by Men muft be faved. Church of Engl. Art.i8. (All the World be- ing wrapped in Sin by- Breaking of the Law) God fent his only Son our Saviour Chriit. into the World, to fulfilthe Law for us-, and by (bedding of his moft precious Blood, to make a Sacrifice and Satif- fa&ion (or, as it may- be called, amends) to his Father for our Sins, to aflwage his Wrath and Indignation con- ceived againfi us for the &me. But Juftificati- on doth come freely by the meer Mercy of God, and of fo great and' Baxteriawfm Barefaced. Baxttrian. Gcd's Word maketh no d inference. 2 . Adam was as much after the common Father of Mankind, and all we as much in him as before the Fall. Ibid. J, 21. Abraham being a Sub- ject to this fame Law of Grace, ( i. e. the uni- verfal, common Cove- nant of Grace in which all the World were) did lb faithfully believe and obey it, that (he thereby having made his Maker his Debtor ) it pleafed God to re- ward him extraordina- rily, by, 1. Renewing the Covenant, (/. e. a refined limbeckning of common Grace) by fpe- cial Application to him, and by the Promifes of peculiar Privileges to him and his Seed. This Covenant did not difcovenant the reit of the World, nor put them into any worfe condition than they were in before. Chap. 12. Se#. 4. $. 1, 5- As the Covenant of Peculiarity was not a fcparated fiate, but an additional Privilege and Reward to Abraham, as faithful to the com- mon Covenant of Grace. Ibid. §. 7. (So that the Salvation-faith of A- brahamr quatenm as fuch, had no other Foundation but what the Faith of Infidels and Non-ConfOYmiJi. grounded tbofe true Delights of Chriit mentioned Prov. 8.30,31. And my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Mr. Strong of the Covenant, pag. wj, 1 18. When did the Lord make this Covenant with Chrift, and when was it to take place? This Co- venant pafTed between God and Chriit, the Father and the Son, before the World began. How many are thy thoughts to toward? Pfal. 40. 5. It is Chrift that knew the thoughts of God, whofe Name is Palmoni, qui fe- creta numerata habet peccata, who hath all our fecret Sins num- bered. And what be thofe thoughts ? It is, Sacrifices and Burnt' Offerings thou would/1 not, &c. Thoughts of Satisfaction to the Juftice of God, and the Re- demption of the Eled by a Sa- crifice ; and they are no new thoughts, but fuch as God took up from Eternity, and fuch Tran factions as pail between God and Chrift before his com- ing into the World : And then faid I, Lo, I come to do thy Will, 0 God. In the beginning of his way was I fet up, as a King, and Prieft, and Prophet, from Eternity ; and this is not only in Decree and Appointment, but alio by Covenant and Compact, and by mutual Agreement be- tween them. Ibid. p. 130. We may hence fee how deep the Plot of our Redemption and Salvation by Chriit was laid, it was not a thing occa- lionally taken up, and barely to ferve a turn, but it was a plotted thing. I confefs the Scriptures do hold forth the Incarnation of- Chrift Conform ift. and free Mercy, that whereas all the World was not able of their felves to pay any part towards their Ranfom, it pleated our Heavenly Father of his infinite Mercy, without any of our defer t or delerving, to prepare for us the moft precious Jewels of Chrift 's Body and Blood, whereby our. Ranfom might be fully paid, the Law fulfilled, and his Juilice fully fa- tisfied :, fo that Chrift is the Righteoufnefs of all them that truly do be- lieve in him : He for them paid their Ran- fom by his Death : He for them fulfilled the Law in his Life. So that now in him, and by him every true Chriftian may be called a fulfiller of the Law — For the very true and lively Chriftian Faith is not only to believe all things of God which are contained in holy- Scripture, but alfo is an earneft Truft and Confidence in God, that he doth regard us, and that he is careful over us, as the Father is over the Child whom he doth love: And that he will be merciful unto us for his only Son's fake, that we have our Savi- our Chrift cur perpetu- al Advocate and Prieft, in whofe only Merits, Obla- Baxteriamfm Barefaced. BAxterian. and Idolaters had, tho out of them and from amongft them he was call'd into a irate of Sal- vation, not being there- in before. JoJh.2lt.2il.') See Meth.TheoL Part 2. p. 415. <££.$. Whether A- braham was juitified by the univerial Co- venant of Grace, from his performed Condi- tions of the fame, or by his own particular Covenant of Peculia- rity, to wit, out of his performing the Condition thereof? c Anfw. Abraham was firftly (or chief- ly) juftified by the univerfal Covenant of Grace, from the performed condition of the fame ; and from an eminent par- ticular Ad ( of his ) he was afterwards e- minently juftified,^. It was not only the Nature of the Elect, but all Mankind that Chrift alTum'd in his Incarnati- on,contrary toHeb.2.14. {Peter Martyr, fpeak- ing of fcme of this Author's Completion, lays, ' \V hilft thefe Men ' make Grace fo com- ' mon to all, they turn e Grace into Mature. And Aiigi'filn ( it feems, not well icentmg the Baxtcrlan Notion) tells Julian, c Thou bringeft: fore the ' in a kind of Men p. 135,, * ' which 5* N on -C on for mi ft. Chrift to be the ground of his redeeming Men that were Sin- ners. He came to feek and to fave that which was loft, &c. But the Foundation of this was laid in a deep Counfel be- tween the Father and his Son, at the Council-Table before the World was:, and the Covenant of Man's Redemption was made with our Surety before the Co- venant of your Creation wra$ made with you : And fo much thole twro words Prov. 8. 22, 25. The Lord poffeffed me, and the Lord anointed me, do neceflari- ly import ? and that word alio Mic. 5. 2. HU goings forth are from the days of Eternity :, which, as Calvin expounds it, refer un- to the Mediator as being Head of the Church, and not unto his eternal Generation, as is com- monly expounded -, and this is the ground of Chrift 's Delight with the Sons of Men before the World was, Prov. 8.^1. asthofe whofe Names he had covenanted to bear, and whofe Perfons he had engaged himfelf to repre- fent before the Father ; and this mews how the defign of God from everlafting hath been to lave Sinners, and to glorify himielf in a way of Mercy and- Grace, through a Mediator: And it is the confideration hereof that is the greateft En- gagement in the world to Sin- ners to come in and return to him, becaufe God is in Cnrijl reconciling the World, &c. 2 Cor, 5. 19. for he did andertake to reprefent your Perfons as your Surety and Reprefentative, be- World wac. Jhfdm Now • u Conformift. Oblation and Suffering, we do truft that our Offences be continually walhed and purged Homilies appointed to be read in Churches by O. Elizabeth, Part i. fol. 13, 15,23. None can come unto Chrift unlefs it be given unto him, and unlefs the Father draw him. And all Men are not fo drawn by the Father that they may come un- to the Son-, neither is there fuch a lufficient meaiure of Grace vouch- iafed unto every Man, whereby he is enabled to come unto everlaft- ing Life. In a Convo~ cation of the Clergy of Ireland held in Dublin. Art. 32. All God's Elect are in their time infepara- bly united unto Chrift, by the effectual and vi- tal influence of tfte ho- ly Spirit derived from hinv, as from the Head, unto every true Mem- ber of his Myftical Bo- dy. And being thus made one with Chrift, they are truly regene- rated, and made Par- takers of him, and all his Benefits. Art. 33. By juftifying Faith we underiland, not on- ly the common belief of the Articles of the Chrift ian Religion, and a perfwafion of the truth of God's Word in ge- neral, Baxteriamjm Barefaced. Bctxteridn. c which can pleale God c without the Faith of c Chrift, by the Law of c Nature^ this is the c caufe why the Chrifti- ' an Church doth e- c fpecially deteft you. Perk, of Predeft. ju*22.) The Gentiles living under the Old Teiia- ment, tho it was not re- veal'd unto them as unto the Jews, yet were not excluded from theCove- nant of Grace, and from Salvation. Corvinm. I deny this Propor- tion, that none can be faved that is not in- grafted into Chrift by a true Faith. Bert ins. To this Qixeftion, Whether the only way of Salvation be the Life, Paflion, Death, Refur- rection and Afcenfion of Jefus Chrift? Ianfwer, No: Senator. See Dr. Owen'-f Difplay of Ar- minianifm^.122. With Non-Conformift. Now we come to the grounds why this Covenant muft be made with Chrift firft, and with us only as we are Members of Chrift^ and in him. 1. Becaufe the Co- venant of Grace is a Tranfcript of the eternal Purpofe of God in Election, and doth fully fet forth the way how the Ends of God's electing Love fhould be effected. Now the Ends of God's electing Love are, (i.)The Praife of the Glory of his Grace. (2.) The Glory of his Son. (3.) The Holinefs and Happi- nels of the Saints. Thefe Ends are ratably accomplillied by this Covenant. Eph. 1.3,4,5. He has bleffed us with all fpiritual Blejfings in heavenly things in Chrift -y according as he has cho- fen us in him. Here three things are obfervable, (1.) Itisfpoken of Chrift as a Mediator, as God- man :> for in him we are bleffed, in him we are choten, but our Bleffings proceed from Chrift as Mediator. (2.) The order of Election, we are clwfen in him. that is, in him as the Head :, and this agrees Mr. B's Me- therefore he is firft elected, P- 39- thod. Theol. $. 36. Part 2. Whether Faith in God's Mercy and Ho- linefs, or the Sacrifice and Merit of Chrift were more neceffary unto the Salvation of Man? Anfw. Without helitation it muft be laid from the nature of the thing, that Faith, Holmes, and love of God, are more neceffa- ry unto Salvation, than either Faith in Chrift, or he is firft beloved : In whom I am well pleafed, Mat. 3. 17. well pleafed with his People, all the Members of Chrift, but firft with Chrift, and with them on- ly as they are in him, and one with him. Ibid. p. 140, 141. All that fervetn to make a Covenant are here, (1.) God demandeth of his Son, that he lay down his Life*, and for his labour he promifeth, That he Jb ill fee his Seed, and God ftjall give him marry Children , Ifa. 53. 10. , (2.)TheSonconfentethto lay down his Life, and faith, Here Conformift. neral, but alfo a parti- cular application of the gracious Promifes of the Gofpel to the comfort of our own Souls, whereby we lay hold on Chrift with all his Benefits, having an ear- nest Truft and Confi- dence in God, that he will be merciful to us for his only Son's fake : So that a true Believer may be certain by the affurance of Faith, of the forgivenefs of his Sins, and of the ever- lafting Salvation by Chrift. Art. 37. Works done before the Grace of Chrift, and Infpiration of his Spirit, are not pleafant to God, for as much as they fpringnot of Faith in Jefus Chrift ; nei- ther do they make Men meet to receive Grace, or ( as the School-Au- thors fay) defer ve Grace of Congruity : yea ra- ther, for they are not done as God hath wil- led and commanded them to be done, (viz. by Faith in. or Union with Chrift) we doubt not but they have the nature of Sin. Artr.i$. Church of Engl, or as Dublin Art. 26. fpeak- iug of fuch Works, We doubt not but they are finfal. That the holy Patri- archs, Fathers and Pro- phets died in the fame Faith Baxterianifm Barefaced. ** Baxtenan. or the Sacrifice of Chrift himfelf. Ibid. p. 41 8. He queries thus, .May • Abraham be faid to be united to Chrift by Faith, and he made a Member of him ? Anfvo. He could not be united to Chrift the Mediator incarnate, not as yet exifting : He that was not as yet, was not as yet one with Abra- ham: But he may be faid to be united to the fecond Perfon to be in- carnated, in that fenfe in which the faithful are faid to be united to God himfelf. Whereas God hath made through Chrifi a general Act of Grace or Gift of Chrifi ^ Par- don, and Life eternal, to all the World, on condition of fiducial ac- ceptance of it as a free Gift (is it not enough to be corrupt in Prin- ciples, without acting the part of a Fool there- in? What, a free Gift and a Condition in it ? ) and commanded the offer of it to all, and will doubtly condemn the final Jiefufer ;, and by this Gofpel-Gifc (not given without a meritorious qualifying Difpofition, and effectu- al to its reception ) as his IniuunuTit, (a poor dead thing, till we put Life into it by our Faith) pardotieth and * jufti- Non-Conformift. Here am I to do thy Will \ thon hafi given me a Body. This is the formality of a Co- venant, when Chrift confenteth to the Conditions. Now this Covenant was ma- nifefted in time between the Fa- ther and the Son, but it was tran faded from Eternity. This is comfortable, that the Father and Chrifi tranfaded a Bargain from Eternity concern- ing thee by Name. There was a communing be- tween the Father and Son con- cerning thy Heaven: Father, what (hall be given thy Juftice to ranfom fuch an one, John, Anna, &c. ? And Chrift from Eternity did bind for fuch a Perfon, He fhall believe in me. The Redemption of Sinners is not a work of yefterday, or a bufmefs of chance •, it was well advifed,and in infinite Wifdom continued, &c. Mr. Ruther- ford'* Trial and Triumph of Faith, p. 52. And hence ( i. e. from the Eternity of the Covenant ) was the Salvation of Men before the Incarnation, by the Undertak- ing, Mediation, and Death of Chrift. That the Saints under the Old Teftament were faved by Chrift That they were faved by virtue of a meer De- cree, will not be faid. From hence was Chrift efteemed to be incarnate, and to have fuffer'd ; or the fruits of his Ini and Suffering could not have been imputed to any ) for the tiring itfeif being denied, the Effect's of it are not. . The Revelation of this Covenant is in the Scrap* ture i-not that it was then cou- fiimtedy 5* Confwmifi, Faith before the coming of Chrift--- They had all Faith, and believed in Chrift', yen, the fame Faith that is now preached, as it is de- fined by the Apofile, Htb. ii. 1,2,13. Row. 4.7- — The lame Faith which faveth us, did alfo fave the antient Righteous, the great wilh the fir.all : for as we believe that Chrift is come in the Flelh, {b they, that he was to come: As we believe that he died and role again ; fo they, that he ihould die and rife a- gain. And Gregory com- pareth both to thofe that went before, and followed Chrift riding to Jerufalem, crying, Of anna, &c. From this place we may further reafon thus : The feme Faith hath the fame Effects and Fruits : The Patriarchs had the fame Faith with us. Ergo, They were faved and went to Heaven, as all Believers now do. A- gain, They that went before Chrift, enter'd into Jertfdem as well as they that followed : Wherefore the fore- runners of Chrift that believed in him, by the fame Faith enter'd into Heaven. A Martyr being asked where the old Fathers were before the they they denv BAXterUmfm Barefafd. Baxterian. juftifieth the believing Accepters. Thefe Men ( i. e. fuch as (ay that this Gift of Chrift from an Act of Grace in God gives the Life of Faith, and that paiiively un- to, and yet actively in believing) deny the ve- ry being of thisGofpd- r'ft : ( Arid it is pity Ihould breath if did not) they it to be either Chrift's Law or Cove- nant, or Grant (efpe- cially upon conditions.) McJSaxter's Brev. Juft. Part 2. ft. 15. Gcd hath command- ed Men that hear not of Chrift, the ufe of fome. Means, which Mercy hath ( through Chrift) afforded them, which have a tendency to their Salvation, and ihould be ufed to that end : And his bare Com- mand to ufe fuch Means ( much more as fecond- ed with abundance of Mercies) tells us, that he bids not Men ufe them in vain, or with- out any hope of good fuccefs. He that hear- eth of Chrifi, and be- lieveth not, or believeth uneffeltuallyu and is not a converted found Be- liever, is under God's Command to ufe cer- Non-Conformift. Jlhutcd, when it is firit mention- ed in the Promifes and Prophe- cies of Chrift, but then firit de- clared or revealed. Chrift was declared to be cholen of God, by the Refurre&ion from the dead, but he vss fo from Eter- nity. As in other places, as (hall be evine'd, fo in I fa. 53. is this Co- venant mentioned ; in which Chapter there is this Prophetical Scheme, the Covenant between Father and Son, which was pa/}, is fpoken of as to come, and the Sufferings of Chrift which were to come, are fpoken of as pa/}, as appears to every one that but reads the Chapter. It is alfo fignally afcribed to Chrift's coming into the World, not confiitutively, but declaratively. It is the greateft folly about fuch things as thefe, to fuppole them then done, when revealed, tho revealed in Expreffions of doing them. Dr. 0. againft Bid- die, p. 569, 570. There are the Father and the Son as diftin<5t Peribns agreeing together in Counfel, for the ac- complifhment of the common End, the Glory of God, and the Salvation of* the Elect. The End is exprefTed, Heb. 8. 9,10. ch. 12. 1. now thus it was. Zech. 6. 13. And the Counfel of Peace ftjall be between them both, inter ambos ipfos : that is, the two Perfons fpoken of, not the two Offices there intimated, that lhall meet in Chrift ; and who are thefe? The Lord Jehova, tain means allowed him who fpeaks, and the Man, whofe to procure Faith and Name is the Branch, ver. 12. tr ue Cotrverjion,and that who is to do all the great things not without all hope of there mentioned. He pail grow good up, CoYtformift. the Death of Chrift ? Anfwered, " They " were in Life eternal, " which they looked el is nothing elfe but a Declaration of God's Soveraign Pluifure concerning Chrift, and concerning us in him ; it's therefore caii'd the Myftery ^ of his WfH, Eph. 1.9. God had a foveraign right (not as to his Divine Nature only, but as confidered in the Oeco- nomy of a Redeemer) to dif pole of Chrift according to the Articles confented to. In regard of his Underftanding, and the advantage he was to bring to the Eled of God upon the Earth, he cails God by the fb- lemn Title of his Lord, in that prophetick Pfalm of him, Pfal. 16. 2. O my Soul, thou haft J aid unto the Lord, Thou art my Lordy my Goodnefs extends not unto thee, but unto the Saints that arc in the Earth. It feems to be the Speech of Chriit in Hea- ven, mentioning the Saints on Earth as at a distance from him. Ibid p. 741, 742. Thei e is a great deal of diffe- rence between God's doing a thing in Chrift, and tnrough Chrijl, Iv X£/.rty by ^ the Grace of Converfiqn , before which time, and after too, God is an- gry even with his Elect, and teftifies his hatred he adually and iblemnly un- dertook to be a Head and com- mon Perfoiij representing us, and to that end to afTume our Nature. And this is in order of Nature to be fuppofed be- fore our Eledion, thoco-exiftent together from Eternity. 4. Up- on this he was in repute fuch with God the Father; he was a common Perfbn in God's e- iteerft, and that jullly. SoPra>. 8. 23. / (namely Chrift) was fet up from ever la fling, ere ever the Earth was, &o. that is, in efteem with God for Inch. Now this cannot be underftood of Chrift as he was the fecond Perfon only : But God did fet him up from the beginning, as bearing and fullaining the Perfon of God-man (to which Manhood he was chefen,- and Htder-. 64 Cortformift. iwg cither in Nature or Grace : yet the Benefit was ours, and belonged to us at that time, tho we never knew To much till after that by Faith we did apprehend it. As Lands may be purchafed, the Wri- tings confirmed, the Eftate convey'd and fettled upon an Infant, tho it know nothing of all till it come to Age, and find by Experience the prefent Commodity of that which was pro- vided for him long ago. Ibid. p. 19, 20,21,23, 24. The Faith of the Pa- triarchs is expreffed in the Apoftle by fainting or embracing, Heb. 11. 13. they did not only cialp Chrift, but he them again. Dr. Rey- nolds' s Life of Chriji, .P-443- Let him ( /. c. one fearchingly humbled with the fenfe and con- jfcioufnefs of fome great Relapfe) confider the fofety and firmnefs of his Life in Chrift, upon God's eternal Love and free Grace which is to- ward us, the higheft Link of Salvation both in order of Time, 'Na- ture ' and Caulality } Rom. 8. 29, 30. it is not theie he w ill glorify, but hath glorified, to note that Glorification is lij&iretl and folded up with Baxter iamfm Barefaced. Baxuri'n. thefe Men tut two or three diiKudions, in all likelihood it would cure then;, E.G. 1. To di- hingu {h between a Surety antecedent and fubfequent. 2. To di- finguiib between the Righteoufneis of Chrift given or imputed to us tn fe it felf (one Man's Accidents made ano- thers ) and his Righte- oufhefs given us in its Effects and Benefits re- puted the foil merito- ousCaufe. 3. Between Juitifkation by Effici- ency ( principal and in- itrumental) and jufti- fying of us conftitutive- ly (as matter and form) justifying by Grant in Law, or by Evidence, or by Witnefs, or by an Advocate-Defence, or by judicial decifive Sentence, or executive- ly -, and thefe as fuppo- fing actual or legal Ac- culations. 4. Between the Law or Covenant of Innocent y with A- 4am, the Mediatorial Law or Covenant to Chrift, the common Law of Grace made with Adam and No.ih, the Covenant of Pecu- liarity with Abraham^ the Political Law of Afofes to the Jews, and the Law cr Covenant of Chrift, of Grace, of Faith, by which Chrift doth govern, and will judg his viiible Church. Get Non-Conformijl. undertook to affume) and as a Head to his Members be- fore God, who reputed him fuch. And of him confidered as fuch are thofe words fpoken, for lb only he is called Wifdom, as there he is : For Chrift is not called the Wildom of God ef- fentially taken, for that is one of his Attributes, and not a Perfon : But he is called God's Wildom manifeflative, that is, as ordained to manifeft God's Wifdom unto us, he being to be God mamfeft in the Flefl). And fuch a Perfon or Rela- tion as he thus then adually un- dertook, fuch did God "then and from that time repute him, and adually entitle him by, as between himfelf and his Son. Therefore in Joh.ij.%. (ob- ferve the Phrafe there) Glo- rify me (fays Chrift to God) with the Glory ^ which [ / had with thee ] before the World was. What Glory was that ? He doth not mean his Glory as he was fimply the fecond Perfon, lecaufe he had that Glory now, and therefore needed not to beg it : Nay, he could not beg it, it was too much for him fe to beg, for fo he is equal with God : Therefore it muft be the Glory of the Mediator- flip ['iVhich I had before the World was] that is, in thy re- pute , thou accounted!* me' thus and thus glorious in refped of the Glory ordained me bv my undertaking to be Man " ana! the Mediator too of the Cnurch. And this is plain it' you com- pare it with the 24th Verfe, for there he fpeaks of that Glory which Conformijl. with Juftifkation, and is prefent with it in re- gard of their eternal Co-exiftency in the Pre- difpofition and Order of God, tho not in ef- fcttu operis, in actual Execution. Now this eternal Love and Grace of God is not founded upon Reafons in the Object^ for he jitftijied, and by confequence loved the ungodly, he loved us when we were his Ene- mies — If neither Ini- quity, TranfgrefTion, err. 'could interrupt or fruftrate his Counfel ( i. e. his Covenant ) of loving us when we were his Enemies : Why fliould any other Sins overturn the liabi- lity of the fame Love and Counfel? — Ibid. p. 446, 447. In the Covenant of Grace, the firit Treaty is between God and Chriit j for tho the Covenant be between God and us, the Ne- gotiation and Tranf- adion of it is between God and Chriit, who was a Surety of the Co- venant for us, Heb. 7. 22. For, firit, God in his Decree of Love be- llowed us upon' Chriit, {Thine they were, and thou gaveft them unto me ) we were chofen in him; we to be Mem- bers in him, and he to be Baxterimifm Barefaced. Baxterian. Get unftudied, dull Heads but to under- ftand thefe four Di- frinftions, and you cure them without a new Regeneration: To in- ftance no more but in the firit, an antecedent Surety is either, 1. A Party in the Bond. 2. Or an Inftrument of the Party bound. 1. If two Perfons be bound disjunctively (this or that ) to a Duty or a Penalty, the Bond is anfwered if either of them perform it. If the Law to Adam had either laid, Thou, or Chriit for thee, lhall perfectly obey, lhall clrels the Garden, ihall take Eve for thy Wife ; or that thou or Chriit fhall fuffer for not do- ing it ; then Chriit 's performance had ante- cedently freed us from Guilt and Punifhment. 2. Or if the Law had *s faid or meant, Thou fhalt obey or fuffer by thy felf, or by thy Sub- stitute, or per alium, as a Man may pay his Debt by his Servant, or appear by his At- torny ", then Chriit 's Righteoufnefs or Suffer- ings would have proved us guiltlefs. But a fub- fequent Surety, who, after the Guilt, doth voluntarily as a Me- diator undertake the difcharge of the Guilty, is Non-Conformift. which was given him, which can be no other than the Glory of the Mediatorfhip : So then Jefus Chriit the fecond Perfon being exiitent, and undertaking to be a common Perfon and a Mediator for Men, God did reckon him as fiich •, he was in his account at the choofing of him, as a common Perfon, and Head, and as a Mediator too : And indeed there was this great advantage of our Mediator his being God, that thereby he was not only prefent at, and privy to the making of all God's Decrees, but was alfo by, to undertake for all that concerned his part in it which God fhould decree, and to en- ter upon the Title and Rela- tion of our Head and Media- tor then. And there is this reafon why Chriit. muft needs have been an Head to his Mem- bers before his afiuming our Nature, or his afcending up to Heaven, ( which I fee not how it can be anfwered) becaule otherwife Jefus Chriit had not been an Head to the Fathers under the Old Teitament, for he had not then taken an Hu- man Nature; and yet was actu- ally a common Perfon, for for- giving their Sins, by virtue cf that Atonement he had engaged to perform for them, which was fuch in God's repute ex- iting before him in Job's time. Deliver him, I have found a Ranfom, Job 33.^ And upon the account thereof, God did as actually and really forgive the Sins of the Old Teitament as he did, Rem. 3. 25. Now if he was a Head then, and they K actually 66 Conformift. be a Head and Foun- tain unto us of all Grace and Glory: For God had committed unto him an Office of Power to redeem his Church, and he received a Com- mandment from his Fa- ther to finiib the Work of Mediation. Ibid. The ordaining ot a Mediator is that, w hereby the fecond Perfon being the Son of God, is appointed from all Eternity to be a Mediator between God himfelf and Men. And hence it is that Pe- ter faith, that Chrift wm foreknown before the Foundation of the World. And well faid Augufiine, that Chrifi was predefiinated to be our Head : For howfo- ever he is (ao^V) the iubftantial Word of the Father, or the Son, he doth predeftinate with the Father, and the Holy Ghoftj yet as he is the Mediator he is predeftinated him- £lf. Mr.Perk.of Pre- deft. p. I J. Chrift is the Head of fuch as are not to- gether in the being of Nature or Grace. Mr. Byfield on the Co- lotfnns, chap. i. p. 122. Chrifi was known to God's People in all Ages ; Heb. i $.8.ch. 1 1.4. MaL 3. I. Mic. 5. 2. To Baxterkmfm Barefaced. Baxterian. is no ftricl: or abfolute Reprefentative, but, as a Mediator, purchaleth the Captive, to receive his Grace on the terms and to the ends which by a Law or Cove- nant of Grace the Me- diator (hall appoint. Ibid. p. 56, 57. This Law of Grace was made to Adam the lapfed Head of all Mankind, and fo to all Mankind in him: And it was renewed to Noah in the lame Ca- pacity : fb that all fal- len Mankind was put under this Law of Grace in the firft Edi- tion of it made to A- dam and Noah, and were neither left law- left, nor utterly defpe- rate as the meer damn- ing violated Law,which now no more offered Life to any, the Con- dition being become of natural impoflibility. God is not to be fup- pofed to fay now to Sinners, If yon be not Sinners, you, fl)all live ; when it's known that they are. Ibid. p. 2, 3. Whether the Cove- nant of Grace be made only with Chrifi, or with its aljo f Anfw. The firft is put into a Catechifm, where I am forrier to find it than in Macco- Cluto, Cocceim vim, and Cloppenburgius. The Non-Conformift. actually Members of him, then he might be fo virtually and reprefentatively, from everlaft- ing, through his undertaking of it, and this in as juft fenfe as he is to be the Lamb /lain from the beginning of the World. Why may not the Promife of the (econd Perfon then paffed unto God, give as full, yea a fuller fubfiftence of thofe things which God decreed, and which he undertook for before God his Father ; as God's Promifes which were written in the Old Teftament gave to the Fathers Faith then, in refped to which Chrift was then already {lain ? God the Father, who was then preient, had a certain aflurahce, that Chrift his Son, that gave his Promife for performance, would and lliould perform it. And Chrift-, as Son of God, who was God, having promiled, I may fay of both, that ChriiVs Word then was as good as his Bond, and the Father's a du- rance that he fhould perform it, as good as if he had already feen it done : AnsL his calling things that are not. as certain as if they were : And may apply one and the fame efrecl of the Apoftle Paul equally to both, if of God the Father giving Chrift his Promife before the World began, it muft be laid, God that cannot lie. And fo it is, and was as firm and fare, as if done and fulfilled, and this be- caufe he is God \ Tit. 1. 2. 'tis exprefly there faid, In hope of eternal Life, which God that cannot lie, promife d before the World begun. I may invert it, and fay, for the fame reafbn that Conformift. To Mam, Gen. 3. 15. To Abraham , joh. 8. 56. To Mofes, Heb. 11. 26. To Jfraelites, 1 Cor. 10. 9. To Job, chap. 19. 25. To Efay, Job. 12. 41. To Prophets and Kings, Luk. 10. 24. To the Samari- tans, Joh. 4. 25. Bernard of Batcombe Thefaur. Bib- licus. Object. Chrift took on him Man's Nature, there- fore he redeemed Man's Nature generally. Anf. 1 . It followeth not, except we would fay that Chrift redeemed his own Huma- nity, which cannot be any- ways poffible. 2. Every Woman doth partake of the Human Nature of eve- ry Man, yet is not every Man each Woman's Hut band, but her's alone with whom by the Covenant in Matrimony he is made one Fleilr. and in like fort Chrift did by his Incarna- tion (jua Iv ozc^yjJa-ei ) take alfo upon him Man's Na- ture, and that common to all Adam's Progeny ; yet is he the Husband of his Church alone, by another more peculiar Conjuncti- on, namely, the Bond of the Spirit and of Faith : And by it the Church is become Flelh of his Fleih, and Bone of his Bone, Eph. 5. 20. And there- fore lhe alone may juftiy claim Title to the Death of Chrift, and all his Me- rits. Mr. Perkins'* Gold Chaty p. 169. Except. BAXterianifm Barefacyd. Baxtcridn. The Covenant made with Chrift is not the lame that is made between Chrift and us, and which we ce- lebrate in Baptifm. It is not only Chrifl that is bap- tized, but all his Mem- bers, and Baptifm is the mutual Covenant ; we are the Receivers of the Rela- tion to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghofl, and we are the Promifers ( the word Reftipulation is too prefumptuous. ) If we are not Covenanters, we can be no Covenant-breakers, nor have right to the Benefits of iuch a Covenant : It is the fame thing that in fe- veral refpects is called a Law and a Covenant. And if we are not under Chrift's Law, we are law- lefs, or not his Subjects. Deny Chrift's Law and Covenant to us, and you will lubvert all Chriftiani- ty, and deny the Rule of Judgment and Juftificati- on. Ibid. p. 10. (Here lies the Myftery of Iniquity, that as we are obedient Subjects un- to the Covenant, or Law of Chrift, fo we ftand or fall in Judgment, and are juftified or are not julti- fied.) Error 54. Chrift only is covenanted with by the Father, and he is the only Promifer as for us, and not we for our felves. Contr. Chrift only hath undertaken to do the work of Chrift, but Man muft under- 6j Non-Conformift. that that Promife which Chrift made the Father to undertake the Mediator- ihip in Man's Nature be- fore the World was, and to do all that he did in the fulnels of Time, that Chrift's Promife then muft have been, and was repu- ted as fure and ftedraft by God the Father, as if it had been already done*, and God the Father might as certainly build upon it to do any thing that was to be done, depending up- on what Chrift under- took to do then, as if Chrift had already per- formed all that Promife and Undertaking ; and this upon as equal Reafons, for Chrift was God then as well as the Father, and could no more lie than he ; for they both are Equals, Joh. 10. and all the Terms of both fides are Equals before the World was, &c. Dr. Goodwin on the Eplxfians, p. 58,59,60, 61. See his Difculiion of the 1 oth Verfe, chap. 1. Imo nihil, &c. yea there is nothing more falfe than that Arminian Dogma, that no one is beloved in. Chrift, unlels he actually exift in him by Faith : for through, and for the fake of Chrift the holy Spirit is given, by whole Grace we believe, Joh. 7. 36. cha$. 15. 16. Therefore God Lveth us in Chrift before we be- lieve: Yea, that Compla- K 2 cency 68 Conforfftijl. Except. God appointed all to be faved, with this Covenant and Condition, // 1 hey believe. Anf. T his is abfurd to affirm : For, i. By this means the De- cree of God fhould depend upon the Will of Man, when as contrarily God's Decree doth limit and order all inferiour Caufes. 2. It quite taketh away the certainty of God's De- cree, because a conditional Proportion doth fet down nothing as being, nor dos it certainly affirm any thing. Ibid, p. 171, 172. C bjeEt. The Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and Eve, and in them all Mankind was received both into the Church and Covenant, and alfo called to the Know- ledg of God. Anfw. 1. This Reafon wanteth even common reafon and fenfe, to fay, that God giving his Prcmife in the days of Adam and Noah, did in them call all Mankind that fhould come after. 2. A- dam before his Fall did in- deed receive the Grace both for himfelf, and for others alfo ; and in the Fall he loft it both for himfelf and for all others ; but after the Fall, he re- ceived the Promife for himfelf alone, and not for the whole World, other- wife the firft Adam fhould not only have been a li- ving Creature, but a quick- uipg Spirit, tiie which is proper Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. undertake, and promife and covenant even to Chrift himfelf, that (by the help of his Grace) he will do his own part. ^.Baxter's Life of Faith, p. 358. Object. God loveth us from Eternity, and when we were his Enemies, not becaufe we • were good, but to make us better than we were. Anfw. God's Love (and all Love) confifteth for- mally in Complacency. God hatn no Complacency in any thing but in good, or according to the mea- fure of its goodnefs : from Eternity God forefeeing the good that would be in us, loved us as good in ejfe cognito, and not as actually good, when we ■were not. When we were his Enemies, he had a dou- ble Love to us (or Com- placency) the one was tor the natural good which remained in us as we were Men, and repair- able, and capable of be- ing made Saints', the other was for that fore- feen good as in effe cog- nito, which he purpofed in time to come to put up- on us. But Chrift did not die or merit to change God's Nature, and make him more indifferent in his Love to the holy and the unholy, or equally to the more holy, and to the left holy : But his Complacency is ftill in no Man Non-Conformift. cency of God is one and the lame, immutable •, and that Love wherewith he embraceth us, as well be- fore as after the Death of Chrift. Mr. Ruther- . ford'* Exercit. Apol. p.45, 46. God always loveth the Eleft, and always hateth the Reprobate, p. 47. But the Arminians al- ways meafare God by their own Model, as \i fo be after the manner of Men, he fhould be turned from Hatred into Love, and again from Love into Hatred. Ibid. 49. By which Covenant I mean that foederal Tranf- atlion that was betveixt God the Father and the Son from everlaJKng, about the Redemption of loji and fallen Man. The Co- venant of Redemption is that foederal Tranfaciion, or mutual Stipulation that was betwixt God and. Chrift in the great WTork of Man's Redemption. I call it a foederal Tranfacii- on, or mutual Stipulation, becaufe therein lies the nature of a Covenant*, 'tis (as Civilians define it) a mutual Stipulation or A- greement betwixt Party and Party upon fuch and fuch terms, with reciprocal Obligations each of other. That the bufinefs of Man's Redemption was tran£ a&ed betwixt the Fafther and the Son, is clear, Zech. 6. 13. the Counfel of Re- conciliation. That Conformifl. proper to the fecond A- dam, I Cor. 15.45. Ibid. P- 174, 175- „ „ EleEt.] Gods Servants are God's Elect, and that both in relpect of Elettion before time, and alio in refpect of Election in time ; for the Lord hath in his eternal Coitnfel chofe them in Chrifl to the obtaining of Salvation, to the praife of his Grace. Holy'] They are holy- divers ways r. In the Head.' 2. In their Laps, j. In their Sacraments. 4. By Imputation, &c. Mr.Byfield,Coi 3. p. 75. A Supplement by a Non- Con for mi ft.. By the Covenant of Sure- tilliip Chriit and the Be- liever are in a manner in one Wrif, for notwith- ftanding that there be dif- ferences between the Cove- nant made with him, and that which is made with us, yet it may be faid, that Chriit and the Believer are bme way in one Writ. \ Becanfethefetwo Cove- nants are all of a piece*, thy are to be diilinguHh- edbut not to be divided •, it is fae lame defign of Grace, the fame bufmefs of re- deening and faving loft Mai that is carried on in both 2. Altho Chriit and she believer be not for- mally, and as Parties, in this^ritof Chrift'sSure- ty-covnant to God', yet they Baxteriamjm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. Man further than he is made truly amiable in his real Holincfs, and his rela- tion to Chriit, and to the Father. But as he loveth not Saul a Perfecutor, un- der the Notion of a ful- filler of his Law in Chrifl ; fo neither doth he love Da- vid in his Sin, under the Notion of one that is with- out Sin, and perfect:, as having fulfilled the Law In Chrift: But fo loveth him in Chrifl:, as to pardon his Sins, and make him more lovely in himfelf, by crea- ting a clean Heart, and re- newing a right Spirit with- in him, for the fake of the Satisfaction and Merits of Chrifl. Ibid. p. 362, 36 3. The thing that I deny is, That Chrifl by his Obe- dience made Atonement and Merit for us, as a proper peculiar Surety in the Law of Works. The thing is far otherwife, for Chriit fuffered and obey'd as a principal and fole Undertaker, and not as a Surety, that fuppofed us Principals in that Under- taking. (Here lies the Baxterian Fallacy.) He bound himfelf to God, to give his Life by dying in our Head to fave ours ( ve- ry remotely) but he ne- ver was bouna in one Bond with us, that he fhould do fb. 1. Rcaf. God never propofed it to fallen Sinners to make Atonement for their Sins, and by Merit recover eternal Life, which they 69 Non-Conformijt. That this Tranfaction betwixt thefe two glorious Perfons was alfo federal, or in the way of a Cove- nant, and that too from everlafting, is to me a very great Truth. — — - This fe- deral Tranfaction betwixt the Father and the Son, it was from all Eternity. Here lies the Difficulty, and this is that which (tum- bles fbme. 1 fay, the Covenant of Redemption, it was from' all Eternity, it was not made when Chriit was jufl coming in- to the World, but from everlafling, 2 Tim. 1. $. Here is the Purpofe of God, here is Grace given in Chrift Jefus: How? in the Covenant betwixt the Father and him. When was this given ? before the World began, (h. ?.) from all Eternity. So, Tit. 1.2. how was this Life promifed before the World, began, but in this everlafling Cove- nant, wherein the Father promifed to Chrift eternal Life for all his Seed? Dr.Ja- comb's Sermon in the Mor- ning Exercife methodiz'd, p. 204,205, 211, 212. The Covenant of Works was made with all Men in Adam, who was made and flood as a publick Perfon, Head and Root in a com- mon and comprehenfive Capacity, I fay, it was made with him as fuch, and with all in him: Quo man- Jit remanent e, O" quo per e- mte peribat; he and all flood 7° Conformifi. they are virtually, and as to their Interefts and Con- cernments: it is ChriiVs Bufmefs and Concernment, and the Believers too, even all his eternal Concern- ments that are in that Co- venant and ours-, f:hefe meet together, are tranftcted in one Writ : And thus even among Men, a Perfon may be faid to be in a Writ when his Concernments are handled. 3. Becaufe of the contexture and in- terweaving not only of Chrift and the Believers Interefts, but alio of their Names in the fame Writ : for in the Covenant where his Name is put alone as Undertaker, and which is his fmgle Bond, to wit, the Covenant of Suretiihip, even there is the Believer's Name put, as being the Perfon for which he paid a Price, and for whom he undertook, and who were promifed to him for a Seed, as a fatisfying fight for the Travel of his Soul. And again, in the Writ given to us, we ftand not alone m Covenant-dealings with God:, but in the fame "Writs of the Promifes made to the Believer, ChriiVs Name ftands as principal Party covenant- ing for us, and receiving the Promiies, as is manitclt from what is already laid. .4. There is not only a Contexture, but a Com- mutation with Chriil: and the Befcevcis Name in the Covc- Biixtcri.wijm Barefaced. B.txterian. they had forfeited. Where is the law or Covenant whereby God propoled this to Sinners as their Duty, and a way for their Recovery ? By the Law of Works it was impoilible, and a Contra- diction. The Gofpel con- demns a thought of it, as contrary to the whole fcope of it : The Compact between the Father and the Son, wTas not a Law or Co- venant propofed to Sinners for their performance of the Conditions thereof. Now a Mony-Surety is bound to no more than the Principal is bound to do. If I am not obliged to pay a hundred Pounds, neitner is my Surety bound to pay a hundred Pounds; Object. You'll fay by the law we were bound to obey the Law perfectly, or to die for it. Anfw. Yes, to obey was your Duty, to die was the Penalty if you dif- obe y ed . But, 1 . You were not bound to die, tho you obey'd perfectly : But Chriil was bound to obey, and fuffer tho he obey'd. Mr. D. W. Man made righteous, &c. p. 92,93. (And thus all along does he tantivy it upon his ror- jgecj uufuppofed Suppoli- tions, as upon a Spaniih [ennet begotten by the Wind : But left he ihould crack his own by it, I (hall deiire him to bait a little by the way. Sir, what Non-Conformifl, flood and fell together -n for even the Elect may fay, We are all by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others: And that of St. Paul, We know that what things foever the Law faith, it Jaith to them who are under the Lawy that e- very Aiouth may be flopped, and all the World may be- come guilty before God. But the Covenant of Grace is a difcriminating thing, it takes in fome, and leaves out others : Chrift is not a Head in Covenant with all, as Adam was, but of his Elect only ; for we find many in the World under the Head (hip of Satan, and Antichrilt, and old A- dam, who are out of Chrift, not only becaufe unconver- ted, as Saints themfelves are before Regeneration, but out of Chrift in the account of God's EhStion. Donation and Co-venant'. who have none of his fpc- cial Love, nor ever ihaL have. Mr. Cooper's Ser- mon in the Morning Exe> cik msthodiz'd, p. 117. The Lord Jefits Chrfi engages in the Work, tc- cepts of the Terms and Cn- dttions fet before him, ;nd undertakes to fat is fy his7a- ther's Demands. And ir or- der to Satisfaction (wrich God (rands upon, a? you have heard before} Chriit is witting to fulfil theivho e L. nv, w h ich was theRule, or Meafare, or St;ndarci of this Satisfaction. God harjb ConfoYmift- Covenant-Writs •, for his Name is put in our Bond, for he wrote himfelf the Sinner (legally) and in the Sinner's place under the Law accur- ied: and our Name isput in the Writ of Juftification given to him •, and the new Law of Faith writes the Be- liever righteous and bleffed, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13, 14. Ro/n.3.22. 5. There is not only a Commutation, but a Community of Writs be- twixt Chrift and the Belie- ver : for one Writ and Pro- mife writes God, the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the God and Fa- ther of the Believer-, this Covenant-relation to him and us, is by the great Pro- mifes of the Covenant, Heh. 1.5. Pfal. 89. 26, 29. One Writ makes Chrift the firft Heir and Son of the Pro- mife, and the Believer a younger Brother coming in under Chrift the firft Heir, P/W.89. 27. 6W.3.26. Rom. 8. 17. One Writ and Letter of Acquittance difchargeth both Chrift and the Believer from the Curie and Con- demnation of the Law, Row. 8. 3, 4, 6. By the Covenant of Sure- tilhip Chrift is conftituted the grand Inftrument and Aftor of all things that ap- pertain to his Peoples Re- demption and Salvation, and that not only of eternal Salvation and Redemption, which he alone brought unto his People, Hcb.%.a, ci.9.15. Luk. 1, 68. and of fuch part of Baxferianifm Barefaced, Baxtcrian. what more proper Ex- preflion can fet forth Chrift 's Engagement from Eternity with the Father on the behalf of the Elect, [fo far forth as terrene Comparifons may fobferve for the Illustration of Divine Myfteries ] than a pe- cuniary Surety doth ? for, as the wife Man fays, Mony an- swers all things •, a Ran- fbm from Slavery, and a Purchafe of an In- heritance : But the re- turn of the Eled from their fallen State unto God muft be a Pay- ment of the very idem, both in Acquitment and Title, as that felf-fame Law requires (never abrogated, but ftands in full force to all Eternity, both in Hell and Heaven) by a breach whereof they lay under this double forfeiture of Life and Glory.) But our Au- thor tells us, were Chrift a proper pecu- niary Surety in his Death and Obedience, there would be no room for God's forgiving us any Sin (and if it were not fo, how lhould he forgive us for Chrift's fake if he had not paid the Debt? for ade- quately to his Payment will God's Forgivenefs be, efpecialiy for his fake) or giving us any Mercy 71 Non-Conformift. hath been difhonoured by the Violation of his Law, and the Difobedience ana Non-performance of it was that which kept God and the Sinner at a diftance,and therefore he will only be fa- tisfied and reconciled upon the fulfilling of it , here k my Law, faith God, fatisfy it, and my Juftice is fatisfied. You muft know this, that tho a Sinner as to himfelf is juftified upon the terms of the Covenant of Grace, yet as to his Surety, he is juftified upon the Covenant of Works : for the Surety muft pay the whole Debt, and the Father will bate him nothing. Objetl. W7here is then, forne, will lay, the freeneis of Grace in the juftifying and acquitting of a Sinner r If God will be fatisfied to the utmoft, what becomes of Mercy ? If the Surety pay the Debt to the Creditor, is it any great favour for the Creditor to let the Debtor out of Prilbn ? Sol. Free Grace is very •well confiflent with full Satij- fattion: and notwithstand- ing the latter, the former is very glorious, partly becaufe God. himfelf found out this way of Satisfaction, partly becaufe God accepts it for the good of the Sinner, as tho he had made it in his own Per (on, Rom.^.i^. Not- withstanding ^Redemption by Chrift, yet we are jufti- fied freely, as freely as thu Chrift had done and Surfer 'd nothing at all 1 fey the JF athcr 72 Conformifl. of that Redemption as is wrought within time, Hcb. 7. 25. but of whatfoever Salvation and other Admi- niftrations are good for them in this Life : And therefore we find that Chrift was the grand Inftrument, and had an active hand in the Deli- verance of his People from all Affli&ions and Op- preffions in all Ages, If a. 6$. 5, 9. Again, By the Cove- nant of Suretifhip, all the hard Conditions lay upon Chrift, all that the Law re- quires of Man Condition- wife, Gal. 4. 4. Rom. 6. 14. — — All the Conditions that are Works, and nothing refts to the Believer Condi- tion-wife, but that which is Grace, Rom.A. 16. The Be- liever worketh, and hi trea- ted, unto good IVorks, Phil. 2. 10. for by this Suretifhip he is under a Covenant to work in his People what God re- quireth Condition-wife of them, Job. 6. 37. That in the Covenant of Suretifhip the Believer is undertaken for by both the Parties •, Je- hovah undertakes, //a 5 3. 1 0. Chrift undertakes, Heb. 7. 25. Ke is by this Covenant /of Suretifhip in a fure con- firmed State. And whatfo- ever Chrift aded by the Co- venant of Suretilhip, he did it for us, [ And we did that in him. ] By the Covenant of Suretifhip, befides all o- ther Attributes in God, Juftice it fc-if, that is molt terrible to the Believer, and was fometimes a dreadful Atfri- Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. ' Mercy as of free Gift, unlefs he forgave us more than Chrift fatif- fied for, or bellowed what he did not merit. Ibid. p. 96. Dr. Reynolds tells us, that the Remonftrants fay, that Adam being^ by God deprived of original Righteoufnefs (wnich is the Faculty and Fountain of all O- bedience ) and being now conftituted under the deferved Curfe, all the Debt of legal Obe- dience, wherein he and his Pofterity in him were unto God ob- liged, did immediately ceafe: So that whatfo- ever Outrages fhould after that have been by Adam- or any of his Chikfren commit- ted, they would not have been Sins, or Tranfgreflions, nor in- volved the Authors of them in the Guilt of juft Damnation. That which unto us reviveth Sin, is the new Cove- nant, becaufe therein is given to the Law new ftrength to com- mand, and unto us new ftrength to obey, both which were evacuated in the Fail of Adam : upon which Promifes it doth moft evident- ly follow, that unleis God in Chrift had made a Covenant of Grace with us anew, no Non-Conformijl. Father demanding the ful- filling of the Law, Chrift undertakes to do it, and therefore he willingly puts himfelf under this Law, Gal. 4. 4,5. And he fubmits not only to the Duty of the Law, but alfo to the Penalty of the Law :, not only to do what the Law enjoins, but alfb to fuffer what the f .aw threatens : and the former he makes good by his active Obedience, the latter by his pa/five. Ibid. p. 208, 209. The Conditions of the Covenant of Suretifhip made with Chrift, did fully and perfectly anfwer the intent of the Covenant of Works, and that in both the parts of it copulatively, which did but alternatively oblige Man ; for the Law does not oblige Man in an abfolute fenfe, both to perfect doing and fuffering, but to one of them-, for if we keep the Law, we are not oblig'd to fuffer } Gen. 2. 17. But Chrift by the Condi- tions of the Covenant of Re- demption, (1.) He is a full Doer and obedient Fulfiller of the Commands thereof in all Points, Mat. 3. 15. (2.) He fully fuffers the Penalty of that Covenant, and fatif- fies fJr the broken Com- mands thereof, J fa. 53. 5, 6. Kence, (3.) By the Condi- tions of this Covenant which he performed, he had right to Law-j uftification, and Life eternal, even by the Law of Works } for the Righteoufnefs which he wrought Conformift. Attribute, and fpeaking no- thing lefs than Condemnati- on to fallen Man, is now turn'd to be as much for the Believers Salvation, as any- other Attribute in God ^ and upon that account is and may be comfortably look'd upon, i J oh. i. 9. Ark of the Covenant, p. 1 3 1, &c By this procuring of the new Covenant for us, which they afcribe to the Death of Chrift, they intend the Ab- rogation of the old Cove- nant, or the Law, or at leaft fuch a Derogation from it, that it frail no more oblige us either unto linlefs Obe- dience or Punilhment, nor require a perfed Righteouf nefs unto oar Juftification before God, and the Con- stitution of a new Law of Obedience accommodated unto our prefent State and Condition, on whofe Ob- fervance all the Promifes of the Gofpel do depend. O- thers fay, that in the Death of Chrift there was real Sa- tisfaction made to God •, not to the Law, or to God ac- cording to what the Law required, but unto God ablo- lutely : That is, he did what God was well pleated and fatisfied withal, with- out any refpedto hisjultice, or the Curie of the Law. And they add, that hereon the -whole Right eottfnefs of Chrift is imputed to us fo far, as that we are made par- takers of the Benefits there- of: And moreover, that the way of the Communication of Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. no Man mould ever have been properly and penally damned but on- ly Adam , and he too with no other than the loft of God's Prefence, (for Hell and Tor- ments are not the Re- venge of Legal, but of Evangelical Difobe- dience) not for any actual Sins, for there would have been none, becaufe the Exaction of the Law would have ceafed } and where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgrefrjon : not for the want of Righteouf- nefs, becaufe that was in Adam himfelf but a Punifhment, and in his Pofterity neither a Sin nor a Punilhment, but only a Condition of Nature ^ not for ha- bitual Concupifence, tho it be a Dileafe and Infirmity, yet it is no Sin, both becaufe the being of it is con- natural and necerTary, and the Operation of it inevitable and un- preventable, for want of that Bridle of fu- pernatural RighteouP neis which was appoint- ed to keep it in. Laftly, Not for A- dam'j Sin imputed, be- caufe being committed by another Man's Will, it could be no Man's Sin but his that com- mitted it. Sinfalnefsof 5*>, p. 203, 204. Thus 11 Ncn-Conformift. wrought was perfed: Law- righteoufnefs, tho the Impu- tation of it to us be an Ad of Grace, and our receiving it by Faith make it Gofpel- Righteoufnefstous, 1 Joh.i. 7. compar'd with Rom. 4. 5. Ark of the Covenant, p. 89. Upon this compleat Jufti- fication Believers are oblig'd to univerfal Obedience un- to God. The Law is not abolifhed but eftablifhed by Faith : It is neither abroga- ted nor difpenfed withal by fuch an Interpretation as mould take off its Obligati-. ons in any thing that it re- quires, nor as to the degree and manner wherein it re- quires it : Nor is it pollible it mould be lb ; for it is no- thing but the rule of that O- bedience, which the Nature of God and Man make ne- ceflary from the one to the other. And it is an Anti- nomianifm of the worft fort, and moil derogatory unto the Law of God, which af- firms it to be diverted of its Power, to oblige unto per- fed Obedience, fo as that what is not fo, (hall (as it were in deipite of the Law) be accented as if it were ib, unto the end for which the Law requires it. There is no Medium, but that either the Law is utterly abolifh'd, and fo there is no Sin •, for where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgrellion ; or it muft be allowed to require the lame Obedience that it did at its firft Inftitution, and unto the fame degree. This L is 74 Conformift. of them unto us, is by the new Covenant^ wnich by his Death the Lord Chrifi pro- acred: For the Conditions of this Covenant are efta- blifhed in the Covenant it felf, whereon God will be- ftow all the Benefits and Effe&s of it upon us, which are Faith and Obedience , wherefore what the Lord Chrift hath done for us is thus far accepted as our Legal Righteoufnefs, as that God upon our Faith and Obedience, with refpeft thereunto, doth releafe and pardon all our Sins ofOmif- fion and Commiffion: Upon this Pardon there is no need BaxterUmfm Barefaced. Bdxterian. Thus the Baxterians in effect : That the Law of Innocency is abro- gated, and that by the Promife and coming of Chrift the whole World is brought up- on new Terms with God, viz.. under a Law or Covenant of univer- fal Grace, by which, according to their im- provement or non-im- provement thereof (tho they never heard fo much as a word of a Redeemer) they muft ftand or fall. Non-Confo/hift. is that Law whicTi our Lord Jefus Chrift came not to de- firoy? hut to fulfil? that he might be the end of it for Righteoufnefs unto them that do believe. This Law he abrogated not? nor could he do, without a deftructi- on of the Relation that between God and Man, is a- rifingfrom or enfuing'ne- ceffarily on their diftind Be- ings and Properties ? but as this cannot be deftroyed, Co the Lord Chrift came unto a contrary end, namely, to repair and reftore it where it was weakened. Dr. 0. Juft. p. 201, 343- • e is no need of any pofitive perfect Righteoufnefs unto our Juftification or Salvation, but our perfonal Righteoufnefs is accepted with God in the room of it, by* virtue or the new Covenant which Chrift hath procured. Dr. O. Juiti. p. 265, 266. See Mr. Baxt. Meth. Theol. Part 3. p. 46, 47. That Chrift did not fatisfy the Law, but the Lawgiver, becaufe he is above his own Laws. Chrift, as proved, fatisfied not the threatning of the Law, or its obli- gation unto Punifhment, whereby it obliged us Sinners ? For nothing elfe could be the fulfilling of it, but the Damnation and eternal Death of all Sinners. Here he abrogates the Law, tramples under foot its Righteoufnefs, makes its Author to flight it in his Demands of a full Satisfaction unto Juftice, and renders the Death of Chrift a meer fantaftical Chimera, or at leafl: but a Metaphorical Sacrifice. Firft then, They ( u e. the Arminians ) grant Salvation to the antient Patriarchs and Jews, before the coming of Chrift:, without any Knowledg of, or Faith in him at all : Nay, they deny that any fuch Faith in Chrift was ever prefcribed unto 1 them, or required of tnem. It is certain that there is no place in the Old Tefiament? from whence it may ap- pear? that Faith in Chrifi (as a Redeemer) was ever enjoin'd? or found in any of them, fey the Remonftrants jointly in their Apology, chap.y. /0/.91. The truth of which AfTertion we fliall fee hereafter j only they grant a general Faith, involved under Types and Shadows, and looking on the Promile as it lay hid in the Good- nefs and Providence of God, which indiredly might be called a 'Faith in Chrift •? from which kind of Faith I fee noreafon why thousands of Heathens and Infidels ftiould be excluded. Agreeable unto thefe .AfTertions are the Dictates of their Pa- triarch Arminivu? affirming. That the whole defcription of the Faith of Abraham, Rom. 4. makes no mention of Jefpts Chrifi? either exprefly? or fo implicitly? as that it may be of any one eajily under jlood ; and to the Teftimony of Ghriit himfelf to the con- trary, Baxterianifm Barefaced. *e traryv Joh. 8. 36*. Tour Father Abraham rejoiced to fee my day, and he fare it, and xoas glad; he anfwereth, he rejoiced to fee the Birth of Ifaac, who was a Type of me. A goodly Gbfs, corrupting the Text. 2. What they teach of the Jews, that alio they grant concerning the Gentiles living before the Incarnation of Chrift j they alio might attain Salvation, and be juftified without his Knowledg : For altho, faith Corvinns, the Covenant was not revealed unto them by the fame means that it was m- to the Jews, yet they are not to be fuppofed to be excluded from the Covenant (of Grace) nor to be excluded from Salvation ; for fome way or other they were called. 3. They are come at length to that Perfection in fetting out this Stain in Chriftia- nity, that Bertim on good Confederation, deny'd this Proportion, That no Man can be faved, that is not ingrafted into Chrift by a true Faith. And Venator to this Queftion, Whether the only means of Salvation, be the Life, Vaflion, Death, Refur- relUon and Afcenfion of Jefus Chrifi ? anfwereth, No ; Thus they lay Men in Abra- ham's Bofom, who never believed in the Son or Abraham ; make them overcome the Serpent, who never heard of the Seed of the Woman •, bring Goats into Hea- ven, who never were of the Flock of Chrift, never entred by him the Door \ make Men pleafe God without Faith, and obtain the remiilion of Sins, without the Crinkling of the Blood of the Lamb ; to be laved without a Saviour, redeemed without a Redeemer*, to become the Sons of God, and never know their elder Bro- ther : which prodigious Error might yet be pardoned, and afcribed to human In- becillity, had it calually dipt from their Pens as it did from fbme others. But feeing it hath Foundation in all the grounds of their new Do&rine, and is maintained by them on mature deliberation, it muft be looked upon by all Chriftians as a Hereiy to be detefted and accurled. For firft, They deny the Contagion and Demerit of origi- nal Sin : Then make the Covenant of Grace to be univerfal, and comprehend all and every one of the Pofterity of Adam. 3. Grant a Power in our felves to come unto God by any fuch Means as he will appoint and affirm •> that he doth affign fome Means unto all : and it will naturally follow, that the knowledg of Chrift is not abfolutely neceflary to Salvation, and fo dowTn falls the Preheminence of Chrifti- anity, its Heaven-reaching Crown muft be laid level with the Services of Dung- hil Gods If we look upon the feveral Branches of this Arminian novel Dodlnne, extenuating the precious worth and neceffity of Faith in Chrift, we (hall find them hew'd off by the two-edged Sword of God's Word: 1. For their denying the Patriarchs and Jews to have had Faith in Chriftum exhibendum & moriturum, as we in him exhibimm & mortmim, it is difproved by all Evangelical Promifes made from the beginning of the World to the Birth of our Saviour, as that Gen. 3. 15. chap. 12. 3. chap. 49. 10. Ffal. 2. 7, 8. & no. with innumerable others con- cerning his Life, Office, and redeeming of his People •, for iurely they were ob- liged to believe the Promifes of God. 2. By thofe many clear Expreffions of his Death, Paffion and fufcing for us, Gen. 3. 15. Ifa.53. 6,7,8, 9, 10, &c. chap. 63. 2, 3. Dan. 9. 26. Our"-Saviour taught his Difcipies, that all the Prophets from Mofes, lpake concerning him, and that the fole realbn why they did not readily em- brace the Faith of his Paffion and Refurre&ion was, becaufe they believed not the Prophets, Luke 24. 25, 26. Ihewing plainly, that the Prophets required Faith in his Death and Paffion. 3. By the explicit Faith of many of the Jews, as of old&'- meon, Luke 2. 34. of the Samaritan Woman, who looked for a Meflias, not as an Earthly King, but as one that (houki tell them all things ; redeem them from Sin, and tell them all fuch things as Chrift was then difcourfing of concerning the Wor- L 2 ftiip j6 Baxterianifm Barefaced. (hip of God, Job. 4. 25. 4. By the exprefs Teftimony of Chrift himfelf : Abraham rejoiced to fee my day, and he [aw it, and was glad, Joh.8.56. his day, his hour in the Scripture principally denote his Pajfion; and that which he faw, furely he believed, or elfe the Father of the Faithful was more diffident than Thomas the moll incre*.. dulous of his Children. 5. By thefe following, and the like places of Scripture, Rev. 1 3. 8. flain in Promifes, (lain in God's Estimation and the Faith of Believers, He is the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. 13.8. under the Law and the Gofpel, Ai~h a. 12. On thefe grounds holy Ignatius called Abel a Martyr of Chrift, he died for his Faith in the promifed Seed : and in another place, all the Saints are faved by Chrift ', hoping in him^ and waiting on him, they obtained Salva- tion by him. So Profper alfo, We muft believe that never any Man was juftified by any other Faith, either before the Law, or under the Law, than by Faith in Chrift, coming to fave that which was loft. Whence Eufebius contendetn, that all the old Patriarchs might properly be called Chrift ians, they all ate of the fame fpiritual Meat, and all drank of the fame fpiritual Drink, even of the Rock that followed them, which Rock was Chrift. Dr. Owen's Difplay of Arminianifm, p. 116, &c. Conformift. Baxterian. Non-Conformift. Head 3. That Original Head 3. That Original Head 3. That Original Sin, &c. Sin, &c. Sin, &c QUR firft Parents v-/ by God's Appoint- ment were to ftand or fall in that Trial, not as fingular Perfons only, but alio as the Head and Root of all Mankind, reprefenting the Per- fons of all that fhould defcend from them by natural Generation ; and therefore for the underftanding of the ground of our Partici- pation with Adams Fall, confider, that A- tlam was not a private Man in this bufinefs, but fuftained the Per- (bn of all Mankind, as he who had received Grace and Strength for himfelf and all his Po- fterity, and fb loft the {ame for all ^ for A- 4am received the Pro- mile THey feign us to have been in Adam by a certain Covenant,more than we were by natural In- exiftency : And that this Sin was arbitrarily by God through that Covenant im- puted to us, further than we ' were guilty of it by any natural In-being or Deriva- tion j as if God made all Men Sinners by his arbir trary imputation of that to them, wrhich in their Natures they were all re- ally guilty of. Mr. Baxt. Brev. Jufti. Part 1. p. 86. If you fay, Adam was legally as many Perfons as are born of him in Sin, I deny it: He was the Root of all his Pofterity, and they were in him feminal- ly and virtually, but not perfonally, actually, or im- putatively: But by one Man's AVguftine writing againfl •^1 Pelagius, thought *the fum of Religion confifted in the right knowledg, of original Sin. j Now this original Sin Divines ufually diftinguifh in peccatum ori- ginali originans, & in pec- catum orginali originatum ; into original Sin origina- ting, and into original Sin originated-, into the caufe and into the fiibjed of this Sin, the Fountain and its Streams ; one Man infect- ing, and all Men infe&ed. Omnes Adamo pecca- venmt, quia omnes wiitt ille fuentnt. Aug. All were intmgled in Adam's Sin, becaufe all were folded up in Adam's Perfon. And the fame Father in another place, Traxit reatum homo, quia wms erat cum illo a quo traxit. Man drew down Guilt Conformift. mife of Life for himfelf and us, with this Con- dition, ifhebadftood^ but feeing he flood not, he loft the Promife of Life, both from him- felf and from us : and as his Felicity fhould have been ours if he had ftood in it, fo was his Tranfgreflions and Mifer y ours : fo that as in the fecond Covenant, the Righteoufnefs of the fecond Adam (Chrift Jefus the Mediator ) is reckoned to thole that are begotten of him by fpiritual Regeneration (even thole that be- lieve in his Name ) al- tho they never did it ; fo in the firft Cove- nant, the Sin of the firft Adam (who here- in fuftained a common Perlbn ) is reckoned to all the Pofteiity that defcended from Him by carnal Generation, be- caufe they were in him, and of him, and one with him, Rom. 5. 15, What is the Sin im- puted ? Our Sin in A- dam, in whom as we lived, fo alfo we fin- ned j for in our firft Parents (as hath been ihewed) every one of us did commit that firft Sin which was the caufe of all other, and Co we all are become fubjed to trie imputation of Adams Fall, both for the Baxterianifm Barefaced Baxter 1 an. Man's Difobedience, as their Root and Caufr, many are made Sinners : And by one Man's Obedience, as the Root and Caufe, all Belie- vers are made righteous. P.113 Do you mean that Guilt refulteth from God's part of the Covenant, or from A- dam's, or from his Pofleri- ties? Not from ours, for roe exified not, and made no [itch Covenant j not from Adam's part ( antecedent to natural Derivation. ) For, 1. No Man can prove that ever Adam made fuch a Covenant. 2. Or that 11 God gave him any fuch Power (much lefs Com- mand) to bring Sin and Death on his Pofterity by his Confent, or Witt, or Con- trast, further than by the Law of Nature they muft derive it from him if he finned. 3. Not by God's Covenant- att. For, 1. No fuch Covenant of God can be Ihewn that made Men Sinners further than natural Derivation did. 2. Elfe God Ihould be the Author of Sin, even of all Mens original Sin, if his Arbi- trary Covenant made them Sinners where Nature did not. P. 103. (Qjrtervethefe infernal Portions, if God impute Sin to him that committed it not, he muft be the Author of it \ if Sin materially be imputed unto Chrift, he muft of courfe be a real Sinner ; and if the A- bettors of this gracious and myfte- Non- Conformift. Guilt upon himfelf, becaufe he was one with him from whom he drew it A- dam's Sin is tranfmitted to Pofterity two ways, 1. By- Imputation. 2. By Inhefi- on By reafon of the Covenant of Works which God .made with Adam, we were in him all of us le- gally:, when God firft made a Covenant with Man, it was not with Adam ratione individui, as an undividual Perfon, fed ratione natur£t as he bore our Nature with him, as the Reprefentative of Mankind Now A- dam violating the Covenant, the Guilt of that Violation defcends upon all his Po- fterity, Rom. 5. 19. Confii- tuti funt peccatores, they were conftituted Sinners- — and Rom. 5. 12, &c. 1 Cor. I5'4S) &c- Now the Righ- teouihefs of Chrift redounds to Believers to Juftification \ fo the Sin of Adam re- dounds to his Pofterity to Condemnation*, by Adam we are caft, by Chrift we are cleared ; by Adam guilty, by Chrift innocent : the Comparifon elfe would be wholly infignificant ; as by Chrift we are made re- ally righteous, fo by Adam we are made really Sinners^ we are Princes in Chrift, Prifoners in Adam j crown- ed in Chrift, curfed in A- dam. Mr. Wells'* Mor- ning Exercifc Method, p. 123, 124,126,128. God may as well by Im- putation make Adam's Sin be-. 78 Conformifl. the Tranfgreflion and Guiltinefs, Rom. 5. 12, 18, 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. Dr. VJher's Body of Divinity, p. 138, 144. We affirm, tlrat we are guilty of the Sin of Adam, not by bare im- putation, nor yet poten- tially only in Adams Loins, but really, veri- ly, and in fbme fort adually by Propaga- tion. Dr. Willcfs Sy- nop. Pap. 865. The nrft is, the Par- ticipation of Adam's both TranfgreJJion and Guiltinefs-, whereby in his Sin, all bis Pofterity finned, Rom. 5.12. The reafon of this is ready : Adam was not then a private Man, but re- prefented all Mankind ; and therefore look what Good he received from God, or Evil elfewhere, both were common to others with him, 1 Cor. 1 $.22. Here we mull iaot omit to remember the largenefs of Adam's Fail. Sins are either perfonal, or general : Perfonal are fuch as are peculiar to one or fome Few Perlbns, and make them alone guilty. Ge- neral, that is common to all Men •, and fuch is Adams Fall. It is a Sin not only of the Perfon of one Man, but of the whole Nature of Man. And Adam muft. be eonlidered not as a pri- vate BaxterUnijm Barefaced. Baxterian. myfterious Doctrine of Im- putation appear in defence of the fame, they muft be reputed Antinomians. Re- joice O Antinomians, if this be your Crime, for your God and your Chrift conjointly fuffer with you !) And fo that God's Cove- nant and Imputation made Adams Sin ours, further than it is by natural Pro- pagation, not truly diftin- guilhing between our being perfbnally in him, and being but virtually and feminally in him: And feigning God to make Adam not only the natural Father and Root of all Mankind, but alfo arbi- trarily, a constituted Re- prefenter of all the Perfons that fhould' fpring from him:, and fo that God made them Sinners that were none, and that before he made them Men. Part 2. P-7- We fay not that any of the Adult are damned for original Sin only '-, neither that this Sin is now an ir- remediable Evil : but there is a fufficient Remedy grant- ed of God in the Covenant of Grace, and that to a Par- ticipation, Application and Efficiency of the fame:, there are many fubordinate Me- diums prefcribed unto Men, according unto the fpecial ufe or abufe whereof Men now are judged. Mr. Baxt . Method. Iheol. Part 1. P-W- „ , It will be laid, becaule God fo covenanted with Adam, Non-Conformift. become our Sin for Con- demnation, as he may by Imputation make Chrift's Righteouihefs become our Righteoufnefs unto Salvati- on ; and yet Chrift is made of God unto us Wifdomy Righteoufnefs, &c. and we have no other Righteouf- nefs to appear in for Jufti- fication before him at the great day. Hence Rivet well' obferves, that the Church has ever found,and ftiil does, that thofevery Men that are Enemies to the Doctrm of original Sin, are Enemies alfo to the Do&xin of the Grace of God in Chrift. Thus the Socinians, who de- ny that we have contracted any Debt by Adams Sin, deny alio that Chrift fatif- fied and paid our Debts to Divine Juftice ; and if they take away this, let them take away all Tho ori- ginal Corruption be truly Sin by Imputation, yet 'tis not fo by Imputation only. It is our Sin by Inhefion, inhering in us, and making of us otherwife than God made us. 'Tis more ex- tenfive than other Sins ; eve- p ry actual Sin hath fomc more particular Faculty in Soul or Body, which it' does defile and charge with Guilt, wherein it was con- ceived, or whereby it was aded ; but original Sin ftains all alike ; lo far- as by their fcveral Natures they are receptive of its Defilement, it ruins the whole little World of Man. — Perfonal Faults Conformift. vate Man, but as a Root or Head bearing in it all Mankind} or as a publick Perfon, repre- fenting all his Pofteri- ty •, and therefore when he finned, all his Pofte- rity finned with him : as in Parliament, wbat- foever is done ny the Burgefs of the Shire, is done by every Perfon in che Shire, Rom. 5. 12. And here lies the diffe- rence between Adam's^ Fall and the Sins of Men, as Cain's Mur- der, which makes not the Pofterity of Cain guilty, becaufe he was never appointed by Gcd to be the Root of his Pofterity, as Adam was, and therefore his Sin is perfonal, where- as Adams is not : Yet this muft not be under- ftood of all the Sins of Adam, but only of the firft. Mr. Perk. p. 16, 254- To fpeak difiinftly, \n original Sin there are three things. 1. The Guiltinefs of Adam's Fa& derived unto us by juft Imputation. 2. The want of that original Jultice which was in us in the Creation. 3. The depravation and cor- rupt Difpofiticn of our Natures. Mr. By field, Qol.chap.z. 1/.13.P.61. Adam fendeth over to all that come of him Guilt of Sin, and Death by Baxterianifm Barefaced. Bdxtcrictti. Adam, that he mould ftand or fall for himfelf and his Pofterity. I anfwer, That there was any fuch Cove- nant that if he flood his Pofterity fhould all ftand, or be confirmed and faved, is more than ever I found in the Scripture, or can prove, or do believe •, but that it would have been to the benefit of his Pofterity I doubt not. And that his Fall was to the Guilt and Corruption of his Pofterity I doubt not : but (as I faid) not without and beyond their natural Intereft in him, and derivation from himasthereafonof it: And we were as much naturally in our next Parents. The firft Law faid, [ If thou fin thou fl) alt be Alius mortis, and jo fiall thofe that are propagated of thee.'] The fecond Covenant faith, [For thy original and aflnal Sin Death vs thy due, but J will give thee a Pardon and re- deeming Grace procured by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. ] But note3that .this Covenant pardoneth our original Sin as from Adam ; and yet it followeth not that we had none becaufe it is pardoned : even fo it pardoneth the Guilt of our next Parents Sins, and therefore we had it to be pardoned : both are pardonable to us, therefore we bad both. Mr. Baxt. End of Dodrinal Controv. chap. 10. Parag. 13. (So that no one of the whole Race of Mankind was ever born 19 Non- Conformift. Faults of Parents are not imputed to Children, and defile not their Children, unlels imitated or unbe- wailed. Mr. Vinke. Ibid. p. 152,153. This was a Covenant not made w7ith Adam as a par- ticular Perfon, but as a Re- prefentative Hence it is that in Adam all fin, and in Adam all die. The Covenant of Works did not ceafe by the Fall, but it Hands ftill in force unto all thofe that are yet in the firft Adam God will deal with Men both in a way of Sin and Righteoufnefs, by- way of Imputation, and the ground of all Imputation is Union. In the firft Adam all fin, and all die, becaufe by their Union they ftood under his Covenant \ fb in the lecond Adam we are made the Righteoufnefs of God in him. Mr. Strong; of the Covenants, p. 1, 2. Our Divines do make, and moft truly and rightly according to the Scripture,a twofold Sinfulnefs, which we have hereditary to us, as from our firft Parents \ the firft is, the Guilt of that firft Act of finning, which Adam committed : and the lecond is an inherent Cor- ruption of Fle/h, the Incli- nation to all Sin derived as the Puniihment of the Guilt of that Fad. Now it is not only inherent Corrupti- on that makes us Children of Wrath, but it is alfo the Guilt of the firft Aft.-*— 8o Con for mi ft. by his Disobedience im- puted: Chrift convey- eth over Righteoufnefs and Life to his Mem- bers by free imputation of Faith. Alio they differ in this, that the Offence of Adam, by which Death came up- on all Men. was but once} but trie Obedi- ence of Chrift imputed to Believers, doth not only cover and do away that one, but all other Offences of the Eled : alfb his Obedience put- teth upon the faithful a Righteoufnefs which meriteth a far better Condition than we loft by Adam's llnrighte- oufnefs. Mr. Wilfon of Canterbury on Rorn.%. 12. p. 303. . . The Ad it felt was peculiar to Adam, but the fault lieth upon all. The words Rom. 5. 12. In whom all have finned, being rightly under- ftood, make it plain: Vaul affirms, that in one all finned :, and after, By the Offence of one, a fault came upon all. We all were that one Man,y faith Auguflinc. His Offence is not to be con- ceived of as perfonal, but as common;, fuchas into which we are all engaged. 2. It Hands in a kind of an illnefi and depraved nefs, both in regard that that fmgular Excellency, whcrc- Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. born under the juridical external charge of this Sin, it being done away by the Covenant made with A- dam in the promiied Seed, and the univerfal Grace that he received both for himfelf and all his Pofte- rity.) We no way doubt to affirm that ever any one was damned for original Sin. Corvinta. We were not in Adam diftind Perfons really } for our Perfons then exifted not, and therefore did not inexift. God doth not repute us to have been what indeed we were not 0 for he judgeth truly, and is not miftaken : Therefore he judgeth not Peter and John to have been thofe Perfons in Adam then, nor Adams Perfon the fame with theirs. We were feminally or virr tually in Adam when he finned^ which is but that he had that virtm genera- tiva, from which we na- turally fprang in time : but to be virtually in him, is not to be perfonally in him, but potentially, it being as to Exljlence terminus dimi- miens. Mr. Baxt. End of Dodr. Controv. chap. 10. Heads 2,3,4, S- ■ Adam finned in his own proper Perfon only, and there is no reafon why God fliould impute that Sin un- to Infants. Borr&m. We receive our original Guilt and Pravity imme- diately from our next Pa- rents, Non-Conformift. Q. Why fiioufd the Quilt of that Ad which infeds our Nature, be conveyed to us by Generation, as the Channel, and by Nature, rather than the Sins of our Parents ? Anfw. All Divines anfwer that clearly : That Adam was a publick Per- fon, and he was therein Chrift 's Type, which no o- ther Parent is : Eve was not •, for tho fhe was firft in the Tranfgreilion, yet it is not faid, By the Obedience of that one Woman, or, By the Difobedience of thofe firji Parents, we are made. Sin- ners ; but it is clearly put on the Difobedience of that one Man : Why ? becaufe he was made a publick Perfon, and ftood fo, which Eve in that refped did not. — — As foon as ever he had eaten the forbidden Fruit, as foon as he had committed that lame one Sin, he ceafed to be a common Perfon, he is then but as an ordinary Pa- rent, otherwife we had not been made Sinners by that one Difobedience, as Row.$. but we muft have inherited all the Sins that he commit- ted. Generation is but the Channel •, it is the Ad of Adam's Sin, and the firft Ad of AJaw'sS'm whilft he ftood a common Perfbn, being imputed to us, charg- ed upon us, that makes us finful.- — Adam is not a com- mon Perfon to him (Chrift) no, he was ordained a com- mon Perfon before Adam Was made one } for Adam was Conformijl. wherewith Adam was once endowed for him- felf and all his Iflue, is utterly loft \ and in re- fpecr that in the ftead thereof there is come m a kind (as I may term it) of pofitive Corruption, which is much iike the raging Sea, &c. Mr. Sam. Hlcron, Par. 2. p. 144. We were all one in Adam, and with him\ in him legally ',in regard of the Stipulation and Covenant between Gcd and him -, we were in him Parties in that Co- venant, had Intereft in the Mercy, and were li- able to the Curfe which belonged to the Breach of that Covenant , and in him naturally, and therefore unavoidably fubject to all that Bon- dage and Burden which the Human Nature con- traded in his Fall. And tho there be rifen up a Sect of Men, who den y the Sin of Adam to be our Sin, or any way Co by God accounted, and to us imputed-, yet cer- tain it is, that before that Arch-Heretick Pc- lagiw, and hisDifciple CalefiiM, did vex the Churches, never any Man deny'd the Guilt of Adams Sin (and Guilt is infeparable from the Sin it lelf, be- ing a proper Pallion of it ) to belong to ail his Poik- Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxter i/tn. rents,and bat remotely from Adam; it could never have come to us but through them from whom we re- ceive our Nature; from them we receive the Guilt and Pravity of our Nature. And the Guilt of our Pa- rents Sins being of a more dirninute nature than that of our own actual Sin ( c ce- teris paribus} it faJleth not 8l Nun- Confer.,. was his Type. And let me add this likewife for cur comforts, that Chrift, becaufe he would take away- original Sin in us, he came as near as pofiible could be, lb as to efcape Pollution. He would be made of the fame Matter we were made of, he would be made in the Womb of a Virgin, he would be conceived, and fb fully on us, as it did on he took upon him too the the Committers themfelves, likenefs of finful Flefli, with all the Frailties of it, as like finful Flelh every way as could be •, nay, he would have his Mother go and be purified, as if (he had brought forth an unclean nor as our own do. Mr. Baxt. Ibid $;. 9, 15. And tho Mr. Baxter makes a fair fkow of Im- putation of original Sin, in Method. Thiol. Part 1. Pp 35'8, 359, 360. yet this Imputation he ex- plains, or what he means Son } for the Law in Levi- ticus was, to fhew the Im- purity or our Birth, that by it. — - So they talk the Mother was to be puri- rriuch of Imputation, and fied. Nay, and not only, fo, neither know nor tell you what Imputation is j but take it mofrly to be that wW-h. even Dr. Crifp cal- leth a charging God with Faifhood, as if it we. reputing, reckoning, ell or iuppofing us : what indeed we are or to have done or fuffered what we did not, or to have what we have not : whereas Paul cneaneth thing (and Aoyi^i-mi iigni- fieth nothing) but a true ac- counting us to be what we are, and to have done what we did, ar.d to have what we indeed have. And to but he was circumcifed, as if he had had original Sin to be cut off" as well as we. What was all this for ? The i\ poftle. tel is us, Col. 2. 1 1. We circHf/icij'ed in Chrift^ that the body of Sin might be cm of by the Circumci- fion of Chrift. It was, that he might takeaway this ori- ginal Corruption, which we had from the firft Adam. Dr. < on the Ephe- fims, Part 2. p. 108, 11 6, 117, 118, 119. • by fome the imputation of the a&Ual Ap dracy and Tranfgrefiio'h or Adam the Head of our Nature, where- impute Kighteou fuels to us, by his Sin became the Sin of iiguifieth but truly to re- the W7or!d, is utterly deni- puu , account, or judg us ed :, hereby both the ground rnihte- M the ~%2 Confurmift. Pofterity. This then is the firft Charge of the Spirit upon us, Partici- pation with Adam in his Sin. And in as much as that Commandment unto Adam was the Pri- mitive Law, fo juftly required, fo eafily ob- lerved, therefore ex- ceeding great muit needs be the Tranf- greflion of it, Pride, Ambition,Rebellion, In- fidelity, Ingratitude, I- dolatry, Concupifcence, Theft, Apoftacy, un- natural Affection, Vio- lation of Covenant, and an univerfal Re- nunciation of God's Mercy promifed -0 thefe and the like were thofe woful Ingredients which compounded that Sin, in the committing whereof we all are fharers, becaufe Adam's Perfon was the Foun- tain of ours, and Adam's Will the Reprefenta- tive of ours. Dr. Rey- noldsV Sinfulnefs of Siny P-1 34> 135- , They fay, that tho Adams Sin may be thus far faid to be unto Po- fterity imputed, as that by reafon of it they be- . come obnoxious unto Death ( namely an ex- ternal Diilblution of Body and Soul without any re-union, and an eternal lofs of the Di- vine Vifion without any pain of fenfe ) vet that Baxteriawfm Barefaced Baxterian. righteous. Mr. Baxters Brev. Juftif Prol. Whereas he (viz,, the Arminian, againft whom Dr. Davenant wrote) fup- pofeth that Adams Sin can- not be truly accounted a perfonal Offence in his Pofte- rity, both the Scripture and the common Confent of Di- vines run againit him. For tho it be not perfonal in the lame fenfe wherein actual Sins done by Men, having the ufe of Reafon and Free- will, are faid to be their perfonal Actions, yet it is in another fenfe voluntary and perfonal, becaufe it was fo done that every fingular Perfon of Mankind is in- volved in that very volun- tary Sin, and in the Guilt of Punifhment or Death due thereunto. So faith the Apoftle, Rom. 5. Sin and Death entred info the World by one : But how ? In quan- tum in eo omnes peccaverunt. And again, By one Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners. Haleufcio to this purpofe faith, Secundum Augufiinum, concedlmus quod non punitur parvulm pro cul- pa patrisj fed pro culpa fua, proprie loquendo. Non enim dicit Apoflolus quod folum Adam peccavity fed dicit quod omnes peccaverunt in Adam : Erat enim in Adam non folum voluntas unius fin- gularis perfon*, fed voluntas miverfalts Nature. Ada- mo cadente a, ptftitia origi- nally cecidit ctiam qualibet voluntas pofierorum. Caret erntn Non-Conformifi. the Apoftle proceedeth on, in evincing the neceflity of our Juftification, or our be- ing made righteous by the Obedience of another •, and all the Arguments brought in the Confirmation of the Doctrine of it in Rom. 5. are evaded and overthrown. Socinus de Servator, Part 4. cap. 6. confefTeth, tnat place to give great countenance unto the Doftrineof Jufti- fication by the Imputation of the RUhteoufhefs of Chrift : And therefore he fets himfelf to oppoie with fundry Artifices the Imputa- tion of the Sin of Adam unto his natural Pofterity \ for he perceived well enough that upon the ad million thereof, the imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift unto his fplrltual Seed,wou\d unavoidably follow accord- ing to the tenor of the Apo- itles Difcourfe. Some deny the Depravation and Cor- ruption of our Nature, which enfued on our Apo- ftacy from God, and the lofs of his Image : or if the/ do not abfortttely deny it, yet they fo extenuate "it as to render it a matter of no great concern unto us. Some Difeafe and Diftemper of the Soul they will acknow- kd° anting from the dif- order of the Affedions, whereby we are apt to re- ceive in fuch vicious Ha- bits and Cuftoms as are in practice in the World. And as the Guilt hereof is not much, fo the danger of it Conformtfl. that Death which to Adam in his Perfon was a Punimment, is not Co to his Pofterity, but only the condition of their Nature. Ibid. p. 190. The flrft is Adams Sin, from whofe Fall this natural Corruption and Weaknefs is deri- ved unto us. He finned, and we in him. Mr. Pemble'^ Mi [chief of Ignorance, P-4- In Sin are three things. 1. The Offence of Cod, which is the fault. 2. The Obligation unto eter- nal Pnnifljment, which is the Guilt. 3 . The Stain or Pollution of the Soul (viz.) the inherent viti- om Inclination of it un- to Evil. Sin doth not remain in thofe that are juftified, and regenera- ted in the two firft re- fpecls, (-wO of the Vault and the Guilt, both which are taken away by the Death of Chrifi. But Sin doth remain in the Regenerate ac- cording to the third refpcft, (viz.') the vi- tibm Quality and Cor- ruption thereof inherent in the Soul : We fay, that the fault and guilt of Sin in the Regene- rate is utterly abolilhed by the Death of Chrift, which we do not take in fuch a fenfe as this ', That Baxteriamfm Barefaced Baxterian. enim voluntas cujuflibet ilia certitudine quam habuitfet fi Adam fietijfet, i. e. We grant, according to Au- gufiine, that fpeaking pro- perly, a little Child is not puniihed ft ^r the fault of his Father, but for his own fault. But the Apoftle doth not fay that Adam alone finned, but fays that all have fmned in Adam : for in Adam there was not only the Will of his own An- gular Perfon, but the Will of his univerfal Nature. Adam falling from origi- nal Righteoufnefs, every (diftintt) Will of his Po- fterity fell alio. Laft of all j Whereas he taketh it for granted, that Adam's Sin is only imputed unto his Children, and fo they are determined to Death and eternal Tcrnnents for a Sin only imputed, he is contrary to the Judgment of the Catholick Church : for it is generally held againft the Pelagians, that as Adam's Sin was the Sin of every Perfon that was a Member of him, fo likewife Adam's Crookednefs of Will was not barely imputed, but actually propagated to eve- ry Angular Perfon derived from his Loins. Qbjctt. 1. By the Arme- nian - Adam's Sin is the Sin of Man's Nature only, and no Mans pergonal Tranj- greffion but Adam's : it was neither committed nor' con- fented to by any of his Poflc- rity in their own Perfons, Anfw. 8? Non-Conformift. it is not great. And as for any fpiritual Filth or Stain of our Nature that is in it, it is clear warned away by Baptifm No wonder if fuch Perfons look upon im- puted Righteoufnefs as the jhadow of a Dream, who efteem thofe things which evidence its necefiity, to be but fond Imaginations \ and fmall hope is there to bring fuch Men to value the Righ- teoulhefs of Chrift as im- puted to them, who are fo unacquainted with their own Unrighteoufnefs inhe- rent in them. Until Men know themfelves better,they will care very little to know Chrift at all*. Dr. Owen of Jutlificat. p. 20,21. All Men that ever were, are, or lhall be, were not then ( when Adam fin- ned ) exiftent in their own Perfons. But yet were they all of them then, upon the firffc en- trance of Sin, made lubjed to Death, or liable to Pu- nishment : They were fo by virtue of Divine Confii- tution upon their fcederal Exifience in the one Man that finned : And actually they became obnoxious in their own Perfons unto the Sentence of it, upon their firft natural Exifience. It is here manifeft what Sin it is that the Apoftle intends, Rom. 5. 12. namely, the aclud Sin of Adam^ the one Sin of that one common- Perfon whilft he was fo: Fur altho the Corruption M z and s4 Conformijl. That in a Man regene- rate there is not at all any Fault or Guilt to be' found : for to lay that a Manregeneiate, when he fins, were nei- ther faulty nor guilty, were a grofs Untruth-, feeing 'tis impoiffble that Man lhould lin, yet God not to be offend- ed-, that Man ffould fin, and y et not be guilty, and 'deferving eternal Death: wherefore we confefs that in the ho- lieft of Men, if they fin, there is a true Fault, and God is difpleafed with if, there is alio true Guilt, and for it they deferve to go to Hell. But yet this truth alio muff be acknow- ledged withal, that all Faultinefs and Guilti- nels are quite abolillied and taken away from them by Chriit, be- caufe that both are par- doned to them. God is offended, but yet they feel not the woful Ef- fects of his Indignati- on, becaufe in Chriit. he is gracioully contented to be reconciled with them He forgives all cur Iniquity, and that's done entirely and totally, [ And bcaleth ail our Infirmities/] but this is by degrees, not all at once, in which courfe God hath no eaufe to fear the Cen- Sire of a Je>uit for Ua- skil&l- Baxteriawfm Barefaced, B:\xtman. Anfw. Adam's firit Sin com- mitted in the Irate of Inno- cency, wherein by God's appointment geffit personam generis human.', was every Mans perfonal Sin, and was confeated unto by every Man's Will, becaufe in A- dim there was. not only the Will of one lingular Man, but the univerfal Will of all Mankind, and of every fmgular Peribn, as before hath been declared. And I would fain know, if A- dtm's firft Tranfgreflion was his only, and no Man's elfe, how7 every lingular Per- fbn is by God himfelf for that very Tranfgreffion effeemed liable unto Death. Durandus anfwereth the Doubt : Tho it were not voluntary afhi p&fonali in- fantum ( who were not yet in rerum natttra) yet it was voluntary voluntate primi hominis, qua fait interpre- tative voluntas omnium. And if God himfelf and the Catholick Church inter- pret this Will of Adam in dilbbeying Gods Com- mandment, to be lb far forth our perfbnal Sin, that every fmgular Peribn ffandeth culpable of it, and liable unto Punifliment for it, we muff not give Credit either to the old Pelagians, or new Remonltrants, when they tell Us that &ch a De- cree cannot ftand withGod's Mercy. ObjecT. 2. That it was the Sin of our Nature, not by Generation, but by God's own Non-Conformifl. and Depravation of our Na- ture doth necelfarily enfue thereon, in every one that is brought forth actually in the World by natural Gene- ration, yet it is the Guilt of Adam's a&iul Sin alone, that render'd them all ob- noxious unto Death upon thzfaft entrants of Sin into the World: So Death en- tred by Sin, the Guilt of it, Obnoxioutnels unto it, and that with rtfpeci unto ail Men univerfally. Ibid. p. 467, 468. They (i. e. Arminians^) deny that they are guilty of Adtm's Sin, as finning in him, or that his Sin is a- ny way imputed unto us- — It is, fay they, again/} the nature of Sin, that that fljould be counted a Sin, or be imputed as a Sin to any, by whofe own proper Will it was not committed. Which being all they have to fay, they repeat it over and over in this cafe, it muji be vo- luntary* or it is no Sin. But I fay tnis is of no force at all : For firft, St. John in his moft exad definition of Sin, requires not Volunta- rinels to the nature of it, but only an Obliquity, a deviation from the Ru'lej it is an Anomy, a Discre- pancy from the i.aw, which whether voluntary or no, it skills not much} but lure enou&Ji there is in our na- ture luch a Repugnancy to the Law of God : So that, 2dly, If originally we are free from a voluntary acfyal TranC Conformift. skilfuluefs, nor frauds he in need of Man's Counfel for Prescripti- on., nor Man's help to hold his hand in work- ing, if the Cure go on more (lowly than our fbolifh Haitinefs think-; fit. That's fit and belt what God thinks ib:, and if we count him faithful and wife in his Art, 'tis our duty to Lake his Advice, but faucy Pre- fumption to give him any. Pcmble of Jufli- fication, p. 78, &c. The Sin of Adam wras not only perfpnal, neither did he fin as a Angular Perl i but as carrying all Mankind in the Stock and Origi- nal, no otherwife than Chrift fatisfying for us on the Crofs, hath not fuffered as a private Perfon, but as luftain- ing and reprefenting the whole Church in the Head. TheApoftle, 2CV.5. 15. Rom.6. doth affirm, that we are dead and crucified with Chrilt. If therefore we died in Chrift dying, and were crucified with him, it is no doubt but that it may likewife be laid, that we finned in :: for if the Satif- fadion and Righteouf- nefs of the lecond A- cum be imputed to us, why 11. all not the Sin of the firft Admn\ feeing Baxter tan ifm Barefaced. 85 Saxterian. Non-Con for mi ft. Tranfgreffion and Exorbitancy from the Law, yet, idly, In refpectof our Wills, we are not thus innocent neither, for we all finned in Adam, as the Apo- file affirmeth : Now all Sin is voluntary, fay the Remon- ft rants, and therefore Adam's TranfgreliioD was our voluntary Sin alio, and that in divers re- fpedts: 1. In that his voluntary Aft is imputed to m as ours, by reafon of the Covenant which was made with him in our be- half: but becaufe this confifring in an Imputation muff needs be extrinfecal unto us^ there- fore, 2. We fey that Adam being the Root and Head of all human kind, and we ail Branches from the Root, all parts of that Body whereof he was the Head, his Will may be jaid to be ours ; we were then- all that one Man, we were all in him, and had no other Will but his: lb tho that be extrinfecal unto us, confidered as particular Perfons, yet it is intrinfecal as we are all Parts of one com- mon Nature , as in him we fin- ned, fo in him we had a Will- of finning. 3. Original Sin is a defect of Nature, and not of this or that particular Perfon ; , whereas Alvares grounds this difference of actual and original Sin, that the one is alwayscom- mitted by the proper Will of the Sinner, to the other is re- quired only the Will of oui hrit Parent, who was the Head of Human Nature. The fum of their Endeavour in tnis Particular is, to clear the Na- ture of Man from being any way guilty of Adams a&ual Sin, as being own voluntary Imputa- tion. Anfjv. Original Sin fometimes noteth that voluntary and free Tranfgreiiion of the Divine Commandment, whereby Adam's perfb- nal Difobedience made every lingular. Per Ion a Sinner in the fight of G d, as before hath been laid. Sometimes again it noteth that Corrupti- on or Pravity of the Will and of the whole Soul which remained in Adam after his Re- bellion, and which by him is traduced unto every Angular Perfon, defcending naturally from him : Neither of theie becometh the Sin of any particular Per- fon otherwife than by Generation, tho not without a free Confti- tution of God's. Will. And as for the latter, it is in all lingular Per- fons of Mankind, not only by Imputation, but by real Inhefion or Contagion, as the whole Church con- feileth. Object. 3. Cod par' doned Adam who did att natty and freely com- 7 \ t it in his own Per- fan ; for fo it is gene- rally believed. God pardoned Adam, but no otherwife than upon his repenting and believing in the pro- mifed 8* Conformift. feeing that therefore the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is imputed to us, that the Sin of A- dam might not be im- puted to us ? Reafon it felf doth confent to this ^ for if Adam had received good things not for himfelf alone, but for his Pofterity, it is no marvel, if being fpoiled of thefe good things, he loft them for himielf and his Pofte- rity. If any one be capi- tally punifhed for Trea- son, and brought to ex- tream Poverty, his Chil- dren alfo with him do lofe their Nobility : Nor is any thing more equal, than that the Son fhould #ay his Father's Debts, ancl that as they are Heirs of their fi- liates, fo they might be Heirs of their Debts. But in this Similitude there is one, and that a notable difference } that is,when the Debtor hath waited the Inheri- tance, and there is more in Debt than in Goods, the Son may renounce the Inheritance, and leave his Fathers Goods-, but here this yielding up cannot be made, becaufe to the Guilt, by the Sin of Adam, there cometh alfo the natural Depravation and Con- tagion j like as he that is born of Parents in- fected Baxterianijm Barefaced. Non-Conformijl . being then in him a Member and part of that Body whereof he was the Head \ or from be- ing obnoxious unto an imputa- tion of it, by reafon of that Covenant which God made with us all in him : fo that de- nying, as you faw before, all in- herent Corruption and Pravity of Nature, and now all Parti- cipation by any means of A- dam's Tranfgreifton, methinks they caft a great Afperfion on Almighty God, however he dealt with Adam for his awn particular, yet for calling us his molt innocent Pofterity out of Paradife. But let them enjoy their own Wildom, which is earthly, feniual and devilifh. The Scripture is clear, that the Sin of Adam is the Sin of all, not only by propagation and ration, but by Jmputa- communication (whereby not tion •, It was pardoned in his fingular Fault, but fomething of the fame nature is derived unto us) but alio by an impu- tation of his actual Tranfgreili- on unto us all ; his fingular Di£ obedience being by this means made ours. The grounds of this Imputation I touched be- fore, which may be all reduced Baxtcriatt. mifed Seed : which be- ing Acts performed by him after he had loft his original Juftice , in them he iuftained not the common Perfon of Mankind, and there- fore diey were avail- able only to- him- felf. Any of his Po- fterity upon the fame Conditions (hall affu- redly obtain the like Pardon. The Conclu- sion which he fhould prove is this, Absolute Non-eletlion, or Nega- tive Reprobation cannot /land with God's Mer- cy. His Reafons are, Adams Sin is the Sin of Mans Nature only ^ it is ours not by Gene- Adam. Were all thefe true, ihew me any ne- cefTary Connexion be- twixt the Premifes and the Conclufion, and take the Caufe. Dr.Da- v want's x\nimadverfions upon a Treatife enti- tuled, God's Love to Mankind, p. 230, &c. (This Author's Senti- ment of the Truth in the main part thereof, viz.. God's dealings with Man by Imputa- tion and Inmfion, is that which renders him exceeding lovely ; tho in the cliitinft hand- ling of the fame accor- ding to the trial of this clay, warding Ex- prefli* to his being a common Perfon and Head of all our Nature, which invefteth us with a double Intereft in his Demerits, whilft fo he was, 1. As we were then in him, and part of him. 2. As he jufiained the place of our whole Nature in the Covenant God made with him,both which even according to the Exigence of God's Juftice, require that his Tranfgreflion be accounted ours. And St. Paul is plain, not only, That by one Alan's Offence many ve/e Smformift. fe&ed with Leprofy, which Contagion can- not be put off when they pleafe. — Adam while he lived committed ma- ny Sins, yet I think that only firSt Sin of Adam was imputed to his Po- sterity, becaufe only by this Sin he violated that Covenant which was made with him, as writh the Author ( or Origi- nal) of Mankind. Pe- ter dn Moulin 's Anato- my of Arminianifm, p. 50, 51, &c his Difobedience, doth nianifm, p. 72, 73, 74, Baxterianifm Barefaced. Bxxterian. preflions could not be rationally expeded from him futable unto the fame, unlefs he had feen it \ the MyStery of Iniquity lying then in a more indigefted and o- pacous Embrio, speci- ally amongft Prote- ftants, than now _ it does, in a more Spiri- tually refined, and re- formed Monfter there- of, by fophifticated Reafon, or Logick dia- boliz'd. 87 Non - Conformift. were made Sinners, Rom. 5. 19. by the derivation of a corrupted Nature, but alfo by one Mans Offence Judgment came upon all', ver. 18. even for his own Sin all of us are accounted to have de- served Judgment and Condem- nation : and therefore, ver. 12. he affrmeth, that by one Man Sin and Death cntrcd upon all the World, and that becaufe we all finned in him', which we no otherwife do, but that his Tranlgrefiion in God's eSK- mation is accounted ours: and the oppofition the ApofHe ma- keth between Chrifr. and his Righteoufhefs, and Adam and Sufficiently evince it, &c- Dr. Owen'j Difplay of Armi- 76. See Dr. O. of Juflification, p. 19. ^idam was the Father of all Mankind, from whom they Spring, but he did not fo reprefent the Perfons of all that were to Spring of him, as if his Obedience without their own would have juitified any of them at Age ', if Adam had not fin- ned, Cain Should have been condemned if he had finned, and fo others Bonum eft ex caufis integris ; malum ex partiali : Any Defedt maketh Sin, but Good muft have entire Caufes. Adams Sin caufeth original Sin in all, ex privatione caufa- tionis boni : But if Adam had not finned, every Sin of their own would have made his Children unrighteous They hold that we are juitified by the fame Law or Covenant of Innocency, which condemned} us •, becauSe, Say they, we have fulfilled it in and by Christ \ falfly (as is aforefaid) fuppofing that Chrifi was either Such a Surety as was in the Same Bond disjunctively with the Principal, or elfe that the Principal ( Man ) was allowed to do his Duty, or bear his Suffering by another : And So they deny the Golpel-Covenant and Gift, which is that indeed which jufti- fieth us by the way of Redemption, falfly fuppofing that the very damning Law doth juilify us by way of prevention as innocent, as having fulfilled it in Chrifi. Mr. Baxt. Brevi. Juftif. Tart 1. p. 2, 88. Part 2. p. 34, 35. See Pinching the Sod- man, and Mr. Norton's Anfwer, p. 353. Dialog, taken out of Mr. Chattncy's Re- joinder to Mr. D. Williams, p. 17. I grant that all Mankind are one with Adam by a natural Union, as proceeding from the fame Root , but I fear Mr. Forbes doth ftretch out our natural Union with Adam to a perSonal, to the end that he might make Adam's perfonal Action to be ours by Imputation. Norton. The fcope ,of Mr. Forbes is to prove the Imputation of Chriil's paflive Obedience, and that only in his Death, to be the matter of our Juftification, &c. We content to Mr. Forbes as to the Argument taken from the Comparifon, but difient from him as concerning the Reitiidions, the Reafons of the Comparifon being founded upon the Conditions of the Perfons and Divine Institution it holds betwttt 88 B&xteri.xmfw Barefaced. betwixt fuch Ads, as the firft arid fecond Adam aded as publick Perfons : Adam therefore being in that Ad of DtfoKedierice only a publick Perfon, hence that Ad. of perfed Righteoulhefs, had been imputed to his Seed, according to t the Covenant ef Works, unto their attaining of Juftification by the Law. Union between Ad an and his Pofterity was not perfonal, nor only natural, but myftical: It was a Conjundion of the Perfon of Adam, and all contained in his L(" Head, nyftical : It was a Conjundion of the Perfon of Adam, and all contained in his _oins in one fpiritual Body, by the Inftitution of God, whereby he was as their -lead, they as his Members, to Hand or fall with him, Handing or falling. Conformift. Baxterian. Non- Conformift. Head 4. That peculiar Re- Head 4. That peculiar Re- Head 4. That peculiar Re- demption, Sec. demption, dec. demption, &c. ■\^HenChriftdied,he offered a propitia- tory and real Sacrifice to his Father } and herein his Death and Paffion dif- fered! from the Sufferings and Deaths of all Men whatfbever. As for the univerfal Redemption of all and every Man, it is no better than the forgery of Man's Brain. There ihail he many in the day of Judgment of whom Chriil ftiati fay, t!:at he never foieto then:. Again, he faith, He which bt /, arid the Wrath of God abides upon him. But if all were cf- fedually redeemed, and only condemned tor not believing in Cbrift, it aid have been . that all are alread y ;ud s*ed, and that the Wrath of God abides not, but re- turns upo>i them. Cbrift makes no I; . . n for the A/]R. Baxter in his Me- iV1 thod. TheoJ. F irtj. p. 55- in anfwer to this Qucftion, Whether Chriil died for all, or for fome certain elect ones? refers his Reader for a more full explicatory Solution of the fame, unto a Piece that had not then pad the Prefs, but fmce his Death, as I hear, tho I have not feen it, has given, as the reviving Alhesof his reli- gious Memory, a general and open Vint to the World, as univerfal as -\edemption-fentiments are : But here he positive- ly declares, and that in (port, that ChriJt died for none perfonally (or diicriminativjy ) but for all., which, he fays, mail afterwards be explained ) unto which, for his fattf faction, let the Kr have his r whiiftin the mean time 1 (ball before him I .:^ literal T^Hat Chrift gave him- felf a Ranlbm for the Eled, or, the Redemp- tion wrought by Jefus Chrift, was peculiarly de- fined for eled Per'f The moil high, who ci - vicled to the Nations their Inheritance, he gave the- Eled to Chri/t as his Portion : And tho Satan (through their ill Huf- banciry in vllam~) hath got a temporary Mort- gage upon themj yet the Fee-finv.-ie or Right of Inheritance remains in Chrift} and therefore at the Year of Jubilee (that is, in the time appointed by the Father) they re- turn to him as the right Heir, tho not without both Conqueft and full Price, t Chrift giving himlelf a Ranfom] underftaYid the ■. his Hflrriilia- i or differed as a Mediator^ from his Incarnation to his Re- Conformift. the Worlds and therefore his Redemption is not ef- fectual to all Men^ for the Interceffion is the means of applying the Sa- tisfaction. If it be faid, by the World is meant only the Contemners of Grace, it appears to be otherwife, in tnat Chrift oppofeth the World to them which are the Fathei 's, and are given to Chrift by him *, there- by fignifying, that by the World he means all luch as are not the Father's, and were never given to Chrift. And he lays down his Life for his Sheep : now the Sheep have all thefe Brands or Marks, they hear his Voice, they know him, they follow him, they Jhall not perifi; none fliall pluck them out of Chrift's Hands ; aiad thefe are only fuch of whom Paul faith, Who JJjall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect ? it is Cod that juftifieth, who ffjall condemn ? And if this mould be true, that Chrilt was cru- cified and died, no lefs to make Satisfaction for the Sins of the damned, than for the Sins of Peter and Paul, and the reft of the Saints, it follows necefla- rily, that all their Sins are forgiven, confidering the Remiffion of Sin depends infeparably upon Satis- faction made to God's Juitice for Sin •, and Satil- faction doth neceffarilv abolilh all Fault. Per- kin's BaxterUmfm Barefaced, Baxterian. literal from other places ; £,tho there he tells us that Chrift died in two fenfes, in one for none, and in another for all ; and where the "'particular Redempti- on-work of Chrift is I cannot tell, unlefs it lurks in the Popiih Chair catho- lically, as the universal, particular Head of the Church. Errors. In Mr. Baxter's fenfe, Chrift's Sufferings were caufed by the Sins of none, as the affumed me- ritorious Caufe, or,as they ufually lay, as imputed to him, or lying on him, fave only of the Elect, that fliall be faved. Contr. The Sins of fal- len Mankind in general, except thofe Rejections of Grace, whofe Pardon is not offered in the condi- tional Covenant, did lie on Chrift as the afTumed Caufe of his Sufferings. Error. Chrift did both perfectly obey, and alio make Satisfaction for Sin by fuffering in the Perfon of all the Eleft in the fenfe of the Law, or God's account •, fo that his Righ- teoufnefs of Obedience, and perfect Holinefs, ar.d his Satisfaction is lo im- puted to us, as the Pro- prietaries, as if we our Selves had done it and fr.ffered it, not by an after- d nation in the Effects, but by th's itnd Imputa- tion in it . Comr. Chrift's Satif- iaciion, 89 Non-Conformift. Refurreftion: All which are fummarily expreffed by [the Blood of his CrofsJ as all the precious Fruits of his Death are by [ forgive- nefs ofSins.^ This was the Price wherewith he bought them that Jhould be faved. Election is the original Pattern, .accord- ing to which the line and compafs of Redemption is to be meafured, Joh. 5. 19. To make Redemption larger than electing Love, is to overlay the Founda- tion, and what is lb built will mrely fiaffer Lofs ; it therefore behoves us to. fee, that we feparate not what God hath conjoined, either by ft retching or ftreightning the Bonds he hath fet. 1 he Jews w.Te opinion'd, that the Pro- mife of the Jlfcjfiah be- longed only to them, ex- cluuve to the Gentiles : Others fmce would extend it to all the Sons of Men univcrjally and alike [not confidering the reafon why the Promiie was made to the Woman's Seed, and not to Adam's. 2 But the Mcfiah himlelf, who heft knew the End of his Com- ing, and Line of the Pro- mife, exempteth none, but extends it to all Nations indifferently:, yet fo, as that he reftrains it to the Elect among them. Thefe are called his Seed, and the Travel of his Seal, I fa. 53. io. with refpect to Whom he ihould make his N Sod 9° Confortnift. kin's Golden Chain, p.. 349, 478. That Chrift died only for the Eled. Chrift only was given to die for the company of die Eled. Chrift I tyeth down his Life for his Sheep, Joh. 10. 15* The Elect are only his Sheep: Ergo. Hub ems de- nieth the AfTumption, fay- ing, that all Men are God's Sheep and Inheritance, who if afterwards they ftray from the Lord's Shecpfold, the fault is in themfelves, The}. p.icCo. Contr. But our Saviour fpeaketh of fiich Sheep as do hear his Voice, and fol- low him, and they will not follow a Stranger, Joh. 10; 5. They therefore that fall away and follow any other, are not the Sheep of Chrift 's Fold ; therefore for fuch Sheep •only he died, as finally are his,thofe are the Eled only. Chrift died not for the Nation only, that is of the Jews, but, That he might gather together in one the Children of God that were fcattered, Joh. 11.52. But the Elect only are the Children of God;, of whom he fpeaketh again, namely, of thefe difperfeci and fcattered Children, Joh. 10. 16. Other Sheep I have alfo which, are not oj this Fold, them alfo Imuft bring. — Chrift died only for his Friends, Joh. 1 5. 1 3 . the Eled only, and luch as iiiall be faved, only are the Friends Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. No'i-Conformlfi. faction, and the jyierit of Soul 1 Offering for Sin : mio'.ic 'i his whole Obedience is as Theu efFedual for our Pardon, I Juftification and Salvati- on, as if Believers the^i- fclves h\d perforated ij. , and i: :s imputed to them, in that it was done for their fake>, and iuiilred in their Head, and the Fruits of it by a free CbveTiant Donation given them. or But, 1. God is not milla- ken, to judg that we obey- ed or luffered when we did not. 2. God is no Liar, to fay we did it, when he knows that we did it not. 3. If we were not the Actors and Sufferers, it is not poffihle that we Ihould be made the natural ( but were we not the foederally imputed?) Subjects of the Accidents of another Bo- dy, by any putation, efti- mation, or misjudging whatfoever j no, nor by any Donation neither. ( Here's a bold word, the Righteoufnefs ^ of Chrift was not materially and pro- perly given or imputed un- to the Eled for their Jufti- fication. ) It is a Contra- diction, and therefore an Impoffibility,that the fame individual Actions and Vaffions, of which Chrift's Humane Nature was the Agent and Subjed fomany hundred years ago, and have themfelves now no Exifterxe, Ihould in them- felves, I lay in themfelves, be made yours now, and you be the Subjed of the fame •e terms his J himfelf the lerd (as well he a' hole own the , and for whom he died^ Joh. 10. 15. And that he might not he taken to intend thofe f the j ewilh Nation, he prefently adds, And other Sheep J have which arc not of this Fold, them alfo mufl I bring in. And chap. 11. the Evangelift fays, He fljould not die for that Nation only, but for the Children of God which are fcattered abroad; this heexprefTesby [gathering together] which was the Ejfecl of his Death, ac- cording to Ephef. 2. 13. where they are faid to be made nigh by the Blood of Chrift ', and that he recon- ciled both (*. e. Jews and Gentiles, or the Elect fcat- tered among both} mta God in one Body by the Crofs, according to the Fa- ther's Compad made with him, and recorded in /ft. 49. 6. It alfo appears by Jfa. 53. that they were [ Sheep ] whofe Iniquities were laid upon Chrift ; v. 6. For the TranfgreJ/ion of my People Wits heftricken. Tho all Men were loft, Chrift was notfent but to the \HonfC\ of IfraeL- — As actual Sandification is the fruit and conlequent of Redemption, fo Election is the Root 01 them both, 1 Pet.i.z. TheApoftlein Rom. Conformift. Friends of Chrift. And if that place be objeded, That Chrift died for us v:hen we were yet Enemies: We anfwer with Bernard's Diftindion, That Chrift, according to the dif- penfation of Time, died for the Wicked and his Enemies : but in refped of hisPredefti- for his Friends and Baxteridftifm Barefaced. Baxterian. fame Accidents. (Vain Man would ^e wife!) But, i. By a true cfti /nation of the Reafons why Ghrift underwent them, viz,, for our fakes, as aforefaid. *&. And by a Dona- tion of the EffeUs or Fruits of them, nation, ror ms Brethren. Pofiibility only to be fandi- fied, and fo faved, but an actual San&ification and Sal- vation : they are verily fancti- fied for whom Chrift fancri- fieth it is certain that the ground of this Accu- lation is falfe , for it was not our deferred Punlfljment it felf ^ or the fame which was due in the true fenfe of the Law, which Non-Conformift. lie ftill upon you : Or, under- take to cure a Man of his Pftrenfy, upon condition he wiii be ibber ! What will they do who content themfelves with fuch a Redemption as this? Can we think that Chrift fiied I his Blood for thofe on whom he will not fprinkle it ? ( Match me this gracious Argument') That he died for thofe to whom he will not give a little Faith (one grain of Mujiard-feed) whereas without that all that he doth befides will not profit them? If any fay he would, but they will not ; I anfwer, This [will not] is their Un- belief, which he is to take a- way by [_worh'iKg 1 hem willing.'] A Will to believe, is believ- ing^ and in the day of his Power they fhall find it, Pfal. 110. And for any to fay, that a Will to beheve is not purchafed by Chrift, is a great derogation from the Virtue and Merit of his Suf- ferings. Mr. Cole of God's Soveraignty, p. 1 16, 1 17, 1 iS, 122,123, 133. How could the Father, fal- vajkftitia, deal thus with an innocent Perfon, and with his own Son too ? I anfwer, Chrift had now put himfelf in the Sinner's ftead, and was become his tyyvos, his Surety, and fo obnoxious to whatever the Sinner had deferved in his own Perfon ; and upon this the Father might without any Injuftice, and a&ualiy dl'd for the manifeftation of the unfearchable Riches of his Wifdom and Love, bruife him and Conformifi. fieth himfelf. Chrift was firft a Firebrand himfelf, touched or fcorched with die Fire of his Father's Wrath, and then as the Coal from the Altar he alfb purificth us. Thus then we fear not to con- fers with the Scriptures and Fathers, that Chrift bearing our Sins in himfelf upon the Croft, did feel himfelf, du- ring that Combat, as rejected and forfaken of God, and accurfed for us, and the flames of his Father's Wrath burn- ing within him : So that to the honour of Chrift 's Paffi- on we confefs, that our blef- led Redeemer refufed no part of our Punifhment, but endured the very Pains of Hell fo far as they tended not neither to the derogation of his Perfon, depravation of his Nature, cteftru&ion of his Office The Saints of God need not fear Hell, be- came Chrift felt it, but they by his Hell-forrows are de- livered from Hell : Let them rather look to this Danger, that would make us believe that the Hell-forrows of the Soul have not yet by fuffer- ing them, been fatisfied for : for feeing they muft be en- dured, and you fay Chrift hath not endured them for us, this will rather ftrike in- to the Mind a fear of Hell, that thefe Sorrows remain yet to be fufrered, than the Meditation of Chriii's Hell in his Soul, whereby our Souls are delivered. Where- fore the Saints need not fear Hell Flames, becaufe they were Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Non- Conformifi. and put him to Grief, Baxtman. which Chrift endu- red : but it was the Punifnment of a voluntary Sponlbr, which was the equi- valeris, and not the idem that was due, and did anfwer the Ends of the Law, but not fulfil the meaning of the Threatning, which threatnedthe Sinner himfelf, and not another for him : feeing then it. was a Satisfaction , or Sa- crifice for Sin, which God received for an •Atonement and Pro- pitiation, and not a jolution or fuffering of the Sinner himfelf in the fenfe of the Law, the Charge of Injuftice on God is groundless. Mr.Bax.- ter'-f Life of Faith, p. 321,322,325V** Reader, obferve Mr. Daniel Willi- ams'^ Gofpel Truth fiated and vindica- ted, chapter thz6th, the fccpe whereof is-, under various blind- ing Terms, and di- verting Arts, to over- throw Chriii's Suf- ferings, as the very idem due to the E- leci. It was not the Sin of the Elecionly, but of ail Mankind that were the occa- fion of Chrijks Suf- ferings ( called by fome, an affumed me- ritorious 93 The Lord Jefus had no Sin in him by inhefwn ; he Was holy, harmtefs. undefiled, &c. Heh. 7. 26. but he had a great aeal of Sin upon him by Jmputation. He was made Sin, &c. 2 Cor. 5. 21. It pleafed Chrift to put himfelf thus under the Guilt, and therefore it pleafed the Fa- ther thus to bruile him.' Morning Exercife Method. Dr. Jacomb, p. 203. Chrift's Death is a Sacri- fice, and a Sin-expiating Sa- crifice, if either the Names or Nature of it may be re-" garded , for the Names and Titles proper to Sacrifices they are attributed to it (and Gocl doth not give flattering Titles, not falfe Names, but fuch as difcover the nature of things ) it is called tr&ii35jII37jii38,"4S', 1 147, 1 148. The fum of all this : That feeing ail our Iniquities were laid upon Chrift, Argun:. 1. Seeing he was made Sin for us, Argmn. 2. He was cloth- ed with our filthy Rayments, Argmn. 3, He became de- formed, and without Beauty for us. A gum. 4. He by his Sin, tnatis, his Flefh, where- in he bare our Sin, condem- ned our Sin, Argum. 5. we doubt not to affirm, and ve- rily believe, to our endlefs Comfort, that Chrift was re- puted before God as that thw. Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. thoufand ) therefore Chrift was not re- ally or reputatively the Perfon finning. Mr. Baxter's Me- thod. Theol. Part 3. p. 42. Thus Socinws: One Man can but redeem one', and therefore either there mud be found out an infinite fort of Redeemers for all Men, or Chrift redeemed but one. The immediate Effect of the Death of Chrift ib not the RemifTion of Sins, or the .actual- Re- demption of Arm in. Chrift did properly die to fave any one. Grev. A potential and conditionate Recon- ciliation, not adual and abfolute, is ob- tained by the Death of Chrift. I believe it might have come to pafs, that the Death of Chrift might have had its end, tho never any Man had believed ; the Death and Sa- tisfaction of Chrift being accomplilhed, yet it may fo come to pafs, that none at all fulfilling the Condition of the new Covenant, none might be iaved. guilty Cm vi. of The any, not 97 Non-Conformift. Chrift underwent ano- that eternal, this tem- poral \ and fo alfo of the Cnrfe. and Defertion threate- ned (befides what lhall be faid after ) would render the whole of our Salvation unin- i clUglble, as being revealed in Terms equivocal, no where explained. 2. There is not the lead intimation in the whole Book of God of any change of the Punifhment, in reference to the Surety, from what it was, or fhould have been, in refped of the Sin- ner. ( God made all our Ini- quities to meet on him ; that is (as hath been declared) the Pmiflment due to them. Was it the fame Puniihment or another ? Did we deferve one Puniihment, and Chrift undergo another? Was it the Sentence of the Law that was executed on him, or was it fome other thing that he was obnoxious to ? It is faid that he was made under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. that Sin was condemned in his Flejh, Rom. 8. 3. that God [pared him not, vei;. 31. that he tafied Death ; that he was made a Curfe; ail relating to the Law : that he fuffered more or left, there is no mention. It is ft range to me, that we lhould deferve one Punifli- ment, and he who is punch- ed for us undergo another-, yet both of them be con- ftantly defcribed by the fame Nanus and Titles. If God laid the Puniihment of our Sins on Chrift, certainly it was the Puniihment that was O due c,S Confortnift. of all our Sins, which he willingly undertook, and (b fatisfied for them for ever. Another Lie wherewith the Frier flandreth Calvin is this, that he mould fay, that Chriit was, re iffa peccator, a Sinner indeed : non t.m- tum, &c. not guilty only of our Sins, but of his own. P. 462. Calvin only faith, Oportuk eum, dec. He was to ftand before God's Judgment-feat as guilty of all our Sins : He took upon him cur Per- fon, and undertook our Sins, as the Prophet faith, Ifa. 53. 6. God hath laid upon him the Iniquity of mall: And the Apoftle faith, He was made Sin for us, that knew no Sin, that we fijotdd. be made Right eoufnefs in him. As we are Sinners in our (elves, yet made righteous by imputation of his Righ- teoufnefs : fo Chiift being righteous in himfelf, was a Sinner for us, and in our Per- fon by imputation oi cur Sins. This is neither Here- fy nor Blafphemy. This threatning of Adam, Thou fu'alt die the Death, was truly performed in Clorifl : But if this Death to Adam threat- ned be the Death of the Soul, and not of the Body, as I have proved, becaui'e Adams Body died not in that eLty,Scc. how could the Death of A- dUw'sSoul be truly perfonn'd in Chrilt's Body? fo that this nnaketh a ftrong Argu- ment to prove a kind of dy- ing in Soul in Chriit : that Deiitfi Bsxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. The Impetration of Salvation for all by the Death of Chrifr, is nothing but the obtaining of a poilibility thereof, that God without wronging his J uftice, may open unto them a Gate of Mercy, to be entred on fome condition. Rem. Coll. Hag. Why then the Efficacy of the Death of Chrift depends wholly on us: True, it cannot otherwife be. Rem. Apol. As he took the common Nature of Non-Conformifl. due to them. Mention is eve- ry where made of a Commu- tation of Perfons, the Juft fuffering for the Vnjufi, the Sponfor for the Offender, his Name as a Surety being taken into the Obligation, and the whole Debt required of him ; but of a change of PuniiB- ment there is no mention at a : And there is this deibe- rate Confequence that will be made readily, upon a fuppo- fal that any lels than the Curie of the Law, and Death in the nature of it eternal, was in hided on Chriit ^ namely, that God indeed is not Jhiio a jore Revenger of Sin as in the Scripture he is Man, fo the Sin of propofed to be, but can pals all, and not only the it by in the way of Com- pofition on much eafier terms The Puniihment du Elect, were thecau fes of his Sufferings, and laid upon him ^ and the fruits of his Sufferings and Me- rits were fome com- mon, and fome pe- culiar to the Eled. — Chrift's Sufferings were not the fome Puniihment which the Lav*' did threa- ten, but it was Sa- tUfadion inilead of it, which is the tan- tundem, not the idem quad but redd.; io <•.. lentis id... . . . '. , as the Schoolmen call it : for noxa ca- put ft '.v..?--:, t e Law threatneth not a Surety, but only \hz Sinner; an 3. ihe Lumihment ciue to us, that is in the Cirfe of the Lpv, 1. Lofs, or Sepa- tion from God. 2. Senfe, from the inflidion of the Evii threained \ and both thefe did our Saviour under- go. Add but this ova C01 - lideration of what is affirm- ed of him, that he i Death for usi HJ:.z.?. and this will be cleared. What Death was it that he tailed ? 1 he Death that had the Curie attending it. Gal. 3. 13. he was made a Curfe , and what Death that was he himfelf ■ here callingMen ', he cries, GointosVv.. . ::nc; you that are obnoxious to the i aw, go to the Puniihment of Hell 7 yea and that Curie which he underwent, Gal. Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. alius folvl't, fimul al'ntd folvltur. — It is not the idem, but the tquivalens that Chrift differed as to our Debt. — Chrift ha- ving ftiffered in the com- mon Nature of Man, ib far did it in their ftead ; and if you will needs fo call it, fo far reprefented fallen .Mankind, as that if they will perfbnally receive him by Faith in the new Covenant, they fhall not peri !li for A- dam\ Sin (or their own) fuppofmg that the Pa- rent is the Accepter for the Infant. None perilh for original Sin alonfcj without the addition of the neglected and refu- Conformift. Death which was to Adam threatned, Chrift fuffered. I think this will be confelfed, that it was truly performed in Chrilt, but not in his Bo- dy ■, Ergo, in his Soul : and fo.it followeth in the Epiftle of Felix before ailed ged : Jtaque Deiu donum dimidior- turn non fecit, &c. God gave not half a Gift, but he took whole Adam of the Virgin's Womb, to fave the whole that was loft. The Reafon thus ftandeth : To redeem the whole, Chrift muft die in the whole, for he took the whole to redeem the wholes if it had not been needful to die or fuffer in the whole, he needed not to have taken the whole : But Chrift redeemed the whole, Ergo, he fed Grace and Remedy, died in the whole. Ten (Thus Corvimu, We no feveral Challenges whereby they practile to make this Doctrine odious, I have an- fwered: and all thole Blaf- phemies, which they would fallen upon us, and Chrift's holy Caufe, we wipe them off, as Paul did the Viper, without any hurt to our Caufe, no more than the Vi- per did to the Apoitle's hand. Ibid. p. 1 127, 1081, 1082, 1084. He hath delivered us from the Wrath to come, and from P*w 'iha. trits Temporal, as for- mal Punifhments. — We have Communion with Chrift in , which are as fully imputed unto us for Juftifi- cation, as if his Sufferings had been by us endured, or the Debt by us (atisried. As we way doubt to afBrm that never any one was dam- ned for original Sin. ) It is not only the Spi- ritual Offspring that Chrift was a fecond A- dam to, but partly to all Mankind ; for by a Re- furre&ion (tho not to Glory) all Men are made alive by Chrift, Job. 5. 22, 23,* 29. 1 Cor. 15. ( now that Chrilt raiies the quick and dead, viz.. the fpirituuUy alive, and fpiritually dead, as their Bodies lie in a relative Irate unto .their Souls, is true-, but that he does lb as a fecond Adam un- to each of them, is a pofi- tive Fallhood.) And all have a general conditional Recon- 99 Non - Conformift. Cal. 3. 13. isoppofed to the Blelling of Abraham, ver. 14. or the Blefling rjromifed him, which was doubtlefs Life eternal. And to make it yet more clear, it was by Death that he delivered us from Death, Heb. 2. 14, 15. And if he died only a Temporal Death, he de- livered us only from temporal Death, as a Pu- niftiment ' But he fhews us what Death he deli- vered us from, and conse- quently what Death he un- derwent for us, Joh.8.51. He Ji jail never fee Death, that is, eternal Death j for every Believer inall fee Death temporal. On thefe Confiderations it is evident, that the Suffer- ings of Chrift in relation to the Law, were the very fame that were threatned to Sinners, and which we mould have undergone, had not our Surety undertaken the Work for us : Neither tos there any difference in reference to God the Jtdg-, and the Sentence of the Law, but only this, that the fame Per- fons who offended, did not fuffer j and that thofe Confequences of the Pu- nijbriwnt inflicted, which attend the Offenders own fuffering, could have no place in him. But this being not the main of my prelent De%n, I (Fall no further infill on O 2 it; 100 Conformift. we find in the Body Medi- cines often applied unto found Parts, not with relation to themfelves, but to cure o- thers which are un found ; in a Diftillation of Rheums on the Eyes we cup and fcarify the Neck which was unaf- fected, to draw back the Humor from the Part diitem- pered : even fo Chrift, the glorious and innocent Head of a miferable and leprous Body, fuffered himfelf to be wounded and crucified, to wreftle with the Wrath of his Father, to be one with a wretched People in the Con- dition of their Infirmities, as he was with the Father in the Unity of Divine Holi- ne(s-, that Co by his Infirmity being joined unto us, the Communion of his Purity might join us unto God again. He alone without any de- merit of his, fuffered our Pu- niiLment, that we without any Merit of ours might ob- tain his Grace. The Parns of Chrift's Wounds were his, but the Profit ours. Dr. Reynolds Lift ef Chrift, £,.405, 408, 469. How hath Chrift wrought this Redemption ? Having taken our Mature upon him, he hath in the fame as a Surety in our (lead, made full Satisfaction to God his Father, by paying all our Debts, and fo hath let us free. Heb.j.22. What is this; Debt that we owe to God, that he hath paid for us ? This Debt is twofold : one is Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. Reconciliation and Par- don, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. J&.3. 16. (Till Chrift by trial and examination of them, finds who have brought the Conditions thereof with them) fo that adual Juftification refults to no Man from Chriii's mere Reprefenta- tlon of him, but from his free Donation by the new Covenant. God ac- counted the RighteouP nefs which Chriit fulfilled to be only the Caufes of our Right co ufncfs , and not our Righteoufnefs it fclf: Tho the meritori- ous Caufe may be called the meritorious Matter in a remote fenfe, as pur- chafing the free Gift of our formal Righteoufnefs. I ftill grant that Chriit fuffered, yea and obeyed in fome fort in our ftead, tho not in our Perfon, civil or legal, fo as that we areiegally re- puted the Doers of it, by or in him. Mr. Bax- ter's Brevi. Jnfti. Part 1. p. 4, 5, 48, 66, 88, 108, 112. They lay, if God fhould punifh any Sin of the Eled, it would be In- julrice, becaufe it is all pu- nifhed already on Chnif, and the Debt is "fully paid by him. They (ay, that Chrift's Satif- fadion by Sacrifice, was the folutio ejufdem, the Payment of the fame Debt of fuffering that was Non-Conformift. it: Only I marvel that any mould think to im- plead this Truth of Chrift's fuffering the fame that we did, by faying, that Chrift's Obligation to Puniihment was fpon- f.oms propria, ours viola- te Lcgis ; as tho it were the manner how Chrift came to be obnoxious to Puniihment, and not what Vunijbmmt he un- derwent, that is averted when we fay, that he underwent the fame that we fhould have done. But as to fay, that Chrift became obnoxious to Puniihment the fame way that we do, or did, that is, by Sin of his own, is Blafphemy : So to fay- he did not upon his own voluntary undertaking,un- dergo the fame, is little lefs. It is true, Chrift was made Sin f. >r us, had our 'Sin imputed to him, not his own^ was obliged to anfwer for our fault, not his own *, but he was ob- liged to anfwer what we JJjould have done. Dr. Owen againft Biddle\ P. 504, 564,565, 567. — - The Lamb or God did not only thefe things for us, but he underwent Torments, and was pu- nifhed for us taking unto himftlf the Curie that was due to us : for what was he but ( a Sa- crifice for us) a Price of Redemption for our Souls? In our Perfon there- Baxterianifm Barefaced. Conformifi. is that perfect Obedience which we owe unto God in regard of that excellent Eftate in which we were created, Dent. 12. 32. The other is the Pnnflh- ment due unto us for our Sins in tranfgrelling and breaking God's Covenant, which is the Curfe of God and everlafting Death, Dent. 27. 26. Rom. 6. 23. Mat. 5. 17. Gal. 3. 1 3. chap. 4. 4, 5. 2 Cor. 5. 2. all which is con- tained in the Law of God, which is the Hand-writing between God and us con- cerning the old Covenant, Col. z. 15. How was our Saviour to make Satisfaction for this our Debt? 1. By perform- ing that perfect Obedience which we did owe. 2. By fuffering that Punifhment due unto us for our Sins, that fo he might put- out that Hand-writing between God and us, and let us free. What then be the Parts of Chrift 's Obedience and Satisfaction ? His Sufferings and his Righteoufhefs : Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7, b'. 1 Pet, 2. 24. for it was requifite that he mould firft pay all our Debt, and fatisfy God's Juftice, Jfa. 53. $, 6. Job 33.24. by a price of in- finite Value, 1 Tim. 2. 6. zly. Purchafe and merit for us God's Favour,- Ephef. 1. 6. and Kingdom by a moft ab- folute and perfect Obedience, Rom. 5. 19. By his fuffering he was to merit unto us the forgivenefs of our Sins, and by Baxterian. was due to us, and not properly Satisfa&ion, which is, Redditio agni- valentis, or tantidem ali~ as in debit i ', as if he had fufFered Death fpiritual by lofs of Holinefs, and the Torments of Hell by an accufmg Cunfcience, and the hatred of God. Ibid. Part 2. p. 13, 15. iVlr. Baxter, Method. Theol. Part 3. p. 36. puts this Queftion, Whether Chrift bore infernal Pains, or the lame in kind with what are due unto Sin- ners? After a bundle of Crudities he concludes, £.38. I only fay, altho nothing of the nature of infernal Pains was in the Sufferings of Chrift, yet there was a tantillnm, or fbme diminutive little j and in other refpects there is fo great an imparity and . diiiimilitude, as that the name of infernal Pains, or fuch as the Damned fuffer, agreeth not to them. p. 45. Whether Chrift in fuf- fering fulfilled the Threat- ning of the Law, as againft us, or rather prom; fed the Diipenfation or Relaxati- on of the Penal Law ? or, whether the Punifhment of Chrift was the fame, or idem, that was due un- to Sinners, or only what was equivalent and tanta- mount I lie positively de- termines upon the latter, that Chrift did not bear the idem, or fame that the 101 Non-Conformift. therefore the Oracle fpeaks. Enfebim brought in by Dr.Owen of Jnfii. p.249. — One may fuffer on the occafion of the Sin of another, that is no way madeliis, but he cannot be puniihed for it •, for Puniiliment is the Recompence of Sin on the account of its Guilt. — God laid all our Sins onhim, and in Judgment fpared him not, as to what was due to them : And fb he fuffered not what was his due on his own account, but what was due to our Sin,which is Impiety to deny ; for if it were not fo, he died in vain, and we are ftill in our Sin. Ibid. p. 507. Chrift mould offer himfelf to undergo that Punifhment which his (viz,, the Father's) JuC- tice had allotted for the Rebels, and fhould ac- cordingly do it j he fhould properly make Satisfaction for their Offence,. and in ftrict Juftice they ought to be pardoned : the Satif faction of Chrift by the Payment of the fame thing that was re- quired in the Obliga- tion, is no way preju- dicial to that free gra- cious Condonation of Sin, fb often mentioned. — Now from ail this, thus much to clear up the nature of the Sat if faction by Chrift ap- pearethp 102 Conformifi. by his fulfilling the Law he was to merit unto us Ilighte- oufnefs, both which are nc- cefTarily required for our Juftification. W hereunto was he offer'd ? unto the Shame, Pain, Tor- ment, and all Miferics v are due unto us for our Sins •, he fuffmng whatsoever we ihould have fuftered, and by thofe grievous Sufferings ma- king Payment for our Sins, If a. 53. Mat. 26. 28. What Profit cometh by this Sacrifice? By his moft painful Suffe.ings he hath la- tisfied for the Sins of the whole World of his El eft, J fa, 53. 5. 1 Pet. 2, 24, 1 job. 2. 2. and appeafed the Wrath of his Father : Co that hereby we receive Atonement and Reconciliation with God, our Sins are taken away, and we are freed from all thofe Puniihments of Soul and Bo- dy, which our Sins have de- ferved, Heb. 9. 26. How i- it then that Chrift having born the Pdhifhrnent of our Sins, the Godly are yet in this World fo often afflifted-for them with grie- vous Torments both of Body and Soul, and that for the moft part more than theJJn- gocily ? The Sufferings of the Godly are not by deleft any Satisfaction for their Sins in any parr, but being lanftilieci in the moft holy Sufferings of Chrift they are Medicines again ft Sin : neither are their Arfbftions properly a Puni fo- ment, but a fatherly Cor- rection and Cbaftiiement in the Baxteriamjtn Bayifu^d. B.txterian. the Eleft fhould have , but ibme fcrbea- rance-mony^ for Relaxa- tion, to fee if Men will t in with their condi- tional Qualification or no ^ if not, then of coujfe with him (which is dreadful Blafphcmy to fuppo(c) the blefled Jefus med in vain. Now a Mony-furety is bound to do more than the Principal is bound to do. If I am not obliged to pay a hundred Pounds, neither is my Surety- bound to pay a hundred Pounds. Object You'll fay, by the Law we -are bound to obey the Law perfectly, or to die for it. Anfv. Yes, to obey was your Duty, to die was the Pe- nalty if you difobeyed. But, 1. You were not bound to die, tho you obeyed perfectly , but Chrift was bound to obey, and faffer tho he obeyed. 2. Were you bound when you did Cm, and faffer the Penalty, to obey afreib in a way of Merit of for- feited Bleftings ? But Chrift fuffered, and yet obeyed, to merit forfeited Bleftmgs, and more. 3. Were you bound to fuffer as your Duty, and that in a way of Propitiation to reconcile the offended God by it, as an A A of Obedience? Yet Chrift engaged in this mann 'r. 4 Were you bound by Nan-Con formijl. peareth, v&i it was a lull valuable Compen- fation made to the Jus- tice of God for all the Sins of all thofe for whom he made Satif faction by undergoing thatPunilhmentrwhich, by reafon of the Obli- gation that was upon them, they themfelves were bound to under- go. When I fay the fame, I mean effemially the lame, in weight, prefTure, tho not in all Accidents of Duration, and the like •, for it was impollible he Ihould be detained by Death. - — He paid this Price into the hands of the Fa- ther j a Price muft be paid to fome body in the cafe of deliverance from Captivity by it, muft be paid to" the Judg or Jailor-, that is, to God or the De- vil. To lay the latter, were the higeft Blaf- pherrty. Satan was to be ^conquered, not (a- tisfied: for the former the Scripture is clear 1 it was his Wrath that was on us, &c. Dr. 6. SjUis deal or um, fangitis Jefa p. 139,140,141, 142, 156. It was the Law which hindredGod from (hew- ing Mercy, and made Man's Salvation impof- fible-, then that Law doth oblige God to i:e it fulfilled, or die to grant Baxterianifm Barefaced. Conformift. the World, that they llould not periili with the World. — Chrift fufftred the weight of God's Wrath, the Terrors of Death, Sorrows of his Soul, and Toimer.ts of his Body, I fa. 53. j, 10. A/at. 26 37,38. Luke 22. 24. Mat. 26. 6j. -- — He drank the full Cup of Gcd's Wrath filled unto him for our fakes, the whole Wrath of God due to the Sin of Man being poured forth upon hfm :, and there- fore in Soul lie did abide moft akable Vexations, hor- rible Griefs, painful Troubles, fear of Mind, feeling as it were the very Pangs of Hell, into which both before, and moft of all when he hanged upon the Crcls, he was caft. Dr. Ufher'i Body of Di- vinity, p. 170, 171, 172. We are not only freed from Condemnation, but we alio are made Heirs God: The Offender b abfoived from the Sentence of the judg, is n< t uj on that honoured and rewarded: fo that it ftandeth wuh 1 he Law of natural I of Civil Justice, th it things muft concur unto fication, an filiation of Shi- and Cok:t:cu of Righteous nefs. h this to be one of the Ends for n him our Flelh 5, Rom. '6. 4. But it will be laid, that b >th are equifite in Sod's Juflice to I law, aid to nt , God's ■-: in that the ' .t is anfi e< for B.txterian. the Law, that the Son of God fhould aiTume your Fleib, and therein obey and fuffer? yet there- upon depends the Satif- fadion and Merit of the Obedience yielded : hence is the value of the Ads done, and Sufferings en- dured :, it were not a Payment without that, for dying and obeying too would not ferve to fave Sinners, if it were not the Son of God in our Na- ture did both } This goes into the Trice and P ■ ment : could Men have done it, it had been no Payment, fuppofmg but one Sin before. So that in this very reibed Chrift wTas bound to redeem you by paying a Million in alue of bis Perfon j and the feme Adions and ms as done and dif- fered by you, would not have been one Penny in value. And is he but your pecuniary proper Surety when he is bound for a Million, and you for a Penny, as in Re- dt -inpt ion-work ? fsfr.D.W. made righteous^ && i>- 93,94.; 1 here is a great degree of Pardon given to the World before Coi.w which lhall yet juftify ar.cl lave none but Be- lievers : God's giving a Sa- viour to the World and a r.c.v Covenant, arid in that an nnivcrfd co nil Pardon ; yea his giving them Non-Conff/nnift. grant no Life to Sin- ners: and if Chrift did not fulfil it, nor was made properly fubjecT: to it, (as they teach) then he could not properly^ purchafe a Covenant of Life, if he did fulfil it for Sinners, then they muft be dilcharged by his Satisfaction, without further Conditions im- pofed on them. — They fay the Law of Works was neither abolifhed nor fulfilled by Chrift, but relaxed •, 1 fuppofe they mean, that God did not infift upon the abfolute performance of the Law7, but wras plea- fed to admit of an equi- valent Reparation cf his Honour, by the O- bedienee of Chrift to the Law which he ihould impoie on him, wherein fhould be com- prehended a great part of the Moral Law* I reply, if God did relax the Law, fo as not to require the proper ful- filling of it, then he did lofe the Obligation which was laid ^upon him to fee it fulfilled : The ordinate or rela- tive Juitice of God ob- liged turn to proceed ac- cording to that Law£ and if he admitted of anoiher way of repara- tion to his Honour, he did not proceed in a way of juftice in all that he laid upon Chrift j 104 Conformift. for tranfgr effing the Law. Anfvo. True it is, if we ex- pect to receive no more in Chrift than we loft in Adam, which was the iofs of a ter-. reftrial Paradife, to reftore us to what we were in A Irm, Satisfaction for the Puuiih- ment had fofficed \ but to bring us to Heaven, a new Merit by Chriit's perfect O- bedience was to be procured, bv the which Heaven is pur- chafed. Objett. ChriiVs Satisfaction was, plufquam fufficiens, more than fufficient, Fevard. p. 382. therefore he was not bound unto by Law. Anfw. Where the Debt is but of Mony, the Surety indeed neither by God's Law nor Man's, is compelled to give Life or Soul •, but where the Debt is of Body and Soul, it cannot otherwife be paid in the Law of Juftice, but by giving Body and Soul.-— The Argument folio weth not, he paid more than we did owe ; Ergo, he paid not that which we did owe : rather the con- trary follower]!, he paid more, .Ergo, he paid lefs. If a Sure Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. them Teaching Exhort a* tions and Offers of free Grace, and his giving them Life and Time , and many Mercies which the full Ex- ecution of the Law would have deprived them of, is a very great degree of Pardon, God pardoned to Mankind much of the Penalty which Sin . de- ierved,even prefently after the firit Tranfgrellion, in the Promife made to A- dam, Gen. 3. 15. Many Texts of Scripture (which partial Men for their O- pinions fake do pervert ) do fpeak magnificently of a common Pardon, which muft be fued our, and made particular upon our believing. The World was before under fo much impoffibility of being faved by any thing that they could do, that they muft have procured all to be done firft which Chrift hath done and fuffered for them, which was utterly above their power. They that were actually ob- liged to bear the Pains of ty in his great abundance will pay twenty tnoufand, where Death, both temporal, fpi- the Debt is but ten thouiand, ritual and eternal, are now is not the Debt aniwered ? He that giveth more than meafure, prejfed down, Jhaken together, running over, doth he not give meafure ? Dr. Wil- letV Synop.Pap. p. 1001,11.30, J 131. He, i, e. Chrift iufTering for us whatfoever weJhould have fuffered /yea, even eter- nal Death it ielf, for as much as ib far redeemed and par- cloned, and delivered, that ail the Merit and Sattf- faciion necefifary to actual Forgivenefi is made for them by another, and no one of them all Hull pe- rilh for want of a Sacri- fice made and accepted for them ; and an univer- fal conditional Pardon is enacted. Non-Conformift. Chrift ; and he might as well have faved Man without the Obedience of Chrift as with it, his juftice or Law allow- ing that Relaxation no more than a total fiiper- ceding or laving afide the Law. Bv thfs Pur- chafe therefore they can mean no more, but that Jefus Chrift did fo honour the Father by his Obedience and Suf- ferings, that he might with decorum to his Ma- jefty give to Sinners terms ot Salvation, and would do it j but this is no Pur chafe, which transferred a Legal Right to the Purchaier, if the Purchafe be ac- cepted, but dependeth merely upon Promife or terms of Honour. It is alio great Preemption for Men to judg what is becoming Divine Majefty ; and what will falve his Honour, other than what is ac- cording to his Law or Promiie } whereas here they make him to wave his own declared Law founded in the higheit Rcafon and Equity.- — Nor in this fenfe is the Death of Chrift a Ran- fom, Satisfaction, or Propitiation. A Ran- dom refpedeth Perfons to be redeemed: it is a Price given for them, riot for Laws and Co- venants •-, whoever paid •a Confotmift. as the Eternal differed the nature of that Death, tho he only tafted of it, as Heb. 2. 9. yet he fo tafted it, as at once, as it were at one morfel, he wholly devoured it and (wallowed it up in Victory, 1 Cor. 15. 54. Mr. Burton'.* Chriflian Bul- wark, p. 76. How can it ftand with God's Juftice to lay Punifli- ment upon the moft righte- ous Man that ever was, and that for grievous Sinners :, confidering that Tyrants themfelves will not do fb? Anjrv. In the Paflion, Cbrift mull not be confidered as a pri- vate Perlon : for then it could not ftand with Equity that he fhould be plagued and punch- ed for our Offences j but as one in the eternal Counfel of God fet apart to be a publick Surety or Pledg for us, to fuffer and perform thole things which we in our Perfbns ftiould have fuffered and per- formed. Mr.Peikins Golden Chain i p. 256, 297. This Hypothefis, or Plat- form is but the varnifhing and frefh trimming over of certain Opinions, which the Church in former Ages did condemn. The Pelagians taught that all Men were re- deemed by Chrift, but not made free •, becaufe God dii: tributed his Gifts according to the capablenefe of them that came to receive them. Aug. contr. Jul. Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 3. T he fame did Fanjlm the Pelagian alio affirm, lib. de grat,& lib, irb.i. cap. 16. Hoy Baxterianifm Barefaced Baxtcrian. enacted, fealed, and re- corded, and offered and urged on all to whom the Gofpel cometh, and nothing but their ob- ftinate, wilful refufal or negledt can deprive them of it ; and this is fo great a degree of Pardon, that it is cal- led often by fuch abfb- lute names, as if all were done, becaufe all is done which concern- ed God as Legislator, or Govenant'?naker to do, before our own ac- ceptance of it. Mr.B's Life of Faith, p. 335, 33<5« where by a Simi- litude of redeeming captive Subje&s,he calls the Blood of Chrift as a proper Sacrifice un- der the higheft Con- tempt imaginable, that thouiands and Miliions of thofe that he died and fatisfied for lhall be eternally damned ; and likewife his Pur- chafe, in a Blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, as to his peculiar, phy- fical,energetical Opera- tion, in that thole Cap- tives that accept of that Ranfom have no more to plead the effica- cy of it upon them un- to the fame, than the Autocracy of their own Wills managed by themfelves, which felt- fame Power others re- fuiing to employ, are finally damned npt- vvith- r©5 Non-Conformifi. a Ranfom without agree- ing to whom it fhould ex- tend, and that it mould take certain effed: ? where- as here is nothing pur- chafed but a Covenant or Promife, that all thofe that believe and obey the Gof pel mould be faved, which perhaps might be none. Nor was it agreed how long the World ihould ftand, and fo what num- ber of Men fhould be made, or fliould need, or be capable of this Re- demption. A Satisfadion to God in this cafe is a Satisfaction to his Law, whereby the Sinner muft immediately be difcharg- ed. A Propitiation is a Sacrifice appealing and re- conciling God to Man, neither of which is done if only a Promife be pro- cured to fave Men upon their fulfilling the Condi- tions of a new Law. — If Chrift only purchafed a Covenant of Life, then his Redemption is more in- effectual to fave, than A- dam%¥d\\ was todeftroy Man. The Apoftle,&w.j." 1 7, i8.comparing the Death or Chrift with Adams Fall, faith, As Sin reigned to Death, fo Grace much more reigns to Life, &c. But where is rhis much more? The Obedience of Chrift fails far Ihort of Adams Diibbedience ia its Effeds, if he only pur- chafed Conditions of Life. Adam in a few moments P by io6 Conformift. How hath God (faith he) re- deemed all the World ? Do we not fee Men to live ft ill in their Sins? How flail we think that they arc ranfomed whom we fee fiill continue Captives? Let us gather that which is here meant by ufing a Similitude : As for Example ; If any Embaffador, or Vrieji, pmpoflng to wake ln- terceffion for a City taken by War, flail be/low a very great Kanfom, and fct from his Ser- vitude who is t he chief C cm- man der, all the mult itude which is in Captivity; in fo much that they are altogether deli- vered from all Conflraint on veccffity of Bondage ; and then if happily cither their ufual iaelight , or fome joothing Slave . fijall fo infiantly urge fome of the Captives, as that every one turning Servant and Slave to his own Will, Jfjall refufe that truly beflowed Benefit ', pall we Jay that the Contempt of the unthankful Captive hath legend the Efiimation of the Kanfom ? or, that he which re- fitfeth Liberty, doth my way diminifl the good Will of him that ranfometh ? Surely no *, far even as he that returneth may be well accepted with him, fo is he guilty of Contempt who did not return. Mr. Perkins Treat, of Predeft. p. 174,175. When all hope of Righteouf nefs was pail on our part, when we had nothing in our fclves whereby we might quench his burning Wrath, and work the Salvation of our awn Souls, and rife out of the milerable Eftate wherein we kivj then, even then, did Chrift Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. withftanding their be- ing perfonally redeem- ed by Chrift. Error. That no one fhall luffer whole Sins lay on Chrift, and were fuffered for by him. Contr. Many {Itch fliali fuffer the forer Punifhment fbr finning againiu the Lord that bought them, and tread- ing under foot the Blood of the Cove- nant, wherewith they were fo far fanctified as to be a People by their own Covenant ftparated to God. Ibid. pag. 325. Suppofe a Prince redeem all his Captive Subjects from the Turkifh Slavery, and one half of them fo love their ftate of Bondage, or (bme Har- lot, or ill Company there (yea, if all of them do ib, till half of them are per- fwaded from it) if they will not come away, it is no im- proper nor unufual Language to fay that he hath redeemed them, and given them a Releafe, tho they would not have it ', that may ht given to a Man which he never hath, becaufe he re- fufeth to accept it, when the Donor hath done all that belong- ed) to him in that rcla- Non-Conformift. by one Tranfgreffion pro- cured a Sentence of cer- tain Death upon every individual Perfon that fhould naturally defend from him, as foon as they lhould have a being : but Jefus Chrift by his tranf cendent Obedience of thirty four Years, by en- during the Wrath of God, the Rage of Men and De- vils, and a moft ignomi- nious Death, purchaled Life for no one certain Man, but only Conditi- ons whereupon they that- fhould hear of them (not half Mankind ) fhould be faved, if they did fulfil them ; which,for any thing he purchafed, or was con- tained in the Covenant of Life, was a meer Con- tingency, viz* whether any lhould ever believe and be faved or not. Mr. Troughton Lutherut rediv. Part 2. p.i47,ehr. There was always in him (i.e. God} a great love to the Perfon of his Son, and an inerrable Complacency in the Obe- dience of Chriit, eipciajly that which he exercifed in his fuffering. But yet the Curfe and Punilhinent which he underwent was an Effect of vindictive Jufticei and as fuch did he look upon it, and conflict with it. — Whatever was due to m from the Juftice of God and Sentence of the Law, that he underwent and iliffered. -— So thefe thing Baxteriamfm Barefaced Conformift. Chrift the Son of God by the ap- pointment of his Father, comedown from Heaven to be wounded for our fakes, to be reputed with the Wicked, to be condemned unto Death, to take upon him the Reward of our Sins, and to give his Body to be broken on the Crofs for our Of- fences. Homil, Clmr. Engf. fol. 198. Baxterian. relation of a Donor, tho per- haps as a Per- fwader he may do more. Ibid. P. 336. 107 Non-CoYiformift. things really wrought in him,Sorrow, Amaz.e ment, A n- guifl], Fear, Dread, with the like penal Efetls of the Pains of Hell } from whence it was that he offered up Prayers and Supplications with ftrong Cries and Tears unto him that was able to lave him from Death. Dr. O. on Hek Vol. 2. p. 367, 368. This was Velagiw, whofe principal Artifice which he ufed in the introduction of his Herefy, was in the clouding of his Intentions with general and ambiguous Ex- prefhc ns, as fbme would be making ufe of his very Words and Phrafes. Hence, for a long time, when he was juitly charged with his facrilegious Errors, he made no Defence of them, but reviled his Adverfaries as corrupting his Mind, and not understanding his Expreftlons. And by this means, as he got himfelf acquitted in the Judgment of fbme lefs experienced in the Slights and cunning Craftinefs of them who lie in wait to deceive, and juridically freed in an Affembly of Biftjops: So in all probability he hack fuddenly infeded the whole Church with the Poifon of thole Opinions, which the proud and corrupted Nature of Man is fo apt to re- ceive and embrace, if God had not ftirred up fbme few holy and learned Perfbns, Aufi'm efpeciaiiy, to difcover his Frauds, to refel his Calumnies, and confute his Sophifms, which they did with indefatigable Induitry and gcod Succefs. But yet thefe Tares being once fbwn by the envious One, found fuch a futable and fruitful Soil in the darkned Minds and proud Hearts of Men, that from that day to this they could never be fully extirpated •, but the fame bitter Root hath ftill fprung up unto the defiling of many, tho various new Colours have been put upon its Leaves and Fruit. And altho thofe who at prefent amongffc us have undertaken the fame Caufe with Pelagius, do not equal him either in Learning or Diligence, or an appearance of Piety and Devotion, yet do they exactly imitate him in de- claring their Minds in cloudy ambiguous Exprellions, capable of various Con- ftru&ions until they are fully examined, and thereon reproaching (as he did) thofe that oppofe them as not aright reprefenting their Sentiments, when they judg it their advantage fo to do. Dr. O. of the Spirit, p. 176, 177. That which they feera to aim at and conclude may be reduced unto thefe Heads, (i.) That God adminifters Grace unto all in the Declaration of the Doctrine of the Law and Gofpel. (2.) That the Reception of this Dodrine, the Belief and Practice of it is enforced by Promifes and Threatnings. (3.) That the things fevealed, taught and commanded, are not only good in themlelves, but lb futed un- to the Reafon and Interelt of Mankind, as that the Mind cannot but be diipofed and euchred to receive and obey them, unlefs over-powred by Prejudices and a courfe of Sin. (4.) That the Confideration of the Promifes and Threatnings of the Gofpel is iiiflncient to remove thefe Prejudices, and reform that courfe. (5) That upon a compliance with the Dodriue of the Gofpel, and Obedience thereunto, Men are made partakers of the Spirit, with other Privileges of the New Teira- P 2 meut, / io8 Baxter ianifm Barefaced. ment, and have a right unto all the Promifes of the prefent and future Life. Now this is a perfect Syftem of Pelagianifm, condemned in the antient Church as absolutely exclufive of the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Tho - the loofe confufed ExprefYions of fome be not confidered in particular. Ibid. p. 256. Thus have I fuffcientlv (I truft) maintained tnis antient Truth concerning the Efficacy and Benefit of Chrift 's Death ordained only for the Eled -, wherein ( I doubt not) but that they which are fomewhat wavering, and not yet fettled in Judgment, may foon be refolved : If on the one fide, they do confider the fub- ftantial Grounds and evident Demonstrations of the Truth, and on the other, the weaknefs of their Proofs, the diverfity of Opinion in themfelves, and the neceiTa- ry Confequence of fo many Abfurdities that follow upon the Opinion of univerfal or common Grace. Wherefore I wonder that fome, heretofore throughly per- fwaded of the Truth, mould now begin to ftagger in Opinion : to whom may be applied that faying of the ApofUe, / marvel th-it ye are fo foon removed away to ano- ther Gofpel. Again, Who hath bewitched you, that you jhould not obey the Truth, to ■whom Jejus Chrift was before defcribed in your fight ? Wherefore the Death of Chrift being fo evidently defcribed unto us in Scripture to appertain to the Eled, let us therein reft, and leave all other ftrange and new Opinions which may difturb ©ur Peace, and diftrad fimple Minds •, let us from henceforth follow the Truth in Love-, which God grant. Dr. Willet's Synop. Pap. p. 917, 918. Conformift. Baxterian. Non-Conformift. Head 5. That a proper Re- Head 5. That a proper Re- Head 5. That a proper Re- prefentative, &c. prefentative, &c. prefentative, &c. HIS (/.e. drift's )S*- tisfatlion as he is our Surety, whereby he paid ©ur Debt, underwent the Curfe of our Sins, bare them all in his Body upon the Tree, became fiibjed to the Law for us in our Nature, and reprefenta- tiVely in our ftead, ful- filled all Righteoufnefs in the Law required, both diive and p^ftrve- for us. For we muft note tnat there are two things in the Law intended (i.e. withrcjpect to Chrift's Rep-efentative Headjhip) one principal, Obedience, and another fecondary, Malediction, up- on luppofition of Difobe- 4ie»ee •, fo that Sin being once (""'Hrift took the Nature _ of Man, but not ftridly the real or repw tative Perfon of any Man, but himfelf (this does ab- folutely and really make Chrift a Sinner) much lels of every Man, or every Believer : I mean, that his Perfon was not tne na- tural Perfon (herds the juggling Box ) of any o- ther, nor iftcemed of God fo 10 be-, nor yet was he the full and proper Re- prefentative or Civil Per- fon of any Man, much lefi of all Men ; that is, one that the Law allowed its to do and Jujfer by ; fo that in Law-fenfe his doing and fuffering Jhould be re- puted OE (>'.*. Chrift) is the iX Head, and Believers are the Members of that one Perfon, as the Apo- ftle declares, 1 Cor. 1 2. 1 2, 13. Hence as what he did is imputed unto them, as if done by them-, fo what they deferved on the account of Sin was char- ged upon him : So is it exprefted by a Learned Prelat, Noftram caufam fuftinebat, qui noftram fibi carnem aduniverat, & it a nobis arffljffimo vinculo con- junttus, Qr sr»9«V, qux e- rant noftra facit fua. And again, Quid mirum Jt in noftra perfona conftitutHsy noftram carnem indutus, &c Momacut, Origin. Eccle- fiaft. Conformift. once committed, there muft be a double Ad: (Mark it, Reader, not a firft and fecond Juftifica- tion) to Juftification, fuf- fering the Curfe, and the fulfilling of Righteoufnels anew. Unto a double ap- prehenfion of Juftice in God, there muft anfwer a double ad of Righteouf nefs in Man, or his Surety (i. e. Representative} for him : To God's puni flung Juftice, a Righteoufnels pajjive, whereby a Man is re%ns in curia again \ and to God's commanding Juftice, a Righteoufnels attive, whereby he is re- conciled and made accep- table to God again. Dr. Reynold's Life of Chrift, p. 402. Chrift (viz. as Repre- sentative ) bare their Per- fon, and flood in their room upon the Croft, for whom ne is a Mediatory and confequently, what- fbever Chrift as a Redeem- er, the fame did all thofe in him and with him which are redeemed : Ghrift dying, arifing a- gain, afcending, and fitting at the right-hand of the Father, they alfo die with him, rife again, alcend, and fit at the right-band of God. -To fay that any one of the wicked, which are to perifh for ever, is raifed up in Chrift rifing again, is flat againft the Truth:, becaufe the railing up of Chrift is (that Baxteriamfm Barefaced, Baxterian. pitted ours, as a Man pay- eth a Debt by his Servant or Subftitute, which is morally or reputatively by his Ad and Deed, or accepted in the fame fort, and to ail the fame Effeds and Purpofes, as if he had paid it with his own hands. The Perfon of the Me- diator was not in Law- fenfe, nor God's account, nor Chrift's undertaking the Perfon of the Sinner himfelf: Chrift did not fulfil the Law of Innocency in our fever al Perfons : He did not all thofe things materially that A- dam was obliged to do, nor which molt of us are obliged to do. We did not reputatively fulfil the Law by him,fo as that his Perfedion is taken as ours, in Habit and in Ad. Mr. Baxter'^ End of Doclr, Controv. chap. 12. Sed. 2. Head 5,9. But in ftrid fenfe, as reprefenting a Man, or do- ing it in his Perjon, figni- fieth. that Chrift fo died ( ana merited ) in feveral Mens Perfons, as that the Law or Lawgiver doth take it to have been in fenfu civili, their own fuf- fering, and doing, and me- riting, or to all Intents, Purpofes and Vjes, all one to them, as if they had fo died and merited thena? felves : thus Chrift neither died nor obeyed for any Man. But if the ftrefs of the Controverfy be laid on 109 Non-Conformift. fiaft. The Antients fpeak to the fame purpofe : Leo ferm. ij. Idto je humane infirmitati virtus divina conferuit, tit dum Deui fiia facit e(fe qua noftra fb.it, noftra facer et ejfe qua fuafunt. And alfo Serm9 1 6. Caput noflrum Dominus Jcfus Chriftus omnia in fe corporis fui membra tranf- formans, quod olim in Pfal- mo erutlaverat, id in fup- plicio cruris fub Redempto- rmn fuorum voce clamavit. And fo fpeaks -Auftln ad Honor at urn. We bear the Voice of the Body from the Afouth of the Head. The Church fuffered in him, . when he fujfered for the Church', as he fuffers in the Church when the Church fuffereth for him. For as we have heard the Voice of the Church in Chrift's fuffering, My God, my God, why haft thou for- faken me ? fb we nave heard the Voice of Chrift in the Church fufferingy Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ? But we may yet look a - little backward into the fenfe of the antient Church herein. Chriftus, faith I- renaus, omnes gentes tx- inde ah Adam difperfas & generationem hominum in Jemet ipfo recapitulatus eft ; unde a Paulo Typus fttturi diclus eft ipje Adam ; lib. 3. cap. 33. And again, Re- capitulans univerfum homi- num genus in fe ab initio ufq\f ad finem recapitulatus eft Ho Conformift. (that I may fo fpeak) his adual Abfolution from their Sins for whom he died : for even as the Fa- ther by delivering Chrift: to death, did in very deed condemn their Sins impu- ted unto Chrift, for whom he died •, & by raifmg'him up from Death, even ipfo faclo he did abiblve Chrift from their Sins, and did withal abfblve them in Chrift j but being absol- ved from their Sins they fhall not perifb, but be faved. Mr. Perkins of Tredeflin. p. 18, 19. Sundry Men, fpecially Papifts, deride the Doc- trine of Juftification by imputed Righteoufnefs , thinking it as abfurd, that a Man fhould be juft by. that Righteoufnefs which is inherent in the Perfon of Chrift \ as if we fhould (ay, that one Man may live by the Soul of ano- ther, or be learned by the Learning of another. So a befotted Baxterian. Mr. D. W. Gofpel-Truth flatcd and vindicated, ch. 7. view the whole, where running down the Doctrine of Juftification by impu- tation in the federal change of the Perfons of Chrift and a Believer, he tells us, " lilis ungrounded; " I know that it will be " objected, that 'tis fo by tc Imputation: But the " Gofpel knows of no " Imputation of this kind ; w we may as well infer, " that BaxterUniJm Bar ef aid. Baxterian. on Chrift's perforating or rcprcjcnting this Alan or that, by that time this (human invented, ambi- guous, unfcriptural) Phrafe is explain 'd, either we ihall be found to be all of a mind, or elfe fbme will run into an intolerable Er- ror about [ChriJFs dying and meriting in our civil Pajon, and our dying and meriting by his natural Per- fon'] or eife difpute them- felves into a wood of Un- certainties, and be loft a- bout the fenfe of a word that cannot be fufficiently explained. Ibid. chap. 13. $. 13,16. They heinoufly err and fubvert the Gofpel, who lay, that Chrift's Righte- oufnefs is fo imputed to us, as that God reputeth, or judgeth Chrift to have been pcrfally holy and righteous ( or obedient ) and to have fufFered, tho not in the natural, yet in the legal or civil Perlon of the Smner or Believer, as their ftri& and proper Rc- prefenter ; and reputeth us to have been perjecily holy, righteous or obedient in Chrijl as our Rcprefenter, and fo to have our felves led all Righteoufnefs in and by him, and in him to have fatisfied juiHce, and merited eternal Life, and Chrift's Lughteouiheis to be ours in the fame lenfe of Propriety, as it was his own , for his Di- vine Righteoufnefs is the EfTence Non- Conformift. eft & mortem ejus. And Cyprian Epiifc \6^ on bear- ing about the Adminiftra- tion of the Sacrament of the Eucharift, He bare us, or fufFered in our Perfon, when he bear our Sins-, whence Athanafiks affirms of the Voice he uled on the Crofs, we fuffered in him. Eufebius fpeaks ma- ny things to this purpofe, He underwent Torments, and was punifjed for us taking unto himfelf the Curfe that was due to us; for what was he but (a Sub- stitute for us) a Price of Redemption for our Souls? In our Perfon therefore the Oracle fpeaks. — - This then I fay is the foundation of the Imputation of the Sins of the Church unto Chrift, namely, that he and it are one Perfon. On the Confiderations infifted on, whereby the Lord Chrift became one myfBcal Perfon with the Church, or bare the Perfon of the Church in what he did as Media- tor, in the holy wife DiC poial of God* as the Au- thor of the Law, the fii- pream Rector or Gover- nor of all Mankind, as unto their temporal and eternal Concernments, and by his own Content, the Sins of all the Fleet were imputed unto him. This having been the Faith and Language of the Church in all Ages, and that de- rived from and founded in aprds Teftimonies of Scrir- Conformifi. " that we are Omnipo- cc tent,and Omnifcient,be- " caufe Chrift is fo.~- The cc very Union in Marriage 375, 5°& Among M ny ufualiy the Sureties Bond ana Engage- ment is for Debt already contracted at or bef r the time of the Surety's giving Bond, and ufuailv for parti- cular Sums fpecifkd : but Chrift; became Surety for his Peoples Debt before ever it was contracted a- id drawn on by them ; yea, he gave Q. Bond ii4 Confortnift. before Pilate the Judg, to be fentenced by him. — Take we this Judg- ment as proceeding from the Tribunal of God, and we (hall lee it to be moft juft ; for in, or with fihte God fits upon the Tribunal to judg his own Son. But God and Pilate pafs the fame Sen- tence with a moft diffe- rent relped upon Chrift : for Chrift here faftains a twofold Perfon } his own, which only Pilate looked upon, not know- ing any other-, and fo Pilate's Sentence of Death was moft unjuft: but Chrift bore another Per- fon upon him, to wit, our finful Perfon, which God looking upon, and finding him now in our ftead a guilty Perfon by the imputation of our Sin, being our Surety, fee paffeth the fame Sen- tence of Death upon him that Pilate did ; and yet God's Sentence is moft juft as he ftood in our Perfon — he ftood there in our Perfon fuftaining our Perfbn, ftanding as our Surety. — Thus he ftood in our ftead, judged and condem- ned in our Perfbns- — Le- gally judged. — As Chrift was legally condemned in our Perfon, fb fliall we be before God's Tri- bunal acquitted and ab- folved, as juft and righ- teous in his Perfon. — Chrift BdXteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. efi lex, fo we will not contend with them that tropically fay, Chrififa- tisfied the Law, while they mean but that he Catisfied the Law-giver in obtaining the end of the Law. But Chrift perfect- ly fulfilled the Law as it obliged himfelf upon his Sponfion : And that Law juftifled him, but no Man elfe *, it is only the new Covenant that juftifieth us. The fecond Error to the fame purpofe is, that tho Chrift and Adam were two natural Perfons, yet they were one Perfon in a civil, legal, or repu- tative fenle, in Chrift's obeying and fuffering} and fo that what Chrift did and fuffered in his own natural Perfon, he did and fuffered in Adams, and every eled: Man's ci- vil, Ifgal or repntative Perfon. This is but the Confequent of the former Error. He may be called our Reprefenter in a limi- ted fenfe, in tantum & ad hoc (for there is no hope of holding our Oppo- fers to Scripture-phrafe ) but fuch a ftrict, full, perforating lleprefenta- tion as is here defcribed, denieth the Subftance of the Gofpel. It cannot be (aid that we did it le- gally by him, elie all the forenamed . Abfurdities would follow ; and efpe- cially that legally we ne- ver JVon-ConfortniJl. Bond to fatisfy the Law for all the Debt that (hould be at any time of all their days contracted and drawn on by them: fo univerfalis his Suretifhip, that it reach- eth all poiiible, emergent Tranfgreflions of his People upon whatfoever occafion. Jer. 3.5. & 31. 37. Heb. 7. 25. Among Men, ufually the broken Debtor's Name ftands ftill in the Bond, even after the Refponfal Surety hath intervened: but here Jefus the Surety of the new Co- venant when he put in his own Name, he puts out our Names, that the Law might reach him, and might not at all reach us ( except in fo far as it is annexed to the new Covenant, and eftabliihed in the hands of a Mediator, which hath nolikenels to the old bloody Bond ) : he wrote himfelf the Sinner legally, and wrote us the righteous Per- fons. 2 Cor.5.21. Jer. 50.2a Ark of the Covenant, p. 424, 426. Chrift is united to Belie- vers, one with them, their Head, their Surety ( who in confpeftu fori, is but one Per- fon with the Debtor) and this by his own volunta- ry undertaking, the Debtor's Confent, and the Judg's Ap- probation ', therefore 'tis ratio- nal, juft, equal, that what our Chrift, our Head, Reprefen- tative, Surety, had done and fuffered for us, and that not only bono noflro, for our good, but Uc9 n»firo^ in our ftead, (hould Conformift: Chrift in his own Per- fbn innocent, but in ours guilty, was judged and condemned, even by God's own Judgment. — He was thus judicially condemned in our Per- fons, that Co we might ftand guiltlefs before God's Judgment-feat. A Myftery altogether un- known to Pontifician Spi- rits : as the Gofpel is hid to them that are loft, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Of this fort alfo is that viperous brood of the Socinians, who op- pugning the Dodrine of Chrift's Satisfaction in our Perfons, are ealily confuted and confound eel by this very Article of the Creed \ whofe Mad- nefs is Efficiently difco- vered by Lubbertus, Ln~ dovicHSy Lucius, and o- thers, fo that they need no other Confutation, their Arguments being but mere argutia, no lels futile than feemingly fub- tile, which, as the hif fings of the Serpent, are to be hilled and whip- ped out of Chrift's School. He fuffering for us whatever we fhould have fuffered \ yea, even eternal Death it felf *, for as much as the Eternal fuffered the nature of that Death, tho he only taftedit, asH^.2.9. yet he fo tafted of it, as that at once, as it were at one model, he wholly de- voured it, and fwallowed it Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. ver finned, and never de- ferved Puniihment, nor need either Pardon or the Sacrifice of Chrift for Pardon. It is cer- tain that Chrift never finned, but obeyed per- fectly from firft to laft} and if we did this le- gally by hint) we fin- ned not in Law-fenfe, that is, not truly at all. "When we ftiew that it was a palpable Contra- diction to fay, that we were perfectly obedient in and by Chrift, from Birth to Death, and yet that Chrift muft fufFer for our Sins \ it's ftrange to fee how fome Men fatisfy themfelves with wriggling or huddling out a few infignificant words, unfit to fatisfy any other. Either Chrift was our legal Per- fon before we were born, or from the time of our beings or from the time of our believing only. 1. Before we had a be- ing we were no Sinners, nor bound to obey, and therefore needed not to obey or fufFer by ano- ther. 2. When we were born, we were not in Chrift, and perhaps not Believers till old Age : And fo the Elect mould legally be juft while they are Infidels, and never iin even in their ftate of Enmity. 3. If only fince believing we were fo perfonated by Chrift, "5 Non-Conformift. fhould by God our Judg be imputed to us. — Chrift the Believer's Head is rifen, rifen as their Head, rifen as the fecond Adam. Mr. Lye Morn. Exer. method, p. 360. Now to lliew you the Ana- logy? wherein Adam did re- ferable and reprefent the Lord Jefus Chrift. It was chiefly in this, in regard of his Headlhip and Influence, A- dam and Chrift both flood inftead of all that belonged to them. Adam was the Head of the firft Covenant, Jefus Chrift is the Head of the fecond Covenant. Adam was the Covenant-Root, and Head of all Mankind, a publick and common Perfba reprefenting them} yea an Undertaker for them. " What they fay vainly of the Pope, that he is the Church Re- prefentative, may be truly laid of Adam-) he was the Reprefentative of the whole World, as a Parliament-man acting in the name of the Town or County that chofe him : He finning, we finned in him :, he being condemned, we are condemned in him. So Chrift is the Head of the fecond Covenant, and of his Elect, who are involved and wrapt up therein: He hath undertaken for them, and prefented them to the Fa- ther, Eph.z. 16. in one body: Therefore when he died, we died with him -, when Chrift was crucified, our Sins were nailed to his Crofs, and cru- cified and buried as it were in his Grave. If he arife, we Q. 2 rife n6 Conformift. it up in Vidory, i Cor. 15. 54. -Again, / am among yon as one that fer- veth, Luk. 17. 19. - Now for wbcm was Cbrifl in the condition of this Life a Servant? For himfelf? not for himfelf, but for us j as himfelf faith. For their fakes I fanttijy my felf, that they alfo might be fan til fed through the Truth, Joh. 17. 19. So that the active Obedience of Chiift in his Life, his Hclincfs. as of a Servant, is alfo imputed unto us j for how. was he a Ser- vant in our Perfbn, but that he might free us from the condition of Servants? that as the PafCve Obedience of Chrifl in his Death re- moved away from us the Hags of our Sins, the Eadg and Band of our Servitude : fo Chriit 's adive Obedience in his Life hath put upon us the moil glorious Liber- ty of our Infranchifcment and Freedom, his Death liath cleanfed us, and his Life hath clothed us. Thefe two therefore are in no fort to be divided, unlefs we would be con- tent to have our Delive- rance from Hell fepara- ted from our Inheritance in Heaven, and ftill to be fubject to the Puniih- ment of Lofs, tho free from the Puniihment of Senfe. MrJ&xkrtoris Bul- wark, p. 68, 69, 70, 71, 72> Baxteriamfm Barefaced. BdxtericM. Cbrift, then his Kighte- oufnei's is not imputed to us for all the tin.e of our Unregeneracy, , and then we never finned in Law- fenfe after our believing. — Befides that, one that is reputed to have legal- ly fulfilled the Law, mull beunjuftly corrected by the Punifhment cf tem- poral Affliction or Death, or lefs of the Spirit ar.d Grace, and hath prefent right to the Reward of that Covenant, or deli- verance from all penal Evil at leaf! •, lb that this Dodrine of Uriel, legal, perfonating Repre enta- tion overthroweth the new Covenant and Law of Chrifl, and all his Kingdom of Grace, and all Religion. - — It is not then too little, if it muil be the idem, and not the aquivalens : for fome of us are bound to the Of- fices of Parents, and fome of Husbands and Wives, fome of Servants, fome, of Magifirates, fome or Souldiers, fome to Acti- ons proper to the ficl, j to the old, and other Conditions which Chrifl was never in. It was enough that he under- took all that was tit for him, and neceflary by Equivalency to fatisfy, and merit a free Gift of Grace ar.d Glory for us, and that he perform- ed the undertaken Con- ditions and Duties of all the Non-Conformifi. rife with him, to die no more. Mr. Sam. Mather on the Tyves, p. 82,83. 1 hat no Perfon is recon- ciled to God, who hath not a perfed Mediat< r of his Reconciliation, and who is not accepted as perfedly righteous in the iajiteouf nefs of Chriit his Surety: aid fo 'tis true, none but the perfed Perfon is reconciled to God ^but how ? not by his Qualifications (atfiritan Enemy, and always carry- ing aScut with him [while here ] ft me Wifdom of the Flelh which is Enmity againft God) but as he had on Chrift's Crofs his Perfon re- pi efented in Chrifl his Head, and his Sins not imputed up- on the account of Chrift's Righteoufnefs made or rec- koned to be his. Mr. Stal- ham'i Revikr Rebnkd^ p. I3S- In reference to the Under- taking of Chrill in this Co- venant, he is called the ficond. Adam, becoming a common Head to his People, with, this difference, that Adam was -a common Head to all that came of him, neceffarily, and, as I may lb fay, natu- rally, and whether he would or no ; Chrifl is fo to his voluntarily, and by his own Confent and undertaking, as hath been demonitrated. Now as we all die in Adam federally and merit orioufly, yet the feveral Individuals are not in their Perfons adu- ally dead in Sin, and obnoxi- ous to eternal Death, before they • Conformifi. 7h 73, 74, 75, 76, 77- O never let Chrift s Life and Death be divided, his adive Obedience and his. paffive let ever go to- gether, left if we let go the one, weiofe both! Ibid. p. yg. The Obedience of Chrift how cometh it to be for oiir Right eoufncfs, but by imputation only ? he ftood before God in the Per (on of the whole body of his Elect. It will appear by {can- ning the nature of Sure- tilhip, when one Man un- dertakes and engageth himfelf for another. Let the cafe be betwixt Paul and Onefwua : Onefimns ran away from Philemon his Mafter, and at his departure (by all likeli- hood) took with him (bme part of his Matter's Goods: Paid becomes a Mediator for him, and : for the better furtherance of his Requeft, he offer- eth to fee the Wrong and Damage which is done, to be difcharged : If he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee ought,- that pat on my account. I Paul have written this with ?ny own hand, I will recompence it \ Phil. v. 1 8, 19. By this means Omfimus is dii1 charged, and Pad is be- come Debtor to Philemon, but how ? neither hath Onefimns repaid ought, neither hath Paul ltoln or borrowed ought-, it Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. the Law which was laid on him, without doing all the lame things which were laid on us. Mr. Baxt. Brev. Jujii. Part 1. p. 4, 23, 27, 28, 29, 72, 81,82, 83,84,85, 113, 114. To this- I (hall add what Dr. Owen notes of the Socinians, Treatife of JuJHfic. p, 389. " Nor are the cavilling " Objections of the Soci- " nians, and thofe that " follow them, of any " force againft the Truth " herein •, they tell us that " the Righteoufnefs of " Chrift can be imputed and a common Perfon in our fie ad. 1. A Surety is one that undertakes, and is bound to do a thing for another : As, to pay a Del* for him, or to bring him fafe to Inch or fuch a place, or the like:, lb as when he nath difcharged what he undertook and was bound for, then the Party for whom he undertook is dilcharged alfo. 2. A common Perfon with, or for another he goes for, is one who reprelents, and perfonates, and afts the Baxterianifm Barefaced. 121 the part of another, by the allowance and warrant of the Law; fo as what he doth (as fuch a common Perfon, and in the name of the other) that other whom he perfonates, -is by the Law reckoned to do : and in like manner, what is done to him (as being in the others ftead and room) is reckoned as done to the other. Thus by our Law, an Attorny appears for another, and Monies received by him, are reckoned as received by him whom it is due unto. Thus the giving PofTeftion of an Eftate, a Re-entry made, and PofTeffion taken of Land, &c. it done by, and to a Man who is his iawful Attorny, it ftands as good in Law unto a Man, as if in his own Perfon it had been done. Now the better to exprefs and make fiire our Juftification in and by Chrift, according to ail forts of Laws (the Equity of all which God ufually draws up into his Difpenfation) God did ordain Chrift to be a Surety for us, and alio a common Perfon reprefenting us, and in our ftead. That as Chrift took all other Relations for us, as of an Husband, Father, Brother, King, Prieft, Captain, &c. that fo the fulnefs of his Love might be fet forth to us, in that what is defective in any one of thefe Relations, is fupplied and exprefled by the other : even thus did God ordain Chrift to take and fuftain both thefe Relations, of a Surety, and a common Perfon, in all he did for us, thereby to make our Jufti- ficationby him the more full and legal ^ and Jufilce (as I may fo (peak) our Justification it felf, or as juftifying of us by all forts of legal Confideraticns what- soever. The word [_\yyv>). 6. 20. Chrift therefore was fo made Sin for us, as that he was re- puted, Yea judged as a Sin- ner ; J fa. 53. faith, He tvsj mtmbred •with the Tranfgrejfors, and he bare the Sin of many. 1 that Chrift is faid to be made Sin in the Abftrad, and we to be made R;£ oujhcfs in the Abftra 359- Neither Pardon nor Juftification are per- fect before Deadi : for there are fome cor- recting Puniffjmems to be yet born, fome Sim not fully deftroy'd, fome Grace yet want- ing, more Sins to be forgiven, more Con- ditions thereof to be performed. The final and executive Pardon and Juftification are only perfect. .M-.Baxt. End of Dccir.Controv, chap. 21. $.62, That Juftification is either per- the Law hath againft him.- There is a Juftification of con- vinced Sinners on their belie- ving: Hereon are their Sins' pardoned, their Perfons accep- ted with God, and a right is given unto them unto the Hea- venly Inheritance. This State they Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxtcrian. perfect, which is on- ly in the Life of Per- fection \ or imperfect, which is all the Jufti- fication even of the beft in this Life, what- ever the unskilful may grinningly gain- lay Conformift. Heart, fupports the droop- ing Spirits, worketh by Love, carries a Man through Afflictions, and the like, thefe are the Works of Faith: when Faith accepts of Righte- oufnefs in Chriir, and re- cedes him as the Gilt of his Father's Love-, when it embraces the Promifes afar off, Hekii.13. and lays hold on eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 12. this is the receiving Aft of Faith. New Faith juftiries not by workirg (left the Effect mould not be wholly of Grace, tat partly of Grace, and partly of Work, Fphef. 2.8,9. but by bare receiving, and ac- cepting or yielding Con- fent to that Righteoufnefs which in regard of work- ing was the Righteoufhefs of Cbriit, Rom. 5. 18. 3ud in regard of difpofing, im- puting, appropriating un- to us, wad the kighteout1 nefs of God, Rom. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3.9.; — of God, and the holy They fay we are juirified Spirit are not fully by Grace, and yet by reitored: many cafti Works, becaufe Grace en- ables to work :, we fay we are juitified freely, nut by the Works of Grace, but by the Grace which be- lt ows our Justification, and therewith our ftrength of working unto us : for furely God's free Grace is more magnified in giving . usundefervediy bothKigh- teoufnefs and Works, than in giving us Works to ~ de- *15 Non -Conformift. they are immediately taken into upon their Faith, or believing in Jefpa Chrifl : And a flate it Is of actual Peace with God. Thefe things at prefent I take for granted, and they are the Foundation of all that I iliall plead in the prefent Argument : And I do take notice of them Q. 19. Whether per- becaufe fome feem to the beft felt Remlffion or Jufii- of my underftanding, to deny- any real actual Jufiification of Sinners on their believing in this Life : for they make Jufti- fication be given upon firji believing, or in this Life ? Anjw. No-, neither perfect as to degree ox kind; for its Imper- fection is manifeft from all thefe things. 1. All Ptmifhmnt is not as yet remitted, as it hath been already proved : The Punilhment of Death, Sorrows, and of the Earth curfed to Achm and his Po- iterity firft decreed, hath ' been excepted from Pardon in this Life, and is inflicted on all. The Favour fication to be only a* general conditional Sentence declared in the Golpel, which as unto its execution is delayed unto the day of Judgment : For whilftjVien are in this World, the whole Condition of it being not fulfilled, they cannot be partakers of it, or be actually and abfolutely juftified. Here- on it follows that indeed there is no real flate of affured Rift and Peace with God by Jefus Chrift for any Perfon in this Life. The caufality of an In- strument we afcribe, unto Faith alone (as juftifying) and be- caufe we do fo, it is pleaded that we afcribe more in our Juitification unto our felves gator y Puniihments a- .than they do by whom we are bide us Sinners. 2. oppofed : for we afcribe the Efficiency of an bijirumem herein unto our own Faith, when they lay only it is a Con- dition, or can] 1 fine qua nony of our Juftification. Hut I judg that grave and wife Men ought not to give fo much to the defence of the C.:ufe they have undertaken, feeing they cannot but know indeed the contrary ; for after the\ have Many Sins as yet not committed, are not pardoned ; for the Sin that is not, is not par- doned. 3. The right of Pardon concerning Sin in its futurity, du- ring this Life, is con- ditional*, neither hath the Believer himfelf a right of future Im- punity. given \ Conformifl. ferve our Righteoufnefs. Dr. Reynolds Life of Chrift, p. 481, 482, 483. What is Juftification ? -/4»/h?. Juftification is the Sentence of God, where- by he of his Grace for the Righteoufnefs of his Son, by him imputed unto us, and through Faith ap- prehended by us, doth free us from Sin and Death, and account us righteous unto Life, Rom. 8.30,33,34- "iCor. !• 30. Thil. 3. 9. for hereby we both have a deliverance from the Guilt and Pu- nifhment of all our Sins, and being accounted righ- teous in the fight of God by the Righteoufnefs of our Saviour Chrift impu- ted unto us, are reftored to a better Righteoufnefs than ever we had in A- dam. I perceive your Anfwer needs further explaining. Firft, Why call you Juftification a Sentence ? Anfiv. That thereby we may be informed, that the word to juftify doth not in this place fignify to make juft by infufing a perfect Righteoufnefs into our Natures •, ( that comes under the head of Sandi- fication begun here in this Life, which being finilhed, is Glorification in Heaven) but here the word figni- rieth to pronounce juft, to quit and difcharge from Guilt and Punifhmenf, and ib it is a judicial Sentence oppo- Baxterianifin Barefaced. Bxxterian. punity or Felicity, but under the Condi- tion of a continue A Faith, j. Yea the Condition of future Juftification and Fe- licity contained.! more things than the Con- ditions of begun Jufti- fication, viz,, both more fingular Ads of the fame Faith, alfo Love, and Obedience, With a Victory over not a few Tempta- tions. 5. Juftification of its perfect kind by the Sentence of the Judg, as yet attends us. 6. Executive Par- don is not yet per fed until the Refurrection Non-Con for mift. given the fpecious name of a Condition, and a caitfa fine qua ncn, unto Faith, they im- mediately take all other Gra- ces and Works of Obedience into the fame ftate with it, and the fame ule in Juftifica- tion : and after this fceming Gold hadi been call for a while into the Fire of Difputa- tion, there comes out the Calf of a perfonal inherent Righ- teoufnefs, whereby Men are juftified before God, virtute foederis Evangclici :, for as for the Righteoufnefs of Chriit to be imputed unto us, it is gone into Heaven, and they know not what is become of it. Let the Experience of them that believe be inquired into, for their Confciences are and Glorification. continually exercifed herein : Q. 22. Whether Jitf- What is it they betake them- felves unto ? What is it that they plead with God for the continuance of the Pardon of their Sins, and the acceptance of their Perfons before him ? Is it any thing but foveraign Grace and Mercy through the Blood of Chrift ? Dr. 5. of Jufiif. p. 215,216, 217,218, 219,220,221,222, 189,199, 201,315, 144,206. That a Sinner may be faved, the Scriptures declare that he muft be both juftified and fanctified : the Romanifts, as if one of thofe were but re- tificaticn and Sancti- fication are the fame, or to juftify, or topir- don Sins be to fanlli- fy? Anfw. 1. Santbifica- tion is a certain par- ticular Juftification : who is become holy, is lb far become juft : But this in Scripture- feafe is not to be jufti- fied ex fide, or of Faiths nor yet uni- verfal Juftification. 2. Juftification and Sanchlficatioa, as to the formal Reafons of the Names, are not the fame. 3. Sancfification is not the material part either of our confti- tnted quifite, call that Juftification which in Scripture is Sancti- fication i and that which in Scripture is Juftification they admit not, as diftmcf from inherent Righteoufnefs. The Apoftk raid, who moft mfifts . upon Conformift. oppofed to Condemnation, Rom. 8. 34, 35. Now as to condemn is not the putting any evil into the Nature of the Party condemned, tut the pronouncing of his Perfbn guilty, and the binding him over unto Punifhment} fo juftifying is the Judges pro- nouncing the Law to be fatif- fied, and the Man difcharged and quitted from Guilt and Judgment. Thus God im- puting the Righteoufnefs of Chrift to a Sinner, doth not account his Sin unto him, but interefts him in a ftate of as full and perfed free- dom and acceptance, as if he had never finned, or had himfelf fully fatisfied: for tho there is a Power pur- ging the Corruption of Sin, which followeth upon Jufti- fication, yet it is carefully to be diftinguifhed from it. This for the name of Juftification, but now for the thing it felf. W hat is the Matter firft: of our Juftification ? jinfw. The Matter of Juf- tification, or that Righteouf- nefs whereby a Sinner ftands juftified in God's fight, is not any Righteoufnefs inherent in his own Perfon, and per- formed by him, but a per- fect Righteoufnefs inherent in Chrift, and performed for him. What Righteoufnefs of Chrift is it whereby a Sinner is juftified ? A/ijw. Not the eflential Righteoufnefs of his Divine Nature \ but, i.Theabfolute Inte- Baxterianifm Barefac'd. Baxterian. tuted Juftification, in which confifts the Remiflion of our Sins, or of Juftifi- cation as it is diftin- guifhed from Exe- cution by the Sen- tence. 4. Faith, Re- pentance, or the con- tinuance of a fede- ral Condition, is the particular matter of that Subordinate Righteoufnefs , by fifteth moving which firft we are become partakers of the Righteoufnefs ofRemifljon. And, 2. From this he is juftified , who is accufed of not per- forming the Condi- tions. 5. Santtifi- cation is (not the whole, but) a great part of executive Pardon, which con- in the re- ef Punifh- ments, or in la not puniflnng ] ( from which Dr. Tivifs was wont to define Pardon) for a Ne- gation of the holy Spirit is the g£eateft Punifhment: There- fore to impart the holy Spirit, is the greateft executive Pardon of Punish- ment and Sin,to wit, of the fame Notion 7/iMcrially, not for- mally. Mr. Baxt. Meth. Tko/.Part 3. ' P- 303,339)340. The w Non-Conformift. upon the Doctrine of Jufti- fication, delivers thefe two as diftind things, 1 Cor. 1 1. and elfewhere. He afcribes Juftification commonly to the Blood of Chrift, Rom. 5.8,9. Sandification to the Spirit of Chrift, Tit. 3.5.— -There are thefe feverals confidera- ble about the imputing this Righteoufnefs: 1. Substitu- tion^ Chrift fandified in our ftead, i. e. he tendred that which was due from us. 2. Acceptance^ the Father ac- cepted what Chrift perform- ed in our ftead, as performed •on our behalf., 3. Participa- tion j we have the fruits and advantages of his Underta- kings, no lefs than if we our felves had fatisned. Thus you may be juftified in their way, if you will but have patience till your inherent Righteoufnefs in this World be perfect and fpotlefs •, or till the loweft degree of it be abfblute Perfedion. If you think it impoftible to be juftified on fuch terms, they will tell you there is nothing more eafy. Morn- ing Exerc. againfl Popery, p. 442, 454, 456. How not CbrijPs Perfon fimply, but Chrift as dying is the Object of Faith as justifying? — We Were virtually juftified then in Chrift his being juftified, as in a common Pa ion. But • befides all this, there is a per fond or an actual Juftifica- tion to be bellowed upon us, that is, an accounting and beftowing it upon us in our - I'crfor.s, which is done when T r we i*8 Conformift. Integrity of our Human Na- ture, which in him our Head was without Guile, Heb.7.26. 2. The perfect Obedience which in that Human Nature of ours he performed unto the whole Law of God, both by doing whatfoever was re- quired of us, Mat. 3. 15. and by fuffering whatfoever was deferved by our Sins, 1 Pet. 2. 24. for he was made Sin and a Curfe for us, that we might be made the Righte- oufnefs of God in him. What is the form or be- ing Caufe of our Juftifica- tion, and that which makes this Righteoufnefs Co really ours, that it doth juftify us ? Anfw. The gracious Imputa- tion of God the Father, ac- counting his Son's Righteouf- nefs unto the Sinner, and by that accounting making it his to all EfFeds, as if he himlelf had performed it. But how can Chrift's Righ- teoufnefs be accounted ours? Is it not as abfurd to fay that we are juftified by Chrift's Righteoufnefs, as that a Man (hould be wife with the Wif- dom of another, or live and be in health Dy the Life and Health of another ? Anfw. No doubtlefs, be- caule this Righteoufnefs is in Chrift, not as in a Perfbn fevered from us, but as in the Head of the Church, the fecond Adam, from whom therefore it is communicated unto all •, who being united as Members unto him do lay claim thereto, and apply it unto themfdves, Rom. %. 19. chaL BaxterUnifm Barefaced. Baxterian. The continued Aft ( i. e. of Juftificati- on, as Epifcopiiu ) is and abides, Jo long as the prefcnce of its requifite Condition abides ; but it is aU ways and as often interrupted, as thofe things which are in- confiftent with true Faith, and a good Confcience are done. And Arminim him- felf denies that Jufti- fkation is compleat in this Life, and that God changeth his benevolent Love in Chrift, which he had towards the truly Juftified, into Anger and Hatred, which is, that God changeth his Will according to Man's free-will, Co that God imputeth Sin to day, to morrow he imputeth not : And again he imputeth them. Rutherf. A- pol.Exerc. p. 40,41. In their Defcrip- tion they exclude fentential decifive Juftification, which they had denomi- nated it to be, ma- king it to be only the Donation of Chrift's perfect Righ- teoufnefs, as in its Effence to be ours, and fo joining the efficient and confti- tutive Caufes, yet leaving Non - Conformift. we believe '0 and it is called ( Rom. 5. 1 . ) a being juftified by Faith, and (ver< 10.) re- ceiving the Atonement : Now this depends upon Chrift's Intercefiion. — In that he rofe again as a common Perfon, this afTures us yet further, that there is a formal, legal, and irrevocable Aft of Jufti- fication of us parted and en- rolled in that Court of Hea- ven between Chrift and God j and that in his being then juftified, we were alfo jufti- fied in him, fo that there- by our Juftification is made paft recalling. Dr. Goodwin Chrift fet forth, p. 29, 182, 262. Whether through Faith as a Condition or not ? I would have this word laid afide, Perkins upon the Gala- tians-, he will hardly acknow- ledg it a Condition : another in a Book called, The Triumph of Faith, faith, it is impro- perly a Condition. If it be not, why do they ufe the word ? There is a danger in it. 1. A Condition may be pkaded : I may go and plead this,I have believed,^. Will any Man make this a Condi- tion between the Giver and Receiver, I will give you an Alms,ifyou wiii receive it? Is it not a Condition ? 2. All thofe Expreflions, If a Mm bclieveth, he ft) all be faved,!kc. import, that he that doth fo lhall be laved in the Event, which the El eft only are, to whom he giveth Faith. And it is a Phrale that imports a pleading :, a Priibner is not pardoned unleis he plead his Pardon, Conformifl. ghap. io. 4. For if the Sin of Adam were of force to condemn us all, becaufe we were in his Loins, he being the Head of our common Nature, Why then fliould it feem ftrange that the Righteoufneis of our Saviour Chrift, both God and Man, fliould be available to juftify thofe that are interefted in him ; especially confidering that we have a more flrid Con- junction in the Spirit with him, than ever we had in Nature with Adam ? And tho it be not fit to mea- fure heavenly things by the Yard of Reafon, yet it is not unreafonable that a Man owing a thouland Pound, and not being a- ble to pay it, his Creditor may be fatisned by one of his Friends. If Chrift have paid our Debt, how then are we freely juftified by Grace? Anfw. It is of Grace that Chrift is given unto us, and alfo that his Righte- oulnels apprehended by Faith is accounted ours: It is true, that the Juftifi- cation of a Sinner, confi- dering the cafe as it is between the Father and Chrift, no Man dare call it free •, no, the Price of our Redemption was the deepeft Purchaie that the World ever heard of ; but whatever it coft Chriit, it coft us 'nothing : and fo to us it is freely of Grace from Chrift ', yea and to us Btxterianifin Barefaced. Baxterian. leaving out the infirumen- tal Efficient, which is the Gofpel Donation, or Co- venant Gift, and calling Faith the infirumental Caufe, which is no efficient Caufe, but a moral recep- tion of the free Gift, and a moral Qualification as a receptive Condition for our Title to the Pofleffion. And whereas God never judged a Man righteous, till he had made him righ- teous ; they fay, that to juftify is not to make righ- teous, but to judg righteous, and yet defcribe judging by making y yea, and ex- clude the fentential Jufti- fication at the day of Judgment, thinking that it is all perfectly at our firft Juftification fenten- ced. As if God the Fa- ther, Chrift as King, or Prophet, (not a word of Priefi) the holy Ghoft, Covenant of Grace, Faith, had no hand in our Jufti- fication, but Chrift's Righ- teoufnefs imputed only. Mr. Baxt. Brevi. of Jufiif. Part 2. p. 17. ( Now Reader, to make no diftinfiion between the Right coujnefs of God in the Perfon of the Mediator, as (uch, and the Righteouf- nefs of God in the Perfon of the Spirit as a Spirit of Promife, both as to their nature, ufe and place ; the firft being the perfonal Obe- dience of one in the fiead, room, and per fori of another, mto the Law for Jujiifica- tion ', *?9 Non-Conformifi, Pardon, or hath his Par- don read at the Bar: Will you fay this Ad of his is the Condition of his being pardoned? It is that with- out which he is not legal- ly pardoned, he doth not ftand abfolved elfe. Wafl) and be clean : He could never have been cleanled if he had not warned ; was his warning a Condition? No, he did not ftand up- on a Condition with him in it : It was indeed a Du- ty, it was likewife a means or a manner by which God did cleanfe him. My Brethren, the nature of Faith, it is modeft, it ne- ver makes a Plea for it felf, it wholly pleadeth Grace, and nothing elfe : The truth is, if it were a Condition, a Man might plead it before God, as the Apoftle faith, Row. 4. That it is called the Law ' of Faith, and therefore this muft be the Conditi- on \ it follows not, it is the Duty, and it is the Com- mancl of the Gofpel, with- out which God faveth no Man : and is not that e- nough ? It feems to me to import, as if there were an univerial Grace, and that it is the Condition terminateth it to this Man, and not to that. Then a- gain, whether it be the Ad of Faith that juftifies, or that is accounted a Man's Righteoufncfs when we are faid to be laved through Faith ? Surely no, T 2 for 140 Conformiji. us it is freely Grace from God the Father too,not be- caufehe acquits us without a full Satisfaction to his juftice, or accepts that for perfect R ighteoufnefs which is not perfed Righ- teoufnefs *, but becaufe he receives full Satisfaction from the hands of a Sure- ty, that Surety being his own Son •, whenas he might have challenged the uttermoft farthing at our hands, which were the Principals, and then there had been no poflibility for us to have been de- livered. What gather you from this Dcdiine of Juftifi- cation by Chrift's Righ- teoufnefs? Aripcv. 1. To condemn the proud Opinion of Pa- pifts, who feek Juftifica- tion by their own Works and Righteoufnefs inhe- rent in themfelves ; where- as tho being accepted, we muft in thankfulnefs do all we can for God, yet when all is done,we muft acknow- ledg our felves unprofita- ble Servants : the only mat- ter of our joy and triumph both in Life and Death, muft be the Imputation of Chrift's Righteoufnefs :, not our Perfbns, nor the beft Actions of the holieft Men dare appear in God's Pre- fence, but in his Name and Merit (who confecrates all) the Lord Jefas. 2. We may here take notice, that there is no Com- Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Bctxterian. tion ; the other being a perfonal Capacity wrought in the fame by another Perfon, v'itl. the Spirit as its efficient, in order to fitch a ones fincere and upright walking with God by the fame Lm : I fay, not to diftinguim herein, is rather to bear the Mark of the Beaft, than th.it of a pretended Trot eft ant-re- forming Divined) Mr.B.txt. Method. Theol. Part 3. p. 313. Qui obedient iam earn pr.3 16, 317. Again, Parti, p. 416. 13 Q. Anipfafides? Whether Faith it felf! An potim Chrifti juftitia, or rather the Righteoufnels of Chrift, in tcxtu, Gen. 15. Jlom. 4. intelligitwr ad juftitiam impntata, is un- derftood from Gen. 15. and Rom. 4. to be impu- ted for Righteoufnels ? Refp. Chrifti juftitia pro- culaubio emifa juftificatio- nis noflrra meritoria eft, & eo fenfu dici poteft caufa materialis, id eft* materia fen Non-Conformift. for God might have took Works as well •, if he would have took it as an Ad, he might have took any Ad:, Love it felf. There is this reafon lies in the bottom of my Heart againft it, befides all that elfe the Scripture faith a- gainft it: That if when I go to God to be juftified, I muft prefent to him my believing, as the matter of my Righteoufnefs. and on- ly" Chrift's Deatn as the MERIT OF IT, what will follow ? Two things clearly to me. 1. That the Heart is taken off from looking upon the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift wholly, and diver teth to its own Righteoufnefs in the very- ad of believing for Righ- teoufnefs, and prefenteth that to God which the Scripture is clear againft : I fay, it doth take the Heart off from the Righteouf- nels of the Lord jefus, or the eying of that, and caufetn it to divert into it felf, and prefents its own Faith to God. 2. Every Man that will believe to be juftified, and go to God and fay, Lordjuftify me, he muft have an Evidence that he hath Faith^ for how elfe can he prefent that as the matter of his own Righteoufnefs? Now millions of Souls cannot do this, they were in a poor cafe if they fhould be put to it. The Apoftle faith, it was of Faith that IF Conformifi. Comfort to a Chriftian Soul like that which flow- eth from this Well of Sal- vation, this fweet Dodrine of Justification, i. Here we have aflurance of the fufficiency of our Redemp- tion ; that Soul mull be throughly acquitted that is ftated in fuch a Righ- teoufnefs, that Debt mult be fully difcharged that hath fuch a Price laid down for it ; our Sins tho never fo great, cannot weigh down his Righte- oufhefs and Merit, Rom. 8. 33. and God having ac- cepted his Son's Righte- oufnefs for us, will not hold us any longer Tref- pafTers, but he dilables his own Jufrice from making any further demand. 2. Hence there is nothing comes upon the Saints from God's revenging Juftice, but all our Cor- redk ns are medicinal from God's fatherly Love^ to purge out that Sin out of our Nature, which he hath already pardoned to our Periohs. 3. Laitly, this Dodrine may be great Comfort to weak Chrifti- ans in the inidft of their troublefome Imperfedions, and fenfe of their weak meafures of Sandificati- on : To confider that the Righteoulhefs that is inhe- rent in themfelves, is not the matter of their Jufti- fication, or that which muft appear before God's Pretence to be pleaded : the Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. feu res promerita. Anfw. Doubtlefs the Righteoufnefs of Chrift k the ?neritorioHS caufe of our Juftification ; and in that fenfe it may be called the material Caufe, . i. e. the Matter or promeriting thing. At jufti- ficatio per meritum Chrifti fcedere gratise nobis do- natory But Justification is given its by the merit of Chrift in the Covenant of Grace : & donum hoc gra- tuitum fide accipi dicen- dum eft} and this free Gift is f aid to be received in Faith; de re igitur nullus Controverfe locus eft, fed tantum de verbo- rum fenfii ; of the thing therefore there is no Con- troversy, but only of the fenfe of the words: At proculdubio per ifidem ad juftitiam imputatam, feu ut lat. vulg. loquitur, repu- tatam~\ non ipie Chriftus aut ejus juftitia, fed ipfa fides intelligenda eft : But without doubt by Faith im- puted unto Righteoufnefs, or, as the vulgar Latin fpeahj reputed, it is not Chrifi himfclf, or his Righ- teoufnefs, but Faith it lelf is to be understood : Qajd quantum ab ipfo Abraha- mo requirebatur, juftitia ejus perfonalis fait utpote foederis juftificatio condi- tio ab ipfo prasftita : Which fo jar as was re- quired 0} Abraham him- felf, was his perfonal R':gh- teovfnefs, fo as that the Juftification of the Cove- ■%. nant 141 Non-Conformift. it might be fure. If Justi- fication had been founded on the Ad of Faith, it had been as fure on Works as Faith ; for that Faith that draws out an Ad of Love, is as apt to fail as that Ad of Love. But here is no uncertainty, while I believe to be jufti- fied by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, but my Faith is (wallowed up there ^ tho I may doubt of my Faith relying on him, yet I have a fure Objed, I have a fure Matter to reprefent to God for me : whereas if believing was that I had to reprefent to God to be juftified by, fupjpofe my Faith fail me, I nave not a fure matter of Righte- oufnefs to reprefent to God : The very Objed Faith believes on is a Con- tradidion to this, that the Ad of Faith lhould be the matter of my Juftification. I yield this, when God doth juftify, he takes no- tice of the Ad in its kind, of the degree of it : Abra- ham was ftrong in Faith, but in the point of Jufti- fication he takes notice of Chrift in the Heart. The truth is, boafting would be as much of Faith as of Works, if I were juftified by the Ad of Faith:, whereas the Apoftle faith, Not of Works, left any Mdnfbodd bo.ift. Dr. Good- win on the Epbejianlf Part 2. p. 301, 302, In calling God fheweth him- 14* ConfoYmift. the Rightecufnefs of Chrift. is compleat and perfect ; that is our main Joy and Crown of rejoicing to be found iii Chrift, not ha- ving our own Righteouf- nefs, but that which is in him, and made ours by God's gracious account. But how is this great Benefit of Juitification ap- plied unto us, and appre- hended by us ? uinfw. This is done on our part by Faith alone, and that not confidered as a Virtue inherent in us, working by Love, but only as an Inftrument or Hand of the Soul ftretch- ed forth to lay hold on the Lord our Righteouf- nefs, Rom.$. i. chap. 10. jo. Jer.2$.6. fb that Faith juftifieth only relatively in refpect of the Object which it fafteneth on, to wit, the Righteoufnefs of Chrift by which we are juftified : Faith being only the Inftrument to convey {b great a Benefit unto the Soul, as the Hand of the Beggar receives the Alms. How doth San&ifica- tion differ from the former Grace of Juftification ? Anfw. In many main and material Differences : As, i. In the order, not of Time wherein they go together, Rom. 8. 30. nor of Knowledg and Appre- henfion, wherein this lat- ter hath precedency, 1 Cor. 6. 11. out of Nature, wherein this former is the ground Baxtcriamjm Barefaced. Baxterian. nam xcoa the Condition performed by himfelf. See Part 3. p. 321. where he pofitively aflerts in the fum thereof, that God pro- ceeds as a Judg to pro- nounce his Sentence of Juftification from the fub- ftance and matter of that Righteoufnefs which is in us, or tflentiallv Faith it felf. It 4>ught therefore care- fully to be avoided, left, as many do this day, we fay that the Holinefs and Innocencv of our Life be the Efett of our Juftifi- cation before God '0 fo we ought diligently to take heed that we believe not that Rolinefs and Inno- cence it felf in our Juftifi- cation before God : neither fhould we affirm that it is the efficient or impul- five Caufe of our Juftifi- cation before God : Sed t ant ummo y the Merits of Chriit, who hath procured this Grace unto us, that God (hould thus accept our Faith. Weanfwer, that this -is af- firmed, but 'tis not proved. t They (peak a little more favourable than the Romanifts, who make Faith it felf to me- rit Justification •, thefe will have it not to merit it, but to be gracioufly accepted for Righteoufnefs. — The word Justification may be taken either, I. For the abfolution of a Sinner in God's Judg- ment. 2. For the declaration of a Mans Righteoufnefs be- fore Men. This distinction is certain, and hath its ground in Scripture, which ufeth the word juftify in both accepta- tions, for the quitting of us in God's fight, and for the manifeftation of our Inno- cency before Men againft ac- cufation or fufpicion of Faul- tinefs. They apply this di* (lin&ion for the reconciling the two Apoftles: S.Paul fpeaks of Jiiftification ( in foro Dei) St. Jamestf Juftification Qiri foro homiim.') A Man is justified ^ by Faith without Works, faith is, in God's St. Paul-, that fight, a Man ob» BdXteriamjm Barefaced. Baxterian. fied by the Law of Grace : Therefore it is not the fame Works which Paul excluded from Justi- fication, for we ihail not be judged ac- cording to them. 2. And according to them, is as much as 'James meaneth, when he faith, we are juftified by them. It's all one, that is, the Law of Chrift our Redeemer re- quireth fincere Obe- dience of all that lliall be faved by his Blood and Me- rits from the Con- demnation of the Law of Innocency ; and accordingly Mens right to Chrift and Salvation lhall be judged of. Their right to Life through Chrift's Merits and free Gift (hall be juftified, who were fincerely penitent believing Obeyers to the end, and no others. — What is Paul'* drift in all his Dilutes about Juftification ? Anfw. 1, Primarily, to prove the necefti- ty of a Saviour's Sa- crifice, Righteouf- nefs and Interceflion to fave and iuftify us, and that the do- ing of Mofeft Law, how excellent (bever efteem- Non-Conformift. laved, and inherit the King- dom. The former is the ground whv, the latter the Evidence whereby we know we have the Kingdom. — In J unification we are meer Pa- tients all along, through the Righteoufnefs put upon us by God's pure Act and Account : In San&ifieation we are after- Agents, /'. e. after the firft in- fulion of the Spirit's new-born Qualities^ being afted, we act in the ftrength of Jefus Chriit. Altho too many be willingly ignorant of thele Diftinctions, yet they are ne- cefTarily uferul to deliver Peo- ple from Popery, and arti- ficial Babylonim Confufion, in and about this great Fun- damental Truth of a be- lieving Sinner's Justification. Mr. Stalham Reviler rebuked, p. 126, 127, 128. Regeneration it differs from Converfion. Regeneration is a fpiritual Change, Conver- fion is a fpiritual Motion: In Regeneration there is a Power conferred, Converfion is the exercife of this Power: In Regeneration there is given us a Principle to turn, Con- verfion is our actual turning j that is, the Principle where- by we are brought out of a ftate of Nature into a ftate of Graces and Converfion the actual fixing on God, as the terminus ad quern : one gives poffe.agere, the other aftu agere. — Converfion is related to Regeneration, m the EffeU to the Caufe ; Life precedes Motion, and is the caufe of Motion. < — In Rcge- titration* Conformift. obtains Remiffion of Sins, and is reputtd juft only for his Faith in Chrift, not for his Works fake. A Man is jnftified by Works, and not by Faith only, faith St. James ; that is, in Mens fight we are declared to be juft by our good Works, not by our Faith only : which with other inward and invifible Graces, are made vifible unto Man only in the good WTorks which they fee us perform. Mr. Pemble of Jufiification, p. 17, 18, 19, 33,34? 35)40, 41, 192, 193. To this we are exhorted (viz. Salification) as a found Ejfeft of our Juftifica- tion, Rom. 6. 19, 22. 2 Cor. 7.1. i.ftqfa.47. 2 Theft 3. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Pet. 1.2. ^W. 1.4. Bernard. The* faur. Bibl. Abraham by this means was known ana declared to be juftiried , and his Faith be- ing effectual and fruitful by Works, was thereby known to be a true Faith, and not a dead Faith: for St. Jamit fpeaketh not of the Cauks of J unification, but by what Effe&s we may know that a Man is juftified. True is the Diiiindtion therefore even of the School-men themfelves : Chrift doth juitify a Man effective, effcftuaiiy by work- ing his Juftihcation : Faith doth juitify a Man apprehen- five, apprehend mgly, becaufe it taketh hold of Chrift, who is our ju.hrier : and Works do juitiry alio, but decla- rative, declaringly, becaufe they Baxter Lwifin Barefaced. Bcixterian. efteemed by the Jews, would not \uC- tify without him. 2. To prove that the Gentiles may be fa- ved by Faith with- out the Law, as well as the Jews by Faith with it : and that it bindeth not the Gen- tiles, and is abro- gated to the Jews, and that the Law of Chrift fucceederii it. He confuteth their trufting to the keeping of their Law inftead of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, and the promife ofGrace, and their obtruding their Law upon the Gentiles as necefta- ry to Salvation.^ — What is the drift of St. James ? That bare believing the Gofpel to be true, will not ftrve to any* Man's Salvati- on, without obeying Chrift's Commands, nor will juitify any Man's Title to Sal- vation, or prove him acceptable to God. It is the fame Jufti- hcation before Gcd (and not only in Confcience or before Men) that P... 7/ and James {peak of, and the fame infiance of Abraham they bring, But by [Works'] they mean net the fame thing, as is before * ex- Non-Conformift. neration, Man is wholly paf- five •, In Converfion he is active: as a Child in its for- mation in the WTcmb contri- butes nothing to the firft in- fufion of Life, but after it hath Life, it is active, and its motion natural. It dif- fers from Jufiification. They agree in the term to which, that is, God . By Jufti- fication we are reconciled to God •, by Regeneration we are aflimilated, made like to God. — It differs from Jufli- fication in the nature of the Change : J unification is a relative Change ; whereby a Man is brought from a ftate of Guilt, to a ftate of Righ- teoufnefs", from a ftate of Slavery, to a ftate of Liber- ty ; from the Obligation of the Covenant of Works, to the Privilege of the Covenant of Grace *, from being a Child of Wrath, to be an Heir of the Promife. Regeneration is a phyfical Change, and real, as when a dead Man is raifed from Death to Life ', 'tis a filling the Soul with another Nature, Ephef. 2. 1. The Tranllators have inferted thofe words, hath he quickned, becaufe thofe words are put in the $th Verfe:, but me. thinks the words refer better to the 23c/ Verfe of the firft Chapter, ipeaking of Chrift, who fills all in all, and fills you too with a fpiritual Life*, or he pafTes from the Power of God in raifing Chrift, to his Power in railing us. 'Tis a change of Nature, and of that Nature whereby we are an- 152 Kaxtertamjm aarefac d. Conformift. they (hew that a Man is jufti- fied. Bp Babington on Gene-, fis, p. 76. Turn it again ft the Paptfi, that Co unthankmlly joineth Works with Faith, and Man with God in the matter of our Justification only j that Serpent : and only by looking, how plain to ihew that only Chrift, and only by Faith in him, we live and inherit his Heavenly Joys: Tantum crede, abffi cpcribu-s, non ex operibus, &c. without Works, not of Works, &c. plentiful is the Scripture in this Point/The antient Fathers are agreeable to the fame, Chryf. fecit juftum peccatorem. S. Aug. folm Chriftns, &c. only Chrift without any ill Works, took upon him for us Punifhment, that we by him without any good Works might obtain Grace. Pighim a learned Papift, Siformali- tery &c. If we fpeak formal- ly and properly, neither by our Faith nor our Charity- are we juftified, but only by the Righteoufnefs of God in Chrift, only by the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift imparted or imputed unto us. Bellarmine himfelf ingenioufly confefTeth, propter incertitudinem, &c. for the uncertainty of our own Righteoufnefs, and the fear of vain Glory, it is moft fafe to put our whole Truft and Confidence in the only Mercy and Goodnefs of Gcd. Lyra alfo, a Man cleaving to the Church of Rome in this Point, faith, . Afferent es, &c. they that affirm Baxterian. explained. — That which goeth before Pardon (and that as a Condition) go- eth before Juftifica- tion : But Repen- tance goeth before Pardon. A radi- cal Error is, that the Law of Inuocency made to Adam is it that juftifieth us, by its fac hoc & vives, as fulfilling it in Ck//?.~ThatChrift did obey and fuffer, merit and fatisfy, in fo full and ftrid ^a reprefenting and perfbnating every one of the Eled, as that they did and fufFered it in and by Chrift, in the fenfe of the Law of Works, or in God's account: and that it was not in the third Perfbn of a Mediator, to com- municate the EfFeds freely as he pleafed by another Cove- nant. And fb that God's imputing Righteoufnefs to us, is his accounting us to have done and fuffered in Law- fenfe what Chrift did. This is the root of all the reft, fabverting the Goi- pel it felf : And fo that God accountetb us to be innoce-nt, and never to have finned Non~Qonformift. Children -of Wrath, not on- ly by the firft Sin, but by a Converfation according to the courfe of the World : And this quickning refpeds the change of that Nature which was prone to a world- ly Converfation, and a ful- filling the defires of the Flefb. The firft is a change of a Man's Condition, this is a change in a Man's Difpofition. When a Man is made a Ma- giftrate, there is a change in his Relation •, when a Ser- vant or Slave is made a Free- man, there is an alteration of his Condition : but nei- ther the ones Magiftracy, nor the others Liberty fills their Hearts with new Principles, or plants a new frame in their Nature : Relation and Nature are two diftinbl things. In Creation there is a Relation of a Creature to God, which refults from the meer being of the Creature j but there is alfo the Nature of the Creature in fuch a rank of be- ing, which is added over and above to its meer being. The Apoftle in the Verfes follow- ing the Text, fpeaks of Re- conciliation, or Non-imputa- tion of our TrefpafTes, as diftinft from that change wrought in us in the new Creation. In Jujlification we are freed from the Guilt of Sin, and fo have a Title to Life ^ in Regeneration we are freed from the filth of Sin, and have the purity of God's Image in part reftored to us. • — They differ in the Cuife, and other ways ; Juftification is Conformift. affirm that Faith is not fufficient unto Salvation without the Law, are falfe Apoft les, and fo condemn Cnrift as unable to fave. Caffander again, one of their own, in the Article of Juft ification, faith, That the Doctrine of the Pro- teftants, touching Juftifi- cation only by Chrift, was ever held in the Church. Their Anfelmus laftly moft excellently, In hac fola morte, &c. Place thy whole Confidence in this Death alone, commit thy (elf wholly to this Death, fliroud thy felf altogether under this Death. If the Lord will enter into Judg- ment with thee, lay, The Death of Jefus Chrift our Lord I fet between thee and me, O Lord. — Good Works ever follow him that is juftified, they go not before Juftification. Bp Babington on Numbers, p. 86,87. Bitter-fweet. Ah my dear angry Lord ! Since thou doft love, yet ftrike ; Caft down ', yet help afford ; Sure I will do the like. I voill complain, yet praife, I will bewail, approve ', And all nry fowr-fweet days I will lament and love. Mr. Herbert's Poems. Q. Whe- BaxterUnifm Barefaced. Baxterian. finned by Omiflion or Commiffion from Birth to Death, and to have all that is required to merit Heaven, becaufe we did it in Chrift *, and alfo to have fuffered in Chrift for our Sins, the Curie threatned to us, and (as the laft Objector faith ) eternal Damnation equivalently ', and fo we had Sin and no Sin: And Chrift mult die, and we muft pray for the pardon of that Sin, which in God's account or impu- tation we never had. When the Text tells us that [ Faith is imputed to us for Righteoufnefs] and that [ Righteoufnefs is im- puted to Believers'] that is [7 hey are accounted righ- teous according to the jufti- fying Covenant of Grace, upon their believing in Chrift for his meritorious Righteoufnefs and Sacrifice, giving them by the new Co- venant their gracious Re- lation to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, with right to further Grace and. Glory] they tell us that [by Faith] is not meant {Faith] but [Chrift' s Righ- teoufnefs] and by [.Righ- teoufnefs imputed to us ] is meant [God's accounting us to have done all that Righteoufnefs by Chrift which he did for us. ] Ma- ny more fuch human In- ventions, corrupting our Faith ( at leaft in notion) too many fight for, as if they were necelTary Truths of Hi Non-Conformifl : is the immediate Fruit of the Blood of Chrift. Be- ing juftified by his Blood; Regeneration is by the immediate Operation of the Spirit, therefore called the Santtification of the Spirit ; the matter of that is without us, the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift ; the mat- ter of the other within us, a gracious Habit ; the form of the one is imputing, the form of the other is infu- fing, or putting into us : they differ in the end, one is from Condemnation to Abfolution ; the other from Pollution to Communion. In the immediate Fffetl, one gives us a right, the other a fitnefs. In their Qualities, the Righteouf- nefs of one is perfect in our Head and imputed to us. The Righteoufnefs by- Regeneration is actively in us, and afpires to Per- fection. Mr. Charnoch, V0I.2. p. 70,71, 72. If thou been: in Chrift, fear not Sinj for God from everlafting faw all thy Sins, and yet for all that he continued to ac- cept thee in the Beloved. It altered his Mind not a whit^ he was fomuch pleafed with his Beloved, that tho in Ills own Pre~ fcience he forefaw what we would be, yet having chofen us in his Son, he accepteth us in him ; and fo now that we adually exift and (in againll him, he notwithstanding finds X fo »'$4 Conformifl. Q^ Whether Repen- tance go before Faith ? The Papifts. Their Opinion is, that Repentance goeth before Juftification by Faith, and that it is a way rather unto Faith and Juftifica- tion in the remiiTion of Sins : Pcenitentia efi. Bel- larm. cap. 19. Argitm. A&. 2. 38. Re- pent, and be baptized in the Name of Chrift for the vemiffion of Sins : Remifli- on of Sins followeth Re- pentance: Ergo, Juftifi- cation and Faith follow Repentance. Atis 8. 22. here Forgivenefe followeth Repentance. The Proteftants. Anfw. 1. This place proveth not that remiflion of Sins followeth Repen- tance, becaufe Baptiftn was given after Repentance: For Baptifm doth not give remiflion of Sins, but it is a Seal only and Confirma- tion of our Faith in the remiflion of Sins. 2. Neither is remiflion of Sins obtained before God by the Ad of our Repentance : but we are already, being once called, juftified before God by the remiflion of our Sins, and imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift ; Rom. 8. 30. Juftification immediately followeth our Calling j Baxterianifin Barefaced. Baxterian. of God. Mr. Bast. Brev. Ji.fiif.Pnni. p. 7,35,49, 51, 6b, yi, 72, 73. In the Preface to this Piece Mr. Baxt. tells us, u 1 hat " many worthy Men pub- " Hilied the fame Doftrine " which I aflat, especially " Mr. Gibbons of Black- " friers, in his Sermon in u the Morning Lectures " at St. Giles. — See what Mr. Gibbons lays there, p. 389. A Sinner is then actually juftified, when he is conftituted or made righteous in Law. Righ- teoufnefs is a Conformity to the Law, is righteous in the eye of the Law } he is 'iwoy.®-, within the protection of it; as he that tranfgrefiTeth the Law, is aivoyL©-, guilty in the eye of the Law, and with- out the protection of it. Now the Law of the new Covenant runs thus, He that belieyeth Jha'll not pe- rtfh i fo that a Believer keeps and fulfils this Law, and therefore Faith is im- puted to him for Righte- ouineft, Rom. 4. 22,23,24. becaufe Faith in the keep- ing of the new Covenant, which therefore is called the Law of Faith, Rom. 3. 27. inoppofition to the old Covenant, called there by the Apoftle the Law of Works. As therefore In- nocency, or pa fell Obedi- ence would have juftified Adam had he ftood by- virtue of the Law of Works, or old Covenant, whofc Non-Conformijl. fo much Contentment at home in his Son (having him by him; that he can patiently bear with us, and pleafe himlclf in Chrift : And fo, tho he fee thee finful for the pre- fent, and foreiaw thee fin- ful from 'everlafting, yet he ftill accepts thee in the Beloved: And the reafon is, becaufe Jefa§ Chrift is more beloved of him than Sin is or can be'hated by him. If ever Sin flioiild come to have more iuteieft for Hatred in the fight of God, than Chrift " hath for Love, thou mighteft: well fear} but he hath accepted thee in his Be- loved, therefore be not thou afraid. Dr. Good- win on Ephcf. Part 1. P-9S- t Ob). But you -will fay, this comes nigh to BLif- phemy, that God loves his People in their finning m well as in ftriElefi Obedi- ence : And if fo, who will care to fervc him more, or to walk with him unto well pleaiing ? Anfw. There are few Truths of Chrift, which from fome or other have not received like Enter- tainment with this. Terms and Appellations are at the will of every Impofer: things are not at all varied by them. The Love of God in it felf is the eternal Purpofe and Ad of his Will. This is no more change- able Conformift. Calling •, by Repentance and other Works that follow, our Calling is made fure, 2 Pet. 1. 10. our Salvation finifhed, that is, affured to our felves :, Phil. 2. 12. fo then fear and trembling, which worketh Repentance, be- ginneth not our Salvation, But only doth allure us of the fame. So we muft di- ftinguifh, as the Apoftle faith, between the begin- ning of Faith and Juitifi- cation before God, and the perfection and aflii- rance thereof to our felves : Faith is the firft whereby we are juitified, and our Sins remitted before God j then followeth Repen- tance, whereby our Hearts are allured to our felves of this Remiilion. 3. ifl. St. Peter fo faith to Simon that Hy- pocrite, not that he doubt- ed of remiflion of Sins upon true Repentance, but that he doubted of Sir moil's true Repentance, as V. 23. J fee thou art in the fall of bitternefs. 2ly. Or le faith it to ihew unto Si- mum how difficult or hard a thing remiflion of Sin was. 3/y. And tho remif- fion of Sin be already de- creed before God, yet it is not felt in the Heart, nor the Confcience allured thereof, till after effectu- al Repentance j as Nathan prefently,when A^i^had (aid 1 have finned, faith, The Lard aljo hath put away Buxterimfm Barefaced. Baxterian. whofe tenor is, Obey andlive, for then he had fulfilled that Law *, and as his Difobedience actually condemned him by- virtue of the fame Law — Difobey and die for it, Gen. 2. 17. fo now believing in Chrift juftifieth by virtue of the Law of Faith •, for it is the keeping and fulfilling of the Gofpel-Covenant, whofe tenor is, Believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou ftjalt be faved. And again, Un- belief actually condemneth by virtue of the lame Law, He that believeth not is con- demned already, becaufe he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God-, Jon. 3. 18. That is, becaufe the Unbeliever is etvoy.©-, without the Protecti- on of the Gofpel or Law of Faith, he cometh not up to its Righteoufnefs, he is con- demned already, as a Sinner, by the Law of Works. So that Faith juitifieth us even at the Bar of the Law of Works, Rati one objefti, as it lays hold on Chriit's Satif- faction, which is our legal Righteoufnefs : it juitifieth us at the Bar of the Gofpel, or Law of Faith, form ilittr^ & rationejui, as it is Covenant- keeping, or a fulfilling of the Goipel-Law, for he that keeps a Law is righteous, where that Law is judg^ the Law-maker by his very ma- king of the Law, makes him righteous, and the Judgthat pronounceth according to the Law (for a Judg is va^M fy-4^0 will infallibly pro- nounce '55 Non-ConfoYtnift. able than God himfelf if it were, no Flejh could be faved : but it changeth not, and we are not confumed. What then ! Loves he his People in their fin- ning ? Yes,^ his People, not their finning. Al- ters he not his Love to- wards them ? not the Purpofe of his Will, but the Difpenfatiotts of his Grace. Hz rebuke sthzmy he chafiens them, he hides his Face from them, he finite s them, he fills them with a fenfe of In- dignation j but wo, wo would it be to us, fhould he change in his Love, or take away his Kind- nefs from us : Thofe ve- ry things which feem to be Demonftrations of the change of his Affecti- ons towards his, do as clearly proceed from Love, as thofe which feem to be the moft ge- nuine IfTues thereof. But will not this in- courage to fin ? He ne- ver tailed of the Love of God, that can fieri- oiifty make this Ob- jection. The Doctrine of Grace may be turn- ed into Wantonnefs, the Principle cannot. — De- teftation of Sin in auv may well confiit with the acceptation of their Perfbns, and defignation to Life eternal. Dr. O. Communion with Father, Son and Spirit, p. 30. X 2 Hence »5<5 array 13. Conformift. thy Sins, 2 Sam. 1 2. This notwithftand- David yet felt not the Comfort thereof in his Soul, for the which he prayeth, Pfal. 51. 12. Therefore when remiffion of Sins is placed after Re- pentance, it fheweth the aflurance thereof made unto our Hearts after Re- pentance, not the firft De- cree or Grant thereof with God, which goeth before Repentance. Argum.i. Juftification goeth before Sandificati- onj for this is the Fruit of tlie other : but Repen- tance is part of our Sandi- fication, Renovation, or Regeneration, being cal- led by St. Paul, A walk- ing in newnefs of Life, Rom. 6. 4. Ergo, It fol- ioweth and cometh after our Juftification. And fee- ing without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God, Heb. 1 1. 6. how mould our Repentance be acceptable to God, unlefs it proceed- ed of Faith ? Faith then is initiate and begun in us before Repentance, which we deny not, by true Repentance ana o- ther fruits of Juftification, to be ftrengthened and in- creafed \ as Tertullian faith of Patience, It both goeth before Faitn, and follow- cth.—That Grace whereby , we are justified, and made acceptable before God, is not a Quality inherent or dwelling in us, but we are mack Baxterianifm Barefaced. Baxterian. nounce him fb. Faith juftifieth vi legislate, as it is our Evangelical RighteouP nefs, or our keeping the Gofpel-Lawv for that Law fcfpends Jufiification upon believing. Faith pretends to no Merit ot Virtue of its own, but profefTedly avows its dtpendance upon the Me- rits of Chrift's Satisfaction as our legal Righteoufnefs on which it lay eth hold ; nor can itlhew any other title to be it felf our Evangelical Righ- teoufnefs, but only God's Sandion, who chofe this Ad of Believing to the honour of being the justifying Ad", be- caufe it fb highly honoureth Chrift-, fb that, as a mod judicious Pen exprefTeth it, the Ad of Believing is as the Silver, but God's Authority (with little regard to his Attributes it feems with hie Author, and his Silver-Pen Friend) in the Gofpel-Sandi- on is the King's Coin, or Image ftampt upon it, which gives it all its value as to Juftification : Without this ftamp, it ( the Silver Metal of our material Righteoufnefs) could never have been cur- rent, {unlefs the Authority of God had not by this Stamp hufijd to filence his infinite Righteoufnefs, Jufiice, and Holinefs9 and thereby f mother- ed the Law in all its demands) and if God had fet this ftamp on any other Grace, as Love, that then would have been current, and have juftified us as Faith doth now. Justification u a judicial Aft of Non-Conformijl. Hence it follows that the Anger of God to- wards his finning Eled is not anHatred as oppofite to Love, with which he before did follow them, but only a difplicency and unchangeable Ha- tred againft Sin, not their Perfbns, and fome- times a fatherly Chaf- tifement. Hence God always loved the Eled, and always hated the Reprobate. Rutherf. ExercApolog. p. 47. The Arminians fuffici- ently dcted themfelves, who will have the Act of Juftifying, which a- bove they called an im- manent Decree in God, to be a temporary Ad coaeval with the Wort of Free-will, which is to feign God to be more mutable than Prothem, who fixes, refixes places, and refcinds hourly and yearly fo many Voli- tions and Decrees. Sins are imputed or expiated in the Blood of Chrift, and for them Satisfacti- on made to the Anger of God, or not ', if fo, then notwithstanding that God Ihould impute Sins, the Eled is in fa- vour with God, and a true Price paid for Sins imputed. But what Juftice is it to impute that for a Debt which' is plainly paid? If not, then the Faith of the Eled after- they believe, caufes Baxterhnifm Barefaced. Conformijt. made juft by the imputati- on of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift : That Righteoufnefs which is in us is imperfect, and not able to juftify us be- fore God. Argum. i. St. Paul faith, He hath made him to be Sin for w that knew no Siny that we JJjould be made the Righ- teoufnefs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Out of this place this Argument may be drawn : As our Sins are made Chrift 5s, fo is his Righteouf- nefs made ours •, but our Sins are not habitually inherent in him, but only imputed: Ergo, his Righteoufnefs, and the Grace whereby we are juftified, is not inherent in us, but imputed only. Arg. 2. If we are juftified by Faith only, then this juftifying Grace is by Impu- tation only, not inherent in us ; but Faith only juftifieth \ Ergo. The Propofition is thus proved: Faith juftifieth ei- ther formally and actually as a Quality inherent, or inftrumentally, or paflively, as it apprehendeth the Juftice of Chrift \ but it doth not juftify as it is a Quality or Grace wrought in usj for the Apoftle faith, not of Works: Therefore Faith as a Work in us juftifieth not ; for then other fpiritual Gra- ces, as love, Hope, ftiould juftify as well as Faith. If Faith then only juftify in- ftrumentally, as it appre- hendeth Chrift, then doth the Propofition follow, that the Grace whereby we are juftified Baxterian. of God, as Law-giver and Jndg of the World, gra- cioufly difcharging a Be' liever for the Jake of Chrift'' s Satisfaction from the Condemnation of the Law of Works, by the te- nor of the Gofpel-Law, or new Covenant, which re- quireth of, ace epteth from, imputeth unto Sinners Faith in Jefus Chrift as their Righteoufnefs. I infer againft them [*.*. the Antinomians] that they are dangeroufly mif taken, in thinking that a Believer is righteous in the fight of God, with the felf-fame active and paf five Righteoufnefs where- with Chrift: was righteous, ( this has a hellijb Fallacy in the wording of it, for the Obedience given by Chrift to the Law both in its perceptive and fanclion part did not conftitute him righteous, being infinitely fo in himfelf before any fuch Obedience, but that this and this only in the full, uncurtail'd, unfophiftica- ted, and mr emote matter thereof, is as fuch, the Juftijication of Believers before God') as tho Be- lievers fufFered in Chrift, and obeyed in Chrift, and were as righteous in God's efteem, as Chrift himfelf, having his per- fonal Righteoulnefs made perfonally theirs by Im- putation. This is their fundamental Miftake, and from hence (tanquamex * tqno. ■ *57 Non-Conformift. caufes that God fh^ld- not impute Sin, for which as yet no Satisfaction is given to the Difpleafure of God, and this were a Remiflion without (bed- ding of Blood ; or Faith muft be the AuVfov, or Price for thofe Sins, which is abfurd. But this is that the Arminians would have God not to have obtained a perfect Re miffion for the Elect, but that it is conditionally at hand for them if they fhall believe, which yet overthroweth their own Doctrine v or that our" Faith fuperaddeth fbme- thing to the Satisfaction of Chrift, by which it may be compleat, as if it* were inefficient in it felf.. Hence it is alio that no one before Death is tru-' ly juftified 'j for God will always impute Sins to be committed , againft which - the Scripture cries out, which teftifieth that we have Peace in this Life from Justification, and accefs unto God through Chrift, Rom. %. 1^2. and Remiflion of Sins, Ephef. . 1.7. Col. 1. 13,14. Ibid,' p. 6$, 66. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who of God is tnade unto us Wif- dom, and Righteoufnefs, Santtification, and Re- demption.'] Having no- - thing at all of your felves, God hath given you all . in Chrift, ac- cording to the Decree he i: made, BAXterUniJm Barefafd. Baxterian. equo Trojano ) iflue out a throng of fuch falfe and corrupt Deductions and Confequences as the(e: T hat God fees no Sin in his Children, that Afflic- tions and Death are not properly Puniflments (were they fo, they would be pro- per Expiations) of Sin to Believers ; that all fu- ture Sins are already aeri- ally forgiven, as well as pail and prefent} (If Conformift. iuftified is not inherent in us, but in Chrift apprehended. . — Diftintl.%1. When we object that place of St. Paul againft the Popilh Doctrine of Merits, We are juftified freely by Grace, Rom. 3.24. They anfwer by a diftin&i- on, there are two Jufrifica- tions ; the firft, which is on- ly of Grace, and the fe- cond, wherein we proceed daily by good Works. Rhe- tnift. Annot. Sect. 3. Contra. The Scripture fpeaketh but not, then it is not God of one J unification, which of his Grace, nor Chrift Glorification followeth, Rom. by his Blood, but Regene- 8. 30. Whom he juftified, them ration as a Motive to the alj'o he glorified. If then this former, and as giving Ejfi- one Juftification do bring us to Glorification, what need a fecond ? Again, their fecond Jufti- fication is nothing elfe but that which the Scripture calleth San&ification, which iffueth out from Juftificati- on, as the Fruits thereof: but Chrift is both our Righ- teoufnefs and San&ification, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Ergo, He is both our firft and fecond Juftification, and Co both are of Grace. Hear what one of the Popes hath confefied of this matter. QHiChriftum,&c. he that hath Chrift by Faith, hath the Foundation, befide which none other can be laid, and upon this Foundation he may build wholefom Works, &c. There is then but one Jufti- fication, becaufe there is but one Foundation by Faith •, that which followeth is not another Juftification, but a buijd- cacy to the latter, that blots them out.') That a Believer muft not pray for the Pardon of Sin, but only for the Mani- feftation of it ; {either Prayer gives a being to the Pardon of Sin in the Heart of God, or it does not', if it does, then the Purpofes of God are not immanent, much lefs tran- fient, and ratified [which indeed they are] but m- fettled Atls in him, de- pending upon the lubricous and uncertain motions of his Creature', if it does not, then Prayer for the Pardon of Sin is not fo properly for the begetting of it in God, but the manifeftation and difco- very thereof, which he does in removing the Vail of Vnbdief by his Spi- rit, creating and main- taining in his People a dijeern- Non-Confortoift. made, that he fliould be the fource, and the root of all the fpiritual Blef fings conferred upon the Church ; which are Wif dom by the Revelation of the Myftery of Sal- vation, Righteoufnels by his Satisfaction and per- fect Obedience for our Juftification. Sandificati- on by the gift of the Spirit of Regeneration, and Redemption both of Body and Soul from all Evil and Mifery by the laft and glorious Refar- redion in virtue of our my ftical Union with him. Phil. 3 .9. Not having mine own Right eoufnefs.] That is, to be in Chrift, to be found not in our own Righteoufnefs, but clothed with the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift impu- ted to us. Affemblks An- notations. Rom. 4. Concerning this Perion the Apoftle affirmeth, that his Faith is counted for Righteoufnefs. Some fay the mean- ing of them is, that Faith as an Adt, a Grace, a Duty, or Work of ours, is Co imputed ', others fay, that it is Faith as it apprehends Chrift and his Righteoufnefs, which is properly impu- ted unto us, that is in- tended : So Faith they fay juftifieth, or is coun- ted for Righteoufnefs re- latively, not properly, with refpect unto itsOojedi a:id Baxteriamfm Barefaced, Conformifi. building upon by good Works. Diftinfl. 52. There is Juftice imputative, when the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is imputed unto us, and made ours by Faith : Juftice inhe- rent is "that Juftice that actu- ally abideth in us :, by this we are juftified and truly- made juft, not by the other. Rhem.Amwt. Rom.2. Seft.4. Contra. A Juftice inherent we grant to be in faithful Men, but imperfect, it is not able to juftify them before God. — We acknowledg an inherent Juftice in all faith- ful Men— -wrought in them by the Spirit of God, being now juftified by Faith in Chrift-, but it is imperfed:, not able to juftify them be-i . fore God} it is no other than San&ification, which is a fruit of Justification. But that juftice whereby we are juit before God, not falfly accounted, but made truly juit, is by the Righte- oufnefs of Chrift only, which ; we apprehend by Faith,: And of this our J unification by Chrift there are two parts, the clear Remillion of , our Sins, and Punifhment due thereunto :, for in Chrift we are freed from the Law of Sin and Death : the other part is the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chnit : By the juliifying of one, the benefit abounded toward all Men to the Justification of Life. And this is our Righ- teoufnefs before God, and no other ; it temaineth now to Baxtcrian. difcerning and applying Faith, for both which they ought to pray ', Mat. 1 3 . 1 1 . 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 12, 14. 2 Cor. 3. 14,15,16,17,18. chap. 4. 3,4. Ephef. 1.17, 18, 19, 20. Luke 17. 5. comp. Heb. 1 1 . 1. A Pro- fpecfive Glafs gives not a being to that which Lean- not difcern without z'f. ) That God loved Noah when drunk, Lot when fo, and befides inceftuous ; David when a&ing Adul- tery and Murder ; Peter when he was curfing and fwearing,: and denying Chrift, with as high a love of Complacency and Delight, as when conver- fant in the mofc fpirituai Exercifes of Grace, &c. Mr. Gibbons Adorn* Ex- ere. Method, p. 389, 390, 39I5392,393)394j39Sv And feeing it will be the work of the day, to judg Men as Performers, or Non-performers of the laid Conditions of the ' Law of Grace, therefore it is that the Scripture fpeaketh fo much of in- herent off performed Right ■ccufnefsy and of Chrift 's judging Men ac* cording to then" Works, th.'.t is, their Works which are the perfor- mance of that Condition. T 0 be judged according to our Works, is to be jufti- fied or condemned accord- ing to oar Works ', for to be judged is the gentft% and to be juftified or con- r59 NoYi' Conformift. and fb acknowledg a Trope in the words. The fenfe of the whole with the former, is, Vnto him that worketh not, but believeth in him thatjufii- fieth the ungodly, his Faith and Works are counted to him for Right eoufnefs \ which is not only to de- ny what the Apoftle af- firms, but afiign unto him a plain Contradiction, The defign of the Apoftle is, That we arc jujiified by the Righteouf- nefs which is of God by Faith in the Blood of Chrift.. — All Works are excluded. But Faith abfolutely as a Jingle Grace, Act, and Duty of ours, much more as it inciudeth Obedience in it, is a Work, and in the latter fenfe it is all Works. — Wherefore I (hall oppofe fome Argu- ments unto this feigned fenfe of the Apoftles words. 1. To believe abfolute- hy as Faith is an Act and Duty of ours, and Works a. e not oppofed ; for Faith is a Wurk, an efpe- aai kind of working : But : Faith as we are juftified by it, and Works, or to work, are oppofed. To him that worketh not,. but believeth: So Gal.z.16*. Ephef. 2. 8. 2. It is thz Righteo:f- nefs of God that is im- puted unto us : For we are made the Right eopfneft of God i6o Conformift. to be proved by Scripture. Arg. i. Abraham believed Cod, and it was counted to him for Righteoufnefs : And, bleffed are they whofc Iniqui- ties are forgiven, and whofe Sins are covered, and to whom the Lord impute! h no Sin, Rom. 4. Ergo, the Righte- oufnefs of Man confifteth not in any adual inherent Juftice in himfelf, but in that his Sins are forgiven him, and the Righteoufnefs of Chrift applied to him by Faith. Obj. We grant that Abra- ham was reputed righteous by his Faith, yet it folio weth not, that to have Faith re- puted or counted for Righ- teoufnefs, is to have the Righ- teoulhefs of Chrift imputed by Faith : for Faith which is imputed for Righteoufnefs, is not the Righteoufnefs of Chriitj but our own Righ- teoufnefs. Bellar. cap. 9. Anjw. The Apoftle here by Faith underftandeth alfo the Object apprehended by Faith j as more plainly in thefe words, The Righteouf- nefs of God by the Faith of Jefus Chrift, Rom. 3. 22. fo that in Faith here reputed for Righteoufnefs, we are not to refped the worthiness of the Ad of believing in it felf, but in refped ofthe Objed: The Faith (faith the Apoftle ) of Jefus Chrift. Dr.Willet Synop.Pap. p. 721, 722,926,1321,997,998. Baxterianifm Barefaced. Bdxterian. condemned are the fpe- cies : Judging is juftifying or condemning. That tho our Faith, Repentance and Holinefs be no uni- v erf at abfolute Righte- oufnefs, yet they are that on which the judiciary fcrutiny muft pais, ana will be the Queftion of the great Day, on which our Life or Death will depend, as on the Con- dition or moral Qualifi- cation of the Receiver. That in this fenfe all Men fliall be judged by Jufti- fication or Condemnation according to their Works, or what they have done, that is, as they have per- formed the Conditions of that Law of Grace which they were under. That therefore they that will be juftified at laft, muft truft in Chriji that redeemed them, and be careful to perform the Conditions of this Law of Grace, and both muft concur. That that which is the Righteoufnefs which muft juftify us in Judg- ment, is the fame that muft now conftitute us juft. It feemeth ftrange to fome, to find the whole Old Teftament, and all Chrift's Sermons, and all the other Apoftles, incul- cating inherent and per- formed Righteoufnefs, as The XII Error. Infufed or inherent Juftice, is the formal caufe of Jufti- fica- that which Men muft be judged about to Life or Death, and yet to find :aul fo oft pleading againft Non-Conformift. God in Chrift, 2 Cor.%.2 1, The Righteoufnefs of God upon them that believe, Rom. 3.21,22. But Faith abfolutely confidered, is not the Righteoufnefs of God, God imputeth unto us Righteoufnefs without Works -, Rom. 4. 16. But there is no intimation of a double Imputation of two forts of Righteouf nefTes, of the Righteouf nefs of God, and that, which is not fo. Now Faith abfolutely confi- dered, is not the Righ- teoufnefs of God. 1. That whereunto the Righteoufnefs of God is revealed, whereby we believe and receive it, is not it felf the Righte- oufnefs of God ; for no- thing can be the caufe or means of it felf: But the Righteoufnefs of God is revealed unto Faith, Rom. 1. 16. and by it is it received, Rom. '3. 22. chap. 5. 1 1. 2. Faith is not the Righteoufnefs of God which is by Faith : But the Righteoufnefs of God which is imputed unto us, is the Righteoufnefs of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22. Phil. 3.9. 3. That whereby the Righteoufnefs of God is to be fought, obtained, and fubmitted unto, is not that Righteoufnefs it felf: But fuch is Faith, Rom.g. 30,31. chap. 10. 3. 4. The Righteoufnefs which BAXteriamfm Barefaced. Conformift. fication, whereby Aden are jujiified in the fight of God. The Confutation. We do contrarily hold, that the material cauie of Man's Justification, is the Obedience of Chrift. in Of- fering, and fulfilling the Law for us i but as for the formal Cauie that muft needs be Im- putation, which is an Acti- on of God the Father ac- cepting the Obedience of Chrift for us, as if it were our own. Reafon i. Look by what we are abfolved from all our Sins, and by which we obtain eternal Life, by that alone we are jufti- fied : But by Chnft's perfed Obedience imputed unto us we are abfblved from all our Sins, and through it we are accepted of God to eternal Life, the which we cannot do by inherent Holinefs : Therefore by Chrift's per- fect Obedience imputed unto us we are alone juftificd. This will appear to be true in the exercifes of Invoca- tion on God's Name, and alfo of Repentance : for in Temptation and Conflicts with Sin and Satan, Faith doth not reafon thus;, Now I have Charity and inherent Grace, and f^r thefe God will accept of me : But Faith doth more rightly behold the Son of God, as he was made a Sacrifice for us, and fitteth at the Right-hand of his Fa- ther, there making Inter- ceilion Baxterian, againft Juftification by "Works. But if we will take the Scripture toge- ther, and not by incohe- rent {craps, the Reconci- liation is evident. "Man " is now finful, and con- " demned by the firft " I aw, and is now under " a Law of Grace, that " freely giveth Pardon " and Life through a " Redeemer, to thole " that believingly accept " the Gift according to its (C nature, and consent by u Repentance to turn to cc God, and live a holy " Life infincerity. Now (c Gcd doth through all " the Scripture tell us, " That no one ft all pafs u with God for a]ufi Man, " or be faved, that will " not do this, but fhall " be condemned further " for refilling it : And cc thus he that doth cc Righteoufnefs is righ- " teous, and all lhall be " judged according to " their Works thus re- " quired by the Law of " Grace. To deny this, " is to deny the fcope of " the whole Scripture, " and the Government " of God. ButP.w/dif- " puted againft thofe that " taught that the Gentiles " mult be profelyted and " keep the Law of Mo- ufes, or elfe they could " not be accounted juft " Men, nor be faved : " And he proveth that " the 161 Non-Conformift. which is imputed unto us is not our own antecedent- ly unto that Imputation : That I may be found in him, not having my own Righteoufnefs ; Phil. 3 . 9. But Faith is a Man's own : Shew me thy Faith, I will f/iew thee my Faith, James 2. 18. 5. God imputcth Righ- teoufnefs unto its, Rom.4.6. And that Righteoufnefs which God irnputeth un- to us, is the Righteouf nefs whereby we are juf- tified, for it is imputed unto us that we may be juftified. But we are juftified by the Obedi- ence and Blood of Chrift, Rom. 5. 19. v. 9. Heb. 9. 26. If a. p. 11. But Faith is neither the Obe- dience nor the Blood of Chrift. 6. Faith, as we faid be- fore, is our own -, and that which is our own may be imputed unto us : But the Diicourfe of the Apoftle is about that which is not our own antecedently unto Imputation, but is made ours thereby, as we have proved \ for it is of Grace . And the Imputation of what is really our own unto us antecedently Unto that Imputation, is not of Grace in the fenfe of the Apoftle: for what is Co imputed, is imputed for what it is, and nothing eife : for that Imputation is but the Judgment of y -God 162 Conformifl. ceflion for us : To him I fay doth Faith fly, and is allured that for this his Sod, God will forgive us all our Sins, and will alfo be reconciled unto us, yea and account us juft in his fight, not by any Quality inherent in us, but rather by the Merit of Jefus Chrift, Rom. 5. 19. 2. As Chrifl is made a Sinner, fo by proportion fuch as believe are made Juft : But Chrifl: was by Imputati- on only made and accounted a Sinner for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. for he became a Surety for us, and a Sacrifice for our Sins, upon which all both the Guiltinefs of God's Wrath, and Punifhment for us was to be laid. Hence it is that he is (aid to become (>caT«£x) a Curfe for us, therefore we again are made juft only by- Imputation. 3. The contra- ry to. Condemnation is re- miUicn of Sins, and J cation is the oppofite of Con- demnation. Rom. 8. 33. Jt is God that jitflifieth, who ft/all condemn ? Therefore Jultificatidn is the remiflion of Sin', now remifiion of Sins dependeth only upon this Imputation of Chrift's Merits. 4. Albeit infilled and inherent Ju.tice may have its due place, its Praife, and alio Deferts, vet as it is a Work of the Holy Ghofl, it is net in this Life com- pleat, and by reafon of the Flefli whereunto it is united, it is both imperfect, and m- feded with the dregs of Sin, l.'l. Baxteriamfm Barefaced. Baxterian. the Gentiles being un- der the Law of Grace, may pafs with God for juft Men, and be laved, if the y [ belicvingly ac- cept the gift of Grace according to its nature , and confetti by Repen- tance to turn to God, and live a holy Life in finccrity ] tho they keep not the Jewiih Law: yea further, that tho the Jewilh Fathers were obliged to keep that Law, it was as it belonged to the Cove- nant of Grace and of Faith \ and that before that Law was given, Abraham and others c were juft,and faved by c Faith, according to the c univerfal Law of L Grace *, and that the ' Task of Works, ac- 1 cording to the Mofaical c L m>,wiil of it lelf make £ no Man juft or valua- c ble, and confequently no other Task of Works, which would make the Reward to be not of Grace, but of Debt, and is oppofed to, or feparated from Redemption, and your free Condonation and Donation of the Cove- nant of Grace. ] This the plain drift of Paul. Works of Evangelical Gratitude, Love and O- bedience according to the Law of Grace iubor- dinate to, and fuppoiing Kc- Non-Conformifl. God concerning the thing imputed, with refped unto them whole it is. So the Fad of Phineas was imputed unto him for R'^ghteeulnefs: God judgeth it, and declareth it to be a righteous re- wardable Ad. Where- fore if our Faith and O- bedience be imputed unto us, that Imputation is on- ly the Judgment of God that we are Believers and obedient. Dr. Owen of Jafiif. p 45S, &c. — And whereas it is added, that he is blind ■who fees not, that this Righteoufnefs of ours is fubordinate unto the Righ- teoHJkefs of Chrifl, I mufl: acknowledg my felf o- therwife minded, not- withstanding the feverity of thisCenlure. Itfeems to trie, that the Righte- oufnefs of Chrifl is \nh or- dinate wuo this Righte- oufujsoj our own j as here it is ftated,^ and not the contrary :, for the end of all is our acceptance with God as righteous: But according unto thefe thoughts, it is our own RighteoufhelFes whereon we are immediately ac- cepted with God as righ- teous, only Chrilt hath deftrved by his Righte- oufnefs, that our Righte- oufneis may b;- fo accept- ed, and is then fore as to the end of our Juitification before God, fubordinate there- Baxterianifm Barefaced. Conf'ormift. Ifa. 64. 6. Therefore before God's Judgment-feat it can- not claim this Prerogative, to abfolve any from the Sen- tence of Condemnation. The XIII Error. There is alfo a fecond Jufii- jication, and that is obtained by Works. The Confutation. That Popilh Device of a fe- cond Justification, is a fantasti- cal Delufion. For. 1. The Word of God dotn acknow- ledg no more but one Justifi- cation at all, and that abfolute and compleat of it felf. There is but one Justice, but one Sa- tisfaction of God being offend- ed ^ therefore there cannot be a manifold Justification. 2. If by reafon of the increafe of inherent Justice, JuiTification fliould be diilinguilhed into feveral kinds or parts, we might as well make an hun- dred kinds or parts of Justi- fications, as two. 3. That which by order of Nature doth follow after full Justification before God, it cannot befaid to justify : But good Works do by order of Nature follow Man's Justification, and his Ab- solution from Sin , becauie no Work can pleafe God except the Perfon it felf that worketh the fame do before pleafe him. But no Man's Perfon can pleafe God, but (uch a one as being reconciled to God by the Me- rits of Christ, hath Peace with him. Bdxterian. Redemption, and the free gift of Pardon and Life to penitent believing Ac- cepters, are thofe that Chrift, and James, and all the Scripture make necefiary to Salvation •, and our Conflnt and Co- venant fo to obey, is ne- cefiary to our firit or ini- tial Jttftificationij and our actual Obedience to the continuance and confir- mation of it. I verily think, that were their verbal and notional Diffe- rences difcufff d, and Men understood themfelves and one another, it will prove, that this aforefaid is the true meaning of al- moft all Christians, and that thev agree in this fenfe, while they mif- chievoufly contend about ill or unexplained words. Mr. Baxt. End of Dottr. Controv. chap. 21. $. 46, 47, 50. Head 4, 5, 6, 7. So, what is meant Rom. 4. 6. by imputing Righ- teoufnefs without Works ? Atifvp. Plainly, reputiiig or judging a Man righ- teous without the Works, which Paul there meaneth. (Ofapientiflme!) Whe- ther imputing Christ's Righteouihefs to us he a Scripture-Phrafe ? Anfa. Not that I can find. Ibid, chap. 22. $. 12, 15. Faith juflijieth confiitu- tively, fo far as it is it felf our perfonal inherent Righ- 163 Non-Conformift. thereunto. The Papifls make them me- ritorious of it, at least of our fecond Juftification, as they call it. This,(ay fome,ought not to be admitted, for it includeth boajting; Merit and beta/ting are infeparable : wherefore fay others, they are only caufa fine qua non, they are the Condition of it \ or they are our Evangelical Righteouf- nefs before God,where- ob we are evangelically justified ^ or they are a fubordinate Righteouf- nefs, whereon we ob- tain an Interest in the Righteoufnefs of Christ, or are com- prized in the Condition of the new Covenant, whereby we are justi- fied, or are included in Faith, being the form of it, or of the Effence of it one way or other \ for herein Men exprefs themfelves in great va- riety. Butfo long as our Works are hereby afferted in order unto our Justification, how ftiall a Man be certain that they do not in- clude boafilng \ or that they do exprefs the true fenfe of thefe words, not of Works lefi any Man (fmdd boafi ? There is fome kind of Afcjiption unto our Y .2 fesyes 164 Conform! ft. him. 4. Such Works as are not agreeable to the Rule of legal Jufticej they, before the Tribunal Seat of God cannot juftify, but rather both in and of themfelves, are fubject to God's eternal Gurfe. Mr. Perk. Golden Chain, p. 156,167,158. That which the Pontificians afcribe to Faith in the work of Juftification, is either, that it is a work of Grace, prepa- ring and difpofing a Man to receive the Grace of Juftifica- tion, or elfe that it is a Grace concurring with other Graces infufed and inherent, as Hope and Charity, and fuch like, by which jointly a Man comes to be juftified: ptherwife they al- low Faith no hand at all in Juftification. Co-rial. Trid.Jef. 5. cap. 8. cw.Qjf and. 11. If any Man ft: all lay that a Sinner is juftified by Faith alone, &c. And if any Man lhall lay, that Men are juftified eicher by the only Imputation of Chrill's Righteouthels, or by the only remifiion of Sin?, excluding Grace and Charity which is Ihed abroad in their Hearts by the Holy Ghoit, and is inhe- rent in them ; or alio that the Grace whereby we are juftified is only the Favour of God, let him be Anathema, or accurfed. Mr. Burton's Chriftlan Bnl- nw*, p. 93,94. The right diftinguiiLing 01 things the one from the other, when the nature and due bounds of every word is decia- red,would prove lome Prefcrva- tive againit Errors and Merely which commonly arife upon the Baxteriamfm IXtref.tfd, Baxter tan. Ilighteou fuels, Fa i ill is reputed our fubordi' ?>.:■: c, evangelical, pr Right eonfnefr* and ' 1 up- poling Chrill's Merits and our Redemption by him. this Gofpel-RighteuiP nefs is all that is required of w on our parts, inftead of all that perfect Obe- dience which the Law ot Innocency required : So that our Faith ( taken in the Scripture-fenfe) is our real Righteoufnefs re- lated to the Condition of the new Covenant, and irjlejdol a more perfect Right cohjnefs of hviocen- cy i for as much as after Chrill's Redemption is required to be performed by our felves. This no Chriftians that arc feber can deny, as to the thing. And as to the N i,nc, it is plain to the impar- tial, that will lee that Paid, Rom. 4. 22, 23, 2-}. and James 2. 23. by Faith mean Faith itfelf indeed, and not only thrift the Object of Faith, as fome affirm with too great {caudal: Read over the Texts, and try what fenfe it will be, if you put I Cirri J}'] in, read of [Faiths And the lame Spirit that faith, Hsthit belicvcth Jhall be faVed, faith alfo, He tkit cdletb on the Name of the Lord ft) all be favedt Rom. 1 0. 1 3 . javed by hope^ Rom. 8.24. By the waflring of Rcgc- vtrar Non-Conformijl. felves in this matter, which is bo ifiing. If any (hall fay that the; know well enough what they do, and know that they do not bo!jt m what they afcribe unto Works, I mult fay that in gene- ral I cannot admit it : for the Papifis affirm ol themfelves, that they are moil remote from boa/ling-^ yet I am ve- ry well fatisfied that Boajiir.g and Merit are infeparable. TheQue- ftion is not what Men think they do, but what Judgment the Scripture pafFeth on what they do. Ibid. p. 332,523,524. Q. What is JuJHfi- cation f Anfv. Jufti- fication is art Act of God's free Grace unto Sinners, in which he pardoneth all their Sins, accepteth and ac- counteth their Perfons righteous in his fight, not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but on- ly for the perfect Obe- dience and full Satil- faction of Chrift by- God imputed to them, and received bv Faith alone. Q* What is Sancjifi- catwn? Anfw. Sancti- fication is a Work of God's Grace, whereby they whom God hath be- Baxteritnifen Barefaced. Coriformifl. Baxterian. the ignorance. of things while they are fliuffled confuledly together, one thing being taken for another :, or fomething being taken to be that it is not. I could (hew this in fundry Particulars, one inftead of all : [ Jufiification ] this word not rightiv underftood, what Er- rors hath it bred ? Whilft fome take it to be the making of our felves juft, by irifufion of Grace in the Hearts of the Eled j others, to be nothing elfe but a making of our A&ions to become juft and holy •, whereas it is an Abfolution of a Sinner from his Guiltinefs, and pro- nouncing him righteous before God, when he believes in his Son Chrift Je- ius. Air. Wilibn'-f Chrijlian Ditlionary, Pre/. Judgment. Almighty Judg, how frail poor Wretches brook Thy dreadful Look, Able a Heart of Iron to appall, When thou (Ijalt call For every Mans peculiar Book ? What others mean to do, I know not well Tet I here tell, That fome. will turn thee to fome Leaves therein, So void of Si/;, That they in Merit /ball excel. But I refolve,. when thou, foalt call for mine, That to decline, And thrift a Tefiamenf into thy hand'-, Let that be fcand ': THERE THOV SHALT FIND MX EAVLTS ARE THINE. Herb. Poems, p. 182. Juftice. neration, Tit. 3. 5, & 6. by belie- vlng the Articles of the Creed, 1 Cor. 15. 2. Blef- fed are they that keep his Command- ments, that they might have a right to the Tree of Life (that right is our Righteouf- nefs) and may en- ter in, dec. Rev. 22. 14. By taking heed to himfelf and to DotErinefEimo- thy was to five himfelf and his Hearers, 1 Tim.4. 16. Many fuch Texts I have elfe- wherecited,which are all true, chap'. 2 3. §.14,28,29, 35- ( I (hall return to this Author what King James the Firft did to a raw blind Preacher coming out of his Pulpit, / thank thee Man for thy Text.) The condition of our continued and confummate Right and full PofTeiiion, is the former Faith and confent continued, Repentance re- newed when we knowingly fm,and finceie Obedience and Perfeverance. Ibid. 165 Non - Conformiji. before the Founda- tion of the World chofen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful Ope- ration of his Spirit applying the Death and Relurre&ion of Chrift unto them, renewed in their whole Man after the Image of God, ha- ving the Seeds of Re- pentance unto Life, and of all other faving Graces put into their Hearts, 'and thofe Graces fo ftirred up, increafed and ftrengthened, as that they more and more die unto Sin, and rife unto new- nefs of Life. Q. Wherein do Jufiification and Santlification differ ? Anfw. AlthoSandi- fication be infepa- rably joined with J unification , yet they differ, in that God in Juitiflcation imputeth the Righ- teoufnefs of Chrift, in Sandification his Spirit infufeth Grace, and enableth to the exercile thereof} in the former Sin is pardoned, in the other it is fubdued : the one doth equal- ly free all Believers from the revenging Wrath of God, and that *74 BaxterUmjm Barefaced. Confowiift. Juftice. For where before thou ft ill did ft call on me, Now ft ill I touch And harp on thee, God's Promifes have made thee mine : Why Jhould J Juftice novo decline ? Again ft me there is none, but for me much. Ibid. p. 135- Baxterian. Ibid. chap. §. 5. Head 13. True Conver- fion, and the per- formance of good Works, is a Con- dition required on our part before Juftihcation. Fi- lii Armin. Non-Conformift. . that perfectly in this Life, that they ne- ver fall into Con- demnation ; the 0- thor is neither e- qual in all, nor in this Life perfed in any, but grow- ing up to Perfecti- on. Affcmbl. larger Catechifm. 1. Juftice pleads. I arraign before the Tribunal a Rebel, who was the glo- rious Work of thy Hands, the Center of thy rich Goodnefs, and a Counter- part of thy own Image , he is indeed miferable, whereby to excite thy Com- panion •, but he is not miferable, without being criminal : Thou did ft create him in a ftate, and with Ability to be otherwife : The Riches of thy Bounty aggravate the blacknefs of his Crime. He is a Rebel, not by Neceility, but Will -0 What Conftraint was there upon him to liften to the Counfels of the Enemy of God ? What Force coujd there be upon him, fince it is without the compals of any Creature to work upon, or conftrain tne Will? Nothing of Ignorance can excufe him, the Law was not ambiguoufly cxprefTed, but in plain words, both as to Precept and Penalty :, it was writ in his Nature in legible Characters. Had he received any difguft from thee after his Creation, it would not excufe his Apoitacy, fmce, as a Soveraign, thou wert not obliged to thy Creature : Thou hadft provided all things richly for him, he was crowned with Glory and Honour : Thy infinite Power nad bellowed upon him an Habitation richly furnifhed, and varieties of Servants to attend him. Whatever he viewed without, and whatever he viewed within himfelf, were feveral Marks of thy Divine Bounty, to engage him to Obedience. Had there been fome reafon of any difguft, it could not have ballanced that Kindnefc which had fo much reafon to oblige him : However, he had received no Courtefy from the fallen Angel to oblige him to turn into his Camp. Was it not enough that one of thy Creatures would haveftript thee of the Glory of Heaven, but this alfo muft deprive thee of thy Glory upon Earth, which was due from him to thee as his Creator ? Can he charge the difficulty of the Command ? No : It was rather below than above his Strength : He might rather complain that it was no higher, whereby his Obedience and Gratitude might rather have a larger fcope, and a more fpa- cious Field to move in, than a Precept fo light, fo eafy, as to abirain from one Fruit in the Garden. What Excufe can he have that would prefer the Liquorifh- nefs of his Senfe before the Dictates of his Reafon, and the Obligations of his Creation ? The Law thou didft let him was righteous and reafonable \ and (hall Righteoufaefs and Reafon be rejected by the iupream and infallible Reafon, be- ..caufe the rebellious Creature hath trampled upon it ? What ! Muft God abrogate his Baxterianifm Barefaced. 175. his holy Law, becaufe the Creature hath flighted it ? What Refledion will this be upon the Wifdom that enacted it, and upon the Equity of the Command and Sand ion of it? Either Man mud fuffer, or the holy 1 aw be expunged, and for ever out of date : And is it not better Man fhould eternally finart under his Crime, than any dilhonourable Reflections of Unrighteoufhefs be call upon the Law, and of Folly, and want of a forefight upon the Lawgiver ? Not to punilh, would be to approve the Devil's Lie, and juftify the Creatures Revolt. It would be a Condemnation of thy own Law as unrighteous, and a lentencing thy own Wifdom as imprudent. Better Man fhould for ever bear the Punifhment of his Offence, than God bear the Difhonour of his Attributes : better Man fhould be miferable, than God fhould be unrighteous, unwife, falle, and tamely bear the denial of his Soveraignty. But what advantage would it be to gratify Mercy by pardoning the Malefactor ? Befides, the irreparable difhonour to the Law, the falfifying thy Veracity in not executing the denounced Threatning, he would receive Incouragement by fiich a Grace to fpurn more at thy Soveraignty, and oppofe thy Holinefs by running on in a courfe of Sin with hopes of Impunity. If the Creature be reftored, it cannot be expected that he that hath fared lb well after the breach of it, fhould be very careful of a future Obfervance : His eafy Readmiffion would abet him in the repetition of his Offence, and thou (halt foon find him call: oft all moral dependance on thee ? Shall he be reftored without any Condition or Covenant ? he is a Creature not to be governed without a Law, and a Law is not to be enaded without a Penalty. What future regard will he have to thy Precept ? or what fear will he have of thy Threatning, if his Crime be £0 lightly part over? Is it the {lability of thy Word ? What realbn will he have to give credit to that which he hath found already difregarded by thy felf ? Thy Truth in future threatnings will be of no force writh him, who hath expe- rienced thy laying it afide in the former, 'lis neceijkry therefore that the rebel- lious Creature fhould be punilhed, for the prefervation of the honour of the Law and the honour of the Lawgiver, with all thofe Perfedions thai are united in the compofure of it. 2. Afercy doth not want a Plea. 'Tis true indeed, the Sin of Man wants not its Aggravations: He hath flighted thy Goodnefs, and accepted thy Enemy as his Ccuniellor j but it was not a pure Act of his own, as the Devil's Revolt was : He had a Tempter, and the Devil had none : Lie had, I acknowledg, an Understanding to know thy Will, and a Power to obey it} yet be was mutable, and had a Capacity to fall. It was no difficult Task that' was fethim, nor a hard Yoke that v\ as laid upon, yet he had a brutifh part as well as a rational, and Senfe as well as Soul} whereas the fallen Angel was a pure intellectual Spirit. Did God create the World to fuffer an eternal Difhonour, in letting him felf be outwitted by Satan, and his Work wrefled out of his hands? Shall the Work of eternal Couniei prefently fink into irreparable Deftrudion, and the honour of an Almighty and wife Work be loft in the ruin of the Creature ? This would feem contrary to the nature of thy Goodnefs, to make Man only to render him miferable •, to defign him in his Creation for the Service of the Devil, and not for the Service of his Creator: W hat elfe could be the ifTue, if the chief Work of thy Hand, defaced prefently after the ereding, mould for ever ij6 BaxterUnifin Barefaced. ever remain in this marred condition *, what can be expected upon the conti- nuance of his Mifery, but a perpetual Hatred and Enmity of thy Creature againft thee ? Did Gcd in Creation defign his being hated, or his being loved by his Creature ? Shall God make a holy Law, and have no Obedience to that Law from that Creature whom it was made to govern? Shall the curious Work- manfhip of God, and the excellent Engravings of the Law of Nature in his Heart be lb foon defaced, and remain in that blotted condition for ever ? This Fall thou could ft not but in the Treafures of thy infinite Knowledg forefee j why hadft thou Goodnefs then to create him in an Integrity, if thou wouldit not have Mercy to pity him in Mifery? Shall thy Enemy for ever trample upon the honour of thy Work, and triumph over the Glory of God, and applaud himfelf in the fuccefs of his Subtility ? Shall thy Creature only paflively glorify thee as an Avenger, and not actively as a Compaffionater ? Am not I a Perfection of thy Nature as. well as Juftice? Shall Juftice ingrofsall, and I never come into view ? Tis refolved already, that- the fallen Angels fhall be no Subjects forme to exercife my felf upon :, and I have now lefs reafon than before to plead for them : they fell with a full confent of Will, without any motion from another •, and not* content with their own Apoftacy they envy Thee, and thy Glory upon Earth as well as in Heaven, and have drawn into their Party the belt part of the Creation below : Shall Satan plunge the whole Creation in the lame irre- parable Ruin with himfelf? If the Creature bereftored, will he contract a bold- nefs in Sin by Impunity ? Haft thou not a Grace to render him ingenuous in Obe- dience, as well as a Compaffion to recover him from Mifery ? What will hinder but that fuch a Grace Which hath eftabliihed the ftanding Angels, may efta- bliih this recovered Creature? If I am utterly excluded from exercifing my felf on Men as I have been from Devils, a whole Species is loft :, nay, I can never expect to appear upon the Stage. If thou wilt quite ruin him by Juftice, and create another World, and ano- ther Man*, if he ftand, thy Bounty will be eminent, yet there is no room for Mercy to act, unlefs by the commiffion of Sin he expofeth himfelf to Mi- fery -, and if Sin enters into another World, I have little hopes to be heard then, if I am rejected now. Worlds will be perpetually created by Goodnefs, Wifdom and Power : Sin entring into thefe Worlds, will be perpetually pu- nifhed by Juftice;, and Mercy, which is a Perfection' of thy Nature, will for ever be commanded filence, and lie wrapt up in^an eternal Darknefs. Take . occafion now therefore to expofe me to the knowledg of thy Creature, fince without Mifery, Mercy can never fet foot into the World. Mercy pleads, ii Man be ruined, the Creation is in vain: ju^ice pleads, if Man be not fentenced, the Law is in vain :, Truth backs Juftice, and Grace abets Mercy. What (hall be done in this feeming Contradiction ? Mercy is not tranifeited if Man be not pardoned } Juftice will complain if ,Man be not pun'.flied. 3. An Expedient Baxteriatiifin Barefaced. 1JJ 3. An Expedient is found out by the Wifdom of God to anfwer thefe Demands, and eJjnfi the Differences between them. The Wifdom of God anfwers, I will fatisfy your Pleas. "The Pleas of Juftice ihajl be fatisfied in punifhing, and the Pleas of Mercy fhall be received in pardoning. Juftice lhall not complain for want of -Pu- nifhment, nor Mercy for want of Companion. I will have an infinite Sacrifice to content juftice-, and the Virtue and Fruit of that Sacrifice (hall delight Mercy*, Here fhail Juftice have Puniihment to accept, and Mercy lhall have Pardon to be- flow. The Rights of both are prefer ved, and the Demands of both amicably ac- corded in Puniihment and Pardon, by transferring the Puniihment of our Grimes upon a Surety, exacting a Recompence from his Blood by Juflice, and conferring Life and Salvation upon us by Mercy, without the expence of one drop of our own. Thus is Juftice fatisfied in its Severities, and Mercy in its Indigencies. The Riches of Grace are twifted with the Terrors of Wrath. The Bowels of Mercy are wound about the flaming Sword of Juftice, and the Sword of Juftice protects and fecures the Bowels of Mercy. Thus is God righteous without being cruel, and merciful without being unjuit :, his Righteoufnefs inviolable, and the World reco- verable. Thus is a reiplendent Mercy brought forth in the midft of all the Curies, Confufions, and Wrath threatned to the Offender :, Rom. 3. 24, 25. Mr.Chamock, Vol. 1. p. 381, 382, 383, 384. Now fhall follow fome other Arguments out of Scripture to prove the Imputation as well of Chrift's active as paj live Obedience. Arg. 1. The Apoftle faith, who was delivered to death for our Sins^ and roje again for our Jufiification, Rom. 4. 25. Here Remiilion of Sins and Juftification are made two diftinct things, tho in life and Fruition never fevered -, and both of them are imputed unto us by Faith in Chrift : and tho it be here anfwered, that we have both thefe by the Death of Chrift, but the perfecting and manifeftation thereof is referred to Chrift's Refarrection :, yet it remaineth fti.ll, that there is more in Jufti- fication than Remiilion of Sins, for otherwife the Apoftle fhould commit a Tamolo- gy, a verbal Repetition of the fame thing : And if the Refurrection of Chrift muft concur to our Juftification, then more is required than his. Paflion only. Ag. 2. Rom. 5. 19. As by one Man's Dij obedience many were made Sinners, jo by the Obedi- ence of one fljall many be made righteous. Here many are directly laid to be confti- tuted juft by Chrift's Obedience. It will be anfwered that the paflive Obedience of Chrift is underftood, in being obedient unto death. Contra. Yea the whole Obedi- ence of Chrift in his Life and Death, is here infmuated, as may thus appear. 1. Chrift's Obedience is (etagainft Adam's Difobedience, wnich was a Tranfgrefil- on of the whole Law \ therefore Chrift's Obedience muft be underftood to be gene- ral. 2. The Apoftle fpeaketh of the Gift of Righteoufnefs, ver.-ij. but domtm JuJiitU, -the Gift of Righteoufnefs is more than the taking away of Sins. 3. And the reigning of Righteoufnefs is let againft the Reign of Sin} but for Sin not to reign, and for Righteoufnefs to reign, tho one necelFarily followeth the other, yet they are in themfelves diverfe and different. 4. The Apoftle ufeth the word v&m&3*~GwriU) conflituentur^ lhall be conftituted Righteous*, therefore Juftification is a fettling or conitituting of Men in the State of Righteoulhefs before God, which is mere than the Remiilion of Sins, which lheweth a Privation only, acquittal or riddance of Evil and Sin. Arg. 3. Add hereunto the place before urged againft in- herent Juftice, that Chrift is our Righteoufnefs, Santlijication, Redemption *, which place is thus well interpreted by Mr. Cdvin; By Juftice or Righteoufnefs he un- dsrltapdeth that both Chrift doth expiate our Sins by his Death, and his Obedience A a is 178 Baxter Untfm Barefaced. is imputed to us for Righteoulhefs : for feeing the juftice ofFa;th confifteth in the remiiiion of Sins, and our gracious Acceptance, we obtain borhbv Chrift, &c. Befide then the remiffion uf Sins, there is tne imputation of Chrift's R ghteoufnefs that maketh us accepted with God. Arg. 4. Even Real on it felf iheweth, that in Justification there is a Gift of Righteou foe's, befide remi on of bins : for in every change and alteration there are two things to be coniidaed, from what we are changed, and into \\ hat, which are called, terminus a quo, & te; minus ad quern ; as when a thing is turned" from black to white, there is the privation of Blacknefs* and the fucceeding of Whitenefsj and when in the Air Darkne s is expelled, and Light received : fo to make a Man juft, there mult be a remiiiion of Sin, and a con- ferring of Righteoufnefs. And unto Salvation belongeth Deliverance from Hell, and the pofleiiion of Heaven : the one we are freed from by the redemption from our Sins, the other is given us for the acceptation of Chrift's Righteoumefs. We are not only freed from Condemnation, but we alfo are made Heirs with God : the Offender being abiolved from the Sentence of the Judg, is not upon that honoured and rewarded : lb that it ftandeth with the Law of natural Reafbn, and Courfe of Civil Juftice, that two things muft concur unto Juftification, an Ablation of Sin, and Collation of Righteoumefs. Arg. 5. To the perfecting of our Redemption, ana letting us in poffeflion of Heaven, it was requifite, that both the Law mould be ful- filled, which Man had tranfgrefled, and the Punifliment of the Law fatisfied, that Man by his Tranfgreffion had defer ved. The one Chrift did by his Death, the other he wrought by his Life \ and therefore the imputation of both is neceffary : lb St. Paul iheweth this to be one of the ends for the which Chrift took upon him our Flefn, that the Righteoufnefs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8. 4. But if it be here faid, that both are not requifite in God's Juftice, to keep the Law, and to pay the Punifliment, God's Juftice is fatisfied, in that the Punifhment is anfwered f r tranfgreiiing the Law : Anfw. True it is if we expefted to receive no more in Chriit than we loft in Adam, which was the lofs of a terreftrial Paradife^ tore- ftore us to that we were in Adam, Satisfaction for the PunUhment had fufficed ; but to bring us to Heaven, a new Merit by Chrift's perfed Obedience was to be procured, by the which Heaven is purchafed. Arg. 6. If Chrift's adual Obedience be not a part of our Juftification, then fbme of Chrift's Works had been fuperflu- eus, and not neceiTary. Eut it will here be laid, that after Chrift became Man, it was requifite, that he as Man fhould keep the Law, and as Man he was bound there- unto. Anfw. Chriit muft not be confidered as a particular or private Man, work- ing for himfelf, but in the Perfon of a Redeemer, doing all he did for us : He faith indeed, thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteoufnefs : but why did it thus become bim ? as our Redeemer, to finilh the work of our Redemption, for the which he was fent •, as St. Paul diredly faith, Gal. 4. He was made under the Law, to redeem them which were under the Law : He was to be obedient to the Law, and bound un- to it, but for our fakes, to redeem us. This matter may be thus refembled, like as a Prince refolving to go himfelf into Captivity, to redeem his Subjects that are taken Captives, when he cometh to deliver them, will carry himfelf decently as becometh a Piince, yet all this was firft undertaken for his Subjeds. So Chrift the Prince of Glory, coming into the World to redeem Man, being come, walk- •cth in all Virtue and Holinels, as it became the Perlbn of the Redeemer ; yet all this was undertaken for us : fo that tj on>« help, if he live mo- rally according to Cod's Law BaxterUnifm Barefaced. Baxterian. knack) proper effect, and of the A6t of Man, in its own place and kind of A&ion ; vet not /imply a total Caufe of Man's Ad or Volition ', but Man's Concurrence may be fur- ther required to it, and may fail. Ibid. p. 226. Omnibus Spiritus fan- tlus gratia aliquali ipfis adejl j qua niji abut ant ur, ip/os regeneraturus eft ; L e. The Holy Spirit is with fome kind of Grace prefent with thofe, which unle/s they did abu/e, he would regenerate, Mr. Baxters Method. Theol. Part 3. p. 7. We nothing doubt but many things which God willeth, or that it pleafeth him to have done, do yet never come to pafs — We grant that fome of Gods De- fires are never fulfilled. — It is in the power of Man to hinder the exe- cution of God's Will. Corvin. It may be ob- jected, that God faileth of his end \ this we rea- dily grant. Remonflr. Sy- nod. The Spirit and San- tlification are promifed on condition of Faith and Repentance To have lome moral Power to know, and defire, and praUife fome moral good, it feemeth is infeparable from Man in via— -Moil frequently I ufe the words (viz. moral Pow- er) for iuch a degree of God's helping or healing influx 183 N on- Conformist. any thing that other wife ever befel the Mind of Man to think or apprehend •, yet if it muft be ftippofed to intend nothing elfe in its Doctrine of the New-birth or Regeneration, but thofe moral Duties and their Ob- fervance, it is dark and un- intelligible:, I fay, If there be not a fecret mjftsrious Work of the Spirit of God^ in and upon the Souls of Men in the Writings of the New Teftament, but only a Reformation of Life, and the improvement of Man's natural Abilities in the Ex- ercifeof moral Virtvie ythro the application of outward means unto their Minds and Underftandings, conduct- ing and perfwading there- unto ; they muft be grant- ed to be obfeure, beyond thofe of any other Writers whatfoever, as fome have not feared already to pub- liin unto the W'orld con; cerning the Epiftles of Paul. But fo long as we can obtain an acknowledg- ment from Men, that they are true, and in any fenfe the Word of God, w e doubt not but to evince that the things intended in them are clearly and properly exprefTed, fo as that they ought to be, and fo as they are capable to be exprefTed,;, the Difficulties which feem to be in them ariling from the myfteriom N xture of the things themielves con- tained in them, aud the Weaknefs of our Minds in • appw- Conformist, fo much as in him l/eth to do ; for then God will fuc- Com him either by himfelf, or byfomc other , to wit, ci- ther Alan or Angel, by pro- ding of Faith unto him. For as in natural things, fo in fupcrnatural,God doth mi- nifler Grace -when Man is not wanting to himfclj. I anlwer, that this is falfe : for if Grace be given to him which doth that which Jieth in him to do by the ftrength of Nature, it is given either by Merit or Promife. Not' by Merit, becaufe there is no Merit before Faith ; and we do nothing acceptable unto Gcd before we have Faith. Auguft. cont. Jul. Thou bringejl in a kind of Men, which can pleafe God with- out the Faith of Cnrift, by the Law of Nature. This is the caiife why the Christi- an Church doth efpecially de- tefi you. And it is not given by Promife, becaufe there is no Promife or di- vine Law to be found in the Scripture,that Grace Ihould by and by be given unto him that cloth that which lieth in him to do •, it is al- fo falfe to fay, that God dotti minister all things that make for the Felicity of Nature, or this prefent Life : For fome are born leprous, blind, foolifh, ve- ry poor, unmeet for this jlicitv nei- temporary F ther do they ever attain unto it. This Opinion al- io is aga'iult Experience : be- Baxteridtfifw Barefaced. Baxtcrian. InRux or Grace, as is fliort of an HaSit for Promptitude and Civili- ' ty, but yet puts the Soul in fuch a Difpofition, by which Man can do the Act (and it may come to pafs without more Grace whether it door not) which the Domini- cans call. fufficicnt Grace, and I rather call necejfary Grace. Baxters Doctri- nal End ofControv. ch. 1 3. $.30. ch. 9. $.5,11. If we may conje&ure upon Probabilities, it feems to me moll likely, that there is fuch afuffici- ent Grace or Tower to re- pent and believe favingly in fome that ufe it not, butperijb. Vo.cb.is. §.43. Rotn. 10. faith no more, but that no Man can be- lieve in Chrifi without the Revelation of him by- preaching or declaring, and that no Man that heareth, can be faved at all without believing in him, nor no Man faved at all without that Faith, which the Law that he is under maketh necefTary to Salvation. But if all were damned that belie- ved not that Jefus is per- fonally the Chrifi, all be- fore his Incarnation muft be damned : But if not all before, then the fame' thing was never made neceflary after to all that could not poilibly hear of it. Ibid. ch. 16. §.25. The Promife to Abra- ham Non-Conforrnitf. apprehending fuch things, and not from any Abfurdi- ty or Intricacy in the De- claration of them. And here indeed confifts the main Conteft whereunto things with the .molt are reduced. Some judg that all things are fo exprefTed in the Scripture with a con- delcenfion to our Capacity, fo as that there is f till to be received an inexpreffibie Grandure in many of them beyond our Comprehensi- on. Others judg on the other hand, that under a Grandure of Words and hyperbolical Exprellions, things of a meaner and a lower Senfe are intended, and to be underftood. Some judg the things of the Gofpel to be deep and myfterious,the Words and Expreffions of it to be plain and proper : Others think the Words and Expreffions of it to be myftical and fi- gurative, but the things in- tended to be ordinary and obvious to the " natural Reafon of every Man.-Re- generation doth not confift. in a moral Reformation of Life and Converfation. Let us fuppofe fuch a Reforma- tion to be extenfive unto all known Instances. Suppofe a Man be changed m m Senfuality unto Tempe- rance, from Rapine to Righteoufhefs, horn Pride to the Dominion of irregu- lar Pa liions, unto Humility and Moderation, with all Inftances of the like nature which Baxterianifa Barefaced. Conformist. t becaufe many die in their Infancy, and many are foolifh and mad all their Life long, upon whom we cannot fay that this univerfal Grace is beftowed. It is al- io contrary to moil: plain places of Scrip- ture ', Rom. 9. 18. Mat. 13. 11. John S.S.John 6. Attsil. 59. — We know that God's Grace is not given unto all Men. —Objed. The Pro- mife of the Seed of the Woman is made in Adam to all and to every Man. Anf. It is made to Adam's Pofterity indefinite- ly, not univerfally. When Salvation is promifedto all Men, all Men are named for a part of Men. The Heads of the Nations, Cain,Cham, Efau, j&c. knew the promifed Meffiah -, but thole which came after knew him not, neither had they the means how to know him. So Jfa.%2. 66. Me have they not known, of mc have they not heard. The Nations alfo next adjoining to the Jews peradventure heard fomething , and had Pr&lelytes ; but the Nat'.