the young men shall utterly fail but those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint chap. 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousnesse sake he will magnifie the Law and make it honourable Which it would not be if it were impossible chap. 48.17 18. Thus faith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shalt go O that thou hadst harkened to my commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the sea chap. 51.4 5. Harken unto me my people and give eare O Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgement to rest for a light to the Gentiles my righteousnesse is neer my salvation is gone forth vers 7 8. Harken unto me ye that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproch of men neither be ye afraid of their revisings for the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them up like wool but my righteousnesse shall be sure and my salvation from generation to generation Jerem. 31.32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah saith the Lord not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my covenant they broke although I was an Husband unto them or therefore I must overule them saith the Lord but this shall be the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Where take notice of these things that the first covenant is a covenant of works and the effect a compulsive obedience out of fear of vengeance Secondly that the second covenant is made to those that now love God and righteousnesse and obey it out of good will after the days of compulsion are ended which must have their foregoing work to break mans strong lusts and inclinations to sin after which comes the revelation of free mercy and salvation out of grace unexpectedly witnessed from Heaven to the lost yet humbled penitent and praying or deprecating soul which melts his heart with godly sorrow and inflames his heart with love to God and righteousnesse and with an hatred of all known sin Thirdly that this second covenant is of sanctification and then of some degree of glory As to the former the Lord promiseth to put his Law into our inward parts and to work the same in our hearts which is done no other way but by regeneration and by the promised Spirit of Christ which is called the blood of the new covenant and the blood of the everlasting covenant for the purging or the dimission away of our sins whereof both the expiative and consecrating blood of the old Testament was a figure Exod. 24.8 and 14.14 10. and chap. 8.23 24. and whereof the wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the New Testament is a sign and representation as the bread broken is a representation both of his word to be broken received and eaten Jer. 15.16 and of his suffering patience and weakness which is a body of his to be broken unto us by degrees and received by faith and obedience where through we may remember Christs death and follow him therein crucifying sin till he come unto us in the Spirit and power of his resurrection Thus the Apostle saith ' Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ this Spirit and spiritual blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself as man without spot to God purge the consciences or souls from dead works to serve the living God And Heb. 10.29 He that falls from grace counts the blood of this covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing or a thing of smal price and so doth despite to the Spirit of grace and hence it is that the Apostle prayeth Heb. 13.20 that God who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep would through the blood of the everlasting covenant make the believing Hebrews perfect in every good work to do the will of the Lord as Peter also tells the Saints 1 Pet. 1.18 that they were through the same redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation in a Jewish righteousness received by tradition from their Fathers This blood is promised unto them that walk in the light with God and his Saints 1 John 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sin With this blood the Saints washed their robes or imperfect righteousness and made them white Rev. 7.14 with this Christ washed the Apostles and made them Kings and priests unto God Rev. 1.5 6. for which they give him praise and glory and with this is the Devil overcome and cast out Rev. 12.11 A third thing observable in this covenant is that there is a clear full and glorious wisdome promised to each Saint in due time so that they shall not need to say to each other know the Lord for they shall know him from the least of them to the greatest for that perfect knowledge and love is then come which makes the imperfect knowledge and prophecying to cease 1 Cor. 13.8 9. Lastly the time of that perfect wisdome power and love is also limited namely vers 34. in those words for I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more it is then when God hath purged and taken away all their sins by the same blood where forgiving of sins as in many other places is to be understood of the purging them away by Gods grace which we call dimission and that is the principal taking away of sin upon which the pardon or taking away of the guilt follows of course and is cast in over and above out of Gods abundant mercy for the death and sufferings of Christ But to proceed Ezek. 36.25 26 27. we have another of these promises of enabling grace Then will I pour clean water upon you and from all your sins and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new
did intend to alter and abate those qualifications enumerated Ps 15. and Ps 24. v. 3 4. of them that should inhabit his tabernacle through Christ after he came in the outward flesh because if he did not intend so to do then these are still the qualifications to be shewed forth by every one that is to dwell in Gods holy hill even to walk uprightly to work righteousness speak the truth from his heart not to do evill to his neighbour to perform his oath though it be to his own hinderance c. and not to swear deceitfully 19. Quer. Whether religion standeth in assuming or practising of any outward formes and services so as the practitioners of them are to be accounted the religious men above others who assume them not yet practise more mercy justice in their actions then the aforesaid do also live as unblameable lives The reason of this Querie is because the Lord by the Prophet Micah telleth them that to do justly love mercy and walk humbly with God is the good which he hath shewed them to do that he careth not for their offerings nor for their rivers of oyle nor yet for the fruit of their bodies for the sinne of their souls Micah 6.6 7 8. Secondly because in Is 58.2 3 4. its said They seek me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did righteously they ask of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approching to God yet for all this their fasting to 〈◊〉 the Lord declares his dislike of them v. 3 4 5 6 7 〈…〉 3. Because it is said James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God the Father is to visit the fatherless and widowes and keep himself unspotted of the world We desire to know of any inquisitive man or professor of Religion whether there be any place of holy Writ which speaketh like to this of the pure Religion So that it appeareth that the mercy and unspotted life is the pure Religion and undefiled before God the Father and therefore they are the most religious men who practise most of the mercy and unspotted life though they be of no divided opinion amongst us at this day yet practise all outward services with others for peace sake Hence it is to be considered whether many in America who have not the written Scriptures be not better Christians then many in England for I have heard a woman commonly called a Moore then of Mr. Jesse his Congregation who relâ—aed thus much in reference to St. James his Religion of their Countrey-natives practised that they used when any of them were sick to goe to them and one to do this office about the patient a second to do another a third to do another office of help about them and not to leave them until they saw them dead or recovered This was her testimony unto a person of Honour in my hearing she also saying of themselves we do not as is usually done in England to send to see peradventure how they do but afford them little help of their own but God help them according to that James 2.16 ' Depart in peace be ye warmed but give them nothing 20. Querie Whether to be oft distempered with passions of pride wrath maliciousnesse envy and to be of an unreconcileable spirit be not worse then to be oft distempered with wine and strong drink The reason of this Querie is because the latter sort of distempered ones are looked upon as irreligious men as indeed they are and are shamed and spoken against for such distempers by the former sort of distempered men who are yet more frequently distempered and longer with malice wrath irreconcileablenesse and envy then the others are with wine Now as every effect is to be argued from its causes by reason it is from them so must men judge of the said effects more or lesse evil from their causes and principles from whence they come and hence it will appear that those who are often distempered with wrath anger malice are worse then the other because envy wrath and malice c. are from the devils nature more immediately and properly according unto that Ja. 3.14 15 16. where it s said ' that this wisdome is devillish the other distemper is more indeed of the brutish sensual nature according to that Phil. 3.18 19. Whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Hence it will follow that the wrathful and malicious man because he sheweth more of that id Diaboli to be in him though the other more of the id ruti to be in him is the worse of the two though he that is the best of the two will be shut out of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.11 if he repent not here but whether it be not inconsideratenesse or partiality let them judge whom it concerneth to count the distempered with wine for irreligious persons and yet to account the other sort who are distempered with wrath and envy for religious persons and their wrathful envious passions but the infirmities of Saints especially if they walk in some outward form of a religious esteem do not the Apostles words Jam. 2.4 reach these Are you not partial in your selves and Judges of evil thoughts because that which is high in most men is abomination to God and because the malicious distemper is more of the devils nature as aforesaid We shall offer further some Texts of Scripture to be enquired into as how far their scope and aime doth concern us because of what is said 2 Tim. 3.16 17. 1 Querie What is St. Pauls intent when he saith Rom. 2.3 And thinkest thou O man that judgest them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgment of God The reason is because God is no respecter of persons v. 12. v. 6. 2. Querie What did our Saviour mean Math. 7.12 where he saith All things that you would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets The reason of this Querie is because of what Job said Job 16.4 and many care not who sink so they swim 3. Querie What did St. Paul mean Phil. 2.21 where he saith All seek their own and not the things which are Jesus Christs 4. Querie What did the Lord mean Jer. 45.5 where it is said Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not 5. Querie What did Christ mean Math. 16.26 where he saith What is a man profited if he shall gain the world and lose his soul 6. Querie What is the scope of that Psal 50.20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy own Mothers son 7. Querie What is meant Isai 63.8 where it is said My children will not lie 8. Qu. What doth Christ intend Luk 17.1 2. when ' he said Woe be to them by whom offences come it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and
sin must be left behind and so his first position is overthrown likewise And here is another of his contradictions yea a twin or a double one But to this his advice he joyns his new Letany to which we fay Amen And from blind Jesuiticall guides with their false pretended new lights in a dark Lanthorn their feignedlies pretended revelations but delusions Good Lord deliver us But who pretends to new lights or insists upon extraordinary revelations or who hath a darker lanthorn then himselfe or what Jesuit useth the trade of lying so often as he doth in which conflict it s now known he himself would carry away the whetstone So that if Diogenes came at noon-day again with his lanthorn either to find truth in his assertions or common honesty in the author of them he would operam oleum perdere Note also that here again he cals us Jesuits But he is pleased to salute us at the table saying much good may their perfection on earth doe them sure we are that if we can attain it it will doe us no harm But by way of return we say well may he fare with his much affected imperfections and corruption similis lactuca labris but Christ also Rev. 22.11 saith he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still but he that is justified let him be justified still and he that is sanctified let him be sanctified still for what a man most affects in these things that shall be his portion in the end Howbeit with his lips or pen he begs to have his imperfections discovered and to be humbled in the sense of them so long as he liveth as if the Lord delighted more in our dejectment for them then ejectment of them that he may cry always with the poor Publican but doth he beg healing and cleansing mercies that he might offend no more or only pardon for his offence toties quoties committed and so to end his days Surely he should then have been but a poor Publican in the end though he had a rich office But he will also at leastwise in words make an emulator of Saint Paul who forgat what was behind and pressed forward towards the mark and put forth we wish he means not quite out of doors all the strength that the Lord shall please to send him and improving all opportunities to the best advantage for the mortifying of all sinfull corruptions in him and for the growing in grace untill he attaines unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ But lest all this should be had too soon in the world but here by the ministery of the word the work is to be carried on even to perfection Ephes 4.11 12 13. he contradictingly saith which shall be after grace consummate hereafter in heaven and so desperately concludes As for him that can find perfection here on earth let him never look for it in heaven As if it could not be had in both places or estates in several degrees contrary to Pauls hope 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought the good fight I have kept the faith I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness Doth not the holy Ghost say Rev. 14.13 that those that die here to sin in the Lord that they may rest from their own works and labours as the fourth commandement requires that their works shall follow them But in the last place he tels us that he will lay down some of our arguments and some Scriptures which we wrest to maintain them Wherein he shews himself a better diviner then a divine for he had none of them as yet from us unless those which he findeth in the argument of Doctor Draytons sermons of which he mentioneth very few First he saith that we deny original sin Which thing in his sense is true But we say every mans first fall is his original sin Secondly we say as he tels you that original sin is taken away from the Saints on earth we say that it either is or ought to be there being sufficient grace and help offered and afforded in Christ to us for that end and therefore that such mortified Saints cannot derive it to their posterity What is this to the question in hand yet we confess more that neither the first Adam nor any parent descended from him can convey any such stain of sinfull corruption by generation to their children because a most holy God creates both soul and body innocent and without sin But as this argument of his is none of ours so his solution or answer is a meer figment of mans brain for he saith there are three things in sin the offence the guilt and the pollution or stain being an inclination to fall into the like sins Of which saith he the two first are taken away but the last which is the worst is left behind during this life Where ye may take notice of these absurdities or contradictions First that Gods hates the offence as he saith in his dearest Saints and as he saith it is abolished and blotted out by the blood of Jesus Christ If it be abolished as he saith it is how can it remain in them still and if it remain still how can it be but hatefull to God For the second the guilt or obligation to punishment he saith that is pardoned but as we have often shewed no sin is pardoned till it s left and forsaken Prov. 28.13 As for the third the pollution which he cals the pure essence of sin a very pure essence indeed if one look well upon it that saith he doth not reign in a regenerate man yet the life and being of sin is not taken away page 36. But he cites a Text there wherewith he cuts his own throat if rightly rendred Psal 103.3 Who is propitious to all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities or diseases The latter words explaining the former and certainly where diseases are healed they are wholly removed or taken away they leave no life nor being behind them and then follows vers 4. who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving kindness and mercy for where any life or being of sin is left there is so much destruction or condemnation left also as we shewed out of Rom. 8.2 True it is that the Lord doth heal our souls gradually as this puny Emperick speaks but he leaves not we say the full perfecting of the cure to the life of glory or yet to the hour of death But page 36. he feigneth a second objection of ours and then forgeth an answer for it as he did before Regenerate parents cannot convey the guilt of original sin to their children because to themselves it is pardoned Which objection is a strong barre against him though not made by us And upon this score the guilt of the first Adam's sin after his personal repentance could not be charged upon his
promised to the keepers of the Law then the promise had been vain So it had without grace in Christ Secondly if righteousnesse were by the Law then Christ had dyed in vain because it were superfluous for him to dye for us if we could attain it by the works of the Law and therefore it is apparent that by the works of the Law no flesh living can be justified Thirdly for hypocriticall Gospellers such as seem Saints in ostentation that they may play the divell without suspicion as John Tendring did till he went away who say they have faith but shew forth no works which are not vailed with hypocrisie and which are not done or intended to wrong ends for such saith he let Isaiah tell you how acceptable their works be to God and whether they be like to justifie them Isai 1.16 17. For the Lord complaineth that he is weary of them and that his soul hateth them and bids them bring no more such sacrifices to him But we demand of him whether those men were Gospellers or pretended Professors whether the works which the Lord there forbids were Ceremonial or Morals For he forbids not the works of the Moral Law Fourthly he saith that for true Christians that are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh but of God if any works could justifie it must needs be their works which are wrought in and through them by the spirit of God and yet we say quoth he that the best works of the best regenerate men cannot justifie them before God And thus we prove it how doth he that First because all the graces that we receive in this life are given to us but in part page 55. sure they are wholly and freely given as we shewed in the proof of the other positions and so they are imperfect grace But see how he contradicts himself and lyes against the Holy Ghost in his next words which are these not that the Spirit of Gods works imperfectly but that he means not to inrich us with any grace here while we are conversant with sinful men in this vale of misery but only so far forth as he seeth it fit to bring us unto the kingdome of perfection where that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13.10 But what if Paul looked for that here saying when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part or but a piece-work shall be abolished and swallowed up verse 11. yea what if Paul all that time enjoyed that which is so perfect for he saith verse the 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things And if so then the Vindicators conclusion will stand against us like the walls of Jericho which fell flat to the ground which follows in these words And therefore our inherent justice being but as our knowledg is imperfect and therefore it is impossible that it should perfectly justifie us before God But we have overthrown that supposition of his before Secondly he saith that though our good works are perfect in respect of the Spirit of God which effecteth them yet they are tainted when they pass through us who are so subject to sin as waters running through a dirty channel and therefore cannot justifie us before God in whose presence every polluted thing stands condemned whence the Prophet saith Is 64.6 All our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth But neither are all Saints subject to sin all their life long nor can that which proceeds from Gods Spirit be tainted by us nor is that the righteousness of Saints but of sinners and unregenerate men which is so menstruous as is said before Howbeit he brings in Gregorie's saying Moral lib. 21. cap. 15. and lib. 3. cap. 7. All mans righteousness should be unrighteousness if God should strictly judge it and then Augustine's saying Wo to the most laudable and best life of men Unto which we first oppose these sayings of the Apostle 1 John 2.29 If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him chap. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous chap. 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment and then those of the Psalmist Psal 11.2 3 4 5 6. and 119.1 2. and 128.1 2. unto which we could adde many more Howbeit he goeth on in the same lying strain saying if God laying aside his mercy should discusse our lives or righteousness in the strictness of his justice it would be so for God is a God of purer eyes who charged his angels with folly Indeed Eliphaz one of Jobs back-friends and of John Tendring's gain-saying spirit saith so but falsly Job 4.17 18. for the Lord never charged any but the fallen Angels with folly so But he tels us further if you will believe him that the best of men when he lives on earth is both a Saint and sinner a Saint by reason of grace wrought in him and a sinner by his own natural corruption which in some measure tainteth every grace of God and therefore the best of these who being compared with their fellows might seem just indeed yet looking to the strictness of Gods justice they disclaimed all their own righteousness What that of grace and regeneration also But who are those Saints St. Eliphaz a lying and contentious zelot with whom God is highly displeased Job 42.7 But he brings in Job himself saying chap. 9.2 3. But how should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him to one of a thousand and David Psal 130. and 143. 2. of which we said before that all this is true of man in his corrupt estate and for a time afterwards but not of the Saints best estate and growth upon earth For whereas he saith page 56. that Paul affirmeth 1 Cor. 4.4 that he knew nothing by himself it is true But whereas the Apostle addeth that he was not thereby justified he renders a false reason of that saying of the Apostle and contradicts himself also saying though he served God most faithfully in the inner man yet he saw another law in his members warring against the law of his mind and hence he cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death What did he feel surely a law of sin and felt such a body of death continually and yet knew nothing by himself Good Hyperbolick bring your ends nearer together as the servant said to his lying mother Thirdly saith he that although it were granted that some works of the Saints were perfectly good yet any one sin blotteth out the remembrance of our former righteousness Ezek. 18.24 But that Text speaks of a final Apostasie from righteousness not of one actual
ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this for you saith the Lord. Matth. 1.21 And thou shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins and 3.11 12. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into his garner but he will burn up the chaffe with unquenchable fire Luk. 1.70 71 74. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began That we should be saved from all our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us Rom. 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace and 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and chap. 2.1 2. My little children these things I write unto you that ye sin not but if any man sin we have a comforter with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins by way of propitiation and purgation of them and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world A third Tropick is this That our subduing overcoming and rooting out of sin is made the condition of manifold spiritual and heavenly promises which would be frustraneous and void if the condition were not feasible by grace And such conditional but performable promises are these Psal 24.3 4 5. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord even righteousness from the God of his salvation Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall obtain mercy Isaiah 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean take away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well c. Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wool Jer. 4.14 Wash thine heart O Jerusalem that thou mayest be saved And Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 16.24 25. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whosoever will save his life of sin shall lose it and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it Chap. 24.13 But whosoever shall endure to the end of his race and mortification the same shall be saved Rom. 6.5 For if we be planted in him into the likeness of his death we shall be also into the likeness of his resurrection vers 8. For if we be dead with him unto the sin we believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye shall mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit ye shall live 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shal be my sons and my daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 7.1 Wherefore dearly beloved having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Hebr. 3.6 But Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end to wit the end of sin as before vers 14. for we are made pertakers of Christ in the Spirit after the likeness of his resurrection Rom. 6.5 If we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh all sins temptations and spiritual enemies will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God vers 11. He that overcometh sin which is the first spiritual death Rom. 7.24 he shall not be hurt of the second death which lay lurking and hid therein vers 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he which receiveth it vers 26 27 28. And he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end aforesaid to him will I give power over the nations to wit all the powers and faculties of the outward man or the natural being and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessel of a potter they shall be broken in shivers if through any new temptation they shall offer to rebel Rev. 9.27 even as I received of my Father and I will give him the morning-starre and Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels vers 12. him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the house of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is new Jerusalem that cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name vers 21 22. to him that overcometh will I give to set with me upon my throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father upon his throne Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Church which condition we had six times before in the former and this present chapter The fourth Topick shall be the end for which Christ was given by the Father and for which he gave himself for us which on his part cannot be disappointed cannot be frustrate if we be not wanting to our selves Isa 42.6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and will give thee for a covenant to the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring the prisoners out of prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house So again Isaiah 49.8 9. Isai 61.1 2 3. as before The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted who are troubled about
our faith for who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God The last Topick shall be the summe of all practical truth in Christ which Paul reduceth to two heads Ephes 4.20 21 22 23 24. as was said before But ye have not so learned Christ if so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that ye put off concerning the former conversâ—tion the old man which is corrupting according to the deceitful lust and be ye renewed in the Spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which is created after God in righteousness and holiness of truth Then who holds out the truth of Christ we or the Vindicator let all wise men judge impartially between us Thus much for divine authority now for humane we shall first produce divers of the Fathers and some of those which the Vindicator or his friends for him have alledged against us to out-ballance him and then the authority of our own Church the best reformed of all the Protestant Churches in her established doctrine and late Liturgie For the first of these Justin Martyr in quaest respon ad Orthodoxos All men do sin not because we cannot do otherwise which appeareth from hence because all men are not intangled with all sorts of sins but some fall into these offences some into others and some men are involved with many sins some with fewer and some with none at all those of whom I spake before to wit Zacharie and Elizabeth Origen super Gen. homilia 11. But let us see how a man may be made the good savour of Christ sin is a filthy stinking thing In a word sinners are compared to swine wallowing who wallow in the filthy dung If there be any of you in whom there is no savour of sin but the savour of righteousness and the sweetness of mercifulness he is the sweet savour of Christ Cyprian serm de Baptism Christi The Law teach us to avoid sin it reproves transgressors and to the intent we should walk with washed and clean feet it foreshews all things that may offend and makes known unto us all diverticles whereby dangerous out-turnings and passages may be avoided it commands nothing that is impossible nothing that is austere or difficult Chrysos in 2 Cor. 11. homil 3. speaking of Abraham's prayer made to God in the behalf of the inhabitants of Sodom and the neighbouring cities which were to be destroyed Gen. 18. saith he that Abraham speaking there vers 27. by way of self-abasment before the Lord said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes and thus he did Because saith Chrysostom Abraham at this time had no sin left therefore he flies unto nature it self and because the name of earth contains in it something that is honest and decorous in its kind he adds the word ashes thereunto Hieron in Epist He which desires to reign with Christ must of necessity be pure or clean from all naughtiness and guile if thou wilt have thy part or portion with Christ thou must live after Christs pattern if thou desirest the society of the Saints keep thy heart clean from the very thought of naughtiness and sin because the celestiall Court receives none but those that are holy chast simple innocent and pure Augustin de vera falsa poenitentia For he is first to be purged with the fire of purgation who deferreth the fruit of his conversion unto another world and albeit saith he this fire be not everlasting yet it is greivous after a wonderful manner for it exceedes all the pain that ever any man suffered in this life Therefore let every one so endeavour to amend his faults here that he may not have cause to endure such pain hereafter Here his exhortation and counsel is good though his ground concerning purgation wants an Index expurgatorius Idem in lib. de baptism par If it be demanded whether a man be without sin in this life I confess he may by grace of Christ and the right use of his free-will Greg. lib. 2. mara cap. 8. If we say that Job offended in his speech or words which were wickedness in us to think we should confess that God had lost the victory in his challenge or offer made to Satan concerning Jobs exposal to his sifting and trial Prosper in his book of senten ex Augustino As some parents do aggravate original sin so some do lighten or abate it but none doth take it away save he onely of whom it is said Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world to whom no good of man is impossible to work no evil is uncurable Unto which adde that saying of Bernards by the Vindicator quoted yet without his additional That kind of sin which so often troubles us I mean concupiscence and evill desires may and should be repressed by the grace of God so that they reign not in us and that we give not our members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin and then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Thus for the Testmony of the Fathers of which sort we shall alledge more in the confirmation of the second position Now for the doctrine of our English reformed Church heretofore established by law First in the Catechism is thus demanded and answered Q. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you A. They did promise and vow three things in my name first that I should forsake the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanity of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Secondly that I should believe all the Articles of the Christian faith And thirdly that I should keep Gods holy will and commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of my life Q. Dost thou not believe that thou art bound to believe and to do all as they have promised for thee A. Yes verily and by Gods help so I will and I heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called me unto this state of salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour and I pray God to give me his grace that I may continue in the same unto my livesend And afterwards reciting the Lords prayer Q. What desirest thou in this prayer A. I desire my Lord God who is the giver of all goodness to send his grace unto me and unto all people that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do c. And that it would please him to save and defend us in all dangers Ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our Ghostly enemy and from everlasting death And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore I say Amen And afterwards concerning Baptism Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace
God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods commandements cannot be kept of any man in particular but of men taken together August de Nat. Grat. cap. 4.3 God by giving his law unto us admonished us to do what we can and admonished us to ask what we cannot do Idem de tempor serm 61. Neither could God command any thing that is impossible because he is just nor will condemn any man for that which be could not do because he is pious or good Idem in Psalm 56. God would never command us to do that thing if he judged it impossible to be done of man if thou therefore considering thine infirmity faintest under the precept be comforted by example for he that gave us his example is at hand that he may also afford us his aide Idem in Heb. Epist 89. The love of God is diffused into our hearts from whence proceeds the fulfilling of the law not by the power of the will which is in us but by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Idem de verbis Apost serm 15. He that believeth in him shall not have his own righteousness which is out of the law though the law is good but he shall fulfill the law not by his own righteousness but that love which is given him of God for love is the fulfilling of the law and from whence is that love diffused into our hearts not from our selves but from the holy Ghost which is given unto us Idem lib. 2. in Julian cap. 1. Neither is the perfection of virtue to be despaired of by his grace who can change and heal that nature which was vitiated originally or from the beginning Prosp lib. Senten ex August The law is given that grace may be sought grace is given that the law may be fulfilled Idem ibidem The end of the law is Christ in whom the law of righteousness is not confirmed but fulfilled for all perfection is to be found in him beyond whom here is no place or thing whither the hope of faith and truth should extend it self Idem ibid. Every precept is light for him that loveth nor is it so to be understood as spoken upon any other occasion where it is said my burden is light but because he gives the holy Ghost by which love is diffused into our hearts we should do that freely and liberally which fear made us do servilely Greg. in homil 38. upon the Gospel called charity the wedding-garment which he that hath not before he comes to the great marriage is excluded To say nothing of Alippius Evodius Aurelius Possidius and many more of the ancients who with Aug. did hold That the law of God by grace was possible to be kept and fulfilled in this life we will adde a testimony or two of Leo and the Schoolmen and then come to our own English reformed doctrine he saith serm 12. de passione Where sin abounded there grace hath superabounded that those who were born with the guilt or prejudice of sin have power to be reborn unto righteousness for the gift of freedome is stronger or more forcible then was the debt of bondage and slavery Idem serm 9. de Jesun alibi He may justly press us with his precept who goes afore with his help and grace and again serm 9. de Jejun sept men We cannot attain to that which is promised unless we observe that which is commanded but because we commonly do this without the grace of God Also he addeth further upon those words of our Saviour be ye holy as I am holy seeing it seemeth difficult which I command run to the command that from whence the precept is enjoyned help may be afforded for performance As for the Schoolmen we have their judgment briefly comprehended in that verse Ultra posse vini non vult Deus ulla requiri Beyond mans possibility by grace The just God nought requires of mortal race As for our reformed doctrine and Liturgie those places which we alledged before upon the former position will speak to this also That as our Godfathers and Godmothers did promise and vow in our names that we should keep Gods holy will and commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of our life so we should by Gods help resolve so to do and to that end seek his grace that we may continue the same unto our lives end And afterwards when the catechist had set forth the duties of the whole law in the first and second table he saith My ' good child know this that thou art not able to do this of thy self nor to walk in the commandements of God and to serve him without his special grace which thou must learn to call for at all times by diligent prayer c. As for the Liturgie in the Collect upon the first Sunday after the Epiphanie the Church was wont to pray thus Grant that these thy people may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. And besides a prayer said after every one of the commandements in the close of all the Church prayed thus Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseech thee To say nothing of the most learned Bishops that were in their ages Bishop Andrews Bishop Overal and Bishop White with other Grandees and Fathers of our Church King James upon the Lords prayer affirmeth that it is blasphemy to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible for that were to give him the lie who told us out of his own mouth that his yoke is easie and his burden light And Christs intimate disciple saith 1 John 5.3 that his commandements are not grievous Thus much for the first branch of the second position now for the second which follows thereupon That by this righteousness or obedience unto the law wrought by the grace of Christ we may be justified Take these twelve things into consideration First that justification is one and the same thing with sanctification in Jesus Christ as we have shewed out of many places of the Scriptures as 1 Cor. 6.11 But now ye are washed now ye are sanctified now ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and by the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Rev. 21.11 where read the Text thus as it signifies in the Greek Let him that is unjust be unjust still and he that is filthy be filthy still but he that is justified be justified still and he that is sanctified be sanctified still Secondly that as we are sanctified by faith in Christ Acts 26.18 among those that are sanctified by faith in
Arrias Montanus hath it and that from a special Author also Seventhly we would not have it slightly passed over which is written Numb 13.14 concerning the ten unbelieving spies who would neither encourage themselves nor others to go and fight against the Canaanites that so they might have inherited the promised land but disheartened themselves and others with the apprehension of impossibilities till they were excluded therefrom in the end ' for whatsoever was written in time past was written for our instruction Rom. 15.14 1 Cor. 10.6 Heb. 4.1 and so was the story of Bar-Jesus Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13.6 who called himself Bar-Jesus that is the Son of Jesus and pretended to become a prophet but he opposed the true faith in Christ as the Vindicator and some others do seeking to turn away the Deputy Sergius Paulus from it and so perverted the right way of the Lord being an enemy to the true righteousness in which regard he is not onely called a false prophet and a sorcerer as his name importeth but smitten with blindness from which sin and all other as well as from the horrid effects thereof the Lord in his mercy preserve us all and let those in speciall find mercy at his hands who opposing the truth have done it ignorantly in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 Eighthly that a great part of the Clergy in this nation and no smal part of them in authority begin to decline from the Orthodox faith of our English reformed Church and to urge the rigid and turbulent opinions of Mr. John Knox the father of the Gomarists in Scotland whose doctrine and discipline in an hundred years space hath not brought forth so much reformation of life in that nation as our late erected Government hath done there though for the most part by awe and constaint Lastly that as this doctrine deviates from the Apostles faith Rom. 6.8 for if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him so it swerves from the right end of both the Sacraments for by baptism we are buried into the death of Christ that like as Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father even so we should walk in newness of life for if we have been planted together into the similitude of his death so then shall we be into the likeness of his resurrection Rom. 6.5 6. and in the Lords supper we are to shew forth the Lords death in dying with him unto all iniquity until his coming again unto us in the power of his resurrection 1 Cor. 11.26 Which two estates are by the Vindicators doctrine opposed as things of impossible attainment in this life and so the summe of the Gospel the right belief and true Christian race hereby denied decried and openly opposed in this Vindication by which the Vindicator hath verified as if his name were ominous in reference to his design another anagram of his Name O hindring net God hath his net and so hath the Devil Both nets are daily us'd about the evil Gods net draws fish out of the sea of sin The Mare clausum Satan casts them in Where Satans drudger-man is still impli'd To watch and draw Gods fish on his shore side This work to do John Tendring he is set To plead for sin hence call'd O hindring net True Doctrine is Gods net his fisher men Are ministers of righteousness and then False doctrine must be Satans net to draw Men from their due observance of Gods law By which they love to God and man forget And such thy book doth prove O hindring net Having finished also the catasceuastical part of our Revindication in the next pirce we shall presume to offer some Queries because we desire to lay open our hearts and minds for the trueths cause to such as are held to censure and rashly to judge of those whom they beleive are contrary-minded unto themselves 1. Querie Whether do you or any of you pretend to an infallible Spirit whereby you do not nor can erre in what you affirm or deny to be divine truth according to the Records commonly called the Scriptures The reason is because the late Synod confessed cap. 31. of their Confession that Councels and Synods have erred as themselves have done else why do they not answer the Examen against it in the materal points out of pity to the examiners who pitied them to undeceive them and the well-meaning people Secondly because if it be true as aforesaid then why do the Committees for trying in one place and ejection in every County though some are more moderate then others put the Article at the foot of other Articles That he is ignorantand insufficient for the work of the Ministry when sometimes the person the said article is put upon is a grave Doctor of Divinity and may be their catechisers Father for age in years and learning Thirdly because many are put out and others kept out of a livelyhood in the way themselves live and grow with other additionals rich by because they cannot ex consciencià subscribe and own their masters opinions Et jurare in verba magistri and yet these masters by their own confession may erre as their masters did whose servants were the miser men John 7.45 46 47 48 49. 2. Querie What do you aim at in your preaching with such bitterness especially in Wilts against us whether to maintain a combination and faction of self interest or that the people you preach unto may live a peacable and most holy life and their souls saved in the day of the Lord. The reason of this Querie is because the Apostle saith James 1.14 If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not also you lye against the truth and vers 16. where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work vers 17. and that the fruit of righteousnesse sown in peace of them that make peace Therefore Heb. 11.14 the Apostle saith follow peace with all men without which none shalt see God 3. Querie Whether such doctrines as hold out a possibility of a total mortification of sinne through the grace and help of Christ and a perfect obedience to the Law of God are not the Doctrines which do perswade people to live that most holy life but lead men as some have said from Heaven to Hell if Hell be where no sin nor unclean thing can come and Heaven be where much sinne will remain it is confessed according to the Vindicators attestation and position The reason of this Querie is offered by reason we have heard from an intelligent and present hearer thereof that a Minister in Salisbury but it is said he was late a New-England man did pray to God in his ignorant real before many people that he might never believe such a doctrine as a possibilty of a total mortification of sin in this life And we pray God of his mercy not to say Amen to his prayer but pray unto the Lord Jesus for him or
Divines as it s reported told the said Synod that they were not sent to debate that rigid and horrid question of absolute reprobation but that well-pleasing question of absolute love and election of God to some who be from all eternity elected though from the demonstration of this any of ordinary capacity might easily conclude what they must needs think concerning reprobates and their reprobation We say again if Synods are called and convened as aforesaid we cannot expect Gods blessing upon their endeavours how specious soever their meeting seemeth to be For all such as God will blesse to such a work must be unbiassed and holy men of God besides their acquired learning for only such will say if allured or threatned by higher powers as the Apostles did to the rulers Act. 4.19 whether we should obey God or you judge ye 12. Querie Whether it be a sinne to pray for grace and help from Christ to live here without sinne and in perfect obedience to all and every one of Gods commandements which consist in our operative love to God and man Matth. 22.37 to 41. The reason because the doctrine of perfection is deemed an innovation and heresie and to pray therefore for such a thing must be evill 13. Qu. Whether if we ought to pray as aforesaid it be a sinne in any of the Saints to believe and expect that God will give grace and help by Christ unto such praying Saints to live without sinne and transgression to his laws in this life as aforesaid 14. Qu. Whether it can be demonstrated clearly out of Scriptures for it s often affirmed to be so that what Adam received of God for himself he received as a common root and by vertue of a covenant of God with Adam relating thereunto for all mankind and what he lost in himself by his personal sinne he lost likewise for all his posterity and they must for ever lose the same without they repent of Adam's sinne and saved by an absolute decree of election Our reasons of this Querie are these First because it will then follow that if Adam had stood in his integrity as he might have done untill he had had a child of thirty years of age which might have lived a most holy life as Enoch did on earth yet upon Adam's fall or transgression afterward his said child or children must have lost all and been inwardly defiled with Adam's sinne and under the condemnation for it though untill that very time they had lived most innocently in personal obedience to all Gods lawes for many say without book because God did as they say so covenant with Adam that what he lost by transgression he and his posterity should lose ipso facto the same and his posterity be as truly defiled with his sinne as himself Secondly because if it be so as aforesaid then in case Adam had stood and persevered in obedience to his lives end as he might have done for it is said James 1.13 14. God tempts no man to sin but that every man is drawn aside of his own concupiscence then though his posterity yea hitherto had broken Gods righteous laws yet the just God must not have been angry with them nor punished them as sinners because Adam himself did not sinne in whom the Lord as they say made such a covenant as aforesaid and therefore what he received and did not forfeit by his own transgression they must likewise receive and must not lose by vertue of the said covenant with Adam notwithstanding their personal frequent rebellious and disobedience Orighteous God cause us to see and consider what dangerous sequels may be inferred directly opposite to thy justice and mercy from such a fictitious covenant as is pretended by many Divines that God made with Adam for himself and all his posterity 15. Querie What dishonour and wrong is offered to Gods justice and mercy or to any attribute of God by unbelieving and disowning the old tradition of original sinne from the first personal Adam Let the more zealous then considerate defenders of it produce the clear Scriptures to prove that our denial of it doth wrong Gods justice and mercy that so he may be justified in his saying and pure when he judgeth according to the said tradition 16. Querie What cause have parents to quarrel or grieve that they hear their children be born innocent and fit members for the kingdome of heaven Matth. 19.14 15. Matth. 18.3 let them produce Scripture plainly to prove that its more for Gods honour to ordain them to come into the world as firebrands of hell the reason is because St. James telleth us ' mercy rejoyceth over judgment and the Psalmist saith Psal 14.59 that ' Gods tender mercies are over all his workes which in the foresaid case of being under wrath for Adam's sinne cannot be rightly attested and declared and Is 57.16 ' the Lord maketh the souls and also the Lord restored Adam into his favour from his guilt c. before he had any children therefore if Adam's posterity were under the condemnation for his sinne the mercies of God are much obscured towards the posterity of Adam 17. Querie What honour and excellency is taken from Christs merits and saving grace by declaring that our justification or making righteous is from Christ within us Col. 1.27 not without us and from his saving grace communicated to us in our obedience to his laws The reason of this Qu. is because there is so much pleading that our justification is by Christs imputative righteousness residing in himself and not communicated to us but putatively onely and so our pollution may remain still if we be justified in Christ by the said external imputation of his righteousness onely for there is no inward cleansing by that means communicated unto us And peradventure the observing of the common transgressions committed by most men yea professors of religion like those Tit. 1.16 very frequently first brought in the imbelief because men ' resist not striving unto blood against sinne Heb. 12.4 that all our sinnes cannot be purged away in this life we say the observing and believing as aforesaid brought in without doubt the perswasion of a justification by Christs righteousness imputed onely to us and not by inherent righteousness within us that we might have quiet consciences notwithstanding our iniquities 〈◊〉 us in our faces by dreaming we are justified by 〈◊〉 imputative righteousness without us and not wrought in us through our obedience by the help of his grace and holy Spirit 18. Qu. Whether these who cry out against others for heresies and blasphemous opinions ought not to be sure before that they are so lest it be retorted on them as Paul did against his contenders Act. 24.14 by the way that ' you call heresie so worship we the Lord our God and especially to be careful they are sree themselves from all heresie for Turpe est doctori cùm culpa redarguit ipsum 19. Qu. Whether the Lord
not to be in these after days expected though it be said Wisdom 7.27 Wisdome entreth into holy souls and maketh them friends of God and Prophets and Rev. 18.20 Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and the holy Apostles and Prophets and such also we look for when the new heavens and the new earth cometh wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 And when the everlasting Gospel cometh to be better known and preached anew to them that dwell on the earth c. also then will Pastors be given by Christ according to his own heart Jer. 3.15 with such gifts as those had Ephes 4.11 who shall officiate in teaching his Church according to his own order and discipline in the mean time we cannot tel how to perswade our selves that our Presbyterrian publique Ministers or Bishops nor any other divided opinions among us who call themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ are more then Ministers for Jesus Christ in a prudential way which yet we do not despise but honour them if sober and peaceable in their ministration for we believe the said ministration to be very serviceable to righteous and just ends even to have its service until the time of a better reformation then we have yet seen for we see former if not worse deformities acted under other names and imployments of Ministers utinam id verum non esset But we say no more at present save only wish all whom it may concern to mind the words of St. James 2.12 13. So speak and so do as they that are to be judged by the Law of liberty or freedom for there shall be judgement saith the Apostle v. 13. without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy which Christ doth not relate to friends only but to reputed enemies Math. 5.44 c. and mercy rejoyceth over judgment Jam. 2.13 that is from the Father of mercies whose mercy is over all his works Psal 45.9 and if they do so speak and do c. then we doubt not according to that 2 Cor. 10.6 but the messenger of the Lord of Hosts will suddenly return again to his Temple Mal. 3.1 and build up once again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down c. Act. 15.16 17. but in the mean time their service whose souls are not lifted up Hab. 2.4 in a prudential way of ministrarion will be acceptable to the Lord in their measure according to that Mal. 3.16 c. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I shall make up my jewels or special treasure and I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him then shall ye discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.16 17 18. FINIS The Contents of the Integral or of this whole Book is distributed into a Tricotomie and offered to the Readers view that he may primo intuitu perceive what he shall if he please find despersed and argued à capite ad calcem throughout the same THE first part of it is a genuine and fit Paraphrase on the Vindicators Hypocritical Saint like Preface And first a Paraphrase upon the salutation in the Preface To all the Lovers in his sense of Gods truth c. Secondly a Paraphrase on the Preface it felf consisting of many Paragraphs in coloured words of Scripture-phrase to deceive the hearts of the simple The Revindication it self comprehends two parts First the Anasceuastick confutative part i. e. to confute by answering the Vindicators pretended Scriptures and Fathers which he doth rashly and ignorantly produce to justifie his pernicious positions placed in the front of his Vindication wherein we trace him from pag. 2. to p. 146. The second part of the aforesaid Tricotomie is Catasceuastick the confirmative part of our contrary assertions by several Topick heads of Scripture testimonies Secondly by humane testimonies first of the Fathers commonly so called Secondly our English reformed Church in our first reformation from page 146. to p. 200. The last part of the foresaid Tricotomie consists of two sorts of Queries occasioned from our overforward contenders and Censurers and offered to them or whomsoever they may concern to pensitate with serious thoughts The first sort of them are to such as fix two magisterially their own sense before they have deliberately considered it upon some particular Scriptures as if their sense were before they are sure of it the very mind of the Lord in the said places some Scripture instances we have set down mistaken we appeal to all impartial Readers by several persons as that of John 3.5 6. by one Mr. Stevens who doth weakly call the said place their strong reason to maintain his old tradition of original sin in his shallow Book called A threefold defence of original sin Other instances of Scriptures in a mistaken sense are those Isaiah 64.6 Phil. 3.8 9. mistaken by two grave Committee men who have been our back friends in the County of Wilts Thus we have delivered the summe of the Tricotomy of our Book intituled A Revindication It s true we have inserted some personal reflections which do not concern every Reader and therefore it may be said they might have been left out as if they savoured of a like Spirit we answer we must commit that to him who knoweth all things we have much more to say a-against some and to vindicate the deceased whose death we wish them to consider of that were so violent against him who was more knowing I am sure and more meek I am affraid then themselves and we thought it not amisse to name some passages and persons having been so publickly wronged by the same that the world may see what unruly spirits there are in these dayes of reformation against the Doctrine of a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life because it hath been for the said Doctrine we have been traduced in the Vindicators senselesse Vindication and also through many counties it hath been sounded and ecchoed out that we are Jesuits and Factors for Rome so strangely and unexpectedly is Rome it seems by the foresaid callumny reduced as to hire us to publish and convince a possibility of a total mortification of sinne in this life and to cry up a possibility of a perfect obedience to the law of God in this life If this be to be vile we are content to be more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil John 18.23 Here are some Errata referring to the book aforesaid which we desire the Reader to take notice of for the better understanding what we mean in the respective places we confess they might by the mutual and diligent care of all parties of us concerned have been prevented therefore we do not excuse our selves that it could not be helped saying in many things we offend all for our endeavour here hath been to prove a possibility to live in this life through the grace and help of Christ without offence and therefore these Errata we acknowledge did happen by our neglect and oversight who were mutually concerned to have looked better about us Sed nihil factum infectum fiers potest it s too late now to mend them otherwise then by their subscription therefore we desire the Reader when he perceiveth in any page of the book a Crupsis either of inversion redundancy or defect of words to make grammatical construction then to reflect upon these nominated Errata to rectifie the sense of the said place and as for the objectum occupans and adjunctum occupat about the same we leave them to the Readers censure as he pleaseth PAraph p. 2. l 34. r. service l. 36. d. fore l. 37. r. 13.11 p. 7. l. 2. r. to reproch them for l. 29. r. Wilton p. 9. l. 39. after preface r. and positions p. 12. l. 2. for said r. side p. 13. l. 29. r. Act. 19. p. 15. l. 1. r. to do wickedly Book p. 2. l. 6. r. catasceuastically p. 25. l. 18. r. Mat. 22. p. 26. l. 28. r. 1 John 2.22 p. 37. l. 6. r. 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. p. 39. l. 10. r. Sidkenu p. 35. l. 12. d. not p. 82. l. ult adde be p 100. l. 37. adde is p. 106. l. 21. f. servant r. Son p. 112. l. 23. del not p. 117. l. 30. r. as it is p. 127. l. 19. r. because of him p. 136. l. 1 2. d. it p. 139. l. 15. r. Joh. 5.40 p. 144. l. 17. f. note r. vote l. 30. r. commander l. 31. f. whence r. whom p. 188. l. 25. adde be p. 200. l. 4. f. held r. bold p. 210. l. 20. r. the res testata l. 23. f. prudentia r. constantia p. 217. l. 17. f. rules r. rites p. 228. l. 7. del a. p. 229. l. 22. r. Phil. 3.6 7 8. p. 230. l. 29. d. through the faith of Jesus p. 233. l. 10. after nature r. 2 Pet. 1.4 p. 241. l. 2. r. related p. 16. l. ult r. id bruti p. 243. l. 28. r. before all the people l. 29. d. the people p. 245. l. 10. f. who r. what p. 254. l. 10. r. yea not to be believed they can be c. p. 256. l. 8. after earth r. Rev 14.6