HAving of late read over your Booke called the marrow of moderne divinity, and by often per­usall thereof, found many things in it, which I conceive is not truth, I have presumed in the defence of the truth, which I have lear­ned out of the Scriptures to examine some things delivered by you in your Booke, not doubting but you will be ready to hearken to the truth, from any that shall make it appeare unto you.

I shall take some small exceptions at divers things there­in, because I intend one speciall thing, which is the greatest matter of all, and wherein any one being deceived, the great­est damage consists. But before I come to that which I cheif­ly intend, I take notice of some things, in the fourth page of your Booke; you say the new Testament mentions a threefold law, you might have added more if you had pleased, what say you to the law of the Spirit of life, Rom. 8.2.

It is very necessary for us to consider how you have distin­guisht the law of workes and the law of Christ, for you say the ten Commandements may be said to be the matter of the law of workes, or the matter of the law of Christ.

You have here made a distinction that neither the Scrip­tures set forth, nor any Authour that ever I heard of.

But to answer you directly, the law of the ten Comman­dements is all one and the same, not differing in it selfe, but is a holy, just and perfect law, proceeding from a holy God, and binds all men to the obedience of it, and condemns every transgression against it, yea the most holyest man, and he that [Page 2]is in greatest favour with God, if he transgresse, it condemns him, as justly as the most ungodly wretch living.

But the difference lyes in this, That the one namely true beleevers are justified by Christ from the Curse and penalty of the law, and unbeleevers lye under the condemning power, penalty and curse of the law.

But you and I differ only in your distinction, for I doe not find throughout all the New Testament, that the law of the ten Commandements are called, the law of Christ, There are other lawes of Christ, as the law of grace, the law of Faith or beleiving in him, and many other Commandements or lawes of Christ, which are not contained in the law of the ten Commandements, and so are none of the matter there­of. As for the text, Gallat. 6.2. It is set downe by the Apostle as one speciall law of Christ to beare one anothers burden, But this will not prove your assertion that the law of the ten Commandements is the matter of the law of Christ, I meane as he is the Mediator of the New Covenant.

Yet doe I not deny, but that the law of the ten Comman­dements, may be a rule and direction to true beleivers, to walke by, yet beleevers doe not worke by any compulsion of that law, but after a more free way, of love unto God and Christ, arising from the love of God in Christ unto them, the love of God constraine them to holinesse of life, to labour to honour God; And the Apostles generally doe urge and presse beleevers to holinesse from the free grace of God, and from the mercies of God, extended towards them in Iesus Christ as we may see, Titus. 2.11.12. Romans. 12.1.

The law of the ten Commandements is an absolute perfect holy and just law, yet it setts not forth Christ, neither is faith required therein, nothing but absolute and perfect obedience to the same is required therein. It brings us not to Christ, but wounds us, and leaves us destitute in respect of any helpe it can afford, It is the law of the Gospell that releeves us.

Page 7.8. I let passe your fine distinction of the law of the ten Commandements, calling it the matter of the Covenant of works, and not the Covenant it selfe, your reason is weake, for had not the Lord absolute authority to lay a command upon the Creature, and man bound to obey, though he gave no assent?

And now I come to examine whether this law of the ten Commandements was given to Adam, and writ in his heart in Paradise before his fall.

You have affirmed that it was written in his heart before his fall, page 7. and the 10. and indeed throughout your whole Booke; I deny it, and I demand your proofe, for your opini­on out of Scripture.

We read but of one Commandement given to Adam in Pa­radise, But you tell us of ten more, you will be wise above that which is written; I acknowledge that Adam was Crea­ted a perfect Creature, full of holynes purity and uprightnes, But yet that it was in respect of the writing of the ten Com­mandements in his heart before his fall I cannot see, neither find I any Scripture to lead me to beleeve it.

I acknowledge that assoone as ever Adam had transgressed he came to know good and evill, which he did not know be­fore, And this law of the ten Commandements was then writ in his heart, and he that could not keepe one Commandement, had many more given him, so that now by his fall, the very flood gates of Sinne, were set open through his transgression to the drowning of himselfe and his posterity in misery.

But because this opinion is so often repeated by the Au­thor in his Booke, I desire to know to what it tends, and what use; we may make of it, doth it serve to illustrate or set forth, any point of Doctrine in the Scriptures? or doth the contra­ry, which I have affirmed, oppose or gain say any truth? If it be so that neither is done hereby, Then I say you have troub­led your Readers with needles doctrine, no way tending to e­dification, [Page 4]but is a meere fancy of your owne Braine.

You tell us it is the opinion of all Authors and Interpreters that you know, but you tell us none of their names, nor none of the Scriptures, they have so interpreted for the proofe thereof, And so I take it as your owne opinion, which I dare not receive, untill I see better ground for it.

I take notice also how finely you would insinuate unto us, that Adam in eating the forbidden fruit, did breake all the ten Commandements; and have you gone through them all? doubt­les you have pleased your selfe therein, but what content you have given to your Reader in it, I leave it to the judicious to consider of, and so passe it over, and come to something that remaines.

Page. 28. and 29. You affirme that Adam fell the very same day, that he was created; and the ground of your opinion is, Psalme. 49.12. which text in the Hebrew, you say is thus read; Adam being in honour did not lodge a night in it; you have a good art in adding to the Scripture, as I shall shew hereaf­ter.

And you have quoted Mr. Aynsworth in the Margent to helpe you, but he doth not; I have examined Mr. Aynsworth upon that Psalme, but he affirmes no such thing, he saith this may be minded both for the first Adam, who continued not in his dignity, And so for all his Children, these are his owne words.

Now how can you gather from hence that Adam fell the same day he was created, I wish you to observe that the holy Ghost in that Psalme intends no such thing as Adams fall, but of mans being in honour the instability thereof and the short continuance of it; And I suppose you know (Adam) to be the common name of man, and therefore the first man Adam can­not be here meant.

Leave these your fained devises, and keep close to the Scrip­tures, and seeke not to know in divine things, anything, but [Page 5]what is there written, To the law and to the Testimony if they speake not, it is because there is no truth in them, Be not wise above that which is written, and doe not you pub­lish that for truth, which you have no ground for, secret things belong unto God, but thins revealed unto us, &c.

So likewise is your conjecture of Adams sacrificing on the same day that he was created, and that God cloathed him with the skins of those beasts, which he offered in sacrifice.

But I leave these things as your owne imaginations, yet this I say that it is not probable that he fell the same day that he was created, for there were many things passed after man was crea­ted, which are set downe in the second Chapter of Genesis, which is not likely were done all in one day, neither doe I know of what use this opinion is, but I leave it to the Reader to consider off.

And although I freely confesse that Christ offered up him­selfe the sixth day of the weeke, And that Adam was created the sixth day, But must it therefore needs follow, that Adam fell the very same day that he was created, I know no necessi­ty thereof.

Page 43. I wonder you durst be so bold as to alter the words and so the fence and meaning of the Apostle, Rom. 5.13. Your words are thus, before the time of the law sinne was in the world, yet did they not impute it to themselves, because there was no law, But the Apostle hath it thus, for untill the law sin was in the world, but sinne is not imputed where there is no law, The Apostle proves plainly here, that there was a law written in mens hearts, before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai, the breach wherof was imputed unto them, for there was not any time, since Adams fall, wherein, there was nor a law to condemne man for sinne, and so their sinne was imputed unto them at all times, And not as you say, they did not impute it to themselves, I pray you take knowledge what the same Apostle saith, in [Page 6]the second Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans verses 14 & 15. For when the Gentills which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the law, are alaw unto themselves, which shew the worke of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing also witnesse, and their thoughts the meane while accusing or els excusing one another. Take heed how you alter any text of Scripture to maintaine your owne opinions it is very daingerous to adde or to detract from Scripture.

And now having gone over some of those things I intended with a great deale of brevity, and passing by many things which I might justly have taxed as mistakes in that booke, I come now to that which I cheifly intended, and without which I had never set upon this worke, for there is lesse dan­ger in those I have already taken notice of, then in that which followes, and the Lord asist me in discovering of the truth & in laying open the palpable errour of the Author.

Indeed it greived my heart to consider how men in these late dayes are fallen into errour, and cannot understand the ve­ry first principles and beginnings of Christ, but they are at the toppe at first, before they have laid the first stone of the foun­dation of the building, and indeed it proceeds from an errour in the understanding in the waies of God.

They conceive that if there should be any preparations to Faith in Christ, that it would much derrogate from free grace and therefore will admit of none, for saith this Author it is to bring mony in the hand; and Christ bids come buy wine and milke without mony, that is Grace and salvation without mony or price; I confesse it is truth, for we must receive all freely even of free grace.

But yet I pray you call to mind who they are that are cal­led to this feast, it is only the thirsty; Ho, every one that thirst­eth, come yee &c. It is not every one, but only the thirsty, the broken in heart, namely the repentant Soul which thirsts for mercy.

When I consider the Author in the pages of his booke 135 136. 137. 138. 139. I cannot but wonder at the blindnesse of the man in the waies of God as touching his working upon the hearts of poore Sinners in bringing them to beleive in Christ, to be justified by him.

He seemes not to know what Regeneration is, for he hath ne­ver mentioned it in all his booke, nor what Repentatce is, nor how we come to this excellent guift of Faith, nor tells us what it is, but only that wee must belive in Christ, and take Christ, but who is the worke of this Faith he tells us not, but speakes of it as if it were in our own power to beleive, where­as it is not, for the Apostle saith to you it is given to beleive &c.

I shall have occasion to speake of these things more at larg and to let thee, Christian Reader, understand his great errours, and the wrong he hath done the people of God in publishing his booke, in these particulars.

But first I will note some things out of his booke in those pages I have mentioned, and I will do it breifly.

In page 136. he saith That the Lord justifieth his children before they repent, or truly humble themselves &c. But he hath not set downe any place of Scripture for the proofe thereof, we must take his owne word, I shall prove the contrary very shortly. I mean in their owne fence and feeling God doth ne­ver justifie any before they repent and humble themselves in seeking mercy from him.

Page 137. where it is objected by himselfe, that the Scrip­tures hold forth that the Lord hath appointed Repentance to goe before Faith; for it is said Marke 1.15. Repent and beleive the Gospell.

He answers indeed, sometimes the name of repentance is given to those preparatory beginnings, which he calls Legall fits and terrours, which are both in nature and time before Faith, and thus, he saith, Judas is said to repent, and saith that it is all [Page 8]the repentance that goes before Faith in Christ.

O horrible wickednes, how dare this man affirme such a thing, that our Saviour Christ in this place should Preach, and call for no other repentance before beleiving, but such as Iudas had.

But he goes on and tells you, that true and Evangelicall repentance is a fruit of Faith, and cannot be before Faith in Christ.

I shall shew you the contrary very speedily, and that it is not a fruit of justifying Faith, but a worke of the Spirit, to prepare the heart to the beleiving of the promise.

He saith also that he holds, that repentance is a conse­quent of Faith, and that it followes after.

But why did you not set downe unto us, what this repen­tance is, which you meane and say followes Faith, I am glad yet, that you doe not cast repentance quite away, but will let it have a little place in your thoughts, God grant you true repentance in your heart, for so violating the wayes of God, so plainly set downe in the Scriptures.

Page. 138. He confesseth that legall fitts of feare and ter­rour doe goe before Faith in Christ ordinarily and in some measure in some, but not in all, and he instanceth in Zacheus and Lidia.

To which I answer, that, that which he calls legall fitts of feare and terrour, we shall find them to be another thing, and to be true repentance towards God, And for Zacheus we cannot conceive, but that his heart was truly broken and hum­bled at that very time, And there was a manifest signe there­of expressed in his present resolution to make restitution.

And for Lidia, she is said to be a worshipper of God, and doubtles, one that with Simeon, waited for the consolation of Israel, her heart being fitted and prepared to receive Christ, And to this truth Doctor Gouge gives testimony in his Booke called the whole Armour of God, And indeed no sooner did [Page 9] Lidia here Paul Preach Christ come in the flesh dead, and ri­sen againe, but she received him in her heart, Thus farre I have gone in setting downe some of the Authours errours.

I shall now come (the Lord assisting me) to discover the truth of the wayes of God, laid downe in the Scriptures con­cerning his working upon poore Sinners, in bringing them unto Christ to be justified by him, through Faith, And I shall shew you what repentance is, and what that speciall Faith is, and how they are wrought, A worke of great worth and very needfull, And yet altogether omitted by the Au­thour of the Booke, and I shall further discover his errours, by setting forth the truth.

The Authour hath often alleadged in his Booke that fa­mous and godly Martir Mr. William Tindall, And I doe won­der that he could not see his doctrine concerning repentance and Faith, He tells us plainly in many places, that repentance must of necessity goe before that Faith that justifieth, and that the Faith that justifyeth, all wayes followes repentance, as page 32. and 96. and 146. of Mr. Tindalls workes, and in the last page here mentioned, he saith, repentance goeth before Faith and prepareth the way to Christ and to the promises.

But the Authour had no mind to take notice of this truth which was so contrary to his opinion, for he hath found a nearer way to Heaven, then all the Saints and Servants of God did in former times.

Christian Reader take knowledge of this one thing, which may helpe thee in the understanding of the truth of God, and may deliver thee from some of the errours of these times, namely that there is a twofold administration or dispensati­on of the Gospell, The one generall, the other more speciall.

The first is the publication or preaching of the Gospell to all sortes and conditions of people, whereby Christ is set forth to have taken our nature upon him, and in our nature hath suffered death, and payd the ransome for sin, and is risen [Page 10]again, assended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God in Majesty and Glory, and shall come again at the end of this world to judge all men: with many more excellent things which the Scriptures set forth: Which generall truthes are beleived by thousands that never enjoy the speciall benefit; which beleife is very fitly called, by Divines, Historicall Faith, and they beleevers.

Secondly there is a more speciall preaching of the Gospell of Christ, and that is to certaine persons distinguished from the generall sort of beleevers (although they beleeve the same generall truths with the other) by certaine quallifications, which the Scriptures set forth unto us, as the poore in spirit, the morners, the broken harted, namely the repentant; And to such only is Christ sent unto Esay 61.1.2.3. to heale & comfort their poor souls, and such Christ invites to come un­to him, and he invites to other but such as labour and are weary and heavy laden, unto such only Christ hath promised rest Math. 11.28. and to such poor soules only is Christ sent, and they and non but they can beleive in him and enjoy the speciall grace and favour of God through Christ.

And yet the free grace of God in Christ is not any way lessened, but runnes out freely to poore sinners.

For I pray you consider who it is that workes these prepara­tions or qualifications in the Elect. Is it not the Lords own worke to take away the stony heart & to give a heart of flesh? Is it not of his free goodnes that doth so prepare their hearts & fit them to receive his speciall promise of grace and mercy in Christ? The ground of the heart must be tilled, before that pretious seed be sowne in it, ye must not sow among thornes but in the ground fitted and prepared, It is not in mans pow­er to prepare his heart, by any naturall power left in him, no more then a dead man can raise himselfe, but it is only the worke of God himselfe.

So that though we come to Christ with these qualificati­ons [Page 11]before spoken of, yet we bring nothing of our owne, but that which God hath wrought in us, neither is the grace of justification given to any, for the worthines of repentance but only for the truth of the promiser, who hath promised pardon, mercy, and peace only to such as are so prepared by him and to no other.

And that there is a preparation to the justification of a Sinner, and to the receiving of Christ, the Scriptures are manifest, Iohn the Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, to make ready a people to receive the Lord, Christ, and what was his Ministery, but the Baptisme of repentance?

And that repentance is a preparation to Faith or to the ju­stification of a Sinner, and must of necessity be before that Faith that justifyeth, and giveth assurance of the forgivenes of Sinne and peace and reconciliation with God is manifest.

But because it is denyed by many in these dayes, I will give you a few reasons, for the proofe thereof.

But first least I should be mistaken, I will set downe in a short definition, what true repentance is, a thing altogether omitted by this Authour, neither hath he told us what Rege­neration is, nor whereof it consisteth, which are the maine things that tend to the making of a Christian and true Be­leever.

I say that repentance may be thus breifely and truly defined: Repentance is a powerfull worke of Gods Spirit (wrought in the hearts of such as shall be saved) whereby the heart is bro­ken and turned from all the pleasing delights of Sinne, into a great feare and sorrow for them, and confession of them un­to God, and into an exceeding desire of pardon, peace, and re­concilliation with God, Luke 15. you may see all the parts of repentance in the prodigall Sonne.

And let the Authour take notice, that it is a worke of Gods Spirit, it is no mony of our owne.

This repentance here laid downe; is a worke of the Gos­pell, [Page 12]yea the beginning of the Gospell, Marke. 1.1. It is no legall worke, wrought by the law, for I know neither legall repentance, nor legall Faith, which some men talke of very much, I know the law of the ten Commandements admitts of no repentance, neither doth it receive Faith in Christ.

And now I come to the reasons to prove that God doth allwayes worke repentance in them whom he hath a purpose to save for ever, before he bestow on them that Faith which doth justifie or assure them of the pardon of their Sinnes in the blood of Iesus Christ.

First reason is from the constant and unchangeable order the Holy Ghost hath observed throughout the Scriptures in requiring repentance and Faith, alwayes requiring repen­tance in the first place, Marke. 1.15. Math. 3.2. Luke. 3.3. Acts. 2.38. and the 3.19. So that I inferre hence, the Holy Ghost alwayes requiring it in the first place, it is that worke which he pleaseth first to worke.

Second reason because untill we have true repentance wrought in us, we have no right unto any speciall promise for the speciall promises of grace & mercy are made only to the penitent and broken hearted, to such as mourne, Esay. 6.1.2.3. and Acts. 3.19. Therefore before repentance we cannot have faith in any of those speciall promises.

Third reason, Because no man before he have repentance truly wrought in him, can receive the forgivenes of his Sins, For repentance is required that men may have their Sinnes done away, Acts. 3.19.

And therefore forgivenes of Sinne following repentance in the worke of it, it doth necessarily follow that Faith doth follow repentance, Acts. 2.38. For justifying Faith doth alwayes bring with it to the soule, the forgivenes of Sinnes.

Fourth reason, Whosoever is justified by Faith, is at Peace with God, Rom. 5.1. But no man is at Peace with God, untill he have truly repented and his Sinnes done a­way [Page 13]therefore no man is justified by faith, untill he have tru­ly repented.

I do not say that Repentance is the condition required in our parts to our justification, as being our owne worke; But yet I affirme that it is that way which God doth alwayes take in the conversion of poore sinners unto himselfe; First to humble them, by making them see their misery and lost con­dition, and to cause them to seeke with strong desires after grace and favour purchased by Christ, for such poore penitent soules, and none else shall ever obtaine that grace and favour with God through Christ.

For Christ calls none but such unto him, neither ought any Minister to apply the promises of mercy to any other but such as are weary, heavy laden, mourne, and earnestly desire mercy and pardon of sin, through the apprehension of their misery and lost condition, none but such as are wounded will look for, and highly prize the Physician, to cure their poore soules.

Now this Grace of Repentance is purchased by Christ, and admitted to poore Sinners, through him, and to be preached in his Name, and it is wrought in the hearts of the Elect by the holy Ghost, through the free grace of God, and is not wrought or produced by any power that is in the creature; For the truth is, we are all passive in every thing that concernes our salvation, we cannot repent unlesse God give us repentance, we cannot beleeve unlesse God give us faith to beleeve; And therefore I doe the more wonder at the Author, that hath so much urged Faith and believing, and yet never tells us how this so precious Faith is wrought, or how wee may attaine thereunto, but speakes of it, as if it were in our own power.

I acknowledge freely that Repentance is wrought by the Word preached, and Faith also; But yet it is the Lord that works by the means, and without which all would be unpro­fitable, and so all is of free Grace, for there is no worke that [Page 14]we can doe before Justification, or after Justification, can merit any grace for us before God; Ephes. 2.10. for we are his workmanship, created in Jesus Christ, &c. And whatsoever gift of grace any man receives, it is from the free bounty and grace of God in Christ; And every gift so received, is to be put forth by us, to the glory of our God, and the good of our brethren; And to so forth to all men the goodnesse of our God towards us, through Christ, by way of thankfulnesse, for mercy received, and to no other end whatsoever.

And thus you may see I am no enemy to the doctrine of Free Grace, nor to the Teachers thereof, if they publish only the truth thereof, without running into by wayes for feare of something which they need not, if they did truly understand the truth; But I desire above all things to advance the Free grace of God in Christ, and by Gods help will doe it.

And now because the Author hath so much spoken of Faith and of beleeving, yet hath not told us what this Faith is, I will, Christian Reader, for thy help and the Authors information, for downe what this precious Faith is; for other Faiths men­tioned in Scripture I let passe; This only is to our purpose at this time, and I suppose may be thus defined.

To be, a gracious worke of Gods Spirit wrought in the hearts of such as are Penitent, wherby they are assured in their soules of the free pardon and remission of all their sins, and of peace and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, Rō. 5.1.

This is that speciall faith, which none but the Elect are par­takers of, and therefore called the faith of Gods elect, other faiths are common to all, this only to the redeemed in Christ, and this faith is never given to any, but to the repentant only.

And this repentance and this faith are the parts of Regene­ration the new birth from above, spoken of by our Lord Christ, John 3.5. Water and the Spirit; The first prepareth, the other purgeth, and without which work, no man shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven, according to that eternall [Page 15]decree, never to be called back, which saith, Except a man de borne againe of Water and the Spirit, be cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven.

I wonder the Author could not see this, or if hee saw it, would not so much as mention it, in the bringing of a poore sinner home to Iesus Christ, but presseth men to believe, as if Faith were in mans power, whereas indeed, it is the gift of God, Ephes. 2.8.

Mortification of sin, and Sanctification or newnesse of lise doth alwayes follow the Justification of a sinner by faith, and are some of the fruits, proceeding from one that is justified and reconciled unto God through Iesus Christ, for they must be first ingrafted into Christ, before they can bring forth fruit in him.

Now the parts of Regeneration, Repentance, and Faith, are but the ingrafting, and no part of the fruit, the Fruit al­wayes follows the ingrafting, and these are no part of Repen­tance, if truly considered, for every grace of the Spirit, may be clearly distinguished each from other by the Scriptures, and must not be confounded together, as the manner of some is to doe, who would make Repentance to consist of Mortifi­cation to sinne and newnesse of life, nay, some have said that Repentance consists of Faith also, and so they make a great confusion, and are never able to find out the truth.

For though Repentance doth continue in a time beleever and justified person so long as he lives here, for he sins daily, and therefore must repent daily; And it is required of them, Ephes 6.15. that they should have their feet shod with the pre­paration of the Gospell of peace, namely Repentance, yet is Re­pentance truly to be distinguished from other the effects of the spirit, as Faith, Hope, Patience; Love and Ioy, and not to be confound one with another, as some doe.

And by the way let this bee considered, that howsoever Christ hath wrought perfect Redemption for us, yet the ap­plication, [Page 16]and the making this Redemption effectuall unto us, is done by the holy Ghost every one in the undivided Trinity, having his speciall worke appropriated unto him, to make per­fect the salvation of poore Sinners, which severall workes must of necessity be distinguished.

And take notice of this, that this speciall Faith that justi­fieth the beleever, apprehending the grace of God in Christ, is alwayes grounded upon some speciall promise in Scrip­ture; For there cannot bee this speciall faith in any soule, where there is not first a promise; And the promises (as I have said) are made only to the Penitent, the broken-hearted the mourners, such as are heavy laden, &c. Christ calls only such to him; And the holy Spirit of God, doth never write the Covenant of Peace with God in other hearts, but only in the broken and contrite heart, namely, the repentant soule, and they only can and doe beleeve with this speciall Faith; for none else can worke, that worke, to beleeve in him whom God hath sent, John 6.29. but only such poore soules: for where there is no promise, there can be no faith, for though faith be the ground of things hoped for, yet there must be a promise to ground that Faith on; For though Abraham be­leeved beyond hope, yet he had a promise first made unto him by a faithfull God.

And therefore I pray the Christian Reader, to observe what I have before set down, for it is not our beleeving, till wee be perswaded that we do beleeve, for as I have said before, so I say againe, there must be first a promise for such poore Sin­ners to lay hold on, & then they finding themselves to be such penitent and broken hearted, to whom the speciall promises do pertain, the holy Ghost in his good time doth perswade the heart and evidence to the soule, his peace and reconciliation with God, and his interest in the promise of Grace through Christ, Faith is the gift of God, to you it is given to beleeve; It is not in mans power to beleeve.

Beleeve it for a truth no man can possibly beleeve to justifi­cation of life, nor shall ever rejoyce with the Bridgroome, that hath not first mourned with the mourner.

I wonder these things should be unknowne to men in these dayes, and that so much confusion should be amongst them in the matter and manner of the justification of a Sinner.

So that we cannot certainly learne by them what repen­tance is, not what Faith is, nor how it is wrought in the heart; Some teaching outward dutyes and obedience to the law, to the begetting of Faith, and rejoycing therein that they are called legall Preachers, as I my selfe have heard.

Others againe would be so fame from them, that they will teach only (as they pretend) the Gospell-way, and that they will do, by teaching only beleeving.

And as for repentance, the beginning of the Gospell, they will not mention or very little, and that then it followes justifying Faith, and never goes before it, and what is their reason, Because say they the Gospell setts forth free Grace, and requires no act of ours at all but only beleeving.

Well then beleeving is an act of ours, here is something for us to doe.

But I would know of them whether beleeving to life be in their power, The Apostle saith, to you it is given to be­leeve and that Faith is the gift of God, Then there is no power in us to beleeve, the very act of beleeving is of free grace, And so is repentance of free grace, God is the giver of repentance as well as Faith, Acts. 11.18. 2. Tim. 2.25.

For although repentance be wrought in us, and we act it, yet it is God that gives it, and it is nothing else, but the free grace of God, to perpare the hearts of Sinners, for the re­ceiving of the forgivenes of Sinnes and peace and reconcilia­tion with God by Faith in the Lord Iesus Christ.

All the Prophets in the old Testament have called for re­pentance in the first place, that so they might be prepared to [Page 18]receive mercy, Iohn the Baptist Preached it to prepare them to receive the Lord Christ, Our Saviour himselfe Preached it in the first place before beleeving, The Apostles Prea­ched it before Faith in Christ to the forgivenes of Sinnes: The very truth is, that the same way which was formerly to others, the same way to salvation is for us now, and we must goe the same way that they went, which were before us, new wayes are dangerous.

We must not looke for a nearer way to Heaven, then the Saints and people of God have gone before us, and though it be a narrow and a straight way, yet it is a sure way, it leads to happines.

Page. 113. I may also justly except against his exposition on the 11. to the Hebrewes, verse 6. without Faith it is im­possible to please God that is saith he, As Calvin saith, what­soever a man thinketh, purposeth or doth, before he be re­conciled to God in Christ is accursed, and not only of no value to righteousnes, but of certaine deserving to dam­nation.

I must confesse I am amazed to thinke such things should be published, I honour the memory of that Holy Man Mr. Calvin, yet if it were his opinion, I must needs say it was an errour in him, for there be many things done by men before reconciliation with God, that are not Sinne.

For Sin is the transgression of some law, but what law for­bids a man to heare and read the Scriptures, may it is com­manded by Christ himselfe, search the Scriptures, Io. 5.39. Men may Sin and doe Sin in hearing and reading the word, but the worke it selfe is no Sin, For we must distinguish be­tween the worke and the manner of the doing it.

It is no Sin for a man to humble his soule in seeking mer­cy and grace and favour with God, which must be done be­fore we can come to that Faith, which makes our persons ac­ceptable to God, and we well pleasing unto him through [Page 19]Christ, as Enochs Person was, And indeed it is impossible our persons should be accepted, or we become pleasing to God by any other way then by Faith in Christ.

And the reason is rendred by the Apostle in the words fol­lowing; For he that commeth to God must beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that dilligently seeke him, which is a les­ser degree of Faith, then that which makes us to become plea­sing in his sight through Christ Iesus.

Nor can we truly say that all the actions of unregenerate men are Sinne, Ahabs repentance was not Sin, it was no breach of any law of God, nay God takes notice of it and bids the Prophet to take notice of it, yea and rewards him for it, in deferring the judgement pronounced, but he never rewards any man for Sin, but denounceth judgement against them.

Thus have I endevoured to pick out some of the Bones that the Authour hath left in amongst the marrow of moderne di­vinity, and I hope I have performed it with plainnes, and I have done it after a loving manner, without malice to the Authour, whom I know not, nor yet could ever perfectly heare of by any man: But that which I have writ, is in the de­fence of the truth, so much oppugned by the Authour, which truth is deare unto me, and so should be to all Gods people.

I must confesse, and doe it freely, that I love the Authour, and am perswaded of the truth of many things delivered by him in his Booke, and for which grace bestowed on him, I blesse God, and pray the Lord for a further increase upon him, but the truth I value above all.

I find the Booke commended by worthy Divines, whom I honour, but yet my Faith is not to depend upon man, but only upon the Scriptures, the written word of God. And I desire that this which I have written, may be tryed by that touch stone and none else, And then I am confident it will be found truth, when that opinion of the Antinomians maintai­ned by this Authour will be found an errour, For he hath [Page 20]directly gone along with them in this thing, namely that there is no Evangelicall preparations to Faith in Christ, which is the maine thing I have now disproved and have (I hope) suf­ficiently proved, that there must be such preparations to Faith in Christ, And it is impossible for any other to beleeve in Christ to the saving of the soule, but only such as are so prepared.

Christ himselfe saith non can come to me except the Fa­ther which hath sent me draw him, Iohn. 6.44.

Errour is very dangerous, especially in the foundation and principles of the Doctrine of Christ, whereof repentance and Faith are two of the maine, Heb. 6.1. And therefore with great care to be looked into, and to be truly knowne, and how they are to be distinguished from other the effects of the Spirit.

Christian Reader, what I have done herein I commend unto thy wisdome, and I desire the Lord to give both thee and me such understanding in the truth and wayes of God, that we may not be carryed away with every wind of Do­ctrine from the truth to the errours of these times. Now to him that is able to keepe and preserve us in his truth, be all praise honour and glory through Christ Iesus for ever Amen.