serve the Lord your God that the Fierceness of his Wrath may turn away from you 2 Chro. 30. 6 8. The King did not conclude that the Curses pronounced before in Deut. 27. against Offenders did obliege God to perpetual Revenge or not to turn away his fierce Wrath if the People turned from their Iniquities And said the Lord unto his Church that was to be gathered of the Gentiles In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a Moment but with Everlasting Loving Kindness will I have Mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Isa. 54. 8. And concerning Israel whose Heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his Covenant 't is written But he being full of Compassion forgave their Iniquity and destroyed them not Yea many a time turned he his Anger away and did not stir up all his Wrath for he remembred that they were but Flesh c. Psal. 78. 37 38. Yea in the midst of Judgment and in Wrath he hath remembred Mercy Righteousness and Equity are the Stablishment of his Throne Mercy and Truth go before his Face Psal. 89. 14. See how well consistent his Mercy and Truth are also Psal. 57. 3. and 61. 7. and 98. 3. and 103. 8. and 115. 1. and 119. 64. and 130. 7. Dan. 9. 4. Therefore neither his Justice Law nor Truth could intend or be any Limitation or Tye to his Power or Soveraignity not to turn away his Wrath or shew Mercy to them that turn away from Evil and Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment or Condemnation Jam. 2. 13. His Truth is so far from stopping the Mouth of Mercy yea 't is most evident to the spiritual Travellers that though God hide his Face and send forth his Terrors because of Mens Iniquities and Sins he hath Power to turn away his Wrath extend Pardon and shew the Light of his Countenance as he really doth when Men turn from Iniquity and depart from Evil and with broken Hearts submit themselves to his Power who keepeth Covenant and Mercy toward them that love him and them that keep his Commandments Dan. 9. And for any to deny him this Power and Soveraignity in himself to shew Mercy and Forgiveness is 1st To deny the true God to be God 2dly To deny his Love and Goodness 3dly To deny his Omnipotency Infiniteness and Perfection 4thly To render God less gracious and kind then his Son 5thly To debase God's Power Glory and Soveraignity below the Prerogative of Earthly Princes which is best shewn in mitigating rather then in exacting the Rigor of Laws in Acts of Pardon or Grace rather then the Severity of Revenge upon the Subjects 6thly To conclude That God cannot forgive Sin or Debt but must have full Payment or use the utmost Revenge or Rigor for Satisfaction whether on the Debtor or Surety is contrary to Christ's Similitude of the Kingdom of Heaven as likened unto a King that had Compassion on his Servant when he 〈◊〉 down and worshipped him and forgave him all his Debt oâ—… ten thousand Talents and blasphemously renders God like the same Servant in his Want of Patience towards his fellow Servant taking him by the Throat and casting him into Prison for his hundred Pence so that the Lord was wrath with this unmerciful Servant and delivered him to the Tormentors c. See Mat. 18. 7thly To represent God thus Cruel and Revengeful either to Man or to Christ in his stead as that he cannot otherwise pardon Sins past before Conviction without such a rigid Satisfaction or Payment is to deny him to be a Just God and a Saviour when besides him there is no Saviour or as if to be a Saviour were inconsistent with his being a just God contrary to his own plain Testimony See Isa. 45. 14 15. Chap. 43. 10 11 12. and 49. 26. and 63. 8. Jer. 14. 8. Hos. 13. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Chap. 4. 10. Tit. 3 4 5. Jud. 25. And thus saith the Lord God unto the Seed of Jacob I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for MINE OWN'SAKE and will not remember thy Sins Now our Opposer having justified the Wicked and rendred God cruel we must now take a View of his condemning the Just One for whose Digâ—…ity I thus appear on the behalf of God and the Son of his Love The Man having taken Pains to justifie such as have nothing but Matter of Condemnation in them Let us now take notice what Honour he hath ascribed unto the Son of God and what Entertainment he allows him while to justifie the condemnable he condemns him as with Wrath Vergeance which some call Justice vindictive whereby he reckons the Sins of the World were punisht in 〈◊〉 He alledgeth Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all What made God's Justâ—…ce lay on so Did Christ ever by Sin provoke to this Will God punish where there is no Sin This is an ocular Demonstration Rep. God spared not his own Son from what he was to do and suffer but delivered him up for us all yet not to his own Revenge or burning Wrath incurred by Sin but to be a Sacrifice for Sinners It could not be that Christ should be the Subject of the Wrath that is due to Sin he being the Mediator between God and Man that had sinned No more could the Act of those wicked Hands Murtherers that crucified him be counted an Act of Gods Justice laying on so as fully punishing the Sin of the World in the Son of his Love for this is contrary to his Mediatorship and to his being a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God both for a Pacification and putting away Sin It behoves a Mediator and Advocate to be a Man of Interest and Favour with the King and not an Object of his Hatred else he could not prevail for others if himself were so out of Favour S. S. The Faith of a Believer that is justified can here see Justice punishing his Transgression and that he is not justified without full Satisfaction to Justice God hath punished then the Sins of all that are justified in Jesus Christ. Rep. See here how the Man hath condemned the Just that never sinned unto the Punishment due to Sin See how he has thundred it out against Jesus Christ the burning Wrath and Hell-Fire incurred by Sinners must now be Christ's Punishment Oh wonderful Justice there was never such divine Justice known or heard of from just Men or justified Persons How God ever could be thus angry with his ever Beloved Innocent Son whom he both freely gave and upheld in his Love through all his Sufferings for God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself bearing forbearing and as sympathizing with him in Spirit in his Sufferings wherein Christ as Man was accepted a most acceptable Sacrifice howbeit his bearing the Sin of many
in himself by the same eternal Spirit by which the Saints were both Washed Cleansed Sanctified and Justified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Through the same eternal Spirit the same Power the same Righteousness the same Holiness the same Faith the same Love the same Patience c. that was in Christ do they partake of who truly follow him and walk in his steps having his Life manifest in them and received the Spirit of the Son which receives of his things and giveth unto them who walk after the Spirit not after the Flesh But Quest. What can we give to God for our Souls proportionable to so Great a Loss to so great Sufferings Sanctification and Holiness or a little Faith and the Works that follow This is likely to do Answ. A groundless Question in the first place no man can redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him for the Redemption of the Soul is pretious and so pretious as that which cannot be procured without a Price of Infinite Value Christ gave himself a Ransom for all 't is Christ himself that ransoms saves and redeems the Soul to God and that through Sanctification or washing of Regeneration and Christ is made unto us who believe in him both Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption however this man undervalues Saâ—…ctification and a little Faith and though it be the Gift oâ—… God to us and not ours to him and the Saints Victory we have not given to God the Ransom nor the Price he Loved us first and therefore we Love and believe in him and in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because he sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might Live through him 1 Joh. 4. Again though the Phrase Merit of Christ's Blood and Sufferings be not a Scripture Phrase yet the Worth and Value thereof with respect to man's Salvation we never disesteemed since we knew the true and spiritual Application Virtue and Effects of his Blood c. through his Light and Spirit to the purging our Consciences cleansing and justifying which yet is an inward Experience not shut out nor put afar off by the true Church whom God hath purchased with his own Blood not redeemed with corruptible thing but with the pretious Blood of Christ which therefore is incorruptible Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. cited by S. S. But then he egregiously mistakes in saying viz. Let us then with Paul abhor all Sanctification in us all Holiness all Works of Faith whatever is wrought by us in Comparison of what we spie by Faith in Christ. Answ. A very gross Mistake and Perversion an Abuse of Paul and of those Hearers to whom S. S. preaches such impious Doctrine It was not Sanctification or Holiness within nor yet the Works or Obedience of Faith that Paul either abhorred or rejected for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ or that he might win Christ but it was his former Confidence in the Flesh his own self-Righteousness which was of the Law and all those things that had been deemed as Gain to him that he counted Loss for Christ and for whom he suffered the Loss of all those things and counted them but as Dung that he might win Christ which he could not so account of all Sanctification or Holiness wrought by Christ within nor of the Works of Faith Can it be any less then Blasphemy as in this man's Sense thus to present and read Paul viz. I abhor all Sanctification within all Holiness and Works of Faith and I count them but all Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus and have suffered the Loss of all my inward Holiness Sanctification and Works of Faith and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ c. How unlike Paul odious and gross were it thus to pervert his Words as to say Let us with Paul abhor all Sanctification in us c. neither doth Paul make any such Difference or Repugnancy between Christ's inward Work of Sanctification and the Excellency of his Knowledge nor between being in the Faith or Obedience thereof and being in Christ and his Righteousness but really desired that he might be found in Christ not having said he mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3. 9. so far was he from either putting the Righteousness of Faith afar off or abhorring Sanctification within that he desired to have it and be possessed with it as one found in Christ. For that only doth God justifie us which doth suffice to turn away his Wrath from us and satisfie his Justice for our Transgression but Christ's Sufferings only c. Answ. I deny his minor as it depends on the Word only for then why are not all Men in the World justified for whom Christ suffered and dyed which was for all Men he tasted Death for every Man for the Sins of the whole World And yet he that believeth not on the Son hath not Life but the Wrath of God abides upon him therefore without Faith Repentance and Conversion which are Effects of Christ's inherent Righteousness and Work the Wrath is not turned away nor are Men justified Obj. Let us then place no Confidence in Sanctification Holiness Faith and the Works that follow as if these laying aside Christ's Death on the Cross could turn away God's Wrath c. Rep. Herein he varies from his Argument before which was that Christ's Sufferings only can turn away Wrath justifie c. Note It is not Sanctification Holiness Faith c. only can do it without Christ's Death or laying it aside But while here he implies that Sanctification Holiness Faith c. with respect to Christ's Death can turn away Wrath he hath contradicted his own Argument before of Christ's Sufferings only which also cannot be slited nor his Death made void where true Faith Sanctification in him are enjoyed for therein Christ himself is enjoyed and we dare not preach nor own such Doctrine as to abhor all Sanctification in us nor the having no Confidence in Faith and Sanctification which are wrought in the Soul by Christ Jesus CHAP. IV. Of Satisfaction some serious Considerations farther opening the Doctrine and Sence of our Opposers Obj. GOd will not Justifie us without full Satisfaction to his Justice for our Sin Rep. And what Kind of Satisfaction is it he thinks this Justice requires We confess a Satisfaction or answering his Good Pleasure in and by Christ Jesus but about the Manner of it as supposed and stated we differ See how the man states it He concludes it must be a Punishing our Fall 1st From God's Judgment 2dly God's Truth 3dly God's Will and Purpose Quest. What is his Ground from these see his Answer viz. 1st God hath said in the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt Dye 2dly Cursed is he that continues not
in all c. Rep. God's Truth is concerned in his gracious Promises both absolute and conditional as well as in his conditional Threats And let it be considered 1st That Man's Dying in the Day he so eat was the Fruit of his Fall into a State of Misery in dying from that State of Righteousness and Felicity he was in before and it was the Natural Effect of his Transgression and yet not so as that God was absolutely bound to bring eternal Death on Man in that day no no nor was divine Justice so narrowly tyed up or short sighted as not to reserve a Remedy for God had the Seed of the Woman in his eye and divine Justice doth not require that eternal Death or the second death shall remain upon any but on the finally Impenitent who continue in Sin under the Power of the first Death for all they who return to God and receive Christ the promised Seed he proves to them both a Just God and a Saviour neither Justice nor the Curse of the Law can limit him from shewing Mercy Remission or Salvation to the Creature upon true Repentance and Faith in Christ Jesus who overcomes the World and the evil Nature from whence those cursed Actions have sprung mentioned Deut. 27. 15. to the end of the Chapter And t is true the Jews outward who rejected the Righteousness of Faith that is received in the Spirit when Christ was set forth and fetcht their Righteousness from the Letter of the Law they did strictly and formally bring themselves under the Curse thereof when they continued not in all that was written But there is no Condemnation or Curse to them that are in Christ Jesus my Opposer leaves out what follows viz. that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Yet what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopt and all the World may become Guilty before God This Law therefore as thus convicting is Spiritual and tends to man's Conversion in that it is to prepare him for Mercy which divine Justice doth not hinder nor detain the World under the Guilt divine Truth being concerned in the gracious Promises which are Yea and Amen in the Promised Seed that ransoms Man slayes the Enmity crucifies the Transgressors or first Birth which must dye upon which the Law and its Sentence of Death must pass and Man that is guilty must feel this in himself before he be delivered into that State wherein there is no Condemnation or be united to the Lord who Kills and makes Alive So that neither Justice nor Truth in the Law are frustrated the Law is not made void through Faith but established in the Spirituality and Purity of it the Righteousness of the Law being fulfilled in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And 't is said that the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. Christ came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe and not for the Continuance of Unrighteousness and where Sin is put an End to by Christ the Curse and Condemnation of necessity ceaseth with it and the Righteousness of Faith takes place in the Soul Obj. Adam hath sinned We are by Nature Children of Wrath in our own Persons We have failed hence God's Wrath is up against us God burning in his Wrath is ready to condemn us to take Vengeance on us to consume us as Fire not to Justifie and acquit from our Ill Deserts c. If Burning ten thousand millions of Years in Hell is not enough to turn away his Wrath c. Rep. Thus he hath defined divine Justice as he thinks which is further spoken to hereafter but upon whom must it be thus satisfied supposeth he S. S. Justice is satisfied upon Transgression p. 103. Rep. Then upon Rebellious Transgressors and not upon Christ who was alwayes Innocent and did the things well pleasing to the Father and therefore divine Justice could never burn nor take such Vengeance on him for Satisfaction and let the Guilty go free for so to do could not be Justice the Satisfaction whereof as it intends the Undergoing the Penalty of the Law due for the Injury done Justice can only require it of the Offender and Guilty for whom the Law was made not of the innocent or Righteous for whom the Law was not made But where then were the Mercy or Forgiveness to the poor Creature that hath sinned if God were so engaged to burn in his Wrath and take the full Vengeance upon lost man S. S. His Truth engageth him to execute his Justice in punishing Sin yea to the full should Mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his Sin unpunished Truth would stop the Mouth of Mercy and say Hold I have Cursed c. Rep. What strange and lamentable Division would this make in God! and how variable and in Contrariety with himself And how Contrary to the Testimonies of his Faithful Witnesses hath this Man rendered God As if absolute Revenge and Wrath towards all Mankind did bear the sole Sway in him over all both his Love Goodness and Mercy Oh sad Is not his Mercy over all his Works and hath he not Forgiveness in store unto whom it is said who is a God like unto Thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his * Anger forever because he delighteth in Mercy Mica 7. 18. The Lord God merciful and gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 6 7. So that even in the Law Gods Mercy and Forgiveness as well as his Threats were signified which his Truth must needs be concerned in Is it not evident that God is not engaged under Revenge nor his Mercy and Truth divided or opposite as this Man renders him For both must be received and have their place where Judgment and Mercy meet and men through the Law become dead unto the Law so as to know Christ to live in them and through God's Judgment and Chastisements to find a Ransom and an Attonement and God hath Power to turn away Wrath as he doth upon men's true Repentance Humiliation and Return to him as when the King humbled himself the Wrath of the Lord turned away from him 2 Chron. 12. 12. And also Hezekiah seeing the Wrath of the Lord upon Judah and Jerusalem for their doing Evil in his Sight and turning their Backs c. He said Now is it in mine Heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce Wrath may turn away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 10. And in the King's Letters be ye not stiff necked but yield your selves unto the Lord
Iniquities But be not deceived God will not be mocked such as you sow such shall you reap Whereas S. S. accuseth G. W. with saying Satisfaction is not needfull Quoting Divin of Christ pag. 62. And then cryes Such Blasphemy is this Man not affraid to utter the Lord Convince and Humble him To thee S. S. I say Thou hast wronged me those are none of my Words the Lord humble thee for thy belying me thiâ—… is not the first time If thou or any Reader do but moderately view my Book and Page quoted by thee it will plainly appear that to say Satisfaction is not needfull are none oâ—… my Words for t is very plain that I have not denyed that Satisfaction that was in Christ but have objected aga nst the manner of their stating it and sinful tendence of their Notion about it as 1st Against their making Satisfaction the Effect of God's full Revenge or the Execution of Vindictive Justice as their Phrase is on his Innocent Son thereby to clear the Guilty 2dly I have distinguished between God's Chastisement and Revenge 3dly That the Intent and End of God's Peoples undergoing his Chastisements or Correction according to Jer. 10. 24. Heb. 12. 9 10 11. And their partaking of the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings is that they might be Partakers of his Holiness live and reign with him 4thly I have plainly told my Opposers That if Man continue in Rebellion against Christ rejecting his Love and Grace his Sufferings and Satisfaction will not free them from the Severity of God nor from the Execution of his Judgment which is committed tâ—… Christ c. Divin of Christ p. 62 63. The Truth of what I have written in the said Book in the Plaineness and Simplicity of it stands over the Subtility of my Opposers and remains unanswered and instead of an honest or moderate Answer this Man does but pervert curtaile tautologize nibble and pick at my Words and abuse me He doth not so much as seriously take notice of the stress of my Objections but over and over imposeth his Opinion and brings a very unfit Instance for God's judging it meet to punish all Sin or that all our Sin is punished in his Son without Cruelty c. where he saith If God doth damn the Impenitent if he damns the fallen Angels he is cruel We say No he is Just But is this and his punishing your Sins in his Son to the full a fit Parallel Let the unprejudiced Reader judge And then he grosly imposeth and begs the Question again viz. And for that person who is God to suffer a temporal Death though in his human Nature only this is of infinite Value an infinite Abasement a stroke of Infinite Wrath for had not God's Wrath against Sin been Infinite he would not thus have struck a Person of infinite Worth and Dearness to him interposing as a Surety between him and us miserable Sinners for â—…od in our Nature to suffer what he did this is more then for Men or Devils to suffer God's Eternal Wrath or Revenge this Wrath more clearly shines in the Infinitude of it in thus smiting * the Brightness of his Glory and Express Image of his Person * then in the eternal Damnation of Men and Devils in the unquenchable Flames of Hell Rep. This strange Language against God and Christ I shall need to â—…ay little about let them that know the holy Scriptures see how unlike them it is only I may query and demand of him 1st Where do the Scriptures say That God suffered a Temporal Death as a Stroak of Infinite Wrath 2dly That in Infinite Wrath he struck a Person of Infinite Worth and Dearness to him 3dly That this Wrath more clearly shines in the Infinitude of it in thus smiting the Brightness of his own Glory c. then in the Eternal Damnation of Men and Devils c. If I should conclude this both Blasphemous and Unscriptural Language that thus sets God at variance with himself or as smiting and punishing himself c. S. S. perhaps would be ready to cry out Oh Blasphemy and charge it upon me though it be his own the very Tendence Nature of his own Doctrine The Matter is fully answered and refuted before Again Where do the Scriptures say that God punished the Surety Christ for our Sins and for a time poured forth his Wrath upon him for our Iniquities p. 108. I am sure the Scripture he cites sayes the contrary of him Isa. 42. 1. viz. Behold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth Could he then pour forth his Wrath upon him for your Iniquities Oh! be ashamed of such Doctrine Could either the Chastisement of our Peace on him his bearing the Sin of many or carrying our Griefs be the Father's pouring forth Infinite Wrath upon him That it is for Christ's sake that God doth pardon upon Repentance is very true 't is well he Grants this upon Repentance and it is for Christ's sake for all the Good that is revealed or wrought in us that is acceptable to God as true Faith Repentance Obedience real Righteousness c. is all of Christ and brought forth by him in that Soul that is pardoned and Justified in him or accepted in the Beloved But how God's Forgiveness of the â—…ebt or Pardon of the Offences agrees with the Surety's full Payment and Suffering the Punishment Wrath deserved I leave to the understanding Readeâ—… to judge Or how Christ should make Intercession for them that come unto God by him if all their Debt were payed and Punishment undergone appears not especially where the Surety's Payment and Suffering is supposed in this case to be Infinitely of more Value then if the Debtor himself had payed and suffered all because of the Surety's Infinite Dignity and when if the Payment and Satisfaction of Law were thus strictly and severely made neither Law nor Justice could admit that the Debtor should lye in Prison as many do under Satan's Chains of Darkness lyable to Wrath and Vengeance but he should be both discharged and delivered ipso facto But we see it otherwise Many are yet in the Prison-House in Satan's Chains who yet may be loosed and Christ ever lives to make Intercession for them that come unto God by him The Man mends not the matter in what follows Obj. Christ Having purchased Salvation for us at the Hands of Justice by his Intercession he Obtains the Purchase at the Hands of free Grace and so applies it to us Rep. Oh strange Justice or rather Revenge fully paid satisfied but Grace yet to be so much interceded or solicited to this renders Grace more Severe then the Condemnation of the Law and Inferiour to Revenge And what Division would this make in God and between Christ and Grace it renders him Inferiour to Earthly Princes and his Grace below Common Justice among Men For supposing a Subject had forfeited his Inheritance to his Prince by Rebellion
Pardon or pronounce Man Just upon the account of an Inhâ—…rent Righteousness Sanctity or Reformation wrought by the Spirit without Satisfaction to vindictive Justice for Sins past seeing those who are the most inherently Holy have not perfectly obeyed God s Law from the Beginning of Life to the End Answ. 1. Both God's Justice Truth and Mercy have a share in Man's Reformation and Restoration to himself and it is in his uâ—…iversal Love in Christ Jesus to Mankind that he makes knowâ—… his Truth that makes free and the Grace and Truth concurring in Man's Conversion and Restoration and so in making him a New Creature it must needs be consistent with God's Truth to Pardon and pronounce Man Just as he becomes and is God's own Workmanship in whom he beholds his own Image renewed for he blessed the Works of his Hands and still blesseth them 2dly Without such a Satisfaction he doth pardon c. And yet Justice and Truth are not violated nor destroyed but have their place and share in Man's Reformation both in God's Judging Reproving and Correcting Man for Sin Coâ—…demning Crucifying and Slaying the Transgresfing Earthly Nature and Birth and Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it He came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and to Save Man that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Law forbids Adultery Christ forbids and removes the Evil Lusts and Desires which are the Ground of it The Law forbids Covetousness Christ removes It The Law forbids Murther Christ forbids Envy 3dly But from the Beginning of Life to the End who can say he hath perfect Righteousness inherent in him Answ. He that is born of God the New Creature to whom Christ is made Righteousness and who being God's Workmanship is made the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus He that is attained to this New Creature 's State hath crucified and put off the Old Man with his Deeds whom the Law 〈◊〉 that hath been the Offender and Sinner from the Beginning of Life to the End as The new Birth and new Creâ—…ture in Christ hath No Guile in his Spirit but is alwaies inwardly Righteous from the Beginning of Life And that â—…or this End God is pleased in his Son to shew forth his Forâ—…earance and Favour to Mankind and for a time to suspend the â—…evere Execution of his Law as not to execute Judgment â—…peedily but in giving Man Grace and Space to Repent be Converted and Renewed in Righteousness This answers the 〈◊〉 of his sending his Son into the World to be both a Saâ—…ice and a Saviour So his Forbearance or Suspension of the â—…verity oâ—… the Law for Christ's sake can be no making void 〈◊〉 Law Justice or Truth which Christ came to fulfil and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Difference between the Terms or Tenour of our Opposers Gospel and ours I. AS to the Sense or Substance of our Opposers the Predestinarians according to their Traditional Faith partial harsh Opinions repugnant to God's universal Grace and Love in Christ Jesus to Mankind their Gospel runs on this wise or in such Terms as these viz. We tender Grace and Salvation to all but believe it is only free for a few Elect Persons for whom only Christ dyed Therefore believe you are Elect Persons and that Christ dyed for you apply his Blood and Merits and you shall be saved though you be Sinners all your Dayes Believe that you are Justified by Christ's Death and Sufferings only though you have nothing but Matter of Condemnation in you believe that you are Imputatively Righteous by Christ's Sufferings and Righteousness without you only and in Comparison thereof do you abhor all Sanctification in you or inherent Righteousness wrought in you by the Spirit Believe that it is God's good Pleasure Sin should be in you all your Dayes to keep you humble and that Christ hath satisfied for all your Sins past present and to come Believe that God hath poured out all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ and punisht your Sin to the full in him to satisfie Justice for your Injury done him Therefore there remains no more Wrath behind for you being Elect and Justified Persons Though you commit Sin as did David and have Corruption remaining in you all your Dayes and and daily Sin in your best Duties and have Sin mixt with your Graces your Salvation is eternally secured for you as Persons whom God has had in his Eye to save you need not fear any final Fall or falling away from Grace once in Christ and ever in Christ. Thus far Presbyterians II. The Sense and Terms of our Gospel according to what follows From the Sence and Experience we have of God's free Love and Grace in Jesus Christ to all Mankind We preach in the Spirit of the Gospel The Instructions and Conditions thereof are on this wise viz. Be converted that your Sins may be blotted out Turn ye from Darkness and Sin to the true Light that shews It and reproves Evil And so turn from Satan's Power to God and receive the Remissions of Sins Believe in the Light that ye may become the Children of Light Labour to make your Calling and Election sure If ye walk in the Light the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin If ye be Crucified Dye and Suffer with Christ ye shall Live and Reign with him Believe and Obey the Gospel and be saved Christ Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Confess and forsake Sin and ye shall finde Mercy Depart from Evil and do Good and dwell forevermore Wash you make you Clean put away the Evil of your Doings c. Except a Man be born again he cannot enter in the Kingdom c. If I do not wash thee saith Christ thou hast no part with me And to them in whose Hearts the Work is begun Look diligently to your Standing lest any of you fall from the Grace of God Abide in his 〈◊〉 that you may not fall into the hand of Severity To Unbelievers and Rebellious If ye believe not in Christ you shall dye in your Sins and where He is ye cannot come The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness and his Wrath abides upon them that do not Believe nor Obey his Son Thus far Quakers so called Now serious Reader judge which of these whether the Presbyterians or the Quakers Doctrine tends to stir up and excite People to Righteousness to true Fear and Watchfulness And whether the Presbyterians doth not tend to beget People into a Self-Confidence and false Liberty in Sin upon a partial Opinion and Conceit But the Quakers Desire Aim and End is To turn People from Darkness to the true Light and to true Fear Diligence and Faithfulness to God CHAP. V. Concerning ELECTION and REPROBATION THE CONTENTS A brief Introduction
himself his by himself purging our Sins the Will of God sanctifying us through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all c. as being a Sacrifice of far more Value then those Typical ones under the Law which he fully answered and ended though they were said to make Attonement Reconciliation for Sins of Ignorance that they might be forgiven and the Scape-Goat to bear away the Iniquities and Transgressions of the Children of Israel Lev. 4. 16. 23. And did not the killing and sacrificing of Bulls Goats and Heifers typifie or figure forth the killing and destroying that corrupt beastly Nature and Enmity in man which is for Death and Destruction and which those Beasts were as a lively Embleme of Seeing hereby God was pleased in a Way of Condescension to their low Capacities to shew a Pacification or Expiation to express his Forbearance suspending the severe Execution of the Law and Willingness to pardon Iniquity and to pass by former Transgressions and be reconciled when they afflicted their Souls and offer'd up burnt-Offering in the Day of Attonement as both were required much more hath God declared himself reconciled to us in commending his Love to us in that while we were Enemies Christ dyed and so he hath shewed forth his Kindness and free Love as willing to pass by and pardon the Sins of the World upon true Repentance in his setting forth his Son to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and in his being in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them which was both in his Forbearance commending his Love and Good-Will in his Son unto the World and sending his Son that the World through him might be saved Let it be seriously here minded 1. That those Scriptures relating to Christ's Death Reconciliation Sanctification and putting away Sin as by Way of Sacrifice c. as Joh. 1. 29. Rom. 5. 10. Heb. 10. 10. Chap. 1. 3. Col. 1. 22. which intimate the Work as if universally done yet it is with respect unto the general Favour and Good-Will of God in Christ as by the which Will we Believers are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus and so we are said to be reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death Withall note that it was the manner of the Hebrews Prophets and Apostles to speak many Things in the Spirit of Prophecy as done or past before they were accomplished in the proper Subjects God having an Eye of Pitty and Compassion open to lost Man for his Redemption even before it was fulfilled whereby he saw and lookt beyond the former Transgressions Sins and Infirmities for the Sin of the World is not actually taken away purged out or put away as to its Nature and Be ing nor are Men in a State of Reconciliation or Friendship while actual Sinners and Enemies in their Minds but as they come to be converted and sanctified by the Spirit Therefore God's reconciling the World in and by his Son shews his gracious Will and was intended conditionally to be fulfilled in them viz. Upon Faith and Obedience It was done so as with respect unto Christ as the first Fruits and with an Eye to the Condition before it was actually fulfilled in them and what was outwardly signified as to the Good of Man by Christ's Sufferings and Death in the Flesh as our great Exemplar in his Obedience and Holiness is inwardly to be fulfilled and answered in Spirit as to the Principle End and Design of God therein as for Instance God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself yet the Apostle added We pray you in Christ's stead be you reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And to the Saints at Colos. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your Minds by Wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death to present you Holy and Unblameable and Unreproveable in his Sight If ye continue in the Faitle grounded and setled c. Colos. 1. 21 22 23. Mark on this Condition they were reconciled and to be presented to God Not as being Enemies and in wicked Works But as made Friends by Conversion to and continuing in the Faith And God shewing forth Mercy to all and universal Pardon of Sin past in and for the sake of his Son Christ Jesus he being the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World declares his not imputing their Trespasses unto them according to Severity but his being reconciled to them that they may be reconciled to him Finally Because God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and because he commended his Love to us while we were Sinners and we reconciled c. by the Death of his Son as our Representative If from hence any infer That their Sin being not imputed therefore they are justified by the Imputation of Christ's Death and Blood though they continue in Sin and Disobedience to him and remain Unsanctified I must deny their Consequence and tell them that there is a two-fold non-Imputation of Sin or under a two-fold consideration Sin is said not to be imputed 1st with respect to God's Forbearance while he suspends Execution and doth not cut off 〈◊〉 in their Sins when yet the Nature and Being of Sin is not destroyed nor purged away expecting their Repentance c. In this Sense David when he said I have sinned Nathan toâ—…d him The Lord hath put away thy Sin Thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12. 13. Yet this proves him not then at that time in an absolute and compleat Justified Estate or his Sin blotted out for aâ—…ter this he both implored Mercy intreated Forgiveness and passed through great Judgment Difficulty and Trouble under the Weight and Burthen of his Iniquity 2. A Non Imputation of Sin in a better and higher State as where the Miâ—…d and Spirit is sanctified and cleared and Sin really done away and wholy blotted out where the Lord Imputeth not Iniqâ—…ity but Righteousness as Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is NO GUILE Psa. 32. 1 2. It were unreasonable to think that all to whom Sin is â—…ot imputed iâ—… the first Sense are in a Justified State for then were the whole World Justified for God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their â—…respasses But in the latter Sense they are Justified being Washed Sanctified and Justified in the Name oâ—… the Lord Jeâ—…us and â—…y the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. c. 11. and such as in wâ—…ose Spirit there is no Guile And so no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but aâ—…ter the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 2. Therefore Justification And if it be further queried viz. Quest. How doth it consist with God's Justice and Truth which alwaies required perfect Obedience either to