consideration 1. As it respecteth Christ. 2. Man 1. As it respecteth Christ so it concerns his compleating the Redemption of Man by himself by his own personal performances John 6. 38 39. Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9 10. 2. As it respecteth Man it doth first and immediately respect our believing on him for Remssion of Sins and Eternal Life And this is the Will of the Father which sent me saith Christ that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 40. This then is the will of God That Men do believe in Jesus Christ. Again when the Jews asketh Jesus Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God he did not send them first to the Morral Precept or to it's first Principles in the hearts of Men by obeying that to fit themselves for Faith but immediately he tells them This is the Work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent John 6. 29. This is the Work of God that is this is his Commandement that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ c. and love one another as he gave us Commandement 1 John 3. 23. If any Man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine that is as I have said he shall feel and have the Authourity of this Faith in his heart both to give Peace and Joy in his heart and assurance and the Sealing of his Soul to Glory For all these things come in upon believing First in Christ. 1. By Faith we have Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. 2. We have Joy and Peace through Believing Rom. 15. 13. 3. Assurance comes also through Believing Joh. 6. 69. Heb. 10. 22. 4. Yea and the Sealings up to Eternal Life In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1. 13. 5. Sanctification and a right obedient temper is not to be found in Men before but after they have believed He purified their hearts by Faith Yea Heaven and Eternal Happiness is promised to them who are Sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Act. 15. 9. Chap. 26. 18. This First Text therefore hath been by you abused in that you have ungodly strained it but in vain to make it warrant your Heathenish preparations to Faith The Second Scripture He that is of God heareth Gods Words ye therefore hear them not because you are not of God John 8. 47. Answ. This Scripture supposeth Men must first be of God before they can hear God's Word before they can hear it with the hearing of Faith and therefore nothing respecteth those that before they have Faith live in the Law of Works and least of all those that become obedient thereto that thereby they may obtain everlasting life For these are not of God not of him in a New Testament Sence not Sons because they are born of Men of the will of Men of the Law and according to the Wisdom of Flesh and Blood John 1. 12 13. Your Third Scripture is And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed Act. 13. 48. Which Text you thus expound That as many of the Gentiles as were disposed or in a ready preparedness for Eternal Life believed that is those which were Proselites of the Gate who were admitted by the Jews to the hope of Eternal Life and to have a Portion in the Age to come without submitting to the whole Law or any more then owning the God of Israel and observing the Seven Precepts of Noah Answ. 1. That obedience to the Morral Law is not a preparative to Faith or an excellent and necessary qualification to the right understanding of the Gospel I have proved 2. That to be a Jewish Proselite was to live in the Faith of Messias to come is the strain of all the Scriptures that have to deal with them 3. But that ordaining men to Eternal Life respects an act of the Jews or that the Jews did dispence with the Gentile Proselites in their casting off all their Laws but the seven Precepts of Noah 4. Or that God counted this a fit or forerunning qualification to Faith in Jesus Christ neither stands with the Word of God nor the Zeal of that People 5. Besides the Words presently following seem to me to insinuate more viz. That the Jews and Religious Proselites that adhered to Paul at his first Sermon verse 43. did Contradict and Blaspheme at his second verse 45. And moreover that it was they that raised Persecution upon him and expelled him out of their Coasts verse 50. When the Gentiles even those that were more Barbarously ignorant at his coming when they heard that by Christ there was offered to them the forgiveness of Sins they believed verse 48. and Glorified the Word of the Lord. The Wisdom of Heaven so disposing such of their hearts that were before by him not by Jews ordained to Life And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed But you come again in Pag. 269. to the Scripture first urged by you If any man will do his will c. and you tell us That this must also needs be implyed he shall rightly understand the Doctrine too Which word understand you so carry as may best help you in case you should meet with an Adversary As if any should thus object that here you have granted that the Words make promise of an understanding of the Gospel yea require in it the very first act of the will then you readily shift it by saying That this is implyed onely suggesting that obedience to Morrals is expressed and therefore muh first be thought on and done But if one of your Brotherhood stop here and make the objection then you add It is Knowledge at least in all the necessary points thereof absolutely necessary and Essential parts from among which you long since did cast out Coming to God by Jesus Christ Yea you add That by that which you call the design of the Gospel it may be presumed that whosoever considereth it with a design of being so that is of living up to Humane Principles and that desireth to be possessed again of the Holiness he hath lost for that is it for the proof of which you have Written above 300 Pages he must needs believe the Gospel to have come from God and also be inlightned in the true Knowledge of at least the necessary points of it viz. All Morral Duties contained therein which are never a one of them as such an Essential of the Gospel but are such Duties as are consequential to the belief thereof Wherefore although you feign it this honest temper as you call it will not help you 1. To judge of the Gospel without Prejudice nor 2. To evidence it with satisfaction nor 3. Secure those in whom it is from Error and Delusion No Man being more Bruitish or Heathenish nor so void of satisfaction about it nor
more involved in Error concerning it then your self being truly what you charge upon others 1. Grosely ignorant 2. Too highly Opinionate 3. Proud in affection 4. Lignorish 5. A Self-Lover 6. And for your Blasphemy under the just Judgement of God If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. I am come now to your last Chapter Pag. 281. which tells us wherein the essence and life of Christianity Censisteth viz. In a good state and habit of mind in a holy frame and temper of Soul Answ. 1. It consisteth in a Life of Faith when I live in the belief of this that Christ loved me and gave himself for me The Life that I now live in the Flesh saith Paul it is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. And besides a good state and habit of mind or an Holy frame and temper of Soul in your notion of them which respecteth purely obedience to Morrals from Natural Impulses or Dictates of our Humanity they are rather Heathenish then Christian and being alone end in Death rather then Life As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse he saith not they that Sin against it but they that are OF the Works of it such as do Justice Righteousness Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Morral Duties from Principles Humane Natural or as Men they are under the Curse because they have sinned first and also are in firm and weak in their pursuit after the perfections they desire These follow after Righteousness but that flyes from them wherefore they do not obtain it because they seek it not by Faith in Christ but as it were by the Works the Righteous Good and Holy Works of the Law But you add It is such a habit of mind such a frame and temper of Soul as esteemeth God as the chiefest good and preferreth him and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World and that prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections c. Answ. 1. God must needs be esteemed the chiefest good by all that have but and are ruled by the light of Nature because they see him by his Works to be Almighty Merciful and Eternal but this may be where the Knowledge of the Man the Mediator is not therefore this in this and in your sence cannot be of the Essence of Christianity for that it is common to all the World That estimation of God which is common to Natural Men cannot be of the Essence of Christianity because they want that knowledge of him that comes by Jesus Christ and so are not capable to esteem of him under a Christian consideration But you say it is that good habit and temper of mind that preferreth God and his Son Jesus Christ before all the World Answ. He that esteemeth God above all must needs at least in his Judgement so prefer him but whereas you add and his Son Jesus Christ you put in them Words but as a Cloak For your self have not preferred his Son Jesus Christ no not before a Morral Law no not before your obedience to it although but by Humane Principles Yea you have accounted the Command of God by which we are injoyned by him to come to God a thing in it self but like Levitical Ceremonies or as Baptism and the Lord's Supper a thing in itâ—self indifferent and absolutely considered neither good nor evil Pag. 7 8 9. You add It is such a tempâ—r as prizeth above all things an interest in the Divine Perfections such as Justice and Righteousness Vniversal Charity Goodness Mercy Patience and all kind of Purity Answ. Seeing by these expressions you onely intend Morral Vertues and those that are inherent in you and originally operations of Humanity it is evident that you have but Impiously and Idolatrously Attributed to your own goodness so high and blessed a Title For whatsoever is in your Nature and Originally the Dictates thereof and whatsoever proficiency you make therein by Humane Principles and helps of Natural Indowments these things are but of your self your own Justice your own Righteousness your own Charity Goodness Mercy Patience Kindness c. Now to call these the Divine Perfections when they are onely your own Humane Vertues bespeaks you I say Fond Impious and Idolatrous and shews you in the midst of all your prentended design to Glorifie God such an one who have set up your own goodness with him yea and given it the Title of his blessed Grace and Favour That Scripture you mention Rom. 14. 17. Although by the Word Righteousness there is intended obedience to the Morral Law yet to it by persons already Justified by Christ's Righteousness hence they are said to do it in the Joy and Peacâ— of the Holy Ghost or by the Joy and Peace which they had by Faith in Christ's Righteousness as Revealed to them by the Spirit of God Hence again they are said in IT to serve Christ or to receive the Law at his hand which he giveth to them to walk after having first justified them from the Curse thereof by his Blood 2. The Law was given twice on Sinai the last time with a Proclamation of Mercy going before and he that receiveth it thus receiveth it after a Gospel manner For they as Justified persons are dead to the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Body of Christ that they might live to another even to him that is raised from the Dead But you by this Scripture intend not this Doctrine for you make Justification by Christ come after not before obedience to the Law Yea you make obedience thereto the Essential and coming to God by Christ but a thing of a more remote Nature from true and substantial Gospel-Righteousness In Page 283. you speak again of the old Principle and thus you comment A Principle of Holiness that respecteth Duty as with respect to the Nature of the Command so not with respect to the Duty as occasioned by certain External Inducements and Motives but from a good temper and disposition of Soul Answ. This I say still respecting your old Principle of Humanity and the Purity of your Nature the most amounts but to this Your Principle is confined to a liberty of Will and Affections with respect to doing of the Law of Work which many have professed to have and do before you and yet have come short of the Glory of God For as I told you before I tell you now again that the Gospel-Principles are the Holy Ghost and Faith which help that Soul in whom they dwell to count believing in Jesus Christ the great Essential part of our Christianity and our reckoning our selves pardoned for the sake of him And
Of his fulness have we all Saints received and grace for grace Wherefore the holiness that hath its original from us from the purity of the humane nature which is the thing you aim at and that originally as you term it is the dictates thereof is the Religion of the Socinians Quakers c. and not the Religion of Jesus Christ. And now I will come to your indifferent things viz. those which you call positive Precepts things say you of an indifferent nature and absolutely considered are neither good nor evil but are capable of becoming so onely by reason of certain Circumstances Of these positive indifferent Precepts you say you know but three in the Gospel but three that are purely so viz. That of coming to God by Christ the Institutions of Baptisme and the Lords Supper This we have in Page 7. and 9. 1. These words as I hinted before are highly derogatory to the Lord the King of Glory and trample as much upon the Blood of the Son of God as words can likely do For first If coming to God by Christ be in it self but an Indifferent thing then as I also hinted before it is not of the substance of Christianity but a man may be truely a Christian without it may be saved and go to heaven without it This is in truth the Consequence of your words for things purely of an indifferent nature do not in themselves either make or marre the Righteousness that justifieth us from the Curse before God Wherefore by your Argument if a man remain ignorant of that positive Precept of coming to God by Christ he remaineth ignorant but of an Indifferent thing a thing that in its self is neither good nor evil and therefore not essentially material to his Faith or justifying Righteousness 2. An indifferent thing in it self is next to nothing neither good nor evil then but a thing betwixt them both Then is the Blood of the Lord Jesus in it self of no value at all nor Faith in him of it self any more then a thingâ— of â—ought their virtue and goodness onely dependeth uponâ— certain Circumstances that make them soo For the indifferency of the thing lyeth not simply in coming to God but in coming to him by Christ Coming otherwise to God even in this mans eyes being the All in All but in this coming in coming to him by Christ there lyeth the indifferency I marvel what injury the Lord Jesus hath done this man that he should have such indifferent thought of coming to God by him But hath he no better thoughts of his own good deeds which are by the Law Yes doubtless for those saith he are of an indispensible and eternal obligation which were first written in mens hearts and originally dictates of humane nature pag 8. Mark Not a dictate of humane nature or necessary conclusion on deduction from it is of an indifferent but of an indispensible not of a transient but of an eternal obligation It is onely going to God by Christ and two other things that he findeth in the Gospel that of themselves are of an indifferent nature But how indifferent Even as indifferent in it self as the blood of a silly Sheep or the ashes of an Heifer for these are his very words SVCH that is such ordinances as in themselves are of an indifferent nature were all the Injunctions and Prohibitions of the Ceremonial Law and some few SUCH we have under the Gospel page 7. Then in page 9. â—he tells you what these positive Precepts under the Gospel or things indifferent are THAT of going to God by Christ is one and the other two are Institutions of Baptisme and the Lords Supper SVCH therefore as were the Ceremonies of the Law such even SVCH saith he is that of going to God by Christ c. Wherefore he that shall lay no more stress upon the Lord Jesus to come to God by then this man doth would lay as much were the old Ceremonies in force upon a silly Sheep as upon the Christ of God For these are all alike positive Precepts such as were the Ceremonies of the Law things in themselves neither good nor evil but absolutely considered of an indifferent nature So that to come to God by Christ is reckoned of it self by him a thing of a very indifferent nature and therefore this man cannot do it but with a very indifferent heart his great and most substantial coming to God must needs be by some other way But why should this THIEF love thus to Clamber and seek to go to God by other Means such which he reckoneth of a more dispensible nature and eternal seeing Christ onely as indifferent as he is is the onely way to the Father I am the Way saith he the Truth and the Life No man cometh to the Father but by me If he be the onâ—ly Way then there is none other if he be thus the Truth then is all other the Lye and if he be here the Life then is all other the Death let him call them indispensible and eternal never so often So then how far off this mans Doctrine is of sinning against the Holy Ghost let him that is wise consider it For if coming to God by Christ be in it self but a thing indifferent and onely made a Duty upon the account of certain Circumstances then to come to God by Christ is a duty incumbent upon us onely by reason of certain Circumstances not that the thing in it self is good or that the nature of sin and the Justice of God layeth a necessâ—y on us so to But what be these certain Circumstances For it is because of these if you will believe him that God the Father yea the whole Trinity did consult in Eternity and consent that Christ should be the Way to Life Now I say it is partly because by Him was the greatest safety he being naturally the Justice Wisdome and Power of God and partly because it would we having sinned be utterly impossible we should come to God by other means and live He that will call these Circumstances that is things over and above besides the Substantials of the Gospel will but discover his unbelief and ignorance c. As for your saying That Calvin Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchy and others did not question but that God could have Pardoned sin without any other Satisfaction then the Repentance of the Sinner pagâ— 84 It matters nothing to me I have neither made my Creed out of them nor other then the Holy Scriptures of God But if Christ was from before all World 's ordained to be the Saviour then was he from all Eternity so appointed and prepared to be And if God be as you say infinitely page 136. and I will add Eternally just how can he Pardon without he be presented with that Satisfaction for Sin that to all points of the highest perfection doth answer the Demands of this Infinite and Eternal Justice unless you will say that the
him by but as a Seal of the Righteousness of THAT Faith which he had being yet Vncircumcised Now we know that Circumcision in the Flesh was a Type of Circumcision in the heart wherefore the Faith that Abraham had before his outward Circumcision was to shew us that Faith if it be right layeth hold upon the Righteousness of Christ before we be Circumcised inwardly and this must needs be so for if Faith doth Purifie the Heart then it must be there before the Heart is Purified Now this inward Circumcision is a Seal or Sign of this That that is the onely saving Faith that layeth hold upon Christ before we be Circumcised But he that believeth before he be inwardly Circumcised must believe in another in a Righteousness without him and that as he standeth at present in himself Ungodly for he is not Circumcised which Faith if it be right approveth it self also so to be by an after Work of Circumcising inwardly But I say the Soul that thus layeth hold on Christ taketh the onely way to please his God because this is that also which himself hath determined shall be accomplished upon us But unto him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt but to him that Worketh not but Believeth in him that Justifieth the VNGODLY his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4. He that is Ungodly hath a want of Righteousness even of the inward Righteousness of Works But what must become of him Let him Believe in him that Justifieth the Ungodly because for that purpose there is in him a Righteousness We will now return to Paul himself he had Righteousness before he was Justified by Christ yet he chose to be Justified rather as an unrighteous man then as one Indued with so brave a Qualification That I may be found in him not having mine own Righteousness away with mine own Righteousness I chuse rather to be Justified as Ungodly by the Righteousness of Christ than by mine own and his together Phil. 3. You Argue therefore like him that desireth to be a Teacher of the Law nay worse that neither knoweth what he saith nor whereof he Affirmeth But you say Were it possible that Christ's Righteousness could be imputed to an Vnrighteous man I dare boldly affirm that it would signifie as little to his Happiness while he continueth so as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is almost starved c. Answ 1. That Christ's Righteousness is Imputed to men while Sinners is sufficiently testified by the Word of God Ezek. 16. 1 8. Zech. 3. 1 5. Rom. 3. 24 25. Chap. 4. 1 5. Chap. 5. 6 9. 2 Cor. 5. 18 21. Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Rev. 1. 5. 2. And that the Sinner or unrighteous Man is happy in this Imputation is also as abundantly Evident For 1. The Wrath of God and the Curse of the Law are both taken off by this Imputation 2. The Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost are all Intailed to and followers of this Imputation Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not Impute Sin It saith not that he is Blessed that hath not Sin to be imputed but he to whom God will not Impute them he faith Therefore the non Imputation of Sin doth not argue a non being thereof in the Soul but a Glorious act of Grace Imputing the sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness to Justifie him that is yet Ungodly But what Blessedness doth follow the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to one that is yet Ungodly Answ. Even the Blessing of Abraham to wit Grace and Eternal Life For Christ was made the Curse and Death that was due to us as Sinners that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Faith in Jesus Christ That we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 13 14. Now Faith hath it's eye upon two things with respect to it's act of Justifying First it acknowledgeth that the Soul is a Sinner and then that there is a sufficiency in the Righteousness of Christ to Justifie it in the sight of God though a Sinner We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law Therefore they that believe aright receive Righteousness even the Righteousness of another to Justifie them while yet in themselves they are Sinners Why do they believe in Christ The answer is That they MIGHT be Justified not because in their own Eyes they are They therefore at present stand Condemned in themselves and therefore they believe in Jesus Christ that they might be set free from present Condemnation Now being Justified by his Blood as Ungodly they shall be saved by his Life that is by his Intercession For whom he Justifieth by his Blood he saveth by his Intercession For by that is given the Spirit Faith and all Grace that preserveth the Elect unto Eternal Life and Glory I Conclude therefore that you argue not Gospelly in that you so boldly Affirm that it would signifie as little to the Happiness of one to be Justified by Christ's Righteousness while a Sinner as would a Gorgeous and Splendid Garment to one that is ready to perish For farther Thus to be Justified is Meat and Drink to the Sinner and so the beginning of Eternal Life in him My Flesh is Meat indeed said Christ and my Blood is Drink indeed And he that Eateth my Flesh and Drinketh my Blood hath Eternal or Everlasting Life He Affirmeth it once again As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that Eateth me even he shall live by me John 6. Here now is a Man an Hungred what must he feed upon Not his pure Humanity not upon the sound Complexion of his Soul nor yet on the Dictates of his Humane Nature nor those neither which you call truly Generous Principles But upon the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God which was once given for the Sin of the World Let those then that would be saved from the Devil and Hell and that would find a Fountain of Grace in themselves first receive and feed upon Christ as Sinners and Ungodly Let them believe that both his Body and Blood and Soul was offered for them as they were Sinners The believing of this is the Eating of Christ this eating of Christ is the beginning of Eternal Life to wit of all Grace and health in the Soul and of Glory to be Injoyed most perfectly in the next World Your Twelfth Chapter is to shew That Holiness being Perfected is Blessedness it self and that the Glory of Heaven Consisteth chiefly in it Answ. But none of your Holiness none of that inward Holiness which we have Lost before Conversion shall ever come to Heaven That being as I have shewed a Holiness of another Nature and arising from another Root then that we shall in Heaven injoy 2. But farther Your Description of
thus being set free from Sin we become the Servants of God and have our fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life Rom. 6. 20. Your description of a Child of Abraham you meaning in a new Testament sence is quite beside the truth Forâ—albeit the Sons of Abraham will live Holy Lives become obedient to the substantial Laws yet it is not their subjection to Morrals but Faith in Jesus that giveth them the Denomination of Children of Abraham Know ye therefore that they that are of Faith are the Children of faithful Abraham They that are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham Yea they that are of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham In Pag. 284. You say That there is not one Duty more affectionately recommended to us in the Gospel then is Alms-giving Answ. Yes That there is and that which more immediately respecteth our Justification with God then Ten Thousand such Commandements and that is Faith in Christ. Alms-Deeds is also a blessed Command yet but one of the Second Table such as must flow from Faith going before Faith I mean that layeth hold on Christ's Righteousness if it be accepted of God For before the Heart be good the Action must be naught now the Heart is good by Faith because Faith by applying Christ's Righteousness makes over whole Christ to the Soul of whose fulness it receiveth and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. Many things in this last Chapter are worthy Reprehension but because you tell us in the last two Pages thereof is the Sum of all that need to be said I will immediately apply my self to what is there contained You say Pag. 296. It is not possible we should not have the design of Christianity accomplished in us and therefore that we should be destitute of the power of it if we make our Saviours most excellent life the Pattern of our Lives By our Saviours Life as by a Parenthesis you also express you mean as your self hath in short Described it Chap. 5. viz. The greatest Freedom Affability Courtesie Candor Ingenuity Gentleness Meekness Humility Contempt of the World Contentation Charity Tenderness Compassion Patience Submission to the Divine Will Love of God Devoutest temper of mind towards him mighty Confidence and trust in God c. Answ. Our Saviours Life in not onely these but all other Duties that respected Morrals was not Principally or First to be imitated by us but that the Law even in the preceptive part thereof might be fully and perfectly fulfilled for us 〈◊〉 Christ is the 〈◊〉 of the Law for Righteousness the end not onely of the Ceremonial Law but the ten Commandments too For if the word Righteousness respecteth in special them Jesus increased in favour with God This respecteth him as made under the Law and his pleasing of God in that Capacity So also doth that In him I am well pleased Now I say as Jesus stood in this Capacity he dealt with â—lse Law in it is greatest force and severity as it immediately came from God without the advantage of a Mediator and stood by his perfect complying with and fulfilling every Title thereof Besides as Jesus Christ had thus to do with the Law he did it in order to his finishing transgression and putting an end to Sin and so consequently as Mediator and Undertaker for the World For his perfect complying withal and fulfilling every Title of the Law respected nothing his own private person that he for himself might be Righteous thereby for in himself he was eternally Just and Holy even as the Father but it respected us even us For US he was made under the Law that we by his fulfilling the Law might by him be Redeemed from under the Law and also receive the Adoption of SONS For we having sinned â—â—nd transgressed the Law and the Justice of God yet requiring obedience thereto and the Law being too weak through our Flesh to do it God therefore sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh who himself for us did first of all Walk in the Law and then for Sin suffered also in his Flesh the Sentence and Curse pronounced against us by the Law For it was nothing less necessary when the Son of God became undertaker for the Sin of the World that he should walk in obedience to the whole of the Precepts of the Law to deliver us from the Judgement of the Law I say it was no less necessary he should so do then that he should bear our Curse and Death For it would have been impossible for him to have overcome the last if he had not been Spotless touching the first For therefore it was impossible he should be holden of Death because he did nothing worthy of Death no not in the Judgement of the Law to which he immediately stood Now as Christ Jesus stood thus to and walked in the Law it is Blasphemy for any to presume to imitate him because thus to do is to turn Mediator and Vndertaker for the Sin of the World Besides whoso doth attempt it undertakes an impossibility for no Man can stand by the Morral Law as it immediately comes from the Divine Majesty he having Sinned first even before he goeth about to fulfil it And in this sence is that to be understood as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse held accursed because they have sinned first accursed in their performances because of imperfection and therefore assuredly accursed at last because they come short of the Righteousness thereof 1. Christ Jesus did never set himself forth for an example that we by imitating his steps in Morrals should obtain Justification with God from the Curse of that Law For this would be to overthrow and utterly abolish the Work which himself came into the World to accomplish which was not to be our example that we by treading his steps might have Remission of Sins but that through the Faith of him through Faith in his Blood we might be reconciled to God 2. Besides thus to imitate Christ is to make of him a Saviour not by Sacrifice but by example Nay to speak the whole this would be to make his Mediatorship wholly to center rather in prescribing of Rules and exacting obedience to Morrals then in giving himself aransome for Men. Yea I will add to imitate Christ as you have prescribed may be done by him that yet may be ignorant of the excellency of his Person and the chief end of his being made Flesh For in all these things which you have discoursed in that fifth Chapter of him you have onely spoken of that something of which is apprehended by the light of Nature Yea Nature it self will teach that men should trust in God which is the most excellent Particular that there you mention Wherefore our Lord Jesus himself foreseeing that in Men there will be a proudness to contentent themselves with that Confidence he intimateth that it would be in
us insignificant if it stand without Faith in himself Ye believe naturally in God saith he Believe also in me Faith in Jesus is as absolutely necessary as to believe immediately in the Divine being Yea without Faith in Jesus whosoever believeth in God is sure to perish and burn in Hell If you believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins And to take Jesus in Morrals for example is no where called believing in him neither is there one promise of eternal life annexed to such a practice But you say If we tread in his blessed steps and be such according to our measure and capacity as we have understood he was in this World Answ. I say for a Man to confine himself onely to the life of the Lord Jesus for an example or to think it enough to make him in his life a pattern for us to follow leaveth us through our shortness in the end with the Devil and his Angels for want of Faith in the Doctrine of Remission of Sins For Christ did no where make another Mediator between God and him nor did he ever trust to another Man's Righteousness to be thereby Justified from the Curse of the Law neither did he at all stand in need thereof without which WE must be Damned and Perish Now I say these things being no where practiced by him he cannot therein be an example to us And I say again seeing that in these things by Faith in them is immediately wrapped up our Reconciliation with God it followeth that though a Man take the Lord Christ in his whole life for an example in the end that notwithstanding he abideth unreconciled to God Neither will that clause and be such help such a person at all For Justification with God comes not by imitating Christ as exemplary in Morrals but through Faith in his Precious Blood In the Law I read that the Paschal Lamb was neither to be eaten Sodden nor Raw but Roast with fire must it be eaten Exod. 12. Now to make Salvation Principally to depend upon imitating Christ's Life it is to feed upon him Raw or at most as Sodden or Sanctified and Holy But the precept is Eat it Roast with fire is the Antitype as accursed of God for Sin and induring the punishment for it The Law is compared to fire and it's Curse to a burning Oven Now under the Curse of this fiery Law was the Lord Jesus afflicted for the Sins of the World Wherefore as so considered our Faith must lay hold upon him for Justification with God This is the Law of the Burnt Offering which was the Offering for Sin It is the Burnt Offering because of the burning upon the Altar all night unto the morning and the fire of the Altar shall be burning in it Levit. 6. 9. But now I would inquire Had Israel done the Commandment if they had eaten the Passover Raw or Boiled in Water or if they had offered that Offering that was to be burnt as a Sin Offering otherwise then it was commanded Even so to feed upon Christ as he is Holy and of good life onely and also as taking him therein for an example to us to follow his steps for Justification with God this is to eat the Passover Raw and not as Rost with Fire this is to feed upon Jesus without respecting him as accursed of God for our Sin and so consequently to miss of that eternal life that by his Blood he hath obtained for every one that believeth on him I have been pleased with this observation that none of the Signs and Wonders in Aegypt could deliver the Children of Israel thence till the Lamb was slain and Roast with fire Exod. 12. 1. And I have been also pleased with this that the Father not Moses gave the Manna from Heaven which was a Type of the Flesh and Blood of Christ that whoso feedeth on shall live for ever John 6. 32. Yea Circumcision also which was a Type of inward and Heart-Holiness was not of Moses but of the Fathers and Principally a consequence of the Faith of Abraham John 7. 22. Whence I gather That no Wonder but the Blood of Christ can save That no Kindess but the Mercy of God can give this to us And that no Law but the Law of Faith can make us truly Holy in heart But you add Those that sincerely and industrously indeavour to imitate the Holy Jesus in his Spirit and Actions can never be ignorant what it is to be truly Christians Those that follow Jesus in his Spirit must first receive that Spirit from Heaven which Spirit is received as I have often said by applying first by Faith the Merits of Christ to the Soul for Life and Justification with God The Spirit is not received by the Works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith neither comes it in the Ministry or Doctrine of Morrals but in and by the Ministry of Faith and the Law is NOT of Faith Wherefore seeing you have in Page 223. of your Book forbidden Sinners to come first to Jesus for Justification with God the Spirit you talk of however you call it the Spirit Jesus can be no other then the Spirit of a Man which you also your self in Pag. 7 8 9. call the Purity of Humane Nature a Principle of Reason the first Principles of Morrals or those that are Originally Dictates of Humane Nature Wherefore by these Words in his Spirit you do but Blaspheme the Holy Ghost and abuse your ignorant Reader calling now Quaker-like the Dictates of your Humanity and your Socinian Complyances therewith the Spirit of Holy Jesus I conclude therefore that the way of Salvation or the design of Christianity as prescribed by you is none other then the Errors of your own brain the way of Death the Sum and Heart of Papistical Quakerism and is quite denyed by the Lord Jesus and by his blessed Testament And now go your ways and imitate the Lord Jesus and take the whole History of his life for your example and walk in his steps and be such as much as you can yet without Faith in his Blood first yea and if you stand not Just before God through the imputation of his Righteousness your imitating will be found no better then rebellion because by that instead of Faith in his Blood you hope to obtain remission of Sins thrusting him thereby from his Office and Work and setting your dunghil Righteousness up in his stead I come now to Your Conclusion First in Page 198. You prâ—se men to betake themselves to find that which you call the design of Christianity accomplished in their hearts and lives Answ. Seeing that the Holiness that your erronious Book hath exalted is none other but THAT which we have LOST Yea and again seeing you have set this in the Head of and before the the Righteousness of Christ I admonish my Reader to tremble at the Blasphemy of your Book and account the whole
stated by you being the principles and the goodness of this World and such as have not faith but the law not the holy Ghost but humane nature in them they cannot be those which you affirm was or is the design the great the only and ultimate design of Christ or his Gospel to promote and propagate in the World neither with respect to our justification before God from the curse neither with respect to the workings of his Spirit and the faith of Jesus in our hearts the true Gospel or evangelical Holiness First It is not the righteousness that justifieth us before God from the curse because it is that which is properly our own and acted and managed by principles of our own arising originally in the roots of it from our own There is the righteousness of Men and the righteousness of God that which is the righteousness of Men is that which we do work from matter and principles of our own but that which is the righteousness of God is that which is wrought from matter and principles purely Divine and of the Nature of God Again that which is our own righteousness is that which is wrought in and by our own persons as Men but that which is the righteousness of God is that which is wrought in and by the second person in the Trinity as God and Man in one person and that resideth onely in that person of the Son I speak now of the righteousness by which we stand just before God from the curse of the Law Now this righteousness of ours our own righteousness the Apostle always opposeth to the righteousness of God saying They going about to establish their OWN righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Farther This righteousness of our own Paul counts loss and dogs-meat in comparison of that other far more glorious righteousness which he calleth as it is in truth the righteousness of God which as I said but now resideth in the person of the Son Therefore saith Paul I cast away my own righteousness and do count it loss and but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith The righteousness therefore that is our own that ariseth from matter and principles of our own such as that which you have described justifieth us not before God from the curse Secondly The righteousness that you have described justifieth us not as before because it is the righteousness which is of the moral law that is it is wrought by us as walking in the law Now it mattereth not whether you respect the law in its first principles or as it is revealed in the table of the ten Commandments they are in nature but one and the same and their substance and matter is written in our Hearts as we are Men. Now this righteousness the Apostle casteth away as was shewed before not having mine own righteousness saith he which is of the law why Because the righteousness that â—aveth us from the wrath of God is the righteousness of God and so a righteousness that is without the law But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. The righteousness of God without the law the righteousness of Christ who is naturally God wherefore such a righteousness as was accomplished by him that was Lord and the very God of the law whose nature was infinite and not that which the law could command or condemn neither was the command of the law the great and principal argument with him no not in its first and highest principles to do or continue to do it but even that which the law commanded of us that he did not by the law but by that spirit of life that eternal Spirit and God-head which was essential to his very being He did naturally and infinitely that which the law required of us from higher and more mighty principles then the law could require of him for I should reckon it a piece of prodigious blasphemy to say that the Law could command his God the Creature his Lord and Creator but this Lord God Jesus Christ even he hath accomplished righteousness even righteousness that is without that is above higher and better then that of the Law and that is the righteousness that is given to and put upon all them that believe Wherefore the Lord Jesus Christ in his most blessed life was neither prompted to actions of holiness nor managed in them by the purity of humane nature or those you call first principles of morals or as he was simply a reasonable Creature but being the natural Son of God truly and essentially eternal as the Father by the eternal Spirit his God-head was his man-hood governed and acted and spirited to do and suffer He through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God which offering respects not onely his act of dying but also that by which he was capacitated to dye without spot in his sight which was the infinite Dignity and Sinlessness of his person and the perfect justice of his Actions Now this person thus acting is approved of or justified by the Law to be good for if the righteousness of the Law be good which Law is but a creature the righteousness of the Lord the God of this Law must needs be much more good wherefore here is the Law and its perfection swallowed up even as the light of a Candle or Star is swallowed up by the light of the Sun Thus then is the believer made not the righteousness of the Law but the righteousness of God in Christ because Christ Jesus who is the righteousness of the Christian did walk in this world in and under the Law not by legal and humane principles which are the excellencies of men but in and by those that are divine even such as were and are of his own nature and the essence of his eternal God-head This is the righteousness without the Law accomplished by a person and principles far otherwise then is he or those you make description of and therefore yours cannot be that by which we stand just before the justice of God without the Law Now if it be a righteousness without the Law then it is a righteousness without Men a righteousness that cannot be found in the World For take away the Law the rule and you take away not onely the righteousness but that by which men as men work righteousness in the World Mine own righteousness which is of the Law The righteousness then by which a man must stand just in the sight of God from the curse is not to be found in men nor in the Law but in him and him onely
should onely or specially fullfil or perfect the Law and the Prophets by giving more and higher Instances of Morral Duties then were before expresly given Pag. 17. This would have been but the Lading of men with heavy Burthens But know then whoever thou art that Readest that Christ's Exposition of the Law was more to shew thee the Perfection of his own Obedience then to drive thee back to the Holiness thou hadst lost For God sent him to fullfil it by doing it and dying to the most sore Sentence it could Pronounce not as he stood a single Person but common as Mediator between God and Man making up in himself the breach that was made by Sin betwixt God and the World For Thirdly He was to dye as a Lamb as a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot according to the Type Your Lamb shall be without Blemish But because there was none such to be found by and among all the Children of Men therefore God sent his from Heaven Hence John calls him the Lamb of God and Peter him that was without Spot who Washed us by his Blood Now wherein doth it appear that he was without Spot and Blemish but as he walked in the Law These words therefore WITHOVT SPOT are the Sentence of the Law who searching him could find nothing in him why he should be slain yet he dyed because there was Sin Sin where Not in him but in his People For the Transgression of my People was he stricken Isa. 53. He dyed then for our Sins and qualified himself so to do by coming Sinless into the World and by going Sin-less through it for had he not done both these he must have dyed for himself But being God even in Despite of all that stumble at him he Conquered Death the Devil Sin and the Curse by himself and then sat down at the Right Hand of God Fourthly And because he hath a Second Part of his Priestly Office to do in Heaven therefore it was thus Requisite that he should thus manifest himself to be Holy and Harmless Undefiled and Seperate from Sinners on the Earth As Aron First put on the Holy Garments and then went into the Holiest of all The Life therefore and Conversation of our Lord Jesus was to shew us with what a Curious Robe and Girdle he went into the Holy Place And not to shew us with what an Adamitish Holiness he would Possess his own Such an High Priest became us who is Holy Harmless and Vndefiled Seperà te from Sinners and made Higher then the Heavens that he might always be Accepted both in Person and Offering when he Presenteth his Blood to God the Attonement for Sin Indeed in some things he was an Example to us to follow him but mark It was not as he was Mediator not as he was under the Law to God not as he dyed for Sin nor as he maketh Reconciliation for Iniquity But in these things Consist the Life of our Soul and the beginning of our Happiness He was then Exemplary to us as he carried it Meekly and Patiently and Self-denyingly towards the World But yet not so neither to any but such to whom he first offered Iustification by the means of his own Righteousness For before he saith Learn of me he saith I will give you Rest Rest from the Guilt of Sin and fear of Everlasting Burnings Mat. 11. And so Peter first tells us he dyed for our Sins And next that he left us an Example But should it be granted that the whole of Christ's Life and Conversation among men was for our Example and for no other end at all but that we should learn to live by his Example yet it would not follow but be as far from truth as the ends of the Earth are assunder that by this means he sought to Possess us with the Holiness we had lost for that he had not in himself 't is true he was born without Sin yet born God and Man he lived in the World without Sin but he lived as God-Man he walked in and up to the Law but it was as God-Man Neither did his Manhood even in those acts of Goodness which as to action most properly respected it do ought without but by and in Conjunction with his Godhead Wherefore all and every whit of the Righteousness and good that he did was that of God-Man the Righteousness of God But this was not Adam's Principle nor any Holiness that we had lost Your Fifth Chapter therefore Consisteth of Words spoken to the Ayr. Your Sixt Chapter tells us That to make Men truly Vertuous and Holy was the Design of Christ's Unimitable Actions or mighty Works and Miracles and these did onely tend to Promote it Pag. 68. He neither did nor needed so much as one small piece of a Miracle to perswade men to seek for the Holiness which they had lost or to give them again Possession of that For that as I have shewed though you would fain have it otherwise is not at all the Christan or Gospel Righteousness Wherefore in one word you are as short by this Chapter to prove your Natural old Covenant Promise-less Figurative Holiness to be here Designed as if you had said so much as amounts to nothing Farther Christ needed not to Work a Miracle to perswade men to fall in Love with themselves their own Natural Dictates to perswade them that they have a Purity of the Humane Nature in them or that the Holiness which they have lost is the onely True Real and Substantial Holiness These things both Corrupted Nature and the Devil have of a long time fastned and fixed in their minds His Miracles therefore tend rather to take Men off of the Pursuit after the Righteousness or Holiness that we had lost and to Confirm unto us the truth of a far more Excellent and Blessed thing to wit the Righteousness of God of Christ of Faith of the Spirit which that you speak of never knew neither is it possible that he should know it who is hunting for your sound Complexion your Purity of Humane Nature or it 's Dictates as the onely True Real and Substantial Righteousness They are Ignorant of God's Righteousness that go about to Establish their own Righteousness and neither have nor can without a Miracle submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God They cannot submit THEMSELVES thereto talk thereof they may notion it they may profess it too they may but for a man to submit himself thereto is by the mighty power of God Miracles and Signs are for them that believe not Why for them That they might believe therefore their State is reckoned fearful that have not yet believed for all his wondrous Works And though he did so many Miracles among them yet they believed him not But what should they believe That Jesus is the true Messias the Christ that should come into the World Do you say that I Blaspheme saith Christ because I said I am
the Son of God if I do not the Works of my Father believe me not but if I do though you believe not me believe the Works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him John 10. 37 38. But what is it to believe that he is Messias or Christ Even to believe that this Man Jesus was ordained and appointed of God and that before all Worlds to be the Saviour of Men by accomplishing in himself an Everlasting Righteousness for them and by bearing their Sins in his Body on the Tree that it was he that was to Reconcile us to God by the Body of his Flesh when he hanged on the Cross. This is the Doctrine that at the beginning Christ Preached to that Learned Ignorant Nicodemus As Moses said he lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life The Serpent was lifted up upon a Pole Christ was hanged on a Tree the Serpent was lifted up for Murmurers Christ was hanged up for Sinners the Serpent was lifted up for them that were bitten with Fiery Serpents the fruits of their wicked Murmuring Christ was hanged up for them that are bitten with Guilt the rage of the Devil and the fear of Death and Wrath the Serpent was hanged up to be looked on Christ was hanged up that we might believe in him that we might have Faith in his Blood They that looked upon the Serpent of Brass lived They that believe in Christ shall be saved and shall never perish Was the Serpent then lifted up for them that were good and Godly No but for the Sinners So God commended his Love to us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for us But what if they that were Stung could not because of the swelling of their face look up to the Brazen Serpent then without remedy they dye So he that believeth not in Christ shall be Damned But might they not be healed by humbling themselves one would think that better then to live by looking up onely No onely looking up did it when death swallowed up them that looked not This then is the Doctrine Christ came into the World to save Sinners according to the Proclamation of Paul Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are Justified from all things from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses The forgiveness of Sins But what is meant by forgiveness Forgiveness doth strictly respect the Debt or Punishment that by Sin we have brought upon our selves But how are we by this Man forgiven this Because by his Blood he hath answered the Justice of the Law so made amends to an offended Majesty Besides this Man's Righteousness is made over to him that looks up to him for Life Yea that man is made the Righteousness of God in him This is the Doctrine that the Miracles were wrought to confirm and that both by Christ and his Apostles and not that Holiness and Righteousness that is the fruit of a feigned Purity of our Nature Take two or three Instances for all The Jews came round about him and said unto him How long dost thou make us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Jesus answered them I told you and you believed not the Works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me but ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 24 25 26. By this Scripture the Lord Jesus testifies what was the end of his Words and wondrous Works viz. That men might know that he was the Christ that he was sent of God to be the Saviour of the World and that these Miracles required of them first of all that they accept of him by believing a thing little set by by our Author for in Pag. 299. he preferâ—eth his doing Righteousness far before it and above ALL things else his words are Verbatim thus Let us exercise our selves unto Real and Substantial Godliness such as he hath Described in the first part of his Book viz. That which is the Dictares of his Humane Nature c. and in keeping our Consciences vsid of Offence both towards God and towards Men and in studying the Gospel to enable us not to Discourse or onely to BELIEVE but also and above ALL things to DOWELL But Believing though not with this man yet by Christ and his wondrous Miracles is expected first and above ALL things from men and to do well in the best Sence though his Sence is the worst is that which by the Gospel is to come after Secondly Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel unto every Creature He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved and he that Believeth not shall be Damned And these signs shall follow them that Believe In my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with New Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them c. Mark 16. 16 17 18. Mark you here it is Believing Believing It is I say Believing that is here required by Christ. Believing what The Gospel even good Tydings to Sinners by Jesus Christ good Tydings of Good glad Tydings of good things Mark how the Apostle hath it the glad Tydings is that through Jesus is Preached the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that BELIEVE are Justified from ALL things from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 33 39. These Signs shall follow them that Believe Mark Signs before and Signs after and all to Exite to and Confirm the weight of Believing And they went forth and Preached every where the Lord working with them and Confirming the Word with Signs following Amen Mark 16. 20. Thirdly Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard least at any time we should let them slip For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by them that heard him God also bearing them Witness with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here we are Excited to the Faith of the Lord Jesus under these Words so great Salvation As if he had said Give earnest heed the most earnest heed to the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus because it is SO great Salvation What this Salvation is he tells us it is that which was Preached by the Lord himself That God so loved the World that he gave his onely Begotten Son that whosoever Believed in
Men. 3. The Phreaching of these are first and principally to beget Faith to beget Life to beget Souls to God yea to beget in Men such a Principle whereby they may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear 4. But to Preach free Grace doth much condemn your free-will to Preach Christ's Righteousness doth utter Curse and Condemn yours and to Preach the Promise of Grace doth quite shut out a Covenant of Works Therefore no marvel if you who are so Wedded to these things be such an Enemy to free Grace the Righteousness of Christ and the Gospel-promises that you make even these things a Characteristical note first abusing the Consequences of them of a Church-troubling-Preacher 5. You tauntingly proceed saying Such Preachers also press us to renounce our own Righteousness which they that have none at all to renounce have a mighty kindness for Answ. Indeed those that have a Righteousness of their own as the Pharisees and Hyprocrites of old had never much kindness for the Doctrine of Grace and the Ministers of Christ but the Publicans and harlots had and therefore these while they that had Righteousness stumbled and fell entred into the Kingdom of Heaven The Publicans and Harlots entred the Kingdom of Heaven before you But what Righteousness have you of your own to which you so dearly are Wedded that it may not be let go for the sake of Christ seeing also so long as you go about to establish it you submit not your self to the Righteousness of God Yea Why do you taunt those Ministers that perswade us to Renounce our own Righteousness and those also that follow their Doctrine seeing this was both the Doctrine and Practice of Paul and all others save onely those that had Moses Vail over their Hearts Another sort of Ministers that you say are Enemies to the promoting of Holiness are such as are never in their Element but when they are talking of the Irrespectiveness of God's Decrees the absoluteness of his promises the utter disability and perfect impotency of Natural Men to do any thing towards their own Conversion and that insists with great Emphasis and Vehemency upon such like false and dangerous opinions Pag. 262. Answ. The Men that Preach these things being rightly stated Preach the truth of God if the Scriptures may bear sway they having all been prooved the truth of the Gospel both by the Prophets and Apostles And when you shall think meet by argument to contradict them either I or some other may shew you the folly of your undertaking In the mean time let the Reader take notice that here you have judged not by Scripture nor by Reason but upon a bare Presumption a rising from your Pride or Ignorance Wherefore pray you in your next shew us 1. What is in Man that the decree of Election should respect as a thing fore-seen of God to prevail with him to predestinate him to Eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. Make it manifest that in the Word of God there neither is nor can be any absolute promise contained 3. Shew us what ability there is in a Natural Man as such to do things towards his own Conversion I mean things immediately tending to and that must infallibly consummate therein and let us see what things they are And know that when you have well done all this according to the Scriptures of truth that then it will be time enough to condemn the contrary for false and dangerous opinions But shall I speak the truth for you The reason of this your presumptuous exclamation and condemnation of these things is because they stand in the way of promoting your ignorant tottering promiseless and Gospelless Holiness they stand in the way of old Adam they stand in the way of your dunghil rebellious Righteousness they stand in the way of your freedom of will and a great rable more of such like pretended Vertues Yea they do and must and shall stand there when you and the rest of the Socinians and Quakers have said their all against them There is yet another sort of Preachers whom you condemn and so do I as well as you though not in your Spirit nor to advance your Pestiferous Principles and they are such as make it their great business to advance the petty interest of any party whatsoever and concern themselves more about doing this then about promoting and carrying on that wherein consists the chief good of all Mankind and are more Zealous to make Prosilites to their particular Sects then Converts I will add first to Jesus Christ and then to an Holy Life and press more exact and ridged conformity to their Modes and Forms then to the Laws of God and the Essential Duties of the Christian Religion Lastly the Caution which you give to Ministers because there wanteth for it among you a Foundation is to be esteemed but an Error and an abuse of the words and practices of the Apostle And as for your subtile and close incensing the power to persecute Non-conformists know that we are willing God assisting to overcome you with truth and patience not sticking to Sacrifice our lives and dearest concerns in a faithful Witness-baring against your filthy errors Compiled and Foisted into the World by your Devilish design to promote Paganism against Christianity Pag. 265 266. I come now to your Twenty Sixth Chapter which is spent to prove that an obedient temper of mind is a necessary and excellent qualification to prepare men for a firm belief and a right understanding of the Gospel of Christ Pag. 267. Answ. 1. For as much as the obedient temper you mention is Precedent to or before Faith and the right understanding of the Gospel it must needs be also that which stands with unbelief and ignorant of the same Now that this should be an excellent and necessary qualification to a firm belief and right understanding of the Gospel is altogether without proof and truth But this is affirmed for the farther promoting of your Humane Nature and the things that Originally are Dictates thereof But 2. The obedience or inclination to obedience that is before Faith or the understanding of the Gospel is so far off from being an excellent preparative or good qualification for Faith and the knowledge of the Gospel that in its own Nature which is more then in its Consequences it is a great obstruction thereto For while a Man remains faithless and ignorant of the Gospel to what doth his obedient temper of mind incline Not to Faith nor the Gospel of Christ for with these as yet you suppose he hath not to doe therefore he inclineth to the Law of Morrals either as it was delivered in Tables of Stone from Sinai or as written in the hearts of all the Children of Men to it under the last consideration which is in truth the most Heathen and Pagan to it as so you intend your obedient temper of mind should incline Pag. 7 8 9 10. Now this
him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life John 3. God SO Loved that he gave his Son to be SO great Salvation Now as is expressed in the Text to be the better for this Salvation is to give heed to hear it for Faith cometh by hearing He saith not give heed to doing but to the Word you have HEARD Faith I say cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. But that this hearing is the hearing of Faith is farther Evident 1. Because he speaketh of a great Salvation accomplished by the Love of God in Christ accomplished by his Blood By his own Blood he entred into Heaven it self having Obtained Eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9. 2. This Salvation is set in Opposition to that which was Propounded before by the Ministration of Angels which Consisted in a Law of Works that which Moses received to give to the Children of Israel For the Law a command to Works and Duties was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. To live by doing Works is the Doctrine of the Law and Moses but to live by Faith and Grace is the Doctrine of Christ and the Gospel Besides the threatning being pressed with an HOW shall we escape Respects still a Better a Freer a more Gracious Way of Life then either the Morral or Ceremonial Law for both these were long before but here comes in another Way not that Propounded by Moses or the Angels but since by the Lord himself How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at First began to be spoken by the Lord and was Confirmed to us by then that heard him Now Mark It is this Salvation this SO great and Eternal Salvation that was obtained by the Blood of the Lord himself It was this even to Confirm Faith in this that the God of Heaven himself came down to Confirm by Signs and Wonders God bearing them Witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Thus we see that to establish a Holiness that came from the First Principles of Morrals in us or that ariseth from the Dictates of our Humane Nature or to drive us back to that Figurative Holiness that we had once but lost in Adam is little thought on by Jesus Christ and as little intended by any of the Gospel Miracles A Word or two more The Tribute Money you mention Pag. 72. was not as you would clawingly Insinuate for no other Purpose then to shew Christs Loyalty to the Magistrate But First and above all to shew his Godhead to Confirm his Gospel and then to shew his Loyalty the which Sir the Persons you secretly smite at have respect for as much as you Again Also the Curse of the Barren Fig-Tree mentioned Pag. 73. was not if the Lord himself may be believed to give us an Emblem of a Person void of good Works but to shew his Disciples the Power of Faith and what a wonder-working thing that blessed Grace is Wherefore when the Disciples wondred at that sudden Blast that was upon the Tree Jesus answered not Behold and Emblem of one void of Morral Vertues but Verily I say unto you if you have Faith and doubt not ye shall not onely do this which is done to the Fig-Tree but also if you shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea it shall be done and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer Believing ye shall Receive Again Mark saith When Peter saw the Fig-tree that the Lord had Cursed dryed up from the Roots he said to his Master Behold the Fig-tree which thou Cursed'st is withered away Christ now doth not say as you this Tree was an Emblem of a Professor void of good Works but Have Faith in or the Faith of God For verily I say unto you whosoever shall say unto this Mountain Be thou removed and be thou cast into the Sea and shall not doubt in his Heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Therefore I say unto you what things soever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them Mat. 21. Mark 11. Christ Jesus therefore had a higher and a better end then that which you propound in his cursing the Barren Fig-tree even to shew as himself Expounds it the mighty power of Faith and how it lays hold of things in Heaven and tumbleth before it things on Earth Wherefore your Scriptureless Exposition doth but lay you even Solomen's Proverb The Legs of the Lawe are not equal c. I might Inlarge but enough of this Onely here I add that the Wonders and Miracles that attend the Gospel were wrought and are Recorded to perswade to Faith in Christ By Faith in Christ men are Justified from the Curse and Judgement of the Law This Faith worketh by Love by the Love of God it brings up the Heart to God and Goodness but not by your Covenant not by Principles of Humane Nature but of the Spirit of God not in a Poor Legal Old Covenant Promiseless Ignorant Shadowish Natural Holiness but by the Holy Ghost I come now to your Seventh Chapter but to that I have spoken briefly already and therefore here shall be the shorter In this Chapter you say Christ's Death Answ. But not with your Described Principles of Humanity and Dictates of Humane Nature He Designed not as I have fully proved neither by his Death nor Life to put us into a Possession of the Holiness which we had lost though the Proof of that be the business of your Book 2. To make men holy was Doubtless Designed by the Death and Blood of Christ But the way and manner of the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost therein you write not of although the First Text you mention Pag. 78. 79. doth fairly present you with it For the way to make men inwardly Holy by the Death and Blood of Christ is First to Possess them with the Knowledge of this that their Sins were Crucified with him or that he did bear them in his Body on the Tree Knowing this that our Old Man is Crucified with him that the body of Sin might be Destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin Rom. 6. 6. So he dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves as you would have them nor to the Law or Dictates of their own Nature as your Doctrine would perswade them but to him that dyed for them and rose again There are two things in the right stating of the Doctrine of the Effects of the Death and Blood of Christ that do Naturally Effect in us an Holy Principle and also a life becoming such a Mercy First For that by it we are set at liberty by Faith therein from the Guilt and Curse that is due to Guilt from Death the
is neither good nor evil How then if God should cast you into Turky where Mahomet Reigns as Lord It is but reckoning that it is the Religion and Custome of the Country and that which is Authorized by the Power that is there wherefore it is but sticking to your Dictates of Humane Nature and remembring that coming to God by Christ is a thing of an indifferent Nature in it self and then for peace sake and to sleep in a whole skin you may comply and do as your Superiour commands Why Because in Turky are your first sort of Fundamentals found There are Men that have Humane Nature and the Law of Morrals written in their hearts they have also the Dictates thereof written within them which teach them those you call the Eternal Laws of Righteousness wherefore you both would agree in your Essential and immutable differences of good and evil Pag. 6. and differ onely about these possitive Laws Indifferent things Yea and Mahomet also for the time because by a custome made convenient might be now accounted worshipful and the Circumstances that attend his Worship especiall those of them that clash not with the Dictates of your Humane Nature might also be swallowed down Behold you here then good Reader a glorious Latitudinarian that can as to Religion turn and twist like an Eel on the Angle or rather like the Weather-cock that stands on the Steeple But saith he our refusing to comply with these can hardly proceed from any thing better then a proud affection of singularity or at best from Supersticious Scrupulosity Pag. 242. Do but believe him therefore in what he saith and you cannot chuse but be ready with him to comply with all Modes that may serve for advantage Besides he saith that the Word Superstition in the Greek implyeth a frightful and over-timerous apprehension of the Divine Nature and consequently abase and under-valuing conception of it So that to be tender of Conscience especially in things of Divine Worship binding up the Soul to the words of the everlasting Testament in such things especially as a Fool can call little and insignificant trivial matters rendreth a man such an one as hath a very Erronious Conscience But he would not be understood Pag. 244. as if he here intended to vilifie things that are plainly commanded or to tolerate that which is plainly forbidden onely he would have all things that may fall within the reach of these two general Heads be examined by this general Rule HIS discription of the Design of Christianity Answ. But I could tell him that whatsoever is imposed as a part of God's Worship is Judged by a better rule then his both as to it's goodness and badness neither can we account any thing indifferent that is a part thereof Besides whatsoever is reputed a part of God's Worship layeth hold on the Conscience of the Goâ—ly Although a ranting Latitudinarian may say If the Devil should Preach I would hear him before I would suffer Persecution As a brave fellow which I could name in his Zeal was pleased to declare But what trust should any man put to the rule to which you direct him for help and relief therein seeing that from the beginning to the end from the top to the bottom it is a cursed Blasphemous Book a Book that more vilifieth Jesus Christ then many of the Quakers themselves for which of them said worse of him and make coming to God by him a more insignificant thing then you by your pretended design of Christianity have done We have therefore a more sure Word of the Prophets to the which we do well to take heed by which both your Doctrine and practice is already judged to be naught as will be farther discovered time enough when you shall Justifie or Condemn Particulars Your Twenty Fourth Chapter I shall now pass by until I can better compare you and Popery against which you there so stoutly diggle together Your Twenty Fifth Chapter carrieth in it an hideous outcry against many of your Ministers and Guides complaining and confessing That nothing hath so conduced to the Prejudice of your Church of England and done the seperating parties so much service as the Scandalous lives of some that exercise your Ministerial Function P. 258. Answ. I will grant it if you respect these poor carnal People who yet have been shamed from your Assemblies by such Vicious Persons you mention But the truly Godly and Spiritually Judicious have left you from other Arguments of which I shall not here Dilate But from Page 261. to the end of the Chapter you take upon you to particularize other of your Ministers that are an offence to you and to the Design of your Christianity 1. Such as affect to make people stare at their high flown bumbast Language or to please their Phantacies with foolish Jugglings and Poedantick or Boyish wit or to be admired for their ability in dividing of an hair their Metaphysical Acuteness and Scholastick subtilety or for their Daughty Dexterity in Controversial Squabbles And I add had you joyned herewith such as vilifie and trample upon the Blood of the Lord Jesus preferring the Snivel of their own brains before him you had herein but drawn your own Picture and given your Reader an Emblem of your self 2. The Second sort you blame are such as seek to approve themselves to their Auditories to be Men of Mysteries and endeavour to make the plain and easie Doctrines of the Gospel as Intricate and obscure as ever they are Able I will add to these such as take away the Doctrine of Faith and that set themselves and their Works in the room thereof Such as have sought to overturn the Foundation Jesus Christ and have made coming to God by him in it self of a far more indifferent Nature then the Dictates of our Humanity 3. Another sort you say are such as Preach upon free Grace and Christian Priviledges otherwise then as Motives to cite to obedience and never scarce insist upon any Duties but those of believing laying hold on Christ's Righteousness applying the promises and renouncing our own Righteousness which they that have none at all to renounce have a mighty kindness for Answ. 1. Who they are that Preach free Grace in your Church to excite Men to uncleanness you may know better then I. But if these Words otherwise then to Cite men to obedience be thus thrust in of purpose thereby to speak evil of the Preachers of free Grace and the exalters of the imputed Righteousness of Christ then look to it for such venome Language as this doth but involve you within the bowels of that most dreadful Prophecy concerning the false Prophets of the last days that shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2. The Preaching of free Grace pressing to believing and laying hold on Christ's Righteousness is the most available means under Heaven to make Men Holy and Righteous 1. Before God 2. Then before