the want of a righteousness without them to hide their personal failings the defilements of their fairest and holyest performances Again as persons were considered in Christs death so they are to be considered when they come to be justified Christ dying for men and women considered them not as Saints but as sinners Herein God commendeth his love to us Rom. 5. 8. that while we were yet sinners and ungodly Christ died for us Yet further Law and Justice findes us and leaves us sinners Gospel and mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous and continueth us such as it accounteth us If the Gospel did not pronounce sinners righteous that is in the righteousness of another till they had a righteousness in themselves and of their own it would do no more for us then the Law Gospel would become Law And therefore R. F. in denying that God justifieth a sinner denyeth the Gospel and would turn it into strict Law a covenant of Works 2. God justifieth a sinner not continuing in his unbelief God justifieth the believing sinner though some unbelief continueth in him not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by faith c. but as he believeth on Christ dying and on God raising Christ from How justified by faith the dead Rom. 4. 24. Believers as believers are justified that is 1. Without the help of other graces though not without their presence therefore our justifying righteousness is called the righteousness of Faith not the righteousness of Love of Patience c. Rom. 9. 30. 2. Instrumentally the believer as a believer receiveth Christ and his Righteousness to Justification Hence the phrases of being justified by Faith and through Faith The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposition in the Greek construed with a Genitive Case signifying the instrumental cause means or way at least faiths passive capacity or that service it doth the soul in reception of Christ and his righteousness is held forth thereby Philip. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 25. 3. Relatively and improperly faith is said to justifie and to be counted for righteousness it is not properly faith but that which faith apprehendeth Christs personal obedience in our nature made meritorious by his God-head which justifieth it is not faith as our act or as an act that is our justifying righteousness but the object without a soul which faith carrieth the eye of the soul to look upon and the hand or heart of the soul the will to rest upon even Christs righteousness inherent in him alone as in the subject that justifieth the person of a believer so believing So believing respects the truth of faith not the measure A weak believer is perfectly justified as is the strong believer There is no ingredient qualification of ours or of a work in us that doth cast the ballance nor doth the Apostle Paul put in the ingredient of the new-birth for Justification in that place where R. F. seems to shelter himself and his Popish opinion Heresie I might call it Act. 13. 39. And by him Act. 13. 39. vindicated all that believe are justified from all things from which ye Jews who did more then the Gentiles could not be justified by the law of Moses R. F. his gloss upon allusion to this Scripture * Page 13. is By Christ such as are so born and believe are justified from all sins and such like things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rep. 1. By Christ such as are new born are justified but they are not justified because so born nor for their believing The new birth and true faith go together but the infusion of new qualities or the qualities infused at the new birth take them all in the lump are not concerned in justification have no causality nor any maner of efficiency towards it 2. Christ doth not justifie us by his own Righteousness and by our Faith as a quality habit or act together but he singleth out the grace of Faith from the rest of the newcreature-work to apply what himself hath done and suffered as a surety undertaking and paying the whole debt and to rely upon him for the Fathers gracious and just sentence of absolution and acceptation for his righteousness alone made ours in a way of imputation 3. Believers in the new Testament times are not onely justified from all sins as to the guilt and curse but from all the Ceremonies of Moses Law which are not called such like things as R. F. expresseth it as if they had the appearance of sin upon them but understood with sins under the general phrase which the Apostle useth from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses For the Moral Law considered strictly as Law once broken could not cannot absolve first from Guilt nor secondly from Punishment nor thirdly from Obligation to the whole by the payment of a part which part is either according to what was written at first fully after but in shreds and pieces left in mans heart or to what was positively given in command for trial of mans obedience and strength before or since the fall and therefore the new creature in us a beginning of that image of God which was lost by the first Transgression is no ingredient in our justification for by Christ they who believe in him and him alone are justified from all Legal obligations and conditions of their own workings within them or without them Christs Righteousness without them makes them compleat Rom. 3. 22. 2. Cor. 5. 23. Col. 2. 10. To assert this way of justification is not pleading for sin as R. F. * Page 13. objecteth For 1. Suppose I or any should abuse the doctrine of Free-Grace and of justification which is by a righteousness without us and inherent in Christ alone Answ 1 thereby to take liberty to sin the doctrine is not to be blamed nor Christ to be charged with the fault of the person as the Apostle preoccupieth such an objection with this answer Gal. 2. Gal. 2 17 18 opened 17 18. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners we our selves Jews also is therefore Christ by his way of justification the minister of sin God forbid For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor I can make Christ none the fault is not Christs but mine Answ 2 2. They that plead for true Gospel-justification truly and sincerely in its proper place do also plead for Gospel-sanctification in its due place Their enlightnings into the Law teacheth them somewhat for as the Apostle reasoneth ver 19. I through the Law am dead to the Law I Gâ—l 2 19. opened have as if he should say a sufficient lesson from the clear sight of the Laws rigor to teach me never more to seek my justification from my own conformity to the Law that I might live in the
to settle the hearts and hopes of them that flee thither for refuge with strong consolation In a word the Covenant of Grace excludes works as any condition of life for it is the declaration of Gods way of saving by Grace according to the Election of Grace which if it be of Grace as it is then Rom. 11. 6. is it not at all of works These meditations are heart-establishing you will say in wavering times and all Doctrines agreeable to the fulness of Christ and his Covenant are so David found it so so may you It was a soft pillow to David God 2 Sam. 23 5. hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure on his Death-bed whereon to rest his head so it will be to all that take hold on it and mix it with faith For secondly it is not the Doctrine of the Gospel abstractly considered but as believed that will establish you Faith establisheth Col. 1. 23. by its object acts reflections and fruits Continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard Consider brethren what you believe and in whom ye have believed Christ and his righteousness without you is a sure foundation for your Faith to Isaiah 28. 18. build upon He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed unsetled beaten off Faith gives you an evidence of things not seen and makes things absent present Every act of Faith tends to your establishment having some certainty in its bosom and bowels and so much as strives against doubting and that shall not miscarry in the issue and event But reflections of Faith help on yet more to stedfastness When you know you do 1 Pet. 3. 21. believe then you have the answer of a good conscience wherewith comes peace and liberty Peace with God is discerned and peace with Conscience is setled hereby in much serenity with liberty of access to the Throne of Grace and of making your Appeals to God by vertue of Christs blood sprinkled on the Conscience and by reason of the Acquittance which Christ received for the Believer at his resurrection His discharge is ours and hence the other benefits which Faith brings along with it of Vnion with Christ Communion with God Justification Redemption Adoption and Sanctification But if with the Doctrine and Faith of the Gospel there comes thirdly the Grace of sense or the sense of Gods grace and love in all that is taught and believed how is the heart established by the holy Rom. 5. 5. Spirit that is given us This Spirit is both the seal of what is past the witness of what is present and the earnest of what is to come making all that is in reversion as sure to us as that which is already in our possession Adde unto this fourthly Experimental exercise of grace in all Gospel-institutions and what establishment shall your hearts want now or hereafter Communion with God in Gospel-Ordinances gives rest and satisfaction when we finde the effect of Water-baptism and of Infant-baptism in Christs blood and the Spirits regeneration when we discern the effect of Bread and Wine-Lords-supper in Christs presence at his Table and the quicknings of his Spirit in our singing Davids Psalms and Scripture-spiritual songs use of publique as private Prayer ministery of the Word c. Your souls brethren cannot but finde it eminently helpful to be established with this Gospel-grace First you have hereby an Antidote against all poison of diverse and strange Doctrines Your hearts are as ships well-ballasted against all contrary winds The Doctrine of Free-grace rightly understood believed and adhered to doth at once dispel and scatter all Popish and Arminian fogs The fulness of Christ believed lays open the emptiness of Quakerism The Covenant and Promises grasped by Faith are as the little stone which they say the Bee takes up to flie with in a high wind so as the biggest blasts shall not dash you to the ground Let who will say that Christ doth not justifie by a righteousness without us the Scripture saith We are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. and the Grace of Faith carries out the Soul for righteousness and life in another viz. Christ of this the Spirit with the Conscience and Experience of Believers beareth witness Let the poor Quakers say that the Scriptures are not the word of God the heart that believeth and experienceth the power of the Scripture changing and transforming will finde him a liar and blasphemer Let them say that will they have no sin dwelling in them and their warfare is at an end a gracious heart will slight and despise these Contradictions to all the Experiences of the Saints held forth in Scripture Let them say there is no Baptism of water or let them call the Lords Supper as used by the Churches a humane Invention because they have found no comfort in it or by it the heart established in the faith of the Institution will give them the lie and although he findes not these seals always alike efficacious yet he knows and believeth them always to be the Lords Ordinances and to have a promise of efficacy annexed to them which God will make good at his day and hour and not at our season Secondly The fears which false doctrine terrifieth the Conscience withal are removed and made to vanish Fears of non-acceptance by reason of daily failings in duties fears of falling away totally and finally are expelled by the pure doctrine of faith and of justification by grace alone and by nothing inherent in us as a habit or adherent to us as an act c. Thirdly There is this advantage all pretended Revelations are cast off dreams are not hearkned unto leading from the Scriptures The faith of a Promise makes things as sure to your souls as if God had spoken immediately from the Clouds The sense of Gods Love is as sweet as a rapture into the third Heavens Moses and the Prophets are as sure to a gracious heart as if one arose from the dead for he could not bring up greater Truths or stronger Arguments of perswasion then are found in the Scriptures he could not speak more pathetically with higher strains and stronger lines with more majesty of stile and elegancy of phrase or sweeter floods of eloquence or with more plainness and godly simplicity then the Spirit expresseth himself in the Scripture holding forth all along an evidence and demonstration of himself with holy harmony and efficacy Fourthly When your hearts are established with Gospelgracious Doctrine Faith Sense and Experience thereof you are fortified against all powerful temptations Sometime the soul is tempted to forsake Ordinances but faith of that promise that the house of Jacob shall not seek God in vain keeps Isaiah 45. 19. the heart close to means of Gods appointment Sometime the Christian is tempted to go to a second Baptism or to
Heb. 4. 12. and Rom. 10 8. vindicated Heb. 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerful c. is the word preached ver 2. or the Scripture that we read and hear opened if one verse may interpret another Rom. 10. 8. The word is nigh thee c. This place with the former must needs be Christ within men not the Scriptures without as J. P. thinks because the Apostle directs the mindes of people within them from looking without whereas let people look into Deut. 30. 14. from whence the Apostle quotes it and compare that 14. ver with the 11. and they will finde it is meant of the word of a Gospel-command built upon a Gospel-promise For this commandment of returning and obeying by vertue of the promise ver 6. of heart-circumcision is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven c. nor beyond the sea c. But the word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Which Paul expounds to be the word of faith or doctrine of faith which comprehends the promise for and to believing and the precept of believing written preached heard and mixed in the heart with faith That Scripture 1 John 2. 27. hath no such meaning 1 Iohn 2 27. vindicated as to exclude Scripture-teaching and Ministers-teaching and as if he that hath the Anointing were come to the end of mans teaching as J. P. expresseth it page 3. But onely that we who have the Anointing which is not Christ as he glosseth for the Unction or Anointing is from Christ Gods holy One ver 20. but that participation of Christs Oyl and Eye-salve of Christs grace and Spirit of knowledge and understanding c. need not that any man should teach us better things or in a better maner but as the Anointing teacheth us The words include both inward and outward teaching and teachers and exclude none but seducers ver 26. of whom the Church and People of God have no need at all in Judea England Essex or in any part of the world Isaiah 30. 20. makes not mention of Christ or but any Isa 30. 20. vindicated one true Teacher but of Teachers meaning the true Prophets and Priests that taught the good knowledge of the Lord as in Jehoshaphats days which should not be removed into a corner but the Lords people should see them and have with them as is promised ver 21. A word behinde them saying This is the way c. i. e. Gods Spirit should prompt suggest and set home that which was outwardly taught upon their hearts at every turn and upon every occasion How doth our Essex Seducer * Christ exalted pag. 4. Iohn 15. 5. Phil 4. 13. vindicated gloss upon John 15. 5. and Philip. 4. 13. Without him we can do nothing but by him we can do all things without the help of Scripture or any thing else without Is this to own Scripture in its place as the Title pretendeth to put it quite out of all place and office or service that it shall not be in the day of the Lords Battels and a Christian warfare in the place of an Auxiliary or of any help and use When as Christ John 15. 3. told his disciples they were clean through the word which he had spoken unto them and the word which he had spoken was according to what is written Psalm 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a yong man cleanse his way by taking heed thereunto according to thy word Did not Paul write that Epistle to the Philippians for their strengthning And did not Apollos Acts 18. 27 28. help them much who had believed through grace shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ Lastly to make an end of these Instances of J. P. how ignorantly and rashly doth he twice quote * Page 4 6 Ier 5. 31. vindicated and cleared Jer. 5. 31. as * R. F. In his Truth cleared p 3. and J. W. in his Enmitie between the two seeds pag. 17. others of his Sect frequently The priests bear rule by their means with a glancing gloss at Ministers gain and maintenance As if by means there was meant outward estate wealth livings c. and by their was understood their own lucre when as the affix or pronoun their relates to the Prophets and by means is no more intended but endeavor or procurement of their false messages and pretences to extraordinary mission The priests bearing rule as falsly and corruptly as the prophets prophesied falsly and unsoundly In the Hebrew 't is by their hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as the prophets false counsel and pretended authority as 2 Sam. 14. 19. Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this Hast thou not done this by Joabs means or counsel by reason whereof the priests were so imperious and the people cheated by the false prophets loved to have it so The edge of this Scripture may be turned against our present Seducers thus The Quaking prophets prophesie falsly and Romish priests shrowd themselves under their new stamped Doctrine God knoweth how much they have influence how soon they may bear rule by these prophets means and many people who go for Gods people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof when prophets priests and people have confederately banded themselves against the true Prophets and Ministers of the Lord That our new Prophet is not a true one hear one line or two more of his * Christ exalted c. p. 4. Sheet and judge of his Judgement of the whole Scripture He Christ is the Word and the Scripture is not He is the Light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and Guide and Teacher and Judge and the Scripture is not but a declaration of him to be so Is Christ think you exalted upon the ruines of his Scripture and are they not razed at the foundation when as they shall neither be the Word nor Light nor Rule nor Guide nor Teacher nor Judge will that salve all that they are acknowledged to be a declaration of Christ to be so when as the but is sufficiently undervaluing Are they but a declaration of Christ Christ speaketh by the Scripture to be so Do they not declare of themselves also or doth not Christ and his Spirit declare in them and of them what they are as what himself is Do they declare that Christ is the Word and are not they the Word of that declaration Is Christ the living Word and are not the Scriptures the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. The lively Oracles Acts 7. 38. Do they declare that Christ is the Light and hath he not put of his Light into the Scriptures for our enlightning Christ enlightneth by the Scripture Psalm 19. 8. Whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephes 5. 13. The Scriptures declare and make as manifest as the light in a dark
of doing and darkly vailed over with Types and Ceremonies They heard of doing more then believing and the administration gendred as the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 24. unto bondage every carnal heart conceiving there was nothing ministred of righteousness or strength at all from another and being called and counted nothing but Law hence it is that the spirit of bondage is said more commonly to sute that Old administration The Church in this time was considered as an Heir in its minority As an Heir it was free but as an Infant or in its minority it was but as a servant under Tutors and Governors Gal. 4. 1. As an Heir true believers had then the Spirit of Adoption and Liberty As a Childe it had the spirit of fear and servitude And as it was but a dark and servile administration comparatively to what it is So 2. There was but a scanty proportion of graces and gifts as to the generality even of true believers they had little illumination and a small measure of sanctification I speak of the greater number of the Saints to what is and will be given since Christs Ascension from the greatest to the least 3. The dispensation of Grace and its covenant was but to a few families for a time and afterwards but to one nation springing out of those families under the new admistration the Covenant is made with all sorts of families and with some of every nation In stead of one there have been and are many Churches Acts 9. 31. and 15. 14. Every where God hath had and will have a people taken out from among the Gentiles or nations a select company for his Name 4. The seals and witnesses of the Testament are altered from Old to New and although the writings of the old copy remain i. e. the Books of the Old Testament because the substance of the covenant is there to be read and understood by the shadows yet there are new writings added i. e. the Books of the New Testament for clearer understanding and more assurance of faith when both are compared together The reason of the whole change of the old administration The reason of the change of old into new administration to the new in the particulars named was faultiness or imperfection It is the wisdom of God to proceed from ways less perfect to that which is more perfect Heb. 8. 7. If that first Covenant or Testament that is the first administration of the covenant of Grace had been fault less Heb 8 7. opened then should no place have been sought for the second How was it faulty 1. In that it made nothing perfect Cap. 7. 19. All in that old way especially the Sacrifices being typical and shadowy they of themselves could not take away sins therefore Christ whose body was fitted for a sacrifice he comes and puts by the shadows and types Heb. 10. 9. He takes away the first administration that he may establish the second the perfection of his own sacrifice and all that attends it in the new administration His blood stancheth all other blood stays the further shedding of the blood of Bulls and Goats and he coming by Blood and not by Water onely hath left to his Church a commemoration and obsignation of both in his new Institutions of Baptism and his Supper 2. In that people could not as it was dispensed after the maner of a covenant of Works though not so in it self possibly see how to stand or continue in it They stumbled at the Ceremonies and stuck in the Letter of the Law and could not see unto the end of that which is now abolished 2 Cor. 3. 13. But whence was the fault God was not to be blamed nor the substance of his Covenant but he lays the blame upon them who were willing to stand under such an administration and would not look to the kernel marrow and substance of it which was Christ But as it was the Jews infidelity which turned as to them that which was a covenant of Grace into a covenant of Works sticking in the rinde and bark of the Ceremony and which excluded and shut them out from the Grace of the covenant so do many thousands under the new administration the greater is their sin insist upon terms of doing and obeying the Light within them and God lets them go on and work their heart out if they will for life let them get it win it and wear it although he tells them it is impossible for if the Jews in all the Ceremonies of old should have lookt to Christ in them and beyond them the Gentiles should upon the first hearing of Christ believe on him and begin and end all their duties with the use of all New Testament Institutions in him or they will lose all their labor as did the Jews Arguments to disprove the Levitical Law as no covenant of works 3. I shall adde a few Arguments to disprove the Levitical Law from having been a covenant of Works 1. It was a covenant outwardly made with the people and that the people outwardly made with God by sacrifice Psalm 50. 6. But the covenant of Works was never made by sacrifice it admits of no expiation or atonement The sacrifices under the Law were shadows of that blood which is the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb. 13. 20. The blood of Christ the blood of the New Testament or the new administration of the covenant of Grace not to be altered but to abide for ever in its all-sufficient vertue and efficacy 2. That which carried all along with it remission of sins was no covenant of Works but of Grace but the Levitical Law had remission of sins going along with it for as the Apostle reasoneth Heb. 9. 22. with 18. without shedding of blood there is no remission whereupon the first Testament or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disposition of Christs will was not dedicated without blood but that there might be assurance of remission to believers even then that blood was shed which not being able to take away sin of it self did type out Christs blood which could and should effect it A covenant dedicated by blood first typical and then true is the same for substance 3. In the Levitical Law was a Mediator a Priest daily to offer and a high Priest once a year to offer the incense of mediation in the Holy of Holies in the covenant of Works there is no Intercessor or Mediator but we have in the covenant of Grace Christ our Priest and high Priest answering that in the new which was typed out in the old dispensation Heb. 9. 15. For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament c. and Ver. 12. by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place c. 4. In the Levitical Law was the Mercy-seat there is no Mercy-seat set up in a covenant of Works There was a common favor in it that God should vouchsafe to enter into
all this time but strengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture Section 21. HEre I took up two passages the one of James Parnel in his tryal of Faith * Page 4. While sin is there no purity can dwell The other of James Nayler * Few words c. page 25. God and sin cannot dwell together in one Both contrary as I noâ—ed to 1 Cor. 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had sin and the holy Ghost dwelling in them at the same time so had Paul Rom. 7. 17. compared with 1 Cor. 7. 25. lets this Section pass without answer and I shall dismiss it with but a little more animadversion whether their Doctrine or mine will stand Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one let him that readeth understand I am sure of Contradictions one part must be false both cannot be true And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture and experience That Saints and Regenerate upon earth in whom God dwelleth have sin in-dwelling that must be false First which J. P. teacheth While or where sin is there no purity can dwell by which dictate he would destroy the faith of all those who believe no perfect freedom from the body of sin in this life Secondly which J. N. teacheth That God and sin cannot dwell together in one I suppose he meaneth in one soul by what he hath before Did ever Jesus Christ redeem such a people or dwell in such a people If he would say God and sin cannot dwell together as one or at agreement but as enemies warring and fighting one against another in the same field or house that is a truth evident enough For as Jacob and Esau were in one womb struggling so are grace and corruption in one heart As Hannah and Peninnah were contending in one family so are holiness and sin in one soul Even as two contrary qualities light and darkness are in the same air at the same time and heat and cold in the same water though one in a remiss the other in a higher degree God dwells as a Lord sin as a slave purity as a prince sin as a tyrant in the same Saint and Christian If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwise he is either not as he is called knows not himself as every Saint doth in part and in this case or if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and in a most drowsie dream for the present the Lord will awaken him in his good time 6. Head of Contradiction to Scripture Concerning Justification R. F. addeth And the end of the reighteous and wicked or unrighteous This I treated not of but he was disposed to darken counsel by words without knowledge Section 22. THe first contradiction I noted here was that which publiquely I had given me in Scotland That God justifieth not a believing sinner contrary to Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly that believeth on him R. F. * Page 13. returns me for answer That such as are born of God do truly believe and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the world and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. Rep. Here is enough before I examine the rest to discover the man and what a friend he is to the man of sin to lay the bottom of a believers Justification not upon Christs Obedience but upon his new birth c. This is plainly to build a mans Justification upon his Sanctification unless his meaning the better then I have reason to judge it is I The new birth is not our justification shall look to the words more then to the writer First 'T is one truth that such as are born of God do truly believe 2. 'T is another that faith in God purifieth the heart A third that faith gives victory over the world But put these together to make a compound for Justification and that so and so and so we are freed from sin that is from the guilt and punishment of it to speak ad idem and accepted as perfectly righteous in the eye of Gods justice This is so Popish a tenet as nothing is more unfound for it makes sanctification wrought within men the material if not the meritorious cause of their justification And that no better construction can be made of R. F. his words taken in any true Grammatical sense may appear by what followeth Such Believers are justified form sin and ungodliness and not in sin and ungodliness Rep. That Believers are justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it I have always and every where taught and was then teaching it at Edinburgh when I was publiquely affronted but the mystery of iniquity lies in the qualification such the Believer considered not as a sinner yet in himself short of Legal obedience but as a Saint conformable in his heart and life to the Law who must in his sense be the subject of justification For by Christ saith he again such as are so born and believe are justified c. And so Christ is their justification who are sanctified and from sin by him redeemed Rep. But how as they are so born thinks he by way of evidence say I. It is not known to whom Christ is righteousness But an evidence of it for justification but as they are found sanctified yet for the thing it self He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus That Saints are justified is a truth but that they are justified by their sanctification is a falshood and that none are justified but as Saints perfected in holines is a notorious contradiction to the whole Scripture and the tenor of the Gospel For God justifieth sinful persons 1 That God justifieth him who in legal strictness not onely before he is sanctified but after the work of holiness is begun would otherwise stand a sinner at Gods Bar and who hath sin yet dwelling in him is clear by all the instances in Scripture of justified persons think of Abraham David Paul Peter the Corinthians Galatians or whom you will there mentioned you will finde they had sin dwelling in them not holiness enough to answer the absolute perfection of the Law all their days while yet their sins and imperfections were not imputed The imputed righteousness of Christ was the cause why their sins were not imputed why their persons were accepted as perfectly righteous in Christ who were but imperfectly at the best righteous in themselves The best Saint that yet liveth upon the earth is yet a sinner in himself or his worser part and hath not wherewithal to cover his nakedness of any deserved guilt no not by his best in-dwelling and inreigning holiness but as Christ gives him of his white raiment Rev. 3. 18. All they are Laodiceans in this case who have no need or feel not
agrees with the saying of Christ Matth. 6. 6. Matth 6. 6. vindicated when thou prayest enter into thy Closet c. as if the publique ordinance may not stand with the private for the most retired and secret duties are to fit and make ready for the publique onely 't is our Lords scope there to confine a private prayer to a private place as it is the Apostles order from the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 14 15 16. when 1 Cor. 14. 14 15 cleared vindicated we pray publiquely in Church-conventions all which have a publiqueness in them to pray so as others may be edified thereby who are Saints and those who occupy the room of the unlearned may testifie their consents by saying Amen which they could not do if either the person praying spoke onely to his own hearing or in the heart not with an audible voyce to others or when they heard him they could not understand him because he exprest himself in an unknown tongue All that I drive at with the Apostles and our Saviours scope is that every ordinance and outward part of worship be owned in its place and that this of publique prayer may not be disowned ere the more because of these mens crying up their praying by the Spirit in opposition to the Churches publique prayers which the Primitive Church at Jerusalem Act. 2. 42. attended and continued in and which the present Saints and Churches in these nations hold up according to president and precept R. F. in another Pamphlet of his * Truth cleared of Scandals pag. 2. saith they are led by the Spirit and he maketh intercession for them according to the minde and will of God But their practise shews they are not in this led by the Spirit when they cross the minde and will of God by refusing to joyn with the Saints in a publique prayer we acknowledge that no wicked mans prayer is accepted publiquely or privately made by him It is their duty to pray but not their priviledge who are destitute of the Spirit and out of Christ But to profess prayer from the second birth while yet they know not how to pray as they ought but as the Spirit maketh intercession with sighs and groans which are J. Parnells words * Shield of truth p. 14 15 is to contradict their doctrine of perfection And to give a dash at all our publique prayer as the long prayer of the Pharisees is to strike at the Spirit and contradict the Scripture allowance of the publiqueness and length of prayer upon occasion while we give no allowance to Pharisaical ends and pretences but can approve our persons and hearts to God in Jesus Christ our persons in Christs righteousness reckoned to us by faith our hearts so far as renewed by the grace and power of his in-dwelling Spirit James Nayler hath expressions one would think of this tendency that complies with our doctrine in his common place of Worship * Love to the Lost p. 8 9. wherein he instanceth in no part of worship but prayer he acknowledgeth as we teach The worship of the true and living God stands out of mans will and before any man can rightly worship God he must wait to know the Spirit But now let the lost soul beware of his counsel where should they wait you must saith he know the light and in it wait till therein you finde the Spirits leading acting and ordering This counsel if followed keeps men off from the positive parts of worship revealed in the Scripture The light that every man hath as he comes into the world which is the light they nourish up people in in opposition to Scripture-light makes known nothing of publique ministery Church officers therein of water-Baptism Lords Supper publique order of prayer c. nor of Christ mediator nor of the The Spirit of Prayer to be found in the publâ—que ministery Spirit of promise nor of one promise of grace or gracious acceptation in Christ Had not the lost soul better counsel while he was under publique ministery to attend there for the coming of the Spirit the Spirit of faith and prayer where God useth to give it Acts 10. 44. and promiseth to pour it out Prov. 1. 22 23. with 20. 21. verses How true is that which J. Nayler hath in the same place according to our Scripture-doctrine when a man hath been doing evil neglecting good and then he runs to act a worship to get peace the prayer becomes abomination for he that regards impurity the Lord will not hear his prayers nor accept his worships that 's Cains sacrifice and Esaus prayers but either must your worship be performed in one that never sinned or it cannot be accepted with the pure God Yet here is his mis-guidance of lost souls 1. That he would lead them off from joyning with him that makes long prayers such a one he seems to speak of who hides his wickedness with pretence of godliness but he makes no difference of any that serve Christ and his people publiquely in the nation as if they were all such to be separated from 2. He directs to the commands in Spirit in opposition to the Scripture-Letter for thus he delivers himself * Page 11. All the Saints have their commands in Spirit but yours is in the letter and so of another ministration for the literal ministration is done away in the spiritual As if the Spirit did not give out his commands by the written letter or the Scripture and his power also by the reading and hearing of it and by praying according to the rules and patterns of prayer therein contained But something O ye lost souls you will finde when the great Shepherd seeks up his lost ones and brings back that which is gone astray Ezek. 34. 16 ever and anon that alienated your hearts from the Scripture by the spirit of Contradiction that is in these mens Teachings and Writings 15. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Singing Section 42. I Gave account of their express words We are against all your Davids Praises and Prophecies in meeter contrary to Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and other Scriptures R. F. * Page 21. makes me this return Singing of Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs we are not against but own but your Poetry we deny Rep. He might as well say your translation of them into English meeter we deny But if Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs be owned they are either Davids and other of the Saints penning and the Spirits inditing in the Scripture or of their own composing if they own none but of their own composing they reject Davids and what was left for Psalms cannot be sung without meeter or due measures of speech our use in Scripture contradicting both it by that rejection and themselves also by owning Psalms Hymns and Songs and dis-owning meeter or Poetry for never was there Song Hymn or Psalm sung forth as it ought to be but it had
written is Gospel which was before by these men excepted against as no Gospl 2. Their Self-contradiction in sticking to the Letter denyed to be Gospel I made to appear from their urging the above mentioned place in Matthew in the very Letter Be ye not called Masters By this R. F. would make the simple believe I have cleared them and contradicted my self Rep. But wherein or how no man can tell unless accusing them be clearing of them and discovering of their self contradiction proves me one of them Thou art offended that they witness against thy deceit Rep. I am neither conscious of deceit nor should I be offended at those that discover it were it discoverable from my words but their sticking to the Letter sometimes and at other times condemning the whole Scripture-letter I witness to be an interfering with themselves And when the very Letter is urged against the sense and intendment of the Spirit I witness it to be a deceit in them that so urge it Thou cuts off thy master-ship by thy own Rule Rep. Did I urge the Scripture as they do my servant must not call me Master we have no such servants as Abraham had who gave him this note of respect at every turn Gen. 24. 12. O Lord God of my Master Abraham c. shew kindness unto my Master Abraham ver 36. And Sarah my Masters wife bare a son to my Master when she was old and ver 54. Send me away unto my Master but the fifth Matth. 23 8. 10. cleared vindicated Commandement is not made void by Christs words nor by the true sense of them which is that we should be far from affectation of Titles from men or suffering any to cast their dependence and lay the stress of their conscience-determination upon us in matters of faith and salvation In this very Section I had discovered another of their self contradictions For J. Nayler querieth which of the Saints had the witness of their souls to seek in the Letter and with the same breath he quotes the Scripture-letter for the believers witness in himself This R. F. takes up as if they did not deny and cross the Scriptures Rep. But my work was to shew how J. Nayler both denies and grants the same thing to be in the letter without any distinction If he had said the believers witness is one way in the heart or in himself and another way in the Scriptures he had not cross-shind himself Nor doth R. F. * Page 25. help to cure the wound but makes it fester and rankle the more with his railing words Acknowledge thy lies error and confusion and upon them own thy condemnation Rep. 1. He salves not J. Nayler For the believer knows by the Scripture and by that in particular 1 Joh. 5. 1 John 5. 20. vindicated â—0 that he hath the witness in him self and no generation of Saints ever since that Scripture was written refused to seek and run unto it for confirmation of their souls faith seeing the Apostle addeth so plainly ver 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Here the Believer hath both the rise and furtherance of his faith and evidence from what is written and if the evidence or witness in the heart be not bottomed upon what is in the Scripture and proved agreeable thereunto it is a false evidence though it lurketh within as the faith which hath not Scripture for its warrant and compurgator is false also 2. He makes the wound rankle the more in that he would have me acknowledge truth to be error and lies and faithful discovery falshood and in that he requires when I have acknowledged c. thereupon to own my condemnation whereas upon confession of my fault where I finde it I am acquitted as in Gods court so in my conscience and though I will judge my self for the root of unseen failings as for what in other things I see yet he is near that â— Joh. 1. 9. justifieth me and I believe the Lord is faithful to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness Section 3. HEre I pointed at J. Naylers concession The word nigh in the heart and in the mouth doth not oppose it self but is one with the Scripture contradictious to what at other times they say the Scripture in the mouth or in the book is not the word of God R. F. takes no notice of this Section nor how that which drops from their Pens opposeth it self or the Scripture or from both sometimes what else is that which J. N. in his Few words c. Page 8. thou needest not try the inward substance by the outward declaration the living by the dead when as himself in page 7. had affirmed the outward declaration or Scripture to be one with the word within and this one with the Scripture If the Scripture be dead and yet one with the word in J. Naylers heart then is his heart and the word in it dead also If the word which is nigh in the heart and in the mouth be alive and the Letter of Scripture be dead then the word within and the word without are not one If the word in the heart be alive and the word in the Bible and mouth be dead then the word in the heart and in the mouth opposeth it self It will put any man to his shifts to extricate and winde off here from Self or Scripture-contradiction How much better or worse is that which followeth Page 9. The Saints witness the word from Gods own mouth in Spirit and revelation in Spirit but never any in the Letter Let Saints indeed perpend and weigh seriously is it so as J. Nayler suggesteth Gods mouth then is not in the Scripture he speaks not breathes not there at all by this mans doctrine but then let him tell the world how the Scripture came to be the outward declaration of the minde and will of God and salve himself from Self-contradiction who had said before the word in heart and mouth is one with the Scripture and now there was never any word from Gods own mouth in the Letter and as he subjoyneth That faith which is in Christ stands not in volumes he means of Gods book or letter of which he spake immediately before If it be so as he saith then the faith of his heart is not built upon Gods Testimony in the Scripture He hath a faith and a Christ too which is not to be found in the Scripture and then he opposeth himself who granted at first the word nigh in the heart was one with the Scripture I hope the wary and humble Saint will never pin his faith upon J. N. his sleeve nor suffer it to stand upon his Few words or his multiplyed pamphletical volumes who thus rejecteth the Law of Gods
mens mindes or will he have his words The light is pure standing out of all corruption to be understood of Gods Essence onely and not at all of that which is but a quality in the creature If he would be understood to speak of Gods Essence onely we agree in the light and understanding of the Text 1 John 1. 5. But if he would have it partly meant of God and partly of the Light either innate or regenerate in the creature then he confounds uncreated and created Light and shews his own woful darkness 2. He that would speak aright of God must say with the Apostle God is light and in him is no darkness at all no ignorance 1 John 1. 5. impurity or corruption to be discovered or found in him And he that would speak aright either of the inbred or of the new-bred light in the creature must distinguish of it either as it is in it self or in the subject-person First in it self created light is pure such as it is and so much as there is of it since the fall but yet imperfect Secondly in the subject the person in general particularly the minde or understanding and there is a mixture of light and darkness purity and pollution the one discovers the other and if the Saints should say We have no darkness no ignorance no sin they are so much the more dark sinful ignorant and there is no truth in what they say 1 John 1. 8. But I say quoth R. F. and so doth the Scripture that he that abideth in Christ sinneth not 1. John 3. 6. Rep. Will R. F. make no Scripture of 1 John 1. 8. because 1 John 1. 8. with 1 John 3. 6. compared cleared and vindicated this in the third chapter is Scripture or will that perverse and wicked evesion pass with him which one at a meeting of their fraternity in Essex not long since vented to him that urged the Emphasis if we we that have communion with the Father and with the Son if we say we have no sin c. That the Scriptures have been much altred and corrupted and though it be now so written yet at first it was thus If we that have fellowship say we have sin we deceive our selves c. Oh the diabolical strong delusion that these kinde of professors are under and leading others into or let me farther reason with those who are not so far infatuated either the Apostle John and such as he wrote unto did not abide in Christ or there is some other sense of his words in the third chapter then R. F. or his fellows would give of it for as full of contradictions as men are the Holy Ghost by the Apostle doth not contradict himself Let God be true and his word true and every man a lyar and his words lyes which agree not with the Canon Doctrine and harmonious Sense of the Scriptures And therefore when it is said He that abideth in Christ sinneth not the words and sense must be reconciled in our mindes for in themselves they were never at variance with the words in the first chapter thus 1. Although every man that is in Christ while here hath sin in him and he is neither perfectly free from the presence of original nor actual sin yet so far as he abideth in Christ he sinneth not It is no sin to cleave to Christ and his Doctrine Spirit and Grace and to persevere in it and him 2. The meaning of verse 6. must be gathered from verse 1 John 3. 6. cleared by ver 8 9. 8. and 9. where the Apostle speaks of committing sin or of trading in sin and that in a constant course That this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very sense and minde of the Holy Ghost is clear from the reason for the devil sinneth from the beginning He therefore that constantly goes on to sin plots sin and practiseth it with delight he is of the devil He that abideth in Christ sinneth not after such a maner And yet more clear from ver 9. whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed Gods seed remaineth in him and he neither doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor can commit sin as the devils nor as those who have no regenerate part in them because he is born of God and so far as born of God be sinneth not nor shall he ever be left to a total and final relapse into sin seeing he hath a contrary principle of the new birth abiding and remaining yea reigning in him And me thinks R. F. his conscience tells him he should be captivated by the truth of this interpretation For he tells me thou commits sin and so art a servant of the devil for thou goest on with thy lyes It is not then the presence of sin that makes one to be of the devil but the purpose practice and procedure in a way of sin If we say we have not sin present with us and dwelling in us we lye and if any say that every one that hath sin in him is a committer of sin a workman in sin he is in a foul error If any say he hath not sinned since he was converted he goes about to make God a lyar and his word is not in him 1 John 1. 10. That nor any other Scripture that speak of the Saints sinnings is not written in his heart nor believed by him But although I have an old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth no good thing yet R. F. hath not hitherto detected and proved a lye in my right hand or in my pen nor will he be able to make good what he boldly calumniates me with Let tryal be made in what follows Section 15. R F. here reviles me with thou lies of Ed. Burrough because I had noted the expression which he puts upon every mans light which is but common light at the best viz. The corner-stone And how doth he prove it not by denying there is any such expression as the Corner-stone but there is not such a word as common light there Rep. Nor did I use the word common as E. Burrough's and therefore put it in a Parenthesis as now and ordered it to be printed as my own phrase not his in a differing letter from his and accordingly it was so printed What lye is here in my mouth that deserves the lake which he threatens Had I not studied brevity I might have more fully given it thus How can he teach saith E. B. * Warning to the inhabitants of Underbarrow p. 7 and direct toward true Religion who denies the Corner-stone the first Principle of Religion which is the foundation the light of God which hath enlightned every one that comes into the world which he denies speaking of the Preacher at Vnderbarrow to have enlightned every one R. F. backs him thus Christ is the Light and Christ is the chief Corner-stone Acts 4. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. and so saith
in innocency as it was never perfectly revealed nor half so clearly known after he fell till the Lord gave it in writing upon Tables of stone and upon Books Rom. 5. 13. Rom. 5. 13. opened It is granted Vntil the Law in was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no Law Diverse kindes of sins were not known to be sins original guilt and filth was not taken notice of until the Law Albeit God imputed sin yet men would not charge it upon themselves nor did God charge it in this life so closely fully and particularly home either upon the Jews or upon the Gentiles consciences till the written Law came amongst them 8. The covenant of Works was onely at first made or entred with Adam standing as a publique person representing all mankinde It was never made with any else since the state of perfection Distinguish we must between entring or striking this covenant and maintaining or holding of it up God entreth not strikes it not up with any fallen son or daughter of Adam he will never trust any meer man with it upon his single bond when as Adam betrusted with the whole stock broke himself and his posterity but onely he keeps it up with reprobates and with them that insist upon the condition of their own obedience thinking by their own strength to fulfil the Law and by their own righteous and religious performances to make amends to his offended Justice and to attain life in such a way of works Matth. 19. 17. Rom. 2. 13. Gal. 3. 10. These things premised and pondered it will neither be difficult as R. F. imagineth to draw up proofs and Arguments nor yet to believe or be convinced of this Affirmative truth which he J. Nayler and others have formerly Adam in innocency under a covenant of works and stood by the Moral Law Arguments to prove it denied viz. That Adam in innocency was under a covenant of Works and that he stood by the Moral Law written in his heart and by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law Argument 1. Either he stood under the Covenant of works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant Under none he could not stand live or breathe He was certainly upon some terms of agreement with God being made in his image and in communion with him and yet a creature under the Law of his Creator The covenant of grace and reconciliation by Christ it was not for there was no variance nor breach of friendship as yet between God and Adam If it was not of Grace except a common-creation favor to be in some sort or other it was a covenant of works Some indeed speak of a covenant of Nature but that is all one with the covenant of Works variety of expressions must not lose us the truth as they do not alter the thing it self 2. He that was under an engagement of personal perfect conformity to Gods holy nature and righteous will every instant and moment of time upon his single bond in his received strength without promise of a surety or superadded abilities was under a covenant of works But this was Adams case and state in innocency he must conform to all that which he had perfect light and strength for A perfect stamp there was of Gods Law which we call the ten Commandments upon his heart they being the perfect beam of Gods holiness and righteousness none stand bound for him all his posterity are bound in him the promise is onely that he shall live if he continues every moment as perfect as he was made which we gather by the threatning if he fails but in the least eats but of the Tree of knowledge a Tree of tryal he shall surely dye And the Moral Law saith the same consider it with its rigor out of the hand of a Mediator Do this and live do it not fail in the least at the last moment of time or sin but at the first moment of being and thou shalt dye the death Therefore he and all in him were under a covenant of works and while he stood he stood upon his own legs given him in the first moment of creation 3. That covenant which he fell under when he fell that he stood under the terms of while he stood But Adam as a publique person and all in his loins fell under the penalties of the covenant of works for as all sinned in him by that one transgression in eating the forbidden fruit a sin both against his inward created principles and against a positive Moral precept so death passed upon all men Rom. 5. 12. And all are born for that sin children of wrath and under the curse of God Ephes 2. 8. Therefore Adam stood under the covenant of works and its legal conditional performance and promise of life no longer then he continued perfect as he was made and sought out no inventions and wanderings from the law of his creation and Creator 4. If the covenant of works was not made with Adam in innocency seeing he was a publique person God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall and in misery But he requireth just satisfaction of Adams posterity under the fall and in misery The just satisfaction that is due to him is not onely the suffering of infinite punishment for the offence against him who is infinite but that perfect obedience due to him from creation which Adam had strength to have performed in innocency viz. strength to have kept in that perfect state and to obey any command that God as a Creator might in a just way give unto his creature This just satisfaction some poor creatures since the fall will attempt to give to God first in a way of suffering partly here partly in a faigned Purgatory and moreover they will undertake to satisfie God in a way of active obedience endeavoring to compound with their offended Creator and to pay a part for the whole and while they attempt impossibilities they are found debtors to the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. Now albeit God makes not nay renews not the covenant of works no not by the death of Christ as some would have it with any man since the fall yet keeping them under the penalties he loseth not his right of exacting the principal debt and he doth require it of those who will be paying a part for the whole to get life thereby Therefore such a covenant Adam was under in innocency as obliged him to pay the whole debt of the Moral Law in its rigor Again suppose a poor soul falls under the conviction that all is due which was given but lost and doth not say to God Take a part for the whole or have patience with me and I will pay thee all but I can do nothing at all I can suffer nothing to satisfaction of an infinite Justice in finite time God now standing
righteousness of another the righteousness of him that is God Jesus Christ and not onely that I may live in God but unto God This the Gospel teacheth Paul and us by faith to go out of our selves for life in another in Christ by his imputed righteousnes which when we finde we finde also a heart renewed and quickned in and unto holiness and the desires after sin in a degree mortified and crucified which by way of evidence is enough to quench the fiery dart of Satan cast against me by R. F. and so art an * Page 13. unbeliever and not redeemed So because I pleaded for the right way of justification not in his Popish way For through grace I can say with the Apostle ver 20. I am crucified with Christ i. e. As I was represented in Christ Gal. 2. 20. 21. opened my surety when he was upon the Cross and God was in him reconciling me unto himself not imputing trespasses unto me seeing they were then condemned in Christs flesh and put out of office from ever accusing and condemning me at Gods Bar so I am thus crucified with Christ that I will never look to any other way for the payment of my debts then what my surety hath laid down to Law and Justice and not onely thus that I am conformed to the Patern of Christ crucified by the power of his Cross to make me die to sin and self while Christ liveth in me yet is not that life of Christ so sensible or so perfect in me as if nothing was there but the life of Christ for there is a body of sin and of death dwelling in me also and therefore the life which I now live in the flesh or the weak frail body I live as to my Justification-life by the faith of the Son of God on whom I believe and live also for degrees of Sanctification which his life hath begun in me who loved me and gave himself for me And as the Apostle further Ver. 21. being of this Faith and Judgement I do not frustrate the grace of God as they who would have Justification by their outward or inward conformity to the Law which is all one as to frustrate or make void the death of Christ If R. F. saith I plead for sin because elsewhere Section 29. I said the roots of sin would not be pluckt up perfectly till soul and body part I shall take off his calumny in the due place Section 23. HEre I noted what I had from them in discourse That in Justification all guilt is not only taken away but all All filth not removed where all guilt is pardoned filth of sin Then could there no filth remain upon the Saints performances as there doth by their confession in Scripture Isaiah 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags The defilements of sin in its presence remain when the defilement of sin in respect of guilt is taken away R. F. saith nothing to this Section unless it be answer sufficient to revile and say Sin thou art pleading for while I produced the Saints and justified persons confession of sin and hinted a difference between Justification and Sanctification which these men as Sin confessed is not pleaded for if they would profess themselves members of the man of sin do confound mistaking one thing for another If Saints confess their sin cleaving to their holiest reformations they plead against sin not for it To say we have sin in us is to plead against the Lye of dreamers who think themselves perfectly free from the remnants of filth But to awaken them let R. F. and others of his perswasion before they drink deeper into Babylons cup of fornications perpend and conscionably weigh these differences between a Believers Justification and Sanctification 1. The matter of our Justification is Christs obedience Section 23. Distinguishing notes between Justification and Sanctification inherent in himself and absolutely perfect admitting of no degrees the matter of our Sanctification is wrought within us imperfect as to degrees and admits of wanes and increases The very faith whereby we receive pardon is but as a grain of mustard-seed at first it admits of degrees but the object apprehended Christ and his righteousness is always the same and as much of Christs obedience even all is given to every Believer to the weak as to the strong and hence it is they are once and together perfected in Justification before they have all or half the measures of Sanctification which the Lord will give them in his time Let Francis Howgil put off no such counterfeit ware to Christs disciples and Church-members for it will not be received viz. * The inheritance of Jacob pag. 24. 25. That is not true faith which is imperfect And again The righteousness wrought in the Saints is as it was the righteousness of Faith 2. The form maner and way of our Justification is by Gods free act of imputation reckoning and account of Christs obedience to us the form of our Sanctification is by infusion of holiness by the Spirit of holiness from Christs fulness into our empty hearts 3. Justification causeth a relative change or it makes a change of relation Sanctification worketh in us a change of qualities by the creation of the new divine nature and mortifying of our old corrupt nature 4. The parts of our Justification are Gods not imputing of sin through his imputing of Christs sufferings and his accepting of our persons as righteous by his imputing of Christs active obedience the parts of our Sanctification are vivification or the creating quickning and begetting new divine qualities resembling Gods nature and mortification of the old sinful dispositions and seeds of sin 5. The contrary to Justification is guilt and condemnation wholly taken away Francis Howgil * The inheritance of Jacob pag. 8. either heard some unsound Teachers or mis-relates them as giving it out for Doctrine That sin was taken away by Christ but the guilt should still remain while he lived c. Or whom doth he expostulate with in these words Page 28. What Christ is this you preach What Gospel is this you preach which saves you not from guilt and condemnation For surely Christs blood and obedience reckoned to the believer doth this to purpose and effectually at present and for ever The contrary to Sanctification is in-bred pollution and filth of sin which by Christs power is destroyed as to the regency and hereafter to be removed at our death as to the residence Hence Justification is Gods gracious and just sentence pronouncing us righteous and entitling to life as Condemnation is his charging of guilt and vindictive punishment accordingly Sanctification is Gods special grace shed abroad in the heart called the first-fruits of the Spirit 6. In our Justification Christs obedience stands onely upon account and all our most sanctified works and righteousnesses stand by as cyphers and are to
be esteemed as loss and dung Take Sanctification by it self it is of great excellency and use A good work done in faith by a person justified is better then all the glorious deeds of Pharisees and Hypocrites but bring it and all that all Saints can bring together before the tribunal of Gods strict Law and Justice for their justification in that Court and they and their works will be damned to hell for their inherent and adherent imperfections 7. In our Justification we have that perfect righteousness in Christ which as it is his is the cause and merit of our salvation and that gives a just right and title to the kingdom In our Sanctification we have the cognizance and badge of such as shall be saved and inherit the kingdom The former is the Ground why the latter the Evidence whereby we know we have the kingdom 8. In Justification we are meer Patients all along through the righteousness put upon us by Gods pure act and account In Sanctification we are after-agents i. e. after the first infusion of the Spirits new-born qualities being acted we act in the strength of Jesus Christ Although too many be willingly ignorant of these and such like distinctions yet they are necessarily useful to deliver people from natural Popery and artificial Babylonish Confusion in and about this great fundamental Truth of a Believing-sinners Justification Section 24. ANother piece of unsoundness in their Doctrine of Justification I had noted to be That they deny Peter to have been in a state of Justification when he denyed Christ contrary as I said to Christs Prayer Luke 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not R. F. * Page 14. Peters fallings in carnal counsel to his master and of denial of him puts him not out of the state of Justification undertakes the defence of this unsound Doctrine of J. Nayler but how He challengeth me for bringing a Scripture which speaks no such thing now had my pen or Printer failed the words would have led him to the right Verse but he will needs out-face all with Luke 22. 23. which speaks of the Disciples enquiry among themselves which of them it was that should betray him as if I had quoted the three and twentieth Verse and not as I did the two and thirty and hence he compares Judas denial and Peters together with this groundless Aviso in this case See how blinde thou art was Judas in a state of Justification when he denied Christ and betrayed him no more then Peter was when Christ called him Satan Rep. 1. Here R. F. goes further then J. Nayler and shuts Peter out of a state of Justification not onely when he denied his Master but when his Master called him Satan so as by this addition one would think they hold That every act or sinful word as act of a Saint puts him out of the state of Justification or let honest men observe with what a shuffler I deal and suspect him in all the rest of his writings for this deceitful trick 2. Who will say that Judas was ever in a state of Justification Who but those that envy or extenuate the free grace of God and the fulness thereof will say that Peter was un-justified when he gave carnal counsel to his Master or when he denied him out of frailty and self-confidence 3. Let me judge the best of R. F. that I ought by Scripture-rule I must say this contradictious opinion of his ariseth from his ignorance and prejudice together of the very nature and state of a Believers Justification before God as may further appear by what followeth But after Peter had repented of his denial of Christ and wept bitterly upon his return and after he was united to the faith then Christ prayed for him Rep. 1. How confused cross and thwart this is to the Text I alledged Luke 22. 32. let my sober truly conscientious Luke 22 32. vindicated Reader weigh with himself First Christ saith I have prayed not I will pray Wo were it with Saints if Christs prayers did not prevent their repentance and tears returnings and unitings to the faith as he expresseth it Secondly The promise that his faith should not fail respects his very fall and Satans winnowing of him as wheat some grains of wheat or substance of the grace of faith there was then left in Peter as the effect of Christs prayer For either Christs prayer was heard or not if any say not 't is contrary to John 11. 42. I know speaking to his Father that thou hearest me always if it be yielded as it must be that Christ was heard not if Peter failed not but that he might not fail then Peters faith failed not totally or altogether howsoever it was shaken sifted or winnowed and if it failed not utterly he was in that act of Christ-denial in the state of Justification And hereupon is R. F. with J. N. detected for a contradictor of Christ and of his Scripture-pure and faithful promise Section 25. WIth much impudence J. Nayler had said The man of sin is discovered in them who say Believers are pure and spotless too by reason of imputation or covering of Christs righteousness For the denial of imputed righteousness and justification that way came from Rome and the race of Roman Prelates and Teachers that make up the man of sin Yet as impudent a Contradiction as it is to 2 Cor. 5. 21. R. F. * Page 14. will take part with it and tells me I wrest James Naylers words and make covers for the man of sin and by my policy go about to make Christ a sinner Rep. 1. Let standers by judge how I wrest James Naylers words who * Dâ—scovery of the man of sin p 28. 29. in answer to the Ministers of Newcastle brings them in thus expostulating May not a man be in part unclean viz. as they meant it through defects of Sanctification and yet pure and spotless too by reason of imputation And then he takes boldness to accost them Gods imputation of Christs righteousness no covering for sin but his covering of sin with this high language Here now you shew your confusion and I command you to shew plain Scripture for this without twining and tells them at last By their pleading for sin the man of sin is discovered in them Now how did they plead for sin as R. F. saith I make covers for the man of sin He that acknowledgeth impurity in himself and teacheth that sin is inherent in the Saints though it be not imputed must be censured by these men as a patron of sin or a pleader for it when as poor souls they little know their own hearts or what defilements are in their lips and pens and what wo attends such contradictious calling of good evil and evil good They call Gods good and gracious act of imputation of Christs righteousness a covering for sin this is to call good evil That it is
better then two in the Bush a little of their own within them far beyond all Christs righteousness without them although we call for the witness within them that will not suffice they must have the ground-work of their justification within them as well as the evidence nay some work within shall be ground and evidence too or they fly off and will not believe till they see and feel but groping in the dark lose themselves in the wilderness of self-fulness and sufficiency 7. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Regeneration Section 27. I Had noted what they say He that believeth is born of God without Scripture and yet witnessed in Scripture contrary to James 1. 18. and 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. which Regeneration by the Scripture promise not onely bear witness of a new birth but saith also it is wrought by the word of truth the word of God the word that is preached which was never without or besides much less directly against but always according to the Scripture both as the Apostles preached it and others after them and their written doctrine R. F. * Page 15. returns me in a retorting way as is his wonted maner this for an answer If thou was not blind thou would see that thou contradicts the Scripture and not they that attributes the work of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter which thou calls the word and so therein denyes God who begets by his own will by that word which liveth and abideth for ever which was in the beginning with God and was God Rep. 1. Gods essential will and the free act of his love and good pleasure is the primary impulsive cause of his regenerating a soul 2. Christ by his death purchaseth the grace of regeneration and by the power of his resurrection applyes it 1 Pet. 1. 3. 3. The Spirit of the Father and the Son comes with the Scripture-promise and quickneth the soul to believing and by believing of the word of truth which at the beginning R. F. acknowledged the Scriptures to be and at that instant the believing soul is as Isaac conceived and formed a childe of promise a believer and a new-creature together by the word of grace which the Spirit useth as the external means of regeneration yea he carrieth the word and voice of the Son of God John 5. 25. from the ear to the heart and makes them hear and live That part of the Scripture which is pure Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit as of righteousness and life 2 Cor. 3. 8. 4. They that speak of a regeneration such as the Scripture helps them not to know and obtain speak wildely of it as J. Nayler in his new piece * Love to the lost page 34. treating of the new-birth he tells his lost creatures There is the old man and a new man but he doth not say there are two contrary qualities in the same regenerate soul lusting one against the other as the Apostle describes their state Gal. 5. 17. He saith * Page 35. Nicodemns knew not the new birth though he loved Christ He did not know the maner and mystery of it before his coming to Christ but if he loved Christ before it was a fruit of the new-born-seed of grace or spiritual principle for even J. N. confesseth as is the man so are his works and as is the Tree so is the fruit And I may adde as is J. N. so is his Book and his his love to the lost for if the man may be known by his writing he may haply know as little of the new-birth as Nicodemus did though he would be a great Teacher in our Israel Some may say he speaks * Love to the lost p. 35. of a Promise as well as a power that puts off the old man with his deeds lusts and affections but if you mark it it is to them who remain in the seed of God and it in them he doth not say the new-creature hath a promise that it shall remain although the Scripture saith it shall Joh 15. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 27. Well if he holds but to what he saith That all who remain in this seed and it in them hath the Promise I would have R. F. ask him whether it be the Promise that begets the new man which helps to put off the old if it be we shall finde the new man quickned as the old man crucified and slain by a word of promise in several places of Scripture scattered The word of promise serveth to regenerate and begin the work as well as to preserve nourish and maintain the regenerate man in his state He that shuts out Scripture from being Christs organ or the Spirits instrument and means of Regeneration it had been better for him he had never known the Scripture or written a word about it 8. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection Section 28. I Had noted from a little conference with them in Scotland That sin dwelleth not in act where Christ reigneth Sin dwelleth and acteth in the Saints Rom. 7. 17. opened This R. F. defendeth as true though never so contrary as I hinted in my book to three as many more places of Scripture Rom. 7. 17. It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me sin is doing as well as dwelling it will not be idle and in whom in Pauls heart where Christ reigned Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and Gal. 5. 7. cleared the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other in whom in the Galatians the sons of God in whom considered in their better part Christ and Grace reigned yet they could not do what they would they could not be so gracious as their regenerate part would have them nor yet so sinful as their unregenerate part would have them Here is sin active enough and yet its force is broken that it cannot reign where Christ reigneth but there it dwells and remains very troublesome to a good heart Rom. 7. 23 25. Rom. 7. 23 25 explained I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members here is action and passion too here is fighting and scuffling a continual conflict Sin in the Saints is no sleepy habit it will be plotting using stratagems striking and serving it self and its own turn as ver 25. With my flesh I serve the Law of sin sin is very active in the Saints when so officious to its self and its own ends What weapons think you will R. F. finde for defence of the Tenet none spiritual I dare say but carnal and weak as followeth * Page 15. Where Christ reigneth the body is dead to the acts of unrighteousness because of sin being destroyed and the Spirit is life because of righteousness living and ruling Rep. I suppose he refers in this
exhortation to what should be viz. imitation of Gods holy nature and will as long as we converse upon earth in all maner of conversation Let holiness not onely be mixed with all you do in all your relations and actions but let it reign and bear sway in your whole life and be growing up to perfect holiness in Gods fear having promises 2 Cor. 7. 1. to encourage quicken and convey as well as precepts to oblige and binde us unto holiness But thou denyest the holy call also as well as the holy conversation that pleads for sin to act and press down and make you all your life time to sigh it out and under it groan Rep. 1. I plead against no commands nor means of holiness through grace I have obeyed Gods call to universal holiness in a Gospel-covenant 2 It is one thing to plead for the truth viz. that by Gods wise and righteous ordering of our condition here sin is left dwelling acting and stirring in us and another thing to plead for sin which must be granted from his own words we do not if all our life time we sigh it out and groan under it Oh that we could do it more sincerely and sensibly with the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. Section 30. TO what I noted of one answering to the holy Ghosts question Who can say his heart is clean I can and see all your hearts unclean because there wanted the marginal reference to the particular page R. F. * Page 16 17. shifts off answering or taking off so foul a contradiction with railing at my supposed policy and serpentine subtilty and particular lies not one piece whereof I am conscious in this matter What if the words I can c. are not so set down there to wit page 1. This was the reference to the second charge against that book entituled A short answer to seven Priests which the author thereof arrogantly cals The word of the Lord not to the first charge which had onely a reference to that Book not to the Page as may at first view appear to any heedful Reader * See contradictions of the Quakers page 13. That arrogant contradiction to the holy Ghosts question which implies a strong negative will be found in another Page by any that meet with the Short answer c. before mentioned which I had to peruse in Scotland but cannot here obtain it for the Readers direction and satisfaction The rejoycing testimony of my conscience sufficeth me for the present that not in fleshly wisdom but in godly simplicity I drew up this with other collections and I hope it will cause the unprejudiced Reader to exercise his candor and charity toward me if he doth but observe R. F. his reservedness they are not so set down there not denying but they may be found in an after page and his ungrounded inference as false as groundless therefore thy policy hath manifested subtlety c. for as neither I intended nor used deceit so it had been poor policy to mis-guide him whom I purposed to set right in his way But saith R. F. all thy pleading is against purity Rep. How appears it I discovered indeed a double contradiction and a triple arrogancy in him that proclaimed No heart perfectly pure from sin Prov. 20 9. Matth. 5. 8. compared cleared and vindicated his cleanness from all sin and challenged the knowledge of other mens hearts c. as I specified it in my Book but this is a thread-bare cavil doth R. F. produce any new Scripture for absolute purity and perfection yes Christ hath said Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5. 8. then there was and are pure in heart as Christ said Rep. If this man would have added and as Christ meant we might soon agree Albeit Christ was greater then Solomon yet he never spake a word nor that word in particular to cross what Solomon said from the holy Ghost who is equal and of the same essential minde and will with Christ What saith the holy Ghost by Solomon consult the place Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin the sense of this place is there is none could ever say it none in any age before or in Solomons time before or in Christs time or since none can now say it truly It 's a question that will silence all the world all the Churches a question that will hold un-answered till every Saints dying day and in this last age till the resurrection day Shall we believe R. F. and take it upon his word with his own meaning that 's thus There was and are pure in heart as Christ said and as Solomon meant it this were not to reconcile seeming differences of Scripture among our selves but to set Christ and Solomon at variance between themselves What then will any help R. F. with an evasion Solomon doth not say God gives not pure hearts but Who can say I have made my heart clean this will not serve his turn for it followeth and I am pure from my sin i. e. Who can say that either he hath cleansed his own heart or that he is pure from his sin which way soever he comes by it and if it be true and perfect purity he must come honestly and purely to it or even in that respect he is impure and far from truth of purity I would to God the generation of Quakers would better attend this question Art thou pure and perfect how camest thou by it Is it not a dream a delusion may not a foul and filthy heart be transformed into a fancy of pure perfection and perfect purity as well as a black devil be transformed into an Angel of light Solomon how ever must be understood as denying absolute purity in any man and Christ when he asserteth Blessedness to the pure in heart intendeth not to nourish any in a conceit of their present perfect attainments but to encourage them who were sincere and have truth of holiness set into their hearts and the purpose of their hearts with the Gospel endeavors of their lives set upon purity for from the context Ver. 1. they were his disciples he spake unto whom Ver. 3. compared with Luke 6. 20. he pronounced poor in Spirit Blessed are ye poor not yet enriched with all perfections but sensible of their spiritual wants and Ver. 4. they are mourners under sin and after more of God and Christ Ver. 6. they are hungring and thirsting after righteousness not yet filled but blessed in their present state of hunger and thirst and in their hopes by that promise of being filled These are the pure in heart whom Christ pronounceth blessedness upon who are poor mourning souls hungring and thirsting after more purity in the mean time not Pharisaical and hypocritical in their profession of holiness as were others And had these been pure in heart in R. F. his sense they had then
No reason is given for his denial of sprinkling Infants with water which I called Sacramental water but he puts it upon a Quere Canst thou prove it Rep. What I affirm and practise I am not without grounds of proof from the Scripture as touching these three things 1. Sacramental water or Baptismal water or Baptism with water let it be called any of these it matters not which 2. Baptism of Children or Infants 3. A sprinkling Baptism or application of water by sprinkling or putting water upon the party baptized First What more clear then the appointment and use of Baptism with Water proved water-Baptism 1. Water was appointed by God to be used as the outward material sign of inward spiritual washing and cleansing by the Blood and Spirit of Christ John 1. 33. He that sent me to baptize with water c. 2. Where there was much water there were many baptized and the sooner dispatched as not onely at Jordan but in Aenon near to Salim John 3. 23. and at Jerusalem Acts 2. 41. Where there was no water the ordinance could not be administred and therefore the Eunuch till he came where water was called not for it Acts 8. 36. See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philips answer If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest hath no such intendment as * Martin Mason in his Reply to Jonathan Johnson p 8 one puts upon it to intimate water-Baptism to be a thing indifferent nor any such sense as he would dawb upon it with his untempered morter viz. As much as if he had said If thou believest outward water to be necessary to salvation thou mayest be baptized c. For the Eunuchs Reply out of which the scope and sense of Philips answer is to be gathered is not touching his faith of the necessity of water of which he stood convinced that the use of it in Baptism was an ordinance but respecting his faith of Jesus Christ to be the Son of God 3. When the inward Baptism of the Spirit and that by extraordinary gifts of Tongues was obtained it sufficed not but the ordinance of Sacramental-water must be obeyed Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized c. And ver 48. He commanded them to be baptized Whosoever is against Baptismal-water forbids or denies that which Peter by the Lords authority dares any man to forbid 4. When Paul baptized Lydia and her houshold the Jaylor and all his Crispus Gaius and the houshold of Stephanas what was it but with water He could do no more then John Baptist except in exercise of gift of tongues and miracles and laying on of hands upon those that were baptized before Acts 19. 6. with 4. 5. Baptism with water is by Christs institution to continue Mat. 28. 19 20. opened as long as Christs presence is with the Apostles or such as teach the same Gospel they taught and make Disciples as they did which is to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. The words * in the Greek are the same with them in Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 40. * except a small variation of the Preposition and Case or addition of a Pronoun so shall it be in the end of this world which is not the end of the Age wherein the Apostles lived but of all Ages then and yet to come And that baptizing with water is meant in Matth. 28. is clear enough because Christ reserved the gift of the inward Baptism to himself but he commandeth his Apostles and Ministers to give forth the outward as subservient to his saving ends and purposes And although we prefer the inward before the outward part of one and the same Baptism yet we must not reject the outward part because the inward is to be preferred It will not excuse R. F. * Page 20. or any man to tell us Yet Baptism by one Spirit we own while water-Baptism is wholly dis-owned Nor do the Scriptures which he produceth for the Baptism by the Spirit exclude the Baptism with water 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. The Apostles scope in 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. cleared and vindicated the Chapter is to press on to a right use of spiritual gifts by every member for the good of the whole body as from other Arguments so from this ver 12. The body is one though the members are many How is it proved that the Church is one body because ver 13. by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body Hence the force of his Argument for right imparting of gifts If we all agree in the same Spirit and are taught by one Spirit and baptized into one body why should not our gifts be used for the mutual good of the members the whole and every part of the body Now what is in the inward part of Baptism among other things incorporation that is held forth by the outward part Water-Baptism declares and ratifies our being set ingraffed and joyned to the body mystical Ephes 4. 4 5. There is one Body one Lord one Faith one Baptism Is it Ephes 4. 4 5. vindicated enough for R. F. to mention this Here is nothing intended against Baptismal-water by the Apostle what ever be mens intentions now adays It 's a wresting of the Scriptures though the bare words be but mentioned to quote them for another end then they were written Both the inward and outward washing are appointed by one Lord to confirm one and the same Faith and they make but one and the same Baptism which consisteth of the sign and the thing signified He that would divide them or more then distinguish them crosseth the minde of the Lord Jesus Whatsoever R. F. addeth Such as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ and that we witness as doth the Scripture which is not contradiction Gal. 3. 27. The Scripture witnesseth the Gal. 3 27. vindicated outward part and the inward and the Apostle intendeth both in this place for pressing faith in Christ alone for Justification without dependence upon any of our acts in obedience to the Law he draweth an Argument from Baptism the outward part as well as the inward As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ for Justification alone as if he should say Ye did sacramentally put on Christ in Baptism you must not now put him off and be clothed with your own rags again in stead of his robes He that denieth either part of compleat Baptism as the Scripture expresseth it of Water and of the Spirit hath so much Contradiction to the Scripture in his denial Secondly As to the Baptism of Infants what ever R. F. Infant Baptism Christs institution thinketh with many others that it is an Invention and none of Christs Institution The grounds from Scripture for the Affirmative must be raised otherwise then he undertakes it ere I will clear him of his Christ and
elsewhere to take hire for preaching another thing to preach for hire By the Scripture that Question also * page 22. Qu. 4. may be judged proud and malitious as of the Devil What rule have you in Scripture to take a Text c. If R. F. justifies this as 't is likely he will we must bid him go and learn and what that meaneth Luke 4. 17. our humble Saviour took up the Bible and pitcht upon a Text let us learn at last of him to be lowly in heart Matth. 11. 29. If it be said it followeth in the Question and to speak from it what you have studied with your Vses Points Tryals Motives and Applications We must send them again to 2 Tim. 3 16 17. The Scripture is given so to be improved whether men will hear or forbear Let R. F. consider if the scope of that * Qu. 24. Question Whether that Light which comes from Christ be natural yea or nay be not to make all Light-given alike for kinde as appeareth by Quere 29. Whether the Light of the world or of every man be not a saving Light in the least measure yea or nay and how can that be said to be natural These Questions come from the Devils envy against the Saints peculiar light who see all things after another maner then natural men can do The Gentiles did things by nature or power of natural conscience and the light of it which yet they perisht in their light and their works were neither of them saving Rom. 2. 12 and 14. This light of nature comes from Christ as God not as Mediator he that is the true Light enlightneth every man but not with saving Light I must send back R. F. to Sect. 10. and the superadded Conclusions in the end thereof If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant 1 Cor. 14. 38. But yet if we examine those Questions * Qu. 44 and 45. Where had you this Doctrine to tell people they could never be wholly cleansed or be set free from sin so long as they are upon the earth And whether this be not in opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect What shall we finde here but ignorance and confusion for want of will or skill to distinguish between Justification and Sanctification which according to the Scripture I have desired R. F. and others to perpend and weigh in Sect. 23. And I must send all Novices still to that Scripture Eccles 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not which hath no opposition to the Doctrine of Christ Mat. 5. 48. where the Lord as all along the Chapter Mat. 5 48. vindicated urgeth sincerity and integrity of obedience upon his Disciples in opposition to the Pharisees counterfeit and partial expositions of the ten Commandments with further growth and endeavour after more conformity to their heavenly pattern still keeping perfection in all degrees as the white in their eye unto which the Lord will bring his children at their dissolution and time of their souls immediate entrance into heaven and not before as hath been demonstrated in Sect. 29. As to that Question * Qu 48. What is your own righteousness and what is the righteousness of Christ and how do you distinguish betwixt the one and the other He that did propound it tells us at the foot of Page 25. It was not as if he knew them not even all that he enquired of but for the satisfaction of the simple and for the clearing of the truth and manifesting our deceit to the world But that which is a thorough good Question indeed not coming from Satan and a corrupt heart must arise from a sound and good principle and be propounded to as good an end Now this Quere 1. proceeds not from a good principle because their judgements are vitiated and in their Doctrine they confound as do the Papists our inherent righteousness-sanctifying with Christs righteousness which justifieth Christs righteousness which justifieth a believing sinner is not the essential righteousness of his God-head but that obedience of his Active and Passive which in the humane nature that he assumed and united to his divine person he wrought out in the room and stead of others and which he presenting to Gods Justice as a price and ransom for them God accepteth and reckoneth to every one that believeth for his perfect Justification That righteousness which is in Scripture called our own as inherent in us is either what is done by the power of natural conscience without the written word or what is done according to the bare letter of the written command or from a common gift of the Spirit or in a Gospel-way from a living principle of grace habits and acts of holiness by the holy Spirit and faith given stirred up actuated and improved this also with all the former is a righteousness of ours that men would establish in the room of Christs imputed righteousness for their justification But though it be wrought by the strength of Christ in us and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to justification of his person Paul would not be found in it for a world but saith he Phil. 3. 8 9. I do count all things but loss even what he had done and suffered since conversion and what he was now a doing and dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law or done in my person from the best principles in obedience to the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith this is every true Believers vote and resolution If R. F. be otherwise minded and belong to God God shall reveal even this unto him 2. The above mentioned Quere by the bare propounding doth not attain the ends pretended our answer may satisfie some simple ones some wise not all This Quere and other of the like stamp doth but obscure the truth and help to stagger and seduce Gods servants as for our deceit in this great business of a sinners justification if J. Parnell should arise from the dead or R. F. should tell us he hath been in the third Heaven nor one nor other shall be able to manifest that which is not To conclude whence came that * Quer. 3â— question quarrelling more with God then with us How doth it stand with the impartial God to give to one man a measure of grace and not to another and yet require obedience from all If R. F. thinketh there is ground for such a Question he must be sent to Rom. 9. 18. 20. for his Answer God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy c. and O man who art thou that replyest against God 21. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning civil Honor. Section 49. THeir discourse papers and practise is notorious enough in opposition
brings all that is in the Letter to remembrance for to what end doth he bring it to remembrance not onely for explication of Scripture by Scripture but for consolation of our spirits by the good words of the Spirit of God When heaviness makes the heart to stoop a good word seasonably remembred as spoken makes it glad and he that slights the turning over of the sacred Pages of the Bible after he hath got his evidence within may be glad of crums one day after his high Feastings and well if seeking the Spirit where he lost him his comforts return at last upon him Many lose the Spirits comforts by slighting his Love-letters in the Scriptures where the Spirit is and whereby he giveth forth himself Such a passage I had in my former piece That the Spirit is in the Letter and given by it which R. F. hath excepted against once and again heretofore but now in its due place where it was spoken he lets it pass I promised in the first part of this Reply to clear it further for his conviction if it may be or for the Saints edification First The Spirit is in the Letter or the whole Scripture for so these men comprehensively use the term Letter How the Spirit is in the Scripture-Letter 1. As he owneth what he dictated to his Secretaries the Pen-men of Scripture He is in all their writings with the subscription of his own hand as it were they spake and wrote as they were moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost Rev. 1. 10. John is in the Spirit viz. he is rapt up by the Spirit and the Spirits impulse is more then ordinarily upon him when he is commanded to write and of all that John writeth the Spirit beareth Testimony that it is himself that speaks it Rev. 3. 22. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches what wretched men are they who will not suffer the Spirit to be where he speaketh 2. If the Spirit was in the Pen-men he is more in the matter and contents of the Scripture penned down None will deny but he was in the Pen-men more then ordinarily when they wrote from his mouth or inspiration and therefore he is in what they wrote much more for the word written is of greater Authority and Spirit then the Writer or Secretary They were holy men of God who wrote but that which is written is the holy Truth of God They were imperfectly holy but Gods word as written from the Spirit is perfect in all degrees of holiness 3. The Spirit is where there is with perfect holiness perfect Truth and Majesty in the Matter and in the very Stile and where is sweet Harmony in all the parts put together In the Scripture-letter there is not one Iota or Tittle that shall fall to the ground to eclipse the Glory Truth and Majesty or spoil the Harmony of it Secondly the Spirit is given by it in this sense How given by it 1. As his minde is given out by it whether the words be proper or figurative the Spirit hath his proper intendment scope and sense in the whole Letter and in every part of what is written and as by his words he makes known his minde he is where his words are 2. As his work is given by it even what work he pleaseth See second part Section 10. of Conviction Instruction in Righteousness Consolation c. If the Scripture convinceth gainsayers and sinners evil livers if it instructeth the ignorant comforteth the feeble-minded it is as the Spirit gives out himself thereby He is there indeed as a free Agent ad placitum not tyed to work or manifest himself or put forth his power and grace but as the wind bloweth where it listeth so he worketh where when and upon whom he pleaseth 3. As the Promises of the Scripture are his Chariot to convey him whither he pleaseth to go into the hearts of the Elect that they may believe and after they have believed that they may be established Thus according to his promise he will fill a Believers sails of endeavor in reading meditating c. with gales of grace and advances towards glory To conclude that the Spirit is in the Letter and given by it daily experience doth demonstrate For such as forsake the Scriptures authority and own not the Spirits dwelling in the Letter as truly as in the heart they lose their faith of the Spirits presence with them in the reading and meditation of it and losing this faith they run to other Doctrines and Gospels The spirit of error is in all mens doctrines which have not the Spirit in them that breatheth in the Scriptures We may easily discern whether R. F. his spirit be not in his writings and whether much of the spirit of Error not conveyed and given out by his and other mens Pamphlets of the same stamp And shall the spirit of Satan the father of lyes be in Seducers books and not the Spirit of God and of the Father of truth be in and go along according to his free mercy with his own blessed Books of the Scripture Yes verily and James Naylers words import as much when he saith * Few words by J. N. p. 11. That the Spirit opens and brings all that is spoken in Scripture to remembrance which if R. F. denies he contradicts his fellow if he grants it a truth he must recant his frequent descants upon that which I asserted and judge himself as erring because he knew not the Scriptures and the Spirit and power of God dwelling in them and acting by them Section 9. WHat answereth R. F. to this Section where I evidenced another of their Self-contradictions concerning the Scripture which was this He that believeth is born of God without Scripture and yet Let all see if we do not set the Scripture in the heart of every one Why this is his answer * Page 25. 1. So saith the Scripture 1 John 5. And that the word of God is nigh in the heart is witnessed Rom. 10. 8. And he that believes and is born of God knows the seed of God within him 1 John 3. 9. Rep. Do any of these Scriptures bear witness against themselves or say That he that believeth is born of God without Scripture yet dare R. F. put it forth in the front of his answer So saith the Scripture The Scripture saith the full truth He that believeth is born of God but the Pamphlet I quoted * Answer to 7 Priests p. 13 said more then the Scripture that the believer was born of God without the Scripture and R. F. pretends to answer to what their Pamphlets hold forth but cannot in his answers salve his own nor his fellows contradictions Ans 2. He is not born of the Letter as thou wouldst have him yet he is begotten by the immortal word which endureth for ever which the Letter declares of and that doth not contradict
the Scripture Rep. 1. How would I have him that believeth born of the Letter my words were these If the Scripture be in the heart of every one sure he that believeth is born of that seed even of the Scripture-promise set into the heart by the holy Ghost hence he that is born of the Spirit is born of the word written and preached which the Spirit useth as the instrumental means of our regeneration as upon that place in Peter 1 Ep. Chap. 1. ver 23 and 25. hath been cleared heretofore Part 1. Sect. 5. 2. The Scripture-promise declaring Christ is the more apt means by which the Spirit begets a soul to Christ or formeth him in the soul 3. That the Letter declareth Christ doth not contradict the Scripture but it contradicteth the Scripture to say the declaration of Christ is not a means of begetting a soul to Christ 4. To say Let all see whether we do not set the Scripture in the heart of every one and yet to deny the Scripture to be a means of the new birth or that the believer is born of God without the Scripture is to say and un-say But R. F. * page 26. would retort this upon my self and why I have not the same minde with them and know not their meaning and so raise lyes as he chargeth upon me by my imaginations Rep. 1. If I have the minde of Christ as it is in Scripture I shall not be ambitious of nor much regard their meaning but as I know it to be cross to the minde of Christ I have according to the grace given unto me witnessed against it and yet studied to put the most candid and favorable construction upon their words 2. If their sense of setting Scripture in the heart of every one be nothing else but telling people they have a light of Conscience within them and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world First they delude poor people who never heard that Light called Scripture before yet this is more then probably their best Scripture for their Tenents and Doctrines as might be gathered from the answer that J. P. a yong stripling who came into this Town last summer gave to a weak re-baptized woman shattered by his discourse whose question was But may I not read the Scriptures The answer was Read thy heart woman as she told me that was all she could get of him There is a book of Conscience to be read indeed but is not the book of the Scriptures and Gods Statutes to be read according to which beyond the book of every mans Conscience all that have that written rule shall be judged Secondly If every mans light be the onely Scripture in the minde that these men are in why doth R. F. * In his Book entituled A true testimony c. pag. 53. appeal to that which is the alone proper perfect Scripture in our judgement and which he calls for to stand as judge betwixt them and 42. Ministers Will he stand to the judgement of the Prophets and Apostles as it is the minde of Christ the word of God Will he not appeal when all is done to a higher Court of immediate Teachings in the heart If the Scripture be judge it must be so from its own light that is superior not onely to every mans light but also to the degree of light that is in every Saint and that is superior to our meanings and theirs for the Scripture must judge by its own words and meaning together and from its own rule we must not separate the Letter of the Law and the true interpretation of the Letter The Law-makers we say are best able to give the right sense of the Law The great Law-giver gives out his sense of one part of Scripture by another Can any Law judge of Heresie but the Law of God saith R. F. in the Book and Page last referred unto in the margent If he intends there any Law of God but the written word and text of the Bible Gods great Law-book he contradicts in heart what he pretends to in words If he understands by the Law of God the holy Scriptures of God called the Bible then he pretends to that acknowledgement of them as a standing rule and a more standing rule then visions and revelations and if he intends what he pretends to then he must recant what he wrote in the 3. and 4. Page of his imaginary Scripture-vindication or else lie setter'd in his Self-contradictions 2. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning hearing of the Word Section 10. I Had granted they say and say truly because the Scripture saith so Joh. 8. 47. They that are of God hear his word and they that hear his word hear his voice and yet they deny the hearing of Ministers that speak this word and consequently they do either un-say what truth they spake before or deny themselves to be of God in that they both refuse themselves to hear and call off others from hearing R. F. * Page 26. because I granted the first part of their contradiction to be a Scripture truth runs away with the conceit of an advantage when 't is nothing so Thou says They say and say truly then they lye not neither do they say and un-say and so thou art taken with the lye again and clears them thy self Rep. How weak and giddy this mans apprehension is may appear many ways by the review of this passage 1. I attributed truth to their words no further then they agree with the word of God in Scripture and so far I will acknowledge truth because I love it and the Scripture of truth but this man when I grant an inch will take an ell 2. It followeth not if men say true in one thing that they speak the truth in every thing The devil can speak a truth the more cunningly to put off his lyes That may be a truth materially which will not be found in mens practical experience so acknowledged 3. It is beyond all controversie that in this as many other instances they say and unsay first owning the Scriptures and ministery and hearing of the word and then dis-owning all teachers and teaching but what is within first saying * A discovery of some fruits c. pag. 9. the peoples Teacher cannot be removed into a corner and by and by telling them you will finde your teacher as you lye in your beds Even as customary swearers reproved for their sin will swear they did not swear so men habituated in Self-contradiction will vehemently protest against it but it helps them never a whit 4. It is no new thing to have the reproach of lying cast upon me or others by one who cannot judge or understand what is truth or when 't is spoken truly 5. I am so far from clearing them that I renew my charge against them if they be all like R. F. in this maner and form following The more candidly the
sometimes uttered First The Apostles sense 2 Cor. 4. 6. is by allusion to 2 Cor. 4. 6. vindicated Gods work in the old creation to witness his power in the new In the old he commanded light to shine out of darkness He said Let there be light and there was light creating it of nothing There was a pre-existent subject before light was created viz. darkness of the air but no pre-existent matter which light was made of much less was light there before within the darkness for though God commanded the light to shine out of darkness it doth not follow that light was there before So God working by his Almighty power in the new creation he hath saith the Apostle shined in our hearts to give the light which was not there before of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ The faculty of the natural understanding was there as the pre-existing subject but there was no fore-existing matter out of which this light is produced The Apostles sense again in Gal. 1. 16. is not to Gal 1. 16. vindicated favor these mens opinion as if Christ had been in Paul vailed over before conversion and then revealed in him as being there but Paul did not know it till his conversion But God revealed his Son in Paul when he did immediately effectually and experimentally shine into his heart and gave him the knowledge of the glorious mysteries of the Gospel in the clear knowledge of Christ given for him given to him and now dwelling in him and he doth reveal his Son in others ordinarily when after he hath knockt at their hearts he opens the door by his Spirit gives faith to consent that Christ shall come in and dwell there Ephes 3. 17. Before faith Christ is kept out of the heart but when a soul believes and his faith worketh by love and love by obedience as Christ came in and took possession from first believing so in his good time he doth manifest himself unto the soul John 14. 21. The Apostles sense Col. 1. 27. Col. 1. 27. vindicated is not as if the light of Christ for salvation had been in the Gentiles hearts in a mystery before their effectual calling The mystery of salvation by Christ was wrapt up in the Scriptures of the old Testament and in Types and Figures among the Jews not in the least hinted to the Gentiles mindes before the Gospel came But when the Apostles When and how Christ is in the soul came to preach Christ crucified to their ears through grace they believed the report for themselves at Coloss as elsewhere and knew the grace of God in truth had Christ his image stampt upon their hearts and the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them This was not light breaking forth from their hearts as having been there before their union with Christ and Christs taking up their hearts as his Temple but the light of the glorious Gospel breaking into their hearts which 1. Is called the riches of the glory and the Pronoun which before is Christ in you refers not to mystery for that is of the Neuter and the Pronoun * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Masculine Gender but to riches * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Gender with which in the Greek The glorious treasure and substance of the mystery which rich glorious treasure is Christ in you the light in every man is a poor base beggerly scrap to this Gospel-pearl and treasure 2. This riches summ'd up in Christ and Christ the substance of the Mystery is confined to the Saints ver 26. and is onely in them ever after their closing with Christ reigning and prevailing to the purity peace and joy of their souls and evidential hope of their future glory Secondly The assertion of Christs being within men before conversion contradicts themselves as I discovered in my former piece who say In the Ages past Christ was not revealed every man had not that light The Son of God is not revealed as Christ but as he is Mediator in the Ages past Christ was not so revealed they had not say they that light viz. as he is Mediator therefore Christ as Mediator was not within men by the light given to every man And here I leave them R. F. among them as I found them and discovered them in this Section in their own darkness of Confusion and Self-contradiction till the Lord shall convince them thereof and bring them out of it Section 12. ANother Contradiction of themselves concerning the Light in every man I noted in this Section viz. That they magnifie it and vilifie it in the same respect as it is the light of the first nature and of every man in his first state since the fall R. F. * Page 26. takes up two of the passages to answer but takes not off their Self-contradiction The first They magnifie every mans light to be a Law written in the heart to judge and condemn all sin and therefore they say the day of judgement is come and anon they vilifie the light of natural men who are a part of mankinde as filthy waters and every man in his first state is a beast To this all that R. F. hath to say is Where judgement is brought forth into victory sin is condemned in the flesh and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. and such have boldness in the day of judgement for as some mens deeds goes before-hand to judgement others they come after and therefore a day of judgement is to come Rep. If these men would disparage every mans light in respect of the Saints light they would be something ingenuous and if they did not put every mans light in the place of Christ the Spirit and his writing in the heart and then call them waters of Babylon nor sometimes say upon Adams fall pure reason was destroyed c. and anon call every mans light pure light they would not be so Scripture and self-contradictious as they are nor would they confound what they ought to distinguish as R. F. confounds the judgement of a natural conscience and the Spirits Gospel-conviction of sin Righteousness and Judgement together Justification he confounds with Sanctification and a day of Judgement present with the day of Judgement which is to come Scripture-expressions he useth here as elsewhere but not with the Scripture-scope and meaning The passage I quoted out of Ben. Nicholson his Returns to a Letter Page 13. speaks of the Law written in the heart of The Spirits conviction of judgement beyond the judgement of a natural conscience every man which they say doth judge and condemn all sin R. F. tells us of a Judgement brought forth into victory and when that is done sin is condemned in the flesh but say I according to Scripture the Law written in the heart of every man neither condemns all sin nor discovers either the root of
Baptism With water proved 176. 183 Of Infants vindicated 178 Sprinkling lawful 180 One Baptism consisting of two parts 178 182 Bible To be read and preached upon 20 See Scriptures C. Call To the Ministery how lawful 211 Inward to be tried by the outward fruits 214 The Churches call spiritual 215 Some may counterfeit an Immediate call 211 Some mediate calls good 213 214 Some bad ibid. Christ Exalted by the Scriptures and the Scriptures by Christ 43 44 Christ above his gifts 59 His Godhead asserted and cleared 54 How he leads out of the fall 86 How he was made sin or a sinner 132 As Mediator not in natural men 262 276 When and how in the soul 264 His condemning sin in the flesh beyond conscience-condemnation 266 A Savior according to Scripture 283 Commandment How the general includes particular persons 106 What is a command in the Spirit 109 Saints experiences about a command 110 What is a Gospel-command 111 Communion Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven 146 Conviction By the Spirit beyond that of a natural conscience 266 Conscience If but natural and not renewed gives no saving testimony 269 Covenant Of works and of grace what 90 Of works in Adam 97 Differences of the Covenant of works and of grace 90 Covenant of grace one for the substance 91 Two for maner of administration 93 Old and new what 8 The reason of the change 94 E. Elders Their Ordination by man though not of man 207 F. Forms Of Religion 291 Of Speech 292 Fruits Of the Spirit 293 Of the flesh ibid. G. God How God is Light 68 His Essence not mixed with created Beings 236 Gospel Gospel-Light above natural reach 75 Grace Given by means 173 H. Hearing Of the word 173 Holy Ghost A person one of the Three in the Godhead See Spirit 49 c. 207 Honor Civil due to Superiors and to all men 231 ibid. Gestures of honor some bad and idolatrous 233 Some civil and but good maners ibid. The denial hereof what it argues 292 I. Imputation Gods imputation of righteousness his covering of our sin 130 A constant act of Gods free favor 131 The doctrine of it no pleading for sin 123 c. Justification The material cause not the new-birth 119 Not sanctification 132 Its difference from sanctification 126 God justifieth sinful persons believing 120 121 How justified by faith ibid. Defilements of sin remain in a pardoned soul 125 Peter in his falls not out of a state of justification 128 Perfect at first believing 135 L. Law How set up in stead of Gospel 12 Levitical Law way Typical Gospel 89 Law-Levitical no Covenant of works 95 Law-moral positions concerning it 97 How subservient to the Covenant of grace 98 How inservient to the Covenant of works ibid. Gods Law above the conscience 307 Letter What in a large or in a strict sense 4 5 The Spirits Letter is Gods written word 9 How denied 244 Light Of the Godhead in every man not redemption-light 52 Strange notions of the Light in every man 53 How light without Scripture is no light 64 The Light-giver not to be confounded with the light-given 59 84 Light in every man no Teacher of saving truths 60 Not Gospel-light 75 Not the light of Saints as such 61 261 Much less equal with Christs person 59 Not supernatural 61 Not above but beneath the Scripture-light 66 Not a part of the New-creature 77 Not the Corner-stone 80 Nor the first principle of Christian Religion 82 Leads not out of the fall 83 Obeyed gives no saving excuse or testimony in the conscience 269 Creature and Scripture-light compared 76 Not to be confounded 275 Mysterious absurdities 263 How the least degree of light is perfect 274 How counterfeit ibid. True conclusions about light 69 Lords Supper The visible outward part no carnal invention 185 Bread and wine the outward matter 186 The Institution spiritual 188 The benefit great 190 A strange trans-mutation by 192 James Nayler His reasons broken 193 Antidotes against the dissolution of the Lords Supper 200 M. Magistrates Their forbearance 308 Means of grace attended with a promise of blessing 174 N. Nakedness No Commission for going naked in these times 291 O. Oaths see Swearing Ordinances How owned or disowned 302 P. Perfection Of holiness but comparative 162 164 Not absolute in all degrees till death 143 144 How denied how not 141 158 161 This life a time onely of pressing after it 290 Person What it is 48 What a person in the Godhead is ibid. How distinguished 49 Prayer Publique not forbidden 201 Gods Spirit is there 204 Preaching By Doctrine Reason and Vse c. justified 72 293 How free and consistent with taking Wages 209 Printing When invented 21 The benefit of printed Bibles ibid. Promise Of grace and leading out of the fall none annexed to the good use of natural light 87 Yet the light of a promise helps to lead out of the fall 86 Prophets Some immediately inspired some mediately taught 217 They studied the Scriptures 218 Some distinguisht from men in office 217 Psalms Not sung without some kinde of meeter 205 Q. Quaking From visible manifestations of Gods majesty how and by whom imitable 287 See Trembling Questions Their fit place 223 Which are of the devil 224 R. Reconciliation Of the person perfect before the heart is perfectly sanctified and how 134 135 Regeneration By the Scripture-promise 132 257 Remorse What. 171 Repentance How decryed 171 Righteousness What our own 145 329 What the Quaking Papists mean by Christs righteousness 278 S. Sabbath A mercy as a duty 303 Saints Their light beneath Scripture-light for the degree 271 Their highest degree of light and grace not here attained 272 Experimentally imperfect 148 Scriptures The word of truth 1 To all 2 The word of God and truly so called 3 40 In what sence 25 The witness of God 4 The Letter of God and the Scripture of God all one Ib. A standing Rule 7 A more standing Rule then visions and revelations 13 15 37 38. Not mans word or other mens words 18 The Touch-stone of Doctrine 23 253 And Judge of controversies 258 Not carnal 24 The Spirits sword 26 Powerful 153 The ground of the Saints acting 26 31 And how 27 Interpretation by Scripture 37 A Voice a Light a Rule a Guide 43 44 Scripture-light above the light of nature 66 74 76 Its further preeminence 271 281 Scripture-light Salvation-light 73 Its fulness 284 It magnifies Christ above it self ibid A more excellent Teacher then the creatures 70 To be studied 218 220 Who deny them 244 Gods mouth is in the Letter 247 252 Sin Visible in and to the Saint 112 Groaned under all the life time by true Saints ibid in what respect 113 Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one 118 Sin confessed is not pleaded for 125 It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints 138 It continueth in them they continue not in it 151 No heart perfectly pure form it 158 159 160
as to the guilt curse and damnation which he bare in his own body on the Tree Yea and such as are in him are at present redeemed out of sin as to the dominion and reign of it but we are not therefore justified and when sin shall wholly be rooted out of us that shall not be our justification at Gods tribunal because we are perfectly holy but because Christ died for us to justifie us by his blood Let him that throws off Christs imputed righteousness go shift for his justification where he can get it He is a foolish bewitched Galatian and Christ shall profit him nothing For bring in any one act of ours though wrought by the Spirit whether of mortification self-denyal love or faith as an act to be an ingredient to the essence of our justification and it is as bad as to be circumcised and as destructive to the souls peace and safety as to be a debtor to keep the whole Law Section 26. I Had noted what I found in J. Nayler That no imperfect thing can be reconciled to God is plain Scripture plainly contradicting Rom. 5. 10. If he meaneth by no imperfect thing no man that is not perfectly sanctified But R. F. makes out the sense thus * Page 14. No sin can be reconciled to God nor any such imperfect thing Rep. 1. If this were the onely sense why was it not spoken at first for we know by the Spirit in the Scriptures Our persons are perfectly reconciled before our natures are perfectly sanctified that it was Gods design to reconcile sinners onely to himself persons as I hinted before in my book imperfect enough and to abolish sin in guilt and power as first and in the presence at the last and we can prove it by clearer Scriptures then R. F. produceth which is onely Rev. 21. 27. that sin and God cannot be reconciled and as Psalm 5. 4. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity But 2. The scope of J. Nayler * Answ to perfect Phar. page 9. was to prove that we are not justified by a righteousness without us but by what is perfectly wrought within us and therefore I mistook him not in my former piece when I subjoyned Their meaning is till sin be wholly abolished in its residence out of the heart and all imperfections in sanctification be done away there is no reconciliation of our persons with God or to him whatever be R. F. * Page 14. his flourish And as for our meaning thou speaks of thou art without our minde and so knowest not our meaning by thy imagining therein thou shewest a spirit of error It sufficeth that by Scripture-truth wherein the Spirit of truth reigneth I can detect this for an error viz. Christs work in us is that which justifies our persons before God and what if his work for us be joyned with his work in us if they mean no more then what is inherent righteousness wrought by Christs strength in himself and in us together so F. Howgill must be construed if he quadrates with his other passages in the Book when he saith * The inheritance of Jacob. pag. 29 Christ fulfilled the Law and he fulfils it in them who know him and his work and herein man comes to be justified in Gods sight by Christ who works all our works in us and for us Christs obedience and ours his work for us and his work in us put together for our justification is Babylonish mixture but this I can maintain as a clear and pure truth viz. That it is not the work of Christ in us which justifieth and reconcileth our persons but his sole working for us by his own personal obedience and satisfaction to justice The plain Scripture is this Heb. 10. 14. Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are Heb. 10. 14. cleared sanctified It is not said in any Scripture that Christ hath first perfectly sanctified any persons and then reconciled them unto God but the sense of that as of other Scriptures is that Christ by one offering of himself hath perfected their justification and reconciliation whom he doth also sanctifie in the truth of it at what instant he applyeth their perfect justification And the plain truth according to Scripture is this That no person is reconciled to God How the sinner and yet none but the perfect person is reconciled to God who hath not a perfect Mediator of his reconciliation and who is not accepted as perfectly righteous in the righteousness of Christ his surety and so t is true none but the perfect person is reconciled to God but how not by his qualifications at first an enemy and always carrying about with him while here some wisdom of the flesh which is emnity against God but as he had on Christs Cross his person represented in Christ his head and his sins not imputed upon the account of Christs righteousness made or reckoned to be his 2 Cor. 5. 19. 21. To clear this a little further we must distinguish between the reconciling of our individual persons and the reconciling of our individual natures dispositions or qualities and acts both are a fruit of Christs satisfactory obedience and sufferings and they cannot as J. N. * Love to the lost pag. 50. acknowledgeth this truth though not truely be divided in the possession But personal reconcilement is done at once by imputation of the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus nature-reconcilement admits of degrees according to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification As for J. Nayler and R. F. and such as imagine that while sinful imperfections remain in the Saints they in their persons are not cannot be perfectly reconciled to God then not themselves nor any that adhere to their doctrine are or can be reconciled to God in person as not in judgement and affection while they harbor such fleshly and legal conceits of a poor sinners justification and reconciliation and they shall see if by this they get no eye-salve Oh that it might not be too late how till they be better bottom'd with contradictions of Scripture they contradict and come short of true salvation-light right and possession For I judge it 's absolutely necessary to salvation rightly to discern the way of a mans justification before God and reconciliation to him which discerning I perceive not in these mens writings although sometime in discourse with some of this Sect I have had their confession of the truth yet their bad principles make them fly off again as it fares with many a natural ignorant countreyman I wish there be not more then a few such in Cities and populous places who have a notion of the Gospel-truth but practically and experimentally cannot for their hearts but stick in themselves and think a Bird in the hand is