it imports to me an excess wherewith we ought not to comply To join with the merit of Jesus Christ that of their own good works nay of their own superstitious inventions and to his Mediation that of Saints seem to me to impinge upon the very foundation which you acknowledge What shal we then say of the avowed gross Idolatries and Superstitions ridiculous penitences and perverted morality whereby both the truth and spirituality of Gods Worship and Service with the inward and genuine Grace of Obedience and Sanctification are subverted Really Sir these appear to me to be a superstructure of such naughty stuffe as neither the sincerity of Grace with which I judge them incompatible nor even the flames of their own purgatory will ever purge away But you proceed That though you will not say that all things controverted betwixt the Reformed Churches and them are matters of Salvation yet in their greater errors such as the Popes Supremacie the Churches infallibility the corporal presence c. you condemne them and perhaps on clearer grounds then we do 'T is answered 1. That the things controverted with the Papists are not all of them such as do directly and necessarily in beleefe or practice appertain to Salvation is not by us denied but where in this your latitude you do in effect intimate such a dissent from the Reformed Churches as if many things betwixt us and the Papists were needlessly by us drawn in question it is such an undervaluing of the will and way of the Lord whereupon even in our smallest differences we hope we are founded that I could not pass it without an observation 2. Whether you do indeed condemn the Papists in many of the points by you enumerate let be on better grounds is to me very dubious You say you are against the Popes Supremacie but how is it then that you have transferred it upon his Majesty and that with a more ample extent then ever was conceded to nay or arrogat by any Pope That the King may enact such Acts and Orders concerning the administration of the external Government of the Church and the Persons therein imployed and concerning all Ecclesiastick Meetings and matters therein to be proposed as he shall think fit is more then any Pope ever assumed Pray Sir is the difference betwixt the persons of the Pope and Prince the hinge of the controversie Or is this one of the clearer grounds you talk of consider it at your leisure In the next place you tell us that you condemn the Churches infallibility and yet p. 31. of this same Book your affirme that even in matters as punctually set down in Scripture as either of these Sacraments the Church may judge that God did not therein intend any perpetual obligation and by her practice oblige us to a cessation and consequently alter Scripture-determinations Beside you know what power you attribute to the Church to impose significant ceremonies and other observances which although you tell us for an evasion do not take away the liberty of inward opinion yet you affirme that they do bind in Conscience to a conformable practice Verily if a Church so impowered be not infallible the concessions are too large but the truth is Scripture defectible the Church fallible and nothing fixed appear to be most aggreeable to the lightnes of your brains and the Conveniencie of your new latitude 3. You affirme that you are against the corporal presence and also the worshiping of Images and yet you are for Adoration to before or in order to the Eliments For call it as you will you plead for it as due veneration in the action whereof they are the necessary objects how these do consist I see not For my part I cannot but judge the Papists though more gross yet more consequent But we have enough of this subject and these few instances premised may indeed well justify the excessive love which you profess to the unity of the Catholick Church wherein you include the Roman and your esteem for such meaning by Cassander and others of his way who have studied to bring things to a temper do palpably hold out your byass to their haltings But if the unity and temper that you aime at be of this temper since it hath not truth for its foundation the Lord deliver his Churches from it In the next place your N. C. and you fall a quarrelling about Iustification and after you have first taxed then smoothed and again in a manner rejected the Papists their Iustification by works and their Merit you proceed to Iustification by faith only and when you have given us your explanation of it you make a prettie boâ—st as it forsooth by your right apprehension of things you had in a few words told that which with much nicety swels amongst us to Volumes Sir I so greatly defire to find you walking in the truth and am so little in love with contention especially in a matter of this importance that I am resolved rather fanely to pass then rigidly to strain even your more ambiguous expressions but since you would make the World beleeve that with you and you only is to be found both Truth and Light and that on the other hand we do perplexe this point with Nicâ—ties and subtilties it will not be amiss that in this matter I examine you more particularly which that I may performe with the greater candor and perspiciuty I shall first exhibit your words in their full context and thereafter review them in parts You say then That Iustification and Condemnation are two opposite legall termes relating to the judgement shal be given out at the last day For though we are said to be condemned already this is only that we are now in the state of such as shal be solemnly justified or condemned Now at the great day we must give an account of our actions and we must be judged accordingly but since all must be condemned if God enter in judgement with them therefore God gave his Son to the death for us that thereby we might obtain Salvation And all judment is by the Father committed to the Son and Iesus Christ hath proposed life through his death to as many as receive his Gospell and live according to it And as that which gives us a title to the favour of God is the blood of Christ so that which gives us an interest in his death is faith with a life conforme to the rules of the Gospel and the root of this new life is a faith which worketh by love purifyeth the heart and overcometh the world and therefore Iustification is ascribed to it in Scripture and this you say is the right apprehension of things both ascribing all to Christ and declaring clearly the necessity of a holy life 'T is answered The matter of Justification being in effect the very substance of the Gospel and its right uptaking of the greatest moment in order to our Salvation for as much as you by
an affected simplicity and simulat smoothness do palpably laboure to involve and pervert it I shal first represent in your words and in its own colours the error which you would impose and then discusse these reasons and insinuations whereby you endeavour rather cunningly to cover and convey it then plainly to maintain it The scope then and aime of your discourse is that the proposall of life in the Gospel through the death of Christ is to as many as receive it and live according to it that that which giveth us an interest in the death of Christ is â—aith with a liâ—e conâ—orme to the ralâ—s of the Gospel and that because of the fruits of faith love purity of heart and victorie over the world therefore Iustification is ascribed unto it in Scripture The meaning of which expressions in plain language is that it is by good works joined with faith nay by good works principally and faith referred to them as the root thereof and not by faith only as the instrument whereby the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ is laid hold upon and becometh ours in Gods sight that we are justified Now that this your opinion is false and is to be rejected appeareth by these many and plain Scriptures By the deeds of the Law there shal no flesh be justifyed in his sight Rom. 3. 20. The man is blessed to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Rom. 4. 6. By grace we are saved not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2. 8. 9. Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Tit. 3. 5. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2. Cor. 5. 19. God hath saved us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Iesus Christ is made of God unto us Wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1. Corin. 1. 30. He is the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE Ier. 23. 6. We are justified freely by Gods Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to be a propisiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 24 25. By the righteousnesse of Christ the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life and by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5 18. 19. We are justifyed by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the works of the law Gal. 2. 16. He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly his faith is counted unto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 5. And lastly A man is justifyed by faith it without the works of the law Ro. 5. 28. This 〈◊〉 hope is plain Scripture language without any subtilâ—y How can you then joine our works of the Law with the righteousnesse of faith even the righteousness of Jesus Christ which faith doth apprehend appropriat for our Justification in Gods sight contrary to these most manifest testimonies Certainly if men would but seriously examine and consider what Gods word doth so plainly and rationally hold forth anent this purpose how quickly would that pure and perfect light dispel darknesse clear doubtings and give us both a right understanding and sound and easie expression therein God did creat and appoint man to bear and be conformable to his image for the manifestation of his own glory and thereby to partake and enjoy his favour for our felicity for that end he gave his holy and righteous Law on the one hand being both the way to and bearing the promise of life unto the obedient and on the other pronouncing wrath and death against such as should be disobedient The sanction and pain of this divine Law being by 〈◊〉 incurred and all mankind standing thereby condemned and bound over to wrath in Gods sight the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation appeareth holding forth Jesus Christ manifested in our flesh and therein fulfilling all righteousnesse suffering in both Bodie and Soul dying shedding his bloud and making his Soul an offering for a propitiation and ransome for satisfiing Divine justice and reconciling us unto God rising again for our Justification and being made perfect through suffering became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him that is believe and receive this Gospel-covenant whereof he himself was also the Minister holding him forth for Wisdom Righte ousnes Sanctification and absolute Redemption-to all that come unto and imbrace him And therefore as at first Christ came into the world by doing the will of God and making his Soul an offering for sin to bring in everlasting Righteousnes even the Righteousnesse of God through faith in his Name so because he was obedient unto death even the death of the Cross God hath therefore highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name and vesting him with all power in Heaven and in Earth hath made him the Head of all things unto his Church and committed unto him all Judgement that he may one day render both vengeance unto the Disobedient and Unbelievers and receive unto himself and the Fathers Glory his own who through faith in his Name are justifyed in Gods sight and by his grace purifyed and preserved unto his heavenly Kingdom This being then the plain Gospel-revelation to lost and condemned sinners what els doth it require then that in the knowledge and sense of this our sinful wretched and miserable estate flowing from Jesus Christ our Wisdom we by faith lay hold on him and his Righteousnesse for our ransome from wrath and alone acceptation in God's sight and also for obtaining of Sanctification consisting in the purging away of all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit which the penitent Convert as he feareth its guilt and wrath doth in like manner detest and abhorre and the perfecting holiness in the fear of God And lastly for compleat Redemption from and victorie over Sathan the World the body of this death it self in the triumph of the Resurrection and the plenarie possession of Eternal life By all which it is evident that whatever be these other graces and blessings which we partake in and through our Lord Jesus yet it is through and by faith alone as an instrument and in respect of its peculiar aptitude for that end apprehending or laying hold on Christ Jesus the only Propitiation and his Righteousnes the alone Satisfaction that we are justifyed in Gods sight And really Sir when in this sincere and clear light I have proposed this matter I wonder what vanity or ignorance could seduce you to the doctrine which you here deliver To grant as you do Justification to be a judicial act whereby no doubt we are to understand that
capacity of favour with God by the bloud of Christ so it is faith with a life conforme to the Gospel that gives us an actual interest in his Death and thereby unto the peace of God but seing the result of this in plain language is no other then that our Lord having by his own bloud ransomed fallen and forfeited mankind hath in liew of the first Covenant made with man and by him transgressed proposed to us a second adding to the condition of a holy life required by the fâ—â—st that of beleeving That this is altogether dissonant both to the declared love of God and the grace revealed by Jesus Christ in his Gospel any Christian may discern Your next words are And a fourth And the root of this new life is a faith which worketh by love purifieth the heart and overcometh the world and there fore Iustification is ascribed unto it in Scripture But pray Sir how is it that faith becometh such a fruitful root Is it not by laying hold on Christs Righteousnesse by which pardon being obtained and we reconciled unto God we have right unto and so do attain in due time the benefite of all the promises of Grace which in Christ Jesus are yea and Amen or that the same faith which layeth hold on him as our Righteousnesse in Gods sight doth also unite us to him for Sanctification and ingraffing us as it were in him through the communication of his grace purifieth the heart and overcometh the World Or lastly is it not that by faith we are brought to the bloud of Sprinkling which is both the bloud of atonement that sprinkleth from an evill Conscience and also the Laver which cleanseth from all sin and wherewith we are sanctifyed This being then the Scripture account and it being most apparent that Christ through faith becometh first our Righteousnesse for remission of sin and Justification in Gods sight and then our Sanctification unto Good works your own acknowledgement that faith is the root of this new life of holiness may evince that a holy life subsequent to faith and our acceptation therethrough cannot be therewith joined as a condition for our Justification But that which followeth in your discourse and therefore i. e. because of the above enumerat fruiâ—s which it produceth Iustification is ascribed unto faith in the Scripture is the grossest error of all because 1. It directly repugnes to Scripture clearly intimating that it is unto faith as the instrument only whereby the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ is unto us applyed that Justification is in Scripture ascrived If we be justifyed by the faith of Jesus Christ and if by the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ the free gift cometh upon all to the Justification of life if he be the propitiation through faith in his bloud and our righteousnesse which is of God by faith are you not affrayed to say that Justification requiring a satisfactorie righteousnesse is ascrived to faith because of its poor and imperfect fruits in us and thereby to â—light and vilipend the perfect Righteousnesse of Christ the immediat object whereon it layeth hold and our only acceptation in Gods sight 2. Because this your error derogates from Divine justice We have already heard you call Justification a legal or judicial act and consequently an act wherein free grace doth not more favour the lost sinner then justice doth regard a valuable ransome and surety If Iustification then be ascribed in Scripture to faith this must certainly be understood either as faith is in it self or is relative to a compleat and adequat satisfaction Now to think that faith in it self or as it is an act or habite which is the Gift of God or its fruits which beside that they are also the gift of God and our dutie as from us are mixed with much weakness and imperfection or lastly that any thing else then the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ apprehended by faith can be commensurable to holy Iustice is more then redargued by the simple proposal 3. This your ascribing Iustification unto faith in regard of a holy life which it produceth doth no less detract from the praise of the glory of the grace of God wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Is it the praise and commendation of this wonderful love and grace that he spared not but gave his only begotten Son to be a ransome for sinners and that it is in the Beloved that we are accepted and justifyed and should not you be ashamed to say that it is unto faith as the root of a holy life and not as it doth respect and take hold on him who was made to be sin for us and knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him that Iustification is in Scripture ascrived 4. This your error as it is contrary to the Scripture and derogatorie to the Righteousnesse of Christ the Holinesse of Divine justice and the Glory of free Grace so it is the manifest product of and cannot but be a most dangerous temptation to that inward and spiritual pride in the heart of man of all sin the most subtilly insinuating deeply rooted and pernicious A price or something meriting or moving at least of our own is that which the natural man liketh well nay knoweth not how to renounce was it not a subtile and strange effect of this pride and corrupt selfe Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul When as the thing required by the Lord was to do justly love mercy and walk humbly with God And whence did the Iews their stumbling at the Gospel proceed Was it not that they went about to establish their own righteousnesse and therefore they did not submit themselves unto the Righteousnesse of God Say not that this accusation against you is unwarranted I know you tell us That your explanation ascribes all to Christ through whom it is that our sinnes are pardoned our services accepted and grace and glory conveyed to us But it is evident that these are but vain words in as much as though you here tell us that our services are accepted through Christ yet almost immediatly before we heard you say that it is faith and a life conforme to the Gospel by way of antecedent condition which gives us an interest in his bloud Now that our services cannot be prerequired by way of condition to his acceptance of us and also only accepted as performed by us in himâ— is of it self manifest 2. Though you should more clearly and consistently ascribe all unto Jesus Christ yet by turning his grace into a condition the subtilty and folly of your pride doth but the more bewray it self For as simply to obtrude our own good works which in the acknowledgement of the most exact and confident legalist are both commanded and given us of God is a proud presumption so the more you attribute either the strength or the acceptance of performances
The true NON-CONFORMIST In Answere To the Modest and free Conference Betwixt a CONFORMIST And a NON-CONFORMIST About the present Distempers Of SCOTLAND By a Lover of Truth And Published by its order HEBR. XII Ver. XIV XV. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternes springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled Printed in the Year 1671. To the AUTHOR OF THE CONFERENCE ALthough I judge it no less of my concernment then of yours to be concealed and unseen in this undertaking Yet seeing that I do not captate the empty praise of an affected modesty I am resolved in liew of your Stationer to the Reader and Friend to the Stationer to give the following Sheets this direct and immediate adress And to begin with my self as your Friend doth with you really I think I should have had nothing to say of such a nothing were it not in opposition to that Character wherewith he pretends to honour you He sayes You are a person of extraordinary Moderation and Peaceableness And no doubt these qualities understood in their due mediocrity and subordination are of notable value But that you can allow any difference of opinion but such as is incompatible with the peace quiet of the Chuch is an ampliation so little favourable to truths preference so inconsistent with these Scripture intimations of Heresies and divisions through mans corruption inseparably attending it that I cannot otherwise esteeme it to be extraordinary then as it is excessive If truth do allow nay require a synathletick zeal which error doth no wise warrant to accommodate their contradictions by an easie indifferencie is more agreeable to the love of this World then the love of God And verily your Friends excusing the tartness of some of your expressions from a zeal that he allowes against that uncharitable Spirit which can suffer nothing that is not exactly of its own vvay is not more calumnious in its insinuation against us who desire utterly to disclaime selfe conceit in all thir matters then unjustly restrictive of the true zeal of God no less enemy to an irreligious lukewarmness the apparent measure of your latitude and the extreme now so dreadfully prevalent then an humorous severity so little at present to be apprehended But let all who desire to be found of a true Christian temper seek first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and as his peace and the love of the Brethren cannot be wanting so the quiet of the Church is best submitted to his good pleasure For the occasion of my writing the account which your Friend gives of the occasion of yours doth equally justifie it The English Dialogues please you and I assure you both they and their answer are displeasing to me I reflect not upon the method of Dialogues Nay I am so far from censuring it though I relish it not in thir matters that I am confident that had you and your English pattern managed it sincerily it had proven the ruine and not the support of your design But finding the English man so insolently scornful as not to rest satisfied with an answere which by taking sanctuary in the Act of Indemnity other such fearful fainting shifts did rather bewray then vindicat the commoun cause and perceiving by your little essay the humors of the unquiet Spirit in both Nations as you are pleased to speak evill of the uprightnesse of such who run not with you to the same excess of ungodlinesse not to be more the same then it is the same strange Spirit of Hypocrisie and irreligion that at present abounds so much in these Lands to the perverting of both truth and righteousnesse I was moved by these considerations to make you this free and round reply Your Friend sayes you designed not vanity by your few sheets written almost as hastily as they could be transcribed And the truth is I am so much convinced of it that I am more enclined to apologize for the seriousnesse that I have used in confuting such a trifling bable then to purge my endeavours of any such suspicion Only because he saith You wish that every one may see the weakness of these grounds upon which such specious structures are built which when they come to be examined prove but painted sepulchers I thought it worth my paines by clear descriptions firme demonstrations both of the solidity of the foundations and beauty of the superstructure of the work of God to check the tumor of this insinuat boasting But in the next place we have your great designe in your small Book and it is To let some well-meaning People who have a love to godlinesse see that Religion is not at all concerned in things wherein they do concern themselves very much and that in contending for the shell we are like to lose the Kernel of Religion Why herein is a marvellous thing if I may use the blind mans words since I think you would almost have me to lose that sight which he had then lately received while the things wherein we did concerne our selves were sincerily owned and improven Religion flourished holinesse was in request profanity was ashamed iniquity stopt its mouth and since by you and your partakers they were subverted and decried wickednesse only hath exalted it selfe and its blasphemous Impieties and violences have abounded to the very horrour of every ingenuous man And yet we must believe that Religion is not at all concerned in the change And your Friend doth attribute to you the confidence not only to write but to direct your writing to well-meaning People Lovers of godlinesse For this effect I shall not anticipate my performance in the ensuing answer only as I have singly aimed at the establishment of the Lord 's faithful remnant in this hour of great manifold temptations so I am hopefull that eternal life and the meanes thereof the Gospel and its Ordinances shall never be so divided in this Land as to separate the things that they and I do contend for from Religions real and true interest Your Friend sayes They are but the shell and not the Kernel of Religion And if I may presse his lame similitudes I would enquire whither he call's them so because of their use for conservation or their superfluity when broken off And though it be manifest that this later sense can only warrand his undervalue and is indeed a proper allusion for such who have not stood to devoure that which is holy and after vowes to make enquirie Yet I am assured that unto his second thoughts its absurdity will appear so palpable as by forcing him to the first meaning it will constrain him rather to contradict his asserting of Religious inconcernment in these matters being the special means of its preservation then prophanely to despise them as rejectaneous trifles The language and manner
his most Voluntarie free and desired as well as commanded suffering is a Truth so high and precious and justly accounted inimitable in substance that I strange you should debase it by making it a part of your Argument when you know that Christ came into the world that he might freely give himself a ransome and that therefore he neither would be diverted nor use the flight which he had formerly both commanded and practised do you rationally argue that because he thus suffered so ought we to do or because he refused his Disciples endeavours of rescue that therefore Christians in persecution should neither give nor admit of assistance I grant that if God so order it in suffering we ought to imitate his patience 1 Pet. 2. 21. But what maketh this for you You insinuate as if his not commanding Angels to his defence had been a meere effect of his patience but as this opinion is not countenanced by the description thereof given by the Apostle in the place cited so I pray you hear our Lord himself Thinkest thou that I cannot which I am certain soundeth plainly May not pray to my Father he shall presently give me c. but hoâ— then shall the Scripture be fulfilled that thus it must be here then is the reason of our Lords forbearance presume not to fancie another But you say he forbad his Disciples to draw the sword in his defence whith a severe threatning for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Take you this to be a threatning against the Disciples which for their comfort is so plainly spoken against the traiterous band that came against him upon whom also it was most dreadfully accomplished Thus Grotius upon the place though in the point of defence he be very inconsequent if you cannot understand it thus from the context I desire you onely to read it in a parallel application Rev. 13. 10. He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints are you not then ashamed to make it their threatning and fear Next you adde that what our Lord said to Peter my Kingdome is not of this world c. is so Plain language that you wonder it doth not convince all If I were to oppose confidence to confidence I should make no other reply then that this is indeed so plain language that I wonder what Conviction you mean but because this is the ground of your proud and vain boasting which you are not affrayed to seal with the veracity of God let us hear the words at length Iohn 18. where our Lord being questioned by Pilat art thou the King of the jews ver 33. returnes the direct Answere ver 16. thus My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence In which words as he witnesseth his Kingdom so to remove the jews accusation and Pilats jealousie he declareth the quality of it viz. That it is not of this world that is a worldly Kingdom to be exercised as other Kingdoms of the world are in out ward power and splendour and therefore can neither interfeere with nor diminish Caesars Empire and grandour and this he confirmeth by a most plain and convincing argument If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the jews that is if I designed a worldly Kingdom I would have gathered followers or rather according to the assistance mentioned by him at his first taking called Angels my servants to fight for my rescueâ— but since I imploy no reliefe but willingly give my self unto the death now is it plain that my Kingdome is not from hence Thus I have set down both the plain language and I hope the plain meaning of the place but whence it is that you derive your advantage I protest I cannot divine If the Lord prove his Kingdom not to be a worldly one because he imployed no aid for his rescue from the Jews doth it therefore follow that all persecute Christians should reject all assistance and deliver themselves up to suffering after the same example Are you not yet satisfied that the manner only and not the act of our Lords suffering is proposed to our imitation Beleeve me Sir I have been often serious to finde out wherefore this text is so much talked of by the men of your persuâ—sion but unless is be that men who would be content that Christs Kingdome were not in the World do love to hear a phrase so neer it that it is not of the World or that the great Devotionaries of ease without adverting to the reason and making an Emphasis in that which is a clear speciality would force from the words contraire to their plain tenour and scope this general Rule that his Servants fight not no not as they would read it for his rescue I could never attain to a better conjecture It comes in my thought while a writing that it is possible that in reading the words forward you may understand them backward As if our Lord in saying If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight had reasoned thus because my Kingdom is not of this World therefore my servants do not fight But seeing his Argument is evident as the Meridian Sun My servants do not fight for my rescue therefore I pretend to no worldly Kingdom the force of the inference is no more clear then it is certain that the spirituality of his Kingdome neither is in this place nor can be at all used to astrict his followers to his unimitable example in this his free and voluntaire suffering But because I am resolved to constrain you to an acknowledgement that the Non-conf Answeres to your Scriptures are neither irrational nor ridiculous as you alledge I shall enlarge a little more upon this subject Some men of your way say that seeing Christ doth here declare his Kingdom not to be of this World for the clearing of Pilat and all Powers of the Jealousies which such a thing might raise of necessity the inconsistencie and prohibition of fighting the great fear of the Princes of the Earth must be imported It 's answered our Lords answere is no doubt framed and suited to the Jews accusation which beyond question both in Pilats and in their understaning was his affecting an outward Kingdom in prejudice of Caesar and as of this he doth unanswerably purge himself and thereby fully satisfy all the just feares that could be objected so to imagine that his purpose was to remove all the false apprehensions and restlesse inquietudes which only the wickednesse and violence of Tyrannes do suggestâ— and thereby to gratify Tyranny is both groundlesse and impious But to convince you plainly that the spirituality of Christs Kingdom doth not restrain Fighting for Religionâ— I ask
Redemption of sinners through Jesus Christ and proclaiming that whosoever beleeveth on him shal not perish but have everlasting life to reconcile us enemies and bring us aliens nigh unto God and then being thus accepted that in the same Lord Jesus we may be filled with all grace by the Spirit of grace to the knowledge and acknowledgement of God his wonderful bountie his unmeasurable love his glorious holiness his eternal truth and faithfulness and unto the exciting in usâ— of that ravishing and constraining love that filial and perswasive fear and that comforting and joyous hope which graces more and more moulding us into a lively conformity unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud and is become our life our light and our all and thereby causing us to bring forth the fruite of holiness meekness patience brotherly love and of all virtues to the praise of God are the sweetness excellency and delight of Grace here untill it shall be perfected by and swallowed up of Glory hereafter This this is the work and purpose of the Gospel And seing it shall availl us nothing to gain the whole world and lose our own souls it ought indeed to be the great designe of our lives to conforme unto it even to hearken unto the call of God and by beleeving in Christ Jesus that we may be delivered from the wrath to come to labour to be fouâ—d in him not having our own righteousness which is of the Law but the righteousness which is of God by faith that so we may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and still reaching forth unto these things which are before press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus The way then to purify and save our souls is not barely to affect a little virtue or morality nay nor yet from our selves without the Mediator to apply our mindes to God God not in Christ Jesus is a consuming fire the contemplations of his Glory and Holiness instead of deriving into our souls his excellent perfections would but fill them with amazement and horrour If the externall shew and figure only of this sight was so terrible even to Moses that he said I exceedingly fear and quake How do you think that poor sinners can approach We are therefore to apply onr minde unto God but only in and through Christ Jesus that by him obtaining peace and from him grace we may have access and by faith not by speculation only have our hearts purified Your precepts of stilness and abstraction of minde to become of a thinking temper and give up with passions c. and use much inward recollection As by you proposed for the way to spirituality without Jesus Christ who is the only true way are but stoical dreamesâ— and deluding vanities The awakened sinner whom sin affrights and wrath terrifies findeth no rest nor refuge but in Christ Jesus and the peace and favour of God in him and being in him accepted is by his grace purified and made to partake of that blessedness pronounced by the procurer of it Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And thus with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord he is changed into the same image from glory to glory untill that hereafter he be brought to see him as he is and thereby be perfected these are the great means to attain to and continue in converse and fellowship with God If any man love me saith our Lord he will keep my words and the Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And thence no doubt it is that not only all that sweetness of the meditation of God and his attributes the admiration of his mercie and love in Christ the adoration of his excellencies and these soul breathings and continual aspirings toward him which you here mention will flow in into the soul to its constant satisfaction in an entire submission and delightsome complacencie in all Gods wayes and actings but also the Beleever will be stirred up prompted and animat in the holy and pure zeal of God's Glory to fight out the good fight of faith acquit himself strenuously in that warfare with the World Sin and Sathan wherein now we stand ingaged and readily to embrace every occasion whereby he may approve himself unto him who hath so dearly loved us and walk worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory but to suppose that a man may think himself into this frame or by the simple means of that Metaphorick assâ—â—ilation that is in meer thinking attain to this Divine likeness is no less groundless then the active militant state of Christians within time is ill defined by your imaginary stilness Now if any man would understand wherein the sweetness that is to be found in Divine converse doth consist The stilness wherewith the minde is overflowed the clearness of the judgement stedfastness of the will and calmeness of the passions wherein you place it are indeed qualities which do highly advance a man unto the perfection of his nature and the Divine touches that you mention whereby the soul is sometimes carried unto sublimities not utterable are also found in the records of Christian experience but the only proper answere which can be returned is O tast and see that the Lord is good The unsearcheable treasures of his goodness have no measure the excellencies of his glorious perfections have no parallel the poor narrow soul admitted unto these felicities by attributing unto God the very form essence and substance of all its pleasure and magnifying him as its alone love joy and delight hath by these as by the application of whatsomever else it doth conceive to be amiable and delectable endeavoured to adumbrat this Divine satisfaction But as the constant result of these refâ—ections hath been ever admiration and wonder so a forced silence in that transport of the Spouse her raptures yea he is altogether lovely is only its most significant period What part our affections and passions have in these enjoyments it is not needfull to mention certainly God who hath commanded that we love him with all the heart with all the soul with all the strength and with all the minde will both purify and satiat all these capacities As for your telling us that sensible passions may be very high in an impure minde and of a natural devotion specially in a person melancholick a woman or hysterical which may mount very high but doth not humble or purify the minde I judge it to be such an unsavorie and little pertinent mixture that I must expresse my fears that it doth denote a minde in your self little humbled and less purified But that which you add of Persons Divinely acted their deniedness unto all things their absolute resignation unto and intense delight in and desires
toward God as the blessed effects of the souls union with him is that which I rather observe And here indeed it is and in your declaring self abhorrence and abnegation and humble applications of the soul unto Jesus Christ to be that strait passage and low gate which is by violence to be entered for attaining unto that heavenly state wherein spiritual solaces here and immediat Divine enjoyments hereafter do not only compense and swallow up all the preceeding anguish but surpass all possible apprehensions of that unconceived glory that I do most heartily embrace that saving truth if rightly understood of Faith and Repentance which hitherto I have desiderat O that in the possession of so great a joy and the hope of a greater blessedness expected we would all vigorously set about the duties of a Christian life not intangling our selves with the pollutions of this world nor with the affaires of this life how to serve our own lusts and ease and comply with every device and invention of men but enduring hardness contradiction reproach and all persecution that we may please him who hath chosen us to be Souldiers Certainly he whose heart is thus fixed on God in and through Christ Jesus his life and actions will quickly manifest that he hath not only the forme but the power of Godliness his rational and unconcerned contempt of this present world his hatred of base and debasing lusts his undervaluing of the things of sense his well squared and solid indifferencie for all conditions and occurrents and lastly his love of truth and study of innocencie and delight in goodness in all his words and works do evidently shew forth the love and fear of God to be as it were the vital springs of all his thoughts and motions while self-denyall emptieth and humility vaileth him as nothing and out of the world the native and genuine lustre of free grace in him is thereby rendered more conspicuous and his light doth the more shine unto the praise of God who hath called us unto Glory and virtue He peaceably and chearfully obeyeth the publick Father of his Countrey but only in the Lord he remembreth and honoureth such who watch for his soul who speak unto him the word of God of these he is a follower as they are of Christ following their faith and considering the end of their conversation he pursueth Charity as the Crown of perfection Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect hath not with him a more commanding Authority then an inviting and soulâ—aâ—ishing attraction Hence it is that as his bounty and beneficence toward men is prompt and unconfined so his obedience toward God is most punctual and circumspect having respect unto all Gods commandments and esteeming his precepts concerning all things to be right and hating every false way a latitude of love and good will toward all men he heartily acknowledgeth and rejoiceth in but a latitude of compliance with sinful courses and indifferency even in the smallest matters of God under whatsomever pretext he from his heart abhorreth These indeed are a few of the faire lines that compose the Christians Character by which as you may see in part wherein Christian Religion doth consist so it is too too apparent that many who in their vain vaunting of serene and still speculations and high abstractions do alledge the strickness of Conscientious practices to be but loud pretenses do themselves sadly and most dangerously recede from it O how much is it to be desired that not only such but all would in their secret retirements often review and examine their actions that discovering their errors and faâ—lings they may be humbled and brought unto the renewed and more serious exercise of repentance stirred up by a more lively and active faith to lay hold on Jesus Christ and from him and by the power of his grace quickened to new vigour and alacrity in the wayes of God! Then should the Divine love in Christ Jesus inflame and elevat the soul and captivate the whole powers thereof unto these pure and free resignations wherewith God is well pleased then should the power of the grace of our Lord mortify sin overcome temptations and advance in every thing acceptable unto God And lastly then should the offerings of our praises to God for all his mercies especially for the invaluable and unspeakeable Gift of Christ Jesus ascend with gladness and bring back the returnes of more grace and joy and our prayers and supplications in the name of Christ according to the will of God for all things that we may be careful in nothing and for all men especially for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty should be set forth before him as incense and mount up as the evening Sacrifice And it is from these heavenly exercises and the communications of Grace which flow therein that the heart is firmly fixed and strenthened to order and do all to the glory of God and the minde continually bended by the strong applications of fear and love to direct all its wayes as in his sight And these truely are the frame and fruits of inward and secret devotion As for publick Worship he who considereth it as commanded by God for the avowed and more solemn acknowledgement of our dependence upon him and testifying our union with his Church and that therefore not only in reason but also by express precept it is to be seriously and sincerely performed with and from the heart and in that holy and pure manner which he himself hath prescribed without the contaminating mixtures of mens presumptuous and vain inventions will certainly go unto the congregation of the Lords people met together in his Name and sincerely professing thus to seek his face not out of custome or formality whereunto of all things the devising and imposing of humane forms and modes do most powerfully delude but that he may jointly with others cordially adore and praise his Maker and Redeemer and give not only an external concurrence according to the Rule and decency of the Worship but with his soul and all that is within him will blesse his holy Name and joine his Amen Thus you have my hearts assent to the truth that I find in your conclusion my desire to God is that both you and we were by a serious humble and holy practice and not by talking only experimenting the solid edification and pleasure that lyeth in these heads If this you had minded more you and your partie would have been farre from vexing the Lords Church and people in these Lands contrary to the Word of God solemn Oaths and Covenants established Laws sound Reason and Policy and the general inclinations of all with that grievous yoke of wicked and pervese Prelacie and these vain and burthensome corruptions wherewith in all Ages it hath been attended Which things as to your own recollected
there is that truth in them that though David's wished for wings may better suit your desire of rest yet Ieremiah's waterie head and weeping eyes with his retirement to a wildernesse would be the more agreeable wish to our condition But our relieff is that the Lord seeth and who knowes but he is displeased that there is no intercessor and that therefore his arme may bring salvation when he shall put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate and an helmet of salvation upon his head when he shall put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and cloath himself with zeal even that zeal which you go about to maligne as with a clock However this is most certaine that the Redeemer is come to Zion and unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. But your N. C. recals me and tells us that the further he seeth in the great businesse of Religion he is the the more coovinced of a serene and placide temper which so qalisies the soul for Divine converse And these words do ravish and unite your heart to him in such a manner that for a conclusion to these your roving Dialogues you do very agreeably evanish in a fancied transport And really Sir I do as little question that the further a man seeth and is seriously exercised in the great businesse of Religion he will certainly be therby rendered of a more serene and placide temper The statutes of the Lord are indeed right rejoyceing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes the divine light doth certainly give pure joy and pure joy no doubt doth elevat above all carnall perturbations and drossie pleasures there is a vertue in Religion that powerfully rebuking not only the windes of our tempestuous passions and the tossings of our vaine desires but the dreadful tempest of Gods anger doth make a great calme which bringeth unto Jesus Christ for refuge unto God for our rest and blesseth us with his peace that passeth understanding and filleth us with all joy in believing But your insinuation as if a serene and placid temper not flowing from but previously disposing unto Religion and fellowship with God were of special influence as to divine converse is at best but a continuation of your delusion I shall not say deceit suited to your great designe of preferring peace to truth and fraiming Religion to your own accommodation And truly in order to that end the advantages of a serene indifferencie and placide compliance resolving all difficulties by the conveniencie of ease and not striving in any case against the Authority and commands of such on whom our outward peace depends can not be denyed But seing it is the great work of Religion first to open the eyes and to turne from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that we may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith and in these excellent graces true peace and full joy let him who would have a minde truly serene and not only a placide temper but a tranquill and joyful conscience studie and walk in this light discovering and abhorring every evill way and by purity and faithfulnesse even in that which is least make sure his peace and so shall he not only be qualified for but certainly attaine unto divine converse Serenity and tranquillity of minde when flowing from that wisdome from above which is first pure then peaceable and is the product of pure Religion and undefiled is no doubt no other then that light wherein God dwells and that calmness and weakness of Spirit wherein he delights But as for your serene and placid Temper whith you exhibite to us rather as preparatory then subsequent to Religion I must again tell you my feares that I find it so little agreeable to Religion's genuine methode and so very suitable to your carnal designes that I greatly apprehend that instead of advancing you to true divine converse it only seduce you into a fools paradise of your own dreams and imaginations Whether your ensuing raptures do thence proceed I leave it to others to judge But sure I am were you as earnest to pray Deliver my soul O Lord from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue as you would appear serious in the following regrete of having too long dwelt among them that hate peace You had rather choosed to suffer affliction with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ even treason and sedition great riches and respecting and looking for the recompense of the reward the eternal love and peace of God then to have taken the compendious way of a sinful compliance for obtaining this worlds ease and quiet Which I am confidentâ— that holy man whose words you usurpe would have abhorred at the rate As for the thick fogs and mists of contention which you complaine of if this life were indeed to you a valley of tears as you give it out while all light and purity is almost destroyed by the lust and ignorance of your prelatick party it would have been to these infernal vapors and clouds of smok by which our Sun and air are darkned and not to the just and necessary opposition of a small faithful remnant against your apostacy that you had ascribed the noisomness which you mention But behold the nimblenesse aswell as the delusion of the mans fancy he hath for outward ease cast away a good conscience and preferred all along peace unto truth All the disturbance he meeâ—eth with is the dissent of a few faithfull unto God and stedfast in his Covenant whom he and his party do therefore persecute This small innocent non-complyance he complaineth of as if he were the most refined and tender Saint grieving for the wicked and rageful persecution of the ungodly from which imaginary and feigned distresse with the same artifice and facility he pretendeth that his relieff is in divine contemplation whither as to the mountaine of God he flieth forsooth for Sanctuary that he may take rest But this triumphing of your presumption shall be but short the joy of the hyhocrite is but for a moment though his excellency reach up to the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they which have seen him shall say where is he he shall fly away as a dream and be chased away as a vision of the night for who Lord shall dwell in thy holy hill and who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart he that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift vp his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his Salvation If therefore your pretensions be such as you professe you must not overlooke the way that God himselfe hath designed but walk in it with fear Your vain phantastick soarings will not carry you either over or by it Nay in the end they will prove a lie and tumble you into destruction For what is the hope of the Hypocrite when he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Think not that these things are from ill nature and spoken in bitterness Nay Sir I may very seriously protest that when I reflect on your laxe and unsound principles not only in the matters of Government and Worship but even in the head of justification and several other parts that you have given me occasion to touch with your enmity and reproaches against the work of God and the Kingdome Ministry and Ordinances of our Lord Iesus Christ and how on the other hand you endeavour to shreud your self under the high pretenses of peace love charity and devotion wholly heavenly I can scarce refrain from trembling in the thoughts of such deep and abusive hypocrisie And therefore though you should scorn my compassion yet will I not forbear to give you my best advice You seem to have the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the word Nay thou makest thy boast of God and divine contemplation the secret of Gods presence and the refreshfull shades of the Almighty where joy unspeakable and the most pure solaces flow appear to be your familiar retreat But as it is too too evident that neither your principles nor practice are very suitable to this profession nay that there is no noise heard of this profession while you are bussied in serving mens designs and your own fancies And that it is only after you have striven to the outmost in perswading or contradicting that you seek to evade or delude by these pretensions So my earnest request is that in place of fancie that evaporats all your knowledge into imagination faith and love may suck down the truth into your heart to convert you indeed unto God and reveal in you with power his Son Iesus Christ that you may love the Lord with all your soul and strength and trust in him alwayes have respect unto all his Commandements and observe all his Ordinances then should you walk in the way safely and the Lord should be your confidence And though you should be exercised with the same perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes the same strife of tongues and persecution of adversaries whereof we have so large an experiment yet amidst all these boisterous windes and tossing waves God would be your Rock light joy strength and salvation for ever Sir this is our faith and also our victory for which when you shall as seriously contend as you do vainly pretend to outward peace and mans favour then shall true peace even that peace which the World neither gives nor can take abound unto you to establish you unto the end Let us therefore fight the good fight keep the faith and lay hold on eternal life that we may finish our course with joy so shall we receive that Crown of Righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give unto us at that day and not unto us only but unto all them also that love his appearing Even so come Lord JESUS FINIS