of Christ and all his Benefits is made unto Gal. 3 22. That the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe This is the Condition of the Promise of purchased Salvation Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved How can any be supposed to obtain Interest in Christ and Salvation purchased by him that hath not the Qualifications to which Christ is promised that comes not up to the Condition of the Promise Again whom God hath decreed to save on them he doth infallibly bestow Faith and the Knowledge of Christ Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed All that are to be saved shall know Christ Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of God That it is to know Christ See John 6.45 They shall be all taught of God every one therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Further This work he hath committed unto Christ to bestow the knowledge of himself on all that are to be saved John 17.2 3. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And this is Life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Those that are given to Christ are all to be saved Eternal Life is to be given to them all and since this is eternal Life to know Christ it follows that the knowledge of Christ is to be given to them every one And this follows too to whomsoever the knowledge of Christ is never given to them eternal life is never given The Minor I prove That the Light in every man reveals not Christ Had not God said Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman ond between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy Head How could Adam with all the Light that was left him after the Fall ever have understood that it was the Gracious Design of God to save lost man by a Saviour the Seed of the Woman 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Hence it is that the whole Doctrine of Jesus Christ in Scripture is called a Mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentils believed on in the World received up to Glory Christ's Love to his Church is a Mystery Eph. 5.31 32. For this cause shall a man leave his Father and his Mother and shall be joyned unto his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church Every Truth that bears any relation to Christ is a Mystery precious but secret hid in God that which the Light every man hath that comes into the world could never find out were it not for Supernatural Revelation Yea the very Angels of God who greatly excel us in knowledge the Church being supernaturally taught of God have from it received Light to understand this Mystery Eph. 3.9 10. To make all men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God The Light of every man cannot possibly give the knowledge of Christ Only Christ himself can do this Luke 10.22 No man knoweth who is the Son but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Where therefore the Gospel comes not for Christ reveals himself by the Gospel for all the Light men brought with them into the World they have been there utterly destitute of all knowledge of Christ Isa 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that know not thee shall run unto thee Yea Christ hath not been so much as named amongst them Rom. 15.20 I have strived to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named Obj. G. W. in a Book stiled The Light and Life of Christ within would prove That this Light can reveal Christ p. 46. because it can reveal God And Christ is God If it be told him that Christ is not our Saviour considered meerly as God but as God-man that hath suffered for us he objects John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am John 17.5 Glorifie thou me with the Glory I had with thee before the world was He was before he took our Nature and was he not a Saviour then A. Let it be considered how Christ is our Saviour He is our Saviour by purchasing Forgiveness and Salvation for us by his Blood and he is our Saviour by applying that purchase to us This purchase is the Ground-work of our Salvation Had there been no purchase there had been no application of the things purchased Before Abraham was Christ was our Saviour as God who was to become man and shed his Blood for us to purchase our Pardon and Salvation and so he applied to us what he was to purchase Now he is our Saviour as God-man that hath already purchased our pardon and Salvation by shedding his Blood for us To prove that he is our Saviour considered meerly as God is to prove that he saves us though he never did nor ever was to take our Nature upon him and shed his Blood for us Truly had he never been desigued to this he had not been our Saviour any more than he is the Saviour of the Fallen Angels whose Nature he was not to take on him Those therefore who before Abraham was knew not Christ as he was to be the Seed of the Woman knew him not as the Saviour And so now those that know not Christ as God in our Nature who by his death hath purchased forgiveness and salvation for us know him not as our Saviour Obj. He objects further John 6.41 I am the Bread which came down from Heaven Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same that ascended Ans Doth this prove that Christ is not our Saviour as God-man purchasing forgiveness for us suffering in our stead but as God only This rather confirms the contrary For this was his main end in coming down from Heaven that he might take our nature on him and by dying purchase forgiveness for us that having finished this work he might ascend again This proves him our Saviour as God-man Obj. p. 70. His Divine Nature hath given us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 To which may be added Isa 45.15 O God of Israel the Saviour These Scriptures prove him a Saviour as God A. As his Man-hood concurs with his God head in applying his purchase to us Rom. 5.10 We shall be saved by his Life Chap. 4.24
alwaies when it makes use of the word Job 1.1 Job was a perfect man yet not without sin for he cursed his day Phil. 3.15 As many of us as are perfect It signifies not free from all sin for in this sense saith he ver 12. I am not already perfect Hence it follows an Argument from the use of the word in Scripture as I spake wisdome among them that are perfect c. concludes not unless it be first proved that the sense of the word in that place be free from all sin In the First Dispute G. W. objected many things As 1. Christians to destroy the works of the Devil It was Answered So he will in his time He took Six dayes to create the world when he could have done it in a moment Thus he mortifies sin more and more in this Life and will remove its being in the next Quest But why will he not in this Life Answ It is his good pleasure Quest p. 22. Can he see good not to abolish it Can he see the Continuance of evill good Or that his Commands should not be kept Answ He sees good to suffer the ungodly to go on in sin for the eternal advancement of his Justice If it were not so how easily could he change them He sees good to suffer Corruptions in part mortified in his Saints to keep them humble exercise them drive them to his blood and Righteousness for shelter from wrath and to render the infinite perfection of his merits and of his Fathers pardoning grace to all eternity more resplendent and glorious Ob. 2. Then his pleasure and commands are contrary for he hids us be perfect Answ God commands to offer Isaac he purposeth Isaac shall not be offered This shews he doth not efficaciously will every thing he commands Yet though here is a seeming here is no real contrariety By commanding he made it Abrahams duty his pleasure was to make it Abrahams duty Yet was it his pleasure it should not indeed be performed What real contrariety is here If he had further Objected God commandeth us nothing but what he enables us in this life to perform Answ He commands us from the beginning of Life to the end of Life to continue in all things written in the Law to do them yet he enables none of us to obey this command because he will not save us without Covenant of Grace and the continued sinless obedience of Jesus Christ our surety Ob. 3. Either sin is perfectly remeved in this Life or after death If after death whether doth it remain one moment after death Answ It sufficeth me to be assured from Gods word it is not done away in this Life it shall in the next Let the Lord take his own time to effect it Because I see mention of Purgatory p. 20. I further adde that since no unclean thing shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven since Christ is to present us holy unblameable unreproveable in his sight a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle As part of what Christ hath merited touching this point is applyed from time to time to a Believer whereby he dyes unto sin by degrees so at his death the whole of Christs merit is applyed immediately whereby sin is for ever totally abolished and the soul prepared to see God to his unspeakable comfort face to face Ob. 4. But it is the end of the Ministry which is to continue till we come to a perfect man Eph. 4.13 It was Answered That perfect man is Christ with all his Members for he consists of many till we all come to a perfect man And he is thus to be a perfect man in the other world not this Quest Is the Ministry to continue in the other World It was Answered The Ministry is to continue to the last Trump and to the last Trump will sin be in the Saints but then in a Moment will the Saints be changed and perfected and in the same moment will the Ministry cease In the second dispute he urged ver 12. Christ gave Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints Here I asked how long was the Ministry to continue in perfecting of the Saints whether till death or no After a pause he answered not so long as death I gave him a Scripture to prove that the Ministry and Scriptures were perfecting the Saints as long as they live Deut. 17.19 The King shall read therein all the days of his Life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God If he is to learn to fear God all the dayes of his Life Hence thus I argue whilst the Ministry and Scriptures are perfecting the Saints they are not perfected As whilst a Carpenter is building an house the house is not builded whilst God was creating the world the world was not created In the very moment when the world was created in that very moment God did cease from creating But the Ministry and Scriptures are perfecting the Saints all the dayes of their Life therefore the Saints are not perfected all the dayes of their Life He answered the Jews are under another dispensation or Covenant I asked in regard the Scriptures were perfecting the Jews all the dayes of their Life whether he would grant that the Jews at least were not porfected all the dayes of their Life here he was gone for he knew not how to deny it being made so plain though he would not grant it I could get no answer from him Here we may see how false that Assertion of theirs is that there is no coming to heaven for any in the other world who are not first freed from all sin in this It is evident God brought the Jews to heaven yet was not one of them made free from sin in this Ob. Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled It was Answered 1. In point of Justification Believers are in Christ their head spotless clear as the Moon fair as the Sun 2. In point of Sanctification through renewing and assisting grace they do not allow themselves in any known sin but in Gods fear oppose all and this is their evangelical perfection or sincerity Ob. 6. Psal 119.3 They also do no iniquity To which may be added Divin of Christ p 3. He that abideth in Christ sinneth not doth not commit sin in whose spirit is no guile Answ 1. They allow themselves in no sin but sincerely strive to do their duty Answ 2. So far as regenerate and acting from the regenerate part they do no iniquity a Parallel place is Rom. 7.17 It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Where Paul manifestly distinguisheth between his regenerate and unregenerate part nor is this Tautologie as G. W. insinuates Glory Christs Light p. 21. For to say a man acteth from his regenerate part speaks the springing of his actions from a right principle to say he doth no iniquity speaks the conformity of his Life to a right Rule It follows not hence the Saints are perfectly free
it by Faith as kindleth love to God and Christ above their lives and engageth their hearts in all obedience It is true such have many faylings but far from open petulant derision and contempt of God their unavoidable infirmities are their burthen in these they can read their own deserts even to have them as dung cast back into their faces and to be rejected for them but their sin is their misery they loath themselves and cease not to make their spotless Saviour who bled for them their refuge and thus in him they have peace comfort safety Salvation The Lord convince and humble slanderers and establish his own people in his Truth Concerning Election and Reprobation I Should not have medled with this deep mysterious point but that by his additional depravation of Gods truth he hath engaged me thereunto I shall therefore God assisting briefly lay down manifest and vindicate the truth so far as I see it opposed And here this Proposition That God did most freely unchangeably and from all eternity choose some particular persons to partake of saving grace and salvation by Jesus Christ for the praise of the glory of his grace From whence it will necessarily follow that he hath reprobated or passed by others I must manifest this by parts 1. Gods Act which essentially takes in the object thereof he hath chosen some particular persons 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you Jo. 15.19 I have chosen you Eph. 14. He hath choseu us This being directly denyed I shall adde Arguments Arg. 1. Particular persons in time receive mercy are converted made to persevere are saved therefore did God decree this before hand For God worketh according to the Counsel of his own will Eph. 1.11 Arg. 2. God hath made absolute promises of the first saving grace Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean A new heart will I give you Chap. 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes Jer. 31.33 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward parts Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. These promises are but a declaration of his purpose or Decree and they are not made concerning all but particular persons whom God hath in his eye to save otherwise every one would be made clean would have a new heart a heart of flesh Gods Law written in his heart would be taught of God and so come to Christ but experience shews the contrary Arg. 3. Persons by name are particular persons but God hath chosen persons by name Rev. 13.8 All that dwel on the earth shall worship the beast whose names are not written in the slain Lambs book of Life from the foundation of the world So may the words be read Arg. 4. All that are chosen do infallibly believe in time and partake of Christs Righteousness Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Rom. 11.7 The Elect have obtained it Therefore some particular persons were Elected for if all were Elected all would infallibly believe and so partake of Christs Righteousness Arg. 5. Jacob was a particular Person and loved before he had done any good according to Gods purpose of Election Rom. 9.11 Arg. 6. God knows his Elect from others and this not only after but also before they are called 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God stands sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Jo. 13.18 I know whom I have chosen Jo. 10.14 I am that good shepheard and know my sheep ver 16. Other sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voyce Therefore are they particular Persons These and not others that the Lord hath chosen Jo. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Arg. 7. This appears from the very Nature of Election for where all are taken or all are left there can be no Election 2. The end and intendment of this Act. This with respect to Man is that he might partake of saving grace Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us that we should be holy That we might also partake of Salvation by Jesus Christ. 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord with respect to God that the glory of his grace might be praised as we have it exprest Eph. 1.6 verse 11 12. Predestinated that we should be to the praise of his glory 3. The Properties of his Act. 1. Most freely did God Elect those that are Elected Rom. 9.11 The Children not being yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said the elder should serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Though these last words were spoken when Esaus posterity was the border of wickedness Mal. 1. Yet whatever G. W. saith p. 45. were they spoken to signifie the free choice that God long before bad made of Jacob and his seed which free choice was manifested in those words of Love concerning Jacob the elder shall serve the younger for they were spoken before the Children had done good or evil nothing had Jacob done to move God thus to preserve him before his brother And further the Apostle tells us this was done that the purpose of Gods Election might stand or take place So that God did but Act then as he had decreed of old to do And further yet the Apostle tells us this Election is not of works but of him that calleth No mans good works foreseen are the things that move God to choose but it is the meer good pleasure of God who effectually calls and prevails on whom he will This is further manifest from Ver. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy The Truth is we have naturally no will to that which is spiritually good how should we when we cannot know the things of God when holiness and faith in Christ are foolishness to us so Ver 18. He hath mercy on whom he will The Apostle goes on Ver 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honour another to dishonour The Lump is Men and Women to be created the making of Vessels is Gods creating mankind with a decree of permitting their fall the making of this Vessel to honour that to dishonour is Gods creating such a person with a Resolution to recover him out of his fallen state by saving grace this resolution is
the sufferers that have endured the storms for them they have been ready to run away p. 11. The earth indeed hath helped the Woman the Lord did so ordain it Were their cause good their call clear and their carriage holy their sufferings had been acceptable to God But they suffer not for the upholding all Gods Ordinances in the purity of them rather for Preaching down Baptism for Preaching down the Supper for Preaching down the Scripture as no Rule that will guide to Heaven and instead of these Ordinances of God they set up an Ordinance of their own which God never appointed for his Church Dumb Meetings In extraoâ—dinary cases we read of Prophets and others Dumb for a time but which of the Prophets which of the Apostles ever did ordinarily from week to week assemble Gods people together and was in like manner dumb amongst them Or where did God ever command his Church to meet from time to time to sit and look one upon another The Cause being bad it is impossible they should have a Call from God They are then but Will-sufferings And yet if both Cause and Call were good this vain glorious carriage would of it self spoil all Our Saviour bids when they Persecute in one City fly to another And he himself could withdraw into a desart place in time of his Disciples fears And when the Jews sought his Life could walk no more openly And the Apostles according to Christs Counsel and Practice could withdraw from place to place yet so as still going on with their work But these must be seen in the same place however threatned and then to boast of it when they have done as if they had wrought some meritorious work to set up themselves as such Saints for this and to despise others who when they have a Call can through Gods assistance and do submit to sufferings at other times rather choose to tread in the steps of Christ and his Apostles These saith God are a smoak in my Nose The proud vain glorious Pharisees lost all their Prayers Vain glorious Ananias and Saphira after they had parted with a great portion of their estates to be reputed Religious must part with their Souls also Above all persons therefore boasting sufferers are to be pitied because they are like to be double sufferers and but single gainers they have their reward But there is One thing in their Narrative relating to my Brethren which I dare charge them withall that is Slander as I verily believe They give out p. 10. That some of us employ men for they call them our Agents to go from house to house to beg money for us And p. 11. That some of us have compacted with the Ministers of the Parish to give them a part of the money if they will permit them to make again of their slock by Preaching to them If they prove not these things true they must needs be looked on as guilty of slander And there are two things in it relating to my self which I complain of Vnupright dis-ingenuous dealing and falshood Of the former because when they write G.W. his proofs they sometimes make no mention of my Answers They omit several of the Arguments I urged in both Disputes They lay not down the strength of others as urged They lay down what frivolous thing they please as an Argument of mine which I never brought in as an Argument p. 28. This is not a full Light for God created the Starrs which are not a full Light Also p. 29. If it convinceth of sin then not of the contrary These are none of my Conclusions They moreover impute harsh and uncouth specches to me p. 19. That I should say the Light in its common operations is given to Unbelievers p. 28. That 't is not given to all And p. 38. By the Righteousness of Faith Justified persons are sanctified These are none of my sayings Of falshood the Latter I complain in many particulars They affirm p. 4. That I should say The Light within might save them that have not the Scriptures I never affirmed this a full account of what I said follows in the close of that Question Whether the Light in every man be saving And again p. 33. That I should say Go Baptize ye Rebels Though I called them Rebels and proved it of which too afterwards yet I affirm this a falshood I never looked on such fellows as Ministers of Christ fit to Baptize Further p. 7. It was usual with this S. S. When he could not Reply to make a noise I know nothing urged pertinent but it had its answer I affirm it to be a falshood that any thing that was urged I could not answer Moreover p. 24. They give out that I dired them to affirm or deny before they refused Another falshood p. 12 These Priests hold men are Imputatively Righteous whilst Actually sinners Take sinners for Persons in whom sin is not perfectly abolisht and those that are Righteous by Imputation are such Gal. 2.17 Eccl. 7.20 take sinners for Persons allowing themselves in sin and this is a gross falshood G. W. Would have impudently fastned upon me this assertion in the Dispute That I said Water Baptism is necessary to Salvation I then checkt him to his Face and renounced it openly as not said by me Yet against all this Light these men have the Faces to fasten it still upon me I affirmed then and do still the contempt of it is Damnation Yet it is not necessary as Faith is necessary The Thief was saved without it To these falshoods I shall adde with reference to G.W. That having bargained and agreed with me under his hand to signifie his affirmation or Denial to all Questions that should be asked pertinent to the point in hand whether I demanded his Affirmation or Denial ten or fifteen or twenty times or more for I frequently did it yet could scarce at all get it from him I do not remember one time for when I extorted the Concessions mentioned 't was one of his Brethren by that yielded to me he was obstinately neutral durst not deny the things were so plain yet would neither be Ingenuous nor faithful to confess the truth any other way then by his silence or his not openly contradicting him that did confess it I do pronounce him guilty of falshood so many times as he refused to affirm or deny And are these the Saints The men that are immediatly sent from God Infallibly inspired by the Holy Ghost that they cannot erre In Thaxtead I have been credibly informed a Quaker stiled this G. W. an Angel from heaven A very black one if he be These two last things complained of engage my Pen because I see the Doctrine of Christ sharing with me in my sufferings by them which I must not brook My design in Writing being the Readers Profit I shall not barely relate the Particulars of the Disputes but pointing at them as I go shall God assisting
in our hearts within Answ 1. The spirit dwelling in all believers is sometimes a sweet mover to duty though no indwelling spirit yet by common convictions he strives with unbelievers who do resist the Holy Ghost The duty he puts men upon is agreeable to the Scripture and his motions are not to be quenched Answ 2. The things commanded in the Scripture are to be done whether the spirit inwardly puts men forwards or no Look over these Four last Arguments againe Otherwise supposing the spirit never putting forward within it had been no sin for the Jews before Christs time to reject all the Ceremonial Law nor for us to omit all those duties hinted in the Second Argument Gods commands cease not to be Gods commands either because the spirit doth not within put men on to obey them or because they are written therefore we are to obey them though the spirit within puts not on And this is to obey the spirit or to obey God Therefore according to the Fourch Argument Though men should say the spirit did never inwardly put them on they are certainly to be damned who obey not the voice of God in Scripture And to these I adde this Fifth Argument Otherwise some wicked men in living contrary to the Scriptures do not sin cannot be damned for so doing for some have sinned away the motions and strivings of Gods spirit are past feeling given up to reprobate sense 6. We are to hear what the Spirit of Faith saith to the Churches and this is written Answ 3. Yea Because a thing is written in the Scripture are we to do it If my Faith in God or Christ be weak and I find it written fear not I am with thee You believe in God believe also in me I will in Gods assistance rowl my self and act faith on God and Christ for this reason because I see these sweet words in the Scriptures of God If I feel any want what ever and light on these words Ask and ye shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble Be careful for nothing but in every thing let your requests be made known to God because I find these sweet commands in Gods book I will with Gods help take heart and fall to pray I appeal to any mans Conscience whether I do not well in so doing This Induction might pass for the First Argument and the Second is this For seeing a thing written in Scripture I am the more sure it is the mind and Will of God all Scripture being by divine inspiration therefore I thought for this very reson the rather perform it because I find it written Arg. 3. And why doth God command us to read but that we should obey Deut. 17.19 The King shall read in the book of the Law all the dayes of his Life that he might learn to keep all words of this Law to do them The end of our very reading must be practice A 4th Arg. from Examples see in the close of the Letter that follows The Scripture binds and that in those things of which the Light in every man by it self saith nothing And dares any man say that this Light doth bind the Church of God in those things the Scriptures do not teach Let no man be wise above what is written And now let the Reader judge which is the highest and safest Rule to Heaven the Scriptures or the Light in every man Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full only infallible trying binding Rule to Heaven and that in those things of which this Light saith nothing Gods will so much of it as is discovered by this Light is no Rule at all to heaven because no full Rule not the only Rule hardly distinguishable from the dictates of darkness Sin and Satan insufficient to try all Doctrines by not at all binding the Church in those things the Scriptures do not teach To conclude Mind what a dreadful thing 't is to walk by a false Rule to take that for the way to heaven which is not 1. It is Condemnation 2 Thes 2.11 12. God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lie That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth It is a fearful thing to be bound hand and foot for ever to be in utter darkness among Devils in a Lake of fire unable to die God langhing at our calamity because we rejected his Counsels and chose our own ways a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. It is Damnation after hope Mistakers think they see the right way to Heaven and therefore hope but to be damned after hope how greatly will this augment the Misery 3. it is to be damned after pains-taking to be saved after Zeal after Conscientiousness in walking as a man supposeth according to the Will of God The Pharisees were conscientious in keeping the Law and setting up their own Righteousness for Justification but through their Errour missing of Christs Righteousness after all their Zeal and Conscientiousness in doing what they did they are damned and lost to all Eternity How unconceivably miserable it is to be deceived It is our safety our great wisdom to walk by such a Rule as cannot deceive us Scripture-Counsel is full and all by divine Inspiration Walk sincerely according to this Rule thou canst not erre thou canst not be damned If all the dictates of Light within were infallibly the Truths of God yet heart Counsels are some of them from Darkness and the Devil walk after these though never so warily thou maist possibly erre possibly thou maist lose thy Soul To say I will forsake all the Counsels of darkness that are within me and walk only after the Counsels of the Light within me is as if thou shouldst say here is a Cup of Wine mixed with poyson I will drink out only the wine and leave the poyson Friend the Scriptures are a Cup of pure wine no Counsels of Sin Errour Darkness Devils mingling with the Counsels of God Is it not safer drinking there Whether every man be enlightned with a saving Light SO much having been spoken by me and granted by the Adversary touching this Light compared with the Scriptures I did deservedly explode this Question out of the Second Dispute where I had but little time left for discussing the following Questions Yet now I must not decline it Upon two accounts may a Light properly be denominated Saving 1. If it reveals objectively all Truths to us necessary to Salvation This may be called saving because if we obey it in all things we shall certainly be saved Thus the Scriptures or the Gospel contained in them are an external saving Light External I say because it must have entrance by our Senses Rom. 1.16 The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Eph. 1.13 The Gospel of Salvation Acts 11.14 Words by which we may be saved 2. If it enlightens our Understanding effectually to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation
God immediately reveals the same Truth and Duty that are contained in the Scripture or divers from these If the same this is to say God doth that of which there is no need at all because 't is done already that he doth that in an extraordinary way which he hath already done in an ordinary He feeds Israel with Manna after that they are furnished with the Corn of Canaan If divers this is to say there is another way to heaven beside that that is laid down in Scripture But it is acknowledged that Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full Rule an only Rule Arg. 10. Satan casts evil motions into us the Spirits are to be tried false Teachers to be convinced Therefore 't is false that we need not mind the Scripture but only wait for immediate teachings Having already proved Satans access to believers the Antecedent is clear The Consequent I thus make good 1. If we cleave not to the Rule given the Scripture and try by it 't is easie for Satan to prevail with us to embrace his injections for good If our first Parents in a state of perfection and knowing it was the Devils Counsel not holding to the Rule given were prevailed upon much more may we who are not always so sure 't is Satan when he is busie with us and who have not attained to Adams perfection 2. Spirits cannot so well be tried false Teachers cannot at all be convinced by immediate teachings as a Rule By the Scripture they may Two things in order hereunto are to be examined the Doctrine of the Spirits and the Lives of the Teachers Suppose then a Jew should teach the Messiah is not come pretending immediate Mission and Revelation for this G. W. to convince him tells him 't is a false Doctrine for I am sent and taught by the Spirit immediately that he is come The Jew laughs at him and tells him he is deluded G. hath no more to say But when Apollos took the Jews to task Acts 18.28 He mightily convinced them and that publickly shewing by the Scripture that Jesus was Christ Again If a man walks naked in the Market-place crying out against sin if another kills himself by Fasting if a third gives himself up to commit Fornication and all these pretend immediate Revelation their warrant it is not sufficient to their Conviction for a man to tell them I am immediately taught of God that in you these are sins The other will deride you fancy your self so taught of God but you know not the depths of the spirit as I do I am a Prophetess saith Jezebel Rev. 2.20 But Gods word written in the Scripture plainly condemning these things in all convincingly shews them odious every where and is enough to stop their mouthes that dare plead for their Lawfulness Arg. 11. I shall adde this The spirit doth not immediately reveal the whole Bible to Believers therefore he doth not reveal immediately to them all their duty For 't is their duty to believe all that is there taught to practice all that is there commanded The Scriptures a binding Rule to prove this Thus it appears immediate Revelation of our whole duty is not vouchsafed therefore have we no warrant to expect it To look for it is presumption to fancy we have it is to pride our selves in a Lye and will cause to despise the Scripture Answ 8. To refuse the teachings of Gods spirit in the Scripture unless so far as they agree with immediate teachings within cannot be safe It is to limit and tempt the Lord to impose upon him as saying thou shalt immediately teach me first or I will listen to nothing in thy Scripture According to this an Heathen coming amongst us and reading or hearing the Gospel must not entertain it because it was never immediately taught him by the spirit A Child must not obey any thing of the Scripture till it be first immediately taught him But If any shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Rev. 22.19 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27.26 The Scriptures are binding Answ 9. It cannot but be very safe to attend unto and obey the Teachings of Gods Spirit in the Scriptures There is no inward Revelation can be more sure As to us the Scriptures are a more sure word of Prophecy and unto it we do well to give heed And Blessed is he that Readeth Rev. 1.3 If through the assistance of Gods Spirit with sincerity integrity constancy a man walks according to Scripture Rule he cannot possibly miss of Salvation Answ 10. The Holy Ghost will not be offended to have any of his other teachings tryed by his teachings in the Scripture This he approves in the Bereans safely may we therefore embrace what is agreeing with the Scripture safely reject what agrees not with it Gods will laid down in Scripture being the only Rule Answ 11. To make immediate teachings without tryal our Rule is to expose our selves to a thousand errors Answ 12. The teaching of Gods Spirit in the Scripture is the highest and safest Rule to heaven It is most safe to walk by this It is not safe to refuse the teaching of the Spirit in the Scripture because we find not immediate Teachings that agree therewith but very safe not to entertain immediate Teachings of the Spirit until we know they agree with Scripture because we are enjoyned to try the Spirits And now by all that hath been spoken hitherto it easily appeareth that Quakers have have no saving Rule by which they walk no sound foundation on which they build We are built on the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets laid down in Scripture This is our Rule this is our foundation here we fetch all Doctrines for our Faith hence all directions for our practice But what is their Rule their foundation If they say the Light in every man then they must fetch all their Doctrines all their directions hence But this is sand for it reveals but a small part of their duty and not a word of Christ This failing they usually fly to immediate Revelation If this be their Rule their foundation they must receive hence all Doctrine all direction necessary to salvation If they receive some only 't is but a sorry foundation they cannot build on it for full direction If they look for the knowledge of all Doctrines all Duties hence they build on a Castle in the Air a meer fancy for though God can he doth not he never did immediately teach his Church all they were to believe and practice Whether perfection that is a state free from all sin be attainable in this Life LEt the Reader consider one thing that though the Scripture speaks of perfection sometimes in this sense Heb. 12.23 The spirits of just men made perfect 1 Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come Yet not
from sin for when Paul in this sense did no iniquity sin dwelled in him Nor will G. W. say I suppose no man is regenerate but who is perfectly free from sin Otherwise though he boasts of being in the Light he must be unregenerate for he confessed he had not yet reached perfection Ob. 7. But guilt cannot be taken away whilst the being of sin remains It was answered it can Ro. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit This intimates there is flesh in such though guilt is removed The Apostle speaks of himself who was then regenerate and in Christ and so had guilt gone yet acknowledged a Law of sin in his members In the Second Dispute this being asserted Eccles 7.20 was urged There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not The Just person is one that is justified his guilt gone yet he sinneth To this there was no answer given It was said in the first dispute Job 9.19 If I sin thou will not acquit me Answ If I sin as do the wicked with allowance Thus he that is born of God doth not commit sin and God will by no means clear such as are thus guilty Ob. 8. Heb. 12.22.23 You are to come to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Answ This speaks of spiritual comeing by faith whereby the Saints on earth enjoy communion with God and the Saints in heaven not at their having attained unto the perfection of the Saints in heaven Will he say they have attained to the perfection of God himself For 't is said ye are come to God Will he say every of the Hebrews had attained to be perfectly free from all sin so as to have no evil thought in them any more for ever as it is with the Saints in heaven p. 20. The Scriptures saith he speaks not of any perfection of the body Yet he goes on and would fain prove such a perfection from hence that it ought to be It seems then he asserts a perfection that he grants the Scripture speaks not of But his Argument is weakness it self Duty is one thing Power or Possession another These Eight Objections were all answered in the first Dispute so that he had nothing more to say in vindication of either of them He was not so ingenuous as to write my Answers lest he should discover the sandiness of the foundation he builds his doctrine on I find other objections in his Divin of Christ 1. In the Epistle He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Answ Meritoriously The sanctified need no other sacrifice to fly to all their dayes Will he say none are sanctified that have any sin in them 2. Christ cleanseth from all sin He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Answ What sin is cleansed is cleansed by Christs blood Christ blood from time to time cleanseth away all guilt from Believers It cleanseth away the reigning power of sin in this Life the being in the next not in this for John washed and cleansed confesseth 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves 3. He will througly purge his Flooer Answ Separate the ungodly from the Righteous 4. Can the work of faith and grace be sinful Answ Faith it self can be imperfect therefore the work of faith Lord I believe help my unbelief Imperfection is sin for perfection is duty 5. Page 20. He that is born of God overcomes the World God hath made my way perfect 2 Sam. 22.23 Answ Though he hath his failings his course of Life is holy notwithstanding all opposition from the world or other enemies Will they say none is born of God but who is free from the being of sin then no Quaker is born of God for the man cannot be brought that is perfectly free from all sin Nor can it be proved that by perfect is meant free from all sin David had failings in the end of his dayes and he acknowledged his house was not so with God but David asserts the Perfection of his warlike attempts not of his graces as the context sheweth 6. Such as are in Christ have cast off the old man Answ The Reigning power of sin Have crucified the flesh Answ It is dying a lingring death Faith Purifies the Heart Answ Casts out the reigning power of sin from time to time delivers from an evil frame purgeth out evil thoughts and motions though still others succeed It is said Rom. 6.6 That the body of sin might be destroyed Answ In the other Life it shall in this our work is vers 12. Not to let sin reign not to obey it in the lusts thereof 7. In whose spirit is no guile Answ Who having sin doth not cloak it but confesseth it plainly and is sincere desiring mercy as appears in the next verse Psal 32.2 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old 8. Are not all the Works of the Spirit of God perfect They glory much in this Objection but there is nothing in it For Answ 1. The Operation or working of the spirit is alwayes perfect he works in infinite wisdom by infinite power 2. The Work or thing wrought is alwayes perfect for its part nature or kind a bud is a perfect bud An Embrio is a perfect Embrio The least Drachm of grace true and not counterfeit 3. Every saving grace though but like a grain of Mustard-seed shall be perfect in degree also in Gods time As was the work of Creation 4. But every saving work of the spirit is not presently perfect in all those degrees of perfection it is to attain unto 1 Thes 3.10 Praying that he might see your face and perfect that which is lacking in the Faith 5. Nor doth every saving grace wrought by the spirit of God forthwith exclude the being of all sin Which is the perfection enquired after To affirm this is to say in whomsoever is any sin in him Gods spirit never wrought any grace that since Moses chode at the waters of Meribah God never wrought meekness in him 9. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Answ 1. Sometimes the word fulfil signifies no more then sincerely to obey the Law whether in part or in whole In part Ja. 2 8. If ye fulfll the Royal Law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy Neighbour This is but part for there is another part of the Law requiring Love to God So Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ That is that part of the Law which requires this duty In whole 1 Chro. 22.13 If thou takest heed to fulfil the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord charged Moses then thou shalt prosper Be strong And in this Life we receive grace thus to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law that is sincerely to obey every precept so far as we attain to
understand it Answ 2. Sometimes the word fulfil is used to signifie most perfect exact and through conformity to every title of Gods Law Mat. 15.17 18. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil And thus in the other world Gods people shall attain to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law but not in this He that affirms it must prove it Answ 3. Yet our Divines understand the Righteousness of Justification This being the Scope of the Aposile to prove no condemnation to believers because the Gospel or Law of the Spirit of Life frees them from the condemning power of the Law of Works because God sent his Son and condemned our sin in him who had perfectly obeyed the Law that through the imputation of what Christ hath done and suffered we might be looked on as if from the beginning of Life to the end to have obeyed the Law as creatures to have satisfied it as sinners 10. You plead for Sin This is in every ones mouth An opprobrious and gross slander Answ 1. Do we say it is lawful to sin Let it be considered who do more call men off from sin they or we Their Light without the Scriptures will help to call men off from Lying Injustice Uncleanness Disobedience to Parents and such like Duties of the Law of Nature And do we tell men it is not needful to forsake these sins We urge men to forsake these and to the observance of the Christian Sabbath we press to secret Prayer and prayer in the Family to begging of God a Blessing on the food we take after the example of Christ we press to repent of the very being of an evil thought in us arising out of our hearts and of a Nature inclining us to offend we press the Celebration of the never abolish'd Ordinances of Baptism and the Supper we press to seek remission by the Blood of Christ All these according to the Doctrine of the Apostles on whom with the rest of the true Church of God we are built and according to the unerring Rule of Gods word written Who do press men unto Holiness who do call men off from Sin more than we Answ 2. Do not we denounce against men that if they allow themselves in any Sin and Wickedness they must perish to Eternity Answ 3. Do we not say it is the duty of all to be perfect and to press after it to watch against all even the least sins to repent of every failing and fly to Christs blood and Gods free Grace for pardon Answ 4. We do indeed tell men that God will accept of their sincere and true endeavour to do all flowing from Faith in his Grace and the Merits of Christ though they cannot attain to be quite free from Sin It may be he will say this Doctrine encourageth to Sin But I say this Doctrine naturally encourageth to strive against Sin and endeavour after Holiness whereas the contrary discourageth and takes men off from their endeavours If two Companies of Children were to run a Race and one should say to this Company there are strong men at the end of the Race if you run as strong and as fast as they can run you are to enjoy a rich inheritance but if not you are to die Another should say to that Company though you are not able to run as last as men and as strongly yet if you do your best endeavour and hold out you are to enjoy the rich inheritance I ask which of these two did speak most to the encouragement of their Companies The former spake to the cutting off their endeavours by despair the latter to the putting of Courage and Life into them Thus 't is here saith the Quaker to his Company In Heaven which is the end of the Race there are the Spirits of just men made perfect you must obey as perfectly as they there must be no sin at all in you and then you shall obtain Salvation but if otherwise you must look to perish Saith the Scripture-Minister to his Company Though you cannot attain in this life to be as pure as those in heaven yet if by Faith you fly to Christs Blood and Merits and sincerely endeavour to please God in all things and hold out thus to the end God will graciously accept and save you I appeal to the very Consciences of all Quakers now who is it that doth most encourage to press after Purity and Holiness Must they not according to this Doctrine say I must be quite free from all sin here or burn in hell to all eternity I have tried to get free these 3 or 6 or 10 or 20 years and could never all this time attain it and what ground can I have of better hopes for the future than I have had all this time I may not look for it And if I may not come to heaven unless in this Life I get free from all sin I am shut out from Mercy to what purpose shall I press after Holiness Such must needs be the workings of their hearts who will believe there is no salvation without perfect freedom from sin in this Life I come now to lay down more Arguments against this Doctrine having already urged one from Eph. 4.12 And the first shall be of Instruction because I am perswaded men therefore plead for this Perfection because they know not what it is Arg. 1. We should not speak an idle word for this we are to give an account at Judgment we should not have one vain thought in us How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee We should not have one Wandring thought in Prayer Eccles 5.3 The Holy Ghost calls a wandring Prayer a Dream we should not have one inordinate desire Thou shalt not covet We should not have one evil imagination against our Neighbour Let no man imagine evil against his Brother in his heart We should not so much as conceive any evil in our hearts Acts 5.4 Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart G. W. cuts my Argument short p. 21. But I asked him Whether a state of freedom from all these sins were attainable in this Life He had the face to tell me it is But the Consciences of all enlightned persons Observers of their own hearts will bring in testimony against him What saith Nehemiah Chap. 13.22 Spare me O my God according to the greatness of thy Mercy In the Dispute I urged Job And if any were perfect in this sense surely he the holiest man then on Earth But what is his Testimony Job 9.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What I perfect I should not know my Soul He abhors to entertain such a thought How did Paul find it Phil. 5.12 Not as though I were already perfect Paul was sensible of his imperfection Compare this with v. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded that is let as many as are well grown in Grace see and be sensible of our imperfection or let not any
with them Christs spiritual Coming therefore puts not an end to this Ordinance Therefore it must needs be that only his second coming in the flesh or his last coming at the end of the world that shall put an end to this Ordinance If they will cavil at Christs appearing in the Flesh let them know that Christ will change our vile Bodies and make them like his glorious Body And yet saith Job In my flesh shall I see God So that when Jobs Body is a glorious Body like Christs yet doth it not cease to be flesh No more doth Christs Obj. Div. p. 50. If Christs coming in the Spirit be not the end of the Lords Supper where then is the Mystery and inward Spiritual Grace signified by the Outward Sign Answ This man seems better pleased with his Conceits than Christs Truth and when he cannot by Reason perswade he would by Sophistry cheat men into a belief of Errour Is the Contest about the Design Is it not about the Cessation of the Supper He speaks not to the Point If the Argument had been framed thus What is the Design of the Lords Supper that attained is the Cessation of it But Christs Spiritual Coming is the Design The Maâ—or Peoposition would have carried as much Truth in it as this The Design of Preaching is to form Christ in us assoon as Christ is formed in a man therefore he must he preached unto him no more The design of eating is to have Hunger satisfied to be strengthened If therefore a person hath once satisfied his hunger and strengthened himself by eating he must never eat more It being clear that the Supper is an Ordinance of the Lords own appointing never repealed nay appointed to continue till Christs coming in the end of the world Is it not Rebellion against the Lord to reject it And shall we be found as Pharaoh crying Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice When the Lord hath appointed it for our good to further our spiritual Communion with him nourish strengthen our Faith and help us in our Obedience shall we reject this Love of Christ Shall we deprive our own Souls of this Spiritual Food Indeed had men only appointed it we could have no warrant to use it no ground to expect Gods blessing in the use of it In vain do they worship me saith God teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men But since it is the Lords own Institution there is good to be hoped for from it Deut. 12.28 It shall go well with thee and with thy Children after thee for ever when thou dost that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God This Ordinance is such a thing What though it be a Sign a Shadow If God sets us a Shadow a Brazen Serpent it shall not be in vain to look up unto it What if it were true that we were perfect Yet if the Lord will appoint Adam even in Innocency the use of a Sign the Tree of Life he hath reason to rejoyce in it And truly by instituted Worship in a singular manner doth God try our Love or Hatred of him as we may see in the Second Commandment He will show Mercy to thousands of them that love him punish the iniquity of Parents upon their Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him God reckons those that are Conscientious Upholders of instituted Worship Lovers of him To conclude therefore Let us examine our selves and so let us eat for if we would judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord. Whether we are Justified by the Righteousness of Christ Imputed THis is a Point of great moment A man may erre in many other things and yet be saved as by fire but an Errour in the substance of this is certain Damnation All therefore had need be well informed about it By the Righteousness of Christ understand his Active and Passive Obedience or his fulfilling the Law in his own person when on Earth and his suffering to the death according to the will of his Father By the Imputation of it understand Gods making it over to us upon believing his giving granting vouchsafing it to us reckoning or accounting it ours As for the word Justifie the Scripture sometimes but very rarely useth it to signifie to make just by inherent Holiness or to sanctifie Tit. 3.5 7. He saved us by the washing of Regeneration that being justified c. It is used in contradistinction to Sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. And thus mostly We are therefore to take it in this latter sense In which it hath two significations all belonging to the same thing It signifies to declare Just Luke 7.35 Wisdom is justified of her Children Psal 51.4 That thou maist be justified when thou speakest To Absolve Acquit or Discharge Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth who shall condemn Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the ust are both abomination to the Lord. Here it cannot signifie to make just for this would be no abomination to the Lord. As to the thing signified 1. Justification implies an Accusation true or false When a Father commends his Child charged with no crime this is not Justification but Praise The Devil may bring false accusations against us Had man continued in the State of Innocency no true Accusations could have been brought against him But now Moses or the Law of God is the true Accuser of every one of us John 5.45 There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust The Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 The true Accusation or Charge that it brings and at the Day of Judgment will bring against us is this Thou hast broken the Law for thou hast not from the beginning of thy life to the end thereof done every thing required in it The Law will thus charge us for it is not abrogated or made null If it were no wicked man could be condemned by it But our Saviour tells us Luke 16.17 It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail And we are assured Rom. 2.12 He that hath sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law 2. Justification doth necessarily suppose an Apology or a Defence made by or for the Party accused For if there be nothing pleaded on his hehalf the Judge may not justifie but must condemn him This Defence is but two ways to be made either proving the Accusation false So Wisdom is justified of her Children This world censures the Wisdom of God foolishness but her Children honour her And so would a good Angel be justified if accused the Accusation would be proved false and that he never from the first moment of his Creation once sinned against God thus he is capable of being justified by
inherent holiness Or if the truth of the Charge cannot be denied Justice demanding What hast thou to say for thy self why thou shouldest not be condemned the only defence is by pleading Though I am guilty yet satisfaction hath been made for that guilt Because therefore the same fault cannot be twice punished after satisfaction 't is as if it never were This is the only way of Defence we have at Gods Tribunal We cannot plead we never broke the Law for we have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God But we must plead Satisfaction made to the Law and Justice of God for our guilt by our Surety the Lord Jesus Christ and evidence our right to the benefit of this Satisfaction by our Faith in his Blood even such a Faith as hath wrought by Love 3. Justification doth formally denote a Declaration that the Party accused is Just or Innocent and an Acquittance of him by the Sentence of the Judge But this Acquittance as to us fallen Creatures is a proper Absolution or Pardon Had Adam in Innocency been accused his Justification had been a Declaration of him Innocent in his own person and an Acquittance of him from all penalty of the Law as not deserved Our Justification is a Declaration of us who have been guilty in our own persons just or innocent through the Satisfaction or Righteousness of Christ our Surety made over and reckoned to us through Gods free Grace upon our delieving and an acquitting of us from all penalty of the Law though deserved which is properly Absolution or Pardon So that though Adam in Innocency or a good Angel could be justified without a Pardon yet 't is impossible we should be justified any other way but by being pardoned To sum up our Doctrine If the Question be What is it to be justified The Answer is to be declared just and to be absolved If the Question be Who is it that doth justifie or pronounce us just and absolve us The Apostle answers it Rom. 8. It is God that justifieth If the Question be We are guilty in our own persons for what is it that God doth justifie us The Answer is for the Satisfaction or Righteousness of Christ Rom. 5.18 By the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to Justification and Life If the Question be What is it that gives us interest in Christs Righteousness or upon which it is imputed or reckoned to us The Answer is Our Faith Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto Righteousness If the Question be What will evidence our Faith to be living and sound Faith The Answer is Our sincere Obedience to the Law Jam. 2.24 You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only We are justified by works as evidencing our Faith living by Faith as giving Interest in Christs Righteousness by Christs Righteousness imputed to us as constituting us righteous and satisfying for our Guilt for the sake of which God doth impute us righteous and absolve us This is the Doctrine we teach G. W. on the contrary teacheth that Justification is by Faith in Christ and by the Works that follow Faith without Christs Righteousness imputed In this we agree there must be a working Faith or no Justification And we must believe in Christ for Sanctification In this we differ whereas according to the Law of God this Charge is and will be brought against us You have not from the beginning of your Life to the end perfectly obeyed the Law It is therefore demanded what have you to say why you should not bear the Curse He saith Faith in Christ and the Works that follow without any mention of Christs holy Life and Sufferings is our sufficient defence against this Charge is that which constitutes us righteous before God as the Law requires and for which consequently God doth declare us righteous and acquit us in Judgment We say that Christs holy Life and Sufferings is our only Defence or Apologie against this Charge the only thing that can constitute us righteous according to what the Law requires the only thing for which God doth declare us righteous in Law and for which he absolves and frees us from the Curse of the Law as being imputed and made ours upon believing And again Christs holy Life and Sufferings being the only thing for which God doth justifie us We say that Faith in Christs Blood and Righteousness as the only thing that can satisfie the Demands of the Law and Justice of God is the only justifying Faith and that Faith that overlooks this Object Christs Obedience to the Death as the only thing that can satisfie the Demands of the Law and Justice of God is but a Soul-destroying Faith whatever it be He on the contrary holds that Faith in Christ for Sanctification only is enough to bring him to Heaven The Controversie thus stated I come now to prove we are justified by Christs Righteousness imputed and not without it From which if I make it good the other point clearly appears That that Faith which carries not out the Soul to Christs Righteousness to have it imputed is but a Soul-destroying Faith Arg. 1. No man can be declared Righteous in a Legal sense but who hath the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him But every one that God doth justifie he declareth righteous in a Legal sense Therefore there is no man justified but who hath Christs Righteousness imputed to him The Minor is proved from what hath been already manifested To justifie is to declare just to declare just in a Legal sense because it is to discharge him from the accusation of the Law and in justifying God doth judge us by the Law though by the Gospel also The Major will easily appear if we consider what 't is to be righteous in a Legal sense It is to be invested with a sinless Righteousness from the beginning of Life to the end thereof for this the Law requires It doth require perfection not only in the end of our Lives but in the middle also and in the beginning It never allows us to sin If at ten years of age a person commits Murder and then lives according to the Law of the Land in every tittle forty years then arraigned for this he pleads that after that Offence he continued to live exactly according to the Law the Judge cannot pronounce him innocent and so acquit him because the Law did not allow him to commit Murder any part of his Life In regard God wants not knowledge and proof of our Offences if we have had but one evil thought or have committed but one sin only all our dayes if he looks not on us in his Son reckoning his sinless Righteousness to us how should he declare us righteous in a Legal sense For the Judgment of God is always according to truth Rom. 2.2 Having Christs Righteousness imputed we are invested with an everlasting Righteousness he did not sin nor
most free such a person with an intention to leave and never recover him out of his fallen state by renewing grace Thus God doth not make any a wicked creature as G. W. imagines we must say p. 46. Nor doth God consume any man meerly as his own workmanship but God endureth with much long-suffering unregenerate men and they fit themselves for destruction This he that is recovered will acknowledge 2 Tim. 1.9 Not according to our works but according to his purpose The reason of God saving us in time by the washing of regeneration is not to be fetcht from our works any thing that we have done but from Gods purpose of old who freely and of his good pleasure did decree it Eph. 1.5 Predestination unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ is according to the good pleasure of his will 2. Gods Election is unchangeable He will certainly bring in he will never finally reject that soul he hath taken liking to Christ must bring in his sheep and he hateth putting away nor shall it be possible to deceive the Elect. Psal 33.11 The Counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Election is that product of Gods counsel the determination of infinite wisdom consulting Rom. 9.11 The Purpose of God according to Election must stand So that here is purpose upon purpose a purpose to save such a soul and a purpose not to alter that purpose but infallibly to bring it to pass Men change their purposes for want of fore-knowledge but nothing can fall out not sin it self causing God to alter his purpose he foresaw all and can give repentance From this Doctrine grace will not cause a Child to sin the more boldly but to loath himself the more for sin As in other things the Lord purposeth and none disanulleth it Isa 14.27 So in this Psa 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth and in the Sea and all deep places 3. From all Eternity did God Elect. In time doth God convert and cause to persevere but Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 According as God hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Obj. p. 41. This puffs up Answ It works self-abasing admiration of Soveraign grace it gives great rest and engageth the heart of a sincere believer to an utter detestation of all sin Obj. If the everlasting state of persons is thus secured all Warnings are impertinent and vain Answ No God that decrees their salvation decrees by such warnings to work in them his fear and a holy caution to keep in his ways that they may be saved From this Doctrine of Election thus manifested thus vindicated by most evident consequence appears the Truth of the Doctrine of Reprobation viz. That God hath rejected or refused others from all Eternity or Decreed never to convert them by bestowing saving grace on them but for sin to damn them for the praise of the glory of his Justice For if God hath chosen some who can deny that he hath refused others And the Scripture if we will believe it will make it manifest in all the parts of it 1. That God hath refused some particular persons Jo. 10.26 You are not my sheep Rom. 11.7 The rest were blinded Rom. 9.18 Whom he will he hardeneth Peter deserved hardening as well as Judas that God hardeneth Judas not Peter proceeds from the meer pleasure of his Will He makes as the great Potter what Vessel he pleaseth to dishonour that is God makes him with an intention to suffer his fall and never recover him by renewing grace 2. That God hath from Eternity thus refused them Jude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Add this Argument As there are Particular Angels whom God suffered to fall though he could as easily have preserved them from it as he did the rest so there are Particular Men and Women whom God never recovers by saving grace out of their fallen condition though he could as easily have recovered them as others if he had pleased but he endures them with much long suffering to fit themselves for destruction Therefore from all Eternity did God decree thus to do concerning them in particular for known to God are all his works from the foundation of the world 3. That God hath decreed to damn these persons for sin Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil He damneth particular persons for sin therefore of old did he decree to damn those particular men for sin 2 Pet. 2.12 As Beasts made to be taken and destroyed 4. That all this is for the praise of the glory of his Justice Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much Long-suffering Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And though God hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to mercy every returning Sinner yet if a person perseveres in wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity and mock when his fear cometh This Doctrine of Reprobation being the Truth of God according to Scripture from it I draw these Consectaries 1. That it cannot be inconsistent with his Prohibitions p. 42. Eat not His Conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted If you seek the Lord be will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in darkness His Conditional Threats If thy heart turn away thou shalt perish If you forsake him he will forsake you His sending his Son into the world not to condemn the world His giving his Spirit to instruct them in these things His setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats Or his giving men up to their Lusts for sin For there can be no Repugnancy in Gods actions between themselves On the contrary all these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of Gods Decrees the magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the salvation of all the Elect who enabled by his special Grace to believe and obey are saved according to the Promises the magnifying his Justice or making known his wrath in the Reprobates who according to the Soveraign Dominion of God left to themselves reject Christ and increase in their Rebellion against God and so are justly given up and damned according to the Threats 2. That God is neither partial nor cruel in decreeing to deny saving Grace to some whilst he decrees to give it to others that he is