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A65896 The way of life and perfection livingly demonstrated in some serious animadversions or remarks and answers upon the book entituled The middle way of perfection, with indifferency between the orthodox and the Quaker, herein considered, and the naked truth as it is in Christ Jesus, opened in real love to the souls of men / by George Whitehead. Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723. 1676 (1676) Wing W1973; ESTC R20758 42,882 60

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of the Condition of the Covenant of Grace can consist with Let a Man's Sins be what th●y will which Words have a Tendence to an Evil Liberty for a justified State is plainly opposed as contrary to that of the Unrighteous in this 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Object It 's further added Though we fail in our Duty we fulfil the Condition page 18. Animad How can that be if the Covenant of Grace or Law of Faith be the Condition which we are to observe and obey as our Duty so far as it concerns us both as enjoyned and assisted by Christ Jesus our Life and Righteousness Is it not our Duty to fulfil the Condition and do we yet fail in our Duty whilest we fulfil it No sure As to David's Heart being perfect and that he kept God's Commandments or Precepts 1st This of his Heart being perfect respects what was sincere and uprght in David as a Spirit without Guile a sincere Desire Intention and Resolution of Heart towards God though for a Time he had Failings and was bes●t with Temptations yet the Lord had Regard to his Uprightness c. 2 dly David's keeping God's Commandments or Precepts was when he was really clear and actually obedient walking in the Wayes of God and not as consistant with his sinning in the Matter of Uriah c. for which he underwent great Judgment and deep Affliction often imploring Mercy and Pardon praying for Cleansing Washing c. 3dly As he was a Man after God's own Heart he was according to and in God's Choice and Promise he stood in the Election The Lord hath sought him a Man after his own Heart 1 Sam. 13. 14. I have found David the Son of Jesse a Man after mine own Heart which shall fulfil all my Will this being fulfilled he was in a precious State not guilty nor condemnable for after God's own Heart was both ●is Sincerity Perfection and Purity Surely being a Man after God's own Heart and fulfilling all his Will could not concern David's worst but his best State Object But to answer that Complaint That his Sins were more then the Hairs upon his Head this Writer saith There are Sins consistant with Sincerity and inconsistant with it Animad Though I would as favourably construe his Words as I can yet this Phrase Sins consistant with Sincerity I can neither own to be sound scriptural or of a good Tendence but tending to gratifie both the sin-pleasing Professors unrighteous Imputarians and loose Antinomians of our Times for though I do gra●t ●hat a sincere-minded Man may possibly be overtaken with a Fault through some great Temptation or Tryal yet not loose his Sincerity though it be clouded but retain his Integrity as Job did his until he be fully recovered restored and delivered wherein he differs from him that wilfully or designedly sins or is obstinate or wittingly dissembles and playes the Hypocrite yet no Sin or Neglect of Duty is consistant with the Sincerity it self which God hath begotten in the Creature but there is a daily or constant Travail and Warring in the sincere Mind and Soul until the Sin be overcome and really done away as it was with Paul when with his Mind he served the Law of God had travailed in Spirit for Deliverance from that Law of Sin which did embondage or captivate his Members in which low Estate of warring God hath an Eye to the upright and sincere Mind that waits upon him and subjects to his inward Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and by his Spirit of Adoption doth help his Creature 's Infirmities until all that offends be subdued and the Soul becomes more then a Conquerer And so as for his Distinction between the Breach of our Duty and the Condition while he discourseth for Failing of the first and yet a Fu●filling the latter I cannot reconcile him herein nor own such Distinctions either as necessary or consistant with the real Experience of a Justified State wherein the Law of the Spirit of Life or Law of Faith in Christ is answered and followed and the Effect thereof experienced in them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and in them the Righteousness Morality Good Order and Duty both respecting the Law and Gospel Nature and Grace is fulfilled by Christ Jesus and performed through his spiritual Assistance It 's true there is a Sin unto Death as he saith and a Sin not unto Death and no better then sinning unto Death can I look ●pon Men's Continuance in any known Sin or Unrighteousness all their Life Time against the holy and just Law of God in the Conscience the Sin of Impenitence as well as of Unbelief being persisted in incurs Death as it 's granted that David in the M●t●er wherein he sinned in that present State could not have been saved if he had dyed but surely if the Condition of true Faith and Repentance be performed and the Nature there of be experienced the other Acts of Duty and Obedience will follow for is there any Sin or Neglect of Duty that 's not to be repented of and ceas'd from or can a true Believer see any Sin or Failing without believing or exercising Faith in his Warring against it till he overcome and he hath out grown it No sure he attains to the Accomplishment of his Warfare through valiantly fighting the Good Fight of Faith he reacheth unto the End of his Race by unwearied travailing on without Fainting Sect. X. To his saying Behold here a Kind of Heaven opened unto you who are the Children of God and fear his Name where all your Sins and Iniquities are removed and where every one of you are righteous and perfect and sin not for this is the Benefit and Fruit of Christ's Death and Redemption that he hath delivered you from that Law which you break Animad 1st That Heaven where all Sins and Iniquities are removed and where the Children of God are perfect and sin not is not of this Man's or any of their opening who oppose perfection of Duty and argue for Sin 's continuance in God's Children whilest in this Life for that Heaven wherein dwells Righteousness and they are all Righteous and sin not admits not of Sin to have any Place in it the Will of God being perfectly done therein 2 dly That 's the old Heaven and old Earth wherein dwells Unrighteousness and these must ●e shaken and removed for the New to take Place 3 dly Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness and not to indulge Transgression or any Breach of that Law which is Holy Just and Good fulfilled and not destroyed in the New Creature and Covenant 4 thly 'T is true as he saith That Christ hath brought us under a New Law the Law of Grace which requires nothing of us but what sub Ratione Conditions we do keep for he gives his holy Spirit to enable us to the
THE Way of Life AND PERFECTION Livingly Demonstrated IN Some serious Animadversions or Remarks and Answers upon the Book ENTITULED The middle VVay of Perfection with Indifferency between the Orthodox and the Quaker Herein considered and the naked Truth as it is in Christ Jesus opened in real Love to the Souls of men By George Whitehead Let your Moderation appear unto all Men Doing nothing by Partiality Printed in the Year 1676. Friendly Reader THE Publication of this ensuing Treatise is from a Necessity that came upon me for the holy Truth sake to remove Occasions of stumblings out of the Way of the simple and honest minded Inquirers after the Way of the Lord which is perfect so that although by Reason of other weighty Concernments the Press being also clogged with other Books this hath lain by in Manuscript above a Year after it was finished being written at sundry Oportunities when I could find some spare time yet I could not be clear in Conscience that my Labour in it should so remain obscure or the Service frustrated which I hope it may be of to such serious and unprejudiced Readers as desire after the Knowledge of the Truth as i● is in Chrst Jesus which is the Aim and End of my Labours and Travails I could have been content only to have sent a Copy of this Treatise unto the Author of the Book stiled The Middle Way of Perfection if that would have cleared Truth from his Mistake and removed the Burden off me but that could not be sufficient in regard his Book was so publick and if he come seriously to consider and see wherein he hath been mistaken and misrepresented us called Quakers especially in the latter Part of his Book it is to be hoped that out of a Respect to that Christianity Justice and Moderation professed by him he will as publickly do us Right in retracting his Mistakes and Misconstruction put upon us as to some Things of weight and moment which in this Treatise are seriously and from a Sense of the Foundation of God spoken to and opened in Love both to this Man's Soul and the Souls of all who desire true Information in these weighty Matters of Salvation herein treated on London the 12th of the 12th Moneth 1675. G. W. THE CONTENTS Sect. I. OF Justification from the Charge of the Law and the Charge of the Gospel how far it extends and our Evangelical Obedience of absolute Necessity page 10. Sect. II. Of Perfection being our Duty and how attainable confessed by this Moderator or midle-man pag. 12. Sect. III. Some Objections alledged by him against the attaining to Perfection answered pag. 17. Sect. IV. His Objection against sinless Perfection for sinful Imperfection in this Life proceeds from his wanting the true Sight of that Seed and Nature wherein is Victory and Perfection pag. 19. Sect. V. His Alleganiots for Sin from these Scriptures viz. There is no Man that sinneth not not a just Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not No more I that sinneth but Sin that dwelleth in me in many Things we offend all if we say that we have no Sin c. considered and answered pag. 21. Sect. VI. Of Regeneration the two contrary Principles and concerning the Phrases Whatsoever is born of God and Whosoever is born of God c. pag. 23. Sect. VII The Law of Grace Condition of Life and greater Commandments being performed sincere Obedience in lesser things may not be omitted pag. 25. Sect. VIII The calm Protestants in granting a Real and True Righteousness and that which is perfect and entire according to the Covenant or Law of Grace do assent to the Quakers Doctrine of Perfection pag. 28. Sect. IX The Performance of the Condition or Covenant of Grace and David's Perfection or being found a Man after God's own Heart not concerned in a sinful State nor consistant with the Breach of Duty and of Sin unto Death pag. 30. Sect. X. That Heaven wherein Unrighteousness dwells is not the New Heaven of the new Law and Spirit 's Assistance to the Performance of Imputation being crucified with Christ Children of God c. pag. 33. Sect. XI Of Repentance what real and what not of Christ as Propitiation some Scriptures perverted for Sin by our Moderator of God's entering into Judgement c. pag. 36. Sect. XII Of Justification Grace Law of our Creation Redemption as in Christ and as in us as universal and as peculiar the Quakers opinion about Perfection misconstrued pag. 39. Sect. XIII That those called Divines who deny Christ's Universal Grace and Redemption are stumbling in the dark and not orthodox of God's Terms and Man's Terms of Faith Repentance sinning and not sinning c. pag. 42. Sect. XIV That the Quakers have the Divines on the blind Side that the orthodox are quite out about Justification c. confessed pag. 44. Sect. XV. The Spirit 's Help to that Perfection which is the keeping the Commandments or Perfection obtained in and by the Spirit and spiritual Birth and not by the Flesh in the Letter pag. 47. Sect. XVI The Charge of bolstering up Men in their Sins justified against the pretended Divines who oppose Perfection and they not at all cleared by this Advocate pag. 49. Sect. XVII His pretended Discovery of several Inconveniencies of our Doctrine as the hurling Men into Despair casting off God's Care c. no real or true Discovery but the Consequences of his own and his Divines Doctrine for Imperfection so much confuted by himself the State of the most mortified on E●rth not consistant with Sin his reiterated Mistake against us pag. 53. Sect. XVIII His most dreadful Consequence and Conclusion of our Doctrine viz. of Evils secret and deadly to the Soul Contempt of most serious holy Professors monstrous overweening Conceit of a Man's self despising and setting at nought of others turned into a groundless Fear and proved inconsequent and his pretended Danger and Fear that it cannot consist with the Grace of God c. proved altogether causeless and groundless pag. 56. THE WAY of LIFE AND PERFECTION Experimntally Demonstrated c. WE must confess that the Author's Proposition near his Beginning is very moderate viz. As the best Physitians have been noted sometimes to take very great Regard to the ordinary Receipts of old Women and the meanest Persons so will it become the M●dest Divine to endeavour rather to discover and sift out that Truth which lies in his Adversaryes Meaning then to expose and shame their Opinions As also that in the first Part of his Book there are divers Truths contained in which he hath exprest more Modesty and Candor then in the latter Part and because there appears not that universal Consistency in his Work which the profest Indifferency or Impartiality should have produced I therefore propose this Method in my Observations and Remarks upon them viz. 1 st To take Notice of those Truths in his first Part together with some Variations therefrom
Performance so that not only our Sins are done away and not imputed but forgiven as the Iniquities of Judah shall be sought for and not fou●d but this Covenant hath nothing to lay to our Charge to which I would add as we are Children of God redeemed by Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity mark that And further Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven and whose Sin is covered bless●d is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is No Guile Psa. 32. 1 2. Observe In whose Spirit is NO Guile And further the holy Spirit in this New Covenant enables them that walk in it to the perfect Performance of their Duty therein required and the Reconciliation that was wrought in the Body of his Flesh through Death for such as were sometimes alienated as the Apostle saith I was to present them Holy unreproveable in his Sight if they continue in the Faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel this unreproveable State in his Sight and Duty of Continuance in the Faith is the Perfection and Justification that we aim at As for his granting a Perfection which Divines call Evangelical to the Quaker that is an Integrity of Heart and Life which the Gospel requires of every man that shall be saved pag. 20. We accept of this Grant as rightly understood and experienced in the Evangelical and New Covenant State and are satisfied that where this Integrity of Heart and Life which the Gospel requires is thus experienced there will not be a Falling short of Duty especially since neither the Knowledge thereof nor yet divine Assistance will be wanting to such as possess this Integrity of Heart and Life As for this Man's Supposition If these Friends meaning the Qu●kers will have more then they must come to that our Divines call legal Righteousness c. page 20. I do not understand that a legal Righteousness or Righteousness of the Law can be more or higher then an Evangelical Perfection or Righteousness which the Gospel requires nor Moses's House more beautiful then Christ's though we do not propose the Righteousness of the Law or the keeping the Law in the outward Part of it nor impose it as in the Letter and Shaddow as either the Condition of Salvation or necessary thereto but True Faith in Christ which worketh by Love and as the Apo●stle said I though the Law am dead to the Law that I might liv● unto God I am crucifi●d with Christ c. Gal. 2. 19 20. As for this Man's or any others sleighting the Perfection we plead for tearming it a legal Righteousness we value not such insinuations seeing that to live without Sin according to the Royal Law of Love is both what the Law and Gospel requires and he hath confessed it our Duty and possib●e for us to attain to it through the Assistance of God's ●pirit It is granted that the Disciples did call God Father and so they must be in some Degree called and adopted to be his Sons while they did ask Forgiveness for th●ir Tresp●ss●s or D●bts as they for●gave others yet I do not grant this to be their highest State or Attainments in this Life for they did not only obtain Forgiven●ss but also the Blood of Christ cleansed them from all Sin and if they were heard in saying Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven as doubtless they were then what Sin or Trespass could alwayes be continued by them or persisted in which was not perfectly done away in this Life I further confess that true Believers may be called the Children of God and under two Considerations or Degrees 1 st As called and adopted to be his Sons being begotten into the Faith w●ile yet they are weak and have Infirmities which the Spirit of Adoption doth help they are Children as to their Weakness little Children Children in Understanding yet in a Degree 〈◊〉 Faith Sincerity and Innocency having their Sins forgiven I have writ unto you little Children because your Sins are forgiven you 2dly Children and Sons of God in a higher Degree and State perfectly born not only of Water but also of the Spirit even of the incorruptible Seed that liveth and abideth forever Partakers of and naturallized into the Divine Nature and Image and such are they that cannot sin in whom the Seed remains and whom the Wicked one cannot touch c. And if he cannot touch them muchless lead or drive them into sin or Neglect of Duty further the Forgiveness that any true Believer had daily need of for a time was obtained and experienced even by little Children Touching that Article of that Prayer Forgive us our Trespasses c. The Man seems undeservedly to reflect by saying yet they think they may scratch it out of their Bibles because they leave it unsaid page 21. I suppose he meaneth the Quakers herein having a little before insinuated something against them touching Perfection which I cannot own as fair Dealing for we think no such Thing but do really own that Prayer both as to the Matter and seasonableness of it and as to the Fulfilling of it with Respect to the several Condition concerned therein Sect. XI To his saying page 21. That the constant stream of God's Word runs thus that we are sinners that we must all repent that we must alwayes be renewing our Repentance in making our Prayers Confessions Supplications doing our Alms c. Animad He appears herein much declined from the first Part of his Book and the Perfection and universal Justification therein consented to as our Duty and Possibillity of Attainment through Divine Grace or Assistance Now he seems to be fallen into the Ditch of the Imputarians of the Times who are daily pretending Repentance Humiliation Confessions and Supplications which are never attended with a real forsaking of Sin but they are sinning still in their best Dutyes none of them so just or good as to do good without sinning in doing good while they have Forgveness to crave for the Iniquities of their best Dutyes at which Rate they may be every Day praying feigning a Penitency and Humility and even therein still adding more Sin and making themselves more Work Both this pretended Repentance Voluntary and feigned Humility is to be repented of if the true Nature of Repentance Praying Asking and Receiving were experienced through the Spirit it would cut off all this strugling for Sin which must have no Place in Christ's Kingdom Upon that Scripture If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father who is the Propitiation for our Sins and also for the Sins of the whole World upon this he is pleased to pataphrase thus viz. There is our Sins St. John's Sins that need Advocate as well as the World page 21. Animad I must need confess this allows St. John very little Preeminence the Comparison is somewhat mean for our