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author, out of whose Harmonia Apostolica he hath 1675. translated several leaves together, and almost whole chapters, thinking to overthrow his hypothesis by some arguments which he hath brought against it, and to establish his own. And in this last book, wherein he expresseth so much his concern for the doctrine of the Church of England, and his zeal to correct the opinions of some learned men in her communion contrary to it; he frequently referreth to the aforesaid discourse, wherein he had laid down these principles, and drawn several corollaries from them to his purpose. And of this as particular an account as is needful, for the perfect understanding the history of the works of so great a bishop in our church, and of so eminent a defender of the catholic faith, will not surely be altogether unacceptable; since it must needs contribute more than a little to the right stating of certain questions, which the generality of people are ordinarily for considering but on one side only; and to the giving a fair prospect of the arguments on both sides, without passion or prejudice, that upon summing up of the whole, it may be more easy for any one to judge on which side the advantage doth lie.

of the design and method of

his last

Now therefore he saith that the learned author's An account design is very commendable, that his whole first dissertation concerning the sense of the apostle James, in affirming justification by works as a condition, is treatise. acute, solid, and cogent: and not only this, but that so also is all generally in his second dissertation to the fifth chapter, and part of it. And he is entirely one with him, so long as he explaineth or defendeth the meaning of St. James, or discovereth the weakness and falsehood of the attempts of many writers,

1675. designing to reconcile the seemingly contrary expres sions of this apostle with those of St. Paul: yea, he thinketh what is written by our author hereupon is highly worth the reading of any that have other apprehensions of the meaning of St. James, or that are not satisfied that the apostle Paul by faith meaneth the whole necessary duty of a Christian. Moreover he granteth and lamenteth, that many important doctrines of the reformed churches are frequently by too many grossly explained, so as to have ill consequences flowing from them; which, if rightly understood, would be found not to patronize but to disown such consequences. And particularly in the protestant doctrine of justification by faith, according to St. Paul, he granteth Mr. Bull to have rightly interpreted what this apostle meaneth by faith, and consequently to have rightly explained the doctrine of the reformed churches therein, while he proveth that we are to understand, not one single virtue by faith, but the whole Gospel-condition, the whole duty required for salvation, as the obedience of faith. So that the whole controversy of Mr. Truman with him is only about that part of the second dissertation which undertaketh to prove what St. Paul meant by works of the law. And Mr. Bull is charged with following herein the opinion of Dr. Hammond, as it is laid down in his Practical Catechism, very fully.

Principal mistakes charged

Bull, p. 4.

Now the first great mistakes as he will have them, the aρaτa edn, in that part of Mr. Bull's book, which upon Mr. he esteemeth the occasion of all his other mistakes, and Pref. in relation to the apostle Paul's sense in denying justification by works, and indeed of the mistakes also of many other learned authors, (as Episcopius, bishop Taylor, &c.) being much of his judgment in

P. 2.

the particulars here disputed of; are made to be 1675. these: viz. 1. His concluding that there is no law Page 4. which proposeth future rewards and punishments, but the Gospel or law of grace. 2. His not consider- Page 14. ing the difference between an original law and a remedying law, or conditional act of oblivion distinct from that first law. 3. His not understanding the Page 19. difference between natural and moral impotence. 4. His notions of the law of Moses, as having only Page 22. temporal promises and threats annexed to it, and being void of spiritual and internal commands. These he supposeth to be the fundamental mistakes of Mr. Bull, and other learned divines in the Church of England, which he endeavoureth to confute to the utmost of his power, and must be acknowledged to have said some things hereupon that seem not inconsiderable.

XXXIII. For because he knew not of any that had spoken exactly and satisfactorily of the law, in the several notions and acceptations of it, nor in all things rightly, at least not comprehensively enough in his opinion; he thought it necessary to write somewhat largely and distinctly concerning it; in order to destroy both Mr. Bull's hypothesis, and likewise to lay a foundation for the right understanding not only of the passages of the apostle in debate, but of other passages also of the New Testament, respecting the law; and particularly of the Epistle to the Hebrews, where law, he thinks, is to be taken in a different sense from that wherein it is in the places now in dispute. His thoughts upon the matter, in short, The princiare these that the law of Moses may be considered ples of Mr. either as to temporal respects only, or as to the con- opposite to

Truman,

these.

Page 24.

cerns of the life to come, and that under both these respects it ought to be again considered, either as the original law itself, or as the remedying law to it. And accordingly he hath four several notions and interpretations of the law. First, he considereth it in the external political sense, wherein it had only, as temporal punishments for offences, so only temporal promises of peace, prosperity, and long life in the land of Canaan, upon obedience to the law; and also had in this sense no spiritual or internal precepts. However, he maintaineth the law in this strict temporal sense to be a shadow both of future punishments to every transgression internal and external, and of future heavenly felicity to perfect obedience. Secondly, he considereth the same law, as comprehending in it a remedying law as to these temporal severities, or as affording pardon upon sacrifice, for the greatest number of transgressions. And so he will have it, that this political and temporal law was a sort of little Gospel in reality; being a law of pardon, as to the temporal punishment that was therein threatened; and a shadow also, or pattern and representation of its own gospel-favour in admitting the transgressors thereof to grace and pardon, with regard to eternal punishment, on the account of the great satisfaction to come, that was typified by such sacrifices. Thirdly, he considereth it as a law of conscience, essentially respecting the future state, and requiring obedience to all therein commanded, under the peril of future death or wrath to come; for that otherwise there would be no pardon or satisfaction by Christ, for the wrath to come, which by this law is due to sin. And in this strict sense he will have St. Paul to use the word law in the most of

those places in dispute, and which are insisted on by 1675. Mr. Bull to reconcile them to St. James. And in

this sense he saith the law was no type or shadow,

nor to vanish away, but that it standeth in force to this very day. Lastly, he considereth it as a law of Page 35. grace, revealing that the punishment made due to the transgressor, by the law in its first and strict sense, might yet be pardoned; and he should enjoy, notwithstanding this, the promised life to come, on condition he did repent, and sincerely endeavour obedience for the future to all God's laws, with the whole bent of heart and soul. And in this sense he saith the law was no type or shadow at all, but the very Gospel itself, and that word of faith, which the apostles preached and that in this very sense also David took the law in most of his encomiums of it. Whence he concludeth, that justification and salvation are not denied to it, or to the works of it, by the apostle, either to Jews or Christians; forasmuch as it still continueth the same for substance, having the same sanction and condition, or precept in general; namely, that upon our repentance and sincere obedience, God will justify and save us from all our sins. And accordingly,

pretation of

mises of the

ment with a

He interpreteth both the threatenings and pro- His intermises of the law, as having four different signi- the threats fications. Thus concerning that solemn maledic- and protion, Cursed is every one that continueth not in Old Testaall things written in the book of the law, to do fourfold them, he saith it did notify these four distinct respect. sanctions, with their distinct conditions: viz. 1. Every one shall be punished with a violent temporal death, or such death shall be due to him, that observeth not every external precept of the law. 2.

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