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.

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Author:	Warton, Anthony.
Title:	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.
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Print source:	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. Warton, Anthony. London: printed by John Streater, and are to be sold by the book-sellers of London, 1657.
Subject terms:	Theology, Doctrinal -- Early works to 1800.
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Table of Contents

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title page

To the Christian Reader, Grace, mercy and peace be multiplyed through the Knowledge of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Catalogue of the Questions.

The Refinement of Zion.

Quest. 1. Whether Christ and his righteousnesse be made ours by faith. And whether we do put on Christ by faith? Or rather, whether He be not to be set forth freely in the preaching of the Gospel without any condi∣tion.

SECT. I. A certain Authors Opinion concerning this Question.

SECT. II. Christs Righteousnesse is made ours by Faith.

SECT. III. Christ is made ours by Faith.

SECT. IIII. We do put on Christ, and apply him unto our selves by Faith.

SECT. V. Christ is freely given, notwithstanding the Conditions that are required of us.

SECT. VI. In what sense and signification this word Grace is used, and taken in holy Scripture, and that we do ascribe our salvation wholly to Grace.

Quest. 2. Whether a man when he is converted from Infidelity to Fayth, do change his estate before God?

Quest. 3. Whether God may be said to love us eternally before we do repent, and believe in Christ, even while we do live in sin? And whether God do love his Children as much while they lye in sin, as when they rise out of it by Repentance, and live holily.

SECT. I. Mr. D's. opinion concerning this Question is set down, and censured.

SECT. II. How Gods love is ever the same without any alteration.

SECT. III. How God way be said to love his children sometimes more, and sometimes lesse.

Quest. 4. What is meant by our Reconciliation to God?

SECT. I. Wherein is shewed, What it is.

SECT. II. Objections answered.

Quest. 5. Whether the Doctrine of Reconciliation, as Mr. D. hath propounded it, be a better means of comfort to di∣stressed consciences, then our Protestant Doctrine is?

Quest. 6. Whether all the Elect be justified ab aeterno, from all eter∣nity, before they do believe in Christ? and consequently whether the Scripture, when it saith, that we are justi∣fied by Faith, meaneth that Faith justifieth us only in tribunali conscientiae nostrae, in our own coscien∣ces, as same of the learned Protestants speak; or de∣claratively as saith Mr. D.? Or whether it doth not justifie us instrumentaliter et correlativè, as other Orthodox Protestants not a few do teach, that is, as an Instrument, or means wherby we are made parta∣kers of Christs righteousness, renouncing our selves and our own works altogether, and relying on Christ only for our justification.

SECT. I. Proed by Scripture, that we are actually justified by Faith.

SECT. II. Mr. D. his Objections answered.

SECT. III. An Objection answered.

SECT. IIII. Two Reasons more, proving that we were not justified ab aeterno.

SECT. V. Another Objection answered.

SECT. VI. The Objections of the most Learned Chamierus an∣swered.

Quest. 7. Whether any previous dispositions, preparations, or qua∣lifications be required of men in the Gospel, that they may be partakers of salvation by Christ.

SECT. I. The Preparations that go before our Regeneration and Conversion.

SECT. II. The Preparations that are necessary to our future glori∣fication, and perfect salvation in Heaven.

SECT. III. An Objection answered.

SECT. IIII. More Objections answered.

SECT. V. Other Objections answered, whereby Mr. S. endeavou∣reth to prove, that sinners as sinners are cal∣led to believe in Christ, without any precedent Qua∣lifications, or Preparations. These for the avoi∣ding of tediousness, I do divide into several ranks.

Object. 1. That Faith is not the only work of the Gospel.

Object. 2. Gods love is not offered to all equally and indifferent∣ly, or to all absolutely.

Object. 3. It exalteth Grace more to receive broken hearted than obdurate sinners.

Object. 4. The Type of the brasen Serpent teacheth us, that we must feel our sins, and be pained with them, before we can come to Christ.

Object. 5.

Object. 6.

Object. 7.

Object. 8.

SECT. 6. Two Objections of Mr. D. answered.

SECT. VII. Objections answered, and the truth in this Controversy cleared.

Quest. 8. Whether we are made the Sons of God, by Faith in Christ, or but declared so to be?

Quest. 9. Whether a man is to pray for the pardon of his sins, after he is regenerated, and doth believe and repent?

SECT. I. The Children of God do, and ought to pray for the pardon of their sins

SECT. II. There was forgivenesse of sins before Christs Passion.

SECT. III. Objections Answered.

SECT. IIII. Two reasons more proving that the Children of God, are to pray for the pardon of their Sins.

SECT. V. The severall Causes, or reasons, why the Children of God, are to pray for the pardon of their sins.

SECT. VI. Another Objection, answered.

Quest. 10. Whether it be hainous, and hatefull impiety, for the Churches, and Children of God, to fast and pray, that God would turn away his anger, and indigna∣tion from them, when they lye under his judgments, or at other times, when their consciences are terri∣fied, and troubled with their sins. And whether God may be said to be pacified and appeased by our fasting, and prayers, or by any such things.

SECT. I. It is lawfull for us to pray that God would turn away his anger from us: And, how this is to be understood.

SECT. II. How Gods wrath is Pacified.

SECT. III. Objections Answered.

Quest. 11. Whether God do correct his Children for their sins.

Quest. 12. Whether a man may be assured of Salvation by his love to the Brethren, and by other effects and fruits of Sanctification? Or whether he can be assured of Sal∣vation, no otherwise, but onely by Faith in Christ?

SECT. I. A Man may be assured of his Salvation by his Re∣pentance.

SECT. II. Faith and Repentance are distinct Graces.

SECT. III. That Charity doth not bind a man universally to give half his Goods to the poor, as Zacheus did.

SECT. IV. Concerning Restitution of Goods unjustly gotten.

SECT. V. A Man may be assured of Faith, and consequently, of Salvation by the inseperable Effects of Sanctifica∣tion.

SECT. VI. Objections answered, and Doubts resolved.

SECT. VII. The Conclusion.

Quest. 13. Whether the Gospel may properly be said to be a Cove∣nant, as that of the Law was?

SECT. I. The Gospel is properly a Covenant.

SECT. II. The Covenant of Grace is made not onely with Christ, but with us also, who do believe in him.

SECT. III. Christ did not repent, and believe for us, but we must perform these conditions our selves.

SECT. IV. How Christ is made unto us Sanctification.

SECT: 5. Although the promises of the Gospel are offered unto sinners, yet they have no right, nor interest in them, unless they do receive them.

SECT. VI. How the promises of the Gospel, or of the new Testa∣ment, are said to be better then the promises of the old, or of the Law.

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

SECT. VIII. That the promising, or passing over of a thing, not absolutely, but upon a condition, doth not infer me∣rit in him that performeth the condition; but is onely a bar to the injoying of the thing promised, whilest the condition is not performed.

SECT. IX. Although Salvation is not promised to any, but up∣on condition of Faith and Repentance; yet the Lord hath absolutely promised to his Elect Grace, to perform both these.

SECT. X. How the Evangelical Covenant may be said to be made with all the visible members of the Church.

SECT. XI. The absurdities which do insue and follow upon their assertion, who do deny the Gospel to be a Covenant.

Quest. 14. Whether those Ministers that do offer remission of sins, and salvation by Christ, not to all absolutely; but upon condition that they do repent, and believe in Christ, be legal teachers? And whether by this their Doctrine they do make the Gospel a Covenant of works, as the Law is?

SECT. I. The Law neither teacheth nor accepteth of Faith and Repentance, but requireth perfect obedience to all the Commandements thereof. He therefore preach∣eth not legally, but evangelically, that offereth pardon to those that repent and believe.

SECT. II. Both repentance, and all manner of good works, are commanded and required in the Gospel.

SECT. III. Why the Gospel, seeing it prescribeth and requireth works, is not to be called a Covenant of works, as well as the Law? Or how it can be said, to be the Covenant of Grace?

Quest. 15. Whether the Orthodox Protestant Ministers, who teach men to believe in Christ, and to repent, that they may obtain remission of sins, and salvation by Christ; or those who offer Christ and Remission of sins to all, without requiring any thing of them, ei∣ther Faith or Repentance, or e obedience, do preach Christ the more truly, and more to the edification, and consolation of their hearrs?

SECT. I. Where is shewed, which is the right way of preaching the Gspel.

SECT. II. Where is shewed, which is the most profitable way of preaching the Gospel.

SECT. III. Wherein is shewed who do preach Christ most com∣fortably.

SECT. IV. Two Objections answered.

SECT. V. A twofold Corollary, or conclusion deduced and drawn from the former answers.

SECT. VI. More Objections answeed, and some Cases of Con∣science resolved.

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