Chonoyterion he Sion. The refinement of Zion: or, The old orthodox Protestant doctrine justified, and defended against several exceptions of the Antinomians, methodically digested into questions, wherein many weighty and important cases of conscience are handled, concerning the nature of faith and repentance, or conversion to God: of his eternal love, and beholding of sin in his dearest children: of justification from eternity, of of [sic] preparations to the acceptance of Christ, of prayer for pardon of sin, and turning to God: of the gospel covenant, aud [sic] tenders of salvation, on the termes of faith and repentance. For the establishment of the scrupulous, conviction of the erroneous, and consolation of distressed consciences. By Anthony Warton, minister of the word at Breamore in Hampshire.

SECT. VII. The learned Protestants do hold, the promises of the Go∣spel not to be absolute, but conditional.

THere is one Objection more, which I think good to remove, and that is this. The learned Protestants, as by name Bucanus,* 1.1 and some others, make this main difference between the Law and the Gospel, that the pro∣mises of the Law were conditional; but the promises of the Gospel sunt gratuitae, are free promises. It may seem therefore, that Mr. S. and those that teach, as he doth, do preach true Protestant Doctrine, and that we which teach otherwise, have revolted, and departed from the Protestant Religion, at leastwise in this particu∣lar.

[Answ.] But I answer, It is nothing so; for Bucanus ex∣plaineth himself, and sheweth what he meaneth by the conditions, which he speaketh of, to wit, such as are causae, causes of the blessings that are promised. Whereas there∣fore the Gospel saith, si credideris, if thou shalt believe, particula [si] non est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: this particle if, is not a note of a cause, but of a consequence, saith he. Now this we do willingly grant, that remission of sins, and salvation are freely promised in the Gospel, and that our faith and repentance are no causes of them.

Bucanus therefore teacheth altogether as we do; for in the next words he saith, that our faith or our believing non est causa, vel meritum, sed modus vel instrumentum, sine quo non potest fieri applicatio beneficiorum Christi, is not a cause or merit, but a meanes or instrument, without which there can be no application of Christs benefits unto us. And if this be not enough, he saith afterwards in expresse words, that Jeremy calleth the Law of Moses, being considered by it self, and in it self, the legal and old Covenant, because it was the covenant of our creation, whereby the Lord required of us perfect obedience, to

be performed by our own strength; but the Gospel a new, or a free covenant, sub conditione fidei, ex gratuito fa∣vore ab ipso nobis donandae, upon the condition of faith, to be freely given us by him.

Thus Bucanus (who in his common places hath a∣bridged, and drawn into a short sum both Calvin, and the principal and best of the Protestant writers, that were be∣fore him) sheweth how we are to understand them, if any of them any where or other do say, that the promises of the Gospel are not conditional, as those of the Law were. And for further confirmation, that the Protestants do teach, that salvation is offered us in the Gospel, non sim∣pliciter & absolute, sed sub conditione fidei & resipiscentiae, not simply and absolutely, but upon condition of our faith and repentance, I will also alledge,* 1.2 what Pis••••tor and Pareus, two of the most principal Protestant Do∣ctors do write.

First of all then, Piscator setting down the difference between the Law and the Gospel, hath these words,

The covenant of the Law is, whereby the Lord of old promised unto the Israelites, all sorts of temporal bles∣sings, and eternal life it self, upon condition of perfect obedience, to be performed by them to his Law, by their own strength: and on the contrary, threatned sundry and divers curses, and eternal death it self, to all that should transgress, but even one Commandement of the Law; and they on the other side, promised that obedi∣ence unto God. The sanction, or ratification of this co∣venant is described, Exod. 24.

The covenant of grace is that whereby God hath pro∣mised his gratious favour for ever, to all that believe in Christ, upon condition indeed of that their faith, and sincere piety, or new obedience joyned with it: not∣withstanding of neither, to be performed as by the be∣lievers own strength; but as by that free favour to be be∣stowed on them by him; and they on the other side, be∣ing assisted by Gods grace, do promise faith and obedi∣ence unto him.

* 1.3Pareus also setting down the difference between the Law and the Gospel, amongst other things hath these words. The Law promiseth life, with condition of a mans own righteousness: the Gospel promiseth the same, with condition of repentance, and faith in Christ. This might be sufficient, notwithstanding, because the same Pareus doth excellently in another place express and unfold the conditions of the covenant of grace, I will there∣fore here transcribe, and translate that which he there saith, into English, that all those who are illiterate and un∣learned amongst us, as well as others, may see and per∣ceive, that the Doctrine formerly taught by us here in England, is the very same which the learned Protestants also beyond Sea have taught, from which our new illu∣minated teachers have revolted and departed; and there∣fore in this perticular, are but half Protestants, if so much. His words are these.

* 1.4There were three conditions of the covenant of grace, without which there could have been no peace between God and Man.

The first was, That some one should be a purchaser or procurer of this peace, that is, a Mediator, who upon a way agreed upon, should make peace between God and man. That way was, that he should proceed, or come forth from God unto mankind, not only as an herald, or as a Messenger between them (for he could not come forth from men) declaring Gods will concerning peace; but that he should both pacifie Gods wrath, by the dig∣nity of his person, merit and intercession, and that he should also by his divine efficacy, confer upon men grace, righteousness, and life eternal by him obtained for them. The former of these was necessary, in regard of Gods ju∣stice and truth: the latter, in regard of mens imbecility. The second condition was, That God for the intercessi∣on, satisfaction, and merit of the Mediator, should re∣ceive sinners into his grace or favour of enemies, should make them his friends, and Sons, and blesse them with eternal joy and happiness with himself. The third con∣dition

was, that men should acknowledge this comprehensive grace of God towards them, receive by faith the benefits purchased by the Mediator, offered and given in the Go∣spel, and be thankful unto God, in all holy obedience. Let every one that readeth these things, see and consider, whether it be Protestant Doctrine, to teach, that there are on our part no conditions at all in the covenant of grace; but that all the conditions thereof belong unto Christ, as Mr. S. will have it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Locis Com. Theol.
• * 1.2

  Volum. 2. Thes. Theol. Loc. 4.
• * 1.3

  ••olleg. 1. de lvang. et gratia, p. 21.
• * 1.4

  Colleg. theol. 2. de faed. Dei, part 2.