Owen, A Vindication... File 3
(... continued from File 2)
There is, moreover, required on our part, faith and
repentance; without which we can have no advantage by it,
or interest in it. But he seems to understand by that
expression, "notwithstanding our sins," though we should
live and die in our sins without faith, repentance, or
new obedience; for he supposeth it sufficient to manifest
the folly of this assertion, to mention that declaration
of the mind of Christ in the gospel, that "without
holiness no man shall see God." I wonder whether he
thinks that those who believe the satisfaction of Christ,
and the necessity thereof, wherein God "made him to be
sin who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him," do believe that the
personal holiness of men is [not] indispensably necessary
unto the pleasing and enjoyment of God. If he suppose
that the satisfaction of Christ and the necessity of our
personal holiness are really inconsistent, he must be
treated in another manner: if he suppose that although
they are consistent, yet those whom he opposeth do so
trust to the satisfaction of Christ, as to judge that
faith, repentance, and holiness, are not indispensably
necessary to salvation, he manifests how well skilled he
is in their principles and practices. I have always
looked on it as a piece of the highest disingenuity among
the Quakers, that when any one pleads for the
satisfaction of Christ or the imputation of his
righteousness, they will clamorously cry out, and hear
nothing to the contrary, "Yea, you are for the saving of
polluted, defiled sinners; let men live in their sins and
be all foul within, it is no matter, so long as they have
a righteousness and a Christ without them." I have, I
say, always looked upon it as a most disingenuous
procedure in them, seeing no one is catechised amongst
us, who knoweth not that we press a necessity of
sanctification and holiness, equal with that of
justification and righteousness. And yet this very course
is here steered by this author, contrary to the constant
declaration of the judgements of them with whom he has to
do, - contrary to the common evidence of their writings,
preaching, praying, disputing unto another purpose; and
that without relieving or countenancing himself by any
one word or expression used or uttered by them. He
chargeth [them] as though they made holiness a very
indifferent thing, and such as it does not much concern
any man whether he have an interest in or no; and I know
not whether is more marvellous unto me, that some men can
so far concoct all principles of conscience and modesty
as to publish such slanderous untruths, or that others
can take contentment and satisfaction therein, who cannot
but understand their disingenuity and falsehood.
His proceed in the same page is to except against
that revelation of the wisdom of God which I affirm to
have been made in the person and sufferings of Christ,
which I thought I might have asserted without offence.
But this man will have it, that "there is no wisdom
therein, if justice be so natural to God, that nothing
could satisfy him but the death of his own Son." That any
thing else could satisfy divine justice but the
sufferings and death of the Son of God, so far as I know,
he is the first that found out or discovered, if he has
yet found it out. Some have imagined that God will pardon
sin, and does so, without any satisfaction at all; and
some have thought that other ways of the reparation of
lost mankind were possible, without this satisfaction of
divine justice, which yet God in his wisdom determined
on; but that satisfaction could be any otherwise made to
divine justice, but by the death of the Son of God
incarnate, none have used to say who know what they say
in these things. "But wisdom," he saith, "consists in the
choice of the best and fittest means to attain an end,
when there were more ways than one of doing it; but it
requires no great wisdom to choose when there is but one
possible way." Yea, this it is to measure God, - things
infinite and divine, by ourselves. Does this man think
that God's ends, as ours, have an existence in themselves
out of him, antecedent unto any acts of his divine
wisdom? Does he imagine that he balanceth probable means
for the attaining of an end, choosing some and rejecting
others? Does he surmise that the acts of divine wisdom
with respect unto the end and means are so really
distinct, as the one to have a priority in time before
the others? Alas, that men should have the confidence to
publish such slight and crude imaginations! Again: the
Scripture, which so often expresseth the incarnation of
the Son of God, and the whole work of his mediation
thereon, as the effect of the infinite wisdom of God, -
as that wherein the stores, riches, and treasures of it
are laid forth, - does nowhere so speak of it in
comparison with other means not so suited unto the same
end, but absolutely, and as it is in its own nature;
unless it be when it is compared with those typical
institutions which, being appointed to resemble it, some
did rest in. And lastly, whereas there was but this one
way for the redemption of mankind, and the restoration of
the honour of God's justice and holiness, as he is the
supreme lawgiver and governor of the universe; and
whereas this one way was not in the least pervious unto
any created understanding, angelical or human, nor could
the least of its concerns have ever entered into the
hearts of any (nor, it may be, shall they ever know or be
able to find it out unto perfection, but it will be left
the object of their admiration unto eternity); - if this
author can see no wisdom, or no great wisdom, in the
finding out and appointing of this way, who can help it?
I wish he would more diligently attend unto their
teachings who are able to instruct him better; and from
whom, as having no prejudice against them, he may be
willing to learn.
But this is the least part of what this worthy
censurer of theological discourses rebukes and corrects.
For whereas I had said, that we "might learn our
disability to answer the mind and will of God in all or
any part of the obedience he requireth," that is, without
Christ or out of him; he adds, "That is, that it is
impossible for us to do any thing that is good, but we
must be acted, like machines, by an external force, - by
the irresistible power of the grace and Spirit of God.
This, I am sure, is a new discovery; we learn no such
thing from the gospel, and I do not see how he proves it
from an acquaintance with Christ." But if he intends what
he speaks, "we can do no good, but must be acted, like
machines, by an external force," and chargeth this on me,
it is a false accusation, proceeding from malice or
ignorance, or a mixture of both. If he intend, that we
can of ourselves do any thing that is spiritually good
and acceptable before God, without the efficacious work
of the Spirit and grace of God in us, which I only deny,
he is a Pelagian, and stands anathematised by many
councils of the ancient church. And [as] for what is my
judgement about the impotency that is in us by nature
unto any spiritual good, - the necessity of the effectual
operation of the Spirit of God in and to our conversion,
with his aids and assistance of actual grace in our whole
course of obedience, which is no other but that of the
ancient church, the most learned fathers, and the church
of England itself in former days, - I have now
sufficiently declared and confirmed it in another
discourse; whither this author is remitted, either to
learn to speak honestly of what he opposeth, or to
understand it better, or answer it if he can.
He adds, "But still there is a more glorious
discovery than this behind; and that is, the glorious end
whereunto sin is appointed and ordained (I suppose he
means by God) is discovered in Christ, - namely, for the
demonstration of God's vindictive justice, in measuring
out to it a meet recompense of reward, and for the praise
of God's glorious grace in the pardon and forgiveness of
it; - that is, that it could not be known how just and
severe God is, but by punishing sin, nor how good and
gracious God is, but by pardoning of it; and, therefore,
lest his justice and mercy should never be known to the
world, he appoints and ordains sin to this end, - that
is, decrees that men shall sin that he may make some of
them the vessels of his wrath, and the examples of his
fierce vengeance and displeasure, and others the vessels
of his mercy, to the praise and glory of his free grace
in Christ. This, indeed, is such a discovery as nature
and revelation could not make," p. 51; which, in the next
page, he calls God's "trickling and bartering with sin
and the devil for his glory."
Although there is nothing in the words here reported
as mine which is not capable of a fair defence, seeing it
is expressly affirmed that "God set forth his Son to be a
propitiation to declare his righteousness," yet I know
not how it came to pass that I had a mind to turn unto
the passage itself in my discourse, which I had not done
before on any occasion, as not supposing that he would
falsify my words, with whom it was so easy to pervert my
meaning at any time, and to reproach what he could not
confute. But, that I may give a specimen of this man's
honesty and ingenuity, I shall transcribe the passage
which he excepts against, because I confess it gave me
some surprisal upon its first perusal. My words are
these: "There is a glorious end whereunto sin is
appointed and ordained discovered in Christ, that others
are unacquainted withal. Sin, in its own nature, tends
merely to the dishonour of God, the debasement of his
majesty, and the ruin of the creature in whom it is. Hell
itself is but the filling of wretched creatures with the
fruit of their own devices. The combinations and threats
of God in the law do manifest one other end of it, - even
the demonstration of the vindicative justice of God in
measuring out unto it a meet recompense of reward. But
here the law stays, and with it all other light, and
discovers no other use or end of it at all. In the Lord
Jesus Christ there is the manifestation of another and
more glorious end, to wit, the praise of God's glorious
grace in the pardon and forgiveness of it; - God having
taken order in Christ, that that thing which tended
merely to his dishonour should be managed to his infinite
glory, and that which of all things he desired to exalt,
- even that he may be known and believed to be a God
pardoning iniquity, transgressions, and sin." Such was my
ignorance, that I did not think that any Christian,
unless he were a professed Socinian, would ever have made
exceptions against any thing in this discourse; the whole
of it being openly proclaimed in the gospel, and
confirmed in the particulars by sundry texts of
Scripture, quoted in the margin of my book, which this
man took no notice of. For the advantage he would make
from the expression about the end whereunto sin is
appointed and ordained, it is childish and ridiculous;
for every one who is not wilfully blind must see, that,
by "ordained," I intended, not any ordination as to the
futurition of sin, but to the disposal of sin to its
proper end being committed, or to ordain it unto its end
upon a supposition of its being; which quite spoils this
author's ensuing harangue. But my judgement in this
matter is better expressed by another than I am able to
do it myself, and, therefore, in his words I shall
represent it. It is Augustine: saith he, "Saluberrime
confitemur quod rectissime credimus, Deum Dominumque
rerum omnium qui creavit omnia bona valde, et mala ex
bonis exortura esse praescivit, et scivit magis ad suam
omnipotentissimam bonitaten pertinere, etiam de malis
benefacere, quam mala esse non sinere; sic ordinasse
angelorum et hominum vitam, ut in ea prius ostenderet
quid posset eorum liberum arbitrium, deinde quid posset
quae gratiae beneficium, justitiaeque judicium."
This, our author would have to be God's "bartering
with sin and the devil for his glory;" the bold impiety
of which expression, among many others, for whose
necessary repetition I crave pardon, manifests with what
frame of spirit, with what reverence of God himself and
all holy things, this discourse is managed.
But it seems I add, that "the demonstration of God's
justice in measuring out unto sin a meet recompense of
reward is discovered in Christ, as this author says." Let
him read again, "The combinations and threatening of God
in the law," etc. If this man were acquainted with
Christ, he could not but learn somewhat more of truth and
modesty, unless he be wilfully stupid. But what is the
crime of this paragraph? That which it teacheth is, that
sin, in its own nature, has no end but the dishonour of
God and the eternal ruin of the sinner; that, by the
sentence and curse of the law, God has manifested that he
will glorify his justice in the punishing of it; as also,
that, in and through Jesus Christ, he will glorify grace
and mercy in its pardon, on the terms of the gospel. What
would he be at? If he have a mind to quarrel with the
Bible, and to conflict the fundamental principles of
Christianity, to what purpose does he cavil at my obscure
discourses, when the proper object of his displeasure
lies plainly before him?
Let us proceed yet a little farther with our author,
although I confess myself to be already utterly wearied
with the perusal of such vain and frivolous imaginations.
Yet thus he goes on, p. 53, "Thus much for the knowledge
of ourselves with respect to sin, which is hid only in
the Lord Christ. But then we learn what our righteousness
is, wherewith we must appear before God, from an
acquaintance with Christ. We have already learned how
unable we are to make atonement for our sins, without
which they can never be forgiven, and how unable we are
to do any thing that is good; - and yet nothing can
deliver us from the justice and wrath of God, but a full
satisfaction for our sins; and nothing can give us a
title to a reward, but a perfect and unsinning
righteousness. What should we do in this case? How shall
we escape hell, or get to heaven, when we can neither
expiate for our past sins, nor do any good for the time
to come? Why, here we are relieved again by an
acquaintance with Christ. His death expiates former
iniquities, and removes the whole guilt of sin. But this
is not enough, that we are not guilty, we must also be
actually righteous; not only all sin is to be answered
for, but all righteousness is to be fulfilled. Now, this
righteousness we find only in Christ; we are reconciled
to God by his death, and saved by his life. That actual
obedience he yielded to the whole law of God, is that
righteousness whereby we are saved; we are innocent by
virtue of his sacrifice and expiation, and righteous with
his righteousness."
What is here interposed, - that we cannot do any
good for the time to come, - must be interpreted of
ourselves, without the aid or assistance of the grace of
God. And the things here reported by this author, are so
expressed and represented, to expose them to reproach and
scorn, to have them esteemed not only false, but
ridiculous. But whether he be in his wits or no, or what
he intends, so to traduce and scoff at the fundamental
doctrines of the gospel, I profess I know not. What is it
he would deny? what is it he would assert? Are we able to
make an atonement for our sins? Can we be forgiven
without an atonement? Can we of ourselves do any good
without the aid and assistance of grace? Can any thing we
do be a full satisfaction for our sins, or deliver us
from the wrath of God; that is, the punishment due to our
sins? Does not the death of Christ expiate former
iniquities, and remove the whole guilt of sin? Is the
contrary to these things the doctrine of the church of
England? Is this the religion which is authorised to be
preached? and are these the opinions that are licensed to
be published unto all the world? But, as I observed
before, these things are other men's concernment more
than mine, and with them I leave them. But I have said,
as he quotes the place, "that we are reconciled to God by
the death of Christ, and saved by his life, that actual
obedience which he yielded to the whole law of God." As
the former part of these words are expressly the
apostle's, Rom. 5: 10, and so produced by me; so the next
words I add are these of the same apostle, "If so be we
are found in him, not having on our own righteousness
which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of
God by faith;" which he may do well to consider, and
answer when he can.
Once more, and I shall be beholden to this author
for a little respite of severity, whilst he diverts to
the magisterial reproof of some other persons. Thus,
then, he proceeds, p. 55: - "The third part of our wisdom
is, to walk with God: and to that is required agreement,
acquaintance, a way, strength, boldness, and aiming at
the same end; and all these, with the wisdom of them, are
hid in Jesus Christ." So far are my words, to which he
adds: "The sum of which, in short, is this: - that Christ
having expiated our sins, and fulfilled all righteousness
for us, though we have no personal righteousness of our
own, but are as contrary unto God as darkness is to
light, and death to life, and a universal pollution and
defilement to a universal and glorious holiness, and
hatred to love; yet the righteousness of Christ is a
sufficient, nay, the only foundation of our agreement,
and, upon that, of our walking with God: though St John
tells us, 'If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but
if we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin,' 1 John 1: 6,
7. And our only acquaintance with God and knowledge of
him is hid in Christ, which his word and works could not
discover, as you heard above. And he is the only way
wherein we must walk with God; and we receive all our
strength from him; and he makes us bold and confident
too, having removed the guilt of sin, so that now we may
look justice in the face, and whet our knife at the
counter door, all our debts being discharged by Christ,
as these bold acquaintances and familiars of Christ use
to speak. And in Christ we design the same end that God
does, which is the advancement of his own glory; that is,
I suppose, by trusting unto the expiation and
righteousness of Christ for salvation, without doing any
thing ourselves, we take care that God shall not be
wronged of the glory of his free grace, by a competition
of any merits and deserts of our own."
What the author affirms to be the sum of my
discourse in that place, which, indeed, he does not
transcribe, is, as to his affirmation of it, as contrary
to God as darkness is to light, or death to life, or
falsehood to the truth; that is, it is flagitiously
false. That there is any agreement with God, or walking
with God, for any men who have no personal righteousness
of their own, but are contrary to God, etc., I never
thought, I never wrote, nor any thing that should give
the least countenance unto a suspicion to that purpose.
The necessity of an habitual and actual personal,
inherent righteousness, of sanctification and holiness,
of gospel obedience, of fruitfulness in good works, unto
all who intend to walk with God, or come to the enjoyment
of him, I have asserted and proved, with other manner of
arguments than this author is acquainted withal. The
remainder of his discourse in this place is composed of
immorality and profaneness. To the first I must refer his
charge, that "our only acquaintance with God and
knowledge of him is hid in Christ, which his word could
not discover," as he again expresseth it, pp. 98, 99,
"But that the reverend doctor confessed the plain truth,
that their religion is wholly owing to an acquaintance
with the person of Christ, and could never have been
clearly and savingly learned from his gospel had they not
first grown acquainted with his person;" which is plainly
false. I own no knowledge of God, nor of Christ, but what
is revealed in the word, as was before declared. And unto
the other head belongs the most of what ensues; for what
is the intendment of those reproaches which are cast on
my supposed assertions? Christ is the only way wherein or
whereby we must walk with God. Yes, so he says, "I am the
way;" "There is no coming to God but by me;" he having
consecrated for us in himself "a new and living way" of
drawing nigh to God. We receive all our strength from
him; yes, for he says, "Without me ye can do nothing." He
makes us bold and confident also, having removed the
guilt of sin. So the apostle tells us, Heb. 10: 19-22.
What then what follows upon these plain, positive, divine
assertions of the Scriptures. Why, then "we may look
justice in the face, and whet our knife at the counter
door." Goodly son of the church of England! Not that I
impute these profane scoffings unto the church itself, -
which I shall never do until it be discovered that the
rulers of it do give approbation to such abominations;
but I would mind the man of his relation to that church,
which, to my knowledge, teacheth better learning and
manners.
From p. 57 to the end of his second section, p. 75,
he giveth us a scheme of religion, which, in his scoffing
language, he says, "men learn from an acquaintance with
the person of Christ; and affirms, "that there needs no
more to expose it to scorn with considering men than his
proposal of it;" which therein he owns to be his design.
I know not any peculiar concernment of mine therein,
until he comes towards the close of it; which I shall
particularly consider. But the substance of the religion
which he thus avowedly attempts to expose to scorn, is
the doctrine of God's eternal election; - of his infinite
wisdom in sending his Son to declare his righteousness
for the forgiveness of sins, or in satisfying his
justice, that sin might be pardoned, to the praise of the
glory of his grace; - of the imputation of the
righteousness of Christ unto them that do believe; - of a
sense of sin, humiliation for it, looking unto Christ for
life and salvation, as the Israelites looked up to the
brazen serpent in the wilderness; - of going to Christ by
faith for healing our natures and cleansing our sins;
with some other doctrines of the same importance. These
are the principles which, according to his ability, he
sarcastically traduceth and endeavoureth to reflect scorn
upon, by the false representation of some of them, and
debasing others with an intermixture of vile and profane
expressions. It is not impossible but that some or other
may judge it their duty to rebuke this horrible (and yet
were it not for the ignorance and profaneness of some
men's minds, every way contemptible) petulancy. For my
part I have other things to do, and shall only add, that
I know no other Christian state in the world wherein such
discourses would be allowed to pass under the signature
of public authority. Only I wish the author more modesty
and sobriety than to attempt, or suppose he shall
succeed, in exposing to scorn the avowed doctrine in
general of the church wherein he lives; and which has in
the parts of it been asserted and defended by the
greatest and most learned prelates thereof in the
foregoing ages, such as Jewell, Whitgift, Abbot, Morton,
Usher, Hall, Davenant, Prideaux, etc., with the most
learned persons of its communion, as Reynolds, Whitaker,
Hooker, Sutcliffe, etc., and others innumerable;
testified unto in the name of this church by the divines,
sent by public authority to the synod of Dort; - taught
by the principal practical divines of this nation; and
maintained by the most learned at the dignified clergy at
this day. He is no doubt at liberty to dissent from the
doctrine of the church, and of all the learned men
thereof; but for a young man to suppose that, with a few
loose, idle words, he shall expose to scorn that doctrine
which the persons mentioned, and others innumerable, have
not only explained, confirmed, and defended, with pains
indefatigable, all kind of learning and skill,
ecclesiastical, philosophical, and theological, in books
and volumes, which the Christian world as yet knoweth,
peruseth, and priseth, but also lived long in fervent
prayers to God for the revelation of his mind and truth
unto them, and in the holy practice of obedience suited
unto the doctrines they professed, - is somewhat remote
from that Christian humility which he ought not only to
exercise in himself, but to give an example of unto
others. But if this be the fruit of despising the
knowledge of the person of Christ, - of the necessity of
his satisfaction, of the imputation of his righteousness,
of union unto his person as our head, - of a sense of the
displeasure of God due to sin, - of the spirit of bondage
and adoption, - of the corruption of nature, and one
disability to do any thing that is spiritually good
without the effectual aids of grace; - if these, I say,
and the like issues of appearing pride and elation of
mind, be the fruit and consequent of rejecting these
principles of the doctrine of the gospel, it manifests
that there is, and will be, a proportion between the
errors of men's minds and the depravation of their
affections. It were a most easy task to go over all the
particulars mentioned by him, and to manifest how foully
he has prevaricated in their representation, - how he has
cast contempt on some duties of religion indispensably
necessary unto salvation; and brought in the very words
of the Scripture, - and that in the true proper sense and
intendment of them, according to the judgement of all
Christians, ancient and modern (as that of looking to
Christ, as the Israelites looked to the brazen serpent in
the wilderness), - to bear a share and part in his scorn
and contempt: as also, to defend and vindicate, not his
odious, disingenuous expressions, but what he invidiously
designeth to expose, beyond his ability to gainsay, or
with any pretence of sober learning to reply unto. But I
give it up into the hands of those who are more concerned
in the chastisement of such imaginations. Only, I cannot
but tell this author what I have learned by long
observation, - namely, that those who, in opposing
others, make it their design to [publish] and place their
confidence in false representations, and invidious
expressions of their judgements and opinions, waiving a
true stating of the things in difference, and weighing of
the arguments wherewith they are confirmed, - whatever
pretence they may make of confidence, and contempt of
them with whom they have to do, yet this way of writing
proceeds from a secret sense of their disability to
maintain their own opinions, or to reply to the
seasonings of their adversaries in a fair and lawful
disputation; or from such depraved affections as are
sufficient to deter any sober person from the least
communication in those principles which are so pleaded
for. And the same I must say of that kind of writing
(which in some late authors fills up almost every page in
their books which, beyond a design to load the persons of
men with reproaches and calumnies, consists only in the
collecting of passages here and there, up and down, out
of the writings of others; which, as cut off from the
body of their discourses, and design of the places which
they belong unto, may, with a little artifice, either of
addition or detraction, with some false glosses, whereof
we shall have an immediate instance, be represented weak,
or untrue, or improper, or some way or other obnoxious to
censure. When diligence, modesty, love of truth,
sobriety, true use of learning, shall again visit the
world in a more plentiful manner; though differences
should continue amongst us, yet men will be enabled to
manage them honestly, without contracting so much guilt
on themselves, or giving such fearful offence and scandal
unto others. But I return.
That wherein I am particularly concerned, is the
close wherewith he winds up this candid, ingenious
discourse, p. 74. He quotes my words, "That 'the soul
consents to take Christ on his own terms, to save him in
his own way; and saith, Lord, I would have had thee and
salvation in my way, that it might have been partly of
mine endeavours, and as it were by the works of the law'
(that is, by obeying the laws of the gospel); 'but I am
now willing to receive thee, and to be saved in thy way,
merely by grace' (that is, without doing any thing,
without obeying thee). The most contented spouse,
certainly, that ever was in the world, to submit to such
hard conditions as to be saved for nothing. But what a
pretty compliment does the soul make to Christ after all
this, when she adds, 'And though I would have walked
according to my own mind, yet now I wholly give up myself
to be ruled by thy Spirit.'"
Owen, A Vindication...
(continued in File 4...)
----------------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09: owvin-03.txt
.