A peaceable enquiry into the nature of the present controversie among our united brethren about justification. Part I by Stephen Lobb ...

Lobb, Stephen, d. 1699.

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A Peaceable Enquiry INTO THE Nature of the Present Controversie among our United Brethren about JUSTIFICATION.

CHAP. VII.

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Page 156

Assertion V.

That Justifying Faith is not an Act of the Will, but of the Understanding only.

That Faith is only an Act of the Under∣standing, hath not been embraced by Prote∣stants universally; the chief Defenders of it being Camero, Amyrald, and Dally. However, to do the New Methodists Justice, & that I might set forth this Controversie in its proper Light, and shew how they hereby secure themselves from the Popish, Arminian, and Socinian No∣tions about Justification, and how far they are from the Unjust Charge of Antinomianism, I have added the foregoing Chapter.

The Opposition.

Antinomians.	The New Methodists.
10. True Faith may be, where no change of the Will is.	10. Tho' Faith be not an Act of the Will; yet is it not where the Will remains un∣changed.

Here then we may see not only the Diffe∣rence there is between the above-mentioned Assertions, and Antinomianism; but have set before us such a Scheme of the Antinomian Errors, as makes the Law of no use at all.

But let us consider what manner of Persons would be brought within the Antinomian Verge, Page 157if these Assertions were Antinomian. Really the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and all that drew up the Savoy Confession, with the whole Body of Ʋnited Ministers, must come in for Receiving the First Assertion; the Lutherans, and Calvinists for holding the Se∣cond; the First Reformers generally, and many Learned Protestant Divines at this time, par∣ticularly Dr. Witsius, Divinity Professor at Ʋtricht, (who, with the greatest Respect is ear∣nestly desired to communicate his Thoughts freely on this occasion) for Defending the Third; All the First Reformers for the Fourth; and the New-Methodists for Propugning the Fifth; and none but the Papist, Arminian, and Socinian would be able to escape the Slander. And yet according to the best of my Judg∣ment, the chief reason, why some worthy Bre∣thren, have been Reflected on as Antino∣mians, hath been their Zeal for the first Four Assertions. For they do not make Christ our Delegate, or Substitute, who Believed and Repented for us, to the end he might exempt us from the necessity of doing either our selves. Nor do they make the Filth and Guilt of Sin the same, and lay them on Christ, making him thereby Filthy. Nor do they say, that the Covenant of Grace is in every respect without Conditions; or that the Pro∣mise of Pardon is to Sinners, as Sinners; or, that Faith lieth in a Perswasion, that Sin was Pardoned before we Believe; or, that Faith is Exclusive of the Least Fears, or Doubtings; or, that an Elect Person can apply the Promise of Pardon to it self as well before Regeneration, Page 158as after; nor do they make the Law useless, but do hold,

That in reference unto the work of Regeneration it self, positively con∣sidered, we may observe, that ordinarily there are certain Praevious, and Praeparatory works,* or workings in and upon the Souls of Men, that are Antecedent, and Dis∣positive unto it: But, yet Re∣generation doth not consist in them, nor can it be educed out of them. This is for the Sub∣stance of it, the Position of the Divines of the Church of Eng∣land, at the Synod of Dort—I speak in this Position of them only that are Adult—

And the Dispositions I intend, are only materially so; not such as contain Grace of the same Nature as is Rege∣neration it self. A Material Disposition is that, which Disposeth, and some way maketh a subject fit for the Reception of that, which shall be communicated added, or infused in∣to it as its Form. So Wood by dryness, and a due composure is made fit and ready to admit of Firing. A Formal Disposition is where one degree of the same kind disposeth the subject unto further degrees of it. The former we allow, not the latter.

So far Dr. Owen in his Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit.* And for thus much are the Accused Brethren, and on no more do the other Bre∣thren, who have been charged with favouring Arminianism insist; so that in all these things, so far as I understand them, they mean the Page 159same thing, and are in the Substance Agreed.

My next work is to enter on the conside∣ration of the Arminian, and Socinian Notions: But this Part having swoln so big, and to give a just account of these Errors, and shew what is not Arminianism, nor Socinianism, will make the Discourse too large. I am content, that this Part go forth by it self, which shall be fol∣lowed with the other, as soon as God gives opportunity to finish it.

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