A80640:203
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the…
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A dissuasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A disswasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book intituled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons for John Bellamie, 1648
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For Faith emptying the soul of all confidence in its own righteousness, is a fit vessel or instrument to receive the righteousness of Christ offered and imputed; and so I took Faith rather as a fit disposition of the subject to be justified, then as a proper instrumental cause of our justification: like the empty vessels of the Prophets widow, which whilst they were empty, the oil ran forth into them (the empty vessels being fit to receive it:) But yet the empty vessels were not properly instrumental causes of the running forth of the Oil, but only fit instruments to receive it. ⟨p. 43⟩QUEST. 3. Whether the Spirit of God in evidencing our Justification doth bear witness in an absolute promise of free Grace, without Qualification, or condition. My answer was, The Spirit in evidencing our Justification doth bear witness either in an absolute promise, or in a conditional: in case, the condition be understood, or applied absolutely, not attending the condition as the ground or cause of the assurance, but as the effect and consequence of it: or (as I might have added, as before) as a fit disposition of the subject to receive it. For I conceived, though the Spirit may evidence to us our Justification in a Qualification or condition: yet sometime the condition is not there before the promise, but freely given with the promise, as Acts 10.43, 44. where though Cornelius and his household were believers, yet many of his kindred and friends were not: who yet upon hearing the promise of Remission (or Justification) unto Faith, they received both Faith and Justification, and the evidence of both, all together: as did also the Jailer in the like sort, Act. 16.31. Sometime, though the Qualification or condition be there before, and the Spirit do bear witness to our Justification in that condition: yet the condition is not the cause either of justification, or of the evidence of it, as in Luke 7.47. Christ beareth evident witness of the Remission or Justification of Mary Magdalen, in her love to him. Nevertheless her love was not the cause, neither of her Justification, nor of the assurance of it, but an effect of both. For she expressed those evidences of her love to Christ, because her sins were forgiven her, and because her self was assured of the forgiveness of them.