Rome have given a better definition of Justification then R. Gordon hath and in words at least shown a better esteem of the works of Grace and of the Spirit of God then he hath done which Works are above those of self and surely the Apostle James did not exclude the Works of Faith which are done by the aid of the Spirit of God from Justification when he said But wilt thou know oh vain man that Faith without Works is dead and was not our Father Abraham justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Alter Jam. 2.20 21. Now was this an old Popish Trick or the old Law-working spirit as he calls it No sure it was before the Law was written and it was the Spirit of Faith by which Abraham obey'd God for Abraham believ'd and it was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the Friend of God Gal. 3.6 Jam. 2 23. And they that are of Faith are of Abraham and Partakers of the Righteousness of Faith wherein they are justified and accepted of God Now if I be exclaimed against herein for Pâ—pery I must say That wherein Papists hold any Truth though in unrighteousness I must not therefore deny it If the Pope and the Devil also confess there is a God and a Christ must I therefore deny it or be counted a Papist Nay I must speak the Truth in Righteousness however I be villified and scorned for it Again Our asserting the Righteousness of the Elect Seed rais'd in us and Obedience of Faith therein for Justification and Acceptance with God This doth neither deny nor oppose the Sacrifice of the crucified Body of the man Christ Jesus nor yet blot out of our hearts either the Name or Remembrance of him who is the great Propitiation for sin as unjustly the Elect Seed and its Righteousness within is accus'd p. 23. For the Appearance of Christ within and his Manifestation in Spirit doth neither deny nor oppose his Manifestation or Suffering in the Flesh but rather answereth and fulfilleth the Intent and End thereof for the outward Manifestation of the Son of God in the likeness of sinful Flesh as it did condemn sin in the Flesh so his inward Manifestation in Spirit doth destroy sin worketh Justification and Redemption in them who obey his Light within for he is the Author of Eternal Salvation to as many as obey him and it is through the Obedience of the Spirit that the soul is purified unto unfained Love c. And if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live so here is Righteousness Redemption and Salvation receiv'd in Christ the Light through obedience to his Light within however this be slightly stiled A Law-working spirit and falsly judged A Principle agreeing with all the false Religions in the World by this Antinomian Presbyterian Independant R.G. p. 24. who thus further preacheth as in the Name of the man Christ Jesus Receive the Attonement be ye Reconciled to God Believe and be saved the Man Christ Jesus having already slain the Enmity in himself the power of Sin and Death and the Law for us And thus he is our Saviour c. To which I say These Exhortations Receive 〈◊〉 Attonement which is the Peace be ye Reconcil'd to God Believe c. imply some Qualification and Good must be wrought in men before they be in Peace in a reconcil'd or justify'd Estate But how agrees this with those doctrines which wholly exclude the works Qualification and Good wrought in us by the Spirit of God and all Obedience done by the aid of the Spirit from Justification Reconciliation c. it being done at once as he saith by the Sacrifice of the crucified Body of the Man Christ whom he saith hath slain the Enmity in himself the power of Sin Death and the Law for us and thus saith he he is our Saviour to wit when no good is wrought in us by any Light or Spirit whatsoever so then is follows its only our Priest's Belief that all this is already done how much void of Good and full of Evil soever we be of our selves this R.G. hath prescrib'd an easie way to Heaven a broad way for Hypocrites to sooth and flatter themselves up in their sins but a way that is never like to lead them to Heaven though Christ bore the sin of many and suffer'd for the unjust even when in the Flesh and through suffering did both triumph over the Law of Ordinances and Shaddows which was the Enmity he slew or abolished Eph. 2.15 For he had no sin nor enmity nor power of it in himself to slay seeing by the eternal Spirit he offer'd up himself without Spot to God by all which though he by his Innocency condemn'd sin in the flesh and in himself became a Conqueror and Triumpher through Sufferings yet if R. G. and others come not to experience of the enmity and power of sin and death slain in themselves they are not actually reconciled nor sav'd by Christ neither yet freed from the condemnation of the Law nor Judgment of the Son of God who hath all Judgment given to him and Power to execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man but where he is receiv'd as a Saviour he saveth from Sin Death and Enmity in man and redeemeth from all Iniquity For for that end he gave himself It s not enough to say he hath slain the enmity in himself and the power of sin for Hypocrites make that a Cloak for the continuance of sin and enmity in themselves who know no Good wrought in them by any light or spirit whatsoever And such are the Corrupters of the Earth Destroyers of Souls Deceivers of the Simple and Perverters of the right Wayes of God such think themselves secure and safe in their sins while they Unscripturally and Antichristianly oppose the Work and Light of Christ within as not being of a justifying Nature to the Obedient and so they falsly apply reckon and impute Christ's Righteousness to themselves while they are actually rebellious against his Light within and I see no better tendency that R. G's work hath it being strictly examin'd and compar'd however therein he covers himself with a pretended applause and extolling of the Dignity and Suffering of Christ's Person but they that are sav'd and redeem'd from sin and enmity by him can say with the Prophet I will mention the Loving kindness and Praises of the Lord for he said Surely they are my People Children that will not Lye so he was their Saviour Mark So he was their Saviour as having sav'd them from Sin Iniquity and Falshood such are the People that are sav'd by the Lord who are Children that will not Lye in whom Deceit and Enmity is slain by the Power and spiritual Appearance of Christ Jesus within though I grant in general that he is the Saviour of all men as he affords them Preservation by his Power as Men and Creatures in
Mary as now imaginary he saith existing outwardly bodily without us Whereupon I ask him If he hath so considered him to be God the Saviour or the Son from the Substance of the Father as some of his Brethren have confessed the Son is And that he Existeth outwardly bodily without us at God's Right-hand What Scripture Proof hath he for these words And then What and where is God's Right-hand is it visible or invisible within us or without us only And is Christ the Saviour as an outward bodily Existenâ— or Person without us distinct from God and on that consideration to be worshipped as God yea or nay And where doth the Scripture say He is outwardly and bodily glorified at God's Right-hand Do these termes express the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began in which he is now glorified But did not Mary express a higher Praise and Worship then R. G's and the Multitudes Hosanna to the Son of David when she said My Soul doth Magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth Rejoyce in God my Saviour Luke 1.46 47. And whereas concerning the Law or Light in every man he instanceth Doth not even Nature it self teach either to prove this Law or Light natural as mans Nature insufficient or far below the Teachings of the new Covenant and yet in pag. 31. confesseth That it show'd them to wit the Gentiles that which may be known of God being manifested in them They are left without Excuse saith he and that of God which is manifest in them gave them an Eye to see his Invinsible Power and Godhead to know God and glorifie him as God page 32. A large Confession to his own Confusion And was that of God in them or that which might be known of God in them Natural as of man's Nature or but the form'd spirit of man or something proceeding from Natural Generation Oh gross Ignorance That ever a man should pretend to vindicate Christianity and shew so much Contradiction to himself and so much Ignorance of that Divine Light and Power which gives both to see the invisible things of God and to glorifie him as God surely this is not natural nor of corrupt nature that is sufficient to bring men into this good Estate or to leave them without excuse if they abide not in it retain not God in their Knowledge or glorifie him not as God see Rom. 1.19 20 21 28. How contrary to plain Scripture and Reason hath this man reason'd against the Light of God and Christ within as also ignorant of the Seed within and its being raised and of the Righteousness in the Elect Seed For he calls these New imagined Notions whereof there is no mention made in the Scriptures of Truth pag. 32. I believe they are New to him and such as he is in whom the seed of the Serpent is so highly risen and raigns as so openly to oppose this blessed seed of God where it is raised though they cannot prevail against it for though it be sown in Weakness it s rais'd in Power And yet in contradiction to himself in the same page confesseth That the ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul which is called the Seed of the Kingdom which in the Children of Faith takes deep root downward and brings forth fruit upwards Neither of which it hath done in this and such like confus'd Gainsayers who can talk much of the outward Birth of Christ but know nothing of his spiritual Birth this is R. G's state but as much as in them lies bury the Seed having crucified unto themselves the Son of God untill by their persisting in their Gainsaying and wilful Opposition against the Light and Seed of God within there remains no more Sacrifice for them though there remains a Sacrifie for them that do not persist in wilful Disobedience nor crucifie to themselves the Son of God or Seed of â—ife and Righteousness in its Appearance within which Appearance being received and believ'd and so the Righteous Seed which abides in him that is born of God taking place and rule within this bringeth forth the Fruit of Righteousness unto Life and Justification and so removes and works out that which is the Cause of Wrath and Condemnation Let him that can receive it AND as to R. Gordon's Part against Gawen Lowry It appears an impertinent Flam and a piece of Cavil much like the rest of his stuff against us He seems to be offended That G. L. should communicate to others his private Letter and yet he himself hath published some Passages of G. L's Letter to him in Print with his own impertinent Cavils and Pervertions Now if he thinks G. L. did not well in communicating his Letter to be publish'd why did he publish G. L's with such cross and peevish Aggravations against him Hath he not herein done that by another which he would not have done by himself Where is his Pretended-love or Friendship or his Equal-dealing As for what could be sqeezed out of his Letter to his disadvantage tending as his words are forc'd to speak to no less then an owning another Mediator then Jesus of Nazareth as he saith But that we needed not do by his Letter it needed neither forcing nor sqeezing to make it worse then it was for we laid down his own very words in it and did write but little to it it appear'd so gross and Antichristian And now because he saith That he is not asham'd of what he hath written it is meet his doctrine should be here inserted again that the Reader may further take notice thereof Some Places of Scripture sent to Robert Gordon by Gawin Lawry John 1. from the first verse forward In the beginning was the Word Chap. 12. verse 46. I am come a Light into the World c. Chap. 15. ver 5. I am the Vine ye are the Branches Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you c. 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 2 Cor. 13.3 Seeing you seek Experience of Christ speaking in me Tit. 2 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life Chap. 4. vers 4. Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World Robert Gordon's Answer to these Scriptures I have considered the Scriptures thou mentionest and I find that in none of them it is testified who the true Christ our only Saviour is but what he is through the operations of his Spirit in Believers called therefore the Anointing within or Christ within but these Operations of his Spirit within are no where in Scripture called the Lord's Christ our only Saviour And if thou own no other Mediator Christ or Saviour then what is described in these Scriptures thou mentions then necessarily thou disowns the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God c. Thus far R. G. telling us also of the Writings of
in Himself as thou wordst it and misconstrues Eph. 2.15 for thy sinful design against the worth of the Operations and Qualifications of the Spirit of Holiness within Christ had no enmity or sin in himself to slay but the enmity which he abolisht in his Flesh was the Law of Commandments contain'd in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain One new Man Eph. 2.15 or that both Jews and Gentiles might be reconcil'd in one Body Now the new Man hath the inward Qualifications and Fruits of the Spirit which thou wantâ—st and therefore art not in a reconcil'd state nor actually reconcil'd in thy self who reckonest all done purchas'd and paid in thy stead at once without thee while no qualification nor good is wrought in thee by the Spirit of God and yet thou must be qualified with Faith and both Reconciliation Justification and Redemption must be effected or fulfilled in thee or else thou canst not be sav'd according to thy own Concession What Confusion are you still in R. G. I say That the Works wrought for us by Christ in his crucified Body is the first Mystery the Foundation of all our Mercies the ground of the possibility of having any Works wrought in us by the Spirit of God tending to our being made like unto him pag. 8. Answ. The Ground and Cause of all our Mercies is the infinite Love of God in which he sent his Son whose Works for us and Example to us were Effects and Tokens of the Love of God to man and not the ground and purchasing cause thereof nor as by way of Payment and ridgid Satisfaction to vindictive Justice as Presbyters call it as if Christ were more kind to man and his Love more infinite than his Father's which is blasphemous like some of the Popish Fryars that said The Son was better then the Father And what better doth thy doctrine imply then that the Son's Works wrought without us are the previous procuring purchasing Cause of the Law of God to us while Sinners pag. 22. On this erronious stuff depends much of thy Book thou mightest as well say That God and his Love had a Beginning or were inferior to the Man Christ as that Christ's Works without were the previous or foregoing Cause of God's Love to us How then is his Love infinite in it self and free to us and the Cause of sending his Son Joh. 3.16 And darest thou say That God had not Love to Mâ—nkind before he sent his Son in the Flesh Or that the Love of God was not the previous Cause of his so sending his Son and of Christ's Testimony and Works in the dayes of his Flesh R. G. The Works wrought in us who Believe being but the Consequence and Effect of what he did for us even when Sinners pag. 9. Ans. If but the Consequence then men must begin first to learn and believe the History or outward Relation of Christ's Sufferings and not in the Spirit whereas the True and Well-beginning of the Churches of Christ was in the Spirit which is Life and then I ask If none can be saved nor sanctified but they who have that outward Relation or History When as it s confessed that the Operations of the Spirit of Holiness within do bring the Believer into Union and Friendship with God And is noâ— thâ—s absolute Reconciliation or Agreement with God So Justification making Righteous and accepted with God from thosâ— things from which we could not be justified by â—he Law of Moses and Redemption from Iniquity which are Effâ—cted within are the Effects and immediâ—te Consequences of the Operations of God by his Son or Power within who hath ordain'd Peâ—ce for us For note that he hâ—th wrought all our works in us Isa. 26 12. A Testimony whereof and of the Love of God to us was even Christ's outward Manifestation Works and Suffering in the Flesh in which he directed to the Spirit that quickens to God R. G. It hath been the work of the Devil and his Agents to darken this Doctrine of the justification of Sinners through the Death of Christ as already perfected with God c. pa. 9. Answ. By this the Reader may understand thy sense of Justification That Sinners are perfectly justified by the Death of Christ even while Sinners and Enemies But thou shouldst have defin'd what Justification is for if thy Doctrine be true all the World is in a justified State seeing Christ died for all while actually Sinners Polluted and Unjust only it remains for them to believe it is perfectly done without them and imputed to them so they may conceit themselves at peace with God in their sins A pleasant Doctrine to make Hypocrites like thy self who but in the same Page hast confessed That Christ died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and that the Apostles intreated men to be reconcil'd to God But how agrees this with Sinners being perfectly justified without them by his Death when no good is wrought within them Did he so justifie Sinners by his Death and after rise again either to add to their Justification or do it over again What a Laborinth art thou now in But have not some of thy Brethren confessed That Sanctification and Justification are inseparable Companions R. G. But thou as doth thy Partner G. W. jumbles these things confusedly together speaking of the works wrought for us by Christ as lame and imperfect not as having finish the Work given him to do c. pag. 10. Answ. Thou belyest us for we affirm That Christ's Obedience and Works even in the dâ—yes of his Flesh were all perfect and that he therein finisht so much as the Father sent him to do having left a perfect Example to be followed being a perfect Captain Leader and Conquerer through all his Sufferings and by the eternal Spirit offered himself a Lamb without Spot to God But wherein we testifie That a meer Belief of his Works and Sufferings without are not sufficient to save man but he must know his spiritual Works wrought within and be saved by the washing of Regeneration c. this is no deeming his Works without either lame or imperfect For thou thy self sayest I do not say that he so finished it for us as if no more were to be done within us by his Spirit Now thou wouldst think much if we or any should accuse thee for rendring Christ's Works for us as lame and imperfect Hast thou done by us as thou wouldst be done unto Who also hast granted to the Operations of the Spirit within The living Testimony of Christ Jesus confirmed by him through his Sacrifice and Suffering in the flesh which we truly own is a Mystery to be known and fulfilled within where the Righteousness of Faith is experienc'd which brings the true Believers in the Light into the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings which were both inward and outward and makes them conformable to his Death the Spirit baptizing them into it a Mystery thou
though denoting a time past doth denote or signifie the imperfect time or perfect yea or nay and whether it signifieth the action perfectly done ended compleated as thou insinuatest that our Reconciliation was then dâ—ne sixteen hundred years ago Will not the Boyes of the Gammar School tell thee that that it is in imperfect time and signifieth the Action begun but not ended or perfected And God was in Christ reconciling men to himself ever since the Fall in all Ages both before and since Christ suffer'd in the outward having given them or put in them the Word of Reconciliation by which they who became renew'd thereby were reconcil'd and justified in all Ages But according to R. G's doctrine no men were justified nor reconciled until Christ suffer'd Death in the outward because then and not till then was Reconciliation and Justification wrought done c. And here in thy 15th page I take notice of another piece of thy Self-confusion and Contradiction as that thou say'st Our Reconciliation and Justification was fully done perfected accomplish'd at Christ's Death without us and is not to be done or wrought over again in any man And yet in Contradiction thou say'st To make our Reconciliation effectual in every man we are as a Qualification on our part c. requir'd invited to be reconcil'd to God Then according to thee it must be made effectual in men and yet thou deny'st that it is to be made or wrought within any men it being already fully done And if it was fully done before was it not effectual before Or if it be not effectual till it be made so in us was it not in-effectual before And if it was in-effectual it was not fully done What Confusion and Contradiction Effectual in-effectual all done wrought yet not made effectual we reconcil'd to God yet as a Qualification on our part we are to be reconcil'd Pag. 16. Thou chargest me with a Self-contradiction because I said The full and perfect Redemption was in Christ while we were Enemies But herein thou show'st thy self weak for I say still Our full and perfect Redemption was in him while we were Enemies so was our full and perfect Sanctification Wisdom Righteousness yet it followeth not that we are Redeem'd Sanctified Wise and Righteous till as it is in him so it be receiv'd by us for it is the receiving it that giveth us the denomination of Redeemed Sanctified Wise Righteous as the Cloth becometh colour'd by receiving the Colour and not otherwise Pag. 17. That the Works and Fruits of the Spirit as Humility Meekness c. are reckon'd by us as the Ransom the Price the Mediaton the Saviour is a most false and unjust Charge nor do our Friend's words give thee the least ground for it As for W.B. he said Humility Meekness was a Mediator to asswage and stop Wrath in the Enmity-Seed but he said not it was our Mediator betwixt God and Vs So thou canst not be excus'd from being a gross and unjust Perverter of his words And if any have called Christ the Humility it is not more then Paul said That he to wit Christ was made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. and when Christ is call'd Humility Righteousness are not understood those particular Effects and Fruits of the Spirit but that original primative Righteousness Verity Humility Truth and Goodness c. that is Christ as he is God the fountain goodness truth righteousness c. Pag. 18. Because Christ is call'd the One Offering and that be once offer'd up â—is Body c. Thou wouldst exclude him as in us from being one Offering but herein thy work is vain for Christ Jesus is the one Offering still and though he offer'd up his Body outwardly but once upon the Cross yet he remains still an Offering for us within us For he is a Priest forever and every Priest hath somewhat to offer and he is both the Offering and the Priest who liveth forever to make intercession for us That thou alledgest of our Testimonies as dissagreeing is false nor hast thou ought to prove it but to corrupt G. W's words by a deceitful interlining of them as alledging on him That he calls it a blasphememous opposing the omnipotency of God c. To assert any such necessary respect our Redemption hath to the Death of Christ which last words are thine not the words of G. W. Pag. 21. Thou cry'st out on it as strange Doctrine that I said The Apostles preach'd Christ in the form of a Man yet they preach'd him also and that more generally a Light to the Gentiles Then thou ask'st Was he not a real Man Answ. Yea he was a real man and is and it is a most false and unjust Charge That we neither confess nor preach him as a man and that thou askest Tell us plainly what is become of that Man I say he remains to judge thee for thy Lyes and false Accusations against the Innocent and as for his Body that thou queriest he hath his Body which is Spiritual and Heavenly and Glorious to which our low body is to be made conform and the Body of Christ is but one yet having many Members and this Answer is given not to gratifie thy bad spirit but for the Truth 's sake and for a service to the Simple-hearted And that thou deny'st That that was Christ that took on him the form of a Man and was manifest in Flesh Do'st thou not herein plainly deny the true Christ For did not he even Jesus Christ take on him the form of a Servant according to plain Scripture Did he not come in the Flesh and if he came in it was he not in it and if he was in it was he not manifest in it And if thou deny'st him come in the Flesh art not thou an Antichrist Thou say'st Not he manifest in that Body but thou art the Son of God p. 19. Oh blasphemous and contradictory to thy self Do'st thou not expresly say in thy Testimony pa. 38. That he is a Christ near us wrap'd up in our very flesh and blood the Seed of the Woman meaning in that Flesh he appear'd in outwardly And that thou deny'st that he that was manifest in that Body was the Son of God Do'st thou not plainly deny his divinity Was he not the Son of God before he took Flesh in the Virgin 's Womb Pag. 21. Thou bely'st me that I said The Apostles preach'd one way of Appearance of Christ to the Jews and another to the Gentiles whereas I said He was preach'd a Light more generally both to Jews and Gentiles and the Apostles preach'd him as within men 2 Cor 13.5 Know ye not how that Jesus Christ is in you That thou challenge it that one said Christ was never seen with any carnal Eye thou hast no more ground then to challenge Himself who said He who hath seen me hath seen the Father and yet he said to the Jews who saw the outward Body